SEScoops

Author: Andrew Ravens

  • Nikki Bella’s WWE WrestleMania 42 Status Remains Uncertain

    Nikki Bella’s WWE WrestleMania 42 Status Remains Uncertain

    Nikki Bella’s status for WrestleMania 42 remains too close to call with just days until the show, leaving one of Night One’s championship matches in an uncertain position.

    The WWE Hall of Famer sustained an ankle injury during the March 27 episode of SmackDown while teaming with Brie Bella against Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair. After the match ended, a multi-team brawl broke out, but Nikki was unable to participate, remaining at ringside while medical staff attended to her. She was later spotted wearing a walking boot, adding to the concern about her timeline.

    According to Dave Meltzer in the Daily Update, Nikki’s WrestleMania status is still undecided and has been described as “too close to call,” suggesting WWE may not know until the last moment whether she receives medical clearance to compete. WWE has provided updates on both Raw and SmackDown noting that she has been rehabbing and working toward clearance, though no official confirmation has been given.

    Nikki is scheduled to team with Brie in the Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal Four-Way on Night One of WrestleMania 42 on April 18, which also features Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria, and champions Nia Jax and Lash Legend. Her absence would force WWE to make significant adjustments to one of the night’s championship matches with very little lead time.

    The uncertainty carries added weight given the broader context of the Bella Twins’ current run. The pair revealed earlier this year that they signed two-year contracts they intend to be their final WWE deals before retirement, and winning the Women’s Tag Team Championship has been identified as the primary goal of that last chapter. Nikki has described the possibility of winning the titles as mothers as one of the most meaningful things they could accomplish together.

    WWE has not announced any contingency plans if Nikki is unable to compete. The final decision rests entirely with the medical team and how her ankle responds in the days ahead.

  • Shawn Michaels’ Real Goal With WWE NXT Has Nothing To Do With Wrestling Ability

    Shawn Michaels’ Real Goal With WWE NXT Has Nothing To Do With Wrestling Ability

    Shawn Michaels has a simple philosophy driving his work at the WWE Performance Center, and it has very little to do with what happens inside the ring. Speaking with Big Gold Belt Media, the NXT head of creative explained that his primary goal when working with talent is not to produce the best wrestlers in the world but to develop good people first.

    “You’re not trying to make people into the best pro wrestlers in the world. You’re making them into good people,” Michaels said.

    Much of his day-to-day work, he explained, centers on the personal challenges that come with being young, uprooted, and under pressure in an unfamiliar environment. The NXT roster is full of people navigating far more than what appears on screen each week.

    “A lot of these people are very young. They’re moving from home, making a new life. It’s more about just trying to help them navigate those struggles,” Michaels said.

    He pointed to Drew McIntyre and Cody Rhodes as examples he uses to illustrate that career paths in wrestling are rarely straight lines, and that leaving the company does not mean a story is over. “Not everybody has the road I had, which is in the WWE from the time you’re 23 and growing up in there. You may have to go away, but that doesn’t mean it’s over. There’s a lot of different ways to get to the same destination,” Michaels said.

    The WWE Hall of Famer also addressed how his Christian faith factors into his leadership style, making clear that he leads by example rather than by preaching.

    “I simply try to live it and not talk about it that much,” he said. He was equally clear about the limits of his role. “Not focusing on their salvation. I’m not the one that’s going to save them. Jesus is the salvation, not Shawn Michaels. I can barely save myself from stumbling over myself.”

    His goal for NXT as a workplace is straightforward. “If they struggle in areas of their life, I want them, if they’re comfortable, to be able to allow me to help them with it. Or if I can’t help them, get them to people who can, who are far more skilled than I am at it.”

  • Shawn Michaels Says New Documentary Is About Redemption, Not Wrestling

    Shawn Michaels Says New Documentary Is About Redemption, Not Wrestling

    Shawn Michaels says his new Peacock documentary is not the career retrospective fans might expect, and that was entirely intentional.

    Speaking with Big Gold Belt Media ahead of the premiere, Michaels explained that “The Heartbreak Kid: Becoming Shawn Michaels” deliberately pushes past the highlight reel and into the personal chapters of his life that have rarely been examined in depth.

    “A lot of this was really less about the wrestling career. It was the personal life, the salvation, being able to come back and ask these guys you’re sorry and ask for forgiveness, and having them be gracious enough to give that to you, and to be able to rebuild and reconcile those relationships,” Michaels said. “As mushy as it might sound, it’s more about that than it was the actual wrestling career, because we do feel like that has been covered. The guy that was the showstopper and the performer, yeah, that’s been well documented.”

    Michaels admitted he went into the project with some uncertainty about how it would differentiate itself from previous work about his life and career.

    “I never like to be dismissive of my story by any stretch, but felt like, ‘Oh well, we’ve kind of told it before. How will this one be different?’” he said.

    The answer came in the film’s focus on his current role in WWE and his work in NXT rather than a straightforward career retrospective. Michaels said he made a point of staying out of the filmmakers’ way during production, trusting people who know the craft better than he does.

    “I’m very hands-off. There’s people that know more about this and are better at these kinds of jobs than I am,” he said.

    He also noted that the finished product contained footage he had never seen himself. “Stuff that I’ve never seen before. I’ve got to be more careful when cameras are around,” he joked.

    When asked whether his controversial 2018 return match at Crown Jewel was considered for inclusion in the documentary, Michaels kept his answer brief. “No, not that I’m aware of. No.”

    The documentary features commentary from Triple H, The Undertaker, Kevin Nash, and Bret Hart. “The Heartbreak Kid: Becoming Shawn Michaels” premieres Monday, April 13 on Peacock.

  • Wrestler Makes Return at AEW Dynasty

    Wrestler Makes Return at AEW Dynasty

    Kamille has returned to AEW, and she made her presence felt immediately.

    On AEW Dynasty on Sunday, Kamille answered Willow Nightingale’s open challenge for the AEW TBS Championship in the most direct way possible, attacking the champion backstage and throwing her into a garage door before delivering a three-word statement that left no ambiguity about her intentions.

    “I’m back, baby.”

    The setup had been laid on AEW Collision, where Nightingale issued an open challenge to anyone sitting at home to step up and come for her title. Kamille was the answer.

    The former NWA Women’s Champion had been off AEW television since November 2024, when she was seen laid out backstage in the aftermath of her split from Mercedes Mone. The months away built anticipation for what her next move would be, and her Dynasty return positions her immediately as a top challenger in the women’s division.

    Kamille also has a high-profile project outside of wrestling on the horizon, with the former powerlifter set to be featured in the upcoming American Gladiators reboot.

  • Spoiler on Return of AEW Star for Dynasty

    Spoiler on Return of AEW Star for Dynasty

    Kyle O’Reilly appears set to make his return to AEW television tonight, and the timing could not be more significant.

    Sources indicated to Bodyslam and Cassidy Haynes that O’Reilly is set to be revealed as the mystery partner for Orange Cassidy and Roderick Strong at AEW Dynasty, where the trio will challenge The Dogs for the AEW World Trios Championship. O’Reilly has been absent from AEW programming since December, making his return a notable moment for the promotion heading into one of its bigger pay-per-view events of the year.

    The setup was established on last night’s episode of AEW Collision, where Cassidy and Strong challenged The Dogs to a Trios Championship match at Dynasty while teasing that a mystery partner would complete their team.

    O’Reilly has a well-established history with both Cassidy and Strong through their years together in Ring of Honor and across the independent circuit, making him a natural fit as the third member of the group.

    AEW Dynasty takes place tonight. Check out the card here.

  • WWE WrestleMania 42 Betting Odds: Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan, and Jacob Fatu Heavy Favorites

    WWE WrestleMania 42 Betting Odds: Rhea Ripley, Liv Morgan, and Jacob Fatu Heavy Favorites

    Betting odds for WWE WrestleMania 42 have been released by BetOnline.ag ahead of the two-night event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 18 and 19.

    Several matches stand out from an odds perspective. Liv Morgan is the heaviest favorite on the card at -450 to win the Women’s World Championship from Stephanie Vaquer, suggesting oddsmakers are confident she will capture the title. Rhea Ripley is also a strong -350 favorite to dethrone Jade Cargill for the WWE Women’s Championship, making night one’s women’s title matches both expected to see championship changes.

    On the men’s side, Randy Orton is favored at -275 to defeat Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship in the night one main event, while Roman Reigns comes in at -250 to defeat CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship in the night two main event.

    The Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match is the most evenly contested bout on the card, with Je’Von Evans listed as a razor-thin favorite at +100, just ahead of champion Penta at +105.  Jacob Fatu is the single heaviest favorite on the entire card at -650 against Drew McIntyre, while Trick Williams comes in at -475 to defeat Sami Zayn for the United States Championship. 

    The six-man tag team matches pitting The Vision and IShowSpeed against The Usos, and LA Knight has the second-largest gap on the card, with The Usos and Knight listed at -900. The full odds are as follows:

    WWE Women’s Championship

    • Rhea Ripley: -350 (favorite)
    • Jade Cargill (c): +225

    WWE Women’s World Championship

    • Liv Morgan: -450 (favorite)
    • Stephanie Vaquer (c): +275

    World Heavyweight Championship

    • Roman Reigns: -250 (favorite)
    • CM Punk (c): +170

    Undisputed WWE Championship

    • Randy Orton: -275 (favorite)
    • Cody Rhodes (c): +185

    Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match

    • Je’Von Evans: +100 (slight favorite)
    • Penta (c): +105
    • Rey Mysterio: +300
    • Dragon Lee: +2000
    • JD McDonagh: +2200
    • Rusev: +3300

    Women’s Tag Team Championship

    • Bayley and Lyra Valkyria: -200 (favorite)
    • The Bella Twins: +150
    • The Irresistible Forces (c): +350
    • Alexa Bliss and Charlotte Flair: +800

    Women’s Intercontinental Championship

    • Becky Lynch: -450 (favorite)
    • AJ Lee (c): +275

    Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar

    • Oba Femi: -300 (favorite)
    • Brock Lesnar: +200

    Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre

    • Jacob Fatu: -650 (heavy favorite)
    • Drew McIntyre: +375

    NXT Championship

    • Trick Williams: -475 (favorite)
    • Sami Zayn (c): +300

    Seth Rollins vs. Gunther

    • Gunther: -550 (favorite)
    • Seth Rollins: +325

    Finn Balor vs. Dominik Mysterio

    • Finn Balor: -550 (favorite)
    • Dominik Mysterio: +325

    Six-Man Tag Team Match

    • The Usos and LA Knight: -900 (heavy favorite)
    • The Vision and IShowSpeed: +500
  • Santino Marella Undergoes Surgery

    Santino Marella Undergoes Surgery

    Santino Marella has announced that he successfully underwent surgery for sleep apnea, a condition he says has affected him for approximately 30 years.

    The TNA Director of Authority shared the news on Instagram, expressing optimism about the long-term benefits while being candid about the immediate discomfort of recovery.

    “Sleep apnoea surgery was a success. In a couple weeks I’ll be sleeping properly for the first time in about 30 years,” Marella wrote. “Better recovery, better blood oxygen levels, less brain fog, more energy, less inflammation, and lower cortisol levels to start.”

    He acknowledged the procedure has been rough in the short term while remaining upbeat about what lies ahead. “I feel like it’s gonna be a new lease on life. Sucks pretty bad at the moment not gonna lie, but in a few days, I should begin to see the benefits.”

    Sleep apnea causes repeated breathing interruptions during sleep, resulting in reduced oxygen levels and consistently poor rest quality. The timing means Marella will miss TNA Rebellion on Saturday in Cleveland. We wish him a speedy recovery.

  • Cody Rhodes Reacts To WrestleMania 42 Chaos: ‘A Normal WrestleMania For Us’

    Cody Rhodes Reacts To WrestleMania 42 Chaos: ‘A Normal WrestleMania For Us’

    Cody Rhodes is not rattled by the chaos that has overtaken his WrestleMania 42 build, and he made that clear on social media after the latest SmackDown escalation.

    What began as a straightforward legacy match between Rhodes and Randy Orton has evolved into something considerably more complicated. Pat McAfee was inserted into the storyline as Orton’s ally, with music star Jelly Roll stepping up on Rhodes’ side to even the odds. Friday’s episode of SmackDown added another layer when Rhodes and Jelly Roll were attacked by McAfee and Orton in a post-match assault that left both men laid out.

    After a fan reacted to the segment online, Rhodes responded on X with a message that made his mindset clear.

    “We are gonna stand in the pocket, stare down every foolish obstacle, and throw! A normal WrestleMania for us.”

    The comment lands differently when you consider Rhodes’ recent history. His road to WrestleMania has rarely been straightforward, with unexpected complications and last-minute changes becoming a recurring theme in his title defenses. From Roman Reigns to The Rock’s involvement to constant faction interference, chaos has followed Rhodes to WrestleMania more often than not.

    This year is no different. Rhodes defends the Undisputed WWE Championship against Orton in the expected Night One main event of WrestleMania 42 on April 18 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

  • Matt Cardona Addresses 0-5 WWE Record, Says He Wasn’t Booked for SmackDown

    Matt Cardona Addresses 0-5 WWE Record, Says He Wasn’t Booked for SmackDown

    Matt Cardona is well aware of his losing record since returning to WWE, and he addressed it directly on social media following his SmackDown loss to Trick Williams on Friday.

    Cardona was not originally scheduled to compete on the show. He revealed on social media that he had come to the taping to film a commercial and was considering heading home early before plans changed and he was given a match against the United States Champion.

    “I wasn’t originally booked to wrestle yesterday on SmackDown. I was just going to film a commercial and maybe even fly home early. I still showed up in shape, tan, and ready to go. Guess what happened? Things changed and I got a match. I was… wait for it… Alwayz Ready. In my mind, that’s how it’s supposed to be. If you want opportunities, show up prepared… no matter what,” Cardona wrote.

    He then turned his attention to his win-loss record, acknowledging the numbers while putting them in the context of his broader career history.

    “I didn’t get the win against Trick Williams. And yes, I’ve lost more matches than I’ve won since I returned to WWE. But check my win/loss record over my 20 plus years in this business… even the past 5 years that I spent on the indies. I lose… A LOT! But when I win, I win BIG!” he wrote.

    He closed with a three-word declaration. “I’M… NOT… FINISHED!”

    Cardona has not picked up a win on WWE television since his return match on January 2, when he defeated Kit Wilson. He has gone 0-5 in singles matches since that night, with the losses coming against Randy Orton and Williams among others. The Randy Orton attack in particular became an on-air moment as part of the WrestleMania 42 build.

  • WWE WrestleMania 42 Ticket Sales Continue To Lag Behind Last Year

    WWE WrestleMania 42 Ticket Sales Continue To Lag Behind Last Year

    WrestleMania 42 is tracking nearly 20 percent behind last year’s ticket sales pace with nine days remaining until the two-night event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

    According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Night One on April 18 has sold 39,345 tickets while Night Two on April 19 sits at 41,317. Combined, the event is running 19.1 percent behind where it was at the same point last year.

    Dave Meltzer noted that with Allegiant Stadium currently configured for roughly 60,000 seats per night, there is no chance of a true sellout for either night, though WWE could paper the crowd to fill the remaining seats ahead of the show.

    The secondary market tells an interesting story about how fans are valuing each night. Entry-level resale tickets for Night One are listed at around $199, up 31.8 percent from last year despite the slower overall demand. Night Two, which features CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns in the main event and is widely considered the stronger of the two cards, is going for approximately $189 on the resale market, down 19.2 percent from last year.

    The slower sales pace has been a topic of discussion for months. WWE quietly reduced the floor price on tickets for both nights earlier this year after demand fell short of expectations, and the company has also faced criticism over premium fan experience packages ranging from a $9,950 Cody Rhodes bus tour to Elite packages priced as high as $37,500.

    WWE has not announced any changes to the card or promotional strategy in response to the current sales trajectory. WrestleMania 42 takes place April 18-19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

  • Return Of Former World Champion Confirmed For TNA Rebellion

    Return Of Former World Champion Confirmed For TNA Rebellion

    EC3’s return to TNA Wrestling is no longer a tease — it is confirmed.

    After the promotion posted a cryptic teaser video on Friday featuring merchandise and ring gear associated with the former two-time TNA World Champion, TNA officially confirmed on Saturday morning that EC3 will be in the building at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio for tonight’s Rebellion pay-per-view.

    “Ladies and gentlemen, two-time TNA World Champion EC3 RETURNS to TNA TONIGHT at TNA Rebellion LIVE on PPV and TNA+ from the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio!” the promotion wrote on social media.

    EC3 announced his departure from the National Wrestling Alliance in January after a four-year run that included a reign as NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion from August 2023 to August 2024.

    His exit from NWA opened the door to his return to TNA, the promotion where he made his name as a two-time world champion before receiving the pink slip in the 2018 Feast or Fired match. He subsequently signed with WWE and was released in 2020 before eventually landing in NWA.

    The full Rebellion card for tonight features Mike Santana defending the TNA World Championship against Eddie Edwards, Trey Miguel defending the TNA International Championship against Mustafa Ali, Leon Slater defending the TNA X Division Championship against Cedric Alexander, the Hardys defending the TNA World Tag Team Championships against The System’s Bear Bronson and Brian Myers, Arianna Grace defending the TNA Knockouts Championship against Lei Ying Lee, Nic Nemeth facing A.J. Francis with Bernie Kosar in his corner, Frankie Kazarian vs. Elijah, Moose vs. Special Agent 0, the Hardcore Country match between The Elegance Brand and ODB, Mickie James, and Taryn Terrell, and now the confirmed return of EC3.

    TNA Rebellion takes place tonight live from the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio.

  • AEW Star’s Contract Set To Expire In July

    AEW Star’s Contract Set To Expire In July

    Lance Archer’s time in AEW may be coming to an end, with a new report revealing his contract is set to expire this summer.

    Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Archer’s deal with the promotion runs out in July 2026. “Lance Archer’s contract expires in July,” Meltzer wrote.

    Archer has been with AEW since 2020 and has most recently been working as part of the Don Callis Family alongside the likes of Konosuke Takeshita, filling the role of enforcer-type presence within the group.

    Before his AEW run, Archer built much of his reputation in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, where he captured the IWGP United States Championship and the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championships. His tag team partnership with Davey Boy Smith Jr. as the Killer Elite Squad stands as one of the more successful runs of his career.

    Prior to NJPW, Archer spent several years in TNA from 2004 to 2009, teaming with Jimmy Rave as part of The Rock ‘n’ Rave Infection. He briefly signed with WWE from 2009 to 2010 under the name Vance Archer before departing the company and eventually building his legacy on the international circuit.

    With July approaching, the coming months will determine whether AEW moves to re-sign him or whether Archer explores opportunities elsewhere. His track record across multiple promotions and his championship history in NJPW make him a name that could draw interest if he becomes available on the open market.

  • WWE Discussing Main Roster Call-Ups For Several NXT Stars

    WWE Discussing Main Roster Call-Ups For Several NXT Stars

    WWE is actively discussing main roster call-ups for several NXT talents following WrestleMania 42, with four names currently at the forefront of those conversations.

    Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that Ethan Page, Ricky Saints, Blake Monroe, and Jacy Jayne are among the names being heavily considered for promotion to Raw or SmackDown.

    The discussions come with an important caveat. Lola Vice and Tony D’Angelo winning championships at NXT Revenge has reportedly removed both from call-up consideration for now. Vice captured the NXT Women’s Championship while D’Angelo won the NXT Championship at the event, and title reigns typically signal that WWE intends to keep those performers in NXT for the foreseeable future.

    Of the four names in consideration, Jayne has main roster experience, having previously competed on SmackDown as part of Toxic Attraction before returning to NXT. Page has been one of NXT’s most established presences since arriving in the brand. Saints and Monroe represent newer talent being developed with a potential main roster future in mind.

    Call-ups would likely occur with the post-WrestleMania roster shakeup, which typically takes effect in the weeks following WrestleMania as WWE reconfigures its programming heading into the spring and summer calendar. They would also start the build for the next PLE, Backlash, on May 9th in Tampa. 

    WrestleMania 42 takes place April 18-19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

  • TNA Teases Former World Champion’s Return For Rebellion

    TNA Teases Former World Champion’s Return For Rebellion

    TNA Wrestling is teasing the return of a familiar face ahead of Rebellion this Saturday.

    The promotion posted a teaser video on Friday featuring merchandise and ring gear associated with EC3, with the caption reading: “BREAKING: You CAN’T MISS TNA Rebellion THIS SATURDAY LIVE on PPV and TNA+! Get tickets now and join us at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio.”

    EC3 announced in January that he was departing the NWA after four years with the promotion, where he held the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship from August 27, 2023 to August 31, 2024. His exit from NWA opened the door to speculation about his next move, and TNA’s teaser suggests the answer could come as soon as this weekend.

    EC3 is a two-time TNA World Champion and a familiar name to the promotion’s fanbase. He left TNA in 2018 after drawing the pink slip in the Feast or Fired match, went on to sign with WWE, and was released from that deal in 2020 before eventually landing in NWA.

    TNA Rebellion takes place Saturday, April 11 at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio. The card features Mike Santana defending the TNA World Championship against Eddie Edwards in the expected main event, Trey Miguel defending the TNA International Championship against Mustafa Ali, Leon Slater defending the TNA X Division Championship against Cedric Alexander, the Hardys defending the TNA World Tag Team Championships against The System’s Bear Bronson and Brian Myers, Arianna Grace defending the TNA Knockouts Championship against Lei Ying Lee, Nic Nemeth facing A.J. Francis with Bernie Kosar in his corner, Frankie Kazarian vs. Elijah, Moose vs. Special Agent 0, and a Hardcore Country match pitting The Elegance Brand against ODB, Mickie James, and Taryn Terrell.

  • Austin Theory Addresses Hernia Crisis and Contract Uncertainty That Derailed His 2025

    Austin Theory Addresses Hernia Crisis and Contract Uncertainty That Derailed His 2025

    Austin Theory has revealed the medical issue that kept him out of WWE for several months, and the details paint a picture far more serious than fans realized at the time.

    Speaking on The Mark Hoke Show Pro Wrestling Show, the WWE World Tag Team Champion explained that he had been wrestling with a hernia for an extended period and had to manually reposition it after matches to continue competing. The situation reached a breaking point following a Main Event taping in July 2025 when the hernia would not go back in, forcing him to go straight to the emergency room still in his ring gear.

    “I was actually wrestling with a hernia for a very long time, and as gross as it is, I was having to pop it back in after certain matches,” Theory said. “I had a match on Main Event, and it would not go back in. So that night, I went to the emergency room, and it blew my mind because I was like, wow, I just had my gear on, and I went out there and I wrestled and now I’m in the E.R.”

    The injury alone would have been enough to deal with, but Theory revealed that his WWE contract was also coming up for renewal at the same time, piling uncertainty on top of a medical crisis and creating what he described as one of the lowest points of his career.

    “My contract was actually coming up so, a lot of things were hitting me personally and that’s kind of one of those things, that’s a low point in your life where you get really rocked,” Theory said. “Those points, you either stay down or you pick yourself up and you become a version of yourself that’s always been in you but it takes you to that next level.”

  • Liv Morgan Says Finally Winning The Royal Rumble Felt Like Vindication

    Liv Morgan Says Finally Winning The Royal Rumble Felt Like Vindication

    Liv Morgan has competed in every Women’s Royal Rumble since the match debuted in 2018, and she says winning it this year carried a weight that no previous Rumble appearance could match.

    Speaking with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, Morgan reflected on what the victory meant after years of close calls and every imaginable entry position in the match. She and Natalya are the only women who can say they have been in every Women’s Rumble since its inception.

    Morgan said she has been in every possible spot in that match at one point or another.

    “I’ve been in every single Royal Rumble since we started doing these in 2018,” she said. “I’ve had every position in that match. I’ve come out first, I’ve come out last, I’ve had the fastest elimination time, I’ve had the shortest elimination. And to finally be the bride and not the bridesmaid this year, and not only that, but to solidify myself a WrestleMania spot where I was able to pick a champion of my choosing, none of that is lost on me.”

    She described the emotion of the win hitting her the moment she walked back up the ramp, calling it one of the proudest moments of her career.

    “Nothing’s promised in this business,” she said. “Those moments where you’re quite literally not only living your dream, but you’re accomplishing and succeeding at such a high level, it just makes me emotional because I’m just so proud. I have pinch-me moments every single day.”

    “To win the Royal Rumble with a roster so stacked of incredible, talented women, and for it to be me, and to go on to WrestleMania, it was just amazing, incredible. I was just really proud and happy, and I just felt vindicated.”

    WrestleMania 42 will mark Morgan’s eighth consecutive appearance at the Show of Shows. She chose Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer as her opponent after winning the Rumble and has been deliberate about staying present rather than letting the pressure of the moment get ahead of her in the weeks since.

    “Since I’ve come back from my injury, I’m very much just trying to stay in the moment and be present,” she said. “WrestleMania is heavy on my mind, but I’m not feeling anxiety or pressure yet. I’m just taking everything day by day.”

  • Liv Morgan Reveals Shoulder Injury Broke Her Mentally in a Way Nothing Else Ever Had

    Liv Morgan Reveals Shoulder Injury Broke Her Mentally in a Way Nothing Else Ever Had

    Liv Morgan’s shoulder injury did not just sideline her physically. It broke the mental framework she had relied on her entire career with WWE. 

    Speaking with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, Morgan opened up about the psychological toll of the injury in more depth than she has previously, describing a period of genuine loss that went beyond the physical setback and left her without the coping mechanism she had always fallen back on.

    “I always knew I was going to come back,” she said. “I just didn’t want the time off. Especially when I had to miss Evolution, I had to miss SummerSlam in my hometown. I knew I was going to be out for at least six months. I didn’t know what I was going to come back to, so it was just all sad for me. I was really firing on all cylinders at that point in time, so for it all to be taken away, it was just hard. It was a hard pill to swallow. I was just sat at home for a very, very long time.”

    Morgan describes herself as someone who normally defaults to optimism, framing setbacks as part of a larger plan. That approach completely failed her this time.

    “I’m a very ‘everything happens for a reason’ person, even if it’s terrible,” she said. “I can be delusional and be like, no, it’s for my greater good somewhere along the way. But I didn’t feel like that about my injury. Not having faith in something had me lost for a little bit.”

    The moment she started to climb out of that headspace came through a single line from Raquel Rodriguez.

    “Raquel said something so simple. She said, ‘Well, sister, when you feel like you have no faith is when you’re supposed to have the most.’ And I was just like, huh,” Morgan recalled. “That was the catalyst that enabled me to change my mindset. I just thought, yeah, I should have the most faith right now while I’m feeling like I have zero. And then I was able to take myself out of the slump, or start to at least.”

    Morgan also described the moment the shoulder gave way, saying she recognized it immediately from a previous similar injury. Her instinct to brace herself during the fall made things worse, and she knew as soon as it happened.

    “As soon as it happened, I knew, because you can’t feel anything,” she said. “It’s such an intense pain, and then it just goes away, and then you can’t feel anything because your shoulder is just not connected. I rolled out of the ring. I tried to pop it back in. Medical came and tried to pop it back in. I can’t continue, I can’t do anything else. I had to throw in the towel, which I hated.”

    Morgan beat her recovery timeline, returned earlier than expected, won the Women’s Royal Rumble, and earned a WrestleMania 42 title match against Women’s World Champion Stephanie Vaquer.

  • Opening Matches for WWE WrestleMania 42 Revealed

    Opening Matches for WWE WrestleMania 42 Revealed

    The match order for WrestleMania 42 is starting to come together, with the opening bouts for both nights now taking shape according to a new report.

    Per WrestleVotes Radio, current plans call for the six-man tag team match pitting Logan Paul, Austin Theory, and IShowSpeed against The Usos and LA Knight to open Night One on Saturday, April 18. On Night Two, Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar is planned as the opener on Sunday, April 19. Both designations remain subject to change.

    WrestleVotes also reports that ESPN pushed for Lesnar to be included in the package of matches featured on traditional ESPN platforms, a request WWE was happy to accommodate. The first hour of each night airs on linear ESPN, making the opener for both nights a significant piece of the broadcast strategy.

    WrestleMania 42 marks the second time in the event’s 42-year history that it has been held at the same venue in consecutive years, following WrestleMania 41 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas last April. John Cena is serving as host for both nights, and the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony takes place on Friday, April 17.

    Night One on Saturday, April 18 features Cody Rhodes defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton with Pat McAfee in his corner, Jade Cargill defending the WWE Women’s Championship against Rhea Ripley, Seth Rollins vs. GUNTHER, the Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal Four-Way between champions Nia Jax and Lash Legend, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria, and the Bella Twins, Jacob Fatu vs. Drew McIntyre, and the six-man tag team match.

    Night Two on Sunday, April 19 features CM Punk defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns, Stephanie Vaquer defending the Women’s World Championship against Liv Morgan, AJ Lee defending the Women’s Intercontinental Championship against Becky Lynch, Sami Zayn defending the United States Championship against Trick Williams, Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar, and the Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match featuring Penta defending against Je’Von Evans, Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh, Rusev, and Rey Mysterio.

    WrestleMania 42 takes place April 18-19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

  • Liv Morgan Says Revenge Tour Changed Everything for Her Career

    Liv Morgan Says Revenge Tour Changed Everything for Her Career

    Liv Morgan says one specific storyline changed everything about how she understands professional wrestling, and she has been drawing on it ever since.

    Speaking with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, Morgan pointed to the Liv Morgan Revenge Tour as the creative turning point that unlocked a version of herself she had not previously accessed, and said the clarity it brought has shaped everything she has done since.

    “Ever since the Liv Morgan Revenge Tour, I feel like I’ve just been able to tap into something else,” she said. “I think I just really needed something to sink my teeth into, and that was it for me. And then I feel like I just understood everything better after that.”

    That momentum carried directly into her on-screen partnership with Dominik Mysterio, which Morgan says developed naturally from chemistry rather than a creative blueprint. She credits the pairing with reviving the concept of couples-based storylines across the roster and describes it as a dynamic the audience had not seen in WWE in some time.

    “I think ultimately we just understand the assignment,” she said. “The fans love to hate us or they hate to love us, and it’s such an intriguing, complex, messy, wholesome love story that we haven’t seen for a while. We’ve resurged couples in WWE. What couples were even couples before us? And now you’ve got like everybody. I feel like we kind of started that whole thing. And honestly it was just so funny in the beginning, and it just morphed into this.”

    The same mentality showed up in her tag team work with Raquel Rodriguez. The two became four-time WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, a record, and Morgan said the dynamic worked because she was willing to absorb punishment in service of making the team effective.

    “I’ve always been down to, if it’s going to hurt you, I’m okay with hurting me,” she said. “I have this strong, powerful six-foot woman that can just throw me across the ring. We kind of just were like, this is fun and no one is doing this. So we took that and ran with it. You can use me as a battering ram or a cannonball or whatever it is to hurt our opponents.”

    Morgan is now heading into WrestleMania 42 to challenge Stephanie Vaquer for the Women’s World Championship, which she has described as the next chapter built on everything the Revenge Tour first set in motion.

  • Liv Morgan Reveals She Throws Up Before Most of Her Matches

    Liv Morgan Reveals She Throws Up Before Most of Her Matches

    Liv Morgan throws up before most of her matches, and she has made peace with it.

    In a new interview with Chris Van Vliet on Insight, Morgan was open about a pre-match ritual she has never shaken, describing it not as a problem to solve but as a reflection of how much she cares about her performance.

    “If you found me right before my match? Throwing up in a garbage can,” she said. “For real. Yeah, every match. Maybe four out of seven times I’ll be dry heaving or spinning or puking. It’s just anxiety. I think I have performance anxiety and nerves, but I know it’s coming from a place of love and care and wanting to do a great job. It’s not detrimental to me. I think I just care a lot.”

    That mindset has taken on new meaning since she returned from her shoulder injury, which she said deepened her appreciation for a career she already valued. She described post-injury life as a daily reminder of how fortunate she is, including moments that still feel surreal despite a decade in WWE.

    “I’m just so grateful,” she said. “I feel blessed. I feel lucky. I feel like I’m living the life of my dreams. Especially more so now coming out of my injury. I’m just so lucky. It almost makes me emotional because I’m grateful and happy and I feel like I don’t know what I did to earn this, but I will take it nonetheless.”

    When asked what she is most thankful for, Morgan’s answer circled back to WWE as the source of most of what matters to her.

    “I’m thankful for my family. I’m thankful for my health. And I’m thankful for my job, and that entails everything,” she said. “The life that it gives me, the life I’m able to give my family. All my friends at work are like my best friends and I’ll be friends with them until the end of time. WWE has given me everything good in my life. I’m just eternally grateful.”

    Morgan carries that mindset into WrestleMania 42, where she will challenge Stephanie Vaquer for the Women’s World Championship.

  • Jim Ross Confirms AEW Dynasty Status

    Jim Ross Confirms AEW Dynasty Status

    Jim Ross will not be calling AEW Dynasty on April 12 in Vancouver, but the WWE Hall of Fame commentator says he is feeling better than he has in a long time and expects to return to his regular schedule next month.

    Ross addressed his status during the April 9 episode of Grilling JR, offering the most detailed update yet on where things stand following a frightening fall at home that left him on the floor for hours and kept him away from recent AEW programming.

    “Probably next month, because I don’t think I’m gonna go to Vancouver. It’s a hard trip. That’s the only thing I have issues with in my life is traveling,” Ross said.

    The 74-year-old cited the physical demands of long-distance travel as the main reason for sitting out the upcoming pay-per-view rather than any ongoing health concerns. He was honest about what makes the journey difficult while making clear his overall condition has improved significantly.

    “Ramping and my legs hurt and all that shit. I’m up for anything, but flying that far is daunting, shall we say. But I feel good, I feel really good. I feel better than I’ve felt in a long time. I should be back to a normal schedule sooner than later,” Ross said.

    The fall Ross suffered at home had raised concern among fans, given the severity of the incident and his age. The good sign is that his comments suggest the recovery has gone well and that his absence from Dynasty is a matter of caution rather than a sign of a longer-term issue.

  • Tony Khan Confirms WWE Bid, Hints Process Wasn’t Fair

    Tony Khan Confirms WWE Bid, Hints Process Wasn’t Fair

    Tony Khan has publicly confirmed for the first time that he submitted a bid to purchase WWE during the 2023 sale process, and has strongly implied that the competition was not conducted on a level playing field. Khan addressed the topic during an interview on The Coach and Bro Show with Jonathan Coachman and Vince Russo.

    “I was very interested in the process, and I think that if there was going to be a sale, I would at least want to have a chance to be involved,” Khan said. “If it had gone for any less than that, I would have really kicked myself.”

    When pressed on whether the bidding represented a legitimate open competition, Khan stopped short of a direct accusation.

    “While respecting the confidentiality of that, I would say I don’t have any complaints about that process from my side right now that I’d want to talk about,” he said. “I do think there was some stuff to that… at the time that seemed like to me — just reiterating — if it had gone for any less I would have really beat myself up. Like, why wouldn’t you put in a bid? I thought that was a very reasonable number that I put in.”

    Court documents previously revealed that Khan’s bid through his company Base 10 came in at approximately $6.9 billion, the lowest of four formal offers submitted during the process. KKR and Liberty Media both submitted higher all-cash bids.

    Endeavor ultimately won through an all-stock deal that created TKO Group Holdings and preserved Vince McMahon’s position as executive chairman.

    An ongoing WWE shareholder lawsuit alleges the sale was engineered to ensure that outcome, with plaintiffs arguing that competing bids were not allowed to fully develop into a genuine competition. Khan framed the years since the bid as a deliberate decision to focus inward on the wrestling product rather than engage publicly in any broader conflict with WWE.

    “I’ve tried to focus on the wrestling show,” he said. “And those have been really good years for AEW.”

  • Tony Khan Calls 2022 Punk Incident His ‘Welcome to Wrestling’ Moment

    Tony Khan Calls 2022 Punk Incident His ‘Welcome to Wrestling’ Moment

    Tony Khan has addressed the fallout from the August 2022 CM Punk press conference, describing it as a defining and unexpected moment. He has since used the experience as an education rather than a source of ongoing bitterness.

    Khan addressed the topic during an interview on The Coach and Bro Show with Jonathan Coachman and Vince Russo.

    “I came out of that wanting AEW to succeed and for AEW to continue more than anything,” Khan said. “In a perfect world, I wanted everybody to be able to get together and work together. I don’t think that was possible. But I think we’ve been able in the past few years to really keep AEW strong. To me, that was the most important thing.”

    Khan acknowledged that he was not prepared for what unfolded and framed the experience as a crash course in the realities of the wrestling business.

    “I probably would do things differently, say things differently, but it wasn’t something I was expecting,” he said. “That was very much a ‘welcome to wrestling’ moment in some aspects, because that was — for me, I’d been in wrestling for almost four years at that point, but that was certainly a first for me, and as with all firsts, you’re going to learn from them, and hope not to ever have a repeat.”

    Vince Russo, who watched the infamous post-All Out press conference unfold in real time, told Khan he felt bad for him in the moment. He described him as someone who clearly did not see the situation coming. Khan did not push back on that characterization.

  • Tony Khan Confirms Chris Jericho Was Free Agent Before AEW Return

    Tony Khan Confirms Chris Jericho Was Free Agent Before AEW Return

    Tony Khan has confirmed for the first time that Chris Jericho was operating as a free agent heading into his return to AEW, revealing that the veteran had a choice about where to go and chose to stay with the promotion. Khan addressed the topic during an interview on The Coach and Bro Show.

    “He always will be part of AEW. I can’t say with any certainty — I do know Chris had a choice, and he wanted to be in AEW,” Khan said. “He definitely told me he wanted to be at AEW, and very specifically in Winnipeg on that date.”

    Khan said the Winnipeg date had been a target well before it was publicly known, with plans circling around it going back to the prior year.

    “We’ve had that circled for a long time going back to last year,” he said. “It was a choice that Chris made that he’d rather be in AEW than wrestling anywhere else. He was a free agent there.”

    A Fightful Select report earlier this year suggested Jericho’s deal had been frozen during his hiatus, with the belief that he remained under contract while inactive. Khan’s comments now indicate that, prior to his return, Jericho had no binding deal in place and could’ve discussed a potential return with WWE.

    Khan declined to confirm or deny whether WWE had any contact with Jericho during that window, leaving the question open when hosts pressed him. He also refused to address Jericho’s contract status in a January 2026 media scrum.

  • Tony Khan Details Shane McMahon Meeting, Questions Photo Leak

    Tony Khan Details Shane McMahon Meeting, Questions Photo Leak

    Tony Khan has publicly confirmed that he met with Shane McMahon for several hours at a Dallas airport and has raised questions about how a photo from that meeting ended up circulating publicly. Khan addressed the meeting during an interview on The Coach and Bro Show, taped the night before tonight’s AEW Dynamite. 

    “I had one really pleasant conversation with Shane,” Khan said. “Shane reached out to me and said, ‘I’d love to get together.’ I was going to be in Dallas. We had a nice conversation. We talked for a few hours in the airport.”

    The photo that came out from the meeting drew attention at the time, and Khan was direct about his view of how it got out. “I know I had nothing to do with it — it’s very unusual,” he said.

    “I’m in a lot of rooms with a lot of people. I only had that happen to me one time. In the photo, I’m very surprised when the person walked into the room. I noticed he wasn’t as surprised in the photo as I was. So maybe there was something there.”

    Shane McMahon had previously confirmed on the record that he met with AEW, while making clear the interest was not in an on-screen wrestling role with WWE.

    Khan’s comments suggest the meeting was at least partly unplanned on his part and that the leaked photo was sent by someone other than him. When the hosts raised the idea of Khan taking on an authority figure role in AEW programming, he used the NFL as his frame of reference.

    “Commissioner Roger Goodell is a huge part of the game, instrumental to the NFL, but it’s not like every time I watch NFL football the commissioner needs to be all over the show,” Khan said. “I think people generally kind of know that I’m the commissioner of AEW, but I also don’t think that’s necessarily a role that you want to see on TV.”