SEScoops

Author: Anutosh Bajpai

  • Tony Khan Comments On AEW’s Financial Status In 2026

    Tony Khan Comments On AEW’s Financial Status In 2026

    AEW is making more money than ever.

    The company president, Tony Khan held a media call on Thursday to promote this weekend’s Double or Nothing PPV. He answered questions regarding subjects such as Mick Foley being All Elite, the TBS Championship being relinquished, and more.

    During the session, Wrestlenomics’ Brandon Thurston asked if AEW is profitable in 2026. The wrestling executive did not answer the question directly, but Tony Khan mentioned that the promotion has made more money this year than any other year of its existence:

    “Well, it’s a fair question. Our revenue is the highest it’s ever been. I can’t comment on where we stand in terms of every expense year to year. Certainly, this is going to be the most revenue we’ve ever generated and the strongest financial outlook for the company ever. I’m reinvesting in a number of projects, including digital projects, to grow the company for the future.”

    Most Revenue We’ve Ever Brought In: Tony Khan

    Tony Khan explained that he does not have all the figures at hand, but he has been reinvesting a big part of the revenue to ensure future growth of the product. The 43-year-old claimed that they have a healthy outlook on the company’s future:

    “So, you know, as far as how it’s accounted, I don’t have all the figures in front of me, but I can say this is by far the most revenue we’ve ever brought in. And the future is the healthiest outlook because I’ll continue to reinvest in the business, developing new platforms and trying to open up new territories to grow the company in the future.”

    Double or Nothing this year will be taking place on May 24 from Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York. You can check out the updated card for the show here.

  • Asuka Breaks Silence On WWE Future

    Asuka Breaks Silence On WWE Future

    Asuka is not committing to retirement.

    The former Women’s Champion’s status has been a matter of much speculation following her Backlash loss to IYO SKY and apparent farewell segment on the following episode of Raw.

    The WWE star finally broke the silence on her status with a brand new video on her YouTube channel late Thursday night. Speaking in Japanese, Asuka claimed that she had been super busy the past few days but she has returned to social media now that things have finally settled down a bit:

    “It’s already been about two weeks since my last match at Backlash. I know there are a ton of rumors flying around out there. People asking, ‘Are we ever going to see Asuka wrestle again?’ ‘Is she going back to Japan?’ ‘Is she leaving WWE?’ The truth is, it was a personal matter. I reached out to WWE and we talked it through.”

    When You Least Expect It: Asuka

    While she did not directly confirm or deny the rumors of her in-ring retirement, the wrestling veteran noted that she is still at the top of her in-ring game. She explained that people had started taking her presence for granted because she was around regularly for so long. Asuka suggested that part of the reason for her move was to change this perception:

    “But remember… nothing lasts forever. Everything is finite. You see, I’m not just a wrestler by trade. I’m a designer, too. Even the way I live my life has to be art. I’m sure you’re all wondering what’s next for me and how I’ll be involved with TV and the tours moving forward. But don’t forget—I am still officially with WWE. So there’s a chance I might just pop up in front of you when you least expect it!”

    Asuka then talked about the impact she made upon first arriving in WWE and told people to cherish any glimpse of her in the future because it’s going to be rare. She ended the short video promising to be more active on social media to stay connected with the fans.

    The quotes in this article have been translated from Japanese

  • MJF Addresses Hair Transplant Rumors Before Double or Nothing Match

    MJF Addresses Hair Transplant Rumors Before Double or Nothing Match

    MJF says his hair is very real.

    The former AEW Champion would be competing in what is likely the most personal match of his career this Sunday at Double or Nothing. He will be challenging Darby Allin for the World Title, and Max has agreed to put his hair on the line for this bout.

    The Salt of The Earth spoke to TV Insider for a new interview recently to promote the PPV. He was asked what the hair means to him, and MJF noted that it is the quality that makes him the golden goose of the company:

    “Look, my hair means everything to me. I have broken just about every record in the history of my company. A part of the reason I’m able to sell so many tickets and get so many eyeballs on the product is because of the way I look. MJF should not have even one stray hair come off his head because MJF is the golden goose of All Elite Wrestling.”

    My Hair Is Very Real: MJF

    MJF then claimed that his hair is his livelihood and AEW’s stock is going to go down dramatically if he loses at the PPV. The 30-year-old also addressed the popular belief that he got hair transplant, saying that it’s an absurd suggestion:

    “I can’t think of a worse fate. It’s not going to happen. I don’t even like talking about it quite frankly. I resent people that claim my hair isn’t real. That’s absurd. My hair is very real. Just as real as my Dynamite Diamond ring, my mansion, and as real as my very hot flexible wife.”

    The former Champion later gave some praise to his opponent, saying that Darby Allin has been putting on the best matches in all of sports entertainment during his reign. Max explained that he is more of a money guy and the one who sells the tickets, but he can’t pretend that AEW does not have a superior wrestling product to their competitors.

  • Becky Lynch Clarifies Status of Her SNME Match

    Becky Lynch Clarifies Status of Her SNME Match

    Becky Lynch has made things clear.

    The Women’s IC Champion had laid out a challenge for Sol Ruca on this week’s episode of Raw. She had offered the WWE rookie a match at the upcoming Saturday Night’s Main Event.

    While The Man had emphasized that the bout will be a non-title match, the company had been promoting it as a championship encounter, confusing the fans.

    Becky Lynch Responds

    The champ herself addressed this confusion on X on Wednesday. Becky Lynch called out the misinformation regarding her upcoming bout, and once again mentioned that Sol Ruca will have to earn a shot at her title:

    “There seems to be misinformation regarding my Saturday Nights Main Event match! (The biased wrestling media is pushing the agenda that the title should be on the line!!) NOT GOING TO HAPPEN!!!!

    I CLEARLY stated that SUCKER Sol Ruca has done NOTHING to earn a shot at MY VERY PRESTIGIOUS IC TITLE!! We will see if she can hang with the GREATEST female wrestler of all time. A LOT of people don’t think she will, but we will see!! Thank you for your attention on this matter.”

    The May 23, 2026, edition of Saturday Night’s Main Event will be taking place from Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, Indiana. You can check out the final card for the show here.

  • New Title Match Added To Double or Nothing This Sunday

    New Title Match Added To Double or Nothing This Sunday

    Kyle O’Reilly is going to Double or Nothing.

    The Conglomeration star competed in his first singles match since his return to the ring in April this week. He faced Jon Moxley at the latest episode of Dynamite. The two men fought hard, but neither of them was able to gain enough advantage to pick up the victory before the time limit expired.

    After the match, it was announced that O’Reilly had earned a shot at Mox’s Continental Title just by surviving the bout till the end. Kyle noted that he would like no limit to be attached to his next match with the current champion, though no announcement for the same was made during the night.

    AEW Double or Nothing Updated Match Card

    Double or Nothing this year will be taking place from Louis Armstrong Stadium in Queens, New York, on May 24, 2026. Below is the updated card for the show:

    • International Championship Match: Kazuchika Okada (c) vs. Konosuke Takeshita
    • I Quit Match For Tag Team Championship: FTR (Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler) (c) (with Stokely) vs. Cage and Cope (Adam Copeland and Christian Cage)
    • Stadium Stampede Match: Jericho, The Hurt Syndicate (Bobby Lashley and Shelton Benjamin), and The Elite (Kenny Omega, “Jungle” Jack Perry, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson) vs. The Demand (Ricochet, Bishop Kaun, and Toa Liona), The Don Callis Family (Mark Davis and Andrade El Ídolo), and The Dogs (Clark Connors and David Finlay)
    • Fatal Four Way Match For AEW Women’s World Championship: Thekla (c) vs. Hikaru Shida vs. Jamie Hayter vs. Kris Statlander
    • Men’s Owen Hart Cup Quarterfinal: Samoa Joe vs. Will Ospreay
    • Men’s Owen Hart Cup Quarterfinal: Bandido vs. Swerve Strickland
    • Women’s Owen Hart Cup Quarterfinal: Athena vs. Mina Shirakawa
    • Continental Championship Match: Jon Moxley (c) vs. Kyle O’Reilly
    • Title vs. Hair Match For AEW World Heavyweight Championship: Darby Allin (c) vs. MJF

    Another women’s match had been announced for the PPV but it had to cancelled due to the injury of a current champion. You can check out more about it here.

  • Top AEW Star Relinquishing Title Due To Injury

    Top AEW Star Relinquishing Title Due To Injury

    Willow Nightingale is injured.

    The AEW TBS Champion had been announced as a participant for the Women’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament. She was scheduled to face Alex Windsor in a first-round matchup at the Double or Nothing PPV this Sunday.

    The reigning champion, however, provided some unfortunate news in a backstage segment at the latest episode of AEW Dynamite. She revealed that she suffered a shoulder injury during her match with Red Velvet at the latest episode of Collision.

    As a result, Willow Nightingale announced that she is not only withdrawing from the Owen Cup, but she will also be relinquishing the TBS Championship:

    Nightingale had won the championship from Mercedes Moné at the New Year’s Smash special of Dynamite last year. This ends Willow’s reign with the belt at 141 day.

    There is no word on what the company is planning for the title after this unfortunate development. They have confirmed that Windsor will not be competing at the PPV, and she will instead face a wild-card opponent at a later date.

  • Top TKO Executive Has ‘No Regrets’ About WrestleMania 42

    Top TKO Executive Has ‘No Regrets’ About WrestleMania 42

    Mark Shapiro has spoken about the challenges of WrestleMania 42.

    The TKO President recently had an interview with Yahoo Finance. He talked about things such as his career, the upcoming UFC event at White House, President Donald Trump’s relationship with the company, and more.

    The sports executive also discussed the challenges of bringing WrestleMania back to a host city for the second year in a row with Mania 42. At first, Shapiro seemingly admitted that they made a mistake by bringing the show back to Las Vegas based on their success in 2025:

    “Some of the challenges we had there is usually we move WrestleMania year after year to a new spot, and that allows us to obviously grow and see the kind of economic impact we would expect.

    Maybe it’s a mistake I made because Vegas was so huge last year and such a winner for our fans and the product that I said to Nick Khan, who runs WWE, ‘We got to go back to Vegas next year. Like, we have to move New Orleans down the road, and we got to come back to Vegas.’”

    Absolutely No Regrets: Mark Shapiro

    The decision to bring WrestleMania 42 back to Vegas led to many problems for WWE as the event saw a massive decrease in ticket demands compared to last year. The creative were forced to change plans for the event months before the PPV to draw interest, but it only led to underwhelming feuds for the top matches on the card.

    Though despite these struggles, Mark Shapiro later claimed that he does not have any regrets about going back to Vegas. He mentioned the city is a mecca for great events with more and more big shows moving there every year:

    “So, absolutely no regrets on going back there. But the only reason you’re hearing some of the ‘Hey, it’s not what it was last year,’ is because we’re not benefiting from the first-mover experience.”

    The TKO executive had also recently revealed his thoughts on the Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano fight. You can check out his comments on the matter here.

  • Chris Jericho Reflects On The ‘Good Era’ of The Learning Tree

    Chris Jericho Reflects On The ‘Good Era’ of The Learning Tree

    Chris Jericho says he put everything into the Learning Tree gimmick.

    The former AEW Champion recently had an interview with Ringer Wrestling. He talked about things such as WWE rumors before his AEW return this year, the reason he dropped his first name upon his comeback, and more.

    During the interview, Y2J also discussed the Learning Tree gimmick he had been portraying before his year-long hiatus from Tony Khan’s promotion. Chris Jericho compared it to dirty music, explaining how he used the negativity of the world to generate heat for the character:

    “I also think that ‘The Learning Tree’ was a good era because it was really going left field and focusing on the haters of the world, which then made them hate it even more. So that might be a little bit more of a Dirty Work, Music from ‘The Elder’, or St. Anger type of vibe. But I thought that was a really cool one as well.”

    Sometimes It Doesn’t Work: Chris Jericho

    Chris Jericho introduced the Learning Tree gimmick back in March 2024. He originally tried to get HOOK to join him as a team. The former World Champion was eventually joined by Big Bill, and Bryan Keith in his new faction. Though the whole thing was received poorly by the fans, and it led to the wrestling veteran taking a long hiatus from the business.

    The 55-year-old seemingly acknowledged the negative reaction to the character saying that sometimes things don’t work out as you planned. Though he claimed that he gave his 1,000% to the gimmick, same as any other version of his character:

    “Whether you like it or not, I’ve given 1,000% for every single iteration of Chris Jericho. There’s never been one where I thought, ‘Oh, this one’s not going to work. Let me focus on it less.’ Everything that I’ve done, I’ve put a million percent into. Sometimes it doesn’t work as well as the others, but the intent, passion, and effort have always been there.”

    The former FTW Champion will be joining The Hurt Syndicate and The Elite for a Stadium Stampede match against The Demand, The Don Callis Family and The Dogs at Double or Nothing this Sunday.

  • MJF Says Malakai Black Used AEW As Stepping Stone For WWE Return

    MJF Says Malakai Black Used AEW As Stepping Stone For WWE Return

    MJF suggests AEW locker room is not a fan of Malakai Black.

    The former AEW Champion recently gave a candid interview to Ariel Helwani. He revealed his unfiltered thoughts on matters such as Bret Hart vs. Shawn Michaels, CM Punk being a piece of shit, and more.

    During the talk, the Salt of the Earth also discussed how AEW is on a roll right now with everyone in the locker room trying to put on the best show possible. When asked how they got to this point, MJF noted that they had to weed some people out. Upon being pressed for a name, the 30-year-old said that Malakai Black is the biggest offender who tried to use the company as a stepping to get back to WWE:

    “I think it’s pretty obvious that that’s Malakai Black [Aleister Black]. But I don’t know the guy, like, on a personal level. Do I think he’s a bad guy? No.

    Do I think he was a mark for, like, wanting to have his, ‘Oh, I need my Mania moment!’ Like, yeah. And there were a couple guys like that. And they got weeded out. And then they went over there and some of them found out the grass isn’t greener. And perhaps some of them did. Some of them, for them, the grass was greener.”

    Majority of The Locker Room: MJF

    Malakai Black wrestled only 15 singles matches during his 4-year tenure with AEW between 2021 and 2025, with more than half of them coming during his first year with the company. His second WWE run turned out to be a failure as Black was not part of any significant feuds, and he was released from the promotion a day before the one-year anniversary of his return on April 24 this year.

    MJF claimed that he is not trying to shit on the former AEW and WWE star. The former champion said that he is just echoing the sentiment of the majority of the locker room:

    “But I’d say a majority of the guys that were like, ‘I’m just gonna use All Elite Wrestling to go to WWE’ or to go back to WWE, I think you’re going to see a lot of those guys ask for a 50% pay cut from the office. You’re going to see a lot of those guys just get released.

    And it’s unfortunate because if you show up to our company and you work hard, there’s really no need to burn bridges. I’m not sh*tting on him. I’m just simply telling you what I was told by a majority of the locker room about this specific individual.”

    The Devil will be challenging Darby Allin for the AEW World Heavyweight Championship in a hair vs. title match at the Double or Nothing PPV this Sunday on May 24.

  • Former WWE Star Makes Surprise Wrestling Return After 1 Year

    Former WWE Star Makes Surprise Wrestling Return After 1 Year

    Giovanni Vinci has returned to wrestling.

    The former WWE star had surfaced on social media last month after almost a year of complete silence following his mysterious release from the Endeavor-owned promotion back in February, 2025.

    The 35-year-old, now going by the name Fabian Aichner, had then confirmed that he had taken a break from the wrestling world after his WWE exit, but he was not done with the wrestling world for good.

    Giovanni Vinci Makes Surprise Return

    Tonight’s TNA Impact episode was main evented by a 2-out-of-3 falls X Division Championship match. The defending champion Leon Slater got the first fall early in the bout.

    His challenger, Cedric Alexander, managed to gain control of the bout afterwards, however, scoring two consecutive falls to end Slater’s 298-day reign.

    Though the new champion didn’t get much time to celebrate his victory. Fabian Aichner made his surprise return to wrestling and confirmed that he will be coming after the title to end the show:

    Giovanni Vinci has not wrestled a match since December 2024 and he has not had a TV match since September that year. We’ll have to see when he gets his title shot against Alexander after his surprise return.

  • Asuka Makes Emotional Raw Appearance Amid Retirement Rumors

    Asuka Makes Emotional Raw Appearance Amid Retirement Rumors

    Asuka has left the building.

    There has been a lot of speculation about the future of the wrestling legend after she shared an emotional moment with IYO SKY following her loss to the fellow countrywoman at the Backlash PPV. With tributes pouring in from WWE superstars, many believe that we might have already seen the last of the former Women’s Champion in a WWE ring.

    The company continued playing coy about the situation as Michael Cole announced on this week’s Raw that Asuka’s future was ‘up in the air’ following her PPV loss. The former Champion then made an appearance on the Red Branded Show, where she once again shared the screen with SKY.

    Asuka Is Proud of IYO SKY

    After giving a big hug to her longtime rival, the former Damage CTRL member told IYO that she was proud of her for taking over her position:

    “I was looking for someone to take over my position; finally, you became the person. I’m so glad it was you. I’m proud of you.”

    SKY responded to the comment saying that even if they fight, they will always be family. After sharing some more words in Japanese, IYO said goodbye to her mentor and Asuka was then seen walking out of the building with a suitcase in hand.

    The latest segment doesn’t confirm if the Japanese star has left the company for good, but it does indicate that we’re not going to see her on TV atleast for a while.

  • Title Change At AEW Fairway To Hell

    Title Change At AEW Fairway To Hell

    A title change at Fairway to Hell.

    Tonight’s special edition of Collision took place at the indoor golf course at SoFi Center in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida. The ring for the event was set up right on the golf course grass, giving the event a very unique feel.

    The opening match of the night saw Jack Perry defending the AEW National Championship against Mark Davis of the Don Callis Family. As expected, Callis distracted the referee toward the end of the bout. It was Ricochet who proved to be the deciding factor in the match, however.

    The Demand Leader and a former National Champion in his own right, Ricochet attacked Perry with a Golf Club while Don Callis kept the official distracted. Davis then pinned Jungle Boy to win his first singles title in the company after previously having held the Trios Belt.

    This ends Jack Perry’s reign as champion at 55 days. He had won the title at the Revolution PPV in March this year, where the Inaugural Champion Ricochet defended the belt in a 21 Man Blackjack Battle Royal.

  • BTS Makes Unexpected Wrestling Appearance

    BTS Makes Unexpected Wrestling Appearance

    K-pop group BTS made an unexpected wrestling stop on their ongoing tour as they attended CMLL’s May 8 show in Arena Mexico.

    The global superstars are currently on their Arirang world tour, with Mexico being their latest destination. They performed a concert in the Estadio GNP Seguros Stadium in Mexico City on May 7th, which included dancers wearing Lucha masks. The group further showed their love for the Mexican tradition by attending the CMLL show on their one day off between the concerts.

    The company acknowledged their presence, and various Luchadors were seen interacting with BTS during the event. This included Mistico wearing a BTS jacket which was then worn by the group on the second day of their concert on May 9:

    BTS, consisting of Jin, Suga, J-Hope, RM, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook, are one of the most popular acts in the world. They are the best-selling musical group in the history of South Korea. After performing in the Tokyo Dome last month as part of their tour, the band is set to return to US for shows in places such as Stanford and Las Vegas later this month.

  • Big E, Charlotte Flair and More React To Asuka’s Apparent Retirement

    Big E, Charlotte Flair and More React To Asuka’s Apparent Retirement

    Asuka might be done with WWE.

    Tonight’s Backlash PPV saw the Japanese star taking on IYO SKY in a singles match. SKY managed to pick up the victory in this bout after blocking Asuka’s mist using Wade Barrett’s tablet, and delivering a diving moonsault.

    The two women shared a hug after a match, with the former Kana looking visibly emotional. Combined with social media posts from earlier in the day, many people have been speculating that this might have been the farewell match for the former NXT Women’s Champion.

    WWE Stars React To Asuka’s Retirement

    WWE veteran Big E commented on the emotional scene during the Backlash post-show. He didn’t confirm if this was the end of the road for the wrestling veteran, but claimed that Asuka will be dearly missed if she is indeed saying goodbye:

    “I don’t [want to speculate] either. I wonder if this is a goodbye. I haven’t really seen Asuka this emotional. If this is goodbye, I know she will be dearly missed. She has been a pioneer; she has done truly incredible things in the ring before she even got to WWE but has further staked her claim as an all-time great here in WWE. I don’t know what this means, but shout out to IYO SKY for another incredible performance. She’s someone I expect to be in that World Title picture again very, very soon.”

    The former WWE Champion was not the only one who commented on the matter, as both Charlotte Flair and Bayley paid tribute to their friend on social media after the PPV. When a fan asked Flair what the tribute meant, she simply claimed that she was a fan of the wrestling legend:

  • Watch: What Happened With Roman Reigns After Backlash Went Off Air

    Watch: What Happened With Roman Reigns After Backlash Went Off Air

    Roman Reigns is not happy.

    The Tribal Chief defended his World Heavyweight Championship against Jacob Fatu in the main event of tonight’s Backlash PPV. After a physical encounter, Reigns managed to retain the title by shoving his opponent into an exposed turnbuckle and then pinning him with a spear.

    The Samoan Werewolf did not agree with the results, however, and he unleashed a brutal attack on the Head of the Table after the bell. Fatu also delivered a Samoan Drop to the referee and took out General Manager Adam Pearce when he ran down to the ring with officials to get things under control.

    Roman Reigns Reacts

    The PPV went off air with Jacob Fatu standing tall over the lifeless body of Roman Reigns. The PPV post-show then started with Jackie Redmond catching up with the World Champion on the ramp as he finally recovered enough to walk. When asked about Fatu’s attack, Roman claimed that this was Jacob’s last night in the company:

    “This is why we should have never let Jacob in this company. You don’t belong here, Jacob, there is no order with you. It’s your last night here.”

    Tonight’s events suggest that this feud is not over and we might see a rematch between the two cousins at the upcoming Clash In Italy PPV on May 31.

  • Paul Heyman Finally Reveals Favor He Owes To Gunther

    Paul Heyman Finally Reveals Favor He Owes To Gunther

    Paul Heyman has revealed his favor.

    Tonight’s episode of SmackDown featured a segment with Nick Aldis welcoming Paul Heyman and Gunther into his office. Aldis confirmed that the Ring General had joined the Blue Brand and handed him a contract.

    Cody Rhodes’ music started playing in the arena before the former World Champion could sign the deal, however, and Gunther walked out of the frame in anger over his moment being stolen. Heyman assured Nick that he would take care of the matter before leaving.

    The camera then cut to the ring with the American Nightmare getting on the mic, but Paul Heyman interrupted his promo. After some back and forth, Heyman revealed that the contract was for a WWE Championship match between Gunther and Cody for the upcoming Clash In Italy PPV. He confirmed that it was the favor he owed the wrestling veteran for saving him from Seth Rollins.

    Paul started walking out on the ramp as Gunther made his way to the ring through the crowd. Though Cody Rhodes was ready for the attack this time, and he managed to fend off the career killer. The WWE Champion grabbed the mic again to end the segment and told his opponent that on SmackDown, he was easy to find but hard to beat.

  • Gunther Officially Joins SmackDown Roster, Challenges Cody Rhodes

    Gunther Officially Joins SmackDown Roster, Challenges Cody Rhodes

    A new star for SmackDown.

    Last week’s episode of the Blue Branded show featured the debut of Ricky Saints, who ended up in a match with his friend and the Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. The American Nightmare picked up the victory in this bout, but he was then attacked by Gunther.

    The Ring General made another appearance on the Friday Night show this week. This time, he was seen walking into Nick Aldis’ office with Paul Heyman already there.

    Aldis handed a contract to Heyman, who in turn handed it to the former World Champion. Without revealing what was on the contract, Aldis told the newest member of the SmackDown roster that what he did last week was unacceptable and hoped that it was the last time they were having a conversation like this.

    Before Gunther could put the ink to paper, however, Cody Rhodes’ theme song started playing on the monitor in the background, and the screen showed the arena getting ready for the WWE Champion’s entrance.

    This upset the former Imperium leader who believed that the moment belonged to him, and he walked out without signing the deal. The segment ended with Heyman telling Nick that he will handle the situation.

  • Backstage Update On Big E’s WWE Future After New Day Departure

    Backstage Update On Big E’s WWE Future After New Day Departure

    Is Big E leaving WWE?

    The wrestling world is still buzzing about the shocking WWE departure of The New Day after TKO officials asked the wrestling veterans to restructure their deals.

    While the duo of Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods have not revealed their future plans just yet, there has already been heavy speculation about E potentially leaving the promotion to reunite with his long-term partners in their next endeavor.

    Fightful Select recently provided an update on the matter and suggested that the officials are not expecting the former WWE Champion to be leaving anytime soon.

    Big E is regularly featured on PPV pre and post-shows for the company. According to the site, the former NXT Champion is seen as a key reason for the success of the PPV kick-off shows, and the belief is that he will remain part of the pre-show panels as he has been over the last few years.

    After not having wrestled since March 2022 due to his neck injury, E confirmed earlier this year that he has officially retired from active competition. Though the report did not reveal if the former champion is still on a performer contract with the company, or if his deal has been updated.

  • Backstage News On Roman Reigns WWE Status Amid TKO Pay Cuts

    Backstage News On Roman Reigns WWE Status Amid TKO Pay Cuts

    Roman Reigns remains firmly with WWE.

    The recent string of WWE releases and news about TKO officials forcing talents to take pay cuts amid record profits has led to a lot of negative publicity for the company.

    With the surprising departure of New Day, people have been wondering if we could see more veterans walking out of the promotion. So it was no surprise when rumors started swirling around about the status of the Tribal Chief, after the company stopped advertising him for several shows in June.

    Roman Reigns Is Not Leaving WWE

    Fightful Select recently provided an update on these speculations, noting that Roman Reigns being advertised for the June dates was actually an error.

    According to the site, there is no internal concern about the Head of the Table leaving the company from either WWE or TKO, and he is factored into the creative plans in a huge way.

    Reigns is set to defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Jacob Fatu at this Saturday’s Backlash PPV from the Benchmark International Arena, in Tampa, Florida.

    The belief is that Roman will not be wrestling at the Saudi PPV that is expected to follow the upcoming show, but we should get a better idea about his future after the event this weekend.

  • Another WWE Release Confirmed

    Another WWE Release Confirmed

    Francois Prinsloo has announced his departure from WWE. The former NXT talent shared an emotional statement on social media reflecting on his time with the company and hinting at future plans.

    Prinsloo confirmed the news on Instagram this Wednesday, posting a lengthy message thanking WWE for the opportunity and the people he met during his tenure. He acknowledged the challenges he faced and the growth he experienced as a performer.

    Prinsloo Reflects on WWE Journey

    In his statement, Prinsloo described WWE as “nothing but a blessing” and praised the coaches, medical staff, and strength and conditioning team who supported him. He mentioned dealing with multiple injuries during his time with the company.

    “WWE showed me a world I never knew that I would fall in love with, introduced me to amazing people that I will never forget,” Prinsloo wrote. “It reignited my passion and talent for acting and speaking.”

    The wrestler acknowledged that his departure came sooner than expected. “It’s been fun and hard, but hardest of all is having to accept my journey getting cut short before I could really start,” he stated.

    What’s Next for Prinsloo

    Prinsloo hinted at future plans in his farewell message, quoting advice he received about staying hungry for success. “The wolf climbing the mountain is always hungrier than the one at the top, and unfortunately, I’ve been left starving,” he wrote, adding that more details would come later.

    Stay tuned for update on his future.

  • Darby Allin Reveals Condition For MJF Title Rematch

    Darby Allin Reveals Condition For MJF Title Rematch

    Darby Allin successfully defended the AEW World Championship against Kevin Knight on this week’s AEW Dynamite, then issued a unique challenge to MJF for a rematch.

    Allin put the title on the line in the main event of the Wednesday Night show. He defeated Knight with two Coffin Drop to secure the pinfall victory. The match served as the latest defense in Allin’s championship reign.

    MJF Requests Championship Rematch

    As the Dynamite leg of the special 3-hour broadcast ended and Collision started, MJF came out, and once again asked Allin for an AEW World Championship rematch. Friedman offered to put his scarf or the Dynamite Diamond ring on the line, but the champion rejected both proposals.

    Allin countered with his own stipulation, demanding that MJF put his hair on the line for another title shot. Darby Allin ended his promo telling MJF to show up to a contract signing on next week’s episode of AEW Dynamite.

    MJF appeared visibly stressed by the situation and ran to the back as the segment concluded. The Title vs. Hair match has not yet been officially confirmed.

  • WWE Backlash: Tampa to Air Two Matches Free on ESPN 2

    WWE Backlash: Tampa to Air Two Matches Free on ESPN 2

    WWE Backlash: Tampa will open with two matches airing live and free on ESPN 2 on May 9, giving fans without access to the ESPN Unlimited App a way into the premium live event before it moves exclusively to the streaming platform.

    The announcement was made during Monday’s episode of Raw in Omaha. Trick Williams, accompanied by Lil Yachty, will defend the WWE United States Championship against Sami Zayn during the opening hour. The singles match between Seth Rollins and Bron Breakker will also air during the free broadcast window. The format mirrors the approach used for WrestleMania 42, where the opening hour aired on linear television before the full event moved to the app. 

    Williams captured the United States Championship earlier this year and has been feuding with Zayn in the weeks leading up to Backlash. Rollins and Breakker have been building toward their collision for months, with the animosity between the two making it one of the more emotionally charged matchups on the Tampa card.

    The remainder of Backlash: Tampa, including Roman Reigns defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Jacob Fatu, IYO SKY vs. Asuka, and Danhausen teaming with a mystery partner against The Miz and Kit Wilson, will be available exclusively on the ESPN Unlimited App.

    WWE Backlash: Tampa takes place Saturday, May 9, at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida.

  • Adam Pearce Punched In The Face On Raw

    Adam Pearce Punched In The Face On Raw

    Adam Pearce was accidentally punched in the face by Becky Lynch during a chaotic segment on the May 4 episode of WWE Raw in Omaha. The WWE official found himself caught in the crossfire during what was meant to be a straightforward contract signing for Sol Ruca.

    The segment began with Pearce introducing Ruca, who was making her official transition to the main roster after a recent wave of NXT call-ups. Following a highlight video, Ruca entered the ring to sign her Raw contract and received a warm reaction from the crowd.

    Before Ruca could say much, Lynch interrupted and declared the time slot belonged to her “celebration of greatness.” Lynch voiced frustration over her recent booking and quickly shifted focus to Ruca, dismissing the newcomer’s moment.

    Sol Ruca Fires Back at Becky Lynch

    Ruca didn’t hold back, firing back verbally and calling Lynch out, which drew a strong reaction from the audience. After signing her contract, the former NXT star warned Lynch not to interrupt her again, stating she would “snatch” her if it happened.

    That warning led to the segment turning physical. Lynch attempted a cheap shot aimed at Ruca but missed her target, instead striking Pearce clean in the face. Ruca capitalized seconds later and delivered the Sol Snatcher to Lynch to close the segment.

    While Ruca also previously got involved with Liv Morgan, it seems more likely that this exchange with Becky Lynch will turn into her first proper rivalry on the main roster.

  • WWE Star Comments On Getting ‘Buried’ By Brock Lesnar

    WWE Star Comments On Getting ‘Buried’ By Brock Lesnar

    Ilja Dragunov is proud of his moment with Brock Lesnar.

    The former US Champion got to share the ring with the Beast Incarnate briefly during the Royal Rumble match this year. Dragunov did his best to make a dent in Lesnar’s armour, but Brock no-sold all his offence, and the former World Champion ended up eliminating Ilja with little difficulty.

    The Mad Dragon opened up about the notion that the former UFC star buried him during their exchange in a recent interview with Adrian Hernandez. Ilja Dragunov claimed that just getting the chance to share the ring with an influential talent like Lesnar was stunning:

    “Guys, please. I was toe-to-toe in front of Brock Lesnar. How many people in this lifetime can do this? Brock Lesnar has been so influential and so significant for the entire history of this company. Having the chance to just have this moment that was perfectly expressing who I am, is just stunning.”

    I Take It As A Medal: Ilja Dragunov

    Ilja Dragunov explained that losing the fight to Lesnar did not diminish his character at all. According to the 32-year-old, it only strengthened his image as someone who faces his fears head-on, no matter the consequences:

    “Of course you’re gonna lose fights in your life. But the person that Ilja Dragunov is, is I’m gonna step up, I’m gonna face my fear, I’m not gonna hold back. And if I need to suffer the punishment from that, I gladly will do so.

    And some people will not understand that, and say, oh he got just ragdolled out of it, but I take it as a medal towards myself that I brought the best fight that I could bring to the absolute beast.”

    The SmackDown star was taken out of the US title picture after the Brock Lesnar exchange and he also ended up missing WrestleMania. You can check out what Dragunov said about the Mania exclusion here.

  • Unexpected Name Emerges As Next Cody Rhodes Challenger on SmackDown

    Unexpected Name Emerges As Next Cody Rhodes Challenger on SmackDown

    A new challenge for Cody Rhodes.

    The Undisputed WWE Champion opened tonight’s episode of SmackDown, where he was interrupted by his longtime friend and the newest main roster member, Ricky Saints.

    After some back and forth on the mic, the two friends agreed to face each other in a match. The bout surprisingly did not main event the show and it instead took place during the second hour of the episode.

    The ending of the match saw Saints hitting a couple of big DDTs and going for the Roshambo. Cody, however, managed to counter the move and delivered a Cross Rhodes for the victory.

    Before Cody Rhodes could recover from the punishments of the bout, Gunther appeared out of nowhere and locked the WWE Champion in the sleeper hold.

    The Ring General left the ring once but climbed back in to lock an unconscious Rhodes into the hold again before the officials hit the ring and made the former World Champion retreat.

    Paul Heyman was spotted talking to General Manager Nick Aldis during an earlier backstage segment. With Heyman owing a favor to Gunther, the big question is whether the two segments are related and if Heyman could be helping the former IC Champion in his quest to win the Undisputed Title.