WWE Women’s champion Tiffany Stratton will make her first title defense on next week’s Smackdown against former champion herself, Bayley.
A fatal four-way number one contenders match was held last night on Smackdown featuring Bayley, Bianca Belair, Naomi, and Nia Jax. Bayley won the match after pinning Naomi following the Rose Plant.
Stratton, who successfully cashed in her MITB briefcase on Jax last week, was clearly the big favorite before the match during an in-ring segment. She got interrupted by Nia Jax, who called her an “ungrateful little shit” for what she did to her last week and that was followed by further interruptions by Bayley, Naomi, and Belair.
Smackdown GM Nick Aldis eventually made the match which kicked off immediately after the segment.
Dynamite this week drew 615,000 viewers for the return of Kenny Omega, up 27,000 viewers from the New Year’s Day episode of the show. In 18-49, Dynamite drew a 0.17 rating, up 0.01 from last week and was #6 on the top 50 cable chart for the night. The number of viewers does not reflect the audience watching on Max. (Ratings credit: Programming Insider)
Roman Reigns will be part of the 30-man over-the-top-rope Royal Rumble match after his Wiseman, Paul Heyman, announced Reigns’ intentions of winning the match to get his WWE Championship back from Cody Rhodes.
The last time Reigns was in the Rumble match was in 2020, entering the match at #26 and then being eliminated by the eventual winner, Drew McIntyre.
He is a four-time runner-up in this match, being the last one eliminated in 2014, 2017, 2018, and 2020, and won the match once in 2015. He is the second in the chart of most eliminations in a single Royal Rumble match, with 12 eliminations in 2014.
Reigns joins the already-announced CM Punk and John Cena in this match.
The Royal Rumble takes place on Saturday, February 1 from the Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis, Indiana. Over 50,000 tickets have been distributed already and tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com.
From tomorrow, you can hear WWE Superstar Alexa Bliss on Netflix, not on a wrestling show, but rather on a manga series.
Bliss was one of the voice cast for Sakomoto Days, a Japanese manga series which follows a retired legendary hitman whose mundane life as a family man is disrupted when former enemies and colleagues from his hitman days come seeking revenge.
“Such an honor to voice ‘Obiguro’ in SAKAMOTO DAYS!,” Bliss wrote on X. “Can’t wait for this!!!”
The former champion, credited under her name Lexi Cabrera, voices the character Obiguro, described as a seductive woman affiliated with the assassin agency Dondenkai.
This is the second time that Bliss has done voice work for a Netflix series as she’s also part of the English voice cast of Queen of Villains.
She is expected back on WWE television very soon after being away from the company for two years.
Former WCW, ECW, WWE, and TNA star Raven made a surprise appearance on last night’s episode of Impact Wrestling.
Raven, who was inducted into the TNA Hall of Fame in 2022, showed up in a vignette with Rosemary, who held a knife to his neck which he seemed to enjoy. The former champ proposed a Clockwork Orange House of Fun as a match stipulation for Rosemary’s shot at the TNA Knockouts title against Masha Slamovich at Genesis.
The match was made official later in the broadcast and will take place on the January 19 pay-per-view.
The 60-year-old worked for TNA for several years between 2003 and 2010, even holding the NWA World title at one point when it was used as the company’s top prize.
Ann Callis, the lead attorney for Janel Grant in her case against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis, and WWE, reacted to the news of Vince McMahon’s settlement with the SEC over unreported NDAs and the over $1.7 million he has to pay back in total.
“During his time leading WWE, Vince McMahon acted as if rules did not apply to him, and now we have confirmation that he repeatedly broke the law to cover up his horrifying behavior, including human trafficking,” Callis wrote.
“The SEC’s charges prove that the NDA Vince McMahon coerced Ms. Grant into signing violates the law, and therefore her case must be heard in court,” she continued.
All plaintiffs in the case are arguing that the case should be in arbitration due to the NDA which Grant originally signed rather than in court.
“While prosecutors for the Southern District of New York continue their criminal investigation, we look forward to bringing forward new evidence in our civil case about the sexual exploitation Ms. Grant endured at WWE by Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis,” Callis concluded.
Ross and Marshall Von Erich announced on the debut episode of their new podcast titled The Claw, that they have signed with AEW.
“This day we’ve dreamed about for so long is finally here. This is kind of like the thing that we’ve been working towards our whole careers,” Ross said.
Marshall added that they strive to be the best and want the “biggest accolade you can get,” the AEW Tag Team titles.
The two are the current ROH Six-Man Tag Team champions with Dustin Rhodes but have not wrestled since September of last year after Marshall was injured.
The Von Erich, sons of Kevin Von Erich, turned pro in 2012 and wrestled for TNA and MLW before landing in ROH/AEW in late 2023.
The CW announced that they will be re-airing this week’s episode of NXT New Year’s Evil tomorrow night nationwide starting at 8PM ET.
This puts the show on a head-to-head collision with…AEW Collision, which airs on TNT and Max.
NXT did not air in the Los Angeles market this week due to local coverage of the wildfires. It was supposed to air the following night but news continued to dominate the airwaves in the city for obvious reasons.
NXT New Year’s Evil saw two title changes and an appearance from none other than The Rock who cursed his way through his main event promo.
Vince McMahon issued a statement following the SEC investigation where he was found in violation of the Securities Exchange Act over unreported NDAs paid with WWE money.
“The case is closed. Today ends nearly three years of investigation by different governmental agencies. There has been a great deal of speculation about what exactly the government was investigating and what the outcome would be. As today’s resolution shows, much of that speculation was misguided and misleading,” McMahon wrote in the statement.
“In the end, there was never anything more to this than minor accounting errors with regard to some personal payments that I made several years ago while I was CEO of WWE. I’m thrilled that I can now put all this behind me.”
McMahon’s settlement with the SEC will see him pay a $400,000 fine and reimburse WWE a total of $1,330,915.90.
Ronda Rousey, the former multi-time WWE Women’s champion, gave birth to her second daughter, named Liko’ula Pa’uomahinakaipiha Browne. Rousey is married to fellow former UFC fighter Travis Browne.
“Our little girl came into this world during a windstorm into a city on fire, so grateful she made it safe and sound,” Rousey wrote in a post on Instagram. Rousey and Browne live in Southern California where raging fires are destroying thousands of acres and homes.
Rousey gave birth to her first daughter in 2021 after she left WWE following a very successful first stint. Her return in 2022 was not as successful as the first and she left the company a year later. Her last appearance in the ring was for Ring of Honor in 2023, teaming with her friend Marina Shafir in a tag team match.
Former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was found in violation of the Securities Exchange Act by the Securities and Exchange Commission for failing to disclose settlement agreements with the WWE Board of Directors and ordered to pay a $400,000 penalty and reimburse WWE the sum of $1,330,915.90.
This stems from previous NDAs from 2019 and 2022 which had an effect on the reported WWE earnings, with the company overstating its 2018 net income by 8% and its 2021 net income by 1.7%.
This was not part of the 2024 investigation by the Southern District of New York which was investigating allegations of sex trafficking and sexual assault, but a separate investigation after the NDA stories came up in the media.
Cosm, a leading immersive technology, media and entertainment company, today announced a multi-year partnership with WWE that will see WWE Premium Live Events delivered to fans in Shared Reality at Cosm’s experiential venues in Los Angeles and Dallas.
Fans attending WWE events at Cosm’s venues will be transported ringside to arenas and stadiums around the world, providing them with a front row seat to WWE Premium Live Events and putting them inside the action alongside fellow passionate WWE fans, starting with Royal Rumble at Cosm Dallas on Saturday, February 1, 2025.
Cosm’s experiential venues in Los Angeles (Hollywood Park) and Dallas (Grandscape) feature large-scale 87-foot-diameter 12K+ LED domes that bridge the virtual and physical worlds by merging state-of-the-art visuals with the energy and atmosphere of the crowd alongside an elevated food and beverage service.
“At Cosm, we bring fans together to experience the biggest and best events in the world, wherever those events may be taking place,” said Peter Murphy, Senior Vice President of Media and Content, Cosm. “Now, we get to showcase the WWE in Shared Reality, delivering another incredible way for fans to experience their shared passion.”
“Cosm is redefining the future of fan experience,” said Alex Varga, Co-Head of Revenue, WWE. “WWE Premium Live Events are larger than life, and with such an innovative partner in Cosm, we will collectively bring the energy of our biggest moments to an expanded WWE universe.”
The addition of WWE Premium Live Events adds to Cosm’s extensive slate of live sports and entertainment programming, which continues to expand through official partnerships with the NBA, UFC, NFL, ESPN, NBC Sports, TNT Sports, FOX Sports, Prime Video, CBS Sports, and more.
Tickets for Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber can be purchased immediately at Cosm.com or via Cosm’s fully integrated app, which is available in the App Store and on the Google Play Store. Ticketing information for WrestleMania 41 will be announced at a later date.
Netflix and WWE today announced that the debut episode of RAW on Netflix got off to a strong start, with the Monday night program capturing 4,900,000 viewers globally.
In the United States, the show averaged 2,600,000 households according to VideoAmp, which is 116% higher than RAW’s average 2024 US audience of 1.2 million households, and higher than any other Monday Night RAW broadcast in the past five years. The event also more than doubled the A18-49 audience vs. last year but no number was given.
On X, as soon as the event started, #WWERaw was the #1 trending topic in the US, Brazil, Australia, and the UK. #WWERaw trended #1 for 14 hours straight in the UK and occupied six of the top 7 trending topics in the US. #RAWonNetflix and #WWEonNetflix also trended in Brazil, Mexico, Spain, and the US.
WWE generated 223 million social views across platforms on the day of RAW’s Netflix premiere, more social views than any RAW episode of 2024.
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Wrestling is reporting through his Select service that Malakai Black is finishing up his commitments with AEW and is departing the company.
There were reports in late 2022 that Black had asked for his AEW release but he denied those rumors, saying he vanished a little bit from TV to “recalibrate” his life.
The former NXT champion made his AEW debut in July 2021 and later assembled the House of Black with Brody King and Buddy Matthews. The only title he won in the promotion was the AEW Trios title with his House of Black teammates.
It’s unclear when his contract is actually ending with AEW and what his future will look like after he is contractually-free from the company.
Black is the husband of Zelina Vega who is currently in WWE as part of the LWO.
The NXT New Year’s Evil episode on CW this week drew 957,000 viewers, up 331,000 viewers compared to the prior week and the best number since November 20, 2019. This was the fourth most-watched episode of NXT since it started airing weekly on television. Certainly, the appearance from The Rock helped but the show did not air in the Los Angeles market area due to the wildfires so those numbers are not accounted for either. In 18-49, NXT did a 0.25, up 0.10 from last week. (Ratings credit: Programming Insider)
Kenny Omega will have his second match since his return in over a year and his first one for AEW on next week’s episode of Dynamite which is being marketed as Maximum Carnage.
Omega headlined last night’s show with an in-ring promo, detailing the lousy year he had with diverticulitis and having two feet of his intestines removed. Omega said that he was lucky to be alive and back to his regular way of life, let alone returning to the ring.
His promo was interrupted by Don Callis and was eventually attacked by Brian Cage and Lance Archer. Kyle Fletcher also joined making the odds not very favorable to Omega and right when Cage was going to hit a powerbomb on him, Will Ospreay came out for the save.
The announcement for Omega vs Cage was then made for next week and while the cameras went off the air, Omega continued to speak to fans inside the arena for around five more minutes.
Have you ever watched a WWE match and wondered how those superstars stay so strong, fast, and agile? It’s not just natural talent—it’s the result of intense training combined with the right gear. If you want to bring even a slice of that energy into your workouts, you’ll need to start with three essential tools: Fighting Boxing Gloves, fitness boxing bags, and boxing hand wraps. These are the building blocks of a solid routine. But, of course, wrestling-style training doesn’t stop there.
WWE training is all about being prepared for anything—physically and mentally. That’s why
having the right tools is key to staying consistent and injury-free. Let’s break it all down and explore how these and other pieces of equipment can help you step into a WWE-level workout.
The Essential Gear: Boxing Gloves, Fitness Bags, and Hand Wraps
Let’s start with the stars of your kit. Fighting Boxing gloves might not scream “wrestling,” but they’re a game-changer for building endurance and striking power. Whether you’re doing bag work or practicing quick combos, gloves protect your hands and allow you to go all out without worrying about injuries.
Now, let’s talk about Boxing hand wraps—those simple but super-important strips of fabric that you wrap around your hands before putting on gloves. They add an extra layer of protection for your wrists and knuckles. Skipping hand wraps can leave you with sore wrists or worse after just a few rounds of training. Imagine hitting a heavy bag and feeling that sharp wrist pain—no thanks!
Finally, you need a fitness boxing bag to carry it all. A solid, roomy bag keeps your gloves, wraps, and other essentials organized and ready to go. Nothing kills the vibe like forgetting your gear at home. A fitness bag makes sure you’re always prepared to crush your workout.
Gear That Complements the Basics
While boxing gloves, wraps, and a fitness bag are essential, they’re just the tip of the iceberg. WWE stars use a variety of tools to fine-tune their strength, flexibility, and endurance.
Resistance Bands: Small but Mighty
Resistance bands are one of the most underrated training tools. They’re lightweight, easy to pack, and incredibly versatile. Whether you’re doing shoulder warm-ups, adding resistance to your squats, or improving your mobility, these bands get the job done. They’re also great for activating muscles you might overlook in your regular routine.
Weighted Vests: Turning Up the Heat
If you’ve ever done push-ups or squats and thought, “This isn’t tough enough,” a weighted vest is for you. Adding extra weight to your exercises forces your body to work harder, which builds strength and stamina faster. WWE stars often wear weighted vests during their cardio or bodyweight workouts to mimic the physical intensity they experience in the ring.
Training like a WWE Star: A Simple Guide
Warm-Up First
Don’t dive straight into heavy lifting or bag work. Start with dynamic stretches or light resistance band exercises to wake up your muscles and joints. Warming up properly helps prevent injuries and gets your body ready for action.
Build Strength with Compound Movements
Strength is a wrestler’s best friend. Exercises like deadlifts, squats, and bench presses target multiple muscle groups and build the power you need for explosive movements.
Add Cardio to the Mix
Wrestling matches can last for what feels like forever, so endurance is key. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) is perfect for building stamina. Think sprints, cycling, or even battle rope exercises.
Train for Explosiveness
Want to jump higher or move faster? Plyometric exercises like box jumps and medicine ball slams help build that explosive power. They’re tiring but so worth it.
Recovery Matters
Your workout isn’t over until you cool down. Foam rolling, stretching, and even light yoga help your body recover so you’re ready for the next session.
Why the Right Gear is a Game-Changer
Every piece of equipment serves a purpose. Without boxing gloves, your hands won’t survive long during heavy bag workouts. Without hand wraps, your wrists could pay the price. And a trusty fitness bag ensures you never show up unprepared for a killer session.
Adding extras like resistance bands or weighted vests only makes your routine better. They help you target different areas and add variety, keeping your workouts exciting and challenging.
Final Thoughts
Training like a WWE star isn’t about flashy moves—it’s about smart training, the right mindset, and having the tools you need to succeed. Boxing gloves, fitness bags, and hand wraps are where it starts, but don’t be afraid to expand your arsenal with resistance bands, weighted vests, and recovery tools.
With the right gear and a solid plan, you can take your fitness journey to a whole new level. The road to greatness isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. So, suit up, stay consistent, and embrace the challenge—you’ve got what it takes to train like a pro!
Powerhouse Hobbs earned himself an AEW World title shot next week on the Maximum Carnage themed episode of Dynamite after he won the Casino Gauntlet match last night on the AEW flagship show.
Hobbs was the seventh entrant in the match which also saw the participation of Jay White, “Hangman” Adam Page, Wheeler Yuta, Ricochet, Adam Cole, TNT champion Daniel Garcia, Roderick Strong, Lance Archer, Kyle O’Reilly, and Jeff Jarrett for a total number of 11 participants.
The ending came when Hobbs hit a big spine buster on Kyle O’Reilly and covered him for the three count. After the match, Hobbs vowed to shock the world next week and make Jon Moxley his bitch.
Dynamite is back tonight, a show which will feature the proper return of Kenny Omega. Omega showed up to deliver Okada the Continental title a few weeks ago and then had his first match in over a year at NJPW Wrestle Dynasty last weekend.
Matches scheduled for tonight are Buddy Matthews vs Will Ospreay, Mark Briscoe vs Bobby Lashley, Toni Storm vs Kris Statlander vs Willow Nightingale in a three-way match for the #1 spot in the Women’s Casino Gauntlet match set for next week, and a men’s Casino Gauntlet match with the winner getting a title shot against Jon Moxley at next week’s Maximum Carnage Dynamite.
The show will air on TBS and also stream live on Max.
The pre-sale for the January 28 episode of NXT which will take place from the famous Center Stage in Atlanta, Georgia, is now on using the code WWETIX on Ticketmaster.com.
This will not be the first time that NXT will be using the location, a popular one during the WCW days where WCW Saturday Night was taped from 1989 to 1996. NXT taped shows there in early 2018 for their weekly broadcast.
Tickets start from $75 and go up to $250 plus taxes and fees. The general public sale starts on Friday at 10AM ET.
Center Stage still holds pro wrestling events to this day, with ROH, TNA, MLW, GCW, and others all holding television tapings in the studio which can hold up to 1,000 fans.
