Tag: WWE news

Seth Rollins thinks WWE celebrity involvement is best ‘in small doses’

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Seth Rollins thinks celebrity involvement benefits WWE — as long as the company doesn’t go too far in overexposing the stars it’s featuring.

Ahead of Backlash, Rollins made an appearance on ESPN’s UnSportsmanlike and gave his thoughts on celebrities crossing over into pro wrestling. He praised Bad Bunny and IShowSpeed for how hard they’ve worked to prepare themselves for WWE matches. Featuring outside stars brings a new audience to WWE, but Rollins believes it’s best in small doses. He compared it to his own sports media pursuits. Rollins is comfortable giving his opinion on sports, but he wouldn’t fare well if he had to commentate an entire game.

“I don’t mind it. I think there’s a balance in our industry. Like, you don’t want me doing too much,” Rollins said. “You don’t want me in the booth doing too much. Like, I can’t be [sports broadcaster] Kevin Harlan. I’m not like that. I’m not Tom Brady. I don’t have that expertise, but a little bit here and there.

“And I think that’s the same for wrestling. There was a big pushback against Pat McAfee when he came in. And it’s like, yeah, he’s inserted in this WrestleMania main event storyline that already had 20 years of history with Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton. Our audience is like, ‘Ehh, maybe not.’ But when Pat was on commentary for us, he did a great job. He did a couple of matches here and there. He did one in NXT that was awesome. He worked with Gunther, they had a great match.

“And so it’s not like — it’s just in small doses. So Speed, Bad Bunny, small doses, great for our industry. And it allows us to kind of branch out and for different people and different audiences to see what we do.”

McAfee’s addition to the Rhodes vs. Orton WrestleMania 42 storyline drew significant criticism from fans, to the point that McAfee made the decision to opt out of the angle after WrestleMania instead of continuing on.

Rollins had especially high praise for Bad Bunny, comparing his star power to that of Michael Jackson’s.

“You don’t understand how big it is that Bad Bunny is wrestling in WWE. Bad Bunny is this generation’s Michael Jackson,” Rollins said.

“I mean, this guy is the most — he sells out concerts and stadiums globally. We’re talking like nearly hundreds of thousands of people at these shows, and he’s coming to wrestle for WWE and is so pumped about it and is psyched about it and is willing to like put in the work. He doesn’t just show up game day and be like, ‘You know, I can do this.’ He’s like, okay, give me a ring. I gotta train, send somebody down here.'”

Rollins is facing off against Bron Breakker in a grudge match at Backlash this Saturday. On UnSportsmanlike, Rollins described it as a teacher vs. trainee matchup between himself and his former understudy in The Vision. Rollins hyped that we’ll find out at Backlash if Breakker is truly ready to take the next step in his WWE career.

Updated WWE SmackDown preview with two new additions

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE has made two new additions to the lineup for tonight’s SmackDown episode.

On the eve of Backlash, SmackDown is taking place from Jacksonville, Florida tonight. It’s been announced that an appearance by Jacob Fatu will kick off the broadcast. The segment will help finish off the build to Fatu challenging Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship in an all-Bloodline matchup at Backlash.

WWE.com wrote:

  • On Monday, Jacob Fatu took out World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns for the second week in a row, smashing The OTC through a table with the devastating Tongan Death Grip.
  • Just three days prior on last week’s SmackDown, The Samoan Werewolf ruthlessly attacked Solo Sikoa and slammed Talla Tonga through the announce table.
  • Fatu is set to kick off SmackDown on Friday, one night before he challenges Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship at WWE Backlash. Find out what bedlam will be unleashed at 8 ET/7 CT on USA.

A new match announcement has also been made for tonight’s show with Damian Priest facing off against Talla Tonga, who attacked Priest, R-Truth, Nathan Frazer, and Axiom last week after Priest & Truth retained their WWE Tag Team titles over Fraxiom. Tonga & Solo Sikoa then declared war on Fatu, Reigns, and The Usos.

WWE SmackDown (Friday, May 8) —

  • Gunther addresses his attack on Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes
  • United States Champion Trick Williams hosts a funeral for the Gingerbread Man ahead of title defense against Sami Zayn at Backlash
  • Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid)
  • Women’s United States Champion Tiffany Stratton defends against Kiana James
  • Damian Priest vs. Talla Tonga
  • Jacob Fatu kicks off SmackDown

Sami Zayn addresses WWE in-ring future

Posted on by Joseph Currier

He isn’t putting a timeline on things, but Sami Zayn knows his in-ring career is closer to the end than the beginning.

The 41-year-old Zayn spoke with Witty Whittier this week and opened up about how grateful he is to be in the spot he’s in. He’s accomplished his childhood dream by making it as a professional wrestler. And though Zayn will always be driven by goals like becoming World Champion, he is making sure to appreciate however many years he has left in the ring.

“I remember several years ago being on a European tour thinking like, ‘I don’t know how many more of these there really are.’ When you’re in it, you think it’s just going to keep going forever,” Zayn said. “It’s kind of like when you’re in high school, you just feel like those years are going to last forever. But then when you’re an adult and you’ve been out of high school 10-15 years, like, ‘Man, high school was nothing.’ It’s a blip in your life.

“So I’ve been lucky that WWE and my time in this business has been more than a blip. But I realize that this time will probably be coming to an end within the next — I don’t want to put a number of years on it, but definitely closer to the end than the beginning. So I’m just very, very grateful to be a part of it still. It’s just not lost on me. It’s not lost on me. This is great.”

Zayn held the United States Championship before dropping the title to Trick Williams at WrestleMania 42. He told Witty Whittier that there was a little bit of a “strange” vibe around WrestleMania this year. His character was in a weird place with fans starting to give him negative reactions. And other elements like Pat McAfee being added to the Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton build contributed to the vibe of the event as well.

“My character at the time of WrestleMania was a bit more undefined than it’s been in many, many years,” Zayn said. “Usually, I walk into Mania and I know exactly where I’m at and what I’m doing. This year, it’s like this character shift and this sea change has been going on at the same time with Trick kind of rising and me getting these — I would say polarizing reactions, but it’s kind of started to swing all the way in the other direction now to where I’m unliked and I’m kind of, as a character, saying like, ‘What did I even do here? Why is this happening?’ and all of that kind of stuff. Week-to-week, audience-to-audience is all different, so it felt a little less sure-footed, you know what I mean?

“And then the vibe around WrestleMania was a little strange this year, like with the Pat McAfee thing being added at the last minute. I don’t know. There was just so many things that felt a little strange about this year’s WrestleMania.”

Zayn said WrestleMania in general can feel overwhelming sometimes, but it’s a privilege to be busy and have a packed schedule.

A U.S. title rematch between Williams and Zayn is taking place this Saturday at WWE Backlash. Before that, tonight’s SmackDown will include a segment with Williams holding a funeral for the Gingerbread Man mascot that Zayn beat down last week.

Daily Update: Jacob Fatu, WWE Chile, The Sandman

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered:

  • A look at the WWE releases, reasons, prospects for the future, who should AEW or TNA be interested in
  • Nick Khan speaks to WWE employees about Paul Levesque, WrestleMania, social media, Saudi Arabia and AI
  • WWE Backlash and AEW Double or Nothing updates, including interest levels for both shows
  • Stardom All-Star Grand Queendom show looked at
  • How the latest Nielsen ratings change affects pro wrestling and where it affects it the most
  • Dragon Gate has its annual big Nagoya show this week
  • A look at the career of Gran Markus Jr.
  • The most detailed look at the television ratings for pro wrestling and MMA programming this past week
  • The 70th anniversary of pro wrestling at Arena Mexico
  • Who is coming for Fantastica Mania Mexico
  • Big match planned for AAA television
  • Champion Carnival update
  • NOAH major show update
  • New Japan has Dontaku with Andrade and Will Ospreay this week
  • Wrestling Red Zone coverage
  • A look back at the original Tiger Mask and his influence on pro wrestling and MMA
  • Who are the most famous wrestler in the ten largest cities in the world, and top 50 cities in the world
  • Biggest moments in NCAA wrestling tournament history over the past 60 years
  • Former pro wrestling booker heading up a unique promotion
  • Updates on Real American Freestyle
  • More UFC stars coming to RAF
  • Advance ticket sales for all the major pro wrestling events over the next two months and the story that it tells
  • Two relatives of major pro wrestling stars signing with NFL teams
  • Remembeing David Allan Coe, the country singer of Great American Bash fame
  • Jimmy Valiant retires
  • Former WWE star says she’s making a comeback
  • Carlos Silva on why TNA won’t let its talent work with AEW talent and examining what he said
  • AEW May television schedule changes
  • WWE television schedule changes
  • Ronda Rousey wants to be a promoter
  • Puck breaks a notable story on Ari Emanuel and Vince McMahon
  • More on when the next lawsuit against WWE goes to court
  • More notes on TNA expanding domestic exposure
  • More on new WWE signings
  • NXT house show notes

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Thursday Update

Jacob Fatu WWE Raw
Jacob Fatu confronts Roman Reigns on WWE Raw. (Image credit: WWE)

WWE

  • During an appearance on No-Contest Wrestling, Jacob Fatu cut a promo on fans who think he won’t defeat Roman Reigns at Backlash:
    • Let’s keep it 100. He just won it. This is the next PLE. So I can understand why people think, ‘Oh, well, he’s not going to lose. It’s just a match. He’s going to fall in line.’ Nah, that’s ass. All right. That’s ass
    • What y’all think? Y’all know the booking? What y’all think? ‘Oh, Roman Reigns, first title defense against Jacob. There’s no way Roman’s losing it.’ Man, that’s ass.
    • Because check this out, of course y’all going to be watching. Y’all going to be tapped in. So everybody else complaining online about this and that. Hey, hey, hey, I bet you will definitely buy that ESPN app. And I bet you going to be sitting there watching and enjoying the show and not saying a word during the match. So for everybody tapping in like that, come on. Man, come on with it.
  • Fatu added:
    • I can understand why people think I’m not going to win. First PLE, first title defense out of WrestleMania, there’s no way, right? Well, check this out – there was no way Jacob was supposed to be here. There was no way Jacob was supposed to be main event, PLE, Roman Reigns, right out of WrestleMania. But we’re here. And keep it 100. Like I said before, they ain’t never ran into nobody like me.
  • No-Contest Wrestling asked Fatu to name five wrestlers from WWE history that he would like to have main evented WrestleMania against:
    • Bron Breakker
    • Randy Savage
    • Jeff Hardy
    • Mr. Perfect
    • Brock Lesnar
  • Sami Zayn and Stephanie Vaquer called for WWE to change September’s house show in Chile into a PLE after tickets sold out quickly after going on sale.
  • Johnny Gargano announced that he and Candice LeRae’s dog Pawdme passed away after months of battling seizures:
    • I always made the joke that Pawdme’ was my first child. She prepared me for Quill. The real joke is that she’s actually way more high maintenance than her brother. She was SO good to him too. A true big sister. I’lll miss her sleeping between my legs. I’ll miss her zooming around the house with her rope. I’ll miss her sun bathing by the window of my gym.. I’m just really going to miss her. I just hope she knows we tried to give her the best life possible in the short time we had, and she will always hold an irreplaceable spot in our hearts. We love you forever, Tato. Thank you for choosing us to spend your life with.
  • The Miz promoted Backlash with appearances on ESPN’s Get Up, First Take, and The Rich Eisen Show.
  • Danhausen stormed into SportsCenter to help count down the top plays from the day.
  • Kevin Owens turns 42 years old today.
  • WWE Vault put together a video featuring rarely seen Championship Wrestling from Florida footage.

Other Wrestling

  • Actor Nick Offerman was the guest on a new episode of Talk is Jericho.
  • To prepare for his role on Apple TV’s “Margo’s Got Money Troubles,” Offerman – who didn’t know much about wrestling going in – read Bret Hart and Mick Foley’s autobiographies:
    • I was relatively ignorant. I knew the pop culture, the big stars of my youth, Hulk Hogan and Macho Man. My friend wrote a song about the Von Erichs. I knew bits and pieces, but I had no idea of the rich lore and just the culture, until I started researching for this job.
    • I read Bret Hart’s memoir and Mick Foley’s memoir, basically getting really into looking at all the different looks and gimmicks and characters that wrestlers have had over the years. It was a wonderful permission that Jinx’s [Offerman’s character] heyday was like 30 years ago, because that allowed us to be a lot more campy.
    • I have to say, it’s like getting cast as a linebacker or something. If you’re going to be out there actually representing and playing the sport, you got to respect it and treat it with absolute reverence, because I own a mirror, so I’ve never had a big enough ego to think that I can just ride it out on my personality alone.
  • On Insight with Chris Van Vliet, The Sandman was asked to encapsulate the career he’s had in the ring:
    • Too many drugs, honestly, too many drugs. A lot of smiles. I get a lot of fan mail and stuff at home. Just some of the things that people write to me and they tell me how I got them through a hard time in their life, or when their dad passed away, or something like that. Those are the times when it’s really, really worth it. I mean, it’s great when you’re living your life dream. When I was five years old, all I ever wanted to be was a pro wrestler. That’s it. Not a cop, fireman, doctor. All I ever wanted to be was a pro wrestler, so I got to live my life and make decent money out of it and make people really happy. You know, when you get some people come up to you and they’re like, ‘Oh my God, you’re the greatest thing ever.’ That just gives you goose bumps. That’s cool sh*t.
  • Inside the NBA did a segment last night remembering Ted Turner.
  • AEW wished Will Ospreay (33) and Angelico (39) happy birthday.

Chelsea Green gives update after heart procedure

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Chelsea Green is doing well in her recovery after undergoing a procedure to repair an abnormal heart rhythm.

Earlier this week, Green revealed that she had an operation done after doctors found she had been dealing with SVT (supraventricular tachycardia). She’s had the issue for years, and an episode that took place around WrestleMania 42 led to doctors finally catching it. Green’s heart rate skyrocketed to 228 beats per minute during a nearly 15-minute stretch.

The former WWE Women’s United States Champion spoke with Busted Open Radio today and said she will soon be off bed rest. After that, she has one more week where she has to take it easy.

“I’m going back to bed rest. I’ve got one more day of bed rest and then it’s taking it easy for another week,” Green said. “I’m feeling good. My wounds are healing and my heart feels, like, heavy and my breathing is interesting, but we’re on the mend.”

Green posted a tweet on Tuesday saying that she would be back at work “very soon.” During the Busted Open interview, she joked that she is already pitching ideas and is willing to call into SmackDown this Friday if need be.

“Oh, you know, I will,” Green said about returning soon. “You know, I already pitched for this week. I can call in.”

When Green will be able to wrestle again remains to be seen. She was already out of action with an ankle injury when this heart issue was found. She and her husband Matt Cardona are both members of the WWE SmackDown roster.

The Cleveland Clinic describes SVT as a “common kind of arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm)” that starts in the upper chambers of the heart and causes it to beat too fast. In some cases, it can cause chest pain or dizziness. Medication or surgery are sometimes needed to correct the issue.

WWE adds Tuesday SmackDown date to summer European tour

Posted on by Joseph Currier

London’s O2 Arena is set to host WWE Raw and SmackDown on back-to-back days this summer.

WWE announced today that it has added a new SmackDown date to its June calendar. One night after Raw takes place at the venue, the O2 Arena in London will host SmackDown on Tuesday, June 23. Broadcast plans for the show were not disclosed. If it airs live on Netflix overseas, there would be a three-day gap between that airing and when the episode debuts in its normal Friday time slot in the United States.

This is SmackDown’s go-home show for WWE’s Night of Champions PLE that’s being held in Saudi Arabia the following weekend.

In addition to the SmackDown date, WWE has added a house show in Sheffield, England to the tour. That show is happening on Wednesday, June 24.

There are now 16 shows in total set for the tour, which has stops in the United Kingdom, Spain, Italy, France, and Portugal. It includes WWE’s Clash in Italy PLE being held in Turin on May 31.

WWE summer 2026 European tour dates —

  • Thursday, May 28: House show at M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England
  • Friday, May 29: SmackDown at Olimpic Arena Badalona in Barcelona, Spain
  • Sunday, May 31: WWE Clash in Italy at Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy
  • Monday, June 1: Raw at Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy
  • Tuesday, June 2: House show at Zenith de Strasbourg in Strasbourg, France
  • Wednesday, June 3: House show at MEO Arena in Lisbon, Portugal
  • Thursday, June 4: House show at Palacio Vistalegre in Madrid, Spain
  • Friday, June 5: SmackDown at Unipol Arena in Bologna, Italy
  • Saturday, June 6: House show at Palazzo dello Sport in Rome, Italy
  • Sunday, June 7: House show at Nelson Mandela Forum in Florence, Italy
  • Monday, June 8: Raw at Accor Arena in Paris, France
  • Saturday, June 20: House show at Utilita Arena in Cardiff, Wales
  • Sunday, June 21: House show at Utilita Arena in Birmingham, England
  • Monday, June 22: Raw at O2 Arena in London, England
  • Tuesday, June 23: SmackDown at O2 Arena in London, England
  • Wednesday, June 24: House show at Utilita Arena in Sheffield, England

Tickets for the two newly announced shows are going on sale to the general public on Thursday, May 14 at 10 a.m. BST. A pre-sale will begin two days prior to that at the same time.

Daily Update: Ted Turner, Will Ospreay, new WWE production hire

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Daily Update

Latest News

Latest Audio

Latest YouTube Video

This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter

Among the topics covered:

  • A look at the WWE releases, reasons, prospects for the future, who should AEW or TNA be interested in
  • Nick Khan speaks to WWE employees about Paul Levesque, WrestleMania, social media, Saudi Arabia and AI
  • WWE Backlash and AEW Double or Nothing updates, including interest levels for both shows
  • Stardom All-Star Grand Queendom show looked at
  • How the latest Nielsen ratings change affects pro wrestling and where it affects it the most
  • Dragon Gate has its annual big Nagoya show this week
  • A look at the career of Gran Markus Jr.
  • The most detailed look at the television ratings for pro wrestling and MMA programming this past week
  • The 70th anniversary of pro wrestling at Arena Mexico
  • Who is coming for Fantastica Mania Mexico
  • Big match planned for AAA television
  • Champion Carnival update
  • NOAH major show update
  • New Japan has Dontaku with Andrade and Will Ospreay this week
  • Wrestling Red Zone coverage
  • A look back at the original Tiger Mask and his influence on pro wrestling and MMA
  • Who are the most famous wrestler in the ten largest cities in the world, and top 50 cities in the world
  • Biggest moments in NCAA wrestling tournament history over the past 60 years
  • Former pro wrestling booker heading up a unique promotion
  • Updates on Real American Freestyle
  • More UFC stars coming to RAF
  • Advance ticket sales for all the major pro wrestling events over the next two months and the story that it tells
  • Two relatives of major pro wrestling stars signing with NFL teams
  • Remembeing David Allan Coe, the country singer of Great American Bash fame
  • Jimmy Valiant retires
  • Former WWE star says she’s making a comeback
  • Carlos Silva on why TNA won’t let its talent work with AEW talent and examining what he said
  • AEW May television schedule changes
  • WWE television schedule changes
  • Ronda Rousey wants to be a promoter
  • Puck breaks a notable story on Ari Emanuel and Vince McMahon
  • More on when the next lawsuit against WWE goes to court
  • More notes on TNA expanding domestic exposure
  • More on new WWE signings
  • NXT house show notes

This Week’s Back Issue

FIRST TIME SUBSCRIBERS GET 50% OFF YOUR FIRST MONTH

Wednesday Update

WWE Logo

WWE

  • Jim Rodriguez announced that he has joined WWE as a Senior Associate Producer. His past work experience includes production roles for DAZN, Univision, and ESPN. He also has on-air hosting experience and speaks both English and Spanish:
    • Bucket list job! I’ve joined the WWE as a Senior Associate Producer. Gonna be involved with RAW, Smackdown, NXT productions and making trips to Mexico for AAA. Beyond excited.
  • WWE uploaded the full Lola Vice & Mr. Iguana vs. Izzi Dame & Niko Vance mixed tag match from NXT last night.
  • On May 5, WWE filed a trademark for “Naraku,” which is EVIL’s new NXT name.
  • John Cena continued to show support for new NXT addition Mason Rook (Will Kroos) by sending out another tweet after Rook laid out Tony D’Angelo last night.
  • To promote Backlash, Paul Heyman appeared on ESPN’s First Take and Get Up today.
  • WWE’s Pete Dunne will face off against Leon Cage for indie promotion Attack! Pro Wrestling in Cardiff, Wales on June 19.
  • Andscape and ESPN put together a video documenting Lash Legend’s WrestleMania debut.
  • WWE has a pre-Backlash vlog focused on Jacob Fatu.

Other Wrestling

  • The NWA posted a tribute to Ted Turner:
    • The National Wrestling Alliance mourns the passing of Ted Turner.
    • His vision helped shape the landscape of professional wrestling and brought the NWA to a national stage, creating moments that will live forever.
    • Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and all who were impacted by his legacy.
  • MLW wrote: “RIP Ted Turner. A true American tycoon and media maven.”
  • Matt Hardy tweeted: “RIP Ted Turner. Thank you for your investment into pro wrestling/sports entertainment and giving it a platform to grow & sprawl into pop culture.”
  • Turner Classic Movies posted a tribute to its founder:
    • We say goodbye to our founder, the visionary Ted Turner. Ted’s love of classic films inspired him to create a channel dedicated to preserving them. He considered TCM one of his greatest accomplishments.
    • His passion continues to inspire us all as we work to fulfill his mission.
  • CNN, Entertainment Tonight, Good Morning America, CBS News, and ABC News did segments covering Turner’s death.
  • Eric Bischoff appeared on both The Ariel Helwani Show and Busted Open Radio to share his memories of Turner.
  • In an interview with Forbes, Will Ospreay said he doesn’t feel comfortable doing the Shooting Star Press anymore following his return from neck surgery:
    • It’s mainly my range of motion right now. There are so many things where I just don’t feel comfortable doing certain tricks anymore, so I’ve kind of knocked them on the head. For example, I won’t do a shooting star press anymore because that required me to really put my head back and get a good arch, and I just can’t do it anymore.
  • Ospreay also told Forbes that he would love to see Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods join AEW:
    • I mean, I would love it. I’ve heard nothing but wonderful things about them. I loved watching Kofi Kingston win the WWE Championship and seeing what that meant to so many people. I think that’s powerful stuff.
    • I’ve only really spoken with Xavier Woods on Twitter, and I think it’s mostly been about costumes more than anything. He’s messaged me quite a lot about how he loves my jackets.
    • Everybody’s said they’re wonderful human beings, so if the avenues are there, of course I’d love to f****** wrestle them.
  • Leilani Kai shared an update on her Glamour Girls tag team partner Judy Martin after announcing that Martin was in the hospital:
    • I had a chance to speak with Judy [last night] on the phone. She wasn’t feeling well and we don’t have the test back yet to know what’s going on. I wrote her on the phone today and hadn’t heard back. I was getting nervous and the phone rang and it was her. I don’t know how she got ahold of it as she’s still in the hospital but she wanted to let me know she was ok. 
    • She bought me this jacket when my bag was lost flying to NJ. She didn’t want me to be cold and she even bought herself one so we could match. I’ve always been lucky to have my Judy in my corner. 
    • We are still waiting on further test and results. I’ll update you guys. Please keep my best friend in your prayers.
  • TNA put together a three-plus hour video with matches from the entire Kurt Angle vs. Samoa Joe series.
  • CMLL sent out a statement acknowledging the passing of Guillermina Zarzosa, a superfan who was known as “La Cavernaria.”
    • CMLL deeply mourns the passing of Ms. Guillermina Zarzosa ‘La Cavernaria,’ recognized as one of the most passionate and loyal fans in the history of our institution.
    • We extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, and loved ones, and wish them strength in coping with this irreparable loss.
    • May she rest in peace.
  • GCW has announced Joey Janela vs. Hook for its Race Against Time event in Cincinnati on June 19.
  • Leah Van Dale (former WWE wrestler Carmella) is launching a new podcast called “Hot Mom Sh!t”:
    • Hot Mom Sh!t is the podcast that lives in the AND — because you can look good and be a good mom. You can love your kids fiercely and still need to be more than just their mom. 
    • Hosted by Leah Van Dale, this is the show for the mom who is done pretending to have it all together, all of the time.
    • Hear the real stories, honest conversations, and the moments Leah probably should have kept to herself but didn’t. This isn’t a show about doing it perfectly.
    • It’s about the raw side of motherhood exactly as it is — hot and messy.

Cody Rhodes thinks he ‘failed’ as AEW EVP, interested in WWE management role

Posted on by Joseph Currier

After “failing” the first time around, Cody Rhodes is once again interested in taking on a management role in professional wrestling.

Rhodes shared on a new episode of his “What Do You Wanna Talk About?” podcast that he visited WWE headquarters and met with different departments to get a feel for what it would be like working there. Though he believes he ultimately failed as an executive vice president in AEW, Rhodes says he learned a lot from that experience and now has the bug to work behind the scenes again.

“I wanted to go to the office to see what life would be like at the office, at WWE HQ. I had a career before as an executive vice president. I failed at it — had some success along the way but failed,” Rhodes said. “Ultimately learned a great deal from said failure, as we do, that’s what we need.

“But I wanted to go. I said, ‘I’m going to treat it like I’m going there for a job.’ I’ll write a sample format. I’m going to write a full tech format, times and everything. And not a dreamer one, I’ll take what we have now and put one together. I’m going to go and share that with Bruce Prichard and the creative team. And I’m going to sit with them. I’m going to meet with Lee Fitting and his team. I’m going to meet these departments. And not the, ‘Hi, I’m such and such.’ Not that. We can do that in three minutes. I’m going to actually, ‘No, what can I really do for you?’ Like, ‘Community, what can I really do for you?’ Do I fit in anywhere? Because I got the bug.”

Rhodes said, to prepare for this experience, he reached out to some people on the roster to see what ideas they had for their own creative. He received a variety of responses, but Kit Wilson — the guest on this podcast episode — went above and beyond by sending nine full PDFs of ideas. Rhodes was stunned by how much thought Wilson has put into his character and is excited to see what’s to come for him.

When he departed AEW in 2022, Rhodes did not think he would want to work a pro wrestling management job ever again. He’s the current Undisputed WWE Champion and has held the belt three times since his WWE return. Rhodes did not state whether he would be interested in holding a WWE management position while still active or if this is something he would want to transition into when he eventually retires from the ring.

Cody Rhodes worried WWE is giving fans ‘an overload of information’

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Cody Rhodes is worried that WWE, and pro wrestling companies in general, are sharing too much insider information with fans.

On his “What Do You Wanna Talk About?” podcast this week, Rhodes said he’s concerned that overloading fans with business metrics could lead to them not caring about the product. He thinks a lot of fans just want to watch the show, cheer the wrestlers they like, and boo the ones they don’t. That’s how Rhodes approaches the things he is a fan of. With a franchise like Star Wars, he is not interested in behind-the-scenes news and does not want to be spoiled.

“Everything is documented. It’s scary,” Rhodes said. “It’s scary, but it also holds you accountable, I guess. I’m in my head on some of the things as of late about every single piece of WWE right now — and every wrestling company — somebody needs to share and put it out there. And I think what’s going to happen is an overload of information to where fans just stop caring. Like, ‘I watch the show. I like the show. I like this guy. I don’t like that guy. I like her. I don’t need to know how many people were in the seats.’ It’s wild. I don’t know who’s keeping all of these records. But I’m getting tired of — what do we need this for? Who’s this for? It seems like it’s doing great, you know? Anyways, that’s my bit.”

Rhodes’ WrestleMania 42 program against Randy Orton included some of these insider references after Pat McAfee was inserted into the build. Though still touted as one of the highest-grossing events in WWE history, McAfee mentioned that attendance was down year-over-year and said he was trying to save the business by helping Orton win.

The Rhodes vs. Orton WrestleMania match saw Rhodes get the victory to remain Undisputed WWE Champion. McAfee opted out of continuing with the angle after WrestleMania, praising Rhodes and saying that the business does not need to be saved after all.

Update on Roman Reigns’ WWE schedule

Posted on by Joseph Currier

World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns is set to work five more WWE dates before the end of the month.

WWE posted a social media graphic today confirming Reigns’ schedule for the remainder of May. Along with this weekend’s Backlash event, he’ll be working Clash in Italy at the end of the month. He’ll also be appearing at all three episodes of Raw between the PLEs.

Here is the full list of dates:

  • Saturday, May 9: Backlash at Benchmark International Arena in Tampa, Florida
  • Monday, May 11: Raw at Food City Center in Knoxville, Tennessee
  • Monday, May 18: Raw at Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina
  • Monday, May 25: Raw at Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio
  • Saturday, may 31: Clash in Italy at Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy

Reigns, who won the World Heavyweight title from CM Punk at WrestleMania 42, will be making his first title defense at Backlash against Jacob Fatu. It shouldn’t take too long for Reigns’ plans for Clash in Italy to be confirmed after that match.

At one point, WWE’s website was advertising Reigns for a slate of Raw episodes in June. He’s since been removed from those listings, with it now expected that Reigns will not be working the June 27 Night of Champions PLE in Saudi Arabia.

Reigns is not advertised for the WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event episode that’s being held in Fort Wayne, Indiana on May 23.

Chelsea Green will be back in WWE ‘very soon’ after heart procedure

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Chelsea Green is planning to be back at work soon despite recently undergoing a heart procedure.

On Monday night, the former WWE Women’s United States Champion revealed that she had undergone a procedure to correct an abnormal heart rhythm (SVT). Green had been dealing with the issue for years, and doctors were finally able to catch it and fix things.

Green sent out a tweet today noting that she had an episode around WrestleMania 42 where her resting heart rate skyrocketed to 228 beats per minute for a nearly 15-minute stretch. That ultimately led to Green undergoing this procedure, which was minimally invasive and should allow her to be back in WWE soon.

“After 10 years of dealing with it, we finally caught my SVT,” Green wrote.

“My latest episode during WrestleMania pushed my resting heart rate to 228 for almost 15 minutes. Yesterday, Dr. Girgis spent 3 hours working on me… and I had to be awake for the last hour of the procedure!! Thankfully it was minimally invasive and I’ll be back to work very soon.”

SVT (supraventricular tachycardia) is described as a “common kind of arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm)” that starts in the upper chambers of the heart and causes it to beat too fast. It can sometimes cause chest pain or dizziness.

Green has not wrestled since February due to an ankle injury. She and her husband Matt Cardona are both members of the WWE SmackDown roster.

Former WWE wrestler Rick Boogs open to wrestling return

Posted on by Joseph Currier

It’s been nearly three years since he last wrestled, but Eric Bugenhagen is open to returning to the ring if the right opportunity comes along.

Bugenhagen (formerly known as Rick Boogs in WWE) is back in the spotlight as a cast member on Amazon Prime’s new “American Gladiators” reboot. Appearing on a new episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Bugenhagen had a change of tune when asked about his wrestling future. He previously did not want to take any indie bookings and even avoided conventions because he had a “sour flavor” in his mouth after being released by WWE in 2023. But he now sees an in-ring return as a real possibility.

“I don’t think so, man,” Bugenhagen responded when asked if his time in wrestling is over.

Van Vliet then questioned why we haven’t seen Bugenhagen in the ring since departing WWE.

“That was very intentional, too. Don’t get it twisted, people. I got many things thrown at me,” Bugenhagen said. “And I was like, no, I don’t want anything. Mainly because I was like, I want to see if I can thrive on my own, which I have. But that’s the thing now. It’s like, okay, maybe that was a bit of pride and ego, but I’ve proved it. And now it’s like, but you know what? Pro wrestling is fun. So if the opportunity is right, absolutely.”

Bugenhagen is best remembered for being Shinsuke Nakamura’s guitar-playing hype man in WWE. He fell out of favor in the company after Paul “Triple H” Levesque took over creative, with Bugenhagen feeling like Levesque wasn’t a fan of his goofy character.

“I think that this was the issue with Hunter with me, is that I was so over the top, goofy,” he said. “But it’s like, ‘You gotta kick his ass. You gotta back it up. You can’t just be goofy.’ You know, it’s like, what did he always say? ‘Pop fly, you can’t miss it.'”

Bugenhagen said he especially enjoyed competing in tag team matches during his WWE tenure. Learning to cut promos at the Performance Center helped him prepare for his new “American Gladiators” role, which is Bugenhagen’s main focus right now. He did not seem to think a potential return to the ring would happen before the end of 2026.

The “American Gladiators” series is hosted by WWE star The Miz and also has AEW wrestlers Wardlow and Kamille on the cast, along with indie names Jessie Godderz and J-Rod (Jessica Roden).

Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods issue first statements since WWE release

Posted on by Joseph Currier

On Monday afternoon, Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods each issued their first statements since being released by WWE.

News broke over the weekend that New Day member Kingston and Woods had parted ways with WWE. The two were reportedly asked to restructure their contracts but did not like the money TKO was offering. With that, Kingston & Woods were granted their releases and are now under 90-day non-compete clauses.

Kingston all but confirmed the contract report in his statement today, urging people to never compromise or accept less than their worth.

“Do your best to live a life without regrets, control what you can control, always give it your all, and fight hard for what you believe in,” he wrote on social media. “Do not ever compromise or accept less than your due when it comes to your worth. Find the courage to believe in yourself and fearlessly pursue your goals and dreams, because anything is possible.

The full post from Kingston can be read below. He expressed gratitude for the outpouring of love he’s received over the past few days.

Woods thanked everyone who was part of his WWE journey, making sure to mention how hard-working the behind-the-scenes crew is. He appreciates the lifetime of moments he got to make in WWE and will carry them with him forever.

“To everyone who has been part of this ride: thank you for believing in me,” Woods wrote at the end of his statement. “Thank you for letting me be Xavier Woods. Thank you for giving me the confidence… to walk away as Austin Creed.”

The comment sections of Kingston and Woods’ posts have already started to fill up with messages from their former WWE colleagues. On Instagram, New Day’s Big E left a message for each of them.

“My brother, my family, to the grave. And beyond. A living legend. In and out of the ring. Love you dearly,” Big E wrote to Kingston.

“You have inspired me for many years and continue to. What a blessing it is to call you family. Love you immensely,” Big E responded to Woods. “Your impact on this business is immeasurable. You turned your dreams into reality. A real life alchemist. You have been a blessing to so many people backstage, to your peers in the ring, and to fans around the world. What a run.”

New Day became one of the most decorated and popular tag teams in WWE history during their time with the company. Kingston & Woods most recently held tag team gold from April-June 2025 during their heel run on Raw. In addition to their tag team success, Kingston had one WWE Championship reign, with WWE recently ranking his title win from WrestleMania 35 as the 13th greatest moment in WrestleMania history.

What’s next for Kingston & Woods is unconfirmed, but some of the top names in AEW immediately responded to their WWE departures by indicating that they would like the two New Day members to join the AEW roster.

Update on Kairi Sane ahead of WWE Backlash | Exclusive  

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Though she was released by WWE, Kairi Sane might not be totally done with the company.

Our Bryan Alvarez reports that, within WWE, there’s a belief that Sane could show up at Backlash this Saturday to finish out her storyline with IYO SKY and Asuka. It’s not clear if this would be a one-off appearance or not.

“Within WWE, it’s felt there is a better than 50% chance that Kairi shows up at Backlash to at least finish off that storyline,” Alvarez wrote to his subscribers on X.

A singles match between SKY and Asuka is set for this Saturday’s Backlash PLE in Tampa, Florida. Before her release, Sane was involved in a long-running storyline where she was stuck between those two. Asuka was bullying Sane and forcing her to prove that she was truly loyal to her over SKY.

Sane was among those released by WWE in the company’s post-WrestleMania 42 roster cuts. Of those let go, Sane was especially surprising given her talent level and how important she was to the resolution of the SKY vs. Asuka program. Fans have shown their support for Sane through #WeWantKairi hashtags on social media, and AJ Styles said he was especially caught off guard by Sane’s release.

This was Sane’s second stint with WWE. After her 2021 departure, she spent time in her home country of Japan mostly working for Stardom/NJPW. Sane then returned to WWE in 2023.

Seemingly denying rumors that she was released because she wants to return to Japan again, Sane sent out a tweet on April 28 saying that she’s never walked away and has always given it her all.

“What I can say is I know there’s been a lot of speculation, but I truly love this work, my teammates, and my fans. I’ve never walked away, and I’ve given my all in everything I do,” she wrote. “I hope you’re all doing well.”

WWE celebrates 45th anniversary of Slaughter vs. Patterson Alley Fight

Posted on by Joseph Currier

On its 45th anniversary, WWE took some time to remember Sgt. Slaughter and Pat Patterson’s legendary Alley Fight from 1981.

The WWE Vault YouTube channel made a new upload today with complete video of the Slaughter vs. Patterson match. Along with the footage, there is an introduction with Slaughter speaking about the matchup. It took place at Madison Square Garden on May 4, 1981 and is one of WWE’s best-remembered and most influential matches of the pre-Hulkamania era, holding significance for being an early example of WWE presenting hardcore wrestling.

Slaughter details the set-up in his introduction, explaining the story of how his rivalry with Patterson began while Patterson was working as an announcer and wrestler. Slaughter and The Grand Wizard bullied Patterson into the feud by getting him to accept a $10,000 Cobra Clutch challenge. When Patterson was about to break the hold, Slaughter gave him a knee strike and bloodied him during a beatdown.

Their issues ultimately culminated in the Alley Fight, where the heel Slaughter lost when Grand Wizard threw in the towel. Slaughter credits the match for establishing his toughness with the audience. Though Grand Wizard threw the towel in, it was clear that Slaughter wanted to continue.

The Alley Fight was recognized as the 1981 Match of the Year by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Slaughter said the bout helped inspire Mick Foley to get into pro wrestling, and WWE has held it up as an example of how to tell a good story through in-ring work. The match was contested without a referee and had no rules.

“I always wondered why they never had another one, but I guess out of respect for Pat and I, that they never had another Alley Fight,” Slaughter said. “I keep waiting for two guys that can’t get the job done and they’re going to announce an Alley Fight, but they never do

“But I always remember Mick Foley coming to me and going, ‘Sarge, I was in the third row during that match.’ And he said, ‘That excited me so much that I wanted to be a professional wrestler.’ They would always make the boys watch that match and say, ‘This is a professional wrestling match. This is what we want you to learn how to tell a story.’ Because without a referee, pretty tough to have a match without a referee. But we did it. It’s a classic, definitely a classic.”