• Real Reason Tiffany Stratton Isn’t Booked For Wrestlepalooza
The first-ever WWE Wrestlepalooza is set to air from the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana, tonight. Five matches are confirmed for the event.
Cody Rhodes will defend the Undisputed WWE Championship against Drew McIntyre in the main event. CM Punk and AJ Lee will team up to face World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch in a Mixed Tag Team Match, while Stephanie Vaquer will battle IYO SKY for the vacant Women’s World Championship.
The event will also feature The Usos taking on Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed, as well as the final showdown between John Cena and Brock Lesnar, which will kick off the show.
The company also planned to have Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill vs. Nia Jax for the WWE Women’s Championship at this Premium Live Event, but the match has been moved to next week’s episode of SmackDown.
Stratton was not medically cleared to compete after a rough landing during her match with Cargill last week on SmackDown. However, she is reportedly doing well now, and the decision to move the match had nothing to do with her health.
According to PWInsider, the word backstage at SmackDown was that The Buff Barbie is not injured, and the decision to shift the Triple-Threat Match was purely logistical, with WWE wanting to avoid “overstacking” the Wrestlepalooza match card.
• Another Reason For Andrade’s WWE Release
Andrade had two separate runs in WWE. He first signed with the company in 2015, where he won both the NXT Championship and the United States Championship before leaving in 2021. After two years in AEW, he made a highly anticipated return at Royal Rumble last year. Unfortunately, his second run wrapped up in less than two years, much sooner than many expected.
His departure wasn’t mutual. Reports suggest that there were creative disagreements between him and WWE, along with disciplinary issues that complicated the situation. El Idolo had reportedly been hard to get in touch with for weeks, and WWE even dropped plans for him to team up with Rey Fenix in a WWE Tag Team Title match at Clash In Paris. The Street Profits were put in that spot instead as his exit became inevitable.
According to the Wrestling Observer, sources within WWE have claimed there was frustration that Andrade’s English never really improved during his time with the company. Some felt it limited how far he could go, especially when it came to promos and connecting with fans.
There was also a feeling of “buyer’s remorse” after bringing him back from AEW. WWE expected his return to make a big splash, similar to how Cody Rhodes and CM Punk were embraced by fans after departing AEW. Despite being placed in high-profile matches right away, Andrade’s run didn’t deliver the momentum the company had hoped for.
The former WWE star is now setting up an angle for a match with MJF through a heated exchange on X.
• WWE’s Reaction To The Rock’s Daughter Ava’s Comments About Charlie Kirk’s Death
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk was assassinated during a midday event at Utah Valley University earlier this month, sparking global reactions. WWE NXT General Manager Ava, daughter of The Rock, addressed the news on Instagram by sharing a tweet that read:
“If you want people to have kind words when you pass, you should say kind words when you’re alive.”
The post drew backlash from Kirk’s supporters, who viewed it as a reference to his death. Ava later doubled down on her stance, tweeting:
“and i’ll stand behind this. be kind, now more than ever.”
Some fans questioned if WWE would take an action against her as they found her comments insensitive. However, she seems to be safe from any punishment.
The Wrestling Observer reports that someone within WWE claimed that if anyone other than Ava had made those comments, they would have been told to take them down, but “nobody will tell her.”
Ava’s father, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, is a member of TKO Group Holdings’ Board Of Directors, the parent company of WWE.
• CM Punk & Batista Show Support For Jimmy Kimmel
Jimmy Kimmel is at the center of controversy after ABC pulled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from its schedule following backlash to his remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s death.
Kirk was shot during a speaking event at Utah Valley University earlier this month, and authorities reported that suspect Tyler Robinson specifically targeted him, claiming he was motivated by Kirk’s rhetoric.
On Monday’s show, Kimmel referred to Robinson as part of the “MAGA base,” a comment many viewers criticized as unfairly blaming conservatives. He also called out right-wing figures for their responses to Kirk’s death, which fueled the backlash that led to ABC’s decision.
US President Donald Trump, who has a long-standing relationship with WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H, approved the move on Truth Social:
“Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible. That leaves Jimmy and Seth, two total losers, on Fake News NBC. Their ratings are also horrible. Do it NBC!!!”
Several celebrities have voiced support for Kimmel and even called for a boycott of Disney, ABC’s parent company.
One of them is former World Heavyweight Champion Batista, who shared a photo with Kimmel on Instagram, captioning it:
“Just to be clear… #IStandWithJimmyKimmel”
CM Punk also backed the late-night host by reposting Batista’s post on his Instagram story:
The endorsement from The Best In The World comes at an interesting time, as WWE is set to launch its partnership with ESPN, a Disney-owned network, tomorrow.
Punk’s backing of Kimmel comes less than 24 hours before one of the biggest matches of his career at Wrestlepalooza, the first WWE Premium Live Event set to air on ESPN. He will team up with his wife, AJ Lee, in a Mixed Tag Team Match against World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch.
The match will mark AJ’s first in-ring appearance in over 10 years, making it one of the most anticipated bouts on the card.
