A number of top WWE stars have seemingly been pulled from the company’s upcoming 5-event UK tour set for later this month.
The promotion recently confirmed the matches and featured superstars for the upcoming tour. The most glaring omission from this revised line up are both the WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins.
Both the current champions were advertised for the shows earlier and are still featured in the banner promoting the UK tour.
On the women’s side, the Mami Rhea Ripley is also no longer being promoted for the shows without an explanation, despite being mentioned in the original press release back in March.
BREAKING: The Road to #WWEClash in Paris begins August 22, 2025 with #SmackDown in Dublin & Lyon, #WWERaw in Birmingham, and more! #WWELive
The two names whose exclusion does make sense are Bianca Belair and Gunther. The EST has been out of action since WrestleMania 41 due to a broken finger, while the Ring General is expected to take time off after SummerSlam due to a nose injury he’s been dealing with.
WWE has added CM Punk to the tour, seemingly as the replacement for the lost star power. He is set to team with Sami Zayn and Penta to square off against Judgment Day for most of the tour. The one exception is a singles match against Dominik Mysterio during the August 23 Liverpool show.
The card is subject to change so some of the excluded names could still make an appearance. Though as of this writing, this doesn’t appear to be the plan.
Rumors have been swirling around about the WWE status of the former NXT Champion. With his current WWE contract set to expire this month, people have been trying to figure out what’s the next move for the heavyweight star.
In a new interview with Joey Karni, Karrion Kross was asked if we’ll see him and his wife Scarlett on Raw again. The WWE star said that he hopes to continue making appearances, though he also warned fans not to believe everything they read:
“I hope so. I see things being written online right now, specifically today. A lot of what I read is not true. I hate to disappoint people but I don’t want to bullsh*t. I hope we do come back.”
Karrion Kross confirms what you're reading today is NOT true.@realKILLERkross and I talked today, 8/7/25. His book, Life is Fighting is out now. Full chat drops tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/wq0D5mQseS
Karrion Kross was last seen on WWE programming at SummerSlam night 1, where he wrestled and lost to Sami Zayn. It was reported that his subsequent Raw appearance was cancelled in light of his contract status.
The former champion has since been offered a new deal by the company, but there has been no confirmation of the offer being signed.
Stay tuned for more updates on Karrion Kross’ WWE future.
Professional wrestler Jonathan Gresham revealed he suffered two strokes earlier this week, forcing the 37-year-old to take an immediate hiatus from in-ring competition.
In a statement posted to social media, Gresham described waking up unable to walk or move the left side of his body, with impaired vision and speech. “It took me 30 minutes to dial 911, but I finally did,” Gresham wrote. “I woke up in the hospital, couldn’t remember what had happened.”
Two days ago, I woke up and couldn’t walk or move the left side of my body. I couldn’t see and could barely talk. It took me 30 minutes to dial 911, but I finally did. I woke up in the hospital, couldn’t remember what had happened. They told me they had done an MRI and I had two… pic.twitter.com/q9tktPAlvB
Medical tests confirmed Gresham had experienced two strokes, though doctors were unable to determine a definitive cause. The only potential explanation offered was complications from a severe COVID case Gresham contracted several weeks prior. “They said we may never know the exact reason,” he stated.
The incident created a frightening scene for Gresham’s family, with his wife witnessing his emergency transport via their home’s Ring doorbell camera. She managed to fly from Orlando to Atlanta in time to be present when he regained consciousness.
Gresham will remain sidelined for 2-4 weeks while recovering and awaiting full medical clearance from his neurologist. The wrestler expressed shock at experiencing such a serious health event at his age, noting “I never thought this would be something for me to worry about at 37 years old.”
The independent wrestling veteran assured fans of his eventual return, closing his statement with his signature octopus emoji and the promise “I will be back soon.”
WWE’s creative process has undergone a revolutionary transformation under the new regime, with Paul Heyman revealing that the company now maps out storylines spanning multiple WrestleManias – a dramatic shift from the month-to-month booking that characterized previous eras.
In an extensive interview on The Ariel Helwani Show, the legendary manager and creative mind detailed how WWE’s approach to long-term storytelling has evolved beyond anything the industry has seen before, fundamentally changing how major narratives are constructed and executed.
“If I’m sitting in a meeting and we say, ‘Okay, where are we going for next year’s mania?’ Well, we’re going three mania from now because this mania is just the the pathway to the next year’s mania, which is the pathway to the next year’s mania. Long-term story lines is where is where it is,” Heyman explained, outlining the new philosophy driving WWE’s creative direction.
This represents a seismic shift from the Vince McMahon era, where long-term planning rarely extended beyond the next major premium live event. Heyman drew a stark contrast between past and present approaches to creative development within the company.
“So, back then under Vince McMahon, if we could get the conversation to, ‘what’s the main event and and what’s the support in next year’s mania,’ that’s a great long-term meeting.
Today, we can sit here and again, a lot of this has to do with what we did with the bloodline and the creation of the tribal chief Roman Reigns, that we can sit here and say, ‘well what are we doing 3 years from’ now because that’s how we looked at it,” he detailed.
The catalyst for this evolution stems from multiple business factors that have transformed WWE’s operational landscape. The Netflix deal, longer talent contracts, and different network licensing demands have created an environment where multi-year planning isn’t just possible – it’s essential for maximizing storytelling potential and business value.
“It’s not only a regime that is open to it or more open to it. It’s also to me the reality of the industry today in that you can plan out three five years down the road. Wasn’t that way before, you know, and now also there’s longer-term contracts.
We’re signing people for three to five years. Before that wasn’t always the case. It was only the top stars that were getting fiveyear deals,” Heyman explained.
The Bloodline saga serves as the proof of concept for this new approach, demonstrating how patient, methodical storytelling can create unprecedented audience investment and business success. The three-year arc of Roman Reigns’ tribal chief character became the foundation upon which WWE’s current planning philosophy was built.
Heyman emphasized how this long-term thinking extends to talent development and future main event positioning:
“You couldn’t pull me away from Roman Reigns’s coattails unless you showed me the future of this industry. You couldn’t. Why would I ever leave Roman Reigns? Ever. Ever. The GOAT, the the the most transformative performer I have ever worked with in my life.”
The strategic positioning of emerging talents like Bron Breaker, Bronson Reed, and Jacob Fatu reflects this forward-thinking approach. Rather than reactive booking based on immediate crowd reactions, WWE now identifies future main event stars and constructs multi-year narratives to establish their credibility and audience connection.
“Braun Breaker, who to me is the undisputed, uncontroverted future of WWE, a multi-time Wrestlemania main event coming up, let alone Bronson Reed, whose game has elevated like this beyond description to where now everybody is talking about the tribal thief,” Heyman noted when discussing the next generation of WWE stars.
This methodical approach allows for intricate story layering that builds audience anticipation across multiple premium live events. Instead of rushing to payoffs, WWE can now plant seeds years in advance, creating deeper emotional investment when storylines reach their culmination.
The industry implications extend beyond WWE’s immediate creative benefits. This approach sets a new standard for professional wrestling storytelling, potentially influencing how competitors approach their own long-term planning and talent development strategies.
For WWE fans, this evolution promises richer, more satisfying narratives that reward long-term viewing investment while creating appointment television that extends far beyond individual matches or monthly events into true multi-year epics.
WWE has officially announced that CM Punk will appear at every WWE Live event across the United Kingdom this August, giving fans multiple opportunities to see “The Best in the World” in action.
Complete Tour Schedule
The comprehensive five-city tour spans one week as part of the “Road to WWE Clash at the Castle” campaign:
Liverpool – August 23
Newcastle – August 24
Manchester – August 26
Leeds – August 27
Cardiff – August 28
? @CMPunk will be at EVERY #WWELive event in the UK on the Road to #WWEClash in Paris this month! ?? ?
Liverpool, August 23 Newcastle, August 24 Manchester, August 26 Leeds, August 27 Cardiff, August 28
These appearances serve as crucial momentum builders for WWE Clash at the Castle in Paris, where major storylines are expected to unfold. Punk’s presence at every show demonstrates WWE’s commitment to delivering top-tier talent for their international audiences.
Since returning to WWE, Punk’s live event appearances have been limited, making these shows particularly special for British wrestling fans. The multi-city approach ensures broader geographic reach across England and Wales, giving more fans the chance to see the Second City Saint live.
Ticket Information
UK wrestling enthusiasts now have multiple chances to witness one of wrestling’s most compelling figures live. Tickets are available at wwe.com/events.
Former WWE Champion Dave Bautista is set to star in two massive upcoming action films for Amazon MGM Studios. According to a new report from Deadline, Bautista is closing in on deals to join the casts of the “Highlander” reboot and the sequel to “Road House.”
In the highly-anticipated “Highlander” revival, Bautista will star opposite Henry Cavill. The report states that Bautista will be playing the iconic and brutal villain, The Kurgan, a role made famous by Clancy Brown in the original 1986 film. The reboot is being directed by “John Wick” franchise director Chad Stahelski.
The report also confirms that Bautista will join the cast of “Road House 2,” starring alongside Jake Gyllenhaal, who is reprising his role as Dalton from the hit 2024 remake. The sequel will be directed by Ilya Naishuller, who is known for the action film “Nobody.”
These two high-profile roles further solidify Bautista’s status as a top-tier action star in Hollywood. The former multi-time WWE World Champion successfully transitioned from the wrestling ring to the silver screen, gaining global fame for his role as Drax the Destroyer in Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise. He has also received critical acclaim for his performances in films like “Blade Runner 2049” and “Dune.”
The schedule for Roman Reigns’ return tour is filling up, as he has now been confirmed for two more episodes of Monday Night Raw and the upcoming Clash in Paris premium live event.
It was previously announced that Reigns would be at the August 18th episode of Raw in Philadelphia. He has now also been added to the August 25th edition of the show, which will take place at BP Pulse LIVE in Birmingham, England, as part of WWE’s European tour.
That European tour leads directly into the Clash in Paris PLE on August 31, and a new report from WrestleVotes has confirmed that Reigns is now scheduled for that event as well. “We’re told that decision came rather recently, as Reigns wasn’t involved in early creative plans—explaining his absence from the initial promotion,” the report stated. While his opponent has not yet been named, his addition is a major one for the international show.
The additions to Reigns’ schedule come as his war with the new World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins, and his faction, The Vision, continues to escalate. On this past week’s episode of Monday Night Raw, the show ended with Rollins, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed standing tall after laying out Reigns, CM Punk, and LA Knight. It is expected that Reigns’ opponent for Clash in Paris will come from this heated rivalry.
Former WWE and AEW star Jake Hager has officially announced his retirement from professional wrestling. The former World Heavyweight Champion revealed in a new interview that he has already moved on to a new chapter in his life as a full-time entrepreneur.
Appearing on the Rule Breakers with Sayara podcast, Hager confirmed that he is stepping away from the ring for good. When asked what he has been up to, he broke the news about his retirement.
“I’m getting out of wrestling. I pretty much—I could say I’m retired from it,” Hager stated.
Hager revealed that he has started his own trucking company based out of Tampa, Florida, humorously named “Hauling Oats.” He expressed his excitement about the new venture. “I’m not driving—got people driving. But yeah, I’m excited. Something to stick my teeth into. Hard work always pays off,” he said.
Hager’s retirement marks the end of a decorated career that spanned two major promotions. In WWE, as Jack Swagger, he captured the World Heavyweight Championship, the ECW Championship, and the United States Championship. He later joined AEW in 2019 as a foundational member of Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle faction. Hager also maintained an undefeated record during a brief but successful run in professional MMA with Bellator.
WWE superstar Sami Zayn has offered his perspective on modern professional wrestling, explaining in a new interview the key difference between having a “great match” and a “memorable match.”
Guest appearing on the newest episode of HUGE POP!, Zayn discussed the current wrestling landscape. He argued that while many wrestlers today can have great matches, creating something truly memorable with specific, lasting moments is a much more difficult task. He used his WrestleMania 38 bout against Johnny Knoxville as a prime example.
“What’s harder to do now is to have a memorable match, and that match with Knoxville is a memorable match,” Zayn said. “I guarantee you there’s still at least three or four spots in the match that you remember. So that’s way harder to do.”
Zayn contrasted the Knoxville match with another of his critically acclaimed bouts, his NXT debut against Shinsuke Nakamura at TakeOver: Dallas. He explained that while fans often tell him that match was great, they remember the feeling more than the specific moments.
“It’s a great match but, you just remember it being great. You don’t remember specifics, you know what I mean?” he explained. “Doing something that… they remember specific moments vividly. That’s like the hardest thing to do now in an era where we’re inundated with nonstop content.”
Zayn’s focus on creating memorable moments was on display in his recent rivalry with Karrion Kross. The deeply personal feud culminated in a grudge match on the post-SummerSlam episode of Monday Night Raw, where Zayn was able to overcome his tormentor and score a definitive victory, creating a memorable payoff for the fans.
Buddy Matthews has provided a significant update on his injury.
The AEW star has been out of action with an ankle injury for almost six months, with almost no update on his condition, until today.
The high flyer posted a story on social media early on Thursday showing himself in the hospital. In the photo that also features his wife, Rhea Ripley, Matthews noted that he’s heading for surgery:
Buddy’s last match came during the Grand Slam: Australia event on February 15 this year. He went up against the Continental Champion Kazuchika Okada but ended up losing the fight. Okada has since unified the belt with the International title.
The injury occurred even before the bell rang, as the 36-year-old landed awkwardly while jumping into the ring, and his ankle twisted in an unusual manner.
Buddy Matthews rolled his ankle during his entrance and limped to the back at the end of the match.
A surgery after 6 months on the shelf suggests that his injury is more serious than first thought. It seems likely that he will be out of action for the remainder of the year. Though no concrete details are available about his health so it’s hard to say what the exact timetable for his recovery will be.
SEScoops wishes a speedy recovery to Buddy Matthews.
CM Punk is set to be a major part of WWE’s upcoming tour of the United Kingdom later this month. It was announced today that the former World Heavyweight Champion will be appearing at all five of the scheduled house shows.
The five-date tour will take place from August 23rd to August 28th, with stops in Liverpool, Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds, and Cardiff. The tour leads into the Clash in Paris premium live event, which will be held on August 31st.
A different main event is advertised for each stop on the tour. For the opening night in Liverpool on August 23, WWE is advertising that CM Punk will challenge Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship. For the other four dates, Punk is scheduled to team with Sami Zayn and the luchador Penta to take on The Judgment Day’s Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor, and JD McDonagh in a series of six-man tag team matches.
The tour comes on the heels of a chaotic week for Punk. At SummerSlam, he briefly captured the World Heavyweight Championship from GUNTHER, only to lose it minutes later when Seth Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract. On the following episode of Raw, Punk was laid out in a massive brawl involving Rollins, Roman Reigns, and their respective allies. This tour will be his first time back in the ring since those events as he builds towards his next major program.
Roman Reigns will begin his four-week filming commitment for the upcoming Street Fighter movie on September 2nd. The former WWE Champion is set to wrap his on-set work during the week of September 26th, assuming production stays on schedule.
Key Filming Details
Production Timeline: Street Fighter doesn’t begin filming until September 2025
Reigns’ Schedule: Four weeks on set (September 2-26, 2025)
Character Role: Playing Akuma, the iconic demon warrior from the video game franchise
WWE Impact: Plenty of time for additional WWE appearances before filming begins
Cody Rhodes is also cast in the film but won’t be on set as long as Reigns. The current Undisputed WWE Champion will portray Guile, the American military fighter previously played by Jean-Claude Van Damme in the 1994 adaptation.
Star-Studded Cast Lineup
The Legendary Entertainment production features an impressive ensemble:
Jason Momoa as Blanka
David Dastmalchian as M. Bison
50 Cent as Balrog
Noah Centineo as Ken Masters
Andrew Koji as Ryu
Callina Liang as Chun-Li
Production Status Update
Originally scheduled for March 20, 2026, the film was removed from Sony’s release calendar in March 2025 and delayed indefinitely. Director Kitao Sakurai (Bad Trip) took over the project from Danny & Michael Philippou, who departed to focus on their horror film “Bring Her Back.”
The extended timeline means Reigns remains available for WWE programming through the summer, including potential appearances following SummerSlam. This scheduling revelation contradicts speculation that his recent WWE storyline developments were setting up an immediate departure for Hollywood commitments.
With both WWE rivals now set to appear as fighters in the video game adaptation, fans will get to see their real-world rivalry translate to the Street Fighter universe when production finally begins.
John Cena has opened up about his work with Make-A-Wish.
The 17-time world champion recently had an interview with People. During the session, he looked at some meaningful photos from different periods of his life and told stories about them.
When shown a photo of one of his Make-A-Wish meets from 2015, John Cena mentioned how he is grateful that other wrestlers have also started taking an interest in the cause:
“I’m so grateful for the time I’ve been able to spend on Make-A-Wish. I’m even more grateful that my fellow superstars, my coworkers, my colleagues, now look at it as an aspirational thing. Because they’re only gonna want to meet John Cena for a little bit.
The reason I just drop what I’m doing in that environment and do whatever I can is because the experience can truly make a difference. To talk with the families just like I’m talking to you right now, you get to kid them up for the night, you get to give them stuff that like I came to see this person, well here’s all the stuff I have.”
The Absolute Magic of Sports Entertainment: John Cena
John Cena, who holds the record for the most wishes granted with over 650 fulfilled wishes, also explained how he tries to make the meet extra special for the kids:
“With me, it’s a great lineup because it’s my ring gear. I’m not giving them like a t-shirt that looks like me in wrestling tights. I’m like ‘Hey, this is the stuff I’m gonna wear. Here you go.’
And then I’ll ask them for advice. They’re like, ‘Oh you should do this move,’ and I’ll just go put it in the match. Because we’re entertainment. I think that’s the absolute magic of sports entertainment.
No one in the audience knows that that young person was like, ‘Hey, I want you to do this move.’ And it will seamlessly be put into the performance. But it will affect both of us on a plane that’s indescribable.”
Cody Rhodes has reacted to Brock Lesnar’s WWE return.
The company made the controversial decision to bring the Beast Incarnate back during the SummerSlam event this past Sunday. Lesnar, who has been named in the ongoing Janel Grant lawsuit against Vince McMahon was kept away from WWE TV for over 18 months because of it. Reports suggest that WWE legal gave their ok to bring the former world champion back a few weeks ago and the officials then contacted him for the comeback.
The WWE Quarterback opened up about Brock Lesnar’s appearance while talking to ESPN after the announcement of WWE’s new PLE deal with the network. Cody Rhodes first discussed how WWE has been making an effort to bring athletes from different sports into the sports entertainment world:
“One of the things we held were tryouts going into SummerSlam weekend, and you have so many NIL athletes. You have so many people who are coming from the world of sport.
Tiffany Stratton is a great example of someone on our roster now who came from the world of sport and was grown into becoming a professional wrestler and part of the sports entertainment world.”
Cody Rhodes claimed that with Brock Lesnar’s history of success in amateur wrestling and MMA, he fits right in the direction the company is taking:
“Brock — somebody who’s an NCAA Champion, a UFC Heavyweight Champion — he fits right in with the direction that WWE is going in, in terms of sport meeting entertainment. Also, I should point out: the last person who beat Brock Lesnar is standing right here.”
The American Nightmare was the last person to wrestle Lesnar before his WWE hiatus. They had a series of matches ending with a 2023 SummerSlam match won by Rhodes.
WWE superstar Karrion Kross has reportedly been offered a new contract by the company, according to Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer. Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer clarified the evolving situation surrounding Kross’s contract status:
“I was told the story about him not being signed to a contract, I heard that is legit, but that he did get an offer,” Meltzer explained. “Maybe when the story that he didn’t get an offer was written it was accurate, but I was told he’s gotten an offer and I don’t expect him going anywhere.”
The situation draws parallels to R-Truth’s recent contract storyline, which successfully blurred the lines between reality and entertainment. Meltzer suggested WWE might be employing similar tactics with Kross, noting how the R-Truth angle performed well and could serve as a template for future contract-related storylines.
However, Meltzer warned about potential consequences of such strategies.
“The amount of distrust that will be there six months from now is gonna be pretty damn high,” he cautioned, suggesting that repeatedly using real contract situations for entertainment purposes could impact fan and media credibility.
Kross, who returned to WWE in 2022 after a brief departure, has been a prominent figure on the main roster. The former NXT Champion’s contract situation had generated speculation among wrestling fans, particularly given WWE’s recent pattern of roster adjustments.
Despite his contract coming down to the wire, Kross has high-placed allies within the company. He’s been a longtime ‘Triple H guy’ and has a big supporter in Paul Heyman. During Heyman’s recent interview on The Ariel Helwani Show, the WWE creative mind compared Kross’s organic fan support to legendary figures like Steve Austin, Daniel Bryan, and CM Punk, noting “the audience itself is making him a star.”
The AEW tag team The Gates of Agony (Kaun and Toa Liona) have officially signed new contracts to remain with All Elite Wrestling. The powerful duo are now locked into new long-term, multi-year deals with the promotion.
According to a report from Fightful Select, the new deals have been confirmed. Kaun and Toa Liona alluded to the signing on August 6, when they both posted photos on social media alongside AEW President Tony Khan. The report notes that Steve Kaye of Paragon Talent Agency worked on the contracts with the company.
The Gates of Agony have recently been featured in a new, high-profile role on AEW programming. They have formed a new faction with former WWE star Ricochet, serving as his powerhouse backup. The team has also found championship success in Ring of Honor, where they previously held the ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championships with Brian Cage, who is currently sidelined with an injury.
The new contracts come as The Gates of Agony are deeply involved in the hunt for the AEW World Tag Team Championship. The powerful duo recently competed in the tag team title eliminator tournament on AEW Collision, where they were defeated by the team of “Brodido” (Brody King & Bandido) in a quarterfinal match. Despite the loss, their new alliance with Ricochet and their long-term contracts signal that they will remain a major force in the division.
Reports came out yesterday suggesting that the Hurt Syndicate manager had heat backstage in AEW for being vocal about the team’s booking, specifically for refusing to lose to certain teams. One interesting note from the report claimed that the former WWE star was not a fan of Speedball Mike Bailey, and he had made his dislike for the former X-Division champion very clear.
The group responded to these talks with a hilarious social media video on Wednesday, which sees the trio of Shelton Benjamin, Bobby Lashley and MVP running into Bailey. The interaction sees Mike first exchanging words with the Hurt Syndicate manager, before MVP instructs his teammates to curse Bailey out as well:
The Hurt Syndicate met Speedball Mike Bailey backstage
Hurt Syndicate is scheduled to defend their AEW Tag Team Championship against the winners of the ongoing Eliminator tournament at the Forbidden Door PPV later this month. The two finalists of the tournament are FTR and the team of Brody King & Bandido collectively known as Brodido.
The reports suggested that the tag champions refused to put over FTR at both All In and Forbidden Door on account of the duo being an already established tag team. So we’ll have to see which team wins the tournament finals and how the company books the match if FTR ends up challenging for the title at the upcoming PPV.
Stokely Hathaway will be competing in his first singles match in more than 2 years at next week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
This week’s episode of the Wednesday night show featured a backstage interview with Adam Copeland. The wrestling veteran first talked about Christian Cage before turning his attention to FTR and Stokely Hathaway.
Cope discussed the No Contact clause the duo of Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler have got against him, which stops the former World Champion from coming within 200 feet of them.
The Hall of Famer then revealed that since the stipulation does not apply to Stokely Hathaway, he went to Tony Khan and got himself a match against the FTR manager for next week’s Dynamite. If Harwood & Wheeler got involved, their restraining order will become null and void.
Stokely Hathaway last entered the ring during the All In: London PPV in August 2024. He teamed up with Kris Statlander for a match against the team of Tomohiro Ishii & Willow Nightingale.
His last singles match came during a March 2023 episode of Dynamite. Former FTW Champion HOOK defeated him in a quick NO DQ match at the time.
Apart from this, the company has also announced a singles match between Kevin Knight and Jon Moxley for the show next week.
AEW had announced earlier this week that Mercedes Mone will be defending her TBS Championship against contestants from AEW, CMLL and Stardom in a fatal four way match at the upcoming Forbidden Door PPV.
To determine the challenger on the AEW side, the company held a fatal four-way on this week’s episode of Dynamite, featuring Billie Starkz, Alex Windsor, Queen Aminata, and Skye Blue in action.
Windsor ended up picking the victory in this match. She trapped Billie Starkz into a cradle pin to earn her spot at the upcoming PPV.
AEW Forbidden Door 2025 will be taking place from the O2 Arena in London, England later this month on August 24. Here is the updated card for the show:
AEW Unified Championship Match: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Swerve Strickland
AEW Women’s Championship Match: “Timeless” Toni Storm (c) vs. Athena
Fatal Four Way Match For AEW TBS Championship: Mercedes Moné (c) vs. Alex Windsor (AEW) vs. TBD (CMLL) vs. TBD (Stardom)
Apart from this, Hiroshi Tanahashi is expected to compete at the show and The Hurt Syndicate will also be defending their AEW tag titles against the winner of the ongoing Eliminator Tournament. FTR and the team of Brody King & Bandido are the two finalists of this competition.
Paul Heyman sees something special brewing with Karrion Kross – something that reminds him of wrestling’s greatest organic success stories. In a fascinating comparison during his recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, the WWE creative mind drew parallels between Kross’s current trajectory and some of the most beloved underdog stories in wrestling history.
When asked about the growing fan support for Kross, who has been receiving increasingly loud crowd reactions despite not being positioned in main event storylines, Heyman offered a perspective that should excite wrestling fans who appreciate authentic, grassroots momentum.
“What do you make of what’s going on with Karrion Kross? In what way? Something’s happening. You see the crowd, they’re they’re they’re chanting for him at the post show and all this stuff. He didn’t get he didn’t get the W. Is there Is there a thing here? Is it just like the internet trying to make something into a thing?” Helwani pressed.
Heyman’s response revealed his appreciation for organic fan movements and their historical significance in creating wrestling’s biggest stars.
“Well, they’ve made it a thing. Okay. And it’s not just the internet. It’s the internet. It’s the live crowd. It’s it’s it’s it’s the people that buy merchandise. He’s a He’s a tremendous performer. And what an act he has with Scarlet. I mean, they are great together,” Heyman acknowledged, crediting both Kross and his real-life wife Scarlet for their compelling presentation.
The veteran creative mind then addressed the strategic question that many fans have been asking – whether WWE should accelerate Kross’s push based on crowd reaction or continue building him methodically.
“Should he be getting more opportunities? Should he be How do you know? Well, let me ask you this. If he were getting great opportunities, if he were the intercontinental champion or the the US champion right now, would he have this level of support from the crowd? No. They love to get behind, you know, Kofi, Daniel Bryan. They love to get behind someone, the underdog, so to speak. So, it’s working,” Heyman explained, demonstrating WWE’s understanding of fan psychology.
This strategic patience reflects lessons learned from wrestling’s most successful organic movements. Heyman’s comparison to Daniel Bryan was particularly telling, as Bryan’s journey from overlooked performer to WrestleMania main eventer became the template for how authentic fan support can override corporate plans.
But Heyman didn’t stop with Bryan. His analysis expanded to include wrestling’s most legendary underdog stories, creating a prestigious comparison for Kross’s current position.
“Yeah, it’s working. Yeah, it’s working. Yeah. I It It’s organic. The By the way, I’m not hating on it. It’s fun. I like him. I’m rooting for him. It’s just fun to see these things sort of like, you know, the the the audience is calling for him to be a bigger star,” Heyman continued, emphasizing the genuine nature of fan support.
Then came the comparison that elevated the entire discussion:
“And if and if we don’t deliver it on a timetable that an impatient audience, an impassioned audience is going to like, they’re going to get behind him even more, which is great. They’re making him a star. We’re not shoving him and Scarlet down anybody’s throats. The audience itself is making him a star and indeed perhaps a top star and he’s talented enough and so is she to carry it.”
Heyman then delivered the money quote that puts Kross in elite company:
“It reminds me of someone else by the way that was in WWE that the audience felt this is our guy. We like this act. We like him to be a bigger star. Why aren’t you making him a bigger star? Damn it. Make him a bigger star. We’re going to chant his name. We’re going to bring his signs. We’re going to buy his t-shirts. We’re going to demand that you make him a bigger star. That guy’s name was Steve Austin.”
The comparison to “Stone Cold” Steve Austin represents the highest praise possible in professional wrestling. Austin’s rise from overlooked mid-carder to the biggest star in wrestling history began with similar grassroots fan support that eventually forced WWE’s hand.
When Helwani suggested Daniel Bryan as another comparison, Heyman immediately agreed:
“Daniel Bryan, too. CM Punk as well. My god. Yes. I thought that’s actually what you were going to say. Yeah. But but but yes, CM Punk. But yeah. Yeah. Point taken as well. I I concede that point to you.”
Austin, Bryan, and Punk all reached the pinnacle of sports entertainment largely because fan demand became impossible to ignore.
For Kross, being mentioned alongside these legends suggests WWE recognizes the authenticity of his growing support. Rather than rushing to capitalize on momentum, the company appears to be allowing the groundswell to build naturally, potentially creating an even more powerful eventual payoff.
WWE’s most shocking return of 2025 wasn’t months in the making as many suspected – it was conceived and executed in a matter of weeks, according to Paul Heyman’s latest revelation about Brock Lesnar’s surprise SummerSlam appearance.
Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Heyman disclosed the remarkably compressed timeline behind Lesnar’s return to WWE programming, shedding light on how one of wrestling’s biggest comebacks materialized faster than anyone imagined.
“A week, two weeks, a couple weeks,” Heyman confirmed when pressed about the planning timeline for Lesnar’s dramatic return to confront John Cena at SummerSlam.
The revelation challenges assumptions that Lesnar’s comeback was part of a carefully orchestrated long-term plan, instead suggesting that WWE capitalized on a rapidly developing opportunity to bring back one of sports entertainment’s most legitimate crossover stars.
Heyman’s involvement in the return came after the initial framework was already established, as he explained: “I mean, at least to my knowledge, I got tagged into it after the deal was done.” This suggests that Lesnar’s return operated at the highest levels of WWE and TKO leadership before creative personnel were brought into the fold.
Brock Lesnar’s New Contract
When asked about the contractual details surrounding Lesnar’s comeback, Heyman clarified the business reality behind such high-profile returns:
“Well, he wasn’t coming back on speculation. He is Brock Lesnar. No, no, no. What I mean by that is like did he need a deal to come back? What What do you mean by deals? Well, he wasn’t coming back on speculation. He is Brock Lesnar… I’m sure there’s a new deal involved.”
The quick turnaround represents a significant shift from traditional wrestling business practices, where major talent returns typically involve months of negotiation and creative planning. Instead, Lesnar’s comeback demonstrates how modern WWE can rapidly mobilize when the right opportunity presents itself.
Heyman addressed the criticism surrounding Lesnar’s return with characteristic bluntness, emphasizing audience reception over online commentary:
“There’s still this ongoing everything in life is met with criticism. I don’t pay attention to that… Is the criticism fair? No, I don’t. I I I don’t pay attention to it… If you were in Metife Stadium on Sunday, you would understand that return meant a lot to that a that audience was shocked to see Brock Lesnar come out and to see him F5 John Cena… People were just going nuts.”
The timing of Lesnar’s return carries particular significance given TKO’s ownership of both WWE and UFC, positioning the former UFC Heavyweight Champion as a unique asset in the company’s portfolio. Heyman emphasized this strategic value in his assessment of Lesnar’s crossover appeal.
“So, if there’s one person that can be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame and the WWE Hall of Fame on the very same night and both audiences will sit there and say, ‘He absolutely deserves it.’ There’s only one person that walks that line, Brock Lesnar,” Heyman noted, highlighting the business logic behind the return.
The discussion also revealed insight into Lesnar’s mindset prior to his comeback, with Heyman describing the former champion as having reached a place of contentment with retirement:
“I I didn’t know if he was ever willing, you know, because he came to a point where he was very accepting of this is my life now. I am going to raise my daughter an NCAA division one champion. And she is. I’m gonna raise my sons to be the best hockey players that anybody’s ever seen, and they are well on their way to being that.”
This peaceful retirement made Lesnar’s decision to return all the more significant, representing a complete life change rather than a simple business transaction. The compressed timeline suggests that whatever factors motivated his comeback were compelling enough to override his wrestling hiatus with family life and farming.
Following Grayson Waller’s on-air announcement that his tag team with Austin Theory was over, a new report from PWInsider.com has confirmed that Theory has also been removed from WWE’s internal active roster.
According to Mike Johnson of PWInsider, WWE sources have confirmed Austin Theory’s removal from the company’s internal active roster. The reason for the change is currently unknown, though it comes after he was written off of television with a storyline injury.
On the July 21st episode of Monday Night Raw, Theory’s tag team partner, Grayson Waller, announced that their team, A-Town Down Under, was disbanded because Theory was “injured.” Waller later published a statement on his social media confirming the split. Theory’s last match was on the July 14th taping of WWE Main Event, where he lost to El Grande Americano.
With Theory sidelined and off the active roster, Grayson Waller is now moving forward as a singles competitor on Monday Night Raw. He has already been seen in backstage segments attempting to recruit new partners and forge new alliances, officially closing the book on the former championship-winning team of A-Town Down Under. The specifics of Theory’s injury and a timetable for his potential return remain unknown.
Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has revealed his favorite match of his entire career, and in a surprising choice, it’s a match that he lost: the main event of WrestleMania 39 against Roman Reigns.
While speaking with Bill Simmons on The Ringer, Rhodes was asked about his favorite match. He named his unsuccessful challenge against Roman Reigns, explaining that despite the outcome, the feeling in the stadium that night was a career highlight.
“My favorite match is WrestleMania 39, which is the one where (I don’t win),” Rhodes said. “I probably would’ve been pumped to win, certainly, but there is something about that night where things are happening in the stadium that never happen… I couldn’t tell anyone that because it’s the saddest ending, but it’s my favorite match.”
“The American Nightmare” explained that a specific moment during the match, while he was locked in Reigns’ guillotine submission, is what made it so special for him. “I can hear an entire stadium where the sound goes up start to move. I thought, ‘Oh man, they’re into it. How blessed am I that they are into this?’ When it’s that good, it feels completely real,” he recalled. “That acoustic moment for me made it my favorite match of all time.”
Rhodes’ reflection on his WrestleMania 39 loss comes after he has finally “finished the story” and then begun a new one. After being unable to dethrone Roman Reigns, Rhodes eventually went on to capture the Undisputed WWE Championship. This past weekend at SummerSlam, he successfully defended the title against John Cena in a brutal Street Fight, a victory that solidified his place at the very top of the company.
A new report has provided clarity on Roman Reigns’ upcoming filming schedule for the “Street Fighter” movie, and a new WWE Raw appearance has also been announced for the former champion.
According to a report from PWInsider, the “Street Fighter” film does not begin production until September. Reigns is reportedly slated to work for four weeks on the set, with his commitments beginning on September 2nd and finishing during the week of September 26th, as long as production runs on time. The report also notes that Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has a role in the film but is not expected to be on set for as long as Reigns.
Following the report on his filming dates, it has now been announced that Roman Reigns is advertised to appear on the episode of WWE Raw in two weeks from Philadelphia. This appearance aligns with the filming schedule, confirming that “The Tribal Chief” has time for more WWE appearances before heading to Hollywood.
Reigns’ next scheduled appearance will continue the fallout from this past weekend’s SummerSlam. At the event, he and his cousin Jey Uso were victorious over Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. This places them in direct opposition to the new World Heavyweight Champion, Seth Rollins, who is aligned with Breakker and Reed. Fans will be eagerly anticipating the next chapter in their war when Reigns returns to Raw in Philadelphia.
John Cena has opened up about the hair transplant surgery he received earlier this year, revealing in a new interview that the procedure has been a life-altering experience for him.
Speaking with PEOPLE magazine, Cena, who revealed in April that he underwent the procedure after being taunted by fans about his thinning hair, said the decision has had a massive positive impact. “It completely changed the course of my life,” he stated. Cena explained that having a full head of hair has opened up a “whole new world of opportunities” for him, and that he has landed more acting gigs since the surgery.
While he is loving the results, the 48-year-old expressed regret that he waited so long, citing the stigma associated with the procedure as the reason. “I hate the fact that if there wasn’t so much shame around it, I’d have gotten it done 10 years ago,” Cena said. “I thought I was alone, but seven or eight out of 10 [men] suffer from thinning or baldness.” He noted that maintaining the new look requires a daily routine of treatments and vitamins, but that it has been “more than worth it.”
Cena’s new look comes as he is in the final months of his legendary in-ring career. Following his loss to newly crowned WWE Champion Cody Rhodes at SummerSlam this past weekend, Cena now has just nine dates left on his official retirement tour. His next scheduled appearance is this Friday on SmackDown in Montreal, where he is expected to address the return of Brock Lesnar.
