SEScoops

Author: Anutosh Bajpai

  • CM Punk Retains World Title To End First Raw of 2026

    CM Punk is still the world champion.

    The main event of the first Raw of 2026 featured a very physical match with the Straight Edge Star putting his title up on the line against Bron Breakker. Breakker was in control in the early part of the bout and the shenanigans began not long after Punk found an opening due to a missed Frankensteiner from Bron.

    The challenger knocked out the referee as Heyman called out the other members of The Vision. Austin Theory delivered a big stomp to the reigning champion, in what many thought was the end of the bout. CM Punk miraculously survived the pin attempt, however.

    The lucha trio of Rey Mysterio, Dragon Lee and Penta then appeared through the audience. They brawled the trio of Theory, Logan Paul and Bronson Reed away from the ring as the match continued.

    Punk also had a near fall after delivering the GTS to his opponent as the anticipation built up. The former AEW star punched Paul Heyman when the latter forced him to break the STF submission he had locked in, only for Punk to end up going through the announce table himself.

    The ending of the bout finally saw Breakker building up momentum for a spear by running the ropes. CM Punk managed to avoid disaster with a counter kick just as Bron went for the move, and the World Champion finally hit the GTS to retain his title.

  • Current Champion Seemingly Written Off TV On Raw

    Another WWE star might be missing some time.

    Stephanie Vaquer last wrestled during the December 29 episode of Monday Night Raw, defeating  Nikki Bella and Raquel Rodriguez in a triple threat to retain the Women\’s World Championship.

    On this week\’s episode of the Red Branded Show, however, Vaquer made her way to the ring with a walking boot. The commentary mentioned that the Women\’s Champion had suffered an ankle injury in her match last week.

    La Primera proclaimed that the injury would not stop her from dominating the Women\’s division, but Raquel Rodriguez blindsided the champion before she could complete her statement.

    The Judgment Day star focused her attack on the injured ankle and slammed Stephanie\’s foot into the mat several times. Rodriguez then tried to use a steel chair to take Vaquer out for good, but Adam Pearce, alongside other officials, made the save for the former CMLL star just in time.

    Though this didn\’t stop Raquel, as she attacked the reigning champion once again when she was being carried for a medical evaluation backstage. Pearce finally got the attacker to back off after threatening to fine her till she had nothing left.

    The intention behind this segment is not known at this time. Though with the recent string of injuries putting people like Dominik Mysterio and Michin out of action, there is obvious speculation about Vaquer potentially taking time off from TV after tonight\’s development.

  • WWE Star Injured At Holiday Tour, SmackDown Match In Question

    An unfortunate injury on the WWE Holiday tour.

    Michin, who has been feuding with Jade Cargill on TV in recent weeks, had wrestled the reigning Women\’s Champion on a couple of post-Christmas WWE house shows.

    The former Knockouts Champion posted some photos on Instagram earlier this week, however, noting that she had to cut her Holiday tour short.

    While Michin herself did not explain the reason behind this, Fightful Select provided an update on the matter. They revealed that the female star was pulled off the tour after suffering a shoulder injury.

    Not much is known about the severity of the injury at this time, but the whole thing could force officials to shuffle the plans for Cargill heading into the new year.

    Michin was announced to face Jade Cargill in a singles match on the January 2 SmackDown. The former Retribution member had been promised a title shot if she could defeat the current champion in this non-title match, but the status of this bout is now up in the air.

    She joins the list of WWE talents who have peculiarly dealt with shoulder issues over the last few months, including names such as Penta, Dominik Mysterio, Sheamus, and Chad Gable.

  • Mercedes Mone Loses TBS Title After Historic Run

    Mercedes Mone\’s downfall has begun.

    The New Year\’s Smash special of Dynamite, coming live from Liberty First Credit Union Arena in Omaha, Nebraska, this Wednesday, December 31, saw the reigning TBS Champion defending her title against Willow Nightingale.

    Nightingale had the momentum heading into the match after becoming the Inaugural Women\’s Tag Team Champions with Harley Cameron earlier this month.

    The bout saw some close calls as Mercedes Mone struggled to hold onto the belt heading into the new year, including one spot when she barely got her foot on the rope after a Doctor Bomb from Willow.

    In the end, however, Mone\’s efforts did not prove to be enough, and Willow Nightingale pinned her with another Doctor Bomb to end Mercedes\’ historic reign with the TBS Championship.

    The former Sasha Banks sat at ringside looking shocked after the bell, as Harley Cameron joined her tag team partner in the post-match celebration. JetSpeed and Orange Cassidy were next to come out, and the show ended with AEW Women\’s Champion Kris Statlander hugging the winner.

    The loss ends Mercedes Mone\’s 584-day-long run with the TBS Championship, in which she surpassed Jade Cargill\’s 508-day run. Nightingale, on the other hand, has become the first woman to get a second reign with the title since its introduction back in 2022.

  • Maxxine Dupri Marries NXT Star Kam Hendrix

    WWE talents Maxxine Dupri and Kam Hendrix have officially tied the knot.

    The reigning Women\’s IC Champion, real name Sydney Zmrzel, confirmed some details of her marriage to NXT and Evolve star, real name Anthony Luke, to People.

    Dupri said that she had been planning her wedding ever since she was a child, and the dream finally came true on the last Wednesday of 2025, on December 31:

    \”I was the little girl who had her wedding planned since she could talk, and this week is that dream coming to life; an ethereal escape with everyone who\’s been part of our story,\”

    The ceremony that took place from LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort in Naples, Florida, was attended by 180 guests. The long list of guests featured many current and former WWE stars as well as a number of social media sensations.

    This included people such as Nia Jax, Tiffany Stratton, Chelsea Green, Shayna Baszler, Karrion Kross, Scarlett Bordeaux, Deonna Purrazzo, Matt Cardona, Steve Maclin, Chase DeMoor, Gabrielle Moses, Quori-Tyler Bullock, and Anna Morris.

    Maxxine Dupri will return to the ring this Monday night, where she will defend her Women\’s IC title against Becky Lynch at the first Raw of 2025.

  • How Long Dominik Mysterio Will Stay Out of Action

    Dominik Mysterio is not going to be out for long.

    WWE announced on Raw this Monday that the Judgment Day star was \’out indefinitely\’ due to a shoulder injury he suffered while competing in a tag match at AAA Guerra De Titanes on December 20.

    This was unfortunate news for the young star while heading into the new year and the Royal Rumble season, as he holds both the WWE Intercontinental Championship and the AAA Mega title.

    Though Fightful Select has now provided a positive update on Dominik Mysterio\’s status. They revealed that WWE sources believe the current champion will not require surgery.

    The company did not make any announcement regarding the titles while providing the latest update which also suggests that Dirty Dom will not be out of action for long. The belief internally is that he will be back in action by the Royal Rumble event next month.

    Mysterio is not the only WWE star to deal with shoulder issues in recent times. Penta made his return during the latest Raw after a short hiatus, and Sheamus underwent surgery this week after getting injured last month.

    Reports suggest that another star who has been out of action for 6 months due to shoulder issues is expected back on TV soon. You can check out more about it here.

  • Popular WWE Star Expected Back For Royal Rumble 2026

    A much-anticipated WWE return might be happening soon.

    WWE star Chad Gable has been out of action since June this year due to a shoulder injury. His last match was a successful Speed Title defence against Berto, which aired on X.

    Now Fightful Select is reporting that the former Olympian has been at Performance Center recently, training for an imminent return to TV.

    While the exact date for his comeback is not known, the site notes that the company is planning for the former champion to be back by the Royal Rumble on January 31, or even before that.

    Gable had been wrestling as himself and El Grande Americano at the same time before his unfortunate injury. The success of the Americano character had led to the former Alpha Academy leader getting his first singles WrestleMania match as well as his first singles title in WWE.

    Ludwig Kaiser took over the gimmick in Chad Gable\’s absence from TV. He also continued Americano\’s reign with the WWE Speed title until November, when Kaiser lost the belt to Jasper Troy on NXT.

    The former Imperium member has only added to the popularity of the Americano persona. So we\’ll have to see how the company takes the story forward once Gable is back on TV.

  • Sheamus Undergoes Shoulder Surgery To End 2025

    Sheamus has undergone surgery.

    Isabella Revilla, the wife of the WWE superstar, recently posted a video on Instagram mentioning that the couple has been to many different countries this year.

    She joked that she did not expect her final trip of the year to be to Birmingham Surgery Center in Alabama, where the former World Champion underwent surgery for his injured shoulder:

    \”When I told my husband I wanted to go on one last trip before the end of the year, this is NOT what I meant. From the Eiffel Tower in Paris to the Trevi Fountain in Rome to La Sagrada Família in Barcelona to… the Birmingham Surgery Center in Alabama — I’m honestly just happy to travel with him\”

    Sheamus last wrestled during the November 17 episode of Raw. He teamed up with Rey Mysterio and John Cena in the latter\’s final Raw appearance to defeat The Judgment Day.

    WWE had later announced a shoulder injury to the Celtic Warrior. The Miz replaced him in the Last Time Is Now tournament, though the A-Lister ended up losing the match to LA Knight.

    There is no word on how long Sheamus is expected to stay out but a surgery means he is likely to miss at least a few months of action, and his status for WrestleMania 42 is questionable.

  • Final Raw of 2025 Ends With Big Title Change

    The Usos are champions again.

    The final WWE Raw episode of 2025 saw the brothers reuniting to challenge Dragon Lee and AJ Styles for the World Tag Team Championships.

    The finishing minutes of this main event match featuring 4 of WWE\’s most exciting stars saw some crazy moves. This included Lee taking out Jimmy Uso with a mid-rope suicide dive on the announce desk and Jey Uso kicking out of a Styles Clash.

    The ending of the bout saw AJ putting Jey Uso on the ropes for a Stomp-Styles Clash combo with his partner. As he held up his opponent, however, Big Jim came alive and took out Dragon Lee with a big kick.

    Styles then let Jey go, and he went for a Phenomenal Forearm on Jimmy. He couldn\’t deliver the move as the Usos took AJ out with a double superkick mid-air.

    Another superkick and 1D combo on Dragon Lee proved to be fatal for the defending champions, and the Usos picked up a pinfall victory to end the year as champions.

    This title change ends the reign of Styles and Lee at 70 days and starts the 9th reign of the Usos with the tag team gold in WWE.

  • Watch: Injured Star Makes Surprise Return To Help Rey Mysterio On Raw

    Penta is back in business.

    This week\’s episode of Monday Night Raw from the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida, saw Austin Theory wrestling his first singles match since his return, with a brand-new theme song to match his new personality.

    He squared off against Rey Mysterio. The wrestling veteran used his experience to get in control of the bout and set Austin up for a 619. Before he could connect the move, however, Logan Paul interfered on behalf of his new teammate.

    Unfortunately for the Vision members, the referee saw this interaction and called for the bell. As the win was awarded to Mysterio, both Paul and Theory attacked the WWE Hall of Famer.

    This continued until Penta\’s music hit and the masked star made his surprise return to the Red Brand. The Smooth Operator helped Rey fight off the attackers to end the segment.

    The former Lucha Underground star had suffered a shoulder injury during the November 24 episode of Raw. He had wrestled Solo Sikoa on the show, as part of the Last Time Is Now tournament.

    There is no word on what the company is planning for Penta after tonight\’s show, but it\’s likely that the Vision would want to get their revenge on the returning star.

  • Buddy Matthews Still Dealing With Nerve Issues 10 Months After Injury

    Buddy Matthews is still dealing with health issues.

    The AEW star recently did a Q&A on Instagram where he was asked about his health status due to his prolonged absence. The high flyer mentioned the road to recovery has been long for him.

    The former WWE star noted that he thought that he would be back in the ring by now, but revealed that he is still dealing with nerve issues. Though Buddy Matthews claimed that he has accepted that things are going to take time:

    “It’s been a long process! Still having nerve issues with a lot of numbness! But accepted that it’s gonna take time. Really thought I’d have returned to the ring by now, but can only control what I can!”

    https://media.sescoops.com/uploads/2025/12/\"https://media.sescoops.com/uploads/2025/12/\"

    The Australian star has been out of action since the Gram Slam Australia event back in February this year. He suffered an ankle injury during his entrance on the show, but still finished his match with Kazuchika Okada. The 37-year-old did not undergo surgery for his injury until August, and there is currently no timetable for his return.

    Buddy Matthews is part of a long list of AEW stars currently out of action with various health issues. One such name in Adam Cole, made an appearance at World\’s End pre-show and teased more appearances for 2026. You can check out more about it here.

  • Tony Khan Comments on Adam Cole\’s 2026 Tease

    Tony Khan does not have a health update on Adam Cole.

    The former Champion has been off TV since he relinquished the TNT title at All In: Texas PPV in July this year. He got people curious when he made an appearance during the World\’s End pre-show tonight, and teased that fans will get to see more of him in 2026.

    The AEW President was asked about Cole\’s comments during the PPV post-show. Tony Khan claimed that he was happy to hear from Adam, but said that he had no update other than saying the wrestling veteran is doing well:

    “Well, there’s certainly no pressure. I was just really happy to hear from Adam Cole, and I thought the fans would be so happy to see him. Obviously, Adam Cole’s been a great champion in AEW, and it was important for Adam Cole to step away and prioritize his health and well-being.

    We love him. He’s a great star here and absolutely, like we said, when he spoke earlier, we want Adam Cole to be involved in AEW. I don’t have any health updates other than to say you can see he’s doing well, and he’s excited about AEW.\”

    When Renee Paquette mentioned that Adam Cole did well as an analyst during his appearance, Tony Khan agreed saying, \”He’s very good, excellent host.\” Though the wrestling executive reiterated that he had no update to give to the fans about his health:

    \”So with Adam Cole, no particular update other than to say you can see he’s doing well, and since we last heard from him when he had to vacate the TNT Championship at AEW All In Texas. It was a sad moment, it was a hard moment for a lot of the fans and for a lot of us in AEW. So we were so happy to hear from him tonight.\”

  • Kris Statlander Explains Spitting On Jamie Hayter During World\’s End Match

    Kris Statlander wanted to bring the best out of Jamie Hayter.

    The AEW Women\’s World Champion took part in the media scrum post the World\’s End PPV after retaining her title at the show. During the talk, she was asked about a spot in her match with Hayter where she was seen spitting on the challenger’s face.

    Answering the question, the female star first mentioned how people saw her as an underdog before she won the title. Now that she is the champion, Kris Statlander feels she has every right to be as confident as she is:

    \”Yes, well, I will start off by saying you were not mistaken with what you saw. I did do that. However, one thing that has changed is I\’ve said it a few times now my sob story is over. I am not an underdog. I feel like my whole build to becoming champion, people were still like, \’Maybe one day it\’ll be her moment.\’ But now I\’m proving that my moment is now. I am the champion, and I have every right to be as confident as I am.\”

    Kris Statlander then explained the reason she spat on Jamie\’s face during their bout. She claimed that it was important so Hayter could meet her at her level:

    \”I told Jamie, leading into this match, she was a former champion. She knows what it\’s like to be on top, and I was in the same place as her. I feel like me being a little bit more, not aggressive, but I was trying to antagonize her, in a way, to bring that champion spirit back out of her. Because I\’m all about meeting me at my level, meeting me at the champion\’s level, and I\’m just trying to bring that fire out of her and every other person that wants a shot, really.\”

  • Update On Kenny Omega\’s Mysterious Dynamite Promo

    Kenny Omega might be entering the title picture again.

    The Cleaner had teamed up with The Young Bucks to defeat The Don Callis Family on Dynamite recently, helping the brothers finally win the $1 million reward.

    It was revealed after the match that the Bucks were not cleared to compete, at least for the next few shows. Upon hearing the news, Kenny Omega cut an ominous promo, saying that this gives him the chance to take care of something he has been meaning to for a while.

    Fightful Select provided an update on this mysterious promo from the former IWGP World Champion. They suggested that it was related to the wrestling veteran entering the world title scene:

    \”There was a segment on AEW this week where Kenny Omega mentioned that he had to take care of some things. We\’re told this specifically was to reference him possibly being in the world title scene soon.\”

    Though the AEW co-founder would be facing some tough competition if he wishes to enter the title picture. The World\’s End PPV tonight saw MJF becoming a two-time world champion, defeating Samoa Joe, Hangman Page, and Swerve Strickland in the process.

    All three of these former world champions would want another shot at the title after tonight. Not only that but ROH Champion Bandido has also earned an AEW title shot by winning the Dynamite Diamond Ring this year. The masked star will now challenge MJF for the belt at Dynamite Maximum Carnage on January 14. 

  • MJF Becomes 2-Time AEW Champion At World\’s End

    MJF is a world champion again.

    The AEW World\’s End PPV this Saturday featured Samoa Joe defending his championship against the Salt of the Earth, Hangman Adam Page, and Swerve Strickland.

    At first, MJF was making little impact in the bout as he kept getting taken out by other contenders whenever he tried to gain some momentum. The Opps intervened on behalf of Joe when the young star finally started getting some chances.

    Though Samoa Joe failed to take advantage of the chance provided by his teammates, as Hangman Page somehow managed to kick out of the Muscle Buster. The referee then ejected the outside parties, and the match continued.

    The ending saw Swerve Strickland delivering a big powerbomb to the champion. He failed to do any further damage as MJF shoved Strickland from the top rope, only to eat a kick from Adam Page in return.

    Page took charge with a couple of big Lariats on the defending champion, but Joe only looked staggered instead of going down. As Hangman went for the third Buckshot, MJF low-blowed him outta nowhere. The 29-year-old then delivered a Heatseeker to Samoa Joe to win the AEW World title for the second time in his career.

    This ends Samoa Joe\’s second AEW World title reign at just 34 days. Now we\’ll have to see how long MJF, who held the belt for a record 406 days last time, is able to keep the title around his waist.

  • Watch: CM Punk Does Gender Reveal At WWE Live Event

    Anything can happen at WWE Live Events.

    The company returned to the road for a select few non-televised events after giving talents a week off for the Christmas holiday. One of the events of this tour on Saturday night took place from Tampa, Florida, featuring names such as Je\’Von Evans, AJ Styles, and Gunther in action.

    The main event of the show saw CM Punk successfully retaining his World title against Bronson Reed, with some help from Jey Uso.

    The most notable moment of the night for Punk did not come in the ring, however. The Straight Edge Star got on the mic for a promo after the bout and was requested to do a gender reveal by a couple at the ringside:

    The same show featured the in-ring return of Liv Morgan after a shoulder injury she suffered during a Raw episode back in June. Apart from this, fans also got to see Gunther doing the \’6-7\’ gesture during his match against Evans.

    CM Punk is set to defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Reed\’s partner Bron Breakker, at the January 5 Raw. This comes after Breakker pinned Punk during the Survivor Series PPV, with the help from a mystery man who later revealed himself to be a returning Austin Theory.

  • Adam Cole Teases More AEW Appearances In 2026

    Adam Cole hopes that fans will get to see more of him in 2026.

    The AEW star made a video appearance on the Worlds End Zero Hour coming live from Now Arena in Chicago. The 36-year-old was there to make predictions about the last leg of the Continental Classic tournament, taking place at the PPV tonight.

    Before revealing his picks, Cole thanked the fans for their support during his absence from TV and suggested that we will see more of him in 2026:

    \”Let me first and foremost start by saying thank you so much for your love and support over the past few months. Hopefully you\’ll be seeing a lot more of me in 2026.\”

    Adam Cole relinquished the TNT Championship at All In: Texas in July this year, announcing that he will be stepping away from the ring for a while. The former NXT star has since revealed that he was ready to announce his retirement at the show after multiple long hiatuses in recent years, but \’cooler heads\’ prevailed.

    There is no indication of Cole making his in-ring return anytime soon. He has previously done some broadcasting work on WWE Backstage on Fox, and it\’s likely that we will see him in a similar role on AEW TV in 2026.

  • Vince McMahon \’Had A Thing\’ For Making People Uncomfortable, Says Matt Hardy

    Matt Hardy believes Vince McMahon liked to abuse people.

    During a recent interview with Chris Van Vliet, Former WWE broadcast personality Todd Grisham discussed how Mr. McMahon used him to play cruel pranks on Jim Ross multiple times. This has led to a renewed discussion in wrestling circles about how the former WWE chairman treated his employees.

    The Attitude Era star, who worked under McMahon for a long time, recently gave his opinion on the matter as well. Speaking on his podcast, Matt Hardy claimed that Vince had a thing for putting people in uncomfortable positions:

    “I mean, I felt like Vince had a thing for putting people in positions that made them feel uncomfortable, and he kind of got off on that, in all honesty. That was like one of his things. And I felt like he did that with JR quite a bit. That became a regular, common thing there.\”

    I Think He Was Abusive: Matt Hardy

    Matt Hardy said that Vince McMahon would make things harder for people who said no or showed signs of weakness in front of him. While the philosophy behind it might have been about growth, the former ECW Champion noted that it led to the wrestling promoter becoming abusive with many of his employees:

    \”I feel like anytime he put us in positions where—and I feel like sometimes he said—’if you don’t go into areas or positions where you feel uncomfortable, you will never grow.’ And in some ways, that is true. But in some ways too, I think he was abusive with it as well. And JR probably was one of the guys he was more abusive with in many, many ways.\”

    Jim Ross himself had recently talked about his experiences with McMahon. The veteran commentator suggested that the issues between the two stemmed from jealousy. You can check out his remarks here.

  • Backstage News On Plans For Joe Hendry After SmackDown Appearance

    SmackDown could be the new home of Joe Hendry.

    The viral star officially became a member of WWE roster recently when the company bought out the remainder of his deal with TNA wrestling. Hendry had been a regular of NXT since.

    This week\’s episode of the Blue Branded show then saw the former TNA Champion making his in-ring debut for the brand. He defeated The Miz in a Miracle On 34th Street Fight.

    Now Fightful Select has provided an update on the plans for the former champion, suggesting that more SmackDown appearances are in his path in not too distance future.

    According to the site, Joe Hendry is already on a main roster contract, and there has been internal talk of him getting a call-up sooner rather than later.

    His most recent SmackDown appearance seems to be inspired by WWE\’s broadcast partner. USA Network was keen on getting Joe Hendry, and it\’s likely that the Friday Night show will become his new permanent home in 2026.

    Though Joe Hendry is not the only fresh face that is expected to be seen on main roster. WWE had teased Je’Von Evans as an upcoming free agent recently and another former NXT champion teased future rivalry with Cody Rhodes this week. You can check out more about it here.

  • Wrestling World Remembers Brodie Lee On 5th Anniversary of Passing

    RIP Brodie Lee.

    The late wrestling veteran touched the lives of many in his almost 2 decades long career in the industry. Whether it was independent wrestling, WWE, or AEW, anyone who worked with Lee has nothing but nice things to say about him.

    Unfortunately for the world of sports entertainment, the former champion, real name Jonathan Huber, was taken from us too soon, with this Friday, December 26, being the 5th anniversary of his untimely passing.

    Wrestling Worlds Pays Tribute To Brodie Lee

    His colleagues remembered the late star on this occasion, posting messages and memories of sharing the locker room with the former Luke Harper.

    Corey Graves, who was in development with Brodie, told a story highlighting how the former Wyatt Family member used to help them keep their spirits high even when they felt discouraged on their path to wrestling glory.

    Big E detailed the kind of conversation he used to have with his late friend, while people such as Matt Cardona shared simple messages remembering the late star.

    Finally, Natalya, who has been helping train Brodie Lee Jr., responded to a tribute from his widow, Amanda Huber. The WWE veteran discussed how grief is not linear but said that Jon would be incredibly proud of his family today:

  • Trick Williams Reveals WWE Status On SmackDown

    WWE is taking a new approach with NXT call-ups.

    This week\’s episode of SmackDown featured a backstage segment which saw Trick Williams having a chat with General Manager Nick Aldis. The former NXT Champion claimed that he already had an offer from Monday Night Raw and asked Aldis if he was going to match it.

    Cody Rhodes walked into the frame before Nick could answer, however. The WWE Champion asked Trick to give them a second, and the NXT star was congenial about it at first.

    Though Trick Williams quickly decided that things would not work this way. He walked back into the frame to remind the American Nightmare of all his accolades in the development brand.

    Declaring himself \’the hottest free agent\’ in the game, the 31-year-old then warned Cody to hold on to his title, in case Nick Aldis made the decision to bring him on board.

    WWE had announced this past Monday on Raw that Je\’Von Evans was also set to become a \’free agent\’ very soon. So this appears to be a new approach for all NXT call-ups from the WWE creative.

    Reports suggest that these two are not the only NXT names expected to be called up, and we\’ll have to see which other free agents follow their footsteps.

  • Big Title Change On Last SmackDown of 2025

    Carmleo Hayes is finally a champion again.

    The former NXT star had challenged Ilja Dragunov for the US title on the December 5 SmackDown. This match had ended with Tommaso Ciampa costing Melo the bout, without the champion\’s knowledge.

    The two opponents then teamed up on last week\’s episode of the Blue Branded show to face DIY, where Hayes picked up the victory for his team.

    As a result, Dragunov met the former NXT Champion in a backstage segment this Friday night. Ilja revealed his intention to close the US title open challenge, but offered Carmelo a title rematch out of respect.

    Both opponents gave everything they had in the bout that took place later in the show. Many have called it a PPV-quality match from the two young stars. In the end, Carmelo Hayes picked up the victory with Nothing But Net, becoming the new US Champion.

    This is the first main roster title for the 31-year-old since he made his SmackDown debut as the third overall draft pick back in April 2024. He had won multiple belts in NXT, which included the Cruiserweight and North American Titles as well.

    This title change ends Ilja Dragunov\’s run with the championship at 70 days. He had defeated Sami Zayn during a SmackDown episode back in August for the championship.

    Bruce Prichard On Rumors of Backstage Rivalry With Triple H

  • Je’Von Evans Discusses Being Part of John Cena\’s Retirement Show

    Je’Von Evans has talked about being part of John Cena\’s final show.

    The Cenation Leader had decided that his retirement show would also serve as a showcase for the next generation of talents. This led to the NXT upstart competing in the biggest match of his career at Saturday Night\’s Main Event. He teamed up with TNA X-Division champion Leon Slater to face Dragon Lee and AJ Styles.

    The 21-year-old opened up about this opportunity during a recent interview with Fox News. Je’Von Evans mentioned how he grew up watching Cena. So for the 17-time world champion to handpick him for the event was insane:

    \”It’s insane. Insane, bro, I grew up watching Cena. So, for him to handpick me is crazy. Before his show, we got to talk and he was putting me onto the game. It’s just wild that now I have an opportunity and now I’ll have a connection with Cena and we can talk whenever we want to. It’s insane, insane for sure.\”

    Evans also discussed the recent growth in his popularity and the praise he has received for his work. The 2004-born mentioned that he always wanted to be a wrestler, but he wasn\’t expecting to get this much recognition this early in his career.

    WWE had recently provided an update on Je’Von\’s status, confirming that he was still an NXT star despite recent main roster appearances. Though they announced that the high flyer was not going to be a part of the development brand for very long. You can check out the full story here.

  • Mixed Nuts Mayhem And More Added To AEW World\’s End This Saturday

    Some interesting new matches were added to World\’s End at AEW Christmas Collision this week.

    The show featured the final group stage matches of the Continental Classic tournament, with Kazuchika Okada, Konosuke Takeshita, Kyle Fletcher, and Jon Moxley emerging as semi-finalists who will move on to the show this Saturday.

    Darby Allin also confirmed his in-ring return for the upcoming PPV. He accepted the challenge issued by Gabe Kidd after the latter attacked him on Dynamite this Wednesday.

    Apart from this, a \’Mixed Nuts Mayhem\’ bout pitting The Death Riders against the Conglomeration was announced. The Death Riders will be competing without Mox, while their opponents will be joined by Toni Storm for this bout.

    Bruce Prichard On Rumors of Backstage Rivalry With Triple H

    AEW World\’s End Final Match Card

    The last AEW PPV of 2025 will be taking place from the Now Arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois on December 27, 2025. Below is the final card for the show:

    • Continental Classic Semi-Final: Kazuchika Okada vs. Konosuke Takeshita
    • Continental Classic Semi-Final: Kyle Fletcher vs. Jon Moxley
    • Singles Match: Darby Allin vs. Gabe Kidd
    • Chicago Street Fight For AEW Tag Team Championship: FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) (c) (with Stokely) vs. Bang Bang Gang (Juice Robinson and Austin Gunn) (with Ace Austin)
    • AEW Women\’s Tag Team Championship Match: Babes of Wrath (Harley Cameron and Willow Nightingale) (c) vs. Mercedes Moné and Athena
    • AEW Women\’s World Championship Match: Kris Statlander (c) vs. Jamie Hayter
    • AEW World Championship Match: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Swerve Strickland vs. \”Hangman\” Adam Page vs. MJF
    • Mixed Nuts Mayhem: Death Riders vs. The Conglomeration & Toni Storm

    The winners of the Continental Classic semi-finals will face each other in the finals at the same show.  Apart from this, a tag team match between the Hyan & Mya World and Sisters of Sin (Julia Hart & Skye Blue) has also been confirmed for the PPV pre-show.

    Watch: How The Wrestling World Celebrated Christmas 2025

  • Bruce Prichard On Rumors of Backstage Rivalry With Triple H

    Bruce Prichard has no hate for Triple H.

    The former Brother Love was considered the right-hand man of Vince McMahon during the former WWE Chairman\’s reign as the leader of the company. Rumors started swirling around about the relationship between Prichard and Triple H when Mr. McMahon was forced to remove himself from the promotion, and The Game was put in charge.

    On the latest episode of his Something to Wrestle podcast, the wrestling executive addressed the notion of having heat with the WWE creative head. Bruce Prichard said that the former DX member has always treated him well and claimed that Triple H would still be in the position even if he had not married into the McMahon family:

    “I have nothing to hate him for. And in all the times we worked together prior to coming back — and look, I can’t speak for him, I don’t know — but I do know how he treated me. He always treated me well. So he was a top talent, and obviously married in, but if he had married Betty down the street, he’d still be in the same position he is in today because he still has those qualifications.\”

    We Share The Same Love: Bruce Prichard

    Bruce Prichard noted that they\’re both human beings who get angry and upset about things at times. The 62-year-old proclaimed, however, that their shared love for the business trumps any such minor disputes and any story about him being enemies with Triple H is nothing but rumors:

    \”He still has that love and that desire for the business. That’s what I appreciate as well. We do share the same love and appreciation for the business. We always did. That’s the thing. That is 100% just rumor, gossip — people going, ‘Oh, well, you know.’ It’s simply not true in any way, shape, or form.”

    The former manager of The Undertaker also said that he always loved working with Triple H, even as a talent. Prichard stated that he doesn\’t know of any incident that could be the reason for a rivalry between the two, since he has never been in \’that kind of role\’ in the company.