SEScoops

Category: WWE

  • WWE SmackDown Preview (3/8): The Rock, Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins & Logan Paul

    WWE returns to Dallas, Texas tonight for Friday Night SmackDown at the American Airlines Center.

    Over 13,000 fans will be on hand tonight at the American Airlines Center for the next stop on the Road to WrestleMania. This marks WWE’s sixth consecutive sold-out television taping, according to data compiled by WrestleTix.

    WWE’s biggest Premium Live Event of the year, WrestleMania 40, is just 29 days away. The card is starting to take shape, but the elephant in the room is ‘almost official’ tag team match involving The Rock, Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins.

    Raw Superstars Rhodes and Rollins will be on hand tonight to give their response, as will the entire Bloodline.

    SmackDown Preview (March 8, 2024)

    Here’s what’s on tap for tonight’s show:

    • Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins answer the WrestleMania challenge made by The Bloodline.
    • The Rock and Roman Reigns will appear
    • United States Champion Logan Paul will appear
    • Bobby Lashley battles Karrion Kross

    SEScoops is your destination for everything pro wrestling and will have plenty of news coverage later tonight from SmackDown.

    Catch up on the Top 10 Moments from last week’s WWE SmackDown:

  • WWE Hall of Fame 2024: US Express To Be Inducted This April

    WWE Hall of Fame 2024: US Express To Be Inducted This April

    The US Express will take their place as WWE Hall of Famers next month as part of this year’s class of inductees.

    The legendary team consisted of Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham and wowed fans with their dynamic offense during the 1980s. One of several highlights of the team’s run saw them defend the WWF World Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 1. Unfortunately for the pair, they’d lose the gold to The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff, marking the first title change in the show’s history. 

    Despite the patriotic nature of the team, the pair were introduced to each other in a Toronto dressing room in 1982. The pair would work for various NWA territories before coming to the WWF. 

    Family Ties

    The pair’s bond extended beyond the ring though. Rotunda would marry Windham’s sister Stephanie. The pair would welcome two children, Taylor (Bo Dallas) and the late Windham (Bray Wyatt) Rotunda. 

    Seeing Double

    This induction will be the second for Windham. He was inducted in 2012 as part of the legendary Four Horsemen stable. Ironically, Windham’s first induction marked the first-ever two-time induction, as Ric Flair had become a WWE Hall of Famer four years prior. 

    WWE Hall of Fame 2024

    The US Express is the first tag team announced for this year’s class of indcutees and the third announcement overall. Earlier this month, Paul Heyman was announced as an inductee after turning down the honor in the past. More recently, 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. 

    The 2024 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony will stream live on Peacock directly after WWE SmackDown on April 5.

  • Sonya Deville Reveals Touching Reason Bianca Belair Had A Guest Role At Her Wedding

    Sonya Deville Reveals Touching Reason Bianca Belair Had A Guest Role At Her Wedding

    Sonya Deville was pleased that Bianca Belair could have a role at her wedding, considering the role the EST has had on her life. 

    Deville married her now-wife Toni Cassano earlier this year at The Legacy Castle in New Jersey. The happy couple was surrounded by friends, family, and WWE Superstars. Charlotte Flair, Andrade, Bayley, Montez Ford, Liv Morgan, Matt Cardona, Chelsea Green, Mandy Rose, Vic Joseph, and McKenzie Mitchell all attended. 

    Bianca Belair’s Special Role

    Belair, a former Raw, SmackDown, and WWE Women’s Champion did more than just attend the ceremony. The EST of WWE also served as a flower girl to the surprise of many in attendance. On her Instagram Stories, Deville explained that Belair was there when her relationship with Cassano began so it is fitting she had a role at the wedding. 

    “Bianca Belair is the best. She was a surprise flower girl at my wedding because she was with me the night I met my wife (on our first date) and yelled ‘I’M GONNA BE THE FLOWER GIRL AT YOUR WEDDING ONE DAY!’ So her and [Toni] made it happen! And it was the greatest surprise ever.”

    Another Notable Role

    Bianca wasn’t the only notable name to have a significant role at the Deville-Cassano wedding. Entertainment personality Maria Menounos officated the ceremony and is a close friend of both Deville and her bride. Menounos is also a huge wrestling fan and competed at WrestleMania 28. The following year, she inducted Bob Backlund into the WWE Hall of Fame. 

  • Sting’s Retirement: AEW Didn’t Even Ask WWE For Permission To Use Archival Footage

    Sting’s Retirement: AEW Didn’t Even Ask WWE For Permission To Use Archival Footage

    Sting gave everything he could during his last run in AEW. He was already a WWE Hall of Famer, but it seems that the company that owns a majority of the footage with his career wasn’t even asked to contribute.

    WWE bought WCW in 2001 for a meager fee. $4.2 million got WCW’s brand, intellectual property, and video library. Arguably, this was an amazing deal for Vince McMahon’s company. Even though WWE owns all that Sting footage, Tony Khan didn’t reach out to inquire about using any of it.

    Sting’s Final Match Footage

    Before the match started at AEW Revolution, a video featuring Sting aired, depicting him alone in an empty movie theater in full ring gear. The video showcased photos and clips from his career, but they were missing a lot of action. After all, footage from Mid South, Crockett Promotions, WCW, and WWE, mostly owned by WWE, was notably absent.

    Sting reacted to the clips, displaying shock at some of the recent stunts he had performed. Then Sting uttered, “It’s Showtime for the last time.”

    The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that WWE wasn’t asked about using any footage of Sting for AEW Revolution. In the past, AEW has let their talent appear as talking heads for a few WWE things, but Tony Khan’s company apparently didn’t even reach out about using footage of Sting for his retirement match.

    Many people wondered, given in the past Khan has allowed his talent to appear on WWE television to honor John Cena and at the Hall of Fame ceremonies, if WWE would reciprocate here. The answer is that we don’t know because WWE was never asked. There was also no TNA footage shown.

    The report also noted that, “Most of the footage shown was from New Japan Pro Wrestling, as from AEW and his lone appearance in Pro Wrestling NOAH when he & Allin & Great Muta teamed up in the last match Keiji Muto donned the Muta gimmick. Sting made it clear that would be his last time in the ring in Japan.”

    WWE Gave Flowers to Sting

    WWE has a lot of things going on, and they did give Sting his flowers during the RAW after Revolution. That being said, whenever Pat McAfee spoke about how great his match was, Michael Cole quickly steered things back into talking about the WWE action in the ring.

    SEScoops will have more on this story if there are additional updates. As always, keep checking back for the best comprehensive stories.

  • The Rock’s WWE Return Sparks Buzz of Multiple Matches in the Pipeline

    The Rock’s WWE Return Sparks Buzz of Multiple Matches in the Pipeline

    Dwayne Johnson is one of the busiest men in Hollywood, but The Rock is back with WWE on a full-time basis through WrestleMania 40. The People’s champ has been heavily involved in the main event mix and will wrestle his first full match in a decade.

    Although the match has not been finalized as of this writing, the challenge has been issued for The Rock and Roman Reigns to battle Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania XL: Saturday (night one). The match would have implications for the following night’s ultimate showdown: Rhodes vs. Reigns 2.

    So, what happens with The Rock after WrestleMania? According to this week’ Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE fans should expect to see The Rock compete at least one more time in the coming months. 

    WWE Wants The Rock to Wrestle in Saudi Arabia This Year

    It’s been a rocky road to WrestleMania (pun indented). From the moment that Roman Reigns’ pinned Cody’s shoulders to the mat last April in Los Angeles, fans have expected the American Nightmare to rise from the ashes and ‘Finish The Story’ at this year’s big event. The Rock’s return changed everything and a lot of the chaos that we saw on television mirrored the changes and uncertainty going on behind the scenes.

    The Rock got himself in shape for a WWE run, which is no easy task and there’s still blockbuster money in Rock vs. Reigns. According to the Observer, WWE is optimistic The Rock will wrestle again this year and there is “definitely a push” for this match to take place at one of the Saudi Arabia premium live events.

    “When asking if Rock will be working that show, we’re told there are a lot of variables in play and a variety of factors, but obviously the company would like it if he would.

    While nothing is set in stone, the belief as of right now is that Mania won’t be his only match in 2024 and there is definitely a push to get him to work at least one Saudi Arabia event this year.”

    WWE is scheduled to run the first of this year’s two Saudi shows over Memorial Day weekend on Saturday, May 25, the day before AEW Double or Nothing 2024.

    The Rock & WrestleMania 40

    The Rock’s original WrestleMania 40 plans were derailed by a negative fan reaction, and he coined the term Cody Crybabies because of it.

    In the end, The Rock decided to concede the main event of WrestleMania 40 to Cody Rhodes. That being said, the story is far from over between the two, especially since The Rock may still want that one-on-one match against Roman Reigns.

    We will have to see what WWE can arrange with Dwayne Johnson’s incredibly busy schedule, but he seems to be able to block off time for WWE right now.

    SEScoops will have continued coverage of the road to WrestleMania 40, and everything afterward. This could be an exciting time for pro wrestling fans, because The Rock might just get more than one match in this time around.

  • Daily Drop (3/8): WWE Missing Top Stars From MITB Poster, AEW Sees Another Controversial Exit

    Daily Drop (3/8): WWE Missing Top Stars From MITB Poster, AEW Sees Another Controversial Exit

    Welcome to SEScoops: the Daily Drop, your go-to for the latest news and rumors in wrestling for Friday, March 8. We have a lot of stories to get into, so let’s not waste any more time!

    Days until WrestleMania 40: 29

    WWE:

    – Dominik Mysrterio married his long-time girlfriend. Interestingly enough, Dirty Dom was even booed during the reception.

    – Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes are both missing from the Money in the Bank poster. I was told that there is nothing to read into regarding Cody’s absence from the graphic.

    – Bianca Belair has received a ton of support after racist comments regarding her WWE 2K24 cover.

    – The location for WrestleMania 41 may have been accidentally slipped out there already as Minneapolis Minnesota.

    WWE SmackDown (3/8/24) Lineup so far:

    • Bobby Lashley vs. Karrion Kross.
    • Logan Paul returns to Smackdown.
    • Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins to respond to Rock regarding WrestleMania challenge.

    AEW:

    – There is no timetable for Kenny Omega’s return to the company.

    – AEW is paying Okada $4.5 million per year on a three-year deal.

    – Kevin Kelly was removed from the AEW roster, and then he wasn’t around for Collision’s taping this week. It was later confirmed that Kelly has been fired.

    – Tony Khan has been planning Okada’s debut for some time now.

    AEW Rampage (3/8/24) Card:

    • Orange Cassidy & Trent Beretta vs Kip Sabian & The Butcher
    • TBS Championship Match: Julia Hart (c) vs Robyn Renegade
    • Action Andretti vs Penta el Zero Miedo
    • Komander & Bryan Keith vs Private Party vs Top Flight

    Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Events:

    • AEW Dynamite: Big Business will be hosted at Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.
    • WWE NXT Stand & Deliver is slated for the afternoon of April 6th, just before the start of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
    • WrestleMania XL is set to take place on April 6th and 7th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a two-part event.
    • AEW is coming to St. Louis, MO with AEW: Dynasty LIVE on PPV on Sunday, April 21st at Chaifetz Arena
    • Backlash France is scheduled for May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
    • WWE NXT Battleground is booked for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, exclusively available on the WWE Network and Peacock.
    • WWE Money in the Bank will be held on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
    • WWE Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.
  • Mercedes Mone Is Against Tribalism In Wrestling: I Don’t Think You Should Like Just One Company

    Mercedes Mone Is Against Tribalism In Wrestling: I Don’t Think You Should Like Just One Company

    Mercedes Mone has worked hard to prove that you can be a star and make money in other companies since leaving WWE and it’s a message she wants to send to every aspiring wrestler.

    The former WWE Women’s Champion recently sat down with Evan Mack of the Kick Rocks Wrestling Podcast to discuss things such as the reason for her departure from WWE, her upcoming projects, and more.

    Mone was asked about the aspiring wrestlers who set their minds to one company instead of thinking about all the options. The wrestling veteran explained your favorite wrestlers have to compete in many different places to get good and being part of any one company should never be your end goal:

    “No, they should never think that. They should never think that there’s one place. I knew that from the beginning because there’s wrestling everywhere. Wrestling is for everybody. I don’t think you should just like one company. You should open your eyes to so many things.

    Because your favourite wrestlers come from all different companies. They travel from around the world to gain their craft so much more so they can make it to a top company. They wouldn’t be there without all these different places and all these promotions. Because they need that experience, that growth so they can be the best.’”

    Mercedes Mone Slams Fans Who Promote Tribalism

    Mercedes Mone also discussed the tribalism among fans and how some people only seem to watch certain products to hate it. The former IWGP Women’s Champion questioned how fans can decide what’s right for a talent:

    First of all, I think we’re just living too much in our phone, the internet. It’s like – will you just go outside for a little bit and then go back into your room and watch wrestling. [It] is so funny. They watch it just to critique it, to hate it. They hate to love it. That’s the thing – they hate to love it. [They should] just love it.

    Have fun. It’s just television. It’s just entertainers putting their bodies on the line to entertain you. And you’re the ones that are getting angry and going ‘Well, they should be in this company because this company [blah blah blah]…..’ What? You’re telling us what company we need to be in? You’re telling us what job we need to take?”

    You can watch Mercedes Mone’s full interview where she discusses the term Diva, her memories of Japan, and much more below:

    If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

  • WWE’s Pat McAfee & Stephen A. Smith Have ‘Explosive’ Argument Over ESPN Plans

    WWE’s Pat McAfee & Stephen A. Smith Have ‘Explosive’ Argument Over ESPN Plans

    WWE Raw’s Pat McAfee and Stephen A. Smith have seemingly patched things up following a heated exchange between the two. 

    The New York Post reports that things got heated during a private conversation between the pair from several weeks ago which was described as an “explosive argument.” Things escalated to the point that McAfee branded Smith a “motherf****r.” The Post adds that following the spat, Smith banned McAfee from his ‘First Take’ show on ESPN. 

    Source of the Issue

    Their issues arose from creative differences involving a yet-to-be-announced project that Stephen A. Smith is executive producing. The show will be produced by Mr. SAS Productions and will air on ESPN. A specific airdate is not known at this time.

    Issues Quashed

    Both sides have told the New York Post that their animosity has been resolved. In a text message, McAfee said that he was unaware of any ban. 

    “I think I’m still welcome on ‘First Take’? I was scheduled through football season to join on Tuesdays, hopefully next year that’ll happen as well.”

    Smith similarly made clear the positive impact McAfee has had on First Take thanks to his experience as a football star.

    “We are No.1 and he has absolutely contributed to us remaining No.1. McAfee was asked to come on each Tuesday through the Super Bowl and he did just that, kicking ass each time.”

    Pat McAfee and ESPN 

    This is hardly the first time that McAfee’s name has been at the center of controversy for ESPN. In January, McAfee claimed that Norby Williamson had been sabotaging his show and went as far as to call  the ESPN executive a “rat.”  Days later, ESPN responded said that Williamson was committed to making the show a success. 

  • Mercedes Mone Was Told Her Ankle Injury Was Career-Ending

    Mercedes Mone Was Told Her Ankle Injury Was Career-Ending

    Mercedes Mone has recovered from her ankle injury and is ready to make big business moves in 2024. This journey however wasn’t so easy for the former champion and it took both mental and physical fortitude to get back up on her feet.

    The former IWGP Women’s Champion recently spoke to Evan Mack of the Kick Rocks Wrestling Podcast where she discussed a number of topics very candidly.

    When asked about her recovery from the injury, Mone gave a shout out to the places that have helped her recover before revealing that she was actually told it would be a career ending injury:

    “I’ve been posting my training videos. I’ve been training really really hard with Tyler Breeze at Flatbacks and Shawn Spears. Shout out to Hybrid School with [Sho] Funaki in San Antonio, and New Japan Dojo in LA. I’ve been working so hard to get back to this place that I love,

    Because little do people know, I was told that this is a career ending injury. And I screamed at my doctor and surgeon. I said, ‘No, it’s not.’ I’m going to come back really soon and I’m going to have just the greatest time, the greatest matches, the greatest career that I’ve had yet, because I see it and I feel it, I know it.”

    ‘I Wasn’t Healed Inside’: Mercedes Mone

    Mone suffered the injury while competing in a tournament to crown the inaugural Strong Women’s Champion back in May 2023 at NJPW Resurgence. She made it to the finals of the tournament where she lost to Willow Nightingale and also got injured. 

    The CEO also explained how the injury changed her mindset. According to the former WWE star, she had a lot of trauma and the time off helped her deal with it:

    “I’ve spent the past 10 months thinking about how much unfinished business I have in wrestling and how much I was on a hunger tour goal. I was so focused and so ready for my plans to succeed in 2023. For that to happen to me, it taught me so much about life and just taught me that I needed to slow down even more and heal.

    Because prior to that a lot happened to me. A lot of hurt happened and a lot of healing needed to happen and I still was just going so fast but ready because I love wrestling so much and I couldn’t be away from it. But I wasn’t healed inside. I think it was just a message being like ‘you got to slow down and figure out what’s next for you and what are your plans.’ Your plans are good, but I think you need to reevaluate them a little bit more.

    It’s insane to see how powerful your mind, your body can just overcome and heal something that is just so traumatic, but I feel more ready and more better than ever. I cannot wait to see all my prior plans of 2023 coming to fruition into 2024. I’ve been making some really big moves. Big business moves and big money moves. I think fans are gonna be really excited.”

    You can check out Mercedes Mone’s full interview where she talks about her upcoming projects, her past struggles and more below:

    If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

  • Dominik Mysterio Marries Childhood Sweetheart: Videos From Wedding To Marie Juliette

    Dominik Mysterio Marries Childhood Sweetheart: Videos From Wedding To Marie Juliette

    Dominik Mysterio is now a married man.

    The rising WWE Superstar tied the knot and officially became proud husband of his longtime girlfriend Marie Juliette in a private ceremony on Thursday, March 6.

    Several big names from the wrestling world were in attendance, including Damian Priest, who served as a groomsman. Several videos from Dominik Mysterio’s wedding to Marie Juliette have surfaced on social media:

    Dominik arrives at the reception with his bride:

    Bride & Groom First Dance

    Mother & Son Dance

    Dom gets booed at his own wedding:

    Dominik Mysterio in WWE

    Coming from the lineage of Rey Mysterio and his extended family, Dominik Mysterio always had wrestling in his blood. He started training for a career in the sport from a very young age.

    The 26-year-old made appearances for WWE as a child on multiple occasions before becoming a regular on WWE programming in 2019. He officially became a WWE star after his debut match against Seth Rollins at SummerSlam 2020.

    Mysterio became a full-time talent for the company from that point on and started competing alongside his father. Things really turned around for him in 2022 at the Clash At The Castle event.

    Dominik attacked his father at the show and turned heel in the process. The former NXT North American Champion officially joined The Judgement Day on Raw the next night.

    Since then, the young star has seen an incredible transformation. His pairing with Rhea Ripley has allowed the former champion to show a completely new side of him and Dirty Dom has become one of the most entertaining acts not just in WWE but all of sports entertainment.

    SEScoops extends warm congratulations to the newlyweds!

  • WrestleMania 41: NFL Stadium Tipped to Host 2025 WWE Extravaganza

    WrestleMania 41: NFL Stadium Tipped to Host 2025 WWE Extravaganza

    WWE’s show of shows means an economic boom for any location that hosts the destination event. Next year’s location has not been officially announced yet, but we have a very good idea where they are going.

    Thanks to our ability to read between the lines, it appears that WrestleMania 41 is going to Minneapolis’ U.S. Bank Stadium. This was nearly confirmed, but it’s not quite time to reveal the official news yet.

    Possible WrestleMania 41 Location Revealed

    Minnesota House Bill 3934 was introduced on February 19th, and although the meat of that piece of legislation might not matter for our readers, one important note should. During the process of speaking on this bill, it was said that another massive sporting event is coming to the state that they can’t speak about.

    It was said that, “we have a third event, and I hoped that we could announce it today, but we can’t quite yet, but we will be sharing that in the next few weeks. This event will provide an economic impact second only to the Super Bowl.

    Minneapolis was reportedly in strong consideration to host WrestleMania 41, with the U.S. Bank Stadium being the venue. Fightful Select was the first to report this news in July 2023.

    https://twitter.com/robwilkins/status/1765561248706445605

    Past WrestleMania Events

    WrestleMania events historically bring a ton of money to any market that hosts the show of shows. For instance, WrestleMania 39 generated $215 million for the Los Angeles region, while WrestleMania 38 contributed approximately $24.8 million in federal, state, and local taxes to the Dallas region.

    Only time will tell when WWE announces the venue for WrestleMania 41. This year’s event will be a massive extravaganza in Philadelphia, and SEScoops will be here with all the updates you need.

  • Bottom’s Up: Wheatley Vodka To Serve As First-Ever Spirit Sponsor of WWE WrestleMania

    Bottom’s Up: Wheatley Vodka To Serve As First-Ever Spirit Sponsor of WWE WrestleMania

    Sazerac Brands’ Wheatley Vodka will serve as the official vodka of WrestleMania 40 in a historic first for WWE’s premier annual event. 

    This deal with Wheatley Vodka marks the first spirits sponsorship in WWE history. addition to WrestleMania, Wheatley will also be the sponsor for a yet-to-be-announced six-part series on WWE social platforms, Sports Business Journal reports. This series will feature Cody Rhodes interviewing other WWE talents and a Wheately-branded tour bus will appear in the series.

    WWE & Alcohol

    At WWE WrestleMania 39, the Intercontinental Championship triple threat between GUNTHER, Sheamus, and Drew McIntyre was sponsored by Mike’s Hard Lemonade. It is reported that the beverage is set to return as a sponsor of this year’s SummerSlam Premium Live Event

    WrestleMania Sponsorships

    Sazerac Brands’ Wheatley Vodka is just one of the products that will sponsor this year’s WrestleMania event. Last week, it was announced that WWE 2K24 and SNICKERS will serve as the presenting partners of this year’s two-night Premium Live Event. This marks the third consecutive year that WWE 2K and Snickers have teamed up as the Presenting Partners of WWE’s annual supershow.

    WrestleMania 40

    WWE WrestleMania 40 will be the promotion’s fifth two-night event, a tradition established during the COVID-19 pandemic. The card for the show as it currently stands is as follows:

    • Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes (Undisputed WWE Universal Championship)
    • Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley (WWE Women’s Championship)
    • Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch (WWE Women’s World Championship)
    • Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
  • Bianca Belair Targeted With Racism On Social Media, Ava Comes To Her Side

    Bianca Belair Targeted With Racism On Social Media, Ava Comes To Her Side

    NXT General Manager Ava is defending WWE Superstar Bianca Belair from racist comments levied at her by a wrestling fan on social media.

    Belair, a 3-time Women’s Champion, is one of the cover stars of the new WWE 2K24 video game. She and Rhea Ripley are on the cover of WWE 2K24: Deluxe Edition, while the ‘American Nightmare’ Cody Rhodes is on the cover of the Standard Edition. The ‘WWE Games’ Instagram account posted photos from a recent shoot involving the three cover stars.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C4JvnZNvC5C

    One Instagram user replied and said Belair “doesn’t belong” and was only included because of her race.

    Ava, who is unfortunately no stranger to online harassment, came to the defense of ‘The EST.’ She offered love and support, sharing in the frustration that this type of behavior is all too common these days.

    “Disappointed but not surprised… we [love] you, B.”

    Online Harassment

    Ava is the daughter of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, one of the most famous people in the world. The children of famous parents experience a host of unique challenges, especially when they themselves pursue a career in public life.

    Ava’s most recent brush with online trolls came when it was looking like her father would be usurping Cody Rhodes to wrestle Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. Of course, this has absolutely nothing to do with Ava, and she had no involvement in WWE’s WrestleMania booking. However that didn’t stop some fans from literally threatening her life online. 

    Forget Trolls & Celebrate Greatness

    No matter what some fans may think, Ava and Bianca Belair are talented young women pursuing and achieving their dreams.

    Belair has established herself as a trailblazer and indeed cover-star worthy as she and Mercedes Mone became the first two African-Americans to main event a match at WrestleMania 37.  She nearly won the 2024 Elimination Chamber to meet her 2K24 cover co-star at WrestleMania, but it ended up being Becky Lynch who came out on top. 

    Belair’s in-ring plans for Philadelphia currently remains unknown as we’re a month away from pro wrestling’s premier event.

  • WWE Money in the Bank 2024: Top Superstars Missing from Official Poster

    WWE Money in the Bank 2024: Top Superstars Missing from Official Poster

    The 2024 Money in the Bank event is scheduled for Saturday, July 6th, 2024, and will be held at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The event has morphed itself into one of the most important shows on WWE’s schedule, but they will likely be missing the Tribal Chief.

    WWE dropped a new poster for the Money in the Bank event. That new image featured several Superstars on the graphic, but Roman Reigns was not included on the poster.

    Roman Reigns is Missing

    The company’s new Money in the Bank poster is a nice graphic, and there are a lot of faces on there. Ricochet, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, IYO Sky, The Miz, LA Knight, Bayley, Bianca Belair and AJ Styles made the poster. There are a couple big omissions, primarily Roman Reigns.

    For what it’s worth, Cody Rhodes is also missing from the poster, which is interesting. WWE may not want to spoil any WrestleMania 40 main event outcome, so the American Nightmare didn’t make the graphic, either.

    Roman Reigns’ Light WWE Schedule

    Roman Reigns is scheduled to wrestle twice at WrestleMania 40. He will team with The Rock to take on Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes during Night 1 of WrestleMania 40. Then, on night two, he will defend the Undisputed Universal Title against Cody Rhodes. It appears that the Head of the Table may take a break after that, because he is not advertised to appear at any WWE premium live events, so far, after that. 

    He barely wrestled into double digits in 2023, with only 11 recorded outings in the ring. He made other appearances, but the Tribal Chief’s segments on SmackDown were few and far between. It appears that trend is not going to change at all, if anything he may work even less in the next year.

    Cody Rhodes missing from the MITB poster is very interesting. He’s been a workhorse for the company since his comeback, excluding injury breaks, and one would assume he’ll be on the show.

    Other Possible MITB Additions

    Trish Stratus recently dropped a very strong hint that she would like to come back for another match at Money in the Bank. The setting of her home city might be too great to pass up, as WWE could create a great moment for her. 

    SEScoops will have more on this story as additional details are revealed. Keep checking back for consistent updates.

  • Dwayne Johnson Locking Up With Men’s Skin Care With New ‘Papatui’ Line

    Dwayne Johnson Locking Up With Men’s Skin Care With New ‘Papatui’ Line

    Dwayne Johnson is stepping in the ring of men’s skin care with his new Papatui line of skin care products. 

    The line of products includes a collection of hair, body and tattoo care products, and is available today on papatui.com. The products will be available in Target stores on March 10. 

    The Papatui name comes from Johnson’s deep connection to his family and his roots. As he explained to GQ, Tui is a nickname granted him by his grandfather ‘High Chief’ Peter Miavia. The papa part comes from what Johnson considers his most rewarding role; being a father to his children. 

    Other Ventures

    Papatui is hardly the first venture that Johnson has committed to. In addition to his work in WWE and in Hollywood, Johnson also has his own brand of Tequila called Teremana. Johnson also has his own brand of ZOA energy drinks and recently launched his ‘Big Dwayne Energy’s line of flavors.

    What’s Next? 

    When not launching new skin-care line, Johnson can be found on WWE programming as the newest member of The Bloodline. Last week, The Rock threw out the challenge for a tag team match that’d put himself and Roman Reigns against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania. All four men are set to appear on this week’s SmackDown. The showdown will be the first time the four have shared the screen since the chaotic WrestleMania 40 kick-off press conference. 

  • Mercedes Mone Explains Bold WWE Exit: Here’s What Happened To Sasha Banks

    Mercedes Mone Explains Bold WWE Exit: Here’s What Happened To Sasha Banks

    As Mercedes Mone gears up for the next chapter of her wrestling career, the former Sasha Banks is has a healthy outlook on her WWE run, which ended abruptly in May 2022.

    During a recent appearance on the Kick Rocks Wrestling Podcast, Mone explained why the decision to leave her dream job with WWE was a pivotal moment in her life.  As hard as it was to leave that life behind, she’s grateful for that chapter in life and all the opportunities it’s afforded her as she continues her journey.

    This candid look into how she was feeling should give fans a better idea about what went on behind the scenes. 

    Mercedes Opens Up About WWE Departure

    Mone expressed that she felt compelled to take this step and advocate for herself. Despite wrestling in WWE being a significant part of her life, she faced the toughest decision she’s ever encountered. Nevertheless, she considers it the proudest decision she’s made. 

    “Something told me I needed to do this & stand up for myself. It was a very hard decision because wrestling in WWE has been my whole life, hardest decision I’ve ever had to make in my whole life but it’s the most proudest, it’s crazy because I would not be sitting here, living the best version of my life, in getting to be everything I’ve ever dreamt of — & more

    That moment changed my whole life for the better. I’m so thankful for that moment, so proud of myself, so proud of Trinity, so proud of how strong we were. I just know that everybody acted like they were in the room, or work there, or were backstage, or knew what happened, or knew what said…but all I know is that I handled it like a CEO, like the boss that I am, with my head held up high & I can’t say nothing but amazing things to WWE, so thankful for the career they gave me, the fans they gave me, the life they gave me, the dreams they gave me.” 

    This is not the first time she’s had to set the record straight about why she left WWE and her beloved Sasha Banks persona behind.

    It’s Almost Boss Time

    AEW Big Business

    Mercedes Mone is finally ready return to the ring after missing the second half of 2023 due to an ankle injury. She’s kept a relatively lowprofile in wrestling as of late, but that’s all about to change. Fans are eagerly waiting her return to national television, which is all-but-guaranteed to go down next week.

    After the recent roster additions of Will Ospreay and Kazuchika Okada, Mone is expected to debut next Wednesday, March 13 at the AEW Dynamite: Big Business special from Boston’s TD Garden.

    Mone engaged in serious negotiations with WWE and AEW before making a decision. It’s clear that she put a lot of thought in her selection and sees All Elite Wrestling as the place where she can solidify a legacy on the level of greats such as The Rock and John Cena:

  • Conor McGregor To WWE: UFC Legend Won’t Say No To Future Involvement

    Conor McGregor To WWE: UFC Legend Won’t Say No To Future Involvement

    WWE has pulled in a ton of incredible names from outside the pro wrestling bubble in the past. With WrestleMania 40 coming up, you never know who the company will be able to rope in to do something for the show of shows this year. After all, it is an important year for the company, with Triple H producing his first Mania event along with TKO.

    Conor McGregor has a history of engaging in online disputes with WWE Superstars, notably clashing with Roman Reigns’ Special Counsel, Paul Heyman. He has also received invitations to take part in WWE television in the past. It appears that he’s not saying “no” to the idea of mixing it up in WWE.

    Conor McGregor Speaks on possible WWE Debut

    Adam’s Apple recently caught up with Conor McGregor, when the question about WWE came up. Obviously, Notorious’ ties to WWE just got a lost closer after the TKO move.

    Although Conor gave a: “You never know, let’s see,” answer, that is a lot better than a straight-up no. To be fair, he also shrugged and made a little noise when he did so. In the past he has given much less promising answers when asked about jumping into WWE for any reason.

    He said that a WWE jump isn’t happening this moment, but you never know what kind of deal can come along down the road. For what it’s worth, Becky Lynch has gone on the record to say that McGregor’s WWE debut is “very likely.”

    WWE’s Past Attempts To Work With Conor

    Stephanie McMahon tried to gain Conor McGregor’s interest for years. That obviously didn’t happen during her tenure with the company. Only time will tell if Notorious finds his way into a WWE ring eventually.

    Michael Chandler brought Conor McGregor’s name up on WWE RAW a few weeks ago. That appearance was arranged by TKO, and Conor has not publicly answered that challenge just yet. It seems that the Irishman is still living his best life, and you never know where his incredible paychecks will take him next.

    SEScoops will have more updates on this story if there are any additional updates. 

  • Historic WCW Home Sold: AT&T’s $164 Million CNN Center Sale Makes Headlines

    Historic WCW Home Sold: AT&T’s $164 Million CNN Center Sale Makes Headlines

    CNN’s era has reached its conclusion in their famous Atlanta building. That same building also housed significant pieces of pro wrestling history.

    Significant media attention surrounded the removal of the CNN initials from the former CNN Center in Atlanta, GA this week. This building previously served as the heart of the Ted Turner empire, housing the headquarters of WCW during Turner Broadcasting’s ownership of the promotion.

    End of an Era for CNN

    Fox Atlanta reports that the recognizable red letters that adorned the media giant’s Downtown Atlanta headquarters have vanished.
    Those letters marked the CNN Center since 1987.

    Last year, the cable giant disclosed plans to relocate from the expansive complex to the Techwood Turner Broadcasting campus in Midtown. It seems that those plans are well underway now, because the building no longer carries CNN’s branding.

    In 2021, CNN’s former parent company, AT&T, sold the CNN Center for almost $164 million to two Florida-based real estate firms, CP Group and Rialto Capital. The duration for which the Downtown building will retain the title of the CNN Center remains uncertain.

    CNN’s New Home

    While the channel’s weekday anchors have already transitioned to New York or Washington, CNN maintains digital and CNN International operations in Atlanta. This is a big transition, and one that took some time to coordinate.

    A spokesperson from Turner informed AdWeek that the signage would undergo several weeks of refurbishment before finding its place at the Midtown campus in due time. We will have to see how the letters look outside the network’s new home.

  • WWE Job Opening: Company Seeks Coordinator for Creative Writing in Executive Director’s Office

    WWE Job Opening: Company Seeks Coordinator for Creative Writing in Executive Director’s Office

    It takes a lot of people working in the same mindset to produce successful television. Now, WWE is on the search for someone who can help things run smoothly, while contributing valuable experience to the product at the same time.

    WWE has announced a job opening for the position of Coordinator – Creative Writing Office of Executive Director. It appears that this role will be responsible for maintaining the production of WWE’s weekly television shows.

    WWE On The Job Search

    In the new listing, it details that this role entails managing, coordinating, and administrating the Office of the Executive Director, responsible for overseeing the development and production of 52 weeks of original programming, including the long-running Monday Night RAW and Friday Night SmackDown.

    Key responsibilities of the Coordinator include coordinating logistical elements such as travel and meetings for the Executive Director’s office, providing light assistance to the Executive Director’s direct reports, managing the Executive Director’s daily workflow and calendar, and establishing a system for prioritizing items for the Executive Director and the team.

    Additionally, the Coordinator will provide strategic counsel to the Executive Director, serve as a chief messenger for communication within the team, manage travel and technology for the Executive Director, and liaise with other departments within WWE, including Creative Writing and Producers, on items requiring the Executive Director’s approval.

    New Job Requirements

    Requirements for the position include a minimum of three years of experience, with TV/Film experience being advantageous, administrative assistant experience, and a strong knowledge of WWE shows, talent, storylines, and audience demographics. A BA/BS in relevant fields such as Film, TV, Drama, Media Studies, Communications, or equivalent experience is preferred. Obviously, they are looking for someone who already has their foot well in the door, as this is not an entry-level position.

    The ideal candidate should possess strong organizational skills, discretion in handling confidential information, and the ability to adapt to a fast-paced environment. We will have to see who WWE decides to bring in to fill this role, but as with any internal hiring, it’s very likely that the information will not become public.

    SEScoops will have more updates on WWE, and everything else going on in the pro wrestling world. Keep checking back for constant updates.

  • Daily Drop (3/7): AEW Sees Massive Debut, Ex WWE Superstar Arrested For Murder

    Daily Drop (3/7): AEW Sees Massive Debut, Ex WWE Superstar Arrested For Murder

    Welcome to SEScoops: the Daily Drop, your go-to for the latest news and rumors in wrestling for Thursday, March 7. AEW Dynamite was last night and Okada debuted. There is a lot of news to get to, so let’s get to it.

    Days until WrestleMania XL: 30

    WWE:

    – Bull Nakano was announced as the second inductee in the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame after Paul Heyman.

    – The Rock and Cody Rhodes have dropped dueling t-shirt designs. They’re pretty great and worth checking out.

    – Corey Graves detailed how much different Triple H is dealing with announcers than Vince McMahon was.

    – Former Tough Enough competitor Daniel Rodimer has been arrested for murder.

    – John Cena has said he’s free for WrestleMania 40 day. I previously reported that he was going to try to do something for Mania this year. 

    – WWE 2K24 actually burred out Vince McMahon’s face to get him out of the game.

    AEW:

    – Kazuchika Okada’s debut for AEW brought a ton of reactions from all over.

    – Sting was okay with the idea of losing to The Young Bucks at AEW Revolution. 

    – Matt Hardy’s AEW contract is ticking down.

    – In another piece of AEW contract news, Jim Ross has decided to ink a brand-new deal.

    – AEW made a lot of money with Revolution. You can check out the numbers here.

    – Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara’s team is not happening anymore after The Spanish God’s suspension. 

    – Lufisto dropped a lengthy post on Twitter/X, where she claimed that companies have not booked her because they want to keep a good relationship with AEW.

    Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Events:

    • AEW Dynamite: Big Business will be hosted at Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.
    • WWE NXT Stand & Deliver is slated for the afternoon of April 6th, just before the start of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
    • WrestleMania XL is set to take place on April 6th and 7th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a two-part event.
    • AEW is coming to St. Louis, MO with AEW: Dynasty LIVE on PPV on Sunday, April 21st at Chaifetz Arena
    • Backlash France is scheduled for May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
    • WWE NXT Battleground is booked for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, exclusively available on the WWE Network and Peacock.
    • WWE Money in the Bank will be held on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
    • WWE Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.
  • Charlotte Flair Announced for WrestleMania Week Appearance

    Charlotte Flair Announced for WrestleMania Week Appearance

    Multi-time Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair is set to make an appearance at WWE World during WrestleMania week. 

    ‘The Queen’ is currently in the recovery process after she recently suffered a significant injury. She suffered the injury in a singles match against Damage CTRL’s Asuka on the Tribute to the Troops edition of SmackDown on December 8 last year. The injury occurred when Flair tried to hit her signature Moonsault outside the ring. 

    Fans have certainly missed her. As  WrestleMania 40 is approaching, WWE has officially announced that her next appearance in the company will be taking place soon. It will be during WrestleMania week.

    Charlotte Flair set to make WWE World appearance

    On Saturday, April 6, WrestleMania 40 night one takes place and it has been announced that Charlotte Flair will be showing up at WWE World in Philadelphia. She hasn’t competed for months now and she will miss this year’s WrestleMania as well. As the WrestleMania festivities get along, fans will have a chance to witness ‘The Queen’ ahead of ‘The Show of Shows.’

    Charlotte Flair’s recovery update

    It’s unlikely that Charlotte Flair will be returning to the ring anytime soon. She has suffered multiple knee injuries including tears to her ACL, MCL, and meniscus. She was even spotted on crutches at the CMLL event ahead of her surgery. 

    Post-surgery, ‘The Queen’ has been pushing herself to the limits to make her comeback to the squared circle. She is expected to be out for at least 9 months but she could return ahead of her schedule.

    Taking to Twitter, she has once against provided an update on her recovery as she shared a video clip of working out in the gym. 

    We will now have to wait and see when Charlotte Flair manages to make her return.

  • YouTube Milestone: Official WWE Channel Hits 100 Million Subscribers

    YouTube Milestone: Official WWE Channel Hits 100 Million Subscribers

    WWE’s YouTube channel has proven to be a hit with wrestling fans after reaching 100 million subscribers today. 

    The channel was launched in May 2007, but the first video wouldn’t be published until February the following year. The video in question is a promotional video for the No Way Out 2008 pay-per-view, which marked the return of the Elimination Chamber which hadn’t been used in over a year. 

    WWE’s YouTube Channel by the Numbers

    In the 5,873 days since the No Way Out video, WWE’s channel has amassed 82,222,053,762 (and counting!) That equates to approximately 14 million views every single day. The channel currently has 74,394 videos available to watch. 

    The most popular video on WWE’s YouTube channel comes from Raw 2009 when Randy Orton handcuffed Triple H to the ring rope. The Viper would make things personal in his war with the then-WWE Champion by RKO’ing Stephanie McMahon and kissing the knocked-out wife of the Game. The video currently sits at 315,000,000 views, far ahead of the second most-watched video (Stunning in-ring proposals) at 230,000,000 views.

    Affecting WWE Programming

    While WWE’s YouTube channel documents the storylines fans see on TV, it also has the power to shape those same storylines and production. WWE’s Vice President of Digital Content, Steve Barband recently told Jacob Feldman of Sportico that production thinks deeply about what will work on social media when booking events. 

    “We’re very strategic through each match and each segment of each show, to pull the moments that we think will succeed on the internet while also driving back to linear television.”

    Fans won’t have to wait long to see more YouTube videos, with new videos added daily, in addition to snippets of SmackDown set to be shared this Friday night. 

  • Brian Pillman’s Grandson, Lexis King’s Nephew To Attend State of the Union Address After Thwarting School Shooting

    Boom ‘Jackson’ Swallen, the grandson of Brian Pillman and nephew of WWE NXT’s Lexis King, will be a guest at a State of the Union speech following an immense show of bravery. 

    Last month, Swallen was honored for his efforts in thwarting an attack on Mariemont High School near Cincinnati. The 14-year-old came across another teen who was planning an attack on students and staff. Despite being threatened to keep quiet, Swallen contacted his father who called 911 and alerted school officials. 

    Hamilton County Prosecutor Melissa Powers said the teen was deep in the stages of planning an attack with help from an adult who was located out of state. On Twitter, Lexis King praised his nephew as a hero. 

    Boom Swallen at the State of the Union

    Boom Swallen showed immense courage and will be a guest at President Joe Biden’s State of the Union Address. Swallen will be the guest of Congressman Greg Landsmen for the address that will take place later today. In a statement, Congressman Greg Landsman (D) praised Swallen’s quick thinking and bravery at the time. 

    “Boom serves as a testament to the principle of ‘if you see something say something.’ Students should never feel unsafe at school, and we must be the generation of parents to end the national gun violence nightmare.”

    Speaking to FOX 19, Swallen shared why he informed his father despite the threat made against him. 

    “He said that he would kill me immediately if I told anybody. [But] I care about the kids at my school’s lives and I knew that it was the right thing to do.”

    In February 2023, Landsman joined the House Gun Violence Task Force to advocate for gun violence prevention reform. Currently, firearms are the leading cause of death for children in the United States.  

  • Dead Meat Pays Tribute to Bray Wyatt During Annual Horror Awards

    Dead Meat Pays Tribute to Bray Wyatt During Annual Horror Awards

    The hit YouTube channel Dead Meet paid tribute to Bray Wyatt during its most recent Horror movie awards. 

    Wyatt, real name Windham Rotunda, passed away in August of last year at the age of 36. The three-time former WWE World Champion had returned to WWE at Hell in a Cell 2022 the previous October. He was pulled from programming in early 2023 due to an illness. 

    Bray Wyatt Honored

    This month, the popular Dead Meat YouTube channel hosted its annual Horror Awards, celebrating the best (and most gruesome) moments from the world of Horror media in 2023. During the Awards, the channel paid tribute to those who died in 2023, celebrating those who had made an impact to the genre both on and off-screen. Rotunda was among the many who were paid tribute to, as seen in the video below.

    It’s fitting to see Rotunda be memorialized in Dead Meat’s annual Horror Awards. Rotunda’s Wyatt character and reinvention as The Fiend in 2019 was praised by fans as the most legitimately frightening character portrayed in WWE in years. Rotunda had worked with horror effects legend Tom Savini to create the Fiend character. Wyatt had also been working on a horror film in the final years of his life. 

    Who Are Dead Meat? 

    Dead Meat tallies up kills in horror films and other media in comedic, informative ‘Kill Count’ videos. The channel is hosted by James A. Janisse and Chelsea Rebecca, who also have their own Dead Meat Podcast. The pair’s YouTube channel boats over 2.6 billion views and over 6 million subscribers. 

    Janisse and Rebecca are wrestling fans and make no secret of their love for the industry. References to wrestling can be found in the Kill Count videos and the couple host a Horror Royal Rumble via a WWE 2K video game every January. Several WWE Superstars have made appearances on the channel as well. 

  • John Cena Continues to Tease WWE WrestleMania 40 Role: “I’m Free That Day”

    John Cena Continues to Tease WWE WrestleMania 40 Role: “I’m Free That Day”

    Fans may (or may not) see John Cena at WrestleMania 40 after the former WWE Champion disclosed that he is free for the event. 

    This week, Cena appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to discuss his new film Ricky Stanicky. As a leading man in wrestling, the topic of WrestleMania 40 came up. In the interview, Cena delivered a master class in dodging a question when asked about possibly being at the two-night spectacle. 

    “It’s April 6, I know exactly where it is. I mean I’m free that day. I’m just saying to you guys out there… Maybe you won’t see me there [Does ‘You Can’t See Me’ gesture.]” 

    John Cena at WrestleMania 40?

    Cena is hoping to do something at WrestleMania 40 which will take place on April 6, and April 7, from Philadelphia, PA. With that said John’s commitments to filming Peacemaker’s second season may keep him from the Showcase of the Immortals. The second season of the hit show based off the jingoistic Peacemaker character Cena portrayed in 2021’s The Suicide Squad is expected to begin shooting very soon. 

    WWE WrestleMania 40

    This year’s WrestleMania will be the fifth annual two-night WrestleMania, a tradition that began with the Covid-19 pandemic. The show will also be the first WrestleMania following the launch of TKO Group Holdings last September. The card for the show so far is as follows:

    • Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes (Undisputed WWE Universal Championship)
    • Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley (WWE Women’s Championship)
    • Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch (WWE Women’s World Championship)
    • Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre (WWE World Heavyweight Championship)
    • GUNTHER (c) vs. Winner of Next week’s WWE Raw Gauntlet Match (WWE Intercontinental Championship)