WWE Champion Drew McIntyre believes that Vince McMahon is seemingly able to “predict the future.” Speaking with Rebellious Noise, McIntyre opened up about Vince labeling him the “Chosen One” during his first run with WWE. According to him, he never felt the pressure of the recognition at the time due to his age.

Drew McIntyre explained how “[…] when I was younger, nothing fazed me, so I didn’t see it as pressure. I saw it as something that was really cool, but I did learn a lot.” He admitted how, looking back with hindsight, he knew he wasn’t ready. He stressed how he wouldn’t change a thing as it was all part of his journey—a journey that eventually led him to claim the promotion’s top prize in the main event of WrestleMania. 

Drew McIntyre, “The Chosen One”

Drew McIntyre still remembers the promo that Vince McMahon cut where he referred to him as a future world champion. He shared how he didn’t know Vince was going to say that. “I was supposed to just go out there and talk, then Vince comes out and says something.” McIntyre revealed how he was watching alongside everyone else and how it was surreal to have to consider the situation “normal.” 

With Drew McIntyre defeating Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 36, Vince McMahon’s early predictions finally came true. McIntyre stated how Vince has a crystal ball and is seemingly able to predict the future. He shared how Vince would talk about the WWE Network long before the WWE Network existed. He highlighted how Vince had claimed he would be a “future world champion” without specifying exactly when that was going to happen. 

Former WWE Superstar Christian has shared his thoughts on Edge’s Last Man Standing Matchup at WrestleMania 36. His longtime friend and former tag team partner faced off against Randy Orton at “The Show of Shows.”

When asked on WWE show The Bump what he thought of their clash, Christian joked how “It was alright.”

He highlighted how it’s unheard of for anybody to come back from the kind of injury that forced Edge to retire back in 2011. Christian noted how “it wasn’t in the setting or the environment that […] they both had hoped it would be in” due to the coronavirus pandemic. To him, however, it doesn’t matter if there was a crowd present or not: as soon as Edge’s music hit and he walked down the ramp, it became one of WrestleMania’s “greatest moments.” 

Christian considered match itself to be the “[…] hard-hitting, a–kicking streetfight match that it needed to be. That’s what this match was built up to to be, and I think they delivered.”

Looking to the future, Christian shared who he’d love to see Edge feud with going forward. He joked about wanting to see Braun Strowman “kick his ass.” He then listed some of WWE’s top Superstars including Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, AJ Styles, and even “The Fiend” Bray Wyatt.

WWE NXT Superstar Dakota Kai believes another Women’s championship could work on the black-and-gold brand. Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Kai argued that adding an additional belt for the women’s division is “so feasible for us.” 

Kai explained how their roster is stacked with talented women with additional storylines and narrative opportunities outside of the title picture. She believes that with another title, these storylines could have added meaning as they “would be fighting for something.” 

She believes a secondary title could be used well and “isn’t such a crazy idea.” Kai pointed to Io Shirai and Candice LeRae’s match at TakeOver: Toronto and her TakeOver: Portland bout against Tegan Nox as examples where a title could have heightened the matches even more. 

Dakota Kai On Moving To RAW Or SmackDown

Having become a fixture of the NXT Women’s division, Kai confessed that, even if RAW or SmackDown came calling, her heart is with NXT. She explained how being on the USA Network makes it more realistic for Superstars to simply stay on NXT. 

“That’s not to say that, in the future, Raw or SmackDown are completely off the table to me, but there is a certain family element in NXT that you can’t get anywhere else. That comes back to what I was saying about the NXT women’s division. We all want the best for the brand, and that’s hard to come by. I would love to stay here.”

Dakota Kai competed last night on NXT. She teamed with Raquel Gonzalez, defeating the team of Tegan Nox and Shotzi Blackheart.

Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, travel was a given if you’re a WWE Superstar. Wrestlers have often spoken about the rigors of WWE’s schedule. It isn’t uncommon for a Superstar to be frequently to perform either in-ring or media duties. On a recent episode of A Little Late With Lilly Singh, Alexa Bliss, Natalya, and Paige opened up about having to travel with a WWE championship belt. 

Bliss shared how a WWE champion has to take their belt everywhere with them. “It’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, I won a title,’ and they are like yes, now you have to carry it through TSA.”

She explained how it can occasionally get you into weird, embarrassing situations. Bliss recalled a time when she tried to stow her bag into a plane’s overhead locker.

According to Alexa Bliss, the bag just wouldn’t fit. Eventually, she was requested to check the bag, which she wanted to avoid. She was told she would have to take something out of her bag to make it fit. “[…] of course, the only thing that I can take out was the title and then of course miraculously my bag fit. I had to sit there and be that person, that in case you didn’t know I’m the champ, I’m sitting in my airport seat with my title.”

Paige’s Travel Woes

Paige then recalled a travel story where her look ended up causing her to come under suspicion. Despite having the championship in her bag, “they were all focused on my jacket.” She shared how her in-ring jacket had stones and metal on it. This caused security to pull it out and question her.

According to Paige, she was asked if she intended to use her spiked jacket as a weapon. After having a crowd gather to inspect it, she was finally allowed through as they had no choice but to admit it was just a jacket.

Arn Anderson has revealed that WWE did not Dolph Ziggler to use the Superkick. Anderson spoke about it during a recent episode of his ARN Podcast. During the episode, the WWE Hall of Famer also broached why Ziggler has never been “the top guy” in WWE.

Anderson explained how WWE wants “blind devotion” from their Superstars. According to him, Ziggler had a long-standing opinion regarding Superkicks that he would actively voice. Anderson shared how WWE expected the Superkick to be retired after Shawn Michael’s stopped performing. It was a decision Ziggler took issue with. 

“You can’t retire moves. How many Superkicks do you see today for God’s sake? Probably one in every single match, in every company,” Arn Anderson said. “So, that was a heated issue years ago, but Dolph, he had an opinion and he would voice it. The guy was never a question amongst all the producers. He worked his ass off and once we got to Gorilla, no matter if he agreed to what’s going on or not, he would go out and give you 100 percent.”

Arn Anderson On Dolph Ziggler Being A Top Guy

Arn Anderson confessed he was a big fan of Dolph Ziggler. He noted how some people may have complained about him when he was on the card, but argued that Ziggler is a performer that “made everybody better than what they were.” 

This forced the question: why wasn’t he one of the top guys? Anderson confessed he doesn’t have an answer as to why upper management has never viewed Ziggler as a top talent. He explained how Ziggler is a wealthy man who, he feels, may have been smart with his money. Anderson shared how he wouldn’t be surprised if Ziggler eventually got tired of how he is viewed or treated by WWE.

Arn Anderson believes, if that day comes, Ziggler will “[…] thump down the steps and take off his boots and walk out the door and you’ll never hear from him again, and he will have accomplished what he wanted to in the business. Left on his own terms.”

NXT Superstar Dakota Kai has shared her thoughts on the recent releases by WWE. Speaking with Sporting News, Kai touched on WWE’s decision and whether she was worried she would be one of them. 

Dakota Kai admitted that it was a “genuinely heartbreaking” experience to watch the releases be announced. She explained how she discovered the news unfold alongside the rest of the world. Noting how many of those let go were her peers, Kai added how it’s been a tough time. “But it’s tough for every company right now. WWE is in the limelight. All of that stuff was made public.”

The Superstar reflected on how her brother still has a job despite others in his company having been let go. She stressed how everyone is struggling during this “strange, sad time.”

“No matter what your position is in the company, it is always that sort of unknown, right?” Kai argued. “No one’s ever 100 hundred percent safe, so it was terrifying in that sense. I’m super grateful to still be able to do what I’m doing.”

Dakota Kai On Elevating NXT

Turning her attention to NXT and All Elite Wrestling, Dakota Kai reflected on their competition. She noted how if there’s another company out there bringing out a great product, it forces people to want to “elevate your own.”

According to Kai, this Wednesday night war between NXT and Dynamite is “good for the wrestling business.” She shared how she wishes people online could see that. Kai added how she wished people “would just be happy with both and not get into such heated debates about either. Wrestling is for everyone.”

All Elite Wrestling’s Darby Allin recently opened up about how it “ate him alive” to be in the crowd at last November’s pay-per-view, Full Gear. 

Speaking with Sports Illustrated, Allin reflected on his experience. He confessed how not being a part of the show prompted him to make a promise to himself: “I said to myself, ‘I’m going to put in as much work as I ever have, whether it’s video or matches, to be on the next pay-per-view.”

Darby Allin Wants To Prove People Wrong

Darby Allin talked about how there were people who expected him to be off January’s pay-per-view, Revolution. He explained how he wanted to prove them wrong. Allin stressed how he isn’t AEW “to make friends and treat this as a clubhouse.” He acknowledged how the people in AEW are supportive, something he appreciates, but reiterated how “this isn’t friendship hour.”

As far as Darby Allin is concerned, it’s all about proving people wrong about him as he helps put the company on the map. 

“Proving people wrong, that’s what drives me,” Allin admitted. “I’ve always believed I belonged in this spot. Others may have not—[due to my] size, [or lack of] years. This is my fifth year in wrestling, and a lot of people say, ‘Your time will come, your time will come.’ No mother——, my time’s now. I feel it and I know it.”

Darby Allin defeated Inner Circle member Sammy Guevara last night on TNT Dynamite. This victory sees Allin advance in the TNT Championship Tournament. He will face Cody Rhodes in the semi-finals on the April 29 episode of Dynamite.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson had a surprise appearance on this week’s episode of WWE show The Bump. Johnson provided a pre-recorded video, congratulating Triple H, who was celebrating his 25th anniversary in WWE.

Recording in his backyard, The Rock reflected on Triple H’s “epic, historic” career. He confessed he was honored to be able to send him a message to commemorate the occasion. “We are lucky boys to have had the career we have had in the world that we love so much in pro wrestling.”

The Rock shared how Triple H has been good to him from the start. He added that he could see the hunger in Triple H’s eyes and knew that they would be competitors. Johnson explained how “That’s exactly why we gelled together; why we had incredible chemistry.” 

“There’s only one man that I’ve gone around the world with and wrestled consistently so many times, and put in just incredible matches, and that is you,” The Rock said. “And I thank you. I love you. Congratulations, man, on just such an amazing career.”

Rock then spoke about Triple H’s work away from the ring, calling it “unparalleled.” He pointed to his work with NXT and WWE and his commitment to making sure the fans are happy. He talked about how wrestling is in Triple H’s blood and DNA, noting how “it’s as if you were born in the business.”

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Despite making a dramatic return to WWE during Lana and Bobby Lashley’s wedding, WWE reportedly had no real plans for Liv Morgan. She made her comeback during an episode of Monday Night RAW last December. 

Liv Morgan’s return initially indicated she would become a major part of the soap opera-esque storyline. According to Dave Meltzer via Wrestling Observer Radio, that was never really the case. RAW Executive Director Paul Heyman allegedly booked her wedding crash as a way to pop the WWE Universe. There were allegedly no follow up plans despite the impact Morgan had on the storyline between Rusev, Lana and Bobby Lashley.

Although WWE pursued a Lana vs. Liv Morgan feud for a few weeks after her comeback, it quickly lost momentum. The original return was apparently done to simply get Morgan back onto WWE programming. It also gave her something to do rather than just returning to the ring without any fanfare or promotion. 

Lana & Bobby Lashley

With Rusev having been released by WWE, his real-life wife Lana continued the storyline via social media. Lashley has previously expressed his uncertainty whether the storyline had been concluded, noting that it didn’t have a definitive ending. It is unknown whether a continuation would have included Liv Morgan. 

With Rusev no longer with WWE, however, it remains to be seen whether the company decides to continue the angle. It’s worth noting that Lana has been causing Lashley some difficulties on screen recently. Most notably, her bad decision led him to lose to Aleister Black at WrestleMania 36.

All Elite Wrestling announcer Jim Ross doesn’t believe that that the company should be hiring any released WWE Superstars. Not just yet, at least. Regarding WWE’s recent releases, Ross explained on The Roman Show podcast how sometimes “you have to let people go that you don’t think deserve to be let go.”

He shared how he gets people frequently asking him who he thinks AEW should hire. Ross then explained how he’s more concerned about “living to tomorrow” as he is high risk for the coronavirus. He stated how, if he were AEW, “I would hire nobody.”

Ross continued, explaining how there is no reason to hire anybody right now. Addressing the recently released Superstars, he shared how he hopes “none of them go on a massive pity party.”

JR stressed how they aren’t the only ones within wrestling to have been sat down, cast away or had their job taken away. Ross admitted how, ultimately, the situation is “unfortunate.” He then noted how some people have to wonder why they were let go, arguing there had to be a reason.

Jim Ross’ Advice to Released Talent

Now that the released Superstars are no longer with WWE, Jim Ross hoped that they would be able to motivate themselves:

“If I were these guys who were let go by the WWE, this situation wouldn’t be the end of the world. Trust me, I’ve been there. It won’t end your life.”

He stated how if WWE was all they wanted to do with their life, then they need to reset, reassess, and improve their personal brand to prepare for the future.

Elsewhere in the episode, JR spoke about the possibility of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson running for president. JR is confident of The Rock’s chances and feels The Rock would win the Presidency if he seriously pursued it.

Jim Ross has previously expressed his interest in wanting to bring Rusev into AEW. He also spoke about the possibility of WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle potentially joining the company.

Arn Anderson has revealed what former WWE Superstar Scott Dawson told him the night before The Revival was released by WWE. Speaking on the ARN Podcast, Anderson shared how Dawson hinted that there may be some “good news” that would come out the next morning. 

Anderson explained he got a message from Dawson that informed him that “about 9 A.M. there will be some good news shop up.”

According to the WWE Hall of Famer, that’s all Dawson said. He noted how, at approximately that time the next morning, the news broke that both Dawson and his tag team partner Dash Wilder had been released from WWE. 

Despite being given the cryptic tease, Anderson shared he was still surprised by the news. He was taken aback that WWE “would let them go scot free.” He added, however, how “that’s the way it should be.”

Arn Anderson Believes The Revival Will Be Wrestling’s “Hottest Commodity”

With both Dawson and Wilder no longer associated with WWE, Arn Anderson acknowledged how they are probably the “hottest commodity” in wrestling. He believes that every promotion will be vying for them. Anderson stressed that whoever ends up signing the pair will be better off for having them on their roster. 

He shared how the pair are the most “unselfish, giving guys” he has seen in a long time. Anderson compared their mentality to himself, Tully Blanchard, and the original Four Horsemen.

Arn Anderson extrapolated his point, highlighting how that extended to going out and stealing the show. He believes they will do whatever they can to ensure everybody in the arena exhausts themselves. It doesn’t matter whether fans were cheering or booing. As long as fans “blow themselves up,” they’ll know they’ve done their job—just like the Horsemen.

All Elite Wrestling continues its TNT Championship Tournament this week. One of their quarter-final bouts sees Sammy Guevara clash with Darby Allin. Turns out, one wrestler, in particular, will be watching this match closely: Lance Archer.

Archer took to Twitter to share his interest, teasing how it “might be interesting” if he and Guevara were to face each other in the finals. He revealed how, despite both performing in Texas at the same time, he and Guevara have never wrestled each other.

Guevara would see Archer’s message, replying, “I welcome this fight.” Archer, however, was unconvinced.

According to him, Guevara is eager to grapple while he’s “safe at home.” When they’re inside the ropes from each other, “The Murderhawk Monster” believes Guevara may feel differently, stressing how: “your tune will change quickly as I Quicken you!”

The Journey To Lance Archer & Sammy Guevara In The Finals

Lance Archer advanced in the quarter-finals after defeating Colt Cabana on the April 15 episode of AEW Dynamite. He will face the winner of Dustin Rhodes and Kip Sabian. Both quarter-final matchups take place on this week’s episode of Dynamite. The episode airs tomorrow night on TNT.

Although both men may be interested in facing off, the finals are still a way off. If successful against Allin, Guevara would then have to defeat Cody Rhodes to meet Lance Archer in the finals—assuming Archer defeats the winner of Rhodes/Sabian. The finals are scheduled to take place on May 23 at AEW’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is open to stepping in the ring against Roman Reigns. Johnson revealed the news during a recent live Q&A session he hosted on Instagram, where he has over 180 million followers.

The Rock spoke about how he believes anything is possible and that you can ‘never say never’ in the world of pro wrestling. In fact, he stated that he’s “always open” for a potential comeback match.

The Rock says you never say never to Vince McMahon. He enjoys a close personal relationship with the WWE Chairman. As The Rock has climbed the ranks of Hollywood, Vince has served as a business mentor to him. Their business relationship aside, The Rock considers Vince McMahon to be a “very, very close friend and confidant.”

He explained how you can never flat-out refuse an offer. Dwayne Johnson then stressed that, for it to happen, “the venue would have to be right.”

Dwayne Johnson On Needing The Right “Business Model”

Alongside the venue, Johnson joked about how the business model would have to be right, suggesting that as long as a matchup was the right decision for himself, Reigns, Vince McMahon and the pro wrestling industry, he’d be willing to explore the idea.

He then spoke about how close he is with Reigns, explaining how “he’s family to me, so we will see.”

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson last competed in a WWE ring during WrestleMania 32. He defeated Erick Rowan in 6 seconds after a single Rock Bottom.

NXT Superstar Johnny Gargano hates it when people refer to WWE’s black-and-gold brand as developmental. Speaking with Sporting News, Gargano explained why he considers those who do to be wrong and disrespectful. 

Gargano argued how the belief that NXT is still WWE’s developmental brand “devalues everything we’re doing in NXT.”

He noted how this mindset immediately puts NXT Superstars a step below those on RAW and SmackDown. Gargano then stressed how how he considers this to be “wrong” before calling it “BS to do that.” 

“I believe everything is developmental when you want to look at it that way. I think if you’re going to consider NXT developmental than RAW and SmackDown are developmental as well,” Gargano said. “I believe we are all learning. We’re all growing. I don’t think just because you’re in a certain brand that doesn’t mean you’re progressing or growing any more than any other brand.”

As far as Johnny Gargano is concerned, people should be looking at NXT as WWE’s third brand. He believes their track record and talent pool proves his point. He argued how WWE could put any NXT Superstar on RAW or SmackDown, or have a Superstar come to NXT—much in the way Charlotte Flair has done. He explained how the three brands are “very much intertwined.”

Johnny Gargano stated how “If you’re still using the term developmental to evaluate NXT in any way, shape, or form, I think you need to get over yourself.” He then talked about wrestling should be fun and that people should enjoy it without devaluing people’s hard work and sacrifice. 

SmackDown Superstar The Miz has opened up about his experiences wrestling in front of zero fans. WWE’s resident “A-Lister” broached the subject during a recent interview on Logan Paul’s podcast.

The Miz shared how talent has to find a different way to “get the adrenaline and utilize it.” He compared the recent empty arena matches to the muted, respectful crowd reactions in Japan. Miz explained how Superstars know how the Japanese audience were intently watching everything that happened in the ring. He added how they were always invested in the action, despite the lack of noise or interaction. He talked about how he takes the same approach with zero fan shows, visualizing the fans at home.

“I’m just picturing the people at home being invested in everything that we’re doing,” Miz said. “So every little maneuver counts. So it’s actually making me a better performer in the ring for sure.”

He acknowledged how everyone in WWE is pushing even harder in the ring during this time. The Miz believes this hard work will continue, even when the WWE Universe is finally able to attend live shows in the future.

Miz argued how everything that WWE does is different, and that’s what makes them an out the box wrestling promotion. He explained how they utilize everything, before reflecting on the lessons learned from the process and how they can best use it in the future.

MVP has shared some praise for recently released WWE Superstar Heath Slater. Taking to Twitter, MVP replied to a fan who shared footage of a Slater promo from SmackDown back in 2016. In his tweet, MVP recalled how the two developed a friendship. He also spoke about the respect he had for Slater’s work ethic and commitment to pro wrestling.

Recalling a story during their time in WWE developmental together, MVP shared how Slater had come to work for Deep South TV for free. He highlighted how Slater “WORKED his way into a developmental contract.”

At the time, Slater believed he couldn’t cut promos that engaged or entertained. After talking about his promo insecurities, MVP was taken by how charismatic Slater was. He shared how he had a “HUGE personality” before stressing that Slater needed to bring that attitude and personality to the mic.

MVP implored Slater to keep practicing his promos skills, something MVP stressed he did, pointing to the shared promo as sufficient evidence.

Heath Slater Wants To Spread His Wings

Slater recently released a video addressing his release from WWE. He is currently waiting out a 90-day non-compete clause. In the video, he promised fans that come July 17, he’ll finally be able to “spread my wings and fly a little bit.”

He spoke about feeling the fire inside him once again. Slater then confessed that he’s looking forward to getting into “legit” shape as he prepares for a comeback post-WWE. He added how his approach is “No bullshi*, get ready for the encore.”

All Elite Wrestling commentator Jim Ross has talked about the possibility of Rusev joining AEW’s roster. Rusev was recently released alongside several other WWE in-ring talent as well as a number of backstage personnel. 

Ross addressed the concept of Rusev becoming a part of AEW during an episode of his podcast Grilling JR via AdFreeShows.com. He argued how there had to be some “semblance of a reason” that Rusev’s previous push was cut short. Ross then noted that he doesn’t know what that reason could be. He divulged how he had never heard any “scandalous tales” about Rusev. 

Jim Ross Would Consider Rusev A Priority

His experiences with Rusev have led Ross to believe he is a soft-hearted, well-raised person who is polite and decent. Ross then stated how securing Rusev for AEW would be his top priority. “That’s who I’d want to go after first because I can see him having some major pay-per-view main event matches with a variety of top talents in our company AEW. Anyone would be smart to hire him.” 

He shared how he would like to call a high-level Rusev matchup before explaining how a company would “know what you’re gonna get out of the guy.”

With his recent departure from WWE, Jim Ross noted how Rusev now has something to prove. As far as he’s concerned, Rusev is and always has been a legitimate talent that he’s been high on.

All Elite Wrestling’s Dustin Rhodes was a guest on this week’s episode of AEW’s official podcast, Unrestricted. During the interview with hosts Tony Schiavone and Aubrey Edwards, Dustin opened up about the origins of his WWE character Goldust and Vince McMahon’s decision to have his father, Dusty Rhodes, dressed in polka dots. 

Dustin Rhodes Becomes Goldust

Dustin recalled Vince McMahon pitching him the Goldust gimmick. He remembered how Vince would refer to Goldust as “androgynous.”

He listened to the idea and agreed to meet up to discuss the gimmick further. After the call ended, Dustin would seek out a dictionary to look up what androgynous meant. He admitted he had no idea what he had just agreed to. 

Understanding the term, Dustin compared the gimmick to an Adrian Street or Adrian Adonis character. He added how he was into the idea of the face paint as he was “a big fan of Sting’s face paint and face paint in general.”

It wasn’t until a matchup with Savio Vega that Dustin would really connect with Goldust. He shared how Vega would work hard to have him experiment with situations that were “way over the line” for him.

He explained how he was a country boy from Texas, and trying these things scared him to death. “But that’s when I realized when I finally did it that to make something successful, you have to step out of yourself, outside of the box, and you got to create some magic of your own. You can’t just be scared all the time. You got to take a chance.”

Dusty’s Polka Dot Gear

After his father, Dusty Rhodes, signed with WWE in 1989, he began wearing polka dot gear. Tony Schiavone asked Dustin if he thinks this decision was made to embarrass the Rhodes family in some way. Schiavone pointed to Goldust and Stardust as potential further examples of his argument. 

Dustin confessed that he believes that could have been the case, and it was something he thought of at first. He then stressed how he wasn’t entirely sure: “At the beginning, I was thinking that, but Vince kept going with me, and I don’t know if he really didn’t give a s—t.”

“[…] I was young, so I didn’t really think about those things or look too much in depth. I mean Vince and I, he would come to me and he would say, ‘Dustin, you’re going to get a lot of flack on this,’ and he would be very personable with me and say, ‘you know, if you have any problems you call me.’ And I did on more than a few occasions not huge problems but just minor things that I was trying to work out because I was unsure at the time because I was so young.”

Looking back on his experiences, Dustin confessed that, at 50, he doesn’t believe it was a rib on him. Although he can’t be sure regarding Dusty’s polka dots, Dustin believes that Vince “meant it and every bit of it” when it came to Goldust and his offer to help. 

AJ Styles is devastated over WWE’s decision to release his former OC brothers Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. The former WWE Champion feels personal responsibility that he couldn’t protect them and their jobs.

It was just a few weeks ago that Gallows & Anderson were part of the Styles & The Undertaker’s Boneyard Match at WrestleMania. They now find themselves out of work, along with 20+ other WWE performers following this week’s layoffs. They had been with the company since April 2016.

• Behind-the-Scenes Photos from WWE taping the Boneyard Match

AJ Styles commented on Gallows & Anderson’s releases from WWE during an online video stream, seen below. He spoke about all the talent let go, but it’s clear Gallows and Anderson leaving hit closest to home.

“That one hurt really bad,” Styles said. “The only way I can explain it is that these guys are my family and I couldn’t take care of my little brothers. I didn’t manage to do that and I feel responsible for them being released. It’s devastating.”

Karl Anderson Teasing Return to Japan

Karl Anderson has teased a return to Japan following the news that he has been released from WWE.

Anderson posted a video to his Twitter account, which has been renamed to “MachineGunKA” in reference to his pre-WWE name. The short video features shots of Santa Monica, California before cutting to clips of a plane taking off. Shots of travel and driving are then intercut before the video cuts to images of Tokyo, Japan.

It then cuts to a black screen with white text that reads “Machine Gun,” his former moniker while in New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Prior to signing with WWE in 2016, Karl Anderson was in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. He was a member of their popular heel stable Bullet Club. During his time in New Japan, Anderson was a multiple-time IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champion. He held the titles with both Giant Bernard and his O.C. partner Gallows.

If Karl Anderson does head back to NJPW, he may not be able to participate for some time given the travel restrictions in place due to the coronavirus pandemic. NJPW has been forced to cancel several tours due to the outbreak and, like many wrestling companies, may not run shows for some time.

SmackDown Superstar Drew Gulak has opened up about his relationship with Daniel Bryan following their encounter at Elimination Chamber. He was asked by Corey Graves on his WWE podcast After the Bell to explain why their chemistry is so important, and why Elimination Chamber held a special meaning for them.

Gulak explained how Elimination Chamber was “up the street from where I trained.” Not only that, it was also where Daniel Bryan “cut his teeth at the Murphy Rec Center.” That gave the event some extra special meaning to both Superstars.

He reflected on how, prior to Elimination Chamber in March “We never touched in the ring. He got to call my matches at the Cruiserweight Classic, which was kind of cool because that was him getting a chance to kind of see that style.”

Drew Gulak noted how his in-ring technical style is “different” and that he believes he their clash at the pay-per-view “woke up something inside of him to be like, ‘Man I want to do more of that.’” He believes it had a similar effect on a lot of people. He noted how inspiring people to try something and explore a different avenue is something he loves doing.

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One of WWE’s recently furloughed backstage personnel was Shane Helms. In a recent interview with Busted Open Radio, Helms addressed the releases made this past Wednesday. He acknowledged the position that Vince McMahon is in amidst the coronavirus pandemic.

Helms believes that Vince McMahon will probably be taking the decision just as hard as those impacted, noting how “Leadership has a price.”

Shane Helms On Vince McMahon’s Decisions

Quoting Michael Jordan, Helms noted how “winning has a price.”

According to Shane Helms, every decision Vince McMahon makes has a “million-dollar price tag” attached to it. It’s a responsibility that Helms claimed he would never want to experience. He explained that this because of the amount of stress and responsibility Vince McMahon goes through every day. 

“I understand people going after him, he’s the biggest name, why wouldn’t they? At the same time, I just hope fans understand that—I don’t think it was him behind a desk being maniacally evil,” Helms said. “It was a tough decision. I don’t think he enjoyed making it. Vince loves being able to pay people. He loves putting on this product. This industry exists because of some of the decisions he’s made.”

Shane Helms acknowledged the circumstances in which these cuts occurred. He is aware of how difficult this will be for people but hoped that they can remain positive during this tough time.

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Heath Slater has addressed his recent release from WWE. The former 3MB member was let go by the company on Wednesday. He wasn’t the only one as WWE also released several other in-ring talents and backstage personnel.

Taking to his Instagram account, Slater reflected on his career in WWE. He expressed his gratitude for being able to live his dream and for the friendships he’s made. Slater then confessed that he understood why he was one of the Superstars to be let go.

Heath Slater acknowledged how his family, wife, kids and the WWE Universe could all see that his “fire was fading.” It’s something that Slater takes fault for, admitting “That’s all on me.” He added how putting other Superstars over all the time and consistently losing can take a toll on a person, and that’s what happened to him.

Heath Slater Looks Forward To Spreading His Wings

With in-ring talent now sitting out a 90-day non-compete clause, Heath Slater is already looking to the future. Eager to embrace future opportunities, he noted how on July 17, he’ll be able to “spread my wings and fly a little bit.”

For the first time in a long time, he reveals he can feel a fire inside him again. He confessed that he’s excited to get in “legit” shape and actively feed that hunger he hasn’t felt in some time, adding “No bullshi*, get ready for the encore.”

Former WWE Superstar Tommy Dreamer has addressed WWE’s decision to release several in-ring talents and backstage personnel. The company cut them on Wednesday, citing the impact made by the coronavirus pandemic as the reason behind the decision. Hosting a live stream on his House of Hardcore Twitch channel, Dreamer argued how people can’t hate either WWE or Vince McMahon for what’s happened, stressing that this is simply business.

Dreamer explained how everyone needs to take one day at a time. He shared that he has reached out to several of those who were let go. According to him, they will be fine as “There’s life after WWE.”

He argued how some of those who were let go may eventually be re-hired by the company.

For those who don’t find their way back, however, “You got some television time, you got the recognition or hey guess what, if you feel you weren’t used to potential, great. It happens to everybody. My heart goes out to them it goes out to them cause of their families and the uncertainty at this time.”

Tommy Dreamer hoped that the released talents will receive payment for the next three months until their non-compete clauses expire. He believes that live wrestling shows probably won’t start up again until at least October or November.

Tommy Dreamer Defends WWE’s Decision

Defending WWE’s business decision, Tommy Dreamer stressed how “You can’t hate the WWE. You can’t hate Vince McMahon. That is business and it’s big business.”

“I saw it in my little, little ass company and I see it from WWE all the way down and I use this example for everyone who goes, “Oh, they should stop live television, they should stop doing this, they should stop doing that” — think of the financial hit WWE took with the loss of WrestleMania from merchandise, live gate, all that stuff.”

He highlighted how all of what’s happened comes down to money. Acknowledging that “it sucks,” Dreamer reiterated how WWE is ultimately a business and that nobody has a job guaranteed forever.

Current All Elite Wrestling World Champion Jon Moxley has shared his thoughts on WWE’s recent releases. The company announced several Superstars and backstage personnel have been released and placed on furlough. This decision was made due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Speaking with Wrestling Observer Live ahead of Wednesday’s Dynamite, Moxley stated how his heart goes out to everyone affected. He explained how he heard the news through the grapevine, admitting that it’s a weird time for everybody. He added how he feels very fortunate at this point in time. Moxley explained how he won’t spend even a single second feeling sorry for himself as he is aware that “I’ve got it pretty good, all things considered.”

Jon Moxley & Renee Young In Self-Isolation

Right now he is stuck in the house with his wife, WWE’s Renee Young. He doesn’t mind, however, as she is his “favorite person to hang out with anyway.” 

Breaking down how the couple are spending their time in self-isolation during this time, Moxley shared they are hanging out a lot as well as “getting it on all over the house all day.” They’ve also been watching a lot of movies. Young has also been getting involved with some cooking projects to pass the time. 

“So, I’m basically hanging out and having a beautiful woman feed me meals every day. No matter how the World Title match turns out tonight, I feel like a World Champion and I am very blessed at this time.”

Jon Moxley successfully retained his AEW Championship against Jake Hager during this Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite. The two clashed in an Empty Arena No Holds Barred matchup.

Despite her real-life husband being released from WWE earlier this week, Lana has committed to the on-screen storyline between herself, Rusev, and Bobby Lashley.

Lana is still in an on-screen romance with Lashley on WWE programming. Their pairing came off the back of a soap opera-esque storyline that saw her leave Rusev for Lashley. Taking to her Twitter account, Lana shared a video of Rusev yelling at her during a past RAW segment. In it, he is blaming her for his loss to John Cena at WWE’s Payback pay-per-view in 2015.

She accompanied the video with a caption that reads, “I hate to be the person in these trying times but let this be a reminder of who @RusevBUL really is !!! #ThankYouRusev …… NEXT !!!!! #thankunext.”

At the time of writing, Rusev has not reacted to Lana’s message.

The last tweet sent out by Rusev was his farewell message to the WWE Universe. It reads, “Thank you All, Rusev out!”

Lashley has previously shared how he was uncertain whether the storyline between the trio would continue. He believed it lacked a definitive conclusion. He recently suffered a loss at WrestleMania 36 to Aleister Black. This came after taking bad advice from Lana, suggesting that the two may eventually be heading split.