Tommaso Ciampa revealed the motivations behind his decision to depart WWE and sign with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) during a recent interview with Sports Illustrated. Reflecting on his career choices, Ciampa described his AEW move as a natural step in the evolving wrestling landscape.
He stated,
“It’s something I’ve been leaning towards for quite some time. I don’t know that I can say there’s one sole factor that led to it or caused it. I think it’s one of those things when your contract is coming to an end, you naturally have discussions.”
Ciampa drew parallels to wrestling eras of the past, noting,
“If I wrestled in the 90s, I’d wanna be a part of ECW. Early 2000s, you wanna be a part of Ring of Honor. I was lucky I got to do that a little bit. 2010s, I think for me at least, I wanted to be part of NXT Black and Gold.”
Looking at today’s wrestling environment, he concluded,
“When I looked at the landscape of professional wrestling in the 2020s, the answer was AEW, man. That’s what I want to be a part of.”
Ciampa made an immediate impact in AEW by defeating Mark Briscoe to capture the TNT Championship in his debut match on AEW Collision this past Saturday.
Royal Rumble 2026 Venue Appeared Less Crowded Due to Lighting Experiment
Fans watching the Royal Rumble recently noted that the stadium seemed partially empty, but WWE assured the event was a full sell-out. Confirmed sources revealed 25,000 tickets were sold for the Riyadh event at the custom-built venue.
The unusual appearance was attributed to a new lighting approach involving LED lights integrated into the stadium seats designed to create a dynamic crowd effect. Though visually striking to those present, the intense glow resulted in washed-out audience shots on the broadcast, making the crowd appear sparse to viewers at home.
One production insider explained the lighting innovation would not return for future Saudi Arabia shows, as WWE officials expressed frustration that the effort to generate a lively atmosphere did not translate effectively on camera.
WWE Backstage Reacts to Royce Keys’ Strong First Night Amid Name Confusion
At the Royal Rumble, former AEW talent Powerhouse Hobbs debuted in WWE under the new ring name Royce Keys, quickly earning praise for his professionalism and strong in-ring presence. According to Fightful Select, Keys received very positive feedback from both colleagues and management for seamlessly integrating into the WWE environment.
Despite the successful transition, confusion arose over WWE’s use of the name Powerhouse Hobbs on entrance screens and commentary, as the name remains owned by AEW. This created backstage intrigue about the legal and creative handling surrounding Keys’ debut.
Roman Reigns’ WrestleMania 42 Opponent Revealed as CM Punk
Roman Reigns secured victory by last eliminating Gunther at the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble, positioning him to headline WrestleMania 42. During the Royal Rumble post-show, Undisputed WWE Champion Drew McIntyre teased a potential match against Reigns.
Roman Reigns? Ohh, there’s a big enemy of Drew McIntyre. His Bloodline made my life a living hell for so long. So if he wants to pick Drew McIntyre, I know he’s on his own now. On his own, I would destroy Roman Reigns. Go for it, Roman. Pick me. Let’s main event WrestleMania and I will drop your ar$e. I’m unbeatable right now.
– Drew McIntyre, Undisputed WWE Champion
Despite McIntyre’s invite, reports from the Wrestling Observer indicate WWE’s current plan is for Reigns to challenge CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 42. Interestingly, Reigns and Punk star together as the “Zebros” in the upcoming film Zootopia 2, adding an intriguing layer to their rivalry.
AJ Styles Receives Mixed Reactions Following Retirement Tribute from Shane McMahon
Following AJ Styles’ retirement at the 2026 Royal Rumble, Shane McMahon posted a message honoring the wrestler’s career. Shane wrote:
AJ Styles will go down in history as one of the greatest in ring performers ever! Thank you for your friendship and giving it your absolute best to entertain us all every single time you stepped through the ropes. You set the bar for current and future talent, let’s see if they can reach it. Congratulations on a Phenomenal career.
– Shane McMahon, WWE Executive
However, the tribute was met with criticism online due to the inclusion of a low-resolution photo of Styles. Fans responded with a mix of humor and skepticism in the comments, such as:
“Got any more pixels?”
“Was this pic taken on a Nokia 3210?”
“This is the best picture you could find?”
“Shane obviously still has beef with AJ from years ago, hence the low quality pic 😂”
The reaction highlights how social media scrutiny can dominate even well-intended moments in wrestling.
