In a new video shared by AEW star Wardlow on social media, the names of several American Gladiators from the upcoming Amazon reboot have been revealed. This confirmed that the powerhouse AEW star will be named “Fang,” while fellow AEW wrestler Kamille will be going by the name “Hurricane.” Hosted by WWE’s The Miz, the show is scheduled to premiere on Prime Video on April 17, with contenders battling for a $100,000 prize.

American Gladiators burst onto TV screens in September 1989 as a syndicated show created by Johnny Ferraro and Dan Carr. The concept was inspired by ancient Roman spectacles but modernized for average contestants facing muscular “Gladiators” in events like Powerball, Joust, and Assault for seven seasons until 1996, featuring spandex outfits and names like Nitro, Malibu, and Zap. A 2008 NBC revival, hosted by Hulk Hogan and Laila Ali, but it would only last for two seasons.

Following the March 18 Collision taping in Fresno, fans reported seeing Josh Alexander limping, suggesting he had sustained an injury. And now, on X.com, the former TNA World Champion has unfortunately confirmed that he will undergo knee surgery next week. Additionally, Alexander noted there is no timetable set for his return, suggesting it won’t be anytime soon.

“I know I’ve been limping and in pain for a week, but my surgeon told me I’m going to need surgery this coming Wednesday, that my knee injury is pretty severe, So I will not be cleared to compete, and there’s no timetable set right now for when I will be back.” – Josh Alexander

38-year-old Alexander, real name Joshua Lemay, debuted on the independent circuit in 2005 and finally got his big break in 2019 when he joined TNA. From there, he formed The North tag team with Ethan Page, winning the World Tag Team Championship twice, including a record 380-day reign. Transitioning to singles, he became a two-time TNA World Champion and an X Division Champion, earning Triple Crown status. Still, he left TNA in early 2025 and signed with AEW in April 2025, aligning with the Don Callis Family and ensuring plenty of television time.

Guitarist Ross “The Boss” Friedman was a founding member of both heavy metal icons Manowar and rock/punk legends The Dictators. Sadly it was reported on Friday that Friedman passed away just a little more than a month after it was announced that he had been diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. He was 72 years old.

The Metal Hall of Fame made the announcement saying: “It is with deep sadness that we confirm the passing of legendary guitarist, our dear friend, and Metal Hall Of Fame inductee Ross ‘The Boss’ Friedman. Ross was a pioneering force in both punk and heavy metal, best known as a founding member of The Dictatotrs and Manowar. Ross will always be the Metal Hall Of Fame’s ‘Global Metal Ambassador’ to the world. His powerful playing, unmistakable tone, and uncompromising spirit helped shape generations of musicians and fans around the world.”

The statement continued: “Earlier this year, Ross publicly shared his diagnosis with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS),facing it with the same courage and honesty that defined his life and career. Ross’s impact on music is immeasurable. From the raw energy of early punk to the epic scale of heavy metal, his work left a lasting mark on the genre and on everyone who experienced it. Beyond his achievements on stage and in the studio, Ross was deeply respected by his peers and beloved by fans across continents. His legacy will live on through his music, his influence, and the countless lives he touched.”

An announcement also appeared on Ross’s Facebook page reading: “A legendary guitarist and beloved father, his music and spirit impacted fans around the world as much as you impacted him. We are grateful for the outpouring of love and support you all have shown throughout his career and especially these last few months. His music meant everything to him & his guitar was his life’s breath. This insidious disease took that away from him. His legacy with The Dictators, Manowar, Ross The Boss and other collabs will live on forever in our hearts and ears.”

SiriusXM DJ Eddie Trunk has long railed against the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame for overlooking some of rock and metal’s biggest and most influential artists. He’s also called out the institution for having waited far too long to induct groups including Foreigner, Bad Company, Kiss and others, where in some cases band members are either already deceased or unable to celebrate their inductions due to their health and/or advanced age.

Motorhead, Boston, Bryan Adams, Motley Crue, REO Speedwagon, Styx, Eddie Money, Scorpions, Thin Lizzy, Pantera and several others are often cited as the biggest Rock Hall snubs as of last year’s inductions. The biggest oversight for metal fans, however, is that of Iron Maiden, who have long feigned any interest in even being included despite their immense global popularity and success.

Trunk pointed out however, that the Rock Hall made a change to Iron Maiden’s nomination for potential inclusion into the class of 2026. They added former singer Blaze Bayley to the list of band members who would be included should the band get in. Bayley fronted the band for two albums in the ’90s, “The X Factor” and “Virtual XI.” While the records came during a commercial low point for heavy metal, they have come to be much more appreciated in the years since. The band also included select tracks from those records in their live sets for several tours following the return of iconic singer Bruce Dickinson in 1999.

“Very interesting to see that the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame just recently added Blaze Bayley to the Iron Maiden nomination,” Trunk wrote via his social media. “This was a massive oversight considering they were including literally every other person who had been in the band. The randomness of who is and isn’t included with each band is a huge issue that gets no coverage. I also take this as a positive sign maybe Maiden is finally getting in. Because why add a person if they are getting the votes to make it?”

Trunk makes a valid point, but with that being said, most metal fans would still consider it a surprise to see the band accepting their statues at the Rock Hall Induction Ceremony later this year given how long they have already been overlooked. 

The 17 nominees for this year are: The Black Crowes, Mariah Carey, Phil Collins, Melissa Etheridge, Lauryn Hill, Billy Idol, INXS, Iron Maiden, Joy Division/New Order, New Edition, Oasis, Pink, Sade, Shakira, Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan. The official inductees will be announced sometime next month.

Despite being fired by TNA and sued by the owners, it appears Gail Kim still cares deeply about the promotion. This is known because, after a fan expressed their disappointment on X.com about how the Knockouts Division is currently being booked, she responded, “This breaks my heart to be honest,” and asked the company to “Do better,” reminding everyone that the Knockouts helped build TNA’s reputation.

TNA’s Knockouts division launched in 2007 as a groundbreaking women’s wrestling showcase, moving beyond valets to deliver athletic, respected matches thanks to pioneers like Gail Kim, who became the inaugural champion. The division peaked in the late 2000s and 2010s, marked by solid storytelling and tag team expansion. Through the Impact era, stars like Jordynne Grace and Deonna Purrazzo kept it strong. Yet since rebranding as TNA in 2024 and partnering with WWE, the division has heavily featured NXT talents, with champions including Jacy Jayne, Kelani Jordan, and, presently, Arianna Grace, pushing homegrown talent aside.

A GoFundMe campaign has been launched by Amanda Vines to support her husband, veteran wrestler Doug Vines. Once a respected enhancement talent who shared the ring with legends such as Ric Flair, Dusty Rhodes, Randy Savage, Kerry Von Erich, and The Road Warriors, Doug is now facing significant health challenges in his later years, including blood clots, heart issues, and diabetes. With limited mobility and no reliable transportation for medical appointments, he urgently needs a small SUV or car, along with basic household support.

“He’s too proud, but let me tell you, he’s been very sick with blood clots. His heart and diabetes have had their way with him. It has completely broken him, and now I no longer have a car to get him back and forth to his doctor appointments. Some of the things he even needs around the house are way out of reach for him now. So, I want to try to get enough money together for him to get just a small SUV or car that he can get into and a few things he could use around his house. Any help you can give is a blessing. I have run out of options now. I know that a lot of you still have him on your mind all the time, and that is a big help to him also.” –  Amanda Vines

Vines enjoyed early success in Angelo Poffo’s ICW as one-half of The Devil’s Duo alongside Jeff Sword, capturing the ICW Tag Team Titles. The team later reformed in the USWA as The Barroom Brawlers and The Dog Catchers, winning the USWA World Tag Team Championship on multiple occasions, including a victory over Robert Fuller and Jeff Jarrett. In addition, Vines performed enhancement work for Jim Crockett Promotions, Mid-South, and WWF. Known as a safe, reliable all-rounder who could make his opponents look strong, earning a reputation as one of the wrestling business’s most dedicated and unsung heroes.

Following the announcement that Sid Vicious and Bad News Brown are being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the Legacy Class, former WWE writer Vince Russo claimed that Vince McMahon would never have approved their inclusion. Speaking on the Coach and Bro podcast, Russo said both wrestlers had “problems in their own right,” noting that Sid frequently skipped events to play softball, while Bad News Brown was notoriously difficult to work with. Russo suggested that current management is stretching to fill out the class, a controversial take, as fans have been calling for both men to be inducted for several years.

“Guys like Sid and guys like Bad News Brown bro. They were problems in their own right. They were not good, behavable, do-everything, the company wants us to do soldiers. Sid used to blow off work, the WWE to play, softball. Sid was one of those guys that you were not going to tell him what to do. Sid was going to do what Sid wanted to do. Bad News Brown too, had a reputation for not being one of the easiest guys to work with …  They’re really reaching to put people in the Hall of Fame, and the reason why I say that is if Vince were still there, I don’t know if these people would be getting in the Hall of Fame.” – Vince Russo

The WWE Hall of Fame has no official criteria, voting system, or independent panel. Inductee suggestions come from various internal sources, and under Vince McMahon, he personally held ultimate approval. McMahon typically weighed factors such as drawing power, entertainment value for the ceremony, loyalty, and personal relationships. Since Triple H took greater control, the process has become more collaborative and group-oriented, though it remains entirely internal with no direct fan input. 

Retired wrestler Ronnie Garvin has shared his blunt take on today’s pro wrestling scene during an appearance on Busted Open Radio, calling modern matches “embarrassing to watch.” The former NWA World Heavyweight Champion noted that performers rarely lock in proper holds and recalled attending an independent event for a signing, where the promoter afterward asked for his honest opinion. Garvin didn’t hold back, telling the man straight to his face that the show “sucks” and was so poor he wouldn’t even let children see it.

“I went to some places to sign autographs, and then they had wrestling after. They wanted me to stay, and it was actually embarrassing to watch. I had one guy who’s a promoter, I won’t name his name. He’s promoting local, and I hated to, I don’t lie. He said, ‘What do you think?’ He had 20 people that came to the matches. I said, ‘It sucks. It’s horrible. I wouldn’t even put that in front of kids. They call it wrestling, but nobody takes a hold.” – Ronnie Garvin

80-year-old Garvin, real name Roger Barnes, debuted in 1962 and built a long career as a tough technician. Known as “Rugged” or “Hands of Stone,” he transitioned from tag team wrestling to singles competition, gaining fame with wild angles in Knoxville and heated rivalries in International Championship Wrestling against Randy Savage and others. His career peak came in Jim Crockett Promotions, where he defeated Ric Flair in 1987 to win the NWA World Heavyweight Championship, but only held the title for 62 days before losing it back to Flair at Starrcade. 

Life has been difficult for Abdullah the Butcher in recent years, as after suffering two strokes late last year, the wrestling legend is now battling serious wound issues made worse by diabetes. Therefore, to help cover his mounting hospital and home care costs, his close friend, Chad Driggers, has launched a new GoFundMe campaign. As of this writing, the campaign has raised $730, which is unfortunately unlikely to go far in today’s economy.

“Legendary WWE Hall Of Famer Abdullah The Butcher needs our support. Late last year, Abdullah suffered 2 strokes. He is still dealing with health issues related to the strokes and diabetes. The hospital in Atlanta is working hard to discharge him. Miss Malikah is working around the clock to maintain his care. His bills are piling up and he needs our support more than ever. Please help this man who donated his life to entertaining us & helping those less fortunate.” – https://gofund.me/77cb5db03

Born Lawrence Shreve, Abdullah the Butcher was once one of professional wrestling’s most feared hardcore wrestlers. Debuting in 1958, the massive Canadian created his iconic “Madman from the Sudan” gimmick and built a legendary career on brutal, blood-soaked brawls, often wielding forks as weapons. Over the decades, he competed for promotions including Stampede Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling, and WCW, feuding with stars such as Carlos Colon, Bruiser Brody, and The Sheik. And while he never wrestled directly for WWE, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011, cementing his legacy as one of the most unforgettable icons in wrestling history.

Following a well publicized break up back in 2021, the members of metalcore legends Every Time I Die all branched off into their own projects. Singer Keith Buckley started Many Eyes, while Jordan Buckley, Stephen Micciche and Clayton “Goose” Holyoak went on to form Better Lovers. That left guitarist Andy Williams. He would eventually go on to form a new band Atomic Rule, but it took a little while to get there.

Willams had a standing offer to join Better Lovers and even rehearsed a few times as the group got underway, but the guitarist admitted he needed a bit of a reset after writing, recording and touring for more than two decades with Every Time I Die. 

“ETID broke up, and I was just looking for something different,” Williams said. “Better Lovers started out of that. I was kind of entertaining the idea of doing that with those guys. And we had a couple practices, and it was fine. But it was more like, the slate was (now) clean, and I wanted to do something different, I just didn’t know what I wanted to do.”

So for two years, Williams focused on his other passion, professional wrestling. Williams wrestles as The Butcher for both All Elite Wrestling and on the independent wrestling scene. “I just focused on wrestling at that time, and I guess I was a little jaded also. You kind of have this relationship of almost 30 years doing this thing where that’s where my main focus was creatively.” Williams admitted he didn’t play guitar for nearly two years. “I just focused on wrestling, (and thought) ‘When the guitar speaks to me, it’ll speak to me.”

It did end up speaking to him, but not necessarily in the way he envisioned. “I never liked acoustic guitar,” he said. “My girl had an acoustic guitar, and I picked it up one day, and I was like, ‘This is cool.’ I was hearing things a little different. I started just putting some things together. And when I moved it to an electric guitar with an amp, it was, ‘Oh, I’m doing something different here.’ I was acrobatically moving around the guitar. Hours would go by, and I’d put the guitar down and realize, ‘Oh wow, I just played the guitar for two hours.’” 

It turns out Williams’ best friend, Eternal Sleep’s Travis Bennington, was going through a very similar situation. “I didn’t know Travis, Atomic Rule’s bass player, was kind of going through the same thing,” Williams said. “Eternal Sleep, his band, had slowed down. He’s my best friend, so we would talk every week about what music we were listening to, not what we were writing. I had no idea he wasn’t writing. He totally put the guitar down. I go, ‘Hey dude, I’ve been writing some stuff, do you want to hear it?’” 

Bennington loved Williams’ ideas, and Atomic Rule was off and running. “It just kind of came together that way. Two friends who got a little jaded with what they were doing and had to pivot to see music a little differently.” 

Check out Atomic Rule here, and scope Williams’ full Web Is Jericho interview via Youngstown Studio below. 

Former AEW wrestler Sadie Gibbs is currently sidelined following a serious knee injury sustained in Japan and may not be able to resume her in-ring career until 2027. Still, she is keeping herself busy and her personal brand alive by frequently sharing updates on social media and seemingly agreeing to create online content for Playboy. The British wrestler announced this on X.com with a jaw-dropping photo drop, along with a direct link inviting fans to explore her racier content on their website.

Professional wrestling and Playboy share a storied history of boundary-pushing crossovers that boosted mainstream appeal, especially during WWE’s Attitude and Ruthless Aggression eras. Trailblazers like Sable, Chyna, Torrie Wilson, Christy Hemme, Candice Michelle, and Maria Kanellis graced the magazine with sensual pictorials that often tied into storylines and elevated the Divas division. Beyond WWE, the connection extended to TNA’s Knockouts, with Traci Brooks appearing on their website. In recent years, as the print version of Playboy evolved into digital platforms, SoCal Val signed with the Playboy Club in November 2025, with Gibbs having now followed her lead.

Following the announcement that Sid Vicious will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as part of the 2026 Legacy Class, WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H has revealed on social media that Bad News Brown will also be inducted alongside him. The news suggests that WWE may now primarily induct deceased wrestlers posthumously through the Legacy Class, a decision that has disappointed some fans who feel every wrestler deserves the full Hall of Fame ceremony and recognition.

“From standing on the podium at the 1976 Summer Olympics to the center of the ring at #WrestleMania IV, Bad News Brown was a fierce competitor with an attitude to match. For his accomplishments in combat sports and contributions to @WWE, it is a pleasure to announce his induction into the 2026 Legacy Class of the #WWEHOF.” – Triple H

Brown, whose real name was Allen Coage, transitioned from an Olympic judo bronze medalist to a feared professional wrestling brawler, debuting in 1977 and gaining early experience in New Japan. His most dominant run came in Stampede Wrestling, where he captured the North American Heavyweight Championship four times with his gritty, no-nonsense style. In 1988, he began his memorable WWE run as the ultimate loner heel, facing stars such as Hulk Hogan, Roddy Piper, Randy Savage, and Jake Roberts, before departing the company in 1990, leaving behind a legacy of authentic toughness.