Tonight on WWE NXT 2.0 at 8 pm ET on USA Network:
Category: WWE
Cody Rhodes Willing To Pay $1000 Fine Each Time For Banned Term
Cody Rhodes has previously indicated that one of the traits of his American Nightmare character is to go against the grain and challenge WWE’s time-honored verbiage.
On the April 11 “WWE Raw” episode, for example, Rhodes would refer to “Superstars” as “Wrestlers” and “Titles” as “Championship Belts” during a Miz TV segment, for which he was corrected on live television by The Miz.
Turns out, Rhodes is fine being charged a $1,000 fine every time he uses a banned word on WWE TV.
Rhodes made his intentions known during Mattel’s recent WWE San Diego Comic-Con 2022, where panelist Steve Ozer pointed out how “title belts” were being added to the 2-pack WWE figures before he quickly corrected himself to say “championship titles.”
This promoted Rhodes to ask the Mattel employee to continue saying whatever he wishes.
“Buddy, you can say belts,” Rhodes said. “If they fine me $1000 every time I say belts, I’m fine with it. Belts. It can be a title belt, sure, it’s a championship. But it also physically goes around your waist. It’s a belt. So, those are great belts [in the new Mattel figures].”
Earlier this year, Dave Meltzer of The Wrestling Observer released WWE’s updated internal list of over 30 banned terms.
Wrestling
Wrestlers
Belt
Blood
Choke
Diva
Strap
Kayfabe
Mofos
Head Shot
Trauma
DQ
The Anti-Diva
Spinal Injuries
Victim
Violence/Violent
WWF
Wifebeater
Curb Stomp
Strangle
Kill
Murder
Kayfabe
House Show
Push
Being Over
Babyface
Heel
Job/Jobber
Card
Non-Title
There is also speculation that the word “attacked” was added to the list following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine earlier this year. This is supposedly why announcer Jimmy Smith corrected himself to say “assaulted” after using the term “attacked” while describing Seth Rollins’ backstage fight with Cody Rhodes following their match at WrestleMania Backlash in May.
Rhodes, currently sidelined with an injury, is the early odds-on favorite to make a triumphant return at next year’s Royal Rumble. During the same Comic-Con panel, Rhodes discussed the possibility of his comeback at January’s annual battle royal.
“[My doctor] told me flat out that he’s not going to give me a timeline because he’s afraid I’m going to try and jump it,” Rhodes said. “So I’m still going to try and jump it.”
Rhodes added that his recovery is “ahead of schedule” but also noted that he “couldn’t win an arm wrestling contest” right now.
“My Royal Rumble stats are top 10, they’re phenomenal,” Rhodes added. “So if I was to come back at that event, there is a chance I could actually get up in the top five and I’m all about that …. You never know! We’ll see.”
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Upcoming Story Said To Be ‘Damning’ For Vince McMahon
In the aftermath of two explosive stories from the Wall Street Journal, other mainstream outlets have reportedly begun fishing into Vince McMahon’s past transgressions. In the coming week, HBO Real Sports is set to drop a story on McMahon that is said to contain “damning” details.
On Monday’s Wrestling Observer Live, Bryan Alvarez noted that McMahon’s retirement was likely a preemptive move as WWE was aware of the details in the upcoming stories.
“I will say that there are rumors that the HBO Real Sports story on Vince is – one person used the term ‘damning’ and that there might be another Wall Street Journal article coming out this week,” Alvarez said [H/T WrestlingNews]. “They may have gotten ahead of things with this resignation on Friday.”
McMahon is currently under investigation by not just WWE’s Board of Directors, but also federal prosecutors and the Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) for a series of payments he made between 2006 to 2022.
In their 8-K filing with the SEC, WWE stated that they had received “regulatory, investigative and enforcement inquiries, subpoenas or demands” in connection with “Unrecorded Expenses” made by McMahon between 2006 and 2022. WWE announced they are currently revising previous financial statements to record these expenses for the end of 2019, 2020, 2021 and Q1 of 2022, with the goal of issuing new statements by August 9. The “Unrecorded Expenses” were disclosed to be a sum of $14.6 million, which WWE mentioned have either been paid or will be paid personally by McMahon.
According to a WSJ report published Monday, the ongoing federal investigation essentially hastened McMahon’s decision to retire from all duties, corporate and creative. McMahon initially stepped down as CEO & Chairman last month but continued to overlook the creative end of WWE. All that changed last Friday when McMahon announced his retirement from the company.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Triple H Promises More Transparency With Talent Moving Forward
As WWE’s new head of creative, Triple H hopes to make communication easier for talent.
For the last month, the pro wrestling world has been rocked by on major scandal. Vince McMahon was revealed to have paid over $14 million in hush money following sexual misconduct with employees. Last Friday, McMahon announced that he would be retiring from his position as CEO of WWE. In his place are his daughter Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan, WWE’s new co-CEOs.
Paul Levesque, better known by his ring name Triple H, is now leading WWE’s creative team. While it’s yet to be seen how exactly the WWE will look under Triple H’s control, he reportedly already has a vision for how the company will operate in the future.
Ahead of last night’s episode of Monday Night Raw, Triple H held a meeting backstage with the roster. According to Fightful Select, the meeting laid out the groundwork for Triple H’s intentions with the main roster going forward.
Triple H promised talent more transparency in the future, including open lines of communication. This has been an issue for the WWE in recent years; talent would sometimes have to wait for hours outside of Vince McMahon’s office in order to talk with him. Triple H also told talent during the meeting that he wants work to be fun.
According to Fightful’s report, the meeting went smoothly and was well-received. Talent is said to be feeling optimistic now that Triple H is in charge.
If Triple H means what he said to WWE’s talent tonight, then things could be looking up for the company. Hopefully, WWE’s new regime is able to make it through this rough patch and find brighter days ahead.
Source: TheSportster
Vince McMahon Now Being Investigated By SEC, Federal Prosecutors
Vince McMahon’s troubles continue. He’s currently under investigation for hush-money payments.
The world of professional wrestling has been sunk into chaos due to sexual misconduct hush-money allegations against former WWE CEO, Vince McMahon. These allegations have caused Vince McMahon to resign from his position as CEO and step back from the company, though he remains its majority shareholder.
In his place, Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan have been named co-CEOs. Stephanie McMahon’s husband Paul Levesque (better known as pro wrestler Triple H) has been named the new head of WWE’s creative team.
In an article published yesterday by Wall Street Journal, it was revealed that McMahon is now being investigated by the SEC and federal prosecutors.
New federal investigations into the deepening hush-money scandal enveloping World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. hastened the retirement of its chief executive, Vince McMahon, according to people familiar with the matter.
The Securities and Exchange Commission and federal prosecutors have launched inquiries into payments made by Mr. McMahon to settle allegations of sexual misconduct, the people said. The media company said Monday that it has received “regulatory, investigative and enforcement inquiries, subpoenas or demands” in connection with millions of dollars in hush-money pacts.
-Wall Street Journal
Additionally, Bryan Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer Network alluded to even darker clouds on the horizon for McMahon. The following transcription has been provided by Paul Davis of Wrestling News:
I will say that there are rumors that the HBO Real Sports story on Vince is – one person used the term ‘damning’ and that there might be another Wall Street Journal article coming out this week. They may have gotten ahead of things with this resignation on Friday.
-Bryan Alvarez, Wrestling Observer Network
Nothing else is currently known about the alleged upcoming WSJ and HBO Sports stories. However, wrestling fans can expect the business to be even further upended once they are published.
Source: TheSportster
WWE’s Latest SEC Filing Includes Legally Foreboding Language
It may be a new day for the WWE, with Vince McMahon now retired in the wake of numerous scandals and Triple H now assuming the dual role of EVP of Talent Relations and head of WWE creative. But don’t think the dust is anywhere near settled, as new information suggests not only more potential payouts from McMahon regarding other allegations, but perhaps legal ramifications for him and WWE.
On Monday morning, WWE released their latest SEC filing, which revealed that the company had made “a preliminary determination” that payments McMahon made from 2006 to 2022 were not recorded as expenses in the quarters they occurred in, thus making them “Unrecorded Expenses.” As such, WWE announced they are revising previous financial statements to record these “Expenses” for the end of 2019, 2020, 2021 and Q1 of 2022, with the goal of issuing new statements by August 9.
WWE also revealed that the total of “Unrecorded Expenses” was around $14.6 million, and that McMahon had paid or would pay the amount personally. The $14.6 million, which WWE claims “was not material to any individual time period in which the Unrecorded Expenses arose,” has been determined to be an aggregate amount, and WWE is continuing to evaluate “the impact on previously reported on previously reported financial statements.”
It had been previously reported that McMahon had paid $12.5 million to keep quiet numerous potential scandals, with the individual payouts ranging from $7.5 million to $3 million to two $1 million payouts. If those payments are part of the $14.6 million, that would leave approximately $2.1 million unaccounted for. It’s unknown if this will lead to more payouts related to McMahon being revealed going forward.
The WWE closed out this section of their filing with a brief statement that suggested that the actions of McMahon may lead to more controversy for the promotion in the days to come:
“The Company has also received, and may receive in the future, regulatory, investigative and enforcement inquiries, subpoenas or demands arising from, related to, or in connection with these matters.”
Source: Wrestling Inc.
WWE Raw Preview 7/25/22
WWE enters a new era on tonight’s “Raw”. It will be the first WWE broadcast with Paul “Triple H” Levesque officially in charge of the company’s creative direction. Rey Mysterio celebrates his WWE 20th Anniversary.
The company announced Monday morning that Levesque “will assume all responsibilities related to WWE’s creative”. This follows Vince McMahon’s resignation/retirement as the company’s CEO, Chairman, and Head of Creative amid an ongoing company investigation into hush money allegations.
Precautions Were Put In Place In Case Brock Lesnar Didn’t Return To WWE SmackDown
After bombshell news of Vince McMahon’s retirement hours before WWE “SmackDown” went on air, several questions were left unanswered. How would the hierarchy of the company change with his exit? How would it affect the WWE superstars, if at all? Reports indicated that one top WWE talent that has been with the company on and off for two decades was heavily impacted by Vince’s announcement: Brock Lesnar.
Shortly after Vince revealed the big news on social media, it was reported that Lesnar walked out of “SmackDown” and was “pissed off,” stating something to the effect of, “If he’s gone, I’m gone.”
Due to the events, “Fightful Select” notes in a new report that a behind-the-scenes source reacted to the situation by calling it “overblown” but admitted they were unsure if he’d end up actually appearing on the blue brand. Creative even produced another script for the show that didn’t feature “The Beast Incarnate” whatsoever, which was reflected in the rundown released before they went live. They decided to leave the last segment of the night open in a way that Lesnar could make his return and be involved if that’s what he chose to do.
The night’s main event saw The Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos and Theory team up to face The Street Profits and Madcap Moss. The Profits and Moss were awarded a disqualification victory after Theory used his Money in the Bank briefcase to strike Moss in the head. Theory then continued to attack Moss after the match, but Brock Lesnar would make the save, planting Theory with an F-5 to end the episode.
It appears that Lesnar challenging Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns in a Last Man Standing title match at SummerSlam on Saturday, July 30 is still scheduled to occur. The show will take place from the Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennesse.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Brock Lesnar Makes Shocking Appearance On WWE SmackDown After Reportedly Walking Out
A night of speculation over the whereabouts and future of Brock Lesnar in WWE ended in spectacular fashion when he made a shocking, surprise appearance to close out Friday night’s episode of “SmackDown”.
The main event of Friday’s “SmackDown” saw the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos and Theory team up to face The Street Profits and Madcap Moss. The Profits and Moss were awarded a disqualification victory after Theory used his Money in the Bank briefcase to strike Moss in the head.
Theory continued to attack Moss after the match. That’s when Brock Lesnar’s music played and “The Beast” made his way to the ring, where he planted Theory with an F-5.
Seeing Lesnar live on Friday’s “SmackDown” was a shock, considering the reports from backstage that surfaced starting earlier in the evening.
News broke shortly before 5 PM ET that Lesnar had walked out of “SmackDown” and was “pissed off”. Details later emerged that Lesnar’s walkout was in response to Vince McMahon’s retirement announcement. Lesnar reportedly said something to the effect of, “If he’s gone, I’m gone.” Promotion for Lesnar’s appearance on “SmackDown” was pulled from WWE’s website, although an email to WWE fans sent out around 5:30 pm ET still mentioned Lesnar would be on the show.
All appears to be back on track for Lesnar to challenge Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns in a Last Man Standing title match at SummerSlam on Saturday, July 30.
McMahon is retiring from his roles as WWE Chairman, CEO, and Head of Creative amid an investigation into a series of hush money payments. McMahon allegedly paid former female employees to silence potential accusations of harassment, misconduct, and abuse against both McMahon and former Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis.
Laurinaitis has now been removed from his position, with Paul “Triple H” Levesque officially taking over his duties on Friday. Creative duties are now being overseen by Bruce Pritchard.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Vince McMahon Announces His Retirement, Thanks WWE Universe, Stephanie McMahon Opened Up SmackDown (video)
WWE founder Vince McMahon has announced his retirement.
Vince McMahon has officially announced his retirement at the age of 77. The founder of WWE took to social media on Friday, July 22 to break the news and thank the WWE Universe.
“At 77, time for me to retire. Thank you, WWE Universe,” McMahon tweeted. “Then. Now. Forever. Together.”
“As I approach 77 years old, I feel it’s time for me to retire as Chairman and CEO of WWE,” McMahon later elaborated in a statement released by WWE. “Throughout the years, it’s been a privilege to help WWE bring you joy, inspire you, thrill you, surprise you, and always entertain you. I would like to thank my family for mightily contributing to our success, and I would also like to thank all of our past and present Superstars and employees for their dedication and passion for our brand. Most importantly, I would like to thank our fans for allowing us into your homes every week and being your choice of entertainment. I hold the deepest appreciation and admiration for our generations of fans all over the world who have liked, currently like, and sometimes even love our form of Sports Entertainment.“
WWE also confirmed that Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan would be assuming the roles of co-CEOs of WWE, effective immediately.
According to journalist Brandon Thurston, Vince will be retiring from all of his WWE duties, including the creative ones.
On Friday, July 8 The Wall Street Journal published a report which claimed McMahon paid off as many as four women going back 16 years. Those payments apparently total $12 million, with one of the four unnamed women included in the report being paid $7.5 million by McMahon. Last month, reports surfaced that McMahon paid a former WWE paralegal $3 million in hush money after the two had an affair.
Source: TheSportster
New Co-CEO of WWE, Stephanie McMahon opened up Friday night’s “Smackdown”, live from TD Garden in Boston, MA. She opened the show just hours after her father, Vince McMahon announced he is retiring. WWE broke the news of Stephanie opening up “Smackdown” just shy of an hour before the blue brand went live on FOX.
