The pre-sale for the new set of WWE Superstars appearing at WWE World at WrestleMania 42 went on pre-sale this morning and will go on sale to the general public tomorrow.
Alexa Bliss, Becky Lynch, Cody Rhodes, Iyo Sky, Oba Femi, Randy Orton, Rhea Ripley, and Seth Rollins have already sold out of their allocation so they will be unavailable when tickets open up to everyone tomorrow.
Some new names were also added including Booker T, Bronson Reed, Dennis Rodman, Honky Tonk Man, Ilja Dragunov, JBL, Hacksaw Jim Duggan, Mickie James, Ron Simmons, Sheamus, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Wade Barrett.
Practically the whole roster will be available for photos and meet and greets, either via paid or the free Superstar Row during the week.
TrillerTV has suspended new signups for their AEW Plus streaming service and is now redirecting users to MyAEW service.
The company has been providing AEW Plus for a long time for international fans but Triller is facing several financial problems as a company and there are rumors of a takeover from someone else.
With the writing on the wall, AEW worked to launch MyAEW, an all-inclusive WWE Network-type of service which includes live airings of Dynamite, Collision, pay-per-views, and a lot of previous episodes from the vast AEW library as well as a 24/7 FAST channel.
The AEW Plus service on Triller seems like it will continue for the time being so those who are already subscribed will not see interruption in their service, yet.
The Tony Hinchcliffe special Kill Tony during WrestleMania 42 weekend will stream on Netflix on a couple of days delay.
Announced by Variety, the show is scheduled to be uploaded on the streaming giant on Monday, April 20, two days after it takes place. The live show is on Saturday, April 18 immediately following WrestleMania Saturday and will be held at the Dolby Live at MGM Park.
His Roast of WrestleMania special last year, also in Vegas, drew some backlash after audio was leaked from the closed event. As expected in these comedy shows and roasts, some jokes were highly offensive, hence the reason it did not air anywhere.
Several WWE Superstars, Legends, and fellow comedians are expected to join Hinchcliffe during the show.
Episodes of his Kill Tony podcast are available on Netflix.
Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.com starting from $65.77.
The opioid problem in professional wrestling is not new. Wrestlers have been reaching for painkillers since the touring schedules of the 1980s made full recovery between shows nearly impossible. The names attached to opioid-related deaths and addiction stories in this industry, Eddie Guerrero, Brian Pillman, Mr. Perfect, represent a pattern that ran for decades without any real structural answer. What has changed recently is that a growing number of working wrestlers have found a practical, legal, and far less dangerous alternative: CBD. Searches for the best cbd oil uk under £40 have surged among UK athletes looking for accessible, tested options that fit both their budget and their training schedule, and wrestlers are no exception.
CBD (cannabidiol) is derived from hemp, interacts with the body’s endocannabinoid system, and has no psychoactive effect. It does not produce a high. It carries no addiction risk at normal doses. Since 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency has removed CBD from its list of banned substances, meaning wrestlers in any tested promotion can use it without fear of disciplinary action. The shift away from opioids toward CBD is not a wellness trend. For the wrestlers making this switch, it is a practical decision about career longevity and basic health. You can read more about why WWE stars are using CBD and medical marijuana for pain in our earlier coverage of this topic. Nothing in this article constitutes medical or legal advice.
What Opioids Actually Did to Wrestling Locker Rooms?
The physical demands of professional wrestling are unlike almost any other athletic profession. A mid-card performer working a full WWE or independent schedule takes between 150 and 250 bumps per week, not counting training. Joint damage, spinal compression, concussions, and soft tissue injuries accumulate faster than the body can recover from them. Historically, the solution handed to wrestlers was pharmaceutical: Oxycodone, Vicodin, Percocet, Soma. They kept people in the ring. They also destroyed careers and lives.
“The pills were everywhere, back then. Somas, Vicodin, Lortab, muscle relaxers, whatever. They were floating around like candy. I just couldn’t sleep, and I had a million things going on, and so I thought… What’s the big deal?”
Sting (Steve Borden), WWE Hall of Famer, writing in The Players’ Tribune about his opioid addiction during his WCW career
Sting’s account is one of the most detailed on record, but it describes a culture that was standard for decades. By early 1998, one of the most recognisable wrestlers on the planet was, by his own admission, an addict, sober only when performing. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, 29% of people prescribed opioids misuse them. Among professional athletes, where pain is constant, time off is career-threatening, and pills are within arm’s reach, that figure runs considerably higher. We have covered the broader question of whether your doctor can recommend CBD instead of opioids in a previous article on this site.
Former NFL players suffer opioid addiction at four times the rate of the general population. Wrestling operates on a similar injury model with even fewer protections: no union, no guaranteed contracts in most promotions, and a culture that historically rewarded working through pain rather than treating it properly.
Why CBD Works for the Specific Demands of Wrestling?
CBD does not eliminate pain the way opioids do. It does not sedate you, cloud your judgement, or produce the short-term intensity of a prescription painkiller. What it does do, and what makes it genuinely useful for wrestlers, is reduce the underlying inflammation that makes chronic pain so debilitating over time.
CBD interacts with CB1 and CB2 receptors in the endocannabinoid system. CB2 receptors are concentrated in immune tissues and play a direct role in the inflammatory response. When CBD binds to these receptors, it reduces cytokine production, the chemical messengers that drive inflammation at injury sites. The World Anti-Doping Agency’s current Prohibited List confirms CBD is not a banned substance in sport. Research published in the Journal of Pain Research found that 62% of individuals using CBD reported significant reductions in pain levels. A 2021 study in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found measurable reductions in markers of muscle damage following CBD supplementation.
For a wrestler carrying knee damage, a chronically inflamed shoulder, or the kind of lower back degradation that comes from years of taking suplexes, the value is not acute relief. It is the sustained reduction of the inflammatory baseline that, over weeks and months, makes training and performing less physically costly.
Sleep is the other factor that often goes undiscussed. Opioids disrupt REM sleep architecture, meaning wrestlers who relied on them were often physically present in the ring while running a cumulative sleep deficit. CBD, at appropriate doses, supports sleep onset without suppressing the deep sleep cycles the body needs to actually recover from physical stress. Our guide on the best ways to avoid and treat pain as a wrestler covers this topic in more practical detail.
The Wrestlers Who Have Made the Switch
The shift is documented across multiple levels of the business. Independent wrestler Effy, speaking to Benzinga, described the cultural change in modern locker rooms in direct terms.
“What you see now is none of the real drug problems that people are probably expecting in a locker room. A lot more guys are using cannabis to sort of maintain themselves in a safer way than what we’ve been used to in wrestling.”
Effy, independent wrestling circuit, speaking to Benzinga
At the top of the card, the pattern is the same. Former WWE superstar Kalisto (Emanuel Rodriguez) found CBD helped him sleep better and recover faster from training. Mercedes Varnado, ranked sixth on WWE’s list of the 50 Greatest Women Superstars, began using CBD after a decade in the ring left her managing persistent pain and severe depression. She went on to co-found Kanndela, a CBD wellness company, alongside Rodriguez. In an interview with Cannabis and Tech Today, Varnado described the effect of CBD on her anxiety and mental state as something she noticed immediately: the edge was gone. That matters for in-ring performance as much as physical recovery does.
Fred Rosser, known to WWE audiences as Darren Young, has estimated that as much as 90% of the WWE roster uses some form of cannabis. Bret Hart publicly discussed using it for pain management during his career in the late 1990s, at a time when even acknowledging it was professionally risky. WWE reportedly removed marijuana from its wellness policy banned substances list in early 2025. CBD, already cleared by WADA since 2018, has been a legal option for tested athletes for years. The question is no longer whether wrestlers can use it. It is whether the products they choose are safe, accurately labelled, and third-party verified.
CBD vs Opioids: How They Compare for Wrestlers
The differences between these two approaches to pain management are not marginal. They operate through different mechanisms, carry different risk profiles, and produce different outcomes over a career.
Factor
Opioids
CBD
Pain Relief
Highly effective for acute pain
Effective for chronic and inflammatory pain
Addiction Risk
High. Dependency forms quickly
Low. No known physical dependency
Side Effects
Sedation, nausea, cognitive impairment
Mild: dry mouth, drowsiness in some users
Performance Impact
Impairs reaction time and cognition
No psychoactive effect on performance
WADA Status
Controlled. Requires therapeutic use exemption
Removed from banned list in 2018
Long-term Safety
Risk of overdose and tolerance buildup
No reported overdose risk at normal doses
Withdrawal
Severe and medically significant
Mild or absent
Opioids remain more effective for acute, severe pain after surgery or major trauma. For the chronic, compounding physical stress of a professional wrestling career, CBD is the more viable long-term tool. It does not replace medical care. It replaces the habit of reaching for prescription painkillers to get through the next show.
What Wrestlers in the UK Need to Know About CBD Products
In the UK, CBD is legal as a food supplement when it meets FSA novel food authorisation requirements. The legal THC limit for finished CBD products is 1mg per container. The FSA recommends no more than 10mg of CBD per day for healthy adults, though athletes working with healthcare professionals sometimes use higher doses under supervision.
The quality issue is real. A 2019 report by the Centre for Medicinal Cannabis found that over 60% of CBD products on the UK high street did not contain the amount of CBD stated on the label. For wrestlers relying on CBD as part of a genuine recovery protocol, buying an under-dosed or inaccurately labelled product delivers nothing useful.
The standard to look for is batch-specific certificates of analysis from accredited third-party laboratories, covering cannabinoid content, THC levels, pesticides, heavy metals, and microbiological safety. Any reputable supplier will provide these without being asked. If they cannot, find a supplier who can.
For tested athletes, the THC risk is the critical practical issue. WADA cleared CBD, but THC remains prohibited during competition. Always use products with confirmed THC content below 1mg per container, verified by a COA and not just stated on the label. For a broader breakdown of how CBD fits into a wrestler’s training and recovery routine, read our article on CBD and sports: why are wrestlers consuming CBD.
The Shift Is Structural, Not a Trend
The wrestlers switching from opioids to CBD are not doing so because CBD is fashionable. They are doing it because the alternative, a career built on prescription painkillers, has a documented and catastrophic endpoint that this industry has seen too many times. The science behind CBD is still developing, but the practical case is already strong: reduced inflammation, better sleep, no addiction risk, and no impairment. For a wrestler trying to stay in the business for a decade rather than burning out in five years, those outcomes are not small. They are the difference between a career and a cautionary tale.
WWE today announced that Bad News Brown will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2026.
Brown passed away in 2007 at the age of 63 and had two stints with WWE apart from wrestling for New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Stampede Wrestling.
“From standing on the podium at the 1976 Summer Olympics to the center of the ring at #WrestleMania IV, Bad News Brown was a fierce competitor with an attitude to match,” Triple H wrote on X. “For his accomplishments in combat sports and contributions to @WWE, it is a pleasure to announce his induction into the 2026 Legacy Class of the #WWEHOF.”
Brown won the judo bronze medal at the 1976 Olympic Games for the United States and transitioned to professional wrestling after that.
He had three WrestleMania appearances under his belt and won the battle royal at WrestleMania IV.
The New York Post is reporting that Murielle Misczak, director of the Kinderhaus Brooklyn school in Park Slope, embezzled school money to finance a lavish lifestyle which included spending hundreds of thousands of dollars in WWE VIP tickets.
The report states that Misczak spent $350,000 on WWE tickets and meet and greets for herself and children, boasting about it on social media. She also spent $650,000 in luxury travel and goods and wired $2.75 million in total from school to her own bank account.
The alleged fraud took place between January 2022 and October 2025 and after she was questioned about her unexplained wealth, she said the money came from her mother in Switzerland.
The school has now filed a lawsuit against her and a federal indictment charged her with wire fraud, money laundering and engaging in monetary transactions in criminally derived property.
She is looking at a lengthy prison sentence if found guilty.
House of Glory Wrestling has officially announced a match between Bandido and Amazing Red, which will serve as the main event of the HOG: Culture Clash show. The event is scheduled for Thursday, April 16, 2026, at 8:00 PM PT. The venue selected is the Pearl Theater, located at the famous Palms Casino Resort in the heart of Las Vegas, Nevada. The promotion emphasizes that this is the first-ever head-to-head meeting between the two wrestlers—one fans worldwide have been waiting years to see.
A major wrestling weekend puts HOG’s card in the spotlight
The show will take place as part of the large-scale SlamFest wrestling weekend, which every year turns Las Vegas into the industry’s unofficial capital. During these days, the city fills with promotions of every size, and the number of visiting fans is counted in the thousands. It is precisely against the backdrop of such stiff competition for fans’ attention that House of Glory has decided to play its strongest hand.
The presence of many shows under one “umbrella” week boosts the visibility of each individual event, and HOG expects that the headline match will attract not only the promotion’s regular audience, but also those who came to the city for SlamFest as a whole.
AEW luchador vs. House of Glory founder
Bandido has long established himself as one of the most spectacular luchadors of the modern era. The All Elite Wrestling star combines several seemingly contradictory traits in his arsenal:
acrobatic leaps that leave the crowd holding its breath,
impressive physical strength, rare for a high-flyer,
speed and fluidity inherited from the best traditions of Mexican lucha libre.
In Las Vegas, he will compete specifically as part of the HOG show, which gives the card an added boost in prestige.
On the other side of the ring will be Amazing Red, a man whose name is inseparable from the promotion’s history. He not only founded House of Glory, but also became one of the pioneers of the high-flying style in the United States. His lightning-fast, inventive style set the standard for an entire generation of wrestlers, many of whom today cite Red as a direct inspiration.
Las Vegas uses wrestling to attract new tourists to the city amid the growing popularity of online casinos. The reason is that people are increasingly playing online, since this kind of entertainment better matches modern interests and offers many advantages.
Online gambling platforms have many competitive advantages—from bonuses to convenient payment options. They even offer their own live dealer games that create an atmosphere of real-time interaction. We received additional information from the site’s authors about the game XXXtreme Lightning Roulette, which is available if you click here. They emphasized that live games help drive growth in the number of visitors to online casinos, the list of which is quite extensive. Las Vegas also turns to spectacles, including wrestling, to attract tourists.
A clash of generations and styles
The organizers are positioning this match as a meeting of two eras, and there’s logic to that. On the one hand, a legendary innovator who practically rewrote the rules of high-flying in the U.S. On the other, a modern-day top athlete embodying the best of what the industry has managed to absorb and refine over the past years. Their confrontation promises not just a set of spectacular tricks, but a kind of dialogue between schools and times—something you don’t see in the ring all that often.
What to expect from the night at Pearl Theater
For the House of Glory brand, this bout could become a defining moment. The promotion has long outgrown its status as a local venue; however, it is precisely a match of this caliber that can cement its position on the national stage. Fans who find themselves inside the Pearl Theater, as well as viewers watching worldwide, will have the opportunity to see one of the weekend’s central matches.
Ronda Rousey described her appearance at AEW Revolution as “like little bit of a ‘f*ck you’ to the TKO group” in a vlog she posted on YouTube documenting her surprise on the pay-per-view.
Rousey said she was brought in a wheelchair with a tarp over her to keep the surprise after she thought it was going to be more chill, “but they’re acting like it’s freaking Royal Rumble super secret.”
She admitted it was a “little bit weird” but also familiar as she has many friends there. She described the vibe backstage as more laid back than WWE but she had never been to a proper AEW show and said it was a “less restrictive, more adult version of WWE.”
Rousey, who is in a war with the UFC and TKO over fighter pay after they passed on her return fight against Gina Carano, added, “It’s kind of a cool little bit of a…like little bit of a ‘f*ck you’ to the TKO group, which is kind of funny because WWE is on Netflix, but I kind of figured it’d be easier to ask for forgiveness instead of permission on this one.”
She said regardless, it should “be fine” as they didn’t advertise her appearance and “it’s not like we boosted the ratings.”
Have you ever played an online slot game and thought, “Why does this feel so fun even with just a spin button?”
That feeling comes from different features working together behind the screen. These features make the gameplay smooth, lively, and easy to enjoy.
Online slot games are not just about spinning reels. They include small and smart elements that keep things interesting from start to finish. Once you understand these features, the whole experience feels more connected and enjoyable.
The Role Of Features In Online Slot Games
Online slot games use different features to keep players interested and comfortable. These features are built in a way that makes every spin feel fresh and exciting. They also help players understand what is happening on the screen without confusion.
These features are simple to use and easy to follow. Even if someone is new, they can quickly get used to how everything works. That’s what makes online slots so popular among different types of players.
Why Features Matter In Gameplay
Features help in making the game more interactive. Instead of just spinning reels again and again, you get small surprises and changes that keep the mood active.
For example, sometimes you may see extra spins or special symbols appearing. These moments create a sense of excitement and make the gameplay feel more alive. It’s like the game is responding to your actions in a fun way.
Common Features That Make Slots More Interesting
Many online deposit 5k slot games include similar types of features. These are easy to recognize and simple to understand once you see them a few times.
Popular Slot Features You Will Notice
Wild symbols help complete winning combinations by replacing other symbols.
Scatter symbols can trigger bonus rounds or free spins.
Free spins give extra chances to play without using your balance.
Multipliers increase the value of winning combinations.
These features work together to keep the gameplay flowing smoothly. You don’t have to do anything extra, as they activate automatically when conditions are met.
How Bonus Rounds Add More Fun
Bonus rounds are one of the most enjoyable parts of online slot games. They give a break from regular spins and offer something different.
What Happens During Bonus Rounds
When a bonus round starts, the game may change its screen or style. You might get a mini activity where you pick items or watch symbols reveal rewards.
This change makes the gameplay feel fresh. It also gives players a chance to see something new without needing to learn complicated steps.
How Visual Design Supports Gameplay
The look and feel of a slot game play a big role in how enjoyable it is. Bright colors, smooth animations, and clear symbols make everything easier to follow.
The Impact Of Graphics And Animation
When the reels spin, the movement is smooth and clean. When a winning combination appears, the game highlights it clearly so you don’t miss it.
Small animations like glowing symbols or gentle movements make the screen feel active. These details help players stay focused and relaxed while playing.
Sound Effects And Music In Slot Games
Sound is another important feature that adds life to the game. It may not seem important at first, but it plays a big role in how the game feels.
How Audio Improves Interaction
Soft background music keeps the mood calm. When you press the spin button, you hear a clear sound that matches the action. When a win appears, there may be cheerful tones that make the moment feel special.
All these sounds work together to create a complete experience. Even without looking closely, you can understand what is happening just by listening.
A Simple Look At Key Features And Their Purpose
Below is a quick overview of some common features and how they support gameplay:
Feature
Purpose In Gameplay
Wild Symbol
Helps complete combinations
Scatter Symbol
Triggers bonus events
Free Spins
Offers extra rounds
Multiplier
Increases rewards
Bonus Round
Adds variety to gameplay
This table helps you quickly understand how each feature fits into the overall game.
How Auto Play Makes Things Comfortable
Auto-play is another feature that many players like. It allows the game to spin automatically for a set number of rounds.
Why Players Like Auto Play
Auto play keeps the game moving without needing to press the spin button every time. It is helpful when you want to sit back and watch the game flow.
You can still control the settings, like how many spins you want. This keeps everything under your control while giving a relaxed experience.
Personal Control Through Settings
Online slot games also give players control over how they want to play. This makes the experience more personal and comfortable.
What You Can Adjust
Players can change bet amounts based on their preference. Some games also allow adjusting sound levels or animation speed.
These small settings help create a better experience for each person. Everyone can play in a way that feels right for them.
How Themes Make Gameplay More Enjoyable
Themes play a big role in making slot games interesting. Each game has its own style, which can be based on festivals, nature, or classic designs.
The Connection Between Theme And Features
Features often match the theme of the game. For example, a festival-themed game may have colorful symbols and lively music. A calm theme may use soft visuals and relaxing sounds.
This connection makes the game feel more complete. It’s not just about spinning reels, but about enjoying the overall design.
Learning Through Simple Interaction
One of the best things about online slot games is how easy they are to learn. You don’t need long instructions or complex steps.
How Players Get Comfortable Quickly
After a few spins, you start recognizing symbols and features naturally. You understand when something special is about to happen, like a bonus round or free spins.
This natural learning makes the gameplay smooth. You don’t feel lost or confused, and everything feels clear.
Final Thoughts
Online slot games use different features to make gameplay enjoyable, simple, and interactive. From wild symbols to bonus rounds, each element adds something special to the experience. The combination of visuals, sound, and easy controls creates a smooth flow that feels natural and comfortable. Once you get familiar with these features, every spin becomes more enjoyable and easier to follow.
Kenny Omega became the number one contender for the AEW World title last night on Dynamite after he defeated Swerve Strickland on the show.
Omega, who won with his One Winged Angel finisher clean, also retained his EVP status, which was on the line versus Swerve’s number one contendership.
Omega later met champion MJF later in the show and challenged him for the title at the upcoming Dynasty pay-per-view. MJF accepted but did not want to shake Omega’s hand.
Strickland had main evented the previous two Dynasty pay-per-views, both title matches against Samoa Joe and Jon Moxley respectively, but the third one in a row was not meant to be.
Omega has not had a run with the AEW World title since 2021, winning it in December 2020 and keeping it for 346 days until he ultimately lost it to Adam Page in November at Full Gear.
The Spring BreakThru themed episode of Dynamite and a new Playoff Palooza themed episode of Collision will be part of AEW programming next month.
HBO Max, in its monthly release schedule, revealed that the Spring BreakThru Dynamite will happen on Wednesday, April 15 while Collision that week will take place the following day on Thursday, April 16. Both episodes will be taped on the same day from Kent, Washington so Collision will not be a live broadcast.
And after some WWE mocking over the use of the term WrestlePalooza last year, AEW will be doing the Collision Playoff Palooza on Saturday, April 25. The NHL playoffs will be happening during that time frame so the name plays off off of that. This particular episode of Collision is set for an 8:30PM ET start time, 30 minutes later than usual.
These episodes will air on TBS and TNT respectively and of course stream live on HBO Max and also on MyAEW streaming service.
The March 16 episode of Raw on Netflix drew 3,000,000 global viewers, up 200,000 from the prior week and it’s now the seventh week in a row where the show has made it in the top 10 chart.
Raw was #8 on the Netflix global top 10 chart and the edited episode of 1 hour and 56 minutes had a total of 5,900,000 global viewing hours, up 900,000 from the previous week and the second-highest of 2026 so far.
Raw placed in the top 10 chart in 19 different countries including Australia, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Canada, Ecuador, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, India, Jordan, Kuwait, Nicaragua, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Trinidad and Tobago, United Kingdom, and United States.
Former WCW and WWE star Marc Mero sat down with Chris Van Vliet in Atlanta, Georgia to discuss how Dusty Rhodes created his Johnny B Badd persona, his other gimmicks like Marvelous Marc Mero and Wildman Marc Mero, jumping to WWE and being asked by Vince McMahon if he could do a Tarzan yell, negotiating the first ever guaranteed WWE contract, having his wife Sable as his valet, Steve Austin refusing to work with him, his work today as a motivational speaker, and more!
So when you became Wild Man Marc Mero, Vince McMahon asked you if you could do a Tarzan yell?
“Yes. Okay, well what happened was, I think they were thinking they would get kind of a knockoff of Johnny B Badd, something similar like they do with some of the characters. But because the lawsuits were really going back and forth. Now, remember, guys are jumping ship. You’ll see one guy on Raw one week, and next week he’s on Nitro or something. So it wasn’t going to happen. So they had to completely change my character. Of course, I’m trusting them. Whatever they’re going to come up with is going to be great. I mean, they made The Undertaker, they made all these great characters, right? I remember they flew me in to talk about what they’re going to have me do. We sit around a table, and Vince looks at me and goes, ‘Marc, what do you think of Wild Man Marc Mero?’ I go, ‘What’s a wild man?’ He goes, ‘Can you do a Tarzan yell?’ I thought they know what they’re doing. I go, ‘Vince, I don’t have a very strong voice, and I cannot do a Tarzan yell.’ He goes, ‘All right, we’re gonna go with Wild Man Marc Mero.’ And I go, okay, am I from the jungle? What am I? I’m doing this Tutti Frutti character in WCW, coming out now, where am I from? So it was very hard for me to relate to, which the audience doesn’t relate to. So it was very hard. And not only that, they hired my wife, Sable is my valet, and now you got this beautiful woman going to the ring with you and who they’re going to cheer for. So it was very difficult right off the bat, but they really wanted to push me and give me some momentum. So they have me enter this Intercontinental tournament where I had to beat Owen Hart, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Ron Simmons. I mean, these are some top guys that you’re they’re putting you over to win the Intercontinental title. So I was thinking now they’re really going to start giving me that push I always dreamed about, why I went to the WWF or WWE. The next thing you know, I’m wrestling the fake Diesel, the fake Razor, TL Hopper, The Goon. Wonderful guys and good workers, but they’re not the guys that is going to take you up the ladder in the WWF.”
What shifted?
“That’s the thing, maybe it’s a great question for Vince. I don’t know, maybe my confidence wasn’t there. I thought it was very hard for me to work with guys. First of all, this is really kind of hard to talk about in the sense that I wasn’t well-liked. My whole life, I had a lot of friends. I was always popular in sports, captain on my teams, and then you go into this new organization where you’re not very well liked, and you didn’t really understand why. Well, come to find out later, I got this guaranteed contract, I have my wife flying everywhere I’m flying, so I’m not hanging out with the guys, not going to the bars. I’m not staying up and doing things with those guys, or hanging out with guys. I’m with my wife all the time. And then I start realizing that no one really wants to work with me, you’re kind of an outcast, and it’s the worst feeling in the world.”
Is it jealousy?
“You know, part of it is. I guess, when you think about Stone Cold Steve Austin and Mick Foley just came in months before me for an opportunity. Next thing you know, I’m the first guy that gets this, not only a guaranteed contract, a big signing bonus, on top of it.”
You wrote in your book that you think Sable should be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
“Oh, absolutely. The woman’s division, they didn’t really have a woman’s division so much back then at all. But she brought eyes to the channels. The ratings and everything were very high because of her.”
Do you think you’ve had a Hall of Fame career?
“You know what? If you want to look at my WWF stint, no. But if you want to look at things I’ve done with WCW as Johnny B Badd, they were very entertaining.”
I feel like you’d be the perfect recipient for the Warrior Award:
“Something like that would be wonderful. If I ever did, DDP would be the guy to induct me.”
Frank and Gunnar Eudy, the two sons of soon-to-be WWE Hall of Famer Sid Vicious, were interviewed by Bill Apter to discuss how they got to find out about their father’s induction.
Frank, the older of the two, said WWE reached out to their mother and let them know last week what the plan was and asked if they would be interested in it and their thoughts.
“Obviously, any time that the fans get to celebrate dad, we like that concept. Dad always liked to make the fans happy and put on a good show…it was what it was all about for him,” Frank said.
He added that the family saw a lot of positive feedback online about the news and thinks a lot of fans wanted this to happen for a long time.
“I remember when dad passed, we got so many positive words sent to us online through social media, people we don’t know, people we do know,” he continued. “And, today, I feel like it was even more so. Getting to see all the fans out there really get a day to feel happy for dad, it makes us happy too.”
The 18-minute video interview can be seen on YouTube.
Collision had two one-hour episodes during the weekend, with Slam Dunk Saturday and Slam Dunk Sunday airing immediately following the conclusion of the NCAA basketball on TNT.
The Saturday show drew 470,000 viewers and had a 0.10 rating in 18-49 and that was followed by 616,000 viewers on Sunday and a 0.12 rating in 18-49. The Sunday show had the most viewers since December 2024. Both nights had the advantage of the huge lead-in from the NCAA. (Ratings credit: Programming Insider)
PWInsider.com is reporting that there are no plans to have Ronda Rousey appear on AEW television in the future, with her appearance at the Revolution pay-per-view described as a one-time thing to promote her return to MMA and help her friend Marina Shafir.
It was previously confirmed that Rousey was not under any deal with AEW and showing up at Revolution was also a way to stick it to TKO for not going through with her return fight against Gina Carano. Rousey has been very critical of the UFC and TKO in general, especially when it comes to fighter pay.
Rousey confronted Toni Storm on the pay-per-view after Storm defeated Shafir. The two had a face off which was broken up by tons of officials and security. The angle was not followed up on after Storm was taken out on Wednesday night before Dynamite and the Kiwi star is now not expected to be back for a long time either.
The former WWE Raw and Smackdown Women’s champion will have her first MMA fight since December 2016 when she takes on Carano on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. The fight, airing live on Netflix, is promoted by Jake Paul’s MVP.
Paul Bearer’s last son, Daniel, passed away at 39 years old, effectively ending the whole Moody family who have now all sadly passed away.
Daniel’s passing was announced yesterday by Steve Stasiak of Book Pro Wrestlers and confirmed by Coastal Wrestling Alliance, where Daniel wrestled as DJ Pringle.
His father passed away in 2013 and his brother, Michael, passed away in 2014, just a few months after the two brothers appeared at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony on behalf of their late father. The mother, Dianna, had passed away in 2009.
Smackdown last Friday night drew 1,439,000 viewers, up 20,000 viewers from the previous week and the second most-watched episode of 2026 so far. The show had heavy competition from the NCAA and had a 0.32 rating in 18-49, the same as last week. It placed #6 on the top 50 cable chart behind NCAA related programming on TBS and TNT. (Ratings credit: Programming Insider)
Johnny Gargano was a surprise entrant in a gauntlet eliminator match to determine the number one contender for the NXT North American title last night on the NXT on The CW.
The first two in the match had Shiloh Hill vs Jackson Drake and then Dion Lennox and Charlie Dempsey followed as entrants. The fifth and final entrant was the former NXT champion, who got a big pop from the WWE PC crowd.
And thanks to a “push” from his wife Candice LeRae, it was Gargano who came out on top in the match, defeating Hill to become the number one contender.
Gargano will now be facing Myles Borne for the title at the NXT Stand & Deliver premium live event.
