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Pro wrestling fans were reminded last week how close their favorite superstars are to the end rather than the beginning.
This first happened on “Monday Night Raw”. Seth Rollins came out in the final segment to challenge Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam. The prospect of Reigns and Rollins facing each other again may have seemed a bit tedious on the surface, but Rollins explained to Reigns that this could be one of the last times, if not the last time, that they fight in the ring again.
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Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins speak in the ring during Monday Night RAW at Boardwalk Hall Arena in Atlantic City, New Jersey on June 29, 2026. (Craig Melvin/WWE via Getty Images)
“This may be your last chance to close this circle. You and I, we walked into this business together. We walked through this crowd. We knocked on the door. They threw out the older generation. We made this place ours. We created the greatest generation in the history of this industry. You and me. We did it together,” Rollins said. “My man, we are much closer to the end than the beginning. And just like when we arrived, young, hungry, ready to take over, a new generation of young men and women is coming and ready to do the same to us.
“So, I say again, this might be our last chance to do this dance, brother. What do you want your legacy to be? When you retire, you’ll be considered one of the greatest of all time. No doubt about it. Probably #1. You’re a surefire Hall of Famer. Hell, they should just give you your own Hall of Fame show. You’d be the one and I might even be there for you induct. But if you don’t accept this challenge, you will never be able to escape the ghost of Seth Rollins.
Rollins and Reigns are each in their 40s and have, at times, shown they can play longer than expected. But Rollins has suffered several injuries since preparing for WrestleMania 40. He knows better than anyone how long it takes to recover from injuries.
On All Elite Wrestling’s “Dynamite,” the allusion to professional wrestling stars entering the twilight of their careers was a bit more subtle.
Kenny Omega enters the ring during New Japan Pro-Wrestling Dynasty at Tokyo Dome on January 5, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan. (Etsuo Hara/Getty Images)
Omega has agreed to the stipulation to face MJF for the AEW World Championship on next week’s “Dynamite.” If he loses to MJF, he will no longer allow us to fight for the title.
“There has been no greater passion, no greater pleasure than to jump through these ropes and give you everything I have,” Omega said. “Whether it was when I was a 14 year old boy or a depressed 42 year old man, you still get the same 100% Kenny Omega every time. I’ve won titles. I’ve broken records, records that may never be broken again. I have a career that I could probably hold on to and be proud of, look back fondly on, but you see, there’s this selfish part of me that knows it’s just not not enough.
“There’s this part of me that thinks there’s still a little left in the tank. There’s a part of me that thinks if I can believe, if Will (Ospreay) can believe, if the Young Bucks can believe, if you can believe one more time, then I know I could be a champion that every single one of you can be proud of and I could stand on the biggest stage that AEW has ever set foot on at Wembley Stadium and I can represent All Elite Wrestling where the best wrestling, where I can face Will Ospreay, the winner of the Owen Hart Cup.”
These moments remind fans that the generational talents that have built professional wrestling over the past two decades are slowly falling apart. It’s a reminder to bask in the glory of the greats while they’re still here.
Reigns vs Rollins will be at SummerSlam while Omega faces MJF this Wednesday.
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Cody Rhodes gets another title shot
Sami Zayn scored a shocking victory at WWE Night of Champions to close out June and it left a few people on the WWE roster trying to outdo each other for a chance at the undisputed WWE Championship.
Jey Uso lost to Oba Femi and decided to go to SmackDown to try to win the title from Zayn. Cody Rhodes, however, was pinned by Zayn to lose the Uso Championship and Rhodes would be forced to fight to earn the #1 contender spot.
Rhodes performed several Cross Rhodes maneuvers on Uso before pinning him for the victory.
Zayn and Rhodes will meet for the WWE Undisputed Championship on “Monday Night Raw” in Chicago.
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The new TBS champion crowned
An injured Willow Nightingale has left two major holes in AEW. She was forced out of the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament and had to drop out of the TBS Championship.
AEW has announced a Survival of the Fittest match to crown the new TBS Champion. Hikaru Shida, Harley Cameron, Kris Statlander, Maika, Persephone and Queen Aminata each qualified for the match, which took place Wednesday night on “Dynamite.”
Persephone looked strong after taking out two opponents, but she ran into Statlander, who rolled her up and pinned her. Persephone got her revenge on Statlander when she hit him with the TBS title belt. Shida put Statlander in a submission position and the referee called off the match as Statlander was eliminated.
This is Shida’s first reign as champion.
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Kendal Gray’s first promo
NXT Women’s Champion Kendal Gray speaks during NXT at the WWE Performance Center on June 30, 2026 in Orlando, Florida. (Conor Kvatek/WWE via Getty Images)
Kendal Gray defeated Lola Vice for the WWE NXT Women’s Championship at the Great American Bash. On Tuesday, she performed her first promo as champion.
Gray proved approachable, acknowledging that she’s not the best on the mic, but vowed to fight like the champion she is.
“I know maybe I don’t look like a normal champ. I mean, last week I sat across from Lola Vice with her designer dresses, her heels, all glam. And I was like at that moment, ‘That’s what a champ looks like.’ But that’s not me. That’s not my style. I mean, I can’t even sit in the makeup chair for five minutes without going crazy. And to be honest with you, I wipe off half the makeup they put on me before coming here every time.
“So, yes, I probably won’t be comfortable dressing like a ‘Barbie’. And I’ll probably be very nervous every time I talk to you and I can’t guarantee that every time I talk I’ll look like a champion, but when the bell rings, I’m sure I’ll wrestle like a champion. I’m ready to take this division to another level – a level that no one has seen before. And if this title puts a target on me in the back, good. I salute that goal. I thrive under pressure I thrive in competition and when you step in the ring with Kendal Grey, that’s my match, that’s my tempo, that’s my rhythm and every other girl in the locker room right now will find out sooner or later that they just can’t keep up with Kendal.
Gray certainly has a target on his back.
Kali Armstrong wanted to be Grey’s first opponent and general manager Rob Stone told her that “actions speak louder than words. Armstrong took it to heart when she attacked Gray later that night. Still, it didn’t seem like enough to get that title shot right away.
Gray will have her first opportunity to defend her title this week against Nattie Neidhart.
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Professional wrestling news and notes of the week:
Trevor Lee riles up the crowd at a Major League Wrestling show. (Major League Wrestling)
- MJF defended the AEW World Championship against Mark Briscoe.
- Kevin Knight defended the AEW TNT Championship against Lio Rush.
- Trevor Lee wins the MLW Southern Crown Championship in a dorm room shoving match against Andrew Everett, Diego Hill, Festus, Ikuro Kwon, Jesus Rodriguez, Josh Bishop, Matthew Justice, Paul Walter Hauser and The Beastman.
- Mascara Dorada and Mistico won the Ring of Honor World Tag Team Championship from Sammy Guevara and The Beast Mortos.
- Rey Fenix defeated El Hijo del Vikingo to retain the AAA Cruiserweight World Championship.
- Fabian Aichner has become the #1 contender for the TNA X Division Championship.
- Japanese women’s wrestling promotion Stardom has reorganized and will now fall under Bushiroad’s live entertainment unit.
- Nikki Blackheart made her debut on NXT. She attacked Tatum Paxley after her match against Kelani Jordan to close the show.
