Alex Shelley recently (3/19) filed to trademark the names ‘Motor City Machine Guns’ and ‘MCMG.’

With Shelly and partner Chris Sabin’s TNA contracts expiring very soon, the timing of this business move indicates they’ll be shopping themselves on the open market when they’re legally able to.

According to the US Patent & Trademark Office database, the Goods and Services usage descriptions cover the usual wrestling-related examples, such as appearances and merchandise.

Shelly and Sabin are each former TNA World Champions, as well as multi-time World Tag Team Champions together.

TNA’s New Era

TNA Wrestling officially ‘rebranded’ for 2024, reverting to the company’s original identity. Hard to Kill, the first PPV back under the TNA banner, was well-received. They’ve brought in some big names as of late, including Nic Nemeth, Mustafai Ali and Alex Hammerstone. 

However, the company also had a major shakeup in February 2024 with the departure of former company president Scott D’Amore. D’Amore was very well-liked behind the scenes, and talent wasted no time expressing their support for him both in public and in private.

TNA talent contracts do not all expire at the same time, so as contracts do expire, it will be very interesting to see who sticks around and who decides to look elsewhere, now that the company is under new leadership.

The Motor City Machine Guns are set to wrestle for Smash Wrestling in London, Ontario, Canada on April 21. Interestingly, TNA will hold its TV taping on the same night. You can draw you own conclusions about what this indicates about Shelly and Sabin’s plans moving forward.

Visit our TNA Wrestling section more news.

AEW secured Mercedes Mone months ago, but she just made her big debut. Now, it appears that she is gearing up to continue cashing in on every piece of intellectual property she can.

Mercedes Moné filed to trademark the term “Bo$$ton” via her company Soulnado, Inc, on March 14. That Bo$$ton word was used on the Big Business poster to hype Mercedes’ impending debut without directly promoting it.

Mercedes’ New Trademark

As reported by Fightful, the trademark’s description states: “Mark For: BO$$TON trademark registration is intended to cover the categories of hats; Shirts; Shirts and short-sleeved shirts; Sweatshirts; Hooded sweatshirts.”

“Bo$$ton” appears to be a play on the words “boss” and “Boston,” which is the hometown of Moné. Of course, she was The Boss in WWE, a trademark she didn’t take with her, along with her Sasha Banks name.

What’s Next for Mercedes Mone

Fans can probably expect to see some Bo$$ton clothing merch soon with this trademark. She already has an AEW t-shirt that is a play off her relationship to Snoop Dogg.

Moné recently debuted for AEW at the Big Business edition of Dynamite, in front of her hometown crowd in Boston. She was warmly welcomed, even expressing that she felt “so cool” like Steve Austin.

After Dynamite went off the air, Moné came out to the ring following a dark match between Willow Nightingale and Riho. Seeing Julia Hart and Sky Blue attacking Nightingale after the match, Moné, donning her new ring gear, rushed to her aid. She swiftly took out Blue and delivered her signature move, the Mone Maker, to Hart.

Mercedes Turned Down WWE

Moné received a “generous offer” from WWE before her debut in the rival promotion. However, her gut instinct led her to choose AEW instead. More details can be found here.

The women’s division at AEW played a big role in Mercedes Moné’s decision to sign with the company. While there’s no official word yet on her first match or opponent, Moné has hinted at potential feuds. She mentioned having “unfinished business” with Willow Nightingale, suggesting a possible rivalry. Britt Baker also expressed interest in facing Moné last year, hinting at another potential matchup.

Of course, Mone also got a bit of heat within AEW over that comment concerning how she believes she will be back in WWE. She said that before her debut, but she was still with the contract under contract for two months prior to that.

Mercedes Moné, formerly known as Sasha Banks, said that the hometown crowd of Boston made her feel “so cool,” akin to Steve Austin.

Having debuted for All Elite Wrestling the previous Wednesday, Moné received a warm  welcome from fans. Reflecting on the experience with Variety, she described it as “unbelievable.”

Moné stole the spotlight during the Big Business edition of AEW Dynamite with her debut. As she entered the TD Garden, she was greeted with loud cheers and chants of “CEO.”

“I still haven’t gotten to take everything in yet, but my heart was just pounding out of my chest. Once I heard the beat drop in the music and the ‘CEO’ chants were on the screens, and then they revealed the ‘Mercedes Moné’ name, that eruption was so electric. I felt so cool. I felt like Stone Cold Steve Austin, when fans just lift up all their signs and stand up with their arms raised. I felt so cool. It was the best feeling in the world.”

It's official: @MercedesVarnado is ALL ELITE!

Welcome to @AEW, Mercedes Moné!#AEWDynamite on @TBSNetwork#AEWBigBusiness pic.twitter.com/Jf1XQ7J8PE

— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) March 14, 2024

Moné expressed gratitude to fans for their support over the past two years while she was recovering from an ankle injury. Visibly emotional, she conveyed how much their support meant to her, and the importance of wrestling in her life.

Mercedes Moné is here!

Watch #AEWDynamite #AEWBigBusiness LIVE on TBS!@MercedesVarnado pic.twitter.com/qhX8MqPmpa

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) March 14, 2024

She also added that is looking forward to wrestling with the women in the Dynamite locker room, particularly mentioning Willow Nightingale, with whom Moné has unfinished business. The two competed against each other in the final of the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship tournament, after which Moné sustained an injury. Speaking to Variety, she also mentioned her openness to facing someone she has never encountered in the ring before.

“I always feel like it’s best when I’ve never been in the ring with an opponent before just so we can feed off that the natural chemistry and the magic instantly. But to tie up with Willow again when we only had like half a match, to tie it up with Saraya again would be amazing. I’ve never gotten to wrestle [AEW Women’s Champion] Toni Storm. I’ve never wrestled Skye Blue, or Julia Hart. The talent is just endless. I’m looking forward to facing everybody.”

Drew McIntyre says wrestling fans who want WWE to bring back his classic ‘Broken Dreams’ theme music should raise the issue with his boss, Triple H.

McIntyre appeared on WWE digital series The Bump this week and fielded some questions sent in by fans. When asked about the possibility of ‘Broken Dreams’ making a return, McIntyre revealed it’s a question he receives on a daily basis.

“Wow, that’s the first time I’ve ever heard that question, ever,” McIntyre quipped. “I get that question literally every day. Be it social media or be it in person or every interview I do which is countless. I’m always asked about it, we had a little tease at Clash at the Castle.”

Encouraging fans to memorize the lyrics in anticipation, McIntyre referenced Cody Rhodes’ memorable line to Roman Reigns regarding learning the lyrics to his theme song Kingdom. McIntyre issued a similar challenge to fans:

“The cool thing about it [Broken Dreams] was the fans singing along. As I knew they would, because they’ve talked about it for so long. And I always tell everybody to learn the lyrics to Broken Dreams because when it happens you better know them.”

While contemplating the possibility of a WrestleMania surprise, McIntyre talked about the alignment of the theme with his current character trajectory.

“It’d be cool to get a little teaser at ‘Mania. I don’t know if it sits the character right now or if it sits me right now. I love the war drums.”

However, he urged fans to redirect their inquiries about Broken Dreams to WWE executive Triple H.

“But instead of tagging me, start tagging Triple H constantly. He’s made it very clear on the show that he’s the man in charge, so tag his arse to death.”

Drew McIntyre won the men’s 2024 Elimination Chamber match to earn the right to challenge Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight championship at WrestleMania 40.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson now officially owns the rights to his iconic wrestling persona, according to the WWE 2023 Earnings release. The announcement showed the transfer of intellectual property from WWE to Johnson’s affiliates.

Per an IP Assignment Agreement (via PWInsider), WWE assigned ‘The Rock’ trademark along with associated trademarks, service marks, ring names, taglines, and other related intellectual property assets to Johnson’s affiliates.

A search of the US Patent & Trademark Office database shows marks such as ‘The Rock’ are now owned by a Florida-based entity called DJIP, LLC.

According to a new SEC filing, Johnson’s new IP includes the following nicknames and catchphrases:

Names:

• The Rock
• Rocky Maivia
• Team Corporate
• Rock Nation
• The Nation
• Roody Poo
• Candy Ass
• Jabroni
• The Samoan Sensation
• The Blue Chipper
• The Brahma Bull
• The People’s Champion
• The Great One
• The Most Electrifying Man in Sports and Entertainment

Catchphrases:

• If you smell what The Rock is cooking
• Know Your Role and Shut Your Mouth
• Team Bring It
• Just Bring It
• The People’s Elbow
• Rock Bottom
• Finally, The Rock has come back to …
• It doesn’t matter what…
• Blue Hell
• The millions… (and millions)
• Rockpocalypse
• Project Rock
• The most electrifying man in sports and entertainment

Additionally, WWE entered into an Independent Services Contractor and Merchandising Agreement with Johnson and his affiliates, wherein Johnson agreed to provide promotional services to WWE.

Under the terms of the agreement, Johnson will license the assigned IP and his name and likeness to WWE for use in certain licensed products related to professional wrestling for up to 10 years. In exchange for his services and the IP licenses, Johnson received restricted stock units worth $30,000,007 in Class A common stock.

The Johnson Equity Award will vest in stages: 25% immediately, 25% upon completion of specified services, 25% by December 31, 2024, and the remainder in equal monthly installments from January 31, 2025, to December 31, 2025.

Cashing in on his brands

Prior to this agreement, Johnson received annual royalties from WWE for his appearances in WWE-produced content, merchandise, and services, totaling approximately $491,000 for the year ended December 31, 2023. 

Following the agreement, Johnson will continue to receive annual royalties from WWE and will also earn royalties from licensed products utilizing the assigned IP and his intellectual property rights, as outlined in the Johnson Services Agreement.

This comes after Johnson was appointed to TKO Group Holdings Board of Directors in January. He said at the time:

“My grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia, and my dad, Rocky ‘Soulman’ Johnson, would’ve never thought this day would come. Which is why I’m very humbled to have a seat at the table that has decades of history and family legacy for me. A table that my family helped to build. Being on the TKO Board of Directors, and taking full ownership of my name, ‘The Rock’, is not only unprecedented, but incredibly inspiring as my crazy life is coming full circle.”

On the latest episode of AEW Rampage on February 23, we saw the renaming of the Young Bucks’ Meltzer Driver.

During the event, Matthew and Nicholas Jackson squared off against Jonny Lyons and Cappuccino Jones, executing their signature move, the Meltzer Driver, which has been rebranded as the Tony Khan Driver.

Young Bucks’ finisher is now called the Tony Khan Driver.

pic.twitter.com/K1kHpEgJ8P

— Fightful Wrestling (@Fightful) February 24, 2024

The Meltzer Driver, a springboard somersault spike kneeling reverse piledriver, has been a staple move for the team since 2014.

The name of the move pays homage to wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer, whom the Jacksons affectionately refer to as “Uncle Dave.” They share a close relationship with the journalist, which inspired them to name the wrestling move after him.

When Meltzer’s father, Herbert, passed away in 2017, The Young Bucks honored him at the G1 Special in USA by introducing a new version of the Meltzer Driver. They named this move the Herbert Meltzer Driver as a tribute to his memory.

The Young Bucks ‘apologize’ to Tony Schiavone in a hilarious way

On Dynamite last week, the Young Bucks fined Tony Schiavone $1000 for using a tone and asking questions that didn’t sit well with them. This led to a minor altercation that resulted in Schiavone falling down.

To make amends, the brothers wanted to apologize to him on Rampage. The Young Bucks offered Schiavone a $25 Amazon gift card as a gesture of apology.

Young Bucks gave Tony Schiavone a $25 Amazon Gift Card as an apology. ?

If you know, you know. LOOOOOOOL. pic.twitter.com/W0MANnTvI4

— Drainmaker ?? ? (@DrainBamager) February 24, 2024

In case you’re not aware, this is a reference to CM Punk distributing Starbucks gift cards to the AEW locker room. As per Dax Harwood, Punk purchased Starbucks gift cards for all members of AEW’s women’s division. He also distributed these cards to members of The Pinnacle before working with MJF.

Punk had also delivered a speech about making money together, and his enthusiasm for working with everyone in AEW.

Tony Khan recently talked about the reason why AEW keeps running larger venues.

The arenas where AEW Dynamite shows are held have a capacity far exceeding the attendance they typically draw. Dynamite typically garners around 3,000-4,000 attendees, with 4,000 being on the higher end. However, the arenas hosting these shows can accommodate up to 10,000 or more spectators.

In the case of the February 21 AEW Dynamite episode held at the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, attendance was notably low, with fewer than 3,300 tickets sold. This occurred despite the venue’s capacity to hold over 10,000 spectators, as reported by WrestleTix.

Addressing this in an interview with YouTube channel GV Wire, AEW president Tony Khan revealed why the promotion does this, and it all comes down to marketing.

“It depends on the market and the time. A lot of times, those arenas have a lot of big advantages like email lists and marketing and they are a destination venue for shows. It depends on the market and the timing. Certainly, bigger arenas do have a lot of advantages. They have a lot of sale contacts and really good marketing resources.”

Khan was asked if there is a disadvantage to not using the entire arena for AEW shows, he replied that using a bigger arena is better to reach certain customers.

“It depends. They have a better chance of outreaching to certain customers than other venues.”

AEW’s annual event with NJPW, known as the Forbidden Door, is reportedly scheduled to be held at New York City’s Arthur Ashe Stadium. This would be the company’s third stadium event, despite facing challenges with attendance. However, AEW shows strong performance in terms of pay-per-view sales.

Game Changer Wrestling, also known as GCW, announced on Thursday, February 22 that its Breaking GCW event will take place in Albuquerque, New Mexico, at The Dirty Bourbon.

Taking place on Sunday, April 21, the event will be coming live from the same city where the hit AMC show Breaking Bad’s spinoff Better Call Saul is set in. If you notice the name of the show and its graphics, it’s a reference to the classic series.

But what’s even more interesting is the fact that Breaking GCW will take place in the same location that the Breaking Bad spinoff was filmed in:

*ALBUQUERQUE UPDATE*

GCW makes it's debut in Albuquerque, New Mexico on Sunday, April 21st…

Tickets go On Sale this FRIDAY (2/23) at 10AM MT!

GCW presents
BREAKING GCW
Sun 4/21 – 6PM
The Dirty Bourbon
ABQ, NM

Watch LIVE on @FiteTV+! pic.twitter.com/UCTtLcM5EH

— GameChangerWrestling (@GCWrestling_) February 19, 2024

Fans online were quick to notice the location of the event, which they recognized from the spinoff show. You can compare the event’s location in the left picture with the same location from Better Call Saul on the right:

I always use Google satellite and street view to get a visual of every venue, and I knew this one looked familiar… https://t.co/xWMwgsFqvw pic.twitter.com/NXklCcuuDW

— Johnathan Ashe (@GPWAshe) February 21, 2024

Better Call Saul is a legal crime drama series featuring Bob Odenkirk that aired from February 2015 to August 2022, spanning six seasons. The show follows the journey of ex-con artist Jimmy McGill, portrayed by Odenkirk, as he evolves into a small-time attorney. 

Throughout the series, Jimmy faces a series of trials and tragedies, ultimately transforming into his alter ego, a morally dubious criminal lawyer Saul Goodman. The location was used as Goodman’s office in the series. 

Breaking GCW will be the promotion’s debut in the city of Albuquerque. Tickets are going live on February 23 at 10 AM MT. You can also catch the show live on Triller TV.  

Believe it or not, actual pirates are the reason why the WWE Elimination Chamber cage had to change course during its journey to Perth, Australia.

The WWE Elimination Chamber Press Event took place at the Optus Stadium in Perth on February 23. It featured names such as the company’s Chief Content Officer Triple H, Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley, World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Randy Orton, Grayson Waller, United States Champion Logan Paul, and more.

Michael Cole revealed to the Australian crowd at the event that the Elimination Chamber structure had to go through its own trials and tribulations to make it Perth.

“A structure which took over a month to get here,” Cole said. “Originally it was supposed to ship through the Suez Canal, but pirates ended those plans. So it was sent to Miami, transported via truck to Los Angeles, taken by ship to Sydney, and then by train to Perth.”

It fortunately did manage to get to the city in time, and we will see it at Elimination Chamber: Perth PLE this weekend.

Elsewhere at the Press Event, Logan Paul got into an altercation with Kevin Owens after the two exchanged some heated words. Randy Orton and Triple H had to separate the two.

The Press Event concluded with a shoey from Waller and Ripley. For the uninitiated, a “shoey” is a popular practice in Australia where you drink liquid from a shoe. The two native stars honored the tradition in front of a delighted Australian crowd by downing a couple of beers from their shoes.

Triple H Meets With Impressive Tryout Athletes Ahead Of WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth

New Japan Pro Wrestling has announced a new partnership with the Costa Rica Wrestling Embassy (CWE). This collaboration will see NJPW stars making appearances for the company. 

CWE, established in March 2014, has previously collaborated closely with CMLL in Mexico in 2015. CWE is based in San Jose, Costa Rica. Here is the full announcement from NJPW:

New Japan Pro-Wrestling is pleased to announce it has entered into a working relationship with Costa Rica Wrestling Embassy.

Founded in March 2014, CWE has been working closely with CMLL in Mexico in 2015, and will now see several NJPW names appearing in CWE rings in future.

Look forward to more information to come!

NJPW also collaborates with CMLL itself for its Fantastica Mania series of events, which has been ongoing since 2011. In the 2024 iteration, seven matches took place from February 12 to February 19 in various Japanese cities including Osaka, Takamatsu, Nagoya, Chiba, and Tokyo.

In June 2023, an event called Fantastica Mexico took place in Mexico City, Mexico instead, as opposed to Fantastica Mania which only takes place in Japan.

Recently, WWE was reportedly in conversation with Japanese wrestling promotion STARDOM, which resulted in a deal (via Fightful). Things were also said to be looking good with WWE and AJPW’s current arrangement.

When it comes to NJPW, WWE doesn’t have any significant involvement with them, except for some interest from the American company in maintaining at least some connection with NJPW.

On the other hand, NJPW has a healthy relationship with AEW. They do an annual event, AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door, and last year’s event drew the biggest live gate in company history. 

Randy Orton expressed pride in the way he handled receiving the news of CM Punk’s return, mentioning that the old Orton would have been upset.

When Punk made his return at WWE Survivor Series last year, Orton had just made his comeback himself for his first match following an 18-month recovery from a serious back injury. He participated in the event as part of the WarGames match, teaming up with Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, Seth Rollins, and Sami Zayn to defeat The Judgement Day and Drew McIntyre’s team.

So when Punk made his return the very same night, it created a clash between two comebacks and overshadowed Orton’s return. Speaking to Justin Barrasso for Sports Illustrated, Orton revealed he was told about Punk’s Survivor Series return the day of the event.

“The day of Survivor Series, I’m about to get my boots on. I’m feeling the nerves, it had been a year-and-a-half. Triple H is like, ‘Hey Randy, I’ve got to talk to you for a second.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, what’s up, man?’ So he told me a couple things. And then he went, ‘One more thing–Punk’s returning tonight.’ I thought he was f—— with me. I said, ‘You’re joking,’ and he was like, ‘No, I’m not. This is something that just happened in the last few days, yada yada yada.’”

Orton admitted that if this were the older, hotheaded version of him, he would have lost his cool upon hearing the news. However, the mature and calmer incarnation of The Viper handled it well and didn’t let it become a problem, even though he was excited about returning to the ring.

“I was so excited for this surprise return. That’s never really been the case. They’ve always kind of stooged off the fact I was returning; they wanted those views. So I’d never had that surprise return.

I could have been really pissed, and old Randy would have been pissed. It was a defining moment for me. I went out there, we had a great WarGames match, everybody was excited that I returned, everybody was excited that Punk returned, and neither return stepped on each other. It was a testament to how much I’d grown. It would have been an issue only if I made it one, so I was proud of the way I handled it.”

While Punk is currently sidelined with an injury, you can catch Orton this Saturday at the men’s Elimination Chamber, set to be held in Perth, Australia.

The full interview with Randy Orton is at SI.com

CM Punk was on the road to WrestleMania 40, where he was going to have a match against Seth Rollins. However, he went out of action because of his triceps injury.

Punk attended UFC 298 on February 17 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. There, he spoke to ESPN about a number of topics, such as his arm’s recovery process.

“I’m only about two weeks post-op. It’s more mental than anything. Pain is, whatever, you know? Like, we all deal with it. I’m just more heartbroken. Was kinda on a roll, was looking forward to a lot of cool opportunities coming up and for that to get paused while I had just returned to the WWE sucks. But I know those same opportunities will be there, and it’s just life. It’s an occupational hazard, you get knocked down, you get back up. Wash, rinse, repeat.”

Punk revealed that he has to have an attitude like that about his injury, otherwise he would go crazy. He admitted that he did have a “good cry about it” the night it happened.

How Punk looks at The Rock’s return and Roman Reigns-Cody Rhodes storyline

Punk talked about the return of the Rock and the Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes storyline, talking about how the talent react when an “old timer” comes back.

“I’m the guy that ten years ago was across the ring from Rock. So there’s very much a line drawn in the sand when the ‘old timers’ come back. You have a whole crew of young guys that have been carrying the burden, carrying the shows, carrying the company on their back 365 days a year and man, who do these guys think they are?”

However, he admitted that his attitude regarding this has changed.

“It’s kinda funny now my perspective is obviously a little bit different. I am now one of those guys. But obviously, The Rock is next level. Biggest box office movie star in the world. So I understand that. But I also understand where Cody’s coming from. So it’s interesting to be on the outside looking in on that. 

I just wish I was still in the mix because I know I was gonna be. I’ll still be around, cus the wing’s broken, [but] the mouth still works. I’ll still get to talk a bunch of trash. No one’s going to pick on the one-armed guy, right?”

On his expectations about the comeback

CM Punk vowed to have the greatest comeback of all time after his triceps surgery. Speaking about his expectations and progress, he said:

“I take a lot of inspiration from a lot of UFC fighters. Tonight we saw Ilia Topuria who very much put into the world that he was going to be undefeated and become champion. So when I say that my comeback will be the greatest of all time I’m doing that for the explicit purpose of putting my money where my mouth is. I’m saying it, I’m letting everybody know, and I have to live up to that. I won’t come short of anything but the greatest comeback of all time.”

Punk said it’s important to listen to people who know more than he does, such as doctors, and giving his time enough rest to recover so that he can start pushing it again.

“It’s exciting being my age, back in the WWE and being able to not only prove people wrong but prove myself right. I’m gonna have fun doing it and it’s going to be the best comeback of all time.”

It was reported that Bruce Prichard had surgery earlier this month for his triceps. Conrad Thompson, who co-hosts Bruce Prichard’s podcast Something to Wrestle With, revealed that Prichard was scheduled for surgery on February 1. Now, in the latest update, he’s back after the surgery.

According to PWInsider, Prichard was backstage at Raw on February 19 in Anaheim, CA. Mike Johnson reported that he believes this could be Prichard’s comeback after the triceps surgery.

Prichard has undergone surgery before. He has had a couple of shoulder surgeries in the past, and this is actually the fourth time he has needed it done in the last five years.

Prichard’s role backstage at WWE is the executive director of Raw and SmackDown, which is a significant position in the company.

Prichard on Vince McMahon allegations

Prichard also made recent headlines for not commenting on the Vince McMahon situation.

Following the allegations against McMahon, Ronda Rousey stated that as long as Prichard remains with WWE, Vince McMahon’s influence will always be evident:

“Bruce Prichard is basically Vince’s avatar, if he’s still around Vince still has a hand in the business. Vince was still running things through Bruce when he was “gone” before.”

On the Something to Wrestle With podcast, Prichard was asked about the lawsuit against McMahon and WWE. Prichard stated that he won’t comment on the matter because he is “not at liberty” to discuss the “legal matters of the company whatsoever.”

“There can’t be a response from the legal standpoint. You can ask until you’re blue in the face, and that’s going to be your answer. I’m not involved, I’m not being sued, I’m not being accused of anything. It’s a legal matter.”

He also added that no matter what, there will be some who believe the claims, and some who don’t. However, talent in the company who did comment on the matter include Cody Rhodes, who described the situation as a “dark cloud,” and Seth Rollins, who expressed hope that everyone involved in the situation received the deserved consequences.

Fans online are appreciating Cody Rhodes’s kind gesture towards a blind fan at the recent WWE live event in Fresno, California. The heart-warming moment, captured on camera, has been viewed 17,000 times on X.

At the WWE: Road To WrestleMania SuperShow event held at the Save Mart Center in Fresno on February 18, Cody Rhodes faced off against Shinsuke Nakamura in a Street Fight match and emerged victorious in the night’s main event. 

Following the match, he addressed the fans in the arena to finish the evening. Rhodes expressed his gratitude towards the enthusiastic Fresno crowd, stating, “I really appreciate it. There’s one sign that has caught my eye. It’s over here and it says, ‘Blindness can’t stop me from seeing Cody.'”

The audience in the arena couldn’t help but appreciate the heart-warming sign. In a gesture of gratitude, Rhodes approached the barricade to meet the fan at her seat. 

The fan’s husband took to X and shared a photo of them together with the wrestler, expressing, “My wife meeting Cody Rhodes tonight was a dream come true! Cody, she is blind and loves you so much! You reading her sign made her world! Thank you!”

My wife meeting Cody Rhodes tonight was a dream come true! Cody she is blind and loves you so much! You reading her sign made her world! Thank you! @CodyRhodes @WWE #WWEFresno pic.twitter.com/akgi425eol

— Tyler (@tomahawk106) February 19, 2024

Last night Cody spotted a sign that said "Blindness can't stop me from seeing Cody"

So he decides to go out to the fan and hug them

This is what its all about man ?

?@TimmyBuddy pic.twitter.com/1WhEXF1fup

— Julian Weeks (@JulianWks) February 19, 2024

The audience in the arena naturally appreciated The American Nightmare’s sweet gesture, with chants of Cody’s name echoing throughout. Online, people are also showing their love, dubbing him “The people’s champ” and hoping for a lengthy reign if he clinches the championship.

The title in question is the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, which Rhodes is slated to compete against Roman Reigns for at WrestleMania 40, set to take place at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

Scott D’Amore was unexpectedly ousted from TNA Wrestling, with reports indicating that the decision was made prior to the promotion’s rebranding.

Subsequently, it was reported that several TNA talents joined forces and endorsed a letter to Anthem, expressing their discontent with D’Amore’s departure from the company. Mike Johnson of PWInsider reports the letter that was released online (by Fightful) was incomplete, large portions were left out.

The report suggests that there are still talents who remain unhappy with the entire D’Amore situation and are awaiting to see, “how they are addressed and treated at the New Orleans tapings next week.” 

Scott D’Amore was part of TNA’s foundation and the fallout from his abrupt departure is still unfolding. One wrestler we spoke with said management has been good communicating the changes to creative and the backstage structure, but they’re in a holding pattern until the next show and there’s an overall feeling of uncertainty.

Last week’s debunked report by Dave Meltzer that Tommy Dreamer has taken over as the new head of TNA creative did not help matters. Dreamer addressed the rumor on SiriusXM’s Busted Open Radio and set the record straight. He called the Wrestling Observer scoop “fictitious” and said he, RD Evans and Delirious are continuing their roles as usual as they embark on yet another new era for TNA .

Following the recent arrival of Nic Nemeth (former WWE Star Dolph Ziggler), we’ve seen hype for Mustafa Ali’s TNA debut. who challenges for the X-Division championship later this month on pay-per-view at TNA No Surrender. Overall, there’s a feeling of cautious excitement and we’ll have a much better idea of where things stand by the end of February 2024.

The Undertaker revealed his thoughts on The Rock’s return to the WWE as WrestleMania 40 draws near, expressing positive sentiments about The Rock’s comeback. On the  latest episode of his Six Feet Under podcast, The Phenom addressed his former rival having such a pivotal role in wrestling’s biggest PPV of the year.

Co-host Matthew Lyda mentioned that some WWE superstars aren’t thrilled about The Rock’s comeback.  He’s He’s one of the most famous people in the world and commands lots of attention. It will be great for the financial success of the show, but what about the performers who are getting even less of that spotlight?

The Undertaker admits even he would have mixed feelings, if it was him getting pushed one more spot down the card.

“No one will say that, but it’s in the back of their head,” The Undertaker said. “It’d be in the back of my head. There’d be that side of me that said, ‘Yes, this is good for business. This is the biggest star in the world. But I’m the one that goes out and grinds every weekend of every year.” 

The Dead Man says this new dynamic with The Rock in the mix adds a level of realism to things on and off television. At the end of the day, it’s going to make WrestleMania XL even bigger.

“That’s what makes everything so cool,” Undertaker continued. “That’s what makes it real. WrestleMania’s gonna be fire. It is gonna be fire.”

The Rock and WrestleMania XL

The Rock set his sights on the road to WrestleMania by making an appearance on Raw: Day 1 on January 1, where he called out Roman Reigns. It seemed like he would be challenging Reigns at WrestleMania XL. 

However, during the WrestleMania XL Kickoff media event in Las Vegas on February 8, it was revealed that Reigns would instead face Cody Rhodes, who asserted his right to choose the main event after winning the Royal Rumble.

Rhodes then confronted Reigns, suggesting that his family would be disappointed in him. This confrontation led to The Rock slapping Rhodes across the face, with Seth Rollins siding with Rhodes.

In a later Instagram post, The Rock addressed the confrontation, stating, “Your hero f*cked around and he found out quick what happens when you talk about our family with disrespect. Lines crossed and blurred – bring it. We don’t toe the mark for no one.”

Ugandan wrestling recently gained viral attention on the internet.

The viral videos showcased participants engaging in impressive and entertaining wrestling moves within a makeshift and barebones wrestling promotion known as SoftGround Uganda Wrestling (SGW). Instead of a traditional wrestling ring, SGW uses a soil ring, reminiscent of the setup seen in pehlwani wrestling in India. However, unlike pehlwani, which typically features soil rings, SGW uses string ropes similar to those found in professional wrestling rings, along with bamboo ring posts at the four corners.

The internet found SGW very charming, prompting many to donate to their GoFundMe campaign to support their wrestling endeavors and content creation. It was revealed that the ground where they perform and record their matches is rented, and SGW was facing financial strain. Fortunately, the GoFundMe campaign successfully reached its goal of $10,000, which will ensure that SGW will continue wrestling and producing content.

According to the donation page, Bumbash Daniel, the owner of the organization and channel, emphasized that SGW is more than just a wrestling promotion — it’s also a community hub for the people of Uganda, using professional wrestling as a means to unite people together.

Some professional wrestlers in the West, notably Will Ospreay and Jordynne Grace, took notice of SGW. Grace expressed interest in reaching out to them to inquire if they could be provided with a real wrestling ring to perform in.

Fuck yeah!!! https://t.co/YY8AA9S3ac

— Will Ospreay • ????????? (@WillOspreay) February 2, 2024

What are the chances we could get in touch with them and see if they want a real ring? https://t.co/TPjAZJXGCG

— Jordynne Grace (@JordynneGrace) February 2, 2024

Ospreay even contributed $2,000 to SGW, a generous gesture that fans spotted on the GoFundMe page. Other wrestlers who donated include Excalibur, who donated $200 under his real name Marc Letzmann. Grace herself also donated $200 under the name Patricia Gresham.

https://twitter.com/PuroresuFlow/status/1755035681242460599

After receiving widespread support online, SGW Uganda has begun posting promos with English subtitles. In response to a fan inquiry about their participation in WWE’s search for an African superstar, held in collaboration with its Sub-Saharan Africa broadcast partner SuperSport in 2023, SGW revealed that they never had the opportunity to take part in a tryout.

Softground Tenge wants revenge after injury from coolman pic.twitter.com/FURPcMUgvD

— SGW @soft ground wrestling Uganda (@SGWug) February 9, 2024

There’s a new rumor floating around that WrestleMania might return to Las Vegas.

As per the Vital Vegas account, which reports on Las Vegas news, there’s ‘early word’ suggesting that the Grandest Stage of Them All might be heading to Sin City.

The announcement of the event coming to the city is expected soon. Typically, the next city announcement is made during the current year’s WrestleMania show. Therefore, we should find out on April 6-7 during this year’s WrestleMania XL.

If it indeed takes place there, it will be the first WrestleMania in Las Vegas since WrestleMania IX, held at Caesars Palace in 1993. The event was headlined by Yokozuna challenging Bret Hart for the WWF Championship, followed by a subsequent defense against Hulk Hogan in an impromptu match.

Early word: WrestleMania is coming back to Las Vegas, announcement anticipated soon. This will be the first WrestleMania in Las Vegas since IX in 1993 at Caesars Palace. They had some sort of news conference in Vegas yesterday for XL, to be held in Philadelphia. pic.twitter.com/smi4mWAPJD

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) February 10, 2024

WrestleMania XL Kickoff Special event took place in Las Vegas

A press conference for the WrestleMania XL Kickoff actually took place in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena on February 22.

A press conference for the WrestleMania XL Kickoff occurred in Las Vegas at the T-Mobile Arena on February 22. The event featured The Rock, along with Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes. Tensions escalated on stage as Rhodes and Reigns engaged in heated exchanges. Rhodes commented that Reigns’ grandfather would be ashamed of him, prompting The Rock to slap Rhodes across the face.

OH IT'S GOING DOWN. ?@TheRock just slapped @CodyRhodes at the #WrestleMania XL Kickoff. pic.twitter.com/nN0MTYIoRk

— WWE (@WWE) February 9, 2024

This segment got a lot of eyeballs on WWE, setting new records, as you can see below:

Thank you to everyone who watched the #WrestleMania XL Kickoff. The Road to @WrestleMania is just getting started… pic.twitter.com/jlKxn0Yf1z

— Triple H (@TripleH) February 10, 2024

While Cody Rhodes is slated to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, it appears that this storyline is far from over, especially with The Rock now involved.

WrestleMania XL will take place for two days on Saturday, April 6, and Sunday, April 7 at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. 

Bret Hart thinks that the Vince McMahon allegations are “too sick and disgusting to really imagine.” 

Hart discussed the lawsuit filed by former WWE employee named Janel Grant, accusing McMahon of sexually assaulting, coercing, and trafficking her to others in WWE, during an interview with Slate’s Abraham Josephine Riesman.

Despite Hart’s previous respect for McMahon, his opinion of the former promoter changed drastically. 

“I’m going to speak my truth. I’m not worried about Vince’s feelings. He’s never cared about mine,” Hart told the outlet. “I don’t have any problem with everybody kicking his head around the parking lot. I’m OK with the truth coming out.”

‘Sounds Like Vince’

Hart also revealed that a few months ago, he was “warned” by “wrestling insiders” that McMahon “was in big trouble that he wasn’t going to be able to sweep under the rug.”

Speaking about the heinous acts committed by McMahon described in the filing, Hart said, “When you get that vision in your head, you go, ‘That’s messed up.’ It’s too sick and disgusting to really imagine.”

Hart even remarked that the screenshots of the text messages included in the suit, which are alleged to have been sent by McMahon after committing the acts, “sound like Vince.”

Corrupt Culture

Hart also mentioned that this is not the only instance of “predatory behavior” in the company, acknowledging that he had heard about sexual abuse incidents throughout his time in the wrestling industry.

“I think you’ll find that it’s everywhere in [WWE],” he added. Hart admitted that he never spoke against it because McMahon was “kind of like The Godfather,” who would “be your enemy again” over something you say or do, besides being extremely powerful and wealthy.

The Hitman likened McMahon to Jeffrey Dahmer, Harvey Weinstein, and Jeffrey Epstein.

“Vince will be a joke.. He’ll be used for humor, and you’ll shake your head at the shock value of some joke about, ‘What did Vince McMahon do?’ He’ll always be associated with this story, especially as it gets bigger and bigger and bigger.”

Hart admitted that he used to think that whatever wrong McMahon did, it was for the wrestling industry and for promoting it as an art form. However, these accusations had nothing to do with the business, which made Hart reflect back on his thinking. 

“I always had respect for him,” Hart said. “Now it’s tainted. I’m embarrassed that I thought so highly of him.”

Meanwhile, McMahon has resigned from WWE, but there is a belief that he may still retain some power in the company.

Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling made its return this Thursday, marking the revival of the promotion created by the late Dusty Rhodes after a hiatus of 20 years.

The event took place at Cody Rhodes’ Nightmare Factory in McDonough, Georgia, and it was a sold-out affair. Dusty Rhodes’ daughter Teil and QT Marshall were also in attendance.The event was filmed for television.

Turnbuckle Championship TV taping results from February 8

Here are the results from Thursday night’s TCW’ show:

– Kay Jay Impala & Dylan Lesynd defeated Jimmy Wild & Shaun Moore in a match that took place before the tapings began.

– Brady Booker defeated Elijah Drago (with The Diamond Sheik)

– Carlie Bravo (with Shawn Dean) defeated “The Mexican Rockstar” Vary Morales

– Dyland Lesynd defeated Matt Cardona

– The East Coast Outlaws defeated The Supastarz, Nikki Eight & Tommy Mars – TCW Tag Team Championship match

– Angelica Risk defeated Hyena Hera – TCW Women’s Championship match

– Adrian Ward defeated Aaron Solo – Nightmare Factory Championship match

– QT Marshall, Luther Biggs, Scotty Riggs & Glacier defeated Sunny Daze, Owen Knight, Duncan Mitchell & Adam Priest (w/ Matt Griffin) – Eight-man tag team match

In addition to the matches, various promos and vignettes showcased the history of the promotion and introduced some wrestlers to the audience.

Teil Rhodes was introduced as the Executive Vice President (authority figure) of TCW.

About TCW’s return

In December 2023, reports emerged that Cody Rhodes and his Nightmare Factory partner QT Marshall filed a trademark for Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling.

The promotion initially set up its offices in East Cobb County, Georgia, and held its inaugural event in July 2000. It later had its first PPV in 2001 and secured television airtime. Following the closure of WCW and ECW, many notable names such as Scott Hall, ‘Hacksaw’ Jim Duggan, and New Jack competed in the promotion.- 

CM Punk, who underwent surgery last week for his torn right triceps that he suffered in the Royal Rumble match, had some hopeful words about his return.

In a vignette aired on Raw, CM Punk declared about his return, “My comeback will be the greatest of all time.”

The video depicted Punk heading to the medical facility for surgery, followed by the aftermath. Post-operation, Punk encountered difficulty in performing simple tasks. “This is the most frustrating thing, simple tasks like these,” he said while trying to open the zip of a bag. “I am in a lot of pain. It’s mental more than anything. I can handle a lot of pain. I can power through hard PT. The mental aspect of it, I think, is a lot harder than the physical.”

You can watch the vignette in the video below: 

Full video of CM Punk going into surgery that was shown tonight on #WWERaw
“My comeback will be the greatest of all time.” YOU DAMN SURE! pic.twitter.com/w70YGBrd4W

— Teffo (@Teffo_01) February 6, 2024

The triceps injury occurred during the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble Match, which Drew McIntyre claimed responsibility for. As a result of the injury, Punk will miss WrestleMania 40.

At the event, he was supposed to face Seth Rollins, but that plan sadly had to be scrapped.

However, WWE may have other plans for Punk outside of the ring. His close associate Ace Steel hinted that WWE is interested in having Punk back at the commentator’s table.

It remains to be seen if we will see Punk calling matches on TV, but when it comes to his recovery time for the surgery, it depends on the injury. A torn triceps can take quite some time to heal, and Punk could easily be out of action for at least six months, if not longer. This would mean that Punk would not be seen in the ring until August, at the very least.

One of the founders of the Japanese promotion World Wonder Ring Stardom, Rossy Ogawa, had to step down from his role as executive producer as the promotion after Bushiroad announced the termination of his contract on February 4.

The reason cited for the termination on Stardom’s official website is that Rossy had been poaching talent. Rossy revealed that the company informed him that his contract was terminated right after a 13th-anniversary event at Edion Arena Osaka on February 4. Speaking to Tokyo Sports, he revealed that “They even put me in a taxi and sent me home.”

“I have no attachment to this company,” he said. “It’s just the way they did it. They could have communicated properly, right? Even if they didn’t announce it suddenly. They could have said, ‘Please leave by February 5.’ But instead, they abruptly cut ties…”

“I was being pressured into playing certain cards, and there was harassment within the company,” he said. “It continued, and I lost the will to continue here.”

RELATED: Rossy Ogawa Maintains His Innocence After Getting Fired From Stardom

Rossy also talked about his efforts to start a new organization. “A new organization? Yes, that’s right. There are quite a few things that I can’t do here that I want to do again. Just because it’s a large corporation doesn’t mean you can do anything.”

About the poaching accusations about him, Rossy clarified: “We didn’t do it. We heard rumors, and many players expressed their desire to come here (to the new organization). So, they (Stardom) might have panicked as well. However, President Okada (Taro) ‘approved’ (the new organization). He said, ‘We’ll offer (it) to BUNTAI (in Yokohama),’ and ‘Let’s have a competition in two years for the 15th anniversary.’ So, why are they saying this now?”

However, Stardom president Taro Okada said that they heard about Ogawa’s poaching talent in December. “We verbally told him to stop such activities and expressed our desire to continue working together. However, as we continued to confirm that he was persisting with headhunting, we took this action,” Taro told Tokyo Sports.

Taro also noted, “We recognize that the players affected by the headhunting are many popular players, including titleholders. If these players were to leave, Stardom’s promotions would not be sustainable, and in the worst-case scenario, the company might have to fold. Therefore, after internal deliberation, we immediately notified him of the contract termination.”

He also added that regardless of Rossy starting a new organization, they consider it a violation of contract that he solicited Stardom talents to leave while still being in a contract with the company.

As for other wrestlers following Rossy to his organization, Taro said, “We have received expressions of intent to leave from several wrestlers and consultations about whether to leave.”

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will serve as the grand marshal for the 2024 Daytona 500. He will give the command for drivers in the NASCAR race to fire their engines on Sunday, February 18.

The announcement was made during the NFL’s NFC Championship game on FOX. The Daytona 500 race will also be broadcast on the same network. The race is set to take place on February 18, 2024 at the Daytona International Speedway in in Daytona Beach, Florida.

You can check out the announcements below:

?? @TheRock is this year’s Grand Marshal for the #DAYTONA500 on FOX! pic.twitter.com/qhKUpd3KLW

— FOX: NASCAR (@NASCARONFOX) January 29, 2024

This is the 66th edition of the Daytona 500, and Johnson’s opening command will be for 40 race car drivers participating in the race.

This isn’t the first time a WWE star has been involved as a grand marshal for NASCAR. Johnson himself served in the role for a Cup Series race at the Texas Motor Speedway in 2004. Last October, Liv Morgan was the grand marshal for the fall race at Charlotte Motor Speedway, and in 2021, Sasha Banks was the honorary starter for the Daytona 500. John Cena has also been involved several times with NASCAR races.

Some other celebrities who have appeared as grand marshal include Pitbull and Pro Football Hall of Famer Charles Woodson over the years. Last year, NASCAR legends had taken on the role of grand marshal. This was done in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of the sport.

As for the WWE ring, it appears that the anticipated showdown between The Rock and Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 is still expected to happen, but there is no precise confirmation regarding the same, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

The Rock is reportedly interested in a match for this year, but more details are expected to be revealed after the Royal Rumble.

Yeah, this is big. #DAYTONA500 pic.twitter.com/kZ0D7nZqxQ

— NASCAR (@NASCAR) January 29, 2024

After 2K revealed the character design of Bayley for WWE 2K24, the image quickly went viral, but not for positive reasons. The model bore little resemblance to the female wrestler and was generally poorly executed.

The official WWEGames Twitter account, responsible for revealing in-game character models, shared Bayley’s image from WWE 2K24. However, fans observed significant discrepancies in the character’s appearance, including hair that didn’t match Bayley’s and a face that aged her considerably.

It appears that the official account removed the post after facing backlash, but the damage was already done as the image had circulated widely within the community. Bayley herself took notice and responded with “HELP ME,” an understandable reaction. Below is a glimpse of the character model:

HELP ME

— Bayley (@itsBayleyWWE) January 30, 2024

WWE 2K24

WWE 2K24 will be playable on two different dates, depending on the version you purchase:

• Tuesday, March 5, 2024: Deluxe and Forty Years of WrestleMania editions
• Friday, March 8, 2024: Standard and Standard Cross-Gen Digital editions

The Standard Edition features “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes on the cover, while the Deluxe Edition showcases Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair. The game boasts updated gameplay, new match types, and more. Notably, it includes the 2K Showcase of the Immortals, celebrating 40 years of WrestleMania, along with four new match types like Ambulance and Special Guest Referee, and two new MyRISE experiences, among other additions.

WWE 2K24 boasts a massive roster of wrestlers, comprising current-day Superstars and Legends. The roster includes icons like The Rock, The Undertaker, Hulk Hogan, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Roman Reigns, Andre the Giant, Becky Lynch, Batista, Kurt Angle, Asuka, Bret Hart, Brock Lesnar, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, and Chyna, among others.

In a recent segment on Wrestling Observer Radio, wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer highlighted the possibility of two current AEW roster members making a move to the Stamford-based promotion WWE.

Meltzer identified Malakai Black and Buddy Matthews as the two wrestlers who could potentially transition to WWE. Both Black and Matthews are presently associated with the House of Black faction, alongside Brody King and Julia Hart, within AEW.

The wrestling journalist was talking about the recent cage match between House of Black and Daniel Garcia & FTR on Saturday’s episode of Collision. The fight was originally announced as an Elimination bout but later changed to an Escape the cage match. Meltzer implied that the change was due to the House of Black not wanting to be pinned during the bout:

“[…] Malakai Black never does jobs, and when this was going on and I am watching this, one of the things I was thinking watching this is like, these freaking House of Black guys never do jobs. And here is the other thing. I was thinking what if they win this match and they are just going, like, two of those three guys are going to the WWE.”

Meltzer also remarked that both wrestlers are reluctant to take losses as they aim to maintain the strong image of their characters once they become free agents. He questioned why AEW continues to book them strongly when they are expected to leave for WWE.

“I mean, they are going. As soon as they can go, they are gone. Even though they were treated like shit in the WWE, and they never do jobs here, and they are still going back to the WWE. And my thought is kinda like, why do you keep putting them over when you know they are leaving?”

House of Black Responds

Multiple members of the faction took exception to these comments from Meltzer and reacted on social media. Matthews responded to Meltzer’s remarks with a picture of his AEW stats, stating that Dave lacked research skills.

“For a ‘Reporter,’ he doesn’t know much or do ANY research! Lol,” he commented.

The attached image displayed Matthew’s career stats in AEW, revealing that in 2024, he won one match and lost three. Overall, in his career, he won 25 matches and lost 13. These figures contradict Meltzer’s statement, as Matthews has indeed lost a considerable number of matches, if not the majority:

For a “Reporter” he doesn’t know much of do ANY research! lol pic.twitter.com/ZF9N3LY1AS

— Buddy Matthews (@SNM_Buddy) January 29, 2024

Brody King explained that the format of the match was always going to be Escape The Cage. Will Washington, who works as a coordinator for AEW came to his support confirming the reason for the graphic change:

Funny how someone’s opinion just becomes fact because they’ve been watching wrestling a long time. The format and stipulation of the cage match was always what it was going to be. It’s not our fault the wording on the graphic changed. https://t.co/zGuNP61TxN

— Big Bad Brody King (@Brodyxking) January 29, 2024

I usually don't comment on stuff like this, but before this idea spreads or gets out of hand, the wording change was just for clarity.

It was absolutely escape rules when the first match graphic dropped. https://t.co/3nubqqtQNL

— Will Washington ? (@WillWashington) January 29, 2024

While the wrestling journalist has not responded to these remarks from the AEW stars, this discourse seems to be far from over. Stay tuned for more updates on the situation