Mariah May arrives in WWE NXT. Thekla makes her in-ring debut for AEW. WWE to host Money in the Bank this weekend. Former WWE NXT star Jakara Jackson chats with WrestleZone and more!
Mariah May Arrives In WWE NXT, Issues Message
Earlier this week, WWE snagged one of pro wrestling’s most glamorous free agents.
The reveal came on Tuesday’s episode of WWE NXT when Jordynne Grace, Lola Vice, Kelani Jordan, Lainey Reed, and others declared their interest in the NXT Women’s Championship, which is now held by Fatal Influence’s Jacy Jayne. Alongside their championship proclamations came a ringside brawl and the surprise arrival of former AEW star Mariah May. May emerged from the darkness to make her presence and mutual title aspirations known, noting that her peers could “call [her] the next NXT Women’s Champion because the best women’s division in the world just got a lot more glamorous.”
Following her appearance on NXT television, May cut a brief promo backstage claiming it was “about damn time” that “The Glamour” joined NXT. Just days ago, All Elite Wrestling removed May from their official roster page, given that her contract with them had neared its expiration. In AEW, May enjoyed one reign as AEW Women’s Champion as well as victory in the 2024 Women’s Owen Hart Foundation tournament. Her last AEW match came against Toni Storm at Revolution back in March, with the “Timeless” performer defeating her to retain the AEW Women’s title.
SHE'S HERE!!!
— WWE (@WWE) June 4, 2025
THE NXT WOMEN'S DIVISION JUST GOT A LOT MORE GLAMOROUS!!! ?@MariahMayx #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/A6wRE3SHbS
As of now, May’s ring name is WWE is unknown as neither she nor WWE has named her across social media or during her debut outing. Elsewhere on NXT, though, fans saw another new face with a definite name.
Following Jayne’s celebratory remarks in the ring, former Jacksonville State University track and field star Lainey Reid surfaced as the first woman to confront her. According to Reid, Jayne is the most beatable champion of all time, which encouraged Reed to step up to her on NXT.
Reid made her in-ring debut in late 2023, with appearances on NXT Level Up following in 2024. Also in 2024, Reid helped Charlotte Flair prepare for her in-ring comeback at the 2025 Royal Rumble.
RELATED: What Will Mariah May’s WWE NXT Name Be?
Thekla Makes AEW In-Ring Debut
Last week, Thekla arrived in All Elite Wrestling by dropping former AEW Women’s Champion Jamie Hayter. This week on Collision, she did the same to Lady Frost, though in an official match.
The former STARDOM star appeared on the Collision portion of AEW Fyter Fest on Wednesday night in a bout against Lady Frost. Toward the end, Thekla rocked Frost with a forearm strike, then a spear. To finish off AEW’s coolest performer, “The Toxic Spider” cinched in the Death Trap submission, causing Frost to tap out. Still, that didn’t stop Thekla from locking in. another submission on Frost moments after.
Luckily for Frost, a shoe throw from Queen Aminata implored Thekla to release the submission, then turn her attention to the fellow AEW star. In a backstage segment, Aminata then called out Thekla to a match next week.
“Every single time somebody new comes to AEW, yeah, they’re trying to make names for themselves by any means necessary. Why? Well, this is where the best wrestle,” Aminata said.
But Thekla, I am the one and only African queen. You want to know what we do to spiders in Africa? We stomp on them left and right. So I do have an idea. Next week, you versus the Queen, and we’ll find out who’s going to stomp on who.”
After coming to the aid of Lady Frost, Queen Aminata (@amisylle) is ready for a fight, calling out @toxic_thekla for #AEWSummerBlockbuster NEXT WEEK!
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 5, 2025
Watch #AEWFyterFest LIVE on TBS & MAX pic.twitter.com/eD3HHLBUa2
Elsewhere at Fyter Fest, Toni Storm and Mina Shirakawa defeated Skye Blue and Julia Hart with TBS Champion Mercedes Mone looking on.
RELATED: Mercedes Moné Ruins A Steak On AEW Dynamite
WWE Money in the Bank Preview
On June 7, WWE will host its Money in the Bank premium live event from the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. As usual, two briefcases will be suspended above the air for the respective men’s and women’s Money in the Bank’s ladder matches.
On the women’s side comes three new names to WWE’s main roster along with three veterans. Amongst the fresher names comes former NXT Women’s Champion Stephanie Vaquer, who clutched her spot with a win over Liv Morgan and Ivy Nile on WWE Raw. Hours before scaling the ladders at MITB, Vaquer will compete in a tag match alongside Lola Vice at WWE x AAA Worlds Collide in the Kia Forum.. Together, they will take on AAA’s Chik Tormenta and Dalys.
Elsewhere in the 2025 Women’s MITB ladder match are Vaquer’s NXT Women’s Championship predecessors, Giulia and Roxanne Perez. Like Vaquer, Giulia and Perez recently received their official call ups to WWE’s main roster, with Giulia now residing on SmackDown while “The Prodigy” has found a home on WWE Raw.
Rounding out the field of competition is Naomi, Alexa Bliss, and Rhea Ripley. For Naomi and Bliss, this marks their fifth and fourth outings in the specific match. In 2018, Bliss made history as the second ever winner of the women’s iteration before cashing in on WWE Raw Women’s Champion Nia Jax later in the same night. Ripley, on the other hand, enters the Money in the Bank ladder match for the first time.
According to BetOnline, Naomi has the highest betting odds of winning at -280, with Ripley following shortly behind in second with +300.
RELATED: Chelsea Green Reflects On Taking An Epic Table Bump At WWE Money In The Bank
INTERVIEWS
Former WWE NXT star Mara Sadè (aka Jakara Jackson) spoke with WrestleZone’s Ella Jay about fond memories with Lash Legend and Meta-Four, hopes for Lash’s run as a singles star, her mentors in WWE, training with Natalya & TJ Wilson, potential interest in returning to TNA, non-wrestling projects such as modeling and painting, working on her brand new theme song, her full-circle moment at NXT Stand & Deliver in Las Vegas, goals for her free agency, upcoming title match against Masha Slamovich, and more.
WWE Women’s US Champion Zelina Vega talked with Ring the Belle about getting hired by WWE after numerous rejections, her dream of winning a championship, her matches with Asuka, unlikely friendship with Rhea Ripley, and how a Divas title inspired her Royal Rumble gear, what fans always get wrong about her, and more.
Former WWE star Kacy Catanzaro sat down with Chris Van Vliet to discuss her WWE release and what’s next, her rise in popularity after competing on American Ninja Warrior, her first WWE matches against Raquel Rodriguez and Rhea Ripley, her viral Royal Rumble save, getting paired up with Kayden Carter, breaking her nose twice in the ring and more.
WWE Hall of Famer Trish Stratus chatted with Hot 97.5 about the favorite match of her in-ring career, the sensation of performing in front of the WWE Universe, the physical effects of wrestling, her appearance at conventions, and more.
AEW star Deonna Purrazzo appeared on The Lightweights Podcast to discusses friendships in the locker rooms of AEW, TNA and WWE, tag team partnerships, training with her husband Steve Maclin, future of her wrestling career, signing with All Elite Wrestling, dealing with the scoliosis, and more.
Former WWE Divas Champion Kelly Kelly joined Casual Conversations with The Classic to talk abut her decision to leave pro wrestling, returning to WWE, her dream Reality TV Cast, favorite match of her career, her ideal reality television show cast, her experience in Extreme Expose, partying with Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez, and more.
