During the February 11, edition of WWE NXT, Ricky Starks stunned the wrestling world by debuting for the silver brand. Starks’ arrival came shortly after it was reported that he’d been released from AEW. On X, Starks had just four words in response to his stunning WWE NXT debut.

Starks isn’t the only name in wrestling to react to his WWE NXT debut this week. On Instagram, CM Punk, who like Starks has his own issues with AEW, was pleased to see his former colleague make the jump to the silver brand.

Starks hadn’t been used in AEW since March 2024 after he and Big Bill lost the AEW World Tag Team Championships to Darby Allin and Sting. Though Starks was dealing with an injury for a time, he was fully cleared to compete for much of his absence. In November 2024, Starks shared that he’d not been given a reason for why he wasn’t being used, but had theories as to why this was the case.

Now in WWE, Starks will hope to follow other AEW-to-WWE success stories including Cody Rhodes, Jade Cargill, Lexis King, and Ethan Page. At the very least, Starks can expect to be seen on TV and be allowed to wrestle, far more than he was receiving during his final year as part of AEW.

Fans Blast Tony Khan with NSFW Chant at Ricky Starks Match

Viewers of this week’s WWE NXT received a blast from the past as Bayley’s old ‘Hugger’ persona was featured on the show, but not by the former Women’s Champion.

As Bayley ascended the ropes to deliver her signature flying elbow against Cora Jade, the ‘Turn It Up’ theme song played and out came Roxanne Perez. This unexpected appearance momentarily distracted Bayley, allowing Cora Jade to capitalize. Jade executed two Double-Arm DDTs, one on the ringside floor, securing a notable victory over the former champion.

Bayley’s Hugger persona proved immensely popular with fans both in NXT and after her move to the main roster in 2016. In 2019, Bayley turned heel and ‘murdered’ the Bayley Buddies, ending her time as the Hugger so that she could become the ‘Role Model. This isn’t Perez’s first time dressing as Bayley’s lighter side, as she performed as Bayley during a WWE NXT live event near Halloween in 2022.

Bayley and Perez will challenge for the NXT Women’s Championship held by Giulia during this weekend’s WWE NXT Vengeance Day event. After costing Bayley her match this week with these mind-games, it remains to be seen if Roxanne Perez becomes a record-breaking three-time NXT Women’s Champion at the event.

“Best Damn Wrestler” Roxanne Perez Hypes Huge Career Week After Raw

Dustin Rhodes has built a legendary career, with championship reigns and accolades across decades promotions. At 55 years old, Rhodes knows the end of his career is coming and has shared when he’ll be hanging up his boots.

In an interview on Battleground with Tim & Eli, Rhodes shared that he’s known for years who he wants his final match to be with. The Natural added that the end of his career will come within the next three years, meaning fans won’t see him in action past 2028.

“By no means am I anywhere on Sting’s level, but I want that same kind of out. I think I’ve earned it.

To finish it off on a pay-per-view and cut a heart-wrenching, emotional promo after—that’s what people like.”

While many wrestlers take a loss in the final match to ‘pass the torch’ to somebody else, Rhodes hopes to win his final-ever match. Though his final match will come in 2028 if not sooner, it won’t be the last fans see of him in wrestling.

“I’ll be coaching and still producing, which I’m doing right now anyway. I love that. Passing all my knowledge to the young kids—that’s the payoff.”

Dustin Rhodes signed a multi-year contract with AEW in December 2024, ensuring his continued presence in the company as both a wrestler and a mentor for younger talent. Though much of his retirement plans remain a mystery, fans know that they only have three more years, at max, to enjoy the veteran in the ring.

AEW’s Lance Archer is as tough as they come in the ring, but the Murderhawk Monster this week became the victim of crime. On X (formerly Twitter), Archer shared that his SUV was stolen in broad daylight in Duncanville, Texas.

Archer’s situation is sadly only the latest example of theft affecting those in the pro wrestling industry. In December 2023, Slim Jim’s ‘Fast Meat’ car was reported stolen. The car had been used at that year’s Survivor Series: WarGames and had been featured in promotional videos alongside LA Knight and Bianca Belair. In 2024, former WWE Superstar Mandy Rose shared that her Louis Vuitton boots had been stolen and pointed the finger of blame at her delivery driver.

Lance Archer signed with AEW in February 2020 and would debut with the promotion the following month as a client of Jake Roberts. While he is yet to hold AEW gold, Archer won the IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Championship in a Texas Deathmatch against Jon Moxley during Night Two of AEW Fyter Fest 2021.

Archer’s situation is unfortunate and hopefully he will be reunited with his SUV and the thieves brought to justice. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on this ongoing situation.

During the February 10, edition of WWE Raw, Liv Morgan suffered a nasty cut to her eyelid during a tag team match. That match saw Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez come up short against Damage CTRL’s IYO SKY and the returning Dakota Kai, who had been out of action with a concussion.

Morgan’s injury didn’t go unnoticed by the fans in Nashville, with Pat McAfee quipping on commentary that Liv was “gushing her own blood!” Despite this, Morgan was pleased to share that she’s still cute on X, alongside some photos of her cut.

Morgan’s cut won’t prevent her from entering this year’s Women’s Elimination Chamber match, a bout she qualified for last week with a controversial win over IYO SKY. Morgan’s place was secured by Rhea Ripley, who attacked Morgan during the match and caused a disqualification. On this week’s Raw, Ripley was confronted by SKY, who was promised a title match for the Raw after Elimination Chamber.

Liv Morgan Mocks “Obsessed” Rhea Ripley After WWE Raw Win

Morgan will be joined in the Chamber by Bianca Belair, Alexa Bliss, Bayley, and two women yet to be decided. SmackDown will see Chelsea Green battle Naomi while next week’s Raw will Morgan’s ally Raquel Rodriguez against NXT’s Roxanne Perez. Stay tuned to SEScoops to see who earns their spot in the Women’s Elimination Chamber, a match that Liv Morgan is hell-bent on winning.

In 2004, Carlito made his startling WWE debut by defeating John Cena in his first match to win the WWE United States Championship. On the Insight podcast, Carlito recalled believing Cena was pranking him upon his call-up to WWE’s main roster.

“I first thought that Cena had pranked me because as soon as I got there he was the nicest guy to me… Then we get in the ring, the bell rang, and he kicked me in the stomach so hard, that’s like, oh, okay I see what’s going on here.”

Carlito shared that it was “great” to defeat Cena in his debut, in what would be John’s final match for months. To explain his break from WWE to film The Marine, WWE crafted the narrative that Cena had been stabbed in a night club. Though Carlito and his then-bodyguard Jesus were suspects, the Cool Superstar denied doing the devilish deed.

“I don’t know what the official story is nowadays, they changed it over the year…  I don’t think it was me that stabbed him, or my my buddy Jesus. I don’t think it was Jesus, or maybe it was, I don’t know.”

Cena would return to action after weeks away to take back the U.S. title from Carlito before winning his first of 16 WWE World Championships the next year. And with Cena embarking on his final year in the ring, fans can’t count out Carlito getting payback for the ‘prank’ by Big Match John early into his career.

Carlito on Judgment Day Pairing & What He Likes About WWE Today

On the February 10, 2025, edition of WWE Monday Night Raw, Logan Paul defeated Rey Mysterio to qualify for the Men’s Elimination Chamber match. Not only did Paul join the elite group already set for the March 1, showdown, but he also joined an elite club.

Paul isn’t the first Superstar to make their Raw debut against WWE’s greatest masked Superstar of all time. The Maverick has joined Shinsuke Nakamura, who made his Raw debut in 2019 against Mysterio, and Angel Garca, who joined this elite group in 2020.

H/T to @WWEStats for uncovering this stat. Stay tuned to SEScoops for more interesting wrestling facts and statistics.

With his win, Paul has earned his spot in his second Elimination Chamber match. Other confirmed entrants include:

• John Cena: Controversially declared himself for the match after coming-up short in his final WWE Men’s Royal Rumble match. Three-time winner.
• CM Punk: Defeated Sami Zayn in the main event of the February 3, 2025, edition of WWE Raw. One-time winner.
• Drew McIntyre: Defeated LA Knight and Jimmy Uso on the February 7, 2025, edition of WWE SmackDown. One-time winner.

The final two spots in the match will be filled soon enough, with Seth Rollins Vs. Finn Balor set for next week’s Raw. On SmackDown, Braun Strowman, Jacob Fatu, and Damian Priest will battle for a spot in the Men’s Chamber match. The victor will earn a WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 41 against Cody Rhodes. This was confirmed on Raw when Jey Uso declared that he will face GUNTHER this April. With Paul now in the match, it remains to be seen if the Maverick can pull off an upset over these former World Champions and punch his ticket to WrestleMania 41.

Roxanne Perez is feeling immensely confident ahead of what could be the biggest week of her career to date in WWE. The Prodigy of NXT was spotted in the crowd during the February 10, 2025, edition of WWE Raw, where she watched Bayley defeat Lyra Valkyria in an Women’s Elimination Chamber Match Qualifier.

Speaking in a WWE Digital Exclusive, Perez, who declared herself the “Best damn wrestler in this business” teased what fans can expect in the coming weeks for her.

“I’m gonna go to Vengeance Day, and I’m gonna beat Bayley and Giulia and take back my NXT Women’s Championship. And then I’m gonna go to Monday Night Raw with my title, and I’m gonna beat Raquel Rodriguez [in a Women’s Elimination Chamber Qualifier.] And after that, I’m gonna go to the Elimination Chamber, where I beat Bayley once again and punch my ticket to WrestleMania.”

Perez recently broke the record for the longest stint in a Women’s Royal Rumble match and could set more records if her plans come to fruition. A win at Vengeance Day would make her the first ever three-time NXT Women’s Champion. Should she qualify for the Women’s Elimination Chamber, Perez will become the first NXT-contracted star to step foot inside the barbaric structure.

Update On Roxanne Perez After WWE Royal Rumble Showcase

WWE’s use of Perez demonstrates the promotion’s immense fath in The Prodigy, who many expect to make a permanent move to the main roster this year. In the meantime, the “best damn wrestler” has big plans to prove herself both in NXT and on Monday Night Raw.

Since 2022, The Judgment Day has welcomed several members, while others have been forcibly removed from the faction. On the February 10, edition of WWE Raw, tensions within the group continued to grow, with Dominik Mysterio and Finn Balor sharing their frustrations with one another and others.

With JD McDonagh out of action, Mysterio brought up the idea of bringing in someone new to join the faction. While Balor immediately shut the idea down, the tease has left fans excited, while also continuing to showcase the growing concerns within the faction.

The Judgment Day: Who’s In and Who’s Out?

The Judgment Day has seen three members kicked out, Edge, Damian Priest, and Rhea Ripley. Ironically, these three were the first three members of the group that first came together at WrestleMania 38 in 2022. Edge was cut from the group early on while Priest and Rhea Ripley were both betrayed and ousted at SummerSlam 2024.

Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio both joined in 2022 while JD McDonagh was only accepted as an official member of the faction in 2023. 2024 saw Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, and Carlito the group. While R-Truth believed himself to be a member, that wasn’t the case, as made clear to the oblivious Truth several times.

If the Judgment Day does indeed gain a new member, the question on the lips of fans is who will it be? And with Balor’s clear opposition to a new member, could someone joining also spell the end of the Irish Superstar’s time with the faction?

The February 10, edition of WWE Monday Night Raw saw the red brand take a huge step towards Elimination Chamber 2025, with two Superstars earning their spots in the PLE’s two chamber matches. Bayley defeated Lyra Valkyria to earn a spot in the Women’s Chamber while the main event of Raw saw Logan Paul defeat Rey Mysterio to punch his ticket to Toronto.

After Raw, the New Day attacked Mysterio, once again to a chorus of boos from the WWE Universe. Dragon Lee arrived to make the save and was able to hold off Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods for a period of time. Ultimately though, the numbers proved too much and Lee would also fall to the former Tag Team Champions.

The assault on Mysterio wasn’t the only notable moment after this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw went off the air. In a dark match after the show, Women’s Tag Team Champions Bianca Belair and Naomi put their titles on the line against Chelsea Green and Piper Niven. Despite the efforts of the challengers to make Green a double champion, Belair and Naomi retained their gold.

Belair has held the gold since WWE Bash In Berlin while Naomi has replaced Jade Cargill following the attack on the Storm in a parking lot. With another victory to their name, it may be a while before fans see the women’s tag team titles change hands.

Rey Mysterio is a bonafide legend of the ring, but it is no secret that his career in wrestling is nearing its end. While speaking to Adrian Hernandez, Rey Mysterio was asked if he wanted to announce his retirement like John Cena.

“I would love to make an announcement. I would love for the fans who have grown up watching me and supported my career from day one—because there are still many around—to have the chance to say, ‘Hey, this is his last time performing. I want to go see it.’“

Rey’s retirment is “a lot closer now than it was yesterday” and the WWE Hall of Famer wants to “mentally prepare myself” for when that time comes. While Cena’s retirement will grant him more time to focus on Hollywood projects, Mysterio isn’t sure what’ll be next for him after he hanfs up his boots.

“I’ve always loved wrestling, and it’s the only thing I’ve ever done. So when I leave, I have to think about what’s next, how to transition, and how to be at peace with it.”

Mysterio has in the past alluded to being retired by the time he’s 50, which the former WWE World Champion now is. Though Rey has yet to give a confirmed date for the end of his career, it’s clear that fans should enjoy the masked legend in the ring while they still can.

Cedric Alexander has parted ways with WWE after an eight-and-a-half year run with wrestling’s biggest promotion. Many now expect Alexander to find his way to AEW and that’s a destination the former Cruiserweight Champion is also interested in.

On his Instagram Stories, Alexander shared a photo of action figure versions of himself, Bobby Lashley, Shelton Benjamin, and MVP. with the three active talents draped in AEW gold, Alexander made clear his interest in reuniting the Hurt Business, now known as the Hurt Syndicate.

Alexander’s WWE release came after the high-flyer re-signed with the promotion in September 2024. At the time, it was reported that Alexander had reached a multi-year deal with WWE. Now, WWE has moved on from the former Cruiserweight Champion, making a potential reunion with Benjamin, Lashley, and MVP a genuine possibility. With that said, fans won’t be seeing Alexander join just yet, as he will be dealing with the standard non-compete clause for released WWE talent.

The Hurt Syndicate came together in late 2024 and have already seen success as the faction currently holds the AEW World Tag Team Championships. While it remains to be seen if Alexander reunites with his former allies, fans are excited to see what the talented high-flyer does next in his wrestling journey.

For years, Tucker Knight competed in WWE as one-half of Heavy Machinery until his release from the promotion in 2021. Speaking to KPTX, Knight, real name Levi Cooper, reflected on his time as a WWE Superstar.

“It was a cool way to spend my 20s. It was a really special thing to do. I mean, it really is an artform. They [WWE] encompass a ton of stuff. You’re a live-action stunt performer.”

One of Cooper’s favorite perks from his time in WWE is that he was immortalized in action figure form. Though his days in WWE are over, Cooper still owns his action figures which have proven popular with his children.

“These [figures] were the most surreal stuff. Honestly the coolest part is I get to see my kids play with it. They call it ‘Toy Daddy.'”

Cooper’s children would play a huge role in him ultimately leaving pro-wrestling following his WWE release.

“Traveling before I had kids was 95% fun. But after I had my daughter, it became really difficult emotionally. I wasn’t prepared for how difficult that was going to be.”

Today, Cooper is using his amateur wrestling experience as the coach of Skyview High School’s Wrestling team in Vancouver, British Columbia. While his days appearing on WWE programming may be over, the former Superstar is pleased to continue to be an inspiration to youngsters.

For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SEScoops.

Another Super Bowl is in the books as the Philadelphia Eagles triumphed over the Kansas City Chiefs, winning the big game with a score of 40-22. On social media, the wrestling world has been reacting to this stunning victory.

Tom Pestock, formerly Baron Corbin, is a big fan of the Kansas City Chiefs, and was unsurprsingly heartbroken over the result.

Ricochet on the other hand couldn’t be happier with seeing the Eagles get the win.

WWE/TNA Hall of Famer Bully Ray was pleased to see Philadelphia, the home of ECW, become Super Bowl champions.

WWE Raw’s Pat McAfee was also pleased to see the Eagles get the win.

McAfee’s role extended beyond being just a viewer, as he was also part of a commercial that aired during the Super Bowl. On X, McAfee shared the full ad.

The Costco Guys were also at the Super Bowl with Big Justice rocking an AEW hoodie. The family have appeared several times for AEW with A.J. defeating QT Marshall at the Full Gear 2024 pre-show.

The Super Bowl was watched by millions around the world but for WWE fans, attention turns to the promotion’s respective annual showcase, WrestleMania 41. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on WWE’s upcoming mega-show this April.

Could George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers one day be called a WWE Superstar? Don’t count out the idea according to the NFL star. During Super Bowl week, Kittle sat down with Yahoo Sports’ Jason Fitz, who asked if he would be at WrestleMania 41. Kittle’s confirmed his role with the two-night event, saying “I’ll be there in Las Vegas. I’m there.”

Kittle was also asked about a potential future in WWE once his days in the NFL are up. The San Francisco 49er didn’t back away from the idea, stating that “Triple H has my number.”

Kittle has never hidden his love for professional wrestling and has often used Penta’s signature Cero Miedo taunt after big plays. At WrestleMania 39, Kittle jumped the barricade to clothesline The Miz during an impromptu match between the two-time WWE Champion and Pat McAfee.

George Kittle Rocks Penta Mask After Monday Night Football Win

WrestleMania 41 is shaping up to be a huge event and WWE has never shied away from having celebrity involvement at its annual two-night megashow. With Kittle confirming his attendance, fans are interested to see if they’ll see the football star in the ring, and if so, if this could be the first of many matches for him.

Karrion Kross and his Final Testament faction feuded with The Wyatt Sicks for months last year, with their last showdown coming in December 2024. Now, it’s been reported that Bo Dallas is injured and fans are pointing the finger of blame at Kross.

A Wyatt Sicks fan account on X shared a slowed-down video clip from December, showing Kross executing a move on Dallas. When they claimed that Kross injured Dallas, who wrestled as Uncle Howdy, the former NXT responded to the accusation.

Bo Dallas was absent from a Royal Rumble photo op that featured the Wyatt Sicks, which led to many believing he was injured. PW Insider’s Mike Johnson confirmed that Dallas is not currently traveling with WWE, verifying that he is sidelined due to a legitimate injury.

Kross’ character-breaking response shows that the WWE roster is a team and despite on-screen feuds, Kross takes no pleasure in another wrestler being hurt. In the absence of the Wyatt Sicks, Kross has continued to portray his ‘Devil’s Advocate’ role, though the Final Testament is no more after recent WWE releases led to AOP and Paul Ellering being cut.

With The Wyatt Sicks being moved to WWE SmackDown, fans are excited to see what’s to come for the faction, espcially given Alexa Bliss’ return. Ultimately, fans will have to wait for Bray Wyatt to be fully healed from an injury that was not the fault of Karrion Kross.

Giovanni Vinci has officially spoken out following his WWE release. After being releases from the company among other cuts, Vinci took to X to share his gratitude towards the promotion.

Vinci’s release was part of WWE’s latest wave of roster cuts, which also included Isla Dawn, Blair Davenport, Akam & Rezar (AOP), Paul Ellering, Cedric Alexander, Sonya Deville, and The Good Brothers. The Italian wrestler is a former NXT Tag Team Champion and was part of the Imperium stable.

According to Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer, Vinci was originally supposed to debut a “rich playboy” gimmick, but the idea was ultimately scrapped before making it to television. Meltzer noted, “Was told they had a great idea for him doing the rich playboy gimmick. Oh well.”

After being released from the main roster, Vinci will likely have to wait out a 90-day non-compete clause before he competes elsewhere. While World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER and Ludwig Kaiser are seeing success in WWE, Vinci’s future remains outside of the promotion.

For decades, The Undertaker wowed and terrified the WWE Universe with his character-work, though the WWE Hall of Famer has appeared as himself since retiring. On his Six Feet Under podcast, Mark Calaway, the man behind the character, explained why he’s not interested in bringing back The Undertaker.

“I’ve really pushed to kind of be more Mark Calaway now, because I want to honor that character and the work that I did, and all the kayfabing that I did for that character.”

Calaway did not rule out appearing as The Undertaker, but argued that the return of the Deadman would cost a lot, and would have to make sense. Using a line from his character’s playbook, Calaway is ready to let the Undertaker character go.

“Not being corny, but I do want to let The Undertaker kind of rest in peace and kind of everything now that you see, like the other night on the Netflix deal, was the American Badass.”

Calaway has appeared for WWE a handful of times since his retirement, including sharing a moment with Rhea Ripley during WWE Raw’s debut on Netflix. While his days of donning the iconic hat and trenchcoat may be over, the WWE Hall of Famer continues to command the respect of fans and talent alike.

The Undertaker Laughs At Hulk Hogan Getting Booed: “Things Come Back”

With Penta’s immediate success in WWE, fans are eager to see Rey Fenix join his brother, especially given that its been months since he appeared for AEW. Speaking with Lalo Elizarrarás, Fenix shared that he remains under contract with AEW and is waiting to be contacted.

“I’m still under contract with an additional extension. I am waiting to be used, to be called to work, or to have my situation clarified a little more”.

Fenix hasn’t competed for AEW since the July 20, 2024, edition of Collision, which saw the masked star defeat Tony Nese. Though his contract with AEW was set to expire in 2024, Tony Khan opted to tack time on to cover Fenix missing ring time due to various injuries. This act sparked debate among fans as while Khan has the right to do what he’s done, many believe that adding time to a talent that isn’t being used is a ‘petty’ move by the AEW President.

Fenix has alluded to growing issues in AEW, even saying that reports of a “huge injustice” within the promotion is accurate. Fenix has also alluded to receiving “inhumane treatment” and has claimed he was ignored when requiring medical help, though these posts have since been deleted.

Why Baron Corbin is Backing Tony Khan Over Rey Fenix Drama

With no sign of an AEW return, Fenix is keeping himself busy off of TV. In the interview, Fenix shared how he is seeking personal growth as he awaits an update on his in-ring future.

“I have more time to train. I have more time to perfect my skills. I have more time to create new things, to work on my injuries, to work on my body, and mainly, to work on my head.”

Fenix acknowledged that he could be seeking personal growth while working, but that “nobody stays in a place where they are not wanted.” With no sign of AEW or Fenix reaching an agreement, fans may be waiting a long time before they see the masked star compete in a ring on TV again.

H/T – Fightful

The February 8, 2025, edition of AEW Collision saw a trio of returns, adding some talented names back to the promotion’s active roster.

In the second match of the night, Bandido made his return to in-ring competion in AEW to defeat Bryan Keith. This match marked Bandido’s first showdown in an AEW ring since the June 14, 2023, edition of AEW Rampage, where he lost to Konosuke Takeshita.

In women’s division action, Mariah May decimated her opponent in a squash and dressed her victim up like Toni Storm to add insult to injury. May’s beatdown was cut short by the returning Luther, who provided the disctraction long enough for the real Storm to replace her in-ring doppelganger and surprise the Women’s World Champion with an attack.

Hologram also made his return during this week’s AEW Collision as he made the save for Komander, who was being attacked by RUSH, Dralistico, and The Beast Mortos. Hologram and Komander fought with Dralistico and Beast Mortos while Rush battled officials in the ring. This marked Hologram’s first appearance for AEW since WrestleDream, where he suffered an injury during his two-out-of-three falls match with Beast Mortos.

This week’s show saw AEW continue on the road ton Grand Slam: Australia, the company’s first event to take place in the country. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on these returning talents and what they do now they’re back on TV.

WWE recently released several names from its talent roster, with Sonya Deville, AOP, Giovanni Vinci and more being cut from the promotion. It turns out that these cuts haven’t just affected those on-screen, as at least one name working off-camera has also been let go.

On the subreddit r/SquaredCircle, a user going by ‘controllasummervibes’ shared that they have also been released. Their post was checked and marked as ‘verified,’ showing that they had proven to moderators that what they were saying was true. Controll shared a paycheck from WWE to the moderators to prove she was indeed a former employee:

“Up until Wednesday I was a video editor for their social medias. Out of no where they called me about some budget cuts and terminated my contract early. I’m heartbroken. I’ve been a huge fan and this was my dream job. My desk was decked out and I was so proud of my job. This is just me ranting and looking for support from a community I’ve been a part of I guess. Hopefully better things are coming.”

After being released, Controll was able to share some behind-the-scenes details about their time as a video editor for WWE’s social media platforms.

Working Life

Working for WWE was Controll’s first job after graduating college. She shared that she was working between 50-60 hours a week, and while this was “extremely stressful” the job was also rewarding.

Getting Paid

While WWE has been boasting record-profits for years, that fortune didn’t find its way to Contoll’s position. She shared that she was “lowkey making just over minimum wage” despite WWE’s social media and video content playing a key role in keeping fans invested in the product.

Content Created

Highlights of Controll’s work include the ‘Road to the Most Stacked Royal Rumble’ video below. She was also proud of compiling the ‘Top 10 Moments’ video for the January 13, episode of Raw, as well as a video capturing Rhea Ripley’s various highlights from 2024. She shared that she was editing ten to 15 videos a day. Her final videos centered around recapping the 2025 Royal Rumble PLE.

Response to Release

Controll is “heartbroken” over losing their job with WWE, but acknowledged that working with the company will look great on her resume. When a fan compared her to Drew McIntyre, saying she can hone her skills and come back to play a bigger role, Controll said that “I love this analogy.”

What’s to Come?

Conntroll’s next job is “def gonna be at a smaller company where my manager would fire me, not HR.” After the busy corporate life of WWE, Controll is ready for something smaller where she can feel more closely part of a team.

Seth Rollins is a bonafide WWE guy, and in the past, has defended the company from others, including those in AEW. While WWE and AEW no-longer go head-to-head in the Wednesday Night Wars, Rollins’ recent comments about the compeition has caught a lot of attention.

During Sirius XM Sports, Rollins was asked to imagine a blockbuster trade between WWE and AEW—similar to the shocking NBA deal that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers for Anthony Davis. Knowing his response would make “some headlines,” Rollins argued that WWE talent operate on a different level to those in AEW.

“You’ll make some headlines with this one. I don’t think there is anybody in AEW that’s on that level.”

Rollins later added that John Cena is the LeBron James of WWE, and if a trade had to be made, he’d switch John for AEW’s MJF. This caught the attention of the former AEW World Champion, who Rollins described as like Luka Doncic.

While MJF had teased joining WWE in the past, he re-signed with AEW in 2022, ensuring many more years as part of the Elite roster. Speaking to Fox 5 New York after news of his re-signing broke, MJF said the decision was ‘very easy’ and that he believes in Tony Khan’s company.

With John Cena set to retire from in-ring competition this year, it’s all but guaranteed that he will never be traded to AEW. Nevertheless, Rollins’ comment this week has certainly raised some eyebrows, with fans questioning if anyone in AEW is on WWE’s level.

Swerve Strickland Vs. Ricochet has quickly become one of the most personal rivalries playing out in AEW, and now their issues have extended past Tony Khan’s promotion. At the latest DEFY Wrestling event, Swerve Strickland’s theme song played, only for Ricochet to emerge instead.

Ricochet was hit with a “You are bald” chant and when the fans chanted for Strickland, Ricochet claimed that Swerve wasn’t at the show. That claim proved premature as the lights would go out and when they came back on, Swerve was in the ring. The former AEW World Champion was met with a monstrous pop from the crowd and wasted no time in brawling with Ricochet.

Strickland attempted the House Call but a poke to the eye allowed Ricochet to escape. Prince Nana emerged to throw Ricochet back in the ring. There, Strickland hit the House Call and Ricochet would later leave after shoving Nana.

Ricochet In The Hurt Syndicate: Could It Happen?

Ricochet defeated Strickland on this week’s Dynamite, though its clear the issues between the pair are far from over. With high-profile events including Grand Slam: Australia and Revolution approaching, fans could soon be seeing the pair do battle on AEW programming again very soon.

On the February 7, edition of WWE SmackDown, Bianca Belair punched her ticket to Elimination Chamber by defeating Piper Niven in a Women’s Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match. In a WWE Digital Exclusive, the EST spoke about what winning her third chamber match will mean for her career.

“Its another opportunity to solidy your path to WrestleMania and go after a title. I love having this title [the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship] on my shoulder but I wouldn’t mind another one.”

Belair doesn’t just have experience inside the Elimination Chamber, but knows what it takes to win the brutal match. Despite having this experience, Belair explained why those yet to taste victory inside the Chamber may be at something of an advantage.

“I may be in the match with women who haven’t won before. There’s nothing more dangerous than someone who wants it who hasn’t had it before.”

Everybody will be “hungry” to win the Elimination Chamber match, and Belair knows that she may have to face Naomi, who will face Chelsea Green in a qualifier next week. When asked, Naomi said she’s taking this situation seriously and won’t underestimate the comedic Women’s U.S. Champion.

The winner of this match will earn a title match against whichever champion Charlotte Flair, the winner of the 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble match, opts not to face at WrestleMania 41. With Belair, Liv Morgan, and Alexa Bliss already qualified, this year’s Women’s Elimination Chamber is shaping up to be a star-studded affair on March 1, in Toronto.

WWE has a huge roster of talented names, but this week, that roster became noticeably smaller. After Cedric Alexander confirmed his exit from WWE, more names have reportedly been let go by the company.

Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp reports that Blair Davenport has been let go by WWE. Davenport joined WWE as Bea Priestly in 2021, and debuted with the promotion as part of NXT UK.

Davenport was later brought to WWE NXT before landing on the main roster. Her most recent match for WWE came in November 2024, and her most recent victory was over Naomi on the August 16, edition of the Blue brand.

Sonya Deville has been told that her contract will not be extended when it expires, Sapp adds. With Deville’s contract reportedly set to expire in a couple of weeks, it won’t be long before the former Women’s Tag Team Champion is a free agent.

Deville joined WWE in 2015 as part of WWE Tough Enough. During an iconic moment, Deville came out of the closet during the show. This came after she was asked by one of the judges if she had a boyfriend waiting for her back home, and shared that she had a girlfriend instead.

Deville’s sole title win in WWE came in 2021 when she and Chelsea Green captured the Women’s Tag Team titles, though an injury would cut short Deville’s time with the gold. Now, both she and Davenport will have to find new roles outside WWE.

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