AEW star Jack Perry has opened up about his experience during the “Four Pillars” storyline in 2023, revealing that the period was the most miserable of his professional wrestling career. The high-profile angle brought together four of AEW’s top “homegrown” talents—Perry, MJF, Darby Allin, and Sammy Guevara—and culminated in a four-way match for the AEW World Championship at the Double or Nothing pay-per-view.
While it was a main event program, Perry felt the timing was wrong and that the storyline ultimately benefited only one person. In a recent interview with Haley Miller of VICE, Perry was candid about his feelings on the storyline and revealed that he had pleaded with management to postpone it.
“The pillars thing up to that point was the most miserable I had ever been, I didn’t wanna do that at that time. I literally said, I begged, I was like, ‘Can we do this later? I feel like this is only really benefiting one person. And we all could grow so much more.’ I had just beaten Christian when that happened and then Christian got injured and that whole thing took way longer than it was supposed to. I was kinda floating around killing time until he got back so I could beat him. After I beat him, the next thing I got put in was that. I was like, ‘Could you guys let me get going a little bit? Sammy could be built up even more, Darby, and this could be a huge thing where any one of us could win the world title at the end of this.”
Perry also believes that the storyline led to fans beginning to turn on his “Jungle Boy” babyface character, and he wanted to embrace that with a heel turn, a move that was initially rejected.
“I felt so not good about what I was doing at the point I was at. I really felt people were starting to turn on me a little there. And I thought, ‘I think I should lean into that and like make this story here. Am I gonna turn to win the world title?’ That was met with people being like, ‘No, you gotta stay [face]! You’re Jungle Boy,’ yeah, but Jungle Boy has nothing to say and people are starting to not like me. As soon as I started to tease that I was gonna go the other way, people were interested again because I was interested again. The heel turn was like a whole new world for me. My main thing there was people told me, ‘you’re never gonna be able to be a heel.’ I knew I could. Obviously, I wasn’t the greatest in the world. There were parts of it that were rocky and I had to figure it out ’cause I’d been Jungle Boy my whole life. To me, it was just to prove that I could do it.”
At AEW All Out, Perry reunited with Killswitch to reform Jurassic Express. They will break their silence on the reunion this Wednesday on Dynamite.
Matt and Jeff Hardy will be hosting their own live event from New York City on November 22, giving fans a unique experience from one of wrestling’s most popular tag teams. As per Jon Alba, the November 22, show will kick off with a live edition of The Extreme Life of Matt Hardy, hosted by Matt and Alba.
This episode of the Extreme Life podcast will look back at the iconic Royal Rumble 2000 tables match between the Hardy Boyz and the Dudley Boyz. In a statement, Matt shared his excitement for the event.
“My brother and I are excited to bring the Hardy Party to the Big Apple, New York City. NYC carries so much tradition with the Hardys, and we cannot wait to share stories that many fans have never heard before. We’re looking forward to having the biggest Hardy Party of all time on Nov. 22!”
Following the podcast, Jeff Hardy will take the stage for a musical performance featuring both original songs and covers that he says have “helped shape his personal and professional journey.” Both events will take place at Connolly’s Restaurant & Pub, 121 W 45th St, New York, NY 10036.
Tickets are priced at $50 for general admission, while VIP tickets are available for $250. The VIP package includes a meet & greet with both Matt and Jeff, a personal photo, a signed item, and priority seating for both shows.
This news comes as the Hardys prepare for their upcoming showdown with the Dudleyz at Bound for Glory, as well as their involvement in the NXT–TNA InVasion storyline. Decades after breaking out in WWE, Matt and Jeff Hardy continue to captivate fans with their enduring star power.
The buzz around Adam Copeland’s acting career continues to grow, as the AEW star has landed a role in Miramax’s The Beekeeper 2, Variety reports. The film is a sequel to 2024’s The Beekeeper, which followed a government assassin who comes out of retirement on a quest for vengeance.
Copeland joins an impressive cast led by Jason Statham, who will reprise his role in the sequel. Returning stars include Jeremy Irons (Die Hard), Emmy Raver-Lampman (The Umbrella Academy), and Bobby Naderi (The Better Sister). Pom Klementieff (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Copeland are set to appear as new additions to the ensemble.
The WWE Hall of Famer is no stranger to acting. He appeared in 42 episodes of Haven and more recently played Ares in Disney+’s Percy Jackson and the Olympians.
Details of Copeland’s role remain under wraps, but Hollywood clearly has its eye on the former Edge. With his in-ring career winding down, fans should expect more screen roles in his future.
Mr. Thomas has been one of the names to have broken out in Major League Wrestling. Often the veteran would find himself helping another like Alex Kane within the Bomaye Fight Club. Now the Philadelphia native is focused on building on the momentum he has created in the last year in MLW. It’s one of the big reasons Thomas decided to sign a new deal with the promotion.
“There is very little loyalty in this business unfortunately,” he said. “MLW has always been loyal to me. I worked a good amount of time without a deal and was okay with that and was always loyal to the brand. I put in my time and effort, so when it was time to sign again, there was nowhere else I would rather be when it comes to my ability to have input into what I do, the matches, things of that nature.
“The schedule is more to my liking. I like to live a normal, peaceful, successful life outside the wrestling world. Right now, MLW allows me the ability to do that. Not to say the schedule won’t become more intensive as we move forward with things changing in life. I’m prepared for that. I think it’s the perfect split between real life and professional wrestling that people don’t tend to have.”
For the star, who got the Mr. Thomas name based on what his cleaning lady would call him over the years, MLW is the top priority. This is why you won’t see him doing much outside that arena. He also takes a more fight camp approach in between matches.
“The last time I stepped in the ring to practice so to speak on a Tuesday or Wednesday and tried to work on my skills, I immediately tore my ACL. In this aspect of wrestling, I try to limit my injuries as much as possible,” Thomas explained. “I have a very close strength and conditioning coach I work with here in Tampa two and three times a week. We’re doing a lot of different things that aren’t necessarily shooting the ropes, doing dropdowns, leap frogs, drills of that nature.
“We try to incorporate more real-life aspect training into what goes into wrestling. There is more than just doing grapples and things like that. And between you and I, my timing is perfect brother so I don’t have to brush up on that. Likely, I know whatever I have coming up, I’ll always be paired off with a top-notch individual in this wrestling world we live in. I’m not in there solo. I’m in there with people I know and trust and are capable of bringing me up if needed and vice versa.”
He is grateful to be stepping foot in the ring with the likes of Satoshi Kojima. Thomas has enjoyed getting the chance to spotlight his skills in a singles capacity. At the same time, the performer enjoyed the dynamic between himself and Alex Kane.
“We were kind of thrown together,” he said of their origin story. “I’ve known of him before. We really just meshed. Luckily enough to be on the same page as someone. I’m a little older than him, but I’m not saying that I was there to babysit or guide him. But [I could] set him in the right ways and try to figure out what works best for him, his character, my character, how we can play off each other. It worked out for the best.
“He went from being an unsigned, no-name person that gets drafted to MLW in the 2021 draft, we popped up our first time together and he is the MLW Openweight champion. We steamrolled through everyone he won the world title, black world champion, it was good to see the highs and lows. I learned a lot from him, and I hope he learned from me. We really worked together as a team inside and outside the ring. We traveled together, hung out together, and we still talk every day. That relationship can’t be broken. We did have our one-on-one match in the Opera Cup last year. I think we’ll probably do that at some point when the time is ready. I don’t know if he’ll ever turn on me or I’ll turn on him, but we’ll see what happens when the time comes.”
Thomas has his sights set on dethroning new champion Mads Krügger in the Chamber of Horrors match at Slaughterhouse on October 4. Other participants revealed thus far include Matthew Justice and CW Anderson with two other mystery participants. The Long Beach event will air on YouTube and beIN Sports.
“As much as I love surprises, I hate surprises,” Thomas said. “CW Anerson is a great veteran and competitor from the ECW days. We’ve had our feud the last year, year-and-a-half where the Rogue Horsemen went up against the Bomaye Fight Club with Matthew Justice on the same team in the War Chamber, which I came out victorious in, for the record. When it comes to cage matches this year, Mr. Thomas is 1-0 amongst everyone else. With that being said, Mads is just fresh off a world title victory and hate to say it transition champion possibly.
“I want that belt more than anything in life right now. The way it is being described to me is we get in this cage and fight til someone becomes world champion. I know there will be weapons involved and we will be caged in and not sure there will be something at the top as much as I or Matthew Jusciee want to jump off and dive through everything. I will be a very safe wrestler this weekend. I’m going to utilize my technical ability instead of jumping off things or going through things, but I will take a shortcut and hit someone over the head with what is available to me at that moment because anything goes.”
As for who the other two getting added to the mix, Thomas has his suspicions. No matter who it is, he’ll be ready to take them down a peg.
“I’m not spoiling anything because I don’t ask questions, but the things I’ve seen and heard and tweets I read in between the lines is we got someone new coming in who might have been around a few times,” Thomas hypothesized. “Someone who might have just gotten let go from somewhere else, which is fine. I’ll tell him the same thing as I’ll tell anyone else. Don’t come to MLW thinking this is your meal ticket to the top because you have to go through a lot of other people to get through the top spot in the company, me being one of them.
“I will fight and do whatever it takes to make sure my spot is not taken by some guy who got released or couldn’t politic himself into getting re-signed somewhere else. That is a personal shoutout to anyone who wants to Tick Tock, times ticking, this sun dial bullshit of time and measurement is, I don’t want to hear about it. Come see me to my face in LA on October 4 and we’ll see who walks out world champion.”
Winning the top prize in MLW would mean a lot to Thomas. In his eyes, it would signify confidence from the company and confidence within himself that he could rise above the rest.
“For me, the world title being my first singles title in MLW would be crazy,” the challenger added. “I would love that more than anything. It’s exactly what I’m going for. I’m on to bigger and better things. Everyone once and a while I get grouped with the Bomaye Fight Club thinking I was just a sidekick or bodyguard or the strategist, whatever you want to call me. I’m on my own now. I have a name to prove to myself now. In the ring, outside the ring with everyone watching.”
The official trailer has been released for the upcoming action-comedy “Trap House,” starring former WWE Champion Dave Bautista. The film is set to hit theaters on November 14, 2025. The release of the first official trailer gives fans their first look at it.
“Trap House” centers on a team of elite DEA agents who are shocked to discover that their own rebellious teenage children have been using their parents’ covert tactics and skills—such as surveillance, infiltration, and non-lethal weapons—to pull off a daring heist against a ruthless drug cartel. The film boasts an impressive ensemble cast alongside Bautista, including Jack Champion (Avatar: The Way of Water, Scream VI), Sophia Lillis (It, Dungeons & Dragons), Tony Dalton (Better Call Saul), Whitney Peak (Gossip Girl), Kate Del Castillo (Cleaning Lady), Zaire Adams (FreeRidge), and Bobby Cannavale (The Irish Man, Ant-Man). The combination of a veteran action star in Bautista and a talented group of up-and-coming young actors is a perfect fit for the film’s premise.
Before becoming a legitimate Hollywood leading man, Dave Bautista established a successful career in WWE as “The Animal” Batista. He was one of the biggest stars of the “Ruthless Aggression” era, a multi-time world champion, and a key member of thr Evolution faction alongside Triple H, Ric Flair, and Randy Orton. After leaving WWE to pursue acting, he had his breakout role as the hilariously literal Drax the Destroyer in Marvel’s blockbuster Guardians of the Galaxy franchise.
Since his success as Drax, Bautista has built an impressive and diverse acting resume, earning critical acclaim for his roles in major films such as Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi epics Blade Runner 2049 and Dune, as well as playing a formidable Bond villain in Spectre. Check it out below:
“Main Event” Jey Uso has set his sights on a major career milestone that would solidify his and his brother Jimmy’s legacy as one of the greatest tag teams in WWE history. After a successful and eventful run as a singles competitor that saw him become a main event star and capture the Intercontinental Championship, Jey has recently reunited with his twin brother.
Now, he has revealed that his new goal is to continue competing long enough for The Usos to celebrate a remarkable 20-year anniversary with WWE. In a recent interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated‘s “Undisputed,” Jey Uso discussed his desire for longevity and his pride in the career he and his brother have built together since their debut in 2010.
“This isn’t a job, it’s a lifestyle. For me, this is a 16-year run. I want to hit 20. That’s a big goal for me. You’ve seen 20 years of Rey Mysterio, Randy Orton, John Cena, and all the greats. I want to see 20 years of The Usos.”
The Usos are already one of the most decorated tag teams of all time, holding the record for the longest tag team championship reign in WWE history. After spending the last couple of years on separate paths, their recent reunion has re-energized the tag team division.
AEW’s most violent tradition, the Blood & Guts match, will make its return on Wednesday, November 12, at a special edition of AEW Dynamite emanating from the First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina. The company officially announced the date and location for its fifth Blood & Guts event, a show that promises to continue the legacy of the two-ring steel cage match.
In a post on X, AEW wrote, “On Wed, Nov 12, AEW’s most violent match will take over the First Horizon Coliseum! Early Access Premium Seating starts tomorrow; tickets on sale 10/3”. One of the most intriguing possibilities is the first-ever women’s Blood & Guts match. On a recent episode of AEW Collision, former AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter teased that the violent stipulation may be the only way to settle the escalating, multi-woman feud involving herself, The Triangle of Madness, Queen Aminata, Harley Cameron, and others.
AEW’s Blood & Guts is the company’s modern take on the classic WarGames concept created by Dusty Rhodes. The match features two teams locked inside a massive, roofed steel cage that encloses two rings, a setup that is closer to Rhodes’ original vision of “The Match Beyond.” Since its debut in 2021, the Blood & Guts match has become an annual tradition for AEW, consistently delivering some of the most memorable and violent spectacles in the company’s history. Past editions have featured clashes between factions like The Inner Circle and The Pinnacle, the Jericho Appreciation Society and the Blackpool Combat Club, and The Golden Elite versus the Blackpool Combat Club.
This will be AEW’s first event in the historic Greensboro venue since the Revolution pay-per-view in March 2024, a show that was main-evented by the emotional and historic retirement match of the legendary Sting, who teamed with Darby Allin to defeat The Young Bucks for the AEW World Tag Team Championships.
Robert Patrick believes John Cena has what it takes to become the next Terminator, a sentiment he first expressed to the WWE G.OA.T nearly two decades ago.
The actor, who memorably portrayed the T-1000 in Terminator 2: Judgment Day, revealed in a new interview with Monopoly Events that he pitched the idea to Cena while they were filming WWE Studios’ The Marine in 2006.
“Oh, I told John that early on when we were doing the Marine,” Patrick said. “I said, when I was doing the Marine with him, I said, ‘you could be the next Terminator, man.’ He could be. He’d be great.”
The Marine marked one of Cena’s first major acting roles, launching what would become a successful transition from WWE Superstar to Hollywood actor. Nearly 20 years later, the pair have reunited on screen for Peacemaker Season 2, which is currently airing on Amazon Prime Video.
Before becoming Peacemaker’s dad, Robert Patrick (@robertpatrickT2) starred in 2006’s The Marine with John Cena.
Patrick’s endorsement carries significant weight given his iconic status in the Terminator franchise. While no official plans exist for Cena to join the series, the veteran actor’s confidence in Cena’s abilities speaks to the physical presence and charisma the 16-time WWE Champion brings to action roles.
Interestingly, Cena recently admitted he didn’t take filming of The Marine seriously at the time, viewing it primarily as a promotional vehicle for WWE. His career trajectory since then suggests Patrick’s early assessment was prescient.
The WWE Vault delivered a treasure trove of nostalgia this week, releasing an hour-plus compilation video showcasing seven matches from current WWE stars during their independent wrestling days.
The collection spans over a decade of indie wrestling history, featuring some surprising matchups that hardcore fans will appreciate. Seth Rollins, performing as Tyler Black, takes on the late Jay Briscoe in a 2007 encounter. CM Punk faces off against Ace Steel in a 2005 bout that predates his WWE Championship reign.
Current Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER, then known as WALTER, battles the hardcore legend Nick Gage in a 2018 match that highlights his pre-WWE dominance. Aleister Black (Tommy End) showcases his striking prowess against TJP in 2016, while Adam Pearce tests his skills against X-Pac (Sean Waltman) in 2005.
The compilation also includes Jeff Cobb, wrestling as JC Mateo, against Jaka in 2017, and Joaquin Wilde (DJZ) facing Mustafa Ali in 2018.
While WWE’s premium live events remain on paid streaming platforms, the company continues to reward fans with free classic content through its YouTube channel. The WWE Vault has become a goldmine for wrestling enthusiasts seeking rare footage and historical perspectives on today’s top performers.
Eagle-eyed fans spotted a former champion of the NWA during the September 29, episode of WWE Raw, playing a role outside of the ring. During the show’s opening segment, a confrontation between Asuka, Kairi Sane, IYO SKY, and Rhea Ripley ended with SKY getting misted by Asuka.
Later in the show, SKY was seen backstage getting medical help. Fans familiar with the NWA spotted Ella Envy as one of the medics tending to the former Women’s World Champion.
Envy, real name Madison Hardin, is a four-time former NWA World Women’s Tag Team Champion. In 2022, her efforts alongside Kenzie Page saw the duo place #71 in PWI’s ranking of the top 100 tag teams of the year.
BK Westbrook was the other extra during the segment backstage with SKY. Westbrook is a regular on the independent scene and regularly competes for Deadlock Pro Wrestling. Both he and Envy are based in North Carolina, the home of this week’s WWE Raw.
For Envy and Westbrook, their roles on Raw gave the pair a taste of the high-production that is a WWE TV event. With some notable names first appearing as extras in WWE, including Sheamus, Wade Barrett, and Tomasso Ciampa, perhaps these cameo roles will be the start of bigger things for the pair.
John Cena’s final match will take place in Washington, D.C. on December 13, WWE has confirmed. During the September 29, episode of WWE Monday Night Raw, it was revealed that Washington will play host to Saturday Night’s Main Event in December, and it will be the host of the final match in Cena’s storied career.
The 17-time WWE World Champion now has five appearances confirmed before he retires from in-ring competition.
October 11: WWE Crown Jewel: Perth (Perth, Australia)
Cena’s farewell tour kicked off in January and has seen him win his record-breaking 17th World Title, as well as a polarizing heel turn. Now, John’s career will culminate in Washington, giving fans months to prepare for the end of one of the most influential careers in pro wrestling.
Hologram has been on a roll since debuting in AEW, but is currently out of action with an injury. Now, more has come to light about his setback and fans shouldn’t expect him back anytime soon.
According to Bryan Alvarez, Hologram is dealing with a knee injury and will be out of action “for a long, long time.” The setback forced AEW to scrap plans for a TNT Title match against Kyle Fletcher that was scheduled for the October 1 edition of Dynamite. A planned feud with his “clone” has also been postponed indefinitely.
Since his debut in July 2024, Hologram has remained undefeated in both singles and tag team competition. Unfortunately, this is not his first setback—he also suffered an ankle injury in late 2024.
Whatever comes next, it won’t be until Hologram is fully healed, which will be a lengthy process according to reports. For now, Hologram will need to focus on getting back to 100% and hope to avoid another serious setback.
“The Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns has made his surprise return to WWE television. On the September 29 episode of Monday Night Raw, Reigns appeared during the main event, attacking Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed of The Vision and helping his cousins, The Usos, secure a victory in a chaotic Tornado Tag Team match.
The return marks Reigns’s first appearance on WWE programming in a month and signals a major escalation in the ongoing war between his family and the Vision faction. The return came during the final moments of the brutal Tornado Tag Team main event.
As Breakker and Reed had Jey and Jimmy Uso stacked up and were preparing to finish the match, Reigns’s music hit to a massive ovation from the Raleigh, North Carolina crowd. “The Head of the Table” came down to the ring with a steel chair and, since the weapon was legal under the match’s no-disqualification rules, proceeded to lay out both members of The Vision. His interference allowed The Usos to recover and get the pinfall victory.
This was Roman Reigns’s first appearance since the WWE Clash in Paris Premium Live Event on August 31. On that night, after successfully defeating Bronson Reed in a singles match, Reigns was the victim of a post-match assault by the entire Vision faction, which was the storyline reason for his month-long absence.
A major women’s tag team match has been made official for the upcoming WWE Crown Jewel in Perth, Australia. On the September 29 episode of Monday Night Raw, it was confirmed that former rivals Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY will join forces to take on the Kabuki Warriors, Asuka and Kairi Sane.
The match is a result of the implosion of the Damage CTRL faction. The feud has been building for weeks, centered on the growing mutual respect between Ripley and SKY, which appeared to cause a rift within Damage CTRL. The tension finally exploded on last week’s episode of Raw, when Asuka and Kairi Sane viciously turned on their long-time partner, IYO SKY, attacking her after Asuka had blinded Ripley with her signature poison mist.
The updated card for WWE Crown Jewel is below:
Champion vs. Champion Match: Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins
Champion vs. Champion Match: WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton vs. Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer
John Cena vs. AJ Styles
Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY vs. The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane)
WWE LFG competitor Penina Tuilaepa has officially been given her new in-ring name. The rising star took to social media on Monday to announce that she will now be known as PJ Vasa.
The announcement came just one day after WWE filed an official trademark for the “PJ Vasa” name with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for entertainment services. The Washington native was introduced to the WWE Universe as one of the featured recruits in the first season of the “WWE LFG” reality series, which chronicled the journey of new talent at the WWE Performance Center.
Since making her in-ring debut on the show, she has become a regular on the NXT live event circuit, gaining experience and honing her skills. Throughout the past year, Vasa has competed against a variety of opponents from the NXT women’s division, including Thea Hail, Zena Sterling, and Sirena Linton.
Now, with a new official and trademarked ring name, fans will be watching closely to see what the next chapter holds for PJ Vasa. It’s unclear when she will make her debut on NXT.
Happy Monday nosey mfs – PJ Vasa has entered the chat.
Steven Borden, son of WWE Hall of Famer Sting, will make his professional wrestling debut in October at “52W HARDWAY: LIVE WRESTLING NIGHTS” in New York City. The event, presented in partnership with artist Raymond Pettibon, Darby Allin, and AEW’s Charlie Ramone, combines live wrestling with contemporary art across two nights on October 3 and 10.
Borden brings a strong athletic foundation to wrestling, having played tight end for the University of Kentucky and briefly signing with the Kansas City Chiefs in 2015 as an NFL prospect. He has been training extensively with Darby Allin, Adam Copeland (formerly Edge), and the tag team FTR in preparation for his in-ring debut.
He made a memorable appearance at AEW Revolution earlier in 2025 following his father’s retirement match, where he paid tribute by wearing Sting’s iconic nWo Wolfpac attire. His debut comes just months after Sting’s emotional farewell from professional wrestling.
The wrestling lineup features established and emerging talent including Darby Allin, Killer Kross, AR Fox, Sid Ellington, Kiran Grey, and Timothy Thatcher alongside Borden. The 52W HARDWAY exhibit represents a unique fusion of professional wrestling and fine art, creating an interdisciplinary event for both wrestling fans and art enthusiasts in New York City.
WWE NXT wrestler Edris Enofe announced his departure from the company on Monday, September 29, marking the end of a four-year tenure with the promotion.
In a video posted to social media, Enofe stated: “As of today, I will officially be leaving the WWE. This is a decision I have thought about for a very long time, and I’m gonna trust my gut on this.”
The 31-year-old expressed gratitude to colleagues throughout the organization, saying:
“For the past 4 years I have had the chance to meet and work with incredible people, from the wrestlers, to the referees, the creative teams, the medical staff and of course all the coaches who put in so much time and effort into making me better, and for that I will always, always appreciate y’all.”
He concluded by thanking fans for their support over the years.
Edris Enofe in WWE
Enofe signed with WWE in 2021 following tryouts during SummerSlam weekend in Las Vegas as part of the initial NXT 2.0 class. A U.S. Navy veteran, he gained attention with a standout debut and became known for his charisma and athletic ability.
His most notable run came as part of a tag team with Malik Blade, with the duo becoming popular among NXT audiences and frequently challenging for the NXT Tag Team Championships, though they never captured the titles. The team made their debut on the January 11, 2022 episode of NXT as part of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament, advancing to the semi-finals.
Enofe’s last WWE match was a loss to Lince Dorado at an NXT live event on July 25. Following Blade’s injury in October 2024, Enofe appeared sparingly in singles competition, primarily wrestling for WWE Evolve.
Enofe is the second NXT star to depart the company in less than a week, following Jazmyn Nyx’s announcement.
“The Phenomenal” AJ Styles has shared his first public comments on the recently announced dream match that will see him face John Cena one last time. The historic encounter is scheduled to take place at the WWE Crown Jewel in Australia on Saturday, October 11. The match, which was made official by Paul “Triple H” Levesque last week after a social media campaign initiated by Cena, will be a stop on Cena’s ongoing retirement tour.
Speaking in a new interview with the Japanese media outlet ABEMA, Styles discussed the upcoming bout and his reaction to the surprising way it came together.
“I am certainly happy for the opportunity to wrestle John Cena on his retirement tour. I did not think this was going to happen, it honestly just came out of nowhere, but I accept it, I want it, and me and John are going to have one last match and it’s going to be incredible.”
The rivalry between AJ Styles and John Cena is one of the most celebrated of the modern era, producing a series of classic matches in 2016 and 2017, including their acclaimed bouts at SummerSlam and the Royal Rumble. This will be their first one-on-one match in over seven years.
AJ Styles on wrestling John Cena at Crown Jewel: Perth:
“I am certainly happy for the opportunity to wrestle John Cena on his retirement tour. I did not think this was going to happen. It honestly just came out of nowhere. But I accept it, I want it and me and John are going to… pic.twitter.com/BjSJKlZrJN
WWE Hall of Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart recently reflected on his ascent to the top of the company, crediting two fellow legends for helping make his career while simultaneously offering sharp criticism for top stars like Hulk Hogan and Jake “The Snake” Roberts, who he says never did anything to help the next generation of talent.
During a Q&A session, Hart detailed the backstage politics and perceptions he faced early in his singles career and explained how the selflessness of “Mr. Perfect” Curt Hennig and “Rowdy” Roddy Piper was instrumental in proving his main event potential to the office.Hart recalled his first singles push in the late 1980s, which he felt was unsuccessful due to a lack of commitment from management and a perception that he lacked charisma.
“They were kind of like, ‘It didn’t pan out for you.’ I remember hearing stories with guys saying I had no personality or charisma. I remember thinking, ‘How do you have charisma wrestling Bad News Brown?’ He did’t do anything with me or give me a chance,” Hart said. “They kind of labeled me as a guy who wasn’t capable of being a big star. ‘I didn’t make it.’ I didn’t make it because it was my fault, I didn’t make it because it was your fault.”
“Vince came back to me and said, ‘We’re going to put you as a single again and give you a big push, a real one.’ I was skeptical that they would do all that for me. There is always a lot of politics and backstabbing,” Hart remembered. He credits his classic matches with Mr. Perfect and Roddy Piper for changing the perception of him backstage. “I got put with Mr. Perfect and that was the start of it. Everything started with the wrestlers who loved working with me like Mr. Perfect, Roddy Piper, and certain guys who wanted to help me prove to the office that I could be a big star. I owe a lot to Mr. Perfect. He was the first guy to go in there and show everybody how good I was. Curt was one of my favorite guys to wrestle. He was the first guy to step up and make me. Roddy Piper was the second.”
Hart then contrasted the help he received from Hennig and Piper with the attitude of Hulk Hogan, who was the face of the company for the previous decade. “When I look back on my career and the wrestling industry, I look back at what Roddy and Mr. Perfect did for me. I can tell you that Hulk Hogan never did that for anybody. He never helped anybody else after his time as the top guy. He’d rather see the company sink than actually come back and make the next star, which in wrestling that’s how it is. The next guy helps the next guy,” Hart stated.
He also included Jake Roberts in that criticism. “Jake Roberts is another guy who never made anybody. They fed Hulk Hogan one wrestler after another for ten years.” Hart noted that because of this, when he finally reached the top of the company, he was left to work with talent like Papa Shango and Bam Bam Bigelow because the previous generation had not adequately built up new main event stars.
Ridge Holland will be out of action for the forseeable future after an injury during a taping for TNA Wrestling. Holland revealed on social media that he is scheduled for surgery this Friday, October 3, due to a Lisfranc injury.
Holland suffered the injury during a match against Moose, a former TNA World Champion. Their match had to be called off and Holland was unable to put weight on his foot after the match. The referee and Moose helped Holland to the back.
A Lisfranc injury occurs when one of more of the metatarsal bones in the foot are displaced from the tarsus. The injury is named after Jacques Lisfranc de St. Martin, a French surgeon who noticed the injury amongst cavalrymen in the early 1800s.
Holland has been part of WWE NXT for some time now, and was seemingly poised to play a role in the ongoing NXT-TNA InVasion storyline. Instead, he will have to watch the show from the sidelines as he recovers from this setback.
The WWE ID Championship will be defended for the first time in history when Cappucino Jones puts the gold on the line in Beyond Wrestling. At the Bound for the Floor event on October 12, Jones will defend the title against TJ Crawford.
BREAKING NEWS….
The first ever WWE ID Title Match has been signed!
Cappuccino Jones defends vs. TJ Crawford at @beyondwrestling on Oct. 12th in Lowell, MA!
Jones became the inaugural champion at GCW ID Showcase in August, defeating Jack Cartwheel to etch his name in history. As for Crawford, he has made a name for himself in Beyond, Black Label Pro, GCW, and other independent promotions. Crawford also has experience in bigger promotions, including AEW, Ring of Honor, and TNA Wrestling.
Should Crawford win, he’ll not just capture the title, but also a WWE ID contract. The WWE ID program supports the development of independent wrestlers in a manner similar to what the WWE NIL program does for college athletes.
Vince McMahon is continuing to face legal pressure with more subpoenas being filed in the Delaware Chancery Court shareholder lawsuit. Wrestlenomics reports that brothers Paul Mangieri and Michael (Mickey) Mangieri, who were McMahon’s personal assistants during his WWE tenure, have been subpoenaed for documents.
Liberty Media, who own Formula 1 and other assets, are also scheduled to be deposed. TKO CFO Andrew Schleimer has already been deposed, as has individuals who were WWE board members at the time of WWE’s merger with UFC.
The lawsuit stems from McMahon’s decision to sell WWE to Endeavor in 2023. The case alleges that McMahon predetermined the outcome of the merger, steering negotiations toward Endeavor because it was the only deal that would ensure a role with WWE. Plaintiffs have argued that other buyers would not have allowed McMahon to remain after the 2022 ‘hush money’ scandal.
WWE’s sale to Endeavor would indeed result in McMahon’s return to the promotion. However, he left once again in January 2024 due to the allegations from Janel Grant’s ongoing sexual trafficking lawsuit. McMahon continues to claim the relationship was entirely consensual.
Current WWE executives Nick Khan and Paul “Triple H” Levesque, along with former board members George Barrios and Michelle Wilson, are also named as defendants for allegedly failing to act in shareholders’ best interests. McMahon is being represented by Kirkland & Ellis, while Khan, Levesque, and the other board member defendants are represented by Latham & Watkins.
While this case has not received the same attention as the Janel Grant lawsuit, it demonstrates how McMahon is facing plenty of legal battles. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on this and other McMahon lawsuits.
WWE has announced the main event lineups for its upcoming two-night tour of Japan on October 17-18 at Sumo Hall in Tokyo.
October 17 Main Events
WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins (c) vs. CM Punk
Triple Threat Match: IYO SKY (WWE Women’s United States Champion) vs. GIULIA (WWE United States Women’s Champion) vs. Rhea Ripley
Tag Team Match: Shinsuke Nakamura & Jey Uso vs. Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed
October 18 Main Events
Six-Man Tag Team Match: CM Punk, Shinsuke Nakamura & Jey Uso vs. Seth Rollins (WWE World Heavyweight Champion), Bron Breakker & Bronson Reed
Singles Match: GIULIA (WWE United States Women’s Champion) vs. Kairi Sane (with Asuka)
Tag Team Match: IYO SKY (WWE Women’s World Champion) & Rhea Ripley vs. Roxanne Perez & Raquel Rodriguez
WWE’s 2025 Japan tour takes place just days after Crown Jewel in Perth, setting the stage for the next major Premium Live Event, Survivor Series, on November 29.
In a compelling new episode of Going Ringside, Scott Johnson sits down with AEW Owner Tony Khan for a wide-ranging conversation covering the company’s homecoming in Jacksonville, the star power of the AEW roster, and the boundary-breaking rise of stars MJF and Toni Storm into national pop culture.
AEW boasts one of the richest rosters in professional wrestling, but two names stand out for their recent forays into mainstream entertainment: MJF and Toni Storm. Tony Khan himself highlighted both as examples of AEW’s ability to nurture stars who are crossing into movie stardom while still excelling inside the ring.
MJF: Wrestling’s Hollywood Breakthrough
Tony Khan spoke passionately about MJF’s transformation from wrestling star to legitimate Hollywood actor:
“MJF’s a huge, huge wrestling star and now he’s becoming a star of movies. He got a great role playing Happy Gilmore’s son in Happy Gilmore 2. Happy Gilmore 2 is the most watched movie in America this year. And MJF’s a big part of the movie… He’s filming another movie right now. For AEW, the executives, we are proud of what MJF is doing.
Even if he’s not the most popular guy with some of the fans or the other wrestlers, he’s a huge part of AEW and he’s working really hard. He just had two incredible matches last weekend in two different countries.”
Khan didn’t shy away from MJF’s divisive persona.
“MJF’s not the most popular guy backstage… most of the wrestlers don’t really like him very much… but everybody is very impressed with what he’s doing. He is a really hardworking guy and I am very impressed with MJF. I think he’s an incredible wrestling talent when he focuses on the wrestling.
I think MJF is one of the best, but he always takes shortcuts. He’s always trying to cheat his way to the top. And I don’t even think he needs to… he’s really gifted wrestler and a student of wrestling, a student of acting now and he’s doing a great job with it.”
Toni Storm: Timeless Star Power
AEW’s Timeless Toni Storm represents a different kind of crossover excellence – one blending wrestling charisma with classic Hollywood stardom. Khan shared,
“She is an icon and I think that that iconic presence was always inside of her… She was at the time in her mid 20s yet she had this timeless presence that she was going to clearly have throughout her career. This aura, this way of speaking, all these things that Toni Storm brings.
She’s an incredible wrestler and she’s so charismatic and the fans respect her. This transition she’s made to timeless Toni Storm – she’s found the classic movie star inside of herself and she’s become the first wrestler… to be on TCM Turner Classic Movies. She is truly a timeless movie star, a timeless wrestler and a great, great charismatic presence.”
He also called her one of the biggest stars in wrestling and specifically praised her recent matches against Mercedes Monaet and her role in AEW’s “great 2025.”
Leadership, Multi-Tasking, and Surviving WWE’s Competition
As AEW continues to battle the global wrestling giant WWE—especially during overlapping live event nights—Khan reflected on the resilience and innovation that define AEW’s approach:
“We’re having a great year. We’ve been able to stick and move and make it work really well for us. There’s always going to be tough competition and in this sport, it’s very tough competition… We’ve really grown the audience in 2025. Not only have we added HBO Max and put new viewers on streaming, we’ve got more people watching the shows on cable than we did last year… It’s kind of the opposite of what the analysts had predicted when we started Simo Casting.”
Regarding his demanding schedule running AEW, the Jaguars, and Fulham FC:
“It’s really hard, but I do love it. I love the stuff I do. And I love being on call for football, for pro wrestling. I’m very lucky to work in the NFL and the Premier League and AEW. And all those things are going really well in 2025.
We’re having a great start to the Jags season. Fulham are off to a great start with their season. And AEW… it’s been a great 2025 for AW. I just want to work hard and keep working hard to keep it going strong for AEW and the Jags and Fulham.”
Tony Khan’s passion and vision for AEW shine through in this conversation – as does his pride in a roster that’s not just dominant in the ring but is making waves far beyond. MJF and Toni Storm exemplify the kind of crossover excitement AEW is building, and Khan’s relentless multi-tasking shows why the company stands tall against even the stiffest competition.
AEW President Tony Khan has addressed the recent trend of WWE running events at the same time as major AEW shows, a tactic many fans have described as “counterprogramming.” In a recent interview on Going Ringside, Khan stated that despite the “tough competition,” AEW has been able to “stick and move” and is currently having what he considers to be “maybe the best year of AEW ever.”
“Well, we’re having a great year. We’ve been able to stick and move and make it work really well for us. There’s always going to be tough competition, and in this sport, it’s very tough competition, a kind of competition that makes you work really hard 52 weeks a year,” Khan said. “For AEW, we’re having a great year. We’ve been putting on great shows. The TV shows have gotten great ratings. We’ve got great support from our audience. And we’ve really grown the audience in 2025.”
He specifically noted the growth of the television audience for both Dynamite and Collision, even with the addition of streaming on HBO Max, a result he says is the “opposite of what the analysts had predicted.”
Khan also touted the quality of AEW’s pay-per-view offerings in 2025. “The pay-per-views, you mentioned pay-per-views, we’re doing our best pay-per-views we’ve ever done. If you say… from the past six years, what are the top 10 AEW pay-per-views? I think there’s a good chance five out of the 10, six out of the 10 would be from this year,” he stated. “So it’s definitely a great year for the product of AEW and we’re very focused on how we can make AEW the best wrestling company it can be.”
The most recent example of the competitive scheduling between the two companies came this past weekend, when WWE’s inaugural Wrestlepalooza event was scheduled on the same day as AEW’s long-running All Out pay-per-view. In response to the head-to-head conflict, AEW made the decision to move the start time of All Out to the afternoon, a move that allowed fans to watch both shows without overlap. Khan has since stated he is open to making the afternoon start time a more permanent fixture for future pay-per-view events.
