Major Update In On-Going Vince McMahon Lawsuit; May 29th Wrestling News Round-Up

Just weeks after her release from WWE, former NXT star Jakara Jackson has wasted no time launching the next chapter of her career — now going by the name Mara Sadè. The 30-year-old, known for her work as part of the Meta-Four faction alongside Lash Legend, Noam Dar, and Oro Mensah, is already booked for her first major match since leaving WWE.

Mara Sadè will make her independent circuit debut on July 6, 2025, when she takes on Masha Slamovich for the JCW World Championship at Jersey Championship Wrestling’s show at the House of Independents in Asbury Park, New Jersey. It’s a significant first match back, given Slamovich’s reputation as one of the most dominant women on the indie scene.

Sadè’s quick return to competition highlights her determination to remain a visible and relevant name in wrestling, even after her time in WWE came to a close.

WWE has seen its fair share of controversial characters, but few sparked as much debate and backlash as Muhammad Hassan, portrayed by Marc Julian Copani. The character, introduced during the mid-2000s, was intended to portray an Arab-American who felt stereotyped and marginalized post-9/11. However, the execution of the gimmick quickly veered into deeply problematic territory, ultimately leading to its abrupt removal from television in 2005.

Now, two decades later, Marc Copani has firmly shut the door on ever reviving that infamous character.

“That Character’s Not Coming Back — And It Shouldn’t”

In a recent appearance on Ten Count Media with Steve Fall, Copani addressed the possibility of returning to WWE as Muhammad Hassan — and he didn’t mince words:

“I know they don’t want that character back on TV. That character, the portrayal of that character, it was off TV for a reason, and I wouldn’t do it either way.”

Copani emphasized that the Muhammad Hassan persona is not only outdated, but also inappropriate and insensitive in today’s climate. The character, often criticized for perpetuating racial stereotypes and being presented with terrorist overtones — especially in a now-infamous segment involving masked men and The Undertaker — was pulled from WWE programming shortly after the 2005 London bombings, following public backlash and UPN network pressure.

In a surprising turn of events on the latest episode of WWE NXT, Stephanie Vaquer dropped her NXT Women’s Championship to Jacy Jayne, prompting immediate speculation about her future. With assistance from Fallon Henley, Jayne stole a victory, ending Vaquer’s reign much earlier than fans anticipated — especially after her standout defense against Jordynne Grace at NXT Battleground.

Now, it appears that this loss may have been a calculated move by WWE creative to transition Vaquer to the main roster.

According to PW Nexus’ Cory Hays, both Stephanie Vaquer and Jordynne Grace are expected to be promoted to the main WWE roster. Hays shared the news via X (formerly Twitter), noting that Vaquer is slated for RAW, while Grace is reportedly heading to SmackDown. While there’s no official timeline for their debut, the call-ups appear imminent.

Thunder Rosa is ready to finally bury the hatchet with long-time rival Britt Baker, a feud that has defined AEW’s women’s division for years — and often spilled beyond the ring.

Appearing on KFOX14, Rosa reflected on their brutal and historic matches, especially the 2022 Steel Cage match on Dynamite where she won the AEW Women’s Championship from Baker. Despite the real-life tension, Rosa expressed a desire to bring closure to their saga in the ring:

“That cage match is one of the most brutal, violent, and bloody matches… and you know we didn’t end the feud there… I’m still waiting for her to come back because I am her past and her future. So whenever she’s ready, I’m ready to finish this beef that we had for a couple of years now.”

Though the origins of their personal beef remain murky, their professional chemistry produced two of the most memorable women’s matches in AEW history — headlining Dynamite in both 2021 and 2022.

Watch the full interview from KFOX14 below 👇🏻

Former GHC Tag Team Champion and WWE Superstar Omos recently spoke about his current status with the company during an appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet.

While his absence from WWE programming has left many fans wondering, the “Nigerian Giant” revealed that even he doesn’t have a concrete timeline for a return.

“I don’t know. I’m just waiting. I’m kind of in a scenario where I’m kind of like a special attraction. Whenever that time comes, I’m ready.”

Omos’ last WWE appearance was during the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the April 5, 2024 edition of SmackDown.

Prior to that, he spent time in Pro Wrestling NOAH, where he held the GHC Tag Team Titles alongside Jack Morris before relinquishing them in January to return to WWE.

WWE legend John Cena recently opened up about the unexpected way he met his wife, Shay Shariatzadeh, during an appearance on Stephanie’s Places with Stephanie McMahon.

Cena revealed the two first crossed paths in Vancouver, where he was filming a movie. He and his friends were out watching the Super Bowl when a group of women entered the bar — including Shay. Despite his team, the Patriots, winning, Cena said he couldn’t take his eyes off her:

“I got to watch the game, in walks a group of four, and I can’t take my eyes off of Shay… And my team is winning, and I don’t give a f**k. And I don’t have the bravery to break the ice.”

Fortunately, it was Shay’s friend who helped bridge the gap by asking for a photo — a clever ploy just to link the two together.

Cena also shared a fun detail about their first date: they returned to the same bar and ended up talking from 6 p.m. until 1 a.m., long enough that they were kicked out at closing time.

“I met her by accident. I always just kind of let life deal me the cards… and it’s time to push some chips in.”

The couple tied the knot in a private ceremony in October 2020 in Tampa, Florida.

AEW’s Eddie Kingston let his feelings be known after a report from Fightful Select revealed behind-the-scenes details about the Owen Hart Cup Tournament finals at Double or Nothing 2025 — a match where Adam Page defeated Will Ospreay in a surprise result.

According to Fightful, both Page and Ospreay were only told the match result shortly before the show. It was also reported that both men advocated for each other to win, Tony Khan remained non-committal, and Jon Moxley personally backed Hangman for the victory.

While the report sparked backstage chatter, Eddie Kingston wasn’t amused. The injured star took to Instagram Stories, furiously calling out the person who leaked the info, writing:

“People know who leaked it. You fuc*ing jack*ff.”

Kingston is currently sidelined with a fractured tibia, torn ACL, and torn meniscus, which ruled him out of the Anarchy in the Arena match at the same event.

Vince McMahon’s legal team has issued a response following a significant update in the ongoing lawsuit filed by Janel Grant.

Earlier this week, PostWrestling reported that John Laurinaitis has been dropped as a defendant in the case, after reaching a confidential agreement with Grant — one that reportedly includes sharing key evidence against McMahon.

Grant’s lawsuit accuses McMahon of coercion, abuse, and trafficking during a prolonged relationship, claims which he continues to deny.

In a new statement to POST Wrestling, McMahon’s attorney Jessica Rosenberg insisted the change in Laurinaitis’s status does not impact the core facts of the case:

“Today’s dismissal of John Laurinaitis as a defendant doesn’t alter the facts of this case in any way. Vince McMahon never mistreated Janel Grant. No matter how many press releases her team issues, the truth remains unchanged.”

Rosenberg also pointed to Laurinaitis’s past public support of McMahon, referencing his lawyer’s earlier claim that the allegations were “completely unfounded.”

The report notes that McMahon’s legal team is expected to push for the matter to be moved into private arbitration.

You can read a full detailed breakdown of the on-going lawsuit against Vince McMahon, here.

Hello and welcome back to the ITRWrestling live blog

My name is Liam and I will be with you from 2pm to 6pm (UK) covering all the biggest stories from the past 24 hours across the world in wrestling.

Kicking things off today we have:

• There has been a major update in the on-going lawsuit against disgraced former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.
• Former WWE star Paige is getting in shape ahead of a potential return at Evolution 2.
• Eddie Kingston has lashed out after a major AEW result was leaked ahead of Double or Nothing.