• Injury Derailed Major AEW Heel Turn Plan
An injury quietly erased what could have been one of All Elite Wrestling’s most dramatic storyline pivots of the year. Long before plans shifted on screen, Jay White was positioned for a major creative turn that would have altered the AEW main-event landscape.
Self Made Pro revealed that AEW had mapped out a heel turn for White that would have placed him alongside Jon Moxley and The Death Riders faction. The plan centered on AEW Dynasty 2025, where White was slated to interfere in the AEW World Championship match and cost Swerve Strickland the match, thus helping Moxley retain the title.
According to the report, White’s involvement wasn’t a spontaneous swerve. The idea had been discussed and locked in well ahead of the event, with White’s betrayal designed as a defining moment that would solidify his alignment with The Death Riders and reshape ongoing storylines. That specific finish – Moxley leaving as champion thanks to White’s actions – was the intended direction until circumstances forced a rewrite.
Those circumstances came in the form of injury. Once White was sidelined, AEW had to abandon the original plan entirely. Rather than White making the decisive run-in, The Young Bucks were inserted into the finish, attacking Swerve and filling the role White was meant to play.
• Why WWE Is Being Extra Selective With Japanese Male Talent
Behind the scenes, WWE is quietly recalibrating how it evaluates Japanese male talent, and the shift has less to do with athletic ability than it does with star presence. The company’s current philosophy centers on finding someone who can thrive within WWE’s entertainment-first environment, not just impress between the ropes.
According to Self Made Pro, WWE continues to monitor international free agents, particularly from Japan. However, officials are no longer rushing to sign the next technically gifted standout simply to recreate past success. Instead, they’re looking for a performer who can deliver the full package – with charisma being the deciding factor.
For years, WWE has searched for a follow-up to Shinsuke Nakamura, whose signing proved that a Japanese star could connect with a global audience. According to the report, that benchmark still looms large, and WWE now believes it needs to be far more precise in identifying the right fit rather than assuming in-ring excellence alone will translate.
Interestingly, WWE’s confidence has been much stronger on the women’s side. The company reportedly feels its track record with Japanese female wrestlers has been largely successful, with most of those signings adapting well to WWE’s system. That contrast has only sharpened the company’s focus when it comes to male talent.
The internal belief is that the missing ingredient hasn’t been skill, but adaptability and presence. WWE wants a Japanese male wrestler who can not only perform at a high level, but also command attention on camera, connect with audiences, and fit seamlessly into the company’s unique presentation style.
• “They’re both idiots” – Top WWE Star On Jim Cornette & Vince Russo
During an interview on the Mohr Stories podcast, Seth Rollins was asked whose side he’d pick in a public battle between Jim Cornette and Vince Russo. Here’s what Rollins said:
“I’ve hung out with Cornette because Cornette was a booker of mine. He was fine. He’s super entertaining. I mean, the guy can still cut a promo. He’s just a victim of the hot-take culture where he has to say the craziest thing that comes to his brain, and that’s how he makes his money on his podcast.
They’re both idiots, but if I had to pick one, it’d be Cornette. He hates Vince Russo with a passion. That is real.”
When asked if anybody loves Vince Russo other than Russo himself, Rollins replied:
“Nobody that I’m aware of. He’s just a hanger-on, man. That guy’s an idiot.”
