Welcome to SEScoops‘ Daily Drop – a rundown of the top stories in pro wrestling all in one place.

Our mission is to provide our readers with the most important and interesting news from WWE, AEW and more that’s timely, informative and engaging. The Daily Drop is a destination where you can get a snapshot of the top stories in wrestling.

• WrestleMania 40 COUNTDOWN: 46 days away

WWE

– CM Punk showed up after WWE RAW this week. Footage of his appearance went viral shortly after this week’s show. He had a nice segment for the live crowd with Cody Rhodes, with Jey Uso in the ring.

– Michael Chandler showed up on WWE RAW this week, and he had a very interesting thing to say. He grabbed the microphone and called out Conor McGregor in epic fashion. We will have to see if this is the beginning of more WWE and UFC joint programming down the line.

UFC’s Michael Chandler just called out Conor McGregor live on #WWERAW. pic.twitter.com/nvke1FbbAQ

— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) February 20, 2024

– Raquel Rodriguez returned to WWE television this week. She took part in the last chance battle royal, and she clinched the final spot in the 2024 Women’s Elimination Chamber match in Perth.

– WWE 2K24 confirmed that Bad Bunny will be a playable character in the upcoming game.

AEW

– AEW continues to get grief over how the Jeff Hardy injury spot was recently handled. Eric Bischoff called it a mess, adding to the many negative things he’s had to say about All Elite Wrestling in recent memory. 

TNA & Beyond

– There are some serious questions going around about the TNA roster right now. They may lose a few top members of their locker room at this point.

– There is also an hourglass trend that drew a ton of attention. Only time will tell how this situation escalates, but we will have continued coverage here at SEScoops.

Upcoming Events:

• WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth is scheduled for next Saturday, February 24.
• AEW Dynamite: Big Business will be hosted at Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.
• AEW Revolution is planned for the following weekend, on Sunday, March 3.
• 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.
• 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.

AEW wrestler Nyla Rose has proven to be a force to be reckoned with in the ring, and she now wants to take her shot at the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. 

Taking to Twitter, Rose shared her experience watching last year’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem, and was moved by a scene in which the humans helped the Turtles leader Shredder. In a follow-up tweet, Rose shared her hope to play TMNT staple baddie Krang in the sequel. 

I wanna play Krang in the @TMNTMovie sequel. I’m like so serious!!!! https://t.co/8E80n3EL2P

— Rizzie McGuire? (@NylaRoseBeast) February 18, 2024

It has been confirmed that Mutant Mayhem will receive a sequel though details remain scarce on the plot. A TV series about Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael, and Michaelangelo is also in the works. 

Who is Krang? 

An alien being from Dimension X, Krang first appeared in the 1987 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles animated show as part of the second episode. His first comic book appearance was in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Adventures vol. 1, #1, published by Archie Comics in August 1988. Krang is often seen working alongside Shredder, another staple villain of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles universe. 

While not physically imposing, Krang possesses an impressive intellect and some psychic powers. He can often be found piloting an android body which provides him with great strength. 

Wrestling and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles

Should Rose be selected as the voice of Krang, she’ll join former WWE Champion John Cena who voiced Rocksteady in Mutant Mayhem. Sheamus played the same character in the 2016 live-action film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out Of The Shadows. 

WWE saw a huge shift in their creative direction when Then Rock returned to television. He found himself in the ring with Cody Rhodes, as they hugged before The Great One had a showdown with Roman Reigns. Everything happened very quickly after that, and we all know how everything escalated after that. Anthony Ogogo saw that footage, and it rocked his world as well.

Anthony Ogogo Reacts To Cody Rhodes & The Rock’s Segment

Anthony Ogogo recently spoke with Boxing Scene, where Cody’s segment with The Rock came up. That was a bit of a mind-blowing experience for him to see, because he knows The American Nightmare and has shared the ring with him.

“I saw Cody in the ring with The Rock the other day, I saw it on YouTube, over a 100m views or whatever and I thought…” 

After he took a moment to pause, Ogogo continued to say, “I took a screenshot. And I just thought, ‘F*ck. I was in the ring with him a couple of years ago, now he’s in with the biggest star in the world.’”

Anthony Ogogo then revealed what he texted Cody Rhodes after that momentous segment on WWE television.  

Everyone knows The Rock. “I’m happy for Cody. He’s a very good professional wrestler. He’s worked hard. He’s bet on himself. I’m happy for him.” “And I text Cody and said, ‘Mate, this is one of the coolest things I’ve seen in a long time. Buzzing for you. Go get it’. That’s what I text him. And I mean that, it’s a big thing for him.”

Cody Rhodes will get a chance to finish his story after all, because fans spoke out and cause The Rock to pivot from his original plan. 

WWE Changed WrestleMania Plans

I exclusively reported on SEScoops that a source within WWE confirmed that The Rock initially intended to have a match with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. The current scenario regarding the show was not The Rock’s original preference, indicating that it was not part of a preconceived plan from the outset. He then conceded that Cody Rhodes vs Roman Reigns should be the main event match.

I was later told that “The Rock conceded it should be Roman vs Cody.” It was Dwayne Johnson’s call to switch things up, and now Cody vs Roman is the main event of WrestleMania. At this point, a tag team match with The Rock joining the Bloodline seems to be the direction against Cody and Seth Rollins.

AEW star Darby Allin recently explained why he mentioned former AEW VP and current WWE star Cody Rhodes during his recent promo on AEW Dynamite.

Darby Allin and ‘The Icon’ Sting are set to team up for latter’s retirement match against The Young Bucks at AEW Revolution pay-per-view next month. Ahead of the highly- anticipated battle, Darby Allin grabbed the attention as he namedropped Cody Rhodes on the February 14 February edition of AEW Dynamite. The reference took fans by surprise and the former TNT Champion has explained his decision to mention WWE Superstar in hyping the upcoming bout.

Darby Allin gives credit to Cody Rhodes 

During a recent interview with Digital Spy, Allin addressed his decision to mention ‘The American Nightmare’ though the latter is not signed with AEW anymore.

“That’s easy because he’s the reason I’m in AEW. You think back to my debut, I wrestled him at Fyter Fest and we went a 20-minute Broadway draw. For him to take a chance on me that early… I was relatively super unknown still, I was never really the guy on the independent scene. He did that. You’ve got to give respect where respect is due. I feel very strongly on paying homage to how I got here because I never thought I was going to get here.”

Allin also addressed online criticism after his he cut the promo but he highlighted the importance of his history with the company and mentioned Rhodes’ contribution in his career and in the company overall. He said:

“I only pay attention to what I think, I really don’t care about what anyone else thinks. You’ve just got to listen to yourself about things. I really felt it was important for me to tell my part of the story leading into that match and not just be this second-rate character going into the match. I have a lot of things I wanted to say to the Young Bucks and I said it and so be it. I just want to go out there and speak my mind on things.”

Allin will team with Sting to defend the AEW Tag Team Championship against The Young Bucks (Matthew and Nicholas Jackson) at AEW Revolution pay-per-view on March 3 at Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Welcome to SEScoops’ Daily Drop – a rundown of the top stories in pro wrestling all in one place.

Our mission is to provide our readers with the most important and interesting news from WWE, AEW and more that’s timely, informative and engaging. The Daily Drop is a destination where you can get a snapshot of the top stories in wrestling.

• WrestleMania 40 COUNTDOWN: 47 days away

Here’s the Daily Drop news report for Wednesday, February 19, 2024:

WWE

– The Rock is staying in Daytona for the second day of NASCAR’s big race. The race was delayed due to rain, but Dwayne Johnson isn’t leaving until he tells drivers to start their engines.

–Ex WWE Superstar Mandy Rose revealed that one of her fans once dropped $55,000 on her FanTime account. That was a pretty crazy story.

– LA Knight is being considered for a big title match at WrestleMania 40.

– Fans aren’t happy that Ex WWE NXT Superstar Velveteen Dream made his return to pro wrestling.

– Indi Hartwell isn’t happy at all that she didn’t get an Elimination Chamber qualifying match, especially since she is from Australia. 

AEW

– Orange Cassidy made a very surprising debut for RevPro as AEW International Champion.

– Malakai Black made his in-ring return, but it wasn’t during an AEW event. He competed at the Dark Arts gym. His last singles match took place in September 2022 when he competed for PRESTIGE. Meanwhile, his last singles match in AEW took place in June 2022.

https://twitter.com/PuroresuFlow/status/1759346418035069250

What’s Next

– WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth takes place next Saturday, February 24.

– AEW Dynamite: Big Business is coming to Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.

– AEW Revolution takes place the following weekend on Sunday, March 3.

– WWE NXT Stand & Deliver will be on the afternoon of April 6th, right before the first night of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.

– WrestleMania XL will take place on April 6th and 7th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, airing as a two-part event.

– Backlash France will be held on May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.

– WWE NXT Battleground is scheduled for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, and will be available exclusively on the WWE Network and Peacock.

– WWE Money in the Bank will take place 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 set for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.

AEW star Malakai Black recently competed in a singles match and this marks his first singles match since 2022. However, the match didn’t take place in AEW but in his wrestling school, the Dark Arts Gym.

Black has been competing in tag-team action alongside Brody King and Buddy Matthews since returning from injury in October last year. Black had suffered a slight calf tear and knee hyperextension that put him on the shelf for several months. Following his return, fans noticed that Malakai Black has not been competing in singles matches which sparked a rumor.

His last singles match took place in September 2022 when he competed for PRESTIGE. Meanwhile, his last singles match in AEW took place in June 2022.

Malakai Black competes in singles match

For those who are unaware, The House of Black leader runs this school, Dark Arts Gym with his wife, WWE Superstar Zelina Vega. He competed in its latest show. 

The Dark Arts Gym recently posted the full show on YouTube from their latest event, Dark Prospects: Ritual 1. Malakai Black headlined the event as he faced Orion. The match also featured AEW commentator Tony Schiavone’s commentary. The match lasted for almost 15 minutes and Malakai hit the Black Mass on his opponent to secure the win.

https://twitter.com/PuroresuFlow/status/1759346418035069250

Last week, former NXT star Bobby Fish also made his presence felt in Malakai Black’s Dark Arts Gym. He paid a visit to share his experience with the up-and-coming superstars.

Fans who attended the most recent Revolution Pro Wrestling event received a huge surprise in the form of reigning AEW International Champion Orange Cassidy. 

Cassidy was part of a multi-man scramble match that saw the International title on the line at the company’s High Stakes show.  He defended the gold against Sha Samuels, Spike Trivet, Richard Holliday, Cameron Khai, and TNA Wrestling’s Flash Morgan Webster. On Twitter, Rev Pro shared the moment Cassidy made his entrance and the electric response he received from the fans. 

Wait a minute! We thought Shigehiro Irie was the 6th man, but we now have a 7-way as @AEW's @orangecassidy is here – and it's for his International Championship!https://t.co/fX5Iut2Z5j#HighStakes2024 pic.twitter.com/UmyDl11HZ1

— Revolution Pro (@RevProUK) February 18, 2024

In a tweet of his own, Webster shared his delight at challenging for the AEW International Championship and believes it is a strong start to what will be an epic 2024. 

Just wrestled for the @AEW International Championship in front of 2000 rapid @RevProUK fans.

Starting off 2024 hot!

— Flash Morgan Webster (@Flash_Morgan) February 18, 2024

While Cassidy’s appearance at the show was a surprise, it was no secret that the Freshly Squeezed wrestler was overseas in the United Kingdom. Cassidy, alongside AEW World Tag Team Champion Darby Allin, was seen with AEW President Tony Khan at a Fulham FC soccer game. Unfortunately for the AEW trio, Fulham lost 2-1 to Aston Villa. 

Orange Cassidy in AEW

Cassidy is in his record-setting second reign as the AEW International Champion. His first reign with the title is the longest in the title’s history. Cassidy also holds the record for the most successful title defenses in AEW. Outside of singles competition, Cassidy is part of the Best Friends stable alongside Chuck Taylor, Trent Beretta, and Kris Statlander. Cassidy made his debut for AEW at their inaugural Double or Nothing event in 2019 and would sign with the promotion that same year. 

Welcome to SEScoops’ Daily Drop – a rundown of the top stories in pro wrestling all in one place.

Our mission is to provide our readers with the most important and interesting news from WWE, AEW and more that’s timely, informative and engaging. The Daily Drop is a destination where you can get a snapshot of the top stories in wrestling.

• WrestleMania 40 COUNTDOWN: 48 days away

Here’s the Daily Drop news report for Wednesday, February 18, 2024:

WWE

– SEScoops was able to report who had a hand in The Rock and Roman Reigns’ SmackDown promo this week.

– LA Knight is being considered for a big title match at WrestleMania 40.

– Fightful Select provided a new extensive report about Janel Grant’s lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis and WWE.

– Velveteen Dream ended his long hiatus from the ring by re-appearing at an indie wrestling show.

YO ITS PATRICK CLARK (FKA velveteen dream) WTF pic.twitter.com/mkKMxXlOtO

— Za’Nief Washington (@zanief_) February 18, 2024

– Nic Nemeth revealed that he actually requested his WWE release several times before the company finally fired him in September 2023.

AEW

– Rush made his current visa situation very clear, as there was a previous report on the matter.

– There was another injury for the AEW roster 

– Ric Flair, who is now associated with Tony Khan’s company, discussed the fact that skeletons in his closet ended his political aspirations.

– New information is out that revealed the ballpark of how much Mercedes Mone asked for from WWE. She reportedly inked a deal with AEW and will make her debut during the March 13th episode of AEW Collision in Boston.

What’s Next

– WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth takes place next Saturday, February 24.

– AEW Dynamite: Big Business is coming to Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.

– AEW Revolution takes place the following weekend on Sunday, March 3.

– WWE NXT Stand & Deliver will be on the afternoon of April 6th, right before the first night of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.

– WrestleMania XL will take place on April 6th and 7th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, airing as a two-part event.

– Backlash France will be held on May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.

– WWE NXT Battleground is scheduled for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, and will be available exclusively on the WWE Network and Peacock.

– WWE Money in the Bank will take place 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 set for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.

AEW star Rush is currently working on getting a Visa through AEW. That doesn’t mean he was not injured.

‘El Toro Blanco,’ leads La Faccion Ingobernable which consists of Dralistico, Preston Vance, and Jose The Assistant. He recently revealed that he is planning to expand the faction this year. He has missed AEW action due to an injury and has been on the shelf for quite some time. 

In December last year, Rush participated in the AEW Continental Classic tournament but he pushed through an injury. He was part of the Gold League where he racked six points by defeating Mark Briscoe and Jay Lethal. However, he faced losses to Jay White, Jon Moxley, and Swerve Strickland.

Rush managed to battle through his injury to compete in the tournament. After being on the shelf for more than a months he recently took to Twitter and announced his impending return.

Meanwhile, fellow AEW superstar and La Faccion Ingobernable member Dralistico recently stated that he and Rush were in the process of getting their visas. This led to many believing that the visa issue was the actual reason he was not on AEW programming.

Rush clarifies

Taking to Twitter/X, Rush cleared the air regarding his absence. He wrote:

“I was injured as confirmed by AEW doctors. Now I am recovered, I had a visa with someone else and now in the process of getting my visa through AEW. Stop posting bullshit for fucking likes. I don’t ever lie about injuries.”

I was injured as confirmed by AEW doctors. Now I am recovered, I had a visa with someone else and now in the process of getting my visa through AEW.

Stop posting bullshit for fucking likes.
I don’t ever lie about injuries. https://t.co/uZebN1mcl1

— RUSH OFICIAL (@rushtoroblanco) February 18, 2024

It is currently not known when Rush will make his comeback to the programming. We will now have to wait and see.

Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair could have had a fruitful career in politics had his prior controversies not intervened, according to the Nature Boy himself. 

In wrestling, Flair had a long, lustrious career with 16 World Championship wins to his name, though the actual amount of World title wins is reportedly much higher. Speaking to FOX News recently, Flair was asked what he’d look for in a leader of the United States. 

“I think we need someone who shows strength. We need somebody to say, ‘Hey, we are the United States. Kiss my ass!'”

Flair was then asked if he’d considered running for office himself. While the Nature Boy has never set his sights on the White House, he did recall a proposed run for Governor in 2001. 

“No [I have not thought about running for President] but I should have run for Governor in 2001. But, they said I had too many skeletons in my closet. Imagine that! I’d make Trump look like a baby.”

Flair didn’t go into what skeletons caused him to reconsider. During a 2020 interview, Jesse Ventura recalled encouraging Flair to reconsider after Ric disclosed 143 speeding tickets. 

Ric Flair And Politics

Flair has long supported Republicans in North Carolina politics. In 2008, Flair declared his support for the Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee. In 2016, Flair endorsed Ted Cruz’s campaign.

 In December 2021, Flair was a guest at a fundraiser for former President Trump. This appearance came shortly after allegations of sexual misconduct on the infamous Plane Ride from Hell were addressed during an episode of Dark Side of the Ring. While Flair denied the allegations, WWE would temporarily remove Ric’s signature Woo! from their intro video. 

AEW is expected to bring in former WWE Superstar Mercedes Mone. A big date is set for Boston, and many are expecting her to show up on Collision. WWE was in the game for her, but it was already reported that they hit a financial roadblock. That being said, it seems that Mone wasn’t even asking for more than someone on the top of the Women’s Division is making.

Mercedes Mone’s Big Pay Day

AEW has a ton of money to throw around, but that hasn’t kept everyone around. Tony Khan admitted that he offered Jade Cargill more than she asked for to stay in AEW, but she is now a WWE Superstar. Mercedes Mone saw that money on the table and she took it.

Tony Khan has a lot of money to spend on AEW contracts. He has a reported net worth of $1 billion. His father, Shahid Khan, has a net worth of 11.7 billion. Mercedes Mone made it clear that she’s going to where the money is, and AEW was able to offer more.

During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that Mercedes Mone asked WWE for a lot of money, but it wasn’t more than the top female Superstar is getting. One would assume that he is talking about Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch, because they have the top paychecks in the women’s division.

“I don’t know her actual money demands, but I know in a general what she was looking for from WWE, and it was kinda in the range, and for a star of her caliber, while it would be a little bit more than WWE would be paying her, what she was looking for, maybe even more than a little bit more, but it was not more than they pay other women, and she was one of their bigger stars.”

AEW outbid WWE, and they’re getting The Boss. It was then stated that what this tells us is that when AEW is able to outbid for Mone, that they may be losing out on the deal financially. That being said, it’s not enough to worry the company, because “we would see it, because there would be talent cut.”

What’s Next

It is very much expected that Mercedes Mone will debut for AEW at their March 13th episode of Dynamite, that Big Business show in Boston’s TD Garden will provide the former Sasha Banks with a grand entrance for AEW in her hometown.

On a totally unrelated note, but I couldn’t resist from including this, AEW also rolled out a similar red carpet for CM Punk’s debut. They booked a large arena in Chicago without announcing Punk’s debut. They simply strongly alluded to it by naming that episode of Rampage “The First Dance.”

Of course, CM Punk and Sasha Banks both walked out of WWE. At this point, Punk is back in WWE, albeit he’s on the shelf due to an untimely injury. Now, it’s Mercedes Mone’s time to get a spotlight in AEW. 

Welcome to SEScoops’ Daily Drop – a rundown of the top stories in pro wrestling all in one place.

Our mission is to provide our readers with the most important and interesting news from WWE, AEW and more that’s timely, informative and engaging. The Daily Drop is a destination where you can get a snapshot of the top stories in wrestling.

• WrestleMania 40 COUNTDOWN: 49 days away

Here’s the Daily Drop news report for Wednesday, February 17, 2024:

WWE

– The Rock officially joined The Bloodline during the February 16th episode of WWE SmackDown. That closing segment of the show did not feature any match getting booked for WrestleMania 40, but they are well on their way to cementing a match.

– WWE taped their February 23rd episode of SmackDown after this week’s show. You can check out all of those spoilers here.

– Shotzi is still pretty devastated over her serious knee injury. Her NXT Women’s Title match against Lyra Valkyria ended in terrible fashion with an injury, and she will likely miss a lot of time.

– After a lot of speculation about where he would land, Bron Breakker finally signed with WWE’s SmackDown brand. He is still 1/2 of the NXT Tag Team Champions, but he did not have his title with him during the 2/16 episode of the blue brand.

AEW

– Mercedes Mone is hyping an upcoming fight, and this is right in time for the hype before AEW’s Big Business special episode of Dynamite on March 13. The TD Garden will likely see the former Sasha Banks make her debut for the company during that show.

– Tony Khan announced that RVD will return to AEW for their 4/20 episode of Collision.

TNA & Everywhere Else

– Scott D’Amore is out, and TNA Talent aren’t happy. They reportedly banded together and signed a big letter to express how unhappy they are. 

– There is some contradicting information on who is in charge of TNA creative now. Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Tommy Dreamer has the book now, but Tommy Dreamer has denied this.

– PW Insider later clarified this report, and it was reported that there is a different man making the calls for creative. 

Coming Up

– WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth takes place next Saturday, February 24.

– AEW Dynamite: Big Business is coming to Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.

– AEW Revolution takes place the following weekend on Sunday, March 3.

– WWE NXT Stand & Deliver will be on the afternoon of April 6th, right before the first night of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. 

– WrestleMania XL will take place on April 6th and 7th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, airing as a two-part event.

– Backlash France will be held on May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.

– WWE NXT Battleground is scheduled for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, and will be available exclusively on the WWE Network and Peacock. 

– WWE Money in the Bank will take place 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 set for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.

Mercedes Moné (formerly Sasha Banks) is currently one of the hottest free agents in the market and she has teased the fans about her upcoming move.

Moné had a successful run with WWE before she departed in 2022 due to issues with the creative team. The former ‘Boss’ went on to make her mark in NJPW and World Wonder Ring Stardom while also becoming the IWGP Women’s Champion. Now, it seems that she is AEW-bound. 

In WWE, Moné captured the Women’s Tag Team Titles three times, two of which with Bayley. It has come to light that ‘The Role Model’ recently sent a touching message to her best friend, Mercedes Moné, and expressed her gratitude for their run together in the company. 

Taking to Twitter/X, Bayley shared a picture of herself and Moné with the Women’s Tag Team Championships and wrote:

“And we fought for them for over 6 years. For our division and more opportunity. Grateful for my time with you,” she wrote.

Mercedes Moné responds

 Mercedes Moné took note of the post and replied:

“Wait till you see what I’m fighting for next.”

Wait till you see what I’m fighting for next ??? https://t.co/k4HvsL4sw0

— Mercedes Moné Varnado (@MercedesVarnado) February 17, 2024

On a recent edition of AEW Dynamite, AEW President Tony Khan confirmed that the March 13, episode of Dynamite will take place at the TD Garden in Boston, MA. The location and the show’s name being billed “Big Business” has created a buzz that Mercedes Moné will make her debut at the show.

It seems that Moné has already inked a deal with AEW and has been on AEW’s payroll since early January. It’s worth noting that Moné also made her presence felt at AEW All In: London last year. 

We will have to wait and see if Mercedes Moné shows up in AEW on March 13.

Friday’s episode of AEW Rampage featured a singles match between “The Queenslayer” Anna Jay and rising star Queen Aminata. Jay and Aminata battle back and forth for much of the contest, but in the end, it was Aminata who emerged victorious after nailing Jay with a headbutt.

Following Queen Aminata’s win, AEW President Tony Khan confirmed that the former GCW Women’s Champion is officially All Elite, highlighting the fact that tonight marked Aminata’s first televised AEW victory.

Congratulations to Queen Aminata! She just won her first ever @AEWonTV match tonight, and now it's official: Queen @amisylle is ALL ELITE!

Thank you to all of you watching Friday Night #AEWRampage, right NOW on @TNTdrama! pic.twitter.com/7dWNaCEeyJ

— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) February 17, 2024

Aminata previously claimed a tag team win alongside Skye Blue on the YouTube-oriented AEW Dark show in September 2022.

Boosting The Women’s Division

Queen Aminata also marks the third announced signing for AEW’s women’s division in recent months, behind the likes of Deonna Purrazzo and Mariah May.

May’s arrival to All Elite Wrestling materialized in early November as she professed her admiration for current AEW Women’s Champion Toni Storm. In the weeks following, May began working her way into the Storm’s good graces, eventually earning herself the role of Storm’s assistant. 

On January 3, May made her official AEW in-ring debut in a match against Queen Aminata. As she reveled in her subsequent victory, May was interrupted by “The Virtuosa” Deonna Purrazzo, who returned to All Elite Wrestling in the wake of her exit from Impact/TNA Wrestling.

Mercedes Mone To AEW?

In addition to Queen Aminata, Mariah May, and Deonna Purrazzo, AEW seems poised to welcome in another notable player next month. 

With the recent announcement of AEW Big Business on March 13, reports indicated that former WWE RAW Women’s Champion Mercedes Mone (also known as Sasha Banks) is expected to debut there. Big Business, of course, will be emanating from Mone’s hometown of Boston, Massachusetts. 

While her debut may land on March 13, Mone has reportedly been on AEW’s payroll since at least early January. 

Jeff Hardy and Sammy Guevara’s match on AEW Rampage is getting attention for all the wrong reasons. A botched spot resulted in a lot of fear among fans that Hardy was injured. Now, we have the latest update on his health status.

Jeff Hardy’s Injury Status

During the AEW Rampage taping this week, Sammy Guevara executed a shooting star press, and unfortunately, his knee landed heavily on Hardy’s face. Although the incident appeared severe, Hardy confirmed he was alright, and the match continued with Guevara executing a GTH finisher.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Jeff Hardy sustained a broken nose but, fortunately, no concussion during his match taped on February 14th against Sammy Guevara for the February 16th Rampage show. 

Jeff Hardy suffered a broken nose but no concussion in his match taped 2/14 against Sammy Guevara for the 2/16 Rampage show. Guevara did a shooting star press and his knee landed hard on Hardy’s face. It looked bad but Hardy did say he was okay and they went right to Guevara doing a GTH finisher

Jeff Hardy received a broken nose but no concussion from this spot with Sammy Guevara on the taped #AEWRampage. Jeff went on to finish the match.

(WON)pic.twitter.com/jFWjpBsVrD

— Jack Cassidy ? (@RealJackCassidy) February 16, 2024

What’s Next

It’s ironic that with all the risks Jeff Hardy takes, all he did was lay still on the mat this time. It was the Spanish God’s Shooting Star Press that did the damage. Hopefully, Hardy will not miss much time at all after this little setback.

AEW Rampage will reportedly kick off this week’s episode with Jeff Hardy vs Sammy Guevara. We will have to see how they cut everything together for television. 

This is better news for Jeff Hardy, because things could have been a lot worse. Still, a broken nose is no fun at all. SEScoops is sending our best to Hardy has a heals up.

There has been frustration growing within AEW as the roster can’t help but notice the decreasing crowd sizes since the start of 2024, it has been claimed. 

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that there’s frustration from “a lot of circles” as talent comes to shows and sees small crowd sizes. The report adds the feeling within AEW is that the popularity in the product is declining overall. 

AEW President Tony Khan consistently paints a positive picture about the company’s standing. Khan often looks points to increased revenues or positive ratings as a sign of the company’s good fortune. 

The Hard-Cam

AEW is known to have fans moved to the side of arenas facing the hard-cam, giving the illusion that a venue is jam-packed. While this tactic works when it comes to TV, images often emerge of AEW events with throngs of empty seats, despite what things look like on TV. 

Damn. Feels like it's getting worse every week. pic.twitter.com/Gjmm5L6iyQ

— Julian Weeks (@JulianWks) October 15, 2023

It should be noted that this tactic isn’t exclusive to All Elite Wrestling. Other promotions have made sure that the majority of fans appear on the hard-cam to give the best look to fans watching worldwide. Part of the issue is that AEW continues to book venues far bigger than their average crowd size. 

What’s Next? 

AEW should see a boost in crowd size at several upcoming events, including the AEW Revolution 2024 show next month. March will also see AEW’s Big Business show at which Mercedes Mone is expected to make her debut. This August, AEW will return to London for its second All In event. 

While The Rock and Roman Reigns aim to bolster The Bloodline on Friday Night SmackDown, Dustin Rhodes and The Von Erichs continue their own familial legacy on AEW Rampage.

Rhodes will be teaming up with Ross and Marshall Von Erich in trios action as AEW is in the thick of “Von Erich Country” down in Texas. The Von Erichs, who are the sons of Kevin Von Erich, expressed their excitement ahead of teaming with Rhodes as Marshall thanked Tony Khan for making the pairing happen.

Thank you @TonyKhan we’ve been wanting to team with @dustinrhodes for years! #TexasBoys @AEW pic.twitter.com/320AP6k0oy

— Marshall Von Erich (@MarshallVonEric) February 15, 2024

Dustin Rhodes Gives A History Lesson

Ross and Marshall weren’t the only ones excited for the opportunity as Dustin himself was pumped to team up with another legacy family in the “one true sport.”

Rhodes took to social media and was informed by AEW’s Alex Marvez of the additional historical significance that “The Natural” is teaming up with Ross and Marshall.

“A little history lesson for you. Our own Alex Marvez told me last night that their dad Kevin tagged one and only one time with my pops back in 1978. So you can imagine how special this meant to me. #VonErichsAndRhodes #TexasBoys whooping tail!!  Trios anybody? Thanks Tony Khan for making this happen. Historical and honored. #keepsteppin and see you tomorrow night on #AEWRampage baby!!!”

A little history lesson for you. Our own @alexmarvez told me last night that their dad Kevin tagged 1 and only 1 time with my pops back in 1978. So you can imagine how special this meant to me. #VonErichsAndRhodes #TexasBoys whooping tail!!
Trios anybody?
Thanks @TonyKhan for… https://t.co/Yzlrh74bRX

— Dustin Rhodes (@dustinrhodes) February 15, 2024

Marshall and Ross Von Erich have already competed in ROH, but the brothers, along with Kevin, shared a good deal of experience in Major League Wrestling. Ross & Marshall actually became the World Tag Team Champions for the promotion when the brothers beat Richard Holliday and former AEW World Heavyweight Champion MJF.

AEW has brought in a few names for one-time appearances, and several of them have been former WWE Superstars. RVD has made a couple of appearances for Tony Khan already, and now he’s booked for one more.

RVD’s Next AEW Appearance

Tony Khan logged onto Twitter/X to reveal that RVD is booked for AEW Collision’s April 20th event. That 4/20 return for RVD in AEW is most appropriate. This is exciting, but AEWTix currently has no listing for the April 20th show, so we’re not sure which market is getting the Whole F’n Show.

While Tony Khan was at it, he also threw in a plug for tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite’s upcoming episode. 

I’m excited to announce that RVD will return to @AEWonTV on TNT for 4/20 Saturday Night AEW Collision!

I can’t wait for THIS Wednesday #AEWDynamite in Tulsa on TBS: AEW World Champion @SamoaJoe / @swerveconfident / @briancagegmsi vs Hangman Page/FTW Champion @730hook / @TherealRVD !

I'm excited to announce that RVD will return to @AEWonTV on TNT for 4/20 Saturday Night #AEWCollision!
+
I can't wait for THIS Wednesday #AEWDynamite in Tulsa on TBS:
AEW World Champion @SamoaJoe/@swerveconfident/@briancagegmsi vs
Hangman Page/FTW Champion @730hook/@TherealRVD!

— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) February 16, 2024

What’s Next For RVD

RVD has a big match coming up before 4/20. Big Time Wrestling booked a first-time ever collision between Matt Riddle and RVD will take place Saturday, March 9th, 2024 during “The Reunion 3: Cavalcade of Legends” Super Show from Chillicothe, Ohio at the OU-Shoemaker Center.

Rob Van Dam and Tony Khan are not under any written contract. That being said, his participation with AEW could have cost him a spot during the WrestleMania 40 festivities. Only time will tell if he shows up in Philly for the big two-day extravaganza, but he will be on AEW Collision for their Stoner Christmas episode.

Welcome to SEScoops’ Daily Drop – a rundown of the top stories in pro wrestling all in one place.

Our mission is to provide our readers with the most important and interesting news from WWE, AEW and more that’s timely, informative and engaging. The Daily Drop is a destination where you can get a snapshot of the top stories in wrestling.

• WrestleMania 40 COUNTDOWN: 50 days away

Here’s the Daily Drop news report for Wednesday, February 16, 2024:

WWE News and Notes

– Tonight’s WWE SmackDown from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, UT is officially SOLD OUT with over 11,000 tickets distributed, per Wrestletix. 

SmackDown will feature appearances from The Rock and Roman Reigns, as well as Elimination Chamber qualifying matches with:

• Logan Paul vs. The Miz
• Kevin Owens vs. Dominik Mysterio
• Naomi vs. Zelina Vega
• Tiffany Stratton vs. Alba Fyre

– Drew McIntyre still has yet to sign a new WWE contract, but the Scottish Warrior’s will be on television through WrestleMania 40. Time was added to the back-end of his deal to make up for dates missed due to injuries.

– WWE saw a notable behind-the-scenes departure on February 15th. Jennifer Pepperman has left WWE. She a senior writer and producer who was heavily involved with the Women’s division on SmackDown. 

We’ve updated our WWE Releases tracker to reflect Pepperman’s departure.

– Speaking of WWE releases, former voice of Monday Night Raw Kevin Patrick has already landed his next gig. He’ll be part of the panel for the second season of MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. 

– Former WWE executive Stephanie McMahon has been named as part of the alleged cover-up regarding Ashley Massaro being sexually assaulted while in Kuwait on WWE business. A friend of the late WWE superstar alleges that Stephanie McMahon worked with her to brush the incident under the rug.

Cara Pipia, friend of Ashley Massaro, a former WWE star who accused Vince McMahon of covering up an alleged rape, joined #Banfield to discuss the allegations made. MORE: https://t.co/UH9s3sC401 pic.twitter.com/Ep927Xrxgb

— NewsNation (@NewsNation) February 15, 2024

AEW News and Notes

– Tonight’s AEW Rampage on TNT (taped Wednesday from Cedar Park, TX) will see:

• No DQ match: Jeff Hardy vs. Sammy Guevara
• Anna Jay vs. Queen Aminata
• Bang Bang Scissor Gang in 12-man tag team action

– AEW may have to start watching their language a lot more. It was reported that WBD is nixing their profanities, so the bleeping will take over the regular S-Bombs on every show.

– We’re still waiting on new word regarding Jeff Hardy’s injury during the February 14th Rampage taping. As of this writing, the concern was for his head, and some thought he may have broken his nose. That show will air tonight.

Jeff and Matt Hardy flip off Sammy Guevara after the botch that knocked out Jeff pic.twitter.com/Wl2TnbFXuJ

— Wrestlelamia.com (@wrestlelamia) February 16, 2024

Coming Up

– WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth takes place next Saturday, February 24.

– AEW Revolution takes place the following weekend on Sunday, March 3.

SE Scoops will have continued coverage of these stories, and everything else that breaks in the pro wrestling world. Keep checking back for more updates!

AEW star Rush recently revealed that he aims to add more members to La Faccion Ingobernable.

‘El Toro Blanco,’ who has become one of the key figures in AEW, recently made it clear that he has bigger plans for his faction this year. He is expanding his already-dominating team, La Faccion Ingobernable which consists of Dralistico, Preston Vance, and Jose The Assistant.

Rush will add male and female superstars

Taking to social media, he stated that 2024 will see a bigger La Faccion Ingobernable, as a male superstar and a female superstar will be added to the group.

“2024 will see a bigger LA FACCION INGOBERNABLE I will add a new Man to the group And a WOMAN. NO PASA NADA #AEW #LFI“

2024 will see a bigger LA FACCION INGOBERNABLE

I will add a new Man to the group

And a WOMAN.

NO PASA NADA#AEW #LFI pic.twitter.com/yZXVNfELgX

— RUSH OFICIAL (@rushtoroblanco) February 16, 2024

In December last year, Rush competed through most of the AEW Continental Classic tournament while he dealt with an injury. He was part of the Gold League where he acquired six points by defeating Mark Briscoe and Jay Lethal while he endured defeats to Jay White, Jon Moxley, and Swerve Strickland.

The tournament took a toll on the athletes. Rush, however, battled through his injury to compete. He also recently took to Twitter and announced his return after being away from in-ring action for more than a month due to injury. 

“I WAS INJURED, AND NOW I AM CLEARED TO RETURN TO #AEW I HAVE BEEN HOME FOCUSED ON RETURNING LA FACCION INGOBERNABLE IS FULL OF ANGER AND READY TO START THE WAR #LFI #AEWDynamite,” Rush shared.

Rush inked a new deal with AEW in July and eyeing to achieve bigger things in the promotion. Last year at AEW Worlds End pay-per-view in December, Rush teamed with Lethal, White & Brody King to face Briscoe, Bryan Danielson, Claudio Castagnoli & Daniel Garcia in a losing effort.

AEW opened their door several years ago, and they promised a new presentation for pro wrestling fans. That came with plenty of swear words, but it seems that is in the past.

AEW Nixing Cussing

Warner Bros Discovery put up with a lot of profanity in AEW, and a lot of fans were surprised to see it start. There was once a time when the S-Bomb was dropped in every other segment. Now, it appears that WBD had enough of it.

The word “horsesh*t” was spoken on AEW Dynamite this week by Hangman Page, but it was bleeped. This is a far cry from their previous stance of letting those profanities fly. Especially when he would get fans in a rousing chant of “Cowboy Sh*t” on a weekly basis.

During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer addressed AEW’s swearing issue. He started that they are seemingly not permitted to drop those bombs anymore, as they were bleeped, and that seems to be the new rule of thumb.

“There was a lot of bleeping on this show. The days of saying horsesh*t and swearing on TBS and TNT look over.”

What’s Next For AEW

WBD might want AEW to tone down on the dirty words, but they are not opposed to blood. The main event of this week’s AEW Dynamite more than proved that, as Orange Cassidy and Matt Taven had a bloody main event Texas Death Match for the International Title.

This no swearing idea could be a great time to write Danhausen into a major angle. After all, “no swearing” has been his gimmick for years. 

Tony Khan didn’t want to restrict performers by telling them that they can’t swear. It appears that they may still be permitted to let the vulgarities fly, but only fans in the arena will hear those words that are not safe for television.

Welcome to a new feature for SEScoops, the Daily Drop – a rundown of the top stories in pro wrestling all in one place. 

Our mission is to provide our readers with the most important and interesting news from WWE, AEW and more that’s timely, informative and engaging. The Daily Drop is a destination where you can catch up and the wrestling news you need.

WrestleMania 40 COUNTDOWN: 51 days days away

Here’s the Daily Drop news report for Wednesday, February 15, 2024:

WWE News

– The Rock and Roman Reigns are advertised for tomorrow’s WWE SmackDown from Salt Lake City, Utah. (Tickets)

– WWE released Matt Camp from his contract sometime last week. This news broke on February 14th, and it was also a big shock for many. Camp never missed an episode of The Bump, and his departure was not mentioned on this week’s show, either.’  We’ve updated our WWE Releases tracker to reflect this departure.

– Jade Cargill was removed from her planned spot in the Elimination Chamber match. Cargill made her in-ring debut at the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble and was slated to be part of the upcoming Chamber match from Australia, based on a graphic that leaked on WWE.com showing the participants. This would have been another chance to feature Cargill in a multi-person match that would have protected her, but it seems those plans have been scrapped.

– Shotzi Blackheart was legit injured during the NXT television taping this week. She seriously hurt her knee, and reports later confirmed that she left the NXT Arena on crutches. We’re still awaiting word on her condition.

– The new WWE Experience exhibition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia opens tomorrow. WWE-themed events center will be located at Boulevard City.  (Tickets)

“Dive into the world of WWE, where fans walk in the footsteps of legends, immersing in sights, sounds, and epic stories of global stars. Every guest will enjoy a front-row seat, unparalleled access to exciting opportunities, and moments exclusive to WWE.”

AEW News

– During AEW Dynamite this week, they finally announced Sting’s final match. The Icon will team with Darby Allin to take on The Young Bucks in an AEW World Tag Team Title match at AEW Revolution on March 9th.

– Jeff Hardy was possibly injured during the AEW Rampage taping this week. Sammy Guevara went for a shooting star press, and it appeared that his knee struck Hardy in the head. The match was then called off. We do not have any more updates at this time.

this is NOT the first time Sammy Guevara has injured Jeff Hardy with his amateur hour bullshit

HE IS NOT A PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER pic.twitter.com/Hm4EOwzU0z

— Degenerate George (@DGen_Media) February 15, 2024

– QT Marshall is returning to AEW. He will not be wrestling, but he will work with the company in a backstage capacity. Marshall left the company at the end of 2023, but came to terms on a revised role. 

Marshall’s ‘new’ promotion Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling is expected to continue. TCW held its return event last week at the Nightmare Factory training facility, where they crowned inaugural champions.

– Rob Van Dam returns next week in an all-star 6-man tag match on AEW Dynamite. The ECW legend will team with Hook and Hangman Page against Samoa Joe, Swerve Strickland and Brian Cage.

What’s Next

– WWE Elimination Chamber takes place next weekend, Saturday, February 24 from Perth, Australia. This will be the final stop on the road to WrestleMania 40.

– The following weekend, All Elite Wrestling presents AEW Revolution 2024 live on pay-per-view from the historic Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. The event will feature Sting’s retirement match and Samoa Joe defending the AEW World championship against Hangman Page and Swerve Strickland.

Check back tomorrow for the next installment of the Daily Drop wrestling news report and make sure to Follow SEScoops on Google News, Facebook and Twitter.

More has come to light over the role of QT Marshall now that he has made his return to All Elite Wrestling. 

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Marshall would be returning to AEW in a behind-the-scenes role. This is quite a surprise, given that Marshall left AEW relatively recently in late 2023. The former leader of QTV had reportedly not been at AEW for weeks prior to his official exit from the company.

QT Marshall’s New Role with AEW

Marshall has previous experience working behind the scenes for AEW, which will come in handy upon his return. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer shared what Marshall will be responsible for under his new role with the promotion. 

“QT, his key role is going to be talent development as well. Trainer and everything like that. He left (on) December 31 and Tony Khan said, if he wants to come back, the door’s open, and I guess he wanted to come back.”

Meltzer also acknowledged part of Marshall’s decision to leave AEW was because he felt he would not be pushed any further on TV. It was confirmed that he is free to still work independent shows following his AEW return.  

Rocky Romero in AEW

Rocky Romero also recently began a backstage role with All Elite Wrestling. On his show, Meltzer explained the kind of roles he will be working under. 

“Romero’s role is gonna be talent development, so essentially training wrestlers and working with the younger talent, and also international liaison obviously with New Japan and CMLL.”

QT Marshall has a huge project outside of All Elite Wrestling… 

H/T – Wrestling News

Jeff Hardy recently made headlines when he expressed apparent disappointment about how the Hardys are booked on AEW television. He wrestled on Rampage this week, but that match sadly ended with an apparent injury.

Jeff Hardy was knocked out by sammy Guevara #AEWDynamite #AEWRampage pic.twitter.com/Q5Tr3TMEvx

— REKTS (@Hyperdude54) February 15, 2024

Jeff Hardy Possibly Injured

After the February 14th episode of AEW Dynamite, the company recorded the upcoming Rampage episode airing on February 19th. That match featured Hardy taking Sammy Guevara in singles action.

At the H.E.B. Center in Cedar Park, Texas, where the taping took place, fans captured footage of Sammy Guevara striking Jeff Hardy directly in the face with a knee. This went down as Guevara nailed a top rope move on the Charismatic Enigma.

The match was promptly ended to provide Hardy with immediate medical attention, as he was visibly bleeding from the mouth and appeared disoriented when trying to stand. Fans in attendance also noted that Hardy appeared to be out of it, and Guevara is taking some blame online.

this is NOT the first time Sammy Guevara has injured Jeff Hardy with his amateur hour bullshit

HE IS NOT A PROFESSIONAL WRESTLER pic.twitter.com/Hm4EOwzU0z

— Degenerate George (@DGen_Media) February 15, 2024

What’s Next

Because of NBA All-Star weekend, Rampage will air this week on February 16th at 7 PM EST. The episode will also feature Anna Jay against Queen Aminata.

The entire staff of SE Scoops is sending our best to Jeff Hardy during this time. Hopefully, he isn’t injured and won’t miss any time.

Will Ospreay’s first official match as an AEW talent will be against a rising star and he may have the decked stacked against him.

On Wednesday night’s episode of AEW Dynamite, the diabolical Don Callis revealed that Konosuke Takeshita will challenge Ospreay on March 3 at AEW Revolution in Greensboro, NC.

Callis claimed that everyone on the roster was afraid to take on Takeshita or Powerhouse Hobbs and so he had to take it upon himself to facilitate the bout between Konosuke and Ospreay.

Ospreay announced that he signed with AEW all the way back in November, but had several obligations to fufill with New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Ospreay did work for TNA as well during his lame duck period and was greatly praised for his influence on the locker room.

Claudio Castagnoli recently did an interview with Adrian Hernandez where he considered Ospreay’s thought process in signing with AEW.

“I’m sure there was something for Will where it’s like … Tokyo Dome, New Japan, he’s been there for, I believe, it was seven plus years, there’s the same thing of like, ‘okay I’ve done this, I know I can do this, if I want to challenge myself …’ that’s always the scary part,” Castagnoli said. “Do you choose comfort or do you want to challenge yourself and take that leap of faith?” 

On the Valentine’s Day episode of Dynamite, it was also revealed who Sting’s final opponents will be at AEW Revolution.

Please credit Adrian Hernandez and h/t to Wrestling Inc for the transcription.