SEScoops

Author: Mike Reichlin

  • Bronson Reed Suffers Torn Bicep on Raw, Out Indefinitely

    Bronson Reed has been officially diagnosed with a torn bicep and will be out of action indefinitely, WWE announced during tonight\’s Raw. Michael Cole confirmed the injury on commentary, dealing a significant blow to WWE heading into WrestleMania season.

    Reed suffered a distal bicep tear — a serious injury in which the bicep tendon detaches from the elbow — after landing awkwardly while attempting to break up a pinfall during a triple-threat Elimination Chamber qualifier. Medical personnel attended to him at ringside and he was unable to continue.

    A distal bicep tear almost always requires surgical repair, with a typical recovery timeline of four to six months. That timetable would rule Reed out of WrestleMania 42 in April entirely.

    Reed had originally been slated to win the qualifier and earn a spot in the Elimination Chamber this Saturday in Chicago, per WrestleVotes. Those plans were scrapped on the fly, with Jey Uso ultimately winning the bout and the Chamber spot instead.

    Injuries Tear Through The Vision

    https://media.sescoops.com/uploads/2026/02/\"Bronson

    The injury completes a brutal stretch for The Vision, with all three of the faction\’s original members now sidelined indefinitely.

    Seth Rollins (no longer a member) suffered a torn shoulder at Crown Jewel in October 2025. Bron Breakker underwent hernia surgery in February 2026. And now Reed joins them on the shelf.

    It\’s a crushing development for the group\’s storyline heading into WrestleMania 42 and for Paul Heyman\’s plans with the faction.

  • Brock Lesnar Issues WrestleMania Open Challenge on Raw

    Brock Lesnar made his return to WWE Raw on Monday night in Atlanta, and he\’s looking for a fight at WrestleMania 42 — but so far, nobody has stepped up to take it.

    Making his first Raw appearance since the Royal Rumble, Lesnar arrived at the State Farm Arena alongside advocate Paul Heyman, who did all the talking. Heyman declared that after walking through the locker room, not a single member of the roster is \”man enough\” to accept an ass-kicking of \”biblical proportions\” at The Show of Shows.

    https://media.sescoops.com/uploads/2026/02/\"Brock

    Heyman then unveiled Lesnar\’s remaining Raw schedule on the Road to WrestleMania 42, giving any potential challenger a clear timetable to step forward:

    • March 16 – San Antonio
    • March 23 – Boston
    • March 30 – New York City
    • April 6 – Houston
    • April 13 – Sacramento

    After laying out the schedule, Heyman dropped the microphone, leaving the open challenge standing with five weeks remaining before WrestleMania 42.

    WrestleMania 42 Opponent Still Unknown

    No opponent answered the challenge on Monday, leaving Lesnar\’s WrestleMania 42 match officially undecided.

    Per the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, internal WWE creative documents from late January listed LA Knight as the planned opponent for Lesnar in Las Vegas. However, that direction was not teased during the Royal Rumble, where Lesnar\’s most notable moment was a face-off with Oba Femi that drew one of the loudest reactions of the night.

    Lesnar was ultimately eliminated from the match by Knight and Cody Rhodes.

    Per WON\’s Dave Meltzer, a Lesnar vs. Femi match has also been discussed internally, though it is not confirmed. Femi himself recently said a match with Lesnar is inevitable, calling it \”highly requested\” and guaranteeing The Beast has one more left for him specifically. Meanwhile, GUNTHER has also entertained the idea of retiring Lesnar when asked about a potential matchup.

    WrestleMania 42 is scheduled for April 18-19 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. SEScoops previously reported that Lesnar was prominently featured in WrestleMania 42 promotional materials released last fall, signaling WWE\’s long-term investment in The Beast Incarnate heading into the spring.

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  • The Undertaker Arrives for WWE Raw AJ Styles Tribute

    WWE legend The Undertaker has been spotted arriving backstage at tonight\’s special edition of Monday Night Raw, live from State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.

    The Deadman\’s appearance comes as WWE celebrates the phenomenal career of AJ Styles, who retired following a submission loss to Gunther at the 2026 Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia.

    The presence of The Undertaker carries significant weight on a night like this. The two legends developed a close friendship away from the ring over the years, and their bond served as the foundation for their iconic WrestleMania 36 \”Boneyard Match\” — a cinematic clash that was universally praised by fans and critics alike.

    Taker has previously called Styles \”my choice for this generation\’s Shawn Michaels\” and has spoken openly about wishing the two could have built an even longer rivalry together.

    Tonight\’s tribute show is expected to feature stars from both Raw and SmackDown paying their respects in person to the Gainesville, Georgia native. With The Undertaker now confirmed backstage, fans should brace for what could be one of the most emotional moments of the evening when The Phenom steps up to honor his friend one final time.?

  • WWE 2K26 Complete Playable Roster Revealed

    WWE Games has officially revealed the complete playable roster for WWE 2K26, and it\’s one of the largest and most diverse lineups in franchise history — featuring over 200 superstars, legends, managers, announcers, and referees.

    The roster spans WWE\’s current lineup alongside a deep library of legends, NXT talent, and crossover additions from TNA and AAA. Four Ringside Pass Season 1 DLC characters are also confirmed: El Hijo del Vikingo, Flammer, Mr. Iguana, and Psycho Clown.

    WWE 2K26 launches March 13 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.

    Current WWE Stars

    Main event talent is well-represented, with Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Gunther, Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, Bayley, Becky Lynch, Liv Morgan, and Tiffany Stratton all confirmed.

    Several superstars have multiple playable versions, including CM Punk (different eras), and Finn Bálor appears in both his standard form and as The Demon.

    Legends & Hall of Famers

    The legends section is stacked with names spanning every era. Players can control Andre The Giant, Hulk Hogan, Hollywood Hogan, \”Stone Cold\” Steve Austin, The Rock, Undertaker, Shawn Michaels, Bret Hart, Eddie Guerrero, Ultimate Warrior, Batista, Goldberg, John Cena, Brock Lesnar, and Kurt Angle, among many others. Old school and ECW talent also make the cut, including New Jack, Sandman, Terry Funk, Vader, British Bulldog, Yokozuna, Junkyard Dog, Tito Santana, Paul Orndorff, and The Great Muta.

    Mick Foley is playable as Mankind, Dude Love, and Cactus Jack, while Triple H is represented across three eras: Hunter Hearst Helmsley, Jean Paul Levesque, and Triple H. Bray Wyatt also returns alongside The Fiend and Uncle Howdy.

    NXT & Crossover Talent

    NXT is well-represented with Trick Williams, Giulia, Roxanne Perez, Ilja Dragunov, Oba Femi, Stephanie Vaquer, Je\’Von Evans, and Yoshiki Inamura among the confirmed names. TNA stars Jordynne Grace and Joe Hendry are included, and Penta and Réy Fenix appear following their WWE arrivals.

    Managers, Announcers & Officials

    WWE 2K26 continues the franchise tradition of playable non-wrestlers. Managers include Paul Bearer, Bobby Heenan, Jimmy Hart, Captain Lou Albano, Mr. Fuji, Paul Heyman, Eric Bischoff, Miss Elizabeth, and Sensational Sherri. Commentary talent such as Michael Cole, Corey Graves, Pat McAfee, Byron Saxton, and Wade Barrett are playable, along with several referees and backstage personnel.

    Complete WWE 2K26 Roster (Alphabetical)

    • Abyss
    • Adam Pearce
    • Adrian Butler
    • Afa
    • AJ Lee
    • AJ Styles
    • Akira Tozawa
    • Alba Fyre
    • Aleister Black
    • Alex Shelley
    • Alexa Bliss
    • Alicia Taylor
    • Alundra Blayze
    • Andre Chase
    • Andre The Giant
    • Angel
    • Angelo Dawkins
    • Apollo Crews
    • Armando Alejandro Estrada
    • Asuka
    • Austin Theory
    • Ava
    • Axiom
    • B-Fab
    • Batista
    • Bayley
    • Becky Lynch
    • Berto
    • Bianca Belair
    • Big E
    • Big Poppa Pump
    • Billy Graham
    • Billy Gunn
    • Blake Monroe
    • Bobby Heenan
    • Boogeyman
    • Booker T
    • Booker T (Announcer)
    • Bray Wyatt
    • Bret Hart
    • British Bulldog
    • Brock Lesnar
    • Bron Breakker
    • Bronson Reed
    • Brooks Jensen
    • Brother Love
    • Brutus Creed
    • Bubba Ray Dudley
    • Bull Nakano
    • Byron Saxton
    • Cactus Jack
    • Candice LeRae
    • Captain Lou Albano
    • Carmelo Hayes
    • Cathy Kelley
    • Chad Gable
    • Chad Patton
    • Channing Lorenzo
    • Charles Robinson
    • Charlie Dempsey
    • Charlotte Flair
    • Chelsea Green
    • Chip Danning
    • Chris Sabin
    • Chyna
    • CM Punk
    • \”American Nightmare\” Cody Rhodes
    • Corey Graves
    • Cruz Del Toro
    • D-Von Dudley
    • D\’Lo Brown
    • Dallas Irvin
    • Damian Priest
    • Dan Engler
    • Danilo Anfibio
    • Daphanie LaShaunn
    • Demon Finn Bálor
    • Derek Sanders
    • Dexter Lumis
    • Diamond Dallas Page
    • Diesel
    • Doink The Clown
    • Dominik Mysterio
    • Dragon Lee
    • Drew McIntyre
    • Dude Love
    • Dusty Rhodes
    • Eddie Guerrero
    • Eddie Orengo
    • El Grande Americano
    • El Hijo del Vikingo (Ringside Pass Season 1)
    • Elton Prince
    • Eric Bischoff
    • Erick Rowan
    • Erik
    • Ethan Page
    • Eve Torres
    • Faarooq
    • Fallon Henley
    • Felix Hernandez
    • Finn Bálor
    • Flammer (Ringside Pass Season 1)
    • Gary Wilson
    • Giulia
    • Goldberg
    • Grayson Waller
    • Gunther
    • Haku
    • Hank Walker
    • Hollywood Hogan
    • Honky Tonk Man
    • Hulk Hogan
    • Hunter Hearst Helmsley
    • Ilja Dragunov
    • Ivar
    • Ivy Nile
    • Iyo Sky
    • Izzi Dame
    • Jacob Fatu
    • Jacy Jayne
    • Jade Cargill
    • Jaida Parker
    • Jamal
    • Jason Ayers
    • Jazmyn Nyx
    • JBL
    • JC Mateo
    • JD McDonagh
    • Je\’Von Evans
    • Jean Paul Levesque
    • Jeremy Macus
    • Jesse Ventura
    • Jessika Carr
    • Jey Uso
    • Jim Neidhart
    • Jimmy Hart
    • Jimmy Uso
    • Joaquin Wilde
    • Joe Gacy
    • Joe Hendry
    • Joey Gonzalez
    • John Cena
    • John Cone
    • Johnny Gargano
    • Jordynne Grace
    • Josh Briggs
    • Julius Creed
    • Junkyard Dog
    • Kairi Sane
    • Kane
    • Karmen Petrovic
    • Kelani Jordan
    • Ken Shamrock
    • Kevin Nash
    • Kevin Owens
    • Kiana James
    • Kit Wilson
    • Kofi Kingston
    • Kurt Angle
    • LA Knight
    • Lash Legend
    • Lex Luger
    • Lexis King
    • Lita
    • Liv Morgan
    • Logan Paul
    • Lola Vice
    • Ludwig Kaiser
    • Lyra Valkyria
    • Mankind
    • Mark Henry
    • Maryse
    • Maxxine Dupri
    • Michael Cole
    • Michelle McCool
    • Michin
    • Mike Rome
    • Miss Elizabeth
    • Molly Holly
    • Montez Ford
    • Mosh
    • Mr. Fuji
    • Mr. Iguana (Ringside Pass Season 1)
    • Mr. Perfect
    • Myles Borne
    • Naomi
    • Natalya
    • Nathan Frazer
    • New Jack
    • Nia Jax
    • Nick Aldis
    • Nikki Bella
    • Nikki Cross
    • Nikkita Lyons
    • Noam Dar
    • Oba Femi
    • Omos
    • Original El Grande Americano
    • Otis
    • Pat McAfee
    • Paul Bearer
    • Paul Heyman
    • Paul Orndorff
    • Penta
    • Pete Dunne
    • Piper Niven
    • Psycho Clown (Ringside Pass Season 1)
    • R-Truth
    • Randy Orton
    • Réy Fenix
    • Rey Mysterio
    • Rhea Ripley
    • Ricky Saints
    • Road Dogg
    • Roman Reigns
    • Roxanne Perez
    • Rusev
    • Sami Zayn
    • Sandman
    • Santos Escobar
    • Scott Hall
    • Scott Steiner
    • Sensational Sherri
    • Seth \”Freakin\” Rollins
    • Shawn Bennett
    • Shawn Michaels
    • Shawn Spears
    • Sheamus
    • Shinsuke Nakamura
    • Sid Justice
    • Sika
    • Sol Ruca
    • Solo Sikoa
    • Stacy Keibler
    • Stephanie McMahon
    • Stephanie Vaquer
    • \”Stone Cold\” Steve Austin
    • Syxx
    • Talla Tonga
    • Tama
    • Tama Tonga
    • Tank Ledger
    • Tatum Paxley
    • Tavion Heights
    • Teddy Long
    • Terry Funk
    • The Fiend
    • The Great Khali
    • The Great Muta
    • The Hurricane
    • The Iron Sheik
    • The Miz
    • The Rock
    • Thea Hail
    • Thrasher
    • Tiffany Stratton
    • Tito Santana
    • Tommaso Ciampa
    • Tonga Loa
    • Tony D\’Angelo
    • Trick Williams
    • Triple H
    • Trish Stratus
    • Tyler Bate
    • Tyler Breeze
    • Ultimate Warrior
    • Umaga
    • Uncle Howdy
    • Undertaker
    • Vader
    • Victoria
    • Victoria D\’Ericco
    • Wade Barrett
    • Wade Barrett (Announcer)
    • Wendy Choo
    • William Regal
    • Wren Sinclair
    • X-Pac
    • Xavier Woods
    • Yokozuna
    • Yoshiki Inamura
    • Zaria
    • Zelina Vega
    • Zoey Stark

    Additional Ringside Pass Season 1 DLC names are expected to be revealed in the weeks ahead. WWE 2K26 is available for pre-order now.

  • Paul Heyman\’s Vision: Building the Next WrestleMania Main Eventers

    Paul Heyman recently sat down with his friends at Busted Open and made one thing crystal clear: The Vision isn\’t just a faction — it\’s a factory for the next generation of WrestleMania main eventers, and he\’s already thinking years beyond Las Vegas.

    The Wise Man opened the interview with a philosophy that has defined his entire career: the moment you think you\’ve peaked, you\’re finished.

    \”If you ever leave your studio and you say, \’That\’s the best show we\’ve ever done. I\’ll never have a show as good as that one\’ — time to start a different show,\” Heyman said.

    \”If you\’ve peaked, it\’s over. That\’s it. It has to be tomorrow\’s going to be better than today, and the day after tomorrow will be better than tomorrow.\”

    A Shop to Build WrestleMania Stars

    That relentless forward-looking mentality isn\’t just talk — it\’s the explicit mandate behind The Vision. With Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, CM Punk, and Cody Rhodes occupying the current top tier of WWE\’s main event scene, Heyman is already asking who comes next.

    \”We have a shop here, and this shop — The Vision — is to create the next generation of WrestleMania main eventers,\” he said.

    \”Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, CM Punk, Cody Rhodes right now — that\’s your WrestleMania main event top tier. And some people may filter in and filter back out, but they can\’t do it forever. Who\’s going to be the WrestleMania main event not next year, but the year after, the year after, the year after?\”

    It\’s a question few in the business are thinking about right now. Heyman isn\’t one of them — he\’s been thinking about it for months.

    The Saudi Mania Revelation

    While the rest of WWE focuses on WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Heyman revealed he has spent the past eight months pushing internally for long-range creative planning — specifically around the 2027 WrestleMania in Saudi Arabia.

    \”I have been for the past 8 months jumping up and down with my hands flailing saying, \’What are we going to do with Saudi Mania?\’\” he said. \”And everybody\’s very concerned about what we\’re going to do at Vegas Mania. I tell you what, let\’s book Saudi Mania. It\’s going to make booking Vegas Mania much easier.

    Vegas Mania is the launching pad to Saudi Mania, which is the launching pad to Mania 2028, which is the launching pad to Mania 2029. It progresses. It\’s bigger tomorrow than today.\”

    The logic is simple: know where you\’re going and the path becomes obvious.

    \”If we just have a concept of what we\’re doing next year, oh my god, I can tell you what to do this year, because it leads to next year.\”

    Austin Theory: The Case Study in Potential

    When it comes to who fits that future vision, Heyman didn\’t hesitate to point to Austin Theory\’s place inside The Vision as the prime example of long-term investment paying off.

    He dropped a stunning comparison — Theory is Shawn Michaels in the Rockers — then immediately walked it back as possibly underselling him.

    \”He has decent size and he\’s only getting bigger. He has tremendous discipline. He\’s not one of these guys that is out all night in Europe at the Euro trash rave in Paris at 4:30 in the morning — he\’s in the gym at 4:30 in the morning,\” Heyman said.

    \”He\’s highly intelligent. He speaks to the youth. He looks great and he can work his balls off. Once he figures out the difference between a really good match and a money match, once he understands being out of character while in character and relaxing within the skin of that character — Austin Theory is going to be untouchable.\”

    Heyman also pointed to WrestleMania 38 Night Two as proof that Theory\’s ceiling is already evident to those paying attention — his work elevating Steve Austin and Pat McAfee during that night went largely unrecognized at the time.

    \”He\’s already been there and no one noticed,\” Heyman said. \”Austin Theory can make everyone around him. Now that he\’s learned how to do that, now he\’s going to learn how to make himself.\”

    Theory has been vocal about the impact working with legends like Steve Austin and John Cena has had on his career, and Heyman\’s assessment suggests those experiences are exactly the foundation The Vision intends to build on.

    The standard inside The Vision is non-negotiable, Heyman made clear.

    \”That\’s not a prediction. That\’s a spoiler. If he makes it a prediction, he\’ll be out of The Vision like that.\”

    With WrestleMania 42 on the horizon and a Saudi Arabia event already in Heyman\’s crosshairs, The Vision\’s architect is playing a longer game than anyone else in the building — and he\’s betting the next era of WWE main events on it.

  • Paul Heyman Explains Why He Calls Bron Breakker Every Day

    Paul Heyman has been making headlines with The Vision\’s rise, but during a recent appearance on Busted Open, he set the wrestling business aside entirely to get personal. Heyman shared the story of his own near-exit from the industry, and why that career crossroads impacts his relationship with Bron Breakker today.

    Breakker suffered a hernia requiring emergency surgery just as a massive WrestleMania spotlight was forming around him. Heyman didn\’t sugarcoat what that feels like from the inside.

    \”There is never the right time to get injured. It\’s always, \’Oh man, of all days to get injured, this would be the worst time.\’ And that\’s the day you get injured,\” Heyman said. \”Every day that he\’s home right now, it\’s eating him up alive. Great. I want that for him.\”

    The counterintuitive optimism is deliberate. Heyman believes the hunger that comes from missing out will make Breakker a more dangerous performer when he returns.

    \”He\’s going to come out hungrier than ever because now he understands what it\’s like to miss out. And that\’s just going to f*** with his head to the point that when he comes back, he\’s going to appreciate this even more than he already does.\”

    Where Are You on Day Eight?

    Paul Heyman said he calls Breakker every single day — and he had sharp words for the culture of performative support that typically surrounds injured athletes.

    \”Day one is the easiest, because that\’s when everybody does it — that\’s when everybody puts their tribute,\” he said. \”Where are you day eight? What happens day nine when it\’s not 50 people tweeting about you? What happens when you\’re not the topic of conversation? Those are the days where you sit there and you say, \’I let everybody down. I let myself down. I let my family down.\’ That\’s why I call him every day.\”

    The message he delivers each time is simple but intentional:

    \”Every day, to let him know — \’Hey, you\’re one day closer to coming back. Here we go.\’\”

    Breakker had been building toward one of the bigger WrestleMania spotlights of his career before the injury struck. Heyman\’s commitment to seeing him through the recovery reflects the same long-game mentality that defines everything else about The Vision\’s operation — the belief that what happens in the dark determines who you become under the lights.

  • Randy Orton Wants to RKO the G.O.A.T. NFL QB

    Randy Orton has put Tom Brady on notice ahead of Saturday\’s WWE Elimination Chamber in Chicago.

    Appearing on ESPN\’s Get Up on Monday, The Viper was asked who he\’d most like to hit with an RKO — and Brady\’s name came up immediately. Orton had caught wind of Brady calling WWE \”cute\” during a recent appearance on Logan Paul\’s ImPaulsive podcast, and he had a pointed response.

    \”I did see a recent podcast Logan Paul put on. He had Tom Brady on and Tom Brady had a few things to say about pro wrestling. I think he called it — quote unquote — \’cute.\’ So I\’ve never met him, but I\’d love to meet Tom and hit him with an RKO. I\’d say he\’d be at the top of the list.\”

    The WWE Roster Fires Back

    Orton is the latest WWE Superstar to respond to Brady\’s dismissive remarks. Liv Morgan fired back by calling football \”kind of cute,\” and Paul Heyman challenged Brady to show up on Raw and face the crowd. Logan Paul himself has been in an extended war of words with Brady ahead of the Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Saudi Arabia on March 21.

    Orton\’s response carries some extra weight given the source. He\’s a 14-time World Champion who has been in the ring for 26 years — not exactly someone who needs Brady\’s validation. The RKO callout plays into a long tradition of celebrity appearances and interactions in WWE, and Orton has spent his career delivering the move to anyone who wanders too close to the ring.

    Whether Brady ever steps foot inside a WWE ring remains to be seen. For now, Orton has more immediate business at Saturday\’s Elimination Chamber, where he\’ll compete for a WWE Championship shot at WrestleMania 42.

  • Randy Orton: 15th World Title \”Would Mean the World to Me\”

    Randy Orton is chasing history this Saturday at WWE Elimination Chamber in Chicago, and he knows exactly what\’s at stake.

    Speaking on ESPN\’s Get Up, the 14-time World Champion laid out the championship scoreboard with clarity. He\’s currently tied with Triple H, with Ric Flair sitting at 16 reigns and John Cena — who recently retired — holding the all-time record at 17. The math points to one place: the Elimination Chamber match, and then WrestleMania 42.

    \”Right now you\’ve got Triple H and myself tied at 14. John Cena, of course, just retired with 17 World Championships. You\’ve got Ric Flair, I think, at 16. I\’d love to get one more — at least one more. It would mean the world to me.\”

    A Third-Generation Wrestler Chasing One More

    Orton made clear that another championship wouldn\’t just be a statistic — it would be the culmination of everything he is. During the interview, he pointed to a photo visible on the ESPN set of his father and grandfather wrestling together in the 1970s.

    \”I\’ve been around now 26 years. I\’ve been doing this for well more than half of my life. I\’m a third-generation wrestler. There\’s a picture of my father and my grandfather back there — back in the \’70s tagging together. This is my life. This is everything to me.\”

    He also addressed the window closing, not with resignation but with urgency: \”I plan on going to WrestleMania, main eventing WrestleMania, and becoming a 15-time world champion.\”

    The Blueprint: 2014

    Orton has done this before. In 2014 — in St. Louis — he entered the Elimination Chamber as the villain while Daniel Bryan was the overwhelming crowd favorite. He won anyway, then went on to main event WrestleMania 30. It\’s a blueprint he\’s leaning on heading into Chicago.

    \”I was the bad guy, man. I came out last in the pod. Daniel Bryan was the fan favorite. I ended up winning and going on to main event WrestleMania. That was a huge win for me, and I plan on doing it all again this Saturday.\”

    This will be Orton\’s record 10th Elimination Chamber appearance — more than anyone in WWE history. The winner of Saturday\’s match in Chicago earns a shot at Drew McIntyre\’s Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 42.

    Elimination Chamber airs Saturday, February 28 at 7 PM ET on the ESPN App and ESPN Unlimited.

  • Drew McIntyre: \”I\’m the Last Good Guy in WWE\”

    Drew McIntyre has a message for the fans who stopped believing in him during 2025 — and it isn\’t a warm one.

    Speaking with Shakiel Mahjouri on SHAK Wrestling at the WWE 2K26 hands-on event, the Undisputed WWE Champion reflected on the low points of his journey and drew a sharp line between those who stuck with him and those who bailed.

    \”Thank you for keeping the faith. A lot of people checked out — and wonder why I say I don\’t want your cheers? Y\’all stopped believing. Y\’all moved on. Especially in 2025 when things weren\’t looking too good after such a banger year in 2024. People were like, \’Oh, Drew\’s just never going to win the big one. I guess I\’m going to move on.\’ I don\’t forget.\”

    The Championship Mentality: No Days Off

    For McIntyre, wavering even for a single day wasn\’t an option. He broke down the math of competing on a roster full of title-hungry performers.

    \”You take one day and you lose focus. You get one day you stop believing in yourself, you stop working hard — everyone else on the roster wants this title. So I was never going to stop till I got it.\”

    That mentality kept McIntyre from falling into a trap he\’s watched swallow other careers — the \”talented bridesmaid\” role that becomes a permanent identity.

    \”I\’ve seen superstars historically get pigeonholed in a certain place — it\’s a great place, amazing to be in WWE elevating everybody around you, the very talented bridesmaid — but no, not for McIntyre. I know what I\’m capable of. I know what I offer. I know the reactions I get before I even say a word when I walk down the street.\”

    Correcting the Record on Jacob Fatu

    McIntyre also pushed back on the narrative that Jacob Fatu\’s interference at Crown Jewel was somehow responsible for him winning the title. Fatu himself had suggested Drew was \”halfway out the door\” before he arrived — and McIntyre won\’t let that framing stand.

    \”A few people were saying, \’Oh, it\’s because of Jacob.\’ I never said this — Jacob said this. Drew was halfway out the door. He said it to Cody when I got there. I didn\’t just overcome Cody Rhodes. I overcame Cody Rhodes and Jacob Fatu to win this title.\”

    \’The Last Good Guy in WWE\’

    Finally, McIntyre addressed his unusual position in a WWE landscape where clear babyfaces are rare. His argument: he isn\’t the bad guy, and he can prove it.

    \”I\’m not the bad guy. I\’m the last good guy in WWE. And if you try to argue with me, debate me, you\’ll lose. I explain why I\’m the way I am, what\’s happened to me, the PTSD I\’ve suffered. Would you not do the same thing? And every single person: yes. The last good guy.\”

    McIntyre spent much of 2025 as the most combustible presence on SmackDown, a year of near-misses and simmering frustration that ultimately produced one of the more emotionally satisfying title wins in recent memory. Whether fans accept his \”last good guy\” label or not, he\’s the one holding the title.

  • Wade Barrett Explains How He Trolls Michael Cole and Joe Tessitore on Commentary

    Wade Barrett has pulled back the curtain on his commentary style — and it turns out that making his broadcast partners uncomfortable is less of a happy accident and more of a deliberate strategy.

    Speaking with Denise Salcedo at the WWE 2K26 Creator Fest, the former Intercontinental Champion and current Raw commentator broke down the philosophy behind some of his more eyebrow-raising lines on air.

    \”My favorite is when I\’ve got Michael Cole or Joe Tessitore next to me and I can make them blush,\” Barrett said. \”I\’ve always got to have some sort of plausible deniability behind whatever controversial line I\’m saying. \’No, that\’s not how I meant it. I meant it this way. But you\’ve taken it in the way that has obviously embarrassed you.\’\”

    Barrett went further, essentially elevating the bit into a professional mandate.

    \”Trying to embarrass Joe Tessitore and Michael Cole — that\’s part of the main role of my job, I think, at this point,\” he said.

    He also acknowledged that the reaction from his partners doubles as a real-time quality indicator for how a line will land online.

    \”If I hit something like that, I know probably the internet and social media are going to like the line,\” Barrett said.

    It\’s a dynamic that fans have long suspected, and Barrett — with characteristic deadpan confidence — confirmed it outright. The built-in deniability gives him cover on live television, while the blush from Cole or Tessitore signals he\’s found the mark.

    Barrett has worked alongside Michael Cole and Joe Tessitore across multiple commentary configurations in recent years, including their current pairing on Raw.

    His commentary style has generated genuine moments of controversy along the way — most notably his comment about Nikki Bella at WWE Clash in Paris, which he later addressed publicly after it drew criticism from the WWE Hall of Famer herself.

    The Creator Fest interview also touched on the challenge of recording commentary for WWE 2K26, where Barrett described having to manufacture arena-level energy from his bedroom at 9 a.m., with nothing but a headset and a cup of coffee.

    Barrett confirmed he is one of the commentary voices in the game, which launches March 13 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC.

  • Chelsea Green\’s Ankle is Healing Faster Than Expected

    Chelsea Green is on the mend and in good spirits. Speaking with Denise Salcedo on the red carpet at the WWE 2K26 Creator Fest on February 23, Green provided the most encouraging update yet on her ankle injury — while delivering every bit of personality fans have come to expect from her.

    Green confirmed she chipped her ankle rather than suffering a full break, calling herself fortunate given the circumstances.

    \”I chipped my ankle, the side of it. It\’s painful, but I feel like I got very, very, very lucky,\” she said.

    She added that her recovery is ahead of schedule.

    \”I\’m healing up much faster than I thought I would be.\”

    In classic Chelsea Green fashion, she noted she had already ditched her protective boot — though perhaps not for strictly medical reasons. \”I\’m out of the boot — but only for the fashion,\” she said, drawing laughs.

    When asked about her potential timeline, Green was emphatic. \”No, no, no, I won\’t be [out long]. I\’d never be.\”

    Green\’s injury was initially reported as a fracture after she sustained the ankle scare during SmackDown earlier this month. The injury also forced her out of her scheduled AAA Mixed Tag Team Championship defense.

    Outside of the injury update, Green also shared that she is currently on a \”natural girl journey,\” having removed her hair extensions and taking Neutrifol vitamins for hair health. She quipped about the contrast of her full red carpet glam: \”I\’ve got 10 pounds of makeup on, so don\’t judge me.\”

  • Penta Vows to Win WWE IC Title from Dominik Mysterio

    Penta is laser-focused on capturing the WWE Intercontinental Championship heading into WrestleMania 42 season. Speaking to Denise Salcedo in a red carpet interview at the WWE 2K26 Creator Fest, Penta made his intentions crystal clear when asked about his goals for WrestleMania.

    \”You know what — the next goal for Penta is that stupid dumb Mysterio,\” Penta said. \”I don\’t know exactly how. I don\’t know exactly when. But one thing is sure — Penta will be Intercontinental Champion.\”

    The declaration comes just days after Penta earned the right to challenge for the Intercontinental Championship on the February 17 edition of Raw, defeating El Grande Americano in a #1 Contender\’s match.

    Dominik Mysterio (c) has held the title since recapturing it from John Cena at Survivor Series: WarGames in November, though an injury has kept him from defending the belt in nearly three months.

    Penta and Dominik have history with the championship. The two previously clashed for the Intercontinental title at Backlash last May, with Mysterio retaining. Penta also publicly called for a WrestleMania 42 rematch back in September, making this a long-simmering rivalry with championship stakes now officially renewed.

    Penta also revealed during the interview that his iconic fire-driven entrance was the brainchild of Triple H.

    \”The second one is 100% Triple H\’s idea,\” he said, adding that the entrance puts him in full competition mode. \”When I feel everything — my body is like full energy. I want to beat everyone there, no matter what.\”

    With WrestleMania 42 on the horizon and Penta now the official #1 Contender, the only question remaining is when Dirty Dom makes his return to defend the gold.

  • Drew McIntyre Roasts CM Punk\’s WWE 2K26 Cover: \’What is this, Junkie Hero?\’

    Drew McIntyre showed up to the WWE 2K26 Creator Fest at WWE Headquarters in full champion mode — and he had plenty to say about his title reign, the Punk/Reigns Raw segment, and the fact that CM Punk\’s face is plastered all over the building.

    On finally living his championship dream, McIntyre was equal parts self-deprecating and self-assured:

    \”Everyone assumed Cody was going to win because Cody always wins and Drew always gets screwed. It was a shock for a lot of people — except this guy. Not only did I overcome Cody, I overcame Cody and Jacob in the same night. What an underdog story. I\’m the biggest underdog in the land.\”

    McIntyre has been on a roll since his Three Stages of Hell win and Royal Rumble title defense against Sami Zayn, but the champion was quick to acknowledge the target on his back, noting that even at the Creator Fest event, people were eyeing him up like they were ready to jump him.

    \’I Ain\’t a Bad Guy, Ain\’t a Good Guy. I\’m a Real Guy.\’

    When asked about the Roman Reigns and CM Punk segment on Raw — where both men took shots at McIntyre while he wasn\’t there to respond — Drew wasn\’t bothered by the personal jabs. What actually got under his skin was the suggestion that SmackDown and his title were somehow secondary.

    \”One of them would try and say something bad about me, spin the narrative. And the other one would just tell the truth. Like Punk would run his mouth. Roman would say, \’Drew\’s four times bigger than you, had you crying over a plastic bracelet.\’ Roman would run his mouth — \’I beat Drew for three years straight.\’ Yeah, you and your whole family.

    It was trying to make this title feel lesser than, make SmackDown feel lesser than. That\’s what bothered me. This is the number one title. The guys that have held this title, including you guys, made it what it is. And as for SmackDown — it lit a fire under me. I said to the roster, you better stand up and be as angry as I am and start giving 150%.\”

    Roman Reigns chose CM Punk as his WrestleMania 42 opponent, dismissing McIntyre as the \”easy choice\” — something Drew clearly hasn\’t forgotten.

    The WWE 2K26 Cover Rant

    Then came the bit. Walking around WWE HQ and seeing Punk\’s face on WWE 2K26 promotional materials everywhere, McIntyre went full comedic heel:

    \”I see Punk\’s stupid mug everywhere around here and I\’m thinking to myself, my god — these poor kids are going to buy that video game, their mother sees it and goes, \’What in earth is this junkie hero? The main character is a junkie. You\’re not buying that game, young man.\’

    You put my face on there, they\’re going to go, \’Yes, I have to buy this for my kid. I want my kid to grow up to be like this man. Tall, jacked, handsome, educated.\’ Punk barely went to school.\”

    As for WrestleMania 42, Drew kept his cards close:

    \”I wouldn\’t speak too soon. Still a few weeks till then — but yes, I intend to head into WrestleMania as champion. And it feels right.\”

  • Trish Stratus Reacts to Being \”Everyone\’s First Crush\”

    Trish Stratus appeared on the red carpet at the WWE 2K26 Creator Fest at WWE Headquarters, and what started as a conversation about her Attitude Era cover appearance turned into one of the most moving moments of the event.

    Stratus is featured on the WWE 2K26 Attitude Era Edition cover alongside Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and other legends of the era. For her, being on a game cover again — over 20 years after her last appearance — carried personal weight she didn\’t expect.

    \”The Attitude Era obviously is a special time. It gets acknowledged. It gets its props. But the fact that the women of the Attitude Era are getting their props and acknowledged as well — that\’s a big, big thing. And I\’m looking at the last time I was on a cover of the video game, it was about 20 plus years ago on Day of Reckoning, I think it was called. So I\’m on a cover again. Pretty cool.\”

    \’The Last One My Mom Got to See\’

    The interview took a deeply personal turn when Denise Salcedo brought up Trish\’s match with Tiffany Stratton at WWE Evolution. Stratus opened up about what that night truly meant to her.

    \”It was the last [PLE] my mom got to see, and she was not doing well at the time. I remember going, \’No, I can\’t go.\’ I was going to cancel it because I thought I couldn\’t leave her and she\’s like, \’Please go.\’ And to know that she got to see me doing what she loved seeing me do — I\’m so pleased I got to do it.\”

    Trish\’s mother Alice passed away in August 2025 following a battle with cancer. The Evolution match was among the final times she saw her daughter perform.

    Stratus added that her in-game costume from WWE 2K26 is the same outfit she wore that night, giving the moment a kind of permanence:

    \”I\’m in that outfit for the game. So it\’s kind of like it\’s immortalized, which means a lot to me.\”

    She also touched on the \”My First Crush\” signing tour she\’s turned into a full business venture — leaning into the affectionate nickname fans have given her for decades.

    \”I\’m still their crush. You know what I\’m saying? It wasn\’t like you were [my crush] back when you were. I\’m still their crush. That\’s what\’s cool.\”

  • Jacob Fatu: \’I Almost Got Fired Before I Got Hired\’ by WWE

    Jacob Fatu sat down with Denise Salcedo on the red carpet at the WWE 2K26 Creator Fest, and the interview was exactly what you\’d expect from The Samoan Werewolf — raw, real, and straight from the heart.

    Salcedo opened by bringing up the clip that made Fatu a viral sensation before he even signed with WWE — the moment he casually mentioned having seven kids. Fatu laughed it off and immediately redirected the credit:

    \”Shout out to my wife, though. I ain\’t got the ring on this time, girl, but shout out to my wife and my kids, man.\”

    From there, Salcedo asked about how much his life has changed since signing with WWE — and Fatu got genuine.

    \”Man, since you see where we started from — we came in from that little gym. So, man, we over here at the headquarters right now, tapping in. It\’s been real good. My wife, my kids, my whole family, the whole Northern California — stand up, man.\”

    \’I Almost Got Fired Before I Got Hired\’

    The most candid moment came when Fatu was asked about his reaction to actually getting the call from WWE — and he didn\’t sugarcoat it.

    \”I almost got fired before I got hired. They thought that was a line. No, that was no lying. This is real, uncut Jacob Fatu. And this ain\’t me to try to say like, \’Oh, I had the hardest life.\’ No, this got something to do with — man, you can make it out the way. Anything you going through, bro. Wake up! Go get it. Go push. Keep pushing. It was days I ain\’t want to get up, man. But nah, just keep pushing. Keep going to it, man. God is good. God is great.\”

    Fatu has been open in recent interviews about the personal reset he went through during his WWE TV absence, and that same spirit came through here — a man fully aware of how close things came to going a different direction.

    The Family Business

    Salcedo also asked about getting to work alongside his family in WWE, and Fatu summed up the experience with a Roman Reigns quote that said it all.

    \”Roman said this one day when I was at work — \’This is just all us in the back of Uncle June\’s backyard.\’ So it feels… I\’m very blessed. I\’m very happy to have them. Not a lot of people get to have them. So with me having Big Jim, having Jay, having Solo — having the boys there, man, it\’s just a blessing. I\’m right underneath their learning tree.\”

    Fatu\’s path to WWE was anything but straightforward, which makes moments like standing in front of WWE HQ at a major promotional event feel earned in a way that\’s hard to fake. He closed the interview with a grin and a shoutout to the Sacramento Kings — just in case anyone forgot where home is.

  • IYO SKY on Rhea Ripley: We Weren\’t Friends in NXT

    IYO SKY sat down with Denise Salcedo at the WWE 2K26 Creator Fest at WWE Headquarters, and the WWE Women\’s Tag Team Champion delivered one of the more candid and heartfelt interviews of the event.

    The biggest moment came when Salcedo asked about her championship partnership with Rhea Ripley — and Iyo put the full arc of their relationship into perspective.

    \”That\’s so heartwarming to me because we were growing up — when we were in NXT, we were always wrestling each other. We were growing up [together]. But we were not friends at NXT. But now we are [together] on Raw, and we are finally best friends, and we made so much history and we are creating history as well — wrestling together, teamed up together. We are making great chemistry.\”

    The two captured the WWE Women\’s Tag Team Championships in January, and the pairing — known as Rhiyo — has since become one of the more compelling stories in the women\’s division.

    They\’ve been defending the titles against Giulia and Kiana James heading into Elimination Chamber, with Ripley also competing in the Chamber match itself.

    Still Pinching Herself

    For all her championship success, Iyo\’s dominant emotional note throughout the interview was genuine disbelief at where her career has taken her.

    \”Sometimes I\’m in Gorilla, or in the backstage, and I\’m talking with WWE Superstars — like Triple H, like Rey Mysterio — I say hello, I can even hug them. So I feel like I\’m dreaming, because I still cannot believe I\’m here sometimes. But it\’s real, and I\’m so much enjoying this life.\”

    She also made her intentions clear heading into WrestleMania season.

    \”WrestleMania 42. Only two months left. I cannot believe it. Of course, I want to be there. I want to go to the WrestleMania ring. Of course.\”

    And when asked what she does to unwind outside of wrestling? No hesitation:

    \”I like cats. I\’m a big cat person. I want to snuggle with cats — and cats make me so happy. Sleeping on the bed with a cat is the best thing.\”

    When Salcedo offered one word — \”Therapy?\” — Iyo laughed and agreed.

  • Tiffany Stratton Talks WWE Return Nerves, New Puppy

    Tiffany Stratton is back — and she\’s the first to admit that coming back as the #30 entrant in the Royal Rumble was a unique kind of nerve-wracking.

    Speaking with Denise Salcedo at the WWE 2K26 Creator Fest at WWE Headquarters, Stratton gave a candid look at what the night of her return actually felt like from the inside.

    \”Having a Rumble return is just so awesome in itself. But I was also number 30, so there\’s a lot of nerves — mostly because there was a solid hour before I could go on.

    I\’m just watching all the girls go out, and a lot of them are already done with their day and I haven\’t even gone out yet. That was very nerve-wracking. I was so anxious to just get out there.\”

    The payoff, she said, made the wait worth it. \”Once I got out there, it was just so exhilarating and exciting.\”

    When Salcedo pressed her on the classic fan debate — is it harder to enter at #1 or #30 — Stratton didn\’t hesitate.

    \”It\’s definitely number 30 [that\’s] the most nerve-wracking — you\’re waiting all that time.\”

    Life Off the Road: A New House, a New Puppy & a Fresh Mindset

    Stratton\’s return at the Rumble came after months away from WWE television, and she used that time to take care of herself in a way that\’s left her genuinely energized heading into the WrestleMania season.

    \”I did a lot of working out. I actually just bought a house recently. I\’ve been furnishing it, getting everything situated. I just bought a puppy. He\’s like eight or nine months old now. His name\’s Crumble, like the cookie. I just kind of been loving life recently. I feel very refreshed. I feel happy to be back. I love my life. I love my home life. I love my job. Everything\’s just amazing right now.\”

    She also touched on her home\’s interior vibe: \”It\’s modern, but it\’s kind of European. It\’s kind of country. It\’s kind of a mix of everything, but mostly modern.\”

    Since her Rumble return, Stratton has already qualified for the Women\’s Elimination Chamber match, with her name surfacing in WrestleMania 42 title conversations as well.

    Going by what she said at Creator Fest, she\’s not just physically ready — she\’s in the best headspace she\’s been in a long time.

    Tiffany Stratton Training For An Upcoming Bodybuilding Competition

  • Joe Hendry: NXT Title Represents Hard Work at the WWE PC

    Joe Hendry opened up about what the NXT Championship means to him during a red carpet interview with Denise Salcedo at the WWE 2K26 Creator Fest, held at WWE Headquarters — and he tied the title directly to the grind at the Performance Center.

    Asked whether becoming NXT Champion lived up to everything he had hoped for, Hendry said the belt represents far more than a career milestone.

    \”This championship is really the physical embodiment of being at the Performance Center every day and learning as much as I can and committing to the process and just giving 100% every day on a daily basis to learn more about what it takes to be a WWE Superstar.\”

    Hendry also revealed that his relationship with the Performance Center predates his official WWE signing, noting the training partnership was in place even before he formally joined the company.

    That early access gave him a head start on assimilating into the WWE system — something he credits directly for his eventual title run.

    Three Coaches Named

    Hendry won the NXT Championship in a seven-man Ladder Match earlier this month, a moment that capped a long-running journey through NXT\’s ranks. In the Salcedo interview, he gave a rare public shoutout to the coaching staff that helped shape him.

    \”I\’m proud to train with Terry Taylor every day and to learn from Shawn Michaels every week and get coaching direction from Matt Bloom on what I need to work on next.\”

    The specificity of the callout stands out. Namedropping Terry Taylor, Shawn Michaels, and Matt Bloom in one breath gives fans a behind-the-scenes look at the infrastructure behind NXT\’s talent development pipeline.

    When Salcedo asked about his goals going forward with the title, Hendry didn\’t address the question directly — instead keeping his answer firmly rooted in gratitude and reflection.

    \”To actually be the champion now and represent NXT, it\’s an unbelievable feeling and I take a lot of pride in that.\”

    Hendry is set to defend the NXT Championship against Ricky Saints at NXT Vengeance Day on March 7, where Saints will look to back up his claim that Hendry is nothing more than a \”meme champion.\” Based on everything Hendry said at Creator Fest, he\’s savoring every moment of the reign — and has no plans of letting go anytime soon.

  • Oba Femi Confident Brock Lesnar Match Is Coming: \’He Has One More for Oba Femi\’

    Oba Femi is ready to make his dream match a reality — and he\’s not being shy about it.

    Speaking with Denise Salcedo of Instinct Culture on the red carpet at the WWE 2K26 Creator Fest at WWE Headquarters, The Ruler made clear that a collision with Brock Lesnar isn\’t just something fans want — it\’s something he fully expects to happen.

    \”It\’s highly requested right now. The demand is here. All we have to do is put it out there. Hopefully it happens — even if it\’s not this year, when it does happen, we know it\’s going to be phenomenal.\”

    Femi wasn\’t hedging. When asked about Lesnar\’s age and how much he has left, the 27-year-old brushed off any uncertainty and issued a flat guarantee:

    \”I don\’t know how much he has left in the tank, but I know he has one more for Oba Femi for sure.\”

    More Than a Dream Match: It\’s Personal

    For Femi, facing Lesnar carries weight that goes beyond the spectacle. He revealed that The Beast was a direct influence on who he became as a performer — while being careful to draw a distinction between inspiration and idolization.

    \”I grew up watching him. I wouldn\’t call him a role model of mine or anything like that, but he\’s a very big inspiration behind my character. Brock means a lot to the industry, and it is going to mean a lot to me when I get to face him.\”

    The Lesnar comparisons have followed Femi since his main roster debut, with analysts pointing to stylistic similarities between the two in how they\’ve been pushed as unstoppable forces. The prospect of them actually sharing a ring has been a fan-driven conversation for months.

    From NXT to the Main Roster Without Missing a Step

    Femi vacated the NXT Championship in January to begin his full-time main roster run, a decision he framed at Creator Fest as one that placed him in rare company.

    \”Vacating the championship is a very, very short list of people who have done that. I\’m very privileged to be one of those people.\”

    The transition itself? He made it sound routine.

    \”Transitioning to the main roster has been no problem, easy peasy. I just have to replicate the same dominance I had in NXT and I think I\’ll be fine.\”

    That dominance was already on display at Saturday Night\’s Main Event in December, where Femi went toe-to-toe with then-WWE Champion Cody Rhodes on one of the most high-profile cards in recent memory — the same night as John Cena\’s final match. Femi described the mindset it took to compete on that stage:

    \”I just had to keep telling myself that I belong — because a lot of people think they\’re still fans of the sport even though they are in the sport. Your heroes have to become your rivals one day, and that\’s exactly what happened at Saturday Night\’s Main Event.\”

    With WrestleMania 42 on the horizon, Femi is exactly where he said he\’d be — and a match with Brock Lesnar may be exactly where this is all heading.

  • Gunther Entertains the Prospect of Retiring Brock Lesnar

    Gunther isn\’t done adding names to his list of legends he\’s sent into retirement. After choking the life out of Bill Goldberg, John Cena and AJ Styles\’ WWE careers – Brock Lesnar may be next.

    The Ring General appeared on The Morning Shift on 92.9 The Game on Monday, where hosts floated Lesnar\’s name as Gunther\’s next potential target. Rather than dismiss the idea, Gunther leaned into it.

    \”That\’s a good one, right? Yeah, we\’ll see,\” Gunther said. \”I think there are a bunch of examples of people that overstay their welcome. That just hang on a little bit too much to just chase one moment too much. It seems like there is a big amount of people to choose from.\”

    Gunther: Legend Killer

    The comments come on the heels of a career-defining run for Gunther, who has built one of the most dominant stretches in recent WWE history by ending the in-ring careers of some of the biggest names the company has ever produced.

    He retired Goldberg in July, forced John Cena to tap out at Saturday Night\’s Main Event in December, and most recently made AJ Styles pass out in a sleeper hold at the Royal Rumble in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in January.

    Lesnar makes for a natural next chapter. Multiple reports have indicated that 2026 will be the 48-year-old\’s final year as an active competitor, with John Cena himself previously hinting that Lesnar would \”ride off into the sunset\” at SummerSlam 2026.

    That event is scheduled for August 1–2 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota — Lesnar\’s home state — making it a logistically and emotionally fitting backdrop for a retirement match.

    Gunther Retiring Brock Lesnar

    The idea has been gaining traction within wrestling circles for months. During an appearance on Busted Open Radio, Bully Ray laid out the blueprint directly: \”Retire AJ at the Rumble, bring back Brock, retire Brock at SummerSlam in his home [state] of Minnesota. You have now done everything that you could possibly do to make Gunther a monster who can be next level credible World Heavyweight Champion in the future.\”

    Lesnar is advertised to appear on tonight\’s Monday Night RAW, his first televised appearance since returning at the Royal Rumble, and is currently without a defined WrestleMania 42 program.

    A confrontation with Gunther — who is competing in an Elimination Chamber qualifying triple threat match tonight against Dominik Mysterio and Je\’Von Evans — could set the stage for a WrestleMania 42 clash, with a retirement blow-off at SummerSlam to follow.

    Lesnar\’s Final Run: Hit up the comments and tell us who you want to see Brock Lesnar wrestle his final match(es) against.

  • AJ Styles to AEW? Swerve Strickland Weighs In

    Swerve Strickland says he isn\’t chasing a dream match with AJ Styles, and insists the shoe is on the other foot.

    Speaking at the For The Love of Wrestling convention in Manchester on February 23, 2026, Strickland made clear that his continued rise in AEW has flipped the dynamic when it comes to marquee matchups.

    \”At this point, I think I\’m becoming something that AJ Styles wants to compete against instead,\” Strickland said.

    \”I\’m pushing myself to be at the top of this game. So I\’m not chasing after anybody\’s matches. I want those matches to chase after me now.\”

    A Generation Built on AJ\’s Blueprint

    Strickland acknowledged Styles\’ enormous influence on the generation of wrestlers now headlining major promotions, listing Will Ospreay, Seth Rollins, Mike Bailey, and himself among those who studied Styles\’ work.

    \”AJ\’s earned more than enough in his career to walk away from it — or continue on and do something different and unique with the generation of guys that he\’s curated and kind of spawned,\” Swerve said.

    \”Ospreay\’s always been on record saying how AJ influenced him. Even Seth Rollins, myself, the Mike Baileys — so many of us have all kind of watched and studied AJ.\”

    Despite that reverence, Strickland made it clear the invitation is open rather than urgent. He described Styles as \”more than capable\” and noted he appears to be in strong physical and mental condition — but left the decision entirely in Styles\’ hands.

    \”If he wants to take a chance and come over to AEW — we\’re all here, open, waiting if he decides to make that jump,\” he said.

    Context: AJ Styles\’ WWE Future in Question

    Styles\’ career was put on the line against Gunther at the Royal Rumble in January 2026. He lost the match, leaving his future with WWE uncertain. Styles notably kept his gloves on after the loss rather than leaving them in the ring, fueling speculation about what comes next.

    Whether that next chapter includes AEW remains to be seen, but Strickland made clear that whenever the time comes, AEW\’s locker room – and Swerve himself – will be ready.

    A tribute for AJ Styles is scheduled for tonight\’s episode of WWE Raw from Atlanta, Georgia.

  • Former WWE Superstar Training Sting\’s Son

    Steven Borden Jr., son of wrestling legend Sting, is being privately trained by Fred Rosser, formerly known as Darren Young in WWE.

    Borden, 33, wrestles under the name Steven Borden, and has been actively working dark matches at AEW and ROH tapings.

    In an interview with Paltrocast, Rosser describes training Borden as a \’personal project,\’ dedicating significant time to his development.

    \”The coaching is pretty full-time with me, and I’m working with Sting’s son, Steven Borden, helping to groom him privately and helping him become all that he’s created to be inside the ring.\”

    Steven Borden Jr. made his in-ring debut in October 2025 and has since gained experience at AEW Dynamite tapings on December 10, 2025, January 21, 2026, and February 4, 2026.

    AEW President Tony Khan has emphasized that Steven Borden Jr.\’s development is a \’huge priority\’ for AEW.

    Rosser\’s Commitment

    Rosser is the head trainer at the NJPW Academy in Los Angeles and is a former NJPW STRONG Openweight Champion. His experience is invaluable as Steven Borden Jr. continues to hone his skills and prepare for future opportunities in the wrestling world.

  • {{unknown}}

  • AJ Styles: Adam Pearce Pays Tribute Before WWE Raw

    AJ Styles will be honored on the February 23 edition of Monday Night Raw in Atlanta, Georgia, his home state. The show comes three weeks after Styles\’ retirement at the 2026 Royal Rumble, where he was retired by Gunther.

    WWE Raw General Manager and WWE 2K26 playable character Adam Pearce shared his appreciation for Styles ahead of the tribute show. Pearce noted that he has known Styles for almost 25 years. \”Scrap Daddy GM\” posted on Twitter:

    \”Alright everybody Monday Night Raw from Atlanta, Georgia and I am proud to present it in tribute to my friend, “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles. Hard to believe I have known the man for almost 25 years, tomorrow night we say thank you to one of the very best of a generation, scratch that, to one of the very best of all time… …I do hope you will tune in in gratitude and tribute to “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles because I can tell you first hand all of our gratitude, all of our appreciation, all of our love is definitely official.\”

    WWE Raw Lineup

    The tribute show from Atlanta\’s State Farm Arena will feature appearances from several WWE Superstars, including Brock Lesnar, CM Punk, Becky Lynch, Jey Uso, The New Day, The Judgment Day, The Kabuki Warriors, Penta, LA Knight, and Stephanie Vaquer.

    The show will also feature Elimination Chamber qualifying matches: Men\’s triple threat (Jey Uso vs. Bronson Reed vs. OG El Grande Americano) and Women\’s triple threat (IYO SKY vs. Raquel Rodriguez vs. Kairi Sane).