WOR: Bob Caudle, Tokyo Dome sellout, UFC 322 recap

Dave Meltzer and I, Garrett Gonzales, are back with an episode of Wrestling Observer Radio.

Mike Mooneyham joined at the beginning of the show to talk about the life of Bob Caudle.

Paul Fontaine joined us at the end to recap UFC 322.

Here were some of the rest of the topics we covered:

  • The passing of George Tahinos
  • Rebel’s cancer diagnosis
  • NJPW selling out the Tokyo Dome for Tanahashi’s retirement match
  • TNA news
  • AEW & WWE news coming out of their weekend shows

Click here to listen (sub needed) or watch on YouTube (video sub needed)

Torrie Wilson welcomes birth of new child

Torrie Wilson is a new mom.

The WWE Hall of Famer, 50, revealed on social media that she is a new mother via surrogate. She took time to reflect on her first-time experience, saying that she felt the moment had come just in the nick of time.

“Poppi Wilson Tupper was born via our angel surrogate a few months ago,” she announced. “I wasn’t sure if “Mommy” was going to be in the cards for me. As I write this, I’m filled with emotion & gratitude. I feel like I slid onto the subway train just as the doors were closing. Thank you for making my dream come true,” tagging husband Justin Tupper.

Other wrestlers took time to congratulate Wilson, including Mickie James and Carmella.

Wilson is best remembered for her time in WWE, joining the company in 2001 after WCW folded. She feuded with the likes of Stacy Keibler, Sable, Dawn Marie and managed stars such as Tajiri and Carlito. She retired from pro wrestling in 2008 but has made sporadic appearances since then, including competing in the 2021 Royal Rumble. She was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2019.

Torrie Wilson talks Passes, Rhea Ripley, weird WCW backstage moment and more (Interview)

We recently had the chance to speak to WWE Hall of Famer Torrie Wilson about her new BTS content partnership with Passes, her recent appearance at WWE Evolution 2, a bizarre backstage moment in WCW with Dennis Rodman and more, check it out below.

Interview with Torrie Wilson

F4WOnline: There are so many different options for content creators now to monetize beyond the “standard” social media sites, what was behind your decision to partner with Passes for your fitness, wellness and BTS content?

Torrie Wilson: Passes really stood out to me because of how thoughtfully the platform is designed. They’ve created an experience that makes it easy to connect with my subscribers and tailor content to what they actually want to see.

One of the biggest deciding factors for me was that Passes doesn’t allow nudity, that clear boundary is important to me, and I appreciate that both creators and users understand and respect it. It’s been such a fun and empowering space to share behind-the-scenes, fitness, wellness, and even slightly spicier content than I’d typically post on traditional social media.

F4WOnline: You traveled 300 days a year in your prime, and today’s talent has wellness coaches, sleep pods, cryotherapy chambers etc. What one modern recovery trend would you have killed to have on the road back then, and why?

Torrie Wilson: Oh gosh there are so many great ones! Having a traveling ice bath would’ve been pretty darn amazing. Even something as simple as the wearable sleep tracker I use today could’ve been helpful but I’m not sure I would’ve wanted to see my sleep data while traveling 300 days a year.

F4WOnline: You were recently at the Evolution PLE show wearing a Rhea Ripley tee, what draws you to her as a performer?

Torrie Wilson: I have to say, I’m genuinely in awe of so many women on the roster right now. To be part of WWE today, you have to be at the absolute top of your game, physically, mentally, and creatively. What draws me to Rhea is how completely unique she is. She’s a total badass, a superhuman athlete, and the second she walks out, her presence just commands the room. Her confidence, style, and energy are incredibly inspiring.

And maybe most importantly, she still seems like a kind, grounded, and humble person despite everything she’s accomplished. That kind of authenticity is rare, and it really stands out.

F4WOnline: The presentation of Women’s wrestling in WWE has come a long way from where it has been in the past. Having said that, Women’s matches in the main event of shows seem to be rarer than they were around the time of Evolution 1, are WWE going backwards?

Torrie Wilson: Absolutely not, I don’t believe WWE is going backwards at all. In fact, attending Evolution 2, I was genuinely amazed by how many incredibly talented women are now part of the roster. From my perspective, it’s no longer just about gender; it’s about storytelling. The main event should go to whoever has the most compelling narrative, the momentum, and the connection with the audience, whether that’s a man or a woman. The fact that women are regularly showcased in meaningful ways across all WWE programming speaks volumes about how far things have come. It’s about evolution, not repetition, and I see progress every time I tune in.

F4WOnline: One of SummerSlam’s biggest matches involves Jelly Roll and Logan Paul, can you tell me about the most out‑of‑left‑field celebrity moment you ever witnessed backstage in WWE or WCW? And how did the locker rooms react when “celebrities” would come in?

Torrie Wilson: One of the most unexpected celebrity encounters I had was early on in my WCW days when Dennis Rodman came in for a pay-per-view. I was still pretty green, fresh from Idaho, and someone came into the locker room saying Dennis wanted to meet me and asked if I’d follow them to his trailer. I did, a little wide-eyed and unsure of what to expect.

It ended up being this awkward 20-minute conversation. I’m not entirely convinced his intentions were pure, especially when he offered me a ride back to L.A. on his private jet, which I politely declined. Looking back, it makes me laugh at how naïve I was.

In WWE, it was always fun to see which celebrities would pop up backstage. That crossover energy is something special, getting to meet people you’d probably never cross paths with otherwise was one of the perks of the job.

Thank you to both Torrie and Passes for the opportunity to chat. Find out more information on Passes here.

Legends Night set for first WWE Raw of 2021

The first Raw episode of the new year will have a legends theme.

During tonight’s Raw, it was announced that Legends Night will be the theme of the January 4, 2021 episode of Raw. The show will feature appearances by Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Kurt Angle, Beth Phoenix, Torrie Wilson, and more.

Big Show, Jacqueline, Booker T, Sgt. Slaughter, Mickie James, Tatanka, Jeff Jarrett, Jimmy Hart, Ivory, Carlito, The Boogeyman, Melina, Mark Henry, IRS, Alicia Fox, Hillbilly Jim, and Michael Hayes were the other wrestlers who appeared in the commercial for Legends Night.

WWE.com wrote about Legends Night:

Get ready to ring in 2021 with one legendary night.

Some of your favorite WWE Legends and Hall of Famers will return for Raw Legends Night on the first Monday Night Raw of the new year. The guest list is already set to feature two of the greatest of all time: ‘The Immortal’ Hulk Hogan and ‘The Nature Boy’ Ric Flair.

Will your favorite WWE Legend show up on this epic night?

There’s no telling what surprises are in store when Raw Legends’ Night rings in 2021 on Monday, January 4 at 8/7 C on USA Network!

The announcement of Legends Night comes after Raw drew its lowest ratings in history last Monday. The week after Legends Night, Raw will face competition from college football’s National Championship game.

Torrie Wilson added to this year’s WWE Hall of Fame class

Torrie Wilson is being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of this year’s class.

WWE announced the news via espnW today. D-Generation X (Triple H, Shawn Michaels, Chyna, X-Pac, Road Dogg & Billy Gunn) and the Honky Tonk Man are the other acts that have been confirmed for the 2019 class thus far.

“This feels like a sweet closure,” Wilson told espnW. “Since I retired, so many people have asked me, ‘Do you feel bad you’ve never won a title?’ And I have always said no, because I felt like I got the value — even though it would have been nice [to win a title]. But being inducted into the Hall of Fame feels like a championship belt to me, because it really makes me feel appreciated.”

Wilson, who started her career with WCW and joined the WWF after WCW closed its doors, had two matches for WWE last year. She took part in the company’s first women’s Royal Rumble and was a participant in the battle royal at Evolution. Wilson also made an appearance at Raw’s 25th anniversary episode.

With Chyna being inducted as part of D-X and Wilson going into the Hall of Fame, there will be at least two women inducted this year.

This year’s Hall of Fame ceremony is taking place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Saturday, April 6.