WWE Superstars have lives outside the ring, and sadly, one member of the NXT family is dealing with a big personal loss. Andre Chase, who has been around the NXT brand consistently since the 2.0 days, revealed he lost his father.
Andre Chase shared that his father recently passed away over the weekend. He saved this announcement until after his big NXT Tag Team Title match at Roadblock.
Chase’s Sad Announcement
At NXT Roadblock, Chase and Duke Hudson teamed up to challenge Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin for the NXT Tag Team Championship. Despite their efforts, they were unable to secure the title, marking their second unsuccessful attempt. The whole time, the NXT Arena was very much behind Chase U.
After the event, Chase took to social media to announce the passing of his father over the weekend. In a heartfelt message, he reflected on his father’s strength and expressed how he honored his memory by standing up for himself, even in defeat.
As some of you may know, my father unexpectedly passed away over the weekend.My dad had the heart of a lion and never backed down from a fight. Tonight, even in defeat, I hope I honored him by pulling myself up off of the mat even when I thought I had nothing left. #WWENXT
Our thoughts are with Andre Chase as he deals with this great loss in his personal life. He has a ton of fans who are very much behind him, along with everyone at the Performance Center. So, we’re hoping that he has plenty of support during this time.
SEScoops will have more updates on the pro wrestling world, so please keep checking back for additional headlines.
AEW hasn’t seen Jack Perry compete since All In London, where he battled Hook in a controversial Zero Hour match. He may have been suspended due to the fight that broke out with CM Punk after that match, but Perry is now back in the ring.
Jack Perry has finally returned to the wrestling ring after a prolonged absence. This did not happen in an AEW ring, as the former Jungle Boy wrestled for New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
Jack Perry has showed up in mainland NJPW making his debut in the New Japan Cup… as literally a SCAPEGOAT.
Perry’s disappearance from the spotlight followed a highly publicized altercation with CM Punk during the AEW All In event last August. The fallout from the incident led to Perry’s suspension, while Punk was released from the company.
On a somewhat related note, CM Punk has since made a triumphant return to WWE, capturing the entire pro wrestling world’s attention with his historic comeback at Survivor Series. However, Punk’s comeback has been short-lived, as he is currently sidelined due to injury.
Jack Perry’s NJPW Match
Perry’s return to the wrestling scene went down during the NJPW Battle in the Valley event, where he made a dramatic entrance by attacking Shota Umino. In a symbolic gesture, Perry tore up an AEW contract and adorned himself with an armband bearing the word “Scapegoat.”
Making his debut in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Perry faced off against Shota Umino in a match as part of the New Japan Cup Tournament. Perry won that match as well, and now he will continue to make an impact in the tournament.
Following the match, Perry aligned himself with The House of Torture faction, adding another layer of intrigue to his comeback story. We will have to see what Perry does next, but it may not be in AEW.
Despite his successful return to NJPW, it remains uncertain when Perry will step back into the ring for All Elite Wrestling. Reports surfaced last year that his AEW suspension was already over, but he did not come back. Only time will tell what happens in this situation, but we will keep a close eye on his situation here at SEScoops.
Jack Perry took the help of Ren Narita to beat Shooter, EVIL and co. then came out to offer Jack Perry a spot in House of Torture. Jack then accepted the shirt and joined the faction.
Welcome to SEScoops: the Daily Drop, your go-to for the latest news and rumors in wrestling for Wednesday, March 6h. NXT Roadblock was last night. There is a lot of news to get to, so let’s get to it.
– John Cena revealed that WWE had plans for him to turn heel in his WrestleMania 28 program against The Rock. He even had new ring gear and music made for the change.
– An old WWE legend has been debunked. During A&E’s Biography on Sgt. Slaughter, it was confirmed that WrestleMania 7’s venue move happened because of poor ticket sales. I wasn’t due to more salacious reasons, like Slaughter has said for years.
– Sting’s son, Garrett, commented on playing his role at AEW Revolution. He wrote on his YouTube channel as an update: “Alright, it’s time for an update and a bit of a reveal. Last night, my dad, Sting, retired from his completely legendary pro wrestling career. My brother and I got to play a small part in his final match as younger versions of his character. I’ve got the American outfit, my brother has the red (or, Surfer Sting and Wolfpack Sting for any wrestling fans!) It was absolutely insane, and by far the coolest night of my entire life. The admiration and love from the fans toward my dad made me even more proud of him than I already am. So, this is obviously why I’ve been a bit absent the past month or so. I was largely focused on looking as good as possible for the show, so lots of hours that would have been spent grinding Destiny were instead spent in the gym haha. All that to say, thanks for being patient. I can’t wait to upload again soon, and I’ll for sure try to do a recap video that goes more in-depth on this weekend.”
– Sting’s other son, Steven, also commented on his appearance. He did so with a humorous post on Twitter/X where he expressed his inner thoughts before nailing that Stinger Splash at AEW Revolution.
“Do not shame your dad, do not shame your dad, do not shame your dad”
AEW Dynamite: Big Business will be hosted at Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.
WWE NXT Stand & Deliver is slated for the afternoon of April 6th, just before the start of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
WrestleMania XL is set to take place on April 6th and 7th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a two-part event.
AEW is coming to St. Louis, MO with AEW: Dynasty LIVE on PPV on Sunday, April 21st at Chaifetz Arena
Backlash France is scheduled for May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
WWE NXT Battleground is booked for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, exclusively available on the WWE Network and Peacock.
WWE Money in the Bank will be held on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
WWE Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.
WWE’s NXT brand held their Roadblock special tonight. As the road to WrestleMania 40, and Stand & Deliver, is drawing close, the brand saw a couple big moments. A Superstar returned after being out of action for nearly a year, but that wasn’t the only big comeback during the show.
When William Regal left AEW for an office job with WWE, he had a very interesting clause in this release paperwork. It was stated that Regal couldn’t appear on WWE television for a full year, which is why he wasn’t around to announce WarGames. That clause has now expired, and Regal is back in NXT.
William Regal’s NXT Return
During WWE NXT this week, the No Quarter Catch Crew took the ring with the Heritage Cup. Drew Gulak, Charlie Dempsey, Damon Kemp and Myles Borne looked intense, and they had a message for the rest of the NXT roster.
The stable proclaimed that they will defend the Heritage Cup as a stable, meaning anyone in the faction can put the title on the line. The said that they plan to represent the championship as true athletes.
Suddenly, William Regal’s music stopped everything. Regal then came out to a rousing ovation from the NXT crowd. “Welcome back” chants erupted at Regal. Obviously, fans in the NXT Arena didn’t forget about the former General Manager.
Those chants soon transitioned to “He’s your Father” directed at Dempsey. Regal didn’t have a ton to say, but he did make it very clear that he will have his eye on that Heritage Cup, because of how much it means to him and everyone from the rich European pro wrestling tradition.
We will have to see when William Regal shows up on WWE television again. It was certainly a very nice surprise to see him pop up during NXT Roadblock. He is currently the company’s Vice President of Global Talent Development.
For more on this story, and many more, please keep checking back with us here at SEScoops.
There are a few members of the WWE roster who are out of action with injuries. This week, a promising young talent made her long-awaited return to NXT.
WWE’s NXT brand presented their Roadblock event this week, and that included a surprising return. Sol Ruca is back on the active roster after a very long injury hiatus. She did so by costing Blair Davenport a win, the same woman who was responsible (in storyline) for her injury.
Sol Ruca’s Return
This week’s NXT featured Fallon Henley taking on Blair Davenport. That match saw Ruca make her return during the closing moments, where she nailed Blair to help Henley pick up the win.
Several months ago, Blair Davenport revealed herself to be the mystery attacker who was taking out so many members of the women’s division, including Sol Ruca. Now, Ruca is back, and she’s taking her vengeance out on the woman responsible for taking her out of action.
In May 2023, Sol Ruca suffered an ACL injury, sidelining her from action. She was incorporated into a storyline leading to Blair Davenport’s NXT debut, portrayed as the masked attacker who incapacitated Ruca. Surgery was required to address the ACL injury, and since then, Ruca has been focused on her recovery and eventual return to the ring.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of NXT, and everything else going on in the pro wrestling world, so keep checking back for more updates!
Former AEW producer BJ Whitmer was facing second-degree burglary and first-degree strangulation charges, but that is in the past for him now. After accepting a plea deal, he has now received his sentence.
BJ Whitmer has been sentenced in relation to his arrest last year. He has received house arrest for 120 days, and five years of probation.
The BJ Whitmer Incident
Whitmer faced charges of second-degree burglary and first-degree strangulation stemming from an incident on June 4, 2023. Allegedly, he entered his former girlfriend’s residence, awaited her return, and then assaulted her.
According to the police report, Whitmer grabbed the victim by the throat and threw her onto the couch, where he proceeded to strangle her. The victim later described the ordeal to the media as a fight for her life.
Opting for an Alford plea, Whitmer acknowledged there was sufficient evidence for a conviction but maintained his innocence. This plea also allows him to clear the felony from his record after five years. He has been sentenced to five years of probation and 120 days of house arrest.
BJ Whitmer’s Sentencing
Esteemed journalist B.J. Bethel shared news of Whitmer’s sentence on X, stating that the former AEW producer and ROH wrestler received five years of probation and 120 days of home incarceration for the charges related to his ex-girlfriend.
Former AEW producer, ROH wrestler B.J. Whitmer received five years probation and 120-day home incarceration in connection the strangulation and criminal trespass charge he faced involving his ex-girlfriend last summer.
Former AEW producer, ROH wrestler B.J. Whitmer received five years probation and 120-day home incarceration in connection the strangulation and criminal trespass charge he faced involving his ex-girlfriend last summer.
Whitmer’s Alford plea indicates his assertion of innocence while acknowledging the evidence against him. The prosecution’s decision to offer this plea was influenced by significant discovery provided during the case, prompting a reevaluation of their stance.
AEW Severed Ties
Following his arrest, AEW terminated Whitmer’s contract on June 12, 2023. In their statement to the media, they emphasized that such behavior is intolerable within the organization and offered support to those affected by Whitmer’s actions.
SEScoops will have more on this story if additional updates are available.
AEW has gone through a few changes since the company’s inception. Now, fans will have to get used to a new logo.
AEW had a big reveal today on social media, as they revealed the new logo for Dynamite, ending the nearly five-year reign of the previous logo. Naturally, fans have given it a mixed reaction so far.
New AEW Dynamite Logo
The company revealed that the March 6 episode of Dynamite would mark the beginning of a new season for the program. This announcement came along with the new logo reveal.
The March 6, 2024 episode of AEW Dynamite is set to occur at the Gas South Arena in Duluth, Georgia. Currently, only one match has been confirmed for the event, featuring Will Ospreay facing off against Kyle Fletcher in singles competition. We will have to see what else they add to the card with the fallout after Revolution.
With rumors of Okada’s impending arrival, you never know what will happen next. We do know that Ospreay, someone who has experience with Okada, and has a lot of eyes on him as a recent addition to the AEW roster, will be shown front and center along with this new logo.
AEW Dynamite Logo 2024
Comparing To Previous Logos
AEW Dynamite has seen a couple logos already. The very first was from the paint-splatter era, and it still holds nostalgia for some fans. This was the logo from the beginning of the program, as many consider it OG.
OG AEW Dynamite Logo
The second logo was a bit sleeker. They got rid of all the splashy colors and went with a simpler approach. That logo will now be replaced by the new version that AEW unveiled today.
Updated AEW Dynamite logo
What’s Next For AEW
Tony Khan seems to be preparing for an eventful week for AEW, as he recently confirmed the introduction of a new set for Dynamite during the March 6 episode. In a recent tweet, Khan also hinted at significant plans for both sets of AEW tapings in Atlanta.
We will have to see if the new AEW logo is more than just a fresh coat of paint. If anything, some fans have high hopes after seeing this new logo’s design.
SEScoops will have more coverage of AEW, and the rest of the pro wrestling world. We also invite you to check out our Daily Drop to get the latest on every big story, exclusive information, and tidbits that you may have missed along the way.
AEW has their own way of handling things, and it appears that their disciplinary committee has handed down another suspension. This time, Sammy Guevara is getting some time off due to a recent botched spot.
Sammy Guevara and Jeff Hardy wrestled on the February 16 episode of AEW Rampage (taped 2/14). Guevara has been a Jeff Hardy fan for many years, as evidenced by him sharing this photo of the two together from well over a decade ago in the days leading up to their match.
Unfortunately, the match did not go as planned. Both competitors are known for their high-impact offense and know associated risks. This fateful encounter would leave Hardy with a broken nose and Guevara with a suspension (and a middle finger salute from one of the most decorated tag teams in wrestling history.)
Sammy Guevara and Jeff Hardy crossed paths many years before they’d meet in the ring
The Incident & The Suspension
Mid-way through the match, Hardy was injured and became disoriented. Instead of giving Hardy sufficient time to to get checked out, Guevara climbed the top rope and executed his signature Shooting Star Press on Hardy. As seen below, Guevara botched the landing and inadvertently kicked Hardy in the face.
According to a report from Fightful Select, this was a violation of AEW’s concussion safety protocols and Guevara has been suspended accordingly.
The Suspension & Aftermath
Sammy Guevara attempted to apologize to Jeff Hardy after the match, but that also did go as planned.
Hardy was visibly upset and understandably so. A fan who was in attendance for the match captured this footage of the post-match altercation. Guevara extends his hand in an effort to make amends, but the Hardys weren’t having it.
Guevara wrestled one match since his bout with Hardy, a no-disqualification loss to Powerhouse Hobbs on the 2/24 episode of AEW Collision.
Jeff & Matt Hardy not happy with Sammy Guevara last night at the #AEWRampage tapings after after Sammy kneed Jeff in the face doing a Shooting Star Press. pic.twitter.com/n1IV3NUQje
AEW’s disciplinary committee is comprised of Bryan Danielson and two attorneys, according to Tony Khan on last week’s AEW Revolution media call.
Guevara was suspended from AEW back in 2020 and required to undergo sensitivity training. The disciplinary measures were handed down after ‘inappropriate’ comments he made about Sasha Banks/Mercedes Mone during a 2016 podcast appearance resurfaced.
Guevara has also He’s also had serious backstage issues with Eddie Kingston and Andrade, who recently returned to WWE. It’s unclear if either of those situations resulted in a formal suspension, or if any of these prior situations factored into the severity of this latest suspension.
WWE’s decade-long deal with Saudi Arabia is still going strong. The initial controversy after the company secured that contract has dwindled, and WWE fans expect big events every time they travel to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Now, we know when they will be back.
The most recent WWE event held in Saudi Arabia was the Crown Jewel Premium Live Event in November of last year. During this event, LA Knight faced off against Roman Reigns for the Undisputed Universal Championship but fell short of securing the victory. It appears that WWE is going back to Saudi Arabia in May.
WWE’s Next Saudi Arabian Event
WWE is currently in the process of finalizing plans for its return to Saudi Arabia, a tradition known for its afternoon broadcasts, as part of the company’s longstanding partnership with the Saudi General Sports Authority. This upcoming event is expected to be consistent with past arrangements, with WWE hosting two events per year in the country and receiving substantial compensation in return.
According to reports from PW Insider, WWE is targeting late May for its next pay-per-view event in Saudi Arabia, following last year’s Night of Champions in May and Crown Jewel in November.
WWE’s Plan for 2024
In addition to the Saudi event, WWE has outlined its schedule for the first half of 2024, which includes various events such as NXT Stand & Deliver in Philadelphia, WWE WrestleMania 40 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, WWE Backlash France in Lyon-Decines, France, NXT Battleground in Savannah, GA, WWE Money in the Bank and WWE NXT Heatwave in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and WWE Bash in Berlin, Germany.
SEScoops keeps a daily tracker of upcoming pro wrestling events, breaking stories, and everything you might have missed in our Daily Drop. We invite you to check out today’s edition by clicking the link below.
Darby Allin and Sting won the main event of AEW Revolution on Sunday night, and it was quite a showcase. Although many are talking about Sting’s last match, a lot of attention was taken by Darby Allin’s death defying leap through glass.
CM Punk and Jack Perry’s big All In brawl was due to Perry using real glass when Punk advised against it. Apparently, real glass is a trend in AEW, because Darby Allin used it to make some big waves and cut his back to pieces in the process. Jonathan Coachman saw this, and he doesn’t care whether it upsets AEW fans if he drags the spot.
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) March 4, 2024
Viral Reaction To Coachman
Fans were not very happy to see what Jonathan Coachman said on Twitter/X. Many AEW loyalists went at Coachman in return, and you can check out a few of those tweets below.
I have said sane, on podcasts and here.
Darby is playing with fire and could get seriously injured.
He is also flicking permanent accumulating damage on his body.
My point was that Coachman doesn’t give a shit and was pretending to for the sake of podcasts. https://t.co/sZy6X1Yv7w
Coachman doesn’t understand competition as a form of storytelling, of course he needs Darby Allin explained to him. ?
— Chainsaw Charlie Enthusiast (@ChainsawTerry69) March 4, 2024
Why be genuine when you can just punch down for money? Let’s be honest, how often does coachman get mentioned these days, even negatively? He needs an audience and attacking AEW is the easiest way to get all parties to notice.
The Coach saw Sean Ross Sapp’s video of Darby Allin’s insane dive at Revolution. The clip included glass breaking and fans going crazy. Everything ended with Allin on the ground, and that was all it took to create a viral clip.
When Jonathan Coachman saw the clip of Darby Allin’s big leap, he couldn’t resist but to comment. He said that, aside from Mick Foley, nobody in WWE did that kind of thing in the past. There is a reason for that as well.
While he painted a picture of the true damage to the situation, Jonathan Coachman also begged for someone to teach Tony Khan and AEW’s writing team to craft a storyline that didn’t require this level of ultra violence.
Ok AEW army come after me. This is bananas and SO unnecessary. Can someone please teach the writers and Tony Khan that if you tell a good story you don’t have to do that crap and damn near kill yourself. Other than Mick Foley find any videos of a top star from WWE doing anything this reckless. I am all about getting talked about after a show but my god. If he hits one of those chairs he could have paralyzed himself and broken his back. Tell a story and make the fans care. Then this won’t have to happen or even be talked about doing.
Ok AEW army come after me. This is bananas and SO unnecessary. Can someone please teach the writers and Tony Khan that if you tell a good story you don’t have to do that crap and damn near kill yourself. Other than Mick Foley find any videos of a top star from WWE doing anything… https://t.co/MlTyTazVzq
Darby Allin only needed 12 stitches to repair his back after that leap. He was okay to finish the match, and he was around for Sting’s post-match speech.
It seems that he is going to be okay, with his Mount Everest adventure still in line. Only time will tell when he does something like that again, but you never know what Allin will pull off.
SEScoops will have more on this story if additional information is ever available about Darby Allin’s insane dive.
WWE provided Michael Cole with a fantastic life where he can experience some incredible things. It seems that this week’s episode of RAW included a moment that he’s been dreaming about since his childhood.
Valhalla from the Viking Raiders is known for her fierce energy, face paint, and antlers. Whenever she doesn’t have the antlers, Cole is a sad man. This week on RAW, the former Sarah Logan placed those antlers on Michael’s head, and it was a joyous experience, to say the least.
The crowd chanting Michael Cole's name after he got the antlers
Michael Cole and Pat McAfee have incredible chemistry on commentary, and there is no debating that. So, when Cole gets excited, Pat gets hyped as well. This all added up to an incredible moment during the February 4th episode of RAW.
During the latest episode of RAW in San Antonio, Michael Cole experienced a memorable moment when Valhalla showed up with her antlers after several weeks without the presence of her headgear. Every time she showed up without antlers, Cole it out and he was noticeably bummed about it.
In an unexpected turn, she adorned Cole with the antlers, who seamlessly continued his commentary while wearing them. Michael even held his headset in his hand, only speaking into the microphone to accommodate his new Viking drip. He was very happy to make this change, as he obviously had nobody in his ear giving direction during that match.
While taking to Twitter, Michael Cole uploaded a photo of himself alongside Pat McAfee, with Cole wearing the antlers. Cole expressed that his boyhood dream had finally come true. It might have been the antlers, or fans chanting his name, but it was still an incredible moment.
Michael Cole has dedicated 27 years to his tenure in the company, and he has been able to separate his home life and career in WWE. Only time will tell when he steps away from commentary, but bringing McAfee back to join him on the RAW announce team has arguably revived the seasoned play-by-play announcer.
SEScoops will have more on this story, just in case there are further developments with Michael Cole and Valhalla’s antlers.
WrestleMania is known for larger than life match-ups, and you never know what will happen on the grandest stage of them all. John Cena and Bray Wyatt made history in their Firefly Fun House match, but it turns out that they didn’t have a lot of time to prepare for things.
The pandemic halted a ton of plans for the entire world. Thankfully, WWE was able to figure out how to operate in Florida, a state that deemed pro wrestling as an essential service. All of that craziness surrounding logistics for WrestleMania 36 also only gave them three days to figure out what to do at the show of show with Cena and Wyatt.
That match against Bray Wyatt was actually supposed to be a standard match. The Firefly Fun House aspect was tacked on later, and they had to figure out what that match even was in a very short amount of time.
“I remember three days before we filmed the Firefly Fun House match. It was the last TV taping where they came in and they’re like, ‘You’re gonna have a Firefly Fun House match’, and I remember there were three people in one of the conference rooms in NXT with me. I said, ‘What’s a Firefly Fun House match?’ They said, ‘I don’t know.’ I said, ‘Great! What can we do’, and that was like, oh, man, again, control the controllable. I wish we had an audience. Performers are like. I wish there could be blood. I wish we could do chair shots to the head. I wish we could swear. I wish I could flip people off. Control the controllable. Use the tools in your tool belt. How do we make something entertaining over a two day period with no audience, and they gave us a stipulation.
Everybody else has a regular match and it’s your stip. It’s not a doctor of Thuganomics match or a Hustle, Loyalty, Respect match that’s completely different. You have these definitive characters. You have all this ammunition. You have all this personality and that’s what people really radiate towards. Holy sh*t. We can make this a meta look at my life and we can get away with it. What do we have up in the warehouse? We have the fist. We have the blue cage. I can get some NWO stuff. We can make this work. I remember this the only match I’ve ever written from start to finish. My poor wife, I made her print it out and I’m writing and giving her paper. She said, ‘What is this? What does it even mean?’ ‘Just print it. I need it’, and somewhere I still have the original draft in my handwriting of the Firefly Fun House. Bray couldn’t have been better.
He knew what was up and he knew the whole thing. I wrote it the night before so I’m trying to text these guys like, I got something weird. I think I might have a picture of the draft still in my phone. I don’t have it with me, but I have it saved as a text that I sent him the night of the match, especially after we saw The Undertaker’s match the night before. Oh, my man, they crushed it, and there was a whole lot more physicality. We got one punch and I texted him how nervous I was, but I wanted to thank him for being so brave and trusting me and I think I couldn’t have done any more. I think we gave it our best shot and hopefully, it works, and it was an effort that I am very proud of.”
Things worked out in the end, as John Cena got to work that whole match without any physicality until the final moments. Bray Wyatt also gave a fantastic performance throughout, adding another amazing highlight to his ingenious character.
John Cena’s Candid Interview
John Cena also revealed what he said to MJF during The Iron Claw premiere. He wanted to know when the Salt of the Earth might switch sides and play for WWE. Only time will tell if that actually happens any time soon.
Cena certainly made a ton of memories during his time in WWE, and he can speak candidly about that now. Sadly, Bray Wyatt passed away in August 2023, and the pro wrestling world is still mourning that great loss. At least, Cena was able to mix it up with the Eater of Worlds to create an unforgettable WrestleMania moment.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of this story, and so many more, so please keep checking back for updates!
John Cena is a shoo-in WWE Hall of Famer at this point, and he is a bona fide Hollywood heavy-hitter as well. Although he’s been a good guy for his entire career, there was one big plan that would have changed history.
The Rock and John Cena battled at two consecutive WrestleMania events in a row at Mania 28 and 29. It seems that WWE had a plan to turn Cena heel during that first encounter, and he even had new gear made. So, the idea got far enough along for Cena to drop money on the idea of a new character.
John Cena’s Nixed Heel Turn
During the conversation with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, John Cena reflected on his experience while preparing for his first Once In A Lifetime match against The Rock. It seems that a heel turn may have been in the pipeline for a time.
Upon learning about the plan, Cena swiftly took action, recording a new song, acquiring fresh gear, and contemplating his character’s direction. However, he admitted feeling unprepared for the transition to “Ruthless Aggression.”
Despite the rush, Cena embraced the challenge, delving into the mindset of a heel. He deliberately contrasted his previous persona by embodying traits opposite to his usual demeanor, such as laziness, untrustworthiness, and disrespect. Rather than focusing solely on physicality, Cena prioritized crafting compelling narratives and character development to evoke a genuine sense of antagonism. Ultimately, he acknowledged that while the concept had potential, it was ultimately deemed impractical.
“I heard rumblings of, we’re going to do it, and in 48 hours, I had a new track, a new studio mix theme song, and a final mix. I had seven new singlets, low-cut singlets with boxing-type robes. I already had the boots in storage, so I dusted them off. I was ready to go and already thinking about what I could do with the story. Okay, what is a heel? A heel is not just new gear. The objectivity, or the message behind the singlet and the boxing robes and the boots is the exact opposite of what you saw with the street gear, the jeans shorts, the t-shirt, the ball cap, the sneakers.”
John Cena’s WWE Future
Of course, John Cena never turned heel, and he will probably never be a full-on bad guy in WWE at this point. His career may not be over, because he still wants to, at least, do something at WrestleMania 40. The fact is that WWE makes way too much money with Cena as a babyface.
Only time will tell what is in the future for WWE. They may just find themselves with another career babyface, because it would be hard to turn someone like Cody Rhodes at this point. There will certainly never be another John Cena, because no matter how many times they could have turned him heel, Vince McMahon never pulled that trigger.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of this story in case there are any additional updates.
MJF is one of AEW’s pillars, and Tony Khan certainly doesn’t want to lose him. That being said, there is a whole pro wrestling world who would be very interested to see if the Salt of the Earth could excel in another environment.
When John Cena and MJF were caught having a little chat at The Iron Claw premiere, fans didn’t know what to think. It turns out that Cena was suggesting to MJF that he join a different team in the future.
Cena Tells All
John Cena and MJF made headlines when they had a chance to meet at The Iron Claw premiere. The two had a bit of a conversation, and everyone was wondering what was said. Now, we have a much better idea.
While speaking to Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Cena revealed that during their encounter, Cena found MJF to be remarkably courteous and professional, contrary to any initial assumptions he might have had. He expressed regret for any misconceptions and commended MJF for his professionalism. Despite the potential for theatrics at the movie premiere, MJF conducted himself admirably.
John Cena went on to say that he had a couple interactions with MJF that night. First off, he apologized to him for not knowing how professional he would be. Then Cena made a comment to MJF about trying to get him to play for a different team down the line.
“Sports entertainment is a finicky business, and again, there’s a lot of chances to make moments. This is one of their top performers for AEW and I don’t know if I’m going to be the target of a moment. I’m just going to support my friend in a movie. He couldn’t have been nicer. He couldn’t have been more cordial. We met each other and I got pulled away to take some pictures and then we were about to go do everything else before I even got to you, and I was like, ‘Hold on. Give me two minutes.’ I shook his hand. I said, ‘Man, I’m so sorry. Excuse my ignorance, I didn’t know what to expect from you today. You are a class act. I can’t believe you’re as professional as you are. That’s just my ignorance. I’m sorry I had that judgment. I want to thank you for being so special. Thanks for making my night.’ Then we got back and I was able to talk to him more and I kind of was like, ‘Maybe we can get you to play for the right team one day’, and all that. There’s no denying the fact that he’s doing good work and I don’t think that I should ignore that. Honestly, I was floored by his professionalism. Where it would have been an easy target at a wrestling movie premiere to have yourself a moment, and we did have a moment, and it was one that the internet paid attention to. It was one where I was hoping that this person that I met, I could once bet on like, ‘Man, oh, we just get you over here. That’d be awesome’ but it was great. It was great to meet a professional, classy, driven young man.”
MJF’s Contract Situation
MJF’s contract situation is a very interesting one. Many believe that he inked a new deal with AEW in 2022 prior to his return from hiatus. Others are not so sure, because he claims that no contract was signed.
I asked people throughout WWE about the possibility of MJF signing. The overall belief is that he is still under a contact with Tony Khan, and that is not going to change any time soon.
We will have to see what the future holds. Right now, MJF is enjoying a break from AEW television, after a long run as World Champion. His body is healing, but you never know what he will decide to do so he can get everyone talking about him again.
Darby Allin wrecked himself at AEW Revolution. He took a bold dive off a ladder onto the floor, but his target moved, and he went through a sheet of glass, cutting himself to ribbons in the process. It seems that he’s all fixed up now.
Despite the fact that fans saw Allin bleed like a stuck pig on live pay-per-view, his damage wasn’t terrible. It turns out that he only needed 12 stitches to fix him up.
Sting and Darby Allin, AEW Tag Team Champions, defended their titles against The Young Bucks at AEW Revolution last month. During the intense bout, Darby Allin took a brutal dive from a ladder through a glass panel, resulting in significant injury. Despite the risky move, Sting and Allin managed to retain their titles in the main event, securing Sting’s retirement with an undefeated streak.
Following the match, Wrestling Observer Radio‘s Brian Alvarez revealed that Darby Allin required only twelve stitches for his injuries sustained during the match. This news may surprise fans who anticipated a more severe outcome given the nature of the spot.
“The update from the pay-per-view is that Darby Allin needed 12 stitches. That is crazy. I saw his back. I thought it was gonna be 12,000 stitches, but he needed 12.”
Dave Meltzer then noted that there were tons of little cuts on Darby’s back. So, “by the time the match went for a while all the blood from those cuts was all over the place, but it wasn’t like it was slashed from top to bottom like that.”
This gotta be one of the most insane things I've seen in modern wrestling. I hope Darby Allin is ok. What a fucking badass. pic.twitter.com/fggN2y88mh
It turns out that they didn’t need a ton of attention to fix Darby Allin up. Regardless, he is now on her way to climb Mount Everest at this point.
It will be interesting to see how AEW books Allin from this point on. His time with Sting is over, and now he is going to be on his own at this point. Only time will tell what kind of dangerous spot he does next, but he’s not done with his pro wrestling career by a long shot.
SEScoops will have more on this story if there are additional updates.
Ringside footage of Darby Allin’s insane swanton from the top of the ladder through chairs and glass. #AEWRevolution
Welcome to SEScoops: the Daily Drop, your go-to for the latest news and rumors in wrestling for Tuesday, March 5th. We had WWE RAW last night, and it was quite a show. There is a lot of news to get to, so let’s get to it.
– John Cena may have teased a 17th World Title run. While speaking to Chris Van Vliet, he said, “My next one. I have often said that the time is coming for me to hang them up and I’m not lying when I say, but it’s not tomorrow. It’s probably soon but not tomorrow, so you never know.”
– The NXT brand is presenting Roadblock tonight on the USA Network. They have quite a card ready, and you can check it out below.
Carmelo Hayes vs. Tony D’Angelo: Singles match to determine the #1 contender for the NXT Championship at Stand & Deliver
Dijak vs. Joe Gacy: Asylum match
The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) (c) vs. Lyra Valkyria and Tatum Paxley: Tag team match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin (c) vs. Chase University (Andre Chase and Duke Hudson) (with Riley Osborne): Tag team match for the NXT Tag Team Championship
– Lance Archer teased that his AEW contract may be coming up soon. While speaking to Wrestling Purists, he said, “I mean, there could be some renegotiations pretty soon (for my AEW deal) but, everything’s good right now.”
– Deonna Purrazzo addressed her recent loss on Twitter, confirming that she tapped out Toni Storm and breaking her silence on the surprising defeat. She said, “Toni Storm tapped out. That is all.”
AEW Dynamite: Big Business will be hosted at Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.
WWE NXT Stand & Deliver is slated for the afternoon of April 6th, just before the start of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
WrestleMania XL is set to take place on April 6th and 7th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a two-part event.
AEW is coming to St. Louis, MO with AEW: Dynasty LIVE on PPV on Sunday, April 21st at Chaifetz Arena
Backlash France is scheduled for May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
WWE NXT Battleground is booked for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, exclusively available on the WWE Network and Peacock.
WWE Money in the Bank will be held on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
WWE Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.
WrestleMania is in Philadelphia this year, and that city means a lot to Paul Heyman. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame this year, which is a perfect location for him to receive that honor. It turns out that this was not the first time WWE tried to enshrine him into their Hall of Fame.
This year will mark the first year that Triple H gets to pick his Hall of Fame. Paul Heyman just so happens to be the first name that was announced under this new era. Although it’s not clear when WWE tried to induct him before, Heyman turned down that spot in the past.
Paul Heyman’s WWE Hall of Fame Induction
Paul Heyman’s induction into the WWE Hall of Fame this year wasn’t unexpected, given his longstanding contribution to WWE programming. As we stated above, the Philly location made everything perfect.
During a segment on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer revealed insights into Paul Heyman’s induction. He highlighted that this year’s class was selected by Paul Levesque rather than Vince McMahon, signifying a shift in decision-making authority.
Meltzer mentioned that Heyman had previously declined the offer to join the Hall of Fame but accepted this time, likely influenced by being the inaugural Paul Levesque inductee and the connection to Philadelphia, the birthplace of ECW, a pivotal chapter in Heyman’s career. Additionally, Meltzer speculated that Heyman’s inclusion might fulfill the requirement for a main eventer in the class.
“Yeah, so trivia note, this will be the first Hall of Fame class chosen by Triple H, and not Vince McMahon. So, Paul Heyman is the first Triple H Hall of Famer. He’s been offered the Hall of Fame before, but he turned it down with the idea that, you know, he’s still active. He didn’t want to be in the Hall of Fame until his career was over. I think the idea of being the first Triple H inductee, and it’s in Philly where ECW is from, and one of his main career claims to fame is ECW, maybe his biggest in a lot of ways, so there’s that.”
It was noted that “he has been offered this before,” but this year was a year he took the honor. It’s unknown exactly why Heyman didn’t turn it down this year, but fans in Philly will certainly show up to give Paul E his flowers.
2024 WWE Hall of Fame
As of this writing, we do now know who will induct Paul Heyman into the WWE Hall of Fame. We will have to see who else receives an honor this year to round out the class.
The 2024 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony will go down after the final SmackDown before WrestleMania 40. Although no other inductees have been announced, Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer mentioned that they heard a rumor that Haku is receiving an induction this year as well.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of this story as more information is made available.
WWE’s biggest show of the year, WrestleMania 40, will go down on April 6 and 7, 2024, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. GUNTHER will wrestle at the show of shows, and we are so much closer to figuring out his next opponent.
Brock Lesnar was originally set to face GUNTHER at WrestleMania 40. Now, WWE has set up a gauntlet match for next week’s episode of RAW to determine who will face the Ring General.
GUNTHER’s Next Opponent
WWE is gearing up for WrestleMania 40, with numerous superstars vying for a significant spot at what is slated to be the grandest WrestleMania ever.
A major talking point revolves around GUNTHER and his WWE Intercontinental Championship reign, which surpasses all others in the company’s history.
Dominik Mysterio, Shinsuke Nakamura, Ricochet, JD McDonagh, and Sami Zayn are among the top stars eager to challenge The Ring General at the marquee event.
RAW General Manager Adam Pearce has been considering everyone’s arguments for weeks and has finally made his decision. On tonight’s episode, he announced a monumental 6-man gauntlet match featuring former WWE Intercontinental champions Sami Zayn, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Ricochet, along with rising talents Bronson Reed, Chad Gable, and JD McDonagh. The victor will earn the opportunity to face GUNTHER for the prestigious title at WrestleMania 40.
We will have to see what WWE does to continue building toward WrestleMania 40. In the meantime, you can check out the card so far below. Obviously, the card is always subject to change, so keep checking back with SEScoops for more updates!
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes: Singles match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre: Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley: Singles match for the WWE Women’s Championship
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch: Singles match for the Women’s World Championship
Gunther (c) vs. TBD: Singles match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Sting wrestled his final match during AEW Revolution on pay-per-view. He and Darby Allin won the match, and Sting will retire a champion. Now, WWE is speaking out on the matter.
Although WWE remained radio silent about Sting’s retirement, even not allowing AEW to use footage of The Icon that they owned, Michael Cole gave Sting his flowers during the first match on RAW this week.
Sting Gets Love On WWE RAW
During RAW this week, as GUNTHER was gearing up for his match, Michael Cole was able to give Sting some love. He mentioned Sting’s retirement and congratulated him in the process.
“GUNTHER has been a great champion, and I want to send out our congratulations to another great champion, after 40 years, the great Sting has retired from professional wrestling. Thanks for the memories, congratulations to Sting.”
Pat McAfee them chimed in to say, “Absolutely epic match last night.” They did not mention AEW, or AEW Revolution. That being said, everyone know what happened last night on pay-per-view.
WWE referencing not only Sting, but his ‘epic match’ from an AEW pay-per-view, shows just how much respect the icon has earned across all walks of the industry.
Cody Rhodes Also Acknowledges Sting
Cody Rhodes also threw in a little name-drop for Sting during his first promo of the night. This was not lost on fans, either.
WWE RAW kicked off this week by addressing The Rock’s challenge that he laid down on SmackDown. Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins targeted The People’s Champion, and that came with a big announcement, too.
Seth Rollins is now 100% medically cleared. He confirmed that he will be on SmackDown this week to confront the Bloodline, and he’s ready to go.
Cody to the ring first this week, and after some words for fans, he invited Seth Rollins to join him, and that is what happened. Fans sang Rollins’ song for him, and then Cody had a chance to speak.
The American Nightmare thanked Seth Rollins for having his back before. Then he made things very interesting. He said that if he wants to get out of this match against the Bloodline and focus on his match with Drew McIntyre, then he could do that.
Rollins appreciated Cody giving him an out, but he didn’t take it. He then said that taking down the Bloodline is the biggest thing they can do. Because it’s not just Cody’s story that needs to be finished, it’s Seth’s too.
Rollins and Roman Reigns have a long history with each other. From The Shield, they formed quite a bond, but then their paths split up. They are now on different sides of the equation, and “they are so close to Roman Reigns having absolute power” with The Rock in the Bloodline.
The decision was then made that Seth is not backing down, as “Rocky Sucks” chants rang out from the crowd. Rollins then invented a new nickname for The Rock: Diarrhea Dwayne. This is in reference to The Rock’s long promos, and then a “Diarrhea” chant rang out from the fans.
WWE SmackDown This Week
Rollins said he will be on SmackDown this week. He is medically cleared, and he’s ready to answer the Great One. Cody Rhodes has quite a message to deliver as well.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of this story, and so many more, on the road to WrestleMania 40.
Vince McMahon’s story with WWE may be over after he resigned from his position. That being said, the company still made him a very rich man, with the ability to cash out his massive stockpile of assets, and he decided to cash in on some of those options today.
McMahon recently sold 5,350,000 shares of TKO, worth around $412 million. It’s unclear why he needs the money, but he’s certainly getting a nice windfall of cash from this exchange.
Vince McMahon Unloading Stock
In a recent filing, it has been disclosed that Vince McMahon has sold a significantly large portion of his shares in the company. The filing reveals that McMahon has divested 5,350,000 shares of TKO, amounting to a total value of approximately $412 million.
Following this transaction, McMahon’s remaining stake in TKO stands at around 15 million shares, which corresponds to approximately 9% of the total outstanding TKO stock. This move indicates a substantial reduction in McMahon’s ownership interest in the company, although he still retains a significant portion of TKO shares.
Vince McMahon still has a ton of stock, but it’s not enough where he can re-insert himself into the WWE fold as he did before. The fact that he is selling even more stock would also give an idea that he has no intention to come back in the same way.
NEW FILING: Vince McMahon sells 5,350,000 TKO shares, a value of $412 million.
After the transaction, he has about 15 million shares, or about 9% of all TKO stock. pic.twitter.com/SropbXk5Dg
McMahon resigned from his position with the company after Janel Grant’s lawsuit included damning allegations of sex trafficking and so much more. Now, we will have to see if anything happens with that lawsuit, or if they decide to settle out of court.
Vince McMahon helped build WWE into what it became today, but he no longer has an active hand in the company’s product. It remains to be seen if he will hold onto every bit of TKO stock he has left, but he’s certainly not opposed to selling some of it.
SEScoops will have more updates on this story as they are available.
Santana has been around since the early days of AEW, as he and Ortiz’s debut was an early surprise for the company when they joined the Inner Circle. Santana was the adamant one behind a Proud n Powerful breakup, and now he is no longer in AEW.
There have been issues between Santana and AEW for a while. Now, it has been confirmed that his removal from the company’s roster page on their site meant an official departure.
Santana Is No Longer All Elite
Fightful Select has confirmed that Mike Santana is no longer with AEW after his removal from their roster page. The separation between Santana and AEW reportedly occurred last week.
Mike Santana has not been present backstage at AEW events for several months, and sources close to him have indicated his departure from the company following his removal from the AEW roster page. He made his return to AEW on the August 23, 2023, edition of AEW Dynamite after being sidelined for over a year due to a torn ACL sustained during the Blood & Guts match in June 2022.
His last appearance for AEW was in the Stadium Stampede match at AEW All In, after which he began a feud with his former tag team partner, Ortiz. Santana emerged victorious against Ortiz on the October 27 episode of AEW Rampage but has not competed for the company since.
What’s Next For Santana
Despite his departure from AEW, Santana has remained active on the independent circuit, participating in events such as House of Glory’s Reckoning on March 2, where he successfully defended the HOG Heavyweight Championship against Penta El Zero Miedo. Additionally, he has appeared for promotions like C4 and Beyond Wrestling.
Santana and Ortiz joined AEW in 2019 amid significant anticipation, given their status as four-time IMPACT World Tag Team Champions and other achievements. They were known as LAX in Impact Wrestling and worked well with Konnan.
During Santana’s time with AEW, he was prominently featured as a member of the Inner Circle alongside Chris Jericho, Ortiz, Sammy Guevara, and Jake Hager. Although the group disbanded during Santana’s injury hiatus, he briefly reunited with Ortiz, despite personal differences, for the Stadium Stampede match.
WWE Superstars need to be aware of hacking attempts at all times, because nefarious actors are waiting in the wings around every corner to steal their platforms. Those hackers can use Superstar profiles to bilk fans out of tons of cash, and that is why an extra step of authentication is always needed. Rhea Ripley knows this all too well.
The Nightmare woke up this morning, and her Instagram had been apparently tampered it. She said it was gone, which means hackers tried to do their thing again. Thankfully, they were not successful this time.
Hackers Target Rhea Ripley
The Eradicator shared on Twitter/X today that she went to bed with her Instagram account, but woke up to find it missing, suspecting a hacking attempt.
“Went to sleep with IG, woke up to no IG… ??? Guess someone tried to hack me.”
It’s unfortunate that someone attempted to hack Rhea Ripley’s Instagram account. We hope such incidents don’t occur again, but pro wrestlers have often been targeted with hacks.
Went to sleep with IG, woke up to no IG… ????? Guess someone tried to hack me.
Of course, everyone remembers when Seth Rollins was hacked by crypto fiends, as his account briefly promoted an NFT collection with his “buddy” The Undertaker. That NFT scam was not legit, and the posts were removed when Rollins regained access to his account.
All Elite Wrestling is coming back to TD Garden in Boston, MA on Wednesday, March 13 with AEW Big Business. That very special episode of Dynamite is also expected to include a huge debut for the company, as the former Sasha Banks is set to make her big first appearance on an AEW stage.
Mercedes Mone is thought to have inked a deal with AEW some time ago. The trick was waiting for the right moment. With Big Business’ date in place, Mercedes is now putting out some pretty blatant teases about her future.
Mone Teases AEW Debut
Mercedes Mone is very good at keeping things close to the vest, especially when it comes to her business. She left WWE fans guessing for months about her return time and time again. Now, it’s AEW’s turn, but fans should know where to expect her.
While taking to her Instagram stories, Mercedes Mone dropped a pretty clear tease that she will be at Big Business. She also made it clear that she isn’t done in Japan, either.
Handled all my Big Business in Japan. See you again this Summer.
Mercedes Mone will be permitted to work in Japan while under AEW contract. This is the case with other stars on the roster, as they can take special appearances and matches for other companies.
— Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) March 4, 2024
Mercedes Mone’s Road To AEW
The terms of Mercedes’ deal with AEW are not clear yet, but she was asking a lot from WWE. That being said, she wasn’t asking for more than the top female on the roster receives, but they still couldn’t come to an agreement. Tony Khan was apparently willing to offer that paycheck to her, and now we find ourselves waiting on Mercedes’ big moment in the Land of All Elite.
Mercedes Mone appeared at AEW All In, but she couldn’t even be shown on camera standing. She was injured at the time, but the thought was that AEW was going to secure her services. After months of back-and-forth, and WWE entering the picture as well, Big Business looks to be the night when AEW fans finally see what Tony Khan has in mind for her.
CM Punk’s return to WWE sparked a wave of excitement from fans, but they only got to see him wrestle at the Royal Rumble before an injury took him out of action. Drew McIntyre believes that he has a lot to do with the reason fans are still talking about the Second City Savior.
Since Punk’s injury, Drew McIntyre has continued to throw shade at him. He even put out a t-shirt, where he was photoshopped posing over Punk’s grave. If you ask The Scottish Warrior, that relevancy CM Punk is seeing is all thanks to him.
Drew Makes Bold Claim
In recent weeks, McIntyre has taunted CM Punk through his WWE Raw promos and social media posts. All of this led fans to speculate that he will actually re-sign with the company, even though his contract is set to expire prior to Punk’s return.
During his appearance on WWE The Bump, McIntyre discussed his jabs at CM Punk. When questioned about whether he was being too harsh, the former WWE Champion responded that Punk should express gratitude for the attention, stating, “I think Punk and everyone should be thanking me. All his fans should be thanking me because I’m the one keeping him relevant right now by constantly talking about him.”
McIntyre also provided an update on his ear after mentioning a blown eardrum at WWE Elimination Chamber. Reiterating his comments from the February 26 episode of WWE Raw, he assured that the injury wouldn’t sideline him for WrestleMania, adding, “I might be hurt, but who do you think I am, CM Punk? It’s not gonna take me out the game.”
He acknowledged the frustration of compromised hearing but humorously noted that it seemed to enhance his other senses. It seems that McIntyre’s quick wit is not injured one bit.
What’s Next For Drew McIntyre
We will have to see what is going to happen with CM Punk and Drew McIntyre. The two seem destined to throw down in some fashion. Hopefully, WWE and Drew can figure out their contract issues and get something official very soon.
Drew will take on Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40 for the World Heavyweight Championship. That will be a fantastic opportunity for him at the showcase of the immortals, and only time will tell what is after that. A lot of things with McIntyre seem to be pending on his contract situation at this point.