Trevor Murdoch Announces Retirement After 27 Year Wrestling Career

Trevor Murdoch has officially called time on his in ring career, announcing his retirement during the latest episode of NWA Powerrr. The show marked its first regular Saturday broadcast on Comet TV, adding extra significance to the moment.

The two time NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion addressed the crowd at the OC Theatre following his match with Pretty Boy Smooth at the Crockett Cup 2026. Speaking candidly, Murdoch admitted he could no longer perform to the level fans expect, bringing an end to a 27 year run in professional wrestling.

Although stepping away from competition, Murdoch will remain involved behind the scenes. He is set to continue working as a producer within the National Wrestling Alliance, while also mentoring rising talent at World League Wrestling and Harley Race Wrestling Academy, where he has played a key coaching role since 2018.

Murdoch delivered an emotional farewell to fans in attendance:

“What’s going through my mind is I’m not sure if I can do this anymore. I’ve been wrestling for 27 years and I have seen guys that come in here and they’re only here for a payday. They don’t give the fans what they deserve. And I always told myself that if I ever got to that point, I wasn’t gonna be that guy. A little harder than… I don’t want to embarrass myself. I don’t want to embarrass my family. I don’t want to embarrass Harley Race. So at this moment, I am announcing my retirement from pro wrestling. I want to thank the fans. I want to thank you guys. Because of you guys, I’ve been able to put two of my kids through college. You know? It’s all good, you know what I mean? Like, for a fat guy from a small town, 27 years ain’t bad. I want to thank one more dude. He doesn’t get enough credit. His name’s William Patrick Corgan. Billy, you believed in me and gave me an opportunity when even wrestling didn’t want me. You extended my career for seven years man and that I can’t ever give that back to you. All I can say is thank you man. Thank you so much. Thank you.”

“Billy, you believed in me and gave me an opportunity when even wrestling didn’t want me. You extended my career for seven years man and that I can’t ever give that back to you.”

Murdoch, born William Theodore Mueller, began his wrestling journey in 1999 under the guidance of Harley Race. He later signed with WWE in 2005, forming a successful tag team with Lance Cade that captured the World Tag Team Championships three times before his departure in 2008.

After time in TNA and years on the independent circuit, Murdoch resurfaced with the NWA in 2019 and went on to capture the NWA Worlds Heavyweight Championship twice, including a memorable victory over Nick Aldis in 2021. He also found tag team success alongside Mike Knox, winning both the NWA World Tag Team Titles and the Crockett Cup in 2023.

NWA Powerrr now airs every Saturday at 4 PM ET on Comet, marking the promotion’s return to broadcast television for the first time in decades, with additional streaming options available online and via The Roku Channel.

Adam Pearce Confirms Big Night For Raw With New Matches Announced

Posted By: Ben Kerin on May 03, 2026 Adam Pearce Confirms Big Night For Raw With New Matches Announced

Adam Pearce has confirmed several new matches and key segments for this Monday’s episode of WWE Raw, adding further intrigue to an already packed show.- Sol Ruca signs her Raw contract
– Oba Femi open challenge
– Je’Von Evans and Penta vs Rusev and Ethan Page
– Finn Balor vs JD McDonagh
– Asuka and IYO SKY face to face


If you reference any quotes from this piece, please attribute them to the original source, and kindly credit WrestlingNewsSource.com (h/t) for the transcription.

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Roman Reigns Pulled From June WWE Raw Advertising Despite Summer Promise

Roman Reigns Pulled From June WWE Raw Advertising Despite Summer Promise

Roman Reigns is no longer being advertised for any of the four June editions of Monday Night Raw, a surprising shift that comes just weeks after the World Heavyweight Champion declared he would be working a full summer schedule.

Following his victory over CM Punk at WrestleMania 42, Reigns had initially been promoted for eight consecutive Raw appearances. Those dates included May stops in Omaha, Knoxville, Greensboro and Columbus, before heading into an international run with shows in Turin, Paris, Baltimore and London throughout June. However, WWE has since updated its listings, removing Reigns from all June events, with the revised promotional material also reflecting his absence.

The timing is notable given Reigns’ comments during the WrestleMania 42 post show, where he addressed criticism about his part time status. Speaking to Corey Graves and responding to chants from the crowd, he made it clear he intended to be a consistent presence moving forward.

“I’m gonna take y’all to Monday Night Raw tomorrow night. All this part-time crap? We’re gonna fix that. Y’all better make some room, because y’all gonna see my ass all summer.”

Despite that statement, the latest changes suggest plans may have shifted behind the scenes.

Reigns has largely worked a lighter schedule since losing the Undisputed WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 40. His current run as World Heavyweight Champion began on April 19, when he defeated Punk in the main event of WrestleMania 42 Night 2 at Allegiant Stadium, marking his seventh world title win and his first reign since dropping the previous title two years earlier.

On the April 20 Raw in Las Vegas, Reigns aligned once again with The Usos before being confronted by Jacob Fatu. The challenger later attacked him with the Tongan Death Grip, leading to Reigns accepting a title match on the April 27 episode in Laredo. The two are now set to collide at WWE Backlash on May 9 in Tampa, marking their first singles encounter.

With three of June’s Raw shows scheduled across Europe and one in Baltimore, the absence of Reigns raises questions about WWE’s summer direction, especially with SummerSlam set for August 1 and 2 in Minneapolis.

WWE Hall Of Famer Bully Ray Believes Bron Breakker Needs A New Name

Currently in the midst of a feud with Seth Rollins, WWE star Bron Breakker is seen by many as one of the most promising newer names in the company. Both his father and his uncle were very successful pro wrestlers before him: Rick and Scott Steiner. According to Bully Ray on “Busted Open Radio,” WWE may have made a mistake when the company chose against having Breakker take on his family name.

“Not that it’s corny, it’s just: we know who Bron Breakker is. He’s a Steiner,” Bully said. “With all of this talk of family in the WWE – Roman with the ‘First Family.’ Well I know two badass brothers out there that also have a family in this wrestling business, and they’re called the Steiners. I’d get rid of the name Breakker.”

Taking his point further, Bully shared his belief that Breakker should make a direct declaration on TV that he’s a member of the Steiner family before officially adopting the name Bron Steiner. While Bully understood the purpose behind changing his name, he thinks they’re past the need for it for this particular performer. Based on the fact that WWE recently mentioned Breakker’s family on TV, Bully has hope that the change is coming.

“Rick and Scott are now on good terms with the WWE,” Bully continued. “I’m not quite sure if when Bron started, that they were on as good of terms as they are now. So maybe the WWE didn’t want to acknowledge the Steiner name then. Maybe they do something now.”

Bully pointed out that Steiner is not the family’s true last name, which could make it slightly more appealing for WWE to adopt it for Bron. As it stands, Bully feels that the Breakker name is too reminiscent of monikers from the 1980s.

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

JBL Wishes He Wrestled This Rising WWE Star: ‘One Of The Best Workers In The World’

It’s no secret that WWE Hall of Famer JBL is a fan of hard hitting wrestling, as exemplified by modeling his career off the likes of Stan Hansen. So it will come as no surprise that the former WWE Champion has found himself captivated by another hard hitting wrestler in Jacob Fatu. Reviewing Fatu’s match with Drew McIntyre from WrestleMania 42 on “Something to Wrestle,” JBL was given the opportunity to lavish Fatu with praise, not only suggesting Fatu was already in the upper echelon of wrestlers, but that Fatu was someone he wishes was around during his heyday.

“Jacob Fatu, I think, is one of the best workers in the world,” JBL said. “I mean, that guy is unbelievable. I’d have loved, loved, to have had a program with Jacob Fatu. I just think he’s that good.”

Despite the praise, JBL was less sure about the idea of Fatu feuding with Roman Reigns at the moment, even though the two are scheduled to wrestle for Reigns’ World Heavyweight Championship at Backlash. While JBL feels WWE should get behind Fatu, he believes they should spend more time building to Fatu vs. Reigns, instead of doing it early.

“I think the strap the rocket to him,” JBL said. “[But] I’m not sure…I think it might be too early for Roman…to be with Jacob. I think you strap the rocket to Jacob, put him over, get him some winds, get him some presence there in WWE, and then let him go with Roman. I mean, Roman is the man, he’s the guy. And you’d hate to see somebody get there before they’re ready. And hey may be…I think he’s ready physically, he’s ready work wise. But I think [he’s] not ready as [he’s not] over as a character that he can be, say in three to six months of putting him over, putting him over, putting him over, and then having them connect.”

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