In an interview with TMZ, Lana (CJ Perry) defended John Cena tapping out to Gunther, saying (paraphrasing) that life doesn’t always go as you planned. FWIW I didn’t have a problem with it myself but that’s because it’s exactly what I predicted happening from the very inception of The Last Time Is Now tournament. Of course I have the benefit of not being one of the people who paid thousands of dollars for tickets to see Cena lose, so I understand why they felt some kind of way about that. I also understand their dissatisfaction with TKO’s greed, WWE’s bland and predictable booking, and how completely inundated with advertising every aspect of WWE programming has become.
Coincidentally Drake is teasing a partnership between OVO and WWE. I can’t imagine anything that would fall more flat than that given how irrelevant Kendrick Lamar has made him to the audience. How much more of a clown can you be than suing your own record label for allegedly secretly promoting the man you lost a rap fight to at your expense, then having it dismissed? That’s Drake. He’s that clown.
Tonight’s episode of NXT will be the final live episode of 2025. On Wednesday, WWE will tape episodes in advance to air on December 23rd and 30th. (BSN)
This week’s SmackDown was taped last night at Raw. (BSN)
RJ City is not done with AEW just because “Hey! (EW)” came to an end. He’s already a part of the creative team and will probably continue to be involved in the PPV pre-shows to boot. (FF)
Tony Khan talks about AEW Dynasty coming to Vancouver in 2026: “We made our Vancouver debut in May 2024 with AEW Collision. It was an amazing crowd. They were incredibly passionate and had such a high respect and knowledge for AEW that I knew I wanted to bring the city a pay-per-view event in the future. Vancouver has had some great wrestling events through the years, but I’m confident that AEW Dynasty will be one of the best wrestling events ever held in Vancouver. Canada has been an amazing host country for many AEW events in recent years, and AEW Dynasty on April 12 will create a new chapter in AEW’s Canadian legacy.”
Jake Paul tried to convince people he’s the “mystery man” in the hoodie in WWE. However Austin Theory was officially revealed as said man in the last segment of Raw.
JD McDonagh is out of action for the next few months with a right hand injury.
The Usos beat The New Day in their return to the tag team division on Raw. (WWE)
In storyline LA Knight is “out indefinitely” after being attacked by The Vision last week. (WWE)
Maxxine Dupri was successful in her first Women’s IC Title defense against Ivy Nile on Raw. (WWE)
The current card for next week’s Raw is below. (WWE)
- Je’Von Evans vs. Rayo
- Bayley vs. Roxanne Perez
- Rhea Ripley vs. Asuka
The updated lineup for the first Raw of 2026 on January 5th is below. (WWE)
- World Heavyweight Championship Match: CM Punk vs. Bron Breakker
- WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship Match: Kabuki Warriors vs. Rhea Ripley & IYO SKY
Mick Foley says he’s parting ways with WWE over their relationship with Donald Trump: “PARTING WAYS WITH WWE. While I have been concerned about WWE’s close relationship with Donald Trump for several months – especially in light of his administration’s ongoing cruel and inhumane treatment of immigrants (and pretty much anyone who ‘looks like an immigrant’) – reading the President’s incredibly cruel comments in the wake of Rob Reiner’s death is the final straw for me. I no longer wish to represent a company that coddles a man so seemingly void of compassion as he marches our country towards autocracy. Last night, I informed WWE talent relations that I would not be making any appearances for the company as long as this man remains in office. Additionally, I will not be signing a new Legends deal when my current one expires in June. I love WWE, will always treasure my time with them, and I am deeply appreciative for all the opportunities they afforded me. But, in the words of Popeye the sailor, ‘I stands all I can stands, and I can’t stands no more.'”
WWE officials were “blindsided” by the negative response to Cena losing to Gunther. (WO)
Here are some updated NJPW cards.
NJPW Road to Tokyo Dome Night 1 Lineup (Dec. 19)
- Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. Hiromu Takahashi
- Yuto-Ice, OSKAR, Taiji Ishimori & Daiki Nagai vs. TMDK (Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa, Hartley Jackson & Kosei Fujita)
- Yota Tsuji, Shingo Takagi & Gedo vs. United Empire (Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan & Jakob Austin Young)
- Shota Umino, Yuya Uemura, Taichi & Satoshi Kojima vs. HOUSE OF TORTURE (EVIL, Ren Narita, SANADA & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
- El Desperado, KUUKAI & Katsuya Murashima vs. HOUSE OF TORTURE (SHO, DOUKI & Yujiro Takahashi)
- Toru Yano, YOH, Master Wato & Shoma Kato vs. Hirooki Goto, YOSHI-HASHI, Boltin Oleg & Tatsuya Matsumoto
- Togi Makabe, Tomoaki Honma & Masatora Yasuda vs. Tiger Mask, Ryusuke Taguchi & Zane Jay
NJPW Road to Tokyo Dome Night 2 Lineup (Dec. 21)
- Hiroshi Tanahashi vs. El Desperado
- Yuto-Ice, OSKAR, Yota Tsuji & Taiji Ishimori vs. T.M.D.K. (Zack Sabre Jr., Ryohei Oiwa, Kosei Fujita & Hartley Jackson)
- Shingo Takagi, Hiromu Takahashi & Daiki Nagai vs. United Empire (Callum Newman, Great-O-Khan & Jakob Austin Young)
- Shota Umino, Yuya Uemura, Boltin Oleg, YOSHI-HASHI & Hirooki Goto vs. HOUSE OF TORTURE (EVIL, Ren Narita, SANADA, Yujiro Takahashi & Yoshinobu Kanemaru)
- Toru Yano, YOH, Master Wato & Shoma Kato vs. Taichi, Satoshi Kojima, Tiger Mask & Masatora Yasuda
- Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma vs. Katsuya Murashima & Zane Jay
- KUUKAI & Tatsuya Matsumoto vs. HOUSE OF TORTURE (DOUKI & SHO)
The card for NXT tonight is below. (WWE)
- NXT Championship #1 Contenders Match: Dion Lennox vs. Joe Hendry vs. Myles Borne vs. Leon Slater
- NXT Women’s North American Championship Match: Blake Monroe vs. Thea Hail
- Kendal Grey & Wren Sinclair vs. Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid
- Hank & Tank vs. OTM
