A torn rotator cuff and subsequent surgery resulted in a six-month in-ring absence for WWE star Seth Rollins. Still, “The Visionary” is determined to win back the title he technically never lost last October: the World Heavyweight Championship.

To do that, Rollins recently indicated that he must first push aside the questions inside his mind. “Am I still the performer that I have been for the last 12 years?” Rollins asked himself on the WWE Backlash post-show. “I think when you come back from a long layoff, this injury, six months for me, I was out of action with a torn rotator. When you come back, you have this picture in your mind of how things are going to go. All I was thinking about when I was on the shelf was, can I get back for WrestleMania? I made it back and I lost. Every single day since that loss, all I have thought about is how can I beat Bron Breakker? I showed up today, gave it everything I had and I lost. So I have all those questions, but I tell you, when I hear these people say you still got it and I hear them sing my song, it really does light a fire in me. “

At WWE Backlash, Rollins fell short to his former Vision stablemate Bron Breakker, courtesy of back-to-back spears. In his initial in-ring return at WrestleMania 42, Rollins faced “The Ring General” GUNTHER, though it was an outside spear from Breakker that proved to be the difference maker in what would be another loss for Rollins. Coming out of those losses, Rollins now plans to undergo additional self-reflection and evaluation with the aim of getting himself back on a winning path, and eventually, to the World Heavyweight Championship.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit WWE with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Between 1998 and 2002, the WWE Hardcore Championship served as a way to present fast-paced, often comedic wrestling action in bite-sized installments, as there were no rules and pinfalls could be counted anywhere. In line with the title’s reputation, former WWE star Maven boasted on “Insight with Chris Van Vliet” that he holds an accomplishment related to the Hardcore Championship that no one else does.

“I am the only wrestler to enter WrestleMania with a title, lose it, regain it, and leave that same WrestleMania with the title,” Maven said.

The retired wrestler only became aware of that fact after hosting a game of pro wrestling trivia. The night in question was March 17, 2002, when Maven held the Hardcore Championship going into WrestleMania 18. At the show, he lost the title to Spike Dudley only to win it from Christian later on in the evening. Maven would later go on to lose the title to the similarly-named Raven.

Maven’s WWE run lasted from 2001 to 2005. Along the way, in addition to holding the Hardcore Championship three times, Maven also won the first-ever edition of “WWE Tough Enough,” and held the distinction of eliminating The Undertaker from the 2002 WWE Royal Rumble despite being far smaller than “The Deadman.”

Following his WWE departure, Maven continued wrestling on the independent scene and for companies like TNA for a short while until wrapping up his full-time career in 2007. These days, Maven is best known as a content creator on YouTube, where he makes videos discussing pro wrestling and his time in WWE.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Insight” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Being a former standout tag team star like he was in The Acclaimed, Anthony Bowens admits it has taken a toll on his identity. So much so, that he ponders where his singles career will take him now. “The Pride of Professional Wrestling” had a lot to get off his chest during his interview with “Battleground Podcast” on where he sees himself now compared to the comical ways from before.

“There was a lot of different moving parts that we didn’t foresee happening, and it altered a lot of other things, which led to where we are today…But there’s a lot of unfinished business,” Bowens said.

Later in the interview, the former AEW World Tag Team and World Trios Champion added, “I’ve been proving it…I’ve been a successful and big part of this company since its inception…I’m a part of building the foundation of this company. I’m a star. I’m the face of this company…I hope that people can see my journey and see what I’ve done and what I’ve accomplished and go, I can do that too.”

A week ago, Bowens released a video on Instagram, where he called himself a former and “gullible” performer, who did all that he could to represent the community, specifically, the fans. He went on to say in his monologue that the ultimate betrayals he faced at the hands of Max Caster, Billy Gunn, and Jay White eventually taught him that nice guys finish last, and that only bad guys prevail and get rewarded for those said efforts. Therefore, that’s why he joined The Opps. He looks forward to unleashing all this pent up frustration he’s held on to for so long, hoping to become a “hero and a champion” that AEW fans can be proud of.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Battleground Podcast” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

It is Mascarita Sagrada’s world, and we are merely living in it. The former El Torito made his return to WWE on Saturday as Minihausen, and while the match wasn’t quite the vaudeville classic Wee-LC, it was still a great time.

Danhausen is riding a wave of popularity that is in no way sustainable, but until that wave breaks on the shore, it is undeniable that he is one of WWE’s pillar attractions. His sensibilities and the company’s Disney-like Imagineering are a refreshingly simpatico combination. Miz is one of the greatest comedy foils in WWE history, and taking Kit Wilson under his wing hopefully ensures that this kind of buffoonery can continue when he’s done.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, WWE charged $30 for Danhausen, and damned if it wasn’t the right call.

In the event that The New Day sign with All Elite Wrestling, Ray emphasized the importance of the company making the most of it, especially considering the large financial investment involved. How exactly would AEW do that?

According to Ray, dedicating significant television time to The New Day would certainly put AEW on the right path. A larger focus on the division’s core teams would too.

“In investing in The New Day, you have to invest in your entire tag team division and you have to make the tag team division a focal point of the company,” Ray said. “I know what’s going on with FTR and Edge and Christian … Now you have Edge and Christian, you have your legendary team. Now you have FTR, your AEW tag team. Your synonymous with AEW tag team. Now you have the New Day, your heavy hitters coming from another company. Oh, by the way, you have the Young Bucks, who helped build the place. Now that’s four tag teams right there. Those are four heavy hitter tag teams. You better be ready to invest some time on your weekly show into your tag team division.”

As it stands, FTR (Cash Wheeler and Dax Harwood) reign as the AEW World Tag Team Champions, though Adam “Edge” Copeland and Christian Cage remain hot on their tails. At Double or Nothing, Copeland and Cage will challenge FTR for the tag titles in an “I Quit” match. If Copeland and Cage lose, though, they must permanently retire as a tag team. New Day faced FTR on a number of occasions during their respective stint in WWE.

Meanwhile, The Young Bucks, despite not holding AEW tag gold since 2024, remain regular fixtures in the company. Interestingly, Woods’ last TNA match prior to his 2010 WWE arrival pitted him against The Young Bucks in tag team competition. At that time, fans knew Woods as Consequences Creed and The Young Bucks as Generation Me.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Busted Open Radio” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.