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Satoshi Kojima Becomes New MLW World Heavyweight Champion, Mistico Debuts At MLW SuperFight

Bishal Roy
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Legendary Japanese wrestler Satoshi Kojima was crowned the new MLW World Heavyweight Champion at MLW SuperFight at the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

With the title win, Kojima has scripted history. He becomes the oldest holder of the title at 53 years. The headlining MLW SuperFight match saw Kojima putting an end to Kane’s reign which lasted 210 days.

Satoshi Kojima becomes MLW World Heavyweight Champion for the second time

Kojima bettered Kane to clinch the MLW World Heavyweight Championship for the second time. The 53-year-old star had first won the title in September 2002.

The final moments of the match saw Kojima hitting a lariat and following up with a brainbuster. However, he could only get one count. After Kane got up, Kojima executed another devastating lariat to secure the pinfall, securing the World title in the process.

Following the bout, Yuji Nagata came out and celebrated with some beers with Kojima. The newly crowned champ urged everyone to drink beer and eat bread.

This marks Kojima’s second reign as MLW World Heavyweight Champion.  He won the title from Alex Hammerstone at MLW Never Say Never and made six successful title defenses. Kojima previously held NOAH’s GHC Heavyweight Title.

Kojima is scheduled to defend the belt against Minoru Suzuki at Intimidation Games on February 29th.

Mistico debuts at MLW

Legendary luchador Mistico also made his MLW debut at SuperFight. He was accompanied to the ring by Cesar Duran and faced Averno,

Meanwhile, it has come to light that Rocky Romero will be defending the MLW World Middleweight Title against Místico at MLW Intimidation Games. 

WWE Roster Reportedly Opposed To The Rock Taking Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania 40 Spot Against Roman Reigns

Aaron Varble
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The Rock made his big WWE return on Friday’s episode of SmackDown, and that sparked a new controversy within the fan base. The Great One swooped in and took Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania main event match against Roman Reigns, and it’s hard to find someone who is incredibly happy about that right now.

Internal Reaction To The Rock’s Return

A report from Sean Ross Sapp on Fightful Select also detailed the internal reaction after Cody Rhodes lost his WrestleMania spot to The Rock. We previously noted that there was a sense of shock over the move.

“I’ve known Dwayne a long time,” a wrestler reportedly shared with Fightful. “Not only did the look on Cody’s face tell a story, the look on Dwayne’s told a story. I think in that moment he knew that this decision wasn’t going to work out quite the way that he imagined it. He was experiencing the same thing that he and Roman experienced in Philadelphia. He was being co-signed for something the vast majority didn’t want.”

WWE Roster Is Seemingly Against This Booking

Everyone that reportedly discussed this situation with the outlet understood the business implications of running the match, but they also believed it wasn’t a good decision for long-term WWE business.

“The Rock vs. Roman made sense several years ago when we were running back Roman and Lesnar repeatedly. It could have made sense this year had Cody won the title last year. This is one of the few years it just doesn’t make sense in any capacity.”

A source in creative reportedly said that many on the team were deflated, and it felt like a decision they’d hear about being made under the previous regime at the expense of helping cultivate new crossover talent.

Another source that had worked with the Rock was much more stern, saying, “The Rock eroded his trust with the comic and superhero community, with the film community, maybe with the football community, and might do it with the one he has almost universal goodwill with. He’s not a bad guy, don’t mistake that or get me wrong – he’s a great guy. However, bad timing and overexposure and fatigue will make fools of us all. You have to know when to take a back seat.”

Fans Do Not Approve

We previously reported how WWE fans have spoken out against The Rock taking Cody Rhodes’ spot at WrestleMania 40. They have started a trend of Justice for Cody on social media as well as flooding WWE’s posts on the matter.

The Rock and Roman Reigns’ segment from last night’s SmackDown has now surpassed 300,000 dislikes in under 15 hours with 2.5 million views. It is now the most-disliked video that WWE has ever put on their channel. Brandi Rhodes and others have reacted to The Rock taking Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania spot. Fans have voiced their displeasure as well.

WrestleMania 40 Plans Could Change Again

It is important to note that WWE has not made Rock vs Roman official at WrestleMania 40 just yet. The fact that they are set to have a face-to-face during a WrestleMania kickoff event in Las Vegas certainly paints that picture.

Fightful also noted that plans in pro wrestling can always change, and “there are many in the company that are cautiously optimistic that if the reaction that WWE received Friday night” could cause them to shift. 

As it stands right now, Cody Rhodes will challenge Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Title at Mania. This comes right after Reigns buried that title on SmackDown, calling it a “losers bracket title,” because he’s already beaten anyone in the running for that belt. 

The Rock’s WWE WrestleMania 40 Story: When & How Roman Reigns Main Event Match Came To Be

Aaron Varble
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The Rock is returning to the ring to face Roman Reigns. This move on WWE’s part left many shocked backstage. There is a lot to unpack in this situation as well.

New Details On How The Rock vs Roman Reigns Was Booked For WrestleMania 40

While Cody Rhodes expressed his intent to challenge Roman Reigns at the Royal Rumble, as he pointed at the Tribal Chief and talked smack as his Kingdom song played on, Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that there were reports circulating within the company on the afternoon of the Royal Rumble suggesting that The Rock had agreed to face Reigns. 

The existence of Rock-themed WrestleMania merchandise prototypes, ones that had Rock in a Head of the Table graphic, further fueled speculation.

Sources reportedly indicated that The Rock not only advocated for the match, but some believe he was pushing for a victory. TKO maintains that this move wasn’t driven by malice toward Rhodes, acknowledging his talent, but recognizing that the audience’s patience had worn thin on the situation.

When Cody Rhodes Found Out

Concerning the timeline, Cody was reportedly informed of the decision on Friday, ensuring he was aware before traveling to Smackdown. Talent, including The Rock, had already been booked for the February 8 press conference in Las Vegas, although The Rock’s involvement was not initially clear.

It is also interesting to note, that not too long ago, Cody openly stated that he wasn’t worried about losing his WrestleMania spot to The Rock.

While not directly associated with the scandals that Vince McMahon finds himself in now, any mainstream publicity was seen as potentially beneficial. It was noted that Rock was pulling for this match against Roman Reigns prior to Janel Grant’s earth-shattering lawsuit dropped. 

The early word is that The Rock plans to work a full-length match at WrestleMania, although his willingness to continue wrestling beyond WrestleMania remains uncertain, given the face that he’s one of the busiest men on the planet. 

SE Scoops will have continued coverage of this tricky situation as WWE makes their way down another road to WrestleMania. Things seemed to be going well, but The Rock’s return definitely stirred up a controversy that Triple H will have to book around now.

WWE Discussing Title Unification Win for Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam

Thomas Lowson
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The WWE Universe may have to wait until SummerSlam 2024 to see Cody Rhodes dethrone Roman Reigns, in a match that could see huge championship possibilities.

On this week’s SmackDown, Rhodes, the winner of the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble, said that he wouldn’t be facing Reigns at WrestleMania. Reigns was immediately confronted by The Rock, teasing a showdown between the two at the April supershow. This booking decision has been reviled by fans, who believe Cody’s story should finish by standing tall over Reigns at WrestleMania.

Unification at SummerSlam? 

Instead of Roman Reigns, it now appears that Cody will challenge World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40. PW Insider reports that there have been talks of Rhodes winning the title at WrestleMania 40, in the first of two huge title wins for the American Nightmare. The idea would be for Rhodes to challenge the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at SummerSlam in a title unification match.

WWE’s Unifying History 

If this goes ahead, it’ll come just over a year after WWE introduced the World Heavyweight Championship in May of 2023. The title’s inception came about due to Reigns’ dominant tenure as Champion and his part time schedule. WWE unified the WWE and Universal Championship at WrestleMania 38. In the main event of Night 2 of the April 2022 event, Reigns defeated Brock Lesnar to unify the gold. 

Randy Orton unified the WWE and World Heavyweight Championships at WWE: TLC 2013 with a victory over John Cena. At Vengeance 2001, Chris Jericho unified the WWF and World Championships by defeating ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin and The Rock on the same night. 

The Rock Taking Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania 40 Spot: Internal Aftermath Within WWE

Aaron Varble
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Cody Rhodes was just about to proclaim that his 2024 Royal Rumble win would result in an Undisputed Universal Title match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. Then that match was swiftly taken away when he introduced The Rock’s big surprise for the Tribal Chief.

Backstage Reaction to The Rock’s Return

Sean Ross Sapp noted on Fightful Select that The Rock was around SmackDown all day prior to his big surprise return.

It was also noted that, “One person at Smackdown said it was the most outside faces they’ve seen there in a long time.” The night was certainly a special one in Alabama this week.

When The Rock returned during SmackDown to confront Roman Reigns, the WWE Universe wasn’t the only people who were surprised. Sapp noted that, “The reaction backstage to The Rock taking Cody’s spot was one of shock.”

WWE Bringing in Former Writer for The Rock

PW Insider reported that Brian Gewirtz will play a role as the voice representing The Rock in the WWE Creative process moving forward. He is not only a former lead writer for WWE, but he is also the current SVP of Development for Seven Bucks Productions.

Some anticipate Gerwirtz’s presence during major shows, potentially serving as a “Plan B” if Endeavor ever decides to shift WWE’s direction towards a Dwayne Johnson-backed creative team in the future.

How This Match Came About

As we previously reported, according to Dave Meltzer on the F4W Online forum, The Rock passionately lobbied for the match against Reigns. Meltzer noted that the anticipated high-profile showdown between the Hollywood star and the Tribal Chief is likely to divert attention from the ongoing Vince McMahon scandal.

“Dwayne pushed super hard for it. Read last week’s issue and this week’s. The card changed when Punk & Brock were out and all the dominoes fell. Dwayne already wanted it and they felt they now needed it as well. Felt this was better to change the news flow away from Vince.”

The Rock also just joined TKO Group Holdings’ Board of Directors. This came just before Vince McMahon resigned from the company due to the damning allegations in Janel Grant’s lawsuit.

This Was Not A Burial Of Cody

PW Insider reported that everyone is expected to consider The Rock’s ideas in WWE. The decision to involve him in the main event was not driven by malice to sideline Cody Rhodes, but rather based on the belief that Johnson would be the most lucrative choice, considering his new role within the company’s parent company.

It was a strategic move aimed at bolstering Johnson’s overall political influence and demonstrating Endeavor’s confidence in his engagement. One source reportedly suggested that even Paul “Triple H” Levesque would “lose that power struggle with Johnson at this point.”

Public Backlash Over WrestleMania Card

Brandi Rhodes and others have reacted to The Rock taking Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania spot. Fans have voiced their displeasure as well.

Fans also banded together online to voice their discontent. The Rock and Roman Reigns’ segment from last night’s SmackDown has now surpassed 300,000 dislikes in under 15 hours with 2.5 million views. It is now the most-disliked video that WWE has ever put on their channel.

WWE’s Plan For Cody Rhodes At WrestleMania 40

Aaron Varble
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Cody Rhodes may not get to finish his story with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, but the American Nightmare will still be on the show. After winning the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match, he punched his ticket to Mania already, and now we know his match.

WWE’s Plan for Cody Rhodes

The Rock’s shocking return to WWE television meant that Cody is not facing Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. Although Dwayne Johnson’s return to the picture shuffled the Mania card, Rhodes will still get a title match.

According to PW Insider, Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins will throw down at WrestleMania. The two already have a lot of history with each other, as Rollins was Rhodes’ first feud out of the gate upon his return two years ago, and now they have more story to write.

As far as the future for Cody, the current plan is for him to face Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40, a direction change that a lot of readers we’ve heard from resent given that he’s been pushing to “finish his story” all year, that finishing that story was in reach after a Royal Rumble win and that even the WWE 2K24 video game (which Cody is on the cover for) is themed in part around fans “finishing” their own story.

Public Response To Cody Losing Mania Spot To The Rock

Fans expressed discontent with the recent booking choice, particularly the decision to have Cody Rhodes lose his WrestleMania spot to The Rock. This dissatisfaction manifested in a surge of dislikes on WWE’s YouTube video and ongoing discussions throughout the night regarding the significant segment.

Compounding the situation, supporters initiated the ‘Justice for Cody’ campaign to amplify their stance. In a recent WWE live stream video titled “Best of Cody Rhodes full matches marathon,” they flooded the comments section, rallying behind the American Nightmare.

WrestleMania Shake-Up

The WrestleMania card was already getting a shake-up. Brock Lesnar was pulled from creative due to his association with the damning allegations in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon, WWE and John Laurinaitis. CM Punk was also pulled from the show of shows due to a triceps injury.

Since Lesnar and Punk were off the show, where they were set to face GUNTHER and Seth Rollins respectively, WWE brought The Rock in for that match against Roman Reigns that fans have talked about for years. 

Roman Reigns and The Rock Set To Face Off At WWE WrestleMania Kickoff Event

Aaron Varble
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The Rock shocked the pro wrestling world once again when he showed up during the February 2nd episode of SmackDown. He confronted Roman Reigns, and although the Great One didn’t say anything, he didn’t need to. Now, fans are set to see what is next.

The Rock & Roman Reigns Face-Off

WrestleMania 40 seems to be the place for Rock vs Roman. Fans will see more from them soon enough, because the two will be in Las Vegas on the 8th.

WWE has announced The Rock and Roman Reigns will engage in a face-off during an open-to-the-public fan and media event for the WrestleMania XL Kickoff. The event will take place live from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Thursday, February 8th, at 4 PM PT.

In the announcement that WWE sent out about the event, it was also revealed that the whole thing will stream on Peacock and other platforms.

@WWERomanReigns and @TheRock will face-off at The #WrestleMania XL Kickoff, streaming live from @TMobileArena on Feb. 8 at 4pm PT across WWE social platforms and @peacock !

Public Response So Far

Fans don’t seem to be incredibly happy about this booking decision. Cody Rhodes losing his WrestleMania spot to The Rock was not taken well by some, and they spoke out. They blew up WWE’s YouTube video with dislikes, and posted all night about the big segment.

Adding to the situation, fans started posting ‘Justice for Cody’ to strengthen the movement. During a recent WWE live stream video titled “Best of Cody Rhodes full matches marathon,” they also inundated it with comments to back up the American Nightmare.

WWE’s Previous Creative Plan For The Rock at WrestleMania

I exclusively reported WWE’s current situation with The Rock vs Roman Reigns. While some were saying that the match may be moved to Saudi Arabia, that is not the case. Those plans were kept very close to the vest. Now, it appears that the match is going to take place at the show of shows this year, and fans will not have to wait.

WWE Superstar Montez Ford Drops His First Music Album

Aaron Varble
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WWE Superstars can sometimes branch outside the pro wrestling bubble to do big things. Montez Ford has a new accomplishment that he can finally share with the world’s ears.

Ford’s Big Announcement

Montez Ford, who is 1/2 of The Street Profits alongside Angelo Dawkins, is known for his hard work in the ring, and now he has ventured into the music scene with the release of a new album. 

Ford’s new record called ‘God Is Good’ dropped, and he’s very proud of what he has to offer. This has also been a project that took a lot of time to make sure he got it right.

The eight-track album, which is now available on major streaming platforms like Spotify, shows off Ford’s abilities beyond the wrestling ring. Along with a link to the new album, Ford hyped fans about his new music drop.

”As promised, it’s finally here! GOD IS GOOD – ALBUM NOW AVAILABLE ON ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS! It’s been a wild couple of weeks, but thank you all for your overwhelming & continued support with our reality show & everything. I hope you enjoy! -Tezzie”

Montez Ford in WWE

Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins recently teamed up with Bobby Lashley to form a new stable on SmackDown. The Pride is still doing their thing, confident in their current feud against Karrion Kross’ Final Testament faction with AOP.

Ford is not hanging up his pro wrestling boots by a long shot. He has a lot more to accomplish, but at the same time, he can’t wait to share his musical endeavor with his fans. 

Other Musical Superstars

Montez is not the first WWE Superstar to drop a music album. In recent memory, Elias did the same. Sadly, that record was taken down after WWE released him. Prior to that, names like AJ Francis, R-Truth, Mickie James, Jeff Hardy, John Cena, “Macho Man” Randy Savage and more all dropped their own brand of music.

AEW Star Shaved His Head – Now Mustafa Ali Is Considering Doing The Same

Dominic DeAngelo
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Sometimes, you just got to “let it go” and that’s what one AEW star decided to do with his hairdo.

Ariya Daivari decided to part ways with his hairline this week and decided to share his shave-off on social media. Davairi showed it all go down on Instagram through a time-lapse video to the music of “Let It Go” from Frozen, but did provide a little caveat to the song choice.

“Welp…BTW, I’ve never seen Frozen. ‘Let It Go’ was the only lyric I knew. This wasn’t meant to be some empowering post lol. S***’s not that big of deal.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C2254oFvJQB

Ariya follows in the footsteps of his older brother Shawn Daivari who too once had a full head of hair before going the “Stone Cold” route. Ariya got a fair share of responses from his pro wrestling comrades with Matt Cardona simply calling him a “quitter” while others like Savio Vega and Brian Cage were a little more supportive.

However, Daivari may have inspired further change as it got recent TNA debutee and fellow 205 Live alum, Mustafa Ali considering the clippers himself responding in the replies with a simple statement.

“Might do the same soon.”

Drew Gulak actually wanted Ariya to go the extra mile and pull a Sean Waltman rib on himself telling him to “Now do the eyebrows.”

Davairi has been with AEW for over two years now and now works as a wrestler, producer and coach for the company. Meanwhile, his brother Shawn serves as a producer for WWE.

The head shaving hasn’t just been solely on the men in pro wrestling. Months ago before getting married, Shotzi also happened to shave her head as well.

The Rock Says You Can Feel The Mana At WWE’s New Headquarters

Dominic DeAngelo
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Finally, The Rock has come back to Stamford. 

The People’s Champ is taking his new TKO Board Of Directors role quite seriously as he took to social media to share some photos of himself visiting the new WWE headquarters. The Rock then reflected on making the stop and had a lot to say about the ‘mana’ that the new building carries.

“I needed to make one more final and most important visit – I wanted to come to Stamford, Connecticut to see our INCREDIBLE WWE HQ TEAM in person.

“To express to everyone my deepest gratitude for their commitment and talents, as well as my boundless excitement to go shoulder to shoulder with everyone to continue to build our company. Face to face. Eyes to eyes. Handshakes and hugs. I was completely blown away. You can FEEL the mana, energy, love and momentum!

“It’s a very exciting time for our companies and I’m forever proud to have played and continue to play a very small role in the growth of WWE. I’m honored to now sit at the table that my grandfather and my father helped to build. On the shoulders of giants, we stand. In the spirit of unity we grow. ~ Rock.”

The Rock has been plenty active on social media since becoming part of the board and has been putting TKO over big time since the news broke last week. 

Not only does he have the new job title to be happy about, but Dwayne Johnson also has got to be electrified by finally owning “The Rock” trademark, something he also posted about on Instagram.

Chris Jericho, DDP, Cody Rhodes & More Contribute Big Money To Ice Train’s GoFundMe Campaign After His Passing

Aaron Varble
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The pro wrestling world is like a family in many ways. When someone is taken from us, many times the community steps up to help those who were left behind. After Ice Train’s passing, many of those who knew him are now helping his family through this trying time.

Ice Train’s GoFundMe

Ice Train passed away at 56-years-old, and many who worked with him during his days in the ring spoke out to grieve the loss. As of this writing, his cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, but he had health issues. Now, his family is in need of assistance. 

The description for the GoFundMe, written by Diamond Dallas Page, explains how the money will be used to help Ice Train’s family. The two had a 30-year friendship, and now DDP wants to make sure that Harold Hogue’s family is taken care of to the best of his ability.

Ice Train was born with congenital heart disease, so he couldn’t get insurance. Due to this, his family is in a terrible circumstance right now.

Harold Hogue aka “Ice Train” aka “Smooth” (to me he was always “H”) was a warrior and one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. Our 30 year relationship was filled with laughter & brotherhood. We were always there for each other.

Our families are one family.

Harold was born with a congenital heart disease and passed away unexpectedly on January 23, 2024. Because of his condition, he was unable to get life insurance, leaving his wife Tiana and his 7 kids too soon…without their rock, and their primary provider.

Please consider donating in honor of Harold, to help support his family after losing such a great husband, father, and friend. I love you H – DDP.

As of this writing, they have raised $17,990 of their $50,000 goal. Some notable names have already contributed substantial donations for the campaign. 

Notable Donations Already

Several figures from the wrestling community have contributed to Ice Train’s GoFundMe campaign. Dallas Page donated $10,000, Chris Jericho contributed $5,000, and Cody Rhodes put in $1,000. 

Our thoughts are with Ice Train’s family, friends, and fans at this time. We hope that they reach their goal, because his family could certainly use the assistance. You may visit the link here for more information on Ice Train’s GoFundMe account.

Carl Weathers’ Passing Stirs Emotional Reaction From Pro Wrestling World

Aaron Varble
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Legends pass away like regular humans, which is a hard reality to face. Sadly, the world lost a remarkable talent as Carl Weathers passed away recently. The pro wrestling world took notice as well.

Tributes For Carl Weathers

Carl Weathers died on Thursday at the age of 76. His family said in a statement that he “died peacefully in his sleep.” We do not know the cause of death yet, but the world is mourning this great loss.

Xavier Woods from WWE honored the late Carl Weathers, who recently passed away. Weathers’ portrayal of Apollo Creed in the Rocky franchise served as the inspiration for Woods’ TNA persona, Consequences Creed.

“Today one of my biggest inspirations died. Carl Weathers brought Apollo Creed to life and in doing so he inspired me to become something that helped me achieve my wildest dreams. You really never know what you just doing what you love does to inspire others. #Rip Carl Weathers”

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C23CYHmMHyc

Jesse Ventura shared the screen with Carl Weathers. He posted a photo of them together on the set of Predator, along with a touching tribute.

We lost an icon. Carl Weathers was a phenomenal talent, a true professional, and a dear friend. All my sympathies and love to his family. I loved working with him on Predator and then celebrating that film with him at various conventions in the ensuing years. Thank you, Carl.

Sean Waltman also paid his respects to the great man that the world lost this week. While posting an animate gif of Weathers playing Chubbs Peterson from Happy Gilmore, in the scene where he’s showing Happy that he got both hands back after his death, X-Pac wrote: “Thank you for everything.”

Carl Weathers was a great actor, and he kicked down barriers for others with his fantastic career in entertainment. He may be gone, but he will never be forgotten.

Our thoughts are with Carl Weathers’ family, friends, and fans at this time as they cope with losing such a talented man. RIP.

John Cena Compares His Current Physical Status To Vintage Car

Aaron Varble
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John Cena may only have a few years left to wrestle, as he stated that he wants to retire at the age of 50, but he is only getting better with age. 

John Cena Addresses His Age

John Cena has done a lot in his shoo-in WWE Hall of Fame career. Some may say he’s getting better with age, but his part-time schedule may play a part in how fans perceive the 16x World Champion.

While speaking on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, when questioned about the prospect of a time when fans might no longer see him, John Cena expressed that he’s just getting older and can’t compete at the same pace as the younger talent.

“I’ll be 47 in April, and the product is filled with superstars who are young, fast, and gifted. I’m just not as fast as I once was.”

John Cena Classic Car Comparison 

Cena drew a comparison, likening himself to a vintage classic car that requires a prolonged warm-up before reaching its final gear. He humorously alluded to a 30-minute run, followed by necessary repairs due to unforeseen issues.

”I compare myself to like a fine vintage classic car. So if you want to take it out one day, you got to warm it up for about two and a half hours, then you can take it out and you can hit the last gear, but please don’t pin it to red line. I can go for about 30 minutes. Then after you drive for 30 minutes, you got to take it back in the shop and fix all the noises it was making. I’m leaking fluids from places I didn’t know I had places. So it’s pretty rough around the edges.”

This is an interesting analogy, because Cena did have to get surgery after his last short WWE run. He had surgeries on both arms after his match at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia against Solo Sikoa. So, he certainly needed a tune up after that short time on the road.

John Cena Knows His Cars

John Cena has an extensive car collection featuring American muscle cars, European supercars, and daily-driven Japanese sports cars. The collection is notable for its focus on muscle cars and American classics, complemented by a substantial number of European luxury cars.

Naturally, his involvement in the Fast & Furious franchise also validates anything he says about cars. We will have to see what kind of analogies Cena comes up with in the future to describe himself, but this one was on the money.

Fans Show Disapproval Of The Rock Taking Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania 40 Spot

Aaron Varble
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Cody Rhodes may not get to finish his story at WrestleMania, and some fans don’t seem to be very happy about that. After The Rock returned during the February 2nd episode of SmackDown, they have not been shy about making their opinion known.

The Rock’s Big SmackDown Return

The Rock returned during SmackDown this week as a big surprise. Cody Rhodes was just about to announce who he is facing at WrestleMania, when he said that he won’t be the man taking on Roman Reigns.

Suddenly, The Rock’s music hit and he came down to the ring. After shaking hands with Cody, the American Nightmare took off to leave himself alone in the ring with Roman Reigns.

SmackDown closed out this week with the two staring each other down. No match was made official, but it’s pretty clear that WrestleMania 40 will see The Rock vs Roman Reigns.

Some Fans Are Not Happy

While some fans are over the moon with happiness due to The Rock’s return to WWE television, they aren’t all thrilled. Some are standing behind Cody Rhodes, and they are not impressed with a storyline that doesn’t see him finish his story.

The YouTube upload of The Rock & Roman Reigns’ segment from SmackDown this week has received over 50% more dislikes than likes. It also has well over 1.5 million views at this point. That is a very high percentage of dislikes.

How This Match Came About

As we previously reported, according to Dave Meltzer on the F4W Online forum, The Rock strongly advocated for the match with Reigns. Meltzer mentioned that the high-profile clash between the Hollywood star and the Tribal Chief is expected to shift the focus away from the current Vince McMahon scandal.

“Dwayne pushed super hard for it. Read last week’s issue and this week’s. The card changed when Punk & Brock were out and all the dominoes fell. Dwayne already wanted it and they felt they now needed it as well. Felt this was better to change the news flow away from Vince.”

SE Scoops will have continued coverage of the road to WrestleMania. Fans definitely didn’t see this new development coming, and they might not be 100% for it, either. Needless to say, it will be an interesting showcase of the immortals this year.

CM Punk Recovering After Undergoing Surgery, Was Backstage at SmackDown

Thomas Lowson
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WWE Raw Superstar CM Punk has wasted no time in going under the knife after suffering a torn triceps injury last month. 

During the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble Match, CM Punk suffered a triceps injury which Drew McIntyre has taken full credit for. On this week’s Raw, Punk confirmed that he will miss WrestleMania 40 due to the injury, and vowed to wrestle McIntyre when he’s able to make a return. 

Punk’s injury has caused WWE to make a serious change of plans. While the initial WrestleMania card featured Cody Rhodes facing Roman Reigns, it now appears that The Rock, who returned on this week’s SmackDown, will face his cousin instead. 

CM Punk Update

The former WWE and AEW World Champion was backstage at last night’s episode of SmackDown in Birmingham, Alabama, PW Insider reports. Punk was spotted sporting a brace on his arm due to the triceps injury. Sources close to the situation have said that Punk has already undergone surgery to repair the triceps tear. 

What’s Next? 

While specific times may differ, a torn triceps injury requires considerable healing time, which is usually at least six months. That would put Punk’s return date around July or August, though there have been rumors he could be out of action for longer. 

Punk’s warning to Drew McIntyre on this week’s Raw was a bold call, as the Scottish Warrior’s contract is ticking away. McIntyre’s current deal is set to expire around April and if he doesn’t re-sign, Punk may be teasing a match that’ll never happen. 

CM Punk, The Rock & McMahon: How Cody Rhodes Lost His Spot Against Roman Reigns

Thomas Lowson
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Cody Rhodes is on the Road to WrestleMania 40, but his final destination won’t see him face Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. 

On the February 2, episode, The Rock confronted his cousin Roman Reigns in the closing moments of the broadcast. Prior to this, Cody Rhodes spoke about what it means to ‘finish the story’ and added that though he’s coming for Roman Reigns, it won’t be at Wrestlemania 40.

How Cody Rhodes Lost His Spot

On the forum board of F4W Online, Dave Meltzer explained that The Rock pushed hard for the match with Reigns. He added that the blockbuster showdown between the Hollywood megastar and the Tribal Chief will hopefully turn attention away from the ongoing Vince McMahon scandal. 

“Dwayne pushed super hard for it. Read last week’s issue and this week’s. The card changed when Punk & Brock were out and all the dominoes fell. Dwayne already wanted it and they felt they now needed it as well. Felt this was better to change the news flow away from Vince.”

Meltzer added that Rhodes was supposed to face Reigns at WrestleMania in the original plan and that a showdown with The Rock was set to happen at a later date. It was also stated that CM Punk’s injury was a decisive factor in WWE’s change of plans.  

“Cody was the plan. Dwayne was going to face him later, maybe next year’s Mania, maybe Saudi. Shit happens with Vince and Punk, the Vince thing ends up worse than they thought and they changed the plan. I literally didn’t know until yesterday that it could change and then I was told it’s under lock. But 100% it was Punk vs. Seth and Cody vs. Reigns until Punk got hurt.”

This massive change of plans as seen on SmackDown has had the wrestling world talking… 

Brandi Rhodes & More React to The Rock Taking Cody Rhodes’ Spot at WWE WrestleMania 40

Thomas Lowson
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The return of The Rock during this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown has certainly had the wrestling world talking about this unique booking decision. 

On the February 2, episode, The Rock confronted his cousin Roman Reigns in the closing moments of the broadcast. Prior to this, Cody Rhodes spoke about what it means to ‘finish the story’ and added that though he’s coming for Roman Reigns, it won’t be at Wrestlemania 40.

The Wrestling World Reacts

Cody and The Rock shared an embrace during SmackDown, in what many have seen as confirmation that Rock will face Reigns at WrestleMania instead of Rhodes. Many online have disagreed with the idea, given Rhodes’ heartbreaking loss to Reigns last year and how his story has always been about winning the WWE Championship (now part of the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship) that his father never captured. 

On Twitter, Brandi Rhodes referred to her husband as a quarterback, indicating that he is a reliable hand that WWE can count on. 

Mr. Money in the Bank Damian Priest of the Judgment Day found the situation interesting and is excited for WrestleMania 40. 

Danielle Moinet, better known to WWE fans as Summer Rae, was far from pleased, stating that after two years of build, this twist doesn’t make sense. 

Amanda Huber, who worked with Cody in AEW, used Dr. Cox from Scrubs to make her views clear on this twist. 

Echoing Cody’s comment about taking everything from Reigns, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful said that this storyline is doing much more harm to the American Nightmare. 

Drew McIntyre used an old GIF of Cody to share his take on the situation. 

Filthy Tom Lawlor suggested another way Cody could finish his story. 

Hopefully, we all get a clearer picture on this situation on next week’s episode of WWE Monday Night Raw. 

Sami Zayn: People Talk About the Good Ol’ Days. They’re Right Here, Right Now!

Thomas Lowson
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The WWE Universe is living in the best of times right here and now, according to an impassioned Sami Zayn who spoke after this week’s SmackDown. 

This week’s SmackDown saw plenty of excitement, including the return of The Rock, who confronted his cousin Roman Reigns. This staredown closed the show after Cody Rhodes said he was coming for the Tribal Chief, but not at WrestleMania 40. 

The Good Ol’ Days Are Right Now

After competing in a dark match following SmackDown, Sami Zayn spoke to the crowd in Birmingham, Alabama. The former NXT, Intercontinental and Tag Team Champion stated that those who reminisce about the ‘good ol’ days’ should stop and see how good things are right now. 

“It’s awesome to have The Rock. We’re lucky to have him. But you know, The Rock is lucky to have the WWE, too. Because we are living in the best time with the best superstars in the WWE.

“We have constantly listened to people talk about the good ol’ days. The good ol’ days. The good ol’ days. Well I’ve got news for you. Tonight, 10,000 people sold out this building in Birmingham! To see the best crop of performers in the world so I have news for you and for everybody! The good ol’ days are right here, right now!

“And I want to thank you for letting me be a part of it, and I thank you all from the bottom of my heart to each and every one of you for being a part of it with us. Thank you so much, we are all feeling something special right now! Thank you, thank you, thank you! I love you, thank you very much. 

Zayn’s promo and match wasn’t the only highlight after SmackDown went off the air… 

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

CM Punk: WWE’s Locker Room is Everything the Wrestling Business Should Be

Thomas Lowson
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WWE’s locker room of talented Superstars is everything the professional wrestling business should be, according to Monday Night Raw’s CM Punk. 

It’s been just over two months since Punk’s shocking return to WWE in the closing moments of Survivor Series: WarGames. Since then, the former World Champion has been one of WWE’s most featured performers and appeared on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT before exclusively signing with the red brand.

Everything Wrestling Should Be

During the Men’s 2024 Royal Rumble match, CM Punk suffered a torn triceps injury. On this week’s Raw, Punk confirmed that the injury will cost him a match at WrestleMania 40. In a recent WWE Chronicle that covered Punk’s injury and aforementioned announcement, the former World Champion fought back tears as he spoke about what his time with the WWE roster has meant to him so far. 

“Just certain looks from certain people I get, and then I start crying again. And Cody’s one of them. He’s a great dude. This locker room is everything the business is supposed to be. It’s everything the business was sold to me as being and it’s remarkable, and that’s why I’m so sad. I’m not sad I hurt my arm, I’m sad I’m temporarily out of this amazing situation.”

What’s Next? 

With CM Punk out of the picture, WWE has shifted their plans for WrestleMania 40. Seth Rollins, Punk’s original ‘Mania opponent, has been trying to convince Cody Rhodes to face him at the April supershow instead of Roman Reigns. On this week’s SmackDown, Rhodes said he’s still coming for Reigns, but not at WrestleMania. SmackDown also saw the return of The Rock, who confronted his cousin, teasing a showdown this April. 

Watch: What Happened With The Rock After SmackDown Went Off Air

Anutosh Bajpai
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The Rock made his presence felt in a big way during his appearance at tonight’s SmackDown from the Legacy Arena in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Great One had teased a potential match with Roman Reigns during the Day 1 special of Raw. He all but confirmed this showdown for WrestleMania 40 tonight when he showed up to confront the Tribal Chief at the end of the Blue Branded show.

Though while the broadcast ended only minutes after The Great One showed up to the arena, he stayed in the ring far longer. WWE posted an extended clip of The Rock’s confrontation with Roman Reigns as well as his promo after SmackDown went off air as seen below:

What The Rock’s Decision Means For Cody Rhodes

The ripples from this appearance of the Hollywood star are being felt around not only the main event but the whole card for WrestleMania 40 event from the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

It was indicated during the show itself that Cody Rhodes will not be challenging Roman Reigns at Mania despite winning the Royal Rumble. Instead, we will see this match much sooner, potentially at the Elimination Chamber from Perth later this month.

If The American Nightmare ends up winning the Undisputed Championship at the International PLE then we may see a separate match for the title at the Show of Shows. If the former AEW star doesn’t win the title, however, things could also pivot in the direction of a potential Seth Rollins vs Cody Rhodes match.

Seeing the reaction of fans and numerous wrestling personalities over the decision, it’s also possible that the officials may be forced to reconsider their choice and a different card may emerge altogether. Whatever the case maybe, tonight’s events only make things more interesting and we’ll have to wait and see how things unfold from here.

The Rock Returns To Confront Roman Reigns For Epic WrestleMania 40 Challenge During WWE SmackDown

Aaron Varble
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Cody Rhodes won the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match, marking a back-to-back win achievement in the big annual match. This week on SmackDown, he made a big announcement about what’s next for him. Little did they expect that so much more was going to happen.

SmackDown’s Final Segment 

WWE gave Cody Rhodes’ big announcement the final segment of the night for SmackDown to make his big WrestleMania decision. This was a choice that Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins were both very interested in, but that’s not all.

Roman Reigns made his way to the ring first to start the twenty-minute closing segment. The Tribal Chief took a chance to bury Seth Rollins and his title. He made a point that Rollins is an injured workhorse, and he called the World Heavyweight Championship the “losers bracket title,” since he’s already beaten everyone going for that title.

Then Cody Rhodes came out, with all of his pyro, and fans were ready to see him answer the Head of the Table. Cody asked Roman, “what do we want to talk about?” He asked if they can have the ring to themselves, which caused Solo and Jimmy Uso to step outside, but Paul Heyman stayed.

Cody Rhodes said he still wants Roman’s Undisputed Universal Title, because of what it represents. To him, it is still the same title that Bruno Sammartino defended and Dusty Rhodes himself held for a brief moment before it was yanked from his hands. Cody wondered if finishing his story would mean taking everything from Roman Reigns.

The Rock Returns

The American Nightmare then said that he wants to take that title from Roman Reigns, but it won’t be at WrestleMania. He said that he’s been seeking council, and it was with someone who knows him very well.

That is when The Rock’s music hit, and The Great One came out to a huge pop in Birmingham, Alabama. The Rock and Cody hugged, and then Rhodes left.

The Rock and Roman Reigns just stood in the ring for a moment, as fans soaked in the scene. Fans chanted “this is awesome” and “holy sh*t” as Rock and Roman approached each other in the ring. The show ended with a silent stare-down without another word being said.

WWE’s Previous Creative Plan For The Rock at WrestleMania

I exclusively reported WWE’s current situation with The Rock vs Roman Reigns. While some were saying that the match may be moved to Saudi Arabia, that is not the case. Those plans were kept very close to the vest. Now, it appears that the match is going to take place at the show of shows this year, and fans will not have to wait.

Another WrestleMania 40 Match Confirmed

Earlier in the night, Bayley made her big WrestleMania decision. She will take on IYO Sky, which was a move that caused Asuka and Kairi Sane to jump her from behind. Now, Bayley is without Damage CTRL, but she’s got a Mania main event in her future.

SE Scoops will have complete coverage of the road to WrestleMania. The show will go down on April 6th and April 7th in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Lincoln Financial Field.

Bayley Makes Decision About WrestleMania 40 Opponent On WWE SmackDown

Aaron Varble
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Bayley won the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble, and she made history in the process. This week on WWE SmackDown, she made a big decision about her WrestleMania future.

Bayley Makes A Big Decision

Bayley took to the ring along with Damage CTRL this week on SmackDown. She had a big decision to make about the showcase of the immortals, and the fans in Alabama were there to cheer her on.

After making a point that she’s done everything she can at WrestleMania, competing for both singles titles, tag team gold, and even hosting the event, the Damage CTRL member got around to making her decision. She, of course, gave credit to her Damage CTRL stable for standing by her side the whole time, through thick and thin.

She teased facing Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania, but then she turned her focus to her stable. Then Bayley confronted them for laughing at her. She spouted off a bit of Japanese at them, for all the times they talked about her behind her back.

Bayley said she just wanted Damage CTRL to be the best, to take things to the top as a stable. She asked IYO Sky what happened. Then Kairi Sane and Asuka jumped Bayley from behind. Finally, Bayley retrieved a lead pipe, and that helped her fight off the three-on-one attack.

Bayley will take on IYO Sky at WrestleMania 40. She has a story to tell, and now she has a grudge to settle after this violent breakup. She told Sky that they will meet at WrestleMania, and that drew a big response from the crowd.

Bayley Made History in the 2024 Royal Rumble 

In the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match, Bayley joined from the #3 position after Natalya and the returning Naomi. Supported by her Damage CTRL allies Asuka and Kairi Sane, Bayley achieved a historic feat. 

She not only emerged victorious in the match but also set a record for the longest run in a singles Women’s Royal Rumble, lasting over one hour and three minutes. Her remarkable performance concluded with the elimination of Morgan, securing her win in the match.

Tiffany Stratton Signs Contract With WWE SmackDown Brand

Aaron Varble
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Tiffany Stratton made a lot of noise in the #29 spot during the 2024 Royal Rumble event. Now, she is on the SmackDown brand.

Tiffany Stratton is SmackDown

During the February 2nd episode of WWE SmackDown, they made two big announcements in one backstage segment. Naomi came out of an office with a freshly signed SmackDown contract, but she was not alone.

Tiffany Stratton came out next, with a SmackDown contract as well. She declared that she is now on the main roster, and the blue brand is her home.

Rumors About Tiffany Stratton’s Main Roster Call-Up

Rumors were circulating backstage at Monday’s Raw about Tiffany Stratton’s standout performance in the Royal Rumble match, sparking discussions about her potential move to the red brand, according to PW Insider.

It is interesting that Stratton is on SmackDown now, because putting her on RAW would align with WWE’s tendency to keep real-life couples on the same brand, as Stratton is in a relationship with Ludwig Kaiser.

Who Is Tiffany Stratton

Tiffany Stratton joined WWE in 2021 after being trained by Greg Gagne. She held the NXT Women’s Championship for 107 days until her reign concluded with a loss to Becky Lynch at NXT Battleground 2023.

In early January, Stratton wrapped up a feud with Fallon Henley in a unique “ranch hand or servant for a day” match at New Year’s Evil, resulting in noteworthy vignettes showcasing Stratton’s humorous struggles while assisting on the ranch.

Now that Stratton is on the main roster, it appears that she won’t waste any time.

Brandi Rhodes Reveals If She Takes Delight From Seeing Karma Come to Those Who Wronged Her in Pro Wrestling Business

Aaron Varble
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Brandi Rhodes has been busy since departing from the pro wrestling world. As wife of Cody Rhodes, she will always be a part of the business, and today she had quite a statement to make.

Brandi Rhodes Makes Bold Statement

The pro wrestling world can be a difficult place to operate at time, and women in the industry have faced certain struggles time and time again. Although not all stories need to be detailed, it is apparent that Brandi Rhodes went through a lot in the pro wrestling business. 

Brandi shared that during her time in wrestling, a few individuals made things unnecessarily difficult for her. However, she expressed having no joy in learning about the karma they have faced. She then used that statement to provide her daughter with an example of what a lie is.

“There were a handful of legit idiots who made my time in wrestling harder than it needed to be. But when I hear of the cold dishes of karma they’ve been served, it gives me absolutely no pleasure.

(This was me giving my daughter an example of what a bold faced lie is).”

Recent Allegations in Pro Wrestling

Although it has not been confirmed who Brandi is talking about in this post, there is a lot of karma getting cashed in throughout the pro wrestling business. Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis were both called out in an earth-shattering lawsuit from Janel Grant, one that caused McMahon to resign from WWE.

Brandi Rhodes’ Career In Pro Wrestling

Brandi Rhodes started her wrestling journey as a WWE ring announcer under the name Eden Stiles. She met Cody Rhodes during that time in her life. However, she departed from WWE in 2016, around the same time that Cody left the company in the middle of his Stardust run.

The pair then took off to tackle a global wrestling journey, showcasing their talents in various promotions, eventually landing in AEW. Cody and Brandi left AEW in 2022, and then the American Nightmare returned to WWE.

Although Brandi has not signed with any pro wrestling company since, she has been busy. She opened up a yoga studio, NakedMind, in Roswell, Georgia.

AEW Not Talking To Ex WWE Superstar Despite Internal Pull To Sign Them

Aaron Varble
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WWE released several members of the roster in September, and a few of those people have already started making waves elsewhere. Shelton Benjamin lost his job with WWE as part of those cuts, and despite a pull to get him into AEW, that hasn’t happened yet.

Shelton Benjamin’s Current Free Agency Situation

The fall 2023 WWE releases are now open for bookings. Shelton Benjamin, with a wrestling career spanning over 20 years, has garnered interest from some quarters advocating for his inclusion in prominent wrestling companies.

According to Sean Ross Sapp on Fightful Select, several wrestlers were urging for Shelton Benjamin to join All Elite Wrestling. This is a sentiment that started well before his release. 

Benjamin has made a great impression with several people during his career. Obviously, his reputation precedes him, so there were people in the company advocating for Tony Khan to sign him.

Those that we spoke to said that while there were some people going to bat for Shelton, pushing for him to join the company and even making some internal pitches, as of early January, AEW had not yet contacted Benjamin about a potential appearance in the company.

On September 21, 2023, WWE made a series of releases, coinciding with a new TV deal. The list of released talent includes Mustafa Ali, Rick Boogs, Aliyah, Top Dolla of Hit Row, Tegan Nox, Emma, Riddick Moss, Elias, Shelton Benjamin, Dolph Ziggler, Dana Brooke, Mansoor, Mace, Quincy Elliot, Dabba-Kato, and Yulisa Leon.

Misconception About Shelton Benjamin’s Contract

Although there were efforts for people to pull for Shelton, with internal pitches made for him to join the company, that hasn’t happened yet. As of early January, AEW has not pulled the trigger on bringing him in.

The report also noted that there was actually a bit of confusion regarding his contract status last year. His deal did not expire at that time, but his current free agency certainly opens up the opportunity for him to come into AEW.

There was some miscommunication within AEW last Summer that led to some believing his deal was up imminently in 2023. Unfortunately, that ended up coming true as Shelton was released by the company in September 2023.

Tony Khan has brought in a good number of former WWE stars, and Shelton Benjamin could be a great addition to the roster. That being said, it does not appear that they are close to nailing down that deal at this time.

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