Rob Van Dam has been associated with WWE for the past two decades, but his appearances might not be plentiful now. RVD made a surprising debut in AEW during the August 2nd episode of AEW Dynamite this year. That may have tainted his relationship with WWE.
During Marty Jannetty’s “Party with Marty” podcast, RVD hinted that his AEW debut might impact his chances of appearing at WrestleMania 40 in 2024. That is a shame, because the show of shows is going down in Philadelphia next year.
While RVD confirmed his presence at next year’s WrestleCon, he provided a somewhat elusive response regarding his WrestleMania 40 status, implying that there might not be a planned appearance.
“Allegedly I got booked for an appearance, and then allegedly that appearance was canceled when I showed up on an alleged competitor’s TV program, and then allegedly I might be pre-booked — either way, I’m going to be there at WrestleCon!”
WrestleMania 40 is set to take place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the former stomping grounds of ECW, sparking fan speculation about The Whole F’N Show being a natural addition to the festivities. If anything, Philly fans would love to chant “R-V-D” once again.
RVD never inked a contract with Tony Khan, and he was on a per appearance deal. He still made some waves in the pro wrestling world with that debut, as another WWE Hall of Famer graced an AEW ring.
We can only hope that RVD is included in WrestleMania 40 in some way, because Philadelphia really would be a great place to see him re-appear under WWE’s bright lights. If that booking is going to happen, RVD isn’t saying anything about it at this point. At least fans know RVD will be at WrestleCon.
WWE is gearing up for the road to WrestleMania, and the event is set to kick off on January 27th at the Royal Rumble in Tropicana Field. Although we still have over a month until they really put the wheels in motion, other wheels on the road have provided a glimpse at what is to come.
Brock Lesnar’s Current WWE Situation
Brock Lesnar’s last appearance on WWE television took place during the SummerSlam, where he faced Cody Rhodes. Ultimately, Lesnar was defeated by The American Nightmare, and he praised Rhodes in an impromptu post-match celebration. The Beast Incarnate’s absence has persisted since that event in Detroit’s Ford Field.
Despite Brock Lesnar’s current absence from WWE television, promotional materials featuring him for WrestleMania 40 were spotted on the back of a WWE production truck. This observation is noteworthy considering the proximity of the Royal Rumble next month, adding an intriguing layer to Lesnar’s potential involvement in upcoming events.
Exclusive Details About Brock Lesnar’s WWE Future
I was told by a tenured source within WWE after SummerSlam that Brock Lesnar won’t be back to wrestle for the rest of 2023. Now that we are closing out December, it seems that came to pass.
The Royal Rumble event is the next big event on WWE’s schedule. I could not get a definite confirmation that Brock Lesnar will be a part of the January 27th Royal Rumble event, but it was not denied to me, either.
I was told that Brock Lesnar is slated to be on the WrestleMania 40 card. That being said, WWE is obviously gearing up for a big night in Philadelphia for the Beast Incarnate. His opponent is another question, as a lot of things are shifting within WWE right now, especially after CM Punk’s return. So, nothing is locked into place yet.
I was able to confirm, as I previously reported, that Roman Reigns’ plan for WrestleMania 40 has not changed, but anything is possible until it is “locked in.”
UPDATE: Allegation Involving Brock Lesnar
In the blockbuster lawsuit from Janel Grant, it was noted that Vince McMahon allegedly used her as a bargaining chip to secure a contract renewal. The Superstar in question was not named, but they were referred to as a former UFC Heavyweight Champion.
In March 2020, McMahon began sharing sexually explicit photographs and videos of Ms. Grant (including pornographic content he recorded) with other men both inside and outside the company, including with members of the television production “tech” team, executive(s), 4 producer(s), and a world-famous athlete and former UFC Heavyweight Champion with whom WWE was actively trying to sign to a new contract (and ultimately did sign that contract).
Will Bray Wyatt’s first WrestleMania since his return to WWE go ahead without the former Universal Champion?
Wyatt was controversially released from WWE in July 2021, with his final match being his WrestleMania 37 loss to Randy Orton.
The Eater of Worlds returned to WWE at last October’s Extreme Rules event in the climax of the ‘White Rabbit’ storyline.
WrestleMania Doubts
Ever since Elimination Chamber 2023, WWE has been teasing a WrestleMania match between Wyatt and Bobby Lashley.
Last Sunday, Wyatt did not appear as advertised for a WWE live event in Madison Square Garden, and it has been reported that he has been dealing with a physical issue.
During the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer answered questions about Wyatt’s status for WrestleMania.
“From what I understand, the match is still on for WrestleMania, and he should be back very soon. So we’ll see. But that’s pretty much all I can say, I mean there is something to it but I’m not at liberty to discuss it, but it’s not, as far as I know everything that I’ve been told is that it’s not a creative issue or anything like that.”
Dave Meltzer.
Lashley’s Match
Should Wyatt be forced to miss WrestleMania, that will leave Lashley without a dance partner, which does not sit well for the All-Mighty.
On Twitter, the two-time former WWE Champion has seemingly distanced himself from the Bray feud and has said he’ll fight anyone at WrestleMania.
I’ve worked too hard to be denied.
I will be ready to fight on the biggest stage of them all, #WrestleMania.
The WWE Intercontinental Championship, while being a midcard belt, holds significant importance in the company. It has been a staple of the professional wrestling industry for decades now. Even today, it is still a valuable milestone to reach in a wrestler’s career.
The Intercontinental Championship is currently held by Gunther in WWE, and he is set to defend his title at WrestleMania 39 against the winner of a #1 contender’s match between Drew McIntyre and Sheamus.
According to a new report by Fightful Select, Gunther’s plans for WrestleMania 39 were set as early as December 2022.
The original rumors had suggested that Gunther would defend his title against former WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar. However, these plans did not come to fruition. Lesnar is instead now scheduled to face Omos at WrestleMania 39.
Instead, Gunther will defend his WWE Intercontinental Championship against the winner of the #1 contender’s match. This could be either McIntyre or Sheamus, and either competitor would make for an entertaining bout at the Grandest Stage of Them All.
The match came about when Sheamus and McIntyre both won in the Fatal 5-Way match to determine the number one contender.
Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship Reign
The leader of Impreium also recently reached a milestone as the Intercontinental champ.
Gunther won the title on June 10, 2022 edition of WWE SmackDown. He ended Ricochet’s 98-day reign that night. Gunther successfully defended his title against the likes of Braun Strowman, Rey Mysterio, and Shinsuke Nakamura since then.
At the time of this writing, Gunther has held the title for over 276 days. He broke the record of Shelton Benjamin’s reign of 244 days back from 2004.
This feat made Gunther the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion of the 21st century, which was even acknowledged by WWE. It remains to be seen if the champ can continue to hold on to the title and extend his record.
As WWE gears up for WrestleMania in Hollywood, one superstar is hellbent on getting his moment on the grand stage.
Last Friday on SmackDown, five men competed in a number one contender’s match. The winner would then guarantee themselves a shot against GUNTHER at WrestleMania for the Intercontinental Championship. Among the competitors were Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, Karrion Kross, Xavier Woods, and LA Knight. Each participant fought valiantly to secure their spot on the big show, but in a turn of events, it came down to a two-way draw.
At the same time Drew McIntyre pinned LA Knight, another referee counted the shoulders of Xavier Woods, who was in the midst of a pinfall from Sheamus. WWE official Adam Pearce later ruled that both men were co-winners of the five-way contest, but this week, they will square off one-on-one to determine GUNTHER’s sole challenger.
“You Can’t Have An LA WrestleMania Without L-A Knight”
(via WWE)
Despite his evident loss last week, LA Knight believes there can’t be a Los Angeles WrestleMania without him. With no clear path to WrestleMania now, Knight took to Twitter to demand his moment.
“EVERYBODY knows you can’t have an LA Wrestlemania without LA Knight,” he wrote. “But [WWE] is late to the game, DRAGGING THEIR FEET on giving Wrestlemania the opportunity for an LA Knight moment. It’s about damn time I get a heads up. I’m done waiting.”
EVERYBODY knows you can’t have an LA Wrestlemania without LA Knight. But @wwe is late to the game, DRAGGING THEIR FEET on giving Wrestlemania the opportunity for an LA Knight moment. It’s about damn time I get a heads up. I’m done waiting pic.twitter.com/uW4LmBdmdD
Following his loss to Bray Wyatt at the Royal Rumble, Knight has yet to garner another consistent storyline on television. In recent weeks, he had a one-off match with Kofi Kingston, before setting his sights on the Intercontinental Championship. Unfortunately for Knight, his championship aspirations slipped away from his grasp last week.
Some fans may be wondering why WWE has Brock Lesnar wrestling Omos at WrestleMania, but Lesnar’s former rival Kurt Angle knows exactly why the match has been made.
Lesnar has been one of the top WWE performers for two decades. ‘The Beast Incarnate’ has been featured in several blockbuster matches in the recent years. Lesnar had won the WWE Championship again in 2022 and lost the title in a Winner Takes All Match against Universal Champion Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 38.
Following a rematch at SummerSlam, Brock Lesnar later entered a feud with Bobby Lashley, which continued till 2023. After a disqualification loss to Lashley at Elimination Chamber, Lesnar shifted towards a new challenge. He went on to accept up and coming WWE star Omos’ challenge to a match at WrestleMania 39 which is just a few weeks away.
Kurt Angle opens up on the idea of Brock Lesnar vs Omos
Speaking on The Kurt Angle Show, the Olympic Gold Medalist shared his thoughts on the match and. ‘The Olympic Gold Medalist’ has stated that it’s time for Lesnar to start helping the company build other talent. He wants ‘The Beast’ to put over Omos at ‘The Grandest Stage of Them All.’
“I think it’s a great idea,” Angle said. “You have to remember, Brock is near the end of his career, and Omos is near the beginning of his career. Brock’s always been these main event matches with all the top guys. I think now he’s at the point of his career where he has to start giving back and not being at the top level matches for world championships, but trying to build other talent. I think this is a great idea.”
Lesnar and Omos are set to face off on tonight’s edition of Monday Night RAW. Omos will certainly reach a massive milestone in his career if he’s able to defeat Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 39.
Former SmackDown Women’s Champion Bayley plans to use Trish Stratus’ kindness against her at WrestleMania.
‘The Role Model’ recently recalled an emotional story about Stratus mentoring her at a difficult period in her career. Stratus opened up to her, which may turn out to be a big mistake.
Stratus has served as a mentor of sorts to several of today’s top female competitors including Bayley and Sasha Banks (now Mercedes Moné in NJPW). Bayley and Banks were the inaugural WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions after winning the titles in 2019. However, defending the titles belts at WrestleMania 35, they lost to the IIconics in a Fatal 4-Way match.
There were reports that the Boss-N-Hug Connection were extremely upset following their loss, but Stratus was there to inspire them and help turn the setback into a learning experience.
Bayley recalled the emotional incident
Over the weekend, Bayley tweeted about Trish consoling her and Sasha Banks after their WrestleMania 35 loss. During this discussion, Stratus opened up about her own ups and downs, as well as her insecurities and weaknesses. Little did she know that she’d be standing across the ring from Bayley four years later.
“We sat in the hallway of our hotel after losing the tag team titles at Wrestlemania. You talked to us til 4am sharing your secrets of the business, your personal life, your strengths and your weaknesses………….I remember #WrestleMania” Bayley tweeted.
The Hall of Famer responded to the tweet and stated that at least the Damage CTRL leader already knows how it feels to lose at WrestleMania and will be able to “CTRL” (control) her tears better this time.
“Yah I remember. Well, at least you already know what if feels to lose at #WrestleMania… maybe you can CTRL [control] your tears better this year,” Stratus wrote.
Yah I remember. Well, at least you already know what if feels to lose at #WrestleMania… maybe you can CTRL your tears better this year. https://t.co/Okuc9XtYlu
Which match will close out WrestleMania 39: Night One on Saturday, April 1?
With the star power in the match between Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns Vs. Cody Rhodes, it has long been accepted that this match will headline Night Two.
WWE is yet to confirm the main event for either night, or whether any match will be on Saturday or Sunday.
Intercontinental Main Event
WWE SmackDown Superstar Sheamus has never closed out a WrestleMania, but he plans on changing that in a matter of weeks.
Sheamus will face friend and longtime rival Drew McIntyre this Friday, with the winner facing Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER at WrestleMania 39.
Taking to Twitter to promote the St. Patrick’s Day clash, Sheamus said that his victory would mean he headlines WrestleMania 39: Night One.
St. Patrick’s Day 2023. Kansas City. Drew McIntyre V Sheamus. Winner: IC Title Match Main Event at Wrestlemania 39 Day One.. Next Friday “Remember Murrayfield” #SCOvIRE#luckoftheirishpic.twitter.com/UDGCPhmi23
The Sheamus-McIntyre match was formed last week, after both men scored a pinfall during a five-way to determine GUNTHER’s opponent.
It has been reported that WWE’s plan is for a triple-threat match for the title at WrestleMania 39.
The Intercontinental Championship has headlined one WrestleMania, that being WrestleMania 6 when Champion the Ultimate Warrior faced WWF Champion Hulk Hogan in a title-for-title match.
Other Night One Contenders
Sheamus Vs. McIntyre Vs. GUNTHER would be a physical main event to WrestleMania 39: Night One, but it isn’t the only option.
It has been reported that WWE is considering SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair Vs. Rhea Ripley as the closer for the show.
Some have argued that given his popularity, Sami Zayn should headline Night One in the rumored tag match with Kevin Owens against Undisputed WWE Tag Champions The Usos.
WWE may have revealed a surprise celebrity appearance for WrestleMania 39.
We’re just one month out from WWE’s biggest show of the year, WrestleMania. It’s all scheduled to go down Saturday, April 1 and Sunday, April 2 at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
On Wednesday, WWE revealed a new promotional poster for the event. Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes are featured most prominently, with over a dozen Superstars featured below.
You’ve got Brock Lesnar, John Cena, Charlotte Flair, Seth Rollins, Logan Paul and wait, is that Snoop Dogg? Why yes, it is, that’s WWE Hall of Famer Snoop Dogg. WWE has yet to announce Snoop’s involvement, but something is brewing.
A celebrity that could appear on the show is Latin superstar Bad Bunny, who has competed in WWE. On the Masked Man Show on Dec. 1, 2022, Kazeem Famuyide shared that he heard that WWE wanted to have Bad Bunny challenge Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 39. However, it seems the company is leaning towards a father vs. son match at the event. It’s still possible for Bad Bunny to appear, but he may not wrestle.
Regarding Snoop Dogg, fans may remember that he was involved in the WrestleMania 39 Launch Party on Aug. 11, 2022. At the event, WWE gave him a gold WWE Championship, which other celebrities have been seen with the title after he “lost” it. Its possible fans will Snoop Dogg and his title involved at WrestleMania 39.
What celebrity would you want to appear at this year’s WrestleMania? Let us know in the comments.
WWE star Finn Balor is apparently planning to make new additions to The Judgement Day faction.
The Judgment Day faction comprises of Rhea Ripley, Dominik Mysterio, Damian Priest and Finn Balor since last September and they have been one of the mainstays in the programming.
Since Mysterio joined the group, the sinister stable has rarely shown any signs of bringing in additional members. Balor recently discussed the idea of adding more members during the latest edition of WWE’s ‘The Bump.’ It seems that the fans might witness some fresh faces in Balor’s dark stable after the WrestleMania 39 Premium Live Event.
Finn Balor could be expanding The Judgement Day
“We are always planning,” he said.” “The Judgment Day are always planning; we’re always plotting, we’re always scheming. I’m always texting with Damian, we have a group chat with me, Damian, Rhea, Dom. We’re plotting, we’re figuring things out. And trust me, once we get ‘Mania behind us, The Judgment Day will be expanding.”
The Judgement Day was originally created by the WWE Hall of Famer Edge when he portrayed a darker gimmick. He then recruited Damien Priest and Rhea Ripley in order to elevate their position on the roster. However, Edge’s idea backfired when he added Finn Balor to the group. Priest and Ripley turned on ‘The Rated-R Superstar’ ousting him from the group. The latest addition to the heel faction was Dominik Mysterio. He had joined the group after brutally attacking his father Rey Mysterio and Edge.
WWE star Matt Riddle has been one of the popular stars in the company. He been portrayed as a fan favorite since joining NXT in 2018, but has gotten himself involved in a fair share of controversial matters off-screen.
Riddle was last seen in the WWE ring when he had teamed up with Kevin Owens to face off The Usos on the December 5th edition of Monday Night RAW. Riddle and Owens lost the match. Following the match, it was Solo Sikoa who brutally assaulted ‘The Original Bro’ and he was stretchered out to the back.
At the time, it was widely reported that Riddle was being written off television after failing a drug test and later entered a rehabilitation program.
Matt Riddle Ready to Return
With WrestleMania being right around the corner, WWE typically wants all hands on deck’ to ensure the biggest show of the year features as much star power as possible.
One month out from the big weekend, Riddle is still nowhere to be found on television. On the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, “Dave Meltzer provided an update on the former WWE United States Champion and his eventual return.
“He’s been out of rehab for a long time, his suspension has been over for almost a month now, 4 weeks,” said Meltzer. So it may be that they’ve just decided not to use him for Mania & not do anything with him, or maybe they just don’t want to invest in him.”
Riddle has put a lot of effort into getting himself healthy. SEScoops wishes him the best of luck as he gears up for the next chapter of his WWE career.
I’ve been working a lot on myself lately and have been saying no and setting boundaries for the first time ever and certain people aren’t happy about it, but I couldn’t be healthier or happier. Thank you for all the support ? pic.twitter.com/2DC2zBskup
It’s been reported that WWE planned on Edge Vs. Balor at the Royal Rumble but nixed the idea due to Edge’s commitments to the upcoming Percy Jackson series on Disney+.
WWE and Edge felt that with the Hall of Famer not being able to appear on Raw in the run-up to the Royal Rumble, the match would not have received proper booking.
It has been reported that the match in January was scheduled to take place inside Hell in a Cell, but there is no confirmation if this is the plan this time around.
The Judgment Day at WrestleMania
While Edge Vs. Balor has yet to be made official, it is expected to be confirmed for WrestleMania, which will be a busy night for the Judgment Day.
By winning the 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble match, Rhea Ripley earned herself a match at WrestleMania, and will challenge SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair this April.
Though it has not been confirmed, many expect Dominik Mysterio to face his father Rey Mysterio at WrestleMania 39.
The A-Lister hosted The Miz TV segment on this week’s episode of Raw. During the show he revealed that he has been chosen to host the Show of Shows this year.
However, before he could celebrate the announcement, the former world champion was interrupted by Seth Rollins. The Visionary asked to be connected to Logan Paul.
When Rollins was refused, he attacked The Miz. The Architect then used Miz’s phone to call Paul and challenged the YouTube star to confront him next week.
A total of 4 matches have officially been confirmed so far for WrestleMania this year. Here is the updated match card for the show:
Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Match: Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns
SmackDown Women’s Championship Match: Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair
Raw Women’s Championship Match: Asuka vs. Bianca Belair
Singles Match: Brock Lesnar vs. Omos
Some of the rumored matches for the show include Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn vs The Usos, John Cena vs. Austin Theory, Logan Paul vs Seth Rollins and more.
WWE WrestleMania 39 will be taking place from the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California on April 1 & 2.
WWE has switched to a two-night schedule for WrestleMania since 2020, which means that we get to see not one but two Mania main events every year now.
It’s almost certain that the match between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes will be one of the main events this year, but the place for the other marquee match is not fixed yet.
Dave Meltzer provided an update on this in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter. He revealed which match could be the second main event for WrestleMania 39.
Meltzer mentioned how both the nights last year were headlined by men. Due to political reasons, there is a feeling within the company that night 1 of the show should be main evented by female stars this year.
The SmackDown Women’s Championship match between Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley is the favorite for this spot, compared to the bout between Bianca Belair and Asuka for the Raw Women’s Title.
The other possible main event is the expected tag team match between The Usos and Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens for the Undisputed Tag Titles.
The main event of WrestleMania 38 night 1 featured the in-ring return of Stone Cold Steve Austin, who faced Kevin Owens in an impromptu match. Night 2 saw Roman Reigns defending the Undisputed WWE Title against Brock Lesnar.
Which one of these matches do you think should main event the show of shows this year? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
A major match-up many have been expecting for WrestleMania this year is currently up in the air.
At Elimination Chamber, Brock Lesnar and Bobby Lashley had their third singles bout. The latest showdown between the pair followed ‘The All Mighty’ making quick work of, and eliminating, ‘The Beast Incarnate’ from the men’s Royal Rumble match last month.
In a sprint-paced brawl, the two heavyweight monsters quickly got their spots in. Lesnar then got DQ’d for a surprise low blow just shy of the five-minute mark. The post-match antics saw the former UFC Heavyweight Champion obliterate both Lashley and the referee with F-5s.
The chaotic finish has left fans expecting a final, blow-off bout between the pair with a decisive finish. Their original clash at last year’s Royal Rumble win ended with a tainted Lashley win after Paul Heyman betrayed Lesnar. Their second bout saw Lesnar win with a surprise pinfall when he was locked in The Hurt Lock at Crown Jewel back in November.
Is Bray Wyatt vs. Brock Lesnar On The Cards For WrestleMania?
On the go-home SmackDown before Elimination Chamber, Bray Wyatt expressed his interesting facing the winner of Lesnar vs. Lashley III.
While Lesnar lost the bout via DQ, Wyatt very curiously specified he wants to face whoever “walks out alive” of the bout. Despite his loss, Lesnar was certainly not the worse for wear figure after his bout with Lashley.
The controversial ending of Lesnar/Lashley III was reportedly booked to keep the feud chugging along this year. However, according to a recent report from Fightful Select, the continuation of the feud may wait until after WrestleMania.
Considering Wyatt’s promo and Lesnar’s curious booking at Elimination Chamber, it looks like the big man may well be butting heads with Wyatt and Uncle Howdy very soon.
Would you like to see Bray Wyatt face either Brock Lesnar or Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania?
Cody Rhodes vs. Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
Cody Rhodes Vs. Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Sami Zayn.
Why not both?
Since winning the Men’s Royal Rumble match last month, it has been known that the American Nightmare will challenge for WWE’s richest prize at WrestleMania 39, but who he’ll face remains uncertain.
Elimination Chamber
At this time, the WrestleMania 39 main event will see Rhodes attempt to dethrone Reigns and end his historic reign as WWE’s sole World Champion.
Before that though, Reigns will defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Sami Zayn at this weekend’s Elimination Chamber event.
During last week’s Raw, Rhodes said he believes Zayn can defeat Reigns in Montreal, and reiterated that point this week in a face-to-face segment with Sami.
Triple Threat
While the Royal Rumble winner has traditionally competed in singles action at WrestleMania, Rhodes is open to the idea of facing both Zayn and Reigns in Los Angeles.
“I don’t really have a preference [between Reigns and Zayn.] Solely because I want to wrestle the best. People wanted a contender forever. So if two show up, don’t be mad. Don’t make it about A or B, or B or A, or one or two. Enjoy it all. That’s really been kind of the challenge. I can’t begrudge a dude getting super hot. I have no preference in terms of the direction it goes.
“I have no preference in terms of the direction it goes.”
Cody Rhodes.
“I really look forward to the moments when I’m in there, if they happen, Sami, whether that’s just on the road to WrestleMania. I think it’s different than people think. I think he’s doing amazing.”
Rhodes remained aware that what happens this Saturday at WWE Elimination Chamber could significantly affect his WrestleMania future.
“I feel like I’ve been able to really do some great stuff too. So bring it all together. Who knows what happens in Montreal? Who knows what happens at WrestleMania?”
Cody Rhodes.
If WWE does have a triple-threat match at WrestleMania, it will be the eighth time the stipulation will be used at a WrestleMania for a World Championship (2004, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2015-albeit thanks to Seth Rollins, and 2021.)
WrestleMania is going Hollywood once again, and the WWE is bringing back one of its most popular promotional ideas from years gone by.
WrestleMania 39 will be the first event of its name hosted in Los Angeles since WrestleMania 21 in 2005, which leaned heavily into the fact that the show was airing from Hollywood.
In the lead-up to the 2005 event, WWE aired several parody trailers featuring WWE talent don roles from some of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters.
According to Wrestle Votes, WWE is in the process of filming similar parody trailers for this year’s event, with names like The Miz, Drew McIntyre, the Street Profits, and others attached.
I’m hearing WWE has begun filming brand new “movie parody” promos similar to those from WrestleMania 21. Miz, McIntyre, Sheamus, Brutes & Street Profits all expected to be included in the promotion for “WrestleMania Goes Hollywood.”
There’s no word on which movies WWE plans on parodying as part of their latest promotional campaign for WrestleMania 39.
WrestleMania 39
The card for WWE’s biggest two nights of the year is coming together, and will be headlined by Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns Vs. Cody Rhodes.
Rhodes earned the title match by winning the Men’s Royal Rumble match, while Women’s Rumble winner Rhea Ripley will challenge SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair.
Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair will take on the winner of next week’s Women’s Elimination Chamber match.
Matches rumored for WrestleMania 39 include Logan Paul Vs. Seth Rollins and United States Champion Austin Theory Vs. John Cena.
WWE WrestleMania 39 will take place on April 1 and April 2, making the fourth WrestleMania in a row to take place over two nights.
WrestleMania 39 is coming soon, and it is shaping up to be a massive event this year. There could be several big matches taking place in the event, and a recent report only adds to this excitement.
Several more matches have been decided on for WWE’s biggest event of the year. The following matches are now “locked in” according to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter:
Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes for the Universal title
Charlotte Flair vs. Rhea Ripley for the SmackDown Women’s title
John Cena vs. Austin Theory
Rousey & Shayna Baszler challenging Iyo Sky & Dakota Kai for Women’s Tag Team titles
Bianca Belair vs. the Elimination Chamber winner for the Raw Women’s title
Additional matches rumored for the event include Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley and Seth Rollins vs. Logan Paul.
Cena and Rousey’s Road to WrestleMania
John Cena returned to the ring in 2022 on the final SmackDown episode of the year. He competed in a match with Kevin Owens against The Bloodline’s Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn, and he is rumored to be competing at WrestleMania 39 in April 2023.
Cena fueled these rumors by making a post on Instagram which had Logan Paul holding the WWE Championship, but WWE is going in a different direction for the 16-time World Champion’s big match.
Additionally, Cena is set to start filming for the upcoming R-Rated comedy “Ricky Stanicky” alongside Zac Efron next month. Still, the filming schedule won’t prevent him from working at WrestleMania. Whether Cena will face off against United States Champion Austin Theory remains to be seen, but Theory has been pushing for a match with Cena for years and recently filmed a backstage segment with him in Tampa, FL.
As for Ronda Rousey, recent reports about her suggested that she was supposed to face Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 39, but plans for that were scrapped. Ronda dropped the SmackDown Women’s Championship to a returning Charlotte Flair on the December 30th episode of SmackDown.
Two former WWE Champions are going at it on social media in a situation that could produce a ‘Match of the Night’ contender for WrestleMania Goes Hollywood.
With the Royal Rumble in the rear-view mirror, WrestleMania season is officially upon us. When it comes to some of the best performers in the event’s illustrious history, Edge is a name that comes to mind. The WWE Hall of Famer, alongside Sheamus was the centerpiece of a Twitter clip released by WWE, highlighting the pair’s first meeting all the way back in 2010.
In the clip, then-WWE Champion Sheamus confronted Edge during a promo from the latter. Sheamus told the then-retired Edge that a lot has changed since ‘The Rated R Superstar’ was last around, who then agreed with Sheamus…however, Edge didn’t hold back, claiming that WWE was now run by an ‘evil Ronald McDonald.’
Sheamus would quote tweet the clip, noting that with a win over Intercontinental Champion, Gunther, he would ‘pass’ Edge after becoming a Grand Slam Champion:
Well right now I’m alone in The Hall of Won It All. I get lonely. Win that IC and we can have a chat Ronnie, whoops, Sheamo. Bout time we have a good old fashioned, grizzled 1 on 1 match. https://t.co/2cEPvpOUJh
WrestleMania 39 is set to take place across two nights on Saturday, April 1 and Sunday, April 2. The 39th installment of ‘The Showcase of the Immortals’ will go down from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
Here are the two confirmed matches, featuring the 2023 Royal Rumble Winnners
Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns (c) for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
Rhea Ripley vs. Charlotte Flair (c) for the SmackDown Women’s Championship
Rey Mysterio did not appear in the men’s Royal Rumble match, despite WWE having creative plans for him in the match.
Mysterio was scheduled to enter the Royal Rumble at #17. His music hit, but the lucha libre legend was nowhere to be found. The following entrant was his son, Dominik, who came out wearing his father’s signature mask. He removed the mask and tore it up as he made his way to the ring to officially enter the match.
What unfolded on television was not what WWE had planned for the Mysterios at the Rumble, but the company was forced to call a last-minute audible due to Rey sustaining an injury the previous night.
Rey Mysterio Update After the Royal Rumble
Rey Mysterio was injured during his match against Karrion Kross on Friday’s SmackDown, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio. Mysterio defeated Kross on SmackDown, which was taped from the Sames Auto Arena in Laredo, Texas.
“[Rey Mysterio] was going to be in the Rumble, that spot was changed,” said Meltzer. “I think they were actually supposed to do some teases with him to set up a WrestleMania match [against Dominik].”
Rey Mysterio won the 2006 WWE Royal Rumble, so he would have been a formidable contender, even at this late stage in his career.
With Rey unable to compete, WWE’s creative team instead came up with what we saw on television, and the idea that the Judgment Day attacked Rey Mysterio and prevented him from participating.
We’ll be looking into the nature of Rey Mysterio’s latest injury and will provide an update when we get more information. The extent of his condition may dictate whether or not he’s healthy enough to face his son Dominik at WrestleMania Goes Hollywood.
Roman Reigns has spoken candidly about the possibility (or lack thereof) of facing his cousin The Rock at WrestleMania 39.
A showdown between the two members of the Anoa’I family has been a dream match for years, and it was reported last year that WWE was actively pursuing the match.
The Rock’s most recent match was an eight-second win over Erick Rowan in 2016, while his most recent full match saw him lose to John Cena at WrestleMania 29.
Roman Reigns
While The Rock Vs. Reigns was once considered a virtual lock for WrestleMania, that is no longer the case.
Earlier this month, it was reported that The Rock has informed WWE that he does not believe there is enough time for him to prepare for the Mania match.
Speaking on the Tonight Show to promote tonight’s Royal Rumble, Reigns addressed the match seemingly being off the table.
“I believe he just came out with a statement saying that he’s not gonna be ready in time, which, that’s the face that everyone’s making, like, ‘Hold on! He trains every single day. He’s huge!’ In his defense, it’s one thing to train with weights, the bodybuilding, the look, the part… but, to be able to get in the ring and do a main event match, a championship match, it takes a lot of conditioning, it beats up your body.
“So there’s more that goes into it than training in the weight room. It’s a professional athlete type of situation where you have to condition. He does two out of three things perfectly. His nutrition and weight training is on point, but you have to condition yourself, you gotta be ready to fall down.”
With The Rock not expected at WrestleMania, (and therefore tonight’s Rumble) other favorites to win the Men’s Rumble match include Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn.
Reigns will defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship tonight against Kevin Owens.
Plans for The Rock to compete at this year’s WrestleMania are seemingly on the back burner, according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
The Rock hasn’t competed for WWE since 2016, when he got a six-second victory over Erick Rowan at WrestleMania 32.
It has been rumored for some time that the Great One would be returning this year to face his cousin and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
The Rock
Reigns Vs. Rock is certainly a match worthy of headlining WrestleMania, but is unlikely to happen this year.
Dave Meltzer reports that The Rock has informed WWE that he does not believe he has enough time to get in adequate shape for WrestleMania.
Unless The Rock changes his mind within the next few days, a match between himself and Reigns won’t happen this year.
The report adds that even if a match doesn’t happen this year, he remains open to doing something with WWE in the future.
It is added that Rock’s involvement with next weekend’s Royal Rumble is “considered less likely than a few months ago.”
Meltzer also suggests the possibility that there is “something” being kept from everyone backstage.
Backup
The Rock may not be competing at this year’s WrestleMania after all, but WWE still has a plan without the People’s Champion.
In the Observer, Meltzer writes that WWE “has always had a backup direction” and always knew that The Rock was never a guarantee.
Without The Rock, the arguable favorite to win the Men’s Rumble match is Cody Rhodes, whose return was announced during RAW.
John Cena knows how to get people talking with his provocative social media posts. Pro wrestling’s ‘other’ 16-time world champion has proven to be a master at dropping cryptic comments and photos that touch upon current events.
His tweets are primarily inspirational quotes. His Instagram posts range from playful to downright bewildering. The photos are almost always submitted without a caption, which fuels speculation about what exactly he’s referencing.
Cena returned to the ring on the final SmackDown of 2022. He and Kevin Owens teamed up to defeat The Bloodline’s Roman Reigns and Sami Zayn. The show delivered massive viewership, proving that Cena can still deliver eyeballs when needed.
John Cena’s Latest Tease
The leader of the Cenation is rumored to be competing at WrestleMania in April, with Logan Paul and Austin Theory discussed as his most likely opponents. Both men have campaigned for a match against Cena at WrestleMania.
Cena’s in-ring career is winding down, so this is a fleeing opportunity for anyone hoping to work with the iconic star before he hangs up the boots once and for all.
Amid reports that WWE is attempting to get Logan Paul to appear at the Royal Rumble on January 28, Cena shared a photo of Logan and his brother Jake Paul on Instagram. It’s worth noting that he didn’t post just any random photo of them. He chose a photo that included Logan Paul holding the WWE Championship.
Jake Paul has never competed in a pro wrestling match, but he’s no stranger to WWE. He’s spoken about being a pro wrestling fan while growing up. The Problem Child even appeared at WWE Crown Jewel to help back his brother Logan against The Bloodline. He later teased that they might team up at some point.
During a recent interview with DAZN, Jake Paul spoke about his love for WWE. While wearing a Hulk Hogan t-shirt, he was asked to name his all-time favorite wrestler.
“Hulk, probably, yeah,” said Paul. “Him or John Cena, which is like super cliché, but there’s a reason why John Cena was the greatest in the world, brother.”
WrestleMania is drawing nearer and there’s been rumors swirling about who will be there. John Cena, Stone Cold Steve Austin, and The Rock have all been the subject of these rumors.
One Superstar that wants to be in the main event is Seth “Freakin'” Rollins. He took to Twitter to say “really feel like main eventing WrestleMania this year.”
Really feel like main eventing WrestleMania this year.
As a member of The Shield, Rollins made his WrestleMania debut in 2013. They took on Sheamus, Randy Orton, and Big Show. The “Hounds of Justice” were victorious. At WrestleMania 30, The Shield defeated New Age Outlaws and Kane in under three minutes.
Since winning his first WrestleMania match as a member of The Shield, he has moved to 6-3 overall. An interesting stat is that “The Architect” is undefeated in tag team matches at “The Show of Shows”.
His first WrestleMania loss would come at ‘Mania 31 against Orton. It’s perhaps remembered for what many think is the best RKO ever. Rollins was going for the Curb Stomp when Orton reversed into the RKO and promptly followed up with a pin. That same night, Rollins would cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase during Reigns and Brock Lesnar’s match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. Rollins would be victorious.
Other big moments include defeating HHH in a non-sanctioned match, beating The Miz and Finn Balor to become Intercontinental Champion for the first time, and facing Cody Rhodes in his return to the company after seven years.
Perhaps if he wins Royal Rumble, “The Visionary” will get his wish to headline “The Grandest Stage of Them All”.
WrestleMania is always a wildly lucrative event for WWE, but 2023’s installment is taking things to a whole new level.
Last week, we reported that WrestleMania 39 is on the verge of selling out with approximately 100,000 tickets sold for the 2-night event. On Monday, WWE sent in word that “WrestleMania Goes Hollywood” has now surpassed 2016’s WrestleMania 32 as the highest-grossing WrestleMania in company history.
WWE® BREAKS ALL-TIME WRESTLEMANIA® GATE RECORD
WrestleMania Goes Hollywood at SoFi Stadium Surpasses WrestleMania 32 as Best-Seller in Company History, Nearly Three Months Prior to Event
STAMFORD, Conn., January 9, 2023 – WWE® (NYSE: WWE) today announced that WrestleMania Goes Hollywood (WrestleMania 39), which will originate from SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles across two nights, broke the company’s all-time gate record for any WrestleMania, despite having yet to announce a single match. The previous record announced was $17.3 million in 2016 at WrestleMania 32 at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
The record gate comes on the heels of unprecedented ticket sales demand for WWE in 2022, in which it produced the highest-grossing gates of all-time for Royal Rumble, Survivor Series and Extreme Rules. Clash at the Castle in Cardiff, Wales, which marked WWE’s first major stadium show in the U.K. in 30 years, was the highest-grossing U.K. event in company history.
Additionally, WWE set in-market gate records for SmackDown and Raw events in more than 20 markets for the year, including the December 30 SmackDown, which took place in Tampa, Fla. and heralded the return of WWE Superstar John Cena.
Limited single and two-day combo tickets for WrestleMania Goes Hollywood can still be purchased through Ticketmaster.com. The event streams live on Saturday, April 1 and Sunday, April 2 exclusively on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else.
