Some people overcome career obstacles. Other people punch obstacles in the face.
Such is the case for WWE superstar Chelsea Green, who joined the How Success Happens podcast and shared her “follow your instincts” approach to making career decisions. Chelsea was studying kinesiology in college and aiming to become a physical therapist when she realized it wasn’t her “calling.” She thought about becoming a personal trainer, but after seeing a wrestling match—by chance—on TV, the plan changed. The drama, the athleticism, and the choreographed violence she saw on the screen immediately spoke to her: “Something triggered in my mind that is what I need to be doing,” she says.
She enrolled in a wrestling school that happened to be just down the road, putting her on a path to wrestling stardom and being crowned the first Women’s United States Champion. “Never be afraid to try new things,” Chelsea advises, “and also don’t be afraid to say, ‘This isn’t for me, I’m going to try something else.’”
Listen to Chelsea’s insights on ambition, resilience (i.e., finishing a match despite having freshly broken bones), and carving out her own version of success here or watch the conversation above. And check out her hard-earned success tips below. And grab a bag of ice — some of this advice hits hard.
Three Things Chelsea Green Suggests Ditching ASAP
Asking “What’s Next?” Chelsea revealed how her early career was dominated by relentless goal-setting: “I set goals, and the minute that I hit that goal, I am immediately onto the next.” This constant chase left her unable to celebrate her victories, even when she made history as the first-ever United States Women’s Champion. “I was so focused on what’s next… I couldn’t enjoy what was happening in the moment.” She has since reframed her mindset: “In wrestling, it can be here today, gone tomorrow,” and now makes a conscious effort to savor each achievement.
Takeaway: Celebrate accomplishments as they come instead of always racing toward the next milestone.
Doing Homework Chelsea’s journey was shaped by listening to her gut—even when it meant dramatic pivots. From leaving a kinesiology degree to traveling abroad and then abandoning a future as a personal trainer, she recalls: “I was on my computer doing some homework and wrestling came on TV. I just could not take my eyes off the screen. They were doing everything that I’ve ever wanted to do combined — they need to be fit and healthy, they’re dramatic, they’re doing stunts,” she remembers. That moment led her to drop out and enroll in wrestling school, launching her storied career.
Takeaway: Trust inner signals—sometimes the opportunity meant for you appears when least expected.
Setting a Routine Unlike many athletes, Chelsea avoids strict pre-show routines: “Every venue is different… I never want to rely on a routine or a schedule that’s going to get messed up.” Her philosophy is “easy breezy,” ensuring she’s always ready. She keeps the pressure in check, telling her team before matches: “Girls, in 10 minutes we’re gonna be done and on our way to bed.” She credits her success with an ability to keep things light. “Look, you’re watching me play fight in my underwear with my best friends. It’s not that serious.”
Takeaway: Flexibility and humor can be powerful antidotes to stress—especially when stakes feel high.
Some people overcome career obstacles. Other people punch obstacles in the face.
Such is the case for WWE superstar Chelsea Green, who joined the How Success Happens podcast and shared her “follow your instincts” approach to making career decisions. Chelsea was studying kinesiology in college and aiming to become a physical therapist when she realized it wasn’t her “calling.” She thought about becoming a personal trainer, but after seeing a wrestling match—by chance—on TV, the plan changed. The drama, the athleticism, and the choreographed violence she saw on the screen immediately spoke to her: “Something triggered in my mind that is what I need to be doing,” she says.
She enrolled in a wrestling school that happened to be just down the road, putting her on a path to wrestling stardom and being crowned the first Women’s United States Champion. “Never be afraid to try new things,” Chelsea advises, “and also don’t be afraid to say, ‘This isn’t for me, I’m going to try something else.’”
WWE’s biggest event of the year, WrestleMania, could be going international in a huge way. A new report suggests that there is a push for the event to take place in Saudi Arabia, a move that could potentially lead to two WrestleMania events in a single year.
According to a Snapchat video ad from Turki Al-Sheikh — the Chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority — WrestleMania 43 is coming to Saudi Arabia in 2027. While there has been no official announcement from WWE yet, PWInsider reports that the news is legitimate.
WWE WrestleMania In Saudi Arabia?
“PWInsider.com can confirm, however, that the story is 100% legitimate and an announcement is coming very soon, bringing Wrestlemania to an international location outside of North American for the first time ever,” the report said.
WWE began its business relationship with the Saudi regime in 2018, with Saudi Arabia hosting annual PLEs for an estimated $50 million per event. The relationship has continued to grow in recent years, with Saudi Arabia set to host the Royal Rumble in 2026.
In April 2026, WrestleMania 42 will be held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, with Vegas getting WWE’s signature event for the second straight year.
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 20: Digital screens display WrestleMania logos during the Undisputed WWE Championship match between John Cena and Cody Rhodes during WrestleMania 41 at Allegiant Stadium on April 20, 2025 in Las… LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – APRIL 20: Digital screens display WrestleMania logos during the Undisputed WWE Championship match between John Cena and Cody Rhodes during WrestleMania 41 at Allegiant Stadium on April 20, 2025 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The idea of an international WrestleMania aligns perfectly with WWE’s global expansion strategy. In recent years, the company has taken its premium live events to stadiums in Puerto Rico, France, Germany, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Taking their flagship brand, WrestleMania, to an international stage is the next logical step in that strategy.
The Rock would the perfect person to headline such an event. As one of the biggest movie stars in the world and a member of the TKO Board of Directors, he is the ultimate global ambassador for the company. His return to the ring as “The Final Boss” last yearwas a ratings and box office success, proving he is still one of the biggest draws in wrestling history.
Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson is in good form going into the World Athletics Championships
The world’s best athletes will take to the track and field this weekend when the World Athletics Championships get under way in Tokyo from September 13-21.
Many of the stars who shone at Paris 2024 will be there, including Britain’s 800m Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson and USA’s 100m Olympic champion Noah Lyles.
One of the major talking points away from the sport has been the introduction of a mandatory SRY or sex test for athletes who intend to compete in female categories.
All athletes in female category take new ‘sex test’
World Athletics, led by their President Seb Coe, have taken an unambiguous stance for several years when it comes to talking about and defining new rules around the sensitive issues of the protection of female categories, transgender and DSD (Difference of Sexual Development).
They became the first global sporting federation to announce they would introduce a mandatory, once-in-a-lifetime gene test, known as an SRY Test earlier this year.
The test identifies the Y chromosome which causes male characteristics to develop. If an athlete returns a negative result, they are eligible to compete in female categories at world ranking events, including these World Championships.
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World Athletics President Lord Coe says the governing body will do ‘whatever is necessary’ to protect the female category in the sport after it approved the introduction of cheek swabbing to determine if an athlete is biologically female
World Athletics President Lord Coe says the governing body will do ‘whatever is necessary’ to protect the female category in the sport after it approved the introduction of cheek swabbing to determine if an athlete is biologically female
Coe told Sky Sports he expected every athlete required to take an SRY Test will have done so by the time track and field events get under way in Tokyo, including all French athletes.
In France, the process has been complicated by French law where the SRY gene test is illegal in France due to a 1994 law banning DNA testing for non-medical, non-judicial purposes to protect family integrity, so French athletes have had to undertake the SRY test by travelling outside of France.
Coe confirmed that while it is World Athletics’ stated aim to have all athletes tested by the start of the World Championships next month, the results do not have to be known due to the tight time frame.
For athletes whose national federation hasn’t been able to offer an SRY test yet, World Athletics will step in and offer the test at holding camps in Japan used by athletes prior to competing in Tokyo.
“By and large, the process has gone pretty smoothly, but it’s not been without its challenges,” Coe said. “The vast majority have been pretty straightforward and we’ve (World Athletics) made a contribution of about US$100 per test.”
How important are championships for Coe?
Very.
He has transformed the athletics governing body since his election in Beijing in 2015 from the tarnished old IAAF to the new World Athletics.
He’s serving his third and final term as president and while no doubt still pondering his defeat in March’s International Olympic Committee (IOC) presidency election to Kirsty Coventry, his first love has always been track and field, and during his term as president he has tackled controversial issues like banning Russia and bringing in updated rules on gender eligibility.
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Lord Coe accepts defeat to Kirsty Coventry in the IOC Presidential vote and says he welcomes the fact it’s a former Olympic athlete who will take up the role
Lord Coe accepts defeat to Kirsty Coventry in the IOC Presidential vote and says he welcomes the fact it’s a former Olympic athlete who will take up the role
While those issues can be divisive, the progress of time has shown that many, if not most, sporting federations have followed athletics’ lead by watching and then following.
It’s interesting to note that the new IOC President, whom he lost out to, is preparing the IOC to greater understand and perhaps even lead on gender eligibility and protections for female sports stars.
He also wants athletics firmly in the position of the world’s second most popular sport behind football by showing off packed out stadia in Tokyo.
The World Championships take place in the 70,000 capacity Olympic Stadium where during the 2020 Olympics not one fan was able to watch the sport on offer due to a strict Covid-19 lockdown in Japan.
Many of the sessions during the nine days of competition are sell-outs and, according to Coe, no session will have fewer than 50,000 people in attendance.
Tokyo heat, humidity and typhoons
World Athletics deliberately scheduled the start of their marquee championships later than they would normally. Two years ago in Budapest, for example, the schedule ran during August.
High temperatures and humidity can be exceedingly high in Japan during the months of July and August, as many athletes who competed at the Tokyo Olympics four years ago will testify to.
The 2025 World Athletics Championships will be held at the National Stadium in Tokyo from September 13-21
However, heat mitigation measures will again be in place as Japan has experienced temperatures 2.36 Degrees Celsius above average between June and August, with local temperatures in Tokyo this week reaching 33 Degrees Celsius.
World Athletics president Seb Coe is of the belief that climate change is not temporary and is here to stay; at these championships, decisions on whether competition will go ahead will not be in the hands of local organisers, but World Athletics.
Information on drinks, ice baths and cooling techniques has been shared widely with athletes and their federations, while plenty of provision will be in place for spectators.
Tokyo and Japan, in general, is prone to typhoons at this time of year, indeed many British and Northern Irish athletes were confined to their hotel at their training camp for a few days due to a typhoon. If such a weather system hits Tokyo during the championships, it will again be a decision for World Athletics to make as to whether to postpone or cancel events.
Where could GB medals come from?
Great Britain and Northern Ireland haven’t been set a medal target, but a top-eight finish in the medal table is the challenge, with an expectation of several of their world-leading track stars to medal and all relay squads to medal.
So who are the stars? The women’s 800m final has been scheduled for the last session of the last day of the championships, as it’s been viewed as being a hot ticket in town. Two Brits could well end up on the podium, both friends and training partners coached by husband and wife duo Jenny Meadows and Trevor Painter – Olympic champion Keely Hodgkinson and Georgia Hunter-Bell.
Hodgkinson was one of the stars of Paris last year, streaking home to become Olympic champion and, although she has suffered hamstring injuries this year, she has come back to racing in time and is running ferociously quickly.
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Keely Hodgkinson says she is in a good place after receiving her MBE and is fully focused on the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo
Keely Hodgkinson says she is in a good place after receiving her MBE and is fully focused on the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo
While perhaps not quite the right time for a tilt at the 800m world record, if Hodgkinson feels it, she’ll go for it.
Elsewhere, medals could come in men’s middle distance, with 1500m runner Josh Kerr defending his world title he won in 2023.
His battles with Norway’s Jacob Ingebrigtsen have already become legendary, with the two not the best of pals. At the Paris Olympics, one of the two should have taken the gold medal, but their attention on one another allowed the USA’s Cole Hocker to shock them both and cross the line first.
George Mills, son of Danny – the former Leeds, Manchester City and England defender – is a serious contender for medals in the men’s 5000m. This season he’s beaten Sir Mo Farah’s long-standing British 5000m record and ran the second fastest 1500m by a Brit, so the 26-year-old is well warmed up.
Katarina Johnson-Thompson is always a threat at major championships, and at Tokyo she will defend the heptathlon world title she won two years ago. She was also crowned world champion in 2019, and took Olympic silver in Paris.
Dina Asher-Smith will make her seventh appearance at a World Championship and, while the competition is fierce in both the 100m and 200m, she is running quickly this season.
“I’m just really happy,” she told Sky Sports. “I think the other week in Zurich is testament to what kind of shape I’m in because, honestly, I knew that I’ve been in good shape for a very long time and I know that I’ve been putting together some great races in the past few months, but to run a 10.90!
!I was picking it out because I know I could have had faster in me that day, but still obviously I’m very happy.”
Could Dina Asher-Smith medal at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo?
Also very quick is Daryll Neita, who finished fourth in the women’s Olympic 100m final in Paris, narrowly missing out on a medal. She did, however, take home an Olympic Silver medal from the 4x100m women’s relay and in Tokyo it is expected that Great Britain and Northern Ireland medal in all five relay disciplines.
Individually, in the men’s sprint events (100m and 200m), Zharnel Hughes should at the very least make finals, as the qualified pilot has run sub-10 seconds in the 100m and sub-20 seconds in the 200m. With age, Hughes seems to get faster, as he broke both British 100m and 200m records in 2023, the same year he took his first ever global medal, a bronze at the last World Athletics Championships.
“Obviously the experience has been taking me into finals and stuff like that,” he said. “I’ve always been one to be reckoned with when it comes to the championships. I’ve always been able to position myself into the finals at every major championship.
“Unfortunately, last year it didn’t get to happen due to injury, but I’m feeling confident and I’m looking forward to getting myself on that podium for sure. I’ll be giving it my very best, I’m filled with determination and I’m quite confident in my ability that I can always catch you at the very end.
“I’m trusting myself and trusting my speed. The work that I’ve put in leading up to this championship has been tremendous. It’s going to be great.”
While the British team is medal heavy on expectation from the track, also keep an eye on pole-vaulter Molly Caudery. She won the 2024 World Indoor title and won the Diamond League meeting in Doha in May.
The Cornishwoman is a huge talent was expected to challenge for the gold at the Olympics last year, but had a shocker and failed to even qualify for the final. The 25-year-old is determined to learn the mental lesson from a year ago.
John Cena’s 2025 farewell tour could have included a match against one of his most iconic rivals. WWE Hall of Famer Rob Van Dam has revealed that there were talks for him to face Cena this year, but the plan was derailed by a severe injury.
Speaking on the “TMZ‘s Inside the Ring” podcast, RVD confirmed that a match was likely going to happen. His comments have wrestling fans once again playing the “what if” game.
The Scrapped John Cena Match
Rob Van Dam explained that he was in discussions with WWE to be one of the special opponents for John Cena’s retirement tour. He believes the match was a strong possibility before he suffered a devastating injury.
“Let me tell you this, I wanted to be one of the return matches for John Cena on his retirement tour,” RVD said (H/T to WrestlingNews.co). “I was talking to them. There was a lot of interest. Without giving away too many details, you know, we were probably going to do it. And then I broke my heels.”
RVD suffered a double heel fracture at the MLW Battle Riot event in April. The severe injury has kept him out of the ring for months.
EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – AUGUST 03: John Cena makes his entrance before the match against Cody Rhodes during the WWE 2025 SummerSlam at MetLife Stadium on August 03, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – AUGUST 03: John Cena makes his entrance before the match against Cody Rhodes during the WWE 2025 SummerSlam at MetLife Stadium on August 03, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Elsa/Getty Images
A Classic WWE Rivalry Revisited
A final match between RVD and John Cena would have been a nostalgic and historic encounter. Their most famous bout took place at the ECW One Night Stand pay-per-view in 2006. In front of a rabidly hostile, pro-ECW crowd at the Hammerstein Ballroom, RVD defeated Cena to win his first and only WWE Championship. The match is considered an all-time classic, and the atmosphere is legendary.
A retirement tour match would have been the perfect final chapter to their on-screen history, a story of two completely opposite characters who created magic in the ring together.
The Future of RVD
Now 54 years old and recovering from a major injury, RVD was candid about his own future in the ring. He admitted that he changes his mind “like every few days” about whether he wants to continue wrestling once he is fully healed. He also expressed some confusion about the current style of the wrestling business.
“I don’t really get [what] the product is becoming,” he said. “Sometimes I feel like, ‘Yeah, you know, I could go. I feel great… I can still do what I could do… And then at other times, I feel like maybe I’d rather just be attached to the old-school wrestling and remembered for that.”
Bulls shooting guard Coby White has enjoyed an active few days.
On Saturday night, he joined fellow current Bulls Ayo Dosunmu, Patrick Williams, Matas Buzelis and Dalen Terry — plus former All-NBA Chicago center Joakim Noah — to fete head coach Billy Donovan for his inauguration into the 2025 Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame.
“I mean this is an amazing accomplishment, being in the Hall of Fame… only happens once,” White told CHSN. “He gets his players to compete every night. He builds relationships with his players.”
Donovan likely earned the nod more for his superlative run guiding the Florida Gators for two decades (highlighted by his two NCAA titles, won with Noah and fellow future NBA All-Star big man Al Horford), than for anything he’s done in the NBA. He has won one playoff series during his decade in the league, and has gotten Chicago into the playoffs exactly once in five years.
But we digress.
White kicked off his weekend on Friday, when he sat ringside for a “WWE SmackDown” live event at AllState Arena in Rosemont, a Chicago suburb.
As noted by CHGO Bulls podcast personality Big Dave, Lynch made verbal mincemeat of White.
“You suck so bad they’re trading your ass!” 👀😆🫠
“The Man” Becky Lynch speaking directly to Coby White who was front row for SmackDown at AllState Arena.
“I wouldn’t expect you to know what greatness looks like. All your teams suck,” Lynch said. “The Blackhawks suck. The Cubs suck. The White Sox suck. The Bulls suck. And you suck. You suck so bad they’re trading your ass,” Lynch told White, who was seated ringside.
It’s worth making a quick note here that the Cubs currently boast an 81-62 record in the National League’s Central Division. Although they trail the 89-55 Milwaukee Brewers, the Cubs’ stellar record to this point makes them the frontrunner for a wildcard spot in the National League.
You’ll get no argument from us on the 55-89 White Sox, the Blackhawks (who haven’t made the playoffs since 2020) or the Bulls (who have made the playoffs just once since 2017).
Becky Lynch, WWE Superstar, WWE, speaks on “She’s ‘The Man’: How superstar Becky Lynch came to dominate the WWE” at Center Stage of Web Summit in Altice Arena on November 07, 2019 in Lisbon, Portugal…. Becky Lynch, WWE Superstar, WWE, speaks on “She’s ‘The Man’: How superstar Becky Lynch came to dominate the WWE” at Center Stage of Web Summit in Altice Arena on November 07, 2019 in Lisbon, Portugal. Web Summit is an annual technology conference which brings together a variety of technology companies to discuss the future of industry.
Horacio Villalobos/Corbis via Getty Images
It should be noted, however, that White certainly does not “suck.”
The 25-year-old out of North Carolina had the makings of a fringe All-Star last season for the 39-43 Bulls.
In 74 healthy games, White notched averages of 20.4 points while slashing .453/.370/.902 4.5 dimes, 3.7 boards and 0.9 swipes per. The 6-foot-5 guard is on an expiring $12.9 million contract, and should he stay healthy, is primed to fetch a massive raise in free agency next summer.
AJ Lee made her long-awaited return to the WWE on Friday night.
Lee appeared on “Friday Night SmackDown” to provide some backup for her real-life husband, CM Punk, as his feud with Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch exploded over the last week.
AJ Lee makes her entrance during SmackDown at Allstate Arena on Sept. 5, 2025 in Rosemont, Illinois.(Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images)
Lynch cost Punk the World Heavyweight Championship at Clash in Paris last weekend and then berated him during a segment on “Monday Night Raw” earlier this week. Punk teased that he had something up his sleeve going into Friday’s show.
Punk and Lynch addressed each other in the ring.
“Becky, this is exactly the situation I wanted to avoid,” he said, “because you know and I know and everyone knows, I would never put my hands on a lady. Thankfully, I got somebody who will.”
Punk turned around and Lee’s entrance music hit. The fans in Chicago were thrown into a frenzy. Lynch was stunned as Lee made her way down to the ring.
AJ Lee in action against Becky Lynch during SmackDown at Allstate Arena on Sept. 5, 2025 in Rosemont, Illinois.(Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images)
Lee didn’t have much to say. She let her hands do most of the talking. She and Lynch scrapped in the ring before the women’s intercontinental champion scurried a way with help from her real-life husband, Seth Rollins.
Lee has not been seen in the WWE since she retired in April 2015. It was more than a year after Punk controversially left the company. Lee was involved in Women of Wrestling, a Jeanie Buss-backed promotion, but didn’t return to in-ring action.
AJ Lee returns to SmackDown at Allstate Arena on September 5, 2025 in Rosemont, Illinois.(Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images)
Pro wrestling legend Jeff Jarrett says Taylor Swift extended an impactful gesture to his family during the early stages of her career.
“It was Christmas of 2006 and my first wife was really ill with breast cancer,” Jarrett, 58, said in an interview with TMZ Sports on Saturday, August 30.
At the time, Jarrett lived in the same “small community” in Hendersonsville, Tennessee as Swift, 35, and her family.
After Swift was told about Jarrett’s wife Jill Gregory’s health struggles, the singer paid a visit to their household to see Jarrett, Gregory and the couple’s three daughters: Joslyn, Jaclyn and Jerlyn.
“She came over and didn’t bring her guitar in,” Jarrett said. “She actually ran back home because the girls wanted her to sing and play.”
The visit came just two months after the release of Swift’s self-titled debut album in October 2006.
“It was around Christmas time and it was on a weekend,” Jarrett continued. “One thing led to another. Taylor went and got her guitar. Some more people dropped by and by the end of the afternoon, Taylor played about three hours in our great room. It’s a pretty big space. There was probably 35, 45 people at the end of it.”
Jarrett’s wife died just five months later in May 2007. After Jill’s death, Swift was still a presence in the family’s lives.
“What a very cool relationship that developed,” Jarrett said. “When my wife passed away, Taylor hung around and was really good to the girls.”
Swift even cast Jarrett’s daughter Jaclyn as a younger version of the singer in the music video for her song “Mine” in 2010.
Jarrett credited Swift’s parents, Scott and Andrea, for keeping their daughter humble and true to her roots.
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“A lot of folks don’t realize what a good, cool story it is and how Scott and Andrea have really committed to her and [Swift’s younger brother] Austin and their happiness,” Jarrett gushed. “They come from the financial world and they’re very successful, but they’re really committed to their kids.”
“Knowing her as a girl who would take care of my girls on occasion, that’s what they did,” Jarrett explained. “She came over and would say, ‘Hey, I’m going to take the girls back to my house,’ and they would bake cookies. I can assure you, a Taylor Swift cookie, I wouldn’t be surprised if ol’ Travis put on a few [pounds] post-football because she can cook and can bake a mean chocolate chip cookie.”
Hulk Hogan‘s son Nick Hogan paid tribute to the late WWE icon at the launch of his father’s wrestling promotion Real American Freestyle.
Nick, 35, and Hulk’s wife, Sky Daily, were both in attendance on Saturday, August 30, at the Wolstein Center in Cleveland, Ohio for RAF 01 — a Fox Nation wrestling special that Hulk was producing before his death at age 71 in July. (Us Weekly reported in July that Hogan died from an acute myocardial infarction — commonly known as a heart attack — but also had a history of leukemia CLL. Hulk’s daughter, Brooke Hogan, has raised questions about the official cause of death.)
Speaking at RAF 01, Nick took a moment to address Hulk’s legacy as a father and his impact on the professional wrestling industry.
“Hulk, to me, is an icon, a mentor, my father, and my best friend,” Nick told viewers. “[He was] a force in the sports entertainment industry that will live forever.”
Hulk and former World Championship Wrestling executive Eric Bischoff announced in April that they were forming a professional freestyle wrestling league to promote Olympic-style wrestling. Fox Nation came on board to air Saturday’s launch special, as well another event to air later this year.
The network confirmed earlier this week that RAF 01 was dedicated to Hulk’s memory and would feature members of his family making an appearance.
Nick and his wife, Tana Lea, were previously involved when WWE — which is not affiliated with Real American Freestyle — aired multiple tributes to Hulk at live events earlier in the summer. WWE gathered some of Hulk’s rivals and friends— including Sgt. Slaughter, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan and “The Mouth of the South” Jimmy Hart — for multiple ten-bell salutes in his honor in the week after his death.
In August, Nick visited the site of the planned Hulk Hogan’s Slam Sports Bar in New York City to pose for some photos with Hulk’s business partner Rich Rosen. Rosen confirmed to PageSix that he was pressing forward with construction on the Slam Sports Bar and expected it to open later this year.
Hulk Hogan in November 2024.Wesley Hitt/Getty Images
“Hulk Hogan wasn’t just a partner. He was a dear friend and a legend whose impact on sports and entertainment is immeasurable. From the very beginning, Hulk poured his heart into this project,” Rosen said. “He shaped the spirit of what Slam was meant to be, a place where fans from around the world could gather at the very corner where his legend began, to celebrate his legacy and the unforgettable moments that defined his career.”
Hulk Hogan’s Slam Sports Bar will be located across the street from the famed Madison Square Garden, where Hulk won his first WWE World Heavyweight Championship from The Iron Sheik on January 23, 1984. Hulk would go on to become a 12-time World Champion in both WWE and its one-time competitor WCW. (WWE purchased WCW in March 2001.)
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A source told Us that between 800 and 1,000 people showed up for a 90-minute funeral service at the Indian Rocks Baptist Church in Largo, Florida on August 5. Hulk’s widow, Daily, and his ex-wife, Linda Hogan, were both in attendance with Nick, though Brooke declined to attend. ‘
Daily later referred to the funeral as “one of the most beautiful and moving days [she had] ever experienced.”
“In the same church where we were married and baptized together, we gathered with family, friends, and loved ones to honor a life that touched millions,” she wrote via Instagram on August 6. “The church was filled with stories… some that brought tears, others that made us laugh through those tears… and with every memory shared, you could feel the love that surrounded him.”
Police in Florida are still investigating the death last month of professional wrestling icon Hulk Hogan from what the medical examiner concluded was a heart attack.
The Clearwater Police Department said in a statement Thursday that the “unique nature of this case has required us to interview multiple witnesses and seek medical records from a variety of providers, and our detectives continue to do that.”
Hogan, whose real name was Terry Bollea, died July 24 at age 71 at a hospital after paramedics and police rushed to his beachfront home in Clearwater following a 911 call. That call, and police body camera video of the scene, has not yet been released as the investigation continues.
“All of this takes time,” the police statement said. “Until the investigation is completed, no records related to the case, including body camera footage, can be released.”
Police have previously said there was no evidence of foul play in Hogan’s death, so it’s not clear exactly what the police probe is looking into other than medical records. Hogan previously had leukemia and atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm, according to the medical examiner’s report that concluded the cause of death was natural.
Investigators have been working with Hogan’s family, including his son Nick and daughter Brooke, the statement said.
“We plan to meet with the family and brief them on the case to this point, and we will share the results of the investigation with the family prior to closing the case and releasing it to the public and media,” the police statement added.
No timetable for public release of the findings was given.
Hogan was perhaps the biggest star in WWE’s long history, known for both his larger-than-life personality and his wrestling exploits. He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years, facing everyone from Andre The Giant and Randy Savage to The Rock and even WWE co-founder Vince McMahon.
Hogan won at least six WWE championships and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2005 and reinstated there in 2018. He had been removed from the Hall of Fame in 2015 after he was recorded making racial slurs against Blacks, for which he apologized.
Hogan was to be cremated but it wasn’t clear Thursday if that had happened yet. A well-attended but private funeral service was held Aug. 5 at a church in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida.
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A new lawsuit from Maryland accuses the WWE and its founders of fostering a culture of sexual abuse within the organization and looking the other way while a longtime ringside announcer preyed on young men he hired as “ring boys.”
BALTIMORE (AP) — A new lawsuit accuses the WWE and its founders of fostering a culture of sexual abuse within the organization and looking the other way while a longtime ringside announcer preyed on young men he hired as “ring boys.”
The suit was filed Wednesday in Maryland, where a recent law change eliminated the state’s statute of limitations for child sex abuse claims, opening the doors for victims to sue regardless of their age or how much time has passed.
The complaint alleges that Melvin Phillips, who died in 2012, would target young men from disadvantaged backgrounds and hire them as “ring boys” to help with the preparations for wrestling matches. Phillips would then assault them in his dressing room, hotels and even in the wrestlers’ locker room, according to the complaint, which was filed on behalf of five men.
The abuse detailed in the lawsuit occurred over several years during Phillips’ long tenure with the organization, which spanned from the 1970s to the early 1990s. Because of his death, Phillips is not among the named defendants.
Instead, the complaint targets World Wrestling Entertainment founders Vince and Linda McMahon, the husband and wife team who grew the organization into the powerhouse it is today. The couple was well aware of Phillips’ brazen misconduct but did little to stop him, according to the complaint.
“This wasn’t an isolated instance,” said attorney Greg Gutzler, who represents the five unnamed plaintiffs. “There was a culture of abuse and it started at the top.”
According to the lawsuit, which was filed in Baltimore County Circuit Court, the abuse occurred in several states, including Maryland, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania. The plaintiffs were all between 13 and 15 when they met Phillips.
Gutzler said the plaintiffs finally found the strength to come forward and sue after Vince McMahon resigned from WWE’s parent company TKO Group Holdings earlier this year amid his own sexual misconduct scandal. He resigned in January after a woman who previously worked for WWE filed a federal lawsuit accusing him of serious misconduct, including offering her to a star wrestler for sex and distributing pornographic pictures and videos of her. McMahon had already stepped down as WWE’s CEO in 2022 during an investigation into allegations that match those in the federal lawsuit.
An attorney representing McMahon, Jessica Rosenberg, denied the latest abuse allegations contained in Wednesday’s complaint. In a written statement, she referenced New York Post reporting from the early ’90s, saying the recent lawsuit asserts “these same false claims.”
“We will vigorously defend Mr. McMahon and are confident the court will find that these claims are untrue and unfounded,” the statement read.
Emails were sent to Linda McMahon and her organization seeking comment.
Attorneys for the other defendants aren’t yet listed in online court records. Emails seeking comment were sent to WWE and TKO Group Holdings.
McMahon was the leader and most recognizable face at WWE for decades. When he purchased what was then the World Wrestling Federation from his father in 1982, wrestling matches took place at small venues and appeared on local cable channels. WWE matches are now held in professional sports stadiums, and the organization has a sizable overseas following.
WWE merged last April with the company that runs Ultimate Fighting Championship to create the $21.4 billion sports entertainment company TKO Group Holdings.
The lawsuit alleges that WWE leaders “gave Phillips free rein to use his highly public WWE personality and image to entice local kids,” allowing them to meet famous wrestlers and attend the popular events.
It alleges the McMahons fired Phillips in 1988 because of abuse allegations surfacing around that time, but they rehired him six weeks later.
Linda McMahon, who stepped down as the company’s chief executive in 2009, later led the Small Business Administration under former President Donald Trump.
The lawsuit was filed under a Maryland law that went into effect last year after state lawmakers voted to eliminate the statute of limitations for such cases. Before the change, people in Maryland who were sexually abused as children could bring lawsuits up until they turned 38.
Lawmakers approved the change with the Catholic Church sexual abuse scandal in mind after a scathing investigative report revealed the scope of the problem within the Archdiocese of Baltimore. But it opened the door for legal action against a range of other entities, including the state’s juvenile justice agency.
However, the future of these claims is uncertain because the constitutionality of the law is currently being decided by the Supreme Court of Maryland.
Defending world champion J.B. Mauney, from Mooresville, N.C., rides Past Time during the Professional Bull Riders Buck Off, in New York’s Madison Square Garden, Saturday, Jan. 4, 2014. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
The parent company of WWE and UFC is buying Professional Bull Riders, On Location, and IMG from Endeavor Group in an all-stock deal valued at $3.25 billion.
The sale to parent company TKO is part of Endeavor’s efforts to shed some of its assets as it looks to be taken private in a proposed transaction with private equity firm Silver Lake, which was announced in April. Ariel Emanuel, who serves as CEO of Endeavor, is also executive chair and CEO of TKO.
Professional Bull Riders is a bull riding league that has more than 200 annual live events, approximately 1.25 million fans, and reaches more than 285 million households in more than 65 territories. On Location is live event company for more than 1,200 sporting events, such as the Super Bowl, Ryder Cup and NCAA Final Four. IMG is a distributor and producer of sports content, packages and sells media rights and brand partnerships, and provides consulting, digital services and event management to clients such as the National Football League and National Hockey League.
The Associated Press and IMG co-own the joint venture SNTV, which distributes sports video and highlights around the world.
Parent company TKO Group said Thursday that the acquisition from Endeavor Group will complement its existing businesses as well as broaden its reach in the premium sports market.
“PBR, On Location, and IMG are industry-leading assets that meaningfully enhance TKO’s portfolio and strengthen our position in premium sports globally,” TKO Chief Operating Officer Mark Shapiro said in a statement. “Within TKO, they will help power the growth of our revenue streams and position us to capture even more upside from some of the most attractive parts of our sports ecosystem: media rights, live events, ticket sales, premium experiences, brand partnerships, and site fees.”
As part of the deal, Endeavor will receive about 26.14 million common units of TKO Operating Co. and will subscribe for an equal number of shares of TKO’s Class B shares. Endeavor is expected to own approximately 59% of TKO, while TKO’s existing shareholders will own the remaining 41% upon completion of the transaction.
“By expanding its presence in the premium sports market, TKO is poised to unlock new revenue streams through media rights, live events, ticket sales, premium experiences, brand partnerships, and site fees,” Randal Konik of Jefferies said in a note to clients. “This strategic move not only strengthens its market position but also sets the stage for sustained growth and increased shareholder value.”
The deal is expected to close in the first half of next year.
TKO Group also announced Thursday that its board has approved the repurchase of up to $2 billion of its common stock.
Shares of TKO Group Holdings Inc., based in Stamford, Conn., slumped more than 8% in midday trading on Thursday.
She’s one of the biggest names in professional wrestling and arguably the G.O.A.T. in the women’s ranks. This Friday night, Mercedes Moné defends her NJPW Strong Women’s Championship at the third annual Capital Collision in D.C.
WTOP’s Jason Fraley previews Mercedes Moné at ‘Capital Collision’ (Part 1)
She’s one of the biggest stars in professional wrestling over the past 10 years, first making history as Sasha Banks in WWE and now holding the AEW TBS Championship.
Mercedes Moné holds the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship and the AEW TBS Championship. (Courtesy NJPW and AEW)
Mercedes Moné holds the NJPW Strong Women’s Championship and the AEW TBS Championship. (Courtesy NJPW and AEW)
This Friday night, Mercedes Moné defends her NJPW Strong Women’s Championship at the third annual Capital Collision at the Entertainment & Sports Arena, home of the WNBA’s Washington Mystics in Congress Heights, Southeast D.C.
“I am facing Momo Watanabe,” Moné told WTOP. “She is a New Japan superstar, but she stands no chance going up against the ‘C.E.O.’ of AEW and New Japan. I am really the greatest women’s wrestler of all time. I know Momo is known for her knee strikes, but I am also known for my knee strikes, so I feel like tonight is going to be a battle of the knees. I’m so excited to just knee her in the face and let the whole world know that I am the queen of Japan.”
Born Mercedes Justine Kaestner-Varnado in Fairfield, California in 1992, she grew up a huge wrestling fan. She’s also the first cousin of hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg, which is fitting considering she raps her own entrance theme.
“I didn’t know him until I was probably like 10 years old and my dad was like, ‘Your cousin is a really famous rapper now,’ and I’m like, ‘Oh, cool,’” Moné said. “When I was 16 he took me to ‘WrestleMania 24’ and that’s when we really started to become close. Our bond is the love of wrestling, he grew up such a wrestling fan and I grew up watching wrestling, so when we went to ‘WrestleMania’ together … I told him one day I wanted to be a wrestler.”
In 2012, she signed with WWE for its developmental brand NXT, quickly winning its women’s title. Her 30-minute Iron Man match against Bayley at “NXT TakeOver: Respect” (2015) was the longest women’s match ever at the time and was “Match of the Year” by Pro Wrestling Illustrated, which also declared her “Woman of the Year.”
“We did so good that they had to give us the main event,” Moné said. “I remember that match going over 30 minutes. Any time I’m in the ring with Bayley she is one of my favorite people to perform against. There’s always magic when we’re in the ring together, so that’s definitely one of my favorite highlights of my career. At that time women were not even given 10 minutes for a match, so to be given 30 minutes was so incredibly special.”
In 2015, she was called up to the big leagues of the main WWE roster, and a year later, she became the youngest ever Raw Women’s Champion, a title she would eventually hold five times. Also in 2016, she and Charlotte Flair became the first women to headline an official WWE pay per view at “Hell in a Cell,” ultimately delivering the “Feud of the Year” by Pro Wrestling Illustrated, surpassing even John Cena vs. A.J. Styles on the men’s side.
“It meant a lot because I started out with Charlotte in 2012 and I remember being in developmental with her,” Moné said. “With that last name of Flair, I was like, ‘Just because you’re a Flair, you’re not me.’ … Having that feud with Charlotte was such an amazing experience. I really feel like it helped put women’s wrestling on the map and she pushed me to new heights that I’ve never been before in the ring, so I had an incredible feud with her.”
In 2019, she reunited with her former foe Bayley only this time teaming together to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship at “Elimination Chamber.” In 2020, she became the youngest WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion, causing her to be named Sports Illustrated’s “Wrestler of the Year,” etching her forever in the history books next to Kenny Omega, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes as the very best of their craft.
Still, her biggest achievement of all may have been at WWE “WrestleMania 37” (2021) when she and Bianca Belair became the first Black women to ever headline a “WrestleMania” main event. The two visibly fought back tears when the opening bell rang and the crowd stood on its feet for a chilling moment that actually won an ESPY.
“It was so emotional,” Moné said. “That was one of my biggest dreams since I was 10 years old, but it was so big I didn’t think it was possible, then here I was at ‘WrestleMania 37’ in the middle of the ring looking at Bianca like, ‘Wow, we are doing this, this is so much bigger than us, bigger than wrestling.’ That moment was so special. The way she looked at me, I was like, ‘Girl, you better stop before I start bawling and we slip in the ring from our tears.’”
Sadly, the name “Sasha Banks” disappeared when she infamously walked out of WWE in 2022 as she and Naomi forfeited their tag-team belts over a contract dispute. A year later, she changed her name to Mercedes Moné for NJPW/Stardom at “Wrestle Kingdom 17″ (2023) at the Tokyo Dome. She remains a NJPW titan by defeating Stephanie Vaquer at “Forbidden Door” (2024) to win the aforementioned Strong Women’s Championship.
Meanwhile in AEW, Moné memorably made a cameo in the crowd of London’s Wembley Stadium at AEW “All In” (2023), teasing her free agent status. She made her official AEW in-ring debut in Las Vegas at “Double or Nothing” (2024) to win the AEW TBS Championship by defeating Nightingale, then successfully defended that title against Dr. Britt Baker at “All In” (2024) in front of 50,000 people at Wembley Stadium this past Sunday.
“I’m still on a high from it,” Moné said. “Last year I was just a fan in attendance with a broken heel dreaming about which company I’m going to be in. Now this year performing at ‘All In’ at Wembley was such a dream come true, it was so amazing, the crowd was electric and I can’t wait to do it all again next year at ‘All In’ in Dallas, Texas. It’s been such an exciting time for professional wrestling because of AEW — and I enjoy being the face of TBS.”
Indeed, you can watch her on TBS every Wednesday on “AEW Dynamite,” not to mention as Koska Reeves in the “Star Wars” series “The Mandalorian” on Disney+. As fun as it is watching from your couch, there’s nothing like watching wrestling in person, like “Capital Collision” this Friday at the Entertainment & Sports Arena in D.C.
“Professional wrestling has been the best it’s ever been in the past 10 years, so I’m so happy to be part of it,” Moné said. “AEW is going global, so any woman who wants to come after my championships, I’m always ready.”
WTOP’s Jason Fraley previews Mercedes Moné at ‘Capital Collision’ (Part 2)
Listen to our full conversation on the podcast below:
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Sidney Raymond Eudy, a professional wrestler known as Sid Vicious who was known for his intense persona and imposing stature, has died, his son announced Monday. He was 63.
Gunnar Eudy, one of the wrestler’s two sons, wrote on Facebook that his father died after “battling cancer for several years.”
“He was a man of strength, kindness, and love, and his presence will be greatly missed,” his son wrote. “We appreciate your thoughts and prayers as we grieve this loss.”
The 6-foot-9-inch Eudy went by many names in the ring, including Sid Justice and Sycho Sid, and rose to prominence at the height of the WrestleMania craze in the 1990s. He was a two-time champion in the World Wrestling Federation (now World Wrestling Entertainment) and also performed for its ’90s rival World Championship Wrestling and the United States Wrestling Association. He faced off against Hulk Hogan and The Undertaker among other stars.
In a statement, WWE called Eudy “one of the most imposing and terrifying competitors of his generation” who had a “natural charisma that immediately connected with the WWE Universe.”
“Sid’s reputation as one of the toughest and most thrilling superstars cemented his legacy in WWE, and his influence can still be seen in wrestling rings around the world,” the statement said.
Eudy was born in West Memphis, Arkansas, and lived in Tennessee for many years. Survivors include his wife, Sabrina Estes Eudy, his sons Frank and Gunnar, and his grandchildren.
After 20 years of leaving it all on the wrestling mat, John Cena has announced he’s calling it quits.
The WWE megastar made the announcement over the weekend, telling the crowd at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena that his wrestling career will soon come to an end.
“Tonight, I officially announce my retirement from WWE,” he told Saturday’s Money in the Bank attendees, being met with a chorus of boos from his disappointed and shocked fans.
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If you’re a big Cena fan, however, there’s still plenty of time to get your fix – he said he doesn’t plan to retire until the end of 2025, he’ll still be at the Royal Rumble and Elimination Chamber events next year and that he’ll try to make as many appearances in as many countries as possible.
He also announced that he’ll wrestle full-time for the next year, something he hasn’t done since 2018.
“Thank you so much for letting me play in the house that you built for so many years,” Cena told the crowd, specifically shouting out Canadian wrestling diehards for their unwavering support.
“Why here?” Cena asked the Toronto crowd. “I want to talk about that for a second, I want to talk about Toronto. Matter of fact, I want to talk about Canada. Matter of fact, I want to talk about Canadians. You see, I’ve been doing this awhile, I’ve been in WWE for over two decades and in that time I’ve seen incredible waves of prosperity like we got right now … and I’ve also seen tremendous hardship.
“So in all those years, one of the most important, one of the most impressive things that I learned was whether the WWE is hot, or cold, Canadians always show up … which in my mind makes this right here the perfect place to say what I got to say!”
During the event’s post show conference, he shared how he and the WWE have had the same vision for his retirement.
“I approached the WWE with this idea and they kind of initiated the talks that this would be a great span of time if we were ever going to do it. Gosh, this is no thanks to me but the business is at incredible heights of popularity and awareness,” he said.
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Cena is regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, boasting 16 WWE Championships, more than 1,500 matches and granting more wishes for Make-A-Wish Foundation than anyone else in the program’s history.
Outside of the ring, Cena’s also been making quite the name for himself in Hollywood, starring in many big budget films including Blockers, The Suicide Squad, Barbie and Trainwreck.
You won’t be seeing John Cena in the ring for much longer. The pro wrestling icon announced his impending retirement from WWE Saturday, making a surprise appearance at the promotion’s “Money in the Bank” event in Toronto.
“The 2025 Royal Rumble will be my last. The 2025 elimination chamber will be my last. And I’m here tonight to announce that in Las Vegas, Wrestlemania 2025 will be the last Wrestlemania I compete in,” Cena said to the live audience in a video the WWE posted to social media. “I want to say thank you.”
John Cena announces his retirement during Money in the Bank at Scotiabank Arena on July 6, 2024.
WWE / Getty Images
“Thank you Cena!” The crowd chanted in response.
The Massachusetts native also expressed his excitement over Netflix’s multi-billion dollar deal acquiring the rights to WWE Raw in January.
“Raw makes history next year when it moves to Netflix. I’ve never been a part of Raw on Netflix. That is history, that is a first, and I will be there,” Cena said.
Cena shed more light on his retirement in a post-show press conference, assuring that he would remain a part of the WWE even though his career as a performer was coming to an end — and promising “a long list of dates” between January and September.
“People say they’re walking away, and two years later they come back. I want to set the record straight right now, I’m done. This is it,” Cena said in the press conference. “If you ever wanted to be a part of this one last time, we’re going to do it as big as we can and we’re fighting everybody and we hope you come enjoy the fun.”
When asked about his feelings regarding Vince McMahon, the former WWE CEO and founder who stepped down in January amid allegations of sexual assault, Cena declined to give his opinion, saying instead the WWE was “in good hands” with parent company TKO Group Holdings.
In an interview with Howard Stern in February, Cena said that he was a big advocate of accountability, but would remain a support system for McMahon for now.
“I’ve openly said, I love the guy, I have a great relationship with the guy, and that’s that,” Cena said to Stern.
The 47-year-old won 16 world championships over his nearly 20 years in the WWE, going toe-to-toe with the likes of Kurt Angle, Triple H and Dwayne “the Rock” Johnson.
Outside of the ring, Cena released a studio rap album in 2005 and has appeared in several movies and television shows. As his acting career began to flourish with starring roles in projects such as “Bumblebee,” “F9: The Fast Saga,” and “The Suicide Squad,” his appearances in the ring diminished.
“There were many before me, there will be many after. I guess what I have left to do is say my thank yous before that chapter closes,” Cena said.
After more than 23 years, John Cena is preparing to step into the ring for the last time.
During a surprise appearance at Saturday’s Money in the Bank in Toronto, Canada, the 16-time world champion wrestler announced he’s retiring from the WWE following WrestleMania 2025.
Although Cena has been known to display a towel that reads “never give up” over the years, this time he came out with one that read, “The last time is now.”
“Why am I here? Tonight, I officially announce my retirement from the WWE,” he said to shocked gasps from the audience.
“This farewell, it does not end tonight,” he said. “It is filled with opportunity. Everybody, Raw makes history next year when it moves to Netflix. I’ve never been a part of Raw on Netflix, that is history. That is a first, and I will be there.
“And along with that history making first, we are going to build so many unforgettable lasts. The 2025 Royal Rumble will be my last. The 2025 Elimination Chamber will be my last. And I’m here tonight to announce that in Las Vegas, WrestleMania 2025 will be the last WrestleMania I compete in,” added Cena.
Although the crowd booed at the news, they soon began chanting “thank you Cena,” to which he responded with his own appreciation.
“Thank you so much for letting me play in the house that you built for so many years,” said Cena. “Thank you so much always for your voice, because it’s really loud, and your honesty, because it’s beautifully brutal. And most of all, thank you so much for allowing me to be with you here tonight to let the whole world know that we are planning something unforgettable, which also involves me returning to Toronto to kick some ass!”
Cena signed to the WWE in 2001, cutting back to part-time since 2018 as he has continued to grow his acting career in such movies as Daddy’s Home (2015), Blockers (2018), The Suicide Squad (2021) and his HBO Max series spin-off Peacemaker.
John Cena is breaking up with the WWE. At the Money in the Bank live event held in Toronto, Canada, on Saturday, July 6, the wrestler, 47, announced he will take a step back from the World Wrestling Entertainment company.
“Tonight, I announce my retirement from the WWE,” the sportsman-turrned-actor told the crowd at the Scotiabank Arena.
The Argylle star noted that he will undertake one final tour with the WWE in 2025.
He will perform at shows such as Royal Rumble, Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania.
John Cena and wife Shay Shariatzadeh’s low-profile relationship made their October 2020 wedding all the more surprising. The pair were initially linked in March 2019 when they were spotted holding hands after a dinner date in Canada. The relationship marked the first time Cena had been spotted on a date since his engagement to Nikki […]
“I hear a mixed opinion out there. A lot of questions maybe, right? Like, why here? I want to talk about that for a second. I want to talk about Toronto. Matter of fact, I want to talk about Canada. Matter of fact, I want to talk about Canadians,” Cena continued in his speech.
Cena went on: “I’ve been doing this a while. I’ve been in WWE for over two decades and in that time I’ve seen incredible waves of prosperity like we got right now. WWE is the hottest ticket in town, no doubt.”
John CenaGetty Images
“And I’ve also seen tremendous hardship and that’s when nobody knows your name, nobody wants to be your friend and only the most dedicated, hardcore fans stand by your side,” the athlete said.
“So in all those years one of the most important, one of the most impressive things that I learned was whether the WWE was hot or cold, Canadians always show up,” Cena gushed over the great maple country.
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He added: “All of you built this to what it is today which makes this, in my mind, the perfect place to say what I’ve got to say.”
Miley Cyrus, Ashley Judd and more celebrities are adamant about not wanting to have children. “We’re getting handed a piece-of-s–t planet, and I refuse to hand that down to my child,” Cyrus told Elle in July 2019. “Until I feel like my kid would live on an earth with fish in the water, I’m not […]
“This farewell does not end tonight. It is filled with opportunity,” he said.”I want to say thank you. Thank you so much for letting me play in the house that you built for so many years. Thank you so much always for your voice, because it’s really loud and your honesty because it’s beautifully brutal. and most of all thank you so much for allowing me to be here with you tonight,” he emotionally continued.
Cena signed with WWE in 2001 and has performed part-time since 2018, and has a record of being a 16-time world champion over the years.
Anyone who’s been even mildly lucid through the past few decades knows Billy Corgan as the frontman of the Smashing Pumpkins — the dress-coat-wearing, nasal-voiced alt-rocker behind undying hits such as “1979” and “Bullet With Butterfly Wings.” But for those who haven’t kept up with Corgan-centric headlines (obligatory love-and-hate public displays with Courtney Love, the erratic lineup changes in his band and becoming a voice in poetry and politics) for the past six years, Corgan has taken on a monster project: buying, resurrecting and repackaging the National Wrestling Alliance, the association founded in the 1940s that dominated the world of wrestling before the WWE captivated the collective imagination of American families…
