Vince McMahon was forced to resign from WWE a second time when Janel Grant filed a damning lawsuit that alleged him of heinous acts including sex trafficking, assault, and more. The locker room is starting to speak out on the matter, and now it is Becky Lynch’s turn.

Becky Lynch Speaks on Vince McMahon Allegations

During an interview with Inside the Ropes prior to yesterday’s WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth, Becky Lynch was questioned about the allegations against Vince McMahon.

Becky Lynch responded, “I’ve been fortunate in my career that I’ve always felt supported by the company. These allegations are horrible. It’s hard to reconcile, as a talent and as a woman, but my experience in WWE has only ever been amazing.”

The Man went on to explain that, in the beginning of her time in WWE, the company limited talent. They pushed through that, and she has had a great ride in the company. Those words were spoken in a solemn tone, because Lynch realized that not everyone can say the same about their experience. 

“Yes, in the beginning, there were some restrictions put on things. We couldn’t punch, we had to hair pull, there were weird things there. Being able to push us forward, push women forward, I’m very grateful for that and the opportunity to even have my family. This company…some of these things are hard to reconcile.”

Becky Lynch won the 2024 Women’s Elimination Chamber match. Now, she will go onto WrestleMania 40, where she will take on Rhea Ripley for the WWE Women’s World Title.

Other WWE Superstar Reactions To Vince McMahon Allegations

Randy Orton also addressed Vince McMahon, expressing that the allegations against him were heartbreaking. The Apex Predator further acknowledged that he owes his entire career to Mr. McMahon.

John Cena also spoke out about this situation, but he also stated that he still loves McMahon. They went through a lot over the years, and Cena was as frank as he could while speaking on the Howard Stern Show.

Kevin Owens has also reacted to the Vince McMahon allegations in recent memory. He condemned McMahon’s actions as he spoke carefully on the subject.

As of this writing, WWE has handed down no directive to any talent saying that they are not allowed to speak about Vince McMahon’s situation. Obviously, they are speaking out as this question comes up, and the number of Superstars who are speaking out on the matter is likely to grow as time goes on.

WWE RAW’s February 26th episode will go down in the SAP Center in San Jose, California. The episode promises to feature fallout from the recent Elimination Chamber event held in Australia. As WrestleMania approaches, with only 40 days until the grand event, the anticipation is palpable. Let’s take a look at what WWE has booked already.

There are currently two matches scheduled for RAW, including Sami Zayn taking on Nakamura, and a Street Fight between the New Day and Imperium. Additionally, Drew McIntyre emerged victorious in the Elimination Chamber, earning the opportunity to challenge Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. Furthermore, Becky Lynch secured a significant victory in the Elimination Chamber, earning the right to challenge Rhea Ripley for the Women’s World Championship at the upcoming WrestleMania 40 event.

• Sami Zayn vs. Nakamura
• Street Fight: New Day vs Imperium

Raw Preview (2/26/24)

Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Zayn and Nakamura were excluded from WWE’s Elimination Chamber booking. They already had this contest booked for RAW, and both men have a lot to prove. Sami is still trying to find his footing, and his eyes are on GUNTHER for a WrestleMania IC Title shot. Also, Nakamura could use a big win, as his efforts to derail Cody Rhodes as he tried to finish his story were not successful.

Street Fight: New Day vs Imperium

New Day and Imperium have been building toward this match for a while. Both teams were left off Elimination Chamber, and odds are, they will leave it all on the table in San Jose. Since we are on the road to WrestleMania, every match is even more important, especially in a contest like this were both teams could use the boost in momentum. After Judgment Day retained their titles in Perth, it is very possible that the winner of this match will have a title match in their future.

Drew McIntyre’s Next Move

Drew McIntyre won Elimination Chamber to challenge Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. The Scottish Warrior will be there to really start his WrestleMania build, something that he has actually been at work on for a while now.

Becky Lynch Celebrates Road to WrestleMANia

Becky Lynch won Elimination Chamber to challenge Rhea Ridley for the Women’s World championship at WrestleMania 40 as well. With both Chamber winners coming out of the red brand, it seems that this week’s episode of WWE RAW is more must-see than ever.

SEScoops will have more coverage of WWE RAW as updates are made available. Keep checking back during the show for breaking headlines!

Janel Grant’s blockbuster lawsuit caused Vince McMahon to resign from the company he helped build. Now, McMahon’s memory is being erased in many ways as the world takes a step back to see the man that he tried to hide for years. Some members of the locker room are now speaking out to express their shock at the whole situation.

Kevin Owens Reacts To Vince McMahon Allegations

The allegations against Vince McMahon sparked reactions from all over. The pro wrestling bubble was busted wide-open, as main stream outlets also picked up the story.

Vince McMahon was responsible for booking Kevin Owens as Universal Champion, his WrestleMania main event match against “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and so much more. He may owe McMahon a lot for giving him those opportunities, but it doesn’t change the heinous allegations of sex trafficking, assault, and abuse that Janel Granted included in her lawsuit.

While speaking to Alex McCarthy of Daily Mail, Owens spoke out against the allegations.

“Everything that has come out is awful. Just terrible.   There’s really no words to describe how sad this makes me feel. If the people spoke out went through what they went through, that’s terrible. It’s shameful and it can’t ever happen again. That’s what it comes down to.”

Other Reactions To Vince McMahon Allegations

Randy Orton also spoke out against Vince McMahon, and he said the allegations against McMahon were heartbreaking. The Apex Predator also admitted that he owes his entire career to Mr. McMahon.

John Cena also spoke out about this situation, but he also stated that he still loves McMahon. They went through a lot over the years, and Cena was as frank as he could while speaking on the Howard Stern Show.

“I’ve openly said, I love the guy, I have a great relationship with the guy, and that’s that. It’s largely my construct of operating with honesty and communication. The whole thing is super unfortunate and it sucks. It deals with an individual I love and an entity I love.”

What’s Next

Vince McMahon will likely never be back in WWE. At this point, he has no leverage to cause a return like he saw after his first retirement stint. He cannot return with the same amount of power, and this is also comforting for some to know.

Bill Simmons is still working on his six-part Netflix docuseries about Vince McMahon. That series will likely blow the lid off a lot of McMahon’s life, as it promises to pull no punches.

Elimination Chamber went down in Perth on February 24th, making the company’s return to Australia for a huge event since 2018’s Super Show-Down event. Tons of fans turned out for the Chamber, and those Superstars had a long trip to make it there.

WWE Elimination Chamber Travel 

WWE Superstars are used to time on the road, and they certainly raked up frequent flyer miles this week. A majority of the roster went to Australia for the Elimination Chamber event, and there was a lot of travel required. 

Sean Ross Sapp noted on Fightful Select that some talent had quite a trip to Australia. Some of them required multiple flight transfers to make sure that they made their way to Elimination Chamber in time. 

The WWE travel to Australia for some went to California, Hawaii, then Australia. There were some that ended up taking 4-5 legs of a flight to get back home.

WWE Elimination Chamber Attendance

Triple H showed up before the main event of the Chamber pay-per-view, and he had a big announcement. The WWE COO revealed that the attendance in Optus Stadium was 52,590.

Elimination Chamber drew a significant crowd, but it fell short of WWE’s previous major event in Australia. That event was the 2018 Super Show-Down, held on October 6, 2018, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The attendance for WWE Super Show-Down was reported to be approximately 62,000.

What’s Next

WWE is well on the road to WrestleMania at this point. There is a lot at stake for Superstars to stay healthy and maintain focus during this time. Thankfully, the flight to Elimination Chamber, although it was grueling, it didn’t seem to negatively change anyone’s performance during the massive event.

Sting has certainly given his all since signing with AEW. Few fans thought that he would get involved in AEW matches like he has, and now The Icon is set to have his final match at Revolution on March 3rd, and he wanted to go out with all guns blazing at this point.

Sting Insisted On Danger

Darby Allin and Sting took on the Don Callis Family during AEW’s Homecoming episode in Daily’s Place. That match ended with The Stinger going through a table, but that wasn’t supposed to be his spot. 

Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that Darby Allin was supposed to take the big bump in Daily’s Place that ended their tornado tag team match, but that wasn’t how things turned out. It seems that Sting insisted on taking that bump instead. 

In asking around about the road to Sting’s retirement match, there were some backstage that had pushed for Darby Allin to take the bump at the end of the Daily’s Place tag team match instead of Sting, but Sting was insistent. Obviously he’s been fine in the follow up.

Sting Was Advised Against This

Darby Allin previously spoke about that dangerous spot at Daily’s Place. He told Sting not to take the bump, but that didn’t convince The Icon from doing it anyway.

What’s Next For Sting

Sting and Darby Allin are set to take on The Young Bucks at AEW Revolution on March 3rd. That will be a historic event at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, and it will also mark the company’s first pay-per-view in the city. It will also be the end of Sting’s in-ring career, so odds are the whole pro wrestling world will be watching.

SEScoops will have continued coverage of Sting’s final days as an active wrestler for AEW. 

WWE Superstars can sometimes work for a decade or longer in the pro wrestling business before getting their shot. Kevin Owens certainly had to put in his time on the indies, but now that he is a WWE Superstar, although he appreciates his past, he is looking forward.

Kevin Owens Speaks on His Time in ROH

Kevin Owens is known all over the world now for his work in WWE. However, prior to rising to prominence in the global wrestling scene, Owens was a fixture in Ring of Honor from 2011 to 2013. It seems that he doesn’t really think about that time in his career anymore.

During conversation with Wrestle Radio Australia, Kevin Owens mentioned that the current phase of his career aligns more closely with his true self compared to his time in Ring of Honor. He acknowledged that during his Ring of Honor days, he often aimed to shock people and gain recognition, even if it meant doing things he wouldn’t do now.

Owens then expressed gratitude for reaching his desired destination in his career, although he doesn’t necessarily reminisce about his Ring of Honor years. He doesn’t watch that footage, and some of it is cringe-worthy for him now.

I mean, this is a lot closer to myself than I am, you know, the Ring of Honor stuff. A lot of it was about shocking people and trying to get my name out there and for better or for worse, you know? There’s a lot of things I did back then that I would not do today. You know what I mean? So I’m glad that I’ve managed to get to where I wanted to get to, and the Ring of Honor years are great years for me, but they’re not necessarily years I even look back on. I don’t really watch that stuff back. If I did, I’d probably cringe at a lot of stuff I did. You know, licking people’s blood and just a lot of crazy things in the ring that I probably shouldn’t have been doing. But, you know, it all paid off ultimately. I am where I wanted to go.”

What’s Next For Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens does not have a match on WrestleMania 40 yet, but odds are that will change as the weeks tick down for the show of shows. This could be an eventful time for him, because the road to WrestleMania has been known to pick up for the Prize Fighter since his debut on the main roster.

SEScoops will have continued coverage of Kevin Owens’ career, and everything else in the pro wrestling world. 

Drew McIntyre appears to have regained the momentum he lost during his WWE championship reign. After winning the 2024 Men’s Elimination Chamber match, the Scottish Warrior has a World Heavyweight Championship match waiting for him at the showcase of the immortals. He was also banged up a bit in the process, but it was all worth it. 

Drew McIntyre’s Big Win

Drew McIntyre has been through a lot on the road to WrestleMania. It appears that he may have also ruptured his eardrum in the process.

This win has secured him a World Heavyweight title shot against Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40. Speaking with Byron Saxton on WWE’s The Bump after the match, Drew McIntyre expressed that every hardship endured in the chamber was worthwhile. He is now focused on concluding his journey for all those who believed in him at The Show of Shows.

“I can barely hear the words after getting hit in the ear so hard. It’s fine. I said I would do whatever it takes, not just for me but for everybody else. And every superplex, every dive off the cage, every power bomb in the back of my neck was worth it. I said I’d go through any obstacle. Push Cody to finish his story, that’s what the fans wanted. Push Seth to stop being selfish. Some people are like, it’s just so you can get Seth at WrestleMania.”

“Yeah, I just had to beat AJ Styles and I just had to put myself through hell while jet lagged, while this eardrum appears to be burst. Worth it. I did it for each and every one of you. We’re so close, so close. WrestleMania, we finish our own story and I finally get my moment.”

Drew McIntyre’s WWE Journey

The Scottish Warrior ascended to the main event scene in 2020, capturing the World title from Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 36. Unfortunately, the global pandemic prevented an audience from witnessing McIntyre’s triumph.

However, since the start of 2024, McIntyre’s popularity has surged once again, with fans firmly supporting his dominant performances. The Elimination Chamber match at WWE’s PLE in Perth, Australia was just what he wanted to maintain that momentum.

What’s Next for Drew McIntyre

The Scottish Warrior will take on Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. That match may be a massive notch in his belt, but it could also be a huge highlight near the end of his road with WWE.

Drew McIntyre’s WWE contract is up soon, and while he has not re-signed yet, the thought is that he has far too much momentum at this point to leave. SEScoops will have more on this story as more information is available. 

AEW has pulled in a few former WWE names in the past, and they scored a big behind-the-scenes acquisition by securing a tenured Senior Writer and Producer. Matt Hardy remembers his days in WWE, and he can see why this signing will be very beneficial.

Matt Hardy Speaks on AEW’s New Creative Force

Former WWE Senior Writer and Producer Jennifer Pepperman opted to leave the company. Her departure was voluntary rather than a result of being let go. I was told at the time that the overall thought was that she already landed a job elsewhere.

Pepperman has since joined AEW for an extended period, a move that Matt Hardy sees as beneficial. She has also worked extensively with Sasha Banks in the past, and Mercedes Mone is expected to make her AEW debut during March 13th’s Big Business Collision in Boston.

While speaking on The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, the show’s co-host, Jon Alba, highlighted the recruitment of Jennifer Pepperman. Hardy then pointed out that he views her as a valuable addition to AEW, particularly given her background in WWE.

“I worked with her when I went back to WWE in 2017. I was there [from] 2017 through 2020, got along good with her, interacted with her some. I don’t know her extremely well, but I do know her. I think it’s very interesting.”

“I think it’s a positive thing that Tony is bringing someone that has been in the WWE format and the WWE writing room and the WWE structuring room, to bring them and give insight on AEW. I think it’s a positive.”

What’s Next for Jennifer Pepperman in AEW

Jennifer Pepperman has taken on the role of Vice President of Content at AEW. She is expected to work closely with Mercedes, similar to Brian Gewirtz’s collaboration with The Rock.

We will have to see how her creative influence changes AEW’s product. She had a lot of creative pull in WWE, and many were shocked by her departure.

SEScoops will have more on this story as additional information is available. 

Tony Khan has done a lot while booking AEW so far, but his transformation of Orange Cassidy has been impressive to see. Some were initially worried when TK signed the indie darling who couldn’t keep his hands out of his pockets. After introducing Cassidy to the world, they have not accepted him as a pro wrestling star. Still, it’s hard to shake that comic stigma that brought him to the table.

Orange Cassidy Speaks on Comedic Wrestling

Orange Cassidy, a prominent figure in Tony Khan’s AEW, is celebrated for his captivating in-ring abilities. Despite his silence and comedic routines, Cassidy has garnered immense popularity among wrestling enthusiasts.

The current AEW International Champion is often seen as a comedic attraction, known for his playful gestures such as teasing opponents with kicks and responding to others with his signature thumb raise. 

During a recent interview with theathletic.com, Cassidy expressed gratitude towards AEW, highlighting the opportunity it provides to showcase a range of emotions. He emphasized the importance of versatility in professional wrestling, stating that being pigeonholed into one role would lead to stagnation. In the end, he doesn’t really care for the term “comedic wrestling.”

“I don’t really like the term comedy wrestler because I feel that professional wrestling is an art. This is the art I create and art, to me, should generate emotions out of people. Those emotions could be laughter. They could also be joy, it could also be sadness, it could be regret, it could be depression. If I was just a comedic wrestler, would people really care, would they be invested?“

Orange Cassidy remarked that in a movie solely filled with laughter for 90 minutes, there’s always a moment that deeply resonates with the audience. He expressed gratitude towards AEW for providing him with the opportunity to display various emotions, emphasizing that elsewhere, he might be confined to a single comedic role. Cassidy noted the risk of becoming stale if restricted to one-dimensional character portrayals. He stressed the importance of being a professional wrestler above all else to evoke genuine emotions from the audience.

It was once difficult to get more than three words out of Orange Cassidy. Now, he’s doing full-fledged interviews, while diving into his own version of pro wrestling theory.

What’s Next

AEW has built Orange Cassidy into a legitimate champion, as fans follow what Freshly Squeezed does next. We will have to see how Tony Khan books OC in the future, because he has certainly done a lot for him so far.

SEScoops will have continued coverage of AEW and Orange Cassidy whenever new headlines drop, so keep checking back for more.

WWE Superstars have to go through a lot that they don’t tell fans about. Raquel Rodriguez has been very open about her illness in recent memory, and she was able to overcome a huge obstacle to compete in Perth.

Raquel Rodriguez Almost Missed The Elimination Chamber

WWE held the WWE Elimination Chamber PLE with Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Tiffany Stratton, Naomi, and Raquel Rodriguez competing in the women’s Elimination Chamber match. Lynch emerged victorious in the match, but one competitor had a pretty difficult time before the match even started.

Raquel had previously mentioned that her Mast Cell Activation Syndrome was flaring up before the event.

On Wrestling Observer Radio, it was reported that Raquel’s condition was uncertain at one point due to the MCAS, resulting in her absence from the practice match.

“It was touch and go […] as you know her thing flared up. She missed the, they basically did a practice match while in Australia, and she missed that, but she was able to do the match today, so good for her, she got to do it, but she had a flare-up on the flight over.”

After her Elimination Chamber match, Lynch is now set to challenge WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 40.

What’s Next for Raquel?

We can only hope that Raquel Rodriguez doesn’t have any more issues with her MSAC. It seems like a terrible problem that hasn’t gone away yet. She certainly means a lot to WWE fans, who want to see her healthy and able to compete without worrying about this kind of complication.

SEScoops will have more on this story as additional information is made available. 

Welcome to SEScoops: the Daily Drop, your go-to for the latest news and rumors in wrestling. February 25. The Elimination Chamber started off yesterday with a very early, and exciting, event. Now, we have a lot to unpack.

Days until WrestleMania XL: 41

WWE:

– WWE released a full video of 2024 Elimination Chamber highlights. You can check that out below.

– I was able to confirm that Logan Paul vs Randy Orton 

– Becky Lynch won the 2024 Women’s Elimination Chamber match, which was her first-ever appearance in that dangerous match set-up. Now, she will face Rhea Ripley for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40.

 – Seth Rollins said during Elimination Chamber that he is “days away” from being medically cleared to compete. So, we may see the Visionary wrestle on the road to the show of shows.

– Cody Rhodes challenged The Rock to a match at any time during Elimination Chamber as well. Then Seth Rollins stepped up to say that he has Cody’s back, because it’s never just one-on-one against The Bloodline. 

– Kevin Owens granted a Make-A-Wish at the Elimination Chamber. He really is one of the best guys in the business. 

– Rey Mysterio is the most recent WWE/UFC crossover, as he appeared at a UFC event in Mexico. 

-After Elimination Chamber, WWE has two more big matches booked for WrestleMania. You can check out the updated card below, but there will be a lot more added to fill the two-night extravaganza.

WrestleMania 40 Card:

• Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes: Singles match for the Undisputed WWE Universal 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
• Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre: Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship

AEW

– WWE gave Chris Jericho some love during the Elimination Chamber event. That was a bit of a surprise, and it strayed from their norm of not mentioning AEW talent as they have in the past.  

– Jun Akiyama dropped a message on Twitter/X after his Collision match this week. He said, “Thank you very much to all AEW fans! Everyone’s cheering helped me. See you again.”

Thank you very much to all AEW fans! Everyone's cheering helped me. See you again.#ddtpro #AEW#JunAkiyama

— ????Jun Akiyama? (@jun0917start) February 25, 2024

– The Young Bucks re-named the Meltzer Driver to honor Tony Khan instead. So, that happened as a part of their new heel characters.

– Tony Khan’s explanation about why AEW keeps running larger venues despite crowds that can’t fill them was not received well online.

– During AEW Collision this week, they booked a big trios match for next week’s AEW Dynamite featuring Blackpool Combat Club (Claudio Castagnoli, Bryan Danielson, and Jon Moxley) facing off against FTR and Eddie Kingston.

– Eric Bischoff had great things to say about AEW picking up former WWE senior writer Jennifer Pepperman as their new VP of Content. During his Strictly Business podcast, Bischoff said, “She’s a very sweet person, easy to get along with, she’s got a great personality and she’s very outgoing. But, she’s also tough. She’s not gonna be intimidated. I’ve watched her interact with Vince, and Vince can be very, very intimidating. I watched her stand up to Vince, I watched her react to pressure that a lot of creative people that I’ve worked with in the past would’ve probably taken pretty hard. She digs in and does the work.”

TNA Wrestling

– Mustafa Ali cut a very emotional promo when he became the X-Division Title at TNA No Surrender. He has certainly been through a lot, and fought hard for his spot. Everyone here at SEScoops is wishing him the best as he keeps going to achieve great things.

EXCLUSIVE: "This is my first major championship in 20 years." @MustafaAli_X addresses the crowd after capturing the X-Division Title at #NoSurrender. pic.twitter.com/UWt0eYpY90

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) February 24, 2024

Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Events

• AEW Dynamite: Big Business will be hosted at Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.
• AEW Revolution is planned for the following weekend, on Sunday, March 3.
• 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.
• 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 Elimination Chamber 2024 was live from the Optus Stadium in Perth, Western Australia. It was an early show for fans on the East Coast, and there is a lot unpack, as well. Chris Jericho was far away from the show, but he had his namedropped in the process.

Chris Jericho’s Name Mentioned During WWE Elimination Chamber

AEW star Chris Jericho, who is formerly a WWE Superstar, was referenced during the premium live event. Jericho spent much of his wrestling career with WWE before joining AEW in 2019. He has achieved numerous titles and accolades in WWE and is widely regarded as one of the premier talents in WWE history.

While WWE typically avoids mentioning AEW stars on their programming, Jericho was recently mentioned during the 2024 Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event. This occurred during the men’s Chamber match, which featured Drew McIntyre, Randy Orton, LA Knight, Logan Paul, Bobby Lashley, and Kevin Owens.

As Randy Orton made his entrance, WWE commentator Michael Cole noted that Orton had tied Chris Jericho’s record for most appearances in the Elimination Chamber match.
With his participation in this year’s Chamber match, Orton has now established a new record, surpassing Jericho’s previous mark of eight appearances.

Michael Cole menciona que Randy Orton iguala a Chris Jericho en más apariciones en la Elimination Chamber, con ocho. Leyenda. #WWEChamber pic.twitter.com/sIPXeanAXX

— LuigiWrestling (@LuigiWrestling) February 24, 2024

What’s Next?

Chris Jericho seems very happy in AEW, so a full-fledged WWE return might not be in the cards. Still, The Wizard is having a good time in AEW, and it must feel good for him to know that all the effort he made in WWE to carve out a legacy for himself is now getting credit on television once again.

We will have to see if WWE lifts the ban on other names of people who are not with the company anymore. Jon Moxley’s name is still not spoken about much, and Shield video packages are even edited to exclude him. 

SE Scoops will have more on this story as more information is known on the matter.

WWE’s Elimination Chamber event went down in Perth, Australia on Saturday, and there is a lot of fallout. Sadly, Bronson Reed missed the huge event, but that was not always the original plan.

WWE Changed Elimination Chamber Plans

Bronson Reed was absent from WWE Elimination Chamber and was not present in Australia for the event. Sean Ross Sapp noted on Fightful Select that this was not part of the original arrangement.

In a tweet earlier today, Reed disclosed that his wife had given birth to their child prematurely. However, this was not the primary reason for his absence from the show, contrary to what he had suggested on Twitter recently.

According to Fightful Select, Bronson Reed was originally set for a significant role on the Elimination Chamber card in his homeland. Initially, Reed was slated to square off against Seth Rollins in a bout for the World Heavyweight Championship, as hinted in promotional material where he mentioned targeting a champion unaware of his impending challenge.

Regrettably, plans for the match were derailed when Rollins suffered a knee injury, rendering him unable to compete at the event.

We’re told that Reed was more than willing to work the event ahead of the birth of his child, but everything ended up working out for the best.

What’s Next

Seth Rollins revealed during the Elimination Chamber event that he will be medically cleared in a matter of days. Sadly, he wasn’t ready for the Chamber, and that cost Bronson Reed a huge match in Perth.

SEScoops will have more on this story as we make our way down the road to WrestleMania 40. 

WWE brought a huge Elimination Chamber event to Perth, Australia on February 24th. They had an impressive attendance of over 52,000, as Triple H was there to make that big announcement. As they head down the road to WrestleMania, things are a bit more clear after the dust settled in Optus Stadium. 

WrestleMania 40 Card

Drew McIntyre won the Men’s Elimination Chamber match during this year’s event. That means he will go on to WrestleMania to face Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship. Many expected it to turn out this way, which makes McIntyre’s current contract situation event more interesting.

Also, Rhea Ripley’s opponent was decided for WrestleMania XL, as Becky Lynch won her first-ever Women’s Elimination Chamber match. Now, The Man vs The Nightmare will be a marquee match on the show of shows for the WWE Women’s World Title.

What’s Next

Things are brewing in a big way for the United States Title. It appears that Logan Paul and Randy Orton have some bad blood between them. The Maverick is responsible for costing Orton the Chamber match thanks to a set of brass knuckles. 

The Judgment Day are also still Undisputed Tag Team Champions. It will be interesting to see which team steps up to face them at WrestleMania. 

Also, some sort of match with The Rock is happening. Cody Rhodes challenged Rocky to a one-on-one match, at any time, any place. Seth Rollins then stated that it’s never one-on-one against The Bloodline, so he will be there for that fight. While a tag team match at Mania is likely, it has not been confirmed.

SEScoops will have continued coverage of the road to WrestleMania. Please keep checking back for more updates. You can find the card for WrestleMania 40 (so far) below.

WrestleMania XL Card:

• Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes: Singles match for the Undisputed WWE Universal 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
• Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre: Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship

Tiffany Stratton has been on a mission to prove herself to the WWE Universe since her main roster call-up. She knows that there is only one chance to make a first impression, and it’s Tiffy Time now. That being said, her time in Perth didn’t result in a win in the Elimination Chamber, but she has a good reason (in her mind) that things didn’t work out for her.

Tiffany Stratton Passes Blame

Tiffany Stratton competed in her first-ever Elimination Chamber match in Perth. She really took to the dangerous match like a duck to water, even using a pod to pull off a high-risk swanton dive in the match. Needless, to say, fans were behind her, but Becky Lynch, who also competed in her first-ever Chamber match, won in the end.

During a backstage interview after her Elimination Chamber loss, Tiffany Stratton was asked about how she feels about Australia cheering for her so much during the match. Those fans were certainly behind the former NXT Women’s Champion more than others, as she wowed them with several acrobatic centric moves.

Stratton appreciated the pop, but she could have used more from the crowd. In the end, she said it was the fans in Perth who are to blame for her elimination from the Chamber.

“Obviously, Australia has great tastes, I have to say, but maybe if they cheered a little louder, I would have won.”

When asked if she is blame Australia for her loss in the Elimination Chamber, she replied with a sharp, “Yeah.”

What’s Next for Tiffany Stratton

As far as Stratton’s next plans, she said she will “fly my pretty self back to the United States, first-class of course, and I will show up on SmackDown next Friday, and I will show everyone why I am the center of the WWE Universe.”

Obviously, Tiffany Stratton has a lot of potential, and she knows it. Now, we will have to see how she capitalizes on this newfound momentum after her main roster call-up.

WWE brought their Elimination Chamber event to Perth, Australia on February 24th. The event was main evented by Rhea Ripley and Nia Jax for the WWE Women’s World Title, as a first for the company, as two Australians closed out the show. Optus Stadium was packed, and Triple H was on hand to let fans know exactly how many of them showed up. 

Triple H Reveals WWE Elimination Chamber Attendance 

Triple H came out before the main event of Elimination Chamber to thank fans. He said it’s been an incredible night, but he was only out there to make a big announcement. 

Before Triple H left, he let fans know that the official attendance of Elimination Chamber in Perth, Australia was 52,590. That number was followed by a lot of fireworks over Optus Stadium.

5??2??,5??9??0??!@TripleH is here at #WWEChamber with the official attendance at @OptusStadium in Perth! pic.twitter.com/Xs850c2pl1

— WWE (@WWE) February 24, 2024

Not WWE’s Biggest Australian Crowd

This was a massive turn-out for Elimination Chamber, but it did not beat out their last major event in Australia. Of course, we’re talking about 2018’s Super Show-Down, which went down on October 6, 2018, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that WWE Super Show-Down’s attendance was roughly 62,000, over 8,000 less than the 70,309 that the WWE announced.

At WWE’s 2018 Super Show-Down event in Australia, The Shield beat Braun Strowman, Dolph Ziggler, and Drew McIntyre in a six-man tag team match. Daniel Bryan secured a victory over The Miz too, but it was the main event that really drew fans.

Triple H, accompanied by Shawn Michaels, faced off against The Undertaker, who was accompanied by Kane. The match, which was a No Disqualification bout, ended with Triple H pinning The Undertaker.

Over 50,000 fans is still incredibly impressive for WWE’s turnout in Perth, Australia. Hopefully, it will lead to even more international events in massive venues.

WWE has a lot of things going on, but their World Heavyweight Champion has been on the shelf for several weeks. Seth Rollins still plans on making his way to WrestleMania 40 for a big night to defend his title, and he will be cleared sooner than some expected.

Seth Rollins’ Big Injury Announcement

Seth Rollins recently provided WWE fans with an update on his potential return to in-ring action before WrestleMania XL on April 6 and 7. This took place during the Elimination Chamber event in Perth, Australia. 

Rollins sustained a torn MCL and partially torn meniscus during a match against Jinder Mahal on the January 15 episode of RAW. Despite making multiple television appearances since the injury, the World Heavyweight Champion has yet to step back into the ring.

During Elimination Chamber, Seth Rollins mentioned that he is “days away” from being medically cleared to compete. Consequently, there’s a possibility of witnessing him wrestle on the journey leading to the main event.

That announcement went down during a very eventful Grayson Waller Effect. That is the same time that Cody Rhodes challenged The Rock to a one-on-one match down the line. Seth Rollins then told Cody that he won’t be making that fight alone.

World Heavyweight Champion @WWERollins has a HUGE #WrestleMania scoop on The @GraysonWWE Effect!#WWEChamber pic.twitter.com/yyW6ALT1BU

— WWE (@WWE) February 24, 2024

What’s Next For Seth Rollins

Odds are, Rollins may very well compete on both nights of Mania, with a tag team match with Cody Rhodes against Roman Reigns and The Rock going down on the first night. If that happens, then his World Heavyweight Championship match should be a marquee contest on night one. 

It will be interesting to see how Seth Rollins is booked from this point on. Roman Reigns’ recent burial of the World Heavyweight Champion as having a runner-up title wasn’t a great look. Still, he is one of the most beloved babyfaces in the company. 

WWE brought the Elimination Chamber to Perth, Australia on February 24th, and the event was graced with a very special Grayson Waller Effect. He also had very special guests for this segment, as Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins joined him to progress a prominent WrestleMania angle.

Road To WrestleMania Backstory

The Rock re-inserted himself into WWE’s picture on the road to WrestleMania, and that brought a big change to everything that they previously had planned. There was a time when it appeared that Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes would collide for the World Heavyweight Championship instead, but then The American Nightmare decided to finish his story.

Now, Cody and Seth are on the same side, and they are in a very interesting situation. The two were in Perth, Australia for the Elimination Chamber event, but neither of them wrestled. Rollins is currently nursing a knee issue, and Rhodes was simply not booked to compete on the show.

The Grayson Waller Effect

Austin Theory had the mic first, and he dissed Australia’s love of Vegemite, and then he said he prefers Outback Steakhouse. Both of those jabs received a heel reaction. Then he introduced Grayson Waller, who came out to a mixed reaction. Waller also did a shoey at ringside.

After doing a chant with the Australian crowd, Waller introduced Seth Rollins, who came out to a big pop. Fans also sang his song in massive numbers, and that is always great to hear in a big stadium. Cody Rhodes received an even bigger pop and his “WOAH” was massive as well. He also got legit fireworks over the stadium during his Kingdom entrance after the second pose in the ring.

Seth Rollins said that he is days away from being medically cleared to compete. He can’t wait to face whoever win the Elimination Chamber match later on.

Then, they were questioned about The Rock coming back. A “Rocky Sucks” chant broke out in the crowd, Cody asked if there are any “Cody crybabies” here tonight? He asked it twice to really rile up the crowd and get them to accept the moniker.

Cody addressed why he stepped out of the Mania main event, just to step back in. Waller called The Rock “The People’s Champion,” but then Cody proposed that to be the People’s Champion, “you have to be around the people.”

NO WAY! ???@CodyRhodes just challenged @TheRock to a match anytime, anywhere on The @GraysonWWE Effect!#WWEChamber pic.twitter.com/QZCn7xrVH4

— WWE (@WWE) February 24, 2024

This was followed by Cody Rhodes making a bit of an announcement himself. Then he told The Rock that he is “wide open” before the WrestleMania main event match. He said he wants to wrestle The Rock one on one, “any time, any place.”

Seth said that he admires Cody’s hatred toward the Bloodline, so he stepped in. He said that if The Rock takes him up on the challenge, he won’t be fighting the battle alone.

Then Austin Theory got in the middle of things, and he did an impression of The Rock. This was not received well by Cody and Seth, who proceeded to take him out.

WrestleMania 40 Drama

WrestleMania 40 takes place from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on April 6 and 7. The show of shows promises to be a massive two-night spectacle, with massive main event matches on each night. Since Roman vs Cody will main event night two, so Rhodes can finish his story, night one also needs a main event match.

It certainly appears that The Rock and Roman Reigns will team up to take on Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at the show of shows. While this is a big match, it is not the contest that The Rock wanted.

The Rock wanted to face Roman Reigns, and his eyes were set on that match alone. As we previously reported, he called his shot for WrestleMania 40 during the Day 1 episode of WWE RAW. WWE planned an injury angle to take Cody out of the situation, but that was abandoned after the public outcry that Cody received on his behalf.

As I previously reported, The Rock conceded that Cody Rhodes should be in the match. Then things were changed, and we have the current WrestleMania setup. 

The 2024 Elimination Chamber event kicked off in Perth, Australia with the women’s match. The winner of the contest punched their ticket to WrestleMania in a Women’s World Title match. Now, we know who will go on to battle at the show of shows.

Who's up?! pic.twitter.com/FomqfY0XB6

— SEScoops (@sescoops) February 24, 2024

The 2024 Women’s Elimination Chamber Match

Liv Morgan, Naomi, Tiffany Stratton, Raquel Rodriguez, Becky Lynch, and Bianca Belair battled in the 2024 Women’s Elimination Chamber match. Naomi and Lynch started off the match as the final two competitors who were introduced into the match.

This year’s Elimination Chamber match marked a first for both Becky Lynch and Tiffany Stratton, who was the third woman in the match, as her pod was released first. Stratton got to work immediately with some gymnastics and quick offense.

It's TIFFY TIME at #WWEChamber! pic.twitter.com/9ruxBHx9aB

— WWE (@WWE) February 24, 2024

After trading some moves and some near falls, Lynch, Naomi, and Stratton were joined by Liv Morgan for the 5th Elimination Chamber match of her career. Morgan got right to work by ramming Stratton’s head against chamber pods to take her out for a moment.

Then, in a shocking move, Tiffany Stratton was able to get Naomi with a roll-up pin to take her out of the match, just before Raquel Rodriguez was released into the chamber. Rodriguez came in with a lot of energy, and she took her aggression out on Stratton at first.

Finally, Bianca Belair was the 6th entrant in the match, and she went right to work on Tiffany Stratton first as well. Stratton did some selling outside as the EST of WWE went in the ring to start punishing her competitors.

It was time for TIFFY to capitalize on the #WWEChamber chaos! pic.twitter.com/0NjjwenGbP

— WWE (@WWE) February 24, 2024

One spot saw Liv Morgan land a seated senton off the pod. Then Tiffany Stratton and Becky Lynch started battling on top of the pod before Lynch was knocked off. This was followed by Stratton launching herself off the pod to hit a swanton on Bianca, Lynch and Rodriguez for a huge pop and a “This is Awesome” chant.

Stratton was eliminated next by Liv Morgan, and that drew boos from the Australian crowd. They also chanted “bullsh*t” as Stratton left. This was followed by Rodriguez getting trapped in a Dis-Arm-Her from Lynch, but she got out. Then she ate a KOD from Bianca Belair for a pinfall.

THIS IS AWE-SOME! ?? ???#WWEChamber pic.twitter.com/Luf1SaMyP7

— WWE (@WWE) February 24, 2024

Women’s Elimination Chamber 2024 Match Finish

Bianca, Liv, and Becky were the final three in the match. They continued this match as a triple threat, with plenty of reversals and some near falls for everyone. Then, Morgan was able to pin Bianca Belair with a roll-up pin. Suddenly, Lynch nailed a Man-Handle Slam on Morgan and won the match.

Now, Becky Lynch will go on to WrestleMania 40 for a Women’s World Championship match. She will either face Rhea Ripley or Nia Jax for the title, depending on who wins the title match later on in the show.

THE MAN is going to #WrestleMania!#WWEChamber pic.twitter.com/son3way5MM

— WWE (@WWE) February 24, 2024

What’s Next For WrestleMania 40

WrestleMania 40 takes place from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on April 6 and 7. Before Elimination Chamber went down, Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes and Bayley vs IYO Sky were the only two confirmed matches for the show of shows.

Welcome to SEScoops: the Daily Drop, your go-to for the latest news and rumors in wrestling. February 24. The Elimination Chamber started off the day with a very early, and exciting, event. Now, we have a lot to unpack.

Days until WrestleMania XL: 42

WWE

– I was able to exclusively report that John Cena is trying to do something for WrestleMania 40. At this time, nothing is confirmed.

– Also, Sylvester Stallone and WWE couldn’t work things out. I was told this is “old news,” because they nixed those plans last month due to a scheduling conflict.

I asked about the Sylvester Stallone story about showing up at WrestleMania.

I was told that, "They are months behind on the Stallone 'scoop.' Old news. As of last word, schedules couldn't match up."

— Aaron (@AaronVarble) February 23, 2024

– On another note, I was also told that Jade Cargill was never booked for the Elimination Chamber match in the first place. No plans changed for her, and there is nothing wrong with her in the company. Booking her in the Chamber match would have done her no favors, because she wasn’t booked to win. WWE is taking their time and taking care of Cargill.

– Tammy Lynn Sytch has a brand-new mugshot, and you can check that out here.

– Bruce Prichard was back working at Raw on 2/19. He is a Vince McMahon ally, and he received some flack from Ronda Rousey for being McMahon’s “avatar” in the past.

– Rhea Ripley was very impressed by WWE 2K24 throwing in a throwback version of herself in the new game. WWE 2K24 drops on March 7th, and the hype is real.

Mami before she was Mami! ? Exclusive #FirstLook from the Deluxe Edition! #WWE2K24 pic.twitter.com/sFMW0IbV4s

— #WWE2K25 (@WWEgames) February 23, 2024

– Cody Rhodes challenged The Rock to a one-on-one match during an explosive Grayson Waller Effect segment at Elimination Chamber.

– Seth Rollins also announced that he will be medically cleared from his MCL injury in just a few days. So, he may wrestle on the road to WrestleMania.

– Becky Lynch and Drew McIntyre won the 2024 Elimination Chamber matches in Perth, Australia. They will now go onto WrestleMania 40 to battle for the WWE Women’s World Title and the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, respectively. 

AEW

– Saraya announced during AEW Rampage that her brother, Zak Knight, is now All Elite.

Saraya and Harley Cameron reveal the endgame of their plan of splitting up Ruby Soho and Angelo Parker!

Watch #AEWRampage on TNT!@Saraya | @itsdanni_ellexo | @RealRubySoho | @TheAngeloParker pic.twitter.com/3wdMliYy7D

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) February 24, 2024

– Malakai Black is set to compete in his initial AEW singles match since June 2022 on February 24th at AEW Collision.

– Sting is scheduled to make his last appearance on AEW Dynamite on February 28th.

– MJF and Alicia Atout celebrated their one-year anniversary as a couple. He famously called her “T*ts McGee from Whore Island” in the past, so they’ve known each other for a very long time. SEScoops is wishing them both the best.

Happy one year anniversary, Maxwell. ? There’s no other asshole in this entire universe that I’d rather have by my side to experience life with. The last twelve months have been — time to get gross — pure magic. ? I love you, ya prick. @The_MJF pic.twitter.com/bIxB21rnvA

— Alicia Atout (@AliciaAtout) February 23, 2024

– Tony Khan explained why AEW keeps running larger venues with smaller crowds showing up. He kind of skirted the question by replying, “A lot of times, those arenas have a lot of big advantages like email lists and marketing and they are a destination venue for shows. It depends on the market and the timing. Certainly, bigger arenas do have a lot of advantages. They have a lot of sale contacts and really good marketing resources.”

AEW Collision Card for Saturday, February 24

• Bryan Danielson vs. Jun Akiyama
• No DQ: Powerhouse Hobbs vs. Sammy Guevara (Don Callis Family & Chris Jericho banned from the building)
• FTR (Dax Harwood & Cash Wheeler) vs. Shane Taylor & Lee Moriarty
• Malakai Black vs. Bryan Keith
• Serena Deeb in action
• Thunder Rosa in action
• The Bang Bang Scissor Gang’s Jay White, Billy Gunn & Austin Gunn in trios action

Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Events

• WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth is scheduled for next Saturday, February 24.
• AEW Dynamite: Big Business will be hosted at Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.
• AEW Revolution is planned for the following weekend, on Sunday, March 3.
• 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.
• 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.

Pro wrestling fans fell in love with Dark Side of the Ring’s bold storytelling, as they uncovered many forgotten stories from pro wrestling history. The show has seen tremendous success, and now it’s coming back for its 5th season, and they are kicking things off in a big way.

Dark Side of the Ring Season 5

Dark Side of the Ring Season 5 will begin with the story of Earthquake. The show premieres on Tuesday, March 5, at 10pm ET on Vice TV. The announcement was made official on social media, as the Dark Side of the Ring account posted to hype the news.

Season 5 will kick-off with John “Earthquake” Tenta’s story. A larger-than-life heel in the ring and a die hard family man at home, Tenta’s passing at just 42 years old was an especially cruel ending for a man so universally beloved.

Season 5 will kick-off with John “Earthquake” Tenta’s story.

A larger-than-life heel in the ring and a die hard family man at home, Tenta’s passing at just 42 years old was an especially cruel ending for a man so universally beloved.

Tuesday, March 5 at 10pm ET on @vicetv. pic.twitter.com/WqBAqYtORZ

— Dark Side of the Ring (@DarkSideOfRing) February 23, 2024

Season five of Dark Side of the Ring will feature episodes centered around Chris Adams, Sensational Sherri, Terry Gordy, Black Saturday (Vince McMahon acquiring Georgia Championship Wrestling in 1984 for its TBS time slot), Chris Colt, The Sandman, Harley Race, Buff Bagwell, and Brutus Beefcake.

Dark Side of the Ring Season 4

The average viewership rating for Season 4 of Dark Side of the Ring was approximately 0.181 million viewers per episode. For Season 1 in 2019, the average viewership rating was approximately 0.201 million viewers per episode. For Season 2 in 2020, the average viewership rating was approximately 0.273 million viewers each week. Then, Season 3 in 2021 saw an average viewership rating of approximately 0.195 million viewers.

Season 4 of Dark Side of the Ring aired in 2023, covering a variety of wrestling stories. From the lives of Chris Candido and Tammy Lynn Sytch to the backstage dispute at Bash at the Beach in 2000, each episode delved into different aspects of wrestling history. 

Also, “The World According to Marty Jannetty” provided insight into Marty Jannetty’s experiences in the wrestling world. That was a wild ride as well.

WWE 2K24 is set to drop on March 8th, and we just got the whole roster. There are over 200 playable characters, and some of them have variations. Rhea Ripley is very happy about one pre-Nightmare of herself that made it in the game.

Rhea Ripley Reacts To WWE 2K24 Character

2K dropped a screenshot of Rhea Ripley from WWE 2K24, one where she doesn’t look like herself today. They added the WWE NXT UK version of Ripley, a younger version of herself with long blonde hair and far fewer tattoos.

Mami before she was Mami! Exclusive #FirstLook from the Deluxe Edition! #WWE2K24

Mami before she was Mami! ? Exclusive #FirstLook from the Deluxe Edition! #WWE2K24 pic.twitter.com/sFMW0IbV4s

— #WWE2K25 (@WWEgames) February 23, 2024

Rhea Ripley saw this, and she couldn’t contain her excitement. The Judgment Day member re-posted that screenshot and included a caption saying, “Oh. Oh My God…”

Oh. Oh My God… https://t.co/tJJNJus9Fg

— RheaRipley_WWE (@RheaRipley_WWE) February 23, 2024

WWE Games’ official Twitter/X account also re-posted Ripley’s response. They are obviously very proud of the work they did on that character design.

Brock Lesnar’s WWE 2K24 Status

Although there are going to be multiple playable versions of Rhea Ripley in the new WWE 2K24 game, Brock Lesnar is absent. He was pulled, along with Vince McMahon, after Janel Grant’s lawsuit.

2k couldn’t totally remove Lesnar from the game, so he will still be in the game files. We will have to see how long it takes for a fan to crack that code to get Lesnar in their gameplay.

WWE’s 2024 Elimination Chamber is going down in Perth, Australia on February 24th, and fans will have to wake up early if they want to catch the show. The Chamber event is set to start at 5:00 AM for fans in the East Coast, and we have so much more information about the event in our official rundown. Logan Paul and Randy Orton are set to take part in the Men’s Chamber match, and they’re already having words.

Randy Orton and Logan Paul’s Twitter Battle

Randy Orton feels the best he has after his back fusion surgery. He is booked for the Elimination Chamber, and it seems that Logan Paul may have an RKO in store for him.

During the company’s Elimination Chamber conference in Perth prior to the big event, Paul and Orton had a little interaction. The Maverick then jumped on Twitter/X to share that video, along with a little comment to poke The Viper.

“What’s Wrong, Randy Orton?”

What’s wrong @RandyOrton pic.twitter.com/UkdCeMMDGw

— Logan Paul (@LoganPaul) February 23, 2024

The Apex Predator saw this, and he responded to say, “You’ll find out tomorrow, Jake.” One would argue that calling Logan his brother’s name wins this little social media battle for Orton.

You’ll find out tomorrow, Jake #prime #ballsweat #inabottle https://t.co/u1PFpzuNqj

— Randy Orton (@RandyOrton) February 23, 2024

What’s Next On The Road To WrestleMania

The Elimination Chamber will set the stage for Seth Rollins’ opponent at WrestleMania. The Messiah is currently nursing an injury, so he’s likely going to stay out of the ring in any singles action until the show of shows.

I previously reported that there was serious talk of LA Knight challenging Logan Paul for the United States Title at WrestleMania, but you also never know if the company will book another multi-challenger match for that secondary title, and Randy Orton would be a prime contender to find a place in that contest.

WWE has seen quite a ride on the road to WrestleMania 40 so far. This included The Rock re-entering the fold, and plans changing multiple times. CM Punk’s injury also threw a wrench in WWE’s plans, so there were several things that they needed to address. Their plan to take Cody Rhodes out of the picture was also nixed in the process. 

WWE Planned Injury Angle For Cody

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that Cody Rhodes was informed in the fall that he would face Reigns. However, he was not informed about Rock’s involvement in the match until January 3rd. Therefore, any interviews he gave about concluding the story before the Rumble assumed he was part of the match, despite rumors about The Rock.

The report also went on to say that WWE planned an injury angle for Cody to write him out of the WrestleMania 40 main event match once The Rock showed up. Of course, they pivoted from those plans in a big way.

[Cody] was told the day of the Rumble that Rock was facing Reigns even though he was winning the Rumble. He was also told that they would be going to Reigns against him later so all the post-match stuff building that match wasn’t there to swerve people as much a build a later match. But the fact it was not going to be Reigns vs. Rhodes was keep secret from almost everyone (obviously a few knew) because Rock wanted the angle the next Friday a surprise. Even fewer knew the injury angle planned for Rhodes because even people who knew this complete story were not aware of the original idea of how to get Rhodes out of the match and Rock in.

WWE Changed More WrestleMania 40 Plans

The report also noted that Punk’s injury changed plans, but there was still no use for a men’s Elimination Chamber match because Rhodes was going to choose Rollins as his opponent. The Rock was also not wrestling in Australia, at an event that takes place at 5:00 AM on the East Coast. 

The angle with Rhodes endorsing Rock, which was reportedly suggested by Triple H, was well-received by the crowd and WWE thought it went well at first. Then social media backlash changed things. Johnson reportedly already considered turning heel if fans booed him, which led the company to push in that direction.

I reported the entire time that The Rock was the only one who could change those plans. In the end, Dwayne Johnson conceded that it should be Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania 40 against Roman Reigns. 

If the Rhodes injury angle was followed through with, they would have likely faced an even greater negative social media reaction. Now, fans have a chance to see Cody finish his story.

WWE’s roster has some notable contracts that are set to expire this year, and one of them has not inked a new deal. Drew McIntyre’s contract situation is a very interesting one, especially considering everything they’re booking for the Scottish Warrior.

Drew McIntyre’s Contract Situation 

Drew McIntyre’s WWE contract has a big question mark over it right now. At this point, he has not inked a new deal, but all signs point to the idea that he will be sticking around.

Not only is McIntyre throwing jabs at CM Punk with his latest merchandise, but he is also booked for shows past his contract expiration date. Although it appears that WWE has plans for him, Drew has not agreed to terms on a new deal.

McIntyre’s current contract is supposedly up after WrestleMania. WWE was able to extend it a bit due to time he missed.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that, although Drew McIntyre has not signed on the dotted line just yet, all signs point to him agreeing to another contract with WWE.

While one would think McIntyre has signed his new deal, and I’d at this point be shocked if he goes anywhere given they’ve set up a major Rhodes vs. McIntyre program, seemingly for after Mania, and he’s got an already-written program with Punk that he’s been pushing hard for around November. But there is no new deal signed yet but clearly the expectation is that he’s staying and he’s in the best position he’s ever been given between his work and how hot the company is.

Drew McIntyre’s Future in WWE

Drew McIntyre and CM Punk seem destined for battle, but the Second City Savior will be out of action for a while with his triceps injury. Only time will tell if McIntyre is able to stay around WWE long enough to see Punk return to action.

In the meantime, McIntyre is in the 2024 Elimination Chamber match, where he is battling for a chance to take on Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40. 

SEScoops will have more updates on this story as additional information is available.