WWE Superstar and GHC Tag Team Champion Omos is enjoying his time in Japan and recently opened up about his experience overseas. This week, the Nigerian Giant was stopped for an impromptu interview in which he gave insight into his time abroad.

Favorite Thing: Omos appreciates how people in Japan have been “super nice” to him since he arrived in the country.

Dealing With Food: It took Omos some time to handle the Japanese cuisine given that this is his first time in the country. Omos is now “beginning to figure it out” and now loves yakiniku. The term refers to bite-size pieces of meat and vegetables that are grilled.

Culture Shock: The biggest shock for Omos has been that there are a lot of social rules in Japan compared to his time in the U.S. Adapting to Japan’s gyms, which feature both indoor and outdoor facilities, has also proven to be different for the seven-foot wrestler.

Highlight Of The Trip: Unsurprisingly, the highlight of Omos’ time has been wrestling at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo. At Wrestle Kingdom 19, Omos captured the GHC Tag Titles with Jack Morris, making him the first-ever active WWE talent to hold gold in Pro Wrestling NOAH. Omos also hyped up his upcoming matches as part of the Japanese promotion.

Omos’ time with NOAH demonstrates the current management of WWE being far more open to working with other promotions. It remains to be seen when we’ll next see Omos in a WWE ring, but the GHC Tag Team Champion is certainly making waves in Japan.

The debut episode of WWE Raw on Netflix currently available on the streaming juggernaut is not the same as the episode fans saw live this week. Fans who watch the show on Netflix now are greeted with a message, noting that this show has been “Edited from a previous live stream.”

One significant change made is that explicit language has been scrubbed from the show. During his opening promo, The Rock cursed, but these words have been removed. Similarly, the “F*** you Solo” chants inside the Intuit Dome have also been edited out of the broadcast.

While certain responses from the fans have been nixed from the broadcast, the boos for Hulk Hogan during his appearance remain intact. The Hulkster was resoundingly jeered as he spoke about his love for the fans and promoted his Real American Beer. The beverage will serve as an in-ring sponsor of WWE shows going forward, despite the hostility to the controversial two-time Hall of Famer.

WWE Raw Sets Viewership Records with Netflix Debut

The edited Raw is also far shorter than the live show fans saw this week. While the live version of the show clocked in at just over three hours (not including the post-show press conference) the edited version is around 2 hours 20 minutes. This is because commercial breaks have been removed.

Previously, the unedited version of the Raw premiere but it has now been replaced with this edited version of the show. Nevertheless, fans will be able to enjoy the epic moments from this week’s historic debut on Netflix, even if what they’re seeing isn’t entirely what happened.

Seth Rollins has explained why he was unhappy with CM Punk’s Survivor Series return.

The Straight Edge star shocked the wrestling world when he made his return to WWE at the 2023 Survivor Series event. Apart from his shocking comeback, the thing that made the most headlines on the night was The Architect’s viral reaction to Punk’s entrance where he had to be held back by officials so he wouldn’t jump on the returning star.

The former Shield member explained his reaction in a new interview with Chris Van Vliet. Seth Rollins mentioned that the night was supposed to be about Randy Orton who had returned to action after more than 18 months on the shelf due to his back injury. CM Punk’s comeback however, instantly overshadowed The Viper’s big moment:

“You know what I wasn’t happy about was Randy had just come back from a long hiatus. That was his moment. It was a great moment. The reaction for him when he came through the curtain was unreal.

We went out there, there was 10 of us out there, and we went out there and had a hell of a contest. [We] just didn’t really need him, but you know, it was Chicago, it’s his city, it’s just the most classic make everything about me CM Punk moment I’ve ever seen.”

• Seth Rollins Says Fewer WWE Live Events Will Extend His In-Ring Career

Don’t Worry, He’s Not Selfish: Seth Rollins

Seth Rollins and Orton teamed up with Cody Rhodes, Jey Uso, and Sami Zayn at the show to defeat The Judgment Day and Drew McIntyre in a brutal WarGames match.

The former Champion discussed how his adrenaline was through the roof after the bout and he was busy celebrating the big win with his teammates. Punk’s return however rendered all their hard work meaningless and the night at the All State arena became all about the one thing:

“Then that happens and it’s no longer about the performance. It’s no longer about Randy. It’s no longer about what you had done to get to that point. It’s just, hi guys, it’s about me. Remember I’m the guy that you that you miss, remember me, guys? So yeah, just another kind of throw that on the pile of disgusting CM Punk moments. But don’t worry, he’s not selfish. He’s in it for helping everybody else.”

Seth Rollins suffered a loss at the hands of CM Punk during Raw’s Netflix premiere episode on January 6. In the post-match press conference, Punk recalled his long rivalry with Drew McIntyre and expressed the belief that Rollins would not let go of his animosities so easily even after the defeat.

• Seth Rollins Scenes Cut From Marvel’s Captain America: Brave New World

WWE star Cathy Kelly has revealed that she’s one of the thousands who have been affected by the Los Angeles wildfire disaster.

The broadcast star revealed the news while replying to a X post showing the destruction caused by the wildfire. Kelly revealed that she’s one of the people who have had to evacuate their homes due to it:

“Friends have lost homes, countless more displaced—witnessing the LA fires and devastation they’re continuing to leave behind is beyond heartbreaking. Just evacuated my own home. I can’t even begin to comprehend or put into words this feeling”

• Cathy Kelley Says Kevin Owens Saved Her Life During Traumatizing Accident

A series of wildfires devasted the Los Angeles area on Tuesday fuelled by powerful winds and unusually dry conditions. As of Thursday, at least seven people had been killed by the fires while more than a thousand structures have been destroyed.

More than 180,000 people have been under evacuation orders while more than 100,000 people have had to evacuate their homes. So far, the fires have reportedly burned an area equal to 17,200 acres or almost 27 square miles.

The real scope of damages can not be realized fully until the fires have been contained completely. You can check out a Washinton post guide on how to help victims and how to find help if you’ve been affected here.

• WWE’s Cathy Kelley Shares Ambitions to Become a Manager

Chelsea Green is riding high after becoming the inaugural WWE Women’s United States Champion and is ready to take on all-comers. While speaking to The Wrestling Classic, Green discussed her future in the ring, and had some celebrity opponents in mind.

“I keep seeing Miss Vanessa Hudgens. I want to give myself a match with Vanessa Hudgens and a match with Cardi B. Those are my dream celeb matches right now.”

Green challenged Cardi B shortly after her title win at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event in December 2024. The ‘feud’ between the two goes back much further though, with Green wanting to face the music artist back in 2023.

Hudgens is a known WWE fan and even Yeet-ed with The Usos and Cody Rhodes after last week’s SmackDown. During the show, Hudgens shared her respect to the first-ever Women’s U.S. Champion, which caught the attention of Green on X.

The actress, best known for her break-out role in High School Musical, was seen in the crowd during this week’s historic Raw on Netflix. Time will tell whether fans one day see Hudgens in action against Green and if the (by default) longest-reigning, most dominant Women’s U.S. Champion of all time, gets her match with Cardi B.

Braun Strowman has been sidelined at the start of 2025 due to a serious illness.

It was revealed via an Instagram post that Strowman has been battling a severe illness, which left him recovering in a hotel room and caused significant weight loss—over 30 pounds in just a week. Strowman shared the following update on social media:

“We’ll see if people read what I post or not. Or just look at the cool pix. 2025 has been off to a ruff start for me. I picked up some kind of a bug last week and it had absolutely whipped my ass. I laid in a hotel room for four days, three with a fever of 102 or higher. A week later, I am finally over what I think is the hump. My sever[e] body aches are finally easing up. Today is the first day I have been able to move around and really do anything. I have lost 36 lbs this week. Had tests taken, and all they could determine is that it was a very bad flu, thankfully. I hate I have had to miss last week’s SmackDown, the premiere of Raw on Netflix, and I will miss TV again this week. This is yet another speed bump in the road. I will be back bigger, stronger, and badder than ever!!! There hasn’t been anything this life has thrown at me that I haven’t been able to OVERCOME, and this sure as hell isn’t gonna stop me from having one of my best years to date!!!!! 2025 your ass is mine!!!!”

Strowman hasn’t wrestled since late December at a SmackDown event. Strowman’s determination and resilience remain evident as he works toward recovery and plans his eventual return to WWE programming.

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Ronda Rousey and her husband, Travis Browne, have welcomed their second daughter together. Born on Thursday, January 9, the baby girl has been named Liko’ula Pa’uomahinakaipiha Browne.

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The couple previously celebrated the arrival of their first daughter, La’akea Makalapuaokalanip, in September 2021. Browne also has two sons from a previous marriage, making this a growing family of six.

Ronda Rousey in WWE

Rousey, a former WWE and UFC star, has had a storied career in professional wrestling. She made her WWE debut at the 2018 Royal Rumble, famously pointing at the WrestleMania sign to declare her arrival.

Her first match came at WrestleMania 34, where she and Kurt Angle defeated Triple H and Stephanie McMahon in a mixed tag team bout that received widespread acclaim.

During her WWE career, Rousey achieved significant milestones. She captured the Raw Women’s Championship at SummerSlam 2018 and later added two SmackDown Women’s Championship reigns to her resume. Teaming with Shayna Baszler, Rousey also became one-half of the Women’s Tag Team Champions, further cementing her legacy in the wrestling world.

Rousey’s most recent WWE appearance was at SummerSlam 2023, where she faced Shayna Baszler in an MMA Rules match. The bout received mixed reactions, with Rousey later reflecting on it as a bold statement to cap off her WWE tenure.

As much as she enjoyed aspects of her time as a WWE Superstar, Rousey said it was unsustainable for her to continue wrestling when she was more focused on motherhood

Big congratulations to Ronda Rousey, Travis Browne and their growing family.

WWE Superstar Alexa Bliss is set to expand her role in entertainment with a voice-over role in the upcoming Sakamoto Days anime. Bliss will provide the English voice for the character Obiguro, the Anime News Network reports.

Sakamoto Days tells the story of Taro Sakamoto, a retired legendary hitman who has settled into a quiet and mundane life as a family man. When a bounty is put on his head, Sakamoto must keep himself and his family alive while observing his wife’s no-killing rule. Bliss will portray one of the several assassins seeking the bounty.

Alexa Bliss’ Roles

Though best known for her time as a WWE Superstar, Bliss has had her fair share of on-screen roles outside of the ring. These include:

Total Divas (2015–2019)

• Role: Herself
• Details: Bliss appeared as a guest in seasons 4, 6, 8, and 9, and was a main cast member in season 7 of this reality TV series that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of WWE female wrestlers.

Walk the Prank (2017–2018)

• Role: Herself
• Details: She appeared in two episodes of this children’s TV show that combines scripted comedy with real pranks on unsuspecting people.

Carpool Karaoke: The Series (2018)

• Role: Herself
• Details: Bliss featured in an episode where celebrities sing along to their favorite songs while driving.

Punky Brewster (2021)

• Role: Herself
• Details: She made a guest appearance as her wrestling persona alongside fellow WWE wrestler Charlotte Flair in this revival of the 1980s sitcom.

The Masked Singer (2023)

• Role: Axolotl
• Details: Bliss competed as the character “Axolotl” in the ninth season of this singing competition show, where celebrities perform in elaborate costumes to conceal their identities.

The Queen of Villains (2024)

Role: Voice of Maki Ueda
Details: Bliss provided the English voice for wrestler Maki Ueda in this Netflix series based on Japanese pro wrestling legend Dump Matsumoto.

Bliss hasn’t competed in WWE for nearly two years, but rumors of a return to the ring continue to circulate. Stay tuned to SEScoops for updates on Alexa Bliss as she expands her star power both in and out of the ring.

Hulk Hogan was resoundingly booed during this week’s Raw, the show’s debut episode on Netflix. Many attribute the negative response to lingering backlash over racist comments Hogan made, which Mark Henry believes the Hulkster has not adequately addressed.

Speaking to TMZ, Henry, who received a far warmer reception during his recent return to WWE, shared his thoughts on the fan reaction to Hogan.

“With the social climate and the things [Hulk’s] said and done and his lack of effort to try and fix it, people are gonna come down on it.”

Hogan was fired from WWE in 2015 after a leaked video revealed him making racist comments. In the footage, Hogan expressed disgust at the idea of his daughter dating a Black man, repeatedly used the n-word, and admitted to being “a racist, to a point.”

According to Henry, Hogan made little effort to genuinely reflect or grow from the incident, instead seemingly hoping the controversy would fade over time.

“He never wanted to go forward and fix it. That’s what happens when you think everything is gonna go away. It’s not gonna go away.”

WWE reinstated Hogan in 2018, though fan reactions have been mixed since his return. Upon rejoining the company, Hogan held a backstage meeting where he apologized for his comments and for damaging WWE’s image. However, his apology also included a cautionary message to others about being recorded without their consent.

Hulk Hogan Booed On RAW: Hulkster Reacts & Future Plans

Hogan has been featured in promotional material for this month’s WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, though questions remain as to whether he’ll appear in person. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest updates on the controversial Hall of Famer, whose actions outside the ring continue to shape his legacy among fans.

WWE is stepping into the ring with Cosm in an innovative partnership to deliver premium live events (PLEs) within a shared reality.

These events, including WrestleMania, SummerSlam and the Royal Rumble, will be delivered in Shared Reality at Cosm’s experiential venues in Los Angeles and Dallas. Those in attendance will be transported ringside and granted a front-row view of the PLEs, starting with next month’s Royal Rumble 2025 event.

Peter Murphy, Senior Vice President of Media and Content, Cosm, shared his excitement about the partnership.

“At Cosm, we bring fans together to experience the biggest and best events in the world, wherever those events may be taking place. Now, we get to showcase the WWE in Shared Reality, delivering another incredible way for fans to experience their shared passion.”

Alex Varga, Co-Head of Revenue, WWE, was similarly amped to partner with Cosm, who they said was redefining the future of fan experience.

“WWE Premium Live Events are larger than life, and with such an innovative partner in Cosm, we will collectively bring the energy of our biggest moments to an expanded WWE universe.”

Cosm launched in Los Angeles in July 2024 and opened its second venue in Dallas’ Colony’s Grandscape the following month. Last year, plans were announced for a third location in downtown Atlanta and a fourth venue will be located in downtown Detroit.

This partnership highlights WWE’s constant efforts to develop its viewing experiences, as seen with the recent highly successful launch of Raw on Netflix. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest from WWE and its technological developments.

WWE’s Monday Night RAW debuted on Netflix to a historic reception, garnering 4.9 million Live+1 global views. This milestone marks a strong start for the program under WWE’s partnership with TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO).

In the U.S., the premiere averaged 2.6 million households (Live+SD), more than doubling its 2024 average of 1.2 million households and achieving the highest viewership for a RAW episode in five years. The debut also saw significant growth in the Adults 18-49 demographic, with audience numbers more than doubling compared to the previous year.

The event, held at the sold-out Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, set records as the highest-grossing WWE arena event of all time. It also achieved the highest merchandise sales for a non-Premium Live Event in WWE history.

Netflix’s partnership with WWE has positioned RAW for continued global success, with this debut signaling a promising future for the Monday night staple.

Here’s the official press release:

WWE ‘RAW’ WRESTLES UP 4.9M GLOBAL VIEWS FOR NETFLIX DEBUT

Netflix (NYSE: NFLX) and WWE^®, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) today announced that the debut episode of RAW on Netflix got off to a strong start, with the Monday night program capturing 4.9M Live+1 views* globally.**

The inaugural event on Netflix averaged 2.6 million households (Live+SD) in the US, according to VideoAmp, which is 116% higher than RAW’s average 2024 US audience of 1.2 million households, and higher than any other Monday Night RAW broadcast in the past five years. The event also more than doubled the A18-49 audience vs. last year.

On X, as soon as the event started, #WWERaw was the #1 trending topic in the US, Brazil, Australia, and the UK.

• #WWERaw trended #1 for 14 hours straight in the UK and occupied six of the top 7 trending topics in the US.
• #RAWonNetflix and #WWEonNetflix also trended in Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Spain, and the US.

The debut of RAW on Netflix, which took place at a sold-out Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, set a company record as the highest-grossing WWE arena event of all time. Additionally, the event set a merchandise sales record, becoming the highest-grossing non-Premium Live Event of all time.

The event saw Rhea Ripley reclaim the Women’s World Championship with a win over Liv Morgan, Roman Reigns topple Solo Sikoa in a tribal combat match, CM Punk best Seth “Freakin” Rollins in a highly anticipated grudge match and Jey Uso with a win over Drew McIntyre. Monday’s event also featured appearances from Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, The Undertaker, Logan Paul, Travis Scott and John Cena, who officially kicked off his year-long farewell tour which will be featured prominently on Netflix. 

In January 2024, WWE and Netflix struck a landmark deal to bring WWE’s flagship weekly program, RAW, to Netflix beginning in 2025. Netflix is now the exclusive home of RAW in the US, Canada, the UK, Australia and Latin America, among many other global territories. Netflix is also the exclusive home of SmackDown, NXT, archive content and all WWE Premium Live Events – including WrestleMania, Royal Rumble, SummerSlam and more — in most international markets.

Maxxine Dupri has explained why the whole WWE locker room is genuinely happy for Chelsea Green over her Women’s US Title win.

The duo of Dupri and Cathy Kelley recently appeared on Lightweights Podcast. They discussed things such as WWE Raw moving to Netflix, the upcoming Royal Rumble event, Tiffany Stratton’s Money In The Bank cash in, and more.

During the interview, the duo was asked about the most uplifting member of the locker room and Maxxine named Chelsea Green without any hesitation:

“I think for me, definitely Chelsea. Chelsea is someone that, and I’ve seen it time and time again with people that she’s close with, people that she’s not close with. If someone needs something or is struggling, that girl will call the President of the United States, and be like, ‘I have the girl for you.’ She will uplift you.”

• Maxxine Dupri Confirms Engagement To NXT’s Anthony Luke

She’s So Secure: Maxxinne Dupri

Maxxine Dupri went on to tell a story about how Chelsea lent her wrestling boots for last year’s Royal Rumble. She explained that Green’s personality is the reason why everyone is happy for her on becoming the Inaugural Women’s US Champion:

“Literally, we were texting today. This is my favorite. We were texting today about the rumble, and she’s like, oh, I have the perfect boots for you that you could wear,’ Like her wrestling boots.

And she did that for me last Rumble. Last rumble she let me wear her boots because they matched my gear. She just has no sense of jealousy. She’s so secure in who she is, rightfully so, she’s 10 out of 10 human in all categories.

But it makes it so fun to be such close friends with her, because she constantly lifts everyone up around her. I think that’s the reason that you see the entire roster is so happy for her. It’s not just like, one person. We are all like, ‘She’s so, so deserving of this moment.'”

• Nick Aldis Highlights Chelsea Green’s Creative Brilliance

Seth Rollins aims to wrestle far longer than he first envisioned, thanks to WWE scaling back on their live events schedule. On the Insight podcast, Rollins reflected on WWE Superstars not spending as much time taking bumps in the ring.

“Live Events, non-televised events have kind of dissipated, which for guys like me, I’ve wrestled over 2,000 matches in my career, that’s nice for me.”

In late 2024, TKO President Mark Shapiro shared that WWE planned on cutting back on the number of untelevised events. This change is already being felt, with WWE’s first live event of 2025 not coming until March 15, in Dortmund, Germany as part of the upcoming European tour.

With fewer live events, Rollins is less at risk of getting injured and has more time to recover from knocks in the ring. Looking to the future, the former World Champion believes this lighter schedule will extend his time in the ring,

“I feel like I’ll be able to extend my career probably longer than I thought I was going to and then it just depends on where I want to go from there.”

Though Rollins is pleased to be competing at fewer events, not everyone in WWE shares his opinion. In September 2024, Liv Morgan shared her sadness at the change, saying that the ‘house shows’ are “so much fun” for the talent involved. Morgan shared that it was at live events that she really honed her craft, and is sad that future talent won’t get that same opportunity.

Fans eager to see Seth Rollins in Captain America: Brave New World will be disappointed when the highly anticipated Marvel film hits theaters next month. On the Insight podcast, Rollins confirmed that, despite filming scenes for the movie, he is not included in the final cut.

“It releases in February. I wish it the best, but I am not a part of that film… hopefully it’s successful, but it will be sans Seth Rollins.”

Rollins did not elaborate on why his role was cut, emphasizing that any explanation he provided would be speculative and not official. The former WWE World Champion also hinted at the presence of a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), limiting what he could reveal about his involvement in the film.

“The script went through a lot of rewrites and reshoots so what I was there to do, essentially my role got either repurposed or completely erased.”

Photos from the set showed Rollins wearing a dark robe, leading fans to speculate that he was involved with the villainous Serpent Society.

Seth Rollins Denies Being Spotted In Captain America 4 Trailer

Interestingly, this marks the second time a member of Rollins’ family has been cut from a Marvel film. Becky Lynch, Rollins’ wife, her post-credits scene for The Eternals removed, reportedly for being “too depressing.”

Although Rollins’ Marvel debut didn’t materialize, the Monday Night Raw Superstar continues to thrive in the wrestling world. Following his unforgettable Raw on Netflix main event against CM Punk, fans are excited to see what’s next for the “Visionary,” both in and out of the ring.

Captain America: Brave New World will be released on February 14, 2025.

Current Movies Starring Pro Wrestlers: In Theaters & In Production

Brie Garcia, formerly known as Brie Bella in WWE, has opened up about the possibility of returning to the ring following Nikki’s appearance at Raw’s debut on Netflix. During an appearance on the We Got Time Today show, Brie said that while the drive to compete is always there, time is not on their side.

“The hard thing about getting older, is that there’s that person inside you who, it’s like, ‘I would do anything to go back ten years to compete in the ring against the women today.”

Brie hasn’t competed in years, but admtted on the podcast that both she and her sister discuss potential promos they could cut, should a return happen. Even with her full-time career a distant memory, Brie remains closely attached to WWE.

“You still are always there. So any time if WWE calls and is like, ‘Hey, ladies, we want you back,’ it’s always hard to say no.”

Brie recently celebrated her husband Bryan Danielson’s AEW World Championship win at AEW All In London 2024, but clearly is open to a return to WWE. With both sisters last competing in the 2022 Women’s Royal Rumble, it remains to be seen if they can still bring the action three years later, possibly in the Rumble match on February 1.

Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Brie Garcia, as her days in the ring may not be over just yet.

TKO, the parent company of both UFC and WWE is all set to add another sports league to its profile very soon in association with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The American media conglomerate has been in talks with The Kingdom’s Public Investment Fund to launch a new boxing league according to New York Times. Per the site, Sela, a subsidiary of the Saudi PIF will be the major investor behind this league with TKO serving as the management entity.

Current UFC head Dana White is poised to be the managing partner for this new endeavour. TKO has been offered an equity stake and a share of the revenue in return of their services and they’ll earn a management fee of close to $30 million a year.

While an official statement from TKO on the matter claimed that they had ‘nothing to announce,’ the report suggests that this new partnership could be made official ‘within weeks.’ UFC’s US TV media rights deal with ESPN is set to expire this year and the combat sports giant could try to bundle the rights for the new boxing league with UFC to get it off the ground.

• Dana White: ‘WWE Is Good At What They Do But Relationship with UFC is Very Separate’

The Saudi government has backed some of the biggest boxing fights of history in recent years. This includes the recent faceoff between Oleksandr Usyk and Tyson Fury which resulted in Usyk being crowned the first undisputed heavyweight champion in more than a generation.

This new league is part of the continuous efforts from the Saudi government to change the country’s image and draw attention away from human rights violations with various sports programs, generally known as sports washing.

Hulk Hogan’s return to WWE programming didn’t go entirely during this week’s Raw, but fans may not have seen the last of the Hulkster.

What Happened On Raw?

During Raw’s historic debut episode on Netflix, Hogan appeared to promote his Real American Beer, an official sponsor of WWE events. Despite talking about his love for the fans, the Hulkster, who was accompanied by a flag-waving Jimmy Hart, was resoundingly booed by those inside the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

Hogan’s Response

The Hulkster was reportedly not entirely surprised by the frosty reception he received this week. Sportskeeda’s Chris Featherstone reports that Hogan “thought it was going to be 50/50” with half the fans on his side and half against him.

Samantha Irvin Recalls Hulk Hogan Being Booed During Ad Breaks

Why Did Fans Boo Hulk Hogan?

There are several reasons that fans may have booked one of pro wrestling’s biggest stars, including:

• Racist Remarks: racist remarks. In the video, Hogan used racial slurs, rejected the idea of his daughter dating Black men, and admitted to being “a racist, to a point.”
• Political Controversies: Hogan’s support for Donald Trump in the 2024 U.S. presidential election has alienated some fans. Controversy deepened last year after Hogan blamed a racially insensitive comment about Kamala Harris on his beer consumption.
• Backstage Politics: Several wrestlers have accused Hogan of using backstage politics to advance his career at the expense of others.
• Exaggerated Stories: Over the years, Hogan has been known for telling dubious anecdotes. Notably, he claimed to have wrestled at SummerSlam 1992 in memory of a young fan who had passed away—despite not appearing at the event.

WWE Announces Multi-Year Partnership With Hulk Hogan’s ‘Real American Beer’

What’s Next?

Hogan’s current standing among fans has raised questions as to what role, if any, the Hulkster will play in future WWE plans. The Daily Mail reports that “Plans are for Hogan to be a bad guy again and to help out a future storyline with another wrestler.”

The belief is that a heel turn could work, given the success of The Rock’s Final Boss character in 2023, after fans rejected the Brahma Bull. Hogan has reportedly stipulated that he does not want his politics or support for President-Elect Trump to be a part of his on-screen character.

Former NXT Champion Ethan Page recently shared his thoughts on The Rock following their brief interaction at last night’s NXT New Year’s Evil.

In a backstage segment, The Rock came across Ethan Page, who was speaking with NXT General Manager Ava. The Rock interrupted Page, who was complaining and talked to him about breaking Je’Von Evans’ jaw. ‘The Final Boss’ also warned Page that “payback’s gonna be a b***h.”

The Rock further made it clear that Ava is the real boss in NXT and said if Page wants to stay on The Great One’s good books, he needs to respect Ava. He then said that he hoped he’d see him on the main roster and then smacked Page’s backside, telling him to get his “sweet ass on out of here.”

Ethan Page took to social media and responded to The Rock’s comments. In a video clip, he said:

“You know, Shawn Michaels? Not a fan. Triple H, not a fan. Nick Khan, I’m assuming [he’s] not a fan. The Final Boss seems to get what I got going on. Hell, he even said I had a sweet ass. I guess we could say that The Final Boss smells what Ethan Page is cooking.”

Later, The Rock came out to the ring to deliver a promo and even mentioned the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, referencing his recent gesture toward him during WWE Raw’s debut on Netflix.

WWE Hall of Famer Sean ‘X-Pac’ Waltman has opened up about his struggle with diverticulitis in 2024.

The DX star was interviewed by Denise Salcedo at the red-carpet event ahead of Raw’s Netflix debut this Monday night. They talked about things such as what the move means for WWE and more.

When asked about a potential in-ring return, Waltman quickly shot down the idea revealing that he was diagnosed with diverticulitis last year and had to spend over a week in hospital because of it:

“I haven’t talked about this with anybody, earlier last year, I was in the hospital for eight days with diverticulitis. [It] almost killed me. So after that, I lost a bunch of weight, like thirty pounds. So I decided I’m gonna take everything a little more serious and get off my ass.

It was tough. It took a while to feel better. Now, I’m feeling good. It came back a little bit, but as soon as I noticed it, I was in the hospital right away. All that to say, I’m doing great now, but I had a rough time.”

• Sean Waltman Comments On Potentially Joining WWE Creative

He Helped Me With It: Sean Waltman

Waltman wasn’t the only wrestling star who had to deal with the specific disease. AEW’s Kenny Omega returned to action at Wrestle Dynasty on January 5 this year, after spending more than a year on the shelf due to diverticulitis.

When Omega’s condition was brought up, Sean Waltman revealed that the Cleaner actually helped him through this time:

“He helped me with it. I was in the hospital texting with him and he’s telling me what’s going on and what I should expect and everything”

Waltman also previously had a long battle with Hepatitis C during his TNA run. He was only fully cured of it after more than a decade in 2020.

Fans can expect to see Becky Lynch back in the ring in the future as the former Women’s Champion has reportedly signed a new deal with WWE. Sources confirmed to Fightful Select that Lynch and WWE reached an agreement for her return, though this does not mean she’ll be back on TV immediately.

Lynch attended some Netflix-related events ahead of Raw’s debut on the streaming juggernaut this week, though told people she was there simply to support the company. Lynch’s husband Seth Rollins headlined the show in a loss to CM Punk.

Lynch was also featured in promotional material for the red brand’s debut on Netflix, but did not have a role on the show. It’s been reported that she was supposed to confront Rhea Ripley after the latter’s Women’s World Championship win, but that plan was nixed. Instead, The Undertaker appeared and shared a moment with Ripley in a huge endorsement of the Australian star.

Becky Lynch’s previous WWE contract expired in June 2024, though reports at the time stated that WWE officials were optimistic that she’d be back in due time. With the 2025 Women’s Royal Rumble match drawing near, fans can look forward to seeing The Man come around, potentially as a surprise entrant in the 30-Woman match.

Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest on Becky Lynch, as her return to WWE programming and the ring doesn’t appear to be a question of if, but when.

LA Knight has emerged as one of WWE’s most popular stars, experiencing a breakout year in 2023 that began with a storyline involving the late Bray Wyatt. His charisma and connection with the audience led to increasingly loud reactions from fans, prompting WWE to elevate his role on the roster.

Knight’s momentum continued to build through a feud with The Miz and an endorsement by John Cena, culminating in a high-profile challenge for the Undisputed WWE Championship against Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel 2023. While Knight fell short in his quest for the title, fan support remained unwavering, solidifying his position as a top star.

In an interview with WittyWhittier, Knight reflected on what led to his sudden surge in popularity:

“Short answer, I don’t know. I really don’t know. Because, I mean, if you look at everything that was going on at the time when that rise really started happening, the only thing I could really attribute it to was just taking advantage of some of the time that I had when I was doing the whole deal with Bray Wyatt. But at the time, still, it was kind of like, ‘We don’t know about this guy.’ But it seems like once I got out of that, I didn’t really have any direction. For months, there was nothing happening with me. But somehow in that time is when, ‘Oh, wait a minute. I think we kind of like this guy.’ I don’t know what it was, but clearly, I must have been making the most of my time. Because I wasn’t doing a damn thing. So something was hitting. I don’t know what it is, and I can’t attribute it to anything.”

In 2024, Knight captured his first championship in WWE, defeating Logan Paul for the United States Title at SummerSlam. However, his reign ended at Survivor Series: WarGames, where Shinsuke Nakamura dethroned him. Knight will have an opportunity to reclaim the title in a rematch on this week’s SmackDown.

Giulia is the new WWE NXT Women’s Champion. During the first episode of NXT TV titled New Year’s Evil, broadcast from the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles, California, Giulia challenged Roxanne Perez for the championship.

The match served as the opening contest of the show, which aired on the CW Network. As the referee approached a 10-count during a crucial moment in the match, Cora Jade intervened, placing Perez back into the ring. Giulia also managed to re-enter the ring just in time, eventually securing the victory.

Roxanne Perez entered the bout as champion, having held the title for an impressive 273 days. The history between Perez and Giulia had been building for months. At No Mercy, Perez successfully defended her title against Jaida Parker, only to be confronted afterward by the debuting Giulia.

Later, during the premiere of NXT on the CW Network, Perez once again retained her title against Giulia, with interference from the returning Cora Jade playing a pivotal role. This tension culminated in a tag team match at Halloween Havoc, where Perez and Jade teamed up against Giulia and Stephanie Vaquer but ultimately suffered a loss.

Now, with her victory at New Year’s Evil, Giulia stands tall as the new NXT Women’s Champion.

John Cena explores what it truly means to be invisible in McDonald’s latest ad. The commercial humorously reflects on Cena’s iconic catchphrase, which has since become a meme, with fans pretending not to be able to see him in photos.

In the ad, Cena acknowledges the enduring joke, admitting that it “has gone too far” as he jokes about being “invisible for 20 years now.” While he initially found the meme amusing, the ad concludes with a reflective Cena stating, “I’m invisible.” The unique commercial for McDonald’s McValue range showcases Cena’s acting range, balancing humor and seriousness effortlessly.

Though fans may “not see” Cena in the ad, the WWE legend will be impossible to miss in 2025. On this week’s Raw, Cena launched his farewell tour by officially entering the 2025 Men’s Royal Rumble match. A victory in the 30-man contest would make Cena only the second wrestler in history, alongside ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin, to win the Rumble three times. It would also guarantee him a World Championship match at WrestleMania 41.

Both in and out of the ring, John Cena remains a towering figure in entertainment so it’s no surprise that McDonald’s wanted to collaborate with the 16-time World Champion. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest updates as Cena embarks on what promises to be an emotional farewell tour.

Sheamus believes the pandemic era led to the resurgence of his career.

The Celtic Warrior is today recognized as one of the best in-ring talents of WWE. His physical matches with names such as Gunther and Drew McIntyre over the past year have led to a renewed appreciation for the former WWE Champion among fans.

This wasn’t always the case, however. After his initial success in the company, there was a long period where the Irish star was perceived as just another wrestler on the WWE roster.

Talking about this career resurgence in a new interview with Chris Van Vliet, Sheamus explained how the pandemic era proved to be vital for him. According to him, it was the time which helped him get comfortable in his own skin:

“I definitely felt during the pandemic I really came into my own skin. I really felt like I had an opportunity to kind of recreate myself and show people what I was really about. And that’s I think where the whole physicality came from. You know how it was; nobody is physical in the ring as I am and then that’s where we went into the banger era of Sheamus.”

• Sheamus Reveals Why He Treats Every Match Like it is WrestleMania

That’s Where I Got My Passion Back: Sheamus

Sheamus made his main roster debut in June 2009 and he was already a WWE champion by December. The wrestling veteran went on to win 4 more world titles over the next 5 years. Then came a period of relative decline however, as the 46-year-old was relegated to mostly mid card feuds and tag team matches over the next decade.

The WWE star discussed how becoming the WWE champion so quickly led to locker room heat for him. He also credited his time teaming with Cesaro as the period that reignited his passion for the business:

“I became the WWE champion really quickly and people just hated that. A lot of talent hated that too. But it’s been a long journey, and I’m like, sometimes you kind of feel where’s this going. But I think the whole part where it really came together was when I started tagging with Cesaro, and we became The Bar that best of seven series, that’s where I really got my passion back.”

The former Champion also talked about his 2009 title win in much more detail during the interview and revealed who was the other talent WWE had considered for the spot.

• Sheamus Responds to Online Body Shaming

Roman Reigns is not saying no to a Rock match.

The Netflix premiere episode of WWE Raw saw The Tribal Chief finally reclaiming the Ula Fala after defeating Solo Sikoa. The Great One even showed up after the bout to acknowledge his cousin and the two shared a hug at the show.

Despite all the pleasantries, the question of a potential match was asked to Roman in the post-Raw press conference. Reigns was asked if he would like to tease the bout and The Head of The Table said that he would just let people speculate about it:

“I don’t have to tease anything, you guys do it for us. We’re just going to let the Internet do its thing. [Saying yes or no], that would defeat the whole purpose of this. The Internet won’t do its thing if I said yes or no. So, we’ll see.”

• Roman Reigns Set For Jan. 27 Raw, WWE 2K25 News Teased

Apart from this, Roman Reigns was also asked about John Cena calling him the greatest of all time. The former WWE Champion claimed that he’s too busy to be thinking about such things. Reigns noted how the whole thing is really subjective but also discussed how John Cena is a very smart man and reminded everyone that his metrics prove Roman to be the goat.

The future of Solo Sikoa is another big question coming out of the show. After the New Bloodline leader failed to prove his dominance over the Original Tribal Chief, it’d be interesting to see how his faction members react to his loss.