Fans are eagerly awaiting WWE Superstar Alexa Bliss to make her in-ring return, but she’s been keeping busy during her time away from the ring, and now fans can stream her latest project on Netflix. Bliss (who is credited under her real name Lexi Cabrera) is part of the English Dub cast for Netflix’s latest manga adaptation Sakamoto Days, where she plays the role of Obiguro (via Anime News Network). The best part is that the first episodes of the series are streaming now on Netflix, and you can watch the full trailer in the video above.

Sakamoto Days is based on Yuuto Suzuki’s original manga, which is based around a man named Taro Sakamoto. These days Sakamoto runs a popular store in the neighborhood and is well known as someone who wouldn’t hurt a fly, but it turns out that he’s actually a former legendary assassin who retired from that life to raise a family. When his family and new life is threatened, Sakamoto has to go back into action to defend it, but as his wife makes clear, he needs to do it without actually killing anyone or face divorce.

Bliss plays the role of Obiguro, who alongside her partner Boiled are two of the Dondenkai agency’s deadliest assassins. Obiguro is all about the thrill of the fight, which causes her to make some rather unexpected decisions from time to time and is also known for her mid-fight banter. The only person that has a habit of shaking her up is actually Boiled whenever he raises his voice, and their dynamic has led to incredible (and lethal) success within the agency.

As those who have watched Bliss in WWE know, she’s actually a perfect fit for a character like this, as she’s embodied all of those traits at one time during her WWE career. Whether it’s as the Goddess, the haunting ally of Bray Wyatt, or the more playfully disturbing supernatural character she played most recently, she can do it all.

[RELATED: Absent Former WWE Women’s Champion Begins Training 17 Months After Last Match: Watch]

Bliss is part of a loaded cast as well, which includes Matthew Mercer (Taro Sakamoto), Dallas Liu (Shin Asakura), Xolo Mariduena (Heisuke Mashimo), Rosalie Chiang (Lu Shaotang), Rosie Okumura (Aoi Sakamoto), Aleks Le (Nagumo), SungWon Cho (Boiled), Du-Shaunt Fik-Shun Stegall (Son Hee), and Toru Uchikado (Bacho).

The series is directed by TMS Entertainment’s Masaki Watanabe (Kado – The Right Answer), while Taku Kishimoto (Blue Lock) is in charge of the series’ scripts, and Yō Moriyama (Lupin the Third: Goemon’s Blood Spray) is at the helm of character designs. The series is being split into two parts. Part 1 will contain 11 weekly episodes and is now streaming, releasing its first episode on January 11th. Part 2’s exact release date isn’t known just yet, but it is slated to release in July. You can find the official description below.

“Taro Sakamoto was the ultimate assassin, feared by villains and admired by hitmen. But one day…he fell in love! Retirement, marriage, fatherhood and then… Sakamoto gained weight! the chubby guy who runs the neighborhood store is actually a former legendary hitman! Can he protect his family from danger? Get ready to experience a new kind of action comedy series!”

Are you excited for the new show, and when do you think Bliss will return to WWE? You can talk all things wrestling and TV with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post WWE’s Alexa Bliss Stars in New Netflix Anime Series appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WWE NXT saved its biggest surprise for last, revealing a new feud for two top Superstars that should be fantastic, but no one actually saw it fully play out thanks to The CW cutting off the show’s ending. After Roxanne Perez addressed the crowd and her loss to Giulia, she was surprised by none other than the Role Model Bayley, and the two would exchange words before things ended up in a brawl between the two stars. Unfortunately, the CW cut the feed right as the fight started, but thankfully WWE posted the rest of the footage after the fact, and you can watch it in the video below.

While there wasn’t a ton more to the fight, no one actually knew what happened until the video got posted in its entirety. Bayley pulls Roxanne’s feet from under her and starts unleashing strikes. Perez is able to turn the tables a bit and get the upper hand as she delivers strikes of her own, but Bayley keeps fighting as the video fades to black.

This is not the first time NXT has been cut off early, and hopefully that’s something that gets addressed at some point. It’s especially frustrating for moments like this, but at least we got to see the majority of the segment between the two stars in the ring. The potential for this feud is huge, and a match between Bayley and Perez could easily be the main event of NXT’s next Premium Live Event if they choose to book it that way.

This whole thing started when Perez came out to address the crowd, and at first it seemed like she was leaning into a babyface promo. Perez said, “When I first won the NXT Women’s Championship at Stand & Deliver, no one thought I would hold it for 276 days. 9 Title defenses, and with every defense, the Title would continue to impress. All I ever wanted to do was make that Title special. All I ever wanted to do was make a Women’s Division that you could be proud of and I think we did that.”

[RELATED: WWE Just Revealed 3 Top Stars for the Royal Rumble, And John Cena Is In Trouble]

“We attracted the best women all around thew world, because this is the best Women’s’ Division in wrestling today. But, here I stand without my Title, because unfortunately last week, Giulia was the better woman. So, congratulations Giulia, and congrats to all of you guys, because as sad as it makes me, it’s what you guys wanted,” Perez said.

“But you want to know what’s even sadder? The state of the Women’s Division without me as Champion. You guys really think that Giulia is going to take it to the heights that I took it too? No one is going to love this division more than me, and that feeling you get when women’s wrestling is changing? Women’s wrestling is the focus, well you can kiss that all goodbye, because without me this division is going to be lost. NXT doesn’t deserve me. You guys don’t deserve me. And I know how much you guys love to live in nostalgia, because it’s not going to be the same. At one time you needed the four horsewomen, but you guys only needed one,” Perez said.

That’s when Bayley surprised everyone and came out to chants of welcome back. Bayley stood face to face with Perez and then said she should be growing from this, but Perez didn’t want to hear it, saying, “I didn’t ask for your advice.”

“You’ve been asking for advice since we met, when you were just a little shorter than you are now, which is crazy,” Bayley said to a huge reaction from the crowd. “I’ve believed in you since day one. but sister, the division is going to be fine. They will be fine without you. It doesn’t mean what you did wasn’t important, it just means we’re bigger than that.”

“You’re just like Natalya, you’re just like CM Punk. You know what it shows? You’re just like everyone I used to look up to. Why are you even here Bayley? You think NXT owes you something? You set records, but you know what, I broke them. Let’s face it Bayley, you were my role model. I think I could be yours now,” Perez said.

Bayley had enough of Roxy’s shots, saying, “You know what Rox, the biggest difference between me and you, is you’re stuck here, while I’m at going on to WrestleMania after I win the Title this Friday from Tiffany Stratton.” Perez then slapped Bayley in the face, which prompted the response from Bayley, ending NXT in a full-on brawl.

What did you think of Bayley returning to NXT? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post WWE NXT’s Broadcast Ends Early: Watch Cut Off Brawl Between Bayley and Roxanne Perez appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Tonight’s episode of NXT got things started with the new NXT Champion Oba Femi, but there was one very conspicuous absence from the set, and it may be tied to some recent critical comments. That missing presence was WWE commentator Corey Graves, who was supposed to initially be part of the three man crew for NXT but did not make an appearance tonight, even though he previously teased he had some things to say during the episode.

WWE recently switched things up regarding its commentary teams, with Michael Cole and Pat McAfee taking over Monday Night Raw and Joe Tessitore and Wade Barrett taking over SmackDown. Corey Graves then joined the team of Vic Joseph and Booker T for NXT’s New Year’s Evil, but it was thought of as a one-off. That didn’t turn out to be the case though, as it was later said that Graves would be on NXT’s commentary team moving forward, and that clearly didn’t sit well with Graves.

On X, Graves seemingly addressed the shake-up, writing, “Imagine chasing your dream. Then being TOLD (not deciding) that you’re no longer physically able to pursue your dream. Then you dedicate your life to something “dream adjacent” and being pretty f awesome at it. And then, when it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor, being told you’re not famous enough for your own job. Just in case you’ve wondered where I’ve been.”

Then 11 hours ago Graves tweeted, “I’ve got a lot to say. Don’t miss #WWENXT tonight on @TheCW TONIGHT.” That would then lead to another surprising development, as it was reported that Graves wouldn’t be on NXT’s new episode after all, and only two chairs were present at the commentary desk during setup.

[RELATED: A WWE Supergroup Just Left Raw for SmackDown]

This is where things get a bit complicated. A new report from Fightful Select has provided some insight into the whole situation, but as of now they can’t confirm whether this is part of a work storyline or a shoot. What they have heard is that those close to Graves claim it’s real, and Fightful heard last week that Graves wasn’t happy and was frustrated with the move to NXT.

A report from PWInsider also claimed that Graves wasn’t just off camera or backstage either, as he was evidently seen at TSA leaving the Orlando area. Graves doesn’t live in that area (he lives in Pittsburgh), and as of 3:45 PM EST he was not at NXT rehearsals.

Among talent and production sources in NXT that were asked about the situation, none of them were aware that Graves would be moving to NXT, and many were surprised to see him at New Year’s Evil. One source assumed he was there because he was in town for the event and not part of any permanent move.

There have been some theories that this is part of a storyline that could see him make a return to in-ring action sometime soon. That would tie into the history he brought up in his tweet. This could also be genuine frustration with not being part of the Raw or SmackDown commentary teams, but for now we’ll have to wait and see, as it’s not known when he will show back up on TV again, and if he does show up, it’s not known which that will take place on.

You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA.

The post A WWE Favorite No-Showed on NXT After Critical Comments on Social Media appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Bad Bunny wants to step inside of WWE’s squared circle again.

The multi-time Grammy Award-winning Latin artist first entered the ring in 2021 at WrestleMania 37. He’s not the first celebrity to take a crack at wrestling, but he’s one of the most impressive. Teaming with Damian Priest against The Miz and John Morrison, he immediately blew fans away with his performance. Not only is he fearless, flinging himself around the ring like his body is merely an object, but he’s also good at wrestling. He impressed WWE higher-ups too, because they welcomed him back with open arms.

He competed in the 2022 Royal Rumble and then in 2023, in his home country of Puerto Rico, he went one-on-one with Priest. To date that was his last match with WWE, but in a social media post for his 30th birthday last year, Triple H said he’d “always have a home” with WWE.

When Will Bad Bunny Return to WWE?

Benito didn’t hesitate to say he’d do it all again in his recent Rolling Stone interview. However, he does have a condition regarding his next match. “I want to do it one more time. I want to put my life at risk in the ring. I felt like I didn’t risk it enough in the ring, and I want to do it,” he said. “Sometimes, I say, ‘I’m going to quit everything and just do wrestling full time.’ I feel like in wrestling, I just go sporadically as a celebrity. I’m going to go full-time and be a heel. That’s what I’d love.”

[RELATED: WWE Superstar Pitches Tag Team With Rapper Lil Uzi Vert]

Bad Bunny just released his sixth studio album Debí Tirar Más Fotos last week and he’s got an upcoming Puerto Rico residency to prepare for. It might be a while until we see him in the ring again. No Me Quiero Ir De Aquí (I Don’t Want to Leave Here) is a 21-show run kicking off July 11 at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico in San Juan.

“There are places I for sure will return to like Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia. And some I’ve never been to but would like to visit, like Brazil and Japan,” he said in an Instagram post announcing the residency. “And there are places I haven’t been to in a long time, like Italy, London, Spain. I know — and I promise before the year ends, I’ll tell you the date and time I will be visiting. But for now, I’m in Puerto Rico. I’m home, having fun and, to be honest, I don’t want to leave.”

Stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on WWE.

The post Bad Bunny Would Wrestle in WWE Again (Under One Condition) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The transfer window has been a regular part of the last few episodes of Monday Night Raw and SmackDown, as some superstars are teasing jumping from one brand to the other. We have at this point had a few moves rumored, with others teased on TV, but tonight one of WWE’s most popular supergroups officially left Monday Night Raw and headed to SmackDown, and that would be the supernatural phenomenal known as the Wyatt Sicks.

During tonight’s episode, there was a backstage segment featuring Karrion Kross and The Miz, and Kross was clearly frustrated at what he had just learned. Kross confronted Miz and told him that he just learned the Wyatt Sicks had moved to SmackDown, asking Miz if he had anything to do with it.

The Miz promised he hadn’t before Sami Zayn walked by and ended up in a confrontation with Miz. After some back and forth, Zayn said he had other business to go over with Adam Pearce, but he was also going to talk to him about a match between the two later that night, and he would eventually win that match too.

As for the Wyatt Sicks, this is a big move for the group and a big potential get for SmackDown. The group has been one of the more captivating stories for Raw ahead of the move to Netflix, but so far they haven’t’ been seen in either of the two Netflix episodes.

[RELATED: WWE Crowns First Ever Women’s Intercontinental Champion on Raw]

Now we know why, as it appears they are being moved to the USA Network to be one of SmackDown’s big attractions moving forward, and the blue brand is likely planning a big roll out sooner than later. SmackDown recently shifted from 2 hours to 3 hours, and while it’s not a permanent move, having a group like the Wyatt Sicks and all their promo and vignette potential will only help SmackDown fill that 3-hour runtime with more compelling content.

There’s also some interesting match-ups for the group on the blue brand, with the biggest potential target being the Bloodline. Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline is likely not disbanding anytime soon, and they will need some new opponents now that Roman Reigns has won back the Ula Fala and restored his legacy. A battle against the Wyatt Sicks would certainly be a departure, but perhaps that’s not a bad thing.

There’s also groups like Legado Del Fantasma that could tussle with the Wyatt Sicks, though with American Made also teased as making a move to SmackDown, the group could also pick up that feud from where they left off on Raw previously.

We’ll have to wait and see, but don’t expect too much time to pass before we see the supergroup on WWE TV once more, though this time they will set up on Friday nights.

What do you think of the move? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post A WWE Supergroup Just Left Raw for SmackDown appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After a thrilling tournament full of surprises, it was finally time to crown WWE’s first ever Women’s Intercontinental Champion on Monday Night Raw, and the two superstars left standing were Damage CTRL’s Dakota Kai and Lyra Valkyria. Both Superstars have fought hard to get to this momentous occasion, and they left everything in the ring, delivering a hard hitting battle that definitely took its toll as the match went on. Both superstars scored near falls as the match’s final moments played out, but it was Valkyria who was able to evade a pin from Kai and then hit the Nightwing to get the victory, and now Valkyria is your WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion.

The two superstars traded offense but neither one could get the edge, fighting to a standstill. Kai got the first strike but couldn’t capitalize much after, as Valkyria drove her into the ring apron, only to get caught by Kai and slammed face first onto the apron. Valkyria came right back and slammed Kai’s face onto the apron, and then Valkyria then hit a nasty slam that sent both to the floor.

During the break Valkyria was in control of the match, wearing down Kai with attacks on her lower back. Valkyria threw Kai to the mat but Kai came back with a series of kicks tot he side of Valkyria’s head, and then Kai countered a move that knocked Valkyria into the corner.

Kai followed up with a big kick to the head and then she knocked Valkyria to the mat hard but Lyra was able to kick out. Valkyria reversed a move and then hit the huge power bomb into a pin, but Kai kicked out in time. Valkyria went up top and hit the leg drop into a pin, but Kai kicked out again.

[RELATED: WWE’s Lyra Valkyria Wants to Bring a Beloved Lord of the Rings Couple to Life]

Kai was back up and stomped on the back of Valkyria’s head from the ropes, and then she hit the GTK, but Valkyria rolled out of the ring to avoid a pin attempt. Kai went for the kick again but Valkyria countered and then set up Kai for the Nightwing and got the win, becoming the first ever Women’s Intercontinental Champion.

What did you think of the match, and who do you want to see Valkyria face first in her Intercontinental Championship reign? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post WWE Crowns First Ever Women’s Intercontinental Champion on Raw appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WWE delivered a series of heavy hitting moments throughout the Netflix premiere of Monday Night Raw, but the beginning of WWE’s second week on Netflix was not looking to be outshined. The opening of this week’s Monday Night Raw would get things started with CM Punk, following the Best in the World with Seth Rollins and then Drew McIntyre, and the all-star segment saw some major developments for the Royal Rumble as well. Not only did Punk declare for the Rumble, but so did Rollins, and so did McIntyre, complicating the Rumble picture even more thanks to John Cena and Roman Reigns also being involved.

Punk started things off by saying, “CM Punk has a lot on his plate, but something no longer on my plate is Seth Rollins.” Then Punk said, “To win the Rumble is one of my dreams, and that caused me to see in the distance what I thought was my career fading away. My dreams that were so scary and couldn’t see.” Then Punk added the Cena trademark while saying “I couldn’t see.”

Punk then addressed Cena directly, saying, “John Cena, I see you, and I always have my friend. And I see that John Cena has declared himself for the Royal Rumble, and I’m here to tell you so have I. CM Punk in 2025 is going to throw 29 other people over the top rope. And you’re going to hear my music, cult of personality, play my song!”

That’s when Rollins came out, much to Punk’s chagrin. Rollins was sporting an injured eye and then told Punk that he was showing up just as he said he was going to before they had their match. “A man of my word, if I wasn’t a man of my word, if I didn’t show up when times got hard, it wouldn’t be me. it would in fact be you,” Rollins said, to which Punk responded, “But I’d be the winner still right?”

[RELATED: AEW Star Finally Makes WWE Raw Netflix Debut]

Rollins said, “I would rather be the worst version of myself than be any version of you. I’ve lost a lot of matches man. I’ve lost main events, title matches, I’ve lost at WrestleMania, but last week was the worst loss of my career.” Punk said, “Good” before Rollins continued, saying “I’ve never been more disappointed in myself. I underestimated you on the biggest stage of my life, and there’s only one way I can seek redemption, and that’s take your WrestleMania dreams and flush them down the toilet. You’re not going to win the Royal Rumble, because I am going to win the Rumble.”

Drew McIntyre then came out and took a shot at Rollins, though Punk thought it was directed at him. Rollins challenged him to a match and Punk was down for one too, but McIntyre wasn’t going to do that on just any show. What McIntyre did say was that he was also going to be in the Rumble, and now there are five main event level superstars already involved, including McIntyre, Rollins, Punk, Reigns, and Cena.

That makes a winner difficult to nail down, as it could be any of them or none of them if they take each other out. McIntyre could take out Punk or Rollins, and Rollins could do the same to Punk or McIntyre. Reigns could cost Cena and Cena could cost Reigns, but more than likely Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline will be the cause of a Reigns loss. That leaves Cena as someone who could end up the winner, but this is only 5 out of a 30-man field, so it will only get more complicated from here.

What did you think of the segment, and who do you think will win the men’s Rumble match? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post WWE Just Revealed 3 Top Stars for the Royal Rumble, And John Cena Is In Trouble appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After weeks of teases, the star known as Penta finally made his WWE debut, and it was electric. The former AEW star has been teased with Penta logos and symbols, and at one point seemed poised to make his debut last week, but it was pushed to this week. That set up a match between Penta and American Made’s Chad Gable, and it was a big-time premiere for the newest WWE Superstar. Penta delivered an eye-popping debut for the San Jose crowd and showcased his insane skillset in a huge first win. Then Penta hyped up everyone with a promo that declared this not just the new era, but Penta’s new era.

Penta impressed early, throwing Gable around and not allowing him to gain any momentum. Gable got back on track and focused on grounding the Luchador, targeting Penta’s knee and leg. The strategy was working, as Gable kept punishing Penta’s knee and hobbling him, and then Gable hit a monster suplex but still couldn’t get the pin.

Gable missed a splash and then Penta came back and looked poised for a comeback, but then a charge forward ended up getting Penta flipped over and thrown into the turnbuckle rather painfully. The two superstars then exchanged ferocious chops and Penta was able to hit a sling blade despite being hobbled.

Penta knocked Gable over the ropes to the floor and looked to get some feeling back into his leg, and he soared over the ropes and slammed into Gable on the floor. Penta went up top and then hit the big crossbody and kicked the back of Gable’s knee before hitting a backstabber that left Gable vulnerable for a pin, but Gable still kicked out before the 3 count.

[RELATED: WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Coincides with AEW’s Biggest Event of the Year]

A loud kick rocked Gable but Gable came back with a German Suplex and a near cover. Penta took out Gable and then spiked Gable on the mat with a Mexican Destroyer and went for a cover, but Gable kicked out. Penta rocked Gable with another kick and then just about dislocated Gable’s shoulder before hitting the Penta Driver for the pin and the win.

Penta celebrated in the ring and the crowd was on board for the big debut. He was asked what the moment means to him, and he said “Thank you, but I want to say something first. Thank you San Jose! I want to say something. The real truth is I’ve been waiting for this moment!”

What did you think of Penta’s WWE debut? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post AEW Star Finally Makes WWE Raw Netflix Debut appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WWE’s Chelsea Green has a genius idea for her U.S. Championship reign. Green is an outspoken fan of the WWE Divas era which made her fall in love with wrestling. In interviews, she actively discusses how she once believed she’d be the next “Nikki or Brie Bella.” Now that she’s got her first WWE Championship, she’s looking at ways to maximize her screen time.

When asked if she’d like to see Nikki and Brie have another return and possibly eliminate them from the Royal Rumble, Green pitched a Divas open challenge for her title.

“Of course [about a Bella Twins return]. “I mean, I would love to be like the Diva killer. I mean, I would love an open challenge Divas only,” Green told Witty Whittier (H/T WrestleZone). “I’ll invite Maryse. I already put it out there into the universe. I will invite Nikki, I will invite Brie, I will invite any Diva that wants to come and attempt to take my beautiful, shiny piece of jewelry away from me.”

The idea of a Divas-related story with Green is nothing new. Fans have been fantasy booking her carrying the Divas Championship for a year now. Although it’s long retired and something WWE seems keen on forgetting, Green’s idea is the perfect way to honor the past.

[RELATED: WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Coincides with AEW’s Biggest Event of the Year]

Green returned to WWE nearly two years ago in the 2023 Women’s Royal Rumble. A lot has changed since then. She won the Tag Team Championships with Sonya Deville (whose injury forced her to vacate). Still, Green persevered and became tag partners with Piper Niven. They’ve been inseparable since and Niven is an integral piece of Green’s story. She nearly won the Women’s Money in the Bank briefcase last year. However, Tiffany Stratton thwarted her efforts. Still, at that moment, it was clear that Green’s time was coming sooner than later.

“I wish I had stopped and looked around and smelled the roses and everything else because that is what makes me special now being in WWE,” Green reflected to ComicBook last year. “Everyone can be a wrestler. Everyone can try to do that. Everyone can try to go in the indies or try to make a name for themselves, whatever, but it’s those stops that I made along the way, all the other companies to get to WWE that now makes me unique, makes me special, makes my fan base come along for the ride and support me now that I am thriving in WWE. But I mean, when you’re in it, [it’s] easier said than done. Because when you’re in it, you’re in it. And you just have one goal in mind.”

Stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on WWE.

The post WWE Women’s U.S. Champion Chelsea Green Pitches Genius Storyline appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WWE’s revived Saturday Night’s Main Event will go head-to-head with AEW All In.

In December WWE and NBC unveiled the first SNME under a multi-year deal. It was the first show in 15 years. The event, headlined by Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens, averaged 1,590,000 viewers and posted a 0.42 in the 18-49 demographic. This is on par with WWE Monday Night Raw and SmackDown which average about 1.5 million viewers. They posted a great rating for a Saturday night while up against ESPN, the NBA Cup semi-final on ABC, and AEW Collision.

WWE Reveals Major Head-to-Head with AEW

Peacock has shared the 2025 schedule for Saturday Night’s Main Event and it poses some problems for wrestling fans. One upcoming show includes May 24, 2025, Memorial Day weekend. Typically, AEW hosts their staple pay-per-view, Double or Nothing, that weekend. That’s not all — On July 12, 2025, the same day as AEW All In, another SNME is happening. They’ll air at 8 p.m. ET on Peacock and NBC.

The first SNME was booked as a “mini PLE,” at least in terms of match quality. Chelsea Green became the inaugural United States Champion, Gunther defended the World Heavyweight Championship against Finn Balor and Damian Priest and Liv Morgan defeated IYO SKY. Booking yourself against potentially two of AEW’s core PPVs — one being their biggest of the year — takes serious confidence.

John Cena previously confirmed he has roughly 30 dates this year before he officially retires. If they’re looking for an easy ratings spike, his televised return match will put butts in seats.

[RELATED: WWE Just Put John Cena’s Royal Rumble Win in Huge Jeopardy]

Not only is AEW All In a hallmark for AEW, it’s the first one to take place within the United States since the company was founded. The first two were at the iconic Wembley Stadium in London, England. It’s happening in Arlington, Texas, and the state is home to wrestling legend Dustin Rhodes. Kevin Von Erich’s two sons Ross and Marshall recently shared they’ve joined AEW and are Six-Man Champions with Rhodes. They’ll almost certainly be along for the ride, too.

The next SNME is on January 25th from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. Matches have yet to be announced but considering that’s next week, the card will probably start taking shape on the red and blue brands this week. Jey Uso is also a core piece of the marketing material, so he’ll likely be involved too.

Stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on WWE and AEW.

The post WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event Coincides with AEW’s Biggest Event of the Year appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WWE SmackDown got the festivities started with Paul Heyman, and while The Bloodline would make an impact on things soon after, they weren’t at the heart of the biggest revelation of the segment. That came from Heyman directly, as in an exchange with Cody Rhodes, Heyman revealed Roman Reigns was declaring for the Royal Rumble in an attempt to get back his Title. So now the two superstars confirmed for the match are Reigns and John Cena, who many look at as the heavy favorite to win it all. With Reigns in the mix, does that even have a chance at happening?

This latest development makes sense from the Bloodline storyline perspective. Reigns defeated Solo Sikoa in Tribal Combat on Monday Night Raw’s Netflix premiere, and as Heyman pointed out, Reigns now looks to his next move to reclaim his dynasty-like reign over WWE. The next piece of that is obviously the Undisputed WWE Championship, and Reigns will need to take down Rhodes to get it back.

The most efficient way to make that happen is to win the Royal Rumble and get a guaranteed Title shot at WrestleMania, bypassing any politics or history he has with Rhodes in order to get a Title shot from the Champ.

Reigns would be the immediate favorite regardless of who else was in the match with this declaration, but that brings us to Cena. Cena’s declaration for the Rumble was one that got the crowd hyped and even got Cena hyped for a chance to win his 17th Championship, and the promo really sold the idea that not only could Cena win the Rumble, but he could really get that record in the process during his farewell tour.

[RELATED: WWE Brings Shocking End to Trick Williams Era with New NXT Champion]

Having someone like Reigns in the match puts that in real jeopardy, both from a challenge to overcome standpoint but also from a main event standpoint. Few people in wrestling lose as rarely as Reigns does, and especially in a spot as big as the Rumble and what it means for WrestleMania 41. Regardless of how much hype is built for Cena winning, there’s got to be a thought that if Reigns is there, he’s winning it, and no one would blame you for that.

The only element that might have some effect on that analysis is the fact that Reigns has actually lost more in the past 2 months than he had over the past 3 years. That included a clean loss to Solo on a major stage, and while the Bloodline was typically involved in his other beatdowns, he was often made an example of to beef up the new Bloodline. That means that this new babyface Roman could feasibly lose the Rumble and clear the way for Cena to win, though it remains to be seen if Reigns would actually sacrifice is chance of winning for some reason to affect that directly in the match itself.

Having Reigns in the Rumble automatically makes the chances of Cena winning it all a bit slimmer, but not impossible, so we’ll just have to wait and see how it all plays out and who else joins them in the Rumble to shake things up even more.

Who do you think will win and who do you want to win the Rumble? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post WWE Just Put John Cena’s Royal Rumble Win in Huge Jeopardy appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Former AEW Champion Malakai Black could be on his way out of AEW.

The House of Black leader hasn’t wrestled since AEW Full Gear in November alongside Brody King. The duo competed for the AEW World Tag Team Champions, currently held by Private Party. While he hasn’t appeared on television, his other stablemates have. Just last night on AEW Dynamite Buddy Matthews and Will Ospreay went to war, with the latter coming out on top. According to Fightful Select, those in AEW believe he has finished his contractual obligations with the company.

Black’s AEW contract is a hot-button topic. While AEW President Tony Khan insinuated his contract would expire in 2027 a few years back, that is not the case. After 2025 Black had option years with AEW, and evidently, they opted not to re-sign. It’s worth noting that as of now Black is still listed on the AEW roster page which is regularly updated when talent is onboarded/leaves.

His AEW status is regularly a topic on social media, and in November many speculated he was retiring. It isn’t the first time he’s set the record straight, but he sounded incredibly frustrated. “Here we are once more a match down and again everybody is saying ‘he’s retiring — he’s retiring because of his injury.’ I’m not injured nor am I retiring nor am I leaving,” Black said on Instagram.

[RELATED: Young Bucks Were Forced to Pivot AEW Title Reign Due to NXT]

“I feel this happens every match I have, and I don’t understand how many times you’re going to say these things, and then them not happening and people still fall for that. I haven’t been injured in more than three years. I’m referring to my back injury, of course, and I only posted about that after it was already done. If you would’ve read the post, you would’ve seen that, and not read what other people have written about it. I’m fine; I’ve been fine for the longest time. I would really appreciate it if that stuff stops, man. If I’m gonna retire, you’re gonna hear it from me and not after Adam [Cole] cuts a promo and says ‘thank you for the match’ because that’s all it was, so thank you.”

If he’s really on his way out, WWE could offer him a contract again. It was noted last summer he had a “major interest” outside of AEW. He also wouldn’t be the first AEW star to jump ship. That began with Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 39, but since then, WWE has signed Jade Cargill and Penta. He debuted in NXT back in 2016 and remained with WWE until 2020. He debuted in AEW on Dynamite in 2021 and targeted Rhodes.

Stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on AEW and Black’s future.

The post Is Malakai Black Finally Leaving AEW? appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Seth Rollins will have a ringside seat for Captain America: Brave New World. The former WWE champion confirmed his role in the Marvel Studios movie — which stars Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/Captain America and Harrison Ford as U.S. President Ross/Red Hulk — has been cut from the final version (out Feb. 14). In a new interview following his main event match against CM Punk on the Jan. 6 streaming premiere of WWE Monday Night Raw on Netflix, the wrestler revealed there’s no “Freakin'” trace of him in the next installment of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

“I wish it the best, but I am not a part of that film,” Rollins said when asked about Captain America 4 on the Insight with Chris Van Vliet podcast.

RELATED: Who Is Red Hulk in the MCU? Captain America: Brave New World Villain Explained

“Does my NDA still apply if I’m not in the film anymore? Truth be told, any answer I gave would only be my opinion on it. The script went through a lot of rewrites and reshoots so what I was there to do, essentially my role got either repurposed or completely erased,” Rollins explained. “So I did do a bit of an audition to possibly pop into another role, I believe, or the repurposing of my role, I’m not exactly sure on what it was, but they ended up going in a different direction with it.”

Rollins continued, “My understanding was there were just a lot of rewrites and a lot of reshoots, and they know they’ve got a finished product that hopefully they’re happy with, and hopefully it’s successful, but it will be sans Seth Rollins.”

Paparazzi photos that leaked from the Atlanta, Georgia set in May 2023 showed Rollins in a green and gold outfit with long blonde hair. Rollins’ rumored Marvel role was reported to be Cobra (later King Cobra), a founding member of the Serpent Squad that battled Steve Rogers and the Falcon in 1973’s Captain America #163. In 1985’s Captain America #310, Sidewinder reformed the snake-themed supervillains as the Serpent Society.

“I’m not in the movie. I will say unequivocally I’m not in the film,” Rollins added. “I do not want anybody to go to the film thinking, ‘I’m here to see Seth Rollins.’ There might be two people that would do that, but I don’t want those two people to waste their time. I don’t want to misinform anybody. I don’t want to lead anybody astray. I am not in the film.”

By May 2024, Rollins’ character was reportedly dropped from the film when Brave New World (retitled from New World Order) returned to Atlanta for a 22-day shoot with Breaking Bad and The Boys actor Giancarlo Esposito joining the cast in a villain role. Esposito, who will appear in the final cut, later confirmed his role as Seth Voelker, a.k.a. Sidewinder of the Serpent Society (albeit without the snake paraphernalia of his comic book counterpart).

“It should be a good one. Marvel does a great job,” Rollins said. “I mean, if I’m not [in anything else], I don’t care. I don’t love acting. I love wrestling. My wife [WWE wrestler Becky Lynch] loves acting. She’s way better at it than I am. She’s got awesome stuff coming out … she announced her bit on Star Trek [Starfleet Academy], which is going to be sick.”

Rollins made his film debut in 2016’s Sharknado: The 4th Awakens and appeared opposite Wesley Snipes in 2017’s Armed Response. Rollins also appeared in a scene deleted from the 2020 Tiffany Haddish-Rose Byrne comedy Like a Boss.

In Captain America: Brave New World, Sam Wilson (Mackie) “finds himself in the middle of an international incident,” per the official synopsis. “He must discover the reason behind a nefarious global plot before the true mastermind has the entire world seeing red.” Mackie and Ford lead a cast that includes Danny Ramirez, Shira Haas, Xosha Roquemore, Carl Lumbly, with Giancarlo Esposito, Liv Tyler, and Tim Blake Nelson reprising his role from 2008’s The Incredible Hulk as Samuel Sterns/the Leader. The movie opens Feb. 14.

The post Seth Rollins Confirms Marvel Cut His Scenes From Captain America: Brave New World After Reshoots appeared first on ComicBook.com.

“Who here’s ready for some wrasslin’?”

Shudder has released the trailer for the all-new gory wrestling horror film Dark Match. Starring AEW wrestler Chris Jericho, the film follows a small wrestling company that accepts a well-paying gig in a sketchy town — the backwoods. Per the synopsis, they do this “only to learn, too late, that the community is run by a mysterious cult leader with devious plans for their match.”

Jericho appears to be playing the cult leader, referring to pro-wrestling as a “sacrifice.” Later in the trailer, he says there are “five children, five matches, five offerings.” So you can see where this is going.

Dark Match was written and directed by Lowell Dean and produced by John K. MacDonald, Don Depoe, Michael Feehan, Rhonda Baker, and Michael Peterson. Eleanor Wiebe and Chris Jericho are executive producers. Ayisha Issa, Steven Ogg, Sara Canning, Michael Eklund, and Jonathan Cherry star alongside Jericho.

Professional wrestling has taken the spotlight over the last few years in pop culture. First, STARZ produced Heels which starred Alexander Ludwig, Stephen Amell, Kelli Berglund, and WWE’s CM Punk. A24 released The Iron Claw which sheds light on the legendary Von Erichs and their tragic backstory. Then, Netflix debuted its controversial Mr. McMahon docuseries.

Up next is Queen of the Ring which chronicles the career of one of the women’s wrestling greats Mildred Burke (Emily Bett Rickards). Several female wrestling favorites have key roles in the film which launches this March in theaters.

[RELATED: This Shudder Docuseries Will Make You Rethink Your Favorite Horror Movies]

All of this while wrestling is positively thriving in the mainstream. WWE and AEW have major streaming deals with two of the top services — Netflix and Max. While WWE’s major $5 billion Netflix deal covers WWE Raw and other content, Max is the new home of AEW Dynamite which will also be simulcast on TBS.

It’s paved the way for wrestlers to take on more Hollywood roles, too. Jericho most recently starred in the third installment of the Terrifier franchise while former AEW Champion MJF is starring alongside Hollywood legend Adam Sandler in Happy Gilmore 2.

Becky Lynch has been on hiatus from WWE for the past few months, in part due to her acting aspirations. She confirmed she’ll be in a brand new Star Trek project beaming onto Paramount+ soon and reports claim she’s also got a role in the Happy Gilmore sequel.

Dark Match streams exclusively on Shudder on January 31st.

The post Chris Jericho Sacrifices Wrestlers in Gory Dark Match Trailer appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After a night of new Champions, it was time for the main event of WWE NXT New Year’s Evil. With the NXT Championship on the line, it would be Trick Williams defending his Title against Oba Femi, though it was originally supposed to be a Triple Threat with Eddy Thorpe in the mix as well. Femi attacked Thorpe ahead of the match to make sure that didn’t happen, but Thorpe still found a way to get involved. Thorpe would bring in the chair that would help determine the new Champion, and while Thorpe was holding the chair, it was actually Femi who would throw Williams’ knee into it and seize the opportunity to pin him right after. Oba Femi has now officially closed the Trick Williams era, and the era of Oba Femi has now begun.

Williams and Femi locked up, with Femi slamming Williams down, but Williams soon returned the favor with a big time slam that knocked Femi out of the ring. Suddenly Thorpe was seen coming out of the backstage area with a chair and heading to the ring. Williams almost ended the match with a rock bottom on Femi, but Femi kicked out of the pin at 2.

Williams and Femi went back and forth one ono one, and Williams got the better of the exchange with a backbreaker and a big slam to the mat, followed by another slam that sent Femi face first to the mat. Williams was on a roll, but he was caught and slammed down by Femi, only to counter with a DDT and a roundhouse kick into a pin. Femi however would kick out of it.

Femi knocked Williams off his feet with an uppercut, and then a powerslam into a cover was cut off by Thorpe, who pulled the referee out of the ring. Femi went to work on Thorpe, punishing him with kicks and a spinebuster before just tossing him across the ring. Femi hit an uppercut and then got rocked with the Trick Shot into a pin, but Femi somehow kicked out.

[RELATED: WWE’s Rhea Ripley Reclaims Women’s Title, Celebration Crashed by Undertaker]

Femi pushed Williams’ next Trick Shot attempt right into a chair, which also knocked Thorpe back since he was holding the chair. Femi then capitalized, power slamming Williams and getting the 3-count, officially closing out the Trick Williams era and beginning what is likely going to be a lengthy new era of new NXT Champion Oba Femi.

What did you think of the match and of New Year’s Evil? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post WWE Brings Shocking End to Trick Williams Era with New NXT Champion appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WWE NXT got New Year’s Evil started off in brilliant fashion with the much anticipated clash for the NXT Women’s Championship. Giulia and Perez have clashed before, but there was something different about tonight’s battle, and you could feel that throughout the entire match. Cora Jade would get involved at one point, but despite the numbers advantage Giulia stayed alive, overcoming the pain from her arm and wrist that Perez had been dealing out all match. Then Giulia was able to not just counter a submission but also hit a huge slam to knock out Perez just long enough to get the pin, dethroning the long time Champ and becoming the new NXT Women’s Champion at New Year’s Evil.

Perez and Giulia battled for control to a stalemate, and then they both traded submission attempts before Perez slapped Giulia in the face. That lit up Giulia, who knocked Perez down with a headbutt and then hit a missile dropkick from the top rope. Giulia clocked Perez in the face with a boot, but then Perez went to work on Giulia’s hand and arm, stomping on the hand after putting it over the ropes.

During the commercial break Perez took control from that point, further working on the hurt hand and arm and bending her fingers backwards before stretching her arm and elbow. Perez stayed glued to Giulia’s arm, bending the elbow back and putting more force on the wrist, even locking in a bridge to keep Giulia’s shoulder to the mat.

Giulia inflicted some pain on Perez in response, and Perez was favoring her arm a bit before the two superstars started slugging it out. Giulia then kicked Perez to the corner turnbuckle, and then Perez came back with a huricanrana and pin attempt, but Giulia kicked out, leading to Perez stomping on Giulia’s hand several times.

[RELATED: WWE’s Rhea Ripley Reclaims Women’s Title, Celebration Crashed by Undertaker]

Giulia hit a suplex on the Champion and then hit another one, which led to a dive through the ropes. Giulia had Perez up and then hit a double underhook on Perez, hitting the slam and going for a pin, but Perez kicked out. Perez locked in the crossface but Giulia dragged herself to the ropes, only for Perez to push her away and kick her to the floor in a stellar sequence.

Then Giulia and Perez were out on the floor, but Jade ran in and threw Perez back in the ring and threw Giulia in too. Perez hit Pop Rocks and went for the pin, but Giulia kicked out. Perez locked in a submission and wrecked the arm, but Giulia got free and rocked the Champ with a knee strike to the face. Giulia hit the slam and went for the pin, defeating Perez and becoming the new Women’s Champion.

What did you think of the match? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post WWE Just Crowned New NXT Women’s Champion at New Year’s Evil appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WWE’s premiere of Monday Night Raw on Netflix certainly brought the star power, bringing in a number of legends, current stars, and celebrities to highly anticipated event. The Rock, John Cena, Gabriel Iglesias, Vanessa Hudgens, The Undertaker, Travis Scott, and more all showed up for Raw’s big premiere, and so did WWE legend Hulk Hogan, though that didn’t go nearly as smoothly. Hogan came out with Jimmy Hart for a promo during the third hour of the show, and it was clearly supposed to be just a quick hype up moment for the new partnership between Hogan and WWE. What it turned out to be though was incredibly awkward, as the crowd showed it displeasure from beginning to end, booing Hogan out of the building.

Hogan was there to hype up the crowd and give a promo regarding the just announced partnership between WWE and Hogan’s Real American Beer. This morning it was announced that the two had entered into a multi-year partnership, so Hogan was there to give it some shine, though he first started out by talking about the partnership between WWE and Netflix.

At first the reaction was more mixed, with some cheers heard throughout as the music played, though even then you could clearly hear the boos. As Hogan gave his promo though the boos just got louder, and the mentioning of names like Randy Macho Man Savage and Andre the Giant couldn’t take the attention away from it.

It only got worse when Hogan brought up the product, and from there it just remained constant as Hogan spoke about the partnership and then did the classic shirt rip, revealing a WWE on Netflix shirt. You can watch how things unfolded in the video above (via Fightful).

[RELATED: WWE’s John Cena Makes Surprise Royal Rumble Announcement]

Things were a bit more upbeat in the official announcement of the partnership, which featured quotes from WWE and Hogan on the new multi-year deal. “Hulk Hogan has done a tremendous job introducing an exciting, new product to a competitive marketplace,” said Grant Norris-Jones, Executive Vice President & Head of Global Partnerships for TKO. “We are excited to unlock a new partnership category and to showcase Real American Beer in front of Netflix’s global audience.”

“Well, let me tell you something brother! From the first time I stepped into the ring, I’ve always fought for something bigger than myself,” said Hulk Hogan, Co-Founder of Real American Beer. “I’m thrilled to bring Real American Beer into the ring with WWE. Together, we’re bringing that pride to America, one beer, one match at a time, brother!”

What did you think of Raw’s Netflix premiere? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post Hulk Hogan Booed Out of the Building During WWE Raw on Netflix appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After the thrill of Tribal Combat, it was time for John Cena to ignite the crowd on the premiere of WWE’s Monday Night Raw on Netflix. Cena came out with his new Farewell Tour gear, but despite this being the last year of his in-ring career, Cena was all about getting the crowd hyped. Cena did address the possibility of actually getting that elusive 17th Championship, but he pretty much wrote it off…at least until the Royal Rumble came up. That’s when Cena made a surprising announcement, as he revealed that he was initially just going to show up at the Rumble for an appearance, but now he is not only entering the Rumble, he is going to win it, setting up for what is perhaps going to be a miracle Championship win in the process.

Cena first charged up the crowd like really no one else can, and even he was impressed by the sheer number of people in the building. Cena then wanted to address the elephant in the room, bringing up the much talked about 17th Championship win Cena needs for the record.

Cena pretty much shot that down, saying “as far as the 17th championship is concerned, it’s never going to happen.” Cena then said that he knows he’s not supposed to say never on things, and there’s always the possibility, but then he brought up the streak. Cena then said not “that” streak, but his current losing streak.

Cena brought up the fact that he hasn’t won a televised singles match since 2018, and that it would take a miracle for him to even be in the conversation for a Title opportunity, let alone win. That’s when Cena’s view seemed to change though, as he mentioned there are some lottery tickets that could help, say for instance the Royal Rumble or Elimination Chamber.

[RELATED: WWE Hall of Famer Is “Hoping” for a Match on John Cena’s Retirement Tour]

Once he brought those up the crowd started buzzing, and then Cena seemed to be hyping himself up as much as the crowd with the thought of being at the Rumble. Cena then theorized that if he won the Rumble, he could challenge someone for the Title and maybe even get that record, and by the end of this segment, he sold himself on the idea.

At this point Cena made up his mind, and he committed to being in the Rumble. He said he was only initially going to appear at the Rumble, but now he was not only going to enter the Rumble, but he was going to do everything he could and win the Rumble. While we don’t know the other 29 people yet, we do know one superstar who will be in contention, and he could very well walk out the winner, on his way to a 17th Championship.

What did you think of Cena’s Rumble declaration? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post WWE’s John Cena Makes Surprise Royal Rumble Announcement appeared first on ComicBook.com.

The feud between WWE’s Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley has been at the center of Monday Night Raw for a while now, and it was all supposed to be settled during tonight’s Monday Night Raw premiere on Netflix. Morgan would defend her WWE Women’s World Championship one on one against Ripley, though as you might expect, she didn’t fight the battle completely alone. Raquel Rodriguez and Dominik Mysterio both had roles to play in the match, but despite the adversity, Ripley was able to finally take down Morgan and reclaim her Women’s World Championship, and much to everyone’s shock, that also led to a cameo from The Undertaker during her win that left everyone rather stumped. You can see it play out below.

Ripley and Morgan started slugging it out, with Morgan getting slammed to the mat with authority before rolling out. Ripley took out Rodriguez with a cannonball and then pushed Mysterio away, but Ripley still managed to catch Morgan and slam her down on the announce table. Back from commercial, Ripley was back in control, reversing a move and slamming the Champion to the mat.

Ripley caught Morgan again and hit a German Suplex, but Morgan got her shoulder up in time. Morgan got some momentum though after Ripley ran into the turnbuckle, and Morgan spiked her with a Tornado DDT and went for a pin, but Ripley was able to kick out.

Ripley reversed another move though and hit a Riptide on Morgan, but somehow Morgan was able to kick out, shocking Ripley. Then Rodriguez and Mysterio got involved and allowed Morgan to hit Oblivion on a chair, and yet Ripley was able to kick out and keep her Title hopes alive. Morgan hit Oblivion and then hit the Three Amigos before dragging Ripley to the corner. Morgan hit the Frog Splash and then went for a pin, but Ripley kicked out again.

[RELATED: Watch WWE’s Epic Opening for Monday Night Raw Netflix Premiere (Exclusive)]

Ripley caught Morgan one more time and then hit another Riptide, followed by a second Riptide, and that was it for Morgan, giving Ripley the win and making her a WWE Women’s World Champion once more. Mysterio then tried to make up with Ripley and extended his arms for a hug, and Ripley obliged with a kick to the groin and a Riptide.

Then all of sudden the Undertaker gong sounded and the lights went out. When the lights come on it was The American Badass version of Undertaker, who rode down the entrance ramp and around the ring before heading back to where Ripley was standing. They both celebrated as the fireworks went off in the arena, bringing her Title win to a theatrical end.

What did you think of Ripley’s win and the Undertaker cameo? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post WWE’s Rhea Ripley Reclaims Women’s Title, Celebration Crashed by Undertaker appeared first on ComicBook.com.

After an introduction from Triple H and an appearance from The Rock, the first match of WWE’s Netflix era was all about Tribal Combat. Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa were set to face each other for the right to be the one and only Tribal Chief, with no rules to get in the way. As you might expect though, The Bloodline did get involved at points throughout. It was still down to Reigns and Sikoa though after all the chaos, and Reigns would find a way to come out on top, becoming the one and only Tribal Chief once more, and then The Rock came out to address Reigns. Even though there was seemingly solidarity there, Rock didn’t throw up the 1 with Heyman and Reigns, and he seemed to be biding his time perhaps until he can take that Ula Fala for himself.

Early on in the match Sikoa seemed to have the upper hand, but Reigns got on track and seemed to be shifting into some momentum when Sikoa slammed him on top of the announce table. Sikoa then hit Reigns in the head with a monitor, and then followed that up by hitting Reigns in the head by throwing the steel steps.

The onslaught continued after the commercial break, and Sikoa put a chair over Reigns neck as Paul Heyman watched in horror from ringside. Reigns moved out of the way in time and picked up the chair and slammed Sikoa viciously with it a number of times before slamming Sikoa’s head off of it a few times more. Sikoa then hit a low blow and slammed Reigns onto the chair, but Reigns kicked out of the pin.

Sikoa left the ring and grabbed a table, but Reigns knocked him to the floor. Sikoa came back with a loud kendo stick shot to Reigns’ back and then hit a few more in the ring. Reigns would then manage to pick up Sikoa and slam him down with a powerbomb through the table, but Tama Tonga blocked the OTC from getting the win. Then Jacob Fatu came in and clocked Reigns with a superick and a DDT.

[RELATED: Watch WWE’s Epic Opening for Monday Night Raw Netflix Premiere (Exclusive)]

Fatu dragged Reigns toward the corner and hit the moonsault and Sikoa hit a Samoan Spike on Sikoa, but somehow Reigns kicked out of the pin. Sikoa hit a spike to the referee and then Sikoa went to hit another Spike, but Sami Zayne and Jimmy Uso raced out to help and even the odds. They took out Tonga, Fatu, and Reigns hit the spear on Sikoa, but no referee was there. Once one ran in Sikoa kicked out of the pin, but then Kevin Owens ran in and hit the Stunner on Reigns.

Owens got Sikoa up and tried to pin Reigns, but Reigns kicked out. Owens went off on Reigns and went for the package piledriver, but Cody Rhodes ran out and attacked Owens. It was finally Reigns and Sikoa again, and Reigns hit the spear after dodging the Samoan Spike. One more spear and that was i, with Reigns claiming his Ula Fala once more. Heyman was in the ring with the Ula Fala, and then Rock came out to interrupt.

Rock came in and asked for the Ula Fala from Heyman, and Heyman gave it to him. Then Rock put it over Reign’ neck. After a stare down, Rock reached out his hand and Reigns took it, seeming to solidify their alliance once again.

What did you think or Tribal Combat, and what do you want to see next for The Bloodline? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post WWE Crowns Tribal Chief, The Rock Teases Roman Reigns WrestleMania Match appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WWE has heavily hyped up its anticipated Netflix premiere of Monday Night Raw for several months now, and the big day has finally arrived. It makes sense then why WWE came out swinging with one of its all-time biggest names to get things started, as The Rock made his WWE return in front of the LA Monday Night Raw crowd. After making his way to the ring, Rock announced that tonight was “the largest arena gate in the history of WWE, congratulations.” Rock also had something to say about Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns, and also teased he’ll be watching Tribal Combat between Reigns and Solo Sikoa closely.

First Rock addressed the Undisputed WWE Champion, though he did so in fun it seemed, saying, “Cody Rhodes, one more thing, tell Mama Rhodes The Rock said hello.” Rhodes laughed and took it in stride, and then Rock moved on to Reigns. Rock said, “Lastly I want to acknowledge one other man, and that’s Roman Reigns. Not only is Roman Reigns the Tribal Chief, the original Tribal Chief, tonight Tribal Combat rules, The Rock is going to be watching. I’m going to be watching this match closely.” You can watch it here.

It is funny that Rock said Reigns was the Tribal Chief and then added the original when the crowd got loud, so it remains to be seen what side he is really on. The last time fans saw The Rock was in Atlanta at Bad Blood. The Rock would surprise the crowd after the match between that saw Roman Reigns team up with Cody Rhodes to take on Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline. That match and the team up that ensued caused quite a ruckus, and Rock was no exception. Rock would come out after Reigns and Rhodes won the match, but he didn’t actually say anything.

All Rock did was give the 1 sign and then count to four before gesturing that Reigns (and presumably Rhodes) time was coming to an end at some point. At the time it was thought that maybe this was a tease of some sort of involvement at Survivor Series WarGames, but that didn’t end up being the case.

[RELATED: Watch WWE’s Epic Opening for Monday Night Raw Netflix Premiere (Exclusive)]

Since then Reigns has had quite the rollercoaster ride. After getting pummeled a few times by Sikoa’s new Bloodline, it was actually Jimmy who helped out Reigns and started to bring the band back together. The mission then was to get Jey, and while there were some hiccups on that trip, they did eventually get Jey’s help. The most recent addition to that group has been Sami Zayn, and that was a wild journey as well, but afterwards all four members are once again united and on the same page (at least for now).

That’s also part of why tonight was so important, as it was a battle of Tribal Combat between Reigns and Sikoa. The winner would leave with the Ula Fala and the ability to call themselves the one and only Tribal Chief. The Rock obviously has some vested interest in this, and it will be interesting to see how he factors in around WrestleMania 41 time.

What have you thought of Monday Night Raw so far? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post The Rock Returns on WWE Raw Netflix Premiere, Addresses Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WWE is starting off 2025 with the much anticipated premiere of Monday Night Raw on Netflix, and it wouldn’t be as grand an occasion without John Cena being a part of it. That said, tonight Cena stopped by for much more than just an appearance, as this is the official start of the John Cena farewell tour, and to celebrate WWE and Funko revealed a special edition Pop! that sports a shirt featuring Cena and the text “The Last Time Is Now”. You can check out up-close images and the official description of the special edition Pop! below, and you can pre-order the special Pop right here.

POP WWE: John Cena (Farewell):
POP! John Cena® is here to make his last grand entrance. Commemorate a WWE superstar by bringing this exclusive POP! John Cena® (Farewell) into the ring so he can put on a memorable final show in your WWE collection! Vinyl figure is approximately 4-inches tall. Find more Funko products at Fanatics.com.

The Pop also includes a few other details on the shirt in addition to an image of Cena, as you can see the WWE Raw logo, a nod to him being a 16 time World Champion, and the LA logo in the bottom right corner. Cena is sporting the blue shirt, hat, and armbands alongside the jean shorts and black sneakers, and those who have collected the past Cena Pops will no doubt want to round out the collection with the farewell tour version.

Cena has been open about how he’s feeling heading into this final year, and he addressed several details about the farewell tour after his surprise appearance at Money in the Bank last year.

[RELATED: Watch WWE’s Epic Opening for Monday Night Raw Netflix Premiere (Exclusive)]

“This is where we give you some of the deets on the farewell tour. It’s not going to end at WrestleMania. That WrestleMania will be my last WrestleMania, but hopefully if everything goes according to plan, we’re going straight through from January to December,” Cena said. “We’re going to try and do a long list of dates, I think right now tentatively it’s hovering in the mid-30s to 40s because I’m still going to try and juggle a lot of stuff that’s going on, and that will be the end of my in-ring competition.”

“Now, part of this business plan I guess that I proposed and they accepted, thank you they, is me remaining in the WWE family in some capacity for an extended time to come. I’ve always said to the audience that the WWE is my home and I love it, and just because I physically feel I’m at my end doesn’t mean I need to distance myself from something I love,” Cena said.

“I have a passion for this business. I still watch Money in the Bank and yell at the screen and yell at the guys for what they’re doing or what they could be doing, so I still…I feel I still have some wisdom locked up here that could be of some value. I look forward to ending my participation in the ring in the best way I possibly can and being a member of the extended WWE family for quite some time to come,” Cena said.

The Farewell John Cena Funko Pop will be available for pre-order for $15 from right now until January 13th at 9:30 AM PST, and you can check it out right here.

Will you be picking up the special edition John Cena Pop? You can talk all things wrestling and Funko Pops with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post WWE Reveals Special Edition John Cena Farewell Tour Funko Pop! on Raw appeared first on ComicBook.com.

With the holidays fully behind us, and more than a week of this new year under our belts, 2025 is officially in full swing. As everyone gets settled back into their routines, Netflix is preparing a whole week of new additions for subscribers to get excited about, headlined by one of the most exciting acquisitions the service has made to-date.

Monday, January 6th marks the start of a new era for WWE’s Monday Night Raw, as the flagship wrestling series moves to Netflix for its new home. The live show will air new episodes on Netflix every Monday night moving forward.

Netflix’s new arrivals this week also include American Primeval, the new season of The Upshaws, and a new comedy special from Gabriel Iglesias. You can check out the full lineup for Netflix’s weekly additions below!

Monday, January 6th

My Happy Marriage: Season 2 (JP) — NETFLIX ANIME
As their relationship blossoms, the young couple face new challenges as Miyo meets Kiyoka’s parents and ominous conspirators threaten their peace.

WWE Raw: 2025 — NETFLIX LIVE EVENT
WWE’s groundbreaking, Superstar-studded in-ring series delivers live action, drama and unmatched athleticism every Monday night.

Tuesday, January 7th

The Breakthrough (SE) — NETFLIX SERIES
When a shocking double homicide goes unsolved for 16 years, a detective teams up with a genealogist to catch the killer before it becomes a cold case.

Gabriel Iglesias: Legend of Fluffy — NETFLIX COMEDY SPECIAL
In his 27th year in comedy, Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias reminisces on the perils of life: from dating, to home break-ins, to turbulent plane rides, Gabriel is just here to save the world from eternal seriousness.

The Graham Norton Show: Best Bits: Week of December 31, 2024

Jerry Springer: Fights, Camera, Action — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
This jaw-dropping, premium two-part series will tell the story of The Jerry Springer Show as it’s never been told before. Packed with extraordinary first-hand testimony and revelations from show insiders, the series explores how this daytime talk show became one of the biggest and most outrageous TV hits of the nineties. But behind the entertaining facade lay some darker truths. As we hear from the producers and ex-guests of The Jerry Springer Show, a murkier picture begins to emerge of the destruction it caused, raising renewed questions about who was responsible, and how far things should go in the name of entertainment.

Younger: Seasons 1-7

Wednesday, January 8th

Dubai Bling: Season 3 (AE) — NETFLIX SERIES
With friends like these, who needs enemies? Dubai’s most dysfunctional and lavish friendship circle is back as the drama unfolds in the latest season.

Hound’s Hill (PL) — NETFLIX SERIES
A successful and renowned novelist — haunted by trauma and a mysterious blackmailer — returns to his hometown to reckon with his unresolved past.

I AM A KILLER: Season 6 — NETFLIX DOCUMENTARY
Convicted murderers recall and reflect on the crimes that destroyed lives and landed them in prison, from an alleged tribal feud to a deadly drug deal.

Subteran (RO) — NETFLIX SERIES
A young mother’s life is upended when she finds herself hiding behind a secret identity to escape the Bucharest gang responsible for her fiancé’s death.

Thursday, January 9th

American Primeval — NETFLIX SERIES
A mother and son fleeing from their past form a found family while confronting a harsh landscape of freedom and cruelty in the American West.

Asura (JP) — NETFLIX SERIES
In 1970s Tokyo, four distinct sisters uncover their aging father’s affair, causing their happy facades and bottled-up emotions to slowly unravel.

I am Ilary (IT) — NETFLIX SERIES
This documentary series follows TV host Ilary Blasi as she defines her life post-divorce, balancing personal growth, career opportunities and a new love.

Lion

The Upshaws: Part 6 — NETFLIX SERIES
As they continue to go through changes, one thing stays the same: The Upshaws always have each other’s backs — even when they’re at each other’s throats.

Friday, January 10th

Ad Vitam (FR) — NETFLIX FILM
When he and his pregnant wife are attacked in their home, a former elite agent becomes trapped in a deadly manhunt tied to his own painful past.

Alpha Males: Season 3 (ES) — NETFLIX SERIES
As lost as ever, the four friends get tangled up in more complications as they navigate paternity, romantic anarchy and sex in a new era of masculinity.

Love Is Blind: Germany (DE) — NETFLIX SERIES (new episodes)
The experiment comes to Germany as local singles seek true love and a commitment that lasts a lifetime, all before meeting each other face-to-face.

Saturday, January 11th

SAKAMOTO DAYS (JP) — NETFLIX ANIME
Once the greatest hitman of all, Taro Sakamoto retired in the name of love. But when his past catches up, he must fight to protect his beloved family.

The post Everything Coming to Netflix This Week (January 6th) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WWE’s Monday Night Raw is about to step into a new era, as tonight Raw will stream live on Netflix, and it is shaping up to be quite the event. Not only are there several big-time matches, but fans are expecting a few major surprises and perhaps even a major return or two throughout the night. An episode like that deserves an equally epic introduction, and we’ve got your exclusive first look at the cold open for tonight’s Monday Night Raw on Netflix premiere, which you can watch in the video above.

Triple H introduces this new era with a look back at the past, moving through a host of legends and iconic moments throughout WWE history. The focus though is always on the power of storytelling and how that shapes those memorable moments, allowing them to stand the test of time. You can watch the full opening in the video above, and you can find his full introduction below.

“It’s as real as our ancient yearning. Not merely for a hero but the villain as well. Just as they need each other, so do you need them to tell a story,” Triple H says. “But what of the story of wrestling itself? What if the canvas could speak of an ageless carnival with primeval roots, but came of age with that most American of institutions, television?”

“As television changed, so did wrestling, and together they changed America. Truth is, a great swath of American culture is born of that eternal battle between the face and the heel. From ecstasy to humiliation. From fame to obscurity, and back again. And endless cycle that changed the rules and blurred the lines,” Triple H says.

[RELATED: WWE Fan Favorite Finally Becomes a Champion on SmackDown]

“Made it harder to distinguish the good guys from the bad. The shoot from the work. The real from the unreal. Because wrestling’s greatest stories, every damn one, has an element of truth,” Triple H says. “The screens get smaller, but the show gets bigger. Global, from television to streaming, America to the world. Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the all real, ever fantastic, never to end, story of WWE.

WWE’s Monday Night Raw Netflix premiere starts at 8 PM EST, and we’ll be covering it live right here on ComicBook.

Are you excited for Monday Night Raw on Netflix? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post Watch WWE’s Epic Opening for Monday Night Raw Netflix Premiere (Exclusive) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WWE superstar Becky Lynch is attached to Happy Gilmore 2, per PWInsider.

She is reportedly in a rival group of golfers with Reggie Bush. She’s not the only wrestler in the film, either. AEW’s MJF reportedly plays Adam Sandler’s son in the comedy film which will be released soon on Netflix.

Lynch has been expanding her acting resume this year amidst her wrestling hiatus. She was recently tapped for a Star Trek project for Paramount+. Before that, she had pretty limited experience. She was reportedly part of Marvel’s Eternals but her scene was cut at the end of the film. She was also in The Rock’s Young Rock series on Peacock where she played musical legend Cyndi Lauper.

“I suppose, writing books and performance is something that I’ve always loved,” Lynch told The Casual Podcast in 2024. “I’ve studied it, I’ve got my degree in acting. I don’t know if you saw a little role that I played as Cyndi Lauper, but acting is something that I’ve loved for a long time and it’s something I’ve studied and got my degree in.”

Lynch has been away from WWE for the better part of 2024. After Rhea Ripley was forced to vacate the Women’s World Championship she was crowned the next titleholder. Shortly after Liv Morgan beat her for it and she’s been away from WWE ever since. During that time, her WWE contract was expiring but she presumably signed a new deal.

With the WWE Raw premiere on Netflix happening this Monday night, an appearance by Lynch isn’t totally out of the question. She was featured in a hype video for the red brand and reports indicate she could return sooner than later.

Ripley and Morgan are advertised in a Last Woman Standing match, so if she — or another rumored returning star — have their eye on the title, that’s the perfect time to strike. Royal Rumble season is also right around the corner. If she doesn’t show up tomorrow, she could be a surprise for the fans in Indianapolis.

WWE Raw on Netflix Premiere

The Monday Night Raw premiere features several other high-profile matches like Lynch’s husband Seth Rollins against CM Punk. They’ve been fighting with one another for a year now and were originally slated for WrestleMania 40 but injuries prevented that.

“You trust someone, you believe in them, you become close to them, and then they betray you with no remorse, no explanation, nothing,” Rollins said in an interview with WWE. “And if it was just me, I kind of feel I could have gotten over it. But it wasn’t just me that he stabbed in the back, right? It was every single friend that he had that worked for WWE.”

Tribal Combat will also ensue between Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa for ownership of the name Tribal Chief and the sacred Ula Fala. The Rock confirmed this afternoon he will be in attendance for the big show, presumably keeping a watchful eye on Reigns. They aren’t the only Bloodline members featured — Jey Uso is going one-on-one with Drew McIntyre. “The Scottish Warrior” has vowed to take down those who aligned with Roman Reigns.

Stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on WWE.

The post WWE’s Becky Lynch Filmed Scenes for Upcoming Netflix Film: Report appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Do you smell what The Rock is cooking? Evidently, it’s an appearance on the Netflix premiere of WWE Raw.

The WWE legend is joining a star-studded lineup of guests in attendance, including one of his greatest rivals, John Cena. Rock took to social media to make the announcement. He first started by praising his Polynesian culture, noting that he couldn’t wait to return to the islands of Samoa.

“… Until then, I’ll come back home to WWE tomorrow night as we make history on Netflix and begin a new and exciting era,” he wrote. “Tomorrow night is dedicated to my grandfather, the High Chief Peter Maivia, my grandmother, Lia Maivia and my dad, Rocky “Soulman” Johnson and my ancestors who have ALL paved the way.”

Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa are battling it out in Tribal Combat for the title of “Tribal Chief” as well as the Ula Fala. Reigns was gifted the sacred necklace when his reign in WWE began but it was “stolen” from him by Sikoa. He reunited with it briefly a few months back, but was ambushed by Jacob Fatu and, eventually, the rest of the new Bloodline.

When Reigns called for Tribal Combat, he stated that he wanted both of their tribes to be there. The Rock has strongly aligned with Reigns since his return but is this where all of that unravels?

[RELATED: WWE Raw on Netflix: Roman Reigns Calls Move “The Biggest Deal of All Time]

The last time The Rock was on television, he had his sights set on Cody Rhodes and Reigns at WWE Bad Blood. Reigns and Rhodes teamed with one another against the new Bloodline and Rock’s appearance seemed more about sending a message to Reigns. Now that he’s teamed with the enemy, he’s next on the chopping block. This makes a lot of sense, especially because WWE has yet to pull the trigger on the singles match between Rock and Reigns. Whether or not that happens in 2025 is the real question.

Sikoa added another stipulation to the match on the January 3rd episode of SmackDown. He wants Paul Heyman to watch over the Ula Fala for the duration of the match. If Reigns wins, he will acknowledge him as Tribal Chief and return the Ula Fala.

However, if Sikoa wins, he wants Heyman to be his Wiseman … forever. This raises the stakes greatly as Heyman has been loyal to Reigns for years. He’s seen the best and worst of his career and helped elevate him to new heights.

Stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on WWE.

The post The Rock Announces Plans for WWE Raw’s Netflix Premiere appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WWE is getting ready to hold its 2025 Royal Rumble in Indianapolis, Indiana next month, but a new report has confirmed the 2026 location of one of WWE’s marquee events early, and it’s certainly a surprise. PWInsider has confirmed with multiple sources within the company that the 2026 Royal Rumble will take place in Saudi Arabia, and it will be the first time that the Rumble has been held outside f the United States since the 1980s.

The last time that happened was back in January of 1988, when the Rumble was held in Hamilton, Ontario Canada. While WWE has held it own premium live events in Saudi Arabia like Crown Jewel, it has yet to hold an event as big as the Rumble, and that will all change evidently next year.

The report states that the deal for the Rumble is locked in, and an official announcement regarding the event will happen as soon as Monday’s Netflix debut for Monday Night Raw. It was probably an announcement that was going to be made during the show anyway but got out early, and it will be interesting to see if WWE goes ahead with the official announcement ahead of the show or just waits for Monday.

This is the latest development of WWE’s overall partnership with Saudi Arabia, which began back in 2018 and runs through 2028. To this point WWE ha held 12 premium live events as part of that deal, which included the Greatest Royal Rumble, but that was not a traditional Rumble event and more of a specialized one-off event. Over the course of the deal WWE has also opened up the WWE Experience, and you can find the official description of that experience below.

[RELATED: WWE Fan Favorite Finally Becomes a Champion on SmackDown]

“The WWE Experience allows fans to witness the sights, sounds and epic storylines of WWE and its Superstars by interacting with unique exhibits and photo opportunities. The WWE Super Dome is a fully immersive arena where fans can feel the excitement of being at a WWE event. In the Backstage section, fans are given the chance to create their very own character and Become a Superstar. Guests can also design and step out to make their own epic customized entrance. Feast your eyes on The Crown Jewel, a stunning display of Championship titles from all eras of WWE and walk through 40 years of WrestleMania to check out authentic memorabilia showcased on display for the very first time. Guests must try not to get buried alive at Undertaker’s Graveyard Escape by solving The Deadman’s puzzles before they are forced to ‘rest in peace’ by WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker.”

What do you think of the news? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post WWE’s Shocking Royal Rumble 2026 Location Has Been Revealed Early appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WWE SmackDown kicked off a new era with tonight’s three hour premiere on USA Network, and fans had a massive reason to celebrate during the third hour. For the third time in SmackDown history, a WWE Superstar cashed in their Money in the Bank briefcase, and it was Tiffany Stratton successfully cashing in on Nia Jax to become the new WWE Women’s Champion. Tiffy Time has finally arrived on SmackDown, and the crowd lost its mind.

This was especially thrilling due to how everything went down. The WWE Women’s Championship was on the line tonight in a match between Champion Nia Jax and her challenger (and one half of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions) Naomi. The two had a fantastic match that did see Candice LeRae try to interfere, but Bianca Belair was at ringside to keep that from happeing.

Unfortunately that was enough of a distraction for Jax to get out of a hold and come out to take care of Belair, and things started to swing in Jax’s favor shortly after. Naomi was still fighting though and turned the tide, and that’s when Stratton came out with a referee and rushed to cash in the briefcase.

Before the bell could be rung though she shoved the referee over the barricade, halting the process and shocking everyone. Then she revealed why when she went over and hit Naomi with the briefcase, leaving her vulnerable for Jax. Jax would then knock out Naomi and get the win, but this was only the beginning of the chaos.

[RELATED: AEW Star “Doesn’t Mind” Comparisons to WWE’s Tiffany Stratton]

Belair raced in and attacked Jax, but Jax knocked her back and had her ready for the annihilator. That’s when Stratton hit Jax with the briefcase and left her vulnerable for Belair, but before that Stratton also attacked LeRae, throwing her into the ring post. Stratton rolled out of the ring and officially cashed in her briefcase, just in time for Belair to lift up Jax and hit the K.O.D.

Stratton then threw Belair out of the ring and over the announce table, leaving her and Jax as the only people in the ring. Stratton hit the moonsault and went for the pin, and that was it for Jax. Stratton successfully cashed in her contract and is now the new WWE Women’s Champion, kicking off a new era of Tiffy Time on the blue brand.

What did you think of Stratton’s big win? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post WWE Fan Favorite Finally Becomes a Champion on SmackDown appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Those who tuned into AEW Dynamite’s 2025 debut also got to see the show’s premiere on Max, though that wasn’t the only takeaway from Fight for the Fallen. During the episode three of AEW’s marquee stars battled it out for the chance for the #1 spot in the Casino Gauntlet, a match that included Swerve Strickland, Roderick Strong, and Jay White. Unfortunately Strickland would find himself taken out of the running by Ricochet, who announced his heel turn in brutal fashion when he stabbed Strickland in the head with a pair of scissors, and that was only the beginning.

Strickland was balancing on the barricade before kicking White to the floor, and then Ricochet came from out of nowhere and grabbed Strickland from over the barricade. Ricochet pulled him towards the wall and then stabbed him in the forehead with a pair of gold scissors, sending Strickland to the floor.

Ricochet wasn’t done though, and he hopped the barricade to continue his attack. Strickland was already opened up and bleeding from the first wound, but Ricochet then struck his forehead multiple times with the scissors to open the wound up even more. At this point Strickland was bleeding everywhere and reeling, and Ricochet then got him in the ring.

Ricochet had blood all over his shirt and then sat down near Strickland to taunt him. It is clear that Ricochet has fully stepped into the villain role with this attack, and didn’t take kindly to Swerve and the AEW fans taking shots at him and making fun of him over the past few weeks. In Ricochet’s revenge tour, Swerve looks to be the first victim.

[RELATED: AEW Fans Upset by Surprise Ads on Max Dynamite Debut]

Things have progressed rather quickly over the past few weeks for Ricochet. A few weeks ago you could see the beginnings of a more heel-like character, but things really moved forward after the attack from the Hurt Syndicate. That made Ricochet look incredibly weak, and the toilet paper rolls that would follow in subsequent appearances, including his loss to Okada at Worlds End, didn’t help.

At every step there was Strickland, taking shots at Ricochet and letting him know that he would be there if he lost in these opportunities to take him down another peg. Ricochet seems to have taken that to heart, and now he is in full payback mode on Swerve. Perhaps we’ll also see him take some additional payback on Okada and Bobby Lashley, but for now his focus seems to be Swerve.

What did you think of Ricochet’s actions? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post Ricochet Stabs AEW Star with Scissors in Brutal Heel Turn on Dynamite appeared first on ComicBook.com.

A new era of AEW began with tonight’s Dynamite, which not only aired live on TBS as usual but also made its streaming debut on Max as well. Those who tuned in were greeted by Dynamite’s new intro (featuring The Pointer Sisters) and a much brighter presentation in the ring. Fans were delighted by the streaming quality on Max, but one thing they weren’t delighted by was the fact that the episode featured commercials and ads. That’s par for the course on an ad-based plan, but for those paying for ad-free plans, you can understand why still getting commercials was frustrating.

Those who watch live on TBS are used to seeing picture in picture when it’s time for a commercial break, allowing you keep up with the action even if it’s on a smaller screen. Sites like Fite TV on the other hand actually stay with the action throughout the break, so now fans will need to weigh some things when choosing which platform to watch AEW on.

Fans weren’t exactly happy about the development, with many asking why they decided to not do picture in picture, as commercials and ads just take up the whole screen. Bluesky user @starhound.bsky.social wrote, “Welp. I was hyped about #aewdynamite on Max But they’re doing actual commercials instead of staying with the match like Fite TV does So guess we stick with Fite”.

@silkyzubat.bsky.social was one of several annoyed that they still have ads on the ad-free plan, writing, “I’m not surprised, but I am gonna complain about having ads on my ad free version of Max.” @teecozee.bsky.social echoed many sentiments, writing “Wait, so Max has full ads while TBS has Picture in Picture? Not cool. Not cool at all. #AEWDynamite”

[RELATED: AEW’s Pay-Per-Views Now Available on TrillerTV]

@shamemonster.bsky.social agreed, writing, “Uh… commercial free ain’t commercial free? Not cool. #AEWDynamite #AEWonMAX”. This wasn’t announced ahead of time so many were surprised, including @fixurheartordie.bsky.social, who wrote, “Well, we know if there’s commercials or not on the Max feed now, RIP. #AEWDynamite ”.

We’ll have to wait and see if this is something that stays or ends up changing, and we’ll keep you posted. The good news is that the stream hasn’t had any issues so far and the picture looks great, so while ads are certainly annoying if you are paying for ad-free, those positives might still be worth it enough to stick with Max.

What did you think of AEW’s debut on Max? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post AEW Fans Upset by Surprise Ads on Max Dynamite Debut appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Now that 2025 is here, it’s time for AEW and WWE’s transition to streaming. Beginning today, January 1st, AEW will be simulcast on Max for the first time since being founded six years ago. The app will also house their back catalog and for now that includes episodes of AEW Dynamite from 2019 as well as various pay-per-views. Fans have been clamoring for AEW to get a streaming deal for years. While AEW and Warner Bros. Discovery have made it clear it’ll be a slow rollout, it’s definitely a decent start.

On January 6th WWE Raw is moving to Netflix but you don’t have to wait to consume new WWE content. There are multiple programs to sink your teeth into including Best of Raw 2024, RAW Vault, RAW Classics and more.

“From TBS and TNT, AEW every week doesn’t really change the way the fans watch the show, but it’s going to open things up and create possibilities for new fans, people that cut the cord and didn’t have cable,” AEW President Tony Khan told Fightful. “It’s a great way to reach the wrestling fans who have been watching on TBS and TNT for years. They can still do that for years to come.

[RELATED: Queen of the Ring Trailer: Emily Bett Rickards Transforms Into Mildred Burke]

It also signifies the future of pro wrestling. Wrestling is always on the forefront of entertainment, whether it’s broadcast TV, cable TV, satellite, closed-circuit pay-per-view, and still to this day, pro wrestling on pay-per-view. Looking at the different mediums for pro wrestling, streaming to me is the future of all entertainment. It’s important AEW has a foothold in that.”

The first AEW Dynamite on Max includes Julia Hart’s return match against Jamie Hayter, a fall-out match from Worlds End between “Hangman” Adam Page and Orange Cassidy, The Hurt Syndicate vs. The Acclaimed, an announcement from Jeff Jarrett, and more.

For the first WWE Raw on Netflix episode, fans can expect a PLE level show, at least in terms of the card. CM Punk and Seth Rollins will lock up with one another for the first time. Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa are battling for ownership of the sacred Ula Fala and the title of Tribal Chief, and Rhea Ripley challenges Liv Morgan. Additionally, Drew McIntyre will be in singles action against Jey Uso.

Stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on AEW and WWE.

The post WWE and AEW Fans Can Finally Watch Their Favorites on Streaming in 2025 appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Booker T is set to compete in his wrestling promotion Reality of Wrestling in the new year. The WWE Hall of Famer faced off against Zilla Fatu, an independent wrestler with ties to WWE’s Bloodline as he’s the son of Umaga.

Booker hasn’t stepped inside a ring to wrestle publicly since 2023 when he made his shocking return in the Royal Rumble. “You know, I think that spot was a great swan song for me doing it at that time, it was one of those unexpected entries,” Booker told Insight with Chris Van Vliet. “It was a moment, it’s kind of hard to really create those moments, duplicate those kind of moments, replicate that. So I think Rumble for me, I’m not looking to do anymore.”

As for retiring? He doesn’t view himself as fully retired as he’s made several appearances in ROW and he clearly intends to keep doing so. “Well, I’m never gonna retire. I’m definitely gonna get back in the ring at some point in time to do something. But it’s gonna be here, in Reality of Wrestling, or in Saudi [laughs].”

[RELATED: Young Bucks Were Forced to Pivot AEW Title Reign Due to NXT]

The match between Booker and Zilla is set for the January 11th Reality of Wrestling show. The Hall of Fame wrestler, now 59, hasn’t wrestled a singles match since 2019 but has kept himself in great shape.

Additionally, he’s kept himself busy in wrestling-adjacent roles. Alongside his commentating duties in NXT, earlier this year he revealed he’s working to adapt his story to film. This would follow in the footsteps of A24’s highly-rated The Iron Claw. That led the the way for other wrestling and fighting movies to come to fruition, like Queen of the Ring starring several AEW and WWE talent, and Dwayne Johnson’s The Smashing Machine.

Zilla is a rising star in independent wrestling, having wrestled for some of the biggest companies on the circuit. Game Changer Wrestling parted ways with the 25-year-old earlier this year, stating they’d “reached an impasse” and wouldn’t be working with him again for the foreseeable future.

The ROW brand recently became one of WWE’s inclusions in the WWE ID program. It will help develop independent wrestlers in hopes of finding the next generation of stars to sign. Alongside ROW, the Rhodes family’s Nightmare Factory and Seth Rollins’ Black and Brave are among the other schools involved.

Stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on WWE, AEW, and more.

The post WWE Hall of Famer Booker T Announces In-Ring Return appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Former AEW World Tag Team Champions the Young Bucks are opening up about how an NXT storyline forced them to change their EVP storyline. Matthew and Nicholas Jackson have been the heels for the better part of 2024, first taking over AEW with Jack Perry and Kazuchika Okada. They took out Tony Khan and eventually won their third set of Tag Titles, once again holding the record for most title reigns.

As their reign progressed, they became increasingly “lazier” on television which was by their design, and they hoped to do some sort of roulette. The objective was to spotlight teams in the division and have that be how they lost the championships. However … it didn’t quite work out that way.

How WWE NXT Impacted The Young Bucks’ Title Reign

“Originally, I wanted to do something called the Elite Roulette, or the EVP Roulette, and I wanted to spin a wheel every week. Whoever it landed on randomly, they’d have to come out and wrestle us right then and there, and we’d have to do a title defense,” Nicholas said on Tunnel Talk. “I wanted to do it every week, and we would never know who it was going to be. In the back, we would have a shot of 12 tag teams in the back all ready to go and that name gets picked, they come out, and we do the match.” Nick went on to say that in the end, they had a specific team in mind that they wanted to squash them in five seconds. According to Fightful Select, The Outrunners were considered for that spot.

“We were going to do this, this was set in stone. Then one day I think it was Sonjay [Dutt] sends us a text and goes, ‘hey, about your idea…’ and he sends me a thing, I guess NXT was doing a spin the wheel, make a deal thing,’” Matt added. “It started that week, and we were like, dang. It was one of those situations, I was so excited for this idea to pay off, to fight four or five random teams and finally drop the titles in five seconds, and I had to just give it up and go, ‘okay, that idea’s not gonna happen.’ And it hurt.”

Instead, they faced Private Party back in October — their third outing this year — and dropped the titles to them. The homegrown AEW team is in their first reign as champions. Their first defense came at AEW Full Gear in a four-way match against Kings of the Black Throne, The Acclaimed, and The Outrunners.

Stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on AEW.

The post Young Bucks Were Forced to Pivot AEW Title Reign Due to NXT appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Over the last few weeks, WWE has been airing vignettes across their programming that tease the debut of former AEW star Penta El Zero Miedo. What began as a simple zero with a slash through it has become a visual of his mask.

Penta was considered an AEW original alongside his younger brother Rey Fenix in the Lucha Bros. tag team. The two became AEW Tag and Trios Champions during their tenure but Penta recently departed the company. Fenix still has a lot of time added to his deal due to injuries.

The legendary luchador recently appeared in Mexico’s AAA to announce that he’d be “taking time off” to determine his next step. At that point, rumors had been swirling that he’d be heading to WWE sooner than later.

When previously addressing his future, he noted his “present” was with AEW, with no mention of his future. Soon after, Fightful Select confirmed that Penta’s AEW contract at the beginning of December, coincidentally around the time the vignettes began.

[RELATED: WWE Raw: CM Punk and Seth Rollins Reference AEW in Heated Promo Battle]

As for Fenix, his AEW journey as of late has gone pretty sour. He’s been cryptically airing his grievances with his employer across social media, blasting them for alleged “inhumane treatment.” He last wrestled for AEW in July, facing off against Tony Nese. In the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer claims that Penta and Fenix felt stagnant in AEW and knew that WWE was interested in signing them too.

Whenever Fenix finishes up in AEW the natural next step would be to join his brother in WWE where they can restore their tag team glory. The WWE tag team division is sorely lacking and they don’t have many luchador-style tag teams on the roster. Tapping into that market will diversify the product and give wrestlers more opportunities in and out of Mexico.

Penta’s apparent arrival comes while WWE is entering a new era, at least where WWE Raw is concerned. The flagship show will stream for the first time on Netflix beginning next week, opening WWE up to an even wider audience. The Netflix debut features a first-time match between CM Punk and Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa in Tribal Combat, Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley, an appearance from John Cena, and much more. Tune into the action on January 6th beginning at 8 p.m. EST.

Stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on WWE.

The post WWE Teases Debut of Former AEW Champion Weeks After Departure appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Ahead of their match at the WWE Raw Netflix premiere next week, Seth Rollins and CM Punk met in the ring for one last war of words.

The two men haven’t kept their disdain for one another a secret, especially Rollins who has promised to “remove the cancer” (Punk) since the day he re-signed with WWE. Of course, this is a reference to Punk’s time in AEW as many reports at the time claimed he was a “cancer” in the locker room. This time around Rollins held nothing back as he attacked Punk’s past. He referenced his appearance on Colt Cabana’s podcast when he left WWE and that he took money from the competition (AEW).

Punk reminded the former World Heavyweight Champion that he had issues with upper management at the time (that being Vince McMahon) and the former WWE Chairman loved Rollins. He says he got hit with a lot of arrows on his way out the door and now he’s going to jam them down Rollins’ throat. Ouch.

[RELATED: WWE Reveals Epic Ladder Match for Royal Rumble, One Superstar Walks Out with Two Titles]

WWE Raw on Netflix Premiere

The WWE Raw premiere is shaping up to be on par with a Premium Live Event. Punk and Rollins aren’t the only marquee match. SmackDown‘s own Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa will lock up in a Tribal Combat match for ownership of the Ula Fala and the Tribal Chief moniker. Rhea Ripley is challenging Liv Morgan for the Women’s World Championship one last time and it’s got a Last Woman Standing stipulation.

Something tells me Ripley won’t be walking out of the Intuit Dome empty-handed. Drew McIntyre vs. Jey Uso was also made official. McIntyre has been going after anyone remotely associated with Punk and Reigns. He recently defeated Sami Zayn on WWE Raw. Not only that, it has been confirmed that John Cena will kick off his 2025 retirement tour in the building.

Whether that means a match, a declaration in the Royal Rumble, or setting up an angle remains to be seen but anytime Cena gets in the ring it draws eyes. Award-winning rapper Travis Scott will also be in attendance. His music is the official theme of WWE Raw but he was personally invited by WWE CCO Paul “Triple H” Levesque to attend.

The action will stream live on Netflix for fans globally beginning at 8 p.m. ET on January 6th. Stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on WWE.

The post WWE Raw: CM Punk and Seth Rollins Reference AEW in Heated Promo Battle appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Julia Hart’s got her sights set on TBS Champion Mercedes Moné. The former titleholder recently returned to AEW after suffering an injury earlier this year. She took time off to recover when she dropped the championship to Willow Nightingale in April.

Now that she’s back she’s already targeted former AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter for AEW Dynamite: Fight For The Fallen. If she can defeat her, it’ll put her on track to being back on top of the division once again. Hart clarified this in a new interview with Variety, explaining her attack on Hayter a few weeks ago. “She just had a great comeback, so I gotta show my comeback is gonna be better than hers. Taking out the locker room one by one, and sorry, Jamie, you’re first.”

“Definitely Mercedes (Moné), she has my title,” Hart said in response to some of her targets now that she’s back. “Probably Willow (Nightingale) too, she took the belt from me. I’ve never worked with Mariah (May), I’ve never worked with Toni (Storm). I would love to work with Serena Deeb, I think she’s someone I could learn a lot from in the ring.”

[RELATED: Queen of the Ring Trailer: Emily Bett Rickards Transforms Into Mildred Burke]

Hayter and Hart aren’t the only women that have made recent comebacks. Storm is also on that list. She ditched the “Timeless” gimmick and returned to her roots as rocker Toni, but she seems to have a case of amnesia. While she’s been in AEW for years now, she believes she’s only just debuted and doesn’t recall the last year. Regardless, she’s tied up with May for the time being.

Moné has been TBS Champion since AEW Double or Nothing in May. Her most recent successful title defense was against Kris Statlander at AEW Worlds End which many thought stole the show. Her next challenger could be determined at Wrestle Dynasty in just a week’s time. A female representative from STARDOM, AEW, ROH, and CMLL will battle for a future title shot of their choosing. The four women include Persephone, Athena, Nightingale, and Momo Watanabe.

The AEW women’s division is finally getting some real momentum behind it as the roster becomes stronger. These huge returns restore a feeling that was sorely missed. Hopefully in 2025, AEW will continue to ride this wave with bigger stories, longer matches, and new signings.

Stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on AEW.

The post Julia Hart Names AEW Champion as Future Target appeared first on ComicBook.com.

2024 has been a whirlwind of a year for AEW star Kris Statlander, and tonight at Worlds End she has a chance to kick off cap it off in grand style. Statlander will have an opportunity to reclaim the TBS Championship at Worlds End, and to do that she’ll need to take down the CEO Mercedes Mone, an opponent she is quite familiar with. That’s because at Full Gear the two stars delivered an epic match that has become one of the favorites in both of their careers. ComicBook had a chance to speak to Statlander ahead of their rematch, and in addition to the rivalry with Mone we also discussed the possibility of a Women’s Continental Classic, her dream All In Texas scenario, and her shift from heel to babyface and the challenges that came with it.

First though we had to talk about the match at Full Gear, which brought out the best in both stars. For Statlander, the match showcased what each of them bring to the ring, and that’s part of why it will continue to be so special.

“I mean, I think we kind of really played to each other’s strengths in a way, and it’s hard to always find someone that you can wrestle that will do that and will compliment that for you. And I think that’s kind of what made the match so special, is that we really showcased who we are against each other,” Statlander said. “There’s a lot of really great things about that match and I’m so honored to have been the one to put on that performance. But yeah, I think it’s as simple as that.”

Mone has called that match one of the best in her career, and Statlander feels the same way, noting that trust between the two was a major factor in creating that phenomenal moment. “I mean, it’s such an honor and it’s something that I don’t, I don’t take lightly because I never would give myself the credit of being that person. It’s always two people in a match. It’s never just on me to perform and pull like a great match out of somebody. Not that it’s like it was me that pulled a great match out of her, but it’s just, we were just two people that found each other in the right spot in wrestling,” Statlander said. “I trusted her, she trusted me, and we were just able to put on something incredible. And it’s, she says it’s one of her best matches of her career. Obviously, it’s one of my best matches in my career and it’s one of my favorites. It’s one of those things I’ll never forget.”

[RELATED:AEW’s Willow Nightingale Discusses Deeply Personal Feud with Kris Statlander]

We actually spoke to Statlander before the rematch was confirmed for Worlds End, but even then she was thinking about what a second collision would be like, noting some lessons learned from their first encounter if the opportunity or a second match-up arrived. “Definitely not a closed book. Hopefully I get another chance at redemption. You know, she really went for my leg, took advantage of that, and it’s smart, but it’s dirty, and I will just make sure that my leg is better prepared and all of me is better prepared for a round two if it should happen,” Statlander said.

While Statlander couldn’t bring down Mone in their first encounter, she did shatter the alliance between Mone and her enforcer Kamille. That partnership came to a dramatic end after Kamille quit, but it was Statlander who delivered Kamille’s first loss in AEW. That said, Statlander doesn’t hold as much against Kamille compared to Mone.

“I would say Kamille, whatever happened with her and Mercedes, it’s no fault of her own. I guess Mercedes had expectations of who she hires on as a bodyguard, so to speak, and she pushed Kamille in ways that were a little unethical, you know, trying to get her to run over people with cars, and I would be frustrated if I were her too,” Statlander said. “I mean, I think it was kind of expected. It wasn’t as cohesive as of a pairing as people or as Mercedes and Kamille hoped it would be.”

It’s been a wild journey for Statlander over the course of the year, starting out 2024 as a babyface alongside her friend Willow Nightingale. That all changed though at Double or Nothing when Statlander turned on Nightingale and aligned with Stokely Hathaway, and the two would have a big-time rivalry that led to a brutal street fight that no one will forget anytime soon.

After that though there was an unexpected pivot, and suddenly Statlander was no longer aligned with Hathaway and was instead taking on Mone, and with Mone fully in her heel era, Statlander as now the hero in the emerging rivalry. What’s perhaps most impressive is that in the span of a month AEW managed to fully shift Statlander into that more altruistic role with people fully buying in, and after Full Gear it feels like that has come full circle. Statlander understands why some were confused and even hesitant to embrace her after that winding road, but hopes that people will give her another chance over time.

“I think I was a little confused because I wasn’t really sure where my morals aligned anymore, which kind of left the fans a little bit confused. And I understand how that’s, it’s hard to be on the side of someone who hurt someone so bad, and I understand why people wouldn’t want to be on my side,” Statlander said. “But hopefully, I guess picking a big target that was pretty much a common enemy, people would see that as a trying to take down the beast in a way. So hopefully I’m starting to get people back on my side a little bit. But I, again, I understand I didn’t really clear the waters, so to speak, and that’s something I probably should do before people can really start to see the good in me again completely.”

Statlander and Mone are just two parts of an extremely talented AEW Women’s Division, and fans are always looking for ways to feature the Division more on TV and pay-per-views. Serena Deep recently brought up the idea of a Women’s Continental Classic, and Statlander is fully on board with the idea as well.

“Why would I not want more opportunities as a woman on the women’s roster? I would love anything, anything really. The Continental Classic is something, we have something we haven’t had before. We haven’t had a Battle Royal in quite a long time. More tournaments, more Gauntlets, anything. Anytime the women get a chance to really step up and show out, we always exceed expectations, and I just want to be a part of everything that you could possibly be a part of,” Statlander said.

As for 2025, AEW will hold its All In event in Texas this year, so we had to ask what a dream scenario for that big a spotlight would be for Statlander. With that big of an event on the horizon, I also wanted to know what band or musician she would love to accompany and play her to the ring in that sort of dream spot, and it would seem that there are actually some plans already in the works to make it happen.

“Oh, a type of match. I would probably do some sort of like street fight hardcore thing because there’s just so much more fun things that you can do where there’s extra weapons involved,” Statlander said. “I guess even making it, screw it, make it a Blood and Guts type deal.”

“I could not pick opponents because there’s so many girls that, you know, bring it when we do hardcore stuff. That would probably be dream scenario. And for a band, I don’t want to say because there may potentially be something in the works with a band I’m very fond of in the future. Smaller band, but one of my favorites and I don’t want to spoil it in case it comes true,” Statlander said.

AEW Worlds End will stream live on pay-per-view at 8 PM EST later tonight.

What do you want to see for Statlander in 2025? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post AEW’s Kris Statlander Teases Round 2 with Mercedes Mone, Talks Women’s Continental Classic, and More appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Last night’s WWE SmackDown closed out the main show with a showdown between Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens, but somehow even more happened after the cameras stopped rolling. When SmackDown went off air, fans got a match between Jey Uso and American Made’s Chad Gable, but that was just the prologue, as not only did fans get an attack on Uso from The Bloodline, but they also ended up getting an amazing moment featuring Jey, Braun Strowman, and Sami Zayn with the children and families of Bray Wyatt and Brodie Lee. You can watch both in the clips above and below (via Matt Kempke).

The first video (above) shows the end of the match between Jey and Gable, and Jey would get the pin and the win. The celebration was unfortunately cut short though by Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline, including Tama Tonga and Jacob Fatu. They attacked Jey and then set up a table in the corner, but that’s when Strowman and Zayn showed up to make the save, armed with chairs and kendo sticks.

Zayn got rid of Fatu with a chair shot while Strowman knocked Sikoa out of the ring with the Kendo Stick. Then Strowman lit up Tonga with strikes from the Kendo Stick before Jey put him through the table with a spear.

After the Bloodline was cleared out, Braun, Jey, and Sami stayed in the ring and revealed that the families of Bray Wyatt and Brodie Lee were in attendance. Strowman went and picked up his godson Nash and brought him into the ring while introducing Jojo and the family to the crowd.

[RELATED: WWE Reveals Epic Ladder Match for Royal Rumble, One Superstar Walks Out with Two Titles]

“I want to say thank ya’ll for the continued love and support for my family outside of here with this man. I’ve had an unbelievably rough couple of last years,” Strowman said. “I thought my career was over with my neck injury. I’ve lost two of my best friends in this industry in the last four years, and what keeps me moving and doing this every night are these kids and every single one of ya’ll give me the strength to push trough this unbelievable pain that I’m in because I freaking love this, I love them, and I love every single one of ya’ll. I wish you many many blessings in 2025, but we’re not done.”

Jey then introduce Luke Harper’s (Brodie Lee) kids and brought them into the ring, saying they had the Wyatt Family for real and then called them the next Bloodline for real. They all joined together with Jey to hit the Yeets to his theme music with the crowd, and you can watch that moment play out in the clip above as well.

These moments are always special, and our hearts continue to be with the Rotunda and Lee families.

The post Watch: WWE’s Bloodline Attacks and Superstars Share Emotional Moment with Bray Wyatt and Brodie Lee’s Kids After SmackDown Goes Off Air appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown was the final show of the 2024, and it closed out in a major way, cementing the first Championship showdown for the Royal Rumble. The Rumble is one of the biggest events of the year, and now it has its first marquee match, which will not only be a Ladder Match, but will also hold the opportunity for one superstar to walk out of the building with two Championships. The two superstars with that shot are Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and perceived Undisputed WWE Champion Kevin Owens, as Owens argues he was robbed of his Title at Saturday Night’s Main Event.

Those who tuned into Saturday Night’s Main Event know that he’s referring to when the referee was knocked out on the floor as he pinned Rhodes for well past a 3 count. That understandably enraged Owens, especially after Rhodes was able to pin him later after spiking his head on a chair with a Cross Rhodes to get the win.

Owens then stole the Winged Eagle Championship that Rhodes had brought out of retirement for one night only, and since then Owens has kept the Title and stated he is the real Champion. Tonight Owens returned to SmackDown with the Title in hand, and he demanded that SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis give him a rematch against Cody if he wanted it back.

Aldis said, “I already said that this was not a negotiation. I already said there would be severe consequences, but maybe you need me to spell it out in English. Hand it over or you never set foot in a WWE ring again.” Rhodes then came out without his neck brace and told Aldis he wasn’t about to walk away and let Owens become a martyr. He then told Owens that for as much as he complains about how the Bloodline treated him, he just did the same thing to Rhodes and Orton.

[RELATED: Rhea Ripley Wins Best Female Wrestler of 2024 (Golden Issue Awards)]

That’s when Rhodes issued a challenge, telling Owens, “Take that Championship, hang em’ high up. Kevin Owens, ladder match!” Aldis double checked with Rhodes and Rhodes was adamant, so Aldis made it official, saying, “At the Royal Rumble, Kevin Owens will face Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed Championship in a ladder match.” Owens agreed, and now with both Titles being up for grabs, one superstar will walk away with two of WWE’s most prestigious Championships.

That said, Owens couldn’t help himself, and he stomped on Rhodes’ already hurt neck several times before leaving the ring. Worthy of note here is that people were cheering Owens earlier in the segment when he said he wanted his rematch, but later fans were also behind Rhodes wanting to face Owens and get payback for Randy Orton. It will be interesting to see who gets the lion’s share of support from the Rumble crowd when the match actually goes down.

Right now this is the only confirmed match on the Rumble card aside from the traditional 30-superstar Rumble matches. We’ll likely get more confirmations for Rumble after the big debut of WWE Raw on Netflix, as that is being treated like a special event and already features several anticipated match-ups.

Who do you think will walk away the Undisputed WWE Champion? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post WWE Reveals Epic Ladder Match for Royal Rumble, One Superstar Walks Out with Two Titles appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s that time of year again when ComicBook announces the winners of our annual Golden Issue Awards honoring the best in film, television, gaming, anime, and wrestling. We are gathered here today to reveal the winner of the Best Wrestling Match for 2024 and boy were there some great contenders this year.

2024 was one of the best years for wrestling as a whole and the product reflected that across multiple companies, namely WWE and AEW. So much has happened that it feels like Sting’s retirement match against the Young Bucks at AEW Revolution happened ages ago. In reality, that was just nine months ago.

Another contender was CM Punk and Drew McIntyre’s Hell in a Cell match at Bad Blood. They had perhaps one of the greater rivalries in 2024 save for Swerve Strickland and “Hangman” Adam Page. Toni Storm’s character work this year is leaps and bounds ahead of anything she did in WWE.

That was on total display at AEW All In against Mariah May. A fitting conclusion to one of the best storylines of 2024. While none of these matches won the tallied count, we had to shout them out and give them their flowers anyway.

[RELATED: WWE Reveals New Monday Night Raw Logo for Netflix Premiere]

And the winner of the 2024 ComicBook Golden Issue Award for Best Wrestling Match is…

Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40 for the Undisputed WWE Championship!

It’s hard to articulate how big this match felt in retrospect. It was total vindication for the “Cody Crybabies” as The Rock so eloquently put it.

As someone inside the building for both nights of WrestleMania 40, it was surreal to see these two titans clash. On one hand, Reigns had undeniably made his mark on the wrestling world as one of the greatest to do it. Meanwhile, Rhodes was ready to claim his throne in the Kingdom. In the lead-up to this match, The Rock got involved and created a generational amount of drama amongst wrestling fans. Seriously, it’s been a long time since I’ve seen fans rally behind something as passionately as the #WeWantCody movement (the Rhodes Revolution, as I refer to it).

After the blunder at last year’s show, it felt like WWE had one opportunity to make this right. Fortunately, they did and it became one of the most memorable wrestling moments in history. The ghosts of Reigns’ past came back to haunt him as they helped Rhodes defeat “The Tribal Chief.” First came Jey Uso to defend Rhodes against his brother Jimmy. They’d had their singles match the night before. With Jimmy out of the picture, Solo Sikoa was next, and much like the past, The Bloodline flexed their stronghold on WWE.

Except John Cena’s music hit out of nowhere and changed everything. He has a past with Sikoa, but he also has a past with The Rock who meddled in the match. He and Cena’s rivalry was once in a lifetime, and seeing him hit the “Rock Bottom” on him again took me right back to the 2010s.

The Shield’s music blared through the speakers and despite the mass delusions of all wrestling fans who convinced themselves Jon Moxley would appear, that was not the case. (It’s me, hi, I’m the problem it’s me). Instead, Seth Rollins used it to get back in Reigns’ head, sacrificing himself for Rhodes. If that wasn’t enough, The Undertaker randomly showed up and wiped out The Rock which was completely unexpected but cool nonetheless.

Rhodes is now nearing the 300-day mark as Undisputed WWE Champion. He’s defended against everyone from his best friend Kevin Owens, former Bullet Club leader AJ Styles, Logan Paul, and Solo Sikoa. “The American Nightmare” finally getting that pin after a year of sacrifice and hard work was worth it, even if I was against it in 2023.

And hey … at least there wasn’t a rubber chicken this time.

The post Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns Wins Best Wrestling Match of 2024 (Golden Issue Awards) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

2024 was truly a year for the books in the world of wrestling, which made it quite challenging to narrow down a category like best female wrestler of the year down to just five nominees. That was only made that much more difficult when the field of 5 had to be narrowed to 1 winner, especially with so many women standing out across WWE, AEW, TNA, ROH, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and more. After everything though, there was one name that delivered time and time again over the course of the year and stood tall.

So without further ado, the winner of the Golden Issue Awards Best Female Wrestler of the Year is…

RHEA RIPLEY!

While every nominee in this category was more than deserving, it’s difficult to argue against Mami running away with it. No one was as dominant a Champion in WWE as Ripley, who ruled over Monday Night Raw with an iron fist and helped the Judgement Day remain one of WWE’s biggest factions. The only reason she lost the Title was due to injury, though Ripley was just as popular without the Championship on her shoulder.

Ripley also transcended wrestling roughout the year, breaking into mainstream popularity on several occasions, and being someone that even those who aren’t familiar with wrestling know the name of. Then big time matches against Becky Lynch, Liv Morgan, and a number of Triple Threat matches ahead of WrestleMania 40.

[RELATED: The 2024 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Awards Nominees for Wrestling]

While the injury took her out of the picture for a bit, her popularity didn’t lessen in the least, and her storyline with Dominik Mysterio and Morgan has remained a constant focus throughout the year. That drama-filled storyline has led to some truly memorable moments, both as a singles star and as part of a Tag Team with Damian Priest (as the Terror Twins). Eventually Ripley would deliver a dominating performance in the WarGames match at Survivor Series, putting her star power on display and affirming that she will continue to be one of the biggest superstars in not just WWE, but wrestling as a whole.

Now the stage is set for an even bigger 2025 for one of the best in the business, but her work in 2024 deserves plenty of praise.

Nominees:

• Jordynne Grace
• Mercedes Moné
• Willow Nightingale
• WINNER – Rhea Ripley
• Toni Storm

What was your favorite Rhea Ripley moment of the year? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post Rhea Ripley Wins Best Female Wrestler of 2024 (Golden Issue Awards) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

2024 was a truly eventful year in the world of wrestling, both in terms f the big picture and the stars delivering unforgettable moments in the ring. As you might suspect, that made it difficult to narrow down a category like best male wrestler of the year down to just five nominees, and it was even more challenging to narrow that list down to just 1 winner. After a stacked year across the industry and elite talents making their case in WWE, AEW, TNA, ROH, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and more, it came down to one name that delivered time and time again over the course of the year.

So without further ado, the winner of the Golden Issue Awards Best Male Wrestler of the Year is…

DREW MCINTYRE!

While every nominee in this category was more than deserving, it’s difficult to argue against the Scottish Warrior Drew McIntyre. McIntyre was on fire from the very beginning of the year and simply never looked back, and had some sort of memorable moment at just about every single premium live event through the year.

That included winning and losing the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40, which kicked his feud with CM Punk into overdrive and created some of the best moments of Monday Night Raw over the course of the next few months. With Punk still injured for parts of the year, McIntyre carried the feud early with some of the best promos of his career, and then when Punk was healthy, it was off to the races in the ring.

[RELATED: The 2024 ComicBook.com Golden Issue Awards Nominees for Wrestling]

McIntyre was perpetually over and delivered in big moments even when those ended in a loss, and then he took a bracelet and turned that into a storyline that you were actually invested in. He also turned in some amazing matches over the course of the year, including two vicious matches against Punk in Bash in Berlin’s Strap Match and Bad Blood’s Hell in a Cell.

Then after a brief time away, McIntyre returned to the ring in a huge spot and didn’t lose a bit of momentum, immediately having an impact on WWE’s other marquee story the Bloodline saga. It’s been a huge year for Drew McIntyre, and we can’t think of anyone more deserving of this year’s Male Wrestler of the Year Award.

Nominees:
– WINNER: Drew McIntyre
– Kazuchika Okada
– Will Ospreay
– Cody Rhodes
– Swerve Strickland

What’s been your favorite Drew McIntyre moment of the year? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post Drew McIntyre Wins Best Male Wrestler 2024 (Golden Issue Awards) appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Conor McGregor is no stranger to making news, and he did so once again after revealing a potential fight against WWE Superstar Logan Paul. After the possibility of a fight between McGregor and Ilia Topuria surfaced, McGregor said that wasn’t happening, but then also revealed he was in talks with Logan Paul on a potential fight. That then prompted Jake Paul to enter the discussion, and now rumors are swirling that Jake vs Conor is the fight that’s actually happening. SportsBetting.ag has now set the betting odds for a fight between Conor and Jake, as well as a potential fight between Conor and Logan, and there is one key takeaway from both results.

In a potential fight between Conor and Jake, the currents odds are -300 for Jake and +240 for Conor. That has Conor as a substantial underdog in a fight against Jake Paul, which leads us to the odds against Logan. In that fight, Conor is listed as +110 while Logan is at -140, so while Conor is still an underdog in the fight, it’s not as steep a deficit as the proposed fight against Jake.

The betting odds also list two more fight possibilities for Jake, and he splits the difference as far as favorites go. In a potential fight against Roy Jones Jr., Jake is at -400 while Jones Jr. is listed currently at +300. In a potential fight against Canelo Alvarez, Jake is listed as an underdog with +750, while Canelo is listed at -1500.

This all started when McGregor addressed a potential fight with Topuria. On X McGregor wrote, “The rumors of a bout with [Ilia] Topuria are false. I am in preliminary agreements with the Ambani family to face Logan Paul in a boxing exhibition in India. I have agreed. I will then seek my return to the octagon.”

[RELATED: Mike Tyson Speaks Out After Jake Paul Loss, Addresses Health]

That then drew a response from Jake, who said that he was first approached for a fight with McGregor, but he had one key stipulation. On X Jake Paul wrote, “Now it all makes sense why Conor Mcgregor & his management team have been desperately trying to get MVP to negotiate for a fight between us. As we told them privately & I’m now saying it publicly…the only way we’re willing to explore me vs Conor in a pro boxing / mma fight is if Dana White / UFC are at the table directly or make it clear they are ok with discussions. Conor is washed. Needs the Paul’s. Logan by however he wants.”

Now rumors have started swirling that the Conor vs Jake fight could be the one happening, and while Jake nor Conor have addressed or confirmed that, Jake did give a response earlier today to the possibility, teasing things with a simple “Shhh” on X. You can view the full betting odds below.

Conor McGregor +240
Jake Paul -300

Conor McGregor +110
Logan Paul -140
(Line opened Paul -150, McGregor +120)

Roy Jones Jr. +300
Jake Paul -400

Canelo Alvarez -1500
Jake Paul +750
(Line opened Paul +1000, Alvarez -2000)

Which fight do you actually want to see happen, and who is your pick to win? Let me know on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post Jake Paul vs Conor McGregor: Betting Sites Release Odds for Rumored Fight appeared first on ComicBook.com.

TNA has had a whirlwind of a year that began with TNA Hard To Kill and it all spiraled from there. From management and talent changes to their working relationship with WWE, they’re showing no signs of stopping. As 2025 approaches, recent reports have discussed long-term talents like Rhino and Steph De Lander exiting the company. TNA World Champion Nic Nemeth is one person who remains very optimistic about their future, however.

“I want to fill up these arenas for TNA because they are big ones, and we are going for it. If we back it up in the ring, then we are off and running for the next ten years. It is on us,” Nemeth told the Daily Star. “We’ve set the goals out there, we’ve laid it on the line. Now, it’s up to us to talk everyone into the arena and back it up with the footage, like hey, if you come here, this is the show you see.

“This is why it’s worth it. I’m telling you, man. The talent is unreal. We got some new signees coming in. We got a couple people leaving. It is a beautiful time to be rocking and rolling with TNA into 2025, and Genesis is gonna kick it off.”

[RELATED: Jeff Hardy Wants To Bring Iconic TNA Theme Song Back (Exclusive)]

TNA recently announced that controversial wrestler Tessa Blanchard would be making her return to the promotion after four years away. She made her official on-screen return at TNA Final Resolution to confront Jordynne Grace. After attacking her, Blanchard told backstage correspondent Gia Miller that she’s back to “take what’s hers” and remind everyone whose name TNA was built on.

Grace’s contract in TNA finishes up in the new year and if she’s heading to WWE as many predict, there aren’t many heavy hitters who could fill the void that she will leave behind. Or, at least ones that aren’t already signed to a company.

In January, TNA is hosting its Genesis pay-per-view in Dallas, Texas. Nic Nemeth will again defend against Joe Hendry who earned a title shot at Final Resolution. Nemeth has been champion since July, defeating five other men to win his first world title outside of WWE.

During his reign, he’s defended against Mustafa Ali, Josh Alexander, Eddie Edwards, AJ Francis, and Moose. Hendry previously took Nemeth to the limit at Bound for Glory but his hopes of winning a world title were crushed when WWE Hall of Famer John Layfield interfered.

H/T: WrestleZone

The post Nic Nemeth Teases TNA Signings Amidst Talent Exits appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Julia Hart will go head-to-head with a former AEW Women’s World Champion at AEW Dynamite: Fight for the Fallen.

Hart returned to last week’s Dynamite following Jamie Hayter’s match against Willow Nightingale. The two ladies fought for a spot in the Wrestle Dynasty International Women’s Cup final. The lights went dark in the arena and out came The Princess of the Black Throne, staring down Hayter. She attacked her, rolling back out of the ring to loud applause.

Following the attack, Hayter challenged the former TBS Champion to a match. AEW wasted no time confirming the match, as it will take place on the Fight for the Fallen AEW Dynamite in January. That show kicks off AEW’s streaming era with their new MAX deal. Hart’s big return match taking place here makes a lot of sense as they’re likely trying to get as many eyes and engagement as possible.

Hart is beloved amongst the AEW fanbase and has been sorely missed in the women’s division. Her last match was in April at AEW Dynasty but before that, she had been battling an injury. She was determined to make the match with Willow Nightingale go off without a hitch, dropping the title and taking some time off.

[RELATED: Queen of the Ring Trailer: Emily Bett Rickards Transforms Into Mildred Burke]

While it has yet to be announced, reports point to that show also being the long-awaited return of Adam Copeland who hasn’t wrestled since AEW Double or Nothing. He suffered an unfortunate broken tibia but was recently cleared to begin training again. The show is happening in Asheville, North Carolina, Copeland’s home base, as well as former AEW Tag Team champs FTR. Proceeds from the event will go to families displaced during Hurricane Helene earlier this year.

Back in September, Copeland explained to ComicBook that he still had quite a ways to go in his recovery. “… Getting in the ring though, I realized there’s still places to get to my full mobility back; to get my strength back and the explosion back. I still felt the deficiencies in stupid things, right? Like going under a Leapfrog. That movement — my foot still doesn’t want to go all the way there,” he said.

“So, a work in progress. Work in progress. But the thing with injuries, especially as you get up to my age, you don’t know how you’re going to heal. Are you still going to heal well? Are you still going to heal fast? Is that going to be the case? And thankfully, that still seems to be the case, at least.”

Stay tuned to ComicBook for news and updates on AEW.

The post Julia Hart’s AEW Return Set for Fight For the Fallen appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown contained a pretty big surprise towards the end of the show, and by episode’s end, a new Champion had been crowned, though not at all in the standard way. The main event of tonight’s SmackDown was a match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships, with Bianca Belair teaming up with Naomi to defend the Titles during Jade Cargill’s absence against Nia Jax and Candice LeRae. Naomi and Belair made a great team, and in the end Belair and Naomi would get the victory, and in the process Naomi officially became a Women’s Tag Team Champion. You can watch it all play out in the video below.

Naomi agreed to help out Belair in her Title defense last week, but earlier in tonight’s show Belair went to give her the other Title and Naomi said only when she earned it. Tonight that all came together brilliantly, and Naomi was a huge part of why they were able to retain the Championships, and even got the final pin on LeRae.

Naomi and Belair celebrated in the ring and then Naomi held up the Championship to make it official. While it remains to be seen what will happen when Cargill is back in action, for now Naomi and Belair are the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions moving forward, and fans couldn’t be happier that Naomi is holding Championship gold once again.

This situation developed due to an attack on Cargill that saw Jade thrown onto a car windshield. She’s been ruled out indefinitely and hasn’t been back on TV since. In storyline, there’s a major mystery regarding who attacked her, as the identity of that person hasn’t been revealed yet, though there are some theories.

[RELATED: Get Ready for 6 Hours of WWE Next Year]

One is Naomi, with the theory being that she attacked Cargill to push her out of the way and take her spot as one of the Tag Team Champions. If that is the case, it would be part of a heel turn for Naomi, and Cargill would likely reveal the truth when she returns.

The other theory is that it was Belair, and if this were true, it would also likely be part of a heel turn. If Belair was the one that attacked Cargill, she would have pushed the rising star out of the way to clear room for her friend Naomi, and she also would have been the one everyone least suspected. Granted, there is an issue with that theory, as Bianca was in the middle of a match when she learned Cargill had been attacked and had to race out of the ring, though that could be explained too.

It could also be someone else, though it also depends on what’s happening behind the scenes. There are conflicting reports regarding Cargill’s actual status, with some saying she’s really injured and others saying it’s all a work. For now it remains to be seen what is really going on, but a real injury does seem plausible, as it would be odd for WWE to cut the Title reign of one of their biggest new superstars short when they had just won them back. If it’s a great story though, then anything’s possible, but hopefully we’ll see Cargill back in action soon, making tonight’s developments all the more intriguing.

Where do you want the story to go next? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post WWE Crowns a New Champion on SmackDown appeared first on ComicBook.com.

WWE’s Monday Night Raw and SmackDown both struck new deals with new networks, but that’s far from the only change being made. Monday Night Raw will move to Netflix starting in January of 2025, airing its last few episodes of 2024 on USA Network. Meanwhile SmackDown has already moved to USA Network, but in 2025 it will also make a major change, as WWE’s where to watch page reveals that at the start of the year, SmackDown will shift to a 3 hour show.

While WWE Raw has been 3 hours for quite some time, SmackDown has traditionally been 2 hours, and for a long time that was seen as a good thing, with many pointing out how Raw dragged at times due to the length of the show. Over the past year though Raw has become a much better show, and the move to Netflix will keep the 3 hour runtime in tact.

With SmackDown moving to USA Network, it seems that a 3 hour show was part of the discussion, and USA is already used to it as the home of Monday Night Raw for so long. Now both shows will be 3 hours long, so fans will have 6 hours of WWE content each and every week, and that’s not even counting the 2 hours of NXT every week on The CW and special events like Saturday Night’s Main Event.

The WWE where to watch page reveals that the new 3 hour format will start in WWE’s stop in Phoenix, Arizona. The description reads, “SmackDown continues to air on USA Network every Friday night at 8/7 C in the U.S. At the start of 2025, SmackDown will expand to three hours starting with the Jan. 3 episode from Phoenix, Arizona.’

[RELATED: Triple H Gets Into Fight With WWE Superstar After Cody Rhodes Teases Heel Turn]

That will be a huge week for WWE, kicking off 2025 with the premiere on Netflix for Raw, the 3 hour premiere of SmackDown on USA, and the special event episode of NXT New Year’s Evil. WWE is very much treating the Raw Netflix premiere as a blockbuster event, having already booked Roman Reigns vs Solo Sikoa in a match of Tribal Combat. There are also Title matches in the mix, with the big one being Liv Morgan vs Rhea Ripley, and there are surely other additions to come before the big night rolls around.

As for SmackDown, the build to the Royal Rumble will be a major focus, especially in regards to Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens, who have been feuding over the past month and half. Randy Orton will likely figure back into this story at some point, and then there’s the story of Rhodes vs Orton that people will also want to see at some point, so perhaps that is also kicked off in a big way at or after the Rumble.

So WWE fans, what do you think of SmackDown moving to 3 hours? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post Get Ready for 6 Hours of WWE Next Year appeared first on ComicBook.com.

It’s been a while since AEW fans had the chance to chant the name of Kenny Omega, but that all changed on tonight’s AEW Dynamite. During the Holiday Bash episode of AEW Dynamite, AEW teased the long-awaited return of Omega to AEW Television, but they didn’t just mention it on commentary and leave it at that. Instead, they talked about his upcoming match in Tokyo and then revealed a full video package for the Elite star, which had the crowd so hyped they thought he was in the building. His return is being teased as happening very soon, which is going to make plenty of AEW fans over the moon.

The vignette highlighted his many accomplishments in AEW before ending with his logo, and then Excalibur took it from there and added some details of his own. “Kenny Omega coming back soon to AEW. I can’t wait to see the reaction for him, to have that homecoming in Tokyo, but even more looking forward to his homecoming here in All Elite Wrestling.”

Omega will be making his return to the ring for the first time in a year at Wrestle Dynasty, where he will face NJPW Strong Champion Gabe Kidd after issuing a challenge at Power Struggle. Many were surprised to see Omega return at an event that wasn’t a straight-up AEW event, though AEW is involved with Wrestle Dynasty along with CMLL, Ring of Honor, and Stardom.

His return match at Wrestle Dynasty is set for January 5th, so his full-time AEW return would likely happen after that date. That of course depends on what happens after the match, as if there’s a long program involved that could push Omega’s return to AEW out a bit, but we’ll just have to wait and see.

[RELATED: Kenny Omega Spotted Training for AEW Return With Kota Ibushi]

Omega did reveal the reasoning behind his return at Power Struggle and why he chose to jump in the ring at Wrestle Dynasty, stating in an interview with Fightful that he felt there was a debt to New Japan as well as a lack of urgent need for him in AEW.

“The way I look at it is that a lot of people, not only in Japan, but internationally, never knew who I was until I did big things in New Japan, so I really do owe New Japan a gigantic thank you,” Omega told Fightful. “I do feel that there’s a debt I have to repay in some way, shape, form or fashion. I think that by performing at the Tokyo Dome, by making my comeback at the Tokyo Dome is a way to help repay that.”

“If it can help something for their business, then I’m more than happy to do that. I’m sure naturally the next question is, ‘Well, why not AEW first?’ That is the company that I helped create. That is the company that I’m contracted to. It makes sense,” Omega said. “It’s tough to answer because, why not AEW? There’s nothing wrong with AEW at all. If you watch any of the episodes of our TV recently, everything is flowing like clockwork right now. I feel like there’s a spot for all of the hard working men and women that are on those shows.”

“They’ve all worked incredibly hard to earn their spots and keep their spots,” Omega said. “I feel like if I just kind of showed up and said, ‘Hey guys, I’m back, so one of you is going to have to, you know.’ I don’t want to be that guy. I feel like when there’s an opportunity again, when there’s a chance, sure, I’d love to be back if you guys can have me, but right now, I feel like AEW has got a good thing going. I don’t think they need me, so I will make my return to New Japan instead, for now.”

Are you excited for Omega’s AEW return? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Bluesky @KnightofOA!

The post AEW Teases Star’s Long Awaited Return to TV appeared first on ComicBook.com.

Liv Morgan will defend the Women’s World Championship for the historic WWE Raw on Netflix premiere.

Morgan has been in a nonstop feud with former Women’s World Champion Rhea Ripley since April of this year. After sidelining Ripley with a shoulder injury after her WrestleMania 40 defense, she was forced to vacate the title. This opened the door for Morgan on her “revenge tour” to take everything from Ripley as she said. That started with the championship which she defeated Becky Lynch to win. Then, she secured her group, the Judgment Day (namely Dirty Dom).

She’s been a thorn in Ripley’s side ever since she returned during WWE SummerSlam in August. They’ve feuded across several Premium Live Events but Ripley has yet to win back the title she lost. Most of that has been due to interference as Ripley showed at Survivor Series that when it’s just those two, Morgan can’t beat her.

Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan Set for WWE Raw Netflix Premiere

[RELATED: Queen of the Ring Trailer: Emily Bett Rickards Transforms Into Mildred Burke]

Ripley was named the #1 contender for the title this past week and during a WWE Netflix event, it was confirmed the two women will go head-to-head again on the Raw debut. As things got increasingly heated, Ripley’s comments could indicate a stipulation being added at a later date.

“Personally, I think that Rhea Ripley is the biggest most pathetic loser that we have on the roster,” Morgan recently told Unlikely with Adrian Hernandez. “I think all you people that love Rhea and that wanna come for me and Dominik, I think that you guys are also losers, and you’re probably ugly and have no lives. You’re jealous of me and Dom because we’re the hottest, most iconic, most dominant, most historic couple in WWE history, and you’re just mad because Rhea could not live up to that.”

Thus far, two other matches have been announced. First, Roman Reigns will get his singles match with Solo Sikoa. Reigns looks to defeat Sikoa once and for all and reclaim the Ula Fala he stole. Additionally, CM Punk and Seth Rollins will go to battle after months of talking smack about one another. Aside from matches, Travis Scott (whose music is the theme of WWE Raw), John Cena, and Bianca Belair will attend.

WWE Raw debuts on Netflix on January 6th. Stay tuned to ComicBook for updates on WWE.

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The trailer for the highly anticipated women’s wrestling film chronicling the early years of the sport, Queen of the Ring, has arrived.

Based on Jeff Leen’s book of the aforementioned name, the film follows one of wrestling’s most unforgettable names, Mildred Burke (Emily Bett Rickards), the film takes viewers back in time to when women’s wrestling was illegal all over the country. Per the synopsis, “a small-town single mother embraces the danger to change culture as she dominates America’s most masculine sport to become the first million-dollar female athlete in history.”

Not only does the film star some incredible Hollywood stars, but professional wrestlers as well. AEW stars Toni Storm, Kamille, and Britt Baker play June Byers, Clara Mortensen, and Debbie Nichols, respectively while WWE’s Naomi plays Ethel Johnson, the first African-American Women’s Champion. Additionally, Francesca Eastwood comes to life as another women’s wrestling icon, Mae Young.

Burke’s grasp on the professional wrestling world spanned 20 years, holding the NWA World Women’s Championship for nearly all of them. She began her career wrestling men at carnivals and out of the 200 men she faced, only one ever defeated her. She was trained by Billy Wolfe (Tyler Posey) who became her partner before they separated due to his infidelity.

[RELATED: WWE Crowns First Ever Women’s United States Champion]

Written by Ash Avildsen, Queen of the Ring is produced by Aimee Schoof, Isen Robbins, BD Gunnell, and Jim Ross. Other cast members include Emily Bett – Rickards Josh Lucas Marie Avgeropolous, Deborah Ann Woll, Cara Buono, Adam Demos, Martin Kove, Kelli Berglund, Damaris Lewis, Gavin Casalegno, and Walton Goggins. It also guest stars Jim Cornette and Mickie James.

Professional wrestling has become a hot commodity in Hollywood following the release of The Iron Claw from A24. That film follows the Von Erich family who left an unforgettable mark on the wrestling industry for better and worse.

Not only that, Netflix grabbed the attention of millions earlier this year with the release of Mr. McMahon, a documentary series diving deeper into wrestling’s most controversial man and his many scandals. Earlier this year WWE legend Booker T revealed he’s adapting his own story to screen.

Queen of the Ring hits theaters in March 2025.

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