WWE Superstar Charlotte Flair is set to star in an upcoming independent horror/thriller film in a massive move from the former Women’s Champion. 

You Lose You Die follows sociopathic tech expert Mr. Fantastik (Freddy Rodriguez, Six Feet Under), who runs a show on the dark web. Views get to vote on the challengers for prisoners to participate in with a defeat resulting in their grisly demise. Fantasik is aided in these sick broadcasts with the help of Mr. Creep (Anthony Alvarez) and Ms. Perfect (Flair.)

This won’t be Flair’s first time working a big production outside WWE. Flair’s film debut came as Heather Rockrear in 2017’s Psych: The Movie, a spin-off of the popular show about a fake psychic investigator. In 2021, she starred as herself in a remake of Punky Brewster alongside fellow WWE Superstar Alexa Bliss. 

Flair being involved in the project is a huge score for the second-generation Superstar who has been out of action since December 2023 with a leg injury. In a recent interview, Charlotte’s father Ric said the younger Flair is “so far ahead” in her recovery but will stick with the nine-month recovery window that places her return in the latter half of 2024. 

2023: thank you for all the lessons.
2024: I’m coming for it all. ? pic.twitter.com/lPOqNy4BzN

— Charlotte Flair (@MsCharlotteWWE) April 28, 2024

Charlotte Flair won’t be the only WWE name attached to the project. Josh Bredl will appear as Mr. Large, who based on his name also works for Fantasik. Bredl won the 2015 Tough Enough alongside the late Sara Lee and was guaranteed a one-year contract with WWE. After a run at NXT live events under the name Bronson Matthews, he was released in November 2017. 

• Becky Lynch: Charlotte’s A Huge Part of My Journey, I Love We’re Friends Again

WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker isn’t a fan of the idea of being roasted but has some names he’d love to see in the proverbial hot seat. 

The recent roast of NFL legend Tom Brady proved to be a huge talking point among sports fans, so it’s hardly a surprise that there’s speculation as to whether the Phenom could find himself on the receiving end of some light-hearted barbs. On his Six Feet Under podcast, the idea was brought up to The Undertaker who was not a fan. 

“Will you stop saying that?! [he said in response to his co-host Matt Lida talking about a potential roast.] You know WWE, they monitor this, right?… I’m telling you what, if this somehow miraculously happens, me and you, we’re going to have problems.”

While The Undertaker isn’t interested in being subject to a roast, he did have an idea as to which legends should be roasted.

“There are a lot of guys that come before I did that need to be roasted. Hulk Hogan… [Ric] Flair would be good, but he’s affiliated with the wrong [company.]” 

Lida put forward Tony Hinchcliffe as the Master of Ceremonies for a roast of the Phenom, following on from Lida’s success with the Tom Brady roast. This again was met with resistance from The Undertaker who stated “I don’t know.”

With decades of stories in the wrestling business, a roast of The Undertaker would surely be an entertaining affair. But while the Hall of Famer has left kayfabe behind, the Deadman remains adamant that The Undertaker won’t be subject to a roast anytime soon. 

• The Undertaker: ‘Paul Bearer Would’ve Been Okay With WrestleMania 29 Angle‘

The CW Network had no issue with the infamous ‘cocaine’ spot from NWA Samhain 2023, according to NWA President Billy Corgan. 

The controversial spot saw ‘Sinister Minister’ James Mitchell snort a white powder during the October 28 event. While never explicitly stated during the broadcast, many saw this as the (staged) use of cocaine during the broadcast which sparked plenty of negative reactions. 

• Tyrus’ Push & Cocaine Spot Cause NWA to Lose Out On Top-Tier Indy Talent

At the time, the NWA was in talks with The CW to bring Powerrr to its network, but in the days following Samhain, it was announced that WWE NXT would be coming to the network instead. Many saw this five-deal with WWE’s gold brand as fallout for the NWA following the ‘cocaine’ spot. Speaking on In The Weeds, Corgan recalled the reaction at the time. 

“After the ‘cocaine spot’ where Sinister Minister and his hot minions were snorting sugar off a table in Cleveland, that story took a life of its own… Certainly one of the top people at CW called me and said, ‘What is this all about?’ I said, ‘I don’t know. No one in your world has reached out to me.’ He said, ‘There is no problem over here.'”

Corgan added that rather than be outraged to the point of nixing a deal, The CW found the spot, and the backlash online, to be rather funny. Rather than be on TV, Episodes of NWA Powerrr are now available on The CW app. A new reality show ‘Billy Corgan’s Adventures in Carnyland‘ will also be part of The CW. 

Vince McMahon has every intention to continue forward in the business world, which may explain his conduct regarding Janel Grant’s lawsuit.

McMahon’s only business-adjacent actions since his WWE exit in January 2024 have seen the 78-year-old unload stock in TKO Group Holdings. More recently, McMahon filed a motion in which he made a series of claims against Grant that she wishes to see struck from the record. McMahon’s legal team have called Grant’s efforts to strike the claims the “height of hypocrisy.”

• Vince McMahon Memorandum Claims He Was Janel Grant’s “Best Friend”

On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer discussed McMahon’s claims, in which he states that Grant was a willing participant in their relationship.

“They need to rehabilitate his image enough to where he can do business as a businessman because that’s what he wants to do. Whether it’s wrestling, which apparently from what I’m told it’s not wrestling, but he absolutely wants to do this.”

If McMahon is able to re-establish himself in the business world post-Grant, it’s not expected to be as part of WWE. Not only has McMahon listed all his TKO stock for sale, but there is said to be nobody left defending him in the company. 

• Vince McMahon’s Former Allies in WWE Have Given Up Defending Ex-CEO

It was added that McMahon hopes to avoid being compared to disgraced movie producer Harvey Weinstein. AEW President Tony Khan recently claimed that WWE was the Weinstein of wrestling while AEW is the Pepsi of the industry.

“He wants to not have this name, he doesn’t want to be Harvey Weinstein. The only way he can do that is to basically make it look like and portray it as this crazy, lying woman. ‘I absolutely had an affair with her, but all that stuff that she said, every single bit of it, is not true.'”

WWE and John Laurinaitis, who are also named as defendants have sided with McMahon in his efforts to compel arbitration. McMahon is being represented in proceedings by Kasowitz Benson Torres. Ironically, the firm recently settled a lawsuit against WWE that saw Major League Wrestling paid $20 million. 

The roster of Soft Ground Wrestling will compete for the promotion’s newly introduced championship title in the latest big step for the Ugandan company. 

On Twitter, SGW Uganda shared the new title belt which comes courtesy of championship title makers Royal Belts and Michael L Ledesma. A tournament will crown the first champion though there is no word on who will participate. 

Appreciative thanx @royalbelts to Mr. Micheal L Ledesma for the donation made of a brand new sgw championship belt. May God bless you. We happily received it well packaged. Sgw now has a brand new tittle belt that is undergoing a tournament. pic.twitter.com/Q8Hr8LdJZg

— SGW @soft ground wrestling Uganda (@SGWug) May 13, 2024

What is Soft Ground Wrestling? 

Soft Ground Wrestling Uganda has become a hit online in recent months after notable names began sharing the promotion on social media. Both AEW’s Will Ospreay and TNA Wrestling’s Jordynne Grace donated to a GoFundMe fundraiser aimed at providing a standard wrestling ring as well as other operating needs.

A recent fundraiser for the company raised over $28,000 to further help with operational costs. Names involved in the charity stream included AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland, TNA X-Division Champion Mustafa Ali, and Tough Enough-winner turned popular wrestling YouTuber Maven Huffman.

Former WWE Superstar Mansoor added that his mother would be personally purchasing a van for SGW Uganda to help the company’s efforts. The incredibly generous offer was made in memory of her father who gifted them a van when Mansoor’s sister was born.

• Wrestlers & More Raise Over $28,000 For Popular Soft Ground Wrestling Uganda Promotion

Tammy Sytch’s time in the courtroom isn’t over yet as the disgraced wrestling personality has been called as a witness in a lawsuit regarding the 2022 car crash. 

The crash resulted in the death of 75-year-old Julian Lasseter after his vehicle was struck by the vehicle Sytch was driving at the time. Sytch originally entered a not-guilty plea but later changed to no contest, indicating that she did not accept blame but would not fight against a conviction. 

• Tammy Sytch Laughs & Sobs After Being Handed 17-Year Prison Sentence

Lynch will be back in court soon enough but she won’t be facing trial this time around. This lawsuit has been filed by Jana Olivova, a passenger in another car that was impacted during the incident. Olivvova is seeking in excess of $50,000 in damages and the case is set to go to trial on July 9 in Volusia County, Florida. 

Olivova had originally filed a suit against Sytch, Pente, and insurance company Geico but an amended lawsuit filed in July 2023 listed Geico as the sole defendant. Pente was Sytch’s partner at the time of the crash and it was her car that she was driving at the time. 

In her original lawsuit, Olivova alleged that she had “suffered bodily injury including a permanent injury to the body as a whole.” It’s also alleged that she suffered physical and mental pain, loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life, loss of earnings, and loss of ability to lead and enjoy a normal life. 

What’s to Come? 

Sytch is still facing a civil lawsuit from the estate of Hulian Lasseter. At this time, there are no scheduled hearings. More immediately, Sytch will remain in the Florida Department of Corrections until December 2039 after being sentenced in November 2023. 

Teddy Long may have been part of the wrestling business for decades, but some of his most signature traits came from outside of the industry. 

During his time as SmackDown’s General Manager, Long would often dance to his theme song which was first used by Rodney Mack, a Superstar Long once managed. Speaking on the Insight podcast, Long shared how his dance came about. 

“My grandson, he’s 19 now. Well when he was two years old, we were trying to learn him how to walk. So we bought this walker that we put him in… Every time we put him in this walker, all he would do would bop up and down like that. So I went to TV one night and they’re playing my music but I was just thinking about him. So I was having fun and just started doing the dance.

“One night, I got ready to walk out, and just as I got to the curtain, Vince is standing up. He’s yelling ‘DO THAT DANCE!’ What dance? And he starts doing it! And that’s how the dance started.”

Long’s signature dance would often be accompanied by him announcing some match or telling a wrestler ‘Let me tell you something playa.’ In the interview, Long explained how it wasn’t his grandson, but his dog that inspired his signature ‘playa.’

“I had a golden retriever, his name was Boss. I got him as a puppy but as he got bigger and bigger, Boss started getting in the way. So every time, I’m like ‘Come on Playa. Get out of the way Playa.’ I’m just talking to him and one night I went to TV I started using slang, calling people playa.”

Long is no longer a regular on WWE TV but is always met with cheers during appearances on programming. Whenever he does appear, odds are you’ll hear a ‘Playa’ or two and see his dance, a testament to how popular these parts of his character have become. 

For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.

Border City Wrestling will come to Toronto, Ontario this June for the promotion’s first event since the controversial exit of Scott D’Amore from TNA Wrestling. 

D’Amore, who served as TNA’s President for years, was let go by Anthem mere weeks after the highly successful relaunch at TNA Hard to Kill. The decision outraged fans as well as those on the roster, with D’Amore’s constant efforts for years being seen as the reason why TNA had not gone out of business or been purchased by WWE long ago. The decision to replace D’Amore with Anthem’s own President Anthony Cicone also did not go over well with wrestling fans.

• What Was Said AT TNA’s Meeting with Talent After Scott D’Amore’s Firing?

Now, D’Amore will be part of the upcoming Border City Wrestling event that will take place at the St. Clair College Sportsplex on Saturday, June 15. The show will feature hockey legend and four-time Stanley Cup Champion Darren McCarty in attendance with a statement by BCW teasing that he could step in the ring. 

Despite the circumstances surrounding D’Amore’s exit, the BCW show will feature names associated with TNA Wrestling. Bhupinder Gujjar, the recipient of the 2024 St. Clair College Alumni of Distinction Award, will be a part of the event, as will Sheldon Jean. 

The show will have free admission. Click here to find out more information about the event.

What’s to Come? 

D’Amore will be kept pretty busy with Border City Wrestling but he may soon have another promotion to work with. A recent trademark filing was made for Maple Leaf Wrestling with the address listed being the same as the Border City Wrestling school. Maple Leaf Wrestling dates back to the 1970s when Frank Tunney operated the promotion out of Toronto. The name was later used by the WWF. 

Janel Grant wanted to be the best friend of Vince McMahon as well as surgery paid for by the ex-WWE Chairman, a legal representative of McMahon has claimed. 

Grant has alleged that she was sexually abused and trafficked by McMahon and was used by others in WWE including John Laurinaitis. McMahon has denied all claims against him but stepped down from WWE in January 2024 due to the lawsuit. 

• WWE Siding with McMahon & Laurinaitis In Efforts To Compel Arbitration 

In more recent weeks, McMahon and other defendants have tried to compel arbitration that would see the matter settled outside of court. Grant’s legal team has rejected the notion and has filed for recent comments made by McMahon to be struck from the record. These comments share “vicious falsehoods attacking Janel’s moral character” according to this motion. 

In the most recent response from McMahon’s legal team, they claim that Grant’s effort to strike McMahon’s comments are the “height of hypocrisy” given what she has alleged about him. The new memorandum adds that the discovery in this case will show the following: 

• That she [Grant] was in love with him [McMahon] and he was the love of her life
• That he was her best friend
• That she wanted to have sex with him and provided graphic detail
• That she fantasized about being held down, enjoyed being in pain, and wanted rough sex
• That she wanted Defendant to watch her have sex with other people and know about her sex with others
• That she wanted Defendant to give her thousands of dollars for clothes, plastic surgery, and other gifts
• That she wanted to have a future with Defendant even after signing the Agreement.
• That she wanted Defendant to keep living in the same building, so she could continue to see him, even after signing the Agreement

This is hardly the first time McMahon’s legal team have tried to assert that Grant was a willing participant in their ‘relationship.’ Jessica Rosenburg, a member of McMahon’s team, has claimed that Grant was in love with McMahon and her lawsuit is revenge for their relationship ending. 

Talks between WWE and Jesse Ventura would not be happening if not for the promotion’s change of regime, the Hall of Famer has claimed. 

In April, it was reported that ‘The Body’ was speaking with WWE for the first time in a considerable amount of years. On an edition of Frank Morano’s podcast, Venture gave further details about these talks. 

“I am back negotiating with them. We’re in talks right now. I have contracts with my attorney right now with WWE. We don’t know right now fully. They want to bring me back under their Legends [deal].”

Ventura noted that there aren’t many names associated with the first WrestleMania who are left. He named Roddy Piper, Paul Orndorff, Andre the Giant, and Junkyard Dog as some of the many names associated with WrestleMania 1 who are no longer with us. 

The former Minnesota Governor has had a strained relationship with WWE for years, thanks in part to his successful lawsuit against Vince McMahon. The late 80s suit saw Ventura paid royalties for Home Video releases in which he provided commentary, despite McMahon insisting that only in-ring talent should be paid. On the podcast, Ventura said his ongoing talks only came about now that McMahon is gone., 

“I can only say [negotiations] happened because of the change in direction of the company.”

Despite the lawsuit, Ventura made a return as a guest referee at SummerSlam 1999 (which took place in Minnesota during his time as governor.) He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2004 and made an appearance on Raw in 2009. It remains to be seen when fans will next see ‘The Body’ on WWE TV but with a Legends deal in the works, it could be sooner than you’d think. 

AEW wrestler Cash Wheeler of FTR will be relieved that the criminal case against him related to an incident from July 2023 has been officially dropped. 

The former AEW World Tag Team Champion had been arrested and charged with one count of aggravated assault with a firearm. Wheeler had been in a ‘road rage’ and had flashed his gun to another driver. He had pleaded not guilty to the charge. Despite this situation, Wheeler was allowed to work last August’s All In pay-per-view, where FTR defeated the Young Bucks. 

Now, the case against Wheeler has been officially dropped, PW Insider reports. The prosecutor’s office has filed a ‘Nolle Prosequi’, indicating their decision to abandon the case and forego pursuing charges against Wheeler. At this time, it is not stated why the case against him has been dropped. Wheeler had been scheduled to face trial on May 20.

This news will come as a huge relief to Wheeler who has remained active on AEW programming despite his legal situation. Wheeler will be a part of the upcoming Double or Nothing pay-per-view and will compete in the Anarchy in the Arena match. The show will see The Elite (the Bucks, Kazuchika Okada, and Jack Perry) face Team AEW (Wheeler, Dax Harwood, Bryan Danielson and Eddie Kingston.)

• Eddie Kingston Suffers Leg Injury At NJPW Resurgence

Wheeler is fortunate that the case against him has been dropped and will hopefully use this as motivation to stay on the proverbial straight and narrow from here on. With his place as one of AEW’s top tag-team wrestlers cemented, the last thing Wheeler needs is to jeopardize that spot with another legal issue.

Bob Bruggers, a wrestling staple whose career was tragically cut short following a 1975 plane crash, has passed away at the age of 80. 

Bruggers entered the wrestling business in 1972 and would quickly make a name for himself in the Minnesota-based AWA as well as other territories. In 1974, Bruggers and Paul Jones won the NWA Mid-Atlantic Tag Team Championship after dethroning Gene and Ole Anderson. Their 87-day reign was ended by Rip Hawk and a rookie by the name of Ric Flair. 

Outside of the ring, Bruggers played collegiate basketball but made a big name for himself in Football. He would play six seasons in the NFL as part of the Miami Dolphins and San Diego Chargers before entering pro-wrestling. 

Bruggers’ Plane Crash

On October 4, 1975, Bruggers’ career in wrestling came to an end due to being part of an infamous plane crash. Bruggers had initially not been scheduled to be on the flight but in need of fast transportation, took Jim Crockett Jr’s invitation to take his place on the Cessna 310 as Crockett was ill. The crash would injure all on board, including David Crockett, Ric Flair, Johnny Valentine, and Tim Woods. The pilot would succumb to his injuries. 

Bruggers’ suffered a broken ankle and multiple spinal fractures due to the crash that also ended the career of Valiant. The crash occurred after it was discovered that the plane could not take off given the weight of the passengers. Rather than leave someone behind, the plane was drained of a lot of fuel and ran out of fuel before reaching its North Carolina destination.

Bruggers After Wrestling

After his career in the ring ended, Bruggers worked as a sales manager for a tool company. Upon receiving an insurance settlement related to the plane crash, he moved to West Palm Beach, Florida, and opened a bar. He was inducted into the University of Minnesota’s “M” Club Hall of Fame in 2002 and his accomplishments in football and basketball were recognized.

We at SE Scoops would like to offer our sincere condolences to those who knew Bruggers at this sad time. 

WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Bianca Belair has shared what was a very bad day for her outside of the ring full of unfortunate situations. 

Taking to her Instagram Stories, Belair shared that she dropped her phone in the toilet in what was only the start of her very bad day. From there, Belair’s hair caught on fire after coming in contact with a candle and she was also throw a knife. The EST’s bad luck wouldn’t be confined just to her as Belair would also step on the wedding dress of her sister. Despite all of this, the reigning WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion tried to remain optimistic and said that it had been a good day despite all these unfortunate situations. 

What’s to Come for Bianca Belair? 

While Belair’s day may not have been the best (but still apparently good,) her role on WWE programming is especially high right now. Belair is in her first reign as a WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion. She and Jade Cargill won the titles at WWE Backlash France, in the first taste of any gold for Cargill since she joined WWE last September. 

Both champions are part of the ongoing Queen of the Ring tournament and both were successful in their first-round matches. On the May 17, episode of WWE SmackDown, Cargill will face Nia Jax in the quarter-finals while Belair will take on Tiffany Stratton. Should Belair and Cargill win their respective matches, the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions will face each other in the semi-finals on the May 24, episode of WWE SmackDown. 

The popularity of Jey Uso at WWE Backlash France did not go unnoticed by higher-ups who aim to capitalize on how ‘over’ he is. 

At WWE’s first-ever French Premium Live Event, Jey challenged Damian Priest for the World Heavyweight Championship. This marked Priest’s first title defense at a PLE after capturing the title by cashing in his Money in the Bank contract at WWE WrestleMania: Sunday. 

Jey didn’t win the World Heavyweight Championship in Lyon but he was one of the most popular stars at the show, perhaps second only behind Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. The reaction from the crowd to Jey’s entrance at Backlash France has caught the attention of WWE higher-ups, Fightful Select reports.  

WWE intends to encourage fans to replicate the Lyon crowd’s reaction during Jey Uso’s entrances in future events. The lighting will continue to be dimmed during his entrance to encourage fans to use their phones as light like what we saw in Lyon. Any time Jey’s theme is played in mainstream media, such as at a recent NBA game, will be highlighted on WWE TV. 

• Jey Uso On His Viral Entrance At WWE Backlash: ‘I Felt Like Bray Wyatt Was Showing Love To Me’

What’s to Come? 

Fans will have ample opportunity to see Jey Uso on the May 13, episode of WWE Raw, where he will compete in a King of the Ring quarter-finals against Ilja Dragunov. Should he be successful, he’ll move on to the semi-finals where he will face either GUNTHER or Jey Uso. 

WWE’s focus on promoting Jey’s entrance certainly bodes well for his future. After over a decade on WWE TV as a tag-team specialist, Jey is finding his stride as a singles star. And while he may not have become the WWE World Heavyweight Champion in Lyon, there may be more opportunities lined up for ‘Main Event’ Jey.

Today is International Mother’s Day where people take time to celebrate the moms that have helped shape those lives. In the world of wrestling, there is no exception, and several names from the squared circle have shared their love for their moms. 

On Twitter, WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Jade Cargill gave a shout-out to all her fellow ‘mommies’ in the world. 

Happy Mother’s Day to all the fellow mommy’s!!! ?????

— Jade Cargill (@Jade_Cargill) May 12, 2024

Anthony Bowens shared a graduation photo of himself and his mom in tribute to the “most amazing woman.”

Happy Mother’s Day to the most amazing woman in the world pic.twitter.com/gbtPHGWHX9

— Anthony Bowens (@Bowens_Official) May 12, 2024

The Miz was appreciative of Maryse, his wife and the mother of their two daughters. The couple’s relationship was detailed on their show ‘Miz and Mrs.’

Happy Mother’s Day to the woman who amazes me daily. No matter what life throws at you, you take it on with strength, courage and confidence. Whenever I see you with Monroe and Madison it brings a smile to my face. Your love, patience, and guidance shape them into the incredible… pic.twitter.com/fvbegaSStw

— The Miz (@mikethemiz) May 12, 2024

Matt Cardona shared his love for all moms, but especially his own. The Indy God shared plenty of photos of his mom from throughout his life. 

Happy Mother’s Day….especially to the best mom…mine! I love you! pic.twitter.com/ZBd1Q4fzo2

— Matt Cardona (@TheMattCardona) May 12, 2024

Matt Hardy had plenty of love to his wife Reby Hardy, the mother of the couple’s four children. Matt said he’s lucky to have Reby in his life. 

Happy Mother’s Day to the best Mom I could ever wish for, @RebyHardy! Thank you for sacrificing your body, time, heart & soul to give us this beautiful family & to help me shape them into unique, special & great people. I love you & am so lucky to have you as my wife & partner in… pic.twitter.com/jrG7NjMvOs

— MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) May 12, 2024

WWE NXT Superstar Cora Jade shared her love for ‘her mom’ AJ Lee. The WWE legend was a big inspiration for Jade, who also jokes that CM Punk is her father. 

Happy Mother’s Day @TheAJMendez

— Cora Jade (@CoraJadeWWE) May 12, 2024

Brandi Rhodes’ mother day message made clear she’s privileged to be the mother to her and Cody’s daughter Liberty. 

Such a privilege to be her mom. Happy Mother's Day ?? pic.twitter.com/jARJrLTDtZ

— Brandi Rhodes (@TheBrandiRhodes) May 12, 2024

WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus was pleased she was able to celebrate her mom with the rest of her family present. 

A once in a lifetime trip! So happy we all got to be together on your birthday last week to celebrate you with all your daughters by your side .. and the Aegean Sea on our other side!

To the best mama in the world, you have shaped each of us into the unique women we are today,… pic.twitter.com/KNjRdI3Qav

— Trish Stratus (@trishstratuscom) May 12, 2024

Indi Hartwell gave a video shout-out to all the moms in Australia, the home of the former WWE NXT Women’s Champion. 

A special message from #WWE Superstar @indi_hartwell this Mother's Day! #WWEAustralia pic.twitter.com/NT3ayX0Eqa

— WWE Australia (@WWEAustralia) May 11, 2024

AEW’s Mariah May sees Toni Storm as a maternal figure, so it’s hardly a surprise her mother’s day message was dedicated to the Women’s World Champion. 

Happy Mother’s Day ? @AEW #hotgirlgraps pic.twitter.com/SYfXc54sXy

— Mariah May ? (@MariahMayx) May 12, 2024

Big E, Liv Morgan, Baron Corbin, and other WWE Superstars shared how much their moms mean to them. 

As we celebrate Mother’s Day, @WWEBigE, @YaOnlyLivvOnce, @BaronCorbinWWE and more WWE Superstars explain what their mothers mean to them.

?? https://t.co/sqiXM41bjq pic.twitter.com/yoY8oFgWzv

— WWE (@WWE) May 12, 2024

After losing his mom in February of this year, Jay Lethal reflected on how fortunate he was to have such a supportive mother. 

Tomorrow is #MothersDay, a day of celebrating those who have helped raise us. For @TheLethalJay, it’s a day of reflection on the special woman he called “mom”. pic.twitter.com/uvHYprO3N6

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 11, 2024

And more AEW stars gave shoutouts to their moms in a video from the company’s Twitter account. 

Happy #MothersDay from #AEW! pic.twitter.com/yf88GoOGkQ

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 12, 2024

We at SE Scoops would like to share our best wishes to all the incredible moms out there. 

The popularity of Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is proving impossible to ignore with the SmackDown Superstar reaching a high-point with Fanatics. 

Rhodes merch is often in high demand at WWE live events and all of those sales have been adding up. The American Nightmare is the only wrestler to appear on Fanatics’ top ten list of overall sellers, Fightful Select reports. This is no small feat for Rhodes as Fanatics carries NBA and NFL products amongst its catalog as well as WWE. 

These figures will come as good news to higher-ups in WWE who have selected Rhodes as the face of the ‘new era.’ The report adds that The Undertaker recently did a signing for Fanatics but WWE is looking beyond Fanatics for moving their licensed merch. 

• Cody Rhodes Dominates WWE Merch Sales Over ‘Final Boss’ The Rock

WWE And Fanatics

A deal between WWE and Fanatics was reached in March 2022, mere days before Rhodes’ return to the promotion at WrestleMania 38. The deal has seen Fanatics sell several items of licensed merch ranging from t-shirts to replica championship title belts. At the time of the agreement’s inception, then-WWE Chairman Vince McMahon described Fanatics as an “industry leader” and Fanatics founder/CEO Michael Rubin as a “visionary.”

What’s to Come? 

Rhodes merch will surely be in high demand at the upcoming WWE King And Queen of the Ring event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The May 25, show will see Rhodes defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against the U.S. Champion Logan Paul. While Rhodes’ title is the only on the line at this time, Cody has teased on social media that the match will see both titles on the line.

• Fanatics CEO Surprised By ‘Absolutely Insane’ WWE Merchandise Sales

Eddie Kingston may have suffered a serious injury during his appearance at NJPW Resurgence which has raised questions about upcoming plans in AEW. 

At the event, Kingston lost the NJPW Strong Openweight Championship to Gabe Kidd in a No-Ropes Last Man Standing Match. Kingston had held the title since 311 days after winning the title at NJPW Independence Day in July 2023. 

Unfortunately, it appears that Kingston may have suffered an injury during the match. As Bryan Alvarez explained, Kidd delivered a suplex to Kingston to the outside of the ring and noted that Kingston’s leg “hit that barricade so hard.” Dave Meltzer agreed, adding that it “scared the hell out of me.”

Alvarez noted that Kingston immediately grabbed his leg after the spot which proved to be the finish of the match. It was also stated that Kingston was “not moving” for minutes after the match but was able to pull himself up for the post-match segment with The Elite. 

Kingston was “limping bad backstage” in another worrying sign for the now-former Openweight Champion. There were concerns at the event that the Mad King would not be able to do the post-match angle. 

There’s no update on Kingston’s status but this situation could jeopardize plans for AEW Double or Nothing. During the May 8, episode of AEW Dynamite, Kingston was revealed as part of Team AEW that will battle the Elite in Anarchy in the Arena. Kingston will be joined by Bryan Danielson and FTR if this situation doesn’t keep him from the upcoming pay-per-view.  

• Eddie Kingston Doesn’t Regret “Whatever” Attitude to WWE Tryout

Sami Zayn got some serious laughs at his performance at the Netflix Is A Joke festival, despite the presence of his WrestleMania 38 adversary Johnny Knoxville. 

The Jackass and Bad Grandpa star went in disguise to the event that has taken over Los Angeles from May 2 to May 12. Knoxville donned a blonde wig and fake mustache to watch Zayn’s set. 

Knoxville wasn’t the only notable name to appear during Zayn’s stand-up. WWE Women’s World Champion Becky Lynch was also at the show as well as Cathy Kelly, according to attendee Glenn Rubenstein. Ron Funches, Tony Hinchcliffe, and Wee Man also made cameo appearances. 

Knoxville Vs. Zayn

Johnny Knoxville and Sami Zayn became adversaries in 2022 and tensions grew after the actor cost Zayn the WWE Intercontinental Championship. The two did battle at WWE WrestleMania 38 in an ‘Anything Goes’ match that was won by Knoxville. 

Even with Zayn now a babyface, the ‘animosity’ between the two continues. Knoxville was seen jeering and booing at WWE WrestleMania 39 when Zayn and Kevin Owens won the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships. 

Fans shouldn’t count out one more match between the actor and Zayn, who regained the Intercontinental Championship at WWE WrestleMania 40. On Twitter, Rubenstein suggested that the pair “may have set up a rematch tonight.”

As for Zayn, his next major match will come at WWE King And Queen Of The Ring later this month. The Canadian will defend against both Chad Gable and ‘Big’ Bronson Reed in Saudi Arabia. 

Reigning AEW TNT Champion Adam Copeland retained his title on the latest episode of Collision and also made history in the process. 

In the main event of the show, Copeland retained the title against Kyle O’Reilly, who was competing in his hometown of Vancouver, British Columbia. Not only did Copeland retain the title, but this marked the 100th title defense of the AEW Championship, a first for any championship in the All-Elite promotion.

It’s main event time! #TNT Champion Adam Copeland defends his title in a landmark 100th defense. A first for ANY championship in #AEW!

Watch #AEWCollision LIVE on TBS!@RatedRCope pic.twitter.com/nlI5Ei21Mt

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 12, 2024

Copleand was able to defend his gold against O’Reilly but the story of the match didn’t stop there. After the match, the two Canadian wrestlers embraced and the champion raised the hand of his challenger. Copeland then refused to let go of O’Reilly that led to a tense face-off between the two before the TNT Champion left first. 

It’s main event time! #TNT Champion Adam Copeland defends his title in a landmark 100th defense. A first for ANY championship in #AEW!

Watch #AEWCollision LIVE on TBS!@RatedRCope pic.twitter.com/nlI5Ei21Mt

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) May 12, 2024

Speaking after the match, Copeland said that the match showed exactly why he joined AEW last year. 

“Tonight was just an example of why I came to AEW. To get in there with a talent like Kyle O’Reilly in his hometown. 25 years after his dad brought him to see his first wrestling show which I was on. Fast-forward 25 years later and we’re in the main event for the TNT Championship and his dad is here tonight… What an absolute pleasure and a privilege to get into the ring with a talent like that.”

What’s To Come? 

Copeland retained in the 100th AEW TNT Championship title defense and the 101st may come at AEW Double or Nothing 2024. Backstage, Copeland challenged Malakai Black to a title match at the event to be contested in a Barbed Wire Steel Cage. Copeland has been feuding with the House of Black in recent weeks, and the macabre group’s influence may explain his post-match incident with O’Reilly. 

WWE Premium Live Events will eventually return to being hosted on Sunday under TKO Group Holdings, according to UFC President Dana White. 

White appeared at the post-show press conference following the UFC Fight Night event in St. Louis. When asked about plans for UFC and his Power Slap promotions to host events over the same weekend, White shared news about the change for WWE’s Premium Live Events. 

“We already have those dates set up right now, where Power Slap goes [on] Friday and UFC goes [on] Saturday. And then you’re going to see Friday Power Slap, Saturday UFC, and Sunday WWE. You’ll start seeing that stuff too.”

Dana White: You're gonna see Friday Power Slap, Saturday UFC and Sunday WWE. You'll start seeing that stuff too.#UFCStLouis pic.twitter.com/rfc2aJ6OpJ

— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) May 12, 2024

For decades, WWE hosted PLEs on Sundays. The change came thanks to WWE President Nick Khan who felt that “big sports events were better on Saturday nights.” Speaking on the Recode Media podcast with Peter Kafka, Khan discussed the success of the move. 

“We think the ticket sales are reflective of that [success.] We have a big big audience coming out on Saturday and a big gate to go along with it.”

More Changes to WWE PLEs

It’s unclear when WWE will make the move back to Sunday nights, but this isn’t the only change from the normal plans for PLEs. In recent years, the promotion has embraced hosting events outside North America. In addition to the bi-annual Saudi Arabia shows, WWE has hosted events like Clash At The Castle in Cardiff, Wales, Money in the Bank in London, England, and Backlash France. in Lyon. WWE’s next European event will be WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland in Glasgow this coming June, with WWE Bash In Berlin set for August. 

WWE’s search for its next King and Queen of the Ring continued last night with LA Knight and Tiffany Stratton advancing at a live event in Chattanooga. 

In the King of the Ring tournament first-round match, Knight qualified for the next round with a victory over Santos Escobar. This is the first KOTR tournament for either man. The crowd in Chattanooga’s McKenzie Arena was unsurprisingly unhappy to see the Megastar get the victory over Escobar. 

.@RealLAKnight advances in the #WWEKingAndQueen Tournament! ? #WWEChattanooga pic.twitter.com/FF34QMob16

— WWE (@WWE) May 12, 2024

The May 11, WWE live event happened to take place at ‘Tiffy Time’ as Stratton got the win in her first-round match. The former NXT Women’s Champion earned a victory over ‘Michin’ Mia Yim, who recently set her sights on the new NXT North American Women’s Championship. 

.@tiffstrattonwwe has defeated @MiaYim, advancing in the #WWEKingAndQueen Tournament! ? #WWWChattanooga pic.twitter.com/n3QWRvldEv

— WWE (@WWE) May 12, 2024

What’s to Come? 

With Knight’s victory, the SmackDown portion of the quarter-finals in the King of the Ring tournament has been filled out. The Megastar will face the Bloodline’s Tama Tonga on the May 17, episode of WWE SmackDown. The show will also see Randy Orton take on Carmelo Hayes in the other quarter-final match. 

As for Stratton, she will face Bianca Belair on the May 17, SmackDown with a spot in the semi-finals on the line. The show will also see Belair’s fellow Women’s Tag Team Champion Jade Cargill take on Nia Jax. Belair, Cargill, and Jax advanced to the quarter-finals on the May 10, episode of SmackDown with respective wins over Candice LeRae, Piper Niven, and Naomi.

The finals of both tournaments will take place at WWE King And Queen of the Ring on May 25, in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The event will be the first tournament-based PLE since 2002 and will also see a huge Champion Vs. Champion match.

Bryan Danielson’s contract with AEW is due to expire within a matter of months, but the American Dragon is confident he’ll be competing for a long time to come. 

The popular wrestler is in the midst of what he intends to be his final year as a full-time wrestler. This has stemmed from a promise Danielson made to be ‘there’ more for his children. During an appearance on Casual Conversations with The Wrestling Classic, Danielson discussed his status with AEW.

“The big one is Wembley [host of AEW All In.] I wanna make it to Wembley. My contract actually expires before Wembley, but I wanna make it to Wembley. I’m not sure if I’ll make it, but one thing that would be a nice way to kind of close everything out for me is to do my last match as a full-time wrestler at WrestleDream at the Tacoma Dome because that’s the first wrestling show I ever saw.”

It’s hardly a surprise that Danielson hopes to compete at AEW All In 2024. Not only will the show be AEW’s largest event of the year but Bryan missed out on competing at last year’s event due to an injury. He returned to action days later at the following AEW All Out 2023 pay-per-view. 

AEW would be wise to keep Bryan on board with a new contract. Not only is he considered one of the best wrestlers in the world, but the Blackpool Combat Club member has proven to be useful behind the scenes. Danielson also oversees reprimands for any AEW talent who crosses lines on social media. 

Danielson’s next match will come on tonight’s episode of AEW Collision. He and Claudio Castagnoli will team to face off against Top Flight. 

The nation of Canada is home to countless talented pro-wrestlers, but Kenny Omega stands above the rest as far as Bryan Danielson is concerned. 

All Elite Wrestling has hosted its most recent events north of the border with Omega making a return during the May 1, show at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg. When speaking to Hockey Night in Canada, Danielson was asked for his favorite Canadian wrestler. 

Gosh! I would have to say, this is going to be controversial. Kenny Omega. When you watch him, he’s hurt right now, he’s one of the most fantastic wrestlers you’ll ever see. 

When it was brought up that many will feel Bret Hart is more deserving of the accolade, Bryan was quick to share his respect for the Hit Man. 

“It’s going to be controversial. I mean I’m a huge Bret Hart fan. But when you watch Kenny Omega… Love Bret Hart, love the Hart Family… but when you look at Kenny Omega, his best stuff is just incredible.”

Danielson’s appreciation for Omega is hardly a secret. When the former WWE World Champion joined AEW, he wasted no time in selecting Omega as his first opponent. The duo faced off at AEW Grand Slam 2021 to a time-limit draw. The pair have traded wins in multi-man matches since then at AEW Dynamite’s second-anniversary show in 2021 and Double or Nothing 2023. 

It remains to be seen if fans will see Danielson face Omega one more time. The American Dragon is currently in his final year as a full-time talent but intends to continue resting after 2024. Omega is currently out of action with diverticulitis and there’s no word on when he’ll be back in the ring. 

Major League Wrestling’s willingness to think outside the box has helped make them the ‘Apple’ of professional wrestling, Court Bauer has claimed. 

It’s hard to ignore the success of MLW in recent years, as the independent promotion has become one of the most prominent names in North America. The company recently emerged from an antitrust lawsuit with WWE which saw the Sports Entertainment juggernaut down $20 million. MLW has also been enjoying record-breaking toy sales in recent months, a testament to the promotion’s popularity.

Bauer spoke with Alfred Konuwa for Forbes this week to promote Saturday’s MLW: Azteca Lucha 2024 event from Chicago’s Cicero Stadium. You can stream the show live on TrillerTV+. Bauer was asked about his brand. When AEW’s comparison to Pepsi was brought up, Bauer suggested that MLW shares strategies akin to tech giant Apple. 

“Steve Jobs had this great mantra when he was doing all his amazing things with Apple, and it was simple: Think Different. So when I think what our mantra is, and what we try do everyday, it’s just “Think Different.” Don’t try to mimic, don’t try to replicate, just Think Different. What if you tried something new?

“I try to look at things in a positive way. It’s so tempting in wrestling to look at the drama, because everything in wrestling is drama, and I just try to think different and stay away from all that stuff, the main thing is the main thing.”

MLW will continue to think differently with its Azteca Lucha event. The event will take place from the Cicero Arena in Chicago, IL on Saturday, May 11. The show has already proved to be historic with Azteca Lucha smashing MLW’s box office record. 

Kenny Omega will go under the knife to deal with his ongoing health concerns as the AEW EVP remains on the shelf for the time being. 

The former AEW World Champion hasn’t competed since late 2023 due to a battle with diverticulitis and there has been speculation as to whether he’d undergo surgery. While surgery would mean a lower chance of the issues with diverticulitis returning, it would also mean he’d have to spend longer out to recover from the operation. 

Now, Omega has made his decision. Taking to his Twitch channel, the Cleaner spoke about the surgery he is set to undergo. 

“I will actually be getting surgery very very very soon… this guy is top in his field and I feel even though it’s a major surgery, I feel most comfortable with this individual. So even though there’s always worries going into a major surgery, if there’s one person the most confident with, I think it’s this dude.”

Omega did share the bad news to his viewers that this surgery will likely mean he won’t be streaming for a while. With that said, the AEW EVP said he intends to keep fans informed within days after the operation. 

What’s to Come? 

While Omega won’t be competing for some time, it’s no secret what the future holds for him in the ring. During his recent appearance on Dynamite, Omega made clear he would face AEW Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada in the future. The two have faced off in a series of highly-acclaimed matches in the past which resulted in Omega ‘breaking’ Dave Meltzer and his star ratings system. 

Kenny Omega: ‘Dave Meltzer Can’t Tell What A Good Match Is After I Broke His Ratings System’

AEW Surgery

Omega isn’t the only notable name missing from AEW programming. MJF hasn’t competed since losing the World Championship at Worlds End in December 2023. MJF underwent shoulder surgery in April 2024 and there’s no word on when fans can expect him back.