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ESPN Become US Home of All WWE Premium Live Events Starting In 2026

Andrew Ravens
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ESPN Become US Home of All WWE Premium Live Events Starting In 2026

In a landmark announcement on Wednesday, ESPN and WWE have reached a new rights agreement that will make ESPN’s upcoming direct-to-consumer streaming service the exclusive U.S. home for all WWE Premium Live Events, including WrestleMania, starting in 2026.

The new agreement will bring all of WWE’s major events, such as the two-night WrestleMania and SummerSlam, as well as the Royal Rumble, Survivor Series, and Money in the Bank, to the new ESPN DTC platform. WWE will continue to produce all of the events, and the deal also gives ESPN the opportunity to stream the pre- and post-event shows.

Executives from all companies involved praised the new partnership. WWE President Nick Khan called it a “pivotal moment for our millions of fans across the United States: the leader in sports entertainment partnering with the biggest brand in sports media.” TKO President Mark Shapiro added, “We are proud to reinforce the ‘E’ in ESPN at such an exciting juncture in its direct-to-consumer journey.” ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro stated that they are “excited to super-serve” WWE’s “immense, devoted and passionate fanbase.”

This agreement signals the end of WWE’s relationship with Peacock in the United States. The deal between WWE and the NBCUniversal streaming service, which began in 2021, is set to expire in March 2026. WWE’s other major U.S. broadcast partner is Netflix, which became the exclusive home of Monday Night Raw in January of this year. This new ESPN deal now solidifies the domestic broadcast future for all of WWE’s flagship programming.

Dustin Rhodes Confirms Double Knee Surgery & Wrestling Future

Anutosh Bajpai
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Dustin Rhodes Confirms Double Knee Surgery & Wrestling Future

Dustin Rhodes has provided an update.

The former TNT Champion took to Twitter on Tuesday to speak to his fans. He confirmed the reports that he is taking hiatus from AEW to undergo double knee surgery, which is set for August 21.

Though the wrestling veteran confirmed that this is not the end of his in-ring career. Dustin Rhodes claimed that he is excited to start from scratch and promised to push himself as hard as possible to make it back:

“Knees are both destroyed. I have to go under the knife August 21st. They can’t actually fix the damage so we are getting 2 knee Replacements. Damn! #KeepSteppin. By the way…….This Is NOT THE END.”

Dustin Rhodes did not provide a timetable for his return to the ring but reports suggest that he’ll be out of action for atleast the rest of 2025.

The AEW star dropped the TNT title to Kyle Fletcher in a brutal Street Fight during last week’s episode of Collision. He was written off TV with a subsequent attack from the new champion.

Rhodes’ tag team partner Sammy Guevara later confirmed the end of their run as the Sons of Texas. Though what the company is planning for the ROH tag title they hold is still unknown.

Logan Paul Has Asked To Be Part of WWE’s Upcoming Japan Tour

Anutosh Bajpai
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0
Logan Paul Has Asked To Be Part of WWE’s Upcoming Japan Tour

Logan Paul wants to go back to Japan.

The YouTube star has not been to Japan since 2017. The celebrity wrestler was criticized for filming himself standing next to a Suicide victim in the Aokigahara forest and posting the footage on his channel at the time.

The 30-year-old has maintained that he is not actually banned from visiting the Asian country, and that he is just waiting for an invitation back. Though his patience seems to have run out as he’s making moves to go back himself.

Logan Paul Wants To Go Back To Japan

The WWE star invited Tiffany Stratton on his Impaulsive podcast recently. During the talk, Logan revealed that he is set to marry to his fiancée, Nina Agdal in two weeks. When Tiffany asked if he’ll be taking time off from the company for the wedding, Paul said that he’d be open to working the shows if needed.

Logan Paul said that all other stars are part of the show every week, so he feels the need to atleast offer to do the same. When Tiffany stated that the former US Champion should come to a full tour with them, the YouTube star revealed that he’s actually asked to be included in WWE’s upcoming Japan trip “I said to Triple H, ‘Book me for the Japan trip.’”

The company announced its return to Japan right before SummerSlam. They confirmed two dates for the tour: Friday, October 17, and Saturday, October 18, with both events taking place at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.

The Hurt Syndicate Have Backstage Heat For Refusing To Put People Over (Report)

Anutosh Bajpai
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0
The Hurt Syndicate Have Backstage Heat For Refusing To Put People Over (Report)

Hurt Syndicate reportedly has heat in AEW.

Rumors have been swirling around about the trio of Shelton Benjamin, MVP, and Bobby Lashley refusing to put over certain teams. Now, Fightful Select has provided an update on the same. MVP has stated in interviews multiple times that he wants the faction to create new stars, and according to the report, this has resulted in the group refusing to lose to teams they feel don’t need the win.

Specifically, JetSpeed and FTR are two teams MVP has made clear that the Hurt Syndicate doesn’t want to lose to. They faced JetSpeed in a triple threat at All In: Texas last month. They have yet to spar with FTR in the company, but there had been a pitch for the duo of Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood to start a redemption story at All In. It’s unknown what the specific plans were, but the claim internally is that the faction said no to losing to FTR at both All In and Forbidden Door.

The teams they do seem to be open to dropping the titles to include Gates of Agony, The Outrunners, and Private Party. People within the locker room have pointed out that the Syndicate has already beaten all three of these teams. There was also a discussion about the trio being open to losing to Swerve Strickland & Will Ospreay, but there wasn’t any extensive talk of the same due to Ospreay’s neck injury.

They haven’t heard anything specifically about Benjamin or Lashley, and MVP seems to be in the center of this controversy due to rubbing people the wrong way. The Hurt Syndicate manager also said to have made his dislike for Speedball Mike Bailey clear, though nobody knows any specific reason for the same.

There is also a belief that the pairing between The Hurt Syndicate and MJF was originally supposed to last longer, though there is said to be no heat between the two parties. Despite all these issues, there is no indication of the faction leaving the company and they have a number of years left on the deal.

Tiffany Stratton Reveals Scary Road Rage Incident That Left Her With Serious Injury

Anutosh Bajpai
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0
Tiffany Stratton Reveals Scary Road Rage Incident That Left Her With Serious Injury

Tiffany Stratton has detailed a scary incident she was part of.

The Women’s Champion was the most recent guest on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast. She discussed things such as going off script in her promos with Charlotte Flair, Seth Rollins cashing in his Money In The Bank contract and more.

During the interview, the female star also told a story she had never told before from her NXT days. Tiffany Stratton revealed that she got into a fight with a couple during a road rage incident after cutting them off:

“When I was in NXT, after one of my matches, I cut somebody off in my parking garage. And they were yelling at me through their car. So I pulled over. This is where my big balls come into play. And they pull over. And a guy gets out of the car.

So then I get out of the car. And we’re talking shit, we’re talking shit, then his girlfriend gets out of the car. And I started talking shit with the girlfriend. And I push her. She pushes me back.”

Nobody Knows This: Tiffany Stratton

The 26-year-old went on a hiatus from NXT in August 2022. She returned at the January 2023 New Year’s Evil special five months later. Tiffany Stratton went on to have a successful run with the development brand, winning the first championship of her career in the NXT Women’s title in May.

The SmackDown star revealed that the incident quickly took a serious turn and she ended up suffering significant injuries leading to her time away from wrestling:

“We start fucking brawling. And then she takes her long-ass nails, digs them in my braid, and gets me down on the ground.

And this is where it takes a turn. The guy just fucking stomps right on my face. I broke a face bone. Nobody knows this, so you’re welcome. Broke a face bone. So that’s why I was out for so long in NXT.”

Tiffany noted that the incident left her with a big foot mark on her face for a long time and she still doesn’t have feeling in one of her teeth.

Tiffany Stratton Gets Honest About THAT Charlotte Flair Segment

Anutosh Bajpai
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Tiffany Stratton Gets Honest About THAT Charlotte Flair Segment

Tiffany Stratton has opened up about her infamous segment with Charlotte Flair.

The Women’s Champion recently appeared on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast. She talked about things such as Seth Rollins cashing in his MITB contract at SummerSlam, getting injured in a road rage incident during her NXT days and more.

During the interview, Stratton also discussed her feud with Charlotte Flair earlier this year. Stratton confirmed that both of them went off script during their promos, saying that she was trying to show that she can stand up to The Queen:

“Charlotte Flair is Charlotte Flair. She’s a legend. I was the champion at the time. Things were heated. She’s very competitive.

I’m also very competitive. I’m trying to prove to Charlotte Flair that I can go and stand up to her and am worthy of this title. Shit got heated. We both went off script. It happens. I did have to apologize. That was that.”

I Was Justified: Tiffany Stratton

The 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble winner Charlotte Flair chose Tiffany Stratton as her opponent for WrestleMania 41. Things got out of hands between the two during a promo battle in the build-up for the match.

When Flair made fun of Tiffany’s voice, Stratton took a jab at Charlotte’s divorce. The Queen then brought up Tiffany’s real-life boyfriend, Ludwig Kaiser. An episode of WWE Unreal covered this drama which saw Triple H asking the Women’s Champion to apologize to the wrestling veteran.

Talking about it, Tiffany said that she had no problem apologizing because she is someone who can fully embrace being in the wrong. When asked if she was in the wrong, however, Stratton did not commit to an answer:

“Yes and no. I think what I did was justified, but maybe I shouldn’t have gone that far. I do feel like I was justified in what I did.”

Charlotte Flair failed in taking the title from Tiffany in their WrestleMania 41 match. Stratton has continued her reign as a champion, most recently defeating Jade Cargill at SummerSlam.

Brooke Hogan Explains Why She Wanted To Be Excluded From Hulk Hogan’s Will

Anutosh Bajpai
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0
Brooke Hogan Explains Why She Wanted To Be Excluded From Hulk Hogan’s Will

Brooke Hogan has confirmed recent reports about Hulk Hogan’s will.

The former face of WWE passed away on July 24 last month at the age of 71. The wrestling veteran had been dealing with complications from his neck fusion surgery in June, and the official cause of his death was listed as acute myocardial infarction. It was reported after his passing that Hogan’s estranged daughter Brooke Hogan had asked herself to be removed from his will back in 2023.

The female signer confirmed these reports during her appearance on the Bubba the Love Sponge Show. She revealed that she asked Hulk’s manager Terry McCoy to remove her from the will:

“Money didn’t matter. I was like, ‘Take me off everything.’ And I was sobbing, I was sobbing when I wrote the text to Terry McCoy — the guy that manages his money — I was sobbing and I just said, ‘Take me off everything, I just — I don’t want to be a part of it.’

Because I knew, in my mind, this is how the math was going to work out. If Sky [Hulk’s wife] is a Scientologist, which apparently, she’s still in good standing but she says she left. It’s not for me to judge. She was always nice to me. I have no problem with Sky. But if she was a Scientologist, I know that that’s a very powerful backing.”

It Scared Me: Brooke Hogan

Explaining the reasoning behind her move, Brooke Hogan claimed that she didn’t want herself or her brother Nick Hogan to be targeted by other benefactors to try and get that money:

“And then I thought, oh my God, if I get left any money or [her brother] Nick gets left any money, no offense, but my mom has been known to kind of find herself in the mix with things like that.

And I’m like, I don’t want to fight Linda. I don’t want to fight Scientology. I don’t want somebody that I love to get knocked off. I don’t know how deep this stuff goes. It scared me. And I just said, ‘I want out.’”

Later in the interview, Brooke Hogan expressed hope that her father left the rights to his intellectual property to her. She said that she would use it to create a legacy similar to Elvis legacy, or a Marilyn Monroe legacy to honor her late father.

Hulk Hogan’s funeral was held this Tuesday in Clearwater, Florida. The list of attendees included many wrestling veterans such as Vince McMahon. You can check out more about it here.

Former Main Roster Champion Makes Surprise NXT Appearance

Anutosh Bajpai
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Former Main Roster Champion Makes Surprise NXT Appearance

A main roster star may be getting an NXT match in the future.

This week’s episode of the development show featured a promo battle between Tavion Heights and the current NXT North American Champion Ethan Page.

Chelsea Green with her Secret Hervice partners Piper Niven and Alba Fyre, showed up halfway through the segment in support of her fellow Canadian Page.

She talked down to Heights for interrupting the NA Champion before he was set to sing the Canadian National Anthem. Green also called Page the second greatest Canadian right behind herself.

The former Women’s US Champion then told Tavion that he didn’t have the balls to hit a woman like her. The NXT star agreed and he hit Ethan Page instead. Heights then declared that he’ll find a woman who will hit Chelsea.

Tavion Heights picked up a big victory on last week’s NXT when he defeated Charlie Dempsey to get out of the No Quarter Catch Crew. Ethan Page on the same show, defeated Santino Marella to retain the NXT North American Championship.

Chelsea Green previously made appearances in NXT in March, during her reign with the US title. It’s unknown what the game plan for her is, but it’s likely that we’ll see her teaming with Page for a match after tonight’s segment.

First Matches Announced For NXT Heatwave

Anutosh Bajpai
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First Matches Announced For NXT Heatwave

The first two matches have been confirmed for NXT Heatwave.

The next NXT PPV will be taking place from Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, Massachusetts on August 24, 2025. It’ll be the fourth event of the name under the development banner.

The company started building the match card for the upcoming PLE during this week’s episode of the Black & Silver show.

The current NXT tag team champions Hank & Tank asked General Manager Ava for a match against DarkState for next week’s episode of the show.

This came after the faction attacked the tag champs on this week’s episode of NXT. Ava however, announced that they’ll face two members of Darkstate at Heatwave instead, with the titles being on the line.

A second match between Jordynne Grace and Blake Monroe has also been announced for the August 24 show. This comes after Monroe betrayed Grace at the Evolution PPV, costing her the NXT Women’s title match.

Monroe was in action this week, facing Kelani Jordan in a singles match. When Grace showed up, the former AEW star decided to make a run for it. Monroe suffered a count out loss due to it, which is her first loss in NXT.

Apart from this, GM Ava also announced a #1 contenders match between Je’Von Evans and Trick Williams to decide the next challenger for Oba Femi’s NXT title. The bout will be taking place on August 19 when NXT visits Philadelphia.

Vince McMahon Surprises Attendees as Speaker at Hulk Hogan’s Funeral

Michael Reichlin
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Vince McMahon Surprises Attendees as Speaker at Hulk Hogan’s Funeral

Former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon delivered a surprise eulogy at Hulk Hogan’s private funeral service Tuesday in Clearwater, Florida, according to Fightful’s Jimmy Van, capping off the ceremony by asking attendees to give the wrestling legend “one last standing ovation.”

The private service drew a who’s who of professional wrestling and entertainment, with notable attendees including Ric Flair, Kid Rock, Linda McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Shane McMahon, Triple H, Kevin Nash, Bam Margera and comedian Theo Von paying their final respects to the man who helped define sports entertainment.

Wrestling legends filled the service, including Paul Wight (Big Show), Adam Copeland (Edge), Ric Flair, Jacques Rougeau, Jim Duggan, Diamond Dallas Page, Sean Waltman (X-Pac), Dean Malenko, Rob Van Dam, Ted DiBiase, and Brutus Beefcake – representing decades of Hogan’s friendships and professional relationships.

Notably absent from the ceremony was Brooke Hogan, Hulk’s daughter.

Hogan, whose real name was Terry Gene Bollea, died July 24 at age 71 from a heart attack at his Clearwater home. The wrestling icon had been battling chronic lymphocytic leukemia and atrial fibrillation.

McMahon’s appearance as a speaker was particularly significant given the complex history between the two wrestling titans, who worked together during WWE’s most successful periods but also experienced business tensions over the years.

The funeral marked the final farewell to the man whose “Hulkamania” phenomenon transformed professional wrestling from a regional attraction into a global entertainment juggernaut during the 1980s wrestling boom.

More coverage:

Joey Ryan’s Pro Wrestling Return Canceled After Backlash

Andrew Ravens
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Joey Ryan’s Pro Wrestling Return Canceled After Backlash

The planned in-ring return of controversial wrestler Joey Ryan has been canceled. The “Portland Wrestling: Reborn” promotion announced that it has pulled Ryan from its upcoming August 23rd event following significant backlash from the wrestling community.

In a statement, the promotion confirmed that Ryan will no longer be a part of the show in Vancouver, Washington. “I have canceled Joey Ryan’s flight,” the promotion announced. “He will not be appearing at the August 23rd show.” Ryan has been out of the wrestling industry since 2020 after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct during the #SpeakingOut movement.

The person behind the revival of Portland Wrestling also stated that the entire event is now in jeopardy of being canceled. They placed the blame on another local promotion, Prestige Wrestling, for allegedly threatening to “black ball” any talent or crew that worked the show. “We currently do not have a ring for a show taking place in less than three weeks,” the promoter wrote.

In response to the initial announcement of Ryan’s booking, the established Pacific Northwest promotion Prestige Wrestling announced a counter-show for the same night, August 23, in Portland. The event is being billed as “a night of safe space pro-wrestling action,” with a “pay what you want” ticket model where all profits will be donated to charity. This move highlights the strong stance much of the independent wrestling community has taken in the years following the #SpeakingOut movement.

https://www.facebook.com/PortlandWrestling/posts/pfbid035e9uxqvWQ5hvP644rZKeXHmgEZv3uCxvY5y861PiUPFwR3G9LLz1omZqp7MezNAJl

WWE Star Debuts New In-Ring Look

Andrew Ravens
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WWE Star Debuts New In-Ring Look

After one of my matches, I cut somebody off in my parking garage and they were like yelling at me through their car. So, I pulled over. This is where my big balls come into play. And they pull over and a guy gets out of the car. So, then I get out of the car and we’re talking shit. We’re talking shit. Then his girlfriend gets out of the car. Two on one. Yeah. two on one and I start talking shit with the girlfriend and I push her. Oh, holy shit. She pushes me back. Oh my god. We start fucking brawling. What? Oh, you would be Bradley Martin in a street fight. And then she takes her long ass nails, digs them in my braid, and gets me down on the ground. And this is where it takes a turn. So, and the guy just fucking stomps right on my face. What the hell is going on? I broke a face bone. Are you serious? Yeah. Have you told this story? That’s assault. This is insane. Nobody knows this. So, you’re welcome. Yeah. Broke a face bone. So, that’s why I was out for so long in NXT.

John Cena Comments On Brock Lesnar’s WWE Return

Andrew Ravens
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John Cena Comments On Brock Lesnar’s WWE Return

Following Brock Lesnar’s shocking return and attack on John Cena at SummerSlam, both Cena and WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque have commented on the situation. Their remarks confirm that a final showdown with “The Beast Incarnate” was a key part of Cena’s plans for his retirement tour.

Speaking to Adam Glyn of Adam’s Apple, John Cena addressed the attack with his trademark professional attitude, stating that he accepts whatever role the company has for him in his final run.

“I’ve been saying the same thing for 25 years: They deal ’em, I play ’em,” Cena said. “They’ve got to continue their programming going forward. So, they’re just trying to make the most exciting shows for the fans and for the dozen of them I got left, they deal ‘em, I play ‘em.”

At the post-SummerSlam show, Triple H confirmed that facing Lesnar was something Cena specifically wanted for his farewell tour. He explained that his goal is to help the 17-time world champion write the final chapter of his career the way he wants.

“This is John Cena’s wishlist…it’s him writing the last chapter of his book,” Triple H said. “One of the very first things I said to him was ‘Who do you want, and how?’ and we’re working through that.”

The stage is now set for one of the biggest feuds of John Cena’s retirement tour. Both Cena and Brock Lesnar are scheduled to appear on this week’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown in Montreal, where they are expected to have their first confrontation since the shocking attack at SummerSlam, officially kicking off their road to a future premium live event match.

ECW Legend Justin Credible Returns To The Ring For First Singles Match In Years

Andrew Ravens
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ECW Legend Justin Credible Returns To The Ring For First Singles Match In Years

ECW legend Justin Credible has returned to the ring for his first singles match in over three years. The former ECW World Champion competed for Memphis Wrestling in a “No Rules Heritage Title” match that aired this past weekend on the promotion’s YouTube channel.

The match saw Justin Credible take on Sycho Simon in a No Rules contest for the promotion’s Heritage Title. According to records, this was Credible’s first one-on-one match since he faced HC Loc at a Paradise Alley Pro Wrestling event in June 2022. His last in-ring appearance of any kind was in the Clusterfuck Battle Royal at GCW’s Joey Janela’s Spring Break in April 2024.

While his in-ring career has been winding down, Credible has remained in the public eye, more recently for controversial reasons. In recent years, he has faced multiple allegations from wrestling promoters of taking payments for bookings and then not showing up to the events. He recently addressed these accusations in a video with former WWE star Maven, where he denied the claims.

Justin Credible’s return, even for a one-off match, is a reminder of the enduring legacy of Extreme Championship Wrestling. Several of his fellow ECW alumni remain active in the wrestling business today, including Rob Van Dam who makes sporadic appearances for AEW, Team 3D who recently challenged for the TNA Tag Team titles, and Paul Heyman, who is a central figure in major storylines on WWE Raw.

Cardi B Teases She Will ‘Come For Y’all One Day’ In A WWE Ring

Andrew Ravens
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Cardi B Teases She Will ‘Come For Y’all One Day’ In A WWE Ring

Fresh off her successful role as the host of the two-night SummerSlam, multi-platinum recording artist Cardi B is already teasing a potential future inside a WWE ring. In a new interview, she hinted that a match could be in her future.

While speaking with Complex Sports, Cardi B was asked if she would ever consider stepping into the ring to compete. She made it clear that while she’s not ready just yet, it is something she is considering for the future.

“I could get in the ring right now, what’s up? Who wanna challenge me — I ain’t there yet, but I’ll come for y’all one day,” she stated.

The comments come just days after Cardi B served as the official host for the massive SummerSlam premium live event at MetLife Stadium. She kicked off Night One of the event with a special opening promo and was featured in several backstage segments throughout the show, receiving praise from fans for her energy and enthusiasm.

Her tease of a future match comes after she has already engaged in social media altercations with current WWE superstars. In the weeks leading up to SummerSlam, Cardi B exchanged words with both Bayley and Chelsea Green online, with Green even pitching the idea of them forming a tag team. These interactions, combined with her new comments, have fans buzzing about who she might “come for” if she ever decides to step into a WWE ring.

Cody Rhodes Reveals How Triple H Reacted To Him Leaving WWE

Anutosh Bajpai
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Cody Rhodes Reveals How Triple H Reacted To Him Leaving WWE

Cody Rhodes might be open to another behind-the-scenes role.

The American Nightmare recently had an interview with Bill Simmons to promote SummerSlam. Among other things, he talked about his relationship with Triple H during the podcast.

When asked about The Game being shocked at him leaving the company back in 2016, Cody Rhodes revealed that the WWE Executive kept tabs on him even after his release and congratulated him on his achievements:

“[He was] shocked. He was one of the first people to text me when I won a world title outside of WWE, ‘Hey, good job.’ He had no reason to be watching that show.”

I Watch Him At All Times: Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes later discussed how his dad, Dusty Rhodes, never got to see his run as a main eventer and claimed that having Triple H around gives him some solace because of their relationship.

The former AEW EVP also explained that he based a lot of his conduct during that run on the WWE CCO and said that being around the retired wrestling star makes him want to try his hands at a backstage role again:

“Maybe just the fact that he kept tabs on me, but all that kind of shame I had over not being able to have this run that I’ve been so blessed to have, that my dad never saw. I do take some solace in the fact that I get to be around Hunter.

Because they were tight. If my dad was to wake up and walk in the room and see Hunter and I, [him] holding my hand up at WrestleMania, or at these press events or things of that nature, there’s something special about that.

I don’t know if it was destiny or what, but Hunter’s been extremely…I watch him at all times almost, because I love how he operates at WWE. I love how he runs the team. Part of me inside wouldn’t mind another shot at…I’d love to try behind-the-scenes stuff.”

WWE Announces NXT Live Event Tour Across Southeast (SC, GA)

Michael Reichlin
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WWE Announces NXT Live Event Tour Across Southeast (SC, GA)

WWE has announced three upcoming NXT live events set for September 5–7 across South Carolina and Georgia. The events mark WWE’s return to North Charleston and Spartanburg for the first time since 2019.

Scheduled stops include Spartanburg Memorial Auditorium in Spartanburg, SC on September 5, North Charleston Convention Center in North Charleston, SC on September 6, and Bell Auditorium in Augusta, GA on September 7.

Tickets go on sale to the general public Wednesday, August 6 at 10 a.m. ET. An exclusive presale is available now through Ticketmaster.

The shows will feature top NXT stars, including NXT Champion Oba Femi, NXT Women’s Champion Jacy Jane, NXT North American Champion Ethan Page, NXT Women’s North American Champion Sol Ruca, and TNA World Champion Trick Williams.

NXT’s Upcoming PLE’s

  • NXT Heatwave: August 24, 2025 Lowell Memorial Auditorium, Lowell, MA
  • NXT No Mercy: Expected September 2025 (venue TBA)
  • NXT Halloween Havoc: Expected October 2025 (venue TBA)

Mike Santana Reveals Why He Joined AEW Instead of WWE In 2019

Anutosh Bajpai
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Mike Santana Reveals Why He Joined AEW Instead of WWE In 2019

Mike Santana has explained why he and his former partner Ortiz, signed with AEW instead of WWE in 2019.

The duo of Santana and Ortiz were a big part of the early years of All Elite Wrestling. The tag team made their debut for the Tony Khan promotion at the very first All Out event. They teamed with Chris Jericho to defeat The Elite in the main event of the Inaugural Dynamite episode and were part of the Inner Circle faction that dominated the company during its early run.

During a new interview with Chris Van Vliet, Mike Santana revealed that they had been in talks with WWE at the time as well. Explaining why they picked AEW instead, the 34-year-old said that the lighter schedule was a big reason:

“A big thing with that was the schedule. We both had young kids at the time, and we wanted to be home. We were like, best case scenario, we go to WWE and things blow up, we’re never going to be home. I was like, I want to see my daughter grow up.”

Being Part of That Legacy: Mike Santana

Prior to joining AEW, Santana and Ortiz had been in the TNA roster for 2 years. They had 4 runs with the Impact Tag Titles as part of the LAX faction during this time.

Mike Santana discussed how WWE has reduced their schedule now as well, but back then, they were running a lot more shows. Another reason to pick AEW for the duo was making history as part of a new promotion:

“Thankfully, things have changed, even now, the schedule is not what it was. But back then it was like we want to see our kids grow up, and also being a part of that legacy.

They were like, Yo, you’re gonna be in the main event of the very first Dynamite. No matter what I do, my name is always gonna be there. So yeah, a big part of that was being a part of something fresh and new, and that the name was always gonna be there.”

Apart from this, Santana also opened up about his battle with addiction and his journey of sobriety. You can check out his comments here. 

Mike Santana Gets Honest About Battle With Addiction & Recovery

Anutosh Bajpai
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Mike Santana Gets Honest About Battle With Addiction & Recovery

Mike Santana has opened up about his addiction issues and rehab.

The TNA star recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet. He talked about things such as his tag team with Ortiz, choosing to join AEW over WWE in 2019, being in the Slammiversary main event, and more.

During the interview, the 34-year-old also opened up about his battles with addiction. He noted how there were many contributing factors to his addiction, including his unhappiness with his position in AEW as well as the passing of his father:

“I never did drugs and alcohol for fun. It wasn’t fun for me. I did it to escape. I did it to fill a void, and I’m thankful that I got to a point in my life where there’s no more running. I stopped running.”

Ain’t No Coming Back: Mike Santana

The former Impact tag champion explained that the addiction was an escape for him, and he is thankful that he left that life behind. Talking about his rehab experience, Mike Santana revealed that he had a panic attack right before getting out of rehab in fear of relapse:

“It was the scariest thing in my life. Because in rehab, you’re protected. You have this routine. You’re protected, you’re in a safe place, everything is right there for you.

When you leave, it’s on you now, the world is open, it’s up to you. I remember three days before leaving, I had an anxiety attack in my room by myself, and I was just like, Oh my God. What if I can’t do it?

But again, the fear is what was like, I have to do it. Because I knew if I went back, it’s a wrap. I know, I’m very conscious of what that first drink will do to me. It’s a wrap after that. Ain’t no coming back.”

The former AEW star has been sober for over two years. He posted an inspirational message back in February discussing the importance of mental health and taking the right steps for a better life.

Backstage News on WWE Unreal Future

Anutosh Bajpai
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Backstage News on WWE Unreal Future

WWE Unreal is likely to continue despite talent sentiment.

The Netflix series showing never-before-seen backstage details of the WWE world made its debut this past month on July 29. A number of talents, including the likes of CM Punk, Rhea Ripley, and Randy Orton, have spoken against the idea of showing the inner workings of the business to this level, though the officials don’t seem to be put off by it.

Fightful Select recently provided an update on the show and the talent involved in it. According to them, there were some featured wrestlers that were not told that they were being filmed for the show, and many have not made up their minds on how they feel about the series.

The talent part of the program was not paid anything extra for the series either. Though officially, things like that are already worked into their deals, and the arenas always have signs up saying that they are subject to being filmed.

Talents still worry about being filmed at places like the Gorilla position where the emotions are generally running high, and they feel like they have one less ‘sacred’ area where they could be vulnerable.

WWE Unreal Director Chris Weaver was spotted in the backstage video Becky Lynch posted of Seth Rollins cash in at SummerSlam. While a series renewal has not officially been announced, people expect the whole angle to be covered in a future episode all the same. When asked about a second season, Weaver did not confirm it but said that he wants it.

WWE Provides Gunther Health Update After SummerSlam Injury

Anutosh Bajpai
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WWE Provides Gunther Health Update After SummerSlam Injury

WWE has provided an update on Gunther.

The Ring General defended his World Heavyweight Championship against CM Punk at SummerSlam this past Weekend. The night 1 main event match saw the defending champion getting busted open pretty bad and he ended up losing the title to the Straight Edge Star.

Announcer Michael Cole provided an update on his health during the latest episode of Raw. He revealed that Gunther suffered a hematoma and orbital blowout fracture from being tripped over the Spanish announce desk during the PPV. Cole also said that the heavyweight star will be out indefinitely due to this injury.

Backstage reports have revealed that the former world champion had been dealing with a legitimate nose injury since before the SummerSlam PPV but he insisted on working through it.

The officials seem to have written him off TV for rehab with the latest angle, though there is no word on how long he’ll be out of action.

CM Punk could not celebrate his win over Gunther for long at SummerSlam as Mr. Money In The Bank Seth Rollins showed up right after his victory. The Architect ended up cashing in his contract to become the new champion, leaving Punk with an unwanted record of the shortest reign with the new title.

Becky Lynch Confronted By Hall of Famer on Raw After SummerSlam Victory

Anutosh Bajpai
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Becky Lynch Confronted By Hall of Famer on Raw After SummerSlam Victory

Becky Lynch has a new challenger.

The Man defended her Women’s IC Title against Lyra Valkyria at SummerSlam this past weekend in a No DQ match. The champion managed to retain the title after Bayley inadvertently hit Lyra, while trying to help the young star.

The IC Champion, who also debuted a new theme at SummerSlam, then came out to boast about her victory on this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

Her promo was interrupted by a returning Nikki Bella. The WWE Hall of Famer questioned Lynch’s motives for returning to the company.

Becky Lynch Gets Personal With Nikki Bella

The promo quickly got personal with Becky mocking the fellow veteran for her role in Happy Gilmore 2 getting cut and her split with ex-boyfriend John Cena. Bella in return called Becky a liar and broke out the Yes! chants made famous by her brother-in-law, Bryan Danielson.

Nikki Bella then suggested that Becky Lynch put the IC title on the line against her in a one-on-one match but The Champ delivered a cheap shot to the former champion before walking off.

This wasn’t the last of Becky we saw during the show as she was confronted by Natalya, Maxxine Dupri and Akira Tozawa backstage. Nattie challenged her to a match. Lynch accepted the bout for next week’s Raw, but against Dupri.

Watch: What Happened With Roman Reigns After Raw Went Off Air

Anutosh Bajpai
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Watch: What Happened With Roman Reigns After Raw Went Off Air

Roman Reigns looked defeated after Raw.

Seth Rollins opened this week’s episode of the Red Branded show from Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. This came after the Architect cashed in his MITB contract on CM Punk at SummerSlam to win the World Heavyweight Championship, after faking a knee injury.

The Visionary cut a promo before being interrupted by LA Knight. Knight had not been seen on TV since his Saturday Night’s Main Event match against Rollins. LA challenged the World Champ to a title match. Seth first declined the challenge but Adam Pearce later made it official, banning both Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker from the ringside for the bout.

The match that was the main event of the show continued uninterrupted, that was until CM Punk showed up. The Straight Edge star went right after the world champ, causing a disqualification.

What Happened After Raw

Knight tried to pull Punk off Seth, but the former AEW star kept going until Bron Breakker came outta nowhere with a spear. Big Bronson Reed also appeared and the faction now known as The Vision beat both Knight and Punk down.

Roman Reigns was the final name to come out, and he got the upper hand on the group at the start. The numbers proved too much in the end, however. Bronson Reed then once again stole Reigns’ shoes after delivering multiple Tsunamis.

The show ended with The Vision posing in the ring, and the group left the arena soon afterward. LA Knight was still angry with Punk and the two continued arguing after the show went off air. Roman Reigns meanwhile refused help from the officials and left after getting up slowly.

Third El Grande Americano Debuts On Raw

Anutosh Bajpai
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Third El Grande Americano Debuts On Raw

It’s raining El Grande Americano on Raw.

After Chad Gable suffered a shoulder injury in June, Ludwig Kaiser took over the character. He has even made appearances in Mexico for WWE as El Grande.

A new twist came to this story at last week’s episode of the Monday Night show, however, when a second El Grande Americano appeared to help Judgment Day in their tag title match against LWO.

This week’s episode of the Red Branded show then featured a singles match between Dominik Mysterio and Dragon Lee. This came after Mysterio successfully defended his IC title over AJ Styles at SummerSlam.

A Third El Grande Americano?

Lee had the control of the match towards the ending, and he delivered a double stomp to Dominik. Before he could capitalize, the two El Grande Americanos appeared to distract the Luchador.

As Dragon Lee cleared the house of the two masked attackers, a third El Grande Americano appeared outta nowhere and delivered a cheap shot to the Mexican star before hiding from the referee’s view.

This allowed Dirty Dom to hit a Lateral Press, and he then pinned Lee using the ropes for advantage. Though AJ Styles came out to make the save for the LWO member before Mysterio could hurt him any more.

It’s unknown what the game plan is for the Masked character, but the appearance of these new figures has definitely got the fans intrigued.

Bret Hart Says Hulk Hogan Was “Roadblock” Who Tried to Hold Him Back

Andrew Ravens
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Bret Hart Says Hulk Hogan Was “Roadblock” Who Tried to Hold Him Back

While much of the wrestling world has been paying tribute to the late Hulk Hogan, WWE Hall of Famer Bret “The Hitman” Hart has shared a very different and sharply critical perspective. In a new podcast appearance, Hart was brutally honest about his long-standing personal and professional issues with the wrestling icon.

Hogan passed away last month at the age of 71, and in the weeks since, legends and fans have shared overwhelmingly positive memories. Speaking on The Ringer Wrestling Podcast, Hart offered a stark and controversial counter-narrative.

Bret Hart accused Hulk Hogan of being a selfish performer who was only ever concerned with his own spot. He contrasted Hogan with other legends like “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, who Hart said went out of their way to help elevate other talent.

“Hulk Hogan never did that for anybody. He never looked out for anyone but himself,” Hart stated.

He recalled the moment he won his first WWE Championship in 1992. He had hoped for a congratulatory word from the man who had been the face of the company for a decade. Instead, Hart says Hogan immediately saw him as a threat. “The second I won the belt, I was the enemy. And I had what he wanted, and we were never really friends again after that.”

The animosity between Hart and Hogan is one of the most famous backstage stories in wrestling history. It is primarily rooted in a planned “passing of the torch” match that never took place. The original plan for the main event of SummerSlam 1993 was for the returning Hulk Hogan to lose the WWE Championship to Bret Hart, who was the new face of the company’s “New Generation.”

According to Hart and many wrestling historians, Hogan used his backstage influence and refused to lose to the smaller, more technical Hart. He instead dropped the title to Yokozuna at the King of the Ring event and left the company shortly after, a move Hart has never forgiven him for.

Hart also claimed that Hogan actively worked to hold him down when they were both in WCW in the late 1990s. He said that Hogan used his creative control to ensure Hart was never a top priority in the company.

“I will always shake my head and wonder why he was such a roadblock for me,” Hart said. “He made sure… that they didn’t do anything with me. Just leave him. Have him sit on the bench in the dressing room.”

Bret Hart Names the Best Wrestler in the World Today
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