Cody Rhodes made an appearance on tonight’s episode of SmackDown from the Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale, Arizona but only after cameras stopped rolling.
Tonight’s show saw some big developments in the ongoing storyline between The Bloodline and The American Nightmare with The Rock’s return to WWE TV.
Roman Reigns opened the show with other members of The Bloodline but almost left the arena when the crowd didn’t acknowledge him. He was stopped by Paul Heyman who reminded The Tribal Chief that they had other business to conclude.
The Rock then finally made his entrance. He first called out the fans in the arena and then replying to Cody Rhodes’ Elimination Chamber challenge, made a huge WrestleMania match official.
Elsewhere in the show, we saw the return of Rey Mysterio. He took out the LWO to help Carlito pick up a victory over Santos Escobar in their street fight.
What Happened After SmackDown
The main event of the show featured Randy Orton who defeated Austin Theory in a singles bout. Both Grayson Waller and Kevin Owens who were at the ringside got involved after the match was over. The show ended with Orton and KO standing tall.
The first dark match after SmackDown went off air saw Damian Priest taking on The Miz. ‘We want R Truth’ chants broke out during one point in the match before Priest picked up the victory.
The second dark match of the night featured Cody Rhodes taking on Drew McIntyre. Mid-match Rhodes tried to introduce a table in the mix but he accidentally pulled out a broken table used in the Street Fight earlier in the night.
After the match was over, Cody finally addressed the crowd. He didn’t respond to the challenge for a WrestleMania match but acknowledged Rock’s promo, before hyping up the crowd to send them home happy.
The Rock and Roman Reigns tore up the first forty minutes of SmackDown this week. The crowd in Alabama were also on fire, and their chants were a bit too hot for television.
It seems that they are censoring a lot more than just the F-Bomb. The classic “Die Rocky, Die” sign was blacked out this week on the show.
— Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) March 2, 2024
Bleeping Revealed
According to a report from PW Insider, FOX bleeped out “Die Rocky, Die” from the live fans. A lot of fans were really curious to know what was so bad that FOX kept hitting the censor key. Now, we know that it was a wish of death.
The Rock is a great heel, and he riled up the “Meth Head Marys” and “Crack Head Karens” in Alabama. They ate it up, and it seems that their response, although it was exactly what The Rock was looking for, FOX didn’t like to hear such a morbid chant from the fans at home.
For those of you wondering about why there have been random blackouts on tonight’s Smackdown broadcast on FOX, we are told that a fan has a “DIE ROCKY DIE” sign that the network is censoring.
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) March 2, 2024
What’s Next For This
Some may say that they are getting a bit touchy with this decision to edit out, “Die Rocky, Die,” and we have to wonder what they will censor next. In the meantime, it seems that fans have plenty to get riled up about on the road to WrestleMania.
WWE SmackDown is in Dallas next week, where Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins will answer The Rock’s challenge for a tag team match at WrestleMania 40. Only time will tell what those fans will say to get FOX to hit the bleep button, but everything is bigger in Texas.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and many more, from the pro wrestling world. Keep checking back for more updates.
The Rock and Roman Reigns opened up SmackDown this week, and they took up over 40 minutes of the program. This was quite a long segment, but odds are the ratings will prove that The Rock means viewership. Now we have a few new details about how things went down.
Sean Ross Sapp reported a few notes about SmackDown’s opening segment this week on Fightful Select. It seems that they didn’t have the usual producer at the helm.
WWE Made Change to the Usual Situation
Michael Hayes typically oversees the production of Roman Reigns segments, Bloodline-connected segments, and even those involving individuals set to feud with Bloodline. However, it is reported that his name was notably absent from Friday’s run sheet. Instead, lead producer Jason Jordan was credited as the producer for both segments.
Predictably, The Rock’s segment ran significantly over time, prompting immediate adjustments to be made. This may be worth it in the end, because a ton of eyes were on that segment.
Michael Hayes typically produces all of Roman Reigns segments and matches. It will be interesting to see if he starts sharing that big responsibility. If anything, Jason Jordan certainly seemed to do a great job stepping into that slot.
What’s Next For The Rock
The Rock and Roman Reigns will be on SmackDown next week as they roll into Dallas. They will accept Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes’ decision after The Great One laid down a challenge for WrestleMania this week.
SEScoops will have more coverage of this story, and many more, in the pro wrestling world as new information is known.
Rey Mysrerio did not return at the Royal Rumble as many thought he would. The WWE Hall of Famer did make his comeback on the road to WrestleMania, and now he is back on the blue brand after the March 1st episode.
During WWE SmackDown this week, Rey Mysterio returned to action. He did so with a huge pop, and in babyface fashion to help out the LWO, picking up things where he left them months ago prior to his absence.
Rey Mysrterio’s Return
After nearly four months of recovery following knee surgery, Rey Mysterio made his return to WWE on the latest episode of SmackDown. The veteran wrestler wasted no time in reigniting his feud with Santos Escobar, lending his support to Carlito in a heated street fight against Escobar.
During the match, Legado del Fantasma’s Angel and Humberto intervened, prompting Mysterio to intervene. Despite the attempted interference from Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro, Mysterio emerged, albeit on crutches, to confront the heels.
Initially feigning that he wasn’t cleared to compete, Mysterio then turned his crutches into weapons against Angel and Humberto. Following a tense standoff with Escobar, Carlito seized the opportunity to spit an apple in Escobar’s face, setting the stage for a dramatic turn of events.
As Wilde and Del Toro neutralized Angel and Humberto, Mysterio executed his signature 619 on Escobar, creating an opening for Carlito to drive Escobar through a table for the victory. The LWO, including Carlito, Mysterio, Wilde, Del Toro, and Zelina Vega, celebrated their hard-earned triumph together.
Mysterio’s return marks the culmination of a grueling rehabilitation process from a torn meniscus suffered in November. Despite working through the pain for months before undergoing surgery, Mysterio’s determination has paid off with a faster-than-expected recovery.
In a storyline twist, Mysterio’s injury was attributed to an attack by Escobar, fueling the animosity between the two wrestlers that came to a head in their intense SmackDown showdown.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and many more in the pro wrestling world, so keep checking back for more updates.
The Rock has a new favorite enemy in Cody Crybabies, and he let loose in a 21-minute video today. A ton of people sat down and watched the whole thing, but Cody Rhodes couldn’t be bothered.
Although he was a direct target of this new video drop from The Rock, the American Nightmare had to comment that he didn’t have time to watch the whole thing. He was able to let everyone know what he was thinking with the help of a meme.
Cody Rhodes responded to The Rock’s long video without directly referencing it. This as the kind of post where if you knew what Cody was talking about, then there was no doubt.
The meme that Cody Rhodes dropped simply said that he couldn’t have the time to watch the whole video. That being said, he feels for whatever the subject of the video might be.
A ton of fans caught this passive-aggressive post, and they commented in a big way. It is now making the rounds, and it doesn’t seem that Cody was shaken at all by The Rock’s video. If anything, Cody’s response won a lot of fans over.
Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins received a WrestleMania challenge from The Rock. The Great One proposed that a tag team match should go down on night one of the show of shows, with the stipulation directly influencing the second night’s main event.
We will have to see how this pans out, but the road to WrestleMania has certainly been interestingly so far.
Bayley won the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match, and then she staked her claim against IYO Sky at the show of shows. It seemed that Bayley would have, at least, one ally for the showcase of the immortals, but that is not the case.
The Kabuki Warriors defended the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles against Bayley and Dakota Kai this week on SmackDown. Many fans wondered if a title change would be in the cards, but they got a lot more. This was not Bayley’s lucky moment, either.
Just as Bayley was crawling to her corner for a hot tag for Kai, she jumped off the apron. This was a big heel turn, and it left Bayley all alone.
It didn’t take much time for Asuka and Kairi Sane to take out Bayley in easy fashion. Then there was a four-on-one attack on Bayley.
It appears that Bayley is going into WrestleMania 40 as a huge underdog. She will have nobody in her corner from the look of it, but she also might thrive in that underdog role.
After the match, Damage CTRL was very happy with themselves backstage. Then Jade Cargill stepped around the corner to confront them. Nothing happened at that time, but that definitely planted the seeds of something big in the future.
The Rock shook up the road to WrestleMania in a huge way when he returned to WWE television to insert himself into the situation. What followed was a turbulent road where The Great One was forced to change his mind on the Mania match he wanted. Now we find ourselves in the situation today,
Roman Reigns and The Rock kicked things off for SmackDown this week on FOX. The Bloodline was in rare fashion, and Dwayne Johnson was already on fire, ready to rip into some candy asses on the blue brand.
Before The Rock even came out, Roman threatened to leave, because he didn’t like how the fans reacted to him. They booed him out of the building instead of acknowledging him. Then Paul Heyman hyped The Rock’s intro, after a commercial break.
The Rock came out to end the commercial break, and he had a lot to say. He started out by asking if the fans were sure that they wanted to boo him. Then The Rock dragged the crowd, because Phoenix is the #1 location for cocaine and meth use. This was a brutal promo, where he said that the fans finally have something worth shooting into their veins.
“Rocky” chants came after he said, “finally The Rock is back in Arizona.” Then he said that pro wrestling is cool again. He followed that by saying that Cody Rhodes is not cool.
The Rock addressed Cody’s challenge to go one-on-one against The Great One. He then gave his answer to Cody’s match, “no.” Everyone, including every woman in the arena wants to go one-on-one against The Rock. This received a response, but he told the “Crack Head Karens” and “Meth Head Marys” that they can’t handle his 22 inches, of course, he was talking about his biceps.
Dwayne Johnson dragged Cody a bit for challenging him with such a big match coming up. Then he laid down a counter-offer. Night One of WrestleMania 40 will be The Rock and Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins.
If the babyfaces win, then The Bloodline will not be at ringside for the Universal Title match on night two. If the heels win, then it will be Bloodline rules for their Universal Title match.
The Rock said that they will be in Dallas next week for SmackDown so they can get their response first-hand.
Before the segment ended, Roman Reigns told The Rock that he needed one thing: “Acknowledge me.” The Rock took a beat, removed his glasses, and he did just that, “Roman Reigns, my family, I acknowledge you as my Tribal Chief.” That drew quite a response from the crowd as they locked hands and hugged. This was followed by massive “You Sold Out” chants from fans.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of the road to WrestleMania, whatever might happen next. For more updates, please keep checking back.
Sting surprised fans as he lowered from the rafters during his final appearance on AEW Dynamite. After that went down, plenty of fans were discussing things, and Owen Hart’s name was brought into the conversation. It seems that Tony Khan knew this was coming.
Owen Hart’s name trended on Google after Sting was lowered from the rafters. That stunt was nixed on a weekly basis after Hart’s tragic death at Over the Edge in 1999. Tony Khan reached out to make sure this was okay beforehand.
Tony Khan Contacted Martha Hart
Sting made what could potentially be his final descent from the rafters during the latest episode of AEW Dynamite.
Although Sting’s use of the entrance sparked discussions about its associated risks and potential insensitivity, Fightful Select reports that AEW and Tony Khan took proactive steps. They reached out to Martha Hart, Owen Hart’s widow, to discuss the spot and obtain her approval.
Martha ultimately gave her blessing for the entrance to proceed, leading to its inclusion in the show. In the end, Sting’s rafters stunt was a boost of nostalgia, and it was also approved by Owen Hart’s widow.
Sting utilizing the entrance led to some reference the dangers associated with the entrance and perceived insensitivities. However, we’re told that AEW and Tony Khan actually called Martha Hart in preparing for the spot to confer with her. Martha ended up giving her blessing, which is why the entrance happened.
That marked Sting’s first rafter drop since his entrance at TNA Slammiversary in 2007. Prior to that, his last one was in WCW back in 2000. Following the tragic passing of Owen Hart in May 1999, Sting had used this entrance sparingly.
Dr. Martha Hart and AEW have worked closely in the past. She agreed to let the company put out the first official Owen Hart merchandise in years. Now, they have a good relationship, and the company has run two Owen Hart Classic tournaments so far.
What’s Next For Sting in AEW.
Sting’s last match will go down at AEW Revolution this Sunday, live on pay-per-view. He will team with Darby Allin to take on The Young Bucks with the AEW World Tag Team Titles on the line.
SEScoops will have coverage of the event, just in case there are any big headlines. You never know what Tony Khan will book for the company’s next outing, which is likely to get a boost of interest because it is Sting’s last match.
AEW Revolution 2024 Card:
Sting and Darby Allin (c) (with Ric Flair) vs. The Young Bucks (Matthew Jackson and Nicholas Jackson) in a Tornado tag team match for the AEW World Tag Team Championship, marking Sting’s retirement match.
Orange Cassidy (c) faces Roderick Strong (with Matt Taven and Mike Bennett) in a Singles match for the AEW International Championship.
Samoa Joe (c) defends against “Hangman” Adam Page and Swerve Strickland (with Prince Nana) in a Three-way match for the AEW World Championship.
“Timeless” Toni Storm (c) (with Mariah May and Luther) takes on Deonna Purrazzo in a Singles match for the AEW Women’s World Championship.
Eddie Kingston (c) squares off against Bryan Danielson in a Singles match for the Continental Crown Championship, with the stipulation that if Danielson loses, he must shake Kingston’s hand.
Will Ospreay and Konosuke Takeshita collide in a Singles match.
Christian Cage (c) (with Killswitch, Mother Wayne, and “The Prodigy” Nick Wayne) defends the AEW TNT Championship against Daniel Garcia in a Singles match.
FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) battles Blackpool Combat Club (Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli) in a Tag team match.
Chris Jericho faces Wardlow, Powerhouse Hobbs, Lance Archer, Hook, Brian Cage, Magnus, and Dante Martin in an All-Star Scramble match, with the winner earning a future AEW World Championship match.
Cody Rhodes may have a burning desire to finish his story at WrestleMania 40, but that doesn’t phase the Bloodline’s newest member The Rock.
Rhodes’ pursuit of a WWE World Championship has been the focal point of his return to WWE. Recently, the ‘We Want Cody’ movement led to WWE backing out of plans for The Rock to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. In response, The Rock has turned heel and has vowed to make sure Rhodes doesn’t finish his story this April.
F*** Your Story
Taking to social media, the Brahma Bull had a message for Rhodes and his ‘crybaby fans. The Brahma Bull explained that Rhodes made a serious mistake by bringing up his family at the WrestleMania kick-off event. The Great One concluded with a clear message to Rhodes and his story.
“Fans wanted to see the biggest WrestleMania event of all time. You took it away. Now, you’re going to pay. Cody Rhodes, from the bottom of my heart, man to man, f*** your story.”
The Rock will be a part of tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown. Cody Rhodes will also be part of SmackDown as part of his stacked March schedule. It’s unclear if Rhodes will appear during the show as unlike The Rock, he isn’t being advertised for an on-screen appearance.
SummerSlam has become WWE’s second-largest event of the year at this point. Now, we are getting a bit of information about where the show will be held this year, and that could make Cleveland fans very happy.
WWE likes filling up stadiums for their big shows, and SummerSlam is no different. It appears that we now know where the biggest party of the summer is heading this year.
Rumored SummerSlam 2024 Location
WrestleVotes reported that they can now back up Sean Ross Sapp’s report from months ago. WWE looks like they are zeroing in on the Cleveland Browns Stadium for a Saturday event on October 3rd.
SummerSlam 2024 has been rumored for Cleveland, as Sean Ross Sapp hinted months ago. I’m told that through sources, WWE is close to finalizing a deal with Cleveland Browns Stadium to host the event on Saturday, Aug 3. Formal announcement should come in April.
SummerSlam 2024 has been rumored for Cleveland, as @SeanRossSapp hinted months ago. I’m told that through sources, WWE is close to finalizing a deal with Cleveland Browns Stadium to host the event on Saturday, Aug 3. Formal announcement should come in April.
SummerSlam has included some massive matches in recent memory, often rivaling WrestleMania in some respects. It is the biggest one-day event that WWE can hold. With TKO as a part of the picture, only time will tell what else they plan out for this year’s event.
SEScoops will have more updates on this story, and many more, as additional news is available. Keep checking back for frequent updates on every story you need to know about.
Speaking with PWInsider, Alexander wanted to make it known that despite reports, his extension was not signed under contentious terms and “The Walking Weapon” completely understood the situation. However, he did reveal that he didn’t know that his two-year deal was set to expire in mid-February. It actually expired on Valentine’s Day and Alexander decided to to sign the deal to stick around an extra year.
“I see all the tweets and stuff like that of people saying I’ve held hostage and stuff and just to dispel that narrative, like I signed that contract two years ago. I knew there was a third year option. Sure, it would have been better for me if they didn’t pick it up. I’m sure, so I could renegotiate something new and probably, for more money and for a longer term or I could go out and free agency and see what I could get elsewhere.
“But yeah, at the end of the day of all things in this business, I want to remain and be a professional up first and foremost, and that’s very important to me and, I signed that contract and I’m not being held hostage. I’m here, for at least another year unless something, is negotiated before then for me to stay for a longer term and stuff like that, which is, Anthem Management has said that is an option and stuff that we’re going to discuss in the future, but for right now, it’s business as usual.”
Alexander does have a new rival in the mix as Alex Hammerstone, who he fought with at TNA Hard To Kill, will be his opponent once again at TNA Sacrifice.
The Melrose Ballroom in New York City was SOLD OUT and for good reason as Intimidation Games packed a punch with three promotions coming together under Major League Wrestling! Not one, not two, not three, but four titles were on the line in The Big Apple and the PLE starts off in a big way with World Middleweight gold!
MATCH 1
MLW World Middleweight Championship
Mistico (with Cesar Duran) vs. Rocky Romero (c) (with Salina de la Renta)
Rocky had a gameplan in place for this match, but it was saturated in disrespect as the champion attempted to get Mistico off his game by nearly tearing the challenger’s mask off his face.
The whole fight, which was full of many close calls, was teetering back and forth between both luchadors and even though Rocky tried to get Mistico off his game by literally ripping his mask, it didn’t deter the challenger from achieving his goal. He stayed true to his high-flying strategy and caught Rocky off-guard with his unbelievable headscissors to fujiwa armbar, causing the champ to immediately tap out!
WINNER and NEW MLW World Middleweight Champion: Mistico
Post-fight, Duran wanted Rocky to put his hair on the line in a hair vs. mask fight, but Rocky was not obliging.
MATCH 2
NYC Street Fight
The Calling vs. AKIRA & Jake Crist
AKIRA and Crist waste zero time in attacking Rickey Shane Page and Sami Callihan as they take The Calling out and then dive on top of them to the outside.
The battle lives up to the stipulation as weapons are certainly used with Sami resorting to paper cuts and RSP making the most of his brute strength. RSP was cagey throughout this entire fight as he used size and speed against his former tag partner in AKIRA. However, both AKIRA and Crist did have an unexpected ace up their sleeve.
It was reported that Raven was lurking in the Melrose Ballroom somewhere, but when Cannonball went to get the tables from underneath the ring, they got the Blue Meanie instead!
Boards were broken, but spirits weren’t as AKIRA almost relished in the challenge at fighting RSP and Sami. He nearly was about to get the win with The Death Penalty, but was fought off and Crist got tangled with RSP. Sami took the opportunity to low blow Crist and RSP got him in a backslide and 1-2-3!
AKIRA immediately goes on the attack to RSP and chaos ensues as the numbers games gets the advantage for The Calling. However, help is on the way as Jimmy Lloyd comes running down to help ward The Calling off! Sami wanted the trio to fight more, but sure enough, Raven appears on the big screen.
Raven asks that that Sami and RSP want to steal the name The Calling? Call his new faction The Response – “quote the Raven, nevermore.”
We see Tom Lawlor, MSL and Davey Boy Smith Jr are in the men’s bathroom and they feel it’s a good time to stake their claim for the World Tag Team gold. The Bulldog is relieving himself and doesn’t wash his hands as he makes clear it’s either “tap or snap” for Second Gear Crew.
MATCH 3
Bobby Fish vs. Alex Kane (with Mr. Thomas & Faye Jackson)
Alex Kane is clearly focused and needs to be tonight against a game Bobby Fish. Fish is very much feeling confident and shows it in his offense.However, both men are quick to lock up and they work the ground game. Kane starts off on the offensive, and even locks in the Fade To Black early. Fish may have got a cheap shot in and then focuses on the left knee. It becomes a target for Bobby.
He has Kane on the defensive quite a bit in the bout, but Fish a little too cocky and he gets taken to Suplex Island. Sure enough, Kane finds the right opportunity and chokes Fish out in the Fade To Black!
WINNER: Alex Kane
Kane gets on the mic to acknowledge the fans in NYC, but AJ Francis stops the celebration. He says that many fans don’t even realize BOMAYE came from Muhammad Ali, but ended up dropping a bombshell on the group. “Some people in your ranks, may not be as loyal as you think they are.” The crowd “ooo’s” at that one as both Mr. Thomas and Faye dismiss that notion.
WTF (Tom Lawlor & Davey Boy Smith Jr. w/ MSL) vs. Second Gear Crew (c)
WTF make it a point to try to take Manders out of the equation as DBS goes back to his hoss fight ways by delivering stiff elbows to the Corn Belt Cowboy. Matthew Justice rises to the occasion and splashes the sports entertainment out of DBS and Lawlor. However, once Manders gets back in, WTF take control. They go for the Hart Attack on Manders but Justice puls Lawlor out. SGC focus on DBS and hit him with a harsh spear and lariat combo. That’s curtains but Lawlor pulls referee Frank Gastineau out!
A table get presented and Lawlor is the one to fall victim to it. He gets Tornado DDT’ed by Justice through it in an amazing double team. Lawlor is twitching in pain as Manders covers: 1-2-no! MSL, who came in wearing a helmet to the ring, gets slugged by Manders. However, out comes Brett Ryan Gosselin and it allows DBS to grab the helmet and hits Manders with it. He gets covered by Tom Lawlor: 1-2-3. New champs!
WINNERS and NEW MLW World Tag Team Champions: WTF
The feed soon cuts and we see Mads Krule Krugger. He’s ready for one last war and he’s going to unleash his “new blood” into the league. “HAIL CONTRA!”
MATCH 5
NJPW World Television Championship
Bad Dude Tito vs. Matt Riddle (c)
Both Riddle and Tito are game for this fight as each competitor shows speed, athleticism and strength is shown. Suplexes are readily exchanged before kicks and strikes are exchanged. Tito gets the better of the exchange with a massive lariat.
Tito says he’s gonna rip Riddle’s head off. However, Riddle hits a fisherman’s buster and then follows up with a Broton Bomb for two near falls. “BRO” chants echo throughout the Melrose Ballroom.
Tito spinebusters Riddle down and hits a frog splash for his own near fall. More strikes are exchanged. Riddle goes on a flurry but Tito slows him down when he gets his knees up. Tito knows how to grapple and it’s evident in this match.
Hard forearms are traded between the two and then so are strikes and suplexes. Tito hits a blue thunder bomb and it’s a near fall. Only 15 minutes in this fight. Riddle manages to hit a package tombstone and it’s good for the pinfall win.
WINNER
and STILL NJPW World Television Champion: Matt Riddle
Salina de la Renta walks out with a bag of cash and issues the challenge to anybody in the back. Out comes a game Zoey Cannon from Boston. A quick boot to the corner then a massive roundhouse knocks Zoey out cold quickly. The ref calls for the bell.
WINNER: Janai Kai
We cut to Cesar Duran who is smiling proudly in his office with the Middleweight Title sitting in front of him. He issues a new challenge to Salina. He wants her best luchador in the War Chamber. Who will she chose?
It’s main event time.
MAIN EVENT
MLW World Heavyweight Championship
Minoru Suzuki vs. Satoshi Kojima (c)
It should be noted that Kojima hasn’t competed in MLW or NJPW since his last Major League match. However, these two men know one another way too well and Suzuki is sadistic in his gameplan, greatly torquing the leg of Kojima.
Strong style and fighting spirit is greatly shown in this fight, but sportsmanship is out the window as Minoru makes plenty of moments to taunt his longtime rival. Kojima does hit Suzuki with a Kojima cutter and a lariato, but doesn’t get all of the latter. However, the two-time champ perseveres and nails a crisp one on the undefeated fighter in MLW and gets the emphatic 1-2-3!
WINNER and STILL MLW World Heavyweight Champion: Satoshi Kojima
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown takes place from Glendale, Arizona at the Desert Diamond Arena.
WrestleMania 40 is just 36 days days away and business is about to pick up. “Greatness is coming” tonight, as The Rock, Roman Reigns and the rest of The Bloodline will be on hand. Roman Reigns is Tribal Chief and the Undisputed WWE Champion, but it’s The Rock who is commanding most of the attention headed into the event.
How will The Rock react to Cody Rhodes issuing a challenge to him last weekend at Elimination Chamber? The American Nightmare stated, “Any time, any place.” The Rock hasn’t been one to back down for a challenge, so it will be interesting to see how he responds, and when a hypothetical match between these two would take place.
Wrestling fans who can’t get enough of The Rock are in luck, as he recently revealed his upcoming WWE schedule and confirmed he’ll be on SmackDown for the next several weeks.
Matches For SmackDown:
In addition to The Bloodline gracing us with their presence, WWE has announced the following matches for the March 1, 2024 edition of Friday Night SmackDown:
Dakota Kai & Bayley against The Kabuki Warriors. Kai has been recovering from ACL surgery and hasn’t wrestled since May 2023.
Carlito will battle Santos Escobar in a Street Fight.
SEScoops will have full coverage of all the WWE news coming out of tonight’s SmackDown broadcast.
The Rock comes from a rich family lineage in pro wrestling, and he will never forget what his father did for him and many others. The People’s Champion recently shared a candid message about his father, while revealing a big regret he still harbors.
The Rock Speaks on his father, Rocky Johnson
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson recently shared on his Twitter/X account to deliver some flowers to his late father. Rocky Johnson, alongside Tony Atlas, achieved wrestling history as the first-ever Black Heavyweight Tag Team Champions in WWE.
Rocky’s journey was marked by challenges, yet his son said he paved the way for men of color in sports and sports entertainment.
The Rock concluded his heartfelt post with a poignant farewell to his dad, reaffirming their eventual reunion. He regrets not being able to patch things up and get other their complicated situation prior to Johnson’s passing.
Just delivering flowers to heaven to my old man, Rocky “Soulman” Johnson. My dad, along with “Mr USA”, Tony Atlas made pro wrestling history by becoming the first ever Black Heavyweight Tag Team Champions for the WWE.
He came up the hard way, and trail-blazed for all of us men of color – in any sport & level of entertainment. But it was also very important to him to pave the way for all men, any color – it didn’t matter. My regret in this life is that I never had a chance to say goodbye to him, because he died suddenly.
I regret not reconciling our complicated father/son sh*t before I lost him. Raised me with tough fatherly love and an even tougher hand. The more I live life, the more grateful I am for it. See you down the road, Soulman
Just delivering flowers to heaven to my old man, Rocky "Soulman" Johnson.
My dad, along with "Mr USA", Tony Atlas made pro wrestling history by becoming the first ever Black Heavyweight Tag Team Champions for the @WWE.
The Rock is back in the fold with WWE right now, and he is on the road to WrestleMania. We will have to see what kind of match they book for the Great One at the show of shows, but odds are Rocky Johnson will be looking down with a smile as he watches the Bloodline do their thing.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of this story, and many more in the pro wrestling business. You never know what will break next, and we will have all the updates you need.
We have less than 40 days until WrestleMania 40 is upon us. The show of shows may just see John Cena once again, but he will have to work out a very busy schedule.
John Cena’s last match went down in Saudi Arabia against Solo Sikoa. After that match, he hinted at retirement in some fashion, and he had two surgeries. While he may not wrestle at the show of shows, he will try to be around.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that there is talk within WWE of Cena coming back to Mania for some kind of involvement. It wasn’t noted exactly what they are talking about for Cena, but he will have to work around the filming for Peacemaker’s second season.
Cena will soon be filming a second season of “Peacemaker.” There has been some talk about Cena at Mania. It’s basically up to his acting schedule and if there is something going on. If there is, he may appear but couldn’t do anything that would be deemed a risk. We were told that if he does appear, the idea is to do something fun, short and memorable and with substance
What’s Next for John Cena
Peacemaker’s first season was a big hit on MAX. Now, season 2 is coming at fans, but that might not keep Cena away from the bright lights of WrestleMania 40. Obviously, Big Match John would love to be at the showcase of the immortals in some fashion this year, even if he can’t wrestle.
John Cena’s next movie, Ricky Stanicky, drops on Amazon Prime on March 7th. That will be quite an adventure for fans, as it also gave him a chance to start his first OnlyFans venture.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of the road to WrestleMania. Keep checking back for constant updates.
Pro wrestling fans and gamers often come together for the yearly 2k video game drops, just to see what the company has in store. Now, we have even more information on the MyRISE feature, and this should keep players entertained for hours.
WWE 2K24 is going to offer fans a ton of gameplay options. The popular feature MyRISE is coming back, and in the latest installment, the gaming franchise will unveil two captivating storylines: Unleashed and Undisputed.
WWE 2K24 MyRISE
2k has dropped even more information about the upcoming MyRISE feature in WWE 2K24. With 80 rewards awaiting players, including arenas, Paybacks, entrances, MyFACTION cards, and championship belts, gamers are set for an immersive journey. Over 6 hours of dialogue, complete with voiceovers from WWE icons like Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio, Mick Foley, and Shotzi, promise an engaging experience.
In Unleashed, the focus shifts to the women’s division storyline, where players embody a wrestler carving her path by her own rules. From building a thriving wrestling company on the indie scene to grappling with the opportunity to showcase their talents on WWE’s grand stage, players face crucial decisions: to unleash their full potential or hold back.
WWE 2K24 MyRISE Extras
William Regal reprises his role as the General Manager of Raw in both narratives, aiding players in navigating backstage rivalries. In Unleashed, Regal serves as a confidant, guiding players through the intricacies of larger-than-life WWE characters, urging them to “take big swings” and “live the fantasy.”
Undisputed also offers players significant choices, including aligning with SmackDown GM The Miz, leading to unique storylines, cutscenes, and alliances. Whether players opt to collaborate with Miz or oppose him, each decision shapes their gaming experience.
For the first time, MyRISE introduces MyFACTION cards exclusive to Undisputed and Unleashed, featuring beloved characters like Cole Quinn, Chosen, Slade, Tavish, and Xavier Woods’ alter ego, Zero.
Miro has been out of action from AEW for a while, and that only adds to the growing trend of The Redeemer missing television for the company. This time, he has a very good reason for being out of action, even if Tony Khan may not be 100% aware.
Although Khan recently stated that he wanted to book Miro for a match at AEW Revolution, it seems that he was not clued in to the Bulgarian star’s physical situation. Apparently, Miro is injured, and he has been since last year.
Miro Speaks On AEW Absence
During a media call for AEW Revolution, Tony Khan shared insights about initially planning for Miro and Keith Lee to participate in the Meat Madness match at Revolution. However, these plans were scrapped due to the unavailability of both wrestlers.
Miro saw a tweet about what the AEW President said as a fan posted, “Tony Khan on the Revolution media call confirms that Miro and Keith Lee were supposed to be in Meat Madness before the match was cancelled, as they’re both unavailable at this time.”
In response to Khan’s comments, Miro took to Twitter to shed light on his absence, revealing that he has been nursing an injury since September of last year, and he underwent medical treatment in January. He clarified that Khan was unaware of his injury until then, but he did not disclose the nature of his affliction.
”I’ve been injured since September and i got medical attention in January. Sorry he wasn’t aware of it.”
I’ve been injured since September and i got medical attention in January. Sorry he wasn’t aware of it https://t.co/xNxFjzu5iS
Miro has been a member of the AEW roster since 2020. He has also held the TNT Title during his tenure, but has seen limited success beyond that. We will have to see if he can stay healthy and active on AEW’s roster long enough to get himself into another title picture.
Following Miro’s victory over Andrade El Idolo at AEW Worlds End last year, where CJ Perry’s betrayal played a pivotal role, Miro has been noticeably absent from AEW television. Now that Miro has spoken on the matter, we have to wonder how much more time he has left to wait.
SEScoops will have more on this story for any updates as additional information is made available.
We have an update on El Hijo del Vikingo after he underwent surgery.
The 26-year-old talented athlete had an outstanding 2023 competing in promotions other than AAA, including All Elite Wrestling, Ring of Honor, TNA, Game Changer Wrestling, and many more. He is currently in his first reign as AAA Mega Champion.
In December 2021, he emerged victorious in a five-way match at Triplemanía Regia II, claiming the vacant title. Vikingo’s reign is the longest in the title’s history being ongoing for more than 800 days.
However, he has recently faced some injury woes. Last month, Mas Lucha reported that Vikingo’s match at the López Mateos Arena had to be called off as he sustained an injury to his right knee. Vikingo was assessed at the arena and there was a talk that he might have damaged a ligament. Mas Lucha also shared photos of Vikingo being tended to at the event.
El Hijo del Vikingo no pudo terminar la lucha en la Arena López Mateos. Se lesionó la rodilla derecha después de un movimiento.
Tras la primera valoración en la arena, se habla de que puede ser una ruptura de ligamentos. pic.twitter.com/XBOShTRy9N
Welcome to SEScoops: the Daily Drop, your go-to for the latest news and rumors in wrestling for March 1st. It’s the beginning of a new month, and we have a lot in store for you here. Let’s get right into things.
Days until WrestleMania XL: 36
WWE:
– WWE’s creative is aware Tama Tonga is coming, but they have not been given any direction for him yet. I was told this is “Not surprising because he’s probably not in before WrestleMania.” So, don’t expect Tonga for Mania.
WWE’s creative is aware Tama Tonga is coming, but they have not been given any direction for him yet.
I was told this is “Not surprising because he's probably not in before WrestleMania.” So, don’t expect Tonga for Mania.
At this point, the creative team is starting to put…
“Greatness is Coming” The Rock Returns to SmackDown
Bayley & Dakota Kai vs. The Kabuki Warriors (w/IYO SKY)
Street Fight: Carlito vs. Santos Escobar
AEW:
– AEW talent are straight-up telling Tony Khan that they are not going to follow through with his creative direction, and that seems to be a growing trend backstage in the company.
– It looks like Mercedes Mone won’t be exclusive to AEW, because she has responded to Giulia’s challenge. This situation could get very interesting with the former Sasha Banks in AEW.
AEW Revolution is planned for the following weekend, on Sunday, March 3.
AEW Dynamite: Big Business will be hosted at Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.
WWE NXT Stand & Deliver is slated for the afternoon of April 6th, just before the start of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
WrestleMania XL is set to take place on April 6th and 7th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a two-part event.
Backlash France is scheduled for May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
WWE NXT Battleground is booked for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, exclusively available on the WWE Network and Peacock.
WWE Money in the Bank will be held on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
WWE Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.
Pro wrestling legend Sting will step foot inside the squared circle for one last time at this Sunday’s AEW Revolution 2024 pay-per-view. He’s letting fans know he won’t fade away quietly into the night – he plans to go out with a bang.
Since Sting’s 2020 AEW debut, ‘The Icon’ has created several special moments for the fans but he has been involved in some spots that defy his age. It appeared that a neck injury would endanger his career in 2015 when he competed at Night of Champions against Seth Rollins. It was regarded as his final match before he joined AEW when it all changed. ‘The Icon’ overcame the hindrances and his illustrious career culminates on his own will. Sting will bring down the curtain on his decorated career with his final match at AEW Revolution 2024.
Ahead of his final match, Sting spoke to Sports Illustrated and urged the fans to capture his one last run inside the squared circle.
“I want people to walk away saying, ‘How was that even possible?’” said Sting. “I want people to be entertained. I want to elevate AEW.
“I never wanted wrestling to pass me by. That’s why I wrestled the way I did. This Sunday, I’m going to wrestle a way that will make people want to save the tape.”
Sting and Darby Allin recently captured the AEW World Tag Team titles after defeating Ricky Starks and Big Bill. This marks ‘The Icon’s first title run in the promotion and it seems that his title run is in jeopardy. The event will emanate from Greensboro Coliseum, the same venue where his 1988 Clash of the Champions bout against Ric Flair took place.
All Elite Wrestling is looking to increase their workload in 2024. They’re off their busiest year to date with more pay-per-view events, a total of eight. After a recent AEW media call, fans should expect to see more this year and beyond.
In preparation for AEW Revolution on March 3, AEW President Tony Khan held a media call to answer questions and promote the show. Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer asked Khan if he had an idea of how many PPVs he wanted to have this year and if he believed the company could come close to being profitable.
Khan touted the success of their PPV schedule last year and the growth of their schedule since they began in 2019. However, he believes nine events would be great for the company.
“…I believe we have the capacity to increase,” said Khan. He added, “…I want to be open and honest, I can see this year being nine to ten, and I think nine is a good sweet spot. It feels like that’s about the right number, and I don’t want to make a huge change or increase, but definitely, eight was incredibly successful, and I don’t want to do anything totally different, but I do see an opening for nine probably, maybe ten, but nine feels like a great number for us right now.”
When Can AEW Add Their Ninth PPV On Their 2024 Schedule?
Given their success last year, the slight increase to nine PPV seems reasonable. It’s worth noting after AEW Revolution on March 5, 2023, the company held a PPV every month except for April and July.
It’s possible AEW could add a PPV in either of the months and keep a similar timetable for events they had last year. The company recently filed a trademark for AEW Dynasty, which fans believe could be the name of a new event. If true, this would give AEW their ninth PPV show and potentially help them have a financially successful year.
Khan also noted in the media call that he is also running Ring Of Honor and plans to host three streaming events. The brand is set to have ROH SuperCard Of Honor on April 5, which could rule out AEW having a PPV event that month.
Regardless, it seems Khan already has plans in motion for a ninth event and is looking to host 12 PPVs this year combined from two of his organizations. It’s an ambitious goal that he hopes fans will want to support.
John Cena is excited to bring ‘peace’ to the ultra-violent world of Mortal Kombat with the inclusion of Peacemaker to the series.
In July 2023, Peacemaker was announced for Mortal Kombat 1, which despite the name is the latest game in the popular fighting series. Recently, fans got a trailer of Peacemaker in the game, which is voiced by Cena.
The 16-time WWE World Champion first portrayed Peacemaker in 2021’s ‘The Suicide Squad,‘ a soft sequel to the 2016 ‘Suicide Squad‘ film. Diving deep into the character, Cena would often wear the full Peacemaker costume when making public appearances and when walking the red carpet.
Cena plays the jingoistic Christopher Smith, a character who believes in doing anything to achieve what he considers peace, even if it means killing men, women, and children. The first season of the Peacemaker TV series explored what drives the character to this dedication to ‘peace’, such as his fraught relationship with his father played by Robert Patrick. The Terminator 2 actor has a history with Cena as the pair shared the screen for 2006’s The Marine.
WWE and Mortal Kombat
Cena isn’t the only name from pro wrestling to make their presence felt in Mortal Kombat. For Mortal Kombat 11, Ronda Rousey voiced series regular Sonya Blade. The Miz’s Hollywood A-Lister character has often been compared to Johnny Cage, another regular in the series.
Members of the AEW roster are said to be “very frustrated” with management to the point that some are refusing to do what has been written for them.
Since launching in 2019, AEW has aimed to be an alternative to WWE, which saw plenty of chaos backstage during the Vince McMahon administration. During the most recent episode of Wrestling Observer Live, Bryan Alvarez shared that there’s growing resentment among the roster.
“A lot of people are very frustrated because they don’t find out the Tuesday before. Some people do, some people will know what they’re doing because there are a couple of matches usually advertised in advance. But most people are showing up the day of the show and finding out if they are doing anything or not.”
Alvarez added that some AEW stars flat-out refuse to do what is requested on them and usually, Tony Khan relents, forcing plans to be changed at the last minute.
“People don’t want to do something and Tony doesn’t make them do it. There’s a lot of this… I hear about this every single day. Trying to put together these shows is just a whirlwind.”
What’s Next for AEW?
AEW’s next major event will be this weekend’s Revolution pay-per-view in Greensboro, North Carolina. This show has seen changes, with the Meat Madness match being put ‘on ice’ and replaced with the All-Star Scramble match. Tony Khan has said that the Meat Madness bout is postponed due to injuries. Lance Archer, Wardlow, and Powerhouse Hobbs were all announced for Meat Madness and will all compete in the All-Star Scramble.
If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription
Mercedes Moné (formerly Sasha Banks) recently responded to NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Giulia, who has expressed her desire to face the former WWE star.
After being the hottest free agent on the market for quite some time, it seems Moné is AEW-bound. She tasted success in WWE but departed in 2022 due to issues with the creative team. Soon after that, the former ‘Boss’ made her presence felt in NJPW and World Wonder Ring Stardom while also becoming the IWGP Women’s Champion.
While Mercedes Moné is on the verge of her return from injury, NJPW Strong Women’s Champion Giulia has stated that she is still wishing to face Mercedes Moné, who has been on the sideline since Giulia won the title from Willow Nightingale in July last year.
Speaking with Tokyo Sports, the NJPW Strong Women’s Champion said that she has been aiming to put her title on the line against Mone. Here is what she said:
“I have been thinking ever since I won the belt that I have to put this belt on the line and beat Mone to overturn this saying,” Giulia said. “I can’t tell you right now where I will go from here, but I will continue to defend this belt until I find Mone.”
Mercedes Moné responds
Taking to Twitter/X, Mercedes Moné seemingly indicated her AEW debut at Big Business and wants the champ to show as she wrote:
“You standing on big business or u just standing around! YoU know where to find me
Julia
@giulia0221g “
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) March 1, 2024
Giulia is set to be a free agent when her STARDOM contract expires at the end of March. Meanwhile, Moné is reportedly set to debut for AEW this month at Big Business.
