• Return & Debut Expected On Tonight’s SmackDown
According to Fightful Select, Kiana James (who has been absent from WWE programming for almost a year) was brought in to Lexington, Kentucky and is backstage at tonight’s SmackDown. As previously reported by PWInsider, Hikuleo (half-brother of Tama Tonga) is expected to make his official WWE debut on tonight’s show. He signed with WWE in July 2024, but hasn’t been used anywhere in the company. He has been listed on the internal roster for months. At Money In The Bank, United States Champion Jacob Fatu ended his alliance with Solo Sikoa after brutally assaulting the former Tribal Chief. It looks like Sikoa might be bringing in Hikuleo as Jacob’s replacement.
WWE has announced the following for tonight’s SmackDown:
– Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena will appear
– Cody Rhodes vs. Damian Priest vs. Andrade vs. Shinsuke Nakamura in the King of the Ring tournament
– Randy Orton vs. Aleister Black vs. LA Knight vs. Carmelo Hayes in the King of the Ring tournament
– Charlotte Flair vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Chelsea Green vs. Candice LeRae in the Queen of the Ring tournament
– Jade Cargill vs. Nia Jax vs. Piper Niven vs. Michin in the Queen of the Ring tournament
– Ms. Money In The Bank Naomi will appear
– United States Champion Jacob Fatu will talk about ending his alliance with Solo Sikoa
Also Read: Mystery Man In The King Of The Ring Tournament Revealed
• Highest Paid Wrestler On The Current WWE Roster Revealed
According to the Wrestling Observer, there are 9 wrestlers on the current WWE roster that make well over $5 million a year, with the highest paid WWE Superstar being Roman Reigns. As per previous reports, The OTC reportedly makes $15–20 million annually (which includes everything: merch pay, video game pay, PLE bonus, Saudi Arabia bonus). The Observer previously reported that rumors of TKO discussing a pay cut for Reigns are false. Internally, top WWE officials have credited Roman’s Bloodline storyline for WWE’s ongoing financial boom period.
The above statistic of 9 WWE names making well over $5 million per year doesn’t involve The Rock. For his work in WWE in 2024, Dwayne Johnson received $900,000 in royalties and $2.6 million in travel reimbursements. These payments are tied to a broader agreement finalized earlier that year.
Also, as we reported in April 2024, The Rock secured nearly 97,000 shares of TKO stock for having a match at WrestleMania 40, which were valued at over $9 million at that time.
In total, The Rock received $12.5 million from TKO/WWE in 2024.
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