George Kittle is widely regarded as one of the NFL’s top tight ends but there will be a day when his time on the field is over. In a recent interview with USA Today, Kittle confirmed his strong interest in joining WWE once his football career comes to an end.
“I would love to do WWE. I think there’s definitely opportunity within that world, and I would love nothing more than to be a part of it.”
Kittle has made brief appearances in a WWE ring but has yet to have a match for the promotion. Even with experience to his name, Kittle doesn’t plan on wrestling until he has proper training.
“I would only do WWE if I bought a ring and practiced my ass off for a while so I wouldn’t look like an idiot out there. I’ve been in a WWE ring like three times. I don’t know what I’m doing out there.”
With his charisma, athleticism, and genuine love for pro wrestling, Kittle could be a natural fit in the WWE Universe. With talent including Pat McAfee proving a move from the gridiron to the ring is possible, fans shouldn’t count out calling George Kittle a WWE Superstar.
Many fans were surprised when Jey Uso dropped the WWE World Heavyweight Championship to Gunther on the June 9 edition of WWE Raw. Uso’s a popular talent who was less than two months into his reign. Moreover, if a title change were to occur, Seth Rollins looked positioned to be the heel to make the switch happen given he’s been riding high as the top heel on Raw and recently won the Money in the Bank briefcase.
On top of these other considerations, there’s the matter that Gunther himself was the champion Uso beat for the title. It’s not totally unfamiliar ground for champions to trade titles back and forth, but it is less common for it to happen coming out of WrestleMania, where title changes tend to mark more seismic shifts as one star takes a step back and another redefines his career trajectory.
This isn’t the first time a world champion crowned at WrestleMania dropped the title back to the previous title holder, though. In fact, this is the sixth occasion.
Jey Uso Vs. Gunther In 2025
Photo: WWE
It’s too soon to know the full story or to tell what the ramification will be of Jey Uso losing the World Heavyweight Championship back to Gunther. Just the same, seeing the inspirational babyface drop his title in this fashion to heel who has already been at the top of the mountain for a long reign could be seen as disheartening.
Prevailing theories suggest that WWE may have wanted the title on Gunther to defend against Goldberg in the legends predicted retirement match. Meanwhile, WWE may decided to pull the plug on the Uso solo run experiments, and Jimmy doesn’t seem like he’ll ever flourish in that role, and Jey may well have hit his ceiling. Time will tell what the implications are, but it is interesting that Jey Uso was the first ever first-time world champion crowned at WrestleMania to drop the title back to the original title holder.
Randy Savage Vs. Ric Flair In 1992
Photo: WWE
Randy Savage and Ric Flair worked a heated feud in 1992, centered on The Nature Boy’s insinuation that he’d been an item with Miss Elizabeth before The Macho Man. Savage sought revenge and got it by taking the WWE Championship off Flair at WrestleMania 8.
WWE struggled to find its footing with Hulk Hogan out of the mix for the rest of 1992 and Savage and Ultimate Warrior sort of filling his spot, while neither got real traction as the definitive top guy. In the end, the powers that be elected to move the title back to Flair in the fall, only for him to serve as a transitional champion—a vehicle to move the belt to a fresh main event face in Bret Hart.
Hulk Hogan Vs. Yokozuna In 1993
Photo: WWE
In what was, at the time, the most shocking finish to a WrestleMania of all time, 1993 saw Hulk Hogan work an impromptu match with newly crowned WWE Champion Yokozuna and promptly take the title off the super heavyweight.
Fans have never gotten a definitive picture of what happened from there. The consensus, though, seems to be that Hogan just wasn’t as popular as he had been as WWE on the whole cooled off, Hulkamania felt played out, and a vocal portion of fans were mad that WWE had seemingly disrespected Bret Hart as world champ by moving his title straight to The Hulkster.
Whatever the precise combination of reasons, Yokozuna got his title back at the next PPV, King of the Ring, and held it straight through to WrestleMania 10, when the belt went back to The Hitman.
Brock Lesnar Vs. Kurt Angle In 2003
Photo: WWE
Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle each carved unique and truly legendary careers in professional wrestling. Given Angle’s departure from WWE in 2006 and the fact that these two never worked a match in the second act of The Beast’s WWE career—as a part time attraction from 2012 to 2023—it’s easy to forget that they were once rivals with remarkable chemistry.
Indeed the respective amateur pedigrees and out-of-this-world athleticism made Lesnar and Angle genuinely special opponents for one another. A botched shooting star press at the end of their WrestleMania 19 main event unfortunately overshadowed the excellent match they’d built up to that point. Fortunately, the rivalry raged on, including them flipping face and heel roles and The Olympic Gold Medalist taking his title back at SummerSlam.
John Cena Vs Edge In 2009
Photo: WWE
One of the prevailing stories of John Cena’s retirement tour has been him revisiting memorable rivals from his past, including Randy Orton, R-Truth, and CM Punk. Were he still in WWE at this point, there’s little doubt Edge would be in that mix.
Cena and Edge had an outstanding off and on rivalry that extended from 2006 to 2010. One chapter of the feud saw Cena take the World Heavyweight Championship off The Rated R Superstar at WrestleMania 25 (in a Triple Threat that also included The Big Show). The Ultimate Opportunist would get his win and his title back at Backlash with a noteworthy assist from The World’s Largest Athlete. Cena would go on to feud with Show while Edge and the Big Gold Belt settled back in on the SmackDown brand.
Seth Rollins Vs. Brock Lesnar In 2019
Photo: WWE
WrestleMania 35 started off with a bang when underdog Royal Rumble winner Seth Rollins picked up a decisive victory over Brock Lesnar in a fun sprint. The Beast wasn’t done with the babyface champ, though. Lesnar was a surprise, late addition to a Money in the Bank match that summer and went on to cash in on Rollins and take his title back.
This storyline was a rare case in which a champion taking back the title from the man who beat him at WrestleMania presented a third act: the WrestleMania winner going on to win the rubber match in another PLE main event. Rollins beat Lesnar at SummerSlam in a more full-fledged and definitive, rivalry-ending bout that looked to cement Rollins as the “the guy.” Unfortunately for The Beast Slayer, he ran into The Fiend that fall, and saw that run on top come to an unceremonious end.
Kevin Owens’ neck injury is far worse than fans initially thought, and surgery is now unavoidable for the former WWE Universal Champion. Speaking on What Do You Wanna Talk About? with Cody Rhodes, Owens revealed that months of pushing through the pain only worsened his condition.
“It sucks, but it is what it is. For months, I thought I could tough it out. The pain would come and go—some days were better, some worse.”
Owens had intended to ‘tough it out’ until last week when his injury proved impossible to ignore. Owens was faced with the somber reality that surgery isn’t an option, but it is now essential.
“Everything caught up with me. The numbness, the weakness… it all hit at once. That’s when I knew—it’s not getting better on its own.”
Owens “can’t wait” to undergo surgery but he didn’t provide a timeline for his return. Earlier this year, Owens shared that Randy Orton has put him in touch with the surgeon who saved the Viper from retirement due to back issues.
It remains to be seen when Kevin Owens will wrestle again, but one thing is for certain: the Prizefighter is through taking his health for granted.
WWE Raw star Chad Gable has been a breakout star over the last few years, but it appears he will be on the sidelines for the foreseeable future. Gable was written off television on this past week’s episode of Raw when Penta attacked him, and it’s now been confirmed the angle was done to cover for a legitimate injury.
According to a report from PWInsider, the word making the rounds among talent is that Chad Gable is slated to undergo surgery in early July. At this time, the specific nature of the injury remains unknown, and there is no timetable for his return to the ring.
Unfortunately, the injury is timed, as Gable has been a consistent and entertaining presence on Monday nights with his heel “coach” persona for the Alpha Academy. His absence will likely force WWE to adjust creative plans for his faction and the storylines he was involved in.
Gable joins a growing list of sidelined WWE talent, which includes Kevin Owens, Rey Mysterio, and Liv Morgan, who are all dealing with significant injuries. We wish Chad Gable a full and speedy recovery.
Logan Paul recently made headlines after refusing to sign what he identified as a fake rookie card at a fan event. On X (formerly Twitter), Paul explained his decision, saying he wanted his first-ever signed rookie card to be a genuine and meaningful gesture.
Confirmed with Topps that this was a fake.
It would’ve been the very first “Logan Paul Rookie Card” that I autographed & I didn’t want that moment to happen with a counterfeit https://t.co/FFD1C6Lise
Rookie cards—especially when autographed—can fetch thousands of dollars on the collectibles market. Given Paul’s star power in both WWE and pop culture, his authentic signature on a legitimate rookie card would be highly valuable. Recognizing this, Paul chose to hold off until he could give that moment to a fan who truly appreciates the significance.
On WWE television, Paul has recently been aligned with John Cena, though the duo came up short at Money in the Bank. It remains to be seen when “The Maverick” will return to WWE programming.
Jordynne Grace has been dominating in WWE NXT, and now the Juggernaut has teased bringing in weight classes for matches. On X, Grace made the argument after battling opponents of many sizes during the June 24, episode.
As for Grace’s ideas of weight classes, it remains to be seen if it goes beyond her post. While WWE has dabbled in weight-based contests before (see 205 Live), Grace’s idea has yet to go further than what she posted on X.
Following the live broadcast on June 24, WWE taped the July 1 episode of NXT at the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida. The taping featured several matches and confirmed two new bouts for the upcoming Great American Bash and Evolution premium live events.
Spoilers for the July 1, 2025, episode of WWE NXT, courtesy of BodySlam.net:
Joe Hendry def. Wes Lee
Myles Borne def. Lexis King
Yoshiki Inamura def. Jasper Troy
Izzi Dame and Tatum Paxley def. Sol Ruca and Zaria
Lainey Reid def. Thea Hail
For The Great American Bash on Saturday, July 12, a new challenger has emerged for the NXT Championship. After NXT Champion Oba Femi laid out an open challenge, Yoshiki Inamura stepped up. He was then attacked by Jasper Troy, setting up a number one contender’s match between the two for the July 1 episode.
Inamura reportedly won that taped match and will now challenge Oba Femi for the NXT Championship at The Great American Bash. A tag team match was also confirmed for the same event.
Jordynne Grace, who won a four-way elimination match on this week’s live NXT to earn a shot at Jacy Jayne’s NXT Women’s Championship at Evolution, will team with newcomer Blake Monroe. They will face the champion Jacy Jayne and her partner Fallon Henley in a tag team match at The Great American Bash, one night before Grace and Jayne’s title showdown at Evolution.
There is a positive update regarding WWE’s travel to Riyadh for this weekend’s Night of Champions premium live event. According to a report from PWInsider.com, the five WWE production staffers who were previously stuck at the Dohar airport in Qatar have now safely arrived in Saudi Arabia.
WWE talent are also en route to Riyadh today. Unlike some previous international trips where talent traveled together on one large charter, this time they are on different flights departing from various American cities.
With talent and crew arriving, WWE has also announced a Night of Champions Kickoff event for this Friday in Riyadh, which will take place ahead of the live SmackDown broadcast. SmackDown is scheduled to air on Netflix internationally at 1 PM Eastern time before its normal 8 PM Eastern timeslot on the USA Network.
For fans in the region, the report also confirms that the WWE Experience attraction is still up and running in Saudi Arabia.
Netflix has officially announced the premiere date for their highly anticipated WWE documentary series “WWE: Unreal,” set to debut on July 29, 2025. The streaming giant promises an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at the world of professional wrestling that fans have never seen before.
An Inside Look at WWE’s Creative Process
Unlike traditional wrestling programming, “WWE: Unreal” will take viewers directly into the WWE writer’s room, offering an exclusive glimpse at how storylines are crafted and decisions are made behind the curtain. Each episode will run approximately 50 minutes, providing substantial depth into the creative process that drives WWE programming.
The series will also explore the lives of WWE Superstars outside the squared circle, showcasing the personal drama and real-life challenges that exist beyond their televised personas.
Star-Studded Production Team
The project boasts an impressive lineup of executive producers, headlined by NFL legend and media personality Peyton Manning. Manning joins a robust production team that includes Jamie Horowitz, Ross Ketover, Keith Cossrow, Ken Rodgers, Jessica Boddy, Lee Fitting, Ben Houser, and Marc Pomarico.
Manning’s involvement brings significant mainstream credibility to the project, potentially attracting viewers beyond WWE’s traditional fanbase. His experience in sports entertainment and media production could prove instrumental in presenting wrestling’s behind-the-scenes reality to a broader audience.
What This Means for Wrestling Fans
Following WWE’s successful transition to Netflix for their flagship programming, “WWE: Unreal” represents another step in bringing wrestling content to mainstream streaming audiences.
For longtime wrestling fans, the series offers a rare opportunity to see how creative decisions are made and conflicts are resolved in real-time. The writer’s room access could provide answers to questions fans have pondered for years about storyline development and character direction.
Netflix Sports has already released promotional materials for the series, generating significant buzz across social media platforms. The streaming service’s investment in wrestling content signals their confidence in the genre’s ability to attract and retain subscribers.
“WWE: Unreal” premieres exclusively on Netflix on July 29, 2025, promising to deliver the drama, creativity, and real-life stories that happen when the cameras traditionally stop rolling.
John Cena has confirmed that they have had to change the original story for his final run.
The Cenation Leader had shown signs of his heel turn early in his final run when Jey Uso eliminated him to win the Royal Rumble. The entry of The Rock in his story, however, changed things up. Many believe that the company had to alter the direction of Cena’s story to fit in with the vision of The Great One.
The 17-time world champion talked about these changes during a recent interview with Collider. He was asked how far in advance WWE plans their storylines. John Cena mentioned how he has done many different things as an entertainer and claimed that there is no more adaptable form of storytelling than wrestling:
“There is no more adaptable form of storytelling than WWE. WWE can change a story as it happens live. You’re seeing, so far over the farewell tour dates, the 18 of 36 so far, we’ve made a ton of pivots, a ton of pivots right there in the moment.”
The Audience Will Begin To Feel Differently: John Cena
John Cena’s story has seen another change in the form of R-Truth. The Attitude Era star was originally expected to wrap up his WWE run with his Saturday Night’s Main Event match against his childhood hero last month. The negative reaction to his release, however, forced the company to bring Truth back, and he has since continued his story with The Peacemaker star.
The Hollywood star told people that more such pivots should be expected as he enters the second half of his retirement tour. He explained that the decision of what to change and what to keep is dictated by the audience:
“As we get close to the end of this thing, what dictates those pivots is the audience, and I think the audience will begin to feel differently, because now we are truly coming to the end.
So, if you ever had a voice to use, if you ever wanted to say something, I hate to steal my own cliché, but the time is now. I look forward to the road ahead because the audience is going to dictate the direction we go.”
The WWE Champion is set to defend his title against arch rival CM Punk in presumably their last encounter at the upcoming Night of Champions PPV from Saudi Arabia on June 28.
Ethan Page believes the North American Championship is more prestigious than the NXT title and he can prove the same.
The former AEW star made his NXT debut back in May 2024. He quickly inserted himself into the NXT title picture. Page ended up winning the title at the Heatwave event in July, setting a new record for winning the top prize of the brand in the quickest time since debut.
During a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet, Page was asked about becoming the North American Champion after previously having held the NXT title. Ethan first discussed how he had previously claimed that the NA title was beneath him. After winning the championship however, he has given the matter more thought:
“After some time and thinking and using my logical brain in professional wrestling, which usually doesn’t work out, I came to the conclusion that the North American Championship is actually the most prestigious championship in NXT.
I mean, Oba Femi, current NXT Champion. In description, he’s the champion of NXT, which its home base is in Orlando at the Performance Center. So Oba Femi is the champion of the Performance Center.”
The Champion of Three Entire Countries: Ethan Page
Ethan Page went on to explain that geographically, the North American Championship not only trumps the NXT title but even the United States Championship currently held by Jacob Fatu:
“Ethan Page is the champion of three entire countries. Meaning that this championship is also higher than the United States Championship. So I wanted to actually thank Jacob Fatu for doing such a great job representing the US, as his superior.”
Apart from this, Ethan Page also discussed things such as how his WWE signing came about, his segment with The Rock, learning from Shawn Michaels in NXT and more. You can check out his full interview below:
Pat McAfee has revealed why he has been off WWE TV.
The Raw commentator has missed the last three weeks with other names such as Wade Barrett and Corey Graves filling in for the former Football star.
The 38-year-old explained the reason behind his sudden absence on the latest episode of his Show. Pat McAfee revealed that he’s taken time off because of his overwhelming work schedule:
“I will not be commentating. Continuing to catch up on life as a whole. Post-Money in the Bank, Pre-Night of Champions. Feels like a good time. I was getting pretty exhausted there. Shoutout to everybody in WWE looking out for me, too. Very thankful,”
While not confirmed, McAfee mentioning the upcoming Night of Champions PPV from Saudi Arabia indicates that he’ll be back on Raw after the show on June 28.
Pat’s absence from TV led to Corey Graves being brought in to work a main roster show for the first time since his controversial demotion to accommodate McAfee earlier this year.
Prior to his Raw return, Graves had received praise for his work on the recent Worlds Collide event and he was said to be well received on his recent Monday night appearance as well. It’d be interesting to see if Corey remains part of the Raw broadcasting team once McAfee returns.
Hulk Hogan is opening a huge, 9000 sq/ft, $7 million bar opposite his spiritual home, Madison Square Garden. Page Six reports that the Hulkster’s bar will be called ‘Slam’ and will feature a wall of windows facing the iconic arena. Slam will be filled with memorbilia celebrating the two-time WWE Hall of Famer and will feature screens playing some of Hogan’s greatest moments. On Instagram, Hogan shared a copy of the report, confirming its accuracy.
The spot is currently owned by New York nightlife vet Rich Rosen. Speaking to Page Six, Rosen shared how he waited for hours to meet Hogan just to pitch the idea.
“I basically waited 5 hours on line to get two seconds with Hulk Hogan. I came with an 8? by 11? glossy picture of Madison Square Garden, and in the picture is our [storefront]… I walked up to Hulk, I dropped the picture in front of him.”
Hogan called Rosen four days later to confirm his interest in the pitched product. They plan to open the sports bar, which will have three floors including a rooftop bar, in the fall. The bar will feature Hogan’s ‘Real American Beer’ brand, though Hogan will not have a direct ownership stake in the project, according to Rosen.
News of this bar comes after reports that Hogan and his beer brand were looking to acquire Hooters. While the Hulkster’s legacy and future in pro wrestling remains in question, the controversial icon continues to make moves in the world of food and drink.
John Cena tries to be respectful to all those he meets, but respect is a two-way street. A viral TikTok video from Fanatics Fest captured a tense moment where Cena confronted a fan who was recording him without permission. After the fan snapped a photo alongisde the WWE icon, they followed Cena and continued to film him, prompting the WWE Champion to respond.
“I’m a big fan of consent. So if you would like to take a video, I’m a big fan of consent.”
Met @John Cena & accidentally crossed a boundary. He called it out, walked away… then came back and apologized for how he handled it. Mad respect ? Sometimes it’s not about being perfect, it’s about accountability. Real one. #johncena#wwe#lesson
The fan quickly apologized and stopped filming, allowing Cena to walk away. But in a move that further highlighted his character, Cena returned moments later to speak with the fan again.
“I’m sorry for walking away from you. Just take a deep breath. And I feel like I’m in a tough situation… I just know it’s kinda chaos back here. I’ll give you whatever you want, as long as you ask. I appreciate you.”
Cena’s response shows his maturity while also demonstrating that, he, like anyone, deserves to be treated with respect. Cena’s response, highlighting the value of consent, was measured, respectful, and a lesson in handling uncomfortable situations with grace.
The first championship match has officially been confirmed for Evolution 2.
NXT General Manager Ava had announced a mini-tournament to determine the challenger for the Women’s Champion Jacy Jayne at the upcoming Women’s only PPV.
The finals of the tournament took place on this Tuesday’s episode of the development brand, with Jaida Parker, Izzi Dame, Lash Legend, and Jordynne Grace squaring off in a fatal four-way for the title opportunity.
The main event match was full of chaos, with all four of the contestants trying to make their way to the PPV. In the end, it was Jordynne Grace who was able to overcome the odds. She became the new #1 contender for the title, pinning Jaida Parker with an Argentine powerbomb:
This wasn’t the only notable development during tonight’s show. After Noam Dar relinquished the Heritage Cup due to his injury, Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo was crowned the new champion during the June 24 episode. He defeated Tony D’Angelo for the win.
The episode also featured Trick Williams defending the TNA title against Josh Briggs. Joe Hendry showed up after the bout and took out Williams to indicate that he wasn’t out of the title picture yet.
WWE Evolution 2 will take place next month on July 13 from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, only a day after Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Since her WWE release, Shotzi Blackheart has defined herself as the ‘Indy God,’ much to the frustration of Matt Cardona. The former NWA World Champion has threatened legal action against Blackheart and now things have been taken to a new level.
In footage shared on X, Shotzi and Cardona can be seen arguing over who is the true Indy God, before an ally of Cardona’s attacks Blackheart with a chair. To make matters even worse for Blackheart, Cardona, who served Shotzi legal papers, fled the scene on her signature tank.
I just ran over @ShotziTCB’s arm with her own tank!!! You’ve been served!!! I AM THE REAL INDY GOD & DEATHMATCH KING! Big thanks to my Process Server! pic.twitter.com/ZQsQ4cwJfm
I’m the REAL Deathmatch King and Indy God! @ShotziTCB is nothing more than a green haired bitch fraud! And she’s been served!!! pic.twitter.com/1HdfSTNx1R
The pair will do battle on July 11, seemingly to determine who is the true god of the independent scene. With Shotzi’s arm at less than 100% though, the advantage has to go to Cardona after this latest attack.
The June 24 episode of WWE NXT delivered plenty of action as well as a new WWE NXT Heritage Cup champion be crowned. Originally, Noam Dar was scheduled to defend his Heritage Cup Championship against Stacks. Due to an injury though, Dar was forced to vacate the cup and Stacks would face a mystery opponent.
Stacks’ opponent turned out to be none other than former ally Tony D’Angelo and their match kicked off the second hour. The pair went for five rounds before Stacks got the win. This win came about as Luca Cruisfino accidentally hit Tony with a bucket, infuriating The Don after the match.
This win marks Stacks’ first taste of singles glory in WWE, though he is a former NXT Tag Team Champion alongside D’Angelo. With several heavies at his side, it may be some time before anyone takes the NXT Heritage Cup from Stacks.
Cody Rhodes has been the ultimate babyface since his return to WWE in 2022, but he knows that all good things must one day come to an end. Speaking at Fanatics Fest, Rhodes acknowledged that he can only be the top babyface for so long before fans get sick of the same.
“I do think we’re probably at the tail end of it though. Because there’s only so much someone can like you. I’d like to do it until the end of my career, but at some point it’s like, ‘Alright, all we do is cheer for him.’ Eventually, fans want to see someone else.“
Rhodes didn’t have an exact date for when he’ll stop being a face, and fans shouldn’t expect a heel turn just yet. While such a turn is seemingly inevitable, Rhodes’ run as a babyface won’t end without a fight.
“I think you’ve got a good solid year, maybe even three years, because I’m not changing until I’m changed.“
Rhodes claimed that “if The Rock had it his way, I would’ve been changed already,” acknowledging claims that WWE’s Final Boss pushed for him to turn heel earlier this year. Though fans have time yet to love and cherish the American Nightmare, a darker side continues to bubble away within Cody Rhodes.
A conclusion that many had already reached has now been officially confirmed: Chris Park, known to wrestling fans as Abyss, is retired from in-ring competition. The TNA Hall of Famer confirmed the news in a new interview with Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select.
Park, who has been working as a WWE producer and agent for over six years, has not wrestled since taking the backstage role. While he is featured as a playable character in the new WWE 2K25 “Dunk & Destruction” DLC pack, he has no desire to step back into the ring for a real match.
“To answer quite frankly, I’m done. I don’t have plans to ever wrestling again,” Park said. “Never say never, but I don’t see it in the cards, and I don’t want it in the cards. I’m so happy what I’m doing as a producer.”
He added that he is very fulfilled with his work in game planning and working on the production end of things in WWE. Park also noted that while he hasn’t pushed to be an on-screen character, he would not be opposed to making an appearance as his other character, the lawyer Joseph Park.
During the interview, Park also confirmed that he had discussions to join WWE on several occasions in the 2000s and was very flattered by their offers at the time.
In 2006, Rey Mysterio captured the World Heavyweight Championship, a huge win for the masked icon, though one that came with a big asterisk. Rey’s victory, and the months prior to it, saw heavy references to Eddie Guerrero, who had tragically passed away in November the previous year at the age of 38.
Speaking on the No Contest Wrestling podcast, Mysterio reflected on his emotional rise to champion and his relationship with Guerrero. The WWE Hall of Famer acknowledged that the push he received to the top likely never would have materialized had Guerrero not died so young.
“I truly believe in my heart that that moment wouldn’t have happened if Eddie hadn’t passed. Because the connection that Eddie and I had—even though we were feuding at the end… But that connection that we had, you know, everything that we did together was so unique, so real, so organic.”
Shortly after Eddie’s passing, WWE would push Rey, who dedicated his 2006 Royal Rumble win to his late friend. On the podcast, Mysterio recalled how the talk of making him a World Champion began.
“When Eddie passed, I believe Pat Patterson was the one that mentioned to Vince at the time, ‘You got to put the title on him’… it happened so fast and it was so surreal.”
WWE’s use of Guerrero’s death on-screen earned a backlash among several fans at the time, even being dubbed ‘Eddiesploitation’ online. WWE would use Eddie’s death during storylines involving Rey and Randy Orton, and later for Mysterio’s feud with Chavo and Vickie Guerrero.
Close to two decades after Eddie Guerrero’s passing, Rey Mysterio and countless others remember Latino Heat and honor his legacy. For Rey, Eddie wasn’t just a friend and in-ring adversary, but a driving factor in his own World Championship win.
John Cena has been part of the DC Cinematic Universe as the star of Peacemaker but could fans one day see him in a role in a MARVEL movie? Speaking at Fan Expo Dallas, Cena was asked if he would ever consider playing a Marvel superhero, and shared his vision for the future.
“Here is my vision, here is my hope for the future: everybody plays nice in the same sandbox. I would love Iron Man to shake hands with Superman. I would love to see all superheroes, across all platforms, be involved in one big universe. So if that happens, and I get my wish, as a member of DC, I would essentially walk into the MCU.”
Cena is well aware that he doesn’t write checks or cast roles, meaning that while he is under a DC contract, his current answer is no. Though some fans may have an issue with his idea of crossover, Cena believes it’d benefit everyone in the long-term.
“I know I’m going to get punched in the face by critics for saying this, but my long-term vision is that we can tell stories with characters from both sides of the fence. Can’t we all just get along and make some good comic books and good stories?”
DC and Marvel have worked together in the past, and a crossover comic series that’ll see Batman face Deadpool will hit shelves later this year. As for Cena, he remains hopeful for a time when Peacemaker will be able to share the screen with the likes of Spider-Man, The Avengers, and others.
Following his return to AEW after more than a year away, Kota Ibushi’s first match back has been confirmed for this week’s episode of Dynamite, where he will face Trent Beretta. According to a report from Fightful Select, there is a specific reason Beretta was chosen for Ibushi’s return, and there is positive news regarding Ibushi’s physical condition.
Ibushi returned on the June 21 episode of Collision to stand with his friend Kenny Omega against the Don Callis Family. He had been sidelined for much of the past year and a half with various injuries, wrestling only sparingly during that time. Those spoken to within AEW indicated that Ibushi is now in a “much better place physically than he has been in quite a long time.”
His opponent, Trent Beretta, is also returning from a year-long absence from the ring, and this will be his first singles match back as well. AEW sources indicated that Beretta was seen as an appropriate opponent for Ibushi because of his familiarity with both the American television style and the Japanese style that Ibushi is known for.
The match, which will be the first one-on-one encounter between the two, was officially announced by AEW President Tony Khan on X this morning.
Janel Grant, a former World Wrestling Entertainment employee suing Vince McMahon and the company for sex trafficking and sex assault in federal district court, is asking for documents and communications regarding Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Dr. Carlon Colker of Peak Wellness in a motion filed on Monday.
The request was part of a motion to compel discovery ahead of an arbitration hearing. The defendants, Vince McMahon and WWE, believe Grant should adhere to an arbitration clause in a non-disclosure agreement she signed after she left WWE as an employee instead of pursuing her case in court.
UPDATE: Representatives for Janel Grant gave a statement to SEScoops.
“WWE and McMahon had the opportunity to voluntarily provide discovery and they refused. They claim the NDA and its arbitration clause are enforceable, but resist any attempts to investigate whether Ms. Grant was coerced into signing it—facts that go to the heart of its enforceability. They can’t have it both ways. Today we asked the Court to allow that discovery to proceed, Ms. Grant deserves to have the facts about her case.”
Grant’s legal team claimed the NDA violates federal law including the Speak Out Act and the Federal Trafficking Victims Protection Act, as well as recent federal court precedent.
Grant is suing for discovery in Connecticut court against Colker and Peak Wellness, where she was treated at the behest of McMahon while she was employed at WWE. According to Grant’s amended complaint, filed earlier this year, Grant was told by Vince McMahon their relationship was discovered by Linda McMahon which led to Grant’s firing by WWE. Communications between employees and defendants involving Colker and Linda McMahon were part of an exhibit of discovery requests as part of Monday’s filing.
The discovery motion mentioned communications between Vince McMahon and his former counsel Jerry McDevitt were available as evidence due to the federal crime-fraud exception in attorney-client privilege.
Prior to the previous arbitration hearing in 2024, federal prosecutors asked Grant for a stay in her civil suit. They said discovery ahead of the arbitration hearing could interfere with their investigation of Vince McMahon. A six-month stay was placed on the case, which expired in December 2024.
Shareholders suing Vince McMahon and TKO in the Delaware Court of the Chancery have asked for access to discovery evidence in other cases involving the former WWE owner and president, stating his issues with the federal investigation and the Grant cause led him to take a cheaper bid in the sale of WWE two years ago to TKO.
Representatives for Vince McMahon say the federal investigation ended earlier this year. An appeals court decision earlier this year, which ruled McDevitt and McMahon should provide missing documents to federal investigators, suggested the case was possibly still ongoing.
Grant, Vince McMahon and WWE have until July 11 to file responses to the discovery motion.
AEW President Tony Khan has officially announced the return of one of the company’s most beloved match formats for AEW All In Texas 2025. Both men’s and women’s Casino Gauntlet Matches will take place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas on Saturday, July 12, with championship implications for both divisions.
Khan generated buzz with the news that that All In 2025 will feature both the Men’s Casino Gauntlet and Women’s Casino Gauntlet matches. The stakes are high, as both winners will earn future World Title shots, setting up major storyline implications for AEW’s championship pictures.
The #CasinoGauntletMatch returns to AEW All In, July 12! All In 2025 will feature BOTH the Men’s Casino Gauntlet + the Women’s Casino Gauntlet! The winning man + winning woman will both earn a future World Title shot! pic.twitter.com/qopG8R2WCI
This announcement marks a historic moment as AEW brings its flagship All In event to Texas for the first time. Globe Life Field, home of the Texas Rangers, will provide the backdrop for what promises to be one of the company’s most significant events of 2025. The venue’s massive capacity and Texas’s passionate wrestling fanbase create the perfect storm for a memorable night.
The Casino Gauntlet format has become synonymous with AEW’s innovative approach to professional wrestling, combining the excitement of battle royal eliminations with strategic timing elements. Having both divisions compete in this fan-favorite format will likely attract top-tier talent from both the men’s and women’s rosters.
Building Toward July 12
As AEW All In Texas approaches, fans can expect the company to begin building storylines and announcing participants for both Casino Gauntlet matches. The championship implications ensure that these won’t be throwaway matches but rather pivotal moments that could reshape both AEW’s men’s and women’s title scenes heading into the latter half of 2025.
AEW All In Texas takes place Saturday, July 12, 2025, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas
The runtime for WWE SmackDown throughout July remains a mystery, with a new report indicating that even WWE may not have a firm plan in place. The confusion was discussed on the June 23 episode of Wrestling Observer Radio.
Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez highlighted the uncertainty surrounding the show’s format, particularly for the upcoming July 4th episode, which will be taped next Monday following Raw. Alvarez noted that the show is apparently planned to be three hours long, which contradicts some other recent reports.
Meltzer confirmed he’s heard the same but has been unable to get a definitive answer from his sources within the company, suggesting a lack of a finalized plan.
While SmackDown is confirmed to be moving to a three-hour format permanently starting on August 15, the schedule for the weeks leading up to that date remains unclear.
USA Network has set August 15 for the premiere of The Rainmaker, USA’s upcoming legal drama series based on the John Grisham novel. This show will air in the place that the third hour of SmackDown currently does.
