• The One Thing Wrestlers Are Warned Against During Pinfalls
A common in-ring habit has long frustrated wrestling producers, and it turns out performers aren’t being taught to do it at all.
During a recent Fightful Select Q&A, a fan asked whether wrestlers are trained to look at the referee during pinfall attempts, noting that it often gives away an upcoming kickout. According to Fightful Select, the answer is no, and the practice has been discouraged internally for years.
Those involved in producing and laying out matches have repeatedly warned talent against looking at the referee during near falls, as it telegraphs the outcome to viewers. Coaches and producers reportedly view it as a tell that undermines the drama of close pin attempts and takes fans out of the moment.
Fightful noted that the issue has been a recurring point of frustration backstage, with those in charge emphasizing that performers should rely on timing and feel rather than visual cues. One suggested alternative has been referees counting more audibly, which can help wrestlers time kickouts without needing to glance up.
The habit has reportedly decreased in recent years, suggesting that the message is getting through. While it hasn’t been fully eliminated, Fightful indicated that awareness around the issue has improved compared to the past.
Also Read: Ricochet Says “Sh*t Show” WWE Tarnished His Legacy & Same Thing Happened To Balor & Nakamura
• Update On The Future Of The Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is likely returning to domestic soil after its historic detour to the Middle East. While WWE made waves by moving the iconic PLE to Saudi Arabia for the first time in 2026, the current word behind the scenes is that the 2027 edition is heading back to a major U.S. stadium.
According to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select, the general consensus among staff and talent at this year’s show was that the “Big Four” event will resume its traditional American roots next year. Despite the high-profile nature of the Riyadh partnership, management appears focused on securing a massive domestic venue to host the 2027 festivities.
Furthermore, WWE seems to have reached a temporary verdict on the show’s format. While there has been significant internal debate about expanding the Royal Rumble into a two-night extravaganza – similar to the modern WrestleMania and SummerSlam structure – the current plan for 2027 is to stick with a single, high-impact night.
• Mick Foley Reacts To “F**k ICE” Chants In AEW Getting Mainstream Coverage
On this week’s Dynamite, AEW World Champion MJF faced Brody King in the main event. While Brody squashed MJF in just 77 seconds, the biggest story of this match was the “f**k ICE” chants by the fans, which received mainstream media attention, with outlets like NBC News, FOX News, AOL News, TMZ, Apple News, and The Independent covering the moment.
Fuck ICE chants LMFAAAAAAAAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO #AEWDynamite pic.twitter.com/PtEoHEDVW7
— ProdigiousOmega 🇨🇩🇵🇸🇸🇩 (@ProdigiousOmega) February 5, 2026
WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley posted a screenshot of MJF’s shocked face from the above clip and wrote: “…really enjoying AEW as of late!”
NBC News wrote: “Fans at an All Elite Wrestling match broke out into an anti-ICE chant that briefly paused the pro-wrestling match and appeared to startle one of the wrestlers in the ring.”
MJF replied: “The world champion wasn’t startled. He’s better than you and you know it. Watch AEW Wednesday night on TBS and streaming on HBO MAX. And watch AEW on Saturday nights on TNT and streaming on HBO MAX.”
Brody replied: “I’m glad that we could both see how visibly frightened
MJF was of me. Watch me end his title reign next Saturday 2/14 across the world at Grand Slam Australia on TNT and streaming on HBOmax.”
For those who don’t know, Brody wore an “abolish ICE” shirt before a match in Mexico in 2025.
