WWE embarrassed itself with a glaring production mistake ahead of the May 15, 2026, episode of SmackDown. While advertising a tag team match between Damian Priest and R-Truth against Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga, the company accidentally featured a graphic of recently released wrestler JC Mateo in place of Talla Tonga. Mateo had been let go just two weeks earlier, following a short run with the promotion. Fans quickly spotted the error, which was later fixed, exposing an unfortunate oversight in WWE’s graphic and creative departments.

43-year-old Cobb, wrestling as JC Mateo, had a brief, disappointing stint with WWE on the SmackDown brand. He debuted at Backlash in May 2025, helping Jacob Fatu retain the United States Championship and joining Solo Sikoa’s faction, later known as MFT. The following week, he received his ring name and defeated LA Knight in an impressive in-ring debut. Positioned as a powerful heel enforcer, Mateo was initially considered for a major singles push, but those plans faded as he was relegated to group segments and limited tag matches.

Wrestling legend Jacques Rougeau is stepping into a chilling new role as the Supernatural Officer in Ghost Master Resurrection. The former WWF star will make his debut in the Season Pass episode “Solid Ice and Terror,” scheduled for release on July 30, 2026. With the Core Edition now available on Xbox, fans can enjoy thrilling ghostly gameplay enhanced by Rougeau’s iconic presence. The official Season Pass trailer offers an exciting first look at his supernatural performance in this haunting adventure.

While many of his peers have stepped away from the spotlight, 65-year-old Rougeau is actually returning to the ring on Saturday, May 30, 2026, for GPW Legends Mania at the Centre Slush Puppie in Gatineau, QC. The stacked event also features Rick Martel, Jimmy Hart, Koko B. Ware, The Headbangers, and Hacksaw Jim Duggan, with Rougeau competing in the Pat Patterson Royal Rumble and facing Harry Smith, the son of his former rival, The British Bulldog, in a singles match. Tickets and meet-and-greet details can be found at Lepointdevente.com or gpwlegendsmania.ca.

Hot Topic briefly released a WWE Royal Rumble 2001 retro t-shirt featuring a collage of stars from the New Orleans event and the classic “Every man for himself” motto. However, the merchandise quickly sparked widespread amusement online and criticism due to the glaring error of including a photo of Titus O’Neil instead of Test. The flawed design generated plenty of buzz among fans who wanted to buy it before it was made unavailable on the Hot Topic website.

WWE merchandise has a long history of similar blunders that continue to entertain and frustrate fans. In 2011, Sin Cara’s 2011 debut tee featured poor graphics that appeared to expose male genitalia, earning the infamous “Peen Cara” nickname online. Other issues include wrong wrestler photo swaps, anachronistic images on retro designs, and the infamous WrestleMania 7 shirt that awkwardly added “and Sports Arena” after the venue change.

Vampiro recently received fan backlash after telling Soundsphere Magazine during an interview that while Rhea Ripley is “real Gothic looking … She wasn’t that. She became that. You know, punk, you don’t learn it. You either are born with it, or you’re not.” Many took this to mean he was suggesting that the Australian was inauthentic, unlike himself. However, in a recent Facebook statement, Vampiro has clarified that his remarks about her character were taken completely out of context.

“100% not true. I cannot believe I even have to answer this, but I will. My words were taken completely out of context. I was doing an interview, and I was asked if gothic or darker personalities are harder to do now. I used her as an example because I think her character is f*cking awesome. What I meant was that in the beginning, maybe they were still figuring things out creatively, but she found her own lane and absolutely made it work. That is respect.

Never in a million years would I make fun of her, disrespect her, or insult what she has accomplished. I am a fan. She is incredible in the ring, and I would be lucky to have accomplished even a quarter of what she has accomplished in her American promotion. So whoever twisted that into something negative completely missed the point, and honestly, that’s not cool. There was no disrespect. There was no jealousy. There was no insult. Only respect.” – Vampiro

While his career peak was the 90s, Vampiro has stayed active in the 2020s, mainly in Juggalo Championship Wrestling and with occasional AAA appearances in Mexico. At age 59, battling years of accumulated injuries, he chose JCW, his spiritual home, thanks to his friendship with Insane Clown Posse, as the venue for his retirement match. On April 17, 2026, at Strangle-Mania in Las Vegas, he main-evented in a three-way against PCO and Big Vito, winning with his signature Nail in the Coffin before delivering an emotional farewell speech. The 42-year veteran, therefore, got to leave the ring on his own terms, cementing his cult legacy in independent and lucha libre circles.

Chris Jericho continues to leave a lasting mark on the wrestling world, as AEW star Bandido recently revealed the veteran’s profound influence on his career. In a heartfelt interview with Denise Salcedo, the high-flying ROH talent called their time working together “awesome” and revealed he still shared his deep gratitude every time he sees Jericho. Bandido credits the legendary performer with providing invaluable opportunities and mentorship that elevated his skills and shaped his professional journey. This just further highlights Jericho’s enduring role as a guiding force for emerging talents.

“Working with him was awesome. When I see him, it’s like, ‘Thank you very much for everything’ because I think Jericho was one of the persons to change my life. I’m very grateful with him. The way of how he worked with me and my family, it’s amazing. We’re very thankful with him.” – Bandido

Chris Jericho’s impact on All Elite Wrestling has remained monumental since signing in January 2019. As the promotion’s first major star and inaugural World Champion, he delivered instant credibility and helped secure crucial TV deals. Additionally, Jericho founded key factions, including the Inner Circle and the Jericho Appreciation Society, allowing him to mentor younger wrestlers such as Sammy Guevara and Mike Santana. And while it appeared at one time his run with AEW had concluded, he returned unannounced in April 2026, having signed a new multi-year deal, proving his long-term commitment to AEW.

At 76, WWE Hall of Famer Bob Backlund continues to show remarkable resilience and discipline despite his battle with dementia. Now living with his sister in Florida, the longtime champion maintains his dedicated routine, walking to the local swimming pool three times each week, as revealed after a neighbor shared a recent photo online that has since gone viral.

Bob Backlund’s legacy bridges territorial wrestling to the WWF’s national rise through technical mastery and quiet heroism. The Minnesota native won NCAA Division II gold at 190 pounds in 1971, turned pro in 1973, and captured the WWWF Championship in 1978 at Madison Square Garden. His 2,135-day reign ranks second-longest in WWE history. Known for crisp chain wrestling, suplexes, and the Crossface Chickenwing, he was the final great technical champion before sports entertainment took over the business.

Jake Paul has claimed TKO Group Holdings has banned him from all WWE events, including those featuring his brother Logan Paul. In a recent appearance on the Undefeated & Undisputed podcast, the YouTube star and boxing promoter linked the restriction directly to his vocal criticism of UFC fighter pay, and the timing is no coincidence, as his company, Most Valuable Promotions, is now launching aggressively into the MMA space.

“I don’t take any beefs too serious. I think it’s definitely in the name of entertainment. However, there is truth in it and there are points and some certain facts that I would like to see pushed through. Like the UFC fighters’ minimum pay … The TKO group has this major beef with me. They won’t even let me go be in my brother’s WWE matches because they hate me so much. So it’s pretty wild how much under their skin we are. To me, it’s just been a fun journey. I enjoy sh*t talk.” – Jake Paul

MVP, co-founded by Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, makes its official MMA debut on May 16 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, having previously focused on boxing. Headlined by Ronda Rousey versus Gina Carano, the Netflix-streamed card also features Nate Diaz, Francis Ngannou, and a stacked undercard under unified rules. Every fighter is guaranteed a minimum $40,000 purse plus bonuses, far exceeding typical UFC pay. With plans to raise outside capital and build a full roster, MVP aims to challenge UFC dominance and reshape the combat sports landscape.

WWE recently announced it was expanding its domestic live events this summer with 10 non-televised house shows across the United States as part of the 2026 Summer Tour. This was somewhat surprising, as the company had previously decided to cut back and even asked talent to take pay cuts due to working fewer dates. However, Dave Meltzer has reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that this change of approach is being fueled by a deep roster of young talent eager for reps away from television cameras, and by the company’s surging popularity and record profitability.

“What we were told is that with more younger wrestlers on the roster than before, they felt it was good for them to get more experience away from television so this was the time to expand the schedule. Plus, unlike a few years ago when the company wasn’t as popular, there will almost surely be a nice profit margin doing the house shows. The idea in the past was less shows created more of a demand for shows and that was one of the reasons for cutting back, and the belief that the older roster could use less dates and wear and tear and they had enough experience. The attempt is to get a younger roster now and they could use more reps before a crowd.” – Dave Meltzer

House shows have always been the unsung backbone of professional wrestling. They drove revenue during the territorial era and fueled WWF’s explosive growth in the 1980s. Some of the most iconic moments in wrestling history even happened on untelevised cards, including Bret Hart defeating Ric Flair for the WWF Championship in 1992 and Diesel pinning Bob Backlund in just eight seconds to win the title in 1994. While their visibility faded with the rise of weekly television and premium live events, this revival underscores their renewed importance and helps build lasting brand loyalty.

In recent years, the NFL has made the release of their schedule a full-on promotional event with teams getting in on the fun offering up creative ways to let fans know who and when they will be playing for the upcoming season.

The Minnesota Vikings tapped AEW star Chris Jericho for their promo video in which he stars as a waiter offering up 17 different dishes to the team’s kicker Will Reichard. Each dish symbolizes a game this year (cheesehead board for the Green Bay Packers, a bear claw for the Chicago Bears, horseshoe wagyu for the Indianapolis Colts, and so on). 

Jericho injects a humorous line, “Man I wish I could kick like that,” after seeing Reichard playing paper football at the table while he waits for his extensive 17-plate order before asking for it to-go. “Woah, woah, woah,” Jericho says as Reichard walks towards the exit. “You’re the best kicker in the league man. You gotta protect the feet. Let me help you.” He then takes just one of the several bags and opens the door. As the credits roll, Jericho asks for an autograph to be made out to “Chris Jericohen.”

Check out the full promo video below. 

In an Instagram Story posted on May 14, 2026, WWE superstar Jey Uso boldly declared himself the best performer in the game right now, claiming nearly two decades of elite-level work. The former Bloodline member and 2025 Royal Rumble winner directly addressed his critics, including those who voted him “Most Overrated Wrestler” in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter awards. Blending signature confidence with humor and a random shoutout to Abraham Lincoln, Jey made it clear he remains unfazed by the noise and is fully locked in on proving his main-event status in WWE.

Jey Uso’s 2026 campaign has been defined by tag-team excellence followed by high-stakes singles action amid ongoing Bloodline family drama. Starting the year as World Tag Team Champions with Jimmy Uso, The Usos defended their gold before dropping the titles to Austin Theory & Logan Paul on March 30. Jey has since delivered strong showings in multi-man tags, including key victories at WrestleMania 42, while picking up a standout Extreme Rules win over Bron Breakker on the May 11 Raw. Through mid-May, his record sits at just over 50% wins across 15 televised matches.

In a jaw-dropping moment on TNA iMPACT, former WWE wrestler  Giovanni Vinci made his debut in the promotion. The Italian powerhouse arrived just seconds after Cedric Alexander captured the X Division Championship in a thrilling best-of-three-falls victory over Leon Slater. As Alexander celebrated his hard-earned title, Vinci’s surprise entrance sent shockwaves through the arena and instantly fueled speculation of an immediate challenge in TNA’s fastest-paced division. 

Born Fabian Aichner on July 21, 1990, in South Tyrol, Italy, the 6’0, 220-pound wrestler began his career in 2011 on the European independent scene. From there, he rose to prominence as a multi-time champion in New European Championship Wrestling before signing with WWE in 2017. As Giovanni Vinci, he became a key member of the dominant Imperium stable alongside Gunther and Ludwig Kaiser, capturing the NXT Tag Team Titles twice and delivering powerful performances across NXT, NXT UK, Raw, and SmackDown until his release in February 2025 after a short singles run.

WWE’s Bianca Belair has confirmed on Instagram that she is continuing to battle the severe finger injury she suffered at WrestleMania 41 in April 2025. This damage occurred during a high-stakes Triple Threat match, and while subsequqntly initial projections called for an 8-to-12-week recovery, complications forced nearly 10 months of treatment before reconstructive surgery in February 2026. And now the WWE star has revealed on Instagram that persistent swelling has dramatically increased her ring size from 7.5 to 10, actually making the digit larger than her thumb.

While currently sidelined from the ring, 37-year-old Belair made an appearance at WrestleMania 42 to announce her pregnancy with husband Montez Ford. The couple eagerly awaits their first child together, a baby boy, due in late July or early August 2026. Therefore, her focus is obviously currently on motherhood and this exciting new chapter. At the same time, she desires her finger to eventually recover enough for her to get medically cleared for a potential in-ring return in 2027.