Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler was recently celebrated in his native Memphis, but the WWE Hall of Famer did not have long to celebrate thanks to Jeff Jarrett.
At a Memphis Grizzlies game, Lawler was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Title in recognition of his contribution to Memphis Wrestling in and out of the ring over decades. This brought out Jeff Jarrett, who was on hand to introduce his AEW ally Satnam Singh. The pair took the award from Lawler much to the disdain of the fans in attendance.
Jeff Jarrett ruined Jerry Lawler’s night as he was getting a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grizzlies game. pic.twitter.com/oHYQmCAL4B
During another timeout, Jarrett cut a promo to the fans. The AEW star and WWE Hall of Famer said he was going to take over Grind City Wrestling. The Memphis Grizzlies would lose 112-118 to the Oklahoma City Thunder in an action-packed game.
Jerry Lawler and Jeff Jarrett
This is hardly the first time that Lawler and Jarrett have gotten into things at a Memphis Grizzlies game. Back in 2018, the pair didn’t just have an altercation but had a match at a game. The bout in question saw Jarrett hit Lawler with a guitar while the referee was down and pinned the Memphis legend.
Jerry Lawler lost to Jeff Jarrett because of a guitar shot. This is the most exciting thing that will happen at a Grizzlies game all year. ?? #nbapic.twitter.com/njET9a9cSy
Jarrett and Lawler’s history extends far back than 2018. The two feuded in the USWA during the early 1990s, often with championship gold on the line. Despite this, the pair would also hold the USA World Tag Team Championships together on four separate occasions. Jarrett would also hold those same titles with Lawler’s son the late Brian Christopher twice.
Emmy Award-winning actor Paul Walter Hauser has another accolade to his name after defeating the ‘Indy God’ Matt Cardona at a Wrestling REVOLVER show.
Hauser and Cardona have been at odds for some time, and Hauser even referenced Matt during his Emmy acceptance speech. Not to be outdone, Cardona vowed that he’d shove Hauser’s Emmy where the sun doesn’t shine during their match.
Hauser Beats Cardona
At the Wrestling Revolver Ready or Not event, Hauser got the win over Cardona. The match saw involvement from Cardona’s manager Steph De Lander as well as WWE/TNA Hall of Famer Bully Ray. The finish of the match saw Ray come to the aid of Hauser, who put Cardona through a flaming table to get the win.
After the match, Hauser cut a promo saying he may work in Hollywood but he comes from the pro wrestling fans of this world. He asked Bully Ray whether he thinks he could hold his own against Sami Callihan.
That brought out the self-professed ‘Death Machine.’ Callihan angrily accepted Hauser’s challenger and said the match would take place during WrestleMania weekend in Philadelphia next month.
The match will be part of a week of festivities surrounding WWE’s annual Showcase of the Immortals. On Friday, April 5, Wrestling REVOLVER will team with House of Glory Wrestling for interpromotional competition. The show will see a title vs. title match pitting House of Glory World Champion Mile Santana against REVOLVER’s Champion Alex Shelley.
WWE Raw Superstar Becky Lynch will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day in style with a trip to the White House.
The annual celebration falls on March 17 each year and celebrates St. Patrick, who is believed to have died on the day. While initially a religious holiday, the day has become a day of celebration of Irish culture.
Becky Lynch at the White House
As St. Patrick is the patron saint of Ireland, the date is of course significant to WWE’s first Irish-born female champion. Speaking recently to the New York Post, Lynch shared her unique plans for the annual celebration.
“I got invited to the White House because I’m Ireland’s national treasure,” said Lynch. “It’s a significant Irish celebration, so I’ll be there.”
Lynch won’t be the only notable name to attend the upcoming White House celebration. Leo Varadker, who is Ireland’s Taoiseach (Prime Minster) will also be in attendance and will likely speak with President Joe Biden, who is of Irish ancestry.
What’s Next for Becky Lynch?
Just one day after her Saint Patrick’s Day celebration, 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.
WWE Superstar Natalya has proven that she’s built to last, considering the impressive streak she’s built for over 20 years.
Natalya made her WWE TV debut in 2008, making her one of the longest tenured Superstars, regardless of sex, in the company today. She is also the wife of TJ Wilson, a WWE producer who worked under Tyson Kidd until his in-ring career ended due to injury in 2015.
Natalya’s Unique Record
Given her lengthy tenure in the ring, you’d be surprised to learn that Natalya has been able to avoid long-term injuries throughout her career. On Twitter, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful pointed out that since 2004, the Queen of Harts has never been out of the ring for longer than three months. Responding, Natalya said she’s had luck on her side and has been fortunate enough to work with pros. The veteran added that she’s “built to F’N last” to explain how she’s been able to keep active in the ring.
I’ve been sometimes lucky, I’ve been in there with talented pros, I’ve been fiercely determined and I’ve been absolutely blessed to find something in my life that I truly love. All the road is worth it when the destination is between those ropes. (And…. I’m built to F’N last!) https://t.co/3Hwj8BdTAU
Natalya is a former WWE Divas Champion, having held the title from November 2010 to January 2011. In 2017 she captured the WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship from Naomi. She and Tamina won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships in 2017.
The self-professed BOAT (Best Of All Time) also holds several Guinness World Records. They include:
Fans excited to see WWE Superstars make appearances outside the promotion know who exactly who to thank for this huge deal.
Earlier this week, it was reported that WWE Superstars would be competing at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport, which will be part of the GCW Collective during WrestleMania 40 week. GCW themselves wasted little time in confirming the report by announcing that Shayna Baszler will be part of their Bloodsport show.
WWE’s Decision Maker
WWE talent working the GCW Collective is a huge deal given the Sports Entertainment juggernauts historic reluctance to work with others. In his Figure-Four daily update, Dave Meltzer revealed that the call for WWE talent to take indie dates around WrestleMania week came from none other than Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque himself. Meltzer added that the Game has a “different view on these things” compared to his father-in-law Vince McMahon.
Playing Well with Others
While this is a historic move by WWE, it isn’t the first time that Triple H has shown a willingness to work with other promotions. In 2020, WWE brought in then-IMPACT Knockouts Champion Mickie James for that year’s Women’s Royal Rumble. This year’s match saw TNA Knockouts Champion Jordynne Grace compete in the match.
Booker T isn’t quite sure why fans are making such a big deal after claiming he had a ‘run-in’ with CM Punk at the March 12, NXT.
The episode saw the Superstars of the gold brand continue on the road to NXT Stand & Deliver. The upcoming event will take place on Saturday, April 6, mere hours before WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday.
Booker T’ and CM Punk
CM Punk was present at this week’s episode of WWE NXT but he was acknowledged during the broadcast. On a recent edition of his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker claimed that he had a ‘run-in’ with Punk and teased the pair had an altercation. Booker did not disclose details but said he would share more at a later time.
Booker T Responds
The reported backstage altercation quickly went viral as fans compared the situation to Punk’s previous issues behind the scenes in AEW. On Twitter, Booker (seemingly unaware of Punk’s prior altercations) questioned why fans were making such a big deal of things. The WWE NXT commentator said their ‘run-in’ could have been over something as simple as a banana, but still stopped short of saying what exactly the issue was.
People are making an issue of a 40 second clip out of a 2 hour show… the dispute between @CMPunk could’ve been over a banana in catering hahah. Y’all are making much to do about nothing. ?? https://t.co/RLyYHBRlyl
There has been scepticism within WWE as to whether this altercation actually took place. No sources within WWE saw any sort of ‘run-in’ between the two. In fact, since Punk’s return to WWE, the former AEW World Champion has been on his best behavior and has been very helpful at past WWE NXT tapings.
Shane ‘Hurricane’ Helms has fired back at the comments made by Buff Bagwell on Dark Side of the Ring, branding his fellow WCW alum a “lying POS.”
Bagwell’s life, career, and struggles were covered in the latest episode of the hit VICE series which documents the darker side of pro-wrestling. The episode looked at Bagwell’s upbringing, time with WCW, his issues with substances, and more from his life.
Buff Bagwell Accuses Shane Helms
The Dark Side of the Ring episode covers Bagwell’s brief tenure with WWE which saw him fired after his much-panned 2001 main event bout with Booker T. This match was so bad it reportedly led to Vince McMahon nixing any plans for WCW to be revived as its own show.
In the episode, it is claimed that Bagwell confronted Helms during a training session and that Helms allegedly called Buff a drug addict. Bagwell claims he slapped Helms resulting in Helms using a frozen bottle of water as a weapon, resulting in Buff needing 24 staples for his Monday Night Raw debut.
In the episode, Bagwell blames his WWE release on the fact that he was blamed for striking Helms first during their confrontation.
Helms Fires Back
On Twitter, a fan who watched Dark Side of the Ring criticized Helms, blaming the former Cruiserweight Champions on Buff’s release. Helms hit back by claiming that Bagwell is lying and witnesses at the scene would disagree with his claims.
I didn’t either. Buff is a lying POS. Always has been. There were witnesses there and NONE agree with Buff. https://t.co/H5psVtW4ut
A different fan also questioned Buff’s story, especially as it’s been believed for years that his mother Judy rung up to say her son should be booked better. Helms noted that Bagwell has a history of blaming others for his lack of WWE success.
He used to blame Jim Ross too. Blamed everyone except the man in the mirror. Nothing wrong with failing at something, but accountability is key. Everyone associated with that episode of Dork Side can suck ass. https://t.co/yAdaDUh221
On the March 15, 2024, edition of AEW Rampage, fans caught their first glimpse at the brackets for the tournament. The first-round matches are as follows:
The Young Bucks Vs. Private Party
The Undisputed Kingdom Vs. Wild Card Team #1
Best Friends Vs. The Don Callis Family (Wild Card Match)
Ricky Starks & Big Bill Vs. Top Flight
FTR Vs. Wild Card Team #2
Infantry Vs. The House of Black (Wild Card Match)
The tournament will kick off on the March 16, 2024, edition of AEW Collision with the House of Black taking on Infantry in their Wild Card match. The new AEW World Tag Team Champions will be crowned at the first-ever AEW Dynasty pay-per-view next month.
The #AEW World Tag Team Tournament Brackets have been released!
TOMORROW on #AEWCollision LIVE at 8pm ET/7pm CT on TNT, a Wild Card Match between House Of Black vs. The Infantry will go down!
AEW Dynasty 2024 will take place on April 21, 2024, from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri, the first AEW pay-per-view to be held in the state. Tickets for the show went on sale on March 8.
The card for AEW Dynasty 2024 so far is as follows:
Will Ospreay vs. Bryan Danielson
TBD vs. TBD (Tournament final for the vacant AEW World Tag Team Championship)
Mercedes Mone is officially All-Elite after making her debut this week, but that only came about after a generous offer was made for her to return to WWE.
During an appearance on the Heal Squad podcast, Keven Undergaro, an advocate for Mone who helped produce her new theme, spoke about the CEO. Undergo shared how WWE made an offer for Mone to return, close to two years after he and Naomi walked out of the company.
“A few months ago, we get a call from her old home saying they want her back. They put out a generous offer.”
Undergaro said that a “rival company” to WWE, that being AEW, put out an offer and Mone’s gut instinct was to go with the All-Elite promotion. In the interview, he also shared that AEW’s deal was seen as the better one in terms of opportunity, creativity, and mental help.
In the interview, Undergaro added that he was pleased that Mone will have the opportunity to thrive in wrestling and entertainment in AEW.
“They see her for what she is, which is a star. This is a girl that, even just being on Mandalorian in her small role, they made nine action figures for her. They don’t do that out of charity, they do that because they sell.”
What’s Next?
Mone has said that the women’s division was a major factor in her decision to sign with AEW. The division is home to stars Mone has never faced before. Last year, Britt Baker said she was hoping to see Mone join AEW so that they could eventually have a match. Currently, it is unclear when Mone’s debut match will take place or who her first opponent will be.
Zelina Vega knows exactly how she’d book herself at WrestleMania 40 if given the opportunity.
Vega grew up playing WWE video games and would use the “create a wrestler” mode to construct a grappler bearing her likeness. Today, she’s a featured character in the latest installment of the company’s flagship video game franchise, WWE 2K24.
We recently spoke with the LWO member, who discussed what it’s like to be a trailblazer in WWE and seeing better representation on television and even in the game. She also revealed what she wants to do at WrestleMania.
Zelina Vega’s WrestleMania Dream Scenario
The specifics are not that important, as long as Zelina Vega gets to tag up with Rey Mysterio so they can take out some ‘goons’ together.
“I know what I would want for WrestleMania. In my head, and maybe clip this because I feel like if this ends up happening, I said it here first. I would love to have a match at WrestleMania with me and Rey [Mysterio] and Carlito and Joaquin [Wilde] and Cruz [del Toro] against Santos [Escobar], Elektra [Lopez] and whoever other goons he wants to add to the miss.
“That match would be incredible, even if it’s just me and Rey against goon #1 and goon #2. I think it’d be really cool to just be able to say ‘Man I was on WrestleMania with Rey Mysterio. That’s my hero, that’d be crazy.’ That’s what I would want.”
Zelina Vega At WrestleMania
Vega has competed twice at WrestleMania and is yet to pick up a win at WWE’s biggest annual event. On WrestleMania 35’s pre-show, she was one of the entrants in the Women’s Battle Royal that was won by Carmella.
Three years later, she would team with Carmella and make it to the main card. The pair would lose their WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships to Sasha Banks and Naomi in a fatal four-way Women’s tag-team match.
Women’s Matches at WrestleMania 40
Currently, two women’s matches have been confirmed for WrestleMania 40. WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley will defend against Becky Lynch. on the SmackDown side of things, 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble winner Bayley will challenge former ally and WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY.
Jake Paul has called out his brother for claiming he was set to fight Mike Tyson first, and has claimed the WWE United States Champion is telling lies.
Jake Paul will face Tyson this July at the AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the home of WWE WrestleMania 32. The fight will stream on Netflix, in the latest example of the streaming giant’s efforts to get into the world of sports-entertainment broadcasting.
Logan Paul’s Claim
While Jake Paul will be the one to face ‘Iron Mike’ this July, he may have not been the first Paul brother contacted about the fight. On a recent edition of his ImPaulsive podcast, Logan claimed that he was previously approached about fighting Tyson.
“I said no to fighting Mike Tyson. I was offered it, but not on Netflix and not for a big ass bag. It was just like, this could be a real fight.”
Jake Paul Responds
It didn’t take long for Jake to issue a response. On the Betr podcast, Jake refuted the notion that his fight with Tyson only came about after Logan had said no.
“I hate that my brother and I’s relationship sometimes has to be aired out, but it seems as if the court of public opinion is the only thing that steers him in the right direction. It is weird to lie, to blatantly just lie.”
Jake added that he signed a deal with Netflix that would see the money he made depend on what kind of fighter he could find to face him. Jake makes clear that he was the one who brought the fight and Netflix deal to Tyson rather than Tyson’s people approaching him. He later spoke again about Logan’s alleged lies.
“Why is my own brother trying to make me look the second option for Tyson. Like, ‘Oh yeah, I turned down that deal.’ No, you didn’t. That’s a complete lie. Why are you fabricating lies?”
Jake said he’d prefer not to air dirty laundry in public, but that seems to be a recurring problem when it comes to dealing with his brother. Logan is expected to compete at WWE WrestleMania 40.
The Rock will make his long-awaited return to the ring at WrestleMania 40 and will become the second member of a very exclusive club in the process.
At the upcoming two-night show, The Rock will team with Roman Reigns to face Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. Should the Bloodline win, the following nights Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match will be under ‘Bloodline Rules.’ If Rhodes and Reigns are triumphant, then the title match will see no Bloodline involvement.
The Rock’s WrestleMania Accolade
With his match at WrestleMania, The Rock will become the second-ever Superstar to compete at four decades of WrestleMania. The Brahma Bull, as Rocky Maivia, made his Wrestler debut in 1997 and would compete at the event in 1998 and 1999.
The 2000s saw The Rock headline the Showcase of the Immortals twice, at ‘Mania 16 (2000) and X-Seven (2001.) The Great One also competed at WrestleMania 18 and 19 before closing out his run with a handicap loss at WrestleMania 20 in 2004.
The 2010s saw The Rock return to WrestleMania and the main event spot. The Brahma Bull headlined in 2012 with his ‘Once in a Lifetime’ match with John Cena and faced the 16-time World Champion once again the next year.
Joining the Club
The only Superstar to have competed at four decades of WrestleMania is The Undertaker. After making his debut against Jimmy ‘Superfly’ Snuka in 1991, the Phenom’s final match was at WrestleMania 36 in April 2020 in the cinematic Boneyard match.
WWE WrestleMania 40
This year’s WrestleMania will be the fifth annual two-night WrestleMania, a tradition that began with the Covid-19 pandemic. The show will also be the first WrestleMania following the launch of TKO Group Holdings last September. The card for the show so far is as follows:
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes (Undisputed WWE Universal Championship)
IYO SKY (c) vs. Bayley (WWE Women’s Championship)
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch (WWE Women’s World Championship)
Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
Seth “Freakin” Rollins & Cody Rhodes Vs. Roman Reigns & The Rock
GUNTHER (c) vs. Sami Zayn (WWE Intercontinental Championship)
The Judgment Day (c) vs. TBA vs. TBA vs. TBA vs. TBA vs.TBA (Six-Pack Ladder Match, Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships)
AEW may have held its ‘Big Business’ edition of Dynamite this week, but their chief competition at WWE is making some very big moves of its own.
Tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown will see the Superstars of the blue brand continue on the road to WrestleMania 40. WWE’s Showcase of the Immortals will take place on April 5, and April 6, from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.
Another Sold Out Show
With WrestleMania 40 ramping closer, tonight’s edition of SmackDown will be one to watch, both at home and for those in Memphis. As WrestleTix shared, this week’s SmackDown is a sold-out show, with as 12,122 tickets being distributed for the show in Memphis’ FedEx Forum. This marks the 8th consecutive TV sellout for the company.
The last time WWE held a TV event in the FedEx Forum, it was the August 28, 2023, edition of Monday Night Raw. That show saw 7,377 tickets distributed. This means that SmackDown has seen a 64.32% in ticket sales compared to the previous Raw.
WWE SmackDown – March 15
This week’s SmackDown will see The Rock make an appearance as part of his recent heel run. It is believed that the Great One will host a ‘Rock Concert’ during the episode. The show will also mark an appearance by Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler, though it is unclear whether he will appear on the broadcast or solely for the fans in Memphis, TN.
This Friday’s SmackDown will also see Bayley seek to gain a measure of revenge on Dakota Kai. The Kiwi Superstar turned on Bayley last week, reaffirming her role as part of Damage CTRL. Tis week’s show will also see the first of a series of qualifying tag-team matches. The winners will be part of the six-pack Undisputed Tag Title Ladder Match at WrestleMania 40.
Mone caused quite the stir with her appearance at the Big Business edition of AEW Dynamite and her momentum has carried forward to the world of basketball. AEW’s newest signing was spotted at this week’s game pitting the Boston Celtics against the Phoenix Suns. Broadcaster Reggie Miller took the opportunity to highlight her recent signing with AEW and promote upcoming episodes of AEW Dynamite on TBS.
There’s no shortage of talented women she can step in the ring with. Some have speculated that a feud with Saraya could happen given their history. It was a move from Mone (Sasha Banks) at the time, that led to Saraya (Paige) being forced to retire from wrestling due to a neck injury. The Brit would return to the ring at Full Gear 2022.
Mone has said that the women’s division was a major factor in her decision to sign with AEW. The division is home to stars Mone has never faced before. Last year, Britt Baker said she was hoping to see Mone join AEW so that they could eventually have a match.
CM Punk may have attended this week’s episode of WWE NXT, but the Best in the World didn’t make a big deal of being present at the gold brand.
This week’s WWE NXT saw the gold brand Superstars continue on the road to NXT Stand & Deliver. The show saw Roxanne Perez explain her recent heel turn while the show ended with Trick Williams locking lips with Meta Four’s Lash Legend.
CM Punk at WWE NXT
Despite being one of the biggest names in professional wrestling today, Punk didn’t make a spectacle of himself at this week’s WWE NXT. Fightful reports that Punk kept a “much lower profile” compared to his previous visits to the Tuesday night show. In fact many within NXT were not aware of his presence at the show until photos began making the rounds online.
CM Punk is in attendance for WWE NXT on USA Network tonight.
While Punk kept a low profile at the show, he wasn’t covert enough to avoid a run-in with NXT commentator Booker T. The two-time WWE Hall of Famer has claimed that he and Punk “almost got into it” at this week’s taping but has not specified what their altercation was about. Booker has said that he intends to discuss the matter at a later time.
What’s Next?
CM Punk will appear on the March 25, episode of WWE Raw, which will take place in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. The show will mark Punk’s first time in front of his own people since his stunning return to WWE at Survivor Series: WarGames in November 2023.
This year’s AEWxNJPW Forbidden Door event will be the biggest show of its kind thanks to the influx of, and usage of talent from CMLL and STARDOM.
AEW and New Japan Pro Wrestling held its first Forbidden Door show in 2022 and hosted an equally successful sequel event last year. The name comes from the proverbial ‘forbidden door’ that wrestlers have been allowed to step through to compete for promotions other than the one they work for.
STARDOM & CMLL At Forbidden Door
On the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that STARDOM and CMLL wrestlers will be a part of this year’s Forbidden Door event. Meltzer added that he believes the ROH Supercard of Honor event on April 5 will also feature talent from STARDOM.
Tony Khan & STARDOM
Mere hours before this week’s AEW Big Business, Tony Khan shared a photo with STARDOM President Taro Okada. Khan said it was an honor to welcome Okada to the show.
This meet-up comes at an interesting time, as STARDOM’s previous President Rossy Ogawa was fired from the promotion earlier this year. Following Ogawa’s exit, Khan poked fun at his situation via a series of tweets.
On his show, Meltzer suggested that the tweet above and similar made clear that Khan’s loyalty was with STARDOM, not the ex-President that many on the all-female roster support. This loyalty has clearly paid off for Khan, who will now be able to feature several talented women at the upcoming Forbidden Door event.
The former WWE Superstar opened the show to a raucous ovation by her fellow Bostonians in the TD Garden. Ever since Big Business was announced, fans speculated on Mone making her debut at the event. The former WWE & IWGP Women’s Champion had hardly been subtle, as she made clear to fans she was in Boston mere hours before the show.
AEW Big Business’ Ratings
The AEW Big Business edition of Dynamite drew 801,000 fans and a 0.27 rating in the coveted 18-49 demographic. While this is an increase from the previous week’s 779,000 (0.27), it is hardly the massive jump many expected for a show that in addition to featuring Mone, saw an AEW World Championship match.
For comparison, the March 15, 2023, episode of AEW Dynamite drew 852,000 fans with a 0.27 rating in the 18-49 demographic. That show in Winnipeg, Canada, was headlined by the House of Black defeating the Elite to retain the AEW Trios Championships.
One aspect of the show that AEW can be proud of is the debut of Mone. The former WWE and IWGP Women’s Champion garnered 1 million viewers for her segment, the highest-rated segment by far of the evening.
Disappointing Numbers
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer added that these were disappointing numbers considering how much build AEW had made for Big Business. The show’s final segment, which saw Mone make the save for Willow Nightingale after she was attacked by Julia Hart and Skye Blue, was especially concerning.
AEW did 801K/0.27 last night. Obviously disappointing numbers. Third for the night, Regarding the question on last night's show if people figured out Mone would be back later in the show, they clearly did not as the main event did not do well.
WWE Hall of Famer Booker T and CM Punk came close to having some kind of altercation this week at WWE NXT according to the former WCW World Champion.
This week’s WWE NXT saw the gold brand Superstars continue on the road to NXT Stand & Deliver. The show saw Roxanne Perez explain her recent heel turn and demand an opportunity at NXT Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria. The show also saw Trick Williams demand a match with Carmelo Hayes, which has been made official for NXT’s next major event. Trick even shared a kiss with Meta Four’s Lash Legend in the closing segment of the show.
Booker T & CM Punk
After recently returning from health issues, Booker T was on hand to call the action at this week’s WWE NXT, alongside Vic Joseph. CM Punk was also present at this week’s show in a rare outing for the injured Superstar, though he wasn’t featured as part of the broadcast.
Speaking on his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T reflected on Punk’s time at the show, and disclosed an alleged altercation between the two.
“I almost had a little run-in with CM Punk. The internet might want to pick that up. Me and CM Punk almost got into it at ‘NXT’ this week… We’ll talk about it later, because they’re going to pick it up and run with it.”
What’s Next?
Booker will continue to call the action at WWE NXT, including at the Stand & Deliver show that’ll take place on April 6, mere hours before WrestleMania 40: Saturday. CM Punk will make an appearance on the March 25, episode of WWE Raw that will take place in his hometown of Chicago, IL.
Cody Rhodes has advised fans to know their worth as he does, over a decade after being removed from WrestleMania 29 in 2013.
At WrestleMania 29, Rhodes and then-ally Damian Sandow were supposed to team with the Bella Twins to face Tons of Funk (Tensai and Brodus Clay) and the Funkadactyls (Naomi and Cameron.) The match was nixed due to other matches going long, namely CM Punk Vs. The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar Vs. Triple H. The decision to cut the match was covered during the first season of Total Divas on E!
Cody Rhodes Reflects
Rhodes has since come a long way and the 2023 & 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble winner sure doesn’t have to worry about being cut from Premium Live Events at the last minute. When a fan pointed out how much things have changed for Rhodes since WrestleMania 29, the American Nightmare used the opportunity to reflect and give some salient advice.
Know your value
But beyond that, dig in and do the work and don’t turn a blind eye to valid criticism
We play in a game where you should constantly improve and seek that final form https://t.co/Sl5S1oQkVr
Rhodes won’t just be competing at this year’s WrestleMania, but he’ll become one of the first man in history to headline back-to-back nights of the Showcase of the Immortals. At WrestleMania 40: Saturday, Rhodes will team with Seth Rollins to face Roman Reigns and The Rock. This match will have huge implications on the following night’s match.
At WrestleMania 40: Sunday, Rhodes will challenge Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Regardless of the outcome of the previous night’s match, this will be Rhodes’ final opportunity to dethrone the Tribal Chief. This high-stakes stipulation was made by The Rock who has been flexing his muscles as a TKO board member.
‘Big’ Bronson Reed is ready to prove that his ‘meat’ can’t be beat with a unique match next month dedicated to the injured Big E.
Taking to Twitter, Reed spoke about this year’s WrestleMania 40 event that will take place from Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on April 6-7. Reed addressed that his “BIG brothers” are missing from the WrestleMania card. Reed suggested a “MEATY INVITATIONAL” dedicated to Big E.
The former WWE NXT North American Champion also made sure to tag WWE to ensure that the company got the message.
Big E, a big man in his own right, has hardly been subtle with his support for the meatier wrestlers in WWE. During an infamous episode of the New Day’s ‘Feel the Power’ podcast, Big E named Goldberg as his dream opponent, declaring that the match would be “Big meaty men slapping meat!” When asked for three opponents for the New Day to face, Big E had an equally hilarious answer: three Goldbergs.
The Meat Men of WWE
Reed will need some participants in his Meaty Invitational if such a match is to happen. There’s no shortage of larger Superstars though, such as Ivar, who has been impressing in his singles run while Viking Raider ally Erik recovers from neck surgery. The missing-from-TV Odyssey Jones would also be right at home in such a meaty match.
WWE WrestleMania 40
This year’s WrestleMania will be the fifth annual two-night WrestleMania, a tradition that began with the Covid-19 pandemic. The show will also be the first WrestleMania following the launch of TKO Group Holdings last September. The card for the show so far is as follows:
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes (Undisputed WWE Universal Championship)
Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley (WWE Women’s Championship)
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch (WWE Women’s World Championship)
Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
Seth “Freakin” Rollins & Cody Rhodes Vs. Roman Reigns & The Rock
GUNTHER (c) vs. Sami Zayn (WWE Intercontinental Championship)
The Judgment Day (c) vs. TBA vs. TBA vs. TBA vs. TBA vs.TBA (Six-Pack Ladder Match, Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships)
Wes Lee has shared a positive update on his condition with a video of the WWE NXT Superstar getting back in the ring.
Lee went down with a back injury in late 2023, one that he said at the time would keep him out of action for eight to twelve months. This injury led to plans for Lee, which included a title match with then-NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio, being scrapped.
Wes Lee’s Back in the Ring
This week, Wes took to Twitter to share a video of himself getting back in the ring. Seeing himself as the mythical phoenix that rises once more after being destroyed, Lee captioned his video “from the ashes…”
At this time, there’s no word on when fans can expect Wes Lee back in the ring on WWE NXT programming. A former North American Champion, many expect that Wes will be back in the hunt for the title, currently held by Oba Femi, when he is back. The Nigerian powerhouse has proven to be unstoppable since winning the title from Dragon Lee.
With that said, many also would argue that Lee did everything he could win the title. and that his next opportunity upon returning should be for the WWE NXT Championship. Ilja Dragunov currently holds the gold and will defend against Tony D’Angelo at Stand & Deliver.
The former NXT North American champion was let go following allegations that he had sent explicit messages and photos to minors. WWE said they found no evidence in their investigation, though one of Clark’s accusers would later state that they were never contacted for the investigation.
Dynasty Defends Clark Booking
The choice to feature Clark at the event was met with heavy backlash, especially as fans were not informed of his presence at the show ahead of time. One of Dynasty’s ex-talent also believed that Clark’s involvement sent the wrong message.
Speaking to Bucklebomb Entertainment, Dynasty promoter Chris Envy spoke highly of Clark.
“He is one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. We spent a couple hours together that day. He was so nice, one of the nicest people… He said hello to everybody, he took pictures, class act all around.”
Many fans took issue with Clark appearing on the same show as Rita Chatterton. The former WWE referee has alleged for years that she was raped by Vince McMahon in the 1980s. In the interview, Envy claimed that Chatterton supported Clark at the event.
“They were shoulder to shoulder, there was nothing uncomfortable about the situation. She told me to give him her number and have him reach out to her.”
Envy argued that it ultimately comes down to the Dynasty fans, who he believes would be excited to see Vince McMahon despite the allegations against the ex-WWE Chairman.
“All these people that are coming at me, ‘you’re not family entertainment.’ It’s easy to say that, but if I had Vince McMahon on my next show, all those clowns would still be buying tickets.”
What’s Next?
Patrick Clark hasn’t competed since the Dynasty Wrestling show. In the interview, Envy said that he he has had talks with Clark regarding future bookings and that other promoters have reached out to ask about obtaining Clark’s services.
WWE’s Premium Live Events could be in line for a massive change if the promotion goes ahead with an idea it has been weighing up.
The Sports Entertainment juggernaut is considering moving its monthly Premium Live Events to an earlier start time, PW Insider reports. This unclarified earlier start time would affect domestic events and would be the same time that WWE utilized “many years ago.” At this time, there’s not been a decision as to whether an earlier start time will become a permanent fixture.
WWE WrestleMania 40 will see a slightly earlier start time on both nights of its broadcast. Next month’s event will take place at 6:30 PM Eastern, instead of the usual start time of 8 PM Eastern. Doors will open at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA at 4:30 PM Eastern.
Changes to Premium Live Events
If WWE goes through with this idea, it’ll hardly be the first time that the company’s biggest events have undergone a dramatic change. It was only until a few years ago that WWE dubbed its events ‘pay-per-views.’ The name was changed to the currently-used ‘Premium Live Events’ given that said events are now almost exclusively streamed instead of the antiquated PPV method.
It was also within recent years that WWE moved its pay-per-view events from Sunday evenings to Saturday. Other days that have seen pay-per-views be hosted include Taboo Tuesday in 2004 and 2005, while the early Survivor Series events happened on Thanksgiving Thursday.
The Rock will return to the ring next month at WrestleMania 40, but fans may be waiting for some time for his next match after that.
On WrestleMania 40: Saturday, The Rock & Roman Reigns will face off against Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins in what’ll presumably be the main event. Should The Bloodline win, then the Undisputed WWE Universal title match the next night will be under ‘Bloodline Rules.’ Should Rhodes and Rollins win, there’ll be no Bloodline involvement when Rhodes challenges Reigns on WrestleMania 40: Sunday.
What Comes Next?
While Rock and Reigns are currently allies, there is a belief that the two will face off one day in a match WWE initially intended to have at WrestleMania. It has been reported that WWE are hoping to get the Brahma Bull for the match at their next event in Saudi Arabia.
That may prove to be easier said than done thanks to The Rock’s Hollywood career. PW Insider reports that Johnson is poised to begin work on a new project after WrestleMania 40 titled The Smashing Machine. The report adds that casting is underway for a series of supporting characters and that filming is currently scheduled to last from May to August. This will keep Rock out of doing anything physical for WWE.
The Smashing Machine
The Smashing Machine will be produced by The Rock’s Seven Bucks Productions and will focus on the life of UFC fighter Mike Kerr. The film will follow Kerr’s struggle with addiction and fights both in and out of the Octagon. The Rock is set to play Kerr.
AEW President Tony Khan is well aware of how dangerous Darby Allin’s spots may be, but is confident that the wrestler always finds a way to do them safely.
Since arriving in AEW, Allin has put his body on the line several times in spots far more dangerous than seen from others. At AEW Revolution 2024, a spot involving Allin saw the former TNT Champion fall off a ladder and go through glass panes. This spot has raised questions as to whether it was necessary in Sting’s final match and whether Allin goes too far with stunts like this, and if so, why AEW allows it.
Tony Khan on Darby Allin
Sitting down with TV Insider, Khan addressed the spot in question. The AEW President began by touting the importance of safety, an attitude that extends to all on his roster.
“It has to be something safe. Whenever a wrestler comes in and wants to try something, especially dangerous, I just want to know that there is a safe way to do it.”
Focusing on the former AEW TNT Champion, Khan pointed out that Allin makes sure to ensure he can survive whatever wild stunt he sets his mind to.
“He is fanatical about finding a way to pull off the impossible and do these incredible, seemingly death-defying stunts. He always finds a safe way to pull them off. He always has a rationale for why he is able to do it.”
What’s Next?
On this week’s AEW Dynamite, Allin was still selling the effects of the glass pane spot (though we have to wonder how much of it was selling.) This made the former champion an easy target for Jay White. While Allin tried to fight back, a missed Coffin Drop would seal his fate and White would get the win.
Allin’s next big stunt will be his biggest to date but will take place outside the confines of an AEW ring. The daredevil is planning to begin his climb of Mt. Everest this month, which will of course mean that he won’t be appearing on AEW Dynamite.