Tag: WWE

Backstage Update: Naomi’s Absence Forces WWE to Fast-Track Asuka Heel Turn on Raw

WWE had to pull a last-minute audible on this week’s Monday Night Raw after Women’s World Champion Naomi was unexpectedly ruled out of her scheduled title defense against IYO SKY. The company announced just hours before the show that Naomi wasn’t medically cleared to compete, though no reason has been publicly revealed for her absence.

The change didn’t just affect that night’s lineup — it also reshaped a major storyline. According to PWInsider Elite, WWE had been building toward a slow-burn heel turn for Asuka against her Damage CTRL partner SKY. That confrontation was originally planned to happen further down the road, but with Naomi out, WWE decided to move up the split. Fans saw the seeds planted after SKY’s loss to Roxanne Perez, when Asuka walked out on her partner in frustration.

Interestingly, the Perez vs. SKY match itself wasn’t the original plan either. WWE reportedly considered booking Perez and Raquel Rodriguez against SKY and Rhea Ripley in tag action. It’s unclear why the singles match was chosen instead, or whether Asuka’s heel turn would’ve still happened in a tag scenario.

The accelerated breakup angle could hint that Naomi will be out of action for at least a short while longer. She is, however, scheduled to appear alongside her husband, Jimmy Uso, on Stephanie McMahon’s What’s Your Story? podcast this Thursday. That appearance might provide some answers about her status — and the fate of the Women’s World Championship picture.

Karrion Kross Says WWE Gave Him 24 Hours to Accept Contract Offer, Talks Missing Metrics & Scarlett’s Status

Former WWE Superstar Karrion Kross has opened up about the surprising circumstances surrounding a recent contract offer from WWE — and why he ultimately walked away from it.

Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Kross revealed that the company presented him with a new deal but only gave him 24 hours to make a decision. While Kross was interested, he says he wanted more clarity before signing.

“I got the offer and just wanted to understand how they came to that number,” Kross explained. “I asked for metrics, analytics, anything that could help me make an informed choice. They wouldn’t provide it, and told me I had 24 hours to decide or they’d rescind the offer. The next day I asked again, they still didn’t have the information, so I told them I wanted to keep talking. Instead, they pulled the deal.”

Despite the situation, Kross stressed there’s no bad blood. His intention — and that of his wife, Scarlett — remains to return to WWE. “The goal has always been to be with WWE,” he said. “We’re still at the table for conversations. We want to work it out.”

On the subject of Scarlett, Kross revealed there was never a formal offer made to her. When he inquired about her status, WWE reportedly told him, “After we deal with you, we’ll deal with her.” Kross noted that in the past, their deals were handled together and he doesn’t see why that approach couldn’t be used again.

Kross appears at the start of the second hour of The Ariel Helwani Show, where he discusses the full story.

Report: WWE Planning September Pay-Per-View to Clash with AEW All Out

It looks like WWE and AEW might be heading for another direct showdown on the wrestling calendar. According to POST Wrestling, WWE is preparing to run a main roster pay-per-view on Saturday, September 20th — the same date AEW has locked in for its annual All Out event.

While there’s no official word yet on whether WWE will go head-to-head during AEW’s confirmed 8 PM ET start time, the overlap is hard to ignore. WWE’s show is set for Indianapolis, Indiana, with Gainbridge Fieldhouse — a familiar stop for the company — being the frontrunner as the venue.

Meanwhile, All Out will be making a major move of its own this year, running from Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena instead of its usual Chicago home base.

The new WWE pay-per-view will also be part of a busy stretch for the company in Indiana. In the weeks surrounding the show, WWE has RAW booked for Evansville on September 22nd, SmackDown on September 19th in Toledo, Ohio, and even a series of appearances by Triple H at TEDSports in Indianapolis from September 9th–11th.

If the timing lines up, fans could be in for one of the most direct WWE vs. AEW event battles since the two promotions began running at the same time on TV in 2019.

WWE NXT Preview 8/12/2025

WWE NXT on the CW Network

  • Lash Legend vs. Nia Jax
  • 8-Man tag Team Match: Oba Femi, Trick Williams, Je’von Evans & Moose vs. Dark State
  • Fatal influence (Jacy Jayne & Fallon Henley) vs. Lola Vice & Kelani Jordan
  • Joe Hendry vs. Charlie Dempsey

Dave Meltzer Comments on Karrion Kross’ Mysterious WWE Status

The wrestling rumor mill has been buzzing ever since Karrion Kross and Scarlett quietly slid into WWE.com’s Alumni section, sparking speculation that their time with the company might be over. Reports suggest their contracts may have expired, but not everyone is convinced this is the end of the story — and Dave Meltzer thinks there’s more going on than meets the eye.

Speaking on the latest Wrestling Observer Radio, Meltzer admitted that details are being kept under wraps.

“It’s definitely being kept quiet. It’s a weird one,” Meltzer said. “They gave him an offer and he didn’t sign as of this week. He may be a free agent.”

While Kross has been busy doing media rounds this week, the press push is tied to the release of his new book through ECW Press — not WWE. Interviews have reportedly come with strict instructions to avoid any questions about his contract status, further adding to the intrigue.

According to Meltzer, there’s still a feeling inside WWE that Kross will return, but even that comes with a shrug.

“The belief in WWE is that he’s gonna be back, but we’ll see… No one’s really saying he’s gone, but no one knows for sure either.”

Kross’ last WWE appearance was at SummerSlam, where he lost clean to Sami Zayn to wrap up their feud. For months, his and Scarlett’s contractual situation has been a source of conflicting reports and uncertainty — and this latest development only deepens the mystery.

Whether this is a genuine exit or a cleverly crafted storyline remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: fans will be watching closely to see where the Doomsday duo shows up next.

WWE Raw Preview 8/11/2025

WWE Raw airs live today, globally on Netflix from the Videotron Centre in Quebec City, Canada, beginning at 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT.

  • CM Punk to open the show
  • WWE Intercontinental Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Maxxine Dupri (non-title)
  • WWE Women’s World Championship Match: Naomi (c) vs. IYO SKY
  • Sami Zayn vs. Rusev

WWE SmackDown Preview 8/8/2025

WWE SmackDown live on USA Network from the Bell Centre in Montreal, QC

  • Fallout from SummerSlam Night 1 and Night 2
  • New Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes Speaks to the WWE Universe
  • John Cena Appears Live on WWE SmackDown

Report: WWE Reportedly Makes New Offer to Karrion Kross Amid Contract Uncertainty

After coming up short in his match against Sami Zayn at SummerSlam, Karrion Kross – along with his on-screen and real-life partner Scarlett – has found himself at the center of speculation regarding his WWE future. Notably absent from the post-SummerSlam episode of WWE Raw, the pair’s contract situation has raised eyebrows across the industry.

As reported by Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE has since extended a new contract offer to Kross, signaling that the company may not be ready to part ways with the former NXT Champion. While there’s no official confirmation from WWE just yet, longtime insider Dave Meltzer has indicated he expects Kross to re-sign. Kross responded to the chatter in a recent interview with Joey Karni, stating that while “a lot” of what’s been reported isn’t accurate, both he and Scarlett are hopeful to remain part of the Raw roster.

Fightful Select also weighed in, clarifying that while they couldn’t confirm if formal contract offers had been made, they did provide some context on the situation. Kross and Scarlett were originally booked to travel to Brooklyn for the August 4 episode of Raw, but those plans were scrapped at some point prior to the broadcast. The report also notes that as of that date, the duo had told people both inside and outside the company that WWE had yet to approach them about new deals – despite their current contracts reportedly expiring on August 10.

Interestingly, tentative creative plans for Kross had apparently been floated in recent weeks, though specifics remain under wraps. The idea that WWE would let their contracts lapse without any effort to retain them doesn’t seem to match the couple’s own expectations either.

It’s also worth noting that this kind of last-minute contract handling hasn’t been common in WWE over the past year and a half. The previous pattern of delayed offers was often associated with former WWE EVP of Talent Dan Ventrelle, who has since departed the company.

As it stands, it seems WWE isn’t ready to move on from Kross and Scarlett just yet — and judging by Kross’ own comments, the feeling may be mutual. Whether or not that culminates in a new deal before their reported expiration date remains to be seen, but it’s clear both sides are still talking.

WWE Strikes Blockbuster Streaming Deal with Disney – Premium Live Events Heading to ESPN Streaming Service in 2026

A major shift is coming to how U.S. wrestling fans will watch WWE’s biggest shows. Beginning in 2026, WWE’s premium live events (PLEs) will stream exclusively on a brand-new direct-to-consumer platform from Disney-owned ESPN. The deal is reportedly worth a staggering $1.6 billion over five years, averaging $325 million annually, according to reports from The Wall Street Journal and CNBC.

That means starting with WrestleMania 42, fans will need to subscribe to ESPN’s upcoming streaming service to catch all major WWE events, including Royal Rumble, SummerSlam, Survivor Series, and Money in the Bank. The price tag? $29.99 per month—or $299.99 for the year—a significant increase compared to the current setup on Peacock.

Disney Dives Into the Ring

The move marks WWE’s exit from its current deal with NBCUniversal’s Peacock, which began in March 2021 and reportedly brought in around $900 million over its term. That deal included both WWE’s live events and its massive video library. At this point, it’s unclear whether the Disney deal includes the WWE Network archives.

While the full scope of content hasn’t been confirmed, ESPN did announce that select WWE events will also air on its linear TV networks—potentially giving casual viewers a taste of WWE’s top-tier programming without a streaming subscription.

“This agreement, which features the most significant WWE events of the year, bolsters our unprecedented content portfolio and helps drive our streaming future,” said ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro, adding that WWE’s “immense, devoted and passionate fan base” was a key reason behind the partnership.

What’s Staying, What’s Changing

WWE’s SmackDown will remain on the USA Network, and replays of weekly programming will still be available on Peacock for the time being. However, if you’re a fan who tunes in for the big shows—the ones that define WWE’s calendar year—you’ll need to adjust your subscription habits by 2026.

WrestleMania 42 Ushers in a New Era

This deal kicks off with WrestleMania 42, signaling the start of a new era for WWE’s distribution strategy in the U.S. With a direct-to-consumer model, ESPN and WWE are betting big on loyal fans being willing to pay a premium for exclusive access.

For WWE, the move is a financial windfall. For fans, it’s a shake-up—one that could lead to deeper content, more mainstream exposure, but also a higher monthly bill.

Triple H on WWE/ESPN deal

WWE’s Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque appeared on Wednesday’s episode of Get Up on ESPN.

Triple stated the PLE’s on ESPN will be more of a spectacle than they have been.

“There’s nothing bigger, there’s no bigger opportunity for us than this right now…Nick and I have been thinking about it for a long time, of it is the right home for it. It’s something that we’ve been trying to work through for a long time. Jimmy Pitaro making it happen, it’s thrilling for us. Can’t be more excited…from my point of view, nobody does large-scale, massive events like ESPN. Super Bowl, all of it, right? It’s what you do. And it’s what we like to think we do better than anybody else on the planet,” he said. “So this is the perfect marriage. When we get together, things like WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble are going to be bigger than ever. They’re going to be more of a spectacle than ever before. And we’re going to light the world on fire.”

WWE NXT Preview 8/5/2025

WWE NXT live TONIGHT at 8 ET/7 CT on the CW Network

  • Lexis King vs. Myles Borne
  • Blake Monroe vs. Kelani Jordan
  • NXT Women’s North American Championship: Sol Ruca (c) vs. Tatum Paxley
  • NXT Tag Team Championship: Hank & Tank (c) vs. Chase U
  • Nia Jax vs. Thea Hail