SEScoops

Author: Mike Reichlin

  • Cody Rhodes Suffers Eye Injury, Concussion at WrestleMania 42

    Cody Rhodes Suffers Eye Injury, Concussion at WrestleMania 42

    Cody Rhodes retained the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42, but the victory came at a significant cost. The champion suffered a severe eye injury and concussion during his main event match against Randy Orton on night one.

    Rhodes defeated Orton in a hard-fought showdown to keep his title, but the closing moments turned brutal. Late in the bout, Orton countered a Cody Cutter attempt with a perfectly timed RKO, halting Rhodes’ momentum.

    When cameras returned to Rhodes moments later, he was visibly busted open with blood pouring from his face. Despite the damage, the champion managed to regroup and connected with the Cross Rhodes to secure the victory.

    Post-Match Attack Escalates Damage

    The punishment continued after the bell. Orton snapped, striking Rhodes with the championship belt before delivering a vicious punt kick that left the champion laid out in the ring.

    Post-show footage showed Rhodes being evaluated by medical personnel with his left eye swollen completely shut. The severity of the injury became clear as WWE pulled him from his scheduled appearance at WWE World on Sunday.

    Peter Rosenberg noted during post-show coverage that Rhodes is expected to undergo concussion protocol.

  • Paige on WrestleMania 42 Return: “WWE Is My Home, I’m a WWE Girl Forever”

    Paige on WrestleMania 42 Return: “WWE Is My Home, I’m a WWE Girl Forever”

    Paige had a lot to say after making her long-awaited WWE return at WrestleMania 42 on Saturday night in Las Vegas, and she made clear exactly where her loyalties lie.

    Speaking on the WrestleMania 42 post show, Paige reflected on stepping back inside Allegiant Stadium for the first time in years.

    “WWE is my home, I was raised here, I’m a WWE girl forever, and a Total Diva,” she said.

    Paige admitted the moment hit her harder than she expected once she was walking out in front of the massive WrestleMania crowd.

    “I didn’t know how anyone was gonna react, I’m walking out there, I forgot how big WrestleManias were,” she said. “It was magical, it was surreal, I forgot how to skip at one point. I was like, ‘What do I do? What does Paige do?’”

    Paige Wins Gold in Her First WWE Match in Eight Years

    Paige stepped in to replace an injured Nikki Bella, teaming with Brie Bella in the Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal 4-Way against champions Nia Jax and Lash Legend, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, and Bayley and Lyra Valkyria.

    She picked up the win and the titles by getting her knees up on Bliss’ Twisted Bliss attempt before hitting the RamPaige for the fall, marking her first WWE championship gold since 2017.

    Paige had been away from WWE since her contract expired in June 2022, spending time in AEW under her real name Saraya before departing that promotion in March 2025. Per PWInsider, she signed a new multi-year deal with WWE ahead of WrestleMania 42.

  • Bianca Belair Reveals Pregnancy During WWE WrestleMania 42

    Bianca Belair Reveals Pregnancy During WWE WrestleMania 42

    Bianca Belair returned to a WWE ring for the first time in months on Saturday night, and she did it to share life-changing news with the WrestleMania 42 crowd. The EST revealed during a surprise segment at Allegiant Stadium that she is pregnant with her first child.

    Bianca Belair Crashes John Cena’s WrestleMania Moment

    The reveal came together as a classic WrestleMania surprise. John Cena had walked out before the night’s main event to address the crowd and announce that 50,816 fans were inside Allegiant Stadium. That was when Belair’s music hit and the building erupted.

    After thanking fans for their support during her time away, Belair told Cena he needed to update his attendance number. She then removed her robe to reveal she is visibly pregnant, sharing that she and her husband Montez Ford are expecting their first child together. Cena thanked her for letting WWE share the moment, then bumped the official attendance to 50,817.

    What This Means for Belair’s Return Timeline

    Belair has been off WWE television for several months, with her absence previously tied to a complicated finger injury suffered at WrestleMania 41. The pregnancy announcement now provides broader clarity on her time away.

    She and Ford, one half of the Street Profits, have been married since June 2018 and have spoken openly in past interviews about wanting to start a family. There is no current word on when Belair will return to in-ring action, and WWE has not announced a timeline.

    Congratulations to Bianca Belair and Montez Ford from everyone at SEScoops.

  • WrestleMania 42 Night 1 Results: Cody Rhodes Retains, Orton RKOs McAfee, Paige & Breakker Return

    WrestleMania 42 Night 1 Results: Cody Rhodes Retains, Orton RKOs McAfee, Paige & Breakker Return

    WrestleMania 42 Night 1 is in the books from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, and Randy Orton stood tall holding Cody Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Championship over his head — the belt he couldn’t win, but the message he wanted to send. Cody retained. Pat McAfee ate an RKO from his own guy and is gone from the wrestling business per the stipulation. Three women’s titles changed hands. Paige returned after more than eight years away. Bron Breakker reemerged from his hernia-surgery layoff to spear Seth Rollins in half. And Bianca Belair announced a pregnancy.

    Quick Results

    • LA Knight & The Usos def. The Vision (Logan Paul, Austin Theory & IShowSpeed)
    • Jacob Fatu def. Drew McIntyre (Unsanctioned Match)
    • Paige & Brie Bella def. Nia Jax & Lash Legend (c), Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss, and Bayley & Lyra Valkyria to win the Women’s Tag Team Championship
    • Becky Lynch def. AJ Lee (c) to win the Women’s Intercontinental Championship
    • GUNTHER def. Seth Rollins (Bron Breakker returns)
    • Liv Morgan def. Stephanie Vaquer (c) to win the Women’s World Championship
    • Cody Rhodes (c) def. Randy Orton to retain the Undisputed WWE Championship

    John Cena Opens WrestleMania 42

    Host John Cena kicked off the show in a suit, delivering the opening address to the Allegiant Stadium crowd. Cena acknowledged that the road to WrestleMania 42 has been “chaotic, unpredictable, vocal and polarizing,” with fans, talent, and people behind the scenes all weighing in on the journey to Las Vegas. He welcomed everyone to WrestleMania, and pyro fired to officially launch Night 1.

    It was Cena’s first televised WWE appearance since retiring from in-ring competition in December 2025.

    Cena later returned to announce the Night 1 attendance at 50,816. That number bumped up to 50,817 when Bianca Belair made a surprise appearance in a robe of sparkly blue roses, told Cena she had one more to add to the count, and opened her robe to reveal a baby bump. Belair has been out of action since last year’s WrestleMania three-way with Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky.

    LA Knight & The Usos def. The Vision (Logan Paul, Austin Theory & IShowSpeed)

    LA Knight, Jey Uso, and Jimmy Uso opened WrestleMania 42 with a win over The Vision’s Logan Paul, Austin Theory, and IShowSpeed, but the real story came after the bell.

    Logan Paul turned on IShowSpeed the moment the match ended, screaming that Speed had one job and ruined WrestleMania for him and Austin Theory. Paul threw Speed out of the ring, cleared off the announce table, and laid Speed’s lifeless body across it while calling him a moron.

    Paul climbed to the top rope and lined up a dive through the table, but The Usos and LA Knight stormed back out to stop him and laid Paul out with a beatdown of their own.

    Knight and The Usos hoisted Paul onto the announce table and waved Speed to the top rope. Speed climbed up, measured his shot, and came off with a picture-perfect frog splash that destroyed the table and Paul in the process. LA Knight and The Usos congratulated Speed, walked him back into the ring, and the four celebrated together with a group Yeet as the Allegiant Stadium crowd erupted.

    Jacob Fatu def. Drew McIntyre (Unsanctioned Match)

    An absolute war. Jacob Fatu made his entrance flanked by fire dancers, while Drew McIntyre brought back his signature sword for the walk to the ring. Fatu didn’t wait — he hit McIntyre with a suicide dive before the bell rang to set the tone for a fight that had no rules and no one with authority to stop it.

    What followed was a showcase of two hard-hitting brawlers trading shots through multiple table spots and an assortment of weapons, including a toolbox that came into play as the violence escalated. McIntyre also found time for his signature WrestleMania spot, firing off a tweet in the middle of the match.

    Fatu landed consecutive superkicks and a Mighty Moonsault to put McIntyre away at 14:09, sending Allegiant Stadium home from the opening hour with a statement victory over a multi-time world champion.

    Paige Returns, Wins Women’s Tag Team Championship With Brie Bella

    Nia Jax and Lash Legend entered first in gear paying tribute to Demolition’s Ax and Smash, who were inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame the night before and seated at ringside. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss and Bayley & Lyra Valkyria followed, and then Nikki Bella came out on crutches alongside Brie. Nikki told the crowd she wasn’t medically cleared, so she’d called in a favor from an old friend.

    Paige was back. Making her first WWE appearance in-ring since the December 2017 neck injury that was believed to be career-ending, the former Divas Champion walked to the WrestleMania ring to a massive reaction from Allegiant Stadium.

    The match worked under a fatal four-way tag structure, with only designated competitors legal and tags required to rotate partners in. Brie connected with her signature Yes Kicks on Flair early, and the bout built toward Alexa Bliss lining up a Twisted Bliss for what looked like the winning pin.

    That’s when Nikki got involved. Still on crutches, she yanked Flair out of the ring and went to work on her, giving Paige just enough time to raise her knees and catch Bliss on the way down. Paige followed with the Rampage on Bliss for the three count, claiming the Women’s Tag Team Championship in her first WWE match in more than eight years and her first singles or tag championship win since the AEW Women’s Championship in 2023.

    Paige and Brie Bella are your new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.

    Becky Lynch def. AJ Lee to Win the Women’s Intercontinental Championship

    This was the entrance show. Becky Lynch had The Wonder Years perform her entrance live. AJ Lee walked out flanked by roughly a dozen young fans all wearing matching gear and carrying replica title belts — her first WrestleMania appearance in eleven years, her last being WrestleMania 31 in a tag match alongside Paige, of all people, against the Bella Twins.

    Lynch came in with a lot to avenge. She tapped to the Black Widow at WrestlePalooza, at Survivor Series WarGames, and at Elimination Chamber, where she lost the Women’s Intercontinental title to AJ for the first time. Three prior Lee wins. WrestleMania was Becky’s chance to flip the ledger, and she took it.

    Becky Lynch is a three-time Women’s Intercontinental Champion. The head-to-head singles record between the two is now 1-1 on titles, with AJ still leading the overall head-to-head 3-1 when tag and multi-woman matches are factored in.

    GUNTHER def. Seth Rollins (Bron Breakker Returns)

    Rollins walked to the ring wearing black contacts that turned his eyes fully dark — equal parts creepy and cool, and a callback to the headspace he’s been in heading into this match. GUNTHER wasted no time and jumped him before the bell, turning what fans expected to be a technical wrestling match into a ringside brawl from the opening seconds.

    Once the pace settled, the Ring General took over with trademark chops, slowing Rollins down in the center of the ring. A Buckle Bomb and clothesline from Rollins reset things at the five-minute mark, and the two started trading chops and strikes. GUNTHER answered with a powerbomb and a close near-fall to shift momentum back his way.

    The match hit its highest gear with both men on the top rope. Rollins countered a superplex attempt and drilled GUNTHER with his signature superplex/Falcon Arrow combination, then locked in his own sleeper. GUNTHER reached the ropes to break it, rolled outside, and Rollins followed with three suicide dives. GUNTHER caught him with two powerbombs onto the apron and announce table. When the Ring General went for a third, Rollins countered into a Pedigree and a Curb Stomp through the announce table.

    That’s when WrestleMania flipped. As Rollins celebrated, Bron Breakker’s music hit, the lights exploded, and the man supposedly out of action with a hernia injury charged the ring and speared Rollins in half. GUNTHER rolled back in, locked in the sleeper on the dazed Visionary, and Rollins passed out cold. GUNTHER takes WrestleMania at 15:48.

    Breakker wasn’t done. After the match, he ran the length of the ramp and speared Rollins again, then told him he should have finished him off when he had the chance. Paul Heyman walked out to the top of the ramp and hugged Breakker — making official what the spear already signaled. Breakker is aligned with Heyman and The Vision, and Rollins paid the price.

    The WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026 was then shown on stage, including Demolition, Dennis Rodman, and family members representing Bad News Brown, Hulk Hogan (joined by longtime friend Jimmy Hart), Andre the Giant, and Sid Vicious. AJ Styles and Stephanie McMahon came out to their own music to round out the segment.

    Liv Morgan def. Stephanie Vaquer to Win the Women’s World Championship

    Liv Morgan made her entrance with a full stage performance of her new single “Trouble,” lip-synced with backup dancers before heading to the ring still sporting the bruises from her recent collision with Roxanne Perez. Stephanie Vaquer followed with rose petals raining down as she hit the ramp. It was Vaquer’s first WrestleMania match.

    Vaquer took the early lead with a double-leg takedown into a striking exchange, sending Morgan into the barricade before hitting a running double knee strike in the corner. Morgan fired back by countering Vaquer on the turnbuckle with a springboard sunset flip powerbomb for a near-fall, then ran through the Three Amigas in tribute to Eddie Guerrero.

    Vaquer connected with a backbreaker and, in the night’s biggest spot, hit Morgan with Morgan’s own ObLIVion. Morgan kicked out. The Judgment Day numbers game went to work from there: Roxanne Perez distracted the referee while Raquel Rodriguez draped Vaquer across the ropes, letting Morgan connect with an ObLIVion. Vaquer kicked out again, took Perez and Rodriguez out on the floor with a springboard crossbody, and looked primed to retain.

    Morgan caught her on the way back in with the steel steps, then connected with a Codebreaker followed by ObLIVion for the pin at 6:50. “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio ran down with the championship and hoisted Morgan up as Perez and Rodriguez joined them in the ring to celebrate.

    Morgan is now a three-time Women’s World Champion, completing the Rumble-to-Mania run she mapped out when she returned at Survivor Series last November. Vaquer’s reign ended at 211 days.

    Main Event: Cody Rhodes def. Randy Orton to Retain the Undisputed WWE Championship

    Pat McAfee walked out first, flipping off the crowd and cursing at fans on his way down. Orton followed to the usual “Voices” singalong from an Allegiant Stadium crowd that hasn’t fully turned on him. Rhodes’ entrance rolled a montage of every gimmick he’s worn in WWE, including Dashing Cody Rhodes and Stardust, before the American Nightmare rose from under the ramp decked out in all gold and an American Nightmare mask.

    The match couldn’t start clean. As Alicia Taylor handled introductions, McAfee grabbed the mic to introduce Orton himself, then he and Orton jumped Rhodes before the bell. Cody fought both men off, and as McAfee scrambled, Jelly Roll appeared at ringside and drove McAfee through the announce table with an elbow drop. A stretcher wheeled McAfee away from ringside, removing Orton’s corner guy before the bell even rang — or so it seemed.

    Once the bell rang, Orton and Rhodes locked up in a classic collar-and-elbow. Orton won the opening exchange with shoulder tackles to establish his power advantage. Rhodes answered with speed and counters, capping the flurry with a scoop powerslam. He picked Orton’s back apart with a sidewalk slam and a Disaster Kick, and at one point wiped Orton’s blood across his own chest — a glimpse of a darker Cody than the American Nightmare fans are used to. Throughout the match, Rhodes leaned on underhanded tactics that felt new for WWE’s top babyface: an eye poke, a low blow, a willingness to target Orton’s open wound with punches and kicks after Orton was busted open on the ring post.

    Orton hung in and answered with vintage offense: a superplex, clotheslines, a scoop powerslam, and his own draping DDT. Every RKO tease got countered. Rhodes hit a backslide, then shocked Orton by hitting him with his own RKO. Orton kicked out at two. Cody mocked the RKO setup; Orton caught him with a CrossRhodes for a near-fall. Rhodes lined up the triple CrossRhodes, and Orton snapped back into an RKO out of nowhere — another close two. Orton even hit referee Charles Robinson with an RKO at one point during the scramble.

    And then McAfee was back. After being stretchered out, he returned as a replacement referee with the match continuing to spiral. That set up the finish everyone will be talking about for weeks. After a Rhodes kickout, McAfee ordered Orton to finish Cody off. Orton stood up, turned, stalked McAfee instead, and hit the mystery-caller with an RKO. With Orton distracted and McAfee down, Rhodes hit CrossRhodes for the pin at 22:40. Cody Rhodes retained the Undisputed WWE Championship. Per the match stipulation, Pat McAfee is now banned from the wrestling business forever.

    But this wasn’t a celebration. As the bell rang, Orton got back to his feet, stole the title belt from Rhodes, and cracked Cody in the skull with it. He followed up with the Punt Kick to put Cody down for real and held the Undisputed WWE Championship over his head as the show went off the air. Orton didn’t win the title. He used his own RKO to clear out the version of himself that was embarrassing him, and then sent a message to Cody about what’s next.

    Cody walks out of Night 1 still Undisputed Champion. Orton walks out still chasing his 15th world title, fully turned, and fully alone. This rivalry isn’t over.

    What’s Next

    WrestleMania 42 Night 2 streams live Sunday, April 19 at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT from Allegiant Stadium, headlined by CM Punk defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns. Also on the card: Brock Lesnar vs. Oba Femi, Jade Cargill defending the WWE Women’s Championship against Rhea Ripley, Sami Zayn defending the United States Championship, and a six-way Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match. Stay tuned to SEScoops for Night 1 fallout and Night 2 live coverage.

    How to Watch

    • Date/Time: Saturday, April 18, 2026, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
    • Venue: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas (attendance: 50,816)
    • United States: ESPN (first hour also on ESPN2)
    • International: Netflix
  • Bella Twins Arrive at WrestleMania With No Mention of Nikki’s Injury

    Bella Twins Arrive at WrestleMania With No Mention of Nikki’s Injury

    This article contains potential spoilers for WrestleMania 42:

    The Bella Twins touched down at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday projecting nothing but confidence ahead of WrestleMania 42, with no acknowledgment of the swirling reports that Nikki Bella is not medically cleared to compete tonight.

    “We’re definitely ready. It’s been a long time coming. We’re prepared, we’re ready, we’re feeling confident,” the twins said upon their arrival.

    The upbeat appearance comes despite a report from PWInsider indicating Nikki will not compete in tonight’s Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal Four-Way due to an ankle injury suffered on SmackDown last month. Per PWInsider, Paige has been secretly brought to Las Vegas and was spotted taking part in a run-through for the match earlier this week.

    Nikki doubled down on her participation at the WWE Hall of Fame Red Carpet on Friday night, telling interviewers she was “just getting that extra rest in” and confirmed she would be in the match. Whether her arrival at the stadium today signals she has been cleared or is part of a storyline designed to mask the replacement, the answer figures to come tonight.

    Paige Reportedly Signed to Multi-Year WWE Deal

    Per PWInsider and confirmed by BodySlam+, Paige has signed a multi-year contract with WWE and is expected to partner with Brie Bella in the four-way championship match. Paige departed AEW, where she wrestled as Saraya, in March 2025 before resuming in-ring training in January 2026.

    The four-way also features Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, Bayley and Lyra Valkyria, and defending champions Nia Jax and Lash Legend. WrestleMania 42 airs live tonight from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Peacock and ESPN.

  • Liv Morgan Says She’s a “One Hit Wonder” After “Trouble” Release

    Liv Morgan Says She’s a “One Hit Wonder” After “Trouble” Release

    Liv Morgan released her first single “Trouble” earlier this week, and as far as she’s concerned, it might also be her last.

    The 2026 Royal Rumble winner appeared on ESPN SportsCenter with Hannah Storm to preview her Women’s World Championship match against Stephanie Vaquer at WrestleMania 42 Night 1. The conversation turned to her surprise foray into music, and Morgan made it clear she has no plans to chase a recording career.

    “So, I’m probably done. I’m probably a one and done, I’m probably gonna retire on a high note,” Morgan said. “I just wanted new entrance music. One hit wonder.”

    “Trouble” Officially Replaces “Liv Gone Mad” as Her WWE Theme

    WWE released the official “Trouble” music video on April 13, with the song debuting on Billboard the same week. Michael Cole confirmed on commentary that “Trouble” is now Morgan’s permanent entrance theme going forward, retiring her longtime “Liv Gone Mad” track produced by Def Rebel.

    The video leans hard into Morgan’s chaotic persona, featuring her lighting a car on fire, getting tattooed, and ultimately being arrested and posed for a fresh mug shot. The song opens with the familiar notes of her old entrance before flipping the iconic “Watch me” line into “Bite me.”

    Morgan vs. Vaquer on Night 1 of WrestleMania 42

    Liv Morgan and Stephanie Vaquer

    Morgan challenges Stephanie Vaquer (c) for the Women’s World Championship tonight at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The match is part of WrestleMania 42 Night 1, which streams on the ESPN App in the U.S. and on Netflix internationally beginning at 6 p.m. ET.

    The Royal Rumble winner enters as a heavy betting favorite to capture her third Women’s World Championship. Whether her newly minted theme song gets a one-night-only WrestleMania remix or simply marks her walk to the ring, “Trouble” will be making its grandest stage debut.

  • WWE Blocks ESPN’s Andreas Hale From WrestleMania 42 Coverage

    WWE Blocks ESPN’s Andreas Hale From WrestleMania 42 Coverage

    WWE has denied press credentials to ESPN combat sports reporter Andreas Hale for WrestleMania 42 weekend in Las Vegas, blocking him from covering the event for the network that pays $325 million per year to stream WWE’s premium live events.

    Hale revealed the situation Saturday afternoon on X, posting that neither he nor ESPN had been told why his access was pulled.

    “I will not be covering #WrestleMania for ESPN,” Hale wrote. “WWE denied my credentials and blocked my access. Neither I nor ESPN has been told why. You can speculate on the reasons, but if you want answers, ask WWE.”

    The Wrestlepalooza Grade

    Hale has covered WWE’s premium live events for ESPN since the network’s $1.6 billion, five-year rights deal began with Wrestlepalooza in September 2025. His review of that debut event gave the show a C grade, which sparked immediate backlash from the WWE fanbase and reportedly rubbed executives at WWE and parent company TKO the wrong way.

    In the weeks that followed, multiple reports indicated WWE pressured ESPN to drop letter grades from its PLE coverage entirely. ESPN’s reviews stopped including grades after Crown Jewel in October.

    Hale’s Wider WWE Coverage

    Beyond event reviews, Hale has been one of ESPN’s primary reporters on the Janel Grant lawsuit against Vince McMahon. His most recent reporting on the case detailed Grant’s 40-page affidavit outlining additional allegations against the former WWE chairman and ex-head of talent relations John Laurinaitis.

    Hale, a longtime combat sports journalist who previously worked at DAZN and Sporting News, also covers UFC for ESPN. He has handed out critical grades on UFC events as well, recently giving UFC 326 a D-, suggesting his Wrestlepalooza review was consistent with how he approaches combat sports coverage broadly.

    A Strained Partnership

    The credential denial comes at the worst possible optics moment for both companies. WrestleMania 42 takes place this Saturday and Sunday in Las Vegas, the centerpiece of ESPN’s first full WrestleMania weekend as the exclusive domestic streaming home of WWE PLEs.

    WWE has not publicly commented on Hale’s credential denial. ESPN has also not issued a statement on the situation.

  • Randy Orton Names The Rock As His Dream RKO Target

    Randy Orton Names The Rock As His Dream RKO Target

    Randy Orton has hit the RKO on just about everyone the wrestling world has to offer, but one major name has eluded him, and he wants to fix that.

    The Viper appeared at WWE World on Saturday for an on-stage interview with combat sports journalist and YouTube personality The Schmo just hours before his Night 1 main event against Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 42. When asked who, dead or alive, he would most want to drop with his signature finisher, Orton went with a name that would move the needle beyond anyone else.

    Orton Wants To Add The Rock To The List

    Orton noted that he has RKO’d a wide range of targets across his career, from 90-year-old fans to female talent to celebrities like Mark Cuban and the late Meat Loaf. One name still missing from the list stands above the rest.

    “I’ve RKO’d everybody, but I haven’t RKO’d The Rock, and if for some reason… Rock would be at the top, for sure,” Orton said.

    The answer fits a pattern Orton has leaned into lately. Earlier this year, he publicly invited Tom Brady to take an RKO after the NFL legend called pro wrestling “cute and scripted,” telling Brady to call Pat McAfee to set it up.

    A Dream Scenario With WrestleMania Proximity

    Orton and The Rock have shared remarkably little screen time across their overlapping WWE runs, which has only fueled fan interest in the idea of a confrontation. The Rock has also been a recurring presence in Cody Rhodes’ WrestleMania stories the last two years, giving any Orton and Rock moment a built-in storyline foundation if WWE ever chose to pull the trigger.

    The Final Boss is not advertised for WrestleMania 42, though sportsbooks are still listing a Rock appearance as a live prop bet at +500. Rhodes defends the Undisputed WWE Championship against Orton in the Night 1 main event on Saturday, April 18 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with Pat McAfee in Orton’s corner after weeks of storyline buildup.

    In a business where “never say never” continues to age well, an RKO to The Rock remains one of the few outta-nowhere moments Orton has yet to deliver.

  • Danhausen Talks WWE Arrival, Curses

    Danhausen Talks WWE Arrival, Curses

    Danhausen sees his merchandise on stands next to Roman Reigns and CM Punk at WrestleMania 42 weekend in Las Vegas. He knows exactly what that means.

    The former AEW and ROH mainstay sat down with Peter Rosenberg on the Cheap Heat podcast over WrestleMania weekend. The 11-minute conversation doubled as a stock check on his first seven weeks in WWE. The verdict from Danhausen himself: the character is working, the merch is moving, and the AEW years were quieter than social media suggested.

    On the commercial side, he let the math speak for itself.

    “I’ve been told it is doing very well. I would also assume if they put out one t-shirt and it did bad, I would not have 35 things for sale on the website. I would not have my own merch section at the Superstore and at WrestleMania.”

    He then walked Rosenberg through what he saw on the Allegiant Stadium concourse.

    “I saw the merchandise stands tonight. Roman Reigns, Cody, Punk, Danhausen, Corey, WrestleMania. Can you believe that? Can you believe it?”

    That placement lines up with what reporting has indicated for weeks. WWE has filed trademarks on “Girlhausen,” “Kid-hausen,” “Kidhausen,” and “Ghoulhausen,” all of which point to a long-term SKU pipeline rather than a one-off novelty push.

    The AEW Match Count

    The quietest admission of the interview came when Rosenberg asked how many matches Danhausen had during his AEW run. The answer, delivered without any visible resentment, was three or four.

    “So I didn’t miss that much,” Rosenberg said.

    “No. I mean, I saw you lots, but I was…” Danhausen trailed off.

    “No, you didn’t.”

    “No, you definitely did not. Not as much as we would have liked.”

    Danhausen expanded on the gap between online perception and television reality.

    “Dan would do vlogs backstage on his own, and do videos with his enemies and his friend houses. Maybe it seemed like I was doing more than I was. But I was not there. I was doing the independent scene. That’s what I was doing.”

    He added that he was running three indie dates a weekend during that stretch, plus convention appearances at shows like New York Comic-Con. The AEW deal covered him on paper. The work was happening everywhere else.

    Debut Reception And The Chicago Boos

    Danhausen’s WWE debut at Elimination Chamber on February 28 in Chicago drew a mixed reaction. He arrived from a coffin inside the long-teased mystery crate, handed Michael Cole a jar of glass teeth, and vanished when the lights cut. Some fans cheered, some booed, and he has a theory about why.

    “There are only boos when the lights went out. They wanted more Danhausen. They wanted Dan Hen to eviscerate, decimate, annihilate an opponent, or perhaps say, ‘Hello, Chicago. Danhausen has arrived in the WWE.’ And then disappear. The reason there was a smattering of boos at the end was simply because the crowd wanted more.”

    Whatever the correct read, Triple H publicly endorsed the segment after the show, saying fans are “in for a fun time.” Two days later on Raw in Indianapolis, the response flipped.

    “Instant applause in Indianapolis,” Danhausen said. “Gave away some t-shirts. Had a good time. The most Danhausen grand entrance I could have given.”

    Undefeated, With Help From Pyro

    On the April 10 episode of SmackDown in San Jose, Danhausen picked up his first WWE win, beating Kit Wilson after a curse and a well-timed pyro blast knocked Wilson off the top rope. Danhausen claims the curse did the work. He disclaims everything after that.

    “We’re already undefeated in WWE. I defeated Kit Wilson. Do your research. I defeated him on SmackDown. They cursed him. The curse was just so I would win. Anything that happened after that is not me.”

    Asked how often he wants to wrestle going forward, Danhausen pitched a rhythm that sounds a lot like his indie schedule compressed for television.

    “Maybe not every week. Maybe every three weeks. I used to wrestle three times a weekend. So I’ll wrestle as much as they want me to. Maybe curse, curse, wrestle. Curse, curse, wrestle. That would be good.”

    Family At WrestleMania

    Danhausen brought his family to Las Vegas for the weekend. His wife, Canadian burlesque performer Lou Lou La Duchesse de Rière, led the Ghoulhausens dance troupe at Elimination Chamber and choreographed the routine. His nine-month-old son was backstage at WrestleMania.

    “He got in last night. It was every couple hours we were awake,” Danhausen said, confirming that baby duty does not pause for pay-per-views.

    He is also already planning the action figure shelf. He said he has been stockpiling He-Man toys in what he calls the “car hole” and is actively lobbying Mattel for a crossover figure.

    “I have to curse the Mattel people to make a Dan and He-Man crossover so I can add it to his collection and give it to him in three years for Christmas.”

    Rosenberg asked if the curse had been delivered. “Oh yeah. I did it yesterday,” Danhausen said. Mattel, he reports, asked for a few months.

    When Rosenberg moved to wrap, Danhausen delivered the exit line that fit the whole afternoon.

    “I have to go do famous things.”

  • WrestleMania 42 Saturday Ticket Demand Surges With Hours to Go

    WrestleMania 42 Saturday Ticket Demand Surges With Hours to Go

    WrestleMania 42 Saturday is hours away from kickoff at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, and the latest ticket data from WrestleTix shows strong momentum heading into tonight’s Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton main event.

    As of this morning’s update, 49,070 tickets have been distributed for the Saturday night show, reflecting a jump of 4,372 since yesterday. The current setup capacity sits at 51,393, leaving approximately 1,590 standard tickets and 733 combo tickets still available.

    New Sections Added to the Map

    A significant portion of today’s increase is attributed to newly added seating sections. Section 118 has been added to both the Saturday and Sunday maps, though it is currently missing every other row. Sections R107 through R117 have also joined the setup, and while no available or resale inventory has appeared in those sections, they are expected to be occupied, likely as part of VIP packages. Those additions alone account for more than 2,100 of the distributed ticket increase.

    Two additional sections, C11 and C13, could push the distributed total up by another 1,000-plus seats. WrestleTix is awaiting visual confirmation before including those figures. The total seats on the map increased from 68,386 to 68,703 due to added floor inventory.

    How It Compares to Last Year

    For context, WrestleMania 41 Saturday at the same venue drew a distributed ticket count of 60,151 per WrestleTix’s final estimate. The Las Vegas Stadium Authority later disclosed an official attendance of 58,538 for that night. Tonight’s show is well behind that pace with hours still to go, though final numbers will depend on walk-up sales and how those pending VIP sections are counted.

    Resale inventory stands at 849 tickets, with the cheapest standard admission option listed at $138.55. WrestleMania 42 Saturday begins at 3:30 PM ET from Allegiant Stadium.

  • Sycho Sid’s Son Blasts WWE Over Hall of Fame Induction

    Sycho Sid’s Son Blasts WWE Over Hall of Fame Induction

    Gunnar Eudy, the son of the late Sycho Sid, is speaking out after Friday night’s WWE Hall of Fame ceremony in Las Vegas, calling the treatment of his father’s induction “straight up disappointing and disrespectful as hell.”

    In a lengthy Facebook post shared following the April 17 ceremony at Dolby Live at Park MGM, Gunnar said WWE failed to promote his father in any meaningful way. “I didn’t see one single ad for him here in Vegas,” he wrote, adding that the Hall of Fame gift shop carried no merchandise for Sid while being “loaded with all the Dennis Rodman crap you could want.”

    Sycho Sid, whose real name was Sidney Raymond Eudy, was inducted posthumously into the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame as a Legacy inductee. He passed away on August 26, 2024 at age 63 following a battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

    Legacy Wing honorees do not receive a live acceptance speech during the ceremony.

    Gunnar Says WWE “Swept Him Under the Rug”

    Gunnar described the experience as feeling like WWE was “rushing to get him out of the way,” suggesting that politics from people who worked alongside his father played a role in the subdued treatment. “Maybe if we had waited another 20 years until all those jealous, insecure ex-colleagues were gone,” he wrote, “he would’ve finally gotten the full induction he actually deserved.”

    Despite his frustration, Gunnar said he was grateful he brought his son to the event. “He doesn’t know they did his grandpa dirty,” he wrote. “He just got to see his hero honored. That moment with my boy made it worth it.”

    The family did receive a Hall of Fame ring, which Gunnar said was the one tangible keepsake from the weekend worth holding onto.

    Two-Time WWE Champion Honored Posthumously

    Sycho Sid was a two-time WWE Champion and a two-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion who headlined WrestleMania twice during his career. He joined a 2026 class that included AJ Styles, Stephanie McMahon, Demolition, Bad News Brown, Dennis Rodman, and the Immortal Moment of Hulk Hogan vs. Andre the Giant from WrestleMania III.

    Gunnar closed his post with a tribute to his father: “Rest in power, Dad. The Master and Ruler of the World got his flowers, even if WWE tried to shortchange you one last time.”

  • WrestleMania 42 Start Times Around The World: How To Watch

    WrestleMania 42 Start Times Around The World: How To Watch

    WrestleMania 42 emanates from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas this Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19, with both nights kicking off at 3:00 PM local time. WWE has released a global start time graphic to help fans across the world plan their viewing.

    The show streams on ESPN in the United States and on Netflix across most international markets as part of WWE’s 10-year global rights deal.

    Order WrestleMania 42 on ESPN

    WrestleMania 42 Start Times By Region

    Here is when the main card begins in major markets around the world on both Saturday and Sunday night:

    North America

    Las Vegas: 3:00 PM PT
    Mexico City: 4:00 PM CST
    Toronto: 6:00 PM ET

    South America

    São Paulo: 7:00 PM BRT

    Europe

    London: 11:00 PM BST
    Paris: 12:00 AM CEST (Sunday and Monday)

    Middle East

    Riyadh: 1:00 AM AST (Sunday and Monday)

    Asia and Oceania

    Mumbai: 3:30 AM IST (Sunday and Monday)
    Manila: 6:00 AM PHT (Sunday and Monday)
    Sydney: 8:00 AM AEST (Sunday and Monday)

    How To Watch WrestleMania 42 By Country

    United States: The event streams exclusively on the ESPN app with an ESPN Unlimited subscription ($29.99/month). The first hour of Night 1 simulcasts on ESPN2 and the first hour of Night 2 simulcasts on ESPN. This marks the first WrestleMania to air on ESPN following the end of WWE’s Peacock deal.

    Canada, United Kingdom, Australia: WrestleMania 42 streams live on Netflix with any standard subscription. No additional pay-per-view fee is required.

    Mexico and Latin America: Netflix carries the event live in Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador.

    Europe: Netflix holds the rights across the UK, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Poland, the Nordics, and most other European markets.

    Middle East and North Africa: Viewers in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, and Israel can stream live on Netflix.

    India: Netflix India carries WrestleMania 42 live starting at 3:30 AM IST on Sunday and Monday mornings.

    Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia: Netflix streams the event across most of Southeast Asia.

    Japan: Abema holds the broadcast rights.

    Sub-Saharan Africa: SuperSport carries the event across the region.

    WrestleMania 42 Weekend Full Schedule

    Both nights begin at 3:00 PM PT / 6:00 PM ET. A pre-show kicks off at 1:00 PM PT / 4:00 PM ET on ESPN Unlimited. Raw after WrestleMania airs Monday, April 20 at 5:00 PM PT / 8:00 PM ET on Netflix globally.

    Based on past WrestleMania events, each night is expected to run four to five hours. International viewers planning to watch live should factor that into their late-night or early-morning start times.

  • The Sandman Retires From Wrestling After Final Match At Spring Break X

    The Sandman Retires From Wrestling After Final Match At Spring Break X

    The Sandman has officially retired from professional wrestling. The ECW legend wrestled the final match of his nearly four-decade career Friday night at GCW Joey Janela’s Spring Break X, held at the Horseshoe in Las Vegas during WrestleMania 42 weekend.

    The 62-year-old hardcore icon, real name James Fullington, fell to The Invisible Man in a match that turned into pure chaos, featuring a completely unadvertised run-in from Mick Foley.

    Mick Foley Crashes The Sandman’s Farewell

    Foley, who has been performing his “40 Years of Mick Foley” one-man show in Las Vegas during WrestleMania week, was not announced for the show. The Hardcore Legend stormed the ring mid-match, throwing hands in the corner before dropping his target with a double arm DDT.

    Foley then pulled out Mr. Socko, locked in the Mandible Claw, and tossed the iconic sock to The Sandman. The ECW legend slipped it on, embraced Foley, and the crowd lost it.

    The Invisibles then jumped both men from behind, and The Invisible Man rolled up The Sandman for the pin. Fullington’s career ended with a loss to thin air.

    A Career Nearly Four Decades In The Making

    The Sandman debuted in 1989 and logged close to 900 matches according to Cagematch. He became one of the defining faces of ECW, winning the ECW World Heavyweight Championship a record five times and capturing ECW Tag Team gold alongside 2 Cold Scorpio.

    His entrance through the crowd to Metallica’s “Enter Sandman,” beer in hand and Singapore cane at the ready, became one of the most imitated bits in wrestling history. He later competed in WCW, TNA, and WWE, teaming with Tommy Dreamer, Rob Van Dam, and Sabu as part of the ECW Originals at WrestleMania 23.

    Friday’s match capped a multi-year Spring Break tradition of sending ECW legends out on Janela’s stage. Sabu wrestled his retirement match at Spring Break IX last year, passing away just weeks later. The Sandman actually made a surprise run-in during that match, foreshadowing his own farewell twelve months later.

    2026: The Year Of Wrestling Retirements

    The Sandman joins a growing list of legends hanging up the boots in 2026. NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi retired earlier in the year, and AJ Styles had his career-ending match at Royal Rumble. The Spring Break X retirement was announced in February, with The Invisible Man revealed as his opponent weeks later.

    Appearances on the show also included Missy Hyatt, Kendra Lust, and the ECW Zombie, adding to the hardcore nostalgia. With the loss now in the books, The Sandman walks away as one of the most imitated and punished bodies in wrestling history.

  • WrestleMania 42 Night 1 Preview: Full Match Card, Start Time, How to Watch

    WrestleMania 42 Night 1 Preview: Full Match Card, Start Time, How to Watch

    WrestleMania 42 Night 1 kicks off Saturday, April 18, from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas with eight matches on the card, headlined by Cody Rhodes defending the Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton. The event streams live at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT on ESPN in the United States and Netflix internationally.

    Order WrestleMania 42 on ESPN

    Key Points

    • Main Event: Cody Rhodes defends the Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton, with Pat McAfee banned from wrestling forever if Orton fails to win.
    • Dream Match: Seth Rollins meets GUNTHER in a non-title showdown that could steal the show.
    • Surprise Return: Paige is expected to compete in the Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal Four-Way, substituting for an injured Nikki Bella.
    • How to Watch: Live on ESPN (US) and Netflix (international), Saturday, April 18 at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT from Allegiant Stadium.

    WrestleMania 42 Night 1 at a Glance

    Night 1 features four championship matches, one unsanctioned brawl, and a six-man celebrity tag that will air during the first hour of the broadcast. John Cena returns to WWE as the official host of the weekend, making his first appearance since retiring from in-ring competition in December 2025.

    Full Match Card

    MatchStipulation
    Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton (w/ Pat McAfee)Undisputed WWE Championship
    Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Liv MorganWomen’s World Championship
    AJ Lee (c) vs. Becky LynchWomen’s Intercontinental Championship
    Irresistible Forces (c) vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria vs. Paige & Brie BellaWomen’s Tag Team Championship Fatal Four-Way
    Seth Rollins vs. GUNTHERSingles Match
    Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob FatuUnsanctioned Match
    Logan Paul, Austin Theory & IShowSpeed vs. The Usos & LA KnightSix-Man Tag Team Match
    WrestleMania 42 Poster

    Match Previews

    Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Randy Orton

    This match carries nearly two decades of history. Rhodes and Orton were stablemates in Legacy alongside Ted DiBiase Jr. starting in 2008, with Rhodes crediting Orton as a formative influence on his early career. Now they collide with the Undisputed WWE Championship on the line.

    Orton earned his title shot by winning an Elimination Chamber match that included Rhodes, with the help of an interfering Drew McIntyre. Rhodes would go on to defeat McIntyre for the title on SmackDown before this WrestleMania rematch was set. The feud took a sharp turn when Orton revealed Pat McAfee as his mystery advisor, a former NFL punter and ESPN personality who aligned with Orton under the banner of bringing back the “Attitude Era.” McAfee and Orton subsequently attacked Rhodes on SmackDown and stole the championship belt, before Rhodes stormed McAfee’s television set and reclaimed it earlier this week.

    The stakes are elevated by an additional stipulation: if Orton fails to win tonight, McAfee will be permanently banned from the wrestling business. Rhodes told ESPN’s First Take he is focused on Orton above all else, calling McAfee “the garnish” and Orton “the steak,” while also confirming he has a plan of his own to deal with any outside interference. For more on this feud, see our coverage of John Cena’s prediction for this match.

    Women’s World Championship: Stephanie Vaquer (c) vs. Liv Morgan

    Stephanie Vaquer puts the Women’s World Championship on the line against Liv Morgan, who earned this title shot by winning the 2026 Women’s Royal Rumble. Vaquer enters as champion looking to hold off one of the most driven challengers on the roster.

    Women’s Intercontinental Championship: AJ Lee (c) vs. Becky Lynch

    AJ Lee defends the Women’s Intercontinental Championship against Becky Lynch in what is expected to be one of the most technically polished matches of the night. Lynch is a former holder of the title, adding a layer of personal stakes to the showdown. For more on Lynch heading into WrestleMania, see her recent comments on fan criticism.

    Seth Rollins vs. GUNTHER

    This match was put together on short notice after injuries derailed original plans on both sides. GUNTHER’s scheduled WrestleMania opponent Rey Mysterio suffered a rib injury, while Rollins lost his planned opponent Bron Breakker to hernia surgery. The match became official on the March 30 episode of Raw at Madison Square Garden, when GUNTHER made a surprise return and put Rollins to sleep with a Sleeper Hold while The Visionary was in the process of attacking Paul Heyman.

    GUNTHER arrives on a historic run that includes retiring Goldberg, John Cena, and AJ Styles. Rollins, a six-time world champion, has been in a prolonged feud with Paul Heyman and the Vision faction since returning at Elimination Chamber. Despite the abbreviated build, this is one of the most anticipated in-ring performances on the card. For background on how this matchup came together, see our story on WWE’s scrapped WrestleMania 42 plans.

    Women’s Tag Team Championship Fatal Four-Way: Irresistible Forces (c) vs. Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley & Lyra Valkyria vs. Paige & Brie Bella

    Champions Nia Jax and Lash Legend defend the Women’s Tag Team titles against three challengers in a fatal four-way. Per PWInsider, Paige has signed with WWE and will compete in this match as a surprise return, stepping in for Nikki Bella who was not cleared from an ankle injury suffered on SmackDown. For the full details on that development, see our story on Paige’s return.

    Drew McIntyre vs. Jacob Fatu (Unsanctioned Match)

    This one is scheduled to air in the opening hour of Night 1 and carries no rules, no officials with authority to stop it, and no disqualifications. The unsanctioned stipulation reflects the depth of hostility between McIntyre and Fatu heading into Las Vegas.

    Logan Paul, Austin Theory & IShowSpeed vs. The Usos & LA Knight

    Also airing in the first hour, this six-man tag brings a celebrity crossover element to Night 1. YouTube and streaming personality IShowSpeed teams with Logan Paul and Austin Theory against the combination of Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, and LA Knight.

    How to Watch WrestleMania 42 Night 1

    • Date/Time: Saturday, April 18, 2026, 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT
    • Venue: Allegiant Stadium, Las Vegas, Nevada
    • United States: ESPN (first hour also on ESPN2)
    • International: Netflix

    Don’t Miss SEScoops Coverage

    Stay tuned to SEScoops.com for live results, match recaps, and post-event fallout from WrestleMania 42 Night 1.

  • Jake Hager Wins Power Slap Debut, Screams “F**k Tony Khan”

    Jake Hager Wins Power Slap Debut, Screams “F**k Tony Khan”

    Jake Hager celebrating his Power Slap debut victory after knocking out Devin Jenkins in the third round at Power Slap 19 in Las Vegas

    Jake Hager made an emphatic entrance into Power Slap on Friday night, knocking out Devin “Big Jinx” Jenkins in the third round at Power Slap 19 in Las Vegas, then immediately sent a message to his former boss.

    After the finish, Hager stared directly into the camera and shouted, “F**k Tony Khan!” The moment drew instant attention online, given Hager’s well-documented frustrations with the president following his 2024 departure from the company.

    Hager, known to fans as Jack Swagger, also performed his signature “We the People” salute throughout the appearance, leaning into his pro wrestling roots while debuting in an entirely different combat sports arena.

    How the Fight Went

    The bout played out over three rounds at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas. Jenkins landed shots that visibly rocked Hager early, but the former World Heavyweight Champion absorbed the punishment and answered back each time. By round three, Jenkins could not recover from Hager’s counter, and the bout was stopped with Hager earning the TKO victory.

    The win was Hager’s first in Power Slap and comes as part of a six-appearance deal he signed with the Dana White-run promotion.

    Background

    Hager spent over a decade in before joining at its launch in 2019 as a member of Chris Jericho’s Inner Circle. His contract expired in May 2024, and he had been openly critical of Tony Khan in interviews since departing. He also went 3-0 (with one no-contest) in Bellator during his time with.

    Power Slap 19 streamed live and free on YouTube on Friday, April 17 — one night before WrestleMania 42 kicked off at Allegiant Stadium.

  • Royce Keys Wins Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal On SmackDown

    Royce Keys Wins Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal On SmackDown

    Royce Keys scored the biggest win of his WWE career so far on Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown, winning the 2026 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the April 17 show. The win gives Keys a spotlight as he begins his journey on the blue brand.

    The closing stretch of the Battle Royal saw Keys mix it up with Otis, Aleister Black, and Talla Tonga as the final four. Black connected with Black Mass on Otis, but his momentum was cut off when Keys blasted him with a clothesline over the top rope.

    Tonga then eliminated Otis, leaving himself and Keys as the final two, before Keys hit a big spinebuster and sent Tonga to the floor to clinch the win and the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal trophy.

  • Darby Allin’s First AEW World Title Defense Set for Dynamite

    Darby Allin’s First AEW World Title Defense Set for Dynamite

    Darby Allin will make his first AEW World Championship defense this Wednesday on Dynamite when he faces Tommaso Ciampa in Portland, Oregon. The match was announced Friday and marks the first time the two have faced each other.

    Allin captured the title this past week on Dynamite, defeating MJF in an upset victory. On the same show, Ciampa defeated Dezmond Xavier and immediately called out the winner for a future title shot.

    The former TNT Champion brings momentum into the title match with a 5-0 record in his last five singles matches. This will be Ciampa’s first opportunity to compete for the AEW World Championship.

    The title match joins an already stacked card for Wednesday’s show. Will Ospreay faces Mark Davis, while Mina Shirakawa takes on Hikaru Shida.

    AEW Dynamite airs Wednesday from Portland, Oregon.

  • Paul Heyman Interviewed by Son Jacob Heyman

    Paul Heyman Interviewed by Son Jacob Heyman

    Paul Heyman says WWE scrapped two separate main event plans for WrestleMania 42 before landing on the current card, and he isn’t shy about how he feels being left out of the top spot for the first time since 2019.

    Heyman made the revelations in an interview with his son, Jacob Heyman, on Instagram. WrestleMania 42 will see Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton close Night One and Roman Reigns vs. CM Punk close Night Two at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, but that was not the original plan.

    Two Main Events That Fell Apart

    Heyman laid out both scrapped directions and didn’t dress it up:

    “I don’t think it’s a big secret that everything was driving this year to be Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns, and then that fell apart. And then it was going to be Bron Breakker vs. CM Punk, and that fell apart.”

    Rollins vs. Reigns was the intended direction before Rollins’ injury took it off the board.

    “It Pisses Me Off”

    Heyman has been in a WrestleMania main event every year from WrestleMania 36 through WrestleMania 41.

    “Yeah, it pisses me off. I was in line to be a part of the main event this year, but fate intervened not once but even twice.”

    In Heyman’s view, Lesnar vs. Femi is the real main event of WrestleMania 42, even if the record books won’t list it that way. He said the experience has him motivated to work harder heading into next year and to build out contingency plans of his own, so he isn’t the one getting bumped again when someone else’s circumstances change.

    Elsewhere in the interview, Heyman delivered powerful messages about what motivates him to keep going at this stage in his career, and the lessons he wants his children to learn by watching him this week in Las Vegas for WrestleMania and in life.

    For a guy who spent six straight years engineering the biggest matches on the biggest show of the year, being one of the people shuffled out rather than one of the people doing the shuffling is clearly the part that stings.

  • Watch: Lance Anoa’i Scores KO in Power Slap Debut

    Watch: Lance Anoa’i Scores KO in Power Slap Debut

    Lance Anoai Power Slap

    Lance Anoa’i delivered an emphatic debut in Dana White’s Power Slap promotion on Friday night, knocking out heavyweight opponent Amanpreet Singh at Power Slap 19 from The Chelsea at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas.

    The third-generation wrestler, cousin to Roman Reigns, The Rock, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa, and Jacob Fatu, needed just one sit-down slap to finish the job. Power Slap’s official account confirmed the finish on X, posting, “SAT HIM DOWN @LanceAnoai with the debut KO!”

    From WWE Release to Power Slap Debut

    The 34-year-old is no stranger to combat, but this represents a dramatic career pivot. Anoa’i was released from WWE in October 2025 alongside Wes Lee and several other talents, ending a developmental run that never produced a single sanctioned match due to back-to-back injuries.

    Anoa’i signed with WWE in the summer of 2024 and was assigned to NXT, but a sports hernia and torn shoulder shelved him for the duration of his deal. He was cleared in late September 2025 and released weeks later.

    In December 2025, the former MLW World Tag Team Champion announced his Power Slap pivot at the promotion’s Combine #4, telling Slap News his release was fueling the career change. He explained that wrestling had been in his family for generations, and stepping into Power Slap was about separating himself from sports entertainment to potentially knock someone out.

    Carrying a Samoan Wrestling Legacy

    Anoa’i made his pro wrestling debut in 2010 and built his reputation in Major League Wrestling, where he captured the MLW World Tag Team Championship with Juicy Finau in January 2023 as part of The Samoan SWAT Team. He also competed in Pro Wrestling NOAH’s N-1 Victory 2023 tournament.

    His father is Samu of The Headshrinkers, and his grandfather was the late WWE Hall of Famer Afa Anoa’i of The Wild Samoans. His most notable WWE television appearance came on the May 27, 2019 episode of Raw, when he faced Shane McMahon during Shane’s feud with Roman Reigns.

    Power Slap 19, headlined by Da Hawaiian Hitman vs. Makini Manu, streamed live and free on the promotion’s YouTube channel.

  • Triple H Defends Pat McAfee WrestleMania 42 Role on ESPN

    Triple H Defends Pat McAfee WrestleMania 42 Role on ESPN

    Triple H is pushing back on the growing fan backlash over Pat McAfee’s insertion into the WrestleMania 42 main event picture, framing the controversy as a win for WWE rather than a problem.

    WWE’s Chief Content Officer appeared on ESPN’s First Take with Stephen A. Smith and Peter Rosenberg on Wednesday to promote the April 18-19 event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. The full interview is available below.

    Triple H Says “Talk Is Good” Amid McAfee Controversy

    Triple H on ESPN First Take

    Asked about the heat surrounding McAfee’s presence in the Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton storyline, Triple H dismissed the idea that the discourse is a negative for WWE. Instead, he leaned into it.

    “It’s always pressure, but the thing is talk is good, right? People are talking and that is a good thing,” Triple H said. “Pat, love him or hate him, Pat makes people talk, right? And I think that’s what’s important here is people are talking. This is going to be an amazing show. This will be incredible and it will deliver on all levels.”

    The comments come as fan frustration over the angle has reached a fever pitch. Rhodes himself called the McAfee reveal “the most ill-received thing in the history of wrestling” on the SI Media podcast, and more recently labeled McAfee “a full-blooded rat” during an ESPN Get Up appearance.

    Reports Say McAfee Push Came From Above Triple H

    Pat McAfee on WWE Smackdown
    WWE

    Triple H’s public defense of the angle is notable given the reporting around how McAfee ended up in the storyline. Per Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, the push to insert McAfee came from TKO Executive Chairman Ari Emanuel, not WWE creative.

    Fightful Select separately reported the move was designed as “corporate synergy” tied to WWE’s new ESPN partnership, with McAfee serving as a recognizable face for the first-ever WrestleMania broadcast on ESPN platforms.

    Oba Femi Gets a Triple H Endorsement

    Beyond the McAfee discussion, Triple H used the ESPN platform to put a spotlight on Oba Femi, calling the former NXT Champion a generational talent. He specifically praised Femi’s ability to trade verbal blows with Paul Heyman in recent weeks.

    Femi faces Brock Lesnar in a match that will open Night 2 of WrestleMania 42, with the first hour airing free on ESPN.

    Triple H also reflected on how WrestleMania has evolved from his 1996 debut in an arena setting into a week-long stadium spectacle, and credited the event’s multi-generational appeal as a key driver of WWE’s current run.

    WrestleMania 42 emanates from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19, with the full show streaming on ESPN Unlimited in the US and Netflix internationally.

  • CM Punk Responds To Roman Reigns Promo Ahead Of WrestleMania 42

    CM Punk Responds To Roman Reigns Promo Ahead Of WrestleMania 42

    CM Punk fired back at Roman Reigns less than a week before the two collide in the WrestleMania 42 main event.

    The World Heavyweight Champion appeared on ESPN’s Get Up on Friday and responded directly to the viral video promo Reigns posted earlier this week, where the Royal Rumble winner ripped Punk’s title reign and fighting credentials.

    Punk dismissed Reigns’ effort as a staged monologue and promised physical payback on Sunday night.

    “Man, I wish he brought that energy the days he actually decided to show up on a couple of Mondays,” Punk said. “I take nothing away from Roman. Tremendous superstar. He has the credentials. He’s a heavyweight. He’s gonna be a tough out for me, but I am not looking to lose on Sunday. And I’m sure he isn’t either.”

    Punk then took direct aim at the format of Reigns’ response, noting the gap between his original promo and the Tribal Chief’s reply.

    “But this is about pro wrestling versus cinema and I’m glad that he had four days to shower and think about what he would say to me in a rebuttal and did it in a car while I wasn’t around. But I’m gonna be around and in his face on Sunday. I’m gonna send him to the orthodontist. I’m gonna make his orthodontist a very rich person.”

    CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns Set For WrestleMania 42 Night Two

    Punk (c) defends the World Heavyweight Championship against Reigns on Sunday, April 19, at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. It is the first one-on-one meeting between the two since January 2014, weeks before Punk’s original WWE departure.

    The verbal war has escalated week over week, with Triple H recently telling Joe Tessitore that the backstage tension between the two is “palpable” and unlike typical professional rivalries. Punk has positioned himself as the workhorse champion against a part-time challenger, a theme he leaned on again during the ESPN appearance.

    WrestleMania 42 Night Two streams live at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN in the United States and Netflix internationally.

  • Cam’ron Vows WrestleMania 42 Showdown With Jey Uso

    Cam’ron Vows WrestleMania 42 Showdown With Jey Uso

    Cam’ron is not letting his viral run-in with Jey Uso die quietly, and the rapper is now promising a face-to-face confrontation at WrestleMania 42 this weekend in Las Vegas.

    One day after Uso yanked him over the desk and threw a punch on the April 16 episode of It Is What It Is, Cam’ron fired back with a direct warning aimed squarely at the former World Heavyweight Champion.

    “I see a few people from The Bloodline that’s upset. Listen man, don’t be mad at the facts, be mad at the resumé,” Cam’ron said. “And like I said I’ll see y’all this week at WrestleMania, I’m pulling up, I’ll be there.”

    Cam’ron Calls Jey Uso “The Weakest In The Bloodline”

    The Harlem rapper went a step further, taking direct shots at Uso’s family lineage and standing within wrestling’s most famous modern faction.

    “Now you want to use me for a publicity tour, when you got WrestleMania this weekend. I know I’m the biggest name that you’ve had a fight with in a long time. I’m probably the biggest name that you’ve ever had a fight with,” Cam’ron said.

    “Because you’re not your father. You’re not The Rock. You’re the weakest in The Bloodline uce, and we’ll see what happens at WrestleMania. I can’t tell you what’s going to happen, but I will tell you that something is going to happen.”

    Rapper Mocks Jey Uso’s Media Run Ahead Of Vegas

    Cam’ron also took aim at the celebrity-heavy build to this year’s show, which has seen Uso’s six-man tag opponents, Logan Paul and streamer IShowSpeed, dominate the mainstream conversation.

    “I seen him on his little press run. When you the big fish that’s gonna happen you’re fighting Logan Paul, Speed, they gotta talk about Killa (Cam’ron) but it’s all good I’mma give your ass something to talk about,” the rapper said.

    “Can’t wait, because I know he won’t leave Nevada, he won’t leave the state without talking (to) or seeing me.”

    Uso is scheduled to open WrestleMania 42 Night 1 on Saturday in a six-man tag team match, teaming with Jimmy Uso and LA Knight against Logan Paul, Austin Theory, and IShowSpeed. Whether Cam’ron actually works his way into that match or simply shows up for an in-crowd moment remains to be seen, but the rapper has made his intentions clear. (It Is What It Is)

  • HOG Culture Clash 2026 Results: Mason Retains in Vegas

    HOG Culture Clash 2026 Results: Mason Retains in Vegas

    House of Glory Wrestling took over Las Vegas on Thursday night for HOG: Culture Clash at the Pearl Theater at Palms Casino Resort. Charles Mason retained the HOG World Championship in the main event, and The Hardy Boyz walked out still holding the HOG Tag Team titles after a three-way defense.

    HOG Culture Clash Results (4/16/26)

    • Ken Broadway def. Raymond Bright
    • Scramble Match: Phumi Nkuta def. Angel Jacquez, Raheem Royal, Kuro, JJP, and JJ Doze
    • HOG Women’s Championship: Shotzi Blackheart (c) def. Charlie to retain
    • Brody King vs. Zilla Fatu ended in a no-contest after Lance Anoa’i interfered
    • HOG Cruiserweight Championship: Daron Richardson (c) def. Joey Silver to retain
    • Bandido def. Amazing Red
    • HOG World Championship: Charles Mason (c) def. Michael Oku to retain
    • HOG Tag Team Championships: The Hardy Boyz (c) def. The Mane Event and The Good Brothers to retain

    The show was part of HOG’s WrestleMania weekend push in Las Vegas, streamed live on TrillerTV. Mason’s title defense over Michael Oku continued his reign that began in June 2025. The Hardy Boyz three-way defense against The Mane Event and The Good Brothers was one of the most talent-rich tag matches on any independent show this week.

    The Brody King vs. Zilla Fatu no-contest finish, triggered by Lance Anoa’i’s interference, sets up obvious storyline fallout heading into HOG’s next run of dates.

  • Nick Khan Details WWE’s Youth Initiative

    Nick Khan Details WWE’s Youth Initiative

    WWE President Nick Khan addressed concerns about the company’s aging top stars and explained how a conversation with Shawn Michaels led to NXT hitting the road, directly accelerating the rise of Oba Femi, Trick Williams, and Je’Von Evans.

    Speaking on the Bill Simmons Podcast, Khan said the issue came into focus shortly after WrestleMania last year.

    “A year ago, right after WrestleMania last year, Triple H and I got together and we said, ‘Let’s take a look at the future, let’s look at our top male superstars,’” Khan explained.

    He laid out the reality of WWE’s current top tier.

    “Cena, it was obviously his retirement year. We have, in some order, Roman, Cody, Punk, Seth, Brock. They’re all 40 years or older. So we said, ‘Alright, we’ve gotta make sure we’re preparing for the future here.’”

    Shawn Michaels Identified the Problem

    Khan said the answer came from a visit to the WWE Performance Center, where Michaels and Matt Bloom run NXT day-to-day.

    The key issue was that performing in a studio environment denied young talent the authentic crowd feedback they needed to grow.

    “Doing it from the studio every week, you don’t get the authentic fan response that young wrestlers need to know if their work is working or not,” Khan said, paraphrasing Michaels. “Randy Orton shows up in St. Louis, he’s getting all the cheers in the world, he shows up in a different city, he doesn’t. You need to know how to react to that.”

    Michaels made the ask simple: take NXT on the road. Khan said WWE delivered within a month.

    “We came back to Shawn, ‘Let’s take it on the road starting in a month,’ or whatever it was.”

    Immediate Results on the Main Roster

    Khan directly connected that decision to the fast-track promotions that followed.

    “Then you saw the quick acceleration of Oba Femi, Trick Williams, Je’Von Evans, soon to be others coming up from NXT.”

    All three have since been called up to the main roster and are booked for WrestleMania 42.

    Femi faces Brock Lesnar, Williams challenges Sami Zayn for the United States Championship, and Evans competes in a ladder match for the Intercontinental Title.

    Michaels has spoken openly about the NXT pipeline as well. He recently revealed he actually pushed back against Evans’ call-up, saying he wanted to keep the high-flyer in NXT for at least another six months before WWE pulled him to the main roster ahead of schedule.

  • WWE Hall of Fame 2026 Preview: Stephanie, AJ Styles, and More

    WWE Hall of Fame 2026 Preview: Stephanie, AJ Styles, and More

    WWE Hall of Fame 2026

    The 2026 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony goes live tonight from Dolby Live at Park MGM in Las Vegas, immediately following SmackDown. Here’s everything you need to know before the show, along with the full list of inductees.

    How to Watch the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame

    The ceremony streams at 12 a.m. ET / 9 p.m. PT on Friday, April 17 on the ESPN App in the United States and on YouTube for international viewers. That’s technically Saturday morning on the East Coast, kicking off right after SmackDown wraps at 11 p.m. ET.

    Michael Cole and The Miz are handling hosting duties. It’s Cole’s signature WWE broadcast voice paired with one of the most reliable utility players on the roster, a combination that should help keep the show moving.

    The Class of 2026

    This year’s class covers multiple eras and categories, from a business architect and a recently retired modern great to long-overdue posthumous honors and an NBA icon.

    Stephanie McMahon headlines the class and will be inducted by The Undertaker. The former Chief Brand Officer, Chairwoman, and Co-CEO spent more than two decades as an on-screen authority figure and is a one-time WWF Women’s Champion. She recently admitted she wasn’t sure she deserved the honor when she first got the news.

    AJ Styles retired at the 2026 Royal Rumble after 28 years in the business. The Phenomenal One is a two-time WWE Champion, Triple Crown Champion, and Grand Slam Champion. The Undertaker personally delivered the induction news on the February 23 episode of Raw.

    Demolition (Ax and Smash) are finally getting long-overdue recognition. The three-time WWE Tag Team Champions held the titles for a combined 698 days during their peak run from 1988 to 1990, including a record 478-day reign.

    Dennis Rodman enters the celebrity wing. The five-time NBA champion made his WCW debut alongside Hulk Hogan at Bash at the Beach 1997 and became a fixture on the nWo side of the Monday Night War.

    Sid Eudy, known to fans as Sycho Sid and Sid Vicious, will be posthumously inducted into the Legacy wing. The two-time WWF Champion and two-time WCW World Heavyweight Champion passed away in August 2024.

    Bad News Brown joins Sid in the Legacy wing. A 1976 Olympic judo bronze medalist, Allen Coage brought real-deal combat credentials to his WWE run in the late 1980s and famously won the battle royal at WrestleMania IV. He passed away in 2007.

    The Immortal Moment goes to Hulk Hogan versus Andre the Giant at WrestleMania III, the slam heard around the world in front of a reported 93,173 fans at the Pontiac Silverdome. The honor makes Hogan a three-time Hall of Famer and Andre a two-time inductee.

    For background on every member of the class, check our full breakdown of the Class of 2026 inductees.

    A Deserving Class That Deserves a Tight Show

    The Hall of Fame has taken fair criticism in recent years for running too long. Speeches sprawl, musical cues get ignored, and fans in the building are often looking at a four-plus-hour night that starts after SmackDown wraps. With a midnight Eastern start, viewers on the East Coast aren’t finishing this show until 3 or 4 a.m. at the earliest.

    That pace punishes the inductees themselves. When the show runs long, speeches get played off, video packages get cut short, and genuine moments get rushed because earlier inductees went over. The talent earns this night, and they deserve the breathing room to enjoy it.

    The Cole and Miz pairing suggests WWE is at least thinking about pace. Cole is a pro at bridging segments cleanly and Miz has the chops to keep energy up between inductions. Here’s hoping the inductees get the time they’ve earned without the show turning into a marathon.

    This is a deserving class. Stephanie, AJ, Demolition, Rodman, Sid, Bad News Brown, and the greatest spectacle match in WrestleMania history all belong. The only thing standing between the ceremony and a perfect WrestleMania weekend kickoff is the clock.