The future of Damage CTRL may be looking increasingly uncertain, but Bayley hopes to bring an NXT Superstar on board when the time is right.
Damage CTRL debuted at SummerSlam 2022, which marked the return of Bayley after an injury that kept her out of the ring for over a year. The Role Model showed up in Nashville with Dakota Kai (who had been released earlier that year) and Io Shirai (since renamed IYO SKY) whose contract was close to expiring.
A New Member?
In November of last year, Kairi Sane and Asuka joined the faction, despite the Empress’ previous battles with Damage CTRL. On Instagram this week, Bayley threw out an offer to WWE NXT Superstar Cora Jade who is currently out of action with an ACL injury.
Cora Jade joined WWE in 2021. She has previously competed under the name Elyanna Black and has made appearances for TNA Wrestling (IMPACT Wrestling) at the time, as well as AEW.
Cora Jade’s efforts in the ring haven’t gone unnoticed by one of WWE’s veteran performers…
For fans outside the United States, they will receive Raw, SmackDown, WWE NXT, and Premium Live Events as part of this deal. This has raised questions about the future of the WWE Network, which fans outside the U.S. currently use for said shows. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said that Netflix will take up the brunt of the workload.
”For most of the world, they’re going to be taking over the WWE Network. The WWE Network itself, that exists outside the United States, that will be folding at the end of the year and Netflix will pick up the content.
“So a lot of people have asked will they pick up all the content? All the archives? I don’t know. But they will be the sole source of that, the archival content of all the old territories and all the old stuff that was on the old WWE Network. That will, that will move to Netflix outside the United States in January.”
Meltzer then looked at WWE’s relationship with Peacock, where the WWE Network in North America currently resides. Meltzer wouldn’t be surprised if this also falls under Netflix’s watch when the time is right.
“When the Peacock deal is up, if Netflix were to get that, that’d be interesting to see how much more they would pay. Obviously, it’s a $200 million deal per year deal right now. So that’s the next deal. That’s coming up.”
Raw will move to Netflix in Jan 2025, but their deal with the USA Network will expire in September 2024…
Given the popularity of The Iron Claw, there’s been speculation about other wrestling stories making it to the big screen. On Instagram, Natalya posted a photo of herself with Rory Culkin, the star of movies including Signs and Scream 4. Jordan Levine and Jordan Beckerman of Yale Productions were also in the photo.
Natalya’s caption made clear that she is working on something close to her heart. Fightful Select reports that this something involves possibly making a movie based on the Hart family. Levine and Beckerman have reportedly had an interest in the idea for some time. Culkin, like his brother Macauley, is a known long-time wrestling fan.
The Hart Family Out of the Ring
If this film makes it to the big screen, it won’t be the first time that the first family of Canadian wrestling has been covered. WWE has released several documentaries about the Harts including individual DVD sets about Bret and Owen Hart.
Outside of WWE, Bret and his family worked with Trimark Pictures to create 1998’s ‘Wrestling With Shadows.’ The documentary gives an in-depth look at the highs and lows of professional wrestling and features Bret recounting his life in the business from a wrestler’s perspective. Wrestling With Shadows, which also covers the Montreal Screwjob, received a 25th-anniversary Blu-Ray release last year.
TNA World Champion Moose is ready for the promotion to take the wrestling world by storm after the strong start at Hard to Kill.
The January 13, event marked the official relaunch of TNA Wrestling, which was announced back at Bound for Glory 2023. Speaking on the Insight podcast, Moose was asked how it feels to be a TNA wrestler and recalled the locker room’s reaction to last October’s announcement.
“[It feels] Great! It’s something that within the boys, that we’ve always talked about. We’ve always said to each other ‘What if TNA came back and we weren’t IMPACT Wrestling anymore? We were just TNA?’ I didn’t know personally [about the rebrand] They didn’t tell me, I’m the last person that finds out about anything that’s going on. I remember the night, I think Josh [Alexander] was in the main event and everybody was like ‘Make sure you watch the monitors after the match.’ In my head, I’m like ‘What’s going on?’ Is CM Punk coming in? Because he was a free agent at the time. CM Punk coming in? No way!
“So I’m going to watch the monitor and the match is over and the reveal happens. And there’s a reaction video and you can see me jump up, get on the chair chanting ‘T-N-A! T-N-A!’ with the rest of the boys. I think that was the most epic part of the year last year.”
Moose on TNA Hard to Kill
In the main event of Hard to Kill, Moose captured the TNA World Championship from Alex Shelley, ending the 218-day reign of the Motor City Machine Gun. Moose’s celebration would be short-lived, as he was confronted by the debuting Nic Nemeth, who laid out the new champ with a superkick. On the podcast, Moose recalled the excitement of what happened after his win.
“I don’t think anybody was expecting what happened after [Hard to Kill’s main event.] Obviously, I wasn’t expecting it either. But just rethinking the whole moment. They set it up in the weeks prior that there’s going to be a huge signing and this person is showing up at Hard to Kill. ‘You won’t believe who’s there!’ I think the way they set it up, they announced Dana Brooke [Ash By Elegance] in the Women’s Championship match. And everybody thought ‘Oh man, Dana Brooke, that’s awesome.’ That’s a new signing to TNA.
“So [after that] nobody thought anything was going to happen. And then I win the title and I’m celebrating and Nic [Nemeth] comes out from out of nowhere and kicks my ass. He’s gonna get his back.”
Moose Makes His Promise
TNA Hard to Kill would prove to be a runaway success for the promotion with fans and those in the industry praising the relaunch show. On the podcast, Moose vowed that Hard to Kill is just a sign of things to come.
“It just shows how great the year has started off, and it’s only going to get better. I promise you… And I’m sure he [Nemeth] is going to have great matches with a ton of guys on my roster. There’s the crazy thing about it. You go on Twitter and you see all these idiots, that never watch the product, only say bad things.
“But then you watch the product and as soon as you watch it, you’re hooked because you’re like ‘I didn’t know TNA was this f****** good!’ We, I think, in my personal opinion, are the best wrestling company from top to bottom.”
TNA Wrestling is ready to ‘Cross the Line’ once more…
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
This weekend’s Women’s Royal Rumble match could see one currently injured Superstar make her presence felt in the 30-Woman contest.
The Women’s Royal Rumble was first introduced in 2018, with Asuka last eliminating Nikki Bella to be crowned the first winner. Since then, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Bianca Belair, Ronda Rousey, and Rhea Ripley have all emerged victorious in the match. Currently, there is a 66% chance of a Women’s Rumble winner being successful at WrestleMania, with Lynch, Flair, Belair, and Ripley all capturing gold at the April supershow.
The Women’s Royal Rumble Match
With 24 spots in the Women’s Royal Rumble match yet to be filled, fans are eager to see what surprises are in store for the contest. PW Insider Elite reports that one name who has been discussed to make a return for the match is Sonya Deville, who has been out of action for months.
Monday Night Raw will begin streaming on Netflix come January 2025, but there are questions about the red brand’s home for the months before the big move.
This week, it was announced that Raw will move to Netflix as part of a $5 billion deal with the streaming giant. Fans in the U.S. will have access to Monday Night Raw each week, while those outside of the States will receive Raw, SmackDown, WWE NXT, and Premium Live Events. Netflix will not cover monthly PLEs in areas where deals are already in place with other distributors, such as India.
Monday Night Raw Without A Home
Raw’s move to Netflix won’t happen until January 2025, which has raised questions as to the red brand’s future in the final quarter of 2024. That’s because WWE’s current deal for Raw to broadcast on the USA Network will expire later this year.
On the Pollock & Thurston show, Wrestlenomics’ Brandon Thurston noted that an NBC official informed him that the USA Network will not carry Raw after the expiration date of this deal, which is September 30. On the show, Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer said that an announcement was coming shortly regarding those three months in which Raw currently has no broadcast deal.
Moving to A New Day?
Raw has been synonymous with Monday nights ever since its launch, and Nick Khan intends that to be the case after the Netflix move. On the Pat McAfee show, Khan addressed the possibility of Raw being released on Netflix on a different date.
“At this moment in time, it remains Monday Night Raw. Keep in mind, we have ten and a half months until this deal is up and running… If we stay on Mondays, it’ll work, if we move to a different day, we think it’ll work too.”
In an SEC filing, it was noted that Netflix has the option to extend the WWE Raw deal beyond the initial ten years or opt out after five years.
“Dodged a bullet, the ACL is intact, the MCL will heal with time, I’m hoping to be back at full strength in around a month, [that’s] my kinda timeline. We’re gonna take it day-to-day, I’d like to be back in a month, I don’t wanna walk into WrestleMania & that be my first match in 2/3 months, that’s not gonna be good for me.
“I want be able to get back in there, test the wheels & make sure we’re in a good place so we’ll see how it goes. I’m happy we dodged a bullet & wasn’t anything too serious that was gonna put me on the shelf for 6-9 months.”
On this week’s Raw, WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER confronted Rollins and expressed his genuine respect for the World Heavyweight Champion. The dominant Austrian also vowed to win this weekend’s Men’s Royal Rumble match and challenge Rollins at WrestleMania 40.
Rollins’ rival CM Punk has had some choice words for the World Heavyweight Champion…
WWE icon John Cena has given the clearest image to date as to when his time in the ring will come to an end.
Speculation over Cena’s retirement has continued to grow in recent years, especially with his matches for WWE becoming increasingly sporadic. Cena’s most recent match for WWE came at Crown Jewel 2023 and saw the 16-time WWE World Champion lose to Solo Sikoa.
The End of John Cena’s Career
In addition to his lengthy tenure, Cena’s thriving Hollywood career has led many to believe his days in the ring are numbered. In an interview with ET Online to promote his new film Argylle, John spoke candidly about the end of his wrestling career.
“I never wanted to go out there just for the sake of going out there. And I’m gonna be 47 this year. I feel great. So inside I feel great, but I know what it takes to be a WWE performer night in and night out and I don’t ever wanna just go out there and do it to do it. I wanna have the passion — the same passion as the fanbase — and I wanna give them exactly what they give me. The miles on the speedometer say, ‘Hey, that’s gotta be done before 50.’”
Little is known about what plans WWE and Cena have (if any) regarding his retirement match. Mere weeks after his loss to Solo Sikoa, Cena underwent successful surgery on his arms.
Argylle will release in cinemas on February 2.
Cena has an idea as to where his last match should happen…
Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Booker T is ready to lace up his boots one more time for this weekend’s Men’s Royal Rumble match.
The 2024 Royal Rumble event will take place this weekend from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida. The show will be the 37th annual Royal Rumble event and the seventh to feature a Men’s and Women’s match. On his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker made his case for why he should be in the match.
“I’m in the best shape of my life, y’all. I’ve been training, I’ve been hitting the gym harder than I’ve ever hit it before. I’m serious, man. I’m serious on this. So if they need an extra man, if they need me to make that walk just one time going down in St. Petersburg, Florida, oh yeah, man. I will be ready, willing and able to get the job done, guys.”
Booker went even further, saying he’s not taking any phone calls unless it has a 203 area code, the code for Stamford, CT, where WWE’s headquarters are located. The former World Champion added that he’ll already be in St. Petersburg for the show, as he’ll be part of the kick-off panel.
Booker T in the Royal Rumble Match
After joining the WWF following the demise of WCW, Booker’s Rumble debut would come in the 2002 match. The ‘favorite’ Superstar of Mr. McMahon at the time, Booker entered at #30 but his time in the match would be woefully short-lived. Booker has appeared in a total of 9 Royal Rumble matches. He has a total of 11 eliminations to his name and has lasted in the match for a combined time of 42:57.
WWE Royal Rumble 2024
Here is the card for the WWE 2024 Royal Rumble PLE as it currently stands:
Men’s Royal Rumble match (Confirmed entrants: Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre, GUNTHER, Chad Gable, Otis, Akira Tozawa, Kofi Kingston, Damian Priest)
Women’s Royal Rumble match (Confirmed entrants: Bayley, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Nia Jax, Maxxine Dupri, Ivy Nile)
Roman Reigns (c) (with Paul Heyman) vs. Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles vs. LA Knight (Undisputed WWE Universal Championship)
Logan Paul (c) vs. Kevin Owens (WWE United States Championship)
Who else should the WWE Universe expect during this week’s Royal Rumble Premium Live Event…
Details may still be sketchy as to what John Cena’s last match will look like, but if John has his way, this much-anticipated bout will take place overseas.
Much has been said about Cena’s potential retirement, with the 46-year-old Superstar being well aware that he is in the twilight years of his time in the ring. Following last year’s loss to Solo Sikoa, Cena teased that he’d wrestled his final match. More recently, however, John made it clear he’s open to wrestling one big final match for WWE.
Where Will John Cena’s Last Match Be?
It’s unclear when exactly John Cena’s last match will happen, but plans are slowly coming together for him. Speaking on a recent edition of BBC’s The One Show, Cena spoke about his future in the ring, and would like for his final match to take place in the UK.
“Fans in the UK, WWE fans, they’re the best & fans in London specifically they will let you know how they feel & I don’t think I’ll be able to choose my opponent but if I could choose a venue it’d be the O2 in London.”
Cena made his return to WWE at the O2 Arena at Money in the Bank 2023 in July of last year. In front of a passionate crowd, Cena spoke about how important the UK crowd is and vowed to bring WrestleMania to London. Cena’s promo was interrupted by Grayson Waller, who after pitching WrestleMania in Australia, was laid out with an AA by Big Match John.
Cena has also competed in the O2 Arena several times. One of Cena’s more infamous matches in the venue saw him lose to Lord Tensai in an Extreme Rules match on an April 2012 episode of Raw.
As part of his agreement with AEW that allowed for his release, Regal did not appear on WWE programming for the first year of his return. On this week’s show, the British veteran re-emerged and was seen to have had a producing meeting with WWE’s Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels.
Regal appeared alongside Ava, who has been making matches and big decisions as of late. In their segment, Regal confirmed that not only is the fourth-generation wrestler officially the GM of NXT, but at 22 years old, she is the youngest General Manager in WWE history.
Regal pleaded with Ava to take care of NXT, recalling his own role with the gold brand since the very start. The former Intercontinental Champion hardly sold the role, calling it a thankless job that means working long hours and juggling the egos of several Superstars.
Ava admitted that she has big shoes to fill, but she is confident she can do it. Regal concluded the segment stating if she ever needs anything, she knows how to contact him.
Will The Rock lace up his boots and compete against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 this April? There’s a chance…
The Brahma Bull returned to WWE on the Day 1 episode of Raw and teased coming for Reigns’ spot as the Head of the Table. A match between the pair has been teased for years and was at one point locked in for WrestleMania 39.
There’s A Chance
With The Rock’s tease on Raw, many are expecting the long-awaited showdown between himself and Reigns to take place at WrestleMania 40. During an appearance on Hot Take, The Rock, fresh off his appointment to TKO’s Board of Directors, was asked about the possibility of headlining WWE’s grandest stage against the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
“I’m a long-gamer and I like to build. Something like this, what this is [is potentially huge.] If… if myself and Roman Reigns were to main event WrestleMania, and I mean this very respectfully of all the WrestleManias prior, because I grew up in this business and I love it, we could possibly put on, with us as the main event and this incredible group of men and women who are these incredible performers, we could possibly put on the greatest and the biggest WrestleMania of all time.”
When a host sought to confirm if The Rock was saying there was a chance he would wrestle, the Brahma Bull didn’t reject the notion.
“There’s a chance… I love this business, I love pro wrestling, I love WWE. But I also have this deep passion to grow it and to build it. And if we’re going to do something like this, I want the world to watch.”
The Rock has his sights set on Roman Reigns, but the Head of the Table isn’t sweating his cousin…
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
Dwayne Johnson’s excitement over having full ownership of the name ‘The Rock’ goes far deeper than the potential business prospects that this agreement provides.
As part of his deal with TKO, Johnson now has full ownership of the name ‘The Rock’ which until now had been owned by WWE. During an appearance on CNBC, Johnson spoke about the deeper meaning to owning the name.
“There’s the business side of that, as we know. There’s the economics and the Math side of that. But also, it goes much deeper than that. And this idea, the name of The Rock, for me, I owe that name everything. Without that name, there would be no wrestling career.
“There would be no Hollywood career. But also that name was a derivative of my dad Rocky Johnson who was one of the first Black tag-team champions in WWE. A trailblazer paved the way, a man of color. For a kid like me to be embraced in a bigger way when I came along [he was inspirational.]”
Johnson made sure to credit Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel, who was also on the show, for agreeing to give him the name and appointing him to the board.
“I want to acknowledge Ari [Emanuel] and give him his flowers because at the end of the day, he had a million reasons to say no but he found the reason to say yes. And the reason why is because he understood, as he told me face to face ‘This is your name and it comes from your family and that’s important to me.’ So family is very important to us.
“The name ‘The Rock’, this is why it becomes invaluable. The street valuation of the name ‘The Rock’, it’s got some heft behind it. But more importantly than that, it’s something that I’ve earned, I built, and I owe so much to that wild lunatic called ‘The Rock’.
“And by the way, and I told him this last night. The greatest benefit of now completely owning the name ‘The Rock’ [with] no gimmicks, no BS, across the board, full ownership [is] the name ‘The Rock’ years ago, really allowed me to be me, and that’s very special. Thank you Ari.”
The landscape of WWE is set to change dramatically over the next 12 months following the announcement that Raw will be moving to Netflix in January 2025.
The streaming giant has paid $5,000,000,000 for a decade-long agreement with WWE to stream Raw on Netflix. Fans outside the United States will especially benefit from this deal. For those audiences, Netflix will also become the home of SmackDown, WWE NXT, and Premium Live Events including WrestleMania. WWE’s documentaries, original series, and upcoming projects will be accessible on Netflix internationally starting in 2025.
WWE’s Broadcast Landscape
Monday Night Raw won’t be the only WWE brand to be on a new home relative soon, as you can see in the chart below. Last year, it was announced that WWE NXT will begin airing on the CW Network this October. The news about NXT came about mere days after reports that the CW was going to bring the NWA to its broadcast programming. Instead, the NWA is now being featured on the CW app, with some believing that the controversial ‘cocaine’ spot from NWA Samhain ruined the company’s chances.
“Although we’re unable to verify with The Rainmaker himself, one source close to NJPW’s top talent has indicated to Monthly Puroresu that it appears Kazuchika Okada is WWE bound, potentially starting in NXT first.”
Okada has reportedly always dreamed of competing at WrestleMania, an aspiration that those in WWE, including CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque, are well aware of. The Game and NXT head Shawn Michaels have shown “significant interest” in bringing Okada on board.
For any WWE Superstar, being the 30th and final entrant into a Royal Rumble match is a win in and of itself. After all, the #30 spot is mathematically the best position to be in and has produced winners including John Cena, Triple H, The Undertaker, and Cody Rhodes.
But we’re not here to talk about the winners.
While #30 has produced plenty of winners, entering last is far from a guaranteed Rumble victory. Over the decades, we’ve seen plenty of #30 entrants be eliminated as quickly as they entered.
Here are some Superstars who squandered their coveted spot as the #30 entrant.
The Warlord (1992)
Until Santino Marella broke the record in 2009, the Warlord’s name was synonymous with having the shortest stint in a Royal Rumble with 2 seconds at the 1989 Rumble. Well two years later, the Warlord had better luck, but still had an abysmal performance. Lasting 1:43, Warlord scored no eliminations in the 1991 Rumble before being eliminated for the third time in his career by Hulk Hogan.
Adam Bomb (1994)
For a man named ‘Bomb’, the former Superstar failed to make an impact in the 1994 Rumble.
When Adam Bomb made his way to the ring as part of the 1994 Royal Rumble, Vince McMahon on commentary declared “ADAM BOMB IS GOING TO WIN THE ROYAL RUMBLE!” Now mind you, the match still had Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, and Lex Luger all in the bout. As you’ve figured out by now, Bomb didn’t live up to McMahon’s declaration as he was flattened and thrown out by the bigger stars in 4:55
Duke ‘The Dumpster’ Droese (1996)
We can’t help but wonder what the fans in Fresno’s Selland Arena felt when Duke Droese was the final participant in the 1996 Royal Rumble match. Seriously, did a single person think it’d be Bret Hart Vs ‘The Dumpster’ at WrestleMania 12? Droese eliminated nobody before being thrown out by Diesel and Kama after 1:10.
Vader (1998)
A killer in WCW, Vader’s WWF run left a lot to be desired.
Once a top star of Japan and WCW, Vader’s WWF run did not do the superheavyweight justice. Never was that more evident than the 1998 Royal Rumble match, in which Vader lasted just 2:15. His sole elimination saw Vader throw out comedy cameo the Honky Tonk Man, making it clear that the powerhouse was not meant to be taken seriously as a possible winner.
Chyna (1999)
The first woman to enter a Royal Rumble match, Chyna did score a single elimination in the 1999 match, which is more than what most people on this list can boast. But at 35 seconds, it felt like WWE wanted Chyna out of the match as quickly as she came in.
Booker T (2002)
Perhaps the biggest name who joined WWF after WCW’s 2001 demise, Booker T had a rough start in the promotion. While he was Vince McMahon’s pick in the 2002 Rumble match, Booker would last just 33 seconds before being tossed out. It’d be a long time before the talented wrestler would be treated as a main eventer.
Rey Mysterio (2014)
One of wrestling’s most beloved heroes, Rey Mysterio’s entrance as the #30 entrant in 2014 was quite a shock to behold. Simply put, fans wanted Daniel Bryan, and Rey’s arrival snuffed out their last hope. Rey lasted 2:10 and scored 0 eliminations, making his role seem even more egregious.
Dolph Ziggler (2018)
After surrending his newly-won U.S. title in late 2017, fans were curious as to what was to come for Dolph Ziggler. For months, Ziggler was nowhere to be seen, until he returned to programming as the #30 entrant in the 2018 Men’s Rumble match. Unfortunately for the Show-Off, his return was entirely anti-climactic, and he would be eliminated in 2:01 by Finn Balor. Ziggler’s only elimination would see him toss out the cameoing Goldust, who lasted longer in the match than Dolph himself.
Nia Jax (Men’s 2019)
Nobody expected R-Truth, the original #30 entrant in the 2019 Men’s Rumble to win, but the decision to replace him with Nia Jax was entirely bizarre. The following sequence which saw a bunch of male Superstars hit their finishers on Jax wouldn’t help matters either, especially as some fans online seemed too eager to watch her get ganged up on. Jax would eliminate Mustafa Ali before being dumped out herself at 3:09.
Nia Jax (Women’s 2023)
Four years on from her bizarre entry into the Men’s Royal Rumble, Nia Jax made a surprise return to WWE during the 2023 Women’s Rumble. Her big return is probably best remembered for WWE displaying graphics with her name on over ten seconds before her return. Jax eliminated nobody in her 1:57 stint in the match.
Who can fans expect to appear at the 2024 Royal Rumble event…
Kevin Patrick’s days as a commentator on Friday Night SmackDown are coming to an end, SE Scoops can reveal.
Our very own Aaron Varble reports that SmackDown is set to undergo a change that will see Patrick removed from the commentary table. At this time, no replacement has been announced for Patrick, who has been calling the action alongside his After the Bell podcast co-host Corey Graves. When asked for the reason behind the change, the WWE source simply stated “it just wasn’t working out.”
SmackDown set for a change. Kevin Patrick is out. No replacement named yet. Reason I was given: “It just wasn’t working out.”
Before coming to the U.S., Patrick studied journalism at Griffith College Dublin, and worked as part of the RTÉ Sport team covering the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. In 2009, Patrick left Ireland for the U.S. and has worked for CNN in the past. He has also worked for FOX Sports and was the commentator for Atlanta United home games on Apple TV+.
Kevin Patrick isn’t the only notable member of his family. His father Liam was an All-Ireland-winning Gaelic footballer. While Kevin played for Raheny GAA, an injury would cut his athletics career short.
“I was told that one of the things with Kenny’s deal was that they had to pump him full of antibiotics. Apparently, the antibiotics are working. So he may still need surgery but the last report that I got, which was 20 minutes ago, was that things were looking up and that he was doing a lot better and hopefully going to make a full recovery.”
Diverticulitis: The Facts
Diverticulitis affects the large intestine and causes abdominal pain, which is why Omega mistook his situation for a hernia at first. It can be caused by diverticula, which are small, bulging pouches that can form in the lining of your digestive system.
Brock Lesnar and Shane McMahon have both suffered from diverticulitis in the past. Lesnar’s situation would result in surgery and UFC fights being postponed. He would go under the knife in November 2009 and would return to action in July 2010.
We here at SE Scoops are continuing to wish Omega a full and speedy recovery.
CM Punk and Cody Rhodes didn’t disappoint with their war of words during the January 22, 2023, edition of Monday Night Raw.
On this week’s Raw, CM Punk and Cody Rhodes came face-to-face in a meeting of WWE’s two most-popular Superstars. Punk kicked things off by bringing up Dusty Rhodes and recalled the late Hall of Famer asking Punk to watch over a young Cody in OVW in 2007. Punk added he was proud of Rhodes for becoming a big superstar in recent years.
Punk then spoke of this weekend’s Men’s Royal Rumble match, and said he plans on breaking his promise to Dusty (by not watching over Cody and winning the match.) Punk even claimed he’d single out Cody in the match. Punk went even further when he said that his dad was an electrician, before saying that he is more of the American Dream than Cody is.
Rhodes Retorts
Not to be outdone, Cody fired right back at the Best in the World and brought up Punk’s infamous 2011 pipebomb. Rhodes gave Punk props, saying his words inspired countless wrestlers competing today, including himself.
Rhodes then brought up Punk’s 2014 walkout and pointed out that for all his claims during the pipebomb, Punk didn’t do any of them. CM Punk teased joining New Japan Pro Wrestling or returning to Ring of Honor during the 2011 Pipebomb, but did neither. Cody also mentioned that he went to the places Punk claimed he’d go.
Wrestlers, fans, and promotions alike have paid tribute to Francisco Ciatso following his sudden passing at the age of 48.
Ciatso was the subject of a 2019 documentary, Journeyman, and his death was shared publicly by Florida promoter Barry Rose via a Facebook post.
“We’d like to extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Francisco Ciatso, who passed away overnight. Frankie was a part of two CWF Legends Fanfests as he proudly presented the movie based on his life, Journeyman. RIP, champ.”
Tributes to Francisco Ciatso
As a competitor in multiple promotions, Ciatso created several friendships throughout his career. On Twitter, WWE Raw General Manager Adam Pearce was at a loss for words.
Godspeed, Frankie Ciatso. You were always good to me. I have no words. Another brother gone. Rest well, hermano. ?
Eric Koenreich recalled working with Fransico during his career. He said that Ciatso was a larger-than-life personality both in and out of the ring.
This is how far back I went with Frankie. I had only taken a handful of bumps when I started to go to IPW shows. One thing I’ll always remember is how much he loved being a worker. Dude was just as big of a personality outside of the ring as he was inside. pic.twitter.com/NZetk4ok2K
TNA Wrestling also shared their condolences to Ciatso’s friends and family. Ciatso appeared for the promotion off and on as Frankie Capone.
We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Frank Caiazzo, who appeared in TNA as Francisco Ciatso and Frankie Capone. We offer our heartfelt condolences to his friends and family. pic.twitter.com/me6jIdEp2J
Byron Saxton said that Ciatso was the definition of passion and fortitude in the wrestling business.
Shocked and saddened to learn of @FranciscoCiatso’s passing. Anyone who has spent time on the Florida independent wrestling scene over the last 25-plus years in all likelihood encountered or knew Francisco. The true definition of passion and fortitude. Rest in Paradise friend. pic.twitter.com/glhaHM4BqS
— Brian Heffron aka The Blue Meanie (@BlueMeanieBWO) January 22, 2024
The NWA’s Jeremiah Plunkett recalled Ciatso helping him through some difficult times in his tribute.
RIP @FranciscoCiatso. From locker room laughs to being total goofs as #TheJourneyman, Frankie was the epitome of a good brother. His smile brightened every locker room. He helped me through tough times & always reminded me to have fun. I appreciate, love, & will miss you, bud. pic.twitter.com/YuxYrO77rm
On this week’s Raw, Hogan looked back on the magic of his first World Championship win, and spoke about the Royal Rumble event that will take place this weekend. Teasing involvement in the match, Hogan said that you never know who may show up, adding “I might have one left in me.”
Hogan is one of three men to have won back-to-back Royal Rumble matches, putting him in an elite class with ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels. The Hulkster was the first person in history to win multiple Rumble matches, having emerged victorious in 1990 and 1991. Hogan has competed in four Royal Rumble matches in his career. Combined, he has scored 27 eliminations and has lasted a total of 56:49
Royal Rumble 2024
Here is the card for the WWE 2024 Royal Rumble PLE as it currently stands:
Men’s Royal Rumble match (Confirmed entrants: Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre, GUNTHER, Chad Gable, Otis, Akira Tozawa, Kofi Kingston, Damian Priest)
Women’s Royal Rumble match (Confirmed entrants: Bayley, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Nia Jax, Maxxine Dupri, Ivy Nile)
Roman Reigns (c) (with Paul Heyman) vs. Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles vs. LA Knight (Undisputed WWE Universal Championship)
Logan Paul (c) vs. Kevin Owens (WWE United States Championship)
Who should fans expect to see return at the Royal Rumble…
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson may be one of the biggest stars in the world, but he’ll always have time to meet the fine folks at Make-A-Wish.
In the video, The Rock recalled meeting 21 children from the Make-A-Wish foundation, who were thrilled to hang out with the People’s Champion. In the video, The Rock reflected on how incredible the experience was for him.
“I anticipated having a great day hey but today was something unlike I’ve ever experienced.”
The Brahma Bull also reflected on his family’s history with Make-A-Wish and was honored to be performing in the same role as his father Rocky Johnson.
“We [myself and Make-A-Wish] go way way back. Make-A-Wish and my dad, granting the first wish in the state of New Jersey. I was 11 at that time the concept of that, I remember then being blown away. Like ‘wait this is this little kid’s wish?’
“I always say that, you know, really they’re the heroes and their families are the superstars. It’s unbelievable and what an honor and and a privilege that I get to meet these kids to surprise them and it just gets no better than this.”
As part of the day’s festivities, The Rock toured Universal Studios with the kids and their families, and answered questions about his role in the Fast and Furious franchise.
Later in the day, The Rock hosted a special party for the kids and their families. The Hollywood A-Lister gifted Project Rock merch and a Rock-themed Xbox to each kid, courtesy of ‘Dwanta Claus.’ Johnson also made sure to speak to every kid in one-on-one conversations and gave them some words of wisdom.
Did The Rock reveal a massive WWE future plan when meeting a kid from Make-A-Wish…
Dwayne Johnson has added another accolade to his impressive resume by being inducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.
Years before he was wowing fans as The Rock, Johnson played for the Miami Hurricanes as a defensive tackle. This week, The former WWE Champion was inducted into the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame, which recognizes athletes from Tonga, Samoa and surrounding islands. On Twitter, the Most Electrifying Man in Sports Entertainment was honored to receive the induction.
Thank you Fam. Life’s road is long, wild and unpredictable. Core values & relentless work ethic principles I learned at @CanesFootball. Honored and grateful to be inducted in the @PolynesianFBHOF ?? https://t.co/nj57zxxnub
Speaking about the Brahma Bull, former Miami head coach Dennis Erickson recalled Johnson’s time with the University of Miami via the College Football Hall of Fame:
“Back then, he was a broad-shouldered defensive lineman and his teammates called him ‘Dewey’. He was often spotted walking around campus in a lava-lava skirt singing country music.”
During Johnson’s time at Miami, he was responsible for 77 tackles and 4.25 sacks, according to Pro Football Network.
One WWE NXT Superstar hopes to make an impression in this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble match, which will take place later this week.
On Twitter this week, the USA Network account asked fans who they’d like to see in the upcoming Royal Rumble matches. In a response, NXT Superstar Thea Hail made clear she wants in her first Women’s Royal Rumble match.
This year’s Women’s Rumble match will be the seventh in history after the match type was introduced in 2018. Previous winners of the Women’s Rumble match include Asuka, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Bianca Belair, Ronda Rousey, and reigning Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley.
Thea Hail is Over-The-Top
While Hail has yet to compete in a Royal Rumble match, the Chase U member has seen success in over-the-top-rope battle royals. Hail has competed in five battle royals in WWE and with a victory in 2 of those matches, she boasts a 40% win record. Hail was part of the battle royal that took place on last week’s WWE NXT, but failed to make it to the final four.
WWE Royal Rumble 2024
Here is the card for the WWE 2024 Royal Rumble PLE as it currently stands:
Men’s Royal Rumble match (Confirmed entrants: Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre, GUNTHER.
New Japan Pro Wrestling has been very good to Kazuchika Okada, so it’s not hard to see why there’d be a temptation to stay. In an interview with Tokyo Sports, however, Okada explained that this comfort in New Japan was a factor in his decision to leave.
“Maybe if I stay here, I can wrestle without any inconvenience. But I don’t want to become the same Kazuchika Okada without such hunger.
“I don’t want to be in a situation where I have to rest on my laurels. If I were “human” Okada, I would have friends here, and I would be in the best environment. But as “wrestler” Okada, it was different.”
