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Orange Cassidy Sets the Record Straight on ‘Comedy Wrestling’

Aaron Varble
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Tony Khan has done a lot while booking AEW so far, but his transformation of Orange Cassidy has been impressive to see. Some were initially worried when TK signed the indie darling who couldn’t keep his hands out of his pockets. After introducing Cassidy to the world, they have not accepted him as a pro wrestling star. Still, it’s hard to shake that comic stigma that brought him to the table.

Orange Cassidy Speaks on Comedic Wrestling

Orange Cassidy, a prominent figure in Tony Khan’s AEW, is celebrated for his captivating in-ring abilities. Despite his silence and comedic routines, Cassidy has garnered immense popularity among wrestling enthusiasts.

The current AEW International Champion is often seen as a comedic attraction, known for his playful gestures such as teasing opponents with kicks and responding to others with his signature thumb raise. 

During a recent interview with theathletic.com, Cassidy expressed gratitude towards AEW, highlighting the opportunity it provides to showcase a range of emotions. He emphasized the importance of versatility in professional wrestling, stating that being pigeonholed into one role would lead to stagnation. In the end, he doesn’t really care for the term “comedic wrestling.”

“I don’t really like the term comedy wrestler because I feel that professional wrestling is an art. This is the art I create and art, to me, should generate emotions out of people. Those emotions could be laughter. They could also be joy, it could also be sadness, it could be regret, it could be depression. If I was just a comedic wrestler, would people really care, would they be invested?“

Orange Cassidy remarked that in a movie solely filled with laughter for 90 minutes, there’s always a moment that deeply resonates with the audience. He expressed gratitude towards AEW for providing him with the opportunity to display various emotions, emphasizing that elsewhere, he might be confined to a single comedic role. Cassidy noted the risk of becoming stale if restricted to one-dimensional character portrayals. He stressed the importance of being a professional wrestler above all else to evoke genuine emotions from the audience.

It was once difficult to get more than three words out of Orange Cassidy. Now, he’s doing full-fledged interviews, while diving into his own version of pro wrestling theory.

What’s Next

AEW has built Orange Cassidy into a legitimate champion, as fans follow what Freshly Squeezed does next. We will have to see how Tony Khan books OC in the future, because he has certainly done a lot for him so far.

SEScoops will have continued coverage of AEW and Orange Cassidy whenever new headlines drop, so keep checking back for more.

Update on Finn Balor After Injury Scare At WWE Elimination Chamber 2024

Thomas Lowson
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An update has emerged on Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champion Finn Balor following some concerning scenes at WWE Elimination Chamber 2024. 

In the sole tag-team match on the card, Balor and Damian Priest retained the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships against New Catch Republic (Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne.) The British tag team qualified for this match by winning a four-way tag match and then became number-one contenders by defeating DIY. 

Latest On Finn Balor

After the match, WWE’s camera team spotted Balor who was bleeding heavily from his thumb. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Bryan Alvarez gave an update on the Judgment Day member. 

“We had Finn Balor who, at the end of the match, holds up his hand and his thumb is bleeding like crazy. And man, he sold that thing big. And we weren’t sure if he had broken his thumb or cut it open or whatever. But apparently, whatever it was, he’s alright.“

What’s Next? 

With Elimination Chamber 2024 out of the way, Balor and Priest will be looking ahead to WrestleMania 40 and defending their titles in Philadelphia. The show will mark one year since the Undisputed WWE Tag Titles headlined WrestleMania 39: Saturday.

It’s unclear who the champs will face this April but the future is clear for Judgment Day ally Rhea Ripley. After retaining against Nia Jax in Perth, the WWE Women’s World Champion will defend against Becky Lynch, who won the Women’s Elimination Chamber match to earn a title shot at WrestleMania 40. 

Raquel Rodriguez Missed WWE Elimination Chamber Rehearsals Due To MCAS Flare-Up

Aaron Varble
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WWE Superstars have to go through a lot that they don’t tell fans about. Raquel Rodriguez has been very open about her illness in recent memory, and she was able to overcome a huge obstacle to compete in Perth.

Raquel Rodriguez Almost Missed The Elimination Chamber

WWE held the WWE Elimination Chamber PLE with Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Tiffany Stratton, Naomi, and Raquel Rodriguez competing in the women’s Elimination Chamber match. Lynch emerged victorious in the match, but one competitor had a pretty difficult time before the match even started.

Raquel had previously mentioned that her Mast Cell Activation Syndrome was flaring up before the event.

On Wrestling Observer Radio, it was reported that Raquel’s condition was uncertain at one point due to the MCAS, resulting in her absence from the practice match.

“It was touch and go […] as you know her thing flared up. She missed the, they basically did a practice match while in Australia, and she missed that, but she was able to do the match today, so good for her, she got to do it, but she had a flare-up on the flight over.”

After her Elimination Chamber match, Lynch is now set to challenge WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 40.

What’s Next for Raquel?

We can only hope that Raquel Rodriguez doesn’t have any more issues with her MSAC. It seems like a terrible problem that hasn’t gone away yet. She certainly means a lot to WWE fans, who want to see her healthy and able to compete without worrying about this kind of complication.

SEScoops will have more on this story as additional information is made available. 

Daily Drop (2/25): WWE Elimination Chamber Fallout, Another UFC/ WWE Crossover

Aaron Varble
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Welcome to SEScoops: the Daily Drop, your go-to for the latest news and rumors in wrestling. February 25. The Elimination Chamber started off yesterday with a very early, and exciting, event. Now, we have a lot to unpack.

Days until WrestleMania XL: 41

WWE:

– WWE released a full video of 2024 Elimination Chamber highlights. You can check that out below.

– I was able to confirm that Logan Paul vs Randy Orton 

– Becky Lynch won the 2024 Women’s Elimination Chamber match, which was her first-ever appearance in that dangerous match set-up. Now, she will face Rhea Ripley for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40.

 – Seth Rollins said during Elimination Chamber that he is “days away” from being medically cleared to compete. So, we may see the Visionary wrestle on the road to the show of shows.

– Cody Rhodes challenged The Rock to a match at any time during Elimination Chamber as well. Then Seth Rollins stepped up to say that he has Cody’s back, because it’s never just one-on-one against The Bloodline. 

– Kevin Owens granted a Make-A-Wish at the Elimination Chamber. He really is one of the best guys in the business. 

– Rey Mysterio is the most recent WWE/UFC crossover, as he appeared at a UFC event in Mexico. 

-After Elimination Chamber, WWE has two more big matches booked for WrestleMania. You can check out the updated card below, but there will be a lot more added to fill the two-night extravaganza.

WrestleMania 40 Card:

  • Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes: Singles match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
  • Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley: Singles match for the WWE Women’s Championship
  • Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch: Singles match for the Women’s World Championship
  • Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre: Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship

AEW

– WWE gave Chris Jericho some love during the Elimination Chamber event. That was a bit of a surprise, and it strayed from their norm of not mentioning AEW talent as they have in the past.  

– Jun Akiyama dropped a message on Twitter/X after his Collision match this week. He said, “Thank you very much to all AEW fans! Everyone’s cheering helped me. See you again.”

– The Young Bucks re-named the Meltzer Driver to honor Tony Khan instead. So, that happened as a part of their new heel characters.

– Tony Khan’s explanation about why AEW keeps running larger venues despite crowds that can’t fill them was not received well online.

– During AEW Collision this week, they booked a big trios match for next week’s AEW Dynamite featuring Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli, Bryan Danielson, and Jon Moxley) facing off against FTR and Eddie Kingston.

– Eric Bischoff had great things to say about AEW picking up former WWE senior writer Jennifer Pepperman as their new VP of Content. During his Strictly Business podcast, Bischoff said, “She’s a very sweet person, easy to get along with, she’s got a great personality and she’s very outgoing. But, she’s also tough. She’s not gonna be intimidated. I’ve watched her interact with Vince, and Vince can be very, very intimidating. I watched her stand up to Vince, I watched her react to pressure that a lot of creative people that I’ve worked with in the past would’ve probably taken pretty hard. She digs in and does the work.”

TNA Wrestling

– Mustafa Ali cut a very emotional promo when he became the X-Division Title at TNA No Surrender. He has certainly been through a lot, and fought hard for his spot. Everyone here at SEScoops is wishing him the best as he keeps going to achieve great things.

Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Events

  • AEW Dynamite: Big Business will be hosted at Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.
  • AEW Revolution is planned for the following weekend, on Sunday, March 3.
  • WWE NXT Stand & Deliver is slated for the afternoon of April 6th, just before the start of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
  • WrestleMania XL is set to take place on April 6th and 7th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a two-part event.
  • Backlash France is scheduled for May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
  • WWE NXT Battleground is booked for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, exclusively available on the WWE Network and Peacock.
  • WWE Money in the Bank will be held on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
  • WWE Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.

Elimination Chamber 2024: WWE Had Huge Original Plans for Bronson Reed in Perth

Thomas Lowson
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‘Big’ Bronson Reed didn’t compete at WWE Elimination Chamber 2024, despite the company having some huge plans for him in Perth at first. 

The February 24, event marked the first WWE PLE in Australia since Super Showdown in 2018. In the main event, Rhea Ripley retained her Women’s World Title against Nia Jax in front of thousands of her fellow Australians. Drew McIntyre won the Men’s Elimination Chamber match, earning a World Heavyweight Championship against Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40. Becky Lynch won the Women’s Elimination Chamber match. She will face Ripley at WrestleMania 40. 

Bronson Reed Misses Elimination Chamber 2024

Rhea Ripley, Grayson Waller, and Indi Hartwell were all given the chance to appear in her native Australia, but Bronson Reed wasn’t at the show. As Reed explained, he was pulled from the show so he could be with his wife when she gave birth to their child. Triple H congratulated Reed on social media and said that the Australian Superstar was exactly where he needed to be. 

Original Plans for Bronson Reed

Reed made clear that he was once planned for the show, but did not specify what his role would’ve been. The original plan was for Reed to challenge World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, according to Fightful Select. Their match was hinted at earlier this year when Reed started cutting promos saying he was coming after a champion who had no idea he was being targeted. 

Even if Reed’s wife hadn’t given birth, these plans had to be scrapped due to Seth Rollins’ knee injury suffered earlier this year. The report adds that Reed was “more than willing” to compete in Perth in some capacity, but when his wife went into labor earlier than expected “everything ended up working out for the best.”

WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 Results

Here are the results of WWE Elimination Chamber 2024:

  • Kick-off Show: The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) (c) defeated Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships)
  • The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) defeated New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) (Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships)
  • Becky Lynch defeated Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Tiffany Stratton, Naomi, and Raquel Rodriguez (Elimination Chamber Match for a WWE Women’s World Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 40)
  • Rhea Ripley (c) defeated Nia Jax (WWE Women’s World Championship)
  • Drew McIntyre defeated Randy Orton, Bobby Lashley, LA Knight, Kevin Owens, and Logan Paul (Elimination Chamber Match for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 40)

Elimination Chamber 2024: How Much Wrestling Happened At WWE’s Perth PLE?

Thomas Lowson
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WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 was a huge event for the fans down under, though the show had a surprising amount of wrestling. 

The February 24, event in Perth, Australia marked the first WWE PLE in the country since Super Showdown in 2018. In the main event, Rhea Ripley retained her Women’s World Title against Nia Jax in front of thousands of her fellow Australians. Drew McIntyre won the Men’s Elimination Chamber match, earning a World Heavyweight Championship against Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40. Becky Lynch won the Women’s Elimination Chamber match. She will face Ripley at WrestleMania 40. 

WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 Stats

Including the hour-long kick-off show, WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 lasted for four hours and 30 minutes. Of that time, only 1:50:13 was dedicated to in-ring action from bell to bell. That means that approximately 40.8% of the total run time was scheduled for wrestling. The rest of that run-time was video packages, Peacock advertisements, and endorsements from the Australian Tourism Board.

The biggest gap in the action took place between the Undisputed WWE Tag Title match and the opening bell of the Men’s Elimination Chamber. The time between these two matches was 55 minutes. The Grayson Waller Effect which featured Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins lasted 22 minutes. 

WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 Results

Here are the results of WWE Elimination Chamber 2024:

  • Kick-off Show: The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) (c) defeated Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships)
  • The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) defeated New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) (Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships)
  • Becky Lynch defeated Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Tiffany Stratton, Naomi, and Raquel Rodriguez (Elimination Chamber Match for a WWE Women’s World Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 40)
  • Rhea Ripley (c) defeated Nia Jax (WWE Women’s World Championship)
  • Drew McIntyre defeated Randy Orton, Bobby Lashley, LA Knight, Kevin Owens, and Logan Paul (Elimination Chamber Match for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 40)

Kevin Owens: A Lot Of Sami & My’s WWE Tag Title Reign Went Under the Radar

Thomas Lowson
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Kevin Owens was thrilled to win the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles with Sami Zayn last year, though feels more could’ve been done with their reign. 

The pair captured the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships in the main event of WrestleMania 39: Saturday in April of last year. The emotional climax of Zayn’s story with the Bloodline saw the pair end the record-breaking reign of The Usos. 

Kevin Owens On His WWE Tag Team Title Reign

The pair held the titles until Payback 2023 where they would lose the gold to Damian Priest and Finn Balor of the Judgment Day. Speaking with Mail Sport, Owens reflected on his title reign and felt much went under the radar due to being kept off of Premium Live Events. 

“Me and Sami worked our asses off to give main events on RAW every week that had people going wild and we succeeded, and I’m not one to toot my own horn, I really am not, but I think Sami and I did a lot of special things as champions that went under the radar because they weren’t on pay-per-views. They weren’t under the big bright lights. They were usually on RAW.”

Sami & Kevin’s Tag Title Reign

It’s not hard to see why Owens believes a lot of the title reign wasn’t given a spotlight. As champions, the pair were granted just one successful title defense, which came at WWE Night of Champions 2023. The pair held the gold for 154 days but is recognized by WWE as lasting 160 days. 

What Came Next? 

Following their loss, Owens would be moved to SmackDown and would quickly enter a feud with Logan Paul. Paul got a controversial win over Owens at the 2024 Royal Rumble PLE after the Prizefighter used brass knuckles introduced by Paul. Owens also worked the match with a legitimate injury. At the WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 event, both men competed in the Men’s Chamber match won by Drew McIntyre. 

Randy Orton Was “Definitely Not Ready” To Become WWE World Heavyweight Champion in 2004

Thomas Lowson
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Randy Orton was honored to become WWE World Heavyweight Champion at SummerSlam 2004, despite feeling totally unprepared for the responsibility. 

In the main event of the event from Toronto, Canada, Orton dethroned Chris Benoit, who had won the title at WrestleMania 20. The win marked Orton’s first of 14 World Championship wins in WWE. At 24 years old, Orton also became the youngest WWE World Champions in history when he captured the title. 

Orton On His First World Title Win

Winning a World Championship was a feat for Orton that neither his father nor grand father could lay claim to. In a video previewing his upcoming A&E Biography: Legend documentary, Orton spoke about how it felt to win the title and being able to speak with his family after the match. 

“This was the culmination of all this hard work. I knew my father and my grandfather would be watching me, proud of me. I believe Stephanie McMahon gave me her cell phone. She was like ‘Call your dad. Call your grandpa. Talk to them.’ And I’m so glad that she did.

My grandpa, he was only around for a few years after so just hearing his voice, hearing how proud he was of me, you know, that’s a conversation I will never forget.  

“Same with my father, I called him next. I’d never heard my old man get choked up. Like, he’s old school to the bone. But he was choked up on the phone that night. So it was a special night.”

Orton’s father, Cowboy Bob Orton, was also interviewed for the documentary and recalled his father’s reaction to his grandson’s huge victory. 

“Dad was just beaming. To come up that fast and to learn so much in such a short period of time, [I was] so proud.”

Not Ready to Be Champion

With little more than two years on the main roster, Orton’s thrust to the World Heavyweight Championship picture was rapid, to say the least. In the interview, the Legend Killer recalled the pressure and not being ready to be the top star. 

It’s hard to describe the feeling of the responsibility, the amount of awesomeness that comes with holding that belt. I had the title but I didn’t have the maturity. I definitely was not ready. I’m really just sitting on top of the world. I’m making a lot of money for someone my age and I’m living the dream. And I am a cocky son of a b**ch.”

What Came Next? 

After retaining the title the next night on Raw against Benoit, Orton was betrayed by Evolution as Triple H wanted to be World Heavyweight Champion again. This led to Orton turning face but he would lose the title to the Game the following month at Unforgiven 2004.

For the use of quotes please give an H/T to SE Scoops.

Elimination Chamber 2024: Raquel Rodriguez Explains Make-Up Free Look in Perth

Thomas Lowson
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Raquel Rodriguez was happy to walk into the Women’s Elimination Chamber match sans make-up amid her battle with Mast Cell Activiation Syndrome. 

Rodriguez was one of six women in the Elimination Chamber match that started the main show. The match marked Raquel’s second time stepping foot inside the Elimination Chamber. The fifth woman to enter the match, Rodriguez was the third eliminated after being pinned by Bianca Belair following the KOD. Becky Lynch would win the Women’s Elimination Chamber match, earning a Women’s World Championship at WrestleMania 40. 

Raquel Rodriguez Goes Make-Up Free

In the days before Elimination Chamber 2024, Raquel spoke about living with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, which causes the WWE Superstar to experience symptoms seen from allergic reactions, including rashes and hives. 

For the Women’s Chamber match, Rodriguez arrived sans make-up in a unique look from the former WWE NXT Women’s Champion. Taking to social media, Rodriguez explained her ‘Alicia Keys style,’ a nod to the singer who stopped wearing makeup in 2016. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C3vGiU1r8ma

What’s Next? 

With her victory inside the Chamber, Becky Lynch will now face Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 40. The Eradicator of The Judgment Day retained in the show’s main event against Nia Jax. Lynch herself had a unique look for Elimination Chamber 2024, which was a tribute to Scott Hall. As for Rodriguez, her path to WrestleMania 40 remains unclear. 

WWE’s Rey Mysterio Appears At UFC Mexico In Latest TKO Crossover

Thomas Lowson
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WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio surprised fans with an appearance at the UFC Mexico event, in the latest example of a crossover between the two companies. 

Mysterio was shown on the video screen during the show and was seen to be having a great time. The three-time former WWE World Champion had a beverage and threw up his signature hand gesture as the crowd cheered for him. 

WWE & UFC

Mysterio’s presence at the event is just the latest example of a crossover between UFC and WWE. On this week’s Raw, Michael Chandler appeared in the crowd with plenty to say. The UFC fighter grabbed the mic and called out Conor McGregor and said he’d “See you at the top.”

At UFC 298, several WWE Superstars appeared in the crowd at the event. WWE’s resident power couple Bianca Belair and Montez Ford were at UFC 298 as was CM Punk. The Chicago-Made star was described as a “retired welterweight” in a nod to his underwhelming UFC career. 

Seth Rollins recently addressed Punk’s tenure in UFC. When asked about his prospects in the Octagon, Rollins said he’d do poorly, but would do better than Punk. 

Rey Mysterio’s Current Status

In November of last year, Mysterio underwent knee surgery that has kept him out of action ever since. The masked legend had reportedly been putting off the surgery for some time. He was written off of TV with an attack by Santos Escobar as part of the latter’s exit from the LWO. While Mysterio hoped to return to the ring in time for the Royal Rumble, that did not happen. It is now believed that Rey will return ahead of WrestleMania 40 in April of this year. 

WWE Gave Chris Jericho Love During Elimination Chamber Event

Aaron Varble
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WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 was live from the Optus Stadium in Perth, Western Australia. It was an early show for fans on the East Coast, and there is a lot unpack, as well. Chris Jericho was far away from the show, but he had his namedropped in the process.

Chris Jericho’s Name Mentioned During WWE Elimination Chamber

AEW star Chris Jericho, who is formerly a WWE Superstar, was referenced during the premium live event. Jericho spent much of his wrestling career with WWE before joining AEW in 2019. He has achieved numerous titles and accolades in WWE and is widely regarded as one of the premier talents in WWE history.

While WWE typically avoids mentioning AEW stars on their programming, Jericho was recently mentioned during the 2024 Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event. This occurred during the men’s Chamber match, which featured Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton, LA Knight, Logan Paul, Bobby Lashley, and Kevin Owens.

As Randy Orton made his entrance, WWE commentator Michael Cole noted that Orton had tied Chris Jericho’s record for most appearances in the Elimination Chamber match.
With his participation in this year’s Chamber match, Orton has now established a new record, surpassing Jericho’s previous mark of eight appearances.

What’s Next?

Chris Jericho seems very happy in AEW, so a full-fledged WWE return might not be in the cards. Still, The Wizard is having a good time in AEW, and it must feel good for him to know that all the effort he made in WWE to carve out a legacy for himself is now getting credit on television once again.

We will have to see if WWE lifts the ban on other names of people who are not with the company anymore. Jon Moxley’s name is still not spoken about much, and Shield video packages are even edited to exclude him. 

SE Scoops will have more on this story as more information is known on the matter.

WWE Elimination Chamber Change: Original World Title Match Plan Revealed

Aaron Varble
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WWE’s Elimination Chamber event went down in Perth, Australia on Saturday, and there is a lot of fallout. Sadly, Bronson Reed missed the huge event, but that was not always the original plan.

WWE Changed Elimination Chamber Plans

Bronson Reed was absent from WWE Elimination Chamber and was not present in Australia for the event. Sean Ross Sapp noted on Fightful Select that this was not part of the original arrangement.

In a tweet earlier today, Reed disclosed that his wife had given birth to their child prematurely. However, this was not the primary reason for his absence from the show, contrary to what he had suggested on Twitter recently.

According to Fightful Select, Bronson Reed was originally set for a significant role on the Elimination Chamber card in his homeland. Initially, Reed was slated to square off against Seth Rollins in a bout for the World Heavyweight Championship, as hinted in promotional material where he mentioned targeting a champion unaware of his impending challenge.

Regrettably, plans for the match were derailed when Rollins suffered a knee injury, rendering him unable to compete at the event.

We’re told that Reed was more than willing to work the event ahead of the birth of his child, but everything ended up working out for the best.

What’s Next

Seth Rollins revealed during the Elimination Chamber event that he will be medically cleared in a matter of days. Sadly, he wasn’t ready for the Chamber, and that cost Bronson Reed a huge match in Perth.

SEScoops will have more on this story as we make our way down the road to WrestleMania 40. 

Becky Lynch Calls Out Rhea Ripley Following Elimination Chamber 2024

Dominic DeAngelo
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Becky Lynch has Philadelphia on her mind. The WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley didn’t have a whole lot of time to soak in the moment defeating Nia Jax in her backyard as Lynch was watching her celebrate from afar. The Man had a camera with her and stated her intent when the two officially clash at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.

“Enjoy your fireworks now Rhea, because they’re going to be going off for me at WrestleMania. It’s official: Mami vs. The Man.”

As Ripley retained, Lynch led off the PLE in the Women’s Elimination Chamber match. She along with Naomi were the two starting competitors in the fight before Tiffany Stratton joined the fold as the third entrant. Lynch managed to outlast everyone with the final three being herself, Bianca Belair and Liv Morgan. Morgan managed to roll up Belair for the 1-2-3, but Becky swiftly took advantage by nailing Liv with a Man Handle Slam and picking up the victory.

Lynch not only won the chamber match but did it in style paying homage to a late great WWE Hall Of Famer. “The Man” channelled “The Bad Guy” with her duds as her attire had Scott Hall’s signature blood drips stitched onto her gear.

If Lynch continues to get inspiration from Scott Hall leading into WrestleMania, it could mean good things to come for Becky. 

Back in 1993, Hall as Razor Ramon as well as Rick Martel outlasted 18 other men to win a battle royal and earn the right to face one another for the vacant Intercontinental Championship. Hall notoriously won that fight and went down in history as one of the greatest Intercontinental Champions of all time.

Elimination Chamber 2024: Candice LeRae Pays Tribute to Aussie Hit Bluey with Ring Attire

Thomas Lowson
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Candice LeRae proved her Bluey fandom at WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth with a unique attire inspired by one of the hit show’s main characters. 

On the kick-off show, LeRae and Indi Hartwell challenged the Kabuki Warriors for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. This was an emotional homecoming for Hartwell who was born in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Unfortunately for the pair, it was the Kabuki Warriors who got the win during the WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth kick-off show. 

Candice LeRae’s Tribute to Bluey

Given that she was in Australia, Candice LeRae paid tribute to the Australian children’s show hit Bluey during her appearance in Optus Stadium. LeRae wore an attire bearing a striking resemblance to Chilli, the matriarch of the Heeler family and mother of the titular Bluey. It’s hardly a surprise that LeRae identifies with Chilli given that she knows a thing or two about being a mother. In February 2022, LeRae and Johnny Gargano welcomed their son Quill into the world.  

The Bluey Phenomenon

Bluey premiered in October 2018 and focuses on Bluey, a six-year-old Blue Heeler puppy, and her family Chilli, dad Bandit, and younger sister Bingo. The show has been universally praised for its sharp all-ages humor, positive representation of parenting, and ability to tackle social themes. The show’s popularity has spawned merchandise and a stage show featuring its characters and has been a success with kids and adults alike. 

More Notable Attires

Candice LeRae wasn’t the only Superstar dressed to impress inside Optus Stadium. Becky Lynch wore an attire reminiscent of the late Scott Hall, who passed away in March 2022. LeRae’s tag-team partner Indi Hartwell wore green and gold. The color scheme is used by several Australian teams, including the Olympic team, the national Ruby teams, and the national Cricket team. 

WWE Elimination Chamber Results

Here are the results of WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth. 

  • Kick-off Show: The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) (c) defeated Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships)
  • The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) defeated New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) (Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships)
  • Becky Lynch defeated Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Tiffany Stratton, Naomi, and Raquel Rodriguez (Elimination Chamber Match for a WWE Women’s World Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 40)
  • Rhea Ripley (c) defeated Nia Jax (WWE Women’s World Championship)
  • Drew McIntyre defeated Randy Orton, Bobby Lashley, LA Knight,  Kevin Owens, and Logan Paul (Elimination Chamber Match for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 40)

‘This Kid Ain’t Gonna Make It’: The Undertaker Recalls Reaction To The Rock’s WWE Debut

Anutosh Bajpai
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The Undertaker had the same reaction to The Rock’s wrestling debut as everyone else.

The Rock was originally built in WWE as Rocky Maivia. He was pushed by the company from the start due to his lineage and his first match came at Survivor Series 1996 from Madison Square Garden.

The Dead Man recalled his reaction to The Great One’s debut during the latest episode of his Six Feet Under podcast. Taker thought that the Hollywood star was doomed from the start and he was going to get a couple of years in WWE only because of his family’s legacy:

“I’ll never forget, I remember him coming out in the Garden. He had the funny colored thing on and whole deal. I was like “This kid ain’t gonna make it. He ain’t got a chance. He’s dead in the water.’ I thought him being a legacy would give him a couple years that he probably wasn’t going to deserve.”

While the fans rejected Rock’s original gimmick in WWE, he still managed to turn things around. The generational star slowly won over the fans after turning heel and he later became one of the faces of The Attitude Era.

‘He Is The American Dream’: The Undertaker

Speaking about his success, Undertaker put over the People’s Champion for always staying motivated even during bad times. He mentioned how the Rock managed to think outside the box and find a unique persona for himself, something that is lacking in the current generation of wrestlers:

“He is the American dream. He wanted to play football, that fell through. There are a lot of times when something like that happens, people cave. Then they never rebound. Even when I thought he sucked, he was always motivated. He wasn’t like having a pity party.

He was picking people’s brain. He was around the guys that knew what the hell was going on and picking their brain. Trying to figure out what it was that he was going to bring to the table. I wish more people had that. I’m just talking about the wrestling side of it for now.

Because a lot of times guys are very…right now I feel like there’s a lot of guys that are very cookie cutter. They’re looking at the formula that, what they think is going to lead them to success. And they’re bringing nothing new to the table. They’re staying within the box. That was what was so great about Bray Wyatt. He thought outside of the box. Guys like Rock with his promos. It was just always ‘never be content’ and ‘always try and be better.'”

You can check out the latest episode of Undertaker’s podcast below:

If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

Elimination Chamber 2024: WWE Superstars React to Epic Perth, Australia Event

Thomas Lowson
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The Superstars of the WWE have been talking following the explosive WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth Premium Live Event. 

The event marked WWE’s first Premium Live Event in Australia since 2018. In the main event, Rhea Ripley retained her Women’s World Title against Nia Jax in front of thousands of her fellow Australians. Drew McIntyre won the Men’s Elimination Chamber match, earning a World Heavyweight Championship against Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40. Becky Lynch won the Women’s Elimination Chamber match. She will face Ripley at WrestleMania 40. 

WWE Elimination Chamber Reactions

Taking to Twitter after the Women’s Elimination Chamber match, Seth Rollins was thrilled to see his wife Becky Lynch emerge the victor. 

Cody Rhodes reacted to his own segment and found it hilarious that the crowd was happy to be recognized as ‘Cody Crybabies.’

Raw announcer Samantha Irvin had a mixed time watching the show. While she was thrilled to see Randy Orton eliminate Logan Paul, her mood soured when Paul attacked Orton, helping Drew McIntyre get the win. 

Trinity shared some photos of her time at Elimination Chamber: Perth. 

Drew McIntyre was proud to dub himself the Savior of WrestleMania. McIntyre has taken credit for injuring CM Punk and pushing Cody Rhodes to challenge Roman Reigns instead of Seth Rollins. 

It wasn’t just WWE Superstars who reacted to the show. Ahead of her Women’s World title match, Rhea Ripley’s fiancee Budy Matthews wished the Eradicator luck in her title match. 

WWE WrestleMania 40 Card: New Matches Confirmed After Elimination Chamber: Perth

Aaron Varble
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WWE brought a huge Elimination Chamber event to Perth, Australia on February 24th. They had an impressive attendance of over 52,000, as Triple H was there to make that big announcement. As they head down the road to WrestleMania, things are a bit more clear after the dust settled in Optus Stadium. 

WrestleMania 40 Card

Drew McIntyre won the Men’s Elimination Chamber match during this year’s event. That means he will go on to WrestleMania to face Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship. Many expected it to turn out this way, which makes McIntyre’s current contract situation event more interesting.

Also, Rhea Ripley’s opponent was decided for WrestleMania XL, as Becky Lynch won her first-ever Women’s Elimination Chamber match. Now, The Man vs The Nightmare will be a marquee match on the show of shows for the WWE Women’s World Title.

What’s Next

Things are brewing in a big way for the United States Title. It appears that Logan Paul and Randy Orton have some bad blood between them. The Maverick is responsible for costing Orton the Chamber match thanks to a set of brass knuckles. 

The Judgment Day are also still Undisputed Tag Team Champions. It will be interesting to see which team steps up to face them at WrestleMania. 

Also, some sort of match with The Rock is happening. Cody Rhodes challenged Rocky to a one-on-one match, at any time, any place. Seth Rollins then stated that it’s never one-on-one against The Bloodline, so he will be there for that fight. While a tag team match at Mania is likely, it has not been confirmed.

SEScoops will have continued coverage of the road to WrestleMania. Please keep checking back for more updates. You can find the card for WrestleMania 40 (so far) below.

WrestleMania XL Card:

  • Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes: Singles match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
  • Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley: Singles match for the WWE Women’s Championship
  • Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch: Singles match for the Women’s World Championship
  • Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre: Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship

WWE Elimination Chamber Fallout: Tiffany Stratton Blames Australia For Her Loss

Aaron Varble
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Tiffany Stratton has been on a mission to prove herself to the WWE Universe since her main roster call-up. She knows that there is only one chance to make a first impression, and it’s Tiffy Time now. That being said, her time in Perth didn’t result in a win in the Elimination Chamber, but she has a good reason (in her mind) that things didn’t work out for her.

Tiffany Stratton Passes Blame

Tiffany Stratton competed in her first-ever Elimination Chamber match in Perth. She really took to the dangerous match like a duck to water, even using a pod to pull off a high-risk swanton dive in the match. Needless, to say, fans were behind her, but Becky Lynch, who also competed in her first-ever Chamber match, won in the end.

During a backstage interview after her Elimination Chamber loss, Tiffany Stratton was asked about how she feels about Australia cheering for her so much during the match. Those fans were certainly behind the former NXT Women’s Champion more than others, as she wowed them with several acrobatic centric moves.

Stratton appreciated the pop, but she could have used more from the crowd. In the end, she said it was the fans in Perth who are to blame for her elimination from the Chamber.

“Obviously, Australia has great tastes, I have to say, but maybe if they cheered a little louder, I would have won.”

When asked if she is blame Australia for her loss in the Elimination Chamber, she replied with a sharp, “Yeah.”

What’s Next for Tiffany Stratton

As far as Stratton’s next plans, she said she will “fly my pretty self back to the United States, first-class of course, and I will show up on SmackDown next Friday, and I will show everyone why I am the center of the WWE Universe.”

Obviously, Tiffany Stratton has a lot of potential, and she knows it. Now, we will have to see how she capitalizes on this newfound momentum after her main roster call-up.

Elimination Chamber 2024: Rhea Ripley Retains in Triumphant Homecoming Main Event

Thomas Lowson
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Rhea Ripley’s return to Australia proved to be a triumphant homecoming for ‘Mami’ after retaining the Women’s World title at WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth. 

In the main event of the show, Ripley defended her title against Nia Jax. The Judgment Day member received a huge ovation from the 50,000+ fans in Optus Stadium. Rhea’s family were at ringside for the event and celebrated with her fans after the match. 

You can check out some highlights from the match below.

What’s Next? 

Rhea Ripley will now defend her Women’s World Championship against Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 40. The Man won the Women’s Elimination Chamber match earlier in the night to earn a shot at the Women’s World Championship. 

WWE WrestleMania 40 Card

Here is the WrestleMania 40 card as it currently stands:

IYO (c) Vs. Bayley (WWE Women’s Championship)

Roman Reigns (c) Vs. Cody Rhodes (Undisputed WWE Universal Championship)

Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins (c) Vs. Drew McIntyre (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)

Rhea Ripley (c) Vs. Becky Lynch (WWE Women’s World Championship)

Elimination Chamber 2024: Kevin Owens Fulfills Make-A-Wish Request In Men’s Chamber Match

Thomas Lowson
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Kevin Owens entered the Men’s Elimination Chamber match with the desire to earn a title shot at WrestleMania 40, but that wasn’t his only goal for the match. 

Owens was one of the six entrants in the Men’s Elimination Chamber match, alongside Bobby Lashley, LA Knight, U.S. Champion Logan Paul, Randy Orton, and Drew McIntyre. This marked the Prizefighter’s second time competing inside the Elimination Chamber match, after previously competing in the bout in 2021 which was won by Daniel Bryan. 

Kevin Owens’ Make-a-Wish Promise

Early into his part of the match, Kevin Owens hit a chokeslam, a move that isn’t typically used by the former Universal Champion. 

As explained on commentary, Owens had granted wishes with the Make-A-Wish foundation earlier in the day. One young fan had asked Owens to hit a chokeslam during the Elimination Chamber match, a request the Prizefighter was happy to oblige. 

Kevin Owens in the Elimination Chamber

While Owens was able to fulfill this request, he did not emerge victorious in the Men’s Elimination Chamber match. The former WWE Universal Champion was the third man to enter the match and was the third Superstar to be eliminated. Owens was eliminated by Randy Orton, who would make it to the final two before being beaten by Drew McIntyre. The Scottish Warrior will now face Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40.  

WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth Attendance; Triple H Makes Big Announcement

Aaron Varble
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WWE brought their Elimination Chamber event to Perth, Australia on February 24th. The event was main evented by Rhea Ripley and Nia Jax for the WWE Women’s World Title, as a first for the company, as two Australians closed out the show. Optus Stadium was packed, and Triple H was on hand to let fans know exactly how many of them showed up. 

Triple H Reveals WWE Elimination Chamber Attendance 

Triple H came out before the main event of Elimination Chamber to thank fans. He said it’s been an incredible night, but he was only out there to make a big announcement. 

Before Triple H left, he let fans know that the official attendance of Elimination Chamber in Perth, Australia was 52,590. That number was followed by a lot of fireworks over Optus Stadium.

Not WWE’s Biggest Australian Crowd

This was a massive turn-out for Elimination Chamber, but it did not beat out their last major event in Australia. Of course, we’re talking about 2018’s Super Show-Down, which went down on October 6, 2018, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that WWE Super Show-Down’s attendance was roughly 62,000, over 8,000 less than the 70,309 that the WWE announced.

At WWE’s 2018 Super Show-Down event in Australia, The Shield beat Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, and Drew McIntyre in a six-man tag team match. Daniel Bryan secured a victory over The Miz too, but it was the main event that really drew fans.

Triple H, accompanied by Shawn Michaels, faced off against The Undertaker, who was accompanied by Kane. The match, which was a No Disqualification bout, ended with Triple H pinning The Undertaker.

Over 50,000 fans is still incredibly impressive for WWE’s turnout in Perth, Australia. Hopefully, it will lead to even more international events in massive venues.

Drew McIntyre Wins Men’s Elimination Chamber 2024, Will Face Seth Rollins at WrestleMania

Thomas Lowson
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Drew McIntyre is officially on the Road to WrestleMania after winning the Men’s Elimination Chamber at WWE Elimination Chamber 2024. 

At the Premium Live Event from Perth, Australia, McIntyre outlasted Randy Orton, Logan Paul, Kevin Owens, Bobby Lashley, and LA Knight to win the Men’s Chamber match. McIntyre entered the match from the #2 position and eliminated Randy Orton last to win the contest. You can check out some of the highlights from the Men’s Elimination Chamber match down below. 

What’s Next? 

With this win McIntyre has earned himself a World Heavyweight Championship match against Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins at WrestleMania 40. Rollins is currently out with an injury but has vowed he will defend his title at the two-night show this April. This match will mark McIntyre’s third time competing in a World Championship match at WrestleMania.

The match will mark the first time that this iteration of the World Heavyweight Championship has been defended at a WrestleMania. This version of the title was introduced in 2023 with Seth Rollins winning the gold in the finals of a 12-man tournament at WWE Night of Champions last May.

WWE WrestleMania 40

Here is the card for WWE WrestleMania 40 as it currently stands: 

IYO (c) Vs. Bayley (WWE Women’s Championship)

Roman Reigns (c) Vs. Cody Rhodes (Undisputed WWE Universal Championship)

Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins (c) Vs. Drew McIntyre (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)

Elimination Chamber 2024: Did You Catch Becky Lynch’s WWE Hall of Famer Tribute in Perth?

Thomas Lowson
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Becky Lynch is on the Road to WrestleMania 40, and paid tribute to a late WWE Hall of Famer inside the Women’s Elimination Chamber match. 

Lynch won the match as one of the first two entrants. This match marked Lynch’s first time inside the Elimination Chamber. The Man was able to outlast Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Tiffany Stratton, and Naomi to emerge victorious in Perth. 

Becky Lynch’s WWE Hall of Fame Tribute

Lynch rocked a unique attire for the Women’s Elimination Chamber match which featured a red dripping effect. As pointed out on Twitter, Lynch’s attire was reminiscent of the late Scott Hall.

Hall, also known as Razor Ramon in WWE, was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame twice. The Bad Guy was inducted as a singles Superstar in 2014. Years later, he would be inducted for his pivotal role as part of the New World Order. 

In March 2022, Hall was hospitalized after suffering a fall and breaking his hip. During surgery, Hall suffered multiple heart attacks and was later taken off life support after his family were able to say goodbye. WWE announced his death later during that day’s Raw episode with a tribute video.

What’s Next?

With this win, Becky Lynch has earned a Women’s World Championship opportunity at WWE WrestleMania 40. She will face either Rhea Ripley or Nia Jax at the April 2024 event. This year’s two-night event will be the first WrestleMania to see the Women’s World Championship defended, as it was previously recognized as the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship. 

Seth Rollins Makes Big Injury Announcement During WWE Elimination Chamber

Aaron Varble
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0

WWE has a lot of things going on, but their World Heavyweight Champion has been on the shelf for several weeks. Seth Rollins still plans on making his way to WrestleMania 40 for a big night to defend his title, and he will be cleared sooner than some expected.

Seth Rollins’ Big Injury Announcement

Seth Rollins recently provided WWE fans with an update on his potential return to in-ring action before WrestleMania XL on April 6 and 7. This took place during the Elimination Chamber event in Perth, Australia. 

Rollins sustained a torn MCL and partially torn meniscus during a match against Jinder Mahal on the January 15 episode of RAW. Despite making multiple television appearances since the injury, the World Heavyweight Champion has yet to step back into the ring.

During Elimination Chamber, Seth Rollins mentioned that he is “days away” from being medically cleared to compete. Consequently, there’s a possibility of witnessing him wrestle on the journey leading to the main event.

That announcement went down during a very eventful Grayson Waller Effect. That is the same time that Cody Rhodes challenged The Rock to a one-on-one match down the line. Seth Rollins then told Cody that he won’t be making that fight alone.

What’s Next For Seth Rollins

Odds are, Rollins may very well compete on both nights of Mania, with a tag team match with Cody Rhodes against Roman Reigns and The Rock going down on the first night. If that happens, then his World Heavyweight Championship match should be a marquee contest on night one. 

It will be interesting to see how Seth Rollins is booked from this point on. Roman Reigns’ recent burial of the World Heavyweight Champion as having a runner-up title wasn’t a great look. Still, he is one of the most beloved babyfaces in the company. 

Cody Rhodes Challenges The Rock At WWE Elimination Chamber 2024: “Any Time, Any Place”

Aaron Varble
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0

WWE brought the Elimination Chamber to Perth, Australia on February 24th, and the event was graced with a very special Grayson Waller Effect. He also had very special guests for this segment, as Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins joined him to progress a prominent WrestleMania angle.

Road To WrestleMania Backstory

The Rock re-inserted himself into WWE’s picture on the road to WrestleMania, and that brought a big change to everything that they previously had planned. There was a time when it appeared that Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes would collide for the World Heavyweight Championship instead, but then The American Nightmare decided to finish his story.

Now, Cody and Seth are on the same side, and they are in a very interesting situation. The two were in Perth, Australia for the Elimination Chamber event, but neither of them wrestled. Rollins is currently nursing a knee issue, and Rhodes was simply not booked to compete on the show.

The Grayson Waller Effect

Austin Theory had the mic first, and he dissed Australia’s love of Vegemite, and then he said he prefers Outback Steakhouse. Both of those jabs received a heel reaction. Then he introduced Grayson Waller, who came out to a mixed reaction. Waller also did a shoey at ringside.

After doing a chant with the Australian crowd, Waller introduced Seth Rollins, who came out to a big pop. Fans also sang his song in massive numbers, and that is always great to hear in a big stadium. Cody Rhodes received an even bigger pop and his “WOAH” was massive as well. He also got legit fireworks over the stadium during his Kingdom entrance after the second pose in the ring.

Seth Rollins said that he is days away from being medically cleared to compete. He can’t wait to face whoever win the Elimination Chamber match later on.

Then, they were questioned about The Rock coming back. A “Rocky Sucks” chant broke out in the crowd, Cody asked if there are any “Cody crybabies” here tonight? He asked it twice to really rile up the crowd and get them to accept the moniker.

Cody addressed why he stepped out of the Mania main event, just to step back in. Waller called The Rock “The People’s Champion,” but then Cody proposed that to be the People’s Champion, “you have to be around the people.”

This was followed by Cody Rhodes making a bit of an announcement himself. Then he told The Rock that he is “wide open” before the WrestleMania main event match. He said he wants to wrestle The Rock one on one, “any time, any place.”

Seth said that he admires Cody’s hatred toward the Bloodline, so he stepped in. He said that if The Rock takes him up on the challenge, he won’t be fighting the battle alone.

Then Austin Theory got in the middle of things, and he did an impression of The Rock. This was not received well by Cody and Seth, who proceeded to take him out.

WrestleMania 40 Drama

WrestleMania 40 takes place from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on April 6 and 7. The show of shows promises to be a massive two-night spectacle, with massive main event matches on each night. Since Roman vs Cody will main event night two, so Rhodes can finish his story, night one also needs a main event match.

It certainly appears that The Rock and Roman Reigns will team up to take on Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at the show of shows. While this is a big match, it is not the contest that The Rock wanted.

The Rock wanted to face Roman Reigns, and his eyes were set on that match alone. As we previously reported, he called his shot for WrestleMania 40 during the Day 1 episode of WWE RAW. WWE planned an injury angle to take Cody out of the situation, but that was abandoned after the public outcry that Cody received on his behalf.

As I previously reported, The Rock conceded that Cody Rhodes should be in the match. Then things were changed, and we have the current WrestleMania setup. 

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