Cody Rhodes has explained why he doesn’t take people under his wing anymore.
The American Nightmare invited his good friend Ricky Saints for a chat on his podcast recently. During the discussion, Saints, who left AEW for NXT earlier this year, mentioned that his career might have advanced more if someone had taken him under his wing like Cody did with MJF.
Responding to it, the former Undisputed Champion claimed that his work with MJF was all a story. Rhodes then mentioned how there were people who took him under their wing when he first came up to the main roster:
“I had a really great mentor. In multiple, Randy Orton, shockingly, John Cena. All these guys, once I came up in 2007, 2008, took me under their wing in the way you’re talking about. I am shy to do so.”
Cody Rhodes then went on to explain why he is not very enthusiastic about becoming mentor to people anymore, mentioning how very few of his former partners reached out to him upon his successful WWE return:
“And the reason is because and you already know this, when I was off in the wilderness and started my own deal with, the team that I had and they were wonderful teammates and helped me create it, I made everybody my BFF. I made everybody my number one.
When I came up on the stage at WrestleMania 38, I was warmly received by, 80 something thousand people. That was a wonderful feeling, but I can tell you none of those people, I want to just flat out say none, but you could probably count on one hand, messaged me.
And I thought that’s a lesson. There’s a lesson, and it’s not that I wanted anything from it. But that’s why I’m trepidatious to jump in the water and say, ‘Hey kid, you’re with me.'”
Goldberg was one of WCW’s biggest names. He won the WCW Championship and main evented Starrcade twice. He went on to win three world titles in WWE, twice defend world titles at WrestleMania, and entered the Hall of Fame in 2018.
Now, one of the last legends left in the ring from the Monday Night War era is poised to officially retire. After rumors and reports suggested it, WWE confirmed on the June 23 episode of Raw that Goldberg looked at his Saturday Night’s Main Event showdown with Gunther as his final match. However, they also explicitly referenced that if he won and captured the World Heavyweight Championship, that would present an “interesting” scenario.
Goldberg’s Road To Challenging Gunther
Photo: WWE
At WWE’s most recent major event in Atlanta, the Bad Blood PLE from October 2024, Gunther went out of his way to disrespect Goldberg and his son at ringside. In so doing, the wheels started turning. Goldberg had already spoken openly about wanting one more match, and here, a clear opponent came into focus. Word is Goldberg spent the intervening months working out like crazy so he could look and perform like a much younger version of himself one last time.
Fast forward to June 2025 and Goldberg proclaimed himself Gunther’s challenger for the World Heavyweight Championship when WWE returned to Atlanta for Saturday Night’s Main Event.
Goldberg May Well Lose To Gunther
Goldberg. Photo: WWE.com
The most straightforward narrative for WWE to play out would see Gunther defeat Goldberg, albeit in a competitive match. The Ring General might weather a storm, looking as though he’s on the verge of losing, only to pull out a victory in the end.
There are ways in which this resolution would make a lot of sense. Gunther’s a main event act in his prime. That’s not to mention that Goldberg has quietly been on a title match losing streak, dropping his last four championship bouts to Braun Strowman, Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, and Roman Reigns. It’s only fitting that he’d fall short at the age of 58 opposite peak Gunther.
Goldberg Could Pick up The Victory
Photo credit: WWE
While a lot of signs point to Goldberg losing to Gunther, there’s also a very simple counterargument. In his last night in the ring, working in front of his adopted hometown fans in Atlanta—the old homebase of WCW—wouldn’t it be a downer for Goldberg to eat a pin? And fans can only imagine the pop one more spear into a jackhammer might get, with the Hall of Famer picking up the one-two-three.
Goldberg raising the modernized, closest thing to the big gold belt so synonymous with his glory days in WCW and WWE alike, feels like the right moment to provide closure to a legendary career. Of course, it raises two major issues. As cool as the stand-alone moment may be, it’s not clear anyone would really want to see Goldberg have an extended reign as world champion at this age and with so many worthy title contenders on the full-time roster.
Seth Rollins Can Resolve The Goldberg Problem In Short Order
Image credit: WWE
WWE finds itself in a darned if it does, darned if it doesn’t scenario. Gunther wins and the live fans in particular leave Saturday Night’s Main Event deflated. Goldberg wins and the World Heavyweight Championship picture is in rough shape.
Enter Seth Rollins.
As Mr. Money in the Bank, The Visionary has an opportunity to do something very similar to what he did when he bailed WWE out of a no-win situation at WrestleMania 31 a decade back, when a Brock Lesnar win would have been demoralizing but a Roman Reigns main event push was already getting major backlash. Goldberg can have his one last victory in a hard-fought match, then Rollins can steal the title.
After all, since winning the WrestleMania Saturday main event and allying himself with Paul Heyman, Rollins emerging as World Heavyweight Champion has felt all but inevitable. Rollins more recently teasing a WWE Championship cash-in when he interrupted the promo battle between John Cena and CM Punk may amount to little more than a red herring to throw fans off the scent of what’s really happening. Indeed, Rollins has been conspicuously absent from sticking his nose in Gunther and Goldberg’s business.
Goldberg’s triumphant moment, immediately followed by a cash-in feels a lot like WWE having its cake and eating it too. That’s not to mention an array of storylines waiting to play out, with a potentially babyface Gunther, a dethroned Jey Uso who hasn’t yet gotten his rematch, CM Punk, LA Knight, and Roman Reigns all lined up to chase the Seth Rollins as the new champion for months to come.
A top NJPW star will be joining the Death Riders for a match at All In.
This week’s episode of Dynamite featured the surprise return of Gabe Kidd. The IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion attacked Samoa Joe during the show.
This came after the Samoan Submission Machine defeated Wheeler Yuta in a singles match with Coquina Clutch. Joe’s partners, Powerhouse Hobbs and Katsuyori Shibata, then came out, leading to Kidd retreating to the back.
Now Fightful Select is reporting that this angle was done to set up a match for the next AEW PPV taking place this Saturday. They had previously reported that The Opps vs. Death Riders was one of the planned matches for the show.
With Jon Moxley set to defend his world title at the event and Pac being out injured, the company needed a replacement. So they’ve brought in Kidd, who is now expected to be teaming with the other Death Rider members this weekend.
Pac has not wrestled since the April 9 episode of Dynamite this year. He went up against Swerve Strickland in a singles match and seemingly suffered a leg injury while taking a buckle bomb from the former AEW champion.
This isn’t the only All In match that has been affected by injury. A new report recently revealed a planned match that had to be cancelled. You can check out more about it here.
Jersey Shore was a staple of reality TV in the early 2010s, and now some of the Superstars of WWE have run afoul of the show’s alum. Things began when WWE NXT Heritage Cup Champion Stacks listed ‘The Situation’ among his potential challengers. This led to a heated back-and-forth on X.
I promised someone I love very much that I would never go back to being that person… but for you, I'm going to make an exception. We have a Situation ? https://t.co/kMltMfaK8L
— Mike The Situation ?? (@ItsTheSituation) July 8, 2025
Don't do anything you dont want me to do. Cuz once you razzle imma dazzle ? https://t.co/5cN52tv021
— Mike The Situation ?? (@ItsTheSituation) July 10, 2025
It’s not just Stacks who has taken issue with an alum from Jersey Shore. On X, Arianna Grace took aim at JWOWW, branding her a “Trash act,” while she is nothing but class.
You and your girl stay in your lane cause I’ve got a fiery, sexy Italian of my own @AriannaGraceWWE, and if JWoww runs her mouth, she’ll slap the lip filler right off her face. ? https://t.co/07sOhPTt7O
During the heights of Jersey Shore, Snooki appeared for WWE and even scored a win in six-person tag-team action at WrestleMania 27 in 2011. With WWE being open to celebrity appearances and matches, a mixed-tag match in WWE NXT could come soon enough.
James Gunn’s new Superman is ready to take off and will land in cinemas later this month, giving moviegoers a fresh take on the iconic Man of Steel. The film features a cast including David Corenswet (Superman/Clark Kent), Rachel Brosnahan (Lois Lane), and Nicholas Hoult (Lex Luthor), but will also feature one of WWE’s top names.
According to MovieWeb, John Cena’s Peacemaker will be a part of the DCEU. The platform reports that Peacemaker, aka Christopher Smith, appears on a television during the film, trash-talking David Cornswet’s Superman. Season 2 of “Peacemaker” is set to premiere on August 21 on HBO Max.
Cena debuted as Peacemaker, a jingoistic, often hypocritical lover of peace, during 2021’s The Suicide Squad. The character proved to be a stand-out hit for fans, and his first season on MAX also proved to be a hit, cementing another major role for the ‘Unseen Seventeen.’
In WWE, Cena is preparing to defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes at WWE SummerSlam, a rematch of their WrestleMania encounter. With this year’s show being the first two-night SummerSlam, fans can expect plenty from John, both in and out of the ring.
The first-ever WWE ID Champions will soon be crowned, with the date and location confirmed for the inaugural WWE ID Championship finals. The WWE ID X account made things official on July 9, confirming that the finals will be held at GCW’s The ID Showcase. This show will take place on August 1 during SummerSlam weekend in Rutherford, New Jersey.
BREAKING NEWS….
The first WWE ID Champions will be determined on August 1st during #SummerSlam weekend in Rutherford, NJ when @GCWrestling_ presents The ID Showcase!
The Women's ID Championship will be determined in a Triple Threat Match!
The Women’s ID Championship will be decided in a Triple Threat Match featuring three breakout stars: Kylie Rae vs. Zara Zakher vs. Zayda Steel. As for the men, this will be decided in a singles match, though the final matchup is still to be decided. The finalists will be decided on July 19, when House of Champions hosts the next edition of The ID Showcase in Orlando, Florida.
The WWE ID program reflects WWE’s ongoing presence on the independent scene, with the finals coming at a GCW event being symbolic of this connection. Stay tuned to see who is crowned the first-ever WWE ID and WWE ID Women’s Champions.
An originally planned AEW All In: Texas match was seemingly cancelled due to the injury of a top star.
With the TBS Champion Mercedes Mone challenging Toni Storm for the Women’s World title, the PPV card currently only features two women’s matches.
Now, a new report from Fightful Select has revealed another women’s bout that was being planned for the show this weekend, but had to be postponed.
According to them, Jamie Hayter had been factored into the build for All In Texas originally, and her injury caused a domino effect on the original plans for the show.
The former Women’s Champion has not been seen on TV after being attacked by a debuting Thekla during the May 28 episode of Dynamite earlier this year.
This was done to write Hayter off TV after she suffered an injury in her Double or Nothing match against Mercedes Mone only days prior.
The officials originally hoped for the British star to be back on TV soon. Thekla’s debut was put together in a way that Jamie Hayter would have a storyline leading to the Texas PPV when she returned.
The plans had to be adjusted when Hayter ended up missing more time than expected. Though the company is still hopeful about picking this rivalry back up when she does return to TV.
AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Moné is teaming up with Crunchyroll for a new anime-inspired clothing line, with some of the proceeds going to charity. Crunchyroll announced the collaboration on their official website, unveiling a line of exclusive merchandise featuring The CEO. The announcement reads:
Crunchyroll is teaming up with professional wrestler Mercedes Moné for a new line of anime-inspired merch for you to add to your collection! The new line will be available to purchase online at the Crunchyroll Store, as well as in-person at the wrestling convention Starrcast Texas and at the Crunchyroll Anime FanFest at the Rady Shell during San Diego Comic Con. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to Step Up, a mentorship nonprofit organization.
Champion wrestler and anime lover @MercedesVarnado conquered the ring. Now she's coming for your closet ??
Shop her exclusive Crunchyroll Store collab before it taps out!
— Crunchyroll Store (@ShopCrunchyroll) July 9, 2025
Moné’s lovce of anime is no secret. For the 2022 Royal Rumble PLE, the then-Sasha Banks wore an attire inspired by Sailor Moon. The appearance would be one of Moné’s final at a WWE Premium Live Event as she would walk out of WWE that May.
Today, Moné is dominating in AEW and could be the next Women’s World Champion. Stay tuned for the latest on Mercedes Moné ahead of AEW All In: Texas.
Vince McMahon is moving forward with his new private investment firm, 14TH & I, having recently filed a new trademark for a company logo. This move further solidifies McMahon’s business plans following his resignation from WWE and TKO Group Holdings earlier this year.
The new trademark is for a logo image associated with the firm. It is registered under two distinct categories, signaling the company’s dual focus. The first is for “Private equity fund investment services; financial services, namely, management of private equity funds, private equity fund investment services, and financial portfolio management.” The second category covers “Entertainment services, namely, production and development of scripted television and digital programming.” This filing follows previous trademarks for the company names “14TH&I” and “14TH & I” in August 2024.
According to its official description, 14TH & I is “a private investment firm focused on the sports, media, & entertainment sectors.” It aims to be a “disciplined, flexible, long-term capital and strategic partner” for companies, primarily targeting buyouts and majority deals. The name itself is a historical reference to the headquarters of the Capitol Wrestling Corporation, the promotion run by McMahon’s father, Vincent J. McMahon, which was located at the corner of 14th and I Streets in Washington D.C.
A trademark was filed for Vince McMahon's new company. The trademark filing says it will cover “entertainment services, namely, production and development of scripted television and digital programming,” as well as “private equity fund investment services; financial services,… pic.twitter.com/alQsZWYxq2
— Pro Wrestling Center (@pwrestle_center) July 9, 2025
Vince McMahon resigned from his positions at WWE and TKO in January 2024 following a lawsuit filed by former employee Janel Grant, which accused him of sexual assault and sex trafficking. The lawsuit is currently paused as the Department of Justice continues a non-public investigation into the matter. Lawyers for Ms. Grant have stated they are cooperating fully with federal investigators.
This Saturday, Goldberg is set to wrestle his final match at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, where he will challenge GUNTHER for the World Heavyweight Championship. In a new interview, the WWE Hall of Famer revealed that his opponent could have been anyone who disrespected him.
While speaking with 11Alive to promote the event in Atlanta, Georgia, Goldberg explained that GUNTHER simply put himself in the line of fire. He stated that the match is about teaching the younger generation to respect the legends who paved the way.
“Well, as I said the other night on the show, I was vying for my retirement match and he just so happened to put himself in that spot,” Goldberg said. “It could have happened to anybody that opened their mouth negatively about me and my family when we were there, back for the pay-per-view (Bad Blood). So I don’t know whether it was planned by him. I don’t know. All I can say is he willingly stepped right into that spot, and I willingly accepted him as my final opponent. Younger generation, man, look up to your elders, respect them because you never know what can happen.”
The feud between the two began at the recent Bad Blood premium live event, where GUNTHER made disparaging remarks about Goldberg. The rivalry escalated on this past Monday’s episode of WWE Raw, when Goldberg interrupted the champion and knocked him to the mat with a single punch, building significant momentum just days before their title match.
Goldberg’s final match is part of a stacked card for the Saturday Night’s Main Event special, which airs live on NBC. The event will also feature a Triple Threat Match for the WWE Women’s Championship, as Bayley defends her title against both Naomi and Tiffany Stratton. Also scheduled, Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena will team up with LA Knight to take on Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga of The Bloodline.
Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena is managing a packed schedule, simultaneously filming a new movie in New Jersey while preparing for a major title defense in the same state. Production is currently underway for his new Netflix comedy, “Little Brother.”
According to a report first published by NJ.com, scenes for the movie were being filmed in Montclair, New Jersey on Tuesday. The film features Cena as a real estate agent who has made a name for himself, whose life changes when his younger brother, played by comedian Eric André, arrives. The Netflix film is being directed by Matt Spicer from a script by Jarrad Paul and Andrew Mogel. Casting calls for extras and background actors have been posted in both New Jersey and New York.
While filming, Cena is also in the middle of a world championship feud. He is set to defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against Cody Rhodes at WWE SummerSlam, which takes place on August 2nd and 3rd in East Rutherford, New Jersey. With a retirement match reportedly scheduled for December, Cena has a busy schedule of WWE appearances planned for the summer, including:
July 18: WWE SmackDown (San Antonio, TX)
August 1: WWE SmackDown (Newark, NJ)
August 2/3: WWE SummerSlam (Newark, NJ)
August 8: WWE SmackDown (Montreal, QC, Canada)
August 22: WWE SmackDown (Dublin, Ireland)
August 29: WWE SmackDown (Lyon, France)
August 31: WWE Clash in Paris (Paris, France)
October 11: WWE Crown Jewel: Perth (Perth, Australia)
On last week’s episode of WWE SmackDown, Cody Rhodes delivered a promo about his respect for John Cena and his desire to win the championship at SummerSlam. Due to his filming schedule, Cena was not there in person but responded later in the show with a pre-taped message, warning Rhodes that he is more focused than ever as his career winds down.
WWE is gearing up for WWE Evolution 2, a premium all-women’s event, amid rumors of Gail Kim’s surprise return.
Gail Kim has been spotted backstage at WWE NXT shows recently, according to Fightful, hinting at improved relations with WWE executives.
The event is scheduled for July 13, 2025, at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, where Kim may make an unexpected appearance.
WWE has maintained secrecy about Kim’s possible involvement in the event, but an on-screen homecoming would be exactly the type of buzz worthy surprise fans are hoping for this weekend.
Since being fired from TNA Wrestling on March 25, 2025, ending her 14-year tenure with the company, Gail Kim has become one of the most sought-after free agents in professional wrestling.
Following her departure, Kim issued a statement on Instagram expressing gratitude for the support she received and promising that “this is not the end of Gail Kim in the wrestling world,” emphasizing her continued passion for the industry after 17 years with one company.
Kim made her first post-TNA wrestling appearance at the National Wrestling Alliance’s 2025 Crockett Cup event on May 17 in Philadelphia, where she participated in an exclusive autograph signing.
While she has stated she is taking time for self-care and preparation for what lies ahead, both WWE and AEW are expected to pursue her for leadership positions given her extensive experience as a producer and her respected insights into women’s wrestling.????????????????
Charlotte Flair addressed speculation about her undergoing cosmetic procedures in a personal essay published in The Player’s Tribune.
“I’ve dealt with stuff like that my whole career … but I try not to take it personally.” Flair said. “On some level, I get it: I’m (relatively) famous, and I make a very good living from work that involves showing off my body.”
Flair discusses the challenge of her accomplishments being overshadowed by remarks on her appearance and the difficulty in separating her character “Charlotte Flair” from her real self, Ashley.
“The smarter that people get about wrestling?? The easier they seem to forget the basic concepts. Like the concept that I’m not Charlotte Flair.”
Charlotte Flair is set to compete at WWE Evolution 2 on July 13, 2025, in Atlanta, where she and her partner Alexa Bliss will challenge for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships in a Fatal 4-Way match. The duo, representing SmackDown after qualifying by defeating The Secret Service and Michin & B-Fab in a triple-threat match, will face current champions Raquel Rodriguez & Roxanne Perez, Raw’s Kabuki Warriors (Asuka & Kairi Sane), and NXT’s Sol Ruca & Zaria.
This notable pairing of two decorated former singles champions has already surprised fans, and Flair aims to add another title to her illustrious career following her recent loss to Tiffany Stratton at WrestleMania 41, with no indication she’ll be backing out of this high-stakes championship opportunity.
When Ricky Stars received “the call” from Triple H about the possibility of WWE, he initially thought it was a prank. During a visit to Seattle, Triple H called Saints to express WWE’s interest in him, though not immediately for the main roster.
Saints spoke about his road from free agency to NXT gold during a recent conversation with longtime friend Cody Rhodes.
“Triple H called me. Just got off a flight to Seattle actually, and he called me and I was just like, ‘Uh,’ because I didn’t know the number, and it didn’t say Stamford or anything so I was like who is this? And I always answer it. Even if it’s an unknown, I’ll always answer…
So Hunter calls me, I’m getting off this flight in Seattle and I can barely hear him. The airport’s so loud and he asks me, ‘Hey, would you wanna come in?’ And, ‘We’re interested,’ blah, blah. ‘We’d love to have you. You’re talented,’ X, Y and Z and I was like, ‘Oh yeah, sure. Hell yeah.’” – Ricky Starks on What Do You Wanna Talk About? with Cody Rhodes
Saints was caught off guard when Triple H asked his next question.
– “Right as I’m getting on the tram, he says something about — he was like, ‘Raw or SmackDown’ and I was like, ‘Wait, what? What did you say?’ And I was so scared to say, ‘Hey, could you repeat yourself?’ Because I know how it feels, that I said, ‘Yeah, yeah, for sure.’”
Triple H’s invitation included a meeting with Shawn Michaels, leading Saints to eventually win the NXT North American Championship.
“Basically, what he was saying was, ‘Hey, we’re not gonna put you on Raw or SmackDown just yet…’ But he wanted me to meet Shawn (Michaels), and so that was like a big thing. I was like, ‘Of course I will. Yes, I would love that.’ That’s all I really wanted is just resources. I feel like I’m a rough diamond that just needs a little polishing.”
Check out the full interview right here:
Ricky Saints has quickly become a prominent figure in WWE NXT since his February 2025 debut, capturing the NXT North American Championship from Shawn Spears on April 1 before losing it to Ethan Page on May 27 in a heated rivalry that left Saints injured with a laryngeal contusion.
After recovering and winning a challenging Gauntlet Match against the Vanity Project trio on July 8, Saints is set to face Page in a Falls Count Anywhere match at the Great American Bash on July 12.
Broadcaster Scott Stanford, a longtime WWE employee, has announced his departure from the company after 15 years. He shared the news via Twitter, expressing gratitude and hope to return one day.
“When you walk out of the studio on your last day @WWE ! 15 year run… nothing but love! Hope to make it back one day!” – Twitter
Stanford joined WWE in 2009, hosting WWE Bottom Line and later becoming a commentator on WWE Superstars. In more recent years, he’s hosted pre-shows and studio programs such as Raw Talk, SmackDown LowDown, Afterburn, and This Week in WWE.
AEW Dynamite airs live tonight at 8:00 PM ET on TBS and Max from the Curtis Culwell Center in Garland, Texas. This is the go-home show for AEW All In: Texas, which takes place this Saturday, July 12th.
Confirmed Matches
All-Star 8-Man Tag Team Match features Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and The Young Bucks taking on Hangman Adam Page, Will Ospreay, Katsuyori Shibata, and Powerhouse Hobbs. This match brings together several ongoing storylines, with Page getting another chance to get his hands on Moxley ahead of their AEW World Championship match at All In: Texas.
Samoa Joe vs. Wheeler Yuta continues the feud between The Opps and the Death Riders. This singles match promises intense action as these factions continue their rivalry heading into the weekend.
4-Way Match for Casino Gauntlet Position will determine who gets the No. 2 spot in the Women’s Casino Gauntlet Match at All In: Texas. The competitors are Megan Bayne, Tay Melo, Queen Aminata, and Thekla, with the winner earning a significant advantage in Saturday’s gauntlet match.
TONIGHT!
It's the FINAL #AEWDynamite before #AEWAllInTexas! What are you looking forward to the most from the show?
Final Face-to-Face Between Champions brings together AEW Women’s World Champion “Timeless” Toni Storm and TBS Champion Mercedes Moné. This confrontation sets the stage for their highly anticipated championship match at All In: Texas, with tensions expected to reach a boiling point between these two champions.
“Talky Talk” Between Mark Briscoe and MJF promises to be explosive, as both wrestlers are known for their unfiltered mic work. This segment will further build their storyline heading into All In: Texas weekend.
Tonight’s Dynamite serves as the final opportunity to build momentum and storylines before Saturday’s All In: Texas pay-per-view event, making it a must-watch episode for AEW fans.
A recently released WWE star may have already returned to the company in a backstage role. Shayna Baszler, who was let go in May, was reportedly working as a producer for a match during this week’s episode of WWE NXT.
According to a report from Cory Hays of BodySlam, the former NXT Women’s Champion was listed as a producer for the match between Kelani Jordan and Lainey Reid on the July 8 edition of NXT. It was noted that Chris Girard (formerly Oney Lorcan) was also listed as a producer for the match. This is often a tryout process for former wrestlers looking to transition into a full-time backstage role with the company.
Baszler’s WWE release in May reportedly caught many in the company off-guard, as she had re-signed with the promotion in 2024. Before her release, she last competed on the April 11 episode of SmackDown as a member of the Pure Fusion Collective faction alongside Zoey Stark and Sonya Deville. Her potential return in a new capacity while still under a 90-day non-compete clause is a noteworthy situation.
Baszler was part of a larger group of talent cuts in May that included Braun Strowman, Dakota Kai, and Cora Jade. Kai has been teasing a return to the independent circuit under her former ring name while Jade has hit the ground running with several bookings.
A new power couple has come out of the ongoing second season of the WWE reality series, WWE LFG. Contestants Zena Sterling and Elijah Holyfield have officially confirmed that they are in a relationship, delighting fans of the show.
The two prospects, who have gained significant fan support for their chemistry and work ethic on the show, are now a public couple. Sterling confirmed the news on her Instagram account, posting a collection of photos with Holyfield along with the simple caption, “my ?.” The post was met with a wave of supportive comments from fellow WWE LFG contestants and WWE fans.
Sterling has been featured as a redemption story on this season of the show after not earning a contract during Season 1. Holyfield has also impressed coaches and the audience with his athletic ability and charisma. Their on-screen chemistry has been a talking point all season, and the confirmation of their real-life romance has fans hoping they both win developmental contracts at the season’s conclusion.
The second season of WWE LFG is nearing its end, with the finale scheduled to air in three weeks. Sterling and Holyfield are considered two of the front-runners to win the competition, which would award them both with official WWE NXT contracts. The final episodes will see the remaining contestants produce their own vignettes and compete in one last showcase match.
AEW is making changes to the format of its biggest show, All In. A new report indicates that this Saturday’s event from Arlington, Texas will feature a shorter runtime and a more condensed match card than in previous years.
According to Fightful Select, AEW All In Texas is scheduled to finish well before WWE’s Saturday Night’s Main Event airs at 8 p.m. ET. With the main card for All In set to start at 3 p.m. ET, the report suggests a total show length of under five hours. This marks a notable shift from other recent AEW pay-per-views, such as Dynasty, which ran for 4 hours and 23 minutes, and Double or Nothing, which lasted 4 hours and 30 minutes.
The report also states that the 2025 edition of All In will feature fewer matches than the 2023 and 2024 events. The updated lineup for this Saturday is as follows:
AEW World Championship Texas Death Match: Jon Moxley (c) vs. “Hangman” Adam Page
AEW Women’s World Championship: Toni Storm (c) vs. Mercedes Moné
Winner Takes All Match: Kazuchika Okada (AEW Unified Champion) vs. Kenny Omega (IWGP World Heavyweight Champion)
Swerve Strickland & Will Ospreay vs. The Young Bucks
TNT Championship: Adam Cole (c) vs. Kyle Fletcher
AEW World Tag Team Championships: Hurt Syndicate (c) vs. The Patriarchy vs. JetSpeed
WWE has announced 2 new matches for NXT Great American Bash.
This week’s episode of the development show featured a #1 contender Gauntlet match to determine the challenger for Ethan Page’s North American Championship.
Ricky Saints won the bout defeating names such as Brad Baylor, Ricky Smokes and Jackson Drake. The win also earned the former AEW star the right to choose the stipulation for the match. The former champion decided that the championship bout will be false count anywhere.
Apart from this, the company also announced a singles match between Je’Von Evans and Jasper Troy for the event following multiple encounters between the two.
NXT Great American Bash will take place from Center Stage in Atlanta, Georgia on July 12. The show will have a special start time of 3:00 p.m. ET. Here is the updated card for the event:
NXT Championship Match: Oba Femi (c) vs. Yoshiki Inamura (with Josh Briggs)
Tag Team Match: Jordynne Grace and Blake Monroe vs. Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne and Fallon Henley) (with Jazmyn Nyx)
NXT Women’s North American Championship Match: Sol Ruca (c) (with Zaria) vs. Izzi Dame (with Tatum Paxley)
Falls Count Anywhere North American Championship Match: Ethan Page (c) vs. Ricky Saints
Singles Match: Je’Von Evans vs. Jasper Troy
The company also announced several new names for Evolution 2 during the episode. You can check out more about it here.
The glaring omission of some big names, including that of Stephanie Vaquer and Asuka, from the official poster of the show made many wonder if the PPV will have enough star power.
The company confirmed that Asuka will be teaming with Kairi Sane to compete in the tag team title fatal four way at the show earlier this week, and now they’ve confirmed the match for Vaquer as well.
Tonight’s episode of NXT featured General Manager Ava revealing names that will represent NXT in the announced battle royal at the show. During the segment, Stephanie Vaquer, Natalya, and Maxxine Dupri all came out to confirm that they’ll be a part of the battle royal as well.
The Women-only WWE event will take place from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on Sunday, July 13. Here is the updated card for the show:
NXT Women’s Championship Match: Jacy Jayne (c) (with Fallon Henley and Jazmyn Nyx) vs. Jordynne Grace
Women’s World Championship Match: Iyo Sky (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
Fatal Four Way Tag Team Championship Match: The Judgment Day (Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez) (c) vs. Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss vs. Sol Ruca and Zaria vs. The Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane)
WWE 2K25 will be pulling on heartstrings with an upcoming storyline tribute that explores the legacy of the Wyatt Family. On Tuesday, July 8, the official WWE Games account teased the upcoming addition with a cryptic post hinting at major developments.
Additional details emerged from Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select, who reported that 2K considers this their most emotionally powerful narrative to date. This mode will also include previously unused Bray Wyatt material and include full-length video content from both Uncle Howdy and Bo Dallas.
WWE 2K25 launched in early 2025 and boasts the largest roster of any wrestling video game in history. Since then, several DLC bundles have been released, giving fans access to an even greater number of Superstars and legends.
Though Bray Wyatt sadly passed in 2023, his legacy lives on to this day. Now, fans will get to experience more from the former WWE Champion as part of WWE 2K25.
In 2009, Randy Orton was arguably at his most evil, and one of his most infamous moments saw him handcuff Triple H and DDT Stephanie McMahon during an episode of Raw. While Orton appeared confident, even sealing his twisted act with a kiss on McMahon, he was actually a bag of nerves.
At 324 million views and counting, the segment is one of WWE’s most-watched videos on YouTube. When the topic came up during McMahon’s ‘What’s Your Story’ podcast, Orton opened up on how he felt at the time.
“I was in my twenties, and I was so nervous. And so, not really realizing how cool of a moment it would have eventually been.”
The segment remains legendary to this day, despite Orton’s nerves. On the podcast, he shared that he was hoping at the time that the segment would go too long, forcing WWE to pull it from the broadcast. Talking about the ‘Iss-K’ as he felt uncomfortable recalling the kiss, Orton said the whole thing was “super awkward” for him.
Orton may have stood tall on the night, but Triple H got his payback, beating the Viper at WrestleMania 25 to retain the WWE Championship. While Orton and the Game have been both allies and enemies since then, kissing Stephanie is an act Randy is happy to leave in the past.
AEW made its entry into the video game world with AEW Fight Forever which after several delays, hit shelves in mid-2023. Although the game received mixed reviews, fans remain curious about whether AEW will release more games.
Mike Straw of Insider Gaming recently shared on X that talks regarding AEW’s next gaming ventures are gaining momentum. This time, however, AEW reportedly plans to avoid announcing projects too early — a lesson learned from the rollout of Fight Forever.
It's not AEW related. But I can tell you, talks have picked up more on the AEW games front.
What they won't do, however, is announce anything too early this time.
They know that was a mistake. When a new game/update comes, it will be closer to it's planned released. https://t.co/1lDlWrC5b2
AEW has reportedly been searching for a new development partner for upcoming projects and is expected to part ways with Yukes. Tony Khan has also confirmed that more AEW video games are indeed in the pipeline.
![WWE Star To Have Cameo Role In James Gunn’s Superman [Spoilers]](https://media.sescoops.com/uploads/2025/07/Superman-1-768x432.jpeg "WWE Star To Have Cameo Role In James Gunn’s Superman [Spoilers]")
