For Lyra Valkyria, this Monday’s Elimination Chamber Qualifying Match against Bayley on tonight’s WWE Raw isn’t just about securing a spot in one of WWE’s most brutal matches—it’s the realization of a dream years in the making.

During her appearance on the Battleground Podcast, Valkyria was reminded of a tweet she wrote in 2017, long before she became the first-ever WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion. “Imagine one day being able to make someone feel how I felt meeting Bayley. Now that would be amazing,” she wrote.

Now, seven years later, she’s facing Bayley in a match that could shape the next chapter of her career. The inaugural WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion battles a childhood hero

“It’s so crazy when these tweets resurface. I don’t even remember them at this point,” she admitted. “But I remember that moment. I had just wrestled a match that didn’t go my way, and Bayley took the time to give me advice, to pick me up. Now I’m stepping into the ring with her—it’s surreal.”

Layra Valkyria’s Surreal Match Against Bayley

Bayley, a Grand Slam Champion and one of WWE’s most accomplished superstars, stands between Lyra and her first Elimination Chamber appearance. But the rising star isn’t backing down from the challenge.

“I keep saying, ‘This is my biggest match ever.’ But this one really is,” Valkyria said. “Bayley is one of the best, but I’m ready to prove I belong at this level.”

With a chance to punch her ticket to the Elimination Chamber and potentially WrestleMania, this match isn’t just about competition—it’s about proving that Lyra Valkyria isn’t the future of WWE’s women’s division. She’s the present.

Jordynne Grace recently achieved a lifelong dream by signing with WWE, a move so significant that she was willing to forfeit an extremely lucrative side business to make it happen.

The former TNA Knockouts Champion shut down her independent revenue streams to facilitate the transition. While her long-term WWE contract is undoubtedly worth more than her earnings in TNA, she voluntarily closed her OnlyFans subscription page—a platform that had generated millions of dollars in recent years.

According to Sean Ross Sapp (Fightful Select Q&A), Grace effectively “took a pay cut” to sign with WWE.

“If you mean her OnlyFans, she shut that down several months ago. She effectively took a pay cut in order to join WWE. She’d become a millionaire at one point outside of WWE.”

Earning substantial money from running your own business is one thing, but living out a lifelong dream is priceless. Additionally, Grace could very well earn far more with WWE in the long run. Now that she has arrived in the big leagues, she joins WWE’s stacked women’s division, which includes Rhea Ripley, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Tiffany Stratton, Alexa Bliss, and many more.

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Trish Stratus shocked fans with her return at the 2025 Royal Rumble, entering the women’s match at No. 25 and lasting over 13 minutes before being eliminated by Nia Jax. However, her return may not be a one-time event.

According to Fightful Select, Stratus is a “constant piece of discussion” within WWE, with officials actively considering ways to involve her. The Hall of Famer has even pitched ideas for her role, a sign that she’s eager to get back in the ring and show a new generation of WWE fans what Stratisfaction is all about.

With Elimination Chamber set for March in her hometown of Toronto, Stratus is expected to play a part in the event. WWE has also released new merchandise to commemorate the 25th anniversary of her debut, adding to speculation that she will be involved in more storylines moving forward.

Trish Stratus’ First Match Since 2023

Stratus’ Royal Rumble appearance marked her first WWE match since facing Becky Lynch in a critically acclaimed steel cage match at Payback 2023. Her return adds another layer of excitement to WWE’s current landscape, as Charlotte Flair, the Royal Rumble winner, prepares to challenge for a championship at WrestleMania 41.

With Stratus celebrating a major career milestone in 2025, fans may see even more of the legendary superstar in the months ahead.

Follow Trish Stratus on X and subscribe to Fightful Select for insider professional wrestling news.

Several high-profile figures from the world of professional wrestling were present at Super Bowl LIX, held at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans.

WWE Hall of Famer and U.S. President Donald Trump attended the game, making history as the first sitting president to do so. Vince McMahon, Shane McMahon, and The Undertaker were also spotted at the event, adding to the strong wrestling presence at the Super Bowl.

WWE legends The Bella Twins watched the big game live, and mingled with All Elite Wrestling star Britt Baker.

AEW CEO Tony Khan was in attendance as well, arriving on the Kismet, a 400-foot, $360 million yacht owned by his father, Shad Khan. AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Mone and former AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland were on hand, with Swerve joking that they were just there to see Kendrick Lamar’s halftime performance.

Outside the stadium, WWE’s influence extended to the commercial breaks. Appliance maker Bosch aired its first-ever Super Bowl ad, featuring an actor portraying Macho Man Randy Savage alongside Antonio Banderas.

Beyond the wrestling world, Super Bowl LIX attracted a host of other celebrities, including Taylor Swift, Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd, and Lionel Messi. The game saw the Kansas City Chiefs face off against the Philadelphia Eagles.

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.

Bosch has debuted its first-ever Super Bowl commercial, featuring Antonio Banderas and a tribute to the legendary “Macho Man” Randy Savage. The 30-second spot, “The More You Bosch, The More You Feel Like a Bosch,” showcases Banderas transforming into “Antonio Bosch-deras” while using a refrigerator. Meanwhile, a contractor wielding Bosch power tools morphs into a character resembling Savage, complete with his signature deep voice and over-the-top persona.

The commercial, set to air during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LIX, was created with permission from Savage’s estate. Bosch executives say the late wrestler’s bold personality perfectly aligns with their power tools division, making him an ideal inspiration for the ad.

Randy Savage’s influence extends beyond wrestling, with his unforgettable voice and high-energy delivery making him an advertising icon—most notably as the longtime face of Slim Jim. The Bosch ad serves as both a playful homage and a reminder of the Macho Man’s lasting impact on pop culture.

SmackDown Superstar Elektra Lopez has been released by WWE. Her wrestler profile was moved to the Alumni section of the WWE website over the weekend, and we’ve since confirmed she was part of the latest round of cuts that also included Sonya Deville, AOP and several others.

Lopez began her WWE journey in NXT in June 2021, where she quickly aligned herself with Legado Del Fantasma as their enforcer. After Legado Del Fantasma moved to SmackDown without her in 2022, “La Madrina” remained in NXT and formed a partnership with Lola Vice. Their alliance ended in January 2024 when Vice eliminated Lopez from a battle royal, leading to a final confrontation match on NXT.

Lopez made her SmackDown debut later that month by interfering in Santos Escobar’s match against Carlito, helping Escobar secure the victory and officially rejoining Legado del Fantasma on the main roster.

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”

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.

Chelsea Green isn’t just making waves in WWE—she’s making fans laugh along the way. The inaugural WWE United States Women’s Champion has embraced a comedic approach to her in-ring persona, and now she’s eyeing a new goal: hosting Saturday Night Live.

In an interview with Scott Fishman for TVInsider, Green laid out her dream to host the iconic live sketch comedy series:

“That’s definitely on the bucket list—hosting SNL,” Green said in a recent interview. “I love it. I know I’m very self-deprecating, and that is where the humor comes from. It’s so fun to put that into verbiage and action in the ring to make people laugh on the biggest stage of them all.”

Green’s mix of quick wit, improv skills, and over-the-top antics have made her a fan favorite, despite her often underhanded tactics in the ring. Her ability to entertain has even caught the attention of Hollywood, with stars like Vanessa Hudgens sliding into her DMs.

“It’s crazy, like what is life? I’m here with you talking about being the first United States Women’s Champion. And I have Vanessa Hudgens in my DMs. What is life?”

Green’s charisma and comedic timing make her a natural fit for SNL. If WWE stars like The Rock and John Cena can seamlessly transition to hosting and acting, why not Green?

As her championship reign continues to elevate her profile, perhaps a late-night comedy gig is the next step in her ever-evolving career.

With SNL always looking for fresh, dynamic hosts, Chelsea Green might just be the perfect fit. So, Lorne Michaels—what are you waiting for?

WWE has reportedly released several talents over the past 48 hours, with most of the news coming from Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select. The latest wave of departures includes wrestlers who have held championships in NXT and on the main roster.

• Among those released are Authors of Pain (Akam & Rezar) along with Paul Ellering.

• NXT UK standout and former WWE Women’s tag champion Isla Dawn has also been let go, with Dawn personally confirming her release.

• Karl Anderson & Luke Gallows have been cut.

• Sonya Deville, who has been out of action due to injury, is also among the names departing.

• Cedric Alexander announced his own release.

• Additionally, Giovanni Vinci, best known for his run in Imperium, has also been let go.

• Elektra Lopez is leaving WWE, and her Superstar bio has been moved to the Alumni section of the company website.

With WWE trimming its roster, we’ll be tracking where these talents land next in the wrestling landscape.

WWE Superstar Isla Dawn has announced her departure from the company in a cryptic Instagram story. The post features a photo of Dawn in her wrestling gear, accompanied by the caption, “Here for a good time, not a long time,” followed by another message stating, “See you in 90,” with a calendar emoji.

The mention of “90” strongly implies that WWE has informed Dawn of her release and that she will remain under contract and paid for the next 90 days before becoming a free agent. This is standard procedure for main roster talent, meaning she will not be able to sign elsewhere until that period expires.

Her departure adds to a growing list of WWE talent exits this week.

Isla Dawn in WWE

Isla Dawn first appeared in WWE as Stacy Coates back in 2017, when she competed against Asuka in a match on Monday Night Raw. She joined NXT UK in 2018 after competing in the Mae Young Classic.

She developed a “modern-day witch” character and transitioned to NXT in late 2022. Things came together when she formed The Unholy Union with Alba Fyre. The duo won the NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship in April 2023, and after being drafted to SmackDown, they captured the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship at Clash at the Castle 2024 in Glasgow.

Gallows and Anderson has been released from WWE, according to Fightful Select.

Prior to this release, the duo had been relatively inactive, with Anderson sidelined due to shoulder surgery, while Gallows was relegated to dark matches. Their last notable in-ring appearance came at NXT Battleground, where they unsuccessfully challenged Nathan Frazier and Axiom for the NXT Tag Team Championships.

This marks their second WWE departure, following their previous release in April 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic budget cuts.

After that release, they had stints in TNA and NJPW before returning to WWE in October 2022, despite being offered significant contract raises by TNA at the time.

During their most recent WWE run, they primarily aligned with AJ Styles on SmackDown and made appearances on NXT, though they failed to capture any championships during this period.

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Giovanni Vinci (Fabian Aichner) has been released from WWE, according to Fightful Select.

The Italian Superstar joined WWE in 2017 and initially found success in NXT, where he became a two-time NXT Tag Team Champion with Marcel Barthel (later known as Ludwig Kaiser).

He later joined the Imperium faction alongside Gunther and Kaiser, moving to the main roster where they dominated until April 2024, when Kaiser turned on Vinci and expelled him from the group..

Since being drafted to SmackDown in 2024, Vinci’s career has faced significant challenges. After returning with new character vignettes in August 2024, he suffered embarrassing losses to Apollo Crews, including a three-second defeat. His television appearances became limited to WWE Speed matches and dark matches, where he continued to lose to various opponents.

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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.

AOP & Paul Ellering Released From WWE (Report)

Alexa Bliss made a huge impact with her return at the 2025 Royal Rumble in her first appearance for WWE in over two years. After reports that Bliss had been moved to SmackDown, the Goddess continued to make an impression on the latest edition of the blue brand.

During the show’s second hour, Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton came face-to-face, teasing their reported showdown at WrestleMania 41. Nia Jax and Candice LeRae interrupted to announced that Jax will get her rematch with Stratton during next week’s SmackDown.

Alexa Bliss then came out, teasing that the Goddess could find herself in the championship hunt down the line. Bliss took a huge step towards a future championship opportunity as in her first singles match in years, Bliss defeated Candice LeRae to earn a spot in the Women’s Elimination Chamber match.

Bliss sealed the deal with an Abigail DDT, a nod to the late Bray Wyatt. The former Women’s Champion joins Liv Morgan, who qualified on the latest Raw, and Bianca Belair, who qualified during SmackDown. The match on March 1 will mark Bliss’ third time entering the Elimination Chamber.

Alexa Bliss knows what it takes to win a Chamber match as she did exactly that in 2018. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Bliss and her quest to become a champion in WWE again after her two-year break.

Paul Ellering and the AOP had been a part of the Final Testament since the faction came together, working alongside Karrion Kross and Scarlett. Now, the trio’s time with WWE is seemingly over with reports that they have been released.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider first reported the news that Ellering had been let go from WWE. Sources who spoke to Fightful Select later confirmed news of his exit. PWInsider were also the first to report that AOP have been released from WWE.

Ellering is known for his run with the Legion of Doom, which earned himself and the tag-team a Hall of Fame induction in 2011. In 2016, Ellering returned to WWE to align with AOP (Akam and Rezar) who debuted in NXT by attacking American Alpha. When AOP returned to WWE in 2023, Ellering returned with them.

Ellering’s exit from WWE raises questions as to what’s next for the WWE Hall of Famer. Ellering’s daughter Rachael is signed to AEW and also competes for Ring of Honor, so fans can’t count Paul being brought in to manage his daughter. Rachael is also a former Impact Knockouts Tag Team Champion, and previously worked in WWE as Rachael Evers.

The exit of AOP also brings an end to the Final Testament who had been regulars on TV during their feud with the Wyatt Sicks. It remains to be seen if the trio’s exit will be referenced on WWE TV.

Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens are once again at odds over what Zayn did (or rather, didn’t do) at this year’s 2025 Royal Rumble Premium Live Event. In a video shared to X, Owens recounted some of the injuries he sustain during his WWE Championship ladder match with Cody Rhodes.

“The scars. The stitches. These scars—I’m always gonna have on my face. And the trauma? You can’t see that, but I can feel it. My neck, my spine, the pain I’ve been in all week… and I still am.”

Owens said that the pain he’s in will be pain he feels for the rest of his life. The Prizefighter then turned his attention to Zayn, who despite coming out during the match, did not help him defeat Rhodes.

“It’s all your fault. Because Sami, you just stood there and watched while Cody tried to end my career. Worse, I think he was actually trying to end my life in that Rumble.“

Owens pointed out that Zayn rushed to help Roman Reigns in late 2024, but refused to act at the Royal Rumble. Owens concluded by calling Zayn a “horrible friend” and “disgusting human being” beforestating that “I’ll never forgive you.”

Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens have a storied rivalry in WWE, facing each other multiple times across various events. Here is a list of notable matches between them:

• NXT TakeOver: Rival (February 11, 2015): Kevin Owens defeated Sami Zayn to win the NXT Championship.
• NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable (May 20, 2015): The match ended in a no-contest after Owens attacked Zayn, leading to the debut of Samoa Joe.
  Battleground (July 24, 2016): Sami Zayn defeated Kevin Owens in a critically acclaimed match.
• WrestleMania 37 (April 10, 2021): Kevin Owens defeated Sami Zayn.
• Hell in a Cell (June 20, 2021): Sami Zayn defeated Kevin Owens.
• SmackDown (June 18, 2021): Kevin Owens defeated Sami Zayn by count-out.

Now, fans can expect another showdown between the two, potentially at WrestleMania 41. Whatever is to come, don’t expect the pair to ever be on the same page after Sami’s so-called betrayal of Kevin Owens.

Drew McIntyre is officially part of the WWE SmackDown roster.

On this week’s SmackDown, McIntyre appeared at the top of the second hour to cut a promo, calling Raw a toxic work environment and announcing his move to SmackDown to pursue the Undisputed WWE Championship, currently held by Cody Rhodes.

McIntyre also referenced his frustration over his elimination from the Men’s Royal Rumble. Jimmy Uso then interrupted, prompting McIntyre to take a jab at him, saying that Jimmy might have been in Jey Uso’s position had he just said “YEET” first.

LA Knight then entered, delivering a brief message about men’s mental health before turning his focus to McIntyre. Knight referenced their Royal Rumble issues, joking that he heard McIntyre had been called “Drew McIncyer.” This exchange led to a triple-threat Elimination Chamber qualifying match featuring all three men.

Reports have surfaced that McIntyre was frustrated with a fellow wrestler at the Royal Rumble, believing they prioritized their moves over the match’s storytelling. Missed time cues allegedly led to McIntyre’s irritation, particularly with Knight, whom he reportedly felt was more focused on fitting in his own spots rather than following the match’s narrative.

Cedric Alexander is no longer with WWE.

After nearly a decade with the company, Alexander has been released—a move he confirmed in a tweet on Friday night.

“Thank you for the last 8 1/2 years! Being a professional wrestler has been a dream of mine since I could form memories, and I will continue to do so till the good Lord says otherwise. #SeeYouIn90,” Alexander wrote.

Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reported that Alexander was indeed released, though the reason behind his departure remains unclear.

Alexander first gained recognition in WWE through the Cruiserweight Classic before moving to the 205 Live brand and later transitioning to Raw. In late 2019, it was reported that Paul Heyman, then Raw’s Executive Director, was high on Alexander, leading to a brief push and a feud with AJ Styles over the United States Championship.

In 2020, Alexander joined Bobby Lashley, MVP, and Shelton Benjamin in The Hurt Business, a fan-favorite faction that was eventually disbanded. During that time, he held the WWE Tag Team Championship. However, since then, WWE has done little with Alexander outside of house shows and Main Event matches. In 2024, he was sent to NXT.

Seth Rollins sees it just that Hulk Hogan got booed during the premiere of WWE Raw on Netflix. It’s Super Bowl week in America and Rollins, a notorious Chicago Bears fans, joined Kyle Brandt on Good Morning Football in build for the ‘Big Game.’

Brandt is an avid wrestling fan and it certainly hit his radar that The Hulkster got booed back on January 6 as the WWE Hall of Famer was in attendance to support his Real American Beer. The city of Los Angeles didn’t give him a warm reception at all and the boos resonated throughout much of mainstream news.

Brandt flat out asked Rollins what he thought of Hogan getting booed and ‘The Visionary’ kept it plain and simple.

“I’m all for people getting what they deserve. That’s how I feel about Hulk Hogan getting booed. If you are getting booed by the masses there is a reason for it, alright? I don’t know if Hulk fully understands the scope, but people get what they deserve.”

Rollins does give credit to Hogan for what he has meant overall for the pro wrestling industry, but he does think Terry Bollea needs to take some onus for his past.

“But I do think there’s some responsibility that he needs to own up to that he hasn’t yet and maybe when he finally figures that out might be able to move forward with our fans so we’ll see.”

Kevin Nash, RVD and The Undertaker weighed in on Hogan getting booed. Undertaker had some similar sentiments when it came to what Rollins had to say. Hogan cited himself getting booed because of his past ties with the NWO.