Meghan Markle's Org Paid Michelle O's Ex-PR Guru $110k ... Gearing Up for Politics???
Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's nonprofit paid a pretty penny to the woman who used to run point on all things PR for Michelle Obama ... and some smell politics in the air.
The revelation surfaced in the Archewell Foundation's 2021 tax disclosure docs -- which appear to have just been posted in March ... and which the media perused over the weekend ... only to see MM and co. shelled out hundreds of thousands in strategic PR consulting.
A little over $215,000 was forked over to a company called Invisible Hand, which specializes in social impact and culture ... offering a wide variety of PR-related services on their menu.
What caught people's eye, however, was the $110k that was paid to a company called KMLSA -- a good old-fashioned PR agency based near San Diego, CA. The top dog at this org is none other than Katie Mccormick-Lelyveld ... who's directly tied to the Obamas.
Indeed ... she was actually Michelle's Press Secretary for a while, officially working for the former First Lady from 2007 to 2011. She's also provided PR work for Hillary Clinton in the past ... not to mention John Kerry -- both of whom are huge political titans obviously.
Her company, KML Strategic Advisors, touts itself this way ... "From the corporate war room to the media battlefield, the corner office to the White House, KML Strategic Advisors are your guides through rarified air." Considering her resume, that's pretty darn accurate.
Now, as for what documented purpose the Archewell Foundation paid these 2 agencies ... their tax disclosure keeps it vague, only citing "Strategic Support for Social Impact PR."
That could be interpreted a million different ways ... but some are digesting it as a potential signal that Meghan herself might be gearing up for public office -- and is hiring the best people in the biz to guide her. Of course, it could also just be related to their Royal drama.
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We know Meg and Harry are knee-deep in their philanthropy work, and the PR consulting could easily be just about that as well. But, by the same token, we also know Meghan is all about causes -- and there's no better place to advocate and fight for those than D.C.
Time will tell, we suppose!
For more royal drama, tune into our podcast Spilling Royal Tea, dropping every Thursday wherever you get your podcasts.
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Tom Holland Take My Hand, MJ ... We're Gettin' Outta Dodge, Er, Mumbai
And just like that, Tom Holland's taking charge ... and also taking Zendaya's hand as they jet out of India following a packed weekend for the couple, who now actually look like one.
The two 'Spider-Man' stars were photographed leaving Mumbai Sunday -- arriving to the airport together and hopping into a waiting vehicle ... which presumably took 'em over to a private runway somewhere. As you can see, TH and Z weren't so shy this time around.
Indeed ... that's Tom and Zendaya holding on to each other as they got in -- where they were also snapped in the same frame, looking happy in the backseat and waving to fans.
Remember, this is a bit of a 180 from how we saw them arrive just a couple days ago ... when they appeared to stagger their airport appearance -- not to mention their red carpet spacing, where Tom and Zendaya opted not to walk it together ... but separately.
Even once inside the actual gala, they seemed to keep their distance -- not really standing next to one another in a variety of group shots they posed in. Of course, other photos of them enjoying themselves behind the scenes also surfaced ... and they looked fine in those.
Now, here they are coming off as much cozier... confirming they're two peas in a pod.
Just a refresher ... Tom and Zendaya have been publicly dating since at least the summer of 2021, if not before that. They were always friends and even hung out a bit pre-relationship ... as they were in all those Marvel movies together and were tight with all their co-stars.
Now, though, they're a little older ... and a bit more in love, it seems. Their romance post-Spidey is going strong -- and after this weekend, it's certainly gone international too.
Good on them!
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Sen. John Fetterman Opens Up About Depression, Hospitalization ... Hearing Now Impaired Too
Sen. John Fetterman is opening up for the first time about his hospitalization for clinical depression -- and one of the major takeaways is ... he now has a hearing deficiency.
The Pennsylvania legislator -- who was just elected to the U.S. Senate this past November in a tight race against Dr. Oz -- talked to CBS on camera a couple days before he was discharged from Walter Reed in D.C. ... where he's been receiving treatment since February.
MORE: Pennsylvania Senator @JohnFetterman shares his struggle with depression, and how it had an impact on his winning his election but also his family. pic.twitter.com/TGIh4nfR8B
— CBS Sunday Morning 🌞 (@CBSSunday) April 2, 2023 @CBSSunday
Fetterman was released from inpatient care on Friday, and now says he's in remission for his depression. Here in this interview, he goes on to explain that he's looking forward to making up for lost time ... especially with his family.
As it turns out, JF actually went into the hospital on his son's 14th birthday -- a memory that brought him to tears ... as he didn't want his kid to remember that moment with this.
Unclear what sparked Fetterman's depression, but it sounds like he'd battled it for years ... even before he ran for the open PA Senate seat. The news report also suggests his stroke from last year -- which has affected his ability to communicate -- might've played a part.
One big revelation ... Fetterman says, at one point, he was indifferent about living or dying.
Another interesting nugget from this sit-down ... the Walter Reed docs have found a serious new hearing deficit in him, although it's not said explicitly if it's permanent or not. In any case, it sounds like Sen. Fetterman will continue using closed captioning devices for the time being -- which he'd already been doing since coming back from his stroke recovery.
Fetterman opens the debate:
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) October 26, 2022 @greg_price11
"Hi. Good night everybody." pic.twitter.com/mg0X3Iwf5D
Fetterman's health and fitness to serve have been the subject of much scrutiny, and that's sure to continue going forward. He's ready to get back to work ASAP, though, regardless.
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Chris Pine 'D&D' Flick Slays 'John Wick 4' ... He's Got the Magic Touch!!!
Chris Pine has the right stuff for movie magic -- his latest flick, 'Dungeons & Dragons,' just swiped the top spot at the box office ... stealing the spotlight from Keanu Reeves.
The actor and his rag-tag team of costars -- Michelle Rodriguez, Justice Smith, Rege-Jean Page, etc. -- cleaned up this weekend in theaters ... where 'Honor Among Thieves' came in first ahead of 'John Wick 4' by quite a bit, a whopping $38.5 mil compared to $28.2 mil.
That's pretty surprising considering the huge momentum KR's action-packed blockbuster had behind it last weekend -- not to mention the rave reviews. Chris, however, had just as much good word of mouth about his fantasy adventure film ... which everyone seems to be loving.
We've seen it ourselves ... and yeah, it's pretty freaking awesome. You don't even have to be a real D&D nerd to enjoy it either -- which is sorta the genius of it ... mass appeal for all.
If you're unfamiliar with what it's about ... 'D&D' follows a rescue-the-kid plot -- with Hugh Grant playing a hilariously snobbish bad guy. Rege is great too ... and the humor throughout is top-notch. CP honestly might be on Ryan Reynolds' level with comedic timing and delivery.
There's also a wildly unexpected cameo that pops up about midway through ... from yet another handsome leading man in Hollywood, for whom no role is too small. Literally.
Chris is on a roll with his projects lately ... dude doesn't seem to be in anything objectively bad, and 'Dungeons & Dragons' is no exception.
Also, 2023 is off to a great start with ticket sales. The last couple months or so have seen huge numbers from movies like "Creed III," "Scream VI," 'John Wick 4' and now ... 'D&D.' Seems like we may be back from the pandemic blues after all -- at least so far, anyway.
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WrestleMania 39 Night 1 Brings Out Celebs ... City of Angels More Like City of Stars!!!
WrestleMania 39 has turned the page on Night 1 ... and for the opening matches, there sure were a lot of famous faces who wanted to see body slams and piledrivers on the big stage.
Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium was packed to the gills Saturday night -- this as the WWE's biggest stars got in the ring and hit the mat for professional wrestling's biggest event of the year. Of course, tons of Angelenos were in attendance for the event ... celebs included.
Here's just a handful of A-listers who came out for the big show ... Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O and the rest of the 'Jackass' boys, Gabriel Iglesias, George Kittle, Indi Hartwell, Becky G, Ryan Garcia, Stephen A. Smith, Kurt Angle, Snoop Dogg, Lil Uzi Vert and more.
Of course, we already know Logan Paul was there (he wrestles for WWE now), as was KSI ... as was Bad Bunny, John Cena and other Hollywood stars.
We've been covering the highlights ... of which there've been many so far -- including upsets, assists and cameos. And yes, there are sure to be even more surprises for Night 2.
WrestleMania has been a staple pitstop for the most notable of personalities for years -- other VIPs who've swung by in the past include Macaulay Culkin, Adam Sandler, Rob Schneider, Mike Tyson, Machine Gun Kelly, Michael Che ... and even Donald Trump (once upon a time).
Gotta love that rasslin'!
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Elon Musk's Twitter Strips NYT of Verified Checkmark Out of Spite/Retaliation???
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Elon Musk has ordered his company, Twitter, to strip the New York Times of their verified checkmark effective immediately -- and it appears he targeted them out of pure spite.
Here's the deal ... the NYT lost its blue/gold checkmark Sunday (we can't even keep up with the colors anymore), which guaranteed verification and authenticated the account as a legit news organization. The timing and reason is no secret ... Elon made the call from the top.
The reason we know that is because EM himself commented on the state of the Times from his personal Twitter account, kinda crapping on them ... literally. He writes, "The real tragedy of @NYTimes is that their propaganda isn’t even interesting."
Elon adds, "Also, their feed is the Twitter equivalent of diarrhea. It’s unreadable. They would have far more real followers if they only posted their top articles. Same applies to all publications." BTW, the Times is the only major legacy news co. to lose its check so far.
Also, their feed is the Twitter equivalent of diarrhea. It’s unreadable.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 2, 2023 @elonmusk
They would have far more real followers if they only posted their top articles.
Same applies to all publications.
Now, as for why the NYT was quite clearly singled out ... well, it seems like Elon was made aware that they publicly said they wouldn't be shelling out to pay for their gold check going forward -- something that all companies will now have to do at a rate of $1,000/month.
They went on record this past week to say ... "We aren't planning to pay the monthly fee for verification of our institutional Twitter accounts." They also said they wouldn't be reimbursing most employees for their own verified accounts either ... except a select few.
"We also will not reimburse reporters for the verification of personal accounts," The NYT spokesperson adds to me, "except in rare instances where verified status would be essential for reporting purposes."
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) March 30, 2023 @oliverdarcy
They were far from the only media companies to say something similar, FWIW -- CNN, WaPo and the LA Times (just to name a few) are planning to do the same thing ... AKA, not pay.
However, in what looks to be since-deleted tweets from Elon ... he was allegedly only notified about the Times' defiant stance, specifically -- and based on these screengrabs from Twitter sleuths, it sounds like he may have taken it personally and pulled the trigger on 'em early.
One alleged tweet of his says he's going to give folks a few weeks to make the shift (to paying either $8/mo or $1,000/mo) but when he learned the NYT already dug their heels in ... he appears to have said, "OH YEAH?!?" Wouldn't you know it -- now NYT is unverified.
The changes are happening fast ... and seemingly arbitrarily too. Buckle in, people!!!
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Stephen Smith Body Exhumed After Info Surfaces in Murdaugh Murder Case
The body of Stephen Smith -- the 19-year-old whose death was called a hit-and-run for years until information in the Alex Murdaugh case changed everyone's tune -- has been exhumed ... TMZ has confirmed.
Smith was found dead on a dark road in Hampton County, South Carolina back in July, 2015. The deputy coroner who did the autopsy ruled the death a hit and run, but that never made sense. Stephen had a gash in his head from either a bullet or some object, but no injuries below the torso -- something that would make no sense in a car accident. There was no debris from the car on the road, and there are other factors clearly pointing to homicide.
Stephen's mom, Sandy Smith, has waged a campaign for years to reclassify the case, and now she has commissioned a private autopsy to determine what really happened to her son. Authorities have already reclassified the case as a homicide.
Buster Murdaugh went to school with Stephen and rumors swirled around town. Buster has denied any involvement and now there are 2 persons of interest -- not part of the Murdaugh family -- who have captured the interest of police -- this according to Fitsnews.
Many twists and turns in this case, including why Randy Murdaugh was so quick to offer help to the Smiths after Stephen's death, even before his body was officially identified.
No word on when autopsy results will be made public.
We covered it all in the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast.
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Logan Paul Suffers Defeat At WrestleMania ... KSI Makes Appearance
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Logan Paul just took a big loss to Seth "Freakin'" Rollins at WrestleMania on Saturday ... and even with the Maverick's former foe, KSI, making a surprise appearance, it wasn't enough for the social media superstar to get the W.
The whole match was entertainment at its finest ... and the crowd and broadcasters were into the madness from the very beginning.
"Logan proved once again he deserved to be in there with one of the promotion's biggest stars ... and even the announcers stated it was surprising Rollins was having a fight with the 'social media star,'" the broadcast said.
Logan seemingly won the match when he appeared to knock Rollins out cold ... but it simply wasn't enough to secure the win. Seth got back up and responded with some fierce shots of his own ... just to have KSI, Paul's former nemesis-turned-business partner, shock the world by revealing himself in a Prime mascot bottle and entering himself in the bout.
A @PrimeHydrate #WrestleMania Moment!
— WWE (@WWE) April 2, 2023 @WWE
Thanks to @WWERollins, @LoganPaul just frog splashed @KSI through a table! pic.twitter.com/Us1Dt7QvQ3
But, it wasn't as it seemed -- as Logan accidentally crushed KSI from the top ropes when he tried to slam Seth Rollins into the announcer's table.
Eventually, Seth got the better of Logan, hitting him with his signature curb stomp finisher -- then pinning him in the middle of the ring ... as 80,000+ fans screamed.
Logan has proven time and again he is way more than that -- and he silenced any remaining doubters with his performance at SoFi Stadium on Saturday ... which also just so happened to be his 28th birthday.
After that performance, we're sure Logan will still have a great day -- despite the L.
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WNBA Star Brittney Griner Greatly Concerned For Russia Detained WSJ Reporter... Calls On Biden To Bring Him Home
Brittney Griner weighed in on Russia's detainment of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, saying she's greatly concerned for his safety and urging President Biden to do everything he can to bring him home.
The Women's National Basketball Association star took to Instagram Saturday night to show her support for Gershkovich, who was taken into custody by Russian authorities last Thursday and accused of spying.
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As you know, Griner was convicted by a Russian court for possessing cannabis oil in 2022, and she spent 10 months in a Russian jail before the Biden administration got her released in a prisoner swap.
Griner and her wife, Cherelle, wrote, “Our hearts are filled with great concern for Evan Gershkovich and his family since Evan's detainment in Russia."They continued, “Every American who is taken is ours to fight for and every American returned is a win for us all."
The couple then called on Biden to use every tool at his disposal to bring Gershkovich home, as well as all Americans who have been wrongfully detained abroad. Gershkovich was the first US journalist to be detained in Russia on an espionage charge since the Cold War.
The Wall Street Journal has denied the spying charge and demanded the immediate release of Gershkovich.
President Biden sent a blunt message Friday to Russia to "Let him go," referring to Gershkovich. Vice President Kamala Harris said she's "deeply concerned" about the arrest amid rising tensions with Moscow over Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
US officials were working to gain access to Gershkovich, but, so far, have not been able to do so.
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'SNL' Trump Unveils New Album for Legal Defense $$$!!!
"Saturday Night Live" had a hysterical cold open ... Donald Trump singing for legal defense money.
James Austin Johnson nailed it as the former prez, beginning with Taylor Swift's "Anti-Hero" and introducing himself.
He started with what seemed like a shocker ... “Well folks, it happened. I got indicted, or as I spell it: indicated. Frankly, it’s time that I come clean, admit that I broke the law and go quietly to prison. April Fools! That was a prank. I was doing a Jim from Office.”
Then he touted his song from the J6 choir, 'Justice for All,' bragging it beat Miley Cyrus on the charts for a nanosecond. So, he says, if that song can raise money for his legal defense, how 'bout an entire album of songs! The album, titled "Now That's What I call My Legal Defense Fund," or "Trump Bopz," is what he hopes is a goldmine.
You gotta watch ... really funny.
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Mama June Helpin' Out Daughter Chickadee ... Mending Relationship After Cancer Diagnosis
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Mama June is putting in the work to help her daughter Anna "Chickadee" Cardwell following her scary cancer diagnosis, TMZ has learned ... stepping up despite not having much of a relationship for several years.
Family sources tell TMZ ... June and Anna were slowly working on building back their relationship about a year ago, but Anna's recent stage 4 adrenal carcinoma diagnosis has rapidly brought the pair even closer.
You'll recall, Anna spoke out in 2021 about cutting ties with June, saying she started to keep her distance when her mom was romantically involved with Mark McDaniel -- someone Anna claims sexually assaulted her when she was a kid.
We're told June immediately knew she had to be there for her daughter after the diagnosis, and feels the past is simply in the past -- she's now doing whatever she can to help, including watching Anna's kids.
Our sources say June's also been going to Anna's appointments with her ... and wants her daughter to know she has a support system.
TMZ broke the story, Anna was initially complaining about stomachaches -- going through a series of tests in January, which is when the cancer was discovered on her liver, kidney, and lung.
She's been undergoing chemo and has already lost some hair in the process -- regardless, she's still fighting hard.
Anna was present for her mom's wedding with Justin Stroud back in February, just a month after her diagnosis ... so it appears their relationship is mending fast.
Sources say it's been an emotional roller coaster for the fam, but they're all maintaining their positivity and hoping for a swift recovery.
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Bad Bunny Helps Rey Mysterio Whoop Son ... At WrestleMania
WWE legend Rey Mysterio had a music superstar help him defeat his own son, Dominik, during WrestleMania 39 on Saturday ... with Bad Bunny playing a pivotal part in his win.
The whole match was set to be a star-studded event from the beginning ... with Snoop Dogg helping Rey make his grand entrance at SoFi Stadium.
When the bell rang, it was a hard-fought matchup between father and son ... but one thing that wasn't on Dominik's side was the superstar artist -- the former WWE 24/7 Champion, who patiently awaited his opportunity to help Rey out.
Rey Mysterio pulled up in a low rider with Snoop Dogg to honor Eddie Guerrero 😭😭 Where the tissues at??? #Wrestlemania pic.twitter.com/Qra84VWi37
— Public Enemies Podcast (@TheEnemiesPE3) April 2, 2023 @TheEnemiesPE3
Ultimately, BB's move helped Rey secure the win over Dom ... which restored order to the Mysterio name.
Either way, he still played a huge role in Rey's win.
Bad Bunny stops Dominik Mysterio from using a chain on Rey.#WWE #WrestleMania #WrestleMania39 #CodyRhodes #RomanReigns pic.twitter.com/CTgFYaG0B6
— Wresumo (@wresumo) April 2, 2023 @wresumo
Bad Bunny is a MASSIVE wrestling fan ... but considering he has Coachella in a few weeks, we take it he was restricted from doing too much inside the ring. WrestleMania 39 has been an event to remember through one night of action ... and we can only imagine what Night 2 will hold.
BTW -- BB will host "Backlash" in Puerto Rico in just a few weeks ... so it's safe to say this ain't the last you've seen of him.
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Madonna Late Brother's Cause Of Death Revealed ... Respiratory Failure, Cancer
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Madonna's oldest brother, Anthony Ciccone, died from several health issues ... including cancer.
According to the death certificate, obtained by TMZ, Anthony died from a combination of respiratory failure and throat cancer.
The specific type is oropharyngeal cancer, which is often caused by smoking ... and the document says tobacco use contributed to Anthony's death.
TMZ broke the story ... Anthony was getting treatment at a Michigan nursing facility when he died in February at age 66, with Madonna footing the bill. Anthony had his feeding/breathing tubes removed two days before he passed, even though he knew doing so would have dire consequences.
Madonna actually shows up on the death certificate ... that was the first name of their mother. The doc also says Anthony has since been cremated.
Remember ... Anthony reportedly suffered from alcoholism, which led to homelessness, and his relationship with his famous younger sister was challenging.
While Anthony went on the record to slam Madonna and the rest of his family, our sources say the fam always had his best interests at heart.
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Chicago Bulls Suite Stripper Business Boomin' After Twerk Sesh
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A stripper's twerkin' sesh at a Chicago Bulls game is bringing her big money ... 'cause after her dance in a suite at the United Center went viral earlier this week -- she tells TMZ Sports business has been boomin'!!!
The stripper, Pretty Rebel, went off in the middle of the Lakers vs. Bulls game on Wednesday ... and when video of her performance hit the internet -- fans couldn't take their eyes off of it.
The footage -- which showed Pretty Rebel in a red two-piece twerking and doing splits on the suite floor -- has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times!!
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Pretty Rebel -- who was actually hired for her friend Jazz's birthday -- said she had a blast at the game ... and since it all went down, her phone has been blowing up!
"I've gotten so many requests for more bookings," Pretty Rebel tells us.
The United Center, meanwhile wasn't too pleased over it all, officials for the venue said her moves violated their fan code of conduct and "appropriate steps to address the matter" have been taken.
But, Pretty Rebel told us she hasn't heard anything from the team or its stadium, as of yet.
Talk about great marketing.
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WrestleMania 39 Shredded Bods Guess Who!
These WWE wrestlers have been putting in the work and ramping up their fitness game, but are YOU well equipped to identify the fighting physiques of WrestleMania 39?!
It's a total Flex Zone here! From gym mirror selfies to post-fight pics ... this year's WrestleMania stars are show ready, and they're ready to put their bods on full display as they've hit the SoFi stadium stage.
And, it ain't just WWE wrestlers in the lineup ... social media personality Logan Paul opted for getting down and dirty this year, and former WWE star John Cena has gotten back into the ring after a two-year hiatus, making this his 6th WrestleMania!
Test your WWE fighting skills by diving into our gallery, and see if you can "takedown" these sweaty shots by guessing the shredded star.
And, once you've made your "clean finish," go ahead and jump into a civilized round of Who'd You Rather with this year's WrestleMania pros!
who'd you rather
John Cena Falls To Austin Theory ... At WrestleMania
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WWE Superstar Austin Theory just shocked the crowd and defeated the legendary John Cena to kick off WrestleMania 39 ... with the United States Champion retaining his belt to beat his childhood idol.
The entire match was insane from start to finish ... with Cena and Theory showing their strengths throughout.
Cena hit Theory with a quick couple of clotheslines in the beginning ... which threw Theory into a tizzy for a bit. Austin quickly regained his composure, and he took over the match for the next several minutes.
It was as back-and-forth as it could get moving forward -- with both Theory and Cena trading insanely hard hits.
Vintage @JohnCena submits #USChampion @_Theory1 at #WrestleMania ... but the referee didn't see it! pic.twitter.com/cszCK5opBv
— WWE (@WWE) April 2, 2023 @WWE
Naturally, with Cena being a WWE icon, Theory was met with boos whenever he gained an edge in the match.
Cena and Theory both had opportunities to end the bout early ... but both were able to escape each pin attempt.
Cena ended up tapping out Theory with an STF ... but the referee did not see it, as he was dealing with his own problems.
Ultimately, Theory took down his hero with his second chance and kept his title in the process.
Of course, the match meant so much for Theory ... who told us earlier this week he idolized Cena growing up ... but made sure to point out he has no intention of being a copycat.
The big takeaway?? Theory is a force to be reckoned with for years to come.