News
WWE News Round-Up: ‘Night of Champions’ in Question Amid U.S./Iran Tensions, John Cena/CM Punk ‘Pipebomb’ Feud, Liv Morgan Injury
As we start a new week for the WWE, there are several key developments that are worth keeping an eye on. Chief among them is, will next weekend’s Night of Champions premium-live-event on Peacock go off as planned given that the event is scheduled to be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday Night, June 28th?
The WWE universe has been taking to social media concerned over the decision that could put the roster and WWE creatives and crew in harm’s way after the U.S. bombed Iran’s nuclear sites amid the Iranian conflict with Israel. In addition, this weekend, Iran’s foreign minister warned of “consequences” over the bombing.
Fightful Select reports that there has been no official response from the WWE, but that the situation is being monitored very closely by the company. As it stands now, WWE talent are set to leave mid-week on a charter plane to Riyadh for ‘Smackdown’ on Friday and Night of Champions on Saturday. Their source believes that the shows would not be canceled because of how much money is at stake and that WWE is producing two big shows on two consecutive nights. Another source believed that the WWE would be made safety assurances before venturing to the Middle East.

Photo: WWE
PIPEBOMBS
It was back in June 27, 2011 when CM Punk dropped his historic promo which has been titled forever in sports entertainer as the “Pipebomb.” In it, he first laid out John Cena through a table, then as sits at the ring ramp, he goes after then WWE chief, Vince McMahon, his daughter, Stephanie, and everyone in charge, before having his mic cut off. It was also historic in its nature for it was a worked shoot where he aired real-life grievances with the company while also incorporating fictional storylines.

Photo: WWE
Fast-forward to last Friday’s ‘Smackdown’ on June 20, 2025 on the USA network, and the tables were turned, literally! Cena, who is set to defend the WWE Universal Championship at Night of Champions next week in Saudi Arabia against CM Punk, attacks Punk and throws him through a table in the ringa throwback to 2021). Then, Cena perches himself on the ring post and goes in on Punk with his own mocking of Punk’s OG pipe bomb!
Over the weekend, while at the ‘SummerSlam’ kick-off Fanatics Fest in New York City, Punk addressed Friday Night’s SmackDown reversal and said, “Just because people come out on television and lie about me doesn’t make it true. John said one true, real thing last night, and that is he’s jealous of me. It doesn’t seem to make any sense because he’s the greatest of all time. Seventeen-time world champion. I don’t know if anybody in this room is going to live long enough to see anybody else accomplish that. Could be Randy (Orton). He’s probably our best bet. The big difference between Randy and John is that Randy didn’t sell his soul to the Rock. Randy is here, boots on the ground. We don’t see The Rock anywhere. We don’t see Travis Scott anywhere. I roll with Ice Cube. I’m more of an Ice Cube guy. No Vaseline. That’s what John is in store for. (No Vaseline) is the greatest diss track of all time.”
LIV MORGAN OUT
Liv Morgan, who recently returned to the WWE after filming her debut motion picture role in Bad Lieutenant: Tokyo was injured during a match on last Monday’s June 16th episode of Monday Night Raw on Netflix. During her bout against Kairi Sane, it appeared as if Morgan landed oddly on her elbow and right shoulder after Sane delivered a single leg takedown.

Courtesy/WWE
Morgan was attended to by the WWE medical staff and the match live on Netflix had to be called in favor of Sane as Liv could no longer compete. Medical updates through last week indicated that Liv suffered a separated shoulder injury which required surgery. Morgan is the current co-holder of the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships with Raquel Rodriguez, and WWE reportedly has implemented a plan, in story, that does not involve the titles being vacated. Morgan was scheduled to appear at the Fanatics Fest this weekend in New York City but her appearance was cancelled. It is believed that Liv will be out of action for an extended amount of time.
ICYMI: Check out John Cena recreating CM Punk’s infamous Pipebomb promo, and the moment Liv Morgan was injured. Now weigh-in: should the WWE still travel to the Middle East given the escalating tensions between the United States, Israel and Iran, or do you think ‘Night of Champions’ should go off as planned? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
General Hospital
Kelly Sullivan Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’s’ Maura West Recalling When Ava Shot Connie (Exclusive)

It was just over 13 years ago on General Hospital when Ava Jerome (Maura West) shot and killed Kate Howard/Connie Falconeri (Kelly Sullivan) in an effort to keep her quiet from revealing that Derek Wells was actually Ava’s back-from-the-dead brother, Julian Jerome (William deVry). It’s a crime that somehow Ava never has quite paid for either.
The episode back aired on August 13, 2013 and viewers had to say goodbye to Kelly Sullivan who played Kate and her alter, Connie. In the story, just before she died, Kate/Connie scrawled the letters AJ in her own blood, initially making the PCPD and Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) think that it was AJ Quatermaine (Sean Kanan) who did the deed.
Now, Sullivan recalled sharing scenes with the three-time Daytime Emmy-winning West, during a live conversation on You Tube’s Michael Fairman Channel. Kelly was the special guest talking about her recent return to the soaps in her new role as The Bold and the Beautiful’s Darcy Dylan.

Photo: JPI
FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF MAURA WEST
Speaking of her final GH scenes and working with Maura West, Sullivan gave her then GH co-star major props. “If you’re going to be shot by somebody (on the soaps), you want to be shot by Maura West, c’mon!”
Maura West debuted back in May 2013 as Ava, and Sullivan remembered when the As the World Turns favorite began on GH. “I remember when Maura West first arrived at GH. She walked in with this cute little bob (hairdo) and she’s just delicious,” shared Sullivan.
A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE
Kelly revealed more about Maura, adding “I think she’s amazing! I remember right before I left the show, someone suggested, and I would still love to do this with her, if she ever want to, but someone suggested that they wanted to direct the stage play A Streetcar Named Desire with Maura and I, where I would play Stella and she would play Blanche! Wouldn’t that be great?”
Speaking of the Ava/Connie showdown scenes, Sullivan expressed, “On television and on General Hospital specifically, Maura West is able to play a character who does the most horrendous things and you still care about her and that’s the mark of a really great actor. In other words, you’re able to be liked in the midst of the most horrendous things, and as a performer not shying away from that, and to just have the courage to do what’s on the page (in the script).”

Photo: JPI
KELLY SULLIVAN PARTING THOUGHTS AS SHE LEFT GENERAL HOSPITAL
Kelly also shared her sentiments when she walked off the set of General Hospital after her run back in August of 2013. “I really was honored. Every day I would go to work and I would say a little prayer, which is I want to do justice for my character, explained Kelly. “It’s between me and my character. I get to walk this path with her and to leave the show on that note, which is, I left every out there. I just gave it my all and again what an honor it was to play Kate/Connie.”
You can catch the full conversation with Kelly where she talks about her time on General Hospital, The Young and the Restless where she played Sage Warner and now The Bold and the Beautiful below.
So, do you remember the Ava and Connie scenes where Ava shot and killed her? What did you think of Kelly Sullivan’s sentiments about Maura West? Share your thoughts via the comment section. But first, watch the reveal where Ava recalls murdering Connie below!
General Hospital
Steve Burton Reportedly Signs Three-Year Contract with ‘General Hospital’

The question of will Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) stay awhile at General Hospital after his recent extended hiatus from the show earlier this year, has reportedly been answered.
TMZ via court documents obtained in Burton’s ongoing legal battle with his ex-wife Sheree Gustin, shared that Steve actually inked a new three year deal with the ABC soap opera back in June.
That is significant because it was June when Burton returned back to work as Jason. In addition, the court filing confirmed that Burton had already moved back to California from Tennessee.

Photo: ABC
STEVE’S HIATUS AND HIS RETURN TO PORT CHARLES
GH fans will recall, it was back in February of 2026, that Burton announced via his Instagram that he was stepping away from his role of Jason Morgan for short break and pointed to wanting to spend quality time with his new wife, Michelle Lundstrom Burton with whom he tied the knot back on May 17, 2025.
Steve expressed at that time, “I’m newly married and looking forward to spending some quality time with my family.” It was back on March 25 that viewers saw Jason carted away by the WSB after taking the fall for Rocco Falconeri (Finn Carr) who shot then WSB Director Ross Cullum (Andrew Hawkes).
Burton returned to work on June 1, and due to General Hospital taping roughly six weeks ahead of air, made his on-screen comeback on the July 13 episode.
GOING FOR GOLD AT THE UPCOMING DAYTIME EMMYS
Then, Steve and his enduring fans got an extra special treat on the same day, when it was revealed on Extra that he was nominated for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards in the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series category.
Steve previously won in the Supporting Actor category for his work as General Hospital’s Jason in 1998 and as The Young and the Restless’ Dylan McAvoy in 2018.
Now with Jason and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship seemingly hitting the skids, plus Jason’s commitment to staying out of mob life to focus on being present for his son Danny Morgan (Asher Antonyzyn), what does the future hold for the fan favorite character? Stay tuned.
So, happy to hear that Steve Burton signed a new three year deal with General Hospital? Knowing that, what storyline would you like to see Jason get involved and with who? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.
News
Jess Walton Memoir ‘The Young and the Rest of Us’ Set for Release in 2027

The Young and the Restless enduring favorite and two-time Daytime Emmy-winning actress, Jess Walton (Jill Foster Abbott) is set to release her memoir!
Kensington Publishing has revealed on their website that Walton’s book The Young and the Rest of Us is now available for pre-order while listing an April 27, 2027 release date. In addition, in June of 2027, Walton will mark her 40th anniversary with The Young and the Restless and her debut as Jill.
The official log lines for the memoir share, “Emmy Award-winning actress Jess Walton, known to millions as the iconic Jill Abbott on the #1 soap opera The Young and the Restless, shares her extraordinary journey to stardom, sobriety, true love, and self-discovery in this startingly candid, intimate, and star-studded memoir.”

Photo; Kensington Books
CAKE FIGHTS AND CORPORATE INTRIGUE
The book description for The Young and the Rest of Us adds, “In June 1987, Jess Walton walked through the artists’ entrance at CBS for her first day on The Young and the Restless,where she had just been hired to play the recast role of Jill Abbott. Two Emmy awards, four decades, and countless onscreen affairs, marriages, corporate takeovers, and cake fights later, she’s a beloved icon with an astonishing tale to tell.”
“In her refreshingly candid style, Jess shares her journey as a young actress from Toronto theaters to Los Angeles, where she found herself at the center of a Laurel Canyon circle that included the likes of Neil Young, David Geffen, Laura Nyro, and Joni Mitchell. Landing a Universal contract and a steady stream of guest starring roles, Jess embraced everything 1970s L.A. had to offer—including Hollywood parties fueled by limitless booze and drugs, and trysts with stars. She recounts with candor and gratitude the surprising path that eventually led her to sobriety, true love—and ultimately, to fictional Genoa City, Wisconsin, and the role of a lifetime.”
“Brimming with behind-the-scenes drama and celebrity cameos to delight fans, The Young and the Rest of Us is also rich in personal, relatable truths about marriage, motherhood, empty-nesting, self-discovery, and finding the courage to start over—as often as it takes. In a voice as fearless and frank as Jill’s, but with, humor and grace all her own, Jess Walton looks back on a life as unpredictable, and adventure filled as anything she has portrayed on screen.”
WHO ELSE PLAYED JILL FOSER ABBOTT?
Fans of The Young and the Restless know that Walton became the fourth actress to take on the role of Katherine Chancellor’s original nemesis Jill Foster back in 1987. The OG Jill was played by Brenda Dickson, also Deborah Adair, Bond Gideon and Melinda O. Fee played the part.
This year, Days of our Lives star Lauren Koslow (Kate Roberts) filled-in for several episodes for Walton who was unavailable to travel from her home in Oregon to Los Angeles where Y&R was taped. Walton is still with the long-running soap opera as Jill.
So, excited to learn of Jess Walton’s upcoming memoir, ‘The Young and the Rest of Us?’ Will it be it a must-read for you? Drop a comment below.
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