SEScoops

Category: WWE

  • Seth Rollins’ Current WWE WrestleMania 40 Status Following Injury

    Seth Rollins’ health is the top story in wrestling this weekend. After successfully defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Jinder Mahal in the main event of WWE Raw (January 15), the focus quickly shifted to the champion clutching his knee. 

    He underwent an MRI anfter Raw. Fightful later reported Rollins tore his MCL and meniscus. Since then, he’s been pulled from live events as fans wonder about how long this latest knee injury will keep him out of action.

    Rollins is expected to address the WWE Universe at the start of Raw this coming Monday. We know he was scheduled to be in a featured match at WrestleMania, but is that still the plan?

    Seth Rollins’ Current WrestleMania Status

    WWE is planning CM Punk vs Seth Rollins for WrestleMania 40. This has been their plan since after Punk was re-inserted into the WWE landscape. The match writes itself, and Triple H wants to put that contest on the grandest stage of them all.

    While seeking additional information about Rollins’ status, I inquired about his current WrestleMania situation, and whether they are discussing alternate matches for CM Punk at Mania. I was told by a tenured member of the WWE creative team that as of Friday evening, “Rollins is still on for Mania at this moment.”

    That being said, Rollins’ announcement on Monday likely won’t take him out of the road to WrestleMania. The Architect is set to open the January 22nd episode of WWE RAW by addressing his future as WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

    Randy Orton will replace Seth Rollins at this weekend’s WWE live events. The WWE World Heavyweight Champion will get some time off, but WrestleMania is still in the cards for him.

    Recovery Time From MCL Injury

    Seth Rollins suffered a torn MCL and a partially torn meniscus during that match with Jinder Mahal. The recovery time for such an injury certainly gives him room to heal up before the show of shows.

    According to The Cleveland Clinic, a grade 1 (mild) MCL tear usually heals within one to three weeks. After that, a grade 2 (moderate) MCL tear generally takes four to six weeks to heal with treatment. Then, a grade 3 (severe) MCL tear can take six weeks or more to heal with treatment.

    As of this writing, WrestleMania 40 is set to take place in 11 weeks. It is unclear how bad Rollins tore his MCL, but it appears that he will have plenty of recovery time unless unforeseen circumstances arise.

  • R-Truth Nearly Had Leg Amputated Due to Infection After Tearing Quad in 2022

    R-Truth’s work with The Judgment Day has been a runaway success, but this only happened after the veteran nearly lost his leg to infection. 

    In November 2022, Truth suffered a torn quad during a WWE NXT match with Grayson Waller. The injury occurred after Truth attempted to dive over the top rope and was later confirmed to be a torn quadriceps. He would undergo surgery later that month and after a lengthy absence, returned to programming during the Survivor Series: WarGames 2023 broadcast. 

    R-Truth Nearly Loses His Leg

    Since recovering, Truth’s work with The Judgment Day has been a hit with fans and is one of the most popular angles the company currently has going. During a recent appearance on The Ringer Wrestling Show, however, Truth explained how his injury nearly cost him his leg. 

    “I had a hole in my knee. I had five different bacteria that caused the infection along with MRSA… It started off as a routine quad tear. I tore my bottom quad. They went in and I guess it could have happened during surgery. I went to get the stitches out and we found out that the bacteria, the infection, was eating from the inside out.”

    Despite initial beliefs that the infection would be dealt with quickly, the disease continued to affect Truth’s recovery. In the interview, Truth recalled months of intensive treatments and what the only other option was. 

    “I had to have a wound VAC on. It was a VAC on my knee that kept sucking the old blood up and putting the new blood… It was a good four months or five months of just trying to kill the infection, slow it down, stop it, and I’m going mentally crazy because there was a chance, he said, the other option was amputation.”

    Thankfully, the infection would clear and Truth would retain the use of his leg. The veteran is a 53-time WWE 24/7 Champion and a two-time WWE U.S. Champion. 

    R-Truth had a bit of help becoming an ‘official’ member of The Judgment Day… 

    H/T – POST Wrestling

  • Examining Seth Rollins’ Torn MCL: Will He Miss WrestleMania 40?

    Examining Seth Rollins’ Torn MCL: Will He Miss WrestleMania 40?

    Update: SE Scoops’ own Aaron Varble has been able to confirm that Seth Rollins is still slated for WrestleMania. The WWE creative team has not talked about any replacement scenarios yet. 

    The fate of Seth Rollins remains to be determined following a reported MCL tear on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw. 

    In the main event of the show, Rollins retained against Jinder Mahal. The match had a big-fight feel, thanks in part to Tony Khan’s outburst about the booking of Mahal. Due to an injury, Mahal was seen limping and had to be helped to the back after the match. It was later confirmed that Rollins suffered a torn MCL and a meniscus injury. 

    Will Seth Rollins Miss WWE WrestleMania 40? 

    Seth Rollins will address fans about his situation on next week’s episode of Raw, but we already have a notion as to how much time he may miss. If Rollins does miss any time, it will vary based on the severity of the MCL tear. As the Cleveland Clinic notes: 

    The time it takes to fully recover from an MCL tear depends on how severe the tear is. A grade 1 (mild) MCL tear usually heals within one to three weeks. A grade 2 (moderate) MCL tear generally takes four to six weeks to heal with treatment.

    “A grade 3 (severe) MCL tear can take six weeks or more to heal with treatment. If you undergo surgery to fix your MCL tear, it could take longer.

    A grade 1 or grade 2 tear should give Rollins time to heal up before WrestleMania. A grade 3 tear could see WWE pulled from the show, forcing WWE to dramatically change plans. Surgery would likely guarantee that Rollins is pulled from the two-night spectacle in April. 

    WWE’s Original Plans

    Since CM Punk’s return at Survivor Series, Rollins has taken issue with the Best in the World. WWE’s original plan was for the Rollins and Punk to face off at WrestleMania 40. While that is still seemingly the plan, everything hinges on what Rollins has to say on the upcoming episode of Raw.

    There’s another bad sign for the reigning World Heavyweight Champion… 

  • Bayley Is The ‘Mami-Slayer’ & She’s Coming for Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 40

    Bayley Is The ‘Mami-Slayer’ & She’s Coming for Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 40

    Damage CTRL’s Bayley has set her sights on the WWE Women’s World Championship and hopes to capture the gold at WrestleMania 40. 

    On this week’s SmackDown, Bayley sat on commentary for the Women’s Tag Team Championship bout between champions Katana Chance & Kayden Carter and challengers Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn. During her time behind the table, Bayley dubbed herself the ‘Mami-Slayer’ and vowed to win the Women’s Royal Rumble. 

    Given that IYO SKY is the WWE Women’s Champion, Bayley made it clear she plans to challenge Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania. To add insult to injury, Bayley wore one of Ripley’s shirts for the show. 

    Bayley Vs. Rhea Ripley

    Bayley and Rhea Ripley have shared the ring as opponents a total of four times. To date, their only singles match took place on the March 20, 2023, edition of Raw, and saw Ripley get the win. Their first encounter would be a triple-threat on the December 5, 2022, Raw alongside Asuka that Bayley would win. They have also competed in the 2021 and 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble matches, the latter of which Ripley would win. 

    Another Challenger

    Bayley isn’t the only Superstar with her sights set on The Judgment Day’s resident Mami. On Raw this week, Becky Lynch confronted Rhea Ripley and made it clear she plans to win the Women’s Rumble and challenge the Eradicator. Ripley, who had previously warned the roster not to waste their Rumble win by challenging her, said she is rooting for Lynch to win the match. 

    The 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble Match

    Bayley was the first Superstar to be declared for the Women’s Royal Rumble Match. She is joined by Nia Jax and former Rumble winners Becky Lynch (2019 winner) and Bianca Belair (2021 winner.)

    Bayley plans on winning the Women’s Royal Rumble match, unless… 

  • More Released WWE Superstars Spotted Backstage At TNA Wrestling Television Taping Event

    Impact Wrestling’s re-branding into TNA Wrestling is complete, but they are not finished surprising fans with who they bring into the company. They are taping for television tonight, and three new free agents are backstage.

    Who’s Backstage at TNA’s Television Taping 

    TNA Wrestling is taping another round of television shows over the next two days in Orlando. The company is looking to carry on with their current momentum, and that could come with a few unexpected additions to their roster.

    Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that three free agents are backstage at TNA Wrestling’s television taping event. Two of those are recently released WWE Superstars, and another is a familiar face for NJPW fans.

    Fightful Select has learned that Mace & Mansoor, the former Maximum Male Models are backstage at the show. The two were released by WWE in September and are now free agents. In addition, NJPW regular Alex Zayne is backstage at the show.

    The report also noted that there is no word on whether Mace, Mansoor or Alex Zayne will be used during the taping, but they are present. They are also, “set to meet with the office at the show.” 

    TNA Wrestling’s Plan For Upcoming Television Taping

    TNA Wrestling already announced a few matches that they are taping for Friday and Saturday night. It appears that the company has a couple good shows ready for fans.

    TNA Wrestling Card For 1/19/24

    • Nic Nemeth vs. Trey MiguelMoose vs. KUSHIDA
    • Alex Shelley vs. Eddie Edwards
    • Trinity vs. Gisele Shaw
    • Chris Sabin vs. Jaon Hotch
    • Josh Alexander vs. Alan Angels

    TNA Wrestling Card For 1/20/24

    • TNA Digital Media Championship Match: Crazzy Steve vs. Rhino 
    • Moose, Eddie Edwards & Brian Myers vs. KUSHIDA, Kevin Knight & Alex Shelley
    • Tasha Steelz vs. Xia Brookside
    • Ash by Elegance vs. TBA
    • Jake Something vs. Frankie Kazarian
    • Killer Kelly vs. Dani Luna
  • Seth Rollins Out Of Action With MCL & Meniscus Injury

    Seth Rollins Out Of Action With MCL & Meniscus Injury

    Seth Rollins is set to address his future as WWE World Heavyweight Champion on RAW next week. Sadly, it seems that he does not have good news to tell fans. The Visionary is injured, and it is reportedly not good.

    Seth Rollins’ Current Injury Status Revealed

    Seth Rollins sustained his injury during the January 15th episode of WWE RAW, where he retained the World Heavyweight Championship against Jinder Mahal. After the match was over, it was obvious that things were not okay with him

    Seth Rollins was pulled from this weekend’s WWE live events. 

    Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select.that Seth Rollins is currently out of action with an MCL tear. His meniscus is also partially torn.

    Unfortunately, the word in WWE and sources near Rollins are that he sustained a torn MCL and a partially torn meniscus. However, it is not known as of yet if he’ll require surgery, though the hope is that he can avoid it. We also aren’t sure how WWE will play things on television, or if the injury will be downplayed or embellished.

    Seth Rollins Has A History of Knee Issues

    Rollins has a history of knee problems and has worked through many of them in the past. People in WWE reportedly acknowledged Rollins’ toughness and resolve throughout the match and the immediate aftermath.

    The report from Fightful also noted that, “Rollins told people backstage that he didn’t think he’d sustained an ACL tear. One WWE higher up we spoke to said, ‘considering he’s powerbombed a 300 pound man on a torn ACL, we think he understands what that might feel like.’”

    Rollins injured his knee before at a house show, in a No DQ match, as he was executing a powerbomb through a table onto Kane. 

    WWE’s WrestleMania Plan for Seth Rollins

    Seth Rollins is set to face CM Punk at WrestleMania 40. With this latest development, it appears that match may have to wait.

    Without their World Heavyweight Champion, WWE also has a serious issue to consider. After all, part of Rollins’ announcement on RAW next week may include relinquishing the title.

  • Seth Rollins Reportedly Set To Address Future As WWE World Heavyweight Champion After Injury

    WWE is on the road to WrestleMania at this point, with the Royal Rumble going down on January 27th. Sadly, WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins may not have great news for fans.

    Seth Rollins Set To Address His Future

    Seth Rollins suffered a knee injury in the main event of the January 15th episode of RAW while successfully defending his title against Jinder Mahal.

    Wrestle Votes reports that the current word is that Seth Rollins will be on RAW next week, where he will address the WWE Universe. The subject of his promo will be about his future as World Heavyweight Champion.

    ”I’m told the plan of as now is for Seth Rollins to address his health & future as World Heavyweight Champion this Monday night on RAW.”

    The full extent of The Visionary’s injury is yet to be determined, but it was previously confirmed by PW Insider that he will not be participating in the upcoming weekend’s house show events. It appears he will be at RAW next week.

    Seth Rollins has experienced a devastating knee injury in the past. In 2015, he injured his knee while wrestling Kane at a house show. Now, he is dealing with another knee affliction. We’re hoping that the Visionary has good news for fans on RAW.

    Internal Thought on Seth Rollins’ Injury

    Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that the initial thought is that Rollins did not injury his ACL. Rollins himself reportedly stated the night of that it didn’t feel like he had sustained that injury.

    We’re told that the initial hope backstage was that he’d not sustained an ACL injury, and that Rollins at least personally thought it wasn’t that the night of.

    Seth Rollins’ WrestleMania Plans

    Seth Rollins is set to face CM Punk at WrestleMania 40. At this time, the match is reportedly still part of the plans. Rollins taking some time off the road may contribute to his knee healing. His upcoming announcement on RAW may change everything as well.

    The feud between CM Punk and Seth Rollins has a significant history. The storyline developed organically, so losing Rollins on the road to the show of shows is not ideal for Punk at this time.

  • Butch Returns To Pete Dunne Name With Character Change On WWE SmackDown

    WWE fans resisted Pete Dunne’s name change to Butch at first. That one-word name grew on people eventually, but it appears more changes are coming for the former NXT UK Champion.

    Changes Coming For Butch

    The Brawling Brutes stable, consisting of Sheamus, Ridge Holland, and Butch, are no more. The faction quietly broke up, as Butch made mention of that fact during a promo with Tyler Bate a couple of weeks ago.

    Now, Sean Ross Sapp reports on Fightful Select that Butch is in for a presentation change. Those hints were already dropped on SmackDown. 

    It was noted that, during that pre-produced vignette on Smackdown where Butch revealed that the Brawling Brutes broke up, he said he had to make a name for himself. Now, a change back to Pete Dunne is being discussed. 

    Fightful has confirmed that a change back to Pete Dunne has long been discussed, with one source in WWE telling Corey Brennan “it’s exactly what it looks like.”

    Backstage Reaction To Butch’s Initial Name Change

    The report further noted that when “Butch’s name was changed from Dunne, it got some of the heaviest pushback in recent WWE memory.”  Fans did not love the name change at first, either.

    One source reportedly brought up Bushwhacker Butch as they said, “It wasn’t even that it was a bad name. The name was okay, it was fine. But there was already a Butch. An actual wrestler named Butch already in our Hall of Fame.”

    WWE has changed Superstar names for one reason or another throughout the years, for any number of reasons. While Butch did have a good run on the WWE main roster, it appears that Vince McMahon change to Pete Dunne’s character may get swapped back by Triple H.

    That segment with Butch and Tyler Bate also represented a big change in WWE’s production after Kevin Dunn’s exit. The company is going through many changes on several levels at this point.

    UPDATE: Pete Dunne Returns

    Pete Dunne returned this week on SmackDown, under that name, He received a massive pop as he came out to team with Tyler Bate. The team took on Pretty Deadly, and his change back to the Dunne name received a great reaction.

  • Kazuchika Okada in WWE? Exiting NJPW Star Dreams of WrestleMania Match

    Kazuchika Okada in WWE? Exiting NJPW Star Dreams of WrestleMania Match

    Kazuchika Okada dreams of competing at WrestleMania, and that’s a dream that those in WWE management are well aware of. 

    This week, it was confirmed that Okada’s tenure with New Japan Pro Wrestling will finish at the end of this month. While his contract will run out on January 31, Okada will compete at the NJPW New Beginnings events scheduled for February. Okada is a five-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and two-time IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. He is the only person to hold the latter title more than once. 

    Is Kazuchika Okada WWE Bound? 

    WWE has had interest in Okada for some time and has sought to win him over in recent months. The push of Shinsuke Nakamura in late 2023 was reportedly an effort to show Okada that Japanese talent can thrive in WWE. Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated reports Triple H and Shawn Michaels have “significant interest” in bringing Okada on board. 

    Multiple sources close to NJPW revealed that he has always wanted to perform at a WrestleMania, a dream Triple H is aware of. The belief is that should a match happen, AJ Styles or Finn Balor would be the right opponents for Okada’s WrestleMania match. Both men have pre-existing relationships with Okada thanks to their respective NJPW runs. 

    Is Okada All-Elite? 

    WWE may want Okada, but AEW also has its sights set on the Japanese star. Okada has worked with AEW in the past via the Forbidden Door crossover events with New Japan. He is also close with AEW EVPs Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks. Okada has formed a rivalry and friendship with Bryan Danielson, whom he faced at Forbidden Door II in 2023 and earlier this month at Wrestle Kingdom 18. Okada also competed on an October 2023, edition of Dynamite. 

  • Reported Episode Topics For Dark Side of the Ring Season 5

    Reported Episode Topics For Dark Side of the Ring Season 5

    Pro wrestling fans got excited the moment it was confirmed that it was confirmed that Dark Side of the Ring is coming back for season five. Now, we are getting even more details about what is in the pipeline.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V7xEp5hGzg

    Dark Side of the Ring Season 5 Plans

    VICE TV’s Dark Side of the Ring has become a must-watch for wrestling fans, as they dive into sometimes controversial topics from pro wrestling’s past. With its past four seasons generating significant discussion in recent memory, season five has a lot to live up to. 

    The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that the upcoming fifth season of Dark Side of the Ring is in the works, and a list of episodes has been revealed. 

    Season five is set to cover “Black Saturday,” the 1984 moment when Vince McMahon orchestrated a takeover of Georgia Championship Wrestling’s lucrative TBS cable TV timeslot. Additionally, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle and ECW legend The Sandman will each have episodes dedicated to their life stories. 

    Other people slated for featured episodes in season five reportedly include Brutus Beefcake, Buff Bagwell, and Harley Race, who passed away in 2019 due to lung cancer. 

    Chris Adams, who is credited for training Stone Cold Steve Austin and popularizing the superkick, will also get a focus for an episode on season five.

    For the new season of Dark Side of the Ring, we know of these episodes: Brutus Beefcake, Harley Race, Buff Bagwell, Kurt Angle, Chris Adams, Sandman and Black Saturday (when Vince McMahon purchased Georgia Championship Wrestling to get access to the TBS time slot in 1984. Glenn “Kane” Jacobs was campaigning for Donald Trump in Iowa. 

    Dark Side of the Ring Season 5 Air Date

    As of right now, there is no information on the air date for season five on VICE TV, as filming is scheduled for later this year. We will keep you updated when an actual date comes out.

    The show is unafraid to tackle wrestling’s darker moments, such as The Plane Ride from Hell, the Benoit family tragedy, and Owen Hart’s tragic death. The success of the show also led VICE TV to produce several spinoffs, including Dark Side of the ’90s, Dark Side of Comedy, and Dark Side of Football in recent years. 

  • Latest Update On Seth Rollins’ Injury & WWE Status

    Latest Update On Seth Rollins’ Injury & WWE Status

    Seth Rollins beat Jinder Mahal on RAW to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but the night’s celebration was hindered by an injury for the Visionary. Now, Rollins’ future on the road to WrestleMania is questionable.

    Seth Rollins’ Current Injury Status

    Seth Rollins’ current injury status is unknown. WWE has not sent out any official word about his status. However, the company’s recent actions paint a picture that things are not okay with him.

    It was previously noted that Seth Rollins was pulled from this weekend’s house shows. That was not a good sign. Now, they have removed him from even more shows.

    At this time, PW Insider reports that Seth Rollins has been removed from all WWE live event advertising and promotion for the next week. Additionally, WWE is not advertising Rollins for upcoming episodes of WWE RAW. He is not included in the group of advertised superstars for the upcoming shows.

    He was scheduled for an MRI following this week’s RAW. As we wait for an update about his status, this makes us worry about his WrestleMania status.

    The Rupp Arena in Lexington, Kentucky is promoting Seth Rollins for the February 12th episode of Monday Night RAW. However, this doesn’t guarantee his participation in the show.

    Seth Rollins’ WrestleMania Plans

    Seth Rollins is set to face CM Punk at WrestleMania 40. At this time, the match is still apparently in the plans. Hopefully, Rollins taking some time off the road will help his knee heal.

    CM Punk and Seth Rollins’ feud goes back a long way. The story wrote itself, so losing Rollins on the road to the show of shows is not what Punk needs right now, either.

    Seth Rollins’ History With Knee Injuries

    Seth Rollins has a history of knee injuries. In 2015, he suffered a terrible knee injury that put him on the shelf for about a year. Hopefully, that is not the case this time.

    Rollins injured his knee before at a house show, in a No DQ match, as he was executing a powerbomb through a table onto Kane. You may check out that throwback clip below.

  • WWE Sources Hopeful For Mercedes Mone in 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble (Report)

    WWE Sources Hopeful For Mercedes Mone in 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble (Report)

    Mercedes Mone is currently a woman without a contract, but some in WWE believe a Royal Rumble return could happen. 

    Mone debuted for NJPW at Wrestle Kingdom 18 in January 2023, but her contract has since expired. While there were talks with WWE, the two sides could not come to terms over money. 

    A WWE Royal Rumble Surprise? 

    With her talks with WWE fizzling out, many suspect that Mone will join AEW soon enough. There is an expectation within AEW that she’ll be joining after finishing up some acting commitments this month, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports. 

    With that said, nothing has been made certain at this time. The Observer adds that some in WWE believe there’s still a shot she could make a surprise return in the upcoming Women’s Royal Rumble match. One name who’d certainly want to see Mone make a return is Bayley, her friend and former tag-team partner. The Damage CTRL member recently spoke at length about her deep connection to Mone.

    Mercedes Mone in the Royal Rumble

    Mone competed as Sasha Banks in two Women’s Royal Rumble matches. The Boss has the distinction of being the first entrant in the first Women’s Rumble in 2018, and would also enter at #1 in 2022. Mone has spent a total 1:04:30 in Royal Rumble matches and has a total of five eliminations to her name. 

    Royal Rumble 2024

    Here is the card for the WWE 2024 Royal Rumble PLE as it currently stands: 

    • Men’s Royal Rumble match (Confirmed entrants: Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Lashley, Drew McIntyre, GUNTHER. 
    • Women’s Royal Rumble match (Confirmed entrants: Bayley, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, Nia Jax)
    • Roman Reigns (c) (with Paul Heyman) vs. Randy Orton vs. AJ Styles vs. LA Knight (Undisputed WWE Universal Championship) 
    • Logan Paul (c) vs. Kevin Owens (WWE United States Championship)

    Who should fans expect to see return at the Royal Rumble… 

  • WWE Planned For CM Punk To Face Seth Rollins At WrestleMania Before Injury

    WWE Planned For CM Punk To Face Seth Rollins At WrestleMania Before Injury

    WWE’s grandaddy of them all, WrestleMania 40, is coming up in a matter of months. As the card comes together on the road to WrestleMania, it is evident that some things pay have to change along the way. Seth Rollins’ recent possible injury is further proof of that.

    WWE’s Plan For CM Punk and Seth Rollins’ History

    CM Punk’s return to WWE is remembered for a lot of things, including how Seth Rollins reacted to seeing him in the Allstate Arena to close out Survivor Series. Rollins was irate, and video of him being held back from rushing at Punk.

    Fans did not forget that, just a few months prior, Rollins called Punk “cancer” and told him to stay away” from WWE. This came up with Nick Hausman questioned Rollins whether he wanted to see Punk back during his AEW issues.

    WWE’s Plan For WrestleMania

    The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that “Seth Rollins vs. Punk is the confirmed WrestleMania plan.” That is the plan, but Rollins’ recent injury really puts a huge question mark on things.

    It was not noted whether their match would be for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but Rollins’ current status as champion makes that a real possibility.

    Seth Rollins’ Most Recent Injury Update

    Seth Rollins defended the WWE World Heavyweight Title against Jinder Mahal on RAW this week, and the Visionary won with his signature Stomp. Sadly, he didn’t make it through the match without sustaining an injury.

    We are uncertain about the current extent of Seth Rollins’ injury, but we do know that he was pulled from this weekend’s WWE live events. No official word has come through about his injury status, but this is not a good sign.

    We will provide further updates on Seth Rollins’ knee injury when they are made available. Right now, he is taking it easy and sitting out this weekend’s shows. Hopefully, CM Punk doesn’t lose a possible WrestleMania main event match in this fashion. 

    Another Sad Update

    Seth Rollins was okay, and he didn’t need to miss WrestleMania. Sadly, CM Punk was injured during the Royal Rumble, and he needs triceps surgery. That injury will cost fans that WrestleMania match.

    In his place, WWE decided to book Seth Rollins vs Cody Rhodes at the showcase of the immortals, when The Rock returned to take his spot against Roman Reigns.

  • WWE Considering Rock/Rhodes/Reigns Triple Threat for WrestleMania 40 (Report)

    The richest prize in WWE could be decided in a triple-threat at WrestleMania 40, featuring some of the biggest stars of the company’s past and present. 

    WWE WrestleMania 40 will take place on April 6, and April 7, marking the fourth two-night event in the show’s history. For Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, it will mark his fourth WrestleMania in a row during the same title reign (should he retain at next week’s Royal Rumble). Reigns captured the title at Payback 2020 and his WrestleMania defense has seen him best Edge & Daniel Bryan (in 2021), Brock Lesnar (in 2022), and Cody Rhodes last year. 

    Two Worthy Contenders

    Up until recently, it seemed destined that Rhodes would challenge (and dethrone) Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40, finishing his story in the process. Many have speculated that Rhodes’ heartbreaking loss at WrestleMania 39 happened so that his big moment (and the end of Reigns’ historic Undisputed WWE Universal Championship reign) would happen on the 40th-anniversary milestone. 

    Cody’s road to WrestleMania hit a serious obstacle during the Day 1 Raw when The Rock returned to WWE and teased coming for Reigns’ spot as The Tribal Chief. WWE had Reigns Vs. Rock ‘locked in’ at one point for WrestleMania 39 before plans changed. 

    WWE’s Plans

    While we don’t know who Roman Reigns will face at WrestleMania, it will be either The Rock or Cody Rhodes, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports. WWE have yet to make up their mind about the match. The report adds that WWE is also considering a triple threat between the three men. 

    Rhodes will enter the Men’s Royal Rumble match next week, a bout he won in 2023. The same show will see Reigns defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against LA Knight, AJ Styles, and Randy Orton. Despite rumors of The Rock appearing at next month’s Elimination Chamber: Perthy event, the Great One is not scheduled for the Australian PLE. 

  • Mandy Rose Sets the Record Straight Amid WWE Return Rumors

    Former WWE superstar Mandy Rose recently addressed the rumors surrounding her potential return to WWE. 

    The former NXT Women’s Champion had been a locker room leader in WWE’s development brand. She had been the leader of Toxic Attraction. Shortly after her controversial split with WWE in late 2022, Rose decided to leave the pro wrestling industry and establish herself with independent endeavors. The former WWE star tasted massive success behind the initial paywall of FanTime before she eventually switched to the popular exclusive content platform, OnlyFans.

    Rumor has it that WWE would be open to bringing back The Golden Goddess if the opportunity allows. Will fans be able to see her back in WWE? Well, Mandy Rose has answered.

    Mandy Rose addresses the rumors

    Speaking on the Power Alphas Podcast, Mandy Rose stated that she’s uncertain whether she’ll ever be able to rejoin WWE. The former NXT Women’s Champion is aware that her fans miss her so she isn’t entirely ruling out a return to the ring. She said:

    “I don’t know if I’ll ever be back in WWE. I don’t know what the future holds. However, I’m enjoying my life a lot right now, and we’re getting married soon. We got a lot of big plans, a lot of trips, lot of exciting things in the works. So yeah, that’s your answer… You never shut doors. I will say, if I was to ever come back, it would be for my fans, for you guys. Because I know you guys miss me, and I miss you guys too,” Rose said.

    As the Royal Rumble Premium Live Event is right around the corner, fans are speculating that Mandy Rose might make an appearance as a surprise entrant in the namesake match.

    We will have to wait and see if fans get to witness Mandy Rose back inside the WWE ring.

  • Randy Orton RKO’s Cameraman In Eladio Carrión’s ‘RKO’ Music Video

    Randy Orton RKO’s Cameraman In Eladio Carrión’s ‘RKO’ Music Video

    Countless WWE Superstars have fallen victim to Randy Orton’s RKO, and the Viper recently busted out the move in a new music video. 

    Orton returned to WWE programming at last year’s Survivor Series: WarGames event after over a year away. The Viper was off TV due to a severe back injury and had been advised to retire by doctors at one point. Orton’s comeback saw himself, Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins, Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, and Sami Zayn defeat The Judgment Day and Drew McIntyre. 

    Randy Orton RKO’s in RKO

    Orton features as himself in ‘RKO’ the new music video for the track of the same name by Eladio Carrión. The track sees Carrión talk about celebrating his wins to those who doubted him, adding that he caught those haters by surprise like Orton with the RKO. 

    The Apex Predator appears over halfway through the video and RKO’s a cameraman hoping to snap a picture of Carrión, who in the video is a baseball star. Orton admits to being a huge fan of Carrión. Orton makes it clear that if Eladio Carrión needs anything, he’s ready to help out. You can check Orton’s role in the video below.

    The History of the RKO

    Orton is hardly the first wrestler to adopt the ‘Cutter’ as his finisher. Variations include the Ace Crusher, which was used by John ‘Johnny Ace’ Lauriniatis. ‘Diamond’ Dallas Page would make opponents feel the bang with the ‘Diamond Cutter’ while ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin would leave opponents decimated with the ‘Stone Cold’ Stunner. 

    What drove Randy Orton to use the RKO as a finisher… 

  • WWE Removes Seth Rollins From This Weekend’s Live Events After Injury Report

    WWE Removes Seth Rollins From This Weekend’s Live Events After Injury Report

    WWE has a lot of things going on, and a few members of the roster are currently out of action. Seth Rollins’ status may have a huge question mark over it, and this new report is not a great sign about his status.

    Seth Rollins Pulled From WWE House Shows

    Seth Rollins is the current heavyweight champion, but this is not a great time for him. He suffered a knee injury in the main event of the January 15th episode of RAW while successfully defending his title against Jinder Mahal.

    Following Rollins’ match on RAW, multiple sources backstage at Raw informed PWTorch that Rollins was helped in the back and eventually put weight on it, Rollins was said to be walking on his own but with a “definite limp.”

    The full extent of The Visionary’s injury is yet to be determined, but it is confirmed by PW Insider that he will not be participating in the upcoming weekend’s house show events. 

    Randy Orton will step in as a replacement to allow Rollins to take the necessary rest. As of this writing, we have no further updates on Rollins’ status.

    Seth Rollins’ Injury Status

    As fans await an official diagnosis for Seth Rollins’ knee, we are definitely sending our best. Obviously, WWE is hoping to have him back in fighting shape without taking any considerable time off.

    Seth Rollins does not have an opponent in store for WrestleMania 40 yet. CM Punk has strongly hinted at facing the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, because there is history behind their beef. Hopefully, Rollins won’t have to miss the showcase of the immortals this year. 

  • Charlotte Flair Shows Off Physical Therapy Progress After Knee Surgery

    Charlotte Flair Shows Off Physical Therapy Progress After Knee Surgery

    Charlotte Flair suffered a significant injury in her singles match against Damage CTRL’s Asuka on the Tribute to the Troops edition of SmackDown on December 8th. She went under the knife, and now The Queen is on her way back to reclaim her throne.

    Charlotte Flair Putting In The Work After Surgery

    Charlotte Flair is expected to be out of action for 9 months after her knee surgery. Of course, that is a projection and Flair would obviously like to see a return much sooner than that.

    Many people might want to take it easy after surgery, but Charlotte Flair is in a league of her own. The shoo-in WWE Hall of Famer didn’t wait around at all before jumping right into physical therapy. 

    Flair updated her social media to show off her progress. She is already on the treadmill, which she was happy to showcase on her Instagram story.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C2Qc0Q3u3SP

    How Charlotte Flair Was Injured

    The injury occurred when Flair attempted her signature moonsault outside the ring towards Asuka. The match was then ended abruptly due to interference by Bayley, leading to Flair’s defeat. Despite her injury, Flair still finished the match.

    Unfortunately, Flair suffered multiple knee injuries during the incident, including tears to her ACL, MCL, and meniscus.

    Charlotte Flair was spotted on crutches at the CMLL event after her injury. That was before her surgery, but now she is totally focused on making a return to the ring.

  • Adam Copeland Makes It Clear He Wouldn’t Wrestle In AEW If It Wasn’t Fun

    Adam Copeland Makes It Clear He Wouldn’t Wrestle In AEW If It Wasn’t Fun

    Adam Copeland had a WWE contract renewal in his inbox, but he decided against signing it. He wanted something else out of this chapter of his career, and he is finding it in AEW.

    Adam Copeland Is Having Fun In AEW

    Since arriving in AEW, some fans have noticed that Adam Copeland has worked with a variety of people, including an old frenemy in Christian Cage. The fact that Copeland is holding open challenge matches is also proof that anyone could face him next.

    During a conversation with Busted Open Radio, Adam Copeland made it very clear that he wants to have as much fun as possible with his life. Wrestling is his first love, and it’s also a pleasure to work in that world, so he is making the most of every opportunity he can.

    Anything I do at this stage of life has to be fun or I’m not going to do it. Wrestling was the first love and it always will be. That can never be taken away. I still find so much fun. The minute it stops being fun is the minute I need to be done. Because it was taken away from me the first time, and then to come back, and have this whole new generation of talent that I’ve never performed with or got in there with. It’s fun. I’ve repeatedly said how much fun I’m having. That’s what it boils down to. No matter what I’m doing, I’m having fun, or I wouldn’t be doing it. I wouldn’t be wrestling Griff Garrison if I didn’t find the fun in that. I wouldn’t be wrestling Lee Moriarty if I didn’t find the fun in that. It’s just a blast.

    Copeland later stated that he’s still having fun while wrestling. At this stage in his career, the Rated R Superstar wouldn’t keep going if he wasn’t enjoying himself.

    This may sound like a lie, but I’m at a stage in life where, if it’s not fun, I don’t need the money. I know that sounds really bad, but I was always really smart. I still drive a pick-up truck. I don’t waste my money. It hurt too much to make. If I’m doing it, it’s purely for the joy of it.

    Adam Copeland’s Road in AEW So Far

    Tony Khan was quick to place Adam Copeland right in a feud with Christian Cage, a spot he remains to this day. As the two carry on, it is evident that there are a lot more stories to tell that reek of awesomeness.

    Copeland beat Christian at AEW Worlds End for the TNT Title, but then Killswitch gave his guaranteed title shot to Cage, who promptly beat the WWE Hall of Famer for the TNT Title once again.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUjhZokvAqs

  • Bayley Believes Her Story With Mercedes Mone Will Live On Forever

    Bayley Believes Her Story With Mercedes Mone Will Live On Forever

    Mercedes Mone and WWE were speaking during a time, but that came to a financial roadblock. Now, all indications point toward an AEW debut very soon. Still, Bayley still believes her story with The Boss will last forever.

    Bayley Believes She Will Face Mercedes Mone Again

    Bayley, who once admitted that she begs Mercedes Mone to make a WWE return at every chance she has, recently spoke about her old friend, the former Sasha Banks. As Bayley sees it, there is still story left to be written for the two.

    While speaking with Sports Illustrated, Bayley admitted that it is their destiny to face each other again. She firmly stated that their story has the ability to live on forever in pro wrestling lore. 

    “We’ll always be destined for one more match. We’re going to live on forever because of that match, and it’s something we can carry on forever.”

    What Happened To Sasha Banks’ WWE Return 

    WWE and Mercedes Mone were talking about a return, but then those negotiations hit a roadblock. Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select at the time that, although the dialogue was friendly, the process was ended as WWE walked away from the deal. 

    Top free agent Mercedes Mone aka Sasha Banks and WWE had been engaged in conversations to possibly bring her back to the company. However, WWE sources stated to Fightful Friday night that the two sides are no longer in active negotiations regarding a return. The two sides had recently been engaged in conversations about a return. We’re told the dialogue was friendly, the back and forth failed to progress, and WWE sources claim that their side walked as a result of it.

    Bayley & Mercedes Mone’s Current Relationship

    Bayley and Mercedes Mone are still close, and the two old friends are still in close contact. They were both spotted watching Trinity at TNA Wrestling’s Hard to Kill event. 

    There may be a spot open for Mercedes on the Damage CTRL roster, because that stable apparently can’t get enough members. All signs point toward Mone’s eventual AEW debut, so a WWE return may have to wait.

  • WWE Teaming With ACP to Help Veterans, Montez Ford Is Nonprofit’s First Athlete Mentor

    WWE Teaming With ACP to Help Veterans, Montez Ford Is Nonprofit’s First Athlete Mentor

    WWE SmackDown Superstar Montez Ford is proud to partner with the ACP to help service veterans transition into civilian careers. 

    The ACP (American Corporate Partners) is a national nonprofit dedicated to helping returning veterans and active-duty spouses. ACP often organizes professional developmental mentorship programs that allow those seeking help to learn valuable work and life skills from experts. 

    The program was launched in 2008 and to date, over 30,000 veterans and spouses have completed mentorship programs. These include access to résumé building and interview preparation, career exploration, networking opportunities, small business development, and leadership and professional communication resources

    Montez Ford and ACP

    In a press release, WWE announced that Ford will be the first pro athlete to serve as a registered mentor for ACP. Ford who served in the United States Marine Corps before coming to WWE, said it was an honor to be part of the program. 

    “WWE has a long-standing history of supporting our nation’s active service members, veterans, and their families. It is an honor to represent WWE as part of this partnership with ACP and its outstanding mentorship program.”

    Sidney E. Goodfriend, Chairman of ACP, was excited about the partnership between WWE and the nonprofit organization. 

    “All of us at ACP are excited to begin our partnership with WWE. Frequently our post 9/11 veteran proteges seek career guidance in the field of entertainment and we are delighted to be able to provide them with mentors from a top leader in the industry.”

    Montez Ford is a former U.S. Marine, but he isn’t the only name in professional wrestling to serve their country… 

  • Randy Orton Names His Dream WrestleMania Opponent: “Fans would eat it up”

    Randy Orton can be a world title contender at any moment and The Viper will be one of three Royal Rumble weekend, but what about WrestleMania?

    Orton will join AJ Styles and LA Knight as challengers for Roman Reigns’ big gold in one of the featured fights. Before that, Orton was a special guest on WWE’s The Bump and was asked about potentially becoming WWE Champion again. This prompted Orton to mention the name of a long-time rival.

    “A dream match for me would be to somehow find myself in a situation where I’m fighting Cena at WrestleMania for the title. I don’t know how you get there. I’m not saying it’s gonna happen, but I have never wrestled John at WrestleMania in a singles match. We had some wars back in the day, so being able to revisit that after all this, I think it’s not only something that I would want, I think the fans would eat it up too.” 

    To Orton’s point, The Apex Predator saw Cena in the ring nearly countless times over a decade ago. The rivalry was taken to the well so many times that it notoriously became a match-up that fans would get sick of.

    Cena made his return to WWE over the summer, but Orton and he crossed like two ships in the night as Orton made his return at Survivor Series.

    At Royal Rumble, the initial belief was that Orton would likely challenge Roman Reigns one-on-one for the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship, but a report from Dave Meltzer stated Styles and Knight were added to the fight in order to prolong that singles fight for a battle down the road.

    Please credit The Bump and h/t to Fightful for the transcription.

  • TNA Wrestling Officially Inks Deal With Released WWE Superstar

    TNA Wrestling Officially Inks Deal With Released WWE Superstar

    TNA Wrestling is looking to cause as much commotion as they can in the pro wrestling world, and they have inked a former WWE Superstar to a deal in hopes to do just that. WWE released a slew of talent in September 2023, and now one of them is locked into a TNA deal.

    TNA Wrestling Secures Another Ex WWE Superstar

    Dana Brooke was among those releases in September. Along with Nic Nemeth, she also debuted at TNA Wrestling’s Hard to Kill event. Now, the former Total Divas star is set to do her own thing in another company with a new name.

    As Ash By Elegance, Dana Brooke has a lot of attention. She confirmed while speaking with Ring The Belle that her TNA Wrestling contract is official. 

    “It is official. The big secret is out. I am signed with TNA Wrestling, which is an amazing opportunity, and I can not wait to explore that Knockouts Division.” 

    Ash By Elegance is Very Happy with TNA Wrestling

    Ash also thought a bit about her debut for TNA Wrestling. She really enjoyed the experience, as she made her presence known in the company.

    “It was spectacular. While that Knockouts Title match was going on, I just wanted to make my way out to the ring, and let my presence be known, and watch an amazing match with one of my old coworkers, Trinity. So I was really excited to show up and watch her against Jordynne, which was an amazing, amazing match. But also wanted to make a statement and let everybody know that my eyes are on that Knockouts Title,”

    Ash By Elegance is an interesting name, and she can’t wait to show fans more of that new character. She definitely has a positive outlook on the future.

  • Samoa Joe Names Three Wrestling Stars Who “Hit Like A Truck”

    Samoa Joe Names Three Wrestling Stars Who “Hit Like A Truck”

    Samoa Joe is known to be a hard-hitter, but the AEW World Champion named three other names who pack their own special kind of power. However, none of them hit as hard as he does.

    In light of his first World Title defense this Wednesday on AEW Dynamite, Samoa Joe spoke with Chris Mueller of Bleacher Report to talk about his one-on-one fight with HOOK. Joe previously had some good praise for the young AEW star and did just as much in this interview too.

    Mount Rushmore of Hardest Hitters in Wrestling

    The champ was asked about who he would name as the hardest hitters in wrestling. Joe named two Japanese legends before naming three modern talents that devastate with their own power.

    “The list is a Mount Rushmore of some of the most dangerous people in the world,” he said. “You start from [Kenta] Kobashi and [Mitsuharu] Misawa. Young Wardlow. He hits like a truck. Brock Lesnar hits like a truck. Roman Reigns hits like a truck.”

    There’s tons of people around the sphere of wrestling who all hit hard, and I’ve felt all that power, but they don’t hit as hard as me.”

    Reigns and Lesnar have had their fair share of championships, but the AEW World Title is the first World Championship Joe has held since his TNA days. 

    Since he defeated MJF for the championship at World’s End, Joe has laid out a new format as to who will be deemed as appropriate for challegning for his AEW gold. To him, wins and losses matter and his first challenger HOOK has an impressive record worthy for his challenge.

  • John Cena Is Open To Wrestle ‘Big Final Match’ In WWE

    John Cena Is Open To Wrestle ‘Big Final Match’ In WWE

    John Cena is proclaimed as the Greatest of all Time, and the 16x World Champion is a crossover pop culture star at this point. As he looks back at what he’s done in his career, he has absolutely raked up a ton of advice to share. He also knows that all good things must come to an end, no matter how legendary the journey is.

    John Cena’s New Role in Pro Wrestling

    During a recent interview with PEOPLE, John Cena opened up about his future. He has done a lot in the ring, but at this point, he wants to mentor talent. The shoo-in WWE Hall of Famer is up to do a lot of things.

    Right now, Cena is looking at a new chapter in his career, and he doesn’t know how much time he has left in WWE. He doesn’t want to keep wrestling for his own sake, because it is for the fans.

    “I turned 47 this past year and I don’t have much time left in the WWE. You know, I’m trying to figure out when to close that chapter. I wouldn’t be who I am — professionally or personally — without the WWE, and I promised myself that I would never simply just be there for my own sake. Every time I perform, I want to give my all to the audience. And I’ve got to admit when I hit the 45 mark, I had to begin to try to form an exit strategy and I’m trying to work on that currently.”

    Cena Is Open To Wrestle A Big Final Match

    John Cena has been game to do whatever is best for business, no matter what is asked of him. At this point, he can be placed into any facet of WWE’s product, just to be a part of things, and he’s ready to accept that new role. He also openly stated that he is up for a final match situation.

    “I just want to do what’s best for the company. If it’s a big final match or if it’s just a final match, or however I can be integrated into the product to let everyone know that this chapter is over, I’m willing to listen to what WWE has to say.”

    John Cena Open To Mentor Talent

    John Cena’s time in WWE will be remembered for many things by different people. Cena’s trip to NXT during his latest run in the company showed that he wants to make an effort to pass the knowledge he has along to a new generation.

    “I do have almost two and a half decades of wisdom built up where I think I can offer a mentor perspective for sure. So, if I am not integrated with the WWE family moving forward and in perpetuity, then I think it’s a waste for everyone involved.”

    Cena is incredibly busy with Hollywood, and it took a historic strike to make his last WWE return a reality. He hasn’t officially hung up his jorts in retirement, but he definitely wants to make the most of every moment he may have left.