Damian Priest’s stunning victory at WrestleMania 40 solidifies The Judgment Day as one of the all-time great factions according to the World Heavyweight Champion.
“Winning the World Title means a lot of us. I mean, it solidifies our group. We have Rhea, the Women’s World Champion [and] me, the Men’s World Champion. I think if you look at the history of factions, where does that put the Judgment Day now?
“We’ve had Undisputed [Tag Team] Titles. We’ve had North American Titles. Now we have World Titles. I don’t see how we’re not in the conversation for one of the best factions of all time.”
WrestleMania 40 was also a big night for Rhea Ripley who retained her Women’s World Championship. The ‘Mami’ of the faction successfully defended the gold against Becky Lynch in the opening match of the two-night event.
The Judgment Day
Priest’s comments ring true given how many championships The Judgment Day has accumulated in its two-year run. The faction had a shaky start when launched by Edge in 2022 as fans struggled to boo the Rated-R Superstar following years of his forced retirement.
The group began to hit its stride when it ejected the WWE Hall of Famer in a segment that saw Finn Balor added to its ranks. The faction reached new heights at Clash at the Castle 2022 when Dominik Mysterio betrayed his father and joined. In addition to championships, The Judgment Day has been represented in the main event of shows such as WWE Survivor Series 2023 and WWE Elimination Chamber 2024.
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
WWE has marked the launch of a new era with a new studio complex to help lead the company’s production side of things in the future.
The 30,000-square foot studio complex is called ‘The Studios at WWE’ and features several studios. The studio is based at WWE’s new headquarters in Stamford, CT.
The main studio is an impressive 5,000-square-foot center. There is also a 1,500-square-foot Cyclorama studio and a 1,500-square-foot volumetric LED studio set to open this spring. The complex also features a 1,000-square-foot photo studio and two insert stages that are approximately 600 square feet each.
The Studios at WWE is the first U.S. facility to install Crystal LED Verona, with 150 cabinets across its main wall. Joe Solari, WWE VP of Studio Operations shared his enthusiasm for the new complex when speaking to Sports Video.
“It gives us new tools and a new canvas to push the limits of what we do here at the WWE. We can take our productions to the next level and really increase our fan engagement. I don’t think that there is anything in Connecticut right now that even comes close to what we built here.”
Production Changes
The Complex at WWE comes at an interesting time for WWE with several changes being made to the company. With the departure of Kevin Dunn, WWE has appointed Lee Fitting as the promotion’s head of production. Changes to the on-screen product have been received well by fans so far.
Perhaps the biggest change to WWE’s on-screen presentation will come in January 2025 when Raw moves to Netflix. The five-billion-dollar deal will see the red brand hosted on Netflix for ten years, though the timeframe can change based on the show’s performance. Those outside the U.S. will also receive SmackDown, WWE NXT, and Premium Live Events.
The word ‘cinema’ has been thrown around a lot to describe WWE’s storytelling over the past year, particularly the gripping Bloodline saga involving Roman Reigns, The Usos, Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman. As great as all that has been, the main event of Sunday’s WrestleMania XL spectacular delivered perhaps the greatest masterstroke of all.
Nearly a decade after the breakup of The Shield, Seth Rollins delivered on his promise to serve as Cody Rhodes’ ‘shield’ by sacrificing himself to bring down the Tribal Chief. Reigns was nearly unbeatable, but Rollins placed a winning bet on the belief that his former ‘brother’ would be unable to resist exacting revenge, one of the msot al seven deadly sins.
Apart from Cody Rhodes finishing his story, the tension between Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns was one of the talking points. There was no shortage of drama or layers of depth to dig into. The former Shield members have a long history together and WWE played out an angle beautifully that has been in the making for over ten years.
Seth Rollins is one of the key figures who helped in building what could be regarded as one of the greatest stories ever told in WWE. After all, he is ‘The Architect.’ He was among many superstars who came to the aid of Cody Rhodes, who dethroned Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
Let’s take an in-depth look into the angle between Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, thanks to Mith Gifs Wrestling.
Reopening old wounds
Roman Reigns’ decision to exact revenge upon Seth Rollins cost him everything
‘The Visionary’ is a master of playing mind games and he got into the head of ‘The Tribal Chief.’ Reigns had the chance to hit Cody Rhodes with a steel chair to win the match but he ended up deciding to hit Seth Rollins in the back, mirroring Rollins to dissolve The Shield back in the day.
Reigns certainly got flashbacks of the betrayal and couldn’t help but get his payback. However, at the cost of the title which he held for 1,316 days.
This right here was the definition of long term storytelling.
The fact that Roman Reigns could never get over the fact that Seth Rollins broke up The Shield and it cost him his title.
— Wrestling Pics & Clips (@WrestleClips) April 8, 2024
Seth Rollins, who was partly responsible for the creation of the ‘monster’ knew that Roman would be unable to contain himself long enough to exact revenge on his former Shield brethren. ‘The Architect’ did what was necessary to bring down the monster he helped create.
The Hero’s Shield
After what went down at WrestleMania 40, fans soon recalled what Rollins told Cody Rhodes back in February. During a fateful promo on WWE Raw, Rollins said:
“When it comes to fighting Roman Reigns, there is only one man on earth, who is uniquely suited to be your shield.”
Well, Rollins is a man of his word. He took the bullet for and protected Cody.
Mind Games
Last year, it was Sami Zayn who backstabbed ‘The Trible Chief’ in a similar fashion, which still haunts him to this day. Betrayal has been Roman Reigns’ worst fear and Rollins was well aware of that.
Rollins could get into Roman’s head like no one else and from time to time, he has messed with his former Shield teammate. This is something ‘The Tribal Chief’ couldn’t escape and thus Rollins managed to outwit his former friend despite getting attacked.
Well, this is not the first time Rollins reopened Reigns’ old wounds. At the Royal Rumble in 2022, Seth deliberately messed with Roman when he walked out to the Shield’s old music, wearing the Shield’s old gear ahead of the title match.
During their match, Seth mocked Roman and even offered the Shield fist bump which caused Roman to snap and got Rollins in a guillotine choke. It was comprehensible enough that Rollins controlled Roman’s emotions. With rage and trauma getting the better of him. Roman Reigns refused to relinquish the hold and that night Rollins won the contest via DQ.
Seth Rollins had dropped the World Heavyweight Championship to Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 40. Meanwhile, with Roman Reigns returning empty-handed as well, there is a huge possibility that we could witness another feud between the two down the road.
Will they ignite a new rivalry to settle the dispute once and for all? With Triple H at the helm of this new era, wrestling fans can rest assured that it’s safe to invest in these longterm stories.
Pro-wrestler-turned-actor John Cena feels there can be only ‘one alpha’ in the longstanding feud between his Fast & Furious co-stars Vin Diesel and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
On the Armchair Expert podcast, host Dax Shepard noted to Cena that Johnson and Diesel made “a tough pairing” after WWE’s ‘Final Boss’ joined the Fast & Furious franchise with 2011’s Fast Five. Cena replied that both the stars are very alpha, driven people but there can be only one.
“There’s certainly rumors about that. I can’t deny that. You have two very alpha, driven people. You get two, there can only be one.”
Additionally, the 16-time World Champion feels that he was simply “a guest” in the Fast & Furious world and expressed gratitude for the chance to be involved.
“I’m not trying to get the sandbox. That’s not my thing,” he said. “I’m grateful for what you’ve given me, I just want to be the best firetruck I can.”
Cena had joined the franchise when he starred in F9: The Fast Saga as Jakob Toretto, Dom’s estranged brother.
Dwayne Johnson, who starred as Luke Hobbs, has worked in as many as five films in the Fast & Furious franchise from 2011 and 2019. His character was originally introduced in Fast Five as an antagonist for Diesel’s Dominic Toretto character. However, as the story rolled, the two characters eventually joined forces in the future films.
Dwayne Johnson-Vin Diesel feud
In 2016, rumors started floating that Johnson and Diesel don’t share a cordial relationship behind the scenes. In a now-deleted Instagram post from 2016, Dwayne Johnson had called out his “male costars” of the franchise without naming anyone.
Johnson, who is also popularly known as The Rock had claimed in 2021 that he would not make appearances for the franchise. However, he did a cameo in last year’s Fast X. Apparently, the duo squashed the beef after Johnson returned for a mid-credits scene in the latest installment which potentially leaves the chance of him being featured in upcoming films.
Cody Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Universal Championship win at WrestleMania 40 continues to make history as the new champion has joined a very exclusive club.
Rhodes ended the 1,316-day reign of Roman Reigns in an emotional main event to WrestleMania 40: Sunday on April 7. With this win, Rhodes becomes the fourth wrestler in history to have held the WWE World Championship and the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion. He joins an elite club of talent that includes the inaugural WWE Champion Buddy Rogers, 16-time World Champion Ric Flair, and the Phenomenal AJ Styles.
This fact was pointed out on social media by Brian R. Solomon, an author of several wrestling books. In 2022, his book ‘Blood and Fire: The Unbelievable Real-Life Story of Wrestling’s Original Sheik’ won the Wrestling Observer’s ‘Best Book’ award for the year. His next book, Irresistible Force: The Life and Times of Gorilla Monsoon, is scheduled to be released in 2024.
Triple Crown History
Rhodes didn’t just join the exclusive club of WWE/NWA World Champions, but he also made history by becoming the first person in his own unique club. With his win, Rhodes became the first man to have held the WWE, NWA, and Ring of Honor World Championships. Rhodes won the NWA title from Nick Aldis at 2018’s All In show. His Ring of Honor World Championship win would come the year prior with a victory over Christopher Daniels at Best in the World 2017.
The American Nightmare is certainly riding high with his victory at WrestleMania 40: Sunday. The fans are clearly behind Rhodes who also achieved a new personal record over WrestleMania week.
Dwayne Johnson was awarded 96,558 shares of TKO Group Holdings Class A common stock on Sunday, April 7, the day after returning to the ring at WrestleMania 40. The shares are valued at approximately $9.4 million.
According to a new financial filing, the previously restricted stock units vested upon “completion of certain services described” in his Independent Contractor Services and Merchandising Agreement dated January 22, 2024. He joined TKO’s 13-person Board of Directors the following day.
That agreement allows WWE to use The Rock’s name, image and likeness for up to ten years in exchange for approximately 400,000 shares of TKO stock currently valued at approximately $39 million.
According to Sportico, the first 25% of shares were awarded in January when the deal was completed. The next 25% will be awarded at the end of the year. Another 25% distributed monthly throughout 2025 and the remaining 25% was the completion of the ‘certain services.’
New WWE World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest is looking to expand his brand outside of professional wrestling by signing with the Paradigm talent agency.
Paradigm will work to build Priest’s business across books, acting, marketing, unscripted appearances, and more, Variety reports. Paradigm will look to find Priest work outside of the squared circle in what is expected to be a huge shift for him and a sign that big things are coming in the future of the Puerto Rican Superstar. Perhaps a future in music is in the cards for Priest, who provides the vocals for his new theme song that debuted on the post-WrestleMania 40 edition of Raw.
Priest is hardly the first Superstar to sign with a talent agency. In August 2022, Bianca Belair signed with William Morris Endeavor to build her brand outside of wrestling. WME also represents Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and John Cena.
This signing comes at a pivotal time for Priest, who captured the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. The Judgment Day member cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on Drew McIntyre mere minutes after the Scottish Warrior dethroned Seth Rollins. Priest had held the Money in the Bank contract since capturing the briefcase in July 2023 and had failed to cash in multiple times.
What is the Paradigm Talent Agency?
Founded in Beverly Hills, CA, in 1992, Paradigm has more than 200 agents representing clients in various aspects of the media. The future looks bright for Priest as Paradigm is a four-time winner of Pollstar’s ‘Booking Agency of the Year’ award. Notable names represented by Pollstar include author Stephen King, actor Sydney Sweeney, director James Wan, and musician Billie Eilish.
Cody Rhodes finally finished his Story at WrestleMania 40 by defeating Roman Reigns to bring the WWE Championship home to his family. Cody’s win was celebrated around the world by his legion of fans who are proud to show their support for the American Nightmare.
WrestleMania 40 was monumentally successful in many ways and we’ve just learned a new one. Fightful Select reports that WWE sent an internal company memo touting that Cody Rhodes merchandise grossed over $1 million during WrestleMania weekend.
The amount of Cody Rhodes merchandise in the crowd at WWE events is a sure sign that they have the right Superstar on top.
WWE released a commemorative t-shirt immediately following Cody’s win with the phrase, “The Story Continues.”
Credit WWE Shop: Cody Rhodes WrestleMania 40 Champion The Story Continues T-Shirt
Cody Rhodes also out-performed The Rock in terms of Google searches on Monday, April 8, after he won the Undisputed Universal Title. Cody obviously has the WWE Universe’s attention right now, and for good reason.
WrestleMania 40 took place in Philadelphia on April 6 and 7 in Lincoln Financial Field. WWE SmackDown (4/5) and the RAW After WrestleMania (4/8) were both held in the Wells Fargo Center.
Cody Rhodes’ WWE Contract Situation
Rhodes previously stated that it was his goal to retire from in-ring competition before he turned 40. Cody Rhodes recently signed a new multi-year contract with WWE. The 38-year-old second-generation Superstar revealed this fact in a recent interview.
While speaking with Justin Walker, Cody confirmed that “40 is out of the question just because, not to give you scoop, it was widely reported, but I did sign a new contract with WWE. It extends beyond my 40th birthday.”
He does not have an immediate challenger for the Undisputed Universal Championship yet, but The Rock made it clear that he is coming back to WWE for a match against the American Nightmare.
WrestleMania XL is in the books and the show was a blockbuster success by every conceivable metric. WWE’s latest press release touts too many broken records to list here.
Business was booming last year, but 2023’s numbers seem tame compared to what Triple H and company delivered this past weekend. The live gate for WrestleMania XL was up a staggering 78% from last year’s record, while viewership surged 41%.
Looking at Google search volume, The Rock won the weekend. However, Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns received more Google searches than the Final Boss in the day following their legendary clash, an incredible feat when you see the chart below.
Google Trends for WrestleMania XL
Google Trends is a very useful tool that allows you to view the Google search volume for any phrase during a period of time across various regions and formats. The data we’re using here is for Worldwide searches.
Dwayne Johnson is one of the most famous people in the world, so it’s no surprise that his usual search volume resembles a megastar like Beyonce than anybody in WWE. (The Rock had higher search volume over the past 90 days, but Beyonce had the 3 highest spikes during that period – More)
Despite this built-in advantage, Rhodes still prevailed. Over the past 12 months, The Rock averaged 13x greater search volume than the new champion, which makes this feat even more impressive. The Rock says he returned to elevate WWE and this metric of fan interest shows he did just that:
Cody Rhodes finishing the Story at WWE WrestleMania 40 earned him an extremely rare ‘Google Trends’ victory over Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
The Rock and Cody Rhodes shared a ring for the third consecutive night on Monday’s WWE Raw. The 45-minute segment featured some memorable moments, including a “this is awkward” chant, The Rock delivering a comeback to the crowd that longtime fans may have recognized and a mysterious cliffhanger fans are trying to figure out.
The Rock told Cody Rhodes and the WWE Universe that he needs to leave again, but he’ll be back. When he returns, he plans to face the face of this new era, whether he’s still champion by then or not. Cody Rhodes vs. The Rock sure sounds like a WrestleMania main event.
John Cena stated on Monday at WWE World that his Hollywood schedule will keep him busy through the end of the year, so he’s taking time off as well. From there, Cena plans to go on one final run before calling it a career.
Hopefully we won’t have to wait until 2025 to see them again, but Cena and Rock are making it known they’re not retired.
However you feel about The Rock’s on-screen character, his latest WWE run was a resounding success. This is supported by WrestleMania breaking so many records, as well as the interest surrounding Cody Rhodes as the Rock rides off into the sunset.
Taking to social media, the Head of the Table made clear that he has mourned for his title loss and has embarked on ‘Day 1’ of the next chapter of his career.
Reigns is expected to take a break from WWE programming and is not expected to appear at WWE’s next Premium Live Event, Backlash: France. Reigns is similarly not being advertised for the upcoming WWE Clash At the Castle: Glasgow event that will see the roster return to the UK. He is expected to appear at WWE SummerSlam this August in Cleveland, Ohio.
While Reigns won’t be appearing on TV for some time, there are said to be big things in the works for the Tribal Chief. On the post-WrestleMania 40: Sunday press conference, WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque said that a “whole new story” for Reigns is coming that will take him “to a whole ‘nother level.”
Reigns has also earned praise from Cody Rhodes despite their on-screen issues. On the Pat McAfee Show, Rhodes called Reigns an “exceptional champion” and hopes he “can be half the champion Roman Reigns was.”
On Monday’s post-WrestleMania WWE Raw, Jey Uso won a #1 contender’s match to become Priest’d first challenger. Priest and Uso both cut promos about each other backstage after the show. While hyping up their upcoming match (date and location TBA), Priest revealed he’s signed a new contract with WWE.
“This has already been a great year for me,” he said. “New contract, new title, new theme song voiced by yours truly. Judgment Day is on fire.”
Priest spent several years wrestling for Ring of Honor (as Punishment Martinez) before signing with WWE in 2018. He was a dominant force in NXT and held the North American Championship before making a surprise appearance in the 2021 WWE Royal Rumble. He joined the Raw brand the following night.
The Judgment Day leader has had great success on the main roster, including runs with the United States Championship, the SmackDown tag titles (2x) and of course, Money in the Bank 2023. The MITB cash-in was planned out months in advance.
I can confirm that Priest’s cash-in was not a last minute booking. WWE planned Damian Priest’s MITB cash-in at Mania for six months.
Seth Rollins is expected to take a brief hiatus from WWE following this past weekend’s historic WrestleMania 40.
He competed at WrestleMania Saturday and Sunday and lost both nights. He and Cody Rhodes came up short against Roman Reigns and The Rock. He lost the World Heavyweight Championship that he worked so tirelessly to legitimize. Despite all this, he left Philadelphia a winner. Cody Rhodes conquered Reigns fair and square, but it was Rollins’ self-sacrifice that ultimately triggered the Tribal Chief’s downfall.
Rollins did not appear on Monday’s post-WrestleMania WWE Raw and is not expected to be back in action anytime soon. According to Dave Meltzer, Rollins is expected to take some time off, but “not that long.”
Seth Rollins’ Knee Injury
Seth Rollins suffered an MCL injury on the road to WrestleMania, but he did not need to miss the show of shows. He recovered enough to get cleared to compete, but now he is getting some much-needed time off.
Rollins has a history with knee injuries, so WWE obviously doesn’t want to risk any greater injury for one of their top stars. He’s been out of action for way longer in the past with a severe ACL injury that needed surgery, but this time reportedly won’t be that bad.
In a rare show of respect between heated rivals, Drew McIntyre addressed Rollins on Raw and thanked him for their match over the weekend. Triple H also gave Rollins his ‘flowers’ on Monday, praising his work putting the World Heavyweight championship on the match.
If anybody’s earned some time off to rest, it’s Seth ‘Freakin’ Rollins. We wish him a speedy recovery.
How do you make steel and leather become a most sought after possession? How do you get men to give their blood, sweat and tears to attain it? How do you make it mean the absolute most? Seth “Freakin” Rollins. pic.twitter.com/OhA51jx7LH
Multi-time World Champion Sheamus will be back on television very soon. A promo aired on this week’s WWE Raw touting the Celtic Warrior’s imminent return.
Sheamus has been out of action since last summer. His most recent match took place on a very special episode of WWE SmackDown back on August 18, 2023. He wrestled WWE Hall of Famer Edge that night in what would ultimately be the Rated R Superstar’s final match before jumping to AEW.
While WWE says Sheamus is officially back, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reports that WWE sources have indicated we may not see him until the week of the 2024 WWE Draft, “or won’t have a defined brand until then.”
More on the 2024 WWE Draft
The 2024 WWE Draft begins later this month on WWE SmackDown (4/26) and will continue on WWE RAW (4/29). WWE typically runs a ‘supplemental draft’ with additional roster moves announced in the following day(s).
The WWE Draft is a chance to ‘shake things up’ and creating a host of fresh matchups for the year ahead. It’s also an opportunity for the top stars of NXT to be ‘called up’ to the main roster.
We already know that NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov will be part of this year’s Draft and will be a top prospect for General Managers Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis. Another NXT star expected to be joining Raw or SmackDown is Carmelo Hayes, who we spoke with over the weekend just before Saturday’s NXT Stand & Deliver premium live event:
Fans were expecting to see The WWE Avengers assembling for Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania 40 battle against The Bloodline and they were not disappointed.
Not only people such as Jey Uso and Seth Rollins came out to help even the odds but fans were greeted with the welcome surprise of John Cena and Undertaker making an appearance to help The American Nightmare finally finish the story.
The new Undisputed WWE Champion was asked about these cameos during his appearance on the Pat McAfee Show after the PLE. He first noted how everyone who came down to the ring brought a unique characteristic with them:
“I think one of the most exciting parts about this moment where individuals start showing up is everybody brings something uniquely different.
I had not forgot in a negative way. It just had been some time since I had felt what it’s like when John Cena runs down to that ring. The level of just energy and effect and his commitment to hearing the people and giving the people what they want. That was something special to see.
The Undertaker, the only real thread with me and The Undertaker is simply that I’m up against one of his opponents. But when I saw the Undertaker, that to me, it just felt like here’s the old sheriff. Here’s the guard. Here’s the judge. Here was 40 years of WrestleMania and I was really impressed and blown away and touched at The Undertaker being part of that.”
The Best Era Ever: Cody Rhodes
Despite the inclusion of some of wrestling’s biggest legends, the final chapter of this theatrical played out between Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins. The Architect fulfilled his promise to be Cody’s Shield. The obsession with his former partner’s betrayal is what ultimately caused The Tribal Chief his title.
Speaking about the ending of the match, Rhodes mentioned that he loves the past eras of wrestling but this proves that the current era is the best ever:
“You gotta wonder how does it feel when you have The Undertaker, when you have ‘The Final Boss’ The Rock. When you have these luminary figures and the last thing you’re seeing is myself, Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins.
That is a testament to what I have been saying before even AEW. I love the Attitude Era with all my heart. I love the golden age of the 1980s, but we are in the best era ever.”
You can check out Cody Rhodes’ full interview below:
If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription
Dakota Kai has shared her support for her Damage CTRL ally Kairi Sane following criticism by WWE Hall of Famer & AEW correspondent Mark Henry.
At WWE WrestleMania 40, Sane, Kai, and Asuka lost to Bianca Belair, Naomi, and Jade Cargill. During the entrance for the faces, Sane remained in the ring a few seconds longer than Asuka and Kai. You can check out hew delayed exit from the ring in the video clip below.
On Busted Open Radio, Mark Henry shared that he was livid watching WrestleMania 40 when he saw Sane taking slightly too long to exit the ring for his liking. The World’s Strongest Man even went as far as to say the Pirate Princess had shown a level of disrespect to the wrestling business.
“She should have got out the f*cking ring. I was so mad. You got to respect the business first. And she didn’t, but she would if I would have been in the ring.”
In a tweet, Dakota Kai didn’t address Henry’s comments directly but made it clear that she supports Sane who has a deep respect for the wrestling business. The former WWE NXT Women’s Champion responded by she loves and respects Kai and was thankful for everything her Damage CTRL ally has done for her.
I love and respect you too? Thank you for everything.
Ultimately, Sane would not have intended to have come across as disrespectful and it appears only Henry felt her actions at WrestleMania were out of line. In the comments, many supported Sane and some pointed out times that Henry has remained in the ring during the entrance of opponents.
Jey Uso will be the first man to challenge Damian Priest for his new World Heavyweight championship, but the Judgment Day big man isn’t sweating it.
‘Main Event’ Jey won a four-way match on Monday’s WWE Raw to become #1 contender. He survived Bronson Reed, Ricochet, and Drew McIntyre to win the match. Uso scored the win with a little help from CM Punk. McIntyre was on the verge of victory, but Punk was a thorn in his side once again, ramping up the tension between these two yet another notch.
WWE has released backstage promos from both men after Raw went off the air. Each of them shows respect for the other, but are confident in their own chances. Uso says he’s been studying Priest for a long time. He respects his game and isn’t taking him lightly.
Priest says he’s impressed by what he’s seen from the former Bloodline member. He congratulated him on earning the title shot, but also dropped an ominous threat. Priest vows to to “beat the YEET” out of Uso when they share a ring.
“Jey Uso. Let me be the first to congratulate you on earning the first shot at my World Heavyweight Championship. But don’t get carried away with the celebration. Because when the match happens, I’m going to beat the YEET out of you.”
WWE has yet to announce when the match will take place. The next premium live event headed our way is WWE Backlash: France on Saturday, May 4.
Coming out of a very eventful WrestleMania 40, wrestling fans have two exciting rivalries to look forward to in Jey Uso vs. Damian Priest and Drew McIntyre vs. CM Punk.
Taking to Twitter, Stratus reflected on her time at WrestleMania and called Bayley’s victory a highlight of the night for her. Trish added that no one deserved the spot or the adulation of the crowd more than the Role Model and was pleased that Bayley and IYO SKY “crushed it” on WWE’s grandest stage.
What a night!! What a weekend!! It was wild to see Lincoln Financial Field absolutely lose their mind at the end of the show. Even wilder to think that was a typical Monday night back in my day! Awesome stuff!
Stratus and Bayley were on opposite ends of a six-woman tag-team match at WrestleMania 39. The match saw Stratus team with then-WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Lita & Becky Lynch to defeat Bayley, SKY, and Dakota Kai.
This isn’t the first time that the new WWE Women’s Champion has earned props from Status, a seven-time Women’s Champion in her own right. During a 2023 interview with SHAK Wrestling, Stratus put Bayley on her Mt. Rushmore of women’s wrestling, alongside herself, Lita, and All Elite Wrestling’s Mercedes Mone
In the build to the WrestleMania 39 match, Bayley shared her appreciation for Stratus and Lita coming back after having legendary careers on an episode of the Masked Man Show.
“They came back and they agreed to face us, which I think is a huge compliment and just something that we shouldn’t take for granted.”
Cody Rhodes is excited to see what’s to come in the future for MJF and the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion sees big things ahead for the ‘Scumbag.’
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show, Rhodes’ interview was interrupted by a crowd chant for MJF. Acknowledging the moment, Rhodes put over the former AEW World Champion.
“You got to stand by your guy, though. You know what I’m saying? You stand by your boy. MJF is my boy. Shout out to MJF. Wonderful kid. Huge, huge, huge future.”
Rhodes and MJF are no strangers. In AEW, MJF acted as a protege of Rhodes before betraying the American Nightmare during Cody’s sole AEW World Championship opportunity. The pair would later feud with MJF coming out on top at AEW Revolution 2020.
What’s to Come?
On the post-WrestleMania Raw, Rhodes basked in his victory at the Premium Live Event before being interrupted by The Rock. The Final Boss admitted that he’s going away for a while but will be coming for Rhodes when he returns. He also handed Rhodes something and warned him not to break his heart again.
John Cena is known to do the craziest things whether it is inside the WWE ring or outside of it. The prime example of it was The Cenation Leader’s appearance at the 2024 Oscars last month.
The former world champion was called up to present the award for the best costume design. In a shocking turn of events, the wrestling star turned up to the stage wearing almost nothing. The moment went viral on the internet and there have been all kinds of speculation on the thought process behind it.
During his most recent appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, The 16-time world champion was asked about the moment. McAfee remarked that the WWE star seems to be someone who doesn’t take things very seriously. John Cena contrasted the statement, explaining that he takes his work very seriously:
“So I think I do take it seriously, but I take IT seriously not me looking cool. Because if you try to look cool all the time, you’re just chasing a perfect view of yourself that doesn’t exist. Man, I know I got a bald spot in the back of my head. I flossed it last night at WrestleMania. Me, you and like seven out of ten dudes have them. So I don’t care. I’m not perfect. That’s not me.”
Make Me As Naked As Possible: John Cena
Explaining his mindset behind the viral Oscar moment, John Cena said that he is always thinking about how to make the best out of any situation:
“So I think instead of trying to craft every situation to ‘How can I look the strongest or the best?’ I look at every situation [and think] ‘How can we make this the best situation?’ When we go over the Oscar bit and they’re like, ‘Oh, do you want to wear Spanx or spandex or a speedo?’ [I’m like] ‘No, make me as naked as possible so Disney says it’s too naked.’
That’s how we go about it. That’s the funny bit. That’s the gag. That’s why everyone’s entertained. I think that’s what leads to polarising opinions and that’s what leads to interest. People can have that stuff and say ‘Oh, this is this.’ But it is what it is. It’s for your entertainment to decide what you want.”
Cody Rhodes’ entrance at WrestleMania 40 saw the involvement of a legend of the masks and effects industry to make his time in Philadelphia extra special.
Ahead of his emotional Undisputed WWE Universal Championship victory over Roman Reigns, Rhodes entered Lincoln Financial Field with his wife Brandi. Rhodes also bore a skull mask that was designed around his ‘American Nightmare’ insignia.
On social media, it was revealed that Jason Baker was the one behind Rhodes’ WrestleMania 40: Sunday mask. Rhodes shared a backstage selfie wearing the mask as a test and made sure to tag Baker in the picture.
Rhodes modeling his mask, created by Jason Baker.
Who is Jason Baker?
Baker, a protege of horror movie effects legend Tom Savini, is no stranger to working with WWE. He previously created the Fiend mask for Bray Wyatt and also was heavily involved in Wyatt’s presentation upon returning to WWE in late 2022. He was also close friends with Wyatt.
In 2021, it was reported that Baker and Wyatt were working on a film together, which was set to be produced in-house by Baker’s Calloseum Studios. Unfortunately, that film will not come out now given Wyatt’s passing in August 2023.
While best known for his work with Wyatt, Baker has also created masks for other Superstars including Asuka and Finn Balor. He was also responsible for Triple H’s ‘Skull King’ mask that the Game wore at WWE WrestleMania 30 in 2014. The Game would arrive with masked women (Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss) and opened the show with a loss to Daniel Bryan.
CM Punk made a surprise appearance during the main event of the Raw after WrestleMania 40 and once again made a big impact on the world title scene.
McIntyre held the world title briefly at the Show of Shows. His decision to taunt the Straight Edge Star after the win over Seth Rollins cost him big, however. After Punk snapped on the Scottish Warrior, his attack allowed Damian Priest to successfully cash in the Money In The Bank contract.
The main event of this week’s Raw then saw McIntyre alongside Bronson Reed, Ricochet, and Jey Uso battling for an opportunity to challenge for the world title.
Right as Drew was going to win the whole thing with a Claymore on Uso, CM Punk made a surprise appearance. His distraction allowed the former Bloodline member to take advantage and pick up the win.
The show went off air with Punk standing on the announce desk, celebrating Jey’s victory with his signature hand gesture. He stayed around after the cameras stopped rolling and cut a promo for the crowd:
Full off air CM Punk promo from #WWERaw after costing Drew McIntyre another world title opportunityhttps://t.co/pGseYf9QzQ
— Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) April 9, 2024
CM Punk first put over the Philadelphia crowd for their wrestling spirit and then shouted out the WWE crew for putting together the show. The former world champion ended his promo by promising to have his wrestling boots on the next time WWE visits the city.
What Happened On Raw After WrestleMania
Elsewhere on the show we saw surprise appearances from people such as Jade Cargill, John Cena, and even The Rock.
Jade Cargill defeated Chelsea Green in a short match while John Cena teamed up with the new tag team champions R Truth and The Miz for a match against The Judgement Day. Cena and Awesome Truth picked up the win in this bout
WWE Superstars give their all, especially on the road to WrestleMania. After the show and shows is over, it appears that two top stars are taking a bit of time off.
Both Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins lost their matches during WrestleMania 40. Lynch was unable to capture the WWE Women’s World Title from Rhea Ripley in the first match of WrestleMania Saturday. Then, on WrestleMania Sunday, Seth Rollins lost his World Heavyweight Championship.
According to a report from Fightful Select, Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch were not listed on rundowns before WWE RAW this week. Seth Rollins is expected to take some time off.
Clues For Their Time Off
Drew McIntyre spoke directly to the camera this week to address Rollins, and thank him for their Mania match. It seemed as though he was delivering a message to The Visionary, as he wasn’t there.
As inaugural WWE World Heavyweight Champion, Rollins held the title for 316 days before dropping it to Drew McIntyre. The Scottish Warrior’s reign as champion lasted just over 5 minutes before Damian Priest cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to win the belt.
It is also worth noting that Triple H sent out a post on Twitter/X today, praising Rollins for his contributions as World Heavyweight Champion. That message certainly seemed like it might have had more meaning behind it than the surface statement about Rollins’ toughness.
How do you make steel and leather become a most sought after possession? How do you get men to give their blood, sweat and tears to attain it? How do you make it mean the absolute most? Seth “Freakin” Rollins.
How do you make steel and leather become a most sought after possession? How do you get men to give their blood, sweat and tears to attain it? How do you make it mean the absolute most? Seth “Freakin” Rollins. pic.twitter.com/OhA51jx7LH
Both Rollins and Lynch have contracts expiring in 2024. Lynch’s deal is expiring in two months, something that she didn’t express much worry about, as Endeavor is showing up how they handle contract renewals.
We will have to see when The Man and The Visionary return to WWE television. They could both get some well-deserved time off at this point.
Vince McMahon is out of WWE, but the same is not true with Stephanie McMahon. WWE has no plans to disassociate with Stephanie at this point, and they have made that very clear.
Fightful Select reports that Stephanie McMahon’s promo was kept secret and was listed as a Triple H promo in the rundown.
She reappeared on WWE television for the first time after leaving the company last year when Vince forced his way back in. She visited backstage at Survivor Series 2023, but hasn’t had an official role in the company. However, she was welcomed backstage at WrestleMania with open arms, and is well liked by many.
It was also reported that sources in WWE were asked if there was hesitation to utilize Stephanie McMahon after being named as “Corporate Officer Number 3” in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against WWE. Those the outlet spoke to said that they haven’t personally heard of how Stephanie addressed the allegations that she knew of Vince McMahon engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct.
One source reportedly said that the situation had to be a complicated one for Stephanie, and they personally believed her appearance was her firmly picking a side publicly. TKO sources said that they’re supporting Stephanie McMahon in this situation.
It was not confirmed that Stephanie McMahon is back in any full-time capacity. A half dozen people backstage universally claimed they’d welcome her back when they were asked about it.
WrestleMania is in the rearview mirror at this point, and we have a new World Heavyweight Champion in Damian Priest. This week’s RAW after WrestleMania 40 sorted out his next challenger.
Damian Priest needs a challenger, and Jey Uso won a match on the RAW after WrestleMania 40 to clinch that #1 contender spot.
WWE RAW After WrestleMania 40 Main Event
The main event of the RAW after WrestleMania 40 was a fatal four-way match to determine the #1 contender for Damian Priest World Heavyweight Championship. Drew McIntyre, Bronson Reed, Ricochet, and Jey Uso battled in this match.
This match ended in controversy, because just as Drew McIntyre was about to nail Jey Uso with a Claymore Kick, CM Punk appeared from under the ring to hold Drew’s foot to screw him up.
Jey Uso responded by getting the best of McIntyre, which included a top rope splash for the win. Now, Uso will get a shot at Damian Priest for the World Heavyweight Championship. The date of their upcoming match was not confirmed.
CM Punk was very happy about Jey Uso’s win, as he did the YEET hand movements after the match. Then again, Punk was also elated to get one over on Drew McIntyre by costing him the big win.
Uso had a big WrestleMania, where he defeated his twin brother, Jimmy Uso at WrestleMania Saturday. He was also a part of the main event on WrestleMania Sunday, where Cody Rhodes got to finish his story against Roman Reigns.
Drew McIntyre made it very clear that he wants the World Heavyweight Championship back. He had the title for just over five minutes at WrestleMania Sunday, but then CM Punk’s attack on him opened the door for Damian Priest’s successful Money in the Bank cash-in.
McIntyre was not happy about how things went down at Mania. He is also not a fan of the Money in the Bank concept, because it’s cost him two championships at this point. After all, The Miz cashed in his MITB contract on McIntyre in 2021 to win the title from him.
WWE is resetting a lot of the deck after WrestleMania 40, and that could bring a brand-new storyline to the picture.
During Bronson Reed’s promo on RAW this week, something very interesting happened. A glitch appeared on the screen, and it looks like this was all on purpose.
Fans in attendance at the Wells Fargo Center received a crazy, ominous tease as well. The lights went down, and strange music started to play before the show even started.
It appears that WWE is teasing something, because production glitches like this don’t just happen out of nowhere, as they are very likely choreographed to be a part of the show.
If you remember, Bray Wyatt’s initial return with his revamped character after his release was started with playing Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” at house shows, as they bathed the crowd in a red light. That was followed by a slew of QR codes. These new teasers have a lot of those same vibes.
They just played some eerie music and it stopped ? uncle Howdy is that you? #wweraw
With the idea that WWE may use Bo Dallas again, and the Bray Wyatt: Becoming Immortal documentary ending with an apparent tease for Uncle Howdy’s return, this is a very interesting situation.
Fightful Select went on to report that details about Bo Dallas’s return, including the version or character he may portray, remain uncertain. While under WWE contract since 2022, he hasn’t made an appearance on live WWE programming for over a year, coinciding with Bray Wyatt’s absence from television due to illness.
It’s anyone’s guess what this means, but WWE is certainly up to something.
SEScoops will keep our eye on this story for more details. It appears that Triple H has a lot of stories planned for after WrestleMania 40.
