Tag: charlotte flair

Women’s Tag Team titles change hands at WWE SummerSlam

Posted on by Joseph Currier

New Women’s Tag Team Champions were crowned at WWE SummerSlam with frenemies Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss winning the belts.

SummerSlam 2025 night one saw Charlotte & Bliss defeat Judgment Day’s Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez to become the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. Despite a tease that Charlotte & Bliss could turn against each other, they stayed on the same page with Bliss pinning Perez to get the victory.

There was a miscommunication near the end of the match where Bliss went to strike Rodriguez but accidentally hit Charlotte instead. Charlotte looked like she might give Bliss a receipt for that, but she instead took out Rodriguez so Bliss could hit Sister Abigail on Perez for the win.

After the match, Charlotte pulled Bliss in for a hug and they celebrated with their newly won belts.

The story leading into SummerSlam was that, despite their bond clearly growing, Charlotte & Bliss claimed not to be friends and said that they were only allies of convenience.

Ahead of SummerSlam, Charlotte told The Wrestling Classic that she’s the happiest she’s ever been in her career — and this team with Bliss is something she needed both personally and professionally. Bliss also expressed to Fox News Digital that she’s enjoying the “fun dynamic” she has with Charlotte.

Both Charlotte and Bliss are former Women’s Tag Team Champions, but this is their first time holding the titles together. Charlotte was champion with Asuka before, while Bliss has had reigns with Asuka and Nikki Cross.

Judgment Day’s Women’s Tag Team title reign began in April with Rodriguez & Liv Morgan as champions. With Morgan being forced out of action due to a shoulder injury, Perez stepped in as Rodriguez’s new partner at the end of June. WWE recognizes it as two separate title reigns.

WWE Unreal addresses fallout from controversial Charlotte Flair, Tiffany Stratton segment

Posted on by Ian Carey

The controversial segment involving Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton last April was addressed in the final episode of Netflix’s WWE Unreal season 1.

On the April 4 edition of SmackDown in Chicago, Stratton and Flair’s promo segment fell off the rails as both made unscripted comments about the other. According to scenes in the Netflix series, Stratton’s comment referencing Flair’s three divorces resulted in her being told to apologize.

“You might be Queen inside of the ring but outside of the ring, you ain’t the Queen of s–t,” Stratton said to Flair during the segment.

“When I beat you at WrestleMania, Charlotte, you are going to be just like you are outside of the ring, alone. What is that record? 0-3? Woooo!”

A few weeks earlier, on the March 21 SmackDown, Flair was accused of “steamrolling” Stratton in a split-screen interview segment and making the champion look bad.

The Unreal documentary then shows what took place backstage after the April 4 segment. SVP of Creative Writing Ed Koskey is seen telling Triple H that the line about Flair’s divorces sent her over the edge.

“Apparently, it was the divorce line that sent her over the edge. She’s upset. It obviously wasn’t written in the promo,” Koskey says.

Triple H responded, “I need Tiffany to understand that’s obviously not how we do this. So, she needs to go to Charlotte and apologize and they need to get on the same page.”

Later in the episode, Flair is interviewed backstage after her Mania 41 match against Stratton.

“I think she has a super bright future,” Flair said of Stratton. “She’s a star.”

Triple H is later seen telling Flair, “That’s how you put someone over,” in response to the match.

All five episodes of WWE Unreal were released on Netflix Tuesday, July 29, 2025.

WWE, Triple H, Ric Flair, Sting, others react to Hulk Hogan’s death

Posted on by Josh Nason

The wrestling world is reacting to the passing of all-time legend Hulk Hogan who died Thursday morning, reportedly due to cardiac arrest.

Some of the various tweets from notable personalities from the wrestling world can be found below with more to come later.

Hogan’s passing found its way into news coverage due to his pop culture status as well as political coverage given his appearance at last year’s Republican National Convention. His past issues with racial comments has also resulted in mixed reactions with some celebrating his death on social media.

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WWE tweeted that “WWE is saddened to learn WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan has passed away. One of pop culture’s most recognizable figures, Hogan helped WWE achieve global recognition in the 1980s. WWE extends its condolences to Hogan’s family, friends, and fans.”

Longtime friend and opponent Ric Flair said Hogan “has been by my side since we started in the wrestling business,” calling him an incredible friend and was one of the first to visit him in the hospital when he had a “2% chance of living.”

WWE COO Paul “Triple H” Levesque: “WWE would not be where it is today without the larger-than-life characters that compete in the ring 
 and few, if any, loomed larger than Terry “Hulk Hogan” Bollea. He was the archetype of what it meant to be a “Superstar” – a global sensation that inspired millions to work hard at whatever it was they wanted to accomplish and a look that made him recognizable to fans around the world. Hulk Hogan, clad in red and yellow or nWo black and white, was simply put, iconic. As a Real American or the leader of one of the industry’s biggest factions, he transcended and elevated the entire business to heights never before seen – in every country and on every continent. There was no one like The Hulkster and there very well may never be another. My family sends their condolences to his family, friends, and fans.”

John Cena posted a picture of Hogan and Andre The Giant on Instagram.

Sting: “HULK HOGAN – THE GREATEST OF ALL Can’t thank you enough for all that you did for me and for wrestling fans all over the world. I loved you and I will miss you. My friend, Terry Bollea, RIP”

Estranged friend and former ally Brutus Beefcake tweeted, “Through the good times and the bad, I always loved my brother Terry! I am devastated by the loss of my friend, I only wish we had time to mend our broken friendship before his passing. Until I see you Brother, in the big squared circle in the sky! I love you #hulkhogan #RIP“

Kevin Nash: “I lost another brother. Icon doesn’t even touch it. Rest in power my friend. NWO 4 Life….and beyond.”

Flair’s daughter and WWE star Charlotte Flair tweeted “When I nearly lost my dad 8 years ago, one of the few people who was there for all of it was Hulk Hogan. My heart breaks for Nick and Brooke. Rest in peace, brother.”

AEW commentator and former WCW commentator Tony Schiavone tweeted “Say what you want about Hulk Hogan, but his impact on pro wrestling is undeniable. RIP Hulkster. The end of an era.”

JBL tweeted “One of the reasons I got into wrestling. Hulk was always so nice to me and was the one celebrity that wanted to see all the kids I brought over from Bermuda. RIP legend. There will never be another. Hulkamania never dies.”

Jake Paul: “What the f*ck brother! RIP Legend. Always appreciated your kind words and encouragement. Hulk Hogan brought WWE to the masses globally. Rest easy”

Kane: “Hulk Hogan was a true legend. I was fortunate to work with him a couple of times, including this memorable one. It was easy to do a Hulkster impersonation when, like millions of guys my age, I’d practiced it in the mirror a thousand times growing up. #RIPHULKHOGAN“

Podcaster Conrad Thompson tweeted that “Hulk Hogan was the reason I fell in love with wrestling. Thank you for the memories. I’ll pray for peace and contentment for your family.”

Matt Hardy: “RIP Hulk Hogan. Terry Bollea was the first mainstream megastar in pro wrestling. He was the face of sports entertainment & elevated pro wrestling to a whole new level. I had the opportunity to work with Hulkster a few times over the years & enjoyed my interactions with him. My thoughts & condolences are with his family, friends & fans, especially his children.”

Jake “The Snake” Roberts tweeted: “It’s hard to put into words what Terry “Hulk Hogan” Bollea meant to professional wrestling and entertainment. He may be gone, but his memory and legacy will live forever. RIP Hulkster.”

Kurt Angle: “R.I.P Hulkster, thank you for opening up doors for so many people in the business including myself. There would not be a Kurt Angle, without the American Made, Hulk Hogan. My heart and prayers go out to his family. We lost a real icon today.”

Turki Alashikh: “Condolences to my dear friend Hulk Hogan, who sadly passed away today at 71. Will never forget the magic of seeing him up close in person at WrestleMania IX when I was 12. Hulk unlocked wrestling’s great success and he will never be forgotten. Well wishes to his family.”

TNA president Carlos Silva tweeted that “I am saddened to learn of the passing of pro wrestling icon Hulk Hogan. Hogan’s name was synonymous with professional wrestling, transcending the industry to become an American pop culture fixture. My condolences go out to his fans, friends and family. Rest in peace.”

Undertaker: “The wrestling world has lost a true legend. His contributions to our business are immeasurable and for that I am appreciative. Thank you, Hulk Hogan.”

Updates on three WWE SummerSlam matches

Posted on by Josh Nason

Our Bryan Alvarez has some updates on next month’s WWE SummerSlam card and the plans for three of the matches:

WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch vs. Lyra Valkyria

Alvarez said that as of now, the title match between Lynch and Valkyria is scheduled for Saturday of SummerSlam weekend.

Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss

Alvarez noted that a singles match between Flair and Bliss was originally set for SummerSlam, but Flair requested they keep the team together. The two will challenge WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez at the PLE.

The plan for Roman Reigns

Alvarez said that the current plan is for Reigns and Jey Uso to face Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed at the PLE and not a singles match between Reigns and Breakker.

Current WWE SummerSlam lineup | Saturday, August 2 & Sunday, August 3 from MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ

  • Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena defends against Cody Rhodes in a street fight
  • WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther defends against CM Punk
  • Randy Orton & Jelly Roll vs. Drew McIntyre & Logan Paul
  • WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton defends against Jade Cargill
  • WWE Women’s World Champion Naomi defends against IYO SKY and Rhea Ripley in a triple threat
  • WWE Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio defends against AJ Styles
  • WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch defends against Lyra Valkyria in a no DQ, no countout match in Valkyria’s last chance to challenge Lynch for the title
  • WWWE United States Champion Solo Sikoa defends against Jacob Fatu in a steel cage match
  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Roxanne Perez and Raquel Rodriguez defend against Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss

Charlotte Flair on WWE Evolution crowd reception: ‘They really made me feel special’

Posted on by Ian Carey

Charlotte Flair is still riding high off the crowd reaction she received at WWE Evolution.

Fans chanted “we want Flair” while she stood on the apron, cheered loudly when she made a hot tag, and continued to support her throughout the Women’s Tag Team Title four-way match on the PLE. The warm reception came five days after Flair published an article in The Players’ Tribune, where she openly discussed the criticism she receives, the death of her brother Reid, and several other personal topics.

A few days later, Flair appeared at the ESPYs in Los Angeles on July 16. While there, she was asked about Evolution by The Sporting Tribune.

Flair responded:

“Literally, when they started chanting ‘We want Charlotte,’ I did a, ‘Y’all chanting for me?’ I was like, don’t tear up on the apron, you have to run a comeback.”

“They made my night. They made my year. They made me feel heard and seen.”

“It’s been a hard year, and my comeback didn’t come back the way I thought it would, especially since all I thought about the whole time I was gone was returning. So to hear that ovation and feel the passion for me, it meant everything to me.”

“People forget that the Queen is human. And that the Queen has good days, bad days, and under all that armor and glitter and shine and sparkle, there’s still this little girl that can’t believe she made it, that still works hard, that still wants to achieve goals and dreams.”

“I felt special. They really made me feel special that night as a performer.”

Although Flair and Alexa Bliss did not win the titles at Evolution, it was revealed on SmackDown that they will get another title shot against Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez at SummerSlam.

Flair’s full comments to The Sporting Tribune are available below:

Charlotte Flair addresses positive fan reaction at WWE Evolution

Posted on by Ian Carey

Charlotte Flair has responded to the positive reaction she received at WWE Evolution on Sunday.

Flair teamed with Alexa Bliss in a four-way match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships at the event. In addition to cheering for her throughout the match, fans chanted “We want Charlotte” while she was on the apron and responded loudly when she hot tagged in.

The reception at Evolution comes after Flair published an article in The Players’ Tribune last week discussing the criticism she receives, her brother Reid’s death, her three marriages that ended in divorce, and several other personal subjects.

Since Evolution, Flair has been replying to fans on X, letting them know how much the support means to her.

“It meant everything to me,” Flair responded to a fan about the “We want Charlotte” chants. “Me too,” she wrote when another fan said they were emotional about the fan response at Evolution.

WWE Evolution live results: IYO Sky vs. Rhea Ripley

Posted on by Steve Khan

WWE wraps up a busy weekend in pro wrestling with Evolution: their second-ever all-women’s premium live event and first since October 2018.

The show is headlined by IYO SKY defending the WWE Women’s World title against the woman she defeated for it: Rhea Ripley.

Tiffany Stratton defends the WWE Women’s title against former champion and legend Trish Stratus in her third match of the year.

Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch defends against Bayley and Lyra Valkyria in a three-way while in a no holds barred grudge match, Jade Cargill takes on Naomi.

NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne defends against top contender Jordynne Grace while WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez defend against Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss, Asuka & Kairi Sane, and Sol Ruca & Zaria.

The card is rounded out by a battle royal for a title shot at August’s Clash in Paris.

The main card starts at 8 PM Eastern.

**********

Show Recap — 

COUNTDOWN SHOW 

Michael Cole welcomed us to the pre-show, wrestlers arrived, and the show intro aired. 

The panel was hosted by three men and one woman: Cole, Big E, Wade Barrett, and Jackie Redmond. Cathy Kelley and Megan Morant (likely in place of Byron Saxton, who usually is in this spot) ran down some matches backstage.

Kelley interviewed Rhea Ripley following a video package for tonight’s main event. Ripley called tonight a must-win because she’s never beaten Iyo Sky, and that’s gone on for too long.

They will be recognizing women’s division “trailblazers” throughout the pre-show, and they started with quite the list: Fabulous Moolah, Lia Maivia, Sensational Sherri, Torrie Wilson, Molly Holly Jazz, Maryse, Michelle McCool, and Stephanie McMahon. 

Cole recalled Stephanie McMahon, in 2015, kicking off the “women’s revolution” by introducing Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch. Big E spoke about Bayley’s influence as well, and the panel spoke about tonight’s IC title three-way. 

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Torrie Wilson joined the panel and got a nice reaction from the fans who have arrived so far. Wilson recalled crying throughout the first Evolution show, and she’s been emotional all day today. The women have come a long way and are complete badasses. She loved seeing the women rallying behind each other, and the best moments were often not caught on camera. 

She spoke about what it would have meant to her to have something like NXT and to train for a year. When she was around, she would learn new moves and have to perform them later that night. Sometimes the stress was unbearable. She often wondered how things would have been different if she had NXT. 

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The next group of trailblazers shown were Mae Young, June Byers, Leilani Kai, Chyna, Ivory, Queen Sharmell, Melina, and Lita. They showed clips of Lita beating Trish Stratus for the title, the first time women main evented Raw. 

Morant interviewed Stratus backstage. She wanted to prove something to herself, but it was more about showing something to the young people watching, including her daughter. You didn’t have to fit in the box people put you in. You could evolve, keep going, and chase your dreams a little harder. It wasn’t over until you said so.

They previewed tonight’s NXT Women’s title match. 

Blake Monroe met with Jordynne Grace backstage. After some pleasantries, Grace asked Monroe to be in her corner tonight (to counter Fatal Influence). Monroe didn’t want to step on Grace’s moment, but Grace insisted, so she accepted. 

Shawn Michaels joined the panel to put over NXT. 

*******

Nikki Bella joined Kelley in the crowd for an interview. Bella said tonight was women’s empowerment. That was her passion and her love. It would mean everything to have her son see her earn a title shot and win a title. 

Kelley asked who she had her eye on in tonight’s battle royal, and Bella responded, “Stephanie.” She knew there would be a lot of competition, but she kept going back to Stephanie Vaquer. She repeatedly referred to Vaquer by only “Stephanie.” 

********

Jacqueline joined the panel, and she was pumped to be there. She spoke about how much it meant to be in the Hall of Fame. She paid her dues and hoped her career inspired today’s women. She also talked about beating Chavo Guerrero to become Cruiserweight champ. 

There was a feature on referees Jessika Carr and Daphanie LaShaunn. 

Big E gave shout-outs to a bunch of the women who work off-camera. Redmond was happy to hear Big E do this, and she spoke sincerely about the importance of this show as well. Big E ran down everything he looked forward to tonight, and his excitement was infectious.

The next group of trailblazers shown were Mildred Burke, Cora Combs, Alundra Blayze, Jacqueline, Stacy Keibler, Vickie Guerrero, Victoria, and Trish Stratus. 

The IC title three-way will open tonight’s show. 

********** 

WWE EVOLUTION 2025 

Bayley, Lyra Valkyria, Becky Lynch, Tiffany Stratton, Trish Stratus, Iyo Sky, and Rhea Ripley were shown arriving. A video intro played, using Katy Perry’s “Rise,” and there was a big fireworks display. 

Joe Tessitore, hosting from the crowd, welcomed us to the State Farm Arena in Atlanta. He hyped up tonight’s show (while clearly reading off a piece of paper). He brought out his co-host, Stephanie McMahon, and said nights like tonight would not have happened without her. 

McMahon said they had to prove with the first Evolution that they deserved their own show. Now, the women were regularly main-eventing, and the depth through NXT was unbelievable. 

Michael Cole and Wade Barrett are tonight’s announcers. Cole again recalled Stephanie McMahon ushering in the “women’s revolution” in 2015 by bringing in Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch.

Alicia Taylor is tonight’s ring announcer. 

They’re using the same stage setup as last night’s Saturday Night’s Main Event Show, so there is a narrow aisle to the ring.

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Triple threat match for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Bayley vs. Lyra Valkyria 

Match referee: Daphanie LaShaunn 

The bell rang, and the fans gave an ovation before the wrestlers got going. Bayley hyped up the crowd, but used the moment to deck Valkyria, who wasn’t expecting it. 

The first few minutes had everyone trading moves until Lynch suplexed Bayley into the barricade. More than three minutes after getting shoved into the steel steps, Valkyria woke up and wiped out both opponents with a flying crossbody. 

Valkyria hit Lynch with a fisherman’s suplex, but Bayley broke up the cover with a perfectly-timed flying elbow. The crowd popped big for that, and they got a “This is awesome” chant moments later. Bayley hit Lynch with a sunset flip powerbomb into an upside-down Valkyria in the corner for two. 

Lynch hit Bayley with a superplex, but Bayley repeatedly blocked attempts at submissions until Valkyria knocked down both women with a flying leg drop. This got another good pop and “This is awesome” chant. Lynch followed with a combo DDT/reverse DDT on both women and covered Valkyria for two. 

Lynch and Valkyria traded counters until Lynch hit a man-handle slam, but Bayley broke up the cover. (The camera quickly panned away from Bayley moments before, so you couldn’t see her as she hit the ring to break it up.) 

Bayley hit Lynch with a Bayley-to-belly, but Valkyria broke up that cover, and we got our third “This is awesome” chant. Valkyria hit Lynch with Nightwing, but, you guessed it, Bayley broke up the cover. 

Bayley hit Valkyria with a Rose Plant. Instead of breaking up that cover, Lynch flew in and caught Bayley in a backslide for the pinfall win. Lynch retains.

Match result: Becky Lynch defeated Bayley and Lyra Valkyria to retain the Women’s Intercontinental Championship (16:25) 

This was a very fun match with a clever finish, and the eager crowd helped. They could probably do a rematch and have a completely different but equally good match. 

********

Ava and Mark Henry were shown in the crowd. A loud shrieking voice yelled, “Excuse me!” and they cut to Vickie Guerrero elsewhere in the crowd. This was just to give her a chance to say her catchphrase. She smiled and high-fived some fans. 

******* 

They aired a clip from earlier today of Jordynne Grace asking Blake Monroe to be in her corner tonight. 

NXT Women’s Championship: Jacy Jayne (w/Fallon Henley & Jazmyn Nyx) vs. Jordynne Grace (w/Blake Monroe) 

Match referee: Victoria D’Errico 

Grace had the early edge until Jayne catapulted her into the middle rope. Henley choked Grace while Jayne distracted the referee. Monroe didn’t react, perhaps because she didn’t see it, or perhaps for another reason. 

Jayne was in control until Grace hit a folding powerbomb for two. Jayne regained control and hit a draping neckbreaker for two. Jayne missed a corner cannonball, and they traded cradles until Grace hit a fisherman’s suplex for two. Jayne hit a hurricanrana off the top and a knee strike for a nearfall. 

Henley tossed the title belt in the ring, so Monroe headbutted her. The referee stopped Jayne from using the belt, and Grace rolled her up for two. Grace followed with a back fist. 

Nyx grabbed the belt next, so Monroe decked her. Monroe kept the belt in her hands, so you knew what was coming. 

Henley tried getting in the ring, which distracted the ref for a long time. Jayne whipped Grace into the ropes, and Monroe hit her in the back with the belt. Jayne followed with a discus punch for the pinfall win. 

— Fatal Influence were all surprised by Monroe’s actions. Monroe handed Jayne the belt, smiled at them, and left the ring. Grace (bleeding from the nose) was pissed. 

Match result: Jacy Jayne defeated Jordynne Grace to retain the NXT Women’s Championship (10:28) 

********

Jazz, Ivory, Jacqueline, and Maryse were in the crowd. 

Tessitore and McMahon killed time by discussing the previous match and previewing the upcoming match. 

******** 

Fatal Four-way Tag Team Match for the Women’s Tag Team Championships: Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez (c) vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Asuka & Kairi Sane vs. Sol Ruca & Zaria

Match referee: Daphanie LaShaunn 

Asuka and Sane were all over Perez until Rodriguez tagged in and knocked them both down with a clothesline. Rodriguez and Perez were in control briefly as the crowd chanted, “We want Charlotte,” which I’m sure was music to her ears. Bliss got a good reaction when she tagged and went after Perez. 

Zaria tagged and easily blocked Bliss’ offence. She hit an inverted suplex, and Sol Ruca flew in with a springboard facebuster for two. 

The crowd cheered when Charlotte got a hot tag from Bliss, and she ran wild on Judgment Day. Charlotte was visibly happy with her reaction, and she continued on offence. She hit Perez with a spear for a nearfall. Rodriguez booted Charlotte and checked on Perez. Cole thought it was interesting that Rodriguez was checking on Perez (her partner). 

Asuka and Sane got their turn to shine next, but Zaria broke up Sane’s cover of Perez. Zaria tagged herself in and hit both Kabuki Warriors with a vertical suplex. Charlotte broke up a cover, so Sol Ruca hit Charlotte with a Sol Snatcher (which got a good pop). Moments later, Charlotte pulled Bliss from safety, and Zaria speared Sol Ruca by accident. 

Rodriguez powerbombed Bliss over the top rope and into Asuka, Sane and Zaria. Rodriguez instructed Perez to take out Charlotte, so she hit a suicide dive. Rodriguez hit Sol Ruca with a Tejana Bomb for the pinfall win. Judgment Day retains.

Match result: Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez defeated Sol Ruca & Zaria, Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss, and Asuka & Kairi Sane to retain the Women’s Tag Team Championships (10:52) 

This match was fine, with some good spots mixed in. The finish was a bit abrupt, but the champs getting a decisive win isn’t the worst thing. The most notable thing was the big babyface reaction for Charlotte Flair (and Alexa Bliss). 

********

Torrie Wilson, Melina, and Molly Holly were in the crowd. 

They cut back to Tessitore and McMahon. Tessitore noted how handsome Paul Levesque (his boss) looked in his promo photo. Stephanie chuckled. 

******** 

WWE Women’s Championship: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Trish Stratus

Match referee: Jessika Carr

Stratus wore white gear with gold lining, Stratton wore all red. Stratus had the early edge, which caught Stratton off guard. Stratus brought Stratton down off the apron with a hurricanrana and hit a tornado DDT in the ring for two. 

Stratton went on offence and hit a vertical suplex into a backstabber (I think) for two. Stratton followed with a senton bomb for two. They traded counters until Stratus hit a Chick Kick for two. Stratton tried a PME, but Stratus got her knees up and hit Stratusfaction for a nearfall. 

Stratus went for a moonsault (tribute to Lita), but Stratton got her knees up. Stratton hit a Chick Kick of her own, followed by the Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the pinfall win. Stratton retains. 

— After the match, they cut Stratton’s music so Stratus could get an ovation from the crowd. (This wasn’t her retirement match, but we don’t know when the next one will be.) 

Match result: Tiffany Stratton defeated Trish Stratus to retain the WWE Women’s Championship (8:37)

It’s probably not a good sign that Stratus, a part-timer (at most), looked much better than the current champion. Stratton’s stuff was really off early in the match. She did get better once it came time to do the big moves. Because this was a short match, that happened early enough, so the match wound up being fine. Stratus deserves some credit here. 

********

They showed Rey Mysterio throwing out the first pitch at a San Diego Padres game. 

Alundra Blayze and Leilani Kai were in the crowd. This is still a WWE show, so they couldn’t only show the former wrestlers all night. Metro Boomin and Lil Yachty were also shown in the crowd.  

******** 

No Holds Barred match: Jade Cargill vs. Naomi 

Special guest referee: Bianca Belair 

Naomi entered first and tried to attack Cargill during her entrance. Cargill cut her off, and they rang the bell to start the match. 

Cargill took forever to set up a table, and Belair went over to whisper something to her. The camera cut away from Cargill and focused on Naomi, who had to keep selling. Cargill eventually went after Naomi, but Naomi posted her. Cargill speared Naomi moments later, but Naomi gave her a bulldog onto a steel chair in the ring. 

Naomi wrapped a chain around Cargill’s face, but Cargill knocked her off the ropes, wrapped the chain around her fist, and punched Naomi. Cargill yanked a big camera out of the hands of a cameraperson and used it to hit Naomi. She followed by placing a trash can lid over Naomi and kicking it. 

Naomi rolled out of the ring, and Cargill tried to kill her by dropping a toolbox on her head, but Naomi avoided it. Naomi dropkicked Cargill into a random TV screen at ringside, and a smoke effect went off. 

A few minutes later, Naomi used a chair to shove Cargill off the apron, and Cargill crashed through the table she had set up earlier. Naomi followed with an X-factor onto a chair for a nearfall. 

Naomi placed Cargill on a table and went up the ropes, but Cargill hit her with a chair. Cargill grabbed Naomi and hit a Jaded off the middle rope through the table for the pinfall win. Belair raised Cargill’s hand. 

Match result: Jade Cargill defeated Naomi in a no holds barred match (11:15)

This was maybe average at best. Naomi took a lot of the match until Cargill managed to hit her finisher for the win. Also, Belair didn’t get involved at all, so making her the referee was relatively pointless. 

******** 

Tomorrow on Raw, there will be a gauntlet match involving CM Punk, Jey Uso, LA Knight, Penta, and Bron Breakker to determine Gunther’s SummerSlam opponent.

Battle Royal – winner earns a world championship match at Clash in Paris 

Everyone got an entrance, so it took about 10 minutes for everyone to get in. They cut to black at one point, so certain feeds likely got a commercial break in between. Nikki Bella entered first. Stephanie Vaquer was second-last, and Giulia was last. 

Nia Jax eliminated Tatum Paxley 8 seconds into the match, and Izzi Dame 7 seconds later. 

Jax tossed Kelani Jordan into Paxley and Dam, but she didn’t land on her feet, and her momentum carried her to the announce table. Jordan did a handstand walk to get back into the ring. This got a nice reaction, but perhaps not the reaction they expected. 

Ivy Nile went after Vaquer (as Chad Gable instructed), but Giulia eliminated Nile. Giulia and Vaquer had a staredown as the crowd chanted lightly for Nikki Bella. The crowd was quiet until Vaquer set up Nikki for Devil’s Kiss, and they booed when Chelsea Green broke it up. 

There was a silly spot where Maxxine Dupri did her reverse worm, then convinced Natalya to try it too. Natalya did try, and it was bad. That led to Jaida Parker eliminating Natalya (so now Natalya can be annoyed with Dupri). Candice LeRae eliminated Dupri. 

Jordan shoved Parker into LeRae, knocking her out of the ring for the elimination. (Cole referred to Candice LeRae as “Candice Michelle” here and again in the upcoming spot. Barrett called him out on it.) 

Michin and B-Fab eliminated Parker, which got some good heat. Jax tried eliminating Jordan, but she remained on the apron. However, LeRae (already eliminated) yanked Jordan out from behind for the elimination. 

Zelina Vega eliminated Giulia by kicking her into the ring post from the apron. B-Fab went after Piper Niven, but Niven just chucked her out for the elimination. Chelsea Green eliminated Michin, so Michin tried yanking out Green, but Alba Fyre wiped out Michin with a suicide dive. 

Lash Legend eliminated Vega by press slamming her out of the ring. Nikki Bella tossed out Alba Fyre as she posed with her partners. Bella and Lola Vice swivelled their hips together until Niven knocked them down. Niven eliminated Vice, who didn’t do much in this match. Nikki and Vaquer eliminated Niven together. 

Vaquer gave Green the Devil’s Kiss, which probably got the match’s biggest reaction. Nikki eliminated Green. Jax knocked down Nikki and did her own hip swivel. 

Jax placed Nikki on the apron, and Lash Legend flew in with a boot. Jax moved, and Legend booted Nikki out of the ring for the elimination. Legend celebrated like this was a big deal, and she was in the final three with Vaquer and Jax. 

Vaquer and Legend teamed up to knock Jax out of the ring for the elimination. The crowd cheered as the final two faced off. They traded offence, which included Vaquer hitting a 619. 

Legend caught Vaquer off the ropes, and they stumbled over the top and to the apron. Vaquer grabbed Legend with her legs and hit Devil’s Kiss on the apron before knocking her own. Vaquer wins.

— Stephanie McMahon interviewed Vaquer in the ring. Vaquer admitted that doing interviews in English was hard for her because it wasn’t her first language, but wrestling was her first language. Funny enough, she spoke well after that. She thanked McMahon and every woman wrestler before her because now they could make history. She would keep working hard and promised that they would remember her name forever. 

Match result: Stephanie Vaquer won a battle royal and will challenge for the world championship at Clash in Paris (15:32)

This was the definition of a standard battle royal, and the crowd only got into it toward the end. However, the right person won, and the final few minutes made her look like it. The crowd liked Vaquer and her interview. 

********

Quavo and Funny Marco were shown in the crowd. I guess they ran out of former wrestlers. 

Women’s World Championship match: IYO SKY (c) vs. Rhea Ripley

Match referee: Jessika Carr 

Iyo Sky got the better of an early exchange and half-heartedly did her face-pointing pose. Ripley got the better of the following exchange and did Sky’s pose, which got some heat. Sky continued to out-wrestle Ripley by hitting a dropkick and an Asai moonsault. 

They wound up on the apron, and Ripley finally got some offence by hitting a knee strike and tossing Sky into the announce table. It didn’t last long because Sky hit a great-looking tornado DDT. Sky couldn’t help but look enthused by hitting the move so smoothly. 

Sky followed with a double foot stomp, suicide dive, and missile dropkick. Sky did her pose full-heartedly before hitting a running double knee strike in the corner for two. Ripley tried a middle rope suplex, but Sky landed on her feet. Ripley went to the top, but Sky yanked her onto the turnbuckle. 

They traded counters until Sky hit a poisonrana for two. Sky went to the top, but Ripley shoved her down, and followed with a Razor’s Edge and sit-out powerbomb for two. Sky reversed a Rip-tide into a sleeper, but Ripley backed her into the corner. 

Sky went for a springboard moonsault, but Ripley ducked, and Sky obliterated referee Jessika Carr by mistake. Ripley hit Sky with a Rip-tide, but the ref was dead. 

Ripley was livid and hit another Razor’s Edge. Sky fell out of the ring, so Ripley booted her over the barricade. Ripley hammered away at Sky and tried powerbombing her off some equipment boxes to her death, but Sky fought her off and kicked her to the floor. Sky climbed up a second equipment box and hit a flying crossbody. The crowd chanted, “Holy sh-t.” 

Back at ringside, Sky charged at Ripley, but Ripley dodged it and Sky went ribs-first into the announce table. Sky recovered, however, and hit Ripley with a sunset flip powerbomb off the apron. The ref reemerged as Sky hit a moonsault, but Ripley kicked out for an amazing nearfall. The crowd chanted for Ripley. They went to the top, and Sky hit an avalanche Spanish Fly. 

With both women down, Naomi ran out with referee Daphanie LaShaunn. She officially cashed in to make this a triple threat. 

Naomi hit Sky in the head with the briefcase and launched Ripley into the steel post. Naomi followed with a split-legged moonsault on Sky for the pinfall win. Naomi is the new champ. 

Naomi and the crowd went nuts. (In fact, Naomi started to get up before the ref actually counted to three because she was so excited to celebrate.) 

After some replays, Naomi posed with the belt on the stage as the show ended. 

Match result: Naomi defeated IYO SKY and Rhea Ripley to win the Women’s World Championship (26:19)

This was an outstanding main event until he finish. I wouldn’t say Naomi’s cash-in ruined it, because it felt like a big moment with Naomi finally winning the title. However, the crowd was going insane for Sky and Ripley, and this would’ve been a match of the year candidate if one of them had won without the cash-in. 

Charlotte Flair addresses current relationship with Four Horsewomen

Posted on by Ian Carey

Charlotte Flair says she fell in love with wrestling because she fell in love with the Four Horsewomen.

Flair addressed her current relationship with Becky Lynch, Mercedes Mone, and Bayley in a new article for The Players’ Tribune published on Tuesday.

She wrote:

“We’ve definitely had our ups and downs over the years. I won’t pretend we’re best friends

 or that we’re all even friends at the moment. I won’t pretend there’s a 4HW group chat I’ll send this article to when it publishes. And thinking about it that way, it does make me sad sometimes. But I also think it’s part of life, you know? Especially at the highest levels of professional competition. And on a professional level?? The respect between the four of us is absolute â€” and the bonds we share are f***ing indestructible. There’s not another person alive who knows what we’ve been through as a group, or what it’s taken for us to all still be active, and to all still be at the top of our games, as women working in a business that’s still learning how to treat women.“

Lynch and Flair’s friendship developed during their time in NXT, but they had a falling out in 2021 that led to a backstage confrontation following the infamous “title exchange” segment on SmackDown. Last year, however, Lynch said in an interview promoting her autobiography that things were “good” between the two.

Flair continued to say of the Horsewomen:

“I have a different, perfect chemistry with each of them — and if I wrote about them individually, I’d be writing forever. So instead I’ll just say this one thing, that is very meaningful for me, and that will always tie them together in my heart as a trio: I grew up in wrestling because of my dad 
 I got into wrestling because of my brother. But I fell in love with wrestling because of the Horsewomen. 

I fell in love with wrestling because I fell in love with Becky, Bayley and Mercedes as wrestlers.

And nothing will ever change that.“

Also in the article, Flair addressed her brother Reid and the impact his death in 2013 at age 25 has had on her.

“Maybe this will sound strange, but in a way it feels harder to talk about Reid’s death now than ever. And I think that’s because I keep getting older, I keep experiencing things, I keep living — and the more I keep doing all of that, the more aware I am of how Reid isn’t doing the same.‘

She went on to describe her little brother as “the only person in my life who’s ever known me, fully, and loved me anyway.“

Flair also addressed facing confidence issues during her career, tying them into the criticism some fans have that she “wins all the time.”

“Actually
.. I lose pretty often. I’ve spent a lot of my life losing. And if I’m being really real — I’ve spent a lot of my life feeling like a loser.”

“I’ve lost at just about everything there is to lose at: I’ve flaked on promises. I’ve cut and run from challenges. I’ve quit on dreams. I’ve had my childhood home foreclosed on. I’ve alienated friends. I’ve disappointed family. I’ve given up on myself. I’ve lost people I love. And yeah, let’s just get it out of the way: I’ve gotten divorced three times.”

Elsewhere in the article, Flair addressed her controversial segment with Tiffany Stratton from the April 4 edition of WWE SmackDown, when Stratton commented on Flair having been divorced three times.

“So when it got mentioned in Chicago that I have an “0–3 record at marriages” 
 yeah, it rocked me legit. I’m not too proud to tell you that. I don’t need everyone thinking I’m playing 5-D chess all of the time. My reaction to that line was as genuine as it gets.”

She continued, “honestly, that stuff hits me harder than any bump I’ve taken. Like, it’s tough enough to play a queen on your BEST day, you know?? On your worst day, it’s even tougher.”

The full article from the Player’s Tribune is available here.

Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss advance to WWE Evolution Tag title match

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Can they coexist?

The odd couple storyline pairing of Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss have advanced to the Women’s Tag Team Championship match set for WWE Evolution following their victory on Friday’s taped SmackDown episode.

Flair and Bliss defeated the teams of Piper Niven & Alba Fyre, and Michin & B-Fab in a three-way qualifier on Friday’s show to move on to the Tag title bout at Evolution. They will challenge current champs Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez, and two teams to be determined in a four-way in Atlanta on July 13.

The current Evolution card includes four title matches following the events of Friday’s SmackDown. The updated lineup:

WWE Evolution, Sunday, July 13, 7 p.m. Eastern time on Peacock in the US and Netflix internationally —

  • WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton defends against Trish Stratus
  • Women’s World Champion IYO SKY defends against Rhea Ripley
  • NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne defends against Jordynne Grace
  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez defend against Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss and two teams TBD in a four-way
  • No holds barred: Naomi vs. Jade Cargill
  • Battle royal for a championship match at Clash in Paris

Charlotte Flair attends NBA Playoffs with Alex Rodriguez

Posted on by Ethan Renner

WWE wrestler Charlotte Flair was in attendance for Wednesday night’s Los Angeles Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves NBA Playoffs game alongside baseball legend Alex Rodriguez.

Sports reporter Arash Markazi posted video of Flair and Rodriguez from the Crypto,com Arena in Los Angeles at Wednesday night’s opening round Western Conference playoff game between the Lakers and Timberwolves.

In the videos, Flair and Rodriguez are shown interacting with former WWE wrestler Shane McMahon, Lakers general manager and president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka, and comedian Jeff Dye. Rodriguez once dated WWE Hall of Famer Torrie Wilson. Dye used to date WWE star Becky Lynch.

WWE recognizes Flair as a 14-time World Champion, and she is the only women’s wrestler to win the Royal Rumble match twice. She challenged Tiffany Stratton for the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas on April 19.

Rodriguez retired from MLB following the 2016 season. He has appeared on the baseball Hall of Fame ballot four times, but has not received enough votes to be inducted in large part due to his admission to using performance enhancing drugs during his career. Without the PED connection, “ARod” would be a slam dunk Hall of Famer as a 14-time All-Star, a three-time MVP, and with 696 career home runs, good for fifth place all-time in MLB history.

Charlotte Flair wants to bring more of her real self to on-screen character

Posted on by Ian Carey

Charlotte Flair says she is going to bring more Ashley Fliehr into her on-screen character.

While speaking to PEOPLE, Flair expressed that she feels the character of Charlotte isn’t relatable, and she wants to pull back the curtain and show fans her true self.

“I think a weight has been lifted off my shoulders because ‘Charlotte’ had to be so perfect and pristine all the time and people couldn’t separate the character and who I am in real life,” Flair said.

She says that an emotional interview she gave to Sherri about her recent divorce has her feeling more confident being her authentic self.

“Getting all these things that have been really hard for me off of my chest, like, ‘This is who I am, accept me.’ It feels like I don’t have to — not necessarily hide — but I’m not worrying about, you know, ‘What’s going to happen today?’ Or in an interview, ‘Are they going to ask me and I’l have to pivot to something else?’ It’s like, this is the authentic me. And it feels really good.”

Flair lost to Tiffany Stratton on night one of WrestleMania 41 last weekend. The build to their match became controversial, with Flair and Stratton allegedly going off-script during a face-to-face segment on the April 4 edition of WWE SmackDown. During the segment, Stratton made a reference to Flair being 0-3, a likely nod to Flair’s most recent divorce.

Flair says her character will start to include more of her real personality in her post-Mania storylines.

“On the opposite side of WrestleMania, I think I will tap more into that and kind of try to bring me — Ashley, the real person — to Charlotte, because I do feel like Charlotte really isn’t, the character I made is not relatable,” Flair explained.

Flair explained that she would like to be able to give young fans high-fives as she heads to the ring, possibly implying she would like to work as a babyface.

“If I could be ‘Charlotte’ in my real life, I would,” Flair continued. “In reality, if I wasn’t here right now, I’d be in sweats watching old episodes of Sex and the City. But no, I feel like at this stage in my career I’d like to pull the curtain back a little bit and show them like, hey I’ve been this hardcore, dominant b—- for however many years. But I’d like to also be able to high-five the kids as I walk down the aisle.”

Flair’s full interview with PEOPLE is available here.

Charlotte Flair: ‘IDK. I’m just going to wrestle’

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Charlotte Flair posted a tweet on Thursday seemingly responding to comments others have made about her personal life.

During Charlotte’s WrestleMania feud with Tiffany Stratton, Charlotte’s three divorces were brought up by Stratton as the two went off-script in an exchange that went off the rails. Jokes about Charlotte’s appearance and marital history were then made at WWE’s Roast of WrestleMania on Sunday night. The roast, which didn’t feature Charlotte, was not broadcast anywhere until an audio recording by a fan leaked online on Wednesday.

In a brief tweet, Charlotte did not directly address the remarks that were made but said she’s just focused on wrestling.

“IDK. I’m just going to wrestle,” she wrote.

WWE and the Fontainebleau hotel in Las Vegas partnered together for The Roast of WrestleMania. Hosted by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, it included appearances by other comedians and special WWE guests. Nia Jax took aim at Charlotte during her set.

Charlotte’s marriage to fellow WWE wrestler Andrade ended in 2024, though news of their divorce was not made public until earlier this year. She opened up about the divorce in an interview on “Sherri” with Sherri Shepherd prior to WrestleMania.

After spending all of 2024 out of action following knee surgery, Charlotte returned to the ring in the 2025 women’s Royal Rumble match. She won the Rumble and earned a WWE Women’s Championship shot at WrestleMania 41, where Stratton defeated Charlotte to retain.

Tiffany Stratton retains over Charlotte Flair at WWE WrestleMania 41

Posted on by Ethan Renner

The WWE Women’s Championship remains with Tiffany Stratton.

Stratton defeated Charlotte Flair in the semi-main event of Saturday’s night one of WWE WrestleMania 41, retaining the Women’s title over the 14-tim former Women’s champ. After a Prettiest Moonsault Ever, Stratton pinned Flair to retain the title at Las Vegas’s Allegiant Stadium.

The champ did not emerge from the match unscathed, as Stratton appeared to have chipped her front teeth in the bout, and also had a welt on her forehead.

The story of the match focused on Flair targeting Stratton’s legs to set her up for a potential Figure Eight, but not being able to bridge into the move after Stratton attacked Flair’s heavily braced left knee. Flair missed more than a year of ring time after suffering a torn ACL in a December 2023 match.

Stratton’s title defense was the third of her current reign as WWE Women’s Champion, and her first in over two months. Stratton cashed in her Money in the Bank contract on Nia Jax on the January 3 SmackDown to win the gold for the first time.

Flair’s WrestleMania record drops to 4-4 after the loss, while Stratton’s victory came in her WrestleMania debut.

Our ongoing live coverage of WWE WrestleMania 41 is here.

WWE WrestleMania 41 night one live results: CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns vs. Seth Rollins

Posted on by Steve Khan

Date: April 19, 2025
Location: Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, NV

**********

Show Recap — 

COUNTDOWN SHOW 

The 3-hour pre-show began with a black screen for about a minute as Michael Cole ran things down. The panel was stationed outside Allegiant Stadium with Cole, Pat McAfee, Big E, and Wade Barrett. 

Cole said Rey Mysterio would be a game-time decision for his match tonight. He also confirmed that Gunther vs. Jey Uso will open tonight’s show.

Joe Tessitore and Sam Roberts discussed LA Knight vs. Jacob Fatu, Cathy Kelley and Byron Saxton discussed Jey vs. Gunther, and Jackie Redmond gave us some stats. There was a video package for the main event, and there was a very long discussion about it.

(If you’re not familiar with these pre-shows, they kill a lot of time by showing random videos that always have much to do with tonight’s show. I’m not going to mention them all over the next two nights, but as an example, they had clips of Undertaker and Kane re-watching a match they had at Mania, and there was a video of wrestlers backstabbing each other through history.)

There was another long discussion, this time about Jade Cargill vs. Naomi. 

Two hours to go. 

There was a video package for El Grande Americano (Chad Gable) where they had a voice dubbed over El Grande Americano’s actual voice.

They aired parts of Triple H’s interview with Peter Rosenberg. 

Redmond replaced McAfee and Barrett on the panel. 

Cole, Big E, and Redmond spoke glowingly about their boss, Triple H. Cole said, “I just want to remind everyone: We’re all here today because of what he’s built over the past couple of years.” 

They aired parts of a Charlotte Flair interview with Barrett. 

Cole announced that WWE acquired AAA. There will be a joint show called Worlds Collide on June 7th. Dorian Roldån Peña, Alberto Fasja Cohen, and Triple H joined the panel. Vikingo, Rey Mysterio, Stephanie Vaquer, Penta, Rey Fénix, Dragon Lee, Andrade, Santos Escobar and others stood behind them as they spoke about the joint venture.

Rey Mysterio announced that he was not medically cleared to compete tonight against El Grande Americano. His replacement will be Rey FĂ©nix.

There was a full 15-minute block where they focused on Jey Uso vs. Gunther. There were separate video packages for each guy, a sit-down interview with Jey, and a panel discussion about the match. 

One hour to go.

There was another Jey video. 

Saxton interviewed New Day. They were appalled by Saxton’s negative question and called themselves the greatest tag team of all time. They planned on winning the belts and celebrating on the strip.

Tessitore and Roberts had a long and arduous discussion about Knight vs. Fatu. 

It looks like Bayley is out of action. She was attacked backstage earlier today, and they quickly discovered it was a shoulder injury. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez happened to be nearby, and Adam Pearce was pissed at them. They were amused, but denied any involvement. They also figured there would be no title match tomorrow. Pearce told Lyra Valkyria that she has 24 hours to find a new partner.

Stephanie McMahon joined the panel, and she spoke about her new show. Redmond asked what match she looked forward to most this weekend, but she didn’t want to answer because she didn’t want to have to pick a winner. Her answer made it sound like she doesn’t really follow it. She only mentioned Jey Uso after the crowd started Yeeting. 

There was a video about Las Vegas narrated by Dana White. 

Jelly Roll sang “God Bless America” as we approached 7:00 pm ET. 

WRESTLEMANIA 41 – NIGHT ONE

Roman Reigns (on his own), Seth Rollins, CM Punk and Paul Heyman, Charlotte Flair, and Tiffany Stratton were shown arriving. Charlotte was heavily booed. Reigns and Rollins were dressed up, while Punk wore a Chicago Blackhawks hoodie. Gunther and Jey Uso were shown warming up.

The WrestleMania intro video focused on the company’s popularity, narrated by Triple H. He was in the ring to start the show, and welcomed us to WrestleMania as fireworks went off. 

Michael Cole, Pat McAfee, and Wade Barrett are tonight’s announcers. 

Cole and McAfee Yeeted along with Jey Uso’s entrance. Barrett, thankfully, did not. 

Jey’s entrance looked great. They had people waving “Yeet” banners along the ramp, and the Las Vegas Raiders cheerleaders posed in stairways as Jey entered through the crowd. 

(As big as this entrance felt, it was hampered by two separate cutaways for sponsors. They also cut to Turki Al-Sheikh sitting in the crowd.) 

There are nine different sponsors on the ring mat. 

The bell rang for the opening match at 7:19 pm ET. 

Jey Uso defeated Gunther to win the World Heavyweight Championship (16:23) 

Gunther was in control until Jey hit a body slam, which they played up like a big spot, but Gunther chopped him out of the ring. Gunther was back in control until Jey suddenly hit a spear for a nearfall. 

Gunther hit a superplex off the middle rope, followed by a dropkick and powerbomb for a nearfall. Jey countered a powerbomb by hitting a hurricanrana. He followed with a spear and an Uso splash for a nearfall. 

Gunther grabbed his title back and acted like he would leave. Jey went for a suicide dive, and the referee had to dive out of the way. With the ref momentarily distracted, Gunther nailed Jey with the belt. Gunther followed with a splash for a nearfall. 

Gunther applied a sleeper as the crowd Yeeted. Jey went for a rope break, but Guther pulled him to the middle of the ring. Jey did get a rope break moments later. 

Gunther attacked Jey with strikes, and Jey invited him to keep going, so Gunther chopped him down. Gunther chopped him repeatedly, but Jey fought back with strikes. They traded blows until Jey dropped Gunther with a clothesline. Jey countered a sleeper into a German suplex, but Gunther came back with a dropkick. 

Jey countered a powerbomb into a powerbomb of his own. Jey hit consecutive superkicks, a spear and an Uso splash. Jey hit another splash, and the fans rose to their feet as he hit a third one. 

Instead of going for a cover, Jey put Gunther in a sleeper, and Gunther tapped out. Jey Uso is the new world champion. 

(When they showed the replays, the graphic was of the Survivor Series logo, not the WrestleMania logo.) 

— Jey almost seemed in disbelief when he was handed the title. Jey posed on the announce table and hugged Jimmy Uso in the ring. They posed together and celebrated in the crowd. The fans were into all of this. 

As Barrett recapped the closing moments over the replays, Cole randomly started talking over him and excitedly announced that Jey had tapped out Gunther as Barrett was leading up to the moment. 

(I wouldn’t call this a great match, but it was laid out well and I liked the definitive finish. Jey pinning Gunther might’ve felt a bit weak after all this time.)

Match result: Jey Uso defeated Gunther 

******** 

Rick Rubin, Criss Angel, and George Kittle were shown in the crowd. Kittle wore a Jey Uso shirt, and he chugged his beer. 

Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods got in Kittle’s face at ringside. 

The War Raiders’ entrance was sponsored by Clash of Clans, and they were each dressed like characters from the game.

The New Day defeated The War Raiders to win the World Tag Team Championships (9:12) 

Early in the match, Erik body slammed Ivar off the apron and onto New Day. Kingston hit a senton over Erik’s previously injured back/neck, and New Day took over. New Day tried doing a Hardy Boyz spot, but Erik wound up slamming Kingston onto Woods. 

Ivar made a tag and knocked down Kingston and Woods with a double handspring elbow. Woods came back with an Honor Roll clothesline. New Day set up for a double-team, but Erik made the save. Kingston gave him a Trouble in Paradise before Ivar hit Kingston with a spinning kick. 

Ivar hit Kingston with a moonsault (right onto his legs), but Woods broke up the cover with a flying elbow drop. Erik hit Woods with knee strikes, but Kingston saved him from their finisher. 

Woods distracted the referee while Kingston tripped Ivar off the ropes. New Day got rid of Erik and hit Ivar with UpUpDownDown. Woods pinned Ivar, while Kingston held Ivar’s feet down (out of sight of the referee) for the win. 

New Day knew they got away with one, so they grabbed the title belts and sprinted up the ramp to pose on the stage. 

(This was an ordinary match in front of a quiet crowd. This match was also shorter than the amount of time that passed between the end of the last segment and this one.)

Match result: The New Day defeated The War Raiders 

******** 

O’Shea Jackson Jr., Michael Che, and Jelly Roll were in the crowd. 

Naomi wore black and yellow to go with her caution tape theme. Cargill wore gold and white. Cargill’s entrance included a special “weather report” by Jim Cantore to let us know a storm was coming. Naomi has a new rock song as her entrance music. 

Jade Cargill defeated Naomi (9:21) 

Cargill was in control until Naomi hit an X-factor as Cargill was draped off the apron. Naomi worked her over for a bit until Cargill hit a backbreaker. 

There was a very cool spot where Naomi went for a blockbuster off the top, but Cargill caught her effortlessly out of the air and hit a jackhammer for two. Cargill caught her off the ropes again moments later and hit a fallaway slam. 

Cargill went to the top, but Naomi brought her down with an avalanche bulldog. Naomi followed with a split-legged moonsault for a nearfall. Naomi applied a Rings of Saturn, but Cargill powered up to her feet with Naomi on her shoulders. 

Cargill adjusted and put Naomi in an electric chair drop position and transitioned into a powerbomb. Cargill followed with Jaded for the pinfall win.

(This was a fine match with some cool spots. A few of Cargill’s moves require a bit too much of a setup, but they look impressive.) 

Match result: Jade Cargill defeated Naomi

******** 

Lilly Singh and Lil Yachty were in the crowd. 

Solo Sikoa initially entered the stage with Fatu, but returned to the back for the match. Knight was driven on the stage in a white Maserati.

Jacob Fatu defeated LA Knight to win the United States Championship (10:38) 

Knight had the edge early on until Fatu hit a big Samoan drop. Knight tried mounting a comeback, but Fatu caught him off the top with a powerslam for two. Fatu tried another Samoan drop, but Knight countered into what was meant to be a crucifix bomb. 

Fatu missed a Stinger splash, so Knight booted him repeatedly and hit a running knee. Knight drove him twice into the ring post and hit a step-up elbow drop onto a standing Fatu for two. 

Fatu set up for a moonsault, but Knight ran up the ropes and hit an avalanche release German suplex for two. Fatu came back with a superkick, three running hip attacks, and a senton bomb for two. 

There were duelling chants as they set up for the next spot. Fatu went for a moonsault, but Knight caught him as he fell with a BFT. Knight presumably had it won, but Fatu got a rope break at two. 

Fatu hit a senton with Knight draped over the top rope. He followed with a senton bomb and consecutive moonsaults for the pinfall win. 

The crowd liked Knight, but they popped big for the closing sequence and Fatu’s win.

(This started out as another ordinary match, but it wound up being pretty good by the end. Fatu getting a big win and moving up the ladder put it over the top. Even though the fans liked Knight, you could tell they wanted to see Fatu get crowned.)

Match result: Jacob Fatu defeated LA Knight 

********

They adjusted the video package for the next match to include Rey FĂ©nix in Rey Mysterio’s place. This was the same video that had a voiceover dubbed for El Grande Americano/Chad Gable. 

They used a hefty yellow tint filter for El Grande Americano’s entrance. Alicia Taylor announced him as being from the Gulf of America, but the announcers said he hailed from the Gulf of Mexico. 

Vikingo and Dana White were shown in the crowd. White got a mixed reaction.

El Grande Americano defeated Rey FĂ©nix (7:56) 

They didn’t know this match was happening before yesterday, so in an unfortunate coincidence, Gable and FĂ©nix both wore the same shade of red and gold gear. 

Before the match, Gable shoved Vikingo, so Vikingo kicked him in the face. Gable stumbled into the ring, and the match began. 

They went back and forth until Gable launched FĂ©nix into the corner with an overhead suplex. Gable then did a move he’s probably never done before, something similar to a 630 splash, which looked amazing. 

FĂ©nix tried running the ropes, but Gable tripped him. With the ref distracted, Gable loaded his mask. FĂ©nix hit a running kick to the face, but of course, FĂ©nix sold his foot because he kicked the loaded mask. 

Gable caught his injured foot in an ankle lock, but FĂ©nix reversed into a cradle for two. FĂ©nix came off the top, but Gable headbutted him out of mid-air. Gable hit a diving headbutt for the pinfall win.

— Vikingo helped FĂ©nix to his feet after the match. 

(This was good but short. Since the opener, every match has been under 11 minutes.) 

Match result: El Grande Americano defeated Rey Fénix 

******** 

Shawn Michaels entered the stage, and he announced an attendance of 61,467. They called this a sell-out. (The number was written for him on a card in the biggest lettering possible.)

Stephen Amell and Israel Adesanya were in the crowd. Dana White was shown a second time for some reason, and he was booed. 

Tiffany Stratton entered first. Every other champion tonight has entered last. She had a Barbie-themed entrance, and entered out of a custom Barbie doll box they said was made by Mattel. 

Charlotte was driven to the ring in a Rolls-Royce. She was heavily booed again.

They both wore sparkly pink outfits, although Flair had pink and blue, while Stratton was all pink. 

Tiffany Stratton defeated Charlotte Flair to retain the WWE Women’s Championship (19:10) 

Charlotte did Stephanie Vaquer’s signature Devil’s Kiss move early in the match, and the crowd booed. The announcers even referenced Vaquer when she did it. Stratton came back later with a spinebuster, rolling senton, and basement dropkick, but Charlotte cut her off with a big boot. 

Charlotte called her a bitch and hit a few chops. Stratton responded with some aggressive strikes, but Charlotte booted her again. Stratton avoided Natural Selection, but Charlotte hit a sit-out powerbomb for two. Stratton avoided another boot and hit a spinebuster for two. 

Stratton countered a flying crossbody into a cradle for two. Charlotte set up for a moonsault to the outside, but Stratton shoved her off the top rope. Charlotte sold it like she hurt her knee (which has a heavy brace), so Stratton immediately attacked the leg. Charlotte managed to boot her again anyway with the other boot. 

Charlotte began attacking Stratton’s knee before applying the Figure Four. Stratton got out of it by punching Charlotte’s injured knee. Stratton chop-blocked her and hit a Finlay roll. Stratton went for a PME, but Charlotte got her knees up and applied a small package for two. 

Charlotte dropped Stratton off the top rope and followed with a Natural Selection (sort of) for a nearfall. Charlotte trash-talked, so Stratton smacked her. Charlotte went for a figure four again, but Stratton got out of it and hit an Alabama Slam into the turnbuckle (not really). 

Stratton followed with a Finlay roll and BME for the pinfall win. 

The crowd wasn’t super into this (a recurring theme), but they did pop big for Stratton’s win. 

(This match was a slog. Not only that, but Stratton came out of this with a bruised forehead and chipped tooth or teeth. It happened the hard way, but at the very last, Stratton probably gained more steam with the crowd, even if this wasn’t good.)

Match result: Tiffany Stratton defeated Charlotte Flair 

********

They aired clips from the 2025 Hall of Fame. The Triple H clip was as long as everything else combined. 

Steve Austin, Bret Hart, Michelle McCool, and Tugboat and family were on the stage and introduced to the live crowd. (Lex Luger was not there.) Triple H got his own entrance, and he shook hands with everyone. 

They showed Iyo Sky taking a trip on the Goodyear blimp. (They’re a sponsor.)

******** 

Seth Rollins entered first. He had a flamethrower and pretended to light the stage on fire. It looked pretty cheesy, because it was just the video boards lighting on fire. The flamethrower by itself would’ve been fine. 

The lights turned off, and his music stopped. For a brief moment, I very dumbly thought he was getting new music. But they just turned the lights on, and his usual music played again. The lights going out was to reveal that he changed his outfit. He was wearing all black but switched to white. 

Roman Reigns did his usual entrance, wearing the Ula Fala. 

CM Punk entered last, and he got a special video before his big entrance. He redid one of his old promos as they spliced in clips of young Punk, and they showed footage of his accession in the company. It was basically the type of video they would do for his eventual HOF induction. 

Living Colour played “Cult of Personality” live as Punk entered with Paul Heyman.

After they all entered, Reigns and Rollins looked as they always do, but Punk was taking it all in and took a deep breath before they got started. 

Triple Threat Match: Seth Rollins defeated Roman Reigns and CM Punk (w/Paul Heyman) (32:40)

Punk immediately left the ring to consult with Heyman. Rollins tried to get Reigns on his side to go after Punk, but Reigns punched him instead. Punk got back in the ring, but Reigns took the early advantage over both guys. 

Reigns distracted himself by looking on in dismay at Heyman, so Punk posted him before Rollins wiped him out with a dive. This led to a brawl between Punk and Rollins. They fought through the crowd, and Punk was mostly getting the better of it until Reigns wiped them out with a dive over the barricade. 

The crowd chanted for tables, so Reigns cleared one of the fancy new announce tables. The fight went back into the ring before he could use it. Punk mocked Reigns’ pose, but Reigns hit a Samoan drop. Rollins tried a springboard move, but Reigns caught him with an uppercut. 

Punk gave Reigns a neckbreaker and handed out running knees to both opponents. He hit both guys with a simultaneous DDT and reverse DDT combo. Reigns put Rollins on his shoulders, and Punk brought him down with a clothesline (a Doomsday device by happenstance). Reigns followed with a Superman punch on Punk for two. 

Punk got the better of a strike exchange with Reigns and followed with a Rock Bottom for two. (None of the announcers called the move.) Punk put Reigns in an Anaconda Vice, but Rollins broke it up by hitting Reigns with a frog splash for two. 

Rollins hit each man with buckle bombs. Punk avoided a Pedigree but ate a spear by Reigns instead. Reigns tried to spear Rollins, but Rollins countered into a Pedigree. Rollins followed with a stomp, shoved Punk out of the ring, and covered Reigns for a nearfall. 

Reigns went to spear Punk, but Punk moved, and Reigns speared Rollins. Punk hit Reigns with a GTS for a close nearfall. Rollins hit Punk with a Pedigree for two. 

Rollins explained to Reigns that they needed to take out Punk for the greater good. Rollins booted Punk and cleared the other announce table. Reigns went to the outside, but did not immediately get involved. 

Reigns sized up the situation and called for the Shield powerbomb. Rollins set up Punk for the move, but Reigns punched Rollins instead. Reigns powerbombed Punk through the table on his own instead. Reigns then powerbombed Rollins through the other table. Reigns speared Rollins in the ring for a close nearfall. 

Reigns put Punk in a guillotine while he looked over at Heyman. Punk reversed into a jackknife cover for two, followed by an Anaconda Vice. Rollins broke that up by putting Punk in a Sharpshooter. (Rollins flipped off Punk, and they actually blacked out the full screen for a second while he did.) 

Reigns put Rollins in the guillotine, but Rollins countered into a Northern Lights suplex. Reigns reapplied the hold, but Punk curb-stomped Reigns. Punk hit Rollins with a GTS for another nearfall. 

Punk gave Rollins a GTS, Reigns speared Punk, and Rollins stomped Reigns. Everyone was down, which led to Paul Heyman. 

Heyman grabbed a chair and walked toward the ring. Punk and Reigns both looked up at him. Heyman slid the chair to Punk, and the crowd gasped. You knew that wasn’t all, because Heyman entered the ring. 

Punk held up the chair to use it on Reigns, but Heyman gave him a low blow from behind. Heyman handed the chair to Reigns, and he hit Punk with it repeatedly. Heyman showed Reigns that Rollins had his back turned (the same way Reigns’ back was turned when Rollins turned on the Shield). 

Reigns set up for a chair shot to finally get revenge on Rollins, but Heyman gave Reigns a low blow. 

Rollins didn’t even turn around to look at what happened, because he already knew. 

Heyman gave Rollins the chair (as the fans sang his damn song). With Reigns’ back turned, Rollins nailed him with the chair. Rollins followed with a curb stomp for the pinfall win. 

Heyman held up Rollins’ hand in victory. 

Cole overreacted big time, acting like this betrayal was the worst thing he’s ever seen. 

This was easily the best match on tonight’s show, and they were given more than enough time to do it.

Match result: Seth Rollins defeated Roman Reigns and CM Punk

********

The opening and closing matches produced memorable moments, but this was still a pretty forgettable show. The closing angle was cool, but it was no bigger than angles we often see throughout the year, including the one we just saw at Elimination Chamber. The aura of WrestleMania often adds to the magnitude of the show’s matches, but that didn’t really happen tonight, and I certainly don’t blame the fans in attendance.

Charlotte Flair comments on WWE SmackDown segment

Posted on by Ethan Renner

Charlotte Flair has commented on her WWE SmackDown segment with Tiffany Stratton that went off the rails.

In a social media post Thursday, Flair teased issuing a statement regarding her segment with Stratton on the Friday, April 4 SmackDown that reportedly included both making unscripted comments.

Instead, Flair used her post to get a jab in at Chicago wrestling fans to further her heel persona, writing:

“After being blindsided by my personal trauma on live television, my character said something on-air that was not true, and I’d like to take this opportunity to clear the air. I should have NEVER called the Chicago fans smart. I sincerely apologize.”

The personal trauma Flair mentions is in reference to Stratton mentioning that Flair was “drinking in her daddy’s basement” at Stratton’s age, while Stratton is the WWE Women’s Champion.

Flair is the 2025 Royal Rumble winner and will challenge Stratton for the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 41. That match is set for night one of the two-night event on Saturday, April 19.

Night one will be headlined by Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins in a triple threat, while night two sees Cody Rhodes defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against John Cena in the main event.