Category: WWE

Andrade Makes Surprise NJPW Announcement Ahead of Wrestle Kingdom 20 Despite Reported WWE Non-Compete Clause

New Japan Pro Wrestling wrapped up its 2025 schedule on December 22 with Road To Tokyo Dome (Day 3) from Korakuen Hall, and the promotion didn’t go quietly into the offseason. Instead, NJPW delivered a surprise that instantly sent the wrestling world into speculation mode: Andrade El Idolo is officially returning to a New Japan ring.

The reveal came after United Empire scored a win over Gedo, Shingo Takagi, and Hiromu Takahashi. With momentum on his side, United Empire leader Callum Newman addressed the crowd and promised an early Christmas gift — not just for the fans, but for their Wrestle Kingdom 20 opponents as well. Newman announced that United Empire would have mystery partners lined up for the January 4 Tokyo Dome event, and the first reveal was delivered via a video package on the big screen.

That video featured Andrade, confirming that he will compete at Wrestle Kingdom 20 as a member of United Empire. Andrade will join Newman, HENARE, Great-O-Khan, and one yet-to-be-revealed partner in a massive ten-man tag team bout. On the opposite side will be Shingo Takagi, Hiromu Takahashi, and Bullet Club War Dogs members David Finlay, Drilla Moloney, and Gabe Kidd.

The match marks Andrade’s first NJPW appearance in over a decade. His last run with the company came back in January 2015, when he wrestled under the La Sombra name while still affiliated with CMLL. Andrade’s history in New Japan runs deep — he is a former IWGP Intercontinental Champion and once held the distinction of being the youngest competitor in G1 Climax history when he entered the tournament in 2011 at just 21 years old. Interestingly enough, that record was later matched by his upcoming United Empire teammate, Callum Newman.

Beyond the in-ring excitement, Andrade’s return raises plenty of questions about his current contract status. Following his surprise appearance on AEW Dynamite in October, WWE reportedly enforced a non-compete clause that could keep him sidelined from in-ring action for up to a year. However, Andrade has already been active elsewhere, having received WWE approval to wrestle for WWC in Puerto Rico on December 13 and later appearing at a House of Glory event in New York.

Whether Andrade needed — or received — clearance from WWE to compete at Wrestle Kingdom 20 remains unclear. Still, his involvement on NJPW’s biggest show of the year is notable, especially given the ongoing partnership between NJPW and AEW that has been in place since 2021. For many fans, Andrade’s Tokyo Dome appearance could be another sign pointing toward an eventual full-time return to AEW once all contractual dust settles.

Either way, Andrade’s name on the Wrestle Kingdom 20 card adds another layer of intrigue to an already stacked event, and all eyes will be on the Tokyo Dome to see what this surprise comeback leads to next.

Dominik Mysterio Reportedly Dealing With Shoulder Injury After AAA Guerra de Titanes Event

Concerns are swirling around Dominik Mysterio following his appearance at AAA’s Guerra de Titanes event. According to Bryan Alvarez, the reigning AAA Mega Champion and WWE Intercontinental Champion may have suffered a shoulder injury during the show’s main event.

Dominik teamed with El Grande Americano to take on his father, WWE Hall of Famer Rey Mysterio, alongside Rey Fenix. The babyface duo ultimately scored the victory after interference from Penta, but the spotlight quickly shifted to Dominik’s condition late in the match.

Alvarez noted that the injury appeared to occur after Dominik took a DDT from Rey Mysterio near the closing moments of the bout. Following the move, Dominik was reportedly struggling badly, with limited use of his arm once the match concluded. Based on the way he landed, a shoulder separation is being speculated, though nothing has been confirmed.

Alvarez added that the situation could range anywhere from a minor issue to something far more serious, potentially even requiring surgery. However, the full extent of the injury won’t be known until Dominik undergoes a medical evaluation.

After the bell, Dominik was seen shoving his own partner, El Grande Americano, before walking to the back under his own power. Americano appeared confused by the exchange and later shook hands with Rey Mysterio before exiting the ring.

At this point, there is no official word on how much time, if any, Dominik may miss. With him currently holding both the AAA Mega Championship and WWE Intercontinental Championship, a lengthy absence would create major ripple effects across two promotions.

Dominik most recently reclaimed the Intercontinental Title at Survivor Series: WarGames 2025, defeating John Cena with assistance from Liv Morgan, continuing his controversial run at the top of WWE’s mid-card.

AAA Guerra de Titanes 12/20/2025 (Results)

AAA closed out the year in style with Guerra de Titanes, a wild event packed with lucha chaos, celebrity moments, shocking alliances, and future-shaping outcomes. Corey Graves, JBL, and Konnan guided fans through the English commentary as the action unfolded.

La Parka & Octagón Jr. defeated Mr. Iguana & Niño Hamburguesa, Cruz Del Toro & Joaquin Wilde, Bravo Americano & Rayo Americano

The show kicked off at full throttle with a four-team tag match featuring La Parka & Octagón Jr., Mr. Iguana & Niño Hamburguesa, Cruz Del Toro & Joaquin Wilde, and Bravo Americano & Rayo Americano. From the opening bell, the bout was a nonstop sprint filled with dives, creative offense, and crowd-pleasing madness.

Standout moments included Iguana’s spinning headscissors, Wilde’s slingshot dive to the floor, Parka walking the ropes before launching himself outside, and Hamburguesa using his signature hamburger distraction to help Iguana score a big rana. The closing stretch saw Parka and Octagón hit a stereo Spanish Fly on Cruz Del Toro, followed by Octagón wiping everyone out with a tornillo. Parka sealed the win with a playful dance and slam, putting his team firmly in line for a future title opportunity.

After the match, Parka shared a wholesome moment dancing with a young fan—only for another masked Parka at ringside to reveal himself as boxing superstar Canelo Álvarez, drawing a huge reaction.

AAA Latin American Championship: El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. (c) defeated Ethan Page to retain the Title

El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. successfully defended the AAA Latin American Championship against Ethan Page, though not without drama. Page immediately leaned into his dirty tactics, even twisting Wagner’s mask to blind him and scoring a near-fall with a powerbomb.

Page appeared to steal the title after using a wrench behind the referee’s back, but Mr. Iguana rushed in to expose the cheating. Once the referee discovered the weapon, the decision was overturned and the match restarted. Wagner wasted no time, planting Page with the Wagner Driver to retain his championship decisively.

Carnival of Carnage: Psycho Circus & Pagano defeated The Wyatt Sicks

The “Carnival of Carnage” match between Psycho Circus & Pagano and The Wyatt Sicks was exactly as unhinged as advertised. The action began backstage in a twisted carnival setup, complete with surprise appearances from Mascarita Sagrada swinging a kendo stick and Pimpinela Escarlata distracting Joe Gacy with a kiss.

After Pagano was powerbombed through a table, the fight eventually spilled back to the ring with the Wyatts holding a numbers advantage. That changed when Pagano returned to even the odds. Psycho Clown fully embraced the madness, ripping off his own mask before chaos erupted around the ring. In the end, Psycho Clown drove Dexter Lumis through a table with the Psycho Driver to score the win.

AAA World Cruiserweight Championship: Laredo Kid (c) defeated Je’Von Evans and Jack Cartwheel to retain the title

Laredo Kid retained the AAA World Cruiserweight Championship in a jaw-dropping three-way match against Je’Von Evans and Jack Cartwheel. The bout felt like a highlight reel from start to finish, featuring aerial insanity, destroyers, massive dives, and lightning-fast counters.

The finish came when Laredo unveiled a never-before-seen Spanish Fly variation, dropping Cartwheel in spectacular fashion to keep his title in one of the night’s most memorable performances.

Natalya, Lola Vice & Faby Apache defeated Las Toxicas

Faby Apache teamed with Natalya and Lola Vice to defeat Flammer, La Hiedra, and Maravilla. The heels isolated Lola early, but a hot tag to Natalya shifted the momentum. The babyfaces landed a double Hart Attack before the match broke down into chaos. Faby ultimately pinned the women’s champion with a crisp bridging snap dragon suplex.

Hijo del Vikingo defeated Dragon Lee with help from Omos

Hijo del Vikingo defeated Dragon Lee in a heated battle that took a shocking turn. Dragon nearly had the match won after landing his finisher, but a downed referee changed everything. Vikingo resorted to a low blow, and then the real surprise arrived—Omos.

Dragon attacked the giant, only to be flattened by a massive powerbomb. Vikingo capitalized with a 450 splash to score the victory as Omos returned the referee to the ring. Afterward, Dorian Roldán appeared and announced the formation of El Ojo, officially aligning Vikingo and Omos as a new power faction in AAA.

Rey Mysterio & Rey Fenix defeated Dominik Mysterio & El Grande Americano

In the main event, Rey Mysterio and Rey Fénix defeated Dominik Mysterio and El Grande Americano in an emotionally charged tag match. The crowd loudly booed Dominik as he targeted his own father, even tearing at Rey’s mask during the closing moments.

Outside interference teased the finish, but Rey finally connected with the 619 and followed with a slingshot splash to pin his son, sending the fans home happy. After the match, Dominik stormed off alone with his titles, while Americano refused a babyface moment, leaving Rey, Fénix, and Penta confused but celebrating with the crowd.

AAA Guerra de Titanes 12/20/2025 (Card)

The 26th annual AAA Guerra de Titanes streams free Saturday, December 20 at 9 PM ET / 6 PM PT on the WWE YouTube channel, WWE Español YouTube channel, and Lucha Libre AAA YouTube channel from Arena Guadalajara.

Match Card:

  • Rey Mysterio & Rey Fenix vs. Dominik Mysterio & El Grande Americano
  • Carnival of Carnage: The Wyatt Sicks vs. Pagano & Los Psycho Circus (Psycho Clown, Dave the Clown & Murder Clown)
  • AAA Latin American Championship: El Hijo de Dr. Wagner Jr. (c) vs. Ethan Page
  • AAA World Cruiserweight Championship: Laredo Kid (c) vs. Je’Von Evans vs. Jack Cartwheel
  • Dragon Lee vs. El Hijo del Vikingo
  • Natalya, Lola Vice & Faby Apache vs. Las Tóxicas
  • Fatal Four-Way Tag: Los Americanos vs. Mr. Iguana & Niño Hamburguesa vs. La Parka & Octagón Jr. vs. LWO

WWE SmackDown Preview 12/19/2025

WWE SmackDown airs tonight from the GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania on the USA Network and Netflix for international fans.

  • WWE Tag Team Championship: Wyatt Sicks (Dexter Lumis & Joe Gacy) vs. two members of The MFTs
  • Cody Rhodes to appear ‘after invading Drew McIntyre’s home’
  • Will Nick Aldis officially reinstate Drew McIntyre from suspension and reveal the date of his WWE championship match against Cody Rhodes? What stipulation will McIntyre choose? Tune
  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions The Kabuki Warriors vs. Nia Jax & Lash Legend
  • US Champion Ilja Dragunov & Carmelo Hayes vs. DIY

NXT’s Arianna Grace Betrays Her Father Santino Marella During Shocking Moment On TNA iMPACT

WWE NXT’s Arianna Grace made a stunning statement on this week’s episode of TNA iMPACT, and it came at the expense of her own father, Santino Marella.

The episode featured a high-stakes steel cage match that brought together five of TNA Wrestling’s top stars against five competitors from WWE NXT. When the dust settled, Team TNA emerged victorious, seemingly sending the crowd home happy.

After the match, Grace joined her father in the ring for what appeared to be an emotional, heartfelt moment following the intense bout. However, that family reunion didn’t last long.

In a shocking twist, Grace abruptly struck Marella with a low blow, leaving the TNA authority figure vulnerable. Moments later, NXT’s Stacks stormed the ring and continued the assault, making it clear the attack was anything but spontaneous.

Grace and Stacks — who are engaged in real life — cemented their betrayal by sharing a kiss as members of the TNA roster attempted to reach the ring, only to be held back. The visual drove home the message: Arianna Grace has firmly aligned herself against her father.

Stacks currently holds the TNA International Championship, having captured the title from Steve Maclin at Final Resolution on December 5. With this betrayal now part of the ongoing WWE–TNA crossover, tensions between the two sides appear far from over.

TNA iMPACT Preview 12/18/2025

The road to Genesis and Thursday Night iMPACT! on AMC continues as TNA iMPACT! delivers a loaded episode this Thursday at 8/7c on TNA+ around the world, AXS TV in the US, and Sportsnet 360 in Canada.

  • Steel Cage Match: Team NXT (Stacks, Lexis King, Brooks Jensen & High Ryze) vs. Team TNA (Mike Santana, the Hardys, Steve Maclin & Santino Marella)
  • Battle Royal for TNA World Title Shot: Competitors TBA
  • Angel Warriors vs. Tessa Blanchard & Mila Moore
  • Elijah in concert

Backstage Report Suggests NXT Rules Could Change Following Major Title Match Botch

The fallout continues from Tuesday night’s unexpected ending to the NXT Women’s North American Championship match, and new details suggest WWE may be preparing to adjust its backstage procedures as a result.

During WWE NXT, Thea Hail shocked viewers by defeating Blake Monroe to capture the Women’s North American Title. While the result appeared to be a major upset on screen, it was not the planned finish. The referee counted the pinfall after Hail hit her backwards drop from the second rope, with Monroe unable to respond in time. The confusion was immediately noticeable, as Monroe’s entrance theme briefly played before being cut off and replaced by Hail’s music once the decision was finalized.

According to Fightful Select, the timing of the mistake couldn’t have been worse. One NXT staffer described it as happening at “the worst possible time,” noting that NXT was in the middle of wrapping up its 2025 television tapings before the roster departed for the Christmas holiday.

The report states that several weeks of future NXT episodes had already been locked in creatively. Once the unplanned title change occurred, there was reportedly a “pretty frantic rush” behind the scenes to rework pre-taped material that had been built around Monroe remaining champion. WWE even briefly listed Monroe as retaining the title on its website before correcting the information.

Previous reports indicated Monroe had the wind knocked out of her during the move, which likely explains why she was unable to kick out before the referee’s count.

Rather than reversing course, WWE chose to lean into the outcome. Hail’s championship win was quickly promoted across NXT’s social media channels, and highlight clips were released almost immediately. The broadcast also included a post-match angle showing a stunned Monroe confronting Hail and Jordynne Grace during Hail’s victory interview.

Notably, that interview segment was not part of the original plan for the episode. Fightful reports it was assembled on short notice and added to the CW Network broadcast once the decision was made to move forward with Hail as champion.

One NXT executive reportedly believes the incident could spark a meaningful change in protocol. Going forward, talent may be required to remain backstage until all TV tapings are fully completed. Currently, NXT pre-tapes are filmed on Mondays, with wrestlers typically expected to stay through the following night’s live television taping — a policy that may now be enforced more strictly in the wake of this situation.

Unexpected NXT Title Switch Leads to Major Backstage Adjustments

Tuesday night’s episode of WWE NXT delivered a surprise that few — including those backstage — saw coming. Blake Monroe’s defense of the NXT Women’s North American Championship against Thea Hail ended with Hail scoring an unplanned victory, abruptly changing the title picture.

According to Fightful Select, Monroe was originally slated to retain her championship. Instead, a mistimed finish led to Hail being counted down for the win, prompting what was described as a frantic backstage response. That confusion reportedly explains the noticeable delay before Hail’s entrance music played, as officials worked in real time to adjust to the unexpected outcome.

The ripple effects were immediate. Creative plans for Hail, Monroe, and several other talents had to be reworked, as upcoming storylines were reportedly built around Monroe continuing her reign. With Hail now holding the title, NXT is said to be heading in a completely different direction than what was planned just days ago.

As of now, there’s no indication that anyone has been singled out for blame. Fans, however, have been quick to speculate online, with theories ranging from Monroe missing a kickout, to Hail’s pin being overly complex, to the referee simply following through with the count. The situation has drawn comparisons to an earlier incident this year involving Tiffany Stratton, Nia Jax, and Jade Cargill, when a referee stopped a three-count — a decision that sparked widespread backlash at the time.

Monroe’s reign ultimately ends at 52 days, despite expectations that it would continue. For Hail, the moment marks a major milestone, as the former Chase U standout captures her first championship since signing with WWE in 2022. Now aligned with Joe Hendry, Hail’s sudden rise adds an intriguing new wrinkle to the evolving NXT landscape.

WWE NXT Preview 12/16/2025

WWE NXT live TONIGHT at 8e/7c on the CW Network. 

  • Fatal 4-way – NXT Championship #1 Contenders Match: Joe Hendry vs. Dion Lennox vs. Myles Borne vs. TNA X-Division Champion Leon Slater
  • NXT Women’s North American Championship: Blake Monroe (c) vs. Thea Hail
  • Evolve Women’s Champion Kendal Grey & Wren Sinclair vs. Fatal Influence (Women’s Speed Champion Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid)