SEScoops

Author: Thomas Lowson

  • Jessika Carr Makes History As WWE’s First Female To Referee A World Title Main Event

    Jessika Carr made history at Saturday’s WWE Backlash France premium live event by becoming the first female referee to work a World title main event.

    Cody Rhodes acknowledged the milestone on social media. WWE’s first full-time female referee says she’s honored and grateful to make history once again.

    Triple H and fellow WWE official Daphanie LaShaunn also congratulated Carr on her milestone achievement. 

    Carr officiated the match between Rhodes and AJ Styles which headlined the night inside the LDLC Arena. The show saw Rhodes get the win in his first Undisputed WWE Championship defense to play out on TV. Rhodes dispatched of the Phenomenal One with a series of signature moves before hitting his Cross Rhodes finisher. 

    This is hardly the first time Carr has made history for the women of WWE who don the black and white stripes. In 2021, Carr became the first woman to referee a WWE event in Saudi Arabia at that year\’s Crown Jewel event. Carr officiated that year\’s King of the Ring finals won by Xavier Woods as well as a Hell in a Cell match (another first for her!) between Edge and Seth Rollins. This milestone came two years after Carr became the first female referee to be called-up to the main roster.

    Carr\’s success in the striped shirt continues to show WWE\’s change from how things have been done in the past. Not too long ago, WWE would shy away from a female referee, with the only exception being Rita Chatterton. These days, however, fans can expect Carr and other women to hold the Superstars to account, whether it be at live events, WWE TV, or at PLEs. 

  • Report: Olympic Gold Medalist Gable Steveson Released From WWE

    WWE has parted ways with Olympian Gable Steveson, three years after the Gold Medalist signed with the promotion. 

    Steveson, who captured gold at the 2021 Tokyo Summer Games, signed with WWE that same year and was drafted to Raw near the end of the year. His release was first reported by F4WOnline and is said to be part of the recent cuts to the WWE NXT roster.

    Steveson\’s career in WWE had a shaky start after initial reports stated that he had not shown the level of improvement at the Performance Center that higher-ups hoped to see. His debut match came at NXT Great American Bash 2023 and saw the Olympian have a count-out draw with Baron Corbin. Following this, he completed at WWE NXT live events as well as in dark matches before SmackDown.

    With Steveson\’s WWE career over, questions remain as to his future in the Olympics. Steveson recently qualified for Team USA but it was reported that he wouldn\’t be competing due to his WWE commitments. It remains to be seen if Steveson will pursue the upcoming games in Paris, France now he has been released.

    SE Scoops will provide more information on Steveson\’s release as it becomes available.

  • Record-Setting WWE Crowd Triggers iOS ‘Hearing Loss’ Warning

    The WWE Universe in Lyon, France certainly delivered at the May 3, episode of SmackDown as the event received a warning due to the noise being made. 

    The first SmackDown taping in the history of France saw several top Superstars appear including Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, Jade Cargill, and Tag Team Champions A-Town Down Under. There was also a tease for the return of Bo Dallas in the most direct reference to the former NXT Champion to date. 

    The crowd was electric throughout the night, so much so that there was a concern over hearing loss. On Twitter, WWE CCO Paul \’Triple H\’ Levesque shared a warning he received due to the \”absolutely insane\” atmosphere inside the LDLC Arena. The translated warning reads: 

    Noisy environment

    The sound level has reached 100 dB.

    Exposure of just a few minutes at this level can cause temporary hearing loss.

    WWE fans in France were so loud that it set of the “Loud Environment” safety warning on some mobile devices

    Historic SmackDown

    The trend of shattering company records is showing no signs of slowing down. Friday’s WWE SmackDown from Greater Lyon, France was the highest-grossing episode in the show’s 25-year history. The prior record was set just last month for the SmackDown that was held the night before WrestleMania 40. When you’re packing arenas around the world like WWE is these days, you can expect it to get pretty loud inside.

    Here’s the warning message that went out to some iOS devices during the show, letting fans know that the noise level exceeded 100 decibels. 

    Jey Uso gets some of the loudest reactions from WWE fans during his ring entrance. This video from the dark match that took place after the SmackDown tapings concluded show what the atmosphere was like inside the LDLC Arena.

    This response certainly bodes well for Saturday’s WWE Backlash: France Premium Live Event. WWE\’s audiences in Europe are often known for being especially loud as fans saw at WWE Clash At the Castle 2022 in Cardiff and WWE Money In The Bank 2023 in London. WWE\’s next PLE across the pond will be WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland this June with WWE Bash In Berlin scheduled for August. 

  • Bo Dallas Directly Referenced With QR Code Mystery On 5/3 WWE SmackDown

    WWE\’s QR code mystery continued during the May 3, episode of SmackDown and featured a direct reference to the man behind Uncle Howdy. 

    The code appeared during the entrance for the LWO ahead of Angel\’s match with LA Knight. Scanning the code brings fans to what seems to be an error page on WWE.com, as well as a video. The video, at first, appears to be nothing but a promotional video for the SmackDown before WWE Backlash: France before things take a macabre turn. 

    The video contains the message \’He opened his arms. Our pain became his. We were reborn. Because we believed.\’ The final word then glitches and reads \’BOlieved.\’ Fans familiar with the early career of Bo Dallas will remember the former NXT Champion\’s \’BOlieve\’ gimmick as an obnoxious motivational guru. 

    Dallas returned to WWE as Uncle Howdy in 2022, though has yet to be revealed as the man behind the mask on TV. It is believed (or rather, bolieved) that these QR codes are leading to the return of Uncle Howdy, potentially with a stable. Dallas/Howdy was pulled from programming after his brother Bray Wyatt was pulled due to health issues that ultimately claimed Wyatt\’s life in August 2023. 

    The video also features what appears to be a woman standing alone in a room. Some fans have speculated that this is Alexa Bliss, who has ties to Bray Wyatt dating back to 2020. Bliss has been missing from WWE TV since January 2023 and gave birth to her daughter Hendrix last November. Bliss\’ most recent TV appearance saw her be confronted by Uncle Howdy (albeit via Titantron) at the 2023 Royal Rumble PLE. 

    With the rehiring of Erick Rowan, it certainly appears that WWE is building quite the collection of talent associated with Bray Wyatt. For now, though, fans will just have to keep deciphering clues as these QR code videos continue to have fans hooked. 

    More On WWE\’s QR Code Mystery

    Here are some recent articles regarding WWE\’s QR code mystery as fans await the likely return of Uncle Howdy and others:

  • Ricochet Celebrates WWE Speed Title Win After Becoming First-Ever Champion

    Monday Night Raw\’s Ricochet will go down in the WWE history books as the first-ever WWE Speed Champion following his win in the tournament finals. 

    The One & Only defeated Johnny Gargano in the tournament finals in a match that was given a five-minute time limit, far longer than the standard three-minute limit for WWE Speed matches. Ricochet defeated Dragon Lee in the first round of the eight-man tournament and JD McDonagh in the semi-finals to make it to his showdown with Gargano. 

    On Twitter, WWE CCO Paul \’Triple H\’ Levesque congratulated Ricochet and praised the new champion as somebody who defines the term \’Speed.\’

    Backstage, Ricochet spoke about how it\’s been some time since he\’s held a championship. The One & Only added that he is set to be the front-runner of WWE Speed and is ready to take on all challengers in matches of any length. 

    This is the latest accolade for Ricochet who is no stranger to holding championship gold. The 35-year-old Superstar is a former United States, Intercontinental, and North American Champion, the only Superstar in history to hold all three mid-card titles. 

    More on WWE Speed

    WWE Speed is the promotion\’s new social media project and will be broadcast exclusively on Twitter/X. The show features Corey Graves as the sole commentator, another first in the promotion\’s history as WWE has always favored two or three-man teams. Early tapings included Kevin Patrick before his release in January 2024. 

    So far, the only matches aired have been tournament matches and all have featured male Superstars. That\’ll change soon enough though as Triple H recently confirmed that WWE Speed will also include women\’s division matches. At this time, it\’s not been confirmed when the next tapings of WWE Speed matches will take place. 

  • WWE Discussed The Rock Ending Roman Reigns\’ Championship Run & Give Up The Title

    There were once discussions for The Rock to end the historic championship reign of Roman Reigns, only for the Final Boss to give up the gold. 

    Reigns\’ 1,316-day run as champion was actually ended by Cody Rhodes at WWE WrestleMania 40: Sunday. The emotional main event saw Rhodes finally \’finish the story\’ two years after making an emphatic return to WWE as part of WrestleMania 38. 

    WWE had plans at one point for Rock, not Rhodes, to end the title reign of the Tribal Chief at WrestleMania 40, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports. This idea was hardly kept a secret, with The Rock teasing challenging the Head of the Table during his return on the Day 1 WWE Raw. On the post-Royal Rumble SmackDown, The Rock came face-to-face with his cousin and teased the match. 

    Had it not been for the immense \’We Want Cody\’ movement, the Rock-Reigns match would have gone ahead. The Observer adds that the plan was for The Rock to win the title, only to surrender the gold in order to return to Hollywood. With a new WWE Champion, The Rock would have introduced his own People\’s Championship that he\’d use for public appearances. Instead, the title was presented to the Final Boss at this year\’s WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. 

    Ending Reigns\’ historic run only for the title to be vacated would likely not have gone down well with fans. Instead, the WWE Universe witnessed Cody Rhodes finish his story and defeat Reigns at WrestleMania 40. Reigns hasn\’t been seen since WrestleMania while Rock has vowed to return and come for the new Undisputed WWE Champion. 

  • Roman Reigns & Paul Heyman Convinced WWE Execs To Postpone Cody Rhodes World Title Win

    Cody Rhodes\’ story may have finished last year at WrestleMania 39, had Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman been unable to influence those in charge at the time. 

    Reigns retained the Undisputed WWE Championship against Rhodes in the controversial main event inside Los Angeles\’ SoFi Stadium. The decision was panned by fans at the time as the wrong choice with many blaming McMahon (who\’d forced his way back into WWE in January) for the call. 

    At one time, Rhodes was penciled into dethrone Reigns in SoFi, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports. That was until Reigns and Heyman convinced both McMahon and WWE CCO Paul \’Triple H\’ Levesque to change the finish and give Reigns the victory. 

    The Tribal Chief and his Wise Man were hands-on with the Bloodline’s creative direction

    This change of plans wasn\’t (entirely) done to benefit Reigns and extend his title run for another year. The belief at the time was that keeping the gold on Reigns would be beneficial in getting other talent over, including Jey Uso and Solo Sikoa. Jey certainly benefitted from his championship program with Reigns over the Summer which helped elevate the former Tag Team Champion to his \’Main Event Jey\’ role fans see today. 

    Holding off on the title change was also proposed to be in Rhodes\’ best interest. The idea was that keeping Cody\’s hunt for the gold going for another year would make his title win more special. Sure enough, Rhodes\’ emotional victory at WrestleMania 40 has been praised by fans and critics. The new Undisputed WWE Champion\’s next title defense will be at WWE Backlash: France against AJ Styles. 

  • Ronda Rousey Memoir Adaptation Coming to Netflix, WWE/UFC Icon To Write Screenplay

    A new biopic detailing the life and career of WWE and UFC alum Ronda Rousey is coming to Netflix with Rousey herself writing for the project. 

    Rousey\’s deal with Netflix will see her memoir My Fight, Your Fight, and the more recent Our Fight adapted, Variety reports. The project has been cooking since 2015 when Paramount acquired the rights to adapt Rousey\’s first memoir but regime changes and delays led to the rights lapsing. They were quickly acquired by Netflix with company exec (and Rousey fan) Michelle Evans championing the project.

    Rousey has been steadfast in ensuring that she writes the screenplay for the project, and has been honing her skills as a writer. The former Raw & SmackDown Women\’s Champion has been connected with Adam Novak, a veteran of the WME media group to develop her skills. Sources close to the process have said Rousey has been putting in extra effort in the project. Netflix declined to comment. 

    Netflix will soon put the spotlight on Ronda Rousey

    News of Rousey\’s Netflix project comes at an interesting time for both herself and the streaming juggernaut. Rousey has been very outspoken against WWE in recent months, especially in the wake of Janel Grant\’s lawsuit against ex-CEO Vince McMahon. Rousey has also revealed an experience with Drew Gulak that has resulted in the NXT Superstar being pulled from all plans and written off of TV. True to her MMA career, Rousey doesn\’t pull any punches when writing about WWE in her Our Fight memoir. 

    WWE & Netflix

    Netflix investing in the story of UFC/WWE star Ronda Rousey is just one example of the streaming giant\’s foray into the world of professional wrestling.

    The most notable link is Netflix & WWE\’s 10-year, $5 billion deal to bring WWE Raw to the service starting in January 2025, along with other WWE programming outside the Untied States.

    Netflix also has a Vince McMahon docu-series in the works from Bill Simmons of The Ringer. This project has been in the works for a few years and naturally has undergone some drastic revisions and updates with everything that\’s transpired over the past year regarding McMahon\’s departure from WWE and the lawsuit from Janel Grant. 

    For the latest on where things stand on the Netflix Vince McMahon documentary:

  • Watch: TNA\’s Joe Hendry Parodies Creed\’s \’Higher\’ For New Song Mocking AJ Francis

    TNA Wrestling\’s Joe Hendry took inspiration from rock band Creed for their latest musical barbs aimed at rival AJ \’Top Dolla\’ Francis.

    Hendry\’s songs have proven to be a hit among wrestling fans with his theme song \’I Believe in Joe Hendry\’ recently reaching #1 on the iTunes charts. Before the latest episode of TNA iMPACT, Hendry insinuated that he would apologize for his previous digs at Francis. Instead, Hendry delivered another scathing performance to the tune of Creed\’s \’Higher.\’

    Hendry\’s final barb of his performance referenced to wanting Francis to be fired and stating that it\’s happened twice before. The former WWE Superstar was released in 2021 only to be brought back the next year and was released once again in 2023. 

    Hendry also featured some of his previous tracks in which he has mocked Francis. Earlier this year, Hendry produced a song for Francis that featured the TNA theme song for AJ Styles. This song mocked Francis\’ infamous, though life-saving botched dive in WWE. Hendry said that the former Top Dolla nullifies TNA Wrestling\’s insurance whenever he goes sailing over the top rope.

    This is hardly the first time that Creed have been brought up in wrestling. During the Attitude Era, WWE produced several promotional videos featuring music from the band, including using \’Higher\’ for one of these videos. 

    Hendry\’s musical skills have endeared him to fan as he proves his talents both in and out of the ring. The Scottish star has been trending on Twitter for days as fans rally behind him and his efforts to get \’I Believe in Joe Hendry\’ broadcast on the radio. With the success of his most popular track, there\’s no doubt that there\’s no shortage of people who believe in Joe Hendry. 

  • Ethan Page Done With AEW, Exit From Promotion Is A \”Formality\”

    Ethan Page\’s three-year tenure with All Elite Wrestling has come to an end with his exit said to be a \”formality\” at this juncture in time. 

    Page was removed from the AEW roster page on Thursday, May 2, fuelling speculation that his time with the company was up. Fightful Select reports that the word both in and out of AEW was that he was no longer there, or that his exit was a \”formality.\”

    The All-Ego talent had been a regular on Ring of Honor programming but had vanished from the show in recent months. The report adds that he\’d been looking to leave as early as February and had once been set for a feud with Kyle Fletcher over the ROH World Television Champion. These plans were delayed due to Fletcher\’s recent Visa issues. 

    Amid his absence from ROH, Page had taken on more independent bookings and has been promoting his Alpha-1 Wrestling company. He has not publicly commented on reports of his exit at this time. 

    Page had been with AEW since 2021 after debuting at that year\’s Revolution pay-per-view. He quickly aligned with Scorpio Sky and the pair faced Darby Allin & Sting at that year\’s Double or Nothing. The match would be Sting\’s second match for AEW and his first in-ring match since 2015. Page was later involved in The Firm and feuded with Matt Hardy. His ROH debut came in September 2023 and he would defeat Tony Nese at that year\’s Final Battle. 

    It\’s unclear what\’s next for Ethan Page, though WWE may be an option for the Canadian. WWE had been impressed with Page when they saw him in 2022 and perhaps now is the time an offer is made. 

    More on Ethan Page

    Here are some recent articles regarding Ethan Page as the All-Ego star looks to make his name outside of AEW/ROH: 

  • AEW\’s Julia Hart Confirms Reports of Injury With Surgery Likely

    Former AEW TBS Champion has confirmed reports of an injury that is expected to keep the House of Black member out of action for some time. 

    Taking to Instagram, Hart shared a selfie of herself in a hospital gown with a protective brace on her left arm. The 22-year-old wrestler also shared a three-word message for her comeback, stating she would \’Recover. Rebuild. Reclaim.\’

    Hart\’s photo comes after reports over the weekend that she\’d suffered an injury that was expected to require surgery. As a result, the former TBS Champion is not scheduled for any upcoming AEW TV tapings. She was also not present for this week\’s episode of AEW Dynamite which saw the House of Black continue its program with Adam Copeland. 

    This is the latest setback for Hart who only recently returned from another injury. An undisclosed injury led to Hart missing close to two months of in-ring time earlier this year before she made her return to competition at AEW Revolution 2024. 

    More AEW Injuries

    Hart is hardly the only name on AEW\’s roster which has been sidelined due to an injury. Adam Cole has been appearing on AEW TV with the Undisputed Kingdom but has been dealing with a broken ankle since September 2023. Jamie Hayter\’s push was derailed due to a shoulder injury suffered in May 2023 and she has yet to compete since then. Kenny Omega was on this week\’s Dynamite but it\’s expected that it\’ll be many months before he can wrestle as he\’s yet to undergo surgery for his diverticulitis. 

    More from Julia Hart

    Here are some recent articles regarding Julia Hart as the youngest champion in AEW history recovers from her latest setback: 

  • Ric Flair Rips \”Bull***\” \’Who Killed WCW\’ Docuseries Produced By The Rock

    Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is no fan of an upcoming docuseries from The Rock\’s Seven Bucks Productions that\’ll dive deep into the collapse of WCW. 

    The project was announced in November 2023 and aims to give a fresh look at the circumstances that led to WCW going out of business in March 2001. The promotion was purchased for around $2 million by the WWF, less than a year a SFX Entertainment had offered $500 million for the promotion. 

    While the project has intrigued wrestling fans, Ric Flair, a staple of WCW, is not on board with the docuseries. Taking to Twitter, the Nature Boy criticized the project given that he was not asked to participate in the show. 

    Flair is indeed synonymous with World Championship Wrestling and was with the promotion until its last day. The main event of the final episode of WCW Monday Nitro saw Flair lose to fellow WCW icon Sting. Flair has since revealed that the match was requested by Vince McMahon who held immense respect for the pair. 

    While Ric Flair is no fan of the Who Killed WCW docuseries, the project does have some high-profile support. WWE Hall of Famer and former WCW World Champion Kevin Nash has said that the show will feature the real reason WCW collapsed, rather than WWE\’s retelling of events. Whatever you may think of the production, the docuseries will prove to be an interesting watch when it premieres on VICE TV in June of 2024. 

    More on WCW

    Here are some recent articles regarding WCW as fans await the docuseries from Seven Bucks Productions:

  • Vince McMahon Lawyer: \’Janel Grant Was In Love, Lawsuit Is Revenge For Breaking Up\’

    Janel Grant was madly in love with Vince McMahon and her lawsuit is an act of revenge, a spokesperson for the former WWE Chairman has recently claimed. 

    McMahon stepped down from WWE in January 2024 due to Grant\’s lawsuit in which she claims she was sexually abused and trafficked by the 78-year-old billionaire. One person Grant was allegedly trafficked to is John Laurinaitis.

     In a statement, Edward Brennan, the attorney for Laurinaitis, supported McMahon\’s motion that the case should be moved to arbitration. 

    “John Laurinaitis has filed a Motion today fully joining in and adopting Vince McMahon’s motion to compel arbitration. Mr. Laurinaitis corroborates Mr. McMahon in publicly declaring that Ms. Grant’s allegations of sexual abuse and coercion in her Complaint are completely unfounded. My client will fight these false allegations together with Mr. McMahon in the proper forum, arbitration.”

    This statement garnered a response from Jessica T. Rosenburg, who is part of McMahon\’s legal team. 

    “In January 2024, Ms. Grant, a 43-year-old with a law degree, who was in love with Mr. McMahon and devastated by their break-up, filed an outrageous and false lawsuit to ruin Mr. McMahon’s career and reputation.

    \”Now, her false allegations are slowly unraveling. Today, Mr. Laurinaitis’ attorney confirmed his client will corroborate Mr. McMahon’s account and expose the lies within the Complaint. Despite their intense efforts, Ms. Grant’s attorneys won’t be able to suppress the truth from coming out.”

    Vince McMahon & Janel Grant

    This is an ongoing story that is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon, though McMahon reportedly believes the matter will be settled out of court. We will continue to provide updates on the lawsuit as they become available. 

  • GUNTHER Vows To Return To Austria As WWE World Champion At Vienna Live Event

    GUNTHER made quite the promise to the fans at a recent WWE live event in Vienna, Austria: that he will return to his native land as a WWE World Champion. 

    The Ring General was at the May 2, event in Vienna and unsurprisingly received a warm response from the crowd. In fact, the response was so overwhelming, that it was difficult to hear the introduction for GUNTHER over the roar of the crowd. 

    After his match, GUNTHER spoke to the fans inside the Wiener Stadthalle. The Ring General addressed his past in NXT UK and his record-shattering 666-day reign as the WWE Intercontinental Champion. Looking to the future, GUNTHER vowed that the next time WWE comes to Austria, he will be a World Champion. 

    This event marked WWE\’s return to Austria after last hosting a show in the country in 2019. At the time, GUNTHER was competing as WALTER and held the NXT United Kingdom Championship. The Ring General defended on the November night against Jordan Devlin (now JD McDonagh of the Judgment Day.)

    Will GUNTHER become a WWE World Champion? 

    GUNTHER isn\’t in the World Championship picture right now, but many feel this is an inevitability for the Imperium leader. Several respected names in WWE have praised GUNTHER with The Undertaker believing the sky\’s the limit for the grappler. After his record-breaking performance in the 2023 Men\’s Royal Rumble match, Triple H had plenty of praise for the Austrian. While GUNTHER said during his Intercontinental title reign that it was not the right time to chase a World Championship, it\’s possible that the right time is coming now GUNTHER\’s previous title reign is a thing of the past. 

  • Freddie Prinze Jr. Shares Good News & Bad News About Planned Wrestling Promotion

    Former WWE writer Freddie Prinze Jr. has had some setbacks regarding plans for his wrestling promotion but believes a big break is just around the corner. 

    Prinze, best known for roles in Scooby-Doo and I Know What You Did Last Summer, announced plans for a promotion in 2022. Prinze had high expectations at the time and planned for a two-hour show to launch within 18 months. Prinze has also sought advice from those who know a thing or two about launching promotions. 

    Two years on from his announcement and Prinze\’s show is yet to hit the air. The former WWE writer recently revealed that he\’d been turned down and on his Wrestling With Freddie podcast, gave more information about what happened. 

    \”It was Warner Discovery. They were the first people that I went to… It\’s such a roller coaster going up and down, but it\’s never fast when you want it to be fast and it\’s never slow when you want it to be slow. So yeah, so it was Warner Discovery that, and I\’m not saying that to hate on them or anything like that.\”

    It\’s hardly a surprise that Warner Discovery turned Prinze\’s promotion down, as they are already the broadcast partner of All Elite Wrestling and hardly need a new show potentially splitting their viewership. Prinze added that he\’s confident that another place he approached is going to say no to his promotion, which may be for the best as Prinze questioned whether they even liked wrestling. 

    Undeterred by these setbacks, Prinze is confident a deal for his show is coming soon 

    \”There\’s two places where I think one is a definite yes and it\’s coming because they\’ve made multiple calls asking all kinds of questions from creative to financial. When they start talking money, that\’s when it\’s getting serious.

    \”And the other place is like a dark horse, kind of a, not a long shot, like a weird choice, but it could be really cool. And if they say, I just want to yes, so whichever one says yes, I wanna put wrestling on TV and put more wrestlers on TV because that experience does nothing but help everybody, including the fans. So yeah, so that\’s where we stand with that.”

    Time will tell if Prinze gets his wrestling company off the ground, but he certainly is optimistic about his chances. Stay tuned for more updates about the actor\’s plans to launch his own company. 

  • AEW Double or Nothing 2024: World Title Match Set, Updated Card for 5/26

    The card for AEW Double or Nothing is taking shape with several matches being confirmed during the May 1, episode of AEW Dynamite.

    The show will be the sixth-annual Double of Nothing event and take place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The will be a homecoming for the Double or Nothing event, as the first show (which also served as AEW\’s first pay-per-view) also took place at the MGM Grand

    Added Matches

    During the May 1, episode of AEW Dynamite, World Champion Swerve Strickland spoke about his title reign and touched on the previous week\’s attack on Tony Khan. This incurred the wrath of the Young Bucks who in addition to fining Strickland revealed his Double or Nothing challenger: Christian Cage. 

    The two-time former TNT Champion was flanked by the Patriarchy. Despite a valiant effort by Strickland, the AEW World Champion was victim to a three-on-one attack by Cage, Killswitch, and Nick Wayne. The group\’s leader held up the AEW World Championship in what could be a precursor to AEW Double or Nothing. 

    The AEW Women\’s World Title will also be on the line at Double or Nothing. On Dynamite, Serena Deeb defeated Mariah May after Toni Storm threw in the towel for her understudy. After the match, it was announced that Deeb will challenge Storm for the gold at the pay-per-view. 

    AEW Double or Nothing 2024 card

    Here is the card for AEW Double or Nothing 2024 as it currently stands:

    • Willow Nightingale (c) (with Stokely Hathaway) vs. Mercedes Moné (AEW TBS Championship)
    • Roderick Strong (c) vs. Will Ospreay (AEW International Championship)
    • \”Timeless\” Toni Storm (c) (with Luther and Mariah May) vs. Serena Deeb (AEW Women\’s World Championship)
    • Swerve Strickland (c) (with Prince Nana) vs. Christian Cage (with Killswitch, \”The Prodigy\” Nick Wayne, and Mother Wayne) (AEW World Championship

    SE Scoops will have full coverage of AEW Double or Nothing 2024. Stay tuned for more updates for what\’ll be one of AEW\’s biggest events of the year. 

  • Braun Strowman: \’I Feel Bray Wyatt In My Life Every Single Day\’

    Bray Wyatt may no longer be with us but Braun Strowman still feels his friend\’s presence even in the most mundane of moments. 

    Wyatt, real name Windham Rotunda, passed away in August of 2023 at the tragically young age of 36. The three-time WWE World Champion had been pulled from programming earlier in the year due to health issues. 

    Few WWE Superstars were closer to Wyatt than his Wyatt Family alum Braun Strowman. Speaking to Insight, Strowman reflected on still feeling Wyatt with him to this day.

    \”I see him all the time. It\’s crazy, it really is crazy. I don\’t know how spiritual anyone is, but I had a very deep connection with him. I see him, there\’s things that remind me of him constantly. Every day there\’s something and I can feel him. He\’s still around.\”

    When asked about how the Wyatt Family changed his career, Strowman was quick to make clear that the group\’s impact on him extended past the ring.

    \”It changed my entire life. I was this kid who was told I was never going to make it. Bullied. Fat kid growing up. And having a group of guys, three talented unbelievable human beings, take me under their wing and show me the ways through this crazy business. Words can\’t really explain how grateful I am because I\’m not where I am without those guys.\”

    Strowman recently returned to WWE programming following a lengthy absence due to neck fusion surgery. The Monster Among Men came to the aid of Jey Uso who\’d been confronted by U.S. Champion Logan Paul.

    Here are some recent articles about Braun Strowman now that the Monster Among Men is back on WWE TV:

  • Was The Rock\’s Return To WWE An Attempt To Break The Hollywood Star\’s Losing Streak?

    Was The Rock inspired to return to WWE after a series of public setbacks in the world of entertainment? Some within the promotion believe so. 

    The Brahma Bull was appointed to TKO\’s Board of Directors in January 2024 and quickly found himself taking center-stage on WWE programming. After a shaky start given the immense popularity of Cody Rhodes, The Rock found his place as a heel megalomaniac, creating the popular \’Final Boss\’ persona. 

    On Wrestling Observer Radio, The Rock\’s return was discussed in detail. Some in WWE believe The Rock\’s comeback stemmed from more than just wanting to give back to wrestling. 

    \”There were people in WWE who felt like his return to WWE this year was an attempt to turn around a losing streak so to speak. Young Rock got canceled, some of his movies weren’t as successful as hoped for and WWE was an easy win.\”

    Young Rock\’s cancellation came after three seasons of the show, with the final season averaging 1.4 million viewers, under half the 3 million that the show\’s initial season brought in. This setback came just one year after Black Adam, a project the Hollywood A-Lister had been attached to for years, flopped at the box office.

    What\’s to Come for The Rock? 

    The Rock has almost always succeeded in the world of professional wrestling, so it\’s not a surprise that he has returned to the industry he once dominated. On the post-WrestleMania Raw, Rock vowed to return and confront Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. 

    Here are some recent articles regarding The Rock as the Final Boss continues to make waves in WWE even during his current hiatus: 

  • Cody Rhodes Believes WWE Not Turning John Cena Heel Was The Right Call

    WWE was right to avoid turning John Cena heel once he became a top star, according to reigning Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. 

    Despite the occasional tease over the years, WWE never pulled the trigger on a John Cena heel turn after he became the top star of the promotion. On a recent edition of the Cheap Heat Productions podcast with Peter Rosenberg and Statguy Greg, Rhodes discussed a potential heel turn for himself and compared his position to that of \’Big Match John.\’

    \”I think minimally about [the prospect of turning heel.] And I could…you never say never. John [Cena]’s never happened, and I think rightfully so. I think what we got there, we look back at now and realize [it was right not to turn him.]\”

    Cena never turned heel as a top star, though WWE did once have plans for such a turn. WWE was so committed to the idea that the promotion had a new attire and theme created for the 16-time WWE World Champion before scrapping the idea. 

    WWE has struggled in the 21st Century to create babyfaces with Cena and Roman Reigns being heavily booed by fans though WWE did eventually turn Reigns heel. With Rhodes being that rare commodity of a face accepted across all age ranges among fans, WWE would be wise to keep him as a face, but must find the balance between pushing their babyface WWE Champion without over pushing him in a move akin to \’Super-Cena.\’

    Rhodes\’ next challenge will be against somebody who\’s had no problem turning heel in WWE: AJ Styles. The two will face off at WWE Backlash: France on Saturday, May 4. 

  • Maple Leaf Wrestling Trademark Filed With Ex-TNA President Scott D\’Amore Attached

    Scott D\’Amore appears poised to return to the world of professional wrestling, mere months after his abrupt departure from TNA Wrestling. 

    D\’Amore was controversially fired as TNA President by parent company Anthem earlier this year, shortly after the highly-praised company relaunch at Hard to Kill 2024. Cutting D\’Amore was met with heavy backlash as the Canadian had worked tirelessly for years to rebuild TNA\’s standing in the wrestling world and had been an intrinsic part of the relaunch. The decision to replace D\’Amore with Anthem\’s own President Anthony Cicone also did not go over well with wrestling fans. 

    D\’Amore\’s next chapter in the industry could see him play a huge role in his native Canada, according to a new trademark. The Maple Leaf Wrestling promotion has filed to trademark its name, with Michael E. Dockins making the filing. Dockins, the self-professed \’Gimmick Attorney\’ has covered several wrestling-related trademarks in recent years with Sting and FTR benefitting from his services.  

    The address listed on the filing is the same address as the Border City Wrestling School, which is owned and operated by D\’Amore. The filing allows for the use of the Maple Leaf Wrestling term on various pieces of merchandise as well as at wrestling events. At this time, D\’Amore hasn\’t publicly commented on the filing. 

    The history of Maple Leaf Wrestling dates back to the 1970s when Frank Tunney operated the promotion out of Toronto. The promotion was initially known as the Queensbury Athletic Club, which started in back in 1930. 

    The Maple Leaf Wrestling name was acquired by the WWF in 1984. In 1986, the name was used for broadcasts of WWF Superstars in Canada. The name was used by the WWF until 1995 with the final show being held at the Maple Leaf Gardens in September of that year. 

    More from Scott D\’Amore

    Here are some recent articles regarding Scott D\’Amore as the former TNA President seems poised to return to the world of wrestling in his native land: 

  • Drew McIntyre Brings Up AJ Lee As Feud With CM Punk Continues to Escalate

    Drew McIntyre is holding nothing back in his feud with CM Punk, and now former WWE Superstar AJ Lee has been thrown into the mix. 

    Punk and McIntyre have been at odds for some time with Drew taking credit for the injury Punk sustained in January that kept him from competing at WrestleMania. At the April 2024 event, Punk attacked McIntyre, giving Damian Priest the opening to cash in his Money in the Bank contract on Drew who\’d won the World Heavyweight Championship mere minutes earlier. 

    Now, McIntyre has brought up Punk\’s wife AJ Lee in the latest escalation of their feud. On the Pat McAfee Show, McIntyre shared how much of a \’troll\’ he can be when it comes to the \’Best in the World.\’

    “I’ll tear you apart on social media. I’ll step from behind the keyboard and I’ll tear you apart physically and if I wasn’t married I’d take your girl too. That’s the kind of troll I am.”

    Punk and AJ married in 2014, mere months after Punk walked out of the promotion following that year\’s Royal Rumble event. Punk received his termination papers from WWE on his wedding day, which was a sheer coincidence according to then-WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. After Punk\’s return to WWE in November 2023, fans rallied behind the idea that AJ could return as well, though that hasn\’t happened yet. 

    Punk\’s feud with McIntyre has been a highlight of WWE programming in recent weeks, but the two won\’t collide just yet. In addition to Punk\’s torn triceps, McIntyre is dealing with an elbow injury he has blamed on Punk. Nevertheless, the pair continue to appear on Raw with anticipation growing towards their eventual collision. 

    More on Drew McIntyre

    Here are some recent articles regarding Drew McIntyre as he continues to hold nothing back in his feud with CM Punk: 

  • Cody Rhodes Wants To Bring WWE TV to Italy, Tama Tonga Makes In-Ring Debut

    Italy could soon be host to an episode of WWE TV if the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has anything to say about it. 

    Rhodes was part of a recent WWE live event in Bologna, Italy, and defended his title in the show\’s main event against Shinsuke Nakamura. Speaking to the crowd after the match, Rhodes teased bringing an episode of Raw or SmackDown to the country. 

    “You know we are sold out tonight, this is pretty good showing for Italy. Wouldn’t it be cool to have a RAW, to have a SmackDown?”

    https://www.instagram.com/p/reel:C6cOk_6MNfl

    WWE has hosted just one episode of TV in Italy throughout the company\’s history, that being the April 16, 2007, episode of Monday Night Raw. The show in Milan is best remembered for the WWE debut of Santino Marella who captured the Intercontinental Championship from Umaga (albeit with a big assist from Bobby Lashley.)

    Tama Tonga Makes In-Ring Debut

    The WWE live event in Bologna, Italy also marked the in-ring debut of Tama Tonga, who debuted on TV as part of Solo Sikoa\’s Bloodline very recently. In the third match of the night, Tonga and Sikoa defeated the team of LA Knight and Randy Orton. Despite getting the win, Tonga still fell victim to an RKO from the Viper after the match. 

    Tonga joined WWE after a nearly-14 year tenure with New Japan Pro Wrestling. This run saw him become a seven-time tag-team champion and four-time NEVER Openweight Champion. It remains to be seen if Tonga will see the same success in WWE but debuting in a high-profile angle like The Bloodline and working with established top stars in his debut certainly bodes well for his future. 

  • Triple H On Possible UK WrestleMania: \’Everything is On The Table For Where We Go\’

    WWE CCO Paul \’Triple H\’ Levesque believes that everything is possible for WWE\’s upcoming Premium Live Events, including a potential WrestleMania in the UK. 

    Fans across the pond have for years hoped for a WrestleMania of their own, and those hopes grew after John Cena advocated for a WrestleMania in London during Money in the Bank 2023. More recently, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes said that the UK indeed deserves a WrestleMania to call its own. 

    During a recent appearance on X Spaces alongside Rhodes, Levesque was asked about a possible WrestleMania in London. The Game said that this is a possibility and encouraged other cities to reach out to WWE. 

    \”The thing about the global nature of what we do, where we are, what we\’re doing. I look at the globe. I think everything is on the table for where it goes. You saw the Mayor of London the other day, put out a statement about WrestleMania. I said \’We should talk.\’ And we should. As should the mayors or the leaders of every other place around this globe.

    \”If they want WWE come talk to us. We\’re open for business. We\’d love to be there. Wherever our fans are going to be the loudest and the craziest and the most into what we do, it would be an honor.\”

    Levesque\’s comments seemingly contradict those of WWE President Nick Khan who has said that WWE\’s main PLEs will remain in North America for the time being. Fans are continuing to wait for confirmation regarding the location of WrestleMania 41 but Minneapolis and Las Vegas are said to be the favorites. 

    As for Europe, WWE will host Clash At The Castle: Scotland in Glasgow next month with WWE Bash At Berlin scheduled for August. While fans eagerly await a WrestleMania in the UK, there\’s no shortage of WWE events coming their way. 

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

  • WWE Speed Will Feature Women\’s Division Matches, Triple H Confirms

    WWE Speed, the promotion\’s new show featuring high-octane action, will feature women\’s matches, CCO Paul \’Triple H\’ Levesque has confirmed. 

    WWE Speed was announced in February 2024 and sees three-minute matches, ensuring a fast-paced style between competitors. A tournament is currently underway to crown the first WWE Speed Champion and the show is expected to launch on Twitter/X in full this Spring. 

    So far, matches for WWE Speed have solely featured male talent. That will change soon enough according to Levesque. During an appearance on X Spaces alongside Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, Levesque confirmed that the show will feature women competing in Speed matches.

    There\’s no word yet on whether a championship will be created for the women competing on WWE Speed. This revelation will come as good news to Piper Niven who following the announcement of WWE Speed, poked fun at women often being granted only a handful of minutes for their matches. 

    What\’s to Come for WWE Speed? 

    The tournament finals for the WWE Speed Championship will see Ricochet and Johnny Gargano face off on the May 3, episode. Ricochet advanced to the finals with wins over Dragon Lee and JD McDonagh while Gargano bested Angel and Bronson Reed to get to the title match. 

    The new show could be a fantastic opportunity for talent who don\’t typically get given attention on TV to build support from fans. This can especially be the case for the women of WWE as with only a select amount of opportunities on TV, several talented Superstars are often left on the sidelines. No women\’s matches have been announced for WWE Speed yet but expect more news to come in the coming weeks. 

  • WWE Draft News: More Trades Expected Before May 6 Deadline

    The WWE Draft is not over just yet, as trades are expected to be made in the coming days before the rosters are locked in. The 2024 WWE Draft took place on the April 26, SmackDown, and continued on the April 29, Raw with a total of 56 selections made across the televised and supplemental drafts. Many wrestling pundits and even legends such as The Undertaker have criticized the draft for the lack of significant changes, with the vast majority of Superstars remaining on the brand they were a part of prior to the draft. 

    WWE went big with their draft coverage, which received added \’buzz\’ given the excitement surrounding the NFL draft. Things aren\’t over just yet though as the new rosters don\’t come into effect until next week. According to 2024 WWE Draft rule #6, \”Rosters will go into effect on Monday, May 6, two days after Backlash France.\” 

    That leaves several days for Raw and SmackDown to trade talent before the new rosters are locked in. In prior years, last-minute trades have significantly shaken up the Raw and SmackDown rosters, giving an added level of excitement to the \’trade deadline\’ that occurs over a week after the main draft. 

    Late Shakeups

    For example, Triple H was drafted to SmackDown in 2004 during the televised draft, but was moved back to Raw days later. Then-SmackDown GM revealed on the post-draft episode of the blue brand that he\’d traded the Game for Booker T and the Dudley Boyz. Ironically, Angle became GM after his predecessor Paul Heyman was drafted to Raw. 

    These post-draft changes will give WWE time to evaluate their rosters and decide if certain talent would benefit on the show they were not drafted to instead. Fans will have to wait until May 6, before we have confirmation as to what the future holds for the rosters of Raw and SmackDown. 

    Here are some wrestler reactions to the 2024 WWE Draft: