When WWE Raw moves to Netflix in just three weeks, Travis Scott will play a key role in proceedings. Not only will the award-winning artist provide the new theme for Raw, but Scott will also give a live perfomance on the show. Now, Grayson Waller is ready to see more from Scott in WWE, including a potential in-ring role, as he told Phil Fresh this week:
“I think he does have what it takes because he’s obviously a big fan… Travis knows what he’s doing, and the Hardcore title means he’s not afraid to use weapons.”
Waller added that, unlike Scott, many celebrities brought into WWE don’t know what they’re doing in the ring, though stopped short of naming names. Waller is no stranger to celebrity involvement, as he and Austin Theory were on the recieving end of a beatdown at SummerSlam by Awesome Truth and Jelly Roll.
When we say WWE goes big, we mean it. The first #WWERaw of the @netflix Era will be at the @IntuitDome in Los Angeles on January 6th, and @trvisXX will be there live and in person.
Scott’s love for wrestling is no secret, and Mick Foley has shared his support for Scott using the ‘Cactus Jack’ moniker for his record label. Earlier this year, Scott was presented with a brand-new WWE Hardcore Championship by Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque, in recognition of Scott’s love for all-things WWE.
Travis Scott will have a huge role to play come January 6, but will his presence on Raw’s Netflix debut extend past a music performance and into the ring? Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Scott’s relationship with WWE, as Grayson Waller is sure he’d belong in the ring.
Grayson Waller’s WWE career may have never been a reality had it not been for the success of the women from his native Australia. Speaking this week to Insight, Waller explained how, as a fan, there was very little representation of Australian talent to inspire a future in the ring.
“Nathan Jones fell over at WrestleMania! That’s who I wanted to be.”
Jones’ sole year on WWE’s main roster saw him win no titles and often play second-fiddle to talent like The Undertaker, Brock Lesnar, and A-Train. Waller later explained that it wasn’t until The IIconics gave a seminar post-joining WWE that he started to realize that he could make it.
“It didn’t seem like a possibility. But then, when I saw Peyton [Royce] and Billie [Kay] get on NXT, they’re from the same school as me. Then I was like ‘Oh wow.’ Then they come back to do a seminar, I think ‘It’s possible.'”
The IIconics may have shown Waller that a future in WWE was possible, but it was the work of Rhea Ripley who showed Grayson that his dreams could come true.
“Rhea’s the one who really cemented it. I’d met her just before she left [Australia.] And then she was doing such big things. I think she showed the rest of Australia ‘Hey, this is possible.’ And that opened the door. And then you’ve got Bronson [Reed.] You’ve got Indi [Hartwell.]”
Nowadays, Waller has cemented himself among WWE’s crop of Australian talent, which recently welcomed Zaria to WWE NXT. With the success of Elimination Chamber: Perth this past February, WWE clearly has a huge following ‘down under’ and don’t count out future Superstars coming from the country.
Grayson Waller (still) wants a piece of John Cena. The Aussie Superstar doesn’t need a big stage, he just wants to slap Cena silly before it’s too late.
“I want to slap John in the face like I’ve been wanting it for so long. I’m going to get it, John, he said on UpUpDownDown. “I’m going to keep saying mean things until you say yes.”
Wrestlers who have called out John Cena wanting to be one of his final opponents include The Miz. Bron Breakker, Randy Orton, Matt Cardona and Carmelo Hayes.
Cena’s 2025 WWE retirement tour kicks off January 6 when WWE Raw premieres on Netflix.
“He said 40 shows like come on, give me Poughkeepsie or something,” said Waller. “You don’t have to give one of the big towns. I’m fine with that.”
Waller currently wrestles on the SmackDown brand as part of the A-Town Down Under tag team with Austin Theory. He also hosts a talk show segment called “The Grayson Waller Effect.”
In 2024, WWE has collaborated with several promotions, in stark contrast to how the company did business under the watchful eye of Vince McMahon. Now, Grayson Waller is set to compete outside the promotion in what will prove to be a homecoming for the self-professed Aussie Icon.
Grayson will be a part of PWA Black Label’s Grand Final event, a two-day spectacle that’ll kick off on October 12, at the Metro Theatre in Sydney, Australia. Waller will take on Jimmy Townsend, somebody who Waller is very familiar with. In a video shared by PWA Black Label, Waller recalled taking Townsend under his wing before making clear that he’ll hold nothing back when they face off.
??? COLOSSEUM SATURDAY ??? JIMMY TOWNSEND VS GRAYSON WALLER IS ON
Can @prefectjimmy swim? Or will he sink? Find out OCTOBER 12
Waller joined PWA in 2017 under the name Matty Wahlberg and would remain with the promotion until signing with WWE in early 2021. In singles competition, Waller and Townsend have faced just once before in a PWA ring in a January 2021 showdown won by the future WWE Superstar.
WWE’s Collaboration
PWA Black Label is just the latest company to benefit from WWE’s newfound willingness to work with others. Currently, TNA Wrestling has worked with WWE NXT in a partnership that has seen talent appear on both sides. Several NXT Superstars are planned for upcoming TNA events while Zachary Wentz will be part of NXT’s debut on The CW.
Pro Wrestling NOAH and Marigold Wrestling have also seen WWE talent appear for their respective shows with AJ Styles and IYO SKY stepping through the ‘prohibited portal’ over the summer. Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on WWE and its continued efforts to work with other wrestling promotions.
WWE Tag Team Champion Grayson Waller isn’t interested in a UK-based WrestleMania and believes such a show would be “very depressing” for fans.
The Aussie Icon was at WWE Money in the Bank 2023 when John Cena shared his intention to bring WWE’s flagship show to the UK. At London’s O2 Arena, Waller argued that WWE’s first international WrestleMania should be in his native Australia and ate an Attitude Adjustment for his troubles.
Given what transpired in London, Waller has taken a staunch anti-UK stance when it comes to the possibility of an international WrestleMania. Speaking to the UK’s Daily Star newspaper, Waller shared why he thinks a UK-based WrestleMania is a bad idea.
“I just don’t think it’s something that I want to do, that most of the wrestlers want to do. I’ve been to London. it’s a depressing place, and I think WrestleMania in London would be a very depressing WrestleMania. We don’t want that. So, its Sadiq, right? [referring to London Mayor Sadiq Khan being in favor of WrestleMania.] Well, I think you’re an idiot and WrestleMania in Australia is going to be much better!”
Waller isn’t a fan of the idea of WrestleMania in the UK.
UK WrestleMania: Is It Possible?
There are obvious logistics WWE will have to consider when deciding whether a WrestleMania in the UK will be viable. Perhaps the most obvious will be the timezone difference. If WrestleMania began at 8 pm local time, that would be a 4 pm ET start in the United States.
Triple H has said that anything is possible when it comes to WrestleMania taking place in the UK. With that said, WWE President Nick Khan has reportedly said that WWE’s ‘Big Four’ events will remain in North America for the foreseeable future. WWE will return to the UK very soon for its upcoming WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland event and a well-performing show could make WWE seriously consider WrestleMania in the UK.
Once SmackDown went off the air, there were not one, but two matches still on tap for the WWE fans in Pittsburgh, PA.
Grayson Waller and Austin Theory were presented with the new WWE Tag Team Championships on Friday night, which gave them the opportunity to not shake Triple H’s hand during the reveal. The champs did happen to stick around for the fatal four way tag match between New Catch Republic, The Street Profits, AOP, and Legado Del Fantasma to see Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins become the number one contenders.
Waller and Theory’s night was not done however as the new champs had to put their new hardware on the line against Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee. Popular Pittsburgh Steeler, Cam Heyward happened to be sitting behind commentary and Waller was quick to talk smack on the mic to the big defensive lineman.
Mysterio then grabbed the stick and made it clear that he and Dragon Lee had a different agenda.
“Let me give you a little update, you don’t want to show [the titles to them] it’s all good. Once we take those titles, we’ll bring them over there to them.”
— Dominic DeAngelo | 1TS (@DominicDeAngelo) April 20, 2024
Waller and Theory continued the smack talk during their first title defense as both jaw-jacked with kids at ringside. Lee and Mysterio almost got the victory when Rey just about hit the 619 but the heel duo got the definitive three count on the WWE Hall of Famer to retain.
A “Steel City Street Fight” Also Takes Place
Even though Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee didn’t come out victorious, fans were still anticipating a “Steel City Street Fight” Between Bobby Lashley and Karrion Kross. Kross and Lashley slugged it out but it was “The All Mighty” getting the W when he speared Kross through a table and got the 1-2-3.
The WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship belts have officially been retired, with the new WWE Tag Team Titles being introduced on the 4/19 WWE SmackDown.
The new championship designs are a throwback to the original WWE Tag Team Championship design that proved immensely popular with fans. No doubt this new championship design will only help solidify that this is a new era, one in which the fans feel they are being listened to.
While A-Town Down Under were pleased to receive the new gold, they pushed their luck with Triple H. The pair continued to taunt the Game which resulted in SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis stepping in and threatening to deal with the pair personally.
New Challengers
With new WWE Tag Team Championship titles, there was also a need for new challengers. Immediately after this presentation, a four-way tag-team match saw The Street Profits overcome New Catch Republic, Legado del Fantasma and The Authors of Pain to become the No. 1 Contenders to the WWE Tag Team Titles. The Profits are one of three teams to have held the Raw, SmackDown, and NXT Tag Team titles are are now eager to add another pair of belts to their collection.
We’ll see if it helped Dynamite draw a big audience, but it was a questionable ratings stunt at best. CM Punk and many more reacted to AEW showing the Brawl In clip, and we’ve compiled the best ones here.
The general consensus is… “Did we really need to see that?”
– WWE RAW Viewership: The April 8 episode of RAW had 2.362 million viewers, the most since February 17, 2020. The show drew a 0.83 rating, its best since September 30, 2019.
– Black Belt Baszler: Shayna Baszler has received her black belt from Tampa Florida Judo. The school sent out a social media blast to let everyone know about this big achievement.
– Will Ospreay’s Takes Shot: Ospreay fired back at Triple H’s comments about not wanting to grind. This was in response to a question that Pat McAfee asked Paul Levesque about wrestlers who pick AEW over WWE. Ospreay’s insult also came directly after AEW aired the CM Punk and Jack Perry Fight.
– Breaking Down Footage: The video of Punk and Perry’s Brawl In fiasco has been broken down many times by fans. You can find a clip of the video below, overlaid with Punk’s explanation of how the event went down.
AEW is coming to St. Louis, MO with AEW: Dynasty LIVE on PPV on Sunday, April 21st at Chaifetz Arena
Backlash France is scheduled for May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
WWE NXT Battleground is booked for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, exclusively available on the WWE Network and Peacock.
WWE Money in the Bank will be held on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
WWE Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.
AEW is set to air footage from CM Punk and Jack Perry’s All In brawl and WWE star Grayson Waller couldn’t resist a little trolling on social media. Waller referenced tonight’s highly-publicized release of AEW All In footage by teasing a scandalous video of his own.
Waller claims he and SmackDown tag team champion partner Austin Theory recently beat ip the entire WWE locker room backstage and the whole thing was captured on video.
Later today, I’m going to share exclusive security camera footage of myself and @_Theory1 beating up the entire WWE locker room backstage.
It’s time the world knows how tough the Smackdown Tag Champs really are!
There are several pro wrestlers from WWE, AEW and beyond who have proven to be experts and hurtling insults online. Waller recently took aim at NXT star Lexis King and compared the second generation star to the infamous Tiger King.
SEScoops published an in-depth article about the footage that AEW will air on the 4/10 episode of Dynamite, including all the supporting information for this controversial chain of events.
It seemed highly unlikely that the AEW All In footage would ever see the light of day, Tony Khan has doubled-down on his pledge to deliver what fans are expecting.
Naturally, the pro wrestling world is giving this situation a lot of attention, and that includes those in WWE.
The Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships are no longer thanks to the six-pack tag-team ladder match at WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday.
The match was the second of the night at WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday and was presented by Wheatley American Vodka. The match began with both the Raw and SmackDown Tag Team Championships being hoisted separately, leaving fans speculating that the titles would be split up.
This theory was all but confirmed when R-Truth suggested that he and The Miz go for the SmackDown Tag Titles and leave DIY to go for the Raw Tag Tea, Championships. Neither team would be able to grab the gold though. Instead, it was Grayson Waller who captured the SmackDown Tag Team Championships, and Samantha Irvin confirmed that A-Town Down Under officially were the champs of the blue brand.
This win marks the first Tag Title Championships for A-Town Down Under. It also marks Waller’s first championship victory in WWE and Theory’s first taste of gold since holding the WWE United States Championship in 2022.
New Raw Tag Team Champions
With the SmackDown Tag Team Titles captured, all attention turned towards the Raw Tag Team Championships. In the end, Awesome Truth captured the gold, ending the reign of the Judgment Day. This win marked the first tag title win for Awesome Truth as a team, though both men have held tag gold with other partners in the past. This was also Truth’s first win at a WrestleMania.
WrestleMania 40 will be here before we know it, but the card is always subject to change. It appears that the tag team match for the Undisputed Titles may see an alteration in the next week.
The grandest stage of them all is set to take over Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7, 2024. Some tickets still remain for the show.
Although Grayson Waller and Austin Theory won their match to secure the final two spots in the multi-team ladder match for the Undisputed Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania 40, they might get pulled from the match. WWE is reportedly having a meeting about that this week.
WrestleMania 40 Possible Change
The WWE WrestleMania 40 card is being finalized just a week ahead of the event. The six-pack ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship, is set to feature Finn Balor & Damian Priest, Team #DIY, Awesome Truth, The New Day, Grayson Waller & Austin Theory, and Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate.
During Friday’s SmackDown, the final two spots in the ladder match were secured. Waller and Theory emerged victorious against The Street Profits, earning their place in the match. Similarly, Dunne & Bate defeated Angel & Humberto in a qualifying tournament to secure their spot in the bout.
During his discussion on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer mentioned an upcoming meeting to determine if Waller and Theory will stay in the match at WrestleMania 40. The reasons for their potential removal and the possible replacements remain unclear, but this is apparently something they are discussing.
“By the way, even though Theory and Waller won. It is not necessarily that they’re going to be in that match. They might be. There is a meeting upcoming where they will make a decision on that.”
Additional WrestleMania Festivities
WWE is planning a packed WrestleMania kick off event at the Wells Fargo Center on April 5th. There are also plenty of activities to keep fans engaged throughout the whole weekend.
On April 5, both SmackDown and the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony will also be hosted at the Wells Fargo Center. WrestleMania 40 itself will unfold at the Lincoln Financial Field on April 6 and April 7.
Paul Heyman, Bull Nakano, The U.S. Express (Barry Windham and Mike Rotunda), Muhammad Ali, and Thunderbolt Patterson are among the inductees in this year’s Hall of Fame class.
Additionally, it was announced during SmackDown that Michael Cole, Pat McAfee, CM Punk, Big E, Jackie Redmond, and Wade Barrett will be leading WWE’s Countdown to WrestleMania pre-shows ahead of both nights of WrestleMania 40. These pre-shows will run from 5 to 7 p.m. Eastern time on April 6 and April 7, with the main events kicking off at 7 p.m. Eastern on each night.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Card (So Far):
The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins: Tag team match – Night 1
Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre: Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship – Night 2
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes: TBD match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship – Night 2
Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley: Singles match for the WWE Women’s Championship
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch: Singles match for the Women’s World Championship
Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn: Singles match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs. Grayson Waller & Austin Theory: Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
LA Knight vs. AJ Styles
Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso
Logan Paul (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens: Triple threat match for the WWE United States Championship
SEScoops will have more on WrestleMania 40, and everything surrounding the big event. Keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines!
Logan Paul is a fine WWE US Champion, and he’s a natural heel as well. He will defend his title at WrestleMania 40, but he’s not happy about the match.
During WWE SmackDown this week, LP had something to say to Nick Aldis. He dissed the SmackDown General Manager for not giving him a WrestleMania match. That changed this week as it was announced that Logan will defend his title against Kevin Owens and Randy Orton in a triple threat match.
WrestleMania 40 Set-Up
This week on SmackDown, Randy Orton and Grayson Waller threw down in singles action. Logan Paul was on commentary, and then things took a turn after the match.
Orton was getting ganged up on, and it looked like the Apex Predator was going to be the prey this week. Then Kevin Owens’ music hit.
Logan Paul knew he was in trouble, and KO helped RKO out. The heels fled, and then Nick Aldis showed up to flex his GM muscle a bit. He booked a Mania triple threat for the US Title where Logan will defend against both Owens and Orton.
Needless to say, Logan Paul wasn’t happy about this. We will have to see if he is able to carry that title out of Philly.
Night 1: The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins
Night 2: Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre for the World Heavyweight Championship
Night 2: Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
Logan Paul (c) vs. Kevin Owens vs. Randy Orton – Triple threat match for WWE United Stated Title
Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley for the WWE Women’s Championship
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch for the Women’s World Championship
Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. Legado Del Fantasma (Angel and Berto) vs. Four teams TBD in a Six-Pack Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
WWE offers fans a great time for their live events. It’s worth the price of admission whenever they’re in town, and fans at a recent house show got quite a treat, especially if they are fans of The Man.
On March 10, 2024, at the Cajundome in Lafayette, Louisiana, USA, in a mixed tag team match, Becky Lynch and Kevin Owens emerged victorious against Grayson Waller and Nia Jax during the WWE Road To WrestleMania house show. The interesting part is that it was Lynch who pinned Waller.
How The Match Went Down
Becky Lynch joined forces with her friend, Kevin Owens, in a tag team match against her rival, Nia Jax, and Grayson Waller. The matchup went down as a classic WWE mixed tag team encounter, where the men and women didn’t mix it up at all. Other companies might let a woman take a suplex from a man on television, but WWE isn’t going there, especially with TKO calling the shots.
This match provided fans in attendance with an engaging spectacle. The chemistry between the stars added to the intensity, and they had some fun along the way. After all, Lynch and Owens are known to cut it up at house shows if the mood strikes them.
In the closing moments of the match, Kevin Owens created an opening for Becky Lynch, allowing her to execute her Becksploder on Grayson Waller. With Waller on the mat, Lynch secured the victory for her team and took the pinfall.
Fans in the building loved the finish of the match, and everyone was happy, except for the heel team of Waller and Jax. It was not the way Grayson Waller probably wanted things to go down, but he’s a pro and game to do anything possible that’s best for business.
Becky Lynch is the only person in that match who has a match at WrestleMania. She won the 2024 Elimination Chamber match, and now she is set to take on Rhea Ripley for the Women’s World Title at the show of shows.
We will have to see how Grayson Waller and Kevin Owens are booked for WrestleMania. There are many things you could do with talent like them, and they both deserve a match on the showcase of the immortals after each of them had impressive achievements in 2023.
Nia Jax was re-signed by Triple H, and she is still clawing at the top of the roster. Only time will tell if she gets involved with The Bloodline’s story. She is The Rock’s cousin, but WWE has done a pretty good job keeping her away from that situation by placing her on RAW.
SEScoops will have even more of the road to WrestleMania. You never know what headlines will break next!
While his path may have led him to professional wrestling, Grayson Waller has drawn heavy inspiration from athletes in other combat sports, such as boxing and mixed martial arts.
During a recent interview with Submission Radio, Waller opened up about some of the figures who’ve influenced him, one of which is former UFC Featherweight Champion Conor McGregor.
“I think the best and most marketable UFC fighters are wrestling fans,” Waller said. “If you look back in history, Ronda Rousey, Conor McGregor, and Chael Sonnen, they were wrestling fans. They used parts of wrestling for their character and that’s why they make so much money. You have a lot of people trying to do that now, but it’s not easy what we do. A guy like Colby Covington is trying his best, but I don’t think he actually knows what we do, and he’s trying his best.”
Last year, Waller laid out his vision for WWE to pair him with McGregor for a WrestleMania tag team match. Given that WWE is now merged with the UFC under TKO Group Holdings, and WWE is now on course to WrestleMania, it seems even more possible that Waller’s vision may become a reality.
Boxing Greats
Within the realm of boxing, Waller is particularly moved by the likes of Muhammad Ali and Prince Naseem, both of whom have been indicted into the WrestleMania event. referee for the main event of the inaugural WrestleMania event.International Boxing Hall of Fame.
“I took huge inspiration even from like Muhammad Ali [and] Prince Naseem from boxing,” Waller continued. “Just that confidence and swagger of like ‘I don’t care who you are lad. I’m going to walk in and show you who I am.’ So I’ve always taken a lot of inspiration from those guys, especially the way they carry themselves, but also, they weren’t afraid to say what they thought.”
Wrestling fans, of course, may also recall Ali being a special guest for WrestleMania 1’s main event match that pitted Hulk Hogan and Mr. T against Paul Orndorff and Roddy Piper.
The Superstars of WWE certainly put on a show at this week’s press conference ahead of the Elimination Chamber: Perth event.
The February 24, Premium Live Event will be WWE’s first PLE in Australia since 2018. Understandably, the excitement in Perth is at a fever pitch ahead of tomorrow’s show. The show will feature two Elimination Chamber matches, with the Men’s and Women’s winners challenging for the World Heavyweight and Women’s World Championships at WrestleMania 40.
Things got heated between Men’s Chamber participants Kevin Owens and U.S. Champion Logan Paul which resulted in Triple H having to step in.
Becky Lynch and Bianca Belair, both of whom will compete in the Women’s Chamber Match, also came face-to-face in a tense stare down.
WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley certainly had the crowd on her side when she came face-to-face with her upcoming opponent Nia Jax.
And finally, Australia’s own Rhea Ripley and Grayson Waller celebrated WWE coming to Perth with the Australian good-luck tradition of doing a ‘Shoey.’
WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth
Here is the card for WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth as it currently stands:
Kick-off Show: The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) (c) vs. Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships)
The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) (Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships)
Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair vs. Liv Morgan vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Naomi vs. Raquel Rodriguez (Elimination Chamber Match for a WWE Women’s World Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 40)
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Nia Jax (WWE Women’s World Championship)
Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton vs. Bobby Lashley vs. LA Knight vs. Kevin Owens vs. Logan Paul (Elimination Chamber Match for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 40)
Australia’s own Grayson Waller & Rhea Ripley capped off the WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth press conference with some homegrown fun known as ‘Shoey.’
The February 24, Premium Live Event will be WWE’s first PLE in Australia since 2018. Understandably, the excitement in Perth is at a fever pitch ahead of tomorrow’s show. The show will feature two Elimination Chamber matches, both with WrestleMania-sized repercussions.
Shoey Fun
In the closing moments of the WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth press conference, Rhea Ripley and Grayson Waller helped pump up the fans for tomorrow’s event. The pair decided to end the event with an Australian tradition, that being Shoey. The pair drank a couple of beers from shoes, much to the delight of the fans.
Shoey is a tradition of drinking from a shoe, which has historically been seen as a celebration of good fortune. This concept dates as far back as the Middle Ages. This isn’t the first Shoey in WWE history. After his victory in the Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline 2022, Waller celebrated his win with a Shoey.
As for Waller, he will host his Grayson Waller Effect with Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes as his guests. The World Heavyweight Champion and the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble winner recently formed an uneasy pact against the might of The Bloodline, which recently officially welcomed The Rock into its ranks.
WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth
Here is the card for WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth as it currently stands:
Kick-off Show: The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane) (c) vs. Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae (WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships)
The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) (Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships)
Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair vs. Liv Morgan vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Naomi vs. Raquel Rodriguez (Elimination Chamber Match for a WWE Women’s World Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 40)
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Nia Jax (WWE Women’s World Championship)
Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton vs. Bobby Lashley vs. LA Knight vs. Kevin Owens vs. Logan Paul (Elimination Chamber Match for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match at WWE WrestleMania 40)
WWE Superstar Grayson Waller has continued to pull off heel tactics and took a jab at 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble winner Cody Rhodes.
‘The American Nightmare’ recently won the Men’s Royal Rumble for the second time and he is on his Road to WrestleMania. While the road is bumpy, Rhodes is trying to overcome the hindrances and ‘finish his story.’
Cody Rhodes seemingly made the way for The Rock to challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 but that soon changed. After fans outraged and WWE received , the main event was reverted back to the original plans of Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal title match at ‘The Show of Shows.’
This year, Elimination Chamber is heading to Perth, Australia which is Grayson Waller’s homeland. Ahead of the show, the Aussie star decided to take a shot at Rhodes.
Grayson Waller claims to have finished his story before Cody Rhodes
During the flight to Australia, Grayson Waller stated that he already finished his book and highlighted the fact that at least someone in WWE can finish a story which is a jab at Cody Rhodes.
“Halfway to Perth and already finished my book. At least someone in WWE can finish a story”
Halfway to Perth and already finished my book. At least someone in WWE can finish a story pic.twitter.com/RrJIEIPZOM
At Elimination Chamber: Perth, Grayson Waller will host Cody Rhodes and WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins on his ‘The Grayson Waller Effect’ show. We will have to wait and see how it pans out.
The 2024 Elimination Chamber event will take place on Saturday, February 24, 2024, at Optus Stadium in the Perth, Australia. The show will start at 5:00 AM EST, and keep an eye on SEScoops for the coverage of the show.
The self-professed Prime Minister of Australia then said that he’d bring this story to his home country. Waller then confirmed that he will be giving the ‘Grayson Waller Rub’ to Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins at WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth.
Waller will no doubt be hoping that this edition of the Grayson Waller effect goes better than the last time he hosted Cody Rhodes. At WWE Payback, Rhodes was the guest on Waller’s show but would introduce Jey Uso as Raw’s newest Superstar. After Waller got in Jey’s face, the ‘Main Event’ talent would attack the Australian.
WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth
Here is the card for WWE Elimination Chamber: Perth as it currently stands:
The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate (Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships)
Becky Lynch vs. Bianca Belair vs. Liv Morgan vs. 3 TBD (Elimination Chamber match for a Women’s World Championship match at WrestleMania XL)
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Nia Jax (WWE Women’s World Championship)
Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton vs. Bobby Lashley vs. LA Knight vs 2 TBD (Elimination Chamber match for a World Heavyweight Championship match at WrestleMania XL)
What other events can the WWE Universe look forward to in 2024…
While the WWE Universe is vehemently on the side of the American Nightmare, not everyone is against The Rock. On Twitter, WWE shared footage of the Great One arriving in Las Vegas for today’s press conference. In a tweet of his own, Grayson Waller welcomed the “boss,” a nod to The Rock’s role as a TKO Board member. Waller added that he hopes to see Rock “finish your story” in a nod to Cody Rhodes’ storyline.
The Rock, Roman Reigns, and Cody Rhodes will be present at today’s WrestleMania 40 kick-off press conference. Many suspect that Rhodes will confirm who he will face at WrestleMania during this media event. Rhodes will also compete at Elimination Chamber: Perth later this month in Waller’s native Australia. Neither The Rock nor Roman Reigns are expected for the event.
WWE WrestleMania 40 will take place on April 6, and April 7, from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. The show will be WWE’s fifth two-night WrestleMania, a format that began during the COVID-19 pandemic.
What has Cody Rhodes had to say about the ‘We Want Cody’ movement…
Waller has an impressive physique fans can see each week on WWE TV but isn’t immune to the occasional treat. During a recent appearance on the Boom Rookies podcast, Waller recalled working during a lengthy tour and intended to celebrate its completion with a delicious chocolate cake.
”I put the knife into the cake and in walks Bobby Lashley. This man is a physical specimen. Huge human being, jacked to the gills. Me and Bobby hadn’t spoken much, and he walked in and looked at the cake. For like a good 15 seconds, an awkward amount of time. Then, this breaks my heart, he looked up at me and said, ‘Are you really going to have that?’ I kind of went, ‘I had a tour…’ He just walked away.”
Waller’s interaction with Lashley was brief but had a profound effect on the former schoolteacher.
“I threw the cake in the bin. I haven’t gone for dessert at catering since. When I looked in his eyes, it looked like judgment. It looked like full judgment.”
Grayson Waller recently found out a shocking truth about the United States…
WWE Superstars get asked a lot of questions, and some of them repeat themselves. Most pro wrestlers are tired of getting asked, “is it fake?” That question is actually probably less insulting than the one Grayson Waller and LA Knight had to deal with recently.
The Grayson Waller Incident
On the Sunrise talk show in Australia, Grayson Waller and LA Knight faced an unusual request from the host. The host asked Knight if he could perform one of his signature moves on someone in the studio. Knight said no and passed the task of handling the question to Grayson Waller.
The hosts then proposed doing a WWE move on their floor manager, because he is leaving them soon. That is when the floor manager walked onto the set and prepared to face off with Waller.
The floor manager acted like he was preparing for a fight, and not taking it seriously. Waller, however, became quite annoyed at this suggestion and chose to uphold the integrity of the wrestling business.
“I don’t think you understand, because if I go over there we’re gonna have the police here, because I’m not gonna give you some fake punch. I’m gonna punch you straight in the jaw. The disrespect that you give me when you act like this isn’t real. Don’t act tough. You guys disrespect us, are you kidding me?”
They were able to remove the floor manager from the set, and Waller composed himself. LA Knight remained seated for the entire thing, as you can see in the footage from the incident.
This is not the first time that a pro wrestler needed to protect kayfabe. John Stossel learned that the hard way nearly 40 years ago.
The Stossel controversy occurred in December 1984, during an interview with David Schultz, who was also known as “Dr. D.” Stossel questioned the legitimacy of professional wrestling, asking if it was fake.
In response, Schultz slapped Stossel across the ear, causing pain and hearing loss. Then he slapped him again for good measure when the journalist got to his feet.
The incident was recorded and later aired on the “20/20” program, leading to legal action. Stossel filed a lawsuit against Schultz and WWF, resulting in a settlement of $425,000.
There was also a legendary 1997 appearance of Vader and The Undertaker in Kuwait. That interview took quite a turn, and the Deadman stayed in character as the host of that program realized it was Vader Time.
Thankfully, Grayson Waller was able to escape this situation without a lawsuit, but he seemed ready to take things to a Schultz level if they needed to escalate that far.
While Waller did not drop any clever words, or pontificate about respect for pro wrestling, he did let fans know he is aware that he is now the new David Schultz. He did so by simply tweeting out a photo of the former WWE Superstar who once busted John Stossel’s ear drum.
WWE takes their talent’s safety very seriously, especially in today’s climate where there is such a microscope on them. During the January 12th episode of SmackDown, one match needed to be called off abruptly after a botched spot.
During the recent episode of SmackDown, a match involving Austin Theory and Carmelo Hayes encountered a mishap, prompting the officials to halt the proceedings. Things were going well at first, but the referee wasted no time calling for the bell after they both went crashing awkwardly to the mat.
During the match, Theory and Hayes pulled off a maneuver from the top rope, but the execution didn’t unfold as intended. Both wrestlers landed unsafely, and the referee ended the match. It looked like they were trying for a Spanish fly-type move, but it did not end well.
Post-landing, Hayes remained motionless, while Theory did stir a bit more than the former NXT Champion. They were concerned on commentary, but commended the official for calling off the contest in rapid fashion.
Grayson Waller swiftly entered the ring, accompanied by WWE medical personnel, to attend to the situation. They did not provide any updates, but did say that they would be posted when made available.
This is a very new situation, so we have no prognosis at this time. We will update this article accordingly whenever we hear any updates.
Hayes has a match booked for NXT next week. Set for the upcoming NXT episode are two more matchups in the 2024 NXT Men’s Dusty Rhodes Tag-Team Classic Tournament. The scheduled matches feature Carmelo Hayes & Trick Williams facing off against Malik Blade & Edris Enofe, along with a clash between Chase U and LWO.
WWE Update on Austin Theory & Carmelo Hayes
WWE has issued a statement to update fans about the situation following the sudden match conclusion on SmackDown.
both wrestlers sustained face contusions. It seems that is the only damage they sustained, so both Melo and Theory will be okay.
UPDATE: Following their match tonight on #SmackDown, @_Theory1 and @Carmelo_WWE were evaluated for injuries. They both suffered face contusions, and will both be okay.
Carmelo Hayes also updated fans after that scary spot. He didn’t use any words, but the animated gif of The Undertaker springing out of his casket gave us all the info we needed. Melo doesn’t miss, and he’s very much okay after that spot.
WWE SmackDown Superstar Grayson Waller only recently found out that Nebraska is real and was far from impressed by the state.
Taking to Twitter, Waller shared his shock that Nebraska is, in fact, a real place. Waller admitted he thought Nebraska was where one’s destination when you “go through the wardrobe” when that is the fictional land of Narnia. The Australian Superstar was unhappy that the temperature was -12 Fahrenheit (though he insisted on pointing out that it was 9 degrees Celsius.)
Waller added that Nebraska is “hands down” the worst place he’s visited in the United States. He went on to say that while Chicago was bad, the city has some history while Nebraska (according to Waller) has no positives. The Superstar ended with a plea to WWE to allow him to return to Australia, saying it was “criminal” for the company to keep him in Nebraska.
While Waller has a less-than-savory view of Nebraska, the Cornhusker State does have ties to the world of professional wrestling. In 1996, WWE held its In Your House 7: Good Friends, Better Enemies event at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. The main event saw Shawn Michaels defeat former friend Diesel to retain the WWF Championship in a No Golds Barred match. 12 years later, Judgment Day 2008 took place from the Qwest Center in Omaha. Triple H defeated Randy Orton in the main event to retain the WWE Championship.
Nebraska is also the home state of several wrestlers including WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase Sr. The Million Dollar Man is a former WWE Champion and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2010.
Kevin Owens’ attacks have had a profound effect on the Aussie Superstar…
WWE SmackDown Superstar Grayson Waller is ‘fearing for his life’ due to a string of attacks, but it’s not CM Punk who’s to blame.
In a video shared on Twitter, Waller spoke about his issues with Kevin Owens. The prizefighter made a surprise appearance on last week’s WWE NXT and attacked Waller during his match with Trick Williams.
“2024 hasn’t really started off the way that I was hoping for. Last Tuesday, I go to NXT because Ilja Dragunov is too scared to fight Trick Williams, and I save the show. You’re welcome, Shawn Michaels. But what thanks do I get? I get assaulted, punched in the face by Kevin Owens for no reason at all.”
Waller then spoke about being at SmackDown in Vancouver, where he saw U.S. Champion Logan Paul suffer a similar fate.
“I got cuts inside my lip, my jaw is sore. What do I see while I’m watching the show? Kevin Owens punches Logan Paul, the United States Champion, in the face for no reason at all. Me and Theory had enough. We go and check on Logan backstage. Because you know what? We’re starting to fear for our lives backstage. There’s a madman running around punching people.”
2024 hasn’t started the way I wanted BUT……
The first ever Grayson Waller action figure is finally available. Shoutout @RingsideC and @Mattel
So what’s next? Well here are some of the New Year’s Resolutions from the Superstars of WWE.
Bianca Belair
Bianca Belair lost the WWE Women’s Championship to IYOY SKY at SummerSlam, mere moments after capturing the gold at the same event. On last week’s SmackDown, Belair admitted she doesn’t usually make resolutions, but vowed to recapture the title and remain undefeated at WrestleMania.
On the show, Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits resolved that they will have “more” in 2024. Lashley added that the new year will not just be good for his faction, but it’ll be “All Mighty.”
Grayson Waller & Austin Theory
Grayson Waller & Austin Theory have impressed those backstage as a tag-team. On SmackDown, the pair said that winning singles and tag titles are their goals for 2024. Theory added that he wants to win the Royal Rumble while Waller plans on headlining WrestleMania.
Rey Mysterio
Rey Mysterio has a simple resolution for 2024: to get Dominik Mysterio and Santos Escobar.