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Cody Rhodes Reflects On Undertaker Interfering In WWE WrestleMania 40 Main Event

Posted by admin on April 18th, 2026

The Undertaker appears to chokeslam Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson during the Bloodline Rules main event match at WrestleMania 40.

WWE

Cody Rhodes was finally able to “finish his story” and win the Undisputed WWE Championship during a Bloodline Rules match against Roman Reigns at WrestleMania 40. The stipulation left a lot of room for interference, not just from Reigns’ bloodline. Solo Sikoa, John Cena, and The Rock all made appearances, and at one point, the lights went out on the match, and The Undertaker appeared to chokeslam Rock on Rhodes’ behalf. The “American Nightmare” recalled receiving help from “The Deadman” during an episode of “Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast.”

“He ran to the ring with two brand new, I believe either hips or knees, he just had double [replacements],” Rhodes explained. “This was the first time he’d run. But, the blackout when we do it in the stadiums and the arenas, it’s not full like it is on TV. You can see a bit. He rolled in the ring in a way that he could have probably killed a full-blown lion. He had such testosterone. He was so ready to be standing up and for that moment.”

He joked that it was incredible to see how agile the WWE Hall of Famer was. Rhodes also said that after ‘Taker hit the chokeslam on Rock, he looked over to Rhodes still down on the canvas to give him a nod, but Rhodes was so out of it.

“But he completely just winked at me, lights went out. I was in it,” he said. “With what we do, the suspension of disbelief, what’s real, what’s not. You cannot convince me that he’s not magical.”

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Charlotte Flair Identifies Her ‘Most Important’ WWE WrestleMania Match

Posted by admin on April 18th, 2026

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This Saturday at the first night of WrestleMania 42, Charlotte Flair will compete in her 9th WrestleMania, teaming with partner Alexa Bliss to take on Lash Legend and Nia Jax, The Bella Twins, and Bayley and Lyra Valkyria for Legend and Jax’s WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships. It’s a bit of a change of pace for Flair, who has largely found herself in major singles championship matches during her career, including being one of three women to headline WrestleMania for the first time at WrestleMania 35, alongside Ronda Rousey and Becky Lynch.

With all those big matches under her belt, it would seemingly be pretty easy for Flair to pick both a favorite WrestleMania moment and a least favorite WrestleMania moment. But when asked about the former during an appearance on “Casuals with Katie Nolan,” Flair stated that her favorite WrestleMania moment would probably be this weekend, when she teams with Bliss. Instead, she decided to focus on what she felt was her most important WrestleMania match, a moment that she previously stated was her favorite career moment.

“I think the most important one was WrestleMania 34 against Asuka,” Flair said. “That match, there hadn’t been a women’s singles on the card in ten years. So for many reasons, that match was important for women and for myself and for Asuka…Iron sharpens iron.”

As for Flair’s least favorite WrestleMania match, the former sixteen time Women’s Champion managed to avoid giving a straight answer, despite Nolan’s best attempts to coax an answer out of Flair.

“I plead the fifth,” Flair said.

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

Triple H Defends Pat McAfee’s WWE WrestleMania Involvement: ‘People Are Talking’

Posted by admin on April 18th, 2026

Listen up “marks” : The grand opening of WrestleMania 42 is upon us. In less than seven hours, “The Grandest Stage of Them All” will pull back its curtain and reveal what could be the beginning of new journeys in WWE. One of those hoping to start a new reign is none other than Randy Orton, who is on his quest to become a 15-time World champion against his former friend and student, Cody Rhodes, for the Undisputed WWE Championship. In his corner will be the self-proclaimed always right, never wrong, unfiltered yet charismatic, Pat McAfee. While many are hoping that the “Go home Pat” chant rings true tonight after the main event, WWE’s Chief Content Officer Triple H says McAfee’s domineering personality has the industry and casual viewers talking, which is good for profit.

“The thing is, talk is good, right? People are talking, and that is a good thing,” Triple H told ESPN’s “First Take.” “Pat, love him or hate him, Pat makes people talk. And I think that’s what’s important here, is people are talking. This is going to be an amazing show. This will be incredible, and it will deliver on all levels.”

Although Triple H mentioned that Orton and Rhodes’ match will transcend generations, what Orton hopes to do is prove that the voices in his head are far more feral than the “American Nightmares” he’s had to face leading up to this potential title change. Should “The Viper” claim the Undisputed Championship tonight, this will be his first time in six years that he’s carried one of WWE’s pinnacle titles. His former 14th title reign (with the WWE Championship) began on October 2020, and ended 22 days later.

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

Backstage News on Trick Williams’ Gingerbread Segment from SmackDown

Posted by admin on April 18th, 2026

New details have emerged about the creative direction behind Trick Williams’ gingerbread segment on WWE SmackDown, which became one of the most talked-about moments leading into WrestleMania 42.

The April 17 go-home episode featured a face-off between Williams and Sami Zayn that quickly stood out due to its unusual presentation. The segment included a gingerbread mascot, strong crowd interaction, and a physical confrontation that escalated fast.

According to Fightful Select, WWE writer Patrick McAlpine was responsible for scripting the segment. Production duties were handled by Abyss, who worked closely with both performers to bring the concept to television.

The segment opened with Trick Williams mocking Sami Zayn by introducing a large gingerbread mascot. The visual set the tone early, mixing humor with tension as the crowd reacted throughout. Fans quickly engaged, with chants supporting Williams adding to the atmosphere inside the arena.

Zayn soon made his way into the segment, shifting the tone from comedic to physical. The situation escalated into a brawl, with both men exchanging offense while the crowd remained active. The chaos extended to the mascot, which became part of the action as the segment broke down.

The closing moments saw Williams take control. He delivered his Trick Shot finisher and stood tall, raising the United States Championship to end the segment on a strong note heading into WrestleMania 42.

This Trick Williams gingerbread segment SmackDown moment highlighted WWE’s approach to building interest before a major event. By combining character work, crowd engagement, and in-ring action, the segment achieved its goal of drawing attention.

The Trick Williams gingerbread segment SmackDown reveal also provides insight into the creative process. With Patrick McAlpine handling the writing and Abyss producing, the segment was structured to balance entertainment and storyline progression. The result was a segment that connected with the audience and added momentum to the feud just days before WrestleMania.

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Austin Theory Blasts Pat McAfee Ahead of WrestleMania 42

Posted by admin on April 18th, 2026

Austin Theory did not hold back when addressing Pat McAfee ahead of WrestleMania 42, delivering strong criticism during a recent media appearance.

Speaking on Unsportsmanlike, Theory reacted to McAfee’s role at WrestleMania 42, where he will be in the corner of Randy Orton as Orton challenges Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship. Theory, who previously lost to McAfee at WrestleMania 38, made his stance clear.

“Pat McAfee, he’s disgusting. When I think back to that WrestleMania, unfortunately, I lost at that WrestleMania when I faced Pat McAfee. The fact that he’s still around and is going to be walking into WrestleMania with Randy Orton, I don’t really see the levels there. Randy Orton is a legend, Pat McAfee is a scumbag,” Theory said.

He continued by criticizing not only McAfee, but also the platforms that continue to feature him.

“I’m disappointed, very disappointed. I’m disappointed in Las Vegas, ESPN, and WWE. What are we doing? Why do we have this guy? He just runs his mouth, talks a bunch of trash, but he can’t back it up,” Theory said.

When asked to explain his frustration, Theory pointed to what he sees as unequal treatment between McAfee and full-time WWE talent.

“When somebody is sitting behind the commentary table and they get to make their schedule and get in the WWE ring and hold the most prestigious prize and run their mouth for as long as they want, knowing other WWE superstars don’t get that leeway, it’s disgusting,” he said.

Theory will still have his own role at WrestleMania 42. He is scheduled to team with Logan Paul and IShowSpeed against The Usos and LA Knight on April 18 at Allegiant Stadium.

As previously reported, WWE talent are not restricted from speaking openly about McAfee or his involvement in current storylines. In fact, the company appears to be leaning into the criticism as part of its promotion for WrestleMania 42.

Paul Levesque addressed that approach, stating that the attention generated by McAfee—positive or negative—serves a purpose.

“People are talking, and that’s a good thing. Pat—love him or hate him—makes people talk, and that’s what matters.”

With WrestleMania 42 approaching, the ongoing back-and-forth adds another layer to the event. Theory’s comments reflect the broader conversation around McAfee’s presence, which WWE continues to use as part of its overall build.

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