TKO President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Shapiro told investors during a conference call that they could have done SummerSlam on one night but opted for two nights for a “better viewing experience.”
Shapiro admitted that a one-night event could have had a higher ticket per cap but it would have affected the overall fan experience.
“We thought it would be a better viewing experience on ESPN. We thought we would get more marketing for our brand on ESPN,” Shapiro said.
He also stressed the importance of going back to the Midwest for premium live events as they have not done enough there.
“It’s not always about the actual bottom line. We prioritize the fan experience and improving profitability. They are not mutually exclusive and not always in that order,” he continued.
WWE did not announce an attendance number for SummerSlam, probably the first time since transitioning to stadium events for their big shows. Tickets took a long time to get moving and only moved due to massive sales throughout the past few weeks.
It’s believed that the company had around 35,000 or a bit less each night for the show, which would make it the least-attended SummerSlam since 2021.
Lola Vice said her goodbyes at NXT last night with her main roster call-up imminent following a final NXT main event.
The former NXT Women’s champion lost an Underground match to champ Kendal Grey, her first loss in this gimmick match. After her defeat, an emotional Vice embraced Grey and raised her arms.
When NXT went off the air, Vice went around to greet fans and then her real-life boyfriend, Damian Priest, came out to hug her and also raise her arms as she took in one more applause from the fans inside the WWE Performance Center.
Vice had just minutes earlier left her gloves in the ring and then also delivered a farewell speech.
Dory Funk Jr, a wrestling legend and WWE Hall of Famer, passed away yesterday at the age of 85.
The news was announced by Brian Blair of the Cauliflower Alley Club in a post on his social media and later confirmed by the Ocala Gazette, where Dory’s wife Marti revealed he passed away under hospice care.
He made his wrestling debut in 1963 and wrestled for several promotions throughout his illustrious career, including the NWA, AJPW, WWF, WWC, and ECW among many others.
He is a former NWA Heavyweight champion and held titles pretty much in every promotion he worked for.
Condolences go out to his wife Marti and all his family and friends.
The Undertaker sat down with Chris Van Vliet at Fanatics Fest in New York City to discuss his role in AAA and the legendary El Grande Americano mask vs. mask match, his favorite matches from the WrestleMania streak, the story behind his Old School move, who took the best and worst chokeslam, dragging Hulk Hogan with his motorcycle, how much longer he wants to do his podcast, and more!
Well, you’re working with AAA now. So, what exactly is the role you have with AAA? And also, how much credit do you take for one of the greatest matches, El Grande Americano versus Original El Grande Americano?
“Myself and Jeremy Borash kind of had this idea, but El Grande and Chad Gable, man, they took the thought and the idea, and they really took it to a whole different level. There were some highly motivating speeches that I gave both of them before they would go out.”
What did those sound like?
“I don’t know how [if I can say], there’s a bunch of kids here [laughs]. No, I would reiterate to them how important what they’re about to go out and do is not only for AAA but for their own personal careers, trying to motivate them to do things differently and be more edgy, more aggressive, more violent. It took a while for that to kind of set in, and for them to see my vision. My vision is, I want us to put out a product that is completely different from NXT, it’s completely different from SmackDown or Raw. I want it to be different from every other wrestling. That starts, to me, with storytelling, athleticism, and aggression. It’s a process, and everybody’s starting to buy into it and realizing that what we’re doing down there has got the attention of the wrestling community.”
What exactly is your role with AAA?
“I thought I dodged that question. I went all the way around it. Oh my gosh! I guess in layman’s terms, I’m the head of creative.”
When we talk about The Streak, I think the match that immediately pops into people’s heads is WrestleMania 30. The streak ending. I’m curious, what are your top three WrestleMania matches during the streak?
“Well, there’s actually probably four, and they’re all right there together. 25, 26, 27 and 28. I had great matches with Batista, and I had a great match with Edge, but I think the 25, 26, 27 and 28 storylines. The two with Shawn, and then the two with Triple H. I mean, it’s very rare that you get to do something like that. Because that was all one continual story. It was me and Shawn, the light versus the darkness, streak versus career, then Triple H gets involved to take up for his buddy, and then it culminates in the end of an era. I think they were all storytelling classics, and yeah, I think those four matches are what professional wrestling is supposed to be about.”
What’s the story behind the Old School?
“Well, first I stole it. I stole it from The Spoiler. I waited. I worked with Spoiler when I was in World Class Championship where I got my start. I worked with The Spoiler originally, and he did it. He did the wrist lock and walk the rope thing. So I had to wait. I had to wait till The Spoiler retired, and then I took it, and then I was like, well, if he did it this way, I’m going to do it this way. So originally, you know, I would drop somebody in the ring, and then I would go up, and then I would tightrope out three or four steps, and then drop the elbow. By the time I got to WWE in 1990, I was already walking with a limp because we would do three or four TV tapings in WCW, and that’s three or four elbows a night. So I remember Jody Hamilton. I come back after one of those matches, and he’s like, ‘Kid, you’ve taken years off your career with that elbow.’ No, sir, Mr. Hamilton. I’ll be able to do this forever. By the time I got the call to come up, I was already walking with a limp. So, those old timers know a little bit more than they get credit for sometimes.”
Who do you think took the best chokeslam, and who do you think took the worst chokeslam?
“I tell you what, Brock Lesnar’s chokeslam is pretty tough [to beat]. In fact, I think I give him one once that he actually came out of my hand at the top. He’s probably pound for pound the best chokeslam bump. Then worst? Oh my gosh. Khali was up there. Yeah, there’s been a few; there’s been a few stinkers.”
A fun segment with Hulk Hogan, where you’re dragging him around behind the motorcycle. Give me the setup for that because you’re dragging him down one hallway. I’m sure you’ve got to stop, reset, turn around, drag him back the other way.
“I think there was a point in there somewhere where he had stolen my motorcycle. Again, I don’t know chronologically, but he fancied himself as being in that biker culture too, and so somehow or another, I drop him and get him all tied up behind my bike. I’m just cruising through the arena with him, trying to run him into as much stuff as I could. I think that was after he tried to steal my bike and it stalled out on the ramp. It was a good time because I knew at the end of this long corridor behind the arena, it opened up into the loading dock, and I knew what I was trying to do was kind of to whip it close enough so that he would kind of go into the wall. I couldn’t quite generate enough speed to get the effect that I wanted, but it looked pretty good.”
AEW announced all the participants and matches for the AEW Continental Cup, the newest tournament which will culminate at All In at Wembley Stadium.
The participants include Ace Austin, Brian Cage, Claudio Castagnoli, David Finlay, Eddie Kingston, Hechicero, Jack Perry, Jake Doyle, Jay White, John Moxley, Katsuyori Shibata, Kyle O’Reilly, Matt Sydal, Nigel McGuinness, Orange Cassidy, and Roderick Strong.
Moxley will be defending the title in the tournament and the winner will win the title and the Continental Cup.
The first round matches will be Austin vs Castagnoli, Kingston vs Doyle, Cassidy vs Sydal, White vs Finlay, Moxley vs Perry, Strong vs O’Reilly, Hechicero vs Cage, and McGuinness vs Shibata.
With no brackets, the second round will be decided via a draw.
In the latest filings with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, TKO revealed that they will be paying $105 million to settle the WWE shareholder lawsuit after an agreement was reached in early June to resolve all claims against all defendants.
The bulk of the settlement, around $75 million, will be covered by TKO’s insurance while WWE will pay the remaining $30 million which will be written off as a loss.
It remains unclear if WWE will try to recoup some of these losses through Vince McMahon, who was also one of the defendants.
The trial was canceled just days before it was expected to start, sparing McMahon and other WWE and TKO officials from testifying in what could have been a messy affair.
WWE has once again outperformed the UFC in the latest Q2 2026 TKO financial results, generating $620.9 million in revenue versus the $535.7 million for the UFC.
WWE had $359.7 million in media rights, production, and content, $152 million in live events and hospitality, $63.2 million in partnerships and marketing, and $46 million in consumer product licensing and others.
Media rights, marketing, and consumer products all saw an increase, but live events dipped from the prior year quarter by $33.7 million, with TKO attributing it due to a decrease in ticket sales, “almost exclusively related to WrestleMania 42.”
For Q2 2026, WWE revenue saw an increase of 12% compared to the prior year quarter, or an increase of $64.7 million.
Brock Lesnar appeared on The Pat McAfee Show today to announce that he is officially retired from professional wrestling.
“I’m here today to do this interview to let the world and everybody know that I am retired and I wanted to say a big thank you to everybody,” Lesnar said via a video call.
“Saturday was a very emotional day for me. It’s kind of weird because I did, my heart, when Oba Femi slammed me at WrestleMania I was like, I can’t do this again. I was like, I think I’m done,” he continued.
Lesnar had his third match against Femi at SummerSlam in a Hell In A Cell, losing in the main event. After the match, Lesnar hyped up Femi as the future of the WWE in a gesture that he has rarely ever done in the ring.
“But Saturday, for Brock Lesnar, that’s it. That’s it for me in the squared circle and for everything else too,” he concluded.
The 40th annual Royal Rumble will be taking place at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona come February 2027.
The news was announced today by TKO, the Arizona Sports & Events Alliance, and Legends Global.
This will be Arizona’s third time hosting Royal Rumble following previous editions in 2019 and 2013. Fans can register now to receive an exclusive pre-sale offer by visiting wwe.com/RoyalRumble27. There was no mention of being two nights and no exact date was given.
TKO will bring a total of seven events spanning across WWE, UFC, Zuffa Boxing, and PBR to the state of Arizona over three years as part of the agreement.
“Arizona is proud to be the first state to establish this kind of partnership with TKO, reflecting our commitment to innovative collaborations that create lasting economic opportunity,” said Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs. “From hosting world-class sporting events to attracting leading businesses and investment, Arizona continues to prove that we do big things – and do them well. We’re excited to partner with TKO to deliver lasting benefits for Arizona residents by driving economic growth, creating opportunity and showcasing everything our state has to offer.”
“Arizona is a proven destination for major live events, and Glendale gives us two exceptional venues in State Farm Stadium and Desert Diamond Arena,” said Peter Dropick, Executive Vice President, Event Development and Operations for TKO. “We look forward to working with the Arizona Sports & Events Alliance and Legends Global to deliver this lineup of marquee UFC, WWE, and PBR experiences for fans across the state.”
“TKO’s globally recognized brands have an extraordinary ability to unite passionate fans from around the world through premier live events and media platforms,” said Jay Parry, President & CEO of the Arizona Sports & Events Alliance. “Over the next three years, hundreds of thousands of visitors will travel to Arizona for these signature events, creating an incredible opportunity to showcase our communities and reinforce Arizona’s reputation as a premier destination for world-class sports and entertainment – and as a vibrant hub for business and innovation.”
“As part of this first-of-its-kind partnership, Desert Diamond Arena and State Farm Stadium will host some of the biggest nights in sports and entertainment over the next few years,” said Josh Kritzler, President, North American Venues & Content at Legends Global, which operates the host venues. “Our job is to ensure every fan who walks through the doors has an experience that matches these world-class events. We’re looking forward to working alongside TKO and the Arizona Sports & Events Alliance to deliver on that promise.”
Big Cass made his return to WWE television after an absence of eight years.
The 6’10” star made his presence felt after Je’Von Evans defeated Ethan Page on Raw, coming out to destroy Evans, flattening him with the East River Crossing.
In a later segment backstage with Jackie Redmond, Cass said, “Eight years. I was left for dead in the dirt. Eight years it took me to get back from rock bottom,” before adding that he has returned to stack bodies and there was nothing personal with Evans…just that he was in the way!
There are rumors that his former tag team partner, Enzo Amore, is also going to be joining at some point.
Big Cass wrestled as Big Bill for nearly the past five years while employed with AEW. His last appearance there was on the April 2 episode of Collision.
He was fired from WWE in 2018 after going off script while in an angle with a little person.
TNA announced the release of two Knockouts – Jody Threat and Mara Sade – effective immediately.
“TNA Wrestling today confirmed that Jody Threat and Mara Sade have left the company. We wish them all the best in their future endeavors,” a short statement on the TNA website read.
The company also noted that a “former titleholder” will be returning to the Knockouts division, stopping short of revealing who it is.
Sade was in the TNA Knockouts TV title tournament and her last match was filmed during the August 1 television tapings, losing to H By Elegance.
Raw’s ending featured WWE Hall of Famer and AAA General Manager Rey Mysterio waiting for Roman Reigns backstage in Gorilla, telling Reigns that he needed to run something by him.
After Reigns walked in, Mysterio shook his hands and said, “You know I’m the General Manager of AAA, right?” to which Roman replied, “I do now!”
“Let me run something by you,” Mysterio added, as Reigns nodded in agreement and the two walked out of the frame.
Reigns has never appeared on a AAA broadcast and it seems like they’re going to build something for the WWE World Heavyweight champion for an upcoming show.
There are two huge AAA events coming up, including TripleMania 34 in Las Vegas and the Worlds Collide show in Chicago, which goes head-to-head with All Out. Both shows are in September.
TKO Group Holdings, Inc. yesterday announced financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2026.
“Despite a challenging global environment, TKO delivered solid results in Q2, with strong momentum heading into the back half of the year,” said Ariel Emanuel, Executive Chair and CEO of TKO. “Premium live content and experiences are heating up in an increasingly AI-driven world, and our businesses are well positioned to fully capitalize on societal secular tailwinds.”
“From UFC Freedom 250 to the FIFA World Cup, TKO continues to deliver on the biggest stages and this quarter reinforced our 2026 execution story. Our decision to raise full-year guidance reflects both our performance to date and our confidence in TKO’s multi-year trajectory,” said Mark Shapiro, President and COO of TKO. “Our global fan base is expanding, and we are capitalizing on the commercial promise across ticketing, premium hospitality, marketing partnerships, and financial incentive packages. The demand in the experience economy is undeniable and positions us well for multi-year growth, margin expansion, and overall value creation.”
Revenue increased 18%, or $238.7 million, to $1.547 billion. The increase primarily reflected an increase of $119.8 million at UFC, to $535.7 million, an increase of $64.7 million at WWE, to $620.9 million, and an increase of $48.1 million at the IMG segment, to $354.7 million.
Net Income was $303.9 million, an improvement of $30.8 million from $273.1 million in the prior year period. The improvement reflected the increase in revenue partially offset by an increase in operating expenses. The increase in operating expenses primarily reflected an increase in direct operating costs of $79.7 million and an increase in selling, general and administrative expenses of $98.4 million. The increase in selling, general and administrative expenses primarily reflected legal fees and settlement costs associated with stockholder litigation related to WWE.
While Liv Morgan thought she was going to have an easy ride with no more challengers for her WWE Women’s World title, two of WWE’s biggest stars – Becky Lynch and Stephanie Vaquer – made their return and made it clear that they want the title.
Lynch made her return first, coming to confront Liv Morgan who along with Raquel Rodriguez, attacked Sol Ruca following her loss to fellow Judgment Day member Roxanne Perez.
The former champ blasted Morgan for not defending the title in 100 days and called her a glorified valet and said she’s not even the greatest champion in her group, or the greatest women’s champion that slept with Dom Mysterio!
While The Judgment Day trio tried to exit the arena, Stephanie Vaquer returned and attacked all of them, beating up Raquel and Roxanne and then getting rid of Morgan in the ring. Lynch sat in the corner, watching Vaquer go to town and then confronted her in a face off.
Vaquer has been out of action since losing the title to Morgan at WrestleMania 42 in April and Lynch left the scene in June after the Queen of the Ring qualifier.
Brie Bella announced on social media that she broke her shoulder blade during SummerSlam and will be out of action for the foreseeable future.
Bella suffered the injury when Jacy Jayne did a cannonball on the outside while she was sitting against the steel steps. Brie immediately grabbed her right shoulder and was in visible pain for the remainder of the match.
“Unfortunately I’ll be out for a bit. I broke my scapula. If there’s one thing I know about my sister and I is that we don’t let broken bones stop us,” she wrote in a post on IG.
“Not sure how I finished that match, but I do believe between the adrenaline, passion for the business and the love for all the women I work with, it gave me the drive to finish,” she added.
Brie joked that her children will be her assistant and nurse going forward while her husband, Bryan Danielson, will be the personal chef.
“If there is one thing I know about Brie Mode, she always finds a way to come back to her wrestling home. Let the recovery begin,” she concluded.
It’s unclear if Brie will require surgery and recovery time will depend if surgery will be done or not.
Jon Moxley, or should we say, Dean Ambrose, got some love yesterday at SummerSlam during the main event match between Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight title.
The match, hyped as the final chapter between the two, featured some tributes to the former WWE and AEW champion, with Rollins hitting the “wacky line” clothesline on Reigns, and then Reigns hitting the Dirty Deeds finisher on Rollins.
“Hello, Dean Ambrose,” screamed Michael Cole on commentary after the sequence of moves usually done by Mox.
Reigns eventually got that elusive win over his former Shield partner at the end, and after the match, Rollins placed The Shield’s face mask in the middle of the ring and fist bumped Reigns after an invitation, ending the show with two of the three former Shield members doing their trademark pose.
TKO Group, the parent company of WWE and UFC, will be releasing its second quarter 2026 results after market hours today.
For Q1 2026, TKO reported a revenue of $1.597 billion and a net income of $249.8 million. WrestleMania numbers will be part of Q2, which are expected to beat last year’s numbers.
In Q2 2025, TKO had $1.308 billion in revenue and a net income of $273.1 million, with WWE revenue amounting to $556.2 million.
TKO stocks are trading at mid-$180s at the moment, down 5% from early July.
During the SummerSlam post-show, Kevin Owens paid tribute to Tanea Brooks, who used to wrestle under the name Rebel, and who is currently going through some rough times after being diagnosed with ALS.
Talking about his time away from the ring and recovery, Owens said that it was “truly inspirational” to see her battling through both ALS and cancer.
“There’s somebody called Tanea Brooks, who’s known to wrestling fans as Rebel. She has not wrestled here, but some things are bigger than wrestling,” Owens told the panel.
“She’s currently battling ALS, and the way she’s doing it is so incredible. I looked at her and what she was going through and the way she powered through it and it was truly inspirational,” he continued.
Brooks noticed Owens’ words and used social media to thank him for his words.
“Thank you KO. I am proud of your return and you fighting through it to get there,” Brooks wrote. “Never stop giving your everything because you are right, it can be taken away in a second.”
AEW is currently preparing to honor her at an upcoming Dynamite next month with a show marketed as Rebel Heart, which takes place on Wednesday, September 9 in Athens, Georgia.
Several AEW stars have restarted the ALS ice bucket challenge to support her.
Chelsea Green clapped back at WWE producer and wrestling legend Michael Hayes during the SummerSlam post-show following her Interim WWE Women’s title victory.
Joining the panel of Big E, Corey Graves, Peter Rosenberg, and Joe Tessitore, the new champion said, “I am going to dedicate this title to Michael Hayes.”
That got a chuckle out of the panel, with Graves saying, “If you know, you know!”
The comment is in relation to Hayes’ description of Green during an episode of season 2 of WWE: Unreal on Netflix, where he claimed that the role of Green was to help elevate other Superstars, and not to be a main event star.
Talking to Sam Roberts on WWE Now after the show, Green added that she’s getting all this love for just being herself.
“For doing nothing out of the ordinary, for literally just showing up to work, doing my job and going home,” Green said.
“I mean Unreal season 3 just came out and it reignited that passion from the fans like I know it did. I know it did. I felt it. I have felt it all weekend, I have felt it all year, I felt it for three years,” she continued. “I really felt it when I won the US title but it has exploded since then. Exploded. And I thank Michael Hayes for that.”
