Tag: WWE news

Trish Stratus ‘blown away’ by WWE NXT star Sol Ruca

Posted on by Joseph Currier

WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus is impressed by what she’s seen from NXT’s Sol Ruca.

During WrestleMania weekend, SiriusXM spoke with Stratus and asked which current star makes her want to return for one more match. Stratus named Ruca as an opponent she’d be interested in facing, though any return for Stratus would be storyline-dependent.

“When I went to John Cena’s final match, I got to see Sol Ruca up close and personal — and I was blown away,” Stratus said. “A lot of great talent. It’s not just the talent, it’s the storyline, it’s the characters, so I need to think on that one a little bit.”

Ruca, Oba Femi, and Je’Von Evans were the NXT talent that WWE chose to spotlight on the undercard of Cena’s final match last December. At the show, Ruca picked up a win against Bayley.

On the post-WrestleMania 42 edition of Raw this Monday, Ruca was in action ahead of a potential full-fledged call-up to the main roster. Ruca then faced Zaria in a Last Woman Standing match on NXT, which ended with Ruca taking a scary looking fall as her head smashed off a table that did not break.

Stratus competed for WWE three times in 2025 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her debut. She remains open to a return if WWE has the right idea that would be interesting to the fans and help elevate her opponent.

SiriusXM also asked Lita and Kaitlyn who they’d want to face if they returned for one more match, with Lita naming IYO SKY and Kaitlyn naming AJ Lee.

X-Pac says he was assaulted, stalked by fans during WWE WrestleMania weekend

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Sean “X-Pac” Waltman also experienced some issues with fans at WWE WrestleMania 42 weekend.

In the aftermath of WrestleMania, one of the biggest stories has been the lack of effective security at the MGM Grand hotel, where WWE talent were staying in Las Vegas. CM Punk got into an altercation with a fan who followed AJ Lee & Bayley and was trying to film them. Booker T said the fan situation was the worst he’s ever seen, with one person even filming him in the bathroom.

Waltman posted a tweet today saying a fan stalked him in the bathroom as well, and Waltman also got “physically assaulted” and had a camera shoved in his face during the weekend.

“That guy & all the rest like him can get f***ed,” Waltman tweeted about the fan from the Punk incident. “It was insane how these people were. I got physically assaulted & camera shoved in my face, stalked in the bathroom, & more.”

In a follow-up tweet, Waltman added that he doesn’t have a problem with fans recording or taking pictures in public but takes issue when they invade wrestlers’ personal space. He added that the situation at the Horseshoe, a different hotel in Vegas where WrestleCon was held, was much better with fans being “totally respectful.”

The biggest security issue seems to be that not enough was done at the MGM Grand to protect wrestlers while they were in spaces where fans would be present like the hotel lobby.

Waltman, a Hall of Famer himself as a member of D-X and the nWo, helped induct NBA legend Dennis Rodman into the WWE Hall of Fame last weekend. Waltman also helps out behind the scenes in WWE by coaching indie talent in the ID program.

Nikki Bella: It was ‘extremely hard’ to miss out on potentially last WWE WrestleMania moment

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Missing out on WrestleMania 42 was “extremely hard” for Nikki Bella, especially given that it might have been her last chance to have a real WrestleMania moment.

Nikki and her twin sister Brie were supposed to challenge for the Women’s Tag Team titles this past Saturday. But Nikki suffered an ankle injury prior to WrestleMania that prevented her from wrestling at the show. The event instead saw Brie team with the returning Paige to become the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions. Nikki did end up factoring into the match, interfering and using a crutch to help Brie & Paige get the win.

On a new episode of The Nikki & Brie Show, Nikki reflected on not being able to compete at Mania. She and Brie are expecting to retire when their WWE contracts come up in early 2028. With next year’s event being held in Saudi Arabia, that means Nikki probably won’t get to compete on another WrestleMania in the United States.

“I don’t think a WrestleMania moment for me is going to come around. I get that I’ll probably have my last WrestleMania next year in Saudi maybe, but other than that, that will be it for me,” Nikki said. “So this would have been my last WrestleMania moment to share with family members and share with people here and, you know, really feel something.

“And I’ve worked really hard the past year and a half and I haven’t complained. I’ve done what I’ve been told. You know, I’ve helped put people over — even though I don’t care about that. But I’ve really, as far as my character and the impact that I can have, I’ve been very okay taking a step back and helping out and not bitching about it.

“So this was my moment that I worked really hard for this past year and a half. And for that to all go away is extremely hard.”

Nikki is currently expecting to miss 6-8 weeks after tearing, spraining, and fracturing her ankle. But if it takes longer than that, she’s okay with it. Her primary focus right now is on longevity and making sure she doesn’t negatively impact her quality of life going forward.

Pulling out of WrestleMania 42 is something Brie Bella considered after Nikki’s injury. But opportunities like this are rare, and teaming with Paige in her return was especially appealing because the Bellas consider Paige to be family.

Booker T: We ‘needed some better security’ at WWE WrestleMania hotel

Posted on by Joseph Currier

More reports continue to emerge detailing how bad the security situation was in Las Vegas during WWE WrestleMania 42 weekend.

On his Hall of Fame podcast, Booker T said Mania weekend this year was the toughest situation he’s ever had to deal with in terms of fan behavior. People were being disrespectful and mobbing WWE wrestlers and legends at the MGM Grand hotel. He urged fans to give the wrestlers more privacy and space in the future. And Booker T said there needed to be better security at the hotel.

“Walking through MGM Grand, we needed some better security at MGM Grand this year,” Booker T said. “Just because, it was really, really hard — I can only imagine what the superstars, the guys that’s actually going out there and doing it in the ring, how it felt for them. Because I got mobbed, and I’m not even doing this anymore. So hopefully we can get that fixed.”

There was an incident after night two of Mania where a fan had their phone knocked away by CM Punk as the fan was trying to film an interaction between AJ Lee and Bayley. Security was said to have been an issue all weekend with not enough being done to give talent privacy when they had to go through common areas where fans would be.

Booker T said fans were following wrestlers everywhere — and one even filmed Booker T while he was in the bathroom.

“They were camped out — everywhere — they were camped out. You couldn’t walk anywhere,” Booker T said. “And they were following you. In the bathroom, I remember the guy literally was filming me in the bathroom. And when I walked out he goes, ‘Hey, Booker.’ And I just kept walking because I was so mad because he was filming me in the bathroom.”

A two-time WWE Hall of Famer, Booker T is now part of the commentary team for NXT. He emphasized that he loves his fans but said people really need to understand what wrestlers are going through during such a hectic weekend, especially when they have their families with them.

Fan wants ‘an apology’ after CM Punk post-WWE WrestleMania incident

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The fan who had his phone smacked away by CM Punk after WWE WrestleMania 42 is asking for an apology.

On Monday, TMZ Sports published video of an incident that took place in a Las Vegas hotel lobby after Mania. A fan was filming Punk’s wife AJ Lee and Bayley as they hugged and said goodbye to each other. In response, Punk knocked the man’s phone to the ground. Punk was visibly angry, but the incident did not escalate any further. Security and Punk’s mentor Ace Steel stepped in to help diffuse the situation.

The fan, asking to remain anonymous, has now spoken to TMZ and said he is not planning to sue Punk, instead asking for an apology and a handshake.

“I want an apology — shake my hand — I’m not gonna sue him or put him in jail,” the fan said. “I just want an apology.”

Punk has frequently spoken out against fans who show up at hotels and airports looking for wrestlers, and security was said to have been an issue all of WrestleMania weekend with not enough being done to give wrestlers privacy while they had to go through common areas where fans were going to be.

TMZ has also shared some more video of the incident between Punk and the fan. It shows that, before Punk slapped his phone away, Bayley and Lee had multiple fans filming them. The two then went into an elevator bank looking for privacy, but this man followed them.

“We love you, Bayley,” the fan said before Bayley responded by putting her hand up to block the man’s phone and telling him to get out of there. Punk then smacked the phone away.

The incident happened shortly after Punk main evented night two of WrestleMania 42 in a loss to Roman Reigns. Punk appeared on Raw last night and teased an upcoming match against Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes.

Giovanni Vinci reacts to WWE release, gives update on wrestling future

Posted on by Joseph Currier

He’s been away from the industry for more than a year, but Giovanni Vinci is looking forward to getting back into the ring.

Vinci (real name Fabian Aichner) was released from his WWE contract in February 2025 and hasn’t wrestled since December 2024. He took a step back after his release but reemerged last month with his first social media post since being let go by WWE.

Now appearing on a new episode of Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Vinci opened up about his departure from WWE and his wrestling future. He took some time to recharge his batteries but is excited to start wrestling again.

“I just knew that after the call — because it was such a surreal feeling, man,” Vinci said about his release. “It was like, on the one hand, it sucked that that chapter was over because that’s what I wanted to do since I was 13 years old. But on the other hand, because it was such a roller coaster leading up to that, it felt freeing in a way.

“Like, I told a friend of mine, he asked me if I was okay. I said, ‘Yeah, man, I’m good.’ It’s almost like when you’re in school and school ends and you go on summer vacation. Just all the weight was off because at least I knew. At least I knew. There was no more thinking about it. And really, after that, all I did was, I just knew I was taking some time. Didn’t know how much it was. And, yeah, I didn’t think about how long exactly I was going to be out for. Just like, okay, I’m going to need some space, take some time for myself, figure myself out, and, yeah, enjoy life a little bit.”

Vinci said he was both surprised and not surprised by his release. When SmackDown went to three hours, he hoped there would be more time on the show for him, but WWE didn’t end up doing much with his repackaged singles character after splitting from Imperium.

There is no definitive timeline for when he’ll return to wrestling, but Vinci said he’s had some “really good talks” about it. He is staying ready and believes he has not reached his full potential as a wrestler yet.

“I feel like there’s way more things to do for me,” he said. “I feel like I haven’t reached my full potential yet. I feel like some people know what I can do, but I know I can do a lot more. And I just really, like, yeah, I wanted to take enough time to not come back and go in halfway. So I definitely work out, like I want to wrestle again. I feel like there’s many things still to do. Nothing set in stone yet, but when that opportunity comes, I know I’ll be ready for it.”

When he does return, the 35-year-old Vinci wants to focus on having fun and being authentic. He used to put too much pressure on himself and second guessed himself too often because he was so focused on accomplishing his dream of getting to WWE and succeeding there.

“Whereas nowadays, I just want to have fun, man,” Vinci said. “I want to go out there — because that’s what it’s supposed to be. It’s just fun.

“I want to have great matches. I want to be authentic. I want to tear it up with whoever I’m in the ring with. Just have a good time and enjoy the process. Live in the moment. And I know that’s when great things are going to happen.”

Bianca Belair reflects on WWE WrestleMania pregnancy announcement

Posted on by Joseph Currier

After a tough year, Bianca Belair is excited about what’s to come.

Belair made a surprise appearance at WWE WrestleMania 42 night one and revealed that she and husband Montez Ford are expecting their first child together. In an Instagram post today, Belair reflected on making the announcement in the same venue where she injured her hand at WrestleMania 41 last year. She’ll be back in WWE eventually but is looking forward to the road ahead as she embarks on this new journey.

“Same venue. Different result. This year. I win. @montezfordwwe,” Belair wrote.

“I was so nervous to pop my little private bubble and share this moment but I’m so overwhelmed and truly overjoyed with the outpouring love and support. I was literally shaking and crying backstage before I came out. This year has been so hard in ways you guys just REALLY don’t even know but everything TRULY happens for a reason. There has been so many twists and turns but ending here has made it all worth it. I’ll be back! But until then enjoy this ride with me!”

Belair has not wrestled since she helped steal the show with IYO SKY and Rhea Ripley in a triple threat match at WrestleMania 41. The injury she suffered proved to be significantly more complicated than originally expected, with Belair undergoing surgery this February in hopes of finally fixing the issue.

A multi-time Women’s Champion, Belair is a stepmother to Ford’s two children from a previous relationship. The WWE couple has been married since 2018.

Pat McAfee: WWE ‘doesn’t need to be saved after all’

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Pat McAfee is claiming to be done with pro wrestling after WWE WrestleMania 42.

Going into Mania, McAfee said he would leave the wrestling business forever if Randy Orton did not win the Undisputed WWE Championship. With Cody Rhodes retaining, McAfee claimed on his ESPN show today that he is sticking to that stipulation. McAfee gave Rhodes his props and said Rhodes proved that WWE does not need to be saved after all.

“The good news is, the business doesn’t need to be saved after all. And good for them. And for me, I finished my story,” McAfee said. “I came up in the indies, IWA East Coast. I went through development, NXT. I was a wrestler, trained by Rip Rogers, the same guy that trained everybody that’s retiring kind of currently, out of OVW…

“Get to WWE, commentated, lucky to do that. Did pre-shows, lucky to do that. Wrestled, lucky to do that. Reffed, lucky to do that. Managed, lucky to do that. It’s been a hell of a run. Thank you, wrestling. It was an honor to be over there.”

McAfee has kept kayfabe by wearing a neck brace since being put through a table by Jelly Roll during the Rhodes vs. Orton WrestleMania match. There was also a spot where Orton turned against McAfee and gave him an RKO.

“Maybe he didn’t know it was me,” McAfee said about the RKO. “[But] it felt like he knew.”

Whether McAfee is actually done with WWE for any considerable amount of time remains to be seen. The Rhodes vs. Orton feud was kept alive coming out of WrestleMania (once Rhodes is over his eye injury), but McAfee’s involvement in the angle looks to have ended.

“The wrestling business just kind of — rearview mirror,” McAfee said. “And to the wrestling business, I’d like to say: thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you.”

AJ Styles ‘wearing a couple of different hats’ in post-retirement WWE role

Posted on by Joseph Currier

AJ Styles’ post-retirement WWE position is still fluid as he looks to settle into the right role for him.

Speaking with WWE Now during WrestleMania weekend, Styles said he’s “wearing a couple of different hats” as he settles into his new behind-the-scenes career after retirement. Styles is working on the recruiting end of things and helping out with WWE’s ID program for independent wrestlers. If he gets too busy with all that he’s doing, he’ll adjust and only focus on one thing.

“I’m wearing a couple of different hats right now and we’ll see which one sticks,” he said. “And things change quite often. So when I get too busy to do all these different hats that I’m trying to wear and I have to focus on one, I’ll let you know which one that is. But it is recruiting, it is working with WWE ID.

“That’s a big part of the things that I know a lot about, the independents. And I know there’s a lot of talent like me who didn’t have a lot of money. So if we can get them a little bit more experience, a little bit more cash in the pockets, they’re able to get that, it’ll be a big thing for them.”

Styles, who retired from the ring at Royal Rumble 2026, was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame last Friday. As much as he enjoyed wrestling, Styles told WWE Now that it’s nice to know that he doesn’t have to hurt himself for a living anymore. As he got older, wrestling started to hurt more and more. He does not miss competing in the ring and is happy to help shape the future of the industry in his new role.

This job on the recruitment side of things is a position that Styles landed on after sitting in on creative and production meetings, which did not end up being the correct fit.

TMZ publishes video of CM Punk fan incident after WWE WrestleMania 42

Posted on by Joseph Currier

An altercation between CM Punk and a fan took place in Las Vegas overnight after WWE WrestleMania 42.

TMZ Sports has published video of Punk smacking a fan’s phone away in an incident that took place in a hotel lobby in Vegas. It appears that Punk got upset over the fan filming his wife AJ Lee and fellow WWE star Bayley as they were hugging and saying goodbye to each other after Mania. In the video, security can be seen stepping in to stop the altercation from escalating any further. Punk’s mentor Ace Steel is also there and helps to diffuse the situation.

The fan can be heard apologizing to Punk, who is still visibly angry and replies, “No, you’re not.” The video then ends with Punk and Lee leaving together.

“Punk was captured on video just after midnight Monday, getting into it with the fan, who was filming Punk’s WWE friend, Bayley, as she was hugging someone in the lobby of the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino on the Vegas Strip,” TMZ wrote.

“Punk steps right up into the face of the fan before slapping down his phone. Security promptly jumps in between Punk and the other dude to prevent things from really going awry. Punk then coldly stares at the man, who is so terrified that he runs off while apologizing profusely.”

Speaking out against fans who show up at airports and hotels is something that Punk has done repeatedly. As recently as October 2025, he posted a message telling fans to respect wrestlers’ boundaries.

The main event of WrestleMania 42 night two on Sunday saw Punk drop the World Heavyweight Championship to Roman Reigns. Appearing on ESPN SportsCenter after the event, Paul “Triple H” Levesque praised both Punk and Reigns and called it one of the greatest matches he’s ever seen.

Triple H comments on Brock Lesnar WWE retirement tease

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Paul “Triple H” Levesque didn’t offer much clarity while addressing Brock Lesnar’s apparent retirement at WWE WrestleMania 42.

After losing to Oba Femi on Sunday night, Lesnar left his boots and gloves in the ring before becoming visibly emotional as he seemed to bid farewell to the crowd. There has been no official confirmation of a retirement yet — and Levesque claimed during an appearance on ESPN’s SportsCenter that he did not have a conversation with Lesnar backstage after the match.

“Well, it certainly seemed that way,” Levesque responded when asked if this was the end for Lesnar. “Brock is not a walk back through the curtain and have a long conversation guy. Brock is a walk back through the curtain very angry and go to his bus and that is the end of it. So there was not a discussion had after. I will say this — [Lesnar is] probably the most famous combat sport athlete of our generation. One of a kind, nobody like Brock Lesnar.”

It was expected that Lesnar would be retiring soon, with him admitting recently that he was only back in WWE for a short time. Most rumors suggested that Lesnar would retire at SummerSlam this August given that the PLE is being held in his former home state of Minnesota.

Levesque, keeping kayfabe, suggested to SportsCenter that the retirement decision was one Lesnar made in the moment after losing to Femi. Praising Femi, Levesque called this result a changing of the guard.

“The one thing that nobody gives him credit for is the intelligence of a fighter. They see Brock as this hulking brute. ‘The Beast,’ right? They see him as all that,” Levesque said. “There comes a point in time when somebody comes along that’s bigger and badder and just pushes you to a place that you can’t come back from. The smart ones know when that happens, and they call it a day.

“I don’t think that was a planned thing. I think Brock went to the ring, he walked into a wall called Oba Femi. Brock walked up to the next big thing and ran into a brick wall. And the intelligence in him said, ‘Maybe I should call it a day.’ And he took his boots off and he put his gloves down and he walked away. That is not a statement of Brock being afraid of it. That is an intelligent man meeting something that cannot be stopped. It is as much of a statement of Oba Femi as it is Brock Lesnar. You witnessed a changing of the guard at the apex of our business.”

Femi vs. Lesnar aired on the ESPN TV simulcast portion of the WrestleMania night two broadcast, with WWE clearly pushing Femi as one of the company’s biggest stars for both the present and future. It was Femi’s first-ever WrestleMania match after being called up from NXT at the start of 2026.

Trick Williams addresses whether he’ll continue WWE US title open challenges

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Weekly open challenges have been a staple of the United States Championship, but it doesn’t sound like Trick Williams plans on continuing the tradition.

The United States title changed hands at WrestleMania 42 with Williams defeating Sami Zayn. Appearing on SportsCenter after his victory, Williams said he doesn’t know about defending the belt every single week. He wants it to be a big deal whenever he puts the championship up for grabs.

“That’s why Trick Williams, you know, I’m a superstar and I wear that very seriously,” he said. “So I don’t know about these free matches every single Friday night. When the people see Trick Williams, he’s going to be in the main event. It’s going to be a show when I defend this title.”

Zayn instituted weekly open challenges after winning the United States Championship in August 2025. Ilja Dragunov and Carmelo Hayes then picked up the mantle during their reigns before Zayn dethroned Hayes leading into WrestleMania.

In the SportsCenter interview, Williams said he’s on cloud nine after his first main roster title win. He’s grateful for how the fans have responded to him and thanks God every day for the position he’s in.

Williams, when asked about a potential title match against Hayes, did tell SportsCenter that he’s open to defending against all comers.

“Man, whoever wants some of Trick Williams, you better strap your boots on tight because you’re going to get the best version of Trick Williams,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who signs up.”

Triple H praises WWE WrestleMania 42 main event: ‘One of the greatest matches I’ve ever seen’

Posted on by Joseph Currier

Appearing on ESPN after the conclusion of WrestleMania 42, Paul “Triple H” Levesque had very high praise for the show’s main event.

Night two of Mania concluded with Roman Reigns defeating CM Punk to become the new World Heavyweight Champion. Levesque told SportsCenter that it was among the greatest wrestling matches he’s ever seen.

“Just epic,” WWE’s Chief Content Officer said. “You can see the passion and the pride of two guys that absolutely to the very core of their soul believe that they are the best in the world. And they’re out there to prove it to each other, they’re out there to prove it to the 55,000+ fans that were here tonight. Everything about them screamed, ‘I have to show I am the best.’

“And you see it all the way down to the end. Knock-down, drag-out fight that just someone won’t give. And you finally get to the end of it, no one really loses. But Roman Reigns comes out the winner. Roman Reigns is the new World Heavyweight Champion. To me, one of the greatest matches I’ve ever seen, doesn’t get bigger.”

The match went nearly 34 minutes before Reigns got the win, beginning his first title reign since dropping the WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40. Reigns said after the show that he will not be a part-time champion and plans to be around all summer.

Rhea Ripley wins WWE Women’s title at WrestleMania 42

Posted on by Joseph Currier

With IYO SKY helping to even the odds, Rhea Ripley ascended back to the top of the women’s division at WWE WrestleMania 42.

Night two of the event saw Ripley defeat Jade Cargill to become the new WWE Women’s Champion. The match contained interference with Michin and B-Fab — who formed a new faction with Cargill on the road to WrestleMania — trying to help Cargill retain. But Ripley got help from her tag team partner SKY, who took out Michin and B-Fab with a moonsault leading into the finish.

Ripley hit a headbutt and went for Riptide after SKY neutralized the heel interference. Cargill was able to slip out, hit a kick, and go for Jaded — but Ripley escaped and then delivered Riptide for the win. After the match, Ripley and SKY celebrated together with Ripley thanking SKY for having her back.

The result means Ripley, who had been on Raw, is now officially moving over to SmackDown as she becomes the brand’s champion.

At 29 years old, Ripley has now already competed at seven WrestleManias, owning victories over the likes of Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Asuka, and Cargill. WWE President Nick Khan had high praise for Ripley ahead of WrestleMania, saying she’ll be one of the faces of the company for years to come.

Oba Femi defeats Brock Lesnar in WWE WrestleMania debut

Posted on by Joseph Currier

The opening match of WWE WrestleMania 42 night two was a showcase for Oba Femi.

Further establishing him as one of WWE’s top stars for both the present and future, Femi made his WrestleMania debut on Sunday night by defeating Brock Lesnar. It was a passing-of-the-torch moment with Lesnar leaving his gloves and boots in the ring after the match, all but announcing his retirement.

The commentary teamed hyped up Femi vs. Lesnar as being one of the most anticipated matches in WrestleMania history. When he took Lesnar off his feet near the start, Femi received a big pop from the crowd. Lesnar then mostly had the advantage until Femi was able to pop up after an F5. Femi followed with a chokeslam and Fall From Grace on Lesnar for the win.

Femi vs. Lesnar aired during the ESPN TV simulcast portion of tonight’s broadcast, with WWE positioning this as a star-making night for Femi. He’s built significant momentum with the audience since being called up from NXT at the start of 2026 and received praise from the likes of Roman Reigns and Paul “Triple H” Levesque during WrestleMania week.

After joining WWE as part of the company’s NIL program for college athletes, Femi was a two-time NXT Champion. He made his official main roster debut in the Royal Rumble this year, where he and Lesnar had their first confrontation.

It was expected that Lesnar would be retiring from WWE soon, though most rumors had him continuing until SummerSlam 2026. He left his gear in the ring after losing to Femi, embraced Paul Heyman, and was visibly emotional as he took in cheers from the fans after what looks to have been his final match.