Tonight’s episode of WWE NXT airs at 8:00 PM EST / 5:00 PM PST on The CW Network in the United States and on Netflix internationally, from the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
AJ Styles may have officially called it a career at the Royal Rumble, but WWE isn’t done celebrating “The Phenomenal One” just yet.
During this week’s episode of WWE Raw, the company announced that next Monday’s show in Atlanta, Georgia will feature a special “Tribute to AJ Styles.” While the on-screen graphic made it clear the night will honor the former WWE Champion, WWE did not confirm whether Styles himself will be in attendance.
Styles’ in-ring career came to a dramatic end at the Royal Rumble in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, where he passed out in Gunther’s Rear Naked Choke. The finish left little room for ambiguity, and WWE quickly framed it as the final chapter in one of the most decorated careers of the modern era.
Still, the speed of his exit surprised many fans. Unlike John Cena, who is currently receiving a year-long farewell tour, Styles’ retirement felt abrupt. After debuting in WWE at the 2016 Royal Rumble to one of the loudest reactions of the decade, Styles went on to become a multi-time WWE Champion, United States Champion, and Tag Team Champion over a ten-year run with the company. Before that, he had already established himself as the face of TNA and a top star in NJPW, even holding the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
With so many of his longtime friends and rivals now working in AEW, speculation about Styles potentially following a similar path began almost immediately after his “retirement.” So far, however, there has been no concrete confirmation regarding his next move.
The announcement of a tribute on Raw adds another interesting wrinkle to the situation. Whether Styles appears live in Atlanta or not, WWE dedicating a full segment to honor him suggests the company still views him as an important part of its legacy. That alone may cool some of the immediate talk about a jump elsewhere — or at least delay it.
For now, fans will be watching closely to see how WWE handles the tribute and whether “The Phenomenal One” makes a surprise appearance in his home state. In wrestling, retirements are rarely permanent — and when it comes to AJ Styles, nothing feels entirely off the table.
Bianca Belair’s road back to the ring just hit another hurdle.
After weeks of speculation about her recovery and potential involvement in WrestleMania 42 season, “The EST of WWE” confirmed that she is undergoing surgery for the finger injury she suffered earlier this year. Belair shared the update via her Instagram Story on Sunday, writing, “Finger surgery tomorrow,” along with a praying hands emoji — indicating the procedure was scheduled for Monday.
Belair has been sidelined since WrestleMania 41, where she competed in a high-profile triple threat match against IYO SKY and Rhea Ripley. During the bout, Belair’s hand became trapped underneath Ripley in a spot that left her in immediate pain. At the time, Belair admitted she felt like she had “broken all of her fingers.” It was later confirmed that she fractured the joint in her left ring finger — a painful and tricky injury for any in-ring performer.
While Belair has remained visible on WWE programming in limited roles, she has not returned to active competition. She briefly appeared on stage during WWE’s announcement that WrestleMania 43 will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2027. Prior to that, she served as special guest referee for the match between her former tag team partners Jade Cargill and Naomi at Evolution in July, though she avoided any physical involvement.
As for her in-ring return, reports have painted an uncertain picture. A November update from BodySlam+ suggested WWE officials were hopeful Belair could be back by early 2026. However, a separate report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that there was no firm timetable in place for her comeback.
With surgery now underway, it’s clear Belair is taking the necessary steps toward a full recovery — even if it means missing more time. Given her track record of resilience and elite athleticism, few would bet against “The EST” making a strong return when she’s fully healed.
For now, the WWE women’s division moves forward without one of its cornerstone stars, while fans wait for updates on when Belair will once again bring the glow back to the ring.
WWE Raw airs live today on Netflix, beginning at 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT from the FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee.
WWE SmackDown airs live from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. tonight on Syfy in the United States, due to the USA Network’s coverage of the Winter Olympics. International fans can watch the show on Netflix.
WrestleMania season is officially underway, but it appears WWE has some ground to make up when it comes to filling Allegiant Stadium for WrestleMania 42.
After early reports suggested ticket sales for this year’s two-night spectacle in Las Vegas were lagging behind expectations, WWE has reportedly taken action behind the scenes. According to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select, the company recently held a multi-department meeting focused specifically on boosting ticket sales for the April event.
The internal discussion reportedly involved multiple areas of the company being tasked with ramping up promotional efforts. With just over two months remaining until WrestleMania 42, departments were encouraged to implement new strategies to drive interest and increase momentum heading into WWE’s biggest weekend of the year.
Per WrestleTix, WrestleMania 42 has currently distributed around 36,000 tickets for both Saturday and Sunday. While that’s a strong number by most standards, it falls well short of where WrestleMania 41 stood at this same point last year. By February 2025, WWE had already moved approximately 10,000 more tickets per night for the previous Las Vegas installment, which ultimately drew between 56,000 and 60,000 fans on both evenings.
One notable detail: WWE reportedly has no plans to reduce ticket prices to stimulate sales. As of now, the least expensive seat available for either night sits at $266.80 before fees. That pricing strategy suggests the company is confident it can build demand through marketing and storyline developments rather than adjusting its premium-event model.
Adding another layer to the situation, Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp recently reported that WWE is prohibiting WrestleMania watch parties at venues within a 50-mile radius of Allegiant Stadium. The move has reportedly caused frustration among local establishments, especially considering Las Vegas paid a significant site fee to host the event, with the expectation that WrestleMania week would drive tourism and related business activity throughout the city.
Blocking nearby watch parties could be viewed as an effort to funnel more fans directly into the stadium. However, it may also create tension with local businesses that were hoping to capitalize on the influx of wrestling fans.
At the moment, only one match has been officially confirmed for WrestleMania 42: 2026 Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns challenging CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship. While that’s a marquee main event by any standard, WrestleMania cards typically rely on a full slate of high-profile bouts to drive last-minute ticket movement.
With major storylines expected to intensify in the coming weeks, WWE will likely lean heavily on its television programming to build urgency and excitement. Historically, once the full card takes shape and celebrity involvement rumors begin circulating, ticket sales often receive a late push.
For now, all eyes are on how WWE’s internal strategy shift impacts sales momentum. WrestleMania remains the crown jewel of the company’s calendar, and with Las Vegas hosting once again, expectations are sky-high — even if the current numbers haven’t quite caught up yet.
Chelsea Green’s week just went from bad to worse.
After initially being believed to have suffered a sprained ankle on WWE SmackDown, the former WWE Women’s United States Champion has now confirmed the injury is far more serious. Taking to X for another installment of her tongue-in-cheek “Chelsea Chronicles,” Green revealed that she actually broke her ankle.
The injury occurred during last Friday’s Elimination Chamber qualifying match, where Green faced Tiffany Stratton and Lash Legend. While early reports suggested a sprain — with additional testing pending — Green first hinted that things were more severe earlier this week. She posted a photo showing significant bruising on her ankle, along with a humorous list of “demands” directed at WWE management.
Before that, she teased the situation in true Chelsea fashion, telling her loyal “Patri-Hots” that she had survived a “near-fatal fall” and suffered a “career-threatening injury.” Now, the diagnosis has been made official: it’s a broken ankle.
As of this writing, Green has not disclosed how long she expects to be sidelined.
The injury also forced her to miss AAA’s event over the weekend, where she had been scheduled to defend the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship alongside NXT’s Ethan Page. La Hiedra stepped in as her replacement, but the duo ultimately dropped the titles to Lola Vice and Mr. Iguana.
Green had already experienced a rocky start to the year after losing the Women’s United States Championship to Giulia on the January 2 edition of SmackDown. More recently, her name trended among fans following comments made by longtime backstage producer Michael Hayes on WWE Unreal, where he suggested Green was not “world championship material.” The remark sparked backlash online, with fans — and her ever-supportive “Patri-Hots” — rallying behind her across social media.
Now, Green faces a physical setback on top of the recent professional hurdles. If her past resilience and ability to turn adversity into entertainment are any indication, however, don’t expect her to stay out of the spotlight for long — even if she’ll be doing so on one good ankle for the foreseeable future.
Backstage Frustration Growing in WWE as WrestleMania 42 Plans Remain Unclear
WWE is no stranger to creative shake-ups, especially in the post-Vince McMahon era under Triple H. While the company initially saw a wave of positive momentum when Paul “Triple H” Levesque took over creative, the honeymoon period may be fading — and not just among fans.
Recent reports suggest that some WWE talent are feeling uneasy as WrestleMania 42 approaches, with several top stars reportedly unsure of their direction heading into the biggest show of the year.
According to claims made on the Self-Made Pro podcast — which, to be clear, remain unconfirmed — multiple main event-level WWE stars allegedly do not know what their WrestleMania plans are at this stage.
That uncertainty is said to be creating frustration internally. Several talents are reportedly “annoyed” about the constant shifting of creative direction and the lack of clarity regarding long-term plans.
One particularly interesting note making the rounds involves the perceived creative divide between RAW and SmackDown. There’s reportedly a growing sentiment among talent that being assigned to one brand over the other carries different creative implications. Some performers are said to be fully aware of what being on Friday nights might mean for their positioning compared to Mondays.
If accurate, that speaks to a broader internal perception issue — not just about creative instability, but about brand hierarchy.
Dave Meltzer has echoed similar concerns regarding WWE’s current state of flux. According to Meltzer, WrestleMania 42 ticket sales are reportedly down around 18% compared to this time last year.
To put things into perspective, roughly 36,000 tickets have reportedly been distributed so far. That’s hardly a disaster by most standards. However, WWE has grown accustomed to WrestleMania being an instant sell-out-level attraction in recent years. By comparison, this year’s advance may feel underwhelming internally.
Meltzer noted that there’s disappointment within the company regarding the current pace, even though the event is still expected to fill the venue. One complicating factor is that early ticket numbers can include complimentary tickets, making it difficult to get a fully accurate picture of true demand at this stage.
Still, the perception of softer sales appears to be influencing decision-making.
Perhaps more concerning is the reported internal criticism directed at Triple H. Meltzer claims there has been frustration over constant creative changes, with plans being adjusted repeatedly rather than sticking to a set course.
Some within WWE reportedly feel the frequent pivoting resembles the old Vince McMahon-style last-minute rewrites — something many believed would be a thing of the past under Levesque’s leadership.
The logic behind the changes? According to reports, there’s a belief that altering the WrestleMania card could boost interest. However, critics internally have pointed out that fans don’t even fully know what the card looks like yet. With only one match — CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns — reportedly locked in, there isn’t a finalized lineup for fans to react to in the first place.
Even heavily speculated matches, including a potential Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre bout, are said to be far from guaranteed.
At this stage, everything outside of Punk vs. Reigns is reportedly fluid.
It’s important to note that WrestleMania is still expected to be a major success. By most industry standards, the ticket numbers are strong — especially given modern pricing structures. However, WWE’s recent run of red-hot WrestleManias has likely raised internal expectations to historic levels.
The bigger concern may not be ticket sales at all, but perception. If talent feel directionless and creative plans remain in flux, morale can take a hit during what should be the most focused and cohesive stretch of the year.
As the Road to WrestleMania 42 continues, all eyes will be on how WWE solidifies its biggest matches — and whether stability returns behind the scenes.
For now, it appears the only certainty on the Grandest Stage of Them All is CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns. Everything else? Still up in the air.
WWE NXT tonight at 8pm ET on The CW.
The Sandman’s wild, beer-soaked ride through professional wrestling is finally coming to an end — but in true Sandman fashion, he’s doing it in the most unconventional way possible.
After an incredible 37-year career, the former WWE star and ECW icon is set to wrestle his final match this April at Joey Janela’s Spring Break. When Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” hits for the last time, fans will witness a farewell that nobody could have predicted: The Sandman vs. The Invisible Man.
Joey Janela revealed the surprising matchup on social media Monday night, dropping a trailer that instantly sent the wrestling world buzzing. While retirement matches are often emotional, straight-ahead affairs, this one leans fully into the absurd and creative energy that Spring Break has become known for — and that’s exactly why it fits Sandman so well.
For those unfamiliar, The Invisible Man is one of GCW’s most infamous long-running gimmicks. He rose to prominence during his surreal feud with Invisible Stan in 2019, which culminated in a fully officiated match at Joey Janela’s Spring Break 3, complete with AEW referee Bryce Remsburg calling the action. Despite being declared “dead” later that year, The Invisible Man has made sporadic returns ever since, popping up in GCW matches in 2020, 2022, and as recently as 2025.
Sandman’s retirement bout also continues a recent Spring Break tradition. He becomes the second consecutive ECW legend to close out their career on Janela’s stage, following the late Sabu, who wrestled his own final match last year in a brutal No Ropes Barbed Wire bout against Janela himself.
There’s also a bit of poetic irony in this matchup. This will mark the first time in Sandman’s career that he’s literally unable to see his opponent in a wrestling context — a fitting callback to one of the most memorable angles of his ECW run. In 1994, Sandman famously pretended to be blinded during an I Quit match against Tommy Dreamer, only to later reveal the injury was all a mind game.
Whether it turns out to be chaotic, comedic, emotional, or all of the above, The Sandman’s final match feels perfectly on-brand. It won’t be traditional. It won’t be predictable. And it certainly won’t be forgotten.
One last Singapore cane shot, one last beer smash — and one last swing at the invisible.
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