WWE SmackDown tonight on USA Network from the O2 Arena in London, England
Gail Kim worked as the Head of Talent Relations. Her departure came as a shock to many. The TNA Hall of Famer issued the following statement on her Instagram page earlier today:
“I Just wanted to say thank you to the fans, friends and especially my peers for all the support you have given me over the last few days. I’ve received such an enormous amount of love and it really has helped process this change for me. More than anything I am grateful for all the years and opportunities I was given to help build something I always dreamed of. The KO division is and will always be my heart and all the women who were a part of it. Thanks to the incredibly hard working and passionate TNA talent & crew that I have had the pleasure of working with. This will not end my passion or my love for wrestling and this is not the end of Gail Kim in the wrestling world. You don’t put in 17 years in one company and stop when you are this passionate. I look forward to sharing my journey and am taking some time for myself and prepare for what’s ahead. Looking forward to the future.
THANK YOU ❤️❤️ and one last thought……. More women in leadership roles. Not less. ????????
#womenswrestling #wrestling #TNA #WWE #AEW #NXT #champion #knockout #tnawrestling”
Below is the same statement she posted on X.
WWE’s blue brand is getting a fresh voice, as Mark Shunock has officially been named the new ring announcer for Friday Night SmackDown. Shunock, a seasoned host with experience in sports and entertainment, is set to bring his signature energy to WWE starting this week.
Shunock made the big announcement himself on social media, posting on X:
“Stepping into a new ring with @WWE. Thrilled to join Friday Night SmackDown. Mark ‘Nash’ will see you tomorrow night @TheO2. #WWE #WWESmackDown #SmackDown #RingAnnouncer”
With Alicia Taylor handling duties on Raw and Mike Rome on NXT, Shunock now completes WWE’s ring announcer lineup across all three major brands.
While this may be Shunock’s first role with WWE, he’s no stranger to hyping up a live crowd. A former Canadian Hockey League player turned performer, he has an extensive background in both entertainment and sports announcing.
Fans may recognize him from his time as the in-arena host for the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights and the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders. He has also worked as the ring announcer and host for Top Rank Boxing, bringing excitement to some of the biggest fights in the sport.
Shunock takes over the SmackDown ring announcer role from Lillian Garcia, who has been handling the position since early January. Before that, Garcia was the voice of Raw following her return to WWE in late 2023.
With his mix of sports, theater, and hosting experience, Shunock seems like a natural fit to carry the energy of SmackDown into this new era. Fans will get their first taste of his WWE debut at The O2 Arena in London, where he’ll introduce the superstars of Friday Night SmackDown.
TNA Wrestling will present a new episode of Impact tonight on AXS TV, with several WWE superstars set to compete.
Ring of Honor will present a new episode of ROH TV tonight on HonorClub.
AEW Dynamite airs live tonight on TBS and Max from the Roy Wilkins Auditorium at St. Paul RiverCentre, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
As reported here earlier today, TNA Wrestling is undergoing a significant leadership shakeup, as President Carlos Silva has confirmed the departure of eight key executives from both TNA and parent company Anthem Sports & Entertainment. These changes, which include the exit of TNA Hall of Famer Gail Kim and longtime creative leader Ariel Shnerer, mark a major transition for the company as it continues its ongoing partnership with WWE.
Among the most notable exits are:
Despite these high-profile departures, TNA has also announced the hiring of two new senior executives to help steer the company’s future:
This executive restructuring comes at a pivotal time for TNA, which recently solidified a multi-year partnership with WWE that has seen talent cross between both promotions. While the departures of creative minds like Shnerer and industry veterans like Kim may raise concerns, the additions of Clevinger and Rachine suggest that TNA is looking to evolve its business strategy moving forward.
UPDATE
According to Fightful Select, Romy Glazer in Marketing and Sebastian Dastranj were also let go.
Mina Shirakawa’s time in STARDOM is coming to an end, as the former multi-time champion is set to depart the promotion when her contract expires at the end of March. According to Tokyo Sports’ Kimoto Riju, Shirakawa plans to move to the United States, where she has already made a name for herself with appearances in AEW and NJPW.
Since joining STARDOM in 2020, Shirakawa has built an impressive résumé, capturing multiple championships:
Her run in STARDOM has solidified her as a major force in women’s wrestling, and her transition to the U.S. could open even more doors for her career.
After months of speculation, Mina Shirakawa has confirmed that she is officially joining AEW full-time. The former STARDOM star, who has already been heavily involved in AEW storylines over the past year, announced her decision following her exit from STARDOM.
“I, Shirakawa Mina, will be leaving STARDOM,” she said in a statement. “It is only thanks to the fans who have always believed in me and supported me that I have been able to continue to pursue my dreams and pursue my career as a professional wrestler. Thank you so much. As for the future, I, Shirakawa Mina, will be joining AEW.”
A press conference is expected later this week to announce the signing, which has reportedly been in the works for quite some time.
AEW’s growing women’s division has seen a surge of international talent in recent years, and Shirakawa’s addition could be a significant boost. She has already competed for AEW in the past, and with her connections to NJPW, she could play a key role in AEW’s ongoing relationship with Japanese wrestling promotions.
Although not officially signed until now, Shirakawa has played a key role in AEW’s women’s division. She made her AEW debut nearly a year ago, defeating Anna Jay on an episode of Dynamite in April. From there, she became intertwined with the storyline between “Timeless” Toni Storm and Mariah May, eventually earning two AEW Women’s World Championship opportunities.
Her first title shot came at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2024, where she challenged Storm but was unable to capture the gold. Later in the year, tensions rose between Shirakawa and May, culminating in another title opportunity at Winter Is Coming in December. This time, she faced May for the championship, but once again came up short.
Beyond AEW, Shirakawa has made waves in NJPW as well. In January, she competed against Mercedes Moné at Wrestle Dynasty in a high-stakes title match, with both Moné’s NJPW STRONG Women’s Championship and Shirakawa’s RevPro Undisputed British Women’s Championship on the line. While Shirakawa was unable to secure the victory, Moné expressed interest in a rematch, hinting that their rivalry may not be over.
Though Shirakawa suffered an injury during the Wrestle Dynasty bout, she has since recovered and returned to the ring, setting the stage for what could be an explosive run in AEW.
Now that she’s officially All Elite, Shirakawa’s next move will be closely watched. Could another clash with Mariah May be in her future? Will she cross paths with Toni Storm once again? And with Moné’s arrival in AEW seemingly imminent, a rematch between the two could be on the horizon.
One thing is for sure: Shirakawa is ready to make an impact in AEW, and her journey is just getting started.
Before her AEW debut, Shirakawa is scheduled to appear at NJPW Windy City Riot on April 11, which could serve as a preview of what’s to come. With her talent, charisma, and championship pedigree, she has the potential to be a major player in AEW’s women’s division.
TNA Wrestling is undergoing yet another major transformation, with multiple high-profile executives—including TNA Hall of Famer Gail Kim—officially exiting the company. This wave of departures follows the 2024 exit of former company president Scott D’Amore and comes at a time when TNA is actively working with WWE in a cross-promotional partnership.
According to Fightful Select and PWInsider, Kim, who played a crucial role in TNA’s talent relations and worked as a producer, is stepping away from the company. Her departure leaves veteran wrestler and Busted Open Radio host Tommy Dreamer in charge of TNA’s talent relations department.
In addition to Kim, longtime Executive Producer Ariel Shnerer—who was instrumental in TNA’s creative direction—is also leaving. Taking over TNA’s creative responsibilities will be Hunter “Delirious” Johnson, a familiar name in wrestling who previously served as the head booker for Ring of Honor before ROH was sold to Tony Khan in 2022.
The departures don’t stop there. Chief Revenue Officer Rob Klingman, along with Michael Shewchenko, Karen Clevett, Romy Glazer, Sebastian Dastrani, and live event coordinator Rafael Morfi, have all left TNA as well.
News of these exits didn’t just stun fans—it also sparked outrage among TNA’s own roster. Several stars took to social media to voice their frustration, particularly regarding Gail Kim’s departure.
This executive shake-up comes just two months after TNA and WWE announced a multi-year working relationship. Over the past year, the two promotions have exchanged talent, with TNA stars like Joe Hendry making appearances in WWE—including a surprise entry in the 2025 Royal Rumble—while NXT talent such as Charlie Dempsey and Wes Lee have wrestled on TNA programming.
One of the most notable crossovers in recent weeks saw NXT’s Cora Jade challenge Masha Slamovich for the Knockouts Championship at TNA: Sacrifice, though Slamovich successfully retained her title. Additionally, TNA legend Abyss, now working as a producer in WWE, will be included as a playable character in WWE 2K25 as part of an upcoming DLC pack.
With TNA continuing to evolve and its partnership with WWE becoming more prominent, fans are left wondering: is this restructuring necessary for growth, or is it a sign of trouble behind the scenes?
There are some within TNA that are now worried about the stability of their jobs. At least some are under the impression that the decision was made by TNA President Carlos Silva.
If it wasn’t already evident enough, there is belief within TNA that the company wants a “major regime shift,” with the latest wave of firings following up on Scott D’Amore getting fired last year. The reaction to Kim’s departure is said to be even more negative than it was for D’Amore’s, which was already overwhelmingly unpopular in the locker room.
Kim reportedly has no intention of leaving the world of wrestling behind, and there are already people within both WWE and AEW pushing for her to be brought in. In addition to her in-ring history with the company, Kim had long-standing backstage roles in TNA as a producer and in talent relations, and there is no non-compete clause in place to prevent her from showing up elsewhere.
The report stated that Kim was known for pushing back on higher-ups in TNA parent company Anthem, which likely contributed to the company’s decision to let her go. However, talent within the company viewed this trait as a positive, as they believed Kim was fighting to improve the promotion.
Former AEW star and ex-WWE Women’s Champion Saraya has officially announced her departure from All Elite Wrestling. The news was revealed exclusively through Entertainment Weekly and comes on the heels of her latest career move—launching a brand-new podcast, Rulebreakers With Saraya.
Speaking on the debut episode of her podcast, Saraya shared that her time with AEW had come to an end but emphasized that there were no hard feelings.
“I’m here to tell you that me and AEW’s relationship has come to an end,” she said. “I had an amazing time there. There’s no bad blood between us. I had such a magical time.”
Saraya’s last AEW match was back in October 2024, where she competed in a Fatal Four-Way No. 1 Contender’s Match against Willow Nightingale, Nyla Rose, and Jamie Hayter. She wrestled fewer than a dozen matches on AEW television in 2023, appearing across Dynamite, Rampage, and Collision.
Despite parting ways, Saraya expressed nothing but gratitude toward AEW and company president Tony Khan.
“Thank you, AEW. Thank you to the AEW fans—I loved my f***ing time there,”* she said. “Tony’s f***ing awesome. And anyone that goes to work there will just enjoy their time. It’s just great.”*
The timing of Saraya’s announcement has certainly raised eyebrows. Earlier this year, she told TMZ that her AEW contract was set to expire in September, making the circumstances of her departure somewhat unclear. However, with WrestleMania season in full swing, the move comes at an intriguing time.
Could WWE be in her future? The wrestling world has seen its fair share of surprise returns, particularly during major events like the Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, and SummerSlam. CM Punk’s shocking WWE comeback at Survivor Series 2023 proved that anything is possible. Similarly, Becky Lynch’s return at SummerSlam 2021 after more than a year away set a precedent for big-name stars making grand reappearances.
For now, Saraya seems focused on her podcasting venture, but wrestling fans will be watching closely to see where she lands next. Whether it’s a WWE homecoming or a fresh path in another promotion, her next chapter promises to be just as captivating as her career so far.
Would you want to see Saraya back in WWE?
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