Rollins, Heyman & Breakker’s New Era Begins 💪, Rey Mysterio Surgery 🏥, Naomi’s Big Decision 👶

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Tuesday, April 29th, 2025

Good morning. Today we have a look back on the first-ever episode of SmackDown and the formation of The Corporate Ministry (what a faction!). We’ve also got results from WWE Raw, a preview for WWE NXT, and all the latest on Rey Mysterio’s surgery, Naomi’s possible hiatus, Bryan Danielson’s neck injury, and more. Plus, Reddit reacts to Dominik Mysterio’s big moment, Nash drops a wild Rock story, AEW’s Grand Slam Mexico sells out fast, and much more. Let’s dig in!

🗓️ On This Day - 1999

SmackDown! Makes Its Debut on Network TV

26 years ago today, WWE taped the pilot episode of SmackDown! at the New Haven Coliseum in Connecticut. Designed as a one-off special for UPN to test interest, it marked WWE’s return to network television for the first time since Saturday Night’s Main Event in 1992. The pilot was headlined by a blockbuster tag-team main event, as ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin and The Rock teamed up to defeat The Undertaker and Triple H. Another major storyline unfolded when Shane McMahon and The Undertaker merged The Corporation and The Ministry of Darkness, creating the infamous Corporate Ministry faction.

WWE Raw Results (April 28th, 2025)
Full Match Results & Highlights

WWE Raw aired live from the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri, showcasing a night of high-stakes decisions, brutal betrayals, and fallout building toward WWE Backlash. Sami Zayn made his fateful choice, Becky Lynch and Lyra Valkyria set their course, and Bron Breakker left devastation in his wake.

Seth Rollins, Bron Breakker, and Paul Heyman explained their alliance. Rollins declared their new faction the future of WWE until Sami Zayn interrupted, calling Rollins a hypocrite and comparing the group to a new Bloodline. Rollins warned Sami to choose sides by night’s end, offering a trade to SmackDown to avoid conflict.

Rhea Ripley def. Roxanne Perez via disqualification. Perez frustrated Ripley early and used chop blocks to target her leg, but interference from Giulia led to a DQ. Post-match, Perez and Giulia attacked Ripley until IYO SKY made the save, standing tall with Ripley to end the brawl.

Logan Paul confronted Jey Uso. Paul mocked Uso and vowed to take his title, but Jey fired back passionately before dropping Paul with a superkick.

War Raiders def. Judgment Day (Finn Balor & JD McDonagh). Despite distractions from New Day and Carlito, War Raiders overcame the odds after Penta appeared to shove McDonagh off the top rope, allowing them to finish JD with War Machine.

Becky Lynch and Lyra Valkyria set a Backlash showdown. Becky confessed to attacking Bayley and mocked Valkyria, but Lyra called her out, leading to a brawl. Lynch fled through the crowd, and Valkyria challenged her to a WWE Women’s Championship match at Backlash.

Stephanie Vaquer def. Ivy Nile. In a tightly contested match, Vaquer survived Nile’s suplexes and German bridges, ultimately securing the win with SBB after Gable’s distraction failed to stop Nile’s momentum.

Pat McAfee challenged GUNTHER for Backlash. After an emotional promo standing up for Michael Cole, McAfee demanded a fight with GUNTHER. Nick Aldis agreed to lift the suspension for a sanctioned match at Backlash.

Penta set for revenge against JD McDonagh. After a backstage confrontation with Chad Gable, Penta secured a match against McDonagh for next week.

Bron Breakker def. Sami Zayn by referee stoppage. In a vicious main event, Breakker brutalized Zayn with multiple spears. Despite Rollins offering Sami a final out, Zayn refused, leading to a brutal finish with Breakker overwhelming him and Rollins delivering a final Blackout stomp as Heyman and Rollins coldly looked on.

🔮 WWE NXT Preview (April 29th, 2025)
Full Match Card and Lineup

Live Tonight, 8pm EST on The CW

• NXT North American Championship Match: Ricky Saints (c) vs. Lexis King

• NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Hank & Tank (Hank Walker & Tank Ledger) (c) vs. Josh Briggs & Yoshiki Inamura

• ‘The Don’ Tony D’Angelo and Channing ‘Stacks’ Lorenzo face-to-face confrontation

Latest WWE News, Rumors & Updates

😤 It was Becky Lynch all along

Becky Lynch finally broke her silence on this week's Monday Night Raw, revealing her beef with both Lyra Valkyria and Bayley. Lynch betrayed Valkyria after losing their tag team titles at WrestleMania 41 and admitted to sabotaging Bayley's WrestleMania match. 'She was tired of the complaints and showed what a real star looks like.' Despite the drama, Lynch and Valkyria are set to face-off for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship at Backlash.

🔥 JD McDonagh Returns To The Ring On WWE Raw, Hits Springboard Moonsault To The Outside

JD McDonagh stormed back into the WWE Raw ring, joining forces with Finn Balor against the War Raiders. Despite their spirited fight, the War Raiders emerged victorious. McDonagh showcased his rebound by executing a springboard moonsault. This marked his first match since a lung-puncturing injury sidelined him in January. He also recently assisted Dominik Mysterio in retaining the WWE Intercontinental Championship against Penta.

👊 Two Former NXT Champions Moved To WWE Main Roster

Following WrestleMania, 'Raw debut' patches adorned the ring gear of former NXT Women’s Champions Roxanne Perez and Giulia during the April 21st episode of Raw, signifying their official move to WWE's main roster. Perez’s recent heel run saw her hold the NXT Women’s Championship for 276 days before losing to Giulia, who then held the title for 63 days. Their rivalry appears to be shifting as they seem to be aligning as heels on the main roster.

👶 Naomi says she’s deciding whether to step away from WWE to have children

Despite receiving acclaim for her recent heel character and potential alliance with Nia Jax, Naomi is contemplating a hiatus from WWE to start a family with husband, Jimmy Uso. On The Nikki & Brie Show, during WrestleMania 41 weekend, she shared, 'I have to step away and, you know, take care of my health... And if we’re going to have kids, I have to start that process very soon.' Naomi also touched upon her health issues and the question of timing, as the couple already assists in raising Jimmy's children from a previous relationship.

🏥 Rey Mysterio undergoing surgery for torn abductor

Rey Mysterio confirmed on Instagram that he's undergoing surgery for a torn abductor, following speculations after his match at the April 18 SmackDown. The WWE Hall of Famer was forced to miss WrestleMania 41 due to the injury. “I tore my abductor the SmackDown before WrestleMania, and I’m scheduled for surgery today...I will let you guys know once I get out of surgery,” Mysterio stated. Recovery timeframes remain unclear, but a few months off the ring seems likely.

🔪 Hulk Hogan & Eric Bischoff reunite to ‘slice & dice’ the world of pro wrestling

Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff, infamous for their time in WCW, are teaming up for a new project. Despite recent controversy, Hogan is shifting focus with this mysterious venture, promising to 'slice and dice' the wrestling world. The duo are hinting at a 'third man', a champion who's elevated world-class athletes. Their last collaboration was a poorly received TNA stint. Will this get a better reaction? Only time will tell.

Latest AEW News, Rumors & Updates

⚾ Cope responds to criticism of spiked bat spot in his match with Mox

Adam Copeland, involved in the controversial spiked bat incident with Jon Moxley on March 19, has responded to criticism. He explains his focus is primarily on the live reaction, stating 'I don’t really care about the reaction, besides the live reaction. That to me is the reaction that matters and they were into it live.' He further acknowledges the evolution of wrestling, implying an increase in athleticism and violence, and dismisses post-event online reactions.

🤕 Bryan Danielson Suffered “Pretty Bad” Neck Injury During AEW Run

Bryan Danielson's AEW World Championship reign and full-time career ended at WrestleDream 2024 due to a severe neck injury. He shared his struggles during a recent interview, 'I’d hurt my neck pretty bad wrestling Will Ospreay at Dynasty, and that last 6 months I wasn’t even sure I could get through it.' Despite his injury, Danielson hasn't entirely ruled out returning to the ring, but for now, he's content with being 'ready to be done.'

Top Wrestling Reddit Threads

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