WWE News Roundup: Commentator confirms retirement, Roman Reigns’s WrestleMania match nixed, The Rock’s return

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#5. WWE commentator confirms retirement

Wade Barrett has found his place as a commentator in WWE since his return to the promotion in 2020. He is currently the color commentator on SmackDown and has grown to be well liked by the fans in the role.

He hasn’t competed as a wrestler for nearly a decade, but fans have expressed an interest in seeing him get physical as part of a storyline. However, in an interview with Metro UK, the former Intercontinental champion shut down any such speculation.

He said there were plans for him to face Nick Aldis during their time in NWA but said he wasn’t interested in an in-ring return, stressing that he was “done.”

#4. Reason why plans for massive Roman Reigns match at WrestleMania 42 were nixed

Roman Reigns is headed to WrestleMania 42, where he will challenge CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship after winning the Royal Rumble.

The match has been highly anticipated given the history between the two stars, but original plans called for a different direction for OTC1.

There had been reports of WWE wanting to do a third WrestleMania match between Reigns and Cody Rhodes before pivoting in a different direction. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that the creative discussed having the two stars face each other in a Hell in a Cell match in Las Vegas.

However, the idea was nixed, and Ibou of Self Made Pro reported that a third match might never take place, as the two stars have been kept on separate brands for a reason. He said while there isn’t necessarily tension between the two of them, the company wants to keep a distance between them.

#3. Rey Mysterio shares update on his health amid WWE absence

Rey Mysterio has been absent from WWE TV for the last few weeks. He was last seen in the ring when he competed against Austin Theory on RAW on the go-home show for Royal Rumble 2026.

It had been reported that the veteran suffered a rib injury in the match, which is believed to be the reason behind his absence.

Rey recently provided an update on his health in an interview on Unlikely with Adrian Hernandez. The legendary luchador noted that he fractured both his right and left ribs in the match against Theory on RAW. He said that he was feeling much better currently, but it will take time for him to completely heal and return to action.

#2. Nikki Bella reveals the reason why she isn’t dating NFL star

Nikki Bella’s personal life has been a topic of much discussion recently. The WWE Hall of Famer had been spotted with NFL star Cooper DeJean, leading fans to speculate that she was dating the 23-year-old.

Nikki even addressed the rumors during the RAW after Royal Rumble and had fans excited. While the pair looked locked, things didn’t work out for them. In an interview with Lala Kent, the former Divas Champion talked about their relationship status.

She said that while the Philadelphia Eagles cornerback was amazing, the 20-year gap was the reason why things didn’t move forward between them. She also said that the media made a huge deal about this age difference, which was also a reason why it didn’t work out.

#1. The latest on The Rock’s WWE return ahead of WrestleMania 42

The Rock has been a big part of WWE storylines heading into the last two WrestleMania. At WrestleMania XL, he teamed up with Roman Reigns to beat Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins on Night 1 and also made an appearance on Night 2 during the main event.

He also oversaw John Cena’s heel turn at Elimination Chamber ahead of the Show of Shows last year. However, that appearance at Elimination Chamber remains the last time he showed up in the promotion.

With WrestleMania 42 just weeks away, there has been a lot of speculation over the Final Boss possibly returning again to be a part of the event. However, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful dismissed any such notion, mentioning that the Brahma Bull hasn’t been mentioned by anyone for the show in Las Vegas.

It was speculated that he might return to punish CM Punk for disrespecting his family, after the Second City Saint’s comments about Roman Reigns’ late father. But it appears there are no plans for The Rock to return to WWE as of right now.