CM Punk and AJ Lee celebrated their respective title wins at WWE Elimination Chamber in Chicago. On February 28th, AJ Lee defeated Becky Lynch to win the WWE Women\’s Intercontinental title at the show. Shortly after, CM Punk defeated Finn Balor to retain his World Heavyweight Championship.
Following the show, \’The Second City Saint\’ dropped a racy photo on his Instagram account. The photo parodied a similar one taken by Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch years prior.
The photo featured CM Punk using his World Heavyweight title to cover his groin, and using Lee\’s Women\’s Intercontinental title to cover his chest. The photo immediately spread on social media, drawing comments from other WWE superstars.
His wife AJ Lee commented on the photo, stating, \”He is my emergency contact.\” Rhea Ripley also wrote: \”I’m f***in dead!\”
CM Punk is scheduled to face 2026 Men\’s Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 42 for the World Heavyweight Championship. Meanwhile, AJ Lee is the WWE Women\’s Intercontinental Champion. This marks her first WWE title in over 10 years, since the Divas Championship in 2014.
17-time World Champion John Cena recently addressed why a highly anticipated match with Adam Copeland didn\’t occur during his 2025 retirement tour. Many fans hoped for a final showdown between Cena and Copeland (known to WWE fans as Edge). Despite fan interest, the match never materialized due to the promotional gap.
Speaking to The Takedown, John Cena has now revealed that the two remained in close contact throughout the entire farewell run. \’The Leader of Cenation\’ stated he only had 36 dates and couldn\’t face everyone, despite talking to Copeland often and having great respect for him.
“I talk to Adam all the time. I have great respect for him. We refer to each other as ‘old shoe’ because Adam’s got a very special place in my heart. Now here we both are, celebrating a long living space in a wonderful business. So I talk to him often. I think both of us understood about something like (the retirement tour) it is the sports entertainment business. But then again, I only had 36 dates. I can’t work with everybody.”
Cena\’s Retirement Tour
During his 2025 retirement tour, Cena faced rivals like Randy Orton and CM Punk. However, he said that he wanted to face Triple H, Shawn Michaels and Batista, which wasn\’t possible as they all have already hung up their wrestling boots.
“Gosh, I had tons of fun with Khali, all of my opponents, Shawn Michaels, Triple H, Batista. You name it, we could have just run the gambit of folks. I would run out of time trying to tell you the people I wanted to face,” Cena added.
Cena and Copeland refer to each other as \’old shoe\’ due to their comfortable in-ring chemistry. While the former 17-time World Champion couldn\’t face his former rival, he paid tribute to the \’Rated-R Superstar\’ by using the Spear in his final SmackDown match. Copeland had also returned the favor by using Cena’s Five Knuckle Shuffle at AEW All Out in Toronto.
A geography lesson broke out on ESPN as former World Champion Seth Rollins was happy to provide it at WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk\’s expense.
Appearing on ESPN\’s Get Up the day before WWE Elimination Chamber, \’The Visionary\’ was shown a clip of Punk making his case for being the bigger Chicago sports fan. The setup was straightforward enough as Punk, a Chicago native, claimed Rollins couldn\’t compete with his hometown credentials. He just got one key detail wrong. He said:
\”Seth was born and raised in Idaho. I understand there\’s no football team there. There\’s maybe just potatoes.\”
Rollins caught the mistake immediately and milked it.
\”Idaho. Idaho. Potatoes. Come on, man. He knows — it\’s Iowa. Iowa. Not Idaho. We\’re in different regions of the country. Different vegetables, different starchy vegetables. They\’ve got the potatoes, I\’ve got the corn. All right.\”
Rollins Concedes Punk\’s Birthright — Then Flips the Script
After correcting the record, Rollins wasn\’t looking to strip Punk of his Chicago identity entirely. He acknowledged \”Chicago\’s favorite son\” would get a \”raucous reaction\” from the United Center crowd when he defends the World Heavyweight Championship against Finn Bálor on Saturday. But then he drew a firm line.
\”I\’m not going to take anything away from CM Punk\’s Chicago fandom. He was born and raised there. He\’s Chicago\’s favorite son. He\’s going to go there tomorrow and get a raucous reaction. But this man does not believe in the Chicago Bears. He is not a Bears fan. He may be a Cubs fan, he may be a Blackhawks fan — but I tell you, he is not a Chicago Bears fan. He\’s certainly not a Bears fan on the level of Seth freaking Rollins.\”
Rollins then addressed the Bears\’ potential move to Hammond, Indiana, framing it the same way San Francisco fans think about the 49ers playing in Santa Clara. This technicality doesn\’t change the team\’s identity.
\”Hammond, Indiana? Not that far away. Look, the San Francisco 49ers — they don\’t play in San Francisco, but we don\’t call them the San Jose 49ers. It\’s still the Chicago Bears. It doesn\’t matter if they\’re on this side of the border. It\’s malarkey, so I\’m fine with it.\”
The Deep Cut That Sealed It
Seth Rollins closed the bit by casually name-dropping Bears tight end Colten Lovelin\’s college, which, fittingly enough, is the University of Idaho. Host Mike Greenberg called it \”genuine proof\” of Rollins\’ fandom. Rollins had a simple response: \”Get in the state.\”
Punk and Rollins have been on a collision course since their wives\’ feud ignited at Wrestlepalooza last fall. The real-life rivalry between the two WWE stars has carried into sports talk television, with both appearing on ESPN in the days leading up to Elimination Chamber 2026, which takes place Saturday, February 28, at the United Center in Chicago at 7 PM ET on the ESPN App.
Former World Champion Seth Rollins wants to be back for WrestleMania 42. However, whether that happens isn\’t up to him.
Appearing on ESPN\’s Get Up, Rollins gave an unusually candid answer when host Mike Greenberg pressed him on his return timeline. The former World Heavyweight Champion, who has been sidelined since suffering a shoulder injury at Crown Jewel last October, refused to guarantee anything. He said:
\”I wish I had a solid answer for you, but I\’m going to have to plead the fifth on it. I don\’t know. At the end of the day, I don\’t make the decisions. I want to be back by WrestleMania, but it\’s not up to me. It\’s up to the doctors. They\’ve got to tell me if I\’m going to be good to go.\”
The Road Back Has Been Slow
Seth Rollins underwent shoulder surgery following the Crown Jewel injury and was initially given a six-month recovery timeline. He was spotted training without obvious discomfort earlier this month, and WWE has reportedly been hoping to have him cleared in time for Las Vegas. But as of today, no return date is confirmed.
Rollins has previously described finishing the Crown Jewel match with the injury, saying his arm was \”dangling at his side\” during the final moments. \’The Visionary\’ has spoken openly about desiring to be back for WrestleMania season. However, his answers have consistently deferred to the medical staff rather than speculation.
The uncertainty adds a layer of suspense to WrestleMania 42 planning. Rollins was a central figure in WWE\’s main event picture before the injury, and his comeback, whenever it comes, could immediately reset the top of the card. WrestleMania 42 is set to take place April 18-19 in Las Vegas.
\”There\’s a chance it\’s not me this year,\” Rhodes said. \”Not even like an outside chance. Trick Williams, Je\’von, Randy Orton, LA Knight — somebody else. It\’s uncharted, undiscovered country for me.\”
The admission is striking. Rhodes won back-to-back Royal Rumbles and was the reigning WWE Champion heading into last year\’s event. This is the first time in his return run that his WrestleMania path isn\’t predetermined — and he acknowledged the weight of that plainly.
\”I think it\’s a massive six weeks for me, but also the fandom,\” he said. \”I almost have a feel for them in the sense that I grew up playing competitive sports. I like being under pressure. I like being last at bat. But for the fandom who is very curious — I\’ve never seen a more impatient moment, and I don\’t mind it at all.\”
Trick Williams Is the One to Watch
Rhodes was asked to break down the Elimination Chamber field and landed on an unexpected pick as the man to watch. He singled out Trick Williams — who warned Rhodes himself during a SmackDown confrontation last December — as the most dangerous man in the match.
\”The one to look out for, I\’d say, is actually Trick Williams,\” Rhodes said. \”Everyone\’s given Trick that \’oh, he\’s new\’ treatment. Trick is baked. He got down there with Shawn and got as well seasoned as you could possibly be. Big, intimidating, hasn\’t missed since he\’s been on the road. Funny, charming — he\’s going out doing all this now.\”
Rhodes also showed unusual honesty about the crowd dynamic inside the United Center. Despite having a historically strong bond with Chicago fans, he predicted the building would belong to Randy Orton — who is chasing a record 15th world title.
\”From just an acoustic standpoint walking into United Center, I think this will be Randy\’s house,\” Rhodes said. \”It\’s Randy Orton. There\’s something incredibly special about him still doing it at the high level that he\’s doing it. I think it\’s a bit of an away game for me.\”
Despite the uncertainty — or perhaps because of it — Rhodes closed the interview with a tease that the current road to WrestleMania 42 has more going for it than people realize.
\”I think there\’s a sleeper WrestleMania emerging, if that makes any sense,\” he said. \”Sometimes the big staple pieces are very obvious. Then others, I think we\’re sitting on a sleeper mania here. Four or five years ago, people didn\’t know what they were going to be treated to — and we\’re kind of in the same spot.\”
WWE Elimination Chamber 2026 airs Saturday, February 28 at 7 PM ET on the ESPN App from the United Center in Chicago. The winner of the Men\’s Elimination Chamber match will earn a shot at Drew McIntyre\’s Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42.
Former World Champion Seth Rollins is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury, but he had plenty to say about the woman he believes will prove herself the greatest female wrestler of all time at WWE Elimination Chamber.
Appearing on ESPN\’s Get Upalongside host Mike Greenberg, \’The Visionary\’ issued an unequivocal endorsement of his wife and WWE Women\’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch. Rollins spoke highly of his wife ahead of her Women\’s Intercontinental Championship defense against AJ Lee on Saturday in Chicago. He said:
\”My wife is going to make sure the world knows who is the greatest female wrestler of all time — not just me saying it, other people saying it. The Man, Becky Lynch — big time Beck — she\’s the Intercontinental Champion. She has put that title on the map. She\’s gonna wipe the floor with AJ. This is AJ Lee\’s first singles match in a decade. In a decade. She doesn\’t stand a chance. My wife, she\’s got it locked and rocked, baby.\”
Rollins Defends the Survivor Series Tap-Out
The pointed prediction comes with context. At Wrestlepalooza in September last year, AJ Lee and CM Punk defeated Lynch and Rollins in a mixed tag team match, with Lynch tapping out to Lee in the closing moments. Greenberg brought up the submission, and Rollins delivered a characteristically colorful response. He explained:
\”Tapping out — there was a lot going on. My wife said there\’s some insects in the ring. She said she wasn\’t really tapping out. Either way, tomorrow my wife is going to make sure the world knows who is the greatest female wrestler of all time.\”
The rematch has been building since AJ Lee\’s return to WWE in September 2025. The match was made official on the February 9th episode of Raw, with Lee confronting Lynch and challenging her for the championship. Saturday marks Lee\’s first official singles match since March 2015, when she last competed against Nikki Bella.
Lynch reclaimed the Women\’s Intercontinental Championship after previously losing it when AJ Lee\’s interference allowed Maxxine Dupri to pin her in November. Now she\’ll defend the title in front of a Chicago crowd that figures to be split as United Center is home turf for both Lee and her husband, CM Punk.
WWE Elimination Chamber 2026 takes place Saturday, February 28th, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, streaming on the ESPN App at 7 PM ET.
Former World Champion Seth Rollins isn\’t medically cleared to compete at Saturday\’s WWE Elimination Chamber. However, that hasn\’t stopped him from offering a bold prediction on who walks out of Chicago with a WrestleMania title shot.
Appearing on ESPN\’s Get Up the morning before the event, Rollins ignored the obvious favorites and put his money on the new blood.
\”It\’s tough to bet against the favorites. You mentioned guys like Cody Rhodes, guys like Randy Orton, people who\’ve been in there before. But to me, the wild cards are the guys who\’ve never been inside the structure. Someone like Je\’von Evans, someone like Trick Williams — this new blood, this fresh crop of young talent in WWE looking to punch their tickets. Sometimes those guys coming up, they\’re hungrier than the guys who\’ve been there before. So I\’m leaning towards the new guys. That\’s more fun for me.\”
Rollins Explains the Stakes
Rollins also took a moment to break down the format for casual sports fans watching the segment. He compared WrestleMania to every major American championship in one breath — the Super Bowl, the NCAA Finals, the NBA Finals, and the World Series — and framed the Chamber as the last-chance qualifier that earns a competitor a shot at immortality.
The Men\’s Elimination Chamber field features Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, LA Knight, Jey Uso, Je\’Von Evans, and Trick Williams — with the winner earning a shot at Drew McIntyre\’s Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas.
Evans, earned his spot by pinning Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio on Raw. Williams qualified on SmackDown. Both are making their first-ever appearances inside the structure, which is exactly the angle Rollins is leaning into with his prediction.
Rollins noted that Randy Orton, who enters the match with a record 10 Chamber appearances and Cody Rhodes represent the credentialed veterans, while Evans and Williams represent the hunger and desperation of competitors with everything to prove and nothing to lose.
WWE Elimination Chamber 2026 takes place Saturday, February 28th, at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois, streaming on the ESPN App at 7 PM ET.
AEW World Champion Maxwell Jacob Friedman (MJF) will no longer appear at Mystery Wrestling on March 26th in Edmonton, Alberta, due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict. Evil Uno, who owns and operates the promotion, announced the change. It has been announced that Taka Michinoku will now compete at the event.
Mystery Wrestling issued an apology to fans and is offering refunds at the original point of purchase. Uno addressed the situation, admitting the change “sucks,” but noting that circumstances like this are part of the wrestling business.
He expressed disappointment in not being able to deliver what was advertised and said the promotion will spend the coming weeks securing a suitable replacement for the March 26 event.
Uno revealed that Taka Michinoku, who had originally been planned as a surprise, will now officially compete on the show. The appearance marks Michinoku’s first match in Canada in more than 25 years.
Meanwhile, MJF is scheduled to defend the AEW World Championship against Hangman Adam Page at AEW Revolution in Los Angeles on March 15th. MJF recently lost to Brody King on AEW Dynamite on February 4th.
Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Jey Uso recently sent a message to his doubters ahead of WWE Elimination Chamber on February 28th, 2026, in Chicago. He will compete in the Men\’s Elimination Chamber match for a WrestleMania 42 title shot.
Jey Uso responds
Jey Uso, one-half of the World Tag Team Champion with Jimmy Uso, recently appeared on ESPN First Take to address his critics.
Jey Uso said, \”Man, just keep watching your TV screen. Open your laptop up, put your iPad up, iPhone out. I’ll be on there somewhere, Uce. ESPN, Netflix, this Saturday, it’s Elimination Chamber, man. Pick one, Uce. I’ll be on there Monday, Friday too. Stay blessed, man, stop hating, man. Come to one of these shows, you might change your vibes. You feel me?\”
Jey Uso qualified for the Elimination Chamber match by defeating Bronson Reed and “Original” El Grande Americano in a Triple Threat Match on February 23rd, edition of Raw. He will now compete against Cody Rhodes, Trick Williams, LA Knight, Je\’Von Evans, and Randy Orton in the Elimination Chamber match, and the winner will earn a title shot at WrestleMania 42.
Multi-time WWE World Champion Randy Orton recently spent part of his appearance on The Pat McAfee Show doing something he rarely does: telling stories that don\’t exactly flatter the legend.
From a long-denied phone call to Diamond Dallas Page to forgetting how to hear at WrestleMania, the Pat McAfee interview brought out Orton at his most candid and self-aware.
The DDP Confession — Years in the Making
For years, Orton publicly denied a story DDP had been telling: that a young Randy called him to ask permission before adopting the Diamond Cutter — rebranded as the RKO — as his finish. Orton finally set the record straight.
\”There\’s a story that goes way back where DDP did an interview and said that I had given him a call and asked him if I could use the Diamond Cutter as a finish,\” Orton said. \”I called him out and said, \’It\’s a lie. I never called him.\’ Sorry. I totally did. I thought I might have been dreaming it, but no.\”
He attributed the initial denial to being \”a little rough around the edges\” in his early 20s — not fully remembering a conversation he apparently had.
Receiving the Stunner — A Lifelong Dream
McAfee told a WrestleMania story of his own: Steve Austin called him up to the ring at AT&T Stadium in Texas,.
\”We\’re out there. Steve Austin says, \’Come up here.\’ It\’s all getting called on the fly,\” Orton recalled. \”And he starts talking — I can\’t hear him. Gravelly voice. He said [to take a] beer, and I watched the video back. He points to both things. I couldn\’t hear a word he was saying and I was like, okay, I\’ve done it before. We\’re doing beers. Thank God I was a fan and knew what the hell he was talking about.\”
As a lifelong wrestling fan, the moment carried a weight that went well beyond the performance.
\”When you receive a stunner — like as a wrestling mark and as somebody that\’s watched the entire thing — it\’s like this is the greatest thing that could ever happen to me in my entire life,\” he said. \”I\’ve been thinking of how I would take a stunner for 20, 30 years. So it\’s like, immediately — we\’ve been planning.\”
Five Kids, a Gaming Habit, and a Lucky Man
Away from the ring, Randy Orton described a domestic life he clearly cherishes. He has five children, stays out of celebrity culture by design, and has a gaming habit his wife has long since made peace with.
\”My poor wife. I\’m like, \’Hey honey, Brooklyn\’s in bed, I\’m going to go down to the media room.\’ She\’s like, \’See you in 3 hours,\’\” he said.
He\’s currently working through Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty, having previously put time into Elden Ring.
The bigger picture, though, is one of genuine appreciation:
\”My wife is absolutely amazing, man. And I\’ve got five amazing kids. I feel I got to pinch myself every morning when I wake up. I am like the luckiest guy in the world.\”
Orton competes in the Men\’s Elimination Chamber match this Saturday, February 28th at the United Center in Chicago, live at 7 PM ET on the ESPN App.
Former World Champion Randy Orton recently admitted that he didn\’t always want to share what he\’s learned. However, his perspective changed everything.
On The Pat McAfee Show, Orton opened up about his evolution as a locker room veteran and the shift from self-preservation to genuine mentorship, pointing to names like Je\’Von Evans and Trick Williams as examples of the next generation he genuinely wants to see succeed.
\”I don\’t want anybody to take my spot. And then I kind of got to the point where I realized — that\’s not possible. They can\’t take my spot,\” Orton said.
\”He\’s doing so many things that nobody else can do. And he just doesn\’t need to do them all every night,\” Orton said.
It\’s a lesson Randy Orton has watched get ignored before, and one he\’s seen cost careers. The wrestlers who absorb that kind of advice are the ones who stick around, and Orton can tell the difference quickly.
\”You get the occasional kid that\’ll come up like, \’Hey, will you watch my match?\’ You watch it, you talk to him, he doesn\’t change anything or take any advice. And you realize, \’Oh, okay, you piece of [work] — you\’re just doing what you think you should do.\’ But then there\’s the guys that really care. And like a Je\’Von Evans or a Trick Williams — there\’s so many other guys.\”
How the Locker Room Has Changed
The culture around being a WWE Superstar looks nothing like what Orton navigated coming up. The numbers alone tell part of the story — he averaged around 180 matches per year for 15 years, peaking at 220-plus in 2013, compared to roughly 64 today.
\”A lot has changed. With social media and everybody having a recording device on them, so much has changed,\” he said. \”I don\’t want to get into the exacts, but we were always getting into something after the show.\”
He sees the shift as a net positive for the current generation, even if he\’s nostalgic about what was lost.
\”God [I] would be in so much trouble this day and age. I think the guys now are smarter. They\’re more interested in getting up early and training the next day. Your body\’s your temple. Times have changed. We used to put a lot of things in our body.\”
Former WWE World Champion Randy Orton recently shared a message for NFL legend Tom Brady. \’The Apex Predator\’ wants Brady to take the RKO.
Appearing on The Pat McAfee Show at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Orton was asked about Brady\’s recent remarks describing professional wrestling as \”cute\” and his response revealed just how much he\’s changed over the course of a 26-year career.
\”10, 15, 20 years ago, I would have been hot. I would have had choice words to say for Tom Brady,\” Orton said. \”But every second I\’m in that ring, I am soaking it up. Tom, if you want to take an RKO, dude — call Pat. Pat will call me.\”
The RKO Became Bigger Than Randy Orton
The Brady exchange opened a broader conversation about the cultural reach of Orton\’s signature move and how it may have transcended him as a performer. He used his first encounter with Logan Paul as the clearest example.
\”When I first met Logan Paul, he was like, \’Man, I was doing the vines and I was doing the RKOs,\’\” Orton recalled. \”He said, \’I didn\’t know who you were, but I knew what the RKO was.\’ And I was like, \’Uh, thanks.\’ But that\’s just an example — it superseded everything that I was as a brand. It was like the RKO. It was huge.\”
The RKO-outta-nowhere meme era on Vine gave the move a life entirely separate from wrestling, introducing it to millions who had never watched a WWE show. For Orton, it\’s a point of complicated pride.
France Made His Music His Own
The Brady conversation also led Orton to reflect on another cultural shift — the moment a French crowd in Lyon spontaneously began singing his entrance theme, \”Voices,\” and changed his relationship with it forever.
\”I\’ve had that entrance song since 2008 or \’09. That\’s forever. Nobody ever sang it,\” Orton said. \”And then all of a sudden we\’re in Lyon and they start singing it. And then the next week they start singing it, and we come back across the pond to the States and they start singing it, and I\’m like, \’Okay, this is my music.\’\”
Multi-time World Champion Randy Orton recently said that his double lumbar spinal fusion has completely transformed how he approaches his in-ring career and he\’s aware that no one else on the WWE roster has gone through what he has.
Speaking on The Pat McAfee Show during NFL Combine coverage in Indianapolis, Orton reflected on what it means to be still competing at 45 after undergoing two back surgeries.
\”There\’s no one on the roster that I\’m aware of that\’s had a lower lumbar fusion, let alone a double fusion,\” Orton said. \”So the fact that I\’m doing [this] anyway — every second I\’m in that ring, I am soaking it up. I\’ve been doing this longer than damn near anybody. I just feel so grateful to be around.\”
Still Betting on Himself at the Elimination Chamber
That gratitude hasn\’t blunted Orton\’s competitive drive. He enters WWE Elimination Chamber 2026 this Saturday in Chicago with championship aspirations — and he\’s not hiding it.
\”If you\’re a betting man, definitely bet on me. I\’m winning that thing,\” Orton said. \”I\’m 46 in a couple months, and I can\’t do this forever. I\’ve been doing it 26 years. If I could do it another decade, I will. But I know that time\’s coming. I don\’t know how many more Chambers I got. I don\’t know how many more WrestleManias I got. I think this will be my 21st WrestleMania coming up. I just want to keep stacking them up, man.\”
Orton was candid about the turning point that allowed him to reach this stage of his career. He admitted that early on in his career, he was reckless and a hard reset saved everything.
\”Early on in my career, I got lucky because I was horrible to my body,\” he said. \”I was doing all sorts of [things] I shouldn\’t have been doing. And I had a reality check and I turned things around. Like the in-ring work — I make sure that everything I\’m doing, there\’s a reason I\’m doing it. I\’m not just throwing myself around.\”
At 45, with two fused vertebrae and a WrestleMania run in his sights, Orton continues to prove that intentionality outlasts raw talent. Elimination Chamber airs Saturday, February 28th at 7 PM ET on the ESPN App from the United Center in Chicago.
Former Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes doesn\’t often volunteer praise for the wrestlers who might one day take his spot. However, when it comes to Bron Breakker, he made an exception. Appearing on ESPN\’s Unsportsmanlike, Rhodes shared a remarkably candid endorsement of the rising star.
\”I didn\’t think this at first, and I don\’t mean this with any disrespect, but I do think it now: he\’s the future of WWE,\” Rhodes said. \”He\’s definitely someone that we\’re positioning to be there as we go — main event WrestleMania potentially, win a WWE title, all these things.\”
Rhodes compared Breakker\’s current stage to a franchise quarterback in his rookie year — raw, electric, and still acclimating to everything that comes with being on the biggest platform in the sport.
\”I already know this guy\’s probably going to beat me at some point down the road, but at least I\’m going to enjoy this period of time where he\’s just — he\’s amazing,\” Rhodes said. \”Let\’s make him buy in and get acclimated.\”
The Succession Question: Who\’s the Next Triple H?
Rhodes also waded into a conversation that\’s increasingly hard to ignore — what happens when the next generation of stars eventually move from the ring to the front office? Rhodes named himself, CM Punk, and Seth Rollins as the three most credible candidates to one day step into a leadership role.
\”CM Punk is really great at helping develop young talent — he probably has a knack for it more than anybody,\” Rhodes said. \”Seth Rollins is a little bit more rough around the edges, but would probably be an outstanding boss when it comes down to it.\”
As for his own candidacy, Rhodes was characteristically honest.
\”I\’d love to throw my name in the hat. I don\’t know if I\’m ready to do it officially yet,\” he said. \”It\’s not always easy booking the industry. Triple H is doing a great job, so thankfully we have him for quite some time.\”
For now, Rhodes is focused on the present — but it\’s clear he\’s already thinking about the long game, both for himself and for the stars coming up behind him. He is currently aiming to win the Men\’s Elimination Chamber match to earn a shot at Drew McIntyre\’s title at WrestleMania 42.
Former Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has been doing his scouting work on Drew McIntyre, and he recently said that he\’s already found the edge on \’The Scottish Warrior.\’ Appearing on ESPN\’s Unsportsmanlike, Rhodes gave a thorough breakdown of his rival, with equal parts respect and psychological confidence.
\”Drew\’s 6\’5\”, 280. He\’s a wrestler\’s wrestler — real heavyweight wrestling,\” Rhodes said. \”He is the definition of a main event every night anywhere.\”
High praise but Rhodes wasn\’t done. He pointed to what he sees as McIntyre\’s greatest liability: a focus on his social media character that Rhodes believes gives away mental real estate.
\”Drew put out a post recently that said, \’The Rock wants Cody\’s soul, but I want his ass.\’ And I feel like — just that. That\’s all I need right there. I\’m good,\” Rhodes said. \”His focus on the social media aspect of his character, I feel like puts me at an advantage.\”
Focus Is the Differentiator
In contrast to McIntyre\’s outward approach, Cody Rhodes described his own mindset in simple terms. He lives and breathes WWE. He doesn\’t need external motivation.
\”I just focus on this. I live and breathe WWE. It\’s my favorite thing. I get to be the champ. I\’m honored by that,\” he said.
Rhodes further acknowledged that both men share a similar origin story as both left WWE, both built themselves up elsewhere, and both came back as bigger stars for it. That parallel isn\’t lost on him.
He closed with what may have been the sharpest line of the whole conversation:
\”I also think he\’s a cat guy and I\’m a dog guy.\”
Former Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes has never shied away from discussing the advantages — and the pressure — that came with being the son of WWE legend Dusty Rhodes. In a candid appearance on ESPN\’s Unsportsmanlike ahead of WWE Wrestlepalooza, \’The American Nightmare\’ addressed it head-on.
\”I was a legacy hire, so I was going to be there forever — just a little nepo baby,\” Rhodes said. \”And I\’d also done really good work.\”
Rhodes noted that he was one of the last performers to work live events with both Triple H and the Undertaker while they were still active. But despite those credentials, he felt the company still saw him as a kid and he needed to change that perception.
\”I think it was important for them to know I was not a kid anymore,\” he said. \”I had accrued a lot of good business sense, a lot of great wrestling sense from the people I just mentioned. And I wanted to stretch beyond where I was.\”
The Decision That Shocked The Industry
At the time Rhodes chose to leave WWE which was virtually unheard of. Talent didn\’t walk out but the company walked out on them. Choosing to leave on his own terms, and then actually building something meaningful outside of it was even more extraordinary.
\”That was fairly unheard of at the time to leave. It was even more unheard of to leave and be able to create something — an underground scene, an alternative scene, a different flavor,\” he said.
Rhodes drew a now-famous parallel to The Lion King — going away, learning from new people and experiences, and returning a transformed version of himself.
\”I was surrounded by great people who I learned so much from,\” he said. \”I was able to come back a far more complete me.\”
A Light, Not a Shadow
As for carrying the weight of Dusty Rhodes\’ legacy, Cody reframed it entirely. Rather than feeling overshadowed by one of the most beloved figures in wrestling history, he used it as a competitive target.
\”I wanted to be better than he was. My dad to me is a Mount Rushmore guy. How could you ever be better? So the only thing I could really think of is: do things he didn\’t do,\” he said. \”I didn\’t think of it so much as a shadow — more than anything like a light.\”
It\’s a philosophy that has clearly paid off. Rhodes is now stewarding his father\’s legacy on the biggest stage wrestling has ever seen — and doing things the American Dream never got the chance to do.
WWE superstar Kiana James recently discussed the knee injury that derailed her 2024 main roster debut and what she did with that time.
She recently spoke to TMZ\’s Inside The Ring ahead of the Women\’s Elimination Chamber match and revealed that the injury initially took an emotional toll. However, she chose to use the setback as motivation instead of letting it define her. She then managed to come back stronger. James explained:
\”Emotionally it took a toll at first, because it\’s like you work so hard to get to that point and then you feel like it\’s ripped away from you. But then that mental toughness comes in and it\’s like — okay, this happened, I can\’t change it, so I can either let it define me or I can use it. And I decided: am I going to be someone where this defines my career, or is this just going to be something that happened? And I made a promise to myself that I would come back better and stronger.\”
Turning Rehab Into a Film Room
James, who was drafted to Raw in April 2024 and suffered the injury just weeks later, used the downtime for something she hadn\’t had time to do since entering WWE: a deep study of the craft.
\”I took the time, when I wasn\’t able to be in the ring or training in the gym, to start studying more and watching more film,\” she said. \”Because coming into WWE, everything happened really fast for me. I took my first bump in April of 2021 and then I was signed in 2022. So it was just like, you\’re on TV — sink or swim, girl. The knee injury really allowed me to take a step back and watch film. I wasn\’t a lifelong fan, so there\’s decades of wrestling I can go back and watch and study. I do think I came back stronger.\”
Coming back from knee surgery carries its own psychological hurdles, and James addressed the mental side of that transition directly.
\”Coming back and getting the opportunities and that momentum feels amazing, but the first time going in, it\’s like — are we a little nervous?\” she said. \”But you just have to trust your body, trust the training. Once I let that mental crutch fall, it was just like riding a bike.\”
She also credited mental strength as the foundation of her competitive edge overall.
\”I definitely feel the nerves — I get nervous just like everyone else, but I use it to fuel me. I understand how powerful your mind is, and being able to take that nervous energy and channel it into something productive — that\’s kind of what I\’ve done thus far and it\’s worked for me.\”
The Promise, Now Being Kept
James entered the 2026 Royal Rumble at number three and lasted 27 minutes — the biggest match of her career to that point. She described it as the fulfillment of what she\’d been building toward during recovery.
\”Failing to prepare is preparing to fail,\” she said. \”I\’ve been working so hard towards getting an opportunity like this, so I was like, \’This is it — go do your thing.\’\”
She now enters the Elimination Chamber on February 28 as one of six women with a potential WrestleMania 42 title shot on the line.
Antonio Inoki, the legendary wrestler who passed away in October 2022, is being honored with an ambitious project: the creation of a human-like robot using artificial intelligence. The project aims to \’revive\’ Inoki three-dimensionally, with a planned completion date coinciding with Inoki’s birthday in 2027.
It has come to light that the \’Android Antonio Inoki\’ project is a collaborative effort by Inoki Genki Factory, AVITA Inc., and SMBC Value Creation Inc. A launch event was held in Tokyo on February 19th, 2026, to commemorate what would have been Inoki\’s birthday on February 20th.
Hiroshi Ishiguro, CEO of AVITA Inc. and a renowned roboticist, is spearheading the technological aspects of the build.
Keisuke Inoki, Antonio Inoki\’s younger brother and President of the Inoki Genki Factory, explained the vision behind the project.
\”One major purpose of the robot is for it to be an advisor for the youth 100 years from now,\” Keisuke said.
He added that he wants people to understand the kind of person his brother was.
The possibility of the robot wrestling was raised, and Hiroshi Ishiguro stated that it would take some time before that could ever happen. The focus remains on creating a lifelike representation of the wrestling icon to preserve his memory and impact for future generations.
The up-and-coming WWE Superstar Kiana James recently opened up about pinning multi-time Women\’s Champion Charlotte Flair on SmackDown and securing a spot in the Women\’s Elimination Chamber match. It was a memorable win for James, but that carried personal weight given how their relationship developed during her injury recovery.
Speaking with TMZ\’s Inside The Ring days before the Women\’s Elimination Chamber, James said that the moment was \’bittersweet\’ for her. She explained:
\”There\’s a bittersweet to that, because we\’ve become partners in the gym, training through knee rehab and things like that. But also, taking a step back and realizing — this is the most decorated woman in WWE of all time. Being able to say: you just did that. You just pinned the best of the best. It was a great moment for me and something I\’ll definitely remember for a long time.\”
James was quick to point out that their personal and professional relationship survived the result just fine.
\”It\’s surreal — pinning Charlotte Flair,\” she said. \”But at the end of the day, our personal relationship and our professional relationship — iron sharpens iron. When you have someone in the locker room who makes you want to become better, I think win or lose, it\’s just: okay, now I have to step up. Our camaraderie kind of stays — we just push each other in that way.\”
As for how Flair is handling the loss? James kept it light.
\”If you see her Twitter, she\’s fine. She\’ll be fine. If I called her up and was like, \’Hey, let\’s get in the gym\’ — I think we could have a gym session, push each other, and be all right.\”
Mentored by the Best in the Building
Flair isn\’t the only top name James has leaned on. She\’s been deliberately building a mentorship network since arriving on the main roster, seeking out whoever she can learn from.
\”On the main roster, obviously I have a relationship with Charlotte Flair, so she\’s been a great mentor — running things by her,\” James said. \”And then recently we\’ve been doing more live events, so I\’ve been able to pick Cody\’s brain and ask him his opinion on things. It\’s so wild to have people of such stature within the company accessible to me. Using your resources, going to these people and saying I see the success you\’ve had and I want to get to that level — pulling from their experiences has been really beneficial.\”
Earlier in her career, it was Tyler Breeze and Shawn Spears at Flatbacks who shaped her approach.
\”From my very first day of training up until this week, they\’ve continued to guide me throughout my entire career,\” she said. \”Be a sponge — I took that literally.\”
Former WWE Divas Champion Kelly Kelly recently expressed her disappointment on social media about not being included in the WWE 2K26 roster. The former Divas Champion, who signed a WWE Legends deal in 2025, joked about her continued absence from the WWE 2K video game series.
Kelly Kelly\’s Reaction
Kelly Kelly posted the following on X on February 24, 2026:
“Welp… another year not in the @WWEgames ?…Should we start a petition or what? ?”.
Welp… another year not in the @WWEgames ?…Should we start a petition or what? ?
The full WWE 2K26 roster, revealed on February 23rd, 2026, features over 400 superstars but does not include Kelly Kelly. Her last playable appearance was in WWE \’13 (2012).
Kelly Kelly is remembered by many fans as one of the most recognizable stars of the Divas era. Many fans expected Kelly to be part of the WWE 2K26 roster, especially after reports suggested she signed a WWE Legends contract in 2025.
Legends contracts typically allow for merchandise, promotional appearances, documentaries, and video games, but Kelly Kelly was still excluded from WWE 2K26.
Kelly Kelly debuted in the mid-2000s and won the Divas Championship by defeating Brie Bella in 2011. She was also featured in several WWE video games during that time, including the SmackDown vs. Raw series.
WWE\’s rising superstar Kiana James recently sat down with TMZ\’s Inside The Ring ahead of the Women\’s Elimination Chamber match in what she described as her first major interview outside of WWE\’s own coverage — and she made clear this moment is anything but accidental.
\”These kinds of matches can change the trajectory of your career,\” James said. \”You can go from the path you\’re on and then go straight to WrestleMania. So just having eyes on the prize and really being focused on the opportunity is what\’s getting me through this week.\”
The Blueprint Was Always the Plan
James has spent the past few months at ringside as a manager alongside WWE Women\’s United States Champion Giulia. However, she pushed back on any suggestion that the role was passive. She\’s been cataloguing weaknesses the entire time.
\”My mindset going into any match, whether I\’m competing or ringside with Giulia, is analyzing the situation and being three steps ahead,\” James said.
\”I\’ve been able to be ringside and get to study all of these women — they\’ve almost given me a blueprint. I\’ve seen their strengths, I\’ve seen their weaknesses. And although it may look like I\’m just a little cheerleader, I\’m taking notes and using everything I\’ve gathered to make strategic decisions for myself in the ring. Every move is calculated — analyzing risk versus reward and capitalizing on whatever opportunity, by any means necessary.\”
She\’s already done the tactical breakdown on the match environment itself — the cage, the pods, everything inside the structure.
\”The landscape of the Elimination Chamber is something so unique,\” James said. \”You have the cage, you have the pods — there\’s so many things my mind\’s going to that I can work with: using them as a weapon, using them to my advantage. And then looking at my opponents — you have all different types of women, all different types of athletes in there — looking at their strengths and weaknesses and where I can attack the low-hanging fruit and really capitalize.\”
She also noted that her film study has extended beyond the women\’s division, adding that there\’s plenty to learn from the men\’s Elimination Chamber matches as well.
\”There\’s a lot we can learn from the men,\” she said. \”I\’ve been on the study kick this week, watching all the old Elimination Chambers and really honing in on what my strategy is.\”
Already Looking at Jade Cargill
If James wins the Chamber, she has a clear target in mind for WrestleMania 42. Jade Cargill currently holds the Women\’s Championship heading into the spring, and James says she\’s already done her homework.
\”The competitive edge that I have is right up here,\” James said, tapping her head. \”I\’ve been studying — watching her strengths, weaknesses, what are her go-tos, how does she work in the ring. If I went into that match, I\’m definitely prepared and I have some tricks in my handbag that I\’d be more than ready to get after it with Jade.\”
The Women\’s Elimination Chamber match takes place February 28th at the United Center in Chicago.
WWE Women\’s World Heavyweight Champion Stephanie Vaquer recently shared her thoughts on her real-life partner Myles Borne winning NXT North American Championship. Borne defeated Ethan Page on the February 24th edition of WWE NXT to win the title and it marks his first title win on the brand.
Page\’s reign as champion ends at 273 days. The match featured interference from Jackson Drake and the Vanity Project, Hank & Tank, Shiloh Hill, Ricky Saints, and Joe Hendry. Borne won by escaping Twisted Grin, pushing Page into an exposed turnbuckle, and hitting Borne Again.
On Instagram stories, \’La Primera\’ posted a photo of Borne holding the NXT North American Championship and shared a heartfelt message. She wrote:
“I’m so proud of you, because I truly know how hard you work day after day. You deserve this and so much more.”
Borne\’s Underdog Journey
WWE celebrated Borne\’s win with a tweet showcasing the emotional moment for Borne and his family. WWE stated, \”What a beautiful moment for @mylesborne_wwe and his family! ?\”
Borne joined WWE in March 2022 and spent time on NXT Level Up. His breakthrough came in May 2025 when he won a 25-man battle royal to become the number one contender for the NXT Championship.
After leaving No Quarter Catch Crew, Borne developed a more intense style, leading him to the North American title.
WWE\’s rising superstar Kiana James recently got candid about Tom Brady\’s comments about the industry. She sat down with TMZ\’s Inside The Ring ahead of the Women\’s Elimination Chamber and gave a stern response to NFL legend Tom Brady.
Tom Brady Called WWE \”Cute\” — James Has a Response
Brady\’s recent comments dismissing WWE drew plenty of reaction across the industry, and James had a measured but pointed take.
\”I don\’t want to fault anyone for their ignorance,\” she said. \”When you\’re unfamiliar with something, it\’s fair that there is a level of ignorance there. But the best answer is to get him in a ring — have him run the ropes, have him take a bump, and then let\’s see what his answer is.\”
When hosts asked how a Brady vs. Logan Paul match would go, she didn\’t hesitate.
\”We all know that Logan Paul would whip his ass. No training. There\’s no question. I think Tom Brady would have to take the L immediately. Good luck — I love Tom Brady, but good luck.\”
Dream Tag Partners: The Kardashians
Given a free pick for a celebrity tag team match, James went full fan mode.
\”I\’m such a Kardashian fan, so I would say two Kardashian sisters,\” she said. \”I\’m a Kim girl, but maybe Kim and Khloé. The Kardashians — so many eyes on that match just to see it.\”
What\’s in the Bag?
Kiana James\’ mysterious handbag has become one of the more entertaining ongoing questions in her WWE run, and James kept the mystique intact.
\”Full of secrets. Some documents — some secret documents. It might be weapons,\” she said. \”There was a brick in there in NXT. Who knows what I\’ve been stuffing in that bag for the last few weeks.\”
On the question of spicy backstage gossip, she said:
\”I don\’t have any spicy tea because I like to keep my handbag zipped.\”
Alliance with Giulia
Despite the corporate, transactional nature of their on-screen alliance, James had nothing but warmth for the WWE Women\’s United States Champion Giulia.
\”Giulia is like the sweetest ever,\” she said. \”I\’m so happy to be with her.\”
James also spoke to the practical element of their working relationship, noting she helps bridge the language barrier for \’The Beautiful Madness.\’
\”This is a business. Backstage we have our general manager, we have talent, we have a locker room relationship — and I think I\’m able to kind of bridge that gap for her.\”
Multi-time WWE Tag-Team Champion Xavier Woods is currently recovering from a shoulder injury that has kept him out of action for the past three months. Kofi Kingston announced on the February 16th, 2026, episode of WWE Raw that Woods would be taking time off to recover.
Woods\’ last match was a dark match before the 2026 Royal Rumble. The 13-time WWE Tag Team Champion is undergoing physical therapy with hopes of returning in a few weeks.
Xavier Woods\’ Recovery Status
In an interview with Wrestlezone, Woods described the current state of his shoulder and his outlook on recovery. He said:
\”I feel ok. Lifting things with my shoulder doesn’t feel ok. I kind of put it through like a meat grinder, so we’ll see how it is. Hopefully, it’s a few weeks of physical therapy, and then we’ll be back at it. But if not, I will let everybody know. But yeah, it’s alright. We’re just staying positive.\”
Woods is staying positive during his physical therapy. However, there is no confirmed return date at this time. He also made an appearance on February 23rd edition of WWE Raw where another superstar sustained an injury.
WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff believes former WWE Women\’s Champion Ronda Rousey should have been booked as a heel during her time in WWE. Bischoff reckoned that WWE missed an opportunity by presenting her as a babyface.
Bischoff explained that Rousey\’s intensity and combat sports background made her a natural fit for a heel role. He added that Rousey never fully clicked with the WWE audience and seemed unmotivated, driven more by the payday than a genuine passion for professional wrestling.
\”Ronda is a natural heel. She should have never been positioned as a babyface in WWE.\” He argued that her background as a fighter made her more believable as an aggressive force. Bischoff also called Rousey overrated in professional wrestling.
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