On the latest episode of The Coach and Bro podcast, Vince Russo revealed that wrestling legend Konnan underwent an amputation of his other leg.
Konnan, 62, had one of his legs amputated in March after he was hospitalized in San Diego but due to more health complications, the other leg also had to be removed.
“Konnan has gone through a double leg amputation. Yes, both legs. And I was smartened up on it,” Russo said on the podcast. “I knew he had the one leg amputated and the second one was in question. That was the last time I talked to him, probably about two months ago. They had to remove the second one.”
He added that he talked to Konnan this week and he was going through rehab to learn how to cope with being a double amputee.
Konnan told Russo that WWE paid for all his medical bills, including surgeries to amputate his legs.
Prior to health issues, Konnan was doing English commentary for AAA broadcasts on the WWE YouTube channel along with Corey Graves and JBL. He was eventually replaced by Rey Mysterio for the time being.
Just hours before the WWE shareholders lawsuit was set to go on trial, parties involved reached an agreement in principle, getting this saga closer to an end after a few years in the works.
The trial was set to start yesterday in Delaware’s Chancery Court and the trial was removed from the calendar just a few days before.
Former WWE CEO Vince McMahon, WWE President Nick Khan, and former WWE execs George Barrios, Michelle Wilson, Frank Riddick III, and Steve Koonin were all listed as defendants in the lawsuit where plaintiffs accused McMahon of only choosing Endeavor’s bid because he knew that he could keep control over WWE after he sold, something that wasn’t the case with other bidders.
A source close to Vince McMahon told us that this kind of litigation follows every single transaction involving a public company.
“Endeavor’s bid was by far the highest. It was signed off on by three separate independent banks: JP Morgan, Raine and Moelis,” the source said. “That’s why WWE’s Board of Directors gave their unanimous approval.”
The merger of WWE and UFC under the TKO brand created a massive combat sports company and “shareholders made an absolute fortune” from the transaction, according to the same source.
It’s hard to argue that fact.
In April 2023 before the acquisition was announced, WWE shares were hovering in the $97 range. Today, TKO shares are trading at $205, an increase of over 100% in the stock market.
The trial could have also been somewhat of a disaster for McMahon as well, as further details in his sexual misconduct case could have been made public. During the discovery process in the shareholders lawsuit, the plaintiffs requested McMahon turn over tons of documents related to his hush money case.
McMahon and Khan were also going to face an uphill battle on the stand after the two were sanctioned by the Delaware Chancery Court for acting “recklessly” by enabling a setting to auto-delete Signal messages while WWE was in the process of being sold to Endeavor.
The judge had ruled that he would presume several facts to be true, including that McMahon’s decision-making regarding the merger was influenced by Emanuel’s promises that he would remain at WWE and have legal support for federal investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct, that McMahon had decided to pursue a deal with Endeavor before the WWE began a strategic review process, that Khan communicated with Emanuel in 2022 to facilitate the deal, and that McMahon and Khan worked with their financial adviser to steer negotiations toward Endeavor and away from other potential bidders.
Terms of the settlement have not been released as the judge still has to approve it.
WWE World Heavyweight champion Roman Reigns was announced for the upcoming Fanatics Fest in New York City.
Reigns will appear at the popular convention on Saturday, July 18 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. WWE did not reveal if he will be doing any photo ops or autograph signings yet and the Fanatics Fest website so far only lists him as “appearing.”
Several WWE Superstars will be doing meet and greets during the four-day convention, including the likes of John Cena, Cody Rhodes, The Undertaker, Oba Femi, Rhea Ripley, and many others.
Athletes from the NFL, MLB, NBA, UFC, NHL, WNBA, and others will be appearing as well.
Tickets for Saturday are priced $93.19 for adults and $34.94 for kids.
The Athletic is reporting (subscription required) that frequent WWE collaborator Pat McAfee is in discussions for a new mega deal between $60 and $65 million per year to stay with ESPN.
The deal is being brokered by the WME Group, with TKO chiefs Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro heading up the negotiations for McAfee.
The former NFL star still has two years left on his current $30 million per year ESPN deal and a newer deal would see McAfee appear on more ESPN broadcasts.
McAfee has not appeared on WWE programming since WrestleMania 42 Sunday after being on the receiving end of a Cross Rhodes and an RKO.
A payday like the one currently being negotiated for McAfee would make him the highest-paid employee on the network.
The roar of the crowd, the dramatic countdown, and the thrill of a last-second victory are no longer confined to the physical ring. Today, the raw adrenaline of MMA and boxing has successfully migrated into the digital realm, fundamentally transforming how fans engage with interactive media. This cultural shift has fueled the massive growth of virtual currency entertainment, a rapidly evolving sector where players experience the excitement of competition using non-monetary, digital tokens.
As fans look for deeper ways to connect with their favorite fighters and disciplines, platforms are evolving to bridge the gap between sports viewership and interactive gameplay. For instance, platforms modeled after a regulatory compliant Sweepstakes Casino Florida allow users to engage in prediction-based challenges and casual gaming across the United States. By translating the high-stakes tension of combat sports into safe, virtual reward systems, modern platforms allow enthusiasts to test their strategies and celebrate victories in a completely simulated environment. Let’s look closer at how this fighting spirit drives engagement.
The Rise of Action-Themed Social Gaming in Combat Sports Culture
The modern fight fan is not just a passive spectator. This desire for active participation has led to a massive surge in action themed social gaming. Unlike traditional video games, these platforms focus on community interaction, leaderboards, and shared competitive experiences without involving real-money stakes.
The psychology behind this trend is simple: combat sports fans crave rivalry and validation. Social gaming captures this by offering:
Real-Time Competition: Competing against peers in tournaments that mirror major UFC or boxing fight nights.
Strategic Mastery: Analyzing fighter stats, styles, and simulated matchups to climb global leaderboards.
Community Bonding: Joining virtual gyms or clubs to share tips and celebrate collective victories.
Why Fighting Spirit Fits the Casual Gaming Model
The relentless drive to improve – a core pillar of martial arts – perfectly aligns with casual gaming mechanics. Players love the cycle of training, competing, and leveling up. In these games, progression is often tied to personalizing the experience, such as unlocking custom gear, choosing unique walkout music, or upgrading a digital fighter’s attributes. This sense of ownership keeps players coming back, turning casual fans into dedicated community members.
Mechanics of Engagement: Social Slots Rewards and In-Game Progression
At the heart of this digital ecosystem are the reward mechanics that keep gameplay exciting. Platforms utilize social slots rewards to simulate the high-energy anticipation of a title fight. Every spin or level-up delivers a rush of adrenaline, closely mimicking the unpredictable nature of a real bout.
Key Insight: In these platforms, all virtual currency is used strictly for entertainment and in-game progression. These tokens hold no real-world monetary value and cannot be withdrawn or exchanged for cash. The true reward is status, unlocking new content, and moving up the ranks.
To understand why modern combat-themed social platforms are outperforming basic gaming apps, let’s compare their progression systems:
Feature
Standard Casual Games
Combat Social Games with Loyalty Systems
Primary Motivation
High scores & simple level clearing
Ranking titles, belts, and arena unlocks
Currency Purpose
Buying extra lives or basic cosmetics
Managing a virtual training camp & entry to elite tiers
Community Aspect
Isolated gameplay with basic score sharing
Active factions, team tournaments, and live chat
Reward Frequency
Predictable, linear milestones
Dynamic social slots rewards and daily bonuses
Navigating the US Market: Online Interactive Entertainment US Regulations
Operating virtual platforms in the United States requires strict adherence to legal standards. The landscape for online interactive entertainment US compliance is highly specific, separating purely recreational platforms from regulated real-money gambling markets. This regulatory environment is also reshaping the broader media landscape, with top streamers pivoting to sweepstakes gaming to ensure their broadcasts remain fully compliant while still delivering high-energy entertainment to American audiences. To operate legally across most US states, platforms must ensure they do not meet the legal definition of gambling, which typically requires three elements: prize, chance, and consideration (payment). By completely removing “consideration,” social entertainment platforms remain firmly in the legal zone of recreational gaming.
The Power of the Free-to-Play Promotional Mode
The most widely accepted legal mechanism for this in the US is the free to play promotional mode. This model allows platforms to offer two distinct modes of play while remaining fully compliant with state and federal laws:
Standard Play: Players use base virtual tokens, which are given away for free daily or can be purchased in bundles strictly for extended playtime and entertainment.
Promotional Play: Players use promotional tokens, which can never be purchased. They are acquired solely through free methods – such as daily logins, social media giveaways, or mail-in requests.
This dual-system ensures that entry is always free, ensuring compliance with US sweepstakes regulations while offering an authentic, high-stakes feel for combat sports enthusiasts.
FAQ: Virtual Currency Entertainment in Combat Sports
Q: Can I win real money on combat-themed social gaming platforms?
A: No. Virtual currency entertainment platforms use digital tokens that are strictly for amusement and in-game progression. These tokens have no real-world value and cannot be redeemed for cash.
Q: How does the free to play promotional mode work?
A: This model ensures the platform is accessible to everyone without cost. Players receive free tokens to participate, and any promotional rewards are distributed through complimentary methods, satisfying US compliance laws.
Q: Are action-themed social games safe to play in the US?
A: Yes, these platforms are safe and legal across most of the US because they fall under online interactive entertainment US regulations for recreational gaming and sweepstakes, rather than traditional gambling.
Japanese star Sareee has revealed in an interview that she might not be cleared to compete in time for tomorrow’s Dynamite where she is set to wrestle Skye Blue in the Owen Hart Cup tournament quarter final.
Speaking to Tokyo Sports, Sareee said that her tag team partner Takumi Iroha has made the trip to the United States with her and will replace her if there are still problems with her neck leading up to the match.
In the same interview, Japanese wrestling legend Masahiro Chono advised against Sareee stepping into the ring tomorrow because there’s a big risk.
He told her that she still has more than 10 years wrestling and if things go wrong, she could be out for a very long time
Last week’s episode of Impact on AMC drew 226,000 viewers, up 31,000 viewers from the prior week and their best number since April 9. The show had a 0.03 rating in 18-49, up 0.01 from the previous episode. (Ratings credit: Programming Insider)
WWE yesterday announced Sunday Night’s Main Event, a special edition of their quarterly Saturday Night’s Main Event, which will be held on September 6 live from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia.
The announcement came after WWE moved Money In The Bank from that exact date to October 10.
This is the second time that Atlanta will host SNME following the July 2025 episode which featured Goldberg’s retirement match against Gunther.
Tickets for Sunday Night’s Main Event go on sale this Friday, June 12 at 10AM ET on Ticketmaster.com.
The show airs on Peacock for viewers in the United States and on YouTube for those residing internationally.
Je’Von Evans and Liv Morgan booked their spot in the next phase of the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments following successful victories on Raw last night in Paris.
Morgan was the first one to advance after she beat Becky Lynch, Chelsea Green, and Alexa Bliss in a fatal four-way. The ending came after Bliss hit the Sister Abigail on Morgan, Lynch put Bliss through the Manhandle Slam, and Green hit the Unprettier on Lynch. But as Green was covering Lynch, Morgan recovered and rolled up on Green to cover her for the three-count.
She now faces the winner of the match between Lyra Valkyria, Sol Ruca, Jade Cargill, and Charlotte Flair, a match which takes place on Friday.
In the main event of Raw, Je’Von Evans overcame Seth Rollins, Talla Tonga, and Ricky Saints in another fatal four-way. The match had the interference of Austin Theory, Bron Breakker, and Montez Ford, who all focused on Rollins, allowing Evans to hit the OG Cutter on Saints for the win.
Evans will now face the winner of the match between LA Knight, Jey Uso, Royce Keys, and Finn Balor which takes place next week on Raw.
On today’s episode of SiriusXM’s The Nikki and Brie Show, Nikki Garcia gives an update on her recovery, workouts and return to WWE.
Nikki Garcia on her workouts and not pushing too hard (20:30-21:48)
Nikki Garcia: As I’ve been working on my strengthening, what I’ve had to constantly tell myself is start like you have to start somewhere. So there are things that I’m doing right now where I feel like I could be lifting heavier. I could be jumping higher, but that’s not what’s on track for me. That’s not a part of my healing. And it’s okay to start here and slowly build. So don’t give up. The slow build is actually the best because we get the best foundations. And that’s what I’m telling myself. And I learned my lesson the other day because I was doing jumping and I got a little ahead of myself and I was like, I know I could jump even higher. And the minute I did it, I felt that through my ankle like fire and I was like, oh wait, now I know my limit. And even though I wasn’t allowed to do that, I did it. And so it just took me back and reminded me that like, yeah, it could be a slow build, but it’s so worth it to share more of my cleared artistic lens now that I fully embraced it.
Nikki Garcia on her wrestling return 30:55-31:59
Nikki Garcia: Even though obviously I have FOMO with Brie’s Italian adventure, and I can’t wait when we get her back on and we get to hear about all of it. We’ll all be jealous as she’s been living under the Tuscan sun, but we know we all will get there someday. But the one thing that was the blessing, you know, when I originally had my trip booked to meet Brie, every night I’d wake up with anxiety about this trip. So that’s when I started to know it wasn’t a right time for me to go to Tuscany. And being home, I’ve realized that I’ve really just have been hard working at my workouts and recovery and just getting really good news along the way how much stronger I am. How my, you know, just everything looks great. I’m getting my X-rays done I think a week earlier. I’ll start to just get in the ring and dabble on how that feels. But everything’s just looking really strong and healthy and I felt like I had to be home.
The Nikki & Brie Show hosted by Nikki & Brie Garcia is available anytime on the SiriusXM app. New episodes every Monday and Thursday. Listen to the full episode here.
The FOX-owned streaming service Tubi now has old episodes of Dynamite as part of its vast library.
The free service, home of WWE’s EVOLVE, has just over 100 episodes of the AEW flagship show from the first three years. So far, these are the only AEW-related content on it.
Tubi also has episodes of NXT available to stream, as well as the Biography: WWE Legends, WWE Rivals, Dark Side of the Ring, and other wrestling-related programming.
Launched in 2014, the service has around 100 million subscribers and includes more than 40,000 movies and television series from 250 different networks as well as tons of FAST channels.
Tubi is available to stream on browsers, mobile devices, and TV-connected devices. No sign up is required.
The parties in the WWE shareholders lawsuit have reached an agreement in principle and managed to settle this out of court, just a few days before the trial was set to start today.
The two sides will now present the settlement to the court where it has to be approved by the judge but at their request, the trial is canceled.
The lawsuit was seeking hundreds of millions in dollars in damages after shareholders accused WWE of discarding other potential bidders in favor of a deal with Endeavor which led to the creation of TKO.
The suit claims that Vince McMahon only chose Endeavor and his friend Ari Emanuel because he knew that he could keep control over WWE after he sold, something that wasn’t the case with other bidders.
Last month, McMahon and WWE President Nick Khan were sanctioned by the Delaware Chancery Court for acting “recklessly” by enabling a setting to auto-delete Signal messages while WWE was in the process of being sold to Endeavor.
The sanctions made it harder for McMahon, Khan, and everyone being sued by shareholders to defend themselves in the trial, so reaching an out-of-court settlement was the best case scenario for them.
The giant American flag on top of the WWE Headquarters in downtown Stamford, Connecticut flew off this weekend and landed on power lines, causing outages for thousands of people in the area.
4,000 outages were registered in Greenwich and an additional 2,700 in Stamford after power lines took some sparks due to the flag touching the lines.
Stamford Deputy Fire Chief Matt Palmer told The Greenwich Time that the large flag was torn off the roof at 8:44PM on Saturday. He said it lodged itself on high-voltage wires adjacent to the Metro North train tracks near the intersection of Atlantic and Manhattan streets, right near the Stamford Train Station.
The flag was removed yesterday in the early morning.
WWE raised one of the largest American flags in the country in November 2023, measuring 3,040 square feet at 76 feet wide and 40 feet tall.
During the latest episode of his 83 Weeks podcast, Eric Bischoff revealed that Real American Freestyle, which is the amateur wrestling company that he and Hulk Hogan started, is looking at getting some WWE stars over to participate.
The news was dropped while Bischoff was discussing Chad Gable, who he said was “sniffing around Real American Freestyle” for a possible appearance or participation.
“We’re talking about it. There’s some contractual issues that can kind of make that difficult, but we’re having discussions and relatively serious ones,” Bischoff said. “So I think it’s just a matter of time.”
Bischoff also said that he was having a conversation recently with someone who we all know who has a collegiate amateur wrestling background and they’re excited about what’s taking place at RAF.
Some UFC stars have already appeared on RAF so it would not be surprising if WWE followed suit.
Individual tickets for SummerSlam 2026 at the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Saturday, August 1 and Sunday, August 2 are now on sale.
Combo tickets did not set the world on fire and WWE will be hoping that cheaper individual tickets will move the needle a little bit.
The cheapest tickets available are priced $89.30 for each night in the 300 Level. 200 Level tickets start from $135.60 while 100 Level tickets start from $168.65. The cheapest floor tickets are $274.45. Tickets for Saturday and Sunday are available on Ticketmaster.com.
Limited number of combo tickets remain on sale, with the cheapest at $185.15 for both nights.
The majority of the massive stadium remains closed off, with seats in the whole south stand currently not available for sale.
Raw is once again early worldwide today, airing at 2PM ET live on Netflix from Paris, France. The show will kick off at 8PM for those in central Europe.
Four matches have been announced for the broadcast so far:
Penta vs Rey Mysterio for the WWE Intercontinental title
Sol Ruca vs Lyra Valkyria for the WWE Women’s Intercontinental title
Becky Lynch vs Liv Morgan vs Alexa Bliss vs Chelsea Green in a fatal four-way Queen of the Ring qualifier
Je’Von Evans vs Seth Rollins vs Ricky Saints vs Talla Tonga in a fatal four-way King of the Ring qualifier
Raw is back in its usual time slot next week as this is the last TV from Europe until June 22.
TNA yesterday announced that Steve Maclin and Myla Grace have been released from the company effective immediately. The news came via a rare and short news release posted on the TNA website.
Maclin, a former TNA champion, has worked for TNA since 2021 and while he got the “fired” briefcase in the Feast or Fired match, he was reinstated in March by TNA Director of Operations Daria Rae. It is believed that Maclin was voicing his frustration regarding his creative direction and requested to leave the company. He is also a former TNA International champion.
“Last week I requested my release from TNA. I put my blood, sweat, and tears into everything I’ve done over the last 5 years and I’ll always be thankful for my time there,” Maclin said in a statement on his social media. “But now, it’s time to STACK BODIES. See you soon”
Grace only joined TNA last year after the Irish star had a small stint in Japan wrestling for Marigold. She had previous appearances in WWE NXT UK but was only around for eight months.
WWE today announced that Money In The Bank will be moving dates again and will now take place on Saturday, October 10 instead of the Sunday, September 6 date. The show was originally announced for Saturday, August 29, so this is the second time the show has moved.
The show will still emanate from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Tickets will go on sale starting Friday, July 10 at 10AM ET via Ticketmaster.com. Fans can purchase tickets during an exclusive pre-sale starting Thursday, July 9 at 10AM ET. Fans can register for the Thursday, July 9 general pre-sale by visiting https://www.wwe.com/mitb-2026.
Money In The Bank was awarded to New Orleans after WWE took WrestleMania 42 away from the city after it was announced to be taking place from the Caesars Superdome.
It has been exactly 50 days since Liv Morgan has won the WWE Women’s World title from Stephanie Vaquer at WrestleMania 42 and so far, it’s been smooth sailing for Morgan as her title win has come with zero title defenses since winning it.
The injury to Stephanie Vaquer complicated things a little bit creative-wise but one of the most popular WWE females on the roster is rarely being used, and now finds herself in the Queen of the Ring tournament where the winner will get a title shot at SummerSlam.
Morgan has explained that she wants it “all” and is now gunning for the other WWE Women’s title, currently held by Rhea Ripley, if she wins the tournament.
Morgan’s latest title reign is kinda following Jade Cargill’s title reign with the WWE Women’s title last year, where she spent over 100 days with the title before she even had her first title defense. Cargill only had two title defenses on television since she won it on Smackdown in November 2025, a win against Jordynne Grace and a loss to Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 42 Sunday.
Six women have announced their intentions to have qualifying matches to enter the Survival of the Fittest match for the vacant AEW TBS title.
On Collision last night, Harley Cameron, Hikaru Shida, Kris Statlander, Mina Shirakawa, Queen Aminata, and Zayda Steele all expressed interest in the title and each will have to overcome one obstacle to make it to the match.
The TBS title was vacated by the injured Willow Nightingale and a new champion will be crowned on the July 1 episode of Dynamite live from San Diego, California.
