CM Punk is ready to spit fire on Chicago. Punk will make his long-awaited return to the Windy City under the WWE banner tonight on WWE Raw and he has clearly been taking note on what’s been going on television and at live events.

On his Instagram stories very early Monday morning, Punk shared a doctored photo of him and Cody Rhodes closed-eye kissing with the caption:

“I see what Rhea Ripley been doing on house shows and I’m prepared to raise the bar. See you tomorrow Chicago!”

Punk then added, “Live TV is the best, let’s all swear!”

CM Punk is ready for #WWERaw tonight. pic.twitter.com/ZzJl76qiwx

— Dominic DeAngelo | 1TS (@DominicDeAngelo) March 25, 2024

CM Punk hasn’t been a featured star on WWE since tearing his triceps during the Royal Rumble match, which now the heel Drew McIntyre takes great credit for. When Punk confirmed his injury the following night on Raw, McIntyre came out to confront, demean and beat down Punk. McIntyre has made it a calling card of his to relentlessly take digs at Punk and ruining his opportunity to main event a WrestleMania.

Punk was last seen as a guest commentator during the WWE WrestleMania 40 Kickoff in Las Vegas and had several thoughts regarding the ongoings at the T-Mobile Arena.  Punk made clear that Cody Rhodes should’ve punched The Rock in the mouth after he slapped him and even mocked The Rock while he was still on stage about 50 yards away.

One would imagine Punk’s return will likely involve McIntyre tonight and Punk has previously said that he plans to be at WrestleMania 40 even if he’s not invited.

The Rock is staying the course to his gameplan heading into WrestleMania 40 and ‘The Final Boss’ made that very clear this weekend.

‘The People’s Champ’ took to social media to hype his upcoming appearance at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn as Rocky makes his road to Philadelphia, making sure he reiterated a few key points he has touched upon these past few appearances on SmackDown.

“The Rock has made pro wrestling cool and exciting – again. The Rock has made pro wrestling unpredictable and he’s changed the game and raised the bar – again. The Rock is THE most electric, disruptive, distinctive, and hottest heel professional wrestling has seen in the last 20 years. You’re Welcome. F*ck off crybabies. Mama Rhodes ~ The Rock has a very special belt being made just for you. Your tears. Cody’s blood. My hands. I’ll see you soon, Mama Rhodes… ~ Final Boss”

The Rock has made pro wrestling cool and exciting – again.

The Rock has made pro wrestling unpredictable and he’s changed the game and raised the bar – again.

The Rock is THE most electric, disruptive, distinctive, and hottest heel professional wrestling has seen in the last… pic.twitter.com/nJWuhRHxxn

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) March 24, 2024

What The Rock completely disregarded is all that Cody Rhodes had to say this past Monday on WWE Raw about his ‘Mama Rhodes.’ Cody made quite clear that his mother, Michelle, will not be shaking in fear if she’s approached by The Rock. Rhodes even recounted a story where his mom beat up an undercover cop while at a Willie Nelson concert one time. 

The Rock was nowhere to be seen on SmackDown last Friday as Roman Reigns and Cody confronted one another and he’s not scheduled for this week’s Raw or SmackDown either. However, one name who is scheduled for Raw tomorrow is CM Punk as WWE makes its return to Chicago and vows to be at WrestleMania 40 in some capacity.

Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins honored Bray Wyatt at a recent WWE live event in a touching tribute to the late WWE World Champion.

The event in Springfield, IL saw Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins get some training in a a tag-team ahead of WrestleMania 40. The pair united to defeat The Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa & Jimmy Uso.

After the match, Rhodes pointed out that there were a lot of ‘fireflies’ in the arena, which sparked more fans to join in. Rollins went on to say that while fans love singing his song, he wouldn’t mind if they sang “for Windham.” This led to a rendition of ‘He’s got the Whole World in His Hands’ by the fans.

Pretty cool end to a @wwe Premium Live Event in Springfield, Il. Fireflies make an appearance and Seth Rollins and @CodyRhodes shout out to Bray Wyatt. pic.twitter.com/BgRNe2Nzyq

— Eric Guthrie (@Egut3) March 24, 2024

WWE’s Wyatt Tributes

This tribute to Bray Wyatt was not the first, nor will it be the last celebration of the late wrestler. Last December, Rollins paid tribute to Bray at a WWE live event. He also paid tribute to Brodie Lee, who died in December 2020.

Following Wyatt’s passing in August 2023, Rollins fixed Bray-inspired sideplates to his World Heavyweight Championship. Wyatt became a three-time World Champion before his untimely death. 

A new documentary about the life and career of the late wrestler will release next month. You can check out a trailed for what’ll no doubt be a gripping documentary below. 

WWE in Springfield, IL

Here’s the results for WWE’s live event in Springfield, Illinois. 

• Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair & Naomi defeated IYO SKY, Kairi Sane and Dakota Kai
• Sami Zayn defeated Shinsuke Nakamura
• WWE Intercontinental Title Match – Gunther (c) retains over Jey Uso
• Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) defeated Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh via DQ
• Awesome Truth and The New Day def. The Judgment Day
• Omos defeated Odyssey Jones
• WWE Women’s World Title Match – Rhea Ripley (c) retains over Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler in a Triple Threat match
• Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes defeated Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso

Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso had a lot of fun together after this week’s episode of SmackDown from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The former Bloodline member was part of a dark match after the show tonight where he faced the Intercontinental Champion Gunther.

Jey managed to get the upper hand after a lot of struggle and he went for a top rope splash on the Ring General. However, his momentum was halted by the appearance of Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa.

The duo distracted their former partner which allowed Gunther to pick up the victory. They went on to attack Jey as the IC Champion retreated to the back.

When Cody Rhodes came out to make the save, Solo bailed out on his cousin, leaving Jimmy to fend for himself. The Bloodline member tried to save himself by joining the ranks of Cody and Jey but he was ultimately taken out.

The American Nightmare then cut his usual promo and noted that he did not have anything to give away this time. The Royal Rumble winner then decided to give away both his shoes to fans in attendance.

Elsewhere in the show, we saw the in-ring return of Rey Mysterio among other matches such as IYO SKY vs Naomi and more.

The Tribal Chief Roman Reigns also appeared on the episode for a confrontation with Cody ahead of their WrestleMania showdown. Amid all this, WWE made a big announcement for Jade Cargill’s future which you can check out here.

• Read More: Roman Reigns Takes Shot At CM Punk

Cody Rhodes is just two weeks away from his highly anticipated rematch against Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Championship. WrestleMania 40 offers the ‘American Nightmare’ with another precious opportunity to ‘Finish his Story’ and finally ‘win the big one’ on the grandest stage possible.

The stakes are even higher this year. After making a grand return to WWE, The Rock inserted himself into Cody Rhodes’ business with Roman Reigns. Now aligned with The Bloodline, Rock will team with Roman Reigns against Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania XL Saturday, the night before Rhodes vs. Reigns 2. 

Rhodes’ primary focus is on the Tribal Chief, but a one-on-one showdown with the Final Boss is inevitable. Wrestling legend Jeff Jarrett has seen it all and is certain that WWE is building towards Rock vs. Cody. On the latest episode of his My World podcast, Jarrett said SummerSlam on August 2 would be the ideal setting for this blockbuster attraction.

“So we can fantasy book all we want. Will we see Rock vs. Cody at some point. Our running thread is creative is subjective, and you have to factor in,  I mean, all the obvious..”

The primary factors that would affect this match taking place are The Rock’s Hollywood commitments, as well as each man remaining healthy.

“So many things to factor in, but the short answer is absolutely you will [see the match],” said Jarrett.

The Rock’s WWE Schedule (2024)

While The Rock will be at WWE WrestleMania 40, he’s expected not to be sticking around with WWE afterward. This year, he has several movies slated to be in production, including The Smashing Machine and Moana 2. However, he may still be involved with WWE by August. 

Jarrett’s co-host Conrad Thompson also pointed out that the former WWE Champion is also on the board of TKO Group Holding. As a board member, The Rock could have more incentive to want to compete in a big match at WWE SummerSlam. However, it will depend on whether he can get through his movie production schedule and find the time to be involved with WWE as a wrestler. 

Rhodes and The Rock have done a great job teasing a match to get fans interested. It will be on The Rock and WWE to make it work for the big summer event. 

Nic Nemeth is really enjoying the story told between The Rock and Cody Rhodes, even getting himself worked up talking about it.

On Friday’s edition of Busted Open Radio, Nemeth was asked by Dave LaGreca what he thought of The Rock’s promo last Friday night on SmackDown where he went babyface on the city of Memphis, but heel on the mother of Cody Rhodes.

Nemeth says if being a heel was your play, it would be helpful to the story to be witty, but you have to make some moments count. Nemeth said he’d just like to see a little bit less of the “90’s jokey humor” and understand there’s some real life behind-the-scenes arch taking place right now.

“Let’s have it be where it’s so personal, it’s not jokey, it’s not catchphrase-y, it’s not ‘let’s sell t-shirts’, it’s ‘let’s sell this story and put a**es in seats even more than it already is, everyone is doing great, but there’s just something about that, man, I wish there could be just that little more realism that we’re kind of getting little teases of.”

He did say that times are different now where wrestling roles have been blurred, but he would like to see The Rock take another harrowing stab at the ribs of Rhodes.

“I would love just one more little twist of the knife of realism into the guts of Cody just to give one last piece to go, ‘You have to beat all these people to get by. Let’s do it.’”

Nemeth then also went on to say that he loved Rhodes’ rebuttal to The Rock as a whole on WWE Raw. Just seeing the clips out of context, he thought at first that they were trying to go “Attitude Era,” but then once he did the homework and watched the full segment, he really liked it.

Please credit “Busted Open Radio” and h/t to SEScoops for the transcription.

Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns is headed back to the main event of another WrestleMania. ‘The ‘Tribal Chief’ defends his championship in a highly anticipated rematch with Cody Rhodes on WrestleMania XL Sunday on April 7. Despite his dominance as champion, fans and some of his peers believe his reign may finally be nearing its end.

The stage is set for Rhodes to finally ‘finish his story.’ After winning the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble and choosing Reigns as his opponent, fans believe WWE WrestleMania 40 will be his moment to win. WWE superstar Xavier Woods is also starting to believe Reigns will not make it past the event as champion. 

In an interview with WWE Die Woche (WWE The Week) with Sebastian Hackl, Woods shared his prediction for the Reigns vs. Rhodes match. He doesn’t think Reigns holds the title past the event and that it will create new opportunities for other talent. 

“…There’s no way he gets through WrestleMania with that championship. If he does, I don’t know. I can’t even say anything because, just in case that he does, but I fully believe he will no longer be champion after WrestleMania 40,” said Woods. He added, “…And then I feel like we might just have a champion who shows up and defends the title a bit more and then people will have a shot at winning the heavyweight championship. Excuse me, the universal championship.”

Potential Future With Cody Rhodes As Undisputed WWE Universal Champion

Woods’s statement may echo other talent beliefs and hope that Rhodes will be the new champion. While fans have appreciated Reigns’ championship run over the years, he hasn’t been as active in defending as some may hope. 

His last successful title defense occurred at WWE Royal Rumble on January 27 in a Fatal Four Way match against LA Knight, AJ Styles, and Randy Orton. This is a problem, as he only defended the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship five times throughout 2023.

 WWE WrestleMania 40 will mark more than two months since the ‘Tribal Chief’ put his title on the line. Rhodes’s winning the championship is expected to make him more active and put WWE in a position to consistently find fresh challengers. ‘The American Nightmare seemingly has the odds stacked against him but is confident he’ll win the title and usher in a new era in WWE. 

Nick Aldis has indeed sustained an injury and was playfully shocked as to how the “dirt sheets” picked it up.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider first reported that Aldis injured his arm and that he’s heard it’s something that could require surgery. Sure enough, Aldis confirmed that news and he actually just got off the cutting room table and his SmackDown duties won’t change despite the repair.

“Yes, I just got out of surgery for a ruptured bicep tendon, and yes, the sheets had it within minutes. God bless ’em. Must be a slow news day…anyway it was a freak accident, I’m on the mend, and I will continue to fulfill my obligations.”

Yes, I just got out of surgery for a ruptured bicep tendon, and yes, the sheets had it within minutes. God bless 'em. Must be a slow news day…anyway it was a freak accident, I'm on the mend, and I will continue to fulfill my obligations. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/wawHrsW70H

— Nick Aldis (@RealNickAldis) March 20, 2024

Aldis made his WWE television debut the very same night he was appointed by SmackDown GM Triple H. Aldis got his start in that role back in October 2023, but people greatly know him as the star who put the NWA Worlds Title back on the map. Aldis re-established the NWA brand by defending the “Ten Pounds Of Gold” all over the globe. Arguably, his best rival during that time was this year’s WrestleMania main-eventer Cody Rhodes.

Aldis and Rhodes squared off at the original All In back in 2018 and Rhodes defeated Aldis for the championship, holding the same gold that his late father did. Aldis ended up regaining the championshi[p back at NWA 70. The two stars have yet to have a rubber match, but if Cody happens to finish his story and win the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship, there could very well be gold on the line once more between “The American Nightmare” & “The National Treasure.”

WWE’s showcase of the immortals will be here in a matter of days at this point. Fans should expect the company to bring out the best product they can for the show of shows, and that could include a special musical performance.

Cody Rhodes’ theme song, The Kingdom by Downstait, will be heard at WrestleMania 40 a couple of times. Now, Downstait has teased a significant announcement tied to WrestleMania 40, hinting at their involvement during the weekend. This could result in an epic live performance for one of The American Nightmare’s entrances.

Downstait Teases WrestleMania 40 Appearance

Cody Rhodes has risen as a top babyface in WWE, partly due to his theme song, The Kingdom, performed by the band Downstait. The song has become synonymous with Rhodes, with fans wait for their crowd participation part every week, as each city seemingly tries to top the last with a gigantic “WOAH!”

Downstait has hinted at a significant announcement linked to WrestleMania 40. During an interview with Steve Fall, Daren Zack Call, the band’s lead singer, teased their involvement in WrestleMania 40 weekend. He didn’t say anything definite, but he strongly hinted at an upcoming announcement on April 5, 2024.

“So we’re gonna leave that to our announcement on 4-5-24 and all of our teasers. We’ll have to wait and see what’s going on there.” Call said in a coy manner. Then he followed that up by revealing, “I can tell you this. I will be in Philadelphia WrestleMania weekend.”

Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40

Cody Rhodes is set to wrestle twice during WrestleMania 40 weekend. He will be in a tag team match with Seth Rollins against The Rock and Roman Reigns during the first night of the show of shows this year. He will follow that up on night two, as he tries to finish his story.

We will have to see which night Downstait performs on, if they get a live performance. WWE is known to bring special entrances for WrestleMania 40 events, and hearing The Kingdom live may produce the biggest “WOAH” ever from the WWE Universe.

SEScoops will keep our eye on this story for further updates. Keep checking back throughout the day, because you never know what will break as we head down the road to WrestleMania. 

Brian Gewirtz may be the former WWE head writer, but he’s not afraid to put the pen down and speak up when his name gets mentioned.

On Monday’s WWE Raw, the wrestling world was waiting to hear what Cody Rhodes had to say in response to The Rock and “The American Nightmare” pulled zero punches. Like The Rock has done in the past, Rhodes decorated his words with some colorful language and got more than one eyebrow raised other than The Rock himself. That included putting his “Final Boss” moniker into question.

“You have referred to yourself as ‘The Final Boss’, kudos to Brian Gewirtz for that nickname, perhaps you are the actual, literal ‘final boss. ‘Perhaps I am too naive to see that, but at WrestleMania, I don’t think you’re going to be the ‘final boss.’ At WrestleMania, I think you’re just Roman’s side chick.”

However, Gewirtz took to Twitter/X that he wasn’t the originator of that nickname, but did put something else on Rocky’s radar.

“Final Boss” isn’t anything I came up with. The Rock calls himself that because he is that. If it makes you feel better Cody Rhodes, I was the first to tell him about your spectacularly stupid goofy ass dog.”

The Rock has arguably garnered the most heat by taking shots at Pharaoh, Rhodes’ lovable white husky dog who many fans are familiar with since the early AEW days. Rhodes would notoriously bring Pharaoh along to Starrcast events and have meet and greets with the pooch in order to raise money for charity, but The Rock has been unabashed in his targets. 

So far on Rock’s list, he’s taken shots at Pharaoh and Cody’s mom, Michelle Rubio, who on Raw, Cody made clear that Michelle isn’t afraid of “The Final Boss.” The Rock will be on the “go-home” show of WWE Raw.

WWE has to keep a lot of things in mind when they are producing live television. The words that talent say on the microphone can get heated, but they shouldn’t get profane. That changed for a couple promos in recent memory.

Dave Meltzer confirmed that there was a memo sent out to everyone regarding using profanities in promos. Cody Rhodes was allowed to use profanity to maintain his babyface persona, because he had to fire back at The Rock’s recent promo.

Why Cody Could Swear

Cody Rhodes took the microphone this week on WWE RAW, and he had a lot to say. He dropped a few profanities that the company isn’t allowing on their shows anymore. There is a good reason why Rhodes got to swear, because he was answering The Rock.

Dave Meltzer mentioned on Wrestling Observer Radio that there was indeed a memo circulated to everyone, confirming the situation regarding Cody Rhodes’ promo. Despite the memo, Rhodes was given the opportunity to deliver the promo with profanity because WWE wanted to maintain his babyface persona. This decision aimed to prevent Rhodes from appearing negatively compared to The Rock, who had a successful promo the previous week.

No, there was a memo. Everyone got it. I asked, “What was the deal? And it’s like, they knew that he [Rhodes] had to come back. But there’s absolutely a memo. I got that from several different guys, there’s been other reporters who have too. That’s not nothing. No one else is allowed to do that. But he was given the opportunity to do it because basically they wanted him to stay babyface, essentially. And I mean, if he came off badly on this promo and Rock came off so great in Memphis (last week’s SmackDown), it’s like, that’s not what they want. But he was fine. You know, he brought his dog in. I mean, it’s like, that’s all it is.”

The Rock raised a bit of controversy when he was allowed to drop profanities in his promos on television, and even more online, after WWE sent out a memo telling talent to cut out the language. Since he’s The Rock, then he can get away with a lot more.

When WWE Started Approving Scripts (Exclusive)

It was later reported that The Rock can get away with so many profanities because WWE sends the scripts into FOX for approval beforehand. Therefore, they know what dirty words are coming, and the bleep button is ready.

I was told by a tenured member of the creative team that, “We only started giving FOX The Rock’s promos in advance this week after they went to total blackness every time he cursed last time.”

I have a bit more information about WWE submitting scripts to FOX beforehand.

A tenured member of the creative team told me that, "We only started giving FOX The Rock's promos in advance this week after they went to total blackness every time he cursed last time."

So, this is…

— Aaron (@AaronVarble) March 19, 2024

WWE’s Memo About Profanities

I exclusively reported that Nick Khan, Paul Levesque, Dan Ventrelle sent out a memo “the other week” about how talent needs to adhere to PG guidelines on TV and also on social media. The Rock, like most things in his life at this point, is getting a bit of special treatment, and he got to say whatever he wanted to, regardless of guidelines.

There was an idea that a double standard is going around when it comes to promos. Now, it appears that Cody Rhodes is allowed to loosen up with the profanities as well.

WWE was willing to make a special exception for Cody Rhodes on the March 18, episode of Raw, given his high-profile ongoing war of words with The Rock. 

During the show, Rhodes held nothing back in his scathing comments about The Bloodline’s newest member. Rhodes, dressed in an all-dark suit, dubbed the Brahma Bull an “asshole” and added that the Hollywood megastar is deep down a “little b*tch!” Still not finished, Rhodes said that The Rock will have a case of LDS (Little d*ck syndrome) when WrestleMania 40 comes around. 

Cody Rhodes on WWE Raw

Cody’s comments shocked fans given WWE’s recent memo reminding talent about the importance of adhering to PG guidelines. This memo has led to some in WWE feeling frustrated, believing that The Rock, who has been cursing up a storm on social media, should be forced to play by the same rules as everyone else in WWE.

The apparent double standard between The Rock and the full-time roster is hard to ignore. Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer confirmed that there had been a memo. It was stressed that WWE realized that Rhodes had to have something big on Raw in rebuttal to Rock’s expletive-laden promos fans have been seeing regularly. 

“They knew that he [Rhodes] had to come back… [Cody] was given the opportunity to do it because they wanted him to stay babyface… if he came off badly on this promo and Rock came off so great in Memphis, that’s not what they want.”

What’s Next? 

Rhodes & The Rock will be on opposing sides of a tag-team match that will almost certainly headline WrestleMania 40: Saturday. The next night, Rhodes will challenge Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns. This will be Cody’s final opportunity at Reigns, a stipulation made by the Brahma Bull. 

Rhodes and Reigns will come face-to-face on the March 22, episode of WWE SmackDown. Paul Heyman has promised that no Bloodline members other than himself and Reigns will be there, as long as Cody shows up to the confrontation alone. 

On WWE RAW this week, Cody Rhodes stirred controversy with his explicit language directed at The Rock, questioning his heel status. He also didn’t tone down his language much, which didn’t really fit with WWE’s PG guidelines.

Cody Rhodes took the microphone on WWE RAW with profane remarks directed at The Rock, questioning his status as a heel and insulting him with explicit language. Despite WWE’s PG guidelines, Cody’s use of profanity has sparked discussion about a potential double standard regarding promos. It seems that The Rock isn’t the only one who can use a potty mouth on live television nowadays.

Cody’s Potty Mouth on WWE RAW

Cody Rhodes started his promo out this week by saying that he doesn’t think The Rock is a heel. He said, “you’re not a heel, you’re an asshole.” That was a pretty big profanity to drop, but he wasn’t finished by a long shot.

Cody Rhodes: Rock I don’t think you’re a heel. I think you’re an asshole.

AYOOOOOOOOO CODY COOKIN #WWERAW pic.twitter.com/G4VKMjEgNJ

— Public Enemies Podcast (@PublicEnemiesHQ) March 19, 2024

Later on, the American Nightmare said that The Rock was a “little bitch,” as he made reference to how Dwayne Johnson “cried” to the TKO board after his WrestleMania match against Roman Reigns fell apart due to fan backlash.

Cody said that The Rock will have a case of LDS when WrestleMania 40 comes around. He clarified that this meant “little d*ck syndrome.” That also got an “LDS” chant going from the crowd.

pic.twitter.com/a2tOccPd2Y

— The Cabinet (@TheCabinet2004) March 19, 2024

Then Cody capped everything off by saying that The Rock is just going to be “Roman’s side chick” at Mania. It was quite a promo, and a fitting answer to The Rock’s many jabs at the former AEW EVP.

*mic drop*#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/3XjV25ndkK

— WWE (@WWE) March 19, 2024

Paul Heyman came out after that, and the two started a back-and-forth promo that was rather uneventful. They set up this week’s SmackDown, but Cody didn’t let loose on any more four-letter words after the Wise Man came out to slow him down.

WWE’s Memo About Profanities

I exclusively reported that Nick Khan, Paul Levesque, Dan Ventrelle sent out a memo “the other week” about how talent needs to adhere to PG guidelines on TV and also on social media. The Rock, like most things in his life at this point, is getting a bit of special treatment, and he got to say whatever he wanted to, regardless of guidelines.

There was an idea that a double standard is going around when it comes to promos. Now, it appears that Cody Rhodes is allowed to loosen up with the profanities as well.

It was later said that The Rock can get away with so many profanities because WWE sends the scripts into FOX for approval beforehand. Therefore, they know what dirty words are coming, and the bleep button is ready.

SEScoops will keep our eye on this story, and so much more in the pro wrestling world. You never know what they will do, or say, next at this point

Cody Rhodes has fans all around the world, and they are all too aware that he is one of the best babyfaces on the planet. He’s known to go above and beyond for the fans, and this is no exception.

Rhodes, who is known for his genuine connection with fans, recently pledged to attend a young supporter’s 5th birthday celebration following a WWE live event. Of course, this was captured on video and now we have the clip here.

Known for his ability to prioritize fan interactions during WWE live events, and sometimes going viral in the process, this is no exception. Rhodes consistently takes time to greet fans, sign autographs, and take photos with his Nightmare Family at ringside. He’s also known to engage in banter from time to time.

Best Birthday Party Guest Ever?

During a recent WWE Live Event in North Charleston, Rhodes noticed a fan holding a sign inviting him to their upcoming fifth birthday party. While engaging with the fan, Rhodes inquired about the date and volunteered to bring a gift or a casserole. That was followed by accepting this young fans’ offer.

Should I go to his birthday party? When is it, June 25th? Am I supposed to bring a gift? I could bring a casserole. I’m supposed to bring a casserole to his 5th birthday which is gonna be on a Wednesday. North Charleston, should I do it? My answer is yes.”

The face of the company.#WWENorthCharleston pic.twitter.com/OCCJS8G8RS

— 𝕊ℕ𝕆𝕎✨ (@Snowwy_Pill__) March 18, 2024

Cody Accepting Fan Invites

This is nothing new for Cody Rhodes. He once agreed to be the best man at a fan’s wedding as well. We’re not sure if he followed through with that yet, but he has a very busy schedule with WWE.

Only time will tell if Cody is able to make that June 25th birthday party in North Charleston. It seems like he is marking off the day for this young fan.

SEScoops will have more on this story if additional details are made available. Keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines on the stories you need.

WWE’s Road to WrestleMania saw the Superstars travel to Augusta’s James Brown Arena, for what will be the final time. 

Over 6,000 fans attended the final WWE event at the James Brown Arena for the show that took place on March 17. It was fitting that Georgia’s own Cody Rhodes headlined the show with a hard-fought victory over Drew McIntyre. 

Cody beats Drew!! #wweaugusta @CodyRhodes pic.twitter.com/ucFZSgMxib

— #WeWantCody (@WeWantCody_) March 17, 2024

The historic venue is set to close this summer and will be rebuilt from the ground up, the new facility is expected to open sometime in 2026. 

WWE Augusta Results

Here are the results of WWE’s final event in the James Brown Arena: 

• R-Truth def. Dominik Mysterio by DQ

• R-Truth & New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) def. Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest, & Dominik Mysterio)

• AJ Styles def. Carlito

• WWE Women’s World Championship: Rhea Ripley (c) def. Nia Jax and Shayna Baszler

• Sami Zayn def. Shinsuke Nakamura

• LA Knight def. Solo Sikoa

• Omos def. Akira Tozawa

• Naomi & Bianca Belair def. IYO SKY & Kairi Sane

• Street Fight: Cody Rhodes def. Drew McIntyre

Wrestling at the James Brown Arena

WWE’s biggest event at the historic venue came on December 3, 2006, when WWE-ECW held its first, and last, brand-exclusive pay-per-view. December to Dismember saw 4,800 fans watch on as Bobby Lashley became ECW World Champion in the first, and last, Extreme Elimination Chamber match. 

WWE also hosted several untelevised events at the venue, the first being in February 1985. The show’s main event saw Tito Santana defeat Intercontinental Champion Greg Valentine via count-out, meaning ‘The Hammer’ kept the gold. WCW also hosted untelevised events at the arena. 

Raw Superstar Cody Rhodes has once again proven to be a man of the people with a recent interaction at a WWE live event. 

At the untelevised event in Augusta, Georgia, Rhodes was set to compete against Drew McIntyre in the show’s main event. Before going into combat with the Scottish Warrior though, Cody noticed a young fan dressed as him in the crowd. Rhodes plucked the lucky young fan out of the crowd and the duo hit Rhodes’ signature ‘WHOA’ pose. 

pic.twitter.com/AMQLEC75zy @CodyRhodes does his entrance pose with a young fan at a #WWE live event 😁#WWEAugusta

— Chris The Wrestling Informer 🇧🇪 (@Thewrestlingin1) March 17, 2024

Not only did the young fan get a once-in-a-lifetime experience, but they also got to see Rhodes win. The American Nightmare bested McIntyre in the main event which was also a Street Fight. 

Cody Rhodes & The Fans

This is hardly the first time Rhodes has gone the extra mile to make a show special for a fan. Recently, Rhodes got up close and personal with a visually impaired fan at a WWE event who held a sign saying they were trying to see him. This heartwarming interaction came about mere weeks after Rhodes agreed to be the Best Man at a fan’s wedding.

At WWE live events, Cody has been competing in Extreme Rules matches and has been gifting pieces of a broken table to those in the crowd. After the final live Raw of 2023, Rhodes went even further and gifted a Christmas Tree to a fan.

Speaking of the Holidays, Rhodes made one young fan’s season extra special by sending a signed Cody Rhodes authentic weight belt. More recently, Rhodes gave a different kind of gift to a fan; the gum of Rhea Ripley.

Cody Rhodes is a man of the people, and that sometimes calls for him to answer strange requests from fans. He recently demonstrated this fact in a big way.

It seems that one fan really wanted Rhea Ripley’s gum as a souvenir. Thankfully, they asked Cody Rhodes for that little keepsake, and the American Nightmare obliged.

Cody Rhodes Fulfills Fan’s Strange Request

This week’s Friday Night SmackDown was live from Memphis, Tennessee. During the show, they laid important groundwork for WrestleMania 40. However, one peculiar incident involving Cody Rhodes and a fan went down after the show.

Following the conclusion of WWE SmackDown this week, two dark matches took place, with Rhea Ripley and Cody Rhodes participating separately.

This is what opened the door for a fan who shared videos and a photo on Twitter, revealing that he requested Cody Rhodes retrieve the piece of gum Rhea Ripley threw into the ring. Rhodes obliged and handed him the chewed-out gum.

The fan posted, “I’m gonna be judged hard for this but oh well . Last night @RheaRipley_WWE spat her gum out & it landed in the ring. Then later on @CodyRhodes was making his way around ringside for pics/autographs. I asked him if I could have Rhea’s gum & yep… (No I did not chew it).”

I'm gonna be judged hard for this but oh well ?. Last night @RheaRipley_WWE spat her gum out & it landed in the ring. Then later on @CodyRhodes was making his way around ringside for pics/autographs. I asked him if I could have Rhea's gum & yep… ??? (No I did not chew it) pic.twitter.com/psWHT9vFfk

— Bubba (@_big_bad_bubba_) March 16, 2024

Cody’s Road to WrestleMania 40

Cody Rhodes is well aware of the fact that he is a massive babyface on the road to WrestleMania 40. He will team up with Seth Rollins to take on The Rock and Roman Reigns during the first night of WrestleMania 40. Then, on night two he will battle Roman Reigns with the WWE Undisputed Universal Title on the line.

The Rock originally had a much different plan for Mania. Cody was going to sit out, thanks to a kayfabed injury, and the Great One vs Roman Reigns was going to headline the show of shows. That was not the plan, and you can check out all the drama around that change here.

Fans have flocked to Rhodes, and those fans earned the nickname of Cody Crybabies from The Rock. Only time will tell if The Great One accepts Cody’s one-on-one challenge, but the Grandson of a Plumber will keep doing everything he can for fans in the meantime.

SEScoops will have more on this story, and so much more from all around the pro wrestling world. Please keep checking back for more updates as additional information is made known on the road to WrestleMania. 

Tonight’s episode of SmackDown from FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee started off with a classic segment from The Rock and ended with a post-show traditional Cody Rhodes has established on his road to WrestleMania.

There were two dark matches that took place after tonight’s show went off air. The first match saw Rhea Ripley successfully defending her Women’s World title in a triple-threat match against Natalya and Shayna Baszler.

The second dark match after SmackDown featured Cody Rhodes taking on Drew McIntyre. After the fight, Cody once again gave away a signed table that was apparently used in his bout with The Scottish Warrior.

What Happened During SmackDown

Earlier in the night, The Great One brought back The Rock concert and sang a song for both Cody Rhodes and his WrestleMania tag team partner Seth Rollins.

The main event of the episode was Bayley taking on Damage CTRL’s Dakota Kai. Bayley won this match via disqualification when the other members of the faction got involved. Naomi tried to make the save for Bayley but she was taken out too and Damage CTRL stood tall at the end of the segment.

A new championship triple threat match was also announced for WrestleMania during the match between Randy Orton and Grayson Waller. You can check out the updated card for the show here.

It didn’t take Nic Nemeth long to cause some buzz in his new broadcasting gig. Just this week, Nemeth was revealed to be one of the new featured hosts of Busted Open Radio and the former Dolph Ziggler got into a conversation with Dave LaGreca about the story unfolding for Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. 

LaGreca is a self-proclaimed “Cody Crybaby” and has been a major advocate for “The American Nightmare” to be the one to unseat “The Tribal Chief” at WrestleMania, so much that The Rock mocked LaGreca on one of his viral pre-SmackDown social media promos.

“I appreciate this two-year story, I really do, I just think it’s so funny that finishing the story isn’t like the end of the storyline, it’s like ‘No, he has to win cause his dad wasn’t champion.’ That’s the story?:

LaGreca noted that Dusty’s story isn’t the only one, but Cody has had his own journey to get to against WrestleMania. Nemeth believes that’s a story that any star has.

“Has it? Everybody else who wasn’t a legacy in the business had to go through a bunch of stuff too.”

Nemeth then coyly asked LaGreca if Cody got to wrestling on his own merits and when LaGreca emphatically said “yes” Nemeth had quite the pregnant pause that caused LaGreca to laugh as Nemeth put that notion in question.

We got some INTERESTING thoughts from @NicTNemeth & @davidlagreca1 on the subject of @CodyRhodes…

And yeah, this show was MUST LISTEN!???

Catch the FULL Breakdown on the #bustedopen247 Podcast!https://t.co/FJWfVbFpk4 pic.twitter.com/dH8FPNyQSF

— SiriusXM Busted Open (@BustedOpenRadio) March 15, 2024

We’ll likely at least get to see a little more of that “story” told from The Rock and Roman Reigns’ end as The Bloodline is set to be acknowledged Friday night in Memphis for SmackDown.

The Rock is back in WWE, and he is a heel on the road to WrestleMania. He’s not afraid to throw anyone under the bus, and now Cody Rhodes’ own mother is taking shots from Dwayne Johnson.

Since he returned to WWE, The Rock has been on fire with his social media promos. After all, nobody is going to tell him to wrap it up on a social media video. He can go as long as he wants. This time around, he decided to pay special attention to Cody’s mother.

The Rock’s Latest Promo

The Rock’s latest social media promo targets Cody’s recent actions. Ahead of Friday’s WWE SmackDown, he addresses Cody’s slap from last Friday and his emotional moment on Monday’s WWE Raw.

While acknowledging Cody’s slap, The Rock expressed pride in Cody for his bold move, even smiling at the pain it caused. The whole time, he played with a weight belt, like the one Cody wears to the ring.

The Rock then referenced Cody’s tearful moment on Raw, where Cody spoke about giving the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship to his mother after winning it.

In his promo, The Rock ridicules Cody’s display of emotion and threatens to use his weight belt to make Cody bleed. He also promised to hand the bloody weight belt to Cody’s mother after Cody’s defeat to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. It was quite a vivid picture as Dwayne Johnson kept painting in his heel master brush strokes.

The caption he picked really summed everything up as well, just in case you don’t have nine minutes to watch the whole thing.

A message from the hottest heel pro wrestling has seen since the 80’s. Mama Rhodes, you’re now in the Rock’s crosshairs. Your son’s blood will be on the Rock’s belt, that I will personally deliver to you at WrestleMania. I’m gonna put a whuppin’ on that boy, in front of his…

A message from the hottest heel pro wrestling has seen since the 80’s.

Mama Rhodes, you’re now in the Rock’s crosshairs.

Your son’s blood will be on the Rock’s belt, that I will personally deliver to you at WrestleMania.

I’m gonna put a whuppin’ on that boy, in front of his… pic.twitter.com/DdgaxYrLXa

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) March 15, 2024

Road to WrestleMania 40

The Rock and Roman Reigns will team up to take on Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40 during the first night of the show of shows. That big tag team match will be important, because if the heels win the match, then it will be Bloodline rules for the Undisputed Universal Title match between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes during the second night.

Only time will tell if the Bloodline rules match becomes a bloody occasion. Cody Rhodes is not opposed to bleeding in a big match situation, as he’s worn a crimson mask many times in the past. It seems that The Rock has some bold WrestleMania plans for the American Nightmare.

SEScoops will have more on this story, and so much more, as we approach WrestleMania 40. Keep checking back for more updates and the headlines you need!

Cody Rhodes has advised fans to know their worth as he does, over a decade after being removed from WrestleMania 29 in 2013. 

At WrestleMania 29, Rhodes and then-ally Damian Sandow were supposed to team with the Bella Twins to face Tons of Funk (Tensai and Brodus Clay) and the Funkadactyls (Naomi and Cameron.) The match was nixed due to other matches going long, namely CM Punk Vs. The Undertaker and Brock Lesnar Vs. Triple H. The decision to cut the match was covered during the first season of Total Divas on E!

Cody Rhodes Reflects

Rhodes has since come a long way and the 2023 & 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble winner sure doesn’t have to worry about being cut from Premium Live Events at the last minute. When a fan pointed out how much things have changed for Rhodes since WrestleMania 29, the American Nightmare used the opportunity to reflect and give some salient advice. 

Know your value

But beyond that, dig in and do the work and don’t turn a blind eye to valid criticism

We play in a game where you should constantly improve and seek that final form https://t.co/Sl5S1oQkVr

— Cody Rhodes (@CodyRhodes) March 14, 2024

What’s Next? 

Rhodes won’t just be competing at this year’s WrestleMania, but he’ll become one of the first man in history to headline back-to-back nights of the Showcase of the Immortals. At WrestleMania 40: Saturday, Rhodes will team with Seth Rollins to face Roman Reigns and The Rock. This match will have huge implications on the following night’s match. 

At WrestleMania 40: Sunday, Rhodes will challenge Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Regardless of the outcome of the previous night’s match, this will be Rhodes’ final opportunity to dethrone the Tribal Chief. This high-stakes stipulation was made by The Rock who has been flexing his muscles as a TKO board member. 

The Rock is going all out when it comes to being a big time heel this time around in WWE. He took a shot at Cody Rhodes this week that drew a lot of attention, and it cut deep for some people.

There was a bit of outrage when The Rock dropped his line about Cody Rhodes being a “mistake,” because of the age gap between him and his siblings. Amanda Huber made a crack at this line as well, and Dwayne Johnson’s own daughter read the message.

A SLAP for a SLAP. ??@TheRock took things too far and @CodyRhodes made sure he paid for it. We are SO ready. @CodyRhodes and @WWERollins vs. @TheRock and @WWERomanReigns at #WrestleMania XL! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/7UqPOEPVHD

— WWE (@WWE) March 9, 2024

Ava Claps Back

Ava is an NXT Superstar now, and he is currently serving as the brand’s General Manager. She was formerly with The Schism, but that faction disbanded as their members found new places in the pro wrestling world. The Rock’s daughter was watching her father on SmackDown this week, and she also paid attention to social media.

Amanda Huber fired back at this line from The Rock about Cody being a mistake. She said, “Talking about an age gap when your own daughters are almost 20 years apart is a weird choice.”

Talking about an age gap when your own daughters are almost 20 years apart is a weird choice….

????? https://t.co/9avfQ6Px9p

— Amanda (@MandaLHuber) March 9, 2024

When Ava saw that post on Twitter/X, she only commented back to say, “What a mark,” with a re-post. It seems that she isn’t going to let this negative backlash shake her. 

pic.twitter.com/9pyVUEsrmt

— A V A (@avawwe_) March 9, 2024

Ava Received Death Threats Over The Rock’s WrestleMania Story

Ava is back on Twitter/X after leaving the platform. She actually deactivated her account for a minute after heat on her father’s WWE return was so severe that she started getting death threats. 

The Rock actually commented on Ava getting death threats, so it was a serious situation. He said it was a “crazy” situation. Thankfully, she is back on social media to chime in on matters like this. 

WrestleMania 40 Plans & Beyond

WWE confirmed this week that WrestleMania 40 will see The Rock and Roman Reigns take on Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the main event of night 1 this year. If the heels win, then it’s Bloodline Rules in the night two Mania main event. However, if Cody and Seth can defeat Rock and Roman, then the Bloodline will be barred from ringside during night 2. 

It is also rumored that The Rock may wrestle again, next time in Saudi Arabia. So, he may still get that singles match against Roman Reigns after all, or he may just have to take Cody Rhodes up on that one-on-one challenge. 

SEScoops will have continued coverage of this story, and everything else in the pro wrestling world. Keep checking back for more updates on the stories you need.

Teil Rhodes, the sister of Cody, has fired back at The Rock following scathing comments from the Bloodline member made on this week’s SmackDown.

During the March 8, episode of the blue brand, The Rock and Roman Reigns came face to face with Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes, in the first confrontation between the four since the explosive WrestleMania 40 kick-off event. Amid a barrage of insulting comments, The Rock questioned why there is a 20-year age difference between Cody and his older brother Dustin Rhodes (it is actually a gap of 16 years.) The Rock concluded that such a gap shows that Cody was an unplanned child or a “mistake” as the Brahma Bull put it. This infuriated Rhodes who slapped The Rock to close the show. 

Teil Rhodes on The Rock’s Comment

The Rock’s comment against Rhodes would catch the attention of Teil, who often weighs in on storylines surrounding her brother. Taking to Twitter, Teil reminded The Rock that there is only a three-year difference between herself and Cody. 

Um we are 3 years apart-

— Teil Rhodes (@TeilMargaret) March 9, 2024

Teil, the EVP of Turnbuckle Championship Wrestling, also responded to a fan who questioned why Rhodes didn’t bring her up on SmackDown. 

He’s just mad we are an actual family https://t.co/z6uuhg2VpW

— Teil Rhodes (@TeilMargaret) March 9, 2024

More Responses

Teil Rhodes wasn’t the only woman connected to Cody to have a strong response to what The Rock has had to say. AEW’s Amanda Huber questioned the Great One’s comment about an age gap, considering the notable gaps in his own family. 

Talking about an age gap when your own daughters are almost 20 years apart is a weird choice….

????? https://t.co/9avfQ6Px9p

— Amanda (@MandaLHuber) March 9, 2024

Not satisfied with just mocking Cody, The Rock has had some insulting comments about Rhodes’ dog Pharoah. In a tweet, Brandi Rhodes made it clear she’s ready to fight for her beloved pet. 

That's for Pharaoh and thinking every night is open mic night. pic.twitter.com/MDXrXV5dbi

— Brandi Rhodes (@TheBrandiRhodes) March 9, 2024

What’s Next? 

The Rock didn’t just insult Rhodes this week, but also flexed his muscles as a TKO board member. On SmackDown, Rock announced that if Rhodes loses to Roman Reigns at WrestleMania, he’ll never get another opportunity at the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. 

WWE is less than 30 days away from WrestleMania 40, and they booked a huge match during SmackDown this week. The Rock issued a challenge to Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins, and this week he got his answer.

During the closing segment of WWE SmackDown this week, they confirmed that Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins will take on Roman Reigns and The Rock during Night One of WrestleMania 40. They did so with a very tense closing segment on the show this week.

WWE SmackDown Closing Segment

The Bloodline took to the ring during the closing segment of SmackDown this week. The Rock joined them, and then Reigns told Dallas to acknowledge them, because greatness stands before them.

Before they could get much further, Cody Rhodes’ music hit, and he entered the screen from the crowd. He didn’t come alone, as Seth Rollins was there in the crowd as well as his backup.

GET READY. IT'S ABOUT TO GO DOWN. @CodyRhodes and @WWERollins have arrived to confront @TheRock and @WWERomanReigns. ???#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/rTBebn5O2O

— WWE (@WWE) March 9, 2024

Cody Rhodes admitted that it is very tense in the ring. Then he suggested that they just soak up that moment in Dallas, Texas. Then Cody asked if The Rock had the authority to make any stipulations for WrestleMania, because he acknowledged Roman as his Tribal Chief last week on SmackDown.

The Rock cut Cody off, and then he laid down a bit of a promo about being a family. Then he made it clear that he was serious about the stakes of the match. Suddenly, “diarrhea” chants broke out and interrupted him. Seth Rollins laughed at this, because it was his “Diarrhea Dwayne” line from RAW that inspired the chant.

"WE ACCEPT!" ?@WWERollins is tired of hearing @TheRock talk and lets him know that he and @CodyRhodes accept #TheBloodline's #WrestleMania challenge! ???#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/1VpqUHLMpe

— WWE (@WWE) March 9, 2024

Finally, The Rock continued, and then Seth Rollins told him to “shut the hell up,” while calling him “Mr. Midlife Crisis.” Then he accepted the tag team match at WrestleMania 40.

The whole segment ended with The Rock taking things too far, and then it was Cody Rhodes who nailed him with a slap this time.

A SLAP for a SLAP. ??@TheRock took things too far and @CodyRhodes made sure he paid for it. We are SO ready. @CodyRhodes and @WWERollins vs. @TheRock and @WWERomanReigns at #WrestleMania XL! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/7UqPOEPVHD

— WWE (@WWE) March 9, 2024

WrestleMania 40 Stipulations

The Rock made it clear that this tag team match at WrestleMania will have big consequences for the main event of WrestleMania 40. If Cody and Seth can win, then The Bloodline will not be around for the main event match. If the Bloodline wins, then it will be “Bloodline Rules” for the main event.

Then The Rock said that, as a member of the TKO board, he has another thing to say. He made it clear that Cody will never get another shot at the title if he loses at WrestleMania 40. Interestingly enough, that is the same stipulation he had in AEW that stuck with him throughout his run with the company, where he was never allowed to challenge for their World Title.

SEScoops will have more on this story, and the rest of the road to WrestleMania. Keep checking back for more updates.

The Rock has said a lot since returning to WWE this time around. Last week’s 21-minute promo was brutal, but one thing really stuck out for Cody Rhodes, and he drew attention to that fact. The People’s Champion made fun of Cody’s dog, Pharaoh, and The American Nightmare didn’t like that.

It seems that The Rock didn’t get Cody’s message from his promo on RAW this week. Cody made it clear that Dwayne Johnson needs to keep Pharaoh’s name out of his mouth, and that didn’t seem to matter to the Jumanji star.

A message from the Outlaw People’s Champ

“when I die I may not go to heaven
I don't know if they let outlaws in
If they don't just let me go to Texas, boys
'Cause Texas is as close as I've been”

SMACKDOWN
TONIGHT – SOLD OUT
Dallas, Texas ?? @wwe @tkogrp pic.twitter.com/TCFLixKrPh

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) March 8, 2024

The Rock’s New Promo

The Rock brought up Pharaoh in his new online promo. He also mocked the name of The American Nightmare’s four-legged friend.

Before mocking Pharaoh’s name, The Rock also called him a “goofy ass dog.” It seems that was on purpose, as he continued to twist the knife a little with a jab at Cody’s dog. This was especially clear after he was warned not to.

We will have to see if Pharaoh becomes a part of this WrestleMania storyline, but fans just may see him again on the road to WrestleMania. If anything, this extra jab from The Rock will give Cody even more reason to take some aggression out on him at WrestleMania 40.

The Rock, once again, takes aim at Cody Rhodes’ dog Pharaoh in new social media video. pic.twitter.com/9FT5GtdzBA

— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) March 8, 2024

The Rock’s Actual Power in WWE

The Rock has a bit of pull this time around. As a member of the TKO Board of Directors, his say certainly matters. He received $30 million in stock after taking that job, which came with a match at WrestleMania.

It seems The Rock also got to make his mark on the WWE Hall of Fame this year. It was previously reported that The Great One got to pick some of those inductees.

SEScoops will have more on The Rocks’ time in WWE, and everything else that involves.