On The Daily Migs Show, Allin was asked about his recovery and whether he’ll be appearing on the May 15, episode of AEW Dynamite in Everett, Washington.
“My foot is not scheduled to heal until, I’d say June. So if I did roll up [to Dynamite in two weeks], it would just be with a broken face and a broken foot waving to the crowd, which may not be the worst thing. I’ll see.”
Given Allin’s history with Everett, the former AEW TNT Champion wasn’t ready to rule out an appearance on the show.
“I trained in Everett, Washington, so it would be like an ultimate homecoming of sorts. That’d be really cool. May 15, I gotta see. I think might be able to make it. As long as there’s no buses, I’m good.”
Allin’s injury comes at an interesting time in his career. For years, Allin’s career has seen him by the side of Sting who retired from in-ring competition at Revolution 2024. With his mentor out of the picture, it’ll be up to Allin to re-establish himself in singles competition, once he’s healed up.
More from Darby Allin
Here are some recent articles regarding Darby Allin as the former TNT Champion continues to recover from his multiple injuries.
Swerve Strickland became the eighth man and first African American man to hold the AEW World Championship at Sunday’s AEW Dynasty pay-per-view. Mark Henry discussed the significance of the win the following morning on Busted Open Radio. He says AEW believes in Swerve and even though ‘representation matters,’ his success was earned and he’s got the talent to be in this new position.
As a multi-time World Champion himself, Henry speaks from experience. He knows firsthand what the win says about the company’s faith in Strickland the responsibilities that come with being the new face of a major wrestling promotion.
“To be a World Champion in pro wrestling and have a company backing you and believe you enough that you’re going to get the job done is big. I mean, you are the guy that’s carrying the torch, and just like the light was on Moxley and the light was on Danielson and the light was on Joe, now the light is going to be shined on Swerve.”
— SiriusXM Busted Open (@BustedOpenRadio) April 22, 2024
Earned on Merit
The ‘World’s Strongest Man’ said AEW is confident Strickland he can carry the company like Kenny Omega, Hangman Page and MJF did before him. While it’s important for young fans to see people who share their culture achieving success in the ring, Swerve’s success has been earned through his talents and hard work.
“They didn’t pass up on an opportunity to do the right thing. It’s earned. It wasn’t because he was an African American. It was because he was talented and I feel like that’s a beautiful thing and representation matters and it means everything.”
Representation in Wrestling
Here are some more recent articles about wrestlers talking about the topics of representation and diversity in entertainment:
A popular second-generation pro wrestler is poised to let WWE and AEW compete for his talents. SEScoops has learned that HOOK (Tyler Senerchia) is interested in exploring his options in free agency once his contract with All Elite Wrestling expires later this year.
A source familiar with WWE’s recruitment strategy commented, “I can see WWE clearly being interested in him.”
Hook is the son of wrestling legend and AEW broadcaster Taz. He joined AEW in 2020 and is known as the ‘Cold-Hearted Handsome Devil.’ The 24-year-year-old from achieved a great deal during his young career. He’s in his second reign as FTW Champion, a title introduced by his father in ECW.
HOOK has not only improved his in-ring skills but has also shown a level of innate charisma that you either have or you don’t. Time at the Performance Center and integration into WWE’s unparalleled talent development system could significantly boost his long-term prospects.
Wrestling free’s agency market is currently booming, with WWE and AEW both aggressively pursuing talent and offering substantial sums to secure contracts.
Recently, AEW has had notable success, signing wrestlers like Will Ospreay, Mercedes Mone, Kazuchika Okada, and Adam Copeland. Meanwhile, WWE has attracted Giulia and several former AEW stars including CM Punk, Jade Cargill, Andrade, Brian Pillman Jr., and Shawn Spears.
The landscape could shift dramatically soon once again, as the contracts of WWE stars Becky Lynch, Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins and Sheamus are set to expire in the coming months.
Posted April 11th, 2024 in AEW, WWE. Tagged: Hook.
WrestleMania XL is in the books and the show was a blockbuster success by every conceivable metric. WWE’s latest press release touts too many broken records to list here.
Business was booming last year, but 2023’s numbers seem tame compared to what Triple H and company delivered this past weekend. The live gate for WrestleMania XL was up a staggering 78% from last year’s record, while viewership surged 41%.
Looking at Google search volume, The Rock won the weekend. However, Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns received more Google searches than the Final Boss in the day following their legendary clash, an incredible feat when you see the chart below.
Google Trends for WrestleMania XL
Google Trends is a very useful tool that allows you to view the Google search volume for any phrase during a period of time across various regions and formats. The data we’re using here is for Worldwide searches.
Dwayne Johnson is one of the most famous people in the world, so it’s no surprise that his usual search volume resembles a megastar like Beyonce than anybody in WWE. (The Rock had higher search volume over the past 90 days, but Beyonce had the 3 highest spikes during that period – More)
Despite this built-in advantage, Rhodes still prevailed. Over the past 12 months, The Rock averaged 13x greater search volume than the new champion, which makes this feat even more impressive. The Rock says he returned to elevate WWE and this metric of fan interest shows he did just that:
Cody Rhodes finishing the Story at WWE WrestleMania 40 earned him an extremely rare ‘Google Trends’ victory over Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
The Rock and Cody Rhodes shared a ring for the third consecutive night on Monday’s WWE Raw. The 45-minute segment featured some memorable moments, including a “this is awkward” chant, The Rock delivering a comeback to the crowd that longtime fans may have recognized and a mysterious cliffhanger fans are trying to figure out.
The Rock told Cody Rhodes and the WWE Universe that he needs to leave again, but he’ll be back. When he returns, he plans to face the face of this new era, whether he’s still champion by then or not. Cody Rhodes vs. The Rock sure sounds like a WrestleMania main event.
John Cena stated on Monday at WWE World that his Hollywood schedule will keep him busy through the end of the year, so he’s taking time off as well. From there, Cena plans to go on one final run before calling it a career.
Hopefully we won’t have to wait until 2025 to see them again, but Cena and Rock are making it known they’re not retired.
However you feel about The Rock’s on-screen character, his latest WWE run was a resounding success. This is supported by WrestleMania breaking so many records, as well as the interest surrounding Cody Rhodes as the Rock rides off into the sunset.
All Elite Wrestling presents AEW Dynamite: Big Business tonight live from Boston, MA at the TD Garden. Over 7,600 fans will be on hand for a show that fans are sure to be buzzing about in the days and weeks ahead.
Five matches are signed for Big Business, including Samoa Joe defending the AEW World Championship, a PPV-caliber bout featuring The Elite in a six-man tag, Darby Allin vs. Jay White and more.
AEW Big Business Preview
The following matches are set for tonight’s AEW Dynamite:
Wardlow challenges Samoa Joe for the AEW World Championship
The Elite (Kazuchika Okada and the Young Bucks) vs. Eddie Kingston, Penta El Zero Miedo and PAC
Darby Allin vs. ‘Switchblade’ Jay White
Willow Nightingale vs. Riho
FTW Champion Hook and ‘Lionheart’ Chris Jericho vs. Gates of Agony
All this would make for a memorable edition of Dynamite, but there’s much more in store for fans tuning in…
Boss Time
AEW President Tony Khan has hypingBig Business as, “one of the biggest nights ever in AEW.” Promoters gonna promote, but Khan’s hype has been in the context of teasing yet another major talent acquisition.
During a new interview with SEScoops correspondent Scott Fishman for TV Insider, Khan was asked if AEW fans should brace for a surprise or two on Dynamite.
“Of course,” Khan Replied. “I promise I will not disappoint the fans tonight. There has been an influx of huge names, and tonight is the biggest show yet.”
Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on All Elite Wrestling and the arrival of Mercedes Mone (former WWE Superstar Sasha Banks).
Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch have each clawed their ways to the top of WWE, but can they handle “Wings of Death” spicy hot wings on Hot Ones Versus?
Rollins and Lynch, one of pro wrestling’s premiere married couples, are scheduled to play huge roles in April’s WrestleMania 40 premium live event. Rollins will put his World Heavyweight championship on the line against Drew McIntyre, while Lynch battles Rhea Ripley for the women’s World Championship.
The rules are simple on Hot Ones Versus. ‘The Man’ and ‘Freakin’ have two choices: Tell the truth, or suffer the wrath of the Last Dab. Whoever eats the most wings, loses.
“Will Becky best Seth in a thumb wrestling match and take home the golden chicken wing trophy? Watch an all-new episode of Hot Ones Versus and find out!”
Watch: Hot Ones Versus featuring Seth Rollins vs. Becky Lynch
2K has announced full details for the upcoming WWE 2K24 DLC packs that are set to release this year. Five unique collections will be released from between May and November 2024 offering 25 additional playable characters from the worlds of pro wrestling, sports and pop culture.
WWE fans eager to play as CM Punk won’t have to wait long. The self-proclaimed ‘Best in the World’ and former ECW Champion will be part of the first batch of downloadable content for the game: the ‘ECW Punk Pack’ coming in May. Also included are Dudley Boyz, The Sandman and the late great Terry Funk.
Pat McAfee, Post Malone, Jade Cargill, Mr. Perfect and many more will be will be part of subsequent DLC pack releases.
You don’t have to wait until May to play as CM Punk in WWE 2K24. You can play as Punk and the rest of the ‘DLC Pack 25’ on day one if you buy the WWE 2K24 Deluxe Edition and Forty Years of WrestleMania Editions, or as an add-on to the Standard Edition. Pre-Order WWE 2K24 (Amazon):
WWE 2K24 DLC Packs
ECW Punk Pack – May 2024
CM Punk
Bubba Ray Dudley
D-Von Dudley
Sandman
Terry Funk
MyFACTION Content: ECW Paul Heyman Manager Card and Superstar Cards
Post Malone & Friends Pack – June 2024
Post Malone
Sensational Sherri
Mosh
Thrasher
Honky Tonk Man
Jimmy Hart (Manager)
MyFACTION Content
Pat McAfee Show Pack – July 2024
Pat McAfee
Playable co-hosts – stay tuned for more info
MyFACTION Content: Co-Host Manager Cards – stay tuned for more info
Global Superstars Pack – August 2024
Jade Cargill
Nia Jax
Michelle McCool
Carlito
Kairi Sane
Lyra Valkyria
Dragon Lee
MyFACTION Content
WCW Pack – November 2024
Diamond Dallas Page
Iron Sheik
Mr. Perfect
Great Muta
Lex Luger
MyFACTION Content
WWE 2K24 Release Dates
WWE 2K24 Covers: 3 Editions
The Deluxe Edition will be available digitally worldwide, and physically in the US and select territories, on Tuesday, March 5, 2024 and will be available physically for the rest of the world on Friday, March 8, 2024.
The Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition will be available – in digital format only – worldwide on Tuesday, March 5, 2024.
The Standard Edition and Standard Cross-Gen Digital Edition will be available worldwide on Friday, March 8, 2024.
WWE has announced ‘greatness returns’ next Friday when Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson returns to SmackDown next Friday, March 1.
The People’s Champion will have Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman, Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso at his side when Friday Night Smackdown heads to Glendale, Arizona at the Desert Diamond Arena.
The Rock’s most recent WWE TV appearance took place last Friday on SmackDown. After cutting a scathing heel promo on the live crowed, he officially joined The Bloodline and made the group stronger than ever.
By next Friday, WrestleMania season will be in full swing and we’ll be just 5 weeks out from WWE’s biggest event of the year.
The Rock is not currently scheduled to compete at WrestleMania 40, but that could all change very quickly. The 51-year-old WWE icon turned Hollywood heavyweight has not competed in a full match since 2013.
He’s not scheduled to be at Elimination Chamber this weekend, but Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins will be. They’re scheduled for a special appearance on the Grayson Waller Show during the Chamber PLE. The Rock has warned them to keep his name out of their mouths, but good luck with that.
In addition to a rare appearance by The Rock, next week’s SmackDown will feature fallout from Elimination Chamber 2024 and continued hype for WrestleMania 40.
Posted February 23rd, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: The Rock.
Elimination Chamber 2024 goes down this Saturday, from Optus Stadium in Perth, Western Australia. Wrestling fans can stream the show live on Peacock. The special start time is 5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT.
This is the final WWE PLE on the road to WrestleMania, just 42 days later. When all is said and done in Perth, we’ll have a much better idea of where things stand as the Road to WrestleMania kicks into high gear.
After Elimination Chamber, the #1 contenders and WrestleMania challengers will be determined for Seth Rollins’ World Heavyweight Championship and Rhea Ripley’s Women’s World Championship.
Seth Rollins and Rhea Ripley will be watching this year’s Chamber matches closely
That’s what’s assured going into the event, but we will probably learn more than that. Cody Rhodes and Rollins will guest on the Grayson Waller Effect. Rollins has been directly involved in Rhodes’ ongoing feud with the new and improved Bloodline. The four men are also the focal point of the big-budget WrestleMania 40 trailer.
Rhodes will attempt to finish his story against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, while Rollins is expected to face the winner of the men’s Chamber match. If WWE is planning to somehow incorporate Rollins into a match with Cody and the Bloodline, Waller’s show would be an ideal venue to set it up.
Match Card
There are four matches on the main card, plus one match on the kickoff show.
Kickoff Show (4 a.m. ET / 1 a.m. PT.)
Candice LaRae and Indi Hartwell vs The Kabuki Warriors for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
Main Show (5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT.)
The Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Damian Priest) defend the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship against New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate)
Rhea Ripley defends the Women’s World Championship against Nia Jax
Women’s Elimination Chamber Match: Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair vs. Liv Morgan vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Naomi vs. Raquel Rodriguez
Men’s Elimination Chamber Match: Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton vs. Bobby Lashley vs. LA Knight vs. Kevin Owens vs. Logan Paul
Grayson Waller Effect with Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins
Enjoy the event and stick with SE Scoops for 24/7 WWE news coverage.
Boston’s TD Garden arena will host AEW Dynamite on Wednesday, March 13, 2024.
AEW has yet to announce this date, but Ticketmaster has already has a page set up for the general public on-sale, scheduled for this Saturday, February 10 at 10am EST. The TD Garden also created a Facebook Event for Dynamite on 3/13.
AEW President Tony Khan is set to make one of his big announcements tonight on Dynamite. This announcement was reportedly set to be made a few weeks ago, but was reportedly delayed for a very good reason.
What will Tony Khan announce on Dynamite?
TD Garden is one of the largest NBA arenas in the country. It has a maximum capacity north of 19,000.
AEW first ran the arena last summer. According to Wrestletix, 8,945 tickets were distributed for Dynamite: Blood & Guts on July 19, 2023.
Ticket sales have been lukewarm in recent months, so they’ll need a major attraction to make this show a success on short notice. If anything spikes interest with wrestling fans, it’s a debut.
There’s several A-list free agent ready to make an impact, including Kazuchika Okada, Mustafa Ali, Mandy Rose, Ronda Rousey, Alex Hammerstone, Jacob Fatu and more.
Mercedes Mone AEW Debut
There’s also Boston’s own Mercedes Moné. The wrestler, actor and entrepreneur formerly known as Sasha Banks is right up there with the most valuable free agents out there, along with Okada.
WWE and AEW executives have publicly expressed interest in working with Moné, who enjoys unprecedented leverage in her negotiations (thanks, competition!). We know she’s had talks with both companies.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful and Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Podcast, two of wrestling media’s most reliable insiders, have reported that Moné is AEW-bound.
Based on all of these factors, it does appear that Mercedes Moné’s AEW Debut will take place on the March 13 Dynamite from Boston.
We’ll have coverage of Tony Khan’s latest big announcement here at SEScoops later tonight.
The first WWE 2K24 gameplay trailer gives fans a glimpse at some of the game’s unique modes and playable characters.
Game Modes Shown:
Ambulance match
Backstage brawls
Csket match
The ability to play as a guest referee
The signature ’40 Years of WrestleMania’ mode.
Playable Characters
Playable Superstars shown in the trailer include Cody Rhodes, Rhea Ripley, John Cena, Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Bret Hart, Rey Mysterio, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Kevin Owens, Solo Sikoa and many more.
More on WWE 2K24
WWE 2K24 will be released in just over a month for Playstation, Xbox and PC.
The Deluxe and ‘Forty Years of WrestleMania’ editions will be released on Tuesday, March 5 and the Standard and Standard Cross-Gen Digital editions will be out that Friday, March 8.
The game looks as visually impressive as ever, but it’s worth noting the trailer contains a disclaimer that the footage used is a mixture of gameplay and cinematics captured on a PC.
Make sure to visit our WWE 2K24 news hub for much more on the game, including additional playable characters game modes. Here are some recent news articles about the latest release from WWE and 2K:
Cody Rhodes stepping aside and allowing The Rock to wrestle Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 40 is the hottest topic in wrestling. Trends were jump started, and many fans are a bit upset about the direction that they are going with things.
Fans Upset By WrestleMania 40 Direction
Some people are urging fans to ‘let it play out,’ but the vocal majority of fans on social media are outraged that the American Nightmare will not ‘Finish The Story’ at WWE’s grandest stage for the second consecutive year.
Everybody has an opinion about the matter, including Pat McAfee, who is now back doing commentary on WWE RAW each and every week alongside Michael Cole. This pairing was made once again due to Wade Barrett getting moved to SmackDown after Kevin Patrick was removed from the blue brand and fired.
Pat McAfee’s Take on The Rock vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40
The #WeWantCody debacle went down in the final segment of Friday’s SmackDown. On Monday’s Pat McAfee Show on ESPN, McAfee acknowledged that WWE fans are incredibly pissed that Cody surrendered his ‘WrestleMania moment’ to The Rock the way he did.
Pat McAfee went on to note that he was bummed out, and he does know what’s going to happen moving forward. He loves everyone involved in this booking fiasco, but the overall feeling is that they feel bad for the American Nightmare.
“Now, I love Cody Rhodes. I love The Rock and just love Roman Reigns. So, I’m very torn on this entire thing, but the Internet was not happy. I’m bummed out…. we’re all pretty bummed out for Cody, but also very pumped if this is a Rock-Roman situation. I don’t know what’s going to happen”
What’s Next For The Rock and Roman Reigns
This Thursday, WWE will host a special ‘WrestleMania 40 kickoff’ at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV at the T-Mobile arena. Several top Superstars will be on hand, including The Rock Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley and more.
WWE has yet to confirm The Rock vs. Roman Reigns as the main event of WrestleMania 40, but they’re advertising that Rock and Reigns will have an “iconic face-off” at this free fan and media event.
The road to WrestleMania 40 begins this weekend at the 37th annual Royal Rumble from Tropicana Field in St Petersburg, Florida.
You can watch the 2024 WWE Royal Rumble live this Saturday, January 27 starting at 8 ET/5 PT on Peacock in the United States on the WWE Network internationally.
Here’s the card for WWE’s first premium live event of the year:
30-Man Royal Rumble Match
30-Woman Royal Rumble Match
Kevin Owens vs. United States Champion Logan Paul
Randy Orton, LA Knight and AJ Styles vs. Roman Reigns for the Undisputed Universal Championship
The Royal Rumble is one of WWE’s most anticipated events of the year. The Rumble match itself is a spectacle like none other, but it also marks the beginning of the Road to WrestleMania. The winner of the Royal Rumble match earns a ‘championship opportunity’ at the ‘Grandest Stage of them All.’
This year’s Rumble matches are unique in that WWE has not announced many of the participants in advance. There’s a lot of uncertainty heading into the show, but that’s part of what makes this show in particular so exciting.
SEScoops correspondents Thomas Lowson, Mike Chin, Tyriece Simon, Bishal Roy, and Aaron Varble got together this week to run down the card and share their predictions for each match.
Kevin Owens challenges Logan Paul for the United States Championship
Thomas: I see this as an easy one. Paul isn’t dropping the title just yet, WWE want to keep him around for WrestleMania. Owens will give him a fight, but he’s not the guy right now (Prediction: Logan Paul)
Mike: Kevin Owens finds himself in the familiar role of challenging for a title at the Royal Rumble, but rather than chasing Roman Reigns like he did two out of the last three years, he’s pursuing the United States Champion Logan Paul. Paul is well-positioned to make the United States Championship matter at WrestleMania 40, and this match seems like it’s mostly there to add credibility to his reign, with an opponent who all but guarantees a good bout and who has the credibility to further Paul’s standing as a champion fans should take seriously. (Prediction: Logan Paul)
Bishal: Amid their intensifying rivalry, Logan Paul’s title run might face a formidable challenge at the hands of Kevin Owens. However, Paul’s surprising resilience and momentum could tilt the scales in his favor, potentially outmatching Owens’ experience and securing a narrow, yet memorable victory in this high-stakes battle. (Prediction: Logan Paul)
Tyrese: I think Logan Paul will retain the title in a great back-and-forth match. I don’t believe Paul will lose the WWE United States Championship at WWE WrestleMania 40 in April. My prediction for the finish is Owens getting close to winning, and Paul lands the right-hand punch for the win. (Prediction: Logan Paul)
Aaron: Logan Paul is a fine US Champion, and he got his title reign in with WWE. I actually asked about any serous issues with having a part-time United States Champion when LP won the US Title. I was told in November last year that “the internal feeling about Logan Paul is that he’s already generated great publicity for the US Title.” Although it would be fun to see Kevin Owens win the match, KO doesn’t need the title, and he can make The Maverick look great in the process. The bottom line is that WWE will get a lot more attention with Logan Paul as US Champion as they head into WrestleMania 40. (Prediction: Logan Paul)
Prediction: Logan Paul retains
Roman Reigns defends the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship in a Fatal 4-way match against Randy Orton, AJ Styles, and LA Knight
Aaron: Roman Reigns is winning this match. Do I need to explain why? As Paul Heyman puts it, this is not a prediction, it is a spoiler. The Royal Rumble starts the road to WrestleMania, and since Roman Reigns vs The Rock is once again a very real possibility, it stands to reason that the Bloodline will help the Tribal Chief pull off another win. The bigger question is whether this match will close the show, and if The Rock is poised to break the internet at Tropicana Field, if he doesn’t really shock us by winning the Royal Rumble match. (Spoiler: Roman Reigns)
Mike: While hardly anyone thinks Roman Reigns is losing his title before WrestleMania, if anyone were to unseat him, it’s conceivable it could be one of his three challengers—not to mention that the Fatal 4-way structure offers an out in which Reigns can drop the title without eating a pin or tapping. More realistically, though, fans get a fun, fresh mix of talents here that all but guarantees a solid match. That’s as much as we can ask for while WWE bides its time on the Road to WrestleMania (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Bishal: I believe Roman Reigns is poised to prevail of in this bout, of course with the help of Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso. Randy Orton, AJ Styles, and LA Knight will pose a massive challenge for ‘The Tribal Chief.’ However, we know that Reigns has a tactical edge over them. Though he has odds stacked against him, he will find a way to hold onto the title. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Thomas: Despite the numbers, I can’t see WWE taking the title off Reigns this close to WrestleMania 40. I’m interested to see how the match goes but I don’t think the winner is in any doubt. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Tyrese: It’s not time for Roman Reigns to lose heading into WWE WrestleMania 40. I can see a scenario where Randy Orton, RKO’s AJ Styles, and LA Knight lead to Reigns stealing the win. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Prediction: Roman Reigns retains
30-Woman Royal Rumble Match
Confirmed entrants include Becky Lynch, Nia Jax, Bayley and Bianca Belair.
Thomas: This really could go a lot of ways, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it goes to Becky Lynch. That being said, I think WWE will surprise fans by having Bayley win, and despite her recent claim about challenging Rhea Ripley, will stand against IYO SKY at WrestleMania (Prediction: Bayley)
Mike: While surprises are always possible, there are two key candidates WWE has set up as logical choices to win this match. On one hand, Bayley’s Damage CTRL has unexpectedly reached a new peak since the addition of Kairi Sane to their ranks and fans are just waiting for the group to turn on Bayley. Bayley winning the Royal Rumble offers a natural road to get to her babyface turn and challenging Iyo Sky at WrestleMania. On the other hand, WWE has Becky Lynch teased Becky Lynch challenging Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania. I could see this Rumble going either way, but a Rumble win feels like a nice reward for how hard Bayley has worked and her key role in getting her Damage CTRL counterparts over at such a high level, not to mention that her winning continues to “spread the wealth,” with no two-time women’s Rumble winner to date. (Prediction: Bayley)
Aaron: WWE has been teasing the Damage CTRL implosion for a while, so Bayley vs IYO Sky could be plausible, but another women’s match is also ready for the show of shows. Becky Lynch has stood up to Rhea Ripley as well, so fans may see The Man win in Tropicana Field. This Royal Rumble match is very unpredictable, because there are many options, including the idea that they may strap a rocket to Jade Cargill by letting her debut and win the Royal Rumble match. Since this one is a toss-up and the betting odds are also all over the place, I rolled a six-sided die for my prediction. (Prediction: Becky Lynch)
Bishal: Fans ar
e buzzing with the possibility of Mercedes Mone and Naomi returning to WWE, adding an exciting twist to the match. Additionally, Jade Cargill is poised to make her much-anticipated WWE in-ring debut. I think Bayley, a frontrunner, is likely to emerge victorious, amplifying her storyline with Damage CTRL. This triumph could set the stage for a compelling WrestleMania 40 showdown with IYO SKY for the Women’s Championship, adding depth to an already intriguing storyline. (Prediction: Bayley)
Tyrese: I think Bayley will get her moment. She had a great 2023 as both a performer and a manager for Damage CTRL. I believe she will win the Women’s Royal Rumble Match and challenge Iyo Sky for the WWE Women’s Championship (Prediction: Bayley)
Prediction: Bayley
30-Man Royal Rumble Match
Confirmed entrants include: Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre, Gunther, Damian Priest and Kofi Kingston.
Mike: It’s a very interesting year for the men’s Royal Rumble. The Rock hangs over the match as a specter, unannounced but teased. If the rumored match between him and Roman Reigns is going to happen at WrestleMania, a Rumble win is the most straightforward way to get there. However, I’m of the school of thought Rock simply doesn’t need the Rumble win to be credibly inserted in the main event picture. CM Punk is one of the more favored candidates, and another talent who seems to destined for a world title picture at WrestleMania. In the end, though, I’m going with Cody Rhodes. If WWE does intend to “finish the story” one way or another—be it in a Triple Threat or challenging Roman Reigns one-on-one on either night of WrestleMania this year, he’s the both the talent who most needs this win for storytelling purposes and the one who best fits the ethos of this journey—fighting his way against the odds to become the first man to win back-to-back Royal Rumbles in over twenty-five years and staking his claim to challenge The Head of the Table one more time. (Prediction: Cody Rhodes)
Bishal: The Men’s Royal Rumble 2024 promises a spectacular affair with an array of wrestlers, blending current stars and potential surprise entrants, including wrestling legends. This year’s match is anticipated to be a thrilling showcase of superstars. I pick CM Punk as the winner. He is widely tipped as the likely winner, given his growing momentum, potentially scripting a remarkable comeback story in this spectacle similar to what Cody Rhodes attained last year. (Prediction: CM Punk)
Thomas: Okay, so this really could go a lot of ways. Up until recently, I would have said Cody. But with all that’s been said, I’m not so sure. With it being his first TV match in a decade, I’m predicting a Best in the World victory (Prediction: CM Punk)
Tyriece: There are several superstars that can win this match, but I think CM Punk will walk away victorious. I can see him entering at number 30 and winning his first Men’s Royal Rumble Match. For fans worried about Cody Rhodes finishing his “Story,” I can see him competing in an elimination chamber match to earn his shot at Roman Reigns for the WWE Championship at WWE WrestleMania 40. For Punk, I’m confident he faces Seth Rollins at the “Grandest Stage Of Them All.” (Prediction: CM Punk)
Aaron: Currently, GUNTHER and CM Punk are tied for most likely in the betting odds, with +150 each, Cody Rhodes has +225, and The Rock is in the 4th spot with +900. If you asked me in September who would win the 2024 Royal Rumble match, my answer would have been 100% Cody Rhodes. A lot of things have changed since then. I’ve exclusively reported this, and I welcome you to read up on how the winner of this match went from confirmed to questionable. Since Cody Rhodes is no longer set to finish his story at WrestleMania 40, as he is going to face CM Punk, then that makes things difficult to predict. I’m also holding out hope for GUNTHER vs Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 40, so let’s go with Black Adam on this one; just because it would guarantee front page headlines on every publication the next morning. (Prediction: The Rock)
WWE sent in a press release announcing tons of information about WWE 2K24.
WWE 2K24 Release Date:
Tuesday, March 5, 2024: Deluxe and Forty Years of WrestleMania editions
Friday, March 8, 2024: Standard and Standard Cross-Gen Digital editions
Here’s the full press release:
WWE® 2K24 Celebrates 40 Years of WrestleMania with 2K Showcase…of the Immortals and Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition
Step into the ring and “Finish Your Story” with Standard Edition cover Superstar “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, Deluxe Edition cover Superstars Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair,new match types, updated gameplay, and more
New York, NY – January 22, 2024 – Today, 2K announced WWE® 2K24, the newest installment of the flagship WWE video game franchise developed by Visual Concepts, will be coming soon for PlayStation® 5 (PS5®), PlayStation®4 (PS4®), Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam. As he burns a path through WWE in an effort to claim world championship gold and fulfill his destiny, “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes will be featured on the Standard Edition cover. Multi-time champions and Women’s Royal Rumble winners Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley share the Deluxe Edition cover, marking the first time in history two women have graced a dedicated WWE 2K cover, while the Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition cover features original artwork celebrating the most iconic Superstars and Legends in WrestleMania history, including The Rock, The Undertaker, Hulk Hogan, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and more.
WWE 2K24 features several franchise advancements, including 2K Showcase…of the Immortals celebrating 40 years of WrestleMania, four new match types such as Ambulance and Special Guest Referee, two new MyRISE experiences, and much more. In addition, fans can also look forward to a massive roster of more than 200* WWE Superstars and Legends including Roman Reigns, Andre the Giant, Becky Lynch, Batista, Kurt Angle, Asuka, Bret Hart, Brock Lesnar, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Chyna, and more. Incredibly realistic graphics and improved animations – with over 90% of facial expressions updated – plus improvements to Ramp cameras and Dive cameras, and the ability to move the camera during live gameplay provide the most visually impressive WWE 2K experience to date. WWE 2K24Deluxe Edition and Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition are scheduled for worldwide release on Tuesday, March 5, 2024, followed by the Standard Edition and StandardCross-Gen Digital Edition on Friday, March 8, 2024.
“I’ve been known to keep a checklist of key milestones I want to experience on the path to finishing my story,” said Cody Rhodes. “As an avid gamer, being named WWE 2K cover Superstar is very, very close to the top of that list and I’m very happy to work with the teams at 2K and Visual Concepts to bring that dream to life.”
“This is an incredible milestone in my career and I’m so excited to show the world why WWE 2K24 is a must-have and the EST game for every WWE fan and gamer.” said Bianca Belair.
“I’ve proven myself to be the most dominant competitor to ever hold the WWE Women’s World Championship,” said Rhea Ripley, “Earning the accolade of WWE 2K24 cover Superstar is only fitting, and I’m proud to add it to my list of accomplishments.”
“Fresh off the highest-rated game in franchise history, the WWE 2K development team continues to build on that quality,” said Greg Thomas, President at Visual Concepts. “WWE 2K24 offers more match types, new MyRISE storylines and characters, improvements to gameplay throughout, a 2K Showcase 40 years in the making, and so much more. I’m very proud of the work the team has done to bring this experience to life, and I look forward to seeing players enjoy the game.”
WWE 2K24 features several hallmarks of the franchise, as well some new additions and twists on fan favorites:
2K Showcase…of the Immortals: For 40 years, WrestleMania has captivated millions of fans around the globe as WWE Superstars became Legends and spectacular moments – from Hulk Hogan slamming Andre the Giant, to “Mr. WrestleMania” Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker putting on a match for the ages, and many more – cemented WWE Hall of Fame legacies. “The Grandest Stage of Them All,” has drawn earth-shaking roars from 100,000+ in attendance, as the biggest icons in WWE made history, and left every drop of blood, sweat and tears in the squared circle. 40 years in the making, the WWE 2K24 Showcase…of the Immortals puts players in control, playing through the most iconic moments in WrestleMania history as 2K’s distinctive Slingshot Tech seamlessly morphs gameplay to live-action footage and back again for the most immersive WrestleMania video game experience to date. A host of unlockable content adds challenge and replay value to this historical experience;
Iconic Roster: WWE 2K24 boasts a star-studded roster featuring WWE Legends including “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Undertaker, and Andre the Giant, alongside current WWE Superstars including “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes, Bianca Belair, John Cena, Rhea Ripley, and Roman Reigns, whose larger-than-life entrances and signature moves are heightened by ultra-realistic graphics.
New Match Types and Improvements on Existing Match Types: Players asked, and WWE 2K24 delivers, with four new, chaotic match types: Special Guest Referee, Ambulance Match, Casket Match, and Gauntlet Match. In addition, the Backstage Brawl now features 4-player support and new interactive environmental elements – including a working elevator, breakable control room glass, and a vending machine with throwable sodas – while the Royal Rumble now offers support for eight online players in 30-Superstar online matches. All of the familiar WWE 2Kmatch types, such as WarGames, Extreme Rules, TLC, Submission, Hell in a Cell, and many more also return. More details on each new match type will be shared soon;
Gameplay Upgrades: WWE 2K24 features improvements to gameplay throughout, including Super Finishers, the Trading Blows mini-game, top rope dive onto a group of opponents outside the ring, double title matches, new Paybacks and much more. New weapon types, including trash cans, guitars and microphones, plus the ability to throw weapons, allow players to bring the pain. Also, seven real WWE referees are featured to add to the immersive experience;
MyGM: The popular WWE brand management simulation continues to expand with new GMs and brands to choose from, more match types, more Dramas, more Championships, talent scouts, Superstar trading between brands, Superstar contract management and the new Superstar Journey, which allows Superstars to earn XP, train and level up to gain new benefits after participating in matches;
MyFACTION: The team-building mode in which players collect, manage, and upgrade an array of WWE Superstars and Legends to create their ultimate four-person factions returns with a new direct purchase card market and updated multiplayer experience. Players can now compete in ranked online QuickPlay with unique rewards and seasonal
leaderboards, challenge themselves with Weekly Towers, and take on a revamped Faction Wars 2.0, featuring more real-world factions, more 4v4 match types, a Faction Wars specific reward shop and more. New themed card packs and goals will continue to roll out regularly throughout the year with seasonal content refreshes**;
MyRISE: In WWE 2K’s unique career mode experience, two new storylines – Undisputed (men’s) and Unleashed (women’s) – put players in control of custom created Superstars looking to make a name for themselves and cement their legacies in WWE history. Featuring Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Mick Foley and others performing MyRISE voiceover for the first time, alongside other Superstars and Legends, expanded rewards, original MyRISE characters and unlockables carrying-over into other game modes, and new environments, MyRISE is more impactful on the overall WWE 2K experience than ever before;
Universe: The ultimate WWE Universe sandbox that puts players in charge of Superstar rosters, feuds, champions, weekly shows, and Premium Live Events now features expanded Rivalry actions, including run-ins, Money in the Bank cash-ins, scenarios and brawls, as well as new cutscenes, Special Guest Referee support, Double Title Matches and a Loser Leaves Town stipulation;
Creation Suite: The crown jewel of the WWE 2K franchise, the best-in-class, most detailed and robust creation suite returns with all-new support for Create-A-Referee and Create-A-Sign, as well as new parts and animations to design custom Superstars, GMs, arenas, entrances, move sets, championships and more;
Peacock™ Promotion:*** New subscribers get 1 month of Peacock at no extra cost (a $5.99 value) with purchase of any edition of WWE 2K24 by April 14, 2024. Promotional code must be redeemed between March 12 and May 31, 2024. After offer ends, plan auto-renews at the then-current retail price (plus tax) until canceled by subscriber. Eligibility restrictions and terms apply. See https://www.peacocktv.com/offer-terms/2k for full terms, availability, redemption, and cancellation instructions.
WWE 2K24 Editions
WWE 2K24 features four editions of the game: Standard Edition, StandardCross-Gen Digital Edition, Deluxe Edition,and FortyYears of WrestleMania Edition:
The Standard Edition will be available for $59.99 on previous-gen platforms (PS4, Xbox One consoles) and PCand for $69.99 on current-gen consoles (PS5 and Xbox Series X|S);
Pre-Order Bonus Offers****: Players who pre-order the WWE 2K24Standard Edition will receive the Nightmare Family Pack a bonus pack of content including four playable Superstars – two alternate versions of Cody Rhodes (The “Undashing” masked Cody and the flamboyant Stardust), as well as the 1976 version of his father, WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes, plus one of Dusty’s greatest rivals, “Superstar” Billy Graham, all available as playable characters. Additional MyFACTION content includes three MyFACTION cards – a Mattel “Bruised” Cody Rhodes Gold Rarity card and, for the first time ever, Cody’s dog, Pharaoh, appears in WWE 2K as a Gold Rarity Manager card**. In addition, all Digital Pre-Orders of any edition of WWE 2K24 will include the Standard Edition of WWE 2K23, the highest-rated game in franchise history according to Metacritic*****;
The Standard Cross-Gen Digital Edition will be available for $69.99 on PlayStation and Xbox consoles. The Standard Cross-Gen Digital Edition includes the Standard Edition across previous and current-gen platforms within the same console family and the same PlayStation or Xbox account******;
The Deluxe Edition will be available for $99.99 for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. The Deluxe Edition includes the Standard Cross-Gen Edition, Nightmare Family Pack, plus a Season Pass to all five post-launch DLC content packs*******; the MyRISE Mega-Boost and SuperCharger; Gold Rarity Rhea Ripley MyFACTION Card, Gold Rarity Bianca Belair MyFACTION Card, and alternate attires for Bianca and Rhea. The Deluxe Edition will be available from March 5, 2024 – three days ahead of Standard and Cross-Gen Editions!;
The Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition will be available for $119.99 for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. In addition to the Standard Cross-Gen Edition and all bonus content included in the Deluxe Edition, the Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition includes theForty Years of WrestleMania Pack, which features alternate attires for “Macho King” Randy Savage (WrestleMania 6), Rey Mysterio (WrestleMania 22), Triple H (WrestleMania 30), Charlotte Flair (WrestleMania 33), and Rhea Ripley (WrestleMania 36), as well as Gold Rarity MyFACTION cards for each, instant unlocking of all playable Showcase characters, and the WrestleMania 40Arena, which will be available after launch.******* The Forty Years of WrestleMania Edition will be available from March 5, 2024 – three days ahead of Standard and StandardCross-Gen Editions!;
For more information on WWE 2K24, visit the game’s official website, become a fan on Facebook, follow the game onTikTok, X,Instagram, and subscribe on Twitch andYouTube. Official campaign hashtags #WWE2K24 and #FinishYourStory. Tune-in to Monday Night Raw tonight to see the announcement trailer and cover stars.
Visual Concepts is a 2K studio. 2K is a wholly owned publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).
*Some Superstars require unlocking via gameplay, or pre-order purchase.
**WWE 2K24 and internet access required to play MyFACTION content. Online Account (13+) required to access online features. See www.take2games.com/legal and www.take2games.com/privacy for additional details.
***Purchase by 4/14/24. Must redeem between 3/12/24 and 5/31/24. Offer limited to US customers who are 18+ only. Offer available with a purchase of WWE 2K24. Offer includes one month of access to Peacock Premium at no extra cost (a $5.99 value), available to new Peacock subscribers only who have purchased and installed WWE 2K24 and linked their 2K Account (2K Accounts are free. After offer ends, pla
n auto-renews at the then-current retail price (plus tax) until you cancel. Code for Peacock Premium Subscription will be delivered via email to the email associated with the linked 2K Account. Eligibility restrictions and terms apply. See https://www.peacocktv.com/offer-terms/2k for full terms, availability, redemption, and cancellation instructions.
****Pre-Order Bonus Offers: Nightmare Family Pack pre-order bonus offer available through March 14, 2024. Pre-order WWE 2K24 Standard Edition and receive the Nightmare Family Pack, which includes four playable characters and three gold-tier MyFACTION cards (Dusty Rhodes ’76, Mattel Cody Rhodes, and Pharoah (Manager). The Nightmare Family Pack is included with Deluxe and Forty Years of WrestleMania editions. For digital pre-orders, items will be automatically entitled in-game. For physical pre-orders, items will be redeemed in game via code provided in box. Terms apply. Pre-order WWE 2K24 Standard Edition (Digital) on any platform through March 14, 2024 and receive a digital copy of WWE 2K23 Standard Edition for the same platform. Digital copy of WWE 2K23 will be automatically entitled and available to download following pre-order. WWE 2K23 must be downloaded to the platform account used to pre-order WWE 2K24 and is non-transferable. Offer not available to platform accounts that already own WWE 2K23 on the same platform. Terms apply.
*****Based on WWE 2K23’s Metacritic scores on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC as of December 19, 2023.
******PlayStation 5 console required to play PS5 version. PlayStation 4 console required to play PS4 version. Xbox Series X|S console required to play Xbox Series X|S version. Xbox One console required to redeem and use Xbox One version.
*******For digital orders, post-launch Forty Years of WrestleMania Pack content and DLC will be automatically delivered on release for PC users, available for download in the PlayStation store/Library tile for PS4 and PS5 users, and available for download in Microsoft Store for Xbox users. For physical orders, post-launch DLC will be available upon release and redeemed in game via code provided in box. DLC will also be available for purchase separately.
About 2K
Founded in 2005, 2K develops and publishes interactive entertainment for video game consoles, personal computers, and mobile devices, with product availability including physical retail and digital download. The Company is home to many talented development studios, including Visual Concepts, Firaxis Games, Hangar 13, Cat Daddy Games, 31st Union, Cloud Chamber and HB Studios. 2K’s portfolio currently includes several AAA, sports and entertainment brands, including global powerhouse NBA®? 2K; renowned BioShock®?, Borderlands®?, Mafia, Sid Meier’s Civilization®? and XCOM®? brands; popular WWE®? 2K and WWE®? SuperCard franchises; as well as the critically and commercially acclaimed PGA TOUR®? 2K. Additional information about 2K and its products may be found at 2K.comand on the Company’s official social media channels.
2K is a publishing label of Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO).
About Take-Two Interactive Software
Headquartered in New York City, Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. is a leading developer, publisher, and marketer of interactive entertainment for consumers around the globe. The Company develops and publishes products principally through Rockstar Games, 2K, Private Division, and Zynga. Our products are currently designed for console gaming systems, PC, and Mobile including smartphones and tablets, and are delivered through physical retail, digital download, online platforms, and cloud streaming services. The Company’s common stock is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the symbol TTWO.
All trademarks and copyrights contained herein are the property of their respective holders.
The statements contained herein, which are not historical facts, including statements relating to Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc.’s (“Take-Two,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or similar pronouns) outlook, are considered forward-looking statements under federal securities laws and may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “projects,” “seeks,” “should,” “will,” or words of similar meaning and include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the outlook for our future business and financial performance. Such forward-looking statements are based on the current beliefs of our management as well as assumptions made by and information currently available to them, which are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks, and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may vary materially from these forward-looking statements based on a variety of risks and uncertainties including risks relating to our combination with Zynga Inc.; the risks of conducting business internationally, including as a result of unforeseen geopolitical events; the impact of changes in interest rates by the Federal Reserve and other central banks, including on our short-term investment portfolio; the impact of inflation; volatility in foreign currency exchange rates; our dependence on key management and product development personnel; our dependence on our NBA 2K and Grand Theft Auto products and our ability to develop other hit titles; our ability to leverage opportunities on PlayStation®5 and Xbox Series X|S; factors affecting our mobile business, such as player acquisition costs; the timely release and significant market acceptance of our games; the ability to maintain acceptable pricing levels on our games.
Other important factors and information are contained in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, including the risks summarized in the section entitled “Risk Factors,” the Company’s most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, and the Company’s other periodic filings with the SEC, which can be accessed at www.take2games.com. All forward-looking statements are qualified by these cautionary statements and apply only as of the date they are made. The Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
The official WWE 2K24 cover has been released. On Monday, WWE and 2K announced Cody Rhodes as the cover star for this year’s game (standard edition).
WWE 2K24: Deluxe Edition has Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley on the cover, while 40 Years of WrestleMania is collage of legends and might be one of the nicest wrestling video game box covers ever.
SEScoops is covering WWE 2K24 extensively. Lots more will be revealed in the weeks and months ahead, but the first WWE 2K24 trailer (below) provides some early and eye-popping in-game footage, as well as some details on features we can expect.
WWE 2K24 Cover: Cody Rhodes
The official WWE 2K24 Cover features The American Nightmare Cody Rhodes.
This year’s tag line is Finish the Story, named after Rhodes’ quest to fulfill his destiny and become WWE Champion. Rhodes’ journey is the focus of the WWE 2K24 trailer, but the game’s career mode will see other Superstars venturing out to finish their own stories.
WWE 2K24 Cover: Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair
Bianca Belair and Rhea Ripley area featured on the cover of WWE 2K24: Deluxe Edition.
WWE 2K24 Cover: 40 Years of WrestleMania
Some of the biggest icons in WrestleMania history are featured on this legendary box art for the ’40 Years of WrestleMania’ edition of WWE 2K24.
The Undertaker is front and center on the cover that also features all-time greats including Stone Cold Steve Austin, Andre the Giant, Bret Hart, John Cena, Becky Lynch, Shawn Michaels and many more.
WWE will release another installment of its long-running video game franchise with 2K Sports later this year. This was confirmed by 2K today, and fans are excited.
On Wednesday, WWE 2K sent out a social media update to reflect a logo for WWE 2K24, along with a date: 1.22.2024. No more information was given, but the date is enough to lock in plans for January 22nd for some big news.
WWE 2K just updated their social media accounts with artwork for #WWE2K24 – and it looks like we're getting more info this coming Monday, Jan. 22 ? pic.twitter.com/1MA8WVD5i9
WWE has worked with video game publisher 2K since 2013. WWE has a long-running history in the video game world, dating back to early home consoles. They have also been a consistent yearly presence on game release lists.
This year’s game, WWE 2K24, will be the 10th installment in the WWE 2K series, which launched in 2013 with WWE 2K14. There are a lot of possibilities for the new game, as they celebrate another edition for the long-running franchise.
SEScoops will have extensive coverage of the next WWE video game in the months ahead. As we see each year, be on the lookout for details on the WWE 2K24 cover, roster and more.
When will WWE 2K24 be released?
The date WWE 2K24 will be released is unknown at this time, but we may find out this crucial detail in just a matter of days. The most recent installment, WWE 2K23, was released on March 14th, 2023.
NXT star Cora Jade is keeping a positive attitude despite encountering a significant setback in her wrestling career.
Jade, 23, is one of the top rising stars in WWE’s developmental brand. Already a former NXT Women’s tag team champion (with Roxanne Perez, 22), her hopes for a bright 2024 came crashing down when she sustained a knee injury this past weekend at a non-televised NXT event from Dade City, FL.
Later in the evening, Jade posted a meme stating, “I laugh to keep from crying,” which many fans perceived as cause for concern regarding her medical outlook.
During Tuesday’s NXT broadcast on the USA Network, WWE provided an update on her condition. Upon a medical evaluation, it was determined that Cora Jade had sustained an ACL tear that will keep her out of action for up to one year.
Cora Jade reacts
Cora Jade is learning that major injuries can be an unfortunate part of a successful career in WWE.
The determination and work ethic that brought her to the ‘big time’ will serve her well in the months ahead. She faces a long road to recovery and sounds like she’s keeping a level-headed outlook about things.
Following the announcement that she’ll be lucky to step foot in the ring before the end of 2024, she posted an inspirational quote on social media, along with a photo of her left knee in a brace.
Austrian-born Thekla is one of the most interesting women in professional wrestling. She is a former ballerina, a fluent speaker of multiple languages, has performed in a punk rock band, designs her own gear, in addition to a million other impressive accomplishments.
Wrestling fans will recognize her as the Toxic Spider from the Stardom promotion in Japan. She’s known for her unique style, flexibility, and being a free spirit.
Merely one day after the dissolution of her former faction, Donna Del Mondo, and her announcement of a brief hiatus from wrestling, Thekla sat down with SEScoops contributor Lyric Swinton in location in Tokyo, Japan to discuss all things Donna Del Mondo, upcoming time off, her goals as a singles wrestler in 2024, and so much more.
Thekla Interview
Here are some highlights from the conversation:
How she came to the decision to take some time off:
“Well, there’s a few things. Definitely. You’ve seen the Stardom schedule, right? It’s really extreme. I think Stardom did like 140 shows last year or something. I had more than a hundred matches, and I’ve been here for four years and I barely ever take time off. The Japanese girls are a little bit more used to it because they’ve got this crazy work ethic. I do too naturally but sometimes I get tired too. I haven’t been home in one and a half years, so maybe I hope to make it back during that time. But doing a hundred or 110 matches a year kind of takes its toll, especially with the Stardom style. This is not WWE. You know how everybody’s working and the way we’re traveling too. And yeah, it’s just your body starts to kind of….every match, you can feel it afterwards.
So I was like, okay, I could feel Donna Del Mondo they might be coming to an end. And I quickly thought maybe that’s a perfect time to just go away for a little while and also refill my creative tanks. Because what I’m going to start doing today is I’m going to start drawing my next gear set….I already have some stuff ready and my mom just sent me a box of new fabrics and some white fur, so I might be doing something in that direction. And I’m going to be painting a lot. So I’ve got an exhibition coming up in April. That’s going to be in Tokyo. But I hope I can do it in Austria too. Also talking to some people in New York so I want to travel around. Depending on how much time I’m taking off, it’s going to be me being in the studio, drawing, drawing, drawing.”
What she’s looking forward to upon her return to the ring:
“First of all, having that freedom of not having to react to my teammates is going to be very nice for me. I’m originally a lone wolf kind of character. I’m a singles wrestler. I love being in Donna Del Mondo because I got to learn a lot from the people around me. But just naturally, I like to do things my way. So that’s going to be very freeing. And I’ve always had a creative vision of how things are supposed to be done and how to excite people, and I have to be by myself to do that. Similar to a Doja Cat or a Lady Gaga. Just a little off. Just a little bit. I want to play around with things, and I’ve always dreamed of coming up with something that nobody’s ever seen. You can see my mood set. I think it’s one of the most original creative move sets.
I know how to use my body in a way, and I’ve got freakishly hyper flexibility and stuff, and that’s just how I was born. But I know how to use that. And I want to go back a little bit more to that, to creating new things that people haven’t seen before. Like the spider plex from the rope where I come up, that sort of stuff where people go, hey, only she can actually really do that. You know what I mean? And create a style of storytelling [with] the way I have a little weird way of moving in the ring too. I want to bite more into that and do things my way.
When it comes to bookings, I love Stardom. I love being in Japan. And Japan is my base, but I’ve really been dreaming also to get out of Japan and to take it to other countries. I went to Singapore last year, that was brilliant. Just feeling the love from international fans is so cool. And getting to showcase what we do here in Japan is really nice. So definitely I want to go to the States this year and experience a lot of stuff outside of the Japanese bubble and also change up my style a little bit because I think American style is very, very different. Very different and it’s not everybody’s cup of tea, but I always feel like I love learning and I love studying new things. And then I love to pick from different things and then mix it up. That’s really important for me, and that’s what I need to stay inspired. And I’ve been in Japan a little bit too long. I know how it works here. I know how it’s done. I know what strong style is like, and I need to get inspired by something new again.
And the other thing is I want to wrestle in a lot of weird places….I would love to wrestle in Cambodia or Nepal, take it to places where people have never seen wrestling before, and have that interesting cultural exchange. I like to see that expression on people’s face when they see something for the first time, for the first ‘what is this?’…just create experiences for people that they’re never going to forget. And I feel I love Japan, but I feel that people are very oversaturated here. Because there’s so much wrestling, there’s so much great wrestling. So I think it’s a little unfair to the rest of the world.”
How Donna Del Mondo helped shape her presentation:
“I think it has changed me a lot actually, because when I first came to Stardom, I had a whole different vibe to me which was more like, yeah, let’s f–king go b-tches, which I do like and which is what comes out naturally. But being in Donna Del Mondo calmed me down a lot more. People who know me very well, they say the Thekla you see in the ring is like the toned down version of her basically because outside of the ring, she’s fu–ing crazy freak. But what I learned with being around Giulia and Maika, it’s looking like a star and acting a little reserved to looking cool, being beautiful too, and those are important things if you want to appeal to a huge crowd. And just being big, all the costumes, the gowns…
So at first, I came in with slick stuff, leather coats and stuff, which I really like. But next to them I’d be [looking] tiny, where’s my stuff? So with that last one [gear], I finally went, well, the one before too, the white. [The recent black gear] gave me a little bit of volume. So being big, being larger than life… I was like, all right, I got to add some stuff here and there, claim some space for myself. And that’s really important. I think. Other than that, in the future, I would like to do a mix, have that weird edginess that I originally had as a Toxic Spider, but combine it with that larger-than-life way of carrying yourself, which is from Donna Del Mondo. So that’s what I’m going to aim for in the future.”
On constructing her look as the Toxic Spider:
“Of course I always start with what I like. That’s the most important thing. So there are certain colors that I’m really into, but then there’s something that catches my attention, I see something on the internet or I go on, what is it, Pinterest. So it’s like a mix of, oh sh-t, I really want it. I want to do something in that direction that looks really cool, that could be
perfect for a Toxic Spider look. So I collect images basically, and then I start forming something that could go in this direction, that could be the base color or whatever. At the same time, I start going to a fabric store and I go look at all the fabrics, and then I feel everything, and I take pictures of the stuff that I like, and then I’ll choose stuff and I’ll put it together and see if that’s going to work. And then I start to design, and then I just go on my iPad and start drawing. And it’s like, okay, could I use this? Could I use that basically?
And then the end result, I try to think, okay, does this look like a star? Does it fit the Toxic Spider? Those are the two things that recently I’m trying to look for. It needs to be…I always try to include stuff that is repeating stuff. Usually you will find studs or four big studs here, snakeskin has been something I’ve been using, or the big spider in the back. You always find lot of leather and furs…So that, and the other thing is, do I look like a star? Would a star wear this? Know what I mean? So is this a fit for, I don’t know, even a Doja Cat? You know what I mean…Is this silly or is this hot sh-t?
On her current Stardom contract status:
“My contract is up soon, so that too, I haven’t decided yet what I’m going to do after that so we’ll see. I’m definitely very interested in traveling a lot.”
On working in the United States and potential dream opponents:
“They [Stardom management] know that I’m really interested in going abroad and going to the States. I’ve made that very clear. So I don’t know yet what’s planned for that [upcoming Stardom American Dream show in Philadelphia], but I would love, love to go for sure….
About dream opponents…One in the mix is obviously Mercedes [Moné]. Absolutely. She looks like a star. And I loved her style, and that’s just somebody I would love to be in the ring with, especially after meeting her briefly at Stardom. She’s just such a nice person. She’s got the look. It’s the look! And that’s what I’m kind of really targeting right now. People who have that similar mindset when it comes to that sort of stuff. And who else? Athena we were talking about. She’s cool. Maybe we’re even too similar, you know what I mean? But that’s somebody I would love to hang out with. Who else do we have?
WWE? Not so much right now. I don’t know. I mean obviously Charlotte Flair is a fantastic wrestler. They’ve got brilliant wrestlers like Becky Lynch and stuff, but I mean, they’re very full there too. WWE, I never saw myself there growing up as a wrestler because way too much I get really annoyed when somebody tells me what to do, but only recently I’ve thought that could be so interesting to be able to learn from the best because they have brilliant coaches and just performance centers there so that’s really interesting.
But again, AEW is really cool because they give people a lot of freedom, you know what I mean? I feel like the product is still developing and there’s space for everything and for a lot of creative people too. Yeah. So that’s it. That’s really something that I would like to look into.”
On the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship:
“Giulia’s Strong title, I’ve been eyeing that for a long time, yeah, I’m not going to lie. It is a beautiful belt and Giulia is a great champion and very strong. Obviously being her tag partner and being with her in the mix, it’s kind of, I mean, not hard. I could have still challenged for it, but you don’t want to, you know…So that’s why yesterday [Ittenyon Stardom Gate 1.4] I was also, I was patting the belt a little bit, said this might be something coming up. That’s a cool belt. Not only beautiful, but just the people who have challenged for it so far and the way the belt gets to travel, I would like to be part of that.”
On what she learned from her former Donna Del Mondo teammates:
“With Maika, I think Maika can only do Maika, and I really appreciate it. I think that’s really cool. She’s always natural, you know what I mean? She’s just being herself and she’s really good at that. She’s so likable and never fake and very consistent with what she does and just a damn powerhouse. It’s beautiful to watch her work and she never backs down either. So I like that about Maika. She’s natural, she’s powerful, and just out there.
And with Sakurai it’s kind of funny because she started out as the weakest, but she’s kind of found herself a little character which is really cool. And I really admire how she just takes the mic and just makes the people come up for her. So I don’t always understand it because it’s so based on little jokes. But she’s one of the most, how do you say…she’s really eager to learn and she’s very brave and she’s really tough, actually. Can’t really tell but she puts a lot of work into her stuff too… she always asks everybody for their opinion, takes notes. And so that’s very inspiring.
And then Giulia, of course is kind of the queen. She’s the all rounder. I think watching her, she’s one of the most self-confident people I’ve ever met in my whole life. And I’ve met a lot of confident people in my life, but there’s almost nothing that can stop her from knowing that she’s the best. And she always puts the work in, if it’s in the ring or if it’s her appearance, she’s got the look. We’ve got a similar taste also, always been like that. But her… she never complains. Even if she goes through the hardest matches, she’s always, she wipes off the blood and she’s like, I’m cool. I don’t care. She’s just a bad motherf–ker. So that’s definitely inspiring.
But for me I always think of myself as a pretty self-confident person. But sometimes there’s a challenge where it’s like, whew I don’t know about this one man, but with Giulia, it’s like I almost never see this flinch of her just being like, ugh. She just goes straight into things and she’s being herself and she doesn’t take sh-t from anybody. And she will fight anybody inside and outside of the ring, not physically outside of the ring, but when it’s about what she believes in, she’s got strong beliefs and I really respect that. It’s really cool. She just knows how to go her own way. And I’m similar with that, but she’s no bulls–t. And I really respect people like that.”
WWE is back in North Little Rock, AR tonight with Monday Night Raw live from the Simmons Bank Arena. We’re just 12 days out from the Royal Rumble, WWE’s first premium live event of the year and the start of WrestleMania season.
WWE has announced several matches for Raw, including an unlikely challenger battling Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship, the return of WWE’s Intercontinental Champion and former tag team partners reuniting.
WWE Raw Preview (January 15, 2024)
Here’s what we’ll see on WWE Raw tonight:
‘The American Nightmare’ Cody Rhodes will kick off the broadcast.
Announced Matches
Jinder Mahal vs. Seth Rollins (c) for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) vs. Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Damien Priest)(c) for the Undisputed WWE World Tag Team championship
DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. Judgment Day (Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh)
Plus, Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER returns.
Jinder Mahal’s Chances
Does Jinder Mahal deserve a title shot against Seth Rollins? AEW President Tony Khan doesn’t think so, and made this question the focus of his latest social media ‘hot takes.’ Khan faced significant backlash for his decision to needlessly throw Mahal under the bus in an effort to criticize WWE.
Mahal has not won a match in over a year, but stranger things have happened – as evidenced by the fact that Jinder Mahal is a former WWE Champion.
As seen below, WWE is leaning into Mahal’s championship credentials. Expect to see WWE continue getting behind the Modern Day Maharaja in an effort to legitimize his worthiness as a contender.
TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of the UFC and WWE, has announced it is combining the global partnership teams of the two companies.
The new team is led by TKO EVPs Grant Norris-Jones and Lou Koskovolis. Described as an ‘unprecedented integration’ that will leverage the strengths of the two, the new ‘sports marketing powerhouse’ will be better-positioned to serve WWE/UFC’s audience of one billion young and diverse fans across 170 countries.
TKO Merges UFC® and WWE® Global Partnerships Teams to Create Sports Marketing Powerhouse
Combined Unit to Offer Blue-Chip Brands Unprecedented Integration within Two of the World’s Most Iconic Sports and Entertainment Properties
NEW YORK–(BUSINESS WIRE)– TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO), a premium sports and entertainment company, today announced that it has combined the UFC and WWE global partnerships teams into one unit, providing brands with access to one of the most formidable sports marketing portfolios in the world.
UFC and WWE, which collectively serve more than one billion young and diverse fans in 170 countries, provide brand partners unparalleled scale and reach across multiple platforms, including premium live events, original content, and digital media. Further powered and enhanced by the Endeavor flywheel, the company’s global infrastructure that also includes IMG’s dynamic sales teams around the world, UFC and WWE together can offer marketers significantly expanded inventory, vastly increased brand visibility, extensive international reach, and unique integration opportunities across UFC and WWE premier content.
Grant Norris-Jones, who has played a key role in driving UFC’s global partnerships to six consecutive years of record revenue, has been elevated to lead the integrated unit as Executive Vice President and Head of Global Partnerships for TKO, which includes the entirety of UFC and WWE properties. Norris-Jones will work alongside Lou Koskovolis, who is also taking on an expanded role as TKO’s Executive Vice President of Global Partnerships. Together, they will focus on delivering unique, authentic integrations for TKO’s corporate partners. This new joint effort will further benefit from additional support and collaboration with the Endeavor Partnerships team to maximize value for brands across the entire Endeavor portfolio of assets.
With partnership sales, activations, and operations teams in New York, Las Vegas, Stamford, Conn., London, Sao Paulo, Sydney, Shanghai, and Toronto, the newly combined unit will focus on creating new revenue opportunities and brand integrations across UFC’s and WWE’s must-watch live and original content.
“Since Endeavor acquired UFC in 2016, UFC’s global partnerships business has become a significant growth area,” said Andrew Schleimer, Chief Financial Officer, TKO, “and we believe WWE’s partnerships business has similar potential. Together, UFC and WWE create a sports marketing powerhouse, with hundreds of live events per year and a reach that’s equal to, or better than, the world’s biggest sports properties. The newly integrated global partnerships team will offer premium brands the opportunity to integrate and activate within UFC’s and WWE’s extraordinarily popular content to engage their massive fan bases around the world.
”In recent years, UFC has partnered with brands that are consumer product and category leaders, including Anheuser-Busch, Crypto.com, DraftKings, Jose Cuervo, Monster Energy, PRIME Hydration, Timex, and VeChain.In addition, WWE has worked with dozens of blue-chip brands across its roster of promotional assets. Over the last year, WWE has activated with Applebee’s, General Mills, Mattel, Netflix, PepsiCo, Pizza Hut, Slim Jim, and Snickers.
About TKO
TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) is a premium sports and entertainment company that comprises UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, and WWE, an integrated media organization and the recognized global leader in sports entertainment. Together, our organizations reach more than 1 billion TV households in approximately 170 countries, and we organize more than 350 live events year-round, attracting over one million fans. TKO is majority owned by Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR), a global sports and entertainment company.
About UFC
UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 243 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.
About WWE
WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), is an integrated media organization and the recognized global leader in sports entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, premium live events, digital media, and publishing platforms. WWE’s TV-PG programming can be seen in more than 1 billion homes worldwide in 25 languages through world-class distribution partners including NBCUniversal, FOX Sports, TNT Sport, Sony India and Rogers. The award-winning WWE Network includes all premium live events, scheduled programming and a massive video-on-demand library and is currently available in more than 180 countries. In the United States, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock, is the exclusive home to WWE Network. Additional information on WWE can be found at wwe.com and corporate.wwe.com.
Adam Copeland wore one of his iconic pieces of ring gear last weekend at AEW Worlds End for his match against Christian Cage.
Copeland has had many memorable feuds throughout his decades-long career. His 2006 rivalry against fellow Hall of Famer Mick Foley stands out as one of his best. It culminated at WrestleMania 22, when the Rated R Superstar survived a Hardcore match against the hardcore legend to extend his WrestleMania record to 5-0.
Edge kept his WrestleMania 22 gear. All these years later, he decided his match against Christian at Worlds End was the perfect opportunity to wear it one more time.
Edge’s WrestleMania 22 Gear
Copeland recently spoke with Sam Roberts on the Not Sam wrestling podcast and explained that he wanted to wear the WrestleMania 22 gear to signify the level of violence (and fire) he was going to bring to that match.0
He still had the Rated R Superstar camouflage pants, whoever somebody stole the Dickie’s work shirt that went with it when he was at a show in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He then told a funny story about taking his family to a Walmart in North Carolina looking for a shirt to recreate the one he lost.
He wound up teaching himself how to hammer double sided rivets into shirts, so he could punch all the holes necessary to have the leather ‘star’ on the shirt that the original had. “It was a process!”
Here’s Adam Copeland’s 2-hour interview with Sam Roberts for NotSam Wrestling:
