Trick Williams formally extended the invitation to Grammy-nominated rapper Lil Yachty to join him at WrestleMania 42.
Williams is scheduled to challenge for the United States Championship at the “Show of Shows” later this month, with the title currently held by Sami Zayn – although that could change by the end of “WWE SmackDown” – after Williams inadvertently cost Carmelo Hayes the title last week.
Zayn appeared backstage during Friday’s “SmackDown” to thank Nick Aldis for the title opportunity, thus granting him a place on the WrestleMania card that had looked unlikely before. But before that segment could find a natural conclusion, Williams’ music played to precede his entrance alongside Lil Yachty. That’s where Williams talked up his role on the card and invited the rapper to attend, before Zayn made his way out to confront his rival.
Soon enough, Hayes was also out in the ring demanding a rematch at the title, seemingly trying to insert himself into the bout at ‘Mania. Zayn said that the match had already been cemented and there was nothing he could do, but after Hayes implored him to do the right thing, he backtracked and said he could have his opportunity later on in the show.
Thus, if Hayes wins the title, it would make the ‘Mania clash Hayes versus Williams, and if Zayn wins again Hayes would lose any claim he holds. Zayn extended his hand out of respect, but Hayes refused to shake it and left the ring to close the segment.
Mike Santana is not easing up despite holding the top prize in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling.
Currently in his second reign as TNA World Champion, Santana has remained highly active since capturing the title in January. Alongside his responsibilities in TNA, he has competed across seven different independent promotions and has also made appearances connected to WWE NXT, showing no signs of slowing down.
In a recent interview with The Sportster, Santana made it clear that reaching the top has only intensified his drive rather than satisfying it.
“I don’t think they understand the version of Mike Santana that they’re getting. I’m more experienced, I’m more hungrier. Just because I’m in this position, just because I’m world champion doesn’t mean that hunger has died down, not even a little bit. If anything, I’m hungrier than ever. I’m more motivated than ever. A lot of guys look at this position as, ‘Alright, finally, I accomplished it and now I can just chill and relax.’ I look at it as the total opposite. Now, the work really starts.”
Santana’s comments reflect a mindset focused on maintaining momentum rather than celebrating past success. While many champions may choose to scale back their schedules after reaching the top, Santana has instead increased his workload, balancing multiple promotions while continuing to represent TNA as its top champion.
His approach has kept him visible across the wrestling landscape and reinforced his reputation as one of the more driven performers currently active. By continuing to take bookings outside of TNA, Santana is positioning himself as a fighting champion while also expanding his presence beyond a single promotion.
As his second title reign continues, Santana’s words and actions both point to a clear goal — to elevate his run at the top rather than coast on it.
Mike Santana Says TNA World Title Has Made Him “Hungrier Than Ever”
SoCal Val recently sat down with Kevin Fertig (fka Mordecai/Kevin Thorn) for the latest episode of The Velvet Ropes.
During the interview, Kevin reveals the Mordecai character was originally designed to lead to a WrestleMania feud with The Undertaker, details the nerve-wracking meeting where he pitched the character directly to Vince McMahon, confirms he spent thousands of his own money on white suits to live the gimmick 24/7, explains how the Hade Vansen promos were originally his work with Dusty Rhodes, shares the emotional story of how WWE’s rehab program saved his life, and discusses his successful transition into real estate.
If you use any quotes from this email, please credit The Velvet Ropes on WrestlingNews.co and include a link to the YouTube video.
Here are some of the highlights:
Kevin Fertig reveals the Mordecai character was built to feud with The Undertaker at WrestleMania: “He was a big, big part of the Mordecai character. When all that first got pitched and everything else like that, it was really to wrestle him, eventually, in WrestleMania.”
On the nerve-wracking meeting where he pitched the Mordecai character directly to Vince McMahon: “I go and sit down in front of Vince, and he’s got his readers on, and he’s just staring a hole through me. And I was like, all right, I’m not looking away from this guy. I’m gonna try to stare back as hard as I can. I know that he’s already reached my soul somehow, and he’s ripped it out. And he’s like, okay, what do you see yourself here? And I’m like, well, me and Tomko are doing this, and I think we could do this. And he goes, no. He goes, I don’t want tag teams. I want singles wrestlers.”
On spending thousands of his own money on white suits to live the Mordecai gimmick 24/7: “I went above and beyond of wearing white to the point where anything that I could find was white. I had white tracksuits to go to the gym. I spent thousands on white anything, white suit, that I could possibly wear. It was a cleaning nightmare too, because I am not the cleanest person to eat and walk around. I wanted to portray the gimmick and live the gimmick. I was always a huge fan of The Undertaker growing up. Pretty much every time you saw him out in public, he was pretty much all in black, had his band. He looked like The Undertaker, and it just looked cool. So to me, I wanted to have that image out there too.”
On Hade Vansen’s promos originally being his work with Dusty Rhodes: “Hade Vansen comes on TV, starts doing the promos I’d already done. And I remember texting every writer I knew, like, what the f*** that was my promo? I know it was my promo because I have it written right here. And it was him talking doing the dark walk or whatever he’s doing. So I drove up there and I show up. They’re like, what are you doing here? I’m like, I’m still trying to figure out why my promo that I did with Dusty, that was sent to The Undertaker because we talked about it, is now being said by another person on TV.”
On WWE’s rehab program saving his life: “I spent probably 15 years pissed off, hated WWE, depressed and all this stuff. I made a phone call to them, and I went in the rehab program, and they saved my life. So everything with that is, as much as I hate them, as much resentment as I had for them, they saved my life, and I wouldn’t be here today. A lot of it was me, and I’ve come to figure that out, and I’m a lot better off from that. They sent me, got me cleaned up and got me back better than I ever have been.”
On quitting WWE in Baltimore: “I pretty much went in and quit in Baltimore. Not a lot of people know that. I went into Johnny’s office and said I’d had enough. I worked my ass off to get back within the amount of time, I did all this stuff, and then now here we are again. And out of frustration, I went in and asked for my release.”
On who impresses him most in today’s wrestling: “Logan Paul’s probably the one that’s impressing me the most right now, because he goes out there and looks like a seasoned vet every time he’s out there.”
On the dream match he never got: “Eddie Guerrero. Eddie would have been the one, and I was supposed to wrestle him as Mordecai. It just never happened. I think Eddie would have been fun. Eddie would have been a lot of fun.”
Kevin Fertig Talks Mordecai, Feud with Undertaker, WWE Rehab
WWE’s WWE Slammy Awards will not take place in 2026, marking a change in plans after the company revived the fan-voted event over the past two years.
Following its return in 2024 and a second installment in 2025, many expected the Slammys to once again be part of WrestleMania week. However, that will not be the case this year.
Speaking on the ZELVX and CHARLIE GIRL podcast on April 3, 2026, Cathy Kelley confirmed that the awards show has been dropped from this year’s schedule.
“It’s actually not happening this year, but WWE World is a little bit different, and so there are a lot of other things going on.”
The decision represents a shift from WWE’s recent strategy, which saw the Slammy Awards used as a tool to engage fans through voting and social media interaction while highlighting key moments across the company.
Instead of continuing the awards format, WWE appears to be focusing on WWE World as its primary fan engagement platform during WrestleMania week. The event is expected to feature a variety of activities and experiences, signaling a different approach this year.
With WrestleMania season typically packed with fan-focused programming, the absence of the Slammys stands out, especially given their recent return. It remains unclear whether this is a one-year pause or an indication that WWE may once again move away from the awards concept.
For now, fans should not expect the Slammy Awards to be part of the 2026 WrestleMania festivities.
Brian James, known to fans as Road Dogg, has opened up about his recent departure from WWE, pointing to the demanding nature of the role and a desire to spend more time with his family.
James, who worked as co-lead writer for WWE SmackDown prior to stepping away in early March, addressed his exit publicly for the first time during a virtual signing with Signed By Superstars. Rather than citing creative differences or backstage issues, he made it clear that the decision was rooted in personal priorities.
“It was just moving too fast for me. We talked about my brothers and their grandkids and I didn’t get to spend a whole lot of time with mine, so I’m gonna do more of that now.”
James also discussed his involvement in the WWE Unreal series on Netflix, which offered a behind-the-scenes look at WWE’s creative process. The show sparked debate among fans about whether it reveals too much about the inner workings of professional wrestling.
Reflecting on that concern, James acknowledged the traditional mindset while also recognizing WWE’s evolving approach to content.
“As an old timer, I think we always feel that way,” James said. “The idea behind it, in my opinion, is it’s an on-ramp or an exit ramp into the actual episodic television show, and I don’t know if there’s a metric that can tell you whether that works or not.”
During the signing, James was also asked about the possibility of joining All Elite Wrestling following his WWE exit. However, no details regarding his response to that question were made available.
James previously had multiple runs with WWE, both as an in-ring performer and behind the scenes in creative roles during the eras led by Vince McMahon and Paul Levesque.
For now, his focus appears to be on life outside the fast-paced wrestling environment, prioritizing family time after years of working within WWE’s demanding schedule.
Road Dogg Explains WWE Exit, Cites Family Time and Fast-Paced Schedule
