Former WWE Women’s Champion Candice Michelle recently signed a deal with TNA Wrestling to work in a backstage role with the women’s division.
Her exact role is still being determined, but she is open to both on-screen and behind-the-scenes opportunities.
TNA executive Carlos Silva stated that:
“Candice, it’s so great that you’re going to be part of the TNA team, be behind the scenes with us as a former champion, bringing all of that experience to all the women here at TNA,” Silva said.
“It’s going to be great. We’re just so happy and I’ve got your contract here. I think it’s got everything that we talked about and we just look forward to building this together.”
Michelle previously appeared at TNA No Surrender on February 13, 2026, and at TNA television tapings on February 14, 2026. She also made a televised appearance during TNA’s Thursday Night iMPACT debut on AMC.
Candice Michelle last wrestled in 2017 for House of Hardcore, which is run by Tommy Dreamer, who is now part of TNA’s creative team.
The Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes recently stated that his next WWE contract will be his last as a full-time wrestler.
‘The American Nightmare’ made the revelation during an appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, offering the most direct comments yet about the timeline on his in-ring career.
“I don’t have a number on it anymore,” Rhodes said. “I know that the next deal I do will be my last as a full-time wrestler.”
Driving Force Behind The Decision
Rhodes cited his daughters as the driving force behind the thinking. His eldest, Liberty, is turning five in June and has grown up entirely during her father’s run at the top of WWE. His youngest, Leilani, was born six months ago.
“Liberty’s known nothing but WrestleMania main events — that child has literally known nothing else,” he said. “Leilani is only six months old. In my mind, I owe her a few more of these.”
The 40-year-old superstar acknowledged that the impulse to keep going is also personal.
“That’s silly — that’s me doing it for me. Or maybe it is a little bit of both.”
Rhodes, who once said he planned to retire at 40, added that he won’t need an external signal to know when the time is right.
“I’ll know. And the audience — they’ll know.”
Cody Rhodes is currently preparing for a WrestleMania 42 main event defense of the WWE Championship against former mentor and teammate Randy Orton in Las Vegas.
The Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes recently sent out a message to the fans who boo him, saying he doesn’t care.
‘The American Nightmare’ appeared onInsight with Chris Van Vlietfor a sit-down interview and addressed the crowd polarization that has followed his third title reign head-on. Rather than try to win back the detractors, Rhodes says he’s settled into a different philosophy entirely.
“I don’t care that you boo me, because I’ve seen what you cheer,” Rhodes told Van Vliet, drawing on a Rick and Morty reference to make the point.
He described spending energy chasing fans who were never going to come around as the wrong play — referencing a Parks and Recreation storyline about a politician who wasted a campaign on a voter who would never support her.
Feeling the Boos at WrestleMania 41
Cody Rhodes acknowledged that the crowd split at WrestleMania 41 wasn’t just audible — it was physical. He described feeling the boos in his ribcage during the old-school ring introductions, noting the acoustic difference between a hostile arena and a hostile stadium.
He pushed back firmly on the idea that crowd noise is something to tune out.
“The fans are in the ring with us,” he said. “We are a live performance that interacts with our audience and plays off of what they are giving us. There is no sound off.”
The Dark Knight Question
Van Vliet raised the classic framing — you either die a hero or live long enough to become the villain — and Rhodes didn’t dismiss it.
“Could be,” he said. “The biggest mistake you can make is trying to discourage the passion. You should lean into all sides of it.”
He added that he can already hear what’s coming at WrestleMania 42.
“I have a feeling I’m going to hear it in Vegas again this year,” he said. “I like the idea of walking back into Vegas as champion — there’s part of it that’s: hey guys, it’s me again.”
Cody Rhodes pointed to John Cena as the blueprint for how to navigate a split crowd without losing yourself in it.
“Watching John, having my own skin really beat up and thickened up over the course of my career, has made it so I think I’ve got the lane I can run in and make something very entertaining for both sides of the coin.”
Am I In Character?
Rhodes also revisited a question Van Vliet posed in a previous interview that has apparently stayed with him: how do you know when you’re not in character?
“It should be easy,” he said. “Am I in character now? No. Right. It should be easy. But is that a lie? Maybe.”
He said the only moment he’s certain the character is fully gone is when he’s with his children. “I am not there to do anything other than be a father.”
3-time Grammy Award winner Jelly Roll is scheduled to appear on Miz TV with The Miz on the March 13th episode of WWE SmackDown, airing live from the Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix, Arizona.
The Miz announced Jelly Roll’s appearance on Instagram, stating:
“Tomorrow a Special Edition of Miz TV, my guest… JELLYROLL Music superstar. Chart-topper. Sold-out arenas everywhere. But tomorrow he enters the one arena he’s never been in before… The Miz TV interview chair. SmackDown. Tomorrow. USA Network. It’s going to be AWESOME.”
The March 13 WWE SmackDown will also feature Jade Cargill vs. Michin and a WrestleMania contract signing between Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton for the Undisputed WWE Championship match.
Jelly Roll had competed at WWE SummerSlam last year when he teamed with Randy Orton against Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul. As WrestleMania 42 draws closer, it has been reported that talks are expected with Jelly Roll about a potential appearance at the ‘Show of Shows.’
Former AEW World Champion Jon Moxley recently said that he would wrestle every night if he could. He explained the importance of staying active in wrestling and his desire to help others gain experience.
In an interview with TV Insider, Moxley mentioned that he gets the most satisfaction from helping others in AEW grow and develop, whether they are his Death Riders teammates or opponents.
Moxley said:
“To me, I get so much satisfaction seeing other people grow as they evolve in their journey in wrestling. I remember going on a crazy ride where one day I’m a nobody and next day I’m on this crazy ass ride. To be able to take other people along with me has been really gratifying.”
“Usually, the stuff I’m looking for is not the things others are looking for or care about. I’m always looking at little stuff other people don’t look at or pay attention to. I’m like, “f*ck yeah” when I see someone is leveling up and their understanding of this is leveling up. The work ethic is one of the key things for us. We like to be active.“
Staying Active In The Ring
Jon Moxley further said that the only way to improve at wrestling is to stay active. The AEW Continental Champion said that he would wrestle every night if he could.
He added:
“The only way you get better at this is to do it a lot. I would wrestle every night if they let me. I would also step aside and let the other guys wrestle because I want them to wrestle too. We’d be in the ring every night if we could.”
Moxley’s AEW Continental Championship
Up next for Moxley, he is scheduled to team with Claudio Castagnoli on tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite in San Jose against Konosuke Takeshita and Hechicero of the Don Callis Family. The match comes ahead of his Continental title defense against Takeshita on Sunday at AEW Revolution.
Rey Fenix recently addressed the possibility of reuniting with his brother Penta as part of the Lucha Bro. The luchador highlighted patience and the importance of timing. The two superstars are currently on separate brands. Penta is signed on Raw while Rey Fenix performs on SmackDown.
Penta is the current WWE Intercontinental Champion on Raw, marking his first title win in the company. Fenix has competed for the United States title on a few occasions but has fallen short of his first championship.
Rey Fenix On Lucha Bros Reunion
In an interview with RRBG Inc, Fenix discussed the possibility of eventually reuniting the Lucha Bros in WWE. He also talked about the importance of the two getting the opportunity to initially showcase their talents as singles competitor.
“I see it this way. It’s not bad. Obviously, I miss fighting with my brother, but it’s a good opportunity to show who we are individually,” Fenix said.
Rey Fenix is focused on his singles run on SmackDown, where he has competed in a U.S. Title Open Challenge against Carmelo Hayes and battled Trick Williams. He is waiting for the right moment for the Lucha Bros reunion.
“I’ve worked with Je’Von Evans, I’ve worked with Andrade when he was there, I’m working with Sami Zayn, I’ve worked with Rey (Mysterio) at recent AAA events. I think it’s a good opportunity for us as wrestlers and for the public to see something different.”
“And believe me, they know that people are waiting for the Lucha Brothers, and the Lucha Brothers are waiting for the moment. But something that wrestling and this sport have taught me is patience. It’s going to be the right moment that the Lucha Brothers deserve.
It’s not that we don’t deserve it and you don’t deserve to see the Lucha Brothers today, but I know that when the moment gets there is the right moment, and it’s going to be the right moment.”
Lucha Bros Reunited In AAA
Lucha Bros did reunite, well, sort of, in Lucha Libre AAA in late 2025. They were scheduled to face Dominik Mysterio & El Grande Americano at AAA Guerra de Titanes.
Multi-time WWE Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair recently discussed her plans after her WWE career. ‘The Queen’ highlighted her desire to help others and invest in self-care initiatives. Flair said that she wants to use her resources to give back.
Speaking on Bloomberg Talks, Charlotte Flair said she isn’t sure what she’ll do after WWE, but she wants to focus on helping people.
She explained that she invested in self-care initiatives because she believes creating safe spaces for others is important. Flair added that she hopes to become the kind of supportive person she needed while growing up and sees these investments as a way to do that.
Charlotte Flair said:
“I don’t know what my next step is after WWE, but what I do know is I want to help people. That’s why I invested in them because I know you can’t go wrong and helping create a safe space for people, I want to become the person that I needed growing up, and I felt like investing in self-care for everyone was like the perfect step in that and being their angel investor.”
Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss recently defeated Giulia and Kiana James on last Friday’s SmackDown and have secured a title shot against the new Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax & Lash Legend.
Multi-time Women\’s Champion Charlotte Flair feels that her poor mental health contributed to the knee injury that she sustained in December 2023. \’The Queen\’ suffered a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus on December 8th, 2023 during an edition of SmackDown. The injuries put her on the sidelines for over a year.
Speaking on Bloomberg Talks, Flair explained how her mental state may have contributed to her injury, citing imposter syndrome and anxiety. Charlotte Flair has revealed that she is now prioritizing self-care and mental wellness.
Flair revealed:
\”I definitely think when I hurt my knee — I tore my ACL — I don’t think I was in the right state of mind, meaning whether it was imposter syndrome, that dialogue [of] how we talk to ourselves, that inner self-talk. I feel like I was in a very negative space and not opening up about it and the anxiety of, you know, being a woman that’s approaching 40, what that looks like, the demands. I want to be able to say, ‘I’m a woman and what I want more of is time.’ And all that pressure adding up, I feel like the reason I hurt my knee is because I wasn’t all there performing.\”
Charlotte Flair said that she considered herself the “iron woman.” When a knee injury forced her out of action, it made her realize that wrestling isn’t her entire identity. She now believes she has a voice beyond the ring and wants to use it to start bigger conversations and make important topics less taboo across different industries. She said:
“And for someone who has — I always looked at myself as the iron woman, and when my knee took me out, I was like, all I viewed myself was as a professional wrestler. Like, that’s all I am. And that’s not all I am. And I do have a voice and maybe this is the start of something bigger for me. Like, I love being Charlotte, but taking Charlotte to the next level and making these conversations more accessible or not taboo for people in any kind of industry, I think is so important.”
Flair is now an investor in Self-Care is for Everyone, an apparel company promoting positive messages and self-care tools.
Charlotte Flair\’s Tag-Team Run
Flair recently enjoyed a WWE Women\’s Tag Team Championship reign with Alexa Bliss before dropping the titles.
However, they defeated Giulia & Kiana James on last Friday\’s SmackDown to earn a title shot against the new Women’s Tag Team Champions Nia Jax & Lash Legend.
Steph De Lander is set to make her in-ring return at ACW Aftershock on March 14th, 2026, in Poughkeepsie, NY. She will compete in a triple threat match against Indi Hartwell and J-Rod for the ACW Women\’s Championship.
De Lander announced her return match on Twitter, stating:
This will mark De Lander\’s first match since August 2024, following two neck surgeries. De Lander left TNA after they refused to medically clear her for an in-ring return, despite her being cleared by WWE\’s surgeon.
De Lander had revealed that she had to bear the cost of surgeries and physical therapy. She disclosed that she and Warner were paid by appearance and did not receive guaranteed money from the promotion.
They were informed that they would be booked only once for the upcoming TV tapings instead of the original two-day booking. This led to their exit from the promotion, as the reduced dates would affect their income.
De Lander was previously signed with WWE under the name Persia Pirotta before her release in 2022. She made her TNA debut the following year and partnered with Warner when he arrived in the promotion in 2025.
On March 7th, 2026, Steph De Lander and Mance Warner appeared at GCW So Alive, reuniting with Second Gear Crew in a brawl turned match against VNDL48.
WWE\’s newest signing Danhausen recently reflected on his WWE debut at Elimination Chamber 2026, claiming he received a warm welcome. The debut featured Danhausen emerging from a mystery crate that contained a coffin, accompanied by women with Danhausen facepaint.
Danhausen appeared on Raw Recap to discuss the event. He sarcastically described the reaction he received at WWE Elimination Chamber, exaggerating the positive response. Danhausen said:
\”Oh, it was thunderous applause. It was great. I came out and they yelled, ‘Yes! Finally, Danhausen has arrived,’ and I could hear each and every one of them hop off their seats and get up and applaud, and say, ‘Up yours, Dracula. Danhausen did it first,’ because Danhausen shipped himself in a crate across the seas first but it was to WWE. It was not the Last Voyage of the Demeter or whatever it’s called.\”
Danhausen Cursing Talents
Danhausen has been featured on WWE Raw where he is cursing certain talents backstage. He recently cursed Dominik Mysterio, who lost the Intercontinental Championship that same night. On last week\’s SmackDown, he also cursed The Miz.
On the latest edition of Raw, the cursing spree continued as he cursed the Original El Grande Americano, who couldn\’t compete in his match against WWE Intercontinental Champion Penta.
The major angle played out on WWE Raw, with McDonagh initially appearing to try to cool tensions between Balor and Dominik Mysterio. However, when Balor attacked Mysterio, McDonagh dropped him with a clothesline, cementing his allegiance to the rest of Judgment Day.
JD McDonagh\’s Explanation
Following the attack, McDonagh took to X and blamed Balor’s ego for the tensions within the group, choosing his \”family\” in Judgment Day over his friend Balor.
“You lied to all of us for months. You got an ego. You wanted to be the leader. You played games,” McDonagh wrote. “That’s never been what the Judgment Day has been about. You used to know that. Judgment Day is my family and if anybody dares to try to step on any of them, you get stomped out.”
You lied to all of us for months. You got an ego. You wanted to be the leader. You played games. That's never been what the Judgment Day has been about. You used to know that.
Judgment Day is my family and if anybody dares to try to step on any of them, you get stomped out. pic.twitter.com/YeLmRUFL3r
During the attack, Dominik Mysterio used the timekeeper’s hammer to deliver a 619 on his former friend and then hit a frog splash on a chair. The attack concluded with The Judgment Day members standing tall over Balor.
While it has not been announced yet, this angle could set up a match between Finn Balor and Dominik Mysterio at WrestleMania 42, which takes place April 18-19.
Former NXT Champion Oba Femi has made it clear he\’s ready for a showdown with Brock Lesnar in WWE. \’The Ruler\’ acknowledged fan interest in a potential match, suggesting it may only be a matter of time. Speculation about a possible match between Femi and Lesnar began during the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble.
The possibility of a match between Oba Femi and Brock Lesnar gained traction after Paul Heyman announced on WWE Raw that Brock Lesnar would compete at WrestleMania 42 in an open challenge.
During that segment, the crowd chanted for Oba Femi in response to Heyman\’s challenge.
“I know the fans have been asking for that match. It’s going to happen one day soon. What a run he has had — the UFC champion, multiple-time WWE champion, Royal Rumble winner, dominance.”
Wrestling legend Chris Jericho recently revived his iconic “List of Jericho” at the Big Texas Terror fan event in San Antonio, Texas. He uploaded a video on TikTok that has sparked speculation about his future in wrestling.
Fans believed that \’The Wizard\’ would be returning to WWE after his AEW contract expired. However, a recent update suggested that his AEW deal was frozen when he took time off from the promotion in April last year.
Chris Jericho Teasing WWE Return?
Jericho posted a video on TikTok from the event, showing him interacting with a young fan as he added her name to the list. He captioned the video:
\”She made the list at Big Texas Terror!! ? #chrisjericho #chrisjerichothelist #wrestlinghistory #wrestlingtok\”.
“The List of Jericho” gimmick became a major part of Jericho’s WWE run in 2016, where he would dramatically add people to the list whenever they annoyed him. The gimmick turned “You just made the list!” into one of the most recognizable catchphrases in wrestling.
After joining AEW in 2019, Jericho largely retired the gimmick, referencing it on AEW television that same year when he joked that the list was outdated and introduced the “Lexicon of Le Champion” instead.
It is unclear whether this was simply a nostalgic callback for fans or if Jericho intends to revisit the gimmick in a bigger way. He remains under contract with AEW, but the timing of the throwback is interesting given the speculation about his future.
7-time TNA Knockouts World Champion Gail Kim believes former WWE Women\’s Champion Bayley would have been a perfect fit for the original TNA Knockouts division.
Bayley previously expressed interest in potentially appearing in AAA and TNA Wrestling. This fueled speculation among fans about a potential run in either promotion.
“You don’t want to just be one thing. Like, there are so many promotions. When you have guys like AJ Styles, Sami Zayn, or Finn Balor, they’ve all been to these places. So I feel like it’s important to mention the past and mention these things. I would love to dip my toes in TNA and AAA. If we have the doors to do that, I would love to go.”
Gail Kim Reacts
Gail Kim, a TNA/Impact Wrestling legend, praised Bayley\’s talent and potential crossover appeal. Kim took to X to respond to the praise and labeled Bayley a “timeless” performer. Kim wrote:
“Bayley is a timeless wrestler. She would fit into any division in any generation, especially our OG KO division! Oh and what an awesome human too.”
Bayley is a timeless wrestler. She would fit into any division in any generation, especially our OG KO division! Oh and what an awesome human too ???? https://t.co/cI1z6ZfEEh
Bayley recently competed in a Women\’s Elimination Chamber qualifying match against Nattie and Asuka. However, she failed to qualify. She is preparing for a Gauntlet Match on the March 9th episode of Raw in Seattle.
The winner of that match will earn a championship shot against AJ Lee for the Women’s Intercontinental Title at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas.
NFL legend and WWE commentator Pat McAfee recently said that he doesn\’t believe that a return to WWE is in the cards right now. McAfee had stepped away from Raw commentary last summer due to burnout. He and his wife are also expecting their second child in June 2026.
McAfee gave an update on his WWE status during an Instagram Q&A on Sunday night, saying that he is not ruling out a comeback in the future but feels it\’s unlikely at the moment.
\”Will I be returning to the WWE in the future? I don’t think you ever say never, you know, especially with the WWE. But right now, it does not feel like it is something that’s supposed to happen,\” McAfee said.
The NFL legend further said that the company seems to be doing well without him, and he will continue to watch the product as a fan.
\”It feels like that business has kind of passed me by a little bit. I grew up loving it, dreamed to work in it, feel honored that I had the opportunity to work alongside the GOAT Michael Cole. But I feel like WWE is in a good spot without me, and I’ll continue to watch.\”
McAfee did make an appearance at WWE Wrestlepalooza last September when he joined Michael Cole and Wade Barrett on commentary. His most recent match took place in May last year, with McAfee losing to Gunther at Backlash.
Given McAfee’s strong relationship with the company and his close ties with Michael Cole on commentary, a comeback somewhere down the line can’t be ruled out. WWE has a long history of surprise appearances, and McAfee himself has delivered memorable moments both behind the desk and inside the ring.
Fans also know that anything is possible when it comes to WWE. Even if McAfee stays away for a while, you never truly know when he might pop back up, perhaps even with a surprise appearance at WrestleMania 42.
Former WWE United States Champion Logan Paul issued a challenge to box NFL players, but that was blocked by WWE Management. The news comes as Paul issued a $1 million challenge to any current NFL player willing to face him in the boxing ring.
Several active NFL players, including Dion Dawkins, Brock Hoffman, and Kingsley Suamataia, responded positively to the challenge. Logan Paul addressed the challenge on X.
WWE Blocks Logan Paul From Boxing NFL Players
WWE Management contacted Logan Paul during a livestream and ordered him to cease pursuing the boxing match. During the call, the WWE official stated:
“One, we don’t want you to get injured,” It’s just unnecessary risk, like you don’t know if you slip, you fall. We don’t want to risk any injury… we just would prefer for you not to be boxing.”
Paul insisted that there was “no risk” and despite his claim that “these guys cannot box,” the executive asserted that the company would not grant him its approval for “extracurricular activities” unrelated to the wrestling brand.
\’The Maverick\’ then agreed to the directive from the official at the end of the call, stating:
“At the end of the day, I’m a WWE superstar and my loyalty is with the WWE. If I do not have their blessing to do some extracurricular activities that are unrelated to the WWE like boxing, as much as I would love to do it, I gotta honor my job and my commitment to my profession.”
Logan Paul got a call from the WWE saying he’s not allowed to box any NFL players ?
“I’m not gonna get injured. These guys can’t box, they’re football players. There’s no risk.” pic.twitter.com/DxFItZz1dy
Former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon\’s car crash in 2025 has been the subject of a new parody by comedian AJ Hapanney. Hapanney posted bodycam skits on Instagram, mocking the incident with references to McMahon\’s WWE history.
The skits include jokes about McMahon\’s limo explosion on RAW in 2007 and his \’Kiss My A**\’ club. In the parody, the McMahon character also asks to be taken to a \”local medical facility\” instead of a hospital.
AJ Hapanney Mocks McMahon
In one of the clips, the comedian recreated a sobriety test scene where the parody version of McMahon could be seen struggling to cooperate with officers.
The character couldn\’t walk in straight lines and began to do McMahon\’s signature strut. Hapanney, as Vince McMahon, says:
\”What’s good in the hood? I don’t typically drive this car. I drive a limo but it blew up in 2007. You can’t see me. You just want to see my magnificent ass.\”
The scene continues as the character tries to talk his way out of trouble and even pitched one of WWE’s most infamous Attitude Era storylines to the officers — Kiss My A** Club.
“Wait just a damn minute, if you let me go I’m gonna invite you to an exclusive club… it’s a kiss my ass club.”
Vince McMahon was involved in a car accident last year, where his 2024 Bentley Continental GT priced at over $300,000 crashed into a 2023 BMW 430. The accident was reported in the Connecticut area on Thursday July 24th, and it happened only hours before the news of Hulk Hogan\’s passing was made public.
Fortunately, there were no serious injuries from the incident. Vince McMahon was issued a misdemeanor summons and was released on a $500 bond at the time.
Tommaso Ciampa recently turned heel on Mark Briscoe during the March 7th episode of AEW Collision, attacking Briscoe after a match. The turn came after weeks of Ciampa portraying a babyface character. The attack echoed Ciampa\’s previous DIY breakup with Johnny Gargano in WWE NXT.
Ciampa suffered a defeat at the hands of Daniel Garcia after being distracted by Briscoe, who was on commentary. Following the match, Ciampa confronted Briscoe. However, initially they appeared to reconcile. FTR then confronted Ciampa but Briscoe intervened. Dax Harwood and Cash Wheeler left the ramp together.
Ciampa then attacked Briscoe on the ramp, throwing him into the video screen. He followed up with a running knee strike. FTR watched and appeared to approve of Ciampa\’s actions. The whole sequence was the exact replica of the moment when he had turned on Johnny Gargano in WWE.
Ciampa had joined All Elite Wrestling on the January 28th, 2026, episode of Dynamite. Just three days later, he captured the AEW TNT Championship by defeating Mark Briscoe. However, his title run didn’t last long as it was ended by Kyle Fletcher after 11 days.
NXT Vengeance Day is in the record books, and a couple of title matches have been announced for NXT Houston on March 17th. Jacy Jayne is set to defend the NXT Women’s Championship in a triple threat match against Zaria and Sol Ruca.
The announcement came as Robert Stone interrupted Jayne, who was discussing her history as NXT Women’s Champion in a segment at NXT Vengeance Day. Stone then announced the triple threat match.
Backstage, Jayne was upset about the match as the rest of Fatal Influence plotted to take out Ruca before the championship match.
Jacy Jayne is a two-time NXT Women’s Champion and record-tying two-time NXT Women’s Tag Team Champion. She is the current NXT Women’s Champion, with her reign beginning on November 18th, 2025.
Jayne successfully defended the NXT Women’s Championship against Sol Ruca on February 24th, 2026, after Zaria betrayed Ruca, breaking up ZaRuca.
WWE Speed Championship
Fallon Henley also revealed that on NXT Vengeance Day, she would be defending the Speed title at NXT Houston against the winner of the finals between Wren Sinclair and Thea Hail, set for coming Tuesday’s NXT.
Tatum Paxley had a triumphant outing against her former friend Izzi Dame, and she clinched the NXT Women\’s North American title for the first time at NXT Vengeance Day.
In the final moments of the match, Dame attempted a codebreaker, but Paxley managed to counter by doing a cartwheel. Dame then walked into a running kick by Paxley, who then pinned Dame with the cemetery drive for the victory.
Over the last few weeks, Paxley made appearances through vignettes and said that a new version of herself would emerge at NXT Vengeance Day.
However, Dame ignored the idea, saying the same old Paxley would show up. The duo had parted ways months ago as Dame turned her back on Paxley, costing her the NXT Women’s Championship.
Dame had held the Women\’s North American title around her waist since January. She won the title by beating Thea Hail at New Year’s Evil. Earlier on that show, Paxley had defeated Dame and was aiming to challenge Hail, who had an open challenge for the North American title. However, Dame entered the ring first and challenged instead, defeating Hail to win the title.
With the victory, Tatum Paxley has gained long-awaited revenge against Izzi Dame. The win marked a turning point for Paxley, proving that the new version she promised heading into NXT Vengeance Day was very real.
Now standing atop the division with gold around her waist, Paxley will look to establish her reign as champion while a disappointed Dame is likely far from finished with her former friend.
Former WWE star Matt Riddle recently claimed Brock Lesnar completely derailed a planned Elimination Chamber match in Saudi Arabia, showing up without attending the pre-match meeting, going off-script inside the chamber, and then laughing about it afterward.
Riddle shared the account on the Rewind Recap Relive podcast, describing a match that was supposed to feature multiple planned spots and pin exchanges for each participant.
\”Brock Lesnar not listening to anybody but himself and maybe Paul Heyman — he basically starts flipping out, punches the pod wall. They\’re not really sturdy. He punches through it, then starts kicking it, busts it down. And everybody just kind of fed him — clothesline, F5. Clothesline, F5.\”
The result was a match that ended roughly ten minutes ahead of schedule, robbing the other competitors of their planned moments.
\”AJ Styles was furious. I was furious. Seth — everybody was furious. The match abruptly ended like 10 minutes earlier than it should have.\”
Laughing It Off — Then Paul Heyman Got an Earful
Riddle revealed that the aftermath was equally infuriating. Rather than apologizing, Lesnar walked away laughing, saying he had simply forgotten the plan.
\”After the match, he\’s laughing. He goes, \’Oh sorry, I forgot.\’ You forgot. You flew all the way to Saudi just to forget,\” Riddle said. \”He didn\’t even say sorry — he was just laughing and walking away.\”
Paul Heyman stepped in to smooth things over, only to be shut down by the locker room.
\”Paul Heyman came up and was like, \’He\’s sorry, dude.\’ And we\’re like, \’Paul, shut the f*** up.\’ You manage this guy. The better he looks, the better you look.\”
Riddle said Lesnar had a history of similar behavior and offered a blunt warning to anyone working with him:
\”Advice for the locker room — don\’t listen to him.\”
Riddle was referring to the 2022 Elimination Chamber match, where Brock Lesnar put on a dominant performance. \’The Beast Incarnate\’ entered the match early after breaking out of his pod and went on to eliminate Seth Rollins, Riddle, AJ Styles, and finally Austin Theory to capture the WWE Championship.
Despite the frustration from the competitors at the time, the moment still became one of the most memorable highlights of the 2022 Elimination Chamber event, with Lesnar bulldozing through the pod and dominantly reclaiming the WWE Championship.
The Vision\’s Austin Theory recently broke his silence on Seth Rollins attacking Paul Heyman on the latest edition of WWE Raw.
After Seth Rollins revealed himself as the masked man at Elimination Chamber, costing Logan Paul his spot, Rollins continued to target The Vision on the March 2nd episode of WWE Raw.
Austin Theory took to X to comment on the moment, publicly showing support for Heyman and criticizing Rollins\’ actions.
\”A lot of people owe their careers to @HeymanHustle. This past Monday night @WWERollins chose to repay him with a beating. Thinking about you today, Wise Man.
A lot of people owe their careers to @HeymanHustle. This past Monday night @WWERollins chose to repay him with a beating. Thinking about you today, Wise Man.??
Austin Theory’s message indicates the growing tension surrounding Seth Rollins’ shocking attack on Heyman. With Heyman taken out brutally, Rollins’ actions have only added more fuel to an already volatile situation between him and The Vision.
It remains to be seen whether this incident will spark further retaliation in the weeks ahead as the road to WrestleMania continues.
NXT Superstar Kale Dixon recently married Summer Sorrell in a private ceremony on February 27th, 2026. Dixon, whose real name is Caleb J. Balgaard, is part of the Chase U faction on NXT. Sorrell, whose real name is Karyn Best, is a former NXT and EVOLVE talent.
Dixon shared his excitement about marrying Sorrell on their wedding day. According to Kale Dixon\’s Instagram, he wrote:
“Today’s the day I get to marry my best friend!!?? 02-27-26?.”
Several NXT Superstars attended the wedding, including Luca Crusifino. Crusifino even shared a “D’Angelo Family reunion” photo from the event. Dixon has been with WWE since 2022 and is currently aligned with Chase U. He also appeared on WWE’s main roster in 2024 when Bron Breakker was on a streak to squash his opponents.
Summer Sorrell previously appeared on WWE LFG. She was released from WWE last year. The ceremony marked a major personal milestone for the couple as they continue building their careers in professional wrestling.
NXT Superstar Blake Monroe recently addressed the possibility of appearing at WrestleMania 42. She highlighted her focus on timing and building anticipation for a successful main roster debut.
Monroe stated she wants to be at the top of WWE and the face of WWE. She believes her career success is due to good timing and opportunity. Monroe is currently focused on Stand & Deliver, viewing it as her “WrestleMania.”
Monroe on Eventual Main Roster Debut
Speaking with Cheap Heat with Peter Rosenberg, Monroe explained her strategy for a successful main roster debut, emphasizing the importance of timing and building anticipation:
“Listen, that’s always a thought. I want to be at the top of WWE, I want to be the face of WWE, but I’m smart and my whole career has always been about timing.
Monroe feels she can ‘hang’ with main roster stars like Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley.
“It’s been about the opportunity in front of me, giving it 100% and then stepping up to the next thing. Look at the WrestleMania card, it’s like Liv Morgan, Rhea Ripley. These are huge stars with 10 years of TV equity.
“Do I believe I can hang? Absolutely, but in the meantime, why wouldn’t I build my stock, build my equity? I’ve been in NXT for not even a year, and it is my show. We talk about the titles, I don’t need one, I am the show. My segment is the talking point, week in week out. I’m looking at Stand & Deliver, that’s what’s coming after Vengeance Day. That’s our WrestleMania.
Growing Fan Anticipation
Blake Monroe stated that fans demanding for her appearance at the Royal Rumble shows there is strong anticipation for her eventual move to WWE’s main roster and performing at WrestleMania.
She believes it’s important not to rush the process, as building anticipation ensures fans stay excited for her debut rather than losing interest.
“I see WrestleMania on the horizon and I think back to the Rumble, everybody was dying for a Blake Monroe appearance. To me, that’s a good sign.
“That means when I do go to the main roster, when I do enter the Rumble, when I do go to WrestleMania, these fans have been waiting for this, dying for this, and they’re going to be so excited.
\”If you try to rush things or you do it too soon, there is no anticipation, nobody cares, and that can never be me.\”
WrestleMania 42 is scheduled for April 18 and 19 in Las Vegas. In the meantime, Monroe seems to be content and letting the anticipation continue to build.
By allowing fans to await her eventual move to WWE’s main roster eagerly, she believes the moment will feel even bigger when it finally happens — whether that stage ends up being the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, or another major WWE event.
Former WWE Superstar Matt Riddle recently revealed that Brock Lesnar once grabbed him by the back of the neck in a backstage hallway, confronting him over a t-shirt that listed \”Retire Brock Lesnar\” as an unchecked goal.
\’The Original Bro\’ shared the story during a lengthy sit-down on the Rewind Recap Relivepodcast, explaining that the merchandise was never meant as genuine disrespect, but it was a motivational tool. He said:
\”I get there. All of a sudden, the only guy grabbed me by the back of the neck when I\’m walking in the hall and I turn around and it\’s Brock Lesnar. His security guard goes, \’Hey, you need help with this?\’ I turn around like — does Brock Lesnar need help with me?\”
Riddle claimed that Lesnar pulled him aside and issued a blunt warning: the two would never work together, and Riddle needed to stop using his name. Riddle said he pushed back without backing down.
\”I\’m like, \’Dude, I\’m not going to force you to do anything you don\’t want to do. I was just talking trash. And if it got you this worked up, it must have worked. If anything, you touched me now.\’\”
The T-Shirt That Started It
Riddle explained that the shirt featuring the \”Retire Brock Lesnar\” checklist was an extension of his goal-setting mentality, not a legitimate rivalry campaign. He sold the merch on the independent circuit long before he ever crossed paths with Lesnar in WWE.
\”I set my goals high,\” Riddle said. \”Am I going to retire Brock Lesnar? 99.9% of the time, no. But if I make that my goal, I\’m going to get pretty far.\”
He added that Lesnar taking personal offense to it only validated the strategy — and that the confrontation itself proved a larger point about how the locker room operated around The Beast.
Riddle is currently competing in Major League Wrestling, where he is pursuing the MLW Heavyweight Championship.
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