WWE is enjoying a booming period in their company’s history, and new television rights deals are set to inject a ton of guaranteed money into their coffers. Although SmackDown is moving networks, the WWE Universe will not have to change their weekly schedule to see it.
WWE plans to keep SmackDown on Friday nights when they move to the USA Network in October 2024, according to Dave Meltzer. The move is somewhat surprising, because Friday is a very competitive night and USA has more flexibility to move the show than Fox did.
WWE had the option to schedule SmackDown on any day of the week, such as Wednesday or Thursday, which typically face less sports competition than Fridays. Specifically, moving SmackDown to Wednesdays could have been a strategic move against AEW, which broadcasts its Dynamite show on the same day.
WWE’s New Television Rights Deals
WWE is embarking on new television rights agreements beginning in October 2024. NXT will transition to The CW, while SmackDown shifts to the USA Network.
Friday Night SmackDown is set to air on the USA Network beginning September 13, 2024. NBC has agreed to pay $287 million annually for the U.S. broadcasting rights to SmackDown, totaling over $1.4 billion on a five-year deal. Additionally, NXT has secured a five-year media rights agreement with The CW, valued between $20 million and $25 million each year. This deal represents a 70% increase from its previous contract with NBCUniversal’s USA Network.
WWE RAW is set to move to Netflix starting January 2025, but it will continue airing on the USA Network until the end of 2024, despite the current deal expiring in October. For these additional three months of RAW on the USA Network, WWE will receive $25 million, a significant bargain in light of their forthcoming $500 million annual deal with Netflix, which will span 10 years.
After WrestleMania weekend in Philadelphia, WWE may have put a cap on the ECW legacy, but that fire did continue to burn on SmackDown.
The show took place in Wilkes-Barre, PA, not too far off from Philadelphia and an ECW original made the trip with his family to see the show live in-person.
ECW’s ultimate underdog Mikey Whipwreck sat at ringside for the event and the former ECW TV Champion was honored by several WWE Superstars while there. Jey Uso actually gave Whipwreck’s son his glasses and after the event, Mikey took to social media to thank WWE, Cody Rhodes and Uso for the one-of-a-kind experience.
“My kids had a great time last night at SmackDown. Thank you for everything Cody Rhodes. And a special shoutout to Jey for giving my son his sunglasses. He said it was the greatest day of his life.”
My kids had a great time last night at #SmackDown. Thank you for everything @CodyRhodes. And a special shoutout to Jey for giving my son his sunglasses @WWEUsos. He said it was the greatest day of his life. @WWEpic.twitter.com/yCLWhFb0Ay
— ?Mikey Whipwreck? (@MikeyWhipwreck_) May 11, 2024
With the induction of Paul Heyman into the WWE Hall Of Fame this year, Dave Meltzer reported that the moment signified WWE “spiritually closing the book” on ECW, but a talent like Mikey Whipwreck was certainly not forgotten.
SmackDown was jam-packed with action as WWE started the first round of the King and Queen of The Ring tournament. Randy Orton advanced against AJ Styles, Jade Cargill defeated Piper Niven, Tama Tonga defeated Angelo Dawkins, Bianca Belair took out Candice LeRae and Carmelo Hayes up-ended Baron Corbin.
From a storyline perspective, Solo Sikoa claimed to Paul Heyman that Roman Reigns has bestowed the interim Tribal Chief role unto him. However, the big takeaway from the episode was that WWE booked Cody Rhodes to take on Logan Paul in the headline match at Saudi Arabia later this month.
Braun Strowman has made his triumphant return to the ring after this week’s WWE SmackDown went off the air.
This week’s edition of Friday Night SmackDown emanated from Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre, PA. The card was stacked with some huge first-round matches of King & Queen of The Ring and it built towards the highly-anticipated namesake PLE in Saudi Arabia later this month. After the show concluded, ‘The Monster of All Monsters’ faced Shinsuke Nakamura in a dark match and emerged victorious in a short match-up.
This marked his first in-ring performance after being on the sidelines for over a year due to neck issues.
Braun Strowman’s battle with injury
In June last year, Braun Strowman underwent neck fusion surgery and was on the shelf while recuperating from it. It certainly took a mental and physical toll on the heavyweight wrestler and he was candid about the same.
In December, Strowman said that he wouldn’t rule out his return at WWE Royal Rumble 2024 but that did not happen. It wasn’t until April this year that the powerhouse made his return. He made his return after the surgery during the opening night of the 2024 WWE Draft where he was drafted to the Raw.
He came to the aid of Jey Uso, who was getting brutally attacked by Finn Balor and the United States Champion Logan Paul. Strowman also had a brief confrontation with Patrick Mahomes and his teammates before Jey Uso calmed him down.
WWE’s QR code mystery continued during the May 10, edition of SmackDown as signs continued to point towards a stable in tribute to Bray Wyatt.
A ‘glitch’ featuring a QR code appeared during the Queen of the Ring tournament first-round match between Nia Jax and Naomi which was won by the irresistible force. Scanning the code takes fans to a video that at first appears to be WWE’s new introductory video, complete with a voice-over by Triple H.
The video then takes a dark tone as a message is shared alongside creepy imagery.
“They put us in a cave together, told us to behold the glory. We watched in awe, consumed by their lies. We were never the chosen ones, left in the cave to rot, to be forgotten. But he set us free. Now we understand. We follow the prophecy. The word of the red. Soon you will understand. The tears we shed watered our antipathy and blossomed a garden of revulsion. There is no safe space. Only my family.”
Like previous videos, this latest video includes rhetoric to caves, which ties to Platoean theory about reality. The use of ‘we’ also hammers home the belief that this will be a stable rather than an individual. Perhaps the biggest clue in this text is the stanza about “the word of the red.” Fans may recognize the reference to ‘red’ as Bray Wyatt had promos in 2014 in which he referred to being red.
“I am the color red, in a world of black and white and if you value your ability to breathe… Don’t get too close.”
All signs are pointing towards a stable led by Uncle Howdy, the character Bray Wyatt portrayed upon his return to WWE in 2022. Howdy was pulled from TV around the same time Wyatt was pulled due to the health issues that would cut his life tragically short in August 2023. It’s also been reported that Howdy won’t be returning to WWE alone. Dallas has also been referenced in previous videos.
WWE SmackDown took over Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania’s Mohegan Sun Arena with a sold-out show this week. Those fans witnessed some incredible King and Queen of the Ring Tournament matches take place.
The 2024 King and Queen of the Ring tournaments have begun in WWE, featuring matches on Raw and SmackDown. The finals will go down at a live event in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, May 25. Thirty-two competitors from the roster are vying for the crown, a title previously held by many notable wrestlers.
On WWE SmackDown this week, they continued their road to King & Queen of the Ring. In the first match of the night, Nia Jax defeated Naomi to advance in the tournament.
Carmelo Hayes, the former NXT Champion, won his match against Baron Corbin to advance in the tournament. Hayes secured the victory with a roll-up pin, which didn’t significantly hurt Corbin’s standing, as he was just call-up from NXT during the 2024 WWE Draft along with Hayes.
Additionally, the match featured sponsorship from “The Iron Claw” on Max, with MAX graphics on the barricades and entrance as Corey Graves mentioned the Von Erich Family biopic post-match.
Jade Cargill also advanced toward the 2024 Queen of the Ring crown as she defeated Piper Niven. It’s hard not to see the former TBS Champion as a favorite in the tournament. Cargill impressed throughout the match, executing a blue thunder bomb on Niven, along with perfect splashes in the corner.
Chelsea Green tried to interfere, but there was no stopping the Storm from coming as she won with a Jaded. This win for Cargill also set up a match against Nia Jax next, and that will be another incredible test for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion.
Bianca Belair made her entrance as her tag team partner, Cargill, was leaving. This gave them a chance to pose as WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions before the match kicked off. After a back-and-forth contest, Belair won the match to advance in the tournament.
Tama Tonga picked up the win over Angelo Dawkins to advance this week. Dawkins replaced Bobby Lashley, who had to pull out. Tonga is coming off his brother, Tanga Loa, debuting at WWE Backlash in France, so he wanted to keep that momentum going. Tonga also got to show off his new entrance on SmackDown.
AJ Styles and Randy Orton brought the third and final King of the Ring match of the night. The two veterans continued as Orton developed a leg injury during the match, one he sold to enhance the drama. Orton fought to keep from getting trapped in a Calf Crusher from the Phenomenal One as fans chanted The Viper on.
They fought on, and Orton delivered his signature suspended DDT, but he was unable to capitalize. The Apex Predator was able to kick out of a Phenomenal Forearm and then he hit an RKO outta nowhere to secure the win.
The King and Queen of the Ring tournaments will culminate on May 25 at the Jeddah Super Dome in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where the finals for both tournaments will take place.
You may find the results for this year’s tournament (so far) in the space below. We have also listed the announced quarterfinal matches.
King of the Ring:
First Round Results:
Gunther defeated Sheamus
Ilja Dragunov defeated Ricochet
Jey Uso defeated Finn Balor
Kofi Kingston defeated Rey Mysterio
Randy Orton defeated AJ Styles
Tama Tonga defeated Angelo Dawkins
Carmelo Hayes defeated Baron Corbin
LA Knight defeated Santos Escobar
Quarterfinals Scheduled:
Gunther vs. Kofi Kingston
Jey Uso vs. Ilja Dragunov
Tama Tonga vs LA Knight
Carmelo Hayes vs Randy Orton
Queen of the Ring:
First Round Results:
Iyo Sky defeated Natalya
Lyra Valkyria defeated Dakota Kai
Zoey Stark defeated Ivy Nile
Shayna Baszler defeated Maxxine Dupri
Bianca Belair defeated Candice LeRae
Jade Cargill defeated Piper Niven
Nia Jax defeated Naomi
Tiffany Stratton defeated Michin
Quarterfinals Scheduled:
Iyo Sky vs. Shayna Baszler
Lyra Valkyria vs. Zoey Stark
Jade Cargill vs Nia Jax
Bianca Belair vs Tiffany Stratton
WWE King & Queen of the Ring Card:
King of the Ring Tournament Final
Raw bracket winner vs. SmackDown bracket winner
Queen of the Ring Tournament Final
Raw bracket winner vs. SmackDown bracket winner
Women’s World Championship Match
Becky Lynch (c) vs. Liv Morgan (Singles match)
WWE Intercontinental Championship Match
Sami Zayn (c) vs. Chad Gable vs. Bronson Reed (Triple threat match)
Logan Paul already has the WWE United States Championship around his shoulder, but he is after another title for the other side. The Maverick is now set to take on Cody Rhodes at King and Queen of the Ring on May 25.
WWE SmackDown kicked off this week with Nick Aldis introducing Rhodes. The American Nightmare made his way to the ring to a thunderous reception, and then the SmackDown GM got right down to business.
Aldis congratulated Rhodes for beating AJ Styles at Backlash, but then he said that his next challenger has already been determined. This is when Logan Paul’s music hit, much to the chagrin of fans in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania’s sold-out Mohegan Sun Arena.
Logan and Cody had a back-and-forth on the microphone, one where the YouTuber turned Superstar said that winning the Undisputed WWE Title from Rhodes will help usher in the “Logan Paul Levesque Era.”
After securing the WWE United States Title at WWE Crown Jewel last year, Logan Paul has become the longest-reigning champion in WWE history. With his title reign reaching 188 days and still ongoing, Paul was sure to mention this milestone during his segment with Cody Rhodes.
Then Cody Rhodes brought up the fact that if he won the WWE U.S. Title, that would make him a WWE Grand Slam Champion. He then said that Logan is self-centered, but WWE is a team, and at King and Queen of the Ring, The Maverick will learn where he stands with that team.
Cody Rhodes later tweeted out to simply say: “Two belts.” It seems that he has his eye on Paul’s title as well. This may be a winner take all match if they confirm the stipulation.
The King and Queen of the Ring tournaments are set to return in 2024, marking the first occurrence since 2021. Matches for the tournament are ongoing, and SEScoops will provide in-depth coverage.
Xavier Woods and Zelina Vega are the current reigning King and Queen of the Ring.
The finals for the 2024 tournaments will be held at a live event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 25. The stage for this event was prominently established on SmackDown.
Fans in the United Kingdom have hit out at the ‘extortionate’ price of tickets for the upcoming WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland Premium Live Event.
The June 15, event will mark WWE’s first Premium Live Event in Scotland and will be preceded by a SmackDown taping. Both shows will take place at the historic OVO Hydro in Scotland’s largest city of Glasgow.
Much has been said about the price of tickets for Clash At The Castle: Scotland. The event is the most expensive WWE event in company history for a “get-in” price, Dave Meltzer has reported. The obscene prices, which start at £300 ($375) for just one night, has left many fans simply unable to attend.
Mark Dallas is the founder of ICW, a Scottish-based promotion that has hosted Drew McIntyre, Piper Niven, and other top WWE Superstars. When speaking to the BBC, Dallas was pleased about the event, but acknowledged the high price for fans.
“It’s fantastic that finally, WWE are bringing one of their big events to Glasgow – it’s long overdue. I think it’s a real shame that there’s not more affordable tickets towards the back of the venue at least.”
Journalist Ross Brady is among those who have found themselves left out of the show despite it being near to him because of the ticket prices.
“I’ll have to watch it on TV – save myself some money. I am a proper fan of this but I’ll need to miss the one that’s 20 minutes down the road because I’m just not paying extortionate prices.”
Many fans have been forced to miss the upcoming UK show.
A WWE spokesperson was asked for comment on the concern over ticket prices. They noted that cheaper individual tickets had been made available but did not state how many tickets were available at this discounted price.
Clash At The Castle: Scotland isn’t the only European event to feature eye-poppingly high prices. The recent WWE Backlash France event provided WWE with its largest gate for an arena event, thanks in part to the high cost of tickets. Unfortunately, these high prices have left countless fans missing out.
The Rock will have a huge role to play at WWE WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas, with reported plans for a showdown with a familiar foe.
The Brahma Bull made his in-ring return at this year’s WrestleMania which saw the Final Boss victorious in a tag-team match during the Saturday show. The Rock didn’t have the same success the following night, as after a chokeslam by The Undertaker took out the Hollywood star, Cody Rhodes defeated Roman Reigns to become Undisputed WWE Championship.
With WrestleMania 40 in the background, fans have been left wondering when they’ll next see the Brahma Bull compete. Though he could wrestle earlier than WrestleMania 41, the plan for the April 2025 event is for Rock to face Rhodes, Dave Meltzer reports. It’s unclear at this time if this will be for the Undisputed WWE Championship.
WWE has big plans for the Final Boss at WrestleMania 41.
With Rock-Rhodes the plan (for the time being) for WrestleMania 41, fans will be left wondering when the long-awaited showdown between The Rock and Roman Reigns will take place. At one point in time, the match was a ‘lock’ for WrestleMania 39 before plans changed. WWE had teased a showdown between the two at this year’s event before the might of the ‘We Want Cody’ movement changed those plans.
While there’s no shortage of fans who’d love to see WrestleMania return to Detroit, that, apparently, won’t be happening just yet. In a statement, to The Detroit News, the Detroit Sports Commission denied that a bid is in the works.
”Contrary to recent speculation, the DSC is not currently in the process of preparing a bid to host WrestleMania in 2027. However, we remain enthusiastic about the prospect of hosting future major WWE events. The Detroit Sports Commission values its strong relationship with WWE and is proud to have hosted some of their premier events across the Metro Detroit region.
“We look forward to continuing our successful partnership with WWE and welcoming more thrilling events to our vibrant city in the years to come.”
The show will apparently not come to Detroit.
While WrestleMania 43 won’t be coming to Detroit (or at least those in the city claim,) the city has hosted plenty of WWE events. The Motor City is one of a select few cities to have hosted the promotion’s ‘Big Four’ events. In addition to WrestleMania, Detroit hosted Survivor Series in 1991 and 1999, the Royal Rumble in 2005 and 2009, and SummerSlam in 2023.
WrestleMania 41 will take place in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 19 and April 20, the latest in a calendar year that the show has taken place. Las Vegas bested Minneapolis for the event, despite the latter city once being considered a favorite for the 2025 event.
It’s no secret that the UK is eager to host WWE’s first non-North American WrestleMania, an idea endorsed by John Cena, Cody Rhodes, and recently re-elected London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Saudi Arabian officials is also interested in bringing WrestleMania to their nation as part of a revamped deal with WWE. With that said, Nick Khan has said WWE’s Big Four will remain in North America for the time being.
WWE’s search for its next King and Queen of the Ring will continue with an exciting line-up for the May 10, episode of WWE SmackDown.
The two tournaments began on this week’s episode of Raw and will conclude at WWE King and Queen of the Ring 2024 later this month. The show will be the latest event from WWE to take place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the first PLE related to the King of the Ring stipulation since 2002.
Five exciting tournament matches have been confirmed for this week’s SmackDown.
Men’s Matches on SmackDown
Two men’s division matches have been confirmed for the upcoming episode of WWE SmackDown with royal stakes on the line:
In a WrestleMania 35 rematch, AJ Styles will face Randy Orton in what will likely be an epic collision between former WWE World Champions.
New WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Bianca Belair will look to keep her winning ways going when she takes on Candice LeRae.
Belair’s partner will also hope to advance when she faces Piper Niven, who was a finalist in the 2021 Queen’s Crown Tournament but lost to Zelina Vega.
It’ll be a battle of the Anoai-Fatu family when Naomi takes on Nia Jax with a spot in the Queen of the Ring quarter-finals up for grabs.
More from SmackDown
Tonight’s SmackDown will also see Cody Rhodes seek a new challenger for his Undisputed WWE Championship. The American Nightmare retained against AJ Styles at WWE Backlash France. Names advertised for tonight’s show at the Mohegan Sun Arena include U.S. Champion Logan Paul, Women’s Champion Bayley, LA Knight and AJ Styles. As always, the card is subject to change.
WWE SmackDown will return to the USA Network on September 13 after five years on FOX, a press release from NBC Universal has confirmed.
It was last year that it was confirmed that SmackDown will return to the USA Network in 2024, ending the blue brand’s five-year tenure on FOX. In the statement, it is confirmed that the first episode back on the USA Network will come this September.
“Starting in September and through the end of 2024, USA Network will serve as the exclusive linear home of the WWE’s two tentpole franchises, “WWE Monday Night RAW” and “WWE SmackDown,” which returns to the network on Sept. 13 as part of a new multi-year partnership.”
Fans will get just more than WWE SmackDown on the USA Network, as the press release also confirms that a ‘WWE Week’ will commence on September 9. The network will air films from the “Fast and the Furious” franchise starring Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, “Blockers” starring John Cena, and the Peacock documentary “Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal.
SmackDown will return to the USA Network this September.
The Future of WWE’s Broadcasts
WWE SmackDown isn’t the only show that will soon find itself a new home. This year, WWE NXT will move to the CW Network after years as part of the USA Network. The five-year broadcast deal sees NXT become the latest sports show on the CW as the network also broadcasts ACC football and basketball games airing every Saturday throughout the season and LIV Golf.
Adam Copeland wanted to get Gangrel back in the mix with WWE, even if it was brief.
The former Edge spoke with Chris Van Vliet on Insight and gave a little “insight” as to him bringing back the notorious Brood entrance for WWE Day 1 2022. Copeland made the play to get Gangrel to rise back up alongside him much akin to the Attitude Era, but revealed that idea was shot down by WWE.
“So this isn’t a knock on WWE, but I’d always get the, ‘Well nobody remembers.’ People remember, wrestling fans remember and I think wrestling fans want to be rewarded for remembering. And that’s a way to reward them. That’s what I’ve always felt.”
Copeland cited the recent return of Matt Cardona to AEW who challenged Adam for his TNT Championship on an episode of AEW Collision. Copeland knows that fans remember Cardona’s time as an ‘Edge Head’ and it was a way to bring something special back for the audience. However, he just couldn’t get WWE behind bringing back Gangrel, the original leader of The Brood.
“That was one I just kept getting shut down. I realised, okay, that was not a hill to die on because it didn’t get to happen. It’s not my sandbox, I got to do with what I’ve been given.”
Gangrel did happen to show up for The Young Bucks’ entrance back when they were feuding with The Hardys so the possibility of The Brood boiling up certainly isn’t out of the realm of possibility. Copeland could use some extra help as he continues to feud with House of Black in build to Double or Nothing in Las Vegas.
Please h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
The 2024 King of the Ring tournament will continue on this week’s SmackDown, but will go on ahead without Bobby Lashley.
Taking to social media, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis shared news that Lashley has been pulled from the tournament as he is not medically cleared to compete. Aldis stated that the two-time former WWE Champion suffered a training-related injury but did not share any further details. In his place, fellow The Pride member Angelo Dawkins will be a part of the tournament.
This is a huge setback for Lashley, who has gotten tantalizingly close to being crowned King in the past. In 2006, Lashley made it to the finals of that year’s royal tournament before losing to Booker T.
While this is a blow to Lashley, his removal has provided Angelo Dawkins with a golden opportunity. Known predominantly as a tag-team wrestler, a strong performance in the King of the Ring tournament could put a lot of eyes on the Street Profits member. In October 2022, it was said that Dawkins was impressing a lot of the right people backstage, but a singles push has yet to emerge.
Lashley won’t compete in this year’s King of the Ring tournament.
Tournament Replacements
Lashley is the latest name in this year’s regal festivities to be replaced. Drew McIntyre was scheduled to face Finn Balor in a first-round match before also being pulled. Balor instead faced Jey Uso and lost to the ‘Main Event’ talent in the first round on Raw.
Xavier Woods, the 2021 King, has been replaced by Kofi Kingston as the UpUpDownDown leader is also not cleared to compete. Kingston will face Rey Mysterio on next week’s Raw. Asuka was scheduled to compete in the Queen of the Ring tournament but due to her injuries, has been replaced by Dakota Kai. The Kiwi Superstar was defeated by Lyra Valkyria in the first round.
WWE SmackDown Matches
Dawkins will have a lot to prove on this Friday’s SmackDown, as will the man he faces in the first-round match: Tama Tonga.
In a WrestleMania 35 rematch, AJ Styles will face Randy Orton in what will likely be an epic collision between former WWE World Champions.
The newly-drafted Carmelo Hayes hopes to make an impact after his recent loss to Cody Rhodes when he faces 2019 King of the Ring Baron Corbin.
The Megastar LA Knight hopes to advance but will face to overcome Santos Escobar (and likely interference from Legado Del Fantasma) to do so.
It’s been almost a decade since Jesús Rodríguez (Ricardo Rodriguez) was released from WWE. Since then, he has gone on a soul-searching journey that has led him to Major League Wrestling.
A company Rodriguez was grateful to find at this stage of his career, taking all he has learned and experienced to put forth the best version of himself. I recently spoke with the talented performer about his experience wrestling for WWE and what he’s enjoying in Major League Wrestling (MLW).
His WWE Exit
“It’s honestly amazing thinking back 10 years ago,’ Rodriguez said. “The story is, I called the [WWE] office and told them, ‘Hey I’m done. I’m not happy. I’m still at home. I didn’t get on the plane.’ When they just said, ‘Well stay home and we’ll talk and figure it out.’ They called me back a few days later and said, ‘Yeah, we’ll grant you your release.’ I was like thank you.”
At the time he was in his late 20s. He likened it to your first big breakup in high school. A time when you think your life is over and that you’ll never find love again. The ring announcer and pro wrestler learned that the only thing he could control was how he reacted to things.
“Life is going to happen on life’s terms. I didn’t react the proper way,” Rodriguez recalled. “I was very angry and bitter. I just hated life and wrestling and anybody that was, in my mind, opposing me in what I wanted to accomplish. It took a while to control how I reacted. I had to learn that aspect.
It’s no secret because I am very open about it, my addiction issue. Getting sober and clean was a huge step forward and realizing all that. I am grateful in hindsight that I went through all that to appreciate what I have now. Opportunities I was given when I learned to appreciate things and being more mindful. Now I’m in a situation now with an amazing company that we are leading into.”
Rather than leave the business, Rodriguez found a renewed motivation. He worked with The Great Khali to open the market up in India. This wasn’t the only stop on his international travel with stops in Europe, Australia, and of course, Mexico. Rodriguez, who had a great run with Alberto Del Rio, took his knowledge to helping run schools including a year in Cairo, even maneuvering through the uncertainty of COVID.
MLW
Looking back, Rodriguez is happy to go through the lows in order to truly appreciate the highs, many of which the veteran is getting in MLW as a member of Salina de La Renta’s Promociones Dorado. Rodriguez, who also helps as a producer and behind the scenes like de La Renta, can’t be happier to watch her success onscreen and offscreen working with the women’s division.
“It’s amazing because I’ve known her for her entire career,” Rodriguez said. “The same for Janai Kai, who I’ve know since the very first day she walked into a wrestling school. It’s rewarding to see their growth and development now…and the presence they have. It’s so admirable if you look at it and the presence they carry with them. I feel like this is portrayed on camera which is very hard to teach.”
MLW in Chicago at Cicero Stadium
Rodriguez, who helps the next generation through Three Legacies Wrestling, takes pride in seeing so much representation across the board in regards to the Latin American community. So much MLW has built a brand and show Azteca Lucha on May 11 when the company returns to a sold-out Chicago’s Cicero Stadium. Rodriguez will team with Atlantis, and Guerrero Maya Jr. to face El Felino, Virus, and Villano III Jr. as the war with Cesar Duran continues.
“It’s amazing to me as a lucha libre fan because I grew up on lucha libre. To be in a trios match with partners like this is amazing to me. The very first wrestling hero I had was Atlantis. To be partnered up with him is a dream come true…I did spend a lot of time with a top heel in the industry so I may have a trick or two to secure that victory.
“We have Azteca Lucha and sold out. We’re building this relationship with CMLL which is very important. We’re able to provider great luchadors from Mexico, the United States, and internationally. Who is to say there isn’t going to be an MLW takeover in Mexico and Arena México? It would be huge. We have a lot of amazing events coming up.”
MLW Azteca Lucha airs airs at 10 p.m. ET, May 11 on Triller TV+
Randy Orton enjoys the consistency of the new WWE product since Triple H has fully taken over of the company’s creative, but thanks two other employees for helping with that direction.
Speaking with “Adam’s Apple,” ‘The Viper’ gave his thoughts on the fresh, new and steady direction that Paul Levesque has implemented under his watchful eye.
“With Nick Khan, HHH, and Bruce Prichard, so many things have changed from a creative standpoint. They’re thinking months and months in advance. Before, we were flying by the seat of our pants. Creative was changed mins before we went live each week. I don’t mean sometimes. I mean, each week.”
Orton said that there’d be days where it would be 5:00 PM on the east coast and changes were still be made to the show that was airing in just a few hours. That aspect created for some very stressful moments. Under the Triple H regime, there’s more time laid ahead for talent to implement their own creativity.
“So just purely from a creative standpoint, you’re able to let it marinate and think about, okay, how am I gonna do this? Or how can I make this better? Or maybe there are tweaks, but you don’t do it ten minutes before you go live.”
Randy Orton has clearly been enjoying his time back in WWE has he got a gigantic reaction while he and Kevin Owens opened WWE Backlash in France and although the two lost, Orton remains in a top babyface role in WWE SmackDown.
Derrick Lewis, a fighter for the UFC could become the next athlete to jump from the Octagon to the Squared Circle and become a WWE Superstar.
The 39-year-old Lewis, dubbed the ‘Black Beast’ boasts a 27-12 win/loss record in the Octagon, with one fight going to a no contest. Speaking at a recent Fight Night press conference ahead of this Sunday’s contest with Rodrigo Nascimento, the UFC star was asked about a possible collaboration with WWE given that both companies fall under the TKO banner.
“Yeah, we are actually in talks right now and we’ve been talking for a few months now. I was supposed to go down there in February to check everything out.”
When asked about a potential finishing move, Lewis saw himself using the Stinkface made famous by WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi.
“It had to be something like Rikishi you know, you might see it man you know somehow I like taking off my shorts so we might see something like that.”
If Lewis does make the move, he’ll hardly be the first UFC fighter to join WWE. Matt Riddle transitioned from the Octagon to wrestling and was part of the WWE roster from 2018 to 2023. Ronda Rousey made headlines in 2018 by joining WWE after the end of her UFC career saw back-to-back losses in the cage.
WWE and UFC came together in September 2023 in the culmination of a $9.3 billion deal that saw WWE acquired by Endeavor. Since then, WWE Superstars have been seen at UFC events and fighter Michael Chandler used the February 19, 2024 Raw to call out Conor McGregor.
The two companies will grow even closer this June when WWE NXT Battleground takes place at the UFC Apex in Enterprise, Nevada. The show will see the crowning of the first WWE NXT Women’s North American Champion in a six-woman ladder match.
WWE SummerSlam tickets are now on sale at Ticketmaster. The company’s hot streak of running stadium shows continues, as the event takes place Saturday, August 3, 2024 from Cleveland Browns Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio. The venue opened in 1999 and has max capacity of approximately 67,000 people.
If you’re looking to attend SummerSlam as a true VIP, On Location sells Priority Pass packages that premium seating, meeting WWE Superstars, photo opportunities and more. Here’s an early look at the seating chart for this year’s SummerSlam, with some of the most desirable seats going up for sale during this week’s 2-day pre-sale event.
SummerSlam 2024 seating chart
SummerSlam is one of WWE’s original ‘big 4’ events, along with WrestleMania, Survivor Series and the Royal Rumble. Cleveland’s own Logan Paul, the reigning WWE United States champion, says wrestling fans should expect a star-studded roster of celebrity guest appearances.
“I wanna bring my brother Jake. I want MGK to be there, I want the Kelce brothers to be there. I want it to be one of the biggest events Cleveland has ever seen.”
He added, “Oh, Dave Chapelle will absolutely be there” and hopes to secure an opponent that he can “bring the house down” with. Who could that be?
SummerSlam Attendance
Last year’s SummerSlam was held at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, with an attendance of 51,477 and a gate of $8.5 million. Cleveland Browns Stadium has a listed capacity of 67,431 and WWE should have no problem packing fans into another huge NFL stadium.
WWE SummerSlam 2023 at Detroit’s Ford Field. (August 5, 2023)
WWE continues to break records, most recently with WrestleMania XL. The event generated gate receipts totaling $38.5 million from two nights at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. WWE also sold 44,569 tickets, generating $7.3 million, for the 2024 Royal Rumble at Tropicana Field.
Check out our exclusive video from SummerSlam 2023 with Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar shaking hands after their match.
Backlash France will go down in the annals of WWE’s history books, though not entirely for all the right reasons.
WWE’s first Premium Live Event in France took place at the LDLC Arena in Lyon and marked the first televised title defense of Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. The American Nightmare retained against AJ Styles, over two decades after the Phenomenal One faced (and defeated) Cody’s father Dusty. Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair captured the WWE Tag Team Championships at Backlash; the first title in WWE for the ex-AEW star.
An Unfortunate Record
The crowd in the LDLC Arena was electric for Backlash France and the proceeding night’s SmackDown, prompting a noise level warning sent to Triple H. Unfortunately, that excitement wasn’t shared among fans watching at home, or at least those without access to the WWE Network or Peacock. As explained on Wrestling Observer Radio, the event saw the lowest amount of pay-per-view buys for any WWE event in history. Dave Meltzer added that there is a “considerable margin” between Backlash and the previous record-holder for the worst pay-per-view buys.
While this isn’t fortunate for Backlash France, it’s no secret that pay-per-view buys have dwindled over the past decade. Thanks to the creation of the WWE Network and its subsequent acquisition by Peacock, audiences worldwide have ditched traditional viewing methods in favor of streaming platforms.
Backlash France set an unfortunate record in WWE history.
The time of the event will have also played into how many people watched the show. Because of the time difference between the U.S. and France, the show started at 1 pm for fans in the States. Nevertheless, the show proved to be a success in other ways, including the largest gate for any arena event in WWE history. WWE will host two more PLEs in Europe this year, a sign that the company is all in on international events.
Ric Flair’s blowup at Piesanos Stone Fired Pizza caused a chain reaction that resulted in video of the incident surfacing. Now, the Nature Boy is making no excuses for his behavior.
The 16x World Champion expressed regret about his recent outburst at a Gainesville pizza restaurant. He mentioned on “The MJ Morning Show on Q105” that he should have left the restaurant the moment things turned sour.
Flair admitted, “It just escalated, and I was wrong for getting mad, but I kind of felt like I was defending my position.” He also reconsidered his initial negative review of the restaurant, acknowledging that he had enjoyed his time and meal there before the conflict arose.
Despite his enjoyment, the incident escalated after Flair, who had taken pictures with customers and spent $1,500, was asked to leave following a disagreement with the kitchen manager about bathroom use. This disagreement led to a heated exchange, captured in a video that portrayed Flair negatively.
The incident, captured on video, showed Flair yelling at a Piesanos staffer following an alleged bathroom incident with the kitchen manager. A patron even suggested taking the argument outside.
The restaurant’s co-owner defended the decision to ask Flair to leave, supporting the staff’s actions. During the incident, Flair used strong language towards the manager and even challenged him to a physical altercation outside. He concluded the incident by offering a $1000 tip to a staff member.
CM Punk was adamant that WWE used Cult of Personality in all its original glory, Living Color’s lead vocalist Corey Glover.
After ‘leaving’ WWE at Money in the Bank 2011 as WWE Champion, Punk returned eight days later to Cult of Personality, a track he had previously used as a theme during his days in Ring of Honor. The song has gone on to be closely associated with Punk, who used the track in UFC, All Elite Wrestling, and in his most recent return to WWE.
Sitting down with the Drinks With Johnny podcast, Glover discussed Punk’s use of the theme. He explained that upon his 2011 ‘return,’ WWE wanted to make a track similar to Cult of Personality, an idea the Best in the World was against.
“They had their own music division of the WWE and they were gonna have somebody make up a song that sounded similar to Cult of Personality. But that was gonna be his entrance music. ‘No, I don’t want that. I want the real thing.’ He’s like one of the talent that actually got that in his contract that wherever he goes, that goes with him.”
CM Punk had no interest in WWE’s cover of his iconic theme.
The track is very fitting for Punk, who has developed a cult of personality of his own. It was this charisma that kept fans chanting his name during what would be a seven-and-a-half year absence from pro-wrestling. Nowadays, fans can hear the tune in all its glory in WWE as the Best in the World continues to be a hot commodity in pro wrestling.
The first quarter earnings of 2024 for TKO Group Holdings with WWE emerging as the higher-earning brand within the new company.
In the 2024 Q1 earnings report, it was revealed that TKO made $629.7 in the quarter, but also suffered a net loss of $249.5 million. Much of this net loss comes from TKO settling an antitrust lawsuit against UFC. The plaintiffs alleged that UFC was an illegal monopsony that suppressed fighter wages and stifled rival promotions. The lawsuit represented more than 1,200 individuals and was settled for the sum of $335 million.
UFC’s revenue for the 2024 Q1 saw the MMA juggernaut earn $313 million, slightly behind WWE’s revenue of $316.7 million. During the time frame, UFC hosted its UFC 300 event, which drew a gate of $16.5 million to Las Vegas’ T-Mobile Arena.
Not to be outdone, WWE hosted WrestleMania 40, which proved to be the company’s highest evening event in history. The company also locked down a lucrative ten-year deal with Netflix to bring Raw to the streaming platform.
Future Plans
With these reports in, TKO has increased its target for revenue for 2024 from $2.61 billion to $2.685 billion. In a statement, TKO CEO Ari Emanuel was optimistic about what’s to come.
“These positive developments, along with the strength in our underlying businesses, give us more conviction than ever in the combination of UFC and WWE, and in TKO’s ability to deliver sustainable long-term value for shareholders.”
Clearly, WWE’s merger with UFC in September 2023 has proven to be a lucrative venture for both companies. With WWE embarking on a new era (one that has distanced itself from Vince McMahon,) it remains to be seen how the company’s future will be shaped as part of TKO.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia could soon be hosting more events from WWE, according to Endeavor President Mark Shapiro.
The decade-long deal between the two sides began in 2018 during Vince McMahon’s tenure running WWE. The deal currently sees WWE host two lucrative events a year in Saudi Arabia, often with the company’s biggest stars as well as part-time performers.
When McMahon stepped down in January 2024, there had been speculation as to what this would mean for the often-controversial Saudi deal. While speaking on the TKO Q1 earnings call, Mark Shapiro, president of Endeavor, was quick to shut down the idea that Vince’s exit had changed things in terms of the agreement.
“There was a lot of speculation with Vince being gone, ‘would that impact the relationship in a negative way? Would they be looking to get out of it?’ I would say that Nick Khan, in particular has developed, sustained, cultivated, and nurtured a very strong relationship in a handoff from Vince. They have a lot of trust and faith in each other.”
Shapiro added that WWE could explore the idea of hosting more than two events in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
“We have a strong and healthy relationship with the Kingdom, through WWE, and doing two annual events a year… Potentially, we could look to do more events, but nothing is planned beyond those two events at this time.”
Mark Shapiro believes WWE could host more than two events each year in Saudi Arabia.
WrestleMania In Saudi Arabia?
If WWE does plan to host more annual events in Saudi Arabia, then WrestleMania could be on the list. Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority hopes to bring WrestleMania to the country, as well as the Royal Rumble. They also have their sights set on UFC events that fall under the TKO banner. Nick Khan has however stated that currently, WrestleMania and other major events will stay in North America for the time being.
WWE is heading into new territory as they prepare to stream Monday Night Raw on Netflix in 2025. The $5 billion deal was made on January 23, with fans curious and skeptical about the brand moving exclusively to streaming.
While the company plans to move to Monday Night Raw off TV, fans became aware that its deal with USA Network would end in September. WWE not having an agreement in place would’ve left the brand without a home until January 2025 to Netflix. However, TKO Group Holding has announced that they have reached a new deal, a $25 million deal with NBCUniversal, to keep Monday Night Raw on the USA Network for the rest of the year.
Breaking: WWE announces it as entered into a short term $25 million deal with NBCU to keep Raw on USA Network in Q4 till the start of the Netflix Agreement in January 2025. That means Raw & Smackdown for a brief time at the end of the year will be both on the USA Network. pic.twitter.com/KkSEtLYaEi
TKO shared their 2024 first-quarter results today and revealed that Monday Night Raw would stay on the USA Network for the fourth quarter of 2024. The deal will also allow NBCU Universal to have Monday Night Raw and Friday Night Smackdown on the network later this year.
It’s unclear if WWE may have considered other possible suitors to host Monday Night RAW later this year. However, this may be a win for fans as both brands will be on one network until Monday Night Raw moves to Netflix. It will also allow fans to slowly transition from cable to streaming to watch their favorite superstars on the Raw brand.
More On WWE’s Move To Netflix Next Year
WWE’s decision to move to Netflix will be game-changing as they hope to bring the same weekly audience to the streaming service. CBS News’ William Lankford reported earlier this year that Netflix has over 200 million subscribers, with 13.1 million added by the end of 2023.
Netflix’s decision to add the WWE flagship show will be interesting as it aims to compete with other streaming services, like Amazon Prime Videos, for live sports. While other platforms have a season or games of a sport, Netflix will benefit from having Monday Night Raw every week.
WWE’s new deal with NBCUniversal has secured the future for the rest of the year. The company will have to figure out if they can get fans to watch their brand on streaming in 2025. However, the $25 million agreement has given them time to get their audience to follow Monday Night Raw’s transition to Netflix.
Tanga Loa made his WWE debut at last weekend’s Backlash PLE from the LDLC Arena in Lyon, France. He reunited with his brother, Tama Tonga, as part of the new and improved Bloodline.
We’ve received questions from readers about whether or lot they’ll be using their old team name from New Japan Pro Wrestling, the Guerrillas of Destiny. SEScoops has confirmed with multiple sources that Tanga Loa and Tama Tonga will not carry over the GoD name into WWE.
Before joining WWE, Tanga and Tonga reigned in New Japan Pro-Wrestling as the Guerrillas of Destiny and held the IWGP Tag Team Championship an impressive seven times
We may see the name referenced in passing, there are no plans for them to use the name regularly or as part of any merchandise. A search of the US Patent & Trademark Office database shows no current owners for the ‘Guerrillas of Destiny’ trademark.
Guerrillas of Destiny Trademark Search
Since Roman Reigns lost the WWE Undisputed World Title to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania XL, WWE fans have witnessed a significant transformation in the Bloodline. Loa’s arrival could further reshape the landscape.
WWE Backlash signaled a significant shift for the Bloodline with the introduction of a new, powerful tag team to the WWE Universe, led by Solo Sikoa in Roman Reigns’ absence. Although Paul Heyman may be leery about things, he is still following along.
WWE fans are enjoying the latest run Randy Orton is on after a potential career-ending injury. After more than a year out of action dealing with a back injury, he returned to WWE Survivor Series on November 25, 2023. Since then, he has been regularly featured on TV and competing with the best in the company. Although he has shared that he feels he’s entering his prime in his career, Orton is not opposed to taking the right opportunity in Hollywood.
In an interview with Adam’s Apple, Orton revealed that the United Talent Agency represents him and has done auditions.
“…I’m with UTA, and I do turn in auditions. Do some self-tape here and there, but sometimes I’ll see these roles pop up a year or two years later that I don’t get, and I’ll see it and say, Man, I’m glad I didn’t get that role,” said Orton.
He noted how difficult it could be to wrestle for WWE, commit to his acting career, and be involved with his family. He also doesn’t want to take a role that doesn’t do anything for himself.
Randy Orton On When He Plans To Retire
Despite wanting to focus on his wrestling career, Orton has acknowledged that he may have a few years left as a competitor. In the interview, he spoke about dealing with injuries at 35 and how the company leadership under Vince McMahon could be grueling to a talent’s body. However, Orton notes that times have changed with the new regime, and he is allowed to take time off to heal.
“…It’s a great atmosphere to okay how can we make this guy last and the beauty of it is, I’m not even there yet. I feel so great after my surgery. I’m a full-time guy,” said Orton.
The former WWE Champion also shared that he doesn’t want a schedule like The Undertaker, where he may wrestle for significant events like WrestleMania. While he feels in great shape, the 44-year-old believes he may end his career in six years.
“…I want to be on the road every week. I want to make all the TVs. I want to be on all the PLEs (Premium Live Events), and at 44, just turned 44, I would love to be able to go into my 50s. Maybe I wrestle until I’m 50 and call it, and that’s 30 years with the same company,” said Orton.
While there may be questions about whether Orton’s body can maintain wrestling for another six years, he is currently in the best shape of his career. The changes in WWE have also made it possible for him to improve his health. For now, fans can enjoy Randy Orton on Smackdown as he hopes to show that he is just reaching his peak.
