Former WCW president Eric Bischoff has offered up his reaction to Vince McMahon stepping down as WWE CEO recently.
Recently, McMahon was put under investigation for sexual misconduct, forcing him to step down as CEO of WWE for the time being. In his place, Vince McMahon’s daughter, Stephanie McMahon, has stepped in to fill his role.
Bischoff recently took to his podcast, “83 Weeks,” to offer his thoughts on the situation. Simply put, Bischoff feels terribly for everyone affected by the recent moves.
“I was dumbfounded. Shocked. I can’t imagine anybody felt any differently. Even though it appears to be very temporaneous and not a permanent situation, at least that’s not the way it’s presented or the way I read it, but nonetheless, it’s a big damn deal and it did shock me,” Bischoff said.
“I feel bad for a lot of people. I still have a lot of friends in WWE that I do care about a lot. Regardless of how this ends up, it’s going to adversely affect a lot of people.
“How do you feel anything other than bad for people that you know and have affection for that are having to go through this? I feel bad for Bruce (Prichard).
“I sent Bruce a text Friday night during the show going, ‘Brother, one hell of a ride.’ To be sitting in that seat, to be there in the eye of that fu**ing hurricane, man I feel for a lot of people.”
McMahon is accused of paying $3 million in hush money to a paralegal his allegedly had an affair with. Last month, Stephanie McMahon announced she would be taking a leave of absence from WWE to spend more time with her family.
However, just a few weeks later, she finds herself returning to fill her father’s role as he steps away amidst the investigation.
The Company and the Board do not expect to have further comment until the investigation is concluded.
Tonight’s edition of WWE Monday Night Raw will air from Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska, and will see the company continue on the road to Money in the Bank.
The first Raw of the Stephanie McMahon era will certainly be an interesting night for fans, and there’s plenty happening behind the scenes this week.
What’s in store?
One of the major selling points of tonight’s show is the return of Elias, who is set to appear alongside his ‘brother’ Ezekiel.
Fightful Select reports that WWE is all-in on the return of the 24/7 Champion, who will have a guitar-smashing segment as part of his concert alongside his brother tonight, according to an internal listing.
The report adds that an edition of Miz TV is also planned for tonight’s show, but there’s no word on who the two-time WWE Grand Slam Champion will have as his guest.
One name who could be speaking to The Miz is Riddle, who after losing his WWE Undisputed Universal Championship match against Roman Reigns on SmackDown, is booked to appear tonight.
WWE United States Champion Theory will continue his posing gimmick that began last week after he faced Bobby Lashley in a pose down.
It has been confirmed by WWE that Asuka will face Becky Lynch with the winner earning a spot in the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match on July 2.
Alexa Bliss, Carmella, MVP, The Street Profits, and Bobby Lashley have also all been booked for tonight’s show.
Wrestletix reported last night that 5,584 tickets out of a possible 5,990 had been sold for tonight’s show, meaning there were little over 400 seats left at the time of their report.
WWE’s Money in the Bank is just a few weeks away and the qualifying matches are underway on both the RAW and Smackdown brands.
So far for the women, Lacey Evans, Alexa Bliss, Raquel Rodriguez, and Liv Morgan have qualified. For the men, Seth “Freakin” Rollins, Sheamus, and Drew McIntyre have earned their way into the Money in The Bank ladder match.
After those names qualified the match graphics on the screen showed seven participants for both the men’s and women’s matches. This is a change from previous years that usually saw eight participants in both matches.
While the graphics show seven participants according to WWE’s website, they mention there will be eight participants this year. It could be an oversight, or it could mean we are in for some surprises for this PPV.
There are three potential surprise returns we could see at the Money in the Bank this year if all the participants are not revealed ahead of time.
Bayley
(via WWE)
I believe speak for most wrestling fans when I say we are all anticipating her return.
Bayley has not appeared on TV since July 2, 2021, due to a torn ACL she suffered from a freak accident while training at the WWE Performance Center. She has teased a bit on social media while she has been out, leaving fans guessing as to when we may see the “Role Model” make her grand return.
The latest tease was a post of what appears to be a laced-up boot she posted on both Twitter and Instagram. If she is cleared and ready, what bigger return than the Money in the Bank match where she could possibly snag the briefcase giving her the opportunity at a title shot?
Right before Bayley got injured, she was in a hot feud with Bianca Belair, who at the time was the Smackdown Women’s Champion. Bianca Belair is now the RAW women’s champion and there is some unfinished business, especially for Bayley.
Either way, Bayley making her return and capturing the briefcase would at the least be entertaining, especially given the obnoxious trolling character she was when she left.
An argument can also be made that if you are returning fresh from an ACL injury would you want to put her in a ladder match first thing coming back? While she should be cleared regardless, I can see them exercising caution as well.
This without a doubt would be the biggest return audience pop they could garner right now.
Charlotte Flair
(via WWE)
No matter how you feel about Charlotte Flair, she shines bright on a big stage.
Last we saw Charlotte Flair was her saying “I quit!” at Wrestlemania Backlash in her “I Quit” match against Ronda Rousey. WWE reported later on the PPV that Charlotte had suffered a fracture of the radius as a result of the armbar, but it was reported this was all part of storyline to write Flair off TV.
As we now know she was being written off so she and her now-husband, AEW star Andrade El Idolo, could get married. It was never reported how long she would be absent, so we fully expect her to pop up now that they are back from their honeymoon.
Charlotte Flair always seems to find herself in the title picture, so it isn’t far-fetched to think that she may make her grand return and be a surprise entrant in the ladder match. If she were to win the Money in the Bank briefcase it would be an easy way to set up a rematch between herself and Ronda Rousey.
It would also be a change in the norm, as Charlotte Flair has been the one cashed in on three times of the four winners.
Whether she wins the match or not, this would be a great way for her to make her comeback and set up a SummerSlam match since the PPV is set for three weeks after Money in the Bank this year.
Bum A** Corbin
(via WWE)
Baron Corbin has gone through many transformations over years, but none have been more endearing, welcoming, and entertaining as Bum Corbin.
Last we saw Bum Corbin was back around SummerSlam 2021 in Las Vegas where his luck turned around and he became Happy Corbin. This past Smackdown after losing to Madcap Moss in a Last Laugh match, Corbin addressed commentator Pat McAfee upset about his criticisms over the last year and for coining the nickname Bum A** Corbin.
He then threatened to drag him into the ring, hinting at maybe a future match. Pat McAfee did not let Corbin go without a response, and with the help of the WWE Universe laughed Baron Corbin out of the arena.
Money in the Bank is being held in Las Vegas this year where Bum Corbin won “big” and became Happy Corbin. It would be poetic if this year Happy Corbin enters the Money in the Bank ladder match, loses, and tries his luck at the casinos again, except this time he loses.
Down on his luck again, we may see the return of Bum A** Corbin? Corbin arguably did some of his best character work as Bum Corbin, I think it would be a welcomed return by most fans.
Money in the Bank is one of the most fun Pay-Per-Views of the year and a lot of people look forward to the surprises. The unknown of the briefcase winners and potential cash-ins make it all the more exciting.
If any of these surprise returns were to happen this year, it would shake things up for the rest of the year in WWE.
AEW superstar and current reigning ROH TV champion Samoa Joe issued a short statement on Twitter this morning explaining why he did not appear via video on last night’s Impact Slammiversary pay-per-view.
Along with the event Impact was celebrating its 20-year anniversary in the wrestling business, and got video testimonials from some of their biggest talents over the years, dating back to their days as Total Nonstop Action (TNA). This includes statements from WWE’s AJ Styles, AEW’s Sting, and the Olympic Hero himself, Kurt Angle.
Fans were quick to notice Joe’s absence from the event, as his run in TNA was quite memorable. The Samoan Submission Machine was a former TNA heavyweight champion, former TNA TV champion, former two-time TNA tag champion, and a former five-time TNA X-Division champion, and along with Styles is widely considered one of the best X-Division champions in history.
In his tweet Joe reveals that he was not asked by Impact to appear, nor would he have been available to film anything anyway. He adds that his absence should not “mar a great milestone” set by the promotion before wishing everyone well moving forward.
“Dearest cackling hens. I wasn’t asked, or available, and it should not mar a great milestone set by Impact. Happy Anniversary, and my best going forward to all involved.”
You can check out Joe’s tweet below.
Dearest cackling hens. I wasn’t asked, or available, and it should not mar a great milestone set by Impact. Happy Anniversary, and my best going forward to all involved .
The Nature Boy is scheduled to wrestle his final match on Sunday July 31st during Starrcast weekend. After selling out the Nashville Fairgrounds in less than 24-hours, event organizers (Jim Crocket Promotions) made the call to move the spectacle to a significantly larger venue.
“Ric Flair’s Last Match” will now take place at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium, which can accommodate over 7,000 fans.
According to a press release sent in to SEScoops current ticket holder’s seats will be honored, and communication on the changes will be emailed to them this week.
“On July 31, I’m still going to walk that aisle and style and profile as only I can,” said Flair. “But now, a bigger crowd, brighter lights! ‘The Nature Boy’ can’t wait to do what I do best. WOOOO!”
“Like so many times before, having Ric Flair’s name on the marquee has the wrestling world buzzing,” said Jim Crockett Promotions President, David Crockett. “On Sunday, July 31, we look forward to bringing the fans at Nashville Municipal Auditorium, and our worldwide audience, a night of professional wrestling that they will never forget.”
“When we announced that STARRCAST was coming back, with our partner Thuzio, we knew the last weekend in July was going to be a celebration for wrestling fans. The party’s main event has now moved to a bigger room,” said STARRCAST and AdFreeShows.com founder Conrad Thompson. “There will still be numerous events and experiences happening throughout the weekend at The Nashville Fairgrounds, who have been wonderful to work with. However, the demand for Ric’s last match to move to a bigger venue was one we couldn’t ignore.”
“Due to the overwhelming demand by fans to be in the building for ‘Ric Flair’s Last Match,’ we have made the decision to move this once-in-a-lifetime show to the Nashville Municipal Auditorium,” said Jared Augustine, CEO of Thuzio. “Once the initial batch of tickets at the Nashville Fairgrounds went so quickly, our team immediately started to look for a larger venue, and the Nashville Municipal Auditorium is an ideal solution.”
“Ric Flair’s Last Match” will stream live on FITE 6:05 p.m. EST on Sunday, July 31.
A big rumor has been making rounds regarding Stephanie McMahon and Triple H and it’s time to put it to rest.
Last week brought a firestorm of news in the wrestling business. WWE, in particular, was under a microscope following a report from The Wall Street Journal.
After news broke that the WWE board is investigating Vince McMahon for an alleged secret $3 million pact with a former employee, the company announced that Stephanie is now the interim CEO and Chairwoman of the company.
Fans noticed something in the press release and it started the rumor mill.
No, Stephanie & Triple H Have Not Split
Photo Credit: WWE.com
In the official WWE presser, Stephanie was referred to as “Ms. McMahon” rather than “Mrs. McMahon.” This led some to believe that Stephanie and Triple H may have quietly split from their longtime marriage.
Wade Keller of PWTorch is reporting that this simply isn’t true. In fact, sources told Wade that the two very much continue to be a “team.”
The source also told Keller that when Stephanie stepped back, Triple H actually reduced his hours in the company.
Stephanie is said to have taken the leave of absence in part due to the age of their kids and the fact that they are well off as far as money is concerned.
Wade also dismissed the notion that Stephanie initially took a leave of absence because she knew about the investigation on Vince.
There is an update on Bryan Danielson’s status and it doesn’t appear to be ideal.
Danielson is one of the top stars on the AEW roster. He’s a current member of the Blackpool Combat Club and has been involved in a big storyline where bad blood is brewing between him and Eddie Kingston in the fight against the Jericho Appreciation Society.
Unfortunately, Danielson has been out of action due to an undisclosed injury suffered during the Anarchy in the Arena match at Double or Nothing.
Latest on Bryan Danielson
Bryan Danielson (Photo: AEW)
NJPW’s Zack Sabre Jr. has been teasing a match with Bryan Danielson at the Forbidden Door PPV event on June 26. It’s a fantasy technical matchup for many but there is a chance it may not happen at this time.
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reported that as of last Wednesday, Danielson had still not been cleared to return to the ring.
Meltzer suspects that if Danielson doesn’t appear for the June 22 episode of AEW Dynamite, then he likely won’t wrestle at Forbidden Door.
It would be a major blow to the crossover show if Danielson can’t perform.
As it stands now, Kazuchika Okada’s status for the card is up in the air. Andrade claims he was set to meet Will Ospreay at Forbidden Door but politics with Mexico’s two top promotions got in the way.
Plenty of NJPW stars are expected to attend Dynamite this week in the final push before Forbidden Door.
William Regal believes that the WWE chairman Vince McMahon unknowingly helped save his life when the company paid for his surgery during the Attitude Era.
The former NXT General Manager recently had an interview with Gentleman Villain podcast. Among other things, he talked his relationship with the WWE owner.
The AEW star claimed that he never tried to get too friendly with Mr McMahon. Regal always knew that McMahon was his boss:
“I’ve always known he’s my boss, so I have never got too friendly with him because I knew one day, he might want to fire me. I’ve had an incredible, always polite, great working relationship with him,”
Though despite getting released from the promotion, William Regal claimed that he will always have a loyalty towards the WWE owner. This is because he authorized a surgery in 1999 without which Regal believes he would have died:
“So, I owe him my life. When I had my neck surgery, he might not have even known but it was his company that paid me to get the best surgeon, the only surgeon in the world who could do the surgery that I needed,”
William Regal was released from WWE earlier this year after over two decades with the company. He has since joined AEW and formed a faction with Bryan Danielson, Jon Moxley and Wheeler Yuta.
Jack Evans had quite the scare during a recent GCW event.
Evans went one-on-one with Ninja Mack during the show. This was for the You Wouldn’t Understand event. The action was held inside the Melrose Ballroom in Queens, NY this past Saturday (June 18).
Jack went up the top turnbuckle and attempted a 630 splash but Ninja Mack got out of the way. Evans landed hard on the mat and something wasn’t quite right as he laid in the middle of the ring.
Thankfully, Jack did make it up to his feet and Ninja Mack raised his arm to an ovation. GCW personnel helped Evans to the back.
Jack Evans had been scheduled for the Ultimate X match at Slammiversary the following night. That didn’t end up happening as he was pulled from the card as a precautionary measure.
BREAKING: Out of an abundance of caution following an injury this weekend, @JackEvans711 has been pulled from today's Ultimate-X match. He will be replaced in the X- Division Title showdown by @_AndrewEverett!#Slammiversary#IMPACTWRESTLING
“BREAKING: Out of an abundance of caution following an injury this weekend, @JackEvans711 has been pulled from today’s Ultimate-X match. He will be replaced in the X- Division Title showdown by @_AndrewEverett!”
Jon Moxley will be sharing the ring with a former WWE superstar for the first time.
Moxley has been on a roll as of late. He’s a currently member of the Blackpool Combat Club and he’ll be vying for the interim AEW World Championship. He’ll take on Japanese wrestling legend Hiroshi Tanahashi at Forbidden Door on June 26.
Moxley also happens to be the reigning GCW World Champion.
Jon Moxley’s Next GCW Title Challenger
(via AEW)
Jon Moxley had a successful GCW World Title defense over Tony Deppen at the GCW You Wouldn’t Understand event. After the match, Blake Christian made his way to the ring and he had a staredown with Moxley.
It was then shown on the screen that Moxley will defend his GCW gold against Christian at The People vs. GCW in Nashville on July 29.
Christian was known as Trey Baxter on WWE’s NXT brand. He was released from the company back in Nov. 2021.
WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey will defend her title against Natalya at Money in the Bank on July 2.
Natalya earned a shot at the “Baddest Woman on the Planet” a few weeks ago on SmackDown, and the pair aren’t backing down in their build towards WWE’s next Premium Live Event.
Rousey and Natalya’s War of Words
On Twitter, Rousey kicked things off with a tweet referencing Natalya’s sister Jenni, who has an account on OnlyFans.
Speaking about the Neidhart sister’s Youtube channel ‘The Neidharts‘ Rousey described the channel as a “discount onlyfans sister fetish youtube channel” calling it “weird and embarrassing.”
The channel, which began in January 2020 currently boasts over 78,000 subscribers and over 5 million views.
Many of the videos show the incredibly close relationship between the Neidharts, who often share a bed, kiss, or try and expose one another as part of their content.
Natalya fired back with a tweet of her own, saying she would rather make videos with her attractive sister than discussing “conspiracy theories” that are “weird.”
You can check out both tweets below.
It was either do a channel with my hot sister, or bring people to a rock at the back of my farm to cry and talk about conspiracy theories. I chose the sexy sister thing. Cause we might be weird, but we’re not as weird as your hot takes on life. https://t.co/dFHQusIXIHhttps://t.co/6SyWNhL5bU
Natalya didn’t address any conspiracy theories specifically, but Rousey’s name is linked to one in particular.
In December 2012, a shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School led to the deaths of 20 children and six staff members in one of the worst mass shootings in the United States of the past decade.
Some have claimed that the shooting was staged, and in 2013, Rousey (then with UFC) shared a video claiming the shooting was not real and called the video “extremely interesting, and must-watch.”
Deleting her first tweet, Rousey followed up saying “Asking questions and doing research is more patriotic than blindly accepting what you’re told,” before later apologizing for promoting the baseless conspiracy theory.
Each week, WWE Superstars appear on hours of programming which is aired around the world across various continents.
To keep producing WWE TV content, the company needs to work smoothly with its production team, who decides what airs and at what time in the shows.
Lately though, a new trend has begun emerging on TV, one that has left the roster furious.
An Unhappy Roster
According to Fightful Select, a lot of the Raw Superstars are unhappy with having to wait around for long periods of time before their matches begin.
Between commercials, video packages, recaps of earlier segments, and interviews, the waiting time after an entrance now regularly exceeds ten minutes.
Superstars who have complained to WWE’s higher-ups about the waiting time have been told that the TV show’s format “was what it was” and that these segments “improve the show flow” for fans watching at home.
One anonymous Superstar who was asked what they do during this wait said they “talk to the crowd, dance and get annoyed that I’m waiting that long.”
Liv’s 19-Minute Wait
One example of WWE Superstars having to wait far too long took place ahead of the main event of the May 30, edition of Raw.
On the show, Liv Morgan had her entrance ahead of a match with her former Tag-Team partner Rhea Ripley, but the two didn’t lock up for nearly 20 minutes.
Superstars have reportedly seen this as a particularly egregious waiting time for Morgan, who would go on to defeat Ripley.
Former WWE referee Tim White has passed away at the age of 68.
The wrestling veteran started his career in the industry back in 1985. He originally worked as a handler with Andre The Giant while also officiating matches occasionally.
White later transitioned to a full-time referee role. He officiated many famous matches during the Attitude Era including the 1998 Hell In A Cell match between Undertaker and Mankind at King of The Ring.
WWE sent out an official statement on his passing mentioning how the late star had to retire from his on-screen role due to a shoulder injury but he remained a major part of the promotion until 2009.
WWE is saddened to learn that long-time referee Tim White has passed away.
Many current and former WWE stars have reacted to Tim White’s passing. They have been paying tribute to the wrestling veteran since the news came out.
WWE COO Triple H replied to the official tweet from the company. He wrote that Tim was one of the absolute best people he has worked with:
Shocked and saddened. Timmy was one of the absolute best people I’ve known and had the pleasure of working with. Myself and the entire @WWE family will miss him dearly. https://t.co/TiH4mKvKWy
Big E posted a behind the scene photo with White. He noted how the former WWE employee was always very kind and warm:
I lit up every time I saw this man! Tim White often was the man tasked with shepherding us at appearances and conventions the last several years. He was always extraordinarily kind and warm. I will miss you, my friend. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/fZm0Fq1sRj
Other people who paid Tribute to Tim White include names such as Miro, Michael Hayes, Shawn Michaels, William Regal and many more. You can see the tributes below:
Very saddened to hear of the passing of Tim White. I always looked forward to seeing Tim. Last time was around Christmas. As always, Tim as as warm, genuine, and full of life as usual. I'll miss hearing your stories. See ya down the road.
I’m Saddened To Hear About The Passing Of Two Of My Friends- Dave Hebner & Tim White. I’m Grateful To Have Known Both Of These Incredible Men. Rest In Peace! ?????? pic.twitter.com/xrjWQ9ras7
Tim White brightened every room he walked into & the WWE locker room was especially lucky to have him. Being around Timmy on several PR tours was a joy! We would get our work done & meet after and he would tell old road stories & we’d laugh til the sun came up. Cheers, sir ?
#RIP Tim White – Timmy was always so great to me & was a huge supporter of The Hardys. He was the kindest, most fair man you could ever meet. My thoughts go out to his family & loved ones – Rest in power, my friend. pic.twitter.com/5Brwqyv2wr
I’m deeply saddened to hear of the passing of my dear friend Tim White. My deepest condolences to his family. A great man, referee and person. We’ve laughed so hard together we’ve both had tears in our eyes. There’s not a better way to remember you. Rest well.x
Saddened to hear about both Dave Hebner and Tim White. Both incredible men I was privileged to spend time with in and out of the ring. My thoughts are with their families.
Man we have lost a great guy. Tim always made me feel like much welcomed family. My condolences to the White family R.I.P Tim White pic.twitter.com/5Ttkdk3eJY
I am soo saddened by the news of Tim White passing. Tim was a great guy, ref, employee and a man’s man. Tim loved WWE and WWE loved Tim back. Thoughts and prayers to family, friends and fans.
Tim White was an amazing man. He alway treated me like we were best friends and riding partner since the 90s, but that’s the man he was. An instant friend and a great great person. Rest easy, Timmy. Condolences to the family. pic.twitter.com/YoC1cEHzUc
Thankful that I had the chance to have one last conversation and hear one final story from Tim White just a few short weeks ago. A true class act who had seen it all and an infectious level of kindness to match. Rest in Paradise Mr. White. pic.twitter.com/WOJlCjjqSO
Terrible news. Every testimonial you’re reading about Tim White is true. I don’t know where the company motto “We put smiles on peoples faces” came from but Tim White did it every day, effortlessly.
A big-time WWE superstar appeared at this year’s IMPACT Wrestling Slammiversary event.
IMPACT is celebrating its 20th anniversary and what better way to do so than Slammiversary? The show had brought plenty of other surprises such as an appearance from America’s Most Wanted (James Storm and Chris Harris).
The company also had a touching tribute to former IMPACT commentators Don West and Mike Tenay.
AJ Styles Appears
(via IMPACT Wrestling)
A special video message was also sent in by none other than “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles.
Styles is considered to be “Mr. TNA” but his appearance will certainly come as a surprise. He has been with WWE since 2016 but this isn’t the first time WWE and IMPACT have worked together.
Many years prior, WWE arranged an agreement to have Christian appear during a Slammiversary event in exchange for allowing Ric Flair another Hall of Fame induction.
Here is what AJ Styles had to say during his Slammiversary appearance.
Since debuting in WWE, Alexa Bliss has proven herself to be a formidable contender in the ring.
One of a small handful of women to have held the Raw Women’s Title, SmackDown Women’s Title, and WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles, Bliss is also a former Ms. Money in the Bank.
Bliss has accomplished much more than others in WWE, but the Raw Superstar has plans outside of the ring.
Bliss’ new career goal
On Twitter, Bliss expressed her desire to voice an animated character saying that it would be “so much fun.”
I think being the voice of an animated character would be so much fun- future goal??
— Lexi (Kaufman) Cabrera (@AlexaBliss_WWE) June 18, 2022
Bliss earned a ton of responses, with many calling on her to try and get a role in a Disney or Pixar movie.
Another suggested Bliss voice DC Comics character Harley Quinn, who Bliss used as inspiration for her Backlash 2016 ring-attire.
At least one person suggested that the Raw Superstar obtain her release from WWE in order to be able to control what kind of roles she can go for.
Bliss outside of the Ring
Alexa Bliss may be best known for her role as a WWE Superstar, but a career away from wrestling isn’t too far-fetched.
In 2017, Bliss joined E!’s Total Divas and has made regular appearances on Xavier Woods’ UpUpDownDown YouTube channel, under the name Miss Bliss.
In early 2020, Bliss appeared in a music video for Bowling for Soup, her favorite band, which made a song dedicated to and named after her.
A year later, Bliss would appear alongside Charlotte Flair on an episode of Punky Brewster.
When you think of wrestling’s biggest ever stars, two names likely to come to mind are The Rock and Hogan.
The Rock has transcended wrestling to become a leading man in Hollywood, while Hogan, for good or bad, is still known around the world.
Almost every wrestler wants to reach the same kind of heights as the “Brahma Bull or “The Hulkster,” but there’s one name who could have the potential to be the next breakout star.
The next Rock and Hogan
Hardy has seen plenty of big names come and go throughout his decades in the wrestling industry and right now, he’s particularly high on AEW’s Wardlow.
Speaking to Drinks With Johnny, Hardy praised the young powerhouse in a discussion about whether any wrestlers today could have the mainstream appeal as Rock or Hogan.
“I feel like Wardlow’s is a guy that might have that possibility here in AEW. I think he’s very special, he’s a good-looking dude, chicks love him, he’s super athletic and talented. You have a guy like that and hopefully, that does elevate the view of a company and kind of their status where they can grow and become more mainstream or whatever.”
Wardlow has been on the rise in AEW with his biggest win so far coming at last month’s Double or Nothing, where he handily defeated MJF.
What’s next for Wardlow?
On this week’s AEW Dynamite, Wardlow made it clear that he has his eyes on the TNT Championship.
Despite being in AEW for over two years now, Wardlow has yet to hold any gold as he has spent most of his career as MJF’s bodyguard.
Today marks Scorpio Sky’s 53rd day during this second reign (91 days overall) and with the MJF story finished, Wardlow could indeed be next in line for a shot at the gold.
This week’s episode of SmackDown featured the return of some big names including Vince McMahon and Roman Reigns. Though one notable name who was not present at the show was John Laurinaitis.
The Head of Talent Relations has been named alongside the WWE owner in a latest scandal that accuses McMahon of having an affair with a former employee.
Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer talked about Laurinaitis recently. He explained that his absence from SmackDown is not necessarily newsworthy.
Despite some rumors, the WWE Executive was never scheduled to be in Minneapolis for the show. John Laurinaitis is, however, expected to be in Lincoln, NE for Raw.
Meltzer also noted how things are going to be different for him compared to Vince McMahon. The former WWE CEO would be harder to get rid of compared to John.
While the reactions to Vince McMahon’s return to SmackDown were largely negative, it appears to have helped the show with the ratings.
The June 17 edition of the Blue Branded show featuring the Universal championship match between Roman Reigns and Riddle in the main event drew 2.274 million viewers according to Spoiler TV.
This is a big increase from last week’s show. The episode featuring Sami Zayn vs Riddle for the main event had drawn 1.803 million viewers.
The first hour of the show that featured the promo from Vince McMahon among other things drew 2.186 million viewers. The second hour, featuring the big title match then saw an increase in viewership with 2.362 million people tuning in.
As for the key 18-49 demographic, the episode managed to score a 0.55 rating, which is again an increase from last week’s 0.44 number.
On YouTube, the surprise return of Brock Lesnar at the end of the show is far ahead of other videos from the show with over 2.2 million views at the moment.
The Roman Reigns vs Riddle main event is at 1 million views and the unlisted video of Vince McMahon’s TV return is at 990K views. All other videos are below 500k.
It seems WWE officials are going out of their way to clear Sasha Banks’ name from its programming.
The June 17 episode of Friday Night SmackDown took place inside the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The show featured an Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match between Roman Reigns and Riddle.
After the match, Brock Lesnar returned and attacked The Bloodline.
Fans also took notice of something rather interesting following a Money in the Bank qualifying match between Raquel Rodriguez and Shayna Baszler.
WWE Digitally Removes Sasha Banks Fan Sign
After Rodriguez defeated Baszler, a camera shot captured a sign in the crowd that read “Sasha Krew 4 Life.” The production team quickly cut away to a view of the two MITB briefcases hanging above the ring.
While some may have thought there wasn’t much to this, WWE later released an image on its website with the fan sign edited to remove Sasha’s name entirely.
(via WWE)
Sasha had been suspended by WWE along with Naomi for walking out of the May 16 episode of WWE Raw. Raj Giri was the first to report that Banks was released by WWE. Other trusted names in the industry later backed Giri’s report.
There has been no word on Naomi’s status with the company at this time, other than she remains suspended.
Some details on the return of Brock Lesnar have emerged.
The June 17 episode of WWE SmackDown was headlined by an Undisputed Universal Championship match between titleholder Roman Reigns and Riddle. Reigns ended up hitting a spear on Riddle, who attempted a springboard, for the win.
Now, Riddle can never challenge Roman for the gold again.
After the match, Roman Reigns grabbed the mic and said there’s no one left. Brock Lesnar’s music then hit and he ended up hitting an F5 on Reigns.
It was announced after SmackDown that Roman Reigns will take on Brock Lesnar in a Last Man Standing Match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at SummerSlam.
Notes on Brock Lesnar’s Return
Before the Brock appearance, Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter did note that WWE had a plan B for Reigns’ SummerSlam opponent and it wasn’t Riddle.
WWE had to come up with a plan B as the initial idea was to book Roman vs. Randy Orton. That plan went awry as it became apparent that Orton may need back surgery and could be out for the remainder of 2022.
Fightful is now reporting that Brock Lesnar’s return was in the works for roughly three weeks. This dispels rumors that he was brought in for shock value to take attention off the Vince McMahon investigation as The Wall Street Journal report hadn’t been released at that time.
As expected, Lesnar’s return was not listed in the internal run sheets as it probably would’ve leaked ahead of time.
AEW has been described as the land of creative freedom by many. According to Mercedes Martinez, the biggest difference compared to WWE is how accessible and receptive Tony Khan is.
The wrestling veteran recently had an interview with Complex Unsanctioned podcast. Among other things, she talked about the difference between WWE and AEW.
Martinez discussed how the AEW owner is busy man. Despite it, he is very accessible and responsive to talents:
“I can text him, I can message him whenever I want, If I have ideas or anything, he’s as accessible as he can be. That’s a big difference going from WWE to here.”
Mercedes Martinez noted that Khan is the one that makes the decisions. So the fact that he listens to people’s concerns is a great thing:
“He’s the boss, he’s the man, he’s the one that makes the decisions, and the fact that he listens to you and your concerns and whatever you have for creative, [it’s great]. I love that creative freedom you have to tell your story where you see fit.”
Mercedes Martinez is a 22-year veteran of the wrestling industry. She has worked for all major promotions in the US in this time. This list includes WWE, AEW, ROH, Impact Wrestling and many more.
Vince McMahon opened this week’s episode of SmackDown with a short promo. While many expected him to address the allegations made against him, the boss just welcomed the fans.
Fightful revealed that he talked to a number of current and former WWE stars about the appearance. The reactions to it range from ‘confused to enraged’.
An unnamed WWE talent told the site that Mr McMahon’s promo was ‘tone-deaf and embarrassing.’ Furthermore, a former WWE star claimed that it shows that Vince McMahon does not have any accountability:
“I’m happy it didn’t last long, so I didn’t have to sit through whatever bullshit he was going to say. But it shows that he has no accountability, especially when something is directly his fault.”
– Unnamed WWE source, to Fightful
The public reaction to Vince McMahon’s promo has largely been negative. Though the WWE owner himself seems unfazed by the opinions against him.
It’ll be interesting to see how the announced McMahon appearance affected the SmackDown viewership and if it helped give the show a boost amid all the speculations about his future.
For more on the developing Vince McMahon situation…
Cody Rhodes isn’t expected back on WWE TV for months following his torn pectoral muscle suffered while training.
Despite the injury, Rhodes muscled through to defeat Seth Rollins at WWE Hell in a Cell 2022 in one of the gutsiest performances of his career.
On the Raw after Hell in a Cell, Rhodes was written off TV by a sledgehammer attack by Rollins.
Losing Rhodes is a huge blow to WWE who have made him the de facto face of the company since returning at WrestleMania 38, but the “American Nightmare” can expect a huge push upon his return.
Cody Rhodes – The New Triple H
A new report in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter notes that there’s been talk about giving Cody a huge return, akin to Triple H in early 2002.
After “The Game” tore his quadriceps in mid-2001, he was out for months and had a lot of build to his January 2002 return.
WWE’s production team filmed Triple H’s surgery and recovery, with weeks of promotional videos hyping his return.
Triple H eventually returned to a thunderous response inside Madison Square Garden and captured the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 18.
Similarly, WWE reportedly recorded the entirety of Cody’s surgery and plans on using the footage in promotional packages.
Despite WWE reporting that he will be out for nine months, Cody is expected to return much sooner, and could be a selling point for the 2023 Royal Rumble.
The 2002 Rumble match marked Triple H’s first televised match back from his injury and he would win the 30-man bout.
Vince McMahon has stepped down from his role as WWE CEO and Chairman, in the biggest shift in power the promotion has seen in decades.
While McMahon is under investigation for an alleged affair and $3 million hush-money arrangement, many have said that he is safe, given that he’s the voting majority on WWE’s board of directors.
McMahon has survived scandals in the past, but this is a new battle for the Sports-Entertainment promoter and he could lose his job after all.
The Conditions
According to Brandon Thurston of WrestleNomics, McMahon’s contract does give the board power to remove him if certain conditions are violated.
While most have nothing to do with the ongoing investigation, there are two that stand out (via eWrestlingNews.)
(a) the Executive’s theft or embezzlement, or attempted theft or embezzlement, of money or property of the Company or its affiliates.”
McMahon’s contract
While the investigation has yet to be concluded some have argued that McMahon could face allegations of embezzlement given their relationship.
It has been claimed that the paralegal was promoted rapidly, from a $100,000 contract to a $200,000 deal after beginning the alleged physical relationship with McMahon.
Given that the payment would have come out of WWE’s pocket, an embezzlement claim could be made.
“(c) the Executive’s willful and intentional material misconduct in performance of his duties or gross negligence of his duties (other than due to the Executive’s Disability), including an intentional failure to follow any applicable Company policies or directives.”
McMahon’s contract
Having an affair with an employee could certainly be considered misconduct in the performance of his duties.
What’s next for McMahon?
Vince McMahon appeared on last night’s SmackDown but did not address the allegations against him.
In his absence, Stephanie McMahon will serve as interim CEO and Chairwoman of WWE until the investigation is concluded.
McMahon has promised to respect the result of the investigation no matter the result.
