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Time of India
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
WWE Nights of Champions: Will CM Punk participate in Premium Live in Saudi Arabia despite the controversy and criticism?
CM Punk (Image via WWE) On Saturday's Backlash PLE, it was announced that WWE Night of Champions 2025 is scheduled on June 28th in Riyadh. The trailer of this event showcased CM Punk being featured in the advertisement for the upcoming WWE Premium Live Event in Saudi Arabia. Past comments of Punk on The Miz, ahead of working 2020's Super Showdown, are being criticized and highlighted by fans all over the internet. As of now, there is no confirmation about Punk's participation in Saudi Arabia's event, but his appearance in the trailer led to many assumptions about his anticipation. The Night of Champions is making headlines due to CM Punk's comment Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority Chairman, Turki Alalshikh, hints at an enhancement of WWE's events, and the long-awaited WWE Night of Champions is finally happening on June 28th, 2025, in Riyadh. A trailer for this premium event was aired on Saturday's Backlash PLE, which ended abruptly for many WWE fans. The trailer had a glance at CM Punk's first promo with WWE from November 2023. After the appearance of Punk in the trailer, WWE fans heavily criticized him due to his previous comments. Back in 2020, for Miz's Super Showdown appearance, Punk tweeted sarcastically about Saudi Arabia. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Click Here - This Might Save You From Losing Money Expertinspector Click Here Undo Though there is no clear information about Punk's participation in the WWE Night of Champions 2025 event, his glance in the trailer is making headlines all over the internet, and fans are heavily criticizing him because of this previous comment. Following the trailer drop, on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer mentioned that 'Wrestlers technically have the option not to go, but there's a lot of pressure to participate. Punk once said he'd never go, but people say a lot of things.' The appearance of Punk in the trailer, despite his previous comments, raises controversy over WWE Night of Champions 2025 and Saudi Arabia's policies. It's Punk's decision eventually whether he appears or makes any arrangements for his participation. His case showcases the tension between wrestlers' personal ethics and professional commitments, especially in WWE's expansion period. Additionally, Saudi Arabia can host the Royal Rumble and WrestleMania, the big events of WWE in upcoming years. These premium events signify the potential significant shift in the global wrestling scene. Also read: Saudi Arabia's plan to host WWE's events like Royal Rumble and WrestleMania
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
John Cena vs. Randy Orton: The brutal, iconic history of WWE Backlash's decades-long rivalry
The minute WWE announced 2025's Backlash PLE would be taking place in St. Louis, most of us figured we knew where this was going. And here we are: Just one sleep away from WWE running back one of its greatest 21st century feuds, John Cena vs. Randy Orton, under the portentous banner of "one last time." The word "generational" gets used so often in wrestling commentary that it sometimes feels more like an annoying catchphrase than a genuine accolade. But is there any better way to describe the contribution these two have made to the modern WWE product? At the very least they're amongst the top three stars of the early Millennium era. Advertisement But what about when they come together? Is Orton the ultimate opponent for Cena? When I debated the question with the other Uncrowned regulars ahead of Saturday's weekend, we all agreed that Cena vs. Orton was somewhere in our top five Cena feuds. What's clear, though, is that this is perhaps the best placed of Cena's legendary feuds (if not neck-and-neck with CM Punk) for a modern-day revival. By this point, most people know the backstory: How Orton and Cena emerged in tandem from the golden days of Ohio Valley Wrestling — then serving as WWE's developmental partner — around the late 1990s, before bursting onto the main scene to help finally turn the page on the Attitude era. Advertisement Once both men had established themselves as main-carders, the scene was set for their feud to begin. At the time, Cena was firmly in place as the WWE's golden boy, defending his title with a predictability that had begun to grate on some of the more cynical fans. A string of triumphs over The Great Khali in 2007 had practically confirmed Cena's invincibility. After hitting the champ with a surprise RKO on "WWE Raw," Randy Orton threw down his glove as Cena's next competitor. And while he might not have quite punctured that invincibility, he did succeed in getting under the champion's skin — not least of which with a brutal punt kick to John Cena Sr. (Cena's real-life father) that left the all-American hero desperate for revenge. Looking back, surely even Cena himself (Junior, that is) would concede that it was exactly what was needed. All of a sudden, the all-American babyface had a rawness and rage to his character — a development that led to Orton getting the better of him (at least psychologically) at 2007's Unforgiven event. Advertisement When a legitimate injury forced Cena to vacate the title, the feud fell dormant, only to spring back into action with the former champ's shock return at the 2008 Royal Rumble. Given that his rival had won the WWE championship just an hour earlier, the stars were perfectly aligned for the old hostilities to resume. If the smart fans had resented Cena's protected status as babyface champion, the next chapter went to great lengths to subvert their expectations — as the conniving Orton used every trick in the book to hang onto his gold and deprive the good guy of his prize. The legendary finish to their match at 2008's No Way Out — in which Orton assaulted the referee to force a DQ — remains one of the most famous heel moves in history. Within months, Cena and Orton were being booked as blood rivals, in a similar vein to Austin and The Rock a decade earlier. The marquee treatment led to their best matches yet: A grueling "I Quit" showdown in 2009 that tested Cena's signature tenacity to its limits, and a similarly brutal 60-minute Iron Man match at Bragging Rights. Both remain modern classics to this day. With Cena's destiny soon intertwined with that of the returning Rock, the Orton feud had to take a back seat for a few years. But that all changed in 2013, when a rug pull ending to SummerSlam saw Randy Orton returned to the top of WWE hierarchy — at the expense of the fans' beloved Daniel Bryan. Advertisement Having screwed over the biggest babyface in all of pro-wrestling, "The Viper" was once again perfectly placed for another collision with his old nemesis. The fact that the two men were each holding the two biggest prizes in WWE pointed to an obvious landing point: A unification match to crown the one true champion. It may have seemed the most predictable path. But who would have guessed back then in the blazing heat of a Los Angeles summer that the vendetta would culminate in a hardcore spectacle — a Tables, Ladders and Chairs match — just 10 days before Christmas? A very different prospect, to put it lightly, than the usual one-on-one stadium match at WrestleMania. The match itself was an instant classic, with a series of inventive spots that drew as much on the deep psychological history of the Cena-Orton rivalry as they did on the TLC gimmick. There's a reason that WWE have been running so many video packages of it ahead of Saturday's reunion match. If you haven't seen them, go back and drink them in. Given that the highlights have been shown on the weekly shows in the build to Saturday, should we expect some callbacks at Backlash? Some handcuffs perhaps? After the shallow and contrived end to Cena's last match at WrestleMania, it would certainly restore some authenticity to the main card. Advertisement Acknowledging history is one thing, but it still leaves the obvious question: Can Saturday's match ever do justice to such a great rivalry? In all honesty, I wouldn't want to guess — but the fact that the 45-year-old Orton has lost none of the pace and appetite of his 'Legend Killer' days surely bodes well for what happens in the ring. Throughout their interlocking careers, the two rivals have consistently shown their ability to exceed expectations and bring the best out of each other. Given the growing questions over the wisdom of the whole Cena heel turn, their pairing couldn't come at a better time — especially given Orton's well-earned status as a fan favorite. Whatever else happens, there's a fitting symmetry to the whole thing. Just as the devious Orton helped round out Cena's babyface persona into something three-dimensional all those years ago, he now faces a parallel task some two decades later: To bring some much-needed authenticity to Cena's uneven run as the bad guy. And if he can rise to that challenge, 'The Viper' might just go down in history as Cena's greatest rival after all.
Time of India
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
WWE Backlash 2025 predictions: 3 reasons Randy Orton should beat John Cena
is set to challenge for the Undisputed Championship at Backlash PLE. WWE's upcoming Premium Live Event, Backlash 2025, is set to take over the Enterprise Arena in St. Louis, Missouri, next week. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The main event showdown set in stone for the show will see hometown hero Randy Orton challenge his iconic rival, John Cena, for the Undisputed WWE Championship. The Last Real Champion has plans to leave WWE with the prestigious championship upon the end of his farewell tour. However, his old foe, Randy Orton, surfaced on the RAW after WrestleMania 41 to take him out and signal his intentions at winning a potential 15th World title. With the stage set and Orton walking into the match with huge advantages, here are three reasons Randy Orton should dethrone John Cena for the title: 3. A step towards breaking the record set by John Cena John Cena set the record for most World titles in WWE at 17 on the Grandest Stage of Them All, WrestleMania 41. The ruthless Cena dethroned Cody Rhodes to win the championship in questionable fashion. However, much like Ric Flair's record was broken, there might come a time when Cena's record would also be shattered. Among the current crop of the WWE roster, Orton is a front-runner to do that as he has close to ten years left in the ring. WWE could start moving towards that direction by having the Viper dethrone the Cenation Leader at WWE Backlash this year. 2. Potential showdown with Cody Rhodes at a big WWE PLE Ever since Cody Rhodes returned to WWE in 2022, there have been major speculations regarding a 'Teacher vs Student' showdown between him and his former mentor, Randy Orton. Moreover, WWE has made multiple teases about the match over the last year, with the latest being on the road to WrestleMania 41. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Should Randy defeat John Cena for the WWE title, it could set the stage for Cody Rhodes' return after losing at Mania this year. The American Nightmare's resurgence could lead to him challenging Orton for the title at a major PLE. 1. Hometown advantage The biggest reason that a potential Randy Orton win can happen against John Cena at WWE Backlash is his home-field advantage. WWE Backlash 2025 is set to take place in Orton's hometown of St. Louis, Missouri. The arena will be filled with huge Orton fans and also his family, as he revealed on SmackDown, so the Viper winning looks like a possibility, much like CM Punk famously defeated John Cena at the 2011 Money in the Bank in his hometown of Chicago where the fans had the show hijacked in Punk's favor. Also read:
Time of India
02-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Liv Morgan's Tag Team Champion title is not going anywhere; WWE star set to be back in the ring within the month
Liv Morgan (Image via WWE) Liv Morgan is taking it up to the silver screen while also maintaining her day job as a professional wrestler. It was announced after WrestleMania 41 that she would be taking some time off of WWE to focus on outside projects, and we know what that is. Morgan has been cast in Takashi Miike 's upcoming directorial, Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo . But what does this really mean for her wrestling career? How long is Liv Morgan planning to stay off the squared circle? After losing their Tag Team title to Lyra Valkyria and Becky Lynch at WrestleMania, fans thought the reason behind this change was to give Liv Morgan the time off she wanted to pursue another venture - a movie role. But given her and Raquel Rodriguez won the title back during the following RAW episode, fans are all asking the same question: How long is she going to be off of wrestling? by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like The Top 25 Most Beautiful Women In The World Articles Vally Undo Morgan is currently in Japan, shooting for the upcoming movie, which also stars Shun Oguri and Lily James . And according to recent reports, she will be done within the month. So it won't be too long before she is back in the WWE arena. While she will miss out on the Backlash PLE, set for May 10, Morgan is set to be back in the ring before the Money In The Bank PLE, set for June 7. Which is probably why Morgan and Rodriguez are still holding on to their title belt, even if it left them for a little while at WrestleMania. The Judgement Day stable making everyone dance to their music recently, and that is not going to stop anytime soon. What we know about Liv Morgan's upcoming movie Liv Morgan has been cast as a kidnapped daughter of a politician, around whom the whole story is woven. A central character to the plot of the movie, she joins renowned stars like Shun Oguri and Lily James. Oguri plays the titular Bad Lieutenant, while James portrays the role of an FBI Agent, investigating the disappearance of Morgan's character. Oguri gained prominence with the Japanese show Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers) and made his Hollywood debut with Godzilla vs. Kong in 2021. James on the other hand made her debut with the British television series Just William, before gaining prominence with projects like Downton Abbey and Pam and Tommy. As for Morgan, this is her second movie role after she made her debut with The Kill Room in 2023. This will be her next big project, away from her home-world of wrestling. Also Read: WWE RAW star Liv Morgan joins the cast of Takashi Miike's Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
WWE Announces First-Ever Premium Live Event in Paris
WWE, part of TKO Holdings, is set to make a high-profile return to Europe with its first stadium show in almost three years, officially announcing Clash in Paris, scheduled to take place on Aug. 31 at the Paris La Défense Arena. Clash in Paris will be the first-ever WWE Premium Live Event (PLE) held in the French capital, although last year, France made a huge impression on the global wrestling community when the Backlash PLE was hosted in Lyon. The crowd that night was extremely hot and will always be remembered for singing 'Il est vraiment phénomenal,' a popular tune often heard at French soccer matches, for WWE Superstar 'The Phenomenal One' AJ Styles. More from Variety Paul Heyman on The Bloodline's Huge Presence in 'WWE 2k25': 'Roman Reigns Is Hereby Acknowledged' WWE Competition Series 'LFG' Sets A&E Premiere Date WWE's Lyra Valkyria and Dakota Kai Are 'Ready to Make History' With First Ever Women's Intercontinental Championship Match 'Backlash France in Lyon last year broke arena records and decibel levels, demonstrating just how loud and passionate our WWE fans in France can be,' said WWE Chief Content Officer Paul 'Triple H' Levesque. 'We believe Clash in Paris and Raw will attract people from around the world to Paris and once again create a true spectacle.' Clash in Paris will be held at the Paris La Défense Arena, known as the largest indoor venue in Europe. It has previously hosted global artists like Taylor Swift, The Rolling Stones, and Bruce Springsteen. The announcement of Clash in Paris follows a series of successful WWE events in Europe, including Glasgow's Clash at the Castle in June and Bash in Berlin in August. In addition to Clash in Paris, WWE will also broadcast Monday Night Raw from the same venue on Sept. 1. This back-to-back event lineup ensures that French fans will have an extended opportunity to see a live WWE show in person. Best of Variety What's Coming to Netflix in February 2025 New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week What's Coming to Disney+ in February 2025
