Nyla Rose has been absent from AEW television for most of this year, which has led to fan speculation regarding her status with the company.
A report from Fightful has provided some clarity on the situation. According to the report, the former AEW Women\’s World Champion is not injured. However, the report also notes that Nyla Rose\’s name has not been mentioned in creative meetings.
It remains unclear why Rose has not been featured on AEW programming. This situation has also affected several other AEW wrestlers in recent times.
Despite her absence from AEW TV, Rose is still active in the ring. She has participated in several independent events, including the Jericho Cruise. Rose also competed in a match last weekend in Texas, where she defeated Charity King.
AEW President Tony Khan was asked about Nyla Rose\’s status at the AEW All Out 2025 media scrum. Khan stated that the door is open for her to return. He also noted that other former champions have recently been brought back into storylines.
Steph De Lander is officially under contract with TNA Wrestling. According to a report from Fightful Select, De Lander is signed to a deal that runs through June 2026, confirming her long-term status with the company. TNA had never publicly confirmed her contract situation, but this update clears up any speculation about her future.
Mance Warner has also signed a TNA deal with the same end date. The report notes that this is also the case for Warner, \”who had also worked in TNA without a deal for quite some time.” He now joins De Lander as part of the locked-in roster.
Steph De Lander made her TNA debut in 2023 and made an immediate impact. However, her momentum was halted in August 2024 when a neck injury forced her out of action. Even while recovering, her name remained part of the conversation, and this deal confirms she is officially part of TNA\’s future.
Mance Warner has brought chaos every time he has appeared on TNA programming, from backstage brawls to old-school beatdowns. With this new deal in place, he is set for more than just a cameo role. The confirmation for both wrestlers comes after a period of major roster changes in late 2025.
The two are an established on-screen couple in TNA, having been aligned since De Lander\’s return from neck surgery in January 2025. Warner was most recently seen as the 20th entrant in the Call Your Shot Gauntlet match at the Bound For Glory event on October 12. This contract news comes during a celebratory time for the pair, as De Lander and Warner, who were engaged in April, officially got married on Wednesday, October 30.
WWE NXT Champion Ricky Saints has had a fast rise in WWE, and he has a clear message for anyone who thinks he\’s satisfied: he\’s not comfortable, and he\’s glad. In a recent interview, Saints reflected on his rapid success and why he believes getting comfortable is the first step toward the end of a career.
Speaking on \”Busted Open Radio,\” Saints was asked about his journey to the top of the brand, which saw him win both the North American and NXT Championships within his first year.
“I think the day that I\’m comfortable is the day I should retire. So, no, I\’m not comfortable, and I\’m glad. But I am happy. Everything has been good. Everything has been like, in a way, everything I had been… not looking for, but wanting fulfillment and the creativity, expressing that for a year. I\’m getting that.\”
At No Mercy on September 27, Saints defeated Oba Femi to win the NXT Championship. Saints retained the NXT Championship this past Saturday at NXT Halloween Havoc, defeating Trick Williams in the main event.
“I can\’t ask for anything better, especially in the situation, if you really think about it. Within eight months, I was already North American Champion, and now I\’m the NXT Champion. That’s wild, but I\’m not surprised.”
As WWE prepares to crown a new World Heavyweight Champion this Saturday at Saturday Night\’s Main Event, two prominent wrestling veterans are questioning the creative decision to put the title on either of the contenders. On a recent edition of \”Busted Open Radio,\” WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray and Nic Nemeth both argued that CM Punk and Jey Uso are already so popular with the audience that they don\’t need the championship right now, and that putting the belt on either man would be the wrong move.
Nic Nemeth, a multi-time world champion himself, explained that both men have achieved a rare level of stardom where the gold is no longer necessary to define their success.
“I don’t think either one of those guys are gonna have it. I don’t know. Punk doesn’t need it. Jey doesn’t need it. But to have it, cool. There’s nothing. It’s great… But to be so beloved by a crowd one way or another, to not need it, is the greatest attribute in pro wrestling history. That’s why I really wanted somebody else, only because they don’t need it. They’ve transcended being a world champ… The reason I keep agreeing with you on there not being a finish or a weird one is because the two people fighting for it are above world champion.”
Bully Ray echoed that sentiment, arguing that a CM Punk title win, in particular, should be reserved for a much bigger moment rather than on a Saturday Night\’s Main Event.
“Pulling the trigger on Punk on a Saturday Night’s Main Event right now to become champion, that doesn’t feel right at all. Punk does not need a championship, and when the eventual day comes, night comes, that Punk wins the championship, it has to be the payoff of all payoffs, just like him finally getting to be in a main event of WrestleMania. Punk, much like a Dusty Rhodes — it’s a good place to be in — never needs a championship. When they put the championship on you, it’s just for the payoff. It’s coming right back off you because the people love you either way.”
Bully also dismissed the idea of Jey Uso winning the title, stating, “Jey Uso winning, I would look as nothing more than a placeholder right now.” Both men seemed to agree that a non-finish, perhaps involving the new version of The Vision, would be a better creative outcome for the November 1 Premium Live Event.
UFC star Michael Chandler recently provided the full backstage story behind his electrifying appearance on the February 19, 2025, episode of WWE Raw, where he got on the mic and cut a passionate promo calling out Conor McGregor. Speaking on the Insight podcast with Chris Van Vliet, Chandler revealed that the promo was his idea and that he had to get permission from the highest levels of WWE, including President Nick Khan.
Chandler, who was in town for a UFC event in Anaheim, explained that he didn\’t want to overstep his bounds as a guest at the show.
“They knew [the promo] was gonna happen, because I wanted to ask for permission. Once again, going back to I’m not going to show up to WWE and make it about me. So I asked, I forget who I was sitting with. But they asked, and it went up to Nick [Khan], went up the flagpole to Nick… I was like, Well, hey, why don’t you just give me the microphone? And they were like, you want the microphone? And I was like, Yeah, I want the microphone. And they were like, hold on. Everyone’s got the ear pieces, one of the production people wound it up the flag pole to Nick, and Nick’s like, yeah, give him the microphone.”
He also shared the one specific warning he received from the production team, which he almost violated.
“But then they did say, ‘Hey, make sure you do not rip the… microphone out of her hand, they will freaking be mad at you if you do that.’ I’m like, okay, I’ll take it. But it was a little bit of a passionate grab. But it wasn’t like, ‘Give me that thing!’”
The promo was a viral success, garnering a reported 60 million views in 24 hours. Chandler, who has lost five of his last six UFC fights, explained that his goal has always been to entertain the fans above all else, a mentality he feels is missing from some other fighters.
“My number one goal is always to make people feel something. If you’re buying a pay-per-view… you just took your work boots off, you invited some buddies over, and you’re going to watch me fight. I’m going to pour every single ounce of myself into that performance… I think you don’t see that with certain guys and gals in the sport, it becomes too much of a \’well, I’m too afraid to lose so therefore, I’m not gonna put myself out there.\’… I’m living my passion, and I love… God created me for hand-to-hand combat, in the wrestling mats, maybe in the WWE ring after fighting, but right now in the UFC.”
WWE Hall of Famer and current NXT commentator Booker T believes the clock has run out on Oba Femi\’s time in NXT. Speaking on his \”Hall of Fame Podcast,\” Booker T made a strong case for the \”Nigerian Giant\” to be called up to the main roster, arguing that the former dominant champion has accomplished everything possible on the brand.
Femi, who held the NXT North American Championship for 267 days, has been one of the most protected and impressive superstars on the roster for the past year. Booker T feels that Femi has hit his ceiling in developmental and that now is the perfect time for him to move to Raw or SmackDown.
“I can tell you this, Oba has done a hell of a job in NXT, and if it is time for him to move on it’s the right time. If we was to stay in NXT, what else is there for Oba Femi to do? He’s dominated.\”
Booker T elaborated on his stance, stating that Femi is ready to make an immediate impact on the main roster and that it\’s time for WWE to make the move.
“I think Oba can make a big splash on the main roster right now. He’s done everything he could possibly do in NXT. I think it’s time to pull the trigger. I’m not one to book the show, which is why I’m so reluctant to even say it, but I really think Oba Femi can fit in on the main roster, especially with the right players around him to teach him how to be a main event player.\”
He concluded by naming the specific top-tier veterans he believes Femi needs to be around to learn how to become a \”main event player\” at the next level.
“Guys like Randy Orton, guys like CM Punk, guys like Roman Reigns, to be around those guys right now is invaluable for someone like Oba Femi.”
Oba Femi\’s last major program saw him unsuccessfully challenge Trick Williams for the NXT Championship in a Title vs. Title match on the September 23 episode of NXT.
The heated rivalry between The Conglomeration and The Death Riders is set to culminate in AEW\’s most violent and chaotic match: Blood & Guts. On the October 29 \”Fright Night\” episode of AEW Dynamite, Orange Cassidy, in his signature low-effort style, officially laid down the challenge for the two-ring, two-cage spectacle, which is now set to take place on the November 12 edition of AEW Dynamite.
The challenge came at the conclusion of a brutal main event that saw Jon Moxley face Kyle O\’Reilly in singles competition. The match was an intense, hard-hitting affair that quickly spilled to the outside. O\’Reilly locked Moxley in a guillotine submission on the floor and refused to break the hold, prompting the referee to count both men out, ending the match in a double countout.
This unsatisfying conclusion led to an immediate post-match brawl. The remaining members of the Death Riders hit the ring to swarm O\’Reilly, who was quickly saved by his Conglomeration allies—Orange Cassidy, Mark Briscoe, and Roderick Strong—along with their frequent partner, Darby Allin. After the two factions brawled, Allin took the microphone and teased that he had a solution to end their war. He passed the mic to Mark Briscoe, who also hyped the announcement before handing the microphone to Orange Cassidy.
With the crowd buzzing, Cassidy simply and lazily declared, \”Blood & Guts.\” The match is now official for the November 12 episode of AEW Dynamite. As of publish time, the exact members for each team have not been officially confirmed, but it will presumably see the united front of The Conglomeration and Darby Allin taking on Jon Moxley and his Death Riders faction inside the structure.
The Conglomeration, @RoderickStrong and @Darby Allin want The Death Riders in BLOOD AND GUTS!
Mika Rotunda, the daughter of WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda (Irwin R. Schyster), has issued a public statement clarifying her father\’s health status, correcting a recent report that he was in hospice care. The wrestling world was shaken earlier this week when Rotunda\’s long-time tag team partner and brother-in-law, Barry Windham, stated in an interview that Rotunda was in hospice.
Mika\’s statement, posted to her Instagram Stories on October 29, 2025, confirms her father is facing a serious health battle but clarifies that he is in a rehabilitation center and recovering after suffering a massive heart attack last month. Mika Rotunda began her statement by addressing her uncle\’s comments, which were made while he was answering a question about her late brother, Windham Rotunda (Bray Wyatt).
“Our family would like to take a moment to clarify some information currently circulating online regarding my father, Mike Rotunda. Yes, my uncle Barry did make a comment mentioning that my father is in hospice care while answering a question about my late brother, Windham, whom we lost two years ago.”
She then provided the correct details on her father\’s condition, revealing the severity of the situation. “My father is not in hospice, but rather in a rehabilitation center. He suffered a massive heart attack September 20th, was in a coma for a week, and spent over a month hospitalized. By the grace of God, he has now transitioned to a rehabilitation center, where our family remains present, hopeful, and focused on his recovery.”
The statement continued with a message of optimism and faith in her father\’s strength. “It has already been a long road, and we know there is still a long road ahead — but our faith in God remains strong. Anyone who knows my dad knows that it’s his strength, work ethic, and athleticism that have carried him through not just this, but every challenge life has thrown his way. If there’s one person I have faith in, it’s Captain Mike.”
Mika concluded by thanking the public for their support and asking for privacy as the family focuses on his recovery.
“We are deeply grateful for the outpouring of love, prayers, and support from the wrestling world and our local communities. At this time, we kindly ask for privacy as we continue walking this journey together — but we warmly welcome continued prayers, good energy, and healing thoughts for his recovery.”
Mike Rotunda was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2024 alongside Barry Windham as part of their tag team, The U.S. Express. We wish him a speedy recovery.
A WWE star recently wrestled while sick and has received praise for showing up and putting on a quality match. Maxxine Dupri challenged Becky Lynch for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship during the October 20th episode of RAW. While Dupri won the match, it was via disqualification, which means Lynch retained her championship. It was the 28-year-old’s second consecutive victory over the champion; she won their previous bout via countout.
WWE legend Natalya, who has been featured alongside Maxxine Dupri, revealed that the Alpha Academy star never asked to be pulled from the show despite being unwell. During a recent appearance on The Joe Vulpis Podcast, Natalya praised Dupri for her commitment.
“She had a match against Becky on Raw—her most recent match with Becky—she had lost her voice. She was really sick. And she didn’t tell anyone. She was pushing through, but she sent me a little voice note during the day like, ‘I’m doing great, everything’s going great—I just lost my voice. I can’t talk.’”
Natalya continued, explaining the pressure of the high-profile opportunity. “If you’re sick and you’re getting an opportunity to wrestle Becky Lynch—a woman who main-evented WrestleMania—on Monday Night Raw on Netflix? You can’t go up to our bosses, you can’t go up to Triple H and say, ‘Hey, I don’t feel good today. I’ve got laryngitis.”
After the match, Maxxine Dupri was shown backstage, none too pleased with how the match ended. She then said that she would continue to challenge for the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship.
AEW has featured several former WWE stars on its roster. Earlier in 2025, Isla Dawn made her debut for the promotion in her hometown of Glasgow, Scotland, following her release from WWE.
Now, another former WWE star has appeared on AEW programming. Tegan Nox, using her non-WWE name Nixon Newell, appeared on a recent episode of Collision alongside Miranda Alize. The two confronted Anna Jay and Tay Melo, who are involved in the tournament to crown the inaugural AEW Women’s Tag Team Champions.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer gave an update on Newell’s status and noted he does not believe she is officially signed with AEW.
\”I didn’t get the impression that they’re signed to a deal, as much as they’re being brought in for a tag team match. Kind of like ‘If you do good…’ whatever. I don’t know. I haven’t heard that they’re signed or anything. But we’ll see.\”
Newell\’s appearance comes as the AEW Women\’s World Tag Team Championship Tournament is moving forward. A quarterfinal match was recently announced for \’Fright Night Dynamite\’ featuring Queen Aminata and Jamie Hayter against Julia Hart and Skye Blue.
When AJ Styles made his blockbuster debut at the 2016 Royal Rumble, a dream match with John Cena seemed inevitable. The two men, who were the faces of TNA and WWE, went on to have a legendary trilogy of matches. However, \”The Phenomenal One\” recently revealed that when their feud began, he was genuinely unsure if Cena even knew who he was or was familiar with his extensive career outside of WWE.
Styles, who came to WWE after iconic runs in both TNA and New Japan Pro-Wrestling, discussed the \”WWE bubble\” and his initial uncertainty about Cena\’s knowledge of his work. Speaking to Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated\’s \”Undisputed,\” Styles explained his mindset heading into their first match.
“When you’re in the WWE bubble, it’s very difficult to keep up with anything else, so I wondered how familiar he was with it. My thinking is that, over time, he heard more and did more research. Before our first match, he told me that he was trying to find stuff on me to cut a promo, but he couldn’t really find much. I’m assuming a lot of his research came from the Bullet Club, and that’s what he knew about it.”
This reflection comes just weeks after the two men had their final one-on-one encounter at the WWE Crown Jewel on October 11. During that match, Cena paid a special tribute to Styles\’s history, having the ring announcer introduce him as \”The definition of Total Nonstop Action\” and \”The ace and total boss of the Bullet Club.\” Styles has since stated that the custom introduction was a complete surprise to him.
Drew McIntyre\’s Claymore Kick is one of the most impactful finishing moves in WWE, but executing it carries risks. McIntyre recently recalled an instance where the move didn\’t go quite as planned, resulting in him connecting stiffly with Samoa Joe.
Speaking on the No-Contest Wrestling Podcast, McIntyre detailed the incident which occurred during a Royal Rumble match. He praised Joe\’s professional reaction to the hard-hitting move.
“I caught Samoa Joe real bad one time in a Royal Rumble, and to be fair, he didn’t say anything. He’s like a man’s man,\” McIntyre explained. \”He just pulled me aside and let me know, ‘Hey, brother, you really caught me bad.’”
McIntyre shared remorse over the incident due to his close friendship with Joe, contrasting it with other times he may have hit opponents hard.
\”I felt so guilty because Joe’s my boy. He’s my brother,\” McIntyre stated. \”There are a few guys I’ve caught real hard that I didn’t feel so guilty about. But most of the time, people were good. But I felt really bad about the one to Joe.”
AEW has officially shifted its branding message, moving away from its long-standing \”Where the best wrestle\” tagline. The company has debuted a brand new television commercial that introduces a new slogan for the promotion: \”Where Wrestlers Work.\”
The new commercial, which has been compared to the iconic \”This is Sportscenter\” ads from ESPN, features a fresh, comedic tone. The spot includes AEW stars Powerhouse Hobbs, Ricochet, Orange Cassidy, and Thekla, highlighting their personalities outside the ring.
The new \”Where Wrestlers Work\” tagline ends the commercial in large, block letters, signaling a new marketing direction for the company. The slogan is seen as both a continuation of its identity as an in-ring focused product and a \”slight shot\” at its competitor, WWE, implying that AEW is the place for serious, professional wrestlers.
The company\’s original \”Where the best wrestle\” tagline was a foundational part of its identity, built on the reputations of its original stars like Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, Chris Jericho and \”Hangman\” Adam Page, as well as their women\’s division. Today, AEW\’s roster remains an \”embarrassment of riches\” with top-tier international talent like Kazuchika Okada, Will Ospreay, and Swerve Strickland. The women\’s division has also expanded significantly with the addition of major stars like Mercedes Mone, \”Timeless\” Toni Storm, and Jamie Hayter.
AEW is currently building toward its next pay-per-view event, Full Gear, which is scheduled for Saturday, November 22, at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. As of now, only one match has been officially announced for the card: an AEW Women\’s World Championship bout between the champion, Kris Statlander, and the AEW TBS Champion, Mercedes Mone. This match was set up after Mone issued a challenge at WrestleDream, which Statlander accepted on a subsequent episode of AEW Dynamite after attacking \”The CEO\” during her \”12 Belts Celebration.\”
\”Main Event\” Jey Uso has a new, serious attitude, and he\’s putting the entire WWE Raw roster on notice. The former World Heavyweight Champion says he is tired of fans and critics claiming he is \”just an entrance\” and is adopting a more ruthless in-ring mentality to get back to the top of the mountain. This change in demeanor comes as he prepares for one of the biggest matches of his career: a showdown with CM Punk for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship.
Jey Uso lost his first World Heavyweight Championship to GUNTHER earlier this year, a setback that, combined with advice from his cousin Roman Reigns, has forced him to re-evaluate his fun-loving \”YEET\” persona. Speaking on the latest episode of the RAW Recap podcast, Jey explained his shift in focus.
“I mean, nothing really changed on me, uce. You know, I still have fun. I still throw a party every Monday. I still like the kids, man. I still YEET with them. It’s just, man, when the bell rings, I just got to switch modes now, man. If I’m trying to get to the top, get back to the top, I got big hitters in front of me. I got guys like, man, CM Punk, you know, the guy like Gunther, guys like you know, the Seth Rollins, get well loose, but like, I got a heavy list in front of me and I got to- I just can’t play. I just can’t play no more, man. I’m tired of like people saying I’m just I’m just an entrance or whatever. It was like, I ain’t got skills to hold it down up top, man. So I just, I just switched modes. It was like, I don’t know. I mean, it might be going back to the old ways thinking, you know, Bloodline ways, but man, that kind of mentality got the job done.”
Jey Uso will get his chance to prove his critics wrong at Saturday Night\’s Main Event on November 1. He is scheduled to face CM Punk to crown a new World Heavyweight Champion after Seth Rollins was forced to vacate the title due to injury.
WWE Hall of Famer Tommy Dreamer is advocating for Jey Uso to get a significant run with the World Heavyweight Championship. Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Dreamer discussed the upcoming title match between Uso and CM Punk at Saturday Night\’s Main Event.
Dreamer praised both competitors for building anticipation for their championship clash, which will crown a new champion following Seth Rollins\’ injury. He argued that the match deserves the main event spot.
“Give this guy a run and let him settle in. Punk and Jay absolutely, 100%, got me so into this match because I know it’s going to be a good match, I know the fans are gonna be into it. I know it’s gonna be a top-level main event,\” Dreamer said. \”I probably would put this on last because you are guaranteed a new champion.”
Dreamer elaborated on why he believes a title reign for Jey Uso makes sense from a storytelling perspective, particularly with major events and potential family drama on the horizon.
“I’m really very much invested in this because where do you go with Jey and where do you with Punk for after. And if it’s Jey’s time again give this guy a run,\” Dreamer urged. \”Let him settle in because this can work, especially if you’ve got that guy named Roman Reigns in the background of all of this and you got Survivor Series, Rumble, Mania.”
During this past Monday\’s Raw, Punk and Uso had a heated face-to-face confrontation. Uso declared his sole focus was regaining the World Heavyweight Championship. Punk acknowledged respecting Uso but questioned if he had the ruthlessness to secure the victory. Uso didn\’t take kindly to Punk\’s words, accusing him of twisting facts. Jey ended the segment by telling Punk, “Screw you, Punk,” and vowing to defeat him at Saturday Night’s Main Event to prove he is the true “Best in the World.”
AEW wrestler Ortiz has expressed his desire to remain with the company for the foreseeable future, despite having limited time left on his current contract. He also revealed that he has taken on backstage responsibilities within the promotion.
Speaking in an interview with Wombreezy, Ortiz confirmed his current contract situation and his preference to stay with AEW. “As of right now, I have about a year left with the company, give or take…I would love to stay there,” he said. “I love working at AEW.\”
Ortiz elaborated on his current activities within the company, highlighting his transition into a backstage role while still valuing his in-ring career.
“I’ve actually been coaching, doing producing basically, which is learning a different skill in wrestling and will give you longevity in wrestling,\” Ortiz explained. \”And it’s also selfishly making me be a better wrestler because now I’m helping people call matches and I’m analyzing it from a different lens and I’m really enjoying that.”
He seems content with this dual role, seeing it as beneficial for his long-term career in wrestling.
“It’s something I wanted to do anyways, and now I’m getting the opportunity to do it there,” he added. “So even if I stay on purely just to do coaching and producing, and I can still wrestle, for me, I’m happy, that’s the best of both worlds, I’m still getting to perform. If they keep me, I would stay, for sure.”
Ortiz\’s last appearance on AEW television was in January 2024, when he teamed with Eddie Kingston against Bryan Danielson and Claudio Castagnoli on an episode of Collision. After some time away, he returned to wrestling on the independent circuit in March 2025, competing for promotions such as Beyond Wrestling and C4.
The contract status of another TNA Wrestling star has come out. Following reports on various TNA talents working under different types of deals, the status of a current champion has been revealed.
According to a report from Fightful Select, the contract for TNA International Champion Steve Maclin is set to expire at the end of 2025. This means his current deal is up in approximately two months.
The report notes that Maclin re-signed with TNA on a one-year agreement when his previous contract expired last year. Maclin originally joined TNA over four years ago following a nearly seven-year stint with WWE. During his time in TNA, he has achieved success, holding both the TNA World Championship and the TNA International Championship.
Maclin recently regained the TNA International Championship by defeating Frankie Kazarian at the TNA Bound For Glory event. Fightful Select also mentioned that Maclin is often seen as a positive influence backstage and is considered a student of the wrestling business. More updates are expected as information becomes available.
Dwayne \”The Rock\” Johnson is set to add another major Disney property to his filmography. On Monday, October 27, Disney revealed in its final international trailer for Zootopia 2 that the former WWE Champion has officially joined the cast of the animated sequel. The film, which follows the 2016 Oscar-winning original, is scheduled for a worldwide theatrical release on November 26. Johnson\’s casting continues his long and lucrative partnership with Disney, which includes the Jungle Cruise and Moana franchises.
According to the studio, Johnson will be voicing the character of Zeke, described as an \”accident-prone dik-dik who meets with a musical mishap as a result of Judy and Nick’s high-speed pursuit gone awry.\” Johnson will be joined by his Moana castmates Auli?i Cravalho, Rachel House, and David Fane, who also have cameos in the film, alongside voice actors from other Disney hits like Frozen, The Princess and the Frog, and Encanto.
Jared Bush, the head of Disney Animation and the writer-director of Zootopia 2, commented on the star-studded additions to the cast.
“From the beginning, Easter eggs and winks to our favorite films and characters have been a hallmark of the world of Zootopia. We are ecstatic that Zootopia 2 expands our Zootopia family to include even more members of our extended Disney family, filled with dear friends and true Disney Legends.”
The film\’s official synopsis reads: “In Walt Disney Animation Studios’ Zootopia 2, detectives Judy Hopps (voiced by Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (voiced by Jason Bateman) find themselves on the twisting trail of a mysterious reptile who arrives in Zootopia and turns the animal metropolis upside down. To crack the case, Judy and Nick must go undercover to unexpected new parts of town, where their growing partnership is tested like never before.”
This is one of several major projects Johnson has in the pipeline. He is currently filming the live-action remake of Moana for Disney, which is scheduled for a 2026 release, and is also attached to a project titled Lizard Music, where he is set to play an eccentric character known as \”Chicken Man.\”
MVP has opened up about the physical toll his recent in-ring work has taken on his body. At 51 years old, the veteran performer is still competing in highly physical matches against AEW\’s younger stars, but that grind comes at a significant price.
Speaking on a recent episode of his Marking Out podcast, MVP discussed his pre-show routine and gave high praise to the AEW medical staff, including head doctor Michael Sampson, for keeping the roster healthy and functional. He then revealed that he has been dealing with injuries from his last two matches.
The first injury, he noted, came from the chaotic Street Fight on the October 7 episode of AEW Dynamite, which pitted The Hurt Syndicate against their new rivals, The Demand. “My neck’s been bothering me since the street fight. Got a little whiplash from thatRicochet dive.”
MVP also revealed that he suffered a separate injury just a week later, slicing his wrist on the debris from a broken table during another segment. He detailed how these nagging injuries make the AEW trainers a necessary stop before every show.
“Usually, you stop in for the trainers, sign up on the list to get a designated time to come in and get whatever work you need — stretch, electronic stim, whatever you need, they got you. I’m gonna go get my bandage changed in a little bit and get my neck worked on before showtime.”
He added that the subsequent AEW World Trios Championship match against the hard-hitting faction The Opps on the October 22 episode of Dynamite only \”piled on even more damage.\”
WWE World Tag Team Champion Dragon Lee is currently on a major hot streak, and WWE officials are taking notice—even when he\’s not in a WWE ring. According to a new report from PWInsider.com, officials were \”very impressed\” by Lee’s performance at the recent AAA Héroes Inmortales event, where he challenged Dominik Mysterio for the AAA Mega Championship.
Even though Lee lost the match, his performance has reportedly accelerated WWE\’s desire to secure his long-term future. The report states that WWE is now pushing to lock Lee into a new contract well before his current deal expires next year.
Lee, who signed with WWE in 2022, has seen his momentum skyrocket recently. Just last week on the October 20 episode of Monday Night Raw, he and AJ Styles captured the World Tag Team Championships from The Judgment Day, marking Lee\’s first title victory on the main roster. This recent success, combined with his standout performance at the AAA show, has solidified his value in the eyes of management.
Sources within WWE reportedly believe that Dragon Lee is \”becoming an essential part of regular programming.\” The push to get a new deal done now is seen as a strategic move to secure the 30-year-old star before outside offers can start \”rolling in\” as his contract expiration date approaches.
While Dragon Lee didn\’t walk away from Héroes Inmortales with another championship, he may have secured himself a more lucrative, long-term future in WWE.
CM Punk shared high praise for WWE Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY during a recent YouTube vlog documenting WWE’s tour of Japan.
ighted both superstars as key figures for the company’s future.
Ripley and SKY have recently formed an alliance, stemming from their shared rivalry with the Kabuki Warriors (Asuka and Kairi Sane). This partnership was evident during the Japan tour, where they shared an in-ring moment with Punk after a live event.
In the vlog, Punk spoke highly of SKY’s in-ring abilities. “IYO SKY is consistently I think the best wrestler that we have,” Punk stated. He placed Ripley close behind, noting her overall star power and presence. “Rhea is probably a close second, but you talk about superstar…”.
Punk also touched upon his connection with Ripley, acknowledging her past fandom. “…and I don’t think it’s a secret that I was one of Rhea’s favorites when she was a kid growing up.” He compared this connection to fans who credit him for personal milestones, expressing his gratitude and desire to give back.ack. “…it’s kind of no different than the fan that says ‘I’m sober because of you’ or ‘I waited 19 years to see you.’ I just want to give back because I’m so full of gratitude”.
He added his thoughts on Ripley and SKY by noting their importance to WWE’s trajectory. “Those two are the future,” Punk declared. CM Punk is currently preparing for his World Heavyweight Championship match against Jey Uso at Saturday Night’s Main Event on November 1.
CM Punk has acknowledged that the end of his in-ring wrestling career is approaching. Speaking candidly during a recent WWE vlog, the veteran performer reflected on his own longevity while noting the impending retirements of John Cena and AJ Styles.
Punk admitted uncertainty about his exact timeline but affirmed his commitment to competing until his body forces him to stop. “So I’m standing here now, near the end of my career,\” Punk stated. \”John Cena’s calling it quits, AJ Styles says he’s going to retire next year, and I don’t know how much time I’ve got left. I’m going to keep going until the wheels fall off”.
He recognized that retirement is becoming a more immediate reality. “I know that’s sooner rather than later,\” Punk continued. He also spoke on the importance of appreciating wrestlers during their careers and the natural progression of the business welcoming a new generation.
“That’s why I think it’s important, for all of us, not just me, to celebrate every wrestler as they retire,\” he said. \”There’s a whole new generation of talent coming in to take our place, and in a way, we’re excited to see that happen”. While acknowledging the eventual end, Punk remains an active competitor in WWE.
Despite contemplating the end of his run, CM Punk is currently positioned at the top of the card on Raw. He is scheduled to face Jey Uso for the vacant World Heavyweight Championship at the upcoming Saturday Night\’s Main Event Premium Live Event on November 1 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
AEW star Darby Allin recently sat down for an in-depth interview on the “Maggie & Perloff LIVE” podcast to discuss his character, his high-risk style, and his future ambitions. The former TNT Champion, a top babyface in the company, opened up about the possibility of a future heel turn and his off-screen passion for filmmaking, which he studied in school.
When asked about the possibility of turning heel, Allin admitted he could see a path to it, but nioted that his primary motivation has always been a personal one.
“You know, honestly it just wherever the wind takes me. And I feel a lot of fans, they’re always like, ‘Darby, you don’t have to do — you don’t have to go crazy anymore to impress us.’ I’m like, ‘I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it for me.’ I actually love going out there and jumping off ladders or whatever it is I get myself into. But I also — on the flip side, I do see how fast the fans forget about you. I do see how quick they move on. Say, if you got like an injury or something there, ‘All right, what’s the next shiny toy?’ So in that sense, I could see being a heel and just straight up being like, ‘You are so ungrateful for what it is that we do,’ you know? But at the end of the day, I don’t do it for them. So I feel like you can’t get mad at them for that. But who knows? Wherever the wind takes young Darby Allin, maybe I will uh go rogue.”
Allin, who attended film school before pursuing a career in skateboarding and wrestling, also discussed whether he has any interest in acting. He revealed that he would much rather be the one behind the camera, a place where he feels he could truly “flourish.”
“So, I went to film school. So I’d rather direct films. I’d rather do the screenwriting and directing. That’s kind of like where I feel like I would flourish more. And like, I’m not saying I wouldn’t do acting. It’d be fun, but I don’t want to do something that doesn’t speak to me as a human that interests — like, I got to do something that interests me. Because when I first started wrestling, I said, ‘I’m either going to make it as Darby or I’m going to fail as Darby, but I’m not changing a thing. And with AEW, like I haven’t changed a single thing about myself. And that’s why I feel like people are like, ‘Whoa.’ Like they gravitate, because it’s like — I’m really authentic, and they know I’m not playing a character. I’m not part of the machine. You can’t create me. I am me. So it just would have to be something that generally interests me as a human.”
Allin is coming off a victory at the AEW WrestleDream pay-per-view, where he defeated his long-time rival Jon Moxley in a brutal “I Quit” match, thanks in part to a assist from Sting.
The \”healthy respect\” between Jade Cargill and WWE Women\’s Champion Tiffany Stratton has officially been terminated. On the October 17 episode of Friday Night SmackDown, Cargill snapped, executing a shocking heel turn by viciously attacking Stratton, making it clear she is done waiting for her turn at the championship. The assault came just moments after Cargill had seemingly saved the champion from a 2-on-1 beatdown.
The chaotic segment began when Stratton was being attacked by the duo of Giulia and Kiana James. Jade Cargill\’s music hit, and she ran to the ring to make the save, clearing the two assailants from the ring and helping Stratton back to her feet. Cargill then raised Stratton\’s hand in a sign of respect and solidarity. However, the moment was a calculated trap.
As Stratton turned to grab her championship, Cargill blasted her with a massive clothesline, stunning the Orlando crowd. The assault spilled to the outside, where Cargill\’s new, ruthless aggression became terrifyingly clear. She laid the champion\’s leg on the steel ring steps and, with a look of cold determination, stomped down on it, leaving Stratton screaming in agony.
In a backstage interview later in the show, a remorseless Cargill explained her actions and put the entire women\’s division on notice. “Patience is not rewarded, power is. I will be taking the WWE Women’s Championship.”
This turn completely upends the SmackDown women\’s division. Cargill and Stratton had been rivals for the title over the past few months, but their encounters were built on mutual respect. They even teamed together on the August 22 episode of SmackDown, defeating Nia Jax and Becky Lynch. That respect is now gone, replaced by a new chapter as Cargill begins her hostile takeover for the WWE Women\’s Championship.
Former All Elite Wrestling star Marko Stunt, an original member of the roster from its 2019 debut, has opened up about his tenure with the company and his eventual departure in 2022. Stunt, who has since retired from the ring, spoke about his own shortcomings during his run, admitting that he adopted a \”poor mindset\” and believes he \”got too comfortable\” in his position.
During a recent appearance on Busted Open Radio, the 29-year-old reflected on his time in the spotlight as a member of the popular Jurassic Express faction alongside \”Jungle Boy\” Jack Perry and Luchasaurus.
“I think there’s a few things that went into it. l’ve grown up a lot since then. I’m almost 30 now. I was in my early twenties when all that first started. I was young, dumb, and excited to be living my dream. I made some decisions that didn’t go over too well a couple times. I kind of treated it like, ‘Okay, I’m here. I’m good.’ And that was a terrible mindset to have. I absolutely loved being there. I’ve got friends for life from there now… But I was… I think plans just started to change. More people started to come in and new toys are more fun than the toys that you got a few years ago… I’m not bitter at all. I’m very fortunate to have lived my dream.\”
While Stunt acknowledged the changing creative direction, he ultimately placed the responsibility for his exit on his own shoulders.
“I do think there were some things I could have done differently to maybe preserve my spot a little better… I don’t think I handled it as maturely as I should have. I feel like I have to blame it on myself. I want to say I got too comfortable, to be real honest with you. I got too comfortable and, I didn’t feel untouchable or anything… But I did get very, very comfortable there.”
Now retired from wrestling, Stunt (real name Noah Nelms) has embarked on a new career path as a car salesman at Homer Skelton Ford, a job he landed after a brief stint waiting tables.
“They liked that they knew about me in AEW at one point. They saw all that and how I deal with people and just how I interact with them, and they ended up taking a chance on me. And I’m still pretty new. This is my second month on the car floor selling cars. But I was number three for the whole month last month in my first month out of, like, 16.”
Marko Stunt\’s final in-ring appearance was a one-off return to AEW in July 2024, where he answered an open challenge from his former partner Jack Perry, losing a three-minute match for the TNT Championship.