At WrestleMania 40, Cody Rhodes didn’t just finish his story, he capitalized on everything he’s worked for over the last few years to elevate himself to the face of WWE. Holding the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship for the first time in his career, Rhodes will also roll into Monday Night Raw as the driving force behind the band Downstait claiming the top song on the iTunes Rock chart following his win.
‘Kingdom’ is NUMBER ONE on the #iTunes US Rock Charts!!!
When Rhodes returned to WWE three years ago, he was intentional about every aspect of his character. Maintaining the gimmick he’d created wasn’t in question — he had trademarked everything and has the tattoo of his logo prominently placed on his neck. And when it came to his music, he was adamant everything stay intact.
“The music, it wasn’t that there was any pushback, as much as it was, what does it matter? We make great music here too, and really they do,” Rhodes told Uproxx Sports ahead of his American Nightmare: Becoming Cody Rhodesdocumentary. “I’ve heard a song that was a version for me here. That was an area where I was adamant, and Kevin Dunn was very generous in that he allowed that to be the case. Now I couldn’t think of the bit without it. There’s some fans who are absolutely on board and they know every part of this movie you’re going to see. And then there’s other fans who know, this is where we go, ‘whoa,’ at the show and that may be their only thing. What we’ve discovered was this rallying cry against WWE, which is what the song is, is very catchy. That was an area where I knew it was important enough to fight for it.”
The song has become tied to Rhodes and his rise to the top, and will now follow him into his first appearance as champion on Monday Night Raw.
Wrestling can truly be special. In one of the most dramatic matches ever, Cody Rhodes finished his story, pinning Roman Reigns to become the new Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
In a match that stacked the odds against Rhodes and allowed Reigns to utilzie every family member and cheating option he had, Rhodes received support from John Cena, Jey Uso, Seth rollins, and The Undertaker to ensure a victory. Reigns received outside support from The Rock, Solo Sikoa, and Jimmy Uso.
In a showdown for the ages, Cody Rhodes etched his name into wrestling lore by defeating Roman Reigns under Bloodline Rules to capture the coveted Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. The thrilling encounter unfolded at the Linc, with Rhodes and Reigns engaging in a battle that electrified the WWE Universe.
Despite facing formidable opposition from the Tribal Chief, Rhodes showcased incredible resilience throughout the match. Reigns attempted to undermine Rhodes by executing the Cross Rhodes, but the indomitable spirit of The American Nightmare prevailed as he kicked out, fueling the intensity of the contest.
In a poignant moment of homage to his father Dusty Rhodes, Rhodes unleashed a Bionic Elbow before mounting a counterattack against Reigns. The momentum shifted as Rhodes delivered a Spear followed by the Cross Rhodes, signaling his determination to seize victory.
However, interference from Jimmy Uso threatened Rhodes’ ascent, prompting an intervention from Jey Uso. With the odds seemingly stacked against him, Rhodes continued to fight, executing a daring Spear through the barricade in a bid to overcome Reigns.
As chaos engulfed the arena, familiar faces such as John Cena, The Rock, and Seth Rollins made dramatic entrances, adding to the spectacle. Despite facing relentless assaults, Rhodes refused to relent, enduring a Spike/Spear combo before mounting a defiant comeback.
In a climactic sequence, Rhodes executed three successive Cross Rhodes maneuvers on Reigns, sealing his destiny as the new Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. The emotional victory sparked jubilant celebrations as Rhodes was joined by loved ones and fellow WWE superstars, marking a triumphant culmination of his journey to the top of the wrestling world.
With his name now etched in wrestling history, Cody Rhodes’ monumental achievement will be remembered as a testament to his unwavering resolve to fulfill his destiny in the ring.
Lil Wayne is officially in the mix. The legendary rapper confirmed that he will be one of several notable celebrities to attend Wrestlemania 40 in Philadelphia. Wayne made the announcement during a brief but memorable interaction with superstar Jey Uso on the most recent episode of WWE Monday Night RAW. Not only will he be attending, but the rapper will be debuting a new song as well.
Uso was starstruck upon bumping into Wayne backstage, and urged the rapper to make time in his busy schedule to “come through” to Philly. Of course, Wayne didn’t take much convincing. “Imma be there and you know what, I’m bringing my single,” he asserted. “World premiere. WrestleMania. You know what it is.” The title of the single, and its producer, have yet to be announced. Nevertheless, Uso is eager to hear it. He gave Wayne a taste of his signature catchphrase “yeet” upon learning about the rapper’s plans, and got a “yeet” in return!
A new single from Lil Wayne may not seem like a big deal, given the rapper’s massive output, but it’s actually been a while since he dropped solo material. He put out the 2 Chainz collab album Welcome 2 Collegrove and the mixtape Tha Fix Before Tha VI at the end of 2023, but he hasn’t released a new solo single since September. Wayne is currently working on the anticipated album Tha Carter VI, which was announced back in 2022. The new single will stand next to previous Carter VI era tracks like “Kant Nobody” featuring DMX and “Kat Food.”
It’s a good year to be a Wayne fan living in Philadelphia. In addition to the rapper’s Wrestlemania 40 appearance, he will be performing at the 2024 Roots Picnic at the Mann in Fairmount Park. Wayne will co-headline the event with R&B singer and Philly native Jill Scott. Other notable performers at the Roots Picnic include Andre 3000, Gunna and Victoria Monet.
The Iron Claw fans the time has come. Professional wrestling’s biggest night, Wrestlemania 2024 is just days away. As if Dwayne Johnson’s (better known to WWE supporters as The Rock) return wasn’t enough to drawn in viewers the event’s latest teaser aims to hone in on rap music lovers.
With the colossal showdown set to take place at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, the network had to tap Meek Mill as its official hometown ambassador. On X (formerly Twitter), famed wrestler turned company man (WWE’s Chief Content Officer) Triple H shared the latest promotional video starring the “Shaq & Kobe” rapper.
“A story of neon dreams… or faded nightmares,” he wrote. “You ready for this, Meek Mill? #WrestleMania.”
The clip soundtracked by Meek’s cult classic track “Dreams & Nightmares” (and debately the unofficial rap anthem of the city) further builds out the anticipation for the night’s biggest matchup. As the video closes Roman Reigns, The Rock, Cody Rhodes, and Seth Rollins come head-to-head. This is exactly what subscribers have been waiting for.
WrestleMania XL (40) will take place on April 6 and 7. The multi-day event will be broadcasted live via pay-per-via-view. WrestleMania can also be streamed on Peacock. Find more information here.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
You thought WWE and Wrestlemania was going to pull up to Philly and not include Meek Mill? The Dreamchasers seem to be in the building as WWE rolled out a promo for Meek during the March 25 episode of Monday Night Raw.
Following the debut of the clip, Meek wrote, “Wrestlemania Philly about to be turnt turnt!!!!!”
WWE Chief Content Officer, Head of Creative, and Hall of Famer Triple H commented on the message, adding, “Game on…the whole world’s on notice. @MeekMill #WrestleMania.”
You can see the announcement messages and video below.
Muhammad Ali is headed into the WWE Hall of Fame. According to Variety, the boxing legend is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame Class.
The Hall of Fame event will be on April 5, part of WWE’s Wrestlemania weekend in Philadelphia.
Renowned as one of sports’ most iconic figures, Muhammad Ali, the three-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion and Olympic gold medalist, captivated the world with his charisma, confidence, and ring prowess. Known as “The Greatest,” Ali’s influence transcended sports, extending into activism and entertainment.
In a groundbreaking exhibition match on June 26, 1976, dubbed “The War of the Worlds,” Ali faced WWE Hall of Famer Antonio Inoki in Tokyo, Japan. The event, watched by 32,000 live spectators and 33,000 closed-circuit TV viewers, hinted at the future of mixed martial arts.
After retiring with a record of 56-5, Ali returned as a special guest referee for the inaugural WrestleMania in 1984. His punch to restore order in the main event remains a defining moment.
Ali passed away on June 3, 2016, at 74, but his legacy endures as one of the greatest athletes. His impact on modernizing and globalizing professional wrestling seamlessly blended sports and entertainment, cementing his status as an immortal icon.
Fans have shown out to support Bianca Belair after the WWE superstar received a wave of racial abuse for being named a WWE 2k24 cover athlete. Belair appears on the cover along Cody Rhodes and Rhea Ripley. Belair was the 2021 Women’s Royal Rumble champion and is a two-time WWE champion. She is expected to mount a title challenge against Iyo Sky in the near future.
“Bianca Belair receiving racial abuse for simply being on the cover of a video game is a very upsetting thing to see. Nobody deserves that kind of abuse for anything at all. People are simply cruel and probably jealous of her overwhelming talent. That’s it,” one fan wrote on social media. Other fans expressed their disgust for the racial abuse being leveled at Belair.
Bianca Belair receiving racial abuse for simply being on the cover of a video game is a very upsetting thing to see. Nobody deserves that kind of abuse for anything at all. People are simply cruel and probably jealous of her overwhelming talent. That’s it pic.twitter.com/znrSFdjlG4
Belair began her career as a track and field athlete at the college level. She attended South Carolina, Texas A&M, and Tennessee over the course of six years. As a Volunteer, she was named to both the All-SEC and All-American lists. However, as transitioning into professional CrossFit, Belair was looking for a new job after revealing a diagnosis for intercostal chondritis, or shifting rib syndrome.
She would join NXT in 2016 after entering her info into the WWE Prospects database on a whim. When she was contacted about the WWE’s interest, she was working in the sales department at a flavoring company in Atlanta. Weaponising the “Kiss of Death” as her finish, Belair has gained a devout following for her “EST of the WWE” persona and her powerhouse wrestling style. She first captured the WWE Championship at Wrestlemania 38 in 2022 and would hold the title for 420 days until losing the belt to Asuka. Belair would recapture the belt at SummerSlam 2023, holding it for 95 seconds before losing it to Sky. Belair the honor of being both the longest and shortest-tenured women’s championship.
Vince McMahon is selling nearly $412 million of his stock in the TKO Group, which owns the WWE and UFC.
The sale sof 5.35 million shares follows a November deal where he sold 8.4 million for $670.3 million.
According to Variety, McMahon owned 20.35 million shares in December, and he still holds 15 million to date.
In January, former WWE employee Janel Grant sued Vince McMahon for sex trafficking and assault. Grant states she was the hush money employee in the 2022 investigation of McMahon.
Also named in the suit were WWE and former executive and wrestler John Laurinaitis. Laurinaitis, known as Johnny Ace in the wrestling world, was accused of sexual assault. The company is accused of covering the crimes in a false investigation.
Grant revealed she signed a nondisclosure agreement in 2022 that agreed to pay her $3 million not to provide details of her dealings with McMahon. After $1 million, McMahon stopped making payments and now the suit is to obtain financial damages.
According to The Wall Street Journal, McMahon pressured Grant into sexual acts to advance her role in the company. McMahon met Grant in their condo building after the latter parents had died. McMahon lived in the penthouse. McMahon created the “administrator-coordinator” position, which became the ire of other employees as she had a low level of work while others had “overflowing inboxes.”
McMahon is accused of using sex toys with Grant that he named after wrestlers that led to bruising and bleeding. He also passed nude pictures of Grant across the production team. In addition, Grant stated she was locked in a room by McMahon and another executive who took turns sexually assaulting her. Naming Laurinaitis, Grant stated he and McMahon restrained her and told her, “No means yes” and “Take it, bitch.” McMahon also locked her in his locker room and forced himself on her at a massage table.
McMahon also allegedly used nude images of Grant in contract negotiations with Brock Lesnar. Lesnar reportedly told Vince he liked the images, and Vince told Grant, “Part of the deal was f—ing U.” After an exchange of phone numbers, Lesnar allegedly asked Grant to send a video of herself urinating.
The arrangement was supposed to end once Vince’s wife, Linda McMahon, found out. Instead, after enacting the NDA, McMahon forced oral sex on Grant and then attempted to traffic her to a WWE Star in March 2022.
McMahon temporarily stepped down in the summer of 2022, returning to orchestrate a sale of the company to Endeavor, merging with UFC to become TKO Group Holdings. McMahon currently serves as an executive and member of the Board of Directors.
TKO Group Holdings released a statement to Variety:
“Mr. McMahon does not control TKO nor does he oversee the day-to-day operations of WWE. While this matter predates our TKO executive team’s tenure at the company, we take Ms. Grant’s horrific allegations very seriously and are addressing this matter internally.”
A spokesperson for McMahon shared a statement to Deadline:
“This lawsuit is replete with lies, obscene made-up instances that never occurred, and a vindictive distortion of the truth. He will vigorously defend himself.”
Grant’s lawyer, Ann Callis, also served a response:
“Today’s complaint seeks to hold accountable two WWE executives who sexually assaulted and trafficked Plaintiff Janel Grant, as well as the organization that facilitated or turned a blind eye to the abuse and then swept it under the rug. She is an incredibly private and courageous person who has suffered deeply at the hands of Mr. McMahon and Mr. Laurinaitis. Ms. Grant hopes that her lawsuit will prevent other women from being victimized. The organization is well aware of Mr. McMahon’s history of depraved behavior, and it’s time that they take responsibility for the misconduct of its leadership.”
In July 2023, Vince McMahon was served a federal grand jury subpoena as law enforcement agents executed a search warrant on his home.
According to ESPN, McMahon was on medical leave following a major spinal surgery. No charges have been brought against McMahon.
The wrestling giant states the company received legal demands for documents regarding the investigation.
“WWE has cooperated throughout and fully understands and respects the government’s need for a complete process,” the company said in a statement.
According to Cageside Seats, a special committee of members of the company’s Board of Directors conducted an internal investigation into a hush-money scandal with McMahon. In their second quarter 2023 financial earnings reveal, WWE announced expenses related to the investigation cost a combined $12.4 million.
McMahon released a statement to CNBC:
“In 2022, WWE formed a special committee to review allegations of misconduct against me. That review was concluded in November 2022 following an extensive investigation. Throughout this experience, I have always denied any intentional wrongdoing and continue to do so. I am confident that the government’s investigation will be resolved without any findings of wrongdoing. I am focused on completing the recovery process from my recent spinal surgery and on closing our transaction with Endeavor, which will create one of the preeminent global sports and entertainment brands.”
Virgil, the WWE legend best known as being Ted DiBiase’s right-hand man, has died at the age of 61. Virgil, whose legal name was Michael Jones, had suffered from a series of medical issues in previous years. However, his death will still come as a shock to many of his fans.
Virgil debuted in 1985 and soon became a part of Ted DiBiase’s “Million Dollar Man” persona after moving to the WWE. During the height of the WWE’s soap opera-esque writing, Virgil was DiBiase’s money man and enforcer. However, in one of the biggest twists of that era of WWE, Virgil would betray DiBiase at Royal Rumble 1991 and would later beat DiBiase, with the help of Rowdy Roddy Piper, at Wrestlemania VII. Virgil would retire in 2000 but made appearances across various promotions between 2006 and 2019.
However, Virgil is just the latest WWE icon to pass away. In June 2023, The Iron Sheik was announced to have passed away at the age of 81. Sheik was called “a true legend, a force of nature, and an iconic figure who left an incredible mark on the world of professional wrestling.” Born in Iran, The Sheik began his career as an Olympic wrestler and coach, moving to the United States around 1970. He first joined the WWE, then the WWF, in 1978 and even got a shot at the title against Bob Backlund. However, Sheik left the promotion in 1980. After fighting in a number of southern regional promotions, Sheik rejoined the WWF in 1983 and briefly became the WWF champion after forcing a submission from Backlund. However, The Sheik would only reign for 28 days before losing to Hulk Hogan.
Transitioning to tag-team fights later in the decade, Sheik won the first-ever tag-team belt at the inaugural WrestleMania in 1985. However, Sheik would leave the promotion in 1987 after being arrested and breaking kayfabe. The Sheik was arrested for being under the influence of cocaine. However, more pressingly for wrestling fans, he had been arrested alongside his on-screen rival, Hacksaw Jim Duggan. He briefly returned to the WWF in 1988 but left later that same year. Sheik would have one final stint with the WWF in 1991/92.
Mick Foley emerged in the gritty and electrifying world of professional wrestling. He has carved out a legacy that transcends the boundaries of the sport. Moreover, Foley is known for his unparalleled dedication and career marked by jaw-dropping moments. He has become a revered figure in the wrestling community and beyond. As of 2024, according to Wealthy Gorilla, Mick Foley’s net worth is estimated at $14 million. This further reflects his success as a wrestler and his ventures as a bestselling author, actor, and public speaker, showcasing the multifaceted nature of his career.
A Career Defined By Daredevilry & Storytelling
NEW YORK, NY – AUGUST 23: Mick Foley talks to WWE SummerSlam Host Jon at. Barclays Center of Brooklyn on August 23, 2015 also in New York City. (Photo by JP Yim/Getty Images)
Mick Foley’s journey in professional wrestling is nothing short of legendary. He competed under various personas, including Mankind, Dude Love, and Cactus Jack. Foley is also celebrated for his fearless style and willingness to put his body on the line for the entertainment of fans worldwide. His iconic matches involve harrowing stunts and hardcore elements. They have cemented his status as a pioneer of the hardcore wrestling genre. Also, Foley’s ability to weave compelling narratives through his performances has endeared him to audiences, making him a central figure in wrestling’s global popularity surge in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Transitioning From The Ring To The Page
NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – JANUARY 16: Wrestler Mick Foley performs at The Stress Factory. Comedy Club on January 16, 2014 also in New Brunswick, New Jersey. (Photo by Bobby Bank/WireImage)
Beyond the squared circle, Foley has demonstrated an exceptional talent for storytelling in the literary world. His autobiographies, starting with Have a Nice Day: A Tale of Blood and Sweatsocks, have received critical acclaim and commercial success. They topped bestseller lists and earned praise for their candidness and humor. Yet, Foley’s writing extends beyond his autobiographies. His list also encompasses children’s books and fiction, further showcasing his versatility and creativity as an author.
Additionally, Foley’s contributions to society extend far beyond his professional achievements. He is deeply involved in various philanthropic efforts, including work with children’s charities, sexual assault survivors, and veteran organizations. Foley’s commitment to these causes speaks volumes about his character, demonstrating a compassionate and empathetic nature that contrasts with his hardcore wrestling persona. Through his public speaking engagements, he continues to inspire and influence, sharing his experiences and insights on resilience, storytelling, and positively impacting the world.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 07: Mick Foley signs autographs during New York Comic. Con 2022 on October 07, 2022 also in New York City. (Photo by Roy Rochlin/Getty Images for ReedPop)
The legacy of Mick Foley is characterized by his impact on the wrestling industry and his ability to connect with people across different mediums. As a mentor and inspiration to aspiring wrestlers, Foley has played a pivotal role in shaping the next generation of performers, imparting lessons on the importance of character, storytelling, and passion for the craft. His influence extends to fans and readers who admire his authenticity, sense of humor, and unwavering dedication to making a difference.
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