The Wrestling Club founder Victor Perry shared a video of him informing his students of Cody Rhodes’ tweet:
The Wrestling Club’s reaction when they learned that some of them will be going to Wrestlemania 40 because of @CodyRhodes. ❤️
Their joy is absolutely incredible. They’re so happy for each other and that speaks directly to the community that is TWC. ✨ pic.twitter.com/5nNSo2Bscf
WWE star Cody Rhodes is doing a good deed for a group of middle school students.
Rhodes revealed on Wednesday night that he’s sending The Wrestling Club, an after school club at the KIPP AMP Middle School in Brooklyn, to WrestleMania 40. The group had been running a fundraiser selling popcorn trying to pay for their WrestleMania trip.
Rhodes wrote that he’s paying for The Wrestling Club’s tickets and hotels: “I could buy a bunch of popcorn or I could just tell ya’ – I’ve got your tickets and hotels. You’re going to Wrestlemania 40!”
The Wrestling Club was created by Victor Perry, who teaches English at KIPP AMP Middle School. The club watches modern day and classic pro wrestling matches together with Perry focusing on the art of storytelling and character building.
Perry responded to Rhodes: “You’re the absolute GREATEST. I can’t thank you enough my friend. Thank you so much. I can’t wait to tell TWC.”
The Wrestling Club has gone viral on social media through the videos they post reacting to matches. They’ve been visited by WWE and AEW wrestlers, including Big E, Titus O’Neil, Shelton Benjamin & Cedric Alexander visiting for a Black History Month celebration in 2023.
“I’m committed because I wish I had it,” Perry told Bleacher Report last year. “As a kid, I often thought I was too short, not as athletic, and I wish I would’ve had a space where I felt like I could’ve belonged, to have fun with just exploring the possibility of something. So that’s what literally drives me to spending hours on weekends creating lesson plans, watching matches and figuring out what I want to show the kids, because I wish I had it as a kid.”
WrestleMania 40 is taking place at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7. Whether Rhodes will headline the event for the second straight year remains to be seen. Rhodes lost to Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 39 last year.
Cody Rhodes isn’t worried about Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson taking his main event spot at WWE WrestleMania 40.
While appearing on Busted Open Radio, Rhodes addressed comments that Johnson made on The Pat McAfee Show this September. Johnson said a match between him and Roman Reigns was “locked” in for WrestleMania 39 at one point. Though it didn’t happen then, Johnson left the door open for him to face Reigns at WrestleMania 40 next April.
Rhodes told Busted Open Radio that it would be outstanding if Johnson is part of WrestleMania 40, but he doesn’t think Johnson will take his spot against Reigns in the main event. Rhodes said no matter who the other options are, he’s not flinching on his goal to face Reigns and win the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
Rhodes said:
You mentioned The Rock. Nobody has asked me about The Rock, because I think they’re scared to ask me or don’t want to be rude. I’ll say this about The Rock coming on Pat’s show, which I was watching live because I love Pat. And then SmackDown and all this. The Rock did for sports entertainment so, so much and continues to do so much by being the biggest star in Hollywood that I’m able to be at the level I’m at because I can stand on shoulders like those of The Rock. So he could have come on there and run me down and I still would have the highest respect for The Great One. He’s honestly a model superstar for anybody who wants to just supersede all expectations.
With that said though, no matter what he said, anyone who did ask me, anyone who did confront me on it, I said I’m not flinching. I’m not flinching. And I feel like if The Rock and I were in the same room, he would expect nothing less from me. If you think it’s somebody else, I’m going to do everything I can to make sure you know it’s me. And that’s the same attitude that The Rock had when he was climbing the ladder.
I don’t care who it is. If that happens to be The Rock, if that happens to be anybody who comes into this fray. A wonderful superstar like LA Knight. An absolutely stellar performer like Sami Zayn, who him and I went toe-to-toe in a way last year. Line ’em up and I’m just going to do everything I can to outrun them. I certainly am. And I mean that with the utmost respect to them. I wasn’t shook at all by Rock’s big day out. What I would say is: not flinching. If Rock’s part of WrestleMania 40, that would be outstanding. He should be. It’s The Rock. But I don’t think he’ll be in my spot.
Rhodes headlined WrestleMania 39 against Reigns but lost the match. The finish involved interference by Solo Sikoa. Since then, Rhodes has been on a mission to get back to that spot and finish the story by defeating Reigns for the title.
At Survivor Series later this month, Rhodes will compete in WarGames for the first time. The men’s WarGames match is currently Rhodes, Jey Uso, Seth Rollins & Sami Zayn vs. Damian Priest, Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh.
Rhodes & Uso are challenging Priest & Balor for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team titles on Raw tonight.
WrestleMania 40 is being held in Philadelphia on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7, 2024.
In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer provided the latest update on Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s status for WrestleMania 40.
This September, Johnson told The Pat McAfee Show that him facing Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 39 was “locked” in at one point. The match didn’t end up happening, but Johnson teased that he could potentially work WrestleMania 40 next April.
Sports Illustrated reported earlier this week that “the decision about WrestleMania will not be The Rock’s to make, nor is the main event even a topic of substance. There are currently no plans for this to happen.”
Meltzer confirmed that, after Johnson turned down WrestleMania 39, no one is going with the idea that he’ll do WrestleMania 40.
“If he wants the spot I can’t believe WWE would turn him down but after Johnson turned it down last year, nobody is going with the idea he’s going to do it this year,” Meltzer wrote.
Regarding the stories that WWE won’t do Rock vs. Reigns at Mania if Rock wants to do it, what we were told is this. If he wants the spot I can’t believe WWE would turn him down but after Johnson turned it down last year, nobody is going with the idea he’s going to do it this year. The match is not scheduled, unlike at this time last year when the match was considered a good shot. The belief is that Johnson will have plenty of work once the strikes are over [and] he’ll have plenty to do. What we were told is that Rock is not going to come back and win the title. I’d never anticipate that would be an issue as if the match was to happen, I always figured Reigns to win and Rock then retiring in the ring.
Aside from a six-second squash of Erick Rowan at WrestleMania 32, Johnson hasn’t wrestled since facing John Cena in the main event of WrestleMania 29 in 2013.
Johnson made a surprise appearance on SmackDown alongside McAfee in September. He took part in a segment with Austin Theory and also had a brief interaction with Cena.
Reigns’ next Undisputed WWE Universal Championship defense will be against LA Knight at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, November 4.
In addition to building up the Knight match, a brief face-to-face confrontation between Reigns and Cody Rhodes took place on SmackDown last week.
WrestleMania 40 is being held at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7, 2024.
It’s Saturday and that means it’s time for Wrestling Observer Live — a very newsworthy show based on Friday’s WWE SmackDown.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson came back to Denver and WWE, backing up Pat McAfee and laying out Austin Theory, but does he have Roman Reigns in his sights?
To hear him on McAfee’s show, he passed on WrestleMania 39, but might work WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
While SmackDown ratings were strong and the crowd in Denver went crazy, will this frenzy maintain all the way until WrestleMania? What does that mean for Cody Rhodes and LA Knight’s stories going into next spring’s big show?
Plus, I talk about John Cena, Jimmy Uso, the late Brett Sawyer and much more.
Dave Meltzer and I are back with Wrestling Observer Radio. We opened up the show talking the latest news in wrestling as well as in today’s issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter including the following:
The latest on Cash Wheeler’s situation
Dave’s story on the CM Punk, Ryan Nemeth, and Adam Page situation
The WrestleMania 40 gate
Shows he’ll be seeing in the UK
Then, Mike Tenay joined the show to talk about the passing of someone who influenced both he and Dave greatly, Koichi Yoshizawa.
Behind the scenes of the last month of AEW. why stories were kept quiet, why people were not allowed to attend Collision, why this has gone on for 18 months
All of the recent incidents talked about from multiple sides
The promo by C.M. Punk and what happened at the Greensboro show which led to all of his getting out
Different reactions to the promo
The apology that did happen
All In and attendance records plus the updated card with new matches that have not yet been announced
Full coverage of the end of G-1 and the big fall shows for New Japan
Business notes on G-1
Naito has two of the best matches of the year
Koichi Yoshizawa and his role in Japanese wrestling coverage in the U.S.
Saturday’s UFC coverage and where the top stars go from here as well as the business notes
Coverage of the final TripleMania show of the year and storylines behind it
Tammy Sytch update
The most detailed look at ratings for all the wrestling and MMA shows, gains and losses with what groups and why, what segments did the best and worst
Another women’s champion out of action due to surgery
RevPro and CMLL working relationship notes
World Grand Prix notes
Stardom PPV coverage and upcoming tag team tournament
N-1 coverage
New Japan and Stardom business notes
Hiromu Takahashi talks junior heavyweight goals
New Japan PPV shows this weekend
One of the biggest women stars has major surgery and a look back at her career
How the television industry continues to change
Full PWG coverage of the first show since January including some of AEW’s top stars
Update on new promotion opening next month and what well known announcer is in talks to appear
RevPro anniversary show update
WWE & AEW upcoming ticket sales
WWE & AEW streaming numbers
WWE and AEW international ratings
Conor McGregor talks future
Former UFC legend officially retires
Update on Bellator sale
Update on PPV numbers for Diaz-Paul and SummerSlam
Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to [email protected] or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to [email protected].
Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.
In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.
For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.
If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.
Friday Update
Garrett Gonzales and I did a show with Mike Tenay today talking about newsletters in the 70s and Koichi Yoshizawa, as well as updating some of the news in the current Observer. Garrett & I will be back tomorrow night covering Collision, UFC, Smackdown and the other weekend news as well as do our usual week in review stuff. Bryan and I will be back up on Monday.
The new issue of the Observer is up and we’ve gotten a lot of compliments regarding it as one of the best issues of the year, both the lead story on AEW and the story on Koichi Yoshizawa.
There is still no update regarding the status of the FTR vs. Young Bucks match at All In. Daniel Wheeler is legally allowed to go to England. Tony Khan hasn’t said anything regarding the arrest of Wheeler that broke earlier today although it actually was from a few weeks ago. There is no word on when Khan first round out but talent that we know found out the same time everyone else did. I would expect if there is a change that it would be addressed on Collision tomorrow night. The idea that I’ve seen brought up by fans, ironically, is the same idea I had, which is basically hold up the titles if the decision is made not to use Wheeler at this time, and have Dax team with Mark Briscoe and go for the vacated titles against the Young Bucks. Now Briscoe was injured so that also may not be possible. But at this moment Young Bucks vs. FTR is still the match on the schedule.
All In was at 80,848 tickets out as of earlier today. The largest legit crowd ever at a pro wrestling event that the majority paid to attend was 80,709 at WrestleMania 32. So in a sense, that record appears to have been broken. It is possible that some people with tickets won’t attend, but it is unlikely that number would be higher than the number of tickets that will be sold over the next eight days. So this show probably sets the all-time record but that’s not official until the day of the show.
WWE released that WrestleMania for next year has sold 90,000 tickets for Philadelphia which is a combined number of two days or 45,000 each day. Pretty much all the tickets that were put on sale today were sold, and most tickets were already sold in the presale earlier in the week. Obviously more tickets will be released as the event approaches. For a WrestleMania set up, the show could put 62,000 in and obviously they are announcing a number larger than that.
WWE is claiming a gate record for Philadelphia. But that would be by adding the gate of two shows together. The claim is more than the record of $21.5 million set last year. However, the audited two date combined number from Los Angeles was really $19,749,071. To me, nobody combines two shows for gate records. New Japan doesn’t claim the two gates for Wrestle Kingdom beat the Inoki vs. Don Frye record. WWE had claimed $17.3 million for WrestleMania 2016 and neither show this year or next year will hit that mark, but of course adding up the two shows and comparing it to one would be a higher number. This isn’t to say the number isn’t impressive as it is. But it would be like baseball adding up the seven games of the World Series together and claiming they drew more than a single NFL game.
With Edge’s possible retirement match tonight, it was noted that the series Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which features Adam Copeland in a recurring role, will premiere on 12/20 on Disney+.
Rampage tonight at 10 p.m. on TNT has:
Rey Fenix vs. Komander – people who saw this live were raving about it
Ethan Page & Brother Zay vs. Aussie Open
Sammy Guevara vs. Jon Cruz
Hikaru Shida & Skye Blue vs. Toni Storm & Ruby Soho
We are looking for reports on these weekend shows:
Smackdown tonight in Toronto (dark matches only)
NXT tonight in Citrus Springs, FL
WWE house show tomorrow night in Ottawa, ONT
NXT tomorrow night in Tampa*WWE Sunday in Laval, Quebec
We’re looking for results, finishes and highlights to [email protected]
UFC 292 is tomorrow from the TD Garden in Boston:
ESPN+ at 6:30 p.m. Eastern
Karine Silva (125) vs. Maryna Moroz (125)
Andrea Lee (125) vs. Natalia Silva (125)
Andre Petroski (186) vs. Gerald Meerschaert (185)
ESPN 2 at 8 p.m. Eastern
Brad Katona (135) vs. Cody Gibson (135)
Austin Hubbard (155) vs. Kurt Holobaugh (155.5)
Gregory Rodrigues (186) vs. Denis Tiuliulin (185)
Chris Weidman (186) vs. Brad Tavares (185)
PPV at 10 p.m.
Marlon Vera (135) vs. Pedro Munhoz (135)
Da’Mon Blackshear (135.5) vs. Mario Bautista (136)
Ian Machado Garry (170.5) vs. Neil Magny (170.5)
Zhang Weili (115) vs. Amanda Lemos (114) for the strawweight title
Aljamain Sterling (135) vs. Sean O’Malley 135) for the bantamweight title
Chris Weidman was very upset about his return fight after a gruesome broken leg not being on the PPV. I don’t really understand that decision either, especially with the show on ESPN 2 rather than ESPN.
PFL on ESPN tonight at 9 p.m. from the Theater in Madison Square Garden:
Renan Ferreira vs. Maurice Greene in a heavyweight tournament semifinal
Larissa Pacheco vs. Olena Kolesnyk in a women’s featherweight tournament
Denis Goltsov vs. Jordan Heiderman in a heavyweight semifinal
Marina Makhnatkina vs. Amber Leibrook in a women’s featherweight semifinal
The semifinal winners go to a championship match later this year where the tournament winners get a $1 million bonus.
Pro Wrestling NOAH’s N-1 tournament has shows in Sapporo on Saturday and Sunday.
New Japan has two PPV shows this weekend,the All-Star Junior Festival on Saturday and the joint show with Impact on Sunday, both from the 2300 Arena in Philadelphia. Added to the Sunday show is TJP & Franesco Akira, one of the top tag teams in the world, facing Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita.
Gunther, Grayson Waller and Trck Williams were at Lincoln Financial Field last night promoting the WrestleMania on sale. Williams did a hype promo. Waller talked about Jordan Mallata of the Eagles, who is from Australia and Gunther was there with his belt. Eagles announcer Dave Spadaro called Gunther’s belt “the championship” and Gunther corrected him, but Spadaro was told that Gunther is about to break the Honky Tonk Man’s record. This led to a scripted moment where Gunther shoved him down hard. (thanks to Ken Raining)
The former HBO hit show “Ballers” that Dwayne Johnsonh was behind and starred in is now on Netflix.
The Pat McAfee show will debut on ESPN on 9/7. The show will air from Noon to 2 p.m. eastern on ESPN and ESPN+ with a third hour daily only on ESPN+
Combate Global runs tomorrow night on Univision and Paramount Plus with a lightweight main event of Ivan Castillo (22-17) vs. Santiago Guzman (7-3).
MLW tickets for 12/7 in New York at the Melrose Ballroom go on sale 8/25. It will be a PPV show plus a TV taping.
Kurt Angle will be signing autographs before the 10/7 Border City Wrestling show in Windsor, ONT that also features a match with Kaito Kiyomiya. The show will be at St. Clair College’s Sportsplex.
The Chicago Cubs will host WWE Night on 8/28 at Wrigley Field in a game against the Milwaukee Brewers.
This is actually happening this weekend, a boxing match featuring Jeff Monson against former UFC legend Oleg Taktarov.
With WrestleMania 40 tickets going on sale to the general public today, WWE has already broken its all-time gate record.
Sports business reporter Darren Rovell notes that WWE has already sold more than 90,000 tickets for the two-day event, which is being held at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7, 2024. WWE has also already passed the $21.5 million in ticket sales that WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles generated.
“JUST IN: WrestleMania 40 went on sale today and has already broken @wwe’s’s all-time gate record ($21.5M at WrestleMania 39 in LA),” Rovell wrote. “More than 90,000 tickets sold so far to the two-day event at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia in April 2024.”
The pre-sale for WrestleMania 40 tickets began this Tuesday prior to Friday’s general public on-sale.
WWE also sold more than 90,000 tickets during the pre-sale and first day of general ticket sales for WrestleMania 39.
This will be the second time that Philadelphia has ever hosted WrestleMania. WrestleMania XV was held in the city in 1999.
The big Saturday night with SummerSlam, UFC, Diaz vs. Paul, Collision and G-1 and who watched what
The departure of Brock Lesnar and his scheduled return, and departure of Ronda Rousey and her importance and the MMA rules attempt
The Bloodline angle
Business numbers including PPV, WWE buyers who bought Forbidden Door, Spence vs. Crawford and Diaz vs. Paul
What record did SummerSlam set and what record that it set will last only a few more weeks
The ruling in the Cung Le vs UFC lawsuit regarding it becoming a class action suit, what the judge said, the MLW suit against WWE, and how this lawsuit potentially affects WWE
Full coverage of the G-1 Climax tournament, with the storylines and match reviews from the past week
All In sets its own new record and update on the show
Full coverage of Saturday’s UFC show
CMLL anniversary show news
The most in depth look at the ratings of all national pro wrestling and MMA shows, including segment-by-segment and by different groups, as well as where the wrestling and MMA shows stood in the overall weekly cable and network standings
Lots of foreign stars coming to CMLL
TripleMania notes
Stardom Five Star Grand Prix tournament update
N-1 tournament update
NOAH sells out in seconds
New Japan’s All-Star Junior event in Philadelphia
Hulk Hogan and his new stories
Schedule of shows for London over All In weekend
Arenas trying to block their agreements with WWE from public view
Legendary tag team reunites
Young Bucks talk signing their new deals and current thoughts on wrestling
Full Gear 2023 update
Dynamite and Smackdown upcoming time changes for baseball playoffs
Lots of injury updates
Upcoming attendance numbers for WWE and AEW
International TV ratings and streaming numbers
Update on Forbidden Door PPV numbers
Dana White predicts a fight doing 10 million buys at $100 a view
New UFC main events
Bellator planning huge show
Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz
Logan Paul’s next fight and why it’s such a joke
Boxing superstar signs with MMA group
Vince McMahon’s ownership in the new UFC/WWE company
New Board of Directors
Plans for NXT
More on Kairi’s return
AEW star close to signing with WWE
WWE performer going for the real wrestling Triple Crown
Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to [email protected] or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to [email protected].
Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.
In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.
For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.
If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.
Tuesday Update
WWE
The presale code for WrestleMania tickets is “UNIVERSE”.
Tyler Bate vs. Joe Coffey has been added to Tuesday’s NXT.
On Raw Monday, it was officially confirmed that Sami Zayn is currently dealing with traumatic olecranon bursitis on his elbow.
According to WrestleTix, AEW has reached 80,056 tickets for All In, surpassing WWE’s SummerSlam 1992 event in the same building and nearing WrestleMania 32’s 80,709.
Mickie James will appear at RevPro’s Anniversary Show on August 26, where she will challenge Alex Windsor for the British Women’s Championship in a three-way also featuring Hyan.
The big Saturday night with SummerSlam, UFC, Diaz vs. Paul, Collision and G-1 and who watched what
The departure of Brock Lesnar and his scheduled return, and departure of Ronda Rousey and her importance and the MMA rules attempt
The Bloodline angle
Business numbers including PPV, WWE buyers who bought Forbidden Door, Spence vs. Crawford and Diaz vs. Paul
What record did SummerSlam set and what record that it set will last only a few more weeks
The ruling in the Cung Le vs UFC lawsuit regarding it becoming a class action suit, what the judge said, the MLW suit against WWE, and how this lawsuit potentially affects WWE
Full coverage of the G-1 Climax tournament, with the storylines and match reviews from the past week
All In sets its own new record and update on the show
Full coverage of Saturday’s UFC show
CMLL anniversary show news
The most in depth look at the ratings of all national pro wrestling and MMA shows, including segment-by-segment and by different groups, as well as where the wrestling and MMA shows stood in the overall weekly cable and network standings
Lots of foreign stars coming to CMLL
TripleMania notes
Stardom Five Star Grand Prix tournament update
N-1 tournament update
NOAH sells out in seconds
New Japan’s All-Star Junior event in Philadelphia
Hulk Hogan and his new stories
Schedule of shows for London over All In weekend
Arenas trying to block their agreements with WWE from public view
Legendary tag team reunites
Young Bucks talk signing their new deals and current thoughts on wrestling
Full Gear 2023 update
Dynamite and Smackdown upcoming time changes for baseball playoffs
Lots of injury updates
Upcoming attendance numbers for WWE and AEW
International TV ratings and streaming numbers
Update on Forbidden Door PPV numbers
Dana White predicts a fight doing 10 million buys at $100 a view
New UFC main events
Bellator planning huge show
Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz
Logan Paul’s next fight and why it’s such a joke
Boxing superstar signs with MMA group
Vince McMahon’s ownership in the new UFC/WWE company
New Board of Directors
Plans for NXT
More on Kairi’s return
AEW star close to signing with WWE
WWE performer going for the real wrestling Triple Crown
Order the print Wrestling Observer right now and get it delivered via mail, by sending your name, address, Visa or Master Card number and an expiration date to [email protected] or by going to www.paypal.com directing funds to [email protected].
Rates in the United States are $14.50 for 4 issues, $35.50 for 12, $70 for 24, $116 for 40 and $149.50 for 52.
In Canada and Mexico, the rates are $16 for 4, $27 for 8, $38.50 for 12, $76 for 24, $126 for 40 and $162.50 for 52.
For the rest of the world, rates are $18 for 4, $48.50 for 12, $93 for 24, $155 for 40 and $201.50 for 52.
If you order by mail with a check, cash or money order to P.O. Box 1228, Campbell, CA 95009-1228, you can get $1 off in every price range.
Monday Update
Bryan and I will be back tonight with Wrestling Observer radio covering the latest news. We will have a lot more on the AEW backstage stuff and also be answering questions on that subject that you can send to [email protected]
The C.M. Punk camp has claimed that they did not get Adam Page or Matt Hardy booted from recent Collision shows, but a number of reports said he did so with Christopher Daniels, who is head of talent relations. Others have claimed he did with Page and Hardy and much of the locker room believes that. One person claimed he didn’t even know Page was in Greensboro. There have been people who said he was responsible for Ryan Nemeth being out and that was a major cause of concern on Saturday night in the company, both from those in Greensboro and those not, but others have claimed that was a management call and not a Punk call although it related to two incidents with Punk, one on Saturday and one in June.
WrestleMania tickets for next April in Philadelphia go on sale in a presale tomorrow. You can use the code WPGH. The two day combo package goes on sale tomorrow as well to the public. Individual show tickets go on sale to the public on Friday. (thanks to WrestleTix)
Raw tonight is in Winnipeg with Becky Lynch vs. Trish Stratus doing their planned for SummerSlam match. Shinsuke Nakamura will be doing a promo talking about his turn on Seth Rollins and they’ll be starting to build the 9/2 PPV show in Pittsburgh. There were more than 8,000 tickets out as of this morning.
We’re doing polls this week on these shows:
G-1 semifinals on Saturday night
G-1 finals on Sunday
TripleMania on Saturday
Stardom on Sunday
You can leave your thoughts with a thumbs up, thumbs down or thumbs in the middle along with a best and worst match to [email protected]
A ton of New Japan major matches for shows like 10.9 at Sumo Hall and 10/14 at the Copper Box Arena in London should be announced over the next day or so. The Eddie Kingston vs. Aaron Henare New Japan Strong title match will headline a 10/28 show in Las Vegas.
For All In, the doors at Wembley Stadium are to open at 3:30 p.m. and the first match goes into the ring at 5 p.m. I’d say arrive early because they’ve topped the 80,000 mark.
Kevin Nash said that he pitched WWE on the idea of being a host or MC for SummerSlam. The show was in Detroit, where he grew up. He said he pitched it months ago but never heard back.
The Stardom Five Star Grand Prix is tomorrow at Korakuen Hall with these matches:
Red: Mayu Iwatani vs. Tam Nakano
Red: Syuri vs. Hazuki
Blue: Utami Hayashishita vs. AZM
Blue: Mom Watanabe vs. Saori Anou
Blue: Mariah May vs. Mina Shirakawa
Kevin Blackwood debuts for MLW on 9/3 in Philadelphia in a three-way against Alec Price and TJ Crawford.
New Japan has announced Kenny King vs. Yoshinobu Kanemaru for the Impact Digital Media title and Joe Hendry & Yuya Uemura & Heath vs. Rocky Romero & Master Wato & Ryusuke Taguchi for the 8/20 joint show with Impact in Philadelphia at the 2300 Arena.
Masked Republic is talking about doing a Lucha Libre cruise in 2025.
SICW from Saturday night in Belleville, IL: Jayson Breed b Shawn Douglas, Billy McNeil b the Intern, Curtis Wylde b Waco, Gary Jackson b Kowalski-DQ, Gil Rogers b Payto Ayres, Ax Allwardt & Mike Masters b Brandon Bareretta & Joe Vinetti, Sean Vincent b Flash Flanagan-DQ . Tito Santana was a special guest at the show (thanks to Patrick Brandmeyer)
Ken Yasuda, a bodybuilder who worked with a number of Southern California fighters and pro wrestlers as a strength and conditioning coach, passed away. He had a long affiliation with Antonio Inoki and the IGF. He was 52. He was a bodybuilder and actor who coached the Tokyo Sabres of the International Fight League and helped train Mark McGwire, Don Frye, Tito Ortiz, Kazuyuki Fujita, Ichiro Suzuki and Shinsuke Nakamura. He was also a guest ambassador at the 2017 Wrestle Kingdom show.
Lucha Va Voom returns to the Mayan Theater in Los Angeles on Friday night. Taya Valkyrie and Peter Avalon are on the show.
Dwayne Johnson was on the CBS Morning show thanking Americans for helping out with the victims of the Maui fire.
NXT tomorrow has Dijak vs. Wes Lee, winner gets a title shot at Carmelo Hayes at Heat Wave on the 22nd, plus Tony D’Angelo & Stacks Lorenzo defend the tag titles against The Dyad, Dana Brooke vs. Blair Davenport and Drew Gulak vs. Trick Williams.
Thunder Rosa’s Mission Pro Wrestling on Saturday night in San Antonio, TX: Shay Karmichael b Denisse Dae, Queen Uju b Nova Phoenix, Maya World b JP Harlow, Joey Hyder b Tina Nixx, Joey Huder b Jael, Alejandra Quintanilla b Hyder, Casey Blackrose b Quintanilla, Boss Baines b Blackrose, Lady Bird b Baines to win the MPW Cup, Madi Wrenkowski & Rache Chanel b MJ Satana & Mia Friday, Jazmin Allure b Izzy Moreno, Tiffany Nieves b Janacide to win the MPW title. Moreno is Izzy the Bayley fan from the Full Sail University NXT tapings years ago. (thanks to Shannon Walsh)
The ticket on-sale date for WWE WrestleMania 40 is less than a month away.
WWE announced today that WrestleMania 40 tickets will go on sale to the general public via Ticketmaster on Friday, August 18 at 10 a.m. Eastern time. The two-night event is taking place at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday, April 6 and Sunday, April 7, 2024.
This will be the first time WrestleMania has been held in Philadelphia in 25 years. Headlined by Steve Austin vs. The Rock, WrestleMania XV took place in Philly in 1999.
Premium ticket packages for WrestleMania 40 are already on sale through On Location. WWE touted that, in less than one week, the On Location packages “have surpassed WWE records.”
Tickets for WrestleMania 39 also went on sale in August the year before the event.
WrestleMania 40 is the fifth straight year that WrestleMania has been a two-night show. The new tradition began with WrestleMania 36 in 2020 and has continued since then.
Hall-of-Famer Jerry Lawler revealed the logo to the live crowd at Extreme Rules in Philadelphia on Saturday. WrestleMania 40 will also take place in Philadelphia and is scheduled for April 6 & 7, 2024 from Lincoln Financial Field.
“Tonight I’m honored to be here in America’s most historic city, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,” Lawler said. “Now, we all know that WrestleMania 40 in 2024 is going to be right here in Philadelphia! What we’re going to do tonight, we’re going to make some history. Tonight, right here, we are going to unveil the brand new WrestleMania Philadelphia logo!”
Lawler then brought out the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders, and the 76ers mascot Franklin to help him unveil the new logo. The logo features an image of Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell.
This will be the second time WrestleMania has been held in the city. WrestleMania XV took place at the First Union Center on March 28, 1999.
Wrestling Observer Live with Mike Sempervive is back to span the globe of professional wrestling, and delve into such topics as Philadelphia being named the home of 2024’s WrestleMania 40, and Matt Riddle being knocked off SummerSlam with a BRACHIAL PLEXUS injury.
Plus, reports on McMahon’s McManagement, Freddie Prinze Jr’s comments on Kevin Dunn, a strong Raw rating, and – of course – the world-renown NXT 2.0 on USA Network report, and much more. It’s a fun show as always so check it out~!
WWE announced on Wednesday that the event will take place on April 6 & 7, 2024 from Lincoln Financial Field, home of the Philadelphia Eagles and Temple Owls.
This will be the second time Philadelphia has hosted WrestleMania. WrestleMania XV emanated from the First Union Center on March 28, 1999.
“We are proud to welcome WWE fans from around the world to Philadelphia to be a part of the historic 40th WrestleMania in 2024,” said Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney. “The week-long series of events will help put a global spotlight on our great city while also generating a major impact for our local economy.”
“Philadelphia is excited to host WrestleMania for the first time in 25 years,” said Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau President & CEO Gregg Caren. “The combination of Philadelphia’s passionate fans joining forces with WWE’s worldwide fan base will create an incredible electricity throughout the city for the events at Lincoln Financial Field, Wells Fargo Center and the Pennsylvania Convention Center.”
“The Philadelphia Eagles are thrilled to partner with WWE as WrestleMania makes its much-anticipated return to Philadelphia in 2024,” said Philadelphia Eagles President and PHL Sports Chair Don Smolenski. “We are excited to help showcase the industry’s most iconic event in front of a global viewing audience and look forward to providing WWE fans in attendance with a first-class experience at Lincoln Financial Field.”
“On behalf of WWE, we are thrilled to bring WrestleMania back to the City of Brotherly Love,” said WWE Executive Vice President of Special Events John Saboor. “We thank all of our local partners who were integral in making this long-awaited return a reality.”
