Liv Morgan may be more pleased to see Rhea Ripley return to WWE TV than she let on during the July 8, 2024, edition of WWE Monday Night Raw.
In the show’s main event, Morgan and Dominik Mysterio teamed to defeat the LWO’s Rey Mysterio and Zelina Vega. After the match, it appeared Dominik was going to give in to Morgan’s advances until Ripley made her return after months off of TV. Her comeback saw Morgan scurry to the back while Raw went off the air with a tense face-off between Ripley and Dirty Dom.
Liv Morgan Reacts to Rhea Ripley’s Return
The WWE Women’s World Champion was able to avoid a run-in with Ripley and seemed somewhat pleased to see her nemesis back on TV after Raw went off the air. In a backstage clip, Morgan was seen smiling as she watched Ripley verbally lay into ‘Dirty Dom.’
Could Morgan be grinning at the tensions between Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley that fans saw at the end of the show? Morgan has hardly been subtle in her efforts to woo Dominik and these tensions could see Mysterio fall closer in line with the Champ. The question, however, remains as to whether Liv genuinely cares for Mysterio, or if her affections are merely a plot to take even more from Rhea Ripley.
Ripley’s return comes after suffering a shoulder injury in April during a backstage attack by Liv that also ended Ripley’s tenure as WWE Women’s World Champion. Ironically, Morgan herself missed months of action due to an attack by Ripley and has therefore shown no remorse for causing the Australian’s injury. All we know for certain now is that this unlikely love triangle will be a focal point going forward on WWE Raw.
Rey Mysterio has another historic accolade to his legendary career after competing during the July 8, edition of WWE Monday Night Raw.
The show from Ottawa, Canada saw Mysterio team with LWO ally Zelina Vega to face his son ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio and WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan. Despite Dominik being hesitant to team with Liv, the pair would work well together. The finish saw Morgan knock Rey from the top rope, giving Dom the chance to hit the frog splash and get his first-ever win over his father.
The match may not have gone Rey’s way, but Mysterio did make history in the process. This bout marked Rey’s 33rd match on WWE TV since being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2023. Mysterio now holds the record for the most WWE TV matches of any Hall of Famer after being inducted.
The previous was held by Jerry ‘The King’ Lawler who competed 32 times on WWE TV following his induction on the eve of WrestleMania 23 in March 2007. Lawler’s 32nd match would come on the September 10, 2012, Raw, mere hours before Lawler would suffer a heart attack while sat at the commentary table.
H/T to @WWEStats for uncovering this stat. Stay tuned to SEScoops for more interesting wrestling facts and statistics.
Rey Mysterio: Hall of Famer
Mysterio’s induction into the WWE Hall of Fame is just one of the many elite clubs that the Master of the 619 is a part of. In 2007, Rey was the inaugural inductee into the AAA Hall of Fame alongside the posthumous induction of AAA founder Antonio Peña. In 2010, wrestling fans voted for Rey to be inducted into the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Hall of Fame. That year’s class included Rey, Chris Jericho, and the posthumously inducted Wladek Zbyszko.
The Future Of Rey Mysterio
The WWE Hall of Famer may have another record to his name, but time is running out for Rey to add highlights to his legendary career. Mysterio has spoken openly in recent years that his time in the ring is coming to an end. In 2023, Mysterio, who is 49, said that he does not intend to wrestle past 50, suggesting that his career will end very soon.
Though Rey’s career in the ring will be ending in the relatively near future, his time in WWE won’t be over after he hangs up his boots. Rey signed a five-year deal with WWE in 2023 that should keep him around until he is 54 years old. It is possible that Mysterio could wrestle past 50 and if not, WWE would no doubt benefit from keeping Mysterio around in some kind of backstage role, possibly as a trainer in WWE NXT.
AJ Lee has confirmed several upcoming projects under her Scrappy Hearts production company amid rumors about her potential WWE return.
The former Divas Champion was interviewed by Screen Rant during the Tribeca Film Festival. She was there promoting her new movie Sacramento starring Michael Angarano, Michael Cera, and Kristen Stewart in lead roles.
During the interview, Lee real name April Mendez, was asked if she has any projects in the works under her Scrappy Heart Productions banner. The former WWE star revealed that they have several projects ready to be launched with the goal of telling stories of underrepresented communities:
“We have an original comic book coming out very soon, and we have a short film that is about to hit the festival circuit and a horror movie that is next in list and ready to go.
So we are really excited to show you what we have at Scrappy Heart Productions. We’re trying to represent underrepresented communities, like my, like the Latino community. We want us to be the stars of our own stories and we’re really fighting for that.”
Scrappy Hearts Production is a company AJ Lee started with Aimee Garcia. Garcia is known for her roles in shows such as Lucifer and How To Train Your Dragon.
A potential WWE return for the former champion has been a topic of discussion among fans since her husband, CM Punk returned to the company last year at Survivor Series.
The repeated mention of Lee in Punk’s ongoing feud with Drew McIntyre has only added fuel to the fire and there were even rumors that AJ could make an appearance at last Saturday’s Money In The Bank PPV.
Though when asked about it in the post-show media scrum, Punk had alluded to all the projects his wife was working on. The latest comments from the former WWE star only further confirm that she is not very likely to make time from her busy schedule for a wrestling comeback.
In a dramatic conclusion to Monday’s WWE RAW, Rhea Ripley made her long-awaited return, bringing the simmering tension between herself, Dominik Mysterio, and Liv Morgan to a boiling point. The climax of the evening saw Liv Morgan and Dominik Mysterio team up against Rey Mysterio and Zelina Vega, which ended in their victory. As the duo celebrated their win with a passionate embrace in the ring, Rhea Ripley’s music hit and the arena erupted.
Mami made her way to the ring and business picked up in a big way. Morgan, seemingly aware of the impending confrontation, quickly fled the scene, leaving Dominik alone in the ring. The tension was palpable as Ripley approached Mysterio.
Her demeanor was far from welcoming, a stark contrast to the celebratory mood moments earlier. When Dominik attempted to greet her with a hug, Ripley’s cold response spoke volumes. As RAW went off the air, fans were left with the image of a clearly displeased Ripley.
What Happened After Raw
The USA Network feed cut off early, but we can see here just how displeased Ripley was.
Expect to see Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan at SummerSlam, one of our five WWE SummerSlam 2024 card predictions. This dramatic return sets the stage for what promises to be an explosive summer ahead as the next chapters in this ongoing saga are written. We’re now wondering:
How will Ripley address Dominik’s closeness with Morgan?
As WWE SummerSlam 2024 approaches, fans are gearing up for a night filled with unforgettable matches and epic showdowns. WWE pulls out all the stops for the ‘Big Five’ events and the ‘Biggest Party of the Summer’ will be no exception.
WWE SummerSlam 2024 takes place Saturday, August 3 from Cleveland, OH at Cleveland Browns Stadium. The event will stream live on Peacock and the WWE Network.
Based on the storyline developments we’re tracking for Raw and SmackDown, along with own our own insights, we’re predicting five matches to round out the card.
WWE SummerSlam Confirmed Matches
As of this writing, two championship matches are official:
WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Damian Priest (c) vs. Gunther
Damian Priest will put his WWE World Heavyweight Championship on the line against Gunther after the Austrian star won the King of the Ring tournament.
WWE Women’s Championship: Bayley (c) vs. Nia Jax
Bayley, the reigning WWE Women’s Champion, will be defending her title against the Nia Jax at SummerSlam after Jax won the Queen of the Ring tournament.
WWE SummerSlam Match Card Predictions
1. WWE Tag Team Championships: DIY (c) vs. Street Profits
Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, collectively known as DIY, will probably defend their newly won WWE Tag Team Championships against the Street Profits.
SummerSlam is taking place in Cleveland Browns Stadium, and Gargano is a big Browns fan, so the company will probably want him on the card to get a big pop.
2. WWE United States Championship: Logan Paul (c) vs. LA Knight
Logan Paul will probably defend his WWE United States Championship against LA Knight, a match that has been building for months.
This title match has been building for the past few months and Paul himself is also from Cleveland…although it will probably be Knight getting a major win here for his first main roster title in WWE.
3. WWE Women’s World Championship: Liv Morgan (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
Liv Morgan is hopefully going to face Rhea Ripley, who will be on a quest for revenge after being sidelined by Morgan and the current Champion trying to ‘steal’ her man Dominik.
It all depends on whether or not Ripley has recovered from injury, but this will be a big-time match on the card if it does happen.
4. CM Punk vs Drew McIntyre vs Seth Rollins
If you were to ask me what CM Punk’s match at SummerSlam would be just a week ago I’d say that Punk vs Drew McIntyre was a shoe-in.
However, with Punk costing Seth Rollins the chance to challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship whilst Damian Priest is Champion, it makes sense to turn this into a three way.
5. Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Solo Sikoa
Cody Rhodes will most likely defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against Solo Sikoa, who has emerged as a top contender since his rise to the defacto ‘Tribal Chief’ in the Bloodline.
We will check back when the WWE SummerSlam 2024 match card is finalized and will grade our own predictions.
More SummerSlam
Head over to our WWE SummerSlam section for more and check out this video WWE put together last year ranking the 20 Greatest SummerSlam Moments:
John Cena has shared his reasons for why he’s chosen to don jean shorts (aka Jorts) for much of his career as a WWE Superstar.
Cena infamously debuted on a June 2002 edition of WWE SmackDown by answering Kurt Angle’s open challenge wearing plain-looking trunks. It wouldn’t be until his ‘white rapper’ gimmick that Cena would begin wearing jorts, a look he continues to wear for matches to this day.
With Cena’s career in WWE winding down, the 16-time WWE World Champion has been in a reflective mood. Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Cena shared his reasoning for sticking with his jorts for over two decades.
“The reason I wear jorts is because I’ve tried everything. Denim is really durable—it doesn’t rip a lot as long as you can find a good fit. I don’t need any families attending a WWE event looking at my ugly bits All you need to do is find something that fits around the butt and the thigh, because I always wear a drawstring belt. A belt buckle, you can really get messed up on. I’ve learned this through failure. It can stab you, it can scratch you, it can scrape you and it can also cause damage to opponents and referees. This is not a good piece of equipment.”
While Cena can be seen wearing suits in public appearances outside WWE, odds are he’ll be rocking the jorts for what will be his final year as an in-ring talent. At WWE Money in the Bank 2024, Cena shared that he will retire from wrestling next year and is set to embark on a retirement tour. At this time, several details about this tour are unknown though fans can expect John to receive a fitting send-off by WWE.
Tonight’s WWE Raw takes place from Ottawa, ON from the Canadian Tire Center.
The show will feature fallout from Saturday’s WWE Money in the Bank event, including Damian Priest retaining the World Heavyweight championship and the indefinite suspension of Money in the Bank winner Drew McIntyre. McIntyre snapped at MITB after CM Punk spoiled his cash-in, and put his hands on Raw General Manager Adam Pearce.
Plus, Adam Pearce will address his decision to indefinitely drew McIntyre for his actions at MITB. Keep it locked to SEScoops for our coverage of tonight’s WWE Raw.
Get hyped for Raw with this video recapping last week’s episode:
Mark Henry has revealed a unique ritual Rey Mysterio performs before his matches.
The trio of Henry, Bully Ray and Tommy Dreamer talked extensively about how they prepared before their matches during the latest episode of Busted Open‘s Masterclass.
During the episode, they talked about people who partied the night before their matches and weren’t their 100% when the time for the performance came. Bully Ray expressed a strong opinion against such talents, saying that he had zero respect for the wrestlers who did that:
“I had zero respect for the guys who went out and got banged up and then couldn’t perform the day after. No way. Listen, you want to go, and I was a part of this, you want to go out and party all night long. You want to drink all night long. You want to do drugs all night long. You want to go out and hook up, I don’t give a shit what you do.
Just make sure you’re in the gym the next morning and make sure you are 100% to go out there and tear the fucking house down the next night. Otherwise, you got no business putting my life in your hands because you’re too fucking hung over.
That’s the biggest picture. We put each other’s lives in each other’s hands. I don’t need to know that you’re still hungover or you haven’t come down off your high from the night before. Although I’d rather have Rob Van Dam high than not high in a wrestling ring, because he’d function better.”
Mark Henry Details Rey Mysterio’s Ritual
The trio also discussed their pre match rituals during the episode. Talking about unique pre match rituals, Mark Henry revealed that he always found the way Rey Mysterio prepared for his matches to be unlike any other:
“Do ever see Rey? Before every match, he would put his mask on the floor, he put his T-shirt that he was gonna wear on the floor. He would put his pants. He would put the underwear that he would wear on top of the pants. He put the socks on the bottom of the pants. He put the shoes, and he would sit there and look at it.
I used to go, ‘You alright, brother?’ [laughs] But he had to see everything, the wrist wrap, everything. He had to see it all before he put it on and look at it. Make sure ‘Alright, that’s the look.’ I’m the Joker tonight [or] I’m louis Vuitton man tonight. Like whatever his gear, he had to lay it out. It was a ritual, I watched it a bunch of times.”
The WWE Universe may see women’s Intercontinental and U.S. titles introduced to the main roster, though an official decision has yet to be made.
Last week, reports circulated that WWE had women’s versions of the Intercontinental and United States Championships in the works. These titles would serve a similar role to their male equivalents and be mid-card titles on Monday Night Raw and SmackDown.
While Fightful Select could not confirm that these titles are in the works, they have been discussed within WWE. The initial report included images of championships (as seen in the image for this article,) though these are examples AI art and not real championship belts. Talent who spoke to Fightful said they’ve not heard news of any upcoming mid-card championships, but it is something that a number of talent have pushed for over several years.
The Case for Women’s Mid-Card Championships
WWE introduced its first Women’s mid-card championship at WWE NXT Battleground when Kelani Jordan won the NXT Women’s North American Title. Since her six-woman ladder match victory, Jordan has retained against Michin, Izzi Dame, and most recently Sol Ruca.
John Cena and Money In The Bank were indeed the pro wrestling talk of the weekend, but they weren’t exactly the talk of the weekend, at least on social media.
Money In The Bank took place Saturday night, but so did other newsworthy events that it wasn’t a top 15 trending topic for Google in the United States.
John Cena was the only WWE-related topic to surpass over 100,000 searches as Cena made an appearance at the PLE to announce that his final match would take place in 2025. Although he placed sixth, Cena was “knocked out” of trending searches in part by the Jorge Masdival vs. Nick Diaz boxing fight. Diaz ended up getting the W against his longtime UFC rival in a bout of pugilism.
Despite not taking the world by storm Cena should remain a newsworthy topic on social media for days to come considering how impactful Cena’s announcement was. However, the other ongoings at Money In The Bank will likely settle down as the days pass, especially with WWE RAW picking up on Monday.
Other trending topics for July 6 was the unfortunate passing of NFL star Khyree Jackson, England vs. Switzerland in the Euro 2024 semi-finals.
Not only were there other sports topics to contend with, but American wrestling fans had plenty to stay occupied away from their screens as it was Independence Day weekend for the United States of America.
Cena was an unexpected presence at Money In The Bank making his major announcement after being introduced by Trish Stratus. Cena was early to hint at his intentions as he came out with a rally towel stating that “The Last Time Is Now.”
WWE Hall Of Famer Donald Trump is getting some Presidential Campaign help from a familiar face in Linda McMahon.
According to a new article from Forbes that names the top biggest billionaire donors to Trump’s campaign, Linda McMahon is ranked in second place and the numbers are quite astonishing.
In total, Linda McMahon has shelled over $11.1 million to aid Trump in his rematch for Presidential superiority against Joe Biden. Over the course of Trump’s first run as Commander-In-Chief, Linda McMahon was apart of Donald’s cabinet serving as the head of the Small Business Administration. Linda later took the helm to co-chair the primary Trump Super-PAC in his 2020 foray against Biden.
While Donald Trump is aiming to hit the Oval Office once again at the end of 2024, Linda McMahon still remains in the fold by steering the America First Policy Institute, a non-profit that’s associated with Trump. She also is on the Trump Media and Technology group.
A little under two weeks ago, Trump debated against Biden in what was a very polarizing event, but it did take place at a historic wrestling location in Atlanta.
Along with getting inducted into the 2013 WWE Hall Of Fame, Donald Trump has lengthy ties with the McMahon family. Trump played host to WrestleMania IV in Atlantic City. He was notoriously in the corner for Bobby Lashley during WrestleMania 21 as Lashley defeated Umaga, allowing Trump to shave the head of Vince McMahon. We happened to just surpass the 15th anniversary of when Trump “bought” WWE RAW from Vince.
Drew McIntyre has been ‘indefinitely suspended’ from WWE competition due to his highly unprofessional conduct at Saturday’s Money in the Bank premium live event.
The night started strong for McIntyre as the Scottish Warrior captured the Men’s Money in the Bank briefcase. Drew had previously vowed to cash in on the night and true to his word, entered the World Heavyweight Championship match later in the show. CM Punk would once again prove to be a thorn in McIntyre’s side and would for the third time this year, cost the Scottish Warrior the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.
Pearce released a breaking news video on Sunday to address the fallout from McIntyre’s conduct, which he called the ‘elephant in the room.’ He announced McIntyre has been indefinitely suspended. He’s also levied financial penalties on Punk and McIntyre (amounts undisclosed).
GM Pearce will address the matter in further detail this coming Monday when WWE Raw takes place from Ottawa, the capital city of Canada.
With McIntyre banished from programming, questions have been raised as to what’s next in his war with CM Punk. The Best in the World has not been advertised for the upcoming episode of Raw. Some have predicted that Punk Vs. McIntyre will at long last take place at SummerSlam 2024 but with McIntyre suspended, that remains to be seen mere weeks ahead of the show.
The WWE Universe is still reeling from the excitement and controversy surrounding WWE Money in the Bank 2024. MITB has become a top 5 Premium Live Event in WWE’s calendar year, as it usually comprises noteworthy matches with significant implications for the rest of the year. This is especially true for the event’s namesake matches.
The sold-out crowd in Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena witnessed moments that will go down in history. While the show was mostly enjoyable for fans, this year’s event may have raised more questions than answers. With this in mind, let’s dive into this author’s 5 Takeaways from Money In The Bank 2024.
5) Making Tiffany Stratton Mrs. Money In The BankWas An Excellent Decision
Tiffany Stratton has been a standout in the women’s division since she was called up this past February, with the WWE Universe having high expectations for the 25-year-old following a strong 3-year stint in NXT.
The former NXT Women’s Champion has shown strong in-ring skills and is a compelling presence on the microphone. Now, Stratton is poised to take the next big step in her WWE career, especially now that she’s armed with a MITB briefcase. One that she’s promised to make pink!
Despite a slow and clunky start, the Women’s Money In The Bank match proved, by many accounts, to be the match of the evening. Each of the six women involved had moments to shine and put on potentially the best Women’s MITB match to date. One of the match’s biggest stars was its eventual winner, Tiffany Stratton, who showcased her athleticism, craftiness, and opportunistic flair during the bout.
— Tiffany Stratton (@tiffstrattonwwe) July 7, 2024
Stratton is undoubtedly the best choice to win the briefcase. Both in terms of character and ability, Stratton is an ideal Money In The Bank holder.
WWE ultimately decided against going with the safest pick, such as former 2x women’s champion Naomi, or going to an unsuspecting dark horse in Chelsea Green. Instead, the brass used the women’s briefcase to elevate a young and rising star, who truly hasn’t even reached their peak yet.
4) Bron Breakker Lost Clean To Sami Zayn
Bron Breakker could not ask any more of WWE when it comes to their presentation of the recent NXT call up over the last month. Fans have witnessed Breakker become WWE’s modern-day Goldberg, decimating his opposition with a mixture of raw power and inhuman speed inside and outside the ring.
On the June 17th edition of Monday Night RAW, Breakker made his presence known to Sami Zayn, making it clear that Zayn’s Intercontinental Championship was in his crosshairs and he wasn’t planning on missing his mark. While Zayn proved he could outsmart Breaker on the final RAW before the PLE, much of the WWE Universe was convinced that the second-generation star would brutalize The Liberator and walk out of Money In The Bank with his first taste of main roster gold.
Instead, fans were surprised that WWE opted to have Zayn come out as the victor in a fairly standard title defense for the seasoned veteran. Zayn’s strongest character attribute is being “the underdog” in nearly every match he’s in, yet somehow finding a way to “survive”. However, this time, the bout would end after Zayn hit one Halueva Kick and without Zayn being forced to kick out of one of Bron Breakker’s infamously ferocious spears.
This decision leaves some fans scratching their heads, shocked that WWE would have Breakker lose so decisively. Especially as he’s being painted as a completely unstoppable monster, one that even RAW General Manager Adam Pearce has trouble controlling. On the other hand, having an up-and-coming star lose to the reigning Intercontinental Champion, especially one that defeated the likes of Gunther at WrestleMania, isn’t so outrageous.
However, WWE could have had Sami Zayn win in another fashion, which would have ensured he walked out as champion and protected Breakker a bit more. For example, Zayn could successfully execute a quick roll-up to win; the story would be that Zayn used both Breakker’s momentum and impatience against him.
The question now becomes where does Breakker go from here. Successfully “tamed ” by Zaym, Breakker’s aura has taken a bit of a hit. WWE should be very careful about their next moves with Bron Breakker, as the company cannot afford for the former NXT Champion to be nothing more than a flash in the pan.
3) Fans Not Happy WWE Burned the Men’s MITB Contract Within Hours
Drew McIntyre walked into Money In the Bank with two goals: win Money In The Bank and walk out as World Heavyweight Champion. Welp, in the words of Bon Jovi, he was “halfway there”.
The Scottish Psychopath made his intentions clear in the weeks leading up to Money In The Bank on WWE TV, and he did all he could to put his arch-rival CM Punk out of commission and out of sight so he could focus solely on winning his first ever Money In The Bank contract. However, McIntyre’s efforts would ultimately be in vain.
McIntyre’s MITB’s eventual cash-in two matches later would be thwarted by The Second City Saint, with the Archer of Infamy retaining his championship and leadership status with The Judgement Day. Punk’s action not only cost McIntyre dearly but also his old rival Seth Rollins, as The Visionary can now no longer fight for the World Championship until Priest loses it.
McIntyre’s desire for quick results by cashing in MITB the same night he won it was not unprecedented. His decision to do this marked the sixth time in WWE history that a same-night cash-in occurred, following in the footsteps of names such as Kane, Dean Ambrose, and Alexa Bliss. Ironically, it was also the sixth time in WWE history that the briefcase holder could not secure a win.
However, McIntyre now holds his unique statistic in WWE history: the only superstar to win the MITB and lose their cash-in on the same night. A factoid that The Scottish Psychopath would most likely prefer not to be mentioned at his future WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
McIntyre’s decision to win and lose MITB was undoubtedly the most controversial and universally panned decision by WWE at Money In The Bank. While most within the WWE Universe were happy to see McIntyre get a meaningful win, everyone could see the writing on the wall and knew that McIntyre’s time as Mr. Money In The Bank was going to be short-lived. While it’s understandable why WWE Creative went in that direction of Punk costing McIntyre yet again, did McIntyre need to win the case for that to happen? This author would argue no.
At the risk of sounding overly dramatic, WWE’s use of the MITB briefcase as a plot device for McIntyre and Punk’s ongoing feud cheapened the entire match. WWE could have had Punk cost McIntyre during the Men’s MITB match and would have had the same effect, while also giving the briefcase to someone else who could eventually benefit from winning it.
The WWE Universe seemed to echo these sentiments throughout the rest of the Money In the Bank PLE, with fans on social media noting that the clunky failed cash-in felt rushed, predictable, and a waste of time.
Effectively, WWE has made Drew McIntyre the most reasonable heel in the company. While McIntyre injured CM Punk, and trolling him about it for months on end was just pure villainy, Punk has now cost McIntyre the World Championship in various ways on countless occasions. One could argue that Punk’s gone well beyond the scope of vengeance and is now becoming more of the heel than McIntyre. When two men finally meet inside the squared circle, some predicting as soon as SummerSlam, it may be hard for WWE to justify having Punk win.
2) WWE Firmly Establishes Solo Sikoa as the Tribal Chief and Jacob Fatu as a dangerous force
One of WWE’s biggest objectives at Money In The Bank 2024 was to establish Solo Sikoa as the biggest threat to Cody Rhodes’ championship reign, and they accomplished that in spades.
In the last few weeks, Sikoa’s tenure as self-proclaimed Tribal Chief in the absence of Roman Reigns has taken a distinct turn. The young star was adamant about asserting his claim to the Bloodline throne, making it clear that he wasn’t just a temporary placeholder but the rightful heir. Things escalated even further in the past two weeks, as Solo both excommunicated The Wise Man Paul Heyman and directly called out his cousin Reigns.
This new and potentially more ruthless version of The Bloodline would face its biggest test at Money In The Bank, as it took on Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and his allies Randy Orton and Kevin Owens.
The bout went just about exactly the way one would expect, with Rhodes’ crew constantly having to account for The Bloodline’s number advantage and propensity to take out WWE officials. In the end, the intense bout would come to a shocking end, with Solo Sikoa taking out and pinning The American Nightmare to secure his team’s win. This marks Rhodes’ first pinfall loss since winning the championship at WrestleMania 40.
The image of Sikoa standing tall above a battered Rhodes will certainly etched into the minds of the WWE Universe leading into SummerSlam, with many asking if Cody Rhodes has once again found himself in front of a Samoan brick wall.
Some viewers, including this author, noticed the resemblance of WWE’s booking of MITB 2024 to the previous year. At last year’s event in London, England, the WWE Universe saw its first glimpse of a Bloodline implosion as Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa, and The Usos competed in a Bloodline Civil War tag team match. When the final bell rang, Jey Uso was pinning Roman Reigns (Regins’ first pinfall loss since 2019), setting up the two for Tribal Combat at SummerSlam that year.
WWE has taken a similar approach with Cody Rhodes and Solo Sikoa, employing a tag team match at Money In The Bank to solidify Sikoa as a legitimate challenger to the champion. While some may perceive this as an unoriginal booking, it could be argued that utilizing a proven formula isn’t necessarily a negative strategy.
Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline is strong and has tangible success to point to, as it’s certainly shaken the snide comments of “Bloodline Light.”
1) John Cena’s (Last) Time is Now
If you missed Money In The Bank and this is the first time you’re learning that the 16-time World Champion is set to retire from WWE from article, we apologize, but it’s sadly true. One of the greatest WWE Superstars of all time is finally ready to call it a career, as Cena detailed to the WWE Universe how and when his final run will take place.
When news of John Cena’s presence in Toronto ahead of Money In The Bank spread online, many assumed that the Leader of the CeNation would find himself in the main event of the show, teaming with Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, and Kevin Owens to help try and even the odds against The Bloodline—a group led by the man who sent Cena packing Crown Jewel last November.
However, WWE fans were shocked to see Cena randomly introduced by the event’s host, Trish Stratus, wearing new ring gear and a new version of his iconic “Never Give Up” towel. Only this time, the phrasing was just a bit different, and by a bit, we mean a LOT different. The revamped towel read “The Last Time Is Now,” and his shirt included the phrases “farewell tour” and “after this, you can’t see me.”
To call the moment shocking would be not just the understatement of the year, but of the century. While Cena has been hinting that his time as an active competitor inside the ring was coming close to an end, no one predicted that his retirement announcement would come in this fashion.
Possibly the most unsurprising element of John Cena’s announcement is how meticulously and methodically planned out his final run seems to be. Short of listing out dates, events, and planned opponents, Cena gave fans a clear road map for what he plans to do for the final stint of his WWE in-ring career.
Cena revealed that he plans to work 30 to 40 dates in 2025 from January through December, starting with the first edition of Monday Night RAW on Netflix. Furthermore, he announced that WrestleMania 41 would be his final WrestleMania appearance as an active competitor. However, it clearly distinguished between his final WrestleMania match and his final match. Making a point to firmly state that these two moments are mutually exclusive.
John Cena goes in-depth about what 2025 will look like for the Greatest of All Time in WWE. pic.twitter.com/dAEnEYyAEP
He would detail even more of his plans for his farewell tour in a lengthy post-event Press Conference, fielding an endless wave of questions regarding dream opponents, aspirations, and specific goals for 2025.
While he hasn’t been a main stay in WWE for sometime, the wrestling world will certainly feel like a different place after John Cena calls it a career for good. Cena has already stated that once he retires he would never be physical inside a WWE ring again, noting that the only time fans will see him is when he’s wearing a suit.
Simply put, there are no words to accurately describe John Cena’s impact on the professional wrestling industry over the past two decades. From cutting down his enemies with nothing more than clever rhymes to being one of the top Make-A-Wish granters in history, John Cena’s name will be carved in stone as one of the greatest to ever step between the ropes. While the WWE Universe’s feelings toward Cena were tumultuous at times, fans always respected the Massachusetts native’s work ethic and love of the game. John Cena’s remarkable journey from rookie to role model has left an unforgettable mark on wrestling history, one that will never be duplicated and one that solidifies him at the top of the list of all-time greats.
Only time will tell what comes next for John Cena. However, as the 47-year-old said during the Money In The Bank Press Conference, “the roster is loaded,” and there is a never-ending list of people Cena would like to face off before he rides out into the sunset.
CM Punk has teased one more match with John Cena before his retirement,
One of the biggest surprises of the Money In The Bank 2024 PPV was the unannounced appearance of John Cena. The Cenation Leader cut a promo during the show and announced that WrestleMania 41 will be his last.
The Straight Edge star who was part of the post-show press conference was asked about the big announcement from his arch-rival. Punk revealed what he told the Peacemaker star when they ran into each other backstage after the segment:
“I know he is busy, he’s filming Peacemaker. So I figured he was leaving right away. I was pleasantly surprised to run into him afterwards, and I told him, I’ll be the guy that drags him out of retirement.
This retirement that he says he’s going to adhere to, and that’s it. When the final one happens, that’s going to be it. Like 15 years, I’ll drag him out of retirement.”
One More Time: CM Punk
CM Punk discussed what John Cena means to his career and said that he feels proud at being an integral part of Cena’s run. He then teased one final showdown with the 16-time world champion before he calls it a career:
“But Cena, I think to my career means a lot. I don’t think there’s many people up in that rare air where if you talk about my career, I feel you have to talk about John. And makes me feel proud that I think if you talk about John’s career, I think you have to talk about me. We’re married in that respect, so proud of him.
He gets to go out on his terms. I know that’s important. I’m looking forward to what he does. And I told him that if it’s going to be one more time, we gotta do it at least one more time.”
John Cena was also part of the press conference where he provided some more details on his retirement tour. You can check out what he said here.
Cena’s announcement understandably had the wrestling world abuzz with many taking to social media to share their reactions. On Twitter, Baron Corbin made his claim to face Cena in what will be John’s final match.
‘Filthy’ Tom Lawlor reacted to Cena’s retirement by using the same verbiage that John used to announce the death of Osama Bin Laden after WWE Extreme Rules 2011.
John Cena’s career compromised to a permanent end.
— “Filthy” Tom Lawlor (@FilthyTomLawlor) July 7, 2024
Tiffany Stratton is ready to get in the ring with the GOAT Trish Stratus.
The Money In The Bank 2024 came live from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada. Hometown star Trish Stratus was announced to host the show. She made multiple appearances during the event. This included one where she introduced John Cena before he made a big career announcement.
A more exciting appearance for the fans of the wrestling legend came later in the show. Stratus was being interviewed backstage but was interrupted by Tiffany Stratton.
The young star asked ‘Trishy’ why she wasn’t talking about her and Trish Stratus in turn told the 2024 Women’s Money In The Bank winner to not get ahead of herself.
Tiffany Stratton Is Ready For The GOAT
In the post-show press conference, Tiffany Stratton was asked about potentially facing Stratus in a match. The 25-year-old claimed that she is ready to get in the ring with her idol:
“Listen, those are two different generations. Trish, Trishy, Trishy Time, she is one of my idols in professional wrestling, and I am ready to get in the ring with the GOAT,”
These developments suggest that WWE is at least planning a future confrontation between the two female stars. It won’t be a surprise if they end up sharing the ring at the upcoming SummerSlam PPV from Cleveland, Ohio on August 4.
You can check out the full Money In The Bank post-show below:
WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque has lavished praise on John Cena as the WWE Icon-turned-Hollywood A-Lister prepares for his life after the ring.
The 16-time WWE World Champion made a surprise appearance at Money In The Bank 2024 with some sobering news. In front of the rabid Toronto crowd, John confirmed that he will retire from competition in 2025 and his final match will take place at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
At the WWE Money in the Bank post-show, Levesque was asked for his thoughts on Cena’s impending retirement from the ring. Levesque, who retired due to health issues in 2022, had nothing but good words for his friend and former rival.
“A lot of people talk about legends and icons and [there’s] so much speculation about who would be on wrestling’s Mt. Rushmore. I don’t care what metric you use, John is on the top of all of them. He’s had an unbelievable career.”
After speaking about Cena being able to call his ‘shot’ given his immense success, Levesque concluded with his personal views on the 16-time WWE World Champion.
“For me personally, I want to say thank you to John for everything he’s done. Everything he’s done for WWE, for all of the Superstars here, and for what he’s done just for sports entertainment and pro wrestling, for all of it in general. Against his will, a while ago he was being called the greatest of all time. But he truly is, I believe that. So thank you to John.”
Little is currently known about John Cena’s final match, though it obviously won’t be in London, England as he previously suggested. Nevertheless, fans can expect a fitting send-off by WWE to a talent whose name is etched in history as one of the all-time greats.
CM Punk says he would love to see AJ Lee return to WWE but it’s a decision she is going to have to make for herself.
The Straight Edge star took part in the post Money In The Bank 2024 media scrum after costing Drew McIntyre yet another opportunity at becoming a world champion earlier in the night.
During the talk, Punk was asked about the chatter of his wife potentially making a comeback to WWE and if we can hope to see the two of them sharing the ring again. The former world champion claimed that he doesn’t want to give false hope to people:
“I appreciate the question. You would have to ask my wife but she’s not here. She’s taking care of Larry. I don’t want to fall in the trap of saying never say never.
I don’t want to give people false hope. I also will not put words in her mouth and say ‘I think this could happen’ I think this is a brave new world. I don’t think a lot of people thought I was going to show up. It’s really all on her.”
She’s Doing Her Own Thing: CM Punk
CM Punk noted how as a fan of AJ Lee, he would love to see the former Divas Champion back in the ring. Though he also mentioned all the projects she is currently involved in, which makes it hard for the female star to make a comeback:
“She’s busy. I’m super proud of her. She’s doing her own thing. She’s got, I don’t even know if I’m allowed to talk about this stuff. She’s got a production company started up, she’s writing TV, movies, all kinds of stuff.
I laughably, I always say I’m a bad husband because I never know what project she’s talking about. ‘Oh, I have a meeting’ and I’m like, ‘With who? Is it Netflix? Is it Hulu? Is it CBS?’ I don’t know. She’s got so many irons in so many different fires. I will say as a fan of hers, would love to see it.”
Bad Blood is back. WWE Bad Blood 2024 will take place from Atlanta, GA at the StateFarm Arena on Saturday, October 5. This date marks the 27-year anniversary of the inaugural WWE In Your House: Bad Blood PPV (October 1997) and the very first Hell in a Cell match.
WWE Bad Blood 2024 tickets go on sale next Friday, July 19 at Ticketmaster. Presale for Bad Blood tickets will begin Tuesday, July 16. Fans can register now to receive an exclusive presale offer by visiting WWE.com/badblood-2024-presale.
WWE Bad Blood
From 1997 to 2004, WWE hosted three Bad Blood events and each one was headlined by a Hell in a Cell match. The inaugural event also saw the inaugural Hell in Cell match as Shawn Michaels defeated The Undertaker (albeit thanks to the interference of the debuting Kane.) Triple H would best Kevin Nash to retain the World Heavyweight Championship in 2003 and the Game would defeat Michaels in Hell in a Cell one year later.
With Triple H’s close association with Bad Blood, it will be interesting to see how he books the show now that he is in charge of WWE’s creative prospects. Time will tell whether the show sees a Hell in a Cell match, which is also close to the Game’s career. One of Triple H’s first acts as Head of Creative was to scrap the Hell in a Cell PLE, believing that the show had lessened the importance of the stipulation. Currently, no matches have been announced for WWE Bad Blood but fans are excited to see what’s to come.
The frustrations of Drew McIntyre boiled to the surface after WWE Money in the Bank 2024, with Raw General Manager Adam Pearce paying the price.
During the show, McIntyre won the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match, and true to his word, decided to cash in on the very same night. McIntyre inserted himself in the World Heavyweight Championship match between Damian Priest and Seth Rollins. Unfortunately for the Scottish Warrior, CM Punk was around to ruin his cash in and Priest retained the World Heavyweight Championship.
Drew McIntyre Loses It
This is the third PLE that has seen Punk cost McIntyre the title, following on from WrestleMania 40 in April and last month’s Clash At The Castle: Scotland show in Glasgow. At the WWE Money in the Bank post-show, McIntyre was understandably frustrated by this latest setback. In a fiery outburst, McIntyre could be heard yelling “I know where your family lives” as referees tried to stop him from going further.
When Raw GM Adam Pearce tried to get involved, he earned an elbow from the Scottish Warrior. Wade Barrett tried to be the voice of reason as he understood that McIntyre is “pissed” but said hitting Pearce again would ensure McIntyre’s career would be over and he would never get a shot at CM Punk.
All signs are pointing to a match between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre which many have predicted will take place at SummerSlam 2024. If so, it’ll be Punk’s first match since the 2024 Royal Rumble where he suffered a triceps injury Drew has taken credit for. WWE SummerSlam will take place on August 3, from Cleveland, Ohio.
Kevin Owens cut a short but heartfelt promo after WWE Money In The Bank 2024 from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Canada went off air.
KO had revealed during last night’s episode of SmackDown that his mother had been rushed to the hospital earlier this week and she was currently battling serious health issues. He mentioned how his mother would want him to ‘fight like hell’ and that’s what he was going to do at the PPV.
While the team of Owens, Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton didn’t manage to win their match against The Bloodline at the event, Kevin fulfilled his promise and delivered some serious beatdown on his opponents.
After Money In The Bank went off air, Owens acknowledged the ‘Mama Owens’ chants and said that the fans have helped him get through the hardest week of his life:
What Happened At Money In The Bank 2024
Apart from this, the show featured the Money In The Bank matches which were won by Drew McIntyre and Tiffany Stratton respectively.
Though for Drew, the celebration of the win didn’t last long as he tried to cash in the contract the same night but CM Punk once again cost him the bout.
The biggest surprise of the night was an appearance from John Cena who made a huge career announcement on the show. You can check out more about it here.
In one of the most chaotic Women’s Money in the Bank matches in WWE history, rookie Tiffany Stratton emerged victorious and became the 2024 Mrs. Money in the Bank.
Vegas and the WWE Universe strongly favored Stratton in the weeks before the July 6th PLE. The statistics continue to favor Stratton, as the Women’s MITB holders have maintained a 100% success rate in title cash-ins. Will Tiffy Time ultimately equal a world championship? That remains to be seen.
Following her win, WWE COO Triple H congratulated Stratton backstage with this patented “Finger Point Photo.”
As one may expect, the WWE Universe flooded social media to congratulate Tiffany Straton on her big win and to applaud the five other women for their phenomenal effort in the highly competitive about.
Reactions to Tiffany Stratton Winning Money in the Bank
It remains to be seen which women’s champion Tiffany Stratton ultimately goes after or when she might do so. Both WWE Women’s Champion Bayley and WWE World Women’s Champion Liv Morgan will now need to constantly look over their shoulder, as the young and hungry Tiffany Stratton could strike at any moment.
However, this author speculates that Stratton may look to emulate the first women’s Money In The Bank winner, Carmella, and hold onto her (hopefully Pink) briefcase for a while!
John Cena wants to take fans on a ride they won’t forget next year. In a revealing press conference following Saturday’s WWE’s Money in the Bank show from Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, the wrestling icon shared a lot of details about his upcoming retirement tour, marking the end of his illustrious in-ring career.
Cena announced that his final run will span the entire year. “If everything goes to plan, I’ll be wrestling from January to December,” Cena stated.
He also confirmed that this retirement is definitive. “A lot of sports entertainment retirements are dishonest. I’m done. This is it,” Cena asserted, adding, “If you ever wanted to be part of this, now is the time to get on board.”
Remaining Part of the WWE Family
Cena joked that his iconic ring attire – the jorts and colorful t-shirts that have become synonymous with his character – will be retiring alongside him. He also made it clear that post-retirement, he won’t be involved in physical aspects of the shows, ruling out appearances as a guest referee.
However, fans can take solace in knowing that Cena’s association with WWE isn’t ending completely. He expressed his desire to remain part of the WWE family for years to come, albeit in a different capacity. “I’m passionate about wrestling and still yell at the screen while watching. I have wisdom I want to pass along,” he explained.
Ending on a Historic Note
Cena’s retirement tour isn’t born out of necessity due to injury, as is often the case in professional wrestling. Instead, it’s a conscious decision driven by gratitude. “This is not a bad thing. This is a great thing,” Cena emphasized, highlighting his appreciation for the opportunity to bid farewell on his own terms.
As Cena’s legendary career draws to a close, he’s not content to simply ride off into the sunset. Cena expressed interest in pursing a 17th world championship, indicating his final year will be anything but predictable.
WWE’s Chief Content Officer Triple H shared a moment backstage with company legend John Cena during Money in the Bank tonight.
In a video posted to X/Twitter, HHH referred to Cena as “The Greatest of All Time” and they spoke for a second on camera.
Triple H shares a moment with John Cena
Cena confirmed on the Premium Live Event that he is now essentially on his retirement tour, with the Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania in 2025 being the last time he will compete at those specific events.
As of writing, we do not know who Cena will be facing during his final few months with the company, but it will certainly be pushed heavily as WWE heads to Netflix in early 2025.
Here are all of the matches that are set to be taking place tonight:
The Bloodline vs. Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton & Kevin Owens
World Heavyweight Championship Match: Damian Priest vs. Seth Rollins (the stipulation is if Priest wins, Rollins can’t get another title shot, but if Rollins wins, Priest must leave Judgment Day.
Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match: Iyo Sky vs. Chelsea Green vs. Lyra Valkyria vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Naomi vs. Zoey Stark
Men’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match: Jey Uso vs. Carmelo Hayes vs. Andrade vs. Chad Gable vs. LA Knight vs. Drew McIntyre
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match: Sami Zayn vs. Bron Breakker
We’ll be covering all of the action live from Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada tonight, so make sure that you keep checking back to SEScoops for more.
WWE kicked off its Money In The Bank PLE with a bang, having The Scottish Warrior, Drew McIntyre, earn his first Money In The Bank briefcase of his 17-year career. McIntyre’s last interaction with MITB was not a positive one, as he found himself cashed in on at WrestleMania 40 by current World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest.
The WWE Universe has been buzzing since the exceptional Men’s Money In The Bank match, with fans speculating on how long McIntyre will hold onto his briefcase, and if a certain Chicago native will play spoiler for him once again.
Most fans are thrilled to see Drew McIntyre finally achieve success after a long time and are excited to see what the future holds for the 2024 Mr. Money In The Bank. However, some believe it’s too predictable that he will cash in the MITB tonight and lose.
Backstage after his win, McIntyre got the ceremonial photo with Triple H to make it official.
Regardless of what Drew McIntyre ultimately decides to do, winning at MITB would be a great addition to his already impressive resume. Some argue that it would be better for him to wait, but this author is not confident that their advice will be well received by McIntyre. The Scottish Warrior is determined to regain the title he won just months ago, regardless of CM Punk’s presence.
