From WWE’s Raw moving to Netflix, AEW’s TV shows coming to Max, the farewell tours for two of the most consequential wrestlers of the 21st century, and more high-profile supershows than I can count, I’m extremely excited for wrestling in 2025. Here are the five things I’m most looking forward to…

Monday Night Raw's Netflix Debut Feels Like The Start Of A New Era

For the first time in its 30-plus-year history, Monday Night Raw won’t be on cable come January 6, 2025. Instead of needing a cable package, the only requirement for watching WWE’s flagship show is an active Netflix subscription, which feels like a seismic shift in the way we watch wrestling. And, I couldn’t be more excited.

I know that the golden rule of wrestling is “card subject to change” and that any promotion for the upcoming event doesn’t mean everything teased is going to happen, but those WWE ads hyping up the Netflix debut are working for me. With a stacked card that includes a match between Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa, Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley tearing it up and a main event bout between CM Punk and Seth Rollins, this feels more like an upcoming WWE premium live event than a weekly TV show. Not only does this feel like the start of a new year, but also the beginning of a new era, and I can’t wait to see where it goes.

AEW's Weekly Shows Are Coming To Max (With PPVs To Follow)

Though AEW’s two big weekly shows – Dynamite and Collision – will still be broadcast on TBS and TNT, respectively, moving forward, 2025 is bringing some massive changes to the way we watch the promotion. Starting with the January 1, 2025, episode of Dynamite, anyone with a Max subscription will be able to watch the popular two-hour wrestling show, with Collision following on Saturday, January 4, 2025.

Warner Bros. Discovery and AEW announced what has been called the “new era of wrestling on TNT, TBS, and Max” in a December 2024 press release that ironed out a lot of the details. After going through the announcement, I’m honestly more excited about AEW than I’ve been in a long time. On top of that, upcoming AEW pay-per-view events will also be available to stream later in 2025, but the company has yet to announce any of the pricing information at this point.

In the meantime, I can’t wait to go back through the robust library of episodes of Dynamite, Collison, Rampage, and all those pay-per-view events from 2019-2024 on Max.

We're Not Even On The Road To WrestleMania 41 Yet, But There's So Much Momentum Heading Into Las Vegas

The Road to WrestleMania doesn’t officially kick off until the Royal Rumble, but I feel like the company already has a ton of momentum heading into the start of the new year. With WrestleMania 41 a little more than three months away, WWE is cooking at a level that hasn’t been seen in years, if not decades. I can’t wait to see what the company does with all this momentum and goodwill it’s built with the fans over the past couple of years; I think the April 2025 “Showcase of the Immortals” could be the biggest of all time.

With some promising match possibilities, John Cena wrestling his final WrestleMania match, a possible return of The Rock, and CM Punk potentially main-eventing for the first time in his career (something he’s wanted for a long time), and one of the best WWE rosters I’ve seen in years, there’s a lot to be excited about. Also, considering that the previous two WrestleManias were called two of the best shows in the event’s decades-long history, I don’t see the 41st “Granddaddy of Them All” being any different when WWE takes over Sin City in the spring.

John Cena And Hiroshi Tanahashi Are Both Kicking Off Their Farewell Tours

John Cena and Hiroshi Tanahashi, two of the most successful, transformative, and beloved wrestlers of the 21st century, are both planning epic farewell tours throughout 2025 before bringing their respective careers to an end. Though I am excited to see who Cena faces on his way out and how Tanahashi will handle his final year of in-ring work before hanging up his boots for good at the January 4, 2026 Tokyo Dome show, it’s overwhelmingly bittersweet.

John Cena’s Farewell Tour

After dropping hints about his future in the early part of the summer, John Cena announced at Money in the Bank 2024 that he was in the final stretch of his unparalleled in-ring career. A final match has not yet been announced, but the wrestler-turned-actor is focusing his efforts on wrestling in 2025, which means we’ll be seeing a lot of him these next 12 months. I’m hoping for some dream matches, callbacks to his past, and other exciting moments before Cena finally calls it a day.

Hiroshi Tanahashi’s Final Year

Hiroshi Tanahashi, who is pretty much the New Japan Pro Wrestling equivalent to John Cena, is also kicking off a farewell tour before he brings his 26-year in-ring career to an end in early 2026. Tanahashi broke the news to the world in an October 2024 press conference (via NJPW’s X account), where he announced January 4, 2026 was the “finish line” for his career. That means we have 12 months to see the homegrown star take on opponents both old and new, including a highly-anticipated bout against EVIL at Wrestle Kingdom 19 in January 2025.

With Wrestle Kingdom 19, SummerSlam, And All In: Texas, There Are Some BIG Shows That Have My Attention

One thing I’m most excited about heading into the new year is the staggering number of massive shows we’ll be seeing throughout the year. On top of the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania 41 in February and April, respectively, all the major promotions are hosting at least one BIG stadium show before the end of the year.

Wrestle Kingdom 19, essentially NJPW’s version of WrestleMania, will be the 34th annual January 4 show from the Tokyo Dome, and has an incredible card. If you’re not familiar with NJPW, or Japanese wrestling in general, this is something worth checking out. With Zack Sabre Jr. defending his IWGP Heavyweight Championship against Shota Umino, Hiroshi Tanahashi in his penultimate Tokyo Dome match against EVIL, and eight other bouts, this is going to be great. And then there’s the Wrestle Dynasty supershow (NJPW, AEW, CMLL, Ring of Honor, Stardom) with 11 more matches the next day.

The previous two All In events have been from London, but AEW is bringing its big end-of-summer event to the United States for the first time since the inaugural event in 2018. Nothing’s been announced, but All In: Texas at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, is going to be huge on July 12, 2025.

Then there’s the two-night SummerSlam, the first of its kind, which WWE is bringing to MetLife Stadium on August 2 and 3. I can’t wait to see how WWE stacks this card, especially with Cena in the mix.

All in all, I think 2025 is going to be one hell of a year to be a wrestling fan.

While it may seem like WWE is capturing a lot of the major headlines as of late, many still remain stoked about AEW's future. That's with good reason, especially if this report truly hints at these three superstars, who never really got as much shine as they deserved in their former company, potentially lacing their boots up for Tony Khan's organization when their respective non-compete contracts are up. Let's take a closer look.

The WWE Vets Spotted Backstage At AEW's Worlds End PPV

It was reported by Fightful Select that former WWE wrestlers Tyler Breeze, Baron Corbin, and Top Dolla from Hit Row were all backstage during Worlds End, likely just to watch all the exciting matches that unfolded (via WrestlingInc.com). But could this mean that one, two or all three are headed to AEW to get a shot at thriving among its ranks?

It's a great question, as many were quick to point out Breeze is technically still employed by the WWE as a host for its gaming channel UpUpDownDown, so it's unclear if he could technically join AEW as an in-ring personality at this time. Top Dolla was released back in 2023, however, so he'd presumably be good to go.

As for Baron Corbin, he was released by WWE in November, and with the standard non-compete clause being 90 days, he would likely not be available until sometime in Spring 2025. Assuming he and the others are interested, of course.

Why I'm Most Excited To See Baron Corbin Possibly Return To The Ring

While I'd be happy to see any of those guys in AEW, I can't help but hope we'll see Baron Corbin get another shot in a major organization in 2025. I wanted to see him get a major title run in the WWE for a while, so when he was released, I couldn't help but feel the company dropped the ball big time. He was a great in-ring performer, and his comedic talents could have helped him shoot much higher up the main roster than he ever achieved.

Not only could AEW do more with Baron Corbin, but he had already teed himself up ahead of his arrival to work with one of the brand's biggest stars. MJF and Baron Corbin have had a handful of exchanges on X over the years, and if you're looking to make a splash in the wrestling organization, he's the guy to work with. Even the WWE, as much as it likes to dismiss AEW, has had its eyes on MJF for a long time, so this could be big for Corbin if he is indeed coming to AEW.

Of course, I'm speculating a lot here. I don't even know if AEW has plans to sign Baron Corbin, let alone if there are plans to have him work with MJF. All of that said, I wouldn't be surprised to see it happen, and if there's one person I think deserves a second chance at being a wrestling superstar, it's him.

CinemaBlend is keeping an eye on both AEW and WWE as we head into 2025, and it should be another exciting year in pro wrestling. Here's hoping it's just as exciting for these three men, and that they won't continue to be spotted backstage at events unless they're also performing.

WWE has a great problem on its hands. There are way too many hot characters and big names right now to put everyone in a main event at WrestleMania. You could make at least a halfway decent case for each of Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, The Rock, Drew McIntyre, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, John Cena and Gunther to close one of the nights of the ‘Mania 41, but in all likelihood, only four of those people will get the honor. As WWE Champion and the biggest white meat babyface on the roster, you’d assume Rhodes would be guaranteed one of those spots, but the more I talk this out and move the pieces around, the less I’m sure about that, which is where John Cena could come in.

Before we get to him right now, though, let’s talk about where Cody Rhodes is at. The current WWE Champion is in the midst of, by far, his best feud since he won The WWE Championship at WrestleMania 40. Kevin Owens has stolen his Winged Eagle Championship and is now claiming he’s more deserving of the belt after Rhodes needed two referee bumps and a chair to beat him at the reboot of Saturday Night’s Main Event. The crowd is extremely engaged and will be really fired up whenever they meet again, but we are too far out from WrestleMania for this to be a real possibility for Cody. They’re not going to extend this for four months, and if they did, fans would probably turn on it.

So, he’s going to need someone else to work with at WrestleMania. The assumption for awhile has been that it’ll be Randy Orton. Maybe The Viper will turn on him, becoming the second friend to betray him after KO? That certainly sounds like a story I want to watch, but a WrestleMania Main Event? I’m not so sure about that. Orton hasn’t won a match on PPV since his Survivor Series WarGames return in 2023 that was overshadowed by CM Punk’s return the same night.

He hasn’t won a singles match on PPV since he beat Bray Wyatt in one of the most infuriating matches in WrestleMania history all the way back in 2021. He’s a legend and super over with the crowd, but what about this recent track record would make anyone think he could or should beat Rhodes? If WWE wants to give us Rhodes vs Orton, I’m fine with that, but unless it gets really hot in the build-up, I don’t see how it can main event either of the two nights.

But John Cena and Cody Rhodes certainly could. Wrestling journalist JD From NY mentioned the possibility in one of his recent videos. No one is talking about it because both Cena and Rhodes are babyfaces who the audience wants to root for. On the surface, it doesn’t really make sense. The crowd would probably root for Cena, given this is going to be his last WrestleMania and he’s trying to break the record for most World Championships. So, why would WWE want to subject its most natural babyface to the possibility of getting booed? Well, the dirty truth is they seem to already be opening up that door.

Look at Cody Rhodes’ actions over the last several months. First, he teamed with Roman Reigns, the man who injured several of his friends and ruled over the WWE with an iron fist. Second, WWE had several of his on-screen friends call him out for it, and he still teamed with Roman and ignored their concerns. Third, he willingly gave a Cross Rhodes to Kevin Owens onto a chair during their recent match, which is classic heel behavior. Fourth, WWE has had some of the commentators very loudly and forcibly paint Rhodes as a villain or accuse him of cheating.

The American Nightmare is obviously still a babyface at this point. He’s cheered like a second coming of 1994 Bret Hart everytime he comes out of the back, and he still talks about good old fashioned values and connects with the kids at ringside. He’s a babyface, but there are all these signs that he might not be as good as he seems. And in the history of WWE, there has never been more of a classic good guy than John Cena. The Make A Wish legend has spent his whole career preaching positive thinking and hard work, and he’s arguably the only character on the roster who has the good guy credentials to call Cody out. So, if they want to turn him toward the dark side, this is their chance to do it.

John Cena Vs Cody Rhodes is a slam dunk WrestleMania main event. It’s the type of thing you put on the poster and scream about as loudly as possible to promote the show. It would give John Cena a real storyline to sink his teeth into. Instead of a fun little nostalgia run where he plays the hits, it would give him a chance to write an entirely new chapter people remember fondly, just as The Rock did when he came back and turned heel at the beginning of this year.

It would also give Rhodes a chance to reinvent himself a little bit. All of the stuff with KO Is super hot right now, but that's directly related to calling Rhodes out over his behavior. Prior to that, all we got were some forgettable feuds and even some calls to take the belt off of him. This would give him the chance to pull off an all-time classic heel turn most fans wouldn't see coming.

I’m not saying WWE is going to do this, but the possibility is really intriguing. They’d be foolish not to consider it.

I've maintained Monday Night Raw being available with a Netflix subscription, which is my most anticipated event on the 2025 TV schedule, and I stand by it after learning this additional info. I'll also add there's one big thing that I'm not happy about, which I'll get into after running through some of the key features I loved hearing about.

Plus: Monday Night Raw Episodes Will Be Available To Watch Immediately After Livestream

The minute the live stream ends, you'll be able to watch the latest Monday Night Raw on Netflix if you missed the broadcast. Those who had to rely on their Peacock Premium subscription to watch the show know this is huge, as episodes were delayed by thirty days, and that remains the case with their deal for SmackDown. I guess there's an upside to there not being a traditional television network to worry about viewership for.

Plus: Past Monday Night Raw Episodes Are Coming

Netflix confirmed that past WWE Raw archival content will be available on the platform and that it will add more in time. I assumed Netflix would inherit the Monday Night Raw catalog once it left Peacock, but getting that confirmation is sweet. That said, it may take some time to see the entire back catalog hit the platform, so I'll be interested to see what is added in the initial launch.

Plus: Monday Night Raw Will Be Available To View Offline

I think the most exciting thing for me, being someone who travels a lot, is Netflix confirmed the ability to download episodes of Monday Night Raw forty-eight hours after they air live. If I have a flight coming up I may just intentionally not watch that Monday just so I can queue up an episode to enjoy during my flight. That will make those East to West coast trips just fly by.

Non-Plus: Countries Outside The United States Will Get Way More WWE Content On Netflix Than The United States

If you're waiting for the day that Netflix will house every WWE live event on television, well, keep dreaming if you're in the United States. WWE negotiated a deal with USA Network to house SmackDown as part of a five-year deal that began this year. As for NXT, it's on The CW for the next five years as well. The Premium Live Events will remain on Peacock in 2025, so you will need multiple services to enjoy the totality of the WWE. I wish it was all in one place, but I wish that pretty much every show on streaming.

Monday Night Raw's first show on Netflix will stream on Monday, January 6th. I expect the WWE to make it a memorable night, and there's at least one wrestler I'm hoping makes a big return on the first night.

That said, I don't think AEW would have received the recognition that it has today if not for the steady stream of WWE wrestlers that it's gotten over the years.

From Malakai Black, to Brodie Lee (RIP), to Bobby Lashley, one could say that AEW is what it is today because of WWE's former biggest stars. Yes, wrestlers like MJF (who is still one of the greatest things in pro-wrestling), Darby Allin, and “Hangman” Adam Page have been the most consistent faces in the company. But, if not for these 10 previous WWE wrestlers, we might not still be talking about the other promotion today.

10. Sting (Became All Elite in 2020)

The miracle run that honestly never should have happened, (but did!) Sting retired from wrestling in 2016 after a bad neck injury, only to return in 2020, and ultimately end his career in 2024.

What a legend.

When Sting returned to wrestling, he was paired up with Darby Allin and took on a mentorship role, which was perfect for him. But, over time, Sting actually mixed it up in the ring, and he would take some pretty sick bumps for a man in his 60s.

What makes Sting impactful in AEW, though, is his legacy. This is a man who had long, meaningful careers in WCW, TNA, and WWE, and he chose to finish his career in AEW. Like I said before, what a legend.

9. Mercedes Mone (Became All Elite in 2024)

When Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out of RAW, it sent shockwaves throughout the industry. And, while some might debate their reasoning for why they left, one thing that people can’t debate was that she went out like a “Boss.” Just like one of her nicknames.

Leaving the biggest wrestling promotion in the world is no small decision, but the former Sasha Banks decided that she wasn’t satisfied with the direction of her character in WWE, so she left.

She disappeared for a while, but kept being sighted at AEW events, only to eventually become All Elite in 2024, where she made a huge splash in the Women’s Division.

You know, I once wrote about why I might bail on AEW for WWE, and one of the reasons was the arguably poor mishandling of the Women’s Division. However, Mone has been given interesting storylines ever since she arrived, and her impact has been helping elevate the Women’s Division to new heights. Good stuff.

8. Christian Cage (Became All Elite in 2021)

I once wrote that Kurt Angle is the greatest wrestler to ever strap on a pair of boots, and I stand behind that comment. However, if you want to know the wrestler who I think has the most impressive career, it’s Christian Cage.

The dude can still go in the ring, and this is bolstered by his 26 Championship wins across multiple promotions.

That said, his greatest asset is probably his heel work, as nobody can get a crowd riled up like Christian Cage. Designating himself as “the Patriarch” of AEW, Cage is a freaking heat magnet, and has somehow made himself even more villainous than MJF ever was.

His impact is in furthering storylines with pretty much anybody. If you hear his theme song, then you know it’s going to be a good show that night.

7. Swerve Strickland (Became All Elite in 2022)

Whose house? I honestly feel like WWE dropped the ball with Swerve Strickland. He was great in NXT when he was Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, but he didn’t last long once he was promoted to SmackDown.

But, oh well. Their loss. Strickland has been one of the most popular wrestlers ever since he became All Elite. He’s been in engaging feuds, like his recent one with “Hangman” Adam Page, and was once part of the amazing tag-team Swerve in Our Glory with Keith Lee, another WWE alum.

Swerve is fantastic in dealing punishment, but he also sells like a champ, making every match seem like a constant back-and-forth.

Swerve’s impact is in his character work. No matter what match he’s in, you honestly have no way of knowing who’s going to win, which I think is a true testament to Strickland, who can at one point be a World Champion, and the next, put somebody over. He’s a real one for that.

6. Toni Storm (Became All Elite in 2022)

Remember that I mentioned how Mercedes Mone has elevated the Women’s Division in AEW? Well, Toni Storm has practically carried it on her back ever since she arrived.

Toni Storm has never put on a bad match in her entire time in the promotion, and she reinvented herself (and made the Women’s Division fun) with her “Timeless” Toni Storm gimmick.

This was actually when I realized what an asset Storm was to the company, since she seemed like somebody who just stepped out of a black and white movie.

Storm’s since dropped the gimmick, but her impact is still tantamount to the Women’s Division’s success, because she brings legitimacy to it, in both skill, and theatrics, which can’t be understated.

5. CM Punk (Became All Elite in 2021)

Oh, CM Punk. What could have been. One of the worst things AEW could have ever done was air the footage of his backstage fight, which only made AEW look worse.

And now, he’s back in WWE, and I couldn’t be happier for him. That said, his time in AEW was memorable, nonetheless.

Firstly, I don’t think AEW has ever had a bigger pop than when he debuted in the company. And secondly, he definitely brought more eyes to the brand.

Most importantly though, he was the main face of the Saturday night show, Collision. It unfortunately didn’t work out, but he’s probably the biggest name the company has ever had.

4. Bryan Danielson (Became All Elite in 2021)

Bryan Danielson probably should have stayed retired once he left WWE, given his many injuries, but he had one of his most interesting runs in AEW.

Danielson has squared off with pretty much everybody, and was known as the technical wrestler in AEW.

His work with the Black Pool Combat Club (Now the Death Riders) was some of the best in the company, and he was a great foil to Chris Jericho’s whole schtick of being “Sports entertainers” (An obvious riff on McMahon era-WWE).

Honestly, Danielson’s impact is probably having the best matches the promotion has ever had, but he really should stay retired this time around. He’s put his body through enough.

3. Jon Moxley (Became All Elite in 2019)

Jon Moxley is like Bryan Danielson in the quality and consistency of his matches, but he’s just been in AEW longer.

Mox has had probably the most fascinating career out of any former-WWE wrestler, in that he’s even better in AEW than he ever was in WWE.

While AEW is not ECW when it comes to violence, they’re definitely a sharp contrast to WWE.

And Mox, for better or worse, is really the face of all that violence – with his own face often stained in some of that bloody crimson.

2. Chris Jericho (Became All Elite in 2019)

Sting is “The Icon”, but Chris Jericho is just as worthy of that moniker. Being there in the very first year of the company, Jericho was the first real name in AEW that signified that this really was an “All Elite” promotion.

He had such a legendary career prior to AEW, that it genuinely was a sign that this promotion was meant to be something special when Jericho put his name and presence behind it.

Since then, he's has pretty much done it all, and you never really go too long without seeing him be up to something.

His impact is always keeping AEW fresh. His various gimmicks often guide the whole promotion, and I’d say he’s had the biggest impact on AEW, if not for one other wrestler.

1. Cody Rhodes (Became All Elite in 2019)

There would likely not even be an AEW without Cody Rhodes. There from the very beginning, and helping get the brand off the ground, Cody Rhodes was instrumental to AEW even existing.

He had some epic matches, but the crowd ultimately turned on him because he stayed a face for too long. His departure from the company has pretty much changed it forever.

And, not for the better. Even so, Rhodes was Mr. AEW for a time…until he wasn’t. Now he’s Mr. WWE, and I’m happy for him.

Big E, who has shifted his role in the WWE to commentary and working as an ambassador to the brand, spoke to The Mike Broomhead Show ahead of his upcoming appearance at The Fiesta Bowl. While there was talk about college football and his involvement as a brand ambassador for the wrestling organization, the host was sure to address the elephant in the room regarding whether he would be available at upcoming WWE events. Here's what Big E had to say about where his health is at these days:

Whether he ever returns to the ring or not, it's fantastic to hear that Big E isn't suffering any ill effects from that injury he sustained. He says he hasn't been cleared, however, which would give the impression that he's nowhere close to an in-ring return. Of course, as someone who has covered a lot of pro wrestling news over the years, I'm a bit skeptical.

For years, we read about how Edge would never return to the ring following his devastating neck injury, only for him to recently celebrate a 25-year anniversary amid his comeback run. Daniel Bryan announced his retirement from pro wrestling in 2016, and he just wrestled his last match as a full-time competitor in AEW this year. Time and time again, we see plenty of wrestlers who seem done for good return.

All this is to say, while Big E may not be medically cleared to return, his word that he's in good health gives me confidence that he may be ready for an in-ring comeback. After all, what pro wrestler wouldn't want to be there for the first Monday Night Raw available with a Netflix subscription and join in on what might be the most exciting time for pro wrestling we've seen in decades?

Furthermore, it's not like pro wrestlers have a habit of publicly announcing their returns on podcasts or in the news. Typically, rumors of a return appear via reports and dirt sheets, and then we start to see more hints they might come back on Monday Night Raw and SmackDown episodes. If we want answers on how close Big E is to returning, we must watch for those clues, which tell us more than anything.

All that said, I think a positive health update is a good sign he's on the way back, even if he won't confirm it.

Monday Night Raw only has a couple of episodes left on USA Network before it moves to Netflix on the 2025 TV schedule, so be sure to check it out on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. I will keep a close eye on what's happening with The New Day and whether we're in for more teases of Big E's return.

There’s just no forward momentum. When The Rock first left in April, there wasn’t a clear timeline for his return. Some fans speculated we could see the legend back for SummerSlam in August, but then he got injured over the Summer while filming his new A24 movie The Smashing Machine. That caused the anticipation to switch to November’s Survivor Series, especially after The Rock made a surprise appearance at Bad Blood, where he stared Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns down and did a throat slashing gesture. But now Survivor Series has come and gone too without The Rock, and the latest rumors are especially troubling.

Speculation is currently running wild that WWE is moving forward with creative plans as if The Rock will not be working WrestleMania 41. He's denied them, but still, they persist aggressively. Even worse, there have been some recent stories claiming The Rock’s appearance at Bad Blood wasn’t actually part of a planned storyline. Instead, it was allegedly just a way to keep him and his character present in the minds of fans. That part doesn’t necessarily bother me, but the implication certainly does. If there aren’t currently any creative plans for The Rock that his appearance would tease to, then it likely means he’s not going to be returning anytime soon.

Now, The Rock can do whatever he wants to do. He’s one of the biggest actors in the entire world, and he’s fantastic at professional wrestling. There were a few initial hiccups when he came back in January because of how it affected ongoing storylines, but once that got sorted and he got rolling, he gave us an all-time run. So, if he wants to come back six months from now or eighteen months from now, I’m into it.

The problem is Cody Rhodes needs a long-term plan. I’m not Triple H, nor am I in WWE’s writing room, but that segment after WrestleMania, in which The Rock asked to literally hold Cody’s WWE Championship, seemed like a pretty clear signal that they were going to wrestle for the belt at some point in the future. But now it’s eight months later, we don’t seem to be any closer to that match, and if there’s not an immediate plan to give us that match, I don’t really think Cody should hold the title for that much longer.

I’m not saying the crowd doesn’t love Cody or that he’s not a great ambassador for WWE. He is. I’m so happy to see him getting an extended moment in the sun. He deserves it. But he’s now held The WWE Championship for more than 250 days, and his current feud with Kevin Owens is the first truly compelling one he’s had. He’s had some good matches (with AJ Styles most prominently) and done some interesting things with The Bloodline, but this most recent match with KO is the first time fans have even considered the possibility he could lose.

And that’s a problem. Cody Rhodes is not Hulk Hogan, nor is he Roman Reigns. He’s more of a Bret Hart type figure, and Bret Hart’s longest ever run with the big title was 248 days. If you want other comparisons, Shawn Michaels’ was 231 days. Kurt Angles’ was 126 days. You can go down the list, but apart from a handful of generational crossover mega-stars, even the great WWE Champions have maxed out at around a year for their title runs. Now, many of them have later won the title back, but that’s the entire point. WWE has thrown adversity in their way to keep their characters fresh and interesting.

Cody hasn’t had any of that. I guess you could argue him joining forces with Roman Reigns was some character development, but to be honest, it just sort of felt like he was being shoehorned into Roman’s story. Now WWE has used the fallout of him helping Roman to great storyline advantage, and as such, we’re currently getting something really interesting with Owens. But there’s still this lingering feeling amongst many fans that no one is really a threat to win The WWE Championship until The Rock comes back. But if he’s not going to be back at or before WrestleMania 41, I think WWE needs to move in another direction. I think they need to consider letting Kevin Owens win the Championship, at least for a short while. It would be the fastest way to make Rhodes’ storyline feel like must-see TV again.

I was having a conversation this morning with some of my coworkers about who is going to main event WrestleMania. Is CM Punk finally going to get his shot after all these years? What about John Cena? Could he return and wrestle someone like Gunther for a Championship? Would that be enough? Could Rhea Ripley sneak in there? We all agreed whatever Roman Reigns does is almost certainly going to be one of the Main Events, but Cody Rhodes, despite being The WWE Champion, felt like a big question mark. Many fans think he’ll wind up taking on Randy Orton, but does that actually feel WrestleMania Main Event worthy to you? Would we all still be assuming he's going to win and wait for The Rock?

Cody Rhodes is arguably WWE’s most popular babyface champion since John Cena. He also seems like a great guy, and fans are still cheering him longly and loudly. He deserves everything he’s gotten, but if The Rock isn’t going to be back for another nine months or a year, I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep the Championship on Cody. This current program with Kevin Owens has been a wakeup call about how unexciting the rest of his run has been. So, if it’s not going to be The Rock that adds a little excitement and adversity to his storyline, then WWE needs to start making plans to find that with someone else. Or, in my opinion, they should give the title to Kevin Owens, at least for a month or two. He’s never won the big belt before, and he’s been fantastic in this current program.

The Rock is great. He should be welcomed back and put into a main event program the next time he has a few months to spare, but if those months aren’t going to be leading into this WrestleMania, then Cody Rhodes shouldn’t wait on him any longer. He needs to lose to someone at some point soon-ish. If done correctly, a big loss and a few months of chasing would only make him more popular, and it would certainly make his narrative arc a lot more compelling.

CinemaBlend's predictions for Saturday Night's Main Event were perfect, but even we didn't predict what was coming at the show's end. For those that haven't seen it yet, here's what went down, and why I'm wondering if it means we might see a Superstar we thought would never return to the ring again.

Kevin Owens Hit Cody Rhodes With A Pildriver, Leading To A Confrontation With Triple H

Cody Rhodes retained his title, but he couldn't celebrate for long after Saturday Night's Main Event went off the air. Before he could properly address the Long Island crowd and thank them for coming out, the Undisputed WWE Champion was blindsided by Kevin Owens and on the receiving end of a piledriver. Take a look:

It's not surprising that Kevin Owens would be a sore loser and take a cheap shot like that. What is surprising, however, is that when KO reached the the edge of the ramp, he was met by CEO and former WWE champion Triple H. Watch the two have a war of words just before Owens exits, and then shoving match that goes down:

As someone who has covered pro wrestling for many years now, I couldn't help but latch onto this moment. Why is Triple H out there getting into it with Kevin Owens? Is this a hint that The Game may legitimately be considering an in-ring return, so that he can take out one of the big trouble makers of the WWE?

Is Triple H Planning To Return To The Ring?

Paul "Triple H" Levesque hasn't wrestled in the WWE since having a "cardiac event" that required surgery. While there seemed like a period where he'd step away from pro wrestling entirely, the wrestler ultimately returned to his corporate duties and took creative control of the company following Vince McMahon's removal. The heart attack prevented him from having an official retirement match as an in-ring sendoff, and I have to wonder if he's setting one up with Kevin Owens at WrestleMania.

I think this might be the case mainly because Owens has a proven track record as a veteran performer in the WWE, and we previously saw him have an impromptu retirement match with Stone Cold Steve Austin back at WrestleMania 38. It's in the wrestler's character to call out retired superstars and try to shame them. Could Triple H be next?

I'm suspicious that he might be, especially since Triple H hasn't been in the mix in on-camera altercations like this in a while. Usually, it would be WWE General Managers Nick Aldis or Adam Pearce rushing out to play the bit of telling off the heel and Triple H staying behind the curtain unless there's a big announcement to make. I'm not 100% saying these two will have a match at WrestleMania 41, but I think it's worth keeping an eye on.

Those who missed Saturday Night's Main Event can watch it on Peacock. I'm very excited for additional episodes of the show in 2025, and hoping any casual wrestling fans who tuned in were just as thrilled as I was to watch.

Here are 32 factions we didn’t need in wrestling…

NWO 2000

The New World Order changed the wrestling industry back in the summer of 1996 when Hulk Hogan turned heel and joined up with Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, but the group became overstuffed with a growing roster and various off-shoots. Then came NWO 2000, a group consisting of Nash, Hall, and a heel Bret Hart that did nothing for anyone and is largely forgotten.

D-Generation X 2006 & 2009

D-Generation X was legitimately one of the coolest groups in wrestling in the late ‘90s, but the same can’t be said about Triple H and Shawn Michaels’ later attempts at catching lightning in a bottle. The 2006 and 2009 variations of the edgy and crude group were toothless, toned down, and unnecessary with that terrible merch and dependence on glow sticks.

The New Blood

The final 18 to 24 months of WCW were home to one terrible idea after another, and few come close to the “too many cooks” nature of The New Blood. Led by Vince Russo and Eric Bischoff, the group attempted to showcase new talent, but they never did much and were often overshadowed by the two authority figures and older WCW stars.

Raven's Flock

Raven, though different and admittedly pretty cool, led a group of followers like a cult leader back in the late ’90s. Raven’s Flock, which consisted of the on-the-rise talent like Kidman and Saturn, as well as others like Lodi, had its own section on the WCW/NWO: Revenge roster, but they never really did anything besides mope around and have “Raven’s Rules” matches.

The Dungeon Of Doom

Though the Dungeon of Doom was a fun diversion from the standard in WCW at the time, this group consisting of The Taskmaster, The Giant, Kamala, Hugh Morris, and the Barbarian, among others, felt like they were just around as foils for Hulk Hogan. When Hogan turned heel, they seemed totally unneeded.

Right To Censor

Maybe it’s just the group’s annoying entrance song (it’s just a siren and “warning” over and over again), but Right to Censor isn’t looked back upon too fondly these days. A heel faction made up of Steven Richards, Bull Buchanan, The Goodfather, Val Venis, and Ivory, the group wore button-up shirts and ties in the ring where they tried to turn people away from the violent and sexual tones of the Attitude Era.

The Social Outcasts

Bob Dallas, Curtis Axel, Adam Rose, and Heath Slater, not happy about not getting proper booking or championship opportunities, started what can be described as one of the worst stables in mid-2010s WWE: The Social Outcasts. Pretty much a more modern version of The J.O.B. Squad (or any other jobber group), this quartet of talented yet underutilized wrestlers did a whole lot of nothing.

The Blue World Order

When one company would get something going in the wrestling boom of the ‘90s, everyone else would try to replicate it. Such was the case for the Blue World Order, a satirical faction made up of ECW talent Stevie Richards, The Blue Meanie, and several others. Sure, it was fun watching ECW make fun of one of the hottest things in wrestling at the time, but it went on way too long.

The Misfits

The Misfits are not only one of the most influential horror-punk bands of all time, but also a short-lived stable in WCW. Near the end of the company’s existence, Vampiro teamed up with the “teenagers from Mars” for one of the sloppiest and most forgotten partnerships in wrestling history. It was bad, and not a fun bad.

The Cosmic Wasteland

Remember when Cody Rhodes, under the Stardust gimmick, teamed up with The Ascension to form The Cosmic Wasteland? No, You’re better off for it. This wild, wacky, and totally ridiculous faction wasn’t around all that long, but even that was too much.

Retribution

Retribution could have been one of the coolest factions in wrestling when the group debuted in August 2020, but things just never panned out for the sextet. Led by Mustafa Ali, the heel team consisting of T-Bar, Mace, Slapjack, Reckoning, and Retaliation (how’d names like that not take off?) had a cool look but that’s about it. Imagine Tom Hardy’s Bane but without Christopher Nolan’s nuance or believability.

3 Count

Shane Helms, Shannon Moore, and Evan Karagias were three of WCW’s up-and-coming stars when they were paired together as 3 Count in late 1999. Made to look like a combination of the Hardy Boyz in WWE and the big boybands of the day, this N’SYNC and Backstreet Boys knockoff was long gone by the time WCW closed its doors in March 2001.

The Union

Want to talk about short-lived and mostly forgotten factions from the height of the Attitude Era? Well, look no further than The Union, a team consisting of Mankind, The Big Show, Test, and Ken Shamrock. Coming together in May 1999, the four-piece spent a little more than a month trying to defeat The Corporate Ministry. But when Mankind was put on the shelf with injuries, the group quietly faded away into obscurity.

Mean Street Posse

Pete Gas, Joey Abs, and Rodney, known collectively as The Mean Street Posse, were brought into WWE storylines in March 1999 as Shane McMahon’s muscle in various feuds. From the mean streets of Greenwich, Connecticut, this trio of goons were mostly used as cannon fodder or title holders of the carousel that was the Hardcore Championship.

The New Nexus

A few months after The Nexus, Wade Barrett’s stable that was super hot until going up against John Cena in the height of his “Super Cena” days, called it quits, a pre-Pipe Bomb CM Punk took over the group. However, they weren’t around that long and were on the way out by the time the “Summer of Punk” got in full swing.

The Corre

When The Nexus burnt out, several of its members, including Wade Barrett, went on to form The Corre. Along with Justin Gabriel, Heath Slater, and Ezekiel Jackson, Barrett’s second faction was pretty much dead on arrival and amounted to nothing.

Misfits In Action

WCW, well into its “throw it into the wall and see what sticks” phase at this point, introduced Misfits in Action (not to be confused with The Misfits). Though the group included some major talent like Booker T. and Chavo Gurrero Jr., everyone had terribly juvenile names like G.I. Bro, Lt. Loco, Sgt. AWOL, Major Gunns, and others are better suited for a Bart Simpson crank call than a wrestler. Nothing good came from this.

Aces & Eights

Remember when Sons of Anarchy took over pop culture and everybody and their mother became obsessed with motorcycle gangs? Well, that worked its way into wrestling when TNA introduced Aces & Eights to the world. Bully Ray, D’Lo Brown, Devon, Taz, and other notable stars were all part of the gang at one point or another, but it was all just so unnecessary and buddy.

Truth Commission

Portrayed as a group of commandos from South Africa, The Truth Commission went from USWA to WWF in 1997. Though initially made to look like a rough and tough group of mercenaries willing to do what others wouldn’t, the stable ended up being relegated to multi-man matches.

The Oddities

The Oddities stable felt like someone took everything a teenage boy loved about the late ‘90s and started a wrestling faction. The involvement of the Insane Clown Posse, wrestlers wearing Cartman shirts (and holding Cartman stuffed animals), and those bizarre dances made Raw feel more like a freakshow than a weekly wrestling show.

The Natural Born Thrillers

There were so many factions and stables in the dying days of WCW, including Natural Born Thrillers. Playing off the title of Oliver Stone’s controversial 1994 film, Natural Born Killers, this short-lived group consisting of wrestlers like Chuck Palumbo, Mark Jindrak, and Johnny the Bull, seemed like they were going to be the next big thing, but ultimately fizzled out into obscurity.

The Welcoming Committee

Though women’s wrestling has vastly improved over the past decade or so, there have been some missteps during that time. One of those was The Welcoming Committee, a faction led by Natalya featured during the SmackDown Live days. Going up against Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair, the team never really did much of anything.

The League Of Nations

The League of Nations – Sheamus, King Barrett, Rusev, and Albert Del Rio – could have been the hottest thing in wrestling, but that wouldn’t be the case. All four members had experienced a lot of success in WWE prior to the group’s November 2015 formation, but things just didn’t work out. They went their separate ways shortly after being embarrassed by Mick Foley, Stone Cold, and Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 32.

The New Breed

For a few months back in 2007, The New Breed – Elijah Burke, Marcus Cor Von, Matt Striker, Kevin Thorn, Ariel, and CM Punk – tried to make a name for themselves in the revamped ECW. However, the stable didn’t do much besides take on the ECW Originals at WrestleMania 23 that April. Though CM Punk would become one of the hottest stars in wrestling, the rest of the team didn’t have as much luck.

Immortal

Putting together the biggest stars of WCW and WWE in a massive faction of heavyweights and legends is a recipe for success, right? Well, about that… Back in 2010, Immortal, a team consisting of Hulk Hogan, Jeff Jarrett, Kurt Angle, Bully Ray, Ric Flair, Scott Steiner, Tommy Dreamer, Jeff Hardy, and others got together for one of the most bloated factions of all time. Though the faction had some success, it was honestly kind of sad watching these aging stars of yesteryear go out and “play the hits.”

The Mexicools

If you thought taking the masks off some of the most successful luchadors of the ‘90s was bad enough, wait until you see what WWE did to Psicosis, Juventud Guerrera, and Super Crazy in 2005. The Mexicools, who came out on lawn equipment, were made to look like jokes, which is a bummer considering their in-ring talent.

Dogs Of War

So many teams tried and failed to take out The Shield over the years, including the Dogs of War. This short-lived and unneeded faction consisted of Braun Strowman, Drew McIntyre, and Dolph Ziggler, who got together in 2018 to take on the “Hounds of Justice.” They were around all too long before someone took these “Dogs of War” to the “farm.”

The Cabinet

It makes sense why JBL would want to put together a “The Cabinet” during the early days of his run as SmackDown’s top heel – he needed bodies to take the beating when he evaded the babyfaces. However, this group of mid-carders (at best) did a whole lot of nothing to help themselves or JBL before going away.

X-Factor

Back in early 2001, X-Pac got together with Justin Credible and Albert to form X-Factor. The group could have probably turned into something fun, but they didn’t last all that long before splitting due to the Invasion storyline.

The NWA

What? The NWA has one of the worst stables in wrestling? Don’t get your underoos all in a bunch because this is about the “invasion” group and not the historic alliance of territories. Back in 1997 and 1998, Jim Cornette attempted to invade WWE with the likes of Jeff Jarrett, the Rock n Roll Express, and several others. A poor attempt at capturing the spirit of the NWO, this plan failed.

Los Boricuas

After getting the boot from the Nation of Domination in 1997, Savio Vega started Los Boricuas, a team consisting of Puerto Rican wrestlers Miguel Perez, Jose Estrada Jr., and Jesus Castillo. Like a lot of teams in Attitude Era WWE, Los Boricuas were just bodies thrown into the meatgrinder of multi-man tags and battle royals.

The Alliance

The Alliance, a supergroup consisting of ECW and WCW wrestlers, as well as a few WWE turncoats, was supposed to make the Invasion one of the hottest stories in wrestling. But due to the fact that none of the big WCW stars like Sting, Goldberg, or The NWO took part, it ended up being a lot of relatively unknown wrestlers.

As Triple H had already suggested, it's looking like Bronson Reed will be missing a chunk of the 2025 TV schedule when it comes to appearances on Monday Night Raw and SmackDown. Even so, the wrestler seems to be in positive spirits following a successful surgery as others prepare for the new year.

Bronson Reed Shares Positive Update Following Surgery

Bronson Reed's Tsunami dive from the top of the cage at Survivor Series was awesome, but proved unsuccessful in taking Roman Reigns out of the match. Even worse, Reed landed on his feet, and the impact put his right ankle parallel to the mat. The injury required surgery, but Reed's attitude from the hospital bed seems to suggest he's on the up and up:

I know that I'm ready to see Bronson Reed get back to fighting Seth Rollins, which I've personally felt was the best wrestling feud of 2024. That said, I can't help but wonder how much that giant cast on his leg will keep him from kicking ass in the ring, and the latest rumors on that suggest it'll be a while.

Will Bronson Reed Be Ready For WrestleMania 41?

Pro wrestling insider Bryan Alvarez provided an update on Bronson Reed on Wrestling Observer Radio, claiming to have some information from sources about his status going forward. Here's the situation, according to what he's heard (via PWMania.com):

"Many months of recovery" is a vague phrase, and a search online shows that recovering from foot surgery can look different for many people. AdvancedOrthopedicCenter.com notes it can take a year or two for someone to resume completely normal foot function, and there's a note specifically about avoiding high-impact activity before that.

I don't think Big Bronson Reed will be out of action for years and that this will be like Big E's neck injury. That said, I do think there's a strong possibility we see him left off the card for WrestleMania 41, which is a shame as he's solidified himself as the most dominant big man in the WWE.

Beyond that, There may have to be conversations on how Reed can protect himself to avoid reinjuring his foot and whether he'll have to adjust how he performs the Tsunami. At the very least, I would say it was the wrong call to have him perform the spot on a table, as it required him to pull backward to avoid accidentally putting his full weight on Roman Reigns if they did collide. I could easily see this injury happening again if it's not addressed, but I trust the WWE and Bronson Reed will figure out a way to bring him back bigger and stronger than ever.

I wouldn't expect Bronson Reed to be at the first Monday Night Raw on Netflix but rest assured, we here at CinemaBlend are counting down the days to the first episode on Monday, January 6th.

I also have some humble requests for matches I would rather not see, in case the powers-that-be happen to be looking around the web for these opinions. There are some feuds I think deserve the opportunity to shine in Vegas, but there are more than a few that I have no interest in seeing occupy a spot on the card. Let's dive in.

Prediction: New Day vs. Big E

New Day shocked the world with a heel turn recently and blamed Big E for their fall from grace as the most dominant tag team in WWE history. With all the cheap shots they took at him for not returning after his devastating injury, it felt like a sign his in-ring return might not be that far off. Seeing as Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods rejected his offer to return to the faction as a manager, what would happen now if he was suddenly cleared to return to action?

I guess that Big E would return as a singles competitor, only to have his big return ruined by his former allies. This goes back and forth until finally, Adam Pearce has enough and sets up a 2 vs. 1 handicap match at WrestleMania. That, or Big E finds a new tag-team partner to team up with, but I think he's tough enough to take on both Woods and Kingston simultaneously.

Don't Want: Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley For The Women's World Championship

The Women's World Championship title scene has been exclusively linked to Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan through much of 2024, and while that feud has elevated the latter to the main event scene and made for some compelling storytelling, it's run its course. At some point, this title needs to stop being held hostage by this feud, and we need to work some more people into the mix as serious contenders.

While we don't have to worry about Dominik Mysterio's wife getting upset about the storyline, I think there's a real risk of fans getting burnout on these two if they aren't already. Plus, the women's main roster is too stacked to only gravitate around a few people. Let the belt move elsewhere if nothing else, but let these two finally end this feud.

Prediction: John Cena vs. Gunther For The Heavyweight Championship

Betting sites are saying John Cena is the favorite to win the Royal Rumble, and if that ends up being true, he gets his choice of a title shot at WrestleMania 41. Seeing as "The Champ" has confirmed this will be his final Mania match, it'd be surprising if he didn't attempt to pursue his record-breaking title win for what's now known as the Heavyweight Championship.

Gunther currently holds the Heavyweight Championship, and while that could change before WrestleMania 41, he'd be the perfect opponent for Cena. Can a legend past his prime defeat one of the most dominant and prideful champions on the main roster? I think it'll be a tall order for him and hopefully a more entertaining match than the poor performance he put on against Austin Theory in his past WrestleMania match. That said, I want to see it, and I think with his commitment to one final year in the WWE, Cena will be in shape and up to the challenge.

Don't Want: Gunther Vs. Goldberg For The Heavyweight Championship

Bill Goldberg has frequently talked about a retirement match throughout his 2024 interviews, and WWE's Bad Blood made it seem like the company is considering giving him one. The legend confronted Gunther when the champion called him out, but we haven't seen him since then. Is this because he will make an appearance at the Royal Rumble?

I have to echo the thoughts of CinemaBlend's Philip Sledge here: I don't want to see a Goldberg retirement match at WrestleMania 41. The WWE has given us a few of his matches in recent years, and none of them were all that great. Much like The Undertaker, I think he probably should've retired a few matches ago, and giving him a WrestleMania moment feels like a waste of a match spot.

Prediction: Jade Cargill vs. Bianca Belair

Since Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair first locked eyes in her Royal Rumble debut, wrestling fans have waited for this match to happen. The WWE didn't go that route immediately, making the two a bestie tag team that won the titles and had a weird run-in with the Boogeyman that still has me in stitches.

Then Jade was attacked, and I think we all suspect Bianca is the culprit here. She's one of the most dominant women in the ring, and while Cargill is strong, she hasn't exactly been the most polished performer since her debut. I could see Bianca trying to cut the dead weight and get back to her glory days as a singles competitor, ultimately leading to a feud with Jade once she learns it was her friend who took her out of commission.

Don't Want: Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Championship

Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns are the top superstars in a stacked roster, and that's been the case for a couple of years now. These two have closed out the past two WrestleManias, which was phenomenal both times. The WWE will have these two take each other on once again, but is now the right time for that to happen?

I don't think so, and based on the way Roman Reigns has returned as a face wrestler, I think the company also agrees. He has to take down Solo Sikoa and the new iteration of the Bloodline first, and then he can worry about retaking his spot as "Head of the Table." Whether that's against Cody Rhodes, The Rock or maybe even someone else, we'll just have to wait and see.

WrestleMania 41 isn't happening in Las Vegas until Saturday, April 19th and Sunday, April 20th. Hopefully, as we get closer to the event, we'll get a better idea of what the match card will look like, and our picks for what should be on there will be included.

But what were my 10 most memorable matches? Well, come along as I break down some major WWE title changes, AEW giving Sting a fitting swan song, and so much more. Let’s get started, shall we?

Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns (WrestleMania 40, Night 2)

Less than 24 hours after The Rock told us to expect the unexpected following the electrifying WrestleMania 40 Night One main event, WWE delivered (and then some) when Cody Rhodes challenged Undisputed WWE Champion Roman Reigns in a Bloordline Rules match. This one had everything you’d want in a WrestleMania headliner – a dramatic one-on-one wrestling match for around 20 minutes, a series of run-ins ranging from Solo Sikoa to John Cena to the Undertaker, and an emotional conclusion to one of WWE’s best storylines in years.

Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay (AEW Dynasty)

Three weeks after Cody Rhodes finished his story at WrestleMania, AEW gave wrestling fans a different instant classic when Bryan Danielson took on Will Ospreay in a highly anticipated singles match at the Dynasty pay-per-view. One of the most recent additions to Ospreay’s list of 44 5-star matches (the most of any wrestler), this was the best wrestling performance I’ve seen all year and perhaps of all time. Being in the room with thousands of hyped-up wrestling fans as these two legends of the ring put on a 32-minute banger is something I won’t soon forget.

The Women's Royal Rumble (Royal Rumble 2024)

Next up is the Women’s Royal Rumble match from the WWE premium live event of the same name. Back in January, Bayley joined a list that includes Ric Flair and Bianca Belair when she became only the third competitor to win the rumble at number three. Setting a record at a little over 63 minutes, Bayley put on a clinic that night, outlasting Jade Cargill in her WWE in-ring debut, Liv Morgan’s return from injury, and 27 other fierce competitors. Plus, it kicked off Bayley’s “Road to WrestleMania” where she’d challenge a former ally in another wonderful match.

CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre (Bad Blood)

When it comes to the feud of the year, few angles come close to the nearly year-long program between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre. These two in-ring rivals, who gave off the impression they had legitimate heat, traded wins and losses over the summer before ending things with one of the best Hell in a Cell matches of all time at Bad Blood in October 2024. This one had it all: blood, weapons (a freaking toolbox was used), drama, and a friendship bracelet broken up into a bag of beads. It also resulted in CM Punk’s first five-star match in WWE since the “Summer of Punk” back in 2011.

Sami Zayn vs. Gunther (WrestleMania 40, Night 1)

Going into WrestleMania 40, I thought WWE was going to feed Sami Zayn to Gunther so that the record-holding Intercontinental Champion could get more heat. But boy, was I surprised when Zayn defeated the “Ring General” in one of the best matches of their respective careers. The whole bout is worth its weight in gold, but the final minute or so where Sami pulls off a Brainbuster from the turnbuckle and then two Helluva Kicks to end Gunther’s 666-day title reign is the stuff of legend.

Sting & Darby Allin vs. The Young Bucks (AEW Revolution)

Sting has been one of my favorite wrestlers since I was a kid watching him during his surfer days, and so watching him wrestle his final match when he and Darby Allin teamed up to defeat AEW World Tag Champions The Young Bucks at Revolution in March was a bittersweet moment. The match, which had no right being this good, was everything you’d want in a send-off and then some. Callbacks to Sting’s old gimmicks (played by his sons), all of his finishing moves, and some death-defying stunts from Allin made this a match, and a night, that’ll live on forever.

Braun Strowman vs. Bronson Reed (Monday Night Raw)

Billed as a “Last Monster Standing” match, Braun Strowman and Bronson Reed’s destructive contest on the September 30, 2024 episode of Monday Night Raw was honestly one of the best “big men putting the pain on one another” bouts in recent memory. The fact that WWE put this on cable instead of a PLE is both wild and wildly awesome. Watching these two slap meat and tear down everything from the barricade to the ring (yes, that actually happened) was a feast.

Cody Rhodes Vs. AJ Styles (Backlash France)

“Il est vraiment!” is all I have to hear to be taken back to Backlash France, where Cody Rhodes defended his Undisputed WWE Championship against A.J. Styles, who received one of the best fan receptions of the year. The fans were in such a frenzy during the former Bullet Club leader’s introduction that the camera started bouncing up and down... and then the match started and kept the momentum going.

The OG Bloodline vs. The New Bloodline (Survivor Series: WarGames)

Sure, three out of the 10 competitors in the Survivor Series: WarGames main event were injured and taken out of action for an unknown period of time, but The Bloodline’s Civil War was such a treat for wrestling fans. The build, which started many months ago when Solo Sikoa took over the stable in Roman Reigns’ absence, led to a long, hard-hitting and brutal match involving weapons, death-defying spots, and some hilarious interactions between the OTC and CM Punk.

Iyo Sky vs. Bayley (WrestleMania 40, Night 2)

It’s no secret that WWE’s women’s division has improved over the past decade, and that trend continued well into 2024 with some outstanding matches. One of the best, and most memorable, has to be Bayley defeating WWE Women’s Champion and former Damage CTRL stablemate Iyo Sky during the second night of the historic WrestleMania 40. Years after her shocking heel turn, Bayley became a fan favorite once more in the early part of the year, and her babyface status was confirmed in this career-defining co-main event match.

Obviously I’m leaving a lot off this list. Though there have been so many great matches in WWE, AEW, TNA, NJPW, and elsewhere over the past 12 months, I had to cut it off somewhere. That said, I can’t help but be excited about what those upcoming WWE PLEs and those major AEW PPVs have in store for us in 2025.

That’s right. The beloved 80s commentator is back in the broadcasting booth (RIP Gorilla Monsoon), and he’s not the only thing about the show reportedly going retro. We’ve already seen throwback graphics, but rumors are swirling that we’ll also get retro entrances, appearances from 80s legends and maybe even a throwback ring. I can’t wait. So, hide your prized bulldog from Bobby Heenan, pull out your loudest Jimmy Hart megaphone and drop the elbow from the top ropes like Macho Man Randy Savage. We're in for some rockin' wrestling!

And what a night of wrestling it should be. WWE is giving fans a card worthy of a major PPV. Four championships are going to be on the line, and the fifth match features former WrestleMania main eventers. I have theories I want to Perfect Plex into your brains, but before I read from my scroll in the middle of the ring like a prime Genius, here’s a quick look at how my predictions have been going…

Not exactly a 15 year undefeated streak like Andre The Giant, but I'll still take it. Hopefully I can use Main Event to put a few more wins onto the board this weekend and emerge as ripped as Ravishing Rick Rude or as glowed up as Miss Elizabeth.

Sami Zayn Vs Drew McIntyre

It’s a good thing I decided to party Ric Flair style this past weekend and put off my predictions til Tuesday because this match was a last second addition to the card. I’m here for it though. McIntyre is ready for his first in-ring action since his match with CM Punk at Hell In A Cell ended that feud, which was so good Rowdy Roddy Piper and Hulk Hogan would have been proud. Now he’s ready to take out that anger on poor Sami Zayn, who is stepping up here to defend the honor of his fallen comrade Jey Uso, who McIntyre attacked.

Zayn is obviously super over with the crowd and continues to be involved in huge storylines. It’s a testament to his popularity that he continually gets booked for major shows like this, but he’s almost certainly going to lose here. McIntyre needs to reassert himself as a main event player after his loss to Punk, and by declaring war on The Bloodline, he’s promising a series of interactions and potentially matches against different players. If he loses here, the feud is over. He’s not going to advance to Jey Uso if he already lost to Sami Zayn. So, yeah, I expect Drew to win here in pretty dominating fashion, though it remains to be seen whether he’ll ask for a King Kong Bundy style 5 count.

Predicted Winner: Drew McIntyre

Liv Morgan (Champion) Vs Iyo Sky For The Women’s World Championship

I hope WWE is paying attention to these crowd reactions Iyo Sky is getting because she’s one of the most over women on the entire roster. Crowds are erupting like she's a lost member of The Bushwhackers, and it’s easy to see why. She’s fantastic in the ring. Her personality is really vibrant and fun, and she’s got her own pace and style that feel different from what we get from everyone else. I would love to see her win The Women’s World Championship again.

But is this the moment where she gets pushed back to the top? That all depends on what WWE wants to do with Rhea Ripley. Like a mid-to-late-80s Hulk Hogan during the height of Hulkamania, Ripley is by a large margin the most popular woman on WWE’s roster. She is going to win the title back at some point because the biggest star should hold the belt most of the time, but she also has a lot of unfinished business with Morgan, who stole her mustached man candy Dirty Dom Mysterio and now holds her gold.

WWE probably wants Ripley to win her feud with Morgan and get her Women’s World Championship back at the same time, but there’s also a possibility that Triple H and company will want to split her objectives. If Morgan loses the title here, Ripley can finish her business with Morgan over the next month or two and then set her eyes on winning a World Championship back at WrestleMania. My guess is WWE keeps the title on Liv Morgan for now and has her beat Iyo Sky here, but I’m not 100% sure.

Predicted Winner: Liv Morgan

Gunther (Champion) Vs Damian Priest Vs Finn Bálor For The World Heavyweight Championship

The most famous Saturday Night’s Main Event episode is definitely Hulk Hogan vs Andre The Giant II, but the sneaky truth is, a lot of the time, the Hulkster wasn’t exactly defending his title against people with a compelling shot of winning. A lot of times he was wrestling superstars like Big Boss Man or Harley Race. Now, both of those guys are Hall of Famers, but they were not beating Hogan on network TV. Likewise, Finn Bálor was not beating Gunther in a 1v1 scenario. He hasn’t won a singles match on PPV since he beat Edge at Extreme Rules in October of 2022.

But it’s not just Finn Bálor vs Gunther anymore. Damian Priest was added to the match after some shenanigans on Monday, and now, all possibilities are in play. Gunther could lose his World Heavyweight Championship without even getting pinned, and while both Priest and Bálor would be underdogs in a match with Gunther, each has been a World Champion before and would be a credible World Champion again.

I think the decision here comes down to what WWE wants to do the World Heavyweight Championship. There’s a scenario in which they simply keep it on Gunther all the way to WrestleMania. Perhaps John Cena tries to win another Championship, and the unstoppable Gunther is in his way. That sounds like a possible ‘Mania Main Event to me. Or there’s a chance they want the belt off Gunther and will perhaps give it to CM Punk or Seth Rollins to make their upcoming feud even more exciting. If that’s the case, maybe Finn or Damian will be a transitional champion. Or there’s a chance they just want to go back to Priest as World Champion. He’s getting the best crowd reactions of his career and gave us an all-time WrestleMania moment last year when he cashed in to win the same belt.

There are so many options in play, but there are none I like better than Gunther continuing to look dominant and beating the hell out of both guys like he's Haku in a bar fight. So, I say he gets the win here, and in classic 80s style, he'll do it via Brutus The Barber Beefcake’s finishing move: The Sleeper.

Predicted Winner: Gunther

Chelsea Green Vs Michin For The Women's United States Championship

It's Saturday morning, and I'm jumping back into these predictions to give my final take on The Women's United States Championship match. We now know the finalists are Chelsea Green and Michin, and while I was confident Green was going to win before, I'm even more confident now that I know her opponent.

With all due respect to Michin, who is good in the ring and could build into something down the line, she's not very over with the crowd right now. Green, on the other hand, is super over with the crowd in an off-beat midcard kind of way. She's aspirationaly compared herself to The Miz in the past, and while I think that's a great goal for her, since we're talking about 80s wrestling, I'll compare her to The Honky Tonk Man. She's an attraction unto herself, and her goofy presence helps the show hit different emotional notes.

Green has surpassed every expectation fans had for her when she returned at The 2013 Royal Rumble. Her good work has been rewarded with consistent screentime. Now it's time to reward it with a championship.

Predicted Winner: Chelsea Green

Cody Rhodes (Champion) Vs Kevin Owens For The WWE Championship

Look: Kevin Owens has been fantastic in this program with Cody Rhodes. I went from thinking he was a throwaway opponent to fill some time for Cody to thinking this needs to go on a lot longer because this feud rules. We sometimes take KO for granted and forget how good he is. He’s got a Ted Dibiase-like quality where whatever he’s doing feels relevant, and he’s able to step up to a main event program when needed and feel like he belongs there.

The Internet has been arguing pretty relentlessly that it would be a good move for WWE to let Owens win here. It would add an element of surprise to the card, and it would give Owens a chance to hold The WWE Championship, which he’s never done before. I agree. I’d absolutely love to see Triple H get bold and put the title on Owens, but that doesn’t mean I think it’s going to happen because I don’t.

WWE has given us the occasional shock over the last few years (see Shinsuke Nakamura beating LA Knight at Survivor Series), but in general, the bookers have valued stability and common sense over chaos. That’s mostly been a good thing. That allowed Roman Reigns to have an all-time fantastic title run, and it has allowed Gunther to look like a nearly unbeatable menace for years. In general, it’s a good thing to keep the top guys on top, and Cody has been the top pure babyface for awhile. So, as much as I hear all the arguments for Owens and would love to see it myself, I have to predict what I think is most likely to happen and that’s Cody winning.

Predicted Winner: Cody Rhodes

Saturday Night’s Main Event will air on NBC on Saturday evening. You can watch it there or on Peacock or via other streaming options. Wind back the clock and check it out. You won’t be disappointed!

Ventura, who famously went from pro wrestling to politics, is back in the saddle at WWE as part of the Saturday Night's Main Event commentary team. The former Minnesota governor appeared on The Bill Simmons Podcast to preview what viewers will see when they tune in on NBC or with their Peacock subscription, and this sounds awesome:

I love the sound of that. No ramp walk or pyro. Just two superstars walking through the crowd to the ring with their music blaring in the stadium. It was an awesome vibe back when Saturday Night's Main Event did it back then, and I can only imagine it'll be even cooler now. Imagine security pushing through the crowd as Cody makes his way to the ring with the entire crowd singing "Kingdom" and then tell me that doesn't sound badass.

What also sounds badass is having Jesse Ventura back in the WWE, who rocked some of the most outlandish outfits you'd ever see a professional wrestler in. While he did find himself on the outside of the company back in the day, he confirmed that the leash is off and he will be free to speak his mind on commentary:

I'm sure there are some restrictions, and we won't hear Jesse Ventura talking about why he hates the movie American Sniper, but who knows? Is giving one of the best WWE commentators of the 1980s a microphone on live television a risk you have to take? Well, Ventura is known for being eccentric, but it seems the wrestling company is confident enough he'll toe the line to broadcast him on NBC four times a year. I am curious about who we'll see appearing with him on the commentary team.

As mentioned, Saturday Night's Main Event will feature Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens for the Undisputed Championship. It's also been confirmed that the Gunther will defend his Heavyweight Championship against Finn Balor, and Liv Morgan will defend her title against Iyo Sky. The night will also end with the company crowning the first Women's United States Champion, so be sure to clear that Saturday night schedule!

Catch the premiere of Saturday Night's Main Event on NBC and Peacock on Saturday, December 14th, at 8:00 p.m. ET. CinemaBlend only had a couple of missteps on our Survivor Series predictions, so be sure to tune in for our picks for this big television event.

But when?

With so many upcoming WWE events like the Royal Rumble and Monday Night Raw’s Netflix premiere taking place in the early part of 2025, there are plenty of opportunities for the Moana 2 star to put on a $500 shirt, some of his signature shades, and yes, that absurd People’s Championship belt of his, and make folks go crazy. Here are the most likely scenarios…

Monday Night Raw On Netflix

Ever since it was announced that WWE would be moving Monday Night Raw to Netflix earlier this year, the company’s flagship show’s streaming debut has been one of the most highly anticipated nights in wrestling in some time. WWE has already announced that several of the company’s top champions like Cody Rhodes, Liv Morgan, and Bianca Belair will all be there, along with celebrity guest Travis Scott, but I have a hard time believing that’ll be it.

I would be shocked if The Rock doesn’t show up, even if it’s just to stand on the stage, do the “People’s Eyebrow,” show off that gaudy belt of his, and then disappear until the following month’s Royal Rumble. He has a history of showing up on the big landmark episodes of WWE TV like Raw 1000 in 2012 and the SmackDown debut on Fox back in 2019.

The 2025 Royal Rumble

Outside of WrestleMania, no event on the WWE calendar has as much buzz or notoriety as the Royal Rumble. It kicks off the road to WrestleMania, has a history of debuts and shocking returns from surprise entrants, and is one of the few shows you can watch with non-wrestling fans and still have a good time. If The Rock doesn’t show up before WWE takes over Indianapolis on February 1st, there’s a strong possibility that we’ll be hearing “If You Smell…” over the speakers at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Saturday Night’s Main Event

If The Rock is to continue his feud with Cody Rhodes upon his return, then showing up and maybe costing the “American Nightmare” his WWE Championship in his match against Kevin Owens at Saturday Night’s Main Event is one way to get things cooking.

I don’t really see The Rock wanting to hold onto the Undisputed Championship (remember, he has the People’s Championship from the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony), but instead, wanting to finally take down Rhodes and all those “Cody Crybabies” he loves to provoke. Appearing at the first airing of the primetime NBC wrestling show in nearly 20 years is one hell of a way to do that.

He Won't Return Until Sometime Late Next Year

If all those rumors are correct and Fightful Select’s report about WWE not having plans for The Rock at WrestleMania is to be believed, then it could be quite some time before we see the “Final Boss” back in the ring. But, I honestly don’t see Dwayne Johnson staying away from the company that helped make him into one of the biggest box office draws of the 21st century for an extended period of time.

Whenever The Rock chooses to come back to WWE and stays longer than a random one-off stare-down, we’ll be able to see his return to in-ring action with a Peacock subscription.

Netflix is no stranger to hosting explicit content, but would the WWE want to retread old ground after years of promoting a mostly PG product? Thanks to a press event between the two companies that Sports Illustrated and others attended, we now know the answer, and it makes a lot of sense.

Nick Khan Addresses Rumors Of Monday Night Raw Becoming More Extreme

CM Punk and others have teased on Monday Night Raw that they'll be able to say whatever they want without television censorship getting in the way. However, it doesn't appear that the WWE will let that fly.

To that point, Nick Khan confirmed that in terms of the product itself, there are no plans to change its rating as it moves from the USA Network to Netflix:

While the WWE has sparingly implemented some Attitude-Era cursing for when guys like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson come around, it looks like it'll maintain its overall PG product under Netflix. So, those wondering if they need to alter their Netflix subscriptions to block the content shouldn't worry for now.

Why It Makes Sense WWE Is Not Switching The Tone Of Monday Night Raw

As someone who took their young daughter to Monday Night Raw in 2024, I can confirm that WWE is still very much for the kids. As the wrestling organization looks to potentially increase its viewership with the jump to Netflix, the last thing it wants to do is alienate a number of its viewers by vastly changing up the product.

It's also worth noting that this deal with Netflix may raise interest in upcoming WWE events, which are often sponsored by big brands. Ensuring the product is clean enough that the biggest possible advertisers still want to do business with the company is likely a priority, which is why I never seriously expected the Attitude Era to make a comeback.

The good news is that the current WWE product is very good, and I'd say the "PG" tagline often thrown on it can be misleading. I would liken it to a live sporting event, in which almost anything can happen. Occasionally, there will be swearing, blood, and unexpected raunchiness. Honestly, its version of PG aligns more with what the rating meant in the '80s, and that may give readers a better idea of what to expect when Monday Night Raw makes its big debut on the legacy streamer.

So, with that rumor cleared up, make sure to fire up Netflix on Monday, January 6th, for the first Monday Night Raw on the platform. It may not be as wild as the Attitude Era, but I expect some big surprises on the first show and more as they dive into WrestleMania season.

Let's be honest: the modern iteration of New Day hasn't been the same since Big E was separated from the group, went on his championship run, and was sidelined after a scary neck fracture. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods have struggled to remain equally relevant since then, but that's all changed after one segment that I think we'll be talking about for a while. At least based on what I think is coming.

Big E Arrived To Stop The New Day From Breaking Up, But It Didn't Go Like He Planned

Just when it seemed Kofi and Xavier were going their separate ways, Big E's music hit, and he joined the Raw telecast to make an offer to his former stablemates. While he hasn't been cleared to return to the ring by medical professionals just yet, his plan would be to return to The New Day as a manager and help remind them of what used to make them one of the most dominant tag teams in the WWE.

Like me, the crowd loved the offer. And then also like me, they were shocked to see how the duo reacted.

Xavier and Kofi vocally blamed Big E for their struggles over the past years, even suggesting that he could have already been back in the ring if he wasn't too cowardly to do so. Eventually, the attacks became so heated that Big E was warned about leaving the ring before it got ugly, seemingly destroying any idea of these three reuniting. The former WWE champion exited, and Xavier and Kofi then re-solidified their bond as tag-team partners.

Why I Think This Means Big E And The New Day Will Feud At WrestleMania

I know I've jumped on just about every tease about Big E returning to the WWE over the years, but this time, it feels real. Considering the friendship these wrestlers share in real life outside of being performers, I don't think this segment happens as is if there wasn't a decent chance Big E is very close to being medically cleared, allowing him to feud with Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods at WrestleMania.

Remember that Monday Night Raw is moving to Netflix, and many people who may not have been watching pro wrestling lately will be tuning in with their Netflix subscription. The New Day has been one of the most mainstream factions of the WWE for the past decade, so now would be the best time to make a big feud for them to entice fans who haven't been watching as of late or viewers only vaguely familiar with the WWE. Also, diehard wrestling fans would go nuts for this feud, so I hope my instincts are right.

For just a short while longer, Monday Night Raw airs on USA Network on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. While I've gotten used to the show being two hours long, I'm eager for the Netflix era to begin and for all the fun and wrestling feuds that may come with it.

I've been excited about Reed's year in wrestling for a while, and his ongoing battles with Seth Rollins might be the best feud in 2024. His performance of his signature finisher, "Tsunami," off the top of the cage was a highlight of the night, but now it's looking like he may be sidelined for a bit following comments from him and Triple H.

Triple H Hinted Bronson Reed Could Miss Time After Injury During Survivor Series Match

Triple H spoke during the Survivor Series post-show and gave some updates on several Superstars following the main event. In addition to telling attendees that Jimmy Uso had broken his toe during his dive off the top of the ring, the head of WWE said the following in regards to Big Bronson Reed:

Trips didn't get into specifics, but slo-mo clips circulating on the internet show that when Reed landed from the massive jump, one of his ankles was bent to the point where it was parallel to the mat. "A few weeks" is a vague timeline, however, and speaks to the lack of an overly debilitating injury. Still, we have to wonder if it'll keep Reed out of the action when Monday Night Raw debuts on Netflix.

Bronson Reed Spoke Out Following Injury Concerns

If Bronson Reed is potentially bummed out about not having any matches to stream with a Netflix subscription anytime soon, he's not showing it, and seemingly has no regrets about injuring himself. The wrestler posted on X and has been sharing multiple angles of the Tsunami, and doesn't seem to regret it one bit, saying this as a caption:

This is only speculation on my end, but if Bronson Reed was looking at some lengthy time on the sideline, he probably wouldn't post something like that. After all, his stock is on the rise on the main roster, and WrestleMania season may be a chance for him to cement himself as a main event performer in the brand. Injuries can always kill a wrestler's momentum, this post suggests to me he's not too worried about that happening.

I feel good about Bronson Reed's chances of returning before the Royal Rumble in February, and I'm hoping his big run in the WWE can continue. Early 2024, he missed a chance to perform at the Elimination Chamber in his home country of Australia. Now, I'm predicting Reed has a big year in 2025, so here's hoping those ankles get the rest they deserve.

Monday Night Raw airs on USA Network on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET until the end of 2024. After that, it will make the switch to Netflix, and I can't wait to see what that new era looks like.

Given Nakamura is a former United States Champion, Intercontinental Champion, tag champion and Royal Rumble winner, that might not sound that shocking, but let me run down some facts to illustrate how lonely it’s been as a Shinsuke fan for the past few years. In late 2023 and early 2024, he feuded with Cody Rhodes. He ultimately took three losses and not a single one even made a PPV. Before that, he feuded with Seth Rollins and while their matches at least made PPVs, he lost both of them. Before that, all the way back in 2022, he got pretty over in a tag team alongside Rick Boogs (who I miss by the way), but they lost to The Usos at WrestleMania 38 and promptly broke up.

And before that? Well, I just spent like 15 minutes trying to think of the last time Nakamura won a PPV match, but eventually, I had to give up and just look on the Internet for the answer. It turns out you have to go all the way back to the pre-show of Survivor Series 2021 where he defeated a pre-Judgment Day Damian Priest by disqualification after Priest stole Boogs’ guitar and hit him with it. If you don’t want to count that because it was on a pre-show, you have to go all the way back to Extreme Rules in 2020 for a Performance Center mid-Covid match where he teamed with Cesaro to defeat The New Day. That’s more than 4 years ago!

So, yeah, it’s been a rough road for Nakamura and his supporters. In fact, he was completely off television for most of 2024 until he unexpectedly returned in mid-November with a spooky new look to attack LA Knight and set up this match. I had Knight winning easily in my predictions, as did most fans, who assumed Triple H just added this to the Survivor Series card because they needed to fill it out with a few non War Games matches. Guess not.

It’s now the morning after Survivor Series, and most of the initial shock has worn off. I still, however, have a few big questions. So, let me ask those and talk out some related theories.

Is LA Knight Going To Stay In The Mid-Card Or Is He Headed For The Main Event?

LA Knight has cooled off a little bit since he was arguably the most over guy on the entire roster last year, but he’s still incredibly popular and routinely gets monster crowd reactions. He’s also clearly one of the best microphone workers on WWE’s entire roster (right alongside The Miz), and many fans think he has the potential to be World Champion some day. Now, it’s fair to wonder whether that time might be sooner rather than later.

Right now, Triple H, Bruce Prichard and the rest of the writing staff have two options for Knight. He can either continue this feud with Nakamura and attempt to get his title back, or he can move past it and try his hand at the main event scene. He certainly is popular enough to stare down Gunther, Cody Rhodes or anyone else on the roster, but the thing about the main event is there’s a limited amount of screentime at the top and everyone competing for it is super over.

I think Knight is probably going to stick it out with Shinsuke and eventually win the Championship back. I think this little bump in the road is to help him build some character and allow him to chase the belt for a bit, but we’ll just have to wait and see.

What Does This Mean For Shinsuke Nakamura’s NOAH Match?

Over the last few years, WWE has started working much more closely with other companies not named AEW. This has been the most pronounced with TNA, as we’ve seen Jordynne Grace in The Royal Rumble among other appearances and Joe Hendry has been all over NXT. Nakamura has also popped up a few times in NOAH, which is a Japanese wrestling promotion. Nakamura is scheduled to wrestle at NOAH’s event on January 1st against Ulka Sasaki, which now begs the question, is that still going to happen? And if it is going to happen, will it be for The United States Championship?

It’s hard to imagine WWE would have Nakamura lose the belt to someone who isn’t technically employed by WWE, but a match seems like a good way to build some interest in Japan. Over on Cultaholic, they even theorized LA Knight could show up in that match to interfere, which could further their WWE storyline. I have no idea what’s going to happen, but I’m absolutely fascinated.

Is This A Nice Moment For Nakamura Or The Start Of A Big Run?

Less than a year after debuting on the WWE Main Roster, Nakamura shocked everyone and won the 2018 Royal Rumble. At the time, most fans assumed it would be the start of an absolutely massive career. Well, it’s not six years later, and that’s not exactly what happened. To be clear, 99.9% of all people who aspire to be professional wrestlers would trade careers with Nakamura in a second, but a lot more of Nakamura’s six plus year tenure has been spent in the mid-card than the main event. He’s lost way more big matches than he’s won, and a case could be made that he’s one of the least successful Royal Rumble winners of all-time.

So, is WWE giving him a nice little moment here in the spotlight, or is there a long-term plan to build Nakamura up to what many fans originally wanted him to be? He’s 44 years old, and if he’s going to ever have a run with the World Championship, now needs to be the time to do it. He has a spooky new gimmick. This win has breathed a lot of life into him. It’s now or never.

However, the past few years have been a little stale on the big screen for Johnson, which is crazy considering his most recent run in WWE as the “Final Boss” has not only been one of his most exciting periods but also one of the best wrestling personas of all time. And that got me thinking, what if Dwayne Johnson channeled The Rock in Hollywood and mixed things up a bit? Let me explain…

I Like A Lot Of Dwayne Johnson's Movies, But It Feels Like He's Playing The Same Character Over And Over

Before you jump in and start yelling about me not liking Dwayne Johnson’s movies, let me tell you that I’ve seen pretty much everything he’s done and watched most of those in theaters, going all the way back to his big-screen debut in The Mummy Returns back in 2001. And it’s not just the Fast and Furious movies or Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle; I’m talking Snitch, Faster, and Doom.

But I’m not going to lie and say that it feels like Johnson is playing the same character over and over again in that his on-screen presence is pretty much the equivalent of Hulk Hogan before his shocking 1996 heel turn to form the NWO. As a colleague put it, he’s pretty much just out there giving the movie version of his catchphrases at this point. And I know he can give more dynamic performances because we’ve seen it in movies like Pain & Gain and his various heel runs in WWE.

He Reinvented Himself As The Rock When Things Got Stale In WWE

I’m not saying we need to have a “Die, Rocky, Die” where Dwayne Johnson cuts a mean promo and calls everyone on the red carpet pieces of crap like he’s joining the Nation of Domination, but he has been able to reinvent himself in wrestling whenever things got stale. His first run back in 1996 and 1997 didn’t do much and the fans quickly turned on him, which led to him going heel, and then less than two years later, he was WWF Champion (both as the People’s Champion and the Corporate Champion).

Basically, The Rock often read the room, saw where the tide was turning, and found a way to pivot and get back to the top of the card. While Dwayne Johnson is still one of the biggest box office draws in modern times, I think that pivoting and trying something new in the roles he takes or how he portrays himself on screen could be beneficial for his career and the audience’s enjoyment.

We All Remember How The Rock Becoming The 'Final Boss' Made WrestleMania 40 An Event To Remember

I know it wasn’t all that long ago, but remember how The Rock becoming the “Final Boss” persona made WrestleMania 40 an event to remember and the best “Showcase of the Immortals” in a decade and one of the greatest of all time? Man, Dwayne Johnson was firing on all cylinders when he fully committed to being a heel for the first time in over 20 years. The Rock, with his larger-than-life attitude and presence, showcased what makes WWE so great with an all-time great performance during both nights of the weekend-long event.

Going back to my earlier point – when the fans didn’t want to see The Rock and Roman Reigns face each other instead of allowing Cody Rhodes to finish his story and take on the Tribal Chief, Dwayne Johnson and company saw the writing on the wall and pivoted to give us the craziest WrestleMania main event of all time. I know that pivoting in wrestling and pivoting in movies are two completely different things, but this is the guy who had a year-long feud with John Cena before their “Once in a Lifetime” match at WrestleMania 28. He could do it.

I Would Love For Johnson To Have A 'Final Boss' Moment On The Big Screen And Take On More Complex And Vulnerable Characters

I know that The Rock’s “Final Boss” persona is far from being the definition of vulnerable (though this moment was hilarious to watch), but I would love to see Dwayne Johnson have one of those big sea change moments and take on more complex and vulnerable characters, heroes that don’t always win or come off looking the best in interactions with villains or with his running mates at family barbecues.

What makes Captain America, Spider-Man, Batman, and even Rocky Balboa such endearing and beloved characters? Yeah, they all know how to kick ass and save the day, but they also lose. I’m not trying to sound like a quote machine, but as Thomas Wayne put it in Batman Begins: “Why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.” It feels like Luke Hobbs, Black Adam, and Johnson's other heroes aren’t vulnerable and have to look like the strongest person in the world, which makes them predictable and tiresome. And I think having one of his on-screen figures suffer a loss and overcome some adversity could go a long way.

And Maybe His Role In A24's The Smashing Machine Will Be That 'Nation Of Domination' Moment On The Big Screen

I’ve been following Benny Safdie’s The Smashing Machine pretty much ever since the upcoming A24 movie was announced, and I have to admit that I’m stoked to see what Dwayne Johnson does with his portrayal of UFC legend Mark Kerr. And I honestly think that this could be that “Nation of Domination” moment for his career where he starts to play against type and break out from the world of big-budget action movies. I mean, he could still do those event films and all that, but this change in direction could take Johnson to new heights.

There are quite a few upcoming Dwayne Johnson movies in the works, including the Moana live-action remake, so it’s hard to say when, or if, we’ll see a change in direction. However, as The Rock has shown us time and time again in the ring, expect the unexpected.

No surprise here, but Isiah Kennedy and Marq Quen laughed when the question came up and instead asked me who I thought were their favorites growing up. Knowing their history, in-ring style, and flashy personalities, I immediately responded with the Hardy Boyz, to which Kennedy responded with “Definitely the Hardyz” before adding:

What followed was a quick-yet-impactful trip down memory lane where we chatted about how Matt and Jeff Hardy influenced an entire generation of future stars, gave fans some of the most iconic Attitude Era moments, and constantly reinvented themselves and wrestling as a whole over the past 25 years.

But what stood out most about the duo? Kennedy added:

Tagging in to share his experience growing up watching the Hardy Boyz put their lives on the line each and every week, Quen talked about how much he was shocked finding out just how big Matt and Jeff were meeting them years later:

Kennedy, Quen, and I, though from different parts of the country and different walks of life, had a lot of shared experiences watching these two brothers from North Carolina pull off death-defying stunts in our formative days. Touching on this, Kennedy shared how the pair’s charisma and attitude made him a fan on day one:

Private Party has had quite the history with the Hardy Boyz. This is especially true with Matt, who has worked with the team multiple times over the years. A few years after the Hardyz defeated Kennedy and Quen for the House of Glory Tag Team Championship, Matt paired up with the team in AEW. At one point, Kennedy started working under the name Brother Zay while Quen was out with an injury.

Only time will tell if Private Party gets a chance to face off against Matt and Jeff Hardy at some point in the future, but it would give me even more reason to be excited if those two teams met in the ring at an upcoming AEW pay-per-view or anywhere else really.

The Scottish Warrior was last seen in the WWE in a Hell In A Cell match against CM Punk. The match gained acclaim from the wrestling community and left McIntyre bloodied to the point he needed sixteen staples in his head. He's been away from the brand, but I think many expect him to return when we watch Monday Night Raw with a Netflix subscription. So, what's the latest on his return timeline? Here's what's being said.

What The Rumored Status Is For Drew McIntyre's WWE Return

PWInsider inquired about Drew McIntyre's status for an in-ring return, and was told nothing is set in stone about what he'll be doing when he returns. With that said, there have been pitches about what his creative direction will be when he does return. It gives the impression that we won't be seeing the former champion for a while, but I feel the timing of this update is just a bit suspicious.

Why I'm Very Skeptical Of This Update And Think McIntyre Will Return Sooner

In CinemaBlend's Survivor Series predictions, Mack Rawden has The OG Bloodline and CM Punk coming out on top against the new Bloodline and Bronson Reed. I agree with that prediction, but have long questioned the motive of including Punk and Reed in the match. Neither has anything to do with the Bloodline storyline, and I think that's the key to how two other big superstars will get worked in.

I raved not long ago about how Bronson Reed and Seth Rollins have the best feud of 2024 in WWE, and I think it's fair to say CM Punk and Drew McIntyre weren't far behind. What are the odds that half of these people are in a Survivor Series match with very little to do with either of them? If I were a betting man, I'd say some outside interference is on the horizon, and Rollins and McIntyre may be quietly waiting to strike during the big match.

This feels especially true for McIntyre, whose entire feud with Punk has consisted of surprise returns and attacks on the other. If ever there was a time to take the wrestler out, it would be when he's fighting for his life against the stacked Bloodline led by Solo Sikoa.

I can understand if some people think the feud between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre has run its course and don't want to reignite the flame after HIAC was so spectacular. At the same time, this feels like a blood feud that began with Punk's real arm injury that kept him out of competing at WrestleMania 40 and Punk losing his Money In The Bank cash-in. I think there are still legs in this feud that could bleed into WrestleMania season, especially with no clear direction for either wrestler going forward. We'll see what happens, but I have a feeling Drew's return is sooner than later.

Survivor Series kicks off on Peacock on Saturday, November 30, with the stream starting at 6:30 p.m. ET. We'll see if Drew McIntyre shows up, or if he'll make an appearance a little further down the road.

We've written a lot about feuds we'd like to see John Cena have before his retirement, and recent chatter seemed to hint at which opponent he could be taking on. Now, betting odds may speak to the latter reports' validity, and if it all plays out accordingly, the 16-time champion could be punching a ticket for a match at WrestleMania 41.

BetOnline Named John Cena The Current Favorite To Win The 2025 Royal Rumble

BetOnline has released its odds prediction for the 2025 Royal Rumble in Indianapolis and currently has John Cena (+350) as most favored to win. The winner of the Royal Rumble, as we know, is allowed the opportunity for a championship match of their choosing at WrestleMania.

It's worth mentioning CM Punk (+400) and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson (+600) are not far behind him in the odds of winning either. Given the talk about The Rock's plans for WrestleMania I could definitely see him winning, but there's a reason I'm leaning more on Cena pulling out the win above others.

Why John Cena Vying For The Heavyweight Championship Would Be An Amazing Match

John Cena has already confirmed WrestleMania 41 will include his final WrestleMania match, and if you're a fan of the wrestler you know what that means. He'll have that one final opportunity to win a record-breaking 17th world championship title, and on the grandest stage of them all, which would further cement him as one of the best WWE performers of all time, any era.

While John Cena's loaded schedule of movies, shows, and WWE events might already prove that distinction, securing that title once more would be a fantastic capstone on his tremendous wrestling career. Of course, I wouldn't want him to get in the mix for whatever is currently going on with Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, and possibly The Rock, which means he'd have to challenge whoever is holding the Heavyweight Championship after winning.

As of now, CinemaBlend predicts Gunther will beat Damian Priest for the Heavyweight Championship at Survivor Series. I believe there's a good chance we'll see Gunther and John Cena feud to eventually square off against each other for the championship at WrestleMania 41. Gunther has proven himself as one of the most experienced stars on the younger end of his career, and putting his dominant legacy on the line thus far up against a legend like Cena would make for an insanely good wrestling match. Hopefully, BetOnline is right about this one because I'm already getting excited about the match.

The WWE's Royal Rumble isn't until Saturday, February 1st, in Indianapolis, Indiana, so there will be plenty of time for more speculation about who will win until then. In the meantime, stick with CinemaBlend for more updates on what's happening in wrestling and what's next for John Cena.

I’ve watched wrestling for a very long time, and after spending an uncalculatable number of minutes witnessing crazy heel turns, heartbreaking double-crosses, and payback scenarios, I’m convinced someone is going to turn on Roman Reigns at WarGames, but who? Will it be the Original Tribal Chief’s wise man, Paul Heyman, his cousin, Jimmy Uso, a Returning Final Boss, or someone else? Let me break it all down.

Paul Heyman

What? Is 2024 WWE Hall of Fame inductee Paul Heyman turning on Roman Reigns? It's never going to happen, right? Well, about that… Though the OTC’s top advisor and wise man has stayed by his side for just over four years now, the prolific manager has a lo-o-ong history of turning on clients. He turned on CM Punk at Money in the Bank 2013 and then aligned himself with Brock Lesnar, who he would later betray (for the second time) at the 2022 Royal Rumble. And the same can be said for anyone else he’s mentored over the years.

As SmackDown went off the air on the second-to-last-episode before Survivor Series: WarGames, Heyman had an evil look on his face while staring at Reigns and a returning CM Punk in the ring before winking at Jimmy Uso. This could be an innocent exchange between friends, but I know Heyman enough not to trust him…

Jimmy Uso

Jimmy Uso, who was on the receiving end of that wink from Paul Heyman, has stood next to Roman Reigns through thick and thin over the years, enduring all kinds of difficult situations, humiliation, and some butt-whoopings for his Tribal Chief. And while he might seem like an unlikely turncoat within the ranks of the OG Bloodline, this has me thinking that he could be the one to betray Reigns with a superkick more devastating than anything we’ve seen since Shawn Michaels threw Marty Jannetty through the Barber Shop window.

He could be fed up from years of abuse, or he could be a mole from Solo Sikoa’s new and more ruthless Bloodline. WarGames would be the perfect time to act if the latter is the case.

The Rock

The Rock returned to WWE in October (with that absurd belt of his) and stared down Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes after they defeated the Bloodline, but hasn’t been seen since. Was this just some random appearance or was it setting something up for Survivor Series? I’m convinced it’s the latter and that the Final Boss will show up in the WarGames match and attack Reigns to rekindle their feud that was put on the back burner so Rhodes could finish his story at WrestleMania 40.

With the Road to WrestleMania kicking off in a little over two months and Raw moving to Netflix a few weeks before that, we’re about to enter WWE’s busy season, and a feud between The Rock and Roman Reigns would do crazy numbers. And Dwayne Johnson showing up and turning on his cousin in the biggest match since his return would be huge!

Other Members Of The Bloodline

But those aren’t the only three options. Sami Zayn could also turn heel on Reigns and finally get back at him for all the hell he put him through a couple of years ago, but I don’t really see that going anywhere despite evil Sami being a treat. Jey Uso is another possibility, but “Main Even Jey Uso” is one of the company’s top babyfaces right now, and turning on his cousin would be counterproductive and not very “ucey.”

And as much as I would love to see CM Punk turn heel and attack Reigns in the WarGames match, I honestly don’t think we need that right now. If anything, Seth Rollins will show up and attack both Punk and Bronson Reed, turning heel on the former and continuing his feud-of-the-year with the latter.

That being said, we’ll have to watch and find out what happens when Survivor Series: WarGames goes live Saturday at 6 p.m. ET for anyone with a Peacock subscription

Obviously, the major story is the reunion of the OG Bloodline. Fans were pretty convinced that Seth Rollins was going to be the fifth man on their team, but this past week, Paul Heyman reemerged after months off television and brought with him CM Punk to even the score against Solo Sikoa’s new Bloodline, which recently added Bronson Reed. Whatever happens in the match could tell us a lot about what Roman Reigns and more will doing in their WrestleMania program.

The same could be said for the women’s War Games match. What once seemed like a throwaway exhibition that included nearly all the top talent on the women’s roster has turned into a whodunit after Jade Cargill was attacked. Bayley is going to step in and replace her, but the who attacked Jade part will likely have major storyline implications for the next few months. Maybe we’ll get answers at Survivor Series.

And, of course, there are the three championship matches. I’ve got some theory as to what’s likely to happen in each of them, but first, let’s talk a look at how I’ve been doing on predictions lately…

LA Knight (Champ) Vs Shinsuke Nakamura For The United States Championship

I’m glad to see LA Knight defend his United States Championship on a PLE, but there hasn’t been nearly enough build for this match to burn it off already. Nakamura showed up a few weeks ago and has been attacking and haunting Knight since, but there hasn’t been enough back and forth to get me (or assumedly, other fans) excited. I’m still not even used to the idea of Nakamura being back, let alone ready to see him wrestle for The United States Championship.

All of that tells me Knight is almost certainly going to retain here. I don’t think it’s a guarantee he’s going to hold his title all the way until ‘Mania, but given how over he still is, you’d think if he’s going to lose the belt, it would be to someone with a lot of momentum and a proper build into the match. That hasn’t happened here.

I love Shinsuke. I was extremely excited when WWE gave him a new series of vignettes and allowed him to start speaking in Japanese. I was hoping they’d really build him into something when he first returned for some matches against Seth Rollins last year, but ultimately, he was just fed to Rollins. Now it seems like he’s just going to be fed to Knight and will likely disappear again.

Predicted Winner: LA Knight

Bron Breakker (Champion) Vs Sheamus Vs Ludwig Kaiser For The Intercontinental Championship

Two high potential mid-carders on the rise and a former main eventer looking to get another shot at glory. Doesn’t that description just scream triple threat for The Intercontinental Championship? This match was just added to the Survivor Series card during Monday Night Raw, but this feud, despite some stops and starts, has been building for months. We’ve seen these men interference in each other’s matches, drop some strong promos against each other and collectively fixate on The IC Championship for awhile.

You could make an easy case for all three of these guys to win. Ludwig Kaiser was told in no uncertain terms by Gunther go make his own legacy and find his own success. A win here would be a major step toward doing that, and it would put him on the same trajectory as his longtime buddy, who is now World Heavyweight Champion. In addition, it feels like we can’t go a week without another quote dropping from a wrestling legend talking about how much promise they see in Kaiser. The Undertaker had really positive things to say about him earlier this year. CM Punk just singled him out as a guy he’d like to work with. His future is really bright.

And, of course, Sheamus has a really obvious case here. The Intercontinental Championship is the one major prize in WWE he’s never won. He’s held all the other belts and had success at practically all the gimmick PPVs. At some point, he’s going to win this Championship, and it’s going to generate a huge pop from fans who want to celebrate all the success he’s had. But is now the moment to pull that trigger?

And then there’s Bron Breakker, who many call a future WrestleMania Main Eventer. He’s been really enjoyable as IC Champion, as some kind of tweener between heel and face. When he first won the title, I thought he’d hold it for a Gunther-like run, but he already dropped it and won it back during a feud with Jey Uso. What’s to say he couldn’t do that again?

Any of these three men could conceivably win, but I don’t think Kaiser is quite ready yet, and I think, when Sheamus wins this title, it’s going to be during a bigger moment. So, for now, I think Bron is going to hold onto the belt.

Predicted Winner: Bron Breakker.

Gunther (Champion) Vs Damian Priest For The World Heavyweight Championship

Most of the time when I’m doing these predictions, I’m thinking less about how we got here (although that matters) and more about what story I think WWE is going to want to tell moving forward. If this person wins, what type of storylines does that set up? Would they be more enticing than possible storylines the other person winning would set up? Well, when it comes to Gunther and Damian Priest, I can see two very distinct storylines. Let’s talk this out.

Scenario 1: Let’s say Damian Priest wins. That’s possible since he’s extremely over right now and getting the best crowd reactions of his career (at least outside of his 'Mania moment). A win would legitimize Damian Priest as a main event player in WWE, and it would likely lead into a feud with another main eventer for the WHC. Maybe Drew McIntyre or a hell Seth Rollins. In addition, it would also put Gunther into a crisis of confidence program. Priest has already been accusing Gunther of losing his aura, and taking an L here would mean he’s lost his last two PPV matches and three of his last six. Maybe he rebuilds himself and vows to win the Royal Rumble to prove he’s still got it?

Scenario 2: Let’s say Gunther wins. There won't be a lack of confidence afterwards. He’ll likely emerge from this match looking as strong as ever, and he’ll likely lean into that in upcoming promos. If he wins, I’d expect him to hold the title until WrestleMania and likely face someone like John Cena in a David vs Goliath type story, as the monster heel who no one thinks they can beat. Priest would fall a little bit down from the main event scene, but there are any number of suitable people he could feud with next.

Gunther has just done too much winning since he debuted on the main roster to bet against him. I just can’t pick against him here, but it’s a credit to how over Damian Priest has gotten that there is some doubt here.

Predicted Winner: Gunther

Nia Jax, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Tiffany Stratton And Candice LeRae vs Bianca Belair, Rhea Ripley, Iyo Sky, Naomi And Bayley

This originally felt like an old school Survivor Series match of random babyfaces and random heels. It’s the Hulkamaniacs vs The Heenan Family or whatever, battling for nothing more than the love of the game. After Jade Cargill was unexpectedly attacked, however, it’s turned into something more interesting. Most fans think the attacker is one of her former partners on the babyface team; so, will they attack someone else during the match or intentionally screw over their teammates? That’s what we’ll all be looking out for.

There’s also the possibility, of course, that someone outside this match attacked Jade Cargill, and if that’s the case, it’s possible we may see them show up in this match. I think the most likely option is Charlotte Flair, but we could also see Becky Lynch make a surprise appearance. That would likely put either woman into an immediate feud with Bianca Belair, who would likely want to defend her partner, or with Jade herself if she’s not out with injury as long as expected.

Regardless, all these scenarios point to the heels winning. Add that to the fact that both current women’s champions are on the heel side and the fact that we’ve seen everyone on the heels side get along super well in the lead up, and I'm confident we’re probably going to see a heel victory here (provided there's not any shadiness with Tiffany's Money In The Bank contract).

Predicted Winner: The Heels.

Roman Reigns, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, Sami Zayn And CM Punk Vs Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, Jacob Fatu and Bronson Reed

If this is a straightforward match, the babyfaces are going to win. Roman was just pinned by Solo during the six man tag team match at Crown Jewel, and while it’s important to build the heels up, you can’t tear down Roman and company too much. They need to stay looking strong. Plus, WWE isn’t going to want to make CM Punk, hot off landing a big TV role, look weak, and he’s involved on the side of the good guys now too.

But there’s also the possibility this isn’t going to be a straightforward match. We know Seth Rollins and Bronson Reed are still involved in this banger of a feud, and Seth has longstanding problems with Roman and Punk too. We know The Rock may return at some point, and it seems likely he’ll side with the bad guys when he does. There are a lot of theories going around that Paul Heyman might betray Roman, since the OTC apparently didn’t check on him a single time after his injury. There’s also lingering tension between Roman and Punk. A lot could go wrong.

This is definitely the match I’m most up in the air about, but I’m going to say the babyfaces stand tall and get the win here. That would put them on more equal footing and give WWE plenty of options of where to take the story moving forward.

Predicted Winner: The OG Bloodline + CM Punk

With rumors of The Rock returning to WrestleMania 41 and Monday Night Raw coming to Netflix, there's a good chance the WWE will get some new audiences checking out the company in 2025. As such, let me tell you why watching Saturday Night's Main Event on Saturday, December 14th, will be a great showcase of what to expect going forward, starting with who will be part of the big night.

Cody Rhodes Will Defend His Championship Title Against Kevin Owens

For the second time this year, Cody Rhodes will defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against Kevin Owens. These two tussled previously as friends at Bash In Berlin, and Rhodes ultimately retained his title. Owens has since soured on his ally for siding up with Roman Reigns and others and taken out his aggressions on Randy Orton and other people Rhodes has aligned with in the past.

Rhodes, well past his breaking point, offered the challenge on SmackDown, which was confirmed by the WWE on Monday. Even if the title doesn't change hands, what a huge way to kick off WWE's big broadcast return.

Both Superstars And Their Feud Highlight What Is So Great About The Modern WWE

Anyone tuning into Saturday Night's Main Event who isn't a dedicated WWE fan will notice one key thing about this feud that was less of a thing back in the days of Hulk Hogan or even Stone Cold Steve Austin. Cody Rhodes and Kevin Owens' rivalry is one in which both wrestlers make valid points. As the face of the WWE, Cody Rhodes is billed as the hero, but I think there will be more than a few people backing Owens and his reasoning for feeling betrayed by a friend.

And while Owens has caught flak for using Stone Cold Steve Austin's stunner finisher, don't expect this to be a match straight out of the Attitude Era. WWE performers have drastically elevated their game in terms of what they're capable of in the ring, not just from a "cool moves" standpoint, but also conditioning and keeping the energy and pacing up.

Kevin Owens and Cody Rhodes are two of the best at busting out a wide variety of moves that will leave you glued to NBC or your Peacock Premium subscription. Hopefully, another match will get added to the card as well, as I'd love everyone to get a taste of what a Premium Live Event in this company looks like in the modern era.

I'll be ready on Saturday, December 14th at 8:00 p.m. ET to watch the premiere of Saturday Night's Main Event on NBC and Peacock. I can't wait to see how a casual audience reacts to the new look for the WWE and if it'll make for any new fans ahead of a big 2025 for the brand.

As we look forward to the next big shift in the way we watch one of the premier wrestling shows on TV right now, there are some details we need to go over about Raw’s streaming debut. Come with us as we break down when Raw premieres on Netflix, who’s going to be there for the highly anticipated upcoming WWE event, and what we can expect from the show, and company as a whole, moving forward.

When Does WWE Raw Premiere On Netflix?

Where we watch Monday Night Raw may be changing, but WWE’s flagship show will still air on the same day and time that it has for decades. Netflix has announced that Raw will premiere at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, January 6, 2025, where it will be broadcast live from the brand new and state-of-the-art Intuit Dome in Los Angeles.

But don’t worry if you miss the show as it airs, as episodes of Raw will be available on-demand as part of Netflix’s massive library of TV shows.

Which WWE Wrestlers Will Be At The Raw On Netflix Premiere?

There will surely be some major surprises when Raw premieres on Netflix, but WWE has announced that Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, CM Punk, and Bianca Belair will all be there to kick off the new era. The same can also be said for John Cena, who’ll be kicking off his much-lauded 2025 farewell tour. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll get to see the wrestler-turned-actor take someone from our list of dream opponents before his retirement.

Will There Be Any Celebrity Guests On Raw?

There’s a long history of celebrities appearing at WrestleMania and other WWE events, and that trend will continue when Raw premieres on Netflix in early 2025. WWE and Netflix have announced that Travis Scott, whose Cactus Jack label has no connection with Mick Foley’s hardcore wrestling persona of the same name, will not only be appearing the first night, but he’ll also be providing the show’s new theme song.

It Looks Like The TV-14 Era Is About To Begin Again

It looks like the days of WWE being TV-PG are about to be over and done with, as Netflix has Monday Night Raw listed as TV-14 on the title page. This means that for the first time since July 2008, Raw won’t be restricted to the more family-friendly rating and limitations. Does this mean we’re going back to the days of Jerry Lawler yelling about “puppies,” unprotected chair-shots to the head, or other unsavory moments from the Attitude and Ruthless Aggression eras? Not likely.

WWE And Netflix Haven't Said If Raw Will Return To The Three-Hour Format, But There Are Rumors

WWE made a massive change in October 2024 when it shifted Raw from a three-hour show back to a two-hour broadcast for the first time in well over a decade. And while neither WWE nor Netflix have commented on the structure once Raw shifts to a streaming model in January 2025, there are rumors that Raw will reportedly be reverting back to the model first adopted for the 1000th episode of the flagship WWE show back in July 2012.

In September 2024, Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observe/Figure Four Online reported that Raw would go back to three hours on Netflix and that the call for shorter episodes was made by USA. The following month, WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H addressed the issue at the Bad Blood press conference where he said WWE and Netflix were still working through the length.

Make sure to tune in for the premiere episode of Monday Night Raw on Netflix on Monday, January 6, 2025, one of the biggest nights of the 2025 TV schedule.

WWE later announced she suffered a slew of injuries and said there’s “no timetable” for her return. There are unverified rumors the storyline may have been written in to account for a real injury, but either way, we’re likely going to see Bayley as her replacement in War Games and fans now have a mystery to solve. Fortunately, as a superfan of both wrestling and detective procedurals, now is my time to shine.

I think there are three good suspects and a few more longshot suspects. So, let’s tackle them one-by-one.

Naomi

At first glance, Naomi seems like a terrible suspect. After all, she’s maybe the most straight ahead babyface on the entire roster (apart from maybe Otis), and we’ve seen nothing but positive vibes between her, Bianca and Jade. The three women teamed together at WrestleMania for a dominating win, and we’ve also seen her maintain friendships under difficult circumstances, most prominently with Bayley.

But after a photo of her looking kinda suspect went viral amongst wrestling fans, she’s been on X defending herself so loudly and so aggressively that it’s starting to attract suspicion. She even said she expects her timeline to be “flooded with apologies” when her name is cleared. But is it going to be?

Despite being very close with Bianca and Jade, it’s worth pointing out that she’s the odd one out of the actual tag team. She’s clearly the third wheel in the friendship, and the other two are getting more press and more opportunities than she is. She’s also very close with Bayley, who has had plenty of problems with Bianca in the past.

Verdict: 15% Chance. I don’t think it’s Naomi. I’d consider her the least likely of the main suspects, but you could definitely build a logical case here of why it’s her.

Bianca Belair

Plugged-in wrestling fans have convinced themselves they know where this Jade and Bianca story is going eventually. One of them is going to turn on the other, and it’s going to set up a huge match at WrestleMania. I wish I could make some snarky comments about why everyone is off base, but I also think that’s been the plan all along with their tag team. Some of the best feuds of all time have involved tag team partners, and I was all-in on the plan to put them together and break them up.

So, it has to be her, right? Well, not so fast. If the goal is to have Jade and Bianca wrestle each other for the first time at WrestleMania, we’re way too early on the timeline. In fact, I said in my Crown Jewel predictions that they’d hold onto their Tag Team Championships for longer because it just didn’t make sense to break them up already. And, to be honest, I still think that. What are they going to drop angry promos on each other and interference in each other’s matches for five months before finally wrestling? No.

There’s the possibility, however, that this injury is going to lead to Jade being out a few months, and in that case, Bianca could be an ideal suspect. An “it was me” admission sometime around the Royal Rumble would allow these two to engage in a heated feud for a few months before fighting at WrestleMania.

Verdict: 25% Chance. I don’t think it’s Bianca. I think there are better ways to do a break-up than this, but if Jade is injured for real and they needed to write her off TV quickly while laying the groundwork for the Bianca feud when she returns, then it’s a possibility they improved to this.

Bayley

Bayley had the hottest run of her entire career earlier this year when she won The Royal Rumble, turned on Damage CTRL and beat Iyo Sky for The WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 40. You could make a case that, at the moment she won, she was one of the most over stars on the entire roster, but the last six months or so haven’t really gone as well. That’s not to say she’s done anything wrong, but none of her storylines have really popped and her momentum has bled off. She needs a change.

Attacking Jade and going back to being a heel could provide the change she needs. It would also make sense with her character, as she’s had on-screen problems with Bianca for multiple years. It would also provide the most direct benefit to her, which would be getting her into the War Games match. I can’t imagine her character would have enjoyed watching the so-called faces team with Iyo Sky and pick her for their War Games team, given all the personal animosity she’s had with her too.

Verdict: 50% Chance. I think this is the most likely scenario. It makes the most sense from a character development standpoint. It would give Bayley something new to do, and it would give WWE a lot of options moving forward.

Other Possible Suspects

Ordinarily when someone gets attacked on Raw or SmackDown, it’s one of the heels on the roster. It’s the type of straightforward storytelling the wrestling business has been built on top of for a hundred years, but most of the time when it’s the most obvious candidate, the show just reveals it immediately and uses it to either draw heat or play up an injury angle. Can you believe Nia attacked Jade ahead of their match? It’s just like Liv Morgan to cheap shot her opponent before they even get into the ring. I hope Candice didn’t hurt Jade’s knee when she attacked her. That’s the sorta thing you’d expect to hear Michael Cole say on an almost weekly basis on SmackDown. So, while I wouldn’t definitively rule out any of the heels in the War Games match (Nia, Tiffany, Candice, Liv and Raquel), I don’t think it’s likely it was them either.

I’ll throw out another remote possibility though. What if it’s a woman that’s headed to the main roster sometime soon or returning from injury? There’s a ton of buzz around a bunch of people in NXT, most prominently Stephanie Vaquer and Giulia. There’s also Jordynne Grace from TNA, who many expect may come over to WWE in 2025. Any of those three women could conceivably step into the main event scene immediately and start a feud with Jade. There’s also a small possibility it could be Lash Legend and Jakara Jackson, who have recently feuded with Jade and Bianca for the tag titles.

Or it could be someone like Charlotte Flair or Becky Lynch. We're all expecting to see them at some point soon, and whenever they do pop up, it'll almost certainly be to enter into a feud with a big name. Jade Cargill would fit that bill, as would her partner Bianca.

Verdict: 10% Chance. I don’t necessarily love any of these possibilities enough to put forth on their own, but collectively, there’s enough here that they need to be taken into consideration.

Ahead of their four-way tag team match against The Outrunners, Kings of the Black, and The Acclaimed where they’ll have their first title defense, Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen sat down for a chat with CinemaBlend to talk about what brought them to this point and where they go from here. When asked how they’re preparing for one of the biggest matches on the Full Gear card (both in terms of prominence and number of competitors), Kassidy had this to say:

So which of those three teams are Kassidy and Quen looking out for the most? The Outrunners (Truth Magnum and Turbo Floyd), with their throwback to ‘80s wrestling gimmicks, could put up a fight. The same can be said about Kings of the Black Throne (Malakai Black and Brody King) with their multiple title reigns and dominating physical presence.

But Private Party has their eyes on the fourth team, The Acclaimed (Anthony Bowens and Max Caster), for a very good reason, as Kassidy put it:

Despite all the wins and past successes in AEW, Marq Quen didn’t sound too worried about The Acclaimed taking the belts off them in the highly-anticipated match. In fact, the Private Party member explained how his history with Max Caster has something to do with it:

Marq Quen may not have any love for The Acclaimed, but wrestling fans will have plenty of reasons to be excited about AEW right now, as the Full Gear card is shaping up to be one of the best in all of wrestling this year. With Jon Moxley defending his AEW World Championship against Orange Cassidy a little more than a month after decimating Bryan Danielson at WrestleDream, Swerve Strickland taking on Bobby Lashley, and a half-dozen other contests, there’s a lot to love.

If you want to see Private Party defend their tag titles against The Acclaimed, Kings of the Black, and The Outrunners, make sure to watch Full Gear at 8 p.m. ET this Saturday on TrillerTV, YouTube, and traditional cable and satellite providers.

It all started on X, where the former multi-time women's champion posted a GIF of a woman with a magnifying glass, along with the caption "Where's Alexa...." That certainly makes the post feel specific to the WWE, considering her real name is Lexi Cabrera. Take a look at the tweet below:

While this could be bait for some other product announcement, or potentially even Bliss trolling her fanbase, I'm inclined to think she's actually returning to the WWE. After all, she's previously had opportunities to troll when the Wyatt Sicks were debuting and chose not to.

So when might we expect to see her in the WWE? I think there are a few options we should be keeping an eye out for.

The First Monday Night Raw On Netflix

It won't be long before the WWE makes Monday Night Raw available to those with a Netflix subscription, and there's a general expectation that the streaming debut will be quite a big episode. The WWE announced Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, Bianca Belair, and John Cena for that particular installment, and pop icon Travis Scott will also be there. Wouldn't this be a great time to reveal Alexa Bliss as the final member of the Wyatt Sicks?

The Royal Rumble

The Royal Rumble is an event where surprise returns are expected, and more often than not, it's easy to get a long-absent superstar into a feud with someone pretty quickly. We've written before about how Alexa Bliss is a spectacular wrestler, and I think whether she returns as a member of the Wyatt Sicks or not, she will thrive in just about any feud she is given.

I would love to see her competing in the women's main event scene, but given so few of the women she came up with are even currently wrestling in the company, I wonder if WWE has other plans for her.

A Post-WrestleMania 41 Comeback

There are still so many rumors circulating about big matches for WrestleMania 41, and it makes me wonder if there's just no time to bring Alexa Bliss back until after the big event. Starting Bliss' comeback after the big show would give her more time to shine in the spotlight and maybe make it feel less like she's shoe-horned into any feuds or factions operating for the past year or more. It's not my ideal scenario, but it's one I see happening.

Unfortunately, we can only speculate so much regarding Alexa Bliss' tweets, so we may have to keep watching new episodes of Monday Night Raw on USA on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET to see if any clues about her arrival surface. I'll be excited to see her back in action, and what the WWE has planned for her after that long absence.

While I'll admit that I enjoyed watching CM Punk and Drew McIntyre have a blood feud over a friendship bracelet for months, that's not the one I'm talking about. There is another I'm enjoying a good deal more as the year closes out. Bronson Reed and Seth Rollins are tearing the house down just about every time they step in the ring, and we need to start acknowledging this is the year's greatest feud.

2024 Has Been The Year Of Big Bronson Reed

Bronson Reed missed a chance to perform in his homeland of Australia at the start of the year, but it ended up being a blessing in disguise as he could be there when his wife went into labor. It seems like while the WWE didn't have Reed in their immediate plans at the start of the year, so much of 2024 has been about raising his stock in the WWE as a credible threat and possible main eventer.

We've seen Bronson Reed hit his signature Tsunami multiple times in succession against a lot of people, but readers may forget that his entire reign of terror started with a surprise attack on Seth Rollins. Words can't describe just how wild it was, but thankfully, we have the video to enjoy:

From there, Bronson Reed took out his frustrations on The Miz, then R-Truth, and then finally seemed to find another more durable opponent in Braun Strowman. Strowman lasted as long as he could, and technically, won their Last Man Standing match, but it was Reed who emerged from the feud looking stronger. It seemed like nothing was going to stop Reed, right up until Seth Rollins returned and delivered the first beating to the superstar that he's received in a while.

CinemaBlend predicted Reed would fall to Rollins at Crown Jewel 2024, but I don't think any of us were happy about it. After all, we saw how Rollins' 2023 Heavyweight Championship run all but extinguished Shinsuke Nakamura's comeback, and it felt like yet another promising superstar was getting built up just to be squashed by one of WWE's most consistent main eventers.

Originally, I thought Bronson Reed's build was just so he could serve as a stepping stone for Seth Rollins to challenge Gunther for the Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania. Following Crown Jewel, however, I think that this feud may not actually be for Seth to come out on top, especially after seeing how easily Reed got up after that devastating match. I'm not entirely sure how this feud ends, but damn, is it intriguing.

Reed And Seth Have Made For Some Of The WWE's Best Matches Without A Title On The Line

I mentioned Drew McIntyre and CM Punk's feud earlier in a flippant way, and that was honestly a little unfair. Even with the weird bracelet angle, this has been one of the best blood feuds we've seen in the WWE in some time, but it differs from Bronson Reed and Seth Rollins feud in one key way.

The stakes for McIntyre and Punk's feud were elevated because the latter cost the former his Heavyweight Championship. That's not to say either superstar isn't worthy of carrying a feud where there are no title implications, but it's a fact that Punk screwing McIntyre out of the title was the catalyst to everything that came after.

Bronson Reed's whole mission is not being driven by a title he lost out on, or one that he was robbed of. This entire WWE storyline is centered around a man proving he is deserving of an opportunity. Does defeating Seth Rollins in a feud prove he's capable of that next step to main event title matches? I think so, and I think the power in that story speaks for itself when you don't even care whether a title is on the line.

2025 Should Be The Year Bronson Reed Has A Big Title Run

Whether he wins or loses the feud with Seth Rollins, it's my hope that whatever happens with Bronson Reed steers him in the direction that sets him up for his first major title run in 2025. If we get to the end of this feud and it just ends up in Seth Rollins moving on to bigger and better things while Reed slips back into the background, the WWE has wasted our time.

Sure, I'll concede that the WWE's main event scene is so loaded that you have pro wrestling icons struggling to get television time. That said, it's a great problem to have several guys on the roster who, at any given moment, can rise up and shock the world (no Shockmaster) with a surprising title run. Sure, Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns are at the top of the mountain, but that doesn't mean there isn't room for others just below the peak.

I also can say that in an era where just about everyone in the main roster is cut and looking like a marble statue, it's nice to see a big dude throwing his weight around and kicking some ass. It's been a while since there's been a big guy at the top of the WWE roster, and we're past due for seeing another one make a name for themself. Could Bronson Reed be what Yokozuna was to a generation of fans? I say we give him all the opportunities to prove he can rise to the challenge, and so far, he's passing all the tests he needs to.

Check out some of Bronson Reed's best matches in the WWE with a Peacock Premium subscription. We'll see what the future holds for him and how the rest of this feud with Seth Rollins will go, but so far, I think it's the best thing happening in pro wrestling.

The prediction in question was discussed by Steve and Larson on Friendo Club Wrestling, and it goes something like this. Cody Rhodes will face The Rock during the WrestleMania Night One main event and the winner will face Roman Reigns during the Night Two main event. Now, I’m not saying this is going to happen, but I will say it’s very interesting and solves a few problems WWE might have. So, let’s talk it out.

The big question mark around WrestleMania is, of course, The Rock. After an initial miscalculation and fan backlash upon his return last year, he turned heel and put in an all-time great run in the lead-up to WrestleMania 40. Business absolutely boomed after he leaned into his new Final Boss heel character, and his actual wrestling performance at ‘Mania was widely praised by fans who were impressed by how much he still had. He’s dealt with some injury problems this year, but if he’s ready to go in time, he’ll certainly be in one of the main events. But what does that mean for Cody and what does that mean for Roman?

A lot of fans have speculated that we could see a Triple Threat main event on Night Two. That would incorporate all three into the biggest match of the festivities, and it would keep the odd man out from having to find someone else to wrestle, but that idea has always felt a little scattered. You can make an easy case for why any of the three men involved would have personal animosity with each other, but the story The Rock and Roman would tell is fundamentally different from the story Roman and Cody would tell or Cody and The Rock would tell. You could find a way to co-mingle them together, but from my vantage point, it would lessen the impact of each. So, I don’t like the triple threat.

I also think the match fans want to see more than any other is The Rock vs Roman Reigns, but putting that as the Night Two main event would leave Cody with a lesser match (probably Randy Orton) and could put the WWE Championship in the position of being little more than a random match on the ‘Mania card with an outcome that seems pretty obvious. Because of that, Triple H and company would likely go with The Rock and Cody Rhodes instead, but it’s unclear whether The Rock would even be a viable option to win because he’d have to, you know, stick around and defend the title. Given he’s 52 years old, it would also create reasonable questions about whether The Rock and Roman Reigns will ever even happen.

This multiple night match format, however, would solve a lot of those issues. We’d probably get a Rock victory on Night 1. That would allow him another glorious moment at WrestleMania and another WWE Championship run, while also allowing him to lose the belt on Night 2 and give us the Roman/ Rock match we all desperately want. I can’t imagine that idea of accomplishing all that wouldn’t be appealing to everyone involved.

That being said, this should still be taken as nothing more than a juicy bit of speculation. WWE did a one match leading into another format at last year’s WrestleMania, and I’m not really sure they would want to do that again. I’m also not really sure they would want to have Night 1 of WrestleMania close with a match that seems to have a likely outcome, given how much everyone wants Rock And Roman and the fact that Roman and Cody have already closed the last two WrestleManias. I also don’t know if The Rock is going to be able to do two main event matches on consecutive days. That’s hard on anyone’s body, let alone a part-timer in his 50s. And I also don't know that WWE is going to want to give both main events to The Bloodline when there are some other great options, most prominently CM Punk and Seth Rollins.

For now, all we can do is keep watching the product each week and look for some clues as to what’s going on. The biggest of those will take place at The Royal Rumble in February. I can’t wait.

Without even taking into consideration everything that’s been said about Bill Goldberg over the years by the likes of Bret Hart, the thought of the wrestler-turned-actor taking a top spot at an upcoming WWE event just isn’t doing anything for me. And you know, I think I figured out why.

Goldberg Has Come And Gone Multiple Times Over The Past Decade

After staying away from WWE for more than a decade after being booed out of Madison Square Garden at WrestleMania XX back in March 2004, Goldberg has come and gone multiple times.

He first came back for Survivor Series 2016 where he defeated Brock Lesnar in a shocking victory, squashed Kevin Owens for the Universal Championship, and then lost it to Lesnar at WrestleMania 33 the following April. He’d come back around in 2019 and take a similar path that saw him beat the late Bray Wyatt for the Universal title again and then lose to Braun Strowman at WrestleMania 36 after Roman Reigns dropped out due to medical concerns in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a similar story in 2021 and early 2022.

What I’m getting at is Goldberg and his habit of coming back, wrestling a few matches, winning and losing a belt, and then dipping out has grown tiresome, boring, and not interesting whatsoever. There’s no longevity, no staying power, and no stakes.

If They Waste A Gunther Match On Goldberg, I'm Going To Be Pissed

When Goldberg made his first appearance with WWE in more than two years at Bad Blood in October 2024, he got into an in-ring altercation with World Heavyweight Champion Gunther in front of the WCW mainstay’s hometown crowd in Atlanta, Georgia. When they were standing face-to-face, I kept thinking to myself, “Don’t do this to Gunther, please!” because I don’t want to see one of the best wrestlers in WWE, let alone the world get caught up in what will probably be a bad match and waste of time.

No, I don’t think WWE will feed Gunther to Goldberg and have the past-his-prime wrestling legend take the WHC off his waist (though the company did force Kevin Owens and Bray Wyatt to drop their belts in glorified squash matches), but you can’t have one of your biggest stars take part in a sideshow attraction like that. Plus, Gunther wouldn’t really get any heat from beating a 57-year-old man in what would end up being a five-minute match, so there’s nothing to gain.

I'm Honestly More Focused On John Cena's Retirement Tour

I know that I sound more than a little hypocritical being not interested in watching Goldberg’s final bout white being on board with John Cena’s retirement tour, but I’m honestly more focused on watching the Peacemaker star make history than any other nostalgia match right now. And not to be that guy, but Goldberg never really did anything consequential since debuting with the company more than 20 years ago. He never won the WWE Championship, isn’t known for having great matches, and most of his aura was built up in WCW long before Vince McMahon bought his biggest rival.

Cena, on the other hand, is on the Mount Rushmore of WWE and has stayed with the company his entire career. Yeah, he’s working a part-time schedule right now to focus on his acting career, but he’s been WWE through-and-through since day one. Watching Cena take on the likes of Randy Orton, Cody Rhodes, and possibly The Rock before hanging up his boots is a lot more appealing than anything involving Goldberg, but that could just be me.

As they say, wrestling is a subjective art form, and as much as 2010 me would hate to hear this, I’m more excited to see Cena’s final run than just about anything else right now.

I Don't Even Recall The Last Time Goldberg Put On A Good Match

Here’s another thing, I know Goldberg was never a work-rate wrestler or in-ring technician (just look at what Steven Regal did to him), but I honestly can’t remember the last time he put on a good match. I guess his fight against Bobby Lashley at Crown Jewel 2021 was decent, but that was a no-holds-barred falls count anywhere match, and it’s pretty much impossible to mess those up. But outside of that, all of his singles matches since his early WWE days have been unremarkable and forgotten duds.

Again, Goldberg is more of a spectacle than a wrestler, and that’s always been the case. However, in today’s WWE, where wrestlers getting room to put on some incredible in-ring matches, It’s hard to get excited about another Goldberg match where he beats down on an opponent, spears them, and puts them in the jackhammer like it’s May 1998 all over again.

What Role Should Legacy Attractions Play Moving Forward

At the end of the day, professional wrestling is a form of entertainment, and companies like WWE are always going to need to have big marquee attractions to keep fans filling up those increasingly more expensive seats and continue to keep a Peacock subscription to watch all those major events. Legacy attractions like Goldberg, John Cena’s final tour, and Trish Stratus and Lita are always going to have a place in the product, but what role should they play moving forward?

I’m all for a quick pop at the Royal Rumble when some surprise entrant we haven’t seen in years shows up and does their finisher and signature pose before being eliminated. I'm even down for a former champion showing up and giving a young star the rub. But I want it to be done the right way, a believable and meaningful way that doesn’t feel shoe-horned or unnecessary, and I’m nervous that won’t be the case with Goldberg.

I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens with Goldberg, his retirement match, and everything that happens in between. But with Raw moving to Netflix in January 2025, I’m sure we’ll be seeing much more of him in the very near future, for better or worse.

That said, I'd be lying if I didn't say I was growing tired of the brand over the past couple of years or so. I've written articles on what I felt was wrong with AEW, but after recent weeks of being as enthralled with the product as ever, I want to write about all of the things that I currently think are awesome about AEW!

Because honestly, I'm now super back into all of the title belt changes, as well as being all in (You see what I did there?) when it comes to the upcoming PPVs. In other words, I am so back into AEW! Here's why.

First Off, Bobby Lashley And The Hurt Syndicate Is A Big Deal

You know, the last time I watched WWE, The Hurt Business were tearing it up. Featuring MVP, Shelton Benjamin, Bobby Lashley, and Cedric Alexander, The Hurt Business were one of my favorite factions back in the ThunderDome days.

And then, they weren't. Shelton Benjamin was released from WWE in 2023, and MVP's and Bobby Lashley's contracts expired in 2024. Cedric Alexander, on the other hand, is still with the company.

So, when Shelton Benjamin debuted in AEW with MVP in early October, the idea of Bobby Lashley reuniting with his Hurt Business brothers seemed like an inevitability.

And dreams became a reality when Lashley became All Elite at the end of October at Fright Night Dynamite. When he attacked Swerve Strickland, I knew that the Hurt Business was back in… er, business.

But now, they're the Hurt Syndicate. Even so, that's just a different name for a similar outfit.

And, I just love this. I once wrote about the best Tag Teams in AEW, and it would be really cool if Lashley and Benjamin ran roughshod through AEW as a duo. They add a whole new electricity to AEW that I haven't felt in a long, long time, and I can't wait to see what they have in store for Full Gear later this month.

Heel Moxley Is The Best Moxley

Jim Cornette doesn’t like Jon Moxley, but I do. And, while I don't think I'd ever really consider Moxley a complete face (in the same vein that I would never consider “Stone Cold” Steve Austin a complete face), I always prefer Mox when he's a complete heel, like he is right now.

Moxley shocked the fans at All Out when he turned on Bryan Danielson, putting a plastic bag over his head, which was a startling scene, to be sure. And now, he's taking the Death Riders (Formerly the Blackpool Combat Club) to new heights, subtracting Danielson and adding in Pac and Marina Shafir to go along with Wheeler Yuta and Claudio Castagnoli.

Which is totally badass. I know there are people out there who like to compare AEW to latter day WCW (I don’t see it, but I know those people exist), but one storyline I kind of do see AEW aping from WCW is the NWO saga, in which mainstay wrestlers try to overtake the promotion and reshape it in their image. The Death Riders have always been doing that, but Danielson once provided an anchor in that role as he wanted to improve the rest of the locker room.

Mox, however, seems to have an agenda to usurp the brand as he smells weakness amongst its ranks. He makes for a truly intimidating heel, and it will be interesting to see how the Death Riders will go up against the likes of other heel factions like The House of Black, and yes, the Hurt Syndicate. Will they align? I don’t know, but I’ll be tuning in week after week to see just how everything pans out.

Private Party Winning The Tag Team Championship Is So Well Deserved

I love the Young Bucks. That might be a weird way to start this off, but I find that they’ve always been willing to put over other wrestlers if it’s what’s best for the company. In the past, we’ve seen some interesting tag teams get the belts, but I don’t think I ever considered Private Party becoming the Tag Team Champions.

And, I don’t know why this is, since they’ve always put in the work. Isiah Kassidy and Marq Quen have never put on a bad performance, and they’ve always been interesting (and fun!) to watch.

That said, they’ve also sort of been jobbers over the course of their careers in this promotion. For example, when Keith Lee debuted in AEW (Where’s he been, by the way? I hope he’s okay), he manhandled Private Party all by himself in order to immediately put himself over with the crowd.

Similarly, there have been other examples of Private Party just being sent out to be thrown to the wolves. So, it was a very pleasant surprise to watch Private Party not only be put into a feud with The Young Bucks, but to actually defeat them.

I was happy when The Acclaimed (whom everybody loves) became the Tag Team Champs, but I'm even happier that Private Party finally gets their chance to shine. Just like the crowd chanted for their victory, they “deserve it.” Oh, and speaking of the crowds…

The Crowds Are As Electric As Ever

One thing that has kind of gotten me down about AEW is the internet.

Yes, I know, I know. I should just watch the product and not let naysayers and disbelievers dampen my mood, but it's hard when people post pictures of poorly populated arenas with plenty of empty seats.

This has obviously psychologically sapped me of my enthusiasm, as it's made me think that AEW is on its last legs. It's just one of the many reasons why I've been worried about the brand.

But honestly, AEW is ostensibly in a better place now than I thought it was in. The promotion recently signed a deal with MAX, and they don't look like they're shuttering their windows anytime soon.

That said, it's the crowds themselves, reduced as they are, that is bringing back my hope.

The fans seem as enthusiastic as ever, and even though I haven’t been as charged up with the promotion as I once was, the audience seems like they never stopped being charged up. They are still breathing life into the company. All you have to do is listen.

I Feel Like AEW Finally Realized That They Don't Need To Be In Competition With WWE Anymore, And Are Now Doing Their Own Thing

Lastly, and this is a big one for me, but I really feel like AEW is truly coming into its own. I know this might sound strange since AEW is still acquiring former WWE stars, but I don’t know. There is something very different about the product now that I just feel is palpable.

It might be the plastic bag-over-the-head spot to Bryan Danielson that led me to this conclusion. I recently watched the Vince McMahon documentary on Netflix, and while it took me back to memories of just how wild WWE once was, I don’t think there was ever a time where WWE would have allowed a wrestler to do to Danielson what Moxley did.

Now, would I ever allow my children to watch AEW? Absolutely not, as even though my kids are smart, I wouldn’t ever want them to get the idea that putting a plastic bag over somebody’s head is safe in any way whatsoever. But, if anything, it brings me back to the old ECW days, where every spot looked like it could end a person’s career (If not their life).

I truly do think that AEW has finally decided to shed the idea of being an alternative to WWE, and has instead decided that it doesn’t have to compete with their biggest competitor. Their core audience is still here, and they look like they’re sticking around for the long run.

But, what do you think? Are you still into AEW? For more news on all things AEW-related, be sure to swing by here often.

CinemaBlend had a short list of wrestlers we'd like to see John Cena face before his retirement, and it's looking like the opponent he'd have for WrestleMania 41 is not on there. So, let's discuss the current rumors floating around and the questions I have about it all.

The WWE Is Rumored To Want John Cena To Compete For A World Title, Which Might Mean He's Facing Gunther

The latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter mentioned that the WWE allegedly wants John Cena to compete for a world title at WrestleMania 41 (via Wrestling News). Dave Meltzer said there's interest in having him take on either of the current world champions for a championship. While anything could be on the table, I think it's safe to assume he's not challenging Cody Rhodes, especially with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's recent appearance and Roman Reigns finally returning as well.

That would mean he'd challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship, which Gunther currently holds. There's certainly a chance he may not be the champion by the time WrestleMania 41 is here. That said, Gunther's previous Intercontinental Championship reign was marked by his dominance as a champion. So, I would be very shocked if he's not the champion by the time the big weekend arrives.

Will John Cena Win His Shot At The Royal Rumble Or Elimination Chamber?

Traditionally, challengers who get to compete in a main event at WrestleMania must either win the Royal Rumble match or win after being selected for The Elimination Chamber match. Does John Cena declare for the Royal Rumble and hope for a favorable number to win? Or does he hold off and take on some of the other toughest challengers in the Elimination Chamber?

The storyteller in me says that if WWE only has one more year of Cena, he does both. This would mean that John Cena would enter the Royal Rumble, fall short, and get a second chance to compete for a shot at Elimination Chamber. A lot of people are likely going to pay to see Cena's final run, so assuming he's available, why not book him to appear at PLEs as much as possible?

Currently, John Cena's schedule when it comes to movies and TV is unknown, but I would speculate that Peacemaker Season 2 is going to premiere at some point during the 2025 TV schedule. Outside of press obligations for that, I would wager he's clear to work most of the WrestleMania 41 season.

Can John Cena Deliver A Main Event Title Match Worthy Of WrestleMania 41?

I can't deny the spectacle of seeing John Cena main eventing one night of WrestleMania. Everyone wants to see him break Ric Flair's all-time championship record and take his rightful place as the most-awarded WWE champion of all time. His name deserves to be at the top of all of professional wrestling, and it is already, but is a WrestleMania main event the best call?

Cena has popped in and out of wrestling as of late, but there's definitely some protection happening. He's more often than not in a tag match or something like his run-in at WrestleMania 40. According to CageMatch, the last time John Cena wrestled more than 20 minutes in a singles match was back in 2021 when he challenged Roman Reigns for his championship.

Remember John Cena's last WrestleMania match where he received a lot of criticism for how he looked in the ring against Austin Theory? That match only lasted a little over 11 minutes. If he is going to take on Gunther, it's not going to be some quick squash. I'm just hoping he has the stamina to deliver a quality fight, and we don't end up seeing something as sloppy and unworthy of his legacy as The Undertaker's final matches before his retirement. If that's a possibility, maybe keep it away from a stage as big as WrestleMania 41.

Continue to stick with CinemaBlend as we track wrestling news and any relevant details regarding what's up with John Cena and his return to the WWE. Also, be sure to check out our predictions for Crown Jewel and who will come out on top between the two current champions in their big match.

It seemed like ever since Bobby Lashley missed out on a match with Bray Wyatt at WrestleMania 39, he lost all the momentum he had as a top performer. Eventually, the performer decided he was tired of waiting for a shot at upcoming WWE events and wanted to pursue endeavors elsewhere. Lashley spoke about that during an appearance on The Lame Guys Podcast. Unfortunately, I feel like the quote many fans are seeing sounds much worse without context. So let's talk this out.

Via The Internet, The Wrestling Community Is Criticizing Bobby Lashley's Rejected Pitch For A Gunther Feud

During the interview, Bobby Lashley talked about how he was underutilized on the main event scene in the final chunk of his run. The star also recalled how he didn't seem to be getting the same matches against like Cody Rhodes and other champs that AJ Styles and others were getting. In an attempt to get worked into a prominent storyline, Lashley had a thought as to how he could insert himself into a feud with Gunther:

This quote is making rounds on the Internet, with many likening it to a racially and culturally insensitive angle that the WWE might've done decades ago. Here are some of the reactions on X to people who saw the quote:

• Bobby Lashley must’ve been losing his mind for the past 2 years in WWE because since he left we’ve learned that he wanted to shoot fight karrion kross and have gunther be racist to him on screen. - @collixioncowboy
• Bobby Lashley in AEW will be great as long as he doesn't get a crazy amount of creative freedom. - @WrestlingHumble
• Congrats to Bobby - That is a Gobbledy Gooker level of cringe! Tony, don't let this man have creative control over his character. - @Wes_Macc

That's just a small sample size of many wrestling fans who agreed Bobby Lashley's angle wasn't right for the WWE, or modern pro wrestling in general. It seems pretty wild at face value but, in context, I think it's not as bad as people believe.

Bobby Lashley's Angle Was Audience-Implied Racism, But Innocent In Character

I feel like it's easier to understand hearing Bobby Lashley actually explain the idea, because it sounds more like a comedy bit than an offensive angle. Basically, the angle hinged on the audience assuming both characters were being racist, but there was actually not any racial tension between them at all.

Ultimately, I'd still speculate it's a risky enough angle that the modern WWE would not pursue it. However, it's far removed from other racially charged angles the organization had done previously.

Bobby Lashley Was Desperate To Get Back Into WWE's Main Event Scene

The real story here is that Bobby Lashley was desperate towards the end of his run in WWE to get a main event feud, and he felt the company wasn't interested in putting him into that position. It seems logical, since he hadn't had a super meaningful feud since taking on Brock Lesnar, and his faction, The Pride, had very little momentum.

While wrestling fans may not agree with his ideas to get over, I don't think many would disagree that it was strange to see "The Dominator" not in the spotlight ahead of his departure. We had him in CinemaBlend's Top 7 to dethrone Roman Reigns when he still was still in the middle of his massive title reign. It's disappointing to how his run ended and, hopefully, we'll see him return to wrestling at some point.

Check out some of Bobby Lashley's past matches with a Peacock Premium subscription and keep tabs on what his next move is regarding pro wrestling. I'm assuming we'll see him in AEW soon, but we'll have to wait and see what happens.

To be clear though, I’m not complaining. This card is several orders of magnitude better than what we normally get with the Saudi PPVs, and that starts with the central gimmick the show is being built around. Both the men and women’s divisions have two World Champions, one that typically competes on SmackDown and one that typically competes on Raw.

Those champions are going to wrestle without their individual titles on the line for the inaugural Crown Jewel Championship, which is a combination of bragging rights and the most blinged out championship belt I’ve ever seen. That means we’re getting Gunther vs Cody Rhodes and Nia Jax vs Liv Morgan.

We’re also going to get the next big chapter in The Bloodline Saga, which will feature a newly reunited Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso vs three members of The Bloodline, which could include Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa. Expect whatever happens there to lead into a Survivor Series WarGames match next month.

Before I get into what might happen, though, here’s a look back at how I’ve been doing on predictions. I’ve done them for every single PPV since WrestleMania 38, and with great embarrassment, I have to admit Bad Blood was the first time I’ve ever had a losing record. But that’s the way it goes in wrestling. Sometimes you need to take some Ls so you have further to build up on your redemption arc.

Randy Orton Vs Kevin Owens

There are already many wrestling fans trying to predict what Cody Rhodes is going to be doing at WrestleMania and how it could involve Randy Orton and Kevin Owens. Let’s put that aside for a minute and just review the most basic facts. Owens is not happy with Rhodes because he decided to team up with Roman Reigns, which is understandable given their shared history. Following a disagreement about it, Owens punched Rhodes in the face. Orton initially tried to play peacemaker but eventually sided with Cody, leading to this match that’s happening at Crown Jewel.

In theory, the real confrontation is between Owens and Rhodes, which means that’s probably the next match this is building toward. Only, if Orton wins, there’s not really a next match. Owens can’t progress to Rhodes if he loses to his buddy that’s standing in the way. So, I think KO needs to win here in order to keep this going… or Orton needs to also turn on Rhodes and turn this into a bigger thing.

Predicted Winner: KO

Seth Freakin' Rollins Vs Bronson Reed

Bronson Reed has been pushed harder over the last few months by Triple H and company than he has at any point in his WWE career. If he’s ever going to make the jump to the main event scene, now is the time to do it. He can’t repeatedly injure people on Raw and look like an absolute menace and then lose his first ever 1v1 match on a WWE main roster PPV. A win here, especially if it’s convincingly, would make him a legitimate contender for a world championship.

Whether or not that’s going to happen, however, is a big question mark. WWE definitely views Seth Rollins as one of its biggest stars, and he hasn’t won a match on PPV since Survivor Series 2023. That’s almost an entire year. It’s also very likely he’s going to end up in a WrestleMania match against CM Punk (possibly for the World Heavyweight Championship), and in a perfect world, you’d want those guys to both come in looking very strong.

Personally, I think there’s enough time to put Bronson Reed over here and still build Seth Rollins ahead of WrestleMania, but Triple H has proven over his last few years in charge that, while he’ll give fans the occasional upset, he mostly likes keeping the strongest guys in the company looking strong.

Predicted Winner: Seth Freakin’ Rollins

LA Knight (Champ) Vs Carmelo Hayes Vs Andrade For The United States Championship

Andrade and Carmelo Hayes have turned their in-ring chemistry into one of the best mid-card feuds going today. They’ve thrilled fans with six excellent matches (and one that was ended early via outside interference). Now LA Knight is involved and getting an opportunity to defend his championship on PPV with two guys who should be able to give him an excellent in-ring match.

Knight has definitely cooled off a bit since his peak when he was one of the most over guys in all of wrestling, but even having taken a step back, 95% of the people on WWE’s roster would be elated to be as over as him, including Andrade and Carmelo Hayes who have built their profiles and reputations but not fully found their connection with the crowd. I’m not sure how much longer LA Knight is going to hold The United States Championship for, but I have to think if he’s going to lose it, it’ll be in a bigger moment than this.

Predicted Winner: LA Knight

Bianca Belair And Jade Cargill (Champions) Vs Iyo Sky and Kairi Sane Vs Chelsea Green And Piper Niven Vs Lash Legend And Jakara Jackson For The Women’s Tag Team Championships

Forget all the Bloodline talk. Forget Cody Rhodes and who he might face at WrestleMania. With the possible exception of CM Punk and Seth Rollins dancing at ‘Mania, there is no prediction the wrestling community is more aligned with than Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill eventually turning on each other and feuding. Almost all of us are convinced that’s going to happen between now and WrestleMania.

The bigger question is definitely when the double-crossing or back-stabbing or tomfoolery or whatever you wanna call it is going to happen. I’ve watched a lot of wrestling in my day, and six months is an Earthquake-sized time to feud. That’s too much time. They can’t turn on each other yet. I suppose it’s possible we could start getting some seeds planted and sorta water those seeds for a few months before a full-on Rockers-style break-up happens, but this still feels too far out to me. So, I say WWE wants to keep these two on harmonious terms and that means keeping the belts.

Oh and by the way, I know some people have some thoughts about Bianca and Jade maybe not being a real tag team and holding these titles hostage to help their eventual feud. I get it. I like Kayden and Katana and a bunch of the other teams too, but it’s because of Jade and Bianca these titles are making PPVs on a semi-consistent basis. They are stars. All of the women in this match get to appear on PPV because they’re in the tag division.

Predicted Winner: Bianca Belair And Jade Cargill

Roman Reigns And The Usos Vs 3/4ths Of Solo Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga And Tonga Loa

Earlier this month when I was writing my Bad Blood predictions, I said I expected Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu to beat Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes because WWE needed to build up the New Bloodline. For New Bloodline vs Old Bloodline to be a legitimate rivalry, the average fan needs to see the New Bloodline as a real threat. Well, that didn’t happen. Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes got the victory, and now, both Uso Brothers are officially back into the fold and ready to fight for the OG Bloodline, making Roman even stronger.

So, when exactly are we going to build up the New Bloodline? I get that The Rock is probably going to be reintroduced here at some point to swing the balance of power, but it’s unclear when exactly that might happen. Jacob Fatu, Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga won a six man tag at Money In The Bank, but that wasn’t against anyone actually in the OG Bloodline. They really need a win here for legitimacy. I don’t think it makes sense for them to take another L, but it’s also hard to bet against Roman Reigns when he’s 29-4 over his last 33 PPV appearances. I’m going to predict New Bloodline, but I don’t feel good about it.

Predicted Winner: New Bloodline

Nia Jax Vs Liv Morgan For The Crown Jewel Championship

It’s Tiffy Time, or at least I think it’s going to be. The Money In The Bank winner has teased cashing in her briefcase on several occasions, but Crown Jewel is where it makes the most sense for her character and provides the most potential drama for the audience. That’s because, if she comes down to the ring, we won’t know whether it’s to betray her frenemy Nia Jax or to follow instructions and cash in on Liv Morgan.

Most fans seem to think she’s going to betray Nia, especially because the champ has been showing a recent preference for new BFF Candice LeRae. I’m not entirely sure about that, but it seems the most likely given Rhea and Liv Morgan don’t seem to be done with their feud, which is made a lot more interesting by Liv holding the championship. This would also set up a potential Survivor Series re-match between Stratton and Jax, which I think fans would be a lot more into than Stratton and Morgan.

Predicted Winner: Tiffany Stratton

Cody Rhodes Vs Gunther For The Crown Jewel Championship

The hot rumor for the last week or two has been that Goldberg will interfere here and cost Gunther the match, setting up a feud between the two down the road. There’s some evidence for this given Gunther previously made reference to Goldberg during a promo and had a confrontation with him at Bad Blood. I’m not really sure there’s a huge appetite for that among hardcore fans, but Goldberg is still a big name and a match with The Ring General would generate a ton of conversation and interest from casuals.

There’s also a possibility here that Kevin Owens or Randy Orton could interfere in this match to cost Cody, furthering the story of whatever is going on there. To me, that’s probably the more appealing play from a storyline perspective, as I’m more intrigued by whatever is going on there, but it’s honestly hard for me to bet against Cody Rhodes here because he’s the face of WWE. Roman Reigns might be the biggest star but Cody is the torch-bearer. He’s the one signing the autographs and showing up in the small towns. He’s the person WWE is building around, and it makes a lot of sense to give him the inaugural Crown Jewel Championship if you want to elevate it as much as possible.

Predicted Winner: Cody Rhodes

Reminder: Crown Jewel will take place at an earlier time on Saturday than usual because it's happening in Saudi Arabia. You can catch the match for free with a streaming subscription on Peacock or via other methods around the world.

On the October 28, 2024, episode of the two-hour Monday Night Raw, Rollins was cutting a promo in the ring when he was interrupted by Reed on the Titantron and then proceeded to run backstage to confront the super heavyweight. But when he went to remove his blue leather jacket ahead of the brawl, he revealed that there was...ANOTHER IDENTICAL BLUE JACKET UNDERNEATH IT.

The Fightful Wrestling X account was quick to draw attention to Rollins’ hilarious fashion moment by comparing it to the Sting Mask meme, a classic spot where the recently retired wrestling legend disguised himself as himself when confronting the NWO back in WCW’s heyday:

Sting taking off his Sting mask is a classic visual moment, and certainly opened the GIF-ready gates for Seth Rollins to eventually emerge from.

Fightful wasn’t alone in championing this insane viral moment, either, as wrestling fans around the world quickly jumped on social media to share their appreciation of the instantly classic scene. A user with the name The House that Kami Built also shared the eight-second clip along with the caption “I’M CRYING LMFAOOOOOOO,” which ended up getting a staggering 523,000 likes:

Another user, You Are Loved. Love Others, Too, thought their eyes were playing tricks on them, saying that Rollins’ jacket situation made them question their own sanity after previously asking if they were tripping:

But it wasn’t just risky fashion statements that Seth Rollins was making on Raw, as he then proceeded to pull off what is probably the best Curb Stomp of 2024 when taking on Bronson Reed in the parking lot of Hershey, Pennsylvania’s GIANT Center. Just look at how devastating it was in this video shared by the WWE YouTube account:

It’s safe to say that Seth Rollins’ unsanctioned fight against Bronson Reed is going to be one of the biggest and hardest-hitting matches on the Crown Jewel card, an event that will also see Roman Reigns team up with the Usos to take on Solo Sikoa’s vicious Bloodline, champion vs. champion matches for the inaugural WWE Crown Jewel Men’s and Women’s Championships, and several other high-profile fights.

With WWE needing to make a decision about Rollins’ future heading into WrestleMania 41 (a little more than five months away), a decisive victory here, or at least a strong showing against the monstrous Reed, could do wonders for one of the company’s biggest stars of the past 10 years.

We won’t have to wait and see what the “Architect” has in store for us, both in terms of in-ring action and daring fashion statements, as anyone with a Peacock subscription will be able to check out Crown Jewel when it kicks off at 1 p.m. ET on Saturday.

Usually the only thing that Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill have to worry about backstage is which WWE athletes are coming after their women's tag-team championship title next. They've also done their best to avoid the ire of The Wyatt Sicks, who often cause a ruckus there, and likely will continue to do so at upcoming WWE events. Unfortunately, the duo had the life scared out of them by the social media content team, thanks to the unexpected appearance by The Boogeyman.

Though he hasn't been a regular part of the company's main roster since 2009, the former superstar known as one of the strangest wrestlers in WWE history does make the occasional appearance thanks to his Legends contract. With the Halloween season just around the corner, it seems The Boogeyman's services were needed to give Jade Cargill and Bianca Belair a scare during a mystery box touch challenge, and I think it worked a little too well, judging by the video below.

@wwe

♬ original sound - WWE

I know we spend so much time as wrestling fans debating what amounts to real and fake emotions from the performers, but I don't think there's any mistaking the champs' sheer terror on display in the video. I couldn't believe that The Boogeyman was able to keep it together as Bianca Belair was digging in his nose, and was able to fully convince them he wasn't a real person until the actual reveal happened.

I'm always so surprised when I see The Boogeyman back in the WWE, because he looks almost exactly the same as he did over twenty years ago. I'm sure the fact he wears face paint helps him maintain his youthful persona, and I should add that we only see the 60-year-old wrestler's head in the video. Still, he looks great!

The WWE does occasionally showcase its social media content on Monday Night Raw, and I wouldn't be surprised if we see this video air on the upcoming episode to acknowledge the Halloween season. If not that, I bet it might run during NXT's Halloween Havoc PLE, which is available to stream with a Peacock Premium Subscription. I wouldn't mind seeing The Boogeyman be a part of that show as well, but considering he's not affiliated with the developmental brand, I wouldn't count on it happening.

One thing I am counting on is to say the current women's tag-team champions perform at WrestleMania, likely in a match against each other. Bianca Belair is currently establishing herself as one of the most impactful women in professional wrestling, and Jade Cargill has shined ever since her eventual arrival in the company after leaving AEW. One would think they'd have to become enemies first to make that storyline viable, and with months to go ahead of WrestleMania 41, I'd be watching their story very closely for signs of tension between them.

Catch Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill on Monday Night Raw on USA on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. There's just a couple more months of shows before the program makes the big jump to Netflix in 2025, and I'm so excited to see how it may look different.

Barring an injury or unexpected backstage politics, it seems almost certain that we’re going to get CM Punk and Seth Rollins at WrestleMania. We were probably going to get it last year before Punk tore his triceps, and the writers heavily teased it a few weeks ago with a Monday Night Raw staredown between the two likely combatants. The bigger question probably isn’t even if it’s going to happen, it’s when it does happen, will it main event the first night of ‘Mania? Punk losing his shot to main event WrestleMania 40 was a prominent talking point during his recent feud with Drew McIntyre, and it’s no secret that the influential wrestler would love to add the honor to his resume, especially given he arguably should have main evented at least one during his prime.

But with every major championship expected to be on the line, plus a possible Head Of The Table match between The Rock and Roman Reigns that's been slowly building for months, it’s going to be really stiff competition to land either of the two main event slots. In fact, Punk recently found out how difficult it can be to main event even a secondary WWE PPV when his Hell In A Cell match against Drew McIntyre wound up opening and not closing Bad Blood. It didn’t matter that it paid off what had been the best feud in all of wrestling. The Rock, Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes were involved in another match, and WWE decided that was enough for it to close the show.

So, WWE has a decision to make. Rollins and CM Punk haven’t officially started feuding yet, but given their personal history and how hot both of their characters are, many fans expect this to be one of the biggest matches of WrestleMania. It won’t need a title to draw eyeballs or interest, but if WWE wants it to be in contention to main event the first night, it probably needs a little something extra. It needs one of the big two titles to give it an extra bit of punch, and the most likely candidate is The World Heavyweight Championship, which currently belongs to Gunther.

CM Punk already called out Gunther in a promo earlier this year and said he was coming for the championship. For storyline purposes, it was just taken as a sign that he wanted to move on, while Drew McIntyre wanted to continue their feud, but it may have also been a tease for a storyline to come. There’s a path here in which Gunther keeps destroying people and extends his current reign all the way into WrestleMania. It’s certainly appealing to think about him running up another long undefeated streak. But there’s also a path in which CM Punk takes the title off Gunther sometime in the next few months and that sets up a chance for Seth Rollins to win the Rumble and take a shot at CM Punk.

Unless something weird happens, Gunther, CM Punk and Drew McIntyre are all going to be featured prominently at WrestleMania. As much as I love Gunther, there’s almost no chance he’s going to main event either night of the show. He just doesn’t have quite the crossover appeal yet among casual wrestling fans, but depending on how the other matches shake out, Seth Rollins and CM Punk is one of a handful that could. It just needs a little something extra. That could be The World Heavyweight Championship.

So, WWE has a decision to make. It can keep Gunther as hot as possible and give him a really solid championship match at WrestleMania with someone like Drew McIntyre, AJ Styles or Brock Lesnar or it can take the title off him and use it to try and elevate Rollins and CM Punk to possible main event status. I’m not sure there’s a right or wrong answer, but I am fascinated to see what WWE decides to do.

It's fair to say the Chris Hemsworth-led Hulk Hogan biopic was the most-anticipated wrestling movie in a while, but we learned back in August that the project was dead. Now, thanks to Hogan himself, we're getting a little more insight into why that happened, as he explained on a podcast why he decided to pull out of the movie despite thinking it would win an Oscar.

Many were excited about what Hemsworth would look like as Hulk Hogan and the Hulkster confirmed he was also excited about the movie. He spoke to the PBD Podcast about why he decided to pull out of the movie when Netflix was late on payment while also talking about what he loved about the script:

Despite thinking the script was amazing, Hulk Hogan feared the movie would ultimately become the last thing people remembered about him and pulled out of it. It's a shame, considering what else he revealed about the movie during the podcast. The movie seemed to feature a lot of what we wanted from the Hogan biopic, and it was set to lead up right until he left WWE and went over to WCW. As the wrestler explained, this left the door open for a sequel, in case the movie was as big of a hit as he thought it'd be.

While the Chris Hemsworth biopic is dead, we do have Ben Affleck and Matt Damon's Killing Gawker movie. The movie will focus less on Hulk Hogan's wrestling career and more on the court cast that highlighted his racist remarks that temporarily got him removed from the WWE. It was previously reported that Hogan is indifferent to the movie coming out and is not connected to it in any way, shape, or form. Hogan confirmed he is not involved but mildly implied during the podcast that the movie could have the same legal issues as Gawker did if they ever made that movie.

The WWE legend didn't rule out seeing the canceled biopic. He said a docuseries or a four-part television series based on the script was on the table, but he stressed the need for a "checks and balances " system. Based on that comment, I would speculate there were parts of the script that Hulk Hogan didn't like but couldn't necessarily alter, which also might've factored into his pulling out of the movie. He could've also just been mad at how jacked Chris Hemsworth was for the role. We can only run with the reasons he gave and speculate on the rest. For now, there's no Hulk Hogan biopic that we know of in the works, but maybe that will change.

Those eager to re-live Hulkamania can do so if they sign up for a Peacock Premium subscription, which unlocks a catalog of his best matches. Give it a look, and of course, stick around CinemaBlend for more updates on what's happening in the wrestling world.

That being said, we’ve put together both a quick rundown of each of those championships and a more detailed explanation of how each champion earned gold around his or her waist, and who we could see defeating them in the future.

And with several high-profile upcoming AEW events around the corner, where these titles will most certainly be defended, make sure you keep checking back to see who holds one of the company's eight championships.

The Short Answer

Looking for a quick rundown of each of the eight champions (or championship teams) in AEW as of October 2024? Well, look no further, because we’ve put together a quick and simple table detailing each champion, how they won their respective titles, and who stands a good chance of defeating the likes of Jon Moxley, Mariah May, and those dastardly Young Bucks sometime soon.

The Long Answer

The table up above has all the key information about all the champions in AEW and how they earned their gold. However, if you want more context for each champion and what could come next, check out the more detailed breakdowns below.

AEW World Championship

Title Holder: Jon Moxley

Jon Moxley, one of the biggest former WWE stars in AEW, is currently in his record-setting fourth reign as AEW World Champion after defeating former Blackpool Combat Club stablemate Bryan Danielson in a brutal and controversial main event match at WrestleDream in October 2024. Mox has been one of the most popular and decorated wrestlers in AEW the past few years, and his reign of terror as the leader of the heel stable has also made him one of the most feared.

Though the former WWE Champion’s reign just started, it wouldn’t be all that surprising if someone like Darby Allin or Orange Cassidy defeated him down the line, especially after both babyfaces were highlighted in the closing shot of the October 2024 pay-per-view.

Back to Titles list

AEW Women's World Champion

Title Holder: Mariah May

After serving as Toni Storm’s protege for an extended period of time, Mariah May defeated her former mentor and ended her 281-day reign at All In London back in August 2024, becoming the 10th wrestler to hold the AEW Women’s World Champion since it was introduced on the first episode of AEW Dynamite in October 2019.

It doesn’t seem likely that May will take any losses (at least in title matches) for the foreseeable future. However, when she does finally drop the title, it wouldn’t be out of the question for Willow Nightingale, who pushed May to her limits at WrestleDream, to be the one.

Back to Titles list

TBS Champion

Title Holder: Mercedes Moné

Mercedes Moné, the wrestler formerly known as Sasha Banks in WWE, has taken AEW by storm since making her debut with the company in early 2024, and quickly became the TBS Champion (the secondary women’s title) a few months after she arrived on the scene.

Though Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D. came up short in her match against Moné at All In 2024, there’s still a lot of money left in that feud when AEW decides to bring it back again. Not saying it’s going to be tomorrow or next week, but putting the belt on Baker after a great feud and match against the TBS Champion could be beneficial for everyone.

Back to Titles list

AEW World Tag Team Champions

Title Holders: Young Bucks

Those damn Young Bucks – Matthew and Nicholas Jackson – have dominated the AEW tag scene (and pretty much every other promotion ranging from PWG to NJPW) for the better part of the past five years, holding the AEW Tag Team Championship on multiple occasions. The EVPs of the company have held the belts in their current reign since Dynasty in April 2024.

As great as it is to see those dastardly brothers lie, cheat, and scheme their way to victory, it’s only a matter of time before someone comes along and strips them of their belts. When that day comes, who better than FTR, which could kickstart the next phase of their legendary feud.

Back to Titles list

AEW International Champion

Title Holder: Konosuke Takeshita

Konosuke Takeshita got quite the rub when he defeated Will Ospreay, who holds the record with 42 five-or-more-star matches, to take the AEW International Championship off the Aerial Assassin at WresleDream in October 2024. The up-and-coming wrestler and member of the villainous Don Callis Family, has looked like a star in the making for a couple of years now, and this is setting him on his way.

With Takeshita winning the belt with less-than-honest methods (his stable interfered), it wouldn’t be shocking for Ospreay to come back around and defeat him to reclaim his title. But if not Opsreay, then maybe new arrival Ricochet will start collecting belts.

Back to Titles list

TNT Champion

Title Holder: Jack Perry

Jack Perry, the son of the late Luke Perry, has been one of the main attractions in AEW since he was named as one of the four pillars of the company back in 2019. And though he’s left the “Jungle Boy” persona behind in favor of a more heelish personality, Perry’s been a lot of fun to watch, especially now that he’s the TNT Champion.

Following a successful title defense at WrestleDream, Perry was approached by Daniel Garcia in a wild segment that was one of the highlights of the show, putting the two on a collision course. It could be a great rub for Garcia to take the belt off the established star, especially if he’s moving up the food chain.

Back to Titles list

AEW World Trios Champions

Title Holders: Blackpool Combat Club

The team of Claudio Castagnoli, PAC, and Wheeler Yuta, all members of the Blackpool Combat Club, have been been the AEW World Trios Champions since defeating The Patriarchy, Bang Bang Gang, and House of Black in a ladder match at All In London back in August 2024, and have been dominant ever since.

With BCC being the top stable in AEW right now, and faction leader Jon Moxley holding onto the World Championship, it wouldn’t be surprising for the Trios team to remain champions for several more months at least. But when they do drop the belts, maybe The Acclaimed will be the team to get the job done.

Back to Titles list

AEW Continental Champion

Title Holder: Kazuchika Okada

Kazuchika Okada, a five-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion and staple of NJPW for the better part of two decades, has been the AEW Continental Champion since he defeated Eddie Kingston on a March 2024 episode of AEW Dynamite. A member of The Elite, this living legend of the wrestling world hasn’t slowed down since he joined the company.

Though it would be cool to see Okada hold onto the title for 721 days (one day longer than his historic fourth IWGP title reign), he’s obviously going to be moving up the food chain sooner or later. And if we’re trying to come up with someone with enough skill to defeat him, it would have to be Kyle O’Reilly.

Back to Titles list

But as the case with all those WWE Champions we covered in the past, belts change hands all the time. That said, make sure to check back for all the latest title changes.

Pro wrestling insiders scrambled to find reasons for Samantha Irvin's exit, which is the kind of thing that can lead to mistakes happening when sources aren't so reliable. Fortunately, Irvin and her beau were able to quickly clear up any confusion, and prevented the rumor mill from spiraling out of control.

Samantha Irvin Dispels Rumors About Timing Of Her Exit

As someone who appreciated Samantha Irvin's passion for pro wrestling, as well as how she kept fans entertained during downtime when I took my child to Monday Night Raw, I was shocked to hear reports claiming she'd walked out on the WWE just hours before the show started. It turns out that rumor wasn't true at all, though, at least according to the former ringside announcer herself, who spoke on the actual timeline involving when she told the company she was leaving:

While wrestling fans themselves didn't find out until hours before Monday Night Raw, Samantha Irvin says her exit has been in the works for quite a while. That's more aligned with what I would expect, especially after reading her message to fans, which thanked Triple H and other employees quite heavily. Had her departure been more sudden, I wouldn't have expected such a warm goodbye to those in upper management.

Ricochet Clarifies Speculation Samantha Irvin Is Joining AEW

As soon as news broke that Samantha Irvin was leaving, the fans started speculating that she would now be joining rival company AEW. Considering Ricochet did that this year, I can see the logic in assuming she'd join to spend more time with him and continue her career for a rival who may offer a more competitive price. It seems Ricochet assumed people would think that as well and went ahead and squashed that rumor pretty quickly:

As for the possible reason behind the exit, Wrestling Observer Radio reported that Samantha Irvin wanted to further pursue her singing career, but couldn't juggle that with her obligations in the WWE (via Inside The Ropes). That's interesting to hear, considering how flexible the company is reportedly being regarding Pat McAfee stepping away to host College Gameday. In any case, I'm disappointed to see it didn't work out, though I hope Irvin is happy with her decision.

Who Is Replacing Samantha Irvin?

For the time being, the WWE has called on former WWE employee and ringside announcer Lilian Garcia to take Samantha Irvin's spot on Monday Night Raw. Garcia served as a ringside announcer for the company from 1999 to 2009, and then again in 2011 to 2016. After her first night back on the show in quite some time, Garcia took to Instagram to talk to fans about it:

Look up some matches she's been ringside for with a Peacock Premium subscription, and anyone unfamiliar will see Lilian Garcia is up for the job. Still, I can't help but wonder why the WWE did not decide to promote another person from the in-house commentary team to the role, as there's no shortage of people to choose from. In any case, I'm happy that Garcia seems thrilled to be back in the role, and I think she'll do a terrific job as she gets back into the swing of things.

Monday Night Raw continues over on USA on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. It won't be long now before the show makes the big jump over to Netflix, and it'll be interesting to see what else could change with the show before that big first episode in 2025.

Dallas spoke about his brother in a surprisingly candid interview with USA Today, detailing some of the behind-the-scenes workings form the Wyatt Sicks storyline. I was surprised to hear some of these details, specifically regarding just how big a hand Bray Wyatt had in planning the things we see on television with them weekly.

Bray Wyatt Had Planned Much Of The Wyatt Sicks Storyline

As wrestling fans know, we never really saw the full plans WWE had for Bray Wyatt after his return. He had one match against L.A. Knight but then was pulled ahead of his WrestleMania 39 feud with Bobby Lashley and never appeared in the ring again. While it seemed the WWE was leaning toward Wyatt returning as The Fiend in promos to Bobby Lashley, Bo Dallas revealed that the eventual formation of the Wyatt Sicks was all part of his brother and WWE creative's plans for the character. Not only that, a lot of what is on the way was also created with Bray Wyatt's direct involvement:

As mentioned, the WWE never really had the chance to get Bray Wyatt's storyline rolling, so it's not too big of a surprise that his concepts and ideas were able to be repurposed for Uncle Howdy's character.

At the same time, the fact that there are still storylines coming up that Wyatt worked on is a fascinating look at the story-telling process in the WWE, as well as how much the late wrestler worked on the angles and ideas for his various personas. The work paid off, as The Wyatt Sicks remains one of the most interesting factions in the WWE.

Bray Wyatt Even Selected The Wrestlers To Be A Part Of The Stable

As an example of how much influence Bray Wyatt had in the Wyatt Sicks, Bo Dallas noted the wrestler personally selected who would be members of the stable. This is a bit surprising to hear, considering former Wyatt Family member Erick Rowan was not in the WWE prior to Wyatt's passing, but I could certainly see conversations happening ahead of his official return. As for why other members like Joe Gacy, Nikki Cross, and Dexter Lumis were brought in, Dallas said the following:

As a wrestling fan, I deeply appreciate the revelation that the members were hand-selected by Bray Wyatt. It certainly has me more convinced than not that Alexa Bliss will eventually return and debut as the sixth member of the faction, bringing the name Wyatt Sicks full circle.

Ultimately The Wyatt Sicks is a love letter to Bray Wyatt's legacy, and its well-earned. Wyatt's character dominated consistently as one of the biggest main event heels for a decade, and while he didn't always get flowers from those in the WWE for doing so, he's certainly being honored now. I can't wait to see where it goes in the future, and who they'll target next in the WWE.

The Wyatt Sicks appear on Monday Night Raw, which airs on USA on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET. It looks like The Miz might be next on their radar for turning his back on R-Truth, but we'll just have to wait and see how that all plays out for him.

With WrestleDream, which featured what could end up being Danielson’s final match as a full-timer and started the next chapter for the diabolical Blackpool Combat Club behind us, we have events like Full Gear, Worlds End, and the annual showdown between AEW and NJPW wrestlers at Forbidden Door to look forward to in the very near future.

Here are all the major upcoming AEW events that should have fans of the promotion, and wrestling newcomers alike excited for what’s to come.

AEW: Full Gear - November 23, 2024

Taking place a little more than a month after the shocking events of WrestleDream, AEW will be back on pay-per-view with the highly anticipated Full Gear, which is set to kick off from the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ on Saturday, November 23, 2024.

AEW: Worlds End - December 28, 2024

Before we stick a pin in what has been an eventual year for wrestling, AEW will bring us its annual Worlds End pay-per-view event on Saturday, December 28, 2024, at the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida.

AEW: Grand Slam: Australia - February 15, 2025

AEW has been taking its brand of wrestling to audiences around the world for a couple of years now, but early next year the company will go “down under” when it hosts Grand Slam: Australia. Leaving Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York, where the previous four events have taken place, Grand Slam will call Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane home on Saturday, February 15, 2025.

AEW: All In: Texas - July 12, 2025

AEW will head deep into the heart of Texas, or at least the Dallas Metroplex, next summer for its first pay-per-view event in the “Lone Star State.” All In: Texas will come to us live from Globe Life Field in Arlington on Saturday, July 12, 2025, in what could be one of the biggest wrestling events of the summer.

AEW: Forbidden Door - August 24, 2025

The tradition of having the biggest and brightest stars of AEW and NJPW square off in dream matches will continue next year as the two companies gear up for the latest entry in the Forbidden Door pay-per-view series. No matches have been announced thus far and the venue isn’t yet known, but the Forbidden Door will open Sunday, August 24, 2025, in London, England.

We will make sure to update each of these upcoming AEW events (and add new pay-per-views) as more information becomes available. But in the meantime, now wouldn’t be a bad time to learn about all of the upcoming WWE events we have to look forward to in the coming weeks and months.

And, how could I not? In the Attitude Era with the Rock and “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, Vince McMahon made himself into a character, and he was probably one of the greatest heels of all time. Not only that, but his family was brought into the storyline, and so the McMahon empire is pretty much synonymous with “professional wrestling” for me.

So, I was really excited for the Netflix docuseries, Mr. McMahon (Though McMahon himself wasn’t too happy with it), as I really wanted to learn more about the man, the myth, the mogul. And, after finishing the 6-episode series, I have to say, it was really good! However… there are a couple of things that could have been a little bit better. Let’s talk.

Love: They Made Sure To Talk About The Entire McMahon Family, And They All Gave Their Impression Of Vince

One thing I loved about the Attitude Era (amongst many things) was that it kind of blurred the lines between fact and fiction. Sure, some storylines, like the one involving Linda McMahon being in a sort of comatose state in a wheelchair was ridiculous, as was Vince McMahon’s limo exploding.

However, storylines involving Stephanie McMahon marrying Triple H, or Shane McMahon not being “good enough” to inherit the family business kind of seemed like they were somewhat rooted in reality. I mean, Stephanie McMahon DID actually marry Triple H (though, not by the ludicrous means portrayed on television), so you never knew what you were going to get when it came to the McMahon family.

And, I'm glad that this docuseries made sure to have all of the core members of the family-that being Vince, Linda, Stephanie, and Shane-discussing both Vince McMahon, as well as the business itself.

We hear from each member of the family and learn that Linda really didn't like being on TV, but she did it to advance the storylines. We find out that Steph put the kibosh on televising her marriage, and that Vince called her “selfish” for doing so. We even hear from Shane saying that everything he mostly did was to gain his father's respect–including putting his body on the line.

Sadly, we also hear from other people in the industry, like Paul Heyman, who has a heartbreaking story involving Shane that really makes me look at McMahon’s progeny in a whole new way.

All of this is to say that the docuseries feels pretty in-depth when it comes to the McMahon family. That being said…

Could Have Been Better: I Wish We Could've Heard From Gail Kim and CM Punk

There are a number of wrestlers who were interviewed for this docuseries, including The Rock, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, The Undertaker, Booker T, Trish Stratus, John Cena, and Hulk Hogan, just to name a few (but surprisingly none with arguably the greatest wrestler of all time, Kurt Angle, which is disappointing).

That said, besides Bret Hart, who once had a complicated relationship with McMahon, I would say that the other wrestlers involved with this docuseries are those who had mostly positive relationships with him (Hell, The Undertaker even said how he would have taken a bullet for McMahon).

And, sure. That's cool. I love hearing how many wrestlers viewed Vince as “a father figure.”

Even so, it would have been nice to hear wrestlers with, let’s just say, less flattering things to say about McMahon.

One person I would have loved to have seen was Gail Kim, who has said that McMahon just didn’t get it when it came to diversity. It would have also been interesting to hear her thoughts as a counterpoint to the idea that some of the wrestlers put forward in this docuseries that the only color Vince sees is green, as in money, and that he doesn’t see race.

However, I think an even more interesting interviewee might have been CM Punk, who famously did an explosive “pipe bomb” promo (which was apparently a worked shoot) on McMahon. I also would have loved to hear what he had to say about being fired on his wedding day.

Sure, CM Punk surprisingly returned to WWE not too long ago, but that was after Paul Levesque took over creative. Hearing Punk talk candidly about McMahon prior to being rehired could have been eye-opening.

Sadly, it seems like they played it as safe as possible with these interviews. But, be that as it may…

Love: They Didn't Shy Away From Really Sensitive Topics, Like Chris Benoit And Owen Hart's Death

Okay, so maybe Vince didn't really get criticized all that much in this docuseries by his employees, but that doesn't mean the doc didn't cover some pretty thorny topics.

For instance, I honestly did not think they would go into “the Montreal Screwjob,” or how Bret Hart felt when it was going on.

I also didn't think they would touch Owen Hart's death with a ten-foot pole, or even have the audacity to ask how McMahon felt about it. That seemed off-bounds, but they went there, and I'm glad they did.

But, the biggest, biggest surprise was that they they actually covered Chris Benoit's murder-suicide, which I thought was completely off-limits. You see, Benoit's name was pretty much not allowed on WWE television following the events, and it was always taboo whenever anybody referenced what a good wrestler he was.

So, I was extremely surprised when they spent a whole section of the docuseries talking about what Benoit did, and how it could have possibly been connected to CTE. I truly didn't think they would take it there, but they did.

Could Have Been Better: It Feels So Incomplete

In the very first episode, it lets the viewers know that Vince McMahon’s interviews were not finished due to the breaking news of his allegations, and this is a huge blow to the overall production.

I say this because the last episode, “The Finish” ironically feels largely unfinished since we don't hear Vince's thoughts on the scandal that he became so embroiled in.

Now, this makes perfect sense since I'm sure McMahon lawyered up and was possibly advised not to speak on anything involving the legal woes he was going through.

It's still a downer, especially since McMahon himself probably would have been very open about the scandal at the time when it was happening. So, the final product doesn't feel all that complete, which is an issue since the rest of the docuseries is mostly riveting (and revelatory) stuff.

Loved: McMahon Was Willing To Be Very Open, Which Was Surprising

Have you ever seen the movie, Saving Mr. Banks, in which Tom Hanks played Walt Disney?

I only bring this film up because instead of really getting an in-depth look at Disney, warts and all, we got a highly sanitized version of the man whose only real vice (according to what we saw in the film) was that he smoked. Truly shocking stuff.

However, the McMahon docuseries is very open. McMahon talks about how he thinks about sex a lot, and that he did have affairs. He talks about his failure with the XFL, and how he saw himself as a character when he was on television, which basically enabled him to make out with other women in front of his wife with reckless abandon.

He also muses on the steroid scandal, and how he felt like people were out to get him. His rival, Eric Bischoff, intimates that McMahon might have borrowed the evil owner angle from him, and McMahon just shrugs it off, implying that perhaps this is the case, but he did it better.

In every way, Vince McMahon is quite open, and I loved that about this docuseries. It certainly made for a must-watch.

So, in the end, while the docuseries wasn't perfect, it was quite engaging. Have you watched it yet? For more news on all things WWE-related, be sure to swing by here often!

Lesnar hasn't been in the WWE since the conclusion of his feud with Cody Rhodes during SummerSlam 2023. Now, it's looking like we may see him pop back up in upcoming WWE events or when Monday Night Raw comes to Netflix.

A Recent Monday Night Raw Mentioned Brock Lesnar Indirectly Twice

When an absent wrestler's return to the ring is on the way, it's common to see hints for their arrival on Monday Night Raw or SmackDown. Some incredibly subtle references to Brock Lesnar were made on the latest Monday Night Raw, to the point that I was watching and it went completely over my head.

For those that missed it, check out the clips below, in which both Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes made mention of "The Beast" by his nickname:

I wouldn't have been so suspicious if it was just one mention. Brock Lesnar has been one of the biggest stars in the WWE over the past decade. So, it's inevitable that other stars will make mention of him. To have two top stars bring him up, however, is just too much of a coincidence. Now, it has me thinking we could even see him make an unexpected appearance on a PLE that will be available to watch with a Peacock Premium subscription before the end of 2024.

Why Some Believed Lesnar Was Finished With The WWE

Between Brock Lesnar's exit following SummerSlam 2023 and now, a lot of big news in the WWE world happened. Namely, former WWE employee Janel Grant filed a lawsuit against Vince McMahon, and the claims alleged some pretty horrific actions taken by the former CEO. One of those actions included McMahon demanding Grant make sexualized content for Brock Lesnar to sway him to sign with the WWE when he wasn't with the company.

Before that report, Lesnar was believed to be returning for the 2024 Royal Rumble. That never happened, and as we mentioned previously, we have not seen the former champion in the ring since 2023. The WWE has never confirmed anything, but Sports Illustrated and others confirmed the company took measures to distance itself from him by quietly removing his image from the cover of the popular video game WWE 2K24.

If Brock Lesnar is returning, there's an interesting question about why the WWE is more comfortable bringing him back now than previously. Again, we have no idea if he's actually coming back, but I would say the people who think the company is openly hinting about it on shows aren't just making things up.

When Might Brock Lesnar Return?

If Brock Lesnar returns, it's worth stating that the Royal Rumble is coming up in February. That's still a long way away, however, and I could also see an earlier return like Survivor Series being in the cards. That said, we talked about how loaded the WWE roster is, so if he did return, there would have to be a plan in place to justify his arrival.

Between everything happening in the WWE, I see two clear opportunities for Brock Lesnar to slide into the stories being told organically.

The first possibility lies in the story that Gunther is on a dominant run as the Heavyweight champion, and Cody Rhodes is in the same boat. How do you keep two over superstars from losing at Crown Jewel when they face off? You feature another competitor run-in during the match that forces a disqualification, and I think Lesnar would be the right guy for that. This is especially true if he kept Gunther from beating Cody, as it would set them on a collision course for WrestleMania.

I also see an opportunity to use Bronson Reed, who has established himself as a massive beast of WWE in his own regard. He can only dominate so many other big men before he ultimately has to take on the biggest of them all and have a big showdown with The Beast Incarnate. We'll see if it ultimately pans out and if the WWE pulls the trigger on bringing back one of its biggest stars.

To see if these rumors prove to be true, Monday Night Raw airs on USA on Mondays at 8:00 p.m. ET.

You know what? I still can’t make sense of the People’s Championship, what it means to Dwayne Johnson (both the wrestler and “Franchise Viagra” box office hero), or how I’m supposed to feel about it. I thought the great American nightmare was over after Rocky’s strange run-in with Cody Rhodes following that ridiculous Mania main event, yet here I am, in the next chapter of this confusing and seemingly never-ending saga.

So, How Did The Rock Earn The People’s Championship In The First Place?

The Rock, who called himself the “People’s Champion” long before adopting his heel “Final Boss” persona in the lead-up to WrestleMania 40, was gifted the title by the widow of the late Muhammad Ali at the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. Watching the event, I thought this was going to be a ceremonial belt that he’d put in his office or his massive home gym, but that was far from the case.

The Rock is a member of the TKO board of directors and can pretty much do whatever the hell he wants in WWE. And yes, that means waltzing around with an absurd fake championship belt that he didn’t earn in a match, but was instead received as a gift – a very personal and tremendous gift, but a gift nonetheless. He didn’t win the belt, but that didn’t stop him from bringing it to the ring with him in the Night One main event or the post-match press conference.

I’m Pretty Sure The Rock Is Working Wrestling Fans By Carrying This Gaudy Belt Around

I’ve watched a lot of wrestling over the years, and I know a heel when I see one. The Rock, who has been a great villain in WWE multiple times over the years, is doing a fantastic job of working the crowd into a frenzy and making them boo him (which is no easy task for a beloved superstar like this). I’m pretty sure that’s the purpose of the Peoples Championship, and I’m pretty much convinced he’s doing this just to work fans by carrying this gaudy belt with him whenever he’s on TV.

There have been a lot of wrestlers who look utterly ridiculous, but this is on a whole other level of generating heat. I must admit that sort of respect him for that. The $500 shirts, leather loafers, designer sunglasses and million-dollar smiles pissed off millions of jabronis back during the Attitude Era, so he had to evolve, and evolve he has.

But I’m Also Not Convinced He Doesn’t Think This Is The Coolest Thing Ever

I’m not trying to put Dwayne Johnson down, as he’s been one of the most electric wrestlers to ever step in the ring or pick up a mic, but I’m not fully convinced he doesn’t think the People’s Championship isn’t the coolest thing ever. This makes the whole situation all the more confusing because I don’t know if this is a work or a shoot.

If The Rock legit thinks this belt is cool, then more power to him. I could see him rationalizing why it was given to him and not someone else, and I could totally understand why he would want to carry it around on TV and not just for some cheap heat by all those “Cody Crybabies” comments he made upon turning heel. When the lines between reality and kayfabe become blurred, wrestling becomes even more fun. Where the character ends and the man begins is something I’ve long tried to figure out with Dwayne Johnson.

Maybe The Rock Is Bringing It Around Because He Never Used The Custom “Brahma Bull” WWE Championship During The Attitude Era

One idea that I have been toying around with since the People’s Championship came around earlier this year is that The Rock wants his own personalized title after his “Brahma Bull” WWE Championship belt that was commissioned back in 1999 never saw the light of day.

If you’re not familiar with the “Brahma Bull” WWE Championship belt, The Rock and WWE basically made a custom title that featured the wrestler’s signature tattoo in place of the classic “Winged Eagle,” but it was ultimately not used because, as he told Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful on X back in 2018, it was too similar to Steve Austin’s “Smoking Skull” belt that was made first. Maybe he just really wanted that belt, as the two look remarkably similar.

Is It A Real Championship If You Don't Defend It?

There are a lot of champions in WWE right now, and for the most part, they defend their respective titles at least once a month, if not more frequently. But that’s not the case for The Rock and his People’s Championship, which brings up the question: is it even a real championship if don’t defend it?

I’m not saying that The Rock needs to defend the belt all the time, but I’m honestly surprised no one has challenged him for that gaudy, golden championship or incorporated it into a storyline. Maybe that’ll be the case in the leadup to WrestleMania 41 where it seems like we’ll finally get to see The Rock and Roman Reigns face off in the ring. But then, does that make the Original Tribal Chief the People’s Champion as well or will the belt go away with the Brahma Bull himself?

But It's Also Crazy How The People's Championship Is The One Belt You Can't Buy On The WWE Shop

WWE usually wastes no time making a quick buck off fans with merchandise, but at the time of this writing, you can’t buy a replica belt from the company. Sure, the original Brahma Bull WWE Championship is available on the WWE Shop, but not the new, improved, and flashier version The Rock had draped on his shoulders while staring down Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns at Bad Blood.

I just find this to be abnormal, as the official online store has so much merchandise, both good and absolutely terrible. Maybe it’s one of a kind or maybe WWE is even confused about the title but afraid to say something.

Am I confused about the People’s Championship? Yes, very much so. But am I excited to see what The Rock does now that he’s shown his face again? You bet! And with Raw moving to Netflix in early 2025, I’m sure we’ll be seeing much more of Dwayne Johnson and his absurd belt.

If you’ve watched any of Will Ospreay’s matches over the years, you know that the AEW International Champion is one of the best wrestlers on the planet. Heading into this three-way match where he’ll defend his title against the up-and-coming Konosuke Takeshita and seasoned veteran Ricochet at WrestleDream, the British high-flyer not only has more five-star matches than anyone who’s ever stepped into the ring but also more than WWE has received in more than 40 years.

In the leadup to the AEW pay-per-view, which will be headlined by Ospreay’s Dynasty opponent AEW World Champion Bryan Danielson defending his belt against Jon Moxley, I told the world-traveled wrestler that the Wrestling Observer Newsletter’s Dave Meltzer has awarded him 42 five-star (or above) matches throughout his 12-year career, which was news to him.

But all jokes aside, Ospreay, who has become a fan-favorite due to his in-ring work and championing mental health, doesn’t want to dismiss the five-star ratings because he doesn’t want to “ignore any community or fanbase” when it comes to wrestling.

Ospreay’s 42 five-or-higher-star matches put him in the same conversation as contemporaries like Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega, but also legendary squared circle figures like Mitsuharu Misawa, Kenta Kobashi, and Toshaki Kawada. And again, wrestling is a subjective artform where one man’s treasure is another’s trash, but Ospreay’s run in promotions like NJPW, AEW, and even smaller federations like RevPro and PWG, is nothing short of historic.

And what will Ospreay do if he ever reaches the 50-mark? Well, he would have Dave Meltzer make him a cake or a stack of pancakes:

With his upcoming match against Konosuke Takeshita and Ricochet, with whom he has quite the history, we could see Ospreay be one step closer to that monumental achievement very soon.

If you want to see Will Ospreay and other AEW wrestlers like Chris Jericho, the Young Bucks, “Hangman” Adam Page, and Katsuyori Shibata in action, make sure to order WrestleDream at 8 p.m. ET this Saturday on TrillerTV, YouTube, and traditional cable and satellite providers.

But that’s exactly what happened in the series’ fifth episode, titled “Family Business,” in which 2024 WWE Hall of Fame inductee Paul Heyman shared what I can best describe as one of the most heartbreaking stories told in Mr. McMahon. More than any revelation in the docuseries, this moment affected me in a way that caused me to look at “Shane O’Mac” in a different and much more sympathetic light. Allow me to explain…

What's The Heartbreaking Story Paul Heyman Shares In Mr. McMahon?

Near the end of the penultimate episode of Mr. McMahon, Paul Heyman shares a story that he calls the “definitive moment” between Vince and Shane McMahon. During an argument about a creative direction, Shane had an idea that he really believed in, but his father “totally disagreed with it.” And while it is normal for fathers and sons, as well as bosses and employees, to have disagreements, the way that the elder McMahon escalated things was intense to say the least:

The whole sticking a knife into your father’s heart to get what you want is one thing, but the second part of the interaction where Vince essentially tells his son that he’s not man enough to do it is what really cuts. And while it’s not stated if this incident was the straw that broke the camel’s back for Shane and his 2009 departure from the company, it’s easy to see why he’d want to leave the family business if this was the norm.

After Hearing That Story, I Felt Sorry For Shane McMahon And What That Experience Must Have Been Like

For some reason, that incident really stuck with me after I finished Mr. McMahon, and it’s something I haven’t really been able to take my mind off since. And I just can’t help but feel sorry for Shane McMahon for having to deal with something like that, especially from your father, a father who you’ve done so much to help over the years.

Again, it’s not stated in the doc when this confrontation happened, since Paul Heyman hadn’t been with the company for nearly three years when Shane left the company in October 2009. However, it doesn’t take away from the sting of those comments. I just can’t imagine my boss, let alone my own father telling me something like that. You can say “oh, it’s just Vince protecting the business,” but there are far better ways to handle such situations.

But This Is Just One Of The Stories About The Tense Father-Son Relationship In The Netflix Docuseries

This is just one of the many stories about the relationship between Vince and Shane McMahon featured in Mr. McMahon, as a large portion of the “Family Business” episode is about their dynamic, both in and outside of the ring. Just moments before the “you’re not man enough” incident, the father and son, separately, talk about Shane’s attempt to get his dad to purchase UFC years before both companies merged under Endeavor.

It’s clear the pair were not seeing eye-to-eye on the proposed acquisition, which would have more than likely changed the landscape of WWE and combat sports in general. And while it boiled down to the financials of the situation (Vince didn’t want to do it and Shane didn’t have enough capital to pursue it alone), I can’t help but feel it was because of Vince and Shane’s clashing behind the scenes, and maybe the elder McMahon not wanting to be outshined by his son.

These Stories Have Changed The Way I Look At The Death-Defying Feats Shane Pulled Off To Impress His Father

I’ve always been impressed with Shane McMahon’s in-ring work, as the part-time wrestler has continually risked life and limb to create huge moments. However, after hearing the aforementioned story and others like it, especially those that go behind the scenes of some of his wildest moments, I can’t help but have a changed outlook on his death-defying stunts.

In the final episode, titled “The Finish,” Shane talks about his legendary matches at King of the Ring 2001 and his return to face the Undertaker at WrestleMania 32. When describing the matches, the third-generation wrestling figure said he did it to put on a great show but also that he was always looking for that pat on the back from his dad. This is followed by a tender moment from Shane’s return match in April 2016 where father and son share an embrace backstage, something the younger McMahon would go on to say was very hard to come by.

Watching This As A Father, I Couldn't Stop Thinking About The Relationship With My Own Kids

Watching Mr. McMahon as a father, I couldn’t stop thinking about my own relationship with my kids. No, I don’t agree with Vince McMahon’s parenting tactics and I would never challenge my son or daughters to a fight at WrestleMania, but the series, did help me realize the importance of love, compassion, tenderness, and empathy when it comes to raising kids into decent human beings, and just how far “I love you” goes.

I’m sure Vince’s children love him dearly, and the other way around, but the documentary paints a portrait of a man who’s so consumed by his own appetite for life, power, and control that he’s lost his handle on the importance of family. I’m not holding this against him, because to each their own, but spending six hours diving into the mind of Mr. McMahon (the character and the person), had me doing some soul-searching, if I’m being honest.

Mr. McMahon is a fantastic documentary that everyone with a Netflix subscription should check out, even if they aren’t wrestling fans. On one hand, it’ll teach you so much about the history of professional wrestling and on the other, it might off your a new perspective on family and life in general.