WWE’s search for its next roster of Superstars continued this week but you probably won’t know any of the names who performed at the tryout.
The promotion held a tryout of some kind at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida this week, PW Insider reports. The latest WWE tryout reportedly consisted primarily of athletes from outside of the wrestling industry instead of names from the independent scene.
These athletes were extended an invitation from WWE to attend, a sign that the promotion has already had its eyes on them. At this time it is unknown who tried out for WWE at the Performance Center though it is expected that more information will be known within the coming weeks.
Trying out for WWE can take several days and result in multiple visits to WWE training facilities, as seen in 2019’s Fighting With My Family which chronicled the WWE career of Paige (now All Elite Wrestling’s Saraya.)
These latest tryouts are hardly the first time that the Sports Entertainment juggernaut has sought athletes without professional wrestling experience. Some of WWE’s top Superstars today came to the company with backgrounds in athletics but not professional wrestling. These include Charlotte Flair, Braun Strowman, and reigning WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Bianca Belair.
In 2021, WWE introduced its NIL Program which aids young athletes to hone their young careers and understand the value of ownership over their Name, Image, and Likeness. The Next-In-Line program also allows WWE to keep an eye on these young athletes should they consider a future in the ring. WWE’s first NIL signing was Gable Steveson who was released from WWE in May 2024.
Randy Orton was told by doctors he should retire during his most recent hiatus.
The Viper is one of the longest-tenured WWE talents in the current roster. He has consistently been wrestling for the company for over 2 decades and he has competed in thousands of matches since his debut in 2000.
This longevity however comes with its own consequences. Orton found this out when he had to take 18 months off from WWE programming due to a serious back injury in May 2022. He finally returned to the company at the Survivor Series PPV in November 2023.
The Legend Killer opened up about his long recovery process during a recent interview with SportsKeeda. Randy Orton revealed that after taking a look at his injury, top neurologists were telling him that he should retire to preserve his body:
“I had top neurologists telling me, ‘You know what? You had a great career, you have a life after wrestling, and you wanna be comfortable. You don’t wanna be in pain the rest of your life. We’re gonna fix your back, but you’re gonna have to stop wrestling’. The first six months that I was out, I had that in the back of my head, and it was tough. It was mentally very challenging.”
While Randy is looking better than ever since his return to the ring, the months away from wrestling have definitely given him a new perspective and forced him to think about the end of his wrestling career.
The former world champion recently stated that he doesn’t want to have to convert to a part-time schedule like we have seen some other legends do. It’s likely that he will retire from active competition when he turns 50.
Randy Orton is currently competing in the ongoing King of The Ring tournament. Gunther has already entered the finals taking place in Saudi Arabia on May 25. Orton will be looking to do the same when he faces Tama Tonga in the semi-final on this Friday’s episode of SmackDown.
Viking Raider Ivar was among a multitude of people unhappy with the ‘Viking Experience’ name but that didn’t matter as “one man” was on board with the name.
Ivar, alongside Erik, had established themselves as War Machine and the War Raiders for years before being called up to the main roster in 2019. The move from WWE NXT to Monday Night Raw saw the pair rechristened the ‘Viking Experience’ which was met with a backlash from fans who felt the name was goofy.
Ivar On The Viking Experience
Shortly after the Viking Experience was revealed, a compromise was reached for the team to be named the Viking Raiders, a nod to their previous name. Speaking on the Insight podcast, Ivar discussed how the name came about.
“Vince [McMahon] loves Vikings. So he found out there was a team in NXT that were Vikings. ‘Yes, I want them.’ And he wanted Viking in our name and they couldn’t pass anything through legal. There’s already a Vikings football team, there’s already a Vikings TV show. So none of the names they were trying, whatever they were, were getting through.
“And then somebody, I won’t say who, it was asked in a meeting ‘What are they? Describe them!’ And somebody describes us as ‘they’re this, they’re that. They’re like a Viking… Experience.’ That’s it! They’re the Viking Experience. And not one person was happy or okay with that except for the one man. So we were stuck.”
Neither fans nor those backstage (except for one) were happy with the name.
WWE changing the name amid fan backlash was an example of the company listening to the fans at a time when it felt like that wasn’t happening. Since then, the Viking Raiders have gone on to hold the Raw Tag Team Championships and have established themselves as one of the top teams on WWE’s main roster.
The Undertaker is one of the most unique characters in the history of pro wrestling. One of the things that made him stand out were the different ring gears he wore through the years as his character progressed.
The Dead Man recently talked about things such as his Hall of Fame speech, the boxing match of Tyson Fury & Oleksandr Usyk and more in a new Q&A on his Patreon page.
The former World Champion also discussed his ring gears. When asked which was was his favorite gear of all time, Taker said that it was his post-American badass set up because it was most comfortable:
“My favorite gear was the singlet with the kind of leather-ish-looking pants. I guess it was the modified Undertaker that I came back after the American badass run where I kept the pants but went back… you know had the singlet, the MMA gloves. It was just the most comfortable to move around. I never really liked the tights but I say that and I see a lot of people what they wear and it’s like…a little decorum please, as far as ring gear. But the leather pants, the singlet, the duster, the hat, MMA gloves, that was probably my favourite.”
Taker later discussed some of the gears that he wasn’t a fan of. This included his python pants from Survivor Series 2000 match against Kurt Angle as well as the bat wings he wore for his match against Mankind in Madison Square Garden at Survivor Series ’96:
“I didn’t like the Python pants and I didn’t like the Undertaker pirate kind of look where I took the bat wings and I descended into the garden. That was so much cooler in my brain. The application wasn’t quite as cool as it was in my brain. In my brain, I was like ‘This is scary. This is gonna be so scary people are gonna freak out’ and then I just kind of looked like a jacked-up Gene Simmons.”
The Undertaker also revealed that he didn’t like changing his gloves, knee pads, and boots very regularly and told a story about Triple H making fun of his worn-out boots.
Drew McIntyre is hoping that the World Heavyweight Championship shot promised to him will take place at a show where the crowd is extremely in his favor.
McIntyre, already a three-time WWE World Champion, lost the title to Damian Priest at WrestleMania after Priest cashed in his Money in the Bank contract. Amid his war of words with CM Punk, McIntyre has insisted on receiving a rematch. On the May 13, episode of Raw, Priest promised the Scottish Warrior a rematch.
McIntyre On WWE Clash At The Castle
Though McIntyre has been promised a title shot neither he nor Priest shared when the match will take place. Sitting down with PW Insider, McIntyre shared his hope that the match will be at WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland.
“I would love to have that title match if he [Priest] is still the champion in Scotland and finally have that moment with the title and actually keep the title. I could never have imagined it could potentially be in Glasgow. That’s my dream scenario.”
The upcoming June 15, show will be WWE’s second Clash At The Castle show and the first-ever Premium Live Event to come to Scotland. Understandably, McIntyre is excited that his country will soon have the eyes of the WWE Universe upon it.
“This is something beyond a dream, you know, I talked about for years… I’ve been asking since the day I was in WWE and I always heard the logistics excuse, this and this, then suddenly we’re doing shows all across the world places like Australia, they’ve got the craziest time difference.”
McIntyre hopes to face World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest in Glasgow.
A CM Punk Problem
While McIntyre would love nothing more than to dethrone Priest in Glasgow’s OVO Hydro, the Judgment Day member isn’t the only star on Drew’s radar. Since CM Punk’s return to WWE, McIntyre has made clear his issues with the former AEW World Champion who essentially cost McIntyre the title at WrestleMania. Punk has teased showing up in Glasgow (perhaps disguised as a haggis) to confront McIntyre while the Scottish Warrior has made clear what awaits Punk if he tries to interfere at Clash At The Castle: Scotland.
The ongoing QR code mystery that has played out on WWE TV has now turned to WhatsApp with more to be revealed very soon.
Since the Raw after WrestleMania 40, several QR codes have appeared on WWE programming and scanning them has led fans to cryptic videos with clues to decipher. More recently, WWE’s Twitch channel shared an hour-long video inundated with clues and hidden meanings.
WWE’s Mystery On WhatsApp
This mystery recently played out on WWE’s Twitch channel and now it has invaded the official WWE WhatsApp page. A series of cryptic images were shared to WWE’s WhatsApp including the message “Remember Who You Are.” Small text can also be found on the images and when connected, this reads “8 PM EST THURSDAY TWITCH.”
The images from WWE’s WhatsApp account.
Where Is This Going?
It is believed that all of these cryptic messages are building towards the return of Uncle Howdy as portrayed by Bo Dallas. The former WWE NXT Champion was rehired by WWE in 2022 and shared the screen with his brother Bray Wyatt before the latter was pulled from TV due to his health issues. Dallas is expected to return with a faction that will include Joe Gacy, Nikki Cross, Dexter Lumis, and the recently rehired Erick Rowan.
Many have speculated that we are getting close to the big reveal behind this mystery. Thanks to the Twitch and WhatsApp takeovers, teases of what is to come have grown increasingly frequent in recent days. On WWE TV, it’s been teased that answers will be coming sooner rather than later.
The in-ring future of WWE’s Big E remains uncertain, but fans will soon be able to see him as part of the upcoming Peacock comedy series Laid.
Laid follows a woman who learns that her former lovers are dying in strange ways and must go through her ‘sex timeline’ to learn the reason for these grisly scenes. The series is written and executive produced by Nahnatchka Khan (Totally Killer, Young Rock) and Sally Bradford McKenna (Son of Zorn).
Big E has an unspecified role in the show but was not the only name revealed by Deadline this week. Other names attached include Andre Hyland (Barry), Olivia Holt (Totally Killer), David Denman (The Office), Finneas O’Connell (Academy Award and Grammy Winning Singer/Songwriter), Chloe Fineman (SNL), Indya Moore (Pose), Ettore “Big E” Ewen (WWE Superstar) and John Early (Would it Kill You to Laugh).
Big E and the actors confirmed for Peacock comedy series ‘Laid.’
It’s no wonder why Peacock has selected Big E for the upcoming comedy series. As part of The New Day, the former WWE World Champion has been flexing his comedic muscles (in addition to his actual muscles) and he has proven to be a hit with the WWE Universe.
The Future Of Big E
This new show is a huge opportunity for Big E who hasn’t competed in a WWE ring in over two years. A broken neck suffered during a March 2022, edition of WWE SmackDown has derailed Big E’s in-ring career with questions looming as to whether he’ll be able to wrestle again. While Big E isn’t sure what the future holds, he is remaining his usual positive self and is thinking positive.
The Superstars of WWE have been having fun in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia ahead of the WWE King And Queen Of The Ring Premium Live Event.
The May 25 event will be WWE’s latest event in Saudi Arabia as part of the lucrative decade-long deal between the two parties. The show will also serve as the first Premium Live Event bearing the name of the tournament since WWE King of the Ring 2002. In addition to the King And Queen of the Ring event, the May 24, episode of WWE SmackDown will also take place in Jeddah, which will be a first for WWE.
WWE Superstars in Jeddah
With two stacked nights of WWE programming to come, the Superstars have already arrived in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. On Twitter, the official WWE account shared several videos of the Superstars making their arrival.
WWE SmackDown Superstar Chelsea Green shared what her day has been like in Saudi Arabia so far. The former WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion will face Bayley at WWE SmackDown.
Woke up this morning in beautiful Riyadh! Ate my high protein breaky, brushed my luxurious extensions & headed for a lift that @itsBayleyWWE could NEVER complete! Life is so good when you’re me ????? See you in 2 days Bad juju Bayley. xo pic.twitter.com/Lhrp1R9IdW
Women’s Tag Team Champions Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair, alongside Liv Morgan and ‘Michin’ Mia Yim were having fun in the sun at Oia Beach ahead of this weekend’s festivities.
WWE’s Chief Content Officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque tweeted his excitement for the SmackDown and King And Queen of the Ring shows, alongside a photo of himself boarding the WWE jet.
We here at SE Scoops will have all the news and results from WWE SmackDown and WWE King And Queen Of The Ring so keep checking in for all the latest updates.
WWE SummerSlam tickets are selling fast with more than two months to go until the Biggest Party of the Summer.SummerSlam 2024 takes place Saturday, August 3 from Cleveland, Ohio from the historic Cleveland Browns Stadium. United States champion and Cleveland native Logan Paul went into hype mode as soon as the event was announced and called out one of most famous athletes in the world to face him in the ring at SummerSlam.
According to WrestleTix, WWE has distributed approximately 46,000 tickets, approaching 90% sold from the current total available (52,679). WWE should have no problem filling another 7,000 seats with 73 days until bell time.
WWE & Cleveland
WWE SummerSlam 2024 is off to a very strong start.
WWE has a rich history of hosting Premium Live Events in the city of Cleveland, Ohio. WWE’s first PLE in the city was the aforementioned SummerSlam 1996 which saw then-WWF Champion Shawn Michaels retain his gold against Big Van Vader. Other WWE events hosted in Cleveland include No Mercy 1999, Survivor Series 2004, Unforgiven 2008, and WWE TLC 2014.
WWE’s Extreme Rules pay-per-view had several big stories going into it. The Shield’s War with a newly reformed Evolution, Bray Wyatt continuously trying to get John Cena to follow the Fireflies, and Daniel Bryan’s first title defense following the Miracle on Bourbon Street at WrestleMania 30.
However, almost no one was talking about the budding feud between 3MB and the Los Matadores. Despite this complete lack of appreciation, it was 10 years ago this month that these teams would clash in what is widely considered one of the greatest “Pre-Show” matches in WWE history: Wee LC.
The bout was built as a punny version of WWE’s Tables, Ladders, and Chairs match (TLC), with Hornswoggle taking on Los Matadores’ El Torito. WWE went all out with smaller ladders, chairs, and tables; even going so far as to bring in other Little People for the roles of ring announcer and even commentary table.
While the match’s construction has middle-school-level humor written all over it, the participants took it very seriously. They wanted to prove that they could turn what could easily be a lemon of a match into delicious lemonade and that they did! During a recent interview on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, former WWE Superstar Hornswoggle spoke about the match, which he describes as the “coolest” match he’s ever done.
“Wee LC. That’s the most talked about match I’ve ever done. I will never top it. I will never do anything cooler have never done anything cooler than that match…
One of those moments where I was like, okay, it was pretty awesome. And then I remember being in my gear literally to like, two matches left and Torito was leaving. He goes ‘You Okay?’ I go I’m okay…I’m still in the moment, man.”
The match was filled with exciting and chaotic moments, as Superstars smashed through tons of tables and ladders, with each competitor’s team members getting involved in the action themselves. Although the former Cruiserweight Champion is proud of the match in hindsight, he admitted that he was very nervous about how it would be received. He feared that the fans would dismiss it or even boo.
“I didn’t know how they would react, it’s two midgets. One a bull, a midget bull and a midget Rockstar going into a match on the pre-show. First thing that crowd sees that night. With mini ladders and mini tables, mini chairs, mini commentary and mini announcer I didn’t know how they’d react. I thought they’re gonna blow the sh*t up. I really did.
And I remember being backstage in my heart knowing we’re going to kill it. In my mind going, if they start booing, we’re done. The coolest moment of my life match of my life, going into it is gonna be the worst thing ever.” – Hornswoggle
As fate would have it, the crowd did just the opposite. Instead, the New Jersey crowd in the Izod Center that night went wild for the Pre-Show Classic. Respecting the innovation, humor, and physical action that came with the match.
Hornswoggle notes that the match was a tremendous source of pride for him, a match where people backstage didn’t just enjoy the match ironically, but sincerely. The former Superstar looked back on the evening as a “shove it” moment, where they got to prove everyone wrong.
“I never thought it would hold up like it has I never thought it would be such a not even talked about thing. [It was] A shove it up the a** moment. I’ll say to the fans, I guarantee the locker room didn’t take it seriously. Shove it up their a**. I get to gorilla and everyone is on their feet clapping for us. One of those moments where I was like, okay, it was pretty awesome.”
For those interested, Dave Meltzer himself awarded the match 3 stars, tied for the second-highest-rated match on the entire 2014 Extreme Rules card, tying with Wade Barrett and Big E’s Intercontinental Championship match. Both though lost out to the epic Shield vs Evolution 6-man-tag match, which gained a 4.75 rating.
Regardless of one’s affinity for “star ratings”, it does reflect how highly people respected and enjoyed the first and only Wee LC match to date. The bout is looked back on incredibly favorably by the WWE Universe and consistently referenced as a gem of a match.
Could we see another Wee LC match in WWE? Most likely not. However, if the company’s new regime has taught its fans anything, it’s “Never Say Never!”
Randy Orton’s devastating RKO may never have come to exist had it not been for a discussion with the matter of the ‘Ace Crusher’ John Laurinaitis.
For over two decades, Orton has put opponents away with the move whose name is crafted from the Viper’s initials (Randy Keith Orton.) The Viper has used the move to capture WWE World Championships and it has taken out top names including The Undertaker, Mick Foley, Triple H, and many more.
Speaking to Bill Apter of WrestleBinge, Orton shared the origins of his iconic maneuver.
“Diamond Dallas Page had the Diamond Cutter, but John Laurinaitis had the Ace Crusher. At the time [the RKO was being invented] he was the Head of Talent Relations and we were trying to think of something that I could do to everybody no matter how big or how small they were. And the RKO was the move.”
While the move has seen countless opponents dispatched of (outta nowhere!) Orton did address the key issue with hitting the RKO.
“Unfortunately it requires me to take a bump every time I give the yeah so yeah, there’s that.”
Orton was interviewed at the St. Louis Hall of Fame ceremony where he inducted his father Bob Orton Jr. The elder Orton had plenty of praise for his son and described the RKO as a “beautiful move.”
What’s to Come?
Randy Orton will look to continue hitting RKOs on this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown where he will face Tama Tonga in the King of the Ring semi-finals. The winner will advance to face GUNTHER for the crown at WWE King And Queen Of The Ring in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
WWE are hoping to move ahead with the original plans set for their newest signing, Giulia. However, the plans might have to be altered due to her recent injury.
Giulia sustained a fractured right wrist during a match on Monday, May 20 at the Marigold Fields Forever event. She teamed up with Utami Hayashashita and faced former NXT star Sareee and Bozilla in a losing effort. Fightful’s Corey Brennan has reported some new details on Giulia’s status with WWE after the injury.
Brennan reported that WWE are hopeful that Giulia will recover in time for NXT Heatwave which will take place on July 7. There is a belief within NXT that Giulia would face Roxanne Perez for the NXT Women’s Championship at the show. However, it has come to light that “these plans are not set in stone” and might be changed due to Giulia’s current injury.
The Japanese star had to pull out from her upcoming matches, including the Hana Kimura tribute show. However, she’s still scheduled to face Sareee at Marigold’s Summer Destinyevent on July 13. Brennan also confirmed the reports that Giulia will be available to work with the promotion following her arrival in NXT. He reported that “the match with Sareee was expected”, and shouldn’t affect Giulia’s arrival in WWE before that.
It has come to light that Giulia is expected to lead the next class of wrestlers at the Performance Center and the batch is likely to have wrestlers from the recent Australia tryouts.
Character and presentation
It is also reported that Giulia was signed for ‘who she is’, and that WWE are not aiming to “fix something that isn’t broken.”
Giulia made an appearance for WWE for the first time at Stand & Deliver as she was in attendance. She also made her presence felt backstage and was “outgoing and polite to NXT talent and higher-ups alike.” She is also said to have a lengthy conversation with NXT Head Shawn Michaels backstage.
Regarding her English speaking skills, it is said that “the language barrier” isn’t a major issue as IYO Sky, Asuka, Kairi Sane, and more speak in their native language in WWE. However, Giulia’s effort to learn the language has seemingly impressed WWE.
Fans are eager to witness Giulia in NXT but her debut depends on her recovery.
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has penned a heartfelt tribute for his former rival in AEW, Brodie Lee.
‘The American Nightmare’ took to his X account and reminisced his epic battle against ‘The Exalted One.’ He responded to a fan-made video package of his classic Dog Collar Match against Brodie Lee which took place on October 7, 2020 edition of AEW Dynamite. He showered praise for the late wrestler, who showcased a remarkable performance that night. Cody revealed that he kept his collar and the jacket from the match as mementos and labeled Lee as the ultimate family man and pro wrestler. Check out the post below:
Brodie gave me a beating and gave the world an incredible and magnificent final show
(I kept my collar and his jacket) and all the memories I could salvage
Cody Rhodes and Brodie Lee had a fiery feud back in 2020. The pair locked horns over the TNT Championship several times during their time in AEW. The former Dark Order leader defeated Cody for the title in August 2020. However, ‘The American Nightmare’ Rhodes dethroned Lee a few months later in the aforementioned Dog Collar match. Brodie Lee tragically passed away at the age of 41 in 2020 and Cody Rhodes was his final opponent.
Brodie Lee and his family shared a close relationship with Cody Rhodes. ‘The American Nightmare’ has remained close with Lee’s family, who were also present when Cody finished his story at WrestleMania 40.
Cody Rhodes set to defend his title
Cody Rhodes will be putting his Undisputed WWE Championship on the line against the WWE United States Champion Logan Paul at this weekend’s WWE King & Queen of The Ring PLE in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. This will mark Cody’s second title defense at a PLE after retaining against AJ Styles at Backlash: France. Meanwhile, this is Paul’s second World title shot after facing the former Universal Champion Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel 2022.
WWE had previously teased a title vs title match between Cody and Logan. But why? Read below:
Given Mysterio’s (kayfabe) relationship with Rhea Ripley, many have been highly suspicious of how close he and Liv have seemingly been getting. When confronted about the rumors on the Ringer Wrestling Show, Mysterio took a legal approach to the accusations.
“I think at the end of the day, everyone is innocent till proven guilty. And I’m just… I’m here protecting Mami. And I’m trying to make sure she’s good when she comes back and that everything is all set in order.”
Ripley and Mysterio have been spotted together in recent weeks.
Rhea Ripley has been out of action since April after she suffered an injury at the hands of Morgan during a backstage attack. This injury led to Ripley vacating the WWE Women’s World Championship, a fact that Morgan (the last woman to pin Ripley) has relished in.
Could Morgan’s ‘revenge’ tour see her try and replace Rhea Ripley, not just as Mysterio’s partner but also as a member of The Judgment Day? Time will tell…
During the May 17, edition of SmackDown, Rhodes spoke of his desire to capture the coveted ‘Grand Slam’ and is only missing the U.S. title from his collection. Despite these teases, it was confirmed during the contract signing later in the night that the upcoming match would ONLY be for Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Championship.
Why WWE Teased Title For Title
WWE never had any intention of having both titles on the line, despite what was being teased on TV and social media, Dave Meltzer reports. The reason behind the teases is that it was WWE’s way of getting extra ‘heat’ on Paul. The idea is that after fans were led to believe both titles would be on the line, Paul ‘backtracking’ by ensuring he wouldn’t be at risk of losing his gold would rile up the fans against him. On SmackDown, it was made clear that Paul’s lawyers had drafted the contract that means only Rhodes’ title will be on the line.
What’s Next?
Paul and Rhodes will face off this weekend at the WWE King And Queen of the Ring PLE. The show will be Rhodes’ second title defend his title at a Premium Live Event after defeating AJ Styles at Backlash France. The match will also be Paul’s second World Championship opportunity after facing then-Universal Champion Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel 2022.
The current era of WWE is proving to be better than the much-acclaimed Attitude Era, at least according to WWE Tag Team Champion Austin Theory.
WWE officially launched its ‘new era’ at WrestleMania 40, though this came months after Vince McMahon’s second resignation from the promotion in January 2024. With the 78-year-old billionaire no longer around, production changes have been well-received by fans as have the storylines we see on TV.
Speaking to the Battleground Podcast, Austin Theory had plenty of praise for the current era which he believes has surpassed the Attitude Era.
“We do all these things, and every show is packed. Even when I’m just doing meet-and-greets, like in Australia, I did one where 300 people came to see me in the middle of a mall. WWE is at an all-time high now, and you can’t deny it. I think we’ve surpassed the Attitude Era. This era has solidified a new world of professional wrestling.”
Theory went on to describe Triple H as “The Man” and appreciates the “innovative” ideas of WWE’s Chief Content Officer. The former U.S. Champion also praised the passion of everyone in WWE today and believes that with Triple H ‘”in the pilot seat” that there’s no stopping WWE.
It’s hard to ignore the success of the current era of WWE. In November 2023, it was reported that the average attendance of WWE events have now matched the Attitude Era attendance. WWE is certainly making far more money now than it did during the era of the late 1990s and early 2000s, thanks in part to its lucrative TV deals and relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
This week’s episode of NXT built toward Battleground, with Fallon Henley defeating Thea Hale to secure a spot in the ladder match for the new Women’s North American Title at the PLE.
Joe Coffey replaced Ivar in the North American Title number one contender’s triple threat match. Both Coffey and Wes Lee emerged as the winners in a triple threat match, and that led General Manager Ava to make a big decision. A match featuring Coffey, Lee, and Oba Femi was officially set for NXT Battleground, but the champ wasn’t thrilled about it.
Jaida Parker and Brinley Reece also had a match to qualify for the Women’s North American Title match at Battleground. In the end, Parker pulled down the win to advance into the championship ladder match.
The night ended with Shayna Baszler and Lola Vice losing to Natalya and Karmen Petrovic. After the match was over, Lola and Baszler brawled, and they had to be separated. Ava then made the announcement that they two will throw down at Battleground, and the Queen of Spades made it an NXT Underground match.
NXT Battleground Card
NXT Battleground: Las Vegas – June 9: 2024 from the UFC Apex
Ladder Match for the Inaugural NXT Women’s North American Championship
Sol Ruca vs. Lash Legend vs. Jaida Parker vs. Fallon Henley vs. 2 TBD
Triple Threat Match for the NXT North American Championship
Oba Femi (c) vs. Joe Coffey vs. Wes Lee
NXT Underground Match
Shayna Baszler vs. Lola Vice
NXT Battleground is scheduled to take place on June 9, 2024 from Enterprise, Nevada at the UFC Apex. NXT at the UFC Apex is the latest example in WWE and UFC’s ongoing collaboration following their corporate ‘merger’ under Endeavor’s TKO Group Holdings.
Rapper Sexyy Red has made headlines across the entertainment world and will bring her star power to next week’s episode of NXT.Red has been tuning into NXT and recently expressed her displeasure over about Noam Dar’s attack on Trick Williams. Now, she’ll get the chance to be more than just a spectator when she visits NXT next Tuesda Sexyy for the May 28 episode of NXT.
As NXT moves closer to NXT Battleground on June 9, 2024, at the UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada, Sexyy Red’s appearance adds an extra layer of excitement. We will have to see what she gets into next week.
Although Sexyy Red tweeted out to hype her NXT appearance, she didn’t reveal her intentions. She did, however, tease pulling off an RKO outta nowhere.
I can’t wait to go to NXT next week yall I might RKO somebody ?? @WWE#nxt
WWE has a long history of celebrity appearances, and the company’s recent success is attracting personalities from various fields, especially the music industry. NXT is no exception, and next week, a well-known face will grace the show.
The St. Louis rapper’s new EP, “In Sexyy We Trust,” is set to release on May 24, coinciding with the start of Memorial Day weekend.
Eddie Kingston wants to push back against pro wrestling tribalism and did just that on his Instagram profile.
Kingston is notorioiusly out of this weekend’s AEW Double Or Nothing Anarchy In The Arena match with a fractured tibula, and tears in his ACL and meniscus.
The injury has not hampered Kingston’s love for the one true sport, however as he’s clearly an active watcher of all wrestling. That’s all kinds of indicated on his latest Instagram post.
While on YouTube, Kingston happened to share a screenshot of Asuka, adding the caption that the Damage CTRL member is “One of my modern day favorites.”
Kingston suffered his devastating injury during his unsuccessful NJPW Strong Openweight title defense against Gabe Kidd at Resurgance. The Elite took Kingston out in an attack after the match, which opened up a spot to be filled for Double Or Nothing. The surprise entrant to fill in for Kingston will be Darby Allin, who returned in the closing moments of last week’s AEW Dynamite.
Kingston isn’t the only member of the AEW roster to tip the cap to WWE names. Kenny Omega recently praised Triple H for being a “body guy” and using that physical presence to his advantage.
Although they also worked together, Ricky Starks recently just went to bat for CM Punk, saying that he was sick of the tribalism that continues to go down in pro wrestling.
Transversely, former AEW EVP Cody Rhodes has taken plenty of opportunities to credit some of his former colleagues.
Since their inception, pro wrestling press conferences has been a hot-button issue amongst fans and one former WWE employee stated what his ex-company’s intent is with having them after major PLEs.
Matt Camp, former host of The Bump, started a new daily wrestling news series titled The Wrestling Matt and kicked off his debut episode by talking about those press conferences. Camp was actually a media member of WWE’s first presser after Survivor Series 2022 in Boston. Camp made clear that he was a WWE employee at the time, but did ask to be apart of the media scrum. He asked questions to several names, including Paul Heyman, but did say there’s a matter of intent with WWE at utilizing the press conferences.:
“They want fans in there, they want people that want to be part of the show, that don’t want to mess with their part of the show. The press conference is part of the show … but they want this just to be an addendum to the end of the show, we wrap things up and we let people speak a little bit and show their excitement and for the most part, they want softballs, right?” (h/tAndrew Thompson)
Camp noted that WWE does get some “fans” presented as media in the press conferences, noting that one member member asked him for a photo after the event was over. He also said there are a contingency of media people there to get themselves over.
“I’ve heard people at press conferences for WWE, I’ve heard people at press conferences for AEW use their stage name or use their nickname. You’re killing your credibility doing that kind of stuff. Then you are playing into everything they want.”
Matt Camp was released from WWE in February 2014. He’d been with the company since 2019. WWE sources were surprised by the departure.
WWE has seen some big returns over the past few months. Braun Strowman’s comeback is poised to be a massive one, as the Monster of All Monsters re-entered the fold during the 2024 WWE Draft.
The former WWE Universal Champion was assigned to the RAW brand, where he has been a persistent challenge to the Judgment Day. This conflict led to JD McDonagh challenging him to a match next week during the May 27 episode.
In a post-show interview, Braun Strowman accepted JD McDonagh’s challenge for next week’s WWE RAW. He stated that McDonagh will face the consequences of his actions. Strowman also promised to put the Judgment Day member in a box when he’s finished with him, so he can place him on a shelf with the rest of his Funk Pop collection.
The Judgment Day is experiencing a transitional phase, with Damian Priest holding the WWE World Heavyweight Title. Meanwhile, Finn Balor and JD McDonagh lost the Tag Team Titles, Dominik Mysterio is out with an elbow injury, and Rhea Ripley is sidelined with an AC joint injury. We will see what Braun Strowman does to JD McDonagh next week. JD has been running his mouth, but it’s nearly time for him to back it up in the ring.
WWE returns to Japan this summer for the first time in five years. The WWE Super Show Summer Tour is a 3-show tour taking place over three consecutive nights, from July 25-27, 2024. Here is the schedule:
July 25: Osaka, Japan (Edion Arena)
July 26: Tokyo, Japan (Ryogoku Arena)
July 27: Tokyo, Japan (Ryogoku Arena)
? Tickets for WWE’s return to Japan go on sale next Saturday, June 1. Advance sales information is available at Eplus.jp/wwe.
Promotional materials for the WWE Supershow Summer Tour of Japan feature several prominent Japanese Superstars, including Asuka, Shinsuke Nakamura, Kairi Sane, and IYO Sky. Other top Superstars advertised include Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre (injured), Bobby Lashley and Rhea Ripley (injured).
WWE Japan Supershow Tour Announcement via WWE
The Last Time WWE Was In Japan
This summer’s Super Show Summer Tour will occur over five years since WWE ran shows in Japan. The most recent events took place from Tokyo on June 28 and 29, 2019. Attendance for the two shows averaged around 7,100. Top matches on the tour, gathered from results we reviewed from Cagematch.net, included:
Seth Rollins retaining the Universal title against Shinsuke Nakamura
Becky Lynch retaining the Raw Women’s title against Alexa Bliss
Ricochet retained the United States title against against Cesaro
The Revival (FTR) retaining the Raw tag titles over Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows
Here’s a fun moment from when WWE visited Osaka, Japan during the 2018 tour:
Asuka’s Status
The inclusion of Asuka in the promotional material is particularly noteworthy, as she is currently sidelined due to a knee injury. About two months ago, Asuka tweaked her knee during a WWE SmackDown episode. Despite continuing to wrestle since then, the injury has persisted. Asuka is taking time off to fully recover. After participating in WrestleMania 40 and Backlash in Lyon, France, where she and Kairi Sane lost the Women’s Tag Team titles to Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill, Asuka is now focusing on getting back to 100%.
Giulia’s Status
Additionally, some fans are buzzing about Giulia possibly attending the tour. Giulia, who recently concluded a notable stint in STARDOM and has been linked to Rossy Ogawa’s new promotion, is reportedly NXT bound. She was spotted in the crowd at NXT Stand & Deliver over WrestleMania XL weekend. However, her start date might be uncertain due to a wrist fracture sustained during her last match for Ogawa’s Marigold Pro Wrestling company.
Wrestling fans and moviegoers alike have been granted their first look at Dwayne Johnson in the upcoming The Smashing Machine biopic.
The new film is based on Mark Kerr, a former wrestler and MMA fighter who in addition to his fights in the ring, fought personal demons as well. Johnson will play Kerr in the film while his Jungle Cruise co-star Emily Blunt will portray Keers’ wife Dawn Staples. The film is being produced by Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions and will be distributed by A24. Benny Safdie (Oppenheimer, Uncut Gems) is directing, writing and co-producing.
Kerr (Johnson) in the ring while Dawn (Blunt) watches him from ring-side.
The film marks quite the shift for Johnson who is more commonly associated with family-friendly projects such as Moana or action-packed blockbusters like the Fast and the Furious franchise. In January 2024, Johnson told Variety of his desire to stretch his acting chops further.
“I’m at a point in my career where I want to push myself in ways that I’ve not pushed myself in the past. I’m at a point in my career where I want to make films that matter, that explore a humanity, and explore struggle [and] pain.”
Johnson will have the chance to do just that in the role of Kerr. The MMA fighter, now 55 years old, has faced addiction to painkillers, brought on in part due to the ‘no holds barred’ style of early mixed martial arts competition. The Smashing Machine was released as a documentary in 2002 and expectations are high for the new film that is currently without a release date.
The Undertaker moved at a cat-like pace to ensure his spot at WrestleMania 40 went off without a hitch, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has revealed.
In the emotional main event of WrestleMania 40: Sunday, Rhodes ended the 1,316-day run of Roman Reigns, who has not been seen since the event. Both men had help with The Undertaker appearing to chokeslam The Rock after the Final Boss tried to assist his cousin.
The Undertaker dealt with The Rock at WrestleMania 40 before Cody’s story was finished.
Though not decked in his usual Undertaker regalia, the WWE Hall of Famer did appear in the ring in an instant when the lights went dark. On the Babyfaces podcast, Rhodes shared some new information about the Phenom’s infamous appearance.
“When the blackout happens in the arena, your eyes are adjusted to where you actually can see kind of what’s going on in the ring… I saw out of the corner of my eye, The Undertaker roll in the ring at a speed that was like a Ricochet would roll in the ring. A Chad Gable would roll in the ring.
“A speed that if anyone’s wondering, ‘Oh, I wonder if it’s still there.’ Oh my gosh. It was like a lion, legit like watching a lion who’d been sleeping on the rock all day and then he just went out and did it.”
Rhodes then recalled a ‘moment’ that he likes to believe he shared with his fellow WWE World Champion
“When he chokeslams The Rock, I got to make eye contact with him ever so briefly. And I think he maybe wanted to have a moment, maybe not. I could be overestimating my importance to The Undertaker here, but he winked at me. He winked at me and then the lights went out.”
With the Phenom clearing the field, Rhodes was able to defeat Reigns and finally ‘finish the story.’ He has since retained against AJ Styles at WWE Backlash France. His next title defense will come against Logan Paul at WWE King And Queen Of The Ring.
Cody Rhodes has said that he regrets not having Shawn Spears in the ring for his celebration after the WrestleMania 40 win over Roman Reigns.
The American Nightmare recently had an interview with The Babyfaces podcast. He discussed things such as The Miz throwing him a crazy party for his 21st birthday and more.
Cody has long history with The Chairman, going all the way back to their time in Ohio Valley Wrestling. Spears was one of Rhodes’ first mentors after Dusty Rhodes decided to put them in a tag team because Spears had more experience than his son.
The American Nightmare talked about this time and mentioned how Shawn Spears was the one who carried him through the rivalry with former WWE tag team Deuce ‘n Domino:
“You mentioned Shawn Spears. So Shawn Spears, during the Deuce-Domino-Cherry, during this rivalry, I had no fundamental experience. I couldn’t tell you a top wrist lock from a double quarter. I had no fundamentals. But they didn’t mind because they were teaching me from the story perspective first. That’s how Al [Snow] would like to teach and Shawn was there to lead me through it, and he does not get enough credit from me for how special he is.”
He Is A Blessing To The Business: Cody Rhodes
The Undisputed WWE Champion later recalled meeting Shawn Spears backstage on the day of his big win over Roman Reigns. Cody Rhodes claimed that he regrets not having Spears with him for the post-match celebration at the Show of Shows:
“He is the only person that I regret I didn’t have in the ring after WrestleMania because I saw him that day and we just took a picture together and he was just like he always was. He knew what this day was, he knew it was big and the opportunity to go and I could take it all if I wanted to and gosh dude, I wouldn’t be where I’m at without Shawn Spears. He is a blessing to the business and I am so glad to see him in NXT.”
The American Nightmare is scheduled to defend his title against Logan Paul at the upcoming King and Queen of The Ring Premium Live Event from Saudi Arabia on May 25.
After leaving AEW at the start of the year, Shawn Spears returned to WWE during the February 27 episode of NXT. He has been active on the brand as an on-screen talent ever since and has also been helping produce the shows behind the scenes.
