John LaRocca and Garrett Gonzales return with a brand-new Fight Game to discuss some of the most interesting topics in pro wrestling.
We gave out our thumbs up and thumbs down before talking about the very violent AEW Revolution main event and wonder if the violence has become too much.
We also talked about the WrestleMania main event angle with Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton and discuss why the psychology was really good, but also how it felt a little too rushed at the same time.
We finished up the show with our new Observe This segment talking about stories from Dave Meltzer’s 1985 Observer Book. We focused on Mid-South on WTBS, AWA faking a title change, and all of the Barbarians there were in wrestling in March of 1985.
In a new interview with TV Insider, Jacob Fatu reflected on his WWE journey and how he’s adapted to the company’s environment.
Fatu opened up about moving on from his troubled past where he spent time in jail for armed robbery. He never thought this kind of success was possible and hopes his story can inspire others to realize that they’re capable of doing anything they put their mind to. Despite already having extensive experience on the indies, Fatu is still learning in pro wrestling, particularly from his family members.
“It would be learning,” Fatu responded when asked what the biggest part of getting acclimated to WWE has been. “Learning from family. Learning a lot from Solo [Sikoa]. Learning a lot from ‘Big’ Jim. A lot from Jey Uso, Roman [Reigns]. It’s really about learning a lot from others. I think Rey Mysterio said this on a podcast after tagging with John Cena and Sheamus. He learned a lot. You’re never been in the game long enough to act like you know it all. So, I think learning the game, structure, all of that.”
Fatu addressed the growth in his mic-skills while revealing that WWE permits him to be his authentic self in promos.
“Nah, the improv…yeah, you know they can hang with that. They are still trusting with the process, but it’s also something I love about WWE. They are letting me be who I am,” he said. “They ain’t here to change me. I’m going to say it again. They ain’t here to change me. They ain’t doing none of that. They are letting me be me and tapping into what people like me. Just to let them know anything [is] possible. It has been going good.”
Fatu also discussed his rivalries with Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre and what it’s been like to work with each of them.
“I enjoy working with both. They each bring something different to the game,” he said. “It just seems like my career is always elevating and elevating. I was just speaking with Tyler Breeze in the back, you have to treat people good because you’ll see the same people up and the same people on the way bad. Make sure everyone’s good, even when you’re bad.”
Fatu, Rhodes, and McIntyre were intertwined in a feud ahead of WrestleMania 42. That ultimately led to Rhodes winning the Undisputed WWE Championship back from McIntyre. He’s now set for a title defense against Randy Orton at WrestleMania. A singles match between Fatu and McIntyre is scheduled for SmackDown this Friday, and we’ll see if that results in their program extending into Mania.
WrestleMania 42 is about a month away — and it looks like we now know the main events for each night.
On WWE’s official ticketing website, it’s indicated that Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton’s WWE Championship match will be taking place on night one of WrestleMania 42 on Saturday, April 18. A graphic for that match is used for night one of Mania on the WWE.com schedule. Subsequently, CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship is the graphic displayed for night two on Sunday, April 19.
These would be the expected main events for both nights of WrestleMania, though WWE has not officially announced the match order yet.
Punk vs. Reigns was confirmed for WrestleMania shortly after Reigns’ Royal Rumble victory. During the build, issues between the two have been heightened with Punk bringing up Reigns’ late father Sika Anoa’i. That then led to a confrontation between Punk and The Usos taking place on Raw last week.
The Rhodes vs. Orton match was confirmed when Rhodes defeated Drew McIntyre on the March 6 episode of SmackDown to regain the WWE Championship. Orton had already earned a WrestleMania title shot through his win at Elimination Chamber — and he turned heel last Friday by bloodying Rhodes ahead of Mania.
WrestleMania 42 is being held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. On the WrestleMania page of WWE’s website, the graphics for Punk vs. Reigns and Jade Cargill vs. Rhea Ripley both have a blue color scheme. The Rhodes vs. Orton and Stepanie Vaquer vs. Liv Morgan graphics have an orange color scheme. It’s not known if that means those matches will be taking place on the same night.
There are five matches officially announced as of now:
WWE WrestleMania 42 card —
World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk defends against Roman Reigns
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes defends against Randy Orton
WWE Women’s Champion Jade Cargill defends against Rhea Ripley
Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer defends against Liv Morgan
It took a bit, but WrestleMania 42 now looks to have a good WWE title match booked.
To review, the original plan was a third WrestleMania main event with Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns. Few seemed enthused about that idea. Then it was going to be Rhodes vs. McIntyre again, possibly with Jacob Fatu added. I didn’t sense much excitement for that idea either.
What WWE ultimately landed on, however, is a storyline they’ve had in their back pocket since Rhodes returned to the company. The mentor/mentee relationship combined with Orton feeling he “needs” to win the title was just sitting there waiting for them. Why it was ever a question they’d do anything else is anyone’s guess.
Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton on WWE SmackDown
“Randy, I’m not your son, and I’m not your brother, but I have always been proud to be your boy,” Cody Rhodes.
The dynamic between Orton and Rhodes in the closing segment of the March 13 SmackDown was really interesting.
Rhodes implied that what he expected from him and Orton main eventing WrestleMania was a respectful babyface vs. babyface main event. He mentioned that he expects to get the “Legend Killer,” but seemed to feel that would only happen after the bell rang, and not a moment before.
Rhodes said:
“I’m sure you’re hearing the voices in your head, and when the bell rings that’s what I expect. That’s what they expect. We get to watch the best Randy Orton has ever been. Randy Orton who just won a stacked Elimination Chamber. And I know when the bell rings that I get the Legend Killer. That I get the youngest World Champion in company history.”
“I know that we get the master of the 3 most dangerous letters in all of WWE. But that’s when the bell rings. And after the main event of WrestleMania, when the last bell rings, I want you to know I will always love you.”
Just two old pals heading into WrestleMania having respectful promo segments with each other is what Rhodes believed would take place.
But Orton knew that signing the contract meant he’d have to treat Rhodes like anyone else standing between him and the championship, regardless of their history.
“I don’t think you understand, Cody. I need this. I need that. But this wasn’t supposed to be hard. This was supposed to be easy. Drew was supposed to be out here,” Orton said.
“How am I supposed to….”
He was all but apologizing to Rhodes for what he was about to do.
This was the best thing to happen to the WWE title picture in months, including the two recent title changes.
Poor, vulnerable Jelly Roll
“Jelly Roll is a braver man than most,” – Wade Barrett
The absolute cherry on the sundae of the segment, however, came when Jelly Roll got involved. Because we needed that one extra step to solidify that Orton is a bad guy now. He needed to do something dastardly to a seemingly helpless victim, and somehow a Grammy Award-winning country music singer/rapper was picked for the role.
Jelly Roll played his role well too. I felt for the guy. He walked up to Orton literally saying, “I’m your friend” and was shoved to the ground. I hope none of you reading this ever have a friend reject you like this. For shame, Randy Orton. Don’t you just want to see Cody beat him at WrestleMania now?!
The full segment from the March 13 SmackDown is available below:
It’s the Saturday Wrestling Observer Live with Jim Valley.
OVW referee Dallas Edwards released a positive message from the hospital regarding his unfortunate, dangerous and scary incident at OVW in Kentucky on Thursday.
On Friday’s WWE SmackDown, was Cody Rhodes being annoying on purpose during the contract signing with Randy Orton? He was so syrupy sweet and nice to Orton, so it was no wonder part of the crowd booed him. Is this the direction to WrestleMania or just for the angle?
Also, Jim talks about Rey de Reyes night one on Saturday and who is leaving AAA: Dom or Vikingo?
Plus, CMLL, New Japan Cup, AEW Collision, Jelly Roll, Danhausen, Kit Wilson and lots more. Another packed Saturday so here we go.
What started as a cordial contract signing turned into a bloody assault.
Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes met in the main event segment of Friday’s SmackDown to sign the contract for their upcoming WrestleMania title match. Rhodes signed but Orton hesitated, telling Rhodes that he didn’t realize how much he needs the WWE title. Rhodes replied saying he knew that the best version of Orton would be at WrestleMania when the bell rings, and would always love him.
The two shared a hug, but Orton immediately snapped and smacked Orton’s head on the announce table, following that up with a low blow. He threw Rhodes into the announce table and smashed the WWE Champion in the face with steel steps, bloodying him up. Orton propped up Rhodes’ head with the steps on the announce table, shoving Nick Aldis and Jelly Roll who tried to intervene.
Orton initially left as officials went to check on the battered champion. But Orton wasn’t done as he emerged through the crowd, got on the announce table and smashed a chair into Rhodes’s head, causing further harm. The last moments of SmackDown saw Orton re-enter the ring, sit on the chair that he had just used to assault Rhodes, and held onto the WWE Championship as the show faded to black.
The WWE title match for WrestleMania had been up in the air in recent weeks, becoming more settled when Rhodes won the title from Drew McIntyre last Friday. Orton earned the WrestleMania title match after winning the Elimination Chamber last month.
On a new Wrestling Weekly, Les Thatcher and Vic Sosa have their eyes on AEW Revolution which should be yet another outstanding pay-per-view.
On this week’s show, we’ll give our predictions on the matches as well as our thoughts on Cody Rhodes’ recent comments and what it might mean for him moving forward.
Cody Rhodes says Travis Scott’s slap at Elimination Chamber 2025 wasn’t the hardest he’s been hit.
During an interview with Chris Van Vliet, the WWE Champion said he was unfazed by Scott’s attack, despite it leaving him with a busted eardrum and black eye.
Rhodes said:
“Travis Scott did not hurt me. It looks like he hurt me. I took a photo with Travis Scott at the OBB studio event and I never saw that photo which, I like Travis Scott. I think it’s safe to say at this point I like Travis Scott. I like that he lended us his time and that we had moments with him. I mean, he took a Cross Rhodes. Most people just remember the slap and I’m going to be on this side of history with it. I know it wasn’t everyone’s favorite thing.”
Rhodes said Scott’s slap was the third hardest he’s been hit, naming Bob Holly and Nattie Neidhart as number one and two, respectively.
“I’ll give you the list of slaps. Number two, Bob Holly in London. I think he says, ‘Fire up out there, kid.’ And I think, I don’t want to say something nefarious that gets anyone in trouble. I think someone told him to try and knock me out because the way he slapped me was trying to knock a man out. It didn’t. I have a decent little jaw. So, I took said splash.
The number one might shock you, but I felt it in both of my heels. I felt it in my feet. I had to plant my feet. It was so hard. Nattie Neidhart. Nattie Neidhart hit me, it felt like an MLB batter swinging the bat. And I walked into it. She leveled me.So, Nattie’s one, Hardcore Holly two, Travis Scott, I’d say maybe three.”
Scott joined The Rock and John Cena in an attack on Rhodes at the PLE from Toronto on March 1, 2025. He delivered what appeared to be stiff punches to Rhodes’ face during the segment. WWE also reportedly had long term plans for Scott integrated into the storyline but those plans ultimately fell through.
Rhodes discussed the slap last year with Complex, saying that Scott “hit him with the power of a thousand suns.”
“The next day after the incident, I told everyone, ‘He didn’t hit me.’ I didn’t realize there was a fan video circulating of him hitting me with the power of a thousand suns and the noise deafening. And then I had a Tommy Boy situation where the entire side of my face was black and blue and I kept saying, ‘Oh no, I’m good. I’m good.’ And then I had a little flutter in the eardrum because it popped.”
Already announced for Friday’s show are a MizTV segment with Jelly Roll, Jade Cargill vs. Michin, and a contract signing for Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42.
Tonight’s show is set for the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona. The updated lineup is below:
WWE SmackDown (March 13, 2026):
Contract signing between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton for their WrestleMania 42 title match
Nia Jax & Lash Legend (The Irresistible Forces) defend the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles against Alexa Bliss & Charlotte Flair
Solo Sikoa & Tama Tonga vs. Uncle Howdy & Erick Rowan
Cody Rhodes gave a glimpse into his character Guile in the upcoming Street Fighter movie and whether he ran into Roman Reigns on set.
In Rhodes’ interview with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, the WWE Champion was asked how he felt about portraying the patriotic pilot from the Street Fighter video game series.
“In my mind, like Green Day, ‘Time of your life’ is playing. I had so much fun.”
He was asked if he shared any scenes with Reigns and said he only ran into him once.
“We actually, I’m gonna tell you something, we had one day on set, and the way the set was, and he could probably reiterate this, I think they thought we were going to fight or have issue. Because they were very cognizant on the radios of stepping out with Guile, Akuma will be coming on. They were very cognizant of we would not cross paths. And we did because I had to tell him the direction of one of the trailers.
That was our only moment, and it was a very awkward, like the weirdest, that’s a crazy relationship. I have nothing but admiration for what he’s done and accomplished, but I don’t know what it is. I don’t know, I don’t even like talking about it because I don’t know what it is. It’s just a very strange relationship.”
When asked whether his issues were with Joe Anoa’i the person or Roman Reigns the wrestler, Rhodes reiterated the complexity of their relationship.
“I don’t know if there’s a difference and the same as me. Ask him that damn question. Yeah, but I can tell you from what I saw of his fight, if he has a fight, I can tell you what I saw was really special. And I think fans of Street Fighter, Kitao Sakurai put something really special together. And when you have an Andrew Schultz, a 50 Cent, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Orville Peck, gosh, Vidyut when you have all these fun, unique characters, and then you have Noah Centineo, you have Koji, you have Callina as the heart of the movie. It really gave us a great ensemble that we could have fun. We could not goof around, but we could try things.”
The film is set for release on October 16. The cast features several notable names from across the entertainment industry. Reigns will play the role of Akuma, while New Japan’s Hirooki Goto is cast as E. Honda.
Up next for Rhodes is a contract signing with Randy Orton on the March 13 SmackDown ahead of their match at WWE WrestleMania 42.
John LaRocca and Garrett Gonzales return with a brand-new Fight Game to discuss some of the most interesting topics in pro wrestling.
The guys give out their thumbs up and thumbs down before talking about AEW Dynamite which was live in San Jose. We talked about how the press conference went down, why I wasn’t part of the “media”, MJF, Sonjay Dutt, and the live experience of being at the show.
We also talked about the Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton match for WrestleMania and whether or not there will be additional changes.
We finished up the show with our new Observe This segment talking about stories from Dave Meltzer’s 1985 Observer Book. We rewatched The War To Settle The Score, which was on MTV in 1985 and talk the entire one hour TV event.
Cody Rhodes isn’t worried about the recent shift in how some WWE crowds are reacting to him.
As he enters his third WWE Championship reign, Rhodes told Insight with Chris Van Vliet that he’s more polarizing now than the first two times he held the belt. He appreciates the passion from fans either way, and Rhodes feels like he’s built up thick skin after previously struggling with that.
“But I’ll tell you an area that’s changing is: I was never a polarizing wrestler. Now I’m a polarizing wrestler,” Rhodes said. “I’m honored by it. I’m honored by the passion of both sides of the coin. What I would like to do to honor those who are so excited and those who are so not excited, however you put it, is I want to make sure that I’m not gotten to by it. And I think with everything I’ve been through and everything in the business, you hear people say, ‘You got thick skin.’ I can definitely say I have thick skin now, because I used to not have thick skin.”
There have been both “home games” and “away games” for Rhodes with certain cities responding to him differently. No matter how people react, Rhodes is just focused on entertaining them.
“I think John [Cena] had it perfect,” Rhodes said. “Watching John [and] having my own skin really, really beat up and thickened up over the course of my career has made it so that I think I’ve got the lane I can run in and make something very entertaining for both sides of the coin.”
Rhodes’ third reign with the WWE Championship began when he defeated Drew McIntyre on SmackDown last Friday. He’s now heading into WrestleMania 42 as champion and will defend the title against Randy Orton in Las Vegas, where Rhodes received some boos at WrestleMania 41 last year.
Dave Meltzer addressed the changing plans for the WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 42 in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
Randy Orton is now scheduled to challenge Cody Rhodes for the WWE title at the event. Meltzer wrote that, contrary to recent speculation, the match is currently planned as a singles bout rather than a multi-person match involving others tied to Rhodes’ recent storylines, including Drew McIntyre and Jacob Fatu.
“Barring a late decision change, Rhodes will defend the title against Randy Orton, and it’s pretty much a lock that it will be a singles match rather than a three-way or four-way match,” Meltzer wrote.
Earlier this week, PWInsider reported that WWE had at one point considered Rhodes vs. McIntyre in a Hell in a Cell match at WrestleMania. Meltzer added that WWE had also discussed putting Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns inside Hell in a Cell when that match was originally planned for WrestleMania, before the direction changed following Seth Rollins’ injury and the decision to put the title on McIntyre.
Meltzer continued:
“This ends weeks of speculation and changes when it came to that title, which originally was scheduled for Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns, possibly in a Hell in a Cell match.”
“Those in WWE that we asked said that there was never a serious thought or plan, but Hell in a Cell was heavily discussed for Rhodes vs. Reigns before the decision to change everything after the injury to Seth Rollins and the decision to put the title on McIntyre.”
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.
