Karrion Kross is finding his groove a facilitator of The Final Testament and the former NXT Champion may have gotten inspiration from legendary actor Chazz Palminteri.
Kross was born and raised right out of Hell’s Kitchen so his roots are well-embedded in the lifestyle of New York City and it had to be a big-time pleasure for the WWE Superstar when he got to meet Palminteri. Palminteri is also Big Apple-born and he may be best known for his role as a local Bronx boss Sonny in the Robert DeNiro directed “A Bronx Tale.”
Right before a big weekend took off in New York City for WWE with Saturday Night’s Main Event, Kross ended up sharing a photo-op he got with the actor, noting that it was a “long story” before quoting that very film.
“Long story!
You’ll hear it eventually.
“The saddest thing in life is wasted talent, and the choices that you make will shape your life forever. But you can ask anybody from my neighborhood, and they’ll just tell you this is just another Bronx tale.’”
Long story!
You’ll hear it eventually.
“The saddest thing in life is wasted talent, and the choices that you make will shape your life forever. But you can ask anybody from my neighborhood, and they’ll just tell you this is just another Bronx tale.” pic.twitter.com/zxLkJfNnax
One could envision Kross pulling a lot of inspiration from “Sonny” as it pertains to his current role in The Final Testament. Much like the charismatic crime boss Palminteri portrays Kross walks the fine line between showing humanity (albeit manipulative) and menace, a trait that made Sonny so fascinating as a character. It’s no secret that Kross is heavily influenced by classic films as he’s picked and pulled from both the dramatic and horror drama to build upon an on-air persona that’s finally getting warranted recognition.
Kross currently finds himself with the upper hand on a feud with The Wyatt Sicks. Karrion captured a pinfall win against Uncle Howdy this past Monday on WWE RAW thanks to interference by a returning Paul Ellering.
WWE’s Saturday Night’s Main Event returns tonight (December 14, 2024) and the excitement is palpable among fans. This historic event will take place at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island, New York, starting at 8 PM ET.
With just hours to go, ticket sales have surged, showcasing the enduring popularity of this iconic wrestling series.
Current Ticket Availability
As of now, only 196 tickets remain for the event, with a staggering 14,669 tickets already sold out of a total capacity of 14,865 seats according to WrestleTix.
This rapid ticket movement highlights the immense demand for WWE events, especially given that an additional 35 tickets were sold in the last 24 hours alone. The venue holds significant historical value as it hosted the very first Saturday Night’s Main Event back in 1985, making this revival particularly special for long-time fans.
WWE Saturday Night's Main Event Sat • Dec 14 • 7:30 PM Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, Uniondale, NY
Available Tickets: 196 Current Setup: 14,865 Tickets Distributed: 14,669
? Morning update ? +35 since the last update (1 day ago) ? 9/9/2023 Saturday Night's Main Event:… pic.twitter.com/Y8b8jdNmE6
Ticket prices for the event vary widely, starting from approximately $98 for standard seating and reaching up to $2,044 for premium experiences. Fans looking to attend can purchase tickets through various platforms including Ticketmaster and StubHub.
Additionally, WWE is offering Priority Passes, which include perks like premium seating and exclusive meet-and-greet opportunities with WWE Superstars.
Event Highlights
The lineup for Saturday Night’s Main Event is star-studded and promises thrilling matches. Key bouts include GUNTHER defending his World Heavyweight Championship against Finn Balor and Damian Priest, as well as Liv Morgan facing IYO SKY for the Women’s World Championship. The anticipation surrounding these matchups has undoubtedly contributed to the rapid ticket sales.
WWE’s Saturday Night’s Main Event returns tonight (December 14, 2024) at the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Long Island, New York. This event promises to be a great throwback for old fans as well as new, featuring several championship matches that have fans eager to place their bets.
The main event will see Cody Rhodes, the Undisputed WWE Champion, defend his title against Kevin Owens. Rhodes is heavily favored by BetOnline with odds of -1500, indicating a strong likelihood of retaining his championship, while Owens stands as the underdog at +600.
In another highlight, Liv Morgan will defend her Women’s World Championship against IYO SKY. Morgan is also a favorite with odds of -1500, while SKY is listed at +1200.
The World Heavyweight Championship match features Gunther, who is the overwhelming favorite at -3000, facing off against Finn Bálor at +800 and Damian Priest at +1200.
Additionally, in a singles match, Drew McIntyre is favored at -1500 against Sami Zayn, who has odds of +600.
Importance of Betting Odds
Understanding these betting odds can enhance the viewing experience for fans and bettors alike. The odds reflect not only the expected outcomes but also the excitement surrounding each match.
For instance, a favorite like Gunther suggests confidence in his ability to retain the title, whereas an underdog like Kevin Owens could present an enticing opportunity for those looking to wager on a potential upset.
As WWE prepares for the highly anticipated Saturday Night’s Main Event tonight, CM Punk has generated buzz by hinting at a potential role in the show. Although he has not been officially announced or advertised for the event, his recent comments during a commentary stint for CFFC have fans speculating about his involvement.
CM Punk’s Comments on Commentary
While providing commentary for a CFFC event in Atlantic City, Punk suggested he might join legendary commentator Jesse “The Body” Ventura for the WWE broadcast. He stated, “I gotta get this out of my system. I might be doing commentary with Jesse ‘The Body’ Ventura tomorrow night at Saturday Night’s Main Event. I gotta relax.”
This playful tease has left fans eager to see if he will indeed make the short trip to Long Island, where the event is taking place.
The Exciting Card for Saturday Night’s Main Event
WWE has loaded the card with significant matches, featuring stars like Cody Rhodes, who will defend his Undisputed Championship against Kevin Owens, and GUNTHER, who faces Finn Balor and Damian Priest for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Additionally, Liv Morgan will defend her Women’s World Title against IYO SKY, and the inaugural WWE United States Women’s Champion will be crowned in a match between Chelsea Green and Michin. The excitement surrounding these matchups adds to the anticipation of Punk’s potential commentary role.
The Impact of Punk’s Possible Appearance
Punk’s involvement could significantly enhance the viewing experience, as his sharp insights and engaging personality have made him a fan favorite. His chemistry with Ventura, a beloved figure from wrestling’s past, could create a nostalgic yet fresh dynamic for viewers.
While WWE has not confirmed his participation, the mere suggestion has ignited discussions among fans.
Liv Morgan is ready to do whatever she can to bring WrestleMania to London.
The Women’s World Champion recently spoke to Mirror to promote WWE’s upcoming UK tour during the road to WrestleMania 41. She discussed things such as having to take time off earlier this year due to a shoulder injury and how the hiatus helped her career.
With the company having increased its international presence in recent years and selling out stadiums outside of the US, the topic of more prominent PPVs emanating from outside of the country is discussed more and more.
One such possibility that has been brought up many times in recent months is WrestleMania coming to London. Morgan also commented on the possibility during the interview and said that it would be huge:
“I think WrestleMania in London would be huge. I think that would be bananas, nuts, crazy. I think it’s going to be the most high energy WrestleMania ever. And I know we’d all love to feed off of that crazy, chaotic, amazing energy that fans would give us.”
Liv Morgan explained that she is all for the Show of Shows coming to the prestigious city and claimed that she is ready to do anything she can to make it happen:
“I’m here and I’m ready for it and if there’s anything I can do to help make it happen I would do. I have my Ginger Spice gear, like in my closet waiting to whip it out again. So that’s got to be worth it just on its own, right?”
The current Women’s Champion is set to compete at the return of Saturday Night’s Main Event tonight. She will be defending her title against IYO SKY at the show. You can check out our predictions for the event here.
Triple H has explained why being an unconventional face of WWE works for Roman Reigns.
WWE tried to follow the blueprint of conventional babyfaces with Reigns after the breakup of Shield but for many years fans rejected him as the face of the company. It wasn’t until The Big Dog turned heel and became the Tribal Chief that he was able to truly cement his status as a larger-than-life superstar in league with names such as Hulk Hogan and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
During a recent appearance on the Roommate show, Triple H discussed how the same things do not work for different stars. He mentioned that people like John Cena or Cody Rhodes are guys that are the perfect representative of the company at all times:
“Every star sort of has the things that work for them. Cena is like the, if you were to say ‘Give me the perfect sort of I’ll do anything for the company guy,’ it’s Cena. He knows what he should do for him, he knows what he should do for the company. He’s the first guy there, last guy to leave. He’ll do all the media.
He’s a perfect representative of the company at all times. Cody Rhodes is very much like that as well. [He] sort of models himself [after that] because he was a young up-and-coming guy when Cena was on top. So he was seeing that and that’s how he sees himself as that’s how you become the top guy.”
Roman Reigns on the other hand is completely different. Triple H discussed how Reigns unlike other past faces of the company does not care much for appearances outside of WWE programming. This approach however, works for him:
“Roman is totally different. Not in a bad way like to do the ultimate PR thing or do the ultimate appearance thing. He’s like ‘I don’t feel like that’s worth my time.’
But that works for him because if we took that character and we put that character in all these other things, we kind of hurt the character. Because it’s not what the character is. So it’s not that he doesn’t want to do it. It’s that he doesn’t feel like the character should do that stuff.”
Jesse Ventura is back with WWE under a new Legends deal, and the Hall of Famer’s family played a huge role in his surprising return. Speaking to the New York Post, the former Governor of Minnesota shared his reasoning for his WWE comeback.
“I did it selfishly for my kids. I’m 73 now. I ain’t gonna be around forever. I want to position it where if anybody makes money off my name, I want my kids to have a piece of it.”
Ventura’s return to WWE has certainly come as a surprise, given his tumultuous past with the promotion. For decades, Ventura claimed that Hulk Hogan tattled to Vince McMahon that Jesse was mounting a campaign to unionize the locker room, souring his relationship with McMahon. Years later, Ventura would successfully sue WWE and McMahon for royalties stemming from his commentary being used on Home Video.
With McMahon gone from WWE, Ventura has been welcomed back with open arms, including appearing on episodes of Raw and SmackDown in recent months. After “Hell froze over,” Ventura’s future, and the future of his family, looks very bright for the WWE legend.
WWE taped its December 20, episode of WWE SmackDown after the December 13, show from the XL Center in Hartford. WWE taped the two shows back-to-back to allow for talent and crew to have more time over the festive period at home. Below are the complete spoiler results.
Segment – The Bloodline opened the show but Drew McIntyre interrupted. After a heated exchange between the two sides, McIntyre escaped through the crowd.
Segment – Kevin Owens cut a promo in his car. Later in the show, Owens and Cody Rhodes brawled, suggesting their feud won’t end at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Six-Man Tag Team Match – The Bloodline defeated LA Knight, Andrade, and Apollo Crews in a tag-team action. Jacob Fatu attacked Knight after the match.
In-Ring Segment – Grayson Waller hosted the Grayson Waller Effect with Braun Strowman as his guest, dressed as Santa Claus. Carmelo Hayes interrupted things to set up our next match.
Singles Match – Carmelo Hayes defeated Braun Storowman. The Monster Among Men returned during this week’s show to defeat Hayes.
Singles Match – Johnny Gargano defeated Alex Shelley. DIY had a new theme song to match their recent heel turn. This match was announced during the latest episode of SmackDown.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match – Bianca Belair and Naomi (c) defeated Women’s Champion Nia Jax and Candice LeRae. This match was announced during the latest episode of WWE SmackDown.
Kevin Owens continues to cut promos from the car because it offends people.
The former Universal Champion had been kept off TV for a couple of weeks when he attacked Cody Rhodes after the Bad Blood PPV. When WWE wouldn’t allow him on their programming, Owens chose to speak his mind with a number of social media promos all recorded in his car.
His car promos have since become a unique part of his ongoing rivalry with the current Undisputed WWE Champion. During a recent interview with SI, Owens explained why he originally chose the spot to speak his mind:
“I can’t do it from the house. I have five dogs. I have six cats. I have two kids. It’s not happening in there. There’s too much noise. So I do it from my car. And it’s very hard for some people to accept,”
Despite being back on TV since then, Kevin Owens has continued cutting promos from his car. This week’s episode of SmackDown saw him having a war of words with Rhodes from the same place. KO brought up Cody’s past during the segment and told the WWE Champion that he was more entertaining as Stardust.
Explaining why he continues to cut promos like this, the former NXT Champion said that he is doing it just to spite people who are irritated by it:
“It used to be a thing where I just did it because it was easier. Now I’ve seen so many people take offense to it, that now I’m never not doing it from a car just to spite them.”
Kevin Owens will be challenging Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed Title at Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 14. You can check out our predictions for the show here.
Seth Rollins was originally planned for a big match at the return of Saturday Night’s Main Event this weekend from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
The Architect had been involved in a rivalry with ‘Big’ Bronson Reed prior to the latter’s unfortunate Survivor Series injury. They had wrestled two singles matches with both of them picking up a victory each.
Now PWinsider is reporting that the original plan was to close out this rivalry with the third and final match at the December 14 event:
“The original plan for tomorrow’s WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event broadcast on NBC was to close out the Seth Rollins vs. Bronson Reed program with a final match between the two.”
Bronson Reed suffered a broken foot while attempting a Tsunami from the top of the WarGames cage during the Survivor Series event last month. He underwent a surgery earlier this week and the belief is that the heavyweight star will be missing WrestleMania 41.
Seth Rollins has moved on to a program with CM Punk after Reed was put on the shelf. Reports suggest that a match between the two stars is scheduled for early next year.
While the Monday Night Messiah is not scheduled to compete at Saturday’s event, a number of big matches including Kevin Owens vs. Cody Rhodes have been announced for the show. You can check out our predictions for the night here.
Fans will be getting the much-anticipated Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk showdown very soon.
A match between the two stars has been in the works since the night Punk came back to WWE at Survivor Series 2023. People will remember the fan videos showing Rollins being held back by officials when the Straight Edge Star made his surprise return.
The two former champions have crossed paths a number of times since then but they have yet to step into the ring for a match. Now PWInsider is reporting that the rumors of the former AEW star facing the Architect at Raw Netflix debut on January 6 are true:
“PWInsider.com was told this morning that [Punk vs Rollins] is 100% the current direction they are going in. We were cautioned ‘anything can always change’ but that match is ‘absolutely part of the plan to come in nuclear hot’ for the Netflix debut on 1/6/25.”
CM Punk interfered in the triple threat world championship match among Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre and then champion Damian Priest at Money In the Bank 2024. While targeting McIntyre, Punk inadvertently cost Rollins the title at the show.
Seth then refereed the first match of the trilogy between Punk and McIntyre at SummerSlam 2024. After an argument during the bout, Punk ended up knocking Rollins out with a GTS. This allowed McIntyre to win the match.
The two stars have reignited their rivalry after Punk teamed up with the OG Bloodline at Survivor Series last month. Rollins confronted him on Raw this past week in an intense segment following the PPV.
Punk vs. Rollins is not the only big match planned for the upcoming special. Roman Reigns also issued a big challenge for the night on SmackDown this week. You can check out more about it here.
Bianca Belair will continue forward as a WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion, with a new partner to replace the injured Jade Cargill. Last month, Cargill was found laid out in a parking lot, seemingly the victim of an ambush. Belair, who was competing in a Women’s U.S. Title Tournament when Cargill was found, abandoned her match to check on her friend and tag-team partner.
On the December 13, episode of WWE SmackDown, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis told Bianca Belair that Jade Cargill’s absence will cause them to relinquish the titles. Belair was against the idea, and Naomi arrived on the scene to argue that she can fill in for Cargill.
Aldis said that Belair and Naomi will need to be fighting champions, with a title defense planned for next week’s SmackDown. The SmackDown GM added that they are no closer to figuring out who attacked Cargill.
This segment marks Naomi’s first championship since returning to WWE in this year’s Women’s Royal Rumble. The Glow held the tag titles with Sasha Banks in 2022, as the pair infamously walked out of WWE still with the gold.
Many have named Naomi as a suspect in the case of who attacked Cargill, and the fact that she’s gained a tag title reign in her absence will only fuel speculation. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Naomi, Belair, and Cargill, and the mystery of who took out the inaugural AEW TBS Champion.
The finals of the WWE Women’s United States Title Tournament are set.
Last month, WWE announced the creation of the Women’s United States Championship, and a tournament began featuring top talent, including Bayley, B-Fab, Candice LeRae, Bianca Belair, Chelsea Green, Blair Davenport, Michin, Piper Niven, Lash Legend, Naomi, Tiffany Stratton, and Elektra Lopez.
On the latest episode of SmackDown, the semifinals took place, showcasing Bayley vs. Chelsea Green and Michin vs. Tiffany Stratton. Michin emerged victorious over Stratton, while Green secured her spot in the finals with outside interference, defeating Bayley.
The tournament will culminate at Saturday Night’s Main Event, where either Green or Michin will become the inaugural WWE Women’s United States Champion. Regardless of the outcome, this victory will mark the first singles championship for either competitor in WWE.
The Women’s United States Title is a historic addition, marking the first secondary women’s championship on WWE’s main roster. This announcement follows NXT’s introduction of the Women’s North American Title. Meanwhile, WWE is also conducting a tournament to crown a Women’s Intercontinental Champion for Raw, further expanding opportunities for female talent.
Braun Strowman made his highly anticipated return from injury on this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown. The return marked his first televised match since being sidelined with a torn groin, an injury he sustained during a Last Monster Standing Match against Bronson Reed on the October 1st episode of Raw.
SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis played a pivotal role in setting up Strowman’s return. Earlier in the show, Aldis spoke with Carmelo Hayes, who requested an opponent for the night. Fans quickly began speculating who the mystery challenger might be, with Chris Featherstone reporting ahead of the show that it would be none other than the returning Strowman.
As expected, Strowman stepped up as Hayes’ opponent, wasting no time in making a statement. The Monster Among Men dispatched Hayes in dominant fashion, securing a victory in under 90 seconds.
Strowman’s Post-Match Impact
Following his quick win, Strowman also made his presence felt later in the night. During a match pitting Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee against WWE World Tag Team Champions JD McDonagh and Finn Balor, chaos erupted when Carlito interfered, causing a disqualification. Strowman stormed the ring to even the odds, leading to the match being restarted as a six-man tag team bout.
Teaming with Mysterio and Lee, Strowman helped secure a crowd-pleasing victory over McDonagh, Balor, and Carlito, capping off an action-packed evening on SmackDown.
Strowman’s Road Back to the Ring
Before his official return to television, Strowman tested the waters in a SmackDown dark match on November 15th, marking his first in-ring action since recovering from his injury. Now back in full force, Strowman’s dominating performance on SmackDown signals his readiness to reclaim his spot as one of WWE’s most imposing forces.
The highly anticipated clash between Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa is the direction for the debut episode of WWE Raw on Netflix. The match, billed as Tribal Chief vs. Tribal Chief in Tribal Combat, will take place on January 6th at the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles if Solo accepts.
During this week’s episode of SmackDown, Reigns delivered an emotional promo reflecting on his recent setbacks. Reigns lamented losing everything that once defined his dominance—his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, his Wiseman Paul Heyman, the Bloodline faction, and, most importantly, his Ula Fala (symbolizing respect and leadership). The WWE Universe is buzzing as Reigns vows to reclaim his legacy in this monumental showdown with Sikoa.
Reigns and Sikoa’s Heated Rivalry
This feud between Reigns and Sikoa has been simmering since SummerSlam, when Reigns made his shocking return and cost Sikoa a chance to dethrone Cody Rhodes as the Undisputed WWE Champion. The animosity has only escalated, with the two most recently facing off at Bad Blood, where Rhodes and Reigns defeated The Bloodline in a tag match. However, the tables turned at Crown Jewel, where Sikoa and the New Bloodline scored a victory over Reigns and The Usos.
Their paths crossed again at Survivor Series: WarGames, with CM Punk and the reformed OG Bloodline emerging victorious over Bronson Reed and the remnants of the Bloodline faction. This has set the stage for what promises to be a grueling Tribal Combat match, symbolizing the fight for leadership within the Bloodline’s storied legacy.
Star-Studded Premiere Episode
The January 6th premiere of WWE Raw on Netflix is shaping up to be a must-see event. In addition to the Reigns-Sikoa headliner, WWE has advertised appearances from top names like Cody Rhodes, CM Punk, and John Cena. Reports indicate that Seth Rollins and Punk are expected to face off in another marquee matchup, with WWE stacking the card to make this debut episode an unforgettable experience.
AJ Francis, formerly known as Top Dolla in WWE, recently made a bold claim involving WWE legend John Cena.
The former WWE star has claimed to be the best wrestler-rapper after dropping his “World Championship Diss” track. The TNA Wrestling star took to Twitter to settle the debate with a fan.
Me by a mile… last time i tried to rap with John he told me his days were behind him? https://t.co/aLOw3WPW7c
The former Hit Row member, AJ Francis is brimming with confidence following his success in TNA Wrestling. Speaking with Sportskeeda, he also recalled meeting John Cena and receiving words of wisdom from the legend. He said:
“Meeting John Cena and having a conversation with Cena in his dressing room, and Cena was like, ‘Man, you’re the best rapper on Earth.’ He was like, ‘You gotta show them out there when you get the opportunity.’ Sad thing is I never really got the opportunity, so it’s a double-edged sword. You can only do as much as you’re given.”
AJ Francis made his music debut in 2017. On March 6, last year, Hit Row partially reunited as part of a music video ‘Price Went Up’ by artist Monteasy. It featured AJ Francis, Swerve Strickland and B-Fab. A few months later, the three members of Hit Row by the names of B-Fab, Francis and Ashante “Thee” Adonis dropped a freestyle single by the name of ‘Barbie Barz.’
WWE released the former Top Dolla in September 2023. Following that, he competed in the independent circuit. He is currently signed to TNA Wrestling, where he is a former one-time TNA Digital Media Champion. AJ Francis ended this week’s TNA iMPACT! standing over Nic Nemeth and posing with the TNA World Title. He is now all set to challenge Nemeth for the World title at TNA Final Resolution on December 13th and it will emanate from the Center Stage in Atlanta, Georgia.
Gage Goldberg, son of wrestling legend Bill Goldberg, could follow in his father’s footsteps thanks to a tryout offered by Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque. Speaking to Sportskeeda, the younger Goldberg shared nothing but love for WWE’s Chief Content Officer.
“I honestly love Triple H. He’s super nice to my dad, great person, very nice to my mom. I like him, honestly. He’s awesome.”
When asked if Levesque has reached out to him about trying out for WWE, Gage confirmed this is the case. Gage is currently playing for the University of Colorado under coach Deion Sanders.
Gage has yet to compete in WWE, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle. After celebrating his father’s return at Survivor Series 2016, Gage would be attacked by Bobby Lashley at SummerSlam 2021. More recently, Gage was by his father’s side when Bill Goldberg confronted GUNTHER at WWE Bad Blood 2024 in Atlanta.
With Bill Goldberg set to have his final match in 2025, fans could soon be seeing more of Gage ahead of his father’s retirement. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on both Gage and Bill as the Goldberg name remains strong in the world of WWE.
The highly anticipated return of Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 14, 2024, promises a star-studded lineup of WWE legends, making it a must-watch event for wrestling fans. This weekend’s event will be held at the Nassau Coliseum, the historic venue where the inaugural Saturday Night’s Main Event aired nearly 40 years ago.
Headlining the list of legends is Jesse “The Body” Ventura, who will return to the commentary booth for the first time in years. Ventura, renowned for his sharp wit and distinctive voice, will serve as a commentator for Saturday Night’s Main Event’s quarterly specials on NBC. His return is a nostalgic highlight that fans won’t want to miss.
Although the specific details of their roles during the event remain under wraps, their presence ensures a night filled with nostalgia and excitement for long-time wrestling fans.
Saturday Night’s Main Event is shaping up to be a celebration of wrestling history, bringing together some of the most beloved figures in the sport. Stay tuned to SEScoops for more updates on this exciting event and the stars set to make an appearance.
In 2005, WWE introduced the concept of Money in the Bank, and in 2017 the company introduced a women’s version of the very same concept. While its history is shorter, the women’s briefcase actually has a stronger track record for success than the men’s, as every single cash-in has yielded a new champion. By contrast, men’s cash-ins only have a seventy-six percent success rate to date.
To be fair, the first unsuccessful men’s cash-in didn’t occur until 2012, meaning the men’s briefcase was just about equally established as the women’s the first time it didn’t lead to a title change.
Despite the facts and figures at hand, history is quietly being made right now with one of the best Money in the Bank reigns of all time. Tiffany Stratton has absolutely thrived in her role holding the briefcase, waiting for her ascension to world championship glory.
Tiffany Stratton’s Coronation Feels Inevitable
(Photo: WWE)
Not all Money in the Bank briefcase holders are created equally. We’ve seen Mr. Money in Banks like John Cena (as the first person not to capture gold when he cashed in) and Drew McIntyre (as the most recent man to suffer the same fate)—established main eventers who didn’t need and thus didn’t feel so electric with the briefcase, and who wound up weathering big setbacks.
In contrast, there were winners like Damien Sandow or Nikki ASH—talented performers who nonetheless didn’t feel like they made a lot of sense winning the top prize in the company, such that it was disappointing but not exactly shocking when Sandow’s cash-in failed, and similarly not exactly shocking that while Nikki took the title, her ensuing reign was brief and forgettable.
Tiffany Stratton follows in a tradition of Ms. Money in the Banks like Carmella and Liv Morgan, not to mention Mr. Money in the Banks like Edge and Big E whose talents felt worthy of winning the big one, who are believably positioned to do just that in terms of their booking.
Even more so than Carmella and Morgan when they won their ladder matches, Stratton has a certain air of inevitability around her. She’s truly the total package in combining athleticism, raw power, and technical ability with charisma and the look of a star. She’s been well protected too, such that as fans watch her carry around the briefcase, there’s a real sense of watching history—that it’s less a question of whether than when she’ll have convert that luggage to a championship belt around her waist.
Tiffany Stratton Has A Strong Storyline Going With Nia Jax
(Photo: WWE)
Money in the Bank runs can go all sorts of different ways. The history of the women’s briefcase has been littered with very quick cash-ins. In particular, Bayley, Alexa Bliss, and Liv Morgan each cashed in the same night they won the ladder match. Nikki ASH waited less than a week, and Iyo Sky was a relatively patient Ms. Money in the Bank for waiting thirty-five days.
Only Carmella had a Money in the Bank run that could, by any measure, be considered long as two hundred eight-seven days passed before she cashed in on Charlotte Flair.
Tiffany Stratton is on course for a long briefcase run herself, as she’s already held onto it for over a hundred-fifty days. More so than idly waiting in the wings or randomly getting thwarted when she tries to cash-in at sporadic intervals, Strattons’ run has been largely defined by her angle with Nia Jax.
The duo are allies who superficially seem content to reign in their respective roles, with Tiffy even teasing cashing in on Liv Morgan instead so they could both, simultaneously be world champions. The possibility of their two-women power trip looms, though it feels more likely we’ll eventually see a betrayal. The angle has been patiently built enough that it’s conceivable it will run all the way to WrestleMania, perhaps with Stratton calling her shot in advance to finally take her title opportunity.
Tiffany Stratton’s Cash-In Teases Have Been Creative
Part of the fun of Tiffany Stratton’s Money in the Bank run has been the creativity of the scenarios in which she looks poised to cash-in. Yes, there have been some standard issue occurrences of her teasing she might cash-in when a champion is down. There was much more intrigue, though, wrapped up in Crown Jewel this year, with Nia Jax and Liv Morgan locked into a champion vs. champion match and tons of speculation ran rampant online about whether Stratton would or even could cash-in on both women simultaneously mid-match.
Another particularly fun cash-in tease materialized at Survivor Series as, mid-War Games, Stratton extracted her briefcase from a trash can. The moment was genuinely surprising and electric, as no one meaningfully saw it coming in, and immediate questions arose about what a cash-in in such a crowded pair of rings would look like. Would someone interrupt it? Would War Games resume after a cash-in, and, if so, would Stratton still have the faith of her teammates after stealing the title from one of them?
The cash-in didn’t actually go down, but the fun moment and big crowd response further indicated that the actual cash-in is going to be awesome.
Tiffany Stratton Herself Has Excelled At Every Turn
Despite steadily playing a heel throughout her main roster run, Tiffany Stratton has grown hugely popular for her propensity for delivering highlight reel high spots, her sex appeal, and her overall talent. Case in point, she’s lived up to just about every opportunity to date with no signs of slowing down.
Long time wrestling fans have seen their share of flashes in the pan—talents who get pushes and fizzle whether it’s due to their own shortcomings or fickle management. With everything Stratton brings to the table and Triple H representing a steadier hand at the creative helm of the company, there’s a real sense that patience surrounding her Tiffy’s Money in the Bank run will pay off in an incredible future. We all have the privilege of knowing we’re probably watching a Hall of Fame career get built before our very eyes.
In addition to “The Body,” additional legends slated to be at the Nassau Coliseum include Koko B. Ware, Greg Valentine, Tito Santana, Jimmy Hart and Ted DiBiase. However, I can confirm that Ted DiBiase will not be one of the names appearing. The Million Dollar Man had committed to appear, but he was forced to withdraw and is no longer able to attend.
The Million Dollar Man headlined multiple episodes of Saturday Night’s Main Event in the 1980’s and 1990’s
Ted DiBiase and Saturday Night’s Main Event
Ted DiBiase was a fixture of Saturday Night’s Main Event during its heyday. He had memorable matches on SNME throughout his career, most notably a count-out victory over Randy Savage (March 1988) that was rated 4.5 stars by historian Dave Meltzer. Other high-profile opponents on the show included The Ultimate Warrior (1990) and Bret Hart (1991).
DiBiase last was a major presence on WWE programming down in NXT as he played a pivotal role in the feud between Cameron Grimes and a heel LA Knight. Grimes and Knight battled one another over the Million Dollar Championship before it was DiBiase who pulled a fast one on both by taking the title back. The program ultimately helped to lead LA Knight up to the main roster.
Despite a major name like DiBiase not being at SNME, WWE is going to pack a punch with the card on tap for the evening. Cody Rhodes will be defending his WWE Undisputed Championship against Kevin Owens, GUNTER will be facing Finn Balor and Damian Priest in an effort to retain his WWE World Heavyweight Championship, an inaugural WWE United States Women’s Champion will be crowned, Liv Morgan will take on IYO SKY and Sami Zayn will go one-on-one with Drew McIntyre.
Kevin Owens has nothing but nice things to say about Randy Orton despite their recent falling out.
The former Universal Champion recently spoke to DailyMail UK to promote the return of Saturday Night’s Main Event. He discussed things such as his upcoming WWE Championship match with Cody Rhodes and more.
When asked what it’s been like working with The Viper on a personal and professional level since his return from back injury, Owens claimed that there is no one in WWE he respects more than Randy:
“On a professional level, but also a personal level, he will willingly talk about the mistakes he has made when he was younger and first starting out, because he wants to be an example of what to do and what not to do. He is very open about it and I respect him so much.”
Kevin Owens said that he’s seen Orton changing and maturing through his WWE tenure. He mentioned that the Legend Killer gives the credit for it to his wife and kids:
“He is just a real positive influence in our locker room. When he wasn’t here, you could feel it. When Randy Orton is around, people are on their toes more because they want Randy to respect them. Randy’s respect is worth a lot.”
The former NXT Champion also discussed how Orton has signed a new WWE deal recently and said that they need guys like Randy to stick around as a positive influence on talents coming from the developmental.
WWE SmackDown emanates from the XL Center in Hartford, Connecticut this Friday night, serving as the final stop before the historic return of Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Announced Matches for SmackDown (December 13, 2024)
Women’s U.S. Title Tournament Semifinal: Bayley vs. Chelsea Green
Women’s U.S. Title Tournament Semifinal: Michin vs. Tiffany Stratton
Carmelo Hayes vs. Mystery Opponent
The winners of the tournament semifinals on SmackDown will advance to the finals at SNME to crown the inaugural WWE Women’s Untied States Champion.
Additionally, tensions are expected to reach a boiling point between WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens ahead of their championship clash on Saturday.
Stay tuned to SEScoops this weekend for complete coverage of WWE SmackDown on the USA Network and Saturday Night’s Main Event, simulcasting live on NBC and Peacock from the historic Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Drew McIntyre recently lashed out at the social media critics in an epic mic drop moment which stunned everyone.
During his recent appearance on the Busted Open Holiday Party live stream, McIntyre said that he realized he missed some crucial moments with his family as he was focusing on his wrestling career. However, he made it clear that he is taking everything back. He said:
“I gave and gave and gave, but as far as wrestling on TV is concerned, I’m going to take and take and take.”
He added:
“The lack of contact and the look on my family’s face, realizing everything that I’ve missed—that’s why I’m just going to take from now on.”
‘The Scottish Warrior’ also believes that fans forget the superstars who retire and they move on. He feels the same will happen to him. He said that he doesn’t care about the opinions of the fans on social media. He then stormed off the set and dropped the mic in a dramatic fashion. He said:
“When I leave this industry, I won’t be one of those guys chasing that last paycheck, chasing that last shot of glory. Please remember me? No. When I leave and retire, I will have accomplished everything. It doesn’t matter if you’re Mark Henry, Bully Ray, Tommy Dreamer, Drew McIntyre, or Stone Cold Steve Austin—when you’re gone, they move on. They forget. It sucks, but it’s true. So, As far as I’m concerned, when it comes to the internet, I don’t give a f*** about your opinion.”
Drew McIntyre also took to social media and dropped the footage of the incident with a profane caption.
Following his recent return from hiatus, Drew McIntyre attacked Jey Uso and Sami Zayn, believing the duo sold out to help Roman Reigns at Survivor Series: WarGames 2024. Zayn challenged McIntyre to a match and the former WWE Champion will face him at this weekend’s Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Triple H believes that a few NBA stars would be a slam dunk for WWE. The Chief Content Officer sat in with the New York Knicks’ Jalen Brunson and “The Roommates Show” to talk a little pro wrestling.
During the show, Triple H and the gang discussed what NBA stars would completely excel in a WWE ring. ‘The Game’ said the first person of ‘who got game’ was the Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid.
“Joel for sure. Obviously, everybody’s a big dude, but like [he’s] sort of a big dude and has the personality to go with it.”
The other host on the show said that Miami Heat’s Jimmy Butler would be a lot like CM Punk because he does what he wants to. Triple H then asked about Trae Young, the scrappy point guard from the Atlanta Hawks. Hunter saw heel potential in Young.
“When I went and did the stuff with Joel he was playing and he seemed like an irritant to everybody.”
Embiid is a big WWE fan and he was notorious for doing the DX crotch chop during an NBA game. Young did play a heel role when he stepped foot into Madison Square Garden for an episode of WWE SmackDown back in 2021. Young got himself involved in a 10-man tag team match. Young said the following to GQ back during that time.
“They wanted me to come out, show some “love” to the crowd, and just have some fun. It was such a cool idea. I was a fan when I was a kid and my little brother watched it a bit, so he told me I had to do it when they called. The fans weren’t too happy to see me but it was a cool experience.”
Triple H played a crucial role in the Montreal Screwjob, going as far as to put forth the idea, according to WWE’s current Chief Content Officer.
The infamous moment at Survivor Series 1997 saw Bret Hart lose the WWF Championship to Shawn Michaels, despite not submitting to the Sharpshooter. The plan, as shared to Hart, was for the match to end in a no-contest, and the Canadian would vacate the title the next night on WWF Raw before departing for WCW.
On The Roommates podcast, the Game recalled the meeting backstage between Michaels and Vince McMahon, who feared Hart would refuse to give up the gold. With Hart refusing to lose to Michaels in Canada, it was Triple H who put forward that Hart should do ‘business’ one way or another.
“I was the least important person in the room at the time, but I just said, ‘F*** that, if he won’t do business, do it for him.‘ That started a conversation that led to the Montreal screw job.”
The act would sour Hart’s relationship with WWE, which would also be damaged following his brother Owen’s tragic passing at Over the Edge 1999. Outside of a Hall of Fame appearance in 2006, it wouldn’t be until January 2010 that Hart would make a return.
Nowadays, Hart makes occasional appearances for WWE, including earlier this year in his native Canada. Nevertheless, the Montreal Screwjob will forever be a mark on the Hitman’s career, for which he has WWE’s Chief Content Officer to thank.
