Slaughter may have had a less-than-warm response to Evans using the Cobra Clutch, but the two may soon become a regular act on TV.
Last December, the former WWF Champion tweeted that he would love the opportunity to manage Evans, and is confident that she would become a Women’s Champion.
Responding, Evans shared her eagerness to make the pairing happen, asking where does she report in.
While Slaughter claimed for years to have served and trained with the Marines, even off of WWE TV, he never served his country, while Evans is a real former Marine.
Lacey Evans
Lacey Evans was once poised to walk into WrestleMania 37 as Raw Women’s Champion, but her career has been a whirlwind since then.
After Evans announced her pregnancy, plans for a title win were scrapped, and she would return to TV in a vignette on the April 8, 2022 edition of SmackDown.
Initially poised as a face, Evans was quietly moved to Raw and was listed as a heel, but never appeared on the red brand.
The former Marine would be moved back to SmackDown, turned face again, and then turned heel again in the summer of 2022.
Jade Cargill is getting rave reviews for her improved ring work.
The reigning TBS Champion is coming up on the two year anniversary of her AEW debut (March 3, 2021). She’s still early in wrestling career, which has led some critics to call her green. Fortunately, Cargill has star power to spare and had joked that she’s “green like money.”
On Friday’s live edition of AEW Rampage, Cargill successfully defended her gold against Skye Blue. Cargill looked impressive – especially this finishing sequence:
Jade Cargill is really improving – she’s been “green like money” but will be the total package sooner than later #TBSpic.twitter.com/5Xq60Npf6d
Ospreay is one of the most talented wrestlers in the world, so an endorsement from him carries a lot of weight. He just wrestled a Match-of-the-Year candidate against Kenny Omega at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17. The match was so good that Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer rated it 6.25 stars (on a scale of 1-5).
Ospreay is not the only main event star who has taken notice of Cargill’s development. Last month, Cargill was asked about her dream opponent. She named WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair, “because she can go.” Flair replied:
Keep killing it queen. #undefeated
– Charlotte Flair to Jade Cargill
Ex-WWE Writer Freddie Prinze Jr. is also a big fan of Cargill, calling her an incredibly unique performer and likening her to a unicorn who deserves to be booked in a special way.
“Lions and tigers and bears are cool, but a Unicorn, a Minotaur, a Cerberus,” said Prinze. “They’re magic, and they’re treated that way in the stories I read as a kid. And that’s what Jade is, she’s a Unicorn.”
There’s no doubt that Jade Cargill is one of the most promising home-grown stars on the AEW roster. The 48-0 champion has proven that she’s willing to put the work in to improve her skills. If she continues at this pace, she really will be the “total package” in the near future.
Sources who spoke to CNBC reported that J.P. Morgan will advise WWE on a potential sale, which if one happens, will be the first in the company’s history.
Those same sources said that if a deal is struck, it will likely occur within the next six to three months.
During a company-wide message, WWE President Frank Riddick clarified that McMahon’s return does not guarantee a sale of the promotion nor a merger with another company.
Buyers – Comcast
An internationally-known brand that reported record profits during the pandemic, it is hardly surprising that WWE is making for quite an attractive purchase.
CNBC reports that Comcast would make a sensible buyer of WWE, given that the company already deals with the McMahon-led promotion.
Comcast owns NBC-Universal, which owns both the USA Network and Peacock, the home of WWE Monday Night Raw and the WWE Network respectively.
Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said in October 2022 that the company isn’t in a rush to pursue an acquisition.
FOX
FOX is also named by CNBC as a potential buyer, and they two have experience with WWE.
The home of WWE SmackDown, FOX has reportedly been very pleased with WWE since their deal was struck in 2018.
Higher-ups at FOX have been delighted that WWE has been eager to please them, including having top-drawing names like Roman Reigns, Charlotte Flair, and Ronda Rousey on the blue brand.
Fox sold most of its entertainment assets in a $71 billion sale to Disney in 2019, though WWE would likely fit into the company’s sports and live events focus.
Disney
The House of Mouse has been collecting IPs like Thanos collects Infinity Stones, the Marvel villain of course being under Disney’s ownership.
With former CEO Bob Iger returning (the irony!) CNBC suggested that he could make a splashy acquisition to cement his return.
If so, WWE would likely be placed on ESPN+ and the WWE IP would be applicable for merchandizing and theme park businesses.
Warner Bros. Discovery
Current WBD CEO David Zaslav slashed costs upon his appointment to the top of the merged company, and spending billions on WWE is within the budget.
While a huge purchase like this would run counter to his cost-cutting strategy, Zaslav has spoken in the past about his interest in owning IPs.
With WBD pleased with the success AEW has had so far, it is possible that higher-ups will now set their sights on the much more internationally-known wrestling promotion.
Netflix
It has only been recently that Netflix has opened up to the idea of sports on their programming, with the success of various documentaries.
Netflix also boasts around 223 million paid subscribers (as of 2022 Q3) though the platform has been losing subscribers with many unpopular changes.
Speaking last month, co-CEO Ted Sarandos spoke about how Netflix wouldn’t be renting sports, only buying.
“We’ve not seen a profit path to renting big sports. We’re not anti-sports; we’re just pro-profit.”
Amazon
Unlike Netflix, Amazon has never shied away from acquiring sports, and pays $1 billion per year on Thursday Night Football.
Amazon could bolster Prime Video with live matches and WWE’s library content while easily boosting merchandizing opportunities.
Owned by the richest man on the planet Jeff Bezos, the price of a WWE purchase would not be a problem for Amazon.
Endeavour Group Holdings
In 2021, Endeavor purchased 100% of the UFC, but this may have just been the start of their plans.
Endeavor superagent Ari Emanuel has said that he wants to get into the business of live-events, making WWE a very attractive option.
UFC generated over $1 billion in revenue in 2022, proving that live events can be profitable to Emanuel.
Vince McMahon may be back with WWE, but staff at the company’s offices shouldn’t have to worry about one of his famed outbursts.
McMahon returned to WWE yesterday as a member of the Board of Directors after announcing his retirement in July of last year.
McMahon and WWE have claimed that his return is to oversee a possible sale of the company.
Out of the Office
For decades, McMahon ruled WWE, and as a result the wrestling world, with an iron fist from his office at Titan Towers.
During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that McMahon won’t be a regular at WWE HQ.
“I don’t think he’s coming back to TV, I mean, the word is he’s not. The word is he’s not even returning to his office. We’ll see how long that lasts.”
Dave Meltzer.
McMahon plans on creating a portfolio of WWE’s assets and advantages to pitch to potential buyers.
Names being thrown around as possible buyers include Comcast, FOX, Disney and Saudi Arabia.
New Home
McMahon won’t be returning to the famed Titan Towers, but soon no WWE employee will be calling the office home.
A report this week confirmed the news of a move, though WWE will stop be operating in the state of Connecticut.
A company spokesperson told CTinsider the move is planned to commence towards the end of the first quarter of 2023.
707 Washington Blvd in Stamford, CT, will be home to more than 800 people once the company’s new offices have been opened.
Everybody loves a title change, right? The joy of seeing history being made, and another name being added to a litany of champions.
For wrestlers, title victories mean that long after their careers are over, long after their lives are over, what they achieved will live on in the annals of history.
But for some wrestlers, their title changes were not meant to be, and while they had the joy of winning, they also felt the pain of having that win taken away.
With Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal almost becoming AEW World Tag Team Champions this week, we’re looking back at six times titles changed hands, but then didn’t.
The Rocket’s Reign Fizzles Out
Owen Hart held plenty of gold in the WWE, but never held the World Championship, despite what this image may suggest.
Bret Hart is considered one of the greatest WWF Champions of all time, but despite an impressive career of his own, his younger brother Owen would never win the gold.
Well, not officially at least, as during the August 17, 1994 taping of WWF Superstars, Owen defeated his big brother to capture the gold.
The problem for the Rocket though, is that Jim Neidhart had been caught interfering on his behalf, and the match was restarted.
In another excellent collision between the two, Bret would defeat Owen to retain his title, but the image of the Rocket with the title remains an epic sight.
Y2J Plays the Game
Chris Jericho’s arrival in the WWF in 1999 was a huge deal, and it wasn’t long before one of WCW’s most popular stars was hanging with the top guys.
On the April 17, 2000 episode of Raw is War, Jericho’s insulted Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley, and was able to goad Triple H into putting his WWF title on the line.
With the hired APA holding DX at bay, Jericho was able to get the win over the Game, thanks to a fast count from Earl Hebner.
Hebner had been bullied by DX for weeks, but even he knew the decision couldn’t stand, and Jericho would have to hand back the title.
With this stricken from the record, Jericho would have to wait until late 2001 until he became the WWF Undisputed title, a title he’d ironically lose to Triple H.
The Miz Goes Over the Limit
The Miz held nothing back in his efforts to make John Cena quit, even using a recording of the future Hollywood star.
Last year saw The Miz become a two-time WWE Champion, and while his reign was short, it was a long-time coming for fans of the A-Lister.
After losing the WWE title in 2011 to John Cena, Miz tried to win it back, and in a shocking turn of events, his I-Quit match with Cena saw Big Match John utter those two words.
As Miz celebrated, his NXT protege Alex Riley dropped an item, revealed to be a recording of Cena saying those words, and the jig was up.
With the match restarted, Cena made Miz quit for real, and the Marine star would wait a long time before he earned his real second WWE Championship.
The Wrong Rope Break
The Rockers held the WWF Tag Team titles for a brief moment, but a ring rope breaking snapped their run.
When you think of tag teams who never held gold in the WWF, few teams are more celebrated than The Rockers.
The pairing of Shawn Michaels and Marty Jannetty would wow fans with their high-flying skills, and on one fateful night, would even win the WWF World Tag Team Titles.
During an October 1990 taping for Saturday Night’s Main Event, the Rockers dethroned the Hart Foundation in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match.
The ring-rope breaking mid-match did not stop the action, but it was this rope break that would cost them dearly.
Unsatisfied with the match because of the rope, WWF higher-ups planned for it to be re-taped, but that never happened.
Explaining rumors of a phantom title change, WWF President Jack Tunney reversed the decision because the broken ring rope meant the bout was partially contested in an unfair environment, and on this occasion, it was Shawn getting screwed out of a title that was back in the hands of Bret Hart.
Inoki Makes History
Inoki’s career would include an unofficial run as WWWF World Champion, making him the first Asian WWE Champion.
When Antonio Inoki died last October, fans reflected on his incredible career, which included a reign as WWWF Champion.
Unlike others on this list though, Inoki’s title win was not immediately reversed and would come in November 1979, with a win over Bob Backlund.
A title rematch between the two went to a no-content, and the decision was made to strip Inoki of the title.
Backlund would defeat Bobby Duncum in a Texas Death Match to fill the vacancy, but the title controversy was never acknowledged, and fans at the time wouldn’t learn about Inoki’s win until years later.
Dusty’s Dream is Shattered
The American Dream celebrated his NWA World title win, before learning his win was being reversed and the reign nullified.
We couldn’t have an article like this without the namesake of the ‘Dusty Finish:’ The American Dream Dusty Rhodes.
As a booker, Rhodes often used the trope of the face seemingly winning only to heel come out on top, but at Starrcade 1985, Rhodes got a taste of his own medicine.
The show’s main event, which pitted Rhodes against NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair was a match for the ages, and one that saw Rhodes win the gold.
It wasn’t until the next WCW show that the elated fans learned the truth that Flair was still champion, as referee Tommy Young had been knocked out during the title match, and that since the first ref was down, the pinfall wasn’t official.
Flair regained the gold in a crushing moment for the American Dream, as the master of the Dusty finish got a taste of his own medicine.
Drew McIntyre and Sheamus were unsuccessful in their bid to become Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions, and that was just the start of a bad night.
In the main event, McIntyre and Sheamus faced The Usos for the gold but came up short against the longest-reigning WWE Tag Team Champions.
This match had originally been scheduled for weeks in advance but didn’t take place when McIntyre was medically disqualified.
After SmackDown
Following this setback, McIntyre and Sheamus (now going by the unfortunate moniker the Banger Bros.) were trying to recover in the ring.
After SmackDown went off the air, the pair of former WWE Champions were attacked by the Viking Raiders.
Erik and Ivar laid out both men with Ragnaroks (their name for the double powerbomb) and after exiting the ring, had a moment with Valhalla (Sarah Logan.)
With this attack, it appears that the Banger Bros. will be sticking together for the time being.
What Else Happened?
This week’s SmackDown was the first of the new year, and WWE looked to kick off the blue brand’s 2023 with a bang.
SmackDown also saw Top Dolla and Hit Row turn heel, attacking Ricochet after the One and Only’s Royal Rumble qualifier victory over Dolla.
The Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match for the Rumble was confirmed as Roman Reigns will defend against Kevin Owens.
New WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair kicked off her latest reign with a successful title defense against Sonya Deville.
On last week’s episode of WWE SmackDown, Ricochet mocked Top Dolla for his botched dive during SmackDown a few weeks ago, which upset Top Dolla. The big man got fired up and shoved Ricochet.
This confrontation led to a match between the two, which was announced for the following week.
The Turn
Fast forward to Friday’s show, Ricochet defeated Top Dolla to qualify for the men’s Royal Rumble match. Post-match, Dolla offered Ricochet a handshake and raised his arm, but it was all a ruse as Ashante “Thee” Adonis blindsided the former WWE Intercontinental Champion.
Adonis hit Ricochet with a super kick before Top Dolla, and B-Fab also took part in beating Ricochet down until Braun Strowman ran down to the ring to make the save and send Hit Row retreating.
Ricochet now joins Kofi Kingston in the men’s Royal Rumble match. Kofi Kingston previously qualified for the match. 28 other stars will make up the match, with the winner earning a shot at the Undisputed WWE Universal Title that is currently held by Roman Reigns, who will also be in action on this show as he defends against Kevin Owens.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is emerging as a potential bidder for WWE.
WWE has close ties to the Middle Eastern kingdom through its 10-year partnership with the Saudi General Sports Authority, which sees WWE present two events per year in the country.
Their first show was held in April 2018 with the Greatest Royal Rumble. It was originally supposed to feature one event before the partnership was expanded to two large-scale events per year in late 2019.
PIV’s Backing
This is according to sources of Front Office Sports. The fund controls $620 billion in assets with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman as Chairman.
LightShed Partners analyst Brandon Ross told Front Office Sports: “In the same way they did LIV, there’s an unlimited faucet of dollars there. The Saudis are already a decent part of the profitability of the company just on those two [Saudi-based WWE] events alone. They’re trying to be relevant in the entertainment world.”
The fund has looked into getting more involved in sports as they’re the majority shareholder in English Premier League football club Newcastle United, having acquired the club in October 2021.
Front Office Sports reported that PIF isn’t the only possible bidder, as other potential buyers would be Amazon, Comcast, Endeavor, Liberty Media, and CAA.
Talk of WWE being sold comes after Vince McMahon returned to the company where he elected himself, Michelle Wilson, and George Barrios to the Board of Directors. He has angled his return as wanting to oversee the sale of the company should there be bidders ahead of its television rights deals which expire next year.
It was emphasized that WWE might not be sold while taking the company private and was also touted as another “possible avenue” if it was “the best outcome for shareholders.”
Kevin Owens looks to right a wrong from 2021 at this year’s WWE Royal Rumble event when he steps into the ring once again and challenges Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title.
In recent months, Owens has been a thorn in the side of Reigns and The Bloodline. Owens has that he hasn’t gotten over the fact that he would have been WWE Universal Champion if not for Paul Heyman and Jey Uso getting involved in his match two years ago.
At that event, Owens and Reigns battled in a Last Man Standing bout, but dealt with interference from The Bloodline, a pair of handcuffs, and a referee’s decision not to count all the way to 10 eventually led to his loss against “The Tribal Chief.”
How We Got Here
On Friday’s episode of SmackDown, Owens challenged Reigns to a match at the Royal Rumble. This was as Reigns was in the middle of talking down to Sami Zayn.
Owens made it clear that Roman’s problem wasn’t with Zayn, but rather it was with him. Owens said he would see Roman at the Royal Rumble and see Zayn if he ever made the decision to get his balls out of the pocket of Roman Reigns.
This will be Reigns’ first defense on pay-per-view since facing Logan Paul at WWE Crown Jewel.
After a major upset last week, @WWERomanReigns wants to know one thing:
It’s been a wild 24 hours for WWE as Vince McMahon maneuvered his way back into WWE and got himself a seat on the Board of Directors. He brought Michelle Wilson and George Barrios with him.
WWE held an all-hands-on-deck meeting with employees, as talent was not invited. The meeting lasted for 10 minutes.
Pwinsider.com put together highlights from the meeting that noted employees were told there would be no changes to management or their responsibilities at this time.
What Was Said?
Paul Levesque, Stephanie McMahon, Nick Khan, and Frank Riddick III will remain in place in their current positions and jobs.
They stated the move was a big positive and made to give the company everything they needed to make the most of their future rights revenue sales (TV rights deals for their weekly television shows) in addition to gauging the market for a potential sale of the company with the idea that with Vince McMahon back, the entire company would all be on the same page in maximizing WWE’s potential leading into the future.
The idea is they would be looking at potential sale offers ahead of any rights negotiations and would benefit more than another round of just selling TV rights. It was also greatly emphasized that a sale may not happen, and it should not be assumed it would. Vince McMahon has the final say as the controlling shareholder.
A “possible avenue” for the company could be for it to be taken private again if it was “the best outcome for shareholders.” This was among the potential strategic options. They did not take any employee questions.
It’s unclear whether Triple H will hold a talent meeting with wrestlers at Friday Night SmackDown.
WWE is keeping talent and those backstage at events in the dark regarding who is playing the role of Uncle Howdy.
There has been a lot of speculation among fans regarding who is behind the character. Apparently, WWE talent backstage is wondering the same thing, but the person portraying the gimmick isn’t talking.
Keeping Kayfabe
Fightful Select reports that WWE is playing everything close to the vest in regard to the identity of Uncle Howdy, and the person in the outfit is kayfabing people backstage by going as far as to keep his outfit on backstage so nobody knows who it is.
There have been various guesses among fans regarding who the person is, with Bo Dallas’ name being heavily rumored. It’s likely there won’t be a confirmation until whenever they decide to do a big reveal.
Wyatt is slated to compete against LA Knight in the Mountain Dew Pitch Black match at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view later this month. WWE confirmed the match on last Friday’s episode of SmackDown.
The segment to announce the upcoming match saw Knight and Wyatt exchange words. Before they could brawl, Uncle Howdy appeared, standing alongside Wyatt before hitting him with Sister Abigail. Knight quickly exited the ring.
Former WCW president Eric Bischoff has reacted to news of Vince McMahon’s WWE return.
As recently reported, Vince McMahon is back on WWE’s Board Of Directors, effective immediately. Last year, McMahon was forced to step down after allegations of sexual misconduct with female employees surfaced. Both Nick Khan and Stephanie McMahon stepped in as co-CEOs in his place.
McMahon also retired from WWE soon after, leaving Triple H to take over as head of creative for the company. However, months later, McMahon then released a statement announcing his intention to return to the company, believing it was in the company’s best interest.
Initial reports suggest that McMahon has returned to seek a sale of the company. Currently, his 37% share of WWE stock gives him an 80% majority voter share over the board’s actions.
Taking to his podcast, “83 Weeks,” Bischoff offered his take on the situation, and the potential sale of WWE.
“I understand your question, but I think — now I haven’t read everything that’s come out in the last couple of hours. I’ve seen some of the bigger headlines and a couple other emails and stories.
“But I think Vince is — his reasoning for coming back and making this move is to aggressively pursue a sale. So in that case, I don’t think that matters. Because if he sells the company, he’s not gonna be running it anymore. And whether things ran better with him or without him is an irrelevant, a moot point.
“Because whoever buys it isn’t going to have Vince McMahon running it anyway. They’re gonna run it. So no, I think this is Vince’s exit strategy. And whether it’ll run better with him or without him isn’t really a discussion in an exit strategy like that.”
Today, via an SEC filing, it was confirmed that McMahon was back with the WWE’s Board Of Directors, effective immediately. He’s also returning alongside WWE co-Presidents Michelle Wilson and George Barrios.
They will be replacing now-former board members JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R. Speed, and Alan M. Wexler. It remains to be seen if McMahon’s return will include a return to the creative side of the company as well.
WWE may be bringing back another wrestler that they had released a few years ago, and that’s EJ Nduka.
The former NXT star was let go in May 2021 after having been with the company since 2019. He made his MLW debut the following month when his non-compete clause expired.
In this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that WWE has expressed interest in bringing Nduka back to the company.
The Interest
Meltzer wrote: “EJ Nduka, who has gotten rave reviews from management [in MLW], has his contract coming due imminently, and there is interest in him from multiple promotions, including WWE having expressed some interest in bringing him back.”
Meltzer continued by noting that his name has come up in AEW as well as Japan.
Heis currently one-half of the promotion’s Tag Team Champions along with Calvin Tankman. The tag team will defend their titles against The Samoan Swat Team (Lance Anoa’i & Juicy Finau) on Saturday’s Blood & Thunder event from Philadelphia.
Nduka is also booked for a show with the KAOZ promotion on February 26, 2023, in Monterrey, Mexico.
Before breaking into the wrestling business, he played for both the Indoor Football League and Canadian Football League.
We have some more details to pass along regarding Charlotte Flair returning to win the SmackDown Women’s Title.
As we’ve noted, Flair made her surprise return on last week’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown, confronting Ronda Rousey. Rousey just successfully defended the SmackDown Women’s Title against Raquel Rodriguez.
Flair then challenged Rousey to a title bout right there on the spot, which Flair was able to win after a Spear. Now, Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com reports that Rousey vs. Rodriguez was planned for the Royal Rumble in 2023 since mid-November.
Meltzer added Flair winning the title was a late change of plans, as Rousey was scheduled to go in a different direction, being penciled in as the champion through WrestleMania in preliminary plans.
He also previously mentioned that Rousey vs. Becky Lynch is no longer the plan for WrestleMania 39, and that match is “very unlikely” to happen.
(via WWE)
Previously, Charlotte Flair had not been seen since WrestleMania Backlash, where she dropped the SmackDown Women’s Title to Ronda Rousey in their I Quit match. She had suffered a fractured radius and the loss was used to write her off of television.
In her several months off, Flair actually got married to Andrade El Idolo, with names such as Apollo Crews, Finn Balor, Rey Mysterio, and Lina Fanene (Nia Jax) in attendance.
WWE has announced a significant shakeup to the company’s Board of Directors. In total, five board members are out, with three being removed by Vince McMahon and two resigning.
Vince McMahon, in his capacity as controlling shareholder of the Company, has removed JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R. Speed and Alan M. Wexler. Additionally, Ignace Lahoud and Man Jit Singh have resigned from the Board, effective immediately.
SEScoops has learned WWE will be holding an “all hands on deck” Zoom call this afternoon at 3:30pm (Eastern).
Trading of WWE stock has been temporarily halted amid this Board of Directors shakeup.
WWE released the following press release Friday morning, including quotes from Stephanie McMahon, Nick Khan and Paul “Triple H” Levesque:
STAMFORD, Conn., January 6, 2023 – WWE (NYSE: WWE) is providing the following update regarding the composition of its Board of Directors and the exploration of strategic alternatives.
“Today, we announce that the founder of WWE, Vince McMahon, will be returning to the Board,” said Chairwoman & Co-CEO Stephanie McMahon, Co-CEO Nick Khan and Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque. “We also welcome back Michelle Wilson and George Barrios to our Board of Directors. Together, we look forward to exploring all strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value.”
As Vince McMahon stated yesterday, “WWE has an exceptional management team in place, and I do not intend for my return to have any impact on their roles, duties, or responsibilities.”
In connection with the change in the composition of the Board of Directors and in cooperation with Vince McMahon as majority shareholder, the Company intends to undertake a review of its strategic alternatives with the goal being to maximize value for all WWE shareholders. There is no assurance that this process will result in a transaction.
Vince McMahon, in his capacity as controlling shareholder of the Company, has removed JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R. Speed and Alan M. Wexler from the Board. Vince McMahon, George Barrios and Michelle Wilson have been added to the Board to fill the resulting vacancies.
The Board currently consists of:
Vince McMahon
Stephanie McMahon
Nick Khan
Paul Levesque
Steve Koonin
Michelle McKenna
Steve Pamon
George Barrios
Michelle Wilson
Ignace Lahoud and Man Jit Singh have resigned from the Board, effective today.
About WWE WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The Company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, premium live events, digital media, and publishing platforms. WWE’s TVPG programming can be seen in more than 1 billion homes worldwide in 30 languages through world class distribution partners including NBCUniversal, FOX, BT Sport, Sony India and Rogers. The award-winning WWE Network includes all premium live events, scheduled programming and a massive video on-demand library and is currently available in more than 180 countries. In the United States, NBCUniversal’s streaming service, Peacock, is the exclusive home to WWE Network.
Charlotte Flair isn’t resting on her laurels after reclaiming the SmackDown Women’s Champion in dramatic fashion. She’s looking to take on all challengers, including the reigning queenpin of Monday Night Raw, Bianca Belair.
Flair made a triumphant return to WWE on the final SmackDown of 2022. She showed up with a purpose and made an immediate impact. When all was said and done, she stunned Ronda Rousey in an impromptu match to begin her 13th reign as a WWE Women’s world champion.
Rousey is probably still wondering how her role as SmackDown Women’s champion could be snatched from her so abruptly, but Charlotte isn’t worried about that. She’s already looking ahead and focused on solidifying her legacy as the premiere Superstar of this generation.
Bring It
Charlotte Flair appeared on WWE’s The Bump this week and had very positive things to say about Bianca Belair. She knows what it’s like to be the top dog of a WWE brand and all the responsibilities that come with it.
“First, I want to give kudos to Bianca,” said Charlotte. “I know what it’s like to be in that role she’s in, from the matches to live events to being a spokesperson, the media, the obligations, the signings. I know that schedule and how grueling it is, and she’s doing it.”
Belair has been destined for greatness ever since her days in NXT. She’s living up to the hype, an impressive feat to say the least. Flair says she’s proud of Belair, and would have no problem getting in the ring with her to see which of them is the true Queen of WWE.
“She’s doing it well, and she’s striving, and she’s turning into what everyone said she was gonna be, the face of the women’s division, and I couldn’t be more proud of her.”
“From a competitive side, the best for last, baby. Bring it.”
– Charlotte Flair on facing Bianca Belair
Charlotte Flair vs. Bianca Belair History
Flair and Belair have wrestled each other several times over the past several years. Flair defeated Belair on the February 26, 2020 edition of NXT.
On the main roster, they’ve wrestled many times in multi-person matches, but have only wrestled twice in singles action. Belair won both of those matches by disqualification (WWE Raw, October 4, 2021 and WWE Raw, October 18, 2021).
Will this match actually happen? WWE has unified the top championships in the men’s singles division, as well as the tag team divisions. Roman Reigns is the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, while The Usos hold the Raw and SmackDown tag belts. Based on what we’ve heard about WWE wanting to split up Reigns’ belts, it seems unlikely they’d continue moving in the ‘unification’ direction with the women’s titles.
Watch Charlotte Flair’s appearance on WWE’s The Bump:
Vince McMahon has officially returned to WWE with immediate effect following his retirement from the promotion in July of last year.
McMahon stepped down from his roles with WWE following allegations of misconduct with female employees, leading to millions of dollars paid out in NDAs.
In his place, Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan were appointed co-CEOs with Stephanie serving as Chairwoman of the Board.
The Comeback
In late 2022, it was reported that McMahon regretted retiring from WWE, and believed the allegations against him would have blown over had he stayed.
McMahon had been telling those close to him that he was plotting a return to WWE, though it is unclear if he spoke to Stephanie.
Yesterday, McMahon issued a press release confirming his desire to return to WWE, believing it was in the company’s and the investors’ best interest.
McMahon reportedly threatened to vote down any attempts at a sale of the company, or any offers for new TV distribution rights.
Vince McMahon’s 37% share of WWE stock gives him an 80% majority voter share over the board’s actions.
Immediate Effect
In a SEC filing confirmed today, it was announced that McMahon is back on WWE’s Board of Directors with immediate effect.
McMahon isn’t coming alone, as former WWE co-Presidents Michelle Wilson and George Barrios are also returning.
Barrios and Wilson were with WWE until their dismissal in January 2020 as disagreements with McMahon led to a slump in the market price.
It was the dismissal of the pair that led WWE to hire Nick Khan as President.
McMahon, Wilson, and Barrios are replacing now-former board members JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R. Speed, and Alan M. Wexler.
McMahon’s departure last year is something fans thought they would never see, and the same can be said for his return.
WWE talent have been virtually unanimous in opposition to McMahon’s return and were said to have been “floored” by his statement.
Those in Creative were not told about his statement ahead of time, and one “top WWE talent” has questioned if he will return as Head of Creative, a role occupied by Triple H.
The “unanimous decision” among those in production who spoke to Fightful said that this is bad news, or news about their pay grade.
For the time being, it is believed that Stephanie is still the Chairperson of the Board and that she and Khan are co-CEOs.
It is possible for Vince McMahon to force a vote on the positions, a vote he would have the ultimate majority over the result.
Dragon Lee shocked the wrestling world by announcing he was going to join WWE, but those working at AAA didn’t believe his claim.
Lee, 27, captured the AAA World Tag Team Championships with Dralistico last month at Noche de Campeones, dethroning FTR and ending their 438-day reign.
Dragon Lee’s announcement came as a shock to fans, but those in AAA didn’t believe it, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports.
Given that the date of Noche de Campeones, December 28, fell on their version of April Fool’s day, many saw this announcement as just a prank.
The Observer adds that AAA management “no sold” his announcement of signing with WWE even after he and Dralistico won the AAA World Tag Team titles.
After Dragon Lee’s announcement, Triple H took to Twitter to call him an “unbelievable athlete” who is just getting started.
What’s Next?
It has been reported that Dragon Lee’s deal will see him earn much more than your standard NXT signing, but not as much as a main-roster performer.
WWE also reportedly has plans for Lee to be on the main roster sooner rather than later, and believe he will be there by WrestleMania 40.
In an interview with ESPN, Dragon Lee said signing with WWE has always been ‘the dream’ and is confident he can be the new Rey Mysterio if given the opportunity.
Shawn Michaels may have mellowed out considerably from the man he was during the 1990s, but the WWE roster got a glimpse of the old HBK in 2007.
During the 1990s, Michaels was notoriously difficult to work with and would use his position as part of the Kliq to play politics backstage.
After a back injury ended Michaels’ career in 1998, the former World Champion would find his faith and return to the ring in 2002.
A Devil in a Robe
By 2007, Michaels was far from the wild child that terrorized the locker room during the New Generation Era, but there was still a spark of the old HBK.
Speaking on his Extreme Life podcast, Matt Hardy recalled the WWE roster going out to celebrate following Michaels’ near-one-hour match with John Cena on Raw in 2007.
“Shawn at this point, was not drinking, very religious. And Ric [Flair] was down there just annoying the sh*t out of him. He’s like ‘Come on Shawn! Look at the champ John! He’s the leader now. He’s having some drinks. Shawn, you can have a drink! It doesn’t make you a bad person.’
Matt Hardy.
The old Shawn Michaels
After plenty of nagging by Ric Flair, Michaels eventually caved, which brought out a side that the roster didn’t expect to see.
“Ric finally got Shawn to cave and have some drinks. So he’s sitting there having his drinks, and you’re seeing the ‘old’ Shawn Michaels starting to come out. And Jeff and I, we were just tickled.
“Look at you Jeff Hardy. A Shawn Michaels wannabe!”
A drunk Shawn Michaels in 2007.
“You see Shawn and now that he’s had a few, he says ‘yeah look at you Jeff Hardy. A Shawn Michaels wannabe! People know that I’m the real deal. You think you’re hot sh*t right, just because people love you. Well people will always believe in me! Are they going to always believe in you?”
Matt added that Jeff was wowed by the drunk Michaels, but that he and Matt found the situation to be hilarious.
Confrontation
Well and truly inebriated at this point, Michaels turned his attention to Umaga, who was having none of his antics.
“Shawn’s like ‘hey, look at the big man over here. I’m incredible! If I hit you with that superkick, everybody knows I can beat you.’
“And I will never forget Umaga just jumped up and [aggressively] said ‘why don’t you give me a shot right now then? Go on!’ and Shawn backed off. ‘Whoa brother, I’m just working brother. Work with me brother.'”
“I will never forget Umaga just jumped up and [aggressively] said ‘why don’t you give me a shot right now.”
Umaga confronting a drunk Shawn Michaels about his superkick.
Hardy said at this point, he and Jeff were crying with laughter, calling it one of his favorite stories of life on the road.
New Japan’s hotly-anticipated Wrestle Kingdom 17 certainly delivered, breaking a record for the NJPW World streaming service.
This year’s January 4, event marked the first Wrestle Kingdom following the passing of Antonio Inoki who died in October last year.
The show saw talent from NJPW, STARDOM, AEW, Pro Wrestling Noah and WWE compete, and also saw the debut of Mercedes Mone’.
Setting the Record
With several of the biggest wrestling promotions on the planet coming together for Wrestle Kingdom 17, it’s hardly surprising that the show was in high demand.
On their website, New Japan stated that 92,409 unique worldwide users watched Wrestle Kingdom, with 30% (nearly 28,000) coming from outside Japan.
NJPW added that this is a record for the service that has been online since 2014, and thanked both existing and new users on the platform.
Those without NJPW World can watch Wrestle Kingdom matches on NJPW’s weekly TV show on AXS TV starting Thursday, January 12.
NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 17 drew 26,085 live fans to the Tokyo Dome.
New Year Dash!!
With Wrestle Kindom 17 in the rear-view mirror, New Japan wasted no time in hosting their next event, ‘New Year Dash!!’ the following day.
A collection of tag-team matches filled the card, with the main event seeing Kazuchika Okada and Kenny Omega defeat United Empire (Aaron Henare and Jeff Cobb.)
In the only non-tag-team match, on the show, Shingo Takagi defeated Sho, Great-O-Khan and Toru Yano to become the inaugural Provisional KOPW 2023 Champion.
Vince McMahon is attempting the mother of all comebacks, and this week’s news is something those in WWE did not see coming.
McMahon retired from WWE in July 2022 following allegations of misconduct with female employees and reports of paying out millions in Non-Disclosure Agreements.
With McMahon gone, Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan have operated as co-CEOs with Stephanie serving as Chairwoman of the Board.
WWE’s roster has been “floored” by McMahon’s plan to come back, a source told Fightful Select this week.
Nobody in any department, whether it talent, production, creative, or general staff, was given any information prior to the statement McMahon shared this week.
One Superstar told Fightful they had no inclination he’d return but “considering some people from his regime were kept this long, they must have known it would happen.”
That same source also questioned whether WWE will host a talk with the roster at tonight’s taping of WWE SmackDown on FOX.
A different talent said, “Finding out online is scary, and it’s Vince, so I don’t believe a word he says.”
One concerned higher-up added that former talent who believe Vince liked them are kidding themselves.
“He didn’t like you, he didn’t like any of them. He fired or they wouldn’t have been fired during a pandemic.”
Creative
Prior to his retirement, McMahon served as WWE’s Head of Creative, a role now occupied by Triple H.
One anonymous Superstar, described as a “top WWE talent” questioned whether McMahon could return to creative if his plan is a success.
The idea that McMahon could return to creative has been a common concern among talent.
The two sources within the creative department who spoke to Fightful said they had not learned of any adjustments to their duties.
“I would be blown away if he returned to creative,” a recently signed talent said.
Production
Like the roster and those at creative, the production team had no heads-up about McMahon’s statement prior to its publication.
The “unanimous decision” among those in production who spoke to Fightful said that this is bad news, or news about their pay grade.
One source did acknowledge WWE’s stock price seeing a dramatic increase following McMahon’s stated intention to return.
Will NXT’s Grayson Waller win this month’s Men’s Royal Rumble match? It’s certainly a possibility according to the man himself.
Waller made his WWE TV debut in June 2021 and was one of the top names in WWE NXT 2.0.
His prominent position on the card continued following the end of NXT 2.0 and the revamp back to WWE NXT.
Royal Rumble
Waller has had a handful of appearances outside of NXT on WWE Main Event, but he is optimistic about his chances on one of WWE’s biggest shows of the year.
Speaking to Steve Fall of Ten Count, the Australian Superstar was asked about possibly entering the Royal Rumble.
“You’re trying to get me in trouble with Roman right now. I can feel it. I know what you’re doing, but that’s okay. Because if I get the opportunity in the Royal Rumble, I have confidence. I know I could go on and win that thing.”
Grayson Waller.
Waller mentioned that he has experience defeating Bloodline members, as he holds a victory over Solo Sikoa, which came “pretty easily” according to the NXT star.
Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns has been virtually untouchable since his return in August 2020, and is closing in on 900 days as WWE Universal Champion.
Calling the Tribal Chief the toughest challenge in wrestling today, Waller was optimistic about facing the Champion, if he has plenty of time to prepare.
“if I get in there with Roman, and I have time, and I can come up with a strategy, and I can get some backup [I can beat him.] …Who knows? Imagine me doing a shoey with three championships in my hand? That’s pretty impressive.”
Grayson Waller.
The third title Waller is referring to is the NXT Championship, which Waller will challenge for as a result of winning the Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge at NXT Deadline.
Vince McMahon released the following press release on Thursday addressing his plan to stage a WWE comeback and assume the role of Executive Chairman of the Board.
Vince McMahon Takes Actions in Support of Plan for WWE to Undertake a Review of Strategic Alternatives and Capture Unique Opportunity to Maximize Long-term Value for All Shareholders
Submits written consent to WWE Board electing himself and Company veterans George Barrios and Michelle Wilsonas Directors
Actions are necessary to ensure McMahon’s full participation in upcoming media rights negotiations and review of strategic alternatives
GREENWICH, Conn., Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Vince McMahon, the founder and controlling shareholder of World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. (“WWE” or the “Company”) (NYSE: WWE), announced today that he has taken necessary actions to position the Company to capitalize on a unique opportunity to maximize long-term value for all WWE shareholders. The actions, communicated to WWE’s Board of Directors today via written consent, include the election to the Board of Mr. McMahon, as well as Michelle Wilson and George Barrios – former WWE Co-Presidents and Board members, and currently the Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of Isos Capital Management – and the requisite removal from the Board of three directors. Mr. McMahon expects to assume the role of Executive Chairman of the Board.
Mr. McMahon’s new role will enable unified decision making through the Company’s upcoming media rights negotiations and a parallel full review of the Company’s strategic alternatives, which Mr. McMahon believes is the right course of action and in the best interests of WWE and WWE shareholders amidst the current dynamics in the media and entertainment industry. As Mr. McMahon has communicated to the Board, he believes there is a narrow window of opportunity to create significant value for all shareholders and that to do so, the strategic alternatives review must occur in tandem with the media rights negotiations. He also expressed to the Board that he believes these two initiatives require Mr. McMahon’s direct participation, leadership, and support as controlling shareholder.
“WWE is entering a critical juncture in its history with the upcoming media rights negotiations coinciding with increased industry-wide demand for quality content and live events and with more companies seeking to own the intellectual property on their platforms,” said Mr. McMahon. “The only way for WWE to fully capitalize on this opportunity is for me to return as Executive Chairman and support the management team in the negotiations for our media rights and to combine that with a review of strategic alternatives. My return will allow WWE, as well as any transaction counterparties, to engage in these processes knowing they will have the support of the controlling shareholder.”
Prior to delivering written consent, Mr. McMahon sent two separate letters to the Board in late December in which he expressed the urgency of his return to the Company as Executive Chairman and his desire to work collaboratively with the Board and management team. Following conversations with representatives of the Company both before and after Mr. McMahon’s most recent letter on December 31, Mr. McMahon determined, consistent with his rights as controlling shareholder, that the steps announced today are necessary to maximize value for all WWE shareholders.
Mr. McMahon said, “Ms. Wilson and Mr. Barrios are highly qualified directors whose professional experience positions them well to help the Company achieve the best possible outcomes in both initiatives. As former WWE Co-Presidents and Board members, they are intimately familiar with industry dynamics and the organization’s operations and have helped guide the Company through past successful media rights negotiations. I look forward to working closely again with Michelle and George – as well as the Company’s remaining directors and management team, who have my full support and confidence. WWE has an exceptional management team in place, and I do not intend for my return to have any impact on their roles, duties, or responsibilities.”
In conjunction with the changes to WWE’s Board, Mr. McMahon’s written consent also includes certain amendments to the Company’s bylaws to ensure that WWE’s corporate governance continues to properly enable and support shareholder rights. These changes will be detailed in a Schedule 13D amendment to be filed by Mr. McMahon and a Form 8-K to be filed by the Company in the coming days.
No assurances can be given regarding the outcome or timing of the review process. Mr. McMahon does not intend to comment further until the process has concluded or Mr. McMahon has otherwise determined that further disclosure is appropriate or required.
Michelle Wilson Biography
Ms. Wilson is Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Isos Capital Management. She is a leading sports and entertainment c-suite executive and, prior to founding Isos with Mr. Barrios, most recently served as Co-President and Board Member of WWE until January 2020. In 2018, Forbes named Ms. Wilson one of the 10 Most Powerful Women in Sports. She also was featured on the Adweek 50 list, which highlights the leading executives in Media, Marketing and Technology, and named one of Sports Illustrated’s 10 Most Influential Women in Sports. She joined WWE in 2009 and prior to her appointment as Co-President, served as Chief Revenue and Marketing Officer.
Previously, Michelle served as the Chief Marketing Officer of the United States Tennis Association, oversaw all marketing efforts for the launch of the XFL, a partnership between WWE and NBC, and held consumer products and brand management positions at the NBA and Nabisco, respectively. She received her MBA from Harvard Business School and currently serves on the Boards of Bowlero Corporation and Turtle Beach Corporation.
George Barrios Biography
Mr. Barrios serves as Isos Capital Management’s Co-Founder and Co-CEO. He is an award-winning c-suite executive and most recently served as Co-President and Board Member of WWE until January 2020. In 2017, Institutional Investor ranked George among the Top 3 CFOs in the Media Industry as part of its All-America Executive team rankings. He joined WWE in 2008 as its Chief Strategy and Financial Officer.
Previously, he held leadership roles in finance, strategy and operations at the New York Times, Praxair, Time Warner and HBO. He received his MBA from the University of Connecticut School of Business and currently serves as the National Board Chair of the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Kirkland & Ellis is serving as legal counsel to Mr. McMahon.
Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward looking statements include statements regarding Mr. McMahon’s return to the Board as Executive Chairman, the impact of Mr. McMahon, Ms. Wilson and Mr. Barrios as members of the Board, the timing and success of the Company’s media rights negotiations and the Company’s review of strategic alternatives. In addition, the words “may,” “will,” “could,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “continue,” “project,” “intend,” “estimate,” “believe,” “expect,” “outlook,” “target,” “goal,” “guidance” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain such words. These statements relate to future possible events, as well as plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and are not historical facts and accordingly involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results to be materially different from future results expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are subject to uncertainties relating to, without limitation, the matters referred to in this release, the complexity of the Company’s rights agreements across distribution mechanisms and geographical areas and the Company’s review of strategic alternatives. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date made and are subject to change without any obligation to update or revise them. Undue reliance should not be placed on these statements.
Contact Steven Goldberg / Beau Falgout August (323) 892-5562 [email protected]
In the newest twist to the Vince McMahon story, the Wall Street Journal is reporting that McMahon wants to return to WWE in order to sell it.
That comes from a January 5 WSJ article from Lauren Thomas, who wrote that McMahon, the majority owner of WWE wants to return to the company after his retirement last year amid multiple sexual harassment claims. That’s according to “people familiar with the situation,” Thomas stated.
“Mr. McMahon, who has majority voting power through his ownership of WWE’s Class-B stock, has told the company that he is electing himself and two former co-presidents and directors, Michelle Wilson and George Barrios, to the board, the people said,” wrote Thomas. “The move to reinstate Mr. McMahon, which the board previously rebuffed, and the others will require three current directors to vacate their positions.”
According to the article, McMahon penned a letter to the WWE’s Board of Directors in late December, stating that he wanted to return to the company to “spearhead a strategic-review process,” which would result in the sale of the company.
“Mr. McMahon believes the media landscape is evolving quickly and more companies are looking to own the intellectual property they use on their streaming platforms, making WWE an attractive takeover target, the people said,” Thomas wrote. “WWE, which generates most of its revenue from selling content rights, posted its first year of over $1 billion in revenue in 2021. The company currently has a market value of just over $5 billion.”
McMahon believes that many companies, such as NBC Universal, Warner Brothers Discovery, and more are wanting to own their own intellectual property to use on their streaming services. This makes WWE a prized pig.
“The board responded last month in a letter to Mr. McMahon that it was prepared to initiate a review process and would welcome working with him on it,” the article stated. “However, it said it unanimously agreed that Mr. McMahon’s return to the business wouldn’t be in shareholders’ best interest, according to people familiar with the letters.”
The board also asked that McMahon confirm his commitment to repay the expenses that were incurred as a result of the investigation into his sexual misconduct allegations. They also asked that McMahon not return to the company while the federal government is still investigating the allegations.
Vince McMahon Wants to Return to WWE or He Won’t Approve of a Sale
“Mr. McMahon said in response that he remains willing to continue working to complete any reimbursement for reasonable expenses related to the investigation, to the extent they aren’t covered by insurance, but he declined to agree to not return to the company,” the WSJ article wrote.
The article noted that McMahon said that unless he is directly involved as the executive chairman from the outset of the strategic review, he wouldn’t support or approve any media-rights sale.
Recently, reports came out that McMahon was planning a comeback to the company. He stated that he was given bad advice from people close to him, who told him to step down.
It was reported that many people in WWE were against McMahon returning to the company.
Currently, Vince’s daughter Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan are serving as Co-CEO’s of WWE, while Triple H (Paul Levesque) is serving as the head of creative.
WWE is looking to load up the Raw 30th Anniversary show later this month.
Roman Reigns and Ronda Rousey are being advertised for the show on WWE’s website, which will emanate from Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center on January 23, 2023. The company will celebrate three decades since Raw first appeared on television on January 11, 1993.
The Other Names
According to the company’s website, Seth Rollins, Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, and Bobby Lashley are also advertised. WWE is expected to bring in Legends, but it’s unknown who will be used. WWE will likely load up the card with big matches as well.
Ric Flair recently said on his To Be A Man podcast that he has also been invited to the show, while Kurt Angle stated in a recent interview that he expects to be there.
WWE started working on plans in October for this special edition of the show, as the first episode took place on January 11, 1993.
WWE celebrated Raw’s 25th anniversary in 2018 with a special episode that took place across two locations – in New York City at both the Barclays Center and the Manhattan Center – as the Manhattan Center was the original home of Raw in 1993.
