Roman Reigns may demand the acknowledgement of fans, but WWE has shared a bizarre ‘diss track’ of the Tribal Chief.
On Spotify, WWE has shared two tracks as part of this ‘Roman Reigns Diss’ with Kmg Bezzal. The tracks in question are ‘Purgin’ and ‘Switch That Flow.’
WWE On Spotify
On Spotify, WWE boasts 2.4 million monthly listeners and a bevy of music content from across decades of the promotion’s history. Currently, WWE’s most popular track is ‘This Fire Burns’ from the ‘WWE Wreckless Intent’ album. The track is best known as the theme CM Punk used from 2006 until 2011 (and was used one time by Randy Orton.)
As for Reigns, his theme is almost immensely popular among listeners. Reigns theme ‘Head of the Table’ currently sits as the third-most popular track from WWE, with 30.16 million listens.
What’s Next for the Tribal Chief?
Diss or no diss, Roman Reigns will be in action next week as part of WWE WrestleMania 40. On the Saturday show, Reigns will team with The Rock to face Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes.
The next night, Reigns will defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Rhodes. If The Bloodline wins the tag-team match on Night One, the title match will be under ‘Bloodline Rules.’ A victory for Rhodes and Rollins will mean The Bloodline will be barred from ringside.
Whatever stipulation is decided upon, the main event spot of WrestleMania is familiar territory for Reigns. This year’s two nights will be the 8th and 9th main events at the show for the Tribal Chief.
Can’t get enough of Spotify? We at SE Scoops have our own podcast on the streaming platform! Check it out below.
Welcome the Daily Drop, your daily roundup of wrestling news and rumors for Saturday, March 23. Last night’s SmackDown was an eventual episode, and there’s a lot to get into.
– WrestleMania Surprises: With only 2 weeks until WrestleMania 40, the company is talking about bringing in stars like The Undertaker, John Cena, and Steve Austin.
– WWE Shop Is Lighting It Up: They just released a new Roman Reigns “Family Above All” hoodie on the WWE Shop! So, click here to see what they have to offer on the road to WrestleMania!
– Roman x Punk: Roman Reigns had a bit of a comment about CM Punk, and it drew some attention. He said, among other things, that “I’m not like CM Punk, where I got to the top of the mountain, it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s not what I expect, so I’m gonna bitch about it.'”
– Slammys Return:The Slammy Awards will continue this year. WWE announced the company will bring back their awards show this year on April 7, the same day as WrestleMania 40: Sunday. The ceremony will be hosted by Big E and Cathy Kelley.
– Vince McMahon Netflix Doc: The six-part Netflix docuseries is still happening, and that was confirmed. Bill Simmons and his team will need to edit some to change direction, but the project is still moving forward.
AEW:
– Mercedes’ Big Money: It was said by Swerve Strickland in a recent interview that Mercedes Mone deserves all the money she is getting from this AEW contract.
– Cope Open Return: Adam Copeland confirmed that the Cope Open will return on the March 30 episode of AEW Collision. That will see him defend the AEW TNT Title in an open challenge.
EXCLUSIVE! After making Christian Cage utter the words, 'I QUIT', and capturing the TNT Title for the second time, we hear from the NEW TNT Champion Adam Copeland!@RatedRCope | #AEWDynamitepic.twitter.com/CUFyDk2GAj
– Rampage High: AEW Rampage hit a high with their episode this week, which aired directly after AEW Dynamite’s 801k average viewership. This week’s AEW Rampage scored 541,000 viewers and a .27 in the 18 to 49 demographic. That was the highest number for the show since the April 22, 2022, episode of the show.
Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Events
Looking ahead, here are some of the major upcoming shows that we have in the pipeline:
April 6:NXT Stand & Deliver and WrestleMania XL Saturday from Philadelphia, PA.
April 7: WrestleMania XL Sunday from Philadelphia, PA.
April 21: All Elite Wrestling presents AEW Dynasty live on pay-per-view from St. Louis, Missouri at the Chaifetz Arena.
May 4: WWE Backlash France from Décines-Charpieu, France at the LDLC Arena.
While Roman Reigns has reached the proverbial mountain top of WWE, he has no intentions of slowing down anytime soon.
As it stands, Reigns currently sits atop WWE as the longest-reigning WWE Champion of the modern era, and the fourth longest of all time. Given the length of his reign, in combination with his towering status in WWE, Reigns was recently asked how he maintains his focus and passion for his in-ring craft.
Savoring The Moments, Unlike Someone Else
In response, Reigns seized the opportunity to take a pointed shot at another man who once reached a similar level — former WWE Champion CM Punk. Punk, of course, lodged several complaints about the company during and after his reigns as WWE Champion.
“I’m living my dream, man,” Reigns said on the The Pat McAfee Show. “This is what I wanted my whole life, so I’m not one of them people that, once I got there, it just wasn’t what I expected. I’m not like CM Punk, where I got to the top of the mountain, it’s like, ‘Oh, it’s not what I expect, so I’m gonna bitch about it.’ No, once you reach your goals, enjoy the dream. This is what you’ve been working for, and that’s exactly what I’m doing. So for me, I don’t want this to ever end.”
Though Reigns tends to keep his personal life out of the spotlight, he asserts that much of his time is spent on self-reflection and self-improvement as he looks to elevate himself even higher.
“I’m constantly working, I’m always prepping,” Reigns said. “I’m just obsessed with continuing to progress. I know there’s another level. I know there’s some more that I can do, so I don’t like to get satisfied or comfortable with the current level that I’m on.”
At this moment in time, CM Punk finds himself on the sidelines, as he sustained a torn triceps in the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match. Despite his injury, though, Punk plans on participating in the upcoming WrestleMania 40 festivities, whether he is invited or not.
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.
Marlon Brando’s incredible performance as Col. Walter Kurtz helped inspire Roman Reigns to be the Tribal Chief, Paul Heyman has revealed.
In 2020, Reigns turned heel and aligned himself with Paul Heyman, a move that ironically made the Shield alum the most popular he’d been in years. Since then, Reigns has dominated WWE as Universal Champion, a title he unified with the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 38 in 2022. Reigns is currently closing in on 1,300 days as Universal Champion.
Roman Reigns & Apocalypse Now
Reigns hasn’t just dominated WWE’s roster, but has dominated his family as the ‘Tribal Chief.’ In a recent talk at the BSM Summit, Heyman spoke about Reigns and the Hollywood inspiration behind his character.
“I had Roman Reigns watch ‘Apocalypse Now’ multiple times. To me, that was the heart and soul of the character of the Tribal Chief. A warrior so great that he conquered his own island.”
The 1979 film sees Marlon Brando portray Colonel Walter Kurtz, a U.S. military powerhouse who has gone mad and now leads his own tribe deep in the Cambodian jungle. In the interview, Heyman compared Reigns to Brando’s gripping rendition of the character.
“Brando presented himself as a pseudo-God. We call it a Tribal Chief. ..That’s where the villainry of Roman Reigns comes in because he says ‘Acknowledge me,’ and [at] once you acknowledge him.”
WATCH: @HeymanHustle shared incredible insight on the inspiration for the @WWERomanReigns 'Tribal Chief' character at the 2024 BSM Summit. This was simply outstanding! @WWE and #wrestling fans, this is must-watch!
If Reigns is indeed the Col. Kurtz of WWE, his reign of terror may be coming to an end. The film ends with Kurtz being killed by Captain Willard (Martin Sheen) at the behest of the U.S. government. Reigns will defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Dwayne Johnson is one of the busiest men in Hollywood, but The Rock is back with WWE on a full-time basis through WrestleMania 40. The People’s champ has been heavily involved in the main event mix and will wrestle his first full match in a decade.
Although the match has not been finalized as of this writing, the challenge has been issued for The Rock and Roman Reigns to battle Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania XL: Saturday (night one). The match would have implications for the following night’s ultimate showdown: Rhodes vs. Reigns 2.
So, what happens with The Rock after WrestleMania? According to this week’ Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE fans should expect to see The Rock compete at least one more time in the coming months.
WWE Wants The Rock to Wrestle in Saudi Arabia This Year
It’s been a rocky road to WrestleMania (pun indented). From the moment that Roman Reigns’ pinned Cody’s shoulders to the mat last April in Los Angeles, fans have expected the American Nightmare to rise from the ashes and ‘Finish The Story’ at this year’s big event. The Rock’s return changed everything and a lot of the chaos that we saw on television mirrored the changes and uncertainty going on behind the scenes.
The Rock got himself in shape for a WWE run, which is no easy task and there’s still blockbuster money in Rock vs. Reigns. According to the Observer, WWE is optimistic The Rock will wrestle again this year and there is “definitely a push” for this match to take place at one of the Saudi Arabia premium live events.
“When asking if Rock will be working that show, we’re told there are a lot of variables in play and a variety of factors, but obviously the company would like it if he would.
While nothing is set in stone, the belief as of right now is that Mania won’t be his only match in 2024 and there is definitely a push to get him to work at least one Saudi Arabia event this year.”
WWE is scheduled to run the first of this year’s two Saudi shows over Memorial Day weekend on Saturday, May 25, the day before AEW Double or Nothing 2024.
The Rock & WrestleMania 40
The Rock’s original WrestleMania 40 plans were derailed by a negative fan reaction, and he coined the term Cody Crybabies because of it.
In the end, The Rock decided to concede the main event of WrestleMania 40 to Cody Rhodes. That being said, the story is far from over between the two, especially since The Rock may still want that one-on-one match against Roman Reigns.
We will have to see what WWE can arrange with Dwayne Johnson’s incredibly busy schedule, but he seems to be able to block off time for WWE right now.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of the road to WrestleMania 40, and everything afterward. This could be an exciting time for pro wrestling fans, because The Rock might just get more than one match in this time around.
The 2024 Money in the Bank event is scheduled for Saturday, July 6th, 2024, and will be held at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The event has morphed itself into one of the most important shows on WWE’s schedule, but they will likely be missing the Tribal Chief.
WWE dropped a new poster for the Money in the Bank event. That new image featured several Superstars on the graphic, but Roman Reigns was not included on the poster.
Roman Reigns is Missing
The company’s new Money in the Bank poster is a nice graphic, and there are a lot of faces on there. Ricochet, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, IYO Sky, The Miz, LA Knight, Bayley, Bianca Belair and AJ Styles made the poster. There are a couple big omissions, primarily Roman Reigns.
For what it’s worth, Cody Rhodes is also missing from the poster, which is interesting. WWE may not want to spoil any WrestleMania 40 main event outcome, so the American Nightmare didn’t make the graphic, either.
Roman Reigns is scheduled to wrestle twice at WrestleMania 40. He will team with The Rock to take on Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes during Night 1 of WrestleMania 40. Then, on night two, he will defend the Undisputed Universal Title against Cody Rhodes. It appears that the Head of the Table may take a break after that, because he is not advertised to appear at any WWE premium live events, so far, after that.
He barely wrestled into double digits in 2023, with only 11 recorded outings in the ring. He made other appearances, but the Tribal Chief’s segments on SmackDown were few and far between. It appears that trend is not going to change at all, if anything he may work even less in the next year.
Cody Rhodes missing from the MITB poster is very interesting. He’s been a workhorse for the company since his comeback, excluding injury breaks, and one would assume he’ll be on the show.
Other Possible MITB Additions
Trish Stratus recently dropped a very strong hint that she would like to come back for another match at Money in the Bank. The setting of her home city might be too great to pass up, as WWE could create a great moment for her.
SEScoops will have more on this story as additional details are revealed. Keep checking back for consistent updates.
The Rock is back in WWE, and he’s getting a tremendous amount of heat. Never to be beaten, WWE fans also have figured out a new way to let him know how much they care, while bringing back an old favorite chant.
Sean Ross Sapp noted on Fightful Select that, during The Rock and Roman Reigns segments, blackouts and muting occurred due to the presence of “Die Rocky Die” signs and chants. Additionally, a sign referencing “Rock shops at BALCO” was removed. BALCO, a business implicated in a sports steroid scandal in the 2000s, was the subject of this sign.
The Rock’s segment with Roman Reigns exceeded its allotted time by over ten minutes. As a consequence, Naomi’s entrance and other elements were omitted from the broadcast.
Die Rocky Die
As we previously reported, Die Rocky Die also trended on social media. This was quite a shock, and the fact that WWE and FOX censored the sign and chant means that fans will probably just keep doing it.
This fan chant is a throwback, but a lot of things have changed since the late 90s when it was somewhat acceptable to chant that at Dwayne Johnson in WWE.
What’s Next For The Rock
WrestleMania 40 night one will see The Rock and Roman Reigns team up against Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in tag team action. If the heels win, then it will be Bloodline rules for the Undisputed Universal Title match at WrestleMania’s second night. If Cody and Seth win, then the Bloodline will be barred from ringside.
The Rock is certainly getting a lot of heat, and we are here for it. Hopefully, fans know it’s all in good fun, but any chant that wishes death upon someone could be taken seriously.
SEScoops will keep our eye on this story, and everything else on the road to WrestleMania. Only time will tell what fans come up with next, and how much of it will need to be censored.
The Rock and Roman Reigns tore up the first forty minutes of SmackDown this week. The crowd in Alabama were also on fire, and their chants were a bit too hot for television.
It seems that they are censoring a lot more than just the F-Bomb. The classic “Die Rocky, Die” sign was blacked out this week on the show.
— Anutosh Bajpai || SEScoops || Wrestling News (@AuthorAnutosh) March 2, 2024
Bleeping Revealed
According to a report from PW Insider, FOX bleeped out “Die Rocky, Die” from the live fans. A lot of fans were really curious to know what was so bad that FOX kept hitting the censor key. Now, we know that it was a wish of death.
The Rock is a great heel, and he riled up the “Meth Head Marys” and “Crack Head Karens” in Alabama. They ate it up, and it seems that their response, although it was exactly what The Rock was looking for, FOX didn’t like to hear such a morbid chant from the fans at home.
For those of you wondering about why there have been random blackouts on tonight’s Smackdown broadcast on FOX, we are told that a fan has a “DIE ROCKY DIE” sign that the network is censoring.
— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) March 2, 2024
What’s Next For This
Some may say that they are getting a bit touchy with this decision to edit out, “Die Rocky, Die,” and we have to wonder what they will censor next. In the meantime, it seems that fans have plenty to get riled up about on the road to WrestleMania.
WWE SmackDown is in Dallas next week, where Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins will answer The Rock’s challenge for a tag team match at WrestleMania 40. Only time will tell what those fans will say to get FOX to hit the bleep button, but everything is bigger in Texas.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and many more, from the pro wrestling world. Keep checking back for more updates.
The Rock and Roman Reigns opened up SmackDown this week, and they took up over 40 minutes of the program. This was quite a long segment, but odds are the ratings will prove that The Rock means viewership. Now we have a few new details about how things went down.
Sean Ross Sapp reported a few notes about SmackDown’s opening segment this week on Fightful Select. It seems that they didn’t have the usual producer at the helm.
WWE Made Change to the Usual Situation
Michael Hayes typically oversees the production of Roman Reigns segments, Bloodline-connected segments, and even those involving individuals set to feud with Bloodline. However, it is reported that his name was notably absent from Friday’s run sheet. Instead, lead producer Jason Jordan was credited as the producer for both segments.
Predictably, The Rock’s segment ran significantly over time, prompting immediate adjustments to be made. This may be worth it in the end, because a ton of eyes were on that segment.
Michael Hayes typically produces all of Roman Reigns segments and matches. It will be interesting to see if he starts sharing that big responsibility. If anything, Jason Jordan certainly seemed to do a great job stepping into that slot.
What’s Next For The Rock
The Rock and Roman Reigns will be on SmackDown next week as they roll into Dallas. They will accept Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes’ decision after The Great One laid down a challenge for WrestleMania this week.
SEScoops will have more coverage of this story, and many more, in the pro wrestling world as new information is known.
The Rock shook up the road to WrestleMania in a huge way when he returned to WWE television to insert himself into the situation. What followed was a turbulent road where The Great One was forced to change his mind on the Mania match he wanted. Now we find ourselves in the situation today,
Roman Reigns and The Rock kicked things off for SmackDown this week on FOX. The Bloodline was in rare fashion, and Dwayne Johnson was already on fire, ready to rip into some candy asses on the blue brand.
Before The Rock even came out, Roman threatened to leave, because he didn’t like how the fans reacted to him. They booed him out of the building instead of acknowledging him. Then Paul Heyman hyped The Rock’s intro, after a commercial break.
The Rock came out to end the commercial break, and he had a lot to say. He started out by asking if the fans were sure that they wanted to boo him. Then The Rock dragged the crowd, because Phoenix is the #1 location for cocaine and meth use. This was a brutal promo, where he said that the fans finally have something worth shooting into their veins.
“Rocky” chants came after he said, “finally The Rock is back in Arizona.” Then he said that pro wrestling is cool again. He followed that by saying that Cody Rhodes is not cool.
The Rock addressed Cody’s challenge to go one-on-one against The Great One. He then gave his answer to Cody’s match, “no.” Everyone, including every woman in the arena wants to go one-on-one against The Rock. This received a response, but he told the “Crack Head Karens” and “Meth Head Marys” that they can’t handle his 22 inches, of course, he was talking about his biceps.
Dwayne Johnson dragged Cody a bit for challenging him with such a big match coming up. Then he laid down a counter-offer. Night One of WrestleMania 40 will be The Rock and Roman Reigns vs Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins.
If the babyfaces win, then The Bloodline will not be at ringside for the Universal Title match on night two. If the heels win, then it will be Bloodline rules for their Universal Title match.
The Rock said that they will be in Dallas next week for SmackDown so they can get their response first-hand.
Before the segment ended, Roman Reigns told The Rock that he needed one thing: “Acknowledge me.” The Rock took a beat, removed his glasses, and he did just that, “Roman Reigns, my family, I acknowledge you as my Tribal Chief.” That drew quite a response from the crowd as they locked hands and hugged. This was followed by massive “You Sold Out” chants from fans.
SEScoops will have continued coverage of the road to WrestleMania, whatever might happen next. For more updates, please keep checking back.
At WWE Elimination Chamber 2024, Cody Rhodes challenged The Rock to go one-on-one. Rollins advised Rhodes that it is never one-on-one when it comes to The Bloodline and vowed to have Cody’s back if the match happens.
This segment left many speculating that a tag-team match between The Bloodline and Rollins/Rhodes is in the works. On the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said that he’s heard that the match could headline night one of WrestleMania 40. While some had speculated on the match being held off (potentially for one of WWE’s Saudi Arabia events) it now seems the fans won’t have to wait so long.
What This Means for WrestleMania
If this match goes ahead at WrestleMania 40, it’ll mean that Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, and Cody Rhodes will be performing double-duty at the event. Rhodes and Reigns will face off for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in what will almost certainly be the main event of WrestleMania 40: Sunday.
Roman Reigns has surpassed almost every other WWE Superstar when it comes to his dominant title run, and the Tribal Chief has even surpassed an entire era.
Reigns’ historic tenure as champion began on August 30, 2020, at that year’s Payback event. Reigns, who had returned to WWE TV the week prior at SummerSlam, defeated ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman in a triple-threat match to capture the gold. Reigns entered the match near the closing moments of the bout, signing a contract to make his participation in the bout official mere moments before his title victory.
Surpassing An Era
Roman Reigns has dominated WWE for years, and now has surpassed the much-beloved Attitude Era. In WWE, the famed era is considered as lasting from Survivor Series 1997 (the Montreal Screwjob) to WrestleMania X-Seven in April 2021. This period of time spanned over 1,239 days. Recently, the Tribal Chief’s Universal title reign surpassed this figure. Roman Reigns is currently enjoying day 1268 of his historic tenure as Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
Paul Heyman has a long history of managing clients in the pro wrestling world. The Bloodline might not last forever, especially as the road to WrestleMania 40 becomes even more tumultuous. There are many more Superstars in WWE who may benefit from Heyman’s guidance, and we collected a list to explore a few options.
Throughout his career, Heyman has managed many top names including Brock Lesnar, CM Punk, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Rob Van Dam, The Dudley Boyz, Steve Austin, Rick Rude, and Matt Hardy. Additionally, Heyman has had stints managing factions such as The Dangerous Alliance in WCW and The Dangerous Alliance and The Alliance in WWE. That doesn’t even count his position as The Bloodline’s Wise Man.
Brock Lesnar is no longer in any WWE creative plans due to his name being connected to Janel Grant’s lawsuit. I asked just last week and was able to confirm that is still the case, and Lesnar’s name is not coming up in any creative fashion. Since the Beast Incarnate’s return to WWE might take a long while, let’s see who might be next for Heyman if the Bloodline implodes.
Bron Breakker
It seems that Breakker is the #1 candidate to become the next Paul Heyman Guy after The Wise Man’s Bloodline tenure is over. Heyman paid special attention to Breakker during SmackDown, as he made extra effort to introduce himself. Heyman and Breakker also had a segment on NXT months ago. The former NXT Champion also has all the tools needed to become a breakout star for the main roster once he can get things moving for himself after his NXT obligations are over.
GUNTHER
GUNTHER’s imposing presence and hard-hitting style would make him a perfect candidate for Paul Heyman’s stable. Heyman could amplify the IC Champion’s intimidating persona and help him become a dominant force in WWE, both in the ring and on the microphone. The Ring General has a pretty great thing going with Imperium right now, but that stable has showed signs of cracks in the past, and GUNTHER’s domination in WWE will not end with the stable’s eventual demise.
Pete Dunne
The former Butch is known for his intense in-ring style and captivating presence. Triple H gave Pete Dunne is name back, and the Brawling Brutes is now over. He teamed up with Tyler Bate, and they are getting a chance as a tandem. Some would say that Dunne may thrive under Paul Heyman’s guidance. Heyman could help Dunne further develop his character and storytelling abilities, solidifying his status as a top star in WWE.
Dexter Lumis
With his unique character and silent intensity, Dexter Lumis would be an intriguing addition to Paul Heyman’s stable. Heyman could help Lumis further develop his character and storytelling abilities, positioning him as a standout star in WWE. If anything, it would give Lumis something to do. I’ve asked around about his status many times, and I’ve been told that he’s not injured. Hopefully, WWE will figure out a way to use the serial killer with a heart of gold soon.
Raquel Rodriguez
As the current NXT Women’s Champion, Raquel Rodriguez has already proven herself as a dominant force in WWE. With Paul Heyman’s guidance, she could further elevate her character and mic skills, establishing herself as a top star on the main roster. She hasn’t been able to find her footing on the main roster since her call-up, although she has seen glimpses of good booking. Perhaps, Heyman advocating for her may do the trick.
Shotzi Blackheart
With her unique look, high-flying style, and charismatic personality, Shotzi Blackheart would be an excellent addition to Paul Heyman’s stable of clients. Heyman could help Blackheart refine her character and mic skills, positioning her as a standout star in WWE’s women’s division. Sadly, Shotzi is out of action with a knee injury which will keep her on the shelf for a majority of 2024, but her return as a Paul Heyman Girl may be just what she needs.
Rhea Ripley
The Nightmare could be a good fit as a Paul Heyman Girl due to her distinct appearance, impressive in-ring skills, and ability on the microphone. Ripley’s unique look and imposing presence make her stand out performer. With Heyman’s guidance, Ripley could further develop her in-ring storytelling and refine her microphone skills, enhancing her ability to connect with the audience and establish herself as a dominant force in the women’s division. She is currently in the Judgment Day, but that stable may open the door to Heyman swooping in eventually.
There are many options for WWE Superstars that would make fine Paul Heyman clients. SEScoops will have continued coverage of WWE, just in case any of these prospective pairings becomes a reality.
WWE fans saw The Rock make his big return to the company on the road to WrestleMania 40. His match already saw a change, one that he conceded to, and this week’s SmackDown opened up Pandora’s Box for The People’s Champ when it came to heel promos. Although The Rock had a lot to do with what went down, he didn’t accomplish it all by himself.
The Rock & Roman Reigns’ Creative Input (Exclusive)
A report got out before SmackDown this week that The Rock and Roman Reigns did not have a script for their promo this week. That time on the microphone saw The Great One unleash on fans in epic fashion, drawing from his heel roots with brutal insults and one-liners.
I asked around about this situation after The Bloodline closed out SmackDown this week. It was confirmed to me that the Bloodline’s promo was scripted. They did not go out there without a net or anything figured out beforehand.
Roman Reigns and The Rock had major influence on the script. In the end, it was a discussion between Triple H, Roman, Heyman, Rock and Brian Gewirtz. Michael Hayes produced the segment, as he produces practically all of Roman Reigns’ segments and matches.
Okay, so it was reported last night before SmackDown that The Rock and Roman Reigns had no script for their big Bloodline segment.
I am told that is not true.
They had major influence on the script. It was a discussion between Triple H, Roman, Heyman, Rock and Brian Gewirtz.
WrestleMania 40 will be a huge show, and The Rock will compete. He may not get the singles match against Roman Reigns that he initially wanted, but they will undoubtably stir up a lot of headlines along the way.
On SmackDown this week, fans saw The Rock officially align with The Bloodline, but could it all be just a ruse by Rocky? One ECW Original has been taking notes during this whole saga between The Rock, Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes.
After The Rock returned back to his 1998 ways in the closing segment of SmackDown, Blue Meanie took to social media to present an interesting theory that all may be not what it seems regarding this notorious Samoan family tree.
“After watching last night’s Smackdown I have a feeling the Rock is joining the Bloodline on behalf of Cody to help distrupt the Bloodline from within. After the Rumble Cody looked like he was stepping down. The Rock whispered ‘something’ in Cody’s ear. The camera intentionally shoots Cody walking away down the aisle. We see Rock and Roman inch their way towards each other before the show goes off air.
“At the press event the Rock says he’s challenging Roman for the title and on cue Cody interrupts says he’s challenging Roman at Mania after all. Cody tells the Rock and Roman that their grandfather’s would be ashamed of them. Rock initiated the contact before Roman could because this is all a ruse. He signifying that he is on Roman’s side.
“He’s further disarming Roman. Last night on Smackdown the Rock comes out to ‘join’ the Bloodline. He cuts the heel promo. If you notice when they all do the finger point upwards, the Rock has his thumb out. The hand gesture commonly known as the ‘loser’ hand gesture.
“Basically Rock is signaling that he is there to help Roman lose to Cody at Mania because it’s actually The Rock who is ashamed of how Roman is acting. The Rock just had Cody say it at the press event that lead to the contact between Rock and Cody.
“Last year at Mania Cody was outnumbered by the Bloodline. This year, Seth Rollins and the Rock are his back up to any interference and will help Cody attain the goal of winning the title that his father never did. Just my 2 cents.”
1/ After watching last night's Smackdown I have a feeling the Rock is joining the Bloodline on behalf of Cody to help distrupt the Bloodline from within. After the Rumble Cody looked like he was stepping down. The Rock whispered "something" in Cody's ear.
— Brian Heffron aka The Blue Meanie (@BlueMeanieBWO) February 17, 2024
Whichever side The Rock may or may not be on, Cody Rhodes will indeed have a “shield” in Seth Rollins who came out on WWE Raw to show him added support. We may see something develop even further at Elimination Chamber as Cody and Seth are set to sit down in Perth as guests of “The Grayson Waller Effect.”
Welcome to SEScoops’ Daily Drop – a rundown of the top stories in pro wrestling all in one place.
Our mission is to provide our readers with the most important and interesting news from WWE, AEW and more that’s timely, informative and engaging. The Daily Drop is a destination where you can get a snapshot of the top stories in wrestling.
WrestleMania 40 COUNTDOWN: 49 days away
Here’s the Daily Drop news report for Wednesday, February 17, 2024:
WWE
– The Rock officially joined The Bloodline during the February 16th episode of WWE SmackDown. That closing segment of the show did not feature any match getting booked for WrestleMania 40, but they are well on their way to cementing a match.
– Shotzi is still pretty devastated over her serious knee injury. Her NXT Women’s Title match against Lyra Valkyria ended in terrible fashion with an injury, and she will likely miss a lot of time.
– After a lot of speculation about where he would land, Bron Breakker finally signed with WWE’s SmackDown brand. He is still 1/2 of the NXT Tag Team Champions, but he did not have his title with him during the 2/16 episode of the blue brand.
AEW
– Mercedes Mone is hyping an upcoming fight, and this is right in time for the hype before AEW’s Big Business special episode of Dynamite on March 13. The TD Garden will likely see the former Sasha Banks make her debut for the company during that show.
– AEW Dynamite: Big Business is coming to Boston’s TD Garden on March 13th.
– AEW Revolution takes place the following weekend on Sunday, March 3.
– WWE NXT Stand & Deliver will be on the afternoon of April 6th, right before the first night of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
– WrestleMania XL will take place on April 6th and 7th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, airing as a two-part event.
– Backlash France will be held on May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
– WWE NXT Battleground is scheduled for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, and will be available exclusively on the WWE Network and Peacock.
– WWE Money in the Bank will take place on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
– WWE Bash In Berlin is set for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.
WrestleMania 40’s landscape was changed in a big way when The Rock made his way back to the company. He took Cody Rhodes’ spot against Roman Reigns, but fans had a lot to say about that. Now, Mania has a much different setup.
The Rock Returns To Salt Lake City
Roman Reigns made his way to the ring during the final segment of SmackDown this week. He hyped up the crowd, and then he said that tonight is historic, because The Rock has joined The Bloodline.
Then The Rock made his way to the ring, complete in a shirt that was straight out of his Hollywood heel character from years ago. He welcomed himself back to Salt Lake City, and he announced a new all-time in-door attendance record.
The Rock
The Great One proceeded to berate fans for being Cody Crybabies and causing the WrestleMania main event to change. He wondered what is Cody’s story anyway, because Roman beat Cody last year, and now he wants a rematch.
While bringing up how Michael Jordan once crushed the Utah Jazz’s dreams decades ago, The Rock drew even more boos from the crowd. He said that you don’t get another shot at a story, just because you want it … just ask the 1998 Utah Jazz.
The Rock called fans a bunch of “crybaby bitches” and they should “sit down” and enjoy the ride that he’s taking us on. In the end, he said “if you smell what The Bloodline is cooking.” They concluded the night without booking any WrestleMania match, but things are certainly taking shape.
I exclusively reported on SEScoops that a source within WWE confirmed that The Rock initially intended to have a match with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. The current situation regarding the show wasn’t what The Rock initially wanted, suggesting it wasn’t part of an initial plan. He later agreed that Cody Rhodes versus Roman Reigns should be the main event match.
Since the start, I’ve mentioned that plans were set, and the only individual capable of altering them is The Rock. That’s precisely what occurred, pleasing “Cody crybabies” who wish to witness The American Nightmare conclude his storyline.
The Rock voiced his wish for a match against Roman Reigns on January 1st, appearing on the Day 1 episode of RAW. Shortly after, the match was organized, despite Cody Rhodes winning the 2024 Royal Rumble match. Triple H was aware of the agreement for Rock vs Reigns.
Fan backlash and mainstream attention prompted The Rock to change course. Now, we have a brand-new vibe for WrestleMania 40.
SEScoops will have complete coverage of this story as more updates are made available.
The Rock is back for another road to WrestleMania, but the match he’s getting isn’t the one he originally wanted. It was his call the whole time to make that change, as I reported several times before. It turns out that Dwayne Johnson was convinced to let Cody Rhodes have the main event match, but it took a lot of backlash.
WrestleMania 40 Plans Changed
I exclusively reported on SEScoops that a source within WWE confirmed that The Rock initially intended to have a match with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. The current scenario regarding the show was not The Rock’s original preference, indicating that it was not part of a preconceived plan from the outset. He then conceded that Cody Rhodes vs Roman Reigns should be the main event match.
I was told that “The Rock conceded it should be Roman vs Cody.”
Follow Up: I was able to confirm that Rock's original plan was to have a match with Roman. It wasn't the situation we have now. After all the negative reaction, Rock conceded it should be Roman vs Cody.
A tag team match at WrestleMania seems to be the direction now, with Rock &… https://t.co/jyEqNKjnSP
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter confirmed that report, saying that it was The Rock’s decision to book at tag team match for Night 1 of WrestleMania 40. The word “conceded” was even used in Dave Meltzer’s report.
There is said to be far more behind the scenes that hasn’t come out but given the timing can’t be talked about now. But Johnson over the weekend said it was best to be out of the Reigns match, put Cody in, which by this point everyone conceded by then. It was Johnson who then pitched the heel turn, and he did pitch the idea of the Reigns & Rock vs. Rhodes & Rollins match for night one. So that was his idea if that is how it turns out.
From the very beginning, I reported that plans were locked in, and the only person who could change things is The Rock. That is exactly what happened, much to the delight of “Cody crybabies” all over, who want to see The American Nightmare finish his story.
Why The Match Was Changed
The Rock publicly expressed his desire for a match against Roman Reigns on January 1st, appearing during the Day 1 episode of RAW. Subsequently, the match was arranged shortly thereafter, despite Cody Rhodes winning the 2024 Royal Rumble match. Notably, Triple H was aware of the agreement for Rock vs Reigns.
Negative fan reaction, and mainstream attention on the matter, caused Rock to make a call to pivot. That being said, he will now apparently play up the heel gimmick on WWE television for the Cody crybabies.
In stark contrast to Roman Reigns, Rollins has proven to be a fighting champion and had 99 matches in 2023 to Roman Reigns’ eleven bouts. Speaking on a recent edition of WWE’s The Bump, Big E addressed the harsh comments Rollins has had for Roman Reigns and his title reign.
“He speaks for, in many ways, the locker room of guys who are there week in and week out, who are there on a nightly basis. That grind, it really builds a certain camaraderie and a certain respect for each other.”
Despite this, Big E doesn’t fault Roman Reigns or The Rock for accepting the very lucrative roles both are in.
“Who could ever blame a Roman or The Rock for being in a position like that… we all want to be in that Rock/Roman position, too, but you also have a certain love for the guys with you who are grinding.”
Big E has his own history with Roman Reigns. At Survivor Series 2021, the two faced off in Champion Vs. Champion action which saw Reigns defeat the then-WWE Champion.
Cody Rhodes made his way to the ring on WWE RAW this week, and he had a lot to say, He addressed The Rock’s actions, and what he said to him at the WrestleMania kickoff event.
Rhodes also said that The Rock slapped him, but “you slapped me across the face, and what that means is I’m gonna hit you right back.”
Seth Rollins then entered the situation, where he addressed Cody directly. Rollins said that Cody needs to finish his story for everyone, including Dusty Rhodes. He also had something very important to say to the American Nightmare.
Rollins told Cody that he doesn’t have to fight The Rock alone. He is sick and tired of people like The Rock and Roman Reigns, who he called “pricks” doing whatever they want and getting away with it.
By all appearance, it looks like Roman Reigns and The Rock are going to take on Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes in a tag team match. That being said, Cody vs Roman is still going to happen.
I kept asking about The Rock’s WrestleMania plans possibly changing because the subject is certainly one of the hottest in pro wrestling right now.
A tenured member of the creative team told me last week before the Las Vegas WrestleMania kickoff event, “We have not been told of any change. That doesn’t mean the plan hasn’t changed. Or won’t change. Or this is all a plan anyway. It just means we’re not being told.”
In the end, it was all up to The Rock, who didn’t really care if he was booed or cheered at WrestleMania. WWE didn’t see those “Rocky Sucks” chants coming on RAW.
Thursday was interesting in Las Vegas. After the event, I was able to confirm that Rock’s original plan was to have a match with Roman. It wasn’t the situation we had then. After all the negative reaction, The Rock then conceded it should be Roman vs Cody.
A tag team match at WrestleMania seemed to be the direction then, with Rock & Roman vs Cody & Seth. Either way, Cody vs Roman then main evented night two of Mania 40.
Follow Up: I was able to confirm that Rock's original plan was to have a match with Roman. It wasn't the situation we have now. After all the negative reaction, Rock conceded it should be Roman vs Cody.
A tag team match at WrestleMania seems to be the direction now, with Rock &… https://t.co/jyEqNKjnSP
The Rock returned to WWE under very interesting circumstances. He wanted a match against Roman Reigns that has been a long time coming, but fans wanted to see Cody Rhodes finish his story. Now, we have a much different picture for the WrestleMania main event than The Rock wanted to.
The Rock Embracing The Dark Side
It was reported that The Rock taking a seat on TKO’s Board of Directors came with a WrestleMania match attached. He got $30 million in company stock as a part of that deal.
Fans spoke out in massive fashion when Rock bumped Cody Rhodes out of his WrestleMania spot against Roman Reigns. Trends started online and the story got picked up by major mainstream outlets.
Wrestle Votes reported on Twitter/X that WWE sources have said that The Rock is prepared to “fully embrace” his heel gimmick. It was also noted that WWE is expected to drop official Cody crybabies merchandise.
Sources suggest that The Rock is expected to fully embrace his heel turn, drawing inspiration from his past ‘Hollywood’ Rock persona. Additionally, I’m told to anticipate the release of Rock branded ‘Cody Crybabies’ merchandise. The story is just beginning…
Sources suggest that The Rock is expected to fully embrace his heel turn, drawing inspiration from his past ‘Hollywood’ Rock persona. Additionally, I’m told to anticipate the release of Rock branded ‘Cody Crybabies’ merchandise. The story is just beginning…
Why WWE Changed The Rock’s WrestleMania 40 Plan (Exclusive)
I’ve been doing my best to stay up on this always-evolving storyline. As I originally reported, The Rock was the one who needed to make the call to change this match. That is what finally happened after a ton of fans speaking out.
I keep asking about #TheRock's #WrestleMania? plans possibly changing, because that's all fans want at this point.
Last night, a tenured member of the creative team told me straight up: "We have not been told of any change. That doesn't mean the plan hasn't changed. Or won't…
A tenured source within WWE confirmed that The Rock’s original plan was to have a match with Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. The current situation we have with the show of shows was not what The Rock originally wanted to do, so this was not all part of an elaborate plan from the jump.
The Rock called his shot for a match against Roman Reigns on January 1st when he showed up during the Day 1 episode of RAW. Then, the match was agreed to shortly after that, with Cody Rhodes winning the 2024 Royal Rumble match after that, despite Triple H knowing that Rock vs Reigns was agreed to.
After all the negative reaction, I am told that “The Rock conceded it should be Roman vs Cody.” Fan reaction, and mainstream attention on the matter, caused Rock to make a call to pivot. That being said, he will now apparently play up the heel gimmick on WWE television for the Cody crybabies.
Follow Up: I was able to confirm that Rock's original plan was to have a match with Roman. It wasn't the situation we have now. After all the negative reaction, Rock conceded it should be Roman vs Cody.
A tag team match at WrestleMania seems to be the direction now, with Rock &… https://t.co/jyEqNKjnSP
WrestleMania 40 is coming to Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 6 and 7, 2024. The showcase of the immortals is coming together, and now they have a new trailer to share with fans.
A new trailer dropped to hype WrestleMania 40. The short video featured The Rock, Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. The video certainly seemed as if a tag team match was being teased now.
Triple H hyped the trailer, as he quote posted the video along with a message. He plans to take things to a new level for WrestleMania 40, and he also included the legendary that he is known to ask fans.
“We’re taking WrestleMania XL to a whole new level. Are you ready?”
During the WrestleMania 40 press conference in the T-Mobile Arena, many fans thought that The Rock and Roman Reigns would be the WrestleMania 40 main event. Then Cody Rhodes showed up to make his choice known.
In the end, Cody Rhodes got his match against Roman Reigns. The Rock wasn’t happy about that, and he slapped The American Nightmare.
After The Rock and Roman Reigns left together, rumors started to spread about what the next plan is. Now, Cody Rhodes will get a chance to finish his story.
WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins has taken aim at the “vacation” time taken by Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
The Tribal Chief certainly enjoys a much more relaxed schedule compared to other WWE Superstars. In 2022, Reigns signed a lucrative contract that allows him to wrestle far less. Last year, Reigns competed in just eleven matches, a considerable drop from the previous year. For comparison, Rollins competed in 99 matches for WWE in 2023.
Seth Rollins Takes a Shot at Roman Reigns
Seth Rollins has been vocally opposed to Reigns’ strangle-hold on the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, which played a part in Rollins becoming World Heavyweight Champion last May. Rollins is very much of the belief that a World Championship should be a regular on TV and represent the company.
Roman Reigns isn’t the only person that the Architect has set his sights on though. Rollins has had an issue with CM Punk ever since the latter’s return to WWE, and the issues between them go back far further than that. Recently, Rollins poked fun at CM Punk’s torn triceps injury, saying the ‘Best in the World’ will be back in a year or two. When a fan found the comment a tad rich given Rollins’ current injury, the World Heavyweight Champion argued that he’s had less time off in 12 years than Roman Reigns has had in two.
Dawg I’ve taken less time off for injuries in the last 12 years than the other champ has taken for vacation in the last 2 years…