The card for this year’s WWE WrestleMania is stacked with a lot of big-time matches. However, not everyone is featured, including the Street Profits. However, it doesn’t sound like they’re too upset about being left off the WrestleMania 41 card.
This Friday on SmackDown, Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins are set to defend their WWE Tag Team Championships on WrestleMania SmackDown against the Motor City Machine Guns. Neither of them has matches scheduled at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on either Saturday or Sunday.
While appearing on the It Is What It Is show, the champions were asked about not competing at WrestleMania.
“I’d be lying if I said I don’t want to ride the pine,” Dawkins said. “But hey, sometimes you got to play your role. You got to ride the bench sometimes. But hey, you know what? We on SmackDown. We defending the titles. We going to do work against Motor City Machine Guns. We gonna beat them boys down.”
Dawkins added, “We’re going to go out there and put on a show.”
The Street Profits aren’t alone. Several wrestlers left off the WrestleMania card will be in action Friday night including WWE Women’s United States Champion Chelsea Green.
Green will team with Alba Fyre and Piper Niven against Katana Chance, Kayden Carter, and Zelina Vega on SmackDown. The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal will also take place on SmackDown.
The Twisted Metal TV series featuring AEW’s Samoa Joe as Sweet Tooth is coming back for a second run.
In December 2023, Peacock announced that they’d renewed the season for a second season. On Thursday, they announced the series is returning on July 31st. Here is another teaser trailer for the show, offering glimpses of the tournament and new characters, including Calypso:
Joe plays the character physically, and Will Arnett does the dialogue. The series, which is based on the classic PlayStation game of the same name, stars Anthony Mackie, Tahj Vaughans, Stephanie Beatriz, Chelle Ramos, and Michael Carollo.
Peacock has touted Twisted Metal as its most-binged original series in its first week and one of the platform’s top three original shows of all time after Season 1.
Joe went on hiatus from AEW TV in the summer of 2024. He returned in January 2025 at AEW Maximum Carnage, saving Hook from an attack by The Patriarchy. He would form a faction with Hook and Katsuyori Shibata. This week on Dynamite, the group beat the Death Riders for the AEW World Trios Championship.
In 2019, Chyna was posthumously inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame for her role as part of D-Generation X. Ever since, fans have argued that Chyna should have had a solo induction, giving fans the chance to celebrate the career of the Ninth Wonder of the World away from DX.
Speaking to Bill Apter of Sportskeeda, WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle threw his support behind those calling for a solo induction. As for as the Olympian is concerned, it only makes sense for Chyna to be inducted a second time, this time for her role outside the faction.
“She frontiered Women’s wrestling and not just women but wrestling men too. She had such a huge impact on the business. She was part of the reason that the business skyrocketed.“
Chyna sadly passed in 2016 without ever getting to live the recognition of a Hall of Fame induction, either as a singles star or as part of DX. This year’s ceremony will see Triple H, Chyna’s DX ally (and ex) receive his second induction, this time for his singles career.
Chyna proved herself an icon of women’s wrestling, which is why Rhea Ripley is honored to be compared to the late wrestler. As for whether a solo induction comes, only time will tell, but many believe her solo induction is long overdue.
CM Punk has made no secret that Bret Hart is a hero of his, and the Best in the World is never far away from the Hitman. Speaking to GQ Sports, Punk revealed that he always carries a figure of the Canadian wrestling icon with him.
“He travels in my fanny pack with me because I often will find myself in situations where I ask myself… What would Bret Hart do?”
Calling the figure a “totem,” Punk is pleased to have a connection to his “old-school roots” with him when he travels. After growing up as a Bret Hart fan, Punk is now honored to have a connection to Bret beyond the figure.
“Bret’s a mentor of mine. I can text him right now and ask him what he thinks in the world… I feel fortunate that I am able to do that.”
Bret Hart will soon become WWE’s first three-time Hall of Famer as his iconic WrestleMania 13 showdown with Steve Austin will be the first ‘Immortal Moment’ inducted. And with Punk being such a fan of the Best there is/was/ever will be, it’s only fitting that he will be on hand to induct the match on the eve of WrestleMania 41.
In 2020, Nia Jax enjoyed nothing more than putting Lana through a table on WWE TV. When the angle came to an abrupt end, some fans pointed the finger of blame at Roman Reigns but now Jax has shared that the OTC wasn’t involved.
In 2021, it was reported that Reigns was against Jax and Lana using the announce table at WWE Survivor Series 2020 the previous November as he and Drew McIntyre had a similar spot planned. This week, a fan shared the article, claiming that Reigns has a hatred for women, Jax fired back in defense of her fellow Bloodline member.
Jax’s refuting of the article is interesting given her previous comments about what happened at the November 2020 PLE. Speaking to Ring the Belle, Jax previously claimed that creative changed the spot, giving McIntyre and Reigns the table spot instead of herself and Lana. When the interview said that they’d heard about Reigns being involved, Jax gave an exaggerated gasp before sarcastically asking “who even knows?” Clarifying her previous comments, Jax made clear in the comments that Reigns was not involved in this decision.
As one of WWE’s biggest stars ever, Reigns has a degree of sway backstage. Nevertheless, he isn’t the one who forced Jax and Lana away from the table according to Nia, and that’s the story she’s sticking to.
Four decades ago, WrestleMania 1 changed the face of pro wrestling and Hulk Hogan was there to lead the change. Teaming with Mr. T to defeat Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff, the match would demonstrate the connection between wrestling and celebrities that exists to this day.
Though this is a historic match, it is not the one that was originally planned. Speaking to Justin Barrasso of Undisputed, Hogan claimed that Orndorff was not Piper’s original partner, and that ‘Dr D’ David Schultz believed he would be the one to headline the historic event.
“It was his original idea for WrestleMania… It all started with David’s idea. It didn’t turn out that way, but that’s how it started.”
Not only did Schultz not headline WrestleMania 1, but he was nowhere to be seen on the card. Hogan claimed that it was Schultz’s eagerness to force himself into a feud with Mr. T that cost him dearly.
“David shot his own angle when he slapped Mr. T. Vince was so damn mad. He wouldn’t forgive him, and that was the end of him.”
While Schultz never headlined WrestleMania, Hogan would headline eight of the first nine events, and would make sure to hog the screen following Randy Savage’s main event win at WrestleMania 4. While Hogan’s days competing at WrestleMania may be well and truly in the past, the controversial icon remains synonymous with WWE’s grandest event.
Chappell Roan has taken the music world by storm in recent years, but could the squared circle be next? Speaking to GQ Sports ahead of WWE WrestleMania 41, CM Punk shared his hope to see Roan in action.
“We need to get Chappel Roan in the ring, it’s what we need to do. She wore a lucha mask one time, she had some wrestling gear on. She looked good.”
The luchador outfit in question came during her set at Lollapalooza an included a blistering pink and blue outfit from the HOT TO GO! star. Following her performance, Willow Nightingale said Roan would be welcome in AEW while Nyla Rose was ready to bring the fight to the Grammy Award-winning artist.
If Roan was to compete in a WWE ring, she’d follow the likes of Bad Bunny, Cyndi Lauper, and ICP to step from the music world into pro wrestling. And with WrestleMania season being historically rich in celebrity involvement, fans know not to count out seeing Chappel Roan don her mask one more time, this time for a match.
In a wide-ranging and colorful interview on The Rich Eisen Show, Paul Heyman didn’t just talk WrestleMania — he launched a spirited defense of his legacy as a pop culture pioneer.
“People used to say to me, ‘Why do you carry a phone 24/7?’” Heyman recalled, referencing the iconic 1980s-style brick phone he made famous as Paul E. Dangerously.
“I said, ‘This is not a prediction, that’s a spoiler — this is the future.’ And of course, I was ahead of the curve.”
Eat your heart out, Zack Morris. (Photo: WWE)
Heyman claimed that entertainment has routinely borrowed from his innovations without credit.
“I changed ECW from Eastern to Extreme Championship Wrestling in 1994 — six months later everything was ‘Extreme’: Taco Bell, Ford trucks, you name it.”
“And then,” he added, “when Brock Lesnar conquered the streak: ‘Eat. Sleep. Conquer. Repeat.’ Nobody had heard that phrase before. A year later, it was everywhere — Eat. Sleep. _______. Repeat. That’s mine too.”
He even took aim at pop culture icons:
“Why is it called the Zack Morris brick phone? That prick stole it from me. If anything, give it to Gordon Gekko. At least I respect that character.”
Heyman’s larger point? He’s not just a voice in wrestling — he’s a visionary.
“I don’t go to events. I produce them. I don’t sit at tables. I think about how to own the casino.”
Catch Rich Eisen’s full interview with Paul Heyman right here:
WWE WrestleMania 41 is mere days away and anticipation is at a fever pitch for the Showcase of the Immortals. With this year’s event being the sixth two-night WrestleMania, some Superstars will be given the tall order of opening each night in Las Vegas, setting the tone for the rest of the show.
Jey Uso Vs. GUNTHER for the World Heavyweight Championship will open Night One, Wrestle Votes reports. This news comes after Jey shared that if he can’t headline WrestleMania, he hopes to go on first. Now Uso will have his chance, but GUNTHER is focused on keeping Jey and the fans from their ‘feel-good’ opening inside Allegiant Stadium.
For Night Two, IYO SKY, Rhea Ripley, and Bianca Belair’s battle for the Women’s World Championship will reportedly open the show. A mix of WWE’s three top women, only one will be able to leave Las Vegas with the richest prize in Monday Night Raw’s women’s division.
As for the main events, Night One will see CM Punk, Roman Reigns, and Seth Rollins do battle in the first WrestleMania closing match for Punk. Night Two will see John Cena and Cody Rhodes battle for the Undisputed WWE Championship as Cena plans to become a 17-time champion and ruin pro wrestling in the process.
Stay tuned to SEScoops for all the latest on WWE WrestleMania 41 including breaking news and live results.
At WWE Elimination Chamber: Toronto, Travis Scott didn’t hold back as part of the shocking attack on Cody Rhodes that ended the show. Speaking to First Take ahead of WrestleMania 41, Rhodes acknowledged that Scott is an “incredibly talented guy,” before also sharing his disdain for the rapper.
“He kind of sucks. Triple H announced he’s coming to WrestleMania, I’ll be looking for what we call in the wrestling business a little bit of a receipt. Payback.”
Scott hasn’t appeared in person for WWE since the attack on Rhodes that also saw The Rock and John Cena leave Rhodes a bloodied mess. Following a particulary stiff shot by Scott to Rhodes’ ear, it was reported that he had suffered a burst eardrum. Responding to reports, Rhodes laughed off the claim, joking that the bruises he’d received came curtosy of the Four Horsemen.
Rhodes will battle John Cena at WrestleMania with the Undisputed WWE Championship and the very soul of WWE on the line. And while Rhodes will be focused in stopping John Cena from ‘ruining’ pro wrestling, he may find himself distracted with his quest for payback should Scott appear on Night Two.
Cody Rhodes has revealed a conversation with his daughter over his Elimination Chamber injury.
The Undisputed WWE Champion appeared on the Today show on Thursday morning to promote WrestleMania 41. He discussed things such as John Cena turning heel, his wrestling superstition, and more.
When asked what his daughter, Liberty, thinks about his work, Cody revealed the conversation he had with her after suffering a brutal injury at the hands of Travis Scott at the latest WWE PPV. Rhodes also light-heartedly discussed how it might have an adverse effect on her later on:
“I wasn’t thinking I had to have this conversation this early with her. But we did cause I left the ring at Elimination Chamber – Travis Scott of all people put a very large mark on my face and my eardrum was busted. She had a lot of concern.
So what I have told her and I don’t know if this is the best strategy, is that I’m pretending to be a superhero and I’m playing with my friends. So far that works but we’ll see, cuz I think the moment she sees playing with my friends turn into somebody maybe beating me up. She has a adverse reaction.”
Later in the interview, Cody Rhodes was asked if he has any Hollywood aspirations and the American Nightmare replied positively. When the hosts mentioned that he can probably do it while still being a WWE star, the WWE champion joked about Roman Reigns’ part time schedule:
“I feel like so many wrestlers will always answer this and say ‘Oh never. No, I’m always going to be wrestling. I love it so much.’ I do. I love wrestling. This is all I’ve ever done. I grew up in wrestling.
But for me I really am looking forward to what it’s like to tell stories not just in the ring. So for me absolutely, yes. Today, WWE, you can come and go as you please. Roman Reigns, as good as he is, he only shows up like 10 times a year anyway so…no shade.”
WWE WrestleMania 41 (Saturday) is set to host a clash for the World Heavyweight Championship, featuring the reigning champion Gunther defending his title against the winner of this year’s Royal Rumble, Jey Uso. However, the trajectory of this particular match and the storyline have drawn criticism from a segment of the online fanbase.
Many fans have argued that Uso hasn’t earned his spot on the card. Addressing these concerns and the decision to feature Uso in such a significant role, Triple H spoke about it in a recent conversation with Peter Rosenberg during an interview that was uploaded to WWE’s official YouTube channel.
“Because people made it happen. Sometimes things happen organically along the way, they get you to where you want to be and Jey, through the Bloodline saga, was sort of a linchpin in that storytelling and then goes off on his own.”
He continued, “A lot of people question, once they leave The Bloodline, once they leave Roman, once they leave Heyman, are they going to be anything more than a tag team that they already were or are they going to be what they were or are they going to succeed and be anything more. You give them the opportunity to do all of those things. Jey, when he had the opportunity to do it, would click on these moments.”
Triple H underscored the pivotal role of impactful moments in the success of wrestling. “At the end of the day, a lot of times, that’s just what our business is about, it’s about moments.” He then addressed the ongoing debate regarding the prioritization of in-ring worker vs. being over.
“A lot of people think — There’s a lot of criticism about this, that it’s just the in-ring product, it’s just this, it’s just that how technically good of a wrestler you are. Make me a list of the greatest performers in this business and that list will be two thirds of people that were worse than the majority of the list of great workers that didn’t get to the top.”
Triple H highlighted his qualities that Jey resonates with the audience. Because he has these qualities, Jey has been pushed in the direction that he’s at.
“Jey has great athletic ability and the things that he does in the ring, he does well. Is he the most technical guy here, no. Is the greatest performer on the face of the earth in-ring, no. But, he has a charisma and a likability that he lets people in and they want to see him succeed. When you walk into a building with 10,000, 30,000, or 60,000 and he walks out and that whole place is doing his entrance with him and is hanging on everything he does and are hanging on his words and his moments, that’s what it takes to be a top guy. It’s about box office. Jey is proving what he said he was and that’s Main Event Jey Uso. Whether some people like that or not, there are people like Gunther who believe the in-ring is what matters. He’s either going to beat the entertainment out of Jey Uso or Jey Uso is going to survive all of that and prove that the box office is where it’s at.”
Cody Rhodes has revealed his WrestleMania superstition.
The Undisputed WWE Champion appeared on the Today show on Thursday morning to promote WrestleMania 41. He talked about things such as Travis Scott injuring him at Elimination Chamber, John Cena turning heel and more.
When asked if he has any superstitions going into the ring, Rhodes explained that he doesn’t want to look at the live audience until he walks out for his performance as he don’t want to form any expectations:
“I feel like I’m very superstitious. I almost don’t even realize it but one big one for me is Allegiant Stadium, I don’t want to see it. In terms of, I’ll be able to you know, watch some playback, and it’ll be playing on the bus and in the locker room.
But I don’t want to look out into the live stadium until I come up from underneath the stage for the first time. I want that to be the first moment we all make eye contact, and have that just because I feel like if I see them in advance, I have an expectation. I just want to experience that for the first time just like they are experiencing it.”
Cody Rhodes will be walking into his third straight WrestleMania main event this Sunday, becoming only the third star to do so after Hulk Hogan and Roman Reigns. You can check out the match order and full card for the show here.
Watch The American Nightmare’s full interview below:
On Thursday, The Rock announced the launch of the new ‘Project Rock’ collection in collaboration with Under Armour, and Drew McIntyre leading the campaign.
This comes after McIntyre had been teasing that a major project was coming with The Rock. The former WWE Champion wrote the following on Twitter:
“NEW @ProjectRock training collection is HERE! ? It’s all about YOU Against YOU. Block out the noise and focus on your greatest influence: yourself. Big shoutout to @DMcIntyreWWE for leading our new campaign. Huge supporter of Drew and all he brings to @WWE. F’n beast! Get the gear now: http://projectrock.online/SS25Q2DJ #ProjectRock #YouAgainstYou AVAILABLE NOW.”
“Project Rock” is a fitness and lifestyle brand created by The Rock in collaboration with Under Armour. It encompasses a wide range of athletic apparel, footwear, and accessories. Every piece of Project Rock gear is personally approved by Rock, reflecting his commitment to hard work, dedication, and achieving one’s potential. His personal philosophy and “Iron Paradise” training ethos are deeply ingrained in the brand’s identity.
Collaboration with Under Armour: Project Rock products are engineered with Under Armour’s innovative performance technologies, ensuring high quality, durability, and functionality for intense training. This partnership combines Rock’s vision with Under Armour’s expertise in athletic wear.
McIntyre is slated to work a singles match with Damian Priest at WrestleMania 41.
Roman Reigns supports President Donald Trump, and says the choice was clear in the most recent election.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Reigns shared his views on politics, describing himself as a centrist despite being a registered Democrat. Reflecting on the most recent election at the time, Anoa’i said the choice was “very clear.”
“One person was giving us information. One person was answering questions, so it wasn’t that hard,” he explained.
When asked if that meant he supported Donald Trump, Anoa’i responded after a brief pause:
“I support our President.”
He praised Trump’s broad experience across entertainment, business, and politics, adding:
“At this point, I’m supporting a bright future for our country. Positive and competent leadership. For us to be what we’re supposed to be—to be a world leader and carry that respect and do what a world power like us should be doing.”
However, Anoa’i also acknowledged his differences with Trump’s political behavior. He criticized the former president’s need for constant opposition, saying,
“It’s like he needs that adversary… He needs that competitive motivation or something.”
He noted the similarities between Trump’s combative approach and the dynamics of WWE, observing how wrestling had become a lens for understanding modern politics.
“To be honest,” he added, “the world seems to be more like wrestling than any other form of entertainment.”
Despite AEW’s internal belief that Mariah May is likely WWE-bound upon her contract’s expiration this year, recent information suggests her departure might not be imminent. Fightful initially reported a potential summer exit, but PWInsider.com contradicts this, stating May has “significant time” left on her deal, possibly extending into November or beyond.
This timeline shift means fans expecting a departure in the next few months should adjust their expectations. Since her AEW debut in November 2023, May has emerged as a significant breakout star. Her initial storyline portrayed her as the ultimate fan of Toni Storm. May integrated herself into Storm’s world before a dramatic betrayal.
This long-term storyline reached its climax just months ago at AEW Revolution 2025, where Storm defeated May in a brutal and bloody encounter to retain her Women’s Title. May has been absent from AEW programming since then.
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that May “made it clear” she was not planning to re-sign, and AEW booked her third match with Storm as a blow-off shortly after their second match in Australia for that reason. May has yet to comment publicly on her situation.
Chelsea Green has revealed her awkward reaction to learning about her US title win.
The longest-reigning Women’s US Champion recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet. She talked about things such as her WWE release in 2021, her Lucha Underground match with Penta, and more.
Green picked up the biggest win of her career in December last year when she defeated Michin in finals of a tournament to become the first ever Women’s US Champion on the returning Saturday Night’s Main Event. During the interview, Chelsea went into detail of how she handled herself in the days prior to the event.
The former TNA star noted how plans change in WWE all the time so they only tell people the finish to matches at the very last minute. This made things awkward for Green as everyone leading up to the show assumed that she was winning the belt and knew about it, while the same had not been communicated by the officials. The confirmation was only given to her at the very last second in the Gorilla position, right before she went out for her match:
“As we were walking to the ring to go through things I was being filmed. So that’s a big telltale sign, you’re being filmed for something WWE. So they had me walk to the ring, and then they had this very, very, very awkward moment between me and Shane Helms where he basically told me that I’m winning, we were just all downplaying it big time and it was very awkward.”
Chelsea Green noted how she was originally under the impression that the finals would take place at Survivor Series in Chicago. So she had bought tickets for dozens of her family members and friends. The female star also revealed that Michin had offered to build the match in a way that benefited her. Green however decided to build the bout in a way where either of them could come out victorious:
“I hope that footage comes out, because Triple H is sitting there watching us have the conversation, but he’s not telling me. But obviously he decided it, and I’m like this is so weird that he’s watching me react, so I’m trying to be excited, but I’ve also kind of known and hoped that this was gonna happen, and then I’m also like but if I react too big is that kind of icky?
I’m so excited I’m winning; do you know what I mean? A lot of emotions were going through me and I’m not a very emotional person too, so that doesn’t help the reaction. So it was very awkward. So I hope that moment airs somewhere. I hope you guys all get to see that.”
Chelsea Green is currently not booked for a match at WrestleMania 41 but it’s possible that she is added to the show for a last-minute title defence or a segment.
Former WWE Women’s Champion Becky Lynch has been away from WWE TV for quite some time and her rumored return was also delayed. Well, reports have emerged regarding the reason behind it.
Speaking on The Hump, Sean Ross Sapp discussed Lynch’s return plans and noted that creative plans were pitched for her a few months back. However, those plans didn’t materialize.
“There was creative pitched for her in January. It didn’t end up happening. I don’t know exactly what the creative was, but I know it wasn’t like a one-on-one match. I don’t know if it was a three-way, four-way, tag team—whatever it might’ve been.”
Sapp said that though ‘The Man’ has not been featured on WWE programming, she has been under WWE contract for at least four or five months. However, he noted that Becky Lynch hasn’t shown interest in being part of uninspired or lazy storytelling. Sapp said:
“She’s been signed, she’s been under contract for months—at least four or five that I know of. But she hasn’t been brought to TV to do anything or anything like that. She’s very smart though. She knows what creates buzz. But she also doesn’t want lazy booking. I don’t think she wants that. She wants something inspired.”
While fans were expecting Becky Lynch to return around WrestleMania, she cleared the air regarding her pro wrestling future. During her appearance as Guest Monologist at the Ultimate Improv Show on April 11th, Lynch stated:
“It’s WrestleMania season, isn’t it? Look, I’m not wrestling anymore. Maybe one day, but not right now. But my husband is!”
Meanwhile, her husband and fellow WWE star Seth Rollins is headlining WrestleMania Saturday against CM Punk and Roman Reigns. Amid her absence, Becky Lynch was also featured in Chime’s commercial, joining Deion Sanders and Kai Cenat in a campaign.
The card for WWE NXT’s biggest showcase of the year, NXT Stand & Deliver 2025, has been finalized with several exciting additions. Taking place this Saturday, April 19, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, this fifth annual event kicks off WrestleMania weekend with high-stakes championship matches and compelling storylines.
How to Watch
Start Times:
United States: 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT
United Kingdom: 6:00 PM BST
Europe: 7:00 PM CEST
India: 10:30 PM IST
Australia: 3:00 AM AEST (Sunday)
Broadcast Details:
United States: Peacock
International: Netflix
Match Card
NXT Championship Triple Threat Match: Oba Femi (c) vs. Trick Williams vs. Je’Von Evans
The dominant NXT Champion Oba Femi faces his greatest challenge yet in a triple threat match against two of NXT’s most electrifying stars. Williams has been on a mission to recapture championship gold, while the high-flying Evans looks to make the biggest impact of his young career on NXT’s grandest stage.
NXT Women’s Championship Fatal 4-Way Match: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Giulia vs. Jaida Parker vs. Jordynne Grace
The NXT Women’s Championship will be defended in what promises to be a show-stealing fatal four-way. Champion Stephanie Vaquer must overcome former champion Giulia, the powerful Jordynne Grace, and the rising star Jaida Parker to retain her title.
NXT Women’s North American Championship Ladder Match: ZARIA vs. Kelani Jordan vs. Izzi Dame vs. Sol Ruca vs. Lola Vice vs. Thea Hail
Six competitors will risk everything in a ladder match to crown the inaugural NXT Women’s North American Champion. What was originally planned as a five-woman match has been expanded to include Lola Vice and Thea Hail, making this an even more unpredictable and dangerous contest.
NXT North American Championship Match: Ricky Saints (c) vs. Ethan Page
North American Champion Ricky Saints makes his first title defense against the unhinged Ethan Page. What was previously uncertain has now been confirmed, with Page earning his opportunity through a series of impressive victories.
NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Fraxiom (Nathan Frazer & Axiom) (c) vs. Hank Walker & Tank Ledger
The high-flying champions Fraxiom put their titles on the line against the powerhouse duo of Hank Walker and Tank Ledger. This clash of styles promises an intriguing battle for tag team supremacy.
The D’Angelo Family vs. DarkState – Six-Man Tag Team Match: Tony D’Angelo, Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo & Luca Crusifino vs. DarkState
The D’Angelo Family faces the mysterious and dangerous DarkState faction in a six-man tag team match. This heated rivalry has intensified in recent weeks, with both groups looking to establish dominance in NXT.
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship #1 Contenders Fatal 4-Way Elimination Match (Countdown Pre-Show): Roxanne Perez & Cora Jade vs. Meta-Four (Lash Legend & Jakara Jackson) vs. Fatal Influence vs. Gigi Dolin & Tatum Paxley
Added to the Countdown pre-show, this elimination match will determine the next challengers for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. The surprising partnership between former rivals Roxanne Perez and Cora Jade adds an intriguing dynamic to this high-stakes contest.
With WrestleMania 41 taking place later the same day, Stand & Deliver kicks off what promises to be an unforgettable weekend for WWE fans, showcasing the future stars of the company on one of wrestling’s biggest weekends of the year.????????????????
WWE’s Naomi has praised the standout performance of AEW stars Mercedes Moné and Athena, following their match on this week’s historic episode of AEW Dynamite.
The episode marked a milestone for Dynamite, surpassing WCW Nitro as the longest-running primetime wrestling show in TNT history. Moné and Athena kicked off the night with a high-profile semifinal clash in the women’s Owen Hart Cup tournament.
After the match, Naomi — who has maintained a villainous streak on WWE programming and social media — took a moment to commend both competitors and give them their “flowers.”
The praise highlights the connection she shares with Moné, formerly known as Sasha Banks, as the two were WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions and exited the company together in 2022.
The match was notable as the first-ever AEW singles contest between Moné and Athena, and Athena’s first appearance on Dynamite since October 2022. Moné secured the win, handing Athena her first singles loss since joining AEW. With the victory, Moné advances to the tournament final at Double or Nothing on May 25, where she will face either Jamie Hayter or Kris Statlander.
On the men’s side of the Owen Hart Cup, Will Ospreay has reached the final and awaits the winner of Adam Page vs. Kyle Fletcher.
Roman Reigns has spoken publicly about the ongoing lawsuit filed against Vince McMahon, calling the allegations “embarrassing” and expressing concern for those affected.
In January 2024, former WWE employee Janel Grant filed a lawsuit against McMahon, WWE, and John Laurinaitis, alleging sexual assault and sex trafficking. The case prompted McMahon’s resignation from his executive role with TKO and WWE. The lawsuit remains active.
Reigns, who was elevated to top star status shortly after his debut in November 2012 and worked closely with McMahon for over a decade, addressed the situation in a recent interview with Vanity Fair.
“It’s embarrassing,” Reigns said. “That’s stuff you don’t want to hear about. You don’t want your family to hear about.”
He described the allegations as a “stain on WWE” and offered empathy for Grant, stating:
“She’s got to live with all these situations that happened, and hopefully she’s in a place where she feels comfortable and she’s secure in her own place.”
The profile also mentioned that McMahon reached out to Reigns last year to wish him a happy birthday.
Elsewhere in the interview, the “Tribal Chief” revealed that his current WWE contract expires after next year’s WrestleMania 42, and he’s planning to spend much more of his time focusing on “less physical” entertainment projects.
Roman Reigns has confirmed that his current WWE contract is set to expire following WrestleMania 42 in 2026. In a new profile published by Vanity Fair ahead of this year’s WrestleMania 41, Reigns shared that he expects to remain with WWE for “another year or two max” before shifting to “a less physical form of entertainment.”
Reflecting on a pivotal turning point in his career, Reigns said he considered leaving WWE before his on-screen partnership with Paul Heyman.
“I was prepared to walk away if we weren’t going to be able to do what I felt was right for me creatively at the time,” he noted.
He credited the pairing for helping reshape his character after audiences grew disinterested in his former “Big Dog” persona.
Roman Reigns’ WWE Career
Reigns, born Leati Joseph Anoa?i, began his WWE journey in 2010 and made his main roster debut at Survivor Series in 2012 as part of The Shield, alongside Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins. His impact since then has been historic.
At WrestleMania 41, Reigns is set to headline Night 1 in a triple threat match against CM Punk and Seth Rollins. With this appearance, he will have main-evented WrestleMania 10 times—setting a new all-time record for most WrestleMania main events in WWE history.
His previous WrestleMania main events include:
WrestleMania 31 – vs. Brock Lesnar (with Seth Rollins’ Money in the Bank cash-in)
WrestleMania 32 – vs. Triple H
WrestleMania 34 – vs. Brock Lesnar
WrestleMania 37 – vs. Edge and Daniel Bryan
WrestleMania 38 – vs. Brock Lesnar (Title Unification match)
WrestleMania 39 – vs. Cody Rhodes
WrestleMania 40 (Night 1) – Tag match with The Rock vs. Cody Rhodes & Seth Rollins
WrestleMania 40 (Night 2) – vs. Cody Rhodes
WrestleMania 41 – vs. CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins (scheduled)
This milestone places Reigns ahead of legendary figures such as John Cena, Hulk Hogan, and The Undertaker in WrestleMania main event appearances.
Rhea Ripley has revealed a time she wanted to quit WWE.
The Mami is one of WWE’s top stars right now, even outdoing the WWE Champion Cody Rhodes in merch sales some weeks. The journey to this success has not been an easy one for Ripley, however. Having made her wrestling debut at the age of 17 back in 2014, Rhea had to go through a lot of hardship before finding her unique identity that has led to her becoming an icon for everyone who feels like an outcast.
The former Champion talked about her path during a recent interview with Paste Magazine. She first discussed her intense routine while training at the Diana Dojo in Japan. Rhea Ripley then noted that things didn’t improve for her even after joining WWE. Ripley, who was trying to fit in with other young signees, failed to make an impression in her early appearances. This led to her wanting to quit the business altogether:
“I literally broke down. I was at my lowest and I wanted to quit. I wanted to give it all up, and I was like, ‘No, you have to continue for all the people that actually did believe in you. You have to prove the doubters wrong.’”
Rhea Ripley competed in the Inaugural Mae Young Classic tournament in July 2017. She made her NXT debut in October that year, competing in a battle royal. This remained her only TV appearance for the brand for almost a year, however, until she completely overhauled her appearance. She debuted her current look at the 2018 Mae Young Classic, that led to her becoming the star she is now:
“I said, ‘This is me now.’ And they were like, ‘Okay, we’ll see if it works.’ Luckily, I went out there and I was so much more confident. The second Mae Young Classic, I was me. I didn’t care. I just wanted to go out there and do what I loved. I wanted to brutalize and entertain, and that’s where Rhea Ripley grew into.”
The Eradicator will be competing in a triple threat match for the Women’s title against Bianca Belair and IYO SKY at WrestleMania 41. You can check out the match order for both nights of the show here.
At WWE NXT Stand & Deliver’s kick-off show, Cora Jade will team with Roxanne Perez to battle for a shot at the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. The pair will face Meta-Four (Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson), Fatal Influence (Fallon Henley and Jacy Jayne) and Tatum Paxley and Gigi Dolin. The winners will have their title match on the first episode of WWE NXT post-WrestleMania 41.
Many fans have questioned reuniting Perez and Jade who have been broken up several times, often with Jade turning on The Prodigy. Taking to X to defend the booking, Jade said it was no different to siblings fighting and making up. Jade’s comment earned a response from Perez who argued that others were jealous of the bond she shares with Jade.
Seriously!!!! Just jealous cause they’ve never had a friendship like ours!!!
Jade turned on Perez in July 2022, bringing an end to the pair’s time as NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions. Though the pair reunited in late 2024, Jade ended their friendship a second time in February 2025, this time over the NXT Women’s Championship. Now the pair are back together and hope to earn a shot at the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, though it remains to be seen how long the pair will last as allies this time around.
WWE Chief Content Officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque recently shared his criticism for ‘critics’ who spend too long hating on pro wrestling, encouraging fans online to “be a fan.” While Levesque’s comments have (ironically,) sparked a lot of criticism from fans online, one TNA Wrestling star is throwing his weight behind the Game.
On X, A.J. Francis shared that Levesque is right to “tell people f*** off being a critic.” Echoing Levesque’s sentiment, Francis said people online should “shut the f*** up & be a fan.”
Levesque’s comments have divided opinion with some arguing that he is right to take aim at the Internet Wrestling Community (IWC) and those who are constantly negative. Others have argued though that part of being a fan means having the freedom to share when they don’t like what is being presented to them.
Criticism or not, Levesque will be focused on delivering an epic WWE WrestleMania 41 this weekend inside Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium. And while the show will no-doubt spark plenty of debate online, WWE’s CCO hopes fans don’t forget that they are meant to be enjoying the show.
