Every Monday, Billboard unveils the top 10 songs on the latest Hot 100 chart. The most recent rankings, for the chart dated September 30, are out now, so let’s run down who had this week’s biggest hits.
10. Dua Lipa — “Dance The Night”
The Barbie movie has come and gone, but Dua Lipa’s soundtrack highlight is sticking around. It previously peaked at No. 6 and is still managing to hang with the rest of the big dogs in the top 10.
Earlier this summer, “Last Night” became the biggest solo song in Hot 100 history in terms of weeks at No. 1, with 16 total. It’s now tied for second all time, behind just Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road.” This week, though, it finds itself at No. 8.
Bryan and Kacey recently had their first No. 1 with their collaboration from Bryan’s new self-titled album, and the song’s still doing quite well as it remains in the top 5.
4. Luke Combs — “Fast Car”
Combs’ rendition of the Tracy Chapman classic is yet another country song that has spent time at No. 1 in 2023, and like Wallen’s hit, it was one of Billboard‘s songs of the summer.
3. SZA — “Snooze”
“Snooze” had a major week: It previously peaked at No. 7, and after ranking at No. 8 last week, it vaulted up to a new high at No. 3 in the latest frame.
2. Doja Cat — “Paint The Town Red”
“Paint The Town Red” was No. 1 a couple weeks ago, but it hangs onto the silver medal at the moment as it rests comfortably at No. 2.
1. Drake — “Slime You Out” Feat. SZA
What a week for SZA: “Snooze” is No. 3, and now she has herself another No. 1 by linking up with Drake on “Slime You Out,” which debuts on top. The song is significant for Drake as his sixth No. 1 of the 2020s, tying him with BTS for the most this decade.
This week’s #Hot100 top 10 (chart dated Sept. 30, 2023)
As part of a stop-gap measure to paper over the lack of new shows thanks to the (hopefully resolved) writers’ strike, Paramount Global got creative and decided to see what would happen if CBS just started airing episodes of Yellowstone on Sunday nights.
To the surprise of no one, the gambit worked pretty darn well. The Kevin Costner-starring Western series has been a ratings juggernaut from the jump, and that held true even as CBS aired a more sanitized version of the show that didn’t feature creator Taylor Sheridan‘s more adult fare.
However, the show’s popularity happened after Paramount signed a streaming deal for the series with the NBC-owned Peacock, which is currently the exclusive streaming home for episodes of Yellowstone. More importantly, Peacock would like brand new Yellowstone viewers to be aware of that fact, so it took out not one, but two premium advertisement spots during the first CBS run of the show.
“Peacock has all episodes of Yellowstone,” the commercial says via graphics that appear over scenes from the program. “Stream every season now.” Peacock has streaming rights to the program, even though it’s produced by CBS parent Paramount Global, which first airs the series on its TV networks. “This is a declaration of war,” says one Yellowstone character at the end of the spot.
While NBC and Paramount are technically rivals, Variety notes that the sneaky move will ultimately benefit Paramount in the end. The more popular Yellowstone becomes, the more valuable the property is when it’s time to negotiate licensing deals.
This Is Footballhost Kevin Clark said at the end of his Week 3 recap episode that we are headed toward “an absolute mania” not felt in the football world since Tim Tebow after Taylor Swift attended the Kansas City Chiefs’ 41-10 drudging of the Chicago Bears on Sunday, September 24. There is already enough evidence to support Clark’s theory.
Either way, this started in July. Swift had brought her The Eras Tour to Arrowhead Stadium on July 7 and 8. During the July 26 episode of the New Heights podcast, co-hosted by Travis and his brother, Eagles All-Pro center Jason Kelce, Travis recounted attending one of the shows.
“I was disappointed that she doesn’t talk before or after the shows because she has to save her voice for the 44 songs that she sings,” he said. “So, I was a little butthurt I didn’t get to hand her one of the bracelets I made for her.”
The two-time Super Bowl champion continued, “If you’re up on Taylor Swift concerts, there are friendship bracelets, and I received a bunch of them being there, but I wanted to give Taylor Swift one with my number on it.”
August slipped away, and come early September, outlets like Entertainment Tonightand The Messengerreported Kelce and Swift were “hanging out” but not officially dating.
On Thursday, September 14, Jason Kelce’s Eagles defeated the Minnesota Vikings, 34-28, on Amazon Prime’s Thursday Night Football. After the game, Tony Gonzalez couldn’t help but ask about Travis and Taylor, a question Jason uncomfortably eluded.
On September 20, Jason Kelce briefly caused an uproar when he was again asked about the rumors while appearing on Philadelphia’s SportsRadio 94 WIP.
“It’s hard to answer because I don’t really know a lot about what’s happening in Travis’ love life, and I try to keep his business his business and stay out of that world,” Jason said. “But having said that, man, I think he’s doing great, and I think it’s all 100 percent true.”
Conveniently, SportsRadio 94 WIP’s social clips cut off before Jason added, “No, I’m joking. I don’t know what’s happening” (as relayed by People).
On September 21, Travis addressed the speculation with ESPN’s Pat McAfee.
“I threw it out there,” he said. “I threw the ball in her court, and you know, I told her, ‘I’ve seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead, you might have to come see me rock the stage at Arrowhead, and see which one’s a little more lit,’ so we’ll see what happens in the near future.”
We GOTTA ask about you and Taylor Swift..
“I told her that I’ve seen her rock a stage in Arrowhead and she might have to come see me rock the stage at Arrowhead..
That was all well and cute, and still vague enough to remain skeptical of any Kelce-Swift (or “Swelce”) rumors. And then, we finally got visual proof. Fox’s broadcast of the Chiefs-Bears game began with a shot of Swift in Kelce’s suite, next to his nationally beloved mother, Donna Kelce.
As the game progressed, cameras cut to Swift often, especially after Kelce caught a touchdown pass from Patrick Mahomes midway through the third quarter to make it 41-0, Chiefs. Swift chest-bumped and joyously yelled, “Let’s f*cking go!” while Donna Kelce golf-clapped — she’s seen hundreds of Travis Kelce touchdowns — and presumably thought to herself, Act like you’ve been here before, Taylor.
The Chiefs pulled their starters after that touchdown, and Kelce wasn’t made available to the media after the game, so we didn’t see Kelce again until Jarrett Payton posted a video of Kelce and Swift walking out of Arrowhead. Blurry photos of Kelce and Swift in his convertible quickly followed.
third attempt at KC Paparazzi I have seen, we are now getting ‘partial face.’ eyes and mouth would be a significant improvement https://t.co/wFxugMYQm0
“Travis bought out the restaurant for his family and team,” an unnamed eyewitness told ET. “Taylor arrived, wearing a denim dress, and was seen snacking, having some cocktails and dancing alongside Travis. The two were very affectionate with one another but kept things fun and lighthearted. Travis’ teammates also showed up to the after-party, as well as his mom and dad, Donna and Ed. The party lasted until 2 a.m.”
With the same ET report, another said clarified, “Travis and Taylor are taking things slowly, and not rushing into anything serious. Both are very career-focused, so the focus is on that for now, but that’s not going to stop them from enjoying life when it’s the right moment.”
In the immediate future, Swift might attend a second-straight Chiefs game next Sunday, October 1, as the Chiefs play the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium on Sunday Night Football. Welcome (back) to New York, Taylor?
It is pretty wild to consider that Millennials are now entering their 40s and no longer hold the mantle of the young and up-and-coming generation. According to Pew Research, Millennials were born between 1981 and 1996, so these days they range between the ages of 29 and 42.
These are the years when people begin to settle down, start families and experience the first uncomfortable signs of aging.
The Holderness Family is headed by a Gen X couple, Kim and Penn Holderness, who are best known for their viral comedy songs. Their latest video is about welcoming Millennials to their next phase in life, one that’s less about spending all night in the club and more about embracing a quieter, more practical life.
In this case, “the club” isn’t a loud place to get a Long Island iced tea but a state of mind where you’re more likely to appreciate a good walk for your mental health.
Holderness Family Music has over 797,000 subscribers on YouTube and over 230 million views since they started their page in 2011. They “create original music, song parodies, and skits to poke fun of ourselves, the world we live in, and (hopefully) make you laugh.”
The “Welcome to the Club, Millennials” video is a bit of a departure from the usual intergenerational bickering we’re accustomed to seeing on social media. Instead, Gen Xers open their doors to the Millennials entering the next phase in their lives. “Well, Gen X is here to say ‘don’t be bummed, come on in, welcome to the club,’” Penn raps.
According to the song, if you’re a Millennial and have done any of the following, you’re officially in “the club,” whether you know it or not:
Hung a calendar on your fridge
Have strong opinions on who’s the best “Jeopardy!” host
Play Wordle
Wore reader glasses
Drink seltzers
Had Gen Z call your clothes “vintage”
Gone Christmas shopping in October
Had a three-day hangover
Gone to a movie theater because it serves food
Took a mental health walks
Bought a chair for your back
Grooved to supermarket music
Own plastic houseplants
Taken supplements
Saved money for a Disney vacation
Have zero f**cks to give
Still love Blink-182
Millennials who are a little leery of aging should be happy to learn that they may be in the happiest times of their lives. According to developmental psychologists, the period of life between ages 30 to 45 is known as “established adulthood” and is a time of life when people are happiest.
Even though people in this age group are stuck in the “career and care crunch,” where they are likely to juggle a job while caring for children or older relatives, this developmental stage is also very fulfilling.
“Yes, people were feeling overwhelmed and talked about having too much to do in too little time,” Clare Mehta, Professor of Psychology at Emmanuel College, wrote in The Conversation. “But they also talked about feeling profoundly satisfied. All of these things that were bringing them stress were also bringing them joy.”
Mike Flanagan devotees are an enthused bunch, so thankfully, The Haunting of Hill House and Midnight Mass showrunner is preparing to launch The Fall Of The House Of Usher on Netflix. The series takes its title and heavy inspiration from an 1839 Edgar Allen Poe short story, but do expect significant differences between the series and the original source material. Mark Hamill will also be doing god knows what while Carla Gugino terrorizes the Usher family, who will be pharmaceutical giants apparently due for a reckoning.
When will see this all go down? October 12.
On that day, plenty of people will watch Gugino as a figure from the Usher past, and siblings Roderick and Madeleine (along with the rest of the fam) are sure to have a terrible time. Given that the family appears to be the Roy family but reflective of another current event, this will likely feel like a parable, but the series aims to retain the soul of Poe’s work, and there’s no coincidence to Flanagan’s work often arriving in conjunction with the spooky season.
The cast also includes Bruce Greenwood, Mary McDonnell, Kate Siegel, Annabeth Gish, Carl Lumbly, Michael Trucco, Paola Nuñez, Henry Thomas, Kyleigh Curran, Samantha Sloyan, Rahul Kohli, Sauriyan Sapkota, Zach Gilford, Willa Fitzgerald, Katie Parker, and Malcolm Goodwin.
The Fall Of The House Of Usher debuts on October 12.
Drake’s new album, For All The Dogs, finally has a release date after months of speculation. Drake pushed the album back ahead of its planned release so he would have more time to finish his tour and the album itself, but also made up for the delay by dropping its single, “Slime You Out.”
With the album just two weeks away from release, fans might be wondering whether he’s planning on putting it on vinyl, as many of his contemporaries have been prone to doing with their own highly anticipated releases. Unfortunately, that seems unlikely, since he says the album isn’t quite done and the lead time needed to manufacture and ship records probably wouldn’t allow for enough time to do so before October 6. Drake’s notorious for finishing up his albums at the last minute, so don’t expect to see For All The Dogs 12″ on sale at Target anytime soon.
The last Drake project to be released on vinyl was Dark Lane Demo Tapes in 2020. Her Loss and Honestly, Nevermind were only released on CDs and those were released nine months and four months, respectively, after the albums hit streaming (CDs for both were released on March 17, 2023). On the bright side, Drake’s dad Dennis Graham says it’s the best music he’s heard from Drake while Lil Yachty promises some controversial topics. We’ve only got two weeks to wait to find out if they’re right; For All The Dogs is due 10/6 on OVO/Republic.
Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.
Since the last update of this weekly R&B column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.
SZA joined Jean Dawson for their new song “No SZNs” while Bakar and Summer Walker linked up on “Hell N Back.” Brent Faiyaz continued his streak of impressive releases with “WYA” and Teyana Taylor and Iman Shumpert confirmed rumors of their separation. Elsewhere, Victoria Monét kicked off her highly-anticipated The Jaguar Tour.
Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:
Alina Baraz — “Don’t Buy Me Roses”
Alina Baraz’s return to R&B continues with her latest single “Don’t Buy Me Roses.” Sprinkled with vocals from Col3trane, the dreamy record reflects on a past lover who brought them more pain than love. “I cared for you more than you’ll ever know / Needed your rain, you wouldn’t let me grow,” she sings on it.
K. Michelle — I’m The Problem
K. Michelle arrives with I’m The Problem for her first project in three years. Through 19 songs, there is just one feature from Memphis rapper Gloss Up. In its totality, I’m The Problem takes listeners on a journey through her complex relationships with moments of introspection, reflection, and accountability.
TA Thomas — Caught Between 2 Worlds
Mississippi singer TA Thomas is one of the best new offerings that R&B has today and his debut EP Caught Between 2 Worlds is proof of that. His rich vocals and red-hot passion toward all corners of his love life flow throughout the project’s 11 tracks. Caught Between 2 Worlds is carried by a blend of R&B sounds and that of the 2000s which will make it a satisfying listen for most fans of the genre.
Elmiene — “Marking My Time”
Next month, British singer Elmiene will release his second EP of the year with Marking My Time. Ahead of its release, Elmiene delivers the EP’s title track which is the latest offering from the project that he describes as “a checkpoint to anchor myself.” He added, “The general theme of this project is trying to mark my time not in terms of history but just for me personally, so I don’t get lost.”
RealestK — “Better”
With his Real World mixtape on the way, Toronto singer RealestK checks in with “Better.” On it, he lays his cards in romance out in front of his love interest and asks them if he can have the opportunity to love them. RealestK’s vulnerability is paired with upbeat production that brings life and hope to his desires.
Breez Kennedy — “Like My Ex”
17-year-old singer Breezy Kennedy is letting off the gas anytime soon. After landing success with “Love Crazy (Blowing Up Your Phone),” and releasing “At Your Worst” to follow it up, Kennedy returns with “Like My Ex.” Riddled with pain following a bad experience with love, Kennedy realizes that his new partner has some of the bad qualities that his ex-girlfriend has.
Genia — “Souvenir”
Genia’s second mixtape 4AM In The Ville is on the way, and before it arrives, she comes through with her new single “Souvenir.” The Victorville, California native comes through blazing with this feisty record that captures the bubbling moments of anticipation as she and her lover prepare for a fiery moment of intimacy.
Langston Bleu — “Luxury”
Atlanta singer Langston Bleu is gearing up to release his next project, Love Is A Luxury and ahead of its arrival, he delivers “Luxury.” The song is driven by production that matches the song’s title as it adds a lavish and classy feel to the record. Bleu’s vocals are also set free on the record as he sings about his willingness to spend on a woman as he knows love is a luxury.
Danny Singh & Abby Jasmine — “Urgency”
Danny Singh began the year by releasing singles ahead of his Sensorama EP, which arrived in March. Following that project’s release, Singh continued to drop off singles with his latest being “Urgency” with Abby Jasmine. Together, they question their partner’s sense of urgency, or lack thereof, towards their relationship that is clearly falling apart.
Storm Ford — “Reneta”
Providence-born and Atlanta-based singer Storm Ford shares her second solo release of the year with “Reneta.” The tender and gentle record is driven by the soft strums of a guitar as Ford’s captivating vocals capture most of your attention as she sings about preserving her love for the right moment and the right person.
Carvena — “Sleep In”
With her upcoming project Covergirl set to arrive at the top of 2024, Mississippi singer Carvena unleashes a silky single with “Sleep In.” Her soft vocals juxtapose the song’s content which speaks of an extremely close and intimate moment with her partner. “I’m showing a new side of me,” she says of the new song. “I’m stepping into my womanhood and being extremely comfortable with it.”
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
The looming end of the writer’s strike means a steadier return to the casting rumors and project announcements that have the power to distract, thrill, annoy… all the emotions, really. Normality is coming back, baby, and it’s making its return felt with news of a reboot of The Office. Not just a reboot, but one being led by the original creator of the US version, Greg Daniels.
Unfortunately, there really isn’t much more to report at this stage. Puck nestled the news in a great article about post-strike Hollywood, making it feel like a sort-of announcement about the announcement, but nothing but restraint could stop us from speculating further. And after months of waiting to dive into this kind of news on a regular basis, we are plum out of restraint. So, let’s take a look at The Office as a whole and contemplate which characters could actually make their way back (we are, obviously, assuming this new show takes place in Scranton and Dunder Mifflin). If nothing else, it’ll kill some time and provide an interesting test case for our powers of prediction when full details emerge.
— We begin with a harsh reality: Michael Scott is not coming through that door. It’s true that Steve Carell reunited with Daniels to co-create the ill-fated Space Force, but despite the professional bond, I just can’t see either of them wanting to, once again, try to better Michael’s perfect original exit from The Office. His appearance in the finale was inevitable, but also enough of a garnish so as to not be distracting. This would be a whole new chapter. Maybe that’s a challenge that would excite the creator and the star, but I just can’t see it.
NBC
— I think we can also dismiss the idea that Jim Halpert will make any kind of return. Like Carell, post-Office life has been good to John Krasinski as he turned into an action guy and continued to focus on his ambitions behind the camera. And as with Michael, I don’t think there’s much more story to tell with Jim. He and Pam went through hell but came out the other side of it. He and Dwight long ago forged a bond, and he got the career of his dreams leaving Dunder Mifflin in the rearview. To see Jim back in Scranton would be kind of tragic after all that growth. You can say that about a lot of characters on the show, which is going to be a challenge for Daniels.
— Pam Beasley is a character I’d actually love to check in on, but you can’t get Pam without Jim, just from a fan standpoint. It would break people’s brains if Pam and Jim had split or if she was in Scranton and he was elsewhere. Season 9 was a lot for a lot of people (I liked it!) and I don’t think Daniels would want to re-experience that kind of blowback at the start of this new incarnation. But Pam, to me, had a story that was a little unsettled. I’d like to know she’s happy and creatively fulfilled. I just don’t know how you do that beyond a guest spot.
— Alright, everything has been very negative so far. Let’s turn things around. Dwight Schrute makes a lot of sense for the assumed idea of this show. First, they already tried to do an Office spin-off with Dwight and the beet farm as the previous show was ending, so we know Rainn Wilson was open to still playing Dwight back then. He’s also made comments as recently as April about playing the character again. So we’re saying he’s in if there’s an opportunity. And there needs to be. This show needs a familiar anchor, but there’s also a lot of comedic potential here. Let’s all ponder Dwight’s brain trying to contemplate the world of remote work, reconfigured rules of workplace decorum, and the flood of online conspiracy theories.
— Andy Bernard. No. Please. Andy was a one-dimensional character that got over-extended to the point that he lost all shape and appeal. Yuppy slime brown noster, the proto-Tom Wambsgans from Succession. And then he became, for lack of a nicer description, Michael Scott without the heart and soul. I don’t see a place for Andy on the show after his dance with viral stardom. He’s a ridiculous character now. If he’s back, it says something about this new version’s sense of itself and its relationship to absurdity.
Alright, that’s the main cast. From here on, we’re gonna bundle.
NBC
— Stanley, Phyliss, Creed, Meredith, Oscar, Kevin, Angela, and Daryl — the legendary supporting ensemble. Some of these characters are likely retired (Stanley, Phyliss), so it might strain reality to see them riding a desk still. But don’t discount the possibility that we might see a couple. My money is on Oscar and Angela. Maybe Kevin, because what else is he going to do?
Angela’s chilly reception for all shenanigans and iron-fisted rule got mined for so many laughs over the years, but Angela Kinsey also played the hell out of the moments when the character’s world was shifting beneath her. The resulting Oscar/Angela friendship was one of the show’s best and most tender pivots. Also, Oscar was one of the show’s few adults in the room, and you need that balance.
I’d love more Creed too, but his hilarious ending makes that harder to pull off. Though, in a way, it’s almost too perfect to see Creed hiding in plain sight under a different name in the same office. Daryl is, like Jim, probably too busy living large to drop into his old job. This is what I mean when I say some characters coming back would feel like failures. Also, Craig Robinson is killing it on Killing It, so he probably doesn’t have the time for anything ongoing.
— The annex crew of Ryan, Kelly, and Toby — BJ Novak and Mindy Kaling have probably outgrown their roles on the show and bringing them back from the events of the finale would feel like a shark jump. The Dwight/Toby relationship was nearly as adversarial as the Michael/Toby one. It would be fun to pick that up again if both return.
— The New Class — Erin, Gabe…sorta Jim? Kinda Dwight? Is that cruel? Jake Lacy and Clark Duke did good things with what they were given, but they never felt like unique characters, just amalgamations of what had worked previously. If anything, I’m hoping their middling reception serves as a lesson to not populate this new show with knock-offs of classic ones. Ellie Kemper’s Erin was unique enough to avoid direct Pam comparisons, but she didn’t seem prime for growth, putting her in the sad category if she returned to Scranton.
We are Zach Woods fans here. Seeing the Silicon Valley alum return as an office pest would be amazing. In a lot of ways, Gabe felt like an Andy clone, only assembled from the worst (best) pieces. Without the narrative ambition to hang the show on him and make him likable, Woods absolutely cooked and would do so again.
So, there we have it. While there are some other recurring characters that could pop in to really make this thing sing — a Robert California sighting! Jan ! David Wallace! — this rumored project will surely rise or fall based on who Daniels chooses from the core cast (if anyone). We can’t wait to see how he and his team rise to the challenge of that task, mixing the old and the new, and avoiding the nostalgia overload trap that has sunk other reboots.
WWE’s main event scene has long been comprised of gigantic professional wrestlers whose size gave them a leg up on the competition. But over the years, some of the more undersized competitors like “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Bret Hart, and Shawn Michaels have all ascended to the top of the company in spite of a smaller stature.
Those sorts of wrestlers served as the blueprint for someone like Carmelo Hayes, the current NXT Champion, to rise into the main event scene. His debut in NXT came with a shot at the Cruiserweight Championship, a logical conclusion for a rising star billed at his size and stature. But 21 days later, he was back in the ring with Adam Cole, someone else considered undersized, but also a former NXT champion in his own right.
Hayes has refused to get boxed into only competing against guys his size. He credits conversations with his coaches to having the proper mindset.
“One time one of my coaches here, he said when you watch Shawn Michaels versus the Undertaker, you’re not looking at big guy, little guy. If you really think back on it, you’re just looking at an icon, Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker,” Hayes tells Uproxx Sports ahead of Saturday’s No Mercy live event. “So, it’s the same energy. I don’t try and carry myself like a cruiserweight. On paper, yeah, I’m a cruiserweight. But in the ring, you’re not going to get that type of energy from me at all. I’m just as big as whoever my opponent is. And that’s kind of the mindset that I walk into every match with.”
Hayes has done just that, carrying himself with the authoritative presence of a bonafide star whenever he’s given an opportunity, whether that comes on the mic, in a backstage segment, or in the ring.
The man he idolizes comes from outside the world of professional wrestling, and knows a thing or two about being the sort of magnetic, larger than life presence that he replicates. Hayes won the NXT title over Bron Breakker at Stand and Deliver, which took place at the Crypto Center in Los Angeles. Despite being a New England guy, Hayes was draped in the unmistakable purple and gold of the Los Angeles Lakers as a way to pay homage to the late Kobe Bryant. Shortly after the match, he posted a side-by-side photo of Bryant’s first NBA title win.
Appreciate the NXT social team for capturing this pic directly after my match Sunday. Sat there for like 15 min reflecting on the journey.
“I think my biggest thing is music, pop culture, and sports because it’s relatable,” Hayes says. “I do these things for the people that are at home and kids or whoever that are looking for that inspiration the same way I’m inspired by others.”
Like Kobe after that first title, Hayes knows he’s barely scraping the surface of what he will go on to achieve.
He credits Michaels, Matt Bloom, Terry Taylor, and Booker T as those who have been instrumental in helping him along the way. Hayes calls himself a student of the game, and uses any opportunity he’s had around Raw or Smackdown superstars to learn and continue to grow. He makes a point to call out working with guys like Baron Corbin, who is back in NXT after experiencing the early days of the promotion before joining the main roster.
Hayes takes pride in being the bridge between the Black and Gold era of NXT and ushering in NXT 2.0 alongside the likes of Breakker, Tiffany Stratton, Roxanne Perez, and others, but admits he’s in what he calls his senior year of the brand. What began in the breakout tournament evolved into his North American Championship reigns, and now, holding onto the NXT title signifies his time in the promotion could wrap up sooner rather than later.
In the meantime, Hayes is cherishing every opportunity to continue developing before he’s thrown to the wolves on the main roster. He’s also learning on the fly how to continue living up to sky-high expectations, whether he’s set them for himself or they’ve naturally come because of his championship reign. That’s relevant in his upcoming sequel showdown with the fiery Ilja Dragunov at next Saturday’s No Mercy.
“I think we try to just give the fans something that they’re going to enjoy,” Hayes says. “Knowing what to expect, I think in that first match, it was a lot of feeling each other out. We’d never been in the ring before, not training or anything, and we had good chemistry at that point. This time there’s a lot more on the line. I think a lot of people were questioning that first win that I had. So I think I have a lot to prove, even as champion.”
Dragunov is a “different type of guy,” Hayes says, and admits he had to shift his style more to his opponent to get past him in their last tilt. This time, Hayes says he’s entering with more confidence that he can get the job done again.
“If you watch that last match, I wasn’t doing really too much high flying,” Hayes says. “I wasn’t doing the kind of stuff that people are known for me doing. So I had to fight. He met his match because I came and I brought the fight to him. I feel a lot more confident than I did the first time around because now I think I know what to expect with Ilja.”
Hayes and Dragunov will face off in the main event of NXT No Mercy on Saturday, September 30 at 8 p.m. ET.
Kelce and Swift were seen leaving Arrowhead together in a video from Jarrett Payton, which was followed by several blurry photos of them in Kelce’s convertible.
third attempt at KC Paparazzi I have seen, we are now getting ‘partial face.’ eyes and mouth would be a significant improvement https://t.co/wFxugMYQm0
According to Entertainment Tonight, Kelce and Swift spent the rest of the night at Prime Social Rooftop in Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza.
“Travis bought out the restaurant for his family and team,” an unnamed eyewitness told ET. “Taylor arrived, wearing a denim dress, and was seen snacking, having some cocktails and dancing alongside Travis. The two were very affectionate with one another but kept things fun and lighthearted. Travis’ teammates also showed up to the after-party, as well as his mom and dad, Donna and Ed. The party lasted until 2 a.m.”
Madeline Hill, a journalist and self-described sports gossip enthusiast, also interviewed Ethan Lestrud for her Impersonal Foul newsletter. Lestrud, who posted a TikTok about the ordeal, confirmed that he was at Prime Social for a friend’s 22nd birthday party. It was a prescheduled reservation, but Prime Social staff informed his party that the last call for food and drink would be 7:45 p.m.
“As we were upstairs, that’s when we found out Taylor was coming from some of the staff,” Lestrud told Hill. “Then, we went to the restaurant downstairs, and that’s when we found out it was Taylor who paid [our bill].”
“I threw it out there,” the two-time Super Bowl champion said. “I threw the ball in her court, and you know, I told her, ‘I’ve seen you rock the stage in Arrowhead, you might have to come see me rock the stage at Arrowhead, and see which one’s a little more lit,’ so we’ll see what happens in the near future.”
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This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
