All Elite Wrestling has announced a major shift in its pay-per-view calendar, with its flagship event All Out set to take place at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena on September 20, 2025. The announcement, made today by AEW, marks the first time the prestigious event will be held outside of the Chicago area since its inception.
“Scotiabank Arena in Toronto will host AEW All Out September 20,” the official press release states, with tickets going on sale Monday, June 2 at 10 AM ET via AEWTix.com and Ticketmaster.ca.
This move to Toronto continues AEW’s growing relationship with the Canadian market, following successful previous events including Forbidden Door at the same venue. Fans interested in exclusive presale opportunities can register at allelitewrestling.com/aew-insider.
The decision to relocate All Out comes as AEW continues to expand its international presence, having previously moved its All In event to London’s Wembley Stadium and All In: Texas at Globe Life Field in July 2025. The Canadian expansion represents another strategic move as AEW continues to strengthen its global footprint.
WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash believes Rhea Ripley possesses a rare combination of athleticism, psychology, and star power that separates her from her peers and could potentially allow her to compete against male competitors.
Speaking on his “Kliq This” podcast with co-host Sean Oliver, Nash didn’t hold back his admiration for the current WWE Women’s World Champion.
“Rhea is so athletic. She looks like she could go against probably 50% of the male roster,” Nash stated. “I even wrote a note that said she can work the men’s division.”
The wrestling legend continued his praise, emphasizing Ripley’s complete package:
“She’s a star, man… It’s tough to put her in the ring… She’s super over. She’s super everything.”
The Lost Art of Selling
Nash specifically highlighted Ripley’s selling ability—her talent for reacting to opponents’ offense—as a particularly rare skill in today’s wrestling landscape.
“I said a long time ago on this show that there’s so few people that sell and Rhea can sell. Like Rhea knows how to sell,” Nash explained.
The former nWo member also touched on the psychological aspects of Ripley’s matches, noting how her offense should be portrayed differently than her opponents’.
“A kick from Rhea to one of her opponents in this particular match should feel differently and be sold differently than a kick from Roxanne to Rhea,” he said. “All things are not equal. And I think that psychology has to creep into [the match].”
“I’m not like an ink guy,” he noted, referring to Ripley’s tattoos, “but she pulls everything off.”
Larger Than Life Presence
Perhaps most fascinating was Nash’s discussion of how Ripley projects a larger-than-life presence despite not being as physically imposing as she appears on television.
“I thought Rhea was like 6 foot, 185 pound girl and she’s probably 5’7,” Nash revealed. “But on TV, the way she moves, she comes across as bigger than life, which stars do.”
Nash compared this phenomenon to his early experience as a wrestling fan:
“I remember when I was a mark and I saw Hogan work and I swore Hogan was 6’9″ because he was just bigger than life, his charisma, everything else. And then when I finally met him, he was nowhere near that size.”
The WWE Hall of Famer drew further parallels to movie stars who have similar qualities:
“Across all genres too, you know. Stallone’s a tiny guy supposedly. Tom Cruise, they say, is small too.”
He also shared his personal experience meeting Ripley backstage:
“When I saw her at SummerSlam, she was just with no makeup on, everything. She’s quiet and she’s really chill.”
The Championship Dilemma
Nash’s comments suggest Ripley could be headed for an extended championship reign similar to Roman Reigns.
“It’s so hard because if you give the people what they want, which is Rhea’s the champion, then she’s now in a Roman spot. She’s going to have the thing for four years,” Nash predicted. “It’s that kind of situation where you’ve got to use her to elevate [others].”
While acknowledging Ripley’s dominance, Nash did mention a few wrestlers who could potentially match up with her.
“Although Bianca, I think someone like Bianca or I think Jade… I think Jade will get there. She’s still green, but she’s improving vastly.”
With such high praise from one of wrestling’s most respected minds, Ripley’s position as one of WWE’s cornerstone performers seems secure.
Nash’s analysis not only validates Ripley’s current status but suggests her ceiling might be even higher than previously thought—potentially including groundbreaking intergender competition that could redefine her legacy in professional wrestling.
WWE legend Shawn Michaels believes NXT has finally reached a level of recognition and appreciation that matches its quality, calling it “the purest, the best, the most exciting aspect of all professional wrestling” ahead of the brand’s Battleground event.
In a recent interview with Brad Gilmore of Reality Wrestling, the WWE Hall of Famer and head of NXT creative expressed his enthusiasm for the developmental brand’s current momentum.
“It’s been just a phenomenal time in NXT and the excitement and the energy is palpable,” Michaels said. “I think everybody finally sees NXT for what it is. It’s just the purest, the best, the most exciting aspect of all professional wrestling.”
Michaels attributed the brand’s surging momentum to two key factors: their television partnership with The CW network and the passionate roster of developing talent hungry to prove themselves.
“NXT right now has been enjoying just incredible momentum. So much of that is due to the incredible partnership that we have with CW, but also just the young men and women that come through our doors,” Michaels explained. “They’re so hungry. They’re so passionate. All they want to do is eventually become a Raw and SmackDown superstar and you give every ounce of your being out there when you perform every night of the week.”
The “Heartbreak Kid” also emphasized the importance of getting NXT talent experience on the road, highlighting the upcoming Tampa shows as valuable development opportunities.
“When we get an opportunity to get out on the road, first of all, they’re just over the top excited about the opportunity to be able to do that, but it also is so important to their development,” Michaels noted.
“We do our best to harness it. They’re all like wild stallions and we do our best to harness it and every now and then they can keep a lid on it when they’re in Orlando, but anytime they get out on the road, they’re ready to cut loose in that ring.”
With WWE’s Memorial Day weekend takeover in Tampa featuring Saturday Night’s Main Event, Battleground, Monday Night Raw, and NXT, Michaels is clearly confident that the brand will continue to showcase why it has become must-see programming for professional wrestling fans.
WWE’s evolving approach to talent development now includes strategic partnerships with other wrestling promotions, a move that Shawn Michaels believes is accelerating the growth of NXT’s rising stars.
In a recent interview with Brad Gilmore of Reality Wrestling, the WWE Hall of Famer and NXT executive highlighted how collaborations with TNA Wrestling and Japan’s Pro Wrestling NOAH are providing valuable learning experiences for developing talents.
“When you’re in the ring with people better than you, you’re going to improve. You’re going to get better. You’re going to learn things that you didn’t know before,” Michaels explained when asked about the benefits of working with other promotions. “That’s one of the things that this TNA collaboration has given us.”
The partnerships extend beyond North America, with NXT talents also gaining international experience.
“The partnership with Noah having our talent be able to go over to Japan and learn that style, a different style, and have some of their superstars come over and be a part of our show,” Michaels continued. “Inamura has just been a huge asset to the WWE roster. The people love him and we love him.”
These collaborations represent a significant shift in WWE’s developmental philosophy under the Triple H creative regime. While NXT has always been about preparing talent for the main roster, the addition of inter-promotional experience adds a dimension that wasn’t previously available within the WWE ecosystem.
Michaels emphasized the overall impact these partnerships have had:
“All of these partnerships and collaborations that we’ve been able to have has helped our talent improve and has also made NXT the must-see show on WWE programming.”
As NXT heads to Tampa for Battleground during WWE’s Memorial Day weekend takeover, the benefits of these partnerships continue to show in the in-ring work of the brand’s emerging stars, potentially setting a new standard for how wrestling promotions can collaborate for mutual benefit.
When WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels identifies potential future main event talent, the wrestling world listens. In a recent interview with Brad Gilmore of Reality Wrestling, the NXT Senior Vice President of Talent Development pinpointed which rising stars he believes are destined for the big stage.
Michaels, who oversees WWE’s developmental brand, specifically named NXT Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer as the standout female performer.
“I think it’d have to be Stephanie Vaquer from the women’s side, our NXT women’s champion,” Michaels said. “She has just taken the entire world by storm. I think she’s somebody that already had an international name, but once she got onto NXT programming, the entire world, the entire globe and her popularity has just skyrocketed.”
On the men’s side, Michaels highlighted both NXT Champion Trick Williams and North American Champion Oba Femi as two distinctive talents with main-roster potential.
“I think it’s a toss up on our men’s side,” Michaels explained. “Trick Williams and Oba Femi are two guys with, Trick has unlimited charisma, but Oba also has a mystique and an aura about him. They’re two very different individuals, but they’re both guys that are easily superstars that people see are going to be Raw Smackdown superstars in the very near future.”
Gilmore reinforced this assessment, noting, “Oba Femi has a presence and an authenticity about him where you can really see him main eventing WrestleMania one day.”
These endorsements from one of wrestling’s all-time greats carry significant weight as WWE continues building its next generation of stars. With NXT’s move to The CW network bringing increased visibility, these performers have a platform to develop their characters before potentially joining Raw or SmackDown.
As WWE’s Memorial Day weekend takeover in Tampa approaches, featuring Saturday Night’s Main Event, Battleground, Monday Night Raw, and NXT, fans will have the opportunity to see these future stars in action and judge for themselves if Michaels’ high praise is warranted.
The previously announced downloadable content now has a confirmed release date of June 25, 2025, perfectly timed as Haliburton’s Pacers prepare to face the New York Knicks in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals starting Wednesday.
Perfect Timing for NBA-WWE Crossover
The announcement’s timing couldn’t be more strategic, coming just days before Haliburton faces Jalen Brunson and the Knicks in a highly anticipated playoff series.
WWE has been actively highlighting the existing rivalry between the two guards, recently resurfacing footage of their memorable confrontation from a WWE SmackDown event at Madison Square Garden last June.
While the DLC pack was previously announced, WWE has now confirmed the complete lineup:
Tyrese Haliburton – Indiana Pacers guard making his WWE gaming debut
Abyss – TNA legend and current WWE producer
The Great Khali – WWE Hall of Famer and former World Heavyweight Champion
Two additional NBA stars – To be announced in the coming weeks
This marks the first official WWE 2K appearance for both Haliburton and Abyss, with the latter never having competed on WWE television despite currently working behind the scenes as a producer.
Triple H Hints at More NBA-WWE Crossovers
WWE’s Chief Content Officer Triple H seems to be doubling down on the basketball connection, responding to recent comments from Knicks forward Josh Hart about NBA players wanting WWE involvement this summer.
“My phone hasn’t stopped buzzing since Friday. #SummerSlam is coming to @MetLifeStadium in August…” Triple H posted, suggesting the crossover could extend to WWE’s upcoming two-night SummerSlam event on August 2-3 in East Rutherford, NJ.
The “Dunk & Destruction” pack is the second of five planned DLC releases for WWE 2K25, following the recently released “New Wave Pack.” Fans can purchase it individually or as part of the WWE 2K25 Season Pass when it arrives on June 25, 2025.
Lyra Valkyria discussed her experience becoming the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion, revealing she wasn’t part of any creative discussions beforehand and only learned of the major career moment on the day of the show.
Valkyria won the inaugural WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship by defeating Dakota Kai in a tournament final on the January 13, 2025, episode of Raw. This made her the first-ever woman to hold the title.
Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Valkyria shared her feelings about holding the championship. “[It’s brought me] A lot of confidence, it’s a big responsibility, and there’s a lot of pressure that comes with it,” she said. “But I think I’m kind of in control once I get in the ring… No one can take that away.”
When asked when she first heard about winning the title, she explained, “I never was a part of that conversation. I just find out on Mondays what I’m doing. I found out the day of. I was never a part of the decision or the conversation. I just showed up to work.”
Describing her reaction, Valkyria stated, “Amazing. I couldn’t believe it… it never hits me in the moment. It hit me when I was driving home… The title is just sitting in my bag… and I’m like, Oh yeah, that’s the Intercontinental Championship. I won that.”
Well-known special effects artist Jason Baker recently shared a very touching story. He helped make a special birthday wish come true for Knash Rotunda, the young son of the late wrestling star Windham Rotunda, who was famously known to WWE fans as Bray Wyatt.
Moved by the idea, Baker and his colleague Sandy Mimpson immediately started working to make the boy’s wish happen. To make Knash’s costume truly special and real, Baker noted they used the “Mask from Bray’s original mold.” The costume itself, made by Sandy Mimpson, was based on the original “Fiend” gear that Windham Rotunda wore.
Baker posted on social media that Jojo Offerman, Knash’s mother and Windham’s partner, contacted him with a request straight from the heart. “I had the honor of doing something that is so close to my heart that I’m still fighting back tears while writing this,” Baker wrote.
He added, “I got a call from Jojo wanting to fulfill Knash’s birthday wish, which was to dress up like his dad @Windham6 for his birthday party.” Baker ended his post with a warm message, “We love you Knash and Hope you had the best birthday ever!” and then added Bray Wyatt’s iconic call to “LET HIM IN! ??”.
Callosum Studios, Baker’s company, was a big part of creating the look of “The Fiend.”
I had the honor of doing something that is so close to my heart that I’m still fighting back tears while writing this. I got a call from Jojo wanting to fulfill Knash’s birthday wish, which was to dress up like his dad @Windham6 for his birthday party. Needless to say,… pic.twitter.com/3kxFBE6qE4
WWE is reportedly showing “significant interest” in signing an international wrestling star to a contract. This development follows company tryouts held in London during WWE’s Road to WrestleMania European tour in late March 2025, which looked at many hopefuls from Europe.
While earlier news mentioned that English wrestlers Man Like DeReiss and Rhio did well at the tryout, a new update has come from Fightful Select’s Corey Brennan. Brennan reports that WWE has in in adding Spanish talent Zozaya to its roster after his strong performance at the London tryout and is actively “pursuing” him.
According to Fightful, sources close to Zozaya said the star from Madrid is due to finish his University studies in June 2025. It is also believed within WWE that any new talent signed from this particular tryout group would likely start working with the company around September of this year.
Zozaya is not new to the wrestling world, as he made his in-ring debut back in 2018. Since then, he has gained a lot of experience by wrestling for several well-known promotions, including Pro Wrestling NOAH, RevPro, CMLL, and PROGRESS Wrestling, among others. More news on Zozaya’s future with WWE and any other possible signings from the London tryouts is expected as it becomes known.
Elektra Lopez was released from WWE in early 2025 and now the former Superstar is stepping back in the ring. On X, House of Glory Wrestling shared that Lopez, now working as Karissa Rivera, will make her HOG debut at the Puerto Rican weekend event on Saturday, June 7.
??????????????
One of the hottest free agents in wrestling, Karissa Rivera (aka Elektra Lopez) will make her HOG debut Saturday, June 7th, at Mike Santana’s #PuertoRicanWeekend !!! @elektralopezwwe
— House Of Glory Wrestling (@HOGwrestling) May 19, 2025
This will be Rivera’s first match in 2025. Her final match for WWE came in December 2024 when she competed in the Women’s United States Championship tournament. Lopez wouldn’t make it past the first round in the tournament eventually won by Chelsea Green.
Now, Karissa Rivera has the chance to show that her skills extend far beyond WWE. After stepping foot in the ring for the first time back in 2017, it remains to be seen how the former Superstar fares in this post-WWE chapter of her career.
ECW icon Sabu passed away in May 2025, and now his life and legacy will be explored with a powerful new documentary from Backrow Studios. The first official teaser trailer for SABU has been released, offering an emotional glimpse into the life, rise, resilience, and final days of one of wrestling’s most influential figures.
The doc is produced by Rob Van Dam and directed by Joe Clarke and chronicles Sabu’s storied career in the ring as well as the personal struggles that defined his journey. SABU follows the hardcore legend all the way to his final match which came mere weeks before his death at the age of 60.
The teaser also highlights Sabu reflecting on the toll his career has had on his body, as well as the passion that fuelled him to put his body on the line to entertain the fans. A voiceover says that Sabu’s tale is “a story of passion, pain, and the ultimate price of living life on the edge” giving fans a tease as to what to expect.
RVD worked with Clarke previously on the ‘Headstrong’ documentary, and it’s fitting that he’s back to help his friend Sabu have one final goodbye in this upcoming documentary.
Lance Archer faced a major personal setback earlier this year when his truck was stolen earlier this year. Now, he has revealed that while the vehicle has been recovered, it was found completely stripped down to the frame.
On X, fka Twitter, Archer shared that he had received a call from the police informing him that the truck had been found, though not in the condition he had hoped. Instead, what remained was little more than a bare frame.
So. For that didn’t know. My truck was stolen back I. February! Figured it was just gone. Only had liability insurance. Got call yesterday from PD. It’s found.
— The Murderhawk Monster Lance Archer (@LanceHoyt) May 19, 2025
The theft occurred in broad daylight at a Costco in Duncanville, Texas. The stolen vehicle was a 2018 white Yukon Denali, customized with 24-inch rims, whitewall tires, and extra dark tinted windows.
Archer got his truck back, but it’ll be a long asnd expensive process before it is driveable, if that ever comes. His situation shows that the recovery of a vehicle isn’t always a relief.
An unfortunate situation happened on the May 19, 2025, episode of WWE Raw. It occurred during a significant Money in the Bank qualifying match involving WWE Superstar Zoey Stark, who suffered an injury.
Stark fought hard in a high-stakes Triple Threat match against two top opponents. Those opponents were the recently returned Kairi Sane and the former Women’s World Champion, Rhea Ripley.
The stipulation for the winner of this match was a spot in the upcoming Money in the Bank ladder match, which gives the winner a chance for a future championship.
Stark went for a missile dropkick from the top rope during the fast-paced and intense action. However, she had a very bad and awkward-looking landing from the move, which immediately caused concern.
Following this rough landing, Zoey Stark seemed unable to continue wrestling on her own. WWE medical staff and company officials quickly came to ringside to check on her. She was then carefully helped to the backstage area so medical personnel could look at her more closely.
The exact type or seriousness of any injury Zoey Stark might have is not known at this moment. We wish her a speedy recovery.
WWE has announced that Indiana Pacers All-Star Tyrese Haliburton will become a playable character in WWE 2K25. The revelation came during the May 19 episode of WWE Raw, where Haliburton participated in an interview segment with commentators Michael Cole and Pat McAfee to confirm his virtual wrestling debut.
BREAKING: Tyrese Haliburton is coming to WWE 2K25 later this year!
Haliburton will be featured in the upcoming “Dunks & Destruction” DLC pack, scheduled for release in June 2025. This addition is part of WWE 2K25’s strategy to incorporate high-profile athletes from outside wrestling, expanding the game’s appeal to broader audiences.
The NBA star’s inclusion follows his rising prominence in basketball, having led the Pacers to the Eastern Conference Finals and represented Team USA in the 2024 Summer Olympics. As a known WWE enthusiast, Haliburton has previously appeared on WWE programming, including a segment on SmackDown alongside New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson.
This collaboration continues the growing trend of crossover appearances between the NBA and WWE, further blurring the lines between sports and entertainment. The “Dunks & Destruction” DLC will be available across all major gaming platforms next month.
Former NXT Women’s Champion Roxanne Perez has officially been called up to the WWE Raw main roster. The news was shared on social media just before the May 19, 2025, episode of WWE Raw was set to begin.
In a video WWE put out for WWE fans, Raw General Manager Adam Pearce was shown giving Perez a Raw contract, which she then signed, making her move official. Perez is set to jump right into action on the May 19th Raw broadcast. She will compete in a tough Triple Threat Money in the Bank qualifying match against Natalya and “The Man” Becky Lynch.
Many have expected this official move to the Raw brand for some time. Perez made impressive appearances on the main roster earlier in 2025, including at the Royal Rumble and qualifying for a spot in the WWE Elimination Chamber match back in February. After WWE WrestleMania, she briefly teamed up with Giulia, but that partnership ended when Giulia moved to the WWE SmackDown roster last week.
Before she signed with WWE in 2022, Perez had a very good run in Ring of Honor (ROH), where she made history as the first-ever ROH Women’s Champion. Once in NXT, she quickly became a top star, winning the NXT Women’s Championship twice and also holding the NXT Women’s Tag Team titles with Cora Jade.
Nikki Garcia’s marriage to Artem Chigvintsev is over, and now the WWE Hall of Famer is ready for some fun. While speaking on the Nikki and Brie Show, Nikki gushed about attending the upcoming DraftKings yacht party during the Monaco Grand Prix. Nikki shared that whilst in Europe, she’s ready to get her flirt on with the men on the boat.
“Yeah. In France. Mhm. Vacay fling. I mean, it would be fun. What an experience. Talk about a yacht. Monaco vacay fling, have some good makeouts. That’s what I’m saying. Single Nikki is coming to France!”
Brie Garcia pitched for her sister to join dating apps, an idea Nikki quickly shot down. Saying she prefers to go “old-school,” Nikki discussed her dream-scenario when in Europe.
“I’d like a moment like sipping an Aperol Spritz sitting by the pool and then an F1 driver walks by.”
Nikki’s revelation comes after she recently shared that she’s been on a few dates, her first after her marriage to Chigvintsev ended with plenty of drama. While Garcia isn’t looking for a life-long commitment at the Monaco Grand Prix, she won’t say no to some yacht-based fun.
The May 19, edition of WWE Monday Night Raw will be a stacked show, which could include the return of an absent Superstar who has been missing for months. On X, WWE shared footage of Kairi Sane make her way to the Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.
Green has been out of action since December 2024 as the ‘Pirate Princess’ has been nursing an arm injury that has kept her out of the ring. On-screen, Sane was written off TV with an attack by the Pure Fusion Collective. Sane won’t have to worry about the faction should she return tonight, as both Shayna Baszler and Sonya Deville have since been released.
With Sane’s Damge CTRL ally IYO SKY standing tall as Women’s World Champion, it remains to be seen what role Sane will play should she return tonight. Could Sane be in action in a Money in the Bank qualifier, a match that could lead to her being at odds with SKY? Time will tell…
WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels recently shared his personal choices for a wrestling Mount Rushmore. He did this during an interview with “Going Ringside,” and his selections mostly honor the classic wrestlers he watched growing up, mainly from the late 1970s and mid-1980s.
When asked to pick his top four, the “Heartbreak Kid” said it was not an easy thing to do, feeling that such lists often come down to personal taste. “Yeah, I guess. I mean, I don’t know. To me, I’ve always felt like there’s — I don’t know — they’re just your personal favorites, I think,” Michaels stated. He then added, “But I, yeah, I’ve got a few I guess, but mine, you know, date back to usually the mid 80s or late 70s.”
When asked for actual names for his prestigious list, Michaels quickly identified his first three clear choices without hesitation. “I always put Terry Funk in there. I usually put Harley Race in there, Ric Flair.”
However, picking the fourth and final legend for his wrestling mountain proved to be a harder decision for him. “That fourth one’s always a little tough for me,” Michaels explained. “It sort of goes to Tully Blanchard because that’s who I grew up with or Wahoo McDaniel.”
Shawn Michaels is already a two-time WWE Hall of Famer, but their may be more honors coming the way of Mr. WrestleMania. During an appearance on Going Ringside, Michaels discussed WWE inducting its first ‘Immortal Moment’ into the Hall of Fame during this year’s class. Michaels admitted to being intrigued at the idea, before putting himself forward for future honors.
“I think the one that many think easily goes in is myself vs. The Undertaker. But in my humble opinion, I believe there are numerous others. The good thing is I have eight fingers left, so I only got two Hall of Fame rings. If they wanna fill up the other eight, I have no problem with that.”
Michaels’ 2009 clash with The Undertaker is regarded by many as one of, if not the bet match of either man’s career. If inducted as an Immortal Moment, it’d make Michaels the second-ever three-time inductee, only behind his long-time adversary Bret ‘Hitman’ Hart.
Even if Michaels was not inducted for his matches, he could still receive a third induction as part of The Rockers. WWE has been open to inducting talent for both singles and tag-team work, such as Booker T, and Michaels’ popularity alongside Marty Jannetty could earn him a ring.
Michaels was inducted in 2011 for his role as a singles star and as part of DX a decade later. With a career filled of epic moments and matches, it may be just a matter of time before Michaels has at least one more Hall of Fame ring weighing down his fingers.
KJ Orso is opening up about his experience in AEW, revealing that he felt overlooked and underutilized while working as an ‘All-Elite’ talent. On Busted Open Radio, Orso, who competed as Fuego Del Sol, didn’t shy away from naming Tony Khan as a cause of his frustrations.
“I don’t think Tony Khan ever had any true plans for me. I think the fanfare and the respect I earned from the locker room almost forced his hand to signing me.”
Orso would have glimmers of potential in AEW, including appearing on-screen alongside the likes of Cody Rhodes and Sammy Guevara. Despite this, Orso summarized that he only received work if others wanted it, and that “there was no real plan for me ever.”
Realizing he was in a rut, Orso pitched competing in Japan or even unmasking and doing something entirely different to what hadn’t been working. None of these ideas were followed up on by Khan, leaving him feeling stifled creatively.
“I really do feel that I had become a lovable loser in a sense, and there’s a stench I’ve been dying to get rid of since leaving AEW.”
Orso unmasked and shed his Fuego Del Sol identity at Joey Janela’s Spring Break 9, an act he’d wished to do years earlier. Now competing under his real name, K.J. Orso is determined to redefine himself and showcase the version of himself that AEW never fully embraced.
WWE brought in more than $13.2 million from the ticket sales of just six live shows held in late March and early April 2025. Post Wrestling via Pollstar reported the news on Monday.
This big success comes from a very popular time for the company and TKO’s new ticket pricing strategy, which has led to many shows making over a million dollars each.
These events were part of a wider, successful European tour in March that included twelve events in total, featuring three episodes each of WWE Raw and WWE Friday Night SmackDown. According to Pollstar, a group that reports on the event industry, WWE saw huge earnings from these specific dates, highlighting the strong demand from WWE fans.
Several individual shows made impressive amounts. For example, the WWE Raw show at London’s O2 Arena on March 31st made an amazing $3.58 million from 14,816 tickets sold. Other big successes included Friday Night SmackDown in Glasgow, Scotland, which brought in over $2.6 million, and another SmackDown in London that made $2.8 million.
Upon returning to the U.S., a SmackDown show in Rosemont, Illinois, on April 4th also made nearly $2.3 million. Pollstar confirmed the total from these six specific shows alone was $13,298,774.
The character of El Grande Americano has drawn criticism from fans and wrestlers alike who view the character as racially insensitive and a mockery of lucha libre. Speaking on his Keepin’ It 100 podcast, Konnan dismissed these criticisms, arguing that fans will always find something to complain about.
“A lot of people are complaining, bro? People complain about everything. You could give people a gold bar and they’d be like, ‘Oh, there’s a scratch in the corner.’ You can take it as far as you want.”
Konnan acknowledged that pro wrestling has “always been behind the curve on racial sensitivity,” whether it be it’s treatment of black, Japanese, or Samoan talent. Today, Konnan is pleased that El Grande Americano’s take on lucha libre is intended as funny, rather than hateful.
“You just can’t be outwardly racial. You have to be very funny and kind of subtle about it. But it’s a parody, you know what I’m saying? I have no problem with it.”
Konnan doesn’t have an issue with El Grande Americano, especially when compared to some of WWE’s other Mexican-based characters. On his podcast, Konnan recalled some of WWE’s ideas that he took issue with.
“I think the most important part, is it demeaning Mexicans? No, it isn’t. If you remember the lawnmower thing — the Mexicools — very demeaning, you know? I also thought the piñatas were demeaning with the Lucha… whatever, Lucha House Party.”
WWE Tag Team Champion Kofi Kingston addressed fan boundaries in an interview with Adrian Hernandez on “Unlikely” following a disrespectful encounter on an airplane.
“Don’t think that because you bought a ticket that you have the right to shake my hand,” Kingston stated firmly.
“Don’t come up to me and say, ‘Well, I bought a ticket to the show, so I should be able to get a picture,’ and you are obligated to come over to me. That is not true. I don’t have to do that.”
Kofi Kingston’s WWE Fan Etiquette
On morning flight interactions:
“Do not come over and try to shake my hand and try to take a picture with me early in the morning when I’m trying to go to work. If I’m sitting in first class when you are on your way to last class, don’t sit there with your camera and do a thumbs down so you can get a little viral shot.”
Kingston’s comments follow fellow WWE superstar Drew McIntyre’s recent dos and don’ts for fan interactions.
On social media behavior:
“Don’t like the pictures and posts when people post disrespectful pics like that. Don’t like them because you perpetuate that… you perpetuate the negativity.”
His response culminated with him referencing his championship:
“If I am in my everyday life going to work doing what I want to do, if I’m hanging out with my family, I don’t need you to tell me how much I suck. Because look here…
That means that I don’t suck. So don’t come across as a liar when you tell me that I do.”
Kingston’s message is clear: enthusiasm is welcome, but entitlement and disrespect are not.
AEW star Hook is set to make his cinematic debut in the upcoming short film “Money Talk$,” which will have its world premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival in New York City this June.
The film, directed by Tony Mucci, follows “the adventure of a $100 bill in 1981 NYC” on the day of Reagan’s inauguration as it travels through the underbelly of New York City.
Hook, the former FTW Champion and current member of The Opps, is credited as a “Mystery Man” on the film’s IMDb page.
Hook’s father Taz shared this trailer for the film over the weekend:
This marks the directorial debut for Tony Mucci in the film industry. Mucci has an extensive background in music video production, and worked with late rapper Juice WRLD.
The 2025 Tribeca Festival, running June 4-15 in New York City, will feature an expanded lineup of 93 short films this year, including 49 world premieres. The short is scheduled to screen before one of the festival’s Member Exclusive Events titled “Bunny.”
WWE started its wellness program in 2006 to test for steroids and other drugs that wrestlers might misuse. At first, WWE did not test for marijuana, but later added it, fining superstars rather than suspending them for failed tests.
On his Marking Out podcast, former WWE United States Champion MVP shared how he handled these rules. He explained:
“When the wellness policy started at WWE, initially, they only tested for steroids and hard drugs; they didn’t test for cannabis. Then, as I recall, all the pillheads started complaining… They added cannabis, but it wasn’t a suspension; it was just a $1000 Fine.”
MVP, making good money at the time, even offered a unique solution:
“I went to John Laurinaitis and said, ‘Can I just give you a $12,000 check for the year? I’m gonna smoke.'”
Eventually, WWE raised the fine to $2,500.
“Finally, after a couple of $2,500 fines, plus the numerous $1,000 fines….I could have bought a new car for these fines for weed. I finally stopped smoking for a while,” MVP said.
Today, marijuana is not on WWE’s banned substance list.
