Bully Ray Thinks Randy Orton Phone Call On WWE Raw Could Lead To Hall Of Famer Return

It’s been less than a week since Randy Orton turned on long-time friend Cody Rhodes, leaving him in a crumpled, bloody heap to kick off the build their Undisputed WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 42. But some more intrigue was added on “WWE Raw” this past Monday, when Orton received a phone call from an unknown source, leaving many fans eager to find out who was on the other line.

Perhaps no two individuals were more eager to find out the caller’s identity than Bully Ray and Dave LaGreca. On Tuesday’s episode of “Busted Open Radio,” the two spent plenty of time trying to figure out who Orton was on the phone with, though Bully seemed to dismiss the idea that the individual was Orton’s father, WWE Hall of Famer “Cowboy” Bob Orton.

“Logic would dictate that he’s talking to his dad,” Bully said. “But if you go by the end of the phone call, he never says the word ‘Goodbye.’ He never says ‘Bye.’ No ‘I love you.’ It was a bit cold way to end the call. So yeah, I don’t think he was speaking to his dad either. But then, at the end of what he says to Cole, he reminds Cole that there’s more than one royal family, right? So who could he have been talking to?”

LaGreca and Bully considered several other names, including Orton’s former Evolution stablemates Batista, Triple H, and Ric Flair, though it remains unclear whether Flair would be able to work with WWE due to his association with AEW. Later, LaGreca suggested The Rock, who has been a thorn in Rhodes’ side over the last few years, an idea that Bully was completely in favor of.

“I love it,” Bully said. 

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

Chris Masters Says WWE Scrapped Tag Title Win One Day Before WrestleMania

Chris Masters has opened up about a major WrestleMania moment that almost changed the trajectory of his WWE career, revealing that he and Carlito were originally set to capture tag team gold on one of the biggest stages of them all.

Speaking on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Masters shared that plans were firmly in place for the duo to win the WWE Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania 22, only for everything to change at the last possible moment.

“Carlito and me were supposed to win them at that WrestleMania, but it literally got switched like the day before,” Masters said. “We were penciled in to win it. But then Carlito, they wanted him to turn babyface, and the Spirit Squad, they kind of wanted to get the belts on them somehow to give them some steam. And so that was that.”

The sudden decision shifted the direction of multiple storylines, with the Spirit Squad ultimately gaining momentum instead, while Masters and Carlito were left without the defining title victory they had been building toward.

Masters reflected on how that missed opportunity was not an isolated case during his early WWE run. He pointed to another instance where he was set for championship success, only for real life circumstances to intervene. A planned Intercontinental Championship win in Las Vegas was scrapped when WWE stepped in over concerns about his prescription painkiller use, sending him to rehab on the very day the match was supposed to take place.

Looking back, Masters admitted there were lessons to be learned from that period of his career, even if the outcomes were frustrating at the time.

“Hindsight is always 20/20,” Masters said. “There is a lot of stuff that I would have probably done differently or that I wish I had known back then, but I know now.”

During their time together, Masters and Carlito were a consistent presence on WWE programming, frequently featured on Raw and positioned as a strong tag team within the division. Despite never capturing championship gold, their pairing remained memorable among fans of that era.

Outside of WWE, the two have maintained a close friendship and continue to share the ring on the independent scene. Masters noted that they are still teaming together and are scheduled for upcoming appearances, including shows in Maine.

Although he never secured a title during his WWE tenure across two separate runs, Masters has remained active in wrestling, competing for promotions such as NWA and GCW. He has often pointed to his post WWE career as a period where he delivered some of his strongest in ring performances, making the most of opportunities that came later in his journey.

Pete Dunne Set For Brutal Showdown Against Masashi Takeda At Bloodsport XV

Pete Dunne Set For Brutal Showdown Against Masashi Takeda At Bloodsport XV

Pete Dunne is officially set for his next challenge as part of Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport XV, with his opponent now confirmed for the upcoming WrestleMania week event.

It has been announced that Dunne will go one on one with Masashi Takeda on April 17 in Las Vegas. Takeda brings a very different kind of reputation into the bout, having built his career across Japan and the United States as both a wrestler and MMA fighter, with a strong background in brutal death match competition. He has competed in promotions such as Big Japan, All Japan, FREEDOMS, and GCW, making him one of the more dangerous names entering the Bloodsport environment.

This marks the first officially confirmed match for the Bloodsport XV card, which is scheduled to stream live on TrillerTV+ during WrestleMania week. The event is set to begin at 6 p.m. Eastern and 3 p.m. Pacific on April 17.

Dunne heads into the fight with momentum, having already competed twice under the Bloodsport banner since WWE began allowing select talent to appear on the shows. He currently holds a 2-0 record, with victories over Jonathan Gresham and Timothy Thatcher in 2025, showing that his hard hitting style fits perfectly within the unique ruleset of the promotion.

While Dunne is currently portraying Rayo Americano on WWE programming as part of a faction alongside El Grande Americano and Bravo Americano, he will be stepping into Bloodsport as himself, returning to the gritty, no frills approach that made him stand out earlier in his career.

Takeda is no stranger to this setting either, with his last Bloodsport appearance dating back to 2019, where he picked up a win over Gresham. With both men known for their toughness and physicality, this matchup is expected to deliver a hard fought contest.

Additional names confirmed for Bloodsport XV include:

  • Josh Barnett

  • Yuji Nagata

  • Ulka Sasaki

  • Timothy Thatcher

  • Pete Dunne

  • Shayna Baszler

  • Erick Stevens

  • Fuminori Abe

  • Ray Jaz

  • Angel Verduzco

  • Joe Dashou

  • Masashi Takeda

  • Matt Mako

  • Royce Isaacs

  • Miyu Yamashita

WWE Star The Miz Leads Star Studded Gladiators Cast

WWE Star The Miz Leads Star Studded Gladiators Cast

Amazon is bringing back a classic competition series with a fresh twist, and this time it is being led by a familiar face from the wrestling world.

The revival of American Gladiators, hosted by WWE star The Miz, is officially set to debut next month on Amazon Prime Video. The rollout will begin with three episodes dropping on April 17, followed by another three episodes on April 24. The season will wrap up with four final episodes arriving on May 1.

Alongside The Miz, the show will feature a lineup of well known wrestling personalities as part of the Gladiator roster. Among those confirmed are AEW’s Wardlow and Kamille, along with former WWE standout Rick Boogs, Jessie Godderz, and J Rod Jessica Roden.

Originally launching in the late 1980s, American Gladiators became a staple of television before eventually being revived for a short run in 2008. This latest version looks to blend nostalgia with new ideas, bringing back classic events while introducing fresh challenges.

According to details released by Amazon, the format will see everyday competitors enter the Arena to take on 16 Gladiators in a series of intense physical contests. Fan favorite events such as Joust, Powerball, Hang Tough, and The Wall will return, while new additions like The Ring and Collision aim to raise the stakes even further. At the end of the competition, one male and one female winner will walk away with $100,000 and be crowned American Gladiator Champion.

Rocsi Diaz will serve as co host alongside The Miz, with the series produced by Amazon MGM Studios.

AEW Star Leila Grey Begins Recovery After Surgery Update

AEW Star Leila Grey Begins Recovery After Surgery Update

Leila Grey is now on the road to recovery after undergoing knee surgery following the injury she sustained late last year.

The AEW talent confirmed that she recently had surgery to repair a torn ACL, an injury she picked up during her TBS Championship match against Mercedes Moné at the December 6, 2025 AEW Collision taping. Taking to social media, Grey shared an update on her condition and reassured fans that everything went smoothly.

“Hey guys. I finally had my knee surgery yesterday. Everything went well. I’m home recovering and starting therapy tomorrow. Thank you all for the support during this time.”

Despite the severity of the injury, Grey showed incredible determination in the weeks that followed. Just seven days after hurting her knee, she competed in a WBFF competition wearing a brace and still managed to take first place, highlighting her resilience outside the ring as well.

Earlier in the year on January 19, Grey revealed that she had made the decision to hold off on surgery until she could improve the range of motion in her knee, a move aimed at giving her the best possible recovery outcome.

Prior to being sidelined, Grey had been featured as part of the SkyFlight group alongside Scorpio Sky, Dante Martin, Darius Martin, and Christopher Daniels. She was also coming off a singles victory over Zayda Steel at ROH Final Battle Zero Hour just one night before the injury occurred.

Now beginning her rehabilitation journey, Grey is focused on recovery as she works toward an eventual return to the ring.