Set against the backdrop of the squared circle, “The Last Match” seamlessly blends the larger-than-life spectacle of professional wrestling with the electric energy of rock ‘n’ roll and the cinematic storytelling of musical theater – making it a truly one-of-a-kind experience.

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that musical theater isn’t a niche that I generally gravitate toward, but after attending the production’s opening night in Rochester, I emerged with a newfound appreciation for it. Likewise, upon speaking with some non-wrestling fans afterwards, I learned that “The Last Match” opened their eyes to the world of professional wrestling.

Created and directed by Jeremiah James, “The Last Match” follows the story of 30-year veteran Ben Vengeance (played by the singer of 80s tribute band The Reagan Years, Anthony Nuccio), who is preparing to step into the ring for his final match at BTD Wrestling Alliance’s World War V event (set in the year 1989). 

Vengeance’s final match isn’t just a normal retirement match; it’s a title match for the coveted BTD Heavyweight Championship – a title that Vengeance has held a record-setting 12 times. For this occasion, Vengeance is slated to defend his title against the ever-conceited and crude Alexander Swagger (played by British professional wrestler – and in my opinion, the bloody brilliant – Simon Miller), who is looking to position himself as the next top star in BTD.

Fueled by his pure respect and passion for the wrestling business, Vengeance seems inclined to put over (or in layman’s terms – lose to) Swagger on his way out. His girlfriend and fellow professional wrestler, “The Fabulous” Miss Jenny (played by Mikayla Agrella), however, wants to see BTD honor Vengeance’s legacy with a departing title retention. 

Ultimately, the outcome of Vengeance’s final match will be decided by The Boss (portrayed by TNA Wrestling commentator Matthew Rehwoldt), who, with his Vince McMahon-inspired strut, reiterates that “nothing in the ring is personal, it’s just business.” With multiple different agendas circulating, the finish to this title match is far from predictable, leading to a rather captivating sequence of events.

Outside of the main event storyline between Vengeance and Swagger, viewers are also introduced to a diverse cast of supporting characters who carry forth terrific talent in in-ring, vocal, narration, and theatrical performance. The Ref (played by Trinity Colvin), specifically, covers all four of those departments with enthralling ease. In addition to her duties as the in-ring official and on-stage singer, Colvin provides valuable narration that not only ties several scenes together, but also effectively explains wrestling jargon for the non-wrestling members of the audience.

Another stand-out performance stems from that of former TNA Knockouts Mickie James, who plays the over-the-top character of The Mother. Alongside being a multi-decade veteran in the ring, The Mother is known for being exactly that – a mother (of 15 kids, to be specific). James, of course, fits both of these categories in real life, making her a natural fit for the role of The Mother. (James’ vocal abilities also come to the forefront as The Mother delivers a raspy and highly entertaining singing promo ahead of her match against Miss Jenny).

Professional wrestling fans will be treated to some more familiar faces, as the likes of Bull James (slotted as Sam the Barbarian), Afa Anoa’i Jr. (The Surgeon/Son of Stalin), and McKenzie Mitchell (commentator Scarlett Sublime) unleash their own unique personalities in the show.

Aside from the magnificent cast, I also have to give props to Sylvana Joyce and The Moment, the band of “The Last Match,” whose exhilarating performance greatly complements the 80s-themed production. Jason Huza is credited for the musical’s book and lyrics, while Sylvana Joyce and guitarist C. Robert Smith additionally serve as composers and lyricists. 

Overall, with its gripping narrative, compelling in-ring action, and soul-stirring music, “The Last Match” engages the audience from the beginning to the end, or in this case, the first bell to the final chord. So whether you’re a wrestling enthusiast, a music aficionado, a theater kid, or simply someone looking for a night of entertainment, “The Last Match” promises to be an absolute must-see. 10/10, would (and will) see it again.

“The Last Match” will continue its tour with a few more dates in Winston-Salem, Columbia, and Atlanta.

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

WWE returns to Kansas City, Missouri tonight for WWE RAW at the T-Mobile Center. Nearly 9,000 fans will be in attendance as WWE continue the 2024 Draft and looks ahead to WWE Backlash: France on Saturday, May 4. Here’s a quick preview, followed by our detailed breakdown of what to look forward to:

Matches:

• Judgment Day (Damian Priest, JD McDonagh & Finn Balor) vs. Jey Uso, Andrade & Ricochet

Segments: 

• United States Champion Logan Paul appears
• 2024 WWE Draft continues

Six-Man Tag:  Judgment Day vs. Jey Uso, Andrade & Ricochet

Before Jey Uso and Damian Priest battle over the World Heavyweight Championship at WWE Backlash this weekend, the two will share the ring in six-man tag team competition on tonight’s episode of WWE Raw.

Last week, Andrade and Ricochet defeated JD McDonagh and Santos Escobar (who replaced an injured Dominik Mysterio) much to the dismay of Priest. Coming off that victory, Andrade and Ricochet will now team up once more as they, alongside Jey Uso, take on The Judgment Day’s JD McDonagh, Damian Priest, and Finn Balor. 

This six-man tag match also comes two weeks after Uso beat Balor in singles competition, and five days before Uso challenges Priest for the aforementioned WWE World Heavyweight Championship. 

Logan Paul Returns

Earlier today, WWE confirmed that tickets for SummerSlam – “The Biggest Party of the Summer” – will go on sale on Thursday, May 9. This premium live event, of course, will take place in the city of Cleveland, Ohio, which stands as the hometown of several WWE Superstars, including The Miz, Johnny Gargano, and United States Champion Logan Paul.

Fresh off this announcement, Logan Paul will return to WWE Raw tonight. What will he have to say?

2024 WWE Draft Continues

The landscape of WWE will continue to change as night two of the 2024 Draft officially commences later tonight. For this occasion, draft picks will span six rounds.  Each brand will make two selections each round for a total of 24 picks (12 for Raw and 12 for SmackDown). The remaining draft picks will then be revealed via social media.

Much like night one of the WWE Draft on SmackDown, tonight’s episode of WWE Raw will feature a select pool of talent (from the main roster and NXT) that are available to be drafted. 

Tonight’s draft pool is as follows:

• DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa)
• Apollo Crews 
• Braun Strowman 
• Bronson Reed 
• Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell
• Chelsea Green and Piper Niven
• CM Punk
• The Creed Brothers (Julius Creed, Brutus Creed and Ivy Nile) 
• Damage CTRL (IYO SKY, Dakota Kai and Kabuki Warriors) 
• Drew McIntyre
• Final Testament (Karrion Kross, AOP, Scarlett and Paul Ellering)
• Giovanni Vinci 
• Imperium (Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser) 
• Jade Cargill
• Judgment Day (Finn Bálor, Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh)
• Kayden Carter and Katana Chance
• Kevin Owens
• Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Angel, Berto and Elektra Lopez)
• LWO (Rey Mysterio, Carlito, Dragon Lee, Cruz Del Toro, Joaquin Wilde and Zelina Vega)
• Naomi
• Natalya
• New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate)
• New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods)
• Odyssey Jones
• Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince and Kit Wilson)
• Shinsuke Nakamura
• Tegan Nox
• The Pride (Bobby Lashley, Street Profits and B-Fab)
• Tiffany Stratton

Bill Goldberg may have wrestled his final match. Last year, WWE Hall of Famer revealed that he agreed to wrestle Roman Reigns in February 2022 and put Reigns over  under the condition that he’d receive a proper retirement match afterwards with lots of celebration and fanfare. Unfortunately, that match never took place and Goldberg says Vince McMahon broke his promise.

Following Goldberg’s departure from WWE at the end of that’s year, many fans have wondered if the former WWE Champion would consider holding his final in-ring performance outside the realm of WWE. During a recent interview with 93.7 The Ticket, Goldberg provided an update on his retirement match plans, indicating that they have since been put on the backburner.

“I’ll be perfectly honest with you. I’ve kind of put that on the back burner,” Goldberg said. “Right now, I’ve segued into dad, first and foremost, and husband and car host. I’m just having fun at my garage. So I really don’t have a lot of time right now to dedicate to prepping for a retirement match.”

Fatherly Guidance

As Goldberg noted, much of his focus has been dedicated to helping his son, Gage, make the transition from high school to college football. Earlier this year, Gage announced that he had officially committed to the University of Colorado Boulder with the aim of continuing his football and academic career. 

Goldberg had a similar experience three decades ago when he signed as a defensive tackle for the University of Georgia Bulldogs. As such, Goldberg knows his son’s upcoming transition could be rather challenging. 

“I’m trying to do everything I can in my power 24/7 to get our boy [Gage] prepped for the next phase of his life,” Goldberg said. “And in all honesty, that’s the most important thing I could ever have going. “Whether I was ready to step in the ring right now or not, I’d put it all on the back burner for this boy. It’s going to be tough, man.”

WrestleMania 40 featured appearances from several musical artists and bands, such as Lil Wayne, Coco Jones, The War and Treaty as well as metalcore band Motionless In White as they performed Rhea Ripley’s entrance theme, ‘Demon in Your Dreams'” ahead of her WWE Women’s World Championship match against Becky Lynch.

After seeing his Judgment Day stablemate played out to a live music performance on WWE’s grandest stage, Damian Priest is now envisioning one of his own.

Priest’s Dream WrestleMania Entrance

In a new interview with Metal Hammer, Priest was asked to identify the band he’d like to see introduce him at a future WrestleMania event. In response, Priest pointed toward another band in the metal music genre.

“The mighty Metallica! You know what I mean? Can you imagine Metallica playing me to the ring?” Priest said. “It’d be wild! Hey, maybe I’ve gotta talk to the boss man and be like, ‘Hey? What’s up with Metallica?’ That’d be a whole different dream scenario. I don’t even know if I’m ready for that.”

Growing up, Priest developed a strong affinity for the metal music genre, often listening to the likes of Anthrax, Slayer, In Flames, Soilwork, and the aforementioned Metallica.

Nowadays, Priest has expanded his playlist to include some bands recommended to him by Rhea Ripley, including Motionless In White and Ice Nine Kills.

Priest’s Eventful WrestleMania 40

While he may not have received a special musical entrance this year, Priest’s WrestleMania 40 weekend still turned out to be quite eventful. 

24 hours after he and Finn Balor lost the Undisputed WWE Tag Team titles in a six-pack ladder match, Priest (with the help of CM Punk) successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to claim the World Heavyweight title. This marked Priest’s first world championship in WWE and solidifies him as one the faces of WWE’s new era. 

Looking ahead, Priest will now be tasked with defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Jey Uso at WWE Backlash, which emanates from Lyons, France on May 4.

WWE returns to Columbus, Ohio tonight for WWE RAW at the Schottenstein Center. Nearly 8,000 fans will be in attendance as WWE looks ahead to the 2024 Draft later this week, as well as WWE Backlash: France on Saturday, May 4. Here’s a quick preview, followed by our detailed breakdown of what to look forward to:

Matches:

• Awesome Truth (c) vs. DIY for the World Tag Team Championships
• Battle Royal to determine the new WWE Women’s World Champion 
• Andrade & Ricochet vs. Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh

Segments:

• Gunther returns

World Tag Team Championships: Awesome Truth (c) vs. DIY

One week after trading in their WWE Raw Tag Team Championships for the newly crafted World Tag Team Championships, The Miz and R-Truth, collectively known as Awesome Truth, are now tasked with defending the titles against Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa (DIY). Gargano and Ciampa earned this title shot after defeating The New Day and Creed Brothers in a triple threat number one contenders match on last week’s episode of WWE Raw.

For The Miz and R-Truth, tonight will mark their first title defense since claiming tag team gold at WrestleMania 40. For Ciampa and Gargano, tonight marks another chance to secure their first set of tag team gold on WWE’s main roster. The duo previously held the NXT Tag Team Championships from late 2016 until early 2017.

WWE Women’s World Championship Battle Royal 

Fueled by her desire for revenge, Liv Morgan brutally attacked Rhea Ripley at the Wells Fargo Center two weeks ago. Unfortunately for Ripley, that attack proved to not only be rather brutal, but ultimately detrimental to her WWE Women’s World Championship reign.

During the opening segment of last week’s Raw, Ripley revealed the unfortunate news that she had sustained an injury from Morgan’s attack, and as a result, she was forced to vacate her title. Reports later indicated that Ripley suffered an injury to her AC joint after crashing into a wall at the Wells Fargo Center. 

With Ripley expected to be out of action for several months, WWE will now crown a new WWE Women’s World Champion tonight via a battle royal. While WWE has yet to formally announce the complete field of competitors for the battle royal, a promotional video clip for the match included the following faces:

Becky Lynch, Liv Morgan, Nia Jax, Maxxine Dupri, Chelsea Green, Natalya, Katana Chance, Kayden Carter, Indi Hartwell, Zoey Stark, Shayna Baszler, Tegan Nox, Piper Niven, Ivy Nile, and Candice LeRae.

Gunther Returns

WWE fans last saw “The Ring General” Gunther on night one of WrestleMania 40, where his history-making Intercontinental Championship reign was dramatically ended by Sami Zayn. Following his loss to Zayn, Gunther will return to WWE television, likely looking for retribution.

Meanwhile, newly-crowned Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn looks to bounce back from a stunning betrayal at the hands of Chad Gable last week.

Andrade & Ricochet vs. Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh

Last week, Andrade defeated Dominik Mysterio in singles action. Before Andrade could celebrate this victory, Mysterio and his Judgment Day stablemate JD McDonagh ambushed him. Luckily for Andrade, Ricochet rushed down to even the odds, forcing Mysterio and McDonagh to retreat. Now, the pairs will meet in tag team action on tonight’s episode of Raw.

Tiffany Stratton is one of WWE’s fastest  rising stars. Following an impressive showing in the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble, the former NXT Women’s champion joined the SmackDown brand and has earned victories over Liv Morgan, Naomi, and Zelina Vega. 

Stratton spoke with SEScoops earlier this month during the WWE Media Day in Philadelphia over WrestleMania 40 weekend about wanting to wrestle Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 41 and more. 

A Thunderous Pop In Perth

Ahead of the 2024 Elimination Chamber event, WWE held a special press event before the members of the WWE Universe, as well as the media, in Perth, Australia.

In an effort to hype the Women’s Elimination Chamber match, the likes of Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, and Tiffany Stratton were brought out onto the stage. Naturally, Belair and Lynch were greeted by their usual round of cheers, but in a surprise turn of events, a heel Tiffany Stratton was as well. She tells SEScoops correspondent MuscleManMalcolm:

“I remember being backstage at the press conference, and I remember Triple H said my name and they popped like crazy. It was like the loudest pop, and then they were chanting ‘Tiffy Time’ before I even came out there. It was just so amazing! It was such a good experience for my first PLE.”

Chants for “Tiffy Time” later extended to the Elimination Chamber event itself, as the people of Perth proudly shouted Stratton’s catchphrase not only during the Women’s Elimination Chamber match, but also during the men’s.

High School Musical Hot Take

The former WWE NXT Women’s Champion has previously credited the character of Sharpay Evans of the “High School Musical” film series as one of the inspirations behind her wrestling persona. As such, Stratton was asked to identify which of the three “High School Musical” films was her favorite.

While she thoroughly enjoys the second iteration, Stratton admits to having a particular affinity for the series’ finale, “High School Musical 3.”

“I’m going to go with two and three, but kind of leaning more to three,” Stratton said. “I just feel like the characters were more grown up and I feel like the the cameras were better quality.”

Last year, Rey Mysterio was honored as one of the inductees in the 2023 WWE Hall of Fame class, while also battling his son, Dominik Mysterio on the grand stage of WrestleMania 40. This year, Mysterio found himself facing Dominik once again only this time in tag team action.

SEScoops correspondent MuscleManMalcolm caught up with Mysterio at the WWE media day in Philadelphia ahead of WrestleMania, Mysterio revealed that his daughter recently reunited and reconciled with CM Punk after the two worked together on WWE television over a decade ago.

Rey Mysterio’s Daughter Aalyah Reunites With CM Punk

Back In 2010, Rey Mysterio was immersed in a storyline with the leader of Straight Edge Society, CM Punk. It was a memorable storyline that’s still talked about today, due to its personal nature.  On one occasion, Punk confronted Rey in the ring, daring him to fight him in front of his family. He also mockingly sang “Happy Birthday” to Rey Mysterio’s daughter, Aalyah Gutierrez.

We asked Rey Mysterio about this angle and he revealed that Aalyah and CM Punk reconnected in person earlier this year backstage at a WWE live event. Despite their rocky past, Mysterio says they “got along great” and it’s awesome that they get along now.

“Believe it or not, she went to the show in San Diego for New Year’s, January 1st, and she knew that CM Punk was there. She goes, ‘Dad, can I take a picture with Punk?’

I said, ‘Let me tell him,’ and he was very ecstatic that she wanted to take a picture with him. They took a picture together. They got along great. So it was awesome. They get along now.”

A long time has passed since 2010, but Punk never forgot about Aalyah Mysterio (or her birthday). Last summer, when Mysterio wished her a Happy Birthday on Instagram. Punk trolled them both with a special message.

CM Punk continues being a menace to the Mysterio family lmao ? pic.twitter.com/7ba67xS7PN

— Teffo (@Teffo_01) August 21, 2023

• Follow Aalyah on Tiktok (@Sourceofaalyah) and Instagram (@Aalyahgutierrez).

Grateful For Short WWE Title Reign

Rey Mysterio has held many championships throughout his storied career, including the coveted WWE Championship, which had been vacated in July 2011. He won a tournament to crown a new champion on  the 7/25/11 episode of WWE Raw. He wouldn’t have much time to celebrate, as John Cena dethroned him by the end of the night.

His reign with the industry’s top prize lasted a matter of hours, but he’s still proud to be amongst greats like Bruno Sammartino and Hulk Hogan.

“It was such a cool moment,” Mysterio said. “Moments that definitely stand out for the rest of your life. Just to be able to say I had it, whether it was like you said, for that moment being, it’s just such a cool experience. You are now attached onto the legacy books.”

Fresh off his win at NJPW Windy City Riot, newly-crowned IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jon Moxley is now slated for his first title defense as a part of New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s two-night Wrestling Dontaku event.

As revealed by NJPW, the Wrestling Dontaku event will emanate from the Fukuoka Convention Center in Fukuoka, Japan, on Friday, May 3 and Saturday, May 4, respectively. Four matches have been announced for the first night, while night two’s card also boasts four contests.

Night One Action

One day after winning the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship, Nic Nemeth challenged Hiroshi Tanahashi to face him for the title once he recovered from an ankle injury. As such, NJPW later announced that Nemeth would defend his title against Tanahashi at the Sakura Genesis event on April 6.

Unfortunately for Tanahashi, NJPW later determined his injury to be more serious than they initially thought, prompting them to postpone this IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship match. In the meantime, Nemeth pivoted his attention to NJPW Windy City Riot, where he would be tested against former NEVER Openweight Champion Tomohiro Ishii. 

After Nemeth conquered Ishii, NJPW confirmed that the title match between Nemeth and Tanahashi was back on and scheduled for night one of Wrestling Dontaku. 

The full cards are set for Wrestling Dontaku!

May 3!

Nic Nemeth vs Hiroshi Tanahashi!
Yota Tsuji vs David Finlay!
ZSJ vs Jeff Cobb!
Moxley/Umino/Desperado vs HOUSE OF TORTURE!https://t.co/uHXav195Wl#njpw #njdontaku pic.twitter.com/vTUFH3PywZ

— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) April 15, 2024

Elsewhere on the card, NJPW World Television Champion Zack Sabre Jr. will defend his title against Jeff Cobb with a 15-minute time limit. Former IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion David Finlay will also be in action as he takes on Yota Tsuji in singles competition.

Night one of Wrestling Dontaku will also see an explosive six-man tag team match, as House of Torture’s EVIL, Ren Narita, and Yoshinobu Kanemaru battle Shota Umino, El Desperado, and Jon Moxley.

Night Two

Following his tag team outing on night one, Jon Moxley will defend his newly won IWGP World Heavyweight Championship against Ren Narita in the main event of Wrestling Dontaku night two. 

Moxley initially offered his protege Shota Umino the opportunity to be his first challenger. However, before Umino could respond, Narita attacked Moxley with his reinforced pushup bar, proclaiming his interest in challenging for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship.

ICYMI

Jon Moxley will defend the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship in Fukuoka May 4 against Ren Narita!

Gabe Kidd takes NEVER aim at Shingo Takagi and much more!https://t.co/uHXav195Wl#njpw #njdontaku pic.twitter.com/eiF5kQtXN4

— NJPW Global (@njpwglobal) April 15, 2024

Two other titles will be on the line on night two, the first being NEVER Openweight Championship. In this title match, Shingo Takagi will be defending against Gabe Kidd. Meanwhile, IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Bishamon (Hirooki Goto and YOSHI-HASHI) will put their titles on the line against KENTA and Chase Owens. 

In non-title competition, Taichi and SANADA will be pitted against a pair of night one opponents — Nic Nemeth and Hiroshi Tanahashi.

WWE returns to Montreal, Quebec, Canada tonight for WWE RAW at the Bell Centre. Nearly 12,000 fans will be on hand to see the next chapter in this new era as we look ahead to WWE Backlash: France on Saturday, May 4. Here’s a quick preview, followed by our detailed breakdown of what to look forward to:

Matches

• Jey Uso vs. Finn Balor
• Chad Gable vs. Sami Zayn (c) for the Intercontinental Championship
• Andrade vs. Dominik Mysterio
• Ivy Nile & Maxxine Dupri vs. Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell
• Katana Chance & Kayden Carter vs. Chelsea Green & Piper Niven

Segments:

• WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley addresses Liv Morgan attacking her last week
• Sheamus returns for the first time since last summer
• Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes will appear

Jey Uso vs. Finn Balor

Last week, Jey Uso secured himself a future title shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, which is currently held by Damian Priest. Before he vies for the title, though, Uso will test himself against Priest’s Judgment Day stablemate Finn Balor on tonight’s episode of WWE RAW. While Uso and Balor have frequently shared the ring in tag team competition, this will mark their first-ever televised singles match

WWE Intercontinental Championship: Sami Zayn vs. Chad Gable

Ahead of WrestleMania 40, Chad Gable provided Sami Zayn with advice on how to beat “The Ring General” GUNTHER, with the expectation that Zayn would later repay Gable in some fashion. Zayn’s implementation of Gable’s advice later resulted in a triumphant victory at WrestleMania 40, as he unseated GUNTHER to become the new WWE Intercontinental Champion. Following his win, Zayn has now extended an invitation for Gable to vie for the Intercontinental Championship on “WWE Raw.”

For Zayn, tonight’s title match will not only mark the first defense in his current reign, but also a homecoming, as he grew up in the Quebec province. For Gable, tonight serves as an opportunity to capture his first singles championship in WWE.

Sheamus Returns

The WWE Universe last saw Sheamus on the August 18 episode of SmackDown as he battled WWE Hall of Famer Edge in what would be their first, and last, singles match. After an 8-month hiatus, “The Celtic Warrior” will now return to WWE, greeted by a new landscape and a new era.

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes Appears

After meeting face-to-face with Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson on last week’s episode of RAW, newly-crowned Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes is slated to appear in a promo segment of sorts tonight. While the topic of this segment has yet to be revealed, it is worth noting that Rhodes is one step closer to finding out the identity of his first challenger. 

Katana Chance & Kayden Carter vs. Chelsea Green & Piper Niven

Following a loss to Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair on WWE SmackDown, Chelsea Green and Piper Niven have an opportunity to regain their momentum as they take on Kayden Carter and Katana Chance later tonight. These pairs last met on the January 8 episode of Raw – a month after Chance and Carter defeated Green and Piper to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships.

Andrade vs. Dominik Mysterio

At WrestleMania 40, Andrade and Rey Mysterio defeated Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio with the help of the NFL’s Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson. Later tonight, Dominik Mysterio will have the opportunity to avenge his loss when he battles Andrade in singles action.

Dominik previously attempted to recruit Andrade to The Judgment Day. Ultimately, those efforts were done in vain, as Andrade opted to align himself with the Latino World Order instead. 

Ivy Nile & Maxxine Dupri vs. Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell

For the last month, Candice LeRae has directed several ill-mannered remarks toward Alpha Academy’s Maxxine Dupri. Naturally, this led Dupri’s ally Ivy Nile to stand up in her defense. On tonight’s episode of WWE RAW, this feud will seemingly culminate as Dupri and Nile square off against LeRae and Indi Hartwell in tag team action.

This tag team contest will mark the third in-ring encounter for these competitors, with each team heading into tonight with one previous victory. Who will win the rubber match?

Rhea Ripley Addresses Liv Morgan’s Attack

Fueled by the feeling of revenge, Liv Morgan brutally attacked WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley with a chair last week. On tonight’s episode of RAW, Ripley will respond. What will the champion have to say?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqeBpxEWRxU

After being sidelined with a back injury for over a year, Thunder Rosa was intent on reclaiming the title she previously vacated. On April 21, Rosa will have the opportunity to do just that as she challenges Toni Storm for the AEW Women’s World Championship at the 2024 Dynasty pay-per-view. 

Before Rosa vies for the title again, though, Toni Storm has issued a candid statement regarding her return as well as their previous history. 

“Right now, the thorn in my side is a woman by the name of Thunder Rosa. She has beaten me twice. I am yet to beat her. She is my arch nemesis,” Storm told Going Ringside. “I do not take to her too kindly. She is a swear word in my household. You don’t talk about her in my mansion, but at Dynasty on April 21st, we have a big pay-per-view.  It’s in Saint Louis. That’s going to be the night where I finally beat that dirty rotten Thunder Rosa.”

Storm vs. Rosa History

As Storm alluded to, Rosa enters this Dynasty title match with two prior victories over her, the first of which took place at the 2022 AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view. On this occasion, Rosa successfully defended the AEW Women’s Championship.

Two months later, Rosa would vacate the title due to a lingering back injury. According to Storm, though, Rosa’s decision to give up the title stems from her inability to live up to the pressures of being the champion.

“She was injured. She had to leave. She had to leave because she couldn’t handle the pressure of being a champion. She had a back injury because she was not strong enough to carry this mountain of gold right here. Then I came in and became champion. I’ve been champion three times [now].”

With WrestleMania 40 now in the rearview mirror, the fallout is soon to follow, beginning with tonight’s episode of WWE Raw, which emanates from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Although no matches or segments have been confirmed for Raw, several WWE talents are advertised to appear, including:

• Newly-minted Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Cody Rhodes
• New Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn
• WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley
• Seth “Freakin” Rollins
• “Main Event” Jey Uso
• “The Man” Becky Lynch
• Ricochet

Interestingly, WWE SmackDown star Kevin Owens is also slated for the show, per WWE’s official website.

WrestleMania 40 Fallout

Despite the uncertainty surrounding the specific contents of the Raw after WrestleMania, fans can likely expect a new era, or at least a new story, to begin tonight.

Coming out of WrestleMania, seven new champions were crowned, four of which have major implications for the red brand. The biggest title change, of course, occurred in the main event of night two, as Cody Rhodes unseated the long-reigning “Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns. With Rhodes’ victory, Reign’s historic title run officially ends at 1,316 days. For Rhodes, his victory marks the official finish to his story, as he is now the first member of the Rhodes family to claim the WWE Championship. As that story closes, though, another one will shortly start, which begs the question — what is next for Cody Rhodes?

Roman Reigns wasn’t the only WWE Superstar to have a historic reign ended at WrestleMania. After a grueling battle on night one, Sami Zayn now holds the honor of snapping the longest Intercontinental Championship reign in WWE history – a reign that was set by “The Ring General” Gunther. How will Gunther respond to his shocking loss? That question may soon be answered.

The WWE World Heavyweight Championship also changed hands, not once, but twice, at WrestleMania. In the opening match of night two, Drew McIntyre defeated Seth Rollins to claim his third world title in WWE. Unfortunately for McIntyre, his celebration was soured by a series of kicks from CM Punk and a successful Money in the Bank cash-in from Damian Priest.

Heading into WrestleMania, the WWE Raw and SmackDown Tag Team Championships were held in unison by The Judgment Day’s Damian Priest and Finn Balor. Coming out of a six-pack ladder match, though, both sets of titles now have their own homes. While Grayson Waller and Austin Theory claimed the SmackDown Tag Team Championships, R-Truth and The Miz are now the proud owners of the Raw Tag Team Championships. How will the separation of the tag titles impact WWE’s tag team division?

The stars were out this weekend as WWE presented its 40th annual WrestleMania premium live event from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

In addition to the WWE Superstars, WrestleMania 40 also featured a stacked lineup of celebrity guests, some of whom held notable roles in the grand showcase.

Grammy-award-winning recording artist Coco Jones kicked off night one of the WrestleMania 40 festivities with a beautiful rendition of the United States National Anthem. Jones wasn’t the only musical act to appear this weekend, though, as the likes of Lil Wayne, Motionless In White, and The War and Treaty treated the audience to live performances as well.

While Motionless In White offered up live vocals for Rhea Ripley’s “Demon In Your Dreams” entrance song, rapper Lil-Wayne sang his popular single “A Milli” before accompanying Jey Uso to the ring for his match against twin brother, Jimmy Uso. Similar to Coco Jones, Grammy-nominated group The War and Treaty performed “God Bless America” ahead of WrestleMania night two. 

WrestleMania 40 spectators were also surprised with the appearance of rapper and WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg, who assumed double duty on night two. After providing special guest commentary in the six-man Philadelphia Street Fight, Snoop later announced the attendance numbers for night two while surrounded by the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders and mascot. 

The recently retired Jason Kelce also emerged on the WrestleMania 40 stage, as he and former Eagles teammate Lane Johnson, helped Rey Mysterio and Andrade prevail over Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio on night one.

YouTuber IShowSpeed found himself in a precarious position as he came face-to-face with “The Viper” Randy Orton during the United States Championship match. While he concealed himself in a blue PRIME bottle costume for most of the match, Speed later revealed his identity, only to be greeted by an unamused Orton. Speed’s WrestleMania outing would ultimately end in him taking an RKO from Orton onto the commentary desk.

Other celebrities in attendance include Jake Paul, George Kittle, Meek Mill, Lil Baby, Wale, 2 Chainz, Druski, Lilly Singh, Vanessa Hudgens, Winnie Harlow, Wallo, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Gabriel Iglesias, Michael Rubin, Mark Kerr and Drew Barrymore, who was seen getting ready for the event with former WWE Champion The Miz.

https://www.instagram.com/p/reel:C5cHMPdvylg

Cody Rhodes officially finished his story at WrestleMania 40, but an important question remains – what’s next?

Following Rhodes’ victory over Roman Reigns in the night two main event of WrestleMania 40, WWE Superstars Charlotte Flair and CM Punk shared their thoughts (via ESPN) on what may lay ahead for the brand new Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. According to Flair, Rhodes’ win over Reigns could simply be a marker for the start of his story. 

“I really think his story is just beginning,” Flair said. “He’s exactly where he should be, but the biggest takeaway is Cody was here. He went away, he came back. Kind of like Paul Heyman’s speech at the Hall of Fame, people kept telling him ‘No, No, No’ or things kept failing and that never wavered either person’s confidence. Cody is a testament to knowing your worth and I think that’s what we need to take away from tonight is he believed in himself and he knew that he deserved more. That’s why he walked out WrestleMania 40 as champion.”

CM Punk Issues A Stark Reminder

With his WrestleMania win, Cody Rhodes becomes the first member of the Rhodes family to win the WWE Championship. This also marks the first world championship reign of Cody’s individual career. 

While there is a natural excitement surrounding Cody’s triumph, five-time world champion CM Punk has issued a stark reminder that just because one has reached the proverbial mountaintop, doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll stay there for long.

 “Now listen, a black belt is a white belt that didn’t quit. He just earned his black belt. and unlike his finishing maneuver. we are no longer at a crossroads. I think the path is clear, possibly the Cody Rhodes era,” Punk said. “But I will warn him it is much harder to stay on top than it is to get there and we all saw how hard it was for him to get there. There’s a lot of people gunning for him.” 

As one story ends, another typically begins. With that in mind, it seems as though Cody Rhodes has now teased the possibility of introducing a new title design as well.

As WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Paul “Triple H” Levesque is tasked with completing an abundance of responsibilities. Given this increased workload, though, Levesque has admittedly taken a bit of a backseat in WWE’s recruiting department. often leaning on others, such as William Regal, to primarily scout potential future WWE Superstars. Nevertheless, Levesque asserts that he is still keeping tabs on a number of prospective talents. 

WWE Recruiting

During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Levesque addressed the process of recruiting potential WWE stars. While he may listen to the recommendations and feedback of the company’s scouts, Levesque prefers to formulate his opinion by seeing a talent’s work with his own eyes. Levesque also pointed out that a talent succeeding in one promotion doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they will flourish in WWE.

“I get reports on everybody,” Levesque said. “I know who is out there, I know how good they are, I know what their potential is. I see what’s out there. I don’t subscribe to the ‘Oh, this guy says they are good, that guy says they are good.’ I have to see it and feel it. It’s just keeping track of who is out there, how good they are, and what you think they can do.”

Success In WWE Is Not Guaranteed

Levesque also pointed out that a talent succeeding in one promotion doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they will flourish in WWE.

“Because they succeed someplace else, doesn’t mean they’ll succeed at the big time. How many players go from college football at a high level and fail in the NFL? It’s massive. It’s a different game, it’s a different world. If they are not here to be all in on this — like when I see people coming out of trying to make it, and then they pick a job where they go, ‘Well.’ They work less, the schedule is lighter. Alright, then I’m glad I didn’t get you. If you’re not in it for the grind, at that point early in your career, you have no business being here.” 

LA Knight and AJ Styles’ rivalry will come to a head this weekend at WrestleMania 40. Before he and Styles clash on the ‘Grandest Stage of Them All’ this weekend, Knight spoke with Jim Varsallone and gave an overview of what fans can expect from the match.

Knight was uncharacteristically tempered when setting expectations for the match. When asked if he and Styles would steal the show, the former Million Dollar Champion said all the pieces are in place for them to make history.

“Man, look, I don’t want to throw those kind of predictions out there, you never know,” Knight said  “I don’t want to promise anything like that, but AJ’s a stud, I’m a stud. There’s a lot of tension going into this match, there’s a lot of animosity.

There’s a lot of energy going into this match. So for damn sure, it could be, as the kids say, a banger. Will it be a show-stealer? I don’t know. Maybe. We’ll let history decide that one, but you can bet your ass it’s gonna be a good one.”

LA Knight and AJ Styles’ WrestleMania Feud

Tensions between the two began to brew ahead of the 2024 Royal Rumble, when Styles unleashed a surprising attack on the brash Superstar. The following week, Styles claimed that Knight “stepped over [his] dead body” to secure a tag team match alongside John Cena at WWE Fastlane. 

Fueled by his desire for revenge, Styles later ambushed Knight with a steel chair in the 2024 Men’s Elimination Chamber match, subsequently causing him to be eliminated.

With his shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship dashed, “The Megastar” fixed his attention solely on AJ Styles. After several more weeks of fighting, WWE then confirmed that the Knight-Styles feud will now culminate at WrestleMania 40.

The final episode of WWE Raw before WrestleMania 40 will emanate from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Here are the 3 matches (and 1 segment) announced for Raw, followed by our detailed preview of each one:

• The Rock & Roman Reigns To Appear 

• DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa) & New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston) vs. The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio, Damian Priest, & JD McDonagh)

• Ivy Nile & Maxxine Dupri vs. Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell

• Sami Zayn vs. Bronson Reed

Here’s what you need to know heading into this week’s WWE Raw:

Roman Reigns & The Rock Return

Five days before they battle Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins on night one of WrestleMania 40, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will be present on tonight’s episode of WWE Raw. 

For Johnson, this will mark his second consecutive appearance on the red brand. Last week, Johnson ended the show by delivering a brutal (and bloody) beatdown to Rhodes in the venue’s parking lot. For Reigns, tonight will mark his first Raw appearance of 2024, as his work is primarily typically dedicated to the SmackDown brand.

Sami Zayn vs. Bronson Reed (Round 2)

After punching his ticket to WrestleMania 40 with a grueling gauntlet match victory, Sami Zayn was tasked with facing one of the men he previously emerged victorious against, Bronson Reed. 

Unfortunately for Zayn, his wave of momentum was interrupted by a giant Tsunami, resulting in Reed scoring the win on last week’s episode of Raw. With WrestleMania 40 now just a few days away, Zayn has the opportunity to avenge his recent loss as the two square off in a rematch tonight.

DIY & New Day vs. The Judgment Day

A few weeks ago, WWE Raw General Manager Adam Pearce and WWE SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis announced that Judgment Day’s Damian Priest and Finn Balor would be defending their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships in a six-pack ladder match at WrestleMania 40. As such, several qualifying matchups were made to determine the five challengers for this title match. Two of those challenging spots were claimed by DIY (Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano) and The New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston). 

Before DIY and New Day collide on the grand stage of WrestleMania, they will join forces on tonight’s episode of WWE RAW. Together, DIY and New Day will take on Priest and Balor, in addition to their fellow Judgment Day stablemates Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh, in eight-man tag team competition. 

Which team will gain some #WrestleMania momentum tomorrow night on #WWERaw when The Judgment Day faces #DIY and The New Day? pic.twitter.com/81ngV9GrKx

— WWE (@WWE) March 31, 2024

Ivy Nile & Maxxine Dupri vs. Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell

For nearly a month, Candice LeRae has displayed a much more aggressive attitude – an attitude that has been primarily pointed at Maxxine Dupri. Last week, Ivy Nile fought LeRae in Dupri’s honor, but much like previous weeks, LeRae was drawn to using underhanded tactics to secure the victory.

Tonight, Nile and Dupri look to score some retribution as they face LeRae and Indi Hartwell in a tag team match.

As the anticipation builds for the official release of Becky Lynch memoir, ‘The Man’ looks back on her bold choice to include a risqué photograph of herself and husband, Seth Rollins, in its pages.

Two weeks ago, Lynch and Rollins created quite the buzz when an image surfaced of two clad in nothing but championship gold. The photo in question was snapped by Lynch shortly after WrestleMania 35 — a period of time in which Rollins was equipped with the WWE Championship, while Lynch simultaneously held the WWE Raw and SmackDown Women’s Championships. To the surprise of many fans, and Rollins himself, this NSFW photograph was revealed as a part of Lynch’s new book.

‘It’s Just Funny’

During a recent interview with Clutch Points, Lynch shared a good laugh about the photo, noting that it was bound to spring up at some point.

“It’s just funny. It had to get out in the world at some point — it’s just too silly and fun not to,” Lynch said. “It was one of those things that [happened because Seth] and I are at the worst at taking photos. We just never take photos together. And so that was the day before I was going to lose one of those titles and I was like, ‘We gotta get this done otherwise I’m not going to have it.‘”

“We’d just gotten back from Europe on a two-week tour. We were both exhausted and it was just like, ‘Alright, let’s go. It was just so funny and silly.'”

“Becky Lynch: The Man: Not Your Average Girl” will officially hit bookshelves on March 26. Fans also purchase a copy through major retailers, such as Amazon, online.

Last year, WWE announced their plans to film a new docuseries following the journey of several men and women as they look to become WWE Superstars. As per the original press release, this docuseries is set to air eight episodes, highlighting both the challenges and triumphs as WWE narrows down the pool of hopefuls from thousands to a select few.

WWE: Next Gen

Earlier today, WWE confirmed that the series, titled “WWE: Next Gen,” will stream for free on the Roku Channel beginning next Monday, April 1. 

Per the series’ official trailer, Matt Bloom, Big E, and WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels will act as the coaches throughout the grueling recruitment and training process. “WWE: Next Gen” will also feature special appearances from Bianca Belair, “The Nature Boy” Ric Flair, and WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque. 

Executive producers for the project include the likes of Arthur Smith, Frank Sinton, Ian Mallahan, Dan Baime,  and 16-time world champion John Cena, who can also be seen giving a pep talk to several of the WWE hopefuls in the trailer.

It's time for the next generation of Superstars to step into the spotlight.#WWENextGen streams free on @TheRokuChannel on April 1. pic.twitter.com/HDTTuPhsos

— WWE (@WWE) March 25, 2024

Cena’s Excitement

After filming for “WWE: Next Gen” went underway last year, John Cena stated that he was particularly excited to be a part of this exclusive series.

“Millions around the world watch and dream of it, but only a handful of extraordinary individuals can become a WWE Superstar. I am so excited to bring ‘[WWE: Next Gen]’ to The Roku Channel and look forward to giving viewers an exclusive all-access perspective on how the WWE turns the dreams of talented young people into a reality,” Cena previously told The Hollywood Reporter.

As the Road to WrestleMania inches closer to the finish line, WWE makes a stop at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois.

Here are the 5 matches (and 1 segment) announced for Raw, followed by our detailed preview of each one:

• CM Punk Returns
• Andrade vs. Ivar
• Ricochet vs. JD McDonagh
• Ivy Nile vs. Candice LeRae
• Sami Zayn vs. Bronson Reed
• Jey Uso vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Here’s what you need to know heading into this week’s WWE Raw:

CM Punk Returns

While he may not be able to compete at WrestleMania 40, CM Punk will make a special appearance on the penultimate WWE Raw on the Road To WrestleMania. Tonight will mark Punk’s first appearance on the red brand since he revealed that he sustained a torn triceps during the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match.

Tonight will also serve as Punk’s official return to the city of Chicago, which, aside from being his hometown, holds an added significance given that his surprise return to WWE emanated from this very same venue. 

What will “The Voice of the Voiceless” have to say?

Andrade vs. Ivar

At the 2024 Royal Rumble, Andre made his official return to WWE. As he continues to reacclimate himself with the WWE Raw roster, Andrade has been approached by Dominik Mysterio with the idea of potentially joining The Judgment Day stable.

Earning an entryway into this stable is no easy task, though. As such, Andrade will attempt to gain favor with the Judgment Day as he takes on Ivar on tonight’s episode of Raw.

Ricochet vs. JD McDonagh

On last week’s episode of WWE Raw, Ricochet earned a hard-fought victory against The Judgment Day’s Dominik Mysterio. After the match, Mysterio’s Judgment Day stablemate JD McDonagh attempted to blindside Ricochet with an attack from behind. Unfortunately for McDonagh, Ricochet’s flexes kicked in relatively quickly, allowing him to duck under McDonagh, and eventually, escape him altogether. Now, the two will meet one-on-one inside the ring.

Who ya got when @KingRicochet takes on @jd_mcdonagh tomorrow night on #WWERaw? pic.twitter.com/MJ9heGW2RH

— WWE (@WWE) March 24, 2024

Ivy Nile vs. Candice LeRae

After Candice LeRae launched several unkind remarks toward Maxxine Dupri, Indi Hartwell implored her tag team partner to issue an apology to Dupri. While it seemed like LeRae was headed down the course of making amends, she, instead, double-downed on her previous statements, telling Dupri she was “rotten” at wrestling. 

Infuriated by LeRae’s comments, Ivy Nile seized the opportunity to stand up for Dupri, and challenged her to pick on her instead. As such, LeRae and Nile will now settle their differences in the ring. 

Sami Zayn vs. Bronson Reed

Sami Zayn has earned the right to challenge Gunther for Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 40. Before he steps onto WWE’s grandest stage, though, he must overcome a giant obstacle, literally.  

Two weeks after eliminating “Big” Bronson Reed in a grueling gauntlet match, Sami Zayn is slated to face him again on this week’s episode of WWE Raw. Will Zayn’s wave of momentum continues its course, or will Bronson Reed come crashing through with a thunderous Tsunami?

Jey Uso vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

In less than two weeks, Jey Uso will face off with his own brother, Jimmy Uso, on “The Grandest Stage of Them All.” Tonight, though, he is tasked with taking on the unpredictable Shinsuke Nakamura in what will be their first singles match since January 2021.

While Roman Reigns has reached the proverbial mountain top of WWE, he has no intentions of slowing down anytime soon.

As it stands, Reigns currently sits atop WWE as the longest-reigning WWE Champion of the modern era, and the fourth longest of all time. Given the length of his reign, in combination with his towering status in WWE, Reigns was recently asked how he maintains his focus and passion for his in-ring craft.

Savoring The Moments, Unlike Someone Else

 In response, Reigns seized the opportunity to take a pointed shot at another man who once reached a similar level — former WWE Champion CM Punk. Punk, of course, lodged several complaints about the company during and after his reigns as WWE Champion.

“I’m living my dream, man,” Reigns said on the The Pat McAfee Show. “This is what I wanted my whole life, so I’m not one of them people that, once I got there, it just wasn’t what I expected. I’m not like CM Punk, where I got to the top of the mountain, it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s not what I expect, so I’m gonna bitch about it.’ No, once you reach your goals, enjoy the dream. This is what you’ve been working for, and that’s exactly what I’m doing. So for me, I don’t want this to ever end.” 

Roman Reigns takes aim at CM Punk,

(Pat McAfee Show) pic.twitter.com/PZiR4KPaa3

— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) March 22, 2024

Leveling Up

Though Reigns tends to keep his personal life out of the spotlight, he asserts that much of his time is spent on self-reflection and self-improvement as he looks to elevate himself even higher.

“I’m constantly working, I’m always prepping,” Reigns said. “I’m just obsessed with continuing to progress. I know there’s another level. I know there’s some more that I can do, so I don’t like to get satisfied or comfortable with the current level that I’m on.”

At this moment in time, CM Punk finds himself on the sidelines, as he sustained a torn triceps in the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match. Despite his injury, though, Punk plans on participating in the upcoming WrestleMania 40 festivities, whether he is invited or not.

WWE Superstar Valhalla (Sarah Rowe) can now officially add the title of ‘published author’ to her impressive resume. Her new children’s book, From the Farm to Our Table, officially hits the bookshelves on April 2. This story, which focuses on basic sustainable living practices, follows a pair of twin siblings as they gather ingredients across their family farm to make a shepherd’s pie.

SEScoops correspondent Ella Jay recently sat down with Rowe to discuss what inspired her to write a children’s book and what that process was like. 

The Vision

As it turns out, Rowe’s own son, Raymond Cash, was one of the story’s major motivators.

“Cash, my son, was the inspiration behind this, shockingly,” Rowe said. “I was really trying to find a book that was a children’s book that was written in a way he could understand of how we farm, our regenerative practices, us growing our own food and why we grow our own food, and that we cook and we eat with this food. And because I couldn’t find it, I just wrote one myself”

“I worked with Gnome Road Publishing, and really helped me bring this to life. The illustrator, Amanda Marrow, I couldn’t have asked for a cuter illustration of what I had in my brain. It all came across so well. It’s been like two years in the making of this book and getting it out. It’s crazy that the finish line is here.”

Sarah, alongside her son and husband Raymond Rowe Sr (WWE’s Erik), currently lives on a small farm in Ohio surrounded by chickens, cows, and their dog.

Writing Aspirations

Beyond the release of “From the Farm to Our Table,” Sarah Rowe is aiming to have her name published in even more literary works in the future. Currently, Rowe is in the beginning stages of writing a fantasy piece.

“Just how I became a wrestler because I’m a huge fan, I’m a huge fan of books, and I love reading so much,” Rowe said. “I’m like, ‘I would love to put my spin on this.’ So this is kind of my gateway into the world of being an author. I would like to this not be the only thing that I publish. I would like to continue to do the things. I was just going to write like a short story and it’s turned into this whole vast world that I’m kind of overwhelmed with. But yeah, I’m hoping that this is not the last book that I publish.”

As she continues to journal every day, Rowe noted that she also tries to simutelaously devour a fiction and nonfiction book. From a reading standpoint, Rowe particularly enjoys the works of C.S. Lewis, who many fans may recognize for his popular Chronicles of Narnia series.

From the Farm to Our Table is now available for pre-order and will be released at major retailers on April 2.

Following her return at the 2024 Royal Rumble, Liv Morgan indicated that her sights were firmly set on WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley, who previously took her out of action (in kayfabe) last July. Along the Road to WrestleMania, Morgan’s attention claimed two additional targets — Becky Lynch and Nia Jax, both of whom have also been circling Rhea Ripley.

In a recent interview with SEScoops correspondent Ella Jay, Valhalla (fka Sarah Logan) shared her thoughts on the current storyline surrounding her former stablemate, Liv Morgan. 

Squirrely and Determined

While Jax, Lynch, and Ripley may carry bigger presences in WWE, Valhalla believes Morgan is more than deserving of being in the same spotlight as them.

“Liv is a badass,” Valhalla said. “I don’t know if anyone’s caught it, but she’s legit knocked a couple girls out with an open-hand slap. In one of the [Elimination] Chambers, she knocked Sonya Deville out just slapping her in the face. So she is not someone you’d want to fight, in my opinion.

She’s squirrelly and she is determined. This girl has been on a tear and she has transcended the Riott Squad in a way that I don’t think anyone knew she had in her. It’s nice, as one of her best friends and someone who loves her so much, to see her in the same conversation as Rhea Ripley, Nia Jax, and Becky Lynch.”

“I love seeing her in that conversation. I love seeing her in those spots because she’s good enough, she looks good enough, she’s violent enough. There’s a reason that so many people love her, and there’s a reason that she has the following she does. It’s because she’s the real deal. I don’t even know where this storyline is going, and I’m excited to see where it does go.”

Potential WrestleMania Shakeup

As of this writing, Becky Lynch is slated to challenge Rhea Ripley in a one-on-one match for the WWE Women’s World Championship at WrestleMania 40. Given Morgan’s recent involvement with both of them, though, Valhalla thinks there is a possibility for this WrestleMania title match to be upgraded.

“It’s looking like [Becky and Rhea] are going to wrestle at WrestleMania, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Liv was in that mix too,” Valhalla said. “To be completely honest, no one knows what’s happening backstage. None of the wrestlers know. So as someone who’s a fan of Liv Morgan, I would love to see like her, Becky, and Rhea in a triple-threat match. Or maybe Becky’s walking to the ring and Liv hurts her so much that she gets the match. Something like that I think [would be really cool].”

This year’s two-night WrestleMania event will emanate from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Last week, Josh Barnett revealed that, in a rare GCW-WWE crossover, Shayna Baszler will be in action at the upcoming Bloodsport X showcase on April 4. Per usual, this event will once again take place in the midst of the WrestleMania 40 festivities, specifically as a part of the GCW Collective.

Coming off this major announcement, several GCW talents raised interest in facing Baszler. Ultimately, only one would be offered this opportunity. And after delivering a compelling pitch, we now know that the lucky talent is none other than “The Russian Dynamite” Masha Slamovich.

‘The Russian Dynamite’ Prepares To Meet ‘The Queen of Spades’

Upon confirming Slamovich as Baszler’s Bloodsport opponent, Josh Barnett also released footage of Slamovich’s impassioned message to her on X.

While Baszler may be in a different company right now, Slamovich asserted that they both have been seeking out the same thing — fresh competition (or prey, rather). As such, Slamovich believes it only fitting that they fulfill their hunger in a one-on-one matchup at Bloodsport. 

“I know that you are the Disciple of the Warmaster, that you are the Queen of Spades, but guess what? You have never seen a competitor so hungry,”  Slamovich said to Baszler. “You’ve never ever been in the ring with somebody like the Russian Dynamite, somebody who’s clawed their way through Bloodsport, someone who’s clawed their way to the very heights of GCW, to the very height of the indies, holding gold around the world.”

“So while these days count down to Bloodsport, I hope you’re training. I hope you’re ready, because I’m hungry and there’s nothing, there’s no body who can stop me, not even you.”

In addition to Baszler, Bloodsport X will also mark the GCW of Nic Nemeth (formerly Dolph Ziggler), who is slated to take on “Speedball” Mike Bailey in a first-time matchup. Josh Barnett will be in action as well as he battles Johnny Bloodsport (John Morrison).

Although his repertoire has evolved throughout the years, Randy Orton has kept certain moves as permanent staples of his offense. His RKO finishing maneuver is the most famous, but his Elevated DDT is rightfully hailed as “Vintage Orton!

To execute this move, opponents are typically placed in between the middle and top ropes of the wrestling ring. While the opponent’s feet are positioned on the middle rope, Orton keeps their head secure with a front facelock. In one swift motion, adversaries are then driven face-first into the mat as Orton purposely falls backwards.

RVD Takes Credit

During a recent interview with Sportskeeda’s WrestleBinge, WWE Hall of Famer RVD revealed that he is the man who inspired Orton’s now signature move.

“I was wrestling Randy one time, and I was trying to get in [the ring]. He kicked the rope when I was coming in, and he pulled me out over the second rope and he grabbed me and boom, he gave me the DDT,” RVD said.

“Who do you think gave him that move? Right here, dude. That happened one time, now it happens every time. I’m so OG, I either gave everybody their finish, or I did their finish way before they did.”

Orton and RVD wrestled each other on several occasions in WWE, many of which were contested for the Intercontinental and World Tag Team Championships. Orton and RVD’s most recent encounter took place in August 2014, when their WWE SmackDown match ended in a no contest. RVD’s final WWE match occurred one week later in a losing effort to Seth Rollins.

The Road to WrestleMania continues forth as WWE makes a stop at the PNC Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina for tonight’s episode of WWE Raw.

Here are the 4 matches (and 1 segment) announced for Raw, followed by our detailed preview of each one:

• Last Woman Standing: Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax
• WrestleMania 40 Tag Team Qualifying Match: The Miz & R-Truth vs. Indus Sher (Veer Mahaan & Sanga)
• WrestleMania 40 Tag Team Qualifying Match: The Creed Brothers (Julius & Brutus Creed) vs. DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa)
• WrestleMania 40 Tag Team Qualifying Match: Alpha Academy (Otis & Akira Tozawa) vs The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) 
• Gunther and Sami Zayn contract signing

Here’s what you need to know heading into this week’s WWE Raw:

Last Woman Standing Match: Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax

While Becky Lynch has seemingly forged a truce with Liv Morgan, the same cannot be said in regards to Nia Jax. 

Following her victory over Morgan last week, Lynch extended her hand to Morgan backstage, signaling a peace offering, Unfortunately, as the two then shook hands, they were ambushed by Nia Jax. After throwing Morgan into one of the nearby chests, Jax sent Lynch crashing through a table. 

Later in the evening, Lynch challenged Jax to face her in a Last Woman Standing match on this week’s episode of Raw. For Lynch, this will mark her second encounter with the stipulation, as she previously outlasted Charlotte Flair at WWE’s 2018 Evolution event. For Nia Jax, tonight will be her first time competing in a Last Woman Standing match. 

WrestleMania 40 Tag Team Qualifying Matches 

Last week, WWE Raw General Manager Adam Pearce and WWE SmackDown General Managers Nick Aldis announced that Damian Priest and Finn Balor would be defending their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships in a six-pack tag team ladder match at WrestleMania 40. Given the raised stakes, WWE has organized a series of qualifying matches to determine which five teams will be challenging them for the titles at WrestleMania. 

Tonight, six teams from the red brand will vie for the first three spots in the WrestleMania ladder match. The respective qualifying matches are as follows: 

The Miz & R-Truth vs. Indus Sher (Veer Mahaan & Sanga):

While the last decade has seen them on opposite sides of the ring, veteran R-Truth and The Miz have since reunited, namely in an effort to counteract attacks from The Judgment Day. Tonight, though, they have an opportunity to put themselves in line for a tag team title shot, as they take on Veer Mahaan & Sanga of Indus Sher.

The Creed Brothers (Julius & Brutus Creed) vs. DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa):

Paired with their mesmerizing athleticism and stately displays of strength, Brutus and Julius Creed have made quite an impression since moving up to WWE’s main roster last October. With a high-stakes WrestleMania 40 spot on the line, the Creed Brothers now look ahead to veterans Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa, whom they will face on tonight’s episode of Raw. These teams faced off once before, as the Creed Brothers defeated DIY in November 2023.

Alpha Academy (Otis & Akira Tozawa) vs The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods):

You can’t have a tag team qualifier without one of the most decorated WWE Tag Team Champions of all-time. As such, it is only fitting that the New Day’s Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston also have an opportunity to secure their positions on the WrestleMania 40 card. For this occasion, they will be squaring up with Alpha Academy’s Otis & Akira Tozawa.

IC Title Contract Signing

Following a hardy performance (and victory) a number one contenders gauntlet match, Sami Zayn will come face-to-face with the man he is now slated to battle on The Grandest Stage of Them All — Intercontinental Champion Gunther. 

With his win last week, Zayn has earned the right to challenge Gunther for his title at WrestleMania. Before they can lock up there though, the two must make this match official with a contract signing.