It isn’t Bill Goldberg’s place to comment on the scandal surrounding Vince McMahon but he believes that the new leadership in WWE is for the better. 

McMahon stepped down from WWE & TKO in January 2024 over the shocking allegations in Janel Grant’s lawsuit. McMahon has denied the allegations against him and has vowed to clear his name in court. 

Speaking to 93.7 The Ticket, Goldberg was asked for his thoughts on the allegations against McMahon. The WWE Hall of Famer was quick to make clear that it wasn’t his place to weigh in on the claims Grant has made. 

“The allegations and the things that have come to the forefront over the past six months or a year, I have no comment on it. It’s not my place.”

McMahon’s exit has seen a new ‘era’ in WWE launch, one that has been well-received by fans and those in the industry. In the interview, Goldberg agreed that audiences are doing well with McMahon out of the picture. 

“I think that the current owners of the WWE are going to make decisions based upon what they believe, and I think the decisions they have made have been favorable to the masses.”

McMahon is no longer with WWE and appears ready to break from TKO Group Holdings completely. The ex-CEO recently listed his remaining stock in TKO for sale after months of selling huge chunks of his portfolio in the company.

As for Goldberg, WWE’s new era will seemingly not involve the two-time former Universal Champion. Goldberg recently gave up his pursuit of a final match. The WCW alum had been seeking one last match after his WWE contract ended in late 2022. 

Wrestlers on Vince McMahon’s Resignation

Here are some  articles about wrestlers and what they have had to say in response to the lawsuit against Vince McMahon: 

H/T – Fightful

Rhea Ripley may no longer be the WWE Women’s World Champion, but ‘Mami’ is relishing in the fact that Liv Morgan doesn’t hold the gold either. 

The Australian Superstar vacated the gold last week after being injured during a backstage assault by Morgan. On this week’s Raw, Becky Lynch won the vacated gold, marking The Man’s ninth championship win in WWE. 

Lynch’s victory on Raw saw her last eliminate Morgan, who alongside The Man was considered a favorite ahead of the battle royal. Taking to Twitter, Ripley was delighted to see her former friend-turned-rival once again come up short. Ripley added that Lynch was an “interim champ,” suggesting that she plans to swiftly regain the gold once she is healed up. 

The forever runner up and the interim champ. #WWERAW https://t.co/2uhsnoDr7D

— RheaRipley_WWE (@RheaRipley_WWE) April 23, 2024

Ripley may have had plenty to say after this week’s Raw but the same can’t be said when it comes to Morgan herself. When a WWE camera operator attempted to catch Morgan after the match, Liv was livid as seen in the clip below. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C6FsfaYs4E-

Did WWE Make the Wrong Call? 

While Lynch was a favorite going into the battle royal, many feel that Liv Morgan should have left Raw as the new Women’s World Champion. Morgan has been embroiled in a feud with Ripley for some time, and it was an attack by ‘Mami’ that forced Liv to miss months of action. On Twitter, WWE/TNA Hall of Famer Bully Ray shared his belief that WWE made the wrong call. 

CONGRATS Becky…

But should it have been Liv ??????

Talk tomorrow @BustedOpenRadio #WWERaw

— Bully Ray (@bullyray5150) April 23, 2024

Whether it should have been Liv Morgan or not, Becky Lynch is now once again on top of WWE Raw’s women’s division. With this being her first singles title reign of a main roster title in two years, Lynch is hoping for a nice, long run, though is quickly finding herself a long list of challengers. 

Things do not seem to be going Judgement Day’s way and it appears that after Rhea Ripley, Dominik Mysterio has also suffered an injury.

The former NXT North American Champion was expected to work the European Tour last week. Ricochet replaced him on the shows. The unannounced change concerned people. 

The latest episode of Monday Night Raw from Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio further confirmed that Dirty Dom is not 100%. The Judgement Day star was announced to team with JD McDonagh on tonight’s episode of the Red Branded Show. 

He appeared on the screen, however, wearing a sling on his left hand. Santos Escobar then replaced Dominik in the match against Ricochet and Andrade. The faces won the match when Andrade delivered The Message to McDonagh for the pin.

What’s next for Judgement Day

The last couple of weeks have not been good for Judgement Day. It all started when Rhea Ripley had to relinquish her Women’s World Title due to a shoulder injury.

The opening segment of this week’s Raw then saw Damian Priest confronting his Backlash opponent Jey Uso. After a heated exchange between the two, JD McDonagh emerged out of nowhere and tried to blindside the former Bloodline member.

Priest appeared to have no knowledge of the attack. He ended up on the business end of a superkick when he was trying to stop McDonagh from going after Uso.

I'm sore.
I'm tired.
I'm pissed off.

And I think I've helped Judgment Day more than Judgment Day has helped me. https://t.co/1iUzwmcQP7

— JD McDonagh (@jd_mcdonagh) April 23, 2024

The World Heavyweight Champion made another appearance on the show after McDonagh’s tag team match. He told both JD and Dominik that he didn’t need either of them.

Elsewhere in the show, a backstage segment also teased a potential collaboration between Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan in the absence of the Mami.

With all the teases of tensions within the Judgement and the new alliance between Morgan and Dom, it won’t be a surprise if we see the group imploding sooner rather than later.

It will also depend on the health of Mysterio. Though considering that the company is keeping him on screen and teasing plans for him it doesn’t seem likely that he will miss a lot of ring time.

We wish a speedy recovery to Dominik Mysterio

Giovanni Vinci has seemingly been kicked out of the Imperium after tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw from Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio.

This week’s episode of the red-branded show saw the first appearance of Gunther after he lost his Intercontinental Championship to Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 40.

The Ring General said that people expected him to talk about his loss but he had something else in mind. The former champion then officially declared himself as the first entrance for the upcoming King of The Ring tournament.

The New Day then made their way to the ring and Xavier Woods talked about being the last King of The Ring winner. The back and forth between the two groups lead to a tag team match featuring Ludwig Kaiser and Vinci taking on Woods and Kofi Kingston.

By The Orders of The Ring General?

The ending of this bout saw Wood delivering a double stomp on Vinci and pinning the Raw star for the victory. Gunther who was at the ringside was seemingly disappointed with this result and he stormed to the back after throwing his chair.

Kaiser helped Vinci get back up at the ringside and hugged him. He followed this up, however, by attacking his tag team partner. Kaiser continued the assault for a while and sent his partner crashing through the ring post and the announce desk before the officials sent him back.

Until this point, it appeared that Kaiser had snapped but as the German star returned to the Gorilla position, he ran into Gunther once again. Both the men smiled upon seeing each other suggesting that it was a pre-planned attack.

Elsewhere in the show, we saw the crowning of the new women’s world champion after Rhea Ripley relinquished her title due to an injury last week. You can click here to know who became the new champion.

WWE’s ongoing mystery continued on the April 22, episode of Raw but this QR code gave the most concrete tease to date that plans will reference Bray Wyatt. 

Since the post-WrestleMania Raw, glitches and QR codes have been appearing on WWE’s main roster programming, giving clues as to something big that’s in the works. These QR codes have led to videos with fans deciphering hidden messages and clues to figure out what’s really going on. 

This mystery continued on Raw as a QR code appeared ahead of an in-ring segment with Chad Gable and the Alpha Academy. Scanning the code brings you to a binary text prompt that features some hidden easter eggs. Typing ‘BRAY’ into the binary script will give you the response ‘Remembered’ while typing ‘WYATT’ will give you the response ‘Forever.’ 

Inputting the number of sensory organs will bring you to a video that starts with a cheesy ‘Coming Soon’ message. Things take a dark turn as a POV shot shows somebody approaching a house with a message reading ‘REMEMBER WHO YOU ARE.’ The video ends with the imagery of a cave, a raven, and the symbol for the dwarf planet Pluto which have been prevalent in previous videos. 

This is the video revealed after solving the clue associated with tonight’s QR Code!

More spooky stuff ? #WWERAW pic.twitter.com/jMrejTbuiw

— The Movement – Pro Wrestling (@TheMovementXx) April 23, 2024

Many believe this is leading to the return of Uncle Howdy, the character previously portrayed by Bo Dallas who was introduced following Wyatt’s return in 2022. It’s been rumored that a faction could be in the works, especially with Erick Rowan, a Wyatt Family alum, recently re-signing with WWE. 

WWE’s QR Code Mystery

Here are some recent articles about WWE’s previous QR codes and the symbolism behind the eerie videos behind them: 

Jinder Mahal’s release from WWE could prove to be a blessing in disguise for the former World Champion as he’s already garnered significant interest. 

Mahal was part of the first wave of releases in WWE’s new era. Other names cut include Xia Li, Veer Mahaan, Sanga, Xyon Quinn, and Von Wagner. This exit marks Mahal’s second release from WWE as he was previously cut from the promotion in 2014. 

While Mahal’s days in WWE are over, it appears that he won’t struggle to find work elsewhere. Fightful Select reports that Mahal has already received “heavy interest” from promotions eager to work with him now that he is a free agent. Game Changer Wrestling is said to be “foaming at the mouth” to bring him in when his 90-day non-compete clause expires this July. The report adds that eagerness to work with Mahal could be partly down to Matt Cardona being out of action and GCW needing a new heel for its roster. 

It’s promising for Mahal that companies are already interested in working with him given how his second WWE run ultimately fizzled out. Upon announcing his exit from WWE, Mahal declared that he’d ‘quit’ the promotion, leaving fans to believe that there were some underlying issues between the two sides. Talent in WWE are said to have liked Mahal and believe that he wasn’t given a fair go at things considering he did everything the company asked of him. 

WWE Releases

Here are some more recent articles about wrestlers who were released from WWE and what they have had to say:

Rhea Ripley’s sudden injury created a need for a new Women’s World Champion. The April 22 episode of RAW ended with a battle royal to help the company decide a new top female on Monday nights.

After a chaotic battle royal match, Becky Lynch pulled down the win to become WWE Women’s World Champion. The Man now holds the title that she failed to snag at WrestleMania 40.

The 4/22 episode of WWE RAW marked the first occasion in WWE history where a vacant women’s championship was claimed in a battle royal. Previously, the only woman to win a title in a battle royal was Gail Kim, who beat then-champion Jazz and five other women during her WWE RAW debut in 2003.

The next WWE draft is from April 26, 2024 (SmackDown) to April 29, 2024 (RAW). It’s anyone’s guess how the upcoming roster shake-up will mold the women’s division for the red brand.

The Battle Royal Match Finish

The battle royal included several notable spots. Natalya eliminated Chelsea Green, but she got back in without the referee seeing her. Then Becky Lynch was put through the announce table by Nia Jax, leaving her out of commission, but still in the match.

The final five women in the match included Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler, Liv Morgan Zoey Stark and Becky Lynch, who was KOed thanks to that table spot. Then Jax took Stark and Baszler out of the match.

????????#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/sFjecjEKCM

— WWE (@WWE) April 23, 2024

As Nia Jax and Liv Morgan set themselves up to be the last two in the match, Becky Lynch crawled back into the ring. The three of them continued as Liv and Becky tried to take out Nia. Then The Irresistible Force was finally sent to the floor after a collaborative effort.

Becky and Liv made eventually made their way to the apron, where Morgan nailed a Codebreaker, but Lynch reversed Morgan’s follow-up into a Manhandle Slam to win the match.

BECKY LYNCH is your newwww Women's World Champion!#WWERaw pic.twitter.com/lUsTjlk2FX

— WWE (@WWE) April 23, 2024

Why Rhea Ripley Vacated Title

Rhea Ripley looked to be a strong, and unbeatable, Women’s World Champion coming out of WrestleMania 40. Then Liv Morgan jumped her backstage during the RAW after the show of shows, and the Nightmare was injured.

Recent reports suggest that Ripley might need four to six weeks to regain shoulder mobility following a sprained AC joint injury. The incident is considered a “total fluke.” Typically, recovery from such an injury requires up to three months before she can resume ring activities.

Ripley had to make the sad announcement last week on RAW that she was vacating the Women’s World Championship. Before she left, Ripley also made it very clear that she will target whoever is champion when her return comes around.

The Bloodline may be welcoming a new family member into the mix very soon. Over the past month, there’s been a lot of talk that Jacob Fatu is headed to WWE and may have even inked a deal already. The latest update comes from PWInsider, which states the former MLW World Heavyweight Champion is slated to debut within the week. Unless he turns up on Tuesday’s NXT, Friday’s 4/26 edition of WWE SmackDown would be the setting.

This potential debut would only be around two weeks removed from when Tama Tonga, a longtime keystone in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, made his WWE debut on SmackDown. He and Solo Sikoa viciously attacked Jimmy Uso,  eliminating him from the group. Last week, Sikoa and Tonga set their sights on Kevin Owens, and left the prizefighter a bloody mess.

It would make sense for Jacob Fatu to align himself alongside Sikoa and Tonga as Solo seems to be seeking control of the faction while Roman Reigns is away and that has started with the debut of Tonga.  However, with The Usos having their back against the wall, Fatu could be a family member that Jimmy or Jey align themselves with.

In addition to a lengthy run with MLW’s top title Fatu has been a force on the independent wrestling scene for years. Known as the Samoan Werewolf, Fatu is notorious for having amazing athleticism, a hard-hitting style and a visually impressive leaping top rope moonsault as his finisher. 

Jacob Fatu has spoken about wanting to wrestle for WWE. During an interview with SEScoops correspondent MuscleManMalcolm, he said, “All of my family has been there. If I ever had the chance to go there, absolutely. I would love to go there. My father, my uncle, my cousins, are there, so absolutely. If I had the chance, I would go.”

Finn Balor is sticking around WWE for years to come. After a decade with the world’s top wrestling organization, the former Universal Champion announced some big news on social media. 

We knew Balor’s WWE contract was up soon and have been watching closely to see how this situation would unfold. He’s been wrestling since 2001 and is 42 years old, so it would make sense for him to at least consider working a lighter schedule with AEW or NJPW. Balor says he gave the decision a lot of thought and sounds confident he made the right choice.

I would like to take this moment to say thank you to WWE for 10 incredible years. And after much thought and consideration, I have decided that now is the right time to say ‘I ain’t going nowhere!’

https://www.instagram.com/p/p:C6FQnS4opMd

Sean Ross Sapp notes the multi-year contract is for ‘big money,’ which a star of his caliber can certainly command.

Balor has taken a similar path to his former tag team partner, Damian Priest. Fresh off of winning the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40, the ‘Archer of Infamy’ revealed this past week that he’s also signed a new contract.

On this week’s WWE RAW the other two healthy members of The Judgment Day JD McDonagh and Dominik Mysterio are teaming up to face Andrade and Ricochet in tag action. Priest happened to kick off the show in a segment involving himself and his Backlash opponent, Jey Uso.

Wrestling fans are still stunned after Rhea Ripley announced that she has been forced to vacate the WWE Women’s World Championship. Ripley’s incredible title reign ended after she injured her AC joint in a backstage brawl with Liv Morgan on the April 8 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw.

It’s believed that the injury occurred when Morgan slammed Ripley’s arm against a wall. WWE fans have noticed that once the champion’s arm hit the wall, she immediately grabbed her arm. She revealed in the following episode that she was injured in the altercation and vowed to return stronger to reclaim the WWE Women’s World Championship. While it’s unclear what Ripley’s timetable is for a return, it could be a few months. 

As she hopes to recover fully, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley wishes her a swift return. 

Mick Foley Talks About Rhea Ripley’s Injury

Foley shared his thoughts on Ripley’s injury on his YouTube channel. He also spoke positively of WWE booking for Ripley and has been impressed with her since 2019. 

“…We’ve here at the Foley family really thought highly of her since the first time she premiered when we saw her, Royal Rumble 2019. I’d written stories about her saying WWE really had to treat her like the special entity that she is. I’m the first to say, look, I knew she needed special treatment. I didn’t know it would be this good,” said Foley.

‘The Hardcore Legend’ continued to praise Ripley’s growth in WWE and believes she’ll gain more popularity when she returns.  

“…We watched Mami just grow from a superstar into an iconic entity. I have to believe she’s going to come back better than ever and more popular than ever,” said Foley.

Although the injury is unfortunate, WWE is moving forward and ready to crown a new women’s champion. 

New Champion To be Decided On 4/22 Episode of WWE Monday Night Raw

WWE has announced that the vacant women’s world title will be on the line in the next episode of Raw. The championship will be decided in a Battle Royal Match, including Becky Lynch, Nia Jax, and Morgan.

It’s unclear how many participants will compete in the match, but it seems to be exclusively members of the Raw brand. The timing of the title opportunity is also interesting as WWE plans to shake up the rosters with the WWE Draft starting on April 26. 

After injuring Ripley, Morgan has set her sights on becoming the new WWE Women’s World Champion. Fans seem to have picked her as the favorite to win, and she could be in line for a big match with ‘Mami’ when she eventually returns. 

Bill Goldberg may have wrestled his final match. Last year, WWE Hall of Famer revealed that he agreed to wrestle Roman Reigns in February 2022 and put Reigns over  under the condition that he’d receive a proper retirement match afterwards with lots of celebration and fanfare. Unfortunately, that match never took place and Goldberg says Vince McMahon broke his promise.

Following Goldberg’s departure from WWE at the end of that’s year, many fans have wondered if the former WWE Champion would consider holding his final in-ring performance outside the realm of WWE. During a recent interview with 93.7 The Ticket, Goldberg provided an update on his retirement match plans, indicating that they have since been put on the backburner.

“I’ll be perfectly honest with you. I’ve kind of put that on the back burner,” Goldberg said. “Right now, I’ve segued into dad, first and foremost, and husband and car host. I’m just having fun at my garage. So I really don’t have a lot of time right now to dedicate to prepping for a retirement match.”

Fatherly Guidance

As Goldberg noted, much of his focus has been dedicated to helping his son, Gage, make the transition from high school to college football. Earlier this year, Gage announced that he had officially committed to the University of Colorado Boulder with the aim of continuing his football and academic career. 

Goldberg had a similar experience three decades ago when he signed as a defensive tackle for the University of Georgia Bulldogs. As such, Goldberg knows his son’s upcoming transition could be rather challenging. 

“I’m trying to do everything I can in my power 24/7 to get our boy [Gage] prepped for the next phase of his life,” Goldberg said. “And in all honesty, that’s the most important thing I could ever have going. “Whether I was ready to step in the ring right now or not, I’d put it all on the back burner for this boy. It’s going to be tough, man.”

WrestleMania 40 featured appearances from several musical artists and bands, such as Lil Wayne, Coco Jones, The War and Treaty as well as metalcore band Motionless In White as they performed Rhea Ripley’s entrance theme, ‘Demon in Your Dreams'” ahead of her WWE Women’s World Championship match against Becky Lynch.

After seeing his Judgment Day stablemate played out to a live music performance on WWE’s grandest stage, Damian Priest is now envisioning one of his own.

Priest’s Dream WrestleMania Entrance

In a new interview with Metal Hammer, Priest was asked to identify the band he’d like to see introduce him at a future WrestleMania event. In response, Priest pointed toward another band in the metal music genre.

“The mighty Metallica! You know what I mean? Can you imagine Metallica playing me to the ring?” Priest said. “It’d be wild! Hey, maybe I’ve gotta talk to the boss man and be like, ‘Hey? What’s up with Metallica?’ That’d be a whole different dream scenario. I don’t even know if I’m ready for that.”

Growing up, Priest developed a strong affinity for the metal music genre, often listening to the likes of Anthrax, Slayer, In Flames, Soilwork, and the aforementioned Metallica.

Nowadays, Priest has expanded his playlist to include some bands recommended to him by Rhea Ripley, including Motionless In White and Ice Nine Kills.

Priest’s Eventful WrestleMania 40

While he may not have received a special musical entrance this year, Priest’s WrestleMania 40 weekend still turned out to be quite eventful. 

24 hours after he and Finn Balor lost the Undisputed WWE Tag Team titles in a six-pack ladder match, Priest (with the help of CM Punk) successfully cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to claim the World Heavyweight title. This marked Priest’s first world championship in WWE and solidifies him as one the faces of WWE’s new era. 

Looking ahead, Priest will now be tasked with defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Jey Uso at WWE Backlash, which emanates from Lyons, France on May 4.

Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes is set to flex his acting muscles with a role in the reboot of the classic comedy film series ‘Naked Gun.’

Rhodes will make a cameo appearance in the film as himself, according to insiders who spoke to the Daily Mail. It’s noted that Rhodes may be hypnotized in a nod to the original 1988 comedy. Pamela Anderson of Baywatch fame is attached to the film. Liam Neeson will star as incompetent detective Frank Drebin, previously played by the late, great Leslie Nielsen. 

Cody’s Acting Chops

This won’t be Rhodes’ first foray into the world of acting. In 2010, Cody played ‘Kurt Smoller’ on an episode of Warehouse 13, and serves as the romantic interest for the show’s female lead Myka. The couple’s date goes awry when Myka switches bodies with the show’s male lead Pete due to a magic idol, resulting in Pete-in-Myka having to finish the date.

From 2016 to 2018, Rhodes played the near-invulnerable Derek Sampson on Arrow, the CW’s take on the DC Comics character Green Arrow. Rhodes portrayed the character for seven episodes and would appear alongside his Summerslam 2015 opponent and Arrow star Stephen Amell.

Though it’ll be a small role, Cody’s work in the Naked Gun reboot bodes well for the American Nightmare. Several WWE names have gone on to thrive in acting including John Cena, Batista, and Cody’s own nemesis Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson. The Final Boss has vowed to return to WWE and confront Cody and now their war will play out in the ring and the world of Hollywood. 

Wrestlers in Films

Here are some more recent articles about wrestlers who are currently working on high-profile movie projects:

WWE released several wrestlers this past week and we can add Von Wagner’s name to that list, as Fightful Select reports the 2nd generation star has also been let go. 

Wagner (Calvin Bloom) is the son of Wayne Bloom, who longtime fans may remember as Beau Beverly of the early 90’s Beverly Brothers tag team. Prior to wrestling in NXT, he played as a tight end for UCF from 2012 to 2016. He was long hailed as a top prospect and a favorite of key people in management, but he never seemed to catch on or get much momentum. 

In addition to the latest round of talent releases, including Von Wagner, Jinder Mahal, Xyon Quinn, Veer Mahaan, Sanga, and Xia Li, WWE recently parted ways with several other people, including Dan Ventrelle, Rob Schamberger, Trent Wilfinger, Sue Aitchison, and Sid Scala. Schamberger and AEW already have something in the works together. 

Stay tuned as we track the next moves of Von Wager, Jinder Mahal and the rest of these recently released (former) WWE Superstars.

WWE’s NXT brand is always building toward their next big show. We already know that NXT Heatwave is scheduled for July 7, 2024, at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and now they have some big news for Battleground. 

NXT Battleground will take place at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas on Sunday, June 9. This event is notable as the first WWE event to be held at the 130,000-square-foot UFC APEX facility, which regularly hosts UFC Fight Night events.

“We are always exploring new frontiers to showcase NXT and we are excited to bring Battleground to this world-class event and production facility in partnership with UFC,” said WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels.

With this move, WWE changed up their previous Battleground plans from Savannah, Georgia hosting the event. It was previously reported in late March that the UFC Apex was being eyed for Battleground’s landing pad.

What is the UFC Apex

The UFC Apex is located in Enterprise, Nevada, and owned by the Ultimate Fighting Championship, which is part of TKO Group Holdings, an Endeavor subsidiary. This facility, a hub for UFC live events and productions, will now also host NXT Deadline.

After opening their doors on June 18, 2019, the Apex became a pivotal location during the COVID-19 pandemic. After hosting three events in Jacksonville, all subsequent U.S.-based UFC events were held at the Apex without spectators. 

The state-of-the-art UFC Apex has been home to so many incredible events… and for the first time ever, on June 9, @WWE becomes part of that. Huge thanks to @ufc and @danawhite for their partnership in bringing #NXTBattleground to Vegas. https://t.co/SVeNZyxIyN

— Triple H (@TripleH) April 22, 2024

The Apex continues to host select Fight Night events and has started allowing limited public attendance. The venue utilized a 25-foot wide Octagon for its events, smaller than the standard 30-foot version.

TKO Group Holdings merged WWE and UFC under the Endeavor umbrella, sparking speculation about hosting simultaneous events in the same city to create a major destination event. The UFC Apex serves as a great location to test out this merger. 

WWE returns to Columbus, Ohio tonight for WWE RAW at the Schottenstein Center. Nearly 8,000 fans will be in attendance as WWE looks ahead to the 2024 Draft later this week, as well as WWE Backlash: France on Saturday, May 4. Here’s a quick preview, followed by our detailed breakdown of what to look forward to:

Matches:

• Awesome Truth (c) vs. DIY for the World Tag Team Championships
• Battle Royal to determine the new WWE Women’s World Champion 
• Andrade & Ricochet vs. Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh

Segments:

• Gunther returns

World Tag Team Championships: Awesome Truth (c) vs. DIY

One week after trading in their WWE Raw Tag Team Championships for the newly crafted World Tag Team Championships, The Miz and R-Truth, collectively known as Awesome Truth, are now tasked with defending the titles against Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa (DIY). Gargano and Ciampa earned this title shot after defeating The New Day and Creed Brothers in a triple threat number one contenders match on last week’s episode of WWE Raw.

For The Miz and R-Truth, tonight will mark their first title defense since claiming tag team gold at WrestleMania 40. For Ciampa and Gargano, tonight marks another chance to secure their first set of tag team gold on WWE’s main roster. The duo previously held the NXT Tag Team Championships from late 2016 until early 2017.

WWE Women’s World Championship Battle Royal 

Fueled by her desire for revenge, Liv Morgan brutally attacked Rhea Ripley at the Wells Fargo Center two weeks ago. Unfortunately for Ripley, that attack proved to not only be rather brutal, but ultimately detrimental to her WWE Women’s World Championship reign.

During the opening segment of last week’s Raw, Ripley revealed the unfortunate news that she had sustained an injury from Morgan’s attack, and as a result, she was forced to vacate her title. Reports later indicated that Ripley suffered an injury to her AC joint after crashing into a wall at the Wells Fargo Center. 

With Ripley expected to be out of action for several months, WWE will now crown a new WWE Women’s World Champion tonight via a battle royal. While WWE has yet to formally announce the complete field of competitors for the battle royal, a promotional video clip for the match included the following faces:

Becky Lynch, Liv Morgan, Nia Jax, Maxxine Dupri, Chelsea Green, Natalya, Katana Chance, Kayden Carter, Indi Hartwell, Zoey Stark, Shayna Baszler, Tegan Nox, Piper Niven, Ivy Nile, and Candice LeRae.

Gunther Returns

WWE fans last saw “The Ring General” Gunther on night one of WrestleMania 40, where his history-making Intercontinental Championship reign was dramatically ended by Sami Zayn. Following his loss to Zayn, Gunther will return to WWE television, likely looking for retribution.

Meanwhile, newly-crowned Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn looks to bounce back from a stunning betrayal at the hands of Chad Gable last week.

Andrade & Ricochet vs. Dominik Mysterio & JD McDonagh

Last week, Andrade defeated Dominik Mysterio in singles action. Before Andrade could celebrate this victory, Mysterio and his Judgment Day stablemate JD McDonagh ambushed him. Luckily for Andrade, Ricochet rushed down to even the odds, forcing Mysterio and McDonagh to retreat. Now, the pairs will meet in tag team action on tonight’s episode of Raw.

Solo Sikoa should take his own advice that losing has consequences as the new leader of the Bloodline has been racking up a significant losing streak as of late. 

Since Roman Reigns’ defeat at WrestleMania 40, Sikoa has taken control of the Bloodline on WWE TV. Sikoa’s regime has seen Tama Tonga brought in to replace Jimmy Uso as a member of the faction. Jimmy was kicked from the group after he lost at WrestleMania 40 and failed to help Roman Reigns retain the Undisputed WWE Championship at the event. Sikoa has made clear that losing has consequences in his Bloodline. 

While losing may have consequences, it seems Sikoa is exempt from the rule. The former NXT North American Champion lost at the April 20, WWE live event to LA Knight in what has become a regular occurrence for him. Sikoa is 0-40 in his last 40 matches with WWE. The bulk of these bouts have happened off of TV with Knight, Cody Rhodes, AJ Styles, and Seth Rollins being among those leaving Sikoa on his back. 

Sikoa’s most recent victory in WWE came back in November of 2023 when he beat John Cena at WWE Crown Jewel. While many at the time saw this as a career-defining victory for Sikoa and the start of bigger things to come, that hasn’t been the case, at least when it comes to his matches. 

What makes this streak even more unfortunate is that Sikoa’s name was once associated with winning streaks on WWE TV. After making his main-roster debut at Clash At The Castle in September 2022, Sikoa would enjoy an undefeated streak in TV matches that wouldn’t end until Cody Rhodes bested him on the March 27, episode of Raw. Now though, fans are left wondering when they’ll next see the man who’s declared that losing has consequences, pick up a victory of his own. 

Drew McIntyre has admitted that he may have gone a tad too far with his goading of CM Punk at WrestleMania 40, but was able to prove that he is a man of his word. 

McIntyre won the WWE World Heavyweight Championship at WWE WrestleMania 40: Sunday, his first World Championship win in front of a live WWE crowd. After goading CM Punk at ringside however, McIntyre was attacked by the Best in the World and Mr. Money in the Bank Damian Priest would capitalize on the attack. 

As countless fans have pointed out, all McIntyre had to do was to avoid taunting CM Punk and he would have left Philadelphia as the World Heavyweight Champion. In a recent Twitter video, Drew justified his actions. 

“This is everything I worked for, for 20 years. This was my moment, I earned it, I’m sorry I wanted to soak in every single second of it at WrestleMania, make the world title moment last an eternity. Oh to celebrate with my wife, or my fans who have been through much.”

While McIntyre was pleased to have his moment, the contemplative former World Heavyweight Champion admitted that he may have gone a bit overboard.

“I saw Punk. I might have gotten carried away a bit, but I told him I’d rub it in his stupid face and I’m a man of a word. I was within striking distance on purpose and he didn’t raise one finger until I was distracted and assaulted me like the coward he is.”

The answer to the question everyone has been asking me since WrestleMania…

Why didn’t you just leave? pic.twitter.com/fPvUm5veq0

— Drew (@DMcIntyreWWE) April 21, 2024

Not only did Punk cost McIntyre at WrestleMania, but he also cost the Scottish Warrior in the number-one contenders match during the following Raw. While a match is expected between the two, that hinges on Punk being cleared and McIntyre signing a new contract with the promotion. 

Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is stepping from the wrestling ring to the MMA cage as part of the intense training for his latest movie project ‘The Smashing Machine.’

The Rock recently wrapped up his time with WWE but has threatened to return to confront Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. Many fans are expecting a match between the two, possibly later this year or at WrestleMania 41. 

Before that happens though, Johnson’s focus is on his new film. The Smashing Machine will focus on the life of fighter Mark Kerr and detail his rise in the world of MMA as well as his struggles with personal problems. Johnson will be portraying Kerr. 

Taking to social media, Johnson reflected on his appearances at WrestleMania 40 and admitted he’s “banged up” but ready to go. The Final Boss added that his MMA workouts will be starting very soon and hopes that The Smashing Machine will serve as a love letter to those battling addiction, including the many friends he’s lost to addiction and mental health struggles. 

From the wrestling ring to the MMA cage.

With WrestleMania behind me – my second training camp of 2024 begins tomorrow for my next role, in a film titled – The Smashing Machine.

My body’s banged up from Mania, but no injuries and feeling great – ready to go.

Starting my MMA… pic.twitter.com/J1OJE2vkbi

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) April 22, 2024

The Smashing Machine is certainly a change from the norm for Johnson, who typically sticks to family-friendly films (Moana, The Jungle Cruise) or high-end blockbusters like The Fast and the Furious franchise.) Currently, there’s no confirmed date for when fans can expect The Smashing Machine in cinemas. 

While the world of MMA is something new for the Final Boss, his athletic credentials can’t be denied. In addition to his exceptional wrestling career, Johnson played college football and has sculpted his physique with the passion of a bodybuilder. 

Johnson has made himself a blockbuster megastar and it’s commendable that the 51-year-old is ready to try something new. As a prolific social media user who has one of the largest followings in the world, fans can expect plenty of updates about The Smashing Machine and WWE from the Final Boss. 

Ronda Rousey’s recent remarks against WWE have piqued a lot of interest among WWE fans. Logan Paul heard her remarks about how he received special treatment, and he had to respond. 

Paul mentioned that he aims to handle his response maturely because he appreciates Ronda Rousey and respects her contributions to MMA. He grew up watching her “snap arms” with his brother, Jake Paul. According to Logan, their interactions in person have always been very amicable.

The Maverick then went on to explain that he understands that Ronda Rousey may have experienced a different WWE than he did.

“I feel she’s maybe using me as an example to express her dissatisfaction with how she was treated in WWE, but I can’t speak on that because I don’t know how she was treated. I don’t think she’s a hater. I think she might be unhappy with how her run in the WWE went, but I don’t know anything really about that.” 

“All I know is how I work and the facilities and time that I’ve been given to make my matches as best as possible. I think WWE recognizes that when I put on a good match, which will happen every single time I perform, the outcome and the reaction of the fans is immense. It fills the audience. I think I’ve proven my value, both in and out of the ring, on the mic, wrestling. The impressions that I’m delivering the company are second to none.”

pic.twitter.com/Von1NTkhWf

— The Cabinet (@TheCabinet2004) April 21, 2024

What Ronda Rousey said About Logan Paul

In case you missed it, during an interview on Steve-O’s Wild Ride, Ronda Rousey expressed her wish for more rehearsal time before her matches, similar to the preparation that Logan Paul receives. She acknowledged Paul’s skill on the microphone and his strong performances.

Ronda commended Logan Paul’s microphone skills and expressed frustration over the unequal distribution of rehearsal time, noting Paul receives more as a rising star. She highlighted how proper resources can lead to great performances, as seen with her debut match, which benefited from extensive preparation. 

I wish I was allowed the time to rehearse that he gets. It’s not evenly spread. He’s like their next big star. They are rolling out the red carpet. It goes to show that if you give people the time to rehearse and the resources, you can do amazing things. It’s frustrating that everybody doesn’t get that treatment. My first match with them was incredible because we had six weeks to rehearse, all the best minds in the business coming and putting in their two cents and it was an instant classic.

NXT superstar Wes Lee has provided an update on his recovery and revealed that he’s making great progress.

Lee has been quite active on social media to share updates on his recovery. In the latest update on Twitter/X, the former NXT North American Champion flaunted his spray painting skills and noted that he is on the road to recovery. It is currently uncertain when he will be able to return back in the ring but he remains determined on recuperating. Here is what he wrote on:

“Recovery update: I’m making great progress, still uncertain on when everything will be firing on all cylinders with my body, but the mind is strong.” 

Wes Lee added that he is “having creative waves” and exploring other avenues “to create art” as he continues to recover. 

Update: Making great progress, still uncertain when everything will be firing properly with my body, but the mind is strong. Having creative waves and I’m diving back into outlets to create art.

Haven’t done this since ‘08 so bare with the sloppiness..have a great weekend! ✊🏽💚 pic.twitter.com/ffCzlidc8G

— WES LEE (@WesLee_WWE) April 20, 2024

Wes Lee underwent back surgery

Lee had been dealing with back issue and it ultimately put him out of action. He has been NXT North American Champion in the past and had the opportunity to claim the title yet again in December last year. However, he revealed that he would undergo back surgery which would keep him on the shelf for eight to twelve months. 

Lee was scheduled to challenge Dominik Mysterio for the title at NXT Deadline but he was pulled from the high-stakes match due to last-minute changes. Dragon Lee was announced as the replacement who went on to face Mysterio. 

In January, Lee revealed that he was back on his feet, while last month, he stepped foot in the ring for the first time since surgery. It seems that Wes Lee is recuperating well and could be returning soon to do what he does best.

Matt Riddle has revealed that the WWE creative originally laughed at the idea of the RK Bro tag team and it only came to fruition after Randy Orton himself pushed for it.

The Original Bro recently spoke to Johnny I Pro Show for an interview. He discussed things such as his favorite wrestlers growing up, why he hesitated in choosing pro wrestling as a career at first, and more.

The Birth of RK-Bro

Riddle’s team with WWE’s Apex Predator was easily the most entertaining part of his run. He was asked how this pairing originally came about.

The former WWE star revealed that Randy Orton pushed for doing more work with Matt Riddle after they had a singles match during the March 19, 2021 episode of Monday Night Raw:

“Randy was supposed to wrestle Braun Strowman one night and I was supposed to tag with Drew against Mace and T Bar you know when Retribution was still around.

I don’t know what happened but Randy and Braun didn’t end up wrestling and they switched Braun with me. So I got to wrestle Randy instead. After we worked Randy spoke very highly of me. He’s like ‘I want to do something else with him’ and they already had plans that we tag.”

Though the former WWE star also claimed that he got laughed at when he originally pitched the idea of teaming with The Legend Killer:

“Weeks before this I suggested we tag as RK Bro and the writing team just kinda laughed at me. Which most of my ideas they laugh and then like 2 weeks later they’ll be like ‘Hey I think we gotta do this’ and I’m like ‘Sounds awesome.’ I don’t even bring it up to them.”

• Matt Riddle Says Cocaine, Not Weed, Led To Failed WWE Drug Test

Matt Riddle first pitched the idea of a tag team to Randy Orton on the same episode of Raw where they locked horns for a singles match. Orton had originally dismissed the idea but he accepted the proposal after losing to Riddle in the bout.

RK Bro saw a lot of success and they had two reigns with the Raw Tag Team Championships in their 13-month-long run together. Their stint came to an abrupt end however as Riddle got released from his contract in September 2023, at a time when Orton was on the shelf rehabbing his back injury.

Xyon Quinn is ready for the next chapter of his wrestling career which he is confident will surpass the setback of being released by WWE. 

Quinn was among those cut by WWE in the first wave of talent releases following the launch of the promotion’s new era. Jinder Mahal, Veer Mahaan, Sanga, and Xia Li were also let go by the company as part of what’s been reported as ‘budget cuts.’

Taking to Instagram, Quinn shared a video of himself recalling his first fight. In the caption, the ex-NXT Superstar made clear that what’s to come will surpass his WWE release. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/reel:C6ARubiM3IU

Quinn’s video caught the attention of WWE Superstars. In the comments, WWE staple Natalya said “LFG” (Let’s F***** Go!) while Shotzi encouraged Quinn to “Take the world!” WWE NXT’s Jakaro Jackson shared her support for Quinn’s post-WWE endeavors through a series of emojis while Damon Kemp gave a salute to the former Superstar. 

On Twitter, Natalya had the following to say about Quinn. 

A year ago, @XyonQuinnWWE reached out to @TJWilson and asked if he could please train with us at our ring. Xyon’s been coming down to The Dungeon, which is in a small warehouse with no air conditioning, just a wrestling ring… the most important thing you need there is HEART.…

— Nattie (@NatbyNature) April 20, 2024

Quinn is eager to show his worth outside of WWE which seems more possible than ever before thanks to the many promotions out there. As Cody Rhodes, Matt Cardona, and others have shown, parting ways with WWE can often be a blessing in disguise and give wrestlers the opportunity to reinvent themselves on their own terms. For Quinn, he will have to wait out a 90-day non-compete clause before he can appear and compete elsewhere. Quinn is the husband of Harley Cameron who makes appearances for AEW and Ring of Honor. 

One fan at a recent WWE live event didn’t expect to be proposed to at the show, nor did she expect Cody Rhodes to be there when the question was popped. 

Rhodes has been headlining at WWE’s recent tour of the UK, his first since capturing the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40. Belfast, Northern Ireland marked the final night of the tour which went off with a bang. 

In footage shared online, a fan can be seen asking his girlfriend to marry him while Cody watches on and asks if she’ll say yes. The fan being proposed to does indeed say yes much to the delight of her fiance, the fans around them, and the American Nightmare. 

Cody out there celebrating marriage proposals with fans! 😂❤️💍

Congrats to the couple! #CodyRhodes #WWEBelfast #WWE pic.twitter.com/UB6bUN7az6

— Tiffany A Castagna (@CastagnaTiffany) April 21, 2024

Cody Rhodes’ Live Event Adventures

This is hardly the first time Rhodes has gone the extra mile to make a show special for a fan. Last year, Rhodes got up close and personal with a visually impaired fan at a WWE event who held a sign saying they were trying to see him. This heartwarming interaction came about mere weeks after Rhodes agreed to be the Best Man at a fan’s wedding.

When competing in Extreme Rules matches at WWE live events, Rhodes has been gifting tables to fans in attendance and has also been giving away his signature weight belt. Cody also recently had a special entrance with a young fan who was dressed like the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion. Rhodes’ antics off of TV continue to endear him with the fans which certainly bodes well for his future in WWE’s new era. 

Matt Hardy has confirmed that he is still a free agent despite his return to TNA.

The company had been teasing the reveal of a ‘lights out mystery’ over the past few weeks. The secret was finally unveiled at Saturday’s Rebellion PPV event.

Moose defeated Nic Nemeth to retain the TNA World Title in the main event of the show. The lights went out after the bout and Broken Matt Hardy made his surprise return to the promotion. He delivered a Twist of Fate to the World Champion and the PPV ended with Hardy holding the title.

After the PPV event, the wrestling veteran shared an interesting ‘Matt Fact’ graphic reading that he is in no rush to sign a new contract. In response to a fan, Hardy further confirmed that he remains a free agent despite his return:

No. I’m a free agent. I will appear when I want to appear.

— MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) April 21, 2024

Matt Hardy Is A Free Agent

Matt Hardy had seemingly been unhappy with his position on the AEW card for a while and he even spoke up about things such as backstage issues hurting the goodwill of the company.

The Attitude Era star made some headlines again when he attended a pre-WrestleMania Raw last month. When the news of his AEW contract expiring came to light, many believed that he was on his way back to the TKO-owned promotion.

The wrestling veteran, however, has since confirmed that he is still in talks with Tony Khan’s promotion in addition to weighing his options elsewhere.

If the latest development is any indication, Matt Hardy seems to be looking for creative satisfaction more than anything else at this juncture of his career.

The TNA appearance seems to be the start of a program. It won’t be a surprise if Hardy stretches his free agency further and we don’t hear news about him finding a new long-term home anytime soon.

You can relive Hardy’s TNA return below: