Sports
Six WWE Superstars Who Could Miss WrestleMania 42
We are five weeks away from WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas. The main events have been announced. Night 1 will be the American Nightmare Cody Rhodes taking on the Viper Randy Orton for the WWE Championship.
Night 2 is headlined by CM Punk facing Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship. There are six women’s matches rumored to be featured on the card, and 14-16 bouts total.
So, when looking at the WWE roster right now, who is in danger of missing out on the grandest stage of them all? Let us look at six WWE superstars who might not have their WM moment this year. We are also not counting injuries, so Bianca Belair, Roxanne Perez, or Bron Breakker will not be included on the list.
Tiffany Stratton and Guilia
It might not be Tiffy Time at WrestleMania this year.
Stratton has not appeared on WWE television since losing the Elimination Chamber match and has been on television only five times this year. She defeated Kiana James on Friday Night SmackDown, along with Chelsea Green, Alba Fyre, and Guilia. The reason I paired these two together is that Stratton has her eyes on the Women’s US Championship, and Guilia currently holds the belt. The problem is that the title has not been featured on a PLE since its debut at Saturday Night’s Main Event in December 2024. They could find themselves competing for the belt on the SmackDown before ‘Mania or the Raw a day afterwards. Let’s hope Triple H makes the right decision and gives this championship the spotlight it deserves
Lyra Valkyria
Last week on Monday Night Raw, Bayley won the Gauntlet Match to become the No. 1 contender for the Women’s Intercontinental Champion. She will face AJ Lee, and there could be some shenanigans. Becky could interfere, and so could Lyra. If Becky gets added to the match at WM, where does that put Lyra? They could make it a Fatal-Four-Way, but the odds of that happening are slim. Valkyria is the inaugural Intercontinental Champion, and it would be nice to have to be involved in the title picture somehow. Perhaps she is in Bayley’s corner at WM. That would be worth an appearance.
Gunther
The career killer has not had much of a direction since retiring AJ Styles at the Royal Rumble. He last beat Dragon Lee on Raw and took off Lee’s mask, causing a controversy. Now, Gunther is without an opponent for WrestleMania. He could face Rey Mysterio, but I do not see Mysterio putting his career on the line and losing. Or he could answer Brock Lesnar’s open challenge, but the rumor is these two will collide at SummerSlam in what would be Lesnar’s last match. Heading into WM, the “Ring General” is the biggest heel in the company, and not having him on the card would be disappointing.
LA Knight
LA Knight cannot catch a break. He is one of the most over superstars in WWE, but never gets the push.
Reports suggest Triple H has a personal dislike for Knight, and this could be the reason he is not the WWE Champion yet. Knight is currently feuding with the Vision in a nothing burger of a rivalry. He is rumored to be one of the options to face Brock Lesnar at WM, but fans don’t want to see him get squashed. Knight has been letting out his frustrations with the company, and as reported by Ringside News, he asked to move to Raw because he was done feuding with the MFTs. Hopefully, WWE can find a slot for him in Vegas because the WWE Universe is clamoring for it.
Aleister Black
Seriously, what were we even doing with him? His last two appearances on SmackDown have been interactions with Sami Zayn. The two are not reported to be headed towards a collision course at WrestleMania, so what is the point? He is relegated to backstage segments even though his match with Randy Orton was fine. Black and Vega are being portrayed as Karrion Kross and Scarlett when they were in WWE. Not adding much to the program, and not having any real character development. I really do not know what they will do with him, and would not be shocked if he did not get his WM moment.
Triple H has a lot of work to do, and it is rumored WWE Creative is hoping Bron Breakker can return before ‘Mania to kickstart a rivalry with Seth Rollins. The dominoes will soon fall, and WWE fans will have a clearer picture of what they will be seeing come April 18th and 19th. Speaking of which, there are five matches announced for the event, and by the end of this week, more will be added. In the next article, I will delve into each match and the rivalry between the competitors.
Sports
Max Holloway would 'love' Conor McGregor rematch; no contract offer yet
Aug 17, 2013; Boston, MA, USA; Max Holloway (left) throws a punch at Conor McGregor (right) during a UFC featherweight match at the TD Garden. McGregor won after three rounds by judges decision. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images Max Holloway is working out in preparation for a fight that might never occur, but as he sees it, there’s really no other choice.
“I mean, it’s just, it sucks,” Hollway said in an interview with Paramount+. “I would just like to get one back.”
The former UFC featherweight champion is in training camp for a potential rematch with double title winner Conor McGregor in Las Vegas this July at UFC 329, but without a signed contract in hand.
The uncertainty is due in part to questions over when or if McGregor wants to step back into the Octagon, especially considering the Irishman hasn’t fought since July 2021. McGregor was rumored to be on the card scheduled for the White House this summer, but his purported opponent, Michael Chandler, instead will oppose Mauricio Ruffy.
Still, Holloway is expressing unfailing interest in trying to secure a deal to face off against McGregor again. The two squared off in 2013 and McGregor won by unanimous decision, though McGregor left the match with a torn ACL.
“My head space is good, it’s straight,” Holloway said. “I kinda know when I fight. We kinda know where we want to fight, why we want to fight, so just getting in the gym, getting there, getting it done.
“It’s a huge fight. Anything with Conor McGregor is huge, but having history with the dude, being able to get one back would be cool.”
Holloway is eager to erase the poor impression left by a one-sided loss to Charles Oliveira last time out, a March 7 unanimous-decision defeat that cost him the symbolic BMF title that rests with the UFC’s “baddest” competitor.
“You’re only as good as your last fight, they say, and we’re going to get everybody forgetting about that last fight as soon as possible,” Holloway said.
For McGregor, the biggest draw in the sport and the first athlete in the sport to hold two weight class titles simultaneously (featherweight and lightweight), it would mark a return from a devastating broken tibia and ensuing drug suspension that have sidelined “Notorious” for the better part of five years.
Holloway, a 34-year-old Honolulu native, projects as a heavy favorite over McGregor, 37, due to the latter’s long layoff.
–Field Level Media
Sports
CJ Abrams (5 RBIs), Nationals slam Twins
May 6, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams (5) hits an RBI double against the Minnesota Twins during the fourth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images CJ Abrams had three hits including a grand slam, Miles Mikolas pitched into the sixth inning and the host Washington Nationals routed the Minnesota Twins 15-2 on Wednesday night.
Brady House, Drew Millas and Jose Tena each had two hits including a home run for the Nationals, who collected 14 hits. Abrams also had two doubles and five RBIs, and James Wood and Jacob Young each had two hits.
Mikolas (1-3), signed as a free agent in the offseason, began the game with an 8.23 ERA. The right-hander pitched a season-high 5 1/3 innings, giving up two runs on three hits. Mikolas retired 16 of the 19 batters he faced to earn his first Washington win.
Three Washington pitchers held Minnesota to three hits. Matt Wallner had two hits including a home run for Minnesota, which had won two straight.
Twins starter Bailey Ober (3-2) went five-plus innings, allowing five runs on six hits.
Minnesota took a 1-0 lead in the third when Luke Keaschall doubled and scored on a Wallner single.
Washington did not get a baserunner against Ober until Wood singled leading off the fourth. Wood stole second with one out and Curtis Mead walked. Abrams followed with a double to score Wood.
Wallner homered off Mikolas in the fifth to put Twins up 2-1.
Young singled leading off the bottom half and Millas homered to center to give Washington a 3-2 lead.
In the sixth, back-to-back doubles by Abrams and House ended Ober’s night. Tena greeted reliever Andrew Morris with Washington’s third straight double to make it 5-2. With two outs, Nasim Nunez tripled to right and the lead was 6-2.
Daylen Lile walked leading off the bottom of the seventh and, with two outs, House homered to center to make it 8-2.
Young singled, Millas doubled and Wood singled them both home in the eighth. Washington loaded the bases and Abrams smacked a grand slam to right-center, the second of his career. Tena followed with a homer to make it 15-2.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Phillies' 4-run eighth fuels rally past Athletics
May 6, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Adolis García (53) celebrates his home run with second baseman Edmundo Sosa (33) against the Athletics during the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images Edmundo Sosa delivered a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning as the Philadelphia Phillies rallied to notch a 6-3 victory over the visiting Athletics on Wednesday.
Brandon Marsh had three hits and an RBI for Philadelphia, which improved to 8-1 under interim manager Don Mattingly. Adolis Garcia homered for the Phillies while J.T. Realmuto, Garcia and Sosa each had two hits.
A’s left-hander Jeffrey Springs, who exited his last outing with hip soreness, gave up two runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings with four strikeouts and no walks in a crisp 75-pitch performance. Nick Kurtz finished with two hits and an RBI as he reached base for the 30th straight game.
In his third start since returning from a blood clot in his shoulder, Philadelphia starter Zack Wheeler allowed three runs and five hits in 6 1/3 innings.
The Phillies trailed 3-2 in the eighth inning when Kyle Schwarber drew a leadoff walk against Jack Perkins (2-1). Bryce Harper reached on an error by second baseman Jeff McNeil that spoiled a potential double play, then Garcia singled to load the bases.
Sosa grounded his two-run single up the middle to give Philadelphia the lead. The Athletics brought in Hogan Harris for the platoon advantage against Brandon Marsh, but Marsh stroked an RBI single before Justin Crawford’s RBI groundout made it 6-3 as the Phillies’ four-run frame featured two unearned runs.
The A’s loaded the bases against Brad Keller with two outs in the ninth, but the veteran right-hander got Jacob Wilson on a grounder back to the mound to end it. Orion Kerkering (1-0) recorded the final out of the eighth.
Kurtz’s RBI single in the fifth made it 2-0, but Philadelphia got a run back in the bottom half as Marsh tripled and scored on a grounder by Felix Reyes. Tyler Soderstrom led off the sixth with a homer against Wheeler to make it 3-1.
The Phillies answered again, this time with Garcia’s solo homer in their half of the sixth.
Perkins pitched the seventh for the A’s, striking out a pair, before the right-hander ran into trouble in the eighth.
–Field Level Media
Max Holloway would 'love' Conor McGregor rematch; no contract offer yet
CJ Abrams (5 RBIs), Nationals slam Twins
