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WrestleMania 40 Night Two: Cody Rhodes ‘Finishes the Story’ and Defeats Roman Reigns for the WWE Universal Championship with Run-Ins by The Rock, John Cena & The Undertaker

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: WWE

If ever there was the best use of the current trendy term “cinema”, night two of WrestleMania 40 was just that, and certainly none more so than the highly anticipated main event between Cody Rhodes and WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns in a “Bloodline” rules match where everything goes and anyone can interfere… and it’s all legal!

Whether you streamed it on Peacock, or were there live at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, these questioned remained as the night began. Would Cody Rhodes finally “finish the story,” a story he began back at WrestleMania 39 when he lost in the main event to Reigns in 2023? Could Cody do what his iconic and beloved father, Dusty Rhodes, never got the chance to do, and become a WWE World Champion? There were so many questions on the line to be answered.

The match was epic drama at its absolute best from the larger than life spectacle with awe-dropping entrances for Rhodes, who was accompanied by his wife, Brandi Rhodes, and “The Tribal Chief” Roman Reigns who came out to a choir singing his theme. If ever there was a good vs evil set-up with so much history and so much build-up, this was it.

Photo: WWE

The in-ring chemistry of Rhodes and Reigns was palpable. Roman will go down as one of the greatest champions of all-time, who’s reactions and facial expressions help heighten the drama and against Rhodes who is the perfect babyface of this era. The match delivered near-falls, specific and crucial story beats, and an abundance of interference that made perfect sense when you map out the storytelling of this battle.

Photo: WWE

As the match wore on, things started to unravel as to who would get the upper hand when an series of run-ins featuring legendary WWE Superstars and “Bloodline” members made their way into, and around, the ring to help Reigns or Rhodes. First, Jimmy Uso superkicked Rhodes in the ring, but then his brother, Jey Uso (who he had wrestled earlier in the night) came after him and took him out with a huge bump on the ring ramp. Next, Solo Sikoa jumped in the ring and Samoan Spiked Cody multiple times; while being frustrated that Reigns couldn’t get himself together to pin “The American Nightmare” for his help.

Photo: WWE

All of a sudden, John Cena’s music hit and down the ramp came the 16-time WWE champion. Cena getting revenge on Sikoa, who sent him packing from WWE last year, threw him through the announce table. All of a sudden The Rock’s theme music hit, and the crowd went wild. Now the two movie stars and two of the all-time biggest WWE superstars were face to face. However, Rock delivered a Rock Bottom and Cena went down.

Photo: WWE

Next, in a stunning moment, “The Shield’s” old theme music hit and Seth Rollins attempted to slide in the ring with a chair but Reigns delivered a superman punch temporarily stopping his momentum. Before The Rock could beat down Cody Rhodes, once again with his belt strap, The Undertaker’s gong sounded and the lights went out. When they came back up, The Rock was turned the wrong way with The Undertaker in the ring behind him. Next, ‘Taker’ delivered a choke slam to The Rock and then was gone before you knew it when the lights went out and the back on.

Now came the poetic justice … the culmination of years of story. With the chair in the ring and Rhodes struggling to get up on one side of the ring, and Rollins struggling to get up on the other side of the ring, The Tribal Chief had a decision to make … who would he hit in the back with the chair? Reigns chose Rollins, allowing Cody to recover delivering three Cross Rhodes to get a three count and become the new WWE Universal Champion by pinning Reigns.

Photo: WWE

In the end, it was Rollins’ message to Rhodes weeks earlier that proved to be the deciding factor. “The Visionary” promised Cody that he would be his ‘shield’, referencing the former clique he had with Reigns and Dean Ambrose. In WWE history, back in 2014, it was Rollins who stabbed Reigns and the group  in the back with a chair shot to the back of Reigns. Knowing that revenge is Reigns’ achilles heel, Rollins set himself up as the ultimate distraction for Cody to become the champ.

As Reigns’ run as world champion at 1,317 days came to an end, he will remain fourth among all-time champions who held the belt the longest following Bruno Sammartino, Pedro Morales and Hulk Hogan.  Social media was abuzz when video was captured of an emotional Reigns and his special counsel new WWE Hall-of-Famer, Paul Heyman near the beginning of the entrance ramp hugging it out after the loss.

Photo: WWE

WrestleMania 40 night two also featured several other outstanding matches including the opening bout between Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntrye for Rollins’ WWE Heavyweight Championship.  In what was probably one of the best entrances of WrestleMania 40 weekend, Rollins showed up with Philadelphia’s Mummers Band playing his theme music. As the Mummers paraded down the ramp with Rollins, he was wearing Mummers-inspired gear and costume. 

Going into the match, Rollins was already in a weakened state with his knee from his previous injury and wrestling in night one with Cody Rhodes against The Rock and Roman Reigns. McIntrye and Rollins hit finishing maneuvers at an exceptionally high rate before McIntyre finally picked up the win.  A dejected Seth, in tears outside the ring, told Drew that he deserved it as he was the better man that night. Rollins’ emotional reaction proved once again why he is one of the best in sports entertainment.

Photo: WWE

In another “poetic justice” moment, a gloating and emotional McIntrye with belt in hand, goes over to the announce table to confront CM Punk who was helping call the match. After he continued to taunt Punk, “The Voice of the Voiceless” loses his temper and removes his arm brace from his tricep surgery and begins to beat down McIntrye.

Photo: WWE

With Drew in a vulnerable state, Damian Priest (the Money in the Bank winner) comes running down the ring ramp and cashes in the briefcase for his opportunity for a championship, and in quick fashion hits the “South of Heaven” choke slam on The Scottish Warrior and ends his very short title reign becoming the new WWE World Champion. CM Punk sat at ringside and applauded Priest’s efforts and there is no love lost between Punk and McIntrye as their feud continues to build.

Photo: WWE

When it was time for the WWE Women’s Championship between the champion Iyo Sky and former head of Damage CTRL, Bayley, it was clear how much love and respect there is for Bayley. That extended to the press box and through Lincoln Financial Stadium,  Would Bayley get retribution for Damage CTRL stabbing her in the back? First, Bayley came out an all-new entrance theme know coining the phrase “Role Model”.

Photo: WWE

As the match wore on, it was high-flying maneuvers from Sky that dominated, however, Bayley survived all that Iyo managed to throw at her and hit a an elbow drop and then a Rose Plant for the three count to become the new champ.  Beloved in the locker room, and coming back to the WWE after sustaining knee injuries requiring surgeries, Bayley was back on top and the crowd couldn’t have been happier.

Photo: WWE

In other match-ups: Logan Paul defeated Kevin Owens and Randy Orton to retain the United States Championship (Paul’s frog splash through the air and the height he achieved was out of this world_. LA Knight defeated. AJ Styles via pinfall, and Bobby Lashley & The Street Profits defeated The Final Testament.

You can check out some of the highlights from Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns main event match below.

Now, let us know, what did you think of the matches on night two of WrestleMania 40? Where does Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns rank as the main event at a WrestleMania? Is it number one? Pretty hard to beat it. Share your thoughts in the comment section.

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THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Katie Kicks Bill to the Curb … for Now

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Bill and Katie

The future isn’t looking so bright for longtime loves Katie Logan (Heather Tom) and Bill Spencer (Don Diamont), when on the Wednesday, November 11 episode Katie wants Bill to leave and give her some space, and to stay away from her!

Katie explains she wanted none of this, but now her insecurity and fear of Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) and Bill has made it impossible. Bill pleads his case, “I was just trying to help” by speaking with Brooke. Katie tells him, well he didn’t, far from it, it’s all backfired in his face.

Bill insists to Katie that everything he did was for her and her sisters. Katie isn’t buying it. In her mind, Bill has always wanted to stick it to the Forresters. So what changed? She then asks him point blank, if he is still attracted to Brooke? Bill says “no,” but Katie said she wishes she could believe him. He tries to explain that him getting together with Brooke was to broker peace between the Logan sisters.

Katie

Courtesy/CBS

THE TRUST IS BROKEN

Katie speaks to how she is building her own company, making something of herself, and Bill says to her, “You don’t have to lose the people that you love to prove that you can win.”

Next, Katie is convinced Bill was flirting with Brooke because he texted Brooke a Stallion emoji (she has a point, no?). That reminded Katie of the worst time in her life when he was having an affair with her sister!

She points out how Brooke destroyed her life and took Will away from her and he was sent to boarding school, so why shouldn’t she strike back? Bill tries to point out again, that Katie is going to lose her sisters. But, a defiant Katie fires back, “If they can’t accept me for who I am … so be it!”

Next, Bill says he doesn’t buy it and becomes very emotional calling his wife, “my Katie”.  However, now in a puddle of tears, Katie says those words can’t fix everything. Seeing he is not getting anywhere, Bill walks towards the door and says, “I will hate being apart from you, but I’ll do it for you.”

He vows to never stop fighting for them. Katie’s says, “Goodbye, Bill.”  The music swells, Bill exits, and Katie crawls into a ball on the couch in a dramatic overhead shot to end the episode.

Photo: JPI

WEDDING BELLS?

In the same episode, it should be noted that Taylor (Rebecca Budig) asked Deacon (Sean Kanan) to re-propose to her, and this time she accepted.

It looks like Taylor or Deacon are headed down the aisle at some point, but not so fast, because Sheila (Kimberlin Brown) was flirting with Deacon, and she won’t take this news lying down.

Check out the emotional scenes featuring Heather Tom and Don Diamont below.

Now weigh-in: were you touched by the moments when Bill left his house to give Katie the space she says she needed over her feelings of betrayal by her husband and her sister, Brooke? How does this all end? Will Katie end up destroying everything in the process on her way to the top? Will she have a mental or physical crisis in days to come? Let us know your thoughts via the comment section.

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Dancing with the Stars

DANCING WITH THE STARS: A Shocking Elimination on Grammy Night Leaves Ballroom Silenced

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In what could only be the stunner of this season of Dancing with the Stars, the Tuesday night, November 1o episode saw one of the heavy favorites Jenna Dewan and pro partner Val Chmerkovskiy eliminated right before next week’s all-important semi-finals for the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.

Week 9 was Grammy night, where the contestants performed routines related to the Grammy Awards with songs that have either won or been nominated for the music industry’s highest prize.

After each couple performed their usual routine, they had to dance a second time vs, another couple doing the same dance style. Only Harry Shum Jr. and Jenna Johnson earned immunity from having to participate in it.

Dancing with the Stars

Photo: ABC

THE RESULTS

When all was said and done during the results portion of the show; the following couples were deemed safe and will dance another day: Shum Jr. and Johnson, Amber Glenn and Pasha Pashkov, Ezra Frech and Daniella Karagach, Maura Higgins and Mark Ballas, and Connor Wood and Rylee Arnold.

That left former Y&R actress Tatyana Ali (ex-Roxanne) and Jan Ravnik and Dewan and Chmerkovskiy in the bottom two. It was then revealed that Jenna and Val would be going home. The ballroom fell silent and Dewan said her “thank you’s “in the most gracious way about her dance journey.

Dewan is a dancer, having worked professionally with the likes of Janet Jackson (who also popped up in a special message to her former back-up dancer in the episode) while currently being an actress, and appearing as a series regular on The Rookie. Chmerkovskiy has been controversial figure all season especially after being suspended one week after comments made towards judge Carrie Ann Inaba.

BREAKING THEIR SILENCE

This begs the question: did America want the couple gone, because they had an unfair advantage with Dewan’s dance prowess, or did the show want the couple booted off too?

Later, Jenna and Val broke their silence on the elimination to Extra. Chmerkovskiy shared “It’s’ definitely a sad result. I thought we had a great season.” Dewan admitted, “I know this was a particularly tough week for a lot of the online noise … but I know that we went out there and had the best time of our life.”

Val is married to pro dancer, Jenna Johnson, who remained in the top slot on the leaderboard during the competition with Harry Shum Jr. However, she also had a bad week breaking her nose in rehearsal!

Dancing With the Stars airs on ABC and Disney+ Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET and next day on Hulu.

So were you happy, or sad to see Jenna and Val voted off of Dancing with the Stars? Of the remaining couples who do you hope make it from the semi-finals to the finals and hoists the Mirrorball Trophy? Weigh-in via the comment section.

 

 

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‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ Heather Tom Delivers the ‘Power Performance of the Week’

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Heather Tom

Six-time Daytime Emmy winner, Heather Tom, while not taking the gold at the recent Daytime Emmys for Lead Actress, which would have been a record-breaking victory for an actress; should be prepared that in 2027, she has to be near to a lock take that award home!

In the last few months Michael Fairman TV has named her weekly performances as Power Performance of the Week, and for the week of November 2-6, she has done it again!

How did she earn the honors? Well, quite simply, this version of Katie Logan that is being written and portrayed beautifully, has given the character infused live, a backbone, a woman so tired of being put-upon and wronged, that she is firing back in such major ways that her own family doesn’t recognize her behavior.

Katherine Kelly Lang

Photo: JPI

KATIE AND BROOKE HAVE A SEISMIC SHOWDOWN

Longtime viewers of The Bold and the Beautiful can make a very compelling case that the behavior is justified. Then, on the November 4 episode, Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) and Katie have another major confrontation. Katie is irate that Brooke phoned Bill Spencer (Don Diamont) in an effort to help Bill get through to her to back off the way she is destroying Forrester Creations, in what appears to be Katie’s poaching of the design team, and her ramped up vendetta against Brooke.

However, let’s not forget, Brooke and their sister, Donna (Jennifer Gareis) disowned Katie from the family just a few months ago too! Now in this showdown, Katie rips into Brooke after Brooke attempts to reason with her. Brooke even pulls out the “Stormy” card, reminding viewers that Katie has Storm’s heart. She snipes, “Do you really think he’d be proud of you right now?”

In that moment, Katie chokes up and is struck by that statement, but defends her actions and says Storm would be proud of her. Brooke goes in on if Storm would approve of the way she has gone about building her Logan fashion house design team, which to many seem like cutthroat tactics, Brooke even tells her “Bill is worried.”

Katie snaps after that comment and begins to show her disgust and emotional wounds from how Brooke slept with Bill years ago, especially when she goes in on the the text message Brooke sent to Bill and the use of a stallion emoji. Brooke claims it meant nothing, but Katie shuts her down and shuts her up! Reminding her sister, how she destroyed everything.

Heather Tom

Photo: JPI

KATIE NEVER FORGOT HOW BROOKE SLEPT WITH BILL

Brooke reminds Katie that she had postpartum depression at the time, and she “pushed” her and Bill together. Katie begins to cry, “How could you not know something was profoundly wrong?”

Katie says while she was suffering, Brooke was off in Aspen having sex with Bill. She says of her sister, “You take what you want, and it doesn’t matter who gets hurt and whose life gets destroyed.” She then snipes what was her sister’s excuse the second time?

Then, in the masterful moment in the performance, as sister Donna walks into the showdown, Katie warns Brooke to not EVER talk to her again about morality, or ever accuse her of stealing anything from her, when “You are the master!”

BROOKE’S PAST WILL ALWAYS BE THROWN IN HER FACE

Next, Katie throws down the line Stephanie Forrester called Brooke all the years of their feud, “You are just a slut from the valley.” She punctuated it to both her sister, “We all know she’d sell her soul for a little male attention.'”

Katie tells Brooke she will never apologize to Bill, adding, “And I will never forgive you for this. I am so done with you, and if you’re going to stand next to her (aimed at Donna), then I am done with you too.” As the scene came to its conclusion, Katie told Brooke and Katie to, “stay away from me, stay away from my family, and stay away from Bill.”

Throughout all the scenes, Heather Tom displayed why she is one of the fiercest actresses in daytime drama. This storyline has afforded Tom the opportunity to show all of Katie’s inner rage built over years as she finally lets it out on those who wronged her. For anyone who has been made to feel the weaker sibling in a family, Tom is showing the cause and effect of what can happen to someone after years of feeling put down.

For all the reasons stated above, Michael Fairman TV names Heather Tom our selection for Power Performance of the Week. You can check out part of Heather’s emotional turn in the video clip below.

Now let us know, do you agree with our pick of Heather Tom for the Power Performance of the Week? What do  you think about how Katie is being written in this storyline? Do you think Heather has secured the Lead Actress Emmy in 2027? Weigh-in via the comment section.

 

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