Author: Joseph Currier

Joseph Currier is the lead editor of F4WOnline.com, directing daily news coverage and writing articles on professional wrestling. He is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, obtaining a journalism degree in 2016. Joseph joined F4W during his time at UMass and has now been writing about the industry for nearly a decade. In addition to his work with F4W, Joseph has previously contributed to Sports Illustrated's wrestling coverage. He lives in Massachusetts and is a diehard fan of the Boston sports teams and Liverpool Football Club.

Cody Rhodes still has ‘a lot more to do’ to surpass father Dusty’s WWE legacy

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Cody Rhodes is now a three-time WWE Champion, but he doesn’t feel like his legacy in the company has surpassed his father’s yet.

Rhodes won his third WWE Championship by defeating Drew McIntyre on SmackDown last Friday. Appearing on Insight with Chris Van Vliet after the title win, Rhodes was asked if it’s occurred to him that he’s already eclipsed Dusty Rhodes’ accomplishments in WWE. Rhodes said Paul Heyman had mentioned the same thing to him. But while Rhodes is flattered by the comment, he believes his father’s legacy is unique because it still continues to have an impact years after Dusty passed away.

“I don’t think he’d mind me sharing this, Mr. Heyman told me that,” Rhodes said. “And I thought he might be the one guy I believe it, right? Because I don’t, even when I’m by myself and doing one of these [interviews], I still don’t believe that. Because I think Dusty’s legacy had such a final chapter that it still goes on today.

“I mean, they’re still doing things of his today. And there’s a whole fandom that will never even know they were his brainchild or something that he — this is a silly one, but for example, the cage lowering with the [sound], that’s a Dusty thing. These production things are still in play.

“I appreciate you saying it. I think I have a lot more to do. But, yeah, that’s really nice.”

Dusty Rhodes did compete for the WWWF and WWF, though he’s by far best remembered for the work he did in the NWA/Jim Crockett Promotions. He worked behind the scenes in NXT prior to his death in 2015, helping to mentor some of WWE’s biggest stars like Becky Lynch. Dusty was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2007.

When Cody Rhodes won the WWE Championship for the first time at WrestleMania 40, the storyline was that he was looking to finish his family’s story by capturing the won title that Dusty was never able to win. Cody is now set for a title defense against Randy Orton at WrestleMania 42 this April.

Another quarterfinal matchup set for New Japan Cup 2026

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Hirooki Goto and Callum Newman are headed to the New Japan Cup 2026 quarterfinals.

The tournament continued on Friday with Goto and Newman winning their second-round matches. With respective wins over Jake Lee and Hartley Jackson, they’ve advanced to face each other in the next round. The Goto vs. Newman match will take place on March 17.

Goto, a mainstay of the NJPW roster, is looking to win his fourth New Japan Cup. He previously won the tournament in 2009, 2010, and 2012.

Newman has never won the tournament before. As one of the top young foreign wrestlers in the promotion, he’s become the leader of NJPW’s United Empire faction.

The quarterfinals are now almost fully set with Yuya Uemura vs. Shingo Takagi, Oleg Boltin vs. Ren Narita, and Goto vs. Newman confirmed. We’ll find out the last remaining matchup this Saturday when Yujiro Takahashi takes on Shota Umino and Zack Sabre Jr. battles Ryohei Oiwa in the second round.

New Japan Cup 2026 runs through March 21, with the winner receiving an IWGP Heavyweight Championship shot against Yota Tsuji at Sakura Genesis on April 4. Here is the updated schedule for the remainder of the tournament:

Second round —

Saturday, March 14:

  • Yujiro Takahashi vs. Shota Umino
  • Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ryohei Oiwa

Quarterfinals —

Sunday, March 15:

  • Yuya Uemura vs. Shingo Takagi
  • Oleg Boltin vs. Ren Narita

Tuesday, March 17:

  • Hirooki Goto vs. Callum Newman
  • TBD

Semifinals —

Friday, March 20:

  • TBD
  • TBD

Finals —

Saturday, March 21:

  • TBD

TNA pulls Lei Ying Lee from TJPW event, issues apology

Posted on by Joseph Currier

TNA Wrestling has issued an apology for having to pull one of its stars from an upcoming event in Japan.

In December 2025, it was announced that Lei Ying Lee would be heading to Japan this March for Tokyo Joshi Pro-Wrestling’s Grand Princess 2026. A subsequent announcement was then made last week with it being revealed that Lee was slated to team with Sareee against Miyu Yamashita & Arisu Endo at the March 29 show. However, Lee’s appearance has now been canceled.

TJPW described the cancellation as “sudden” and said that, while they’ve been discussing the situation with TNA, the decision to pull Lee from the show remains unchanged. TJPW’s announcement includes a statement from TNA, who apologized for having to cancel the appearance and said that neither Lee nor TJPW are at fault.

“TNA sincerely apologizes for Lei Ying Lee’s inability to participate in TJPW’s Ryogoku Sumo Hall show on March 29,” TNA said.

“Neither Lee nor TJPW are at fault for this situation, and we thank TJPW for accommodating this change.
Once again, we apologize to TJPW, TJPW fans, as well as Miyu Yamashita, Arisu Endo, and Sareee who were announced in this match with Lee, for the absence of Lei Ying Lee at the last minute for the Ryogoku Sumo Hall show which we know is very important for TJPW. We wish TJPW continued success and appreciate their partnership.”

TNA has its Sacrifice 2026 special coming up on March 27 and a TV taping set for March 28, which could be the reason for having to remove Lee from the TJPW show. Both of those TNA events are being held at the Alario Center in Louisiana.

Lee formerly wrestled for WWE as Xia Li and is a one-time Knockouts Champion since joining TNA.

Daily Update: New WWE casino game, Cam Skattebo, Shinjuku FACE

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered:

  • More on the Paramount purchase of WBD and details of when it goes through, if it goes through and details on how it helps or hurts UFC, AEW and Zuffa Boxing as well as a cost efficiency look at the three properties for 2027 if plans go through as stated.
  • The road to WrestleMania and why Paul Levesque is in a position where it’s impossible for him to do the job people want and impossible for him to fail, business notes on the show, and a look at the Elimination Chamber show, how it did on Netflix, the good and the bad.
  • Preview and updates on AEW Revolution and interest level
  • Odds on upcoming wrestling matches
  • Coverage of the New Japan New Beginning USA show in Trenton with two title changes
  • A look at the Demolition tag team as they go into the WWE Hall of Fame
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of all the pro wrestling TV shows, including demos, competition and comparisons with last year.
  • Johnny TV in the most heated match so far this year with Angel de Oro
  • Why AAA television is so entertaining
  • Stardom Cinderella tournament notes
  • Brothers face off in NOAH jr. tag tournament final
  • New Japan Cup first two days
  • Final night of Fantastica Mania notes
  • Jeff Jarrett documentary
  • Wrestler out of prison starts working on indices this week
  • Real American Freestyle angle
  • Update of the robbery of the Canadian promotion and the Davey Boy Smith Jr. Hall of Fame ring
  • John Laurinaitis wants back in to wrestling
  • 16 Carat Gold weekend in Germany
  • Pro Wrestling Eve has biggest show of its history this week
  • Brodie Lee Jr. first singles match date
  • Steph De Lander talks why she and Mance Warner quit TNA
  • Notes on David Finlay signing with AEW
  • ROH first TV tapings in a studio
  • UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight title updates
  • Lots of new UFC fights
  • Updates on WWE front office news and changes
  • The story behind leaking fast nationals
  • WWE accused of deleting key information in a lawsuit
  • More notes on the WWE deal with Endeavor and how it went down
  • Janel Grant speaks in favor of changing Connecticut law on NDAs
  • Bianca Belair update
  • WWE sends out unchecked email to network subscribers causing a panic
  • Next WWE media deal to be made
  • WWE injury updates
  • Nick Khan sells millions in TKO stock

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Thursday Update

WWE

  • WWE and White Hat Studios have partnered together to launch the casino game “WrestleMania: Road to Gold” that is now available through the Fanatics Casino app:
    • WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings, and White Hat Studios announced the official branded slot, WrestleMania: Road to Gold, will launch exclusively with Fanatics Casino beginning today. 
    • Available only in the United States, the new online casino game for real money wagering in regulated markets will harness the star power of 20 marquee names from the WWE, including fan-favorites Cody Rhodes and Rhea Ripley just in time for WrestleMania 42, which will return to Las Vegas, on April 18-19, 2026.
    • The Unlock Trail gameplay takes players on a journey through WWE Premium Live Events, with progressive bonus mechanics inspired by SummerSlam, Survivor Series, Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, and Money in the Bank. Each milestone intensifies excitement and win potential before culminating in the legendary WrestleMania showdown. The action in WrestleMania: Road to Gold, is further elevated by the unmistakable voice of Michael Cole, transporting players ringside and ensuring the entire storytelling experience is underpinned by authenticity. 
    • The breadth of personalities and events integrated makes WrestleMania: Road to Gold one of the most comprehensive and immersive IP games brought to market. Drawing on more than 70 years of entertainment heritage, WrestleMania: Road to Gold is designed to capture the spirit of WWE’s iconic brand, providing WWE fans across regulated US iCasino markets with a new way to interact with the global brand.
  • On the Rich Eisen Show, New York Giants star Cam Skattebo addressed the WWE Raw appearance he made at Madison Square Garden last November, which drew some criticism from the New York media due to Skattebo getting physically involved shortly after undergoing season-ending surgery:
    • I got some plates and screws in there. I mean, at that point, it’s already screwed in and put plates on. So I felt like I was okay to do whatever I wanted to. You know, it’s not like it was going to break or anything. I was behind a wall, having a good time with my boys, teammates were out there backing me up. If something really broke down, I know I had my boys behind me that were going to start going with me.
    • It was pretty sweet. Yeah, I used to watch WWE with some family members, [with] my grandpa growing up. I actually haven’t watched it in a really long time up until this point. It was pretty cool to be a part of it.
    • Obviously John Cena was one of them [Skattebo’s favorite wrestlers]. It was actually pretty cool to work with Dom Mysterio because his dad was somebody that I kind of watched all the [time]. You know, the 619 was something we did in the house off the couches and stuff. So it was something fun for us.
  • Charlotte Flair spoke with Sports Business Journal about becoming an angel investor in Self-Care Is For Everyone, a clothing and lifestyle brand that promotes mental wellness:
    • As a female that’s approaching 40, I started thinking about what’s next for me and what feels organic and real. A lot of my career, I felt like I had to hide whether I had anxiety or mental health issues that are taboo to talk about. Whether I make money or don’t, for me right now, I’m investing in something that’s going to help other people. I hope that investing and spreading awareness really does help.
  • While doing media to promote May’s Clash in Italy PLE, Chelsea Green was asked what she would do if she were named WWE general manager for one night:
    • My first official move as general manager would be to have as many women on the card as I possibly can. And I want to mix it up. I want you to see, you know, a girl you might call a top girl wrestle someone lower on the card.
    • I want to switch things up. And I want to make sure that U.S. title has a spotlight. We’ve actually seen Giulia do amazing work with the U.S. title, but you know me, as your first, fourth, and almost final United States Women’s Champion, I want even more. I want to see more of that U.S. title. So I think that’s what I would do. You know, who cares about the boys? I care about the girlies.
  • Jade Cargill made an appearance on the Hawks AF podcast from the Atlanta Hawks.
  • The WCW YouTube channel has uploaded a three and a half hour video of Ric Flair vs. Ricky Steamboat footage.

Other Wrestling

  • This week’s AEW Unrestricted episode is a Revolution preview featuring an interview with Konosuke Takeshita.
  • MJF had (mostly) kind words for indie wrestler “Fancy” Ryan Clancy in an interview with Undisputed:
    • I’ve had my eye on [Clancy] for quite some time now. He’s very special. A traditionalist and a minimalist bell to bell, much like myself. He’s strategic and athletic, also much like myself. Unfortunately, he’s quite ugly. But if he gets signed to a major wrestling promotion, that’s what money is for–he’ll find himself a good plastic surgeon and he could be a top guy.
  • Brian “Road Dogg” James has been announced for appearances at the Big Event Entertainment & Sports Expo in New York on March 21 and WrestleCon in Las Vegas this April.
  • Though the Shinjuku FACE wrestling venue in Tokyo will be closing at the end of September, there is hope that a new venue will be opened after the aging building it’s relocated in is rebuilt.
  • El Desperado has been announced for MLW, NJPW & CMLL’s Fantastica Mania USA event that’s being held in Charleston, South Carolina on April 12.
  • Desperado will also be competing at GCW’s The Wrld on Lucha in Las Vegas on April 17.
  • Fabian Aichner, who has not wrestled anywhere since his release from WWE in February 2025, has returned to social media after a long absence. He captioned a new Instagram post with “New chapter.”
  • Barrett Media published a feature story on the success of Busted Open Radio.

Tyra Mae-Steele ‘not going anywhere’ after odd WWE release story

Posted on by Joseph Currier

In an odd story, Olympic gold medalist and WWE Evolve wrestler Tyra Mae-Steele sent out a social media post today that made some fans believe she had been released from WWE.

Steele (real name Tamyra Mensah-Stock) tweeted about a dream she had where, without WWE’s approval, she returned to Olympic wrestling and was subsequently fired by WWE. The company has officially confirmed that Steele is still under contract, and Steele has clarified that she is not going anywhere.

“I love that yall care, but im living my best life in WWE,” she wrote. “Getting better and better everyday, trust im not going anywhere for a long time.”

Describing her dream in the initial tweet, Steele said that, in her dream, she won a $350,000 prize for winning the wrestling competition. But when she tried to go back to WWE, they released her for not getting permission.

“On a weekend off working for WWE, I went back to Olympic wrestling, won gold at Worlds, prize purse was $350000…. Tried to go back to WWE that Monday. They moved me up to Raw, just to tell me they had to let me go bc I went behind their back,” the tweet said. “So was this a [dream or nightmare?]”

Steele has not been called up to the main roster and has only sporadically competed on the main NXT brand so far, including teaming with Tavion Heights for a mixed tag team match against Chelsea Green & Ethan Page at Heatwave 2025. Steele lost to Kendal Grey on last night’s WWE Evolve episode and was promoting the match on social media both before and after her initial tweet today.

After winning gold at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 2021, Steele joined WWE in 2023. She was the female winner of WWE: LFG (Legends & Future Greats) season one.

Sol Ruca shares hardest WWE lesson she’s had to learn

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Character work has been the hardest thing for Sol Ruca since transitioning to pro wrestling from a college career in athletics.

Ruca joined the WWE Performance Center in 2022 after competing in acrobatics and tumbling for the University of Oregon. She’s done well as one of the top prospects in NXT, but she’s still figuring out how to be a pro wrestling character.

“Just being a character,” Ruca responded on “What’s Your Story?” when asked what’s been the hardest WWE lesson to learn. “Just being able to be less, like, stoic and serious in the ring. I feel like that was really hard to figure out, just with sports having to be so serious all the time. Yeah, being able to show emotion and to be silly at times. I still, I really struggle with that, especially if I have to do a promo where I’m, like, angry, I don’t know how to do that yet…

“Yeah, being a character was really, really hard for me.”

Some of the advice Ruca got was to be a version of herself with the volume dialed up. That didn’t come naturally, though Ruca is starting to get the hang of it.

“It doesn’t make sense to me. Because I am myself, like, this is how I would react,” she said. “If I’m this but up, then I’m not myself, you know? So, yeah, I feel like that was really hard. But I feel like I kind of have been understanding it more and more.”

Stephanie McMahon noted that being yourself with the volume turned up is a good way to start, but Ruca could go in the opposite direction and play a character that is totally different from her real self. Personally, McMahon hates being a babyface and thinks playing a heel is both easier and more fun.

“You get to try all different kinds of stuff. And you can’t really do anything wrong, because if they hate it, good. You’re supposed to hate me,” McMahon said. “So it is much easier to be a heel. But for the same reason, it’s hard to be sort of yourself as a babyface and then when people don’t like you or it’s not working, it’s like, ‘What’s the matter with me? Why don’t they like me?’ But they never really liked me from the jump. So it’s okay, I just played into it.”

Ruca is a babyface in NXT and feuding with Zaria at the moment after Zaria betrayed her. They’re both set to challenge for the NXT Women’s Championship in a triple threat match next Tuesday.

Penta to kick off AAA Rey de Reyes 2026

Posted on by Joseph Currier

An appearance by WWE Intercontinental Champion Penta will be kicking off AAA Rey de Reyes 2026.

It was already known that Penta would be in Puebla, Mexico for the event and presenting the Rey de Reyes winner with their ceremonial sword. It’s now been announced that Penta will be opening the broadcast as well.

The event is taking place this Saturday and will see La Parka, Original El Grande Americano (Chad Gable), El Grande Americano (Ludwig Kaiser), and Santos Escobar face off to determine the Rey de Reyes tournament winner. Along with the sword, the winner receives a future AAA Mega Championship shot.

Dominik Mysterio is the current AAA Mega Champion and has a title defense against El Hijo del Vikingo at Rey de Reyes. If Vikingo loses, he cannot challenge for the title again while Dominik is champion.

Until recently, Dominik had been a double champion, holding both the AAA Mega Championship and WWE Intercontinental title. Penta dethroned him for the latter belt on the March 2 episode of Raw.

Rey de Reyes is being broadcast as a multi-week special, airing on Fox Latin America in Mexico, Central America, and South America (except for Brazil). It will air on YouTube for viewers outside of those regions. The lineup for week one this Saturday includes the Rey de Reyes final, Dominik vs. Vikingo, and an open challenge by AAA Reina de Reinas Champion Flammer.

MJF: Tony Khan ‘understands and respects the idea of a traveling champion’

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Understanding the value of a traveling World Champion is one thing that differentiates Tony Khan from Vince McMahon.

During his second AEW World Championship reign, MJF has taken the belt to indie promotions like Limitless Wrestling and House of Glory. Bringing back this tradition of defending the World title outside of your home promotion was a goal for MJF, and Khan has given him the freedom to do so. It’s a custom that went away when McMahon had a monopoly over the wrestling industry in the United States.

“The likes of Buddy Rogers and Harley Race … Jack Brisco, Dory Funk, these gentlemen would travel around, not just their local territory, but around all of the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Japan, Australia, and they would wrestle whoever was deemed the best of the best in that local territory or area,” MJF told Uncrowned ahead of AEW Revolution.

“Another thing is we have lost the history and the tradition of our sport, because for a very long time, professional wrestling was a monopoly. It was WWE, and that’s it. The idea of seeing — I’m just going to use an example — John Cena at your local independent company was sacrilegious to a Vince McMahon. But to a Tony Khan, who both understands and respects the idea of a traveling champion, it’s not ridiculous.”

MJF is set to defend his title against Hangman Page in a Texas Death match at Revolution this Sunday. If he retains, MJF will be on track to head into upcoming appearances for One Fall Wrestling and Beyond Wrestling as champion.

In the Uncrowned interview, MJF hyped that the World title picture in AEW right now is better than it has ever been.

 “This is the most competitive the top of the card has ever been in the history of our seven-year-old promotion,” he said. “You have me, Hangman, Swerve [Strickland], Jon Moxley, Kenny Omega, Samoa Joe, Andrade El Idolo. Now you’ve got Brody King, who just popped up there and he fits like a glove, whether I want to admit it or not. You’ve got your Kyle Fletchers of the world, who are chomping at the bit, and your [Konosuke] Takeshitas, who are chomping at the bit. I mean, the list goes on and on — and that’s the scary part.”

Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles is hosting Revolution on Sunday. The MJF vs. Page match comes with a stipulation where, if Page loses, he will not be able to challenge for the AEW World Championship again.

WWE reveals date and location for next Saturday Night’s Main Event

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE has locked in the date and location for its next Saturday Night’s Main Event special.

It was announced today that Saturday Night’s Main Event will take place from Fort Wayne, Indiana on May 23. This will be the first time Fort Wayne has hosted a televised WWE event since 2014. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is the venue for the show, which will stream live on Peacock.

May 23 was the expected date for this SNME, though the location was unconfirmed until now. There had been speculation about it potentially being held in Nashville, Tennessee.

Tickets for the event are going on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. local time on Friday, March 20, with a pre-sale set to begin one day prior. No matches have been announced yet, with the card likely to come together after WrestleMania (April 18-19) and Backlash (May 9).

WWE and tourism organization Visit Fort Wayne are partnering together for this show. It’s happening shortly before WWE begins an extensive European tour that includes the company’s Clash in Italy PLE taking place on May 31.

With this announcement, it’s confirmed that the weekend of May 23-24 will be a busy one for the pro wrestling industry. AEW’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view is happening in New York City on the 24th.

Sol Ruca addresses her racial identity: ‘I know who I am’

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE NXT star Sol Ruca is comfortable with her racial identity — even if people on social media are always questioning her about it.

A new episode of Stephanie McMahon’s “What’s Your Story?” podcast premiered today with Ruca as the guest. At the end of the interview, Ruca noted that her racial identity was a topic she wanted to address. Every year in February, there are fans who question why she’s being included among the Black talent in WWE. Ruca’s mother is white and her father is Black. But even when she posts a picture of her father, that’s not enough proof for some people.

“I feel like Black History Month — I’m mixed, I feel like a lot of people don’t really accept that, or I guess some people accept it, some people don’t,” Ruca said. “I do feel like that is — it’s always crazy every year when this month rolls around and people are like, ‘Why are you calling her Black? She’s not Black.’ Or other people defending me and stuff. I don’t know, I think people just need to, like, why would I lie about that? I don’t know, I think people just need to be a little nicer to each other…

“I get a lot of people that are asking for proof. Like, ‘Oh, prove it, show me a picture of your dad.’ And then I do, and they’re like, ‘He’s mixed, he’s not full Black.’ It always baffles my mind every time people start finding out again. I feel like it goes in waves of people, like, ‘Oh, I didn’t know she was Black.’ All this stuff. I’m like, guys, I understand how I look, but genes are crazy.”

This is an issue that Ruca has encountered more online than in real life, though she does recall an instance when she was younger where she believes she and her parents were kicked out of a shop because of their race. She’s also had to deal with people joking about her being a better athlete because she’s Black, which is a stereotype Ruca thinks undermines how hard athletes have to work for what they achieve.

Because her skin is lighter, Ruca knows she hasn’t had to experience the same level of racism Black women face. But she is proud of who she is and who her parents are.

“I’ve never claimed that I’m a Black woman, I know I’m mixed. But I still think it should be accepted,” Ruca said. “I feel like a lot of mixed people have this identity crisis because it’s like, ‘Where do I fit?’ And people are going to tell you that you’re not this, or you’re not that, or you’re not Black enough, or you’re not white enough, or you’re whatever. And I’m just like, why does it matter?…

“It’s a weird topic that I still really don’t know how to navigate, but I mean, I know who I am, I know who my dad is, I know who my mom is, and, like, there’s nothing I can do about it. So [I’m proud of who I am].”

The 26-year-old Ruca is one of the top wrestlers in the NXT women’s division. She also starred in the women’s Royal Rumble match this January and had a featured spot on John Cena’s retirement show in December 2025. Next Tuesday, she has the chance to become NXT Women’s Champion for the first time in her career.

Two more names advance to New Japan Cup 2026 quarterfinals

Posted on by Joseph Currier

New Japan Cup 2026 continued to progress through the second round with two more tournament matches taking place on Thursday.

With respective victories over HENARE and Satoshi Kojima, Oleg Boltin and Ren Narita secured their spots in the quarterfinals. They will face off against each other next with Boltin vs. Narita taking place on March 15.

Boltin and Narita have now each picked up two victories in the tournament. Boltin has defeated El Phantasmo and HENARE, while Narita defeated Taichi in the first round before this win over Kojima. The 55-year-old Kojima initially wasn’t part of the New Japan Cup field but replaced the injured Tomohiro Ishii at the last minute and had a first-round bye.

There are still a few more second-round matchups left before the quarterfinals begin. Those will go down this Friday and Saturday before the quarterfinals kick off on Sunday with Yuya Uemura vs. Shingo Takagi and Boltin vs. Narita.

An IWGP Heavyweight Championship shot is at stake with the New Japan Cup winner earning the right to challenge Yota Tsuji at Sakura Genesis on April 4.

Here is the updated tournament schedule:

Second round —

Friday, March 13:

  • Callum Newman vs. Hartley Jackson
  • Jake Lee vs. Hirooki Goto

Saturday, March 14:

  • Yujiro Takahashi vs. Shota Umino
  • Zack Sabre Jr. vs. Ryohei Oiwa

Quarterfinals —

Sunday, March 15:

  • Yuya Uemura vs. Shingo Takagi
  • Oleg Boltin vs. Ren Narita

Tuesday, March 17:

  • TBD
  • TBD

Semifinals —

Friday, March 20:

  • TBD
  • TBD

Finals —

Saturday, March 21:

  • TBD

Sol Ruca opens up about having ADHD: ‘It sucks, but it’s also pretty cool’

Posted on by Joseph Currier

For Sol Ruca, having ADHD comes with both its struggles and benefits.

Ruca, appearing on a new episode of Stephanie McMahon’s “What’s Your Story?” podcast, opened up about being diagnosed with ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) as an adult. It was initially suspected that she had the disorder when she was younger, but her mother brushed off the concerns due to the stigma that was associated with it. Ruca was not diagnosed until she started attending college.

“I had a bit of a tricky diagnosis process because I was taken to get evaluated for dyslexia because my mom’s dyslexic, and the guy was like, ‘She does show signs of ADHD.’ And my mom was like, ‘She doesn’t have ADHD,’ just because the stigma was like people are bouncing off the walls and they’re super loud and interrupt people and stuff,” Ruca said. “But I had, you know, being in gymnastics and being in sports and just being a woman, you’re just told that you can’t do that, so you mask it.

“So I went up like pretty much my whole life until I think I was in college about, where when I started studying psychology, I was like, ‘Actually, I think I have this.’ Even my roommate was like, ‘Yeah, you definitely do.’ I was like, ‘Okay, well, maybe I’ll go get checked out then.’ And so then I got checked out and got put on the non-stimulants and stuff, which ended up not really doing anything. But, yeah, it definitely was like later in life, I guess.”

Ruca said one of the biggest struggles she faces with ADHD is how much rejection affects her. When she perceives any kind of rejection, she feels physical pain and starts to feel really hot, sweaty, and uncomfortable. ADHD also plays a big role in her always wanting to be a people pleaser.

After competing in acrobatics and tumbling at the University of Oregon, Ruca (real name Calyx Hampton) joined the WWE Performance Center in 2022 and has become one of the promotion’s top young stars, currently competing in NXT before an eventual main roster call-up.

Ruca believes ADHD helped her succeed in athletics and get her to WWE. Her brain is constantly craving dopamine, and she’s used sports as an outlet for that.

“That’s where I got my dopamine from, was from sports and from competing and from doing well and from improving and learning new skills,” she said. “And I definitely think that’s kind of what helped me push me to where I am today.”

ADHD has also caused Ruca to fixate on things and bounce from hobby to hobby. Because of that, she felt a bit of “imposter syndrome” when she first arrived in WWE since pro wrestling hasn’t always been her dream job. She now wishes she found out about wrestling earlier in life.

“I think when I first got here, I felt somewhat of like imposter syndrome because a lot of people in this business, this is what they wanted to do their entire lives. Like, grew up watching it and all that stuff,” Ruca said.

“And for me, I had like a million different things that I wanted to do. And I never had like, ‘This is my dream job.’ Like, I did for little bursts of time. But I also think it’s kind of cool that I’ve been able to pick up things and kind of like excel at stuff and then move on and excel at this and then try this thing.

“So, yeah, I think ADHD, it sucks, but it’s also pretty cool.”

Next week on NXT, Ruca and her former friend Zaria will challenge Jacy Jayne for the NXT Women’s Championship in a triple threat match.

Swerve Strickland names his AEW Mount Rushmore

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Narrowing it down to four choices is difficult — but Swerve Strickland would choose Jon Moxley, Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, and Sting as his AEW Mount Rushmore.

Strickland was asked to name his Mount Rushmore of AEW stars while being interviewed by radio station 107.7 The Bone in advance of Sunday’s Revolution pay-per-view. To Strickland, the most important element of being a Mount Rushmore-worthy name is the influence you had. He believes AEW wouldn’t be where it is today without Moxley, Jericho, Omega, and Sting.

“I feel like Mount Rushmore comes up when it’s the guys that really, we wouldn’t be here without these guys. That’s how I always put the Mount Rushmore,” Strickland said. “If I had to go with that, I would say Moxley, Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, and I would say, man, honestly, I’d put Sting up there too. Because that was like — we needed that. All those guys are veterans, but we needed that true legend. He was our legend…

“I felt like Sting also helped get them through the COVID era too. Like, I wasn’t over there at the time, but Sting really held it down and he made such a big difference that I don’t think people talk about enough. When I finally came over and got there, you felt the difference. I was like, ‘Okay, yeah, this matters. This means so much.'”

There are plenty of other options, though, with Strickland pointing to talent that were pivotal in shaping the men’s, women’s, and tag team divisions.

“It’s tough because you still have the Hangmans, you still have MJF over there. You still have the Bryan Danielsons,” he said. “You still have all these guys that matter so much — and girls. Britt Baker mattered so much at the time. Riho, [Hikaru] Shida, Thunder Rosa. Then that evolved into Athena coming in, Mercedes [Mone], Toni Storm, Jamie Hayter. The evolution just kept, like, boom, boom, boom. Willow [Nightingale] with the TBS title. You had Jade [Cargill] at the time. There’s so many different chapters you could turn on the page of AEW just in the women’s division alone.

“And then the men’s, I came in, then Bryan Danielson after me, [Will] Ospreay changed the whole act three. It’s scary how deep this is. [Young] Bucks, FTR. It can be endless. Even still, these guys don’t get enough credit too for the tag division, but I’ll say The Acclaimed. I’ll go say Acclaimed and Billy [Gunn]. They don’t get enough credit either for being day ones to finally hitting their stride after a couple of years”

This May will mark the seventh anniversary of AEW’s first-ever event. The promotion has Revolution coming up this weekend, then Dynasty in April and Double or Nothing in May. Strickland vs. Brody King is part of the lineup for Revolution.

Swerve Strickland: Element of unpredictability is ‘so big’ for AEW

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Swerve Strickland believes having an element of unpredictability is a very good thing for AEW’s main event scene.

While speaking with radio station 107.7 The Bone, Strickland discussed how he’s used comic books as one of his pro wrestling inspirations. He thinks it’s a good thing for characters to show occasional weakness instead of always being portrayed as indestructible. In AEW, that’s helped build a culture of unpredictability where each main eventer has had an opponent they can’t get past.

“I feel like right now, everybody in wrestling in general [is] like, ‘We gotta make this character strong, we gotta make this character look strong, we gotta make this character look strong.’ Sometimes they need to be weak,” Strickland said. “Sometimes people get beat. Sometimes, like, there’s a character, there’s somebody on the show that just has your number and you can’t get past them.

“That’s why I think at AEW, the element of unpredictability is so good for us. Because Andrade beat me and Kenny [Omega]. He has our number right now, but then he loses to Hangman. But I beat Hangman twice. Or Samoa Joe, he had MJF’s number for the longest time. He beat him. But I beat Samoa Joe for the World Championship. So there’s all of these elements of guys — Darby [Allin] beat me four times. Like, I have one victory over Darby. That’s just that guy who has your number that knows you too well.”

With the depth of the AEW roster, Strickland told 107.7 The Bone that he believes ROH moving toward standalone TV tapings will help some talent get opportunities. Even if you’re not on Dynamite or Collision right now, working ROH or even taking indie dates gives you the chance to develop ideas and eventually bring them to television.

“If you have the chance to do it in Ring of Honor, do it and then expand that and grow a fanbase and then build it up into Dynamite,” Strickland said. “Just because it’s not happening now doesn’t mean it’s not happening.”

Strickland’s appearance on 107.7 The Bone was to help promote AEW’s Revolution pay-per-view that’s taking place in Los Angeles this Sunday. Strickland vs. Brody King is among the matches set for the show.

Daily Update: William Regal, Eddie Kingston, Pro Wrestling Eve

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered:

  • More on the Paramount purchase of WBD and details of when it goes through, if it goes through and details on how it helps or hurts UFC, AEW and Zuffa Boxing as well as a cost efficiency look at the three properties for 2027 if plans go through as stated.
  • The road to WrestleMania and why Paul Levesque is in a position where it’s impossible for him to do the job people want and impossible for him to fail, business notes on the show, and a look at the Elimination Chamber show, how it did on Netflix, the good and the bad.
  • Preview and updates on AEW Revolution and interest level
  • Odds on upcoming wrestling matches
  • Coverage of the New Japan New Beginning USA show in Trenton with two title changes
  • A look at the Demolition tag team as they go into the WWE Hall of Fame
  • The most detailed look at the ratings of all the pro wrestling TV shows, including demos, competition and comparisons with last year.
  • Johnny TV in the most heated match so far this year with Angel de Oro
  • Why AAA television is so entertaining
  • Stardom Cinderella tournament notes
  • Brothers face off in NOAH jr. tag tournament final
  • New Japan Cup first two days
  • Final night of Fantastica Mania notes
  • Jeff Jarrett documentary
  • Wrestler out of prison starts working on indices this week
  • Real American Freestyle angle
  • Update of the robbery of the Canadian promotion and the Davey Boy Smith Jr. Hall of Fame ring
  • John Laurinaitis wants back in to wrestling
  • 16 Carat Gold weekend in Germany
  • Pro Wrestling Eve has biggest show of its history this week
  • Brodie Lee Jr. first singles match date
  • Steph De Lander talks why she and Mance Warner quit TNA
  • Notes on David Finlay signing with AEW
  • ROH first TV tapings in a studio
  • UFC heavyweight and light heavyweight title updates
  • Lots of new UFC fights
  • Updates on WWE front office news and changes
  • The story behind leaking fast nationals
  • WWE accused of deleting key information in a lawsuit
  • More notes on the WWE deal with Endeavor and how it went down
  • Janel Grant speaks in favor of changing Connecticut law on NDAs
  • Bianca Belair update
  • WWE sends out unchecked email to network subscribers causing a panic
  • Next WWE media deal to be made
  • WWE injury updates
  • Nick Khan sells millions in TKO stock

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Wednesday Update

WWE NXT tag team main event
Image: WWE

WWE

  • WWE uploaded the full Joe Hendry & Myles Borne vs. Ricky Saints & Ethan Page tag team main event from NXT
  • PWInsider reports that, prior to his appearance on NXT last night, William Regal had not been seen at the Performance Center for some time and also had not been on the road with the main roster for an extended period. The report says it’s expected that Regal and Fit Finlay will be regulars on NXT going forward for their role with NXT’s Birthright faction.
  • Cody Rhodes appeared on a new episode of Complex’s Graps podcast. He’ll also be the guest on a new edition of Insight with Chris Van Vliet this Friday.
  • JBL joined Undertaker on today’s edition of the Six Feet Under podcast.
  • Chantel Monroe has been cleared to return from a broken nose and will be back on WWE Evolve soon:
    • Three months ago I fractured my nose, and that’s why you haven’t been seeing Chantel Monroe in action these past couple of Wednesdays… but don’t worry divasss  I’m officially fully cleared, back, and ready to give EVOLVE the sparkle it’s been missing #wwenxt #wwe

Other Wrestling

  • Eddie Kingston, who has been out of action due to severe migraines, is advertised to compete at ROH & Maple Leaf Pro Wrestling’s Global Wars Canada event in Windsor, Ontario on March 27.
  • Along with Thursday night’s regular edition on Honor Club, ROH will be broadcasting a special TV episode on YouTube at 7 p.m. this Friday.
  • Renee Paquette spoke to TV Insider about how much she enjoys passing on knowledge to up-and-coming female broadcasters in the wrestling industry:
    • I love to be able to help the other girls. That’s something I didn’t have as much time to do when I was in WWE. With the time I spent there, and the things I learned there and the experience I have for the duration of my career, I love being able to help these other girls out. Someone like Lexi [Nair] I think has grown so much. She is so great and awesome to work with. She always has a good attitude. She always wants to learn more. She will be doing Ring of Honor tapings till whatever time in the morning. She wants to be there and get better. 
    • It’s the same for Arkady Aura. I’m not a ring announcer, so I can’t contribute with that, but with all the prep she does wanting to get all the names right and pronunciations right, especially when you have all these wrestlers coming in. You have guys from CMLL and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, so you want to make sure you’re on your game with that stuff. To see these girls grow and develop, I love that. Even with the WWE side, to see what Jackie Redmond has been able to do over there. Her and I go way back, so it’s really fun for me to see her in that role at WWE.
  • TV Insider asked Paquette if her daughter Nora understands what her mother and father (Jon Moxley) do for a living:
    • Oh yes. She is very into it. She has really gotten into watching women’s wrestling, which is really fun for me to get to show her some stuff. She doesn’t love watching dad wrestle so much because it’s much scarier. It’s cool to see her soak it all in. One day she is like, ‘Mommy, I want you to teach me everything about broadcasting.’ The next day she’ll tell me she wants to be a wrestler like dad. I think she has a good comprehension of what we both do. Maybe not the gravity of it or the magnitude, but she has an understanding. It is funny being a parent and watching your kids soak up that environment. I sort of pull myself out of it wondering what her first memories are going to be of walking into the women’s locker room with me, and there are all these amazing female athletes and characters, and all the people who see backstage getting there earlier in the day. She sees the stage and set and how the show comes together. I wonder if she is going to think about that when she is older.
  • In an interview with The Takedown on SI, Thekla discussed how being a “control freak” has helped her succeed in pro wrestling:
    • I’m a massive control freak. It’s like, these are the colors. This is my logo. I design it. I was working with somebody and I was telling him it’s gonna be a mix of a spider with a hazard sign, right? So, it’s all me. I’m great on ideas and then connecting with people and telling them this is exactly what I want.
    • I get hyped when I go out and I think the fans can really feel this. There’s those two things. The person and the music really make sense together. Those are small artistic details that I’m crazy about.
  • Pro Wrestling Eve promoter Dann Read put out a statement addressing the backlash over Paul Robinson working for the promotion as a producer. During the Speaking Out movement in 2020, Robinson was accused of having kissed a 16 year old girl and getting close with her until the mother of his children found out.
  • NJPW’s English-language website posted an interview with HENARE.
  • Taiji Ishimori will be in action at Fantastica Mania USA in Charleston, South Carolina on April 12. The event is being put on by MLW in collaboration with NJPW and CMLL.
  • Sherilyn Guerrero interviewed Mick Foley about his memories of her late father Eddie.
  • Richard Holliday was a guest on TMZ’s Inside the Ring podcast.