Category: WWE

Backstage News On Changes To WWE NXT’s Creative Team

WWE has reportedly made changes to the creative team setup in regards to NXT 2.0. According to PWInsider.com, things will be getting switched around internally with the third brand continuing to evolve. These alterations come following the recent releases.

WWE cut several long-term employees during the latest batch of cuts. The focus was more behind the scenes than in-ring talent, although Samoa Joe was released as well. The company let go of Gabe Sapolsky, William Regal, and Road Dogg during the re-shuffle.

Moving forward, the WWE NXT creative team will not operate independently, as it has done in the past. Previously, Paul Levesque oversaw things with his own team, which was separate from everything else in WWE. However, that is no longer the case.

Instead, the team will now work under Bruce Prichard and Christine Lubrano. Decisions will be reported to them, with WWE looking to streamline the operation to be consistent with how the Raw and SmackDown creative departments work.

Johnny Russo (no relation to Vince Russo) will be heading up WWE NXT’s writing team, working under Prichard and Lubrano. He originally joined WWE in the fall of 2011, and has been involved with the main roster from 2015-2018. However, he does also have experience with NXT, working within the creative department for the black and gold brand since August 2019.

Russo has also been working as the lead writer for the show since July 2020 and therefore knows how things work. Elsewhere on the creative team, Dewey Foley, who is the son of Hall Of Famer, Mick Foley, will remain on the team. He has been working on the 205 Live product as well.

Meanwhile, Anthony Golden Jr. will also still be on the NT creative team. He joined WWE in March 2020 and has a background in theatre, while he also boasts a Master’s in Film and Television production.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Hulk Hogan Facing Backlash For COVID-19 Vaccine Comment About Celebrities

WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan is under fire for a now-deleted Facebook comment he made this week.

Comedian Josh Pray posted a Facebook video on the death of actor/comedian Bob Saget this week, and in the comments section one viewer speculated on Saget’s death being related to the COVID-19 vaccine.

“Wellll many directions we can go with this, but I will take jab for $500 Alex,” the user wrote.

Hogan’s official Facebook page then responded to that user, and indicated that he believes the deaths of Saget, actor Sidney Poitier, and actress Betty White were related to the vaccine.

“100% Betty and Sidney were also jabed their dropping like flies but they’ll never say it,” Hogan wrote.

According to NoDQ.com, Hulk Hogan later edited the Facebook post, although the comment could still be seen by clicking the edited link next to the comment. Hogan later deleted the comment altogether.

While the cause of death for both Bob Saget and Sidney Portier are currently unknown, it should be noted that Betty White suffered a stroke six days prior to her death at the age of 99, and no evidence exists that suggests White’s stroke was caused by the COVID-19 vaccine.

Hulk Hogan’s comments serve as another setback for the wrestling legend as he looks to rebuild his reputation following a scandal several years ago where he was caught on tape making several racist remarks. Hogan was ostracized from WWE following his comments but ultimately returned to the promotion in 2018. He has made several appearances for WWE since to mixed responses, and Hogan was notably booed while serving as co-host of WrestleMania 37 with Titus O’Neal last year.

You can see Hulk Hogan’s now-deleted comments, as well as several fan tweets reacting to Hogan’s comments, below.

https://twitter.com/Hanzi83/status/1480681089349914626
https://twitter.com/KayfabeNews/status/1480701634116300800
https://twitter.com/Hanzi83/status/1480681089349914626

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Ric Flair Wants An Apology From Becky Lynch, Oh And $20 Million From WWE

A quick tweet and delete, something The Nature Boy is becoming known for nowadays.

Ric Flair had quite the year in 2021. He started it as a WWE Superstar, even making his return to TV and becoming an active part of what was a pretty odd and eventually scrapped angle. His latest stint with WWE came to an end after he was granted his release. While there doesn’t appear to be bad blood between the two parties for the most part, Flair refuses to let one thing go.

That one thing is WWE’s use of the mantra, The Man. Or, more accurately, Becky Lynch’s use of it. Lynch has been calling herself The Man for a while. However, The Nature Boy claims he owns it, at least in the wrestling world. Flair’s claim stems from when he would say “to be the man, you gotta beat the man” during his heyday.

The situation appears to have become even more complicated rather than get resolved. There has been talk since the turn of the year that WWE has abandoned the trademark. There are also conflicting reports that WWE has simply decided to not have Lynch refer to herself as The Man anymore. Either way, Flair seems to believe he is owed an apology, not to mention a hefty chunk of change for his troubles.

Naitch published a tweet demanding apologies from Lynch and WWE, but then quickly deleted it which has become customary for the 16-time World Champion. “I’ll take 2 apologies- one from Big Time Becks & one from WWE,” Flair tweeted, adding that he’ll also take 20 million. Assuming he means dollars there, and also assuming he believes WWE has made $20 million by having Lynch refer to herself as The Man for part of her career.

Whether WWE has admitted the trademark belongs to Flair or not, it’s hard to imagine a world where The Nature Boy receives $20 million for Lynch’s use of it. This appears to be more about a problem he has with Lynch as opposed to WWE referring to her as The Man. This isn’t the first time Naitch has tweeted something about her and then immediately thought better of it. Perhaps the Hall of Famer is still hung up on the title exchange between Lynch and his daughter Charlotte last year.

Source: TheSportster

WWE RAW Preview 1/10/22

Tonight’s WWE RAW will take place from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA with more build for the upcoming Royal Rumble event.

WWE’s Medical Update On Sasha Banks Says She Will Miss The Royal Rumble

WWE provided an update on former Women’s Champion Sasha Banks earlier today, confirming reports that she is dealing with a foot injury. The full announcement can be seen below:

“Sasha Banks injury update

Sasha Banks suffered a foot injury Sunday evening at a WWE Live! event in Fayetteville, NC. After seeking emergency medical attention, it was determined nothing was broken. Sasha underwent an MRI and it was discovered she has a bruised calcaneus bone. She is at home recovering and undergoing physical therapy. She is expected to be out of action for 6-8 weeks. Stay locked in to WWE Digital for the latest updates.”

With the timeline provided, Banks is expected to miss the upcoming premium live event, WWE Royal Rumble 2022, taking place on Saturday, January 29. Stay tuned for updates on Banks’s status.

Banks wrestled SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair at last Sunday’s WWE live event in Fayetteville, NC, and appeared to hurt her leg or knee while taking an over-the-knee backbreaker. She kicked out of a pinfall but stayed on the mat while the referee checked her out, before they went to the finish with Flair getting the win after a Natural Selection. Banks was then helped to the back.

Banks posted an update for fans later that night, writing, “I’m good [fist emoji] Thank you for the love always. [heart emoji]”

It looked as though WWE may have been building towards Banks vs. Flair at Royal Rumble, as the two have been wrestling both on television in tag matches and at live events. However, if WWE’s report holds true, Banks will miss the Rumble and as noted, Flair will be appearing as the SmackDown Women’s Champion in the rumble. If she wins, Charlotte claims she will choose her own challenger for WrestlerMania this year.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion Mickie James Announced For WWE’s Royal Rumble

Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion Mickie James will compete in the upcoming 2022 WWE women’s Royal Rumble match.

Mickie James is about to walk through the forbidden door … and straight into the 2022 women’s Royal Rumble match.

During this week’s edition of WWE SmackDown Charlotte Flair revealed the names of several women who are set to compete in this year’s women’s Royal Rumble match — including Impact Knockouts Champion Mickie James, who was released by WWE in April of last year.

But it gets weirder … on top of announcing that Mickie would be in the Rumble, Impact Wrestling was actually mentioned on air. At one point, SmackDown color commentator Pat McAfee referred to Mickie as “the Impact Knockouts Champion.”

Soon after, both WWE and Impact referenced one another in tweets announcing Mickie’s participation in the Rumble, while Impact’s EVP Scott D’Amore congratulated WWE for finally walking through the forbidden door.

The other participants announced for the women’s Royal Rumble match are as follows:

Charlotte Flair, Rhea Ripley, Nikki A.S.H., Nikki Bella, Brie Bella, Shotzi, Natalya, Michelle McCool, Dana Brooke, Carmella, Queen Zelina Vega, Tamina Snuka, Kelly Kelly, Aliyah, Summer Rae, Naomi, Shayna Baszler, and Lita. The match will feature 30 competitors in total meaning there are still 11 more participants to be announced.

As you might recall, Mickie James was released by WWE back in April, allegedly due to budget cuts necessitated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mickie James returned to Impact after a six-year absence during the company’s Slammiversary pay-per-view back in July. Her relationship with the company first began way back in 2002 when it was called TNA. She signed for WWE in 2003 but returned to Impact in 2010. The legend kicked off her fourth reign as Impact Wrestling Knockouts Champion with a win over Deonna Purrazzo at Bound For Glory last October.

The 2022 Royal Rumble Premium Live Event will take place on Saturday, January 29, 2022, at The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Missouri.

Source: TheSportster

WWE SmackDown Preview 1/7/22

The first WWE SmackDown on FOX of 2022 will take place tonight from the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

A Confrontation of Champions: WWE Champion Brock Lesnar comes face-to-face with Universal Champion Roman Reigns

It’s believed that the first blue brand participant for the WWE Royal Rumble will be revealed on tonight’s show. Austin Theory, The Street Profits and The Mysterios were confirmed for the 30-Man Royal Rumble Match on this week’s RAW.

Sami Zayn is due for a title shot against WWE Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura, and it’s possible that there will be an update on that feud tonight.

Tonight’s show will feature more fallout from WWE Day 1, and build for the Royal Rumble.

Samoa Joe Released By WWE

On Thursday, WWE released former NXT Champion Samoa Joe from his contract.

Following the news of his release, Samoa Joe issued a statement on social media that you can read below:

This is the second time WWE has released Samoa Joe over the past nine months. He was also let go from the company on Apr. 15 of last year, but WWE wound up bringing him back on a new deal. Samoa Joe returned to television as William Regal’s “Special Enforcer”.

He would go on to claim the NXT Championship at NXT TakeOver 36. Joe defeated Karrion Kross that night. Kross was among the company’s round of cuts in early November. In WWE, Joe won the NXT Championship three times and the United States Championship on two occasions. In 2015, he and Finn Balor teamed up to win the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.

WWE has released several NXT wrestlers and employees since Wednesday. This included the stunning release of NXT mainstay William Regal, Scott Armstrong and WWE Hall of Famer Road Dogg. Wrestlers Hideki Suzuki, Timothy Thatcher, Danny Burch and Allison Danger were also released.

NXT talent contracts usually consist of 30-day non-compete clauses, and the clauses for main roster talents are traditionally for 90 days. It’s unclear how long Samoa Joe’s non-compete clause is for, but the well-respected wrestling legend shouldn’t have any problems finding a new home. Impact Wrestling could very well look to bring him back, and it obviously wouldn’t be a surprise if AEW made a play for the 42-year-old.

Various injuries unfortunately sidelined Samoa Joe for long periods of time in WWE after he joined the main roster in 2017. Still, Joe had high popularity among the fans and is an elite in-ring worker. Simply put, he should have had at least one world championship reign on the main roster, but WWE often failed to fully maximize his star power and potential. There’s little doubt that Samoa Joe will enjoy great success in his next stop.

Source: TheSportster

William Regal, Road Dogg And Others Released By WWE

WWE has made some more releases at the NXT brand. Those released include, Road Dogg, William Regal, Scott Armstrong, Timothy Thatcher, Danny Burch, Diamond Mine’s Hideki Suzuki, Cathy Carino aka Allison Danger, Gabe Sapolsky and a few other people working behind the scenes in NXT.

WWE has issued a statement to Fightful in the wake of the releases as more and more names are added to the list. “With the continued evolution of NXT 2.0, we’ve decided to part ways with some of the staff based in our Performance Center,” the statement reads. This comes after New Year’s Evil, the first NXT show of 2022 and one that marked more change for the brand as Bron Breakker won the NXT Title.

According to people close to the situation in NXT and at the Performance Center, the cuts are a continued attempt to remove everyone at the PC hired by Triple H. The biggest giveaway in that regard is the release of Road Dogg who has been close with The Game ever since the pair were in D-Generation X together.

Despite technically being under the employ of WWE since 2000, Regal was also brought into NXT and the PC in 2014 by Triple H. The former commissioner has worked closely with The Cerebral Assassin ever since, helping him to recruit talent for the NXT UK Title tournament which would eventually become the NXT UK brand. Wrestlers who worked under Regal have been sharing messages about the now-former NXT GM ever since the news broke.

The plot really does keep thickening in NXT and WWE as a whole when it comes to the company’s future. The role of Triple H, in particular, remains shrouded in mystery. The Game has been off TV and pretty much off work since he underwent surgery for a cardiac event a few months ago. While there is no reason to believe Triple H will be leaving the company, speculation will be more rife than ever before following the news above.

Sources: Fightful and TheSportster

Freddie Prinze Jr. Says WWE Offered To Sell “The Whole Product” To FOX

On this week’s Wrestling with Freddie podcast, Freddie Prinze Jr. was joined by Macaulay Culkin, as they delved into the world of WWE.

Culkin stated that he believes that WWE has lost focus of their product, as they are preparing to sell the company with current restructurings going on within. Freddie Prinze Jr. was quick to respond to reveal that WWE had previously offered to sell to FOX.

“I haven’t said this before, but I’ll say it now because it has been long enough,” Prinze Jr. began. “I was talking to a dude who was interviewing to be their COO, or they wanted to interview. They ended up going with Nick Khan, he had passed but he wanted to talk to me about the company. So we were just talking about the brand and all this, and he goes ‘yeah, they wanted us to buy the whole product.’ He’s an exec at FOX. He goes ‘they wanted us to buy the whole brand but the number they wanted wasn’t a number we were going to pay, so we licensed SmackDown instead.’”

Freddie Prinze Jr. and Macaulay Culkin highlighted particular flaws they felt WWE currently had. This included the revamping of the NXT brand. Prinze Jr. believes the brand went from “the most watchable brand in the whole company, to the most unwatchable in the space of a week.”

The pair were also critical about the way WWE handled Karrion Kross’ call up to the main roster by altering his character with a new look. Prinze Jr. said he felt bad for the former NXT Champion.

“When he came out [On RAW], in like the porno dungeon mask, and the red suspenders, I literally felt bad for the guy. I didn’t even know him. I reached out to a wrestler that I do know, who I happened to know was on the road with him, and I was ‘Yo man, give that dude a hug for me!’” Prinze Jr. said.

Source: Wrestling Inc. credit to Wrestling with Freddie podcast