• Cody Rhodes Becomes a Father Again (Photo)
WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and his wife Brandi Rhodes have quietly welcomed their second daughter, Leilani Ella Runnels. The birth was announced today, complete with a heartfelt post of Brandi holding the newborn’s hand.
Welcome to the world Leilani Ella Runnels. We are in love. Thank you God for answered prayers. Cody + Brandi + Libby + Lani = ❤️ pic.twitter.com/z0kFJcLM0c
— Brandi Rhodes (@TheBrandiRhodes) August 29, 2025
The news arrives just ahead of the couple’s 12th wedding anniversary in September. Brandi had kept the pregnancy private, likely due to health concerns and her prior high-risk experience, before revealing the long-awaited news.
For Cody, fatherhood continues to shift his focus away from the ring and toward life at home, something he has openly recalled during earlier interviews about raising Liberty and how it grounded his priorities.
Congratulations to the Rhodes family on this exciting new chapter!
• Why Vince McMahon Wasn’t Interested In Counterprogramming AEW PPVs
Since stepping away from WWE, Vince McMahon has continued to monitor the company’s moves from the outside, but sources close to him suggest he isn’t a fan of the changes that have taken place under new leadership.
According to Fightful Select, McMahon is believed to strongly dislike some of WWE’s new initiatives, including the heavier use of advertising, increased partnerships with outside promotions, and the strategy of counter-programming AEW events. Those familiar with his mindset noted that if McMahon had ever wanted these tactics in play, he would have implemented them himself years ago.
The key difference lies in philosophy. WWE’s current TKO ownership is focused on maximizing revenue, while McMahon historically prioritized his personal vision – sometimes even at the expense of business interests or his own reputation. His track record includes groundbreaking moves in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, but his unwillingness to adapt in recent years created space for AEW to grow as a legitimate alternative.
In the 1980s, McMahon was known for aggressive counterprogramming tactics, but in recent years he refused to acknowledge AEW in that way. The belief was that he didn’t want to “sell” for the competition by showing that their actions influenced WWE’s decisions.
Ultimately, while McMahon may keep tabs on WWE’s current trajectory, his style and philosophy differ so greatly from today’s approach that insiders are confident he would never have taken the same path.
• Randy Orton’s Possible Role For Clash In Paris
As WWE gears up for its Clash In Paris PLE, the Wrestling Observer suggests the promotion may have one more showdown in its playbook: a singles match pitting Randy Orton against Drew McIntyre.
This potential matchup stems from a rivalry that reignited at SummerSlam, where McIntyre and Logan Paul bested Orton and Jelly Roll in tag team action. The tension continued when Orton stunned McIntyre with a surprise RKO on last week’s SmackDown, prompting McIntyre to fire back on X by mockingly calling Orton “Old Yeller” and vowing to take him down once and for all.
WWE has seriously considered sliding this match onto the Paris card, though it’s not yet official.
Below is the current match-card for Clash In Paris:
– World Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins (c) vs. CM Punk vs. LA Knight vs. Jey Uso
– John Cena vs. Logan Paul
– Roman Reigns vs. Bronson Reed
– Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Nikki Bella
– Good Ol’ Fashioned Donnybrook Match: Sheamus vs. Rusev
• Jim Cornette Reacts To The Raja Jackson – Syko Stu Incident
Jim Cornette issued a scathing critique of KnokX Pro and its handling of the violent in-ring attack carried out on Syko Stu by Raja Jackson on his podcast. Cornette warned that allowing inadequately trained individuals to present themselves as professional wrestlers is reckless and diminishes the integrity of the sport.
He condemned the promotion for seemingly giving just anyone a microphone – and a ring – regardless of training or experience, a trend he says is eroding the standards of the industry. To Cornette, this attack represents the worst of those consequences.
Beyond simply criticizing the act itself, Cornette strongly urged authorities to shut down the promotion altogether, calling its operation amateurish and dangerous. He blamed not only the perpetrators but the entire system enabling and rewarding unqualified participants.
He emphasized how mainstream media coverage of the incident blurred the lines between independent “mud shows” like KnokX and established brands like WWE or AEW, potentially damaging wrestling’s broader reputation.
KnokX Pro has removed WWE-affiliated branding from its platforms, and internal scrutiny is growing.
