Posts Tagged ‘WrestleMania 40’

Jade Cargill, Naomi & Bianca Belair Triumph Over Damage CTRL at WWE WrestleMania 40

The trio of Jade Cargill, Naomi, and Bianca Belair proved to be a force to be reckoned with by emerging victorious at WWE WrestleMania 40.

In the fifth match of WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday, the trio dispatched of Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai & WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Asuka & Kairi Sane.) The finish of the match saw Asuka accidentally mist Kairi Sane before the Empress of Tomorrow was dispatched of by Bianca Belair. Cargill would then level Dakota Kai to get the win for her team. 

You can check out some highlights from the match below.

The Storm is Here

Going into this six-woman tag-team match, there was a lot of interest in how Jade Cargill would fare at her first WrestleMania. It wasn’t long into the match that “We Want Jade” chants rumbled throughout the massive crowd inside Lincoln Financial Field. Cargill certainly looked like she belonged in the ring at WrestleMania 40 and fans can expect the Storm to be at many WrestleManias and other Premium Live Events to come. 

Cargill signed with WWE in September 2023 and was immediately treated as a massive high-profile acquisition for the company. Before arriving in WWE, Cargill made her name in All Elite Wrestling, where she was the first AEW TBS Champion. Her 508-day reign with the gold remains the longest title reign of any champion in AEW history.

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

Jey Uso Wins ‘Uso Civil War’ Over Jimmy Uso At WWE WrestleMania 40

WrestleMania usually features high-profile stories, as they reach a climax at the show of shows. This year saw two twin brothers face off in a dream match for a lot of fans.

Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso battled at WrestleMania 40. In the end, Main Event Jey Uso was able to topple his twin brother Jimmy and win at Lincoln Financial Field.

The Match Finish

Near the end of the match, Jimmy Uso got on his knees and begged for forgiveness, and Jey accepted it, only to eat a superkick from Jimmy. This resulted in a near fall, as they also teased an Usos reunion in the process.

Jey nailed a spear after that and climbed up top to nail a splash for the win. This was a clean win, where Michael Cole proclaimed that “Jey Uso wins the Uso Cival War!”

WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi was mentioned several times throughout this match for a reason. He is the father of Jimmy and Jey Uso, along with Solo Sikoa as well.

Jimmy and Jey Uso entered WWE together, and they were inseparable for the longest time. Then, a knee injury in 2020 caused Jimmy to miss a lot of action, but Jey continued as part of Roman Reigns’ Bloodline story. By the time Jimmy returned, fans knew that the twins were destined to throw down. That went down at WrestleMania 40.

Special Entrance

Lil Wayne was a part of Jey Uso’s entrance, but he didn’t do much. He did not debut any new song, and only did around four bars of A Milli before Jey came out. It was still fun to see Weezy on the grandest stage of them all.

Weezy is in the middle of a world tour right now, with a few more dates scheduled out until June. You may find more information about Lil Wayne’s tour schedule here.

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

Jason Kelce & Lane Johnson Assist Rey Mysterio & Andrade In Getting The Win At WrestleMania 40

WWE usually brings massive names in for WrestleMania events. This tradition was no different for the 40th anniversary of the showcase of the immortals. 

Rey Mysterio and Andrade teamed up at WrestleMania 40 to take on Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio. In the end, two unexpected WrestleMania guests got involved. 

During the tag team match, two massive luchadors showed up at ringside. They helped Mr. 6-1-9 and Andrade win the match. Then the two masked men revealed themselves to be Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson.

WrestleMania 40’s Importance For Jason Kelce

This was a big surprise for the Lincoln Financial Field crowd, as the pro football players celebrated with Rey Mysterio and Andrade. In the end, both Kelce and Johnson also tore off their shirts in the midst of the excitement. 

Jason Kelce played 13 seasons in the NFL, and in every one of them, he was the starting center for the Eagles. At 36 years old, he is now retired and he had a great time at Mania.

It was previously reported that WWE had reached out to Jason Kelce about making an appearance at WrestleMania 40. Travis Kelce apparently couldn’t make it, but they were able to land the former Eagles center for the show of shows.

SEScoops will have continued coverage of WWE WrestleMania 40. Keep checking back throughout the show, and afterward for more headlines!

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

A-Town Down Under Win SmackDown Tag Titles At WrestleMania 40, Awesome Truth Win Raw Tag Gold

The Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships are no longer thanks to the six-pack tag-team ladder match at WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday. 

The match was the second of the night at WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday and was presented by Wheatley American Vodka. The match began with both the Raw and SmackDown Tag Team Championships being hoisted separately, leaving fans speculating that the titles would be split up. 

This theory was all but confirmed when R-Truth suggested that he and The Miz go for the SmackDown Tag Titles and leave DIY to go for the Raw Tag Tea, Championships. Neither team would be able to grab the gold though. Instead, it was Grayson Waller who captured the SmackDown Tag Team Championships, and Samantha Irvin confirmed that A-Town Down Under officially were the champs of the blue brand. 

This win marks the first Tag Title Championships for A-Town Down Under. It also marks Waller’s first championship victory in WWE and Theory’s first taste of gold since holding the WWE United States Championship in 2022. 

New Raw Tag Team Champions

With the SmackDown Tag Team Titles captured, all attention turned towards the Raw Tag Team Championships. In the end, Awesome Truth captured the gold, ending the reign of the Judgment Day. This win marked the first tag title win for Awesome Truth as a team, though both men have held tag gold with other partners in the past. This was also Truth’s first win at a WrestleMania. 

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

WrestleMania 40: Rhea Ripley Retains Women’s World Title After Grueling Battle Against Becky Lynch

WWE sold out the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia for WrestleMania 40. This was an epic show, and they kicked things off with a Women’s World Title match.

Rhea Ripley and Becky Lynch opened up WrestleMania 40 with their Women’s World Title match. The crowd was hot and ready to go, and they got an impressive opening match in the process.

After a grueling contest, Rhea Ripley defeated Becky Lynch to retain the WWE Women’s World Title at WrestleMania 40. This will continue her reign as she carries on with over a year as champion.

The Match Finish

At one point, mid-way through the match, Lynch nailed the Man-Handle Slam, but Ripley kicked out at two. Then, Rhea Ripley nailed a Riptide, but Becky Lynch kicked out in return. After they kicked out of each other’s finishers, things picked up even more.

Ripley was eventually caught in the Dis-Arm-Her, but she lifted Lynch up, and they went tumbling over the top rope to the outside with an electric chair drop. Becky kicked out after a massive frog splash from Ripley when they returned to the ring, and the two continued until she nailed Lynch with a Riptide onto the turnbuckle, followed by a second in the middle of the ring for the win.

Becky Lynch won the 2024 Women’s Elimination Chamber match in Perth to get this title shot. Rhea Ripley’s championship reign was at 371 days as she walked into the showcase of the immortals.

Special WrestleMania 40 Entrances

Both Ripley and Lynch received special entrances. The Man’s entrance was themed around her book, “Becky Lynch: The Man: Not Your Average Average Girl.”

The Nightmare received a musical entrance as Motionless In White rocked out before the champion made her way out.

SEScoops will have continued coverage of the WrestleMania 40 event. Keep checking back for more headlines throughout the show, and after.

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

Becky Lynch Fighting A Cold Heading into WrestleMania 40, Special Entrance Planned

Becky Lynch hopes to stand tall at WWE WrestleMania 40 but The Man is walking into the upcoming two-night mega show a tad under the weather. 

At WWE WrestleMania 40: Sunday, Lynch will challenge WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley. Lynch earned this title shot by winning the Women’s Elimination Chamber match in Perth, Australia last February. 

Unfortunately for Lynch, she won’t be feeling her best when she performs inside Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field. During a Q&A session with the media, Lynch shared that she is under the weather and will be battling a cold when she steps in the ring with the ‘Mami’ of the Judgment Day. 

Lynch isn’t the only WWE Superstar who isn’t facing the best of luck going into WrestleMania 40. The tour bus of Cody Rhodes recently caught fire but everyone involved is thankfully safe and okay. Rhodes will compete on both nights of WWE WrestleMania 40. 

A Special WrestleMania Entrance

During the Q&A, Lynch also disclosed some information about her entrance for WrestleMania 40. The Man said that her new book ‘The Man: Not Your Average, Average Girl‘ will be factored into her entrance somehow. This will be a huge marketing opportunity for Lynch. 

While Lynch will have a special entrance at WrestleMania, the same can’t be said for Bayley. The Role Model had hoped that Paramore would perform as part of her entrance at WrestleMania which lead-singer Hayley Williams was also on-board with. On Twitter, Bayley explained why this wouldn’t be happening and shared a highlight video featuring the band’s hit ‘Simmer.’

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

The Rock As ‘The Final Boss’ Has Electrifed WrestleMania 40 To The Next Level

It feels like many moons ago when The Rock showed up on RAW in San Diego to hinder Jinder, doesn’t it?

WWE and pro wrestling is far from the pop culture heights that the genre reached in the late 1990s, but The Rock is certainly elevating the modern WWE into its own animal. His reinvention into “The Final Boss” just raised the difficulty level from “medium” to “hard” in the “No Mercy N64” of pro wrestling. If the talent is good enough to answer the call, it should cause everybody in pro wrestling to up their game.

Either way, the fans have greatly benefited from The Rock being back in the fashion that he is. It’s something that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Ironically enough ,thats in credit to the “Cody Crybabies” who lamented for ‘The American Nightmare.’

‘The American Nightmare’ Perpetuated ‘The Final Boss’

Rhodes has revived the long-forgotten role of the “ultimate babyface” where he’s the all-American John Wayne type character that his daddy adored. The fans can easily live vicariously through Cody Rhodes because of his willingness to connect with fans in a matter that hasn’t ever been done before on this type of major platform. Hulk Hogan never was the best man at a fan’s wedding nor did Hulkamania run wild at some random five-year old’s birthday party. Cody is putting those “prayers and vitamins” where his mouth is and he’s created a unique connection to people in a time where people are always connected.

As much as The Rock can cultivate an air of unattainability due to the Hollywood heights he’s reached, Cody can sit down with the father of three living paycheck to paycheck. It creates two ultimate adversaries, both with legacies in the industry and a genuine love for the one true sport.

And that “unattainability” that The Rock has harnessed is what makes this ‘Final Boss’ persona all the more engaging. We thought Dwayne was past the point of consistently showing up on WWE television, yet here he is – furthering a storyline that has him in a heel role where he’s calling fans inbreds and mocking Cody’s dog. ‘The Final Boss’ was nothing anyone expected, yet something the industry benefits from. WrestleMania 40 could have absolutely rolled right along with Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes, but The Rock going ‘Super Shredder’ on his 1998 identity feels every bit of Thanos ready to snap his fingers. That was all the more telling with that entrance Rocky made on Monday before bloodying up Dusty’s youngest boy.

The big complaint of Rock’s involvement is that it hurts Roman, but “The Tribal Chief” is just one manipulative monologue away from turning the table he claims to sit at the head of. Reigns, if he loses, will only be elevated by an extended exit. The same goes for his older cousin, whose involvement had made us all take the scenic route on the road to WrestleMania.

Hope you enjoyed the ride.

Follow Dominic DeAngelo on X @DominicDeAngelo.

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

Rey Mysterio On WrestleMania Rematch With Dominik: ‘I Have to Teach Him a Lesson Again’ (Exclusive)

Rey Mysterio is ready and willing to teach Dominik Mysterio a lesson that he believes the Judgment Day member should have learned last year at WrestleMania. 

At WrestleMania 39, Rey defeated Dominik in Los Angeles, California, following months of goading by ‘Dirty Dom.’ At WrestleMania 40, the two will face off again in a tag-team match that’ll see Rey team with Andrade to face Dominik and Santos Escobar. Speaking exclusively to SE Scoops, Rey shared his thoughts on being called a ‘deadbeat’ by his son and gave a warning to his opponents. 

“Man, I’m kind of tired and over it. I thought I’d taught him a lesson last year at WrestleMania. Obviously, he didn’t learn his lesson, or he probably did and just somehow got convinced by Santos [Escobar] ‘Hey let’s go beat up on your dad or at least try to beat up on your dad once again.’ They have no idea what’s coming to them.”

Dominik and Santos may have “no idea” what’s coming, but up until the April 5, edition of WWE SmackDown, neither did the fans. During the go-home show before WrestleMania, Dragon Lee was replaced by Andrade as Rey’s WrestleMania partner. 

Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania

WrestleMania 40 will mark the 12th’Mania match for Rey Mysterio, who made his debut at the event back in 2003 on the pre-show against then-Cruiserweight Champion Matt Hardy. Rey often has comic-book-themed costumes at WrestleMania and has worn attires inspired by The Flash, The Joker, Captain America, and Mysterio, among others.

Rey has had some huge victories at WrestleMania, including winning the World Heavyweight Championship in 2006 and the WWE Intercontinental Championship three years later. Despite this, the WWE Hall of Famer currently boasts a less-than-impressive 4-7 win/loss record at the Showcase of the Immortals. 

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

Daily Drop (4/6): WWE Draft Returning, AEW Called Out For Budget Cuts

Welcome the Daily Drop, your daily roundup of wrestling news and rumors for Saturday, April 6. This is a day that a lot of fans have waited for, because it is officially WrestleMania Saturday. We also have NXT Stand & Deliver to take care of, so let’s get right to it!

NXT: Stand & Deliver starts first today, with the broadcast beginning at noon EST. You can check out the updated card below:

  • Singles Match: Trick Williams vs. Carmelo Hayes
  • NXT Championship Match: Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Tony D’Angelo
  • NXT Women’s Championship Match: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Roxanne Perez
  • NXT North American Championship Match: Oba Femi (c) vs. Dijak vs. Josh Briggs
  • NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Baron Corbin & Bron Breakker (c) vs. Axiom & Nathan Frazer
  • Thea Hail, Fallon Henley & Kelani Jordan vs. Jacy Jayne, Kiana James & Izzi Dame
  • Pre-Show Match: Shawn Spears vs. Joe Gacy

WWE:

– WWE World Brawl: AJ Styles and LA Knight threw down at WWE World for a brawl that lasted well over three minutes. It was chaos, and we have the video.

– Stand & Deliver Gate: Shawn Michaels disclosed that Stand & Deliver in Philly is set to become the second highest-grossing event for NXT, following closely behind NXT Brooklyn.

– The Rock’s Training: SEScoops also had an exclusive where Shawn Michaels explained exactly why Gallus was picked to train with The Rock for his WrestleMania 40 match.

– WWE Draft: Triple H confirmed that another WWE Draft is coming, possibly in May.

– Andre Winner: Big Bronson Reed won the 10th annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on SmackDown.

– Cody’s Bus Fire: Cody Rhodes’ bus caught on fire before WrestleMania. That was not a surprise he wanted at all.

– Vince McMahon’s Absence: The fact that Vince McMahon isn’t around for WrestleMania 40 weekend has made a lot of people within the company pretty happy.

– One More Match: Triple H spoke on the idea of wrestling again. He’s happy being retired, but he does train every day.

WrestleMania 40 night one starts at 7:00 PM EST. It will be a loaded show, headlined by a massive tag team match, that is being billed as the biggest ever. You may check out the updated card below:

  • Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch for the Women’s World Championship
  • Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
  • The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs. A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) – Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
  • Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso
  • Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi vs. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane)
  • Latino World Order (Rey Mysterio and Andrade) vs. Santos Escobar and “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio
  • The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins

AEW:

– Tony Khan Called Out: Brandon Tate of The Boys detailed exactly what happened when it comes to them “no-showing” events to combat Tony Khan’s narrative.

– AEW May Move: AEW and WBD are exiting their window of exclusive talks. We may see AEW programming move if they can’t figure something out.

– AEW At WWE HOF: Keith Lee was accidentally shown on screen during the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. He is married to Michin, so he was there for the ceremony. However, he wasn’t supposed to be seen on camera.

– Forbidden Door: Toni Storm claimed that the Forbidden Door is always open. We will have to see who steps through that door to challenge her next.

Upcoming Wrestling Shows

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.

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

WWE WrestleMania Match Changed During 4/5 Go-Home SmackDown

WrestleMania kicks off tomorrow, but it’s not too late to change the show of shows. This week’s SmackDown saw a big change for the LWO’s tag team match.

Dragon Lee was supposed to team with Rey Mysterio to take on Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 40. Then, this week’s show saw Dragon Lee get taken out with a backstage attack.

Andrade, who initially appeared to align with Dominik and Santos, turned on the heels to join the babyfaces. This was a big moment as it put Zelina Vega and Andrade on the same side once again.

It was later revealed that Dragon Lee will not be able to compete at WrestleMania 40. Since Lee was not medically cleared, Andrade agreed to take his place. Carlito entered the scene after that with the news that Dragon Lee couldn’t compete, but he was already too late to get in the match. Instead, Carlito told Andrade to take out Santos Escobar at WrestleMania 50.

Now, Andrade and Rey Mysterio will take on Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio at the showcase of the immortals. 

You can check out the WrestleMania 40 Card below

  • Night 1 Matches:
    1. Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch for the Women’s World Championship
    2. Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
    3. The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs. A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) – Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
    4. Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso
    5. Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi vs. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane)
    6. Latino World Order (Rey Mysterio and Andrade) vs. Santos Escobar and “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio
    7. The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins
  • Night 2 Matches:
    1. Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre for the World Heavyweight Championship
    2. Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley for the WWE Women’s Championship
    3. LA Knight vs. AJ Styles
    4. Logan Paul (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens – Triple threat match for the WWE United States Championship
    5. The Pride (Bobby Lashley, Angelo Dawkins, and Montez Ford) (with B-Fab) vs. The Final Testament (Karrion Kross, Akam, and Rezar) (with Scarlett and Paul Ellering) – Six-man Tag Team Philadelphia Street Fight
    6. Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship (Stipulation to be determined by the result of Night 1’s main event)

Posted April 5th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , , , , .

Bronson Reed Wins 10th Annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal On 4/5 WWE SmackDown

WrestleMania 40 is a loaded show, so they held the annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the go-home SmackDown episode.

The 10th annual Andre the Giant Battle Royal was the first match on this week’s episode of SmackDown. The Wells Fargo Center was pumped to get things going. In the end, Bronson Reed won the big match to kick off WrestleMania weekend the right way from the big man from Australia.

Bronson Reed, Omos and Ricochet received special entrances, while all the other Superstars were in the ring already. Omos made his way to the ring last, and he had MVP with him.

Andrade, Ricochet, Chad Gable, Bronson Reed, Shinsuke Nakamura, Omos, Brutus Creed, Julius Creed, Ivar, Akira Tozawa, Otis, JD McDonagh, Apollo Crews, Veer, Sanga, Cameron Grimes, Kit Wilson, Elton Prince, Ashante Adonis, and Cedric Alexander were some of the participants in the match.

In the end, Bronson Reed and Ivar were the two final contestants. The two battled as fans chanted “meat.” Ivar missed a moonsault from the top rope, and then Reed nailed a rolling senton before clotheslining him over the top rope to secure the win.

Previous Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal Winners

Bronson Reed’s name now joins a list of former winners, some of them are future WWE Hall of Famers.

The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner list includes a few notable names. Sadly, the big win doesn’t always translate into a massive push. Past winners include: Cesaro, Big Show, Baron Corbin, Mojo Rawley, Matt Hardy, Braun Strowman, Jey Uso, Madcap Moss, and Bobby Lashley.

Posted April 5th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , , , , .

Xfinity Gets Into WrestleMania 40 Spirit With WWE-Themed Custom Browsing Experience

Xfinity is getting into the spirit of WWE WrestleMania 40 with new customizable features on its platform ahead of the two-night mega-show. 

WrestleMania 40 will take place on April 6, and April 7, from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. A statement sent to SE Scoops reads: 

In celebration of WrestleMania XL, Xfinity customers with the X1 platform can customize their browse experience with all new WWE themes. Fans can show their support for their favorite WWE Superstars with customized timeline pucks and guide cursors featuring WWE Superstar logos and colors (screenshots attached). Choose from:

Cody Rhodes

The Rock

Roman Reigns

Seth “Freakin” Rollins

Bianca Belair

IYO SKY

The Undisputed WWE Universal Championship

WWE WrestleMania XL

Customers can say “Change my theme,” “WWE” or “WrestleMania” into their X1 voice remote to choose their favorite WWE Superstar theme ahead of WrestleMania XL this weekend.

WWE WrestleMania 40

This year’s WrestleMania will air on Peacock and will also be the final WrestleMania that’ll stream on the standalone WWE Network. From January 2025, the service in various countries will shut down with WWE content moving to Netflix. The show will air on Disney+ Hotstar in Indonesia, Disney+ in the Philippines, Binge in Australia, Abema in Japan, and SonyLIV in India. 

The upcoming two-night event from Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field will also be the first of its kind under the TKO banner and with WWE not under the control of the immediate McMahon family. With that said, Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque will still oversee the show as the promotion’s Chief Content Officer.

Posted April 5th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: .

Vince McMahon’s WrestleMania 40 Absence Sparks Sense Of Excitement Within WWE

WWE saw a huge change when Vince McMahon resigned from the company before the 2024 Royal Rumble event. Now, Triple H is holding the book, and this year’s event will mark a huge landmark for the company.

A new report from Fightful Select noted that there is a sense of excitement among WWE talent, described as an “aura of excitement” by one prominent figure, due to Vince McMahon’s absence. While the allegations against McMahon aren’t disregarded, the apprehension of his potential interference has gone away.

Furthermore, McMahon’s absence extends beyond WrestleMania, with sources reportedly suggesting that he isn’t expected to make an appearance at the show at all. There have been instances where McMahon’s presence wasn’t necessarily welcomed in the past.

Looking ahead, WWE’s RAW After Mania also has a sense of excitement surrounding it without McMahon’s influence. Many within the company believe that this year’s RAW After Mania has the potential to be a memorable event, free from McMahon’s last-minute changes that marred previous episodes.

Vince McMahon’s Removal From WWE Creative

McMahon originally retired from WWE after the story about hush money payments broke. Then, he returned to the company a short time later to help usher in a sale.

Leading up to WrestleMania 39, McMahon had reasserted himself within WWE, exerting influence over creative decisions. Despite not directly engaging with the creative team, McMahon’s impact was felt as he would later intervene to alter aspects of the show via zoom or telephone call.

Although McMahon had been absent from shows for several months, he resurfaced during last year’s WrestleMania weekend, reportedly altering the outcome of at least one match. While McMahon had favored Roman Reigns retaining over Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 39, this decision had already been finalized beforehand.

However, McMahon’s influence has waned significantly for this year’s WrestleMania, with reports indicating that he no longer has any sway over the event directly or indirectly. Additionally, it’s been noted that McMahon’s focus has shifted towards addressing pressing issues, such as the allegations involving Janel Grant.

Now, Triple H is the Chief Creative Officer, calling the shots on what fans see during the company’s weekly television shows. This includes WrestleMania 40, where Vince McMahon is not expected to be seen at all.

Posted April 5th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

EXCLUSIVE: Shawn Michaels Explains Why Gallus Was Chosen To Train With The Rock Ahead WWE WrestleMania 40

WWE Superstars all have their own ways of preparing for WrestleMania. The biggest show of the year will see The Rock return for a match, and he had some special assistance. 

Gallus is a stable that has been largely underutilized by WWE, but they put them to good use when training The Rock for his WrestleMania match. Wolfgang, Joe Coffey and Mark Coffey were up for the task.

During WWE’s media day before WrestleMania, Shawn Michaels spoke to SEScoops about Gallus training with The Rock. He said that this came out because the faction is so reliable, and they are also incredibly professional.

These are three guys who know what they’re doing, understand every aspect of it, sometimes you need a guy who’s younger who can fly around, but sometimes you need guys who are mature, and professional, who can adjust to everything to what Rock wants. Obviously, I’m partial to those guys, they’re fantastic guys, they’re professional and very dependable.

HBK then said that he received a photo of Gallus and The Rock doing the stable’s trademark pose. We hope that they release that soon. It seems that WWE picked the right people for the job to help train The Rock.

More on The Rock’s WrestleMania Training

The Rock had a lot of help to prepare for his in-ring return. After all, he is promoting this as the biggest tag team match in history, and it very well may be. 

WWE assisted in transporting two rings, one to Los Angeles and the other to Hawaii, working with Johnson’s team to secure warehouses for training venues. This arrangement provided The Rock with the necessary resources for his training regimen.

During his training, The Rock participated in simulated matches with NXT’s Gallus faction. As he prepared for an upcoming tag-team match, Johnson needed three wrestlers to practice in-ring sequences and refine his timing. Therefore, Wolfgang, along with real-life brothers Joe Coffey and Mark Coffey, were selected for this specific task.

Supervising the training sessions were Michael Hayes and Bobby Roode, accompanied by referee Chad Patton. Additionally, WWE medical personnel were present to oversee the safety of the rehearsals.

Posted April 5th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , , , .

Watch: AJ Styles Bloodied Brawling With WrestleMania Opponent LA Knight at WWE Media Day

WrestleMania starts tomorrow, and the company’s Superstars are doing their rounds for media day. This is normally a mild-mannered affair, but things escalated quickly today with LA Knight and AJ Styles.

Knight and Styles are set to battle at WrestleMania 40, but they couldn’t wait to brawl. The two saw each other at media day, and chaos ensued.

SE Scoops is there on location, and we acquired video of the altercation. This was quite a way to build for their match. As the two fought among the media, people scattered to give them space.

AJ Styles participated in media interviews during the 9-10:30 am session. LA Knight arrived around 10:30 am as part of the second wave. He was stationed right next to Styles. Soon after, they began exchanging glances, and Knight got up to confront AJ. He then grabbed a headlock, and a brawl ensued between the two wrestlers. Security was absent for approximately three minutes during the altercation. Styles was also busted up a bit in the process, as his nose did bleed some.

The two went at it until someone from WWE, who was wearing an NXT shirt, finally stepped in to break them up. This is not over between the two at all, and they will settle things at WrestleMania.

WWE did a good job of not putting babyfaces and heels next to each other for media day. Styles and Knight should not have been next to each other, but the Phenomenal One was running a bit late in his last interview, so they happened to be beside each other as Knight came in to start his interview. They did not last long sitting next to each other until a brawl started.

AJ Styles and LA Knight’s Road to WrestleMania 40

AJ Styles showed up at the Elimination Chamber, just as it looked like LA Knight may have been in a position to win the match. He attacked Knight, leaving him easy to eliminate from the chamber.

The two started a program for WrestleMania after that, with AJ Styles refusing to attend television and LA Knight showing up at his house to jump him in the process. The two have a lot of history with each other, so they will collide at the show of shows.

You can check out the WrestleMania 40 Card below

  • Night 1 Matches:
    1. Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch for the Women’s World Championship
    2. Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
    3. The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs. A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) – Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
    4. Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso
    5. Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi vs. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane)
    6. Latino World Order (Rey Mysterio and Dragon Lee) vs. Santos Escobar and “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio
    7. The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins
  • Night 2 Matches:
    1. Seth “Freakin” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre for the World Heavyweight Championship
    2. Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley for the WWE Women’s Championship
    3. LA Knight vs. AJ Styles
    4. Logan Paul (c) vs. Randy Orton vs. Kevin Owens – Triple threat match for the WWE United States Championship
    5. The Pride (Bobby Lashley, Angelo Dawkins, and Montez Ford) (with B-Fab) vs. The Final Testament (Karrion Kross, Akam, and Rezar) (with Scarlett and Paul Ellering) – Six-man Tag Team Philadelphia Street Fight
    6. Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship (Stipulation to be determined by the result of Night 1’s main event)

Posted April 5th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , , .

Daily Drop (4/5): The Rock Gears Up For WrestleMania 40, Tony Khan Called Out By Released AEW Star

Welcome the Daily Drop, your daily roundup of wrestling news and rumors for Friday, April 5. This is a day that a lot of fans have waited for, and now we’

Before we get going, WWE revealed the stage for WrestleMania 40. It looks amazing when it’s all lit up, and you can check out the big unveiling here.

Also, tonight is the go-home episode of SmackDown before WrestleMania, followed by the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame at the Wells Fargo Center. This year’s ceremony will see Paul Heyman, Lia Maivia, Muhammad Ali, The US Express, Thunderbolt Patterson, and Bull Nakano receive inductions.

WrestleMania 40 is Tomorrow!

WWE:

– WaleMania 2024: WaleMania was last night. WWE and AEW stars were there along with legends like RVD. It was quite a party, and we have a comprehensive highlight article up now for you to check out!

– Waiting for The Rock: Fans at WWE World saw The Rock appear on April 4, but they had to wait hours. The Final Boss was two hours behind schedule, but he still had a wild crowd to cut a promo for.

– Free Agent Spotted: Giulia, who just left STARDOM, was spotted at WWE World. That is a very interesting place to see her, especially as NXT promoted a surprise audience member for Stand & Deliver.

– Bloodsport x WWE: Shayna Baszler and Charlie Dempsey had quite a time at Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport event.

– Damage CTRL’s Breakup: New information was reported on WWE’s original plans to break up the Damage CTRL stable. It seems Charlotte Flair was supposed to be in the mix.

– The Rock Trained With NXT Superstars: A new report from ESPN revealed that The Rock had the Gallus faction come in to help him train for his tag team match at WrestleMania 40.

WWE SmackDown Card (4/5):

  • Andre The Giant Battle Royal
  • The KO Show w/ Kevin Owens – Special Guest: Randy Orton
  • Zelina Vega vs. Elektra Lopez
  • New Catch Republic vs. Grayson Waller & Austin Theory
  • Jey Uso vs. Solo Sikoa

AEW:

– Forbidden Door: Toni Storm made a pretty ominous statement about how the Forbidden Door is always open. As AEW Women’s Champion, that could mean something.

– Firing The Boys: Tony Khan claims that The Boys no-showed events, and that is why they were fired. In a deleted tweet, Brandon Tate called that a lie, and he claimed AEW said their release was due to budget cuts.

– AEW Dynamite Viewership: The April 3rd episode of AEW Dynamite brought in 752,000 viewers and secured a 0.23 rating in the highly sought-after 18-49 demographic. This marks a slight uptick from the previous week’s broadcast, which garnered 747,000 viewers with the same 0.23 demographic rating.

– AEW Media Rights: During the Supercard of Honor media call, Tony Khan confirmed that AEW’s exclusive negotiation window with WBD is ending soon.

Upcoming Wrestling Shows

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.

Posted April 5th, 2024 in News. Tagged: , , .

WaleMania 2024: Highlights From Ultimate Night of Hip-Hop and & Wrestling Fusion

WrestleMania weekend is always packed with events. There are indie pro wrestling shows going on, and other fan conventions. WaleMania went down at the Philadelphia at Franklin Music Hall on April 4, and there are a ton of highlights.

Since its first show in 2015, WaleMania has combined hip-hop and wrestling. It stands apart from other events during WrestleMania weekend, serving as a gathering where fans and wrestlers come together, and every year it’s usually the best party all weekend. 

Pro wrestlers from practically every company on the planet linked up for WaleMania this year. As you can see, it was quite a party, and there are many highlights to feature.

WaleMania 2024 Highlights

First off, we have to give Samantha Irvine all the flowers for this one. She not only rocked Razor Ramon’s theme music, but she did it on a flute. 

Rob Van Dam was there, smoking on stage, alongside Katie Forbes. It was quite a party as the crowd fed into the performance on stage, who were having just as much fun as the fans.

R-Truth was present at WaleMania, and he gave fans in attendance a different kind of show than they’re used to seeing from him. He grabbed the microphone and spit some fire bars for the fans.

Although he’s not booked for WrestleMania, WWE Hall of Famer RVD was also present. NXT Superstar Kelani Jordan couldn’t resist the opportunity to snap a photo with the Whole F’n Show.

Big E couldn’t miss WaleMania, either. The New Day member cut one of his trademark promos for fans, where he introduced Wale. As you can see in the clip, Trick Williams was there as well, and he had a wonderful time ahead of his main event match at NXT: Stand & Deliver against Carmelo Hayes.

Zilla Fatu didn’t miss the show, either. He was there in attendance at WaleMania, and he had a great time. As you can see in the video below, he also spent some time on the stage.

Although it was all fun at WaleMania, things did get a big tense as Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes had a chance to trade some words on stage.

Kiera Hogan stunned the crowd with her dancing skills. Willow Nightingale didn’t miss WaleMania, either, as the two AEW stars had a great time on stage in front of the live crowd.

Posted April 5th, 2024 in AEW, News, WWE. Tagged: , , , , , , , .

WWE WrestleMania 40 Stage Revealed Ahead of Two-Night Megashow in Philadelphia, PA

The stage of WrestleMania 40 has been officially revealed by WWE ahead of this weekend’s two-night show in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. 

On YouTube and social media, Kayla Braxton and Jackie Redmond were at Lincoln Financial Field to introduce the dance group ‘The Ninja Kidz.’ The group performed in the ring before the WrestleMania stage was revealed. The set includes this year’s WrestleMania logo as well as large ‘XL’ letters, as these are the Roman numerals for 40. 

The stage for WrestleMania 40 is certainly impressive, though isn’t entirely a surprise. In the days leading up to the reveal, candid photos had given a tease as to what the stage would look like. 

WrestleMania 40: What’s in Store? 

This year’s WrestleMania is already one of the most hotly-anticipated ‘Manias of all time thanks to its stacked main events across both nights. On WrestleMania 40: Saturday, The Rock will make his long-awaited return to the ring to team with Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins. The following night, Reigns will defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship on the line against Cody Rhodes. 

Drew McIntyre will seek to finally win a World Championship in front of a live crowd when he competes at WrestleMania 40. This’ll be easier said than done for the Scottish Warrior, who’ll be facing off with World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. 

This match will be see CM Punk serve as a guest commentator. The Second-City Savior has had issues with both men since his return to WWE. McIntyre has even taken credit for the injury Punk suffered during the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match. 

For full coverage of WWE WrestleMania 40 and other events across WrestleMania weekend, keep checking back here at SE Scoops. 

Posted April 5th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

Cody Rhodes Teases Changing WWE Universal Title Design If He Wins At WrestleMania 40

A victory for Cody Rhodes at WWE WrestleMania 40: Sunday wouldn’t just see him ‘finish the story’ but could also usher in a new Undisputed WWE Universal title design. 

Rhodes will challenge Roman Reigns on Night Two of the upcoming WrestleMania 40 Premium Live Event. Speaking at WWE World, Rhodes was asked about his plans for a potential title reign. 

“If I do [win the Championship] maybe we change how the title looks.”

Rhodes earned the opportunity against Reigns by winning the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match. Cody’s ‘Road to WrestleMania’ has not been easy, as for a time, WWE intended on having The Rock challenge Reigns at WrestleMania 40 instead. 

Cody’s Title Design Changes

If Cody does change the design of the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, it wouldn’t be his first time. After capturing the Intercontinental Championship in 2011, Rhodes brought back the classic white-strap version of the gold. This design lasted until 2019 when it was replaced with the Intercontinental Championship design currently held by GUNTHER. 

In May 2022, one month after his stunning return to WWE at WrestleMania 38, Rhodes appeared on an episode of WWE After The Bell. During the show, Rhodes teased bringing back the ‘Winged Eagle’ WWE Championship design that had been held by Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, and Shawn Michaels in the past. 

“I think there’s a particular design of the WWE Championship that people are very fond of… It really would be something to achieve the ultimate industry dream, being the best of the best ever in terms of that moment in time, and then perhaps give it a fresh coat of paint with the Winged Eagle.”

In addition to his match with Reigns, Rhodes will team with Seth Rollins to face Reigns and The Rock at WrestleMania 40: Saturday. 

Posted April 4th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

WrestleMania 40: The Rock Makes Fans Wait Hours For WWE World Appearance

The Rock made an appearance at WWE World today, Thursday, April 4. Everything was supposed to kick off at 4 PM EST, but that is not how things went down at all.

Fans showed up to WWE World on Thursday to see The Final Boss, but he was very late. Some fans were a bit impatient, and they released some of their frustrations on social media. The Rock did show up two hours after he was supposed to be there.

The Rock used his busy schedule as an excuse for his tardiness. He explained that he arrived late for his WWE World appearance because he got caught up watching Jalen Hurts lose in the playoffs on YouTube.

The Rock’s Original WrestleMania Plans

Dwayne Johnson’s return to WWE saw him take on a Hollywood heel persona. He initially wanted a match against Roman Reigns, but that didn’t pan out. Due to fan reaction from the “Cody Crybabies,” he conceded that the main event should give Cody a chance to finish his story.

Original plans called for Cody Rhodes to miss Mania due to a kayfabed injury. CM Punk was also set to take on Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, but things shifted after Punk’s injury.

Now, The Rock will team up with Roman Reigns to take on Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins in the main event of WrestleMania on April 6. The Rock will leave WWE once again after WrestleMania, because his next project, The Smashing Machine, is set to start production just a couple of weeks after WrestleMania 40.

Posted April 4th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

Charlotte Flair Was Originally Set to be Involved in Damage CTRL’s Breakup Plan

WrestleMania is right around the corner, and Bayley got to call her shot for the grandest stage of them all after she won the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match. The breakup with Damage CTRL that followed was a long time coming.

WWE fans saw Damage CTRL break up as Bayley declared her shot at IYO Sky’s WWE Women’s Title. That split came in a hurry, but there were plans in motion already for the stable’s demise.

Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select to explain that plans regarding Bayley and Damage CTRL’s breakup dates back to last year.

The split within Damage CTRL was strategically planned several months prior to the actual breakup, and Charlotte Flair was supposed to be involved as well. It was reported that, “the idea was for Charlotte to aid Bayley in fighting off Damage CTRL when the turn eventually happened.”

Mercedes Mone’s Involvement

Mercedes Mone and WWE were in talks, but they hit a financial roadblock. Her involvement in Bayley’s breakup with Damage CTRL was never factored into any plan.

It was also noted that things may have changed if Mercedes had worked out a deal with WWE. However, that never came to pass. It was also nothing that ever got far enough along to plan out.

One source in WWE said that Mercedes signing with WWE when they had talks definitely could have changed things, but that wasn’t the working plan and things didn’t get far enough for advanced creative pitches.

Bayley will battle IYO Sky for the WWE Women’s Title at WrestleMania 40, and that will be a crescendo for a long storyline. We will have to see if Bayley will be able to overcome her former faction on the grandest stage of them all. 

Posted April 4th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , , , .

John Cena Will Be Restricted If He Makes WWE WrestleMania 40 Appearance

WWE WrestleMania 40 will be a massive event. Steve Austin, The Undertaker, and John Cena have been reported for possible appearances. That being said, Cena will be restricted if he shows up.

Filming for “The Peacemaker” series’ second season starring Cena is scheduled to start this summer, a detail corroborated by James Gunn. Cena’s health is very important to that project staying on schedule.

PW Insider reports that if John Cena can make WrestleMania this year, then “he will be off the board for anything major in the physical WWE realm for most of the remainder of 2024.”

It was also noted that John Cena’s WrestleMania 40 appearance hasn’t been confirmed, but there are many in the company who believe that he will be there.

Likely WrestleMania Appearances

John Cena and Steve Austin were both featured on WrestleMania 40 trucks in the background of WWE RAW two weeks ago. It was reported that them appearing on those truck wraps was not an accident at all.

SEScoops was first to report in February that John Cena is going to try to do “something” for WrestleMania 40. As we get even close to the show of shows, it seems likely that fans will see Cena, but he won’t be taking any bumps.

The Undertaker will also be in town for another one of his 1 deadMAN SHOW engagements. That event is sold out, but this is common for Taker’s one-man show gigs at this point. We will have to see if The Deadman makes an appearance at WrestleMania 40 as well.

Posted April 4th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

Lil Wayne Debuting Song Featuring Young Thug At WWE WrestleMania 40

WWE’s biggest show of the year usually draws celebrities appearances. Lil Wayne isn’t going to miss WrestleMania this year.

Weezy was on WWE RAW this week, where he confirmed to Jey Uso that he will be on hand for WrestleMania 40. He will also debut a new single in Lincoln Financial Field.

Lil Wayne is set to make an appearance at WrestleMania this weekend, where he will unveil a fresh single from his forthcoming album, Tha Carter VI, but the big question remains about which song he will pick. A recent social media update from Wayne hints at the possibility of the track being “Bless,” featuring Young Thug.

The Young Money founder posted a blatant tease that “Bless” is the track that they will debut at WrestleMania 40. This came with a video that features a cartoon of Wayne and Thugger in a wrestling ring setting.

Young Thug Won’t Be At WrestleMania 40

Although Lil Wayne will be at Mania, most likely debuting “Bless,” Young Thug will not be there. He is still incarcerated in Georgia, where he is subject to a state RICO case.

In May 2022, Thug was arrested and charged with conspiracy to violate the state Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act

Atlanta News First just reported that prosecutors have provided an amended witness list to the presiding judge in Young Thug’s case. The updated list, comprising 153 individuals, will be a part of what has already been an incredibly lengthy trial. 

Posted April 4th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , .

The Rock Used WWE NXT Faction To Help Train For WrestleMania 40 Match

The Rock is training hard for his tag team match at WrestleMania 40. This requires a lot of work, and WWE is helping him get ready for greatness on the grandest stage of them all.

ESPN ran an article about The Rock’s return to the ring, and just how much work he’s putting into getting ready. Dwayne Johnson established a training camp, reminiscent of those commonly seen in MMA or boxing circles. Johnson first began training for WrestleMania in February.

WWE facilitated the transportation of two rings, one to Los Angeles and the other to Hawaii, collaborating with Johnson’s team to secure warehouses for use as training venues. That gave The Rock the tools he needed for this training schedule.

The Rock had mock matches alongside NXT’s Gallus faction. Given his upcoming participation in a tag-team match, Johnson required three wrestlers to rehearse in-ring sequences and get his timing down. So, Wolfgang and real-life brothers Joe Coffey and Mark Coffey made the trip for this special assignment.

Michael Hayes and Bobby Roode were also there to supervise the training sessions, with referee Chad Patton there as well. WWE medical personnel were also present to ensure the safety of the rehearsals.

WWE is promoting the WrestleMania 40 tag team match as the biggest of all time. The Rock will team up with Roman Reigns to take on Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania 40 on April 6.

Plans After WrestleMania 40

The Rock is training hard for his return to the ring for WrestleMania 40, but he’s already making plans afterward. The Great One will start filming on his upcoming movie, The Smashing Machine, a couple of weeks after WrestleMania 40.

The possibility of The Rock’s return to a full-fledged singles wrestling match remains uncertain. However, his impact will keep going, both within and beyond the wrestling world. He made it very clear that he will still be on TKO’s Board of Directors, so his influence will remain within the company.

“I’m not off the Board after WrestleMania. I’m still on the Board, and I will always be a part of this & we are in it now. This is our thing & will forever be our thing.”

The Rock’s writer Brian Gewirtz clarified to ESPN that The Rock’s presence on RAW won’t necessarily become a regular occurrence. We will have to see if the stars can align for another return run of any kind for the shoo-in WWE Hall of Famer.

Posted April 4th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , , .

The Rock’s Schedule Shifting Gears After WWE WrestleMania 40

The Rock is back for the road to WrestleMania 40, but The Final Boss is still a Hollywood juggernaut, and he will have to get back to Tinsel Town after the bright lights of Mania are switched off.

The Rock will start filming his next movie, The Smashing Machine, immediately following WrestleMania 40. This will impact his schedule, reducing his availability in the upcoming months.

Dwayne Johnson’s involvement in the WrestleMania 40 night one main event and top storyline has garnered significant attention. Despite teases and fan hopes that they will see him in singles matches against Cody Rhodes or Roman Reigns, that is not expected in the near future.

WrestleMania 40′s main event on April 6 will see The Rock team up with Roman Reigns to take on Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins. That match will directly affect the main event contest on night two, where it will be Bloodline rules if the heel team wins. WWE fans might not see much of The Rock after the show of shows.

Nick Khan Confirms The Rock’s Plans

WWE CEO Nick Khan confirmed on The Town podcast that The Rock will be taking off after WrestleMania 40. He has to shoot The Smashing Machine, and that will be a rare project for The Great One, as it is not a big budget production. 

“[His next film] Smashing Machine. So it’s his first, I think from what I understand, like not a hundred million dollar picture since he’s become a big megastar. So he goes into that a week or two after WrestleMania. Yeah. And then goes into live Moana after that, which knock on wood should be a big hit.”

It was later confirmed to ESPN that his influence will continue within and outside the wrestling world. He emphasized his ongoing role on TKO’s Board of Directors, ensuring his impact remains within the company.

“I’m not off the Board after WrestleMania. I’m still on the Board, and I will always be a part of this & we are in it now. This is our thing & will forever be our thing.”

Roman Reigns Likely Taking Time Off Too

Additionally, Reigns is rumored to be taking time off after WrestleMania 40. He has not been advertised for their Backlash event in Germany on May 4. We will have to see how long the Tribal Chief’s break is after Mania this year.

Roman Reigns’ schedule has decreased significantly over the last few years. He only wrestled 11 matches in 2023, and 3 of those contests were at house shows. The Head of the Table has also only wrestled once in 2024 so far, as he successfully defended the Undisputed Universal Title against LA Knight, Randy Orton, and AJ Styles in a fatal four-way match at the Royal Rumble.

Posted April 4th, 2024 in WWE. Tagged: , , .

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