Pentagon Jr. and Rey Fénix, the Lucha Bros, have signed multi-year WWE contracts, as first reported by Cory Hays. They’re expected to join the main roster soon.
Penta and Fénix are AEW originals, having been with the company since its inception in 2019. Over the years, they participated in some of the greatest matches in AEW history, both as a tag team and in singles competition. Together, they held the AEW World Tag Team Championships, the AEW World Trios Championships (alongside PAC as Death Triangle), and Fénix held the AEW International Championship.
Recent reports suggested that Pentagon and Fenix’s AEW contracts were nearing expiration. The wrestlers subsequently filed applications to trademark their ring names, a sign they were exploring opportunities beyond AEW.
This latest departure from All Elite Wrestling will undoubtedly shake up the tag division and creates a slew of fresh match-ups. The jump is a significant shift in their careers, as WWE’s global reach will bring their talents to the industry’s largest platform.
Stay tuned to SEScoops for further updates on the Lucha Bros’ transition to WWE, as well as information on other AEW contracts set to expire by the end of the year.
The Lucha Bros’ Best AEW Matches
Rey Fénix and Penta El Zero Miedo delivered numerous memorable matches during their time in AEW, showcasing their exceptional in-ring skills. Here are four of our favorites:
The Young Bucks vs. The Lucha Brothers (Double or Nothing 2019)
The Young Bucks vs. The Lucha Brothers (All Out 2021)
The Lucha Brothers vs. FTR (Full Gear 2021)
Death Triangle vs. The Elite (Escalera De La Muerte, January 11, 2023)
Last week, SmackDown returned to the USA Network after five years on FOX with a star-studded show featuring top names of today as well as Hall of Famers. With Raw set to depart USA for Netflix in a matter of months and NXT’s imminent move to The CW, SmackDown will soon be the only WWE show on the network and could see a major change.
SmackDown will become a three-hour show when Raw moves to Netflix in January 2025, with the first three-hour show coming on January 3, Wrestle Votes reports. This will ensure that the USA Network has a three-hour weekly wrestling show, a role Monday Night Raw has filled since the brand’s 1,000th episode in July 2012.
This news comes one week after Dave Meltzer reported that WWE would have “an easier path to move Smackdown to three hours if they wanted to” now that the brand was back on the USA Network. Last week’s show saw its own share of changes, including a new logo and theme song provided by Megan Thee Stallion and RM of BTS.
In January 2025, WWE Raw will move to Netflix in a blockbuster ten-year deal estimated to be worth $5 billion. Within a matter of months, WWE Superstars will be regulars on Netflix, but one Superstar is already making waves on the streaming giant.
On Instagram, Alexa Bliss revealed that she voiced Maki Ueda for the English dub of The Queen of Villians. Bliss was appreciative to Timmy Red, the director of the English voice cast and fans will even get to hear Bliss’ singing voice in the new Netflix series.
The Queen of Villains tells the story of professional female wrestler Dump Matsumoto, who achieved fame in the 1980s. After failing to make it as a babyface, Matsumoto transformed her wrestling persona into a vile heel that riled up Japan for years during her heyday.
Bliss voices Maki Ueda, a trailblazer in Joshi wrestling who is known for her tag team with Jackie Sato as Beauty Pair. Ueda was the first woman in All Japan Wrestling to hold the WWWA World Singles Championship, the WWWA Tag Team Championship, and the Hawaiian-Pacific/All-Pacific titles.
Latest On Alexa Bliss
Bliss has been absent from WWE since the 2023 Royal Rumble PLE where she failed to dethrone then-Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair. That same year, she and her husband Ryan Cabrera welcomed their daughter Hendrix into the world. In July, Bliss was seen training for an in-ring return as fans continue to await the return of the goddess.
Ken Shamrock has yet to be a WWE Hall of Famer, but “The World’s Most Dangerous Man” is now WWE legend on paper. An Chris Van Vliet interview with Shamrock just released this week and the former WWE Intercontinental Champion was asked if he was currently under a legends deal with the company and he confirmed that he was. Before that, he mentioned how he always remained in a relationship with the company.
“I’ve had a relationship with them forever, even since when I went away. We did a Legend’s contract and so I’ve always been apart of them. It’s one of those things where I think I spent enough time there and did enough there where I feel like I’m apart of that family forever.”
During his WWE tenure, Shamrock was an intrical part in the notorious “double turn” between Steve Austin and Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13. He’d later be the first big feud of The Rock’s WWE career as a babyface Shamrock battled with the Nation of Domination.
Why Isn’t Ken Shamrock In The WWE Hall Of Fame?
Shamrock doesn’t dwell on not being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, though he would appreciate the recognition. He’s grateful for the career he’s had, and feels his body of work speaks for itself.
“Yeah! you know that’s a great question and I get asked that a lot, which I guess is a good thing, right?
“When people ask that, it’s not really something I think about a lot.”
Watch Ken Shamrock’s full discussion with Chris Van Vliet:
Here are some more highlights of what Shamrock said about:
His Infamous Chair Shot from The Rock: He famously asked The Rock to hit him square in the forehead with a chair during their iconic match, as he believed the forehead was the safest place to take the blow. This has become a notable moment in his career.
The People’s Elbow: Shamrock recalls being the first to take The Rock’s People’s Elbow, joking that The Rock took too long to execute the move when he was still refining it.
Vader Incident: Shamrock unintentionally broke Vader’s nose during a match but received praise from both Vader and Bret Hart for his performance.
The Montreal Screwjob: He expressed discomfort over the controversy due to his close relationship with Bret Hart, who had mentored him in wrestling.
Working with Chyna: Shamrock declined to participate in matches with Chyna, citing his personal belief in not hitting women, which he felt would confuse his children.
Brawl For All: Shamrock turned down the opportunity to compete in WWE’s Brawl For All, not wanting to jeopardize the trust he had built in the locker room by fighting his colleagues for real.
Paul Heyman has created a lot of memorable moments for pro wrestling fans, but he has yet to live out his favorite one yet. However, that’s with good reason.
Whether he was in ECW’s land of the extreme or embedded in the ever-changing universe of WWE, Heyman has left his indelible mark on the squared circle. The 2024 WWE Hall Of Famer loosened his tie a bit to have a Fanatics Fanfest interview with Jazzy. He had a little fun heckling the young interviewer but ultimately gave her some insightful advice. When she asked Heyman if he’s had a favorite moment yet in WWE, Paul E. opened up about how he stays motivated.
“I haven’t lived it yet. Every moment I’ve been in WWE has been my favorite which means the next moment I have, that will become my favorite. If you don’t strive for that next moment to be your favorite then you’re lowering your own expectations and your own ambition and I won’t do that. I always strive for tomorrow to better than today and for the day after tomorrow to be better than tomorrow.”
What likely wasn’t a favorite moment of Heyman’s was when the new Bloodline attacked him and ultimately powerbombed him through the commentator’s table. Heyman hasn’t been seen on television since, but still remains an active mind backstage during tapings. Rob Van Dam noted that Heyman was actually behind-the-scenes at the SmackDown premiere on USA Network. However, it is a possibility we could see Paul get back in the on-air mix as Roman Reigns begins his feud with Solo Sikoa.
The Rock has opened up about the passing of his father.
The Great One has always been honest about the difficult relationship he had with his dad. The late great Rocky Johnson had to go through many hardships in his life from a very young age. It was reflected in the life of The Great One in the form of tough love from his father.
When asked about his father’s passing in 2020 and if he was prepared for it, The Rock explained that he wasn’t. He opened up about how they had an argument only weeks before, and the former WWE Champion got emotional discussing how he never even got the chance to say goodbye to his dad:
“No, I wasn’t prepared for it because my dad died suddenly—just like that. An embolism travelled up and ended his life. It happened suddenly; I didn’t get a chance to say goodbye. And here’s the thing, and brother this is just…it’s life.
A month before he died, we got into the biggest fight we have ever gotten into. We never had a chance to reconcile that. It was brutal, it was during Christmas time as well. So Christmas was just tainted. I felt like shit, he felt like shit, my mom was involved and admittedly I was angry. Three weeks went by, we didn’t reconcile. He died, and that was it.
You asked me if I was prepared. No one’s ever prepared for that—even if, God forbid, you have a loved one who is transitioning out. You can prepare as best you can for their transition, or in my case, they say goodbye just like that, without saying goodbye. So, I never had a chance to say goodbye and never had the chance to right that thing that I wish I did. So that was tough one.”
The Rock also discussed what the untimely passing of his father taught him. He mentioned how we are always told that anything can happen anytime but you don’t realize the true meaning of it until you experience it firsthand:
“The lesson, though I realized is – we hear this all the time: You never know what’s around the corner. Hug your loved ones, hug your little ones. I do a lot of work with Make-A-Wish, and every time I do, it’s so important. When you leave those meetings with Make-A-Wish, you see these kids who are so strong, you see the parents who are being so strong too. You go home and hug your kids tighter—that’s just what you do.
We hear it all the time: Hug your kids, take care of [and] hug your loved ones. You never know what’s around the corner. But until you go through something like that, that’s when those words really hit home. And I realized that man, I wish I had a shot just to hug my dad one more time or say, maybe he’s listening now, hug and say ‘It’s all right; we’re good.’ I never had a chance to do that.”
Rocky Johnson had a lengthy wrestling career spanning almost three decades. He started wrestling in 1964 and won championships in many NWA territories as well as in WWF. He passed away on January 15, 2020, at the age of 75.
WWE is the leading name in professional wrestling and despite recent competition from the likes of AEW, has remained in this top spot for decades. While WWE’s influence can be felt across the wrestling landscape, basketball legend Derek Fisher feels the promotion’s impact is being felt in the wider world of sports.
Speaking to Bryan Scott’s Fast Break podcast about how the NBA and basketball has changed, Fisher said that the sports has become far more about putting on an entertaining show than focusing on the game. The five-time NBA Champion compared this change to the WWF’s transformation into WWE in 2002 and the fan-centric experience of the modern-day product.
“When I watch the NBA today, I sometimes compare it to [when] the WWE was WWF, World Wrestling Federation, and then it shifted to World Wrestling Entertainment… you listen to guys that have played before and coached before. It’s a different game, and it’s not a negative thing. It’s just built more for the entertainment value maybe than the competitive value.”
Fisher went on to say that this isn’t just a basketball matter, but that all sports have made efforts to become more fan-centric like WWE. The promotion’s new era has certainly favored the experience of attendees, with smaller stages allowing for more fans to attend weekly episodes of Monday Night Raw and SmackDown.
The NBA and WWE
Though two very different industries, many in the NBA have taken notice at the efforts of WWE and its roster. In April of this year, Charles Barkley gave props to The Rock and his work as the ‘Final Boss’ since returning to WWE. During this week’s WWE NXT, Tyrese Haliburton appeared with some of his Indiana Pacers allies in his latest appearance for WWE. While Haliburton focused mostly on NXT and its plans for the October 1, premiere on the CW, he couldn’t help but take aim at the Orlando Magic, eliciting boos from the crowd.
Since 2015, WWE has made a conscious effort to take women’s wrestling more seriously, with the ‘Women’s Revolution’ proving to be a hit with fans. Earlier this year, NXT brought in WWE’s first women’s mid-card title with Kelani Jordan’s North American Women’s Championship, and could this happen on the main roster?
Speaking to the Battleground Podcast, Women’s Tag Team Champion Bianca Belair added her voice to those calling for a women’s mid-card title on WWE’s main roster. Belair, who’s also a former Raw, SmackDown, and WWE Women’s Champion, believes such a title would be a net benefit for the women’s division.
“Our roster is so stacked… everybody’s trying to fight for a spot on the card. I feel like another title would really highlight the true talent of our division.”
There have been discussions within WWE about introducing women’s mid-card titles to the main roster, Fightful Select reported back in July of this year. While there are no current plans to introduce new titles, it is something that a number of talent have pushed for over several years.
During the interview, the former World Champion was asked about his relationship with Vince McMahon. Talking on the subject, he told a story about how the former WWE chairman helped him learn to respect the business. He mentioned that he was making $150K per year in his first contract with the company. When his career took off, the boss called him to renegotiate his deal:
“He wanted to renegotiate my contract about two to three years in. A couple of wrestlers at that time had their own agents, but I chose not to have an agent. He said, ‘Are you going to have an agent? Are you looking for an agent?’ I said ‘I’m not. I’d like to negotiate with you directly. And how we met was with a handshake—and I believe how we’re going to do this is with a handshake.’
Handshakes are very important to me, as I know everybody in this room. So, I always say my handshake is better than anything I ever sign—it’s right here.
So he said, ‘Great, I love that. I respect it. What are you thinking?’ I said, ‘Who’s the highest-paid if you don’t mind me asking. Between us, who’s the highest-paid on the roster?’ He said, ‘Stone Cold Steve Austin.’ I said, ‘Okay. If you don’t mind me asking, what’s his guarantee?’ He said, ‘A million dollars.’ I went, ‘Okay, I want two.’ Oh, I know the balls of that kid [laughs].”
After hearing the figure The Rock wanted, McMahon made an unexpected move. He asked the former World Champion to work with one of the company executives to learn the operating costs of the business:
“So he said, ‘Two million?’ I said, ‘Yes,’ ‘Guaranteed?’ I said ‘Yes’ And he said, ‘I’m just curious—where do you get that from? What are you figuring out in your mind?’ I said, ‘Well, I love Steve; I respect him. But if he’s getting a million dollars, where I see myself going is past a million dollars. I think it should be two.’
He went, ‘Okay, I understand that logic.’ He said, ‘Here’s what I want you to do: I’m going to put you in contact with one of our executives. I need you to take a couple of months, if it takes that long—because I was on the road, I need you to understand the business—I need you to understand this side of the business—from top to bottom, all the economics.
I want you to understand that—I want you to understand our cost, overhead. I want you to look at what’s allocated to the [boys]… I want you to take the time and put in the work that you say you’re committed to in the ring. Yes, I expect that from you. But now, I want you to learn the business. Once you learn this business, then you come back to me, and then we’ll talk about the renegotiation.”
The biggest surprise for the People’s Champion came after this, however, when he went back to Vince McMahon. According to The Rock, the former WWE owner offered him a contract worth a lot more than what he was asking:
“[I learned] what the overhead costs are, what the costs are for every venue we go into, what the cost of the venue is, what the state tax is, what the allocation for all the wrestlers is going to be—that percentage of what the gate is that particular night.
I didn’t take three months—I mean, maybe it was just two weeks. It was baptism by fire, and I learned to absorb as much as I could about the business. I went back to Vince, thanked him, gave him a big hug, and said, ‘I understand now. I’d like to match it at a million dollars—what Steve is getting. Thank you for taking me through it.’
We had a great conversation. He said, ‘How much do you think you’re going to make this year?’ I said, ‘Well, if my guarantee is a million, I’ve been averaging about 50% over my guarantee, so maybe 1.5 million.’ He went ‘ok, now that you’ve taken yourself through that, now you understand the business. You’re gonna make $15 million a year.”
In 2022, Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley began an on-screen relationship that would last until Dirty Dom’s betrayal of ‘Mami’ at WWE SummerSlam 2024. Away from WWE, Ripley recently tied the knot to her real-life partner Buddy Matthews who has had some choice words for the treacherous Mysterio.
During an Instagram Live stream, Matthews was asked about a potential showdown between himself and Dominik Mysterio. The former AEW Trios Champion was immensely confident, and suggested the only way Mysterio would have a chance was if Matthews was one of Dominik’s favorite foods.
“Dom and me would be one on half. Only way Dom would beat me is if I was a chicken tender and he was hungry.”
Matthews joined AEW the same year that Ripley and Dominik became an on-screen item, though this relationship wasn’t an issue for the real-life couple. In August of this year, Ripley said that there is “a level of respect” between herself and Matthews, and since he’s in the wrestling business, he knows that what airs on TV shouldn’t be taken as real.
Rikishi remains very active on social media and on Wednesday, the WWE Hall of Famer posted a message that has fans hoping the best for Jimmy Uso.
One of the legends of the Samoan dynasty posted on X asking people to keep Jimmy in their prayers and in turn asked God to give him strength during this time. Included in the post was a video of Jimmy and a voiceover reciting a prayer.
“Dear GOD pray for strength and health to continue #JimmyUso #WWE #Bloodline #Anoai #Fatu. Stay prayed for my boy #JonathanFatu.”
There currently is no further details on the status of Jimmy Uso as he was written off WWE television months ago when Solo Sikoa and the new Bloodline attacked him, effectively kicking him out of the group.
It would be unfair to assume that Rikishi’s post is storyline based, but Jimmy Uso’s past could cause pause for a lot of fans. Back in July of 2019, Uso was charged with a DUI before a jury found him not guilty. Two years to the month after that, Uso was arrested for a misdemeanor DUI after allegedly failing a sobriety test.
Back in a 2023 interview with Ariel Helwani, Jimmy mentioned how he faced the noise with that arrest and continued to remain professional in the WWE work enviroment.
“Everybody has their issues outside of work. Everybody is human and makes mistakes as they go through it. As long as you face the noise, that’s something we always did.”
Speaking with me on “1 Of A Kind With RVD,” Van Dam said he and Forbes actually hung out by Rhodes’ tour bus. Cody apparently had a set-up like a camp out by his bus with fold out chairs. Rhodes happened to pass by on more than one occassion before his big WWE Title match against Solo Sikoa.
“Me and Katie hung out there for awhile and he came by a few times and just was like super cool and even gave us a bottle of vodka. He was just really cool.”
Van Dam added that Dustin Rhodes has always been really cool and making everyone laugh. He recalled a time when Dustin would do a “vomit” trick with passerbys, but RVD would no-sell it.
Cody Rhodes: Apart Of The Positive Vibe In WWE
Before RVD changed subjects, he noted how different the WWE dressing room was from the days of his past. Earlier in the show Rob mentioned that there was a refreshing energy with the company and Van Dam reiterated that by running into Cody.
“Cody definitely was part of that vibe … in general the boys don’t look so tired anymore, you know? They look legitimately happy to be there, happy to be part of something, having fun and it used to be a different kind of vibe of a long drawn out day of tired people while trying to get to the end of the day and it didn’t ring true to that so much this time and I’ve heard a lot of people tell me, ‘Oh, you just gotta see how it’s changed,’ but I gotta say, they wasn’t lying.”
You can catch new episodes of “1 Of A Kind With RVD” every Monday at 4:20 PM ET.
As the biggest wrestling promotion in the world, WWE boasts one of the largest and most impressive rosters with talent from across the globe. WWE has re-signed many top names this year alone and now the company reportedly has approached three of its top women from its main roster.
WWE has approached Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan, and Nia Jax about new contracts in recent weeks, PW Insider reports. The company has also reportedly approached talent who still have plenty of time left on their contracts as part of a “very aggressive” strategy to lock talent into new deals.
WWE has locked in several prominent names into new contracts in 2024, keeping the ‘Renaissance Era’ stocked with top-tier talent. In April, Drew McIntyre re-signed with WWE, putting to bed fan speculation that he would be signing with AEW. McIntyre’s re-signing not only saw the Scottish Warrior get a new contract, but also a sword gifted to him by TKO board member and WWE’s ‘Final Boss’ Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
More recently, Randy Orton confirmed reports that he has re-signed with WWE with a deal that should keep him around until 2029. While Orton could have seen his previous deal frozen due to his time away due to his back injury, WWE reportedly felt it was fairer to let Orton negotiate a new deal given how much the handling of contracts has changed.
Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Sheamus has signed a contract extension with WWE. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on WWE and its effort to keep top talent with new contracts.
Saturday Night’s Main Event (SNME) was a revolutionary program that brought WWE’s biggest stars and most exciting matches to network television. From 1985 to 1992, and again briefly in 2006-2007 before its return in 2024, SNME showcased some memorable bouts in WWE history. Let’s take a look at the cream of the crop – the absolute best matches to ever grace this groundbreaking show.
This match stands out as perhaps the greatest in SNME history. Two of WWE’s most technically gifted performers faced off in a bout that was almost flawlessly executed. Savage and Hart delivered a masterclass in in-ring storytelling, with Hart working over Savage’s ankle, forcing the Macho Man to remove his boot and finish the match on one foot.
The back-and-forth action, coupled with interference from Jimmy Hart and Jim Neidhart, created a dramatic atmosphere that kept viewers on the edge of their seats. Savage ultimately secured the victory with a quick small package, capping off what many consider the best match of 1987.
Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant – February 5, 1988
While not a technical masterpiece and on a show called ‘The Main Event’ rather than Saturday Night’s, this match was a pivotal moment in one of wrestling’s most iconic feuds. The bout served as a prelude to their historic WrestleMania III encounter and showcased the immense star power of both Hogan and Andre. The clash of these titans epitomized the larger-than-life appeal that made SNME must-see TV.
Hart Foundation vs. The Rockers – April 28, 1990
In a year when WWE’s in-ring product was somewhat lacking, this tag team classic stood out as a beacon of excellence. The match featured four future Hall of Famers – Bret Hart, Jim Neidhart, Shawn Michaels, and Marty Jannetty – at the peak of their abilities.
The bout was a masterful display of tag team wrestling, filled with crisp chain wrestling and high-flying action. Although it ended in a no-contest due to interference from Demolition, this match remains a highlight of SNME’s later years.
Underrated Gems
Hercules vs. Virgil – “Ted DiBiase’s Slaves” Match
This unique stipulation match doesn’t often make “best of” lists, but it deserves recognition for its compelling storytelling and the satisfying conclusion to Virgil’s quest for freedom from DiBiase.
Triple H & John Cena vs. Kurt Angle, Randy Orton & Rey Mysterio – 2006
From SNME’s brief revival in the mid-2000s, this star-studded match showcased some of the top talent of the era. While it may not have the nostalgia factor of earlier SNME bouts, the in-ring action was quality.
When asked how she feels about Rey now after being betrayed by Dom herself, Ripley explained that she won’t go back on her words. She still believes that the young star needed to get out of his father’s shadow even if they’re not together anymore:
“I’m not gonna be immature like Dom and contradict everything I’ve done in the past and said in the past what he has been doing in every single interview. He has been playing me out to be this bad guy, this villain in his life—which I wasn’t. I cared for him, and I loved him.
So I’m not gonna do that about this situation either. I’m gonna stand on everything I said back then. I do think that Dom had to get out of Rey’s shadow. I do believe that. Rey was picking Edge over his own son—a man who literally speared Dom in the middle of the ring, looked at him, went ‘uh,’ and then ran after Finn Bálor. That man did not care about Rey Mysterio’s son.
So why is Rey picking Edge over Dom? So I’m not gonna contradict myself and say that I do think Rey was in the right. Because I do think Rey was in the wrong. But at the same time, I think that Dom has hurt me in a bigger way than Rey ever hurt me. So he’s more in my good books than Dom is right now.”
Dirty Dom turned on The Mami at SummerSlam and he aligned himself with Liv Morgan instead. One of the reasons Dominik has given for this turn is that Morgan helped him beat his dad in a match, something Rhea Ripley never did.
When asked if Dom has daddy issues, the former Women’s World Champion explained that Mysterio has family issues. She also fired back at him for saying that he didn’t come up with The Mami nickname:
“You can tell a man has daddy issues when he gets so excited about getting called Daddy. He got family issues let’s be honest cause now he’s saying that I made him call me Mami and he never liked calling me Mami. You got problems my dude because you came up with that by yourself. I didn’t make you do crap.”
Dominik Mysterio most recently faced off against Damian Priest in a one-on-one match on Monday’s Raw. While he lost the bout, the Judgment Day swarmed the ring immediately afterward, delivering a brutal beatdown on both the Terror Twins.
In late 2019, Otis and Mandy Rose entered an on-screen romance with the powerhouse aiding Rose in matches, including the 2020 Women’s Royal Rumble. After sealing their relationshipwith a kiss at WrestleMania 36, the pair continued to be an on-screen duo until Rose was traded to Raw in September that same year.
While countless men would love to have been in Otis’ shoes for the angle, it was Rose who pitched the angle with the future Alpha Academy member. On the Insight podcast, Otis shared how the angle came to be.
“She was definitely the ignition for sure. Because you can it pitch all day long. Mandy, she’s like, ‘I’ll talk to Vince’… she definitely was like, Hey, we gotta do this.”
The angle proved to be a hit with fans, and Otis recalled Google incorrectly listing the pair as a married couple due to their on-screen romance. While Otis had a lot of fun working with Rose, it was a ‘test’ for him to keep things professional.
“I’m gonna kiss the world champion bikini model. Behave yourself. Every day was a test. We could never do a pre-shot. It was always live.”
Rose’s tenure with Otis may have come to an abrupt end, but the former Raw Tag Team Champion has fond memories of his time as part of WWE’s hottest couple. Rose was controversially released from WWE in December 2022, but with Rose seemingly open to a WWE return, fans can’t count out a reunion for Otis and his ‘peach.’
Since Vince McMahon’s resignation from WWE in January 2024, many names have condemned the billionaire who is accused of sexual harassment of Janel Grant. While McMahon is persona non-grata on WWE TV, some current Superstars have spoken about their former boss. Cody Rhodes has called the situation a “dark cloud” while Seth Rollins has said that if the claims are true, he hopes everyone involved gets what they deserve.
One name that worked closely with McMahon for years is Mick Foley who has not been among those condemning the 79-year-old billionaire. At a Q&A panel at Comic-Con Northern Ireland, Foley shared his take on the McMahon situation.
“I feel really bad that someone I care about got into something that seems pretty unsavory. I’m gonna hold off judgment until I see the [Mr. McMahon Netflix docuseries.]”
Foley went on, saying that regardless of “whatever he did or did not do,” the McMahon scandal won’t “mess with our memories” of the former WWE CEO.
“He was instrumental in creating some of those memories, so I’m choosing to appreciate him until I learn more about what may have gone down.”
This isn’t the first time Foley has taken something of a softer approach to McMahon compared to his contemporaries. During a February 2024, edition of his Foley is Pod show, the former World Champion again expressed his hope that fans remember the good from McMahon despite the disturbing allegations.
“I hope it doesn’t take away from people’s amazing memories of all the things that Mr. McMahon created or helped create including my character and the programs that I was in.”
That same month, John Cena shared his love for McMahon despite the “super unfortunate” allegations against him, but added he’s an “advocate of accountability.” McMahon has consistently claimed that McMahon’s relationship with Janel Grant was consensual, and his legal team has gone as far as to say McMahon was her ‘best friend’ in WWE.
Since debuting in WWE in 2009, Sheamus has enjoyed a career most wrestlers can only dream of, including four reigns as World Champion. Now, fans can expect to see much more of the Celtic Warrior in the ring as he has signed a contract extension with WWE.
News of Sheamus’ contract extension was shared by Pat McAfee on the popular broadcaster’s show. McAfee, who recently had Sheamus on an episode of his show from Dublin, Ireland, was excited to see “banger after banger after banger” from the Irish Superstar. According to PWInsider, it’s a five-year contract that will keep him part of the WWE family through late 2029.
Sheamus shared a celebratory reply to the Pat McAfee clip on social media:
Sheamus is the latest notable name to lock down a new deal with WWE in 2024. In April, Drew McIntyre re-signed with WWE, putting to bed fan speculation that he would be signing with AEW in time for All In: London. McIntyre’s re-signing not only saw the Scottish Warrior get a new contract, but also a sword gifted to him by TKO’s Dwayne Johnson.
More recently, Randy Orton confirmed reports that he has re-signed with WWE with a deal that should keep him around until 2029. While Orton could have seen his previous deal frozen due to his time away due to his back injury, WWE reportedly felt it was fairer to let Orton negotiate a new deal given how much the handling of contracts has changed.
Now, Sheamus has joined his fellow former World Champions in re-signing with WWE. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Sheamus and his years to come as a WWE Superstar.
WWE is closing out 2024 with a bang, as the iconic Saturday Night’s Main Event will return to the airwaves before the year is up.
WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event will be a live two-hour special airing live on both NBC and Peacock on Saturday, December 14 at 8 p.m. ET.
The event will take place at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island, N.Y., site of the first-ever SNME in May 1985.
This is the first of a quarterly primetime special on NBC and Peacock, under WWE’s new five-year media partnership with NBCUniversal that brought SmackDown back to USA.
Ticket Information
Tickets go on sale Friday, September 20, at 10 a.m. ET via Ticketmaster.com. A pre-sale begins the prior day, Thursday, September 19, at 10 a.m. ET.
Fans can register for an exclusive presale offer at WWE.com.
Rhea Ripley has revealed that she was very emotional upon leaving the Judgment Day and she cried on the night of their breakup.
The Mami recently appeared on The Casual Conversations podcast. She talked about things such as working with Edge during the initial run of the group, competing in the WarGames match and more.
When asked what being part of the Judgment Day meant for her, the Eradicator revealed that it helped her finally feel fully comfortable in front of crowds because she had people to fall back on:
“The Judgment Day was really family to me. Like it really was. It has helped my career so much more than I could actually put into words. Cause I feel like that was when I started opening up and feeling comfortable going out there in front of the crowd cause I had the boys that I could fall back on. So it was really emotional for me.”
Rhea Ripley joined the Judgment Day featuring Edge and Damian Priest at WrestleMania: Backlash in 2022. The group went through many changes over the next couple of years. They kicked Edge out of it while adding members such as ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh.
Ripley was finally expelled from the faction herself when Dominik Mysterio turned on her and aligned with Liv Morgan instead at SumerSlam 2024. Damian Priest was also kicked out of the group by Finn Balor on the same night. This marked the end of a chapter for the Judgment Day as all founding members left the faction.
The former Women’s Champion mentioned how there were reports about a member crying backstage after that show. She is not ashamed to admit it was her:
“I saw something come out about Judgment Day members, a specific one crying backstage after everything. I’m not ashamed of it. That was me. I was upset. Like the last two and a half years of my life is gonna be…like it’s changed now. I can’t go back to that. They were my boys; they were my family. It was really sad.”
The female star is taking a positive approach to the situation, however, and she believes that when one good thing ends, something amazing starts from it. She claimed that she is now loving her time absolutely brutalizing the group which she characterizes as ‘Street Trash.’
Eric Bischoff believes there is one member of the D-Generation X who gets less credit for the success of the group than he deserves.
While talking to Inside The Ropes‘ Kenny McIntosh, The former WCW President discussed DX’s invasion of WCW on April 27, 1998 when both Raw and Nitro were held miles apart in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia.
During the session, Bischoff claimed that Sean Waltman, known as X-Pac at the time deserves more credit for making the whole thing believable:
“This guy gets very little credit for the success of DX. A lot of people take credit for shit they don’t deserve to get credit for, right? One of the guys who really helped make DX believable and feel real was Sean Waltman, X-Pac. Cause I fired him—he was a part of nWo.”
Triple H ejected Shawn Michaels from DX after he lost to Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania XIV. The Game then assumed full control of the group and recruited Sean Waltman as well as the New Age Outlaws into the faction. This came months after Waltman was fired by Eric Bischoff via FedEx while he was on shelf with a neck injury.
The former WCW official claimed that they had developed an edgy character for the former Cruiserweight Champion which he ended up using against them:
“He had that personality, he brought that edge, he brought that character, that sense of ‘screw it, I’ll do whatever it takes.’ He brought that character that we created, and he was very instrumental in by the way, and supportive of. But when I fired him—and I did—he took that same character with him, and he was a part of DX. He used that same creative psychology to fire back at us.”
DX remained together until Triple H and Chyna turned on X-Pac and joined the Corporation at WrestleMania XV. While Waltman and the Outlaws continued using the name even after this, the turn is considered the end of DX’s first run by many as all original members of the group had left the faction.
Ahead of SmackDown’s return to the USA Network, WWE confirmed that Neva Play, a track by Megan Thee Stallion featuring RM of BTS will serve as the blue brand’s new theme song. Getting the award-winning artist on board is a huge score for WWE, especially as she was reportedly set to work with WWE’s chief rival not too long ago.
Megan Thee Stallion had agreed to collaborate with AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Moné, PW Insider reports, before she agreed for her track to become the official theme song of WWE SmackDown. Negotiations took place between Megan’s manager, Mike B of Roc Nation, and Mercedes’ manager, Keven Undergaro, about a collaboration.
The two met in February at the Crunchyroll Anime Awards in Japan where both women presented awards. Moné hinted at a collaboration with the award-winning artist in the run-up to AEW’s recent All In: London 2024 pay-per-view.
— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) March 2, 2024
Megan Thee Stallion In Wrestling
SmackDown’s new theme song marks Megan Thee Stallion’s official arrival in the world of wrestling, but she has teased involvement in the past. In March of this year, ex-WWE Superstar Mojo Rawley claimed that WWE had planned for Moné (Sasha Banks at the time) to face Megan at a SummerSlam PLE but that never occurred.
Following her song becoming the official theme of SmackDown, Megan teased making her official debut for the promotion. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on Megan Thee Stallion’s possible involvement with WWE now her song will be heard every Friday night.
Jey Uso has teased that The Bloodline story may be going in a different direction than fans are expecting after the return of Roman Reigns to WWE programming.
Solo Sikoa has taken over the role of The Tribal Chief after Reigns’ WrestleMania 40 loss to Cody Rhodes. He has since introduced a number of new members of the esteemed Anoa’i family to WWE programming.
Fans have been expecting to see Roman reuniting the old Bloodline with The Usos and Sami Zayn to take on this new threat after his return at SummerSlam.
Jey Uso was asked about the progression of the story and where he fits into it during an interview with Metro. He claimed that he doesn’t know what the plans are:
“I’m looking forward to the Bloodline storyline as much as you all are, because I’ll be honest, I don’t know what we’re going to do, I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Defying the expectations, Roman Reigns so far has made no attempts to reconcile with his old partners. He has instead found an unlikely ally in Cody Rhodes for the Bad Blood match against Solo and Jacob Fatu.
In the wake of the Survivor Series: WarGames event set for November 30; many are expecting to see him back on screen with his former allies soon.
The Yeet Man however is not sure if it will be natural for him to go back in light of the progression he has made as a singles star. He instead believes that the Original Tribal Chief could find the help he needs from other members of the family:
“I don’t know how we how they’re going to intertwine me back in there… Sami would be my first pick, right? It only makes sense. Hey, we might have other family members, more surprises, man!”
Roman Reigns leading a completely new group of Anoa’i family members is certainly a proposition that fits with the booking philosophy of focusing on new stars that WWE has adapted since Triple H took over as a booker.
There is no shortage of potential soldiers he can find in his family and names such as Zilla Fatu and Thamiko Fatu have already captured people’s eyes as potential future stars for the promotion.
Ahead of the debut of the Wyatt Sicks, a series of QR codes appeared on WWE programming, teasing the group’s arrival. On this week’s Raw, a QR code was spotted which may have given an indication as to the group’s future on the red brand.
Scanning the QR code takes fans to a website filled with diary entries from Uncle Howdy. The latest entry, titled ‘Frater’ (Latin for brother) has the following message.
The bond of a family is a cat of nine tails. Bound through suffering. We see you, brother. When you need us, we will be there.
This website first appeared in June of this year and had fans trying to decipher its cryptic messages. One entry titled SHE has led fans to believe that another woman will be added to the faction, possibly Alexa Bliss, though that hasn’t happened yet.
The website has the word ‘Kintsugi’ as its heading, which refers to the Japanese art of using gold to repair a broken bowl. The idea is that something is more beautiful because it is broken. Clicking on the word takes fans to an image of hand-drawn pictures, including trees, an eerie face, and the red circle.
Clicking on the mute button on the website brings up the following image, which has the code L 10: 25 37. In the Gospel according to Luke, this passage tells the story of the Good Samaritan.
The name of this file also gives a tease of what may to be come in the future of The Wyatt Sicks. This image is titled ‘arbun’ which is an anagram of Braun. Braun Strowman was introduced on WWE TV as part of the Wyatt Family in 2020 but rejected an offer to return to Wyatt’s side in 2020. After the group debuted, Strowman said he feels the pull of the faction, but has so far kept his distance from the group on TV.
The Wyatt Sicks has been a force to be reckoned with so far, and now the group has vowed to ‘be there’ when ‘you’ need them. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on the Wyatt Sicks as they continue to tease what’s to come.
Randy Orton is known as one of the most cold and calculated competitors in WWE history, but his wife Kim is giving us a look at a different side of him.
Kim Orton took to Instagram (@Kim.orton01) on Monday to share glimpses of their romantic tropical vacation in Belize. The series of photos include the caption, “Getting some much needed alone time with my love @randyorton #vacation #Belize” and show a side of “The Viper” that many WWE fans haven’t seen. The 15-time world champ has committed heinous acts over the past 22 years. However, these vacation snapshots provide a refreshing contrast, offering a unique look at his life outside the squared circle.
The photos shared by Kim Orton show the couple standing in front of a helicopter, smiling and enjoying a scenic helicopter ride. One particularly sweet moment features a bed decorated with leaves spelling out “RKO” and “KIM,” adding a romantic touch to their getaway.
Orton was in action this past week on WWE SmackDown, appearing as Kevin Owens’ mystery partner against A-Town Down Under.
Regarding retirement, Randy Orton has not specified an exact timeline for when he plans to hang it up. However, he has indicated in various interviews that he hopes to continue wrestling as long as he’s physically able.
Watch below to learn how Randy Orton met his wife Kim:
