AEW Dynamite tonight on TBS as the build continues for Saturday’s Grand Slam Australia. Dynamite was taped on Tuesday in Cedar Park, Texas at HEB Center.
The ongoing legal troubles surrounding Vince McMahon took another strange turn this week, as conflicting reports emerged about the status of a federal investigation into the former WWE Chairman.
Last month, McMahon reached a settlement with the SEC after failing to disclose NDA payments made to Janel Grant—who is currently suing him for sex trafficking and abuse—as well as another unnamed woman. At the time, McMahon seemed to suggest that the federal probe into him had concluded. However, that narrative was cast into doubt when an appellate court ruled that over 200 documents, previously withheld by McMahon’s legal team, must be handed over to a grand jury.
The revelation of this ruling suggested that the investigation was still active. But now, McMahon’s lawyer, Robert W. Allen, is pushing back on that notion. Speaking to the New York Post, Allen stated definitively that the case had been closed.
“This is simply the result of an appeal of a procedural matter that was argued five months ago. We have been in consistent communication with the government since that time and understand, with no ambiguity, that the investigation has definitively concluded and will not result in charges.”
A separate source familiar with the case also told The Post that federal prosecutors had declined to press charges at some point between September 18 and January 10—the same day McMahon settled with the SEC.
Despite these statements, there’s still a lingering question: If the case is truly closed, why did the appellate court rule that the documents must be turned over to a grand jury? The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York has declined to comment, leaving the situation murky.
For now, McMahon and his legal team maintain that he is in the clear, but with ongoing litigation from Grant and the SEC settlement fresh in the public eye, this saga may not be over just yet.
Just one day after officially parting ways with AEW, Ricky Starks made an unexpected splash in WWE, appearing live on NXT and delivering a fiery promo from the crowd at the WWE Performance Center.
With no entrance music and no prior announcement, Starks stepped into the spotlight as the ring crew set up for the night’s steel cage main event. The only cue for fans at home was a stunned “Holy crap!” from commentator Vic Joseph, as the NXT crowd erupted in chants of “Ricky! Ricky!”
Grabbing a microphone, Starks wasted no time in making his intentions clear:
“If ‘NXT’ is the future of professional wrestling, well guess what? You need an absolute superstar of the future. If this is the hottest brand, well, you need the hottest free agent right now, baby. Everyone’s been asking when the revolution will be televised again. Well, I’m right here, aren’t I?”
News of Starks’ AEW departure broke earlier this week, with reports confirming that his contract had expired and that he was free to sign anywhere without a non-compete clause. AEW had previously exercised the option year on his deal, but Starks had been largely absent from television leading up to his exit.
His NXT appearance raises plenty of questions about his future. While he didn’t confirm whether he’d be involved in Saturday’s Vengeance Day premium live event, his presence alone signals that WWE may have big plans for the former AEW standout.
For now, all eyes are on what’s next for Starks—will he make an impact in NXT, or is this just the first step toward an even bigger stage on Raw or SmackDown?
A new live episode of WWE NXT airs tonight on The CW. Tonight’s show is the go-home edition before this weekend’s WWE Vengeance Day premium live event.
The legal troubles surrounding Vince McMahon continue to mount as a federal appeals court has ruled that his former attorney improperly withheld key documents from a grand jury investigation. The case revolves around multimillion-dollar settlements McMahon allegedly used to cover up accusations of sexual misconduct by two former WWE employees.
According to the Associated Press, the 2nd U.S. Court of Appeals in New York upheld a previous ruling, determining that the withheld documents were not protected by attorney-client privilege due to an exception for “crime or fraud.”
Federal prosecutors argue that McMahon and his legal team went to great lengths to circumvent WWE’s internal policies and fabricate records to hide the settlements from company auditors. While McMahon reportedly used personal funds for the settlements, the court concluded that his actions—along with those of his attorney—misled WWE’s auditors and failed to properly disclose the financial agreements.
The lawsuit involves two settlements:
One of the women involved, Janel Grant, claims she was coerced into leaving WWE and signing a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Her lawsuit argues that the NDA should be invalidated because McMahon failed to pay the full settlement amount.
McMahon’s lawyer had already provided numerous documents to the grand jury but attempted to withhold 208 communications, citing attorney-client privilege. The appeals court rejected this argument, ordering the documents to be turned over, as they were allegedly part of a scheme to keep WWE and its auditors in the dark.
The court ruling stated:
“Because the settlement agreements resolving the Victims’ claims were ‘structured and negotiated … to keep them hidden from (the Company),’ the district court found that ‘all communications about the claims and settlement agreements were made in furtherance of the criminal scheme to keep (the Company) and its auditors unaware of the allegations.’”
While the ruling does not explicitly name McMahon, a source confirmed that he is the unnamed former CEO referenced in the case.
The current status of the grand jury investigation remains unclear, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan has not provided further comment. McMahon’s representatives have also not responded publicly, though he has denied any wrongdoing in the past.
This ruling comes months after McMahon settled SEC charges, agreeing to pay a $400,000 fine and reimburse WWE $1.3 million for failing to properly disclose the settlement payments.
With the legal walls seemingly closing in, the question now is whether this latest development could lead to criminal charges against the former WWE chairman.
The wrestling world has seen a wave of roster shake-ups lately, and AEW is no exception. Following a series of WWE releases, it has now been confirmed that three notable AEW names—Miro, Malakai Black, and Ricky Starks—are no longer with the company. Even more intriguing, they are free to sign and compete anywhere immediately, as their contracts do not include non-compete clauses.
According to Fightful Select, AEW removed all three from its official roster page on Monday, signaling their official departure. Let’s break down the situation for each of these now-former AEW stars.
Black’s AEW run seemed poised for longevity, with AEW President Tony Khan previously suggesting his contract could keep him with the company until 2027. However, reports indicate that Black was actually finished with AEW as early as January—well before the Royal Rumble. AEW has already adjusted creatively, repackaging Brody King, Buddy Matthews, and Julia Hart from the House of Black into a new stable, the Hounds of Hell.
Given Black’s reputation as a unique in-ring performer and storyteller, speculation will likely swirl about a potential WWE return—especially considering his past as Aleister Black and his connections in the company.
Once one of AEW’s most dominant forces, Miro had been missing from action for quite some time. Despite being healthy, he wrestled only a handful of matches in 2023 and had not been included in creative discussions for at least six months. Reports indicate that Miro actually requested his release back in September, which means his exit may have been in the works for a while.
Originally signing a long-term contract extension in 2022, Miro was expected to remain with AEW until 2026. However, his absence from TV and lack of creative direction made his departure seem inevitable. Now, the question is whether Miro—formerly known as Rusev in WWE—will head back to his old stomping grounds or explore opportunities elsewhere.
Perhaps the most surprising departure is Ricky Starks, who had long been considered a rising star in AEW. According to reports, Starks asked AEW not to pick up his contract’s option year in late 2023. However, AEW did the opposite—exercising the option but then not utilizing him on TV.
Starks reportedly requested his release in January, and his situation was further complicated when he was pulled from GCW events due to backstage friction. Despite this, Starks managed to make headlines over the weekend by winning the DEFY World Championship from KENTA just before his AEW release became public.
With no contractual restrictions holding them back, Miro, Black, and Starks have the freedom to appear anywhere at any time. Could we see one—or all—of them make surprise appearances in WWE, NJPW, or even TNA? The industry is wide open, and their next moves will undoubtedly be closely watched by fans and promoters alike.
For now, one thing is certain: AEW’s landscape continues to shift, and these departures could lead to major shake-ups across the wrestling world.
Stay tuned for more updates as this story develops!
On Tuesday, February 11, New Japan Pro Wrestling hosted The New Beginning at the Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium in Osaka, Japan
Pre-Show:
United Empire (Francesco Akira & Jeff Cobb) def. El Desperado & Katsuya Murashima
Main Card:
Hiroshi Tanahashi def. Togi Makabe
Drilla Moloney def. Shingo Takagi
Great-O-Khan def. Shota Umino
SANADA def. Taichi
IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships: Ichiban Sweet Boys (Robbie Eagles & Kosei Fujita) (c) def. Rocky Romero & YOH
NEVER Openweight Championship: Konosuke Takeshita (c) def. Boltin Oleg
IWGP Tag Team Championships: Tetsuya Naito & Hiromu Takahashi def. The Young Bucks (c)
IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship: Yota Tsuji (c) vs. Gabe Kidd ended in a Draw
IWGP World Heavyweight Championship: Hirooki Goto def. Zack Sabre Jr. (c)
Tonight’s WWE Raw which airs live globally on Netflix beginning at 8:00 pm ET/5:00 pm PT from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.
WWE’s latest round of talent cuts extended into the weekend, with more names being confirmed as released from the company. Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, known collectively as The Good Brothers, were let go, according to PWInsider, with Fightful later verifying the news. Additionally, Fightful also reported that Giovanni Vinci had been released as well.
These releases follow a string of cuts that began on Friday night, with Isla Dawn, Blair Davenport, Sonya Deville, The Authors of Pain (Akam & Rezar), their manager Paul Ellering, and Cedric Alexander all parting ways with WWE.
Elektra Lopez, the manager of the stable Legado Del Fantasma, was released from WWE this weekend following a four-year run with the company.
While WWE has yet to provide an official reason for the roster changes, Fightful reports that sources within NXT believe the moves are tied to an upcoming wave of main roster call-ups. With WrestleMania season approaching, WWE frequently shakes up its rosters, and this could indicate fresh talent from NXT is about to get the spotlight on Raw and SmackDown.
The releases of Gallows and Anderson are particularly notable, as the duo had long been associated with WWE’s Bullet Club-adjacent faction, The O.C., alongside AJ Styles. Their return to WWE in 2022 was expected to be a long-term run, but it appears their time with the company has once again come to an end.
Notably, Anderson is out with an injury with a torn labrum and rotator cuff; he had surgery in November and used the word “indefinitely” in a December interview before setting a return expectation of “at least six or seven more months.” Fightful gave his recovery time as “at least 3-6 months minimum” and noted that Anderson is “in good spirits” despite the highly unusual practice of being released during injury rehab.
As always, the wrestling world will be watching to see where these released superstars land next. Could we see some of them in AEW, TNA, or NJPW? Only time will tell.
WWE is raising the bar for wrestling reality TV with its brand-new competition series, “WWE LFG”, premiering Sunday, February 16th at 8 PM ET on A&E. This high-stakes show will push 16 aspiring WWE Superstars to their absolute limits as they compete for the ultimate prize: a spot on NXT, WWE’s developmental brand that serves as the gateway to superstardom.
For the first time, fans will get an unfiltered look at WWE’s rigorous training process, featuring intense in-ring battles, behind-the-scenes drama, and jaw-dropping performances. These competitors won’t be going it alone, though—they’ll receive world-class guidance from some of the biggest legends in WWE history. The Undertaker, Booker T, Mickie James, and Bubba Ray Dudley will serve as mentors, offering their expertise to help shape the next generation of WWE talent.
Adding even more star power to the mix, WWE Hall of Famers Paul “Triple H” Levesque and Shawn Michaels will oversee the competition. As WWE’s Chief Content Officer and Senior VP of Talent Development Creative, respectively, their insight will be crucial in evaluating performances and determining which competitor has what it takes to thrive in NXT. Contestants will earn points based on their athleticism, charisma, and in-ring ability, with each week bringing them closer to—or further from—their WWE dreams.
With a mix of action, emotion, and legendary mentorship, “WWE LFG” promises to be a must-watch for wrestling fans and aspiring Superstars alike. Mark your calendars—this is one journey to the squared circle you won’t want to miss!
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