SEScoops

Author: Andrew Ravens

  • Braun Strowman Shuts Down WWE Return Rumors

    Braun Strowman Shuts Down WWE Return Rumors

    Braun Strowman has put an end to questions about a potential return to the WWE ring, at least for the foreseeable future, delivering one of the more colorful responses to fan speculation in recent memory.

    Strowman addressed the ongoing questions directly on X, making clear that a financial incentive would be required before he laces up his boots again, while simultaneously promoting the upcoming premiere of his television show.

    “For everyone asking when I’m getting back in the ring. When a dump truck of gold blocks get dumped on my porch!!!! Otherwise I’ll see ya Jun 5th at 10pm for season two of Everything On The Menu!”

    Strowman was part of WWE’s roster cuts in May 2025, with his last match taking place on the April 18, 2025 episode of SmackDown. He had previously described himself as semi-retired from professional wrestling as he turned his attention toward acting and television. He reiterated in October that he was taking a break from the ring, and his latest post suggests that position has not changed.

    The June 5 premiere date for Everything On The Menu Season 2 also connects to a broader programming shift. Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has reported that SmackDown is expected to revert to a two-hour format, with Bodyslam suggesting the switch could happen within the next few weeks. The timing aligns with Strowman’s cooking show returning to the 10 p.m. slot on USA Network that the third hour of SmackDown currently occupies.

    Everything On The Menu debuted its first season on USA Network last year during a period when Strowman was no longer under WWE contract. The show focuses on food and restaurant visits, a direction that reflects the broader pivot Strowman has been making away from professional wrestling as his primary career.

  • Jinder Mahal: Over 90% Of Wrestlers Don’t Understand Taxes

    Jinder Mahal: Over 90% Of Wrestlers Don’t Understand Taxes

    Raj Dhesi, the former WWE Champion better known as Jinder Mahal, believes professional wrestling has a financial literacy crisis and he is putting specific numbers behind the claim.

    Speaking with Celebrate Wrestling, Dhesi described the scale of the problem as something he has witnessed throughout his career, arguing that the overwhelming majority of his peers operate in the dark about their own financial situations.

    “Financial literacy is super important in wrestling and it’s lacking. A lot of wrestlers, more than 90%, don’t really understand taxes or write-offs or even how WWE contracts or wrestling contracts work. So I want to just provide financial literacy.”

    The push extends a financial education series Dhesi launched on Instagram earlier this year, which opened with a breakdown of retirement account options tailored to wrestlers classified as independent contractors rather than employees. Dhesi traced the origin of his interest in financial education back to YouTube content from former NFL players explaining the complexities of multi-state taxation, a challenge wrestlers face every time they perform in a new jurisdiction.

    “It’s also super interesting because how I thought of this was on YouTube I started watching former NFL players sharing information about finances, how when they play in different states they have to pay tax in different states, much like WWE. So I just found it super interesting.”

    His own knowledge was built out of necessity rather than formal training.

    “I was sick of paying too much in taxes so I learned the tax code and what my legal loopholes are of reducing my tax liability.”

    The urgency behind the project is rooted in watching what happened to the generation before him, and the pattern he does not want to see repeated.

    “My generation of wrestlers saw the previous generation of wrestlers really struggle with finances. You see GoFundMe accounts.”

    He also referenced a sobering statistic passed down during his time in WWE’s developmental territory FCW.

    “When I was in FCW, we got told that the average WWE career is six years. I think it’s still pretty accurate. And that’s from developmental all the way to main roster, if you make it.”

    That narrow window is part of why Dhesi believes young talent should start making financial decisions immediately rather than waiting until they have established themselves on the main roster. He also noted that the current interest in behind-the-scenes wrestling content, particularly through WWE: Unreal on Netflix, has created an audience that is more receptive to honest conversations about how the industry actually works.

    “I have nothing to sell, I have nothing to offer, but I feel it’s my duty in a way to give back and educate. It’s a very, very cool industry, there is a lot of negativity, but I want to help foster a change, positivity, financial literacy. It’s all about giving back. This business has given me everything.”

  • Rikishi Steps Away From KnokX Pro Wrestling Academy

    Rikishi Steps Away From KnokX Pro Wrestling Academy

    WWE Hall of Famer Rikishi has announced via X he is stepping away from KnokX Pro Wrestling Academy, the promotion and training facility he founded in California in 2009, ending a 15-year run at the helm of one of the West Coast’s most established independent wrestling operations.

    The departure comes approximately one year after a violent incident involving MMA fighter Raja Jackson at a KnokX Pro live show in fall 2024. Jackson severely injured wrestler Syko Stu during the event, punching an unconscious opponent in an attack that led to Jackson’s arrest on multiple battery charges and sent shockwaves through the independent wrestling community. The incident prompted KnokX Pro to implement new safety procedures and protocols in the months that followed.

    The facility had built a reputation over its existence as a development hub for aspiring wrestlers on the West Coast, maintaining an affiliation with WWE’s ID program, which identifies and develops independent wrestling talent with potential for the main roster.

    The academy’s future direction has not been announced. No details have been provided regarding who, if anyone, will take over operations, or whether KnokX Pro will continue in any form without its founder’s involvement.

    Rikishi is a member of the WWE Hall of Fame’s Class of 2015, inducted as part of the Headshrinkers tag team alongside Samu. He is also the father of Jimmy and Jey Uso, making the Fatu family one of the most prominent in WWE’s recent history.

  • John Cena Confirms Backlash Appearance to Deliver Historic Announcement

    John Cena Confirms Backlash Appearance to Deliver Historic Announcement

    John Cena is heading to WWE Backlash in Tampa, and he is bringing something with him that goes well beyond a ceremonial appearance.

    Benchmark International Arena, which is hosting the May 9 event, is advertising Cena’s appearance on its website under the declaration “John Cena Returns to Tampa at Backlash.” Cena then confirmed his attendance on X and made clear that showing up is only part of what he has planned.

    “It’s official. I’m headed to WWE Backlash. After months of planning and effort, I am so excited to break some history-making news. I can’t promise it’ll be perfect but I can promise it will change the WWE experience for superstars and fans. C U Live Saturday in Tampa or at home on the ESPN app.”

    Dave Meltzer previously reported that Cena is under contract with WWE for a number of appearances following his hosting duties at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, with Backlash included among those confirmed dates. Whatever he is planning to reveal will land in front of what is shaping up to be one of the stronger premium live event cards of the year.

    Backlash 2026 takes place Saturday, May 9 at Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida and streams live on the ESPN app in the United States. The confirmed card features Roman Reigns defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Jacob Fatu, Trick Williams challenging Sami Zayn for the United States Championship, Seth Rollins vs. Bron Breakker, IYO SKY vs. Asuka, and Danhausen teaming with a mystery partner against The Miz and Kit Wilson.

  • Roman Reigns Pulled From Several WWE Raw Events

    Roman Reigns Pulled From Several WWE Raw Events

    Roman Reigns made a public promise to fans at WrestleMania 42 that his part-time reputation was about to change. Now, just weeks later, his name has been removed from every June episode of Monday Night Raw on WWE’s official advertising.

    Reigns had been promoted for eight consecutive Raw appearances following his World Heavyweight Championship victory over CM Punk on Night Two of WrestleMania 42. The original run included May 4 in Omaha, May 11 in Knoxville, May 18 in Greensboro, May 25 in Columbus, June 1 in Turin, June 8 in Paris, June 15 in Baltimore, and June 22 in London. All four June dates have since been scrubbed from WWE.com listings and official promotional material, with Reigns’ name no longer attached to any of them.

    The timing is notable because of the specific promise he made after WrestleMania 42 in front of the Las Vegas crowd and on camera.

    “I’m gonna take y’all to Monday Night Raw tomorrow night. All this part-time crap? We’re gonna fix that. Y’all better make some room, because y’all gonna see my ass all summer.”

    The statement was made in direct response to fan chants about his limited schedule. Reigns has worked a reduced schedule since losing the Undisputed WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40 in April 2024.

    Reigns is still scheduled to defend the World Heavyweight Championship at Backlash on May 9 in Tampa, Florida, against Jacob Fatu, after tensions between the two cousins escalated in the weeks following WrestleMania.

  • Former WWE Star Announces Retirement From Wrestling

    Former WWE Star Announces Retirement From Wrestling

    Trevor Murdoch has retired from professional wrestling after 27 years in the business, announcing his decision during a recent NWA Powerrr show on Comet TV in an emotional moment that brought an end to a career spanning multiple top promotions.

    The 45-year-old veteran was honest about his reasoning, citing the risk of embarrassing himself and his family if he continued to compete as a primary factor in his decision to walk away.

    Murdoch is perhaps best known for his tag team partnership with Lance Cade in WWE, where the duo captured the World Tag Team Championship three times between 2005 and 2008.

    The team was a consistent presence on WWE programming during that period and gave Murdoch some of the highest-profile television exposure of his career. He also competed in ECW and TNA at various points before his later independent and NWA run.

    During his retirement announcement, Murdoch shared his gratitude for NWA owner Billy Corgan, crediting him with extending his career by approximately seven years.

    The NWA provided Murdoch with a meaningful home in the later stages of his career, giving him a platform to continue working in front of audiences well into his mid-40s when other opportunities might not have been available.

  • CM Punk Gets New Larry Tattoo Honoring Beloved Late Pet

    CM Punk Gets New Larry Tattoo Honoring Beloved Late Pet

    CM Punk has added a second tattoo in memory of his late rescue dog Larry, this time featuring the dog’s face inside a heart on his abdomen, continuing a personal tribute to an animal that clearly held deep significance in his life.

    The piece was created by Maverink Studio and follows a paw print tattoo Punk previously received in the immediate aftermath of Larry’s passing in December 2025.  Larry was a rescue from PAWS Chicago, an organization Punk has been publicly associated with through his longstanding commitment to animal rescue and adoption. The dog was named after Lawrence Talbot, the character played by Lon Chaney Jr. in Universal’s classic 1941 horror film The Wolfman, a choice that reflects Punk’s well-documented appreciation for classic horror and pop culture.

    Punk has spoken openly about his love for rescue animals throughout his career and has used his platform on multiple occasions to advocate for adoption over purchasing from breeders. Larry became a visible part of his public life in the years following Punk’s return to professional wrestling, and his passing at the end of 2025 created an outpouring of support from fans who had followed the dog’s story.

    Punk is coming off a World Heavyweight Championship loss to Roman Reigns in the WrestleMania 42 Night Two main event.

  • WWE NXT Massachusetts Event Canceled, Refunds Issued

    WWE NXT Massachusetts Event Canceled, Refunds Issued

    WWE NXT has canceled its scheduled June 9 event at Lowell Memorial Auditorium in Lowell, Massachusetts, citing unforeseen circumstances and immediately initiating the automatic refund process for ticket holders.

    Fans who purchased tickets received email notification of the cancellation and were informed that refunds would be processed through the original payment method within 14 to 21 business days. The event page on the Lowell Memorial Auditorium website now displays an error message, confirming that the show has been removed from the venue’s calendar.

    No official statement has been released by WWE regarding the specific nature of the unforeseen circumstances that led to the decision. The company has also not confirmed whether the June 9 episode of NXT will air from the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida, which has served as the fallback location when NXT television tapings at external venues are canceled on short notice.

    When similar cancellations have occurred in the past, the show has typically returned to its home base without a significant disruption to the broadcast schedule.

    Whether an alternative venue in the Massachusetts area is being considered also remains unknown. The lack of a public explanation from WWE leaves ticket holders and area fans without clarity about what prompted the last-minute change.

  • El Hijo del Vikingo Suffers Apparent Injury During AAA Match

    El Hijo del Vikingo Suffers Apparent Injury During AAA Match

    El Hijo del Vikingo appears to have suffered a shoulder injury during his match against Mini Vikingo on the May 2 episode of AAA on Fox, putting his upcoming championship opportunity in serious doubt.

    The injury occurred after Vikingo hit an Urinagi from the top turnbuckle, a high-impact move that placed significant stress on his shoulder upon landing. Medical personnel attended to him after the match, drawing immediate attention to the seriousness of the situation. The visible nature of the injury and the need for ringside medical intervention raised concerns among fans and observers watching the broadcast.

    AAA has not officially confirmed the extent of the injury or provided a status update on Vikingo’s condition. The promotion is expected to release an official statement in the coming days as it gathers more information from its medical team.

    The timing is particularly unfortunate for the high-flying star. Vikingo is currently scheduled to challenge El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. for the AAA Latin American Championship at AAA Noche de Los Grandes on May 30. That gives him a window of less than four weeks to recover and be cleared for competition, a tight timeline for any shoulder injury, depending on the nature and severity of the damage sustained.

    No word has been given on whether the title match will proceed as planned, be postponed, or require a replacement challenger if Vikingo is unable to compete. AAA’s creative team will face decisions in the coming days about how to handle the program leading into the event, regardless of the medical outcome.

  • Shawn Michaels Names WWE PLE That is ‘More Fun’ Than WrestleMania

    Shawn Michaels Names WWE PLE That is ‘More Fun’ Than WrestleMania

    Shawn Michaels has a confession that will surprise fans who know him as Mr. WrestleMania: he prefers the Royal Rumble. Speaking on the Club 520 podcast, Michaels explained the reasoning behind the preference, framing it in terms of the very different kinds of pressure each event places on the performers involved. 

    He described WrestleMania as requiring total individual focus and accountability for every element of a performance, a singular pressure that intensifies as the calendar approaches the event.

    “From a pure fun standpoint, the Rumble is more fun because it’s not as pressure and 100% focused on you,” Michaels said. “It’s more about the entire match and just the idea. I’m very happy. I feel like the Rumble has gotten bigger than it was in our day. I think it’s become so much more special over time. People have really began to appreciate the Rumble and everything that goes on with it. When it’s 100% on you like it is at WrestleMania, that’s when you have the stress, the anxiety, the pressure of making sure you go out there and deliver.” he added

    Michaels won the Royal Rumble in both 1995 and 1996, making him the second back-to-back winner in the event’s history after Hulk Hogan. His 1995 victory remains one of the more memorable in Rumble history, with Michaels entering at number one and lasting the full duration of the match to claim the win and earn his first WrestleMania main event opportunity.

    Michaels currently serves as WWE’s Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative and NXT head coach, overseeing the next generation of talent from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando.

  • WWE Director of TV Production Gavin O’Shea Let Go After 25 Years

    WWE Director of TV Production Gavin O’Shea Let Go After 25 Years

    Gavin O’Shea, who served as WWE’s Director of TV Production since 2020, has been let go by the company after 25 years, announcing his departure through a post on his LinkedIn page.

    O’Shea joined WWE in 2001 and worked his way through the production department over more than two decades, eventually rising to oversee production elements for the company’s weekly television programming in a director role he held for the past six years. His tenure spanned multiple eras of WWE television, from the days of USA Network and the transition to various streaming and broadcast partnerships through to the current arrangements with Netflix, ESPN, and The CW.

    The departure comes as WWE continues to operate under TKO Group Holdings following its merger with the UFC’s parent company, a period that has brought ongoing personnel changes across multiple departments. O’Shea’s exit adds to a series of behind-the-scenes departures that have accompanied the company’s evolution under new corporate ownership.

    No official statement has been released by WWE regarding his exit. O’Shea indicated in his LinkedIn post that he is exploring new opportunities in television production and reflected on the impact his nearly quarter-century with the company had on both his career and his personal life. He opened up about the difficulty of the layoff while expressing gratitude for the experiences his tenure provided.

  • New Matches and Segment Set for WWE Raw

    New Matches and Segment Set for WWE Raw

    Adam Pearce has announced the lineup via Twitter for Monday’s WWE Raw on May 5. The card features two contract signings. Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu will put pen to paper on their World Heavyweight Championship match at Backlash on May 9 in Tampa, Florida. Sol Ruca will also officially sign her Raw contract, completing her call-up from NXT following appearances on the brand in recent weeks.

    Oba Femi will issue an open challenge, giving the man who defeated Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 another opportunity to make a statement as he builds momentum. In tag team action, Intercontinental Champion Penta teams with Je’Von Evans to face Rusev and Ethan Page. Page made his main roster debut on Raw earlier this month after his call-up from NXT, where he held both the NXT Championship and the North American Championship during his developmental run.

    Finn Balor and JD McDonagh will meet in singles competition for the second time in recent weeks. Balor scored a victory over McDonagh on the Raw after WrestleMania 42 before Dominik Mysterio attacked him from behind following the match.

    Pearce also announced that Asuka and IYO SKY will appear on the show, with the aim of having both women lay everything on the line before their scheduled Backlash match. The program between the two has been developing for months and took a turn with the release of Kairi Sane, who had been positioned between the two before being let go in the post-WrestleMania 42 roster cuts.

    WWE Raw airs Monday, May 5, on Netflix.

  • New Day’s Xavier Woods, Kofi Kingston Depart WWE

    One of WWE’s most beloved acts is coming to an end, with Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston departing the company.

    Fightful Select and Bodyslam report that both members of New Day are leaving WWE. Fightful Select was told the split was mutual, with both parties agreeing to part ways.

    More WWE Releases

    Tanga Loa and JC Mateo are also leaving the company as part of the same wave of departures.

    New Day, which also included Big E before his in-ring retirement following a broken neck suffered in 2022, became one of WWE’s most decorated tag teams and one of the most popular acts in the company’s recent history.

    Kingston and Woods held the WWE Tag Team Championships on multiple occasions and were fixtures on both Raw and SmackDown for over a decade.

    No further details about the circumstances of the departures or the future plans of either Kingston or Woods have been provided at this time.

  • Sheamus Explains Why Attitude Era Wasn’t Actually as Good as People Remember

    Sheamus Explains Why Attitude Era Wasn’t Actually as Good as People Remember

    Sheamus has a clear-eyed view of the Attitude Era, and it does not match the reverence most fans attach to that period of WWE history.

    Speaking on the Late Run podcast, Sheamus addressed the broader concept of nostalgia before applying it directly to the era that is most frequently cited by fans as wrestling’s golden age.

    “I think there’s a huge thing for nostalgia. Like you always think back, especially when you’re younger as a kid, right? Because everything — you got a lot less stuff to worry about when you’re a kid, right? Let’s be honest. And they’re fun times, hanging out with your mates, whatever, playing football in the park, whatever that is. But I think there’s always a thing about nostalgia — it feels better than what it is.”

    He then applied that reasoning directly to the Attitude Era, arguing that what fans remember as a product of exceptional wrestling was actually driven by something else entirely.

    “You go back and sometimes like everyone talks about the Attitude Era. The Attitude Era was like balls to the wall, right? Anything goes. But if you go back and look at a lot of those matches, they’re just like 6,000 kicks, 6,000 punches. The crowd were so hot. What made that era so great was the crowd. The crowd are just nuts.”

    The Attitude Era is generally considered to span from the Montreal Screwjob in late 1997 through to the end of the InVasion angle four years later. It has come under increasing critical scrutiny in recent years, even as its cultural status among longtime fans remains largely intact.

  • WWE SmackDown Being Three Hours is Ending Sooner Than Expected

    WWE SmackDown Being Three Hours is Ending Sooner Than Expected

    WWE SmackDown is returning to two hours sooner than previously reported, with Dave Meltzer clarifying the timeline after earlier indications pointed to the change happening in July.

    Meltzer stated in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the shift to a two-hour format will happen in June, with the May 29 episode serving as the final three-hour show in the current run. The longer format is therefore ending at the end of May, not in early July as originally suggested.

    Beginning June 5, the third hour on USA Network will be filled by the second season of Everything on the Menu, a show in which Braun Strowman visits restaurants across 12 cities. Mark Henry and Alexa Bliss are each set to appear in two episodes of the series.

    The show will not occupy the slot for the entire remainder of the year, with another program expected to take over that hour for approximately three additional months.

    The current TV deal structures SmackDown to run three hours for six months each year and two hours for the other six months, making the format shift a recurring pattern rather than a permanent change in either direction.

  • AJ Styles Fires Back at Fan Who Called His WWE Deal a Bribe

    AJ Styles Fires Back at Fan Who Called His WWE Deal a Bribe

    AJ Styles has responded to fans who accused WWE of bribing him to stay away from AEW, and his reply was short, sharp, and entirely unbothered.

    Following reports that AEW had prepared a serious offer to Styles before his retirement and WWE Hall of Fame induction, some fans on social media took the narrative further. One fan told Styles directly to enjoy his bribery. Styles did not let it pass without comment.

    “If bribing me leads to getting the job that I want, that’s great.”

    Styles retired from in-ring competition after losing to GUNTHER at the 2026 Royal Rumble and has since moved into a talent scouting role within WWE. It is a position that keeps him inside the business without the physical demands of competing, and by his own account, exactly where he wants to be.

    The accusation stems from the theory that WWE accelerated Styles’ Hall of Fame induction and offered him a meaningful long-term backstage position specifically to prevent him from signing with AEW as his career wound down. He has taken on a behind-the-scenes role with WWE as a talent scout. 

  • Stephanie Vaquer’s Injury Nixed Planned WWE Backlash Match

    Stephanie Vaquer’s Injury Nixed Planned WWE Backlash Match

    Stephanie Vaquer’s shoulder injury cost her more than time on television. It also erased a championship match that WWE had been quietly building toward for Backlash on May 9 in Tampa.

    Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports that WWE was internally discussing booking Vaquer against Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan at Backlash as part of the show’s lineup. The match was never officially announced, but it had been actively considered before Vaquer’s injury forced the company to abandon those plans entirely and rethink the Backlash card in a different direction.

    Vaquer was written off television during the April 27 episode of Raw through a backstage attack angle involving Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez, but the injury behind it proved to be legitimate. She is currently dealing with a confirmed second-degree AC joint sprain, with no firm return timetable established. SummerSlam has been mentioned as a possible target, but nothing has been confirmed.

    The rivalry between Vaquer and Morgan had built genuine momentum coming out of WrestleMania 42, where Morgan defeated Vaquer to capture the Women’s World Championship on Night One. A Backlash rematch would have been a natural continuation of that story at the next major premium live event. Instead, WWE finds itself without that program and with no confirmed replacement.

  • Ric Flair Admits He Regrets Not Spending More Time With His Children Despite Legendary Career

    Ric Flair Admits He Regrets Not Spending More Time With His Children Despite Legendary Career

    Ric Flair has opened up about one of the genuine regrets of his legendary career, acknowledging that the relentless schedule required to stay at the top of professional wrestling came at a steep personal cost.

    Speaking on the Thanalysis Show podcast, Flair was asked what advice he would give to those chasing the kind of fame and recognition he achieved. His answer was candid and rooted in something he has carried for a long time.

    “I get asked that a lot and it’s easy to say this now but when you want to be the best at something and to be the best, I just had to sacrifice and I — Yes. I regret not spending more time with my children, but I was traveling.”

    Flair explained that even the top names in the business during his era were expected to maintain schedules that left almost no room for family life, sharply contrasting with the lighter workloads of today’s performers.

    “Even guys that were the world champion we worked every day back then. So you saw your kids in the morning, you saw them lunch, and then you get home at 3:00 in the morning, get up, work out. They’ve already gone to school and you go to another town.”

    Flair has four children. His daughter, Ashley, known in WWE as Charlotte Flair, and his son, David, both followed him into the wrestling business. His son Reid died of a drug overdose in March 2013. He also has a daughter, Megan, who gave Ric his first grandchild in 2004.

  • Stephanie Vaquer Facing Extended Time Away From WWE

    Stephanie Vaquer Facing Extended Time Away From WWE

    Stephanie Vaquer’s absence from WWE television has no confirmed end date, with the company uncertain about when the former Women’s World Champion will be available to return.

    WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select reports that Vaquer is on the shelf for the foreseeable future, with no timetable widely known within WWE. Internal rumblings have pointed to a minimum six-week absence, though that figure is described as speculative. There is optimism she could return by SummerSlam, but that outcome is not guaranteed. Bryan Alvarez of F4Wonline.com has separately confirmed the injury is legitimate and likely corresponds to the AC sprain referenced on commentary.

    How Vaquer Was Written Off Raw

    Vaquer was written off television on the post-WrestleMania episode of Raw when Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez, acting alongside Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan, attacked her backstage. The segment ended with Perez driving an equipment box into Vaquer’s shoulder. Michael Cole later announced on commentary that Vaquer had suffered a second-degree AC sprain and would be out for a period of time, with WWE confirming the injury on the April 27 broadcast.

    The specific origin of the shoulder issue has not been confirmed, raising the possibility that the injury predated the Raw angle and that the attack was used to write Vaquer off in a way that could be addressed upon her return. A second-degree AC sprain involves a partial tear of the acromioclavicular ligament and typically requires several weeks to a few months of recovery, depending on severity and rehabilitation demands.

    Post-WrestleMania 42 Setback

    The timing extends what has already been a difficult post-WrestleMania stretch for Vaquer. She lost the Women’s World Championship to Morgan on Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium on April 18, ending a 211-day reign that began at Wrestlepalooza in September 2025. Reporting after the event indicated her title match was kept shorter than planned because both performers were already managing physical issues.

    Vaquer had publicly acknowledged the toll on her body in the lead-up to WrestleMania, telling Chris Van Vliet that she was not at 100 percent and pointing to lingering ankle and knee issues. She had reportedly been wrestling roughly one match per month heading into the event after working through an ankle problem earlier in the year. This will be the first time Vaquer has missed time with injury since signing with WWE in 2024.

    SummerSlam 2026 takes place August 1 and 2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis as the company’s first two-night SummerSlam. Reporting suggests WWE is in no rush to bring Vaquer back before she is fully healed, with the company taking a more patient approach to injury recoveries. As of this writing, Vaquer has yet to publicly comment on her status.

  • Backstage Update on AJ Lee’s Status With WWE

    Backstage Update on AJ Lee’s Status With WWE

    AJ Lee’s current WWE run appears to have reached its natural conclusion, at least for the foreseeable future.

    WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select reports that a WWE source has indicated Lee’s creative at the moment is effectively done. There is internal hope that she will return for future programs and matches down the line, with SummerSlam mentioned as a potential event she could appear for. Nothing beyond that has been mapped out.

    Lee returned to WWE in September 2025 and quickly became one of the more compelling additions to the women’s division. She joined CM Punk in a rivalry against Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch before pivoting to a standalone program with Lynch for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship.

    Lee defeated Lynch at Elimination Chamber to win her first singles WWE title in over a decade, then dropped the championship to Lynch at WrestleMania 42 on Night One.

    The WrestleMania match marked her first appearance at the show since WrestleMania 31, giving her run a meaningful bookend. Whether she returns again will depend on what creative directions emerge and what Lee herself is open to pursuing.

  • Mark Henry Issues Career Warning to Oba Femi After WrestleMania 42 Win

    Mark Henry Issues Career Warning to Oba Femi After WrestleMania 42 Win

    Mark Henry wants Oba Femi to develop one specific skill as his WWE career accelerates following his victory over Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 42, and it has nothing to do with what happens inside the ring.

    Speaking with Toronto Sun, Henry argued that the ability to decline certain creative directions is not a sign of being difficult but a necessary thing to do.

    “It’s learning to say no. There’s some things that are not going to be good for you going forward and it’s tough to say no, but you have to be able to say, ‘We worked too hard to get to this point, I think that would take us backwards. Is there another way we could do it because that just doesn’t work for me.’ You’re not being difficult, you’re not being a butthole, you’re being cautious and careful about your development and where you’re going. That’s just my advice to Oba and well as my advice to the company. Do the right thing and be flexible. Don’t be so rigid when an idea is struck and you just don’t feel it. If you emotionally can’t get your mind into it, it’s not going to play out well to the people that are watching.”

    Henry directed the message not just at Femi but at WWE itself, framing flexibility as a two-way responsibility between performer and company.

    Femi’s defeat of Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 Night Two in Las Vegas was widely viewed as one of the more star-making moments of the entire weekend. Reports have since indicated WWE is planning to position him against Roman Reigns as part of the World Heavyweight Championship picture, with Femi’s win over Lesnar establishing the credibility needed to make that program believable.

  • Swerve Strickland Returns on AEW Dynamite

    Swerve Strickland Returns on AEW Dynamite

    Swerve Strickland is back, and he has already made clear who he is coming for.

    A vignette aired on Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite showing a man walking through a Western town before finding a Bandido wanted poster on the ground. The camera panned up to reveal Strickland alongside Prince Nana, who handed him a lighter shaped like a gun. Strickland used it to set the poster on fire.

    Strickland has been out of action since losing to Kenny Omega in a match where his World title shot was put against Omega’s EVP role on the March 25 Dynamite. Reports had suggested his absence was tied to filming material for WBD, though a member of his team denied that explanation.

    Bandido, the current ROH World Champion, has not been particularly active in the ring since losing to then-AEW World Champion MJF in January, competing just three times in the months since, with his last appearance coming in the vacant TNT title Casino Gauntlet match at Dynasty. Vignettes featuring Bandido in the same Western town setting have been airing on AEW programming in recent weeks, building toward an apparent collision.

    The two have history in both singles and tag team matches, but have never faced each other in AEW. Their most recent one-on-one meeting was in 2019, during OTT, a very different period for both men.

    Double or Nothing next month is being eyed as a potential landing spot for the matchup.

  • Nikki Cross Files Trademark for Ring Name After WWE Release

    Nikki Cross Files Trademark for Ring Name After WWE Release

    Nikki Cross wasted no time after her WWE release, with trademark filings for her former ring name and nickname surfacing just days after she was let go.

    Both filings were made on April 28 through a company called Best in the Galaxy Wrestling, LLC, which has no prior trademark history. The filings cover Nikki Storm, the name Cross used before signing with WWE in 2016, and The Best In The Galaxy, the nickname she carried during that period of her career.

    The Nikki Storm filing covers entertainment services, including wrestling performances, televised and live appearances, online interviews, and professional wrestling events, as well as merchandise categories such as shirts, sweatshirts, hooded sweatshirts, hats, bandanas, and socks. It also covers printed comic books and graphic novels. The Best In The Galaxy filing covers the same entertainment services and merchandise categories without the publishing component.

    Cross was among 25 known WWE releases announced last Friday, which also included the rest of the Wyatt Sicks faction she had been a part of. The speed of the filings suggests she has a clear plan for life outside WWE and is moving quickly to reclaim the identity she built before signing with the company nearly a decade ago.

  • John Cena Reveals Who Came Up With The Undertaker WrestleMania 34 Storyline 

    John Cena Reveals Who Came Up With The Undertaker WrestleMania 34 Storyline 

    John Cena has revealed that the WrestleMania 34 storyline with The Undertaker originated with him, explaining why what appeared on screen was a spontaneous last resort.

    Speaking during the Six Feet Under live podcast at WWE World, Cena laid out the logic behind his pitch after failing to win both the 2018 Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber matches.

    “It’s a creative narrative that allows the winner of the Rumble to go forward as planned, I don’t have to steal anybody’s shot. The winner of the Chamber to go forward as planned, I don’t have to steal anybody’s shot. Then I can say, the only way I can do this, is by doing something really stupid and kicking a big hornet’s nest, should I do it? That’s when you are sitting at home, the crowd is like ‘Yeah, you should!’ and you’re like ‘Ah s**t, now I’ve got to go to work.’”

    Cena was direct about claiming credit for the idea while making equally clear he did not act unilaterally to make it happen.

    “So, yes, I want to take credit for that, but I also want to say that, in not going into business for myself, I asked if it was an option, and I was told that it was an option.”

    The Undertaker, who was present for the conversation, noted the pitch came during a period when he was recovering from his second hip surgery and said he was largely oblivious to the planning that had taken place around the angle.

    The match at WrestleMania 34 on April 8, 2018, marked Undertaker’s return following what had been widely assumed to be his retirement at WrestleMania 33, where he left his gloves, coat, and hat in the ring after losing to Roman Reigns. Cena was dispatched quickly in New Orleans, with the brief squash serving as the payoff to a week-long build that began with Undertaker declining to respond to Cena’s public callouts.

    Cena retired from in-ring competition in December 2025 and has since taken on other roles with WWE, including hosting both nights of WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas.

  • Nashville Bids $3.5 Million to Host WWE WrestleMania 44

    Nashville Bids $3.5 Million to Host WWE WrestleMania 44

    Nashville has officially entered the race to host WWE WrestleMania 44 in 2028, submitting a bid that signals serious intent from a city that has never hosted the event in its history.

    According to Bryan Alvarez, Nashville’s offer totals $3.5 million plus tax breaks, making it one of the more substantial bids in the competition for the 2028 show.

    WWE has not yet announced the location of WrestleMania 44. The company’s current schedule has WrestleMania 43 set for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in 2027, making 2028 the next available slot for a domestic host city. WrestleMania 41 and 42 both took place at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

    Cities competing for WrestleMania typically package financial commitments with venue access and additional incentives, given the event’s economic impact on host locations. Nashville’s bid joins a growing list of interested parties as WWE works toward a decision on where the show lands in 2028.