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WWE and UFC Finalize Merger as WrestleMania 39 Becomes the Most Successful in Franchise History

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: WWE/NYTimes

In a move that sent shockwaves through the sports entertainment industry, the WWE has finalized a merger with Endeavor’s UFC.  The news comes on the heels of the most successful WrestleMania in the history of the company in Los Angeles.

Monday, Vince McMahon announced plans to sell a controlling stake in WWE to Endeavor in a merger with mixed-martial arts rival UFC.  The all-stock deal will see Endeavor’s UFC and WWE merged to create a new standalone company, yet unnamed, noted to be worth around $21 billion. Endeavor shareholders will own 51% and WWE shareholders 49%.  An 11-member board will be split 6 directors to 5, Endeavor-WWE.

WWE in the deal is valued at $9.3 billion. In the re-alignment, Endeavor’s Ari Emanuel will be the CEO, McMahon will be the executive chairman. WWE CEO Nick Khan will be president of the unified company and UFC’s Dana White will continue as president of that organization.

In an interview with Emanuel and McMahon for CNBC, Vince shared that it was time for things to evolve, elaborating, “a family business has to evolve, for all the right reasons. And this is the right business decision, and it’s the right family decision.”  The major merger is expected to close mid-year pending regulatory approval.

This all comes at a time for McMahon where he had to pay the company back $17 million dollars of reimbursement for costs during the legal probe for allegations of sexual misconduct against him.  When many thought Vince was done at the WWE, he has bounced back.  Vince expressed: “Let me just say, I’ve made mistakes both personally and professionally through my 50-year career. I have owned up to every single one of them and then moved on.”

The deal was struck as a crucial time when Fox and NBCUniversal are entering into an exclusive negotiating window which began on April 1st. Fox airs Smackdown, while USA Networks airs Raw, and in a separate deal, Peacock now holds the streaming rights.

During Monday Night Raw, Paul ‘Triple H” Levesque assured viewers at home and the audience in attendance at Crypto.com arena in Los Angeles, that with the new merger, it will not effect the current landscape of WWE programming and live events, sharing “We ain’t goin’ nowhere!”

Photo: WWE

In a look at WrestleMania 39 by the numbers: the two-day sold-out event at SoFi Stadium set new records for viewership, gate, sponsorship, merchandise and social media. Night 2 surpassed the existing global viewership record by 33 percent, just one day after Night 1 of WrestleMania 39 surpassed the existing global viewership record by 28 percent.

WrestleMania 39 generated a gate of more than $21.6 million, breaking the previous record by 27 percent, with 161,892 in attendance at SoFi Stadium over the two nights.  Sponsorship revenue eclipsed $20 million, more than doubling the previous record. Merchandise sales were up 20 percent versus the record set in 2022.  This year’s WrestleMania has over 500 million views on social media and 11 million hours of video consumed over the two days, a 42 percent increase over last year.

Now take a look at Vince McMahon and Ari Emanuel discussing their merger with CNBC this morning below, followed by Triple H addressing the crowd at the beginning of Monday Night RAW tonight.

Do you think the WWE/UFC Endeavor merger will ultimately be a a good long term for the WWE? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

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Lucas Adams and Tamara Braun Written Out of The Young and the Restless

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It looks like the current run of Lucas Adams (Noah) and Tamara Braun (Sienna) on The Young and the Restless is coming to an end, after the Monday, August 3 edition of the CBS daytime drama revealed that Noah and Sienna are leaving Genoa City and heading back to Los Angeles.

In the storyline, Noah informed his mother, Sharon (Sharon Case) and half-sister Mariah (Camryn Grimes) that he and Sienna made the decision to move back to the West Coast to put distance between themselves and Matt Clark (Roger Howarth). Although Noah did not say it was a permanent move, he did assure his mom that once Matt is hopefully gone from Genoa City they could return.

However, as previewed already on the video teaser for this week’s episodes of Y&R (see below), it appears Noah left Genoa City’s The Shadow Room to be run by a returning Danny Romalotti (Michael Damian). So with that, coupled with today’s episode, it would appear the move could wind up being more permanent.

Photo: JPI

COMINGS AND GOINGS

Adams made his Y&R debut on November 4, 2025 as the successor to Rory Gibson who last played Noah on-screen in April of 2023. Earlier in 2025, Gibson took over the role of Michael Corinthos on Genera Hospital replacing Chad Duell, who stepped away from the part after 15 years.

Braun who played Adam’s mother on Days of Our Lives when she was Ava Vitali and he was Tripp Dalton, first appeared on Y&R back on October 14, 2025, where we soon learned she had become Noah’s lover as the new character, Sienna Bacall.  It should be noted, Adams was on contract with the number #1 soap, while Braun has been on recurring status.

With Josh Griffith now exited as head writer of The Young and the Restless, and the newly announced co-head writing team of Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor having taken his place and starting their new tenure this week, it will be interesting to see how the duo resets the show, and if a Noah and Sienna return is in the cards for the future or not.

So, what do you think about the seeming departures of Lucas Adams and Tamara Braun from The Young and the Restless? Weigh-in via the comment section. But first, check out our recent live chat with Tamara and Lucas on the Michael Fairman Channel.

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Rosie O’Donnell Says She Will Return to ‘The View’ During its Season 30

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Rosie O'Donnell

Rosie O’Donnell revealed that she plans to head back to a seat at the table of ABC’s morning talk show The View.

The announcement came during Monday’s episode of The Tangle Podcast where she shared she will participate in “in whatever way they want” her or “just as a guest” for its upcoming 30th season.

The View’s season 30 will kick-off this fall in September. O’Donnell explained, “They’re bringing back all the hosts, I think. And, you know, I’m pretty proud of that show, what it’s become and how it really speaks to the people and to politics.”

Photo: ABC

ROSIE ON HER PREVIOUS GO-ROUNDS ON THE VIEW

As fans of The View know, O’Donnell famously had two different one-year stints on the talk show in 2007 and again in 2014- 2015. She often feuded with then co-host Elizabeth Hasselbeck.

However, during her discussion with host, Kyle Ridley on The Tangle Podcast, O’Donnell also noted she often had tense moments with longtime moderator and anchor, Whoopi Goldberg.

O’Donnell also expressed, “Many, many people got the short end of the stick there. It was, you know, it was a factory where people were being churned in and out and their tenuous security, nobody got to be calm. It also was a show at the time that was run by a man. A show created by a woman, for women, about women, and the man was deciding what we should talk about. And that didn’t sit right with me, you know.”

Back in 2023, Brooke Shields had asked Rosie on her podcast, Now What? with Brooke Shields, about how she felt on her two stints at The View and all the controversy that surrounded it. Rosie at that time, stated, “I know this, it’s not the best use of my talent to get in a show where I have to argue and defend basic principles of humanity and kindness. It was not something I’d ever do again.”

You can check out the clip with Rosie and Kyle Ridley discussing her return to The View in some form for its upcoming 30th season below.

Then weigh-in: Would you be excited to see Rosie, even for a one-day or a week guest stint on the upcoming celebratory season of The View, or not so much? Let us know via the comment section.

 

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A post shared by Kyle Ridley (@kyleridley_)

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General Hospital

‘General Hospital’ Fan Club Weekend 2026 (Photos)

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General Hospital Fan Club Weekend brought out many of your favorites to the four day event; with the main cast gathering on Saturday, August 1. Fans near and far attended the weekend held this year at the Burbank Marriott Hotel. Whether it be the main cast event or the smaller more intimate events featuring two or three cast members a great time was had by all.

Some of the cast participating in the main cast event included: Cyrus Hobbi (Yuri), Gary James Fuller (James), Bradford Anderson (Spinelli), Viron Weaver (Wiley), Paige Herschell (Jacinda), Chris McKenna (Brennan), Josh Kelly (Cody), Kayden Brenna Tokarsi (Scout), Cassandra James (Terry), Laura Wright (Carly), Dominic Zamprogna (Dante), Carolyn Hennesy (Diane), Rick Hearst (Ric), Adrian Anchondo (ex-Marco), and Chloe Lanier (ex-Nelle).

In addition to, Van Hansis (Lucas), Cameron Mathison (Drew), Ryan Paevey (ex-Cassius), Easton Rocket Sweda (Leo), Maurice Benard (Sonny), Kristen Vaganos (Molly), Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis), Kate Mansi (ex-Kristina), Rebecca Herbst (Elizabeth), Cynthia Watros (Nina), Kristina Wagner (Felicia) and more.

Take a look at some of the snaps from the main event arrivals below:

Photo: HutchinsPhoroi

GH’s Rick Hearst with on-screen daughter, Kristen Vaganos, plus Nancy Lee Grahn, and Kate Mansi.

Photo: HutchinsPhoto

GH’s Maurice Benard on-hand to meet the fans.

Photo: HutchinsPhoto.com

Jack Brennan in the house … Chris McKenna.

Photo: HutchinsPhoto

Adrian Anchondo, Van Hansis and Anchondo’s boyfriend, Days of Our Lives, Colton Little.

Photo: HutchinsPhoto

GH’s Josh Kelly and his gal, the former Nelle Benson of Port Charles, Chloe Lanier.

Photo: HutchinsPhoto

Who is James’ father? Not Cassius or Spinelli, actually. Actors Gary James Fuller, Ryan Paevey and Bradford Anderson!

Photo: HutchinsPhoto

One of General Hospital’s newest cast members, Kayden Brenna Tokarski attends her first GHFCW event.

Check out some more arrival images featuring: Laura Wright (Carly), Cassandra James (Terry), Carolyn Hennesy (Diane) and more in the gallery below.

Michael Fairman TV will be adding more images to this post in the day ahead.

So, were you glad to see so many of your GH favorites attending this year’s General Hospital Fan Club Weekend? Let us know via the comment section.

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Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

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