WWE NXT tonight at 8/7c on The CW.
Memphis legend Doug Gilbert announced on X – The First Annual Sycho Sid Vicious Memorial Show.
Professional wrestling fans will have the opportunity to celebrate the life and legacy of one of the industry’s most unforgettable stars later this month.
The First Annual Sycho Sid Vicious Memorial Show is set to take place on August 29, 2026, at Minglewood Hall in Memphis, Tennessee, honoring the memory of the late Sid Vicious while supporting a cause that was close to his heart.
Presented by the Eudy family and TWO (The Wrestling Order), the inaugural event honors the legendary career of Sid Eudy (Sycho Sid / Sid Vicious). All proceeds from the event directly support local animal shelters in honor of Sid’s love for animals.
Organizers announced that 100% of the proceeds from the event will be donated to local animal shelters.
Sid was known for his love of animals, making the charity component a fitting tribute to the wrestling icon’s legacy outside the ring.
The centerpiece of the event will be a massive Battle Rumble featuring more than 150 wrestlers, making it one of the most unique wrestling attractions of the year.
In addition to the oversized rumble, organizers have also announced that the show will feature at least four additional matches.
A number of notable names from across wrestling history have already been confirmed for the memorial event, including:
Promoters have also teased that many more wrestling stars and legends will be announced leading up to the show.
First Annual Sycho Sid Vicious Memorial Show
📍 Minglewood Hall – Memphis, Tennessee
📅 August 29, 2026
🕓 Meet & Greet: 4:00 PM
🔔 Bell Time: 6:00 PM
🎟️ Tickets: ticketsource.com/two
Sid Vicious remains one of the most recognizable stars of the 1990s, competing in WWE, WCW, ECW, USWA, and numerous other promotions throughout his Hall of Fame career.
Known for his intimidating presence, memorable promos, and multiple world championship reigns, Sid became a larger-than-life figure who left a lasting impact on the wrestling business.
Now, fans, wrestlers, and friends will gather in Memphis to celebrate his legacy while raising money for local animal shelters in a night that promises to be both memorable and meaningful.
With more than 150 wrestlers expected to participate and a lineup featuring legends from multiple generations, the inaugural Sycho Sid Vicious Memorial Show is shaping up to be a unique event dedicated to one of wrestling’s most iconic personalities.
A new report suggests the long-term future of WWE’s relationship with ESPN could be in doubt.
According to SEScoops, ESPN is not currently expected to renew its agreement with WWE when the company’s streaming rights deal expires in 2030, potentially forcing WWE to find a new home for its premium live events.
WWE and ESPN announced a landmark partnership in 2025 that brought WWE premium live events to the ESPN Unlimited streaming platform as part of a five-year deal reportedly worth more than $1 billion.
At the time, the agreement was viewed as a major win for both companies, giving ESPN a marquee entertainment property while providing WWE with another lucrative media rights package.
However, according to the report, sources familiar with the situation believe ESPN has grown less enthusiastic about the partnership due to several factors.
Among the issues reportedly cited are:
The report claims the original agreement was largely negotiated between executives at TKO and Disney, with limited direct involvement between WWE and ESPN personnel during the early stages of the partnership.
Despite the reported concerns, communication between the two sides is said to have improved significantly in recent months.
ESPN has reportedly become more aggressive in promoting WWE programming, including airing portions of premium live events across ESPN platforms and dedicating more discussion time to WWE on its studio shows.
That increased coverage has not gone unnoticed.
According to the report, WWE has received more discussion on some ESPN morning programs in 2026 than traditional sports properties such as Major League Baseball and the NHL, leading to criticism from some viewers and media observers.
The report comes shortly after ESPN announced another price increase for ESPN Unlimited subscriptions.
Sources reportedly believe the move is tied to the service falling short of internal projections.
ESPN and Disney had hoped the streaming platform would help offset declining cable revenues, but that goal has reportedly not materialized to the extent expected.
As a result, ESPN has shifted strategy by making WWE content more accessible and promoting it more heavily, whereas WWE premium live events were initially viewed as a major incentive designed to drive new subscriptions.
While the report paints a challenging picture, it also notes that a future agreement remains possible.
For that to happen, ESPN Unlimited would likely need to see a significant increase in subscribers or secure broader cable distribution under terms favorable to ESPN.
At this stage, neither development appears guaranteed.
This is not the first time questions have been raised about the WWE-ESPN partnership.
In late 2025, actor and former WWE writer Freddie Prinze Jr. claimed ESPN was experiencing buyer’s remorse over the deal due to lower-than-expected subscription growth.
Those claims were later denied by sources from both WWE and ESPN.
As of now, neither company has publicly commented on the latest report.
With four years still remaining on the current agreement, there is plenty of time for the situation to change. However, if the report proves accurate, WWE may eventually find itself searching for a new streaming partner when its ESPN Unlimited deal expires in 2030.
A familiar last name is officially joining the TNA Wrestling roster.
During TNA Lockdown 2026, Avery Styles, the son of TNA legend and WWE superstar AJ Styles, announced that he has officially signed with the promotion.
The announcement took place during the Lockdown pay-per-view when Avery was introduced by Gia Miller.
Standing in front of the TNA audience, Avery reflected on his father’s historic connection to the company before revealing his decision to sign.
Avery explained that TNA played a major role in helping AJ Styles become one of the most successful wrestlers of his generation and believes the promotion can do the same for him as he begins his own career.
“The fans know what TNA means to AJ, and AJ wouldn’t be what he is today without TNA. Avery won’t become who he will be without TNA, so he officially signed with the company.”
AJ Styles remains one of the most influential stars in TNA history.
During his time with the promotion, Styles became a multi-time world champion and was widely regarded as the face of the company throughout much of the 2000s and early 2010s. His success in TNA helped launch a career that later saw him become a global star in NJPW and WWE.
Now, Avery Styles will attempt to carve out his own path while carrying one of the most recognizable names in professional wrestling.
The celebration was briefly interrupted by TNA veteran Frankie Kazarian, who welcomed Avery to the company but also offered some advice.
Kazarian warned the newcomer that the TNA locker room is filled with challenges and people who cannot always be trusted, while suggesting that Avery could rely on him if needed.
The interaction hinted that Avery’s arrival could quickly place him in the middle of ongoing storylines.
With his signing now official, Avery becomes part of a growing wave of second-generation wrestlers making their mark across the industry.
While expectations will naturally be high due to his father’s accomplishments, Avery now has the opportunity to establish his own identity in the same company where AJ Styles became a household name.
His first official match and future plans have not yet been announced, but TNA has added another intriguing young talent to its roster.
For now, the Phenomenal Son’s journey is officially underway.
TNA Wrestling presented Lockdown 2026 on Thursday night, featuring multiple championship matches inside the steel cage, the return of Kiera Hogan, title changes, Avery Styles signing, and a major Bound For Glory challenge to close the show.
The Lockdown pre-show featured tag team action as The Righteous continued their attempts to recruit BDE.
Rich Swann mounted a late comeback and BDE nearly secured the victory after connecting with a springboard cutter, but Dutch and Vincent regained control. After Dutch neutralized Swann on the outside, Vincent put BDE away with Orange Sunshine.
Winners: The Righteous
Trey Miguel entered wearing Spider-Man-inspired gear and used his speed to counter Agent Zero’s power throughout the match.
Zero appeared to have the bout won after catching Trey and setting up a power move, but Miguel escaped and scored a surprise roll-up to hand Agent Zero his first singles defeat in TNA.
Winner: Trey Miguel
The opening match saw AJ Francis battle Elijah inside the steel cage.
The two men delivered a number of memorable moments, including a superplex from the top of the cage. Elijah appeared close to victory, but interference from Expressions shifted momentum. Francis eventually connected with a chokeslam to secure the win.
Following the match, Elijah got some revenge by smashing a guitar over Francis’ head.
Winner: AJ Francis
Before the match, Allie revealed that Rosemary had not been heard from and introduced a mystery partner to help defend the Knockouts Tag Team Championships.
That partner turned out to be the returning Kiera Hogan.
Despite interference from the Elegance Brand, Hogan scored the deciding pinfall after connecting with a swinging fisherman neckbreaker while Heather was trapped outside the cage.
Winners: Allie & Kiera Hogan (retain the Knockouts Tag Team Championship)
Frankie Kazarian and Moose met in an Escape the Cage Match.
Moose focused on punishment while Kazarian repeatedly looked for opportunities to escape. After a back-and-forth contest that included a Spanish Fly near the top of the cage, Kazarian used an eye poke before Moose speared him through the ropes and out the cage door.
Because Kazarian hit the floor first, he was declared the winner.
Winner: Frankie Kazarian
Xia Brookside successfully defended the Knockouts Championship against hometown favorite Elayna Black.
The match turned physical early, with Brookside targeting Black’s face and leaving the challenger bloodied. Black nearly captured the title after hitting her double-underhook neckbreaker, but Brookside survived.
Moments later, the champion threw powder into Black’s eyes before rolling her up for the victory.
Winner: Xia Brookside (retains the Knockouts Championship)
Jason Hotch defended the TNA International Championship against former ally Mustafa Ali in one of the most emotional matches of the night.
With Hotch’s wife and daughter watching from ringside, both men endured a brutal battle that included dives from the top of the cage and table spots. Ali repeatedly targeted Hotch emotionally, even taking a toy from Hotch’s daughter.
After surviving a flying double stomp from the top of the cage, Ali connected with two 450 splashes to finally put Hotch away and capture the championship.
Winner: Mustafa Ali (wins the TNA International Championship)
In a backstage segment, Avery Styles, the son of TNA Legend and WWE Hall of Famer The phenomenal AJ Styles, officially signed with TNA Wrestling.
Frankie Kazarian interrupted the signing and offered advice to the newest member of the roster, warning him about the challenges ahead.
Cedric Alexander defended the X-Division Championship against Leon Slater in a Last Man Standing Match.
The two competitors punished each other throughout the contest with a variety of high-impact moves. In the closing moments, Slater delivered three consecutive Lumbar Checks followed by a Swanton 450.
Alexander was unable to answer the referee’s ten-count.
Winner: Leon Slater (wins the X-Division Championship)
The System’s Eddie Edwards, Brian Myers, Bear Bronson, and Alisha Edwards faced Ricky Sosa, KC Navarro, Fabian Aichner, and Jada Stone in Lethal Lockdown.
The match featured numerous weapon spots, including thumbtacks, barbed wire, trash cans, and a moonsault from the top of the cage by Jada Stone.
The finish came when Eddie Edwards blasted Ricky Sosa with the Boston Knee Party before planting him with a package piledriver onto chairs for the victory.
Winners: Eddie Edwards, Brian Myers, Bear Bronson & Alisha Edwards
The main event saw Matt and Jeff Hardy defend the TNA World Tag Team Championship against Nic and Ryan Nemeth under tornado tag rules.
The Hardys appeared moments away from retaining after putting Ryan through a table. However, Nic Nemeth struck from behind and delivered Danger Zone to Matt Hardy to score the pinfall and win the titles.
Winners: Nic Nemeth & Ryan Nemeth (win the TNA World Tag Team Championship)
Following the main event, newly crowned X-Division Champion Leon Slater confronted TNA World Champion Nic Nemeth.
Slater officially exercised Option C, surrendering the X-Division Championship and challenging Nemeth for the TNA World Championship at Bound For Glory.
The Nemeth brothers attempted an attack, but Slater fought them off and stood tall as Lockdown went off the air.
The biggest story coming out of Lockdown was Leon Slater’s decision to cash in Option C. With Bound For Glory now on the horizon, Slater is set to challenge Nic Nemeth for the TNA World Championship in one of the biggest matches of his career.
WWE SmackDown airs live tonight at 8/7c on the USA Network and Netflix for international fans, from the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
TNA Wrestling Lockdown PPV – Sunday August 23, 2026 – CreditUnion1 Arena in Chicago, Illinois
TNA Thursday Night iMPACT! tonight at 9/8c on AMC.
Tonight’s episode of TNA Impact is the go-home show for TNA Lockdown
Former WWE United States Champion and NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov is reportedly no longer with WWE.
According to PWInsider, a report that has since been confirmed by Fightful Select, Dragunov’s contract with WWE has expired. While the exact expiration date has not been disclosed, multiple signs point to his departure from the company.
The reports note that Dragunov was removed from WWE’s internal roster this week. In addition, WWE has moved “The Mad Dragon” to the alumni section of its official website, further indicating that his tenure with the company has come to an end.
Dragunov had most recently been featured on SmackDown following his return from a lengthy absence due to an ACL sprain.
One of the biggest moments of that comeback came in October 2025 when he defeated Sami Zayn to capture the United States Championship in his first match back from injury.
As of now, there is no word on whether Dragunov’s expired contract includes a non-compete clause that would prevent him from immediately signing elsewhere.
That uncertainty has already led to speculation regarding his next destination.
With AEW All In: London scheduled for August 30, some fans have wondered whether Dragunov could potentially appear for AEW. However, there is currently no indication that such a move is imminent, nor has AEW publicly expressed interest.
Dragunov’s final WWE appearance came in the 2026 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the SmackDown episode preceding WrestleMania 42.
The match was ultimately won by Royce Keys.
His final singles match took place on March 30, where he was defeated by then-United States Champion Carmelo Hayes.
Dragunov first joined NXT UK in February 2019 and made his televised debut later that year.
He quickly became one of the brand’s standout performers, earning widespread praise for his hard-hitting matches and intense rivalry with GUNTHER.
In 2022, Dragunov transitioned to NXT in Orlando, where he entered a memorable feud with Carmelo Hayes over the NXT Championship.
His performances eventually earned him a main roster call-up during the 2024 WWE Draft, leading to a successful run that included capturing the United States Championship.
While WWE has yet to officially comment on Dragunov’s departure, reports indicate that his contract has expired, bringing an end to his run with the company. The next chapter of his career remains one of the biggest questions in professional wrestling.
AEW Dynamite live tonight at 8:00 pm ET on TBS and HBO Max from the Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena in Baltimore, Maryland.
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