Royce Keys Wins 2026 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

Posted by admin on April 18th, 2026
Royce Keys Wins 2026 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

The April 17 episode of WWE SmackDown served as the final stop before WrestleMania 42, and the show delivered a major moment with the annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

The match followed its traditional format, with the ring filled by a large group of Superstars all looking to secure a WrestleMania moment. The field included talent from multiple brands, along with appearances from AAA and NXT competitors. Royce Keys received a featured entrance, signaling early that he would be a key focus in the match. Joe Hendry also entered the bout, notably without an NXT label on his nameplate.

Aleister Black controlled large portions of the contest, eliminating several participants and emerging as a dominant force. As the match progressed, the field was narrowed down to five competitors: Keys, Johnny Gargano, Matt Cardona, Talla Tonga, and Black. Gargano was eliminated following interference from Otis, and Cardona was quickly thrown out afterward.

The final four came down to Otis, Keys, Black, and Talla Tonga. Black delivered a Black Mass to Otis, but moments later, Keys capitalized by eliminating Black with a clothesline. That left three men in the ring. Talla Tonga then removed Otis from the match, setting up the final exchange.

In the closing moments, Keys hit a spinebuster on Talla Tonga and sent him over the top rope to secure the win. The victory gives Keys a major achievement early in his WWE run.

Keys’ rise has been closely watched since his Royal Rumble debut earlier this year. He made the move to WWE after leaving AEW, where Tony Khan reportedly made an effort to keep him. Keys chose to join WWE, and this win suggests that decision is already paying off.

The Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal has been a part of WrestleMania tradition since its introduction at WrestleMania XXX as a tribute to André the Giant. Over the years, winners have included Cesaro, Big Show, Baron Corbin, Mojo Rawley, Matt Hardy, Braun Strowman, Jey Uso, Madcap Moss, Bobby Lashley, and Bronson Reed. Carmelo Hayes was the most recent winner prior to this year.

While the match has delivered mixed results in terms of launching careers, it still offers a high-profile platform. With this victory, Keys now joins that list and gains momentum heading out of WrestleMania weekend.

Royce Keys Wins 2026 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal

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WWE SmackDown 4/17/2026: 3 Things We Hated And 3 Things We Loved

Posted by admin on April 18th, 2026

Another week, another reason to complain about Pat McAfee’s strange alliance with Randy Orton. While this week certainly (and thankfully) wasn’t as egregious as the last few weeks, it wasn’t great. We opened the show with McAfee and Orton arriving, and they didn’t cross paths with Rhodes, as he arrived later. Honestly, that might have been the best part of both Orton and Rhodes’ segments tonight, as the “American Nightmare’s” lovefest with CM Punk to end the show also fell flat.

Rhodes’ promo aside, the night began with general manager Nick Aldis handing McAfee some kind of agreement, which was never explained. Orton didn’t have to sign anything, just McAfee, who apparently read over the document and signed while Orton was in the ring cutting his promo. Now, Aldis isn’t a heel GM, so I can’t imagine there’s anything in there that’s going to screw Rhodes over on Saturday, but at this point, with everything that’s gone on since this ‘Mania feud took a Yinzer turn, who knows.

As his former mystery ally was wrapping up whatever he needed to sign, Orton made his way out to the ring and cut was a pretty okay promo, I just thought it was a little too late at this point. He heeled it up when he said he didn’t need McAfee, he wanted him by his side, which is pretty stupid, but it got heat. He went on about thinking he’d be fighting Drew McIntyre as champion, not Rhodes, and how he needed to bring out the best version of himself to fight Rhodes, which the champion technically gave him permission to do right before Orton turned heel.

Orton blamed Rhodes for everything bad that has happened to him in recent years, because he’d been protecting Rhodes and helping him get to the top rather than worry about himself. Which was excellent, it just should have been the entire reason for his heel turn, not because McAfee got in his head. Orton actually said that McAfee had done more for him than Rhodes throughout his career, which is just a weird, blatant lie that stood out like crazy in what was seemingly going to be a solid promo.

While what Orton said was mostly good, it was just a lot of good way too late at this point to save anything. Thankfully, he got to try and fix things a bit without McAfee in the ring with him, which was helpful. But, overall, between saying that McAfee was more helpful than Rhodes throughout Orton’s journey, to whatever the heck McAfee signed on the dotted line for, it just left me feeling nervous for what’s to come with this story, even after WrestleMania.

Written by Daisy Ruth

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Stephanie McMahon Closes Hall Of Fame Speech With Heel Turn Moment

Posted by admin on April 18th, 2026

Stephanie McMahon’s induction featured an extended presentation led by her family, combining personal reflections with an overview of her impact on WWE both on screen and behind the scenes.

Her daughters Aurora, Murphy, and Vaughn McMahon were introduced first, joined by Linda McMahon.

Aurora, the eldest, opened the speeches. She referenced her role as the oldest child with a light remark before focusing on her mother’s career. She spoke about Stephanie breaking through in a male dominated industry and contributing to the evolution of WWE’s women’s division, including its progression to main event matches at WrestleMania. Aurora also credited Stephanie for instilling values such as discipline, confidence, and perseverance, describing her as both a role model and a source of inspiration.

Murphy followed, identifying herself as the middle child and focusing more on Stephanie’s character. She described her as highly empathetic and highlighted her work with Connor’s Cure, the pediatric cancer initiative inspired by Connor Michalek. Murphy emphasized that Stephanie’s involvement extended beyond WWE obligations, noting her dedication to supporting children and families affected by cancer. She also spoke about her mother’s personality, including her sense of humor and strong presence, while acknowledging her influence during WWE’s women’s evolution.

Vaughn, the youngest, provided a more personal perspective. She described Stephanie’s energy and support at home, including shared moments that helped her feel comfortable pursuing her own interests. Vaughn spoke about feeling different within a family closely tied to athletics and WWE, but said Stephanie encouraged her individuality. During this segment, the broadcast showed Paul Levesque in the audience reacting emotionally.

Linda McMahon delivered the final induction speech. She acknowledged her own bias as Stephanie’s mother before praising her daughters’ remarks. Linda then outlined Stephanie’s early involvement in WWE following college, noting that she entered a company already led by family members including Vince McMahon and her brother Shane. She described Stephanie as adapting quickly to the business, calling her a natural performer with strong communication skills and on screen presence. Linda also referenced Stephanie’s recognition outside of WWE, including being named among influential business figures by Forbes and her participation in leadership programs such as the Henry Crown Fellowship. She closed by reflecting on Stephanie’s development from childhood to adulthood and her role as a mother.

Stephanie McMahon then took the stage to deliver her acceptance speech. She began by thanking her daughters and discussing her journey to parenthood, noting that she and Paul Levesque were previously told they might not be able to have children. She credited both medical support and faith for their family.

She shared several personal anecdotes about her daughters, including their individual personalities and experiences growing up around WWE. She also acknowledged her parents, with the mention of Vince McMahon drawing a noticeable reaction from the audience.

Stephanie then reflected on her upbringing within the wrestling business, recalling early exposure to WWE talent and operations. She referenced figures such as Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan, Andre the Giant, Roddy Piper, and The Iron Sheik, describing how being around larger than life personalities shaped her understanding of the industry. She also mentioned learning aspects of television production and creative from WWE staff, including time spent observing how shows were written and produced.

She highlighted WWE’s philanthropic efforts, particularly Connor’s Cure, and introduced a guest connected to the initiative who had exceeded early medical expectations. The moment received a standing ovation from the crowd.

Stephanie continued by acknowledging a wide range of WWE talent and colleagues from different eras, offering brief thanks to several names across the company’s history.

She closed the speech by addressing Paul Levesque directly, describing their relationship and his importance in her life. She reflected on her time away from WWE and her eventual return, stating that the company remains a central part of her identity and referring to it as a lasting home for those involved in it.

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Nattie Neidhart Shares Iconic Middle Finger Moment With Steve Austin In Backstage Bloodsport Photo

Posted by admin on April 18th, 2026

Posted By: Ben Kerin on Apr 17, 2026 Nattie Neidhart Shares Iconic Middle Finger Moment With Steve Austin In Backstage Bloodsport Photo

Nattie Neidhart delivered a standout moment at Bloodsport XV, and it did not stay confined to the ring.You’ve been such a huge inspiration to me, and it meant everything having you there today at Bloodsport. There truly is no one like you. pic.twitter.com/xIOPB5r0nY

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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UFC’s Dana White Promotes Adin Ross’ BrandRisk, Gambles $10k On Fighter No-Showing

Posted by admin on April 18th, 2026
UFC President Dana White Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Dana White has put a $10,000 bet via UFC sponsor Polymarket that Bob Menery doesn’t show up for a fight in Adin Ross’ BrandRisk Promotions. 

Menery, a podcaster and influencer, has been rumored to fight Heisman-winning quarterback, Johnny Manziel, at the BrandRisk event in Miami in May. But White doesn’t believe he will show up, as he said posting to social media upon hearing the rumor, all but confirming it was at least in the works given his close relationship with Ross. 

White and Menery have never got along publicly with the latter even accusing the former of owing him money for development on the Power Slap app. And the UFC President used the opportunity to throw more jibes in Menery’s direction claiming that Menery contacted him and asked who he would be backing to win. 

“So Menery hits me up and says, ‘Who you betting on?’ I said, ‘I’m betting you don’t even show up. That’s my bet.’ Menery never does anything he says he’s going to do,” said White. 

He continued to say that Polymarket has a prediction betting line on whether Menery fights or shows up. 

“I’m betting $10,000 Menery does not show up. And Bob, if you do and the night before it looks like you’re gonna fight, I’m flying to Miami to watch this one,” he concluded. 

Polymarket signed on as a sponsor for UFC in November in what was described as a first of its kind deal. Just recently, a trader reportedly made $250,000 after catching a mistake made by Bruce Buffer in announcing a result, the second time in two weeks that had happened, and utilizing a flaw in the platform. 

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