Posts Tagged ‘The Rock’

Daily Drop (5/3): WWE SmackDown Plans In France, AEW Loses Another Key Player

It’s Friday, and you know what that means, it’s time for the Daily Drop. Today’s edition should catch you up on everything you need to know before going out into the pro wrestling community today.

Before we get going, probably the biggest story in pro wrestling has to do with Janel Grant’s lawsuit. John Laurinaitis has changed his position in the ongoing legal case involving former WWE executive Vince McMahon. Previously, Laurinaitis had claimed to be a victim but has now filed a motion to support McMahon’s efforts to counter Janel Grant’s allegations. This change is a significant shift in the case. Initially, Laurinaitis distanced himself from McMahon, but his latest legal action aligns him closely with McMahon, forming a united front against Grant’s accusations.

WWE:

WWE SmackDown 5/3 Card:

  • A-Town Down Under (Grayson Waller & Austin Theory) versus The Street Profits – WWE Tag Team Championship Match
  • New Catch Republic (Axiom & Nathan Frazer) against Authors of Pain
  • Cody Rhodes and A.J. Styles face off ahead of their Undisputed WWE Championship match at Backlash
  • Debut of the RKO Show, hosted by Randy Orton & Kevin Owens

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C6ZWe2Ci4_Y

Rollins Isn’t Leaving: On Friday morning, news broke that Seth Rollins has inked a new deal with WWE. The details are not 100% clear at this time, but his new multi-year contract will keep him with WWE into his 40s. The Visionary is currently only 37-years-old.

SmackDown Plans: Tonight’s episode of SmackDown will air on a tape-delay for fans in America. That being said, it will be a rare treat for fans in the UK, as they get to watch a SmackDown show live for once at a decent time, 6:00 PM local time. WWE Backlash is going down tomorrow, May 4, and coverage starts at 1:00 PM EST.

AEW:

Ethan Page Gone: Although he entered AEW with a lot of momentum, coming off a great run with The North and tag team partner Josh Alexander in Impact Wrestling, Page didn’t do a lot in AEW. Now, he is gone from the company, as he had been wanting to leave the Land of All Elite since February.

Julia Hart Injured: The former TBS Champion confirmed that she is injured. She also may need surgery to fix her issue before making a return to the ring.

AEW Viewership: The May 1st edition of AEW Dynamite attracted 703,000 viewers with a 0.24 rating in the 18-49 demographic, showing a slight increase from the previous week’s 683,000 viewers and a 0.23 rating. Following Dynamite, Rampage aired a live episode and drew 431,000 viewers with a 0.15 demographic rating. This was a significant improvement over the last Rampage after Collision, which had 293,000 viewers and a 0.09 rating.

Here are the upcoming major wrestling events

  • Saturday, May 25: King & Queen of the Ring (PLE)
  • Sunday, May 26: AEW Double or Nothing (PPV)
  • Sunday, June 9: NXT Battleground (PLE)

Posted May 3rd, 2024 in News. Tagged: , , , .

Ric Flair Rips “Bull***” ‘Who Killed WCW’ Docuseries Produced By The Rock

Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is no fan of an upcoming docuseries from The Rock’s Seven Bucks Productions that’ll dive deep into the collapse of WCW. 

The project was announced in November 2023 and aims to give a fresh look at the circumstances that led to WCW going out of business in March 2001. The promotion was purchased for around $2 million by the WWF, less than a year a SFX Entertainment had offered $500 million for the promotion. 

While the project has intrigued wrestling fans, Ric Flair, a staple of WCW, is not on board with the docuseries. Taking to Twitter, the Nature Boy criticized the project given that he was not asked to participate in the show. 

Flair is indeed synonymous with World Championship Wrestling and was with the promotion until its last day. The main event of the final episode of WCW Monday Nitro saw Flair lose to fellow WCW icon Sting. Flair has since revealed that the match was requested by Vince McMahon who held immense respect for the pair. 

While Ric Flair is no fan of the Who Killed WCW docuseries, the project does have some high-profile support. WWE Hall of Famer and former WCW World Champion Kevin Nash has said that the show will feature the real reason WCW collapsed, rather than WWE’s retelling of events. Whatever you may think of the production, the docuseries will prove to be an interesting watch when it premieres on VICE TV in June of 2024. 

More on WCW

Here are some recent articles regarding WCW as fans await the docuseries from Seven Bucks Productions:

Posted May 2nd, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

Was The Rock’s Return To WWE An Attempt To Break The Hollywood Star’s Losing Streak?

Was The Rock inspired to return to WWE after a series of public setbacks in the world of entertainment? Some within the promotion believe so. 

The Brahma Bull was appointed to TKO’s Board of Directors in January 2024 and quickly found himself taking center-stage on WWE programming. After a shaky start given the immense popularity of Cody Rhodes, The Rock found his place as a heel megalomaniac, creating the popular ‘Final Boss’ persona. 

On Wrestling Observer Radio, The Rock’s return was discussed in detail. Some in WWE believe The Rock’s comeback stemmed from more than just wanting to give back to wrestling. 

“There were people in WWE who felt like his return to WWE this year was an attempt to turn around a losing streak so to speak. Young Rock got canceled, some of his movies weren’t as successful as hoped for and WWE was an easy win.”

Young Rock’s cancellation came after three seasons of the show, with the final season averaging 1.4 million viewers, under half the 3 million that the show’s initial season brought in. This setback came just one year after Black Adam, a project the Hollywood A-Lister had been attached to for years, flopped at the box office.

What’s to Come for The Rock? 

The Rock has almost always succeeded in the world of professional wrestling, so it’s not a surprise that he has returned to the industry he once dominated. On the post-WrestleMania Raw, Rock vowed to return and confront Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. 

Here are some recent articles regarding The Rock as the Final Boss continues to make waves in WWE even during his current hiatus: 

Posted May 2nd, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: .

Daily Drop (5/1): CM Punk Has Priceless Fan Moment, Power Struggle Building In AEW

It’s the first Daily Drop of May, and we have a lot to cover. Last night saw NXT bring the second night of their Spring Breakin’ event, and there is a lot to unpack.

First off, Wes Lee made his return from injury, and he is going for the North American Title, currently held by Oba Femi. The night concluded with Lola Vice defeating Natalya in an NXT Underground match.

Let’s get into today’s Daily Drop!

WWE:

New NXT Title: The NXT Women’s North American Championship is coming. On the April 30 episode of WWE NXT, General Manager Ava announced that the title will find its inaugural champion at NXT Battleground on June 9 in a six-woman ladder match in the UFC Apex. Before this event, there will be qualifying matches to decide the participants in the ladder match.

The Rock Responds: The Rock dropped a photo of himself during the WrestleMania 40 walkthrough. This was after reports that he was late and his tardiness caused issues. The timing of this post was apparent that he wanted to make a statement of denial that he was late to WrestleMania.

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C6aOICzrbOV

Who Killed WCW?: The trailer for Seven Bucks Productions’ upcoming four-part Vice TV documentary about WCW’s demise is out, and fans are talking about it in a big way. This new documentary, debuting on June 4, promises to include a lot of stories that fans haven’t heard before, and from a different angle as well. This should be a great watch, especially since Dark Side of the Ring creators are also involved.

CM Poop: During Monday’s draft on RAW, CM Punk showed up to surprise Drew McIntyre, who didn’t think he made the trip to the show. Punk later surprised a fan who brought a “CM Poop” sign to the show. The Second City Savior tracked this fan down and had to autograph the sign. He also took photos with the young fans who brought it to the show.

AEW:

AEW Dynamite Card for 5/1:

  • Kenny Omega returns
  • Find out Swerve Strickland’s challenger for AEW World Title at Double Or Nothing
  • FTW Championship: Chris Jericho (c) vs. Katsuyori Shibata
  • AEW TNT Championship: Adam Copeland (c) vs. Buddy Matthews
  • Mariah May vs. Serena Deeb
  • Claudio Castagnoli vs. Brian Cage (with Prince Nana)
  • Samoa Joe vs. Isiah Kassidy

Darby Allin Injury Update: Allin updated fans after he was hit by a NYC bus. He may still appear on AEW television, but his Mount Everest journey is cancelled for now. That being said, his foot is not scheduled to heal until around June, so he has a couple of months left.

Power Struggle: Tony Khan spoke about the power struggle going on in AEW right now. This week’s episode of Dynamite in Winnipeg could be a very interesting one with everything going on in the company. Since Kenny Omega is returning tonight, it’s anyone’s guess how another EVP might weigh into things.

Online Battle: Dax Harwood and Eric Bischoff are having it out on Twitter. This is all in defense of AEW, where Bischoff took the opportunity to call Harwood a “chunky little monkey” who keeps tabs on his timeline.

The Wizard at The Game: Chris Jericho showed up to Game 5 of the NHL Playoffs, where the Winnipeg Jets faced off against the Colorado Avalanche. Jericho pumped up the crowd, but in the end, the Jets were defeated 6-3 by the Avalanche, losing the series 4-1.

Upcoming PPV’s and PLE’s:

Here are the upcoming major wrestling events

  • Saturday, May 4: WWE Backlash France (PLE)
  • Sunday, May 26: NXT Battleground (PLE)
  • Sunday, May 26: AEW Double or Nothing (PPV)

Posted May 1st, 2024 in News. Tagged: , , , .

WWE, Amazon Refute Report That Dwayne Johnson Is Unprofessional: “Ridiculous and False”

A higher-up with WWE has categorically denies a report that The Rock was significantly late for WrestleMania 40 earlier this month. TheWrap ran a negative piece on Dwayne Johnson this week, accusing the Final Boss of being a nightmare to work with on the set of movies and at other projects. 

WWE Executive Vice President Chris Legentil quickly put a statement addressing the aspects of the story that relate to WWE. Legentil says the story couldn’t be farther from the truth. In fact, he says Rock was there several hours early and was a pleasure to work with throughout his entire run this year.

“Dwayne was not only on time for Wrestlemania, he was hours early to help with rehearsal — and a pleasure to work with throughout the entire run.”

‘Red One’ Rumor Killer

Dwayne Johnson’s ‘chronic lateness’ and lack of professionalism on set reportedly caused production delays on his new movie project ‘Red One.’ One anonymous source alleges  he ‘relieves himself’ in water battles and has his subordinates dispose it. 

A source close to Amazon MGM refutes that claim by The Wrap and calls these allegations “ridiculous and false.”

“Dwayne Johnson and Seven Bucks have been incredible partners on ‘Red One.’ Any reporting that implies that we got to this point with him showing up seven-eight hours late to set is both ridiculous and false.”

The source added that it is “completely normal” for budget fluctuations to happen within 15% of the target, which is what happened with Red One. The Rock has vowed to return to WWE after the filming of his newest project ‘The Smashing Machine‘ which tells the story of UFC fighter Steve Kerr. 

The Rock was two hours late to an appearance at WWE World, this was out of his hands, but that was chalked up to WWE commitments and bad traffic getting to the event. When he did arrive, he lelate as he was busy watching the Philadelphia Eagles lose. 

Posted May 1st, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: .

Daily Drop (4/28): Carmelo Hayes Predicted First Round Draft Pick, AEW Roster Sees Multiple Injury Setbacks

Welcome to our Daily Drop for Sunday, April 28. There is always something going on in the pro wrestling world, and today is no exception.

Before we get going, Drew McIntyre finally inked a new WWE contract. This is the first round of big contracts to come due since TKO took over the operation, and it is interesting to see how they are waiting until the final moments to lock down these deals.

WWE:

Logan Paul Gender Reveal: Since Logan Paul grew up on the internet, and he created a ton of trends in the process, he got in on one popular activity for expecting parents who are also pro wrestling fans. The WWE United States Champion had a gender reveal wrestling match for all to see. Spoiler: It’s a girl!

Dolph Wins Gold: Nic Nemeth, who performed as Dolph Ziggler in WWE for years, picked up gold in AAA. He is now the company’s Mega Champion.

WWE Rivals: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and Booker T’s epic rivalry will be the focus of tonight’s episode of WWE Rivals on A&E. The show starts at 8:00 PM EST.

Melo Don’t Miss: Carmelo Hayes quote re-posted an old tweet from 2021. That old tweet said he would be a first-round draft pick. His updated post said that it took long enough. Melo was picked #2 in the first round by SmackDown in the 2024 WWE Draft, only coming in behind Bianca Belair.

AEW:

MJF’s Surgery: MJF will be out of action for even longer now, as he had shoulder surgery. At this time, there is no return planned for him.

Darby Allin’s Latest Injury: Allin may be out of action with an injured foot, but now he has even more problems. He was hit by a bus in New York City. He seems to be okay, all things considered, but this will not help speed along his in-ring return.

Grizzled Young Vets Aren’t Happy: The Acclaimed beat Grizzled Young Veterans in the former NXT tag team’s first AEW match. James Drake and Zack Gibson are not happy about how that match on Collision turned out, and they let everyone know this with a furious promo.

Upcoming PPV’s and PLE’s:

Here are the upcoming major wrestling events

  • Saturday, May 4: WWE Backlash France (PLE)
  • Sunday, May 26: NXT Battleground (PLE)
  • Sunday, May 26: AEW Double or Nothing (PPV)

Posted April 28th, 2024 in News. Tagged: , , , , .

WWE’s PG Era Officially Over: The Rock & Paul Heyman Promos Mark End Of The Old Ways

The ‘PG Era’ of WWE is officially a thing of the past though the promotion will continue to adhere to its viewing guidelines for now. 

WWE transitioned into a PG rating in 2008 in a move that saw the promotion tone back on its more suggestive storylines, ban chairshots and greatly reduce the amount of blading allowed on-screen. The ‘PG Era’ has often been criticized by fans as a time when WWE became ‘too kid-friendly’ compared to how it once was. 

This era of WWE is officially dead, Dave Meltzer reports, as the promotion is all-in on its current period dubbed by some as the ‘Renaissance Era.’ The Rock’s scathing promos in the run-up to WrestleMania 40 played a factor in the “official end” of the PG Era. The Final Boss certainly didn’t hold back with his promos which at the time seemed entirely opposed to WWE’s rules about what was allowed to be said. 

Paul Heyman’s Hall of Fame acceptance speech was also part of the end of the PG Era. The Bloodline’s special counsel responded to a ‘You deserve it’ chant with “You’re damn f***ing right I do!’ and told haters of ECW to “suck my f***ing d**k!”

While this era is a thing of the past, WWE programming remains PG for the time being. It’s entirely possible that ratings could change once Raw moves to Netflix in January 2025 or when WWE NXT heads to The CW later this year. Any potential change will hinge on what those broadcasters want and also what sponsors will be comfortable with.

Posted April 26th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

The Rock Pays Tribute To His Late Father with Act of Generosity to Fan’s Cleaning Business

The Rock was able to reflect on his relationship with his late father Rocky Johnson with an incredible act of generosity to a long-time fan of the Final Boss. 

On Twitter, the TKO board member shared a video of himself meeting a fan named Ricardo and his son Isaiah. The Rock spoke about how Ricardo does everything to try and help his family, much like the late Johnson did for his own kin. 

In an incredible moment of generosity, The Rock gifted Ricardo a truck to help with his cleaning business, an industry Johnson was also once a part of. The gifts didn’t stop there as The Rock also gifted Ricardo and Isaiah $100,000 to help with the business. 

Rocky Johnson and his son had a sometimes strained relationship, as documented in NBC’s Young Rock as well as his 1999 New York Times bestseller ‘The Rock Says.’ Despite this, The Rock inducted his father into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2008 in an induction that saw ‘High Chief’ Peter Maivia be posthumously inducted. 

This is hardly the first time The Rock has been incredibly generous. In June of last year, The Rock bought a home for WWE’s Tamina Snuka and has previously bought a car and other purchases for his mother. More recently, The Rock shared that he is giving away another truck to mark the launch of ZOA Energy’s new Mango Splash flavor. 

More from The Rock

Here are some recent articles from The Rock as the Final Boss and Hollywood A-Lister continues to dominate the world of entertainment:

Posted April 25th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

Jinder Mahal Reveals How He Found Out About Day 1 Segment With The Rock

Jinder Mahal has revealed the lengths WWE Creative went to keep his segment with The Rock a surprise and when he actually found out that he was working with The Great One.

Officials had announced the return of a ‘former WWE Champion’ for the Day 1 episode of Raw. The segment was planned for the Hollywood star, but the Maharaja came out first to swerve the audience. This created even more excitement for The Rock when he came out and delivered a people’s elbow to Mahal after a verbal exchange.

The 37-year-old spoke to Chris Van Vliet over the WrestleMania 40 weekend. In the interview that was released on April 23, Mahal was asked if he ever thought he was intended to be the announced former WWE champion for Day 1.

Jinder explained that he pieced together the fact that he was going to be involved in the segment somehow after the travel department messaged him personally instead of their group chat with Indus Sher:

“So I put it together, I kind of pieced it together. I got a text from creative ‘Hey, you guys have nothing this week.’ And then actually travel text says ‘Hey you guys are not flying out.’ I’m in a group chat with Indus Sher with our travel department.

Then 20 minutes later I get a separate text saying, ‘Actually, you are going’ I thought it was a little weird that it was just me and not Indus Sher but I didn’t think anything of it.

Then like a few hours later, I see the announcement on Twitter – Former WWE champion returns. I knew it wasn’t gonna be me but I figured like I’m going to be a part of it. So I texted Indus Sher ‘Hey, are you guys going to Raw?’ They said, ‘No.’ Alright, it’s just me going.”

The Segment With The Rock

Jinder Mahal revealed that the creative plans were not relayed to him even after this. He found out about the segment with The Rock only a couple of days before the show:

“So I’m like, ‘okay, good chance. I think it’s me.’ And actually it was Christmas week. I was with my family in Calgary. I flew back I think on the 30th. Yeah, I was flying back on the 30th. When I was in my flight, I got a text from one of the writers ‘Hey, can you talk on the phone?’

I said ‘I’m in the plane for a few more hours when it lands I’ll call you.’ When I landed just one of the writers he said ‘Yeah, so we got you in a segment….with the Rock.’ They’re like ‘Kayfabe.’ I said ‘Yes. Yes. 100%. Looking forward to it.’ So that’s how I found out. I found out two days before.”

The segment led to a prolonged buzz for Jinder Mahal. He was put in a world heavyweight championship match with Seth Rollins right after it. Many people came to his defense when Tony Khan decided to name-drop him on Twitter to defend his booking of AEW star Hook.

Mahal unfortunately has been released from his WWE contract since then and the former champion is currently waiting for his non-compete clause to expire.

Posted April 23rd, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , , .

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson Giving Away Ford F-150 Truck To Mark ZOA Mango Flavor Launch

One lucky WWE fan could soon be in possession of a new Ford F-150 truck, courtesy of none other than Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. 

Taking to Twitter, the Final Boss shared the giveaway in association with his ZOA Energy line of beverages. Fans hoping to win the ‘People’s Truck’ need to scan the in-store QR code at a 7-11 store near them to be in for a chance at winning. Not only is The Rock giving away the car, but the Brahma Bull has a “cool idea” of how he plans to deliver the truck to the winner. 

This giveaway is hardly the first sign of generosity from the TKO board member/WrestleMania headliner. In June of last year, The Rock bought a home for WWE’s Tamina Snuka, and has previously bought a car and other massive purchases for his mom. Last September, he ensured that a fan who a U.S. serviceman who received a fake autograph received a genuine one, among other gifts. More recently, The Rock gave big to the foundation of a couple that lost their young daughter to cancer. 

The Rock may be focused on his ZOA beverage range right now, but the Final Boss still has an eye on the world of WWE. During the post-WrestleMania Raw, The Rock confronted Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and made clear that he’ll be back and is coming for the American Nightmare. A match between the two is expected with some speculating it could be later this year. 

What’s New with The Rock? 

Here are some recent articles about Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson and what the Final Boss has been up to as of late: 

Posted April 23rd, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: .

The Rock Starts MMA Workouts For New ‘The Smashing Machine’ Movie

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is stepping from the wrestling ring to the MMA cage as part of the intense training for his latest movie project ‘The Smashing Machine.’

The Rock recently wrapped up his time with WWE but has threatened to return to confront Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. Many fans are expecting a match between the two, possibly later this year or at WrestleMania 41. 

Before that happens though, Johnson’s focus is on his new film. The Smashing Machine will focus on the life of fighter Mark Kerr and detail his rise in the world of MMA as well as his struggles with personal problems. Johnson will be portraying Kerr. 

Taking to social media, Johnson reflected on his appearances at WrestleMania 40 and admitted he’s “banged up” but ready to go. The Final Boss added that his MMA workouts will be starting very soon and hopes that The Smashing Machine will serve as a love letter to those battling addiction, including the many friends he’s lost to addiction and mental health struggles. 

The Smashing Machine is certainly a change from the norm for Johnson, who typically sticks to family-friendly films (Moana, The Jungle Cruise) or high-end blockbusters like The Fast and the Furious franchise.) Currently, there’s no confirmed date for when fans can expect The Smashing Machine in cinemas. 

While the world of MMA is something new for the Final Boss, his athletic credentials can’t be denied. In addition to his exceptional wrestling career, Johnson played college football and has sculpted his physique with the passion of a bodybuilder. 

Johnson has made himself a blockbuster megastar and it’s commendable that the 51-year-old is ready to try something new. As a prolific social media user who has one of the largest followings in the world, fans can expect plenty of updates about The Smashing Machine and WWE from the Final Boss. 

Posted April 21st, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

The Rock Calls WrestleMania 40 ‘Chapter 1’ of His Story As WWE’s Final Boss

The Rock is ready to do much more as the ‘Final Boss’ of WWE following the historic WrestleMania 40 Premium Live Event. 

WrestleMania 40: Sunday went off the air with Cody Rhodes standing tall as Undisputed WWE Champion, despite the efforts of The Rock and The Bloodline. On the post-WrestleMania Raw, The Rock made clear that he’ll be back one day and that he’s coming for the American Nightmare. 

The Rock is expected back on WWE programming, and his return could happen before 2024 is up, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports. It’s said that there is a chance of The Rock doing a match later this year, with fans speculating that a Saudi Arabia show could be in his future. 

Whether The Rock wrestles again in 2024 or not, his focus remains on Cody Rhodes. The report adds that a match with Rhodes has been tentatively penciled in for WrestleMania, though whether Cody is the champion or not by then will play a factor in booking decisions. 

Whatever comes next, The Rock’s metamorphosis into the Final Boss has been a hit with fans and is seemingly here to stay. Taking to Instagram, The Rock deemed WrestleMania 40 merely the first chapter of what’s to come with this character. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/reel:C582jMOxCOz

With The Rock part of the TKO board of directors, his connection to WWE is arguably the strongest it’s been in decades. There are still some questions remaining, including where the long-rumored showdown with Roman Reigns will take place. The Tribal Chief is also off of WWE programming for the time being, but for The Rock, his return isn’t an if, but when. 

Posted April 19th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

Cody Rhodes Believes WWE’s Success Will Lure The Rock Back Into The Ring

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes believes that the success of WWE’s product will help lure The Rock back into the squared circle. 

Rhodes is currently in the UK as part of an ongoing tour by WWE, his first overseas tour as the Undisputed WWE Champion. Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Rhodes was asked about the possibility of a showdown with The Rock. 

“I think it’ll really come down to can I be a good champion or a great champion, Roman Reigns was a great champion, and will that be enough to entice The Rock?”

While Rhodes put a great deal of pressure on himself to be a champion worthy of The Rock’s return, he acknowledged that WWE’s success as a whole would play a factor. 

“This run, it’s a whole new generation, a whole new locker room. Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, myself, Rhea Ripley, all these people. I think the more we keep this, the better we do, the more chances it lures Rock back into the fray.”

The Rock and Rhodes were at odds during the build to WrestleMania 40 including an assault on the American Nightmare that left Cody battered and bloodied in Chicago. On the post-WrestleMania 40 edition of Raw, the Final Boss vowed to return to WWE programming one day and is coming for Cody Rhodes. 

If Cody believes that a successful WWE will bring The Rock back to the ring, then the Great One’s next match is all but guaranteed. WrestleMania 40 broke several records for the promotion and was critically well-received by fans. WWE, by its own admission, is in a ‘new era,’ one without Vince McMahon’s involvement. 

WWE is certainly doing big business right now and that won’t go unnoticed by The Rock who is also a member of TKO’s board of directors. With those in WWE of the opinion that WrestleMania 40: Saturday was not The Rock’s last match, it appears Cody Rhodes will get his wish. 

Posted April 19th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

Daily Drop (4/18): WWE Changing PLE Plans, Nyla Rose Reacts To Controversial Ban

Welcome to the Daily Drop for Thursday, April 18, 2024. AEW brought a packed episode of Dynamite last night, the go-home episode before Dynasty, as they prepared for Swerve Strickland’s AEW World Title shot against Samoa Joe.

Before we get going, new details about Vince McMahon’s life after WWE were revealed. McMahon has stayed in contact with The Rock and John Cena during his retirement. He has also done a lot of traveling and bought cats.

Let’s get into today’s Daily Drop!

WWE:

– WrestleMania 41 Location: Nick Khan stated that WWE is looking at Las Vegas for WrestleMania 41′s host city. People in Minneapolis may not be thrilled about that.

– WWE Moving PLEs: The WWE CEO also stated that the company will continue promoting the big four premium live events in the United States, but the plan is to shop all other PLEs, around seven a year, to markets outside America. So, overseas premium live events may become a very common thing from this point on.

– Piper Inspires: Piper Niven has spoken about how she wants to be a role model and inspiration for bigger girls.

– Drew McIntyre Gets Heat: McIntyre had a lot of fun trolling CM Punk, and the fans, in Birmingham.

– Drew Was On Fire: During that same match in Birmingham, McIntyre grabbed the microphone a second time. Drew McIntyre interrupted his match to demand respect, noting he’s a Great British Hero and unlike Wade Barrett and British Bulldog, he has won a world title.

– Roman’s Acting Career: Roman Reigns will be in a new movie called ‘Good Fortune’ With Keanu Reeves, Keke Palmer.

– Erick Redbeard Situation: After pulling out of an indie wrestling event, it is the general belief that the former Erick Rowan is on his way back to WWE. The idea is that he may be a part of Bo Dallas’ rumored Uncle Howdy stable. Stay tuned…

– WWE NXT Viewership: The April 16 episode of NXT drew 625,000 viewers, slightly down from 647,000 on April 9. The April 9 episode’s 18-49 demographic rating was 0.17, a slight decrease from 0.19. NXT faced competition from an NBA Play-In Tournament game between the Lakers and Pelicans, which attracted 1.9 million viewers and a 1.46 rating on TNT.

AEW:

– Nyla Rose Ban: The state of Oklahoma has declared that Nyla Rose is not allowed to wrestle cis-gendered females anymore. This controversy sparked a huge response, and the Native Beast responded to her supporters on Twitter/X during AEW Dynamite.

– WWE to AEW: Longtime WWE Spanish language commentator Carlos Cabrera has signed with AEW. He started on Dynamite this week.

– Ruby Pregnant: Ruby Soho announced during the AEW Rampage taping this week that she is pregnant. This doesn’t seem to a storyline.

– Forbidden Door Plans: Bodyslam.net reported that AEW is planning to have Joshi star AZM back for Forbidden Door.

– Goodbye Bay-Bay: Adam Cole is off the road with AEW. The travel was getting in the way of his recovery progress, so he’s taking time off to focus on his ankle injury. That is terrible news for The Devil storyline.

Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Pay-Per-View Events:

  • 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.

Posted April 18th, 2024 in News. Tagged: , , , .

Vince McMahon Remains In Contact with The Rock & John Cena Amid WWE Exit

Vince McMahon’s days in WWE may be a thing of the past, but the former Chairman remains in touch with some huge names from the world of pro wrestling.

McMahon resigned from WWE for the second time in January 2024 and unlike his 2022 retirement, he is not expected to return. WWE has made a concerted effort to distance themselves from McMahon including launching a new ‘era’ with WrestleMania 40, the first ‘Showcase of the Immortals’ without McMahon’s involvement. McMahon recently listed the remainder of his stock in TKO for sale which if all is sold, would give him no shareholder influence over the company.

Loyal Friends

While WWE has avoided referencing McMahon on its programming, the billionaire remains in contact with TKO board member Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, NBC News reports. The Brahma Bull was appointed to the board around the same time that the Janel Grant lawsuit against McMahon that resulted in his resignation came to light. 

The 78-year-old billionaire also remains in contact with John Cena though there’s no word on what either man discusses with McMahon. This isn’t the first time Cena’s name has been linked to McMahon following his resignation. The 16-time World Champion’s recent comments about loving McMahon despite the allegations against him spawned a backlash for the wrestler-turned-actor. 

As the top dog in professional wrestling for decades, McMahon built the careers of countless individuals so it’s hardly a surprise that some remain loyal to the controversial billionaire. While it’s been stated that nobody in WWE is defending McMahon, Ronda Rousey isn’t so sure and recently claimed that as long as Bruce Prichard is involved in WWE, McMahon has a direct line to influence decisions. 

More Exits

McMahon’s departure from WWE is arguably the biggest exit in company history but he isn’t the only veteran to leave the squared circle behind. Kevin Dunn left WWE after over four decades in late 2023 despite hopes within the promotion that he’d stay on until WrestleMania 40. He has been replaced as Head of Production by Lee Fitting. 

Sue Aitchison is another long-time WWE name who has left WWE. Aitchison oversaw WWE’s outreach department and played an intrinsic role in nurturing the company’s relationship with Make-A-Wish. For her efforts, she received the WWE Hall of Fame’s Warrior Award in 2019. 

Right now, it’s hard to ignore the ‘changing of the guard’ atmosphere within WWE as those who ruled the company for decades are no longer in the picture. With that said it’ll still be some time until Vince’s people are fully phased out of the promotion’s internal workings. 

As McMahon prepares for possibly the biggest fight of his life, at least legally speaking, the fact that some of WWE’s top names have kept in touch with him is an interesting development, and suggests that McMahon could indeed have an interest in WWE greater than what those in the promotion are letting on.

Posted April 17th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , , .

NBA Legend Charles Barkley Gives Props to The Rock’s WWE Return Performance

The Rock’s WWE return on the road to WrestleMania saw a few changes along the way, but Dwayne Johnson’s charisma was turned up to 11 the whole time. Charles Barkley was watching at home, and he noticed how the Great One didn’t lose a step.

Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show, Charles Barkley praised The Rock’s recent performance in WWE. The two-time Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer has been paying close attention to WWE programming, and he had to give The People’s Champion his flowers.

“Pat, you know I’ve been watching you guys for a couple of months, and does The Rock have the best personality and charisma on television? Obviously, Roman and Cody and all those guys are fantastic, but The Rock … he’s got that thing, you know when you see a player and go ‘he’s different from everybody else.’ Man, when you see The Rock perform and you go, ‘damn, he’s good.’ His personality, when he’s talking, you’re like ‘oh I gotta watch this.’

Sir Charles said that he loves Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso, and everyone else, but The Rock stands alone. He commended Dwayne Johnson for going away for so long and coming back with “the charisma bug,” something that gained a massive amount of attention for The Final Boss as Cody Rhodes fought to finish his story.

Barkley went on to say of The Rock, “I was impressed. I’ve known him, we’re not great friends, but I’ve known him for a long time, and when I saw him, I was like, ‘He has that thing,’ and when he’s working, I want to watch. He plays the heel perfectly. His charisma, it’s an honor.”

The Rock’s Road to WrestleMania 40

The Rock first called his shot for WrestleMania 40 when he showed up during the Day 1 episode of RAW this year. His reference of sitting at the head of the table was not lost on anyone. After Cody Rhodes won the 2024 Royal Rumble match, he brought The Rock out the next night as he seemingly stepped away from an Undisputed WWE World Title match at the show of shows.

Original plans for WrestleMania 40 did not include the card fans saw in Lincoln Financial Field. The Rock wanted a one-on-one match against Roman Reigns, and that would have happened if the “Cody Crybabies” didn’t speak out. The Rock eventually conceded that Cody should have the main event.

The Rock vs Roman Reigns was the original plan for WrestleMania, with Cody Rhodes not wrestling at the event due to a kayfabed injury. Seth Rollins vs CM Punk was also supposed to happen, but that match was changed to Drew McIntyre after Punk’s triceps injury took him out of action.

The main event matches for both nights of WrestleMania 40 were then changed to facilitate the new direction. The Rock teamed with Roman Reigns to take on Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the first night, with Cody vs Roman getting to battle it out in a Bloodline rules stipulation on WrestleMania 40 Sunday.

Posted April 17th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

Daily Drop (4/15): Big E Confirms Relationship, AEW Injury List Update

Welcome to the Daily Drop for Monday, April 15, 2024. You never know what will happen every day in the pro wrestling world.

Before we get going, The Rock dropped a video update for fans. After giving a health update and calling Seth Rollins the MVP is WrestleMania 40, The Final Boss made it clear that he has his eyes on a return to the ring: “What an honor it was to share the ring with you three. What an honor it was to for us to break records, and now my sights are set on the next WrestleMania, but that’s conversation down the road.”

Now, let’s get right into today’s Daily Drop!

WWE:

– WWE Releases: We took a closer look at the last four shocking internal WWE releases.

– Big E’s Relationship: The New Day Member, who has been historically quiet about his personal life, revealed that he is dating Mia Yim’s sister, Kris Yim. Best of luck to the both of them.

– Jade Cargill Cosplay: Cargill said that she is waiting for the right moment to break out her Storm cosplay ring gear.

– WWE Draft: Two NXT Superstars are reportedly a lock to get a main roster call-up this time around. We will have to see where they land.

– Redbeard Rumors: Erick Redbeard had to pull out of an indie wrestling gig due to contractual issues. Most assume this means he is on his way back to WWE, because that is a common excuse for cancelling gigs before someone appears on television.

WWE RAW Card (4/15):

  • Cody Rhodes appears
  • WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley responds to Liv Morgan’s attack
  • WWE Intercontinental Championship: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Chad Gable
  • Finn Balor vs. Jey Uso
  • Andrade vs. Dominik Mysterio
  • Sheamus returns
  • Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell vs. Ivy Nile & Maxxine Dupri
  • Chelsea Green & Piper Niven vs. Katana Chance & Kayden Carter

AEW:

– Ospreay Inspired: Will Ospreay said he hopes to be an inspiration for those with autism, dyslexia, and ADHD.

– Omega Surgery: Kenny Omega will not rule out surgery yet for his diverticulitis issue. Sadly, it doesn’t seem to have cleared up.

– Ricky Starks Defends Tony Khan: Absolute Starks decided to defend Tony Khan from Twitter/X trolls.

– Julia Hart’s Injury Status: Julia Hart experienced a concerning shoulder situation during last week’s Dynamite, and some feared an injury. It has been reported that she’s in the clear. Despite initial worries about her condition, Hart is still scheduled to compete at AEW Dynasty next week.

– AEW Collision Viewership: The April 13th episode of AEW Collision attracted an average overnight viewership of 442,000, scoring a 0.1 rating in the 18 to 49 demographic. This marks a decline from the previous episode, which had 463,000 viewers and a 0.15 demographic rating.

Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Pay-Per-View Events:

  • 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.

Posted April 15th, 2024 in News. Tagged: , .

The Rock’s Sunday Drop: Health Update, WrestleMania Future And More

The Rock has provided an update on his condition after the 45-minute WrestleMania 40 main event.

The Great One returned to the ring after almost 8 years to deliver one of the biggest WrestleMania main events in the history of the show. He teamed up with Roman Reigns to face Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in a grueling match. The Hollywood star delivered the punishment he had promised and finally won the match for his team by pinning The American Nightmare.

Though the People’s Champion didn’t come out unscathed from the Show of Shows. In a Sunday video drop on Instagram, he provided an update on his condition and further teased future WWE plans.

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C5wzPBAvN-h

The Biggest WrestleMania of All Time

The Rock started off by saying thank you to the fans. He mentioned that he wanted to help create ‘the biggest WrestleMania of all time’ and they were able to shatter every record because of the fans:

“Okay, so a few things. Number one, let me just start with Thank you. Let me say thank you so, so much. For all the incredible support going into WrestleMania, the build up to WrestleMania, I wanted to help create the biggest WrestleMania of all time, the biggest buildup of all time, make wrestling cool again. Professional wrestling is cool again from the final boss.

I want to say thank you so much for all of your support. We shattered every WrestleMania record this past WrestleMania. We shattered every WWE record, and we did it because of you the fans, and we did it for you, the fans. So thank you, thank you, thank you.”

The Rock Provides Health Update

Speaking about his physical condition coming out of the brutal PLE main event on April 6, The Rock mentioned that he has spent the past week recovering. However, while he is banged up coming out of the tag match, the good news is that there are no injuries to report:

“How my body feels after WrestleMania? Banged up like a son of a bitch. But that’s to be expected. That’s just the world we’re in. Whether it’s pro wrestling, or MMA, UFC, pro boxing, you go into these events, you prepare as best you can. You have your training camps, and you get banged up like a son of a bitch.

Hopefully you come out of it, not injured, doesn’t always happen that way. My body’s banged up. This whole week I spent recovering, getting rid of all the inflammation, lactic acid, but no injuries. So that’s the key.

So anytime you could go through a match like that, whether it’s 45 minutes, like our match, or whatever it is. It’s WrestleMania. You leave it all out in the ring like every woman, like every guy did in that locker room. You get banged up, and hopefully you don’t get injured, so no injuries here to report. My body feels great.”

The former world champion mentioned that he had an intense 12-week training camp before the show. He revealed that he had rings set up in Hawaii, Southern California, and Georgia and wrestlers were flown in to help him get into the ring shape. The Rock noted that he weighed 284lbs at the time the bell rang but still felt fast and athletic.

The MVP Of WrestleMania 40

While the Chapter of WrestleMania 40 has been closed with Cody Rhodes finally defeating Roman Reigns in the night two main event, the story is not finished just yet.

Speaking about the unfavourable outcome for The Bloodline, The Rock first congratulated both Cody and Roman Reigns and acknowledged Seth Rollins as the MVP of the whole arc leading to the PLE:

“I want to say congratulations to the men I was in the ring with. These guys are the best on the planet. Congratulations to Cody Rhodes, the new Universal Champion. As I had said, when the final boss returns, he’s coming back for you. Make you bleed again, boy. Congratulations, Cody Rhodes.

Congratulations to my cousin Roman Reigns on an incredible three-and-a-half-year run, maybe even four years. Just incredible and iconic and historic, very, very proud of you uso. Also congratulations to who I feel is a real MVP of the entire WrestleMania weekend – Seth Rollins. Seth freaking Rollins.”

The Rock finally ended the video referencing the tense confrontation between him and Cody Rhodes on Raw After Mania, and teased his involvement in WrestleMania 41:

“What an honour it was to share the ring with you three. What an honor it was to for us to break records and now my sights are set on the next WrestleMania but that’s conversation down the road.”

The Rock is expected to step away from WWE for his other projects for a while. Some major post-WrestleMania developments, however, speak of him not being done with Rhodes, or The Bloodline for that matter by a long shot.

Posted April 15th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

The Rock Thanks Everyone For WrestleMania 40

The Rock sure must feel cool because he has indeed helped make “pro wrestling cool again.”

‘The People’s Champion’ caught wind that WWE WrestleMania 40 became Peacock’s most streamed entertainment event ever in it’s short history and it caused ‘The Final Boss’ pause. He took the time to thank all the viewers who put their eyes on the app last weekend.

“Thank you to everyone who tuned in. Pro wrestling is in my blood and it was an honor to help build and deliver this event to the world. – The Final Boss

During the night one press conference of WrestleMania, The Rock was asked if he had a specific moment when he felt it was the right time to make his way back to WWE. The Rock noted that it was the moment when Ari Emanuel, the owner of Endeavor, gave him a ring on the phone to tell him that he was going to buy WWE. That’s when the two decided to work out.a strategy.

The Rock Can Also Thank Cody Rhodes

While The Rock was undoubtedly a major piece to the WrestleMania 40 puzzle, so was his night one dance partner in Cody Rhodes, who ultimately “finished the story” on night two against Roman Reigns.

“The American Nightmare” doesn’t just have the “Cody Crybabies” to make his case, but Rhodes has the actual numbers to back it up.

Over WrestleMania weekend, Cody has sold over $1 million of merchandise and after WrestleMania went off-the-air, he was the most Googled Superstar, even above ‘The Final Boss’ himself.

Posted April 14th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , , .

The Rock Awarded Over $9 Million of TKO Stock After Competing at WrestleMania 40

Dwayne Johnson was awarded 96,558 shares of TKO Group Holdings Class A common stock on Sunday, April 7, the day after returning to the ring at WrestleMania 40. The shares are valued at approximately $9.4 million.

According to a new financial filing, the previously restricted stock units vested upon “completion of certain services described” in his Independent Contractor Services and Merchandising Agreement dated January 22, 2024. He joined TKO’s 13-person Board of Directors the following day.

That agreement allows WWE to use The Rock’s name, image and likeness for up to ten years in exchange for approximately 400,000 shares of TKO stock currently valued at approximately $39 million.

According to Sportico, the first 25% of shares were awarded in January when the deal was completed. The next 25% will be awarded at the end of the year. Another 25% distributed monthly throughout 2025 and the remaining 25% was the completion of the ‘certain services.’

Posted April 9th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , , , .

Cody Rhodes Tops The Rock in Google Searches After WrestleMania 40

WrestleMania XL is in the books and the show was a blockbuster success by every conceivable metric. WWE’s latest press release touts too many broken records to list here.

Business was booming last year, but 2023’s numbers seem tame compared to what Triple H and company delivered this past weekend. The live gate for WrestleMania XL was up a staggering 78% from last year’s record, while viewership surged 41%. 

Looking at Google search volume, The Rock won the weekend. However, Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns received more Google searches than the Final Boss in the day following their legendary clash, an incredible feat when you see the chart below. 

Google Trends for WrestleMania XL

Google Trends is a very useful tool that allows you to view the Google search volume for any phrase during a period of time across various regions and formats. The data we’re using here is for Worldwide searches.

Dwayne Johnson is one of the most famous people in the world, so it’s no surprise that his usual search volume resembles a megastar like Beyonce than anybody in WWE.  (The Rock had higher search volume over the past 90 days, but Beyonce had the 3 highest spikes during that period – More)

Despite this built-in advantage, Rhodes still prevailed. Over the past 12 months, The Rock averaged 13x greater search volume than the new champion, which makes this feat even more impressive. The Rock says he returned to elevate WWE and this metric of fan interest shows he did just that:

Cody Rhodes finishing the Story at WWE WrestleMania 40 earned him an extremely rare ‘Google Trends’ victory over Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

The Rock and Cody Rhodes shared a ring for the third consecutive night on Monday’s WWE Raw. The 45-minute segment featured some memorable moments, including a “this is awkward” chant, The Rock delivering a comeback to the crowd that longtime fans may have recognized and a mysterious cliffhanger fans are trying to figure out.

The Rock told Cody Rhodes and the WWE Universe that he needs to leave again, but he’ll be back. When he returns, he plans to face the face of this new era, whether he’s still champion by then or not. Cody Rhodes vs. The Rock sure sounds like a WrestleMania main event.

John Cena stated on Monday at WWE World that his Hollywood schedule will keep him busy through the end of the year, so he’s taking time off as well. From there, Cena plans to go on one final run before calling it a career.

Hopefully we won’t have to wait until 2025 to see them again, but Cena and Rock are making it known they’re not retired.

However you feel about The Rock’s on-screen character, his latest WWE run was a resounding success. This is supported by WrestleMania breaking so many records, as well as the interest surrounding Cody Rhodes as the Rock rides off into the sunset. 

Posted April 9th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , , .

The Rock Gives Cody Rhodes His Flowers In Tense Segment During 4/8 RAW After WrestleMania 40

WrestleMania 40 saw Cody Rhodes finish his story, but this is just the beginning. The RAW after WrestleMania included a very interesting segment indeed.

Cody Rhodes started off WWE RAW this week as Triple H introduced him in the ring. They played a video package for Cody, and then he was left in the ring to start his first promo as champion.

The Rock interrupted Cody Rhodes’ speech, and he received a total heel reaction. He got in the ring, and he didn’t even get to say a word before the Philly crowd chanted, “shut the f*ck up” at him over and over again. They even had to bleep it on television.

Finally, The Rock said that he was out there to give Cody Rhodes his flowers. He also said that Philly broke another record for the biggest gathering of trailer park trash.

Fans were on fire for the segment, as they didn’t give The Rock any love as he raised his People’s Championship. They obviously didn’t want to show respect to The Great One.

The Rock then said that fans can chant whatever they want, because this was between himself and Cody. After reminding Cody everything that he went through on the road to WrestleMania, Dwayne Johnson then said that Dusty Rhodes had a big smile on his face during Mania.

After saying that Dusty was his hero, The Rock said Cody’s new belt looks beautiful with his American Nightmare name plate. Then he asked if there’s any way that The Rock can hold the title.

Cody agreed to The Rock’s request to hold his title for a moment, if they can switch titles. Then Cody took the People’s Championship from The Rock as Johnson took a closer look at Cody’s championship.

Fans chanted “this is awkward,” as The Rock said it “feels right” to hold the Cody’s title. They switched titles again, and The Rock said he has to go away for a while. This made the fans very happy to hear.

The Rock said that he’s coming back to Cody Rhodes, whether he’s champion or not. Cody said he’s looking forward to it, and then Rock reminded him that he pinned Cody at WrestleMania Saturday.

The People’s Champion said that Cody ended his story with Roman Reigns, “but our story has just begun.” That received a rousing “Cody” chant from the crowd.

Before the segment ended, Cody reminded The Rock that he may be the boss, because he’s on the TKO board of directors, but The American Nightmare is still champion. Then The Rock gave Cody something, but we didn’t see what he gave him. Rock simply said that Cody doesn’t even need to look at what it is, and “don’t you ever break my heart again.”

WWE’s Original WrestleMania 40 Plan

The Rock’s return on the road to WrestleMania 40 did not start out with the destination we ended up in. Rock wanted a match against Roman Reigns, but fan reaction played a huge part in changing that booking.

Cody Rhodes was initially supposed to go out of action with a kayfabed injury to take him out of the match, with him getting his match against Roman Reigns down the line. After The Rock conceded that Cody should face Roman Reigns instead, WWE changed up their booking plan for the show of shows. 

Posted April 8th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

The Rock Spotted Before 4/8 WWE RAW After WrestleMania 40

The Rock won his tag team match during WrestleMania Saturday, but things didn’t go so well for the Bloodline on WrestleMania Sunday. Now, it appears the Final Boss is at WWE RAW.

WWE RAW is at the Wells Fargo Center for their episode after WrestleMania. The Rock has been spotted before show at the site of RAW this week.

A video is going around social media showing The Rock arriving at the Wells Fargo Center. It appears that he will be on hand, but it is unclear if he will appear during the show.

WrestleMania 40

The Rock and Roman Reigns beat Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the main event of WrestleMania Saturday. That meant the main event of WrestleMania Sunday would be Bloodline rules.

During the Undisputed Universal Title match on April 7, Cody Rhodes finished his story and beat Roman Reigns for the title. The Rock was around as well, where he did interfere, but he also ate a chokeslam from The Undertaker, which put him out of the match.

Posted April 8th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

The Rock Hints At WWE Involvement Beyond WrestleMania 40: We’re Building For The Future

The Rock has hinted that WrestleMania 40 may not be his last program with WWE.

Ever since the Great One joined the TKO board of directors, there have been speculations that we will be seeing him on WWE programming more regularly.

After an amazing performance in the main event of WrestleMania Saturday, The People’s Champion took part in the post-show media scrum. He was asked if we can expect more big matches from him, to which The Rock said that he can’t elaborate on it at the moment:

“There might be. Can’t elaborate that much on that but there might be. I love what I do and I love our business. I was born into our business as you guys know so we’ll see.”

The Rock was later asked what inspired his comeback to the WWE ring after more than a decade. The Hollywood star mentioned how talks of a match between him and Roman Reigns have been going on since before WrestleMania 39. 

Speaking about finally pulling the plug on it, he said that the Endeavor sale was a catalyst for it. The Great One mentioned how he has known both Ari Emanuel and Nick Khan for a long time, and once again talked about building things beyond WrestleMania 40:

“My number one priority was ‘Can I come back and add real value this time around’ and not you know, coming back for hot shots one at a time maybe, making appearance one night. That’s fun. That’s fun for the fans, but I wanted something a little bit more, a lot more substantial. Not only a lot more substantial, but something that we can really build upon.

And so these past two, three months, I think we’ve been laying groundwork nicely, and not only building for WrestleMania this weekend, but also I think beyond that and building for the future and what that could look like.”

A win for The Rock and Roman Reigns tonight means the match between Cody Rhodes and The Tribal Chief tomorrow will be contested under Bloodline rules.

We know that the Hollywood star will have to step away from WWE programming for the time being after this PLE due to his movie commitments. 

The intrigue for a Rock vs Roman Reigns match, however, is still there. After the latest comments from the former champion, it won’t be a surprise if we see the current story extending beyond this year’s edition of The Show of Shows.

You can watch the media scrum below:

If you use the quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

Posted April 7th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

The Rock & Roman Reigns Defeat Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins At WrestleMania 40

WrestleMania 40 promoted the main event of night one as the biggest tag team match of all time. It certainly delivered on every level.

Cody Rhodes is set to battle Roman Reigns during night two of WrestleMania 40 for the Undisputed Universal Heavyweight Title. Seth Rollins will defend his WWE World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre tomorrow night as well.

The main event of WrestleMania’s first night included a very special stipulation. If the Bloodline won the match, then it would be Bloodline Rules for Cody Rhodes’ match against Roman Reigns during the second night. If the babyfaces won, then the Bloodline would be banned.

In the end, The Rock pinned Cody Rhodes’ shoulders to the mat at WrestleMania 40 Saturday. This means it will be Bloodline Rules for the title match at the end of WrestleMania Sunday.

The Match Finish

This match got going slowly as fans took in the scene in front of them. The Rock tagged in eventually, where he squared off against Seth Rollins first. It didn’t take much time for Cody to take the tag, where he put some boots to The Great One for making him bleed.

The referee started counting to 10 as they brawled on the outside of the ring. Then The Rock threatened to fire referee Chad Patton if he ended the match via countout. “I don’t f*ck around,” he said. This allowed everyone in the match to brawl throughout the stadium for a while.

They returned to the ring eventually, where Reigns and Rollins battled it out. Roman was able to tag The Rock, but they didn’t let Cody tag in. The beatdown on Rollins continued after that.

Finally, The Rock latched on a sharpshooter, and Cody ran in the ring to slap him in the face. Seth finally landed a Stomp on Rock, but he didn’t pin him. He did finally make it to Cody Rhodes for the tag as Roman tagged in to give a teaser for the WrestleMania Sunday main event.

Roman Reigns’ nose was busted open during the brawl, and Cody avoided a spear. Then Roman kicked out after a splash when Rhodes tagged in Rollins. As they kept going, it all climaxed in Cody Rhodes putting The Rock through the announce table with a Rock Bottom as Roman speared Seth Rollins through the barricade.

Roman and Cody ended up in the ring, where they traded shots. Then, Cody nailed two Crossroads, and as he was going for a third, The Rock nailed him with his weight belt. Then Roman Reigns nailed a spear before tagging in The Rock.

The Rock nailed a Rock Bottom on Cody Rhodes before hitting a People’s Elbow for the clean win.

Special Entrances

Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins received their standard entrances for this match. If they get a special presentation, it will likely be for their title matches tomorrow night. That being said, the “WOAH” during Cody’s entrance was incredible.

The Rock’s entrance included an epic light show with his Final Boss theme. He also came out in the middle of a flaming Brahma Bull logo with the People’s Championship over his shoulder.

Posted April 6th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , , , , .

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