— AJ Styles drew attention with a recent promo that aired during an ad break on RAW internationally, and a new report adds some context. Styles delivered a worked shoot-style segment, claiming that “someone” didn’t want him in WWE and referencing the releases of Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows, which left him feeling isolated.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter is reporting that this type of angle is unusual because it aired only outside the U.S., rather than on the domestic broadcast. Of course, the clip quickly reached U.S. audiences via social media, and the report suggests that holding it back from domestic viewers made it feel “more real” than a typical promo, with many fans taking it at face value.
Styles’ contract is set to expire in February, following a short-term extension earlier this year. He stirred speculation last weekend with an Instagram post of an hourglass, hinting that retirement could be on the horizon.
— WWE will not host its traditional post-Christmas live event at Madison Square Garden this year. The December 26th show is set for Baltimore, Maryland, marking a departure from the company’s usual New York City tradition.
The report explains that the change is linked to WWE scheduling a RAW episode in Boston on November 17th for John Cena’s final appearance in his hometown. While WWE has scaled back its live events across the U.S. over the past year, previous reports had indicated that post-holiday shows would still continue.
— Mark Henry expressed pure excitement over AJ Lee’s return on last week’s episode of WWE SmackDown, revealing that the segment gave him goosebumps. Lee made her comeback during the show’s main event, and Henry shared his reaction on the “Busted Open After Dark” podcast.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On the start of the segment with CM Punk: “Listening to that arena tonight brought back so many memories. And we heard John Cena talking about it at the beginning of the show, but when CM Punk got in that ring, boy, the hair stood up on my arms. I started doing like The Rock, with the goosebumps, slapping my arm. I didn’t do that, but I did get excited. I got on the edge of my seat. I leaned in and I was really paying attention.”
On Lee’s return: “We all speculated, we all had these visions of grandeur and these thoughts that AJ Lee would come back to WWE. Well, it happened tonight. I was smiling like I won the lotto.”
— Kofi Kingston says it’s about time Xavier Woods captured singles gold in WWE. While Woods is a multi-time Tag Team Champion, he has yet to claim a solo title, something Kingston insists should change. He discussed the matter during a recent appearance on the “Battleground” podcast.
You can check out some highlights from the podcast below:
On Xavier Woods deserving a singles title run: “For Xavier to have a singles title, I know that’s important to him. It’s long overdue. He’s amazing on the mic, he’s amazing in the ring. His physique, his body gamed up.”
On his goal to push the issue: “He deserves to have singles gold, it’s long overdue. We’re going to keep on putting the pressure on the bald headed tyrant, Adam Pearce, and we’re going to force him to make that happen at some point in time.”
— Vic Joseph and Booker T made the jump from Tuesday night’s NXT to call the action on this week’s episode of WWE SmackDown. The NXT commentary duo handled Friday night’s broadcast, stepping in for Michael Cole and Corey Graves, who officially took over SmackDown commentary last week.
Cole noted on last week’s show that he and Graves will be the regular SmackDown commentary team moving forward. Friday was a packed night for WWE, featuring the WrestleMania 43 announcement, Smackdown, and the WWE x AAA: Worlds Collide event that aired immediately after SmackDown.
— And finally, you can check out the updated lineup for the September 20th Wrestlepalooza pay-per-view event below:
* Undisputed WWE Championship Match: Cody Rhdoes vs. Drew McIntyre
* Women’s World Championship Match: IYO SKY vs. Stephanie Vaquer
* John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar
* The Usos vs. Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker
* CM Punk and AJ Lee vs. Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch
.@RandyOrton isn’t ready to give up yet 😤 pic.twitter.com/Vb0DOW7uSh
— WWE (@WWE) September 13, 2025
“I’ll see you my friend at Wrestlepalooza!”@CodyRhodes just challenged @DMcIntyreWWE 😱 pic.twitter.com/rrK8NGiEp0
— WWE (@WWE) September 13, 2025
