• WWE Changed Plans For Nikki Bella’s Final Run
After several years away from WWE, Nikki Bella returned earlier this year in the Women’s Royal Rumble match before committing to a full-time run leading into the second Evolution Premium Live Event.
The WWE Hall of Famer has already confirmed that this will be her final run as an active competitor.
Speaking on Outspoken with Bruce & Gaydos, Bella revealed that she was originally only supposed to be back for a short run, but plans changed later.
“It was the perfect time to be like, I need to find out who… I need her to be back and Nikki Bella’s the one that brings me back. It was supposed to be three months and now it’s been a year and it’s gonna go even longer and it’s been incredible. I have just loved it.”
Nikki Bella recently turned heel and wants to become the Women’s World Champion.
• Absent Top Star Confirms Appearances At 2 Upcoming WWE Events
Randy Orton has been absent from WWE television for over two months, last appearing on the October 3rd episode of SmackDown. On that night, he returned to help Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes against The Vision, teaming up with The American Nightmare in a high-profile main event against Bron Breakker and “Big” Bronson Reed. The match ended in defeat after interference from Seth Rollins allowed Reed to pin Orton.
The Viper was recently in Saudi Arabia for the grand opening of MrBeast Land, a theme park created through a partnership between YouTube star MrBeast and WWE.
Orton appeared in a TikTok video alongside Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, where he confirmed that he will be in the Kingdom for the Royal Rumble 2026 weekend.
In the video, The Apex Predator revealed that he will be at SmackDown before the Royal Rumble and the Premium Live Event itself in Riyadh.
“This is Randy Orton with the WWE. I am at The Grove and I just wanna remind everybody that tickets are still on sale for the Royal Rumble, coming here to Riyadh at the end of January, and tickets are still on sale for SmackDown too. So make sure you get your tickets, and I will see you at the Royal Rumble or I will see you at SmackDown – and I will 100% see you here at the one and only Grove.”
• Unfortunate Issues Behind WWE Limiting SmackDown Star’s In-Ring Time Revealed
Damian Priest has built a reputation for delivering strong and physical performances whenever he steps into the ring. Under Triple H’s leadership as WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Priest became a regular presence on television and was even booked to win the World Heavyweight Championship.
Recently, however, the 43-year-old hasn’t been wrestling as frequently as he did in previous years. That change isn’t creative-related, but instead tied to his current physical condition.
In an interview with Big Nick Turturro, Priest explained that WWE has intentionally scaled back his in-ring workload to help protect his long-term health, revealing the wear and tear his body has taken after years of pushing himself nonstop.
“It’s unfortunate. I don’t like to bring it up too much, and I don’t take breaks. Since I’ve been in WWE, I’ve literally taken zero days off. I’ve never asked for time off because I was hurting.
This year, the company decided to slow things down a bit because I’ve been going hard for a long time. I’ve torn my shoulder a couple of times in the last year and a half. My knees are banged up. My back is rough. I need a lot of work done, but I choose not to unless I absolutely have to.
If I don’t need surgery, I won’t do it. I’ll figure it out. Rehab, treatment, whatever it takes… just keep me in the game. So this year, the company basically said, ‘We’re happy with you, but we need to make sure you last.’ They’ve been forcing me to take it easy, and that’s not the easiest thing to do when you love going out there and performing.
I’m still on TV regularly, just not in the ring as much as I used to be. That’s really the only difference. I love performing. I love getting physical. So yeah… it’s hard for me.”
On the latest episode of SmackDown, Priest teamed up with his Terror Twin Rhea Ripley to score a victory over Aleister Black and Zelina Vega.
