SEScoops

Category: WWE

  • CM Punk Got Stuck At WWE HQ After Getting Locked Inside A Bathroom During Backlash (Videos)

    CM Punk Got Stuck At WWE HQ After Getting Locked Inside A Bathroom During Backlash (Videos)

    WWE Backlash: France Premium Live Event on Saturday was a successful event and it sent the fans back home happy. However, the same can’t be said about CM Punk, who had a bizarre experience at the WWE Headquarters. The former WWE Champion was a panel member for the WWE Backlash Pre-show. Taking to Instagram, Punk dropped a string of amusing stories and revealed the adventures he had at WWE HQ.

    CM Punk had an interesting weekend at WWE’s main office in Stamford, CT

    ‘The Second City Savior’ was seen recording the clip inside the WWE gym. Following the pre-show, Punk went to the bathroom to change his suit. However, he got locked in. He revealed that when he came out, everybody was gone. The 45-year-old wrestler further revealed that he got locked in for a long time and had to miss his flight back home. 

    He posted another story in which Punk showed a door reading: ‘Executive Wellness’ and stated, “that’s sounds really fancy.”

    Leaving the gym, CM Punk said that he had to do “some Phantom of the Opera type s**t” and be “Dante from Clerks” before heading to the hall. He could be seen slapping the crotch of WWE legend Andre The Giant and this marked the end of the Instagram stories. 

    On Sunday, Punk provided another update. He’s still stuck at WWE headquarters and is thinking about sticking around for Monday’s WWE Raw from East Hartford, CT.

    A similar incident also occurred recently when The Miz was stuck in a dressing room.

    Punk is currently sidelined after sustaining a torn tricep injury during the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match. After undergoing surgery, Punk is showing impressive recovery. He also dropped the cast after six weeks since going under the knife.The Chicago legend couldn’t compete at WrestleMania 40 but lent his voice to the World Heavyweight Championship match between Drew McIntyre and Seth Rollins. He played a pivotal role in Damian Priest’s cashing in and costing Drew McIntyre the world title. 

    ‘The Scottish Warrior’ and ‘The Second City Savior’ have had verbal exchanges which have been boiling their feud. While Punk gets ready for an in-ring return, McIntyre has continued to take personal shots at his rival on social media.

  • WWE European Tour Round-Up: Blockbuster Events Held in Italy, Austria & France

    WWE European Tour Round-Up: Blockbuster Events Held in Italy, Austria & France

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  • WWE Brought Back Former NXT Superstar For Role At 3/5 SmackDown & Backlash France

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  • Jade Cargill Shares Tribute to Late Mom After WWE Women’s Tag Title Win at Backlash

    Jade Cargill Shares Tribute to Late Mom After WWE Women’s Tag Title Win at Backlash

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  • Current Names Reportedly Planned For Bo Dallas Faction

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  • Shawn Michaels Enters The Kendrick Lamar & Drake Feud Via Diss Track

    Shawn Michaels Enters The Kendrick Lamar & Drake Feud Via Diss Track

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  • Minnesota Gets Reason From WWE Why City Lost WrestleMania 41 Bid

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  • Xavier Woods Shows Support For Kofi Kingston Ahead Of King Of The Ring

    Xavier Woods Shows Support For Kofi Kingston Ahead Of King Of The Ring

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  • WWE Raw Preview: 8 King and Queen of the Ring First-Round Matches

    We’ll take the first steps towards crowning a new King and Queen of the Ring tonight on the May 5 edition of WWE RAW.

    WWE King and Queen of the Ring will take place this May and see the Superstars return to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The show had originally been set for 2023 before being changed to WWE Night of Champions. The change was linked to Roman Reigns reaching 1,000 days as WWE Universal Champion and saw the introduction of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Tonight, we will see EIGHT first-round matches for the men’s and women’s tournaments.

    WWE RAW fans are in for a PPV-caliber lineup

    Men’s Matches on Raw

    Four men’s division matches will take place on Raw with royal stakes on the line:

    • New WWE Speed Champion Ricochet will face the recently-called up Ilja Dragunov. 
    • In a rematch from WWE Clash At The Castle 2022, Sheamus (2010’s King of the Ring) will face his long-time rival Ricochet in what will no-doubt be a ‘banger.’
    • The overseas action will continue as Drew McIntyre hopes to take a step closer to the crown when he faces 2021 King of the Ring runner-up Finn Balor. 
    • Kofi Kingston will hope to follow Xavier Woods as the next King of the Ring, but to do so, he’ll need to defeat fellow former WWE World Champion Rey Mysterio. 

    Women’s Matches on Raw

    • After last week’s call-up, Lyra Valkyria hopes to advance in the Queen of the Ring tournament, but that’ll be easier said than done when she faces the ‘Empress’ Asuka. 
    • Shayna Baszler calls herself the Queen of Spades but to become WWE’s official Queen, she’ll need to advance with a win over 2021 Queen Zelina Vega. 
    • Zoey Stark will face Ivy Nile in a Queen of the Ring battle in what will be arguably the most physical match of the Women’s tournament’s first round. 
    • IYO SKY looks to bounce back from her loss at WrestleMania when she faces the self-professed Queen of Harts Natalya in her first round match. 

    Reaching the throne has proven to be a launching point for careers in WWE with Bret Hart, ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, Triple H, Kurt Angle, and Edge all being crowned over the years. Keep checking in with SE Scoops for full coverage of the King & Queen of the Ring tournaments. 

  • Jessika Carr Makes History As WWE’s First Female To Referee A World Title Main Event

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  • WrestleMania 41 Location: WrestleMania Vegas Set For April 19 & 20, 2025 at Allegiant Stadium

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  • Seth Rollins Resurfaces With a New Look At The Kentucky Derby Red Carpet

    Seth Rollins Resurfaces With a New Look At The Kentucky Derby Red Carpet

    WWE Superstars Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins walked the red carpet at Saturday’s 150th Kentucky Derby. The race was won by Mystik Dan in a 3-way photo finish.

    Seth Rollins has been out of the public eye since WrestleMania 40, where he lost the World Heavyweight Championship to Drew McIntyre. He played a pivotal role in the Bloodline Rules main event between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes, ultimately sacrificing himself to help Cody conquer the Tribal Chief. Since then, Rollins underwent knee surgery and signed a new multi-year WWE contract. 

    On Saturday, Rollins showed up looking dapper as usual and was sporting a different look than we last saw him. It’s hard to see everything going on under that hat, but he’s sporting a very different haircut and has trimmed his beard down to short stubble. Below, you can see photos, along with clips of them talking about the inspiration behind their outfits, the Kentucky Derby and a big announcement – WrestleMania 41 is headed to Las Vegas in 2025.

    Becky Lynch, whose contract is also up for renewal, has not yet signed a new deal. She is also taking a hiatus from the company after Mania. In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani before WrestleMania XL, Lynch expressed concern over her contract situation. She’s the new Women’s World Champion after Rhea Ripley had to vacate it due to injury.

  • Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair Win WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles At Backlash

    Jade Cargill & Bianca Belair Win WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles At Backlash

    History was made at Saturday’s WWE Backlash premium live event from a sold-out LDLC Arena in Lyon, France. Not only was it the largest gate for an arena event in company history, but we also saw new Women’s Tag Team Champions crowned. Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair captured the titles by defeating Asuka and Kairi Sane and ending their 99-day reign.

    Ceremonial Triple H Photo

    Backstage after their win, Cargill and Belair took a photo with Triple H. He congratulated them and hyped them as quite possibly the ‘biggEST storm’ to hit the women’s tag team division since it launched. 

    This marks Bianca Belair’s first time holding tag team in WWE and represents a new challenge for the 3-time Women’s Champion and (2021) Royal Rumble winner. It’s the first WWE championship for Jade Cargill, who previously had a long run with the AEW TBS Champion. Cargill has already made noticeable progress in the ring since joining WWE and will learn a great deal by teaming with a world-class worker like Belair.

    After The Event

    Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair kicked off the WWE Backlash press conference. When asked about being role models, Cargill expressed that it means a great deal to her, especially as an example for her daughter. Belair highlighted the significance of representation for women and praised the NXT Women’s Division.

    The pair were also asked about their experience winning in France. They both shared their happiness, with Cargill describing the victory as electrifying and unexpected, noting that their formation as a tag team was a surprise to many. They expressed ambitions to dominate the Women’s Division and discussed potential opponents from both the main roster and NXT.

    When questioned about her switch from AEW to WWE, Cargill mentioned that the support from everyone has been overwhelming. She described the transition as unprecedented and expressed gratitude for the opportunities she has received in WWE.

  • Tanga Loa Debuts At WWE Backlash As New Bloodline Member

    Tanga Loa Debuts At WWE Backlash As New Bloodline Member

    Tanga Loa debuted as the newest member of Roman Reigns’ stable during WWE’s Backlash event in France. The Guerrillas of Destiny are now a part of the Bloodline.

    Kevin Owens and Randy Orton took on Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga in the opening match of Backlash. They started the tag team match with chaos, which led SmackDown GM Nick Aldis to declare the contest a No DQ match. During the closing moments, Tanga Loa showed up to make his mark.

    Loa’s unexpected debut helped the Bloodline secure a victory. Paul Heyman stood alongside the celebrating stable, but he didn’t have the most confident look on his face.

    His appearance was a surprise since there were no prior reports of him signing a deal with WWE. Jacob Fatu has also signed a new deal, and it remains to be seen how he will be integrated into the storyline.

    Who is Tanga Loa

    Real name Tevita Tu’amoeloa Fetaiakimoeata Fifita, Tanga Loa comes from a prominent wrestling family. He is the son of Haku and the brother of Tama Tonga and Hikuleo.

    Guerrillas of dDestiny

    Before his WWE debut, Tanga achieved significant success in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He won the IWGP Tag Team Championship seven times alongside Tama Tonga. So, the two have already done a ton prior to Loa’s Backlash debut.

    Additionally, Loa captured the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship three times; twice with Bad Luck Fale and Tama Tonga, and once with Taiji Ishimori and Tama Tonga.

    The Bloodline’s new incarnation added a seasoned tag team to the mix with Tanga and Tama. Jimmy Uso was ejected from the stable following WrestleMania XL, and it was later revealed that he suffered an injury that required surgery and a long wait until his return to the ring.

    Roman Reigns still has a huge hand in the Bloodline’s creative direction, even though his absence. He is still setting the stage for the head of the table’s return, whenever that comes around. 

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ad0wmhhHNLk

  • Cody Rhodes Notes Of A Historic Moment Taking Place At WWE Backlash

    Cody Rhodes Notes Of A Historic Moment Taking Place At WWE Backlash

    Cody Rhodes isn’t just excited for himself as he defends his WWE Undisputed Title at WWE Backlash, but another person standing in the ring.

    Rhodes will be taking on AJ Styles in the main event of the PLE taking place in France on Saturday. It will be Cody’s first world title defense on PLE, but ‘The American Nightmare’ noted someone else has a reason to celebrate too: WWE referee Jessika Carr.

    “Wanted to mention this after the contract signing, (and forgive me if I’m wrong but I don’t think I am…) It’ll also be the VERY FIRST PLE Main Event for The Undisputed WWE Title officiated by a woman [Jessika Carr].”

    Two Georgia Boys: Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles At WWE Backlash

    The Rhodes vs. Styles rivarly is a surprisingly fresh one as Cody and AJ have never faced one another, but now the two Georgia boys do it on the big stage. Styles earned his shot at the gold when he defeated LA Knight in a number one contendership match.

    The two exchanged words of respect for one another during their contract signing but matters got tense when Styles went for a “from behind” attack on Rhodes after Cody defeated Carmelo Hayes.

    The go-home episode of SmackDown that tension was even amped up further when Styles slapped Rhodes after the two talked their history outside of the WWE.

    Rhodes and Styles happened to both share time as members of The Bullet Club, so although the two never competed in the ring, their paths are indeed quite similar.  

  • Austin Theory Wants To Face The Rock At WrestleMania 41, Calls Cody Rhodes ‘Goof’

    Austin Theory is already chalking out massive plans for WrestleMania 41. He has not only put The Rock on notice for ‘The Show of Shows’ but also wants to dethrone the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.

    Last year, during the September 15 edition of SmackDown, The Rock made his surprise one-off return and things didn’t turn out too well for Theory.

    Theory told Lucas Charpiot of Ten Count Media that he believes The Rock interrupted him to be important and famous again. He said that he got better of The Rock but the wrestling legend attacked him as he felt “insecure.” 

    “Dwayne showed up, but not to save Pat McAfee. Dwayne showed up because he wanted to be famous again, he wanted to be important in WWE. So who did he interrupt? Austin Theory. Then what happened? I put him in his place. Then I did something that nobody has ever done. I stole his catchphrase, and I hit him with it, and I hit him with it before he could hit me with it. So then what? He got insecure, he started freaking out. He started doing the weird Rock stuff. Then he hit me with an elbow. That’s what happened.”

    He eventually stated if ‘The Final Boss’ wants to fight him, he is all set to lock horns with him at WrestleMania 41. He said: 

    “So what now? ‘The Final Boss’ wants Austin Theory, and Austin Theory will fight ‘The Final Boss’ at WrestleMania 41. Is that what they want?”

    Theory takes a jab at Cody Rhodes

    He furthermore took a shot at Cody Rhodes and labeled him “goof.” One half of the WWE Tag Team Champions said that he wants to dethrone ‘The American Nightmare.’ He said:

    “I just gotta take this title from this goof [points to picture of Cody Rhodes]? Is that it? I just gotta make a story up? That’s it? Alright, then that’s what I’ll do.”

    On this week’s SmackDown, Austin Theory and Grayson Waller successfully defended their tag team titles against The Street Profits in their first televised title defense. 

    WWE is set to make a major announcement regarding next year’s WrestleMania and many believe the location of the event will be revealed. 

  • Report: Olympic Gold Medalist Gable Steveson Released From WWE

    WWE has parted ways with Olympian Gable Steveson, three years after the Gold Medalist signed with the promotion. 

    Steveson, who captured gold at the 2021 Tokyo Summer Games, signed with WWE that same year and was drafted to Raw near the end of the year. His release was first reported by F4WOnline and is said to be part of the recent cuts to the WWE NXT roster.

    Steveson’s career in WWE had a shaky start after initial reports stated that he had not shown the level of improvement at the Performance Center that higher-ups hoped to see. His debut match came at NXT Great American Bash 2023 and saw the Olympian have a count-out draw with Baron Corbin. Following this, he completed at WWE NXT live events as well as in dark matches before SmackDown.

    With Steveson’s WWE career over, questions remain as to his future in the Olympics. Steveson recently qualified for Team USA but it was reported that he wouldn’t be competing due to his WWE commitments. It remains to be seen if Steveson will pursue the upcoming games in Paris, France now he has been released.

    SE Scoops will provide more information on Steveson’s release as it becomes available.

  • Record-Setting WWE Crowd Triggers iOS ‘Hearing Loss’ Warning

    Record-Setting WWE Crowd Triggers iOS ‘Hearing Loss’ Warning

    The WWE Universe in Lyon, France certainly delivered at the May 3, episode of SmackDown as the event received a warning due to the noise being made. 

    The first SmackDown taping in the history of France saw several top Superstars appear including Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, Jade Cargill, and Tag Team Champions A-Town Down Under. There was also a tease for the return of Bo Dallas in the most direct reference to the former NXT Champion to date. 

    The crowd was electric throughout the night, so much so that there was a concern over hearing loss. On Twitter, WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque shared a warning he received due to the “absolutely insane” atmosphere inside the LDLC Arena. The translated warning reads: 

    Noisy environment

    The sound level has reached 100 dB.

    Exposure of just a few minutes at this level can cause temporary hearing loss.

    WWE fans in France were so loud that it set of the “Loud Environment” safety warning on some mobile devices

    Historic SmackDown

    The trend of shattering company records is showing no signs of slowing down. Friday’s WWE SmackDown from Greater Lyon, France was the highest-grossing episode in the show’s 25-year history. The prior record was set just last month for the SmackDown that was held the night before WrestleMania 40. When you’re packing arenas around the world like WWE is these days, you can expect it to get pretty loud inside.

    Here’s the warning message that went out to some iOS devices during the show, letting fans know that the noise level exceeded 100 decibels. 

    Jey Uso gets some of the loudest reactions from WWE fans during his ring entrance. This video from the dark match that took place after the SmackDown tapings concluded show what the atmosphere was like inside the LDLC Arena.

    This response certainly bodes well for Saturday’s WWE Backlash: France Premium Live Event. WWE’s audiences in Europe are often known for being especially loud as fans saw at WWE Clash At the Castle 2022 in Cardiff and WWE Money In The Bank 2023 in London. WWE’s next PLE across the pond will be WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland this June with WWE Bash In Berlin scheduled for August. 

  • Bo Dallas Directly Referenced With QR Code Mystery On 5/3 WWE SmackDown

    Bo Dallas Directly Referenced With QR Code Mystery On 5/3 WWE SmackDown

    WWE’s QR code mystery continued during the May 3, episode of SmackDown and featured a direct reference to the man behind Uncle Howdy. 

    The code appeared during the entrance for the LWO ahead of Angel’s match with LA Knight. Scanning the code brings fans to what seems to be an error page on WWE.com, as well as a video. The video, at first, appears to be nothing but a promotional video for the SmackDown before WWE Backlash: France before things take a macabre turn. 

    The video contains the message ‘He opened his arms. Our pain became his. We were reborn. Because we believed.’ The final word then glitches and reads ‘BOlieved.’ Fans familiar with the early career of Bo Dallas will remember the former NXT Champion’s ‘BOlieve’ gimmick as an obnoxious motivational guru. 

    Dallas returned to WWE as Uncle Howdy in 2022, though has yet to be revealed as the man behind the mask on TV. It is believed (or rather, bolieved) that these QR codes are leading to the return of Uncle Howdy, potentially with a stable. Dallas/Howdy was pulled from programming after his brother Bray Wyatt was pulled due to health issues that ultimately claimed Wyatt’s life in August 2023. 

    The video also features what appears to be a woman standing alone in a room. Some fans have speculated that this is Alexa Bliss, who has ties to Bray Wyatt dating back to 2020. Bliss has been missing from WWE TV since January 2023 and gave birth to her daughter Hendrix last November. Bliss’ most recent TV appearance saw her be confronted by Uncle Howdy (albeit via Titantron) at the 2023 Royal Rumble PLE. 

    With the rehiring of Erick Rowan, it certainly appears that WWE is building quite the collection of talent associated with Bray Wyatt. For now, though, fans will just have to keep deciphering clues as these QR code videos continue to have fans hooked. 

    More On WWE’s QR Code Mystery

    Here are some recent articles regarding WWE’s QR code mystery as fans await the likely return of Uncle Howdy and others:

  • WWE Releases Drew Gulak & Several More NXT Superstars

    WWE released another ten wrestlers on Friday, most of them from the NXT developmental brand and the Performance Center. The list includes the following names, according to Sean Ross Sapp:

    • Darrell Mason
    • Vlad Pavlenko
    • Ezekiel Balogun
    • Kiyah Saint
    • Emma Diaz
    • Valentina Feroz
    • Keyshawn Leflore
    • Trey Bearhill
    • Julian Baldi 

    Drew Gulak was also let go just weeks after being called out by Ronda Rousey for touching the string of her sweatsuit. He hadn’t appeared on WWE television since and his absence was explained in a creative angle.

    WWE Chief Operations Officer Brad Blum tendered his resignation earlier this week and Cameron Grimes, Xia Li, Xyon Quin, Jinder Mahal, Sanaga, Veer Mahaan, and Von Wagner were all recently let go, as well. 

    We’re sending our best to everyone who lost their jobs with WWE.

  • Full Spoilers For WWE SmackDown 5/3 Episode From Lyon France

    Full Spoilers For WWE SmackDown 5/3 Episode From Lyon France

    Friday’s SmackDown took place at the LDLC Arena in Lyon, France. This episode serves as the final show before tomorrow’s Backlash premium live event, also in Lyon. Since it was pre-taped, we have the spoilers here.

    WWE has one more show until Backlash is upon us. The Saturday premium live event will take place on May 4 at 1:00 PM EST. Fans in the United States will get to see that show live.

    The company already advertised many segments and matches for this week’s SmackDown.

    • A-Town Down Under (Grayson Waller & Austin Theory) versus The Street Profits – WWE Tag Team Championship Match
    • New Catch Republic (Axiom & Nathan Frazer) against Authors of Pain
    • Cody Rhodes and A.J. Styles face off ahead of their Undisputed WWE Championship match at Backlash
    • Debut of the RKO Show, hosted by Randy Orton & Kevin Owens

    WWE fans in the UK had a rare treat, as SmackDown aired live for them at 6:00 PM local time. Since fans in the United States must wait to see the show on FOX, you can find the spoilers for this week’s show below.

    WWE SmackDown Spoilers For 5/3 Episode:

    • Dark match result: Rey Mysterio defeated Carlito
    • Cody Rhodes, AJ Styles, Randy Orton, and Kevin Owens shown arriving at SmackDown.
    • Bayley, Naomi, Bianca Belair, and Jade Cargill defeated Tiffany Stratton & Damage CTRL (Asuka, Kairi Sane & Dakota Kai); tensions noted among winners.
    • Backstage promo by Grayson Waller & Austin Theory.
    • Kayla Braxton interviewed Belair & Cargill about their upcoming title match against Asuka & Sane at Backlash; Bayley and Naomi interrupted, causing tension.
    • Carmelo Hayes expressed his interest in joining the King of the Ring tournament; interaction with Bobby Lashley who offered advice and a warning.
    • AOP defeated Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate.
    • Paul Heyman met with SmackDown GM Nick Aldis; and his request to cancel Owens & Orton vs. Sikoa & Tonga at Backlash was denied.
    • Heyman hinted at controlling Roman Reigns’ draft status; and then a confrontation on The RKO Show led to a brawl involving Sikoa & Tonga.
    • The Street Profits gave a backstage promo.
    • LA Knight defeated Angel and declared for King of the Ring; Santos Escobar also declared.
    • Dragon Lee attacked Carlito during a backstage interview.
    • WWE Tag Team Champions Grayson Waller & Austin Theory retained their titles against The Street Profits.
    • Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles had a confrontational face-to-face before Backlash; Styles slapped Rhodes.
    • Post-show brawl between Sikoa & Tonga and Owens & Orton, with security trying to intervene.

  • Randy Orton Shares Heartwarming Moment With WWE Fan At Vienna Event

    Multi-time World Champion Randy Orton created a special memory for a fan who can cherish it for the rest of his life.

    ‘The Viper’ recently competed at a WWE Live Event in Vienna, Austria. This marked WWE’s return to the country for the first time since 2019. Following his match, one of the fans dropped his phone while recording. It was Orton himself who picked up the phone and started to record himself with the fans, who continued to cheer. The whole incident was recorded and it emerged on social media afterward.

    During the show, Randy Orton teamed up with LA Knight to take on The Bloodline members, Tama Tonga and Solo Sikoa. The Bloodline has been a thorn in the sides of both Orton and Knight. However, things didn’t go well in favor of the babyface team as they suffered a defeat. This marked Orton’s first defeat at a live event in over two years. After the match, Sikoa and Tonga laid out Knight with a brutal assault. However, ‘The Apex Predator’ made the save by hitting the RKO on Tonga while ‘The Megastar’ hit Sikoa with BFT.

    Randy Orton set for Backlash

    ‘The Viper’ will once again compete in a tag-team match at this Saturday’s Backlash Premium Live Event that will take place in France. However, Kevin Owens will be his tag team partner at the show. Orton and Owens have recently formed an ally. Though they competed in a triple threat match for Logan Paul’s US title at WrestleMania 40, the duo has been on great terms.

    A few weeks back, KO was on the end of a bloody ambush from Tama Tonga and ‘The Prizefighter’ is now seeking revenge. He will have Orton by his side to even the odds. Kevin Owens and Randy Orton have dealt with The Bloodline in the past and they will once again team up to settle the matter. 

    Catch WWE Backlash 2024 from LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, Lyon Metropolis, France at 1 p.m. ET. The countdown show will air live prior at noon ET. 

  • Ricochet Celebrates WWE Speed Title Win After Becoming First-Ever Champion

    Ricochet Celebrates WWE Speed Title Win After Becoming First-Ever Champion

    Monday Night Raw’s Ricochet will go down in the WWE history books as the first-ever WWE Speed Champion following his win in the tournament finals. 

    The One & Only defeated Johnny Gargano in the tournament finals in a match that was given a five-minute time limit, far longer than the standard three-minute limit for WWE Speed matches. Ricochet defeated Dragon Lee in the first round of the eight-man tournament and JD McDonagh in the semi-finals to make it to his showdown with Gargano. 

    On Twitter, WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque congratulated Ricochet and praised the new champion as somebody who defines the term ‘Speed.’

    Backstage, Ricochet spoke about how it’s been some time since he’s held a championship. The One & Only added that he is set to be the front-runner of WWE Speed and is ready to take on all challengers in matches of any length. 

    This is the latest accolade for Ricochet who is no stranger to holding championship gold. The 35-year-old Superstar is a former United States, Intercontinental, and North American Champion, the only Superstar in history to hold all three mid-card titles. 

    More on WWE Speed

    WWE Speed is the promotion’s new social media project and will be broadcast exclusively on Twitter/X. The show features Corey Graves as the sole commentator, another first in the promotion’s history as WWE has always favored two or three-man teams. Early tapings included Kevin Patrick before his release in January 2024. 

    So far, the only matches aired have been tournament matches and all have featured male Superstars. That’ll change soon enough though as Triple H recently confirmed that WWE Speed will also include women’s division matches. At this time, it’s not been confirmed when the next tapings of WWE Speed matches will take place. 

  • WWE Discussed The Rock Ending Roman Reigns’ Championship Run & Give Up The Title

    WWE Discussed The Rock Ending Roman Reigns’ Championship Run & Give Up The Title

    There were once discussions for The Rock to end the historic championship reign of Roman Reigns, only for the Final Boss to give up the gold. 

    Reigns’ 1,316-day run as champion was actually ended by Cody Rhodes at WWE WrestleMania 40: Sunday. The emotional main event saw Rhodes finally ‘finish the story’ two years after making an emphatic return to WWE as part of WrestleMania 38. 

    WWE had plans at one point for Rock, not Rhodes, to end the title reign of the Tribal Chief at WrestleMania 40, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports. This idea was hardly kept a secret, with The Rock teasing challenging the Head of the Table during his return on the Day 1 WWE Raw. On the post-Royal Rumble SmackDown, The Rock came face-to-face with his cousin and teased the match. 

    Had it not been for the immense ‘We Want Cody’ movement, the Rock-Reigns match would have gone ahead. The Observer adds that the plan was for The Rock to win the title, only to surrender the gold in order to return to Hollywood. With a new WWE Champion, The Rock would have introduced his own People’s Championship that he’d use for public appearances. Instead, the title was presented to the Final Boss at this year’s WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. 

    Ending Reigns’ historic run only for the title to be vacated would likely not have gone down well with fans. Instead, the WWE Universe witnessed Cody Rhodes finish his story and defeat Reigns at WrestleMania 40. Reigns hasn’t been seen since WrestleMania while Rock has vowed to return and come for the new Undisputed WWE Champion. 

  • Watch The WWE Backlash 2024 Kickoff Show Here

    Watch The WWE Backlash 2024 Kickoff Show Here

    A WWE Backlash France Kickoff event was held on Friday just 24 hours before this weekend’s WWE Backlash France premium live event from Lyon-Décines, France.

    Thousands of wrestling fans gathered to see Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, AJ Styles and more wrestlers WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque to promote the company’s first-ever PLE from France.

    WWE Backlash 2024 Card

    The following matches are set for Saturday’s PLE:

    • Cody Rhodes (c) vs. AJ Styles
    • Damian Priest (c) vs. Jey Uso
    • Bayley (c) vs. Tiffany Stratton & Naomi
    • Randy Orton & Kevin Owens vs. The Bloodline
    • Kabuki Warriors (c) vs. Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill
    WWE Backlash 2024 Card