SEScoops

Author: Anutosh Bajpai

  • Dominik Mysterio Explains How CM Punk Got His WrestleMania Main Event

    Dominik Mysterio says CM Punk got his WrestleMania main event because he cried like a baby about it.

    The Straight Edge star got to main event the Show of Shows for the first time in his career at Night 1 of WrestleMania 41 from Las Vegas. He went up against Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns in a triple threat match centered around Paul Heyman\’s loyalty. Punk lost the bout after Heyman turned on him, but it was still a dream come true for the Chicago native.

    The young wrestling veteran who constantly banters with CM Punk on social media was asked about his hate for the former World Champion during an interview on the Casual Conversations podcast. Dominik Mysterio explained that he hates Punk because he looks like Eddie Munster:

    \”I think we just both mutually hate each other, equally. Cause I fucking hate CM Punk. I don\’t know what it is about that guy. I don\’t know if it\’s because he looks like Eddie Munster and I just want to kick him in the fucking face,

    Or the fact that everyone is like, \’Oh he finally did it, he finally got his WrestleMania main event.\’ Like, good for you, old man. 60 years old, it took you what, 45 years to accomplish your one goal? Goddamn dude, it\’s about time.\”

    At 70 Years Old: Dominik Mysterio

    Dominik Mysterio also explained how CM Punk managed to earn a WrestleMania main event after all these years, before claiming himself as the true best in the world:

    \”It\’s what they say about babies. When they have tantrums, you give them what they want so they shut the fuck up. I\’m pretty sure that\’s what happened with this whole…that\’s why he needed a favor from Paul Heyman.

    There is a reason he was never in the main event. You call yourself the Best in the World. I don\’t need to go around calling myself the Best in the World. People know I\’m better than the best. I don\’t need to go out there calling myself Best in the World at 70 years old. I don\’t need to go out there and do that for myself. People do it for me. You have [John] Cena talking about me or JBL. You have these legends talking about me, AJ Styles. I don\’t need to do it for myself.

    I don\’t need to say these things about me because people are saying it for me. My work speaks for itself. But here you go with CM Punk. I can go on this rant forever but I\’m not going to. I am gonna need to stop myself.\”

  • Joe Hendry Explains Why WrestleMania Loss Did Not Undermine TNA World Title

    Joe Hendry has responded to criticism of his WrestleMania 41 match.

    The TNA World Champion was revealed as a surprise opponent for Randy Orton after Kevin Owens had to pull out of their scheduled match due to his neck injury. While Hendry got a big pop and he was able to do his famous taunt during the bout, The Viper ended up defeating the current champion in almost 3 minutes.

    A lot of people criticized this booking, saying that it undermined the TNA World title. Hendry responded to these claims in his new interview with Chris Van Vliet. The TNA star first explained that the match was not completely one-sided and he got some offense in. With RKO being a \’one hit kill\’ move per Hendry, the loss made sense for his character:

    “The feedback that I got was exactly what it was supposed to be. And let’s be honest, the next how many days later, we had the biggest show TNA has ever had in 10 years, we had a higher attendance at Slammiversary. So we were past 4,000. I understand what this is, and my job is to put asses in seats for TNA wrestling.”

    Everything Has To Be A Story: Joe Hendry

    Joe Hendry explained elsewhere in the interview that previous champions have brought different things to the World title. He gave the example of Josh Alexander, whose reign was all about putting instant classic matches. The viral star explained that his goal is to do everything that\’s best for business and bring as many eyes as possible to the company.

    The 37-year-old also discussed how there have been other stars who have suffered quick defeat at WrestleMania but it did not affect their careers. According to him, it\’s all about the kind of story you\’re able to tell with the title:

    “I think that in wrestling, everything has to be a story. So, in the movie, does Rocky win every single match? I mean, the story is Joe Hendry lost to Randy Orton. How is the champion going to recover from this? You know who else lost quickly at WrestleMania? John Cena to The Undertaker. You know who else lost quickly at WrestleMania? Triple H.

    People have lost quickly at WrestleMania and these are the stories that we’re telling. When John Cena lost to The Undertaker, it was what is the path from here? And that’s what I’ve really learned from watching John Cena is that just make everything a story. Everything is a story. So it’s just about, okay, where do I go from here as champion?\”

    Apart from this, Joe Hendry talked about things such as the advice John Cena gave him during his Royal Rumble appearance, Triple H\’s gesture for him at WrestleMania and more. You can check out his full interview below:

  • Tag Team Breaks Up After Raw Loss

    It appears that a WWE tag team has broken up after their loss on this week\’s episode of Monday Night Raw from KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

    The main event of tonight\’s show featured a tag team match that saw Rhea Ripley teaming up with IYO SKY to counter the challenge of Giulia & Roxanne Perez.

    The ending of the bout saw Giulia battling SKY in the babyface corner when Ripley sneaked a tag. The former NXT Women\’s champion was still focused on IYO and she didn\’t see The Mami entering the ring.

    No More Giulia & Roxanne Perez

    Rhea shoved Giulia just as Roxanne was looking for a splash from the top rope and Perez ended up taking out her own tag team partner. Rhea Ripley then hit the Riptide on Giulia to get the victory for her team.

    Roxanne Perez was unhappy with these turn of events. She was ranting about how the two needed to regroup and refocus to make an impact in a backstage video the company posted after the show. Giulia, however, told the fellow NXT alumni that there was no \’we\’ anymore before walking out.

    This segment suggests that the partnership between the two female stars is over after only two matches as a team and we\’re going to see them going their separate ways in coming times.

  • New WWE Project Featuring Braun Strowman Announced Despite Recent Release

    A new WWE project featuring Braun Strowman has been revealed.

    Versant, the name for the bundle of spun-off NBCUniversal and Comcast channels, recently revealed its entertainment programming schedule for 2025-26 TV season.

    Alongside SmackDown on USA Network, the list of programming includes a brand-new food show premiering in Fall of 2025, featuring former Universal Champion Braun Strowman as the host:

    “Everything On The Menu with Braun Strowman” is a new food format with a big appetite. Each episode, join WWE Legend Braun Strowman as he eats his way across America, while on the road for WWE, ordering everything on every menu and trying to down every last bite.\”

    This is an interesting development as Strowman is among the dozen names the company released as part of their post-WrestleMania 41 cuts earlier this month.

    The new show is produced by WWE Studios and BrightNorth Studios, and it lists both Paul Levesque and Lee Fitting as executive producers among other names. So there is no doubt that the wrestling promotion is behind the project.

    What this means for the WWE status of the Monster Among Men is anyone\’s guess, but it certainly makes the situation between the two parties awkward.

    Braun previously had a run away from WWE when he was released during the COVID budget cuts in June 2021. Strowman became part of EC3\’s Control Your Narrative promotion at the time and worked on ROH shows before being brought back by WWE in September 2022.

  • \’Tail Between My Legs\’: Sting Explains How AEW Debut Came About After Failed WWE Run

    Sting has revealed how Tony Khan convinced him to join AEW.

    The Icon, alongside Tony Khan and Tony Schiavone, recently spoke to Screen Rant for a detailed piece about AEW Dynamite beating WCW Nitro to become the longest running wrestling show in history of Turner Broadcasting.

    During the interview, Sting discussed how AEW gave him a chance to end his career on his own terms. This was important for the wrestling veteran after his WWE run came to an abrupt end following his 2015 Night of Champions match with Seth Rollins. The former WCW star suffered a neck injury in the match.

    As the promotion then run by Vince McMahon would not clear him for a return, the wrestling veteran thought it to be the end of his legendary career for a long time:

    \”It seems like there\’s been a reoccurring theme that\’s happened to me a couple of times over the years, always tied to WWE, and it has to do with disappearing with my tail between my legs, so to speak, and just not wanting, after all the years, not wanting it to end the way it was ending.

    Although I had made amends with it and had a resolve about it and I was fine. But I got a phone call from Tony Khan and also Cody. Cody Rhodes called me as well and just said, hey, and Tony\’s words were, \’Hey, would you like to come back and play for a little while?\”

    Felt Like WCW: Sting

    Despite getting the call from AEW, Sting would not jump on the opportunity immediately. His WWE deal ended in May 2020, but he didn\’t make his AEW debut until December that year. The 66-year-old explained that he wasn\’t sure the fans or the younger wrestlers of the promotion would want to see him, and it took some convincing from Tony Khan before he said yes:

    \”Tony was convinced that the fans would be bonkers over it. He built my confidence. I had great conversations with him. I started to look and pay attention to some of the talent there. Darby Allin, for example. It just seemed like as I watched their show, it felt like WCW way back in the day.\”

    Sting\’s 3-year run would ultimately end up being a huge success for both the company and the wrestling performer as well. The WCW veteran got to end his career on his terms while his recognition among lost fans helped AEW garner a dedicated fan base.

  • Will Ospreay Explains What AEW Could Learn From NJPW\’s Presentation, Full Hard Cam Comment

    Will Ospreay believes AEW could learn something from NJPW.

    The high-flying star recently had an interview with the Daily Star to promote the 2025 Forbidden Door PPV set for The O2 Arena in London on August 24, 2025. The PPV will see stars from the American and Japanese promotions battling each other.

    Ospreay, who has a long history in NJPW, was asked what tips would he give to the AEW roster about working with Japanese talents, now that he is a representative of the promotion owned by Tony Khan. The former IWGP World Champion explained that Japanese matches are paced very differently and claimed that it\’s something that AEW could learn from the promotion:

    \”Just the pacing is a lot different. I would say AEW has found itself in a position with TV wrestling where the foot is on the gas pedal constantly. With New Japan, it\’s more explosive.

    So they like they take those short bursts of explosivity, which makes the match a little bit more dramatic. Then when it comes down, it\’s all about the emotion and like the exchanges, going blow for blow with guys.

    That make their matches way more meaningful. I think the one thing that a lot of AEW could learn from New Japan is presentation. The way that they present their wrestling show is leaps and bounds over any wrestling show going.\”

    Mine And In Any Other Professional Wrestling: Will Ospreay

    Will Ospreay then explained that Japanese wrestling puts a lot of focus on the emotions of the match, and he loves that style of wrestling more. Contrary to the viral quote going around, Ospreay did not mention WWE while discussing the topic and explained that he hates the use of the default hard came angle, even in his own matches:

    \”I\’m very much along the lines, I don\’t like camera cuts in wrestling, especially during a sequence or an impact of moves. I\’m along the lines of Hey, if you\’re…so the name is AEW, All Elite wrestling, right? If you actually are signed to this company, right? That middle letter is very important, right? Because you\’re an elitist, right?

    You\’re of the elite of wrestling. If you miss a super kick or if you miss a splash or something like that, that\’s on you. That\’s not on the button pusher. I feel like the button pusher\’s job is to try and cover those marks and that\’s not on you. Keep the action super tight with me and keep the presentation in the ring. I hate the hard cam.

    I\’ve always hated the hard cam. I hate the moment that it goes towards the hard cam in both mine and in any other professional wrestling. The moment it goes to hard cam, I feel so detached from wrestling. I feel like the cameras are ringside for a reason so you can get any bit of like emotion and any bit of drive. I love that style more.\”

  • Update On Mina Shirakawa\’s AEW Future

    Mina Shirakawa will be becoming a full time member of the AEW roster soon.

    The female star announced her intentions to leave Stardom and become a full-time member of the American promotion in March, but she hasn\’t made any appearances for Tony Khan\’s promotion since then.

    Fightful Select recently provided an update on the former Artist of Stardom Champion\’s future with the company. According to them, Shirakawa\’s announced move to United States is upon us. While the former champion hasn\’t been seen on AEW programming for some time, her return to the company is imminent.

    The site revealed that Mina Shirakawa has been discussed for an AEW appearance over the next couple of weeks. After impressing AEW officials in her previous run with the company, she is set to receive \’an immediate push\’ upon her comeback.

    The Japanese star had been involved in a storyline with Mariah May and \’Timeless\’ Toni Storm when she first made her debut for the promotion in 2024.

    She originally challenged Storm for the AEW Women\’s title in an unsuccessful attempt. She later formed a tag team with May. Their partnership didn\’t last long as Mariah turned on Shirakawa after her heel turn.

    Mariah May has since been taken off TV with reports suggesting that she is planning a WWE move. It\’d be interesting to see where Mina fits on AEW programming amid this situation.

  • ‘Give Them The Same Grace’: Big E Supports Becky Lynch\’s Recent Stand On Female Wrestlers

    Big E believes female talents deserve better treatment.

    The last few decades have seen major advancements in the medical field that have allowed athletes in all sports to extend their careers. Wrestling names have taken advantage of this change too, with talents being able to extend their careers years and decades beyond the previous generations.

    The acceptance of this change, however, is not the same for male and female stars. Male talents of older age are much more easily accepted in top roles in the industry compared to their female counterparts.

    Big E Supports Becky Lynch

    Big E spoke up about this double standard during the Backlash pre-show. He was talking about the Becky Lynch vs. Lyra Valkyria match at the PPV being seen as a passing of the torch moment. The former WWE champion supported Lynch\’s stand who has questioned this treatment of female performers in recent times:

    \”I feel like so much of the narrative is, \’Is this a passing of the torch moment?\’ But it\’s also very interesting when I hear from Becky, and she talks a lot about age and the way we talk about age with women and the way we talk about age with the men.

    In that, for a lot of women who are in their late 30s it\’s, \’Oh, are you winding down? When are you ready to get out?\’ But look, it feels like 75% of the male side is 38, 39, 40, 45. Let\’s give the women the same honor and same grace as well,\”

    Becky Lynch challenged Valkyria for the Women\’s IC title at the latest WWE PPV but failed to win the belt. The Man wasn\’t happy with this outcome and she attacked Valkyria after the bout, indicating that this rivalry is not over just yet.

  • ECW Legend Sabu Passes Away At 60

    ECW legend Sabu has reportedly passed away.

    PWInsider broke the news earlier today. The site did not provide a lot of details but confirmed that the wrestling legend, real name Terry Brunk has passed away.

    Fellow legend Rob Van Dam and more are reacting to his passing on Twitter:

    This news is very saddening for fans and comes as a huge shock as the 60-year-old wrestled his final match only last month. Sabu defeated Joey Janela at GCW Spring Break 9 in Las Vegas over the WrestleMania 41 weekend in his last match.

    Sabu made an appearance at Tri-State Wrestling Alliance reunion show convention at the 2300 (ECW) Arena last weekend, which was his last public appearance.

    Trained by The Original Sheik, Sabu made his wrestling debut in 1985. He began his career competing for promotions in the North American independent scene before migrating to Japan. He worked with NJPW among other promotions there, even winning the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship during his Japan excursion.

    This was followed by his return to US and the star-making ECW run from 1995 to 2000. He worked with other legends such as RVD, Taz and Terry Funk during his time.

    Known for his trademark style of hardcore wrestling, Sabu quickly became a fixture of the extreme promotion and his work at the time continues to influence talents and shape the pro wrestling world today. He also worked for companies such as WWE, TNA and AEW in his later career.

    SEScoops sends our deepest condolence to all the family and friends of Sabu.

  • Backstage News On John Cena\’s WWE Title Reign After Backlash Victory

    John Cena will be keeping his WWE title for a while.

    The Cenation Leader had his first title defence at tonight\’s Backlash PPV after his record-breaking 17th world win at WrestleMania 41 last month.

    As expected, Cena managed to win the match against his arch rival Randy Orton. Though the victory did not come without some help and it was intervention from Nick Aldis and R Truth that let to this result.

    The interesting thing coming out of the show was the WWE Champion seemed to be reconsidering his stance after his victory. The \’Thank You Cena\’ chants that were heard after the PPV went off air made John stop and think about his actions before he went to the back.

    This latest development made many wonder if the company was already winding down on the Cena heel turn that has largely failed to connect with fans and if his title reign could be ending soon.

    A new report from Fightful Select suggests that this is not the case however. According to the site the claim from people within the company was that John Cena\’s title reign would continue into Summer.

    WWE had originally teased Cena\’s heel turn at Royal Rumble when he almost attacked Jey Uso after the battle royal. So the face turn will also take some time.

    The belief among fans is that Cody Rhodes will take the title back from Cena in time. So the direction for John should become clearer when the American Nightmare returns to WWE programming.

  • Interesting Name Teased As WWE Confirms Saudi Arabia Return With Night of Champions

    An interesting name has been teased for WWE\’s next trip to Saudi Arabia.

    The company confirmed their return to the Middle Eastern country for the Night of Champions 2025 PPV on June 28 during the Backlash PPV this week.

    The video package promoting the upcoming show from Riyadh featured top WWE names such as John Cena, Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Rhea Ripley, and, very briefly, CM Punk:

    The Straight Edge star in the past had been vocal about WWE\’s partnership with Saudi Arabia. He even blasted The Miz for working the show and taking \’blood money\’ when the A Lister referenced Punk in a 2020 WWE Backstage segment.

    CM Punk\’s public view about the matter is believed to be the reason why the company did not book him for the 2024 Crown Jewel PPV in October last year, despite being cleared to compete.

    https://media.sescoops.com/uploads/2025/05/\"https://media.sescoops.com/uploads/2025/05/\"

    The former world champion being featured in the ad for the show marks an interesting change, bringing him even closer to being the perfect company man.

    The former AEW star has not been on WWE programming since Raw after Mania when Bron Breakker took out both Punk and Roman Reigns. He is announced to make his return on this Monday\’s Raw.

    Night of Champions will be WWE\’s only Saudi event this year as they are expected to hold three events there in 2026, including the Royal Rumble PPV.

  • Backstage News On Jeff Cobb\’s WWE Debut

    Jeff Cobb had to make a long journey to make his Backlash appearance happen.

    The former NJPW and AEW star had announced \’retirement\’ after ending his run with the Japanese promotion in April, and had stayed away from the wrestling scene for the past few weeks. The heavyweight star finally returned this week at the WWE PPV.

    He made a surprise appearance during the Fatal Four-way US Championship match among Jacob Fatu, Drew McIntyre, Damian Priest, and LA Knight. Cobb, taking orders from Solo Sikoa, took out LA Knight during the bout. This allowed Fatu to retain the US title in the end.

    PWinsider provided some updates on how this appearance came about. They revealed Jeff Cobb had been in Japan up until this week, and he had to take \’somewhere in the area of 4-5 flights\’ to make it to St. Louis for tonight\’s show. He was then hidden by the management until the match.

    The site unsurprisingly also confirmed that the former NJPW TV Champion is going to be part of the SmackDown roster going forward. This was expected as both Knight and Sikoa are part of the Blue Branded show as well.

    While Jacob Fatu retained his title at the PPV, he seemed unsure about the involvement of Cobb and refused to comment on it in the post-show press conference. We\’ll have to see how the things proceed and if the two heavyweights are able to work together under Solo Sikoa.

  • Watch: Character Change Teased For John Cena After Backlash Goes Off Air

    WWE has teased a character change for John Cena after Backlash.

    The Cenation Leader picked up yet another victory, successfully defending his Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton at the latest PPV from St. Louis, Missouri.

    The ending of this bout was a chaotic one involving a number of WWE personnel. Cena accidentally took out the referee with the WWE title belt, and then Randy caught him with an RKO. Orton couldn\’t get the pin, however, as the ref was down.

    General Manager Nick Aldis with several other staff came down to check on the referee only to eat RKOs out of Orton\’s hands. The Viper then looked to deliver a punt kick to John but R Truth appeared in the ring to save his childhood hero. He got RKOed for his efforts as well.

    What Happened After Backlash

    All the chaos allowed John Cena to capitalize. He low-blowed his opponent and then used the title belt again to finally get the pin. The 17-time world champion then cut a promo saying that he wants competition. The PPV went off air with the champ still posing in the ring.

    The Peacemaker star, however, didn\’t leave immediately after the show ended. The crowd cheering him again seemingly got Cena to reconsider his life choices. A \’Thank You Cena\’ chant broke out as the WWE champion exited the ring, and John contemplated his actions for some time before finally making his way to the back.

    The former face of WWE turned at Elimination Chamber, but it\’s unlikely that he\’ll end his career as a heel. This latest tease could be the start of the story that leads Cena back to his roots and turn face again to end his run on a high note.

  • \’It\’s Mind Numbing\’: Shotzi Blackheart Discusses Getting Benched By WWE Before Release

    Shotzi Blackheart is finally ready to show the world what she is capable of.

    The last couple of years in WWE had not been the best for the former NXT star. She had been put on the shelf multiple times due to various injuries, and Shotzi spent a fair amount of time off TV even after getting cleared for her return. Overall, Blackheart has had less than 10 televised matches for the company since 2024, including her two WWE Speed matches.

    This is why Shotzi is not feeling bad about the officials\’ decision not to renew her contract. The wrestling star who is set to exit the company in July was asked how she is feeling in an interview with Busted Open. The former NXT tag champion claimed that she is feeling like a weight has been lifted off her shoulder:

    \”Honestly, I didn\’t expect this, but I just feel so free. I just feel like this weight is lifted off me. I just feel like clarity, and I just feel extremely motivated and excited for the future. I\’m just ready to get to work because I have just been sitting at home it feels like for the last two years. I\’m just excited to get back at it.\”

    When asked how she felt about the company benching her, even after being cleared to compete, Shotzi Blackheart admitted that it was extremely frustrating. She noted how being an active part of the company is the best feeling in the world; however, it quickly becomes mind-numbing when they stop utilizing you:

    \”It is extremely frustrating. When they\’re utilizing you, it\’s the best job in the world. It\’s so much fun, and it really is the best. But like when you\’re in the dark and you\’re pitching things, and it just feels like no one wants to talk to you.

    It just feels like no one believes in you, you\’re just sitting at home or you\’re sitting in catering for months. It\’s mind-numbing and it\’s confusing and it\’s boring as hell.

    So I\’m just excited to finally get to go out there and just kick ass on my terms. I get to make my schedule. I\’m not going to put myself in catering. I\’m going to get out there and I\’m going to wrestle my butt off.\”

  • New #1 Contender For Women\’s Championship Crowned On SmackDown

    Tiffany Stratton has found her next challenger.

    This week\’s episode of SmackDown from Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio featured a #1 contenders match between Jade Cargill and Nia Jax. The Women\’s champion was at the ringside watching this bout.

    Cargill had been in control for most of the bout, and she almost got the pin after slamming Nia from the top rope and delivering a frog splash. Naomi then made a surprise appearance and attacked Stratton at the ringside.

    The former AEW star got distracted by Naomi\’s appearance, which allowed Jax to take advantage. She ended up winning the match with an Annihilator on the former TBS Champion.

    WWE has the Backlash PPV tomorrow night, but the championship match between Stratton and Jax is most likely to take place at Saturday Night\’s Main Event set for May 24 from Tampa, Florida.

    This wasn\’t the only big development on the women\’s side on tonight\’s show. The episode also featured the return of Alexa Bliss, who wrestled in her first match since the Elimination Chamber PPV.

    Bliss teased forming an alliance with another returning star later in the show. Not only this but WWE also teased a future showdown between Jade Cargill and a veteran performer in coming times. You can check out more about these developments here.

  • Face Turn Teased For Legado Del Fantasma Member On SmackDown

    WWE has teased face turn for a SmackDown star on tonight\’s episode of the Blue Branded Show from Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio.

    The Backlash go home episode of the show featured a tag team match between Andrade El Idolo & Rey Fenix and Legado Del Fantasma. Angel and Berto were representing the faction while Santos Escobar was at the ringside for their support.

    Escobar tried to help his teammates by distracting the referee at one point. The distraction worked against Berto, however, as he had managed to get Fenix down for a pin, and the delay actually allowed the masked star to escape.

    The ending of the match then saw Rey Fenix taking out Angel with a big suicide dive while Andrade delivered The Message to Berto for the win.

    Santos Escobar was not happy with the result, and he started insulting Berto after the match. The SmackDown star finally had enough, however, as he slapped the hand of the Legado Del Fantasma leader and proceeded to exit the ring alone.

    The current form of the faction came into existence after the 2024 draft, when Rey Mysterio and other LWO members were drafted to Raw while Santos Escobar and Los Lotharios stayed on SmackDown.

    Now we\’ll have to see if Angel joins his tag team partner in breaking away from the group or he sticks around with Escobar instead.

  • Watch: What Happened With John Cena After SmackDown Went Off Air

    John Cena\’s final appearance before Backlash did not end on a high note.

    The Cenation Leader made an appearance on the PPV go-home episode of SmackDown to hype up his \’Last Time Ever\’ match with arch rival Randy Orton.

    The 17-time world champion did not hold back in his promo against The Legend Killer, even bringing up Orton\’s failed 2006 drug test during the segment.

    John Cena also appeared to be ready for a sneak attack from Orton after eating a number of RKOs in the past few weeks. When a masked figure appeared and tried to attack Cena, he managed to counter it into an Attitude Adjustment.

    What Happened After SmackDown

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSsQ1R6XWFw

    The caution however, did not prove to be enough for the World Champion. Orton appeared behind Cena as he was celebrating his win over the masked figure and Randy managed to deliver yet another RKO Outta Nowhere to his opponent.

    The Viper picked up the belt after taking out John Cena and posed with it to end the show. After the broadcast went off air, Orton made his way up the ramp slowly, with the crowd signing along his theme song. Cena got up much later and he slowly made his way out of the ring in silence.

    These two wrestling legends will be meeting in their final match tomorrow night as John puts his world title on the line against Randy in the main event of Backlash in Orton\’s hometown of St. Louis, Missouri.

    https://youtu.be/UPVbLblCN-M

  • Charlotte Flair Teased For New Alliance In First Appearance Since WrestleMania 41

    Charlotte Flair\’s WWE return did not go as she might have envisioned.

    The Queen had not been seen on WWE programming since WrestleMania 41. She challenged Tiffany Stratton for the Women\’s title after winning the 2025 Women\’s Royal Rumble at the PPV but failed to capture the belt.

    The wrestling veteran returned to the company after several weeks of absence on tonight\’s Backlash go-home episode of SmackDown from Dayton, Ohio.

    Flair grabbed the mic and claimed that she wanted to announce her path back to the championship but the crowd was not in the mood for this promo. Charlotte Flair was booed out of the building by the fans and the only cheer she got was when the former champion said that she\’ll never return to Dayton again.

    The Horsewoman then left the ring in frustration without making her announcement. She was interrupted by General Manager Nick Aldis backstage, who told Charlotte to calm down and act like a leader.

    Before she could get in the car to leave the arena, however, Flair was greeted by Alexa Bliss. The segment ended with Bliss telling the former champion that they needed to have a chat.

    Tonight\’s SmackDown saw Bliss\’ return after months of unexplained absence. The female star wrestled her first match since Elimination Chamber on the show, competing in a tag team bout. You can check out more about it here.

  • NXT Star Confirms Wrestling Retirement After Recent WWE Release

    An NXT star has announced her retirement after recent WWE release.

    The company let go almost a dozen talents in the post WrestleMania 41 cuts earlier this month. The list included former world champion Braun Strowman as well as a number of NXT stars.

    One of the names released by the company was Dani Palmer who has decided to say goodbye to the wrestling world after the end of her WWE run.

    The female star posted a video of her last match with the company that came at the February 21 Evolve tapings. Palmer, who wrestled Kali Armstrong in the bout, revealed that she suffered a knee injury in the match and wrote that it was \’the last time\’ she would enter the ring:

    The now former WWE star wrote a similar message in a story she posted on Instagram and confirmed that it\’s officially the end of her athletic career.

    Dani Palmer, real name Alexsis Amrhein, was signed by WWE in 2022, and made her in ring debut the same year. She mostly wrestled at live events and NXT Level Up, though Palmer did make a few NXT appearances during her time with the brand.

    The good news is that the retired wrestling star seems to be staying positive despite her release, and she noted that she\’d be starting a business.

  • Championship Match And More Announced For WWE Backlash

    New matches have been announced for the Backlash PPV.

    This week\’s episode of Raw from Nebraska saw Pat McAfee coming face to face with Gunther after their previous interaction. Both the stars exchanged words before it was announced that they\’ll meet at the Backlash PPV.

    WWE also announced a rematch between \’Dirty\’ Dominik Mysterio and Penta for the IC title. This came after Dom retained his championship over the Masked Star on Raw after WrestleMania 41, with help from a returning JD McDonagh.

    Another component was added to this equation later in the night, as AJ Styles informed the current champion he\’d be coming after the IC title following the PPV.

    WWE Backlash Updated Match Card

    A total of 5 matches have been announced for Backlash so far. Here is the updated card for the Premium Live Event taking place on May 10 from the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri:

    • WWE Championship Match: John Cena (c) vs. Randy Orton
    • Women\’s Intercontinental Championship Match: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Becky Lynch
    • Singles Match: Pat McAfee vs. Gunther
    • United States Championship Match: Jacob Fatu (c) vs. LA Knight vs. Damian Priest vs. Drew McIntyre
    • Intercontinental Championship Match: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Penta

    The company has also teased Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk and Jey Uso vs. Logan Paul in recent times. We\’ll have to see if these bouts get a spot on the PPV card or if they take place on a later date.

  • Watch: Jey Uso Attacked Off Air After Raw

    It didn\’t take long for Jey Uso to meet his next challenger after tonight\’s Raw from CHI Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska, went off air.

    The World Champion defended his title against WrestleMania Night 1 main event winner Seth Rollins in the closing match of tonight\’s show. Bron Breakker and Paul Heyman were in Rollins\’ corner for this bout.

    Breakker got involved as expected after Seth pulled the referee Chad Patton in. This prompted Sami Zayn to come out who evened the odds by taking out Bron.

    The young star didn\’t stay out for long, however, and he delivered a huge spear to Zayn. As Jey went to check on his friend, Paul Heyman distracted the referee and Breakker hit another spear, this time on the world champion.

    What Happened After Raw

    Before Rollins could take advantage, CM Punk made his surprise return with a chair in his hands. He blasted Bron Breakker and then attacked Seth. The show went off air with Punk and Zayn standing tall, as the heels retreated.

    Jey Uso started greeting the fans at the ringside after recovering but he got taken out by a hooded figure who appeared from the crowd. The figure who revealed himself to be none other than Logan Paul, quickly retreated as Zayn and Punk came to Jey\’s aid.

    Rollins will likely be focusing on taking out Punk after his interference tonight, so it appears that we\’ll see Jey Uso defending his world title against Paul at the upcoming Backlash PPV.

  • News On How Long Liv Morgan Will Be Away For New Film Project

    Liv Morgan won\’t be away from WWE for too long.

    The female star\’s new movie role became a hot topic of conversation among wrestling circles after WrestleMania 41, as many news sites hyped it up as a life-changing opportunity.

    So Morgan and her tag team partner Raquel Rodriguez dropping the Women\’s Tag Title to Becky Lynch & Lyra Valkyria at WrestleMania 41 came as no surprise. Many believed the title was taken off her so she could take time off. The duo, however, won the belts back on the following Raw, leaving fans confused.

    A new report from PWInsider has now shed some light on the situation and explained why the company has decided to keep the title on the wrestling star instead of asking her to relinquish it.

    Per the site, Liv Morgan is not going to be out of action for too long. The current champion is expected to be back on TV in a month, if not sooner, and so there are currently no plans for Liv and Raquel to relinquish their tag titles.

    This means the female star will miss the May 10 Backlash PPV but be back in time for the Money In The Bank on June 7. The next Saturday Night\’s Main Event on May 24 would be the perfect show for her return to WWE TV.

    The Judgment Day star\’s project has since been revealed to be a new Bad Lieutenant movie set in Tokyo. Morgan is already in Japan to shoot her part. You can check out more details about the film here.

  • Top WWE Creative Executive Among Names Let Go In Post WrestleMania 41 Cuts (Report)

    A top WWE executive is among the names let go by the company today, only days after they had their most successful WrestleMania ever.

    PWinsider is reporting that the wrestling organization has seen cuts in several different departments on Thursday, May 1. The list includes people being let go from departments such as creative services and photography.

    The biggest name exiting the company is Christine Lubrano, who served as the Senior VP of Creative Writing Operations, according to her LinkedIn profile.

    These cuts come only days after WrestleMania 41 from Las Vegas, which was one of the biggest events in the history of the company. The official press release sent after Mania claimed that the event drew 124,693 fans to the Allegiant Stadium across two nights, and generated the largest gate for any event in WWE history.

    They also touted a significant increase in other revenue streams, such as the onsite merchandise sales being up more than 45 percent vs last year, and a 75 percent increase in hospitality sales and packages.

    There is no news on any cuts on the talent side as of now. The officials have generally been spacing out releases of on screen performers instead of letting them go in batches like previous management. Just this year they have chosen not to renew the contract of some surprising names such as Sonya Deville and Carmella. We\’ll keep you posted on any updates regarding the latest cuts.

  • Injured AEW Star Back In Action After 8 Months On Dynamite

    An AEW star has returned to the ring after long hiatus.

    This week\’s episode of AEW Dynamite saw the new Trios Champions Samoa Joe, Katsuyori Shibata, & Powerhouse Hobbs competing in a six-man tag match. Their opponents were Rhett Titus & Myles Hawkins, and a returning Nick Comoroto.

    Comoroto had been out of action since last August. The 34-year-old had announced back then that he was undergoing hip resurfacing surgery, revealing that he had been wrestling on one leg for almost two years.

    The returning star ended up losing the match however, after Powerhouse Hobbs pinned Myles Hawkins with a spinebuster for the win.

    Trained by Q. T. Marshall and Dustin Rhodes, Nick Comoroto made his wrestling debut in 2013. He had a short WWE run in 2019 after being signed to a development contract, but Comoroto ended up being one of the names released during the early 2020 pandemic budget cuts.

    The wrestling star then made his AEW debut later that year, mostly appearing on Dark the next couple of years. Nick made his ROH debut in 2023 and had been a regular for the promotion before his injury.

    The Death Riders showed up after Comoroto\’s match tonight to attack the Trios Champions. This attack led to a stipulation being announced for the upcoming Samoa Joe vs. Jon Moxley title match which you can check out here.

  • Stipulation Added To Samoa Joe vs. Jon Moxley Spring Break Title Match

    A stipulation has been added to the upcoming match between Jon Moxley and Samoa Joe for the AEW World Heavyweight Championship.

    The April 30 episode of Dynamite featured the Trio Champions Joe, Katsuyori Shibata, & \’Powerhouse\’ Will Hobbs facing the team of Myles Hawkins, Nick Comoroto, & Rhett Titus in a tag match.

    The Death Riders hit the ring after Hobbs won the match for his team. The group led by Mox targeted Shibata, taking him out with a slam on an upturned chair. The faction then quickly retreated out of sight.

    Samoa Joe picked up the mic to address Mox after this, calling him a \’little bitch.\’ The Samoan Submission Machine discussed how Moxley always brings his goon squad with him and said that he wants their title match to be inside the steel cage.

    The AEW Champion didn\’t reply to Joe, but the company made the stipulation official with a graphic on X after the show went off air.

    The World title match is the only bout confirmed for the upcoming Dynamite special so far, taking place on May 15 from Now Arena in Chicago.

    Apart from this, tonight\’s episode also featured the last semi-final for the ongoing Owen Hart Cup tournament. You can check out the result of the match here.