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Hulk Hogan's secret cancer battle, WWE announces icon's return, New title belt launched

Inside: Huge update on Pat McAfee's future

August 01, 2025

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Hulk Hogan, born Terry Bollea, sadly passed away last Thursday in his Clearwater, Florida, home at the age of 71. At that time, it was reported that The Hulkster had suffered a cardiac arrest in his home.

Now, a fresh report by Page Six has shed further light on the cause of Hogan’s death and his secret cancer battle. The report disclosed that the legend passed away from an acute myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack. As per the documents obtained by Page Six, Hogan had a history of atrial fibrillation (AFib), which is a heart condition characterized by an irregular and often rapid heart rate.

The report further mentioned that as per the District Six Medical Examiner’s record, Hulk Hogan also had a history of leukemia CLL, a type of cancer that affects white blood cells called lymphocytes. The outlet noted that there was no prior public knowledge of Hogan ever battling cancer.

The go-home episode of SmackDown before SummerSlam 2025 is just around the corner. It will be a must-watch show, as a 48-year-old icon will make a special appearance ahead of an epic clash.

This year’s SummerSlam will be a two-night extravaganza, and one of the most anticipated matches is the Street Fight between John Cena and Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Title. The Cenation Leader hasn’t been very active on TV for the build-up due to his Hollywood commitments.

In fact, Cena hasn’t been seen since the beatdown at the hands of Rhodes on the July 18 episode of SmackDown. However, that changes this week when The Franchise Player graces the WWE Universe with his presence on the blue brand.

The WWE Universe is in for a treat this weekend when the Stamford-based company brings us a first-ever two-night SummerSlam. But before that, WWE has launched a new belt on the official shop.

Triple H has lined up a WrestleMania-caliber match card for The Biggest Party of the Summer, with as many as 12 bouts taking place across both nights. There’s tremendous hype for the marquee show, with John Cena competing in his final SummerSlam before wrapping up his in-ring career in 2025. Cena vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Title will likely close out SummerSlam this year.

Just days ahead of the premium live event, WWE has launched a new SummerSlam-themed belt on the shop. Wrestling fans can purchase this memorabilia for $599.99.

FROM THE RUMOR MILL

Pat McAfee has been absent from WWE TV for the past few weeks. Now, new details have emerged regarding his future in the company.

While McAfee is well-liked by fans, he takes time off during the college football season to host ESPN College GameDay. He was absent from the Stamford-based promotion but returned to commentary during RAW’s move to Netflix. This upset Corey Graves as he got moved down to NXT, and he even expressed his frustration over this. However, Graves has now returned to doing commentary on RAW, replacing Pat McAfee, who cited burnout as his reason for taking time off.

According to Fightful Select, one source noted that Corey Graves’ versatility is both a blessing and a curse, as he can be placed anywhere and make things work. A higher-up expect him back on commentary on the main roster by spring or summer because of the frequent changes made to the commentary teams.

As for Pat McAfee, it was reported that he is very well-liked within WWE circles. Sources expect the relationship between the two parties to continue, and McAfee is expected to be back again. However, it remains unclear how often he will appear on TV.

📢 SOCIAL SLAM

Sportskeeda Wrestling

Gunther calls John Cena's idea of a farewell tour a classy way of hanging up the boots.

www.facebook.com/648952140612451/posts/1190867346420925

Sportskeeda Wrestling

In just 2 days, it's time for the New Jersey crowd to acknowledge their Tribal Chief! ☝🏼

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Sportskeeda Wrestling

🚨WWE HAS CANCELED ANOTHER SHOW, NO EXPLANATION🚨 Read more at the link in the comments 👇

www.facebook.com/648952140612451/posts/1190703699770623

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John Cena is set to make an appearance on the go-home episode of SmackDown before SummerSlam, and there is a possibility that he could be stripped of his title for breaking a major rule.

SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis could take this bold decision if The Cenation Leader refuses to put his gold on the line at The Biggest Party of the Summer. For those unaware, Cena was not ready to defend his championship at SummerSlam. Cody Rhodes had to force John Cena to sign the contract, making the Street Fight official for the event. Considering this, it’s likely that when Cena appears on SmackDown, he will refuse to defend his title on August 3, 2025.

This will force Aldis to strip the Undisputed WWE Title from The Cenation Leader, as he will be breaking the rule of not fulfilling his responsibility to defend the gold. Even if John Cena raises the point of being forced to sign the contract, Nick Aldis could state that the match was official way before that segment, as only the Street Fight stipulation was added.

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ANALYSIS CORNER

WWE SummerSlam weekend is just about here! The Biggest Party of the Summer will be airing across Saturday, August 2nd, and Sunday, August 3rd. Additionally, the SmackDown before SummerSlam will take place on Friday, August 1st.

All in all, there will be 100,000 fans across three shows and there is a lot excitement. Part of that is because of Roman Reigns. The OTC will be in action on Night One of SummerSlam, where he will team up with Jey Uso to take on Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed.

Beyond match quality and star power, Reigns is also known to be somewhat unpredictable. As a result, he could make some shocking decisions during SummerSlam weekend.

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