The WWE Universe may have to wait until SummerSlam 2024 to see Cody Rhodes dethrone Roman Reigns, in a match that could see huge championship possibilities.
On this week’s SmackDown, Rhodes, the winner of the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble, said that he wouldn’t be facing Reigns at WrestleMania. Reigns was immediately confronted by The Rock, teasing a showdown between the two at the April supershow. This booking decision has been reviled by fans, who believe Cody’s story should finish by standing tall over Reigns at WrestleMania.
Unification at SummerSlam?
Instead of Roman Reigns, it now appears that Cody will challenge World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40. PW Insider reports that there have been talks of Rhodes winning the title at WrestleMania 40, in the first of two huge title wins for the American Nightmare. The idea would be for Rhodes to challenge the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at SummerSlam in a title unification match.
WWE’s Unifying History
If this goes ahead, it’ll come just over a year after WWE introduced the World Heavyweight Championship in May of 2023. The title’s inception came about due to Reigns’ dominant tenure as Champion and his part time schedule. WWE unified the WWE and Universal Championship at WrestleMania 38. In the main event of Night 2 of the April 2022 event, Reigns defeated Brock Lesnar to unify the gold.
Randy Orton unified the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships at WWE: TLC 2013 with a victory over John Cena. At Vengeance 2001, Chris Jericho unified the WWF and World Championships by defeating ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin and The Rock on the same night.
Cody Rhodes was just about to proclaim that his 2024 Royal Rumble win would result in an Undisputed Universal Title match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. Then that match was swiftly taken away when he introduced The Rock’s big surprise for the Tribal Chief.
Backstage Reaction to The Rock’s Return
Sean Ross Sapp noted on Fightful Select that The Rock was around SmackDown all day prior to his big surprise return.
It was also noted that, “One person at Smackdown said it was the most outside faces they’ve seen there in a long time.” The night was certainly a special one in Alabama this week.
When The Rock returned during SmackDown to confront Roman Reigns, the WWE Universe wasn’t the only people who were surprised. Sapp noted that, “The reaction backstage to The Rock taking Cody’s spot was one of shock.”
WWE Bringing in Former Writer for The Rock
PW Insider reported that Brian Gewirtz will play a role as the voice representing The Rock in the WWE Creative process moving forward. He is not only a former lead writer for WWE, but he is also the current SVP of Development for Seven Bucks Productions.
Some anticipate Gerwirtz’s presence during major shows, potentially serving as a “Plan B” if Endeavor ever decides to shift WWE’s direction towards a Dwayne Johnson-backed creative team in the future.
How This Match Came About
As we previously reported, according to Dave Meltzer on the F4W Online forum, The Rock passionately lobbied for the match against Reigns. Meltzer noted that the anticipated high-profile showdown between the Hollywood star and the Tribal Chief is likely to divert attention from the ongoing Vince McMahon scandal.
“Dwayne pushed super hard for it. Read last week’s issue and this week’s. The card changed when Punk & Brock were out and all the dominoes fell. Dwayne already wanted it and they felt they now needed it as well. Felt this was better to change the news flow away from Vince.”
PW Insider reported that everyone is expected to consider The Rock’s ideas in WWE. The decision to involve him in the main event was not driven by malice to sideline Cody Rhodes, but rather based on the belief that Johnson would be the most lucrative choice, considering his new role within the company’s parent company.
It was a strategic move aimed at bolstering Johnson’s overall political influence and demonstrating Endeavor’s confidence in his engagement. One source reportedly suggested that even Paul “Triple H” Levesque would “lose that power struggle with Johnson at this point.”
Fans also banded together online to voice their discontent. The Rock and Roman Reigns’ segment from last night’s SmackDown has now surpassed 300,000 dislikes in under 15 hours with 2.5 million views. It is now the most-disliked video that WWE has ever put on their channel.
Cody Rhodes may not get to finish his story with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, but the American Nightmare will still be on the show. After winning the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match, he punched his ticket to Mania already, and now we know his match.
WWE’s Plan for Cody Rhodes
The Rock’s shocking return to WWE television meant that Cody is not facing Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. Although Dwayne Johnson’s return to the picture shuffled the Mania card, Rhodes will still get a title match.
According to PW Insider, Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins will throw down at WrestleMania. The two already have a lot of history with each other, as Rollins was Rhodes’ first feud out of the gate upon his return two years ago, and now they have more story to write.
As far as the future for Cody, the current plan is for him to face Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40, a direction change that a lot of readers we’ve heard from resent given that he’s been pushing to “finish his story” all year, that finishing that story was in reach after a Royal Rumble win and that even the WWE 2K24 video game (which Cody is on the cover for) is themed in part around fans “finishing” their own story.
Public Response To Cody Losing Mania Spot To The Rock
Fans expressed discontent with the recent booking choice, particularly the decision to have Cody Rhodes lose his WrestleMania spot to The Rock. This dissatisfaction manifested in a surge of dislikes on WWE’s YouTube video and ongoing discussions throughout the night regarding the significant segment.
Compounding the situation, supporters initiated the ‘Justice for Cody’ campaign to amplify their stance. In a recent WWE live stream video titled “Best of Cody Rhodes full matches marathon,” they flooded the comments section, rallying behind the American Nightmare.
WrestleMania Shake-Up
The WrestleMania card was already getting a shake-up. Brock Lesnar was pulled from creative due to his association with the damning allegations in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon, WWE and John Laurinaitis. CM Punk was also pulled from the show of shows due to a triceps injury.
Since Lesnar and Punk were off the show, where they were set to face GUNTHER and Seth Rollins respectively, WWE brought The Rock in for that match against Roman Reigns that fans have talked about for years.
The Rock shocked the pro wrestling world once again when he showed up during the February 2nd episode of SmackDown. He confronted Roman Reigns, and although the Great One didn’t say anything, he didn’t need to. Now, fans are set to see what is next.
The Rock & Roman Reigns Face-Off
WrestleMania 40 seems to be the place for Rock vs Roman. Fans will see more from them soon enough, because the two will be in Las Vegas on the 8th.
WWE has announced The Rock and Roman Reigns will engage in a face-off during an open-to-the-public fan and media event for the WrestleMania XL Kickoff. The event will take place live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Thursday, February 8th, at 4 PM PT.
In the announcement that WWE sent out about the event, it was also revealed that the whole thing will stream on Peacock and other platforms.
@WWERomanReigns and @TheRock will face-off at The #WrestleMania XL Kickoff, streaming live from @TMobileArena on Feb. 8 at 4pm PT across WWE social platforms and @peacock !
Fans don’t seem to be incredibly happy about this booking decision. Cody Rhodes losing his WrestleMania spot to The Rock was not taken well by some, and they spoke out. They blew up WWE’s YouTube video with dislikes, and posted all night about the big segment.
Adding to the situation, fans started posting ‘Justice for Cody’ to strengthen the movement. During a recent WWE live stream video titled “Best of Cody Rhodes full matches marathon,” they also inundated it with comments to back up the American Nightmare.
WWE’s Previous Creative Plan For The Rock at WrestleMania
I exclusively reported WWE’s current situation with The Rock vs Roman Reigns. While some were saying that the match may be moved to Saudi Arabia, that is not the case. Those plans were kept very close to the vest. Now, it appears that the match is going to take place at the show of shows this year, and fans will not have to wait.
WWE Superstars can sometimes branch outside the pro wrestling bubble to do big things. Montez Ford has a new accomplishment that he can finally share with the world’s ears.
Ford’s Big Announcement
Montez Ford, who is 1/2 of The Street Profits alongside Angelo Dawkins, is known for his hard work in the ring, and now he has ventured into the music scene with the release of a new album.
Ford’s new record called ‘God Is Good’ dropped, and he’s very proud of what he has to offer. This has also been a project that took a lot of time to make sure he got it right.
The eight-track album, which is now available on major streaming platforms like Spotify, shows off Ford’s abilities beyond the wrestling ring. Along with a link to the new album, Ford hyped fans about his new music drop.
”As promised, it’s finally here! GOD IS GOOD – ALBUM NOW AVAILABLE ON ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS! It’s been a wild couple of weeks, but thank you all for your overwhelming & continued support with our reality show & everything. I hope you enjoy! -Tezzie”
As promised, it’s finally here!
GOD IS GOOD – ALBUM NOW AVAILABLE ON ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS!
It’s been a wild couple of weeks, but thank you all for your overwhelming & continued support with our reality show & everything.
Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins recently teamed up with Bobby Lashley to form a new stable on SmackDown. The Pride is still doing their thing, confident in their current feud against Karrion Kross’ Final Testament faction with AOP.
Ford is not hanging up his pro wrestling boots by a long shot. He has a lot more to accomplish, but at the same time, he can’t wait to share his musical endeavor with his fans.
Other Musical Superstars
Montez is not the first WWE Superstar to drop a music album. In recent memory, Elias did the same. Sadly, that record was taken down after WWE released him. Prior to that, names like AJ Francis, R-Truth, Mickie James, Jeff Hardy, John Cena, “Macho Man” Randy Savage and more all dropped their own brand of music.
Sometimes, you just got to “let it go” and that’s what one AEW star decided to do with his hairdo.
Ariya Daivari decided to part ways with his hairline this week and decided to share his shave-off on social media. Davairi showed it all go down on Instagram through a time-lapse video to the music of “Let It Go” from Frozen, but did provide a little caveat to the song choice.
“Welp…BTW, I’ve never seen Frozen. ‘Let It Go’ was the only lyric I knew. This wasn’t meant to be some empowering post lol. S***’s not that big of deal.”
Ariya follows in the footsteps of his older brother Shawn Daivari who too once had a full head of hair before going the “Stone Cold” route. Ariya got a fair share of responses from his pro wrestling comrades with Matt Cardona simply calling him a “quitter” while others like Savio Vega and Brian Cage were a little more supportive.
However, Daivari may have inspired further change as it got recent TNA debutee and fellow 205 Live alum, Mustafa Ali considering the clippers himself responding in the replies with a simple statement.
“Might do the same soon.”
Drew Gulak actually wanted Ariya to go the extra mile and pull a Sean Waltman rib on himself telling him to “Now do the eyebrows.”
Davairi has been with AEW for over two years now and now works as a wrestler, producer and coach for the company. Meanwhile, his brother Shawn serves as a producer for WWE.
The head shaving hasn’t just been solely on the men in pro wrestling. Months ago before getting married, Shotzi also happened to shave her head as well.
The People’s Champ is taking his new TKO Board Of Directors role quite seriously as he took to social media to share some photos of himself visiting the new WWE headquarters. The Rock then reflected on making the stop and had a lot to say about the ‘mana’ that the new building carries.
“I needed to make one more final and most important visit – I wanted to come to Stamford, Connecticut to see our INCREDIBLE WWE HQ TEAM in person.
“To express to everyone my deepest gratitude for their commitment and talents, as well as my boundless excitement to go shoulder to shoulder with everyone to continue to build our company. Face to face. Eyes to eyes. Handshakes and hugs. I was completely blown away. You can FEEL the mana, energy, love and momentum!
“It’s a very exciting time for our companies and I’m forever proud to have played and continue to play a very small role in the growth of WWE. I’m honored to now sit at the table that my grandfather and my father helped to build. On the shoulders of giants, we stand. In the spirit of unity we grow. ~ Rock.”
The Rock has been plenty active on social media since becoming part of the board and has been putting TKO over big time since the news broke last week.
Not only does he have the new job title to be happy about, but Dwayne Johnson also has got to be electrified by finally owning “The Rock” trademark, something he also posted about on Instagram.
The pro wrestling world is like a family in many ways. When someone is taken from us, many times the community steps up to help those who were left behind. After Ice Train’s passing, many of those who knew him are now helping his family through this trying time.
Ice Train’s GoFundMe
Ice Train passed away at 56-years-old, and many who worked with him during his days in the ring spoke out to grieve the loss. As of this writing, his cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, but he had health issues. Now, his family is in need of assistance.
The description for the GoFundMe, written by Diamond Dallas Page, explains how the money will be used to help Ice Train’s family. The two had a 30-year friendship, and now DDP wants to make sure that Harold Hogue’s family is taken care of to the best of his ability.
Ice Train was born with congenital heart disease, so he couldn’t get insurance. Due to this, his family is in a terrible circumstance right now.
Harold Hogue aka “Ice Train” aka “Smooth” (to me he was always “H”) was a warrior and one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. Our 30 year relationship was filled with laughter & brotherhood. We were always there for each other.
Our families are one family.
Harold was born with a congenital heart disease and passed away unexpectedly on January 23, 2024. Because of his condition, he was unable to get life insurance, leaving his wife Tiana and his 7 kids too soon…without their rock, and their primary provider.
Please consider donating in honor of Harold, to help support his family after losing such a great husband, father, and friend. I love you H – DDP.
As of this writing, they have raised $17,990 of their $50,000 goal. Some notable names have already contributed substantial donations for the campaign.
Notable Donations Already
Several figures from the wrestling community have contributed to Ice Train’s GoFundMe campaign. Dallas Page donated $10,000, Chris Jericho contributed $5,000, and Cody Rhodes put in $1,000.
Legends pass away like regular humans, which is a hard reality to face. Sadly, the world lost a remarkable talent as Carl Weathers passed away recently. The pro wrestling world took notice as well.
Tributes For Carl Weathers
Carl Weathers died on Thursday at the age of 76. His family said in a statement that he “died peacefully in his sleep.” We do not know the cause of death yet, but the world is mourning this great loss.
Xavier Woods from WWE honored the late Carl Weathers, who recently passed away. Weathers’ portrayal of Apollo Creed in the Rocky franchise served as the inspiration for Woods’ TNA persona, Consequences Creed.
“Today one of my biggest inspirations died. Carl Weathers brought Apollo Creed to life and in doing so he inspired me to become something that helped me achieve my wildest dreams. You really never know what you just doing what you love does to inspire others. #Rip Carl Weathers”
Jesse Ventura shared the screen with Carl Weathers. He posted a photo of them together on the set of Predator, along with a touching tribute.
We lost an icon. Carl Weathers was a phenomenal talent, a true professional, and a dear friend. All my sympathies and love to his family. I loved working with him on Predator and then celebrating that film with him at various conventions in the ensuing years. Thank you, Carl.
We lost an icon. Carl Weathers was a phenomenal talent, a true professional, and a dear friend. All my sympathies and love to his family. I loved working with him on Predator and then celebrating that film with him at various conventions in the ensuing years. Thank you, Carl. pic.twitter.com/29OJoe8qcu
Sean Waltman also paid his respects to the great man that the world lost this week. While posting an animate gif of Weathers playing Chubbs Peterson from Happy Gilmore, in the scene where he’s showing Happy that he got both hands back after his death, X-Pac wrote: “Thank you for everything.”
Carl Weathers was a great actor, and he kicked down barriers for others with his fantastic career in entertainment. He may be gone, but he will never be forgotten.
Our thoughts are with Carl Weathers’ family, friends, and fans at this time as they cope with losing such a talented man. RIP.
John Cena has done a lot in his shoo-in WWE Hall of Fame career. Some may say he’s getting better with age, but his part-time schedule may play a part in how fans perceive the 16x World Champion.
While speaking on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, when questioned about the prospect of a time when fans might no longer see him, John Cena expressed that he’s just getting older and can’t compete at the same pace as the younger talent.
“I’ll be 47 in April, and the product is filled with superstars who are young, fast, and gifted. I’m just not as fast as I once was.”
John Cena Classic Car Comparison
Cena drew a comparison, likening himself to a vintage classic car that requires a prolonged warm-up before reaching its final gear. He humorously alluded to a 30-minute run, followed by necessary repairs due to unforeseen issues.
”I compare myself to like a fine vintage classic car. So if you want to take it out one day, you got to warm it up for about two and a half hours, then you can take it out and you can hit the last gear, but please don’t pin it to red line. I can go for about 30 minutes. Then after you drive for 30 minutes, you got to take it back in the shop and fix all the noises it was making. I’m leaking fluids from places I didn’t know I had places. So it’s pretty rough around the edges.”
This is an interesting analogy, because Cena did have to get surgery after his last short WWE run. He had surgeries on both arms after his match at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia against Solo Sikoa. So, he certainly needed a tune up after that short time on the road.
John Cena Knows His Cars
John Cena has an extensive car collection featuring American muscle cars, European supercars, and daily-driven Japanese sports cars. The collection is notable for its focus on muscle cars and American classics, complemented by a substantial number of European luxury cars.
Naturally, his involvement in the Fast & Furious franchise also validates anything he says about cars. We will have to see what kind of analogies Cena comes up with in the future to describe himself, but this one was on the money.
Cody Rhodes may not get to finish his story at WrestleMania, and some fans don’t seem to be very happy about that. After The Rock returned during the February 2nd episode of SmackDown, they have not been shy about making their opinion known.
The Rock’s Big SmackDown Return
The Rock returned during SmackDown this week as a big surprise. Cody Rhodes was just about to announce who he is facing at WrestleMania, when he said that he won’t be the man taking on Roman Reigns.
Suddenly, The Rock’s music hit and he came down to the ring. After shaking hands with Cody, the American Nightmare took off to leave himself alone in the ring with Roman Reigns.
SmackDown closed out this week with the two staring each other down. No match was made official, but it’s pretty clear that WrestleMania 40 will see The Rock vs Roman Reigns.
Some Fans Are Not Happy
While some fans are over the moon with happiness due to The Rock’s return to WWE television, they aren’t all thrilled. Some are standing behind Cody Rhodes, and they are not impressed with a storyline that doesn’t see him finish his story.
The YouTube upload of The Rock & Roman Reigns’ segment from SmackDown this week has received over 50% more dislikes than likes. It also has well over 1.5 million views at this point. That is a very high percentage of dislikes.
How This Match Came About
As we previously reported, according to Dave Meltzer on the F4W Online forum, The Rock strongly advocated for the match with Reigns. Meltzer mentioned that the high-profile clash between the Hollywood star and the Tribal Chief is expected to shift the focus away from the current Vince McMahon scandal.
“Dwayne pushed super hard for it. Read last week’s issue and this week’s. The card changed when Punk & Brock were out and all the dominoes fell. Dwayne already wanted it and they felt they now needed it as well. Felt this was better to change the news flow away from Vince.”
SE Scoops will have continued coverage of the road to WrestleMania. Fans definitely didn’t see this new development coming, and they might not be 100% for it, either. Needless to say, it will be an interesting showcase of the immortals this year.
WWE Raw Superstar CM Punk has wasted no time in going under the knife after suffering a torn triceps injury last month.
During the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble Match, CM Punk suffered a triceps injury which Drew McIntyre has taken full credit for. On this week’s Raw, Punk confirmed that he will miss WrestleMania 40 due to the injury, and vowed to wrestle McIntyre when he’s able to make a return.
Punk’s injury has caused WWE to make a serious change of plans. While the initial WrestleMania card featured Cody Rhodes facing Roman Reigns, it now appears that The Rock, who returned on this week’s SmackDown, will face his cousin instead.
CM Punk Update
The former WWE and AEW World Champion was backstage at last night’s episode of SmackDown in Birmingham, Alabama, PW Insider reports. Punk was spotted sporting a brace on his arm due to the triceps injury. Sources close to the situation have said that Punk has already undergone surgery to repair the triceps tear.
What’s Next?
While specific times may differ, a torn triceps injury requires considerable healing time, which is usually at least six months. That would put Punk’s return date around July or August, though there have been rumors he could be out of action for longer.
Cody Rhodes is on the Road to WrestleMania 40, but his final destination won’t see him face Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
On the forum board of F4W Online, Dave Meltzer explained that The Rock pushed hard for the match with Reigns. He added that the blockbuster showdown between the Hollywood megastar and the Tribal Chief will hopefully turn attention away from the ongoing Vince McMahon scandal.
“Dwayne pushed super hard for it. Read last week’s issue and this week’s. The card changed when Punk & Brock were out and all the dominoes fell. Dwayne already wanted it and they felt they now needed it as well. Felt this was better to change the news flow away from Vince.”
Meltzer added that Rhodes was supposed to face Reigns at WrestleMania in the original plan and that a showdown with The Rock was set to happen at a later date. It was also stated that CM Punk’s injury was a decisive factor in WWE’s change of plans.
“Cody was the plan. Dwayne was going to face him later, maybe next year’s Mania, maybe Saudi. Shit happens with Vince and Punk, the Vince thing ends up worse than they thought and they changed the plan. I literally didn’t know until yesterday that it could change and then I was told it’s under lock. But 100% it was Punk vs. Seth and Cody vs. Reigns until Punk got hurt.”
This massive change of plans as seen on SmackDown has had the wrestling world talking…
Cody and The Rock shared an embrace during SmackDown, in what many have seen as confirmation that Rock will face Reigns at WrestleMania instead of Rhodes. Many online have disagreed with the idea, given Rhodes’ heartbreaking loss to Reigns last year and how his story has always been about winning the WWE Championship (now part of the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship) that his father never captured.
On Twitter, Brandi Rhodes referred to her husband as a quarterback, indicating that he is a reliable hand that WWE can count on.
Danielle Moinet, better known to WWE fans as Summer Rae, was far from pleased, stating that after two years of build, this twist doesn’t make sense.
Imagine handing over your Wrestlemania match that you beat 29 other ppl for…AFTER a two year build
I’m all for twists & turns but make it make sense! Gosh I hope we are ALL wrong. I hope it all makes sense next Fri in a Rock Roman promo, that is if either of them show up to tv
Echoing Cody’s comment about taking everything from Reigns, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful said that this storyline is doing much more harm to the American Nightmare.
After competing in a dark match following SmackDown, Sami Zayn spoke to the crowd in Birmingham, Alabama. The former NXT, Intercontinental and Tag Team Champion stated that those who reminisce about the ‘good ol’ days’ should stop and see how good things are right now.
“It’s awesome to have The Rock. We’re lucky to have him. But you know, The Rock is lucky to have the WWE, too. Because we are living in the best time with the best superstars in the WWE.
“We have constantly listened to people talk about the good ol’ days. The good ol’ days. The good ol’ days. Well I’ve got news for you. Tonight, 10,000 people sold out this building in Birmingham! To see the best crop of performers in the world so I have news for you and for everybody! The good ol’ days are right here, right now!
“And I want to thank you for letting me be a part of it, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart to each and every one of you for being a part of it with us. Thank you so much, we are all feeling something special right now! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love you, thank you very much.
After the show, Sami said, “it’s awesome to have The Rock. We’re lucky to have him. But you know, The Rock is lucky to have the WWE, too. Because we are living in the best time with the best superstars in the WWE.” And then he said this. #wwe#SmackDownpic.twitter.com/4gxaFfEeHS
During the Men’s 2024 Royal Rumble match, CM Punk suffered a torn triceps injury. On this week’s Raw, Punk confirmed that the injury will cost him a match at WrestleMania 40. In a recent WWE Chronicle that covered Punk’s injury and aforementioned announcement, the former World Champion fought back tears as he spoke about what his time with the WWE roster has meant to him so far.
“Just certain looks from certain people I get, and then I start crying again. And Cody’s one of them. He’s a great dude. This locker room is everything the business is supposed to be. It’s everything the business was sold to me as being and it’s remarkable, and that’s why I’m so sad. I’m not sad I hurt my arm, I’m sad I’m temporarily out of this amazing situation.”
The Rock made his presence felt in a big way during his appearance at tonight’s SmackDown from the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.
The Great One had teased a potential match with Roman Reigns during the Day 1 special of Raw. He all but confirmed this showdown for WrestleMania 40 tonight when he showed up to confront the Tribal Chief at the end of the Blue Branded show.
Though while the broadcast ended only minutes after The Great One showed up to the arena, he stayed in the ring far longer. WWE posted an extended clip of The Rock’s confrontation with Roman Reigns as well as his promo after SmackDown went off air as seen below:
What The Rock’s Decision Means For Cody Rhodes
The ripples from this appearance of the Hollywood star are being felt around not only the main event but the whole card for WrestleMania 40 event from the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
It was indicated during the show itself that Cody Rhodes will not be challenging Roman Reigns at Mania despite winning the Royal Rumble. Instead, we will see this match much sooner, potentially at the Elimination Chamber from Perth later this month.
If The American Nightmare ends up winning the Undisputed Championship at the International PLE then we may see a separate match for the title at the Show of Shows. If the former AEW star doesn’t win the title, however, things could also pivot in the direction of a potential Seth Rollins vs Cody Rhodes match.
Seeing the reaction of fans and numerous wrestling personalities over the decision, it’s also possible that the officials may be forced to reconsider their choice and a different card may emerge altogether. Whatever the case maybe, tonight’s events only make things more interesting and we’ll have to wait and see how things unfold from here.
Cody Rhodes won the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match, marking a back-to-back win achievement in the big annual match. This week on SmackDown, he made a big announcement about what’s next for him. Little did they expect that so much more was going to happen.
SmackDown’s Final Segment
WWE gave Cody Rhodes’ big announcement the final segment of the night for SmackDown to make his big WrestleMania decision. This was a choice that Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins were both very interested in, but that’s not all.
Roman Reigns made his way to the ring first to start the twenty-minute closing segment. The Tribal Chief took a chance to bury Seth Rollins and his title. He made a point that Rollins is an injured workhorse, and he called the World Heavyweight Championship the “losers bracket title,” since he’s already beaten everyone going for that title.
"Or is finishing the story taking EVERYTHING from you?"
Then Cody Rhodes came out, with all of his pyro, and fans were ready to see him answer the Head of the Table. Cody asked Roman, “what do we want to talk about?” He asked if they can have the ring to themselves, which caused Solo and Jimmy Uso to step outside, but Paul Heyman stayed.
Cody Rhodes said he still wants Roman’s Undisputed Universal Title, because of what it represents. To him, it is still the same title that Bruno Sammartino defended and Dusty Rhodes himself held for a brief moment before it was yanked from his hands. Cody wondered if finishing his story would mean taking everything from Roman Reigns.
The American Nightmare then said that he wants to take that title from Roman Reigns, but it won’t be at WrestleMania. He said that he’s been seeking council, and it was with someone who knows him very well.
That is when The Rock’s music hit, and The Great One came out to a huge pop in Birmingham, Alabama. The Rock and Cody hugged, and then Rhodes left.
The Rock and Roman Reigns just stood in the ring for a moment, as fans soaked in the scene. Fans chanted “this is awesome” and “holy sh*t” as Rock and Roman approached each other in the ring. The show ended with a silent stare-down without another word being said.
WWE’s Previous Creative Plan For The Rock at WrestleMania
I exclusively reported WWE’s current situation with The Rock vs Roman Reigns. While some were saying that the match may be moved to Saudi Arabia, that is not the case. Those plans were kept very close to the vest. Now, it appears that the match is going to take place at the show of shows this year, and fans will not have to wait.
Earlier in the night, Bayley made her big WrestleMania decision. She will take on IYO Sky, which was a move that caused Asuka and Kairi Sane to jump her from behind. Now, Bayley is without Damage CTRL, but she’s got a Mania main event in her future.
SE Scoops will have complete coverage of the road to WrestleMania. The show will go down on April 6th and April 7th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Lincoln Financial Field.
Bayley won the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble, and she made history in the process. This week on WWE SmackDown, she made a big decision about her WrestleMania future.
Bayley Makes A Big Decision
Bayley took to the ring along with Damage CTRL this week on SmackDown. She had a big decision to make about the showcase of the immortals, and the fans in Alabama were there to cheer her on.
After making a point that she’s done everything she can at WrestleMania, competing for both singles titles, tag team gold, and even hosting the event, the Damage CTRL member got around to making her decision. She, of course, gave credit to her Damage CTRL stable for standing by her side the whole time, through thick and thin.
She teased facing Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania, but then she turned her focus to her stable. Then Bayley confronted them for laughing at her. She spouted off a bit of Japanese at them, for all the times they talked about her behind her back.
Bayley said she just wanted Damage CTRL to be the best, to take things to the top as a stable. She asked IYO Sky what happened. Then Kairi Sane and Asuka jumped Bayley from behind. Finally, Bayley retrieved a lead pipe, and that helped her fight off the three-on-one attack.
Bayley will take on IYO Sky at WrestleMania 40. She has a story to tell, and now she has a grudge to settle after this violent breakup. She told Sky that they will meet at WrestleMania, and that drew a big response from the crowd.
In the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match, Bayley joined from the #3 position after Natalya and the returning Naomi. Supported by her Damage CTRL allies Asuka and Kairi Sane, Bayley achieved a historic feat.
She not only emerged victorious in the match but also set a record for the longest run in a singles Women’s Royal Rumble, lasting over one hour and three minutes. Her remarkable performance concluded with the elimination of Morgan, securing her win in the match.
Tiffany Stratton made a lot of noise in the #29 spot during the 2024 Royal Rumble event. Now, she is on the SmackDown brand.
Tiffany Stratton is SmackDown
During the February 2nd episode of WWE SmackDown, they made two big announcements in one backstage segment. Naomi came out of an office with a freshly signed SmackDown contract, but she was not alone.
Tiffany Stratton came out next, with a SmackDown contract as well. She declared that she is now on the main roster, and the blue brand is her home.
Rumors About Tiffany Stratton’s Main Roster Call-Up
Rumors were circulating backstage at Monday’s Raw about Tiffany Stratton’s standout performance in the Royal Rumble match, sparking discussions about her potential move to the red brand, according to PW Insider.
It is interesting that Stratton is on SmackDown now, because putting her on RAW would align with WWE’s tendency to keep real-life couples on the same brand, as Stratton is in a relationship with Ludwig Kaiser.
Who Is Tiffany Stratton
Tiffany Stratton joined WWE in 2021 after being trained by Greg Gagne. She held the NXT Women’s Championship for 107 days until her reign concluded with a loss to Becky Lynch at NXT Battleground 2023.
In early January, Stratton wrapped up a feud with Fallon Henley in a unique “ranch hand or servant for a day” match at New Year’s Evil, resulting in noteworthy vignettes showcasing Stratton’s humorous struggles while assisting on the ranch.
Now that Stratton is on the main roster, it appears that she won’t waste any time.
Brandi Rhodes has been busy since departing from the pro wrestling world. As wife of Cody Rhodes, she will always be a part of the business, and today she had quite a statement to make.
Brandi Rhodes Makes Bold Statement
The pro wrestling world can be a difficult place to operate at time, and women in the industry have faced certain struggles time and time again. Although not all stories need to be detailed, it is apparent that Brandi Rhodes went through a lot in the pro wrestling business.
Brandi shared that during her time in wrestling, a few individuals made things unnecessarily difficult for her. However, she expressed having no joy in learning about the karma they have faced. She then used that statement to provide her daughter with an example of what a lie is.
“There were a handful of legit idiots who made my time in wrestling harder than it needed to be. But when I hear of the cold dishes of karma they’ve been served, it gives me absolutely no pleasure.
(This was me giving my daughter an example of what a bold faced lie is).”
There were a handful of legit idiots who made my time in wrestling harder than it needed to be. But when I hear of the cold dishes of karma they've been served, it gives me absolutely no pleasure.
(This was me giving my daughter an example of what a bold faced lie is).
Brandi Rhodes started her wrestling journey as a WWE ring announcer under the name Eden Stiles. She met Cody Rhodes during that time in her life. However, she departed from WWE in 2016, around the same time that Cody left the company in the middle of his Stardust run.
The pair then took off to tackle a global wrestling journey, showcasing their talents in various promotions, eventually landing in AEW. Cody and Brandi left AEW in 2022, and then the American Nightmare returned to WWE.
Although Brandi has not signed with any pro wrestling company since, she has been busy. She opened up a yoga studio, NakedMind, in Roswell, Georgia.
WWE released several members of the roster in September, and a few of those people have already started making waves elsewhere. Shelton Benjamin lost his job with WWE as part of those cuts, and despite a pull to get him into AEW, that hasn’t happened yet.
Shelton Benjamin’s Current Free Agency Situation
The fall 2023 WWE releases are now open for bookings. Shelton Benjamin, with a wrestling career spanning over 20 years, has garnered interest from some quarters advocating for his inclusion in prominent wrestling companies.
According to Sean Ross Sapp on Fightful Select, several wrestlers were urging for Shelton Benjamin to join All Elite Wrestling. This is a sentiment that started well before his release.
Benjamin has made a great impression with several people during his career. Obviously, his reputation precedes him, so there were people in the company advocating for Tony Khan to sign him.
Those that we spoke to said that while there were some people going to bat for Shelton, pushing for him to join the company and even making some internal pitches, as of early January, AEW had not yet contacted Benjamin about a potential appearance in the company.
On September 21, 2023, WWE made a series of releases, coinciding with a new TV deal. The list of released talent includes Mustafa Ali, Rick Boogs, Aliyah, Top Dolla of Hit Row, Tegan Nox, Emma, Riddick Moss, Elias, Shelton Benjamin, Dolph Ziggler, Dana Brooke, Mansoor, Mace, Quincy Elliot, Dabba-Kato, and Yulisa Leon.
Misconception About Shelton Benjamin’s Contract
Although there were efforts for people to pull for Shelton, with internal pitches made for him to join the company, that hasn’t happened yet. As of early January, AEW has not pulled the trigger on bringing him in.
The report also noted that there was actually a bit of confusion regarding his contract status last year. His deal did not expire at that time, but his current free agency certainly opens up the opportunity for him to come into AEW.
There was some miscommunication within AEW last Summer that led to some believing his deal was up imminently in 2023. Unfortunately, that ended up coming true as Shelton was released by the company in September 2023.
Tony Khan has brought in a good number of former WWE stars, and Shelton Benjamin could be a great addition to the roster. That being said, it does not appear that they are close to nailing down that deal at this time.
The pro wrestling landscape is always interesting when free agency is a part of the conversation. You never know where those people will show up next, and now Jacob Fatu’s name is on that list.
Jacob Fatu Is A Free Agent
Jacob Fatu is currently not tied to any contractual obligations. He is a free agent, and that report has now been confirmed.
Bodyslam.net confirms that the former MLW World Heavyweight Champion is a free agent. Despite earlier suggestions that Fatu was still bound by an MLW deal until 2025, independent sources have verified to Cassidy Haynes that he is not currently under contract with Major League Wrestling and is open to signing with any organization. SE Scoops has also reached out for further comment.
Rikishi Already Told Us
We previously reported that Jacob Fatu is now a top free agent in the pro wrestling world. He could obviously be a big benefit for many pro wrestling companies out there.
Jacob Fatu is known for his time in Major League Wrestling and his affiliation with the CONTRA Unit faction. He held the MLW World Heavyweight Championship. His wrestling style incorporates power, agility, and high-flying maneuvers, making him a versatile performer.
The Bloodline May Get A New Member
Jacob Fatu is ready to join the Bloodline as well, and join his family, including the Head of the Table, Roman Reigns. The Anoa’i Family could see another member join WWE soon enough.
“They do [want me to sign] and I appreciate that. The grind is, you do the hard work where nobody can see it. I appreciate them and I appreciate everyone talking good about me because, my mother-in-law always says this, ‘truth should come to the light.’ The truth is definitely coming to the light because it’s all the hard work. Everything in the back that people don’t see. We’re here with the students, you appreciate the hard work that goes into this. I appreciate the fans saying that.”
“Do I want to be there? Yeah, absolutely, but then again, I didn’t expect to be at MLW this long. It’s really in God’s hands. I’m thankful for it. I watch my brothers every day. Like Roman and my brothers say, they always call and tap in. They can say this and that about the family. Everyone is human. I love what they’re doing. That feeling of what they’re doing is real. If you ask me, it’s God’s timing. I’m going to leave it at that. There ain’t no telling.”
Fatu maintains a strong connection with his WWE family, and that may help him find a spot with the company. He is definitely one to watch in the years to come.
Could WrestleMania 40 go off the air with Cody Rhodes holding both the World Heavyweight Championship and the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship?
While it’s known that Cody will challenge for a World Championship at WrestleMania 40, there has been plenty of speculation as to which champion he’ll face. Ever since his loss at WrestleMania 39, it was expected that Cody would face Roman Reigns this year and get his win back, ending the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion’s historic run in the process. When The Rock returned during the Day 1 Raw, he teased coming for Reigns’ spot as Head of the Table.
While it’s expected that Rhodes could challenge for one championship in Philadelphia, the American Nightmare wouldn’t say no to leaving with both titles. When a fan on Twitter suggested a ‘Winner Takes All’ stipulation featuring Reigns, Rollins, and Rhodes, Cody made it clear he was interested in the idea.
Rita Chatterton alleged that Vince McMahon sexually assaulted her in his limousine in July 1986. She left WWE that same year under conflicting stories, as WWE’s attorney at the time asserted that she was “fired for cause.”
Her name has come up a lot more in recent memory, due to the hush money scandal that is still unfolding for Vince McMahon. During a 2022 interview with the Cheap Heat Podcast, Chatterton spoke about the toxic atmosphere that awaited her in WWE. This all started for her when Vince McMahon called after she was recommended by Blackjack Mulligan.
“I said, ‘hello’ and the man’s voice said, ‘is Rita Marie there?’ and the only people who called me that were from wrestling, and I said, ‘this is her,’ and he said, ‘this is Vince McMahon.” I was like, wow, here’s the man I’ve been calling for months, and he’s finally calling me. He said that ‘I understand you spoke to George, and he and Blackjack Mulligan were pretty impressed, and we wanna get some TV on you, can you be at Madison Square Garden in like two days?’ I was like, yeah, I’ll be there.” “Going from nowhere to Madison Square Garden, that’s huge.”
Chatterton was 27-years-old when she signed on with WWE. At her first gig with WWE, Pat Patterson allegedly didn’t believe she was a referee. When she showed Patterson her referee license, he was apparently fuming. She claims that Patterson went back screaming, “Who the f*ck would give a female a referee license.”
Later on, she said that Chief Jay Strongbow asked to see her license, just so he could look it over, before leaving with his head shaking in disapproval. Strongbow apparently raised a fuss over Chatterton as a referee.
Rita Chatterton Details Sexist WWE Culture
After the athletic commissioner showed up, the discussion was started once again. Then, she claimed that Pat Patterson offered her money for the night, but she wouldn’t be a referee on the show.
“They walk over to me, and Pat Patterson has a fistful of money. He said, ‘here, take this.’ I said, ‘what’s that?’ He said, ‘you’re getting paid for tonight, but you’re not refereeing anything. I said, ‘oh yes I am.’ I said, ‘Look, if I’m not refereeing, I will sue you personally, and I will sue you, and I will sue you, and I will sue you,’ I’m going around pointing at everyone. ‘And I will sue WWE because I’m a good referee and I worked hard to get here, and I’m doing it.’ And then they storm away.”
Chatterton also discovered, a short time later, that Pat Patterson offered money to the female wrestlers in her first WWE match to break her legs. Of course, they didn’t, but that is how volatile and toxic it apparently was.
“I ended up doing my very first match, a women’s tag team match, and I found out a few months later that Pat Patterson told the women to break my legs and make sure I never wanted to get in the ring again.”
“Luckily, being women, instead of doing anything to hurt me, they helped me, and that’s how I got started,” Chatterton said. “It was a crazy world and things were so much different back then, but luckily the women knew that you had to work 10 times as hard for a quarter of the recognition that the men got at the time.”
Chatterton On WWE Talent’s Rock Star Lifestyle
Chatterton said that “they wouldn’t think about saying that” to her today, telling her that she’s not on a show just because she’s a woman. The culture has certainly shifted when it comes to public consciousness, but other aspects of WWE sadly remained until just recently when Vince McMahon officially resigned.
She spoke about the rock star lifestyle that “they all” lived back then, when talking about the talent. Rita Chatterton also did what she could to stay away from that to the best of her ability.
“They all lived like rock stars. They had, what they called arena rats backstage trying to meet the guys. So, it was always ‘stay away,’ and I didn’t have a problem with that. I was engaged. I had a very happy home life. I didn’t have a problem with that. So yeah, you know, it had its moments where things got pretty crazy.”
Rita Chatterton After WWE
In 1992, Geraldo Rivera’s producers approached Rita Chatterton about the alleged rape by Vince McMahon. She shared her story on Rivera’s shows, but the allegations received limited coverage due to other WWF scandals. McMahon and his wife sued Chatterton, but they dropped the case after his steroid case indictment. You may watch Chatterton’s Geraldo appearance below.
In June 2022, Chatterton’s story resurfaced during a New York Magazine profile. McMahon faced new misconduct allegations, leading Chatterton to speak out once again. In December, Chatterton sued McMahon, settling later to avoid litigation costs. Reports suggest McMahon agreed to a multimillion-dollar settlement.
SE Scoops will have ongoing coverage of Vince McMahon’s allegations as more information comes to light. More names could come forward, and a federal investigation on his actions also raises a lot of questions about what is next.
