WWE Raw airs live tonight on Netflix from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York with a start time of 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson may be sitting out WrestleMania 42, but that doesn’t mean WWE is done trying to get him back between the ropes. In fact, a new report suggests the company already has its sights set on a much bigger stage for The Rock’s potential return — and it could come a year later in Saudi Arabia.
According to Andrew Baydala, WWE has reopened discussions with Johnson, though not for this year’s WrestleMania. Instead, the offer on the table is for WrestleMania 43, which is currently planned to take place in Riyadh in 2027. While nothing has been finalized, the belief is that WWE sees this event as a possible capstone to The Rock’s in-ring career. At this point, Johnson is said to be weighing his options and has not committed either way.
The report comes after The Rock’s high-profile return to WWE television earlier in 2025. During that run, he was heavily involved in the angle that led to John Cena’s stunning heel turn at Elimination Chamber in Toronto. That storyline fueled speculation that The Rock would wrestle at WrestleMania, but those plans never materialized, with Johnson stepping away due to a mix of personal priorities and creative considerations.
If an agreement is reached for WrestleMania 43, the Riyadh show could be positioned as a historic moment — potentially the final match of one of the most influential figures the industry has ever seen. For now, WWE appears content to play the long game, hoping the right setting and timing will convince The Rock to lace up his boots one last time on the biggest stage possible.
Matt Cardona made a surprise in-ring return to WWE SmackDown on Friday night, competing in a New Year’s-themed episode and picking up his first win on WWE television in more than six years. The former Zack Ryder squared off against Kit Wilson in a singles bout, marking another notable chapter in Cardona’s ongoing reintroduction to WWE audiences.
Wilson came out aggressively at the opening bell, using a Corkscrew Elbow to seize early control. Cardona weathered the storm and fired back with a clothesline to swing momentum briefly in his favor, but Wilson’s ring awareness allowed him to regain the upper hand by knocking Cardona off the ropes and keeping him grounded. The match remained competitive throughout, with both men trading advantages as the pace picked up.
Cardona came close to sealing the deal with a Double Underhook Powerbomb that nearly earned him the three-count. Wilson answered back by attempting his Tourniquet finisher, but Cardona managed to survive. The turning point came when Wilson missed a strike in the corner, opening the door for Cardona to capitalize. Moments later, Cardona connected with the Rough Ryder to score the pinfall victory.
Following the match, commentary from Michael Cole confirmed that Cardona is officially part of the SmackDown roster. The appearance continues a recent run that has included a match on NXT against Josh Briggs and involvement in the “Last Time Is Now” tournament. Prior to this stretch, Cardona had not competed in a WWE ring since 2020.
Since leaving WWE, Cardona has built a high-profile run across multiple promotions, including AEW, IMPACT/TNA, GCW, and Ring of Honor, reinventing himself as one of the most prominent independent stars in the industry. Interestingly, while he was introduced as Matt Cardona on SmackDown, his entrance video briefly displayed the Zack Ryder name, and his finishing move was called the Rough Ryder rather than its independent-era name, Radio Silence.
Those details leave some unanswered questions about Cardona’s presentation going forward. Whether WWE fully embraces his post-WWE persona, returns him to the Zack Ryder identity, or blends elements of both remains to be seen as his SmackDown run continues.
WWE SmackDown airs tonight on the USA Network in the United States and Netflix internationally, live from the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.
WWE SmackDown moves back to 3 Hours starting tonight.
The working relationship between WWE and TNA Wrestling doesn’t appear to be slowing down anytime soon. In fact, all signs point to the partnership becoming an even bigger part of the wrestling landscape over the next several years.
According to recent reports, WWE and TNA are planning to extend their current multi-year agreement through at least 2028. The two sides first began collaborating in early 2025, and what started as a bold experiment has quickly evolved into one of the most talked-about cross-promotional efforts in modern wrestling.
The results so far have been hard to ignore. Talent from both rosters have moved fluidly between companies, creating memorable moments that benefitted everyone involved. The Hardy Boyz making history by holding both the NXT and TNA Tag Team Championships was a major headline, while Joe Hendry stepping into a WrestleMania 41 spotlight opposite Randy Orton gave TNA unprecedented exposure on WWE’s biggest stage.
Other crossover matches have also helped legitimize the partnership. Moose challenging Ethan Page for the NXT North American Championship blurred brand lines even further, and Leon Slater reportedly turned heads backstage with his performance during John Cena’s farewell appearance at Saturday Night’s Main Event.
There was some recent speculation that TNA’s new television deal with AMC Networks could complicate matters. Instead, it appears to have done the opposite. TNA President Carlos Silva publicly confirmed that the WWE relationship remains intact and is expected to expand in 2026, easing concerns that the new media deal might force a change in direction.
According to Bodyslam+, both companies are extremely pleased with how the collaboration has played out. Internally, WWE and TNA reportedly view the partnership as a creative win that gives wrestlers fresh opportunities while keeping fans engaged with unexpected matchups and storylines.
Looking ahead, discussions are said to be ongoing regarding even deeper collaboration. Potential ideas include dual-branded events and possibly joint pay-per-view specials, which could push the partnership into uncharted territory as early as 2026.
With increased exposure for talent, growing fan interest, and strong business momentum on both sides, the WWE–TNA alliance is shaping up to be more than a short-term experiment. If plans hold, this partnership could remain a defining force in the wrestling industry for years to come.
WWE NXT tonight on The CW.
Chris Jericho’s future in AEW appears to be up in the air, and it’s once again sparked serious talk about a potential return to WWE.
According to multiple reports, Jericho’s current deal with All Elite Wrestling is set to expire on December 31, 2025, unless a new agreement has already been finalized behind the scenes. As of now, there’s been no confirmation that an extension is in place.
What’s adding fuel to the speculation is chatter coming out of WWE circles. PWInsider reports that several WWE licensing partners are operating under the assumption that Jericho may soon be available for use on their products. WrestleVotes has also noted that some within WWE have been anticipating a Jericho comeback dating back to August of last year.
On the AEW side, Jericho hasn’t been seen on television since April 2025, when he suffered a loss to Bandido. Since that match, there’s reportedly been no creative direction for him, and his absence was especially noticeable at AEW’s Worlds End 2025 pay-per-view. With no on-screen role and no storyline movement, questions about his status have only intensified.
Outside the ring, Jericho has kept busy. He was recently spotted in Vancouver while working on an undisclosed Disney-related project. While details are scarce, it’s clear the former world champion is exploring opportunities beyond wrestling as his AEW contract winds down.
Jericho himself hasn’t exactly shut the door on WWE. During a December 27 YouTube livestream, he responded to questions about a return by saying, “You never know,” leaving plenty of room for interpretation. He has also previously mentioned that he expects to wrestle again “somewhere” in 2026.
Despite rumors circulating online, PWInsider has pushed back on claims that Jericho was set to appear on RAW this week, stating there was no credible sourcing behind those reports. Still, once his AEW deal expires at midnight on December 31, Jericho would officially be a free agent heading into the new year.
With WWE’s January 5, 2026 episode of RAW scheduled for the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, some fans believe that show could be the stage for Jericho’s return. If it happens, it would mark his first appearance with WWE since 2018 — and one of the more significant comeback moments in recent memory.
Penta is officially back, and he didn’t waste any time making an impact on Monday Night Raw.
The masked star made his return from injury during this week’s episode, rushing to the aid of Rey Mysterio after things broke down following Rey’s match with Austin Theory. Mysterio had the bout well in hand before Logan Paul inserted himself, tripping Rey as he went for the 619 and causing an immediate disqualification.
The numbers game quickly caught up to the WWE Hall of Famer, as Paul and Theory laid into Mysterio after the bell. That’s when Penta’s music hit, bringing the crowd to its feet as he sprinted to the ring and cleaned house, taking out both members of The Vision and evening the odds in a big way.
Penta had been absent from WWE programming since late November after suffering a shoulder injury on the November 24 episode of Raw. His quarterfinal match against Solo Sikoa in the “Last Time Is Now” tournament was abruptly stopped when Penta was hurt attempting a diving hurricanrana from the barricade. The referee called for the stoppage, awarding the match to Sikoa as medical officials checked on Penta.
The injury also forced Penta to miss a highly anticipated appearance at AAA’s Guerra de Titanes on December 20, where he was scheduled to reunite with his brother Rey Fenix as the Lucha Bros. Instead, Rey Mysterio stepped in as a replacement for that match.
Now cleared to compete again, Penta’s return instantly injects fresh energy into Raw and sets the stage for what looks like a growing issue with Logan Paul, Austin Theory, and The Vision. More importantly, it puts a dangerous ally back in Rey Mysterio’s corner — something their enemies may quickly regret.
WWE has officially confirmed that Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio is sidelined with an injury, and it doesn’t sound like he’ll be back anytime soon.
During Monday night’s episode of Raw, commentator Joe Tessitore announced that Mysterio is out “indefinitely” due to a shoulder injury. The situation was first hinted at earlier in the show when Liv Morgan mentioned backstage that Dominik would be gone “for a little while,” but the commentary team later made it clear that the absence is more serious than initially implied.
The injury reportedly occurred at AAA’s Guerra de Titanes event, where Dominik teamed with El Grande Americano against Rey Mysterio and Rey Fenix in the main event. According to reports, the shoulder issue happened during a DDT spot. Following that match, Dominik was noticeably absent from WWE’s holiday live event tour, further fueling speculation about his condition.
Earlier in the day, Bodyslam+ described the situation as an “injury scare,” noting that Dominik was in good spirits despite the setback. Still, WWE’s use of the word “indefinitely” suggests the company is preparing for a potentially extended absence.
At this point, WWE has not announced what this means for the Intercontinental Championship. Whether the title will be vacated, defended in Dominik’s absence, or put on hold remains to be seen. The situation is even more interesting considering Dominik is also the reigning AAA Mega Champion after defeating El Hijo del Vikingo at Worlds Collide back in September.
To make matters worse for Judgment Day, Dominik isn’t the only member dealing with health issues. JD McDonagh is also out of action as he continues to recover from surgery on his right hand, leaving the faction short-handed heading into the new year.
As always, we’ll keep an eye on updates regarding Dominik Mysterio’s recovery timeline and the future of the Intercontinental Title as more information becomes available.
WWE Raw airs live today on Netflix from the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida with a start time of 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT.
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