SEScoops

Author: Thomas Lowson

  • Hulk Hogan Won\’t Make The Same Mistakes Again After Born-Again Baptism

    Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan is looking to move forward from past mistakes after recently being baptized as a born-again Christian. 

    The Hulkster was baptized in late 2023, in a moment he described as the greatest day of his life. Given his accolades in the wrestling world both in and outside of WWE, that\’s quite the claim from the former World Champion. 

    Hogan\’s recent baptism isn\’t the first time he\’s been part of the Christian faith and for decades, he encouraged fans to \”Say your prayers\” among other commands. Sitting down with CBN Sports, Hogan reflected on returning to the faith and moving on from the past. 

    \”I accepted Christ as my savior when I was 14 but I derailed. It wasn\’t my life. But he has given me the opportunity to prove that I\’m faithful and I\’ll never make those same mistakes again… My faith, the momentum was overwhelming. There was nothing stopping me.\”

    There\’s no shortage of mistakes that Hogan hopes his faith will ensure he avoids in the future. Hogan has been criticized by fans and wrestlers as a politicker who influenced promotions so he was on top, often at the expense of talented names on the roster. In 2015, racist comments by Hogan came to light which resulted in his removal from the WWE Hall of Fame. He was reinstated in 2018. 

    The Hulkster is all in for Jesus Christ, and so could you, for the right price. The blue John 3:16 shirt Hogan wears in the video is available for purchase from Hogan\’s website. The shirt comes in a variety of sizes and colors and features the bible verse as well as Hogan\’s logo on the sleeve. 

    Hogan is hardly alone in finding faith. Shawn Michaels became a born-again Christian during his 1998-2002 hiatus which would play into his merchandise following his return. The Showstopper would publish a book about his faith in 2015. 

    More From Hulk Hogan

    Here are some recent articles regarding Hulk Hogan as the WWE Hall of Famer continues to be an icon of the wrestling world: 

  • WWE, Amazon Refute Report That Dwayne Johnson Is Unprofessional: \”Ridiculous and False\”

    A higher-up with WWE has categorically denies a report that The Rock was significantly late for WrestleMania 40 earlier this month. TheWrap ran a negative piece on Dwayne Johnson this week, accusing the Final Boss of being a nightmare to work with on the set of movies and at other projects. 

    WWE Executive Vice President Chris Legentil quickly put a statement addressing the aspects of the story that relate to WWE. Legentil says the story couldn\’t be farther from the truth. In fact, he says Rock was there several hours early and was a pleasure to work with throughout his entire run this year.

    “Dwayne was not only on time for Wrestlemania, he was hours early to help with rehearsal — and a pleasure to work with throughout the entire run.”

    \’Red One\’ Rumor Killer

    Dwayne Johnson\’s \’chronic lateness\’ and lack of professionalism on set reportedly caused production delays on his new movie project \’Red One.\’ One anonymous source alleges  he \’relieves himself\’ in water battles and has his subordinates dispose it. 

    A source close to Amazon MGM refutes that claim by The Wrap and calls these allegations \”ridiculous and false.\”

    \”Dwayne Johnson and Seven Bucks have been incredible partners on \’Red One.\’ Any reporting that implies that we got to this point with him showing up seven-eight hours late to set is both ridiculous and false.\”

    The source added that it is \”completely normal\” for budget fluctuations to happen within 15% of the target, which is what happened with Red One. The Rock has vowed to return to WWE after the filming of his newest project \’The Smashing Machine\’ which tells the story of UFC fighter Steve Kerr. 

    The Rock was two hours late to an appearance at WWE World, this was out of his hands, but that was chalked up to WWE commitments and bad traffic getting to the event. When he did arrive, he lelate as he was busy watching the Philadelphia Eagles lose. 

  • First NXT Women\’s North American Champion to be Crowned in Ladder Match at Battleground

    WWE NXT Battleground 2024 will be a historic night for the gold brand as the show will see the crowning of the first NXT Women\’s North American Champion. 

    During the April 30, episode of WWE NXT, General Manager Ava announced that the title will be on the line at NXT Battleground on June 9 in a six-woman ladder match. Before that match though, there will be qualifying matches to determine the entrants in the much-anticipated ladder match. 

    This announcement brought out Jaida Parker, who declared that she wanted to be part of the qualifying matches. She was joined in the ring by Sol Ruca and Arianna Grace who had similar intentions. Up next it was \’Michin\’ Mia Yim, who despite being on the SMackDown roster, wants to be part of the Women\’s North American Championship hunt. 

    The four women brawled before the rest of the NXT Women\’s roster came out which led to a bigger brawl in the ring. The qualifying matches are set to begin soon but the entrants have yet to be revealed. 

    NXT Battleground won\’t just be historic for its introduction of the Women\’s North American Championship. The event will take place at the UFC Apex and in partnership with WWE\’s sister company under TKO Group Holdings. It will be WWE\’s first event hosted at the Apex and shows WWE\’s commitment to cross-promotional endeavors as part of TKO. 

    Women\’s Mid-Card Championships

    WWE will soon have a women\’s mid-card title, but this isn\’t a new idea. Here are some recent articles about having such a title in wrestling:

  • Tony Khan: \’It Was Nice My Dad Appeared On Dynamite, I Wish It Was For A Different Reason\’

    Tony Khan was pleased that his father Shad recently appeared on AEW Dynamite, though he wishes his dad\’s debut came under better circumstances. 

    Shad Khan appeared in the closing moments of the April 24, episode of AEW Dynamite, after Jack Perry & The Elite attacked his son. Tony Khan was laid out with a piledriver by the Young Bucks and has been in a neck brace ever since. Khan intends to put the neck brace to good use when he no longer needs it.

    Sitting down with SE Scoops correspondent Scott Fishman for TV Insider, Khan spoke about his father\’s All-Elite debut and had plenty of praise for his dear old dad. 

    “It was nice of him to be on the show on one hand, but the reason for it is another. It meant a lot for him to come out to check on me. He is an incredible father and a loving parent and a great man.

    \”I’ve learned so much from him. I know he cares a lot. Nobody wants to see their son out cold and recovering from a deadly piledriver move. You saw he was concerned. You saw it on his face. He was angry and concerned. Mostly very angry.\”

    When asked if his father has a favorite wrestler on AEW\’s roster, the younger Khan said that Shad has quite a few stars he\’s keeping an eye on. 

    \”A few weeks ago I got a text from him during Will Ospreay and Claudio [Castagnoli]. He knew them both. He hadn’t seen much of Will Ospreay. He said Ospreay was amazing. I introduced him to Will, and he is now a huge fan of him.

    \”He is a huge fan of Kenny Omega, MJF, Jon Moxley, Orange Cassidy, Dr. Britt Baker, and recently “Timeless” Toni Storm And Mariah May. Also, he had some nice interactions with Swerve.\”

    It\’s unclear when, if ever, we\’ll see Shad Khan on AEW programming again, though Tony Khan will be operating shows remotely as he recovers from the attack. With The Elite a force to be reckoned with and Kenny Omega\’s imminent return to AEW TV, it\’ll be interesting to see how the power struggle goes with Khan out of the picture. 

    More From Tony Khan

    Here are some recent articles regarding Tony Khan as the AEW President continues to recover from the attack by The Elite: 

  • Wes Lee Returns From Injury At 4/30 WWE NXT Spring Breakin, Cleared to Wrestle

    Former North American Champion Wes Lee made his long-awaited return to programming during the April 30, edition of WWE NXT. 

    During Night Two of WWE NXT Spring Breakin\’, Oba Femi defended the North American Championship against Ivar. After the match, Lee appeared to a thunderous ovation from the audience at the Performance Center. Lee emerged from the crowd and to prove he is healed, leapt from the crowd to the ringsteps. Lee then came face-to-face with Femi who held up the NXT North American Championship. 

    Lee had been out of action since December after suffering a severe back injury. His return to TV has come far earlier than thought, as it was originally believed that he\’d be out of commission for anywhere from eight months to a year. The injury nixed plans for Lee to challenge for the North American title, held by \’Dirty\’ Dominik Mysterio at the time. 

    Lee is officially cleared to wrestle, Fightful Select has confirmed and it won\’t be long before fans see him wrestle again. At WWE NXT Spring Breakin\’ it was announced that Lee will face Josh Briggs on the May 7 episode. This will be his first match since November 2023. 

    Having Lee back is a huge win for NXT head Shawn Michaels who has been a loud advocate for the former North American Champion. With WWE NXT losing top talent like Lyra Valkyria and Ilja Dragunov in the recent draft, Lee is in a prime position to be elevated up the card now he\’s cleared to wrestle once more. 

    More On Wes Lee

    Here are some articles regarding Wes Lee as the former North American Champion looks to regain the momentum he once had in WWE NXT: 

  • Cody Rhodes: \’Roman Reigns Has Transcended What We Do As Pro Wrestlers\’

    Roman Reigns is among a select class of talent to have transcended the world of wrestling, at least in WWE, according to his longtime rival Cody Rhodes. The American Nightmare dethroned Reigns at WrestleMania to win the Undisputed WWE Championship, ending the 1,316-day reign of the Tribal Chief in the process. Reigns has not been seen on WWE programming since then leaving fans to speculate on what kind of future Reigns has in store in the promotion\’s new era. 

    Despite their differences, he holds a lot of respect to the man he vanquished in Philadelphia, PA. Cody Rhodes appeared on the Cheap Heat podcast this week and spoke highly of Roman Reigns with hosts Peter Rosenberg and Stat Guy Greg.

    \”If we\’re looking at a snapshot of how unbelievable he is, just look at how he showed up to Wrestlemania. Just the end of his run, he was at his absolute peak and absolute best. And I mean that physically. I mean that mentally.

    \”Just truly very few people get to transcend what we do. Very few people. You can be at the top of it. You can be near the top. But very few people transcend what we do. I think he transcends what we do.”

    Rhodes also foresees big things for Reigns out of the ring. Reigns has been filming a new movie with Keke Palmer during his hiatus from WWE. 

    \”I think you\’ll see him pop up in areas that aren\’t sports entertainment and aren\’t wrestling and with much success because of how hard he works.\”

    There\’s no official word on when Reigns will be back, but the former Champion is being advertised for SummerSlam 2024 in Cleveland this August. Whatever\’s next for Reigns, the Tribal Chief will continue to have the respect of Cody Rhodes. 

    More on Cody Rhodes:

    Here are some recent articles regarding Cody Rhodes as the Undisputed WWE Champion continues to lead WWE\’s new era: 

  • Cody Rhodes Wants To Be WWE\’s Most Profitable Star Ever: \’I\’ll Give Everything I Possibly Have\’

    Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has finished his story, but now the American Nightmare has a new mission in his sights. 

    Rhodes\’ emotional WrestleMania 40 victory over Roman Reigns marked the end of a two-year odyssey for Rhodes to capture a World Championship in WWE. The match also marked the end of Roman Reigns\’ 1,316-day reign as champion and the Tribal Chief hasn\’t appeared for WWE since then. He\’s reached the peak of WWE, but now he has a new story to tell. 

    Cody Rhodes appeared on the Cheap Heat podcast this week and told hosts Peter Rosenberg and Stat Guy Greg that he hopes to shatter the records of Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, John Cena and Roman Reigns to be the company\’s undisputed box office king.

    \”I would like to be the most profitable talent that WWE has ever had. And I know who hangs in that group. You know, your Austin 316s, your Hustle Loyalty, Respect, your John Cena\’s. I know what I have been doing, and I know the link that I have to keep doing this for this goal to become a reality.

    So that one, it\’s a little inside baseball, and it\’s not all that glamorous, but I really, even today, feel a sense of I would like to give WWE everything I possibly have.\”

    Given WWE\’s track-record of producing highly-popular Superstars, this goal is a tall order for the American Nightmare. Despite this, Rhodes remains determined for his name to be considered alongside these all-time greats. 

    \”I think sometimes you get into the GOAT conversations, like basketball is the greatest GOAT conversation ever when people go back on LeBron and Michael, whatever it may be. I think one of the things that\’s most important in any sport, in any form of entertainment, is today we\’ve got all these, we\’re fans, right?\”

    Apr 7, 2024; Philadelphia, PA, USA; WWE Universal Championship match between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes during Wrestlemania XL Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field.

    Ultimately, Rhodes\’ quest to be the most profitable WWE Superstar in history will also mean a rematch of a different kind with Roman Reigns, one Rhodes is excited for.

    \”If Roman Reigns was the greatest thing WWE had seen up to this point, I want to completely eclipse him. And I mean that with the utmost respect.”

    Nobody can accuse Cody Rhodes of dreaming too small and with his popularity worldwide, the American Nightmare is certainly making ground in this lofty task. Whether Rhodes indeed becomes the most profitable Superstar ever remains to be seen, but the Undisputed WWE Champion is off to a strong start.

    As WWE continues to do record business, Cody Rhodes is leading the charge as one of the company\’s top merchandise movers.

  • Independent Wrestler & Actor Billy Reil Dead Aged 44

    The wrestling world is mourning the loss of independent wrestler Billy Reil who has passed away at the young age of 44. 

    News of Reil\’s passing was shared by PW Insider, who was informed of his death on April 29, by his family. Reil was dealing with a lot of health issues in the year leading up to his death. 

    Born and raised in South Philadelphia, Reil\’s wrestling inspiration came from watching WWF events at The Spectrum in the 1980s. Once ECW came to prominence in Philly, Reil began hanging out at the ECW arena and made contact with several in the industry. He would make his in-ring debut in 1995 and would compete for Jersey All-Pro Wrestling as well as several independent territories. 

    Outside the ring, Reil was a classically trained actor and starred in low-budget films including Purgatory and The Pit. In 2002, Reil was highlighted in the South Philly Review after he spotted a man on rollerblades attempting to mug Reil\’s 61-year-old neighbor. Reil led his house and tackled the man and was able to recover the woman\’s purse. 

    Tributes to Billy Reil

    On social media, many names in wrestling paid tribute to Reil. GCW\’s Brett Lauderdale spoke about Reil but said that his was a \”cautionary tale.\”

    Sonjay Dutt said that he hopes Reil finally finds peace. 

    Dave Meltzer was sad to learn of Reil\’s passing and described him as a \”real character.\”

    We at SE Scoops would like to offer our condolences to Reil\’s family and friends at this sad time. 

  • Tony Khan on WWE-Weinstein Comment: \’It\’s Important To Say AEW Is The Best\’

    Tony Khan sought to remind fans that AEW is where the best wrestle with his controversial remarks during the recent NFL Draft. 

    While representing the Jacksonville Jaguars, Khan spoke about AEW being an alternative to WWE and said his promotion is the Pepsi of professional wrestling. Rather than compare WWE to Coca-Cola as many expected, Khan said that WWE was evil and equivalent to Harvey Weinstein. 

    This comment has divided fans. Some believe it was fair given the allegations of misconduct leveled at former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon who resigned back in January. Others felt the comment was unnecessary and offensive to victims of Weinstein and that Khan was using their experiences to further his grudge with WWE. 

    Speaking to Dean \’Mojo\’ Muhtadi of TMZ Sports, Khan was asked about the response to his comments: 

    \”I think it is important to say that I think AEW is the best wrestling company in the world in many ways. I think that we have the best wrestlers, the best matches, we\’ve been putting on the best shows.\”

    WWE & AEW Reacts

    Those in WWE have, rather unsurprisingly, not taken kindly to Khan\’s comparison to Harvey Weinstein, Bryan Alvarez reports. Those in AEW feel the same way and have taken exception to Khan\’s suggestion that WWE is an \’evil\’ company. Many names on AEW\’s roster have previously worked in WWE and have friends and/or partners who currently work for the competition. 

    While Khan is fiercely passionate about WWE, his comments in the past have often not been well-received. Khan infamous alleged that an army of WWE-endorsed bots were attacking AEW on social media and had his issue with Jinder Mahal earlier this year. With the response to his Weinstein comments, the AEW President may want to take a pause the next time he has something big to say. 

    More from Tony Khan

    Here are some recent articles regarding Tony Khan as the AEW President continues to heal from the attack by The Elite on AEW Dynamite: 

  • Glitches & QR Code Mystery Continues On 4/29 WWE Monday Night Raw

    The April 29, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw continued the trend of glitches and QR codes fans have seen in recent weeks as something big is coming to TV. 

    Since the post-WrestleMania Raw, glitches and QR codes have been appearing on WWE\’s main roster programming, giving clues as to something big that\’s in the works. These QR codes have led to videos with fans deciphering hidden messages and clues to figure out what\’s really going on.

    The mystery continued on the April 29, episode of Raw as a glitch appeared during GUNTHER\’s match with Xavier Woods. The glitch featured an image of a deserted highway from the perspective of somebody driving late at night. As seen in previous glitches, this glitch included the symbol for the dwarf planet Pluto, which in Astrology is synonymous with great transformation. 

    Following this glitch, a QR code appeared later in the show. Scanning it brings fans to the video in the tweet below. 

    The video didn\’t give too many clues, but did speak of \’Him\’ suggesting that a male wrestler is behind these videos. The allusions to a swamp as heard in the song could be a nod to Windham Rotunda whose formative years as Bray Wyatt saw him portray a cult-like leader in swampland.  

    Many believe this is leading to the return of Uncle Howdy, the character previously portrayed by Bo Dallas who was introduced following Wyatt\’s return in 2022. It\’s been rumored that a faction could be in the works, especially with Erick Rowan, a Wyatt Family alum, recently re-signing with WWE. 

    WWE\’s QR Code Mystery

    Here are some recent articles about WWE\’s previous QR codes and the symbolism behind the eerie videos behind them: 

  • What Is Going On Between Liv Morgan & \’Dirty\’ Dominik Mysterio On 4/29 WWE Raw?

    Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan may seem like they have nothing in common, but the pair may be closer than you\’d think judging from a recent episode of Raw. 

    In recent weeks, Morgan has been pleased with the fact that she injured Rhea Ripley which resulted in the Australian Superstar vacating the WWE Women\’s World Championship. On last week\’s Raw, Morgan was the runner-up in the battle royal for the vacated title that was won by Becky Lynch. 

    Dominik Mysterio confronted Morgan before last week\’s title match, and the two also interacted during this week\’s Raw. In the middle of a backstage interview with Jey Uso, Morgan was spotted leaving a room. Mere seconds later, the former NXT North American Champion was seen leaving the same room. 

    This rendezvous has had fans speculating that there could be something going on between the two, despite their on-screen differences. In a recent interview with The Border Patrol, Morgan claimed she was no friend of \’Dirty Dom.\’

    \”I don\’t like the man. I definitely don\’t like his woman. I just wanted him to know, \’Yes, I did that, and I\’m still here.\’ The revenge tour doesn\’t stop until I win the women\’s championship.\”

    Could Morgan\’s revenge tour see her try and snatch Ripley\’s man away from her, adding insult to her literal injury? As The Judgment Day continues to show signs of imploding, fans will have to wait and see whether sparks begin to fly between the ex-con and the former SmackDown Women\’s Champion on WWE TV. 

    More on Liv Morgan

    Here are some recent articles regarding Liv Morgan as the Superstar\’s revenge tour continues on as part of WWE programming: 

  • WWE Draft 2024: Supplemental Picks Take Place After 29/4 Raw, NXT Star Called Up

    The excitement of the 2024 WWE Draft continued after Raw went off the air as the Supplemental Draft saw more moves happen. 

    The April 29, episode of Monday Night Raw marked Night Two of the Draft and saw 20 on-screen picks made in total. Imperium (sans Giovanni Vinci) was the first name selected during Night Two of the televised draft, while NXT\’s Blair Davenport was selected by SmackDown in the final televised selection. 

    WWE Draft Night Two Supplemental Results

    On social media, WWE shared news from their supplemental draft picks after Monday Night Raw went off the air. The picks are as follows: 

    It\’s certainly a big deal to see Dijak called up to the main roster after re-establishing himself in WWE NXT. Hopefully the former Retribution member fares better on the main-roster than his previous run as T-Bar. 

    What\’s to Come?

    The new rosters will come into effect on the May 6, episode of Raw, the first show following next weekend\’s WWE Backlash: France Premium Live Event. Anybody that has not been selected so far is now a free agent and will be eligible to be chosen by Raw or SmackDown in the future. 

  • WWE Draft 2024: Ilja Dragunov & Lyra Valkyria Called Up From NXT to Raw

    Monday Night Raw was able to score some of the biggest names from WWE NXT during Night Two of the 2024 Draft. 

    The Draft continued on the April 29, Raw and followed on from the selections made during the previous week\’s episode of SmackDown. During the fourth round of Night Two\’s pick, Ilja Dragunov was selected by the Raw brand. Speaking after being drafted, the former NXT Champion spoke about his experience with the gold brand. 

    \”NXT became my home. A lot of these people became a home away from home for me. But now it\’s time for my next chapter and I\’ve got to make a promise, a promise I already kept here. To every place I come I push the place to the next level… and that\’s the same thing I\’ll do when I come to Raw.\”

    Dragunov wasn\’t the only big name from NXT to be moved. Former Women\’s Champion Lyra Valkyria was selected by Raw in the fifth round. The Irish Superstar was visibly emotional as news of her selection was made and the remaining NXT roster was very happy for her as seen in the clip below. 

    Valkyria made a handful of appearances last year on the main roster in the run-up to her NXT Women\’s Championship victory over Becky Lynch. Lyra recently failed to recapture the title from Roxanne Perez in a triple-threat at WWE NXT Stand & Deliver that also included Tatum Paxley. 

    With Dragunov and Valkyria moving to Raw, it\’s hard to ignore that this has left NXT without two of its top Superstars. There have been fears that NXT would be depleted in the draft and some NXT talent are wary of being called to the main roster without a plan. As NXT\’s head, Shawn Michaels will now have to work around losing some of the brand\’s top names which will give another Superstar the opportunity to step up. 

    More on the 2024 WWE Draft

    Here are some recent articles regarding the 2024 WWE Draft as the landscape of WWE continues to change: 

  • WWE Draft 2024: Superstars React To Night Two Picks on 4/29 Episode of Raw

    The WWE roster has had plenty to say following Night Two of the 2024 Draft taking place during the April 29, episode of Monday Night Raw. 

    This year\’s draft continued on the red brand with 20 selections being made in total. On Twitter, Chelsea Green was excited about new opportunities after she (and Piper Niven) were moved to SmackDown. 

    Bianca Belair was pleased that the \’Big 3\’ will be staying on SmackDown. Naomi has also been picked by the blue brand while Bianca Belair was the #1 pick during Night One of the draft. 

    The Pride, consisting of Bobby Lashley, the Street Profits, and B-Fab will be staying on SmackDown. Lashley gave an ominous message to those on the blue brand. 

    Montez Ford was similarly excited to remain with the rest of The Pride on the SmackDown brand. 

    Tiffany Stratton is pleased that she\’ll continue to appear on SmackDown after being selected in the second round of the draft\’s second night. 

    Braun Strowman was selected by Raw and made his first WWE TV appearance in months following an injury. The Monster Among Men confronted U.S. Champion Logan Paul on Raw and had a warning after his appearance.

    The new rosters will officially come into effect following the WWE Backlash: France Premium Live Event on May 4. There will also be the Supplemental Draft: Night Two that will see more Superstars be chosen. Anyone who isn\’t picked after the Supplemental Draft will be considered a free agent and eligible to be picked down the line. 

    More on the 2024 WWE Draft

    Here are some recent articles regarding the 2024 WWE Draft as the landscape of WWE continues to change: 

  • I Believe In Joe Hendry: TNA Wrestling Star\’s Viral Song Reaches #1 On iTunes

    There\’s no shortage of people who believe in Joe Hendry as the TNA Wrestling star\’s song has reached #1 on iTunes in the UK. 

    I Believe In Joe Hendry is not just a song by the former Digital Media Champion but also serves as Hendry\’s theme song. As seen in the image below, Hendry\’s song is #1 on the UK iTunes service. The TNA star was able to surpass the likes of Hozier, Teddy Swims, and even the musical powerhouse tag team of Taylor Swift and Post Malone.

    Joe Hendry on top of the iTunes chart for best-selling songs. 

    His song dominating on iTunes certainly bodes well for Hendry\’s future with TNA Wrestling as he\’s been able to attract major attention to the promotion. His musical talents have put Hendry at odds with AJ \’Top Dolla\’ Francis who debuted for TNA at the Hard to Kill relaunch event earlier this year. In February, Hendry teamed with Rich Swann to defeat Francis and Deaner. The following month, Francis got his revenge when he defeated Hendry in singles action. 

    I Believe In Joe Hendry isn\’t the Scottish wrestler\’s only foray into music. 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.

    Hendry\’s musical skills have endeared him to fan as he proves his talents both in and out of the ring. With the success of his most popular track, there\’s no doubt that there\’s no shortage of people who believe in Joe Hendry. 

  • The Undertaker: \’Cody Rhodes Will Be A Workhorse Champion, Unlike Roman Reigns\’

    The Undisputed WWE Championship reign of Cody Rhodes will differ greatly from that of his predecessor Roman Reigns, according to The Undertaker. 

    Rhodes won the gold and finished his story at WrestleMania 40 and in doing so ended the 1,316-day reign of the Tribal Chief. While Cody has been a regular on WWE Raw and SmackDown since his monumental win in Philadelphia, Reigns has been absent from programming (but has been working on a non-WWE project.)

    Cody Rhodes: The Workhorse Champion

    Rhodes\’ win at WrestleMania did not come without some help and The Undertaker was part of the group of stars who kept The Bloodline at bay. On his Six Feet Under podcast, the WWE Hall of Famer spoke of what Rhodes has to look forward to. 

    \”He\’s going to work a lot because he wants to, too, if that makes sense. So he\’s not going to be a champion that… No offense to Roman, but Roman didn\’t have a lot of matches as champion.\”

    The Undertaker made clear that Reigns\’ sporadic in-ring schedule was part of his \”story\” and helped give the Tribal Chief character an air of dominance. With that said, the Phenom is looking forward to seeing plenty of matches from the American Nightmare. 

    \”I think he\’ll be a working champion. I think he\’s going to be a workhorse, actually. I think he\’s going to defend the title a lot… He\’s going to be wanting to walk out there and show people why he\’s the world champion.\”

    What\’s to Come? 

    When asked about potential opponents for Rhodes, The Undertaker named Seth Rollins and GUNTHER as dream adversaries for the Undisputed WWE Champion. Before that, however, Rhodes will defend against AJ Styles at WWE Backlash: France. The bout will be part of WWE\’s first PLE in the country and will take place on May 4.

    More on Cody Rhodes

    Here are some recent articles about Cody Rhodes as the Undisputed Champion continues to lead WWE in its new era:

  • DAZN Drops AEW Content One Year Into Multi-Year Deal Due To Underperforming Shows

    Sports streaming service DAZN has nixed its contract with All Elite Wrestling after just one year over what they deemed to be underperforming numbers. 

    The two sides agreed on a multi-year deal in early 2023 that would see AEW be broadcast in 42 markets across Europe and Asia. The initial deal included AEW Dynamite, Rampage, Dark, Dark: Elevation, Battle of the Belt events, and four pay-per-views a year. 

    Now, this deal is a thing of the past. Speculation grew about AEW\’s future on DAZN early into 2024 after fans noticed that All-Elite content had been quietly removed from the platform. At the time, no confirmation was given publicly as to the reason behind the removal.

    Steven Muelhausen, who ran the wrestling social media side of things for DAZN has now confirmed that the deal is over just one year after being announced. The decision to drop AEW content was made on December 31, 2023, and was made after a string of broadcasts falling below expectations. Only a handful of events reached the numbers DAZN wanted. These events include All In 2023, the first month or so of AEW Collision, and select episodes of AEW content. 

    AEW did all it could for DAZN when the platform requested interviews from talent, Muelhausen adds, despite DAZN never really showing much interest in promoting AEW on its platform. DAZN didn\’t give 5% of the budget they spend for boxing and MMA. Muelhausen, found this to be a shame as wrestling had \”a real shot\” at DAZN but \”never got the opportunity it deserved. 

  • Drew McIntyre Set To Miss WWE TV, Latest On Former WWE Champion\’s New Contract

    Drew McIntyre will remain with WWE for years to come after signing a new deal, but fans shouldn\’t expect him on programming just yet. 

    The three-time former WWE World Champion\’s new contract deal comes after close to a year of speculation about his future in the ring. News of McIntyre\’s new contract was shared by TKO\’s Dwayne \’The Rock\’ Johnson, who had a special gift in store for the Scottish Warrior. 

    McIntyre and WWE engaged in \”a lot of back and forth\” during the negotiation process, PW Insider reports. The deal has been described as a \”multi-year, big money\” contract that one source believed to be for three years. If so, it\’ll keep McIntyre with the promotion until April 2027 unless he is released. 

    The video shared by The Rock on Instagram was actually shot well before the deal between McIntyre and WWE was signed. The actual discussions between the two sides wasn\’t concluded until a few days ago but WWE wanted the video to be ready to publish as soon as a contract was signed.

    Missing From the Ring

    While McIntyre will remain with WWE for years to come, he won\’t be wrestling just yet. The Scottish Warrior is still recovering from a badly hyperextended elbow he suffered at WrestleMania 40. The Scottish Superstar received \”a lot of respect\” from those in WWE for his efforts during the recent WWE tour of the UK. 

    Hopefully McIntyre will be healed and able to compete in time for WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland. The June 15 show will be in Glasgow and fans in the country are eager to see the former World Champion on the card. 

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  • The Last Match 80s Wrestling Rock Musical Going On Tour With All-Star Cast

    Rock & Roll wrestling musical The Last Match is set to go on tour next month with an all-star cast of actors and wrestlers attached to the show. 

    News of the tour was shared on Twitter by Simon Miller of WhatCulture fame. The tour will begin on May 7 in Burlington, Vermont, and conclude on May 18 in Atlanta, Georgia. 

    The Last Match tells the story of Ben Vengeance, a journeyman wrestler who prepares to step in the ring for what will be his titular last match. Vengeance\’s final match sees the veteran face BTD Heavyweight Champion Alexander Swagger (as played by Miller.)

    Wrestling productions out of the ring have grown increasingly more popular in recent years. NBC\’s Young Rock told the story of Dwayne Johnson\’s rise to superstardom and his life growing up in a wrestling dynasty. Starz\’s Heels received rave reviews for its portrayal of a small-time wrestling promotion\’s efforts to survive and included an impressive cast featuring Stephen Amell and CM Punk. 

    2008\’s The Wrestler received critical acclaim for its telling of Randy \’The Ram\’ Robinson (Mickey Rourke) and his journey as his wrestling career reached its end. The film scored Rourke a BAFTA award, a Golden Globe award, and a Best Actor nomination at the Oscars. 

    An All-Star Cast

    Miller, who also competed for TNA Wrestling at their Turning Point 2023 event, isn\’t the only notable name involved. Former WWE personality McKenzie Mitchell has been cast as BTD interviewer Scarlett Sublime. Matthew Rehwoldt (aka Aiden English in WWE) has been cast as \’The Boss.\’

    Wrestling legend Mickie James brings her experience to the show as \’The Mother.\’ Bull James (WWE NXT\’s Bull Dempsey) portrays Sam the Barbarian while Afa Anoa\’i Jr. is \’The Surgeon/Son of Stalin.\’

    For more information about The Last Match and how to purchase tickets, click here. 

  • Watch: Logan Paul & Nina Agdal Host Wrestling Match Gender Reveal Party

    WWE U.S. Champion Logan Paul and his fiancée Nina Agdal have revealed the gender of their upcoming child in the art form that is pro wrestling. 

    Paul and Agdal revealed they were expecting a child in April of 2024. This is the first child for the couple who are set to become parents this fall. Agdal is a Danish supermodel who has appeared on TV and on magazine covers. The couple began dating in 2022 and got engaged in Italy in the summer of 2023. 

    Like many couples, Paul and Agdal spared no expense with their elaborate gender reveal party. With their family and friends as attendees, the couple hosted a wrestling match with one competitor in blue and the other in pink. The reigning WWE United States Champion didn\’t compete in the match but watched on as the pink wrestler got the win, revealing that Paul and Agdal are expecting a baby girl. 

    Both Paul and Agdal wore Pink for the match, indicating that they were hoping for a girl. Now the couple are ready to take their next steps into becoming parents. 

    Baby Fever

    The Maverick and his fiancee aren\’t the only couple to have hosted a wrestling-themed gender reveal party. A recent gender reveal went viral as a pair of wrestling fans told the world that they too are expecting a baby girl. 

    There\’s \’baby fever\’ among other Superstars in WWE. Luke Gallows recently became a father for the fifth time following the birth of his son Thomas. Erik and Valhalla are set to become parents for the second time after recently revealing that they are expecting. The couple welcomed their first child, a boy, into the world in 2021. 

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  • Jinder Mahal\’s Trademark Filings May Have Revealed His Post-WWE Name

    Jinder Mahal won\’t let his release from WWE prevent him from achieving his goals in the ring and will be competing under a new name. 

    Mahal was among those released by WWE earlier this month as part of the first wave of cuts under the promotion\’s new era. The former WWE & United States Champion was previously released from the company in 2014 but returned two years later. 

    Mahal will have to wait for his non-compete clause to expire in July before he works elsewhere, but the Modern-Day Maharaja has already been making plans. Mahal recently trademarked the term \’The Maharaja\’ for its use on merchandise as well as the name \’Raj Dhesi.\’ It seems the Dhesi name will be what Mahal competes under going forward. These filings were made under Mahal\’s real name Yuvraj Dhesi. 

    What\’s to Come? 

    Whatever name Mahal wrestles under from here on, the ex-Superstar seemingly won\’t be struggling to find work. Promotions have been very eager to work with Mahal now that he\’s out of WWE with Game Changer Wrestling being just one of several interested parties. 

    GCW could certainly do with Mahal being a top heel in their company to replace the injured Matt Cardona. Whether Mahal goes to GCW or somewhere else, expect to see plenty more of Raj Dhesi when his non-compete clause with WWE is a thing of the past. 

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  • Tony Khan To Autograph & Sell Neck Brace With Proceeds Going to St. Jude\’s Children\’s Hospital

    AEW President Tony Khan is still reeling from the attack by Jack Perry & The Elite but will put his situation to good use by raising money for charity. 

    Khan was attacked by Perry on the April 24, edition of AEW Dynamite, the first show of its kind for Perry since August of 2023. After ambushing Khan, Perry was approached by The Elite who also attacked their boss. After the attack, Khan was tended to by medical officials while AEW talent and his father Shad Khan showed their concern. 

    Khan Auctioning Neck Brace

    During the NFL Draft, Khan, who works as part of the team behind the Jacksonville Jaguars, appeared in a neck brace, selling the impact of the attack on Dynamite. During an appearance on the NFL Network, Rich Eisen revealed that Khan is planning on auctioning the neck brace for a good cause. 

    \”Tony Khan has texted. He heard me [say] \’Hey, when you\’re done with the brace, would you like to sign it and donate the proceeds to St. Jude\’s Research Hospital?\’ He said \’When I\’ve recovered from that spike piledriver when on AEW Dynamite\’ is that a good ready for you Tony? \’I will absolutely sign this neck brace and sell it and donate it to St. Jude\’s to support Run Rich Run.\’\”

    Run Rich Run is a charitable campaign hosted by Eisen to support St. Jude\’s Research Hospital in the fight against childhood diseases. Over its 20 years, the campaign has raised over $7 million. Khan\’s offer is an incredibly generous one and we\’re sure wrestling fans will be willing to pay big for this one-of-a-kind piece of AEW memorabilia.

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  • WBD \”Really Happy\” With 4/24 AEW Dynamite Despite Significant Viewership Drop

    The ratings slump for the April 24, episode of Dynamite was not a concern for AEW\’s broadcast partners at Warner Bros. Discovery who were happy with the show. 

    The show saw 683,000 homes tune in for the post-Dynasty edition of Dynamite, a 10% decrease from the previous week. This is the lowest average audience an episode of AEW Dynamite has earned since the January 6, 2021 episode of the show, excluding episodes that were pre-empted. 

    Despite this concerning drop, WBD sources were \”really happy\” with the show\’s performance, PW Insider reports. A source in WBD noted that AEW had significant competition on the night due to the NBA and NHL Playoffs. Despite this competition, AEW was still sixth for the evening on basic cable. 

    Three of the shows that hit AEW hard on April 24 were made up of NBA coverage on TNT which is considered in the \”family\” by WBD. When excluding those shows, only ESPN\’s coverage of the NHL scored higher in the 18-49 demo for the evening. The source also acknowledged audio issues from TBS\’ end of things that impacted the show. 

    AEW Dynamite may have seen a serious drop, but there were plenty of factors outside of the promotion\’s control for this. The test now will be whether AEW can recover those fans in the coming weeks. Tony Khan\’s inaugural promotion has seen a drop in viewers compared to previous years, and the AEW President, who\’ll be working remotely following Jack Perry\’s attack, will need to explore his options to win back fans.

  • Former WWE NXT Wrestlers Debut On 4/27 Episode of AEW Collision

    The April 27, edition of AEW Collision saw not one but three names from WWE NXT make their debuts for the All-Elite promotion. 

    The first episode following the inaugural AEW Dynasty event, Collision saw the Grizzled Young Veterans in action. Their arrival on the show wasn\’t a surprise given that it\’d been announced had been announced days earlier. The team of Zack Gibson and James Drake put up quite the effort against The Acclaimed but ultimately lost to the former AEW World Tag Team Champions. 

    In a post-match interview, the Grizzled Young Veterans were frustrated about their defeat and blamed \’Daddy Ass\’ Billy Gunn for their setback. 

    Gibson and Drake joined WWE in 2018 and would become the inaugural NXT UK Tag Team Champions. They were later moved to WWE NXT and joined Joe Gacy\’s Schism but chose to leave WWE when their contracts expired in September 2023. 

    The Grizzled Young Veterans weren\’t the only NXT alum on the show. Martin Stone also made his AEW debut on Collision in a losing effort to RUSH. In addition to being Stone\’s debut, this was RUSH\’s first match back after not competing since AEW Worlds End in December 2023. 

    In WWE NXT, Stone competed as Danny Butch and held the NXT Tag Team Championships with Oney Lorcan. He was released from the gold brand in January 2022 as part of cuts that saw many names close to Triple H be let go. 

  • Nic Nemeth Wins Vacant AAA Mega Championship At TripleMani XXXII Monterrey

    The \’Wanted Man\’ of wrestling Nic Nemeth is once again a World Champion after capturing the AAA Mega Championship at TripleMania XXXII Monterrey. 

    Nemeth won the title in a hard-fought match with Alberto El Patron, another WWE alum. Nemeth won the title with the Danger Zone and the win marks the first AAA Championship in Nemeth\’s career. 

    The AAA Mega Championship had previously been held by El Hijo Del Vikingo who had held the title for a record-breaking 833 days. Vikingo surrendered the gold after suffering an injury that has kept him out of action since. 

    Hopefully, Nemeth can avoid the trend of the AAA Mega Championship being vacated. Kenny Omega, the champion before Vikingo, also had to vacate the title in November 2021 due to injuries. The AEW EVP had held the gold for an impressive 765 days. 

    Nemeth Vs. El Patron

    This was hardly the pair\’s first time competing against each other for a World Championship. Nemeth (then Dolph Ziggler) won his first WWE World Heavyweight Championship on the Raw after WrestleMania 29 by cashing in his Money on the Bank contract on Patron (then Alberto Del Rio.)

    Nemeth\’s role as AAA Mega Champion continues an impressive run the Wanted Man has been on ever since his lengthy career with WWE ended in 2023. Nemeth is also in his first reign as IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion with NJPW and won the gold at The New Beginning in Sapporo: Night 1. Nemeth is also appearing for TNA and recently unsuccessfully challenged for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship. 

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