WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker sees a bright future for GUNTHER, who continues to impress the Deadman each week. 

The Ring General has certainly proven to be dominant since coming to WWE. GUNTHER is one of the a handful of men to have held two championships for over one year, a group that includes Randy Savage, Pedro Morales, and Roman Reigns. 

The Undertaker on GUNTHER

On a recent edition of the Six Feet Under podcast, The Undertaker gushed about GUNTHER, who he believes has plenty to show in WWE. 

“The sky’s the limit for him. I think he’s a little bit of a throwback to a different era, but has the ability to work and tell stories.”

The former WWE World Champion spoke about GUNTHER’s recent match with Dominik Mysterio and praised the Austrian for remaining a heel without turning ‘Dirty Dom’ face in the process. 

GUNTHER Vs. The Undertaker? 

By the time GUNTHER made it to the main roster, The Undertaker had long retired from action, robbing fans of what’d be an epic showdown. Speaking about how such a match would go down, the Phenom predicted that they’d descend into a fistfight after two chops. 

What’s Next? 

GUNTHER will defend the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 40 against Sami Zayn. The Underdog earned the match with a controversial gauntlet win. Many fans have argued that Chad Gable’s shoulders were not fully down for the decisive fall. On WWE TV, Gable has taken the Gauntlet match loss especially hard. 

More Gold? 

GUNTHER has no plans on losing the Intercontinental title, but fans may have to wait before they see him in a World Championship picture. Last year, GUNTHER said the time was not right for him to add another title to his collection. 

NWA wrestler Silas Mason has surrendered the promotion’s National Championship to keep himself focused on EC3’s NWA World Championship. 

On the March 19, episode of NWA Powerrr, Mason relinquished the title and stated he was coming for the gold held by EC3. NWA President Billy Corgan then announced a tournament to determine the next NWA National Champion. The eight-man competition will see two finalists advance to a title match at NWA Hard Times. 

The NWA National Title Tournament

Paul Burchill, Thom Latimer, ‘Magic’ Jake Dumas, Carson Drake, AJ Cazana, Blake Troop, Bryan Idol, and Zyon were announced for the tournament. In the main event of NWA Powerrr, Troop defeated Idol to qualify for the next round. 

Silas Mason’s Title Reign

Mason captured the title at the NWA 75 anniversary event in August of last year. Ironically, Mason won the title which had been vacated by EC3. The reigning NWA Worlds Champion gave up the gold in order to challenge (and later defeat) Tyrus to become NWA World Champion. 

Mason held the title for a collective 205 days. His reign surpasses several notable names in the NWA including Ted DiBiase Sr., Paul Orndorff, Terry Taylor, and Tully Blanchard.

Silas Mason’s Setback

Mason is focused on becoming NWA Worlds Champion, which comes at a unique time in his life. Earlier this month, Mason’s home was destroyed by a fire. On Twitter, the NWA brought awareness to the tragedy and shared a GoFundMe for fans who want to help. Generous fans have already raised over $16,000, far surpassing the initial $10,000 goal. 

Our own Silas Mason suffered an unfortunate house fire today.

More information can be found at the link below, if you’re able to help you can also donate to him and his family.https://t.co/f5kadEb08P pic.twitter.com/OxnV6h2DUo

— NWA (@nwa) March 13, 2024

NWA Hard Time 4

Mason will challenge EC3 at NWA Hard Times 4. The show has already been filmed at the  Dothan Civic Center in Dothan, Alabama. The show was initially announced as a pay-per-view but will instead air as a special NWA Powerrr episode. 

Trish Stratus & Lita, affectionately known as ‘Team Bestie’ have their eyes on the WWE Women’s Tag Titles and breaking the ‘curse’ that often befalls champions. 

The pair of WWE Hall of Famers were at Monopoly Events’ ‘For the Love of Wrestling’ convention that took place this month. During a Q&A with the fans in Manchester, England, the pair were asked about winning the tag titles, which Lita was all for. 

“People like to talk about this imaginary curse of the [women’s] tag titles, but I think that if Trish and I were tag champs, that somehow the curse would magically disappear.”

Stratus was similarly enthusiastic at the notion of challenging for the titles, warning the Kabuki Warriors “You’re not ready for Team Bestie.”

The Curse of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles

While Lita described the ‘curse’ as imaginary, it’s hard to ignore the setbacks that various champions have faced. The titles were stripped from Sasha Banks & Naomi after they walked out of WWE in May 2022. The titles would be left vacant for months before being won by Aliyah & Raquel Rodriguez. That pair would lose the titles mere weeks later. 

In May 2023, Rodriguez and Liv Morgan were stripped of the titles when Morgan suffered a shoulder injury. Less than two months later, Sonya Deville would suffer an ACL tear as champion which has kept WWE’s first openly lesbian Superstar out ever since. 

Another Injury

This curse has shown no sign of slowing down, as we’ve learned in recent days. Four-time and current WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Asuka is dealing with an injury and was recently pulled from live events. It’s unclear how extensive the injury is, but with WrestleMania 40 growing closer, this could not come at a worse time for the Empress of Tomorrow. 

WWE once had plans for a blockbuster match pitting Mercdes Mone against Megan Thee Stallion, according to WWE alum Mojo Rawley. 

Rawley was in attendance for the recent Crunchyroll Anime Awards and was there to support Mone, who presented alongside Cowboys defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence. The All-Elite talent presented the Best Slice of Life Award and was spotted with Megan Thee Stallion. 

Megan Thee Stallion Vs. Mercedes Mone

Appearing on Mandy Rose & Tino Sabatelli’s Power Alphas podcast, Mojo Rawley spoke about meeting Megan Thee Stallion, who was also at the awards ceremony. The former WWE 24/7 Champion then shared that WWE had something planned for her at a previous year’s SummerSlam.

“She was going to do something with Mercedes at WWE SummerSlam in years previous, and it just never materialized and fell through for one reason or another. We all know how those situations can go.”

Mojo added that Stallion was “cool” and far taller than he first thought. He didn’t give a year as to when she was going to be involved with WWE. It was reported in 2021 that WWE had planned to have Stallion do something, though that never materialized. 

Mercedes Mone Today

Mone never had her match with Megan Thee Stallion in WWE, and left the promotion in 2022. She joined AEW earlier this month at the Big Business Dynamite and is reportedly the highest-paid woman in wrestling. Despite her AEW arrival, Mone has said she’s sure she’ll compete for WWE again one day, which unsurprisingly went down poorly with those in AEW. 

Mojo Rawley Outside WWE

Rawley, the winner of the 2017 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, was released from WWE in 2021. The following year, he got engaged to Gracie Tracy and the couple married in Florence, Italy that October. 

Rawley has remained in the public eye outside WWE and appeared in the G.I. Joe prequel film, Snake Eyes. He is currently a co-host for TMZ Sports which airs on Fox Sports FS1. 

Celebrity Matches

While Stallion never competed for WWE, several artists have stepped between the ropes over the years. Grammy Award-winning artist Bad Bunny has competed multiple times in WWE, while Smashing Pumpkins’ Billy Corgan appeared on ECW on TNN in 1999, years before he acquired the NWA. For TNA’s first event, country singer Toby Keith got physical with Jeff Jarrett and delivered a vertical suplex to Double-J. 

H/T – Fightful

AEW’s Sammy Guevara has expressed his gratitude to fans who have shown their support amid his ongoing suspension from the All-Elite promotion. 

Guevara was suspended earlier this month from AEW for going against protocol during a match with Jeff Hardy. Hardy would suffer a broken nose during the match and was suspected to have suffered a concussion. While Jeff did not suffer a concussion, Guevara did not stop the match like he should have to allow for immediate testing, resulting in his suspension. 

Sammy Guevara Speaks

In his latest Vlog, Guevara shared some of the highlights of his life outside of the ring, including spending time with his wife Tay Melo, and their child. At the end of the video, Guevara shared a message of appreciation to the fans. 

“To the people who support me, whether it be at the beginning or in the beginning it in the middle or maybe this is your first video you’ve watched of mine, I just want to say thank you.”

Guevara added that he acknowledges he has made mistakes, but is trying to be better. 

“I understand that I am a person who has made mistakes but I am also a person who has tried to be better.

“‘Roll with the punches’ is a saying that I truly understand now at 30 years old. Life will throw a lot at you. But it’s how you deal with those adversities that make you who you are. I know who I am and I know what I’m going after.

“See you at the top.”

Guevara’s Past Controversies

The incident with Jeff Hardy is hardly the first piece of notoriety for Guevara in AEW. Back in 2020, a chairshot from Guevara who used the wrong type of chair resulted in Jeff’s brother Matt requiring 13 staples. Hardy also took a nasty spill during a forklift spot at All Out that September.

In June 2020, Guevara was suspended for comments made in 2016 in which he said he wanted to “go r*pe” Sasha Banks. Guevara underwent sensitivity training and his salary at the time was donated to the Women’s Center of Jacksonville. Guevara would apologize publicly and in private to Banks, who recently joined AEW as Mercedes Mone. 

Becky Lynch’s new memoir is proving to be a hit with WWE Superstars and legends alike with glowing reviews pouring in for the new book. 

Becky Lynch: The Man: Not Your Average Average Girl is due to release later this month, and will tell the tale of how young Rebecca Quin became the internationally recognized WWE Superstar she is today. The book is 384 pages long. 

The Reviews Are In

Lynch’s memoir will hit shelves on March 26 but some WWE stars have been able to get their hands on an advanced copy of the book. In reviews from Simon & Schuster Publishing WWE Hall of Famer ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin was impressed with how well The Man writes about her life. 

“Becky’s writing style is infectious and contagious. Just like her personality. From hard times and hard decisions, to changing the landscape of sports entertainment, the self-described ‘underdog’ has always been destined to do great things. I’m sure there is more to come.”

John Cena, somebody Lynch shared the ring with for a segment in 2018, believes the memoir shows the merits of a three-word mantra of his. 

“Her authenticity allows us to feel her struggles and mature alongside her as the story unfolds… It might just be the new Underdog’s Guide to the Galaxy. A trailblazer, a groundbreaker and a great example of my 3 favorite words, Never Give Up.”

Lynch’s husband Seth Rollins said that the book shares plenty in common with its author. 

“Effortlessly authentic, poignant without ever trying too hard, and a little rough around the edges—that’s my lovely wife, and it’s also her lovely book… Between being a full-time WWE Superstar, a full-time mother, and a GOAT life partner, my one and only somehow casually found the bandwidth to pen a perfect memoir…because of course she did.”

Mick Foley, who knows a thing or two about writing a gripping memoir, was very impressed with the tome. 

“Becky Lynch: The Man is one of the finest wrestling books—or memoirs of any kind—I have had the pleasure to read… I am so glad she has chosen to share that voice and her remarkable life story with all of us.”

Stephanie McMahon is confident about how the book will fare once readers get their own copies. 

“Becky Lynch: The Man is the story of a remarkable woman who had the guts to put it all on the line… Becky Lynch defies every stereotype. The crowd loves her because she is vulnerable and real, and I have no doubt you will too!”

The Man at the White House

One person who may be reading the book soon is U.S. President Joe Biden. The Man was recently a guest at the White House as part of the recent St. Patrick’s Day festivities. Lynch even left a copy of her book in the White House, as she made clear with a tweet. 

Thanks for letting me class up your library, @whitehouse. pic.twitter.com/NDh59vIQs3

— Rebecca Quin (@BeckyLynchWWE) March 18, 2024

It’s fitting that Lynch was at the White House this past week as she’s been feeling a lot more American as of late. After this week’s Raw, Lynch had some big news to share with the WWE Universe. 

WWE NXT commentator Booker T was just playing around when he claimed he had a run-in with CM Punk during a recent episode of the gold brand. 

Booker claimed during a recent edition of his Hall of Fame podcast that he and Punk “almost got into it” when the Chicago-Made star attended the March 12, taping. Booker did not share details of what transpired but said he’d speak more on the matter at a later time. 

Suspicions Arise

Immediately, suspicions arose regarding Booker’s claim of a backstage altercation with Punk. The ex-AEW star has been well-behaved since his return to WWE in November of last year and has been especially helpful with the WWE NXT roster.

 Nobody on said roster, or anyone at the taping, could recall any confrontation between the two. Booker would also waste no time in downplaying the seriousness of this alleged altercation. 

Booker T Comes Clean

On the most recent edition of his podcast, Booker T shared the truth about this so-called altercation with Punk. Booker admitted that he wasn’t exactly being honest when he claimed there was a ‘run in’ with the Raw Superstar. 

“I’m trying to entertain my fans… Because that story, that 40-second story that people wrote, it was clickbait, guys.

“Did I put it out there? Did I say it? As far as I had a beef, I was gonna run up? Yeah, I said [it] But I’m entertaining you guys. Entertaining. Just playing around.”

Booker’s (Real) Run-In

While two backstage altercations would ultimately doom CM Punk’s AEW run, Booker is hardly faultless when it comes to trouble backstage. In 2006, Booker and Batista had a legitimate fistfight at a SummerSlam commercial shoot. 

The issues between them seemed to stem from Batista suggesting that he was superior to Booker (and others on the roster) because of his quick rise to the top of WWE. The fight left both men bloodied, according to sources at the time. 

What’s Next? 

When not making up stuff for his podcast, Booker can be found behind the desk as an NXT commentator and will continue to call the action at WWE NXT, including at the Stand & Deliver show that’ll take place on April 6. 

CM Punk will be on the March 25, episode of WWE Raw that will take place in his hometown of Chicago, IL. Punk has also vowed that he’ll be at WrestleMania 40, even if he’s not invited.

Jack Perry is still with AEW, despite what may have been suggested, but fans should not expect to see him any time soon. 

Perry last appeared for AEW at All In 2023, where he lost the FTW Championship to Hook. This match, like much of the show, was overshadowed by the backstage confrontation Perry had with CM Punk. Their fight led to both men being suspended from AEW and Punk ultimately being released following his second suspension in less than a year. Punk has since gone on to return to WWE. 

Jack Perry Outside AEW

At NJPW Battle in the Valley 2024, Perry made a stunning appearance, his first in any wrestling company since AEW All In. Perry, clad in a “scapegoat” armband, tore up an AEW contract. This was a surprise to everyone, including the security. Guards at Battle in the Valley first thought Perry was a fan entering the ring, but were quickly told this was part of the show. 

Jack Perry’s Current Status. 

Perry’s appearance at the NJPW show understandably led many to believe his time with AEW had ended. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer gave some clarification on Perry’s current status. The former FTW Champion is still with AEW but is simply not being used. 

Meltzer added that Tony Khan is still “really mad” at Perry over what transpired at AEW All In. The general gist of things is that Perry cost AEW CM Punk, who for his issues in AEW, is one of the biggest names the company had on its roster. With Punk not around, the lion’s share of the blame has fallen on the former Jungle Boy. 

Has Tony Khan Gone Too Far? 

Meltzer argued that Perry should have been suspended for a month or two and then brought back to programming. Instead, we are now seven months into Perry’s absence from AEW programming. Meltzer said that the punishment for Perry doesn’t fit the ‘crime’ he committed last August in Wembley. 

WWE was willing to make a special exception for Cody Rhodes on the March 18, episode of Raw, given his high-profile ongoing war of words with The Rock. 

During the show, Rhodes held nothing back in his scathing comments about The Bloodline’s newest member. Rhodes, dressed in an all-dark suit, dubbed the Brahma Bull an “asshole” and added that the Hollywood megastar is deep down a “little b*tch!” Still not finished, Rhodes said that The Rock will have a case of LDS (Little d*ck syndrome) when WrestleMania 40 comes around. 

Cody Rhodes on WWE Raw

Cody’s comments shocked fans given WWE’s recent memo reminding talent about the importance of adhering to PG guidelines. This memo has led to some in WWE feeling frustrated, believing that The Rock, who has been cursing up a storm on social media, should be forced to play by the same rules as everyone else in WWE.

The apparent double standard between The Rock and the full-time roster is hard to ignore. Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer confirmed that there had been a memo. It was stressed that WWE realized that Rhodes had to have something big on Raw in rebuttal to Rock’s expletive-laden promos fans have been seeing regularly. 

“They knew that he [Rhodes] had to come back… [Cody] was given the opportunity to do it because they wanted him to stay babyface… if he came off badly on this promo and Rock came off so great in Memphis, that’s not what they want.”

What’s Next? 

Rhodes & The Rock will be on opposing sides of a tag-team match that will almost certainly headline WrestleMania 40: Saturday. The next night, Rhodes will challenge Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. This will be Cody’s final opportunity at Reigns, a stipulation made by the Brahma Bull. 

Rhodes and Reigns will come face-to-face on the March 22, episode of WWE SmackDown. Paul Heyman has promised that no Bloodline members other than himself and Reigns will be there, as long as Cody shows up to the confrontation alone. 

Becky Lynch had quite the night at this week’s Monday Night Raw as she had some huge news to share after the show went off the air. 

In the main event of Raw, Lynch defeated Nia Jax in a Last Woman’s Standing match. Both competitors held nothing back in the violent match that marked one of the few singles matches between the two. In the closing moments of the match, Lynch dove off a ladder and drove Jax through the announce table with a leg drop to get the win. 

After the match, Lynch was confronted by WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley. The two will face off at WWE WrestleMania 40 next month. 

After Raw went off the air, Lynch had some big news to share with the fans. The first Irish-born female champion in WWE revealed that as of a few hours ago, Becky Lynch officially became a citizen of the United States of America.

All American

The news that Becky Lynch officially became an American citizen on Monday takes on even greater significance with the context that she was at the White House just 24 hours earlier hanging out with President Joe Biden. 

Politics are very divisive these days, but we can all agree the President of the United States inviting The Man to the White House is pretty cool and a win for wrestling.

Wrestlers who are as successful as Lynch are masters of self-promotion and she’s no exception. She brought a special gift to her visit to the White House – a copy of her upcoming book, Becky Lynch: The Man: Not Your Average Girl – now available for pre-order at Amazon and is due to release on March 26, 2024.

Thanks for letting me class up your library, @whitehouse. pic.twitter.com/NDh59vIQs3

— Rebecca Quin (@BeckyLynchWWE) March 18, 2024

Lynch has been living in the U.S. for over a decade now and spent time living in New York. She later moved to Florida upon signing with WWE in order to be close to the Performance Center.

Full Match: Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax

WWE has uploaded the complete Last Woman Standing Match between Lynch and Nia Jax from the March 18, 2024 edition of WWE RAW. This was as hard-hitting as anything we’ve seen on WWE television this year and the women proved once again that they’re more than capable of closing out a show.

Women In Main Events

Becky Lynch is one of a few women in WWE history who can say they’ve competed in the main event of a WrestleMania. 

Nia Jax recently headlined the WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 premium live event against reigning Women’s World champion, Rhea Ripley. Jax was not victorious, but spoke about how much that experience meant to her:

A battle of former WWE Superstars will culminate with either Nic Nemeth or Alberto El Patron emerging as the next AAA Mega Champion next month. 

The title was recently vacated by El Hijo del Vikingo, who boasted the records for the longest individual reign and for the most title defenses. Vikingo, who also appears for AEW, gave up the gold after suffering a leg injury last month which resulted in that night’s match ending abruptly. 

New AAA Mega Champion

In an announcement, AAA confirmed that El Patron, who won a spot in the upcoming title match via winning a three-way, will face Nic Nemeth. Their match will go down at AAA TripleMania XXXII which will take place on April 27. The show will take place from the Mobil Super Stadium and will serve as the first of three TripleMania events this year.

Nemeth Vs. Patron

Though they’ve yet to face off under their current names, Nic Nemeth and Alberto El Patron are no strangers. The pair feuded in 2013 after Nemeth (Dolph Ziggler) cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on Patron (then Alberto Del Rio.) The World Heavyweight Championship win is still considered one of the best Money in the Bank cash-ins in the 19-year history of the concept. 

The pair’s feud would also see the rarely-seen ‘double turn’ during their title match at Payback that same year. The intensity and underhanded tactics of Del Rio would turn him heel while Ziggler’s resilience in the face of adversity turned him face in the process. 

Matt Hardy has been a part of the AEW roster for years, but that didn’t stop the veteran and his wife Reby from enjoying this week’s WWE Monday Night Raw in person. 

During the show, Michael Cole made reference to Matt’s WrestleMania 25 showdown with his brother Jeff. This was segue into the upcoming brother vs. brother match that’ll see Jimmy and Jey Uso face off at WrestleMania 40.

On Instagram, Reby Hardy made clear that she was aware to Cole’s reference to her husband and brother-in-law. Reby, who has worked with her husband in the wrestling business, revealed that both she and Matt were at Raw and seemingly had a great time. 

Matt and Ruby Hardy were in attendance for tonight's Raw from PNC Arena.pic.twitter.com/PmBLeGfAIw

— Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) March 19, 2024

Matt Hardy’s AEW Status

Earlier this month, it was reported that Hardy’s AEW deal will come to an end very soon. There have been discussions between the two sides about a new deal, though it is unclear as to how far those talks are, or how likely it is that a deal will be reached. 

Matt Hardy in AEW

Matt joined AEW in 2020 but his in-ring time has been very limited as of late. After competing 37 times for AEW in 2023, Hardy has had just one match for the promotion in 2024. That bout came on the January 5, episode of Rampage and saw the Hardy Boyz and Mark Briscoe defeat Kip Sabian, the Butcher, and the Blade. His most recent pay-per-view victory saw the Hardys and Hook defeat the Gunns and Ethan Page at AEW Double or Nothing 2023 last May. 

Marlon Brando’s incredible performance as Col. Walter Kurtz helped inspire Roman Reigns to be the Tribal Chief, Paul Heyman has revealed. 

In 2020, Reigns turned heel and aligned himself with Paul Heyman, a move that ironically made the Shield alum the most popular he’d been in years. Since then, Reigns has dominated WWE as Universal Champion, a title he unified with the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 38 in 2022. Reigns is currently closing in on 1,300 days as Universal Champion. 

Roman Reigns & Apocalypse Now

Reigns hasn’t just dominated WWE’s roster, but has dominated his family as the ‘Tribal Chief.’ In a recent talk at the BSM Summit, Heyman spoke about Reigns and the Hollywood inspiration behind his character. 

“I had Roman Reigns watch ‘Apocalypse Now’ multiple times. To me, that was the heart and soul of the character of the Tribal Chief. A warrior so great that he conquered his own island.”

The 1979 film sees Marlon Brando portray Colonel Walter Kurtz, a U.S. military powerhouse who has gone mad and now leads his own tribe deep in the Cambodian jungle. In the interview, Heyman compared Reigns to Brando’s gripping rendition of the character.

“Brando presented himself as a pseudo-God. We call it a Tribal Chief. ..That’s where the villainry of Roman Reigns comes in because he says ‘Acknowledge me,’ and [at] once you acknowledge him.”

WATCH: @HeymanHustle shared incredible insight on the inspiration for the @WWERomanReigns 'Tribal Chief' character at the 2024 BSM Summit. This was simply outstanding! @WWE and #wrestling fans, this is must-watch!

Session videos are presented by @stonevoiceovers pic.twitter.com/ncMkeBxyCO

— Barrett Media (@Barrett_Media) March 18, 2024

What’s Next? 

If Reigns is indeed the Col. Kurtz of WWE, his reign of terror may be coming to an end. The film ends with Kurtz being killed by Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) at the behest of the U.S. government.  Reigns will defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40. 

WWE Raw Superstar CM Punk can’t compete due to a torn triceps injury, but that won’t keep him from having a role at WrestleMania 40 next month. 

CM Punk has been out of action since the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match, in which he suffered his injury. This is the latest injury setback for Punk, who was taken out of action in 2022 during his AEW run after suffering an injury while diving to the fans. Punk would suffer a triceps tear during his AEW All Out match with Jon Moxley that same year. 

CM Punk at WWE WrestleMania 40

Punk had hoped to headline WrestleMania this year; an accolade missing from the Best in the World’s impressive career. Punk not headlining WrestleMania 28 in favor of The Rock Vs. John Cena was alluded to during a segment between Punk and Cody Rhodes, with the Chicago-Made star hinting that Rock would replace Rhodes as the main eventer of WrestleMania 40. 

On this week’s Raw, a video aired hyping up Punk’s return to WWE programming which will come on next week’s episode of Monday Night Raw in Chicago, IL. During this video, Punk addressed his WrestleMania status. The former WWE & AEW World Champion vowed that he would be at WrestleMania 40, even if he isn’t formally invited. 

CHICAGO!

Get ready for the return of @CMPunk next week live on #WWERaw! What will the Best in the World have to say ahead of #WrestleMania?

LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE: https://t.co/wBbcrbTz74 pic.twitter.com/aOI6b8VOI4

— WWE (@WWE) March 19, 2024

CM Punk’s Cancelled Plans

Punk was initially planned to face Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40. Instead, the World Heavyweight Champion will defend against Drew McIntyre. Punk was also scheduled for a role at last month’s WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 event, which also had to be scrapped due to his injury. 

The Rock will be part of the final episode of Monday Night Raw ahead of WrestleMania 40, as confirmed by the TKO Board member himself this week. 

Taking to Twitter, The Rock vowed that he will electrify when he appears on the April 1, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw. The Bloodline’s newest member also encouraged fans to “sit back” and “enjoy the ride” that he is taking the WWE Universe on. 

THE FINAL BOSS WILL ELECTRIFY BROOKLYN ON MONDAY NIGHT RAW????

Now sit back, shut your mouths and ENJOY THE RIDE THE ROCK IS TAKING ALL YOUR CANDY ASSES ON ?

ONE NIGHT ONLY #BROOKLYN #RAW#TheROCK @wwe @TKOGrp pic.twitter.com/Lv3lXr1PNe

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) March 19, 2024

Plans for The Rock

There’s no confirmation as to what The Rock will be doing on the go-home Raw ahead of WrestleMania 40. At the two-night Premium Live Event, Rock will team with Roman Reigns to face Seth Rollins & Cody Rhodes. Should The Bloodline win, then the following night’s Undisputed WWE Universal title match between Rhodes & Reigns will be under ‘Bloodline Rules.’ If Cody and Seth emerge on top, there will be no Bloodline involvement with the WrestleMania 40: Sunday main event. 

The Rock After WrestleMania

The Rock will have a huge role to play at WrestleMania, but there have been questions as to will be next for him after April 7. It is believed within WWE that the upcoming tag-team match will not be the Brahma Bull’s last time competing in WWE. Many are still hopeful to see The Rock Vs. Roman Reigns, a match initially penciled in for WrestleMania before the fan backlash and ‘We Want Cody’ movement led to WWE changing course. 

As to when that match will take place is something of a mystery. The Rock will be filming for ‘The Smashing Machine’ from May to August of this year which will mean he can’t compete in WWE. Options for when Rock Vs. Reigns could take place include SummerSlam (though it seems unlikely), WWE’s second Saudi show of 2024 or WrestleMania 41. 

Fans tuning into this week’s AEW Dynamite will enjoy not two but three hours of programming, with Rampage set to air immediately after.

On Twitter, AEW shared the news that fans can expect three hours this Wednesday. The shows will air from the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

THIS WEDNESDAY!#AEWDynamite & #AEWRampage will be back-to-back LIVE on @TBSNetwork, starting at 8pm ET/7pm CT ??? pic.twitter.com/52phOBPEWk

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) March 18, 2024

AEW Dynamite – March 20 Matches

This week’s AEW Dynamite will be a stacked show with the TNT Championship on the line. Christian Cage and Adam Copeland will do battle in an I-Quit match in their hometown. On last week’s episode of AEW Collision, Copeland introduced ‘Spike,’ a 2×4 filled with nails he plans to use as a weapon.

Chris Jericho will take on Hook on this week’s Dynamite. This match was confirmed last week. Jericho and Hook are currently a tag team and defeated the Gates of Agony on last week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.

In his first singles match since signing with AEW, Kazuchika Okada will take on AEW Continental Champion Eddie Kingston. In addition to the AEW gold being on the line, Kingston’s Ring of Honor World Championship and NJPW Strong Openweight Championship will also be on the line.

In women’s division action, AEW Women’s World Champion ‘Timeless’ Toni Storm and Mariah May will face Deonna Purrazzo and Thunder Rosa. The Virtuosa unsuccessfully challenged Storm for the gold at AEW Revolution 2024.

Mercedes Mone Speaks

Mercedes Mone will also be at this week’s Dynamite to address the crowd. The former WWE & IWGP Women’s Champion made her AEW debut last week. 

Currently, there are no confirmed matches for AEW Rampage. Keep checking out SE Scoops for the latest updates on AEW programming. 

WWE’s Road to WrestleMania saw the Superstars travel to Augusta’s James Brown Arena, for what will be the final time. 

Over 6,000 fans attended the final WWE event at the James Brown Arena for the show that took place on March 17. It was fitting that Georgia’s own Cody Rhodes headlined the show with a hard-fought victory over Drew McIntyre. 

Cody beats Drew!! #wweaugusta @CodyRhodes pic.twitter.com/ucFZSgMxib

— #WeWantCody (@WeWantCody_) March 17, 2024

The historic venue is set to close this summer and will be rebuilt from the ground up, the new facility is expected to open sometime in 2026. 

WWE Augusta Results

Here are the results of WWE’s final event in the James Brown Arena: 

• R-Truth def. Dominik Mysterio by DQ

• R-Truth & New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) def. Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, & Dominik Mysterio)

• AJ Styles def. Carlito

• WWE Women’s World Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) def. Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler

• Sami Zayn def. Shinsuke Nakamura

• LA Knight def. Solo Sikoa

• Omos def. Akira Tozawa

• Naomi & Bianca Belair def. IYO SKY & Kairi Sane

• Street Fight: Cody Rhodes def. Drew McIntyre

Wrestling at the James Brown Arena

WWE’s biggest event at the historic venue came on December 3, 2006, when WWE-ECW held its first, and last, brand-exclusive pay-per-view. December to Dismember saw 4,800 fans watch on as Bobby Lashley became ECW World Champion in the first, and last, Extreme Elimination Chamber match. 

WWE also hosted several untelevised events at the venue, the first being in February 1985. The show’s main event saw Tito Santana defeat Intercontinental Champion Greg Valentine via count-out, meaning ‘The Hammer’ kept the gold. WCW also hosted untelevised events at the arena. 

Championships from TNA Wrestling will be on the line in Australia next month as part of an event that’ll see some of the biggest stars in wrestling go ‘down under.’

The Starrcast Downunder convention will take place from April 11 to April 14, from Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. Guests named for the convention include Bret Hart, Mickie James, Eric Bischoff, Bull Nakano, SoCal Val, Alicia Fox, Powerhouse Hobbs and Chris Masters, among others. The event will be presented by Oceania Pro Wrestling (OPW), in partnership with Visit Victoria. 

TNA Wrestling at Starrcast

The upcoming convention will see plenty of TNA participation. It has been announced that TNA World Champion Moose will put his title on the line against Josh Alexander. The challenger never lost the title but his record-breaking reign ended in 2023 due to an injury. This match will go down at the Australian Stampede on April 13 at the Selkirk Stadium, and will be curated by Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart.’

On the women’s side of things, the HER event will be hosted by Mickie James and will also see TNA gold on the line. TNA Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace will defend against Delta, the most dominant force in the Australian wrestling scene. That show will take place on April 12 from the Selkirk Stadium.

In addition to the three TNA talents named in these matches, Starrcast Downunder will also see KUSHIDA make an appearance. 

TNA Wrestling in Australia

Starrcast Downunder will mark TNA’s return to Australia after hosting its Down Under Tour in the summer of last year. That tour saw the roster, host shows at the Equex Centre in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales. 

Raw Superstar Cody Rhodes has once again proven to be a man of the people with a recent interaction at a WWE live event. 

At the untelevised event in Augusta, Georgia, Rhodes was set to compete against Drew McIntyre in the show’s main event. Before going into combat with the Scottish Warrior though, Cody noticed a young fan dressed as him in the crowd. Rhodes plucked the lucky young fan out of the crowd and the duo hit Rhodes’ signature ‘WHOA’ pose. 

pic.twitter.com/AMQLEC75zy @CodyRhodes does his entrance pose with a young fan at a #WWE live event ?#WWEAugusta

— Chris The Wrestling Informer ?? (@Thewrestlingin1) March 17, 2024

Not only did the young fan get a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but they also got to see Rhodes win. The American Nightmare bested McIntyre in the main event which was also a Street Fight. 

Cody Rhodes & The Fans

This is hardly the first time Rhodes has gone the extra mile to make a show special for a fan. Recently, Rhodes got up close and personal with a visually impaired fan at a WWE event who held a sign saying they were trying to see him. This heartwarming interaction came about mere weeks after Rhodes agreed to be the Best Man at a fan’s wedding.

At WWE live events, Cody has been competing in Extreme Rules matches and has been gifting pieces of a broken table to those in the crowd. After the final live Raw of 2023, Rhodes went even further and gifted a Christmas Tree to a fan.

Speaking of the Holidays, Rhodes made one young fan’s season extra special by sending a signed Cody Rhodes authentic weight belt. More recently, Rhodes gave a different kind of gift to a fan; the gum of Rhea Ripley.

The Rock couldn’t care less that there have been issues with the language he uses on WWE programming and has declared that he is shooting “from the hip.”

On the March 15, episode of SmackDown, the Brahma Bull brought back his Hollywood theme and performed in a special ‘Rock Concert.’ The Bloodline member took aim at Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes, two men he’ll face at WrestleMania 40: Saturday. 

Criticism of The Rock

While The Rock has been entertaining since his return, his comeback is starting to rub some within the promotion the wrong way. The Rock went too long with his segment on SmackDown, leading to the Legado del Fantasma Vs. LWO tag match being cut short. 

As sources exclusively told SE Scoops, talent were recently reminded about adhering to the company’s PG guidelines on TV and social media. This has led to some resentment in WWE as many see a double standard and believe The Rock is getting special treatment. The former WWE Champion has been able to curse in his social media promos and opened his most recent promo with an “are you f***ing kidding me?”

The Rock Responds

On Instagram, The Rock had a fiery response to the notion that his language is crossing a line on WWE programming. The Great One argued that he’d “rather be real than not.” He added, “I talk from the heart, shoot from the hip, and try to always have fun.” The Rock signed off with his self-prescribed new moniker as the ‘Final Boss.’

https://www.instagram.com/p/reel:C4m3f2EO4za

El Hijo del Vikingo has vacated the AAA Mega Championship due to an injury that the now-former champ unfortunately suffered last month. 

The injury in question happened during a match in the López Mateos Arena. Vikingo was assessed at the venue and it was believed he had damaged a ligament in his right knee. His match was called off and he was tended to backstage. 

AAA Mega Title Vacated

The AAA Mega Championship has been vacated due to the Vikingo’s injury. The promotion announced that a new champion will be crowned at Triplemania XXXII Monterrey on April 27. Alberto El Patron won a triple threat match against Cibernético and Psycho Clown to qualify for the upcoming AAA Mega Championship match. 

¡DE ÚLTIMO MOMENTO!

El Megacampeonato de AAA ha quedado vacante y será disputado en #TriplemaniaXXXII Monterrey

Esta noche en Ciudad de México @PrideOfMexico, Cibernético y @Psychooriginal buscarán ser el primer retador en una lucha de 3 esquinas#OrígenesAAA

— Lucha Libre AAA Worldwide (@luchalibreaaa) March 17, 2024

Vikingo won the title back at TripleMania Regia II in December of 2021. His 828-day reign is the longest in the title’s history. He also boasts the record for the most title defenses, with his 23 defenses being more than double of El Texano Jr. who holds the #2 spot with 11 defenses.

El Hijo del Vikingo’s Setbacks

This is the latest setback for Vikingo, who suffered a significant injury in late 2023. Vikingo suffered a hip injury at an ROH event when a dive went wrong and was seen using a wheelchair after the match. That incident happened just one month after Vikingo collapsed backstage at AAA TripleMania XXXI: Mexico City. On social media, a video backstage made its way around, showing the Vikingo down backstage and being stretchered away.

WWE’s own Becky Lynch was able to find work behind the bar of a Manhattan pub after looking for any iconography that reminded her of home. 

Years before The Man made her name in WWE, Lynch arrived in New York City with $2,000 in her bank account, of which close to one-third was spent in her first day in the city. Speaking to the New York Post, Lynch recalled finding work in 2010, hoping that her Irish-ness would help convince pubs in the Big Apple to give her a shot. 

“I just walked around… [looking for] anything that had an Irish flag or had an Irish name or a little harp outside.” 

Lynch would eventually find work at the Hibernia Bar in Hells’ Kitchen, which prides itself on being an ‘authentic’ Irish pub. Lynch said that her gift of talking which WWE fans would come to appreciate years later helped her immensely.

“I was their first experience in hiring a waitress. I wasn’t the best, but I could banter, so the customers liked me, tipped me and it meant I kept my job.”

Finding a Place to Stay

While Lynch had found work at Hibernia, she still needed a place to stay. Ironically, her apartment in New York would also be located above an Irish pub. Though the place had no job opportunities, the bartender from Kerry, Ireland suggested she rent the room upstairs for $500 a month. 

“The room had a sink, twin bed and barely enough room to put a suitcase. There was a communal shower and toilet down the hall.”

What’s Next for Becky Lynch?

Lynch will be in action on the upcoming episode of Raw, where she will face Nia Jax. The two have been at odds for months, with Jax looking to prove she is deserving of a Women’s World Championship shot.

Looking ahead, Lynch will have her hands full when she challenges WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 40. Lynch earned a shot at the Australian by winning the 2024 Women’s Elimination Chamber match.

Satnam Singh has (literally) towered over the competition in AEW, but came up short against Super Grizz at a recent basketball game for the Memphis Grizzlies. 

During the halftime of the Memphis Grizzlies Vs. Oklahoma City Thunder Game, Singh appeared and was set to wrestle five men. Only four showed up, however, and they were easily dispatched of by the AEW star. 

During the third quarter of the game, Singh’s fifth and final opponent showed up and turned out to be Super Grizz, the mascot of the Memphis team. Grizz got Satnam to his knees, hit a superkick, and targeted Jeff Jarrett on commentary. The finish of the unique match saw Grizz hit a crossbody from the commentary booth onto Singh in the ring to get the win. 

Super Grizz WINS! #BackToTheGrind pic.twitter.com/M8c8Nam0C5

— ?Amy ??? (@abris11) March 17, 2024

More Basketball Adventures

While Singh didn’t leave the game with the win, he and Jeff Jarrett did spoil the evening for Memphis hero Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler. Jarrett and Singh were on hand to steal a lifetime achievement title from the famed commentator who was being recognized in his native Memphis. 

Satnam Singh in AEW

Singh made his in-ring debut for AEW on the June 8, 2022, edition of Rampage. He would spend his first month undefeated, with his first loss being as part of a six-man tag match at Fight for the Fallen 2022 in July. 

Singh has competed a total of 20 times in AEW. He currently boasts a 13-7 win/loss record. His most recent match was at the inaugural AEW House Riles event in June 2023, where he and Jeff Jarrett defeated Brandon and Brent Tate. He competed for the AEW Trios Championships at AEW All Out last September. 

The upcoming Canadian Screen Awards will have a pro-wrestling flair thanks to the nominations of Trish Stratus and VICE series Dark Side of the Ring. 

 The 12th Canadian Screen Awards will take place from May 26 to May 31, from the Canadian Broadcasting Centre in Toronto. The ceremony will be hosted by Canadian comedian, actor, and screenwriter Mae Martin. 

Trish Stratus Nominated

The seven-time WWE Women’s Champion is nominated for the award of Best Host or Presenter, Factual or Reality/Competition for her role as part of Canada’s Got Talent. The full nominees list is as follows: 

• Gerry Dee, Family Feud Canada
• Lindsay Ell, Howie Mandel, Lilly Singh, Trish Stratus and Kardinal Offishall, Canada’s Got Talent
• Jonny Harris, Still Standing
• Brooke Lynn Hytes, Traci Melchor and Brad Goreski, Canada’s Drag Race: Canada vs. the World
• Alan Shane Lewis and Ann Pornel, The Great Canadian Baking Show

Dark Side of the Ring Nominated

Dark Side of the Ring is up for several awards, including for ‘Factual Series.’ The episode that focused on the life and legacy of Abdullah the Butcher is up for the ‘Visual Research’ award. In the world of editing, the show is up for the award of ‘Editing in a Factual Program or Series’ as well as ‘Editing in a Documentary Program or Series.’

Dark Side of the Ring is also in the category of ‘Photography in a Documentary Program or Factual Series.’ For directing, the show has been nominated for the ‘Documentary or Factual Series’ award. 

Shayna Baszler’s role at the upcoming Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X is the culmination of years of a deal trying to be reached between the indie promotion and WWE. 

The two-time WWE NXT Women’s Champion will be part of Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport event that will take place during WrestleMania week. This is a huge get for GCW as WWE has historically been against allowing their talent compete elsewhere, though that stance has softened in recent years.

Years in the Making

Baszler’s role at Bloodsport X is a huge deal and isn’t the first time Barnett has made the effort, Fightful Select reports. Years ago, Barnett inquired about the possibility of Jessamyn Duke working Bloodsport while she was under WWE contract. Duke was said to be open to the idea but WWE said no. 

Duke had trained with Barnett in the past and had MMA experience thanks to her time on The Ultimate Fighter and UFC. She has not competed in WWE or UFC since her 2021 release.

Getting in Touch

Barnett made the call and personally requested that Baszler appear on the GCW Bloodsport show. It’s reported that he and Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque have known each other for years. 

Working Together Again? 

When the news of Baszler’s involvement with Bloodsport was made public, some suggested that WWE and GCW were working together “again.” This is in reference to a photo that surfaced in 2022 featuring Brett Lauderdale and Stephanie McMahon. At the time, the sight of the pair, alongside GCW talent and staff, in a suit at WrestleMania led to rumors that the two companies were working together. 

This wasn’t the case and WWE had some fun with the rumors as company reps didn’t shoot down the notion, but later definitively denied the connection. The ‘Mania suite belonged to Orange Crush, a co-owner of Jersey Championship Wrestling and McMahon was on hand to greet everyone, regardless of affiliation. Sources told Fightful that both WWE and GCW got a good laugh out of the “harmless” rumors.