Latest news with #RoyalRumble
Newsweek
29 minutes ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Ronda Rousey's WWE Return Teased By Popular Star
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. WWE superstar Bianca Belair has weighed in on the possibility of Ronda Rousey making a future return to the company. In a new podcast interview, the "EST of WWE" stated that she believes fans might see the UFC Hall of Famer back in a WWE ring one day. Rousey had two impactful runs with WWE but has not been with the company since her departure in the summer of 2023. Belair's comments have once again sparked discussion about a potential third run for the combat sports legend. A Royal Rumble Return? While speaking on the latest episode of the Dope As Usual podcast, Bianca Belair was asked about Ronda Rousey's time in WWE. Belair noted that in wrestling, the door is never truly closed for a major star. "I mean, I always say with wrestling, anything can happen. People always, they come back, they come in, they leave, they come back," Belair said. "We have a Royal Rumble, which is like a jumpstart to the road to WrestleMania with 30 women inside the ring. We have surprise entrances. She may come back at a Royal Rumble one day." The Rousey Effect Ronda Rousey's arrival in WWE in 2018 was a monumental event for the company. As one of the biggest and most recognizable stars in the history of mixed martial arts, she brought a new level of mainstream attention and legitimacy to the women's division. Her debut year was a massive success, culminating in her being part of the first-ever all-female main event of WrestleMania in 2019, where she defended the Raw Women's Championship. Above, Rousey attends the Premiere Of STX Films' "Mile 22" at Westwood Village Theatre on August 9, 2018 in Westwood, California. Above, Rousey attends the Premiere Of STX Films' "Mile 22" at Westwood Village Theatre on August 9, 2018 in Westwood, California. Photo byHer second run, which began with a surprise victory in the 2022 Royal Rumble match, saw her capture the SmackDown Women's Championship. While her relationship with the WWE fan base was sometimes contentious, her star power and impact on the business are undeniable. More news: WWE Superstar Announces Retirement Match A Dream Match That Never Was During Rousey's second run, Bianca Belair was also at the top of the women's division as the Raw Women's Champion. Despite both women being dominant champions on opposing brands at the same time, a major one-on-one feud between the two never materialized. A match between Belair's powerhouse athleticism and Rousey's legitimate MMA background remains one of the biggest "what if" dream matches of the modern era. Belair acknowledged Rousey's contributions in the interview. "Right now she's not in WWE, but she was here and she brought so many new eyes to the product," she stated. "She was amazing and I don't know, we might see her again one day." More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports
Newsweek
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
'WWE: Unreal' Reveals Pitch For Surprise Royal Rumble Winner
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The new Netflix docuseries, WWE: Unreal, has revealed a wild creative pitch from the writer's room that would have crowned a shocking and unexpected winner for the 2025 Women's Royal Rumble. The series has confirmed that a plan was discussed which would have seen the ever-complaining Chelsea Green win the iconic match. While the company ultimately went in a different direction, the revelation provides a fascinating glimpse into the creative process. It shows the kinds of "out of the box" ideas that are considered for WWE's biggest events. Don't miss the premiere of WWE:UNREAL coming to @netflix NEXT TUESDAY! 😈 — WWE (@WWE) July 23, 2025 A Shocking Creative Pitch Footage from the series shows a writer pitching an underdog scenario to WWE's Chief Content Officer, Triple H. The idea was for the final two competitors in the Royal Rumble to eliminate each other just before the 30th entrant was scheduled to come out. "They end up doing a double elimination. So whoever's number 30, automatically wins," the writer stated. "Chelsea Green. Walks down, wins the Royal Rumble. That's it." The idea was met with laughter from others in the room. Triple H gave a non-committal response, simply saying, "We'll figure something out." SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JANUARY 28: A general view of the action during the WWE Royal Rumble at the Alamodome on January 28, 2023 in San Antonio, Texas. SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS - JANUARY 28: A general view of the action during the WWE Royal Rumble at the Alamodome on January 28, 2023 in San Antonio, Texas. Alex BierensMore news: WWE Superstar Announces Retirement Match The "Karen" of WWE A Royal Rumble victory for Chelsea Green would have been a shocking but perfectly fitting moment for her character. Since returning to WWE, Green has excelled in her role as an entitled, "Karen"-like persona who is constantly complaining to management and believes she is an A-list star. For a character who often fails in the ring despite her bravado, winning the biggest match of the year through a lucky fluke would have been an infuriatingly brilliant character moment. While she did not win the Rumble, she has remained a prominent character on Raw as the leader of the "Secret Hervice" faction. The Queen's Triumph The Women's Royal Rumble match is a star-making vehicle that is typically won by top-tier, main event talent. The list of previous winners includes legends like Asuka, Becky Lynch, and Ronda Rousey. WWE ultimately chose to continue this tradition in 2025. As fans saw at the event in February, the match was won by a returning Charlotte Flair. "The Queen" made her triumphant return from a long-term injury to win the match, becoming the first-ever two-time winner of the Women's Royal Rumble. This classic, heroic comeback story is a stark contrast to the comedic, "accidental" win that was pitched for Chelsea Green. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘WWE: Unreal' Review: Netflix Docuseries Is Too Polished, Skips WrestleMania Drama
John Cena's heel turn gets a welcome explainer, but too many questions are left unanswered 'We're going to lift the curtain. We are going to show you things you've never seen in this show,' WWE Hall of Famer and Chief Content Officer Triple H said in announcing its docuseries collaboration with Netflix. The question is, do we really need to see this? 'WWE: Unreal' gives the audience unprecedented access, going backstage with WWE Superstars and staff as they bring the company's biggest spectacles to life from the Royal Rumble to WrestleMania. More from TheWrap Jon Stewart Jokes Trump Did What Anybody Who Was Innocent of Working With Epstein Would Do: 'Fled the Country' | Video Former NBC Cable President Tom Rogers Joins Versant as Senior Advisor Every Upcoming Marvel TV Show Headed to Disney+ Seth Meyers Points Out Trump Says 'Worse Things About Windmills Than He Says About Jeffrey Epstein' | Video When I was younger, I believed that The Undertaker was a dead man walking, Umaga was a tribal chief and Vince McMahon was an egomaniacal billionaire… Maybe that last one was true. There was a real magic in keeping kayfabe alive as audiences get lost in the compelling storylines that make the matches and rivalries more believable. The upcoming Netflix sports documentary is controversial within the wrestling fan community as it's the most obvious example of WWE directly breaking kayfabe — the illusion that wrestling and its storylines are real. In the McMahon era, breaking kayfabe and lifting the curtain to this extent was a big taboo and something out of the question. But times have changed, and the demand for more wrestling content is greater than ever in the WWE's Netflix era. With that in mind, there was a fear that 'WWE: Unreal' would break that illusion. But the slow-burning documentary doesn't reveal too much to wrestling fans that they didn't already know. However, it was a good opportunity to introduce a new audience to the personalities that make the WWE the global powerhouse that it is. From CM Punk to Rhea Ripley to Cody Rhodes to Bianca Belair, the industry is in great hands with its stacked roster of beloved talent. It was compelling viewing to see the nerves and fears the WWE superstars have before stepping into the ring as they show their vulnerability and human sides, especially with CM Punk. CM Punk had dreamed about main-eventing WrestleMania from the moment he stepped into the ring. Therefore, seeing the culmination of this hard-fought journey was a powerful segment of the documentary, which shows the Chicago WWE legend break down in tears after his match with Roman Reigns and Seth Freakin' Rollins as Triple H consoles him. These are the moments that elevate the documentary as we rarely get this access and insight into their lives. The highlight of the documentary was Episode 4 as the audience were given a detailed breakdown of John Cena's heel turn. The WWE icon turned 'heel' — bad guy — at Elimination Chamber on March 1 after Cody Rhodes refused to 'sell his soul' to the Final Boss, A.K.A The Rock. In a moment that shocked the world, Cena viciously beat Rhodes alongside The Rock and Travis Scott. The captivating segment of the documentary was led by Triple H as he discussed the inception of the heel turn and alternative ideas that the creative team had considered before this historic moment. One idea even suggested that after Cody Rhodes refused to sell his soul, The Rock was supposed to call an impromptu title match against Kevin Owens and Cody would lose his title before WrestleMania.'WWE: Unreal' felt like the perfect opportunity to lift the curtain on some of the controversial moments in recent months, especially the ending of Cody Rhodes vs John Cena at WrestleMania. Many WWE fans questioned why Travis Scott needed to be involved in the main event of WrestleMania and despite being an integral part of the storyline in Elimination Chamber, The Rock was nowhere to be seen. The anti-climactic moment at WrestleMania led to speculation and fan theories about a power struggle within the industry, which could have easily been put to bed with this documentary. However, despite going into meticulous step-by-step detail for Cena's heel turn, there was no explanation or discussion of the WrestleMania main event, which was quite disappointing. In answer to the question at the beginning of the piece, 'Do we need to see this?' Well, yes and no. In theory, 'WWE: Unreal' is a promising concept as the audience gets unprecedented access into the writers' room during one of the most exciting times in wrestling history. However, this only works if there's real drama, jeopardy or suspense, but instead, it felt too polished and edited. The charm and intrigue of the show came from getting to know the real personalities behind the larger-than-life characters, as this insight into their lives and ambitions will build a strong connection with fans around the world. 'WWE: Unreal' is now streaming on Netflix. The post 'WWE: Unreal' Review: Netflix Docuseries Is Too Polished, Skips WrestleMania Drama appeared first on TheWrap. Solve the daily Crossword
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
WWE superstar left with 'terrible' injury after move went wrong on Netflix show
New Netflix series shows physical cost for WWE Superstars A WWE superstar admitted he was left in 'terrible' condition physically after a move went wrong on Netflix show. New docuseries Unreal, now streaming on the platform is revealing some rarely seen insight into the making of the wrestling company. According to its synopsis, fans are invited for the first time ever, to step into the WWE writer's room and outside the ring among other places with their favourite WWE Superstars. Cameras take viewers where the drama is just as intense offstage as it is under the spotlight across this unique five-part series showing behind the scenes like never before. This includes showing what really happened when a move didn't go as planned during the most recent Royal Rumble. WWE Undisputed Champion Cody Rhodes took on challenger Kevin Owens in a ladder match. It was a brutal confrontation which left Owens bloody faced. However neither superstar walked away unscathed. At some point in the match, Owens powerbombs Rhodes onto a ladder but footage from behind the scenes in the docuseries reveals it didn't go as intended. As Rhodes returns backstage following the conclusion of the match, Owens quickly asks his opponent if he is OK. He says: "Are you OK, buddy? I'm so sorry about the bomb. Because I wanted the ladder to be so that you could just go straight, 'cause I can't see where I put you. But you put it the other way, so I kinda had to walk with you, and I didn't wanna put you too far, so then they looked like sh**. You ate it right on your neck. Are you okay?" Footage from the match shows that Rhodes landed unexpectedly with such force that he sprung upwards into a standing position. He tells Owens: "I bounced into the nether realm on the suplex...I was blown away where I landed." A producer then asks Rhodes how he is 'physically' to which he admits: "Terrible. But I'm not gonna bi*** and moan, and my legs work, my spine is not hurt, my neck is not hurt and I don't have a concussion. So those are my prerequisites for not complaining. So no complaints from me." It is not the only real-world injury documented by the series as it also shows how Rhea Ripley made her comeback to win the Women's World Championship on Raw's Netflix debut. A year previously Rhea, real name Demi Bennett describes when her 'whole year changed' during a backstage altercation with her rival Live Morgan. Morgan is shown attacking Rhea in the hallways and throwing her into the wall. However, this lead to a serious injury for Ripley, so much so she dropped her persona. Ripley says: "I have a third-grade AC sprain. I full on broke character as well in that scene. My collarbone and my shoulder blade got ripped apart, She had to kick me into the second wall, but my shoulder was already stuffed up, so I'm like , holding my arm. "But then Liv gets on top of me and starts punching me in the bad shoulder and I was like 'Somebody please get her off me'. She explains to the camera that she for now opted to not have surgery required to fix the injury. That is because it would double her recovery time from three months to six months, which she didn't want to do. Paul Levesque, otherwise known as Triple H is then seen comforting her and telling her to keep her chin up.
Daily Mirror
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Netflix exposes hidden WWE area fans never get to see and this is what it's for
Some might know about it but Netflix offers first deep dive into how it works on each WWE show Netflix have uncovered a hidden WWE area that fans never get to see during shows and revealed exactly what it is for. New docuseries Unreal, now streaming on the platform is revealing some rarely seen insight into the making of the wrestling company. According to its synopsis, fans are invited for the first time ever, to step into the WWE writer's room and outside the ring among other places with their favourite WWE Superstars. Cameras take viewers where the drama is just as intense offstage as it is under the spotlight across this unique five-part series showing behind the scenes like never before. One of those areas is a key place where everything is controlled, whether you are watching Raw, Royal Rumble or Wrestlemania. It is known as the Gorilla position. The most dedicated are probably already well aware of this location, but for those who are unfamiliar - it is affectionately named after former wrestler Robert James Marella, who went by the name Gorilla Monsoon. After Monsoon retired from action in the ring, he worked as one of WWE's most popular commentators. He also spent time as a backstage manager. This is where he would be consistently spotted pulling the strings in the small area between backstage, and the entrance. Hence, why it is now referred to as Gorilla position. It has certainly evolved since those days and even those who know of its existence are perhaps given their first proper look at how it is used for every WWE show. As WWE's Head of Content Paul Levesque, otherwise known as Triple H, explains: Years go when TV production started to become a thing, Gorilla Monsoon a very famous wrestler, he was timing things and controlling things from the area right before talent would walk out to go to the ring. "That became known as Gorilla Position. Gorilla Position in today's world, it is the epicenter of everything we do. The show is run from there." Bruce Prichard, WWE Executive Director adds: "The Gorilla position is probably the most important position in the arena. You basically control the world that night. Your world., the World Wresting Entertainment is controlled from the Gorilla position. A diagram is shown of the typical layout of Gorilla position, while workers construct the space from scratch for a production of Raw. Ed Koskey, the SVP of Creative Writing says "The Gorilla positioin is very unique. In every arena, it's custom built, However, the inside and the workings of it are the same. There's primarily three tables set up inside Gorilla position. There's one table where Triple H and Bruce Prichard are sitting. Another table where Billy Kidman, who is our producer responsible for timing out the show and keeping tabs on times. Next to him will sit the respective match producer. Despite this simple setup, footage shows at least a dozen additional people standing around the three desks, as the match producer calls through the action. It is also pointed out that every single producer at WWE is a former talent with extensive experience of performing in the ring themselves. Match producer Chris Park, used to wrestle under as Abyss and explains his role in Gorilla position. Not only is he making sure viewers at home get the best view and understand what is going on but he is constantly in the ears of the referees. He says: "So the mechanics during the match for me and the reason I'm wearing a headset is I'm talking to the truck, keeping them about 10 or 15 seconds ahead of what's going on in the ring so that the cameras capture the story that we're trying to tell. "Another thing I'm doing on that headset as well is I'm talking to the referees, the referees can hear me." Whatever producers need to tell talent, whether it is to speed up, increase energy or make their mark, the message is delivered via the referees. They are also able to give feedback on the wrestlers' wellbeing. Triple H concludes: "Our business is telling stories and the epicentre of making that happen in real time, live, is Gorilla position."
