The road to WrestleMania 42 became clearer on Friday’s episode of WWE SmackDown when Cody Rhodes defeated Drew McIntyre to capture the Undisputed WWE Championship for the third time.

Rhodes’ victory appears to set up a long-anticipated WrestleMania clash with his longtime friend and mentor Randy Orton. However, new reports suggest that WWE originally had a very different plan for the championship match at WrestleMania 42.

According to PWInsider Elite, the original pitch was for Rhodes and McIntyre to settle their rivalry at WrestleMania inside Hell in a Cell. The concept behind the match reportedly revolved around the brutal injuries both men had suffered in previous Hell in a Cell bouts.

Rhodes famously competed in a Hell in a Cell match against Seth Rollins in 2022 despite suffering a torn pectoral muscle, while McIntyre endured a similarly punishing match against CM Punk in the stipulation.

The proposed WrestleMania encounter was also meant to build off the duo’s rivalry earlier this year, including their cage match during a Three Stages of Hell match in January, where McIntyre defeated Rhodes to win the championship.

Ultimately, WWE decided to pivot creative direction. The company opted to put the title back on Rhodes ahead of WrestleMania, positioning him for a high-profile match with Orton instead. Meanwhile, McIntyre is now expected to move into a separate program with Jacob Fatu, whose interference during the SmackDown title match contributed to McIntyre losing the championship.

The report also noted that WWE has been adjusting several WrestleMania plans due to injuries across the roster, which influenced the decision to move away from Rhodes vs. McIntyre.

During a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer echoed the expectation that Rhodes vs. Orton and McIntyre vs. Fatu are the likely WrestleMania matches. However, Meltzer cautioned that plans are not completely locked in, noting he had not been told “100%” that the matches are finalized.

With several weeks still remaining before WrestleMania 42, WWE could still make further changes to the card if circumstances require it.

Original Plan For Undisputed WWE Title Match At WrestleMania 42 Revealed

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TNA Wrestling may have been carefully building intrigue around Rosemary’s latest storyline — but a social media post from a veteran of the industry may have revealed the surprise earlier than intended.

On March 9, 2026, Raven posted a photo on X from the March 6 TNA television tapings in Atlanta, seemingly confirming that The Bunny has already returned to the company.

The image shows Raven standing alongside Rosemary and The Bunny, quickly catching the attention of fans who had already been speculating that TNA was teasing Allie’s resurrection as part of Rosemary’s ongoing storyline. Raven captioned the post: “A shot from the @ThisIsTNA taping in Atlanta on Friday! @WeAreRosemary.”

Although the Atlanta tapings have not fully aired yet, the photo strongly suggests that The Bunny is back in TNA, potentially revealing a storyline development the company may have planned to unveil on television in the coming weeks.

The timing is particularly notable because Rosemary’s recent angle had already begun teasing the possibility of bringing someone back from the dead. During the March 5 episode of TNA iMPACT!, Rosemary referenced a mysterious “Project Lazarus” while outlining a plan to regain power following the collapse of Decay and the Death Dolls.

That segment immediately sparked speculation among fans that Allie could be resurrected as part of the storyline. Her character was previously written off television during the Undead Realm saga after being stabbed by Su Yung while saving Rosemary.

Raven’s tweet now appears to confirm those theories — and may have unintentionally spoiled what TNA planned as a surprise return angle.

Rosemary and The Bunny previously teamed together as “Demon Bunny” from 2017 to 2019, forming one of the most memorable supernatural pairings in TNA’s modern storytelling. If the Atlanta taping photo is any indication, that partnership could soon be returning to television.

Raven’s Social Media Post May Have Spoiled The Bunny’s TNA Return

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AEW has officially introduced its new streaming platform, MyAEW, marking a major step in the company’s digital strategy after more than six years in operation.

The new service will include a FAST channel, which stands for free ad-supported streaming television. The platform is being launched through a partnership with streaming technology company Kiswe. The move could signal a shift away from AEW’s current streaming relationship with Triller, which has served as an international distribution partner for several years.

AEW CEO Tony Khan confirmed the partnership while announcing the new platform.

“We are excited to partner with Kiswe for the launch of the new MyAEW platform,” Khan said. “Kiswe has set the standard for digital content across all forms of sports and entertainment, and we are proud to have AEW alongside other leaders in this space as we continue to evolve the platform and best serve fans around the world.”

Kiswe CEO Glenn Booth also commented on the collaboration and explained the goal behind the new service.

“AEW has an incredible vision for the future of their fan experience, and Kiswe is proud to be the technology partner powering it,” Booth said. “MyAEW was built to become the central hub for the AEW community, directly connecting one of the most passionate fanbases in sports and entertainment to the content they love by giving them unprecedented access to the ring and beyond.”

MyAEW is scheduled to officially launch before the AEW Revolution pay-per-view event. Fans can already visit the platform’s website and create an account ahead of the rollout.

The service will have a significant impact for international viewers. Fans outside the United States and Canada will now have access to both AEW and Ring of Honor programming in one location.

Three subscription options are currently available. The first is a $7.99 monthly plan that includes AEW Dynamite, AEW Collision, ROH TV, special events, and access to the content archive. A second tier priced at $19.99 per month will also include the AEW pay-per-view event scheduled for that month. A yearly option priced at $119.99 will give subscribers access to all AEW pay-per-views throughout the year.

The launch of MyAEW provides an immediate alternative to Triller, which has faced financial difficulties in recent years. Triller currently distributes AEW content internationally through the AEW Plus service, which costs $7.99 per month and offers a 20 percent discount on pay-per-view events.

It remains unclear whether the FAST channel will expand to other streaming platforms such as Pluto TV, Tubi, Roku Channel, Samsung TV Plus, or Xumo Play. Warner Bros. Discovery has launched multiple FAST channels on those platforms but has not yet done so with AEW programming.

Industry observers have also noted that Pluto TV is owned by Paramount Skydance, which could become a future domestic rights holder for AEW depending on the outcome of the planned Warner Bros. Discovery acquisition.

AEW Launches MyAEW Streaming Platform

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Thea Hail Addresses Online Backlash – Thea Hail has spoken out about the negative reactions she has received online following her WWE NXT Women’s North American Championship victory in late 2025.

The 22-year-old WWE NXT star posted a video on social media where she addressed the criticism and toxic commentary she has encountered since winning the title. Hail explained that she had wanted to speak about the issue for some time but initially hesitated before ultimately deciding to share her thoughts.

“I’ve been wanting to touch on this subject for a long time now and I just haven’t felt like I should, and now my opinion’s changed. I’m a 22 year old girl. Think about that for a second. I wouldn’t have even graduated college if I’d been.”

Hail reflected on the sacrifices she made early in life to pursue a career in professional wrestling. She revealed that she moved away during high school in order to focus fully on training and building her path in the industry.

“I moved away in the middle of high school to pursue my dream, because I valued that over comfortability, and most people could never have fathomed to do that. And every day, to look at my Twitter timeline or look at social media and see negative comments about me as a human being, is disgusting.”

According to Hail, the personal criticism has been difficult to deal with, especially after reaching one of the most significant moments of her career.

“I’ve worked my ass off for five years. For the biggest moment of my career and you all take it as a joke. I love this more than anything, but what I don’t love is to constantly be torn down by other people, by other human beings.”

She continued by reminding fans that wrestlers are real people who feel the impact of online comments.

“At the end of the day, I am a person. I am a 22 year old girl who is getting to live my dreams. And for some reason, that’s wrong? So please, take an extra 10 seconds before you put something up on social media. Please. And remember that the person on the other end of it is also a human being.”

Despite the online backlash, Hail remains active in the NXT women’s division and continues pursuing championship opportunities.

On the March 10 episode of NXT on The CW Network, Hail is scheduled to face Wren Sinclair in a match that will determine the next challenger for the WWE Women’s Speed Championship. The winner of that contest will move on to face Fallon Henley.

The championship match is currently set for the March 17 episode of NXT in Houston, Texas. Henley has established herself as a strong competitor in the Speed division, successfully defending the title against multiple challengers.

For Hail, a victory over Sinclair followed by a title win in Houston could mark a major rebound after losing the NXT Women’s North American Championship.

Thea Hail Addresses Online Backlash

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Michael Hutter, known to wrestling fans as EC3, recently spoke about his career and shared strong opinions about the modern wrestling industry during an interview on the Sportshadow YouTube channel. The former TNA World Champion discussed his final run in WWE, his current status in the industry, and his views on today’s in-ring style.

During the conversation, EC3 reflected on his return to WWE in 2018 and revealed that he was not enthusiastic about being called up to the main roster from NXT. According to him, he already expected problems with how he would be used creatively.

“When the call up came, I didn’t want to go because I knew it wasn’t going to be the right call,” EC3 stated. “I knew it wasn’t going to be good.”

After joining the main roster, EC3 was placed into a storyline where he was largely silent on television. The performer described that period as one of the most frustrating parts of his career.

“It was definitely not creatively fulfilling and it was definitely not something I look back on and enjoy,” EC3 said. “It sucked balls, it was the worst, it killed me inside, I hated every second of it. But also, it’s not my choice. They paid me money to be an employee. Do what you’re told.”

EC3 also explained that many creative decisions during that time came directly from Vince McMahon, which sometimes meant that previous developmental work was ignored.

“I think whatever Vince at the time said, went,” EC3 noted. “So if like, we’re blowing it up and we’re pulling 17 of your guys up right now like he’s like, ‘Okay, that’s what we got to do.’”

Since his release from WWE in 2020, EC3 has not signed with a major promotion such as WWE or AEW. When asked about this, he suggested that his outspoken approach may have affected his opportunities.

“I’m also probably blackballed from most of them because people can’t handle my authentic truth and that’s fine,” EC3 claimed.

He currently works on the independent scene and runs his own promotion, Exodus Pro, where he focuses on developing talent outside of major company systems.

EC3 also shared criticism of modern wrestling matches. He believes many performers focus too much on complicated moves rather than storytelling and character development.

“I don’t like the lack of matches on big shows,” EC3 said. “I don’t think every match needs to be 35 minutes too. I think you can get a lot out of like a depth of talent getting over in quicker matches that are not necessarily have to be 50/50 all the time.”

He continued by explaining that athletic ability alone is not enough if fans do not care about the wrestlers involved.

“I love athleticism, dude. I love athleticism, I love kicking ass, I love being in shape,” EC3 stated. “But that doesn’t matter if you don’t care who I am and why I’m doing what I do… I mean I love athleticism, but [I don’t like] cosplay dancing and doing moves that don’t make sense.”

EC3 also dismissed the value of rating systems used to judge matches.

“Ranking a match that was designed to get something over with a quality decider doesn’t make sense to me because the purpose of it was to do what it did,” EC3 explained. “The purpose of it wasn’t to fit in this criteria that is made up and bastardized.”

According to EC3, character work remains the most important element in professional wrestling.

“I definitely preferred character in a sense because if people do not recognize or empathize or dislike or like or care about the character, there’s a very small sector of fans that are there just for the grappling and the moves,” EC3 said. “Where the character makes the difference. I’m definitely geared towards character, but you don’t have great matches if you don’t have two people you care about.”

He added that even highly respected technical wrestlers succeed largely because of their personalities.

“Extraordinary and enlightening and hilarious,” EC3 said regarding Bryan Danielson’s personality. “He is a great character. So character to me is most important because everything trickles down through that.”

EC3 Criticizes WWE Run And Modern Wrestling Style In New Interview

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