Browsing: Plans

Seth Rollins has officially been stripped of his WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and a new champion will be crowned soon.

During Mondayâ€s episode of WWE RAW, the trio of Bron Breakker, Paul Heyman, and Bronson Reed came out. Before much could be done, out came Adam Pearce. The RAW GM was quick to chastise Breakker and the group for their actions against Rollins. Pearce said that, as a result of the attack, Rollins had to have “major surgery,†and would be “on the shelf for a while.â€

BREAKING NEWS: Seth Rollins has been stripped of the World Heavyweight Championship due to injury.

There will be a Battle Royal TONIGHT to determine who will face CM Punk for the title at Saturday Night’s Main Event! ? pic.twitter.com/mFy2dkE5gk

— WWE (@WWE) October 21, 2025

As for Rollins†title, Pearce said that heâ€d have to strip Seth of it. As a result, a new champion will need to be crowned, and one will be soon. Pearce said that a battle royal tonight would determine an opponent for CM Punk. Those two will wrestle at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event to crown the new champion.

Pearce and Breakker then had a stare down with one another. Pearce demanded the title Breakker had stolen back, and Breakker eventually acquiesced. With that done, it looks like we now have our eyes set on the future of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

Update:Jey Uso won the battle royal, and he will now face CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship at Saturday Nightâ€s Main Event on November 1.

READ MORE: WWE Raw Results: Review, Grades, Card For Oct 20

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Last Monday on “Raw,” WWE’s future plans seemed to go up in smoke after news emerged that WWE World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins had suffered a shoulder injury and would need surgery, leaving him out of action for the foreseeable future. While WWE moved quickly to explain his absence by having The Vision turn on Rollins, it did little to explain future plans for the World Heavyweight Title, which Rollins was scheduled to defend against CM Punk at “Saturday Night’s Main Event” on November 1.

Whatever idea WWE has should be revealed tonight, however, as Bodyslam+ reports that Punk’s opponent for “SNME” will be determined on this evening’s edition of “Raw.” But it won’t be decided in a regular singles match or even a three-way or four-way bout, with WWE instead expected to hold a battle royal, with the winner earning a title shot.

No names, nor number of participants, were confirmed for this battle royal, leaving it impossible to predict at the moment. Some fans will surely speculate that The Vision’s Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed will be among the favorites, should they participate. Breakker was the one who led the attack on Rollins just one week ago, and photos from after the show showed the former NXT Champion posing with the World Heavyweight title.

Meanwhile, Reed just recently picked up the biggest win of his career, defeating Roman Reigns in an Australian Street Fight at Crown Jewel. Other potential contenders could be former champion Jey Uso and LA Knight, who both came up short against Punk last week on “Raw” in the match to determine Rollins’ challenger.

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The shocking return of CM Punk to WWE at Survivor Series 2023 was a monumental moment for the company, but it also reportedly caused significant creative plans to be scrapped. According to Wolfgang of the NXT faction Gallus, his group was scheduled to be called up to the main roster and was slated for a storyline with Drew McIntyre, but those plans were abruptly canceled when CM Punk returned.

The revelation sheds new light on the ripple effect that a major signing can have on the rest of the roster, as creative directions are forced to shift to accommodate the new top star. Speaking on the “Mic Check with Mr. Anderson” podcast, Wolfgang revealed that Gallus was on the verge of their main roster debut, only to have the plans repeatedly delayed.

“We were ready for main roster, even when we got to NXT, it was good to get there and get involved but we were ready to go at the drop of a hat to main roster. And I know for a fact that we were scheduled to be there. We were like three weeks out, and then three weeks came and they said ‘itâ€s actually like three months†and the phrase they used was the ‘can keeps getting kicked down the roadâ€.â€

Wolfgang also provided evidence for his claim, noting that Gallus was the only NXT act featured in the official event programs for major main roster shows, and they were positioned next to Drew McIntyre.

“If you go look at the 2023 Survivor Series program for the main roster, or the 2024 Royal Rumble, thereâ€s no one else in NXT in that, except for Gallus. And weâ€re right next to a full page spread of Drew McIntyre.â€

He then stated that he believes CM Punk’s return at that same Survivor Series event was the direct cause for the plans being changed, as the company’s creative focus immediately shifted.

“So I think there was a plan for us to join Drew McIntyre at some point, and then CM Punk showed up and the can kept getting kicked down the road and they didnâ€t need us anymore. And I think they got stuck. ‘This is what weâ€re doing, weâ€ll get to it at some pointâ€. They never even considered how else weâ€re going to do it.â€

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Wardlowâ€s run with AEW hit another roadblock, and this time it may have derailed one of the companyâ€s pay-per-views.

The powerhouse, who aligned himself with the Don Callis Family at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door, suffered an injury that has sidelined him for what could be the better part of a year—and it looks like AEW WrestleDream took the hit.

According to Fightful Select,WrestleDream booking had to be changed because of Wardlowâ€s absence. While AEW hasnâ€t confirmed whether he was originally set for an AEW World Title match against Hangman Page, sources say the injury clearly altered what the company had in mind.

“It was intimated that WrestleDream was also affected by Wardlowâ€s injury. We arenâ€t sure if this is where Wardlow would have competed against Hangman Page or for the world title, though.â€

Wardlow is expected to miss six to eight months, possibly longer, making his absence a major blow for both AEW and fans who saw him as one of the promotionâ€s rising stars. His time with the Don Callis Family seemed like the start of a new chapter, but now those plans are stuck on hold.

Whether or not his return will reconnect him with the Callis Family storyline remains to be seen, but whatâ€s clear is that AEW will have a tough decision to make when heâ€s finally cleared. With his career momentum stalled, his comeback could either be the reset he needs or another missed opportunity.

Do you think AEW should give Wardlow the major push he missed out on once he returns? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

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This story was excerpted from Jordan Bastianâ€s Cubs Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

CHICAGO — The Cubs achieved a number of goals this past season. The ballclub ended its postseason drought, won a playoff series and had Wrigley Field rocking again with its intimidating October environment. The next step for the team is to make this a regular event and to keep pushing for more wins and a division title.

“We need to constantly raise our level and get to that point where we can do that year in and year out,†Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said. “We have a really good foundation to build from. We just need to continue to focus on making good decisions and building from that foundation.â€

Here are five questions facing the Cubs this offseason:

1. Is there a chance Kyle Tucker is back with Cubs in ‘26?

The Cubs knew it might very well be a one-year arrangement when they swung the blockbuster trade with the Astros in December to add Tucker to the lineup. Tucker is 28 years old, ranks 11th in MLB in bWAR (25.4) over the past five seasons and is arguably the best all-around hitter on the free-agent market this winter.

The odds seem to point toward Tucker signing elsewhere, but the Cubs would certainly have an edge on the recruiting side of things. He just spent a season with the ballclub, getting familiar with the organization, teammates, staff, facilities and city. There is nothing to sell Tucker on from that perspective.

Will that make a difference?

“Weâ€ll see what happens,†Tucker said after the Cubs were eliminated from the playoffs. “I donâ€t know what the future is going to hold. If [I sign elsewhere], it was an honor playing with all these guys and I wish everyone the best of luck.â€

2. How will Cubs approach Shota Imanagaâ€s contract situation?

The quick version on Imanagaâ€s situation is that the Cubs have to decide whether to pick up a three-year, $57.75 million option that covers the ‘26-28 seasons (he earned a $250,000 bonus per year for his fifth-place finish in the ‘24 Cy Young race). If Chicago declines, Imanaga can choose between a $15.25 million player option for ‘26 or declining that and going the route of a potential one-year qualifying offer (likely north of $22 million). No matter how the sides proceed, the most likely outcome is Imanaga returns for at least one more season.

Given the cost of starting pitching, this seems like a no-brainer for the Cubs to just pick up the three-year option. Just last offseason, Chicago signed Matthew Boyd for a two-year deal worth $29 million guaranteed after the lefty logged just 11 starts between the regular season and playoffs. The cost of starting pitching is high, so an average of $19.25 million for Imanaga over three years looks like a good deal.

That said, Imanaga is 32 years old and just had a tough finish to his season with homer issues. For the Cubs, they will have to weigh the larger track record against the smaller-sample finish. To that end, the lefty had a 2.75 ERA with 1.4 homers per nine innings in his first 42 starts (248 1/3 innings) in MLB, versus a 5.17 ERA with 2.6 HR/9 in his last 12 (69 2/3 inning).

3. What will the biggest need be this winter?

Lefty Justin Steele (left elbow surgery in April) is on a path to return early next season, so that is good news. Horton is coming off a fantastic rookie year, and Imanaga, Boyd, Colin Rea ($6 million club option) and Javier Assad could all be back. Beyond that, the Cubs have to sort out how Ben Brown and Jordan Wicks fit into the picture (bullpen or rotation). Maybe prospect Jaxon Wiggins (No. 67 on Pipelineâ€s top 100 list) breaks through in ‘26, too.

That seems like a solid place to start for the Cubs, but they could really use an impact arm added to the top of the list. There will be some solid rotation pieces in free agency (Framber Valdez and Dylan Cease heading that class), but expect Chicago to also explore the trade front, perhaps circling back on talks that fell apart at the Trade Deadline.

4. How will the Cubs rebuild the bullpen?

By the end of the year, the Cubs†main late-inning arms were Daniel Palencia, Brad Keller, Andrew Kittredge, Caleb Thielbar and Drew Pomeranz. Only Palencia is under control for ‘26. Keller, Thielbar and Pomeranz are set for free agency, while the Cubs have a decision to make on Kittredge ($9 million club option). Michael Soroka, Taylor Rogers, Ryan Brasier and Aaron Civale are also among the Cubs upcoming free-agents.

The Cubs have gone through mid-season makeovers of their bullpen in each of the last two years, bringing in reclamation projects and experienced veterans via trades, claims and signings to fill in gaps around some of the younger, in-house options. Expect that to continue to be a trend for Hoyer, who has leaned against long free-agent deals for relievers (last winterâ€s pursuit of Tanner Scott being an exception).

5. Where could the Cubs add offense?

Even with Tucker potentially exiting in free agency, the bulk of the Cubs†starting lineup is locked into place. Seiya Suzuki could move to right field from designated hitter, opening up possible playing time for Top 100 prospects like outfielder Owen Caissie (No. 47) and catcher Moisés Ballesteros (No. 53). If the Cubs want to bring in an impact bat from the outside, there will likely need to be a trade or two to loosen the inflexibility of the projected starting group.

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WWE is just a few hours away from presenting SmackDown with fallout from Crown Jewel. WWE’s Creative Writing Team spent the afternoon finalizing blockbuster plans for tonight’s show, and now sources have revealed more on what’s in store.

SmackDown will also feature more on the road to Saturday Night’s Main Event and Survivor Series: WarGames. It was previously announced that Cody Rhodes will open the show. The Undisputed Champion is set to speak after his Crown Jewel main event loss to Seth Rollins. It was also announced that Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss will defend the Women’s Tag Team Championship against Zaria and Sol Ruca.

Jacob Fatu was previously announced to face Drew McIntyre on tonight’s SmackDown. However, the match is up in the air due to a report on Fatu suffering from a non-wrestling injury that could keep him on the shelf well into 2026, but that was not confirmed, and WWE has continued to advertise the first-time-ever match. While not confirmed either, sources earlier revealed plans for a major return and title match on SmackDown with Ilja Dragunov challenging Sami Zayn for the United States Championship.

Match And Segment Order For Tonight’s WWE SmackDown

WWE officials have finalized the lineup for tonight’s live SmackDown from the SAP Center in San Jose, California. PWInsider reports that a segment with Aleister Black and Zelina Vega is planned for early in the broadcast as a major follow-up to last week’s on-screen pairing. The real-life married couple is set for a push on the blue brand.

The only match that has not been mentioned before is Los Garza vs. The Motor City Machine Guns, scheduled to air before the main event. Unless some sort of injury angle is planned to write Fatu out of the storylines, or if plans change at the last minute, current plans as of this writing call for his match with McIntyre to be tonight’s main event.

The lineup is subject to change, but the following match and segment order has been decided on for tonight’s SmackDown:

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Plans for a major WWE power move involving Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, and Bronson Reed have been scrapped—and now we know just how far the original idea was set to go.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE had mapped out a vision where Rollins, Breakker, and Reed—collectively known as The Vision—would dominate RAW with championship gold. Rollins would retain the World Heavyweight Championship, while Breakker and Reed were in line to become WWE World Tag Team Champions.

That entire direction changed after Rollins suffered a shoulder injury at Crown Jewel, an injury that now reportedly requires surgery and could keep him out beyond WrestleMania. As a result, Breakker and Reed officially turned on Rollins during the October 13 episode of RAW, ending their alliance in brutal fashion.

The group was clearly being set up to lead WWEâ€s flagship show, but with Rollins on the shelf, those plans unraveled fast. Breakker has now shifted his focus entirely to singles gold, making a direct statement by holding up the World Heavyweight Title after attacking Rollins.

With one injury shaking up an entire storyline, WWE is now forced to pivot—and fans are left wondering what could have been if The Vision had followed through on their path to dominance.

Do you think WWE missed a big opportunity with The Vision? Should Breakker go solo or chase tag gold again with Reed? Sound off in the comments—we want your take.

October 17, 2025 10:27 am

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Top WWE star teases future pregnancy.

At 34 years old, Chelsea Green is currently one of the most popular and successful stars on the WWE roster. A former Women’s Champion and leader of the ‘Secret Hervice’, Green is regularly featured on WWE television and is actively involved in televised rivalries.

Since her return to the Stamford-based promotion in 2023, ‘The Hot Mess’ has established herself as one of the most consistent performers on the roster and won multiple titles. Actively performing every week, she has now teased her plans of starting a family with her partner, Matt Cardona.

Recently speaking with Womanâ€s World, Chelsea Green noted that she and Cardona paused their plans to start a family following her impactful WWE return a few years ago.

We put it on pause when I was asked to come back to WWE. This was an opportunity we both knew we could not turn down. If I turn it down, Iâ€m going to end up having kids and resent the family life.

So here I am. Iâ€m 34. Iâ€m dying for babies. My husband wants babies… but duty calls. Iâ€m making money. Iâ€m living my dream. But hey, you never know. In a couple months, if it happens, God willing, it happens. Iâ€ll just have to take my babies on the road with me!â€

While Green is active in WWE, Cardona recently made his long-awaited return to the promotion, where he fought Josh Briggs on the October 14th episode of NXT.

Chelsea Green Shares Emotional Message Following Matt Cardona’s WWE Return

Following Matt Cardona’s recent WWE return, Green shared an emotional message on X(Twitter) and celebrated her partner’s much-awaited comeback to the Stamford-based promotion.

I saw Matt win the tag titles at mania, trend worldwide over UFC & Olympics, break barriers on the indies… I could keep going, but this was definitely one his highlights for me.â€

In other news: Released WWE star reflects on his career.

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George Kittle is eying up a Week 7 return after an early-season stint on injured reserve due to a torn hamstring.

The San Francisco 49ers tight end told reporters Thursday he “fully plans” to play against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday night, though the decision will ultimately rest with head coach Kyle Shanahan.

Kittle was a limited participant in Thursday’s practice, as was quarterback Brock Purdy and wideout Juaun Jennings. Receiver Ricky Pearsall was a non-participant as San Francisco’s injury issues continued in earnest.

At points this year, the Niners have dealt with injuries to all of the players listed above, alongside top wideout Brandon Aiyuk (still recovering from last season’s torn ACL) and superstar edge-rusher Nick Bosa (out for the season with a torn ACL).

The loss of Kittle has been a major one. The 32-year-old Kittle is a six-time Pro Bowler and two-time first-team All-Pro and is coming off one of the best seasons of his career (78 catches for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns). He’s impactful as a blocker as well, making his absence a major detriment for the Niners.

Despite being arguably the most injury-prone team in football this season, however, San Francisco has still managed to go 4-2. If Kittle is able to return in Week 7, it will provide a major boost, especially with the Falcons, Houston Texans and Los Angeles Rams on tap in three of the next four weeks.

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You can never say never in pro wrestling, and Maria Kanellis understands that all too well. Now, the soon-to-be mother of three is inserting her name into the conversation once again.

Mike and Maria Kanellis are expecting their third child. At the same time, Maria is still a free agent, but she doesnâ€t plan on watching from the sidelines for long. Even though sheâ€s concentrating on delivering her next bundle of joy, Kanellis has her eyes filmly set on the future.

Maria Kanellis posted on X to make it clear that sheâ€s not done in the pro wrestling world. In fact, once baby #3 comes for her, she canâ€t wait to find another company to sign with.

“Looking forward to finding a new wrestling home after baby number 3.â€

Maria Kanellis has seen success in several companies throughout her career. In TNA, she captured the TNA Knockouts Championship once. During her time in WWE, she won the WWE 24/7 Championship and earned a Slammy Award for Diva of the Year.

AEW had Maria and Mike Kanellis on their roster for a while. The two also had a stint in Tony Khanâ€s version of ROH.

Other than her in-ring accomplishments, she has also managed her husband, Mike Kanellis, across multiple wrestling organizations. Only time will tell what she does next, but she canâ€t wait to find a new home in the pro wrestling world once that day comes around.

Whatâ€s your take on Maria Kanellis†future in pro wrestling? Which company should pick her up next? Let us know what you think in the comments section!

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