Teddy Hart’s trouble with the law are far from over, but the controversial wrestler does have one less issue to deal with after having a warrant rescinded.
Hart was arrested in July 2023 on charges of possession of MDMA (Ecstacy) and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription. Both of these are third-degree felonies in Florida. In December 2023, Hart appeared in a court that often works towards plea deals and attempts to prevent a case from going to a felony trial.
On March 13, attorneys representing Hart filed the motion to withdraw the warrant. They claimed that Hart was in hospital at the time of the February hearing and was unable to contact his counsel. The motion was unopposed by the prosecution and was subsequently dropped.
Hart is now scheduled to appear in court on the morning of April 4. We will continue to follow his case closely as further updates are expected to come next month.
Teddy Hart’s Controversial Past
Hart has had several issues with the law, some of which were documented in the Peacock reality series Dangerous Breed. The series looked at Hart’s toxic relationship with women, one of which being Hart’s ex Samantha Fiddler.
Fiddler traveled overseas with Hart before he ditched her, reportedly taking her passport with him. To date, she has never been found or heard from and has been missing since 2016.
AEW Women’s World Champion Toni Storm expressed her appreciation of Mariah May in quite some fashion during the March 30 episode of Collision.
During a backstage segment, it was noted that the #1 and #2 wrestlers in the women’s division rankings will face each other next week. The winner of this match will earn an AEW Women’s World Championship match with the ‘Timeless’ one.
Next week’s match will see Thunder Rosa and Storm’s protege Mariah May face off. Storm questioned for how long has May been “plotting” this and seemed angry that May could be in line for a title opportunity. Instead though, Storm kissed May and declared her a “magnificent b***ard”.
Storm is evidently of the opinion that a victory for May next week will ensure her an easy title defense. May was clearly pleased to have been kissed by Storm, though Luther was far from happy at May and the AEW Women’s World Champion being so closely aligned.
#AEW Women's World Champion "Timeless" Toni Storm reacts to the news that the women with the top 2 records in the Women's Division will clash for a future opportunity for the title!
Toni Storm is in her third reign as AEW Women’s World Champion, a record number that she shares with Hikaru Shida. Her most recent reign began at AEW Full Gear 2023 when she dethroned Shida. She defended the gold at AEW Worlds End against Riho and at AEW Revolution 2024 against Deonna Purrazzo.
Storm’s ‘Timeless’ character has proven to be a hit with fans and sees the AEW Women’s World Champion often filmed in black and white segments. May is described by Storm as her “understudy,” a term that leans into the notion that Storm is a Golden Age of Hollywood starlet.
Becky Lynch is pleased to have made amends with Charlotte Flair, and has said there’s nothing but love between herself and ‘The Queen.’
Lynch and Flair were once as close as sisters but their relationship soured during their time on the main roster. Lynch and Flair began growing distant when they were sent to different brands during the 2016 draft, and the 2018 feud between them would also cause genuine friction between the two.
It’s All Love
At WWE Survivor Series 2023, Lynch would return from a hiatus as part of Bianca Belair’s team inside WarGames. Her return would see Lynch team with Flair and the pair would embrace after the match.
Speaking to TMZ Sports recently, Lynch addressed her relationship with Flair. The Man was pleased that she is currently in a better place with her fellow former WWE Women’s Champion.
“She’s been a huge part of my journey in every capacity and such an important part. As best friends, then enemies, and the fallout. I talk about that [in my memoir] from my perspective, but also the undercurrent of all of it is love, right?
“It’s always the people that you love the most that maybe hurt you the most. I know I’ve hurt her and it’s been reciprocal but I think when you can come back from all of that, that’s a special thing. I love that.”
The 2021 Title Exchange
In 2021, Lynch and Flair were part of a title exchange that did not go as planned. Rather than the intended exchange, Flair dropped the title she was meant to hand to Lynch, forcing the Man to bend down and pick it up. In her new memoir The Man: Not Your Average, Average Girl, Lynch recalls being furious backstage.
“I felt she deliberately went off script, leading to me yelling in gorilla that she was a, to use my exact words, “crafty fu*king cu*t” right in front of Vince.”
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
Mama Rhodes will be prepared for anything at WrestleMania 40 after her name was brought up by The Rock during the March 25, episode of Monday Night Raw.
During the show, The Rock delivered the beating of a lifetime on Cody Rhodes which did not stop once the show went off the air. The Rock dared the matriarch of the Rhodes family to look at her son and had a weight belt emblazoned with ‘Mama Rhodes.’ The Rock smeared this belt with Cody’s blood, fulfilling a promise made before the show to have a special belt with Cody’s mother.
Mama Rhodes is Ready
Unlike her son and late husband, Mama Rhodes, whose real name is Michelle, is not a name in the world of professional wrestling. On a recent edition of Busted Open Radio, Cody’s sister Teil shared her mom’s reaction to being thrust into the limelight thanks to being referenced on WWE shows.
“She gets it, but she doesn’t love it. You know what I mean? She’s up on Tuesday morning and her phone is just blowing up with all these like people, she hasn’t heard from in 25 years.”
While Mama Rhodes isn’t the biggest fan of becoming an internationally-known figure, she’s heard what The Rock has had to say, and is prepared to deal with the Final Boss.
“‘The Rock’s talking about you on TV’… She’s mad. She said she was going to bring her bear spray to ‘Mania.”
What’s to Come?
Bear spray or no bear spray, Mama Rhodes will have the chance to watch her son compete twice at WrestleMania 40. Cody will team with Seth Rollins on WrestleMania 40: Saturday to face The Rock & Roman Reigns. The match will determine the stipulation for the next night’s main event.
On WrestleMania 40: Sunday, Rhodes will challenge Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. This will be Rhodes’ last chance at the Tribal Chief, an edict passed down by The Rock flexing his TKO board member muscles.
Tamyra Mensah-Stock, who captured gold at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, has officially made her in-ring debut for WWE.
Mensah-Stock first appeared for WWE at the SummerSlam 2021 Premium Live Event, where she was part of a segment with fellow Olympic champion Gable Steveson. In April 2022, months after Steveson had signed with WWE, it was reported that WWE had its eyes on adding Mensah-Stock to the roster. Sure enough, Mensah-Stock signed with the promotion in May of 2023.
Mensah-Stock’s NXT Debut
Mensah-Stock made her in-ring debut at the NXT live event on March 30. The Olympic Gold Medalist defeated Breanna Covington in singles action. The fact that WWE already trusts Mensah-Stock in singles matches certainly bodes well for her future in the ring.
Mensah-Stock is the third Olympic Gold Medalist under contract. The first was Kurt Angle, who made his on-screen debut in 1999. It would be over two decades later that WWE would sign Gable Steveson following his victory in Tokyo.
It’s not just Gold Medalists who WWE has signed over the years. Bad News Brown captured a Bronze medal for judo in the 1976 Summer Games in Montreal. Mark Henry competed in powerlifting during the 1996 Atlanta Games (the same in which Angle won his gold) but came nowhere close to winning a medal.
After competing in the 2004 Athens Games, Ronda Rousey won bronze in the 2008 Beijing Games, becoming the first American woman to win a medal in judo. Four years later, Chad Gable would represent Team USA in wrestling at London 2012.
Rhea Ripley’s recent activities at WWE live events may have proven popular with fans, but Becky Lynch believes they are beneath a female Superstar.
At a recent live event, Ripley defended her Women’s World Championship in a triple-threat match against Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler. During the match, Jax attempted to hit a stinkface on Ripley but the Aussie escaped and hit a stinkface on Jax. This spot immediately went viral online and Baszler herself would want to get in on the action the following night.
Becky Lynch Isn’t Impressed
While the spot has proven popular with fans, Becky Lynch has questioned the message these stinkfaces are sending. Speaking recently to Wrestling News, Lynch said that it “sucks” that this spot is what people are talking about mere days ahead of WrestleMania. Lynch, a mother to a baby girl, pondered what some in the audience may have been feeling.
“It’s edgy. But if I’m a little girl sitting in the crowd, or if I have my daughter, and she’s seeing that and she’s thinking that that’s what she needs to be if she’s a professional wrestler.”
Lynch added that for years, women had to fight to be acknowledged for more than just titillation, a fight that she feels Ripley is undoing with spots like the stinkface.
“When I think of the amount of women that were at one stage, fighting against that treatment… Maybe I’m just like stuffy and and jaded because this is the stuff that I had to fight against.”
What’s to Come?
Lynch and Ripley will face off next weekend at WrestleMania 40 for the WWE Women’s World Championship. This will be Ripley’s fifth consecutive championship match at WrestleMania and her second time defending a title. For Lynch, it’ll be her fifth championship match and her third time challenging.
Bryan Danielson is pleased with how AEW has presented Kazuchika Okada thus far, as the Raimaker is coming across as the “star” that he is.
Okada made his debut as an All-Elite talent on the March 6, episode of AEW Dynamite and instantly established himself as a heel by aligning with the Young Bucks. There was no hesitation regarding Okada being a heel which was a creative idea that came from Tony Khan.
Danielson on Okada
Speaking with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Danielson had high praise for his recent match with the Rainmaker and is excited about what’s next.
“I loved my match against Okada… I love what I’m doing, and I’m excited about what’s to come.”
Danielson added that Okada is a “great fit” for AEW and has been right at home since aligning with the Young Bucks. The American Dragon chalked this sense of belonging to the efforts of AEW President Tony Khan.
“That’s the way Tony presents stars in AEW,” said Danielson. “It’s not about starting over in AEW. So he was brought in as a star and introduced as a star.”
Bryan Danielson Vs. Kazuchika Okada
Danielson and Okada have shared the ring four times, with their first encounter being at the inaugural AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door show in June 2023. That match saw Danielson get the win though he also suffered a fractured forearm.
On the October 25, AEW Dynamite, Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli defeated Okada and Orange Cassidy. At NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 18, Okada defeated Danielson. The pair would be on the same side of an eight-person tag match the next night.
What’s to Come?
Danielson is currently embarking on his final year as a full-time active wrestler. On April 5, the American Dragon will compete against CMLL’s Blue Panther. This is a dream match for Danielson who recently called Panther his favorite luchador of all time.
As for Okada, he will continue to defend the AEW Continental Championship. He is also expected to feud with Kenny Omega as the Rainmaker has replaced Omega in the Elite. With that said, there’s no word on when fans can expect Omega back from his ongoing fight with diverticulitis.
GUNTHER is hoping to remain undefeated at WrestleMania this April, and will join an exclusive club when he puts the Intercontinental title on the line.
The Austrian Superstar has been a dominant champion since capturing the gold back in June of 2022. Not only has GUNTHER proven himself in his own right, but having Imperium alongside him has made the Ring General even more dangerous.
GUNTHER’s Record at WrestleMania
At WrestleMania, GUNTHER will defend the Intercontinental Championship against Sami Zayn. The Austrian has been immensely confident in recent weeks and is sure that Zayn is simply not good enough to beat him.
Win, lose, or draw, GUNTHER will become the fourth Superstar in WWE history to defend the gold at back-to-back WrestleManias. This is a feat accomplished by only three Superstars at WWE’s biggest show of the year.
Who’s In the Club?
The first man to do so was ‘Macho Man’ Randy Savage, who put the gold on the line at WrestleMania 2 and WrestleMania 3. The latter match is the much-acclaimed bout that saw Savage lose the gold to Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat.
The Ultimate Warrior would defend the title at WrestleMania 5 and WrestleMania 6, with the latter match seeing him capture the WWF title. The most recent man to have back-to-back title defenses is The Rock, who retained at both WrestleMania 13 and WrestleMania 14.
GUNTHER’s Other Records
This is hardly the first accolade for GUNTHER. In September 2022, GUNTHER broke the record for the longest solo Intercontinental Championship reign. In February 2024, GUNTHER broke the record for the most days combined of any Intercontinental Champion.
GUNTHER is also part of an elite club of Superstars that have held two championships in WWE for over a year. In addition to his current reign, GUNTHER held the NXT United Kingdom Championship for 870 days.
The final episode of WWE SmackDown before WrestleMania 40 will be a stacked show and will see the return of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
On the March 29, episode of WWE SmackDown, it was confirmed that the battle royal will take place on the April 5, episode. This will mark the tenth-annual battle royal, named after the legendary giant who was WWE’s first Hall of Famer.
The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal
The match was first introduced in 2014 by WrestleMania 30 host Hulk Hogan, who fittingly dedicated the battle royal to his friend and rival. Cesaro (now AEW’s Claudio Castagnoli) won the inaugural match by eliminating the Big Show, who won the match the following year. Since then, Baron Corbin, Mojo Rawley, Matt Hardy, Braun Strowman, Jey Uso, Madcap Moss, and Bobby Lashley have lifted the trophy.
Losing Out on a Payday
Hosting the show on SmackDown will come as a blow to many WWE Superstars. For the first years of the battle royal, the match was held at WrestleMania. Though it was on the pre-show, this guaranteed the entrants a WrestleMania-sized pay-day, which of course won’t be the case with the match being on SmackDown instead.
Other SmackDown Plans
The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal will be just part of the stacked final episode before WrestleMania 40. The show will also see Solo Sikoa take on Jey Uso. The former NXT North American Champion has been ordered to ‘take out’ his brother on orders from Roman Reigns.
The New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate) will take on Austin Theory & Grayson Waller. Both teams qualified for the WrestleMania six-pack challenge during the March 29, episode of SmackDown.
Zelina Vega will take on Elektra Lopez on the go-home SmackDown. The pair have been at odds as part of the LWO’s feud with Legado Del Fantasma.
Kevin Owens will host an edition of the ‘KO Show’ with Randy Orton as his guest. The two men will challenge WWE U.S. Champion Logan Paul in a triple-threat match at WrestleMania 40.
Bryan Danielson may no longer be a WWE Superstar, but that didn’t stop him from using an old WWE catchphrase of his at a recent event for CMLL.
At the event, Danielson was part of Team AEW (Bryan, Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, & Matt Sydal) and came up short against Team CMLL (Blue Panther, Ultimo Guerrero, Mistico, & Volador Jr.) During one spot, Danielson and Mistico (aka WWE’s Sin Cara) shared dueling chants reminiscent of Bryan’s time as a Superstar.
Bryan Danielson and Místico breaking out a SÍ/NO battle. Hahaha.
After the match, Danielson issued a challenge to Blue Panther for next Friday night’s Arena Mexico show on April 5, which Panther accepted. This has been a match that Danielson has called a dream match in the past. He recently called Pather his favorite luchador of all time.
Bryan began using the Yes chant following his 2011 WWE World Heavyweight Championship victory. Not long after winning the title, Bryan’s ego would grow, causing him to yell “YES!” and celebrate even the smallest of victories in over-the-top fashion.
After his 18-second World Heavyweight Championship loss to Sheamus at WrestleMania 28, a dejected Bryan changed his tune. Bryan blamed the fans (and AJ Lee) for his loss and in response to the crowd being on board with the yes chant, would chant “NO!” in response.
Bringing Back the Chant
This isn’t the first time that Bryan has embraced his WWE catchphrases. Following a December 2023 edition of AEW Collision, the crowd chanted “YES” for Bryan, who admitted he’s not allowed to do that anymore. Thinking better of it, Danielson decided to join in with the YES! chant and sarcastically told fans to definitely not record the moment in question.
Paul Heyman doesn’t know of any hidden intentions behind The Rock’s ‘L’ but that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to the fan-led conspiracy.
The Great One returned to WWE earlier this year and was poised to challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. This didn’t sit well with the WWE Universe, who believed the spot rightly deserved to Cody Rhodes.
The Rock and His L
With the WWE Universe rejecting The Rock, the company changed course, turning the Brahma Bull heel and aligning him with the Bloodline. In segments, Rock has been aligned with his family but his choice of hand gesture has raised some eyebrows.
While the Bloodline points to the sky, The Rock has performed the same gesture with his thumb outstretched, giving an ‘L’ shaped symbol. Fans have speculated as to whether there’s a reason for this. Some have even speculated that it could be a sign of his intent to betray Roman Reigns when the time is right.
Paul Heyman on The Rock’s L
Sitting down with Forbes, Heyman was asked about The Rock’s ‘L’ symbol and whether there’s some meaning behind the gesture. The future WWE Hall of Famer argued that there’s no hidden meaning that he’s aware of, though that doesn’t mean there isn’t something to it.
“It is a conspiracy. And just because it’s a conspiracy theory doesn’t mean there’s not a conspiracy behind it.”
“My father always taught me, “Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean the whole world’s not against you.”
Heyman added that he is sure there’s “something to it” and suggested that the only person who knows the truth is the Final Boss himself.
What’s to Come?
The Rock will make his long-awaited return to the ring at WrestleMania 40: Saturday where he’ll team with Roman Reigns to face Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. The match will determine the stipulation for the following night’s Undisputed WWE Universal Title match.
If Rhodes & Rollins win, the next night’s match between Rhodes and Roman Reigns will be free of Bloodline interference. Should the Bloodline win the Saturday match, the title match will be under ‘Bloodline Rules.’
AJ Styles may have made a huge name for himself before coming to WWE, but a certain ex-chairman of the company had no idea who the Phenomenal One was.
Styles made a huge splash in 2016 when he was part of that year’s Royal Rumble match. While treated as a debut, Styles had competed a handful of times for WWE years earlier following the demise of WCW.
AJ Styles and the Redacted One
Speaking during a recent Fanatics livestream, Styles stated that for all his goodwill with fans, Vince McMahon didn’t know who he was. McMahon, whom Styles avoided mentioning by name, had to be convinced to give AJ a prominent spot in the Rumble match.
“The redacted name did not know me. He had no clue who I was. So it was guys who had worked with me with TNA and whatnot that were able to say ‘Let this guy come in [the Royal Rumble match] third, be third in the Rumble, please.’ Finally he goes ‘Fine, let them!’ And then the reaction happens.”
Despite getting a huge reaction during the Rumble match, McMahon still was not convinced that Styles was a big deal, as the Phenomenal One explained:
“He still didn’t believe them.”He was like ‘Ah it was just a fluke.’ And then the next night I had a match. It was okay but it was nothing special. He was like ‘I’ve got a hundred guys who could do what you just did.’ But what he was saying was true.
The Redneck Rookie?
With McMahon overseeing all of WWE’s on-screen production at the time, the promotion tried to present Styles as a brand new wrestler despite his prior accomplishments. One galling example of this was when he was bestowed the nickname of the “rookie redneck,” eight years after entering the wrestling business. It wouldn’t be until much later that WWE would come around and acknowledge AJ’s work in other companies.
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
Jade Cargill will make her WrestleMania debut next month as part of a six-woman tag-team match confirmed on Friday Night SmackDown.
The March 29, edition of SmackDown saw the blue brand continue on the road to WrestleMania 40. WWE’s annual Showcase of the Immortals will take place on April 6 and April 7 from the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.
Jade Cargill at WrestleMania
On this week’s SmackDown, Nick Aldis welcomed Cargill to the show, mere days after it was confirmed she’d signed with the blue brand. Jade said that while WWE’s women’s division is the best in the world, nobody else can be Jade Cargill and was ready to bring the ‘storm’ to Friday nights.
Later in the show, Bianca Belair defeated Dakota Kai in a hard-fought match but the EST was ambushed by Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane after the match. Naomi emerged to aid the EST but the numbers game proved to be too much for Belair and the former TNA Knockouts Champion.
That would be when Cargill arrived and cleared house. The ‘Storm’ stood tall with Belair and Naomi and the three women pointed in unison at the WrestleMania sign. It was later confirmed that the trio will take on Damage CTRL at WrestleMania 40.
Cargill signed with WWE in September 2023 and was immediately treated as a massive high-profile acquisition for the company. Prior to this, Cargill made her name in AEW, where she was the first AEW TBS Champion. Her 508-day reign remains the longest title reign of any champion in AEW history.
Recently, Becky Lynch’s memoir ‘The Man: Not Your Average, Average Girl‘ hit shelves, and has proven to be a gripping read for wrestling fans and casual readers alike.
In the book, she writes candidly about her life in and outside of the ring. She shares unpleasant aspects of her journey, including insecurities that have made her feel cowardly at times.
Here’s a link to some prominent Becky Lynch book reviews, followed by our five takeaways from reading Becky Lynch’s new book, The Man: Not Your Average, Average Girl.
She Wasn’t a Fan of WWE Evolution
In 2018, WWE held its first (and to date, only) all-female Premium Live Event. WWE Evolution was quite the show and saw Lynch retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair in a Last Woman Standing match.
While Lynch considers the match one of her favorites, the show concept itself did not sit right with her. Lynch writes how WWE would never promote an event being an all-men show, so to do so with the women’s roster seemed like the opposite of equality. Lynch was also not a fan of the ending of WWE Evolution, which saw all the women come out on stage, something else the company wouldn’t do for the men.
She Didn’t Like the Look of Finn Balor at First
Finn Balor (or Fergal) plays a huge role in Lynch’s memoir, as her trainer and a long-term boyfriend. Even after splitting, the pair remained close in a friendship that lasts to this day.
Despite this, Becky was far from impressed when she first saw Balor in promotional material for a wrestling school, as she told her brother:
“That Fegal lad looks like a real douchebag.”
Who, me?
Upon meeting Balor in person, Lynch would realize the handsome good looks of WWE’s first Universal Champion and it wouldn’t be long before the pair became an item.
She Struggled With Confidence for a Long Time
In her memoir, Becky doesn’t hold back on her feelings of inadequacy in her youth, but these feelings extended long into her WWE career. While many would see being hired by WWE as the definition of ‘making it’ Lynch continued to feel like she was always on the cusp of being let go.
Becky Lynch in NXT during the early years of her WWE run
Even after making it to the main roster, Lynch writes about feeling like she’s not enough, and feared being pulled from the WrestleMania 32 Women’s Triple Threat at the last minute. Even as the first SmackDown Women’s Champion, Lynch’s doubts didn’t go away, proof that mental health issues can affect us all.
She Was Engaged & Didn’t Want to Be
Becky Lynch has been married to Seth Rollins for some time now and the pair have a lovely young daughter in Roux. Years earlier though, Lynch would be engaged to somebody else, but hated that she was. From the start of the relationship, Lynch knew this man was not right for her, but she felt like she needed something outside of wrestling, in which she was struggling at the time.
A self-professed “f***ing coward” Lynch said yes when the man in question popped THE question on a Ferris wheel and did her best to hide the news of their engagement from friends and family. Lynch did tell Rollins, who had only weeks earlier listened as she spoke about not wanting to be with this guy. Wearing an engagement “ring of sadness” was not easy for Lynch, who eventually broke things off via text after a fight with her fiance.
She Knew Her 2018 Charlotte Feud Wouldn’t Work
In 2018, Lynch turned ‘heel’ after Charlotte Flair won the SmackDown Women’s Championship at that year’s SummerSlam, or at least that was the idea. The fans rallied behind the plucky Lynch and therefore rejected the second-generation wrestler who many had felt had been handed opportunities others should have been given.
Lynch knew from the get-go that this story wouldn’t work and constantly brought this up to management. Despite her pleas, Lynch was put on TV to cut generic heel promos, berating fans for never really supporting her, when they had all along. Even having Lynch berate the then-retired Edge did nothing to make fans boo her. While WWE eventually relented, Lynch’s 2018 heel run wasn’t easy or fulfilling for The Man.
WWE has something special planned for their upcoming WrestleMania 40 event, but plans are being kept under wraps for the time being.
WrestleMania 40 will be the promotion’s fifth two-night WrestleMania, a tradition that began in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The show will take place on April 6 and April 7 from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.
John Cena & Steve Austin on Raw
During the March 25, edition of WWE Monday Night Raw, The Rock battered Cody Rhodes in the closing moments of the show, leaving the American Nightmare in a bloody heap.
During the assault, production trucks were seen in the background bearing the faces of John Cena and ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. This immediately led to speculation that either (or perhaps both) could play a role at WrestleMania 40.
A WrestleMania Mystery
In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer addresses the rumors of Cena and/or Austin being part of the WrestleMania 40 main event. He was “told not to read into that regarding the main events.”
While Cena and Austin may not interfere with the main event of the show, it appears something is in the works for WrestleMania 40. Meltzer writes that there is said to be a “mystery slot” on the card for the show. It is currently unclear if this is for Cena or somebody else.
WWE SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis is doing well following surgery after suffering a “freak accident” injury to his bicep.
It was reported in March 2024 that Aldis had suffered an injury and that it would require surgery. The British veteran later disclosed that he had ruptured a tendon in his bicep in what he described as a “freak accident.” Aldis added that he would continue to fulfill his obligations as general manager of the blue brand.
Nick Aldis Gives An Update
On a recent edition of the Gabby AF podcast, Aldis discussed his injury. The SmackDown GM explained how getting injured to the extent that he needs surgery is hardly a regular thing for him.
“Before this one, I’ve only had one major surgery my whole career and it was the other bicep, so it was just a freak thing.”
Aldis added that he is feeling much better now he’s gotten the surgery and hopes to be back in the swing of things in time for WrestleMania 40 next weekend.
“I feel great. I’m in a stupid splint cast thing for a little bit longer and then hopefully I’ll transition to a brace, kind of like the one that we’re seeing Punk wearing. I’ll be switching into one of those hopefully in time for WrestleMania.”
Nick Aldis
Aldis debuted in WWE in October 2023 on the very same night he was appointed SmackDown General Manger by Triple H. The Brit is perhaps best known for his NWA run which saw him reign as NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion for over 1,000 days.
Aldis also enjoyed success in TNA Wrestling, though his initial gimmick ‘Brutus Magnus’ (a nod to his time on the athletic game show ‘Gladiators’) left a lot to be desired. Aldis is a former TNA World Heavyweight Champion and held the title for 128 days.
The brain of Dijak will be useful in the quest for knowledge about Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, the WWE NXT Superstar has revealed.
Taking to Twitter, Dijak shared that he pledged his brain to science years ago and encouraged other wrestlers to do the same. Dijak also shared a link to a research registry for others to donate their brains in the fight against CTE.
CTE is a brain disorder believed to be caused by repeated head injuries. It can lead to the degeneration of nerve cells in the brain and progressively grows worse over time. Symptoms can include mood changes, short-term memory loss, confusion, problems with movement, and personality changes.
The Work of Chris Nowinski
In his tweet, Dijak says those interested in learning more should contact Chris Nowinski, a finalist on Tough Enough’s first season who would later make it to WWE. During the 2003 Royal Rumble, a mistimed double missile dropkick would lead to Nowinski being concussed and he would later retire due to post-concussion symptoms.
Since his in-ring retirement, Nowinski has dedicated his life to research into CTE and fighting the condition. It was Nowinski who encouraged a coroner to examine the brain of Chris Benoit following the double-murder suicide of June 2007. In September of that year, the brain examination report showed extensive damage due to concussions that could have led to dementia.
In June 2007, Nowinski and Robert Cantu founded the Concussion Legacy Foundation. CLF has sought to raise awareness of the effects of head trauma across sports and has been featured in the New York Times and CNN.
Donating One’s Brain
Dijak isn’t the only wrestler to donate their brain to science in the battle against CTE. Mick Foley, whose body took countless injuries throughout his career, has pledged his brain to science after he passes away. Fellow WWE Hall of Famers Rob Van Dam, Chyna, and Kevin Nash also pledged to donate their brains.
Mark Briscoe has the chance to win the Ring of Honor World Championship, eleven years to the very day that his brother Jay won the very same title in 2013.
Mark will challenge ROH World Champion Eddie Kingston at Supercard of Honor 2024, Ring of Honor confirmed this week. In a video, Mark spoke about having to re-establish himself following his brother’s passing last year.
In a direct message to Kingston, Briscoe said that he knows that the pair of them have faced setbacks and referenced Kingston’s recent AEW Continental title loss to Kazuchika Okada. Borrowing the words his brother told him, Mark said that for Eddie Kingston, it’s “time to man up.”
11 years to the day! Mark Briscoe (@SussexCoChicken) is coming for the #ROH World Title at Supercard of Honor!
— ROH – Ring of Honor Wrestling (@ringofhonor) March 28, 2024
Jay Briscoe’s Championship Win
Jay Briscoe won the ROH World Championship at ROH Supercard of Honor 2013 with a main event victory over Kevin Steen (today WWE’s Kevin Owens.) Jay would hold the title for 89 days before the gold was vacated due to a storyline injury to Briscoe. He would win the gold back at the All-Star Extravaganza VI event in September 2014.
ROH Supercard of Honor 17
Here is the card for ROH Supercard of Honor 17 as it currently stands:
Eddie Kingston (c) vs. Mark Briscoe (Ring of Honor World Championship)
Athena (c) vs. Hikaru Shida (Ring of Honor Women’s World Championship)
Mina Shirakawa, Maika, and Mei Seira vs. Saya Kamitani, Tam Nakano, and AZM (STARDOM Showcase Tag-Team Match)
Kyle Fletcher (c) vs. Lee Johnson (Ring of Honor World Television Championship)
Billie Starkz vs. Queen Aminata (Tournament finals to crown the inaugural Ring of Honor Women’s World Television Champion)
The March 27, episode of AEW Dynamite will not be fondly remembered by Tony Khan, as the event marked some of Dynamite’s worst ratings in years.
The show saw AEW continue on the road to its first Dynasty pay-per-view that’ll take place next month. AEW Dynasty 2024 will air from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri, marking the first AEW pay-per-view in the state. AEW Full Gear 2021 had been scheduled to take place at the Chaifetz Arena before being moved.
3/27 AEW Dynamite’s Woes
AEW Dynamite scored 747,000 overnight viewers, Wrestlenomics reports, which is the worst number for the show since April 7, 2021. The show started with 939,000 viewers and immediately dropped to 802,000 for quarter two, marking a 15% drop within the first
Things were even worse in the coveted 18-49 demographic, which scored a 0.23 rating. This is the worst number in the demographic since the June 24, 2020, episode. Dynamite was ranked #3 for the day on cable in the 18-49 demographic, behind the NBA games on ESPN.
What Went Wrong?
These numbers are especially concerning given the talent that were on the March 25 episode of AEW Dynamite. The show saw Will Ospreay, the Young Bucks, and Swerve Strickland all in action. Mercedes Mone was also on the show in a commentary role, mere weeks removed from her debut at AEW Big Business.
This show saw quite a drop from the previous week’s episode, which scored 800,000 viewers. AEW has hosted several high-profile episodes of Dynamite in recent weeks. The February 28 episode was the go-home show before AEW Revolution, while the March 6, episode saw Kazuchika Okada debut and join The Elite.
Tiffany Stratton may be impressing the WWE Universe on the main roster, but TNA’s Ash By Elegance has had some choice words for the ex-NXT Women’s Champion.
Stratton was called up to the main roster earlier this year, with the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match marking her debut. The 29th entrant in the match, Stratton was one of the last four women in the match that was ultimately won by Bayley. The following month, she impressed in the Women’s Elimination Chamber match won by Becky Lynch.
A Knock-Off Barbie?
Since her release from WWE, Ash By Elegance (fka Dana Brooke) has been making waves in TNA Wrestling. During a recent episode of TNA Impact, the elegant wrestler won with a Swanton Bomb that caught the attention of WWE’s Natalya.
When a fan suggested that Stratton hits the move better, Ash fired back. The ex-Superstar alleged that Stratton loves to steal the moves and gimmicks of others and branded her a “knock-off Barbie.”
Funny thing is I’ve been doing it for years & she loves to steal everyone’s moves & gimmicks … knock off Barbie… –
Ash By Elegance’s comment did not go down well with many fans who rallied behind ‘Tiffy Time.’ One fan even used a clip from Total Divas, in which Lana (now AEW’s CJ Perry) seemed upset that Ash was ‘stealing’ a move of hers. Responding, Elegance questioned when did Lana use the move and hinted that the reality TV show may not entirely be on the level.
And when did Lana ever wrestle back then .. & when did she ever use that move ??!!! EXACTLY !!! Reality tv is so real… right? ?
Ash By Elegance isn’t currently booked for TNA’s next pay-per-view, Rebellion, which will take place on April 20. The show will air at the Palms Casino Resort in Paradise, Nevada, and see Nic Nemeth challenge TNA World Champion Moose.
The Rock proved to be a man of his word on the March 25, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, as he vowed to make Cody Rhodes bleed before the night was done.
Raw went off the air in gruesome fashion with The Rock assaulting Cody Rhodes backstage. The pair’s brawl would take them outside of Chicago’s All-State Arena. In the pouring rain, Rhodes was left in a pool of his own blood as The Rock verbally berated the American Nightmare.
What The Rock Said to Cody
Earlier in the show, Cody Rhodes cut an impassioned promo in front of the fans that was interrupted by the ‘Final Boss.’ Rather than be his loud-mothed, boisterous self, Rock instead whispered something in Cody’s ear and left the ring without the pair coming to blows.
Taking to Instagram, The Rock revealed what he said to Rhodes. The Brahma Bull warned Rhodes “Tonight, I’m gonna make you bleed,” a promise he would keep hours later.
The Rock kept his vow to make Cody bleed on this week’s Raw, but the Final Boss also kept another promise to a different Rhodes family member. Before the show, The Rock fired off a tweet promising Michelle, Cody’s mother, that he’d have a belt for her, covered in her son’s blood.
Sure enough, The Rock kept his promise. In his beatdown on Cody, The Rock revealed a weight belt with ‘Mama Rhodes’ emblazoned on it. The Brahma Bull would wipe Cody’s blood on the belt in question.
What’s to Come?
The Rock will make his long-awaited return to the ring next week as part of WrestleMania 40: Saturday. On the show, he and Roman Reigns will face Rhodes & Seth Rollins. The match will determine the stipulation for the following night’s Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match between Rhodes and Reigns.
Roman Reigns will headline WrestleMania once again next weekend, but WWE’s Tribal Chief was ready to leave the wrestling ring behind him four years ago.
Next weekend, Reigns will compete on both nights of WrestleMania 40. On the first night, he will team with The Rock to face Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. The following night, he will put his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship on the line against Rhodes. This will be the American Nightmare’s last opportunity to win the gold from Reigns, an edict made by TKO board member/Bloodline member The Rock.
Roman Reigns in 2020
In the run-up to WrestleMania 36, Reigns was poised to challenge Goldberg for the WWE Universal Championship. Goldberg had won the title from ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt at WWE Super Showdown in February that same year.
In the days running up to WrestleMania though, Reigns pulled out of the show, thanks in part to the COVID-19 pandemic. As someone who was immunocompromised due to his past battles with leukemia, Reigns opted to prioritize his health over the risk of being infected at the WrestleMania taping.
Roman Reigns Was Ready to Retire
Reigns didn’t just miss WrestleMania 36 but would miss months of programming after the event. Speaking recently to Uproxx, Paul Heyman said that Reigns was ready to leave WWE behind at the time.
“He considered himself retired. He wasn’t coming back… I would ask, has anybody talked to him? Yeah, he says he’s retired. He’s not coming back. No way. Thanks a lot. Done. Finished. Goodbye.”
Heyman added that with this in mind, Reigns’ return to WWE and subsequent run as the Tribal Chief has been nothing short of “miraculous.”
What Came Next?
After months away, Reigns would return to WWE TV at SummerSlam 2020, attacking Wyatt and Braun Strowman. On the following SmackDown, Reigns aligned with Paul Heyman and would capture the Universal Championship he holds to this day at Payback 2020.
Strictly Business, the podcast hosted by WWE Hall of Famer & Jon Alba, has come to an abrupt end with its final episode airing this week.
On Twitter, Alba shared the news about the podcast’s end. Alba was appreciative of being able to work for ‘Easy-E’ who will now be putting his effort into other endeavors.
“Unfortunately, this week’s episode of Strictly Business with Eric Bischoff will be the last edition of the podcast. Eric’s schedule is loaded these days, and for good reasons, he’ll [be] putting his efforts into other endeavors.
“I’m extremely grateful to have had a chance to share a platform with Eric for the past two years. We are 38 years apart, and have wildly different views of pro wrestling, storytelling, and even life. Yet I think that has been one of the most fascinating parts of our dynamic and never fails to make for engaging conversation. I have always said Eric is one of the greatest television performers in wrestling history, and doing this show has been one of the most exciting challenges of my career. He has made me a better broadcaster, helped open new professional doors for me, and has been extremely gracious to me personally.
I hope you’ll join us this week as we bid farewell to the show! Thank you to the Ad Free Shows team as well for always making it featured programming and everything who has tuned in the past couple of years. Hopefully we’ve been “different than” the rest.”
Bischoff launched Strictly Business in April 2022, providing his insight into the business of professional wrestling both past and present. The show is the second podcast as part of Ad Free Shows, as Bischoff also hosts the ’83 Weeks’ podcast. The name of that show comes from WCW’s 83-week winning streak in the Monday Night Wars before losing to WWE Raw.
Tony Khan Responds
On both his podcasts, Bischoff has never shied away from sharing his hot takes. The WWE Hall of Famer has often been highly critical of AEW and the machinations of AEW President Tony Khan.
In a tweet, Khan didn’t hide his feelings about the show coming to an end. The AEW President that it was wise for this “fraud” of a business podcast to end before AEW’s next media deal.
Sunsetting this fraud of a business podcast before the next AEW media deal is a wise choice.#AEWDynamite
The announcement that WWE Speed will feature its own champion has certainly gotten the Superstars of WWE talking.
WWE Speed was announced earlier this year and will stream exclusively on Twitter/X starting on April 3. This week, it was announced that the show will feature its own championship. The first champion will be crowned via a tournament though no names have been confirmed as of this time.
WWE Superstars React
The prospect of a new championship and becoming the inaugural WWE Speed Champion has proven to be enticing to the WWE roster. On Twitter, Noam Dar said there’s not much he can’t finish in the WWE Speed three-minute time limit.
WWE Speed will feature three-minute matches, meaning there’ll be no time for Superstars to waste in their pursuit of victory. There’s no word yet on what the new WWE Speed Championship will look like.
Originally, the matches were given a five-minute time limit, but the video announcement this week said matches will last three minutes at max. It’s unclear if the matches filmed in December will be edited to fit the time limit.
Mustafa Ali may be on quite the roll in TNA Wrestling as the X-Division Champion, but he has yet to be locked into a contract with the promotion.
The former WWE Superstar made his debut for TNA in January of this year quickly after his non-compete clause with WWE had expired. At TNA No Surrender the following month, Ali won the X-Division Championship, marking his first taste of gold in a major wrestling promotion.
Mustafa Ali Working Without A Contract
Mustafa Ali is yet to ink a contract with TNA Wrestling, despite his ongoing reign as X-Division Champion, Fightful Select reports. Instead, he is working on a ‘per appearance’ basis despite being one of the most prominently featured stars in TNA today.
Mustafa Ali Outside TNA
In addition to his role with TNA, Ali has appeared for New Japan Pro Wrestling as well as a series of independent promotions. Fightful adds that other televised wrestling companies have maintained interest in possibly working with Mustafa.
Killer Kelly was believed to have finished up her time with TNA at the recent TNA Sacrifice tapings. It was later clarified that she is still under contract with TNA but is instead taking a break from wrestling for the time being. Her deal will not expire until 2025.
What’s to Come?
Ali will defend his title at TNA Rebellion against Jake Something. The latter earned the match by winning a ‘Rebellion Referendum’ six-way match on the March 21, episode of TNA Impact!
The show will take place on April 20, from the Palms Casino Resort in Paradise, Nevada. It’ll be the sixth Rebellion event for TNA and will be headlined by TNA World Champion Moose defending his title against Nic Nemeth.