Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, along with WWE Raw stars Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch, attended the premiere of Moana 2 at the Lanik?honua Cultural Institute in Kapolei, Hawaii on November 21.

The reason behind so many wrestling stars at the premiere? Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson reprised his role as Maui in the film, the shapeshifting demigod who accompanies Moana on her journey.

Moana 2 is set to release in theatres on November 27, but premieres are being held in various locations. In Hawaii, Cody Rhodes attended the event with his wife Brandi and their three-year-old daughter, Liberty. You can check out the family’s photos below:

Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins were also there with their four-year-old daughter, Roux. WWE President Nick Khan was in attendance too, and so was Disney CEO Bob Iger. The Rock, who is currently filming the live-action Moana in Hawaii, was present at the screening.

The Rock in Moana

During the premiere, Johnson shared a touching moment with his mother, Ata, and showcased a traditional dance that highlighted the cultural and family themes central to the Moana films.

Moana 2 is expected to perform well at the box office, with projections for a massive $125 million to $135 million opening over the five-day Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Though the live-action Moana film is still years away (set for July 2026), a sneak peek of the live-action version of Maui, played by Johnson, was recently shown.

In related news, Cody Rhodes recently commented on The Rock’s role at WrestleMania 41, suggesting he could play a key part in the event. Meanwhile, Seth Rollins was rumored to appear in the latest trailer for Captain America: Brave New World, though he denied the speculation, saying the masked character who resembled him was not him.

Charlotte Flair appear to be signaling her imminent WWE return after nearly a year away, and fans couldn’t be more excited.

The multi-time World Champion shared a ten-second video on X depicting a block of ice bursting into the shape of a diamond. It reveals Charlotte’s image, logo, and name. The accompanying caption includes three diamond emojis.

Charlotte Flair’s Injury and Recovery Journey

The Nature Girl hasn’t stepped into a WWE ring since the December 8, 2023 episode of SmackDown, where she faced Asuka. During that match, Charlotte suffered a severe left knee injury, tearing her ACL, MCL, and meniscus. She underwent surgery in January 2024, keeping her on the sidelines ever since.

At the time of writing, Charlotte has not competed in a single match in 2024. Unless she returns next month, this will be the first year of her decade-long WWE career without in-ring activity.

Recovering from injuries of this magnitude typically takes around nine months. That would have been around September, but more recent reports suggest she might not be back until 2025. Charlotte’s teaser, however, is an encouraging sign.

In an October appearance on the Forever Young Podcast, Charlotte spoke candidly about her recovery. She admitted feeling as though her “life was over” after the injury but saw the hiatus as an opportunity to grow. She used the time off to reflect on her career and plan how to evolve her character.

During her recovery, Charlotte has remained active, frequently sharing training updates and footage of her fitness journey.

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On AEW Dynamite’s go-home episode for AEW Full Gear, scheduled for this Saturday, an interesting announcement was made. The Costco Guys, Big Boom A.J. and Big Justice, revealed in a backstage interview with Renee Paquette that The Rizzler will make an appearance at the event.

What will The Rizzler do? He’s set to serve as the guest timekeeper during A.J.’s match against QT Marshall on the Full Zero Hour pre-show.

You can check out the segment in the video below:

Who is The Rizzler?

For those scratching their heads, let me explain. If you are living under a social media rock, you wouldn’t know who The Rizzler is. The Rizzler is a seven-year-old social media sensation who has amassed a massive following—750,000 followers on Instagram and 1.3 million on TikTok.

The Rizzler, whose real name is Christian Joseph, is best friends with AJ’s son, “Big Justice.” Despite being only in third grade, he rose to fame after a viral video of him dressed as Marvel’s Black Panther captured hearts online. Since then, he has teamed up with social media stars The Costco Guys and regularly makes appearances on shows such as The Tonight Show.

AEW Full Gear 2024

Full Gear takes place this Saturday, November 23, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. As one of AEW’s flagship events, it boasts a stacked card featuring the promotion’s biggest stars. You can check out the full card of the event and preview here.

For more on Full Gear, check out our full guide on how to stream the event in the U.S. and internationally, along with the pay-per-view price. Also, don’t miss SEScoops’ expert predictions for the big event.

After his record-breaking fight with boxing legend Mike Tyson on Netflix, Jake Paul shared his thoughts on the match, Tyson, and other topics like Donald Trump, possibly joining WWE with his brother Logan, and more, on Logan Paul’s podcast Impaulsive. Here’s a summary of what they discussed in episode 436 of the podcast.

WWE

Jake expressed interest in joining WWE but preferred to be Logan’s manager/sidekick rather than wrestle full-time. Apart from his boxing endeavors, speaking about professional wrestling, Jake said that he would “love to” come to the WWE, but not as a full-time wrestler.

“I would want to be your Paul Heyman,” Jake told Logan. “I wouldn’t want to wrestle as much. Like I could do some sh*t, but I’d want to be your sidekick businessman.”

Logan said that he’d want to go for it, perhaps when Jake becomes the boxing world champion and retires and Logan is still wrestling. “I guess you could do it now, but it’s time-consuming,” Logan added.

However, Logan’s vision for the ultimate goal is for him to become WWE Champion, for Jake to become a boxing champion, and for Jake’s girlfriend, speed skater Jutta Leerdam, to win Olympic gold.

Trump/Political Content

Jake made a political video supporting Trump that reportedly influenced some Democratic voters to switch parties

“I had a bunch of Democratic people tell me they changed to Republican because of that video,” Jake revealed. The two brothers agreed that the positive reception of the video showed that people need to stop being divisive on political topics and have healthy discussions and be united for a better USA.

Jake mentioned trying to get Kamala Harris on his podcast, but she declined, even with offered editorial control

Logan Paul also mentioned that he tried to get Democratic Party nominee for the 2024 presidential election, Kamala Harris, to the Impaulsive podcast after Trump’s appearance. Even after he offered editorial control for the would-be episode, Harris still declined to appear.

“We gave her Final Cut,” the host said. “You can cut what you want from the podcast. We think our viewers would love to hear what you want to say. We’ll have a good conversation. It wasn’t a ‘gotcha’ podcast, and she just wouldn’t come on.”

Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson Fallout

The fight was streamed on Netflix, reaching 60 million households and approximately 250 million viewers. Jake Paul also revealed on the podcast that his goal is to be a world champion boxer. “That’s my goal. I’m literally boxing my whole life, and that creates a ton of dead time.”

Jake claims he didn’t feel Tyson’s punches, including a notable slap during promotion

Before the boxing match though, during the match’s promotions, Mike Tyson had slapped Jake Paul. This became a viral moment, and Jake revealed that he didn’t even feel the slap.

“I’m really not trying to be tough or something, I didn’t feel it [the slap] at all. I didn’t even feel a single thing. Not even like, ‘Oh my god, that hurt.’ It was all beard [on my face] so the skin didn’t even hurt. Didn’t wobble, feel stars, nothing.”

Being Friends with Tyson After the Fight

Logan asked his brother Jake if he thinks he would go back to being friends again after the mayhem that took place in the boxing match. Jake is pretty positive that they will be buddies soon enough.

“For sure,” Jake answered. “We already kind of showed each other a bunch of love in the ring. We just have respect for each other.”

Jake said that Mike was tired after the match and he “persevered for his age.” He added, “He totally tried and fought.”

Reaction to the Negativity

The match has its fair share of negative critics as well, notably about the performance from Mike Tyson and how Jake Paul often picks opponents that are much older than him in age. Jake said he has nothing to say to the negative reception and “hate” he’s receiving online.

“The people who understand the greatness of it, have their own lives, and are happy with themselves, they’re going to just show respect and praise. The haters who are jealous and don’t have anything going on in their sad and miserable lives want to bring this whole event, Mike, and me down.”

As for people who aren’t “hating” per se, but weren’t entertained from the fight, Jake says that such people just wanted him to lose. “That’s the only way they would have thought it was entertaining.” He added that he would receive hate even if he’d knocked out Tyson.   

Allegations that the fight was rigged

“‘Oh, it’s rigged because look at him on the pads, but he didn’t do this in the fight.’ Because someone is f**king punching back, you dumb f**ks. People don’t realise my power and my jab, my speed, ability, and my footwork to get out of the way of those punches. So all of a sudden, he’s throwing at literally air. He can’t land those punches on me.”

Was Mike Tyson Hard to Hit?

Jake said that despite his speed, Mike was still hard to hit and “elusive.” “I was missing [punches]. I don’t know how he gets off to the side like that.”

How Jake Paul Feels About the Tyson Fight

Jake said that he wishes Mike would have put up “a better fight so I could have risen more, done more.”

“He was surviving,” Jake described Mike Tyson in the ring. “That is the only thing I didn’t like.” As for the punches that Mike did land on Jake, the 27-year-old said that he “didn’t feel a thing.”

“It didn’t really hurt, he didn’t really land anything,” he added. Logan said that Jake’s large beard throws people off, because it’s hard to tell where his chin is. And this could have been a factor why Mike’s punches just scraped by Logan’s face.

Jake denied reports of making $90 million or $170 million but confirmed it was his highest payday

Jake denied the reports, stating that he made $90 million or $170 million from the fight. However, he did confirm that there was a lot of money made from the fight.

“I made a lot of money, the most money I’ve made ever,” he said. And what would he do with all that money? Buy a ranch.

Netflix Partnership

Jake Paul revealed that partnering with Netflix was a major factor that led to the fight’s success. “That was like the trifecta,” Jake said. “That made it all perfect is their involvement. It wouldn’t be as big if it was just me and Mike on some pay-per-view platform.”

Jake also revealed that he has a “severe underbite,” and he can’t do anything to fix his teeth because “I’ll just get hit, and they’ll move again.”

What’s next

As for what’s next for Jake, suggested that he would fight his brother Logan. “You’re just a tiny little guy,” Jake mockingly said to his older brother. However, Logan replied that ruining his little brother’s boxing career would be “so bad and mean.”

Game Changer Wrestling has announced that Nick Gage is set to face Matt Hardy at the GCW Now And Forever event on August 2.

This will be the first time the two would go against each other in the ring:

“*BREAKING* NICK GAGE returns and takes on the debuting MATT HARDY in a first time ever Dream Match THIS FRIDAY in CLEVELAND!” the announcement on GCW’s X/Twitter page reads.

“Im gonna cause matt hardy to feel physical pain when i fight him in Cleveland,” the 43-year-old wrestler wrote on X regarding the match.

Gage notably wasn’t able to appear on the GCW Worst Behavior on July 5, because of injury. He was subsequently advertised for events taking place on July 18 and 20, but he was still unable to make appearances due to the injury. He last competed on the June 14 event of GCW Lights Out, where he defeated Orin Veidt.  

Nick Gage has made a name for himself with his hardcore matches, after competing in GCW and on other indie promotions. Gage also made appearances for AEW in 2021, when he was involved in the feud between MJF and Chris Jericho.

Meanwhile, this would be Matt Hardy’s debut in GCW. His last televised match at the time of writing was at TNA iMPACT on July 21, where he teamed up with ABC (Ace Austin and Chris Bey) to defeat JDC and The System (Brian Myers and Eddie Edwards).

Hardy recently talked about his experience wrestling in Saudi Arabia for WWE, noting that he had a great time there with the people. However, he came back appreciating the freedoms of life in the US.

The Miz recently reminisced about his 2010 WWE Raw segment with Pee-wee Herman, portrayed by actor Paul Reubens. Miz revealed that this segment, which aired on November 1, 2010, remains his father’s favourite moment from his WWE career.

In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Miz discussed the segment where he and Alex Riley interrupted Reubens while he spoke to the crowd. “That’s my dad’s favourite thing I’ve ever done in WWE,” Miz said. “It’s not main-eventing WrestleMania or winning the WWE Championship twice. It’s me getting in the ring and having a verbal sparring match with Pee-wee Herman.”

Miz also shared that he had a hand in crafting the segment. Being a fan of Pee-wee Herman, Miz was thrilled when Reubens agreed to appear in character. “Earlier that day, his publicist mentioned that he wouldn’t come out as Pee-wee and would be himself,” Miz recalled. “I couldn’t believe it, so I approached him and asked, ‘Can we please do Pee-wee?’ He agreed, and I was pumped. I suggested doing the ‘I know you are but what am I?’ gag and the secret word, knowing it would be a hit, especially with me as the bad guy.”

“That was my childhood. I grew up watching Pee-wee, I wore the suit. I knew it would be so great,” he said.

“Paul was a really wonderful person and a great friend,” Miz said.

Reubens passed away on July 30, 2023, at the age of 70 from acute hypoxic respiratory failure. He was best known for his role as Pee-wee Herman, first seen in the 1980 film Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie.

The Miz is set to host the WWE SummerSlam Premium Live Event which will take place in his hometown, Cleveland, Ohio. Read more about that here.

Bryan Danielson is set to challenge Swerve Strickland for the AEW World Championship at AEW All In, but there’s a new report that highlights his health status before this big match.

The American Dragon’s recent comments about AEW doctor Doc Sampson advising him to refrain from wrestling until All In were based in reality according to Fightful Select. Bryan is not in optimal health, and has is being advised to limit his physical activity in the ring until the event on August 25. The report indicates that the plan for Danielson to be in the main event at All In has been in place for quite some time. However, due to his current condition, several pre-All In plans involving Danielson have been shelved.

We know Danielson’s AEW contract expires August 1 and Tony Khan is working hard to keep his 2024 Owen Hart Cup tournament winner under the ‘All Elite’ banner for years to come. In a recent video, Danielson confirmed the date of his AEW contract expiring.

“That’s true. August 1st, actually,” he said. “Next Thursday. My wrestling contract is up. Which also happens to be my son’s fourth birthday. I’m not saying this, like Tony talked about this in an interview, so I feel comfortable talking about it. I’m not MJF in this like trying to use my contract to be like ‘give me all the money!’. Yeah, my contract is up August 1st.”

The report notes that Danielson is expected to remain with AEW in a part-time capacity even after his contract expires. He is well-liked backstage and serves as a close advisor to AEW President Tony Khan, who expressed his hope that Danielson will stay with the company “as long as humanly possible.”

AEW: All In takes place Saturday, August 24, 2024 at London’s Wembley Stadium.

Mark Henry worked closely with former WWE boss Vince McMahon throughout his Hall of Fame career spanning Ning 1996-2021

McMahon resigned from WWE following accusations from former employee Janel Grant of abuse and trafficking her to other male employees. Henry weighed in on his former boss’s departure, telling veteran wrestling journalist Bill Apter that people in this industry come and go in various ways:

“I believe that there’s seasons for everything and eventually we’re all gonna be away from the business one way or the other. I mean, either by passing away or just the fact you retire or you get fired or you amicably separate or whatever it is, there’s always gonna be an exodus, and I think it was time for there to be that exodus.”

– Mark Henry on WrestleBinge

Mark Henry On How He Got Into Professional Wrestling

Mark Henry Recalls Hanging Up On Vince McMahon During Their First Conversation

Henry spent a long time in WWE under McMahon’s leadership. He retired following WrestleMania 33 and transitioned into a backstage producer role. Henry then debuted for AEW in May 2021, serving as a coach and a commentator for AEW Rampage. He left AEW in May 2024, stating he couldn’t dedicate 100% of himself to the company. McMahon was supportive of Henry’s decision to leave for AEW, stating, “You know everything you need to know. You go and if you feel like you need to go, (I) don’t necessarily want it, but if you feel like you need to go, then go. I know you’re going to be successful,” as Henry recalled.

McMahon stepped down from his roles in June 2022 after hush money agreements for affairs with former WWE employees came to light. He returned the following year as executive chairman of the newly formed TKO Group Holdings, following the merger of WWE with UFC by Endeavor Group Holdings. But McMahon parted ways with WWE again in January 2024 due to Janel Grant’s lawsuit alleging abuse and trafficking.

McMahon is also facing a federal investigation apart from the Grant lawsuit.

Team McMahon Responds As DOJ Launch Probe Into Ex-WWE Chairman

Another star voiced their opinion on Vince McMahon: Ronda Rousey. Speaking to CBS Sports, Rousey said, “Anyone’s better than Vince McMahon” when it comes to running the wrestling promotion.

WWE has filed a new trademark, and it’s for current NXT Champion Ethan Page.

The trademark, “Ethan Page”, was filed by WWE on July 10. You can check out the description of the filing below.

“Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibitions and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer rendered and through broadcast media including television and radio, and via the internet or commercial online service; providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network; providing information in the fields of sports and entertainment via an online community portal; providing a website in the field of sports entertainment information; fan club services, namely, organizing sporting events in the field of wrestling for wrestling fan club members; organizing social entertainment events for entertainment purposes for wrestling fan club members; providing online newsletters in the fields of sports entertainment; online journals, namely blogs, in the field of sports entertainment.” 

Ethan Page in WWE and NXT Championship Win

Ethan Page’s AEW contract had ended earlier this year, and the star set his sights to WWE, where he claimed the NXT Champion shortly after.

Page won the title at NXT Heatwave on July 4, 2024, that took place at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The match for the NXT Championship was a fatal four-way one involving defending champion Trick Williams, Je’Von Evans, and Shawn Spears.

The 34-year-old clinched the victory in the title match when Williams hit the Trick Shot move on Page, who fell on Evans, prompting a pin from the referee. This “accidental way of winning the title” finish was met with some mixed opinion with fans, but it seems like WWE has some more ideas to do with Page with the recent trademark filing.

As for his time in AEW, Page said in an appearance on the Talk’n Shop podcast that he was mind-blown by how organized things are in WWE compared to the promotion he worked at previously.

RELATED: New NXT Champion Ethan Page: “I Knew This Was Going to Happen”

AEW star Chris Jericho recently addressed his potential retirement from professional wrestling, stating that he will know when it’s time to hang up his boots.

Appearing on the McGuire on Wrestling podcast, Jericho opened up about retirement from in-ring action, revealing that for now, he hasn’t thought about it.

The current FTW Champion is an active member of the AEW roster, leading the stable The Learning Tree. For now, Jericho doesn’t seem like he’s going to stop anytime soon in the ring.

Chris Jericho on John Cena’s Retirement Announcement

Speaking of retirements, one wrestler who is in fact going to retire soon is John Cena, who recently announced his farewell tour.

On the same podcast, Jericho was asked to share his thoughts about Cena’s retirement tour.

Jericho added that fans know this is going to be it for Cena, as he’s not the type to say anything lightly. “I’m sure it’s going to be a really great year-and-a-half for Cena fans and for John Cena himself,” he added.

Cena made his surprise return at WWE Money in the Bank, where he announced his retirement. It is not yet known when and where his final match will take place, but we will see him in action at major events such as Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber, and WrestleMania.

Veteran Superstar Natalya has built a legendary WWE career that began in 2007. The third generation wrestler is member of the legendary Hart family wrestling dynasty. She’s the daughter of Jim Neidhart and granddaughter of Hart Family patriarch Stu.

During a wide-ranging discussion with McKenzie Mitchell for Threads with McKenzie Mitchell, the ‘Queen of Harts’ revealed that her nephew Maddox is training to wrestle.

Maddox Neidhart is the son of Natalya’s younger sister, Kristen. He’s only 12 years old, but he’s training at Natalya and husband Tyson Kidd’s world-renowned Dungeon 2.0 training facility.

“Maddox is very inspired. I think there will be a fourth-generation Hart.”

– Natalya Neidhart to McKenzie Mitchell

Maddox Neidhart’s favorite wrestler is Jey Uso. Natalya says Jey sent Maddox a personalized video and sent him a few gifts, including a t-shirt he wore to the ring and a pair of his sunglasses.

Check out Natalya Neidhart’s appearance on Threads with McKenzie Mitchell:

Natalya Neidhart and the Hart Dynasty

Natalya Neidhart’s father Natalya’s father, Jim “The Anvil” Neidhart, married Ellie Hart, who is one of Stu Hart’s daughters. This makes Natalya a member of the Hart family through her mother. As a result of this lineage, she’s related to other famous wrestlers from the Hart family, including uncles Bret “The Hitman” Hart and Owen Hart.

Her connection to the Hart family has played a significant role in her wrestling career, as she trained in the Hart family Dungeon under her uncles Ross and Bruce Hart.

More from Natalya

In another recent interview, Natalya recalled that wrestling legend Rey Mysterio gifted her a custom-made pair of wrestling boots, which she has worn on many occasions in the ring.

Natalya also talked about which female star she admired during her early WWE days, who was a roster member and messaged Natalya on MySpace when she got hired by WWE.

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes recently talked about his career trajectory following his monumental WrestleMania XL win over Roman Reigns, and revealed his future plans in the ring. Appearing on The Pivot Podcast, Rhodes discussed the Mount Rushmore of wrestling and his aspirations to secure his place among the industry’s legends.

Rhodes stated that after achieving significant milestones in his professional wrestling career, he looks up to industry icons like “Stone Cold” Steve Austin and John Cena, comparing his “numbers and stats” with theirs to ensure he matches or even surpasses their achievements.

“There’s even like a post-WrestleMania blues psychology-wise, like what’s the next thing? So I always need a task; what’s my specific task? And that’s an area where I look to Steve Austin and I look to John Cena who are the lead dogs.

This is not me in my ego, I have this [the championship], so I’m currently in front of the pack, right?
I’m the lead dog, as long as I have this. I want to make sure that my numbers — and it’s not the most emotional goal or anything — but I want to make sure my numbers and stats match theirs or supersede theirs because you can’t argue with that.”

Cody Rhodes on his career aspirations after WrestleMania XL win.

After ‘Finishing The Story’ at WrestleMania, Cody Rhodes defended his title at Backlash France against AJ Styles and at King and Queen of the Ring against Logan Paul. On May 31, AJ Styles attacked Rhodes during what seemed like a retirement speech. Rhodes later defeated Styles in an “I Quit” match at Clash at the Castle, but was assaulted by The Bloodline afterward, with Randy Orton and Kevin Owens making the save.

On June 21, Rhodes faced Solo Sikoa in a match that ended in disqualification due to Bloodline interference, followed by the debut of Jacob Fatu. At Money in the Bank, The Bloodline (Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Fatu) defeated Rhodes, Orton, and Owens in a six-man tag match, with Rhodes being pinned by Sikoa.

The American Nightmare was recently featured in the Video announcing the return of WWE Bad Blood. Check out the details here.

After a recent report suggested that Stephanie Vaquer is set to leave CMLL with interest from WWE and AEW, a new report claims the female wrestler actually has significant time left on her current CMLL deal.

According to Luchablog, the length of the current CMLL World Women’s Champion’s contract is “not expected to matter much,” as the promotion has granted permission to other wrestlers in the past if they receive a big offer from an American promotion.

The blog also noted that Vaquer has a “lot of loyalty” towards CMLL, but the promotion won’t be able to match what AEW and WWE could offer.

The interest from WWE and AEW stems from Vaquer’s performance at the AEWxNJPW: Forbidden Door event. While she lost the NJPW Strong Women’s title to Mercedes Mone, her performance has sparked significant interest from these companies.

Vaquer has been part of CMLL since 2019, has held the CMLL World Women’s Tag Team Championship, and is currently in her first reign as CMLL World Women’s Champion.

Record reported that WWE and AEW executives approached Stephanie Vaquer after her performance at Forbidden Door. Vaquer is expected to decide which company to join in the coming days. The deal is anticipated to be a multi-year agreement.

As of now, Vaquer is set to defend her CMLL World Women’s Championship against Lluvia at FantasticaMania USA 2024 on Saturday, July 31.

Hangman Adam Page returned on this week’s AEW Dynamite as Jeff Jarrett’s mystery opponent in the Men’s Owen Hart Foundation Tournament.

Marking his first AEW appearance since Revolution in March, the former AEW World Champion battled the veteran Jarrett, a former tag partner of the late Canadian legend.

Page was a surprise entrant, chosen by The Elite as their wild card. He showed no signs of ‘ring rust’ as he executed his signature moves, the Buckshot Lariat and the Deadeye, en route to a dominant victory.

With this win, the cowboy advanced to the semifinals, where he’ll face Jay White this Saturday, July 6 on AEW Collision.

Is Hangman Elite?

After the match, Page was in a backstage segment with the Young Bucks. Page looked pretty aggressive, and the Bucks said they lifted his suspension and got him a spot in the tournament. They hinted at a partnership moving forward for their upcoming Blood & Guts match as the Elite.

Page declined their proposal and let them know things are different these days. He warned the EVP’s that he is not their child, puppet, nor is he associated with the Elite. He’s focused on winning the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament and won’t be distracted by them.

Britt Baker made her return to All Elite Wrestling at Forbidden Door on June 30, confronting Mercedes Mone, who had just retained her TBS title and became the NJPW Strong Women’s Champion against Stephanie Vaquer.

Baker, who hadn’t been seen in AEW for months, addressed her absence on Beach Break on July 3. She revealed on Dynamite that her condition towards the end of 2023 was not good. She suffered from burnout, two herniated disks, and an injured hip labrum.

The Dentist explained that she started feeling sick and experienced symptoms such as blurry vision and a numb and tingly right arm. She was diagnosed with a Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA), which worsened, causing her entire right side to stop working, leading to a week-long hospital stay.

Fortunately, Baker’s health has improved, allowing her to return to AEW. The 33-year-old stated that she is now in good health and ready for in-ring action. Her first target upon return is Mercedes Mone, who she challenged for a match at AEW All In: London in August. However, Mone wasn’t keen on giving Baker a chance at her title and the match is not official just yet.

CEO vs. DMD

Mercedes Mone and Britt Baker have spoken about wanting to work together before, but their on-screen dynamic is far more tense now that this match is likely happening this summer.

At Sunday’s AEW Forbidden Door post-show media scrum, Mone spoke about the significance of winning the Strong Women’s Championship. She took the opportunity to address Baker’s surprise return after her match, which she felt was a poor choice.

“Well, I know a certain bitch wanted to come out and decided to steal my spotlight, right? But that’s not gonna happen, because I’m gonna party all night long and show her that I am Mercedes Mone for a reason. And there’s a price to pay when you interrupt me, ok.”

AEW All In 2024 takes place Saturday, August 25 from London’s historic Wembley Stadium.

Will Ospreay proudly identifies as autistic, describing it as a ‘superpower’ that has elevated his wrestling abilities to a ‘superhero’ and ‘super genius’ level.

The reigning AEW International Champion recently spoke with Alistair McGeorge of Metro and explained why he doesn’t view the condition as a hinderance. Instead, he embraces being neurodivergent and feels it’s enabled him to become one of the top wrestlers today.

“I feel like it’s excelled my abilities to the point where I do think I’m at a superhero level, super genius level of pro wrestling now.”

Ospreay opened up about the way his mind works, and said his autism has helped him dive into something he genuinely loves and (wrestling) and become so great at it that he can share his passion with others. He enjoys being a role model and showing fans th hopes some of his fans they should fight through things holding them back.

“I do understand when people see someone and go, “I’ve got the same thing as you do and you’re on this stage. If anyone is struggling with that and is struggling to find their joy and their happiness, because they feel like this is holding you back – don’t let it hold you back. Look straight ahead at where you want to get to and then you’ll find a way of getting there.”

Earlier this year, Ospreay appeared on the Hey! EW digital series and discussed his the challenges he faced growing up with learning difficulties. Even as an adult, he needed to have someone his AEW contract to him.

“I just want to show people that, yeah, I’ve got autism,” Ospreay said. “I have ADHD as well. I’m super dyslexic. I can’t read. I had to have someone read my contract out for me.”

Ospreay is proud to show people that you can still achieve your dreams, no matter what obstacles you may face.

The former IWGP Champion became emotional after his bout with Swerve Strickland at AEW Forbidden Door 2024. You can check out what happened after the show went off the air here.

The Undertaker is one of the most iconic figures in WWE history. He recently shared his thoughts on who he thinks should defeat Roman Reigns and capture his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship belt.

During a recent conversation with Ariel Helwani for BT Sport, the Dead Man said he believes the right person for this job is none other than Cody Rhodes.

The American Nightmare returned from his injury at the Royal Rumble in January, and came out as the winner of the 30-man battle royale. He challenged Reigns for his title on the January 30 episode of Raw, for a match at WrestleMania 39.

Is Cody Rhodes the man to dethrone Roman Reigns?

The Undertaker recommending Cody Rhodes just goes to show how important it is to find the right competitor to defeat Reigns. Reigns has been a force to be reckoned with in the WWE for quite some time now. He has become the top dog in the company and bringing him down is something that needs a lot of planning and proper execution. It will also take someone who has the skills and charisma to pull it off and look believable. The wrestler should also have the staying power to take Reigns’ spot.

It seems like Cody Rhodes fits the bill perfectly when it comes to all these things, according to The Undertaker. Rhodes has momentum in the company currently, has the fan support and is good in the ring as well as the mic. He could make for a believable Universal Champion. He has also proved his mettle during his tenure in AEW.

Apart from Cody Rhodes, The Undertaker also mentioned Sami Zayn as a potential “dark horse” candidate to defeat Reigns. Zayn has been with the WWE for many years, and has had many highs and lows in his career. Being a reliable performer in the ring who WWE could trust, it would make sense why the Deadman himself would think Zayn is another good pick to take down Reigns.

• The Undertaker: ‘A Lot Of WWE Talent Don’t Understand The Concept of Protecting a Character’

The WWE Intercontinental Championship, while being a midcard belt, holds significant importance in the company. It has been a staple of the professional wrestling industry for decades now. Even today, it is still a valuable milestone to reach in a wrestler’s career.

The Intercontinental Championship is currently held by Gunther in WWE, and he is set to defend his title at WrestleMania 39 against the winner of a #1 contender’s match between Drew McIntyre and Sheamus.

According to a new report by Fightful Select, Gunther’s plans for WrestleMania 39 were set as early as December 2022.

The original rumors had suggested that Gunther would defend his title against former WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar. However, these plans did not come to fruition. Lesnar is instead now scheduled to face Omos at WrestleMania 39.

Instead, Gunther will defend his WWE Intercontinental Championship against the winner of the #1 contender’s match. This could be either McIntyre or Sheamus, and either competitor would make for an entertaining bout at the Grandest Stage of Them All.

The match came about when Sheamus and McIntyre both won in the Fatal 5-Way match to determine the number one contender.

Gunther’s Intercontinental Championship Reign

The leader of Impreium also recently reached a milestone as the Intercontinental champ.

Gunther won the title on June 10, 2022 edition of WWE SmackDown. He ended Ricochet’s 98-day reign that night. Gunther successfully defended his title against the likes of Braun Strowman, Rey Mysterio, and Shinsuke Nakamura since then.

At the time of this writing, Gunther has held the title for over 276 days. He broke the record of Shelton Benjamin’s reign of 244 days back from 2004.

This feat made Gunther the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion of the 21^st century, which was even acknowledged by WWE. It remains to be seen if the champ can continue to hold on to the title and extend his record.

Former Tag Team Champion Cedric Alexander has teased going to WWE NXT to challenge for the brand’s North American Championship.

Wes Lee, who won the title in a Fatal 4-Way match at Halloween Havoc, issued an open challenge for anyone to face him for this belt.

Alexander expressed his interest in facing the champion by taking to Twitter and writing that he is free on Tuesday nights, and has never challenged for the NXT North American title. He asked Lee if he is feeling “froggy.”

Alexander was involved with The Hurt Business stable. While that did wonders for fellow stablemate Bobby Lashley as he went on to capture the WWE Championship, Alexander didn’t get much of a major push during that time.

The Hurt Business then broke up, and Alexander was not seen on WWE TV for quite some time. Being inactive and with nothing to do on the main roster, it seems like going to NXT might be a good idea for the 33-year-old wrestler.

Alexander has actually made a few appearances on the black and gold brand before. While Lee and Alexander have never faced each other in the ring, it will likely be a good match considering how Lee has had a solid run so far and Alexander is good with high-flying in the ring.

Alexander didn’t start with NXT in the WWE because he made his debut for the company in 2016 at the 205 Live roster. He even became the Cruiserweight Champion and had some entertaining matches with the likes of Mustafa Ali, Buddy Murphy, and Drew Gulak.

It remains to be seen if Alexander can actually get a chance to face Wes Lee for the NXT North American Championship. And even if he does, only time will tell if he will be successful in capturing the title for himself.

WWE announced its first inductee into the 2023 Hall of Fame on March 10. In a video package on SmackDown, the company revealed that Rey Mysterio is going to be part of the class.

Fans and the wrestling industry alike were delighted, as they all believe Mysterio deserves to be in the WWE Hall of Fame. Among these is Hulk Hogan, who is a HOFer himself.

In a video released on his channel, Hogan reacted to Mysterio’s induction, and congratulated the 48-year-old wrestler.

“You know Maniacs, I was watching WWE the other night and I was real curious who the first inductee to the 2023 Hall of Fame was. Oh my gosh, it’s Rey Mysterio! No one is more deserving! A champion, a great man, a great father, and a great husband! He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame! For years and years and years he’s carried the torch.”

Related: Who Will Induct Rey Mysterio Into the WWE Hall of Fame?

However, Hogan did not just stop there. He went on to request something from the company in regard to the Hall of Fame.

“But then I thought, you know… who could be next? Who could be just as deserving?”

Hogan said that the next inductees should be The Rougeau Brothers, a former WWE tag team who were known as The Fabulous Rougeaus. Hogan spoke highly of Jacques Rougeau and Raymond Rougeau, describing them as one of the greatest tag teams of all time.

“My first thought was, one of the greatest tag teams of all times, The Rougeau Brothers! Jacques Rougeau, brother, and his brother Raymond Rougeau! Those two guys need to be in the Hall of Fame. I’m voting for them! Hopefully, they’ll be the next inductees in the Hall of Fame, man! I just think it might happen, I’ve got a really good feeling about that one brother!”

You can check out the full video from Hulk Hogan below:

Former WWE Divas Champion Kelly Kelly recently opened up about the things that she misses (and doesn’t) from her professional wrestling career.

Speaking on GAW TV, Kelly gave her opinions on the wrestling industry as well as her time as a wrestler.

Kelly said that one thing she misses the most from her time as a wrestler is the camaraderie and the “family atmosphere.” As wrestlers travel with each other to different locations every week, they end up spending a lot of time together. This fosters a sense of close friendship among many of them.

Kelly also said that she loved to perform in front of the world every night and even called it “just the best feeling in the world.”

What Kelly Kelly Does Not Miss About Wrestling  

There are also some things that Kelly Kelly does not miss from her time in wrestling. One of them is taking bumps. “I really was like, ‘Just beat the s*** out of me.’ Now, I’m like, ‘Please, God, don’t touch me,'” she confessed.

Taking bumps is an essential part of wrestling, wrestlers have to do it regularly when they are competing. It is absolutely necessary, but it can take a toll on the body. It is completely understandable why Kelly would not miss taking bumps, as it can even lead to long-term injuries and chronic pain over time.

Kelly has since then been a model, reality TV star, and influencer. She also made a few appearances here and there in wrestling, particularly in the women’s Royal Rumble.

H/T to WrestlingInc. for the quotes used in this article.

Vince McMahon was present at Raw backstage, and he also attended the 3/4 tapings in Boston. According to a recent report, it appears that McMahon does have some kind of input when it comes to running shows.

In Dave Meltzer’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it is noted that Vince McMahon was at the tapings in Boston to visit John Cena. However, he ended up staying for the entire show and was in Gorilla all night. Even though McMahon was there, it was Levesque who was giving the orders backstage and producing the show.

Levesque is in charge of creative for WWE. Many would believe that McMahon is no longer involved in the creative process by this point, but it seems that it may not be the case. The report notes that Levesque himself has said that he would be happy to take input from McMahon, who has a wealth of “knowledge and experience,” considering he’s been in the professional wrestling industry for decades.

Meltzer noted that things such as Gable being called “short and ugly”, and calling Johnny Gargano “short and a comic book fan” are “fingerprints” of Vince McMahon. Elements of his influence, if you will. However, Levesque is more focused on the wrestling aspect of the presentation in WWE.

What we can take away from this though, is that Vince McMahon’s ideas are still very much a part of the company. He is, after all, McMahon has left an indelible mark on every aspect of the company with his influence.

A picture of Vince McMahon backstage also went viral online, claiming that he has a mustache. Even though it is claimed that he really does have a mustache backstage at Raw, the picture itself was doctored.

WWE announced today that Bad Bunny will host Backlash on Saturday, May 6, live from the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Bad Bunny, who hails from Vega Baja, Puerto Rico, expressed his excitement about the event, stating, “In 2005 when I was a kid, I wasn’t able to attend New Year’s Revolution at el Coliseo. Finally, 18 years later WWE returns to the island with a massive event and this time I won’t miss it.”

WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque also expressed his excitement about bringing the event to San Juan, saying, “We’re excited to bring Backlash to San Juan as the demand for WWE premium live events outside of the continental United States continues to grow. Bad Bunny is one of the world’s most-popular entertainers and nowhere is that more evident than in his native Puerto Rico.”

Bad Bunny first appeared in WWE in January 2021 at the Royal Rumble. He later had his biggest match at WrestleMania 37 in April, where he teamed up with Damian Priest to defeat The Miz and John Morrison in a tag team match. Bunny also returned to the 2022 Royal Rumble, where he participated in the men’s Royal Rumble.

Backlash is the first WWE premium live event to take place in Puerto Rico since January 2005. This was New Year’s Revolution, which took place at the same arena where Backlash is scheduled to take place. It was also WWE’s first PPV event in Puerto Rico and Latin America.

The wrestling giant is also going to hold its King & Queen of the Ring in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on May 27, with London, England serving as the location for July 1’s Money in the Bank event.

During the main event match between Bryan Danielson and MJF at AEW Revolution on March 5^th, the latter threw a beverage at a child in the front row.

This started a heated debate among fans online, on whether this was okay to do in the name of being a “heel.”

In the aftermath of the incident, AEW owner Tony Khan addressed the media at a post-PPV scrum, where MJF also made some bold statements about his status as the best wrestler in the world. While many wanted to hear Khan’s response to the incident, MJF basically brushed it off with a joke, claiming that he threw the drink because “the kid looked thirsty.”

However, Khan clarified that the incident was taken seriously and that he had spoken to the young fan, identified as Titus. Despite MJF’s dismissive attitude, Khan acknowledged that throwing a drink at a child was not acceptable behavior, especially from a champion who is supposed to set an example for others.

While Titus may have been a “real champ” about the incident, many argue that it was not fair to put him in that position in the first place.

The incident has also raised broader questions about the culture of professional wrestling and the role that performers play in shaping that culture. MJF is known for his heel work and pushing the limits when it comes to playing his villainous character, but some don’t agree that acting like this with a child is acceptable.

In this case, MJF’s behavior is being criticized as disrespectful and potentially harmful to the young fan involved. While it is ultimately up to AEW to decide how to handle the situation, it is clear that fans and critics alike will be closely watching to see what actions are taken to address the incident and if MJF will tone down his persona when interacting with fans.

WWE has found another diamond in the rough in Solo Sikoa.

Wrestling is all about creating larger-than-life characters that resonate with audiences and become legends in their own right. WWE has made some bonafide superstars – and Sikoa could be getting this treatment next.

Sikoa has been impressive since his debut on NXT. He’s continued to wow audiences and critics alike on the main roster. Most recently he picked up an impressive victory over Sami Zayn in the main event of Friday’s SmackDown.  

Undefeated Sikoa Primed for Greatness

On the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer stated that WWE plans to build and protect Sikoa. In time he’s slated for a massive showdown against none other than Roman Reigns.

Sikoa’s impressive streak on the main roster is worth noting, as he has not suffered a clean singles loss on TV, nor has he lost any singles matches at non-televised events.

This is a testament to the creative team’s belief in him and their desire to protect him as they build towards something big. Sikoa has already been involved in some big matches, including The Bloodline’s WarGames win, where he played an integral role in the victory. He has also defeated some notable names, including Sheamus, Dolph Ziggler, and Mustafa Ali.

Solo Sikoa was brought in to help Reigns retain his title over Drew McIntyre at WWE Clash at The Castle, and a feud with Reigns would make for a very engaging storyline with The Bloodline. This would be a significant match for both wrestlers, as Reigns is currently the top dog in WWE, and Sikoa is still establishing himself as a future star. If booked correctly, this could be a career-defining moment for Solo Sikoa. Solo Sikoa, he has all the tools to become a future WWE superstar. He has the look, the charisma, and the in-ring skills to succeed in WWE, and he has already shown that he can handle himself where it counts.