Tag: WWE

WWE Star Zoey Stark Gets Baptized Amid Injury Recovery, AEW’s Brian Cage Was There For Support

WWE Superstar Zoey Stark recently shared a major personal milestone with fans, revealing on social media that she’s been baptized in the Christian faith. In a video posted online, Stark can be seen taking part in the ceremony while wearing a shirt that read, “I have decided.”

Interestingly, the event also featured AEW’s Brian Cage, who attended alongside his family to show support. Cage shared his own post about the day, expressing how meaningful it was to witness Stark’s baptism and celebrate her commitment.

While Stark’s faith journey is just beginning, she joins a long list of wrestlers who have openly spoken about their Christian beliefs over the years. Names like Shawn Michaels, Hulk Hogan, Sting, Kurt Angle, Chad Gable, and The Undertaker have all shared how faith has played a role in their lives both inside and outside the ring.

Stark has been out of action since May 2025, sidelined by a serious knee injury suffered during a Women’s Money in the Bank qualifying match against Kairi Sane. During the bout, Stark’s knee appeared to buckle after a mistimed missile dropkick, and reports later indicated she’d likely miss the rest of the year.

Despite her time away from the spotlight, Stark has stayed active online, debunking an AI-generated video falsely claiming she had retired. The former NXT standout has made it clear that she fully intends to return to WWE once she’s cleared to compete.

Until then, Zoey Stark seems to be focusing on healing — both physically and spiritually — as she prepares for what’s sure to be a powerful comeback story.

WWE Raw Preview 10/6/2025

WWE Raw is back to it’s normal time of 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm live on Netflix from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

  • Roman Reigns will open the show
  • WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch vs. Maxxine Dupri (non-title)
  • CM Punk to make his first appearance since Wrestlepalooza
  • Lyra Valkyria vs. Roxanne Perez
  • Roman Reigns will open the show

WWE SmackDown Preview 10/3/2025

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown will air live on the USA Network in the United States and Netflix internationally from the Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, Ohio.

  • Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton vs. Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed
  • Sami Zayn United States Championship Open Challenge
  • Tiffany Stratton looks ahead to Crown Jewel with her match against Stephanie Vaquer
  • Damian Priest in action

Update On Alberto El Patron’s Status With WWE & AAA

With WWE now officially owning AAA, several of the Mexican promotion’s top stars have already started finding their way onto WWE programming. But one name noticeably missing from the spotlight is Alberto El Patron — and his future remains very uncertain.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE inherited Patron’s AAA contract when they acquired the company. However, the former WWE Champion hasn’t been used on television, nor has he been featured in major AAA events like Worlds Collide or Triplemania.

Despite still having a strong fan following in Mexico — with crowds regularly chanting his name during AAA shows — WWE has no immediate creative plans for Patron. His history of personal controversies, combined with his rocky past relationship with WWE, has reportedly made the company hesitant about committing to him in any major capacity.

Patron most recently competed on September 26 at an AAA affiliate event, teaming with Mr. Iguana in a winning effort. But storyline-wise, he was written out of AAA after losing a “Loser Leaves Town” match, further fueling speculation about whether WWE will ever bring him back into the fold.

At this point, Patron’s future is up in the air. WWE may simply keep him under contract without using him, or they could look for a way to test the waters with a one-off appearance down the line. For now, though, fans hoping to see Alberto El Patron back on a big stage will have to keep waiting.

Why NXT/TNA “Invasion” Special Renamed To Showdown

WWE made a quick change this week to the name of its highly-anticipated NXT and TNA crossover special. What was originally announced as “NXT vs. TNA: Invasion” will now go forward under a new title — “Showdown.”

The event, set for October 7, was still being promoted with the “Invasion” branding earlier in the day, but by the time NXT aired Tuesday night, the name had been officially swapped out. The change sparked plenty of conversation, and it wasn’t just about WWE’s history with the “Invasion” label from the 2001 WCW/ECW storyline.

Why WWE Dropped the “Invasion” Title

The decision comes after backlash from Israeli fans and media outlets, who pointed out the sensitivity of branding the show “Invasion” on October 7. That date marks the second anniversary of the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which left over 1,200 people dead. Critics described WWE’s choice as “insensitive,” noting both the word itself and the accompanying logo — which featured a bold red “V” — unintentionally resembled imagery associated with Hamas.

One viral post on X (formerly Twitter) even highlighted the resemblance, questioning how WWE’s marketing team could miss the connection, even if it was unintentional.

WWE Responds Quickly

Once the controversy began to circulate, WWE and TNA quietly pulled advertising for the event before reintroducing it on Tuesday’s NXT broadcast with its new name. On-screen, the change was woven into the storyline by TNA’s Director of Authority, Santino Marella, who lightheartedly reframed the show as more of a “showcase” than an “invasion,” ultimately dubbing it a “Showdown.”

Behind the scenes, WWE wasted no time moving forward with the rebrand — filing a trademark for “Showdown” almost immediately after the new name was announced.

Looking Ahead

The rebranding doesn’t change the fact that this crossover is a landmark moment for both NXT and TNA, as two promotions come together for a rare interpromotional showcase. With “Showdown” now locked in, fans can expect the focus to return to what matters most: the matches, the surprises, and the potential for new dream encounters between NXT and TNA’s top stars.

WWE NXT Preview 9/30/2025

WWE NXT live tonight on The CW.

  • Lash Legend vs. Jaida Parker
  • Ava and Santino Marella choose their teams for InVasion
  • TNA Stars to appear
  • Newly crowned NXT Champion Ricky Saints
  • The fallout from NXT No Mercy

WWE’s Ridge Holland Sidelined with Serious Foot Injury After TNA Tapings

Bad news has hit Ridge Holland’s momentum. The NXT/EVOLVE standout, who has been a regular face in the ongoing WWE–TNA partnership, announced that he’s dealing with a significant injury that will put him on the shelf for the foreseeable future.

Holland was in action this past weekend at the TNA iMPACT tapings from the Edmonton Expo Centre in Alberta, Canada. On Friday, he wrestled at the Victory Road 2025 special, suffering a loss to Mike Santana. The next night, he stepped into the ring with Moose for matches taped to build toward TNA’s marquee event, Bound For Glory, scheduled for October 12 in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Unfortunately, things didn’t end well for Holland. On Monday, he took to Twitter to confirm the nature of his injury, writing:

“Lisfranc Injury. Surgery Friday. See ya in a bit.”

The Lisfranc injury — which affects the midfoot — is no small matter, often requiring surgery and months of recovery time. That means Holland will be missing a crucial stretch of TV, including Bound For Glory, at a time when WWE and TNA’s partnership has created some high-profile crossover opportunities.

It’s a tough setback for the powerhouse, who had been gaining traction by mixing it up with some of TNA’s biggest names. While no timetable has been given for his return, fans will no doubt be eager to see him bounce back once he’s cleared.

John Cena’s Final Match Officially Set for Washington, D.C. – SNME

The time and place are finally official—John Cena’s last match will go down in the nation’s capital. WWE confirmed Tuesday that Cena’s farewell bout is set for Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13 at the Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

The announcement puts to rest months of speculation. While many fans expected Cena’s final chapter to be written in Boston, near his hometown of West Newbury, Massachusetts, the venue shift had been rumored since early September. According to reports, D.C. landed the event after offering a sizable site fee, similar to the $7 million New Jersey paid for this year’s historic two-night SummerSlam.

Tickets and Fan Experiences

Tickets for Saturday Night’s Main Event officially go on sale October 17 at 10 a.m. EST via Ticketmaster, with a presale opportunity starting October 15 for registered fans. Premium passes through On Location will also be available, giving diehard fans the chance to sit ringside for Cena’s last outing, enjoy all-inclusive pre-show hospitality, and mingle with WWE stars.

If you can’t make it to D.C., the show will stream live on Peacock, bringing Cena’s farewell to viewers around the world.

More WWE in the Capital

WWE is going all-out with the weekend festivities. On December 12, fans can catch a live edition of “Six Feet Under with The Undertaker” at The Howard Theatre. Meanwhile, The Gallery Space DC will transform into a WWE Superstore, packed with exclusive merchandise celebrating Cena’s final match.

Cena’s Farewell Tour Rolls On

Before his career curtain call, Cena still has five stops left on his farewell tour. His next big match is set for Crown Jewel in Perth, Australia on October 11, where he’ll face off against longtime rival AJ Styles.

The Capital One Arena showdown marks the end of an era. Cena has been the face of WWE for more than two decades, and his final match promises to be a historic night both for fans in attendance and those tuning in from home.

WWE Raw Preview 9/29/2025

WWE Raw live tonight on Netflix at 7 PM ET from the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, NC.

  • WWE Intercontinental Championship: Dominik Mysterio (c) vs. Rusev
  • Tag Team Tornado Match: The Usos vs. The Vision
  • Bayley vs. Raquel Rodriguez
  • AJ Styles & Dragon Lee vs. Los Americanos
  • Rhea Ripley and IYO SKY to appear

Referee Daphanie LaShaunn Speaks Out After Big SmackDown Main Event Botch

The closing moments of Friday’s WWE SmackDown women’s main event had fans buzzing for an unexpected reason — a botched pinfall that briefly threw the finish into question.

During the WWE Women’s Title Triple Threat Match, Tiffany Stratton appeared to have Nia Jax down for a three-count, but referee Daphanie LaShaunn (formerly known on the indies as Aja Smith) only registered a two despite Jax not kicking out. The hiccup was quickly overshadowed when Stratton went on to hit the Prettiest Moonsault Ever for the actual finish, but the moment didn’t go unnoticed.

LaShaunn later addressed the incident on her Instagram Stories, showing humility and appreciation in her response:

“I see all the love. I’m just human, but I can promise that I strive to always be better. Which will forever be my goal as long as I’m on this journey. I love this just like y’all. That I can swear to you.”

According to reports, the finish of the match had already been slightly reworked after Jade Cargill suffered a cut earlier in the contest. Stratton was always planned to leave with the victory, but the sequence leading up to it ended up playing out differently than scripted.

As is often the case with live TV, WWE quickly cleaned up the mistake for its official YouTube upload, editing the missed count out of the footage.

While the botch sparked chatter online, LaShaunn’s professionalism and accountability in addressing the situation have earned her plenty of respect from fans. Mistakes may happen, but Stratton still got her big win — and SmackDown closed with the intended result.