With the show taking place just one day after Christmas, the staff inside the World’s Most Famous Arena had a special gift for CM Punk. In a backstage video, Punk can be seen receiving a plaque commemorating his first WWE match in close to a decade. The plaque also highlights this year’s event being a sold-out show, and Punk was moved by the gesture. Punk joked that he was hoping for the key to a ‘secret bathroom’ in the Garden, but the plaque is even better.
CM Punk will compete in the Men’s Royal Rumble match on January 27. The former WWE & AEW World Champion is already considered a favorite to win the match, as is this year’s winner Cody Rhodes. Punk’s next appearances have already been confirmed by WWE, as he will appear twice on Raw ahead of next month’s Premium Live Event.
CM Punk recreated a spot from his AEW in-ring debut during the WWE MSG event. Click here to find out more.
Either Jon Moxley or Eddie Kingston will be crowned the Triple Crown Champion at AEW Worlds End in the finals of the inaugural AEW Continental Classic.
On this week’s AEW Dynamite: New Year’s Smash. Moxley defeated Jay White and Swerve Strickland in the finals of the Gold League. All three men had earned 12 points in the tournament, leading to a triple-threat match. On the same show, Kingston, the reigning ROH World Champion and NJPW Strong Openweight Champion, defeated Bryan Danielson. Kingston amassed nine points in the tournament to Danielson’s ten.
The winner of the match at Worlds End will become the inaugural Triple Crown Champion. This accolade will come about as the victor will be the AEW Continental Champion, the ROH World Champion, and the NJPW Strong Openweight Champion.
The Road to the Finals
Jon Moxley has perhaps been the most impressive performer in the AEW Continental Classic from either league. In week one, Moxley defeated Mark Briscoe to earn three points and defeated Jay Lethal the following week. Moxley defeated Rush via technical submission in week three and earned a hard-fought win over Swerve Strickland in week four. In week five, Moxley took his only first-round loss of the entire tournament when he was defeated by Jay White on the AEW Dynamite: Holiday Bash episode.
Eddie Kingston’s road to AEW Worlds End was far less smooth. In his first two matches in the tournament, he lost to Brody King and Bryan Danielson respectively. It wouldn’t be until his third match against rival Claudio Castagnoli that Kingston earned his first win. Kingston would go on to defeat Daniel Garcia and Andrade El Idolo to earn enough points to advance to this week’s Blue League Finals.
Liv Morgan was arrested on the evening of December 14th. The arrest went down at 6:30 PM, and Liv Morgan found herself in a legal predicament, as she is now facing charges of possession of marijuana (not exceeding 20 grams), possession of drug equipment, and possession of potentially synthetic cannabinoids. New details are now available, thanks to a police report.
Liv Morgan’s Arrest Report Revealed
PW Insider obtained the police report, and reported that the document noted the incident unfolded when a sheriff’s deputy observed Liv Morgan operating a yellow jeep, noting that it was crossing over the white and yellow lines of a County Road. Subsequently, Morgan was taken into custody, although she was released shortly thereafter. Presently, she awaits her court date scheduled for February 12th, 2024.
The defendant (Gionna Daddio) Committed the offenses of possession of a controlled substance (THC oil ) a vape pen, pursuant to F.S.S 893.13.6a and F.S.S. 893.13.6b- Possession of Marijuana 20 grams or less, by unlawfully and willfully having in her possession a green leafy substance that field tested positive for marijuana within Sumter County to wit:
On 12/14/2023, at approximately 6:26 pm, Sgt. Otero observed a yellow jeep bearing Florida Tag [DELETED BY PWINSIDER] Traveling West on CR 476 Bushnell, Florida, within Sumter County.
The vehicle could not remain in the lane it was traveling. Sgt. Otero observed the vehicle to cross over the yellow and white lines on the roadway several times. Sgt. Otero then conducted a stop on the vehicle to ensure the driver wasn’t having any health issues. Sgt. Otero explained as he approached the vehicle, he immediately smelled the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. I Deputy E. Hillman arrived on scene as Sgt Otero was speaking with the defendant.
Sgt. Otero asked the defendant to step out of the vehicle. The defendant was detained due to her stating there was marijuana in the vehicle and she did not hold a medical marijuana card. I then took over the investigation. Upon contact with the defendant, I did a pat down of her person and placed her in the back of my patrol car. A search was done of the vehicle, and in a pink fuzz bag located on the back seat within arms reach of the defendant, I located a small clear plastic bag containing a green leafy substance.
A continued search of the vehicle, I located a vape pen within the center console of the vehicle that contained an oil-like substance. I conducted a presumptive field test on the green leafy substance and the oil-like substance in the vape pen, which all yielded a positive result for marijuana. I read the defendant’s Miranda warning. Post-Miranda, the defendant stated the green leafy substance(marijuana) was hers, and all the items inside the vehicle were hers.
The defendant stated that she transports a lot of people in her vehicle, so she doesn’t know where the Vape pen came from. The defendant stated she smokes marijuana but does not vape.
The defendant stated that she does not have a medical marijuana card. Due to the vape pen and green leafy substance all testing positive for marijuana, the defendant was placed under arrest.
Liv Morgan After Her Possession Arrest
Despite the legal hiccup, reports suggest that Liv Morgan’s recent arrest is unlikely to alter WWE’s plans for her return. The company had already mapped out a return for her in 2024, and there’s no apparent deviation from that trajectory.
Although Liv Morgan has no heat on her within WWE, she will still have to deal with this felony situation. She did not have a medical marijuana card, which may have remedied this whole situation.
Liv Morgan has a court date set for February 2024, but she is free right now, as she only spent a very short time behind bars before she was bonded out.
How WWE Feels About Marijuana Now
It’s important to mention that, while marijuana is part of the Wellness Policy, WWE hasn’t tested for it in several years. In the past, a positive result incurred a $2,500 fine. That “weed tax” is no longer something that Superstars really need to worry about anymore.
Liv Morgan’s arrest for marijuana has surprised many fans. With a felony charge looming for possession of marijuana, possession of drug equipment, and possession of drugs, potentially synthetic cannabinoids, she faces a possibly challenging legal situation.
The hope is that Liv Morgan can resolve this matter when her court date arrives in February. As more information unfolds in this case, SE Scoops will provide updates as more information is made available.
CM Punk had his first WWE match in nearly a decade at Madison Square Garden against Dominik Mysterio on December 26th. The event drew a sold out crowd to MSG, and fans may get a professional video of that match eventually.
CM Punk’s WWE In-Ring Return
WWE is known for its thorough documentation and extensive video library collection. Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that the company had cameras placed in Madison Square Garden to capture every moment of CM Punk’s in-ring return.
It is unknown whether that footage will see the light of day, but WWE has tape of CM Punk’s in-ring return. It could end up as part of a future broadcast or promo video of some fashion.
WWE did have cameras at WWE MSG as they do for every live event, and said that parts of the show could end up airing later.
Fans Turned Out For CM Punk’s WWE In-Ring Return
The report also noted that WWE fans turned out in Madison Square Garden to buy up CM Punk merchandise. WWE had custom MSG CM Punk t-shirts for $40 each, and they apparently sold a ton of that gear.
WWE hit the merchandise stands heavy with CM Punk merchandise for the MSG show.
The report also noted that, “The CM Punk vs. Dominik match was viewed over 1 million times via pirated clips.” So, WWE might as well release that footage, since so many fans have seen bootleg versions already.
The story between CM Punk and Dominik Mysterio is far from over, as they are slated to face off again at the December 30th house show at the KIA Forum in Los Angeles.
CM Punk’s return resonated in a big way with fans, and the Madison Square Garden show marked a record-breaking moment for WWE. As the wrestling community waits to see how Punk’s journey in WWE will unfold, fans at Madison Square Garden got an unforgettable show.
AEW producer Scott Garland, formerly known as WWE Tag Team Champion Scotty 2 Hotty, appeared during the pre-show before AEW Dynamite on December 27th.
In a video shared by a fan, Scott Garland entered the ring as the name Scott Garland popped on the screen, and fans popped when they saw his name. AEW also gave him a song that was very similar to the classic Too Cool music.
Despite the name change, Scott Garland’s act mirrors his Too Cool presentation in WWE, complete with song and attire reminiscent of his past. He rocked a bucket hat, cargo pants, and a puffy vest just like we all remember.
Another video shows Scott Taylor performing his signature worm. He teamed up with The Acclaimed against Daddy Magic, Jake Hager, and The Gunns. Taylor also ended the whole bit by scissoring all three members of The Acclaimed after the match.
Scott Taylor, who confirmed his role as an AEW producer in October, has returned to the ring to fanfare. The company’s future plans for him remain uncertain.
Given Scott Taylor’s star power from the Attitude Era, teaming him with Billy Gunn to enhance The Acclaimed’s image could be a strategic move. It sure popped the crowd before Dynamite this week.
The pro wrestling business is full of happy couples. Now that family has grown by one, because GUNTHER and Jinny have announced the birth of their son.
GUNTHER and Jinny were married in May 2023, and they have now proudly announced a big moment in their lives. The two are now parents to a brand-new baby boy.
GUNTHER shared a photo featuring himself and Jinny, both beaming with joy while posing with their newborn. Jinny is a former WWE NXT UK star, and of course, GUNTHER is the current WWE Intercontinental Champion.
Accompanying the picture was a simple yet heartfelt caption to announce their son’s birth. GUNTHER did not reveal their son’s name, but it appears that both mother and baby are happy and health.
“This morning our son entered the world. What a blessing.”
GUNTHER is still running strong with his historic Intercontinental Title reign. He beat the Honky Tonk Man’s record a log time ago, and he shows no signs of stopping. Now, he has an even bigger reason to keep going.
We’d like to wish GUNTHER and Jinny the very best for their new son. Hopefully, he can enjoy this time with his family, but WWE will need him back on the road very soon.
Chris Jericho has been pretty active on social media the past few days and has garnered some buzz because of it.
Over the Christmas holiday, Jericho and Steve P. New, an attorney who has represented several wrestling personalities over his career, exchanged words back and forth due to the impending litigation surrounding the “Brawl Out” incident in September 2022. New happens to represent CM Punk and Ace Steel in the legal dispute and the argument he and Jericho were having was over non-disclosure agreements.
Jericho says he never signed an NDA while New states it would be in his employee handbook. This led to a contentious exchange where Jericho called New a “mark” and said what he saw went down was “truly disgusting” in the infamous backstage incident.
Chris Jericho Tips Cap To CM Punk & WWE
Despite Jericho having contention with New, it appears to want to keep things copacetic with CM Punk and WWE.
Punk made his in-ring return for WWE Tuesday night at Madison Square Garden to face Dominik Mysterio and WWE posted a video of Punk’s entrance up on Instagram. Jericho decided to leave a comment of his one, simply putting “Congrats” with three flame emojis.
CM Punk spent nearly a decade away from WWE prior to his triumphant return during the closing moments of the 2023 Survivor Series event. He left a lot of friends behind him in WWE when he departed, and he stopped talking to some of them, but it appears Rey Mysterio’s number was never deleted from Punk’s contact list.
Rey Mysterio and CM Punk have a history with each other in the ring. They shared the squared circle prior to Punk’s WWE departure, although they have yet to mix it up during this run for Punk.
Rey Mysterio recently sat down with Konnan and Disco Inferno on K100 for an interview. During that time, CM Punk came up. Mr. 6-1-9 was transparent about his interactions with the Second City Saint. It appears that they never lost total contact.
“I was texting Punk back and forth every now and then. We would say ‘hi’ and ‘what’s up?’ Always been, not super close, but connected. Watching Dominik’s career take off, we would constantly shoot each other texts. Punk was a big rival during the whole Mysterio family on board with my daughter’s birthday, six or seven years old at the time, it’s cool to revisit all that and now see the growth of the Mysterio family and how we’re all still connected in some way,” he said.
CM Punk and Rey Mysterio are far apart on the WWE roster right now. Not only are they on different brands, but Mysterio is also out of action with an injury; and he has Santos Escobar to handle upon his return.
CM Punk, on the other hand, is vying for a good spot in the 2024 Royal Rumble match, where he wants to get that WrestleMania main event match he’s had his eye on for over a decade.
Since CM Punk just returned to WWE, and Rey Mysterio inked a new deal, you never know if their roads will intersect down the line. Both of them have years left with WWE.
Everyone knows what that means. Whether it’s sitting across the desk from an obnoxious salesperson for hours on end trying to buy a car, negotiating a new salary at work, or hammering out expectations in an “eat this and you can get that,” battle of wits with your children, it’s the pesky details that get in the way of a smooth operation.
AEW knows this better than anyone right now. The Devil storyline that has been a regular episodic feature of AEW programming for the better part of three months is still running rampant and seemingly will come to a head at the company’s upcoming World’s End PPV event on December 30. The details in this devil story, well, they’re as pesky as ever and it’s imperative AEW pay attention to them in order to put a bow on their biggest story of the year.
The Mystery of The Devil
This is the situation. A rogue star with an inside track on the happenings in AEW has commandeered MJF’s devil mask and has been threatening and physically harming various members of the AEW roster with a gang of masked thugs.
The Devil was the alter ego of MJF and he famously appeared wearing the mask when he made his return to AEW at All Out in 2022 after a summer vacation hiatus. MJF went full “devil” that night, dressing up as the villain, but also walking out to a specialty entrance song, Sympathy for the Devil by The Rolling Stones. The presentation got him cheered in Chicago opposite CM Punk, who had just won the AEW World Championship.
The AEW Devil and his masked assailants have left a who’s who of top AEW talent dropped and hurt including former number one contender to the AEW World Championship, Jay White, former champion Adam Page, The Acclaimed, and presumably MJF in a vicious backstage assault — one that nobody saw.
So, the mystery at hand here is, just who the heck is The Devil and what the heck do they want? The conspiracy theories are out there among fans and media. Hidden clues have populated discussion around AEW programming and within AEW programming itself. Even AEW stars have made public comments that allude to involvement with the angle.
The Devil story in AEW is the biggest of the year and the most important long term arc they’ve attempted in their four years on national television. With the finish line in sight, they have to get it right and it means shoring up the devil’s details in the story.
Who is The Devil?
There are names that make sense as the AEW Devil and potential names that make you want to bash your head into a door. Let’s start with the good ones.
Adam Cole is guilty party A. Cole and MJF had a budding friendship prior to The Devil making an appearance and he only did once Cole was sidelined with a serious ankle injury. Or, was it a fake injury? Cole and MJF are friends, but have done battle on two different occasions for MJF’s AEW World Championship. The two wrestled to a time limit draw on AEW Dynamite and MJF defeated Cole at AEW All In late in August.
Cole failed twice to secure the world championship from MJF. Is that a good enough reason to stalk your best friend and turn on the entire company? Maybe it is. Cole as The Devil is the least sexy choice of everyone possible, but is the most logical given the history he has with MJF and the fact that the devil has centered his attention him.
Guilty party B? Kyle O’Reilly. O’Reilly has been away from AEW for months nursing an injury, but reports indicate he’s potentially ready to rejoin the company soon. What a better way to make an impact upon returning than to forcibly threaten your way back in as a masked maniac? O’Reilly has history with Adam Cole, which makes him a viable candidate. Cole would stay an MJF ally in this scenario, but O’Reilly would feel betrayed by his former best friend and want to take out the man who stole him away.
Could it be Britt Baker? Sure it could. Baker has obvious ties to Adam Cole as his better half and she’s posted scud missiles on social media that rail on the company for neutralizing her talents. A bit of a longer shot with her, but it makes sense.
Cole, O’Reilly, and Baker all work as the identity of the devil, but there are details that don’t add up around each of them.
If it’s Adam Cole, why would he attack Jay White? White was an MJF opponent at the Full Gear PPV. If Cole wanted to get to MJF, he wouldn’t help him out by attacking his opponent would he?
As for Kyle O’Reilly, the devil’s detail is more of a gargantuan issue and that is he simply just isn’t a big enough star in AEW to be the reveal of such a major storyline. The reveal has to be a home run and O’Reilly isn’t that at this point.
Baker checks the star box and the logic box as being a devil character that just wants to watch AEW burn. The missing detail with her is the payoff. Because of being terrorized by The Devil like he has, MJF has vowed revenge in the form of violence. AEW isn’t going to run with Baker vs. MJF. If not, what’s the point? The business of this angle is a match between MJF and whoever the devil is. It’s immediately off the table if Baker is revealed in the end.
Other theories about AEW’s Devil
Who are some bad choices, but options that AEW potentially has on the table? Well, Jack Perry comes to mind. Perry was suspended because of a backstage incident with CM Punk at All In and hasn’t been seen on AEW TV since. A return as the AEW Devil would immediately put him into the top tier of AEW, but he’s not ready for that. His character isn’t either. Bottom line? Nobody would buy it.
Dolph Ziggler? A long shot, but it has to be put out there. AEW loves nothing more than overhyping sub-par talent acquisitions and this would certainly fall in that bucket. Ziggler becomes a free agent as of Thursday December 21 after being released from WWE earlier this year.
The worst of the bad choices is MJF himself. Yeah, it could be ‘ol MJF just up to his mean tricks again and he was the one that set everything up, attacked everyone, and made it all look like it wasn’t him. He’d certainly be a heel if that was the reveal, but it would be a nauseating one. AEW cooled off it’s biggest star with a babyface turn this summer and the smart play isn’t to turn him back until he’s hot again — if ever. Too much effort has been put into MJF working as a babyface and this would derail all that effort. Plus, what, MJF took himself out backstage? He recorded promo videos on his own to interrupt his own promos in the ring? It’s just too much and too cute to believe.
It was the devil, in the parking lot, with the pipe
Now, mysteries in wrestling are always fun because of the clues at hand. They are there to analyze with The Devil story as well with more pouring in week after week, day after day, and show after show. How about this one?
Last week on AEW Dynamite, The Devil appeared from a car as his henchmen attacked Adam Page. With one nod he demanded that they put Page through the windshield of a car. Sound familiar? It should. Jack Perry is synonymous with car wind shields for better or worse — it was a spot on a car during his match with Hook at All In that sparked the backstage incident with CM Punk and his indefinite suspension from the company. Coincidence?
How about
this one? A giant devil henchman has been spotted by fans throughout the last month and some hat hair possibly gave the surprise away. In one segment, the giant man threatened in the ring with a mask on and in the next segment Wardlow appeared with messy hair that could only come from wearing a mask and pulling it off fast perhaps? Coincidence?
More nuggets and clues are sure to drop prior to the reveal, but the reality is AEW is juggling a lot with this angle. The details will either make this a memorable moment and story for the company or a giant eye roll for a company that consistently is weak at telling week to week stories on their episodic television show.
Regardless of whoever the devil ends up being, the reveal has to tie the loose ends and teases together so that everything that has happened to this point makes sense. Did The Devil have a reason to attack heel and babyface talent? Did The Devil have enough of a connection to MJF to make the stalking of him believable? Same thing with Samoa Joe. Joe is the challenger to MJF’s world title at World’s End, but is in the mix with The Devil now because of his relationship with MJF. AEW has to make those details blend together with logic.
Final Dynamite before AEW World’s End
Next week on AEW Dynamite, Joe and MJF will team up to take on some of The Devil’s henchmen in a tag team match for the ROH World Tag Team Championship. The match was made official on this week’s Dynamite after Joe and MJF destroyed a large contingent of devil supporters in black outfits. Will there be more clues dropped next week? Likely.
The bottom line with this is angle is that AEW has to hit on it. Not only has the company driven some fan interest with the mystery, but a hot story is a smart way to enter the new year with some momentum. Plus, the company hasn’t proven it cares to or can effectively execute week to week stories that engage an audience to watch the show. Hitting here with The Devil would alleviate that criticism.
To hit, AEW has to have key answers to major questions. Does the reveal make sense? Can it connect back to the history of the story? Is the revealed devil a big enough star to command the time the story has gotten and the interest its generated?
The devil is in the details, remember? It’s imperative AEW gets these right.
Goldberg took his time arriving in WWE after WCW closed, because he had an insane deal with Ted Turner to sit at home and get paid. He eventually made his way to WWE, and he had a couple stints in the company. Despite his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame, things did not end on a good note, and Goldberg is not afraid to talk about it.
Vince McMahon’s Broken Promise to Goldberg
Goldberg acknowledges Vince McMahon’s role in his career. The Chairman of the Board gave him a significant opportunity to perform in front of his family. Goldberg stated, “I owe him everything” when talking about McMahon, however, their relationship took a turn.
The turning point for Goldberg was a request to put Roman Reigns over in Saudi Arabia, despite his ongoing battle with COVID. During a conversation with Vince McMahon, Goldberg agreed to do the match under one condition. He wanted a retirement match in return.
Steven & Captain Evil recently had Goldberg on the show as a guest, where he revealed why things are not okay between him and Vince McMahon. It all stems from a promise that McMahon made to Goldberg that saw him come back to put Roman Reigns over, one that McMahon broke.
“I owe him everything, until we went to Saudi Arabia and he asked me to put Roman Reigns over, and I had COVID. I remember calling him from my house and said, ‘Listen, here is the deal. I’ll do it if you give me a retirement match.’”
“I did what he asked. As a performer, I was 56 years old. As a human being, you’re conscientious about how you look in a bathing suit, especially two months prior to being in that bathing suit, you couldn’t work out because you had COVID.”
“I put myself in a horribly sh*tty situation to get what I wanted to, but to satiate him and give him what he wanted.”
Goldberg’s Future in Professional Wrestling
Goldberg didn’t get his retirement match in WWE. He discussed having a retirement match in Israel, but there hasn’t been any word on that reported event in months.
Vince McMahon made a history of causing controversy with his decisions. Some former WWE Superstars don’t have the best things to say about how they were treated. The way Goldberg sees it, he didn’t get what he was promised.
Chavo Guerrero trained all the actors in preparation for “The Iron Claw,” but one of them did some added work in light of playing a pro wrestling patriach.
Speaking with SEScoops’ Dominic DeAngelo, Guerrero spoke to the level of commitment by veteran actor Holt McCallany, who took on the role of Fritz Von Erich in the new film by A24.
Before production even started, McCallany, who is greatly known for his work on Netflix’s Mindhunter, already put some time in the squared circle.
“He comes on set and it wasn’t like he just stepped foot in the ring. He went like a month out. He went to Gleason’s gym in New York and was getting trained in pro wrestling by Johnny Rodz who’s a family friend. He was great friends with my dad. So when he came on, I was like,’Wow, like he put the effort,’ he was already ready to go and he’s an ex-boxer.’ So Holt’s a very intense guy, anyway. So he was ready to go.”
As a matter of fact, Guerrero talked about having to slow Holt’s intensity down as he brought the brute out for Von Erich.
“He was like, ‘Man, I’m really gonna have to hit it hard.’ And I said, ‘No, you don’t, We’re going to make it look like you’re hitting it hard,’ and I kind of had to untrain him at certain things to retrain him the way I wanted him to do things, but he’s a he’s a like he’s a baller, man. He’s a pro. He’s a professional I mean in every sense of the word.”
You can catch both Guerrero and McCallany on screen now as “The Iron Claw” is available in theaters everywhere. You can watch SEScoop’s full video review of the film below.
John Cena doesn’t have much time for WWE anymore, because his career in Hollywood took off like a rocket over the past decade. Fans know him as The Peacemaker today, but many people are just now discovering Cena as The Marine.
The Marine Gets A Second Life
John Cena’s film “The Marine” was once criticized, but it is now a hit on Netflix. The 2006 film follows a discharged marine rescuing his kidnapped wife from jewel thieves. Produced by WWE’s own Vince McMahon, it marked Cena’s acting debut and spawned a series with direct-to-video sequels.
Almost two decades later, The Marine is a global Netflix hit. Fans are clicking on John Cena’s face to see The Marine, many likely for the first time.
In the week of December 18th to 24th, The Marine had 7.6 million hours viewed, ranking 10th in the weekly Netflix Global Top 10. That means a number of fans discovered the film on streaming for the first time over Christmas.
The Marine is a two-hour film, so according to that 7.6 million total hours viewed stat, the film has been played 3.8 million times.
The 2006 film received negative reviews, labeled exaggerated or “so bad it’s good.” Now, fans are enjoying it for a multitude of reasons.
This is common for films that are just getting the Netflix treatment, as the Netflix push comes for many of them. It is always a surprise when a film that many have forgotten about has a surge in popularity.
The Marine Franchise
The good news for new fans of The Marine is that they have plenty more action ahead of them, but John Cena doesn’t star in those films.
Despite grossing $22 million against a $15 million budget, it birthed a series with five WWE-starring sequels. The first, The Marine 2, featured Ted DiBiase, Jr. in 2009, followed by sequels from 2013 to 2018, all starring Mike “The Miz” Mizanin.
John Cena’s unexpected Netflix success might draw attention to the unlikely film series. After the last Marine film, (no spoilers), we have to wonder if they will ever re-visit the franchise.
CM Punk stepped back into the WWE ring for the first time since 2014 on Tuesday night. That December 26th Madison Square Garden live event saw the Second City Savior face off against Dominik Mysterio. It also appears that CM Punk had a bit of an issue with his gear before that big match.
CM Punk’s Issue with his Gear
CM Punk already teased his WWE return gear, but that is not what he wrestled in at MSG. Although he showed off his long boi tights before, he sported generic black trunks and knee pads for the big match in the World’s Most Famous Arena, leaving spectators puzzled.
Ibou from WrestlePurists shared his insights on X, as he revealed that CM Punk had initially ordered special ring gear for his Madison Square Garden match. Unfortunately, the gear didn’t fit, leading Punk to don plain attire for the occasion.
“They’re gonna be plain. The gear he ordered doesn’t fit and has to wear generic replacement gear.”
They’re gonna be plain. The gear he ordered doesn’t fit and has to wear generic replacement gear.
Despite the unexpected wardrobe change, the excitement for CM Punk’s in-ring return wasn’t affected. Fans can only hope that future matches, particularly leading up to The Royal Rumble, will not have any further issues with CM Punk’s gear, but it didn’t seem to matter in MSG.
Punk held nothing back during his match with the Judgment Day member, and even made reference to his AEW in-ring debut at All Out 2021. During one section of the match, Mysterio took to the turnbuckle and Punk sat up and laughed, replicating a spot from Punk’s match with Darby Allin three years ago. You can check out the spot in question below.
— Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) December 27, 2023
CM Punk’s Wardrobe Malfunction
While CM Punk made an impactful return to the ring at the WWE MSG event, his ring attire for the show was somewhat underwhelming. Rather than his typical Chicago-inspired trunks, Punk wore plain back trunks for the match. As Wrestle Purists noted before the show, the trunks Punk had planned to wear did not fit, meaning he had to don his back-up trunks which were the plain black ones fans saw at this show.
In the main event of the show, Rollins retained the WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre in a No-DQ, No Count Outs match. Adressing the fans after the match, Rollins reflected on the death of Brodie Lee, who died on Boxing Day in 2020. Rollins also spoke about Rotunda, who died in August of this year.
“On the 26th of December, a few years back, my good friend, our good friend Brodie Lee passed away. I miss him [fans chant Brodie]. And just a few months ago we lost Windham Rotunda as well. But earlier tonight when the lights were down, that’s right, I saw some fireflies out there in the Garden.
“Yeah, yeah, yeah man. So look, here’s the deal. They’re kicking me out of here. We’ve got a curfew but I’m not leaving this building until you guys light this place up with those fireflies and you sing my damn song so loud Brodie and Windham can hear you! Let’s go New York! [fans sing Rollins’ theme song] I love you forever, get home safe.
WWE has made history in Madison Square Garden many times in the past. They ran the famous venue on December 26th, and their trend of historic moments continued. The event was already set to be memorable for many reasons, but they also broke a financial record.
According to Sean Ross Sapp on Fightful Select, the December 26th Madison Square Garden live event set a massive record. It was the highest-grossing non-televised domestic WWE event ever.
Internal WWE live events reports claim that WWE’s live event in Madison Square Garden was sold out. The event was said to be the highest grossing domestic non-televised event of all-time for WWE.
WWE MSG 12/26 Results:
The event included four championship matches, concluding with the main event between Drew McIntyre and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins.
In the opening match of the night, Becky Lynch defeated Zoey Stark. Then, Kofi Kingston beat Ludwig Kaiser, and the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships match saw Kayden Carter & Katana Chance successfully defend against Chelsea Green & Piper Niven.
Omos, accompanied by MVP, and he beat against R-Truth. In the WWE Women’s World Championship Triple Threat Match, Rhea Ripley defended her title by defeating Ivy Nile & Shayna Baszler.
The Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships remained with Judgment Day after they defeated Jey Uso & Sami Zayn. That match marked Sami’s return to in-ring action after a short hiatus.
CM Punk secured a win against Dominik Mysterio. Rhea Ripley was with Dirty Dominik during the match, and it also marked Punk’s first WWE match since 2014.
Ricochet beat Bronson Reed. Then, Cody Rhodes beat Shinsuke Nakamura in a bull rope match. The final match of the night was for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship in a No-DQ Match, where Seth Rollins successfully defended his title against Drew McIntyre.
WWE returned to Madison Square Garden on December 26th, and they brought a massive show to the World’s Most Famous Arena. CM Punk had his first match in WWE since 2014, and Dominik Mysterio got to share that moment with the Second City Savior.
CM Punk’s return to WWE was a surprise for many fans who never anticipated it. While his televised wrestling return may have to wait until the Royal Rumble on January 27th, the Second City Savior marked his return to action at Madison Square Garden.
CM PUNK TRIED TO TAKE DOWN BRYON SAXTON LMAOOOOOOOOO#WWEMSG
On December 26th, as part of WWE’s Holiday Tour in MSG, CM Punk faced Dominik Mysterio. The atmosphere at Madison Square Garden was electric, with fans showing up in droves to chant for Punk.
Dominik Mysterio and CM Punk had some fun playing with the crowd before the match started. They seemed to work well together, as the NYC crowd did not have a quiet moment.
The match concluded with CM Punk securing the victory after delivering the GTS to Dominik Mysterio. This popped the crowd in a big way, as one would expect.
CM Punk cut an ultimate babyface promo after the match was over as well. He thanked fans for standing behind him. Then he encouraged everyone to shake the hand of the person behind him because, “we are all in this together.” That promo after the match was incredibly well-received.
CM Punk and Dominik Mysterio will wrestle again on December 30th. That match will take place at the KIA Forum in Los Angeles. CM Punk will wrestle again at the Royal Rumble in Tropicana Field. He also has his eye on a main event match at WrestleMania 40. It will be hard to keep him from that match if he continues this momentum.
Mick Foley has always been an amazing storyteller, but he’s making the decision to close a chapter in his post-wrestling career.
On this week’s episode of “Foley Is Pod” Foley and co-host Conrad Thompson revealed that they’d be ending the series after they complete one final episode with “Mick-A-Mania.” The two plan to finish off the series strong. “I can’t wait. I had such a great time,” added Foley when the announcement was made.
“Foley Is Pod” first started up in 2021 and he along with Thompson and producers Dave Silva and Kris MacDonald, did a video format for the show. Initially, the duo actually joined each other in person to record episodes that featured a fresh new format for recording wrestling podcasts.
The latest episode of the show has Foley covering his on-air relationship with The Rock, but the two have covered all facets of Foley’s career since he started the show including his time in ECW and WCW. They also did a very special episode after the legendary Terry Funk passed away in August.
Before Foley signed off to celebrate his Christmas holiday, he said that he and Conrad plan to pack a punch with the final episode.
“Tell your friends to tune into the last episode. We’re gonna try to make it something special. It’s been a great experience.”
Since its launch, “Foley Is Pod” has been a major player of the AdFreeShows.com podcast network. AdFreeShows.com hosts “Something To Wrestle With Bruce Prichard,” “83 Weeks With Eric Bischoff,” “My World With Jeff Jarrett,” “The Snake Pit With Jake Roberts” and more.
Before CM Punk puts on the kickpads for his first match back with WWE, he’s appreciative of the journey he’s had so far.
Ahead of his match at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday night, Punk took to Instagram to express his gratitude to the fans and his squared circle colleagues that came before him.
“Grateful for all the fans who have carried me to my greatest moments. Thankful for the legends that paved the roads I travel. I wouldn’t be who I am without all of you. Thank you. ‘So goes The Garden, so goes the business.'”
Punk indeed paid homage in that very story as he was wearing the hoodie of a legend he’s continuosly been a fan of: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.
CM Punk Has A First-Ever Legacy Match Waiting For Him At MSG
CM Punk will pack a punch in The Big Apple this evening as he’ll be going up against a white-hot heel in Dominik Mysterio. Punk was quick to cultivate a feud with Dirty Dom on his social media when he shared a photo over ten years ago of him confronting a young Dom in the ring with the Mysterio family. Dom fired back with his own post before he crossed the competitve lines and shared a “botch” clip of Punk during his AEW run.
Mysterio sure seems like an appropriate starting point for CM Punk’s WWE return as not only does it tie back to his Straight Edge Society feud with Rey Mysterio, but Punk clearly likes working with younger talent.
Sting’s arrival in AEW was a shock for many pro wrestling fans. His WWE contract quietly expired, and a new deal was not signed. The Stinger believed that he could do a lot more in the ring, and he certainly proved that by impressing fans, going above and beyond, time and time again in AEW.
Goldberg was likely watching Sting’s final run in the pro wrestling business. Although Goldberg never ventured to AEW, he still wanted to be a part of Sting’s last match.
While appearing on Steve & Captain Evil, Goldberg stated that he wanted to be a part of Sting’s retirement match. He then went on to discuss what kind of person Sting is, and how he owes his pro wrestling career to The Icon.
“Sting is the reason why I broke into the business. Sting set a great example. He’s about to retire. I tried to be part of his retirement match. I would not have chosen to get into the world of professional wrestling if it wasn’t for Sting. He was a normal dude who went out and did abnormal things. Wrestling is like being in the circus, it truly is. I never looked at it with much respect, but after I watched him from afar, I realized that I had the ability to go do it. He was not only a performer. He had self-respect and he commanded respect. He’s one of the best human beings on the planet, and he set an example for me and I just tried to grab it and run with it and make him proud. I had the best time of my life in the ring with Sting.”
Goldberg & Sting’s History
Goldberg and Sting go way back to even before their wrestling days in WCW. They trained together at Goldberg’s gym, where Sting and Lex Luger worked out. Sting played a key role in getting Goldberg into wrestling, which opened many doors for him.
Goldberg may want to pay tribute to Sting by being included in his final match, but it doesn’t appear that is in the cards right now. Tony Khan has been known to surprise fans with appearances in the past, so you never know if that next big announcement could be about Goldberg.
AEW Revolution 2024 Date & Location
Sting plans to retire at AEW Revolution on March 3rd, 2024, at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, a familiar place for him. Sting has made history in that building before, and he will do it one more time in 2024.
WWE knows that they can make a ton of money if they put out the right piece of merchandise. The upside of a custom title belt taking off in the company’s sales ranks is a very lucrative one. So, WWE has posted more than a few variations of WWE Titles in the past. It appears The Undertaker is not a fan of this practice.
The Undertaker Speaks His Mind on Custom WWE Titles
During The Undertaker’s Six Feet Under podcast, The Deadman addressed a question about whether he had contemplated having a personalized championship belt during his reign as a world champion, akin to John Cena’s spinner belt or Daniel Bryan’s eco-friendly belt. This was not something that ever crossed The Phenom’s mind.
The Undertaker said that his perspective aligns with old-school traditions. He holds the belief that championship titles should adhere to a more traditional and conventional design, and not have custom variations that are unique to the person holding the title.
No. I’m a traditionalist. I’m old school. Whatever the world title is, that’s what I wanted to represent. As cool as [the custom belt] is, it’s one of the nicest looking belts I’ve seen, I would have wanted one of the traditional belts, unless it was the spinner belt, which was awful. If I had my choice, the spinner belt or [custom belt], I would have gone with the [custom belt]. I always like the traditional championships. Back then, it was more about being the champion than marketing. I’m not opposed to making money. I just think there are certain traditions and things that should be untouched. The championship should be the championship.
They say that the title makes the man, but The Undertaker is not a fan of the man making his own custom championship title belt.
It should also be noted that WWE has released custom limited edition Undertaker tribute titles in the past. The Deadman didn’t speak about that merchandise, but he’s not a fan of changing the actual WWE Title to fit the talent.
The Undertaker’s Championship History In WWE
The Undertaker won many championships in WWE, with four WWE Championship runs and three World Heavyweight Championship wins. His tag team accolades include six WWF World Tag Team Championship wins, where he partnered with Stone Cold Steve Austin, Big Show, The Rock, and Kane. The Undertaker also claimed the WWF Hardcore Championship, and not one of those title belts was custom to The Deadman.
The Undertaker’s viewpoint reflects a respect for the rich history and traditions embedded within the world of professional wrestling. He is old-school, and still has that mentality. After all, The Phenom kept that Deadman gimmick up 24 hours a day during his heyday, with Paul Bearer around to literally be his mediatory to the real world he tried so hard to keep kayfabe alive for.
MJF took over the pro wrestling scene since AEW broke barriers in 2019, proving that the landscape can handle more than one mainstream company. Now, as the Bidding War of 2024 is still allegedly looming, MJF has a bright future ahead of him.
MJF’s Transition into Hollywood
The 27-year-old AEW World Champion is also featured as Lance Von Erich in The Iron Claw film. He was credited as executive producer on the film as well.
During an interview with Comicbook, MJF outlined his future aspirations in acting. He expressed his belief that in five years, he envisions being a familiar face in television and film.
MJF also stated that his desire is to balance both professional wrestling and acting as full-time pursuits simultaneously. Additionally, he mentioned his goal of releasing a music album in the future.
“I genuinely think in five years from now, I’m going to be a guy that people see regularly on their TV screen outside of the professional wrestling landscape.”
“Trust me, I love wrestling too much to not still be involved in it. I will most likely still be full-time, but I want to be acting full-time as well by then. I would also like to put out an album by then. I would like to be a well distinguished actor that is recognized as being a great actor that transitioned from wrestling like these greats that did it before me. Like Dwayne [The Rock], like Batista. Like Cena.”
MJF claimed that he has not inked a new deal with AEW. His current contract was said to be up in 2024. This led to many promos that hinted about the possibility of MJF seeking employment elsewhere.
Those in WWE I have spoken with believe that MJF actually inked a new deal with AEW prior to his 2022 return. That would mean his deal is not really up in 2024 as he previously stated.
The world seems open for MJF as he keeps going. He is also 1/2 of the ROH Tag Team Titles. The Salt of the Earth will team with Samoa Joe to defend those titles against The Devil’s minions on AEW Dynamite this week.
New Japan’s Hiroshi Tanahashi has always desired a management role with the promotion and now he has the chance to make big things happen as President.
The former IWGP World Champion was announced as NJPW’s new President last week in a move that took many by surprise. The promotion’s longest-tenured talent, Tanahashi made his debut in October 1999 after graduating from the NJPW Dojo. In addition to his new role as NJPW President, Tanahashi is one-third of the current NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Champions.
President Tanahashi On his Appointment
On their official website, New Japan shared a transcription of a press conference in which Tanahashi discussed his new role. First, he spoke about how happy he is to accept the position of President.
“I always carried a dream and ambition to be President as well as an active wrestler. I’m happy to be able to make that happen, and I’m grateful for all the kind words of support that I’ve gotten since my appointment.”
When asked when the decision was made for him to become the new president, Tanahashi said the matter was discussed during a dinner with Bushiroad president Takaaki Kidani in November.
Hiroshi Tanahashi Has Big Plans
Tanahashi then shared some big goals that he has planned now that he is in a position of considerable influence.
“I have some key goals that I would like to meet in my time as the President. First of all, I want to sell out the Tokyo Dome. This has always been the goal for me. For a wrestler to walk down the ramp in front of a sold-out Tokyo Dome crowd is something to be proud of forever.”
Tanahashi added that having more title matches outside of major cities is a major goal of his to strengthen connections across Japan.
“I want to unite all of Japan’s wrestling fans in their passion and carry that to the Tokyo Dome. I also want to further increase our work with sponsors. Our sponsors are the best tag partners that we have, and as an active wrestler as well as President, I’m in a completely unique position to strengthen that relationship.”
Tanahashi’s first test as New Japan’s President will come next week with Wrestle Kingdom 18. In addition to NJPW talent, the show will feature stars from AEW and Pro Wrestling NOAH.
WWE released a number of people over the past year, but some of them requested their releases. The Grizzled Young Veterans wanted out of WWE, because they weren’t happy with their creative direction. Now, they are landing in Impact Wrestling.
TNA Wrestling Hard To Kill Date, Location, and How To Watch
The 2024 Hard To Kill is scheduled for January 13th, 2024, at the Palms Casino Resort in Paradise, Nevada. That pay-per-view will mark the fifth Hard To Kill show. The pay-per-view will be available on FiteTV.
Why Grizzled Young Veterans Left WWE
The Grizzled Young Veterans are showing up in Impact Wrestling just in time for the company’s re-branding efforts. They are changing back to TNA Wrestling in January 2024.
James Drake and Zack Gibson were unhappy in WWE NXT, as they were changed to The Dyad and joined Joe Gacy’s Schism faction. After asking for their releases, they were eventually granted their requests.
Rey Mysterio was taken out of action with a knee injury, one they blamed on Santos Escobar in storyline. The fact is that Mysterio’s knee needed to be fixed up after a ton of wear and tear.
Rey Mysterio Discusses His Knee Injury
During a discussion with Konnan and Disco Inferno on K100, Rey Mysterio opened up about his current knee affliction. He attributed this time away from the ring to simple wear and tear on his right knee, which caused a meniscus tear.
Mysterio admitted that he’s slowing down as he gets older. That does not mean he is going to stop.
Rey Mysterio is no stranger to injuries, as he’s experienced worse ones in the past. He is currently on week four of this hiatus, with an expected return around six to eight weeks. Mr. 6-1-9 is also training hard to make that return while he’s out of action.
“Just wear and tear. This time, it was my right knee. I’ve never had any injuries on my right knee since 97 when I had my first surgery in WCW. The left knee kept on breaking down every other year, sometimes a little bit longer. Numerous ACL tears. The last big surgery I had on my left knee was in 2011. This time, you put in all the years, I’ve been favoring the right knee for the left one and finally, I tore the meniscus on my right knee. It’s six to eight weeks. I’m in week four. I’m getting a personal trainer at the beginning of the year that’s going to work with me just so I can work on my lower body and strengthen up my hips, my quads, my legs in general so I can resist. I’ve never had a personal trainer that can train me, kind of like UFC fighters train, so I can use most of my power from the hips down.”
“I know that I’m slowing down, the older I get, but I can make things look faster just by being in the business so long, that keeps the fans the perspective of ‘he hasn’t slowed down.’ I can go out there every time and pour it out. I don’t know how to hold back. I know how to hold back on movements and stuff I know I can’t do, like pushing off my left knee is really hard. I know personally that I’ve slowed down over the years. I try to be very innovative and creative with my style that it makes it seems that I haven’t slowed down.”
Rey Mysterio’s Future In WWE
Rey Mysterio has been seen on WWE television since his injury. He was backstage at NXT Deadline, where he had some segments with Dragon Lee, who took Dominik Mysterio’s NXT North American Title that night. WWE fans are still awaiting Rey Mysterio’s return to main roster programming.
The LWO is in the middle of a breakup, with two factions splintering from the group. It appears that Humberto Carrillo and Angel Garza have joined Santos Escobar on his quest to take down his former stable.
Rey Mysterio’s return to the ring is around the corner, but they can’t rush that process. With the Royal Rumble taking place on January 27th, Mysterio will cut it close to make the big Tropicana Field show.
