Tiffany Stratton may be impressing the WWE Universe on the main roster, but TNA’s Ash By Elegance has had some choice words for the ex-NXT Women’s Champion. 

Stratton was called up to the main roster earlier this year, with the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match marking her debut. The 29th entrant in the match, Stratton was one of the last four women in the match that was ultimately won by Bayley. The following month, she impressed in the Women’s Elimination Chamber match won by Becky Lynch. 

A Knock-Off Barbie? 

Since her release from WWE, Ash By Elegance (fka Dana Brooke) has been making waves in TNA Wrestling. During a recent episode of TNA Impact, the elegant wrestler won with a Swanton Bomb that caught the attention of WWE’s Natalya. 

Your Swanton Bomb is ? @Ashamae_Sebera! Proud of you! https://t.co/5hBNZytU2u

— Nattie (@NatbyNature) March 22, 2024

When a fan suggested that Stratton hits the move better, Ash fired back. The ex-Superstar alleged that Stratton loves to steal the moves and gimmicks of others and branded her a “knock-off Barbie.”

Funny thing is I’ve been doing it for years & she loves to steal everyone’s moves & gimmicks … knock off Barbie… –

— Ash By Elegance (@Ashamae_Sebera) March 28, 2024

Ash Defends Herself

Ash By Elegance’s comment did not go down well with many fans who rallied behind ‘Tiffy Time.’ One fan even used a clip from Total Divas, in which Lana (now AEW’s CJ Perry) seemed upset that Ash was ‘stealing’ a move of hers. Responding, Elegance questioned when did Lana use the move and hinted that the reality TV show may not entirely be on the level. 

And when did Lana ever wrestle back then .. & when did she ever use that move ??!!! EXACTLY !!! Reality tv is so real… right? ?

— Ash By Elegance (@Ashamae_Sebera) March 28, 2024

When a fan suggested that Ash By Elegance’s comments were based on her heel character, the TNA star said the fan was speaking “facts.”

Hahah facts

— Ash By Elegance (@Ashamae_Sebera) March 28, 2024

What’s to Come? 

Ash By Elegance isn’t currently booked for TNA’s next pay-per-view, Rebellion, which will take place on April 20. The show will air at the Palms Casino Resort in Paradise, Nevada, and see Nic Nemeth challenge TNA World Champion Moose. 

The Rock proved to be a man of his word on the March 25, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, as he vowed to make Cody Rhodes bleed before the night was done. 

Raw went off the air in gruesome fashion with The Rock assaulting Cody Rhodes backstage. The pair’s brawl would take them outside of Chicago’s All-State Arena. In the pouring rain, Rhodes was left in a pool of his own blood as The Rock verbally berated the American Nightmare. 

What The Rock Said to Cody

Earlier in the show, Cody Rhodes cut an impassioned promo in front of the fans that was interrupted by the ‘Final Boss.’ Rather than be his loud-mothed, boisterous self, Rock instead whispered something in Cody’s ear and left the ring without the pair coming to blows. 

Taking to Instagram, The Rock revealed what he said to Rhodes. The Brahma Bull warned Rhodes “Tonight, I’m gonna make you bleed,” a promise he would keep hours later. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C5DGgAMOEZ8

Another Promise Kept

The Rock kept his vow to make Cody bleed on this week’s Raw, but the Final Boss also kept another promise to a different Rhodes family member. Before the show, The Rock fired off a tweet promising Michelle, Cody’s mother, that he’d have a belt for her, covered in her son’s blood. 

Sure enough, The Rock kept his promise. In his beatdown on Cody, The Rock revealed a weight belt with ‘Mama Rhodes’ emblazoned on it. The Brahma Bull would wipe Cody’s blood on the belt in question. 

What’s to Come? 

The Rock will make his long-awaited return to the ring next week as part of WrestleMania 40: Saturday. On the show, he and Roman Reigns will face Rhodes & Seth Rollins. The match will determine the stipulation for the following night’s Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match between Rhodes and Reigns. 

Roman Reigns will headline WrestleMania once again next weekend, but WWE’s Tribal Chief was ready to leave the wrestling ring behind him four years ago. 

Next weekend, Reigns will compete on both nights of WrestleMania 40. On the first night, he will team with The Rock to face Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. The following night, he will put his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship on the line against Rhodes. This will be the American Nightmare’s last opportunity to win the gold from Reigns, an edict made by TKO board member/Bloodline member The Rock. 

Roman Reigns in 2020

In the run-up to WrestleMania 36, Reigns was poised to challenge Goldberg for the WWE Universal Championship. Goldberg had won the title from ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt at WWE Super Showdown in February that same year. 

In the days running up to WrestleMania though, Reigns pulled out of the show, thanks in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. As someone who was immunocompromised due to his past battles with leukemia, Reigns opted to prioritize his health over the risk of being infected at the WrestleMania taping. 

Roman Reigns Was Ready to Retire

Reigns didn’t just miss WrestleMania 36 but would miss months of programming after the event. Speaking recently to Uproxx, Paul Heyman said that Reigns was ready to leave WWE behind at the time. 

“He considered himself retired. He wasn’t coming back… I would ask, has anybody talked to him? Yeah, he says he’s retired. He’s not coming back. No way. Thanks a lot. Done. Finished. Goodbye.”

Heyman added that with this in mind, Reigns’ return to WWE and subsequent run as the Tribal Chief has been nothing short of “miraculous.”

What Came Next? 

After months away, Reigns would return to WWE TV at SummerSlam 2020, attacking Wyatt and Braun Strowman. On the following SmackDown, Reigns aligned with Paul Heyman and would capture the Universal Championship he holds to this day at Payback 2020. 

WWE was removed from WWE and the company is doing their best to wash him from their history. This all stems from Janel Grant’s lawsuit going public, and he resigned from his role in WWE shortly after that. Now, he is getting out of the TKO business even more by selling off more shares.

Vince McMahon is selling even more TKO Stock as he just unloaded 3,484,006 more shares. This sale adds to the 5,350,000 shares he sold in early March.

McMahon Sells More TKO Stock

Vince McMahon’s mass selloff of TKO Stock continues as he unloaded 3,484,006 shares, as revealed in an SEC filing released by TKO today.

The filing details McMahon’s sale agreement with an unaffiliated bank, obligating him to deliver up to 3,484,006 shares of TKO’s Class A common stock to settle the agreement.

McMahon and the bank amended the agreement on March 1, 2024. The physical settlement, divided into 15 parts, concluded between March 5, 2024, and March 25, 2024, resulting in McMahon receiving approximately $100 million.

How Much TKO Stock Vince McMahon Has Left

In early March, Vince McMahon also sold 5,350,000 TKO shares at $77 each, generating $411,950,000 from the transaction

Despite the recent sales, McMahon still retains ownership of roughly 11.5 million shares of TKO Group, indicating his continued interest in the company’s performance and future prospects.

He still does not have enough stock to be able to arrange any sort of takeover like he did after his first retirement. We will have to see if WWE continues avoiding any mention of Mr. McMahon on television.

For what it’s worth, TKO Group Holdings stock has shot up in recent memory. Many attribute that rise in value to their impending Netflix deal.

SEScoops will have more of this story, and so much more. Please keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines.

Pro wrestling fans are passionate about the sport, but some go above and beyond. A new wedding video has a lot of attention, and for good reason.

A fan recently acknowledged Roman Reigns on their own wedding day. The groom and his party made their way to the altar to The Bloodline’s iconic entrance music.

The Bloodline Meets Marriage

A fan named Bruins Hogan recently god married, and he used this day of celebration to let everyone know how much of a Bloodline fan he is. With Roman Reigns’ entrance music barring, his party came out, complete with a WWE Championship and an Ula Fala around the groom’s neck.

Wedding guests were encouraged to cheer, and then the groom’s party struck The Bloodline’s pose. They even got some pyrotechnics in the mix. It was quite a show.

You can check out the video below. We’re not sure how the bride’s entrance turned out, but the groom popped those wedding guests in a big way.

Cheap Heat listener @BruinsHogan really took his wedding entrance levels above ??

cc @StatGuyGreg @HeymanHustle @WWERomanReigns

pic.twitter.com/rFUz8T18DE

— Peter Rosenberg (@Rosenbergradio) March 28, 2024

Pro Wrestling Weddings

We’ve seen fans insert pro wrestling entrances in their wedding reception in the past. Putting The Bloodline’s entrance into the actual ceremony is upping the ante.

It would also be irresponsible of us not to mention the epic table spot that went down during a wedding reception a couple of years ago. That also included the bride laying in some kendo stick shots after coming out to Becky Lynch’s entrance.

Showing your passion for pro wrestling and your spouse on your big day is a theme that we can certainly get behind.

John Laurinaitis’ name was featured in mainstream stories as Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon and WWE also included his name as a defendant. Now, more are speaking out about his negative influence on the pro wrestling business.

Teddy Long openly criticized Johnny Ace in response to comments made by Rousey about him. Long expressed that he no longer restrains his opinions about Laurinaitis, calling him one of the worst individuals and accusing him of racial discrimination.

Teddy Long Blasts John Laurinaitis

We previously reported how John Laurinaitis was recently buried by Ronda Rousey, as she called him a dirt bag. WWE Hall of Famer Teddy Long happens to agree with Rousey, and he would also throw racist on the accusations as well.

During Wrestle Binge, Teddy Long unloaded on Johnny Ace after Rousey’s comments about him came up in the conversation. Long said that he’s not holding his words back when it comes to Laurinaitis any longer.

I don’t hold my tongue back on John Laurinaitis. One of the worst pieces of sh*t on this planet, and you can do what you want to to me, you can sue me all you want to, ain’t nothing you’re gonna get except ‘holla, holla, holla.’ He is a man who is going to stop me from making a living because of the color of my skin — not because I’m not doing my job. So, you’re gonna tell me that I did my job, the face of that TV for nine years and you’re gonna … you know what I’m saying? Lemme stop.”

Laurinaitis and the Lawsuit

John Laurinaitis waved his right to be served Janel Grant’s lawsuit. He was very much aware of the filing, so he did not need that formality. He still asserts that he was a victim in the situation, as Vince McMahon was his boss as well.

In the lawsuit, McMahon is accused of instructing Grant to create “explicit content” for Laurinaitis, who was WWE head of talent relations at the time. Grant was later moved to the talent relations department, with both McMahon and Laurinaitis expecting her to engage with Laurinaitis sexually, both physically and through explicit content.

The suit also alleges that Grant was sexually assaulted by McMahon and Laurinaitis in June 2021 inside Laurinaitis’ office at WWE headquarters while colleagues were present. They allegedly cornered her, took turns restraining her, forced themselves on her, and ignored her pleas to stop.

SEScoops will continue covering this story, and so much more. Please keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines that you need.

It takes a special kind of talent to become a WWE Superstar, especially at a high level. Logan Paul has been able to prove a lot of his doubters wrong, on even the highest levels of WWE.

Logan Paul revealed that Triple H laughed when he heard about LP’s interest in WWE. Triple H’s opinion on Paul certainly changed after he saw his dedication to pro wrestling and his in-ring abilities.

Triple H Laughed at The Maverick

Logan Paul is on the road to WrestleMania once again, and he is enjoying some big deals with WWE. Not only has his hydration brand, Prime, inked the biggest sponsorship deal in WWE history, but The Maverick is also in the middle of his own performer contract.

While speaking to Graham Bensinger, Logan Paul was asked about Triple H laughing at the idea of him becoming a WWE Superstar. LP confirmed that story was true, because Triple H admitted it to his face after he earned his respect.

“Yeah, [I heard Triple H laughed when he heard I was interested in WWE], he told me to my face. I’m sure he thought ‘there’s no way this internet kid can hang with the toughness and complex nature of this sport.'”

Triple H later said about Logan Paul that, “once he got into it, and I saw not only what he’s able to do, but his dedication to doing it, you know that’s a game-changer for me. He earned my respect right out the shoot.”

Logan Paul’s entrance in WWE made several fans roll their eyes. Once they saw what he was able to do in the ring, and how much he gave to the business, that changed a lot of fan perception, as he was welcomed as a bona fide WWE Superstar by the locker room as well.

John Cena on Logan Paul

John Cena was also featured in the video from Graham Bensinger. The footage, which was filmed on April 1, 2023, the day of WrestleMania 39, features a brief interaction with the 16x World Champion.

Cena, who was shocked to discover that April 1 is also Logan Paul’s birthday, gave a glowing review to what LP is capable of, and what he has been able to bring to WWE. 

“I wish we had found him years ago and this would be his calling. I’m glad he’s found us, because he fits perfectly in what we do here.”

Logan Paul at WrestleMania 40

Logan Paul is walking into WrestleMania 40 as the WWE United States Champion. He will defend his title against Kevin Owens and Randy Orton during the event. He may not be happy about his situation, but he will give it all in Philadelphia at WrestleMania XL to retain his title.

SEScoops will have more on this story, and many more from the pro wrestling world. Keep checking back throughout the day for more of the headlines you need.

Chris Jericho ended up making his offer to HOOK and the proposal could be a learning experience for both fighters.

During the 3/27 episode of AEW Dynamite, a backstage segment featured both HOOK and Jericho being interviewed by Renee Paquette. There Jericho reiterated how impressed he was with HOOK’s work in the ring as he and Renee both said that HOOK defeating Jericho last week on Dynamite was the biggest of his career.

Jericho then mentioned in his 33 years of pro wrestling he never managed anybody in his life, but he was so impressed with HOOK’s work in the ring that he’d be willing to give Taz’s son any advice at reaching that next level of super stardom. Jericho even said that he sees a future AEW World Champion in HOOK.

HOOK appreciated Jericho’s offer, but did say he knows who Jericho is, meaning he’s aware of his track record. All that considered, he’d love to take advice from Jericho because he is Chris Jericho. Jericho agreed and the two fist-bumped.

Will the FTW Champion HOOK take Chris Jericho up on his offer?

Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS!@730hook | @IAmJericho pic.twitter.com/FyLGLmv2Ex

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) March 28, 2024

The FTW Champion did put on quite a showing against Jericho as he basically took ‘Lionheart’ to suplex city before he ultimately secured the win via pinfall, which happened to be HOOK’s first pinfall win in AEW.

Jericho won’t be the first wrestling legend to take HOOK under his wing. Obviously being the son of Taz, HOOK had an early tutelage when it comes to the squared circle, but he also received the experience of teaming with Rob Van Dam in AEW.

Paul Heyman won’t be the only ECW alumni to be honored WrestleMania weekend in Philadelphia as GCW is making sure another gets a Hall of Fame nod.

On Wednesday evening, GCW announced that former ECW World Heavyweight Champion Steve Corino will be inducted into the Indie Wrestling Hall Of Fame on Sunday, April 7 at WrestleCon. Corino will join a class that includes Trent Acid, Kevin Hogan and The Briscoes. It was also announced that ‘The King Of Old School’ will be inducted by his son, Colby Corino. Serendipitously enough, Corino’s sister Allison Danger is set to be honored later this year at the Cauliflower Alley Club.

Cornio commented on his own induction posting the following on X:

“Honored to be a part of the Indie Hall of Fame.”

Honored to be a part of the Indie Hall of Fame. https://t.co/zmVjNG6mFr

— Steve Corino (@KINGCorino) March 28, 2024

Who Else Is In The GCW Indie Wrestling Hall Of Fame?

Steve Corino joins several other ECW names in the GCW Indie Wrestling Hall Of Fame, but there are also others that have been bestowed the honor. The inaugural Hall Of Fame class occured in 2022 and included Jerry Lynn, Tracy Smothers, Dave Prazak, Homicide, Ruckus and Lufisto. The class of 2023 had Paul London, Cheerleader Melissa, Christopher Daniels, Excalibur, Jimmy Jacobs and Michael Modest.

Corino currently works for WWE as a coach and a producer for WWE NXT. This induction will be the second crossover WWE will have with GCW on WrestleMania weekend as Shayna Bazsler is set to compete in Bloodsport X as she’s going to square off against Masha Slamovich.

Paul Heyman recently appeared on The Roku Channel’s The Rich Eisen Show, where he talked about a number of topics, such as getting inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, meeting Roman Reigns and working with him, and more.

Being active in the industry since 1986, Heyman has had an illustrious career as a professional wrestling manager, promoter, and executive. It was announced in March that Heyman will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame on April 5, 2024. As for whether he’s got a speech prepared, Heyman said that he doesn’t, because he is going to “just wing it.”

“No, I’m going to figure this out as we go along. I’m going to take the pulse of the room that night. I’m going to wing this, because I don’t know really what the crowd itself is expecting from me. Is this a crowd that wants me to talk about the modern-day WWE, Roman Reigns, The Bloodline, the WrestleMania main event of Roman Reigns versus Cody Rhodes? Is this a crowd that in Philadelphia wants to talk about ECW? Is this a crowd that’s looking for some inspiration in a speech about pursuing one’s own dreams? I really won’t know until I take the temperature of the room that night, and as you know better than I, you always have to know your audience.”

Paul Heyman Says The Bloodline Story Could Have Some Extra Innings

Speaking about Roman Reigns, whom Heyman manages alongside The Bloodline on SmackDown, he said that Reigns would be the greatest star in the industry regardless of the generation he was in.

Paul Heyman also recalled his first meeting with Roman Reigns, revealing that The Tribal Chief was only 3 years old at the time:

“I first met Roman Reigns when he was three years old and his father Sika of the Wild Samoans brought him into the locker room at Panama City, Florida. Even at three years old, he had so much charisma. I thought he was going to become a child star like Ron Howard or whomever. Roman had so much charisma even at three years old. You look into his eyes and say, ‘Oh my god this kid’s a star and he’s three years old!’ He just had that intangible It Factor. You knew you were in the presence of someone or something special even though it’s a three-year-old kid running around.”

Heyman also spoke about how the partnership of him and Reigns came about together. While Heyman was with Brock Lesnar, a golden opportunity presented itself when the pandemic hit and Lesnar took time away from the WWE.

“Well, Roman and I had been talking about working together for many, many years. The timing was never right in that WWE was presenting him as The Big Dog, as the big hero, this WrestleMania main-eventer to follow in the steps of John Cena.

“And I was the advocate for Brock Lesnar, and just leaving that position would have been insane. I also then became the executive director of Monday Night Raw. Now the pandemic hits and Brock Lesnar wraps up his time in WWE and he goes off to Saskatchewan to hunt and kill whatever he puts on the family’s dinner plates.

“The entire landscape of sports and entertainment and sports entertainment was changing, and Roman Reigns had taken time off because his wife had given birth to another set of twin boys, and also because of the pandemic and his health concerns regarding staying safe for his family during this unfathomable health crisis that was gripping the entire world. So in August 2020 when I’m Brock Lesnar-free, I’m no longer the executive director of Raw, so I’m in the ocean of obscurity at that point, and Roman Reigns agrees to come back to WWE if he’s allowed to portray himself, and we get a chance to work together. He rescued me from the ocean of obscurity, pulled me onto the island of relevancy with him, and we have been together ever since.”

Heyman had previously said that The Bloodline was in only in the third inning, and speaking about that, Heyman said that there may be many extra innings in store for the faction.

“Every time I talk about innings, it gets shoved up my tuchus. Also, I’ve kind of gotten away now from baseball analogies because I’ve learned in my experience that baseball is fake.

“So whatever inning that we’re in, we’re dominating that inning, and it’s a game that I would suggest may go into many extra innings as well. And some of that, we have to give credit to The Final Boss, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, for adding a whole new set of layers, and therefore innings, to the story of the Bloodline.”

WWE fans have come to expect a great show from NXT’s premium live events. Now, they will have to wait a little bit longer for Battleground, but there is a good reason for it.

The NXT Battleground event is set to reportedly change dates from May 26th to June 9th. Furthermore, the location will also be shifted, with the event relocating from Savannah, GA to the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

WWE NXT’s Battleground Plans Changing

SEScoops has learned that WWE is considering moving NXT Deadline to the UFC Apex venue. This will also push the event up a week.

WWE’s NXT brand has developed a reputation for putting on high-quality events, which is a tradition they’ve been developing for years. Now, it appears that fans in Las Vegas will get Battleground, but that won’t come without a change.

WrestleVotes noted that there is talk saying the NXT Battleground event will be rescheduled from May 26th to June 9th. Additionally, there will be a change in the location.

Hearing rumblings of a significant schedule change, I’m told the NXT Battleground event will be moving off May 26th to June 9th. With the location shifting as well as Savanna, GA will no longer host the show. NXT Battleground will take place live in Las Vegas at the UFC Apex.

WWE & UFC

The UFC Apex operates in Enterprise, Nevada. It’s owned by the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which is part of TKO Group Holdings, and so is WWE. This facility hosts live events and production activities for the UFC, and now it will apparently host Deadline.

TKO Group Holdings merged WWE and UFC under Endeavor’s umbrella. There has been talk of WWE and UFC running events in the same city to create a destination event, and it appears that they may be starting to creep toward this idea with NXT Deadline in the UFC Apex.

There have been other UFC crossovers, like Michael Chandler showing up on WWE RAW to call out Conor McGregor. Fans should probably expect more things like that in the future.

WWE NXT Stand & Deliver

NXT Stand & Deliver will go down on April 6, during the afternoon before WrestleMania 40’s first night. The event will air on Peacock, and the WWE Network for fans outside the United States.

SEScoops will also have coverage of the event, so keep checking back for more updates. You can check out the updated card below.

• Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Tony D’Angelo: Singles match for the NXT Championship
• Baron Corbin and Bron Breakker (c) vs. Tournament Winners: Tag team match for the NXT Tag Team Championship
• Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Roxanne Perez: Singles match for the NXT Women’s Championship
• Oba Femi (c) vs. Dijak vs. Josh Briggs: Triple threat match for the NXT North American Championship
• Trick Williams vs. Carmelo Hayes 

TNA Wrestling has seen a substantial amount of changes over the last few months. Some notable names have left, but others are sticking around.

TNA Wrestling has confirmed the re-signing of multi-time champion Ace Austin. Austin expressed excitement about staying with TNA. He will be sticking around for even longer to extend his legacy with the former Impact Wrestling

Ace Austin Re-Signs With TNA

TNA Wrestling has confirmed via a press release that Ace Austin has re-signed with the company. This was first broken by Ace Austin with Denise Salcedo on Instinct Culture.

“I’m very excited to be staying with TNA. I have more goals to fulfill and championships to win,” Austin said of his re-signing.

BREAKING: @The_Ace_Austin has re-signed with TNA! pic.twitter.com/Ev9frsKESI

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) March 28, 2024

Ace Austin in TNA Wrestling

The 27-year-old Austin started his professional wrestling career in 2015 after completing training at the “Wild Samoan Pro-Wrestling Training Center.” He joined TNA Wrestling in early 2019 and has since secured championship victories in both singles and tag team competition.

Austin already has an impressive record with the company. He is a former X Division Champion three times over, and he has held the World Tag Team Championship twice alongside partner Chris Bey, collectively known as ABC.

Controversy In TNA

TNA Wrestling saw the departure of Scott D’Amore, and many members of the roster were not happy about his ousting. A letter was sent to Anthem Sports, detailing the reasons why they were not in favor of this decision.

Although there was discussion about the company being open to discuss talent releases if they aren’t happy about D’Amore’s firing, we haven’t seen a massive exodus from the company. Now, we know that Ace Austin will be around TNA for a long time to come.

SEScoops will have more on this story, and so many more in the pro wrestling world. Keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines.

Jack Perry, who made his return to wrestling at NJPW Battle in the Valley in January. While his stint with the Japanese wrestling promotion was going well, he was not nowhere to be seen in AEW.

At Battle in the Valley, Perry even took out the AEW contract, and tore it up, sending a message. For those not in the know, CM Punk infamous altercation with Perry led to Perry’s suspension. However, even though the Jungle Boy’s suspension ended, he was still not seen on AEW TV.

But Perry is still active in Japan, and he is in fact set to face Shota Umino at New Japan STRONG’s Windy City Riot event on April 12. Speaking to NJPW1972.com about the matchup, and it is during this interview that he talked about his work with NJPW and leaving AEW behind.

Perry believes that he was the “scapegoat” in the CM Punk-All In incident. He even wears an armband with the word written on it as part of his ring gear and nickname.

“Well, Japan for me is an opportunity, not to start over, but start a new chapter without having to apologize or pretend to be sorry for the actions of other people. It’s a way that I can stay true to myself and continue to grow despite everything that’s gone on.”

The message is as clear as it can be: Perry is done with AEW, and doesn’t care about the promotion anymore.

“Ripping that contract was a declaration. I’m not playing by your rules anymore. If (AEW) are too afraid to have me anymore, if the specter of Jack Perry is too much, they don’t want to deal with the conversations, the ramifications that brings, then that’s fine.”

And Perry wants to prove this by going on a wrestling journey of his own and making a name for himself on his own terms and efforts:

“I don’t need them. I will go by myself across the world, all by myself, without any of my friends, without any of the things I’m used to, anything that’s been my life for the last five years, and I’ll do it on my own, make my own way.”

That being said, he is still not sure which group or promotion he currently represents:

“Some of these things are unclear even to me, but I would say this: Loyalty is a two-way street, and I show loyalty to those who are loyal to me. As of now, certain parties have been very good to me, and I intend to repay that.”

Speaking about his Scapegoat nickname, Perry added that he’s “man enough” to take the blame and is not “shying away” from it:

“I think it’s ingrained in human nature to be afraid of blame, and the disapproval of others. At the end of the day, that’s weakness. That’s a weak mindset, a weak soul. If you know the truth, what good is the opinion of other people? If you know the truth, you have power. I’m not shying away from the blame. If you need me to be the scapegoat because you don’t have the bravery to stand up for your own actions, then that’s fine. I’m man enough to take that blame from all of us and I’m not going to shy away from it.”

Recently, it was reported that Tony Khan was upset with Jack Perry, and in a subsequent interview, Khan praised his achievements in NJPW and asked fans to “stay tuned” about whether Perry will return to AEW or not.

“Well, I think you gotta stay tuned. Absolutely, Jack’s doing great things in New Japan. The New Japan Cup – he’s had a great run. He’s established himself over there. He feels he’s the ‘Scapegoat.’ But he’s doing great things, and he’s wrestling for a great promotion, and it’s been great tracking Jack’s progress in New Japan. And I think he’s done excellent work there.”

The world lost Bray Wyatt last year, and we are still in mourning. The Eater of Worlds racked up many accolades throughout his career, but The Undertaker believes he deserved one more.

The Undertaker expressed his belief that Bray Wyatt was the most suitable candidate to end his WrestleMania streak. He felt that it would have been more impactful for Wyatt’s career compared to Roman Reigns. The Undertaker highlighted the similarities between their characters and the dark themes, indicating that Wyatt breaking the streak would have been significant.

Bray Wyatt Should Have Broken The Streak

Brock Lesnar famously broke The Undertaker’s undefeated WrestleMania streak in New Orleans at Mania XXX. That was a devastating blow for some fans, but Taker believes that someone else should have broken it instead.

On his Patreon page, The Undertaker said that Bray Wyatt was the most suitable candidate to end his WrestleMania streak. He felt that it would have been more impactful for Wyatt’s career compared to Roman Reigns.

The most logical person to break it would have been Bray Wyatt. Probably of the three, it would have meant more to his career than even Roman’s. For Roman, it would have been very special but for Bray, there were so many comparisons between the two characters and the darkness and the different things.

For him to be able to have broke it would have been such a feather in his cap and in something that would have prob probably could have extended the, the character of the Undertaker in, in a different capacity.

You know, I mean, Bray would have been the, the in ring aspect of it, but I think that those characters would have somehow maybe merged together in some kind of higher power type deal. But I think of, of all the people that it would have helped, the most, I think Bray would have been the guy. He’s the only one.

The Undertaker says Bray Wyatt should've broken his WrestleMania streak. pic.twitter.com/YvIMkeOKOb

— Aaron (@AaronVarble) March 28, 2024

The Undertaker went on to say that he didn’t want to put himself over too much, nor put himself on a pedestal, but he believes the honor of breaking his streak should have gone to Bray Wyatt instead.

Bray Wyatt in the WWE Hall of Fame

While it was thought that Bray Wyatt would receive an induction in the WWE Hall of Fame this year, that is not happening. The company is honoring his legacy with a new documentary: Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal, which will debut on April 1.

Regarding Bray Wyatt’s future WWE Hall of Fame induction, Mike Rotunda commented that he feels it is too soon to induct his son at this time. This yea will still see the family honored, as the U.S. Express are receiving an induction.

SEScoops will have more on this story, and so many more in the pro wrestling world. Please keep checking back throughout the day for more updates!

The feud between Tony Khan and Eric Bischoff continues and it doesn’t appear to be going away despite one of Bischoff’s podcasts coming to an end.

Eric Bischoff didn’t have one, but two podcasts on AdFreeShows and co-host Jon Alba last night announced that “Strictly Business” would be coming to an end after a successful two-year run. 

AEW President Tony Khan has had a contentious relationship with Bischoff ever since Khan made remarks about former WCW Founder, Ted Turner. Bischoff took exception to that, but also remained outspoken about the on-air AEW product. The two’s relationship has been fractured ever since despite Bischoff making several appearances on AEW television early on.

Once Alba made the announcement, Tony Khan replied, stating:

“Sunsetting this fraud of a business podcast before the next AEW media deal is a wise choice.”

Sunsetting this fraud of a business podcast before the next AEW media deal is a wise choice.#AEWDynamite

— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) March 28, 2024

Eric Bischoff Fires Back At Tony Khan

“Strictly Business” may be ending, but as Jon Alba stated, Eric Bischoff has a lot on his plate when it comes to further work, including his original podcast with Conrad Thompson, “83 Weeks.” Thompson took to social media to provide clarity that “Strictly Business” is going away, but not “83 Weeks.”

“Don’t get it twisted: ’83 Weeks’ with Eric Bischoff is not “sunsetting.” See y’all Monday. After waking up to Twitter this morning, I wonder, as a friend of mine might say, ‘what do you guys wanna talk about?'”

?
Don’t get it twisted: @83Weeks with @EBischoff is not “sunsetting.”

See y’all Monday.

After waking up to Twitter this morning, I wonder, as a friend of mine might say, “what do you guys wanna talk about?”

? ? pic.twitter.com/hNYPIdbRAL

— Conrad the Mortgage Guy (@HeyHeyItsConrad) March 28, 2024

Bischoff also had some words for Tony Khan, also including a video of a tarped off Videotron Centre in Quebec City during ROH tapings ahead of AEW Dynamite.

“A money mark with no talent other than spending daddy’s money, going all the way to Canada to draw less than 4k in one of the hottest pro wrestling markets in North America, talking about ‘wise choices’? Strap in. It’s going to be a fun day!”

A money mark with no talent other than spending daddy’s money, going all the way to Canada to draw less than 4k in one of the hottest pro wrestling markets in North America, talking about “wise choices”? Strap in. It’s going to be a fun day! https://t.co/Wr9EWwi01d pic.twitter.com/L1tX2Smszc

— Eric Bischoff (@EBischoff) March 28, 2024

Mustafa Ali was released from WWE back in September 2023, and when he became an official free agent, he released a global campaign tour video. The video highlighted his upcoming appearances at other promotions, as well as his dream opponents.

Ali talked about his campaign video and the inspiration behind it while speaking on the Straight Talk Wrestling podcast. The former WWE star revealed that it was Cody Rhodes’ infamous list that inspired him for the campaign video.

Ali started off by saying that he is surprised by how quickly he was able to see the successful results of such a risky move. While something like this would usually take a lot of time, Ali revealed he was contacted by multiple promotors telling him that “they haven’t had someone move tickets and have these sell-out crowds since a Cody Rhodes.”

“So to have that comparison and look where he’s at. Literally the top of the business, heading into WrestleMania, the talk of the industry and deservingly so and Cody was a guy that I take a lot of inspiration from and what I mean by that is what set this all up was the launch of my campaign video which was released on December 21.”

Ali revealed that the reaction to Cody Rhodes’ list when he left WWE left people asking where they could see all these dream matches that Rhodes mentioned. The former Retribution member took inspiration from that, and ran with it for his video. Fortunately for him, he got a similar reaction from fans.

“The concept behind it was who was the last guy that really made that impact of like, what’s gonna happen? And this is when Cody Rhodes released the list and I remember everyone was like, ‘Oh my God, these dream matches, but where? And how? How are we gonna see them?’ And I go, ‘What’s the 2024 Mustafa Ali version of the list?’

So the campaign video came about, calling out guys like Will Ospreay and ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey and (El Hijo del) Vikingo and (Matt) Cardona and all these notable names. And what happened is it became a frenzy of people wondering how is this gonna go and where is he gonna go? Where is this gonna happen? And it’s happening, it’s happening so a marketing campaign well done.”

Since his release, Mustafa Ali has made appearances for promotions such as New Japan Pro Wrestling, and has drawn interest from top promotions.  

Ali is also the current X-Division Champion in TNA Wrestling, and his career is on a high. However, despite being a title holder, he is reportedly not under a contract for the promotion. You can read more about that here.

Former WWE Superstar Madcap Moss/Riddick Moss (real name Mike Rallis) has announced that he is making his comeback to the squared circle next month.

After being let go by WWE last year, Moss is going by his real name Mike Rallis. He is set to make his return to in-ring competition at Bret Hart Presents Australian Stampede. The event which will take place on Saturday, April 13 in Victoria, Australia is a part of Starrcast Down Under. 

Riddick Moss set for his return

It has been announced that at the show, he will challenge Chris Masters for the Stu Hart Heritage Championship, which is the main title for Dungeon Wrestling. Taking to his Twitter/X account, Mike Rallis posted a graphic of the match and wrote:

“As another Mike once said… IM BACK”

As another Mike once said…

IM BACK

Tickets available at https://t.co/7IgJBcuHop#AustralianStampede#StarrcastDownunder#VisitVictoria pic.twitter.com/1vtVmEocmv

— Mike Rallis (@TheMikeRallis) March 26, 2024

On the other hand, his wife Tenille Dashwood will make her return as well. On April 12, she is set to lock horns with Jessica Troy.

Starrcast Down Under is in association with Oceania Pro Wrestling and will take place starting April 11 to April 14. It will feature meet-and-greets and stage shows while a couple of live wrestling events are also scheduled for the weekend – Mickie James Presents HER and Bret Hart Presents Australian Stampede. 

Mickie James Presents HER lineup for April 12

• TNA Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace defends against Delta
• Mickie James vs. Vix Crow (FKA Alicia Fox)
• AAA Reina de Reinas Champion Lady Flammer defends against Steph De Lander and Jody Threat in a triple threat
• Tenille Dashwood vs. Jessica Troy
• OPW Women’s Champion Erika Reid defends against Lizzy Evo
• OPW Women’s Tag Team Championships: PPK vs. Backslide Girls (Bull Nakano will present the titles to the winners)
• Lisa Marie Varon’s Six-Pack Challenge: Lena Kross vs. Tarlee vs. Aysha vs. Charli Evans vs. TBA vs. TBA (Winner earns an OPW Women’s title shot)

Bret Hart Presents Australian Stampede lineup for April 13 

• TNA World Champion Moose defends against Josh Alexander
• Stu Hart Heritage Champion Chris Masters defends against Mike Rallis
• Shelton Benjamin vs. Slex
• OPW Men’s Champion Adam Brooks defends against Mance Warner
• Kushida vs. Robbie Eagles
• OPW Tag Team Champions The Parea defend against Gangrel and Edward Dusk
• The Natural Classics & Emman Azman vs. Shanky Singh, JT Baba and Toofan Singh

Madcap Moss and his wife Tenille Dashwood, who were released from WWE in September last year have started a new life, They got married earlier this month. The couple tied the knot in a picturesque mountainside ceremony at Kualoa Ranch in Hawaii.  

WWE fans remember Mick Foley for his three faces, and so much more. He is not only the man behind Mankind, Dude Love, and Cactus Jack, but he is also a renowned author and stand-up comedian. Sadly, fans who were looking forward to seeing him this weekend have bad news.

Mick Foley announced that he is dealing with some issues, so he had to pull out of the Squared Circle convention in Indianapolis this weekend. He made this announcement via his Instagram stories.

Foley Cancels Appearance

Mick Foley, despite retiring from in-ring wrestling years ago, is still very active with various bookings. Sadly, Mrs. Foley’s Baby Boy can’t make some of his appearances due to health reasons.

Recently, Foley took to Instagram to share that he had to cancel some of his bookings due to a health setback. He attributed this setback to the demanding nature of his travel schedule, indicating that it may have taken a toll on his well-being.

“I’m VERY SORRY TO CANCEL

I’m really sorry to give the news that I will not be able to make it to the Squared Circle convention in Indianapolis this weekend. I’ve been working through some dizziness the last couple of weeks – and my family and I feel like it would be best to cut back on my traveling until my symptoms are gone. I also will be unable to make my return to OVW Thursday as I had originally hoped. I think I may have just done way too much driving 90 hours in days – not enough sleeping, and just taken on too many bookings in the month of March. I really take pride in making all my dates, and I absolutely do not want to let anyone down, but in this case, we feel like it’s best for me to rest up.”

One More Death Match

While his last wrestling appearance was in the Men’s Royal Rumble Match in 2012, Foley has expressed interest in participating in one final death match. However, he has yet to make a final decision and plans to do so by early 2025.

We will have to see if Mick Foley books another match for his 60th birthday. Right now, he is probably not in any condition to step in the ring. We’re sending our best to Foley at this time and hope he is able to make a full recovery.

SEScoops will have more on this story, and many more in the pro wrestling world as additional updates are made available. Keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines.

Welcome the Daily Drop, your daily roundup of wrestling news and rumors for Thursday, March 28. Fans had a packed episode of AEW Dynamite last night, and we’re less than 10 days from WrestleMania 40. It’s an exciting time to be a pro wrestling fan, so let’s get right into it!

Days Until WrestleMania 40: 9

WWE:

– Punk Goes Off-Script: I was able to confirm that CM Punk’s line where he referenced Vince McMahon naming Drew McIntyre “The Chosen One” was improvised.

As if this needed to be said, but I have been able to confirm that CM Punk's reference to Vince McMahon on RAW this week was 100% improvised. pic.twitter.com/1LgbP7A8QF

— Aaron (@AaronVarble) March 27, 2024

– The Man’s Contract: Becky Lynch confirmed to Ariel Helwani that her WWE contract is up in two months. She doesn’t seem too worried about the situation.

– Austin 3:16 at WM 40: WWE has been in talks with Steve Austin for some kind of WrestleMania 40 appearance.

– Sami Zayn Merch: WWE released a new t-shirt for Zayn ahead of WrestleMania 40. His new merchandise highlights how he is the #1 contender for GUNTHER’s IC Title. You can click here to see what they have to offer.

The Contender! Get ready for Sami Zayn’s WrestleMania matchup with this NEW Tee! Available now at #WWEShop! #WWE ?: https://t.co/3ooj8HJB9j pic.twitter.com/OnONs0u1iw

— WWEShop.com (@WWEShop) March 25, 2024

– New WWE Championship: Corey Graves confirmed that WWE Speed will introduce a new championship for the company’s new social media show.

– Drew McIntyre’s WWE Deal: McIntyre’s WWE contract is still running up sometime after WrestleMania 40.

– Hogan is Mania (Maybe): WWE is talking about bringing Hulk Hogan in for WrestleMania 40. It wasn’t noted what role they’re discussing for him.

AEW:

– Tony Hawk is All Elite: Skateboarding legend Tony Hawk appeared on AEW Dynamite this week alongside Darby Allin. They were there to plug a charity that he’s involved with that builds skate parks.

– Adding to Dynasty: AEW added Willow Nightingale vs Julia Hart for the TBS Title and Swerve Strickland vs Samoa Joe for the AEW Title to the Dynasty card on April 21.

– Proud n Powerful: Mike Santana went into even more detail about why he and Ortiz broke up.

– Double or Nothing 2024: AEW announced during Dynamite that on Sunday, May 26, they will host Double or Nothing at the MGM Grand Garden Arena once again.

Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Events

Looking ahead, here are some of the major upcoming shows that we have in the pipeline:

April 6: NXT Stand & Deliver and WrestleMania XL Saturday from Philadelphia, PA.

April 7: WrestleMania XL Sunday from Philadelphia, PA.

April 21: All Elite Wrestling presents AEW Dynasty live on pay-per-view from St. Louis, Missouri at the Chaifetz Arena.

May 4: WWE Backlash France from Décines-Charpieu, France at the LDLC Arena.

Legendary skateboarder Tony Hawk surprised the fans when he made a special appearance alongside Darby Allin on last night’s edition of AEW Dynamite. ‘Birdman’ used the opportunity to promote his foundation on AEW television.

Darby Allin has managed to effectively combine his love for skateboarding and pro wrestling. His skating background helps him embrace the fast-paced action inside the squared circle. It is no secret that skateboarding has a major influence on Allin and now he has joined forces with Tony Hawk for a noble cause.

Tony Hawk promotes his foundation

In a video clip, Darby Allin revealed that originally, he decided to embark on a climb to Mt.Everest to support Hawk’s foundation, The Skatepark Project. Unfortunately, that plan has to be put on hold due to Allin’s broken foot. Tony Hawk then explained the cause behind the foundation. 

It was formerly known as The Tony Hawk Foundation and helps underserved communities by creating safe and inclusive public skateparks for youngsters. As per Hawk, they have been operating for 20 years and helped to fund almost 900 skateparks.

Pro-Skater Tony Hawk & AEW Star Darby Allin have a special message about The @Skatepark Project.

Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS!@DarbyAllin | @tonyhawk pic.twitter.com/aA61fm1KAo

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) March 28, 2024

The Legend Of Tony Hawk

Tony Hawk has been an iconic figure in the skateboarding world. He has made immense contributions to the sport and has remarkable achievements. Notably, he became the official National Skateboard Association World Champion for 12 consecutive years. Nicknamed ‘Birdman’, he went on to establish his skateboard company, Birdhouse. 

Now, with his philanthropic efforts, Tony Hawk is helping to build a safe environment for the skateboarding community and continues to inspire skateboarding aspirants around the globe.   

Fans can donate to the noble cause at Skatepark.org

WWE Hall of Famer Mark Henry had pulled off one of the biggest swerves in the company’s history with his fake retirement speech back in 2013. It seems that not only the fans but his son Jacob as well, was ‘fooled’ by the stunning segment. 

Jacob Henry admitted that his father’s fake retirement segment was as shocking for him as the fans. In a recent Tweet, Jacob Henry agreed to a user on Twitter/X joking that Mark Henry had done irreversible damage to retirement speeches. He replied:

“I 100% agree. As his son I can say that I was just as much fooled as anyone else.”

I 100% agree. As his son I can say that I was just as much fooled as anyone else ?????

— Jacob Henry (@TheJacobHenry_) March 27, 2024

Mark Henry’s retirement segment

The June 17, 2013 edition of Monday Night Raw featured Henry’s retirement segment. While the fans believed that Henry was legitimately putting an end to his illustrious career, ‘The World Strongest Man’ scripted one of the most shocking moments in the history of wrestling.

Henry, who was dressed in a salmon suit gave an emotional address to the fans. The then-WWE Champion John Cena also got involved to assist the fans in giving Henry a fitting farewell. However, Henry deceived everybody and assaulted Cena, indicating that he had a lot left in the tank.

Mark Henry has had a storied career and has been a former World Champion. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2018. Following his run with WWE, the 52-year-old went on to sign with AEW and has been a part of the promotion since then. 

Earlier this year, Henry announced that the A&E Network would air a brand new documentary on his life.

It was also recently revealed that Mark Henry will be in attendance at the inaugural Shad Gaspard Memorial Cup to honor the late WWE star. 

The tournament is set to take place on April 20 in Jacksonville, FL. Eight participants who will compete in the tournament have been revealed, including Gaspard’s Cryme Tyme tag partner JTG. 

TNA Wrestling has been experiencing some significant changes to start the year, with bringing in new talent and the letting go of others. The most notable decision came from TNA Wrestling’s owners, Anthem Sports & Entertainment, to terminate Scott D’Amore’s contract on February 7. 

Although the company has also seen hot free agents like Nic Nemeth and Alex Hammerstone debut this year, TNA Wrestling is on the verge of losing longtime veterans The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin). 

Shelley and Sabin’s deals with TNA Wrestling are expected to end next week. They’ve already taped an episode for their final match for the company, which is slated to air on April 18 on AXS TV. It is unclear if TNA Wrestling will make a final attempt to re-sign them, but The Motor City Machine Guns will likely be free agents soon. 

Shelley recently hinted at his future and shared a positive message on Twitter about change. Although he doesn’t address leaving the company directly, the former TNA World Champion seemingly sounded like the end is drawing near. 

“While things change, I want to express this – try to leave things better off than when you found them. Everyone is someone, treat them with respect, show up enthused, do your best, and help others whenever possible. I hope this isn’t too “Live, Laugh, Love” wall art cringe,” wrote Shelley.

It isn’t certain if Sabin and Shelley want to sign up with another company, such as WWE or All Elite Wrestling. However, they are already being advertised for an independent wrestling appearance next month.

What’s Next For Alex Shelley & Chris Sabin?

The Motor City Machine Guns will hold a meet-and-greet for Smash Wrestling’s event Riot At The Music Hall on April 21 at the London Music Hall in London, Ontario, Canada. The promotion shared that fans who bought a VIP Perk to the show will be able to take in-ring photos with them and potentially ask questions. 

Neither Shelley nor Sabin have advertised other appearances at this time. However, they could be competing on the independent scene for a while. Shelley holds titles for independent wrestling promotions, including the Prestige Championship. They’ve also competed for Deadlock Pro Wrestling over the past few months and were the tag team champions until they lost to Jake Something & Mike Bailey on March 10. 

The team will have many options if they decide to leave TNA Wrestling. While anything can change to make them re-sign, Shelley’s comments seem to point towards looking at a fresh start after creating great moments over  the years with the company. 

After a year of hardship, WWE superstar Cody Rhodes has found his way to a rematch against Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. In their first encounter, the ‘Tribal Chief’ retained his title at WWE WrestleMania 39 on April 2. After winning the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match, Rhodes aims to avenge his loss and “Finish his story” at WrestleMania 40 on April 7.

Since the match announcement, many wrestling fans have picked ‘The American Nightmare’ to defeat Reigns. Former WWE superstar D’Lo Brown recently shared his prediction for the match and believes the company has to give Rhodes the win at the ‘Grandest Stage Of Them All.’

Brown appeared on Sirius XM Busted Open on March 27 to explain why Rhodes must become the new champion at WWE WrestleMania 40. 

“…You have to because I don’t know if his character could go another 365 days to a third WrestleMania. I don’t know if fatigue will play in,” said Brown. He continued, “It is hard to keep the interest of the fans and get them sympathetic with you. It’s even more difficult to do it for two years, damn near impossible to keep it up for a third year to finish the story, in my opinion.” 

Despite believing Rhodes should win, Brown was also hesitant to say whether he had proven himself to be the company’s true leader.

D’Lo Brown Doesn’t See Cody Rhodes As The Guy 

Brown shared that Rhodes is in his position because the company has set him up to be its most featured superstar. However, he is yet to think of ‘The American Nightmare’ on that level.

“He’s going to be the guy because that’s what the direction they are going. I look at Cody, and I don’t say this disrespectfully; I’ve never seen that top-tier echelon guy,” said Brown.  He added, “…They have made Cody since he’s come back over from AEW into that top-tier guy, so for the purposes of the story they are telling, he’s the guy.”

It’s unclear what Rhodes could do to change Brown’s position on him to see him as “The guy.” It’s possible a big win at WWE WrestleMania 40, and how he moves forward in the company may change his point of view. 

Strictly Business, the podcast hosted by WWE Hall of Famer & Jon Alba, has come to an abrupt end with its final episode airing this week. 

On Twitter, Alba shared the news about the podcast’s end. Alba was appreciative of being able to work for ‘Easy-E’ who will now be putting his effort into other endeavors. 

“Unfortunately, this week’s episode of Strictly Business with Eric Bischoff will be the last edition of the podcast. Eric’s schedule is loaded these days, and for good reasons, he’ll [be] putting his efforts into other endeavors. 

“I’m extremely grateful to have had a chance to share a platform with Eric for the past two years. We are 38 years apart, and have wildly different views of pro wrestling, storytelling, and even life. Yet I think that has been one of the most fascinating parts of our dynamic and never fails to make for engaging conversation. I have always said Eric is one of the greatest television performers in wrestling history, and doing this show has been one of the most exciting challenges of my career. He has made me a better broadcaster, helped open new professional doors for me, and has been extremely gracious to me personally. 

I hope you’ll join us this week as we bid farewell to the show! Thank you to the Ad Free Shows team as well for always making it featured programming and everything who has tuned in the past couple of years. Hopefully we’ve been “different than” the rest.”

Some news tonight about the future of Strictly Business with @EBischoff pic.twitter.com/twm1dO81tt

— Jon Alba (@JonAlba) March 28, 2024

The Strictly Business Podcast

Bischoff launched Strictly Business in April 2022, providing his insight into the business of professional wrestling both past and present. The show is the second podcast as part of Ad Free Shows, as Bischoff also hosts the ’83 Weeks’ podcast. The name of that show comes from WCW’s 83-week winning streak in the Monday Night Wars before losing to WWE Raw. 

Tony Khan Responds 

On both his podcasts, Bischoff has never shied away from sharing his hot takes. The WWE Hall of Famer has often been highly critical of AEW and the machinations of AEW President Tony Khan. 

In a tweet, Khan didn’t hide his feelings about the show coming to an end. The AEW President that it was wise for this “fraud” of a business podcast to end before AEW’s next media deal. 

Sunsetting this fraud of a business podcast before the next AEW media deal is a wise choice.#AEWDynamite

— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) March 28, 2024

The Undertaker has finally explained the one point about him that has always puzzled the fans.

The Dead Man is the epitome of the old-school wrestler. He is one who likes to live by a code and maintain order. His loyalty and ethics are the reason why he served as a locker room leader for a long time in WWE. Taker is a man who has the respect of almost anyone who knows anything about the wrestling business. The one thing that doesn’t seem to match all of these qualities, however, is his fear of cucumbers.

The WWE Hall of Famer was asked about the origin of this hate during his most recent Patreon Q&A. The wrestling legend finally explained that it comes from a childhood experience with a bowl of pickled cucumbers:

“Why do you give me some bullshit question like that? I don’t even like talking about the cucumbers man. Alright, here it is. When I was just a weeee little Undertaker, like a kindergarten, first grade Undertaker, I come home from school one day. My mother had taken a bunch of fresh cucumbers and cut them up into slices and had them soaking in a big bowl of vinegar. It was that day. [At that time] it was the greatest thing ever.

So I proceeded to eat the whole bowl of cucumbers soaked in vinegar. Well, something about that didn’t settle well with my stomach. Shortly after I ate all of the cucumbers, I expelled all of the contents of my stomach. From that moment on, the smell, for a long time even to see a cucumber I would get somewhat, I wouldn’t say nauseous but queasy. Smell a cucumber? Forget about it. My stomach is just like [nope]…it’s like my mouth starts watering.

So that’s why I hate cucumbers because I ate too many once as a child, left a horrible, horrible scar in my memory of how bad I threw up. How sick that I got. Then just the very smell of a cucumber [made me sick], heaven forbid I taste one. Let me get one in a bit of sushi or something like that [if] you want to see some drama. Because anytime I go to order sushi, like I’ll ask. If there’s cucumbers that are supposed to be in a roll or [something] I ask specifically ‘Can I get this without the cucumber?’ Usually [it’s] ‘Yeah, that’s no problem.’

Heaven forbid they forget or they screw up and I get cucumber in my mouth. It is not a good day at the sushi restaurant. I will show my ass real quick and I try really hard not to do that. I know people are working hard trying to do things. I am level-headed as I can be, do not put cucumber in my sushi, especially when I make it very clear that I do not want cucumber in my sushi.”

• The Undertaker Explains How Paul Heyman ‘Earns His Money’ As A Wrestling Manager

Paul Bearer Was An Evil, Evil Man: The Undertaker

The Undertaker also talked about how Paul Bearer always took advantage of his weakness. He told a story of Bearer sabotaging his food during a meal:

“The other part of that question, Did Paul Bearer [put cucumber in my boots]. Paul Bearer put cucumber in everything that I owned. Paul Bearer was evil, an evil evil man. Now I love him to death. I love him to death. I miss him every day. But the man was evil and was so much like, okay, you put them in my boots, ha ha ha. But he got to the point where that didn’t satisfy him enough.

So he would have to push the envelope to the point where I remember once getting up. I had to go to the restroom or whatnot. I come back and he’s sitting there and I could just tell by the look on his face that he had done something. Didn’t know what it was. [I] didn’t know that anything had been ordered that had cucumber in it. Anyway, I guess he went to the salad bar and got a slice of cucumber and somehow got it at the bottom of the glass of my iced tea.

So I think I had, I was eating a hamburger or something. So I take a bite of this burger. I’m chewing it up. I take the tea, gonna wash it down. I’m drinking and then I see it. It’s like that moment of [realization] like ‘Oh my god. That’s a cucumber and it’s in my drink.’

I slam the drink down and get the big spit pop from him. He spits what it is in his mouth out. I’m cussing him right in the middle of the restaurant and he’s like, ‘What, What I didn’t do that.’ I’m like ‘You’re a damn liar. You know you did that.’ That’s why I don’t like cucumbers. I ate too many as a child, got sick and travelled the world with a evil manager who would sabotage my food with cucumbers. So there it is.”

Taker later revealed that he has the same problem with tomatoes as well. According to the former world champion, he can eat tomato sauce or ketchup but raw tomatoes are ‘right under the cucumber’ for him.

If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription