Earlier this year, Corey Graves made headlines after expressing his frustration with being moved to WWE NXT, clearly seeing the change to the developmental brand as a demotion. For the June 16, Raw, Graves filled in for the absent Pat McAfee, raising questions about his standing with the promotion.
According to PWInsider, Graves was “well-received” during his return to the WWE Raw commentary team where he called the action alongside Michael Cole. A WWE source also noted that his strong performance as the lead announcer during the WWE x AAA Worlds Collide event helped elevate his standing within the company.
Addressing his issues with WWE NXT earlier this year, the WWE source noted that his “dust-up” in regard to being moved to NXT has been all but forgotten.” Instead, both sides are ready to move on and leave these issues in the past.
Despite speculation of a work, Graves’ earlier frustration were genuine, and even Michael Cole acknowledged publicly that the situation was being worked through. Now, the matter has been resolved, leaving WWE open to use Graves on the main roster once more.
Chicago is a town steeped in wrestling history and is known among circles for its passionate fanbase that call the Windy City home. While discussing wrestling fanbases on the Games with Names podcast, Charlotte Flair made clear she’s no fan of those from Chicago.
“The best fans in the world are from the Northeast. I think so. They’re the smartest… Except for Chicago fans. The worst wrestling city in the world. Worst.”
Flair smirked, well aware that her statement would provoke a reaction. When asked what exactly is wrong with Chicago, Flair gave the following explanation.
“Two is not two… they know what’s wrong with them.”
Flair’s remarks are particularly bold given Chicago’s ties to wrestling as the city is home to several notable names, including CM Punk. While Flair has fans from around the world, fans of ‘The Queen’ in Chicago may be left questioning their loyalties to the record-breaking Women’s Champion.
Rumors began swirling up about the TBS Champion dating fellow AEW star The Beast Mortos earlier this week. This came after the latter posted a social media story with the current champion, captioned ‘In your arms, I find peace’ in Spanish.
Now a new report from TMZ has confirmed that the two wrestling stars are indeed dating. The site confirmed the story directly from Mercedes Mone who told them it was “A real beauty and the beast situation.”
It’s unknown how long the two have been together. The female star filed for divorce, ending her 8-year-long marriage with Sarath Ton last year. However, she had later revealed that the two had been separated for years.
Mercedes Mone has found a lot of success since leaving WWE in 2022. Apart from the TBS title, she also currently holds the RevPro undisputed British Women’s Championship and the EWA Women’s Championship.
The CEO will be looking to add yet another title to her collection when she takes on CMLL Women’s World Champion Zeuxis on Dynamite this week.
Her new partner Beast Mortos is also a man of many talents. He is a former veterinarian and nurse who is currently pursuing a law degree, which Mortos is set to obtain very soon.
NXT General Manager Ava had announced last week that the brand’s Women’s title will be defended at the upcoming Evolution 2 PPV. She had announced a mini-tournament to determine the challenger for Jacy Jayne, with four qualifying matches and one #1 contender’s fatal four-way.
One of the qualifying matches on this week’s episode of the Black & Silver show saw Lola Vice taking on Jordynne Grace. The former Knockouts Champion got a new theme for her entrance tonight.
WWE fans have been unhappy with the current music composer Def Rebel replacing some of the iconic theme songs of the past. Grace’s new theme also failed to receive a warm welcome from the people in attendance, and ‘Fire Def Rebel’ chants were heard in the arena:
Grace went on to win the match to advance to the Fatal Four-Way. She used a sequence of moves ending with the Beast Mode to pick up the pinfall victory over her opponent.
The other three qualifying matches also took place during the same episode, with Lash Legend, Jaida Parker, and Izzi Dame picking up the victory in their respective bouts. All the winners will square off for the Evolution title shot at next week’s NXT.
TKO Group just made a significant strategic hire by appointing former Netflix public policy executive Dean Garfield to lead its global government affairs operations. In a statement, Seth Krauss, TKO’s Chief Administrative Officer and Senior Counsel to the Board, praised Garfield’s background and track record.
“Dean’s extensive public policy experience will be integral to supercharging TKO’s government relations strategy, including strengthening our engagement with governments to bring our marquee events to fans in all regions of the world.”
Garfield is understandably excited for his new role. In the statement, he underscored the broad impact of live events.
“I am excited to be joining TKO and for the opportunity to share with governments what we know to be true: People all around the world view sports and live entertainment as central to their lives, to building community, and to delivering economic impact.”
Garfield brings a wealth of experience to TKO. Most recently, he served as Netflix’s Vice President of Public Policy from 2019 until earlier this year, where he led the company’s global government affairs team. he served as President and CEO of the Information Technology Industry Council and held key roles at the Motion Picture Association.
TKO launched in 2023, merging the entertainment powerhouses of WWE and UFC. As more entertainment shows continue to be swept into TKO, Garfield is poised to take the company to the next level overseas.
Asuka made her in-ring return on the June 16, episode of WWE Raw by winning her first-round match in the 2025 Queen of the Ring tournament. After over a year out of action due to an injury, Asuka’s return proved that the Empress of Tomorrow has not lost a step in the ring she has dominated for years.
On X, Asuka shared a fiery warning to her adversaries. The former WWE Women’s Champion had been building a fire during her time away, a fire she’s ready to let others feel.
I wasn’t gone. I was holding power inside. The fire never died — it’s still alive.
With her victory in the Queen of the Ring tournament match, Asuka moves on to the semi finals and will battle Alexa Bliss in the semi-finals. The pair, both of whom weren’t competing just a few months ago, will do action on the June 20, episode of SmackDown.
Asuka has spent the past decade being known as the Empress of Tomorrow. Now, the Japanese Superstar is ready to call herself Queen of the Ring.
The Undertaker retired from in-ring competition following his match at WrestleMania 36 and now his future could be as part of WWE’s creative team. During a recent episode of the Keepin’ It 100 podcast, Konnan shared that he caught up with The Phenom at the recent WWE x AAA Worlds Collide event.
“Undertaker wants to get into creative. He likes it a lot, and he’s been—he was in creative at Money in the Bank. He was at the other one, Worlds Collide, and he’s very interested in being part of the creative team.”
As a widely-respected veteran of WWE, a move to the creative team appears to be a genuine possibility for The Undertaker. Since retiring from the ring, the Phenom has taken an active role behind the scenes. On camera, fans can find The Undertaker as one of the four judges on WWE LFG.
With decades of in-ring experience, a deep understanding of character work, and long-standing respect from peers and fans alike, The Undertaker could prove to be a major asset to WWE’s creative direction. Whether he officially joins the team remains to be seen
Chris Jericho has revealed a significant body transformation during his current break from AEW programming. The former AEW World Champion has been absent from television since April 2025.
In a recent social media post, Jericho shared a photo of himself with a much leaner and more defined physique. The picture was part of a post promoting his upcoming appearance at the Washington State Summer Convention this weekend.
“Have a great week everybody! Make some cool s**t happen and see you all at @wasummercon this weekend!” Jericho wrote.
Since his last AEW appearance, Jericho has been busy with his music career, touring with his KISS cover band, Kuarantine, as well as his own band, Fozzy. Due to his lengthy absence, some fans have questioned his status with the company.
A recent report from Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer noted that while Jericho is still with AEW and available to return, there are currently no creative plans in place for him. This suggests his break from the company is ongoing for the time being.
The full story behind Rey Mysterio’s absence from WWE programming has been revealed. Wrestling veteran Konnan, speaking on his Keepin’ It 100 podcast, confirmed that the WWE Hall of Famer is recovering from multiple injuries that required surgery and forced him to miss WrestleMania 41.
According to Konnan, Mysterio suffered a torn abductor muscle which required a surgical procedure. On top of that, he was also dealing with a damaged eardrum. Mysterio’s last match was on the March 29 episode of SmackDown.
During the podcast, Konnan also provided the first concrete timeline for when fans can expect to see the legendary luchador back in the ring.
“He’s not back till August,” Konnan stated, confirming a summer return for Mysterio.
Konnan also noted that Mysterio is expected to be involved in future WWE and AAA crossover events once he is healthy.
“Yeah, he will be in future shows. Great working with him and Dom, and I can’t wait to see who else I’m going to get to work with.”
Despite the injuries, Mysterio did make a non-physical appearance at the recent WWE x AAA Worlds Collide event to engage with fans.
Big E has revealed his dream match that is not possible anymore.
This week’s episode of Raw saw the WWE return of Goldberg. The WCW veteran interrupted Gunther’s World Title celebration, setting up the last match of his career for the July 12 Saturday Night’s Main Event special from Atlanta, Georgia.
The former New Day star talked about Goldberg’s return on the Raw recap. He first discussed being a fan of the wrestling veteran, saying that seeing the former champion took him back to his youth:
“Look, it was like I was 13 years old once again. It was like, I hearken back to him winning the title at the Georgia Dome. I met this man at a Walmart signing like 25 years ago.
Like we got to do a Hot Ones together. This man, my wrestling fandom is so deeply connected to this man. My most famous promo of all time has to do with that man.”
Gunther defeated Jey Uso to win back the World Heavyweight Championship on last week’s Raw. The title change was inspired partly by the upcoming Goldberg match, as the officials wanted it to feel as big as possible.
Big E discussed how he would have loved to face Goldberg in his retirement match, while also commenting on the fate of Jey Uso:
“I wanted his retirement match. That’s obviously off the table. I will say, if this is indeed it, Gunther is so intriguing. I love the clash of eras. I think, and this is, I want to see, obviously, seeing Jey not have the title is disappointing. But I want to see Gunther be in the ring with the biggest fish.
A former WWE champion in his own right, Big E has been out of action since March 2023 after a neck injury. While not officially retired, the former NXT champion currently does not have a return timetable either.
What appeared to be a perfectly timed “accident” on the July 23, 2021 SmackDown was actually the result of hours of painstaking work and one performer’s absolute commitment to comedic perfection, even when it meant repeatedly taking shots to his most sensitive area.
In a revealing interview with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, former WWE star Shotzi pulled back the curtain on one of the company’s most viral segments—the backstage moment where she “accidentally” shot Baron Corbin with her tank during his emotional promo.
The reality behind the seemingly spontaneous comedy gold was far more meticulous than fans could have imagined.
“It actually took like 30 takes,” Shotzi revealed, much to Van Vliet’s surprise. “Like Corbin wanted it to be good. He was on a mission.”
The extensive retakes weren’t due to technical difficulties or missed cues—they were the result of Baron Corbin’s perfectionist approach to entertainment.
“So I was just like aiming… so ridiculous. It took so long,” Shotzi explained, describing the tedious process.
What made the production particularly challenging was the complexity of the segment itself. This wasn’t a simple gag that could be quickly repeated—it was a multi-layered scene requiring precise timing and emotional commitment.
“So he had to like do that whole promo and then boom and then if it missed then do that whole promo again and hit him,” Shotzi detailed.
The segment featured Kevin Owens entering mid-scene, delivering his own lengthy promo about lending Corbin money, before the tank projectile found its target.
“There’s so much going on in that because it starts on you and then Kevin Owens comes in. Then Kevin Owens has this long promo with Corbin about lending him money and then then he gets hit,” Van Vliet noted. “So it’s not like you could just do these takes one after another. Like you got to do the whole setup.”
“Exactly. Yeah. It was a whole thing,” Shotzi confirmed.
Perhaps most remarkably, even after enduring the punishment for dozens of takes, Corbin remained unsatisfied with the final result. “But like he even the last take he was not satisfied with,” Shotzi revealed. “Oh then he just sold it really well. He just sold it really well.”
Despite the physical toll of the repeated impacts, Shotzi expressed genuine appreciation for Corbin’s dedication to the craft. “But I really appreciate that he cared so much that we got him in the balls that well.”
The behind-the-scenes story illustrates the level of professionalism and dedication that goes into WWE’s entertainment moments. Corbin’s insistence on perfecting the segment, even while repeatedly absorbing painful hits, demonstrates how seriously wrestlers take their responsibility to entertain fans.
This glimpse into WWE’s production process reveals that the company’s best “spontaneous” moments are often the result of extensive preparation and performer commitment. The invisible work that goes into making wrestling entertainment appear effortless requires dedication that extends far beyond what fans see on television.
The 30-take tank segment stands as a testament to the lengths wrestlers will go to perfect their craft. In an era where viral moments can define careers, Corbin’s willingness to endure repeated punishment for the sake of entertainment perfection proved prescient—the segment became one of the most memorable and widely shared moments of 2021.
“Well after 30 tries I better,” Shotzi joked when Van Vliet complimented her accuracy.
Before Shotzi was driving production-quality tanks on WWE programming, she was browsing the toy aisle at Walmart with a vision that would eventually become one of the company’s most distinctive entrance concepts.
In a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, the former WWE star revealed the humble beginnings of her iconic tank entrance that captivated audiences during her time with the company.
“So I found this mini tank at Walmart and I bought it for the indies,” Shotzi explained. “I used it only on a couple shows cuz obviously I can’t like travel with that tank. Like I don’t have the buses that WWE does.”
The logistics of independent wrestling meant Shotzi could only use her Walmart find for local shows, but the unique presentation caught attention wherever she went. “There was actually some indie promotions that were like ‘We bought one for our show,'” she recalled. “And they would bring me in and I’d have a little tank there.”
When Shotzi eventually caught WWE’s attention, she knew her tank concept could be the differentiating factor that set her apart from other prospects. Her approach to getting it noticed was decidedly DIY.
“I sent Hunter a video of my little mini Walmart tank and he was like ‘Can you get it to full sale like tomorrow?'” Shotzi revealed, referring to Triple H. “And I was like ‘Oh yes.’ And I ordered an Uber XL to get this mini tank over to Full Sale.”
The image of a future WWE star loading a toy tank into an Uber XL to pitch her entrance concept perfectly encapsulates the entrepreneurial spirit required to succeed in professional wrestling. WWE’s immediate interest demonstrated how the company has evolved to recognize and develop indie innovations rather than completely reimagining talent.
What makes Shotzi’s story even more remarkable is how WWE incorporated her original concept into their larger production.
“The my little tank they actually cut in half to make the bigger tank that you see on TV,” she explained. “So half of that is mine.”
Now departed from WWE, Shotzi is hoping to reclaim her original creation. “I was like can I have like half of the tank or maybe all of it. I mean I’m willing to drive to Connecticut and get it out of the warehouse if I have to.”
Shotzi’s tank journey from Walmart to WWE represents the modern relationship between independent wrestling and major promotions, where unique ideas developed on the grassroots level can be scaled up for mainstream audiences. It shows aspiring wrestlers that creativity and personal investment in character development can be the differentiating factors that catch major company attention.
From a $20 Walmart purchase to a production-quality WWE entrance vehicle, Shotzi’s evolution proves that sometimes the best ideas come from simple inspiration combined with the courage to invest in your vision, no matter how unconventional it might seem.
AEW veteran Dustin Rhodes has confirmed that his iconic “Goldust” persona is officially retired and will not be making a return. Rhodes famously shed the character when he joined AEW in 2019 for his classic match against his brother, Cody Rhodes.
A fan on social media recently proposed an idea for a unique faction, asking for the Goldust character to return to team up with Cody’s former “Stardust” persona and Lucha Libre AAA sensation, Mr. Iguana.
In his response, Dustin politely but firmly shut down any possibility of bringing back the Goldust gimmick. He apologized to the fan but stated that the character is retired for good.
Since leaving the Goldust character behind, Rhodes has had a career resurgence in AEW as “The Natural.” He has served as both a respected in-ring competitor and a veteran presence backstage, helping to coach and guide the younger talent on the roster.
The Goldust character was one of WWE’s most unique and memorable personas throughout the 1990s and 2000s. Rhodes portrayed the androgynous, mind-games playing character for over two decades, creating countless memorable moments and feuds in WWE.
Rhodes’ transition to “The Natural” in AEW has allowed him to showcase his wrestling fundamentals and veteran leadership while stepping away from the theatrical aspects that defined his WWE career. At 55 years old, Rhodes continues to compete at a high level while mentoring the next generation of wrestlers.
AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Mone and her fellow AEW star, The Beast Mortos, have sparked relationship rumors with a recent social media post. Mortos shared a photo of the two together that has the wrestling world buzzing.
In an Instagram story, Mortos, also known as “The Minotaur of Wrestling,” posted a picture of himself looking close with Mone. The photo was accompanied by a heartfelt caption written in Spanish.
“En tus brazos encuentro paz,” he wrote, which translates to “In your arms, I find peace.”
While the post has led to widespread fan speculation, it should be noted that there has been no official confirmation that the two are dating. Little is known about Mortos’ personal life, though he recently shared that he is close to earning his law degree.
This comes nearly a year after Mone publicly opened up about her own personal life. In August 2024, she announced she had filed for divorce from her ex-husband, Sarath Thon, after being married since 2010. She shared at the time that they had been separated since December 2020. For now, the nature of Mone and Mortos’ relationship remains personal.
WWE SmackDown star Apollo Crews recently reflected on his “Nigerian Prince” character, calling the portrayal the “most fun” he has had in his wrestling career. Crews is currently sidelined with an injury but has been sharing updates on his recovery.
The character change occurred in 2021 when Crews turned heel and embraced his Nigerian heritage, adopting the persona of Nigerian royalty. The gimmick led to the most significant singles success of his career, culminating in an Intercontinental Championship victory over Big E at WrestleMania 37.
In a recent Instagram post, Crews admitted he was not immediately sold on the idea but grew to love it.
“I was initially hesitant, but embracing this character became some of the most fun I’ve had throughout my wrestling career,” Crews wrote. “I committed not only to performing to the best of my ability, but taking my physique to a different level as well.”
Crews has been out of action since February 2025 after undergoing surgery for a torn pectoral muscle. He has stated that he is “crushing the rehab” as he prepares for his eventual in-ring return to the SmackDown brand.
An update has emerged regarding Liv Morgan’s condition following the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion suffering a legitimate shoulder injury during Monday Night Raw.
Morgan’s match against Kairi Sane on the June 17 Raw episode ended prematurely when the champion was taken backstage during a commercial break. Sane was subsequently declared the winner after Morgan appeared to suffer a shoulder injury during the contest.
Michael Cole confirmed on-air that Morgan had suffered a dislocated shoulder, providing immediate clarity on the nature of the injury.
Legitimate Injury
PWInsider has provided a comprehensive update on Morgan’s status, confirming that this was a completely legitimate injury. The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion was immediately examined by WWE’s medical team after being brought backstage.
“The injury is being viewed within WWE as a ‘freak occurrence’, with there being no heat on anyone.” – PWInsider
This clarification is significant, as it confirms no blame is being placed on any performer for the unfortunate incident.
Recovery Timeline Uncertain
As of June 17, WWE is awaiting the final diagnosis to determine the severity of Morgan’s shoulder dislocation. This assessment will be crucial in establishing how long the champion will be absent from in-ring competition.
The report indicates that if the dislocation is classified as severe, Morgan could potentially be sidelined for up to 16 weeks. However, this timeline is entirely dependent on the medical evaluation results that Morgan is currently awaiting.
Storyline Impact
The timing of this injury is particularly unfortunate for Morgan’s current storyline trajectory. The WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion had recently begun establishing a feud with Nikki Bella, notably attacking her during the June 9 Raw episode.
This developing storyline will likely need to be adjusted or put on hold depending on the severity of Morgan’s injury and her subsequent recovery timeline.
SEScoops will continue to monitor Liv Morgan’s condition and provide updates as they become available. We extend our best wishes to Morgan for a swift and complete recovery.
Shotzi Blackheart has told the story of her segment with Baron Corbin.
The former WWE star recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet. She talked about things such as shaving her head on TV to support her sister, her time in NXT, getting released from the company and more.
During the interview, Shotzi also recalled her one segment with Baron Corbin from 2021. The Lone Wolf was playing the sad Corbin character at the time, and the female star ended up low-blowing him with her tank.
Blackheart noted that Corbin wanted the whole thing to be as perfect as possible. This resulted in them doing more than two dozen takes with the former US Champion getting hit repeatedly:
“It actually took 30 takes. Corbin wanted it to be good. He was on a mission. So I was just like aiming, so ridiculous. It took so long. So he had to do that whole promo, and then boom.
Then if it missed, then do that whole promo again and hit him. But even the last take he was not satisfied with. He just sold it really well. But I really appreciate that he cared so much that we got him in the balls that well.”
MJF will be making a rare indie appearance to support a fellow wrestler.
Former AEW star Joey Janela has announced a benefit show to help independent star Jeff Cannonball, who has been diagnosed with ALS. The event is set for September 14 in the city of New Providence, New Jersey.
On Monday, the Bad Boy made a big announcement about the upcoming show revealing that the former AEW Champion will be making an appearance at the event dubbed Cannonballfest
“9/14/2025 will be one of the biggest shows in independent history for Jeff Cannonball and I will go to any means necessary to keep that word! I had to reach out to someone I despise with a burning passion to make that a reality! Maxwell Jacob Friedman comes to CANNONBALLFEST!”
Cannonball has been a fixture of the Northeast independent scene for the last 15 years. He has made appearances for many notable indie promotions, including CZW, MLW, IHB No Holds Barred, H20 Wrestling, and many more.
ALS or Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is a progressive neurodegenerative disease which is typically fatal and most individuals diagnosed with it only live 3 to 5 years. ALS affects nerve cells controlling voluntary muscle movement, and there is currently no cure for it.
A GoFundMe has also been launched for Cannonball which you can donate to here.
According to a new report from former WWE commentator Jonathan Coachman, Dr. Britt Baker is on her way out of AEW and is on the verge of signing with WWE. The claim comes after the former AEW Women’s World Champion has been absent from television since November 2024.
Speaking on his Behind The Turnbuckle podcast, Coachman reported that Baker’s departure from AEW is imminent.
“Alright, so I just got this in real time. You guys know, I’ve just been breaking news left and right, and when it’s in context, I have yet to be wrong. So, I just found out there’s a name, a female name out there that is this close to signing with WWE. Any guesses?… Ding ding ding ding. Gone from AEW, close. My sources keep coming to your boy.”
This report follows earlier news from PWTorch.com, which stated there was “a lot of frustration with her” within AEW management. Baker was also reportedly suspended in 2024 following a backstage altercation.
Once positioned as the face of the AEW women’s division, Baker has seen her status surpassed in recent years by stars like Toni Storm and Mercedes Moné. If Coachman’s report is accurate, it would mark the departure of one of AEW’s most recognizable original stars.
Shotzi Blackheart has opened up about one of her most memorable segments in WWE.
The former WWE star recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet. She discussed things such as knowing that her release was coming even before getting the call, working with Baron Corbin, what’s next for her and more.
When asked which WWE segment meant the most to her, the former Tough Enough competitor recalled shaving her head during a feud in 2023:
“The first thing that comes to mind is shaving my head on TV for my sister. That was something that just meant a lot to me. I didn’t get a ton of storylines in my time there, but that was the one that was just personal and for my family.”
The female star has been feuding with Damage CTRL at the time of the segment and the whole thing was presented as an act of defiance for her. In reality, the wrestling star wanted to support her sister who had been battling with cancer at the time.
Discussing how the segment came together, Shotzi Blackheart revealed that she spoke directly to WWE CCO Triple H about it, who greenlighted the whole thing:
“So I went to Hunter. I went straight to him, and I was just like, ‘Hey, my sister’s going through this, and I really want to support her in a big way. I just want her to see this and know that I’m connected.’”
Shotzi was released from WWE last month when her contract with the company expired. She has already returned to the independent circuit since then, making appearances for promotions such as GCW.
An AEW star envisions his retirement to be similar to John Cena.
The Cenation Leader announced his decision to retire from wrestling more than a year in advance. In 2025, he’s going to different cities to show his gratitude to the audiences there one last time before calling it a career.
MVP expressed interest in a similar tour during the latest episode of his YouTube show. The Hurt Syndicate star once again noted how he does not have a lot of time left in his in-ring career, and explained that at this point he’s continuing it only for the love of the game:
“I just still enjoy doing it. When I get to the point that I can’t do it effectively or if I’m taking baseball slide bumps, then it’s time to go. I plan on ending this run here pretty soon anyway. I want to have my last match. I want to have the retirement tour, let me go around, ‘Hey, this is the last time MVP will be wrestling in your city.’”
When the co-host joked that MVP had another 20 years left as an active performer, the wrestling veteran said that he has a maximum of 2-year window left to end his in-ring run. Though the 51-year-old said that he’ll continue working as a manager beyond that and be active in the business for maybe next 10 or 15 years.
The former WWE star made his AEW in-ring debut during the January 15 episode of Dynamite this year. He has wrestled several matches in the indies since then.
The current Intercontinental Champion has been engaged in a storyline with AJ Styles recently. This week’s Raw saw the Phenomenal One taking on Dom’s Judgment Day teammate JD McDonagh in a singles bout.
Dirty Dom tried to help JD by interfering in the match, but Styles managed to overcome the odds. The former World Champion defeated McDonagh with a Styles Clash. Mysterio tried to hit AJ with the IC title belt after the bell, but he missed.
Finn Balor came out as AJ Styles was setting up for a phenomenal forearm on Dom. Balor pulled the IC Champ out of harm’s way, but his belt was left in the ring in the process. The former TNA champion then posed with the belt and it was announced that he’ll be challenging Dominik Mysterio for the title at the upcoming show.
WWE Night of Champions this year takes place on June 28, 2025, from Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Here is the updated match card for the show:
Undisputed WWE Championship Match: John Cena (c) vs. CM Punk
Intercontinental Championship Match: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. AJ Styles
Queen of The Ring Tournament Final
King of The Ring Tournament Final
Both the Tournaments are cross-branded and it has been announced that the winner of the competitions will receive a title shot at SummerSlam against the top champion of their brand.
Giulia has arrived on WWE’s main roster after less than a year as part of WWE NXT. During her time with the silver brand, the Beautiful Madness quickly rose through the ranks, and fans can expect the same now she’s on SmackDown.
According to a report from PW Insider, the former NXT Women’s Champion will be on the receiving end of a substantial push and will be featured prominently. Giulia recently set her sights on Women’s United States Champion Zelina Vega, blindsiding her during an episode of SmackDown.
Giulia arrived in WWE to much fanfare after an impressive run as part of STARDOM. Already, Giulia has established herself with major victories over Roxanne Perez, Jordynne Grace, and others. Now, the Beautiful Madness is ready to take WWE’s main roster by storm and it may be just a matter of time before she holds championship gold again.
WWE 2K25 players will have the chance to open up cans of Shaq-Fu now that basketball icon Shaquille O’Neal has been confirmed for upcoming DLC. Shaq will be part of the ‘Dunk & Destruction’ pack of downloadable content which WWE shared is coming “soon.”
Shaquille O’Neal’s not just dunking, he’s dropping elbows from the top rope!
Shaq is no stranger to stepping foot in the ring. At WrestleMania 32, the NBA icon competed in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal won by Baron Corbin. Give years later, he’d compete in AEW, and would emerge victorious in tag-team action.
WWE 2K25 already boasts the largest roster of any wrestling game and now it’s about to get even bigger. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on WWE 2K25.
WWE Evolution 2 is drawing near and Lyra Valkyria plans to be part of the action. Speaking to the Battleground podcast, Lyra was asked about what kind of match she plans on having come July 13.
“A big match-up with someone that I haven’t faced yet would be very cool. We’ve got Giulia on SmackDown now. I’ve never gotten in the ring with her.”
The Beautiful Madness isn’t the only woman on Valkyria’s radar. In the interview, Lyra named Stephanie Vaquer as another dream opponent.
“We don’t know if it’s going to happen, I don’t know who will be involved. But someone that I haven’t faced yet would be very cool, very fresh for me.”
The Evolution 2 Premium Live Event will be taking place on July 13, 2025, live from Atlanta, Georgia and is expected to feature 7-8 matches, more than WWE’s standard 4-5 match card. With room for Valkyria to be in action, time will tell if the first-ever Women’s Intercontinental Champion gets one of her dream matches.
