BY JITU JANGIR

This week's episode of WWE Raw did strong first-day numbers even without Roman Reigns on the card, coming in up almost 7% from the August 3 show. The performance is notable given the show's biggest star was absent, and it comes on the heels of Raw already posting its best viewership since May following SummerSlam. The episode topped the charts as the No. 1 television show for the day in the United States, up from No. 2 the week before, and also claimed the top spot in the United Kingdom and Canada, both of which climbed from No. 2. Elsewhere, the show held steady at No. 2 in Australia and No. 2 in Italy, while climbing to No. 3 in France (up from No. 6) and to No. 2 in New Zealand (up from No. 3). India stayed put at No. 4, and Saudi Arabia was the only market to dip, slipping from No. 1 to No. 2. The jump builds on already-improving momentum for the red brand on Netflix. The August 3 episode — the first Raw following SummerSlam — drew roughly 2.6 million global views over its first seven days, up from the 2.4 million views of the prior three weeks and marking Raw's strongest showing since its May 18 episode. Total global watch time for that show also rose, hitting 5.4 million hours compared to 4.8 million hours the week before. Raw's rise up the domestic and international daily charts across nine different countries points to broad-based growth rather than a spike in just one region. Topping the charts in the U.S., U.K., and Canada in particular marks a notable jump from finishing second in all three markets just a week prior. Saudi Arabia was the lone market to see a slight step back, dropping from No. 1 to No. 2, though it remained near the top of the chart there as well. Raw emanated from Norfolk, Virginia, with the main event built around Bloodline drama in Reigns' absence: Jey Uso defeated Solo Sikoa, with help from Jimmy Uso. Elsewhere on the card, Penta defeated Laredo Kid to advance in the World Heavyweight Championship No. 1 Contender's Tournament, Austin Theory beat Akira Tozawa before Oba Femi stepped in to confront Bron Breakker, and Sol Ruca and IYO SKY teamed up for a win over Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez. The show also featured Dragon Lee defeating Dominik Mysterio, followed by a post-match attack from Big Cass, along with appearances from Becky Lynch and Stephanie Vaquer during a segment involving Women's World Champion Liv Morgan.

BY JITU JANGIR

It has been widely expected, ever since The New Day decided to leave WWE after turning down a 50% pay cut to stay, that Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods would be winding up in AEW. The Young Bucks have wanted to do a program with them for years — and now, months after the split, that dream match feels closer than ever. The New Day's exit wasn't a typical release — it was the result of a stand. Kingston and Woods had signed five-year contract extensions with WWE back in 2025, doing so without even shopping around for offers from AEW or other promotions, widely seen as a genuine show of loyalty to the company. Just a year later, TKO came back and asked them to restructure those deals at a reduced rate, reportedly giving them only two days to decide. Both men chose to walk instead, leaving millions on the table from the remaining four years of their contracts. The New Day's situation wasn't isolated. Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer confirmed reports that at least one major-name WWE wrestler agreed to a 50% pay cut around the same time, with sources noting the wrestlers being targeted were often those earning well into seven figures — talent who "simply couldn't earn anywhere near $1 million elsewhere," limiting their leverage to push back. Multiple reports indicate the number of wrestlers approached about cuts was under half a dozen, largely veterans, including some recovering from injury, whom the company reportedly would have released outright had they refused. How WWE handled the departure reportedly stung people behind the scenes. The company quietly moved both Kingston and Woods to the alumni section of its website without any public acknowledgment of their contributions — no farewell, no statement. One WWE source told Fightful Select they were "disgusted" by the lack of recognition. A joint statement marking the departure had apparently been planned internally but never materialized. Interest from AEW's side has been an open secret. Multiple people within the company reportedly pushed for New Day to be signed, with insiders noting frustration among talent over how WWE handled the exits of players like New Day and Santos Escobar — wrestlers who'd signed extensions in good faith within the past year. The Young Bucks haven't been subtle about their excitement. AEW's Dynamite has featured Matt and Nick Jackson wearing light blue shirts with pink-and-white accents — an unmistakable nod to New Day's classic color scheme. Matt Jackson has since confirmed publicly that a Young Bucks vs. New Day dream match is "at play," calling it something he'd "counted off as a possibility" until now. As of mid-August 2026, the deal isn't officially confirmed, but nearly every signal points the same direction. The New Day's 90-day non-compete clause was expected to expire around the start of August, with some reports suggesting a debut as early as AEW Collision on August 1, or shortly after SummerSlam if not. Speculation continues to swirl around a possible arrival tied to a Young Bucks/Christian Cage & Adam Copeland trios angle, with several outlets floating AEW All In: London at Wembley Stadium as a potential landing spot for the big reveal.

BY JITU JANGIR

Santino Marella has opened up about his time at Ohio Valley Wrestling and revealed how CM Punk immediately caught his attention long before either man became a major WWE star Speaking to Cody Rhodes on What Do You Wanna Talk About?, Marella reflected on the unique group of wrestlers who came through OVW during the mid-2000s. The developmental territory was home to several future WWE stars, including Rhodes, Punk, Beth Phoenix, John Morrison, Deuce and Domino, and others. Marella admitted that he initially did not understand why everyone at OVW was so excited about Punk. However, that changed quickly once he saw Punk in person and watched him wrestle. “I remember when Punk first came because I didn't watch Ring of Honor and this guy, CM Punk, CM Punk. And I'm like, why is everyone freaking out over this guy?” Marella then explained that Punk had something that was difficult to teach — an aura that immediately separated him from his peers. “And then I see him and he like literally had like an aura around him.” The former WWE star said Punk's wrestling ability made the impression even stronger. Marella recalled watching him perform and realizing that Punk was already operating at a level that many developing wrestlers were still trying to reach. “And then I watched him wrestle. I'm like, are they expecting me to become that good? He was already good.” Punk arrived in OVW in 2005 after establishing himself on the independent wrestling scene, particularly through Ring of Honor. He quickly became one of the standout performers in WWE's developmental system. His OVW run was not simply a period of learning the basics. Punk became a champion in the territory, winning the OVW Television Championship in November 2005 before eventually capturing the OVW Heavyweight Championship in May 2006. Marella also explained that the OVW locker room was packed with talent. Cody Rhodes recalled the atmosphere as well, noting that the group included several wrestlers who would eventually become important names in WWE. The former Intercontinental Champion said that when Punk arrived, he did not initially understand the reaction from the other wrestlers because he had not followed Punk's work in Ring of Honor. But after seeing him perform, Marella understood exactly why people were talking about him. Marella's own WWE career followed a very different path. While Punk became known for his serious, outspoken persona, Marella became one of WWE's most recognizable comedy characters. His in-ring career came to an end in July 2014 after he suffered his third significant neck injury. Marella announced his retirement at a WWE live event in Toronto, telling the crowd that his age and recurring neck problems could mean it was the end of his WWE in-ring career. WWE reported at the time that Marella hoped to remain involved with the company in another capacity. However, his association with WWE continued for another two years. Marella made several appearances for the company after his retirement, including as a guest General Manager, before WWE officially released him on May 6, 2016. WWE confirmed that Marella was among several performers released that day.

BY JITU JANGIR

Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal has shared a bizarre story about his relationship with Vince McMahon, revealing that he once had the former WWE Chairman's phone number without even realizing it was him. Mahal told the story during an interview with Denise Salcedo while reflecting on his relationship with McMahon during his WWE career. According to Mahal, McMahon would occasionally send him messages, including birthday wishes and messages while Mahal was recovering from injuries. However, Mahal did not have the number saved and had no idea who was behind the messages. Mahal recalled receiving one of the messages and simply responding to the unknown sender as if it were someone he knew from WWE. “I would get a message on my birthday, or I would get a message when I was injured. I was like, ‘Thanks, brother.’ I didn’t know who it was.” The situation continued for some time, with Mahal apparently assuming the messages were coming from someone else within WWE. Eventually, his curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to ask the person directly who they were. “I was like, ‘Who is this?’ And he just sent me back, ‘VKM.’” That was the moment Mahal realized he had been casually texting Vince McMahon. Mahal explained that he had been unaware of McMahon's number and did not initially recognize it as belonging to the WWE Chairman. The incident also highlighted how Mahal's relationship with McMahon eventually changed. Mahal said that early in his WWE career, he was extremely intimidated by McMahon and went years without approaching him. “I was scared of him,” Mahal said when discussing his first WWE run. Mahal initially worked for WWE from 2011 until his release in 2014. He later returned to the company in 2016 and eventually became WWE Champion in 2017. During his second WWE run, Mahal said he became much more comfortable around McMahon. The accidental text-message exchange was one of the moments that helped show a different side of their relationship. Mahal recalled that McMahon could be surprisingly approachable in certain situations, particularly when they had common interests. The former WWE Champion also said that McMahon would sometimes discuss subjects such as working out and dieting with him.

BY JITU JANGIR

Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal has opened up about the current life of his former WWE colleague Veer Mahaan, revealing that the wrestler has stepped away from professional wrestling and the pursuit of fame. Mahal discussed Veer's decision during an interview with Denise Salcedo, where he was asked about several Indian wrestlers and their journeys in professional wrestling. Veer Mahaan, who previously competed in WWE alongside Shanky and Mahal, was known for his imposing appearance and athletic background. However, according to Mahal, Veer has taken a completely different path since leaving WWE. Mahal revealed that Veer has largely distanced himself from wrestling and the fame that came with being a WWE Superstar. “He kind of just walked away from it. He’s just living a very spiritual lifestyle now. He’s got a guru, he’s very detached from all the material things.” Mahal explained that Veer's current lifestyle is dramatically different from the world of professional wrestling, where wrestlers spend much of their careers chasing championships, recognition and financial success. “He's very detached from all the material things,” Mahal said, describing Veer's decision to pursue a more spiritual life. Despite Veer's decision to walk away, Mahal believes the former WWE Superstar had plenty of potential left to explore in wrestling. Mahal spoke positively about Veer's athletic ability and the unusual path that eventually brought him to WWE. “He was very athletic, very talented. His story was very interesting too. He grew up in India, then he went to the United States and played baseball.” Mahal pointed out that Veer's journey was already unusual before he entered professional wrestling. His transition from India to the United States, followed by his baseball career and eventual move into wrestling, gave him a unique background that WWE could have used to tell his story. However, Mahal suggested that Veer's priorities have changed considerably. Rather than continuing to chase success in wrestling, Veer has chosen to focus on spirituality and a life away from the spotlight. The decision is particularly notable because Veer was once positioned as a significant part of WWE's attempt to feature more Indian talent. His WWE presentation emphasized his size, strength and athletic background, but his run with the company ultimately did not develop into the major singles career that some expected.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 14 - Superstar Yash's much-awaited Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups is entering the final stretch of its promotional campaign with strong hype building ahead of its worldwide theatrical release on August 26. The film marks Yash's return to the big screen after KGF: Chapter 2, making it one of the most anticipated Indian releases of the year. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The recently released trailer has given the film's buzz a major push. The trailer crossed 50 million views and 1 million likes within just 24 hours, becoming only the second Yash trailer after KGF: Chapter 2 to achieve the milestone. The strong digital response underlines the enormous curiosity surrounding Yash's return, with the trailer's dark world, violent action, stylish presentation and intriguing characters generating considerable discussion among audiences. The momentum has also extended beyond YouTube, with Toxic crossing 800,000 interests on BookMyShow, reflecting strong audience anticipation ahead of release. The Hindi market is particularly interesting from a trade perspective, with the film currently expected to open in the 20 crore net range. However, the absence of major direct Hindi competition on August 26 gives the Yash-starrer considerable room to outperform these early projections if the word of mouth turns positive. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Another talking point is the film's adult-oriented presentation. The film has received an 'A' certificate, with the runtime clocking over the three-hour mark. This makes Toxic another major star vehicle embracing a lengthy theatrical runtime, which is increasingly becoming a trend among big-ticket Indian films. With less than two weeks remaining for its theatrical release, Toxic has built a strong pre-release foundation through Yash's star power, the impressive trailer response and growing audience interest. The real test now begins on August 26, when the trailer-generated hype has to translate into strong footfalls across the pan-India market.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 14 - Marvel and Sony's Spider-Man: Brand New Day has completed its second week on a sensational note at the Indian box office, with the Tom Holland-led superhero film grossing around 530 crore. It has already emerged as the highest-grossing non-Indian film and the first to cross 500 crore gross in the country, setting a new benchmark for Hollywood releases. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The film has grossed around 130 crores in its second week, which is the biggest ever for a Hollywood film and one of the biggest at the Indian box office. However, the challenge for Brand New Day gets significantly tougher from here. The film is entering its third week with Awarapan 2, Batwara 1947 and Vishwanath And Sons arriving in cinemas and taking away a majority of the screens across the country. Despite the increased competition, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is still maintaining a healthy run and is expected to make the most of the Independence Day weekend. The film has already demonstrated strong staying power, adding over 100 crore in its second week after an explosive opening week, and the national holiday period should help it remain relevant despite the reduced screen count. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The real test, however, will come after the Independence Day weekend. Once the holiday boost is over and the new releases settle in, it remains to be seen whether Spider-Man 4 can continue to score at the lower level with fewer shows and screens. At this point, though, the film has enough momentum and a sufficiently strong base to target a 575 crore-plus gross finish in India. If it manages to hold well beyond the weekend, an even bigger lifetime total cannot be ruled out.

BY JITU JANGIR

Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal has revealed that his memorable confrontation with The Rock on WWE Raw generated more messages and phone calls than the night he won the WWE Championship. Mahal discussed the moment during an interview with Denise Salcedo, reflecting on the January 1, 2024 episode of Raw, where he unexpectedly found himself sharing the ring with one of the biggest stars in WWE history. The segment began with Mahal delivering a heated promo in which he complained about being disrespected and criticized the United States. He was then interrupted by The Rock, who returned to WWE and quickly turned the segment into a memorable verbal exchange before taking down Mahal. Looking back at the reaction to the segment, Mahal revealed that the response was surprisingly bigger than what he experienced after becoming WWE Champion. “More people messaged me after that promo with The Rock than when I won the WWE Championship. Yes. Yes. Yes. I guess it was a bigger moment. More people saw it. You’re in the ring with The Rock, like the most recognizable name in all of entertainment—or in anything—in the whole entire world.” Mahal explained that his perspective was somewhat different because, as a professional wrestler, he was simply doing his job. Even though becoming WWE Champion was obviously a major achievement, the reaction to the Rock segment showed him how much mainstream attention can come from sharing a moment with a superstar of The Rock's stature. Mahal also revealed that he did not have much time to prepare for the segment. He said he learned only a couple of days beforehand that The Rock would be involved. “I was just told, ‘Hey, you’re going to go out there and then Rock’s going to crash.’ That’s it. That’s all I was told.” The promo itself was written by former WWE writer Brian Gewirtz. Mahal recalled receiving the material on the morning of the show and initially questioning whether some of the lines could actually be delivered on WWE television. “It was kind of talking trash about the United States and the way things are here. And I thought, ‘We can’t do this on WWE TV.’ I asked him, like, ‘Brian, are you sure?’ He’s like, ‘Yes, I’m sure. This is what we’re doing.’ I was like, ‘Okay, let’s go.’” The segment would ultimately become one of the most talked-about moments of the show, with Mahal playing an important role in The Rock's return. Mahal also recalled meeting The Rock before the segment and being impressed by how prepared the Hollywood star was. According to Mahal, The Rock had already memorized his material while Mahal was still going through his lines with a piece of paper. “At that time, Rock already had the promo memorized. I was still going to talk to Brian about it, but Rock wanted to rehearse. He’s hitting his lines. I’m still reading from a piece of paper.” Despite the pressure of working with The Rock, Mahal believes he delivered one of the strongest promos of his career and showed fans a side of himself that they had not seen before. “I really felt like I held my own and I showed the WWE Universe and WWE management a different side of me, a different promo style.” Mahal admitted that WWE ultimately did not capitalize on the momentum from the segment, but he has no regrets about being part of it. “Unfortunately, we couldn’t capitalize on it, but all good. It was a great moment.” The former WWE Champion also revealed that The Rock later sent him a voice message thanking him for his contribution to the segment.

BY JITU JANGIR

Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal has opened up about Roman Reigns' early days in WWE developmental, revealing that the two men actually started at Florida Championship Wrestling on the exact same day. While speaking with Denise Salcedo, Mahal recalled that Reigns was a very different person when he first arrived in developmental compared to the global superstar he eventually became. “Me and Roman started in FCW in developmental the exact same day,” Mahal revealed. The former WWE Champion said the future Tribal Chief was still finding his direction at the time after his football career had ended. “At first, like at that time, Roman, he was a little bit out of shape,” Mahal recalled. “He basically after football had gotten a job. I believe even moving furniture or something. And I think he was drinking and just unmotivated and unfocused.” However, Mahal said Reigns quickly began showing signs that he could become something special. He specifically remembered watching Reigns' first match against Joe Hennig, who later became known as Curtis Axel. “I also remember his very first match. It was against Joe Henning, Curtis Axel. And like his first match was really, really good for a first match. Like unbelievable.” Mahal said the wrestlers backstage immediately noticed something different about Reigns. “I remember watching it as it's happening. We had the little viewing area backstage and with a monitor where all the wrestlers watch it. I remember like everybody watching it like, ‘Wow, like this is his first match.’” According to Mahal, WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes was also among the first people to recognize Reigns' potential. Mahal recalled a promo class where Rhodes singled out Reigns, who was performing under the name Leakee at the time. “Actually Dusty Rhodes was the first person to call it,” Mahal said. “I remember it was promo class just on a random Wednesday and he said, ‘Out of this whole group, the guy here is Roman Reigns.’” Mahal said Rhodes specifically told the group that Reigns was the standout. “At that time his name was Leakee. He said, ‘Leakee is the guy.’” However, Mahal believes Reigns truly began to transform after suffering an ACL injury. “But that, like Roman or Leakee didn't come really into somewhat of a full form until he came back from that ACL surgery.” Mahal explained that fans can see a major difference when looking back at Reigns' early NXT footage. “If you go on YouTube and you see Leakee in early days of NXT, that's when he came with the black and gold, with the trunks, and he's in good shape and product in his hair and he's polished.” Mahal described it as a major transformation. “So it was a nice glow-up.” From there, Mahal watched Reigns evolve into one of WWE's biggest stars, first through The Shield and eventually into the Tribal Chief character. “And then just to see the evolution then onto Shield,” Mahal said. “Same time Shield started, 3MB started like one or two weeks apart.” Mahal pointed out that their respective groups represented completely different sides of WWE at the time. “We were the counterposition of the Shield. We're the complete opposite of the Shield.” Looking back at Reigns' journey from developmental to becoming WWE's dominant Tribal Chief, Mahal believes the transformation has been remarkable. “And then the next evolution into the Tribal Chief and then what he is today is incredible.”

BY JITU JANGIR

Former WWE Champion Jinder Mahal has revealed that Vince McMahon personally approved an unexpected television opportunity he received while working for WWE. Mahal discussed the story during an interview with Denise Salcedo, explaining that he was offered a role on ABC's Big Sky around 2020. Rather than waiting for the usual process to play out, Mahal decided to go directly to McMahon. “I got offered to go on a TV show. It was probably around maybe 2020,” Mahal recalled. “I got offered to go on a TV show and I just went straight to Vince.” The former WWE Champion revealed that the show was Big Sky, which aired on ABC. “It was on ABC. It was a show called Big Sky. And I just went to Vince directly and just asked him in his office and he said, ‘Yeah.’” Mahal then informed WWE talent relations that he already had McMahon's approval. “So then I went to [talent relations] after that and I told him Vince already said yes. And there was still a little bit of a hold up, but nonetheless, we got it pushed through.” Despite receiving permission from McMahon, Mahal revealed that WWE did not use the opportunity to promote him. “I just did it and WWE didn't advertise it or push it or anything, but I got to do a TV show.” Mahal believes the situation was particularly notable because outside opportunities for WWE wrestlers were viewed differently during McMahon's era. “At that time it was a little bit of a taboo thing to do,” Mahal explained. “Just Vince was in a good mood that day. He could have easily have said no.” The former WWE Champion also offered his perspective on why McMahon was sometimes protective of WWE talent pursuing opportunities outside wrestling. “I've always felt that WWE and Vince, he was protective,” Mahal said. “He didn't want someone to maybe leave the wrestling business or get too big, too famous, and then you all of a sudden have to pay them more and give them less dates.” According to Mahal, that dynamic has changed considerably in WWE today. He believes wrestlers now have significantly more opportunities outside the company and more control over their careers. “But right now I feel that wrestlers really do have a lot of power,” Mahal stated. “There's other leagues that have started that are around, other viable options for wrestlers to pursue careers in.” Mahal also pointed to mainstream exposure as something that can benefit both wrestlers and wrestling companies. “Overall, it's all good for wrestlers. Again, exposure, mainstream exposure is both good for the wrestler and the wrestling promotion.” His comments provide an interesting look back at how outside entertainment opportunities were handled during his WWE career—and how much the landscape has changed since then.

BY JITU JANGIR

The August 13 WWE Summer Tour stop at SNHU Arena delivered two major comebacks in one night, with both stars stepping back between the ropes for the first time in months. Alexa Bliss teamed with Charlotte Flair and Tiffany Stratton in a six-woman tag match against Fatal Influence's Lainey Reid, Jacy Jayne, and Fallon Henley — and came away with the win. Bliss wrestled with a visible wrap still on her arm, but she'd been medically cleared to compete, marking her first match in over a month. Her previous in-ring appearance came on the July 10 episode of SmackDown, where a brutal attack by Jade Cargill left her with an arm injury and sidelined her from action. Bliss had already reappeared on WWE television the Friday before this event, aiding Flair against Cargill and welcoming newcomer Tatum Paxley to the brand, but August 13 represented her true return to competition. The night's main event saw Randy Orton collide with Cody Rhodes in a street fight, snapping an even longer layoff. Orton hadn't wrestled since falling to Rhodes at WrestleMania 42. He'd since resurfaced during WWE SummerSlam, inserting himself into Rhodes' title picture by costing him the Undisputed WWE Championship — a moment that set the stage for their rivalry to boil back over. The August 13 street fight marked Orton's first match since WrestleMania, putting him right back in the ring with the man he'd targeted since his return. Between Bliss working through a still-healing arm and Orton finally getting back into the ring after months on the shelf, WWE's August 13 stop in Manchester ended up delivering two significant in-ring returns on the same night, giving fans at SNHU Arena a show stacked with fresh storyline momentum heading into the fall.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Mumbai, August 14 - The Independence Day weekend box office battle between Emraan Hashmi's Awarapan 2 and Sunny Deol's Batwara 1947 is turning into a one-sided affair with the former taking a big lead over Deol's period drama in the morning shows on its opening day. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The Emraan Hashmi-led actioner has opened up a significant lead in advance bookings. The sequel clocked over 11 crore in advance sales, while Batwara 1947 has managed approximately 4+ crore. This gave Awarapan 2 a lead of more than 7 crore and already put it well ahead of the Sunny Deol starrer even before the first shows begin. The strong response to Awarapan 2 can be attributed to the cult following of the 2007 original, with Emraan Hashmi's return to the franchise generating considerable nostalgia. The film is also positioned as a dark romantic actioner, giving it a different appeal from Batwara 1947, a period drama centred on the Partition era. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Considering the initial response, Awarapan 2 is expected to score almost 3x that of Batwara 1947 and with the positive word of mouth coming from the initial shows sets up the stage for the massive opening weekend for Rajkumar Santoshi's directorial, which could be well over 75 crores net. For Batwara 1947, the slower advance sales are certainly a concern, particularly given Sunny Deol's post-Gadar 2 box office standing. However, the Rajkumar Santoshi-directed film has a strong Independence Day setting, and if the word of mouth is positive, it has the potential to do well at the box office. But as things stand, Awarapan 2 has taken a commanding lead in the opening-day battle and is expected to be the clear winner in the long run.