The March 31st episode of Monday Night Raw in London delivered action-packed moments from start to finish and the action continued after the show. In a rare in-ring outing for the Best in the World, CM Punk stepped into the ring for a dark match against Ludwig Kaiser.
Punk showcased his signature moves, with the final moments of the match featuring a diving crossbody followed by a devastating GTS. That was enough to score Punk the victory to the delight of the crowd inside the O2 Arena in London, England.
CM Punk is set to face Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns in a triple-threat match at WrestleMania 41. His win over Kaiser adds to his momentum as he prepares for his first WrestleMania main event. As for Kaiser, he vowed during Raw to be a part of the card for WrestleMania 41. If so, it’d mark Kaiser’s first time competing at the Showcase of the Immortals.
With WrestleMania 41 fast approaching, fans are eager to see if Punk can not only headline Night One, but defeat Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on the Best in the World and his journey to Las Vegas and Alleigant Stadium.
AJ Styles and Logan Paul will do battle at WrestleMania 41 following months of back-and-forth issues between the two WWE Superstars. On the March 31, edition of WWE Raw, Styles invited Logan Paul to come out and meet him face to face, Paul mocked the ‘sheep’ in the crowd before proceeding to belittle Styles.
Styles warned Paul not to write checks that his ass can’t cash which the Maverick took as a challenge to a match. Paul then claimed that he doesn’t fight for free, and London can’t afford him, furturer angering the crowd inside the O2 Arena. The pair briefly brawled in the ring and outside of it with Paul hitting the Pauldimizer on AJ Styles to close out the segment.
Though a match wasn’t confirmed in this segment, it was revealed shortly after. In a backstage segment, Adam Pearce confirmed that the two will battle at WrestleMania 41. This will be Paul’s fourth time competing at WrestleMania, where he currently has a 2-1 record. Styles joins an impressive collection of Superstars to face Paul including Rey & Dominik Mysterio, Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, and Kevin Owens.
WWE.com is hyping up the match with the following message:
WrestleMania 41 will play host to The Phenomenal One going toe-to-toe with The Maverick in what is sure to be an unforgettable match on The Grandest Stage of Them All.
Since returning from injury, AJ Styles has not taken kindly to Logan Paul, leading to tense interactions between the high-level Superstars.
Paul loves being part of viral moments, but he was on the wrong side of a huge one when Styles got the last laugh alongside comedian Andrew Schulz.
After weeks of mockery and sneak attacks, the bitterness between Styles and Paul will culminate in a can’t-miss matchup at WrestleMania 41.
Paul eliminated Styles from the 2025 Royal Rumble match and now he wants to embarrass the Phenomenal One on WWE’s biggest stage. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on this match and all matches from WrestleMania 41.
All-Elite Wrestling is averaging around 500,000 viewers for its Wednesday Dynamite show on the MAX streaming platform since the show debuted on the app this year, according to sources.
Combined with live cable numbers, this would give Dynamite an average of around 1-to-1.2 million viewers per episode since it was added to the streaming service.
UPDATE: As noted in the original story, there’s large deviations week to week which affect total streaming minutes. UPDATE 2: AEW President Tony Khan corroborated this report during the AEW Dynasty 2025 media call.
According to sources, the show is averaging around 60 million minutes watched per show with a deviation of plus/minus 10 to 20 percent depending on the episode and competition. Nielsen style viewership numbers aren’t necessarily important to streamers, the minutes watched averages to 500,000 viewers per episode Live-Plus-1. Meaning it takes into account viewers who watched live on the app and for 24 hours afterward.
In a February report, CNBC said MAX expects to reach 150 million global subscribers by the end of 2026. Estimates from several companies believed MAX had around 60 million subscribers in the US this year. Andrew Bucholtz of Awful Announcing reported TBS had around 72 million homes in 2023. The number is expected to be lower in 2025 due to downward trends.
Late last year, sources with WBD said the company was impressed with AEW’s performance on TBS and TNT. The result was a three-year deal for around $175-to-$185 million per.
AEW PPV is expected to move to MAX once the app has the capability to run PPV shows.
Sources said AEW has regularly out-performed some major hockey games on the app. NBA games on MAX average around 1.7 to 2 million viewers depending on matchups and competition.
While AEW’s success on streaming has been noted by the WBD, the numbers are far from top streaming programs like Daredevil: Born Again and Agatha All Along, which bribed in numbers from 7 to 10 million per episode.
A source, who corroborated the numbers, said he expected AEW to face stronger competition through the spring. The Andor Star Wars series resumes in April. WWE is entering Wrestlemania season.
“Many of the top execs don’t know the overall numbers,” the source said. “Whether its total minutes watched. Viewers who have watched the total show. (They) can make correlations but what streamers look for is quite different from cable or OTA where numbers are there to satisfy advertisers.”
Tyler Bate made his long-awaited return to WWE Raw tonight at London’s O2 Arena, reuniting with Pete Dunne to reform the New Catch Republic. The duo surprised the UK crowd as the mystery opponents for The New Day.
Bate, the inaugural WWE United Kingdom Champion and former NXT Tag Team Champion, was medically cleared for return in February 2025. While initial reports suggested he might return on the February 24 edition of Raw, fans had to wait until tonight’s show in London for his comeback.
The New Catch Republic, which debuted on SmackDown’s New Year’s Revolution episode in January 2024, had been building momentum before Bate’s injury. The team had challenged for tag team gold at both WrestleMania XL and Elimination Chamber prior to Bate being sidelined. WWE trademarked the team name in February 2024.
John Cena and Cody Rhodes held nothing back during the opening segment of WWE Raw in London, England. As for the past two weeks, Cena opened the show, though Rhodes interrupted before the WWE icon had a chance to speak.
Rhodes began by giving Cena some material to ‘cook’ him, referencing his lisp with a surprising reference to Stardust. Rhodes made referencing to having an “arm tattoo on my neck” and even admitted that “I got booed in a company I created.” A smirking Cena said he wasn’t in London to ‘cook’ Rhodes, but instead to bury the Undisputed WWE Champion.
“They’ve been saying for years that John Cena buries talent. I don’t bury talent. I am talent! I bury mediocrity.”
All Cody has done in WWE “is ride the coat-tails of my success” Cena added, but the WWE icon didn’t stop there. Cena claimed that seeing Rhodes with the Undisputed WWE Championship disgusts him. John shared his issue that Cody is little-more than a “common fan” using the gimmicks of wrestlers he enjoyed to make himself seem like someone worthy.
“You’re too perfect. You’re too polished. You’re too rehearsed. You get by on lazy gimmicks like them singing your name to get by.”
Rhodes admitted that maybe he was chosen as Cena claimed, but said that he was chosen by the fans. In stark contrast, Rhodes believes John Cena was made the ‘chosen one’ by Vince McMahon though avoided mentioning the ex-WWE CEO by name.
“Can you say the same John Cena? Or was it one guy in an office who chose you who’s not here anymore and we don’t talk about him?”
Rhodes wasn’t the only one with a billionaire in mind. In a shocking line from Cena, the WWE icon made reference to Tony Khan though similarly avoided naming the AEW President.
“I make empires for billionaires. All you’ve ever done is steal money from their kids.”
When Rhodes showed that he was ready to throw down, Cena turned away to leave. When John tried to hit a cheap shot on Rhodes, Cody hit Cross Rhodes, giving a clear advantage to the champion ahead of their WrestleMania showdown.
Netflix will present WaleMania X on April 17 at Brooklyn Bowl Las Vegas, aligning with WrestleMania week festivities. The event will include special guest appearances, a live edition of The Masked Man Show, and a performance by Grammy-nominated rapper Wale.
Currently the U.S. streaming home for WWE Raw and WWE programming internationally, Netflix shared the announcement via social media, highlighting the event as one of the weekend’s major attractions. Wale also acknowledged the event online with a simple post: “Viva Las Vegas.”
Fans in the United Kingdom can look forward to a WWE Premium Live Event sooner rather than later, according to Chief Content Officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque. Speaking to Alex McCarthy of Mail Sport, Levesque said that a PLE would “for sure” come to the UK in the next year or so. Levesque also reiterated Nick Khan’s comments that India is a priority destination as part of WWE’s partnership with Netflix.
WWE & the United Kingdom
WWE has a rich history in the United Kingdom with several major events coming to the UK in recent years. In 2022, WWE hosted its first Clash At The Castle event in Cardiff, Wales, and brought the event to Glasgow, Scotland in 2024. In 2023, WWE hosted its Money in the Bank event from London’s O2 Arena that saw Damian Priest and IYO SKY win the coveted briefcases.
While Levesque didn’t name what specific event will come to the UK, fans remain hopeful that London or another major city will host WrestleMania. Top WWE names including John Cena and Cody Rhodes have publicly advocated for what’d be WWE’s first WrestleMania outside North America. Levesque and other WWE officials have met with notable UK names such as London mayor Sadiq Khan, proving that the idea isn’t just wishful thinking.
The UK has proven itself time and again as home to rauccous fans who bring it at WWE events. Now, fans will get another PLE of their own in the UK within the next year or so.
John Cena may have shocked fans by turning heel at WWE Elimination Chamber: Toronto, but the decision to embrace his dark side was not a difficult one. Despite Cena’s two-decade-plus status as a babyface, Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque told Alex McCarthy of Mail Sport that John immediately embraced the pitched turn.
“When it was brought up… in John’s mind he was like ‘wow, I didn’t think you were going to say that. I love it.'”
Cena’s heel turn has been especially surprising given that it’s come mere months before he will retire from the ring for good. Calling the turn the “absolute biggest possible thing” Cena could do, Levesque acknowledged that turning the WWE icon heel came with significant risks.
“[It] would have been very easy for him to come in here and say, have us roll through all these dates, I’ll do my greatest hits – everyone is going to love it.”
Rather than do what fans have seen for two decades, Cena “made the whole world go ‘wait, what just happened'” according to Levesque. As WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Levesque recognizes that taking risks and going against expectations are often pivotal for compelling storytelling.
“This is going to be special because John is lit up about it. We’re lit up about it. It’s going to be incredible.”
Cena plans on capturing his 17th WWE World Championship at WrestleMania, a tall order as he’ll face off with year-long champion Cody Rhodes. With two of WWE’s biggest stars poised to do battle, all eyes are on Las Vegas for a showdown that’ll prove to be one of the biggest in years.
Former WWE Champion Big E recently stepped into the ring with Bethesda and id Software to promote the upcomign DOOM: The Dark Ages video game. In a video shared to X, a shield-carrying Big E shared that he had an amazing time playing the game and encouraged fans to pre-order.
Developed by id Software, DOOM: The Dark Ages is the prequel to the critically acclaimed DOOM (2016) and DOOM: Eternal (2020.) The game will be the third chapter in the epic cinematic story fitting the legend of the DOOM slayer. Players will step into the blood-stained boots of the DOOM slayer in a never-before-seen experience that’ll see the slayer battle a sinister medieval war against Hell itself.
Big E’s excitement is palpable in the video though he is not the first WWE Superstar associated with the DOOM franchise. In 2005, Dwayne Johnson appeared in the DOOM movie in one of his early feature film roles. Unfortunately for the Brahma Bull, the film was a bomb with criticisms being made about the plot, character development, and dialogue. It’d be 14 years later that DOOM would get a second live-action movie, DOOM: Annihilation (2019), a straight-to-video project for which Johnson did not return.
While questions remain about Big E’s in-ring future, the former WWE Champion remains a positive soul in wrestling. Soon enough, he will be able to enjoy DOOM: The Dark Ages alongside countless other gamers worldwide.
WWE star and actor John Cena has become an unlikely advocate for sun protection after being diagnosed with skin cancer. Growing up in a coastal Massachusetts town in the 1970s, Cena admits he never used sunscreen as a child, and this habit continued into adulthood despite moving to Florida.
His wake-up call came when dermatologists discovered and removed cancerous spots on his right pectoral and near his right shoulder. In an exclusive interview with People, Cena shared his own experience in hopes of inspiring others to protect their skin on a daily basis.
“I’m so grateful to be able to dodge those two bullets,” Cena shared, adding that he now wears his scars “as a reminder… you need to take the extra few seconds to protect yourself every day.”
John Cena partners with Neutrogena
Cena has partnered with Neutrogena for their Ultra Sheer Mineral Face Liquid Sunscreen SPF 70 campaign, cleverly playing on his wrestling catchphrase “You Can’t See Me” while highlighting that quality sunscreen can be invisible on skin. The campaign blends humor with education alongside dermatologist Dr. Neera Nathan.
Now a dedicated sunscreen user, Cena emphasizes that sun protection isn’t about vanity: “It’s something you should exercise to allow you to be who you are for a longer period of time.”
Though an unexpected spokesperson for skincare, Cena embraces his new advocacy role, noting, “You never know who you’re going to reach.”
CM Punk has a notorious sweet tooth and can often be found enjoying baked goods following WWE Premium Live Events. When WWE’s X account caught up with the Best in the World, he explained why he enjoys a donut, muffin, or other baked good after a match.
“I like to treat myself after I put in a lot of hard work. I try to diet when I’m not physically wrestling in the ring and my pot of gold at the end of that rainbow when I do wrestle is some sort of treat.”
Punk’s pastry love was on full-display during his infamous All Out 2022 post-show rant as he lashed out at several AEW names while chowing down on goods from Mindy’s Bakery. Following Punk’s suspension, Mindy’s Bakery was flooded with reviews and messages from fans who made reference to Punk’s explosive comments. Following Punk’s return to WWE, Drew McIntyre sought to play mindgames with Punk with a trip down memory lane.
Punk’s next high-profile match will come at WrestleMania 41, where he will headline Night One against Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins. While finally main eventing the Show of Shows will certainly be sweet for Punk, fans can expect the Best in the World to indulge after his match in Allegiant Stadium.
Jake Paul isn’t planning a leap into the WWE ring anytime soon, despite his brother Logan Paul’s growing success in the company.
In a recent interview with Newsweek, Paul revealed he’s more comfortable taking on a supporting role than competing himself.
“I would be down to be Logan’s manager, Paul Heyman-style in WWE,” Jake said. “But I don’t think my body is cut out for the athleticism and the madness that the WWE takes.”
While he’s made a few appearances during major WWE events like Crown Jewel, Jake sees himself more as a ringside figure than an in-ring performer. This is a departure from what he’s previously said about a potential WWE career, and has expressed interest in getting in the ring on several occasions.
Shifting focus, Paul also highlighted his continued interest in mixed martial arts.
“I definitely want to do MMA. Nate Diaz, still to this day, has not accepted the $15 million deal that we have for him,” he said. “For me in MMA, it’s just about finding the right opponent.”
Though not ruling out further WWE involvement entirely, Jake Paul appears firmly focused on his fighting career outside the squared circle—for now.
Wrestling superstar John Cena’s shelved movie “Coyote vs Acme” has found new life after Ketchup Entertainment confirmed their acquisition of the worldwide rights to the live-action/animated hybrid film.
According to Deadline, the deal, reportedly worth around $50M, will bring the Looney Tunes character to theaters in 2026.
Cena stars as an intimidating corporate lawyer representing the Acme Corporation against Wile E. Coyote, who sues the company after their products repeatedly fail him in his pursuit of Road Runner. Will Forte plays the billboard lawyer representing Coyote, with Lana Condor and Tone Bell completing the cast.
Despite testing well with audiences, the film became a casualty of Warner Bros’ cost-cutting measures two years ago. The studio had previously screened the movie to buyers with a $70M price tag, matching its reported production cost.
While Cena maintained a diplomatic stance about the shelving, other talent expressed stronger disappointment, with Forte calling the move “fcking bullsht.”
This rescue represents a significant investment for Ketchup Entertainment as Cena balances his Hollywood career with his WWE retirement tour.
On the latest episode of WWE LFG, Mickie James took issue with the outfit of Zena Sterling. Speaking to the mentee of Bubba Ray Dudley after her match with Tamara Mae Steele, James questioned Zena’s choice of in-ring attire.
“I lived during the diva era, and we fought very, very hard to not have to wrestle in lingerie anymore. Since I’m a female, I can speak on this. It’s very frustrating when women go out there and wrestle, and all I see is their a**. And I can’t look past it. It’s all I see. It’s very distracting. So you want to be taken serious as a wrestler, but you’re wrestling in pretty much jazzed up lingerie. And that’s my opinion. And that’s coming from someone who’s had to wrestle on TV a lot.”
James’ comments have sparked a discussion among fans about ring attire and the progress female talent have made, especially in WWE, over the past decade. Some argued that James is right to criticize what they perceive as an over-sexualized attire. Others believe that it’s ultimately Sterling’s choice to where what she feels is best and that James has also worn similar attires.
On X, Velvet Sky, a fellow TNA alum who’s worked with James countless times, chimed in. Sky joked that she felt personally attacked before throwing her support behind Sterling’s ring attire.
I feel attacked! lol nothing wrong with sex appeal in wrestling. Diva era or not. I personally find nothing wrong with her gear. Just my opinion but what do I know? ? Let the pigeons loose, Zena! ?
WWE LFG sees legends of the ring serve as mentors to promising, young talent, each one hoping to earn a contract with the promotion. While James’ time with WWE LFG will soon be over, the former Women’s Champion isn’t shying away from making her views perfectly clear.
Hulk Hogan has a history of telling tall tales throughout his career and now another one of his claims has been debunked. Despite Hogan’s insistence that he came close to landing the grill deal that would ultimately go to the late George Foreman, that is not the case at all.
Hogan has spent decades claiming that the deal was nearly his. In an interview with Dan LeBatard, Hogan claims that the deal was nearly his and why his agent, who also represented Foreman, picked the bozing icon.
“My agent called me, ‘Hogan, I got two things, a grill and a blender. Two choices for you and George.’ When I called him back, my agent says, ‘I called you first and I figured you would take the grill, but you weren’t home so I called George and he took the grill.'”
Not So Fast
In a recent edition of his ‘Pablo Torre Finds Out‘ show, Torre debunks the claim by the Hulkster. Torre shares a statement from the family of Michael Boehm, inventor of the grill, debunking Hogan’s tale that he was considered for the brand deal.
“George Foreman was the only celebrity our dad approached about endorsing the grill. We don’t know who started the story about Hulk Hogan being approached but it isn’t accurate.”
It’s not just the Boehm familly that are refuting Hogan’s claim. Henry Holmes, a laywer who represented by Hogan and Foreman, claims that he has no idea what the Hulkster is talking about. He suggests that in addition to Foreman, Pamela Anderson and Chuck Norris may have been considered for the grill, but Hogan was not a contender.
The grill claim is one of Hogan’s many lies that the Hulkster has made. Other examples include:
Claiming Elvis Presley was a huge fan of his. In reality, Elvis died in 1977, two years before Hogan made his wrestling debut in Memphis. Claiming he was approached by Lars Ulrich to play for Metallica. When asked if Hogan was asked, James Hetfield said “definitely not.”
Claiming Andre the Giant died a few days after their WrestleMania 3 match. Not only did Andre not die shortly after their 1987 collision, the pair would wrestle one another at WrestleMania 4.
Claiming he wrestled 400 days in one calendar year due to flying several time zones when traveling to and from Japan. Hogan’s claim is literally impossible.
Claiming his track ‘Hulkster in Heaven’ was about a young fan Hogan had met ahead of his match at SummerSlam 1992 who sadly passed. Hogan did not compete at the show, nor was he appearing for WWE at the time.
When asked about the topic in a new interview with New York Post Sports, Carmella defended Graves as “an incredible talent” and emphasized her full support.
“I feel like he’s such an incredible talent. He has so much passion and so much love for this business, and I will always have his back. I feel like he deserves everything,” she said.
Carmella continued, praising Graves as one of WWE’s top commentators.
“He’s one of, if not the best, commentator WWE has—maybe other than Michael Cole,” she added. “He’s just incredible, and I support him no matter what.”
Industry Colleagues React
Graves’ commentary shift prompted several wrestling broadcasters, many former colleagues, to weigh in on the situation.
WWE Hall of Famer Booker T didn’t mince words about his feelings toward Graves’ public reaction. “We’re not cool, not cool at all—I didn’t like the tweet. I didn’t tell him I didn’t like it, but I’m sure there perhaps will come a time when I might say it,” Booker stated.
Despite the controversy, longtime WWE announcer Michael Cole expressed hope for Graves’ WWE future while acknowledging his talents. “He’s an unbelievable commentator,” Cole said. “I hope he stays with us, because he’s one of the best.”
Wrestling commentary legend Jim Ross supported WWE’s decision, suggesting that Pat McAfee’s broader appeal justified the move. “Would you trade Pat McAfee and his massive broadcast platform for Corey Graves? I wouldn’t, to be honest,” Ross remarked.
Former WWE commentator Jonathan Coachman offered perspective based on his own experiences, noting that such changes are commonplace in wrestling broadcasting. Coachman emphasized that many top commentators, including Jim Ross and Michael Cole, have experienced similar role adjustments throughout their careers, and encouraged Graves to embrace whatever position he’s given in the company.
WWE superstar Karrion Kross has established himself as one of the company’s most unique talents, having captured two NXT championships and developed a distinctive on-screen presence alongside his wife Scarlett. His unique presentation and in-ring intensity have made him a standout performer since his initial WWE signing in 2020.
Karrion Kross is approaching the end of his current agreement with WWE, according to a report by Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select. The belief is that his contract will conclude this summer, though the exact date is still being confirmed.
Kross’ Position in WWE
Within WWE, Kross has earned praise for his ability to connect with fans through social media and his involvement in storylines on the Raw program. His skills in promoting himself and engaging with the audience have been noted as particularly effective. This positive feedback from within the company could play a role in any future contract negotiations.
Kross and his wife, Scarlett, experienced a period outside of WWE after being released in November 2021. During this time, Kross was offered a one-time match with AEW, but he chose not to accept. He also participated in events for MLW and NJPW, where he was said to have made a strong impression on those he worked with. This period of his career demonstrates his versatility and ability to perform in various wrestling environments.
However, Kross was brought back into WWE when Triple H took on a leadership role in 2022. His wrestling experience extends beyond WWE, as he is a two-time NXT champion and has also performed in Impact Wrestling, MLW, and Lucha Underground. This diverse background adds to his value as a performer and offers him a range of potential paths in the future.
In addition to his wrestling career, Kross is involved in other creative projects, including a film and a book release. These endeavors showcase his interests outside of the ring. Ultimately, whether Kross will choose to sign a new contract with WWE or pursue other opportunities in the wrestling world remains to be seen.
Former SmackDown Women’s Champion Carmella has confirmed that her WWE contract has officially expired after 12 years with the company. In a recent interview with New York Post Sports, she expressed openness to a potential return despite previous statements about feeling “ghosted” by WWE.
“So I’m not like a never-say-never person. To me, I do feel such loyalty to WWE. I loved my time working there,” she said.
“If I ever went back, I would hope it would be for WWE. I would wanna go back as Carmella and moonwalk my way out there and be in a WWE ring.
I do feel like that would be my home, but I’m not gonna say never, right? Who knows what the future holds. I don’t wanna become a hypocrite.”
This marks a notable shift from comments she made earlier this month on Kail Lowry’s Barely Famous podcast, where she expressed frustration with how WWE treated her after becoming a mother.
“Why would you want to be somewhere that doesn’t want you?” Carmella said on the podcast. “It’s like you’re in a relationship and someone is trying to break up with you. ‘No, don’t leave me. I promise.’ No, you’re not wanted in that relationship. It’s not for me, and I truly feel that door is closed.”
carmella saying that wwe completely ghosted her, oh she’s never coming back ? pic.twitter.com/OYX9xiNIma
She added that she’s not trying to bury the company but wants to be honest about how women—especially mothers—are still treated in wrestling.
“I feel like I’m being punished because I had a baby,” she said. “I wouldn’t change a damn thing. I’m obsessed with my son… but it’s just the reality of the situation.”
The 37-year-old wrestler gave birth to her first child with WWE commentator Corey Graves in November 2023 and hasn’t competed since March of that year.
During her WWE career, she accumulated an impressive list of accomplishments including holding the SmackDown Women’s Title, Women’s Tag Team Championships with Zelina Vega, and four reigns as 24/7 Champion. She also made history as the first-ever Women’s Money in the Bank winner and won the Mixed Match Challenge alongside R-Truth.
WWE and Supercell have launched a new partnership that will bring top WWE Superstars into Clash of Clans for a limited-time crossover beginning April 1 and running through the month.
The collaboration includes in-game appearances and themed content, leading to a special match integration at WrestleMania 41 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes headlines the crossover, reimagined as the “Barbarian King” character.
A long-time player under the alias “OverlordRhodes,” Rhodes also features in the game’s live-action promotional video, embodying a strategy focused on domination and conquest.
Other WWE stars receive similar in-game transformations, including:
Rhea Ripley as “Archer Queen”
The Undertaker as “Grand Warden”
Bianca Belair as “Royal Champion”
Rey Mysterio as “Minion Prince”
Kane as “P.E.K.K.A”
Becky Lynch as “Valkyrie”
Jey Uso as “Thrower”
Starting April 1, players will experience a variety of WWE-themed gameplay additions, such as exclusive environments, cosmetics, and interactive Easter Eggs. The event also includes WWE-inspired challenges and content accessible to millions of players globally.
“This isn’t about playing fair in the ring, it’s about ruling the battlefield,” said Rhodes. “Villages will fall, and any opposition will be crushed under my command.”
Supercell emphasized the scale of the collaboration, noting its unprecedented scope both in-game and at WrestleMania. “This partnership is on a scale we’ve never created before,” said Sara Bach, Head of Live Games at Supercell.
Fans can follow Clash of Clans on social media for ongoing updates throughout the event.
Here’s the preview for tonight’s WWE Raw, broadcasting live on Netflix at 3 PM ET/12 PM PT from the O2 Arena in London, England.
With WrestleMania 41 just days away, tonight’s Raw promises major developments. Cody Rhodes and John Cena will meet face-to-face for the third consecutive week, as Cena continues his shocking heel turn and vows to “destroy wrestling” by retiring as champion. Meanwhile, Logan Paul is expected to escalate his feud with AJ Styles, likely setting up a WrestleMania showdown.
The main event will feature IYO SKY defending her Women’s World Championship against Rhea Ripley, with Bianca Belair serving as the Special Guest Referee. This high-stakes match could determine the landscape of WrestleMania 41’s women’s title picture.
WWE Raw Preview: March 31, 2025
IYO SKY (c) vs. Rhea Ripley – Women’s World Championship Match with Special Guest Referee Bianca Belair
Cody Rhodes and John Cena – Face-to-face confrontation ahead of their WrestleMania 41 clash
Jimmy Uso vs. Gunther – Non-title match
Logan Paul calls out AJ Styles
Bron Breakker & Penta vs. The Judgment Day (Finn Balor & Dominik Mysterio) – Tag Team Match
The New Day in action
Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest WWE news on the road to WrestleMania 41.
What Happened Last Week?
Last week’s Raw saw Cody Rhodes confront John Cena in a heated exchange, The Usos reunite in tag team action, and Bron Breakker win the Intercontinental Championship despite interference from The Judgment Day.
The year was 1995, and WWE was in trouble. With Hulk Hogan not only gone but starring for a rising WCW, not to mention the experiments of pushing Lex Luger and Diesel on top flopping, the company went for an experiment.
Yes, WrestleMania 11 included a Diesel vs. Shawn Michaels world championship bout that was objectively the best match on the card. It didn’t close the show, though, as WWE instead entrusted that spot to Bam Bam Bigelow—an exceptional veteran big man—and, all the more notably, football star Lawrence Taylor.
WWE Reestablished The Importance Of Celebrities At WrestleMania
Celebrities have long been a part of WrestleMania. WrestleMania 1 featured Mr. T tag teaming with Hulk Hogan in the main event and a cavalcade of other celebrities throughout the card. While celebrities had a significant presence again at WrestleManias 2 and 3, their prominence at the show receded over the years to follow. Celebrities made cameos of varying impact, but weren’t really an integral part of the show again until WrestleMania 11.
Placing Lawrence Taylor in the main event was an enormous play to attract mainstream media attention and more casual viewers who were more invested in seeing the football star wrestle than anything WWE had cooked up angle-wise. Moreover, Taylor brought with him a host of other NFL personalities as his “team” at ringside, and Salt ‘n’ Pepa sang him to and from the ring. That’s not to mention that WWE featured Pamela Anderson and Jenny McCarthy prominently as accessories to the WWE Championship match. In short, celebrities were back.
WrestleMania 11 Was Ahead Of Its Time For A Celebrity Working A Full-Impact, High-Profile Match
WWE has a long history of integrating celebrities into their product in different ways, but has been more selective about actually getting them in the ring, especially for meaningful performances. Floyd Mayweather worked a super provocative match with The Big Show at WrestleMania 24. Maria Menounos got surprisingly physical in her four WWE matches—most notably in tag action at WrestleMania 28. Even Snooki from The Jersey Shore demonstrated competence in her highly protected role wrestling at WrestleMania 27.
Recent years have seen Logan Paul and Bad Bunny in particular impress with high-level, intense in-ring performances that made them come across as more than celebrities WWE was leveraging, but rather like legitimate professional wrestlers. Decades before them, Lawrence Taylor set this template, leveraging his elite athletic skills from a Hall-of-Fame football career, plus the guidance of Pat Patterson who planned the action and directed traffic as referee during the match.
Lawrence Taylor Was The Right Pick At The Time, Though The Choice Hasn’t Aged Well
Lawrence Taylor’s fame as a legendary member of the New York Giants made him appealing to football fans in general, but specifically those in the New York area where he had starred for the Giants for over a decade. That kind of drawing power, combined with his legit athleticism, and the visible credibility of him as a guy who still looked like an elite football player made him just the right choice for a celebrity to headline WrestleMania 11.
It’s unfortunate LT’s real-life issues have made it difficult for WWE to celebrate the accomplishment of just how well he did at WrestleMania 11. After all, one has to assume he’d be an easy pick as a celebrity WWE Hall of Fame inductee based on what he did in the ring. However, legal issues have followed him—most notably early 2010s issues surrounding sexual misconduct and domestic violence have kept him in legal limbo and made his reputation muddy to say the least.
Bam Bam Bigelow Was The Real MVP Of WrestleMania 11
Photo Credit: WWE.com
Lawrence Taylor deserves credit for stepping well outside his comfort zone and staging a more than capable in-ring performance at WrestleMania 11. Pat Patterson deserves credit for figuring out the mechanics of the match and coaching during it. Vince McMahon successfully booked the whole scenario.
At the end of the day, though, the man who probably deserves the most credit for the main event of WrestleMania 11 overachieving was Bam Bam Bigelow. The Beast from the East was a hyper-athletic super heavyweight who never quite got his just due with a sustained main event run in WWE or WCW. In 1995, though, he selflessly made LT look like a million bucks, carrying the load, selling, and ultimately putting over the non-wrestler in the ring with him.
NXT’s Stephanie Vaquer recently had a great time when she attended UFC Mexico City over the last weekend. The reigning NXT Women’s Champion and NXT Women’s North American Champion celebrated her birthday on March 29th and she received a special birthday surprise during the show.
The NXT Champ was blessed with the reception and gifts she received. Taking to social media, Stephanie Vaquer thanked everyone for making her birthday special with the surprise. Vaquer also wrote that she was proud to represent her WWE family at the UFC event. She wrote:
“I had an extraordinary experience at UFC México City!!! Thank you for the amazing birthday surprise—with beautiful gifts and so much love ?? I’m proud to represent my WWE family at UFC.”
I had an extraordinary experience at UFC México City!!! Thank you for the amazing birthday surprise—with beautiful gifts and so much love ?? I’m proud to represent my WWE family at UFC
¡¡Viví una experiencia extraordinaria en UFC Ciudad de México!!
At NXT Roadblock which emanated from The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Women’s North American Champion Stephanie Vaquer defeated Giulia to win the NXT Women’s Title. She scripted history as she became a double champion. ‘The Dark Angel’ has since been been regarded as NXT’s first double women’s champion. On March 25th edition of NXT, Stephanie Vauqer pulled off double duty and successfully defended both the titles
‘La Primera’ kicked off the show by putting her NXT Women’s title on the line against Jaida Parker. After a back and forth battle, Vaquer emerged victorious to retain her title. In the main event, Vaquer successfully defended the NXT Women’s North American Championship against Fallon Henley.
Following the match, Fatal Influence attacked the champ but Jordynne Grace rushed to the ring to save her. They had an intense face off, indicating a future title match between the two.
TNA Wrestling star AJ Francis is thrilled after capturing the Reality of Wrestling Television Championship at ROW Glory.
Reality of Wrestling, an independent pro wrestling company founded by WWE Hall of Famer Booker T, hosted Glory on Sunday. The show emanated from the Walker Texas Lawyer Arena in Texas City, Texas. AJ Francis dethroned Chandler Hopkins to clinch the ROW Television Championship.
AJ Francis, who recently addressed Hit Row fallout, lived up to his words to walk out of the arena as the new champion. Following the victory, the former ‘Top Dolla’ spoke to Fightul and shared his thoughts on becoming the new Reality of Wrestling Television champion. He said:
“I’ve been on more TV networks than any other wrestler in this business so, luckily, now a real television star is the Reality of Wrestling Television Champion.”
With the win, Francis has added the TV Championship to his accolade, which includes the TNA Digital Media Championship, the Canadian International Heavyweight Championship and, the Cheez-It Championship.
After parting ways with WWE, AJ Francis has been on quite the run. He is currently signed with TNA Wrestling but he has made appearances in other promotions including Major League Wrestling and National Wrestling Alliance.
Cody Rhodes’ theme, Kingdom by Downstait, is as synonymous with the WWE Superstar as his signature jacket, bleach blond hair, or infamous neck tattoo. Now though, Rhodes may be poised to change his theme song but with a change that has his family in mind.
On Stephanie’s Places, Rhodes discussed the theme’s intro that sees the American Nightmare claim “Wrestling has more than one royal family.” Rhodes explained how that intro, a not-so-subtle dig at the McMahon family, came shortly after he walked away from WWE in 2016 to do better elsewhere.
“I recorded that within weeks after I left WWE. And to this day we still use that audio sample.”
It’s somewhat ironic that the dig at the McMahon family is now heard every single week on programming for the promotion the McMahon’s built. Fitting into the theme of family bonds, Cody is ready for his daughter to replace him in his theme song, if she so chooses.
“My goal actually is, I don’t know if she’d wanna do this. But the beginning of my song, the little voice over that exists. I’d love my daughter to do it. I want her to have a good experience in this.”
Whether this change happens or not, Rhodes plans on doing his family proud at WrestleMania 41 where he’ll face John Cena. With the Undisputed WWE Championship and perhaps the very soul of WWE on the line, Rhodes’ showdown with Cena will prove to be must-see in Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium.
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SEScoops.
CM Punk recently shared his disdain for The Beatles but he’s not the only WWE Superstar with a hot take. In a video from Jackie Redmond, the Superstars of WWE shared what they hate that everybody appears to love:
Julius Creed – Mint Choc Chip Ice Cream: In a bold call that’s splitting American Made, Julius shared that he’s no fan of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Proving his point that everybody else seems to love it, Ivy Nile immediately responded saying she loves the flavor.
Otis – Barbeque Sauce: Otis is a man who loves his meat, but he is no fan of drenching his food in barbeque sauce. His reasoning? “Let the fat and the salt do the talking, baby!”
Dakota Kai – The Big Bang Theory: The show about a series of nerds and their attractive neighbor may have won awards, but Kai is no fan. She declared that the show is “not funny.” Despite being the target audience, Kai, a self-professed nerd says the show makes perople like her “look really bad.”
Jimmy Uso – Twins: In perhaps the most baffling pet hate, Jimmy Uso is no fan of twins. His twin brother Jey was also in the video and didn’t seem impressed.
Jey Uso – Flowers: Jey doesn’t care for flowers and said that they make places smell like a funeral. Jimmy quipped that his brother hates flowers because he hasn’t been given his flowers yet.
Adam Pearce – Professional wrestlers: Clearly fed up with the antics of Rhea Ripley and others, Raw’s General Manager is through with dealing with pro wrestlers.
Cody Rhodes – People who have no enemies: Rhodes sees someone who has no issues with others as a huge red flag. Ironically, Rhodes is ready to be an enemy of those who have no enemies.
Alicia Taylor – The Beatles: Like Punk, Taylor is no fan of the ‘Fab Four.’ Redmond was shocked to find not one, but two hater of the Beatles sat at the very same table backstage.
Maxxine Dupri – Listening to music too loudly: Maxxine Dupri may be surrounded by wrestlers with loud entrance songs, but for her, anyone who listens to a song above a volume of 7 is a major no-no.
