While there are a lot of fun facts we know about Bianca Belair, many have wondered: Is what she’s doing with her long braid real or faked? Now the Unreal docuseries has hit Netflix's schedule, we have an answer.

Does WWE Actually Use Sound Effects When Bianca Whips Her Braid?

Even Bianca knows her braid is a major topic of discussion on the Internet. For one, it's her signature, but she also admitted in the docuseries that she knows there have been fans who have hedged that the WWE has used sound effects to amplify her braid hitting her opponents. Regardless, she admitted in Netflix’s Unreal that she braids and oils up her hairdo herself for maximum impact, and nothing about what happens when she uses her hair as a weapon is faked for TV.

Later, in Episode 5 of the Netflix series, the WWE star was prepping for her big Wrestlemania 2025 match with Rhea Ripley And Iyo Sky, and she opened up about how she actually styles her braid. Turns out, there's actual strategy to getting it to make as much of a smacking noise as possible.

I was also surprised to learn that her biggest concern when heading into a ring for a match has to do with her braid. She often worries she’ll get out there and slap someone around and the braid won’t make the famous noise she needs it to make. Ahead of Wrestlemania, she confirmed in the docuseries that this is the thing that “stresses” her out, noting the braid's gotta be "thick" for it to work best.

Prior to watching, I honestly was on team sound effect, because I didn’t realize hair could make that much of a cracking sound in real life. So, yeah, this tidbit was a bit surprising for me. After she braids the hair while getting ready, she gets it to a point where it basically acts like a whip or a rope. It can also hurt. There have been several memorable times women have been on the receiving end of Bianca’s braid and ended up with major marks on their bodies, and that will likely remain true in upcoming WWE matches.

Previously, there was video of Bianca whipping her hair at Becky Lynch that made such a huge sound it went viral. This season, a tussle with Liv Morgan left a giant burn-looking mark on her stomach. After the match with Rhea and Iyo, Rhea had a nasty welt from the braid on her bicep. She and Bianca had joked before the match that if it left a welt, she’d mark it with a tattoo. Not sure if that came about, but both women seemingly knew the score going into the match.

Which leads me to the question: How did Bianca come up with the braid? Thanks to Unreal, we have an answer for that, too.

Bianca Belair Wears Her Hair In A Braid Thanks To Her Husband Montez Ford

Another cool story that came out of Netflix’s Unreal Documentary has to do with the origins of Bianca’s braid. It was a look that Bianca tried out earlier in her career. It was probably going to be a one-off, but then her husband, Montez Ford, gave her a piece of advice:

The reason? It’s notable. He was right in saying no one else was doing it at the time. While Lyra Valkyria and some of the other women do have memorable hair, nothing is as consistent and memorable as Bianca’s braid. To my knowledge, she’s also the only person who uses her hairdo as a weapon, and this was all because of the one piece of advice Ford gave her early on:

It was sound advice, and probably a good thing she latched onto it. Girls now love to emulate the look. Belair even said at Wrestlemania that she met a gaggle of six young fans who’d all worn their hair in a braid like hers.

So, there you have it. The braid does legitimately hurt and its slapping sound is also authentic. None of that is faked in the ring. This is only one of many stories that came out behind-the-scenes in Unreal, including whether WWE wrestlers pee and poo themselves, so if you haven't given it a watch, I do recommend it.

Now, I just need to know if Rhea followed through and got a tattoo to commemorate the Wrestlemania match, which was my favorite match At Wrestlemania 40 (and maybe this year).

At present, #WeWantKross continues to trend on social media, and wrestling fans are wondering if the aforementioned duo will be on WWE programming anytime soon. Meanwhile, members of the media are trying to figure out what the real story behind all of this. As it stands right now, the following details represent the latest information we've learned about where things currently stand.

Karrion Kross And Scarlett's Contract Expiration Was Allegedly Legitimate

Something to get out of the way -- and a question we may not be asking had it not been for WWE: Unreal (which is available with a Netflix subscription) -- is that Karrion Kross and Scarlett's contract did expire without a renewal. That means they are indeed no longer with the company. Fightful confirmed as much but added that the situation is confusing enough that rival wrestling companies are unsure whether they should reach out, because the situation gives the feeling that we're all being "worked" and that the duo will return.

Amidst the contract expiration, Karrion Kross also released a documentary telling his side of the situation. He said that he and Scarlett, via their X accounts, both welcomed booking appearances on other wrestling shows. One would think he wouldn't be able to speak so candidly about his contract in the doc if he were still in negotiations, but maybe that's what we're being led to believe?

There's A Alleged Belief Within The WWE That Kross And Scarlett Will Return

Kross didn't know at the time that he'd need this footage, and he claimed that was an off-the-cuff, unscripted promo, right? Cody Rhodes recently shared a theory on The Bill Simmons Podcast. From Rhodes' perspective, the Montreal Screwjob was a worked angle, and he noted the presence of backstage cameras at a time that method was not common in the WWE.

I have a similar thought about this situation, because why did Karrion Kross have a documentary crew filming his promo on the post-WrestleMania 41 show, which allegedly led to this drama between him and WWE higher-ups?

On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer also reported on the overall skepticism of those within the WWE that this is a legitimate release. While no one was said anything for certain, the general belief, according to Meltzer, is that Karrion Kross and Scarlett will receive a new contract and return to the WWE. The contract expiration might've been legitimate on paper, but who knows what conversations are happening behind closed doors and out of the reach of insiders?

While I don't have any insider knowledge, I can't help but once again point to the WWE's insistence on exposing the inside of wrestling like they have with WWE: Unreal. Viewers saw the series receive heavy promotion, even in the midst of matches at SummerSlam. Also, this whole situation with Karrion Kross feels like a scripted look at the unscripted events that happen after a wrestler parts ways with the company.

I find it hard to believe that the WWE, so soon after the R-Truth situation, would fumble negotiations with another talent so quickly. This isn't like the Braun Strowman release or situations involving other wrestlers who have come and gone over the past few months. Fans have seen what happens when the WWE legitimately messes up and releases a well-liked superstar like R-Truth, and this situation feels quite different from the one involving Karrion Kross.

What this does feel like is the classic WWE storyline of the fan-favorite wrestler sticking it to the boss and ultimately, coming out on top. The corporation has played this narrative out over the years with Stone Cold Steve Austin, Daniel Bryan, Kofi Kingston and more. Everyone, except maybe the WWE writing staff that works months on storylines, loves when the fans crown a new future star. I'm leaning on the side of thinking the WWE is trying to make this happen in a bit of a manufactured way, but I guess we'll see in time.

Monday Night Raw is live on Netflix beginning at 8:00 p.m. ET, and I would be shocked if we don't at least hear one "We want Kross" chant before the show is over. Until we know whether he's staying or going elsewhere, check out the 2025 TV schedule for all the great stuff popping up in the coming weeks.

Within hours of the initial announcement and fan pushback, WWE executives clarified to journalists that ESPN’s streaming service will be free for anyone who currently gets ESPN through a traditional cable package. That clarification did a lot to calm fans, who didn’t like the idea of shelling out almost $20 more per month, but days later, there are still some fundamental questions about the deal that haven’t been answered. Let’s talk out the three biggest ones.

What Counts As Getting ESPN Through A Traditional Cable Package?

When journalists first started publishing clarifications about how the ESPN streaming service will work, most said if you currently get ESPN the channel, you will have access to the streaming service and the premium live events. Many pointed to this article that ESPN put out back in May that clarifies the specifics. In it, the network says YouTube TV counts as a traditional cable provider. Awful Announcing, however, later published a story saying sources are telling them subscribers to both XFinity and YouTube TV are not currently going to get access.

Now, the ESPN streaming service and its relationship with cable providers is a lot bigger than WWE. The NFL season is about to start, and ESPN just acquired access to Red Zone, among other offerings. I’m sure there is a lot of behind the scenes negotiating between ESPN and companies like Comcast and YouTube TV over who is going to have access to what and how many dollars per subscriber the companies are going to need to pay.

So, at this point, I don’t think it’s worth it for wrestling fans to make decisions based on whether their cable provider is currently included. Let’s give this a few months to shake out and then we can all decide what the best way to get access is. I’m sure there are going to be a ton of bundle offerings and potentially special discounts, as well, which could make the service cheaper than it appears.

Where Are The Old PLEs Going To Live?

This new ESPN deal is reportedly going to include ten new PLEs each year for a total of five years. It reportedly does not include WWE’s extensive back catalog of old PLEs, which are currently available to stream on Peacock. Where those are going to live is an open question. I’ve seen some journalists speculate that they’ll likely end up on Netflix, which currently houses them for all international customers outside The United States. Fightful speculated that they could go to the YouTube vault, since WWE is pouring more time and money into that relationship.

This is particularly important to me, as someone who just throws on old premium live events in the evening while I’m doing other things. I really, really hope WWE makes a decision that’s as considerate as possible for fans and finds a good home, ideally one that’s reasonably priced and is willing to host large portions of the back catalog. It's already frustrating that many older episodes of Raw are unavailable to watch anywhere. I don’t want a future in which I can’t just throw on classic WrestleManias whenever I feel like it.

What’s The Story With Commercials?

WWE’s current premium live events contain short breaks in between matches. Customers who pay for the premium version of Peacock get previews of the upcoming matches and the rest get a small runtime of commercials. WWE is going to keep producing the events in-house, which makes sense given they’re going to live on Netflix internationally and ESPN in the States, but it’s very possible we will get some kind of different ad structure based on this new agreement.

I do not think that means we’ll get mid-match ads during the PLEs. I don’t think WWE would be willing to do that, given it would be a terrible user experience and undermine their most important events of the year, but I do think WWE may find a way to work in more advertisements, especially since some of the events are going to be broadcast on traditional television, as well.

To Sum Up

For now, nothing is changing. PLEs are going to continue to stream on Peacock in the US and Netflix internationally, but early next year, everything is going to be different, at least domestically. Between now and then, we need clarification on who exactly will have access to the new streaming service via their cable provider and who will need to subscribe separately. We also need clarification on where the old PLEs are going to live and if there will be changes to the structure of PLEs to accommodate more commercials.

Ultimately, I think this deal can be good for WWE. ESPN is the biggest game in town, at least from a sports standpoint, and being more interconnected there should help them reach a bigger fanbase, just as it has with Monday Night Raw being on Netflix.

That being said, WWE needs to work with ESPN to make sure as many people have access to the streaming service as possible, and they need to make sure the product remains as easy to watch as possible, as some of the more traditional sports have gotten way too ad heavy, especially near the end of games.

What Did John Cena Say About Why He’s Ending His Wrestling Career Now?

No wrestling fan is ever without intriguing topics of conversation, but one thing that’s consistently dominated sports entertainment chatter in 2025 has been John Cena’s farewell tour. After making his WWE debut way back in June 2002 with a lot of “ruthless aggression,” this is now his last year as a competitor.

Not only have he and the company cleaned up when it comes to merch sales (a new shirt/hat/rally towel combo for every city) and selling out his appearances (whether he wrestled that night or not), but his long-hoped-for (but still shocking) heel turn and recent pre-Summer Slam reversal to face form have kept folks yelling “You can’t see me!” at every opportunity. With the arrival of WWE: Unreal (available with a Netflix subscription), however, fans can hear the future hall of fame star open up about his love of wrestling and why he has to call it a day now. In a clip (which was posted on Instagram), Cena said:

The now 17 time WWE World Champion has been open in the recent past about how his time as a wrestler was running out. In fact, shortly before Money in the Bank 2024 (where he announced his retirement), he was open about it, and told People “I know my WWE journey is coming to an end.”

He’d also, way back in 2021 when he was in the midst of another active wrestling run, did say he didn’t want to get slower in the ring to the point where he was “offending the customer,” so it would appear that in the past couple of years he did hit the point where he knew he wouldn’t be able to keep up for much longer. You can watch the full clip, below:

Even though it’s unfortunate that Cena has now basically hit that wall, at least he was aware enough to see it coming, get ahead of it and pull out all the stops so that he could give fans a surprising final year. As noted, it’s not quite over yet, so we can look forward to having a few months of big and (likely) shocking moments with Cena to close out the year before it’s all said and done.

A private funeral service was held for Hulk Hogan on Tuesday, August 5, in the Florida church where he was baptized in 2023. Anyone who wasn’t on the guest list was sent away, according to ESPN, with church security and local Largo PD officers patrolling the area, with K-9 dogs involved.

Someone who presumably had an invite to the service was Brooke Hogan, though she was not part of the dozens who were in attendance. Instead, she joined her husband Steve Oleksy and their twin babies for what sounds like a cathartic trip to the beach. Taking to Instagram to explain her reasoning, Hogan started by saying:

Choosing to respect her father's disinterest in the traditional of funerals, Brooke Hogan instead made the day about her own private emotions and grief, choosing to spend that time with her immediate family as opposed to those she was allegedly estranged from at times.

Hogan continued, pointing out why her beach trip was her way of honoring him:

Hulk Hogan reportedly hadn't met or spent time with his two grandchildren after their births in January 2025. The 71-year-old faced several medical issues thoughout the early part of the year, leading to his initial deathbed rumors even as he was in the midst of getting a new wrestling promotion off the ground with Eric Bischoff.

Savannah Chrisley, Angela Deem And More Send Support

To be expected, Brooke Hogan's heartfelt message was met with tons of loving support and touching messages from her friends and followers. More than a little snark and negativity were also in the mix, but that's not our focus here.

Spead amidst the gratitude and adoration were comments from reality stars Angela Deem and Savannah Chrisley, as well as musicians Elle King and Damien Horne. Not to mention fellow WWE offspring Natalya Neidhart, daughter of Jim "The Anvil" Neidhart.

• ANGELA DEEM: And you have all the right to baby. Sending you big MEEMAW HUGS. IS IT ME OR DOES THE TWINS LOOK LIKE NICK ❤️❤️❤️❤️🙌🙌 YOU ARE LOVED
• SAVANNAH CHRISLEY: Praying for you sweet girl ❤️
• NATTIE NEIDHART: ❤️❤️❤️
• BRE TIESI: And that is exactly what he would have wanted!!!! He was and IS Clearwater beach!! love you tiny
• ELLE KING: Love you Brooke. Beautiful ❤️
• DAMIEN HORNE: 🙏🏾🙏🏾❤️❤️

Coinciding with the funeral news, Brooke Hogan appeared on Bubba the Love Sponge's podcast this week and aired out some of her suspicions about her father's cause of death, including his lack of an autopsy. It's unclear if she'll attempt to take any further actions on that front, since he's set to be cremated.

Here are 32 such wrestling moments that left people in a state of shock, and we’ll be surprised if you don’t join them after reading this crazy history of the sport.

Brock Lesnar Ending Undertaker's WrestleMania Winning Streak

WrestleMania 30 should be remembered as the night Daniel Bryan finally defeated the Authority and won the WWE Heavyweight Championship, but more than a decade later is mostly remembered for one of the matches on the undercard: The Undertaker vs. Brock Lesnar. Taker, 21-0 at the “Granddaddy of Them All” heading into NOLA, suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of the Beast Incarnate in what is the most shocking finish in WrestleMania history.

John Cena's Heel Turn

Something that many thought would never happen (and in the Vince McMahon regime, it never would have), John Cena finally turned heel after winning the Elimination Chamber and a trip to WrestleMania 41, in March 2025. The longtime fan favorite hit then-WWE Champion Cody Rhodes with a low blow heard around the world when he sided with The Rock and Travis Scott as fans watched in disbelief.

The Mass Transit Incident

ECW was known for taking things way too far, and one of the most shocking examples of this came in the form of the Mass Transit Incident. Basically, a 17-year-old aspiring wrestler going by the ring name Mass Transit lied about his age and teamed up with D-Von Dudley against The Gangstas (New Jack and Mustafa Saed). Partway through the match, New Jack bladed the teen’s forehead, resulting in some serious injuries and eventually a lawsuit against the promotion.

Jerry Lawler And Andy Kaufman Fight On Late Night

Jerry Lawler and Andy Kaufman had one of the greatest feuds in wrestling history, and part of that iconic story revolves around their July 1982 appearance on Late Night, where the King of Memphis wrestling and the comedian got into it. Though the pair were in on it, they didn’t let anyone else know before it all went down and made late-night TV history.

Stone Cold Teams Up With Vince McMahon

For those of us who grew up in the ‘90s, there was no feud more iconic than Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon. The “working man takes on his boss” dynamic of the years-long program created some of the most iconic moments in wrestling history. It also led to one of the most shocking moments when the Texas Rattlesnake sided with Mr. McMahon at WrestleMania 17, ticking off millions of fans in the process.

Mae Young Gives Birth To A Hand

Everyone likes to act like the Attitude Era was the greatest period of wrestling. Though there were great matches, programs, and moments throughout the late ‘90s, there were also some truly bizarre instances, like the time Mark Henry got Mae Young pregnant, resulting in the elderly wrestling pioneer giving birth to a human hand. Yes, a hand.

David "Doctor D" Schultz Smacks John Stossel

There have been times when wrestling has gotten a little too real and way too uncomfortable. Look no further than the time David “Doctor D” Schultz slapped the crap out of John Stossel after the 20/20 reporter questioned the authenticity of wrestling. Schultz, who was on the rise before the incident, never recovered from the notorious slap.

Hulk Hogan And The Rock Steal The Show At WrestleMania 18

The Immortal One vs. The Great One will forever go down as one of the most electric matches in WrestleMania history. Sure, this iconic one-on-one bout should have headlined the 2002 event, but they stole the show anyway. The face-to-face in the ring, the double turn, the post-match work with the NWO, it was epic.

Vince McMahon Tears Both Quads At The 2005 Royal Rumble

A lot can happen at the Royal Rumble, and we saw that in 2005 when Vince McMahon tore both of his quads running into the ring after John Cena and eventual winner Batista fell out of the ring at the same time. The sight of McMahon on his butt yelling at the ref is something that fans will never forget.

Mick Foley's Hell In A Cell Fall

Mick Foley being thrown off the Hell in a Cell structure at the 1998 King of the Ring pay-per-view has become one of the defining moments of the hardcore legend’s career, as well as the Attitude Era. We’re still shocked, nearly 30 years later, that he survived the 16-foot fall onto the announce table.

The ECW Chair Throwing Incident

The Hardcore Heaven 1994 “Chair Throwing Incident” is one of those moments that made ECW one of the most notoriously insane wrestling companies of the ‘90s, and all time. Basically, after the Public Enemy’s interference stopped Terry Funk and Cactus Jack’s match, the Funkster asked fans for a chair. He had no idea everyone would throw their seats at the same time, though.

The Montreal Screwjob

Is it real, or is it an elaborate work to help properly begin the Attitude Era? That’s a question wrestling fans have been asking for the better part of 30 years. The infamous incident, known as the Montreat Screwjob, saw Bret Hart’s WWF Championship run, as well as his time in the company, come to an abrupt and chaotic end in November 1997.

Hulk Hogan Turns Heel

Hulk Hogan turning heel by siding with the Outsiders at Bash at the Beach ‘96 is one of those turning points in wrestling. The longtime babyface going bad is something fans never thought they’d see, but they did, and it kick-started one of the biggest booms in wrestling history.

Seth Rollins Turns On The Shield

Before he was the Visionary, the Monday Night Messiah, or even the man behind the “Heist of the Century” at WrestleMania 31, Seth Rollins came up as a member of the Shield. Well, that all ended in June 2014 when Rollins turned on Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose and sided with the Authority, kicking off his Hall-of-Fame-worthy singles career.

Brian Pillman's Home Invasion

The late great “Flyin’” Brian Pillman gave wrestling fans one great moment after another before his untimely passing in October 1997, but he was also at the center of one of the WWF’s wildest incidents: the night Stone Cold invaded his house. The craziest part of the ordeal came when Pillman pointed a gun at his former “Hollywood Blondes” teammate.

Vince McMahon Shows Up On WCW Monday Nitro

One thing fans never thought they’d see was Vince McMahon showing up on Monday Nitro, but that’s what happened in March 2001 when the WWF Chairman appeared on screen after buying the company for pennies on the dollar. The laugh, the audacity, and the fact that the “Monday Night War” was over made this something we’ll never forget.

Adam Page Drinking Swerve Strickland's Blood

AEW Full Gear 2023 saw one of the craziest, bloodiest, and most extreme wrestling matches of all time, when Adam Page and Swerve Strickland put it all on the line in their Texas Death Match. If staples, barbed wire, and chairs weren’t enough, Hangman took things to the next level by drinking his opponent’s blood. Like, what?

CM Punk's 'Pipe Bomb' Promo

CM Punk’s “Pipe Bomb” promo in June 2011, the one where he put John Cena and the rest of WWE on watch, is one of those moments that’ll define not only his career but 2010s wrestling in general. The worked-shoot style of the extended monologue, the viciousness of his words, and the Summer of Punk that followed make this one we’ll never forget.

Robocop Saves Sting

There have been some wild cameos in wrestling over the years, but few come close to the utter insanity of RoboCop saving Sting in WCW. After the WCW mainstay was attacked and put in a cage by the Four Horsemen, Detroit’s finest came down the aisle to save his blonde bud.

Shane McMahon Tears His Quad At WrestleMania 39

Injuries are a common occurrence in wrestling, and everyone is going to get hurt in the ring at some point or another. Well, that time came for Shane McMahon at WrestleMania 39 when the part-timer stepped into the ring for the first time in a while. What’s so shocking about this is the fact that he somehow tore his quad when climbing into the ring.

The Judy Bagwell On A Forklift Match

Late-stage WCW was a strange and unpredictable place, where gimmick matches were turned up a few notches. One of the wildest came at New Blood Rising in 2000 when Buff Bagwell wrestled Kanyon, not for the gold, but to get his dear old mom off a forklift parked at ringside. We’re not making this up.

Vader Attacks A TV Show Host

During a Spring 1997 tour of the Middle East, the late Vader appeared on Good Morning Kuwait, a morning talk show where he and the Undertaker were discussing the WWF with the host. Though Taker stayed in line, Vader didn’t take too kindly to Bassam Al Othman’s questions about the legitimacy of the sport, resulting in the 400-pound monster attacking the journalist. According to the Sun, Vader was detained, and wrestling was banned in the country for some time.

Jon Moxley Putting A Bag Over Bryan Danielson's Head

AEW takes things to the extreme at times, and one of the best (or worst) examples of this happened at All Out 2024 when Jon Moxley turned on his Blackpool Combat Club stablemate Bryan Danielson by putting a bag over his head in an attempt to put him to sleep. It was intense, to say the least.

The Finger Poke Of Doom

There’s long been a debate about what killed WCW, but one of the biggest deciding factors is the “Finger Poke of Doom” from a January 1999 episode of Monday Nitro. On the same night, Mick Foley won his first WWF Championship on Raw (which WCW spoiled), Hollywood Hogan defeated WCW Champion Kevin Nash by poking him in the chest, revealing their warring NWO factions were working together. WCW never beat WWF in the ratings and would close two years later.

Brock Lesnar Nearly Paralyzes Himself At WrestleMania 19

Brock Lesnar’s had some incredible WrestleMania matches, but his first was nearly is last. Taking on Kurt Angle for the WWE Undisputed Championship at WM 19, Lesnar attempted a Shooting Star Press from the top turnbuckle and landed on his head inchese away from Angle’s prone body. It’s a miracle he survived.

The Katie Vick Incident

One of the most despicable actions by a heel in wrestling, Triple H once dressed up like Kane and acted like he was making love to his dead girlfriend at a funeral home. A lot of folks say the Attitude Era set a low bar for WWE, but this incident from the Ruthless Aggression days is one of the worst things to ever happen in the company.s

Big Boss Man Shows Up At Big Show's Dad's Funeral

Big Boss Man showing up at Big Show’s dad’s funeral has to be one of the most insane yet hilarious things to happen in wrestling. The pre-taped segment featuring the heel taunting his rival at a graveyard is the stuff of legend, as is Big Show being dragged behind a car at its conclusion.

Kane Sets The Undertaker's Casket On Fire

Kane and Undertaker’s feud in 1997 and 1998 is one of the wildest programs from the Attitude Era, and a highlight of the wrestlers’ respective careers. Costing his half-brother a victory in his signature match (a casket match) at Royal Rumble ‘98, Kane went even further by setting the coffin on fire with Taker still inside.

The Undertaker Tries To Embalm Steve Austin

Near the end of the ‘90s, the Undertaker became the most evil heel in WWF, especially during his feud with Stone Cold Steve Austin. One of the craziest moments came when the Ministry kidnapped Austin and attempted to embalm him. Obviously, Taker’s plan failed, but many of us thought we were about to see our favorite wrestler die on live TV.

Shane McMahon Being Suplexed Through A Sheet Of Glass

Shane McMahon would do anything to impress the fans (and his dad) when he got into the ring. That includes being suplexed through a sheet of glass by Kurt Angle at King of the Ring 2001. After a failed attempt (McMahon hit the glass but it didn’t shatter), Angle tried again, and McMahon went crashing through the shattered pane.

Brock Lesnar Mops The Floor With John Cena At SummerSlam 2014

Brock Lesnar defeating Undertaker at WrestleMania 30 wasn’t his only show-stopping performance in 2014, as the Beast Incarnate absolutely destroyed John Cena for the WWE Championship at that year’s SummerSlam. The crowd, which was fiery all night, was left in shock as Lesnar squashed the fan-favorite.

The Shockmaster's Debut

The Shockmaster was supposed to be the next big monster of WCW when the wrestler formerly known as Typhoon made his debut in 1993. However, his crashing and falling through the wall (losing his mask in the process) quickly put a stop to that and gave wrestling one of the most hilarious moments of all time.

In a night that ended in quite a surprise thanks to Seth Rollins, it still didn't top my overall shock when Wade Barrett directly talked about CM Punk's storyline in WWE: Unreal, and his nerves about coming back as a performer. Mind you, this is in the midst of Punk being in the ring and competing against Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship. This is during the main event of Night 1 of SummerSlam, the biggest event of upcoming WWE events for the rest of the year, and we're using it to promote a Netflix series?

It was such a bizarre moment, and thanks to all I learned in WWE: Unreal, a deliberate attempt to promote the show when people are the most tuned into the program. The problem I had with it is that while I know wrestling is a scripted product with performers and pre-determined outcomes, I think it's safe to say I don't want someone directly involved in the product reminding me everything I'm watching is fake in the midst of the match.

Imagine watching the new Marvel movie, The Fantastic Four: First Steps, and out of nowhere, a character directly refers to Reed Richards as Pedro Pascal, the actor, and tells the audience that Galactus is CGI. It would not only be a baffling decision by Marvel Studios to greenlight that, but to do it in the midst of one of the biggest moments of the entire movie.

Wrestling is scripted – no one is breaking news with that announcement – but it is still a product that its talent and creative team want to be taken seriously. For that reason, I find it so strange that the WWE is hellbent on seemingly making it painfully obvious to even the smallest of children that the entire product is a sham in the moment rather than letting people just suspend disbelief for a while. Is this a directive from coming from someone higher up at TKO? It's so strange to me, I only have to assume there's something from outside of the world of wrestling guiding this.

It's gotten to a point where even Cardi B is more concerned about breaking kayfabe than the actual wrestlers:

The WWE has always operated in this weird space between fiction and reality, case in point being the latest ordeal with Seth Rollins' "injury." That said, I can't say I think it's the best strategy to so directly present your product as fake in the midst of putting on a show. Don't worry: we're in on the joke every time we suffer through a strange wrestler with an odd gimmick or someone inexplicably overcoming an injury that would hospitalize most people. But speaking so blatantly about the scriptedness of it all mid-match just spoils the fun, and I'm still wrapping my head around whose idea it was to do that.

SummerSlam continues on Sunday evening, and of course, Monday Night Raw in on Netflix on Monday. We'll see how many more mentions WWE: Unreal gets in the meantime and how the fans respond to it.

There’s a lot here. So, let’s just back up and tell the story from the beginning. Travis Scott made a surprise appearance alongside The Rock at Elimination Chamber back in March. They were joined by longtime good guy John Cena who unexpectedly turned heel and seemed to form some kind of Hollywood alliance with the two. They all attacked WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and during the resulting fallout in the ring, Scott slapped Rhodes in the head while he was defenseless and on the ground. It looked particularly bad on television, and there were whispers that he busted the then WWE Champion’s eardrum.

Rhodes confirmed that did happen during an interview on Hot Ones this week…

Fans absolutely loved the segment, particularly the dynamic between The Rock and John Cena, but many were outraged by how disrespectful Scott’s slap seemed to be. Those involved with WWE, at least the ones speaking on the record, downplayed the incident. The Rock defended Scott and said he’d told the rapper to “make it count,” and WWE execs talked about how he was going to be training in the performance center. Rumors even swirled that he’d be getting in the ring for a match at some point.

Scott made another appearance at WrestleMania 41 in April, though this time it was without The Rock and it was very poorly received. He took forever to walk to the ring, and fans largely felt like it stepped on a huge moment in John Cena’s career. The backlash was very loud and nearly unanimous, but WWE didn’t shy away from the moment. It continuously showed replays of Scott’s appearance, and the stories continued about how he was going to be training and getting back in the ring.

More than three months later, however, the picture seems to have changed. Leading up to celebrity wrestler Jelly Roll’s match at SummerSlam, head booker Triple H made several public comments about how hard the musician was training and said a lot of celebrities think they want to do this but are unwilling to put in the work. His words were interpreted by many to be a shot at Scott, whose rumored appearance as a playable character in WWE 2K25 was abruptly cancelled.

This past week, stories emerged in the mainstream press that Scott and WWE had some kind of falling out over his alleged lack of commitment to training. Current star Drew McIntyre called him a “piece of shit” during an appearance on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, and former WWE stars got a lot more open with their criticisms, with Stevie Richards calling his slap of Rhodes “sloppy, reckless and self-serving.”

I assumed this was officially the end of things between Scott and WWE, but against all odds, the rapper was featured pretty prominently in the intro video to SummerSlam. During that same appearance on Hot Ones, Rhodes also put Scott over and said he hopes he comes back to WWE in the future. Check out this quote…

Now, I tend to think Scott’s relationship with WWE is over. I think they used him in the intro to SummerSlam because he’s a famous name and the Fed loves showing its crossover appeal. I think Rhodes said some nice things because he’s a WWE spokesman and is rarely critical of people, especially celebrities making appearances, but tonight is going to be a big night to test that theory. The Rock and Scott were both very involved in the John Cena and Cody Rhodes storyline, and those two men are having their long-awaited rematch tonight. If he were going to show up, tonight is the night that would make sense for him to do so. I don’t think he will, but you never know.

You can check out the match tonight at SummerSlam, which is streaming for free on Peacock in The United States and via Netflix in most of the rest of the world. You can also check out my predictions where I break down what I think is going to happen.

Ever since WWE: Unreal was announced, I've been on the fence about whether a show like this should even exist. As pumped as I was to use my Netflix subscription to get a look behind the curtain at some of the biggest events the company has had in the past year, it just felt like yet another opportunity to ruin the mystery of what has, previously, been such a secret business.

After watching the series and seeing the behind-the-scenes look at the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania 41, and more, I'm happy to say I actually loved it. It's unlike a lot of wrestling documentaries I've seen from the WWE, and I mean that in the best way possible.

WWE: Unreal Showed The "Real" Side Of Several Wrestlers, Unlike Past Reality Television

WWE: Unreal isn't the first time that the wrestling company has said it will show audiences the "real" lives of its superstars. I'm sure anyone who has tuned into Total Divas or Miz & Mrs can say that while there are bits of reality sprinkled in to past television shows for WWE, it still feels like everyone is performing. Case in point, the iconic treadmill scene in Miz & Mrs where Maryse lost her entire dress. Hell, even WWE LFG, as fun as it is, features people like Gunther and Undertaker putting on a show for the camera.

I was prepared for that going into Unreal, and was shocked to see just how stripped down the wrestlers were in front of the camera. To hear someone like Rhea Ripley, without a doubt the most protected woman on the roster, who thrives on looking tough, talk about her nerves and insecurities ahead of a match was jarring, but also welcoming to see as a fan.

It reminded me of when I was backstage for a press conference at WWE Fastlane in Indianapolis, and I ran into Dakota Kai. At the time, she was working as a heel for Damage CTRL, so I was used to her having a heel persona and being nasty in the ring. As she passed, she couldn't have been nicer, and even asked if I enjoyed the show, and I remember it felt so surreal. I expected it to break me, but I think it actually made me appreciate the work they do as performers in the ring so much more. I haven't had that feeling again until watching Unreal, and that feels like the biggest compliment that I could give it.

It Shows Just How Much Of Wrestling Is A "Work"

This may be something done by design, but it felt as though part of this docuseries was to dispel some of the popular rumors about the wrestling company that have developed within the past year. Rumors that have lived on via dirt sheets and reports from alleged insiders, like Charlotte Flair is disliked by a bulk of the WWE locker room, or that there's a big power struggle between Triple H and The Rock. I don't really get the impression that either of those is true based on what I saw, but then again, this is a product produced by the WWE. It's not like anyone was making this to "expose" any negative bits of the company.

Even then, there's so much that happens in the WWE that I realize is a "work." One moment that stuck out for me was when Jacob Fatu pushed a member of the audience in the middle of a match, and it turned out that person was a paid extra. At the time, that moment meant nothing to fans, and I don't think I ever heard anyone mention it. Subconsciously, though, I'm sure there were at least a few fans who saw Fatu push a fan and thought, "Wow, they can do that?"

Unreal dismisses the notion that this multibillion-dollar wrestling company is run like a carnival sideshow behind the scenes. Everything that happens is carefully curated, discussed, and executed with the full cooperation of everyone involved (usually, anyway). Even the f-bombs are cleared to run uncut in the Triple H era. That's not to say there isn't some reality that leaks out via the dirt sheets, but it would seem that much more of it is scripted than we'd believe.

It Shows Just How Difficult Professional Wrestling Is

I think every professional wrestler, at some point in their career, has the goal of performing in the WWE. I used to think that with the right amount of luck, charisma, and charm, that dream was attainable for anyone in the business. This series slapped that notion right out of me, because it showed just how exceptionally difficult being a talent for the WWE can be.

The first episode, highlighting the first Monday Night Raw on Netflix, proved that to me. Watching the match unfold between CM Punk and Seth Rollins and hearing all the audibles that were being called backstage during it to account for time was bonkers.

To see them cut entire sequences out of that match on the fly, and still put on one of the more memorable matches of the year so far, shows just what type of skill it takes to be a professional wrestler in the WWE. Of course, you're also looking at Punk and Rollins, who are two of the best in the world to ever be in the profession. Even so, it would appear there's so much more to being in the WWE than getting in the ring and having a match, and some talent understand that and end up in the positions they're in because they're up to the task.

All this to say, if you're someone who is a big wrestling fan and you're worried that WWE: Unreal will ruin your fandom in some way, I don't think it will. If anything, I think it informed me a lot more about the wrestling business, and just how hard these superstars work every day to ensure they're putting on the best performances possible for people around the world. It's impressive, and honestly, a bit wild they go to such lengths to make that happen.

Watch WWE: Unreal on Netflix right now, and of course, catch Monday Night Raw on the platform on Monday nights at 8:00 p.m. ET. I'm hoping we'll get some more episodes later this year recapping other big events, but we'll just have to wait and see if that's going to happen!

At 10, I Was A Huge Wrestling Fan

This was back in the mid-’80s, and I was a consumer of all things pro wrestling. I stopped following wrestling a long time ago – sometime around the end of the Monday Night War in the late ‘90s – but I still have fond memories of getting home from church on Sunday and turning on WWF Superstars of Wrestling. That show marked the end of a week full of wrestling content for me. N.W.A. on TBS and WCCW on a local UHF station were favorites of mine (and featured many of the same wrestlers at different times), but in the end, like most kids my age, it was all about the WWF (as it was known then).

The first time I ever got to go to a wrestling match live was in Kansas City, maybe a year before my birthday party. My older cousin took me to see a WWF card that featured Brutus Beefcake (before he added “The Barber” to his moniker) and other superstars like Barry Windham and Paul Orndorf. That card was missing the biggest name in the business, even then: Hulk Hogan. I still loved it.

My Tenth Birthday Party Was All About Hulk Hogan

When Hogan died, I went back through my old photos and found some from that night, and a flood of memories came to me. One friend was shaking a fist, with a look of pure adrenaline on his face. Another was standing on a chair, trying to get a better view. There were a bunch of blurry photos of the ring off in the distance at the house show with wrestlers that I idolized at the time. George “The Animal” Steele, Corporal Kirchner and Junkyard Dog all had matches that night against villains like The Iron Sheik and Nikolai Volkoff.

Then, as I flipped through the pages of the photo album, I saw the one I was looking for. It was just an arm and a bit of the famous WWF championship belt, but it was easy to know who it was: the mighty Hulk Hogan, the guy we came to see, hopefully, take apart “Rowdy” Roddy Piper in the main event. I remember taking the picture and then giving Hogan “five” as he walked to the ring. It was one of those “I’m never washing my hands again” moments.

It Ended In Mayhem, But Not In A Scripted Way

In the mid-’80s, the company that would eventually become the WWE was still trying to nationalize the wrestling business, and there was, if I’m honest, still a pretty seedy element at the events. This was still long before I knew about the dark side of the business. The crowd was a mixture of kids like me and grown men who were smoking cigarettes and getting very drunk.

One of those men ended up throwing a glass beer bottle into the ring, and it crashed on Hogan’s head. I didn’t see the bottle, but everyone else did. I remember the match suddenly ending and then watching Hogan walk out of the venue, his long blonde hair dyed red where the bottle made impact. I swear I saw him getting carried away on a stretcher when we exited, but that is almost certainly something my overactive imagination invented.

Still, though I was a little freaked out by the blood and the chaos that ended the match, that night sealed the deal for me. I loved it, and from that moment on, until I was in my mid-20s, I was a fanatic. I still appreciate the WWE and other wrestling operations like it, but my interest waned, I found other ways to spend money and time, and drifted away from the WWE.

I was disappointed by Hulk Hogan’s actions later in life, but for me, that night will always be special in large part because of that larger-than-life Hulk of a man. I'm sure I'll tune into a few upcoming WWE events just to relive that moment in the near future.

There was a bit of grumbling from some fans when WWE announced SummerSlam was moving to two nights this year. To be honest, I was a little skeptical, as well, but looking at the card, I’m ready to lace my boots up and get in the ring. Twelve matches have already been announced, and given Triple H’s normal booking style, it’s a safe bet that at least five of them would not have made the card if it was taking place entirely on one night. That’s a win, especially because of how deep the roster is right now.

It has never been harder to make a WWE PLE than it is at this very moment. Between the modern preference for only including five to seven matches per night and arguably the most superstars over with the crowd since the Attitude Era, you really need to earn your way onto one of these big shows. That’s why for WrestleMania and now SummerSlam, it’s nice to have that second night to reward more deserving talent.

Between the two nights, more than forty superstars are going to be in action, and it’s likely we’ll get surprise appearances and/ or segments from a few more. The main event is, of course, the long-awaited WrestleMania 41 rematch between John Cena and Cody Rhodes for The WWE Championship, but beyond that, there’s also going to be an additional eight titles up for grabs, plus a tag match featuring Roman Reigns and a wild celebrity tag featuring Jelly Roll, Logan Paul, Randy Orton and Drew McIntyre.

Before I get into what I think is going to happen, here’s a look at my track record on predictions. I’ve been prognosticating ahead of every PLE since WrestleMania 38, and while my record is not exactly Hulk Hogan-like (RIP), it’s still enough to keep my contract getting picked up.

Tiffany Stratton (Champion) Vs Jade Cargill For The WWE Women’s Championship

There is perhaps no female superstar on the entire roster that fans are more divided on than Jade Cargill. She looks like a star. She executes specific moves in the ring like she’s a star. She has the aura and the charisma you want in a champion. She has the potential to be the face of the division, but it’s been more than a year and a half since her debut at the 2024 Royal Rumble and this is the first time she’s felt like a legitimate threat to win a singles championship.

That’s probably because there are times in the ring in which she seems to get a little lost, especially on the transitions between moves. There are times in which she seems a little reckless with her opponents. There are times in which it seems like WWE is protecting her with the way they put together her matches. There are times in which she hasn't been featured nearly as often as you'd think.

With all due respect to Tiffany Stratton, who has a long and bright future ahead of her, the outcome here is about Jade Cargill. She won Queen Of The Ring. She’s been beating everyone she’s been put in the ring with for months, usually in pretty dominating fashion. If WWE is going to pull the trigger on her, now feels like the moment. It feels like it’s time to rip off the band-aid and see if she can grow into the superstar we all know is there.

Predicted Winner: Jade Cargill

Randy Orton And Jelly Roll Vs Drew McIntyre And Logan Paul

More serious wrestling fans have had some complaints about this getting a spot on the SummerSlam card, but I’m supportive of mixing in celebrities, as long as they take it seriously. WrestleMania 1 was main evented by Mr. T, and we’ve seen some banger matches with non-wrestlers in recent years including Bad Bunny and Johnny Knoxville. By all accounts, Jelly Roll is putting in the work, and I loved seeing the recent segment the four stars did on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

I think we’re going to get a really fun match here. Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul should have a great time playing it up with the crowd during moments they have the momentum, and I think Jelly Roll is going to surprise fans with a really unexpected move he’s probably been training on in the performance center. Throw in a hot crowd, and this could overachieve big time.

That being said, we all know Jelly Roll and Randy Orton are going to win here. WWE typically rewards celebrities with a victory in these sorts of matches, and there’s no reason to think this one will be any different, especially because Logan Paul can eat a pin without really affecting the trajectory or popularity of his character.

Predicted Winner: Randy Orton & Jelly Roll

Gunther (Champion) VS CM Punk For The World Heavyweight Championship

I’m finding this to be one of the harder matches to pick on the entire card. On the one hand, it’s time for CM Punk to win a singles championship. He’s too over with the crowd and has done too much good work since his return not to be carrying around gold in the near future. He needs to be rewarded with a signature victory, especially after a terrific promo on Monday where he talked about how much he needs this.

On the other hand, however, that signature victory feels like it should be for The WWE Championship. With all due respect to Gunther and The World Heavyweight Championship, that’s clearly the secondary prize, and given Punk’s long history at the company, it would feel a lot more poetic if his big moment was with a championship he has so much good and bad history with.

It would also be nice to see Gunther get a big win on a big stage like this. He lost in big spots at the last two WrestleManias, and even though he got his victory back against Jey Uso, he’s still dealing with fans chanting “you tapped out.” My favorite Gunther is the one that dominates, and it would do a lot for his character if we got to watch him go over CM Punk clean here.

Predicted Winner: Gunther

Raquel Rodriguez And Roxanne Perez (Champions) Vs Alexa Bliss And Charlotte Flair For The WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships

Before I get into fawning over Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair, let me say a few words about Raquel and Roxanne. They’ve done a fantastic job of keeping this title relevant since Liv Morgan got injured. They’ve been contributing good weekly backstage segments and putting on banger matches (shoutout Sheamus) whenever their number has been called. Raquel is really starting to maximize her potential in the ring and has quietly been a part of several of the best women’s tag team matches in company history. Roxanne has found her place on the main roster and thrived within Judgment Day, and under normal circumstances, I’d advocate for them to hold onto the titles.

But there is something here with Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss that has main event potential, and the long-term upside is too high not to prioritize it. Like many fans, I wasn’t really sure where Flair could go after her poorly received program with Tiffany Stratton. She was getting the worst crowd responses of her entire career, and with so many talented women at the top of the card, I started wondering for the first time whether she’d ever be able to make it back on top.

Alexa Bliss has brought something new out of her though. The two have fantastic chemistry, and it has humanized Flair in a way we’ve never really seen from her. It’s made her really likeable, and fans gave her, arguably, the best reception of her entire career at Evolution. It’s been great for Bliss too, as she’s always had fantastic crowd support but hasn’t really been treated like a potential main eventer in a long time.

You could fantasy book a Charlotte and Alexa run a million different ways. Maybe they stay together for a year. Maybe they stay together for a few months. Maybe they remain friends over the long-term. Maybe they turn into bitter enemies. We all have our own opinions on how that should play out, but it’s pretty obvious the next step in their story needs to be winning these tag team championships and having a big moment together in the ring. That will make whatever comes later way more impactful.

Predicted Winner: Charlotte Flair And Alexa Bliss

Roman Reigns And Jey Uso Vs Bron Breakker And Bronson Reed

The safer move here is to put Roman Reigns and Jey Uso over. They’re the two biggest merch sellers in the entire company, and they get significantly bigger crowd reactions than Breakker and Reed. They’re the bigger stars, and both of them could benefit from a big win on a stage like this. I’d have to imagine that’s probably what WWE is going to do, especially after Breakker and Reed dominated them on this week’s Monday Night Raw, which is often a bad sign for winning at a PLE.

Let me just make the case for Breakker and Reed here real quick though. WWE clearly sees a huge future for both. They were put into a faction with Seth Rollins after ‘Mania, and even after he got hurt, they have been pushed just as hard alongside manager Paul Heyman. We’re meant to see them as the future of the company, and there would be no better way to signal that future is here than by letting them beat Roman Reigns on a big stage at SummerSlam.

Given Reigns has slowed down considerably over the past few years on appearances and he’s going to be filming the new Street Fighter movie, it’s unlikely WWE is going to push him back into the title picture in the near future. Jey Uso’s future is also a bit in doubt, as he had that remarkable singles run but doesn’t seem likely to be elevated back to that level in the near future. So, why can’t they lose again?

I’m going to predict Roman Reigns and Jey Uso are going to go over here because they’re Roman Reigns and Jey Uso, but I think the smarter long-term decision here would be to give Breakker and Reed a moment.

Predicted Winner: Roman Reigns And Jey Uso

Sami Zayn Vs Karrion Kross

No match more obviously benefited from SummerSlam being two nights than this one, but I am here for it. Kross has been getting over with fans in a big way, and it’s nice to see him rewarded with a singles match on a prestige card like this. But you still have to ask yourself, why is this here? Is it because we're about to get a huge moment of character development for Zayn?

Sami has arguably been the biggest straight-up babyface (other than Cody Rhodes) in the company for the past few years. He was the sympathetic hero to root for during the Bloodline storyline, and he got rewarded with career-defining moments at consecutive WrestleManias with his wins over The Usos and Gunther. Exactly where he goes from here is a big question, however.

The crowd still likes Zayn, but he’s not as hot as he once was. He’s been vowing for a long time that he’ll become World Champion some day. I’m sure fans would get behind that quest if WWE would push him hard enough, but with so many household names at the top of the card, it’s unclear if WWE has any plans on actually doing that. Kross has been telling Zayn for months that to get to the next level, he needs to essentially become a bad guy. There’s a chance we finally get that here. It would be a big risk for Zayn, but it could be a really unique way to reinvent his character by watching him cheat to win here, something he’d ordinarily never do.

Predicted Winner: Sami Zayn

Naomi (Champion) Vs Rhea Ripley Vs Iyo Sky For The Women’s World Championship

There’s really no bad outcome here. Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky are both mega-over babyfaces that the crowd would love to see win the belt back, and Naomi is doing the best work of her entire career as the heel champion. You could tell a compelling story with any of these three winning the belt.

The case for Rhea is pretty simple. She’s the most popular woman in the history of the business, and while she’s had long runs as champion, she’s also done a lot of losing more recently. She’s been able to stomach those losses as they’ve involved outside interference or someone else eating the pin, but at some point, if you want fans to see you as dominant, you need to be dominant. Putting the belt on the most over performer is never a bad idea.

The case for Iyo is pretty clear too. The crowd loves her, and every single match she puts on is fantastic, no matter who her opponent is. She wasn’t really given enough storylines or weekly time the last time she had the belt, and it would be nice to put the strap back on her and lean in harder this time around.

Either of those possibilities works for me, but I’m still going to go with Naomi. I don’t think she’s going to be champion for six more months, but I do think she’s been too good to take the belt off her this quickly. She deserves at least a few more months with the title, and that starts with winning here. I don’t think it’ll be clean. It’ll probably involved some shady and underhanded tactics, but I think she’s probably going to walk out as champion.

Predicted Winner: Naomi

Becky Lynch (Champion) Vs Lyra Valkyria For The Women’s Intercontinental Championship

I think the big question is whether we see Bayley here. She gave a very somber interview on Raw where she talked about missing WrestleMania and now missing SummerSlam. I think we’re about to get a heel turn, and given how involved she has been in this entire program, it would make a lot of sense for it to happen here.

Now, how exactly a heel turn would work is complicated. She’s had matches with Becky and Lyra, though she clearly has more animosity toward Becky. Unfortunately, attacking Becky, given she’s a heel herself, wouldn’t exactly draw any heat from the crowd; so, my guess is she would just attack both of them, which would lead to a sequence of events that would see Lyra losing and Becky retaining.

Even if she doesn’t show up, I still think Becky is probably going to win here. The Intercontinental Championship picture has almost solely focused on these three women for months, and it’s time to get some fresh blood in there. If Lyra wins, we’re just going to get stuck in the same loop. So, look for her to lose and then possibly move to SmackDown with some new challengers being moved to Raw as future Becky opponents if there’s a draft.

Predicted Winner: Becky Lynch

Solo Sikoa (Champion) Vs Jacob Fatu For The United States Championship

Jacob Fatu is a star. WWE has started making speciality merchandise for Fatu that’s custom to different cities, and there have been a lot of reports that Triple H, Bruce Prichard and the other writers plan on really pushing him. That almost certainly starts with winning this match. I was shocked to see him lose the belt to Solo the first time, but I would be even more shocked to see him lose to the wannabe Tribal Chief twice. That doesn’t make any sense for his character.

Now, how WWE chooses to handle the match is an open question. Even though the match is in a steel cage, it’s likely Solo Sikoa is going to play the numbers game. Fatu obviously has my guy Big Jim Uso in his corner, but it feels like he’s going to need more firepower than that. Maybe that’ll come in the form of a returning Tama Tonga who could side with Fatu or maybe that’ll come via a new debuting character or maybe Fatu will just straight up win despite a numbers disadvantage, which would make him look as powerful as possible. We’ll see.

Even though he’s going to lose, I will give a quick shoutout to Solo though. He’s really found himself in this more comedic character, I’m excited to see what he does moving forward.

Predicted Winner: Jacob Fatu

Dominik Mysterio (Champion) Vs AJ Styles For The Intercontinental Championship

Rumors swirled recently that AJ Styles quietly signed a one year extension on his contract. I think WWE is going to want to give him some big moments before he retires, if this is, in fact, his last run, but I’m skeptical they’re going to have him beat Dominik Mysterio here. The current IC Champion got a prime Stone Cold pop during his recent appearance at AAA in Mexico, and his Honky Tonk Man style bit as the cowardly champion is currently working really well. It feels too early to bail on it.

I expect these two to put on a hell of a match. Styles is one of the best in-ring workers in the history of the business, and Mysterio has worked hard to improve to the point where he’s pretty good. With a hot crowd and the potential for some outside interference, I think this could be one of the most popular matches of the weekend.

It’s also the sort of thing where we could see a sketchy finish. Triple H doesn’t really like DQ finishes that negate a title change, but there’s a lot more meat on the bone of this feud that they may want to carry forward. I think Dominik is going to remain champion, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw these two again at an upcoming PLE.

Predicted Winner: Dominik Mysterio

The Wyatt Sicks (Champions) Vs DIY Vs The Street Profits Vs Fraxiom Vs The Motor City Machine Guns Vs Andrade And Rey Fénix For The WWE Tag Team Championship

Fans were furious when the SmackDown tag team division was left off the WrestleMania 41 card, and those complaints only got louder after DIY, The Street Profits and Motor City Machine Guns dropped an all-time classic TLC match in the days after the event. I still can’t believe they got passed over, but this SummerSlam placement is at least some consolation.

I have no idea if this will be able to live up to the last TLC match, but expect all six of these tag teams to put on a hell of an effort to try. For many, it will be the biggest match in the biggest spot of their entire careers, or at least close to it. They will go all out to prove they belong and go all out to prove how good the SmackDown tag division is. Expect some WTF high spots and a bunch of coordinated, high athleticism moves.

I have no idea who is going to win the match. You could make a legit case for every team participating. Part of me thinks the right answer is to default to the current champions, The Wyatt Sicks, but I’m having a hard time betting against Andrade and Rey Fénix. They clearly have the most momentum, and the crowd has really gotten into every one of their matches. It wouldn’t be surprised to see them rewarded in a big spot here.

Predicted Winner: Andrade And Rey Fénix

John Cena (Champion) Vs Cody Rhodes For The WWE Championship

John Cena, despite his promises, is not going to retire with The WWE Championship. He’s not gonna take the belt and go home because it doesn’t make any sense to end a championship lineage going back to the early 1960s. That means he’s going to lose at some point, but exactly when that’s going to be is an open question.

Cena will be around in some fashion for the rest of the year, which means WWE needs to decide whether to take the belt off him now and give him time for a final run as a babyface or to let him keep rolling as the heel champion. I would have definitely said they’d keep the belt on him a little longer before announcing the Cody rematch, but now I’m not so sure. In fact, I think there’s a chance WWE might be about to execute something far grander.

A double turn in wrestling is when one character goes into a match as the face or hero and another character goes into the match as a heel or villain, but afterwards, they emerge playing the opposite roles. The most famous example is Bret Hart and Stone Cold Steve Austin at WrestleMania 13, which was recently inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

I think there’s a chance we get the same thing here. For months, we’ve been getting the occasional hints that Cena is being worn down by his role as the villain, that maybe he doesn’t want to be cheating to win in every match. At the same time, there have been hints that Cody Rhodes is more willing to get his hands dirty, that he’s maybe not as clean cut of a good guy as we thought. What if Cody cheated to win, Cena realized the error of his ways, and they each emerged from the match in a very different place?

I don’t know if the double turn is going to happen, but I do think Cody is going to win the championship. Yes, it feels early, but since I think Rhodes is going to be the one to dethrone Cena and I don’t see them wrestling again in a bigger spot, I have to think this is going to be the moment. I also think these two are going to have a great match, as they're going to be particularly motivated after the reception to their WrestleMania 41 match was less than ideal.

Predicted Winner: Cody Rhodes

While he may not have been prepping for appearances at upcoming WWE events, the Hulkster had been filming a documentary chronicling his career in professional wrestling with Netflix over the past year. CNN reports that the wrestler gave twenty hours worth of interviews, and that thirty hours of scenes were shot on top of that.

The untitled documentary promises a side of Hulk Hogan, real name Terry Bollea, that audiences hadn't seen before. If that's the case, it'll could go down as one of the greatest wrestling documentaries out there, shedding light on a controversial figure. He was both instrumental to the success of WWE and polarizing due to decades of stories from other wrestlers and a high-profile lawsuit that highlighted him using racist language.

The documentary is being made in collaboration with the WWE, and filmmakers were on the ground at the latest SmackDown to chronicle the tribute the company paid to the late wrestler. It's also noted that the documentary will need to be tweaked to account for Hulk Hogan's death, and there's no release date or even confirmation from Netflix that it's being made.

The fact that the WWE is involved in the alleged documentary could signal to me that this will likely be a more sanitized version of Hulk Hogan's career and legacy. Similar to how Mr. McMahon didn't dive into the explicit details of his ongoing lawsuit with former employee Janel Grant, leading to some criticisms of how it was handled.

All that being said, I think there is an appetite for wrestling fans who may want to see a documentary about the career of Hulk Hogan, and remember the icon that inspired so many young children to grow up into becoming wrestling fans. Hulkamania wasn't just a flash in the pan, and while his star and worldwide appeal had certainly faded in recent years, I'm sure a few Hulkamaniacs will tune in to see what new footage or information could come out of it.

With no news of a documentary, wrestling fans will just need to watch Monday Night Raw on Netflix on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET until we learn more. I wouldn't be surprised if we see more tributes from the WWE for the Hulkster in the coming weeks, or get more tributes from wrestlers who are still working on how they intend to honor his legacy.

No, I’m not talking about WrestleMania 41’s biggest mistake. The main event very infamously didn’t include The Rock but did include Travis Scott in what turned out to be one of the most poorly received segments in WWE history. The main event rematch between Cody Rhodes and John Cena may try to do some retroactive damage control there, but ultimately, we won’t know until the match actually happens. Instead, I’m talking about the match that wasn’t on the card.

For the last year or so, the SmackDown tag team division has been fantastic. More than a half dozen teams have put significant work into building real storylines and putting on compelling matches. Fans just assumed at least two of the teams would be rewarded with a well-deserved spot on the WrestleMania 41 card, but instead, the Street Profits vs Motor City Machine Guns vs DIY was bizarrely relegated to the SmackDown after ‘Mania. Social media complained loudly and aggressively at the time, but it didn’t change anything, as everyone involved in the division was cut from The Showcase Of The Immortals.

The decision seemed like a confusing mistake at the time, and it looked even worse after the three teams put on an all-time fantastic Tables, Ladders and Chairs match at the SmackDown after ‘Mania. Many fans called it one of the best tag team matches they’d ever seen, and there was near universal agreement that it would have been one of the best matches at ‘Mania 41 had it made the card. Thankfully, it seems WWE is ready to make up for its mistake.

At the end of SmackDown, commissioner Nick Aldis announced that this year’s SummerSlam will feature a TLC match that includes tag team champions The Wyatt Sicks defending against DIY, The Street Profits, Motor City Machine Guns, Fraxium and Andrade and Rey Fénix. SummerSlam might not be WrestleMania, but it’s universally considered either the second or third most important PLE of the year, depending on how a person feels about the Royal Rumble. Making the card is always a huge achievement, and if the teams are able to pull off anything like the previous TLC match at ‘Mania, it’ll go down as a first page career highlight for everyone involved.

I’m a big believer in rewarding the people doing good work on television with matches at PLEs. The tag team division on SmackDown deserved a WrestleMania match for all they did to rehab the division. They didn’t get one, but it warms my heart to see WWE trying to make up for it with a big showcase at SummerSlam. Fingers crossed they can use it to continue the momentum and show a huge audience how great tag team wrestling can be.

For those of you outside the wrestling bubble, Hulk Hogan and The Rock had one of the most famous and beloved wrestling matches in the history of the business all the way back in 2002. The Rock was the ascending star, in his prime and ready to become the face of the entire business. Hulk Hogan was nearly fifty and slowing down. The two put on a classic that’s still cited as the WrestleMania standard for crowd reaction to this day. You can check out The Rock’s post below…

Whenever anyone asks me to explain professional wrestling and why I love it so much, I use this match, Hulk Hogan and The Rock at WrestleMania X8, as the example. In one corner, you have The Hulkster, the 1980s icon who made professional wrestling cool but by 2002, was well past his prime. In the other corner, you have The Rock, a mega-star very much in his prime but who hadn’t yet reached the heights of Hogan.

Wrestling is at its best when it gives you these clear contrasts, when it makes you choose between two competing visions of where things are going to go. Do you want to see The Hulkster stay on top a little longer and relive the nostalgia, or do you want to see the torch passed to the next generation and The Rock become the face of professional wrestling?

You can hear in the video how much fans care. You can hear how many in Toronto that day and millions more watching at home wanted to hang on to The Hulkster for just a little bit longer because they knew, in some small way, if he lost, it would be over. He did lose, and while he wrestled for many more years, he never wrestled in a match that mattered that much on a stage that big. It was the end of an era, and The Rock has frequently referenced it as one of the moments that made him.

That’s professional wrestling, and no one will ever represent wrestling more than Hulk Hogan. Ric Flair may have won more world championships. The Rock and John Cena may have achieved a lot more in Hollywood. Many, many guys may have surpassed his technical in-ring skill, but no one has ever made more people turn and look at professional wrestling than Hulk Hogan. No one has ever been able to get more people to tune in and care about what’s happening. More than 30 million people watched The Hulkster and Andre The Giant on network TV in the late 80s because he made people care.

The Rock grew up in the wrestling business, but you can tell from his story about catching Hulk’s headband that, like millions and millions of kids in the 80s, he was in awe of Hulkamania. Hogan was on a different level. He was the main event and the attraction people came to see, and he built a special bond with a significant percentage of kids of a certain age. He made them feel something watching wrestling, and ultimately, that’s the entire point.

If you read a lot of tributes from fans, so many of them are the same. They were a kid in the 80s, they went to a live show and they had some tiny interaction with Hogan that mattered so much. They caught his headband or gave him a high five or saw him at the grocery store and he took a moment to be kind and interact. Decades later, they still remember, and as wrestling fans, we'll never forget how he made us feel.

I can't wait to watch The Rock and Hogan at WrestleMania X8 and relive the glory later today.

CinemaBlend was present for Mattel's toy panel at San Diego Comic-Con 2025, where Jacob Fatu was present along with Giulia, Jey Uso, and CM Punk to see the latest figures revealed for the rest of the year and 2026. Fatu has a few figures on the way coming to stores that show off his gear from PLE's available with a Peacock subscription, and talked about how that relates to his previous job in retail:

Fatu remarked later that talking about the moment made him so emotional he had to slip on his sunglasses so the attendees wouldn't see him crying. It was an emotional moment for the crowd to see a usually tough wrestler show so much vulnerability, but they appreciated it all the same. The crowd gave plenty of applause to the response, and I'd argue it went over as well as Jey Uso running his song back twice for the audience to "Yeet" along with him.

Later in the panel, Fatu talked about how he and his Samoan cousins (many of whom are in WWE) were well-accustomed to wrestling action figures thanks to their family members. All this to say, he wasn't just interested in looking at wrestling toys because he believed he'd one day be in the WWE; there was a nostalgia element to it as well:

I'm not really surprised that Jacob Fatu, Solo Sikoa, Roman Reigns, and Jey and Jimmy Uso were raised on wrestling toys, especially given they've all found their place in the WWE. Professional wrestling is literally in their blood not just because of their family ties, but because it was all they've been raised in since they were children!

Outside of the emotional moments, there was a lot of fun to be had during the Mattel panel. CM Punk, who was a surprise guest at the event, noted that we're approaching a point of where an upcoming WWE event might just have to be a Royal Rumble comprised of every Samoan in the company. We're not quite at the number 30, though I would be interested to see if it could happen if a couple of able-bodied Samoan legends came out of retirement.

Provided Rikishi still isn't up in arms about Jey Uso's booking, I'd be down to see him do the "Too Cool" dance in the ring just one more time? Hell, I even think "The Final Boss" Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson could be swayed to show up, though with how WrestleMania 41 went with him, I wouldn't be shocked if the WWE balked on giving him a call.

WWE's Mattel toy line is rolling out across many different waves across several different major retailers throughout 2025 and 2026. CinemaBlend saw some really cool things that are coming down the pipeline, and all I can say is keep an eye peeled on what's rolling out in the months to come!

In his many decades of entertaining in the ring, Hulk Hogan will long be remembered for as many of the biggest heel moves that he pulled with the nWo as any of his accomplishments as a babyface. (Bodyslamming Andre the Giant probably takes the cake there.) So it only makes sense to start with a tribute from another beloved athlete with a Top 5 most shocking heel turn.

Sting

Fellow nWo member and former yellow-haired Sting shared this on X:

Kevin Nash

Keeping the nWo train going, Kevin Nash shared his own mournful message on X that namechecked the villainous faction that the pair co-created along with the late Scott Hall, who passed away in 2022.

Nash shared an additional post on Instagram that namechecked Brooke and Nick Hogan, the Hulkster's two kids with ex-wife Linda.

Vince McMahon

Perhaps the one who owes more of his career success to Hulk Hogan than anyone else, former WWE CEO Vince McMahon also paid respects with some very complimentary words on X.

The Undertaker & Kane

The polar opposite of Hulk Hogan tanned and brightly colored aesthetic was The Undertaker's pallour and all-black attire. But such a gimmick might never have caught on without the surge in popularity that led to so many quirky personas in the '90s, which necessarily means the Taker's faux brother Kane wouldn't have been created. The two athletes both paid respect on social:

• THE UNDERTAKER: The wrestling world has lost a true legend. His contributions to our business are immeasurable and for that I am appreciative. Thank you, Hulk Hogan.
• KANE: Hulk Hogan was a true legend. I was fortunate to work with him a couple of times, including this memorable one. It was easy to do a Hulkster impersonation when, like millions of guys my age, I'd practiced it in the mirror a thousand times growing up. #RIPHULKHOGAN

Shawn Michaels & Triple H

Two of the biggest WWE headliners whose names weren't Hulk Hogan, though one of them does carry on the same alliterative naming, Shawn Michaels and Triple H grew as Superstars in the wake of Hogan's reign, and who knows if Degeneration X would have ever existed if not for the nWo's antagonistic and anarchic run.

• SHAWN MICHAELS A legend. A larger-than-life presence. Hulk Hogan didn’t just work in this business… he transformed it. Rest in peace, Hulkster.
• TRIPLE H: WWE would not be where it is today without the larger-than-life characters that compete in the ring … and few, if any, loomed larger than Terry 'Hulk Hogan' Bollea. He was the archetype of what it meant to be a 'Superstar' - a global sensation that inspired millions to work hard at whatever it was they wanted to accomplish and a look that made him recognizable to fans around the world. . . . There was no one like The Hulkster and there very well may never be another.

Ric Flair, Kurt Angle & Matt Cardona

While not as marketable as an action star or vitamin bottle mascot, Ric Flair has been every bit as successful a pro wrestler as Hogan, and has had his own share of health scares over the years, which he refers to in his message. Superstars Kurt Angle and Matt Cardona both credited Hogan with inspriing them to become wrestlers in the first place.

• RIC FLAIR: I Am Absolutely Shocked To Hear About The Passing Of My Close Friend @HulkHogan! Hulk Has Been By My Side Since We Started In The Wrestling Business. An Incredible Athlete, Talent, Friend, And Father! Our Friendship Has Meant The World To Me. He Was Always There For Me Even When I Didn’t Ask For Him To Be. He Was One Of The First To Visit Me When I Was In The Hospital With A 2% Chance Of Living, And He Prayed By My Bedside. Hulk Also Lent Me Money When Reid Was Sick. Hulkster, No One Will Ever Compare To You! Rest In Peace My Friend!
• KURT ANGLE: R.I.P Hulkster, thank you for opening up doors for so many people in the business including myself. There would not be a Kurt Angle, without the American Made, Hulk Hogan. My heart and prayers go out to his family. We lost a real icon today.
• MATT CARDONA: If it wasn’t for Hulk Hogan, I don’t know if I’d be a pro wrestler or even a pro wrestling fan. RIP Hulkster. Hulkamania will live FOREVER!!!

Sylvester Stallone & George St. Pierre

Tributes were of course shared by far more than just pro wrestlers, with a pair of notable posts shared by Sylvester Stallone, who worked with Hogan on arguably the franchise-best Rocky III, and former UFC champion George St. Pierre, who had something of a Hogan-esque impact on popularizing MMA.

• SYLVESTER STALLONE: I had the pleasure of meeting this brilliant personality and showman when he was 26 years old. He was absolutely wonderful and his amazing skill made Rocky three incredibly special. My heart breaks. I think that he’s gone…
• UFC VET GEORGE ST. PIERRE: They say you should never meet your idols, but meeting Hulk Hogan made me admire him even more. He was so generous with his time and an inspiration not only as an athlete and entertainer, but also as a human being. He will be missed by us all. RIP Hulk Hogan 🙏

Plenty of other tributes (and unsurprisingly a ton of non-tributes) are still being shared across the internet as the news of Hogan's death continues making the rounds.

R.I.P. to the Hulkster, and best wishes to all the mourning Hulkamaniacs out there.

After weeks of disputed rumors surrounding his current health status, Hogan passed away on the morning of Thursday, July 24, 2025. 9-1-1 operators reported the involvement of a cardiac arrest at his Clearwater, Florida residence, according to TMZ.

EMTs were dispatched to the athlete's home, and it's said that there were a number of police cars and other emergency vehicles parked in front of it. He was carried out of the house on a stretched and loaded into an ambulance. It's unclear at the time of writing exactly when he passed away.

In mid-June, reports surfaced that claimed Hogan was dealing with major complications from a surgical procedure done to his neck in May, which was publicly touted as being a minor situation. Hogan had joked in the past that he'd had so many surgeries in his life that none of his parts were the originals, and has also spoken out about additions to pain meds. Despite that medical history, he reportedly didn't spend much time in recovery mode afterward, and jumped right back into promoting his new wrestling promotion with Eric Bischoff.

Soon after that, the Rocky III co-star was rumored to be on his "deathbed" after his health purportedly dipped in relation to his prior surgery. Hogan's former BFF Bubba the Love Sponge claimed that he was told family and friends were being called in to say their final goodbyes.

However, those reports were said to be overblown and incorrect by members of the athlete's camp, to the point where the day before Hogan died, his former manager Jimmy "Mouth of the South" Hart, posted on X that all was well, and that Hogan was out on the town the night prior, adding even more confusion.

It's unclear exactly what was happening with Hulk Hogan in the weeks prior to his death, and also unclear if and when more details will be offered up.

Widely credited with helping bring worldwide popularity to the floundering world of professional wrestling, Hulk Hogan and longtime WWE CEO Vince McMahon turned Hulkamania into a household name, and solidified sporting pay-per-view events as a new norm.

The athlete went from hocking vitamins to kids and starring in movies like Suburban Commando and Mr. Nanny to selling arguably the biggest heel turn in wrestling history when he joined Kevin Nash and Scott Hall's game-changing nWo (New World Order) faction.

In the last 20 years or so, Hogan bounced from WWE to Memphis Wrestling to TNA and back to the WWE for a stint that infamously crashed and burned in 2015 when a leaked sex tape went public that featured Hogan's repeated use of racial slurs. The WWE temporarily cut ties with the athlete and removed him from the Hall of Fame, but went back on those decisions three years later. Hogan was invited back to Raw in January 2019 to pay tribute to the late Gene Okerlund.

Hogan, who successfully sued Gawker for publishing a clip of his sex tape (putting them out of business), became far more of a legitimately polarizing figure outside of kayfabe in the years before his death, due to both his racist remarks (which he offered public apologies for) and for his politics.

The WWE paid tribute to Hulk Hogan on social media with the following message, and I wouldn't be surprised if more than a few compliation videos are promoted on the company's YouTube and other platforms.

Hogan's new promotion with Eric Bischoff, Real American Freestyle, landed a deal with Fox Nation, and is set to premiere its first televised event on August 30. One can imagine it will kick off with a lengthy tribute to its late co-founder.

The athlete is survived by his third wife Sky Daily, whom he wed in September 2023, as well as his two children from a previous marriage, Brooke and Nick Hogan. The latter pair, along with their father and mother Linda, were all featured on the reality TV show Hogan Knows Best, which aired on VH1 from 2005-2007.

We at CinemaBlend send our thoughts and condolences to Hogan's family and friends during their time of mourning.

The two wrestlers have a fleeting appearance in the trailer for WWE: Unreal, but they make the most of it with Punk asking the former women's champion if she's ever "shit herself" in the ring. Well aware that the cameras were on her, Flair had a very diplomatic response:

I can't wait to see the full context of this scene, because the implication would seemingly be there was a time when CM Punk might've pooped himself in the ring, and that he maybe wanted someone else to also say they suffered such an unfortunate experience. Either that, or maybe he knows someone who did. A "friend," if you will.

Wrestling is a very physical profession, and accidents happen all the time. If someone put me through a table at an upcoming WWE event, I might pee a little, even if I was expecting it.

I'll be interested to see if the WWE is just as open about the other facets of what goes on behind the scenes, and just how "real" WWE: Unreal is. We already know the events that will be covered, and some of them have some pretty big controversies attached to them.

The big measuring stick for me won't be wrestlers being honest about pee and poop, but what we learn about The Rock not being involved in WrestleMania 41. Dwayne Johnson has publicly tried to defend his decision not to be involved after being heavily inserted in the story at the start, but I'd love to know the full story of what all transpired and led to that story collapsing.

As for the overall vibe of WWE: Unreal's first trailer, it feels similar to other WWE-produced documentaries the company has done in the past on other PLE events. I'm not seeing a ton to make me feel this show will be any different than that, unless we're seeing people talk about potential angles to use for storylines or alternate plans in place that could've happened had a superstar gotten injured in the ring. I'll be thrilled if we get more of that, and less about wrestlers talking about their bodily fluids and all that.

WWE: Unreal is premiering on Netflix on July 29th. Get hype for yet another piece of WWE content to hit the streaming platform, and hopefully, some more details about what goes on in WWE when the fans aren't in the stands and watching.

Before we get into those two huge decisions though, let’s recap what happened with Rollins at Saturday Night’s Main Event. The multi-time world champion was wrestling LA Knight when he did a series of flips off the ropes. During the last one, he landed on his feet but immediately grimaced in pain and went down in the corner. The referee stopped the match to allow him to confer with his manager Paul Heyman and a ringside doctor before he got up and immediately ate LA Knight’s finisher for a quick 1, 2, 3 loss.

WWE, of course, writes fake injuries into matches and storylines all the time, but this didn’t feel like that. It felt like a legitimate issue, which was seemingly confirmed by several prominent wrestling journalists after the match. PWInsider said the original plan was for Rollins to win the match, but an audible was called on the fly so he could put LA Knight over.

Losing any wrestler to an injury is always frustrating, but it’s a particularly big problem for WWE in Rollins’ case. You could make a reasonable argument that he’s been the main character of the entire product post-WrestleMania, and he’s currently involved in two integral storylines that are going to need to be adapted in a major way if he misses significant time. Let’s talk those out…

What To Do About The Money In The Bank Briefcase

The most obvious problem for WWE is the Money In The Bank briefcase. Rollins won the popular plot device, which allows the holder a title shot anytime they want it, back in June, and it was widely assumed he’d successfully cash in at SummerSlam or another prominent event later this year to grab a world championship again. That’s now very much in doubt. In fact, the briefcase’s powers expire next June; so, if he’s going to be out longer than that, he won’t even be able to cash in after he gets back from injury.

As I see it, WWE basically has three options here. First, they can have Rollins hold onto the briefcase and see if he can be back in time to use it at some point down the road. He has eleven months or so to get back, which, depending on his injury, might be enough. It would be wild not to see him for almost a year, only to get a surprise return where he cashes in on someone and wins a world championship. That’s the highest upside option to create a memorable moment.

Second, they can have Rollins hold onto the briefcase and simply not cash in. There’s no requirement that the briefcase holder has to cash it in. Rumors have swirled for a long time that Triple H allegedly doesn’t love the plot device, and he’s been widely criticized for some of his booking decisions with the briefcase the last few years. He might simply want to move on from it and crown a new winner next year.

Third, they can transfer the briefcase to someone else by whatever means they want. There’s a history of WWE bailing on Money In The Bank briefcase winners and giving the the power to someone else. Back in 2020, WWE did exactly that to Otis and had him lose it to The Miz, who later cashed in on Drew McIntyre. Holding a tournament to crown a new winner or even having a ladder match at SummerSlam would be an easy way to build interest in a non-title match.

What To Do About Seth’s New Faction

With all due respect to Money In The Bank, this is honestly my bigger concern because of how it directly impacts two rising stars. After WrestleMania, Rollins launched a new faction alongside Hall of Fame manager Paul Heyman and rising stars Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. The group has been a prominent part of Monday Night Raw in the time since, often main eventing and/ or opening the show.

Rollins has been one of WWE’s top guys for years, and you could make a strong case that he’s been one of the biggest keys to the company’s resurgence. He doesn’t have the star power of Roman Reigns and hasn’t been pushed as hard as Cody Rhodes, but he’s played a key role in so many main event level storylines. He’s like his generation’s Triple H. I suspect this new faction was an attempt to try and make him literally the biggest star in the company with his own version of Evolution.

That ascendancy is gonna be delayed for awhile if Rollins does have a serious injury, but perhaps the more important question is what that means for Breakker and Reed. I’ve complained a bit about how the two lost some personality and agency when the faction first launched, but last week, each was given extended promo time and allowed to show off more personality. The faction really seemed like it was starting to come into its own. Now its future is very much in doubt.

Will WWE keep the two together with Paul Heyman while Rollins is out? I hope so. Triple H and company could decide to cut their losses and have them go do their own thing, but I’d rather they be given an opportunity to step up and continue with the vision. We’ll just have to wait and see though.

To Sum Up

I don’t know what’s going to happen with Rollins. I don’t know how long he’s going to be out for, but if he’s going to miss a serious length of time, WWE is going to need to decide what to do about the above. They’ve got a major decision to make about the Money In The Bank briefcase and a major decision to make about Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker.

Rollins’ injury is a terrible blow and not what WWE needs right now, especially with a bunch of other injuries and Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes cast in the new Street Fighter movie. It’s also an opportunity, though. Amidst the chaos, there’s a chance here to turn Reed and Breakker into bigger stars, and there’s a chance to do something fun with the Money In The Bank briefcase, either by putting it on someone else (LA Knight?) or by keeping it on Seth and letting him create an all-time memorable return. Fingers crossed the writers get it right.

Currently, Roman Reigns, Charlotte Flair, and Bron Breakker work the spear heavily into their moveset in the WWE. That doesn't even include the variety of superstars who pull it out in a pinch in a match. Goldberg is likely aware of all of those people, and yet he told SHAK Wrestling that the only person who should be using it is Breakker.

What Bill Goldberg Had To Say About Bron Breakker And The Spear

In fairness, Goldberg didn't pass the torch of the spear to Bron Breakker unprompted. He was asked about Undertaker making the comment that Breakker is deserving of being the sole carrier of the spear, and the legend said that he agrees with that sentiment wholeheartedly:

I'm not surprised to hear this, considering Goldberg excluded Bron Breakker from a video compilation he shared of weak spears in the WWE a while back. Plus I think it's fair to say that Breakker's spear to IShowSpeed during the 2025 Royal Rumble still remains one of the most brutal spots of the year, so it tracks his skills with the move are top of mind.

How Will Other Superstars Respond To This Comment?

I can't imagine there's going to be a lot of backlash coming to Goldberg from WWE superstars, especially considering he's about to have his retirement match. That said, bold move to bury Roman Reigns' ability to perform the finisher before having that retirement match, even if it is too late to reverse course.

I guess while Goldberg could end up getting hit with a receipt worse than the gash he got from that tractor accident a while back, I don't think Gunther is going to try and work stiff against the former WCW star for expressing an opinion. Plus, as he mentioned in the interview, it's the truth.

It's nice of Goldberg to give kudos to Bron Breakker, especially at a time when the latter isn't doing a lot in the WWE. He and Bronson Reed have become Seth Rollins' enforcers, and while I'm seeing them a lot when I watch Monday Night Raw with my Netflix subscription, it feels like both had their momentum on the main roster halted as a result of this new story. Perhaps a nod from Goldberg on his way out will remind WWE creatives that Breakker is a monster and needs a little more to do than just play bodyguard to Rollins.

Watch Goldberg take on Gunther on WWE's Saturday Night Main Event on NBC on Saturday, July 12th at 8:00 p.m. ET. I'm ready to see how this match plays out, and if the grizzled veteran can hit at least one more iconic spear on Gunther before saying goodbye to the world of wrestling.

The news about the partnership between Universal and WWE comes from Fightful Select, which reported that talks about this collaboration have been ongoing for the past year (via WrestlingInc.com). The wrestling organization is expected to have a presence at the event when it kicks off in late August, and I think it would be a no-brainer to have it heavily themed to Wyatt's career for a couple of reasons.

Bray Wyatt Is The Scariest Modern Wrestler In WWE History, And Has Plenty Of Interesting Lore

Before his untimely and sudden passing, Bray Wyatt was the official "boogeyman" of sorts for the WWE roster. He was charismatic and skilled enough in the ring to hold a top spot near the main event scene for years, and he captivated audiences with not one, but two distinctly different personas.

Whether Universal and WWE would decide to highlight the "Man In The Woods," a backcountry cult leader who had an obsession with the supernatural entity Sister Abigail, or "The Fiend," the concentrated rage and violence of Wyatt split between his happier, almost Pee-Wee Hermanesque self, there's no going wrong. Any and all of these would make for great a Horror Nights feature.

As a longtime wrestling fan, if you told me I had a chance to experience the insanity that was Bray Wyatt and John Cena's WrestleMania 36 match firsthand, I'd buy a ticket immediately. This kind of haunting chaos is why I'd much sooner see an attraction built around him rather than someone like Undertaker, assuming, of course, his loved ones are ok with his likeness being used in such a way.

The Wyatt Sicks Can Appear At The Parks, Giving Them More Importance Outside Of The Ring

Another big perk of having A Bray Wyatt-centric attraction at Halloween Horror Nights is that it gives the Wyatt Sicks something to do. The faction, led by Wyatt's brother Bo Dallas (Uncle Howdy), was created as a tribute to the wrestler, but the WWE has seemingly struggled to find storylines for them to participate in.

The faction is starting to ramp up once again with matches on SmackDown, and I think having them be part of the star attractions at Halloween Horror Nights would be a huge boost to their run.

I also like the idea of the Wyatt Sicks being mascots of sorts for the WWE's presence at Halloween Horror Nights, as it seems like Alexa Bliss is on her way to joining them. Bliss is a spectacular wrestler who played a big role in Bray Wyatt's late run, so it would only make sense to include her in on the fun as well.

Now, I don't necessarily expect these superstars to be taking weekends off and appearing in person at the parks on a regular basis, but if the Wyatt Sicks plus Bliss were involved, there's certainly a way for at least one of them to be present on select nights throughout the entirety of the run in August through early November. Halloween Horror Nights is already hyped enough in the theme park world, so I can only imagine what featuring a chance to meet a WWE superstar would do for ticket sales.

For now, we can only speculate and wait for official word from the WWE on whether it's partnering with Universal and what the plan is for Halloween Horror Nights. I'm excited to hear more details, and hopefully, some way for Wyatt to be honored, even if it's not completely centered around him.

After years of fan rumors and talent talking about it in interviews, WWE is finally bringing back Evolution. The women’s only PLE first showed up as a one-off back in 2018 meant to celebrate how far female wrestling had come. In the years since, the talent has taken another noticeable jump forward. The main roster now boasts more than a dozen women who are over with the crowd, and now seems like the perfect time to celebrate all that forward progress.

Not surprisingly, the card this time around is stacked and features more than a half dozen surefire future Hall of Famers, as well as multiple women that have already gotten inducted. In an ideal world, they would have gotten a little more time to build out the storylines here, but even with an abridged schedule, there’s still more than enough to get excited about.

Before I get into my theories of what’s going to happen, though, you can check out my record in predictions since I started doing this for every PLE starting at WrestleMania 38. The resume might not be good enough to get me into the Hall of Fame, but it’s certainly good enough to keep me near that main event scene. You can check out my scores for some of the bigger recent events, as well as an overall accounting.

Jacy Jayne (Champion) vs Jordynne Grace For The NXT Women’s Championship

Fair warning. I’m not an NXT expert. I watch every minute of WWE main roster programming every week, but I’m not nearly as committed to watching the stars of tomorrow develop. That being said, it’s quite obvious Triple H, Shawn Michaels and company consider Jordynne Grace a future star on the main roster. She’s gotten extended runs in the last two Royal Rumbles, and this feels like a great moment to remind fans who don’t watch NXT of what’s coming.

With all due respect to Jacy Jayne, who has plenty of potential on her own, this feels like a chance to anoint Jordynne Grace as the next coming. I expect her to win the title, look good doing it and tease fans for what’s coming between six months and a year from now when she’s inevitably called up to Raw or SmackDown.

Predicted Winner: Jordynne Grace

Iyo Sky (Champion) vs Rhea Ripley For The Women’s World Championship

I don’t know what the writers are doing with this storyline, and I’m not the only one. I think if you asked habitually online hardcore WWE fans what plot they’re most disappointed in right now, one of the top answers would be whatever is going on with Iyo Sky. She’s, of course, an absolute star and beat Rhea Ripley and Bianca Belair at WrestleMania… and then has been given almost nothing to do in the two and a half months since.

More specifically, she’s only wrestled three times, once in a draw against Stephanie Vaquer, once in a victory against Roxanne Perez and once in a victory in a tag match with Rhea Ripley against Roxanne and Giulia. That would be fine if she was in the middle of some elaborate storyline or giving promos every week, but for most of that time, she’s been a background character.

So, does that mean she’s going to lose? I don’t know. Iyo remains incredibly over with the fans. When she appears on television or wrestles, she gets huge responses, like as good as almost any woman on the roster that’s not named Rhea Ripley. There’s no obvious reason to take the title off of her, except for the facts that she’s not being used as a cornerstone of programming like a champ should and Rhea Ripley is the biggest female star in the history of the business which means there are obvious upsides to her holding the strap. I guess I’m going to pick Rhea, but I’m completely lost here.

Predicted Winner: Rhea Ripley

The Judgement Day (Champions) vs The Kabuki Warriors vs Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair vs Sol Ruca and Zaria For The Women’s Tag Team Championships

Let’s eliminate Sol Ruca and Zaria first. They should be proud they were put into this spot on a main roster PLE, but there are three potentially interesting stories to tell on the main roster with these belts. I don’t know why you’d send them down to NXT. I’m not totally ruling them out, but I think they’re definitely the least likely of the four teams.

As for the others, let’s start with the current champions Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez of Judgment Day. Until recently, the belts were held by Rodriguez and Liv Morgan, but the latter was injured, which necessitated some scrambling. Since then, we’ve been getting a lot of Raquel not really being sure if she can trust Roxanne or not. There’s one scenario here in which they lose this match and more aggressively turn on each other. There’s another scenario in which they increasingly get closer, only for Liv to return down the road and get mad about how Roxanne stole both her best friend and her title.

The highest upside for the titles, at least from a storyline standpoint, is probably putting them on Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss. The two have been flirting with joining forces for a month or so now, and their mistrust is finally starting to turn into a casual appreciation. They won their qualifying match on SmackDown and embraced afterwards. Obviously this is going to turn into a feud between the two at some point down the line, but whenever that happens, it’ll be better if we get to see the two work together and achieve something first. It’ll be better if we get a sustained run of them being friends, which’ll make a sustained run as enemies way more intriguing.

And you can’t discount The Kabuki Warriors. Asuka returned from an extended hiatus and lost in the finals of Queen Of The Ring. You’d have to imagine WWE will want to push her pretty hard now that she’s back. They’ve also been featuring Kairi Sane pretty regularly in singles matches on TV, as well; so, they’re clearly high on her enough to move up the card. They also feel more like a legit tag team than the other three; so, if Triple H and company actually want to relaunch this division, they’d be ideal champions to do that.

Unfortunately, the writers have never really proven they’re interested in developing the women’s tag team division. If they cared, Katana Chance and Kayden Carter never would have been cut, and The Secret Hervice wouldn’t be used to job every week to non-tag teams. So, I’m gonna go with Alexa and Charlotte because that’s the best way to make the tag belts matter.

Predicted Winner: Alexa and Charlotte

The Battle Royal

We don’t even know all the participants here, but we can rule many of them out based on the fact that the winner gets a title shot at Clash In Paris in August. Provided there aren’t any huge last minute surprises (like AJ Lee), the favorites are probably Nia Jax, Nikki Bella and Stephanie Vaquer, all of whom bring something very different to the table. Bella likely wouldn’t be a huge threat to actually win a world championship, unless she starts getting significantly bigger reactions from the crowd, but it would still be fun to see her involved in a main event program again.

Jax is the most believable as of this moment. She held a World Championship for parts of the last year and could be a believable threat to beat anyone, especially as a transitional champion. She won the battle royal at the first Evolution and is probably the safest choice. The most exciting would probably be Stephanie Vaquer. She’s still very new to the main roster but is getting incredible crowd pops every time she does anything. She’s more ready for the main event scene now than Tifffany Stratton was when she was elevated to it.

Predicted Winner: Stephanie Vaquer

Tiffany Stratton (Champion) Vs Trish Stratus For The WWE Women’s Championship

I love Trish. She’s one of the most important women in the history of WWE, and the fact that we have a women’s only PLE is a testament to the work of her, alongside Lita and other trailblazers. She’s not winning here though. She’s almost fifty and has given no indication she’s going to work a full-time WWE schedule.

That being said, that doesn’t mean Tiffy is just going to quietly win and move on here. This is a prime cash-in spot, and there’s definitely a chance Naomi uses it, especially because of how much sense it would make in the storyline. She’s currently feuding with Jade and has a match with her at Evolution that we’ll get to in a minute. Jade also has a guaranteed title shot at SummerSlam based on winning Queen Of The Ring. A victory here would give Naomi the championship and set up a rematch between the two at SummerSlam with much bigger stakes.

Predicted Winner: Tiffy Time

Naomi Vs Jade Cargill in a No Holds Barred Match

I’m expecting some shenanigans here because a clean result just doesn’t really make sense. Jade beat Naomi at WrestleMania 41 in clean fashion after an extended storyline. She then won Queen Of The Ring and has a title shot set up against Tiffany Stratton or whoever is holding the WWE Women’s Championship at SummerSlam. It doesn’t make any sense for her to lose here because it woudl stop some of her momentum heading into the biggest match of her career.

That being said, it doesn’t really make sense for Naomi to lose either. She won Money In the Bank and already took one clean loss to Jade. At some point, she’s going to cash in that briefcase, and if she’s gonna get a run as World Champion, it’s a lot more appealing to have her look at least semi-strong.

I think we’re going to see a return from Bianca Belair here. If she comes back and helps Jade beat Naomi, it won’t make either of the women look bad, and it’ll give us some new intrigue and new storylines to work into.

Predicted Winner: Jade Cargill

Becky Lynch (Champion) Vs Bayley Vs Lyra Valkyria

This is, by far, the match with the best build-in storyline. All three of these women have done a tremendous job of selling this match over the last several months, as their plots have intersected with each other to the point where there’s a really complicated and nuanced story here that many fans legit have hard feelings over. That’s compelling to watch as a viewer, but it makes it extremely hard as a predictor to figure out what’s going on. Any of these three women winning would make some level of sense.

To me, it feels like we need to make either Lyra or Bayley a heel. Some fans online are making a case that Lyra has subtly been turning to the darkside but I think it’s going to be Bayley. I think she’s going to cheat to win here, potentially in brutal fashion, and that’ll pave the way for this storyline to continue through SummerSlam, maybe in a straight up three way rematch.

Predicted Winner: Bayley

Despite temporarily being sidelined following an injury to his ribs, Dominik Mysterio is expected to be back in the ring soon and continue his run as the "greatest IC champion of all time." It seems the WWE might be making plans for him tied to upcoming WWE events, as two classic superstars tied to him may be returning to the company very soon.

While the champion is currently set up to eventually take on AJ Styles to defend his title, it seems possible he might cross paths with a family long tied to the Mysterio game. Strap in, older WWE fans, because it Guerreros might be headed back to Monday Night Raw.

The WWE Is Reportedly Bringing Back Vicky And Chavo Guerrero

News from Fightful Select has hit that Chavo Guerrero Jr. was backstage during the AAA-Worlds Collide event and telling people he was "back" in the WWE (via Newsweek). The news comes months after Guerrero took on Alberto El Patron over Fourth of July weekend for a match that ended in disqualification.

This news comes on the heels of previous announcements that his aunt, Vickie Guerrero, was telling people she was also returning to the WWE. It's great news to hear the legendary wrestler, as well as one of the most impactful women in wrestling are going to rejoin the company. Is the WWE planning to combine the both of them when they do show up?

My guess is yes, and now it seems the WWE's near-constant homages to Eddie Guerrero are starting to make sense. Don't get me wrong, Eddie is a legend in the sport, so it's always warranted, but now I think it's all to remind people of a past storyline from decades ago that will thrill many.

Is The WWE Finally Pulling The Trigger On Dom Leaning Into Eddie Guerrero's Legacy?

The Guerreros could work with any wrestlers in the company, but I'm more inclined to think they're coming in for a program with Dominik Mysterio. I say this because the latter was famously involved in a storyline in which Eddie Guerrero claimed he was Dom's real father, and had a match with Rey Mysterio for custody of the boy. Nothing to see here, Child Protective Services peeps.

In character, Dom and his father are on horrible terms, and Dom has hinted a few times that Eddie is his real father. I could see the Guerrero family coming in and taking issue with him constantly alleging that, or maybe even seeing an opportunity to get back on top with wrestling by throwing their support behind him. That said, Dom already has the support of Judgment Day helping him stay champ, does he need more than that?

Well, it depends on how things shake out for him and Judgment Day in the coming months. Roxanne Perez is cozying up to Dom, which is going to make Liv Morgan angry. Take that, plus the fact that Finn Bálor has had some jealousy of his stable member for some time, I think it's possible he's out of Judgment Day before the end of the year. With nowhere else to go, he could flock to the Guerreros and put the entire WWE on notice with their combined powers.

That said, I'm just spitballing ideas, and there are plenty of ways the Guerreros could entertain us when we're watching wrasslin with our Netflix subscription. I'm just thinking they're sitting on top of a golden opportunity here with Dom, and hopefully, Rey Mysterio could get healthy enough to be. a part of it too. We need Dom to beat up his dad so that grandmas will start booing him again!

Catch Dominik Mysterio and possibly the Guerrero family on Monday Night Raw on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET on Netflix. I welcome their arrival, should they show up soon, though we still have no idea when to expect them, and what capacity they could be involved.

While there's no shortage of interviews or wrestling documentaries that give fans an idea of how the WWE operates, nothing compares to the access granted by the company itself. Here's what we can reportedly expect when the series premieres its first batch of episodes, which will chronicle some of the most significant moments of the first half of the year.

What WWE: Unreal's First Five Episoides Will Cover

WWE: Unreal hinted at some of the things it would showcase in the first teaser released advertising it, but now we have some reported details on what to expect, thanks to Postwrestling.com. Take a look at what to expect in the first five episodes, which will be available with a Netflix subscription on July 29th:

• Episode 1: The First WWE Monday Night Raw on Netflix.
• Episode 2: 2025 Men's Royal Rumble
• Episode 3: WWE Women's Division Spotlight
• Episode 4: John Cena's Heel Turn At Elimination Chamber
• Episode 5: WrestleMania 41

It would be difficult for the WWE to do a behind-the-scenes episode of every episode of Monday Night Raw, SmackDown, or upcoming WWE PLE. As such, they had to narrow it down a bit, and there's one episode in particular I may just skip straight to because I cannot currently contain my excitement for it.

I'm Unbelievably Excited To See The John Cena Heel Turn Episode

John Cena's heel turn was shocking when it first happened, and while the appeal of the gimmick has somewhat waned for a lot of fans, I'm dying to see that episode in particular. Mainly because it hints the company will pull back the curtain on how it manages to keep some of the biggest secrets under wraps, in a company where news tends to leak out quite often.

The WWE's creative team doesn't always manage to sneak surprises past the various insiders who report on rumors and create dirt sheets for avid fans hungry for spoilers, but when they do, people are so excited. It's so rare for anything in the internet age to be a true surprise, and Cena's heel turn was one of those wild moments that had the fandom dying to know what was next.

One interesting note about this WWE: Unreal episode is that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will be providing commentary on this specific episode. I'm sure it was filmed before fans went after Johnson for not being a part of WrestleMania, which many felt impacted the storytelling of the main event. It'll be interesting to hear what he had to say about the heel turn, potentially knowing he had no intention of appearing at Mania to follow up on the reveal.

WWE: Unreal premieres its first five episodes on Netflix on July 29th. Tune in to see how the biggest creative stories from recent months came together, unless you're someone who would rather not have the magic spoiled.

Both Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker have been superstars on the rise for the past few years. Breakker has already had multiple Intercontinental Championship reigns, and Reed, prior to an injury during the main event at War Games, was clearly an ascending character and starting to get huge reactions from the crowd. On paper, the two aligning with Seth Rollins and Hall of Fame manager Paul Heyman would seem to be an exciting next step in their individual developments, but unfortunately, it’s been the exact opposite so far.

The problem is one of motivation or more specifically, a lack of motivation. By partnering with Rollins, both Breakker and Reed are now involved in main event storylines. That’s not a place either has really been, apart from the occasional short run, in the past. In theory, that sounds like a huge step forward, but the problem is they’ve lost all drive and motivation as characters, beyond serving Seth Rollins. They’re merely henchmen, there to do his agenda.

Over the last year or two, both Reed and Breakker have steadily moved up on the card and gotten fans more invested in them as characters. They’ve done this by having goals and feuds and plotlines in which they were the main character. Bronson Reed had a fantastic feud with Braun Strowman, among others. Breakker went after and ultimately won the Intercontinental Championship twice. These stories weren’t main event level programs, but they were a small corner of weekly television that fans invested in and got excited about.

Unfortunately, they don’t have their own stories anymore. They’ve been sucked into Seth Rollins’ storyline. Yes, they sometimes get their own matches, but everything is to serve the agenda of Rollins’ storyline. Yeah, Breakker still gets to do his barking thing and Reed still has the Tsunami, but their personalities have largely been lost. They’re just there to try and often fail at beating people up for Seth Rollins.

The getting beaten up part drives me absolutely crazy. Until this faction started. WWE wanted us to see Breakker and Reed as two of the most unstoppable and vicious monsters in WWE, but now, on an almost weekly basis, we see Rollins tell them to attack someone, only to run in the ring and get beat up. Yes, eventually they play the numbers game, usually with Rollins’ help, and win whatever skirmish they’re in, but they look like stooges during that process. Neither one of them should need help to at least go toe-to-toe with CM Punk or whoever else.

If you look back at the history of stables and factions in WWE, they can be divided into two groups. The ones in the first group exist merely to advocate for and elevate whoever the main character is. Everyone else is there to advance that one story, which inevitably makes them look weak. The ones in the second group exist in a more complicated world in which the characters have their own specific motivations. Yes, the side characters might be there to offer support and back-up for the main character, but the individual participants are given time to do something else, to do something for themselves.

Triple H was in plenty of notable factions over the years including DX, Evolution, the Corporation and the Authority. When those factions worked best, it was because the group’s individual members were doing different things. Road Dogg and Billy Gunn were a lot more interesting as Triple H’s back-up guys when they had their own entrance and were winning tag team championships. Evolution was a lot more interesting when Batista won The Royal Rumble.

Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker need stuff to do. It’s not enough to give them matches in which they beat one of Seth Rollins’ enemies up. They need a goal. They need space to have personalities and go on their own side missions, and they need to stop being used as stooges to get punched in the face by whoever Rollins is feuding with.

I am sure the plan is to eventually give Reed and Breakker interesting things to do, but it’s time we started speeding those plans up.

With Night of Champions around the corner, it seems safe to say neither will make the expected trip to Saudi Arabia. With that said, new reports feature some alleged details on how long they'll each be out, and one superstar's timetable for return is significantly longer than the other's.

Dominik Mysterio Is Missing Night Of Champions, But Will Be Back Soon

Amidst speculation that Dominik Mysterio possibly backed out of Night At Champions due to ongoing tensions in the Middle East, PWInsider Elite confirmed he is dealing with a legitimate ribcage injury (via WrestlingHeadlines.com). It's not ideal, but according to reports, it's not a major cause for concern either.

While the Intercontinental Champion will miss Night Of Champions and likely stay home with his saint of a wife, reports indicate that he'll be back to his regular schedule on Monday Night Raw and PLEs before too long. I'm happy to hear that, especially since I don't want him to drop the belt due to an injury that will take some time to heal. His run as champion has far exceeded my expectations, and I'm hoping it eventually leads to a world title shot.

Chad Gable Is Expected To Be Out For A Long Time

Those who watched the latest Monday Night Raw with their Netflix subscription might remember Penta's backstage attack on Chad Gable. It's since been reported by PWInsider Elite that scenario was specifically to write him out to deal with an actual injury (via Bleacher Report).

Gable is apparently in need of shoulder surgery. Coincidentally enough, it seems El Grande Americano could need it as well.

Jokes about the WWE's poor attempt to hide the luchador's true identity aside, one does have to wonder how this will impact what might be the most screentime Gable has gotten between his two personas. I've wondered if the WWE might continue the El Grande Americano gimmick and have another wrestler, such as Ludwig Kaiser or one of the Creed Brothers, wear the mask in his absence.

Recovering from shoulder surgery can be an ordeal, as an online surgery noted that it can sometimes take up to six months to heal from. This means he may not even be able to return until the Royal Rumble rolls around, if we're lucky. At least he could be eligible for WrestleMania season, assuming all goes well.

WWE's Night Of Champions streams on Peacock on Saturday, June 28th at a special start time of 1:00 p.m. ET. While it's sad we won't see either of these superstars compete, I am excited to see the big title matches and eagerly await to see who comes out on top.

Cornette was on his podcast this week when he busted out some old notes he found of talent evaluations he did for McMahon all the way back in 1997. Some of them are vicious. After reading a particularly aggressive one about Sable, co-host Brian Last asked if McMahon would have been mad at him for dragging her, given how hard he was pushing her at the time. Here was Cornette’s response…

McMahon certainly had a style of wrestling he enjoyed, and his personal taste definitely had a major impact on what WWE fans got. That being said, he was also typically quick to move on from something that wasn’t working, even if it was his idea. He fired hundreds of wrestlers that he previously brought in, and he even fired his own son Shane McMahon, who had a complicated relationship with, because he was unhappy with how he booked the 2022 Royal Rumble.

Because of that, it’s no surprise he didn’t care if the people working for him were aggressive or mean in their evaluations of various performers. Cornette is widely considered one of the most ornery and no-nonsense personalities in the history of wrestling, and McMahon employed him on and off for many years. For a long time, he even put Cornette in charge of WWE’s primary developmental territory where he was tasked with training John Cena, Brock Lesnar, Randy Orton and Batista, among many others.

Clearly, he wanted honesty out of Cornette, and while he didn’t take his advice on Sable (or Fatu, who later became Rikishi), he respected his often thoughtful perspective on others. In fact, it's pretty clear from the talent evaluations that for a few other performers, he did listen.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the talent evaluations Cornette read were the performers he was actually positive on. All of the people he was asked to evaluate were apparently under consideration to be let go, and Cornette spoke very strongly in favor of Billy Gunn and Road Dogg, as well as Bradshaw. He told McMahon that Gunn and Road Dogg had future tag team champions potential and that Bradshaw should be pushed as more of a brawler and badass.

McMahon seemed to view success in a more holistic way. It wasn’t about getting any specific character over or making something specific work, though he would give performers multiple chances if he thought they had big upside. Instead, it was about tinkering with the resources he had in order to continually eliminate the stuff that wasn’t going to work in order to find more space to experiment with stuff that could work.

I can’t remember a premium live event of the Triple H era with this much uncertainty and chaos. Even if you put aside all the turmoil in Saudi Arabia-adjacent countries in the Middle East, which led to some WWE employees allegedly getting temporarily stranded in Qatar, we only had two finalized matches for Night Of Champions heading into Monday Night Raw, one of which promptly got cancelled. That’s right. Dirty Dominik Mysterio vs AJ Styles is off because of an injury issue, leaving John Cena and CM Punk as the sole match finalized more than a week before the event.

Fortunately, that’s a rematch a lot of us have been waiting more than a decade to see, and it’s not exactly like the rest of the card is an afterthought either. It may have taken way too long to get there, but I’m excited for the finalized Night Of Champions card. A lot of the matches, even if they weren’t made official weeks ago, have been quietly building for awhile like Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu, Rhea Ripley and Raquel Rodriguez and Sami Zayn and Karrion Kross.

I have a lot of theories as to what is going to happen, but before I get into those, here’s a quick look at how I’ve been doing with my predictions. As a reminder, I’ve given my thoughts ahead of every PLE since WrestleMania 38, and while I’m not exactly The Undertaker at WrestleMania, I’m still pretty pleased with this performance…

Randy Orton Vs Cody Rhodes In The King Of The Ring Final

Randy Orton has been pushed as the sentimental favorite by the commentary team, who have referenced him losing in the finals to Gunther under questionable circumstances last year. Given how over he is with the crowd and his status as a future Hall of Famer, he should always be considered a threat to win anything. It would tell a nice circular story to see him get a bit of redemption in the tournament, but I just don’t see it happening here.

The King Of The Ring winner is going to get a shot at either John Cena or Gunther in a World Championship match at SummerSlam. We just saw Orton lose to Cena a few months ago in a match no one thought he was going to win, and we watched him lose to Gunther multiple times last year. I definitely believe he has at least one more World Championship run in him before he retires, but none of the circumstances make sense for it to be right now.

Meanwhile, Cody Rhodes trying to win The WWE Championship back that he lost at WrestleMania seems like a SummerSlam main event to me. Whether Cena holds onto the title or CM Punk beats him, it doesn’t really matter. Rhodes versus either of those guys is a match fans want to see and one that would sell a lot of tickets.

Predicted Winner: Cody Rhodes

Jade Cargill Vs Asuka In The Queen Of The Ring Final

I’m a lot more conflicted on the ending here. I could make a good case for why either of these two should win. Asuka just returned from an injury that kept her out for over a year, and while she’s been a World Champion before, many WWE fans feel the company has never pushed her hard enough and for long enough. A win here would likely set up a match at SummerSlam with Iyo Sky. Given their shared history both inside and outside WWE, there’s all the ingredients to create a really intriguing storyline.

You could say the same thing for Jade Cargill. Well, sort of. There’s not really a compelling story there with WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton, but there certainly is with Naomi who holds the Money In The Bank briefcase. We’ve already seen multiple teases of Naomi almost cashing in on Tiffy Time, and if she does, Cargill would be the perfect opponent for her at SummerSlam. Plus, it would leave the door open for Bianca Belair to somehow get involved, or at least be an interested observer likely to feud with whoever wins.

I would love to see Asuka and Iyo Sky at SummerSlam, but I think WWE is going to see more upside in the Cargill, Naomi and Bianca Belair storyline. Plus, I kind of feel like we’re going to get Iyo and Rhea Ripey at SummerSlam; so, I’ve got to ride with Jade.

Predicted Winner: Jade Cargill

Jacob Fatu (Champion) Vs Solo Sikoa For The United States Championship

Credit to Solo Sikoa and the writers backstage for realizing his character wasn’t working. He had some aura after he was first called up to serve as Roman Reigns’ chief enforcer, but too many losses in key spots and the emergence of Jacob Fatu made it impossible to see him as a credible main eventer. Everyone involved could have tried to keep forcing it, but instead, they moved his character into a much more comedic direction.

That pivot has allowed him to show off his personality, which has a loveable and goofy energy like his brother Big Jim Uso. If Jey sticks with singles for a few more years, I could definitely see WWE finding a way to bring together Solo and Big Jim for a wacky tag team run that could get over big time with fans. I’d love to see that.

But all of that is also why he’s obviously going to lose here. Jacob Fatu is still on the serious path, and he has future WrestleMania main eventer potential. He’s been a dominant United States Champion, and losing to someone who is often depicted as hapless would be a big blow to his momentum. I guess we could see a storyline where JC Mateo interferes or another new Bloodline member debuts, but I just don’t get why you’d want Fatu to take a loss here.

Predicted Winner: Jacob Fatu

Rhea Ripley Vs Raquel Rodriguez In A Street Fight

Raquel is another performer who I think has really started to find her footing. There was some grumbling online when she was first paired with Liv Morgan and Judgment Day. To be honest, she seemed a little stiff and out of place during her first few appearances, but that’s definitely not the case anymore. She’s really started to get comfortable with her character, and she’s also low key delivered some of the best matches in the history of the women’s tag team division alongside Morgan. When they’re given time and good opponents, they can bring it.

It’s a credit to her that she feels like a believable opponent for Rhea Ripley, but let’s be honest, she’s not beating Rhea Bloody Ripley. Mamí is the biggest star in the history of women’s wrestling, and if she’s going to be in non-title programs, she needs to win an overwhelming majority of the feuds she’s involved in. That means beating Rodriguez here.

I think the better question isn’t who is going to win this match. It’s how much time is this match going to get. For Raquel’s sake, I’d love for this to get fifteen minutes or so and have some back-and-forth action. If Raquel has the upper hand for even 40% of this match, that’s a big win for her character and will make taking a loss here very worth it.

Predicted Winner: Rhea Ripley

Karrion Kross Vs Sami Zayn

Hardcore wrestling fans have gotten behind Karrion Kross in a big way over the last several months. He’s done some great work in limited minutes interacting with characters behind the scenes on Raw, and his social media game has been top notch, as he’s delivered several talking head promos and press conference appearances that have circulated widely on social media. His merchandise has started moving at head-turning rates, and the loudest fans online, or the IWC as they’re called, would love to see this be the start of a big Kross push.

Win or lose here, it feels like that’s happening. This match is his first at a premium live event since WrestleMania 40, and it’s his first singles match at a PLE since 2022. That’s a big vote of confidence, and it will hopefully lead to him and Scarlett getting re-signed and given more and more opportunities in big moments.

Whether or not he wins this match, however, likely has a lot more to do with Sami Zayn and what WWE wants to do with his character. Zayn’s run over the last several years has been the stuff dreams are made of. He became a prominent part of The Bloodline, main evented WrestleMania 39 and ended Gunther’s historic Intercontinental run at WrestleMania 40. Since then, however, he’s been stuck in the mud a little bit. The fans still love him, but he’s been unable to really get to a World Championship level, which he’s been loudly announcing he wants to do for more than a year.

There’s a scenario here where he wins and starts building back up in a conventional, babyface way to try and get another World Championship shot. Then again, there’s another scenario where he loses to Kross, who has been telling him he needs to get his hands dirty for months, and uses that as inspiration to turn heel. We’ll see.

Predicted Winner: Karrion Kross

John Cena (Champion) Vs CM Punk For The WWE Championship

I always thought CM Punk was going to be the guy to take the title off John Cena after he turned heel. They have so much shared history, and Punk is due for another run at the top. He’s earned a chance to be the face of WWE for a little while, but the vibes feel off here. I just don’t know that Triple H, Bruce Prichard and company would take the strap off Cena at an afternoon PPV in Saudi Arabia, especially with a two night SummerSlam outside New York City happening in a little more than a month.

It also feels a little early in Cena’s retirement tour for him to lose. They may want him to reestablish himself as a babyface before he goes, but he doesn’t need half a year to do that. I also don’t really get what he’d do at SummerSlam if he loses here. The only goal he ever talks about is leaving with the title. If he loses, it stands to reason he’d want to go after the title, not try and even the score with Solo Sikoa or something random like that.

I don’t know that this match is going to end whatever is going on between CM Punk and John Cena. It feels like there’s a lot more meat left on the bone, especially after Cena’s fantastic Pipe Bomb promo during Monday Night Raw. Punk needs a chance to answer back on the microphone. Because of that, I expect a finish that leaves the door open for more to happen.

Predicted Winner: John Cena

Night Of Champions will stream on Saturday afternoon on Peacock in The United States and in Netflix in most other countries. On both services, it's free with a paid subscription.

With The Washington Post reporting that U.S. military bases in countries close to Iran are making preparations for the conflict to spread to their regions, it's worth noting that Saudi Arabia and Iran both have borders on the Persian Gulf. Fightful Select inquired about WWE's plan for the Premium Live Event given recent happenings, and allegedly received some details about where things stand and whether fans will be able to stream it with a Peacock subscription this coming weekend (via RingsideNews.com).

The WWE Is Reportedly "Monitoring" The Situation In Iran Ahead Of Night Of Champions

Night of Champions is supposed to show a much-anticipated title match where the dastardly John Cena attempts to further ruin pro wrestling by defeating CM Punk in Saudi Arabia, but as mentioned, some wonder if that will happen. After all, it will be a highly publicized event with American superstars, and a potential nearby target that Iran could go after for a retaliatory response should it choose to do so.

Fightful Select reported that those within WWE are monitoring the situation, but it's worth mentioning that the time to make a decision is winding down. Participating talent are scheduled to fly to Saudi Arabia midweek, as they are filming a three-hour SmackDown in Riyadh before the live PLE that Saturday. It was noted that, as of Sunday afternoon, the setup was proceeding as scheduled overseas, indicating that the current plan is to continue holding the event as originally scheduled.

How The WWE's Relationship With Saudi Arabia May Impact The Decision Regarding Night Of Champions

It was noted in the report that one source inside the WWE was of the opinion that Night of Champions would not be canceled. That person's reasoning stemmed from the wrestling company's ongoing relationship with Saudi Arabia, as well as the fact that next year's Royal Rumble is already scheduled to take place in the country.

It's possible that Night of Champions and Royal Rumble were negotiated as a package deal, though there was no elaboration on how this event would impact the other. It was said in 2021 that the WWE made more money in five Saudi Arabia shows than it made from the ticket sales of every WrestleMania ever (via Reddit). The country isn't hesitant to use its resources to entice the WWE into continue coming back, which is why there were rumors about Vince McMahon selling the company to the country's investment firm way back when.

While the Night of Champions match card is exciting, the biggest draw for this event is another iconic showdown between CM Punk and John Cena. This will be the first time that he's challenged for the Undisputed Universal title since returning to the WWE, and the first time that he's taken on John Cena in a singles match in many years. As one of the bucket list opponents that fans want to see Cena take on before his retirement, it would be a shame to see it cancelled, but the safety of the performers should ultimately come first if it's considered unsafe.

Check out the promo for the event below, which remains live on WWE's YouTube page.

For the moment, Night of Champions is still scheduled to stream live on Peacock on Saturday, June 28th, at 12:00 p.m. ET. We will have to wait and see if there are any changes to those plans, and what may happen in the event the WWE has to cancel the event.

One of wrestling's biggest names may be in poor health, according to recent rumors hitting the web this morning. Hulk Hogan is allegedly on his deathbed following surgery complications, though the story has been disputed by members in the WWE Hall of Famer's camp.

The report comes from the Bubba The Love Sponge Show, whose host Bubba was Hogan's former best friend who was tied up in the wrestler's much-publicized legal battle with Gawker. The radio host said he had reliable sources that claimed the former WWE champion was in the hospital, and that the situation didn't look good. As he put it:

The news may come as a shock to wrestling fans, many of whom might've seen Hulk Hogan up to a lot in 2025 thus far. From an appearance on Monday Night Raw to starting a freestyle wrestling league, he's kept plenty busy, though Bubba The Love Sponge implied that a hectic schedule might've led to this alleged incident.

As for what exactly was going on, the details are unclear. The radio host laid out the situation as he knows it in broad strokes and talked about how Hogan's busy schedule might've landed him in the hospital to begin with:

Hogan is no stranger to rumors tied to his health, and even those close to him are known to talk out of turn about his wellbeing, with Ric Flair starting his own rumors a while back.

Rumors About Hulk Hogan's Health Reportedly Overblown

Since this news came out, TMZ spoke to a rep for Hulk Hogan, who shot down the rumor he was on his deathbed. It was noted that the hospitalization was for similar ailments he's dealt with in the past, and that the Hulkster was on the mend and reportedly moving around.

Hulk Hogan has long been a polarizing figure in the world of professional wrestling, with many crediting him for the early success of the WWE. At the same time, Hogan has come under fire over the years for his treatment of other wrestlers backstage and for a leaked sex tape in which he used racial slurs.

Much like former WWE chairman Vince McMahon, who was ousted from the company amidst a lawsuit alleging some horrific acts, Hogan's legacy will forever be complicated. There's certainly a question of how the company would respond in the event of his passing, and just how much the WWE would acknowledge and honor him. The company is currently partnered with Hogan's Real American Beer as an official partner of the alcohol brand.

CinemaBlend would like to offer well wishes to the family and friends of Hulk Hogan, and hope he's on the road to recovery in the hospital. This is some news that would rock the wrestling world one way or another, so I imagine an update on the superstar and his health will come in due time.

The wrestler named his title shot at Clash At The Castle as a memorable low point during a recent interview with Cultaholic. For readers who may not remember, McIntyre looked as though he'd defeat Roman Reigns for the Universal Championship, but the surprise debut of Solo Sikoa helped the champion retain. That part was bad enough, but McIntyre laid out what sends it over the top for him in the interview (via ITRWrestling.com):

I think most wrestling fans expected Roman Reigns to retain his title until WrestleMania, so McIntyre losing wasn't a huge surprise. That said, the bizarro ass moment of McIntyre then pulling boxer Tyson Fury into the ring and singing "American Pie" to a disappointed Wales audience felt like a humiliation ritual that will live on to be revisited by those with a Peacock subscription for decades to come.

I watched the clip below for the first time since the week of the event, and I couldn't even make it through the whole thing because I was cringing so hard:

Keep in mind, there were rumors ahead of this appearance that Tyson Fury was going to appear in the WWE and have a feud with one of the superstars. So, when the Manchester native joined "The Scottish Warrior" in the ring and started singing a song about three American music icons dying in a plane crash, there was some widespread confusion about what the purpose of it was. I should add that the duo also sang "Sweet Caroline" by Neil Diamond and "Don't Look Back In Anger" by Oasis, so they were really hanging that camera on them.

At the time, it was alleged that the moment was to send the Wales crowd home smiling, as they were understandably upset to see Drew McIntyre lose. As many have pointed out in the time since then, however, moments like that are typically done when the cameras are no longer rolling. To air the moment live out for everyone watching made it seem weird that such an intense character like McIntyre was so jovial following one of the biggest losses of his professional wrestling career.

That's far in the past, however, and it is fair to say Drew McIntyre's journey in the WWE has only gone up from that moment. He's still a top name in the brand despite many wrestlers competing for the spotlight, with his recent injury being the only thing keeping him from television at the moment. It's unfortunate, especially considering his WrestleMania program with Damien Priest over-delivered on expectations.

Hopefully, we'll see more of Drew McIntyre soon and fewer embarrassing moments like what happened to him years ago on WWE programming. I'm hoping to see him get another championship run sometime soon, but until he's healthy again, it might be a little premature to talk about that.

Fans love wrestlers with strange gimmicks, and it doesn't get much stranger than Mr. Iguana. If you had told me we'd be fawning over a man with green face paint and a stuffed animal when watching Money In The Bank, I might have thought it was a tie-in to another streaming project available with a Peacock subscription.. Now, I'm ready to buy my own reptile-emblazoned T-shirt, and I have a feeling we'll see that kind of merch pretty soon, based on these encouraging signs.

JBL Thinks Mr. Iguana Can Do Well In The United States

John Bradshaw Layfield isn't just a beloved legend in the WWE, he's also one of the co-owners of AAA. Suffice it to say, he's going to plug anyone on the roster and hype them up as much as possible. It'd be justified with a number of promising brawlers on the AAA team, but everyone is understandably captivated by Mr. Iguana.

JBL was interviewed on Something To Wrestle and confirmed he's as big a fan of Mr. Iguana as everyone else. Not only that, he pointed out that he "lives the gimmick," and knows a good deal about the animal he gets his namesake from:

Ricky Steamboat is a phenomenal wrestler to emulate, as one of the most popular WWE wrestlers to never win the top title. It's no surprise JBL would throw that name out there for Mr. Iguana to aspire to, but could he ever reach the same level of success as "The Dragon"?

It's a lofty goal, but JBL thinks Mr. Iguana has the potential to really take his character to the next level. In fact, he's already been a big success in Mexico, and Layfield thinks he'll also hit it off with the American crowd with a few tweaks:

It's a good time to be a luchador in the WWE, as Penta continues to win over crowds. We also have Dominik Mysterio as the Intercontinental Champion, and his recent title defense against Octagòn Jr. opens the door for more AAA talent to take him on. Could Mr. Iguana be the next man up to challenge?

Mr. Iguana Received His Own Vignette On Monday Night Raw

The idea of Mr. Iguana challenging Dominik Mysterio isn't so hard to believe for me, especially after seeing his vignette on Monday Night Raw on Netflix. For those that missed it, the WWE put it up on its social media for all to see:

I'm ready to buy a stuffed iguana right now, so I'm hoping the WWE straps a rocket to this guy. Let's get Mr. Iguana going on the main roster, especially with the void for comedic wrestling left after R-Truth's character turn and Carlito's release. I think this guy could be the most PG version of Goldust we'd get in 2025.

We'll see if Mr. Iguana pops up on SmackDown, which airs on USA on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. ET. I'm eager to see what other AAA stars could be worked into the WWE roster, and how this further changes the landscape of one of pro wrestling's biggest companies.

Those watching Money in the Bank with a Peacock subscription didn't just watch R-Truth make a big return to the WWE, they also noticed the promotion completely overlooked wrestling fan and Boy Meets World actress Danielle Fishel was at the event. The show instead highlighted Travis and Kourt, but you can see Fishel just smiling away in the background...

Fishel didn't make a scene about not being singled out on camera, but many on X (Formerly Twitter) called attention to it. Many did this by throwing some shade at the Kardashian family, but if Kourtney's opinion on the haters is anything like her sister Kylie, it'll only make her stronger. As for Fishel, it looks like the love for Topanga is still going strong in 2025 as it was way back when.

• Out of the way Kardashian! That's Topanga! - @IamLawrenceFox
• DID THEY JUST IGNORE TOPANGA?? - @WrestleClips
• The REAL star in that picture… TOPANGA!!! - @DeLo_77
• They didn’t mention Topanga in the crowd #MITB - @Austin_712
• Bro to show Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker BUT NOT Topanga who was right behind them is insane #MITB #MoneyInTheBank - @Flye75

I feel the love in those tweets. These are the fans who loved the show enough to opine about regret over Topanga marrying Cory and why the ski lodge kiss happened. It's the perfect blend of a nostalgic love for someone who played a beloved '90s character, and a chance for the masses to make no bones about their feelings on the Kardashians.

Listen, Danielle Fishel's love of the WWE is well-documented with fans, and she was even spotted on-screen during the first Monday Night Raw on Netflix. In what feels hilariously ironic, she was shouted out on that show, but the wrestling company snubbed her former Boy Meets World co-star Will Friedle, sitting right next to her. Of course, people pointed that out at the time as well, which speaks to how popular ABC's TGIF was back in the day.

Fishel doesn't update social media as much as others, but she seemed unfazed by the WWE snub. A recent Instagram Story showed her wishing a happy birthday to superstar Liv Morgan, so it appears her mind is still on wrestling, regardless. As for Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian, they didn't seem fazed by any negative comments they received about their appearance at Money In The Bank, so all the celebrities are OK!

Monday Night Raw streams on Netflix on Mondays starting at 8:00 p.m. ET. Keep an eye out for who may be in the crowd in the upcoming episode, and keep an eye on social media to see how the crowd reacts to it.

Let’s back up and set up the ring real quick for those who aren’t totally in the loop. R-Truth (real name Ron Killings) has been a mainstay side character on WWE’s roster since 2008. He’s occasionally won titles and fought in big moments, but for the most part, he’s been an amusing side character who pops in for a few minutes on weekly programming, often forgetting the names of other characters or accidentally booking himself in matches with opponents he can’t possibly beat.

Last weekend, in an absolute shock, Truth announced on social media that he was informed his contract wasn’t being picked up. His fellow wrestlers in the WWE locker room responded with dozens of social media posts celebrating his work over the years, and fans dropped tens of thousands of tributes. They also vocalized a lot of anger, especially after reports emerged that Truth was informed he wasn’t being renewed, not by Triple H or higher ups in the company but allegedly instead over the phone by someone in talent relations.

Most of that anger was directed toward WWE’s new parent company TKO. Rumors emerged that his release was a cost-cutting measure, as despite being a side character, his contract was pretty hefty because of his years of service. That didn’t sit well with fans who have seen TKO steadily raise ticket prices and put advertisements all over the ring, all while bragging about record gates and lofty profits.

Initially after R-Truth’s surprise appearance last night, many fans jumped to the conclusion that the entire thing was planned from the beginning. Many assumed Truth wasn’t ever actually released and this entire thing was a set-up, or work in wrestling terms, to give fans a fun moment. WWE Head of Creative Triple H said during the press conference following Money In The Bank that it was “all part of the show,” but according to several outlets, that’s not the case. The typically reliable Fightful dropped an extensive report on what happened, and to be frank, it sounds like a behind the scenes mess.

The site claims Killings was informed of his release, made the social media post and started having conversations with other promotions and independent bookers. He allegedly wasn’t a happy camper and supposedly neither were many of his co-workers in WWE, who were especially unhappy about how it went down. After it became obvious how outraged fans were, WWE reportedly had several people reach out. They were allegedly ignored, which prompted WWE President Nick Khan to get involved. He worked out a deal with Truth himself, who later confirmed on social this wasn't planned from the beginning.

I have no idea what the full story is or what actually went down. I suspect there aren’t a ton of people outside of Truth and Khan who really know, but regardless, this should be a lesson to WWE. Cuts and tough decisions about whether to pick up contracts are a part of the wrestling business. R-Truth is 53 years old. If he makes a lot of money, I understand why WWE didn’t want to give him a five year contract. This is a business, and I don’t begrudge WWE or TKO for trying to make a healthy profit. They should.

But future Hall of Famers and performers who have been mainstay parts of WWE programming for a decade or more should be treated differently. That doesn’t mean they should be guaranteed a huge contract for life, but they deserve to be treated like legends. Guys like Randy Orton, Rey Mysterio, Sheamus, The Miz and R-Truth have made the company a lot of money and have a lifelong bond with wrestling fans. At some point, their careers are going to be over, but it’s in the best interest of WWE and the performers to at least offer them some kind of arrangement.

Be proactive. Offer them less money to come back and do less dates. Offer them a chance to work on the pre-show at PPVs. Figure out a way to keep working together. If they decide to pass and continue wrestling full-time over at AEW, TNA or somewhere else, that’s fine. Once again, you don’t need to offer them a lengthy contract at the highest salary they’ve ever made, but let them choose between staying and going. Don’t kick them out the door. They deserve better.

As a fan, I’m elated to see R-Truth back in WWE. It’s where he belongs. I’m also elated to see WWE listen and try to make things right. I hope they take notes for the next time a legend’s deal is up.

The other Money In The Bank cards The Game has booked have had seven and five matches respectively, the latter of which included a nearly 25 minute six man tag team match with extended entrances and another contest with a failed cash-in. So, how is this going to work with only four matches? Every Money In The Bank ladder match of the Triple H era featuring both the men and women has been between 16 and 21 minutes long. So, once again, where is the time going?

Are we going to get something added to the card at the last minute, perhaps one set up on this week’s SmackDown? Are we going to get an unexpected return? Will we get an unannounced segment? I’m curious and desperate to find out, as long as the answer isn’t more commercials and time wasting.

Regardless, there is a lot of good stuff already locked in. We have all the pieces for what could be the greatest women’s Money In The Bank match in history. The Lyra Valkyria and Becky Lynch match should be a banger, and my mind is jumping back and forth between multiple intriguing possibilities for which dude is going to grab the briefcase. Throw in the tag with John Cena and Logan Paul vs Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso that should have major ramifications for both world championships and there’s a lot here to be excited about, even if nothing is added.

Before I go over each contest in detail and give my thoughts, here’s a look at how I’ve been doing since I started these predictions for every PLE with WrestleMania 38. I went 4 and 1 at Backlash and am hoping to continue my winning ways.

Lyra Valkyria (Champion) Vs Becky Lynch For The Women’s Intercontinental Championship

Before I get into what I think is going to happen in this match, I need to talk about Lyra Valkyria for a minute. I was a little skeptical when Triple H, Bruce Prichard and company made her the inaugural IC Champion. At the time, she was only over with a medium-sized percentage of the crowd, and while her in-ring work was good, it didn’t necessarily strike me as more than marginally better than the average woman in the division. Wrong. I was so wrong.

Lyra is one of the more talented women in the locker room, and she’s way better than expected on the microphone. She’s also legitimately over with a lot of the crowd, and you can hear it in the woo noises during her entrance. She has the potential to be a future world champion and I’m not happy about the thought of her title run ending here. It feels like there’s a lot more meat on the bone.

Unfortunately, I think it’s going to end here because that’s what makes sense for the storyline. Becky Lynch returned after an extended absence and took out Bayley ahead of WrestleMania so she could appear on the card. They’re going to need to pay that off with a feud sooner rather than later, especially with all the fan backlash, and it’s a lot more intriguing with the Intercontinental Championship. Plus, as much as I love Lyra, Becky holding the Intercontinental Championship, with all her accolades, would do a lot to legitimize the title.

I think it’s going to be via some kind of underhanded or devious means, but I like Becky Lynch to get the win here, for all the reasons stated above, plus the stupilation in the match that she can’t challenge for the IC Title again as long as Lyra is holding it.

Predicted Winner: Becky Lynch

John Cena And Logan Paul Vs Cody Rhodes And Jey Uso

Most matches are either about winning titles or generating momentum for a character. You can predict (with reasonable accuracy) who is going to win because you can predict which character is going to move higher on the card and which character is going to be pushed down lower on the card. Unfortunately, with random tag team matches like this, it’s not about who wins or loses. It’s about the storyline WWE is trying to set up.

I thought for sure we were going to get CM Punk and John Cena for The WWE Championship as the top bill at SummerSlam, but this match makes me feel like we’re working toward running Cena and Cody Rhodes back. If that’s the case, then I think it’s likely John Cena and Logan Paul are going to win this match. How does that math work out? Get ready for this conspiracy theory.

SummerSlam is not the next PLE on WWE’s calendar. That honor belongs to Night Of Champions. I think it’s very likely John Cena is going to wrestle there for the championship, given the poster is literally him holding the belt and the PPV is called Night Of Champions. With all due respect to Saudi Arabia, I don’t think WWE is going to burn John Cena vs Cody Rhodes’ rematch at an event in Asia that starts in the afternoon US time. If Cody wins here, particularly if he pins John Cena, he’d have a reasonable case to ask for an immediate rematch, but since I don’t think that rematch is coming for two months, I think it’s likely he’s going to lose here.

Plus, that would play into Jey Uso’s storyline with Gunther, as the latter has repeatedly criticized the former for getting involved in other people’s business and has said it’ll cost him his own title. The two are set to wrestle during Monday Night Raw this week, and it would make sense for the storyline if he was injured and beat up after losing here.

Predicted Winner: John Cena and Logan Paul.

The Men’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match Featuring Seth Rollins, LA Knight, Solo Sikoa, El Grande Americano, Penta and Andrade

There are two theories on how to book a MITB match. The first is to jam in as many people as possible with a legitimate chance to win. The second is to book strong workers with a variety of styles to make the most entertaining match possible, even if many don’t actually make sense to win. This is definitely a case of the second one. So, let’s start eliminating people who can’t win.

Andrade is a great worker and had a fantastic series with Carmelo Hayes last year, but he has almost no momentum right now. He’s also the least over with the crowd in this match by a mile. Penta is super over and does have a lot of momentum, but he really hasn’t interacted with people in the main event scene much at all. Typically we see MITB winners with prior experience having won a mid-card title before. That’s also a problem for El Grande Americano, whoever he is. His friend Chad Gable has won tag team gold before, but competing for a world championship seems too far a step up. Solo Sikoa has at least fought for The WWE Championship, but he’s more over as a comedy character and because of what he’s doing as a frenemy to Jacob Fatu.

That leaves two people with more than a random, WTF-was-that chance to win this year: Seth Rollins and LA Knight. Let’s start with Rollins. He’s the biggest name in the field by a mile, and he just launched a really buzzy faction with Paul Heyman, Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. Most people expect him to win the World Heavyweight Championship back sooner rather than later, and winning here would be a great way to show he’s going to be an even bigger deal for the foreseeable future. You’d certainly think you wouldn’t want him to take such a high profile loss this early in the faction’s run, right?

Well, I’m not so sure. Rollins is currently feuding with CM Punk, and there’s still the Roman Reigns of it all hanging over everyone’s heads. He’s also Seth Rollins and doesn’t need the briefcase to elevate himself or to get a title shot. Plus, Triple H has shown that he sometimes likes building up a character by having them take some losses. Just ask Drew McIntyre, who we all thought was going to be champion by now.

LA Knight is an appealing option because he’s a more traditional Money In The Bank winner. He’s won mid-card championships and is super over with the crowd. We’ve all been waiting for him to ascend to that next level, and he probably needs the briefcase in order to do that. He’s not the type of guy who could just walk into Nick Aldis’ office and demand a World Heavyweight Championship match. Plus, he’s lost in close fashion the last two years, and if he’s ever going to get to that next level, now feels like the time to get there.

Predicted Winner: LA Knight

The Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match Featuring Rhea Ripley, Stephanie Vaquer, Roxanne Perez, Naomi, Alexa Bliss and Giulia.

This is, without question, the match I’m most excited about, and it’s not even close. The women’s division in WWE has never been this stacked, and this lineup is the perfect example of that. We’ve got the biggest female star in the history of the industry (Ripley), a no doubt first ballot Hall of Famer (Bliss), a likely Hall of Famer in the middle of the most exciting storyline of her career (Naomi) and three really promising recent NXT call-ups who all have world championship potential. Matches like this are why I watch wrestling.

With all due respect to Giulia, I’m going to eliminate her right away. She’s not winning because WWE has already tipped that she’s going after Zelina Vega and The Women’s United States Championship. I’m also going to, as much as it destroys my heart, eliminate Alexa Bliss. She is getting some of the biggest pops on the entire roster. I want Triple H to push her desperately, but nothing about her booking foretells a huge win like this. She wasn’t even on the ‘Mania card. I don’t get it, but Triple H just doesn’t use her as much as I would.

Roxanne Perez finished second in the Royal Rumble this past year and has an intriguing storyline going with Liv Morgan. If she won the briefcase here, it would make for some really interesting television, as we know Liv is desperate to get her hands on one of the big titles again. Stephanie Vaquer is also a compelling option because she’s been treated like a superstar since she was called up to the main roster. She’s getting bigger pops from the crowd than any recent NXT call-up, and while I don’t think it’s going to happen, it would be really cool to see them immediately elevate someone to the main event right after getting called up.

Both of those women (and Alexa Bliss who I will never stop rooting for) have live cards and are potential winners, but I think the most likely choices are Naomi and Rhea Ripley. Let’s do the Rhea part first. I don’t love her winning for the same reason I don’t love Seth Rollins winning. The briefcase has traditionally been used to elevate a talent to the next level, and winning here would do nothing for Rhea, apart from adding another accomplishment to her resume. She doesn’t need the briefcase to beat anyone clean though, and she doesn’t need the briefcase to get a title shot from her buddy Iyo Sky.

But Rhea needs to be involved in a major storyline, and this would be an easy way to give her something to do for awhile. She would also, no doubt, get her own custom briefcase style, and that would allow WWE to sell those, as well as new action figures of her holding the briefcase. A lot of fans want to see her do something else other than being champion, and this would let her chase a little bit while still being one of the main characters on Monday Night Raw.

At first glance, Naomi seems like a bit of an odd choice, given she’s feuding with Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair. Clearly, wherever her story is going involves them, but their storyline would be magnified if it involved a world championship. So, what if Naomi wins the briefcase, cashes in on Tiffany Stratton and then suddenly the strap makes the relationship between the three former friends that much more complicated? I want to watch that.

Predicted Winner: Naomi

Will Anyone Cash In Later In The Night?

Last year, Drew McIntyre cashed in the Money In The Bank briefcase he'd just won but was thwarted in his attempt by CM Punk. Fans were mixed on how they felt about burning the briefcase so quickly, but it definitely helped move the Drew and Punk story forward, which paid off in a big way down the road.

Prior to Drew, there is a history of people cashing in their briefcase the same night after winning, most recently Liv Morgan who got an all-time massive pop when she cashed in on Ronda Rousey back in 2022. The huge moment helped elevate Morgan's career in a transformative way and simultaneously pushed Rousey down the card in a way she never really recovered from.

I think it's very unlikely we see a cash-in this year on the women's side. Neither Iyo Sky nor Tiffany Stratton is wrestling at the event (at least as of now), and I don't think it really makes sense for either Ripley, Naomi or Roxanne to burn the briefcase so quickly if they do win.

The men's side, on the other hand, is more of a possibility. Both John Cena and Jey Uso are in action and each could be vulnerable to a cash-in from either Seth Rollins or LA Knight. My guess is, if it's going to happen quickly, it'll probably happen on Monday Night Raw during the previously scheduled match between Gunther and Jey Uso. That being said, it's certainly a possibility.

Prediction: We will NOT get a same day cash-in.

Wrestling fans debate back and forth on the true identity of El Grande Americano, who exploded out onto the scene in WWE not all that long ago and has made a name for himself. Of course, there's the prevalent theory he's Gable, and a hilarious oversight in the luchador's outfit might've unintentionally exposed that had the latter not explained it all away perfectly.

El Grande Americano Forgot One Key Piece Of His Costume, But Chad Gable Had The Perfect Excuse

El Grande Americano's qualifying match on Monday Night Raw went viral, but not because he successfully won the match. Rather, someone noted that his wrestling boots had the initials "C.G." on it, leading to speculation concerning what that may mean.

It turns out the theories suggesting it stood for "Chad Gable" were accurate, and if he is the masked wrestler, what a hilarious oversight by the WWE costume team. That said, Gable popped up on X to offer congratulations to his ally, and explained why he had those initials on his boots:

This all makes perfect sense, and I totally get why the normally boisterous Chad Gable is so proud of El Grande Americano. Gable had a rough 2024, after being targeted by the Wyatt Sicks and unable to capture a singles title in a feud with Sami Zayn. Even if he's not getting the chance to shine, how humble of him to lend a hand to someone else who is on the rise?

Will El Grande Americano Be Unmasked At Money In The Bank?

While I'm writing this post half tongue-in-cheek, I do wonder just how long the WWE intends to carry on the El Grande Americano gimmick for Chad Gable. Eventually, the joke is going to get played out, and it'd be best for the WWE to part with it before it overstays its welcome. With the wrestler getting a big spotlight at Money In The Bank, will this be where he finally gets unmasked?

My guess would be no, as it seems the WWE can get some decent mileage out of this gimmick for some time longer. The acquisition of AAA and more luchador wrestlers like Penta makes him a great antagonist, but again, it has to come at an end sometime. For now, it feels like El Grande Americano is working out better than the Chad Gable gimmick, however, so why not ride it until the wheels fall off?

I do wonder if El Grande Americano is a dark horse favorite to win the Men's Money In The Bank ladder match, and will use it to cash in on the United States title or he'll target Dominik Mysterio and the Intercontinental Championship or one of the other best Latino wrestlers who obtain a title in the future.

We will see how Chad Gable's alter ego fares during Money In The Bank, which streams live on Peacock on Saturday, June 7th. Until then, there's still a SmackDown to go before the big PLE, and I can't wait to see what other twists may pop up.

While the athletes didn't share any major storylines or highlight-filled bangers against each other that can be revisited with a Peacock Premium subscription, they both represent something that I love about the WWE, its humor, and I fear that changes are coming to the company that could impact the storytelling in a way I would not appreciate.

R-Truth And Carlito Both Announced Their Releases From The WWE

The news of R-Truth's departure first broke after the superstar himself (real name: Ron Killings) took to X and announced his release. Known for his stellar run with the Awesome Truth tag team and other comedic bits in pro wrestling, the wrestler shared the following message with fans:

At least we had the chance to see R-Truth face John Cena before he was retired, though it is still upsetting to see a company veteran of 17 years pushed out of the door without much fanfare. Hopefully, if he's still interested in pro wrestling, he can find a new home elsewhere.

Though Carlito hasn't been with the company nearly as long, I feel the same way about his departure, as it looks like The Judgment Day will be one member short soon. Here's how he revealed his impending exit:

I do love that he had a good sense of humor about the situation, seemingly indicating he wasn't too upset about being let go. That said, I can't help but think being released by the WWE stings for every superstar it happens to, so who knows how he truly feels about the situation?

The WWE Releasing Two Of Its Funniest Wrestlers Has Me Concerned Things Will Get Too Serious

Seeing R-Truth exit the WWE was a shock enough, but adding Carlito to the mix has me wondering if a tonal shift is on the way in WWE programming. Cutting two of the funniest wrestlers on the main roster on the same day makes it feel as though the company is shifting away from the kind of comedic arcs that both made careers out of in recent years. I'm truly wondering now if this means the organization will start taking its storytelling more seriously.

If that's the case, I can't say I'm already on that bandwagon. Pro wrestling absolutely needs some levity every now and then to remind everyone how non-serious it all is, and that everyone involved understands that the theatrics are part of the draw. Without goofier wrestlers being highlighted in the mix, we're left with a bunch of superstars yelling at each other and flexing faux-angrily, and the variety of different athletes to pull from only dwindles. Not everyone can be a buff superstar who thrives on brawling without ever giving up.

I've championed guys like Bronson Reed who bring different body types that break up the supposed norm of what pro wrestlers can look like. Taking away its comedic wrestlers gives the WWE fewer chances to offer up unique moments during events, and I fear there will be no one left to fill the hole left by guys like Carlito and R-Truth.

Which isn't to say we're all out of wrestlers in the WWE who skew more comedic with their personalities. Alpha Academy certainly leans into getting a laugh now and again, and Pretty Deadly finds a way to work their goofiness into a legitimate tag-team duo. Of course, neither team is in a very high place in the company, which can always put someone on the chopping block for release. I hope that's not the case, but I will be keeping a close eye on other releases that may occur in the coming weeks.

Monday Night Raw airs on Netflix on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET, and SmackDown is on USA on Fridays at the same time. Best of luck to R-Truth and Carlito as they look ahead to the future, and I hope to see them doing great things soon.

Some viewers seem primed to enjoy future episodes with a Netflix subscription or just watch on Peacock, amid rumors that the WWE may attempt to police fans in the crowd who are swearing during an event. However, others are livid. So, here's what's being said about that, and the predictable way the internet reacted to the news.

The WWE Is Allegedly Considering Asking Fans Not To Swear At Events

Dave Meltzer first dropped the news about WWE considering a swearing policy at live events, and he talked about it on Wrestling Observer Radio. Check out what he said specifically about the rumor, and his take on the whole situation (via Cultaholic):

It's an interesting rumor, especially after all the rumors about the WWE increasing the amount of blood and swearing on its product when Monday Night Raw came to Netflix. This isn't to say anyone expected the WWE to bring back the Attitude Era, where controversial moments were off the charts, but it also seems the product has elevated past the previous PG era in which swearing was off the table.

WWE Fans Aren't Holding Back Their Opinions About This Rumor

One thing about wrestling fans is they're going to have an opinion, but I'm not sure I've seen the fandom more unified on anything happening in 2025 than their response to this rumor. It doesn't seem like anyone is on board with asking fans not to swear at events, and of course, quite a few used a cuss or two to articulate that:

• No way they think y'all are smart when they’re robbing you blind for a seat. If i paid 5k to be there, don’t ask me shit. - @sicksuzuki
• Or. Now hear me out… It’s all on Netflix. Make it M rated. Problem solved. - @QueenCaffeineAI
• Oh ok, I’m sure if WWE asks nice they’ll get 100% compliance - @Wrestling_Audio
• Could’ve kept this shit on USA network for all that 😂 - @SeanDaJuiceMan
• Lame ass company. - @AmusingLuis

Dave Meltzer believes the WWE crowds have matured enough not to cuss if asked to do so, but I'm not so optimistic. I think part of the reason fans have been so compliant as of late is because they're largely getting what they want from the wrestling company in terms of storylines and an entertaining product.

The minute something happens that people don't like, I think you'll see folks start to swear up a storm, specifically because they know it'll rile up the WWE.

We know by now that when the crowd swears at shows, the fans at home suffer. The WWE will continually cut the audio feed to prevent the expletives from airing live, leading to viewers missing promos, commentary, and all the other audio that is happening at the same time. Personally, I'm not sure why they continue to do it, as if this isn't something that's commonplace in professional sporting events.

Often, NFL or NBA playoff games can't go without at least one unified chant where fans are cussing the referees, and neither organization does anything to curb that, despite children watching. I also think asking an already rowdy crowd to do something will end badly for the WWE, and if this rumor is true, maybe they should reconsider asking fans in such a direct way to quit cussing.

If the WWE does pull the trigger on speaking to fans ahead of events, encouraging them not to swear, I'm sure we'll get confirmation of it during the first event it happens. Money In The Bank is just around the corner, so I'll be curious to see if anything is mentioned there!

The revelation came out during a What's Your Story? conversation with Dominik Mysterio, who has quite a few tattoos on his body. The superstar, who was a bright point in a somewhat underwhelming WrestleMania 41, talked about his tattoos while Stephanie McMahon casually revealed the tattoo she wanted growing up that she never pulled the trigger on:

I totally get why Stephanie McMahon would be happy she didn't get the WWF logo on her body, but imagine if she did? What would've happened back then when the company was forced to rebrand as the WWE after a lawsuit with the World Wildlife Fund? Sure, the show logo may look different, but one of the biggest names in the company would've been walking around with the original logo then, now and forever.

Of course, just having seen Stephanie McMahon over the years in various WWE documentaries and such, it tracks that she wouldn't be the type to be tattooed up from head to toe. Being "tatted on the inside" feels like a more accurate look for her, as she's always had the corporate look needed to champion other superstars to advertisers and sound the horn for the great work the WWE is doing for communities.

It's this skillset that likely encouraged Stephanie McMahon to start making her own original shows with the WWE, which dive more deeply into the lives of WWE wrestlers and the people they are when they aren't in the ring. It certainly feels part of a larger effort by the company to pull back the curtain on what it does, similar to WWE: Unreal, which will be a look inside the writers' room coming to those with a Netflix subscription this summer.

It feels as though the WWE's continued projects with Stephanie McMahon and others to demystify pro wrestling have been met with mixed reception. While there's no denying there's an appetite from many to find out how the bread is made, so to speak, wrestlers and fans alike feel uncomfortable with exposing a business that has been kept shrouded in mystery for decades. For now, it feels like no secrets are off the table with these new shows, and we'll just have to see how that goes!

Monday Night Raw airs on Netflix on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Tune in for some good matches, and maybe some more teases about new shows on the way from WWE beyond what we see in the wrestling ring.

While not official, the potential news has been met with mixed reception amongst the wrestling community. I know that I am not a fan of the idea, especially with the latest rumor suggesting I won't be watching this beloved event with anything other than my Peacock subscription for years to come.

The WWE Reportedly Wants WrestleMania 42 In Las Vegas And To Return Every Few Years

A recent report from Wrestling Observer Newsletter alleges that the WWE doesn't just want to host WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, but hoping to bring the event to the city every few years or so. Part of the reasoning is allegedly tied to executives and WWE President Nick Khan being from the city, but another part is money. Another factor is the city itself, as officials reportedly hope to have the wrestling organization help ensure that big ticket events continue to funnel into Vegas at least once a year. Wrestling insider Dave Meltzer described the situation below (via WrestlingNews.co):

Las Vegas already has numerous attractions ranging from casinos to the more bizarre Omega Mart and other movie experiences. That said, it's no secret that city officials have pushed to have more professional sporting organizations host events in the city, and even pushed for more professional teams to expand into the market. It's hardly a surprise they'd potentially be willing to pay a premium to keep getting WrestleMania every so many years, but it's not an idea I can jive with.

If This Rumor Is True, It Has Me Worried For The Future Of WrestleMania

WrestleMania is the largest pro wrestling event of the year, and I think many wrestling fans around the world dream of a day when it appears near enough for them to attend it in person. Tickets are not cheap, but if you were willing to eat the cost and book travel, you could've gotten into WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia for $125 for one night (via FTW).

Just one year later, Sports Illustrated reported the minimum ticket price for one night of WrestleMania in Las Vegas was $450. That's right, one person could attend this year's event for the same price that around three people would have after fees just a year prior. As someone who has attended multiple sporting events in the past year, that feels like more than the standard rising cost of ticket prices.

The long-term question I have is how wrestling fans will respond, and if they'll continue to think paying a premium to see the event in Las Vegas is worth the price. This year the event sold well, but it was John Cena's final year in wrestling and he had a shocking heel turn. Let's not forget there were constant teases of The Rock showing up as well, even though it didn't happen.

I can't help but think that, in a year where wrestling isn't quite as loaded with major movie stars, people would think twice about booking a flight to Las Vegas to see WrestleMania. That might especially be true if the event loses the novelty of appearing in the city, as I think the "once in a lifetime" element of it plays into attending WrestleMania.

I would break myself to make it to the event when it comes to Indianapolis, but if I know it's going to be in Vegas every two to three years, I feel less compelled. That's just my opinion, though, and I do wonder what other wrestling fans will ultimately say about it if all this information turns out to be true.

SmackDown airs on USA on Fridays at 8:00 p.m. ET, and Monday Night Raw is on Netflix Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. I can't wait for more details on what's happening with WrestleMania 42, and when the WWE will officially set the record straight on what it intends to do.

Rhea Ripley got the big win that punched her ticket to potentially grab the Money In The Bank briefcase in June, but there were questions about the optics and how it all went down. In case there is any doubt, we have reports on what went down when Zoey Stark exited the ring and how it impacted the rest of the match.

Zoey Stark's Leg Injury Was Not A Scripted Part Of The Match

Sometimes, the line between reality and scripted is blurred in the WWE, and people wonder what's real and fake. Just taking a look at X and the multiple angles of Zoey Stark's injury, I think it's fair to say she was seriously injured, and it was not a scripted part of the match. She had to be carried up the ramp by a WWE official, as Stark could not put pressure on the leg that she injured.

Kairi Sane Was Reportedly Not Supposed To Be Pinned

Zoey Stark's removal from the match presented a problem for the Monday Night Raw match, according to Wrestling Observer Radio. The original result of the match was reportedly for Zoey Stark to eat a pin from Rhea Ripley, and for Mami to join Roxanne Perez and the "old lady" Alexa Bliss in qualifying for the Women's Money In The Bank ladder match (via WrestleTalk).

Of course, once Zoey Stark was out of the match, Kairi Sane had to eat the pin so that Rhea's qualifying for the ladder match could still happen. It's not ideal for a WWE wrestler who doesn't get a ton of screentime to lose their return match outright, and there were some wrestling fans miffed to see the superstar lose her first match back since December.

While some in the wrestling fandom might've been upset to see Kairi Sane lose, the wrestler didn't show any ill feelings about how it went down on social media. She sent a message of support to Zoey Stark, in a show of sportsmanship that should remind us that these people are all performers at the end of the day:

I think it's fair to speculate that Zoey Stark won't be available for any upcoming WWE events in the near future, given how gruesome the injury looked. It's good of Sane and Rhea Ripley to wish her well in her recovery and to see her in a wrestling ring again.

Ripley's win creates more mystery behind who the WWE is planning to win the match, as all three women have a valid case so far. Roxanne Perez needs a big push after her recent battle with Bayley at the start of 2025, and Alexa Bliss hasn't had a major storyline since her big return in the Royal Rumble. Then there's Rhea Ripley, who is already crowned as the top woman in the company, and in need of more accolades to add to her resume. There are still slots to fill for the match as well, so I can't wait to see who else is added.

WWE's Money In The Bank PLE is going down on Saturday, June 7th. CinemaBlend sends its well wishes to Zoey Stark as she gets on the road to recovery, and is hoping for the best when it comes to bouncing back and continuing her career in pro wrestling.

Over on X, user @AmbrLeila went viral through wrestling social media for calling Bliss an "Old lady" who didn't deserve to win in comparison to Chelsea Green or Michin. The post received a lot of responses, including one from Alexa Bliss, who returned at the start of the year after a long absence due to her pregnancy:

Perhaps the funniest part of this exchange is the community note attached to the post that states Bliss was the youngest wrestler in the match. The 33-year-old is a year younger than Chelsea Green and three years younger than Michin.

It's good to see Alexa Bliss has a sense of humor about the tweet, and didn't go scorched Earth on the person for calling her "The Old Lady." Maybe she gives off older-era vibes because she's been on WWE's main roster since 2016, while Chelsea Green didn't really make a splash in the WWE until her return to the brand in 2023. Whatever the reasoning, it's a lesson for everyone to check their math before trying to call out anybody, much less a popular athlete.

Whether all fans like it or not, Alexa Bliss has officially qualified for the Women's Money In The Bank ladder match, marking her first major storyline in the WWE since her big return. It's something wrestling fans have waited on for some time, considering her connection to the late Bray Wyatt, who is currently being honored by his brother Bo Dallas and the rest of the Wyatt Sicks.

I definitely wonder if the Wyatt Sicks will factor into this match in any way, possibly by helping aid Bliss in securing the briefcase so she can have yet another title run in the WWE. That said, I can't help but think the optics would look bad if a bunch of male wrestlers prevented anyone but Bliss from winning, especially since the company rarely, if ever, allows intergender wrestling these days.

Of course, Nikki Cross could certainly show up and lend a hand. I'm sure Bliss would appreciate getting any advantage she can against a stacked women's roster.

All this to say I'm putting the wagon in front of the horse, as we don't know who all is competing in the women's Money In The Bank ladder match at this time. We'll have to tune into the following Monday Night Raw with our Netflix subscription to see who else is in the mix, and then maybe it'll be clearer who the WWE is eyeing to win this coveted briefcase that allows for a title shot.

WWE's Money In The Bank PLE is scheduled for Saturday, June 7th, and will be a night to remember. I'm hoping to see another same-night cash in, though I do hope that if that does happen, whoever does it successfully takes down a champion.

So, who’s it going to be? Well, there’s no shortage of wrestlers who could join up with Rollins, Breakker, and Heyman at one of the upcoming WWE events (like Saturday Night’s Main Event). Here are four different WWE superstars who I think make the most sense to join the company’s latest heel faction…

Bronson Reed

Big Bronson Reed has been out of action since that gnarly Survivor Series injury that resulted in the former NXT North American Champion breaking his ankle, but after “many months of recovery,” we could be seeing him again very soon. Though he feuded with Seth Rollins throughout 2024, I could see Reed coming back and siding with the “Monday Night Messiah” to climb the proverbial ladder. I mean, just imagine a timeline where Rollins is the World Heavyweight Champion and the powerhouse team of Reed and Bron Breakker have one of the tag team belts around their waists.

Austin Theory

Another realistic option would be Austin Theory, who seems to be on the rise after spending the past couple of years distancing himself from being Vince McMahon’s “Chosen One.” With A-Town Down Under pretty much all but broken up after a few months of not being on the same page, I wouldn’t be surprised if Theory turns on Grayson Waller in the near future and then joins Rollins and company shortly after. This could be the thing that makes him a top-level heel once again.

Trick Williams

I am fully aware that Trick Williams is gearing up to challenge TNA World Champion Joe Hendry at NXT Battleground later in May, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the two-time NXT Champion shows up the next night on Monday Night Raw to join Rollins and company. This guy has done it all in WWE’s developmental territory the past few years, and it’s only a matter of time before he’s called up. With Triple H having a habit of calling folks up in big ways, this could make Williams an instant star on the main roster.

Sami Zayn

I am not convinced Sami Zayn is going to turn on CM Punk in their tag team match against Rollins and Breakker at Saturday Night’s Main Event on Memorial Day weekend, but it makes perfect sense. Zayn and Punk have had a contentious relationship ever since the latter returned to WWE back in November 2023, even though they were on the same team at Survivor Series: WarGames back in late 2024. This whole match could just be some big trap for the “Second City Saint” by those he’s crossed over the years. It’d break my heart, but I’d love it anyway.

Only time will tell when or even if Rollins will add another wrestler to his stable. The faction is pretty great as it is and is taking everyone involved to the next level, and some of the guys I listed could use a boost like that.

As we wait for upcoming WWE PLEs as well as new movies from Dwayne Johnson, Fightful Select is reporting on what it has heard about the reality behind The Rock's pitch to turn Cody Rhodes heel. Here's what we know, as well as the odds of the superstar potentially returning to be one before the year is up.

The Rock Pitched The Idea Of Cody Rhodes Turning Heel, But The WWE Was Reportedly Not On Board

While the latest report from Fightful Select does confirm The Rock pitched Cody Rhodes turning heel ahead of WrestleMania 41, it contests that WWE was ever truly on board with the pitch. In fact, it's said that the company didn't want to turn Cody into a villain due to the amount of merchandise and tickets he's selling as a baby face wrestler. Additionally, he's still very over with the fandom at large as a hero.

While The American Nightmare has shown some darkness in his concerning ladder match with Kevin Owens and other moments, he ultimately is still the hero the WWE apparently wants leading the company until further notice. Granted, he's been away from the WWE since his loss at WrestleMania 41, and John Cena is running the show. Could we see Cody turn heel upon his return?

Will Cody Rhodes Turn Heel Before The End Of 2025?

The latest report suggests the WWE never wanted to turn Cody Rhodes heel, but one can't be curious if that'll still be the case after he returns from his absence. When a superstar is away for a long time, it's not uncommon for them to return with a drastic change in attitude.

All that being said, I feel the WWE is in desperate need of a hero at the top at the moment. The collective of Paul Heyman, Seth Rollins, and Bron Breakker adds more heel energy in addition to John Cena threatening to win pro wrestling every week. CM Punk and Roman Reigns kind of hit the mark for being faces, but still have attitudes one might call grumpy.

If you're looking for a true, blue American hero, Cody Rhodes is still the best option in the business. While it is true his hero persona wore down the crowd in AEW, it doesn't seem like his character is suffering the same fatigue in the WWE. I think that's because it's been such a long time since the brand had a face that the crowd truly liked, and it's so much easier to be a popular heel.

Would it be great to see Rhodes turn heel at some point? Sure, but I don't see it happening with the current state of the WWE. Right now, the roster is in more need of good guys at the top of the roster than heels. I could be wrong, and they could completely flip the script, but I think The American Nightmare will be the hero for a long time.

Monday Night Raw airs on Netflix on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Tune in to see all the wild stuff happening on the brand at the moment, as we gear up for a summer full of fun angles between superstars and the continuation of John Cena's final run.

I’m glad I did. What happened in a packed Enterprise Center was nothing short of amazing. Sure, the five matches on the Backlash card were great, and everyone delivered the goods, but it was more than that. Instead of just a normal night of wrestling, I had one of my greatest experiences as not just a wrestling fan, but also as a dad. It sparked so many feelings about wrestling, about parenthood, and about life that I just have to talk about it.

I've Attended Countless Wrestling Events With My Friends, But Nothing Compared To Going With My Son

I’ve been going to wrestling events ever since WCW came to my hometown in December 1998, and over the years, I’ve witnessed scores, if not hundreds, of matches with wrestlers from all over the world. WWE Hall-of-famers, all kinds of five-star match technicians, and icons of the industry, you name it, and I’ve probably seen it. But let me tell you, none of those compares to going to Backlash with my son. Don’t get me wrong, seeing Sting make his WWE debut at Survivor Series 2014, watching Penta (still named Pentagon Jr. at the time) wrestle in an American Legion hall in Alton, Illinois, and experiencing a Royal Rumble in person were all great moments, but this goes beyond that.

The look on my son’s face when we made it downtown and bought him a John Cena farewell tour shirt and walked a few blocks to the arena showed me that this was going to be something special, a night we’d never forget. And it was…

Walking Into The Arena, I Felt Like I Was Welcoming My Son To A World He Didn't Know Existed

Seeing thousands of wrestling fans walking, smiling, and chanting as we walked to the arena was a tremendous sight to see, and it was only amplified when we got inside. Walking to our seats, my son was being welcomed to a world he didn’t know existed. Each time we’d walk by a doorway leading to the arena bowl, my son would take a look and comment on what he was seeing: the lights, the stage, the ring, so many grown men holding WWE Championship belts.

When we finally got to our seats (which were upgraded due to an issue with our tickets), he could see the setup in all its glory. His view, no longer confined to what is shown on our living room TV screen, showed him all the chaos that goes into a wrestling event. We watched the pre-show (both in person and on my phone when he didn’t believe it was happening), we were interviewed by some random TikToker, and we chatted with other families who were ready for the show.

A Few Minutes Into The Show, I Could Feel Core Memories Being Formed...And Not Just My Own

Everything about the start of Backlash was great. From the incredible opening promo package to that loud-as-hell pyro to the entrances for the opening four-way match for the United States Championship, the atmosphere was electric. But that reached new heights a few minutes into the opening bout when Damian Priest picked up and slammed Drew McIntyre off a platform and into the crowd with a South of Heaven Chokeslam, resulting in a “Holy shit!” chant from the packed house.

I don’t think I’ll forget looking at my son, him looking at me, and both joining in on the chant (we won’t tell my wife about that one) yelling “Holy shit” over and over together. Though I don’t like my son cussing, I couldn’t deny him of this, and I can’t deny that this was a core memory being formed. It was legendary and a sign of things to come throughout the rest of the night. I may or may not have gotten teary-eyed, but I’ll you be the judge.

My Son Is Obsessed With John Cena, And Watching Him See His Hero Put A Huge Smile On My Face

Like a lot of kids his age, my son is obsessed with John Cena, even though he’s currently one of the biggest bad guys since his shocking heel turn back in March. You wouldn’t know that based on the way my son, and pretty much every kid in the arena, started chanting “Let’s Go Cena,” before the show even got started. When it was finally time for the main event match, where Cena defended his WWE Championship against longtime rival and hometown hero Randy Orton, my son was riding high.

The look on my son’s face as Cena walked to the ring is honestly something I’ve never seen before. There’s smiling and there’s what he was doing. That brought the biggest smile to my face knowing that despite everything else going on, he got to see Cena wrestle in person. I never got to see Stone Cold or Bret Hart in the flesh, but I’m I would have been the same way.

Watching Backlash With My Son Helped Me Remember Just How Much I Love Wrestling

I watch an ungodly amount of wrestling every week, and it’s been that way for as long as I can remember. It’s always been a constant in my life, whether it’s on a personal level or as part of my job. But sometimes I get jaded, sometimes I get burnt out, and sometimes I get frustrated with the state of wrestling in 2025. Going to Backlash with my son, taking in all the matches, and creating a memory neither of us will soon forget, helped me remember just how much I love wrestling, how much the sport has meant to me over the years, and why I started showing wrestling to my kids all those years ago.

I love professional wrestling, even more so now than ever.

All in all, taking my son to WWE Backlash was one of the best parenting decisions I’ve made in years. Now I can’t wait for him to get home from school and find out how many of his friends he told to find us by watching Backlash with a Peacock subscription.

This was always one of the most anticipated stories from the show’s sixth season, and that anticipation led to one of the emotional experiences I’ve had with wresting in some time with its exploration of The Original Sheik, his impact on wrestling, and how he changed the life of the man we know as Sabu.

Though Most Of The Episode Is About The Original Sheik, It Spends A Lot Of Time With Sabu

If you haven’t already, go back and watch the latest episode of Dark Side of the Ring (and then watch every other episode of the long-running docuseries), especially if you aren’t too familiar with The Original Sheik. The episode does an amazing job of explaining the life and legacy of Edward Farhat, aka The Sheik, how he transformed the business, turned Detroit into one of the biggest wrestling markets in the country, and stayed on top for decades.

Considering Sabu was the nephew of the WWE Hall of Famer and learned the business during their time together, the episode also focused heavily on the man who’d become one of the biggest trailblazers of the ‘90s. From his time in Japan’s FMW to stints in WCW before becoming an ECW mainstay, a lot of Saub’s career was covered, which was an awesome bonus.

Watching Sabu Talk About The Impact His Uncle Had On His Life And Career Was So Poignant Now That The ECW Legend Has Passed Away

Though Sabu was never really a talker throughout his career, his input provided for so many great moments throughout Dark Side of the Ring. Both a wrestler, family member, and apprentice of The Original Sheik, Sabu had one incredible observation after another about the man, the myth, the legend. Watching the late wrestler get emotional while talking about how his uncle not only taught him the ropes of the business but also changed his life was incredibly poignant and provided a great deal of heart.

Not Only Did I Leave The Episode With A Greater Understanding Of The Original Sheik, I Left With Even More Respect For Sabu Than Before

I knew about The Original Sheik before checking out the hour-long deep dive into his career and legacy, but I left the episode with a greater understanding of his accomplishments and contributions to the sport of professional wrestling. And the same can be said about the late Sabu. Hearing him talk about his struggles as a kid, his early days in the ring, and everything he went through with his uncle by his side made me respect him a whole lot more than I did before (which was a lot, by the way).

It wasn’t just the wrestler who put himself through barbed wire weeks before his death, the crazy guy who would jump through tables with reckless abandon, or the ECW legend who told a generation of young wrestling fans that it was okay to be different; it was the man who was behind it all. The total package.

All in all, I just have to say rest in peace to Sabu and The Original Sheik and thank them for all the blood, sweat, and tears they shed in the ring for decades. Though their intense and hardcore style isn’t for everyone, there’s no denying how much they changed the game.

I'm now under the impression that I shouldn't expect to see Pat McAfee appear when I stream Monday Night Raw with a Netflix subscription. At least, that's what I'm gathering from his latest post on X. The commentator made a cryptic statement on the platform, as he talked about his path forward. It almost sounds as if he's aiming to step away from the WWE for good:

Pat McAfee is one of the biggest names in sports entertainment, with his flagship show on ESPN frequently dropping some of the biggest sports stories and interviews weekly. It should also be mentioned that he's a fixture on College GameDay as well. From the start, McAfee has been adamant about not working with WWE regularly while performing his duties will the Disney-owned network. We're still many months out from the start of college football season, though, so why does it sound like McAfee may be taking a leave of absence from the WWE?

This could be because McAfee has some sort of announcement coming and, considering his post seems to extinguish the idea of him being in WWE, he may be stepping into a bigger role at ESPN. Perhaps we'll learn that he's going to be doing some special coverage of NFL games, seeing as he was a former punter for the Indianapolis Colts. Such a move would make sense, especially since McAfee's eponymous show garners a lot of buzz.

The good news is the WWE has no shortage of talented commentators waiting in the wings. Corey Graves would likely be eager to return to Monday Night Raw if given the chance. Also, while Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett feel at home on SmackDown at the moment, but it wouldn't be unheard for anyone on the team to pull double duty. Hell, they could even pull Byron Saxton out from behind the scenes and put him back at the table!

The point is that the WWE has had many commentators over the years, and, if this is the end of Pat McAfee's run in the wrestling organization, it's been a good. I wouldn't be surprised if the door is open for him to return. Should he find time between breaking stories and interviewing LeBron James about Stephen A. Smith, I would hope that McAfee would pop back in to cut it up with Michael Cole.

Monday Night Raw is on Netflix on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. We've already heard from McAfee, but what's next for Gunther now that he's shut up one of his largest critics?

True to his reputation in other organizations, Penta is quickly becoming the most popular luchador to ever wrestle in the WWE since Rey Mysterio. As such, he's become the subject of a very entertaining meme in the wrestling world, and now that it's officially gotten mentioned during a live event, I'm hoping we finally get to see his theme music change.

Big E Acknowledged The Popular Penta Meme Online During Backlash

Readers might not be as chronically online as this writer, so maybe they aren't familiar why so many people are talking about Penta and Sade's 1984 smash "Smooth Operator." Well, allow me to bring you up to speed with the latest hit from @HaangEmHigh, which reimagines Penta's walkout music using that song instead:

Videos of Penta doing his signature walk to the music have been circulating the internet for weeks now, but it wasn't until Saturday night during Backlash that there was any evidence people in the WWE was remotely aware of them. Big E, who is still working commentary for the organization after being scapegoated by The New Day for their past few years of bad luck, shouted it out during the PLE:

All that style and swagger couldn't get him the win over Dominik Mysterio, who retained the Intercontinental Title he won during his fantastic match at WrestleMania 41. Beating Dirty Dom was always going to be a challenge when he's so over with the crowd right now, but I think Penta could end up with that title if he changed his theme music to the popular song.

WWE Should Strongly Consider Changing Penta's Theme Music To "Smooth Operator"

I think that the WWE should change Penta's theme music to "Smooth Operator," though I know that's a huge ask considering recent events. The WWE just touted they enlisted the help of Tool guitarist Adam Jones to update the heavy metal theme they first gave him when he debuted in the WWE.

Penta's general look makes it look like you'd see him running through the forest in a Black Metal music video, but as we've seen time and time again in the memes, "Smooth Operator" works well thanks to that freaky little strut he does on the way to the ring.

The walk is such a significant key to his character, and one of some debate in the wrestling fandom. While Penta asserted in an interview with Chris Van Vliet that the idea came to him naturally, some have stated that the late wrestler La Parka influenced the strut. In any case, people love it when he does it, and would probably love it even more if it synced up to his walkout music.

While uncommon, the WWE occasionally uses popular licensed music for its superstars. The most current example would be CM Punk utilizing the song "Cult Of Personality" by Living Colour, though he's one of the biggest superstars in the company. Penta seems to be on the path to superstardom in the WWE, though, until he wins a championship title, I'm not sure we can compare him to the top of the roster just yet.

Penta appears on Monday Night Raw on Netflix on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. Tune in to see how Penta responds after losing his title match against Dirty Dom, knowing he might've come out on top had it not been for The Judgment Day's interference.

WWE insider WrestleVotes is known for having an ear to the mat by way of what's happening internally in the WWE, and has sometimes spilled the beans before the big moments can even be watched live with a Peacock subscription. This rumored return is a biggie, as it seems like Goldberg may be on his way back to the spotlight for the first time in a long time.

Goldberg's Name Is Being Mentioned In The WWE

The last time we saw Goldberg in the WWE, he was being insulted by Gunther as a casual spectator, and that whole segment led to presumptions that Gunther was being set up as the opponent for the veteran's retirement match, which people had mixed reactions to. At the time, Gunther was the Heavyweight Champion, and I know I feared the WWE would set these two to go head to head at WrestleMania 41, but when it came and went without a match, I thought maybe Goldberg wasn't getting his retirement match.

Fast forward to now, WrestleVotes has reported the superstar's name has "floated" around internally over the past week. Nothing more specific is said than that, but given we're a week out from Backlash, I think there's a very likely scenario in which we could see him show up.

Will Goldberg Return To Aid Pat McAfee In His Upcoming Fight?

Pat McAfee has been running his mouth long before he became a vital part of the WWE commentary team, and now he's about to get beat down at Backlash by Gunther for it. While McAfee has had solid matches in the WWE with competitors before, taking on a world champion of the caliber of Gunther is an entirely different ballgame, and some might say it's a suicide mission.

I mean, not legitimately, since the WWE is intent on transparency lately about being a scripted product. But in the fictional world of this matchup, he's putting his life on the line.

One way Pat could escape with a win is if he has some backup, and bringing in someone like Goldberg to hold Gunther off for even a few minutes could allow the WWE commentator to take out his competitor. Considering we never got any resolution to what went down between Gunther and Goldberg last year, I think he's a likely candidate to show up at Backlash, especially if people are already discussing his name a week out from the event.

I think if we're going to see Goldberg be retired, who better than Gunther to send him out? Wrestlers typically don't leave this business with a big win, so I don't think there's any harm in the budding superstar playing the Legend Killer and further building his heel persona. Maybe the WWE has other thoughts, though, and wants to give Goldberg a bigger send-off than that? We can only wait and see.

Will Goldberg be at Backlash? We'll find out on Saturday, May 10th, when the event is live on Peacock. I'm feeling pretty good about the chances of him appearing, but it's possible they may be holding him until after this feud with McAfee is over.

It all comes down to where Backlash falls in WWE’s yearly calendar. Triple H, Bruce Prichard and the rest of the writers spend months setting up storylines and paying them off at WrestleMania. Then, less than a month later, we’re given another PLE, typically filled with a bunch of matches featuring newly crowned champions. I’m not saying WWE doesn’t ever give us a big WTF surprise, but in general, crowning a new champion and then having them lose the belt three weeks later doesn’t make a ton of sense. It’s a very late stages WCW move.

That being said, I do think we’re going to get one title change, and I do think we’re going to get some good matches the crowd will be hot for. This card might have some pretty obvious outcomes, but it also features some good workers and characters who are very over with the crowd. Plus, you can never go wrong with John Cena and Randy Orton going to war again.

You can check out a quick rundown of my recent and career record on WWE predictions below…

Pat McAfee Vs Gunther

Gunther is going to win this match. His character can survive the WrestleMania loss to Jey Uso without sacrificing much aura, but he can’t take back to back Ls to the Yeet Man and a broadcaster like Pat McAfee. It’s important Gunther comes out on top here, and ideally, comes out looking pretty strong.

It doesn’t need to be a squash match however, and it shouldn’t be. McAfee has proven in the past that he’s way better than you’d guess in the ring, and as a sympathetic babyface defending Michael Cole, he should at least be given some hope spots. I think there’s a real chance this ends up being a low key banger.

To me, the bigger question is whether this ends up writing McAfee off television for awhile. The former NFL punter typically takes an extended break during the year because of his football-related duties on ESPN. The sabbatical ordinarily doesn’t start until later in the summer, but given the timeframe, there’s certainly a possibility we could see Gunther “injure” the talking head to the point where he needs to step away for the rest of the year. That would certainly give The Ring General plenty of heat, and it would allow Pat some needed time off, as well as give Corey Graves the chance to return from NXT.

Predicted Winner: Gunther

Lyra Valkyria (Champion) Vs Becky Lynch For The Women’s Intercontinental Championship

I’ve been really impressed with Lyra Valkyria over the past few months, and I was especially impressed with her microphone work earlier this week on Raw. She’s also getting over with the crowd. You can hear it during her entrances. You can hear it during her matches. She’s not quite on that top level yet, but she’s really getting there. I think it was a great decision by Triple H to put the IC Championship on her and let her run with it.

But I don’t see how you bring back Becky Lynch to have her lose here. She’s one of the most popular female stars on the entire roster, and she’s been gone for an extended period of time. Her winning the Intercontinental Championship would also legitimize it in a way Lyra isn’t capable of doing at this point in her career. If you look back at the history of the men’s title, an overwhelming majority of the biggest names held the belt at some point in time, and it would be nice to start adding some legends to the women’s side as well.

Plus, it seems like we’re eventually going to get Becky and Bayley. Becky admitted she was the one who attacked Bayley and took her spot at WrestleMania, and those two are going to need to have a program to settle the score at some point. WWE is going to want Becky with as much momentum as possible when that program happens, and that means she needs to win her matches.

Predicted Winner: Becky Lynch

Dominik Mysterio (Champion) Vs Penta For The Intercontinental Championship

It’s hard to imagine the first few months of Penta’s WWE career going better than what we’ve gotten. He’s really won over the fans and become a big mid-card attraction. He also had his first WrestleMania match, which was extremely well received by fans and widely considered one of the best of the weekend.

Still, I don’t like his chances here though. He’s been feuding with both Judgment Day and Chad Gable/ El Grande Americano in recent weeks, and it seems like the long-term feud is going to be the one with El Grande Americano. That probably doesn’t need the Intercontinental Championship, as there’s plenty of built in excitement for that already. There’s even a possibility we could get a mask versus mask match between the two at some point.

Plus, Dominik Mysteiro just had a career highlight. His victory and post-match celebration was probably the best moment of the entire WrestleMania weekend. I’m not going to say a loss here would invalidate that, but it would make me really confused about where WWE is going with his character. He’s so hot right now, and a loss would only slow down that momentum. That being said, I don’t expect him to win clean here. Look for outside interference, random weapons or a referee bump. Something weird is going to happen, and he will not apologize for it.

Predicted Winner: Dominik Mysterio

Jacob Fatu (Champion) Vs Damian Priest Vs Drew McIntyre Vs LA Knight For The United States Championship

This match is probably the most exciting to me of any on the entire card. All four of these guys are super over with fans. McIntyre and Priest have both been world champions within the last year and change. Jacob Fatu is widely considered by fans to have future WrestleMania main event potential. LA Knight is sneaky still one of the most popular wrestlers on WWE’s entire roster. The crowd is going to be very hot for this match and rightfully so.

The most obvious choice here is to say Jacob Fatu is going to retain. He just won the title and is clearly ascending up the card. Weakening him so quickly doesn’t seem like it’s the right move, but it’s hard to know when his long-term plans aren’t clear. There’s a possibility he has a Gunther-like year-plus reign where he just dominates everyone at the mid-card level. Then again, it’s also possible that we’re finally going to get the long-awaited feud between Fatu and his sidekick Solo Sikoa. Many fans thought he’d lose at WrestleMania because of Solo and that would lead into an extended program between the two. That could still happen here.

If he does lose, it’s anyone’s guess as to who might win the title from him. LA Knight is probably the most obvious candidate, as he’s been involved in this title picture the longest and already has multiple reigns to his name. I wouldn’t mind seeing him on top again for a few more months.

This could also be a way to give Damian Priest direction. He was elevated to the main event scene last year with a big 'Mania moment and did a really nice job, but if we’re being honest, as much as I love him, he’s just not quite on that level. He’s a spectacular mid-carder or a halfway decent main event guy. I could see WWE putting this title on him again and letting him rule the mid-card. Drew McIntyre makes less sense to me, as he feels a little bit above this title, but if he’s not going to get booked to win a World Championship anytime soon, then this could be a way to give him something.

I’m going to stick with Jacob Fatu, but I have more doubt here than with most of the matches.

Predicted Winner: Jacob Fatu

John Cena (Champion) Vs Randy Orton For The WWE Championship

Deep down, we all know Randy Orton isn’t going to win this. I’m from St Louis. I love Randy Orton. It pains me in my soul to say he’s definitely going to lose out loud, but John Cena didn’t finally turn heel and beat Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania to lose a forty-five year old that’s lost a lot more big matches than he’s won over the last half decade. It’s just not going to happen.

Now, I think we’re going to get a terrific match. I think Cena is going to use some heelish tactics in order to win. I think there will be a moment or two where the crowd thinks Orton might win, but the upside of keeping the belt on Cena is just way higher. There are a lot more money matches to be had right now with the belt around his waist than on Orton’s.

I’m confident about a lot of these matches, but I’m the most confident about this one. Apart from teaching fans anything can happen, I don’t see a single reason why WWE would be better off with Orton as champion. So, expect Cena to win here.

Predicted Winner: John Cena