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After several months of laying on a crate backstage without saying a word, looking like a total doofus and everything that a solid baby face shouldn’t be, Johnny Gargano sprang up to challenge CM Punk for the WWE championship last week on Smackdown in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.

AEW presented a special “Rebel Heart” edition of Dynamite on Wednesday night from the Akins Ford Arena in Athens, Georgia. The show aired live on TBS and HBO Max and featured multiple championship matches, an emotional tribute to Rebel and a Tables Match main event. The broadcast opened with an “In Memory Of” graphic honoring late AEW star “The Butcher” Andy Williams as fans inside the arena chanted his name.

AJ Lee has opened up about why she largely avoided professional wrestling during her decade away from the ring, comparing her relationship with the industry to a painful breakup. Lee retired from wrestling in 2015 and turned her attention toward her mental health and other projects before eventually returning to WWE in 2025. During an appearance on Mind Over Mountain with Cheryl Strayed, Lee was asked whether she continued following wrestling during her lengthy absence.

Ric Flair apparently carried significant resentment over being forced to cut his signature hair during his time in WCW, with Charlotte Flair revealing just how deeply the experience affected her father. During an appearance on What’s Your Story? with Steph McMahon, Charlotte discussed interviewing Ric for her upcoming podcast and recalled asking him about something he had struggled to overcome mentally. “I asked him what was something that he couldn’t get past, mentally,” Charlotte said.

WWE President Nick Khan says the company has already mapped out its creative plans for WrestleMania 43, roughly seven months before the historic event takes place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Khan discussed WrestleMania during an appearance on The Varsity with John Ourand, where the conversation touched on WWE’s continued international expansion and its evolution from an American company distributing content globally into what it now views as a truly global product.

“The Butcher” Andy Williams | AEW A celebration of life honoring Andy “The Butcher” Williams has been announced for later this month in his hometown of Buffalo, New York. The event will take place on Sunday, September 27, from 6–11 p.m. at Buffalo RiverWorks. Admission is free, although those planning to attend are required to reserve a ticket in advance. Organizers announced: “Sunday, September 27th 6-11pm at Buffalo Riverworks.

Ric Flair believes social media has dramatically changed how professional wrestlers build their careers — and argues that some performers are now making significant money because of their online presence rather than their ability inside the ring. The WWE Hall of Famer discussed the influence of social media during an appearance on Booker T’s podcast, contrasting today’s wrestling landscape with the era in which he and Booker built their careers.

Danhausen has revealed that perfecting his signature face paint has become a surprisingly quick process. The “Very Nice, Very Evil” WWE Superstar has regularly appeared on company programming since making his debut at Elimination Chamber earlier this year. His unique character has also crossed into the sports world through his attempts to place and remove curses involving the New York Knicks.

WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan is adding another acting credit to her growing résumé. According to Deadline, Morgan has joined the cast of the upcoming psychological thriller Ping, which stars Obsession actress Megan Lawless and will mark Richie Gordon’s feature directorial debut. Morgan, whose real name is Gionna Daddio, will portray a character named Jess. Further details regarding her character and how she fits into the story have not yet been revealed.

Ethan Page believes he could make himself the most beloved wrestler in WWE within three weeks — but says being liked by fans isn’t why he’s there. Page remained firmly in character during his appearance on TMZ’s Inside The Ring, using the interview to portray himself as the one person in WWE willing to admit how the wrestling business really works. His argument began with the question of where WWE’s money ultimately comes from. “Customer. Now, how are you going to get this money from the customer?