10,761 articles
Two unadvertised matches featuring NXT talents have been added to tonight's April 20 WWE RAW, according to backstage reports. Sol Ruca will face Women's World Champion Liv Morgan, while Ethan Page is set to take on Je'Von Evans on the post-WrestleMania 42 episode airing from Las Vegas.
Randy Orton revealed during a fan Q&A in Las Vegas ahead of WrestleMania 42 that The Rock is still on his list of people he wants to hit with an RKO. Orton noted he has delivered the RKO to approximately 220-230 different people throughout his career, including celebrities like Meatloaf and Mark Cuban, but has never hit The Rock with his finishing move. He also mentioned Stone Cold Steve Austin as someone on his list, but indicated The Rock would be at the top.
TKO President Mark Shapiro acknowledged that WWE's multi-platform strategy, which spreads programming across streaming services and traditional television networks, could frustrate fans who need multiple subscriptions to follow weekly shows and premium events. Shapiro stated that while this approach "will chase away some fans," it reflects the current direction of the entertainment industry and is part of a larger strategy to expand reach and revenue opportunities. He compared the situation to watching Yankees games, noting that fans would need to access 10 platforms at a cost of $1,000 to watch a full season.
Randy Orton revealed during a fan Q&A in Las Vegas ahead of WrestleMania 42 that he has four years remaining on his current WWE contract. The 46-year-old wrestler stated he wants to win his 15th championship and is "willing to do anything to get it," while also suggesting he might transition to an Undertaker-like part-time schedule after his current deal expires. Orton also dismissed any plans to pursue Hollywood opportunities, indicating his focus remains on achieving championship success in WWE.
TKO President Mark Shapiro claimed during a Q&A session at the University of Alabama that WWE's audience tripled after Monday Night Raw moved to Netflix, and that the company has grown in financial results, audience, social media, and viewership across all metrics since the TKO merger. Shapiro also stated that WWE content is now distributed across multiple major platforms, with SmackDown on USA Network and NXT moving to The CW, as part of a strategy to expand reach.
Roman Reigns, who is the new World Heavyweight Champion, addressed CM Punk following their main event match at WWE WrestleMania 42. Reigns stated "We Made Magic" when referring to their encounter.
TKO president Mark Shapiro acknowledged during a recent Q&A session that WWE's expansion strategy involving bigger marketing efforts, expanded distribution, and mainstream visibility could alienate some longtime fans, stating "when you do that, you're going to win some folks over, but you're also going to chase some folks away." His comments follow incidents during WrestleMania 42 weekend when Roman Reigns referenced WWE's corporate backing in his victory speech, prompting loud anti-TKO chants from the crowd that disrupted the post-show panel.
TKO president Mark Shapiro defended WWE's increased celebrity appearances during a Q&A session with students, stating that celebrity involvement isn't new to WWE but is now happening "on a larger stage" with more marketing investment. Shapiro cited appearances by Logan Paul, Pat McAfee, Jelly Roll, Mark Wahlberg, and Tyrese Halliburton as examples, arguing that celebrity crossovers are part of WWE's long-standing strategy to attract audiences beyond traditional wrestling fans.
WWE NXT's April 14, 2026 episode, which was the first week of NXT Revenge, saw total viewership slightly decrease from the previous week while the 18-49 demographic increased slightly. Overall, the viewership numbers showed very little change compared to the prior week's episode.
Mark Shapiro stated that TKO has full creative control over WWE. He made these comments when asked about celebrity involvement and negative reception heading into WrestleMania 42.
Bianca Belair made a pregnancy announcement at WWE WrestleMania 42 night one on Saturday. Following the announcement, Belair commented "This Year, I Win."
Bianca Belair revealed on Instagram that she was "literally shaking and crying backstage" before making her pregnancy announcement at WrestleMania 42 alongside Montez Ford at Allegiant Stadium. The WWE star described being nervous about sharing the private moment publicly and indicated that the past year had been difficult "in ways you guys just REALLY don't even know," though she stated everything worked out as intended. Belair confirmed she will return to the ring eventually, saying "I'll be back! But until then enjoy this ride with me!"