Ed Fuller

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Superstar Rajinikanth is currently filming for his upcoming project, Dharman, produced by Kamal Haasan under the Raaj Kamal Films International (RKFI) banner. Directed by Ashwath Marimuthu, the movie has transitioned into its second shooting schedule in Chennai. The collaboration has generated interest due to the combination of a veteran lead and a relatively new director known for his work on Oh My Kadavule. As filming progresses, more details regarding the ensemble cast and the film's core premise have begun to emerge. The most significant development according to recent industry reports is the casting of Telugu star Ram Pothineni in a pivotal role. In a move that is being seen as a masterstroke for the film's pan-Indian appeal, Ram Pothineni is reportedly set to play the antagonist against Rajinikanth. The dynamic between the two is said to be a intense father-in-law versus son-in-law conflict. Ram, often referred to as the Energetic Star in the Telugu industry, will reportedly portray a character dubbed as the Deadly Doctor. This role marks a significant departure for the actor and suggests a medical thriller angle woven into what is otherwise described as a pakka family entertainer. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The supporting cast adds further weight to the production. Veteran actress Simran is rumored to be playing the mother-in-law, reuniting with Rajinikanth after their successful pairing in Petta. Additionally, Raashii Khanna has joined the ensemble, reportedly playing the role of the daughter in the film. This combination of established veterans and popular young stars indicates that the makers are aiming for a broad demographic. By casting a prominent face like Ram Pothineni, the production team is also ensuring that the film finds a massive footing in the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana markets, where Rajinikanth already enjoys a legendary status. Technically, Dharman is shaping up to be a high-profile venture. The film features music by Anirudh Ravichander, who has become a staple for Rajinikanth's recent blockbusters, providing high-energy background scores that define the superstar's modern screen presence. The action sequences are being handled by the renowned duo Anbariv, known for their gritty and impactful choreography in films like KGF and Vikram. The second schedule, which is currently underway in Chennai, is expected to involve major portions featuring the lead cast, as the director looks to balance the emotional family beats with the high-stakes thriller elements of the script. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) While the project is still in its production phase, the level of detail regarding the character arcs has already set a high benchmark for expectations. The collaboration between Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan's production house is being treated as a historic event in the industry. As more official updates regarding the teaser and release date are awaited, the current focus remains on the intriguing face-off between the veteran superstar and the young Telugu powerhouse. Dharman is clearly positioning itself to be more than just a typical commercial film, aiming instead to be a well-crafted genre-blender that could dominate the box office across multiple languages.

BY SUNIT JANGIR

Hyderabad, August 19 - Sankranthi 2027 is shaping up to be one of the most competitive festive seasons for South Indian cinema, particularly Telugu cinema. With several big-ticket projects targeting January 2027, the festival window is already packed with action spectacles, family entertainers and star-driven commercial films. While some dates are officially locked, a few major projects are still targeting only the Sankranthi period and could shift as production progresses. The festivities will begin with Maha Kali, which is scheduled to arrive on January 8, 2027. The film is part of director Prasanth Varma's Cinematic Universe (PVCU) and is directed by Puja Aparna Kolluru. Sambarala Yeti Gattu will follow it on January 12. The Sai Durgha Tej-starrer is being mounted as a major pan-Indian action spectacle and will release worldwide in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada and Malayalam. The film is produced by PrimeShow Entertainment. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The next confirmed major release is George Krish, starring Sharwanand and directed by Sreenu Vaitla. The commercial entertainer is backed by AK Entertainments and is locked for January 14, 2027. Sharwanand has previously enjoyed success during the Sankranthi season, making this another interesting festival outing for the actor. The three films currently give the early Sankranthi calendar releases on January 8, January 12 and January 14, respectively. Among the biggest projects associated with the festival is Venky Anil 5, which reunites Venkatesh and director Anil Ravipudi. The film also features Nandamuri Kalyan Ram and is being produced by Shine Screens, with the makers announcing a Sankranthi 2027 theatrical release. The combination of Venkatesh and Anil Ravipudi is particularly significant after the success of F2, F3 and Sankranthiki Vasthunam. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Megastar Chiranjeevi's Mega 158 is arguably the biggest addition to the festival race. The film is directed by Bobby, who previously delivered Waltair Veerayya with the megastar. The makers are reportedly preparing a major update around August 22, Chiranjeevi's birthday, and the Sankranthi release is now firmly being targeted. The date, however, is yet to be locked. The crowded lineup could become even bigger. Balakrishna's NBK 111 remains a potential Sankranthi entrant after production delays, while Prabhas' Fauzi could theoretically enter the race if its currently planned December 2026 release is postponed. However, both remain less certain than the films with confirmed or strongly reported festival plans. Nagarjun's 100th film, tentatively called King 100, is also targeting the same festive window, but official confirmation is yet to be made.

BY SACNILK TEAM

Educationist, philanthropist, actor, and producer Mrs Geetha Priya, whose work is driven by a lifelong commitment to social transformation championing the cause of women and the underprivileged, has produced and sung her maiden Hindi track 'Bahu Ko Kyun', released on Crescendo Music. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The track showcases a realistic and thought-provoking portrayal of the dynamics in many Indian households where mothers-in-law often dominate the lives of their sons and daughters-in-law. Through a compelling visual narrative that moves between rural and urban settings, the music video throws light on the emotional struggles that thousands of women go through. The narrative especially focuses on women who aspire to build their own careers, nurture their talents, and pursue personal growth, yet continue to face resistance within the family structure. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The track has been penned by Alok Ranjan Jha, while Santosh R Nair has been credited with composing it. Directed by Eliezer Sircar, Bahuon Ko kyun tells a story that will resonate with millions of women, making it one of the most socially relevant tracks to come out in recent times. Speaking about the track, Mrs Geetha Priya, Vice Chairperson and Co-Founder of the Krupanidhi Group of Institutions and the Amara Films banner, says, "The track 'Bahuon ko kyun' is a mirror that shows practices that are prevalent in today’s society across rural and urban India. It stems from cases I have personally witnessed, and it's always about a woman’s right to hold on to her individuality. I wanted the song to spark introspection within families and encourage empathy, respect and partnership in every home." (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({})

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Ravi Teja's upcoming release, Irumudi, is carrying significant anticipation as it marks the actor's first solo-led film since the 2022 success of Dhamaka. It has been nearly three years since his last major theatrical hit, making this project a key release for the actor. The gap in commercial success over the last few years has led to a focused interest in how this new collaboration with director Shiva Nirvana will perform at the box office. The film's marketing has gained significant traction through its music, especially after the initial trailer received a lukewarm response from the audience. While the trailer failed to generate major excitement, the song Mallepoola Pallaki has helped build the buzz that the film lacked earlier. Composed by G.V. Prakash Kumar, the track accumulated over 9 million views within 24 hours and is currently trending at number one on YouTube. This positive reception to the music suggests that the film’s melodic elements are connecting with the audience more effectively than the earlier promotional footage. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) The updated ticket sales data highlights a strong trajectory in the international market, with Irumudi significantly outperforming Ravi Teja's traditional overseas benchmarks. According to latest reports from distributor Prathyangira Cinemas, pre-sales in North America have now surged past the 150,000 dollar mark. This performance is particularly striking when compared to his recent solo ventures; the film has already tripled the final advance sales of projects like BMW and Mr Bachchan, which stood at approximately 45,000 and 44,000 dollars respectively. Even Eagle, which finished its advance run at 41,000 dollars, and the more recent MassJathara at 29,000 dollars, have been left far behind by this current momentum. With the premiere set for August 20 across more than 112 Cinemark locations, Irumudi is on track to deliver one of the most successful North American openings of the actor's career. The reason for this surge in interest seems to be the film’s unique premise. Irumudi marks the very first collaboration between Ravi Teja and director Shiva Nirvana, who is known for his emotional storytelling. Moving away from his regular loud comedy, Ravi Teja plays an intense role as an alcohol-addicted auto driver with a violent past. The story centers on his attempt to change his life for the sake of his young daughter, played by Baby Nakshathra. The plot involves him taking the spiritual Ayyappa Deeksha vow solely to fulfill a heartfelt promise made to her. This shift into a serious emotional drama is drawing in a much wider family audience, especially those who appreciate the father-daughter bond and the spiritual themes. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) Exhibitors across the Telugu states are also reporting an immense surge in offline booking queries, with single screens and multiplexes bracing for packed opening-day crowds. The brand power of Mythri Movie Makers, combined with the presence of Priya Bhavani Shankar as the female lead, has ensured that the film gets a wide and prestigious release. Trade experts believe that the spiritual Ayyappa theme will hold massive appeal in smaller towns and rural areas, where family audiences often turn up in large numbers for films with a religious or emotional core.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Yash's Toxic has officially crossed the 120,000 dollar mark in USA advance bookings, with seven days still to go before its premiere. According to the latest data from Venky Box Office, the film has grossed 121,258 dollars across 204 locations and 589 shows. So far, over 5,550 tickets have been sold in the North American market, with the film currently adding about 10,000 dollars in sales every day. A look at the state-wise breakdown reveals that Texas is leading the charge by a substantial margin, accounting for nearly 47,000 dollars from approximately 1,984 tickets sold across 157 shows. California follows as the second strongest market with 19,244 dollars from 888 tickets. Other regions such as Georgia, Washington, and New Jersey are also showing steady movement, with each contributing over 4,000 dollars to the total. In terms of theater chains, Cinemark is currently dominating the advance bookings, representing 98,128 dollars of the overall gross. The top-performing venue so far is the Cinemark Pflugerville 20 and XD in Texas, which alone has recorded over 9,000 dollars in sales. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) A closer look at the language breakdown in the US shows an interesting trend. The Telugu version is currently doing the heavy lifting with 66,896 dollars in gross from 3,052 tickets. The Kannada version is following closely with 54,363 dollars from 2,498 tickets. This indicates that Yash has managed to maintain the broad audience base he built with the KGF franchise. Outside of North America, the film is also receiving a positive response in Australia and New Zealand, suggesting a strong interest across different international markets as Yash looks to move from a Pan-India star to a global one. Back in India, the strategy for the release is becoming clear, specifically in Andhra Pradesh. Reports suggest that the team is going for a significant ticket price hike. The 6 AM special shows are expected to have a flat price between 500 and 600 rupees. For the regular shows during the first five days, a hike of 50 to 100 rupees is reportedly planned. While the international bookings are already live, the nationwide advance bookings in India are reportedly scheduled to open on August 21, 2026, giving fans a five-day window before the official release on August 26. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) There is a lot of industry talk regarding a potential record for Yash with this release. If Toxic manages to open above 100 crore worldwide, Yash will be on his way to completing a rare hat-trick of 100 crore plus worldwide openers, especially with Ramayana following in his lineup. Currently, Prabhas is the only actor in Indian cinema to have achieved a hat-trick of 100 crore openers. Prabhas actually stands alone with a total of six such openers, including his recent streak with Adipurush, Salaar, Kalki 2898 AD, and The Raja Saab.

BY CHRISTA LINCY

Tom Holland is set to receive one of the largest paydays in superhero movie history for his work in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. Reports indicate that the actor will earn over 100 million dollars from this single project. This massive figure is broken down into a 20 million dollar base salary, with the remainder coming from lucrative box office bonuses. These performance-based incentives were triggered after the film officially crossed the 2 billion dollar mark at the global box office, solidifying its place as a massive commercial success. The domestic performance in the United States has been equally record-breaking. The film is expected to become the fastest in history to cross the 800 million dollar mark in the US today. This comes after a very strong third Monday where it grossed 7.5 million dollars. To put that into perspective, it outperformed the third Monday totals of Avengers: Endgame, which earned 4.7 million, and Deadpool & Wolverine, which brought in 5.9 million. This puts the film in elite company, ranking as the third biggest third Monday ever for a July release, trailing only behind The Odyssey and Barbie. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}) After just 18 days in theaters, the movie has reached a domestic total of 794 million dollars. This currently puts it nearly 66 million dollars ahead of where Avengers: Endgame was at the same point in its run. By Thursday, it is expected to surpass Spider-Man: No Way Home as the highest-grossing Spider-Man film in the US market. If it continues at this pace, it will also become the third highest-grossing film of all time in the United States, overtaking several long-standing records. The long-term projections for the film are even more ambitious. Trade analysts are eyeing a final domestic run between 910 million and 960 million dollars. If the movie reaches the higher end of that range, it would become only the second film in history to cross the 900 million dollar domestic mark. More importantly, it gives the film a realistic chance of challenging the eleven-year-old record held by Star Wars: The Force Awakens as the highest-grossing film of all time in the US. With such strong momentum, the film is rewriting the record books for the Spider-Man franchise.

BY JITU JANGIR

Jacy Jayne has reached another milestone in her WWE career after defeating Giulia to win the WWE Women’s United States Championship. Now that she has had time to take in her victory, Jane has spoken about becoming a main roster champion, her years in NXT, and what she wants to do with the title. During an interview with Not Sam Wrestling, Jane discussed her championship victory and explained why finally becoming a singles champion on WWE's main roster means so much to her. She also talked about the wrestlers she wants to face and her desire to help bring more attention to women's wrestling. Jane said winning the title feels right after spending so much of her career working toward opportunities as a singles wrestler. Before winning the Women's United States Championship, Jane had already held the NXT Women's Championship. However, she explained that she had spent a long time waiting for the chance to compete for singles gold after being part of a tag team for much of her early WWE run. Speaking about having the championship around her waist, Jane said: “Yeah, I feel great. You know, it felt kind of weird not having a title around my waist. I feel like I'm right back where I need to be and my first main roster title and I'm ready to kick ass.” Jane also reflected on the period when she was waiting for her chance as a singles wrestler. According to the WWE star, she had been waiting for the opportunity for a long time and felt ready when it finally came. She explained: “Honestly, I felt like I waited so long for that opportunity to just have a title match to be a singles competitor because I was always in a tag team. So, I waited so long for that moment and when it finally came, I was ready and there was no looking back. I was like, ‘This is what, you know, I should have been doing this whole time.’ So, now I just want to rub it in everyone's face and I just keep trying to set the bar higher and higher. There's no going back. There's only forward.” Jane spent around five years in NXT before arriving on the main roster. While she admitted that she sometimes became frustrated while waiting for her call-up, she now believes the extra time helped her prepare for WWE's two-hour weekly shows. She also thanked Shawn Michaels for keeping her in NXT and helping her develop as a performer. “If I had come up two years ago or whatever the case was, like there's no way I would be in this kind of position. I wouldn't have been ready, you know? I probably would have sunk. So, thank you, Shawn Michaels, for keeping me around and helping me get better even when I was annoying about it.” Now holding the Women's United States Championship, Jane has already discussed the type of matches she wants during her reign. She said there are several women on the WWE roster whom she has not yet wrestled and mentioned Tiffany Stratton as someone with whom she believes she has good chemistry. Jane said: “There's nothing more that I love than having like a five-star classic match. You know, I would love to get—there's so many girls on the roster that I haven't been able to work yet that I think I would have great chemistry with. I thought me and Tiffany had great chemistry. Tiffany is tough as hell. So props to Tiffany.” Jane's approach to her championship reign also fits with the character she has built throughout her WWE career. She said she enjoys being booed and does not want to change her personality simply because she is now a champion. “I don't want to be cheered. I want you to hate me. I want you to try to attack me in the parking lot. I want old school. That's the kind of heat I want.” With her first main roster championship now secured, Jane wants to defend the Women's United States Championship, face new opponents and keep giving WWE fans reasons to boo her. For JC Jane, the win over Giulia is only the beginning of her run with WWE's Women's United States Championship.

BY JITU JANGIR

JC Jane has reached another milestone in her WWE career after defeating Giulia to win the WWE Women’s United States Championship. Now that she has had time to take in her victory, Jane has spoken about becoming a main roster champion, her years in NXT, and what she wants to do with the title. During an interview with Not Sam Wrestling, Jane discussed her championship victory and explained why finally becoming a singles champion on WWE's main roster means so much to her. She also talked about the wrestlers she wants to face and her desire to help bring more attention to women's wrestling. Jane said winning the title feels right after spending so much of her career working toward opportunities as a singles wrestler. Before winning the Women's United States Championship, Jane had already held the NXT Women's Championship. However, she explained that she had spent a long time waiting for the chance to compete for singles gold after being part of a tag team for much of her early WWE run. Speaking about having the championship around her waist, Jane said: “Yeah, I feel great. You know, it felt kind of weird not having a title around my waist. I feel like I'm right back where I need to be and my first main roster title and I'm ready to kick ass.” Jane also reflected on the period when she was waiting for her chance as a singles wrestler. According to the WWE star, she had been waiting for the opportunity for a long time and felt ready when it finally came. She explained: “Honestly, I felt like I waited so long for that opportunity to just have a title match to be a singles competitor because I was always in a tag team. So, I waited so long for that moment and when it finally came, I was ready and there was no looking back. I was like, ‘This is what, you know, I should have been doing this whole time.’ So, now I just want to rub it in everyone's face and I just keep trying to set the bar higher and higher. There's no going back. There's only forward.” Jane spent around five years in NXT before arriving on the main roster. While she admitted that she sometimes became frustrated while waiting for her call-up, she now believes the extra time helped her prepare for WWE's two-hour weekly shows. She also thanked Shawn Michaels for keeping her in NXT and helping her develop as a performer. “If I had come up two years ago or whatever the case was, like there's no way I would be in this kind of position. I wouldn't have been ready, you know? I probably would have sunk. So, thank you, Shawn Michaels, for keeping me around and helping me get better even when I was annoying about it.” Now holding the Women's United States Championship, Jane has already discussed the type of matches she wants during her reign. She said there are several women on the WWE roster whom she has not yet wrestled and mentioned Tiffany Stratton as someone with whom she believes she has good chemistry. Jane said: “There's nothing more that I love than having like a five-star classic match. You know, I would love to get—there's so many girls on the roster that I haven't been able to work yet that I think I would have great chemistry with. I thought me and Tiffany had great chemistry. Tiffany is tough as hell. So props to Tiffany.” Jane's approach to her championship reign also fits with the character she has built throughout her WWE career. She said she enjoys being booed and does not want to change her personality simply because she is now a champion. “I don't want to be cheered. I want you to hate me. I want you to try to attack me in the parking lot. I want old school. That's the kind of heat I want.” With her first main roster championship now secured, Jane wants to defend the Women's United States Championship, face new opponents and keep giving WWE fans reasons to boo her. For JC Jane, the win over Giulia is only the beginning of her run with WWE's Women's United States Championship.

BY JITU JANGIR

Je'Von Evans has opened up about the botched finish during his NXT match with Randy Orton, revealing how the WWE legend responded when the planned sequence went wrong. Evans explained what happened during the cutter exchange, why the moment bothered him so much that he avoided watching the match for months, and how Orton's reaction afterward turned a frustrating moment into an experience he will always remember. Evans and Orton faced each other on NXT, allowing the young WWE star to share the ring with one of the most popular performers in the company. Evans already had an idea that the match was coming before WWE officially revealed it, but the biggest moment of the bout came when the two attempted a special cutter sequence. The idea was for Evans to hit his OG Cutter on Orton, who is famously known for the RKO. The two discussed the concept before the match, but they never actually rehearsed the sequence together. That became a problem when they attempted it during the match. Evans explained that the move required precise positioning and timing, with Orton expected to catch him as he spun through the sequence. However, the two did not execute it as planned, leaving Evans extremely frustrated with himself. During a recent interview Insight with Chris Van Vliet, Evans explained that the sequence was essentially something they came up with on the day of the match rather than something they had practiced repeatedly beforehand. “No. No, we didn't. It was literally just us saying, ‘Oh, this is going to be a cool idea. Let's do it.’ And then Randy's like, ‘I think we can do it.’ He was like, ‘You do like the spinny thing and then...’ And I'm thinking that you just like spin out and catch me. I was like, ‘Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.’ But I think just position-wise, we didn't try it before the show. It was just kind of like a thing we had an idea about.” The botched sequence clearly stayed with Evans after the match. He admitted that he was so unhappy with how it went that he avoided watching the match again for several months. However, with time, Evans began looking at the incident differently. Instead of viewing it simply as a mistake, he realized that the imperfect finish created a genuine moment between him and Orton. “It took me a while to watch that match because of that. I didn't watch that match for months, you know. But also it's cool to look at it and be like, ‘That was just a real moment.’ You know? Like everything in wrestling is not pretty. We're still fighting at the end of the day. And I just love, like, now I can look back at the moment kind of like this. I was still like, ‘Okay,’ you know? But I can look back at it and say, ‘Dang, like I learned from that moment.’ And then even if we hit that smoothly, we probably wouldn't have got the Randy Orton moment saying, ‘Hey, bro, you're the man.’” That reaction from Orton became the part of the match Evans remembered most. After the sequence went wrong, Evans apologized to Orton. Rather than getting upset with the young star, Orton immediately reassured him and gave him an endorsement that Evans clearly did not expect. “He was like, ‘Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey. Don't worry, bro. You're the f***ing man.’ He raised my hand, bro. Of course I was still pissed, but my hand—I'm like, ‘All right, bro. Randy just said I'm the man, bro.’” Evans has since explained why he refers to Orton as “Uncle Randy.” According to the young star, Orton taught him a great deal during their time together, and the two immediately connected. Evans also recalled a funny moment before the match when he and Terry Taylor were trying to find Orton backstage. Orton had recently returned and was wearing a hoodie, but Evans said the veteran's changed physique made him difficult to recognize at first. Once they finally met, Evans said the interaction felt natural and that he was able to learn from Orton both before and after the match. “It was just like a connection, and I feel like even just being able to learn from him was such an insane moment, bro. Like, I will always remember just being in a room with him and just communicating and talking with him about the match and just like about, or even before the match and after the match. Like, I met his family after the match. Like, it was cool, bro. It was insane.”

BY JITU JANGIR

Je'Von Evans has made it clear that his goals in WWE go far beyond simply becoming a champion. The young star wants to establish himself as one of the greatest wrestlers the company has ever seen, and when discussing the wrestlers he studies, Evans pointed to Roman Reigns as someone who has already left a lasting mark on WWE. During his recent interview, Evans was asked who he considers the greatest wrestler of all time. While he named Shawn Michaels as his personal choice, he also praised Reigns when discussing the current generation and explained why he has so much respect for the former Undisputed WWE Champion. Evans credited Reigns with helping change WWE during a period when the company was dealing with declining viewership and revenue. He believes Reigns' return and transformation into his Tribal Chief character changed the way WWE presented its top star. “Roman, bro, he came back into the game and, bro, he carried WWE for like, I would even say four or five years. Like, he's doing his thing.” Evans then explained that Reigns did more than simply become a successful champion. In his view, the former world champion changed the overall feel of WWE and developed a presence that could connect with different generations of fans. “He changed the game. He changed the swagger, bro, of WWE. He changed everything.” Evans also compared Reigns' ability to draw reactions to that of John Cena, pointing out that both stars can step away from WWE and still return to major reactions from the audience. “No matter what, bro, like kind of like Cena, for real. Like no matter what, bro, he can take a break, come back and still get that big reaction.” The comments about Reigns also connect to Evans' goal of becoming the greatest WWE wrestler of all time. The 22-year-old has repeatedly spoken about wanting to build a career that places him among the biggest names in company history. Evans revealed that he is studying Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes and Triple H as he prepares for the future. He particularly admires the way Reigns understands WWE's changing audience and believes that Reigns has found a way to appeal to both longtime wrestling fans and newer viewers. “Roman for sure because he's so, like I said, he changed the game. So he kind of understands that this is not like a old fan base anymore... he knows how to kind of get the new fans and the old fans.” For Evans, Roman Reigns represents more than a potential future opponent. He is someone the young WWE star believes he can learn from as he works toward reaching the level of success he has set for himself.

BY JITU JANGIR

Zilla Fatu has opened up about his WWE debut, revealing what was going through his mind moments before he entered the ring for the first time on NXT. The young wrestler also spoke about feeling the presence of his late father, Umaga, during the emotional moment. Fatu made his WWE NXT debut on the August 11 episode of NXT, arriving alongside Tama Tonga and JC Mateo to confront Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu. The appearance marked Fatu's first WWE television appearance and brought him into a story involving several members of the Anoa'i family. Fatu's first WWE appearance came after he had spent years developing his wrestling career outside the company. He trained under Booker T at Reality of Wrestling and built a following before eventually earning his opportunity with WWE. Speaking on The Hall of Fame with Booker T and Brad Gilmore, Fatu explained what was happening inside his head immediately before he walked out for his NXT debut. He said he already knew what he had been asked to do and focused on executing the plan while still bringing his own personality to the performance. “Whenever I pulled up, I already knew what time it was. Long as they called the play, I ran it. I did exactly what was told and I put my flavor on it. I put my flavor on it and we did it like that and we had fun. And right before I went out, I just said a quick prayer to myself, and I knew my dad was there because I felt him. I felt him.” The reference to his father made the moment especially personal for Fatu. Umaga passed away in 2009, but his influence remains a part of Fatu's wrestling journey. Before entering the ring at NXT, Fatu said he felt his father's presence and carried that feeling with him during his first WWE appearance. Fatu also remembered looking toward Booker T before he made his entrance. Seeing his mentor watching him provided reassurance that everything was going according to plan. “Right before I went out, man, it was just—it happened. I don’t even know how to express it. Like the slide and everything I did, and then right before I slid in, I looked at Book. I seen him like, ‘Okay, yep. As long as he’s looking, we good.’” Fatu later described the debut as a memory he would never forget and said he is ready for the next chapter of his career. “It was a memory I never forget, and I’m just ready to start this new journey. And like I said, man, you guys better buckle up, man. It’s going to be a long ride.”

BY JITU JANGIR

Booker T has weighed in on the controversy surrounding Avery Styles, arguing that the young wrestler should not have been criticized for refusing to help set up a wrestling ring before a match. The WWE Hall of Famer discussed the situation on The Hall of Fame podcast after Avery became involved in an online dispute with a promoter over his alleged refusal to help with chairs and other event setup. Avery Styles, 19, wrestled Marcus Mathers at a GCW event in Minneapolis on August 1. The situation later spilled onto social media after promoter Arik Cannon criticised Styles for allegedly not helping with the show's setup. Booker T said the entire situation made little sense to him, especially because Styles was being brought in as talent rather than as a student. “I got a wrestling promotion. I hire talent to come in every month. Even talent that live in Houston, and they don't set up a damn thing. Now, we got a crew. We got students that's coming up, that's trying to make their way in the business, and perhaps they were one of those students once upon a time that did that. But if they're talent on the show, they're well past that.” Booker then explained how he handles outside talent at Reality of Wrestling. “If I'm hiring out someone from another state and they're coming in, they're flying in or they're driving in or whatever, they're just coming in for the show. They're not coming in to set the ring up and take it down. That's ridiculous.” For Booker, there is a clear difference between a wrestling student learning the business and a wrestler who has already been booked to perform on a show. He went even further when discussing what he expects from wrestlers appearing at Reality of Wrestling. “As far as somebody coming to Reality of Wrestling, I would not be expecting them to show up to set the chairs up or take them down or bust a ring or any of that. And it's never been that way at Reality of Wrestling.” Booker also questioned why the dispute became a public issue in the first place. In his view, disagreements over backstage responsibilities should not have turned into an online controversy. “I don't want to, you know, bash anybody's company or anything like that, but for this to be a story out there, somebody's ass should be fired. That's the way I look at it.” The two-time WWE Hall of Famer acknowledged that some parts of the wrestling business have traditionally viewed helping with setup as a way of “paying dues.” However, he does not believe that should automatically apply to booked talent.