A win inside the Women’s Elimination Chamber solidified Becky Lynch as the challenger for Rhea Ripley’s Women’s World Championship at WrestleMania. Before she reaches WWE’s grandest stage, though, Becky Lynch has been met with a few challenges of her own — namely in the form of Nia Jax and Liv Morgan. 

As Lynch met face-to-face with Rhea Ripley on the WWE Raw after Elimination Chamber, she was attacked at the hands of “The Irresistible Force” Nia Jax. In response, Lynch issued a counterassault during Jax’s recent match against Liv Morgan. When Jax and Lynch wrestled the following week, Morgan retaliated by attacking Jax with an elbow strike, causing the referee to hand Lynch a disqualification loss, much like they did to Morgan the week before.

While Lynch seems to have settled her issues with Morgan on tonight’s episode of WWE Raw, she is far from finished with Jax.

A Warning

During an interview with The Hall of Fame podcast, Nia Jax discussed her path toward WrestleMania 40 after suffering defeat to Rhea Ripley at the Elimination Chamber event. 

Looking ahead, Jax acknowledged that Lynch rightfully earned her WrestleMania title match against Ripley. At the same time, though, Jax believes she deserves a rematch. And, as her past actions indicate, it seems that nothing, and no one, will prevent her from claiming it.

“I’m sick and tired — yes, I know Becky won the Elimination Chamber. I know she has earned her spot, but my story with Rhea Ripley isn’t done,” Jax said. “I’m still set for gold. I feel as though [on] this run, I have been on a clear path. It has been directly forward. It has been through all of the Raw women’s division, and I feel as though I deserve another shot at that title. I deserve it.”

“Rhea Ripley, she had my number that night [at Elimination Chamber]. Maybe because it was a little bit of the jet lag, I don’t know. Becky, she might think that she’s gonna go to WrestleMania easily, but I don’t think she’s gonna she’s gonna get there, you never know.” 

The WWE WrestleMania stage has been a magnet for celebrities in recent years. As such, it is no surprise to see that the Road to WrestleMania itself has elicited similar results.

Monday’s episode of Raw marked WWE’s official return to the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. It also marked a special guest appearance from award-winning rapper Travis Scott. Scott, of course, is a native of Houston, as he was born and raised in the surrounding areas throughout his childhood.

As seen in a new X video, Scott arrived to the venue earlier today, where he was greeted by former Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champion Jey Uso. After shaking hands, Uso promptly announced Scott’s presence with his signature “Yeet.” 

YEET!

Jey Uso has arrived backstage at #WWERaw with @trvisXX! pic.twitter.com/HFhdC3rPrY

— WWE (@WWE) March 11, 2024

Travis Scott Meets Triple H

Later in the evening, Scott posed for a photograph with WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque.

“Too sweet having Houston’s own [Travis Scott] in the building for #WWERaw,” Levesque wrote on X (formerly Twitter), alongside an image of the two men gesturing a too sweet.

Too sweet having Houston’s own @trvisXX in the building for #WWERaw pic.twitter.com/uMLEqJDv5T

— Triple H (@TripleH) March 12, 2024

Raw Results

As Scott situated himself backstage, several WWE superstars brought forth some action on-screen. 

One of the night’s notable matches saw Becky Lynch defeat an infuriated Liv Morgan, after which Nia Jax unleashed an attack on both competitors. Elsewhere on the card, The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) successfully defended their WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships against Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark.

General Managers Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis also announced that the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships will be on the line in a six-pack tag team ladder match at WrestleMania 40. The challengers for this particular title bout will be decided over the next few weeks.

AEW’s CJ Perry and Miro are moving on from one another.

Earlier today, TMZ Sports reported that CJ Perry (formerly known as Lana) and Miro (formerly known as Rusev) had “broke[n] up once and for all” in the winter of 2023 after several years of an on-and-off relationship. The couple, who officially tied to knot in July 2016, is said to have simply drifted apart. 

While the couple has yet to file for divorce, Miro reportedly moved back to his home country of Bulgaria shortly after he and Perry made the decision to break up. 

CJ Perry has since confirmed their split to TMZ, stating, “Miro and I have made the difficult decision to separate after many wonderful years together, and have decided to move on as friends, and hopefully onscreen characters somewhere down the road.” 

AEW Ventures

In the months following his release from WWE in 2020, Miro inked a contract with All Elite Wrestling, where he became a one-time TNT Champion.

In September 2023, Perry would follow suit as she attempted to save Miro from a post-match attack from Powerhouse Hobbs in her AEW debut, which took place at the All Out pay-per-view. Upon signing with AEW, Perry has reprised her role as an on-screen manager, taking on the likes of Action Andretti and Andrade El Idolo.

Perry’s most recent appearance occurred at AEW Worlds End in December, in which she accompanied Andrade to the ring in his match against Miro. However, in a surprise turn of events, Perry turned on Andrade, subsequently causing him to lose his aforementioned match to Miro. 

Andrade has since rejoined WWE.

WWE marked a significant social media achievement last week when their official YouTube channel reached a major milestone, surpassing 100 million subscribers. 

With this number, WWE has entered into ultra-rare territory, as only nine other channels have reached that same feat. Given the magnitude of this accomplishment, YouTube has honored the company with an ultra-rare award as well. 

Earlier today, WWE Chief Content Offer Paul “Triple H” Levesque revealed that WWE had received the coveted Red Diamond Play Button, which recognizes channels that have obtained 100 million subscribers on the YouTube platform. As the name indicates, this award was complemented with a red crystal that was carved into a triangular “play” button. According to Triple H, this award also carries some massive weight to it.

Thank You To The WWE Universe

While unboxing the Red Diamond Play Button for a YouTube video, Triple H took a moment to thank the WWE talent and staff, as well as the WWE Universe, for supporting the company in their growth on social media and as an overall brand. 

“On behalf of all of us at WWE, I want to thank our talent. I want to thank our crew and our staff and all the people behind the scenes that you don’t get to see on TV every single week for this,” Triple H said. “But more importantly than anything else, I want to thank the WWE Universe, all of you, everybody that’s out there that just can’t get enough WWE loves it, watches it, just sort of lives that WWE lifestyle – this is for you. Thank you.”

In eclipsing 100 million subscribers and 81 billion lifetime views, WWE has now positioned themselves as the largest sports channel on YouTube. Notably, this updated subscriber total is more than the MLB, NHL, NBA, and NFL combined.

Last month, WWE made their way to Perth, Australia for the 2024 Elimination Chamber. In addition to featuring two marquee Elimination Chamber matches, this premium live event also served as a homecoming for four superstars — Indi Hartwell, Grayson Waller, Nia Jax, and WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley. 

Given the setting, WWE boosted Jax and Ripley, who were facing off in a women’s title match, to the main event of the card. As it turns out, though, Jax didn’t become aware of this decision until the night before Elimination Chamber. 

“I didn’t know until the night before,” Jax  recently told The Hall of Fame podcast. “I think somebody had like sent a card to me, and I’m like ‘Wait a minute, does this mean that we’re on in the main event?'”

An Immense Honor

Realizing that she was now also positioned as one of the show’s headliners, Jax felt an elevated sense of nervousness heading into her WWE Women’s World Championship match. Despite the added pressure, Jax firmly cherished the opportunity to not only perform before her home country of Australia, but to also do it in the main event. 

“Not gonna lie, it felt like a lot of pressure because you had some pretty stacked Elimination Chambers, a great tag on the card, and then you had the Grayson Waller Effect. Being main event of that show, it was a pretty big deal for me,” Jax said. “I just wanted to put on the best match I possibly could with a great story. [It was] easy with Rhea Ripley, but I wanted to be able to tell a really good story to the fans and hope that it resonated to them. It was an honor to be a main event in front of all those people.”

Ultimately, it was Rhea Ripley who emerged victorious in the Elimination Chamber main event, as she laid out “The Irresistible Force” with the Riptide to secure the pinfall and retain her title.

Looking forward, Ripley now has her sights set on Becky Lynch, who is set to challenge for the WWE Women’s World Championship at WrestleMania 40.

The Road to WrestleMania rolls on as WWE heads to the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas for tonight’s episode of WWE Raw

Here are the 3 matches announced for Raw, followed by our detailed preview into each one:

• Gauntlet Match (Winner will challenge Gunther for Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 40): Ricochet vs. Chad Gable vs. Sami Zayn vs. Bronson Reed vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. JD McDonagh
• Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan
• Women’s Tag Team Championships: The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane) 
  (c) vs Shayna Baszler & Zoey Stark

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

Gauntlet Match: Winner Challenges GUNTHER at WrestleMania

After a successful title defense over Jey Uso, Intercontinental Champion Gunther declared that he was on the hunt for his WrestleMania 40 challenger. Naturally, this statement then boasted several possibilities. In the weeks following, various members of the WWE Raw locker room pitched their case as to why they should be the one to oppose “The Ring General.” 

While Chad Gable is out for familial vindication, Ricochet pointed out that he was the last person to hold the Intercontinental Championship before Gunther’s historic reign began. Sami Zayn, on the other hand, is simply eager to secure his spot on the WrestleMania card (as well as potentially tacking on a fourth run with the title).

With many names expressing interest in facing Gunther, WWE Raw General Manager Adam Pearce finally narrowed the field down to six. In addition to Zayn, Gable, and Ricochet, the likes of JD McDonagh, “Big” Bronson Reed, and Shinsuke Nakamura will have an opportunity to punch their ticket to WrestleMania when they compete in a number one contenders match.

The winner, of course, will also earn the right to challenge Gunther for the Intercontinental Championship at the two-night premium live event.

What goes around, often comes back around. That certainly was the case for Becky Lynch last week.

Two weeks ago, Nia Jax blindsided Becky Lynch with an attack from behind on WWE Raw. Lynch later retaliated with an ambush of her own while Jax competed in a match against Liv Morgan. As a result, Morgan was handed a loss via disqualification, and Adam Pearce set up a rematch between Lynch and Jax. 

Though Jax and Lynch were keen on settling their score, Liv Morgan used their match as an opportunity to get some revenge of her own. As Jax stood on the outside of the ring, Morgan launched herself off the barricade to deliver an elbow to Jax’s face, forcing the referee to call for the bell.

Upset by Morgan’s actions, Lynch confronted her backstage, and subsequently challenged her to a fight on this week’s episode of Raw.

Women’s Tag Title Match

Six days after successfully defending the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships against Lyra Valkyria and Tatum Paxley on WWE NXT, Kairi Sane and Asuka look ahead to their next challengers — Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark.

Sane, Asuka, in addition to IYO SKY and Dakota Kai, watched on as Baszler and Stark defeated Kayden Carter and Katana Chance on last week’s episode of Raw.

Seemingly impressed by their performance, Kai announced that the two would earn an opportunity to challenge Sane and Asuka for their titles tonight. Kai, however, also vowed that Sand and Asuka would leave the both of them crying, much like they did with former Damage CTRL stablemate Bayley.

Sting’s in-ring career may now be in the rearview mirror, but his legacy continues to live on.

On Sunday night, the 64-year-old competed in what would be his final professional wrestling match in the main event of AEW Revolution. There, Sting, along with Darby Allin, successfully defended the AEW World Tag Team Championships against The Young Bucks (Matthew and Nicholas Jackson) in a tornado tag team match.

A Thank You To ‘The Icon’

Following Sting’s victory, several wrestling personalities weighed in on social media to pay homage and share positive memories of “The Icon.” One of those was Sting’s colleague, and former AEW Tag Team Champion, Anthony Bowens.

As evidenced by the throwback photo posted to X (formerly Twitter), Bowens is a long-time fan of “The Icon,’ even going as far as donning Sting-inspired facepaint when he was younger. Bowens also credits Sting with sparking his love for professional wrestling.

“Thank you Sting. My love of this sport started with you,” Bowens wrote. “Your support and confidence in me has meant the world. There’s a saying you should never meet your heroes, but I’m so glad you proved that to be false. You’re the f***ing man. Thank you for everything.”

Thank you Sting. My love of this sport started with you. Your support and confidence in me has meant the world.

There’s a saying you should never meet your heroes, but I’m so glad you proved that to be false. You’re the fucking man.

Thank you for everything. ???… pic.twitter.com/1klkfG43fI

— Anthony Bowens (@Bowens_Official) March 4, 2024

Full-Circle Moment

In addition to sharing a locker room with Sting, Anthony Bowens also received the opportunity to wrestle him. On the January 19, 2022 episode of AEW Dynamite, Bowens and Max Caster (together known as The Acclaimed) faced off with Sting and Allin in tag team action.

The ending of the contest saw Allin sidestep while Bowens charged toward a previously exposed turnbuckle. After laying out Bowens with a flipping stunner, Allin then nailed him with a Coffin Drop for the win.

In late 2020, Sting made a surprise return to wrestling television, as he officially came aboard All Elite Wrestling and firmly aligned himself with Darby Allin. 

While Sting has claimed numerous singles championships over the years, the bookends of his historied career are marked with tag-team gold. On the closing end, Sting boasted an AEW Tag Team Championship reign with the ever-fearless Darby Allin. Looking back on their three-year partnership, Sting believes Allin elevated him just as much as he elevated Allin. 

“I hope, for Darby, that he’ll be remembered for being in a tag team with Sting, one of the veterans who pretty much did everything under the sun in wrestling for so many different wrestling organizations. And that was the goal, to try to elevate him, but I’m telling you, he elevated me. It went both ways,” Sting told Pro Wrestling Illustrated. “And I want to be remembered for this time as Darby’s tag team partner, for sure.”

Commonalities

Despite being at different points in their careers, Sting feels he and Allin shared similar backgrounds, especially with the circumstances surrounding their respective starts in professional wrestling. Through these commonalities, Sting and Allin were then able to establish a deep connection both in and outside of the ring.

“I don’t know if we’re kindred spirits, per se, but we have a lot in common in the wrestling world, with how our careers started,” Sting said. “We didn’t have a way to get into wrestling. We didn’t have an uncle or a father or a friend; we both slept in our cars, and that was our address. We both know what it’s like to get the tiny little payoffs and pretty much starve out there while making a name for yourself.”

“And then there’s what we have in common, like the painted face and the willingness to take risks. Darby blows me out of the water, but I was one of the first guys my size to take running dives over the top rope and to the floor.”

Sting and Allin’s journey together culminated at AEW Revolution, as they successfully defended the AEW Tag Team Championships against The Young Bucks in a tornado tag team match. This match also served as Sting’s official retirement match.

With Sting hanging up his wrestling boots, AEW President Tony Khan recently announced that new tag team champions will be crowned in an upcoming tournament. 

As the new IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship, Nic Nemeth is looking to make a significant mark in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Once he fulfills that quest, though, Nemeth is keen on rekindling a rivalry with one of his former WWE colleagues, who is now a prominent player in AEW.

In a recent interview with Monopoly Events, the former “The Most Wanted Man” expressed his desire to wrestle “The American Dragon” Bryan Danielson for the first time outside of the WWE setting. Nemeth and Danielson — who were previously known as Dolph Ziggler and Daniel Bryan, respectively — shared the ring on over six-dozen occasions while under the WWE umbrella. 

Wanted Man Wants The American Dragon

Due to the creative constraints placed on them at the time, though, Nemeth isn’t sure if their matches ever lived up to their true potential. 

“I’d like to be back in [the ring] with Daniel Bryan too, without WWE saying he has to win and protecting him,” Nemeth said. “I want to go one-on-one with a guy that everybody treats as one of the best of all time and in the world and I go ‘You’re not better than me, not by a long shot.’ So I want to fight him one-on-one while everybody watches and goes ‘Oh right, I guess Nic’s pretty good too.’ No, I’m freaking great at this.”

“I would absolutely love that. I have a long list of some Japanese legends that I want to get into because I want to test myself, but man, when I come out on the other side of that, I’m looking for Daniel Bryan. I’m going headbutt him right in the head, knock him down, choke him out, tap him out. You name it, I can’t wait.”

Since departing from WWE in September 2023, Nemeth is now one of wrestling’s hottest free agents. Aside from his work in NJPW, Nemeth has also landed opportunities in TNA Wrestling, Game Changer Wrestling, and the World Wrestling Council. 

Given that NJPW and AEW have a well-established partnership, it is possible that Nemeth could also find himself in the territory of AEW and compete in his first non-WWE match against Danielson. 

Sunday’s match between Eddie Kingston and Bryan Danielson may have been contested for a trio of championships on paper, but in reality, it meant much more.

Danielson challenged Kingston for the Continental Crown Championship (ROH World, NJPW STRONG Openweight, and AEW Continental Championships) at Revolution 2024. The contest stipulated that if Danielson lost, he’d have to shake Kingston’s hand out of respect. In the weeks leading up to this face-off, ‘The American Dragon’ demonstrated repeated signs of disrespect toward Kingston, such as spitting in his face and flipping him off.

Danielson later revealed that his disregard stemmed from his belief that Kingston had fallen into several bad habits, and never lived up to his true potential. After Kingston defeated him at Revolution, though, Danielson came to a pivotal realization.

“I thought it would hurt me more than anything to shake Eddie’s hand and say that I respect him.” Danielson said in a post-match promo. “But there was a moment in that match where I knew I f***ed up his wrist. I’m good at that. I’m good at f***ing people up. And I know exactly how hurt he was, and he fought through it. There was this just this internal moment, this internal click that me not respecting Eddie, it wasn’t Eddie.”

EXCLUSIVE: #AEW Continental Crown Champion Eddie Kingston and Bryan Danielson share what tonight's match at #AEWRevolution meant to them both pic.twitter.com/PEaZiJEN5s

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) March 4, 2024

Danielson Says The Underachiever Has Finally Realized His Potential

Though it may have taken longer than expected for Kingston to push past some of his struggles, Danielson is proud that he eventually did. In that same vein, Danielson is also proud of himself for seeing through his own “bull****” so he could give Kingston the nod that he well-deserved and earned.

 “All the things that we said about Eddie 20 years ago, about how much potential he had, about how he needed to work harder, about he needed to do this, and how he needed to do that, and how he needed to change his bad habits, and all of that. It took him a while, but he f***ing did it.

Here I was holding on to this petty bull****, and I realized it might have taken him longer, but the things that he’s battled through and the things that he’s struggled through, I should have given him my respect a long time ago.”

Eddie Kingston Is Grateful

For Eddie Kingston, the element of respect is all he ever wanted from his peers. 

While championships are great resume boosters, Kingston believes that one’s legacy is truly based on the amount of respect one garners from their cohorts. In his case, he was specifically aiming to impress the Blackpool Combat Club members — Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley, and Claudio Castagonli.

“I don’t care about promoters. No offense to the Twitter fans or fans that came out there. I appreciate y’all, but what I care about is the respect from the boys, because at the end of the day, you guys are the ones that are going to be talking about me,” Kingston told Danielson.

“Whether I was good, whether I was bad, whether I was a waste or not. I don’t want to get too emotional, so I’m gonna get out of here. I just want to say thank you, Bryan. Dude, thank you for everything.”

The Road to WrestleMania continues as WWE makes a stop at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas for tonight’s episode of WWE Raw.

Here are the 2 matches announced for Raw, followed by our detailed preview into each one:

• Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax 
• Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre

Raw Preview (3/4/24)

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

Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax

Following her win in the grueling Women’s Elimination Chamber match, Becky Lynch confronted the woman she will now be challenging at WrestleMania 40 — WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley. Unfortunately for Lynch, their February 26th meeting was interrupted by “The Irresistible Force” Nia Jax, who blindsided Lynch with a pair of leg drops and an Annihilator. 

Fueled by her “Irish rage,” Lynch later retaliated, unleashing a counterattack on Jax during her singles bout against Liv Morgan. While Jax was eventually able to flee from her flurry of strikes last week, Lynch convinced Raw General Manager Adam Pearce to let them settle their differences in a one-on-one match tonight. This contest, of course, will serve as a rematch of their encounter at the Day 1 episode of Raw, where Jax emerged victorious.

Despite losing in their previous entanglement, Lynch is confident that she can permanently take Jax out of her path, so she can then properly focus on her WrestleMania title match against Rhea Ripley.

Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre

Old foes will meet once again following a backstage brawl on last week’s episode of WWE Raw. 

A week after his brother, Jimmy Uso, cost him the Intercontinental Championship, Jey Uso reflected on the pattern of his recent losses in a backstage interview with Jackie Redmond, pointing out that they seem to occur when the stakes are raised. Despite these losses, though, Jey Uso has vowed to keep showing up to Raw as the “Main Event” superstar he knows he is.

Before Uso could complete his thoughts, he was approached by “The Scottish Warrior” Drew McIntyre. Initially appearing to be extending Uso some empathy, McIntyre’s expression then turned cold as he proclaimed that Uso “deserve[s]” the misfortune that has come his way. Naturally, this led the two men to a backstage brawl.

Jey Uso clashes with @DMcIntyreWWE TOMORROW NIGHT on #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/7OkLBJlTFY

— WWE (@WWE) March 3, 2024

Interestingly, former Intercontinental Champion Ricochet is also advertised — via WWE.com and the Frost Bank Center website — to appear on Raw. Should he compete, it will mark his first televised match since the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble.

After nearly 40 years in the ring, “The Icon” Sting will finish up his wrestling career at AEW’s upcoming Revolution pay-per-view. There, he and Darby Allin will defend the AEW World Tag Team Championships against The Young Bucks in a tornado tag match. 

Before Sting steps in the ring for the final time, though, his son, Steven Borden Jr., has penned a heartwarming tribute to him on Instagram. 

“You were Sting before I was born,” Borden wrote. “I’ve never known a life where the possibility of you rappelling from the rafters, diving off high objects, and Scorpion death dropping people doesn’t exist. But now that day has nearly come, and I’ve never had more respect and admiration for you than I do today.”

Building Character 

Outside of Sting’s “electric” in-ring contributions, Steven Jr. pointed out that his father also upheld his responsibilities as a parental figure at the same time. Namely, Sting taught his son how to be a man of “character, integrity, and grit.” Sting’s impact has been so profound, that Steven Jr. continues to identify him as his biggest hero.

“I know you remember what my answer was that day as a kid in Central Park when I was asked who my hero was. The answer is still the same,” Steven Jr. wrote. “I’m still convinced you’re the coolest dude to walk the planet.”

Steven Jr. ended his statement by admitting that although he’s not ready to see his father’s journey conclude, he is excited to see Sting finally “enjoy the sunset.”

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C38tzt0vRrf

A new on-screen personality has officially come aboard to All Elite Wrestling.

Over the weekend, Arkady Unterleidner, also known as Arkady Aura, gave a major update on her future in professional wrestling. After serving as a backstage interviewer, ring announcer, and manager on the independent wrestling circuit, Arkady confirmed (via Instagram) that she has now signed on to AEW. Arkady was previously affiliated with promotions such as SoCal Pro Wrestling and The Crash Lucha Libre, where she recently acted as the manager for AEW’s Brian Cage.

“Feeling beyond blessed to be apart of such an incredible company,” Arkady wrote on X (formerly Twitter) earlier today. “Thank you for all the love and support on this journey. This is only the beginning!”

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C3srogWxxeY

Arkady’s arrival to AEW comes just days after the company welcomed in a new member to the creative department as well. Following her recent exit from WWE, three-time Emmy winner Jennifer Pepperman was announced as AEW’s new Vice President of Content Development. Pepperman previously worked as a senior writer for WWE.

More Details On Arkady’s AEW Arrival

Fightul Select has since provided more details on Arkady’s signing, reporting that she is expected to join the company as a backstage interviewer in an effort to further balance the responsibilities currently shared by Renee Paquette and Lexy Nair. The report added that AEW has considered other candidates for the role in recent months. More additions could also be coming to the broadcast team soon.

It is currently unknown when Arkady will officially start with AEW.

With Roman Reigns firmly shielded by The Bloodline, which now also includes Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Cody Rhodes seems to have found a shield of his own in the form of WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. 

Recognizing that Rhodes would once again be outnumbered in his pursuit of Reigns’ Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, and in his recent challenge to The Rock, Rollins has graciously offered to act as back-up for Rhodes in both scenarios.

As Rollins continues to boast support for Rhodes, fans have begun speculating that WWE may be building toward a potential WrestleMania tag team match that would pit Rollins and Rhodes against The Rock and Roman Reigns.

WrestleMania 40

While Rollins is already set to defending his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 40, he is open to pulling double duty at the two-night premium live event for a potential crack at Reigns, The Rock, or whoever else may step in his path.

Here’s what Rollins said on Submission Radio:

“I don’t know how the cards are going to fall. I don’t know which way the chips are going to go. I’m open to doing whatever is going to be the best right, whatever’s going to be the biggest thing we can possibly do.”

Building the legacy of the World Heavyweight Championship

As of this writing, Seth Rollins is 275 days into his reign as WWE World Heavyweight champion. As the first man to hold this ‘new’ championship in its current lineage, it’s important for him to set the tone of what the belt stands for. 

“I really want to give this championship the showcase that it deserves, and if that means pulling double duty, if that means putting it on the line against The Rock or Roman or whoever, I don’t care. I don’t care what it is. I want to give this thing what it deserves. I want to give it prop it up as much as possible.” 

However, Rollins has another priority. He wants to make the biggest moments possible at WrestleMania. That could be in a World Heavyweight title defense, or it could involve Cody Rhodes, The Rock and Roman Reigns. 5 weeks out from WrestleMania, even he’s unsure how things will play out.

“There’s tons of different ways it could go and I’m stoked to see what the ride’s going to look like.”

Though unconfirmed by WWE at this point, a recent report has suggested that a tag team match between Rock/Reigns and Rollins/Rhodes has been discussed as a possible headliner for night one of WrestleMania 40. 

Austin Theory and Carmelo Hayes endured a scary sequence of events on the January 12 episode of WWE SmackDown. 

The moment in question occurred when Theory looked to hit Hayes with an Avalanche Spanish Fly from the top rope. Unfortunately, both competitors seemed to awkwardly land on their heads, which prompted the referee to signal for an immediate match stop. 

While there was initial concern about possible concussions, both Hayes and Theory turned out to be okay, later facing off in a rematch two weeks later. 

Injury Scare

In a recent interview with The West Australian, Theory provided more details on his injury scare, revealing that it was Hayes’ foot accidentally hitting the top rope that caused their awkward descent. Luckily, both men were ultimately able to walk away with minimal damage. 

“In this scenario with Carmelo Hayes, [I was] going for a move I’ve done plenty of times. Just so happens as we’re going through the rotation, if you go back and look, the back of his foot as he’s rotating off, hits the top rope. So all the momentum of us rotating, when his foot hits, it takes us straight down,” Theory said.

“Just based off of the video, it looks insane. And to be honest, after that, I seriously could have been paralyzed or my career could have been done. I could have been seriously hurt, broke my neck. There’s so many factors, but luckily as we came down, for some reason, I let go to catch myself and I turned my head all the way to the left.”

“When we landed, the back of his head hit my face pretty hard, but when we were laying there, I was fine. I didn’t feel like rocked or lost or that feeling of ‘Oh, what’s going on you?’ I felt fine, but at the same time, that’s such a a scary moment, especially when you’re out there and something goes wrong and doesn’t feel right. Then seeing the video footage back of myself upside down literally on the top of my head — Wow. Very grateful for that.”

Coming off of this close call, Theory added that the Avalanche Spanish Fly is now officially retired from his moveset. While Theory was fortunate to avoid a concussion, he did note that his face was “pretty sore” from the impact of Hayes’ head colliding with his face.

In September 2023, the merger between WWE and UFC was officially finalized, meaning that both entities now exist under the same umbrella — TKO Group Holdings. Given this development, fans of both organizations have raised questions about a potential crossover. Last Monday, fans got a taste of just that.

On last week’s episode of WWE RAW in Anaheim, California, ring announcer Samathan Irvin introduced UFC fighter Michael Chandler, who promptly received a microphone in his hand to speak. 

The appearance was brief, but Chandler cut a spirited promo in which he demanded that fellow UFC fighter Conor McGregor get his “candy a** back to the Octagon” so they could settle their unfinished business. 

McGregor last fought at UFC 264 in July 2021, where he sustained a broken leg in his bout against Dustin Poirier.

Seth Rollins’ Critique

Seth Rollins, a 20-year veteran in the wrestling and promo game, provided his assessment of Chandler’s promo during a recent interview with Submission Radio.

Though Chandler’s speaking segment had its imperfections, Rollins praises him for injecting vibrancy and authenticity into it.

“You could tell he had the adrenaline coursing through his veins a little bit,” Rollins said. “He could have slowed down a bit, have a little fun. He needs some work, but pretty good. I think for a first ride, it was real, it was from the heart.

He’s cool man, he’s a big fan of what we do. Ge understands the entertainment aspect of kind of the fight gam. So I dug it, man, and I hope he gets what he wants.”

While his path may have led him to professional wrestling, Grayson Waller has drawn heavy inspiration from athletes in other combat sports, such as boxing and mixed martial arts.

During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Waller opened up about some of the figures who’ve influenced him, one of which is former UFC Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor.

“I think the best and most marketable UFC fighters are wrestling fans,” Waller said. “If you look back in history, Ronda Rousey, Conor McGregor, and Chael Sonnen, they were wrestling fans. They used parts of wrestling for their character and that’s why they make so much money. You have a lot of people trying to do that now, but it’s not easy what we do. A guy like Colby Covington is trying his best, but I don’t think he actually knows what we do, and he’s trying his best.”

Last year, Waller laid out his vision for WWE to pair him with McGregor for a WrestleMania tag team match. Given that WWE is now merged with the UFC under TKO Group Holdings, and WWE is now on course to WrestleMania, it seems even more possible that Waller’s vision may become a reality. 

Boxing Greats

Within the realm of boxing, Waller is particularly moved by the likes of Muhammad Ali and Prince Naseem, both of whom have been indicted into the WrestleMania event. referee for the main event of the inaugural WrestleMania event.International Boxing Hall of Fame. 

“I took huge inspiration even from like Muhammad Ali [and] Prince Naseem from boxing,” Waller continued. “Just that confidence and swagger of like ‘I don’t care who you are lad. I’m going to walk in and show you who I am.’ So I’ve always taken a lot of inspiration from those guys, especially the way they carry themselves, but also, they weren’t afraid to say what they thought.”

Wrestling fans, of course, may also recall Ali being a special guest for WrestleMania 1’s main event match that pitted Hulk Hogan and Mr. T against Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper.

On February 7, TNA Wrestling announced that Scott A’Dmore, the President of the company, had been terminated from his contract. Anthony Cicione was then named as his replacement.

In the wake of this news, several TNA talents came together to compose a letter to their parent company — Anthem Sports & Entertainment — urging them to boast a solution that would bring D’Amore back into the company. While it remains unclear if D’Amore will be reinstated in some capacity, the TNA locker room continues to stand in solidarity. And per the words of Eric Young, it seems there be no surrender any time soon.

Eric Young’s Powerful Speech

Ahead of tonight’s TNA No Surrender event in New Orleans, former TNA World Heavyweight Champion Eric Young delivered a powerful message to the live audience in attendance. 

While Young acknowledged that change can be “tricky,” he also recognized the importance of adapting and pivoting with that change. In the case of TNA Wrestling, Young noted that many followers of the company were doubtful that it would stand the test of time. And yet, as Young pointed out, TNA is still alive and thriving. 

“This is an amazing place filled with amazing people,” Young said. “And sometimes you lose something. You lose someone, and the next step is grief. And then after that, after a while, the next step is you got one of two choices. You could be lost with them or you can move forward. And that’s what we’re going to do. That’s what we’ve always done. We’re going to move forward because that’s what we need. That’s what they would want. That’s what is necessary.”

“This place, this world, this universe, it’s bigger than all of us. And we all want the same thing. We want this place to thrive. We want it to be seen. We want it to be respected. We wanted to be loved. So I say this: to anybody that stands in our way, to anybody that would oppose us, anybody asking for our unbiased surrender … This place, these people, you guys, TNA — there will be no surrender.”

Following his speech, Young kicked off the main No Surrender card with a number one contenders match victory over Frankie Kazarian. With this win, Young will now move on to challenge for the TNA World Championship at the Sacrifice event on March 8.

Eric Young led the TNA locker room to address the crowd ahead of No Surrender. Here's the full video pic.twitter.com/RzGWMg3c99

— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) February 24, 2024

While much of his bookings have been committed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling in recent years, Minoru Suzuki, who remains a freelancer, has exercised his option to extend his reach elsewhere as well. Within the last two months, Suzuki has found himself competing for the likes of AJPW, RevPro, and All Elite Wrestling. 

Earlier today, the veteran performer issued a statement about his future in professional wrestling, noting his desire to expand his travels even further. As such, Suzuki said he is giving back the “Strong Style” name back to NJPW, as he and his fellow stablemate El Desperado are no longer in need of it.

“I’m giving back to New Japan the name Strong Style that I borrowed a year ago,” Suzuki wrote (translated).

“Me and Despe don’t need it anymore. I’ve made new friends, had a lot of fun, and a lot of things happened… I’ve been to New Japan Pro Wrestling for quite some time, but my professional wrestling life is still in the middle of a journey. In order to become even stronger… on a journey of freedom… let’s set sail.”

Strong Style, of course, served as the faction name for the trio of Suzuki, El Desperado, and Ren Narita in NJPW.

1????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????…????????????????????????????????????????????????????…??????…?????? pic.twitter.com/ifSw01r1FD

— ????? (@suzuki_D_minoru) February 23, 2024

Suzuki To Take On The ‘Fired Idol’

Earlier this week, Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling revealed that Minoru Suzuki will be making his promotional debut at their upcoming Grand Princess event on March 31. There, Suzuki will take on the “Fired Idol” Maki Itoh in a first-time singles matchup.

Last month, Suzuki made a notable appearance in AEW as he wrestled fellow veteran Adam Copeland in the main event of AEW Dynamite.

On February 24, WWE will head to the land down under to host the 2024 Elimination Chamber premium live event from the Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia. 

As usual, the Elimination Chamber marks a key stop on the Road to WrestleMania, as a trio of upcoming matches have WrestleMania 40 implications. This PLE also marks WWE’s first Australia-based event since Super Show-Down in October 2018, making this show all the more exhilarating for Australian WWE fans. As of February 15, WWE’s 2024 Elimination Chamber had distributed over 45,000 of the 49,000 tickets currently up for the event (h/t WrestleTix).

The Magnitude Of Elimination Chamber

One of the marquee matches will see Logan Paul, Kevin Owens, Randy Orton, LA Knight, Drew McIntyre, and Bobby Lashley compete inside the Men’s Elimination Chamber. The winner of this grueling contest will then move on to challenge Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. Despite the danger that lies ahead, Kevin Owens is ready to give it his all, and ready to step onto a stage that seems to parallel that of WrestleMania.

“This may very well be the biggest Chamber event – the biggest Chamber match we’ve ever had as well,” Owens said in a WWE SmackDown digital exclusive. ‘It’s in Perth, it’s going to be in front of thousands and thousands and thousands of people that have been waiting for a PLE in their city, in their country, on their continent for a very long time. It really does not get much bigger than this.”

“WrestleMania is huge, but Elimination Chamber is going to give WrestleMania a run for its money as far as the sheer magnitude of the event and what it means to everybody. Chamber, bring it on. As risky as it is, as dangerous as it is, I’m all in. I’m going to give everything I have. I’m going to leave it all in Perth.”

2024 WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth Card

The 2024 Elimination Chamber will broadcast this Saturday, with the main show beginning at 5:00 AM EST. The current lineup is as follows:

• Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships: The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate
• Elimination Chamber match (winner earns shot at Women’s World Championship at WrestleMania 40): Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair vs. Liv Morgan vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Naomi vs. TBD
• WWE Women’s World Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Nia Jax
• Elimination Chamber (winner earns shot at World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40: Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton vs. Bobby Lashley vs. LA Knight vs. Kevin Owens vs. Logan Paul
• The Grayson Waller Effect: Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins as special guests

Last Thursday, Steve “Mongo” McMichael was admitted to the emergency room with a urinary tract infection. Two days later, it was confirmed that the former NFL and pro wrestling star had also contracted MRSA — an antibiotic-resistant staph infection — which resulted in him getting a blood transfusion.

On Monday, Jarrett Payton, son of Pro Football Hall of Famer Walter Payton and former football player himself, supplied a positive update on McMichael’s condition on X (formerly Twitter). According to Payton, McMichael is responding well to the antibiotics that doctors provided him and is now hoping to be back home tomorrow. 

Update on Steve McMichael:

Great news – Mongo is feeling better and he's responding well to the antibiotics. The hope is to have him back at home on Tuesday. Please keep sending up your thoughts and prayers for Steve and his family. ?? #Bears

— Jarrett Payton (@paytonsun) February 18, 2024

“He’s one tough guy,” Misty McMichael, Steve’s wife, also told ESPN. “He’s Mongo and his DNA is different! Keep those prayers coming! Thank you!”

We at SEScoops would like to extend our best wishes for a speedy recovery to Steve “Mongo” McMichael and all the best to the McMichael family.

Steve ‘Mongo’ McMichael

Following a 15-season career in the NFL, Steve ‘Mongo’ McMichael joined the professional wrestling industry, making an appearance at WWE WrestleMania XI. There, McMichael stood in support of his fellow NFL retiree Lawrence Taylor, who squared off against Bam Bam Bigelow in the show’s main event. 

After a brief stint with WWE, McMichael signed a contract with WCW in the fall of 1995. Initially serving as a color commentator for WCW Nitro, McMichael eventually transitioned into an in-ring performer for the company. During his four-year WCW run, McMichaels wrestled over 150 matches, including one that saw him dethrone WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett to win the WCW United States Heavyweight Championship.

Earlier today, Major League Wrestling announced that they will be coming back to the city of Atlanta for its sixth annual Battle Riot event. 

The company will host MLW: Battle RIOT VI from Center Stage on Saturday, June 1, marking the first MLW event in the Georgia area since the Super Series in September 2022.

MLW Battle Riot VI ticekts will be available for purchase this Thursday, February 22, at 10 a.m. EST at Ticketmaster and MLWLIVE.com.

While fans wait for more information on this year’s match card, MLW has confirmed the return of its yearly Battle Riot match, in which 40 wrestlers vie for a future shot at the MLW World Heavyweight Championship — a title that is currently held by Satoshi Kojima. 

Per match rules, two participants will begin the Battle Riot match in the ring as their fellow competitors enter the field every minute until all 40 have officially joined the match. Along the way, wrestlers can be eliminated by way of pin, submission, or by being tossed over the top rope and having both of their feet touch the floor outside.

Battle Riot Excitement

MLW CEO Court Bauer shared his excitement for the event, stating, “We’re thrilled to bring our biggest event of the year to the iconic Center Stage, the Mecca of southern wrestling.”

MLW Battle Riot VI, which has been labeled as a premium live event, will air globally on Triller TV+ (formerly known as FITE TV). Attendees and viewers will also be treated to a beIN SPORTS taping that is set to feature a series of bonus matches. The live audience will also receive the opportunity to meet their favorite MLW wrestlers and legends through exclusive meet-and-greets. They will also have the option to buy rare items used in MLW matches and MLW programming.

Tonight’s episode of WWE RAW will emanate from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, and serves as one of the go-home shows to Saturday’s WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth premium live event.

Here are the 5 matches announced for Raw, followed by our detailed preview into each one:

• Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre
• Jey Uso challenges GUNTHER for the IC title
• Battle Royal to determine Women’s Chamber Final Participant
• R-Truth, Miz & DIY vs. Judgment Day
• Chad Gable vs. Ivar

Raw Preview (2/19/24)

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

Cody Rhodes v Drew McIntyre

Two weeks ago, Cody Rhodes defeated Shinsuke Nakamura in a Bull Rope match. Unfortunately, his post-match celebration was short-lived, as he was blindsided by an attack from “The Scottish Warrior” Drew McIntyre. Now, the once WWE Tag Team Champions will go one-on-one for the first time ever on WWE television. 

Women’s Battle Royal: Elimination Chamber Qualifier

With the Elimination Chamber just five days away, WWE is also tasked with determining the final participant in the upcoming Women’s Elimination Chamber match. As of this writing, five of the six entrants have been confirmed — Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Tiffany Stratton, and Naomi. 

Later tonight, five women (who previously lost their respective qualifying matchups) will collide in a “Last Chance” Battle Royal, in which the winner will be granted the final spot in the Women’s Elimination Chamber match. The Battle Royal competitors will include Shanya Baszler, Michin, Alba Fyre, Zelina Vega, and Zoey Stark. 

Who will punch their ticket to Perth in the Last Chance #WWEChamber Battle Royal Qualifier tomorrow night on #WWERaw? pic.twitter.com/1VdyKEOWxt

— WWE (@WWE) February 18, 2024

Ivar vs. Chad Gable

A week after losing his Men’s Elimination Chamber qualifier to LA Knight, Ivar looks to bounce back with a win as he takes on a tag team division rival, Chad Gable. Ivar and Gable most recently wrestled each other last month, with Ivar taking home the victory.

The Judgement Day

Elsewhere on the card, The Judgment Day (JD McDonagh, Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor, and Damian Priest) will face off with The Miz, Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, and R-Truth in an eight-man tag team competition. This tag bout comes on the heels of Judgment Day attacking R-Truth in the ring last week, after which Gargano and Ciampa made the save for Truth.

GUNTHER’s Latest Challenge

Finally, WWE RAW is also set to feature an Intercontinental Championship match between Jey Uso and the reigning titleholder, GUNTHER. Should Uso dethrone “The Ring General,” it will mark the first singles championship win of his WWE career.

Check out today’s top wrestling news stories:

A week after making her in-ring SmackDown debut, Tiffany Stratton now finds herself in contention for a shot at the WWE Women’s World Championship.

On Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown, Stratton faced Zelina Vega in a qualifying match for the upcoming Women’s Elimination Chamber. After a colorful eight-minute battle, Stratton nailed Vega with the Prettiest Moonsault Ever to secure the pinfall, and the fourth spot in the Women’s Elimination Chamber match.

A Tiffy Message

On the heels of her win, Stratton delivered a bold message to the WWE Universe, vowing to become the youngest Elimination Chamber winner in WWE history. 

I told everyone that SmackDown officially runs on Tiffy time, and are we even shocked that I qualified? Because I’m not,” Stratton said. “I just had a Tiffany epiphany — in Perth, Australia, I’m going to become the youngest-ever Elimination Chamber winner. That’s like history-making stuff. And could you imagine how mad everyone would be? I would love it.”

WWE’s 2024 Elimination Chamber event will take place on February 24, emanating from the Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia. Alongside Stratton, the likes of Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, Naomi, and one more competitor to be determined will compete inside the grueling chamber structure at the premium live event. 

Elsewhere on the card, Australia native Rhea Ripley will defend the WWE Women’s World Championship against a fellow Australian-born competitor — Nia Jax. The winner of this title match will then put the Women’s World Championship on the line against the winner of the Women’s Elimination Chamber at WrestleMania 40.

? TIFFANY EPIPHANY! ?@tiffstrattonwwe has the opportunity to become the youngest #WWEChamber winner in HISTORY! ?#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/jVYuZdcvvT

— WWE (@WWE) February 17, 2024

Friday’s episode of AEW Rampage featured a singles match between “The Queenslayer” Anna Jay and rising star Queen Aminata. Jay and Aminata battle back and forth for much of the contest, but in the end, it was Aminata who emerged victorious after nailing Jay with a headbutt.

Following Queen Aminata’s win, AEW President Tony Khan confirmed that the former GCW Women’s Champion is officially All Elite, highlighting the fact that tonight marked Aminata’s first televised AEW victory.

Congratulations to Queen Aminata! She just won her first ever @AEWonTV match tonight, and now it's official: Queen @amisylle is ALL ELITE!

Thank you to all of you watching Friday Night #AEWRampage, right NOW on @TNTdrama! pic.twitter.com/7dWNaCEeyJ

— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) February 17, 2024

Aminata previously claimed a tag team win alongside Skye Blue on the YouTube-oriented AEW Dark show in September 2022.

Boosting The Women’s Division

Queen Aminata also marks the third announced signing for AEW’s women’s division in recent months, behind the likes of Deonna Purrazzo and Mariah May.

May’s arrival to All Elite Wrestling materialized in early November as she professed her admiration for current AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm. In the weeks following, May began working her way into the Storm’s good graces, eventually earning herself the role of Storm’s assistant. 

On January 3, May made her official AEW in-ring debut in a match against Queen Aminata. As she reveled in her subsequent victory, May was interrupted by “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo, who returned to All Elite Wrestling in the wake of her exit from Impact/TNA Wrestling.

Mercedes Mone To AEW?

In addition to Queen Aminata, Mariah May, and Deonna Purrazzo, AEW seems poised to welcome in another notable player next month. 

With the recent announcement of AEW Big Business on March 13, reports indicated that former WWE RAW Women’s Champion Mercedes Mone (also known as Sasha Banks) is expected to debut there. Big Business, of course, will be emanating from Mone’s hometown of Boston, Massachusetts. 

While her debut may land on March 13, Mone has reportedly been on AEW’s payroll since at least early January.