Browsing: Backstage

Karrion Kross has revealed a weird talent relations interaction in WWE.

The former WWE star and his wife, Scarlett, recently had an interview with Chris Van Vliet. They talked about things such as their contract negotiations before leaving the company, working with Final Testament and more.

During the interview, the former NXT champion also discussed the infamous worked-shoot promo that went viral around the WrestleMania 41 weekend.

Kross revealed some previously unknown details about how the people within the company reacted to the promo, mentioning that someone from talent relations reached out to him the night after:

“I get a phone call from somebody in talent relations, and he says, ‘Creative is not happy. Thereâ€s heat. Theyâ€re pissed.â€

I was like, Well, I apologize about that. Let me go take care of that right now. I have a great relationship with them. Theyâ€re right across the hall. Heâ€s like uh, I said, ‘No, no, dude, this is my fault. Let me take care of it. No problem.—

What’s Going On?: Karrion Kross

Not wanting to be on bad terms with the creative, Karrion Kross talked to writers in person. Things got weird, however, when the writers denied being mad about the whole thing and the wrestling star eventually learned that it was Triple H who was unhappy:

“I go across the hall. I speak to some of the writers, explain everything. Theyâ€re like, ‘We have no idea what youâ€re talking about. We havenâ€t talked to that guy in two weeks.†Some of them didnâ€t even see it. So I was like, Whatâ€s going on here?

So I walk around the building and just looking at everything, everyoneâ€s saying, Hello, everything feels fine. I call him back, no answer. The next day, no answer. I think it was like the third day he finally picked up. Heâ€s like, ‘Yeah, I shouldnâ€t have said it that way. I apologize; it was actually Hunter.†“

Karrion Kross revealed that the person never spoke to Triple H to clear his standing. The former champion did eventually get to talk to the WWE Executive and cleared the air on the viral promo. According to Kross, The Game understood where he was coming from and was cool about the whole thing.

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A new report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletterhas provided an update on the status of WWE superstar Tony D’Angelo, revealing the reason for his ongoing absence from television. “The Don of NXT” has not been seen on programming since mid-July, leading to widespread speculation among fans that he was either injured or being prepared for an imminent call-up to the main roster. However, the new report indicates that his absence is for a much simpler, personal reason.

According to Dave Meltzer’s report, D’Angelo’s absence is not related to any injury. Instead, he is off television because he had “asked for time off.” There was no further indication as to when or on which brand the former NXT North American Champion is expected to make his return to the ring.

D’Angelo’s last televised appearance was on the July 15 episode of WWE NXT. On that night, he was victorious in a triple threat match against his own Family stablemates, Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo and Luca Crusifino. He later appeared in a pre-taped vignette where he seemed to be retiring his “Don” character before being confronted by a mysterious figure shrouded in shadows, leaving his storyline on a major cliffhanger.

His disappearance from television is what fueled the main roster call-up rumors. During his time in NXT, D’Angelo has held the North American Championship, the Heritage Cup, and was a two-time NXT Tag Team Champion. It’s unclear when he will be back.

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Cody Rhodes has revealed his hilarious backstage name.

One of the most well-dressed men in the pro-wrestling industry, alongside The Hurt Syndicate of AEW, Cody Rhodes is known for his love of dapper business suits.

The American Nightmare is often seen on television wearing suits rather than the more common wrestling athleisure attire. While it has earned him a reputation across the industry, Rhodes recently revealed his hilarious WWE backstage nickname when he forgoes the suits.

Speaking to Pat McAfee on his show, Rhodes stated,

If I am wearing my track jacket and stuff on TV, the writers call it, Cozy Rhodes.”

Rhodes is now scheduled to face Seth Rollins for the Crown Jewel Championship in Perth, Australia.

Cody Rhodes Reveals Why His SummerSlam Match Against John Cena Was A Success

At WrestleMania 41, John Cena defeated Rhodes to win his 17th World title. However, the match ended up as one of the most disappointing WrestleMania matches of all time.

A few months later, at SummerSlam 2025, Rhodes defeated Cena to win back his championship. Recently, speaking to Pat McAfee, Rhodes opened up on why his SummerSlam match was a success.

“I hate saying this, but part of the beauty of how great that match is was the lack of a match that really took place at WrestleMania, in a sense. Sometimes, the long game is the game. And again, it’s like going on last—it’s a hard spot occasionally, but the bigger picture. I treat them as they were the same match, and then we just got to use all the bells and whistles.â€

The American Nightmare believes their last match benefited from the lack of a bout they experienced at the Grandest Stage of them all earlier this year, in Las Vegas.

In other news: TMZ reporter Branson Quirke has opened up following the Matt Riddle attack.

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AEW/Ricky Havlik

The Don Callis Family has been all over AEW programming, growing bigger and bigger by the week. Despite this, one Callis Family member has been absent from AEW until recently.

According to PWInsider Elite, former IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champion Trent Beretta has been recovering from an arm injury. The report said that Beretta is expected back in competition in the next couple of months, but Beretta essentially beat the report to the punch, as Beretta appeared alongside Rocky Romero in a backstage vignette, which saw the Roppongi Vice members taunt TikTok stars AJ Befumo and his son “Big Justice” into the Costco Guys challenging them to a tag match at AEW Full Gear in November. However, since Big Justice is still a child, he will be replaced by a yet-to-be-named AEW star. In the video, Beretta has a cast on his arm.

This will not be the first time that the Costco Guys have faced Roppongi Vice, as they teamed with The Conglomeration’s Kyle O’Reilly, Hologram, and Tomohiro Ishii to take on Roppongi Vice and other The Don Callis Family members at All In: Texas earlier this summer. The motley crew was victorious over Romero, Beretta, and company.  “Big Boom” AJ made his AEW debut at the 2024 edition of Full Gear, where he defeated QT Marshall, and was supported by his son, as well as fellow social media star “The Rizzler.” There is no word on whether The Rizzler will be on hand for the Full Gear match.

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A new report has shed light on how Andrade El Idolo was able to make his shocking return to All Elite Wrestling on last night’s Dynamite, less than three weeks after his release from WWE. According to a report from PWInsider.com, Andrade did not have the standard 90-day non-compete clause that is typical for main roster talent departing WWE.

This allowed him to become an immediate free agent and sign with another promotion. The absence of this clause is what enabled his surprising comeback to happen so quickly. The report, citing multiple WWE sources, states that Andrade was “cut outright” from the company due to what was described as “numerous WWE Wellness violations over the last year.”

Because of the nature of the release, WWE reportedly chose not to pay him for the 90-day non-compete period, thus making him free and clear to perform elsewhere immediately. The report also suggests that this situation confirms what many have suspected for some time: that WWE is no longer publicly announcing Wellness Policy suspensions for its main roster talent.

Andrade made his return on the sixth anniversary episode of AEW Dynamite, appearing after the opening six-man tag team match. Following a victory by the team of Kenny Omega and the AEW World Tag Team Champions, Brodido, the lights in the arena went out. When they came back on, Andrade was in the ring. He attacked Kenny Omega and then shook hands with Don Callis, officially aligning himself with the Don Callis Family faction.

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Jade Cargillâ€s nasty injury during WWE SmackDown had fans seriously worried, but now thereâ€s a promising update on her condition—and itâ€s not as severe as originally feared.

According to PWInsider, word backstage at Mondayâ€s Raw was that Cargill only needed stitches to close the large gash she suffered above her left eyebrow. Despite how brutal it looked, she did not require any plastic surgery, which is a huge relief considering how deep the cut appeared in the photos she later posted.

The injury happened when Nia Jax drove Cargill face-first into the steel ring steps during their triple threat match. The impact caused immediate bleeding, and ringside medics rushed in to treat her while cameras continued rolling. After the show, fans saw footage of her being escorted to the back with a towel pressed to her face.

Cargill later shared photos of the cut on Instagram, making it clear sheâ€s unfazed and committed to the game. Internally, WWE officials are hopeful she could be cleared to return within just a few weeks. Thereâ€s no sign that sheâ€s been pulled from the road, which means she could be back on TV sooner than most expected.

For now, the focus remains on her recovery, but with this kind of grit, itâ€s clear Jade isnâ€t going anywhere.

How do you feel about the way WWE handled Jadeâ€s injury? Do you think she should take extra time to recover, or get back in the ring ASAP? Drop your thoughts in the comments below.

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Eagle-eyed fans spotted a former champion of the NWA during the September 29, episode of WWE Raw, playing a role outside of the ring. During the show’s opening segment, a confrontation between Asuka, Kairi Sane, IYO SKY, and Rhea Ripley ended with SKY getting misted by Asuka.

Later in the show, SKY was seen backstage getting medical help. Fans familiar with the NWA spotted Ella Envy as one of the medics tending to the former Women’s World Champion.

Envy, real name Madison Hardin, is a four-time former NWA World Women’s Tag Team Champion. In 2022, her efforts alongside Kenzie Page saw the duo place #71 in PWI’s ranking of the top 100 tag teams of the year.

BK Westbrook was the other extra during the segment backstage with SKY. Westbrook is a regular on the independent scene and regularly competes for Deadlock Pro Wrestling. Both he and Envy are based in North Carolina, the home of this week’s WWE Raw.

For Envy and Westbrook, their roles on Raw gave the pair a taste of the high-production that is a WWE TV event. With some notable names first appearing as extras in WWE, including Sheamus, Wade Barrett, and Tomasso Ciampa, perhaps these cameo roles will be the start of bigger things for the pair.

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Former AEW star Saraya had herself a rockstar moment in Las Vegas, and Tommy Lee was all over it—literally.

On September 27, 2025, Saraya posted a wild set of photos and videos to Instagram showing her night out with Shelby Burgess and Tyler Burgess at Mötley Crüe: The Las Vegas Residency. But the shot that got everyone talking? Tommy Lee licking Sarayaâ€s face backstage.

The moment shows Lee mid-lick while Saraya poses with puckered lips, clearly enjoying the chaotic energy. It wasnâ€t just a random encounter either—Saraya was invited to the show by Leeâ€s wife, Brittany Furlan, and she made sure to shout her out with serious appreciation.

“Myself @tylerburgess and @xoitsshelby got to finally see Motley Crue tonight 🥹 thanks for the invite @brittanyfurlan youâ€re a god damn angel of a human!! You and @tommylee made us feel incredibly welcome and we had a blast. Quick Vegas stop on my travels this week was well worth it 🖤â€

The rest of the clips show the trio vibing backstage, watching the performance, and posing for selfies around the venue. Tommy Lee was also seen spraying water backstage, adding to the full-on party atmosphere that followed them through the night.

The event took place on Friday, September 26, 2025, and Sarayaâ€s Vegas detour turned into a full-on Mötley Crüe experience. Dressed in a black halter top and soaking in the moment, Saraya looked every bit the rock goddess herself.

Saraya may be out of the AEW spotlight for now, but moments like this prove sheâ€s still center stage wherever she goes. What do you think of Tommy Leeâ€s bold move? Drop your thoughts in the comments—we want to hear it all.

September 27, 2025 11:24 am

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An update has been provided on the status of “The Samoan Werewolf” Jacob Fatu, whose absence from WWE programming over the past month has been a topic of discussion among fans. According to a new report from Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Fatu is expected to make his return to television imminently.

This is welcome news for fans who felt that the powerhouse superstar’s momentum had been derailed after a strong start to his WWE career in 2025.

The brief but direct report from the newsletter states: “Jacob Fatu will be back imminently.†The last time fans saw Jacob Fatu on television was during the main event of the August 29, 2025, episode of Friday Night SmackDown. On that night, he played a key role, helping his cousin Sami Zayn defeat Solo Sikoa to become the new United States Champion.

Despite being on the winning side of that major angle, Fatu has not appeared on television in the weeks since. During his absence from the main broadcast, he has reportedly been competing in non-televised dark matches for the live crowd after the SmackDown tapings have concluded. It is unclear what WWE has planned for his return, but fans are eager to see the former United States Champion back on television.

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A new report from Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio has provided insight into the booking of the recently announced match between John Cena and AJ Styles. While the match was made official this week through a social media campaign initiated by Cena, Meltzer reports that the bout has been the plan for the upcoming WWE Crown Jewel Premium Live Event for a long time. The narrative of the match coming together spontaneously was reportedly part of the intended storyline build.

According to Meltzer, several moments in recent weeks that seemed like standalone tributes or frustrations were actually deliberate seeds being planted for this encounter.

“This match was always scheduled for Australia — always. So the whole deal about Cena and AJ, you know, the idea that Cena was doing the tribute to him because he wasnâ€t going to get to wrestle him. That was actually to build to this match, that was not actually ever the case.â€

Meltzer noted that a “worked-shoot” promo that AJ Styles cut during a commercial break on a recent episode of Monday Night Raw was also part of the subtle, long-term build to the match announcement. The one-on-one encounter will be the first between the two legendary rivals since 2018. It will be one of the final four matches of John Cena’s career.

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