The Undertaker is gearing up to enter the world of podcasting.
Last weekend, The Undertaker headlined the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022. He gave a rousing speech and shared several rules that he lives by:
Perception is reality
Respect and loyalty go a long way
Never be contempt.
He finished the speech by dropping the adage, “never say never.”
The Undertaker used to be very protective of his supernatural gimmick. However, that has changed dramatically in recent years. He’s “pulled the curtain” back, so to speak, and has done a lot of media appearances “out of character.”
The Undertaker Podcast
It now looks like Dead Man is trading his run for a microphone. According to WrestleVotes, WWE has convinced the Undertaker to host a new show that will be similar to Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions.
The report notes that The Undertaker’s podcast will air on Peacock within the next few months. A timeframe like this means production would begin sooner than later.
A podcast hosted by The Undertaker could make for some interesting content. For longtime fans, it’s still surreal to see him speaking as his true identity, Mark Calloway.
Steve Austin has seamlessly transitioned into his role as WWE podcast host. There’s no reason The Undertaker could not do the same thing.
Taker has appeared on Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions, so Stone Cold would be a natural choice as one of his guests (if the show features guests and interviews).
We will keep an eye on this story and will provide an update if and when WWE goes public with plans for the Undertaker podcast.
Tonight’s WWE Raw takes place from Detroit, Michigan at the Little Cesars Arena.
We are less than a month out from WWE’s next premium live event, WrestleMania Backlash. As of this writing, the “I Quit Match” between Raw Women’s Champion Charlotte and Ronda Rousey is the only match announced for the WrestleMania Backlash 2022 card.
The top item advertised for Raw is Cody Rhodes vs. The Miz. WWE is positioning Cody as a top babyface on the Raw brand, so this will be a real test for the American Nightmare.
Last week on Raw, Veer Mahaan finally made his big return after months of hype videos. Veer beat the crap out of Rey Mysterio and Dominik. Mysterio looks to avenge his family’s honor tonight when he goes one-on-one with Veer.
AJ Styles will face Damian Priest, who is now aligned with Edge. Will Priest show up by himself, or will he have reinforcements from the Rated R Superstar?
Sasha Banks and Naomi will defend their new Women’s Tag Team Championships against Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan.
MVP will host a special edition of the VIP Lounge. His guest will be his new protégé, Omos. What will MVP have to say about turning on Bobby Lashley last week?
Finally, SmackDown tag team champions The Usos will be in the house. Roman Reigns says he wants to unify the Raw and Smackdown tag team titles. What will RK-Bro, the reigning Raw tag team champions, have to say about a potential unification match?
The Build to WrestleMania Backlash
After tonight’s Raw, we should have a much better idea about where things are headed with WrestleMania Backlash.
Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns does not have an opponent. Cody Rhodes plans to pursue that title. Will WWE pull the trigger on this match with only one month of hype?
The Usos vs. RKBro in a championship unification match is clearly in the works. Once again, we’ll have to see if WWE goes right into this one.
Bobby Lashley and Omos could be another WrestleMania Backlash match in the works. Backlash historically features a lot of WrestleMania rematches. Now that MVP has aligned with Omos, this is a logical match for the PLE.
Nikki Bella and fiancé Artem Chigvintsev have set a date for their wedding.
The WWE Hall of Famer and former Divas champion recently spoke to US Weekly about her big plans. It should come as no surprise that her twin sister, Brie Bella, will serve as her maid of honor.
“Brie’s gonna have to start getting busy because she’s Maid of Honor. I’m going to have to put her to work!” she joked.
Nikki likes to live it up and party, but she knows she’ll have to keep herself in check for her big day. “I’m going to have to give a heartfelt speech, not be drunk and have my s—t together.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBLjMSvcydQ
Nikki Bella & Artem Chigvintsev Wedding Plans
The happy couple have finally settled on a wedding date, so when can we expect Nikki Bella to walk down the aisle?
“We’ve set a wedding date. I’ll give a hint that it’s fall 2022, very soon.”
– Nikki Bella
Nikki Bella has lived her adult life in front of the cameras. In addition to her WWE career, she’s starred on reality television shows (Total Divas, Total Bellas) and competed on Dancing with the Stars, where she met her soon-to-be husband.
It should come as no surprise that Nikki Bella’s wedding to Artem Chigvintsev might be televised. “It might be on E!. So, the world may see it,” she said.
Nikki is excited to marry Artem, but admits there’s a little pressure to nail their ‘first dance’ together. She has been telling Artem he needs to start choreographing their dance so she can learn it all summer.
NXT Champion Bron Breakker would love to do more in WWE with his father, Rick Steiner.
The Steiner Brothers made an indelible mark on the wrestling industry during their reign as one of the sport’s most dominant tag teams. Last weekend, Rick and brother Scott Steiner became two of the latest entrants in the WWE Hall of Fame.
Breakker is following in his father’s footsteps. He’s a rookie in WWE, but he’s already racking up championships. On last week’s Raw the night after WrestleMania, he defeated Dolph Ziggler to regain the NXT Championship.
During a post-match interview, Breakker stated it was a dream come true to induct the Steiners into the Hall of Fame and then win the NXT Championship.
During a conversation with Nick Hausman for WrestlingINC during WrestleMania weekend, Breakker said the Hall of Fame was an honor for the whole family. They all appreciate the Steiner Brothers got to end their wrestling careers on this high note.
It’s not easy being the son of Rick Steiner. Breakker says his father motivates him a lot, but he’s tough and doesn’t share a lot of compliments.
“He’s got high expectations for me, so he never really acknowledges that I am doing super well or anything,” said Breakker. “He’s always focused on how I can be better.”
WWE took some time before acknowledging that Rick Steiner was Bron Breakker’s father. The company probably wanted him to make a name for himself first, but secrets like this are hard to keep under wraps in today’s information age.
Rick Steiner celebrated Bron Breakker’s first NXT Championship victory back in January 2022. He hopes they can do more together on WWE television in the future. “I would love that,” he said. “I think the people would love that. I don’t know, we will see.”
You can catch NXT Champion Bron Breakker Tuesday nights on NXT 2.0.
Mark Henry says we haven’t seen the last of Cesaro. The AEW broadcaster, coach and talent scout says wrestling fans will be very pleased when the Swiss Superman resurfaces.
In addition to his duties in AEW, Henry serves as a co-host of Busted Open Radio on SiriusXM. He dropped an interesting quote on Saturday morning’s episode.
“Believe me, there will be a Cesaro sighting, just not right now,” said Henry.
“When that day comes, the world of pro wrestling is gonna be like, ‘Holy cow, like, that’s the guy we always wanted to see.'”
– Mark Henry on Cesaro’s future
Cesaro departed WWE in late February 2022 after over a decade with the company. WWE attempted to re-sign Cesaro, but they were unable to reach an agreement. He is not bound by a 90-day non-compete.
Cesaro has long been regarded as one of the top wrestlers in the world. He achieved some success in WWE, but most wrestling fans and industry observers would agree he was underutilized throughout his run there.
It will be interesting to see if Cesaro finds his way to AEW. He has a long history with many AEW stars from their days in WWE, as well as in Ring of Honor and on the independent scene.
Several AEW performers have already acknowledged the prospect of Cesaro joining AEW. Former rival Eddie Kingston has already stated that Cesaro “Doesn’t Have The Balls” to join him in AEW.
Earlier this week, Dax Harwood re-tweeted this photo pitching a tag team dream match between FTR and the Kings of Wrestling (Cesaro and Chris Hero).
Credit to the Putting You Over podcast for sending in this tip.
WWE is setting the stage for more championships to be unified in the near future.
Universal Champion Roman Reigns defeated WWE Champion Brock Lesnar in the main event of WrestleMania 38 in a Winner Takes All Championship Unification Match.
In the main event segment of Friday’s SmackDown, The Bloodline leader dropped a bombshell. After consolidating power at the very top of WWE’s singles divisions, Reigns declared it’s time The Usos do the same with the tag titles.
Reigns said he wants The Usos to go to Raw and bring him the Raw tag team championships, currently held by Rated RK-Bro.
The Usos expected at Monday’s Raw to kick off a program with Randy Orton and Riddle. In addition to the Usos’s quest to capture the Raw tag titles, Cody Rhodes vs. The Miz is also advertised for the show.
WWE has not yet confirmed if or when this tag title unification match will take place. However, the company’s next premium live event is a month away and the company is not known for setting up matches months in advance. At this time, there’s a strong possibility we will see The Usos vs. Rated RK-Bro at WrestleMania Backlash on Sunday, May 8th.
Ronda Rousey is demanding an “I Quit” match against Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania Backlash.
The Baddest Woman on the Planet made a surprise WWE return in January at the Royal Rumble. She won the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble and went on to challenge Flair for the Raw Women’s Championship at WrestleMania. She came up short and The Queen retained.
Rousey made her first WWE TV appearance since WrestleMania at Friday’s edition of Smackdown on Fox. Rousey came to the ring and told the WWE Universe that she won’t make any excuses for her loss at WrestleMania. However, she won’t be satisfied until she dethrones Charlotte Flair as the new Raw Women’s Champion.
Rousey demanded a rematch against Charlotte Flair at the next WWE premium live event, WrestleMania Backlash. She wants it to be an “I Quit” match.
Flair appeared on the big screen and denied Rousey’s demand. She told told Rousey, “Get to the back of the line, bitch.”
Later in the show, Adam Pearce said the rematch between Rousey and Flair is in the works. WWE confirmed the match on Saturday.
The WrestleMania Backlash 2022 premium live event takes place Sunday, May 8th and streams live on Peacock and the WWE Network.
Samoa Joe will battle Minoru Suzuki on Wednesday’s edition of AEW Dynamite. Suzuki’s Ring of Honor World Television Championship will be on the line.
AEW President Tony Khan noted on Twitter that this is a match he’s dreamed of for many years.
Suzuki and Joe are two of the hardest-hitting wrestlers in the world. You can talk about “working stiff” but this match is sure to be a masters class in two veteran fighters beating the hell out of each other.
Tony Khan says an expensive online misinformation campaign has been launched against AEW.
Khan revealed on Friday that an independent study has confirmed an online “bot army” has been deployed on social media to stir up negative social media activity against All Elite Wrestling.
According to Khan, some company is running “thousands” of Twitter accounts and uses “an army of bots” to signal-boost the anti-AEW tweets.
“Look closely, these aren’t real people.”
– Tony Khan
Khan didn’t explicitly accuse WWE of being behind this online campaign, but he asked his followers to consider, “Who’d pay for such a *wildly* expensive thing?”
We are currently in the midst of a wrestling war. WWE has legitimate competition for the first time two decades. A Wednesday Night War was waged, top stars are jumping ship and the competition is heating up.
Khan questioned, “Ever wonder why so much of the activity of these accounts is retweets and replies? Like who actually has 80% of their activity as straight up retweets?”
He encourages fans to, “Research this one yourselves. You internet detectives thrive in these situations.”
Khan doesn’t seem too phased by this revelation. He hyped up tonight’s AEW Rampage, featuring Jon Moxley and Bryan Danielson in action.
Expecting the anti-AEW bots to be out in full force tonight, he wrapped up the thread by writing, “Their boiler room staff is going to be working overtime on a Friday, and I love it.”
Do you think wrestling companies engage in these shady tactics, or is this paranoid conspiracy theory nonsense?
AEW President Tony Khan spoke with Marc Raimondi for ESPN this week about the future of Ring of Honor. Khan shocked the wrestling world last month by announcing he was purchasing the company’s video library, brand assets and intellectual property.
Last weekend’s Supercard of Honor pay-per-view from Dallas, TX was the first ROH show under Khan’s control. The event was well received by wrestling fans and critics. He really tried to make it an ROH show, including cameos from ROH alums like Samoa Joe and The Young Bucks.
AEW, ROH & WarnerMedia
When asked about the short-term plans for Ring of Honor, Khan expressed uncertainty. “It’s hard to say,” he told ESPN.
Due to Tony Khan’s business relationship with WarnerMedia, AEW’s media partner in the United States, he had to get an ‘exemption’ from Warner in order to promote the Supercard PPV.
Khan says there’s great potential in continuing ROH as a weekly series, along with occasional special events.
He did not answer whether or not ROH would serve as a developmental system for AEW, but did reveal he’s had talks with WarnerMedia about what can be done with ROH.
“I think the success of Supercard, critically and commercially, will bode very well for WarnerMedia really taking an interest in Ring of Honor, as well as AEW,” he said. “I think there’s great potential to have a complementary wrestling brand.”
Booking ROH
Tony Khan has stated that he plans to be the booker of Ring Honor. However, he already has a lot of responsibilities with AEW, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham FC.
There is a risk that he is spreading himself too thin, but Khan said it was “very natural” for him to handle the booking for the Supercard PPV.
Visit ESPN to read the full interview with Tony Khan.
AEW President Tony Khan expects the Blood & Guts match to return this summer.
Blood & Guts is one of the most violent matches sanctioned by All Elite Wrestling. The match involves two teams squaring off inside a covered steel cage. The rules are similar to the infamous WarGames match, with submission or surrender being the only conditions for victory.
Khan spoke with Marc Raimondi for ESPN this week and was asked if we’ll see another Blood & Guts match. He replied:
“Yeah. I’d say to expect Blood & Guts this summer.”
– Tony Khan to ESPN
The first Blood & Guts saw The Pinnacle defeat the Inner Circle at the special May 5, 2021 edition of AEW Dynamite.
Tony Khan was also asked about the possibility of another Stadium Stampede match. He told Raimoni, “That I’ll have to get back to you on.”
He’s considered another Stadium Stampede match, and thinks its a great signature match that fans really enjoyed. However, the match came about from challenges that were presented during the pandemic that no longer exist.
Visit ESPN to read the full interview with Tony Khan.
Randy Orton is one of the most respected people in the WWE locker room, but it took a long time for the Viper to earn this status.
Orton is the latest guest on WWE’s Out of Character podcast, hosted by Ryan Satin. Episode 53 was conducted live at the WrestleMania Axxess Superstore last weekend in Dallas, TX.
The former Undisputed Champion discussed a lot of topics, including his personal development, his desire to give back to the business, being a huge Goldberg fan when he was younger, setting records in WWE and much more.
Randy Orton was thrust into WWE’s main event picture early into his career. He’d go on to become the youngest World Champion in company history. Orton admits he wasn’t mature enough for that level of success and the pitfalls that come with it. As Orton puts it, it was a case of “too much too soon.”
“Gosh, years, you know?” he said about earning respect backstage. “And then, I kind of started to get an attitude and I got mixed in with the wrong crowd, I guess you could say. [I] made a couple of bad decisions and that respect I think kind of got put on hold for a while.”
Randy Orton was a member of the Evolution faction, along with Triple H, Ric Flair and Batista. That group had a memorable split, which saw the senior members turn on Orton. According to Orton, WWE discussed him and Triple H breaking away from Evolution, but his behavior issues derailed those plans.
“I think there was even an instance where the plan was for me and Triple H to go and do our thing out of Evolution,” he continued. “I might have the order of this wrong but I want to say they went with Dave Batista instead because of me. [It was] maybe in ’05 of ’06 and I just wasn’t ready. It was like maybe 2005, 2006, 2007 where I was really having some close calls with just being a dumb kid. Too much too soon. [It was] most definitely too much too soon.”
Catch Randy Orton’s appearance on the Out of Character podcast:
AEW has been scrutinized for the high number of free agents they’ve signed over the past year. Some people have questioned if the AEW roster is too large, but Cash Wheeler of FTR says that’s nonsense.
FTR, the reigning Ring of Honor and AAA tag team champions, recently spoke with the Dallas Morning News and defended the growing number of performers on Tony Khan’s payroll.
According to Cash Wheeler, AEW is still in its infancy and should sign the most talented performers they can. Khan also just purchased Ring of Honor and now has two rosters to fill.
“When AEW started, they had to build from scratch,” said Wheeler. “And you don’t know who’s going to work on TV, who’s not going to work on TV, who the fans will accept and who they won’t.
“So, you’ve got to just sign everybody and hope after a couple years you’ve kind of got a better read on everything – what’s established, what isn’t.”
Wheeler added that you can’t plan for huge names to become free agents. If people like Bryan Danielson, Adam Cole, Jeff Hardy and Samoa Joe become available, you sign them and have time to figure everything out.
“You can’t plan for things that are completely unexpected. So, some of these names that became available to him, he never could have foresaw that coming. None of us could. So, when it was available, he would be a terrible businessman to not pursue that because it’s going to make his company better. And it’s going to make his talent better because now they have another brain to pick.”
Wheeler added that AEW has a lot of young talent on the roster and they don’t need to be on television every single week. They should be working independent shows and developing their characters before they’re on national TV week after week.
There’s much more to this interview, which you can check out at DallasNews.com.
AEW programming is coming to NJPW World, the official streaming service of New Japan Pro Wrestling.
The NJPW World Twitter account announced the news on Friday morning.
Starting soon, AEW Dynamite and AEW Rampage, will stream on NJPW World at no additional charge.
According to NJPW, a “Japanese live version” is also planned, which should feature Japanese commentary.
AEW President Tony Khan issued a short but sweet statement regarding this partnership. Khan tweeted, “We did it.”
AEW and NJPW have had an informal working relationship up to this point. NJPW-contracted talent has wrestled on AEW TV. This streaming partnership broadens the working relationship between the two entities and will expose the Japanese wrestling audience to AEW like never before.
SEScoops will follow this story and let you know when AEW programming will be available on NJPW World.
Savannah Evans has signed a multi-year contract with Impact Wrestling.
Evans recently appeared on the Women’s Wrestling Talk podcast to discuss her decision to make Impact her longterm home, her impressions of the locker room and her favorite moments working for Impact Wrestling thus far.
Evans says she got a call from Tommy Dreamer last year, June or July. Dreamer had been in touch with Kaleb Konley, one of her trainers, about bringing her in. They sent in some of her recent work, which led her to working shows for Impact last year.
“But, about the signing itself, I got that call, maybe three weeks ago,” she said. “Worked out all the you know, fine details on the contract and then sent it back last week.”
Savanna Evans says she loves the Impact locker room and is impressed how everybody has their own role there.
“No one’s stepping on anyone’s toes or anything like that,” she said. “It’s just, we’re all working to put out this product, you know. We all have the…that one goal in mind. So, I do..I love the locker room that they have there. And you know, just like their goal, like their plan for the company is really big for me, like, just, for example, like the diversity of women they have on the roster is..is big for me.”
Evans added that, “none of us look the same” in Impact and everybody brings something unique to the table.
Catch Savannah Evans’ appearance on Women’s Wrestling Talk:
On Monday, Frankele posted photos on social media alleging Green “got wasted” and struck her in the face, splitting her lip open.
She tagged the official NXT Twitter account and wrote, “Hey @WWENXT this is my face after your tag champ @NashCarterWWE got wasted and hit me so hard he split my lip open. He told me I’m a wrestler so I’m always marked up. I’ve hid this for a year and even forgave him. But I can’t hide it anymore.”
She added that Green was “telling her lies all weekend” in an effort to silence her.
The following day, she wrote on social media that she’s “saved herself” and is finally free.
Later in the day, Frankele posted a photo of Zachary Green with an Adolph Hitler mustache giving a Nazi salute. She said the photo is another look into the kind of person her husband is.
Tagging the official WWE and NXT accounts, she wrote, “I’ve hid so much for so long because I was mentally abused. Not to mention the countless anti LGBTQIA+ statements him and his family make…..”
WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler is gearing up for a return to the Raw announcer’s table.
The usual Raw commentary team is comprised of Jimmy Smith, Corey Graves and Byron Saxton. Lawler will be filling in for Graves, who is taking a few weeks to celebrate his upcoming wedding to Carmela.
Lawler appeared on WWE’s Raw Talk digital series last night and commented on his return. “I am looking forward to it,” said Lawler. “I am gonna be back behind the announcer’s table there on Monday Night Raw because that idiot Corey Graves is getting married!”
Of course, Jerry Lawler is no stranger to the Raw commentary booth. He served as the Raw color commentator for many years, alongside Jim Ross, during the Attitude Era. He hasn’t done full-time commentary for WWE since 2020, but does appear on PPV kickoff shows and takes other assignments for the company.
Lawler tweeted on Wednesday that he’s looking forward to being back at the Raw commentary table this Monday night.
Looking forward to being back at the commentary table this Monday night on @WWE RAW! Tune in!!! pic.twitter.com/JbsKGP7WSc
Cody Rhodes will address the WWE Universe at tonight’s WWE Raw.
Monday Night Raw the night after WrestleMania has become a destination for big happenings. This year’s installment will be no exception.
Rhodes made a shocking return at WrestleMania Saturday as Seth Rollins’ mystery opponent. He picked up the victory in what was certainly one of the most significant nights in his storied career.
The American Nightmare posted a series of photos on Instagram on Sunday.
The caption reads, “Thank you all – let’s live forever. Looking forward to having a live @wwe mic in my hand for the first time in over 6 years tomorrow. @usa_network”
After six years away from WWE, it will be very interesting to hear what Cody Rhodes has to say about his return and what his plans are now that he’s back.
In addition to a Cody Rhodes promo, Raw will feature the in-ring return of Veer and of course, plenty of WrestleMania 38 fallout.
Paul Heyman only associates with top-level WWE talent. He’s guided men such as Brock Lesnar, CM Punk and Roman Reigns to greatness during the peaks of their careers.
Heyman signed a new multi-year contract with WWE last year. Since he’s sticking around for the long term, it’s interesting to learn that Heyman has his eye on two particular performers as potential future clients.
During a recent interview with Richard Deitsch on the Sports Media podcast, Heyman spoke about the possibility of being paired with SmackDown Women’s Champion, Charlotte Flair.
As much as Charlotte Flair has achieved in WWE, Heyman sees her as a “dramatically underutilized” talent. Charlotte Flair is never short on confidence, but Heyman says she still doesn’t realize her full potential.
“I don’t think she understands just how great she is,” Heyman said. “I don’t think that’s a skill set that someone can be taught without hands-on experience. Together with synergy, professional intimacy, and trust, and again, it’s about the method.”
Heyman believes he could bring “a level of greatness” out of Charlotte that she simply cannot achieve by herself. Heyman cited Roman Reigns as an example to back up his lofty statements. Roman Reigns was a once in a generation talent before he came along, but even Reigns couldn’t achieve “Tribal Chief” status without him.
Heyman also named Ronda Rousey as another talent he’d love to work with. As he just did with Charlotte Flair, Heyman touted Rousey’s untapped potential that he’s dying to help her unleash.
“Selfishly, I would love to see what [Rousey] could bring out of my performance. So, yes I would love to work with Ronda Rousey.”
Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey will battle for the SmackDown Women’s Championship tonight at WrestleMania 38.
The 2022 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is finally here.
Each year during WrestleMania weekend, the wrestling world comes together to honor the deserving inductees as they take their rightful places among the immortals.
WWE Hall of Fame 2022 Inductees
Here are this year’s WWE Hall of Fame inductees:
The Undertaker
Vader
Sharmell
The Steiner Brothers
Plus, former WWE Superstar Shad Gaspard will receive the coveted Warrior Award. Gaspard passed away in May 2020 after sacrificing his own life to save his son.
Gaspard’s courage and heroism exemplify everything the Warrior Award represents. However, we feel it’s time to rename the Warrior Award.
WWE has produced the following video highlighting The Undertaker’s unparalleled career ahead of his Hall of Fame induction:
Time & How to Watch
The 2022 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony takes place Friday, April 1st from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.
You can watch the event on Peacock at 10:00 PM ET on the Peacock streaming service.
We have some first look photos at the WrestleMania 38 stage and production setup.
WrestleMania 38 takes place this weekend from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Twitter user @ImTheBossLegit has provided an exclusive look at how things are coming together.
As you’ll see below, WWE is once again utilizing huge stars as the focal point of the set design. This is a nod to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, who play at the stadium.
Join us here at SEScoops all weekend for our ongoing news coverage of WWE’s biggest event of the year, WrestleMania.
We are just days out from WWE’s biggest event of the year, WrestleMania, and we’ve got our WrestleMania 38 predictions right here.
SEScoops staff members Jaychele Nicole, Andrew Ravens and I got together to discuss our picks for each match on the card.
On the latest episode of our Women’s Wrestling Focus YouTube series, SEScoops correspondents Ella Jay and Samira run down the women’s matches at the event. They also look at potential NXT call-ups and surprises that may be in store.
WrestleMania Saturday Predictions
Here are our WrestleMania 38 predictions for Night 1:
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. Shinsuke Nakamura & Rick Boogs
Jaychele Nicole: The Usos have been on a hot streak since being paired with Roman Reigns. They are currently the longest reigning SmackDown Tag Team Champions. I don’t really think that Shinsuke Nakamura deserves to be in a better position than where he currently is, however there is no way that this match can be bad. (Prediction: The Usos)
Michael Reichlin: Alexa, show me filler. Nakamura and Boogs get a spot on the big show, and The Usos get another win under their belts. (Prediction: The Usos)
Andrew Ravens: The Usos should win here as it looks like just another match on the card to get these four wrestlers featured. If they wanted to do a title change just for the sake of it, I wouldn’t be shocked, but there’s no real reason to do it. (Prediction: The Usos)
Consensus: The Usos
Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair
Andrew Ravens: This is all Belair here. A redemption story on the biggest stage of them all. She gets her revenge on Lynch for her SummerSlam loss and they work one more match next month. The story writes itself unless WWE just wants to do a swerve for the purpose of a swerve. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)
Jaychele Nicole: I have Bianca here, partially because of the immense amount of love I have for her. Seeing that Becky Lynch was laid out on the go-home show does make me a bit fearful that the WrestleMania match won’t end in Belair’s favor. However, I have to have some hope that WWE will be making it up to Bianca with this win after everything that happened at SummerSlam last year. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)
Michael Reichlin: WWE did Bianca Belair dirty last year at SummerSlam. She won last year’s Rumble, had her crowning achievement at WrestleMania, then got brought down to size at SummerSlam when the ‘real’ star returned and squashed her. WWE is rehabbing Belair and a win over the woman who embarrassed her last summer is essential to that effort. (Prediction: Bianca Belair)
Consensus: Bianca Belair wins the Raw Women’s Championship
Logan Paul and The Miz vs. Rey and Dominik Mysterio
Andrew Ravens: For whatever reason and perhaps I am just missing it, but two heels – Paul and Miz – are the favorites to win this match. I don’t understand why the babyfaces aren’t favored to win. Them going over is the right move and the history of wrestling backs that theory up. Paul will give them publicity and Miz can eat the pinfall. (Prediction: Rey and Dominik Mysterio)
Jaychele Nicole: I am actually very excited to see what Logan Paul can do in the ring. His training video looked pretty good and he is a natural athlete. The development of the story hasn’t been super interesting to me, but I am excited to see what Rey pulls out of his hat. I think there has to be a heel victory every now and then and The Miz with Logan would make sense to me. (Prediction: Logan Paul and The Miz)
Michael Reichlin: I’ve got high expectations for this one. Miz and Mysterio are total pros, and they’ll be able to carry Paul and Dominik to a good match. Say what you want about Logan Paul, but he’s not in the business of embarrassing himself. He’s said that diving off the top rope is a “bucket list” dream of his, and he’s represented himself pretty well on WWE TV in recent months. However, I still think the Mysterios get the feel-good win (Prediction: Rey and Dominik Mysterio).
Consensus: Rey ad Dominik Mysterio
Drew McIntyre vs. Happy Corbin
Andrew Ravens: McIntyre is a massive favorite at -850 and just like the oddsmakers, there is no way that McIntyre loses here. McIntyre has been feuding with Corbin since January. It’s time to move on to something else. (Prediction: Drew McIntyre)
Michael Reichlin: Drew McIntyre has been cycled out of the main event picture, which is just how it goes sometimes. McIntyre has been dealing with a neck injury, and has acknowledged that the Corbin feud is a step down for him. I think McIntyre gets a decisive win and hopefully moves on to bigger and better things.
Jaychele Nicole: This story has dragged on WAY TOO LONG. This is the match I am least excited for out of the whole two-night show. This match will be decent. This needs to be a win for Drew after the booking decline he has seemingly been on. I hope that this match will lead to a break up of Baron Corbin or Madcap Moss. (Prediction: Drew McIntyre)
Consensus: Drew McIntyre
Edge vs. AJ Styles
Michael Reichlin: This is the match I’m most looking forward to on the first night of WrestleMania. Two seasoned pros putting it all on the line. You know they both want to steal the show. Expectations will be high, but nobody is more qualified than Styles and Edge. I don’t think there’s an obvious pick, but with Edge in this later stage of his career, I think WWE gives him the W. (Prediction: Edge)
Andrew Ravens: History would say AJ should go over in the match, but it’s a real coin flip. While AJ as the babyface going over would make sense as he would get his revenge, Edge has undergone a complete character makeover so it’s not a shocker if he does win. I’ll side with AJ getting his revenge. (Prediction: AJ Styles)
Jaychele Nicole: This has the extreme possibility to steal the whole weekend. While Edge’s blue heel turn hasn’t been for me, at the end of the day, he is still one of the best of all time. I can’t wait to see the arrangement of spots and match psychology. Both of these guys could use a win, but due to Edge’s recent heel turn, he is my predicted winner. (Prediction: Edge)
Consensus: Edge
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair vs Ronda Rousey
Jaychele Nicole: I think this match is Rousey’s because of her comeback story. Although the crowd may not fully view her as a face like WWE may, she is still a star in the division. The build has of this match has not been what I like in my wrestling, I am still interested in the outcome. In all honesty, I wouldn’t be mad if Charlotte won either because I am a bigger fan of hers than most. (Prediction: Ronda Rousey)
Michael Reichlin: Make no mistake about it, WWE sees Ronda Rousey as a bigger star than Charlotte Flair. Charlotte may be the greatest female talent on the WWE roster, but Rousey is the special attraction who will get the company mainstream attention. Plus, I don’t see WWE bringing Rousey back to win the Royal Rumble and fall flat at Mania. (Prediction: Ronda Rousey)
Andrew Ravens: Ronda Rousey should win the match and become the next champion although when it comes to the booking of Flair, anything is on the table especially if they want a shocking finish. I don’t see it happening. Honestly, a long-term storyline could work with them meeting again at SummerSlam. (Prediction: Ronda Rousey)
Consensus: Ronda Rousey wins the SmackDown Women’s Title
WrestleMania Sunday Predictions
Here are our WrestleMania 38 predictions for Night 2:
Bobby Lashley vs. Omos
Jaychele Nicole: Honestly, I’m tired of the Omos reign of terror. I think that coming off of a botched title run, which was not his fault, Lashley could use a win. However, if Omos goes over, I hope they use him to make a big star out of someone like a Bron Breakker for example. (Prediction: Bobby Lashley)
Michael Reichlin: I have a feeling that Bobby Lashley is not entirely healthy yet, and WWE is going to keep this match quick by feeding Lashley to Omos. It would be a questionable booking decision, but there’s no chance they’re having Omos take his first loss in a match with less than one week’s build.
Consensus: Split
Sami Zayn vs. Johnny Knoxville (Anything Goes Match)
Andrew Ravens: Expect a lot of smoke and mirrors in this one as that is the only reason why the match was given a gimmick. Knoxville should go over as he is a babyface celebrity and let this feud be gone after this show. (Prediction: Johnny Knoxville)
Jaychele Nicole: This match is literally just going to pop me. The spots will hopefully be unpredictable and fresh. The ‘Anything Goes’ stipulation got me even more interested. I love when storylines and matches are built using social media and this feud/match has captivated that. Sami taking a loss to Knoxville won’t hurt him too much, and I bet the crowd would be cheer for a Knoxville win. (Prediction: Johnny Knoxville)
Michael Reichlin: This will be the most “entertaining” match of WrestleMania Sunday. I give Knoxville a lot of credit for going “all in” on this WWE run. He’s taken it seriously and has been actively building this match against Zayn with shenanigans that have gotten WWE mainstream attention from outlets like TMZ. Zayn, a classic heel, is at his best when he’s being outsmarted and complaining. Expect some involvement with the Jackass crew. (Prediction: Johnny Knoxville)
Consensus: Johnny Knoxville
Women’s Tag Team Champions Zelina Vega & Carmella vs. Sasha Banks & Naomi vs. Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan vs. Natalya & Shayna Baszler
Andrew Ravens: Banks and Naomi should go over here as they’re the only team that can make these titles mean anything again. Once Banks and Bayley lost the titles as the inaugural champions, the titles went downhill. That could change briefly if Banks and Naomi become the champions. (Prediction: Sasha Banks and Naomi)
Michael Reichlin: One thing is for sure, in my eyes: we’re getting a title change. So, who wins? Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan have spoken about wanting to elevate the women’s tag titles. However, Sasha Bans and Naomi have the star power to truly elevate the underutilized championships. (Prediction: Sasha Banks and Naomi)
Jaychele Nicole: I can’t wait to see Sasha Banks & Naomi’s crowning moment in this match. I would’ve preferred to see Sasha in a singles match, but I am excited to see her partner back up with Naomi again. I am excited to see that a lot of my favorite women make it to the card, but I do have complaints about stuffing them all into one match. (Prediction: Sasha Banks & Naomi)
Consensus: Sasha Banks and Naomi win the Women’s Tag Titles
Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro vs. Street Profits vs. Alpha Academy
Michael Reichlin: Orton and Riddle are really good together. They’ve developed a fun dynamic. I think the Street Profits are more ‘due’ for the titles, which would bring them up to that next level in the eyes of fans. (Predictions: Street Profits)
Jaychele Nicole: In my opinion, this is the perfect opportunity to turn RK-Bro. I am really hopeful that they have big plans for the Street Profits. I have always been a fan of them, and their last title run proved they are more than capable of leading the division. This is another match that I feel like could end up being a banger. (Prediction: Street Profits)
Andrew Ravens: WWE recently put the titles on RK-Bro and while I can see how The Street Profits would be good champions if WWE wanted to split Orton and Riddle up, it’s not likely as they could’ve worked together at this show in a singles match if that was the case. The champions should retain. (Prediction: RK-Bro)
Consensus: Street Profits win the Raw Tag Titles
Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory
Andrew Ravens: Even with the help or no help from Vince McMahon, it doesn’t make sense for McAfee to drop a loss here unless WWE has more plans for him to wrestle. Let the babyface go over and get his win. Plus, this was a big spotlight for Theory, a heel, so he doesn’t lose any momentum. (Prediction: Pat McAfee)
Michael Reichlin: I’m really looking forward to this one, almost entirely because of Pat McAfee. Theory is a fun proxy for Vince McMahon and he’s a very skilled wrestler. He’ll be able to bump around and make Pat McAfee’s offense look like a million bucks. Let’s not forget the classic match McAfee had with Adam Cole in NXT. He’s no slouch himself. There are possible downsides to having an announcer defeat a member of the main roster, but McAfee is a big star and will get his WrestleMania moment to shine. (Prediction: Pat McAfee)
Jaychele Nicole: I am a bigger fan than most of Pat’s in-ring work. I am super excited to see what he pulls out for WrestleMania. Theory is definitely capable of giving Pat a good match like he deserves. As much as I love McAfee, this seems like an opportunity for Austin Theory to get a big win on a big stage. (Prediction: Austin Theory)
Consensus: Pat McAfee
Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. WWE Champion Brock Lesnar (Winner Takes All Championship Unification Match)
Jaychele Nicole: My prediction is not who I want to win. I’m actually rooting for Brock here since I feel like Reigns’ “Tribal Chief” character has gotten stale quickly due to the lack of character progression. Since I believe this will be Roman’s match, I hope that they are saving his eventual defeat for a young star who could be sent to the moon by their victory. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Michael Reichlin: This one is for all the marbles. It’s the biggest match that WWE can present, so I’m glad to see the company went with Lesnar vs. Reigns as the WrestleMania main event. Brock Lesnar is the most dominant athlete in WWE history. He’s doing some of the best work of his career, with this latest incarnation of his evolving character. All that said, Lesnar is here to ‘do business’ and give the rub to guys like Roman Reigns. Reigns is “the guy” and the company will never stop hammering that home. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Andrew Ravens: Roman Reigns wins here. I know Lesnar lost their previous encounter and while he is the babyface, Reigns is the guy in the company. Just because Lesnar is the babyface here doesn’t mean that he needs to win. Reigns can hold onto the title a bit longer and WWE will need to build up someone else to finally beat him. Reigns goes over clear to further signify him as the top guy. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Consensus: Roman Reigns is the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion
There you have it, our WrestleMania 38 predictions. Hit up the comments section and let us know what you think!
Back in January, Mexico’s AAA promotion announced the company would be holding three TripleMania events this year to commemorate its 30-year anniversary:
April 30th (Monterrey)
June 18th (Tijuana)
October 15th (Mexico City)
A press conference on Tuesday where it was revealed that Matt and Jeff Hardy will face Dragon Lee & Dralistico at Triplemania Tijuana.
This will be the Hardys’ first match under the AAA banner. The decorated tag team has only worked in Mexico during their time with WWE.
The Hardys are not the only AEW tag team working for AAA this year. Former AEW tag champions The Young Bucks will face Rey Fenix and AAA Mega Champion Hijo del Vikingo at Triplemania Monterrey next month.
Paul Heyman will be with WWE for many more years to come.
The WWE public relations machine is overdrive this week to promote this weekend’s WrestleMania 38 pay-per-view from AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Heyman is the best mouthpiece WWE has on its payroll, so it’s no wonder that Roman Reigns’ right-hand man is part of this effort.
During an appearance on the Sports Media podcast with Richard Deitsch, Heyman revealed that he signed a new multi-year contract with WWE last year. According to Heyman, WWE made him an offer he couldn’t refuse.
“I re-signed with WWE last year,” said Heyman. “It was a long-term agreement and they created a situation where I would have been a fool not to take them up on their offer. So, I’m locked in for a while.”
As we know, Paul Heyman is no fool. The mastermind behind the rise of ECW has been a prominent player on WWE television for the past decade. He’s spent virtually all of that time aligned with the sport’s top box office attractions, including Brock Lesnar, CM Punk and Roman Reigns.
With everything Paul Heyman does for his clients on and off camera, he also stays busy with projects outside the auspices of WWE.
When Heyman put pen to paper on his latest WWE contract, it was important that he could continue working on side projects.
“I do have outside projects, just because I like to multi-task and I’m very ADD and I just can’t concentrate on one thing at a time ever in my life,” said Heyman.
Heyman has had ups and downs with WWE in the past, but that’s ancient history. The two sides have settled into a mutually beneficial, and highly-lucrative relationship.
Listen to Paul Heyman’s appearance on the Sports Media Podcast with Richard Deitsch:
WWE has announced the music acts who will perform America The Beautiful this weekend at WrestleMania. Brantley Gilbert will do the honors on WrestleMania Saturday, while Jessie James Decker will kick off the action for WrestleMania Sunday.
“Brantley and Jessie are the latest in a long line of renowned artists who have opened WWE’s biggest event of the year and we look forward to them continuing this great tradition across consecutive nights at WrestleMania 38,” said Neil Lawi, Senior Vice President and General Manager, WWE Music Group.
“It’s such a pleasure to be invited to perform at WrestleMania 38,” said Gilbert. “I can’t think of a better way to spend a Saturday night, and I’m looking forward to being a part of it. See you there!”
“It is always an honor to sing America the Beautiful,” said Decker. “It is a song that means so much to me, celebrating the country I love. Thank you WWE for having me. I can’t wait to be a part of WrestleMania 38.”
WWE has already announced DJ Valentino Khan will perform at the event.
WWE Partners with Dave & Busters
WWE is bringing its monthly premium live events to Dave & Busters locations across the United States, starting with WrestleMania 38.
“Dave & Buster’s is a staple of fun and entertainment in the United States and that matches the energy of WWE Premium Live Events such as WrestleMania,” said Emilio Revelo, WWE Vice President. “We are excited about this year-round partnership and meeting new and existing fans at a place they truly enjoy.”
Dave & Buster’s has over 140 locations nationwide. To locate a Dave & Buster’s showing WrestleMania, JoeHandPromotions.com.
WrestleMania 38 is also being shown in select movie theaters across the United States, presented by Fathom Events.
