The Rock responds to WrestleMania criticism by telling media the whole business is fake: 'Enjoy the show'



Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson told a wrestling host it was not healthy for him to be so animated over the sport and explained the whole business is not real.

Johnson's comments stemmed from complaints about WWE's WrestleMania 41, which aired April 19-20, and included disappointment over the fact that Johnson did not make an appearance. What made the no-show even worse was the fact that Johnson was heavily involved in the storyline leading up to the event that featured John Cena returning to the top of the promotion.

SiriusXM host and wrestling reporter Dave LaGreca was one of the most vocal critics of Johnson and heavily criticized the star for even going on talk shows after the event to say he would have done WrestleMania differently.

"Nice to hear from you now, pal. It's over," LaGreca said on his show "Busted Open." "Now that everybody's bitching and complaining. 'Yeah. I would've done it differently.' Oh, really? You talk about a Monday morning quarterback? That's a Tuesday morning quarterback. Thanks, pal. Didn't make yourself available. Didn't show up at WrestleMania. But now I'm gonna say, 'Yeah. I would have done things differently.' You talk about completely throwing [WWE] under the bus. That's exactly what the Rock did."

'Stop ranting; it's not healthy, my friend. Enjoy the show.'

Johnson responded to the remarks on an Instagram post, which was shared by the show. In his reply, the 52-year-old immediately explained that everything in the wrestling business is for show.

"Hi Dave, the business is a complete work. Always has been, always will be," Johnson wrote. "Every aspect of it. Every match. Every interview. Please join me, [other former wrestlers], and the rest of us for our creative discussions so you can expand your perspective."

Johnson then told the host to "stop ranting; it's not healthy, my friend. Enjoy the show."

In the wrestling world, a "work" essentially means an act or a bit, and given that nearly everyone in the world knows professional wrestling comes with predetermined victors, Johnson's reaction was taken by some as an unnecessary jab at someone who is passionate about the business.

— (@)

At the same time, Johnson's reaction could certainly be taken as a work in itself, as the return of Cena has come with a new bit that included purposely destroying the business. The criticism here would be that Johnson is hiding behind the fact that wrestling is predetermined to escape responsibility for a poorly received product.

The WWE has certainly found new ways to blur the lines of its business in recent years, however, speaking openly about the product and its past on shows and podcasts. Even the company's head of creative, Paul "Triple H" Levesque, has made appearances that would have made previous generations of wrestlers incredibly upset given the depth at which he has exposed the inner workings of the company.

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'The Man in the Arena’ wears red, white, blue — and wins



In his famous “The Man in the Arena” speech, President Theodore Roosevelt said, “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena.”

On March 22, Wyatt Hendrickson was that man.

We’ve found our Man in the Arena. Captain America isn’t just a nickname. He’s the embodiment of the American spirit.

He pulled off what many now call the greatest upset in NCAA wrestling history, defeating Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson for the NCAA heavyweight championship. The arena was packed with 18,000 spectators — including former President Donald Trump.

But more impressive than the title was what led up to it. The championship was the culmination of Hendrickson’s entire journey to this point. Known as “Captain America,” Hendrickson represents the best of the American spirit: hard work, devotion to God, commitment to service, and unapologetic patriotism.

The trendy mantra of “work smarter, not harder” doesn’t apply to him.

“I get my work ethic from my dad,” he told me in a phone call last week. “He always said to work harder, not smarter. There’s no substitute for hard work. If you’re looking for shortcuts, you’ve already messed up.”

Wrestlers can’t outsource the brutal task of cutting weight the night before a match. And Siri can’t stop you from getting cauliflower ear (look it up — you’ll wince).

Hendrickson’s work ethic was forged early. He started wrestling at age 5. But it was a decision he made as a teenager that shaped his life.

“I grew up in a Christian household, but in high school I made the decision to make Jesus my Lord and Savior,” he said.

And he doesn’t just serve God.

Mark 10:45 says, “For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Hendrickson is ready to do just that. He’s a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force — the origin of his nickname, “Captain America.” Before using his final year of eligibility at Oklahoma State, he graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He remains on active duty and has committed to at least 20 years of service.

It was all on display as Hendrickson bolted out of the tunnel for his title match. He carried America on his back and Jesus on his heart — literally. Draped in the American flag and wearing his signature shirt with “JESUS” printed in bold capital letters across the chest, Hendrickson made his values unmistakably clear.

Plenty of athletes either reject patriotic or Christian values — or don’t have the guts to display them. Some even wear the Stars and Stripes while openly expressing disdain for what it represents. Megan Rapinoe, former U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team star, once famously said, “Maybe America is great for a few people right now.” Does she count herself among them?

Hendrickson, by contrast, told me, “Living in America is pretty freakin’ sweet.” He said that growing up, respect for the flag just came naturally. So why did he drape it over his shoulders before the biggest match of his life? “That was the most badass thing I could do,” he said.

Patriots don’t ask permission.

The American spirit stretches back to our founding and remains alive nearly 250 years later. Our Founding Fathers set the standard. It’s hard not to draw a parallel between the iconic painting of George Washington crossing the Delaware and Hendrickson stepping onto the mat — both underdogs, both carrying Old Glory into battle. Even the smoke machine Hendrickson ran through felt like a nod to the fog Washington fought through.

After the match, Hendrickson wrapped President Trump in a bear hug. Speaking about that moment with the man he calls “the big boss,” Hendrickson said, “Don’t be afraid to step up and stand for what you believe in.”

After his Olympic run, Hendrickson will turn his full focus to the Air Force. “Wrestling is harder than the military,” he told me. “It’s prepared me for the military. After wrestling, everything is easy.” He says his life revolves around three priorities: wrestling, God, and America. If you could engineer a patriot in a lab, Hendrickson would be the blueprint.

Samuel Adams once said, “For true patriots to be silent is dangerous.” The only thing dangerous about Wyatt Hendrickson is facing him on the mat. We’ve found our Man in the Arena. Captain America isn’t just a nickname. He’s the embodiment of the American spirit.

Wyatt Hendrickson’s Patriotic Title Win Is A Sign America’s Broken Culture Is Healing

If you were looking for a feel-good story to overdose on American patriotism, then Wyatt Hendrickson has got you covered. On Saturday, the Oklahoma State wrestler pulled off a stunning upset to win the national title at this year’s NCAA Wrestling Championships. According to ESPN, Hendrickson, who is also a second lieutenant in the U.S. […]

Wrestler Wyatt Hendrickson embraces President Trump, credits his faith following historic national championship



Oklahoma State University wrestler Wyatt Hendrickson saluted and hugged the president of the United States after a shocking upset victory at the NCAA championships.

The new heavyweight champion pulled off what is being called the biggest upset in collegiate wrestling history when he beat Minnesota's Gable Steveson, a two-time national champion. Steveson is not only a celebrated and internationally famous athlete at just 24 years old, but he's also an Olympic gold medalist and a former WWE wrestler. Hendrickson's upset was even more monumental when factoring in Steveson's 70-match winning streak.

President Donald Trump, along with other politicians like Senator Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), had a front-row seat to watch Hendrickson win the stunning upset via takedown with just 23 seconds left in the match. Hendrickson was down by two points before prying a victory from the jaws of defeat and finishing with a final 5-4 score.

"Oh my God!" announcer Daniel Cormier yelled.

Hendrickson then stood up, pointed to President Trump, and saluted him.

"Captain America," Cormier stated, audibly choking up. "My jaw's on the floor!"

'That's my commander in chief; I'm very proud of that.'

Hendrickson immediately walked over to Trump to shake his hand; the two hugged before the president said something into the wrestler's ear.

"What did the president say to you?" an ESPN reporter asked Hendrickson moments later.

"He said he's very proud of me," Hendrickson replied. "That's my commander in chief; I'm very proud of that. He came here to support his troops; I put on a show for him and I won that national title."

Photo by Terence Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

At a post-match press conference, Hendrickson thanked his family before noting he also wanted to thank "my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for blessing me."

"In that last shot, I was in on that leg and there was a little extra push behind me to get that takedown. I don't think that was by chance," Hendrickson continued, per ASAP Sports.

Then, the Oklahoma State athlete told a story for the ages when he recalled his church service earlier that week.

"I was listening to the sermon. [The pastor] was talking about David and Goliath. And David had a vision of victory before he stepped on the mat," Hendrickson remembered. "I kind of carried that with me all week. Even though he went after Goliath and everyone was like, 'This can't be done,' he had a mind of a champion, he had a vision of victory. Leading up to this tournament, I knew that my head had to be in the right place if I wanted to end up on top."

Hendrickson is a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force and considers himself lucky to be able to continue wrestling before returning to his role in the military.

"I've always been super patriotic, and I have a heart to serve," Hendrickson told Fox News.

The wrestler added that his opportunities seem limitless and he is excited to serve in the Air Force.

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Hulk Hogan booed mercilessly by fans in return to WWE while promoting new beer company



Hulk Hogan faced relentless boos from fans as he made his return during WWE's debut on Netflix Monday night.

Hogan was promoting a beer company he co-founded called Real American Beer, which recently announced a partnership with WWE and TKO Group Holdings, its parent company.

Though Hogan typically hears nothing but love from audiences, including at the 2024 Republican National Convention, fans rained boos on the former wrestler as he entered with legendary manager Jimmy Hart, who waved an American flag.

The boos were so bad, in fact, that they prompted some fans to ask, "Why is hogan getting booed out of the building?"

Many pointed to political leanings as the reason for the fan reaction, given that the broadcast was filmed in California and Hogan's support of President-elect Donald Trump and his appearance at the RNC.

However, as wrestling reporter Kazeem Famuyide noted in an interview with Ariel Helwani, the Undertaker — who supports Trump and recently interviewed him — made a full entrance on his motorcycle, using as his entrance music "American Bad Ass" by Kid Rock, who is another Trump supporter.

"Nobody seemed to boo him," Famuyide said.

Unfortunately for Hulk, on a night when the WWE was trying to "making wrestling cool," fans were dishing out praise to celebrities like Macaulay Culkin, but Hogan's promotion wasn't received well at all.

— (@)

'From the first time I stepped into the ring, I've always fought for something bigger than myself.'

Real American Beer, which launched in June 2024, signed a multiyear deal with the WWE that positions the company to be showcased during "Monday Night Raw" moving forward. The company will also receive branding on the ring itself during every episode.

WWE will also become a minority owner in the beer company, according to a recent press release.

"Hulk Hogan has done a tremendous job introducing an exciting new product to a competitive marketplace," said Grant Norris-Jones, an executive with TKO Group. "We are excited to unlock a new partnership category and to showcase Real American Beer in front of Netflix’s global audience."

For his own part, Hogan provided an in-character statement of his own.

“Well, let me tell you something, brother! From the first time I stepped into the ring, I've always fought for something bigger than myself."

Hogan continued, "I'm thrilled to bring Real American Beer into the ring with WWE. Together, we're bringing that pride to America, one beer, one match at a time, brother!"

According to Wrestlenomics, WWE's debut on Netflix was a success, with 2.6 million live and same-day viewers in the United States. This reportedly represented a 116% increase from broadcasts on the USA Network in 2024.

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Christian Olympic champion in women's wrestling prefers to compete against women only



A female Olympic gold medalist in wrestling has weighed in on men competing in women's sports, saying she prefers wrestling against men only "in practice."

Tamyra Mensah-Stock, 32, recently traveled to the Tilles Center for Performing Arts in Brookville, New York, for the sixth annual FOX Nation Patriot Awards. Wearing glasses, dreadlocks, and a gold cross around her neck, Mensah-Stock stopped to answer whether she had ever competed against so-called transwomen athletes in freestyle wrestling.

"No, thank goodness. But I know a few people that have," she replied.

When pressed about whether she might consider doing so in the future, Mensah-Stock hesitated.

"I'll just say this. I've wrestled plenty of guys in practice, and I will only wrestle them in practice — because wrestling men is very, very difficult even when they are 20 pounds smaller than me," she explained.

The thought of competing against a man in her weight class then seemed to give her further pause. "If they're the same weight as me ..." she said, trailing off. She then came to a firm conclusion: "I just keep it in practice."

'It’s just by the grace of God that I’m just able to even move my feet,' she explained. 'I just leave it in his hands.'

Mensah-Stock first captured the hearts of Americans everywhere with her exuberant demonstration of patriotism immediately after she took the gold medal in women's freestyle wrestling at the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021.

"I love representing the U.S. I freaking love living there," she gushed with a grin on her face and an American flag wrapped around her shoulders. "I love it, and I'm so happy I get to represent U-S-A!"

Overcome with emotion, Mensah-Stock then expressed thanks to God, crediting him with giving her the talent and means to achieve her dreams.

"It’s just by the grace of God that I’m just able to even move my feet," she explained. "I just leave it in his hands. I prayed that all of the training and practice, the hell that my freaking coaches put me through pays off. Every single time it does. I get better and better. It’s so weird that there is no cap to the limit of what I can do."

"I’m excited to see what I have next."

Because of her love of country and her honorable representation of the United States at the Olympics, Fox Nation named Mensah-Stock the Most Valuable Patriot of 2021.

In May 2023, she signed a contract with WWE to become a professional wrestler. She has not ruled out wrestling against men as part of that agreement.

The FOX Nation Patriot Awards aired on the Fox New Channel on Sunday night.

H/T: the Daily Mail

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'I don't keep track of any of that': WWE's Triple H shuts down reporter's race-baiting question about 'representation'



WWE executive Paul "Triple H" Levesque dispelled claims that the company has not been giving enough opportunities to employees of a particular race.

Levesque, who is widely considered to be one of the most popular wrestlers of all time, is now an executive in charge of talent relations and storytelling at the WWE.

During a press conference to promote the upcoming pay-per-view event "Bad Blood," Levesque was asked about a lack of racial "representation" in recent WWE events.

"There's been some reports leading up to 'Bad Blood' regarding the representation of black male wrestlers within WWE," the reporter, who goes by the name T.J. Legacy, began.

"They haven't been on a [premium live event] in the last three cards. There was no black women wrestlers on the 'Bad Blood' card. ... How do you gauge between making sure that there is representation and making sure that there are wrestlers that get opportunities that are deserved?" he added.

Triple H immediately shut down the leading question.

"I see [that] everybody gets the opportunity. I don't see the difference in anybody," Levesque replied. "I don't see the color, I don't see the nationality, I don't see any of it. I just see talent. I don't see the difference between men and women. I see talent.

"I don't keep track of any of that," he added.

Levesque then referred back to the company, saying the WWE simply attempts to tell the best stories and allow the best talents to flourish.

"I do what's relevant and what’s best in storytelling and what’s being delivered the best, and that's what goes. No difference in the men or the women, whatever the best story is," the executive concluded.

Video courtesy WWE/YouTube

The race-specific question seemingly ignored the bulk of WWE's roster, which is incredibly ethnically diverse without ever making mention of it.

The WWE's main roster currently has four champions who are of Samoan descent — one of whom is a woman — two black female champions, and one Mexican champion.

The company's developmental promotion, NXT, showcases a Puerto Rican female champion, a Nigerian male champion, and another tag-team champion from Spain.

The ongoing claim from activist media members has remained for decades, however, that there has always been discrimination in the WWE that prevents black athletes from becoming top-billing stars and champions.

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Woke activists attempt to take trademark of former WWE star for criticizing transgender ideology



Former WWE wrestler Val Venis has been targeted by pro-transgender activists for making remarks that men should not wrestle against women.

Venis, whose birth name is Sean Morley, has criticized popular wrestling organization All Elite Wrestling for its promotion of transgender activism. Morley has also spoken out against the organization over one of its employees, Nyla Rose, a man who believes he is a woman.

Rose was born Brandon Degroat and, according to multiple sources, later changed his name to Brandi once he started identifying as a woman. Degroat wrestles against other women in AEW as if he were a biological woman himself.

Among many comments, Venis has said "trans 'women' are not women. They are factually men who, for one reason or another, like to dress up like women."

'It goes further than that for liberals. They hate the person, not just the political positions the person holds.'

His commentary angered some wrestling fans who quickly went to work conducting pro-transgender activism in the name of the former pro wrestler.

According to RingsideNews, a musician named Matt Koon bought the domain ValVenis.com and directed the URL to pro-transgender activist websites.

Venis told Blaze News that he initially thought nothing of the domain purchase but took notice when it began pushing a particular ideology under his name.

"When he started to use that domain and publish it online as if it was something that I stand behind that's when it became an issue," the wrestler said.

— (@)

At the same tine, a man named Thevy Dianingana — who uses the moniker HaangEmHiigh on X — even filed a pending trademark under the name Val Venis.

According to website Fightful, the trademark was filed under providing information about rights, events, and commentary about gay activism.

However, Venis explained that he has battled over his likeness and trademark before with the WWE (formerly WWF), which typically keeps hold of the image and likeness of its characters.

"[The activist] noticed that in 2007 the WWE attempted to trademark the name Val Venis," the 53-year-old stated. "At that point in time I had already been using it for eight years in commerce. Common law establishes that in order ... for them to get the trademark in their name, the WWE name, they would need my permission."

"The examining attorney at the trademark office wrote back and forth with the attorney at the WWE," the wrestler continued. "The examining attorney said 'you've got to get this guy's signature, he's been using [the name] for eight years.'"

Venis then said the WWE exhausted all its appeals and eventually abandoned its attempts to gain ownership of the name without his signature.

The activists are going to "run into the same issue," Venis said with confidence.

The wrestler posted a formal warning on X, asking Koon to cease the use of the domain and hand it over.

"Disagreeing with my political positions is one thing; deliberately attempting to damage my reputation and usurp 𝐌𝐘 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐓𝐘 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒 is a grave matter and will be met with the full extent of legal action," Venis wrote.

— (@)

Venis seemed perplexed at the activists' inability to debate issues without turning to alleged attacks on his likeness and said their beliefs go much further than a political disagreement.

"It goes further than that for liberals. They hate the person, not just the political positions the person holds, but the person themselves. They hated me so much," Venis said.

For AEW, Venis has called for the wrestling organization to stop promoting gender ideology on young fans. Specifically, he has called out star wrestler Cody Rhodes, who has been instrumental in the organization's success.

Rhodes has promoted transgender activism and even posed with a young fan holding a transgender flag.

'Anything they argue is based on feeling and emotion.'

Venis went on to say that he would be willing to take a look at any evidence that the activists were presenting on the issue of transgender women (men) participating in women's sports. However, they seem unwilling to do so.

"I'm willing to change my position if the facts dictate that ... but these people don't come with any facts whatsoever. Anything they argue is based on feeling and emotion, [when] you ask any rational questions, instead of engaging and answering questions ... they don't want anything to do that."

"They immediately call you a transphobe," he concluded.

Blaze News asked Koon about the Val Venis domain and which views of Venis he specifically disagreed with. He did not directly address those topics:

"There is no conflict with Val Venis," Koon said. "There also is no conflict with Mickey Mouse, or any other fictional character."

Blaze News has reached out to Dianingana for comment, and this article will be updated with any applicable responses.

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'We need to make a big deal about what went down on the cross': Former WWE superstar Elijah turns to promoting the gospel
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'We need to make a big deal about what went down on the cross': Former WWE superstar Elijah turns to promoting the gospel



A professional wrestler who worked for the WWE as Elias rebranded himself as Elijah in the ring but is now promoting the gospel and Christianity on his personal channels.

The wrestler, real name Jeffrey Sciullo, worked for the WWE starting in 2014 through its development promotion until becoming a full-time member of the main roster from 2017 to 2023.

As Elias, Sciullo carried an acoustic guitar and performed musical ballads that always had vague religious, life-and-death undertones. This became more apparent when Sciullo released his second studio album in 2020 called "Universal Truth," from which he performed songs with titles like "Amen" on WWE broadcasts.

Interestingly, just two weeks before Sciullo was released from the WWE in September 2023 during a round of roster cuts, he announced that he had been baptized.

"Just got baptized in same spot John the Baptist baptized Jesus," he wrote on Instagram.

After his release, the wrestler was reportedly under a 90-day no-compete clause (per Bounding into Comics), which seemingly limited where he could perform and what he could post given that his online handles featured his WWE name.

In the days since, the wrestler has taken to using his large following to promote the Bible and Christianity.

"The Good News of the Gospel is Jesus. We need to make a big deal about what went down on the cross," Sciullo told his nearly 180,000 TikTok followers. "We need to see everything through the lens of the finished work on the cross. You know, that event that split human history in half. So we know that God entered into fallen humanity. The Word becomes Flesh.” he added.

Some of the wrestling singer's posts regarding his faith have been his most viewed, including nearly 630,000 views on a video of Sciullo in the gym with messaging on-screen.

"When you realize JESUS has not come to make BAD people GOOD people... but DEAD People ALIVE," the captions read.

@iameliaswwe John 1:4 In Him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind… John 10:10 .. I have come that they may have life, and have it abundantly.. It’s HIS resurrection LIFE
♬ Inspiring Emotional Piano - Metrow Ar

Since leaving the WWE, the wrestler has rebranded as Elijah, a clear biblical reference, relaunching his professional career with a promotional video that featured a priest burying his old persona to introduce him anew.

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Female wrestler wins second straight state championship against boys just days after winning girls' state title



A female high school senior won her second straight state wrestling title, defeating multiple opponents on her way to the Maine championship.

Maddie Ripley, a 17-year-old from Oceanside High School in Rockland, Maine, beat three opponents en route to another state wrestling championship against male competitors.

The feat was even more impressive when considering that she won the inaugural women's title just days earlier at a different weight class. Ripley won the 107-pound girl's state championship, then, just days later, defeated males in their 113-pound division.

"I didn’t really hear too much that it was a fluke. Now that I’ve won a second, then it just proves that it wasn’t," Ripley said confidently, according to ABC News.

"Girls are working hard," Ripley continued. "Last year when I won I was like really excited. It was the first time I won. And then this year, I was still super excited."

Ripley's coach and stepfather said that more and more colleges are starting up female wrestling programs, and the sport is in a time of a lot of talented female athletes.

"I think girls' wrestling is just exploding right now," he said. "The more athletes we get, the better they’re going to do."

Ripley is not the only female wrestler to take on males in a time when male athletes are often invading female athletics.

An Arizona high school senior named Audrey Jimenez won the Division I state wrestling title against boys just days earlier.

"Why not?" Jimenez said about her decision to first wrestle boys. The 18-year-old actually needed special permission from the state athletic body to compete against males and capitalized on the decision.

In 2022, Bella Mir, daughter of UFC legend Frank Mir, was among a group of Nevada teenage girls who started competing in wrestling matches against males. Mir, along with Jenavi Alejandro and Juliana Alejandro, wrestled males, with Alejandro becoming the first girl to win a match against a boy at the state level in 2019.

Mir expressed sympathy for the boys and said they are in a lose-lose situation.

"I feel bad for the boys. If you win, you look bad because you beat up on a girl. But if you lose, it sucks because you got beat by a girl," she explained.

Mir is now a professional mixed martial arts fighter and was even signed to a representation deal with the UFC while in college for her name, image, and likeness.

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