Wrestling news

• WWE SmackDown Starts Major Format Change This Week

  02-01-2026 18:13 via wrestlezone.com
  Image credit: WWE
  WWE SmackDown is set for a major format change tonight.WWE is kicking off 2026 with tonight’s episode of SmackDown, which will emanate live from the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York. The company has an impressive lineup for the show, and tonight the blue brand will also revert to a three-hour format.It was reported back in November 2025 that WWE and USA Network had decided to move SmackDown back to three hours in 2026, beginning with the January 2 episode. WWE also con
  
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• Updated Look at WWE Royal Rumble Arena Construction in Saudi Arabia

  08-01-2026 20:57 via wrestlezone.com
  A new update has emerged regarding the WWE Royal Rumble setup in Saudi Arabia.The road to WrestleMania officially kicks off on January 31, when the Royal Rumble takes place at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena in Saudi Arabia. According to the latest update, courtesy of @iNaawafy, construction of the Royal Rumble arena is currently in full swing. The X account also teased a major surprise in store for WWE’s annual January event.“A new day and a new update for the #RoyalRumble hall, showc
  
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• Liv Morgan Believes An Injury Gave Her WWE Character Purpose

  08-01-2026 20:46 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: WWE
  Liv Morgan shares how an injury helped her get a full-fledged character in WWE.Former WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan was a recent guest on Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story podcast. During the conversation, Morgan recounted her early days in the company when she felt she lacked the purpose and character to help her reach the next level.She said the shoulder injury she sustained at the hands of Rhea Ripley in July 2023, and the subsequent six-month h
  
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• Women’s Wrestling Wrap-Up: New Champs On WWE Raw, Willow Dethrones The CEO

  08-01-2026 20:44 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: WWE
  WWE crowns new champions on Raw. Willow Nightingale dethrones “The CEO” Mercedes Mone. Mercedes Martinez prepares for her final run in the ring.New Champions Crowned On WWE RawThe WWE women’s division kicked off 2026 in epic fashion, with not one, but two title changes on WWE Raw.
  Just days before Raw, Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY emerged victorious over Asuka and Kairi Sane, the reigning WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, in an eight-woman tag match on WWE Smac
  
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• New AEW Signing Gets New Ring Name

  08-01-2026 20:43 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: TNA
  Jake Something gets repackaged in AEW.Former TNA star Jake Something made his All Elite Wrestling debut during Dynamite’s taping in Tulsa last night. The powerhouse appeared in a backstage segment before the show, revealing himself as the newest member of The Don Callis Family.Something was given a new name on AEW television, as Don Callis referred to him as Jake Doyle during a backstage interview with Renee Paquette. The ring name is closer to Jake’s real name, Jac
  
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• WWE Will Have A Big Presence During NCAA College Football Playoff

  08-01-2026 20:27 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: ESPN
  ESPN and WWE are expanding their partnership by adding fan-focused elements to the College Football Playoff.
  The two companies began their partnership with WWE Wrestlepalooza in September 2025. ESPN has announced new details about expanding that alliance into the college football world. A custom College Football Playoff-themed WWE Championship, a “one-of-one piece inspired by host city Miami.”The custom title features the outline of Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium,
  
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• WWE’s Liv Morgan Says Kicking John Cena In The Dick Was Not Planned Out

  08-01-2026 20:08 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: WWE
  Liv Morgan had one job when she returned to WWE at Survivor Series 2025: “kick John Cena in the di*k.”Speaking to former WWE Chairwoman Stephanie McMahon on her What’s Your Story podcast, Liv Morgan looked back at her return at Survivor Series 2025 and how the fans reacted to it.“Never in my life would I have thought that I would have a moment where I’m jumping into John Cena’s open arms, wrapping myself around him while I have a boyfriend. T
  
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• Jim Ross’s Reaction To Name Of AEW Star’s Finisher Is Hilarious

  08-01-2026 19:55 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: AEW
  Jim Ross loved the name of a top AEW star’s signature submission maneuver.Legendary pro wrestling commentator and WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross returned to All Elite Wrestling on the first Dynamite of 2026 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, last night. He made his way out to a big ovation from the crowd and joined Excalibur and Tony Schiavone in the booth.Later in the evening, during the match between Toni Storm and Marina Shafir, Jim Ross added his classic flair to the action. As Shafir l
  
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• Liv Morgan Moved To Tears Sharing How WWE Dream Saved Her Family

  08-01-2026 19:02 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: WWE
  Liv Morgan gets emotional while describing her journey to becoming a WWE superstar and how it saved her family.Former WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan was a recent guest on Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story podcast. During the conversation, she looked back at losing her father before she was even born, and how she got a clear sense that she wanted to become a pro wrestler and save her family.“My father passed away before I was born,” Liv M
  
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• WWE’s Thea Hail Is Handling Her NXT Title Loss Poorly

  08-01-2026 18:57 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo by Craig Melvin/WWE via Getty Images
  Thea Hail is coping with losing the NXT Women’s North American Championship.
  Last month on WWE NXT, Thea Hail shocked everyone when she beat Blake Monroe for the Women’s North American Title. The decision reportedly came as a result of a botched ending, and Monroe was scheduled to get her rematch at NXT New Year’s Evil.
  Before the match started, Monroe viciously attacked Hail from behind, which resulted in Ava kicki
  
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• TNA Star Announces He Signed A New Contract

  08-01-2026 18:39 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: TNA Wrestling
  Mustafa Ali is sticking around TNA for a bit longer.
  During an interview with Denise Salcedo, Mustafa Ali revealed that he recently signed a new contract with TNA Wrestling.
  “Just a few days ago, I officially re-signed with TNA Wrestling,” Ali stated. “So yeah, TNA, Mustafa Ali, AMC [clasps his hands together, showing he formed a bond].”Mustafa Ali explained his thought process behind re-signing with TNA, explaining that he wants to make the mo
  
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• WWE’s CM Punk Teams With Charity To Honor Memory Of His Dog Larry

  08-01-2026 17:49 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: WWE
  WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk is teaming with a local charity to honor the memory of his beloved dog Larry.Today, PAWS Chicago has announced its 2026 “Slice to Meet You” campaign, which aims to raise funds for Chicago’s homeless dogs and cats. For this campaign, PAWS Chicago, the Midwest’s largest no-kill humane organization, has teamed up with Piece Pizzeria and a group of celebrity chefs.Slice to Meet You will span three months, offering fans
  
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• R-Truth Felt ‘Numb’ After WWE Release In 2025

  08-01-2026 17:46 via wrestlezone.com
  Image Credit: WWE
  WWE legend R-Truth opens up about his release from the company last year.
  During his recent conversation with ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith, promoting the upcoming second season of WWE: Unreal, R-Truth opened up on his release from the company last year. At the age of 53, the former United States Champion felt numb after being let go from the company. However, he believes the overwhelming fan support that led to his return made him more popular and valuable than he has ever bee
  
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• Matt Cardona Addresses WWE Return Resulting In Cancelled Indie Dates

  08-01-2026 17:18 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: TNA
  Matt Cardona has spoken out after his WWE return led to the cancellation of several independent wrestling bookings.Cardona officially returned to WWE last Friday on WWE SmackDown, where it was announced that he had signed with the WWE SmackDown roster. Shortly after, he began canceling his previously scheduled independent dates, many of which were booked through the summer.Speaking on NotSamWrestling, Cardona addressed the situation directly and reflected on his five-year run o
  
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• Finn Balor Highlights WWE NXT UK’s Negative Impact on UK Wrestling Scene

  08-01-2026 17:14 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: WWE
  Finn Bálor has shared honest thoughts on how WWE NXT UK affected the British wrestling scene.Speaking on What Do You Wanna’ Talk About? With Cody Rhodes, Finn Bálor explained that when NXT UK launched, it pulled many top stars from the British and European wrestling scene. He said, “When NXT U.K. started, which was a huge thing at the time for British and European wrestling.”“I feel like it kind of took all the talent, and it starved all th
  
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• CM Punk Says WWE Unreal Helped Humanize Wrestlers Like Charlotte Flair

  08-01-2026 17:12 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: WWE
  CM Punk believes WWE Unreal has helped fans understand wrestlers on a more human level.Season 2 of WWE Unreal is set to premiere on January 20, 2026, and will feature stars such as Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, Cody Rhodes, Rhea Ripley, Pat McAfee and more. While some WWE stars welcome the extra exposure, others remain cautious about pulling back the curtain.Speaking on Busted Open Radio, Punk was asked whether Unreal bothers him. “Yeah, a little bit,” Punk admitted. &
  
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• Shelton Benjamin Reacts To Concern Over ‘Emotional’ AEW Dynamite Appearance

  08-01-2026 17:07 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: AEW
  Shelton Benjamin addresses his “emotional” appearance on AEW Dynamite this week.As he made his way to the ring for an AEW Continental Championship eliminator match against Jon Moxley this week, Shelton Benjamin appeared to be in an emotional state, with a watery substance noticeably glistening on his cheeks. Initially, fans interpreted the substance as tears. Benjamin, however, later clarified that it was actually just water.“Thanks for the concern Fans you ar
  
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• AJ Styles Explains Why a Dream Match With Shawn Michaels Didn’t Happen

  08-01-2026 14:14 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: WWE
  AJ Styles opens up about the biggest “what if” moments of his career, explaining why a dream WWE match with Shawn Michaels never happened.Styles, who is expected to retire sometime this year, never had the chance to share the ring with Michaels, who officially retired in 2010. Although Michaels briefly returned for a tag team match at WWE Crown Jewel 2018, the match failed to impress.Fans often viewed Styles vs. Michaels as a dream match that felt perfect on paper b
  
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• Tony Khan Breaks Silence on Chris Jericho Amid WWE Return Speculation

  08-01-2026 14:13 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: All Elite Wrestling
  AEW President Tony Khan has finally addressed ongoing speculation surrounding Chris Jericho’s future amid WWE return speculation.Speaking on Unlikely with Adrian Hernandez, Tony Khan was asked directly about Chris Jericho’s current status with AEW. In response, Khan made it clear just how important Jericho has been to the company since day one.“Well, first of all, I’m really grateful, when I talk about people that have been here from the
  
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• Logan Paul Signs Long-Term WWE Contract

  08-01-2026 14:11 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo by Cooper Neill/WWE via Getty Images
  Logan Paul is in WWE for the long haul.Paul announced he signed a new, long-term contract with WWE during the latest episode of his vlog. Paul said getting a full-time deal with WWE should silence his critics who try to insult him by saying he’s still a “part-timer.”“I actually just signed my official long-term contract with WWE seconds ago,” Logan Paul said, while holding a large iguana that ran in his backyard. “We
  
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• CM Punk Selfishly Has Two Big Names on His Acting Bucket List

  08-01-2026 14:00 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: WWE
  WWE World Heavyweight Champion CM Punk has revealed two major names he hopes to work with on the big screen one day.Punk shared his thoughts during an appearance on My Mom’s Basement, where he was discussing the success of Zootopia 2. In the film, Punk voices one of the zebra buddy cops, Zebro Zebrowski, alongside WWE star Roman Reigns, who voices Zebro Zebraxton.During the conversation, Punk was asked whether he could see himself appearing in more movies alongside fellow
  
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• Kenny Omega’s Return & More Announced For AEW Dynamite Maximum Carnage

  08-01-2026 04:33 via wrestlezone.com
  Image Credit: All Elite Wrestling
  Next week’s episode of AEW Dynamite is a big one, and when Maximum Carnage returns, so will Kenny Omega.During Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite, it was confirmed that Omega will be returning yet again and likely going after MJF. In a vignette that played tonight, Omega said he’s been wondering what it would be like to challenge MJF, and what it would be like if he could become champion yet again.Speaking of MJF, he will be putting his newly
  
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• Andrade El Idolo Returns On AEW Dynamite

  08-01-2026 03:59 via wrestlezone.com
  Image Credit: All Elite Wrestling
  Andrade El Idolo is back yet again and has reminded everyone of his loyalty to the Don Callis Family.During Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite, Andrade El Idolo appeared for the first time since his initial return back in October. During a match that saw Jack Perry and The Young Bucks going up against The Demand, chaos broke out. The match came to an end with Perry and the Bucks winning, but Andrade appeared after.Following the match, Mark Davis and Jake
  
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• Young Bucks Return With Old School Gimmick On AEW Dynamite

  08-01-2026 03:06 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: AEW
  The Young Bucks are back on AEW Dynamite.The second match of Dynamite this week saw ‘Jungle’ Jack Perry set for his trios tag team match against The Demand (Ricochet and Gates of Agony). Before Jack could enter the ring, familiar theme music blasted through the speakers as Matt and Nick Jackson made their in-ring return.The commentary team noted that the Young Bucks appeared to have returned to their old ways for the right reasons, largely thanks to Kenny Omega&rsqu
  
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• Update On Jay White’s AEW Status — Report

  08-01-2026 02:16 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: AEW
  What is the latest on Jay White‘s AEW status?
  We saw Bang Bang Gang leader Jay White appear at Wrestle Kingdom 20 over the weekend to pay his respects to the retiring Hiroshi Tanahashi. White appeared to be in good spirits, which immediately led to fan speculation of a potential in-ring return at AEW.
  We have an update on White’s potential in-ring return, and unfortunately, it’s not a positive one.According to Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp (via Fightful Sele
  
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• Former TNA Star Makes AEW Debut

  08-01-2026 01:53 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: AEW
  This TNA talent just made his AEW debut.Ahead of tonight’s AEW Dynamite broadcast, Renee Paquette informed fans that JetSpeed, consisting of Kevin Knight and Mike Bailey, had been viciously attacked by “someone… or Something,” rendering them medically uncleared for trios tag team action later in the evening.The camera then cut to Ricochet and Don Callis as they debated with Renee whether the incident was the result of a bounty or a gentleman’s agr
  
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• AEW Star Defends Austin Theory From Recent Criticism

  08-01-2026 01:48 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: WWE
  WWE star Austin Theory recently faced some criticism at the hands of Bryan Alvarez, and two others have come to his defense.Speaking during a recent episode of his My World podcast (via WrestlingNews.co), Jeff Jarrett and Conrad Thompson came to Theory’s defense. Recently, Wrestling Observer’s Bryan Alvarez critiqued Theory’s performance after his reveal as the mysterious masked man. He said that Theory was simply “the problem” rather than going in
  
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• WWE Hall Of Famer Didn’t Believe The Rock Or John Cena Would ‘Make It’

  08-01-2026 01:42 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: WWE
  This WWE Hall of Famer once doubted whether The Rock and John Cena had what it took to succeed in the business.The Rock and John Cena are two of the most successful WWE Superstars of all time. Their crossover appeal enabled both men to move on to bigger opportunities outside the ring. Cena had his official sendoff at Saturday Night’s Main Event in December 2025.As for Dwayne Johnson, he is a global box office juggernaut and currently sits on the TKO Board of Directors. Th
  
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• CM Punk Photobombs Fan At The Gym

  08-01-2026 01:39 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo by WWE/Getty Images
  CM Punk recently flexed on a fan who was recording herself at the gym.TikTok user @juliannaace shared a video filmed at a gym that shows the WWE World Heavyweight Champion walking behind her before flexing his muscles in a lighthearted interaction.“POV CM Punk photobombs you,” the fan posted.CM Punk was also involved in a major match on WWE RAW this week. The Straight Edge Superstar defended his World Heavyweight Championship against Bron Breakker in the mai
  
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• Logan Paul Provides Update On Ridiculously Rare Pokémon Card Auction

  08-01-2026 01:34 via wrestlezone.com
  Photo Credit: WWE
  Logan Paul shares a new update on the auction of his ultra-rare Pokémon card.The Maverick has put the Pikachu Illustrator card, one of the rarest Pokémon collectibles in the world, up for auction. Paul previously showcased the item during his WWE in-ring debut at WrestleMania 38.The Pokémon card also features a custom diamond necklace. In a recent update on X, Paul informed collectors about the auction before revealing the eye-opening winning bid for the it
  
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