The new era of WWE will not go ahead with Sid Scala as the British Superstar has been cut from the company.
Scala’s exit was first reported by PW Insider. He had been a part of WWE ever since the launch of the NXT UK brand in 2017. As part of the brand, Scala would serve as the Assistant General Manager to British wrestling legend Johnny Saint.
Scala would have a handful of matches as part of NXT UK and would rack up an unfortunate 0-5 record in WWE. His final match as part of the company would see him lose to Kassius Ohno as part of the September 1, 2019, tapings.
Outside of WWE, Scala has wrestled for PROGRESS Wrestling and CZW, as well as the defunct Global Force Wrestling. His most recent match was a loss at PROGRESS Chapter 97 in October 2019.
WWE Exits
Scala is the latest name to have left WWE recently. Mere hours before his exit from WWE went public, it was reported that Sue Aitchison had left the company after a 38-year run. Aitchison had been WWE’s Director of Community Relations and had been crucial in WWE’s relationship with Make-A-Wish. She also portrayed the ‘Duchess of Queensbury’ at Backlash 2001.
Dan Ventrelle also recently left WWE and had been the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations. Trent Wilfinger, the Senior Vice President of Athlete ID & Development has also parted ways with the company.
The post-WrestleMania season is usually the time when WWE undergoes ‘spring cleaning’ and releases talent they aren’t using. While this is a new era, it remains to be seen if more follow Scala in the days to come.
WWE traditionally makes personnel cuts following the WrestleMania season. With the 40th “Show of Shows” now concluded, several significant internal changes are underway.
Sue Aitchison, the long-standing Director of Community Relations at WWE, has parted ways with the company, according to PWInsider.com.
Her departure follows the recent exits of two other high-profile employees: Dan Ventrelle, the Executive Vice President of Talent Relations, who was released on April 11, and Trent Wilfinger, the Senior Vice President of Athlete ID & Development, who also left earlier this week.
Sue Aitchison’s Contributions to WWE
Sue Aitchison was not only the longest-serving employee at World Wrestling Entertainment but also a 2019 WWE Hall of Fame Warrior Award recipient. Joining in 1986, she dedicated over 38 years to the company as the Director of Community Relations.
Sue Aitchison receives the WWE Hall of Fame’s Warrior Award
Aitchison was instrumental in spearheading WWE’s community outreach, notably enhancing the company’s relationship with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and initiating various community projects such as the WrestleMania Reading Challenge.
Her outstanding work with Make-A-Wish was honored with the Chris Greicius Award in both 2006 and 2016. Aitchison’s departure is viewed by many as the end of an era in WWE history.
WWE’s Pattern of Releases
As WWE continues to evolve under its new leadership, the pattern of releasing key team members remains apparent. Historically, Vince McMahon would announce a series of roster cuts post-WrestleMania.
In recent years, these cuts have typically been postponed until after WWE’s event in Saudi Arabia, but precede the annual draft.
The next WWE Draft is scheduled for April 28 (SmackDown) and May 1 (RAW), and it remains to be seen if further roster cuts will be announced following this series of internal changes.
The Vince McMahon era is indeed coming to an end as the ex-WWE Chairman’s remaining shares in TKO Group Holdings have been listed for sale.
A filing published on April 12 revealed that 8,021,405 TKO shares belonging to Vince McMahon had been registered for sale. This allows for the shares to be bought and sold with less administrative friction. This move doesn’t necessarily mean that Vince will be selling all of his shares, although he might. Should every share be sold, it would mean that McMahon has no official stake in TKO Group Holdings.
This move comes mere days after McMahon sold 1.642 million shares to Endeavor while TKO purchased 1.853 million shares. These two sales earned McMahon an approximate $293 million.
McMahon unloaded 5.35 million shares in early March and sold 3.48 million more shares that same month. With his 8,021,405 shares, McMahon retains a 4.7% stake in TKO.
A New Era Dawns
McMahon’s selling of shares comes at a pivotal time for WWE as the promotion continues to distance itself from the former Chairman. Over WrestleMania week, there was a lot of talk of a ‘new era’ in WWE with Stephanie McMahon calling this the ‘Paul Levesque Era’ during WrestleMania 40: Sunday.
It’s hard not to notice this ‘new era’ both on WWE programming and behind the scenes. WWE’s changes to its on-screen production have been praised by fans who appreciate the new style of Lee Fitting who has replaced company veteran Kevin Dunn. Behind the scenes, Dan Ventrelle has left WWE as the company’s Head of Talent Relations with Triple H and Shawn Michaels overseeing both talent and talent development.
The WWE Universe was once again given an ominous message via a ‘glitch’ as part of the April 12, post-WrestleMania 40 edition of WWE SmackDown.
The glitch occurred during a tag-team match pitting Chelsea Green & Piper Niven against Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill. Though it appeared for a fraction of a second, eagle-eyed fans were able to spot the message ‘you forgot about us.’
What does this message on WWE SmackDown mean?
This wasn’t the only bizarre message in store for the fans who attended WWE SmackDown in Detroit. Before the show, eerie music was played, and the video screens displayed the WWE SmackDown logo in black and white.
These incidents at the April 12, episode of WWE SmackDown aren’t the only bizarre sightings as of late. During the post-WrestleMania 40 edition of Raw, a ‘glitch’ during a promo with ‘Big’ Bronson Reed bore the message ‘hello.’
The prevailing theory among fans is that this is setting up the return of Uncle Howdy, who was portrayed by Bo Dallas in 2022 and 2023. The character was introduced following Bray Wyatt’s return at WWE Extreme Rules 2022 but was pulled from TV alongside Wyatt in early 2023. As one fan with a good memory pointed out on Twitter, Howdy previously described himself as ‘us’ during a segment.
The ‘us’ line has also had fans speculating that Uncle Howdy will not return alone, and that Alexa Bliss’ return to programming may be drawing near. Bliss was once associated with Wyatt but hasn’t competed in over a year due to pregnancy. The former Women’s Champion gave birth to daughter Hendrix last year. Before plans were nixed due to Bray’s illness, there were reported plans for a ‘Wyatt 6’ faction that would’ve included Uncle Howdy.
Cody Rhodes wasn’t made fully aware of all the perks of being the top champion in WWE and he actually got surprised by his pyro during the dark match entrance after SmackDown went off air.
The American Nightmare opened tonight’s show. He first talked about his Universal Championship win and then confirmed that he will be defending the title at the upcoming Backlash: France event.
The new champion came out once again for a dark match after the show went off air. He successfully defended his title against ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio and cut a promo for the crowd after the match was over:
What Happened On SmackDown
Elsewhere in the show we also saw a huge change in the order of the Bloodline. While Roman Reigns wasn’t present for the episode, Paul Heyman alongside Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso were involved in a segment.
Heyman first claimed that they take accountability for the WrestleMania loss. Before he could finish his promo, however, Sikoa took the mic and declared that losing has consequences. This was in reference to Jimmy losing his WrestleMania 40 match against brother Jey Uso.
A hooded figure then appeared out of nowhere and beat down Jimmy Uso, essentially kicking him out of the faction. The figure revealed himself as the newest member of The Bloodline – Tama Tonga.
Solo and Tonga delivered a brutal beatdown to Jimmy and the segment ended with Heyman joining them while they returned to the back.
Elsewhere in the show, we also saw Bron Breakker winning his first singles match after saying goodbye to NXT and Jade Cargill teaming up with Bianca Belair for a victory over Chelsea Green and Piper Niven.
Tiffany Stratton is ready to light up the SmackDown roster, and she did so with some special gear this week. The former NXT Women’s Champion rocked ring attire that paid homage to her “Clueless” character roots.
Stratton wore a black and yellow outfit on SmackDown this week. Corey Graves dropped “as if” on commentary during that segment for a reason. Her look was very close to Alicia Silverstone’s famous costume from the classic teen comedy.
WWE Superstars will pay homage to their favorite pop culture. Johnny Gargano is known for paying tribute to a variety of comic book characters. Becky Lynch famously wore a tribute to The Bride from Quintin Tarantino’s Kill Bill film.
Of course, when you’re talking about cosplay, you can’t forget about Zelina Vega. The LWO member has dressed up as several video game and anime characters for years.
Tiffany Stratton was born in 1999, years before “Clueless” was released in 1995, but that film is obviously a big part of her roots. Her tribute was certainly noticed on the blue brand’s show this week.
What Happened This Week
Bayley made her way to the ring, ready to embrace what is next after defeating IYO Sky at WrestleMania 40. Then Stratton entered the situation on SmackDown this week as she interrupted Bayley’s first promo as WWE Women’s Champion.
Stratton wanted to cash in on an open challenge from Bayley, but the champion didn’t offer one. The former Damage CTRL leader wanted to face Naomi, and The Glow soon came down to claim a match with Stratton, one that the former Knockouts Champion won.
WrestleMania is in the rearview mirror, and WWE has been known to re-stack the deck. This week’s SmackDown included a big change for The Bloodline as Jimmy Uso was kicked out to make room for Tama Tonga.
It is a new era for the Bloodline. The Rock is gone after WrestleMania, although he did promise to return for a match against Cody Rhodes. Roman Reigns is also taking a break after losing his title.
There is a new Bloodline, and Paul Heyman is reluctantly on board.
Bloodline Changes After WrestleMania 40
The Bloodline took to the ring this week on SmackDown, and they had a lot to address. The Wise Man Paul Heyman spoke about Cody Rhodes winning the Undisputed WWE World Title at WrestleMania.
Suddenly, Solo Sikoa cut off WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman’s speech on SmackDown this week to make his own announcement. He called attention to Jimmy Uso and how he should be reprimanded for losing. Then Solo hugged Jimmy in the ring while saying, “you’re my brother, I love you.“
Jimmy Uso is coming off a WrestleMania loss to his brother, Jey Uso. There are punishments for losing, and they made that point very clear when Tama Tonga jumped in the ring to attack Jimmy.
After a brutal beat-down in the ring, which included wrapping a chair around Jimmy’s head in the corner followed by a running hip attack from Solo, brought a new chapter in the Bloodline saga.
Paul Heyman famously said that we were only in the “bottom of the 3rd inning” at SummerSlam last year. We have to wonder where they are in the ballgame after this development after WrestleMania 40.
The Wise Man looked scared in the corner, fearing that he was next in line. That beatdown on Heyman did not happen, as Solo brought him to join him and Tama as they did the Bloodline sign. Heyman, although a bit hesitant, did the pose alongside them.
Roman Reigns and Tama Tonga are not related, butthey share a connection through their Polynesian heritage. Tonga, real name Alipate Fifita, is of Tongan descent, while Reigns is Samoan, both belonging to the broader Polynesian cultural group. He is son of legendary pro wrestler Haku.
Tama entered WWE after having a lengthy run in NJPW, where he won many titles along the way. He has won the IWGP Tag Team Championship seven times with Tanga Loa. Tama is a four-time NEVER Openweight Champion and has won the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship four times.
He’s been on WWE’s radar for a while, but NJPW kept him locked in a contract. Needless to say, The Bloodline has a huge boost with Tama in their ranks.
There are other potential future Bloodline members possibly on their way. Jacob Fatu and Zilla Fatu, who is Umaga’s son, are always possibilities. From the way they splintered things off, it looks like Jimmy Uso could use an ally to fight the new Bloodline now.
Tonight’s 4/12 WWE SmackDown takes place from Detroit, Michigan at the sold-out Little Caesars Arena. Over 13,000 wrestling fans will be on hand to witness the fallout from WrestleMania 40 and the start of a new era on Friday nights.
Here’s what WWE is advertising for the show:
Cody Rhodes will appear
Bayley will celebrate her championship win at WrestleMania
Plus, a mini-tournament will also kick off tonight to determine the #1 contender to Cody Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. We’ll see two triple-threat matches, with the winners squaring off next week to determine the next challenger:
Kevin Owens vs. Rey Mysterio vs. AJ Styles
Santos Escobar vs. LA Knight vs. Bobby Lashley
This is expected to be an eventful show. WWE always shakes things up after WrestleMania with new storylines and feuds. The Bloodline is in utter turmoil following WrestleMania 40. Roman Reigns has been conquered, The Rock is leaving again and Paul Heyman needs to figure out what to do with himself with the Tribal Chief cast into exiled. Could we see a New Bloodline emerge?
Looking Ahead
WWE DRAFT: During the RAW after WrestleMania, it was confirmed that the next WWE Draft is going down this month. The WWE Draft will be taking place on April 26th for SmackDown and April 29th for RAW. So, we only have a limited time left with these current rosters.
BACKLASH: WWE Backlash: France takes place Saturday, May 4 from Lyon, France. Jey Uso won a #1 contender’s match on Raw to become the next challenger to new World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest. While not confirmed, this clash is expected for Backlash.
Randy Orton landed an RKO on IShowSpeed at WrestleMania 40. It didn’t take Speed long to get his revenge, but it didn’t happen in a traditional ring.
During a WWE2K24 livestreaming session, IShowSpeed faced off against the Viper while using a created character in his own likeness. When he delivered a devastating RKO to the digital Apex Predator, Speed erupted with his trademark enthusiasm.
WrestleMania 40 was a two-day spectacle featuring a few notable celebrity appearances. Everyone knew someone had to be in that Prime bottle costume as it accompanied Logan Paul to the ring. KSI was under a similar disguise last year, and this year IShowSpeed took a turn.
After the social media influencer ran his mouth a bit, Randy Orton seized an opportunity that many with they could as he nailed Speed with an RKO on the announce table. It didn’t break, but the Lincoln Financial Field crowd popped for the viral spot.
It remains to be seen whether Speed will make a return to WWE television at this juncture, but he might want to squash things with Randy Orton outside the video game realm.
IShowSpeed started his YouTube channel in 2016, initially posting gameplay videos sporadically. By December 2017, he began to livestream and share videos primarily focused on games like NBA 2K and Fortnite, though initially attracting only two viewers on average.
His channel’s growth accelerated dramatically over time, hitting significant milestones of 100,000 subscribers in April 2021, 1 million by June 2021, 10 million by July 2022, and reaching 20 million subscribers in August 2023.
He racks up millions of views, creating viral moments at every turn. As of March 2024, the 19-year-old’s net worth is approximately $12 million.
The ‘Bloodline Rules’ stipulation of Sunday’s WrestleMania 40 main event between Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns allowed for several exciting surprise appearances. The jam-packed Lincoln Financial Field erupted when John Cena and the Undertaker made surprises appearances to assist the American Nightmare.
Many fans were expecting to hear the infamous ‘glass shatter’ and see Stone Cold Steve Austin hit the ring for one more confrontation with his greatest rival, The Rock. As it turns out, WWE did negotiate with Austin regarding this exact scenario. Unfortunately, the two sides could not come to a financial agreement, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
In the months leading up to wrestling’s biggest weekend of the year, Austin was addressed the possibility of another WrestleMania appearance. He kept some hopes alive by saying “never say never,” but now we know why it didn’t materialize.
Steve Austin shocked the wrestling world by coming out of retirement at WrestleMania 38 (2022) and competing in his first match in 19 years.
It started with Kevin Owens calling out Stone Cold and inviting him to appear on the KO Show at WrestleMania 38. Austin accepted, but when he showed up for a talk, Owens had other plans in mind. An impromptu No Holds Barred match broke out and Austin got to show it’s still a very bad idea to cross him.
Bloodline Rules
Cody Rhodes defeated Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in a match contested under ‘Bloodline rules.’ The specific rules were not laid out in person, but it was essentially a no-disqualification match.
The relaxed rules allowed for plenty of outside interference, with members of the Bloodline backing Reigns, and John Cena, The Undertaker and Seth Rollins evening the odds.
In the end, Rhodes ‘finished his story’ and ended the Tribal Chief’s historic championship reign at 1,316 days.
Welcome the Daily Drop, your daily roundup of wrestling news and rumors for Friday, April 12.
We are a day removed from AEW releasing CM Punk and Jack Perry’s All In fight footage, and that’s still the biggest talking point. Fans are also still mixing in their own audio tracks, and there is no shortage of great contributions out there.
EXCLUSIVE leaked audio of what lead to the altercation between CM Punk and Jack Perry at AEW ALL IN! pic.twitter.com/DOIg83WM5d
– Big Departure In Talent Relations: Dan Ventrelle, WWE’s Executive Vice President of Talent Relations, was let go on April 11. He had joined WWE years ago and was closely associated with Nick Khan and Paul Levesque within the company.
– Another Notable WWE Exit: Trent Wilfinger, WWE’s Senior Vice President of Athlete ID & Development, also left on the same day. He started at WWE in summer 2021, focusing on Global Athlete Strategy & Development under Paul Levesque. Before joining WWE, he worked for over ten years at the fitness company EXOS.
– R-Truth’s Family Tragedy: Truth updated fans on Thursday to let them know that his cousin, Rosco, had a stroke. Our thoughts are with his family at this time.
My cousin Rosco had a stroke the night I had my Big Wrestle Mania winning the WWE tag team championship 😔, He has ALWAYS been my biggest supporter! Every time I see him he would tell me how proud of me he was, That meant more to me than anything!! Life doesn’t come with a… pic.twitter.com/JEMaw1kxxy
– Zelina Vega Called Out:The LWO member was accused of underpaying artists for their work on her ring gear. She since came out to deny the allegations, and she said she will present proof of her innocence.
AEW:
– Send Hook:SEScoops ran an exclusive about Hook’s AEW contract status. His deal is running up and WWE is interested in him.
– Sting After Retirement: We ran a story about Sting’s plans after his retirement from AEW. His last match saw him retain the AEW World Tag Team Titles with Darby Allin at Revolution against The Young Bucks.
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.
Zelina Vega was accused of commissioning work and not paying the artist in full. She has responded to deny the accusations against her, while promising to release more information that proves her innocence.
A prop maker named mecha_musume on Instagram accused Zelina Vega of underpaying them for WrestleMania gear. They claim to have created, printed, and decorated several items for the LWO member, such as a Mecha Chancla, cuffs, Mech wings, and a headset.
After her experience, Mecha Musume said of Vega, “As a Puerto Rican, you are literally a disgrace and 100% not for your people, let alone small businesses.”
Another artist named Sangre came forward to share their account of working with Zelina Vega. They also provided a screenshot along with their post.
This new accuser said that they did not ask Zelina Vega for any monetary compensation, but she did get them backstage at a WWE event. The screenshot featured a conversation between the two, where Vega said she “would have” offered more work to the artist if they didn’t have this conversation about payment.
Vega addressed this situation on Twitter/X. She promised to clear things up later, and she claims to have receipts.
This controversy gave her a reason to reactivate her Twitter/X account. “Screenshots, photos & videos to come. Last thing my husband and I are, are scammers, so! Time to make things clear. Alllll of it,” Vega posted.
Zelina Vega is outright denying that any shady business went down between her and costume designers. We will have to see what kind of evidence she has, but many fans are already commenting to point out that her accusers came with screenshot evidence as a part of their statement.
Welp, had to reactivate Twitter just to correct people. Screenshots, photos & videos to come. Last thing my husband and I are, are scammers, so! Time to make things clear. Alllll of it.
And for the people who want to threaten, lie and create fake “new scam scenarios” to jump on…
A popular second-generation pro wrestler is poised to let WWE and AEW compete for his talents. SEScoops has learned that HOOK (Tyler Senerchia) is interested in exploring his options in free agency once his contract with All Elite Wrestling expires later this year.
A source familiar with WWE’s recruitment strategy commented, “I can see WWE clearly being interested in him.”
Hook is the son of wrestling legend and AEW broadcaster Taz. He joined AEW in 2020 and is known as the ‘Cold-Hearted Handsome Devil.’ The 24-year-year-old from achieved a great deal during his young career. He’s in his second reign as FTW Champion, a title introduced by his father in ECW.
HOOK has not only improved his in-ring skills but has also shown a level of innate charisma that you either have or you don’t. Time at the Performance Center and integration into WWE’s unparalleled talent development system could significantly boost his long-term prospects.
Wrestling free’s agency market is currently booming, with WWE and AEW both aggressively pursuing talent and offering substantial sums to secure contracts.
Recently, AEW has had notable success, signing wrestlers like Will Ospreay, Mercedes Mone, Kazuchika Okada, and Adam Copeland. Meanwhile, WWE has attracted Giulia and several former AEW stars including CM Punk, Jade Cargill, Andrade, Brian Pillman Jr., and Shawn Spears.
The landscape could shift dramatically soon once again, as the contracts of WWE stars Becky Lynch, Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins and Sheamus are set to expire in the coming months.
Posted April 11th, 2024 in AEW, WWE. Tagged: Hook.
Shayna Baszler has proven yet again that she’s not somebody to mess with after achieving the rank of black belt in Judo.
The news was shared by the Tampa Florida Judo Academy on Instagram that Baszler had achieved her black belt ranking by martial arts expert Dr. Rhadi Ferguson. Baszler was described as “one of the most accomplished athletes in the world of combat sports.”
Baszler’s accomplishment in Judo shows her dedication, skill, and pursuit of excellence in the world of combat sports. This hard work has evidently paid off for the ‘Queen of Spades’ who is considered one of the most legitimate fighters in WWE today.
Shayna Baszler: The Real Deal
Shayna Baszler’s toughness cannot be denied whether in the world of professional wrestling or in combat sports. In WWE, she is a two-time NXT Women’s Champion, a three-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion, and the 2020 Women’s Elimination Chamber winner.
Outside of the squared circle, Baslzer competed in the UFC after winning the 2013 reality show The Ultimate Fighter. She is also trained in Muay Thai and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Her MMA training would come at the hands of former UFC fighter Josh Barnett. It’s therefore fitting that Baszler mixed her love of wrestling and MMA at Barnett’s Bloodsport X event where she earned a hard-fought victory over TNA Wrestling’s Masha Slamovich.
Away from combat sports, Baszler has competed in roller derby, a sport that sees plenty of scrapes and injuries to its competitors. It’s therefore for the best that Baszler, the head coach for the Sioux Falls Roller Dollz, is also a certified EMT.
A significant production change we saw earlier this week on WWE Smackdown and WWE Raw will continue.
WWE utilized scaled-down productions setup for last week’s SmackDown, the night before WrestleMania Saturday, and Monday’s post-WrestleMania edition of Raw. Instead of a large stage, screen and ramp, the company opted to use a format that allowed the company to sell more tickets to the events. According to PWInsider, this approach will be “the norm moving forward.”
This slimmed-down production setup is expected to be used on the June 28, episode of WWE SmackDown from Madison Square Garden.
Changes to WWE Production
This is the latest change in a broader overhaul to WWE’s approach to production. Following the departure of longtime production head Kevin Dunn, WWE appointed Lee Fitting for that position. The changes have been remarkable and unanimously well-received.
WWE events will also look different in the ring moving forward. As fans saw at WrestleMania 40, the PRIME Energy logo was emblazoned on the ring mat in a historic first for WWE. This logo will feature on the mat for future Premium Live Events, a significant reversal of longstanding policy.
IShowSpeed may still be feeling worse for wear after WrestleMania 40, but the popular YouTuber will have no problem getting around with his new Cyber Truck.
On YouTube, Speed shared a video of himself being gifted the vehicle by the Maverick. Paul said the truck was a gift for Speed’s help at WrestleMania which saw him take an RKO from Randy Orton on the English-commentary announce table. Speed was overjoyed with the gift and took the truck for a test drive and accidentally ran over the bow.
IShowSpeed Gets an RKO at WrestleMania
Speed was dressed as the PRIME Energy mascot at WrestleMania 40 and aided Paul in his triple-threat match against Orton and Kevin Owens. The spot was similar to WrestleMania 39 which saw PRIME Energy co-founder KSI dress in the costume and try and help Paul out. Like IShowSpeed, that would backfire and he’d be sent through the announce table.
PRIME & WWE
WWE and Prime Hydration struck a record-setting global partnership deal in March 2024 to make PRIME the company’s Official Hydration Drink Partner. The agreement also extends to the UFC, WWE’s ‘partner’ company as part of TKO Group.
At WrestleMania 40, the synergy was on full display. Randy Ortton delivering an RKO to influencer IShowSpeed dressed in a PRIME Energy bottle costume went viral on social media.
Wrestling fan also couldn’t miss the PRIME Energy logo emblazoned on the WWE ring mat, a historic first that we’ll see plenty more of in the future. TKO executives have spoken about their plans to continue ramping up the sponsored branding the ringside area.
Prime Product Placement
Logan Paul
As for Logan Paul, his U.S. Championship reign remains intact with fans wondering what’s next for him. Paul was chosen to reveal that WWE SummerSlam 2024 will take place this August in his native Cleveland, Ohio.
Paul didn’t waste any time drumming up attention for the event by calling out one of the most recognizable athletes in the world, NBA kingpin LeBron James:
Will Ospreay took Triple H’s comments about wrestlers who pick AEW over WWE personally. He returned fire on the 4/10 episode of AEW Dynamite.
While speaking to the Pat McAfee Show during WrestleMania weekend, Triple H said, “When I see people trying to make it, and they pick the job where they go, ‘Well I work less and the schedule’s lighter,’ okay I’m glad I didn’t get you. Because if you’re not in it for the grind in that point in your career, you have no business being here.”
Will Ospreay cut a promo on AEW Dynamite, where he answered Triple H’s comment about wrestlers who pick AEW over WWE.
“Normally I wouldn’t rise to this type of bait, right? But seeing how the guy who said it is only in the position because he was grinding the boss’ daughter, you have no business telling me what the grind is all about, my friend, because you have no idea what I fight for.
Will Ospreay takes aim at Triple H’s comments of running from the grind:
“The guy that said it is only in the position he’s in because he was grinding on the bosses daughter.”#AEWDynamite
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reports that it was all Will Ospreay’s idea to throw a dig at Triple H into the promo on Dynamite. He collaborated with the creative team on the promo. The media’s recent portrayal of him confused wrestlers from various organizations. A WWE member noted his efforts to honor the process and WWE, despite choosing AEW for his family’s benefit.
AEW’s Recent Signings
AEW signed three big names in a row with Will Ospreay, Kazuchika Okada, and Mercedes Mone. All of those stars were talking to WWE at one point, and they decided to take Tony Khan’s deal instead.
Mone and WWE came to a financial roadblock. She signed an incredibly lucrative deal with AEW, one that is reportedly the largest woman’s deal in pro wrestling history.
AEW locked down Kazuchika Okada with a three-year contract valued at approximately $13.5 million. Okada is earning about $4.5 million a year with his All Elite deal.
Will Ospreay has been open about why he turned down a WWE contract. Ospreay acknowledged the offer from WWE, but he emphasized the trust he has in Tony Khan, a significant factor influencing his decision to sign with AEW.
“I want to know what I’m doing within the ring, and the rest, for me, is easy. What more could you want from a boss?”
AEW is set to air footage from CM Punk and Jack Perry’s All In brawl and WWE star Grayson Waller couldn’t resist a little trolling on social media. Waller referenced tonight’s highly-publicized release of AEW All In footage by teasing a scandalous video of his own.
Waller claims he and SmackDown tag team champion partner Austin Theory recently beat ip the entire WWE locker room backstage and the whole thing was captured on video.
Later today, I’m going to share exclusive security camera footage of myself and @_Theory1 beating up the entire WWE locker room backstage.
It’s time the world knows how tough the Smackdown Tag Champs really are!
There are several pro wrestlers from WWE, AEW and beyond who have proven to be experts and hurtling insults online. Waller recently took aim at NXT star Lexis King and compared the second generation star to the infamous Tiger King.
SEScoops published an in-depth article about the footage that AEW will air on the 4/10 episode of Dynamite, including all the supporting information for this controversial chain of events.
It seemed highly unlikely that the AEW All In footage would ever see the light of day, Tony Khan has doubled-down on his pledge to deliver what fans are expecting.
Naturally, the pro wrestling world is giving this situation a lot of attention, and that includes those in WWE.
Damian Priest’s stunning victory at WrestleMania 40 solidifies The Judgment Day as one of the all-time great factions according to the World Heavyweight Champion.
“Winning the World Title means a lot of us. I mean, it solidifies our group. We have Rhea, the Women’s World Champion [and] me, the Men’s World Champion. I think if you look at the history of factions, where does that put the Judgment Day now?
“We’ve had Undisputed [Tag Team] Titles. We’ve had North American Titles. Now we have World Titles. I don’t see how we’re not in the conversation for one of the best factions of all time.”
WrestleMania 40 was also a big night for Rhea Ripley who retained her Women’s World Championship. The ‘Mami’ of the faction successfully defended the gold against Becky Lynch in the opening match of the two-night event.
The Judgment Day
Priest’s comments ring true given how many championships The Judgment Day has accumulated in its two-year run. The faction had a shaky start when launched by Edge in 2022 as fans struggled to boo the Rated-R Superstar following years of his forced retirement.
The group began to hit its stride when it ejected the WWE Hall of Famer in a segment that saw Finn Balor added to its ranks. The faction reached new heights at Clash at the Castle 2022 when Dominik Mysterio betrayed his father and joined. In addition to championships, The Judgment Day has been represented in the main event of shows such as WWE Survivor Series 2023 and WWE Elimination Chamber 2024.
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
WWE has marked the launch of a new era with a new studio complex to help lead the company’s production side of things in the future.
The 30,000-square foot studio complex is called ‘The Studios at WWE’ and features several studios. The studio is based at WWE’s new headquarters in Stamford, CT.
The main studio is an impressive 5,000-square-foot center. There is also a 1,500-square-foot Cyclorama studio and a 1,500-square-foot volumetric LED studio set to open this spring. The complex also features a 1,000-square-foot photo studio and two insert stages that are approximately 600 square feet each.
The Studios at WWE is the first U.S. facility to install Crystal LED Verona, with 150 cabinets across its main wall. Joe Solari, WWE VP of Studio Operations shared his enthusiasm for the new complex when speaking to Sports Video.
“It gives us new tools and a new canvas to push the limits of what we do here at the WWE. We can take our productions to the next level and really increase our fan engagement. I don’t think that there is anything in Connecticut right now that even comes close to what we built here.”
Production Changes
The Complex at WWE comes at an interesting time for WWE with several changes being made to the company. With the departure of Kevin Dunn, WWE has appointed Lee Fitting as the promotion’s head of production. Changes to the on-screen product have been received well by fans so far.
Perhaps the biggest change to WWE’s on-screen presentation will come in January 2025 when Raw moves to Netflix. The five-billion-dollar deal will see the red brand hosted on Netflix for ten years, though the timeframe can change based on the show’s performance. Those outside the U.S. will also receive SmackDown, WWE NXT, and Premium Live Events.
The word ‘cinema’ has been thrown around a lot to describe WWE’s storytelling over the past year, particularly the gripping Bloodline saga involving Roman Reigns, The Usos, Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman. As great as all that has been, the main event of Sunday’s WrestleMania XL spectacular delivered perhaps the greatest masterstroke of all.
Nearly a decade after the breakup of The Shield, Seth Rollins delivered on his promise to serve as Cody Rhodes’ ‘shield’ by sacrificing himself to bring down the Tribal Chief. Reigns was nearly unbeatable, but Rollins placed a winning bet on the belief that his former ‘brother’ would be unable to resist exacting revenge, one of the msot al seven deadly sins.
Apart from Cody Rhodes finishing his story, the tension between Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns was one of the talking points. There was no shortage of drama or layers of depth to dig into. The former Shield members have a long history together and WWE played out an angle beautifully that has been in the making for over ten years.
Seth Rollins is one of the key figures who helped in building what could be regarded as one of the greatest stories ever told in WWE. After all, he is ‘The Architect.’ He was among many superstars who came to the aid of Cody Rhodes, who dethroned Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
Let’s take an in-depth look into the angle between Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, thanks to Mith Gifs Wrestling.
Reopening old wounds
Roman Reigns’ decision to exact revenge upon Seth Rollins cost him everything
‘The Visionary’ is a master of playing mind games and he got into the head of ‘The Tribal Chief.’ Reigns had the chance to hit Cody Rhodes with a steel chair to win the match but he ended up deciding to hit Seth Rollins in the back, mirroring Rollins to dissolve The Shield back in the day.
Reigns certainly got flashbacks of the betrayal and couldn’t help but get his payback. However, at the cost of the title which he held for 1,316 days.
This right here was the definition of long term storytelling.
The fact that Roman Reigns could never get over the fact that Seth Rollins broke up The Shield and it cost him his title.
— Wrestling Pics & Clips (@WrestleClips) April 8, 2024
Seth Rollins, who was partly responsible for the creation of the ‘monster’ knew that Roman would be unable to contain himself long enough to exact revenge on his former Shield brethren. ‘The Architect’ did what was necessary to bring down the monster he helped create.
The Hero’s Shield
After what went down at WrestleMania 40, fans soon recalled what Rollins told Cody Rhodes back in February. During a fateful promo on WWE Raw, Rollins said:
“When it comes to fighting Roman Reigns, there is only one man on earth, who is uniquely suited to be your shield.”
Well, Rollins is a man of his word. He took the bullet for and protected Cody.
Mind Games
Last year, it was Sami Zayn who backstabbed ‘The Trible Chief’ in a similar fashion, which still haunts him to this day. Betrayal has been Roman Reigns’ worst fear and Rollins was well aware of that.
Rollins could get into Roman’s head like no one else and from time to time, he has messed with his former Shield teammate. This is something ‘The Tribal Chief’ couldn’t escape and thus Rollins managed to outwit his former friend despite getting attacked.
Well, this is not the first time Rollins reopened Reigns’ old wounds. At the Royal Rumble in 2022, Seth deliberately messed with Roman when he walked out to the Shield’s old music, wearing the Shield’s old gear ahead of the title match.
During their match, Seth mocked Roman and even offered the Shield fist bump which caused Roman to snap and got Rollins in a guillotine choke. It was comprehensible enough that Rollins controlled Roman’s emotions. With rage and trauma getting the better of him. Roman Reigns refused to relinquish the hold and that night Rollins won the contest via DQ.
Seth Rollins had dropped the World Heavyweight Championship to Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania 40. Meanwhile, with Roman Reigns returning empty-handed as well, there is a huge possibility that we could witness another feud between the two down the road.
Will they ignite a new rivalry to settle the dispute once and for all? With Triple H at the helm of this new era, wrestling fans can rest assured that it’s safe to invest in these longterm stories.
Pro-wrestler-turned-actor John Cena feels there can be only ‘one alpha’ in the longstanding feud between his Fast & Furious co-stars Vin Diesel and Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson.
On the Armchair Expert podcast, host Dax Shepard noted to Cena that Johnson and Diesel made “a tough pairing” after WWE’s ‘Final Boss’ joined the Fast & Furious franchise with 2011’s Fast Five. Cena replied that both the stars are very alpha, driven people but there can be only one.
“There’s certainly rumors about that. I can’t deny that. You have two very alpha, driven people. You get two, there can only be one.”
Additionally, the 16-time World Champion feels that he was simply “a guest” in the Fast & Furious world and expressed gratitude for the chance to be involved.
“I’m not trying to get the sandbox. That’s not my thing,” he said. “I’m grateful for what you’ve given me, I just want to be the best firetruck I can.”
Cena had joined the franchise when he starred in F9: The Fast Saga as Jakob Toretto, Dom’s estranged brother.
Dwayne Johnson, who starred as Luke Hobbs, has worked in as many as five films in the Fast & Furious franchise from 2011 and 2019. His character was originally introduced in Fast Five as an antagonist for Diesel’s Dominic Toretto character. However, as the story rolled, the two characters eventually joined forces in the future films.
Dwayne Johnson-Vin Diesel feud
In 2016, rumors started floating that Johnson and Diesel don’t share a cordial relationship behind the scenes. In a now-deleted Instagram post from 2016, Dwayne Johnson had called out his “male costars” of the franchise without naming anyone.
Johnson, who is also popularly known as The Rock had claimed in 2021 that he would not make appearances for the franchise. However, he did a cameo in last year’s Fast X. Apparently, the duo squashed the beef after Johnson returned for a mid-credits scene in the latest installment which potentially leaves the chance of him being featured in upcoming films.
Cody Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Universal Championship win at WrestleMania 40 continues to make history as the new champion has joined a very exclusive club.
Rhodes ended the 1,316-day reign of Roman Reigns in an emotional main event to WrestleMania 40: Sunday on April 7. With this win, Rhodes becomes the fourth wrestler in history to have held the WWE World Championship and the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion. He joins an elite club of talent that includes the inaugural WWE Champion Buddy Rogers, 16-time World Champion Ric Flair, and the Phenomenal AJ Styles.
This fact was pointed out on social media by Brian R. Solomon, an author of several wrestling books. In 2022, his book ‘Blood and Fire: The Unbelievable Real-Life Story of Wrestling’s Original Sheik’ won the Wrestling Observer’s ‘Best Book’ award for the year. His next book, Irresistible Force: The Life and Times of Gorilla Monsoon, is scheduled to be released in 2024.
Triple Crown History
Rhodes didn’t just join the exclusive club of WWE/NWA World Champions, but he also made history by becoming the first person in his own unique club. With his win, Rhodes became the first man to have held the WWE, NWA, and Ring of Honor World Championships. Rhodes won the NWA title from Nick Aldis at 2018’s All In show. His Ring of Honor World Championship win would come the year prior with a victory over Christopher Daniels at Best in the World 2017.
The American Nightmare is certainly riding high with his victory at WrestleMania 40: Sunday. The fans are clearly behind Rhodes who also achieved a new personal record over WrestleMania week.
Dwayne Johnson was awarded 96,558 shares of TKO Group Holdings Class A common stock on Sunday, April 7, the day after returning to the ring at WrestleMania 40. The shares are valued at approximately $9.4 million.
According to a new financial filing, the previously restricted stock units vested upon “completion of certain services described” in his Independent Contractor Services and Merchandising Agreement dated January 22, 2024. He joined TKO’s 13-person Board of Directors the following day.
That agreement allows WWE to use The Rock’s name, image and likeness for up to ten years in exchange for approximately 400,000 shares of TKO stock currently valued at approximately $39 million.
According to Sportico, the first 25% of shares were awarded in January when the deal was completed. The next 25% will be awarded at the end of the year. Another 25% distributed monthly throughout 2025 and the remaining 25% was the completion of the ‘certain services.’
New WWE World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest is looking to expand his brand outside of professional wrestling by signing with the Paradigm talent agency.
Paradigm will work to build Priest’s business across books, acting, marketing, unscripted appearances, and more, Variety reports. Paradigm will look to find Priest work outside of the squared circle in what is expected to be a huge shift for him and a sign that big things are coming in the future of the Puerto Rican Superstar. Perhaps a future in music is in the cards for Priest, who provides the vocals for his new theme song that debuted on the post-WrestleMania 40 edition of Raw.
Priest is hardly the first Superstar to sign with a talent agency. In August 2022, Bianca Belair signed with William Morris Endeavor to build her brand outside of wrestling. WME also represents Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and John Cena.
This signing comes at a pivotal time for Priest, who captured the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. The Judgment Day member cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on Drew McIntyre mere minutes after the Scottish Warrior dethroned Seth Rollins. Priest had held the Money in the Bank contract since capturing the briefcase in July 2023 and had failed to cash in multiple times.
What is the Paradigm Talent Agency?
Founded in Beverly Hills, CA, in 1992, Paradigm has more than 200 agents representing clients in various aspects of the media. The future looks bright for Priest as Paradigm is a four-time winner of Pollstar’s ‘Booking Agency of the Year’ award. Notable names represented by Pollstar include author Stephen King, actor Sydney Sweeney, director James Wan, and musician Billie Eilish.