Almost instantly, SmackDown general manager Nick Aldis announced Zayn will defend the title against Trick Williams in Las Vegas.

Naturally, many fans on social media are not happy that Hayes appears to be on the outs having put in such great work with the title for the past 90 days.

Wrestling Intel understands from one source that the plan is for Hayes to be involved in the matchup at WrestleMania making it a triple-threat, but with how volatile WWE have been with their plans this ‘Mania season, you never know.

If Hayes was to be left out, it would be incredibly harsh on one of the company’s most consistent performers over the past year.

Williams is obviously surging in popularity and should be showcased in a fitting manner given his buzz, but Hayes should not be the odd man out.

Hayes and Williams do have history together in NXT which the company could lean on to fill out this story, but that backstory has not been explored while the pair have both been on the Blue Brand.

Zayn has been obsessed with becoming a WWE world champion for the first time in his career, but with that dream fading around WrestleMania, the Canadian moved his obsession to being on the card in Las Vegas at all.

It’s possible that Zayn will be linked to the fallout of the Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton feud in the long run and finally arrive at that world title, but right now he feels like the square peg in the round hole in this angle.

WWE should follow through with keeping Hayes involved and let both he and Williams get the benefit of working with Zayn on a major stage.

WWE had pencilled in Bron Breakker to win the men’s and Bianca Belair to return from injury and win the women as of December 2025.

As Wrestling Observer notes, plans radically changed when Triple H felt the road to WrestleMania felt predictable and Drew McIntyre would dethrone Cody Rhodes.

Breakker was originally the man they wanted to challenge CM Punk for the title after Seth Rollins went down injured, scuppering their plans for Rollins vs Reigns and Punk challenging Rhodes.

Now it’s expected that Breakker will instead face a returning Rollins in Las Vegas and we know that Reigns will challenge Punk.

The world title picture on SmackDown is still working itself out, but Jacob Fatu has managed to insert himself into the picture.

Belair has been out injured since WrestleMania 41 last April with a severe knuckle injury but it was believed/hoped she would return in time for the Rumble.

Not only did she not win the event, but she did not appear at all leading many fans to speculate that she is not healthy yet.

The working idea for Belair to win the Rumble would be to go on and finally face Jade Cargill in their dream match.

Whilst it’s not clear what Belair’s current status is, that could still happen with the Elimination Chamber.

He had been with the company since its inception in 2019, overseeing operations, live events, and most notably, the development of the AEW Fight Forever game.

Sobic was a key player in bringing to life AEW’s maiden game that went on to receive mixed reviews, but moderately successful sales in the early going.

It’s unclear if his departure is related to the video game.

He had been a close worker alongside AEW owner Tony Khan, previously enjoying a strategic role with the Jacksonville Jaguars prior to AEW.

AEW informed us they do not comment on personnel decisions.

Back in 2023, Sobics explained his influence on the AEW Fight Forever game.

“Not all development meetings are fun, but one of the best and most fun times was the brainstorming meeting for mini-games. We came up with 100 ideas.

“I pushed so hard for Shida’s slugfest. It made me happy that Adam Cole liked it too. That one was a little controversial, but it’s my favorite. I’m not capable of being unbiased on that.

“Why mini-games? This game is optimized for couch play. It’s awesome online and has unlimited online features, but I will tell you that the people that worked on this game are gaming nerds that have been playing games their whole lives and miss the couch play experience. Mini-games sort of scratch that itch,” said Sobic on AEW Unrestricted.

Sources state that the 55-year-old’s contract expires at midnight on December 31 and he’s expected to commit right away.

WWE is considering using him on the one-year anniversary of RAW on Netflix set for January 5, should the deal get done without any problems. That’s one rumour, but not a locked in plan at this point.

Of course, another option would be to wait for the Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia on January 31. That would represent the next most logical idea.

Ironically, Jericho’s last WWE match to date was also in Saudi Arabia when he partook in the Greatest Royal Rumble match back in April 2018.

Since then, Jericho has excelled in Japan and helped launch AEW, becoming their first world champion in the process.

After a successful six-year run under Tony Khan, Jericho has been evidently phased out of AEW TV and he hasn’t been seen since April of this year.

The idea of Jericho finishing his career in WWE and taking his place in the Hall of Fame is one that fans pine for, but you just never quite know with Jericho.

The master of reinvention could yet swerve us all. But our sources indicate Jericho is expected to sign with WWE to kick off 2026.

Jericho wouldn’t be Jericho if he didn’t keep us all guessing until his debut though!

It was a big moment for Balor and The Judgement Day group who have been a staple of the company for the three years.

What started out as Edge’s group and his vision quickly took on a life of it’s own with his exit. Balor has been the de facto leader almost by tenure, but the group has seen individuals thrive at many different junctures where it doesn’t appear there is one leader.

Wrestling Intel spoke exclusively with Finn Balor to get his take on why the group has been able to last as long as it has.

“I think that’s down to the characters involved,” Balor started. “Each have got their own history, their own depth and their own story they’re trying to tell. Not all cookie-cutter, copy and paste just straight up wrestlers. Everyone has their own identity and their own unique personality and we’ve been able to play off that.

“Certainly, I didn’t expect to last three years [laughs]. Obviously there has been a lot of change and I think Liv coming in really reinvigorated it. JD [McDonagh] reinvigorated me, it gave me something else to do in the tag team division.

“So it’s been able to give us a lot of fresh ideas. And Dom has been an absolute firecracker of a performer over the last three years. To see his growth and be able to witness that with a front-row seat either on the apron or beside him backstage, it’s beautiful to see his growth.

“He has kind of transformed into this little guy that everyone considered a piece of s*** that shouldn’t be on the show to one of the main performers that people are tuning into see. To see that explosion of growth in the last three years is just beautiful.”

Dom Mysterio and Rhea Ripley, once a couple of sorts in the group, have both emerged as two of the biggest draws in the company and thus, industry. And they’re still both under 30.

Balor though does not take much credit for their rise and has showered members of the Judgement Day in praise for their growth over the past few years.

“It’s always nice to be close to people as they are growing up in the business, but I don’t think anyone can take credit for anyone’s growth but the person who figures it out themselves.

“Because you can be pointed in the direction, but the lightbulb has to go off for it to click with the audience.

“That goes for Dom, that goes for Rhea, that goes for Damien and I’m sure that will go for JD in the future.

“Raquel has shown incredible growth in the last couple of months. She’s really stepped up.

“And I think people forget Roxy is 21, 22-years-old. When I was that age I was working at the supermarket! [laughs]. She’s at Survivor Series doing her finisher on John Cena!

“You’ve got to let these people find their own way and they are streets ahead of where I was at that time in my career. The sky is the limit for all of those guys,” said Balor.

At 44, Balor is entering the winter of his career but given his in-ring road and eternally good physique, it might be a long winter.

He’s clearly still enjoying himself and long may that continue if others around him continue to thrive.

This weekend, WWE’s revived Saturday Night’s Main Event makes its way to Salt Lake City, Utah, for a card that is entirely comprised of championship matches. Three of those are world titles, with Cody Rhodes defending against Drew McIntyre, Tiffany Stratton defending against Jade Cargill after the latter’s heel turn, and CM Punk battling Jey Uso for the World Heavyweight Championship that was vacated after Seth Rollins suffered an injury. Dominik Mysterio’s triple threat defense of the men’s Intercontinental title rounds out the card, which may or may not see a fifth match added this week on or before “SmackDown.”

As with any wrestling event, some of the matches will be viewed as must-see, while others could have fans planning bathroom breaks or fast food runs. In this article, we’ll take a look at the biggest draw and the biggest dud as we look ahead to the 11/1/25 edition of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event.

Draw: Tiffany Stratton vs. Jade Cargill

Let’s be real about this — there isn’t much heat to the announced SNME card so far. Punk vs. Jey is babyface vs. babyface; the two men have made a show of respecting each other and the actual heels aren’t in the match (at least not officially). Dominik Mysterio has heat just for being Dominik Mysterio, but his triple threat men’s IC title defense mostly just feels like a way to prevent either Rusev or Penta from losing another one-on-one title match. And while there’s something interesting stuff going on with Cody Rhodes and Drew McIntyre, I don’t think anyone expects Drew to walk away with the gold.

Fortunately, SNME got the heat it needed this past Friday when Jade Cargill turned heel on Tiffany Stratton and got booked in a WWE women’s title match. All of a sudden, SNME has a one-on-one babyface vs. heel contest where the face has a legitimate grievance, but the heel is a legitimate threat to take the championship. That last part really shouldn’t be understated — WWE has run four SNME shows since bringing the concept back at the end of last year, and thus far the event has yet to feature a challenger dethroning a champion (there have been 11 total title matches, one of which featured the crowning of an inaugural champion, and the other 10 of which have all seen the reigning champion successfully defend). The promise of a potential title change is by far the most interesting thing this weekend’s SNME has going for it, especially with the Cargill heel turn so recent and the Cargill/Stratton rivalry so much fresher as a result than it had been previously.

Dud: CM Punk vs. Jey Uso

The WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match on Saturday is guaranteed to crown a new champion, barring any interference from The Vision or Jimmy Uso or a less-hurt-than-reported Seth Rollins (It’s happened before!), and I honestly couldn’t care less. I know that it is not the fault of the people involved that Seth Rollins is hurt, and so this audible had to be called, but it doesn’t change the fact that Saturday feels like table setting, despite the massive stakes for the contest.

Do I think Jey Uso and CM Punk can have a perfectly cromulent World Heavyweight title match? Yes, I do. Do I think that either of them could be the face of the “Raw” brand without really changing anything about the current product? You bet. Do I care? Absolutely not. I just wish it didn’t feel like The Vision and Seth Rollins were hanging around in the background of all of this.

For more information and updates on WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, you can check out the latest news and articles Here

This Saturday, All Elite Wrestling presents the third annual WrestleDream PPV, and the first to take place outside the Pacific Northwest, coming to us this year from St. Louis, Missouri. The event features eight matches, including contests for both the men’s and women’s world championship. As we approach the event, the WINC staff is excited about some of the bouts, while others are receiving a more critical eye.

Draw: Darby Allin vs. Jon Moxley

Since their intense coffin match at AEW All Out on September 20, Darby Allin and Jon Moxley have been involved in nearly every closing segment on “AEW Dynamite.” Their feud has been building up, with both men pushing each other to extreme lengths. The upcoming match at WrestleDream 2025 is expected to be a thrilling encounter, with both competitors willing to go to any extent to force the other to say “I Quit.”

Dud: Jamie Hayter vs. Thekla

While it’s great to see a non-title women’s match booked on an AEW PPV, the feud between Jamie Hayter and Thekla hasn’t been particularly impressive. Thekla debuted by attacking Hayter in the ring, but the explanation for the attack wasn’t provided until recently. The feud has been swallowed up by the broader Blood & Guts build, and the match doesn’t have a ton of history besides a few brawls and punches.

Draw: Kris Statlander vs. Toni Storm

AEW often pairs great wrestlers together when their storylines are on pause or waiting for a new one. Such is the case with Mark Briscoe and AEW TNT Champion Kyle Fletcher. However, the actual draw match is between Kris Statlander and Toni Storm, which promises to be an exciting encounter.

Dud: Kyle Fletcher vs. Mark Briscoe

The match between Kyle Fletcher and Mark Briscoe doesn’t seem to have a compelling storyline or purpose. Both men are on an upward swing, but the feud doesn’t feel like it’s in the right place. The match could go either way, with Fletcher getting a win or losing the TNT Title, but neither option seems particularly exciting.

For more information and analysis on AEW WrestleDream 2025, visit Here

The latest episode of WWE SmackDown has come and gone, leaving fans with a mix of exciting moments and disappointing segments. The show featured title changes, impromptu title matches, and a plethora of backstage segments. In this review, we’ll break down the good, the bad, and the ugly of the October 17 broadcast.

Loved: Blake Monroe and ZaRuca’s Feud Heats Up

One of the highlights of the show was the continuation of the feud between Blake Monroe and ZaRuca (Sol Ruca and Zaria) from NXT. Monroe’s presence at ringside added an extra layer of tension to the Women’s Tag Team Championship match, and her distraction of Ruca ultimately led to the title change. This storyline has the potential to be a great example of how WWE can effectively integrate its developmental talent into the main roster.

Hated: Carmelo Hayes’ Lack of Progress

On the other hand, Carmelo Hayes’ ongoing feud with The Miz has been underwhelming. Despite his impressive skills and potential, Hayes has been stuck in a go-nowhere feud that has failed to showcase his abilities. With other former NXT champions like Bron Breakker and Ilja Dragunov making waves on the main roster, it’s disappointing to see Hayes languishing in a lackluster storyline.

Loved: Sami Zayn’s United States Open Challenge

The United States Open Challenge has been a highlight of SmackDown in recent weeks, and this episode was no exception. Sami Zayn’s match against Ilja Dragunov was an instant classic, with both men delivering impressive performances. The addition of other storylines, including the Carmelo Hayes and Miz feud, added to the chaos and excitement of the segment.

Hated: Too Many Backstage Segments

One of the major drawbacks of the episode was the excessive number of backstage segments. While some of these segments were necessary to advance storylines, others felt like filler and disrupted the flow of the show. With so many exciting matches and storylines, it’s a shame that more time wasn’t devoted to in-ring action.

Loved: A Fight in the Main Event

The main event of the show was a highlight, with Drew McIntyre and Cody Rhodes engaging in a intense brawl. The fight, which started in the ring and spilled out into the crowd, was a great way to build tension and excitement for their upcoming title match.

Hated: The Handling of Jacob Fatu’s Injury

The handling of Jacob Fatu’s injury was disappointing, with the show’s writers relying on a contrived and cheesy plot device to explain his absence. The subsequent brawl between McIntyre and Rhodes was exciting, but the lead-up to it felt disjointed and unclear.

For more information on this episode of WWE SmackDown, check out the full review Here

Former longest-reigning AEW TBS Champion Jade Cargill is one of WWE’s most buzz-worthy signings in recent memory. She made the jump from AEW to WWE in September 2023, and was the first signing under TKO Group Holdings. Her final match in AEW took place on September 15, and days later, on the 26th, it was revealed she had signed a multi-year deal with WWE and was pictured training at the Performance Center.

Since arriving in WWE, Cargill has made an impact on the main roster. She’s held Women’s Tag Team Championship gold alongside Bianca Belair and entered a notable feud with Naomi after the three women were thick as thieves and known as the “Big 3.” She’s also had two WrestleMania moments so far, including a victory over Naomi at WrestleMania 41, which she followed up by winning the 2025 Queen of the Ring tournament. After not being able to best WWE Women’s Champion Tiffany Stratton at SummerSlam or in a slew of other matches for the title since August, however, Cargill finally turned heel on a recent episode of “WWE SmackDown” and is set to challenge for the title once again at Saturday Night’s Main Event.

Post-TBS Title Loss

If Cargill stayed in AEW and still took her first loss to Statlander at Double or Nothing, where would she have gone in the company? It’s likely that after taking such a shocking loss, AEW would still have taken her off television for a few months to freshen her up following her impressive streak of victories. Cargill also could have taken that time to train somewhere to improve her in-ring skills, which fans have criticized and are arguably more important in AEW than WWE.

AEW could have given Statlander a four-month reign with the championship, only for her to be dethroned by Cargill upon her return in September, instead of her losing the gold to Julia Hart in a triple threat involving Skye Blue at Full Gear that year. If, like in the real timeline of Cargill’s career, she failed to regain the title from Statlander, she could have moved on to challenge for the AEW Women’s World Championship following Toni Storm and Mariah May’s rivalry — though that would have had her floating around AEW’s women’s mid-card scene for quite some time.

Other Possible AEW Feuds

If AEW wanted to keep Cargill strong before having her win the AEW Women’s World Championship she could have either never lost to Statlander in the first place, or regained the belt after her few months off television for some extra training. If Cargill never left the company, it seems likely that she would have quickly gone face-to-face with Mercedes Mone after “The CEO” signed with the company and officially debuted in March 2024.

If Cargill was holding the TBS Championship at the time of Mone’s debut, she could have dropped the gold to Mone in a big way, well before Mone ever started her “belt collector” gimmick. The pair could have had a huge face-off, with Cargill as the heel and Mone a debuting babyface at “AEW Dynamite: Big Business” in Boston, which would have made for an excellent visual. Instead of Mone defeating Willow Nightingale for the TBS Championship during her first match in AEW at Double or Nothing 2024, she could have beaten Cargill, then defeated Cargill in a rematch to prove her dominance and gone on to crush Cargill’s record-setting first reign as TBS Champion.

Would WWE Have Been Worse Off?

It’s difficult to say whether or not WWE would have been worse off without signing Cargill in 2023, but the company certainly would have missed out on the buzz in signing one of the hottest women who found some of the quickest success in its rival promotion. There’s one notable storyline that could have suffered, however, and it was one of WWE’s best in 2025.

Without Cargill becoming best friends and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions alongside Bianca Belair, who knows if Naomi would have ever had her excellent heel turn, leading to her capturing the Women’s World Championship? Hopefully, it still would have happened for Naomi, but Cargill being there for Naomi to direct her fury and jealousy toward, leading to her laying out Cargill on the top of a car during a November 2024 episode of “SmackDown,” worked very well in storyline.

Cargill still has plenty she can accomplish in WWE, and she’s worked her way to the top at a fairly steady pace since signing in 2023. While there will always be some “what ifs?” about “The Storm” and if she had chosen to stay in AEW, WWE fans are likely going to see her climb the ranks even higher, due to her presence and star power, over the next few years.

For more on Jade Cargill and her career, you can visit Here

AEW WrestleDream 2025 was a marathon of wrestling, even by AEW standards, which leaves us plenty to talk about in the cold light of day. There were title matches, big money matches, and lots of winners and lots of losers. In this article, we will break down who came out of WrestleDream 2025 looking like a winner and who came out looking like a loser.

The following analysis will not focus on the results of the event, as our results crew has already handled that. Instead, we will examine the implications of the outcomes and how they affect the wrestlers involved. We will also avoid discussing what was “good” or “bad” about the event, as that has already been covered by the Wrestling Inc. Staff.

Sometimes a winner is a loser, and sometimes a loser is a winner. For example, Darby Allin might be running out of ways to shock the audience, while Konosuke Takeshita and Kazuchika Okada had more to gain in loss than in victory. On the other hand, Jack Perry delivered in a make-or-break position, making him a clear winner.

Winner: Powerhouse Hobbs

Powerhouse Hobbs has had a rocky road in AEW, but his tenure with The Opps has seen him remind the audience why he was initially seen as a top prospect. The attack on Hangman Page now makes him the healthiest member of a top heel faction, and he has a chance to prove himself against the Unified Champion or have a more substantial run with the TNT Title.

Loser: Darby Allin

Darby Allin and Jon Moxley told an enthralling story over the last few months, but it feels like we’ve seen enough of them for a while. Darby’s in a tricky situation, as he’s now “The Guy” in AEW, but it’s unclear where he goes from here. Does he really need the AEW World Title? Do titles even matter to a guy like Darby?

Winners: Konosuke Takeshita and Kazuchika Okada

Konosuke Takeshita and Kazuchika Okada had more to gain in loss than in victory, as it made everyone look good. The choice to have the cracks in their bond cost them the AEW tag titles was one that made everyone look good. It’s just wrestling 101 that a loss should make us say, “Man, I gotta see what’s next for those losers,” and Saturday’s tag match did just that.

Loser: Mina Shirakawa

Mina Shirakawa was thrown into the mix with little notice, and it felt unceremonious. The build to the title-for-title match was nil, and it was an open challenge that was announced roughly 24-36 hours before the PPV. It was a good match, but it left us rubbing our chin at the result. I don’t know where Mina goes from here, as she’s technically freed from the Interim Title to do whatever she wants, but she’s got a lot of rebuilding to do.

Winner: Jack Perry

Jurassic Express as a unit won on Saturday, but Jack Perry was in a make-or-break position and came out proving why everyone in AEW is so determined to make him work. Perry is the definition of “a project,” someone who came into AEW with tremendous potential, and who is slowly being molded into a singles star.

Loser: Eddie Kingston

Eddie Kingston seems lost, and it feels like every year could be “Eddie Kingston’s Year,” except for this one. He’s a natural babyface, but AEW seems unable to find a way to truly capitalize on this longtime fan favorite. His return from injury is still new, but it doesn’t change the fact that Kingston seems rudderless at the moment, and AEW can either make that text, and give him a story about being a tumbleweed in the wind or they can give him something to do.

For more information on AEW WrestleDream 2025, check out the full results and analysis Here