Endeavor has said that it would not consider a sale of its majority interest in TKO Group Holdings, which consists of both WWE and the UFC. TKO is not party to this transaction and will remain a publicly traded company, the companies said on Tuesday.
While TKO is not expected to be directly involved with this move, the company is seeing a benefit from the change. After news of Endeavor’s privatization was announced, stock in the WWE company rose significantly. It had been trading at $86.66 a share before the news broke and rose to $90.78 a share within 90 minutes of the announcement.
TKO Group Holdings
TKO was officially launched in September 2023. It was announced back in April 2023 that Endeavor was to acquire WWE as part of a historic $9.3 billion deal. The merger of WWE and UFC into TKO did not come without casualties as over 100 employees were let go last year in efforts to synchronize the two sports promotions. WWE would host its first wave of talent releases post-TKO launch that same month.
WrestleMania usually attracts celebrities from outside the usual pro wrestling bubble. This year’s big event in Philly will be no different.
WWE’s WrestleMania 40 event will go down on April 6 and 7 at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles. It appears that the company is interested in bringing in some NFL representation for the show of shows.
WWE has reached out to recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce for a potential appearance at WrestleMania. His NFL star brother Travis Kelce also received an invitation.
WWE Contacted Kelce
According to Fightful Select, WWE has initiated contact with numerous celebrities in anticipation of WrestleMania.
WWE has approached recently retired Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce regarding a potential appearance at WrestleMania 40. Kelce, is very popular, particularly in Philadelphia. He also spent the past decade playing in Lincoln Financial Field.
Jason Kelce played 13 seasons in the NFL, and in every one of them, he was the starting center for the Eagles. At 36 years old, Kelce also co-hosts a successful podcast alongside his brother Travis.
Other Celebrities at WrestleMania 40
Lil Wayne was on RAW this week, where he confirmed that he will be at WrestleMania 40. Weezy will debut a new single, and since ThaCarter VI is coming soon, that could draw some mainstream attention.
Drew Barrymore will also be at Mania. That will be a real treat for some fans, but you also never know who will show up in Philly at the show of shows. After all, The Rock has an extensive contact list as well.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and so much more, as we continue monitoring every development concerning WrestleMania 40. Keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines!
CM Punk’s new interview with Ariel Helwani is certainly chock full of newsworthy topics as ‘The Best In The World’ addressed quite a bit in the conversation, including Hangman Page.
Punk was discussing his non-relationship with his former close friend, Colt Cabana, and mentioned that they only very briefly had an interaction while in AEW before Punk told him to go through his lawyer if he ever wants to speak to him again. That prompted Punk to mention how he believes Cabana was the crux for all that unfolded in AEW, including Page “going into business” for himself on AEW Dynamite.
Page and Punk were building to their match for AEW Double Or Nothing and Hangman made inside reference to Punk alienating himself from people backstage. Punk told Helwani he sympathized with Page’s thoughts, but not in front of a packed arena.
“I applaud and I said this to Hangman, I was like, ‘Man, I get taking up for your friends, I get it. That’s commendable .I do that all the time right or wrong, I’ll stand up for my f***ing friends, but to f***ing go on national television and jeopardize a million dollar house that you ain’t ever drawn before. Now you’re disrespecting me and you’re disrespecting the business. This is my house. I drew that, not you,’ you know? And that’s egos. It is what it is.”
Punk covered plenty of ground in this revealing interview on WrestleMania week including his brief interaction with Vince McMahon, his thoughts on Tony Khan and much more.
Please credit MMA Hour and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.
Hulk Hogan vs. Ric Flair never went down at WWE WrestleMania VIII, and the Hulkster knows the reasons why.
It was always an obvious omission as to why Hogan never fought Flair, but speaking with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Hogan said that their were several wheels turning as to why ‘The Immortal’ never faced ‘The Nature Boy.’
“Me and Flair had magic in the old WWF,” said Hogan. “But there was more than one agenda there. It wasn’t just that Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan were going to be the guys driving the WWF train. I think Vince was thinking in multiples. We weren’t the only game in town. He got what he needed, then spread us apart.”
Although they wrestled one another at several house shows, the marquee match didn’t happen on the “grandest stage of them all.” From a visual perspective, Sports Illustrated notes that part of that reason was because Flair didn’t fit the bill of Hogan’s typical type of foe. Vince McMahon was lining up monsters for him to slay and Flair was of a different type of feather. Hogan, however, noted that he was always up for challengers of different wrestling styles.
“I always loved wrestling, and I liked the challenge of working with different guys. I loved wrestling The Rock. If you’re going to create magic, there is a formula, a feel, a timing, and a placement. That’s the ‘It Factor’–you need to be able to see it and feel it.”
Something else that was on the table was that WrestleMania VIII was going to be Hogan’s last with WWE. Instead, Hogan took on Sid Vicious and Flair battled Randy Savage.
WWE Superstars have a lot of power to influence others, and Joey Swoll wants them to do better, especially Austin Theory and Grayson Waller. The popular social media influencer, who boasts 7.5 million followers on TikTok, wants to teach them a lesson.
Austin Theory and Grayson Waller found themselves as the target for some very passionate fans. Joey Swoll unleashed his viral army on them, and things took a very drastic turn in a hurry.
How It Started
Joey Swoll has a strong online presence, and he does great work with his influencer status. He is known for showing off videos of people making a fool of themselves in public, most notably at the gym, and he then tells them off after the clip before saying they should “do better” and “mind your business.” He really is worth a follow, because he’s always trying to spread a positive message.
When Swoll saw a video of Grayson Waller and Austin Theory being real punks at the gym, he had to say something. In the video, the WWE duo berate someone for walking into their shot during a workout.
Swoll launched into one of his trademark videos, where he said that even WWE Superstars can get a piece of his stern teachings. It seems that Joey already tried to address this with Theory, and that led to Austin saying he wants to smack the sh*t out of the influencer. Swoll then said that Theory “doesn’t want this smoke.”
In the end, Swoll said that he would be happy to end Theory’s career. He told WWE to make it happen, and we’re really hoping something gets booked.
Grayson Waller’s notifications were apparently bombarded by replies from Joey Swoll’s fan base, even though Swoll’s beef was mostly with Austin Theory. The Swoll Army is passionate about wanting people to do better and mind their business, so they flooded Waller’s DMs with angry messages.
The Grayson Waller Effect host then proceeded to read a ton of those DMs before making a video, where he tore into Joey Swoll’s fans and the buff influencer.
The truth is that Waller and Theory are very good at internetting and using social media to drive home their obnoxious characters. So, there’s a very good chance that the video was staged. Either way, this resulted in an online feud that we didn’t know we needed until it happened.
Stay tuned to see if Joey Swoll has any comment. As of this writing, he has not responded to Grayson Waller burying his Swoll Army. SEScoops will have more updates on this story, and many more, so keep checking back.
The April 1, episode of WWE Raw served as a compelling go-home show before WrestleMania 40 but also had a segment that TNA fans may have found familiar.
Raw saw the Superstars of the red brand try and build momentum ahead of WWE WrestleMania 40. The fifth-annual two-night WrestleMania will kick off on April 6 from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA.
Drew McIntyre’s Funeral for CM Punk
On Monday Night Raw, Drew McIntyre was at a funeral home where he gave a eulogy mocking CM Punk’s ‘dead’ dream of headlining WrestleMania. McIntyre ridiculed Punk as an “out of shape has been” whose “fragile” body failed him in the Royal Rumble match (when Punk got injured) worse than when he was in the UFC. Not done there, McIntyre also gave a eulogy for Seth Rollins title reign that McIntyre hopes to finish at WrestleMania 40.
A Familiar Venue
Funerals in wrestling are not uncommon and fans who watched Raw may have found this segment eerily familiar. As fans on social media pointed out, this funeral home featured on Raw has been used by TNA Wrestling in the past. The same location was used in 2005 when there was a funeral for Team 3-D, known to WWE fans as the Dudley Boyz.
Years later, the same funeral home would be used for a segment in which the Aces & Eights faction was laid to rest.
WWE & TNA segments at the funeral home.
TNA Involvement in WWE
WWE is host to several ex-TNA names, both on-screen and working behind the scenes. In 2018, Jeremy Borash joined WWE and works with the NXT brand. His official role in the company is as Senior Director of Content and Development and he was specifically chosen to help produce the 2020 Boneyard match between AJ Styles and The Undertaker.
Chris Park also works for WWE after spending years in TNA as Abyss. Park currently serves as a producer and appeared in a segment with fellow TNA alum AJ Styles on SmackDown in August 2020.
WWE WrestleMania 40 is set to be chock-full of celebrities and fans can add Drew Barrymore’s name to the guest list for the upcoming Premium Live Event.
Barrymore is expected by WWE to be in attendance at WrestleMania 40, per PWInsider. While most fans may not know about her connections to pro wrestling, she’s hosted several WWE Superstars on her daytime talkshow, including 16-time WWE World Champion John Cena and the New Day (on multiple occasions).
Celebrities at WrestleMania 40
Drew Barrymore won’t be the only notable name from outside the world of pro-wrestling that’ll be at WrestleMania 40.
Rapper Meek Mill, who is from Philadelphia, will also be involved with WrestleMania. His song “Dreams and Nightmares” has become a Philly anthem. He will voice the opening video for WrestleMania 40.
Expect to see many more celebrities and surprise appearances this weekend at WWE WrestleMania 40 from Lincoln Financial Field Philadelphia, PA.
Stay tuned to SEScoops all week long for our wall-to-wall coverage of WrestleMania Week.
Questions remain over Big E’s future in the ring but the former WWE Champion has said that he plans on being smart about whatever may come.
Big E suffered a broken neck injury during a March 2022, edition of WWE SmackDown. The New Day star was able to avoid surgery which at the time led many to believe he would not be out of action for long. Despite being able to avoid going under the knife, Big E has not wrestled since then and questions remains as to whether he will again.
Hobbled & Crippled
In a recent interview with CBS Sports, Big E discussed what’s to come for him. The triple-crown champion and 2021 Men’s MITB winner reiterated previous points that he wants to do what’s right for his health.
“I’ve been doing physical things my entire life, and I never wanted to leave sports hobbled and crippled.
“It’s just a matter of listening to the doctors, taking in enough information, looking at my more recent set of scans and deciding if the gamble is worth it.”
Big E has been able to consult not just with doctors but various wrestlers who have suffered similar neck injuries. Big E was grateful that wrestlers and legends have been willing to answer his questions.
“I’ve been so thankful for so many of the guys I grew up loving and watching as a kid, so many legends who wanted to reach out and share what they went through when they had their neck injuries. I’m so grateful to all of them.”
A Role Outside the Ring
While Big E’s in-ring future remains in question, the charismatic talker was recently part of the WWE WrestleMania 40 kick-off event panel. In the interview, Big E admitted that the role took him by surprise.
“It wasn’t until I boarded the flight to Vegas that I even knew I was doing the panel. That’s the nature of things in WWE. It’s oftentimes, ‘Hey, show up’ and you get things thrown at you.”
Former WWE Superstar Ronda Rousey has said her role in the company was simply not sustainable for her once the UFC Hall of Famer became a mother.
Rousey and her husband Travis Browne welcomed their daughter La’akea Makalapuaokalanip? Browne into the world in September 2021. Mere months after the birth, Rousey returned to WWE TV following a near-three-year absence to win the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble match.
Unsustainable
Rousey finished her time with WWE at SummerSlam 2023 with a loss to Shayna Baszler in the first MMA Rules match. Appearing on Good Morning America, Rousey explained how her duty as a mother played a role in her decision to step away from the ring.
“It’s just not a lifestyle that I can continue while being a mom, you know? I was on the road 18 months with my baby and it was just nothing that we could sustain forever.”
A Possible Return
Since her exit from WWE, Rousey has been vocal in her criticism of the company and its former chairman Vince McMahon. Despite the billionaire’s resignation in January of this year, Rousey said she doesn’t see her returning to the company.
“Not unless things drastically change with how things are run there and so I highly doubt it.”
WWE Moms
Ronda Rousey proved to be one of the toughest moms in the world, but she’s not the only Superstar to be a mother. In December 2020, Becky Lynch gave birth to her and Seth Rollins’ first child Roux, and returned to TV at SummerSlam 2021.
After previously suffering a miscarriage, Carmella gave birth to her and Corey Graves’ son in November 2023 after a 60-hour labor. Alexa Bliss would welcome her and Ryan Cabrera’s daughter Hendrix into the world that same month.
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
It has been four years since The Undertaker wrestled his final match against AJ Styles at WrestleMania 36. The bout which was originally supposed to be contested in a ring was changed to a cinematic match due to COVID-19 restrictions. Many fans still believe the Phenom deserved a sendoff in front of an audience but the legend himself seems to be content with it.
The Dead Man discussed the Boneyard match during the most recent episode of his podcast. Speaking about the bout being converted into a cinematic match, Taker said they were lucky to be able to shoot outside in the environment. He noted how due to the style of the match, they were able to tie in his real-life self with the different personas of his career:
“We got lucky in the sense that we got to go out of the Performance Centre. Because all the matches, Edge and I think Randy Orton, they had a hell of a match but it was so sterile because there was no reaction. We weren’t even pumping in noise at that point or didn’t have the virtual audience.
It was just them having a match in the Performance Centre, a killer match but there’s just no emotion to feed off of. That’s the thing that you live for. We were fortunate enough that we got to go off and had this cinematic match. It was cool for me because I got to kind of tie in all the characters in one.
I got to tie myself, the old school Undertaker, the American badass, everything got tied together for that match just due to the fact, the content of the interviews and the stuff that AJ was doing. That match was obviously supposed to be held in the ring. So we got really lucky that we were able to have those kinds of toys and the atmosphere.”
When Undertaker Realized This Was It
The Undertaker’s struggle with his health in the last few years of his career have been well documented. Before WrestleMania 36 there were multiple bouts Taker considered his last, only to be pulled back by the appeal of one more match. According to the Last Outlaw, the realization of the Boneyard match being ‘it’ finally hit him right before they filmed the climax of the fight:
“We were between takes. We were getting ready to, I think getting ready to go to the big finale off the top of the barn there. It was getting cold. We’ve been at it since I think we started filming around dark which was around eight o’clock. So now it’s four in the morning and my back, everything is locking up.
That’s like when I had [the realization], that’s when it finally clicked like ‘This is it dude. You’re not coming back after this one.’ It was just a moment; I was sitting there by myself and just a moment of pure clarity that just said ‘Shit. This is it right here’ Obviously I didn’t share it with anybody. We got through it.”
The WWE Hall of Famer was then asked if he feels content with the Cinematic match being the end of his wrestling journey. Taker mentioned how he always wanted to wrestle AJ Styles. He claimed that he is happy because of how poetic the bout turned out to be:
“I was happy because it was another thing like I was really fortunate enough to be involved in so many innovative matches and these crazy storylines and to be able to do this big cinematic type match which would add different layers to the product. I was happy with all that.
Deep down I always thought AJ was the Shawn Michaels of this generation. I wanted to have that kind of match that I had with Shawn with AJ in a ring, but I don’t think it would have been as poetic as what we were able to do.”
The retired legend later also revealed that AJ wanted to do even more things that would have put the spotlight on Taker in his final match. He refused however, because his body couldn’t handle it.
You can check out the full episode of the podcast below:
If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription
Triple H is okay with changing WWE’s storylines due to the response of fans as he handles the company’s plans differently from Vince McMahon.
The Game serves as WWE’s Chief Content Officer and oversees the company’s creative plans as well as talent relations. Following Vince McMahon’s resignation from WWE, Triple H has been able to book matters fully in line with his creative vision rather than having to appease his father-in-law
Changing Plans
When The Rock returned to WWE, the promotion’s plan was for the Brahma Bull to challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. Immediately, fans rejected the notion of Cody Rhodes ‘handing over’ the spot many have expected for him since WrestleMania 39. The ‘We Want Cody’ movement would lead to WWE changing plans; putting Cody back in the Undisputed WWE Universal Title picture and turning The Rock heel.
Triple H Weighs In
The fact that WWE was willing to change its plans marked a considerable change from the company’s past stance of sticking with its plans even in the face of fan backlash. In a recent interview with ESPN about WWE’s changes in the post-McMahon era, Triple H highlighted how he’s more open to other ideas.
“Now it’s a different time, and the way I do things is slightly different. My career, I learned from being here, but there were things along the way that I always thought I would do differently. In this time now, I get to make those calls and with a large team of people.
“Everything you do is dependent on reactions. That’s what we do as an industry. … The beautiful thing with this group and with Cody and Roman and Rock especially, everybody’s got their ear to the ground. … And then we all just get together and figure the s*** out.”
Cody Rhodes Weighs In
Nobody has benefitted from Triple H willingness to change plans more regarding this situation than Cody Rhodes. The American Nightmare is poised to have another shot at Roman Reigns and the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 40. When Rhodes spoke to ESPN, he addressed why The Rock’s return didn’t go as WWE had intended.
“[Rock] might just have come back at a strange time, which is wild [for] the most popular wrestler of all time and one of the most recognizable faces on Earth… the fact that one person is booing him out there throws me. It means we’re doing something special here.”
Rhodes will team with Seth Rollins to face Roman Reigns and The Rock on WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday, the night before Rhodes Vs. Reigns for the title.
The next WWE Premium Live Event in the United Kingdom will take place this June in Glasgow, Scotland, the promotion has revealed.
WWE Clash At the Castle: Scotland will happen on June 15, from the OVO Hydro. There will also be an episode of WWE SmackDown in the same venue on June 14. WWE Clash At the Castle: Scotland will mark WWE’s first Premium Live Event in the country.
BREAKING: Glasgow will host #SmackDown on Friday, June 14, followed by Clash at the Castle: Scotland, the first-ever WWE Premium Live Event to be held in Scotland, on Saturday, June 15 at the @OVOHydro! #WWECastle
WWE held its first Clash At The Castle event in September 2022 in Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales. The event saw Roman Reigns retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Drew McIntyre thanks to the interference of Solo Sikoa. This marked Sikoa’s official call-up to the main roster.
The show also saw Edge & Rey Mysterio defeat The Judgment Day’s Finn Balor and Damian Priest. After the match, Dominik Mysterio turned on his father and aligned himself with The Judgment Day, a faction he has remained with ever since.
WWE PLEs Outside The United States
WWE Clash at the Castle: Scotland is the latest PLE confirmed to be taking place outside of North America. This August, WWE will travel to Germany for their inaugural Bash at Berlin show. WWE recently held Elimination Chamber 2024 in Perth, Australia, the promotion’s first Premium Live Event in the country since 2018.
WWE Money in the Bank 2024 will take place in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, after being held in London, England last year. One day after Money in the Bank on July 6, WWE NXT will host its Heatwave event, also from Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena.
The man who will induct Paul Heyman into the WWE Hall of Fame this Friday was revealed during the April 1, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw.
Heyman was the first name announced for this year’s class of Hall of Fame inductees. The honor is richly deserved given Heyman’s success in multiple roles in the world of wrestling. Heyman has served as a manager, a producer, a promoter, and as a member of WWE’s creative team throughout his lengthy career.
Paul Heyman’s WWE Hall of Fame Inductor
During a backstage segment on the April 1, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, Heyman, The Rock, and Roman Reigns were seen conversing. Reigns had to leave early to work on his ‘speech’ for the Wise Man. Heyman then made clear to anyone who hadn’t figured it out that Reigns would be inducting him into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Heyman is hardly the only notable name to make up this year’s class of WWE Hall of Famers. The US Express will also be inducted this year, the only tag team as part of the 2024 class. Bull Nakano was announced as a WWE Hall of Fame inductee. The Japanese star is a former WWE Women’s Champion and is currently the commissioner for the all-women’s Sukeban promotion.
Thunderbolt Patterson has also been confirmed as an inductee. The late Muhammed Ali will be posthumously inducted for his contributions to the world of Sports Entertainment.
The final inductee is Lia Maivia, one of the first female wrestling promoters and a trailblazer in her own right. Her induction was announced by her grandson The Rock and will come 16 years after her husband ‘High Chief’ Peter Maivia was inducted in 2008.
WWE Hall of Fame Inductors
Here is the known inductors for this year’s WWE Hall of Fame:
The Rock once again didn’t hold back with his choice of words regarding Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins after the April 1, episode of Raw went off the air.
The go-home Raw before WrestleMania 40 saw The Rock opening with some a promo about the beatdown he gave Rhodes the previous week. While The Rock said it broke his heart to see young fans crying when he attacked Rhodes, the American Nightmare had brought the attack upon himself by stepping ‘out of line.’ The segment finished with Roman Reigns, the Bloodline, Cody Rhodes, and Seth Rollins appearing and a Bloodline Rules match being set between Reigns and Solo Sikoa for the main event.
The Rock’s Message
The main event of Raw saw interference by The Bloodline who ambushed Rollins. While Rhodes tried to help the man he’ll team with at WrestleMania 40: Saturday, the pair of babyfaces were unable to overcome the might of the Bloodline. Raw went off the air with the Bloodline standing tall after whipping their upcoming opponents with belts.
After Raw, The Bloodline made their way to the back. The Rock was the final man to go backstage and had two words for his WrestleMania 40: Saturday opponents.
The Rock will make his long-awaited return to the ring at WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday. He will team with Roman Reigns to face Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins. The match will decide the stipulation for the next night’s Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match.
Should Rhodes and Rollins win the tag match, there will be no Bloodline involvement when Rhodes takes on Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40: Sunday. If the Bloodline wins on the Saturday, the following night’s title match will be under ‘Bloodline Rules.’
CM Punk’s recent comments on the MMA Hour have had the wrestling world talking, including those in both WWE and All Elite Wrestling.
Punk’s appearance on the Ariel Helwani-hosted show saw him discuss various topics including his return to WWE, the departure of Vince McMahon, and his time with AEW. Punk, as expected, did not hold back in discussing these matters in great detail.
AEW Reacts
Following his comments on the show, several AEW stars. posted tweets of support for the company. When Fightful Select asked about this, they were told it was more about supporting the company than anything else.
A supporter of Punk in AEW said that the interview was bound to happen eventually. They hope that’s the last they hear of Punk’s backstage issue in AEW until hopefully one-day fences are mended.
One veteran AEW talent said:
“More than anything, what the interview showed was that this was preventable from all sides. Punk is happy, AEW talent moved on, so hopefully everyone just learns from it and makes amends in the future.”
WWE Reactions
One WWE talent said that they figured Punk would answer questions about AEW, despite the NDA is in place. Another WWE name preferred that Punk answered questions this week as they hope his comments will be overshadowed by the stacked week of wrestling content coming up in the next few days.
Sticking to a trend in recent reports, all news about Punk since his return to WWE has been positive. Executives asked for their comments on the interview said they didn’t believe Punk really wanted to broach the subject of AEW but was expecting it to come up.
Punk isn’t likely to be subjected to a heavy media schedule this week like some others in the company, as he’s still recovering from an injury.
What’s Next for CM Punk?
Punk won’t be competing at WWE WrestleMania 40 but he’ll still have a role with the show. The Chicago-Made Superstar will be the guest commentator for the World Heavyweight Championship between Seth Rollins and challenger Drew McIntyre.
WWE is putting on the finishing touches for WrestleMania, and that includes the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame class. Now, we know about one more inductee, which is likely to be the final name for this year’s class.
Paul Heyman, Bull Nakano, The U.S. Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda), Muhammad Ali, and Thunderbolt Patterson were already announced as inductees in the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame. Now, Lia Maivia is joining this year’s class.
Final WWE Hall of Fame Inductee Revealed
During this week’s episode of RAW, it was confirmed that Lia Maivia will be a part of this year’s WWE Hall of Fame.
The Rock broke the news via his Instagram that his grandmother, Lia Maivia, will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2024. He hailed her as a trailblazer and someone who protected her family, which is a running theme for this return run through WrestleMania 40.
I’m honored to announce, that I will be inducting my grandmother, Lia Maivia, into the @WWE Hall of Fame, class of 2024. One of the first ever female promoters of professional wrestling. She was a trail blazer. She was a protector of our family. She was the real Final Boss.
It was also announced during WWE RAW that Roman Reigns will be on hand to induct Paul Heyman into the WWE Hall of Fame. Reigns walked away while saying that he was going to work on his speech, which was followed by Heyman confirming this news.
The 2024 WWE Hall of Fame will air after SmackDown on April 5th. We will have coverage of the event here.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and many more, as we get closer to WrestleMania 40. You never know what will break next, so please keep checking back for more headlines!
WWE always brings big names in for WrestleMania. This year’s show of shows at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia promises to be the biggest of them all, and Lil Wayne will be on hand to debut a new song to prove it.
RAW was in Brooklyn for their April 1 episode. Lil Wayne was on hand, and he received an invitation from Jey Uso to be on hand for his Mania match. It may have been April Fools’ Day, but this was no joke.
Lil Wayne wasted no time in accepting Jey Uso’s WrestleMania 40 invitation. Weezy also revealed that he will debut a brand-new track at the show of shows.
Lil Wayne’s WWE WrestleMania 40 Invitation
During tonight’s edition of Monday Night RAW, Lil Wayne made an appearance. He was spotted by Jey Uso while chilling backstage in the Barclays Center during the show.
Jey Uso wasted no time in asking about Wayne’s schedule for the week and he dropped information about his upcoming match with Jimmy Uso at WrestleMania 40. Wayne revealed his own plans to attend WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia, and he promised to debut a new song while he was at it.
It was already teased that Meek Mill will be at WrestleMania 40. We will have to see if he makes the event, especially considering how his name has been connected to the recent P Diddy allegations. Either way, we know that Lil Wayne will be there.
Lil Wayne is gonnabe at Wrestlemania and he's gonna debut his new Single off Tha Carter VI album. #WrestleMania
Lil Wayne is still one of the busiest entertainers in the music industry. He is in the middle of a chain of sold-out shows, where he has packed arenas across the United States. It’s nice to know that he will be on hand for WrestleMania, and he may just rap Jey Uso to the ring in the process.
SEScoops will keep you updates on more stories as they break. Keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines!
WWE keeps raking up the records around every corner. This week’s episode of RAW was a loaded one before WrestleMania 40. They also captured another impressive achievement.
Fans showed up in Brooklyn this week for the go-home RAW before WrestleMania. That included breaking a new all-time record for any previous episode of RAW. This week marked 13 straight sell outs for WWE television, and it was the largest domestic gate in the history of the show.
WWE Breaks New Record
During WWE RAW this week, The Rock opened up the show with a brutal promo. After he buried Cody Rhodes a bit, he had a big announcement to make.
Dwayne Johnson revealed that WWE RAW in Brooklyn for their April 1 episode brought the biggest episode of RAW ever. This was a huge note as the go-home episode before WrestleMania 40.
Ariel Helwani previously said on the MMA Hour that he had heard that WWE was going to break a record for all-time gate tonight in Brooklyn. It seems that came to pass after all, and those fans were thrilled to be a part of history.
Ariel Helwani says he was told tonight's Monday Night Raw is shaping up to be maybe the biggest gate ever for a TV show in WWE history.#TheMMAHourpic.twitter.com/jG3CYBCwzs
WrestleTix’s Patreon account noted that WWE RAW event at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY was a legit sell-out. With a total setup capacity of 13,345 seats, all of which have been distributed, there wasn’t an empty seat in the house. Michael Cole claimed that there were 15,546 fans in the building during the show.
They broke their previous attendance record dating back to SmackDown on December 1, 2023, which saw 12,241 attendees. The Rock took credit for this achievement as they kicked off RAW this week. The crowd was also on fire for the opening segment.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and so many more, for more updates. Please keep checking back throughout the day for more updates!
WWE has less than a week to get WrestleMania on the grandest stage of them all. Now we know which nights will feature those big matches.
WrestleMania 40 is set to unfold across two evenings, scheduled for April 6 and 7, 2024, hosted at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Each night of the show of shows will get six matches at this point, but you never know what kind of surprises Triple H and company has in store for fans.
Triple H revealed the card for both nights of WrestleMania 40. He did so just before the April 1 episode of WWE RAW.
WrestleMania 40 Lineup
The WrestleMania Night One lineup will include Roman Reigns and The Rock facing off against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. Additionally, there will be title matches featuring Rhea Ripley defending against Becky Lynch and Gunther defending against Sami Zayn. The night will also feature a Six-Pack Ladder Match for the Undisputed Tag Team Titles and a clash between Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso.
On the other hand, WrestleMania Night Two will showcase Roman Reigns defending his Undisputed WWE Universal Title against Cody Rhodes, while Seth Rollins defends his WWE World Heavyweight Title against Drew McIntyre. The night will also feature a Triple Threat Match for the WWE United States Title, a Women’s Title Match, and a Philadelphia Street Fight between Bobby Lashley, The Street Profits, and The Final Testament.
Triple H made this big announcement with several posts, one for each match. This year’s show of shows is going to be a loaded two-night event. Now, we know which match will be on each night.
You can check out the lineup for WrestleMania 40 below. This is not a reflection of match order, but it’s pretty obvious that Cody and Roman’s stories will cap off each show.
WrestleMania Night One
Roman Reigns and The Rock vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins
Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee vs. Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio
Women’s World Heavyweight Title Match: Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch
WWE Intercontinental Title Match: Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn
Undisputed Tag Team Titles Six-Pack Ladder Match: Finn Balor & Damian Priest (c) vs. DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa) vs. Awesome Truth (The Miz & R-Truth) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) vs. Austin Theory & Grayson Waller vs. Pete Dunne & Tyler Bate
Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso
Bianca Belair, Naomi, and Jade Cargill vs. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane)
LA Knight and AJ Styles’ rivalry will come to a head this weekend at WrestleMania 40. Before he and Styles clash on the ‘Grandest Stage of Them All’ this weekend, Knight spoke with Jim Varsallone and gave an overview of what fans can expect from the match.
Knight was uncharacteristically tempered when setting expectations for the match. When asked if he and Styles would steal the show, the former Million Dollar Champion said all the pieces are in place for them to make history.
“Man, look, I don’t want to throw those kind of predictions out there, you never know,” Knight said “I don’t want to promise anything like that, but AJ’s a stud, I’m a stud. There’s a lot of tension going into this match, there’s a lot of animosity.
There’s a lot of energy going into this match. So for damn sure, it could be, as the kids say, a banger. Will it be a show-stealer? I don’t know. Maybe. We’ll let history decide that one, but you can bet your ass it’s gonna be a good one.”
LA Knight and AJ Styles’ WrestleMania Feud
Tensions between the two began to brew ahead of the 2024 Royal Rumble, when Styles unleashed a surprising attack on the brash Superstar. The following week, Styles claimed that Knight “stepped over [his] dead body” to secure a tag team match alongside John Cena at WWE Fastlane.
LA Knight and John Cena
Fueled by his desire for revenge, Styles later ambushed Knight with a steel chair in the 2024 Men’s Elimination Chamber match, subsequently causing him to be eliminated.
With his shot at the WWE World Heavyweight Championship dashed, “The Megastar” fixed his attention solely on AJ Styles. After several more weeks of fighting, WWE then confirmed that the Knight-Styles feud will now culminate at WrestleMania 40.
CM Punk may have “nothing to hide” regarding what transpired backstage at AEW All Out 2022 but regrets appearing on the media scrum after the pay-per-view.
On the MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Punk was asked for information about the infamous backstage fight. While Punk felt like he couldn’t discuss the matter in detail, he made clear that he has nothing to hide.
“I don’t think I can [talk about it] but I didn’t have to sign an NDA for anything I did wrong… I have nothing to hide and I don’t give a s***.”
When asked if he regrets how things went down, Punk said he wishes things had gone differently. The two-time former AEW World Champion added that the idea of these press conferences in wrestling is not his style.
“I think you can go back and be like ‘Well I wish I never did the scrum.’ Scrums are stupid anyway. Yeah, those things were really cringe.”
CM Punk on Tony Khan
One year on from being brought into AEW by Tony Khan, Brawl Out would forever change Punk’s relationship with Khan. In the interview, Punk didn’t hold back in his evaluation of the AEW President.
“He’s not a boss. He’s a nice guy. And I think ultimately that is a detriment to the company. But it’s not my company. I’m an outsider.”
Punk added that the last time he spoke to Khan was at AEW All In following his backstage fight with Jack Perry. After the fight, Punk faced Samoa Joe in the opening match of the main show. Punk said that he walked into the match knowing it’d be his last AEW match and made clear he quit the company.
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
CM Punk’s first interaction with Vince McMahon after returning to WWE at Survivor Series 2023 would also prove to be his last, the Chicago-Made star has revealed.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani of the MMA Hour, Punk recalled being invited to WWE’s headquarters for a workout and being approached by McMahon’s trainers before the man himself.
“I was in there, and I was on the phone on the treadmill warming up. And Vince’s trainers [say] ‘Hey, you’ve got to get off the phone. Vince doesn’t like it when people are on the phone in the gym… And then I saw him walking down into the gym. He came in for his daily workout.
When asked, Punk recalled the brief conversation he shared with McMahon and the plans that neither man was able to follow up on.
“He gave me a big hug. He said ‘Welcome home. Good to see you. Let’s connect after I work out.’ I said alright. Haven’t seen him since [laughs.]”
What Came Next?
McMahon would resign from WWE two months after Punk’s return to the company. The 78-year-old billionaire would step away due to the damning claims in Janel Grant’s lawsuit against himself and WWE. McMahon has denied all wrongdoing.
Mere days after McMahon’s resignation, Punk would suffer a triceps injury that has kept him on the shelf ever since. Despite this, Punk will be a guest commentator at WrestleMania 40 for the World Heavyweight Championship match between Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre.
The final WWE Raw before WrestleMania 40 will be a historic night in many ways and is expected to see the highest gate for any TV show in the history of WWE.
Sources told Ariel Helwani of the MMA Hour that the show is “shaping up” to break the record for WWE programming. The show will take place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Another Big Success
The April 1, 2024, Raw is just the latest in a long line of successes for WWE. As Wrestle Tix reports, this show is also completely sold out. 13,345 tickets have been distributed for the Barclays Center with 0 available tickets re
WWE Monday Night RAW Mon • Apr 01 • 7:30 PM Barclays Center, Brooklyn, NY
Available Tickets: 0 Current Setup: 13,345 Tickets Distributed: 13,345
?SOLD OUT ?200+ since the last update (3 days ago) ?Last visit: Smackdown 12/1/2023: 12,241 pic.twitter.com/TtaVAaLj5c
It’s hardly a surprise that tonight’s Raw is in high demand given the stacked show that has already been announced. It has been confirmed that both The Rock and Roman Reigns will be on the show. The duo will team up to face Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins at WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday.
Sami Zayn will hope to build momentum on tonight’s Raw ahead of his Intercontinental Championship match with GUNTHER at WrestleMania. That may be easier said than done as Zayn will take on ‘Big’ Bronson Reed.
It’ll be eight-man tag-team action on Raw when DIY & the New Day take on The Judgment Day. DIY, the New Day, and Finn Balor & Damian Priest will all be in the WrestleMania six-pack challenge ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championships.
Ivy Nile & Maxxine Dupri hope to get revenge on Candice LeRae following weeks of horrific comments by the Poison Pixie. LeRae will team with Indi Hartwell to face Nile and Dupri on Raw.
This is some of the action from the April 1, WWE Raw. Fans watching at home will have to get comfortable as the first hour will be commercial-free.
Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon uncovered some heinous allegations. Mr. McMahon’s choice in legal representation is raising eyebrows.
Vince McMahon’s legal representative recently released a statement in response to a new development in the case. Many pro wrestling fans will spot an interesting tie, as McMahon is now using the same law firm that MLW had against WWE in their antitrust lawsuit.
Vince McMahon’s Interesting Representation
The New York Post released a new report today with some developments on Janel Grant’s lawsuit. In response to new allegations that Vince McMahon used coercive tactics, his attorney released a statement on the matter.
McMahon’s attorney, Jessica Taub Rosenberg of law firm Kasowitz Benson Torres, told the outlet that “this is revisionist history. No one coerced Ms. Grant to write that letter. She wrote it of her own accord. The fact that the letter shows it was the 24th draft speaks volumes.”
Some pro wrestling fans perked up when they saw Kasowitz Benson Torres in that article, especially as they are representing Vince McMahon. That is the same law firm that MLW used in their recent antitrust lawsuit against WWE.
Interesting that Vince McMahon is being represented by Kasowitz Benson Torres in the Janel Grant case. Same team that repped MLW's $20 million settlement AGAINST WWE.
In January 2022, MLW filed a legal action against WWE, accusing them of coercive behavior to deter partnerships with MLW by third parties like Vice TV and Tubi. After nearly two years, WWE and MLW settled the dispute in December 2023, with recent reports revealing WWE’s financial commitment of $20 million as part of the agreement, shedding light on the outcome of the antitrust lawsuit.
SEScoops will have more on this story as additional information is made available. Keep checking back throughout the day for more updates!
The final episode of WWE Raw before WrestleMania 40 will emanate from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Here are the 3 matches (and 1 segment) announced for Raw, followed by our detailed preview of each one:
• The Rock & Roman Reigns To Appear
• DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa) & New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston) vs. The Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio, Damian Priest, & JD McDonagh)
• Ivy Nile & Maxxine Dupri vs. Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell
• Sami Zayn vs. Bronson Reed
Here’s what you need to know heading into this week’s WWE Raw:
Roman Reigns & The Rock Return
Five days before they battle Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins on night one of WrestleMania 40, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will be present on tonight’s episode of WWE Raw.
For Johnson, this will mark his second consecutive appearance on the red brand. Last week, Johnson ended the show by delivering a brutal (and bloody) beatdown to Rhodes in the venue’s parking lot. For Reigns, tonight will mark his first Raw appearance of 2024, as his work is primarily typically dedicated to the SmackDown brand.
Sami Zayn vs. Bronson Reed (Round 2)
After punching his ticket to WrestleMania 40 with a grueling gauntlet match victory, Sami Zayn was tasked with facing one of the men he previously emerged victorious against, Bronson Reed.
Unfortunately for Zayn, his wave of momentum was interrupted by a giant Tsunami, resulting in Reed scoring the win on last week’s episode of Raw. With WrestleMania 40 now just a few days away, Zayn has the opportunity to avenge his recent loss as the two square off in a rematch tonight.
DIY & New Day vs. The Judgment Day
A few weeks ago, WWE Raw General Manager Adam Pearce and WWE SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis announced that Judgment Day’s Damian Priest and Finn Balor would be defending their Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships in a six-pack ladder match at WrestleMania 40. As such, several qualifying matchups were made to determine the five challengers for this title match. Two of those challenging spots were claimed by DIY (Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano) and The New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston).
Before DIY and New Day collide on the grand stage of WrestleMania, they will join forces on tonight’s episode of WWE RAW. Together, DIY and New Day will take on Priest and Balor, in addition to their fellow Judgment Day stablemates Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh, in eight-man tag team competition.
Ivy Nile & Maxxine Dupri vs. Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell
For nearly a month, Candice LeRae has displayed a much more aggressive attitude – an attitude that has been primarily pointed at Maxxine Dupri. Last week, Ivy Nile fought LeRae in Dupri’s honor, but much like previous weeks, LeRae was drawn to using underhanded tactics to secure the victory.
Tonight, Nile and Dupri look to score some retribution as they face LeRae and Indi Hartwell in a tag team match.
