SEScoops

Author: Andrew Ravens

  • Cody Rhodes Names The Best Cross Rhodes He Ever Hit

    Cody Rhodes Names The Best Cross Rhodes He Ever Hit

    Cody Rhodes says the Cross Rhodes he hit on Seth Rollins at WWE Battleground 2013 is the greatest he has ever executed, crediting Rollins’ skill level and a unique floating motion he has never been able to replicate.

    Speaking to ESPN about the biggest moments of his WWE career, Rhodes walked through the context of the match: a tag team bout alongside his brother, Dustin Rhodes, against The Shield, with their WWE careers on the line.

    “I love that it was in Buffalo, New York. I have a couple of unique hometowns that aren’t hometowns. Atlanta is where I’m from, but Buffalo is one, Philly is another. Buffalo, because of this match, there was even someone who said backstage, do you think they’ll care about the road story or Dusty, because he was more of a Florida, Georgia, Carolinas guy, and it was Michael Hayes who actually replied. He said, ‘they’ll care about Dusty anywhere,’ and this is it. The last Bionic Elbow right there. The last one in a big setting on TV.”

    Rhodes described how his father’s involvement became the turning point that brought the crowd fully to its feet before the finish.

    “Me and Chicken, my older brother, had wrestled for 10 plus minutes and we were — the crowd was moving and they were rumbling, but they weren’t up yet, and then dad takes his hat off and hits that elbow and the people’s, that’s where they first came up. Then we rode that all the way to the best Cross Rhodes I ever hit, and this is it right here, number one on the list.”

    He admitted he has never been able to explain or reproduce the exact mechanics of how it happened.

    “I’ll never know how we got the floating. I’ve tried again. There was something about how our feet were and Seth’s skill level being one of the greatest of all time. I’ll never know how we floated into that Cross Rhodes, but that’s the number one on the list.”

    Rhodes is the current Undisputed WWE Champion. He retained the title against Gunther at Clash in Italy on May 31.

  • Tony Khan Confirms AEW Will Come Back To Australia After Successful Grand Slam Events

    Tony Khan Confirms AEW Will Come Back To Australia After Successful Grand Slam Events

    Tony Khan says AEW will return to Australia, describing the company’s presence there as “something really special” and pointing to the growth of the fanbase across two Grand Slam events.

    Speaking to Wide World of Sports, Khan was direct about his intentions.

    “I absolutely want to come back to Australia. We’ve had incredible events with the fans in both Sydney and Brisbane. I think we’ve built a great audience, our wrestlers are so popular and some of the top stars in AEW are actually from Australia. Given what a great wrestling country it is and how many awesome stars we have in AEW from there, I think we’ve got something really special.”

    AEW has held two Grand Slam Australia events to date. The inaugural event took place in Brisbane on February 15, 2025, at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, where Toni Storm defeated Mariah May to win her fourth AEW Women’s World Championship in the main event. The second event was held in Sydney at Qudos Bank Arena on February 14, 2026, drawing 7,029 attendees, with MJF retaining the AEW World Championship against Brody King in the main event and Kyle Fletcher winning a TNT Championship Ladder match.

    No specific date or city has been announced for a third Australian event.

  • Seth Rollins And Je’Von Evans Among WWE King Of The Ring Competitors Set For June 8th Raw

    Seth Rollins And Je’Von Evans Among WWE King Of The Ring Competitors Set For June 8th Raw

    The King of the Ring and Queen of the Ring tournaments will both feature action on the June 8 episode of WWE Raw, with Seth Rollins and Je’Von Evans among those competing.

    The announcements come after Monday’s Raw kicked off the tournament with Oba Femi defeating Solo Sikoa, Penta, and Carmelo Hayes in a fatal four-way match to advance to the semifinals. IYO SKY also advanced on the Queen of the Ring side of the bracket.

    Femi’s semifinal opponent will come from among Dominik Mysterio, Bron Breakker, Trick Williams, and Damian Priest. The King of the Ring remaining field also includes Rollins, Evans, Talla Tonga, Ricky Saints, Jey Uso, LA Knight, Royce Keys, and Finn Balor.

    The King and Queen of the Ring finals are both set for Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia on June 27, with the winners earning world title shots at SummerSlam.

  • Top TNA Star’s Contract Will Expire Soon

    Top TNA Star’s Contract Will Expire Soon

    TNA World Champion Mike Santana’s contract with the promotion runs through sometime in July, and there has been WWE interest in him in the past, according to PWInsider.

    Santana is a two-time TNA World Champion currently in his second reign with the title. He also makes appearances for WWE on the NXT brand as part of the TNA-WWE partnership.

    Before his current TNA run, Santana spent five years in AEW after leaving Impact Wrestling in 2019, where he had been one half of the Latin American Xchange alongside Ortiz. The duo held the Impact World Tag Team Championship four times during that run, accumulating 662 combined days as champions and setting, at the time, the record for the longest single reign at 261 days. In AEW, they were members of Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle before later aligning with Eddie Kingston. Santana left AEW in 2024 to return to TNA.

    No announcement regarding a new deal or a WWE move has been made.

  • Penta Vows To Become WWE World Champion In Emotional Message To His Fans

    Penta Vows To Become WWE World Champion In Emotional Message To His Fans

    Penta has promised fans that he will one day become WWE World Champion, saying the support he receives from wrestling fans is the fuel that drives him every night.

    The current WWE Intercontinental Champion spoke to Denise Salcedo in a new interview, reflecting on his 20-year career and his goals going forward.

    “I want to say thank you for all my fans around the world, because you guys are my gasoline for every night, because Penta is from the people. Penta is from all the fans supporting me. Now I have 20 years around this business, so I’m very thankful for you guys. Thank you so much. I promise you, one time, I don’t know when, I don’t know how, but I promise, Penta becomes the champion from WWE, but not any champion, the world champion.”

    Penta debuted in WWE in January 2025 and captured the Intercontinental Championship in March of this year. He successfully defended the title against Ethan Page at Saturday Night’s Main Event last month. 

  • Backstage Update On When WWE SmackDown Will Return To Two-Hour Format

    Backstage Update On When WWE SmackDown Will Return To Two-Hour Format

    WWE SmackDown’s three-hour run will end on June 26, with the Friday night broadcast returning to a two-hour format after that date, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

    Meltzer confirmed the shift is part of a six-months-on, six-months-off contractual structure. The three-hour SmackDown currently runs from 8 PM to 11 PM ET, with “Everything On The Menu With Braun Strowman” airing immediately after at 11 PM ET on USA Network. The move to two hours would shift SmackDown to the 8-10 PM window, with the Strowman show moving to 10 PM ET.

    WWE moved SmackDown to the USA Network in 2024 as part of its broader media rights expansion. The Strowman show received its first episode preview last week, with its official launch set for this Friday.

    This coming Friday will be the fallout edition of Clash in Italy for the blue brand. Nothing has been announced for the show. 

  • Sol Ruca Captures The WWE Women’s Intercontinental Title At Clash In Italy

    Sol Ruca Captures The WWE Women’s Intercontinental Title At Clash In Italy

    Sol Ruca defeated Becky Lynch to capture the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship at Clash in Italy on Sunday at Inalpi Arena in Turin, Italy.

    Lynch dominated the early going before Ruca mounted a comeback. Ruca hit an outside moonsault from the top rope and followed with a dropkick before Lynch avoided the Sol Snatcher and locked in an armbar. Ruca escaped. Lynch exchanged words with referee Jessika Carr throughout the match before pushing her into the ropes, causing Ruca to fall from the turnbuckle.

    Ruca recovered, hitting an outside dive onto Lynch. Lynch attempted the Sol Snatcher herself but Ruca reversed it and connected with a Rock Bottom for a near fall. Ruca then hit the Sol Snatcher to get the pinfall victory.

    The win gives Ruca her first championship on the main roster in her debut PLE appearance after a difficult six-week stretch that included losses to Liv Morgan and IYO SKY and an injury scare heading into the event.

  • WWE Clash In Italy Card Order Reportedly Leaked

    WWE Clash In Italy Card Order Reportedly Leaked

    The early rundown for WWE Clash in Italy has reportedly leaked, with TRNBCKL Gold sharing what is being treated as a rumor ahead of the May 31 event in Turin.

    WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns vs. Jacob Fatu in Tribal Combat will headline the show. WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther will be on the ESPN portion of the show. 

    Per the report, the card order is as follows:

    • Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther
    • Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill
    • Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi
    • Becky Lynch vs. Sol Ruca
    • Roman Reigns vs. Jacob Fatu
  • Backstage Update On Sol Ruca’s WWE Clash In Italy Status

    Backstage Update On Sol Ruca’s WWE Clash In Italy Status

    Sol Ruca is traveling to Italy for WWE Clash in Italy on Sunday despite being banged up from her Saturday Night’s Main Event match against Becky Lynch, according to PWInsider Elite.

    Lynch had posted on social media claiming Ruca was not medically cleared to compete, raising questions about whether the Women’s Intercontinental Championship match would take place as scheduled.

    PWInsider Elite reported otherwise, citing WWE sources.”Ruca got banged up at the Saturday Night’s Main Event match. However, WWE sources indicated to PWInsiderElite.com this afternoon that Ruca is traveling to Italy for the Clash in Italy event today. So, Ruca will be there.”

    The injury occurred during Ruca’s disqualification win over Lynch at Saturday Night’s Main Event. Cathy Kelley confirmed the injuries during a backstage interview segment on Monday’s Raw.

    Ruca has been on Raw for six weeks since her main roster call-up following WrestleMania 42. She has yet to win a match in that stretch, having previously fallen to Liv Morgan and IYO SKY. Her championship match against Lynch at Clash in Italy on May 31 in Turin would be her biggest career moment to date.

  • Former WWE Star’s Return Is Imminent

    Former WWE Star’s Return Is Imminent

    Enzo Amore is expected to return to WWE on the NXT brand soon, with Dave Meltzer reporting in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the plan is imminent. The status of his former tag team partner Big Bill remains far less clear.

    Meltzer laid out what is and is not known about each man.

    “The current plan has Enzo Amore to be in NXT soon. Nothing on Big Bill, the former Big Cass, is official or even talked about heavily in the company, but outside the company there is a lot of talk. It’s a Jericho situation where you go with the idea he’s off television for a long time with a contract coming due so he’s possibly leaving. In most cases that’s correct, but Jericho also showed you can’t say 100 percent. And Hobbs showed even if they are being kept on television and are holding a title and having big matches, you can’t say they are 100 percent staying either.”

    False Finish previously reported that Amore was spotted at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando ahead of the May 19 episode of NXT. Fightful Select has noted that Amore’s independent booking schedule had grown lighter, and that Big Bill’s AEW contract was expected to expire within the coming weeks.

    Amore, 39, was fired by WWE in January 2018 following sexual assault allegations. The Phoenix Police Department closed the case with no charges filed. He continued wrestling under the names nZo and Real1, making appearances for MLW, GCW, TNA, and various independent promotions.

    Amore and Big Cass debuted on Raw on April 4, 2016, the night after WrestleMania 32, and were immediately received as main roster stars before their eventual split in 2017.

  • Jacob Fatu Has Injury Scare At WWE Live Event

    Jacob Fatu Has Injury Scare At WWE Live Event

    Jacob Fatu was spotted limping after his WWE live event match against Solo Sikoa in Liverpool on Thursday night, raising injury concerns ahead of his Tribal Combat match against Roman Reigns at Clash in Italy on May 31, according to PWInsider.

    No confirmation has been provided on the legitimacy or seriousness of the injury. Fatu has also not addressed the fan concern about his status.

    Fatu challenges Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship in Turin on Sunday in a bout with Tribal Combat rules. The match was set up on the May 18 episode of Raw when Fatu issued the challenge following a three-on-one attack by Reigns and the Usos.

    Fatu vs. Reigns is expected to headline the Clash in Italy PLE.

  • Gunther Calls Oba Femi A ‘Standout Talent’ And Teases Future Match

    Gunther Calls Oba Femi A ‘Standout Talent’ And Teases Future Match

    Gunther has praised Oba Femi as a standout talent while explaining exactly why a future match between the two would be unlike anything fans have seen from Femi so far.

    Speaking on the No Contest Wrestling Podcast, Gunther acknowledged Femi’s rapid rise while noting the pressure that comes with it.

    “I honestly don’t really spend too much time on looking what the other ones do. But I always keep an eye on the big picture and obviously Oba is a standout talent. I think in the short time he’s been in the company, he’s taken huge steps. But I think that’s also, we will see how he deals with that. That’s a big burden or a big responsibility right from the get go. I want to see him succeed in that, because I think he’s an amazing talent and the future is very bright for him. I hope he maintains that, stays around, so when it comes down to us two, he’s gonna be ready for it.”

    Gunther addressed a common misconception about how a physical matchup between the two would actually play out, making clear it would not be a power vs. power contest.

    “I’m tall and I’m a heavyweight, but people often, when they think about matches with Oba, it’s not gonna be like how Oba and Brock is. I wouldn’t meet up with Oba on a physical level. He’s stronger than I am, I don’t know if he’s a little bit taller or not, and he’s younger than I am. So it makes absolutely no sense. I think what would make that interesting is seeing me work from underneath a little bit, wrestle from underneath against a stronger opponent.”

    He also identified the specific challenge a Femi match would present for the younger star.

    “I think that’s a test that would be interesting for him, how to last in a longer match, how to endure 20 minutes with somebody much, much, much more experienced than him. And that’s why I need him to gain experience himself first, because when I meet him, I wanna meet him on eye level.”

    Gunther challenges Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Clash in Italy on May 31. Femi faces Brock Lesnar in a rematch from WrestleMania 42 on the same card.

  • WWE’s Head Of Digital Media Says WWE Vault’s Success ‘Shocks’ Him Every Week

    WWE’s Head Of Digital Media Says WWE Vault’s Success ‘Shocks’ Him Every Week

    WWE’s Head of Digital Media Steve Braband says the company’s WWE Vault YouTube channel has become a bigger success than anticipated, approaching four million subscribers with 133.6 million hours viewed over the past year.

    Braband spoke to Front Office Sports about the channel’s growth, noting it required no new resources to build.

    “The success of that came with no new resources. We tapped into a few people that were passionate about our archive, saw the engagement on our main channel, and just moved our whole vault to this page. We’re about to hit the four-million sub mark — and it shocks me every week how some content does.”

    The Vault channel, which launched in 2024, regularly uploads full matches, events, and storyline compilation videos from WWE’s library. This week’s uploads included a 1992 mask vs. mask AAA Lucha Libre match featuring a young Rey Mysterio against Mr. Condor, with Mysterio recording a brief introduction for new viewers. WWE has also launched a separate WCW-focused channel.

    Braband described YouTube as an essential marketing tool beyond just a content platform.

    “We’re looking at it as a way to share content, create good content, drive business goals, but also remember how YouTube is connected to the whole Google sphere of it all. It’s a marketing tool. You’re able to show off this brand and grow it and grow new superstars.”

  • Gunther Shuts Down Speculation Ahead Of WWE Clash In Italy

    Gunther Shuts Down Speculation Ahead Of WWE Clash In Italy

    Gunther has ruled out a partnership with Paul Heyman, saying his brief interactions with the legendary manager were enough to confirm he is better off working alone.

    Speaking to No-Contest Wrestling, Gunther addressed the connection that formed after Heyman asked him to attack Seth Rollins on the March 30 episode of Raw.

    “To be fully honest, it was very useful to have him there in that position. But those interactions in that time have been enough to make me realize that I’m better off on my own. I don’t need somebody in my ear. I always trusted my gut my whole career, and it was mostly the right decision. So I wouldn’t change that.”

    The arrangement had fans speculating about a more permanent pairing given Heyman’s track record managing dominant, physically imposing performers. Heyman guided Brock Lesnar through multiple championship reigns and currently serves as Special Counsel to The Vision.

    Gunther challenges Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Clash in Italy on May 31 at Inalpi Arena in Turin. Rhodes holds a prior victory over Gunther from Crown Jewel 2024.

  • WWE Creative Floated The Idea Of Former Star Appearing At Clash In Italy

    WWE Creative Floated The Idea Of Former Star Appearing At Clash In Italy

    An idea was pitched within WWE creative to have Santino Marella appear at Clash in Italy on May 31, according to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select. No word on whether the pitch went anywhere.

    The concept has an obvious storyline logic. Marella made his WWE debut during a live episode of Raw from Milan, Italy, where he was selected from the audience as a fan and proceeded to defeat Umaga for the Intercontinental Championship in his first match. The moment remains one of the most memorable debuts in Raw history.

    Despite portraying an Italian stereotype on screen, Marella — whose real name is Anthony Carelli — is actually Canadian, born in Mississauga, Ontario. The Santino Marella character was billed from San Fili, Calabria, Italy.

    Marella currently serves as on-screen director of authority in TNA and returned to WWE’s NXT brand in 2025 as part of the partnership between the two promotions. His main WWE career spanned 11 years from 2005 to 2016, during which he won the Intercontinental Championship twice, the United States Championship once, and the WWE Tag Team Championship once.

    Clash in Italy takes place May 31 at Inalpi Arena in Turin and features Cody Rhodes vs. Gunther for the Undisputed WWE Championship, Roman Reigns vs. Jacob Fatu in Tribal Combat for the World Heavyweight Championship, Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi, and Rhea Ripley vs. Jade Cargill for the Women’s Championship.

  • Brock Lesnar Is Not Done With WWE After Clash In Italy

    Brock Lesnar Is Not Done With WWE After Clash In Italy

    Brock Lesnar’s WWE run is not ending at Clash in Italy, with WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select reporting that The Beast is expected to continue appearing for the company following the May 31 Premium Live Event in Turin.

    Lesnar is not currently scheduled for WWE’s Madison Square Garden Saturday Night’s Main Event show, but he is heavily rumored for SummerSlam 2026, scheduled for August 1-2 in Minneapolis — his home state market.

    Lesnar lost to Oba Femi at WrestleMania 42 in what appeared to be a retirement moment, with Lesnar leaving his gear in the ring and embracing Paul Heyman to signal the apparent end of his career.

    He then made a surprise return on the May 18 episode of Raw, interrupting and attacking Femi before Heyman delivered a signed Clash in Italy contract to Adam Pearce. Lesnar faces Femi at Clash in Italy on May 31, looking for redemption.

  • Brian Myers Originally Thought He Was Getting WrestleMania 25 Match With Edge And Matt Cardona

    Brian Myers Originally Thought He Was Getting WrestleMania 25 Match With Edge And Matt Cardona

    Brian Myers says Matt Cardona genuinely believed the two of them were heading for a Triple Threat Match with Edge at WrestleMania 25, only to end up as lumberjacks on the pre-show.

    Speaking to Chris Van Vliet, Myers recalled the reality check that followed their high-profile WrestleMania 24 debut.

    “Matt and I were very spoiled. That first one, we ran in the main event of WrestleMania 24 and attempted to attack The Undertaker. I think we were 22 years old. It’s a wild way to start, and then you come down. The next year, Matt says it all the time. He’s like just assuming, ‘Oh, we’ll probably have a three way with Edge next year and we’ll be like, who’s breaking up and stuff.’ We were anonymous lumberjacks or something on the pre-show, so it didn’t really turn out like that.”

    Myers and Cardona, then known as Curt Hawkins and Zack Ryder, appeared as members of La Familia alongside Edge during their early WWE run. At WrestleMania 24, Edge lost the World Heavyweight Title to The Undertaker in the main event of WrestleMania 24, while at WrestleMania 25, Edge defended his World Heavyweight Championship in a Triple Threat Match against John Cena and the Big Show. He lost the bout as Cena went over. 

  • Seth Rollins Gets Bored Of Himself As Babyface: ‘I’m Not Very Good At Being The Hero’

    Seth Rollins Gets Bored Of Himself As Babyface: ‘I’m Not Very Good At Being The Hero’

    Seth Rollins says he is far more comfortable as a heel than a babyface, admitting he gets bored of himself when playing the hero role.

    Speaking to ESPN, Rollins was honest about where he feels most at home.

    “The truth is I’m not very good at being the hero. I can do it in short spurts, but I’m not like Cena, I’m not like Rey Mysterio. I get bored of myself and I think people get bored of me. I much prefer being a bad guy. I think it suits me better. Most of my favorite moments are being a piece of trash.”

    Rollins is a former WWE World Heavyweight Champion and multi-time world champion across his career. He recently returned to WWE programming following a torn rotator cuff that sidelined him from October 2025 through WrestleMania 42 weekend.

  • Cody Rhodes Names The Best Moment Of His Career

    Cody Rhodes Names The Best Moment Of His Career

    Cody Rhodes has named his WWE Championship win at WrestleMania 40 as the best moment of his career, describing it as the most real story he could tell in professional wrestling.

    Speaking to The Rich Eisen Show, Rhodes explained the personal weight behind the moment.

    “It has to likely be WrestleMania 40, because capturing the WWE Championship is probably the most real story I could possibly tell in sports entertainment and pro wrestling that blends fact and fiction because it was the title that my dad never won and was so close to winning. And I really thought it was out of my hands by the time I’d come back to WWE.”

    He also reflected on the moment’s lasting significance and its bittersweet footnote.

    “To be able to hold it up and hand it to my mom. It’s also lingering today because everybody who put me on their shoulders and celebrated, almost all of them have turned on me at this point. So like all modern WWE spins out of WrestleMania 40 and that has to be the best moment in my career.”

    Rhodes defends the title against Gunther at Clash in Italy on May 31 at Inalpi Arena in Turin.

  • Former WWE Superstar Curtis Axel Is Facing Criminal Charges Following Alleged Incident

    Former WWE Superstar Curtis Axel Is Facing Criminal Charges Following Alleged Incident

    Former WWE star Curtis Axel is facing multiple charges following an alleged drunk-driving incident at a McDonald’s drive-thru in St. Francis, Minnesota on May 17, per a criminal complaint filed in Anoka County.

    Joseph Curtis Hennig was charged after officers from the St. Francis Police Department responded to a property damage crash at the McDonald’s on Saint Francis Boulevard Northwest at approximately 8:47 p.m. Officers arrived to find a truck driven by Hennig slowly navigating the parking lot.

    According to the complaint, an officer detected a strong odor of alcohol and observed bloodshot eyes and slurred speech. When instructed to step out of the vehicle, Hennig allegedly refused. Officers opened the door, turned off the engine, and physically removed him from the truck after continued defiance.

    A McDonald’s employee reported that Hennig had been mumbling in the drive-thru before swearing at staff, backing into another vehicle, and yelling at the female driver of the other car. An inventory search of his vehicle prior to towing reportedly yielded an open 750 mL bottle of Phillips vodka on the front passenger-side floorboard. While seated in a squad car, Hennig allegedly refused chemical testing and responded with profanities and a slur directed at officers.

    Hennig faces the following charges: refusing to submit to a chemical test (gross misdemeanor), operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol (misdemeanor), interfering with a peace officer (misdemeanor), open bottle possession (misdemeanor), and disorderly conduct (misdemeanor). Bail was set at $0 by Judge Karen B. Schommer, with the option of posting $12,000 bail or bond with no conditions, or $0 release with conditions.

    Hennig performed in WWE from 2007 to 2020 under the ring names Curtis Axel and Michael McGillicutty. He is the son of WWE Hall of Famer Curt Hennig and the grandson of wrestling legend Larry “The Axe” Hennig.

  • Logan Paul Undergoes Surgery For Torn Triceps

    Logan Paul Undergoes Surgery For Torn Triceps

    Logan Paul has undergone surgery for his torn triceps and says he plans to return to WWE in a couple of weeks despite doctors projecting a six-month recovery.

    Paul shared the update on Instagram following the injury he suffered at Saturday Night’s Main Event during a successful World Tag Team Championship defense alongside Austin Theory against The Street Profits.

    “Tore my tricep, got surgery while wide awake, told doc I wanna feel it all. Still the Tag Team champ just FYI. They’re telling me 6 month recovery but I don’t believe them, I’ll be back in a couple weeks with some Prime shake. Good news I can still rip packs. Keep that title warm for me.”

    The injury occurred near the end of the SNME match while Paul took a dive from Angelo Dawkins. Michael Cole announced on Raw commentary that Paul would be out of action for months. Bron Breakker has been named as his replacement tag team partner for Austin Theory during his absence, with The Vision retaining the championships.

    Theory responded on Raw by attacking Dawkins and assaulting Joe Hendry, who had been performing a concert in the ring mocking Paul.

    Breakker is only weeks removed from his own injury layoff, having undergone hernia surgery on the road to WrestleMania 42 before returning at the event.

  • Gunther Named An Unexpected WWE Star As The Best Technical Wrestler On The Roster

    Gunther Named An Unexpected WWE Star As The Best Technical Wrestler On The Roster

    Gunther has named Axiom as the best technical wrestler on the WWE main roster and reflected on what it means to be known as “The Career Killer” ahead of his Undisputed Championship match against Cody Rhodes at Clash in Italy.

    Speaking to Netflix Italia, Gunther praised Axiom while acknowledging the NXT tag team star has not had the opportunity to fully showcase his abilities.

    “I don’t think he has the chance to show it a lot at the moment, but I think Axiom actually is the best technical wrestler on the main roster right now. He’s in a tag team, he’s doing different kind of matches right now, but when he gets the chance to show his skills, I think he’s by far the best technical wrestler we have.”

    On being the man who ended the careers of John Cena, Goldberg, and AJ Styles, Gunther described the experience as surreal before snapping back into professional mode.

    “It feels fantastic. You’ve got to put yourself in my shoes, when I was a teenager I played video games with those characters, then I find myself in the last match of those guys like John Cena and Goldberg, AJ I obviously started following later. It’s surreal for a moment, but you kick out of it quickly, you’ve got to be focused in the moment, but it’s great to be the one that can claim I sent them away, it was time to go. I decided when it was time to go.”

    Gunther challenges Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship at Clash in Italy on May 31 at Inalpi Arena in Turin.

  • Rhea Ripley’s iPhone Case Goes For Thousands Of Dollars At Auction

    Rhea Ripley’s iPhone Case Goes For Thousands Of Dollars At Auction

    Rhea Ripley’s iPhone 17 Max Pro case sold for $6,320 at an auction hosted by Ripley and her husband, Buddy Matthews, with the winning bidder identified as emilybec28702.

    The sale comes during one of the busiest stretches of Ripley’s 2026. The reigning WWE Women’s Champion is building toward a title defense against Jade Cargill at Clash in Italy on May 31 in Turin, Italy. The rivalry has played out across multiple SmackDown episodes and a Saturday Night’s Main Event six-woman tag match on last weekend, where Ripley teamed with Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss against Cargill, Michin, and B-Fab.

    On last week’s SmackDown, Ripley and Flair defeated Fatal Influence’s Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley before a post-match brawl erupted in which Cargill attacked Ripley. The month has also seen Ripley regularly backing Flair and Bliss against Fatal Influence as the young faction continued making noise on the blue brand.

    The auction result adds to a recent run of notable wrestling memorabilia going for significant sums. Hulk Hogan’s Royal Rumble 1990 boots sold for $146,803 in May 2026, while his WrestleMania 1 boots crossed $1 million earlier in the year.

  • John Cena Coaches Students At Seth Rollins’ Black And Brave Wrestling Academy

    John Cena Coaches Students At Seth Rollins’ Black And Brave Wrestling Academy

    John Cena spent five hours coaching students at Seth Rollins and Marek Brave’s Black and Brave Wrestling Academy in Davenport, Iowa, then stayed an additional hour for one-on-one time with graduates.

    The academy shared the visit on Instagram.

    “We were honored to welcome the incomparable John Cena to the Black and Brave Wrestling Academy today! John spent 5 hours teaching, coaching, and answering questions and then spent an additional hour giving 1-on-1 time to many of our graduates. We cannot thank him enough for his incredible generosity.”

    Cena retired from in-ring competition in December 2025 following his farewell tour. He most recently appeared at Backlash to announce the John Cena Classic. 

    Cena has expanded his acting and public-facing career by starring alongside Eric André in the comedy film Little Brother, which is slated to begin streaming globally on Netflix in June 2026. Also, Cena has expanded into motivational speaking and personal life coaching, making featured appearances at conventions such as MEGACON Orlando. 

  • Nikki Bella Says Ronda Rousey’s 17-Second MMA Win Left Her Wanting More

    Nikki Bella Says Ronda Rousey’s 17-Second MMA Win Left Her Wanting More

    Nikki Bella says Ronda Rousey’s physique and performance in her 17-second win over Gina Carano left her wanting more from her former WWE rival, despite Rousey announcing her retirement afterward.

    Speaking to USA Today Sports, Bella reflected on the MVP MMA 1 main event.

    “I think, you know, my initial response was like, wait, it’s done. But the one thing I will say is it left me wanting a lot more from Ronda. She looked incredible. I mean, she looked so amazing that I want to see her now on more fights. You know, I’m all about nostalgia. So no matter what it was, I love that those two women got into that octagon and did what they did. But I will say the shape that Ronda Rousey’s in, I mean, she’s a year postpartum. That’s incredible. I want to see more from her. I know, you know, as now she’s saying she’s going to have more babies and that was it. But she, even in those 17 seconds, Ronda looked like she didn’t miss a beat.”

    Bella also praised Logan Paul’s contributions to WWE, referencing his back-and-forth with Tom Brady ahead of WrestleMania 42.

    “I know everyone else got whatever by it, but I like Logan Paul a lot, and I think what he does for our industry is great, and so when I see stuff like that, I’m like, this is great. This is amazing. Like, you know, and it made me laugh because, you know, I am a diehard Eagles fan.”

    Bella has been sidelined since suffering an ankle injury in March. Paige stepped in to replace her in the Women’s Tag Team Title match at WrestleMania 42. She is hopeful to return in June and has expressed interest in appearing at Night of Champions.