Tag: WWE

Details On Why Vince McMahon Backed Away From WWE Creative Reportedly Revealed

The roles of Vince McMahon and Paul “Triple H” Levesque in WWE’s creative department appear to have changed. While the latter has been in charge of these duties for quite some time, McMahon is known for having a very hands-on approach when it comes to the company’s television product. However, a report from Sports Illustrated states that Levesque is in charge in the wake of WWE merging with UFC to form TKO Group Holdings following the completion of the Endeavor sale.

According to the report, Ari Emanuel, the CEO of Endeavor, is behind the change as he believes that everyone in the company should focus on the jobs they’ve been assigned. McMahon is currently an executive chairman, and his main focus for now is to oversee media rights negotiations. As WWE’s Chief Content Officer, however, it’s Levesque’s role to spearhead the creative direction of “WWE Raw” and “WWE SmackDown.”

What’s more, McMahon is said to have an iron-clad contract that protects him financially. However, there doesn’t appear to be any clauses in the agreement that give him license to run the company however he sees fit. Emanuel has the final say over all matters.

Previously, it was reported that McMahon was involved in WWE creative prior to his spinal surgery, which led to him making several changes to the shows. That being said, it’s believed that he stepped away from the role willingly to allow Levesque to steer the ship in that department.

As of this writing, McMahon is under investigation by the federal government, presumably in regard to the hush money payments he made to several women in the past. The outcome of the case remains to be seen.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE & Randy Orton Reportedly Have Targeted Return Date

It’s been almost 17 months since fans saw Randy Orton in a WWE ring, but if the latest murmurs are true, “The Viper’s” extended absence is coming to an end. Fightful Select is reporting that Orton and WWE are circling Survivor Series, which takes place November 25 in Chicago, as the date for the former WWE Champion’s return. Fightful previously reported that Orton was seen at the WWE Performance Center in September.

Orton last wrestled on the episode of “WWE SmackDown” that took place on May 20, 2022. That was the night “SmackDown” Tag Team Champions Jimmy and Jey Uso defeated Orton and Matt Riddle for the “Raw” Tag Team Championship, resulting in the titles being unified (still the case as of this writing). Orton and Riddle were beaten down by The Bloodline after the match, which served to write Orton off television. If November 25 is truly his return date, “The Apex Predator” will be back exactly one year after it was reported that he had undergone back fusion surgery.

It’s difficult to overstate how much WWE has changed in the time Orton has been gone, a period that has included Vince McMahon’s retirement, Vince McMahon’s return, and the merger of WWE and UFC into TKO Group Holdings under the broader umbrella of Ari Emanuel’s Endeavor. As a result, it’s unclear what role a returned Orton would play in the current landscape — even Riddle, his tag team partner for more than a year before his injury, was recently released from the company. But it’s worth noting that creative plans for Orton before he was put on the shelf reportedly involved an Undisputed WWE Universal Champion match with Roman Reigns at SummerSlam 2022, and Reigns’ title reign is, ironically, one of the few things that hasn’t changed in Orton’s absence.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Triple H Introduces Nick Aldis As New WWE SmackDown GM, Kevin Owens Traded From Raw

The season premiere of “WWE SmackDown” was always set to have an announcement from Chief Creative Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque, but what we got was a triple-whammy, with Adam Pearce announced as the new General Manager of “Raw,” Kevin Owens as the trade chip returned to “SmackDown” in exchange for Jey Uso, and former NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Nick Aldis, introduced as the new GM of “Smackdown.”

After the appointment of Pearce, who Levesque acknowledged for doing a great job as the all-encompassing authority figure on both brands for the last several years and subsequently promoted to “Raw” GM, Levesque alluded to the “SmackDown” side of things. He was interrupted by “NXT” North American Champion — and The Judgment Day’s biggest heat magnet — Dominik Mysterio before calling Aldis into the ring.

Aldis, following a handshake agreement with Levesque, fought off Dom’s interjections and the ensuing crowd displeasure, to turn the conversation back to the completion of the Jey Uso trade. That’s when Owens’ music hit and “KO” made his way to the ring. Not showing any patience whatsoever, Owens immediately Stunned Dom, putting an end to the segment and seemingly kicking off a new era for both brands on the road to Survivor Series.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE SmackDown To Go Head-to-Head With AEW Collision Next Month

The latest battle between WWE and AEW was this past Tuesday between NXT and Dynamite, with NXT outdrawing the rival show in the ratings.  

Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the next head-to-head ratings battle between WWE and AEW will happen on November 17. 

“The next head-to-head situations will be on 11/17, when Collision is moved to Friday from 8-10 p.m., meaning there will be a live three-hour block from the Forum in Los Angeles with Rampage at 10-11 p.m. So the first two hours will go against Smackdown on FOX.”

AEW can’t air its program in the normal timeslot because of the Full Gear pay-per-view event on November 18th. 

There will also be a head-to-head on November 25 with Collision against Survivor Series and on December 9 with Collision against NXT Deadline from Bridgeport, CT.

Source: eWn

WWE SmackDown Preview 10/13/2023

The WWE SmackDown ‘season premiere’ will air live tonight on FOX from the BOK Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

  • The fallout from Fastlane
  • Triple H to appear
  • John Cena to appear
  • Roman Reigns returns
  • WWE Undisputed Tag Team Champions Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso to issue open challenge
  • Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince and Kit Wilson) vs. Brawling Brutes (Ridge Holland and Butch)

Report: WWE Not Bringing Back CM Punk

According to F4WOnline, WWE has decided against bringing back CM Punk. 

There have been previous reports that Punk had intention to return to WWE and he and the company were said to be in talks.

Also per the report from F4WOnline, WWE turned Punk down, with Vince McMahon, Nick Kahn and Paul Levesque deciding on not to bring Punk back at this time.

It was further noted the main reason for not to bring back Punk, was the negatives out weighted the positives.

When Nick Khan spoke last month with ESPN about WWE’s potential interest in Punk, he said they “only have respect for Phil” and “wish him nothing but the best.”

Undertaker Returns As American Bad-Ass, Chokeslams Bron Breakker On WWE NXT

The teases of the “Dead Man” appearing on “WWE NXT” on Tuesday as it went head-to-head against “AEW Dynamite” ended up being true, but it wasn’t the Undertaker’s undead persona that made it to the ring on Tuesday. The WWE Hall of Famer rolled down the ramp, instead, confronting Bron Breakker on a motorcycle as “The American Bad-Ass.”

Undertaker made his appearance after Breakker took out Carmelo Hayes following their match, which Breakker lost. The young star was the first to get on the mic against the Hall of Famer and asked if he understood there was only one badass around “NXT.” While Breakker received “you f***ed up” chants from the crowd in the WWE Performance Center, Undertaker told Breakker that he had been watching him for a long time, and that one day he is going to be a special talent. But not today.

The legend then decked Breakker and got him up for a chokeslam as Hayes sat grinning in the corner. Undertaker got back on the mic to give Breakker a little advice, telling him there’s always an older, bigger, badder badass waiting around the corner, and that he “just met the baddest of them all.” Undertaker and Hayes then posed for the crowd as “NXT” went off the air.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Brian Pillman Jr’s Emotional Vignette Debuting On WWE NXT — As Lexis King?

In the midst of a very eventful Tuesday night, a vignette played on “WWE NXT” providing the first look at WWE’s presentation of Brian Pillman Jr. Though he didn’t go as far as to confirm his full ring name, leaving out the rumored “Lexis” first name for now, the video does include Pillman revealing his new surname and the logic behind the change. After the show, the WWE star took to X to further explain himself.

The video shows former AEW star Pillman watching highlights of his father’s WWE career. Over the footage, short audio clips described the late Pillman Sr. as “crazy,” “unpredictable,” and more.

“My father was one of the most infamous superstars in this business,” Pillman says in the video. “Everywhere I go, people stop to tell me, ‘Man, I loved your dad. Such a trailblazer, he was.’ It seems like everybody has such fond memories of my father. Well, you know who doesn’t? Me — his own damn son.”

Pillman pointed out that he was only 4 years old when his father died. Additionally, the 30-year-old stated that wrestling was one of the last things he thought he’d ever want to do. However, despite earning a college degree and trying his hand at other sports, Pillman said that he keeps finding himself drawn to pro wrestling.

“I’ve got no choice but to inflict pain on the very business that has brought me so much grief,” Pillman continued. “But when they see this face, I don’t want them to think about my dead father. I want them to think about me. I’m nobody’s junior, and from this day forward, I’m going to take on the last name of the real man who raised me — the real father figure in my life — and his name was King. And now, so is mine.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Preview 10/10/2023

Tonight’s WWE NXT live in Orlando, Florida at the Performance Center on the USA Network, with the first 30 minutes commercial free.

WWE is certainly not selling tonight’s episode of NXT short as the company has deemed tonight’s show the greatest episode of all time.

  • Carmelo Hayes (w/ John Cena) vs. Bron Breakker (w/ Paul Heyman)
  • Roxanne Perez vs. Asuka
  • Cody Rhodes to make a major announcement
  • Pub Rules Match: Brawling Brutes (Butch and Ridge Holland) and Tyler Bate vs. Gallus (Mark Coffey, Joe Coffey and Wolfgang)
  • A possible appearance from The Undertaker

Backstage Rumors On Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque’s Role In WWE, TKO

Vince McMahon’s future in the WWE is unclear, with recent SEC filings leading to speculation that the longtime executive might be fashioning an exit plan from the newly-minted TKO Group Holdings, which formed in the wake of WWE’s merger with UFC, under UFC parent company Endeavor. This speculation has led to further speculation about who is running WWE’s creative branch; McMahon, or Paul “Triple H” Levesque, who assumed the reigns of Chief Content Officer following McMahon’s initial retirement. It’s unclear what the power structure is within WWE’s creative brain trust, though some believe the wind is blowing in a certain direction. 

PWInsider Elite’s Mike Johnson recently passed along that rumors within WWE have Levesque driving what he described as “99%” of WWE’s creative direction, with the word being that Levesque has been “knighted” by TKO to lead the promotion, instead of McMahon, a decision which is said to have had a positive effect on backstage morale.

However, this does not mean that McMahon is out of the picture, as the long-time WWE figurehead is currently Executive Chairman of TKO, and has remained active within WWE since his return in January. It is believed that McMahon, as long as he’s around, will always have some input in WWE and that an occasional “tug-of-war” between himself and Levesque may still pop up now and then, with the Chief Content Officer sometimes acquiescing to McMahon’s suggestions.

How much truth there is to these rumblings backstage remains unclear. The most recent word on WWE’s creative process had Levesque running the day-to-day creative, with McMahon overseeing and having final say over certain elements of “Raw,” “SmackDown,” and WWE PLE’s, though McMahon himself had indicated he would no longer be in the day-to-day weeds, as he had been in the past.

Source: Wrestling Inc.