SEScoops

Author: Anutosh Bajpai

  • The Rock Hints At WrestleMania 42 Status

    The Rock Hints At WrestleMania 42 Status

    Will The Rock be at WrestleMania?

    The Great One in many ways, is the invisible link between the two WrestleMania main events announced this year. Apart from his obvious family connection to Roman Reigns, the fact that CM Punk started the build to his Mania feud with the Tribal Chief by bringing up Sika, gives him a great reason to get involved in the match at the Show of Shows.

    And if he wanted to go the other route, his history with Cody Rhodes is enough of a reason for the Hollywood star to cost The American Nightmare his title match this Saturday. Not to mention that his presence as a representative of the TKO board of directors will give a new meaning to the Final Boss moniker and give superstars a face to direct their anger while mentioning the top brass.

    The fact that The Rock is already in Las Vegas for the 2026 CinemaCon to promote the live-action Moana movie added another layer to the speculations about his potential involvement in the biggest wrestling PPV of the year.

    Will The Rock Be at WrestleMania 42?

    Though after being criticised for not showing up at WrestleMania 41 after getting involved in John Cena’s heel turn, The People’s Champion seems to be mindful about quashing any such expectations before the rumors pick up too much.

    This is presumably one of the reasons why the former World Champion made sure to mention during his CinemaCon speech that he will be heading home to his daughter Tia for her 8th birthday on April 17, before the WrestleMania festivities can begin:

    “Being a proud girl dad, three times. I have a daughter in her 20s, I have ten, I have eight…I have seven. My youngest is going to turn eight tomorrow. Happy birthday Tia, I know you’re going to see this. I love you. I’m coming home tonight,”

    Of course, nothing The Rock says will convince everybody that there hasn’t been at least some consideration about involving him in the PPV event. But at least now nobody can say he gave fans a false impression about his plans for the Mania week.

  • Carmelo Hayes Talks Frustration on Being Left Off WrestleMania Card Again

    Carmelo Hayes Talks Frustration on Being Left Off WrestleMania Card Again

    Carmelo Hayes is waiting for his opportunity.

    A lot of fans have been feeling frustrated with the former US Champion being left off the WrestleMania card, especially after he spent the last few months elevating the belt to new heights with his feud with Ilja Dragunov.

    The former NXT star was asked about his feelings on missing the Show of Shows for the second year in a row during his recent interview with Nightcap. Carmelo Hayes first said that he knows he is talented enough and explained that in WWE, the name of the game is staying ready for your opportunity to come:

    “I feel like it’s staying ready, and just knowing that I’m talented enough to, if they give me the ball, it’s guaranteed. I think that’s really what my mentality has always been.”

    Until They Put You On The Field: Carmelo Hayes

    While Carmelo Hayes is sitting on the sidelines, Trick Williams is getting ready for his first WrestleMania moment only a few months after officially joining the main roster. He will challenge Sami Zayn for the US title on Night 2 of the event at Allegiant Stadium.

    Without directly naming the fellow NXT alumnus, Carmelo Hayes suggested that getting picked by the top brass is the way to success in WWE. He mentioned how you can’t prove yourself on the big stage until the company decides to give you the opportunity:

    “You ever heard that phrase ‘Success is not earned, it’s given’? I feel like that’s a lot with WWE is, anybody really, it’s like until they give you the ball, how will they know if you can score?

    Until they put you on the field, how will they know if you can make a play? I think that’s really what it comes down to with what we do is just waiting for the ball, or waiting for them to put you in.”

    What do you think about Carmelo Hayes missing WrestleMania again? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

  • Long Running WWE Feud Coming To End Before WrestleMania (Report)

    Long Running WWE Feud Coming To End Before WrestleMania (Report)

    The Wyatt Sicks will finally be moving on.

    The supernatural faction has been involved in a long-running feud with Solo Sikoa’s MFT since October. Initially feuding over the tag team titles, the two factions have also used Uncle Howdy’s lantern to further their rivalry.

    The company has announced a big 8-man tag team street fight between the two groups for this Friday’s SmackDown, along with the return of the Andre the Giant Memorial battle royal.

    MFT vs. Wyatt Sicks Coming To An End

    Fightful Select provided some backstage updates on their future. The site confirmed that the upcoming match between the two teams is expected to be the final encounter of this rivalry.

    There is no word on which team is expected to be victorious or what the post-WrestleMania plan for them is. Damian Priest and R-Truth defeated JC Mateo & Tama Tonga to win the tag team titles last month, so it’s possible that the winning team might go after championship gold in the coming times.

    As things stand, neither of the two men’s tag titles are expected to be featured on the Mania card. Though The Irresistible Forces are scheduled to defend their Women’s tag titles in a fatal four-way on Night 1 of the show.

  • Backstage News On Vince McMahon’s Status for Hall of Fame

    Backstage News On Vince McMahon’s Status for Hall of Fame

    Will Vince McMahon be seen during WrestleMania week?

    With Stephanie McMahon leading the 2026 Hall of Fame class, there has been obvious speculation about a potential appearance from her father and former WWE owner at the show.

    Recent creative decisions such as bringing Brock Lesnar back on board despite being named in the Janel Grant lawsuit and featuring the former WWE chairman in the John Cena tribute video using archival footage has only added to the feeling that a TV return for the former wrestling promoter might not be out of the realm of possibility.

    Vince McMahon’s HOF Status

    Fightful Select recently provided an update on the matter. They noted that while plans could change at the last minute, at this time, Vince McMahon is not planned for an appearance at the Hall of Fame.

    McMahon’s last appearance on TV came during the June 27, 2022 episode of Raw, where he introduced a returning John Cena. The 80-year-old has remained in news apart from the coverage of the Grant lawsuit, most recently with the release of the footage of his August 2025 car crash.

    There is no word on whether Stephanie’s brother, Shane McMahon, will be in attendance at the event, but it’s likely that the former SmackDown commissioner will join the show in some capacity.

  • Ex-WWE Star Says Her Return Could Happen ‘Sooner Rather Than Later’

    Ex-WWE Star Says Her Return Could Happen ‘Sooner Rather Than Later’

    Lana is open to a WWE return.

    The former WWE star recently spoke to Ariel Helwani for a new interview. She talked about things such as Pat McAfee getting involved in the story between Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes, her friendship with Liv Morgan, and more.

    With her husband Rusev having returned to WWE, she was also asked about the potential of her own return.

    Lana who now goes by the name CJ Perry, noted that she will appear when the time is right, and hoped that it will be sooner rather than later:

    “Lana, right now, is exiled in Siberia. She let her country down and is doing work there. CJ, when the time is right, I will appear. Hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later, but in the meantime, I’m focusing on writing.”

    That Would Be A Dream: Lana

    Lana was the manager for Rusev both in NXT and on the main roster. She also had a short run with AEW in 2023 after her husband signed with the promotion, where she briefly managed Andrade as well.

    Though she hasn’t appeared on wrestling TV since December that year.

    When asked if she would like to work with Rusev on TV again, Perry said that would be a dream, touting the Bulgarian Brute as one of the most creative wrestlers:

    “That would be a dream, for sure. I love working with my husband. One of my favorite things to do is collaborate with create with other creatives, and I think my husband is one of the most creative, smart, funny, athletic, iconic wrestlers and creative minds that I know.”

    Rusev will be part of the IC Title ladder match at Night 2 of WrestleMania 42. He will join Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh, Je’Von Evans and Rey Mysterio in challenging Penta for the belt.

  • Cody Rhodes Recounts Wild Dusty Rhodes Locker Room Stories

    Cody Rhodes Recounts Wild Dusty Rhodes Locker Room Stories

    Cody Rhodes talks nakedness in wrestling.

    The American Nightmare has been on a media tour promoting his WrestleMania 41 Night 1 match against Randy Orton recently. His most recent stop was Your Mom’s House podcast, where he discussed things such as Pat McAfee’s involvement in his Mania story, incidents of fans attacking wrestlers, and more.

    During the talk, the WWE Champion was asked if wrestling talents also see each other naked a lot in the locker room like football. Cody Rhodes first mentioned that he doesn’t spend a lot of time in the locker room anymore because he’s got a bus. He doubted, however, if the current generation is as prone to being naked, recalling some wild stories about his father, Dusty Rhodes:

    “I don’t know if the modern locker room is as naked as the old locker room. So my dad, there’s all these stories about [him] because he was also the creative director, the booker of the show. So you’d come to him and ask ‘What’s the finish? What are we doing?’ He’s famous for always being in his cowboy boots and naked….while telling them like, ‘oh, you’ll be over on Stinger,’ whatever it may be.”

    A Disarming Tactic: Cody Rhodes

    Though Cody Rhodes later speculated that nakedness was a tactic to disarm the other person and get them to listen to you:

    “Everyone has a story that they were, I think, a far more naked bunch. But what I’m thinking, I don’t know if comedy is the same, but wrestlers are always working. There’s always a bit of wrestling going on. I think that nakedness, believe it or not, was a disarming tactic. A way of ‘I’m so confident’ it does something. I don’t know. But I don’t think…because he wasn’t like that around the house.”

    Cody Rhodes also recently revealed the real reason behind Shockmaster’s debut fail. You can check out his comments here.

  • Becky Lynch Reveals Why Her New Theme Song Made Her Cry

    Becky Lynch Reveals Why Her New Theme Song Made Her Cry

    Becky Lynch loves her new theme song.

    The former IC Champion recently spoke to Chris Van Vliet for a new interview. Among other things, the Man was also asked about her current theme song, dubbed New Lows, which she debuted last year. Becky first mentioned how she wanted new music after her return last year, as she felt like her old theme did not represent her anymore.

    Seth Rollins had introduced her to Wonder Years, and Lynch reached out to the band’s lead vocalist, Dan Campbell, for the project. The Man also noted that getting the new theme approved in WWE was a struggle, and it took a lot of phone calls and several flights to get it done.

    Becky Lynch Reveals Hidden Tribute In New Theme

    Becky Lynch then revealed that she actually cried the first time Campbell told her the lyrics of the theme song:

    “I love it. When Dan, he first started off by telling me the lyrics. There was a few tears as well.”

    When asked which line in particular caused the emotion, Becky Lynch revealed that there are several references to her family in the song:

    “Well, the lyric about my dad, which is, ‘I talk to your ghost every night in my sleep.’ It’s a reference to my dad and, you know, he has little easter eggs about ‘they’ll rue the day’ and ‘burn it down’ and watch something better grow, like it’s all little references to my family. Yeah, so got me good. Then I heard it all together, and I was like, Oh, damn.”

    The WWE star’s dad Ken Quin, passed away back in 2021 after a long battle with lung cancer. In an emotional tribute to him on social media at the time, Becky had mentioned how her father always loved her and supported her in every way possible.

  • Backstage Update On Cathy Kelley Taking Bump On Raw

    Backstage Update On Cathy Kelley Taking Bump On Raw

    Cathy Kelley seems unlikely to have a match.

    The WWE broadcaster surprised everyone by taking a bump on this Monday’s Raw. She went down when Liv Morgan attacked her WrestleMania opponent, Stephanie Vaquer, during an interview segment.

    With previous reports revealing that the female star had done some training at the performance center, many wondered if this would lead to an in-ring future for her.

    Will Cathy Kelley Make In-Ring Debut Soon?

    Fightful Select provided an update on the matter in a new Q&A. They revealed that Cathy Kelley herself took the initiative to train at the PC instead of the officials directing her to do so.

    The context was exploring the possibility of her getting an expanded on-screen role as opposed to becoming a wrestler for the company. The report also noted that they have not heard of any plans for Kelley to actually wrestle for the promotion.

    In addition to the PC training, there have been meetings about Cathy’s future outside of WWE, exploring the potential of her seeking additional film and TV opportunities.

    The former model made her acting debut last year so it seems likely that she can pick up more projects down the line while continuing to work with WWE.

  • Backstage News On MJF’s Future After AEW Title Loss

    Backstage News On MJF’s Future After AEW Title Loss

    MJF might be taking some time off.

    The Salt of the Earth was forced to defend his AEW Title against Darby Allin at tonight’s Dynamite. This came after Allin defeated Andrade to become the new #1 contender for the belt on Dynasty this past Sunday.

    The match that main-evented the show was a short one. MJF tried to find an advantage after low-blowing his opponent, but Darby promptly returned the favor and then squashed the two-time AEW Champion with four coffin drops in a row.

    MJF Set For Another Movie Role

    SEScoops correspondent B. J. Bethel provided an update on MJF’s immediate future after the title loss. He suggested that the now former champion will be taking time off for another movie project and revealed that his schedule has been decided well in advance:

    “MJF is expected to be filming at least one movie immediately following his loss to Darby Allin on Dynamite tonight. His name has been on schedules and call sheets for months.”

    The 30-year-old seems to be taking his movie career seriously as he filmed roles for Happy Gilmore 2 and Violent Night 2 in 2025.

    There is no word on what MJF’s latest project is but we should get an idea soon.

  • MJF Reacts to AEW Title Loss On Dynamite

    MJF Reacts to AEW Title Loss On Dynamite

    MJF is not happy.

    Tonight’s episode of Dynamite saw Darby Allin challenge the AEW World Champion for his title. This came after the former TNT Champion defeated Andrade to become the new #1 contender for the belt at Dynasty.

    The Salt of the Earth initially refused to take part in the match, saying that he will sue both Tony Khan and the AEW broadcast partners WBD over it.

    MJF And Others React

    In the end, MJF had to get in the ring with Allin. He tried to find an escape by low-blowing Darby after distracting the referee. Darby was ready for the champ’s tricks, however, as he delivered a low blow of his own and then pinned his opponent with not one but four Coffin Drops.

    The now former Champion reacted to his loss on X, warning Tony Khan that this will not stand. Ricochet seemed to support MJF’s campaign, saying that he was also screwed out of his National title, while Andrade simply responded with some emojis to the surprise turn of events.

    Tonight’s show also featured an unannounced appearance from Sting who hyped up his protege and former tag team partner and celebrated with Darby to close out the show. You can check out more about it here.

  • Sting Makes Unannounced Dynamite Appearance

    Sting Makes Unannounced Dynamite Appearance

    It’s STING!!!

    Darby Allin had picked up a big victory at Dynasty this past Sunday, defeating Andrade to become the new #1 Contender for the AEW World Title. He had then announced that fans will not have to wait long as he will be cashing in his opportunity on this week’s Dynamite.

    So it was no surprise when Allin’s mentor Sting, made an unannounced appearance on the show tonight. The wrestling legend showed up backstage just before Darby went out for his main event match against MJF.

    Darby Allin asked the former WCW star if he had any advice for him. Sting told him to take it all in before telling his former tag team partner that he’s got this.

    The actual match turned out to be a short affair. MJF tried to use his dirty tricks by distracting the referee and low-blowing his challenger. Darby, however, returned the favor and then delivered not one but four coffin drops to become the new AEW Champion.

    The locker room emptied after the title change, and Sting was the last to join Darby Allin as he celebrated becoming a triple crown champion in AEW.

  • Cody Rhodes: Pat McAfee Story Is The Most Ill-Received Thing In History of Wrestling

    Cody Rhodes: Pat McAfee Story Is The Most Ill-Received Thing In History of Wrestling

    Cody Rhodes is not mincing his words.

    The initial reveal of Pat McAfee as Randy Orton’s mystery caller was one of the worst-received segments in WWE history. Things have only gone from bad to worse from there. The company has failed in their attempt to salvage the story and release the anger of fans with worked shoot promos targeting TKO officials.

    The American Nightmare gave his unfiltered thoughts on how the whole thing is going during his appearance on the SI Media podcast, only days before WrestleMania. Cody Rhodes claimed that it’s the worst-received thing in the history of wrestling, comparing it to angles like the Shockmaster’s failed debut and the reveal of Gobbledy Gooker:

    “This is the most ill-received thing in the history of wrestling. Gobbledy Gooker was one, Shockmaster was up there, but that was kind of funny. This is, the entire fandom, your fans, my fans, independent wrestling fans, casual fans, cinema fans, every single fan who has ever said ‘wrestling,’ has received this with, ‘Huh? What? Okay.’ Worst received thing in the history of wrestling.”

    He’s Just Trying to Help: Cody Rhodes

    Though later, Cody Rhodes seemed to express sympathy with the former NFL star. The WWE Champion said that he has to be an optimist and noted how Pat McAfee is a huge star who is only trying to help:

    “He’s just trying to help our party. I respect him and that. On the other side of it, I’m in tune with the online audience, but it’s everybody in the audience. We all see it. I look at that and ask myself, kind of like when I was doing Stardust or given a bone on my way up, ‘How can we make this something?’”

    The former AEW star also talked about Randy Orton getting cheered despite his heel turn before the Pat McAfee reveal. Rhodes noted that fans respect The Viper because he has stuck around wrestling.

  • AEW Star Reveals Bret Hart’s Hilarious Reaction On First Meet

    AEW Star Reveals Bret Hart’s Hilarious Reaction On First Meet

    Kyle O’Reilly says his perception of Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels has completely flipped.

    The Canadian star recently spoke to This is VANCOLOUR for a new interview. He talked about things such as sacrifices you have to make in a wrestling career, the different styles of wrestling featured in AEW, and more.

    During the interview, the current Trios Champion also talked about the difference between Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart and how his perspective has changed over the years. Kyle O’Reilly, who got to work with the former closely during his time in NXT, mentioned that HBK was very hands on with talent and working with him was an amazing experience:

    “It was really amazing, especially as growing as such a huge Bret guy and such an anti-Shawn guy. Now that I’m an adult, it’s totally flipped.”

    Yeah I Was The Best

    The Conglomeration member then revealed how his perspective on Bret Hart changed after meeting the wrestling veteran for the first time at a musical show:

    “The first time I met Bret — I mean, don’t get me wrong, I love Bret Hart. Don’t get me wrong. But the first time I met Bret, after the Aladdin show,

    I was like, ‘Hey Bret, man, I’m just such a big fan of you. Your match with Davey Boy in ‘92 is one of my favorite matches of all time’ and he just looked off, he’s like, ‘Yeah, I was the best.’”

    Kyle O’Reilly mentioned how Michaels never touted himself as the greatest, and he was always a little bit more humble than his arch-rival. Though he later added that he has nothing but respect for both the wrestling veterans.

  • Dominik Mysterio Reveals Advice For ‘Wrestling Is Fake’ Crowd

    Dominik Mysterio Reveals Advice For ‘Wrestling Is Fake’ Crowd

    Dominik Mysterio wants haters to just give wrestling a try.

    The former IC Champion recently spoke to Paper Magazine for a new interview. He talked about things such as his start in wrestling, working with Eddie Guerrero during his feud with Rey, the increase of pop culture crossover in WWE, and more.

    During the talk, the 29-year-old was also asked what he thinks is the biggest misconception about wrestling. Dominik Mysterio mentioned how even today a lot of people think of wrestling as fake while the performers are putting their bodies on the line every day. Revealing his advice for anyone who believes this, the Judgment Day star challenged them to give the product a try:

    “I feel the most common misconception is that it’s fake, but it’s like, brother, tell me what do you watch on television that is real? Just sit down and enjoy the show. We’re putting our bodies on the line, doing all this crazy stuff, like taking chair shots to the head.

    At the end of the day, we’re just trying to do our best to entertain you guys. My best advice is, just put it on. Put on Raw and see if you like it, because I promise you, at the very least, you will be entertained.”

    Apart from this, Dominik Mysterio was asked if he has any rituals when he gets to the arena. The former Champion mentioned that he likes to see the arena to get a feel of it before the doors open. He also says a prayer before every match.

    Dirty Dom will be facing ‘Demon’ Finn Balor on Night 2 of WrestleMania 42.

  • Jacob Fatu Reveals Original WWE Debut Plans

    Jacob Fatu Reveals Original WWE Debut Plans

    Jacob Fatu was supposed to debut a little later.

    The Samoan Werewolf recently appeared on the Raw Recap. Among other things, he talked about having to wait months for his first WWE appearance after signing with the company in early 2024. The 33-year-old mentioned that he was backstage at WrestleMania 40 and had interactions with the likes of Roman Reigns and Paul Heyman in the gorilla.

    Solo Sikoa took over the leadership of The Bloodline after Roman Reigns lost the WWE title at WrestleMania 40. Jacob Fatu recalled seeing debut of Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa while sitting on the sidelines, all the while wondering if the company still had plans for him. The officials finally informed him that he would debut at Money In The Bank, only for plans to change:

    “The day after WrestleMania 40, seen Tama — Tama Tonga come over. Tama Tonga’s a beast, a workhorse, a dog. Seen him, man, okay. Didn’t know they was coming. Backlash, France, seen Tonga Loa pop up. I’m like, ‘Okay.’ I gotta call brother up and them, ‘Hey man, I still got a job over there!?’

    I ain’t know what was going on. But man, it all fell together. It all came together. I was supposed to debut at Money in the Bank. Next thing you know, they called. Man, a couple days and was like, ‘We doing it on SmackDown.’ Nobody seen it coming.”

    Jacob Fatu made his WWE debut on the June 21, 2024, episode of SmackDown, taking out Randy Orton, Kevin Owens & Cody Rhodes and joining The Bloodline. He made his in-ring debut at Money In The Bank on July 6, teaming with Solo and Tama Tonga to defeat the trio of Orton, Owens and Rhodes.

  • Trick Williams Says Divine Intervention Saved His Wrestling Career

    Trick Williams Says Divine Intervention Saved His Wrestling Career

    Trick Williams has revealed how he got into wrestling.

    The former NXT Champion recently appeared on the Pivot podcast ahead of his first WrestleMania match. He talked about things such as his football career, his time in NXT, and more.

    During the interview, the SmackDown star was asked about the popularity of ‘Whoop That Trick’ chants, including the time when fans were chanting it at The Rock. While discussing the subject, Trick Williams told the story of how The Rock and a divine sign led to his wrestling career. He first recalled not getting signed after his first WWE tryout because of lack of experience in the ring:

    “I’m deciding like, ‘Bro, do I even want to wrestle?’ I went to a tryout, they said, ‘You’ve never wrestled before. Go learn what to do, and we’ll bring you back for another tryout.’ Just like that. Nobody is checking on me, seeing if I’m actually gonna do it. Like, take it or leave it, that’s what they told me.”

    Follow The Rock: Trick Williams

    After the failed tryout, Trick Williams had to decide whether he was going to pursue wrestling seriously or continue working as a teacher. After noting that teachers deserve to be paid more, Hollywood Trick revealed how a visit to church convinced him to continue wrestling:

    “So I’m in church. And I’m like ‘Am I supposed to wrestle?’ It kind of seemed like self-seeking, you know. I’m coaching kids, substitute teaching and stuff, and I feel like I’m kind of making a difference where I’m at. Long story short, I went to church and the Pastor’s word that day, I lie you not was, talking about water coming from the rock. So ‘Follow the Rock.’

    I went to Church [thinking] ‘Do I need to wrestle or not?’ and the Pastor told me, ‘Follow the Rock.’ I never told nobody that story, but I moved to Philadelphia two weeks later. I said, ‘I’m supposed to wrestle.’”

    Trick Williams will be challenging Sami Zayn for the US Championship not only in his first WrestleMania match but also in his first singles PPV match on the main roster, this Sunday night.

  • CM Punk Believes The US Is Going Backwards As A Country

    CM Punk Believes The US Is Going Backwards As A Country

    CM Punk has explained his political comments.

    The Straight Edge Star recently appeared on All The Smoke podcast. The in-depth interview saw the WWE World Heavyweight Champion speaking on topics such as Pat McAfee getting involved in WrestleMania, his iconic pipe bomb, retirement plans and more.

    During the talk, CM Punk was also asked about being outspoken about social issues and why is that important to him. The wrestling veteran explained that he sees it as speaking for human rights rather than a political stand and mentioned that it’s always the right time to do the right thing:

    “Because it’s always the right time to do the right thing. I think…my perspective on it now is I understand, like if you’re watching a wrestling show and you just want to see some people clobbering each other. You just want to see some Shakespeare drama. That maybe you don’t want to get hit over the head with the real-world things of who’s a Republican, who’s a Democrat, like all these political things.

    But to me especially now, today, in 2026, the world is such an ugly place. I understand there being an escape, but also like when am I supposed to talk about this stuff? Because I do feel very strongly about things. And I tend to lean more towards ‘no, I’m not being political, this is human rights.’”

    We’re Going Backwards: CM Punk

    CM Punk also spoke about the current political climate in the United States. The former AEW star claimed that US is going backwards as a country by taking rights away from marginalized groups:

    “You just kind of grow up and you learn thing from history books, and then you learn that a lot of the things in history books aren’t necessarily the way things went down. But certainly you either learn or you don’t that there is a right and there is a wrong. Where we are as a country now, I feel like we’re going backwards. We are.

    We’re talking about taking rights away from marginalized groups. I feel that we, as people, have never been represented by our government in the proper way. I think Obama was President for eight years, and I think the pendulum swung so far in the other direction that after a while, and now we’re dealing with the repercussions of that.”

    The 47-year-old later said that he tries to avoid making political points on TV, but sometimes the subjects are too important to ignore. Punk admitted that he sometimes gets his opinions wrong but proclaimed that he believes in people and not governments.

  • Casket Match Returning To WWE Next Week

    Casket Match Returning To WWE Next Week

    The casket match is back.

    Night 1 of the NXT Revenge special featured a backstage segment where Blake Monroe was told that her upcoming title match against Tatum Paxley will feature a stipulation of the champion’s choosing. General Manager Robert Stone later tracked down Paxley and asked if she had decided on a stipulation yet.

    The Women’s North American Champion said that she plans to lay Monroe to rest once and for all. Stone was still confused, but Shiloh Hill then rolled up with a casket, confirming the stipulation for their title match.

    Tatum has some experience in casket matches. The last time the stipulation was seen in the company was in 2024 when Paxley beat Wendy Choo. We’ve not seen the match on the main roster since 2018, when Undertaker beat Rusev at the Greatest Royal Rumble.

    NXT Revenge Night 2 Match Card

    After the latest announcement, below is the updated card for Night 2 of the NXT special taking place on April 21.

    • Casket Match For NXT North American Championship: Tatum Paxley (c) vs. Blake Monroe
    • Men’s Speed Championship Tournament Final: E.K. Prosper vs. Lexis King
    • Singles Match: Keanu Carver vs. Joe Hendry
    • Last Woman Standing Match: Sol Ruca vs. ZARIA
    • NXT North American Championship Match: Myles Borne (c) vs. Dion Lennox

  • Watch: Main Roster Champion Makes Surprise NXT Appearance Before WrestleMania

    Watch: Main Roster Champion Makes Surprise NXT Appearance Before WrestleMania

    Stephanie Vaquer made an NXT appearance.

    The night 1 of the NXT Revenge special was main evented by a Women’s Championship match, with Lola Vice defending her newly won title against the former champion Jacy Jayne.

    Vice was shown getting ready for her match backstage, and the camera panned around to show Stephanie Vaquer in the house.

    The two women shared words of encouragement for each other. Vice told Stephanie to beat Liv Morgan at WrestleMania, while Vaquer told Lola that the NXT title looked good on her.

    Jacy’s Fatal Influence partners Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid ran interference on her behalf during the bout. It didn’t prove enough as Lola Vice still managed to beat Jayne to retain the belt. The Champion did not get a lot of time to celebrate, however, as a number of contenders showed up at ringside after the bell.

    This included people such as Kendal Grey, Izzi Dame, and the debuting Kali Armstrong. ZARIA also tried to make her way to the ringside but she was taken out by Sol Ruca to end the night.

    Stephanie Vaquer is set to defend her title against Liv Morgan on Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. You can check out what Vaquer recently said about WWE changing her theme song here.

  • Cody Rhodes Reveals Hidden Reason For Shockmaster Debut Fail

    Cody Rhodes Reveals Hidden Reason For Shockmaster Debut Fail

    Cody Rhodes has revealed some unknown details about the Shockmaster debut.

    Real name Fred Ottman, the wrestling veteran made his WCW debut as The Shockmaster in 1993. Coming off of his WWE run as Tugboat and Typhoon, the 69-year-old had some momentum jumping ship to the rival company.

    The whole thing turned into a disaster however, after Ottman fell while making his entrance through a board and dropped the stormtrooper mask he had been wearing. The accident made everyone involved in the segment break character and it’s widely regarded as the worst wrestling debut of all time.

    Cody Rhodes Reveals Why Shockmaster Debut Failed

    Cody Rhodes, whose dad Dusty Rhodes was part of the WCW booking committee at the time, revealed some unknown details about the whole thing, during his appearance on Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast. Rhodes mentioned that Fred was married to his aunt at the time and Dusty was trying to help his brother-in-law, as he remembers it.

    The American Nightmare then revealed the reason Shockmaster had given behind his comedic fall during the segment:

    “The thing that Fred told everybody is there was a board, a guy named Jackie Crockett who was a cameraman. He put that board there to just make sure the flare for the goal, ’cause it’s just a three-wall set, doesn’t fall. That board apparently was not there earlier in the day, and that board is what did it.”

    The WWE Champion later recalled the car ride home after the segment. He mentioned that they usually talked about wrestling on the way home, but everyone was silent that day. Dusty feared that he might get fired over the segment, though thankfully, the American Dream was not let go and remained part of the WCW creative.

    You can check out the full Cody Rhodes interview below:

  • Oba Femi Reveals Controversial Pick For GOAT John Cena Moment

    Oba Femi Reveals Controversial Pick For GOAT John Cena Moment

    Oba Femi has revealed his favorite John Cena moment.

    The Ruler was recently featured in a new IGN video, along with Jacob Fatu. The two WWE stars were asked to reveal their GOATs in several categories, such as pizza toppings, condiments, entrances, and more.

    When asked about the GOAT John Cena moment, Fatu recalled the time his eldest son got to meet the Cenation Leader. Oba Femi, however, went a different route and picked Cena vanquishing Nexus as his GOAT moment:

    “My greatest Cena moment would have to be when he single-handedly vanquished the Nexus. All by himself. That has to be the greatest moment ever. Super Cena for the win!”

    The former NXT Champion is referring to the SummerSlam 2010 event, which saw the 17-time World Champion leading a team of WWE stars against Nexus in an elimination tag match. Cena was the last surviving member of the team against Justin Gabriel and Wade Barrett. Despite taking a DDT on the concrete floor, John Cena went on to win the match for his team.

    Several people involved in the bout have since revealed that the original plan was for Nexus to go over, but it was changed on the day of the PPV on Cena’s insistence. This decision has been widely criticised as the faction lost all momentum after this loss, and the group was soon disbanded.

  • Stephanie Vaquer Comments On Booker T’s Selling of Devil’s Kiss

    Stephanie Vaquer Comments On Booker T’s Selling of Devil’s Kiss

    Stephanie Vaquer has revealed the story of Devil’s Kiss in WWE.

    The Women’s World Champion had an interview with Chris Van Vliet this week before WrestleMania. She talked about things such as working with Shawn Michaels in NXT, winning her first main roster championship at WrestlePalooza, and more.

    During the talk, Stephanie Vaquer was also asked about the Devil’s Kiss, a move that has gone viral on more than one occasion in her run with WWE. The Raw star mentioned that she used to do a different version of the move before signing with the company but she had stopped doing it after making her NXT debut:

    “When I sign with WWE, I think, Okay, I want to stop doing that move for many reasons. I think sometimes people take that move different ways, and I don’t like that. In NXT one day, we were training, and I showed that move, and the coach is saying, ‘No, that’s good, people know that move and people like that move.’ I’m thinking yeah, but I don’t know why I don’t like it anymore.”

    I’m Starting To Love This Move Again: Stephanie Vaquer

    Stephanie Vaquer revealed that she was hesitant about bringing the Devil’s Kiss back because people sometimes can’t understand it. The Women’s Champion then credited Booker T for making people love the move with his energetic commentary:

    “I don’t want to do that move because I hate what people say, it’s just because that move, and people can’t sometimes understand that move, and I’m gonna start to do it again. I feel good because Booker T make that move so people love this move, so I’m starting to love this move again, because Booker T make me feel like that.”

    Apart from this, Stephanie also talked about WWE changing her theme song. You can check out her comments on the matter here.

  • Stephanie Vaquer Comments On WWE Changing Her Entrance Theme

    Stephanie Vaquer Comments On WWE Changing Her Entrance Theme

    Stephanie Vaquer claims there were issues with her old theme.

    The Women’s Champion spoke to Chris Van Vliet for an interview ahead of her WrestleMania match against Liv Morgan this Saturday night on April 18. She talked about things such as joining WWE, having her dad in attendance when she won the women’s title, and more.

    During the talk, the Raw star was also asked about her new top rope finisher and how it’s very similar to AJ Styles’ spiral tap. Stephanie Vaquer revealed that she actually had a conversation with the Phenomenal One about it, and like always, Styles had no problem with her using the move:

    “One time he said to me, ‘Oh, it’s like my move.’ I’m like, Oops. And he says, ‘No, you look better.’ I say, ‘No, I can’t believe you say that.’ I love him.”

    Stephanie Vauqer On Her New Theme Song

    The new finisher is not the only change in presentation for Stephanie Vaquer recently. The former NXT star has debuted a new theme song as well, but it has not been well-received by fans. When asked about this change, the champ admitted that she loved her old song but claimed that it had to be changed because of some issues:

    “I like it. I love my old song. But, you know, many issues, so we need a new song. I just hope people can understand that.”

    Vaquer did not go into details of the issues that forced her to change her theme, but she noted that she is still not completely satisfied with her entrance. Stephanie said that she is still tweaking it and trying new things to make it perfect.

    The quotes in this article are edited for clarity

  • WWE Policy For Talent Unhappy With Pat McAfee Situation (Report)

    WWE Policy For Talent Unhappy With Pat McAfee Situation (Report)

    WWE is allowing talents to vent their frustration.

    The clunky build to WrestleMania 42 has led to a lot of frustration within the wrestling world. One feud that has been criticised much more than others is the story between Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes, because of its focus on celebrity involvement instead of the long history between the two WWE veterans.

    Fightful Select recently provided an update on how the company is handling the disappointment over this story internally. According to them, the officials seem to be allowing talent to speak up their mind about the whole thing:

    “Based on what we’ve heard, there are no restrictions on talent expressing displeasure in media about the Pat McAfee angle or comments.”

    Damian Priest has already taken advantage of this freedom, claiming that a lot of people in the locker room are not happy with McAfee’s addition to the WrestleMania story.

    Reports suggest that the former NFL star is going to continue his involvement in the story after the Show of Shows and potentially be part of a key match at the Backlash PPV next month. You can check out more about it here.

  • Watch: Cathey Kelley Takes Unexpected Bump On Raw

    Watch: Cathey Kelley Takes Unexpected Bump On Raw

    Cathy Kelley took a bump.

    It was Liv Morgan’s turn to sneak attack Stephanie Vaquer this week, after the Women’s Champion gave Morgan a nasty injury in a similar attack on last week’s episode of Raw.

    Roxanne Perez had gotten caught up in the crossfire last week. This week’s attack was also not without unwarranted casualties, unfortunately. This time, it was Cathy Kelley who suffered because of it.

    The WWE broadcaster who was interviewing Vaquer at the time had to be helped to the back after taking the bump. Though Michael Cole thankfully informed us later in the night that Kelly was ok after this segment.

    This was the second bit of bad news for Rhea Ripley coming out of the night after IYO SKY suffered a singles defeat at the hands of Kairi Sane on the show.

    It appears Rhiyo may need to add a new member to their rank to keep track of all the challenges coming at them. If so then we know just the gal who will be interested in the job offer…