WWE SmackDown will air live tonight on FOX from the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado.
- Grayson Waller Effect with John Cena
- LA Knight vs The Miz
Category: WWE
Update on Jade Cargill’s Potential WWE Future
As previously reported, former AEW TBS Champion Jade Cargill is expected to be joining WWE.
Dave Meltzer provided more details in the latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, reporting that Cargill and AEW didn’t come to terms on a new deal.
Meltzer wrote,
“Those in WWE believed she was coming and that it would be on the main roster rather than developmental, but I could see that going either way. Another person in WWE described it to us as that her name was being talked about a lot, but the deal was not completed at press time. The money it would take to get her would have been far more than they pay those in developmental, but while she has a star look and is a great athlete, her skill set and experience level is not at WWE main roster woman levels. But good workers are there to make the less experienced and more marketable workers look better than they are.”
The Observer also reported that former major league baseball star Aaron Phillips, Cargill’s husband, was in attendance in Cincinnati for her possible final AEW match and that there were reports that it was the best match of her career.
Meltzer continued,
“One person in WWE described this as coming out of the blue, but that they do expect her to be coming in. There are several factors involved here including money. Cargill was probably protected more in AEW than she would be in WWE, but that’s not to be sure. She probably can have better matches in WWE because on the main roster the level of the women is higher. From a travel schedule, for someone with outside interests and a daughter, WWE would have her do more matches, which is probably a good thing for her long-run, but travel far more extensive unless she got a sweetheart deal on the schedule. If she has goals outside of wrestling, such as acting since she’s got a superhero look, the WWE main roster exposure would help her more.”
Sources: eWn and Wrestling Observer
“Major Cuts” Are Coming To The WWE Main Roster & NXT, Office Employees Cuts Coming today
On Tuesday, Ari Emanuel’s Endeavor Group acquired WWE and merged it with the UFC to form TKO Group Holdings. The two companies will operate as separate entities.
WWE CFO and President Frank Riddick III will be ending his tenure with the company at the end of this month. This comes after he received a $5 million bonus from the sale.
Additionally, WWE President Nick Khan sent out a company-wide email to employees on Thursday (see below) to inform them that they should work remotely on Friday so WWE’s HR team can perform “workforce reductions” in private. Employees will be notified of their terminations as the decisions are made throughout the course of the day.
According to a report from Nick Hausman, it has been confirmed that major layoffs will be taking place at the Stamford, CT headquarters later today. Additionally, it was noted that “major cuts” are also expected to be taking place on the WWE main roster and the NXT brand. It remains to be seen whether the talent cuts take place today (Friday) or in the coming weeks. We know for sure the office cuts are coming today.
As you’d expect, the reason for possibly splitting up the timeframe between the office and talent cuts is due to the bad PR that always comes with massive layoffs. Usually, the office cuts take place first. But it’s possible both could end up happening today. We’ll see.
Nick Khan sent a email to WWE employees on Thursday, you can read that below:
“As part of WWE’s transition into the newly formed TKO Group Holdings, we are evaluating our existing operations and systems to identify potential synergies across the business. This effort includes workforce reductions, which will take place tomorrow.
Those whose roles have been impacted will be notified by our Human Resources Team, who will share the details of their severance package. We are asking that everyone work remotely, Friday September 15th, so we can insure all conversations are handled privately and respectfully. We’ll send out a company-wide email once all of tomorrow’s conversations have happened.
Our company is home to the most talented, creative, and hard-working employees in the world. WWE is a special place, which makes moments like this difficult. Just know that we have nothing but gratitude and admiration for everyone we have had the privilege to work alongside.
Thank you for all your contributions and dedication.
Nick Khan”
Source: eWn
Jagger Reid And Rip Fowler Reportedly No Longer With WWE
Jagger Reid and Rip Fowler are “gone” from WWE, according to Dave Meltzer on the “Wrestling Observer Radio” show. The veteran pro wrestling journalist noted that Fowler and Reid’s contracts with the Stamford, Connecticut-based promotion were up and presumed an angle would have played out on television. Meanwhile, a source within WWE had no information regarding the duo’s reported departure.
On “WWE NXT” this past Tuesday night, it was indicated by Joe Gacy and Ava Raine that the tag team formerly known as the Grizzled Young Veterans were no longer a part of the Schism faction. Reid and Fowler had been a part of the group for a number of months.
Back in April, the duo were denied their release from WWE. Reid, who previously performed as James Drake, wrote on social media, “As of today, WWE has denied my request for my release. I want to thank you all for your support throughout my career, I’ll never take that for granted. My contract with WWE expires on 14th October 2023. I’m excited to share our next chapter, once we are free agents.” Fowler, who previously performed as Zak Gibson, also posted a similar statement.
Despite wanting out of their contracts early, Reid and Fowler remained an integral part of the “NXT” show. During the “NXT” Battleground pre-show media call in May, WWE’s Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels mentioned that he wanted the duo to stay with the promotion. He also said that he understood how the tag team felt and that there would be no hard feelings. The former “NXT UK” Tag Team Champion’s most recent match in WWE took place on the August 29 episode of “NXT,” where they were defeated by Julius and Brutus Creed in a steel cage match.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Jade Cargill Reportedly Leaving AEW – Believed To Be Heading To WWE
Jade Cargill’s tenure with AEW is seemingly coming to an end, and the former TBS Champion could soon be calling herself a WWE Superstar.
Fightful is reporting that Cargill is believed to be “finishing up” with AEW, according to sources within the promotion.
Sources in both AEW & WWE believe that she will be heading to WWE when the time is right.
There is no word yet of an official offer being made by WWE and that as always, things can change in the world of professional wrestling.
It is currently unclear how long is left on Cargill’s current contract with All Elite Wrestling.
The report indicates that Cargill’s last AEW match may have already been taped, as she took on Kris Statlander Wednesday night in a TBS Championship match that will be broadcast on “AEW Rampage” on Friday.
Counting this week’s “Rampage,” Cargill has wrestled a total of 64 matches over the course of her two-and-a-half year career, all of them in AEW. If Fightful’s reporting proves accurate, she would be the second major AEW wrestler to leave Tony Khan’s “challenger brand” for the established pastures of Vince McMahon (and now Ari Emanuel), and the first homegrown AEW star to do so. AEW’s first major defection came in 2022, when Cody Rhodes returned to WWE at WrestleMania 38.
Becky Lynch Defeats Tiffany Stratton, Wins WWE NXT Women’s Title For The First Time
Becky Lynch is one of the most decorated champions in WWE history, but last night on “WWE NXT,” she finally captured the one title that had eluded her.
Upon her return to “NXT,” Lynch was warmly welcomed by a sea of cheers from the WWE Universe. Once Tiffany Stratton appeared, Lynch shifted her focus to the prize at stake – the “NXT” Women’s Championship. Heading into her title defense, Stratton asserted herself as “the fastest-rising star within WWE right now.” Unfortunately for Stratton, that wasn’t enough to defeat “The Man.”
In a competitive closing contest, Stratton did her best to throw Lynch off her game, twice countering Lynch’s signature Manhandle Slam. In Lynch’s second attempt, Stratton reversed it with a roll-up. Lynch quickly bounced back though, evading Stratton’s third attempt at landing the Prettiest Moonsault Ever. In response, Lynch successfully nailed Stratton with a Manhandle Slam to secure the pinfall, and her first-ever reign as “NXT” Women’s Champion. With this win, Lynch is also now a Grand Slam Champion, having already won the “WWE Raw,” “SmackDown,” and Women’s Tag Team Championships.
Naturally, Lynch was ecstatic upon winning the title. Stratton, on the other hand, is now faced with the reality of her reign as champion ending at 108 days.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
The Man addresses the NXT Universe moments after winning the NXT Women’s Championship in this WWE exclusive footage after NXT went off the air.
WWE NXT Preview 9/12/2023
Tonight’s WWE NXT in Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center on the USA Network:
- NXT Women’s Championship: Tiffany Stratton (c) vs. Becky Lynch
- NXT Championship number one contender’s match: Wes Lee vs. Ilja Dragunov
- Global Heritage Invitational: Tyler Bate vs. Axiom
- Global Heritage Invitational: Akira Tozawa vs. Nathan Frazer
- Creed Brothers vs. Edris Enofe and Malik Blade
- Dana Brooke vs. Lyra Valkyria
- Charlie Dempsey, Drew Gulak & Damon Kemp vs. Brooks Jensen, Josh Briggs & Myles Borne
Two Companies Believed To Be In Best Contention For WWE SmackDown Media Rights
WWE is in discussions with various networks regarding the upcoming media rights agreements for Raw and SmackDown, which will expire in 2024 with USA Network and FOX.
The company has ended its exclusive negotiations period with USA and FOX, allowing to remain in talks with them and also talk with other networks.
During Monday’s Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that Amazon and Disney are the two primary contenders in bidding for the television rights to SmackDown, as FOX is not interested in bidding to pay WWE $300 million per year for the show.
WWE is seeking a substantial increase in price for both Raw and NXT, with the expectation that these two shows will continue to air on the USA Network.
Source: eWn
WWE-UFC Merger Officially Closes, Endeavor Announces Launch Of TKO Group Holdings
The WWE-UFC merger has officially closed, with Endeavor today announcing the creation of TKO Group Holdings. The new premium sports and entertainment company has now begun trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the “TKO” ticker symbol.
In the official press release, Endeavor and TKO CEO Ari Emanuel described the creation of TKO Group Holdings as an “exciting new chapter for UFC and WWE as leaders in global sports and entertainment,” while TKO’s Executive Chairman Vince McMahon said that “WWE is optimally positioned for future growth and success as part of TKO.” As per the previously agreed terms, Endeavor will hold 51 percent of the controlling interest in TKO, and existing WWE shareholders will hold 49 percent.
Moving forward, Dana White will become Chief Executive Officer of UFC, with Lawrence Epstein retaining his roles as Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of UFC. On the WWE side, Nick Khan will switch positions from WWE CEO to President of WWE.
McMahon, who retired amid several sexual misconduct allegations last summer, returned to WWE in January as Executive Chairman to seek a potential sale of the Stamford, Connecticut-based organization. Following weeks of speculation about possible buyers, it was announced on April 3 that WWE and UFC would be merging under the Endeavor umbrella to form a new sports and entertainment company.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Matt Riddle Accuses A Police Officer Of Sexually assaulting Him At The Airport On Saturday
WWE has taken the decision to remove Matt Riddle from his scheduled appearances following allegations of sexual harassment made against a police officer at JFK airport in New York City on Sunday.
The accusations were initially made on Instagram, but the post has since been deleted.
According to law enforcement sources, Port Authority officers were alerted to a disorderly person who was disembarking from a plane, later identified as Riddle. Witnesses report that Riddle appeared apologetic during his interaction with the police, and no police report was filed.
Per the report, law enforcement sources told TMZ how Riddle got into contact with the officers. The report states, “Port Authority officers got a call for a disorderly person,” which happened to be Riddle, whom they met in the terminal after he had left the plane. They spoke with Riddle and other witnesses. There was no police report filed and Riddle was able to go without any trouble. Riddle was even said to be “apologetic” for the disorderly situation.
The sources also reportedly told TMZ that “the Port Authority was shocked” by Riddle’s now-deleted claim on Instagram, but the department will still be “taking his claim seriously.” They have started an internal probe.
Matt Riddle was not in attendance at this week’s RAW TV tapings. Additionally, he’s been pulled from all of WWE’s upcoming live events this weekend.
According to a report from Pwinsider, the word making the rounds backstage at RAW is that Riddle was pulled from the shows due to a “medical illness.”
Sources: eWn and Wrestling Inc.
