This past Monday on “WWE Raw,” Finn Balor was officially kicked out of The Judgment Day after Dominik Mysterio had blamed the “Prince” for his Intercontinental Championship loss against Penta. At first, Balor claimed that Mysterio was a “spoiled little p***k, which caused both men to get physical, and though The Judgment Day didn’t seem to know who to side with, they were ultimately loyal to “Dirty Dom.” With WrestleMania 42 on the horizon, it’s expected that Balor and Mysterio will go one-on-one at the event, but according to a new report, a match between both competitors was supposed to happen months ago.

In a new edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer revealed that Balor versus Mysterio was originally planned to take place at last year’s SummerSlam, but WWE decided to hold off on the 44-year-old’s split from The Judgment Day after there was still fan investment in the group’s creative direction. Additionally, Meltzer notes that Balor was going to emerge as “The Demon” in his scrapped match against Mysterio, which would’ve been the first time since 2023 that he’s portrayed the gimmick. Instead, Mysterio defended the Intercontinental Championship against AJ Styles at SummerSlam, while Balor was not featured in a match on the card.

Earlier this year, Balor stated that he’s been unsatisfied with WWE’s use of “The Demon,” and if he were to present himself with the face paint again, he wants more creative control on how the persona should be utilized. At this time, it’s uncertain if Balor will awake “The Demon” for WrestleMania 42, but WWE having plans for the gimmick last summer is good news for those who have been itching to see it return.

Over the past two weeks, “WWE NXT’s” ratings have declined after posting numbers above the 600,000 viewer mark for 11 weeks straight. Although it was expected the program would bounce back on Tuesday following Vengeance Day this past weekend, total viewership surprisingly hit a new low instead.

According to Wrestlenomics and Programming Insider, “NXT” averaged 541,000 viewers and posted a 0.08 in the key 18-49 demographic, which is the show’s lowest totals of the year. When comparing both categories to the previous week, total viewership was down by 10%, while the 18-49 demo decreased by 11%. Despite the poor rating, “NXT” also went head-to-head with the NBA matchup between the Boston Celtics and San Antonio Spurs on NBC, which brought in 2.5 million viewers. Additionally, the developmental brand faced stiff competition from the NHL, which broadcasted 13 games on the night.

Along with posting its worst figures of the year, “NXT” has also struggled to grow its audience over the last 12 months, with total viewership dropping by 17% since March 2025. Perhaps more concerning is “NXT’s” lack of improvement in the 18-49 demo, with the category plummeting by 47% since this time last year. With Stand & Deliver under a month away, “NXT” could see an increase in viewership as fans look forward to the brand’s biggest PLE of the year, but it remains to be seen if this past Tuesday was an outlier, or if the decline in ratings will continue.

Grammy Award winner Jelly Roll has so far competed in one pro wrestling match, when he teamed up with Randy Orton to take on Drew McIntyre and Logan Paul on the first night of last year’s WWE SummerSlam. Jelly Roll impressed Paul “Triple H” Levesque, and it may only be a matter of time until he returns to the ring.

As advertised by WWE themselves, Jelly Roll is set to appear during tonight’s “SmackDown.” However, a report from Wrestlevotes Radio on Fightful Select states that there have been talks between Jelly Roll and WWE for a WrestleMania appearance. That means his presence on “SmackDown” could be setting up further involvement on the “Grandest Stage of Them All.”

In the past, Jelly Roll has expressed the desire to not only wrestle again but even stick around for an extended run with the promotion. He noted that he understands why Bad Bunny felt the need to return to wrestling after his first match, insisting that he’d be up to perform every Friday for his proposed run with WWE.

Jelly Roll’s foray into pro wrestling was a catalyst for his extreme weight loss journey over the last several years. During a clip on “WWE Unreal,” the artist revealed that his nickname came from his size, and that his mother used to call him Jelly Roll in an endearing way. However, seeing his SummerSlam 2024 segment on television gave him a jolt of reality regarding his physique, kickstarting a 160 lb. weight loss journey.

Fans, we are just 36 days away from WWE WrestleMania 42, And as of today, Cody Rhodes is securely locked in to defend his Undisputed WWE Championship against Randy Orton in a featured match at “The Showcase of the Immortals.”

Prior to Rhodes winning the championship back for the third time in his WWE career last Friday, reports went back and forth on whether former champion, Drew McIntyre, would carry the championship to Las Vegas, and if he would defend it against just Rhodes, or entangle other men  who’ve been eyeing the coveted prize, like Orton, Sami Zayn, and Jacob Fatu, in a multi-man match. Now, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has offered another update, citing trusted sources working closely on the matter that say “The American Nightmare” and “The Viper” will be the only two athletes fighting for the belt next month. Before that, the direction for this upcoming showdown was discussed and changed four different times, according to this week’s newsletter.

What’s interesting to note is that originally in their drafted plans, the company entertained the idea of having Rhodes face the man whom he first won the Undisputed Championship from, Roman Reigns. The angle between the two of them would’ve culminated in a Hell in a Cell match. However, plans for that were axed after Seth Rollins obtained his shoulder injury, and the decision to put the title back on McIntyre. The concept of having a Hell in a Cell match was also heavily discussed to happen between McIntyre and Rhodes for the title at his year’s “Super Bowl of Pro Wrestling,” but that too was dismissed, considering that would be their fourth singles meeting on a major show in the past several months. The decision for Orton to win this year’s Men’s Elimination Chamber was in the works since the first week of February.

Although John Cena is the first-ever 17-time World Champion in WWE history, Orton is looking to catch up to Cena’s impressive record by etching another world title tally to his already calculated career by becoming a 15-time World Champion. Tonight on “WWE SmackDown,” Rhodes and Orton will sign on the dotted line, confirming their impending title clash. The day in which Rhodes will defend his title against Orton on either April 18 or 19 has not been announced yet.