WWE’s White Rabbit teases continued on Friday’s edition of SmackDown. During a backstage segment featuring Hit Row and Street Profits, a new QR code could be seen.
When scanned, it takes fans to another hidden section of the WWE website.
It is another game where you control the White Rabbit through a maze. After you’ve completed the game, the coordinates to next week’s edition of WWE RAW are revealed. The location for Monday’s edition of the red brand is Rodgers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.
The word “patricide” is seen at the end of the video and it means “killing your father”. Several WWE fans have pointed out that Bray Wyatt has referenced murdering his father in a previous promo. The white rabbit hops through the red door and the coordinates and the word are revealed.
This was on the QR code that was on the tv in that hit row backstage segment. Along with the co-ordinates for Edmonton, Alberta, which is where RAW is this Monday.
Patricide: the killing of one's father. a person who kills their father.
The Bray Wyatt promo where he said “Come with me” is the same promo where he admitted to killing his father. Patricide is one of the words which come up on the latest QR Code. Patricide meaning to kill your own father. pic.twitter.com/dMtYRvaK4F
WWE’s “White Rabbit” cryptic teaser campaign has been a big success for the company as fans are really enjoying trying to solve the mystery.
Most fans are convinced that Bray Wyatt is the White Rabbit. Alexa Bliss recently referenced White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane during her promo on RAW. Bliss was aligned with Bray before his release from the company last year.
Other fans seem to believe that Karrion Kross is the White Rabbit due to his stint in Lucha Underground. You can check out our full breakdown of WWE’s White Rabbit here.
Saraya has responded to a recent report in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that she is not cleared to wrestle despite making her AEW debut this past Wednesday on Dynamite.
The former Paige made her AEW arrival following the fatal four-way match in which Toni Storm defeated Britt Baker, Serena Deeb, and Athena to retain her Interim AEW Women’s Title while saving Storm and Athena from being attacked by Baker, Jamie Hayter, and Rebel.
Saraya is one of Baker’s dream opponents, something the former AEW Women’s Champion has said in a number of previous interviews. It appeared that AEW started a feud between Saraya and Baker once this angle occurred.
Saraya Responds
(AEW)
Meltzer reported that “she had not been cleared as of very recently, which would explain not touching anyone, but [she] would like to be cleared.”
Saraya did not confirm or deny what was reported by Meltzer but did tweet the following: “Ignore the dirt sheet clickbait. See ya Wednesday. #AEWDynamite.”
AEW President Tony Khan also retweeted what Saraya had to say.
Due to spinal stenosis, Saraya hasn’t wrestled since 2017, which is the reason she hasn’t been given the all-clear. Although they were also informed they couldn’t wrestle because of spinal stenosis, wrestlers like Edge and Sting were able to receive medical clearance years later after retiring.
Several AEW stars were contacted by WWE or those working with WWE about potential returns to the company.
When these reports came out, former WWE stars were contacted by WWE talent relations, referred the contact to their attorney, and informed AEW management of the contact.
The Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer previously reported that WWE contacted Malakai Black. Fightful Select reports that they heard from WWE sources that Black indicated to contacts in the company that he wished he was still there.
For now, Black is effectively done with AEW, but with the inability to compete for WWE for an extended period. Several in AEW management initially had the impression that he wanted to go back to WWE, and there were higher-ups in AEW who were of the “if they want to go, let them” mentality.
Malakai Black Wasn’t The Only One Contacted
(JayLee Photography)
The report noted that a source within WWE stated they heard that feelers were sent out to Cash Wheeler, Dax Harwood of FTR, and Swerve Strickland.
FTR has a while to go until their AEW contracts run out. They had spent years in the WWE system working with Triple H. Before they left WWE, the company made numerous efforts to re-sign them.
An AEW source added that “WWE had reached out in August to an AEW name who had been with the company since the start, but that even we’d be surprised to learn they reached out to.”
Bobby Fish tried to get his former stablemates – Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly to leave AEW to return to WWE, according to a report by the Wrestling Observer’s Ryan Frederick.
Frederick noted on the message board of the website that Fish was trying to get them to ask for their AEW releases, but they told him.
The Report
(via AEW)
“I posted it in the Bobby Fish thread but I know Fish was trying to get them to Cole and Kyle to ask for their releases to go back to VVWE and they both told him no. It’s possible Cole may have clued Tony [Khan] in. If he did, I doubt he was the only one. I’m sure Swerve was one of them who did so.”
Fish left the promotion last month when his contract expired, and it was not renewed, while Cole and O’Reilly have several years left on their contracts. Both stars are currently sidelined with injuries as Cole has been out of in-ring action since Forbidden Door in late June, when he reportedly suffered a concussion.
Kyle is out of action after undergoing neck surgery, with his last match taking place on the June 8th Dynamite show.
Cole, O’Reilly, and Fish had a successful run as The Undisputed Era in WWE NXT before they had a stint as The Undisputed Elite together in AEW.
Shawn Michaels is very fond of his days in one of the most popular wrestling factions of all time, Degeneration-X.
The WWE Hall of Famer recently spoke with the New York Post about the group’s legacy ahead of their 25th Anniversary reunion at the October 10th edition of Monday Night Raw, which will take place from the Barclay’s Center in New York.
One of DX’s most famous signature taunts was the crotch chop, a move the Heartbreak Kid credits fellow Hall of Famer Sean Waltman for originating.
“The first place I remember seeing it was Sean Waltman, who was then known as 1-2-3 Kid and later X-Pac, doing it over in the UK. Then all of a sudden, we were doing it as a group, to each other, kind of thinking it was funny.”
Everything In DX Felt Natural
Michaels would later discuss how comfortable the group felt while on television together, explaining that a lot of their on-screen chemistry stemmed from their friendships off-screen.
“From a television standpoint, as we started to do DX, it just felt kind of natural. A lot of things that we did on TV as DX were things we were doing as friends behind the scenes long before we ever brought it to TV.”
Despite being a heel faction DX became super over with the WWE Universe. When asked why he thought they were being cheered Michaels states that their amusing antics and occasional truth bombs probably resonated with fans.
“At first, they felt like we were doing it to them — and their favorite superstars — and they booed us. But after awhile they found it amusing because some of the things we said were true and resonated. Nothing seemed to bother us. We always had a witty comment for someone else.”
DX would not have been the group it was without the presence of the Ninth Wonder of the World, Chyna. Michaels acknowledges this, adding that not only was Chyna a trailblazer for women’s wrestling, but that her impact probably would not have been the same if she was wrestling today.
“From a performer standpoint she would clearly fit in and be phenomenal. I think what makes her the awe-inspiring, innovative and transforming woman that she was was that she did it earlier than all of them. It would be a bit more commonplace today. She would certainly have an incredible career — but I don’t know that she’d be the trail blazer today that she is if she were currently doing it today.”
Michaels is now one of the main heads of NXT since Triple H took over for the now retired Vince McMahon.
It was pointed out how nobody touched Saraya during her appearance, which implies that she is still not medically cleared.
It was also reported that while in WWE, not only could the then-Paige not wrestle, but she was also not allowed to be touched or get physical in any capacity.
Saraya was not cleared to wrestle in a very recent evaluation of her, though her condition may have improved since then.
Outside of AEW
It remains to be seen if Saraya will get physical in AEW, but the former Superstar is getting back in the ring in her native England.
It has been confirmed that the first-ever NXT Women’s Champion will be a special guest referee at the upcoming Frightmare event for World Association of Wrestling.
Saraya will officiate the match between her brothers Roy Knight and Zak Zodiac on October 15.
World Association of Wrestling is based in Norwich, England, and run by Saraya’s family the Knights.
WWE Superstar Sheamus has said that becoming World Champion or winning the Royal Rumble can’t compare to his match with Gunther at Clash at the Castle.
At the event earlier this month in Cardiff, Wales, Sheamus challenged the Austrian for the Intercontinental Championship in a losing effort.
The match has been praised by fans and those in the industry alike, earning five stars by Dave Meltzer.
The Biggest Moment
Sheamus’ match in Cardiff came during something of a career renaissance for the Irish Superstar.
Speaking on the latest After the Bell, Sheamus explained the importance of the match, after a 13-year career on the main roster.
“Going into that match, I knew there was a lot of hype about it. I knew that people really wanted to see it… First of all, the reception when I went out. I didn’t know what way it was going to go. Gunther obviously has a cult following from being NXT UK Champion for so many years. I didn’t really know what to expect. It’s a moment I’ll never forget. It’s probably the biggest moment I’ve had up until this point in WWE.”
Speaking about Gunther who retained against Sheamus, the Celtic Warrior had nothing but praise.
Gunther. Great wrestler. Very aggressive. Knows his role. A great heel and a great opponent
Sheamus’ praise for the reigning Intercontinental Champion.
Outshining Drew
While Gunther and Sheamus had the arguable match of the night, the show’s main event saw Drew McIntyre face Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
Speaking about McIntyre, his real-life best friend, Sheamus said how he had no problem outshining the Scottish Warrior.
“That’s the goal for everybody. If that’s not your goal in this business then what the hell are you doing here? Listen, me and Drew are best mates but I was going out there to bleeding steal the show no matter what. That was the goal from day one. Once I knew that this match was going to happen, I’m like ‘I’m stealing the show here.’ There’s no doubt about it.
“Give me 15-20 minutes in that ring against a formidable opponent and I will give you a match of the night every single time.”
Sheamus made it clear he still plans on becoming Intercontinental Champion, the only men’s main-roster title he’s yet to capture.
For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.
AEW wrestlers and management have teased going to the UK for a big show. That plan is still in place.
The show’s location has always been set in stone. AEW President Tony Khan’s family also owns Premier League football (soccer) team Fulham FC, where they play at Craven Cottage stadium in London. The stadium can hold around 25,000 people.
Date for AEW’s UK Debut Show
Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the plan is still for AEW to visit the UK and to do a show at Fulham’s Craven Cottage stadium.
Meltzer wrote: “Right now, it still looks like next summer at the earliest for a U.K. debut at Craven Cottage, the home of Fulham.”
The promotion has yet to run shows outside of North America. With WWE’s recent Clash at the Castle show and the event’s success, AEW wants to run the market.
All Elite Wrestling recently held its second Grand Slam event in New York City at Arthur Ashe Stadium that did a $1 million gate. The promotion will venture outside of the United States when they hold Dynamite and Rampage events from the Coca-Cola Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in October.
Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolin appear to be on the cusp of being called up to the WWE main roster.
The two WWE NXT superstars and Mandy Rose, the NXT Women’s Champion, are allies in the Toxic Attraction faction.
Dolin and Jayne have recently been briefly put on the main roster. They made their SmackDown debuts on August 19, when they defeated Natalya and Sonya Deville to win a WWE Women’s Tag Team Tournament match. They replaced Nikkita Lyons and Zoey Stark in the competition.
Dolin and Jayne Headed to the Main Roster?
According to Dave Meltzer’s report in the most recent Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there has been talk about Dolin and Jayne joining the main roster for a while.
It’s unclear when they would make their official main roster debuts, which brand they would be on – Raw or SmackDown – and if Rose would join them.
The former NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions most recently wrestled on this week’s episode of NXT by defeating Ivy Nile & Tatum Paxley.
Many fans believe that Dolin and Jayne have done everything there is to do in NXT so now is a good time to move them to the main roster and be in contention for the Women’s Tag Team Titles.
Boxing star Tyson Fury defeated Braun Strowman by count-out at WWE Crown Jewel 2019 to make his pro-wrestling debut. He hasn’t wrestled since, but Triple H has shared some insight into Fury’s future.
When Theory attempted to cash in his Money in the Bank contract during the main event of the Clash at the Castle event in the UK, he was punched by Fury and Following Drew McIntyre’s loss to Roman Reigns, Fury also spoke with Reigns and sang with McIntyre in the ring.
Triple H is Waiting on Tyson Fury’s Decision
(via WWE)
In an interview with The Sporting News, Triple H spoke about the possibility of celebrities like Fury and Dwight Howard wrestling for the WWE.
“I think Tyson Fury is chomping at the bit to get in the ring. The question is, which ring will he get into? Is it going to be the boxing ring? Is it going to be the WWE ring? We were just together in Cardiff. We had a long talk about it. He’s as enamored as ever in wanting to do this with us. I think he knows he’s got a few big fights left in him in the boxing world. I think he’s going to capitalize on those fights as you are hearing. You know, talks about [Oleksandr] Usyk, talks about Anthony Joshua. Selfishly I want him to come work with us, also, selfishly, I want to see those fights. So I hope he knocks those out and I hope he stays interested because I do think with the dedication and the drive that he had to do what we do I think he could do something special with us as well.”
Maxwell Jacob Friedman is making big money as part of his renegotiated contract with All Elite Wrestling. MJF has been with AEW since it was founded in 2019 and was not widely known prior to joining Tony Khan’s promotion. As a result, he wasn’t earning the same level of money that world famous stars like Chris Jericho and John Moxley were able to command.
The 26-year-old from Plainview, Long Island has proven himself to be an exceptional talent whose mic skills put him in an elite class of all-time great talkers such as Roddy Piper and Paul Heyman. He’s one of the hottest acts in all of professional wrestling, but wasn’t making main event caliber money until recently. All the while, he watched Tony Khan open the vault to sign people like CM Punk, Bryan Danielson and Adam Cole to lucrative deals.
MJF recently appeared on The MMA Hour podcast to promote AEW Grand Slam. During his discussion with host Ariel Helwani, MJF revealed that he recently sat down with Tony Khan and they hashed out a revised agreement that he’s very satisfied with.
How Much Does MJF Make?
MJF boasted to Ariel Helwani that he was able to get Khan to give him a huge raise without having to extend the time frame of his current contract. He’s set to become a free agent on January 1, 2024, a date that will kick off the Bidding War of 2024.
He intends to let his contract lapse, enter free agency and then let AEW and WWE duke it out to secure his services. He’s sure to score a blockbuster deal at that time, but won’t have to wait until 2024 to become a millionaire.
MJF is now one of the highest paid stars in AEW and makes seven figures, according to the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The Observer had this to say about MJF’s new deal with AEW:
Based on things we heard, it’s was more than $1 million per year.
Only a few people in the industry make over a million dollars per year and MJF is almost certainly the youngest person on this short list. It is rare for a wrestler to re-negotiate their contract mid-way through its term. However, as MJF will tell you, he’s a generational talent.
Shawn Michaels wowed fans for decades with his in-ring ability, but was a better heel than a babyface, according to Jim Ross.
Michaels played both roles until 1998, when a back injury would force the multi-time World Champion into retirement.
After four years away and personal development, Michaels would return in 2002, and other than one brief stint in 2005, would spend the rest of his career as a babyface.
Better Heel
Jim Ross worked closely with Shawn Michaels throughout both men’s tenures in WWE, and called some of the Showstopper’s most iconic matches.
Speaking on the most recent episode of his ‘Grilling JR’ podcast, Ross and co-host Conrad Thompson recalled Michaels’ heel work from 1997 and the formation of DX.
“[He’s better as a] Heel. Absolutely. He felt more natural and more organic in his own skin being a heel. It fit him. It did not seem like he was trying to be a bad guy. He was a pr*ck. His character was a pr*ck. He was cocky and undersized in the eyes of some, but his skill set was [incredible.]”
“Shawn was a natural heel. He’s best suited for that role… he enjoyed his booking.”
Jim Ross on Shawn Michaels being a heel in 1997.
“When you’re an athlete like Shawn Michaels and you’re constantly compared to one guy, Ric Flair, you’ve done a pretty good body of work. Shawn was a natural heel. He’s best suited for that role, and I think like any other talent. he enjoyed his booking.
“Him being a babyface, was a little stretch, because people didn’t trust him. He had been so unpredictable and so forth. But as a heel, that fit him perfectly.”
D-Generation X
Part of Michaels’ 1997 heel run came as the leader of D-Generation X, which initially consisted of himself, Triple H, Chyna, and Rick Rude.
Speaking about Rude, who would leave the group for WCW not long after, Ross questioned the defunct promotion’s decision to bring him in.
“When Rick left, walk-out in the middle of the night kind deal, and showed up on Nitro, I thought it was creative booking. I thought it was bold. But I also thought it was a ‘one-take Jake.’
“How much mileage can you get out of a guy who can’t take bumps? How can you have a top heel, manager, bodyguard, whatever, who can’t take bumps? I haven’t figured that out yet. 25 years later and I still don’t get it.”
Rude had previously told the WWF that he was unable to take bumps, citing a back injury.
For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.
John Cena has become a leading man in Hollywood, but that has come at the expense of his WWE schedule.
In 2016, Cena transitioned into a part-time role for the promotion, after a decade of being the company’s top star and 14 years on the main roster.
Since transitioning into a part-time role, Cena has worked with blockbuster franchises including Fast and Furious and The Suicide Squad, with his Peacemaker character from the latter having their own HBO Max series.
Breaking the Streak
It’s been over a year since John Cena’s last match, where he competed against Roman Reigns at Summerslam 2021. The 16-time WWE World Champion was unable to dethrone the Tribal Chief last year, and hasn’t competed since.
Unless he competes some time in the next three months, then 2022 will have come and gone without a John Cena wrestling a match. If so, it’ll be the first time since 2000 that Cena has not had a sanctioned match for WWE.
While he would not debut on the main roster until 2022, he had matches for the company in 2001 as part of Ohio Valley Wrestling.
(Credit to Sean Ross Sapp for noticing this incredible statistic.)
What’s next for John Cena?
John Cena hasn’t wrestled this year, despite belief that he was set for a match at Summerslam.
In June, Cena celebrated the 20th anniversary of his main roster debut, which came after weeks of Austin Theory taking shots at the former WWE Champion online.
Some have speculated that Cena could face Theory at WrestleMania 39 in April 2023.
WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash spoke about the brawl between CM Punk and The Elite at the All Out media scrum on a recent episode of his Kliq This podcast.
Co-host Sean Oliver read a comment from a fan that suggested that CM Punk simply just snapped and that we are all human. Kevin responded by poking fun at CM Punk’s comments at the press conference when he said he was old, tired, and works with children.
“At 42 years old, you know, I mean Phil (CM Punk) is tired. Phil’s tired, he’s beat up.”
Sean noted that Kevin Nash was in the ring when he was 55 and the 63-year-old brought up his promo with Punk on RAW following WWE SummerSlam 2011.
“I was in the ring at 55 when he was cutting the promo on me ‘click click I can hear your knees and LOL thought you were dead.’
That mother f***er cut that promo on me and he sits there at 42 years old, f***ing I guess in retrospect when I actually like thought about him like, he didn’t lose his sh*t, that’s toxic f***ing shock.
He didn’t pull his tampon out. He’s f***ing got toxic shock syndrome. I thought about that and I googled him. I said forty f***ing two, dude didn’t wrestle for 10 f***ing years!
It’s like a 75′ El Dorado with 102 miles on it. Mother f***er don’t tell me you’re tired. Don’t tell me you are 75. Shut the f*** up.”
Kevin also laughed at the idea of Pat Buck and Chris Daniels getting suspended because of the altercation. Big Daddy Cool did compliment CM Punk for being a pro during his matches before the All Out brawl and claimed he saw a lot of himself in the disgruntled star.
“His run got cut short you know, basically politically. He just had too much f***ing heat. Deserved, I mean, I see a lot of me in him. I’m not going to speak for him but he’s a little bit of a pr*ck. He had the number of how many shirts he sold that day I’m sure so he can throw that in somebody’s face if he had to.”
If you use quotes from this article, please credit the Kliq This podcast and give a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.
WWE has been playing the 1967 song “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane during live events and occasionally during a commercial break.
On Monday’s edition of RAW, a mysterious QR code appeared on the screen while Austin Theory was making his way to the ring for a singles match against Kevin Owens. When the code is scanned, it takes fans to a hidden WWE website.
A video appears and it is a game of ‘Hang Man’. The question is “Who killed the world?” and the answer is “YOU DID”. The date 9/23 also appears in the video, which is this week’s episode of SmackDown.
Bray Wyatt was released from WWE on July 31, 2021. He spent nearly ten years with the promotion and is a three-time world champion. Many fans have speculated that the “White Rabbit” is Bray Wyatt, while others believe it is Karrion Kross. You can check out our deep dive into WWE’s cryptic teaser campaign here.
Bray Wyatt Likes Interesting Tweet From Brodie Lee
Brodie Lee (John Huber), formerly known as Luke Harper in WWE, sadly passed away on December 26, 2020. He captured the TNT Championship in All Elite Wrestling and the Intercontinental Championship in WWE. He was also a two-time SmackDown Tag Team Champion with the Wyatt Family.
As spotted by Sportskeeda Wrestling, Bray Wyatt liked a tweet today from Brodie Lee that was posted on April 9th, 2019. The tweet simply reads “Tomorrow there will be more of us”, which is interesting because tomorrow is the date teased in the video.
WWE held a press conference for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match between Roman Reigns and Logan Paul at Crown Jewel.
After the conference, Triple H was interviewed by Sporting News about several topics. The Game revealed that he has discussed signing Tyson Fury but the world-class boxer knows he has a few big fights left in the boxing ring.
Triple H stated that he hopes Tyson is still interested in joining the WWE after he’s finished boxing. Tyson knocked out Austin Theory when he tried to cash in his Money in the Bank contract at Clash at the Castle.
WWE’s Chief Content Officer spoke about NBA star Dwight Howard showing up at a recent tryout and claimed that he is open to signing the 2020 NBA champion.
“I think the ball is in his court. It’s a funny thing, Dwight in the conversations we had was like ‘you know I really want to do this, I’m serious, I really want to do this.’ But we hear that a lot and there’s a difference between saying I want to do this and putting in the grind and doing the work to get there.
He came by our tryouts in Nashville. He was incredibly entertaining, jumping in promos by himself and then with others, incredibly entertaining. Really driven to want to do this, it is just a matter of him, he’s got a lot of things going on right?
So when he says ‘hey I want to give this a shot’ he’s got my phone number and all he’s got to do is call me and we will see what can happen. If he’s willing to put in the grind and the drive that guys like Logan Paul, Bad Bunny, and Tyson Fury are willing to put in then let’s go.”
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit Sporting News & give a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.
Maxwell Jacob Friedman has quickly become one of All Elite Wrestling’s most popular stars and made the media rounds to promote AEW Grand Slam. He stopped by Barstool Sports for an interview on Wrasslin’ and appeared on Barstool’s Answer The Internet.
After his “pipebomb” promo on the Dynamite after Double or Nothing, MJF went missing from AEW television for months. The 26-year-old returned at All Out to win the Casino Ladder match and had a stare-down with former AEW Champion CM Punk. MJF has a guaranteed title match at a time and place of his choosing.
He appeared on Barstool Sports’ Answer The Internet and answered questions on a wide variety of topics.
Which celebrity would MJF most like to see in a sex tape?
“My brain immediately goes to a grotesque place because I can look at any woman naked if I want to now. God invented the internet. So I think I’d want to see someone like gross and fat. I want to see Oprah. That would be rad.“
Would you rather have your porn search history shared with your Twitter followers or your parents?
“Dude, post it on Twitter, I don’t give a sh*t. I don’t talk to my parents. They f***ing suck.“
Should you lock a dog out of the room when you’re having sex?
“So I have a cat, love my cat. The cat’s name is Piper. When it’s go time, when it is time for the fiancé to hop on the maximum ride, love Piper to death but Piper is going out the door. Because it gets loud, it gets sweaty, and it’s not a safe environment for any pet.”
Who is the hottest celebrity you’d have a chance with if they got to know you?
“Sadie Sink. There’s something about Sadie Sink. And maybe it is because I got like a redhead thing, but there is SOMETHING.“
Kevin Clancy (KFC) of Barstool wondered if Sadie would like MJF if she met her and the AEW star joked “Stranger Things have happened”. Sadie Sink plays Max in the massively popular Netflix show Stranger Things.
Please credit Barstool Sports with a H/T to SEScoops if you use quotes from this video.
You can check out all of MJF’s NSFW responses in the video below.
Triple H joined LADbible TV today for an interview and discussed several topics, including what his role is in WWE. There has been a seismic shift at the top of the company and it has resulted in more power than ever afforded to The Game.
He was recently given the title of “Chief Brand Officer” and explained what that entailed during the interview. The 53-year-old stated that he oversees everything when it comes to the promotion’s creative, as well as run talent development and the recruitment process.
“I do a little bit of everything for WWE. If you want the exact title, I’m the Chief Content Officer for WWE. I oversee everything that has to do with creative of everything we do from top to bottom.
Run our talent, run our talent development, our recruiting process, sort of the life cycle of the talent from the moment we identify them in college, or wherever they’re going to start from. All the way through to the end of their careers.”
The Game was asked where WWE goes to try and find talent. He brought up Gable Steveson as an example of collegiate athletics being difficult to recruit from and described WWE’s strategy for finding new talent.
“They changed the rules for what’s called NIL (name, image, likeness) that college athletes can use their name, image, and likeness to create a business for themselves. So they can be paid for those things, they can do endorsements, all these other things.
It opened up a world for us. We don’t see it as paying somebody a small amount of money to say ‘hey I watched WWE and isn’t that great’.
For us, it’s a recruiting tool. For us, it’s long-term recruiting. We look at college athletes in almost any sport and we try to work with them on what WWE is, what we are as an entertainment property, but what we are also behind the scenes.
Some of those we will offer deals to under the NIL program. We’ll pay them a sum of money, they will be WWE athletes. We help them build their brand, we help them with media training, with life skills, anything that WWE does that they can have access to.
“They can come to our performance center, they can do all those things. Meanwhile, they’re out there for us sort of talking about WWE to every sporting event they go to.
Athletes around the country they’re talking about WWE and for most of them when they graduate college, WWE is the opportunity they are looking at to become a WWE Superstar.
For ones that don’t, that promotion the entire time is phenomenal for us.”
Please credit LADBible and give a H/T to SEScoops if you use quotes from this article.
WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H was interviewed recently by LADBible TV and spoke about his plans for the future of NXT.
Triple H has gained a significant amount of power in WWE recently since Vince McMahon resigned from the company. He replaced John Laurinaitis as EVP of Talent Relations and has also taken over creative responsibility for the promotion. The 53-year-old has brought back several released talents and is seemingly about to bring NXT back to its Black & Gold days.
During the interview, The Game discussed his vision for NXT Europe moving forward and suggested that it would be “almost a World Cup scenario”. He stated that “the World Cup finals” for NXT could happen in any city in the world and that you’ve got to think big.
The King of Kings compared NXT to college football and noted that they are trying to build a fanbase for the talent before sending them to the main roster to become WWE Superstars.
“The intent will be to take NXT Europe and bring that around the world. So NXT Europe, NXT Australia, NXT South Africa, South America, and Mexico. All those things and eventually build it into a global system that will lead to almost a World Cup scenario.
The World Cup finals for NXT will one year be in London, the next year maybe Mexico City, you’ve got to think big. And all the while, really what you are doing is you are building a fanbase for college football, while you are building stars for the major leagues.”
What do you think of Triple H’s vision for the future of NXT and NXT Europe? Let us know in the comments section below.
Please credit LADBible and give a H/T to SEScoops if you use quotes from this article.
Sammy Guevara and Eddie Kingston are set to battle this Friday night at AEW Rampage Grand Slam from Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Grand Slam is one of All Elite Wrestling’s biggest events of the year and there are several exciting matchups on both Dynamite and Rampage this week. Friday’s Grand Slam edition of Rampage will be a special two-hour show.
Guevara and Kingston were supposed to square off at All Out but real-life personal issues prevented the match from happening. The issue stemmed from a Rampage taping in August. Sammy cut a promo in the ring with Tay Melo and called Eddie a “fat piece of sh*t”. Kingston got heated about the comments and confronted Sammy backstage.
The altercation led to Eddie getting suspended for two weeks and their match at AEW All Out being canceled. Eddie apologized for his actions, Sammy issued a statement, and the two men have apparently put the real-life issue behind them so that they can work together again. The promo never aired on television but a fan uploaded the footage and you can check it out below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-zYSIwrxvMg&t=42s
The Benefit of Using Real-Life Drama In Storylines
Eddie Kingston cut a promo about the upcoming match and stated that he doesn’t respect Sammy Guevara and thinks he’s a horrible person. Kingston vowed to “beat the piss” out of Guevara this Friday at Rampage Grand Slam.
“You may think I don’t like you or I don’t respect you because of the things you say, or because you are so in love with Twitter, and the only reason why you are in this great sport is to be famous. You don’t care, but nah Sammy, it is not because of any of that. No man, I don’t like you and I don’t respect you because inside when I look into your eyes, I see nothing but a horrible, rotten human being. You make me sick and that is why I am going to beat the piss out of you in Queens.”
Eddie’s brief promo above is a great example of how a real-life issue can be spun into a positive in the wrestling business. He clearly does not like Sammy personally, but that doesn’t mean they cannot provide an entertaining product to fans as professionals. The Mad King is always passionate in his promos, but you can tell when there is something extra behind it.
There was nothing cute about what he said about Sammy Guevara and there were no jokes. He simply called Sammy a horrible person that he wants to beat the hell out of in the match. Enough said, I’m sold. Kingston also got personal in his memorable rivalry with CM Punk leading up to their match at Full Gear and it added to the rivalry. This was before CM Punk decided to get offended about such things.
It seems ludicrous to suggest that CM Punk, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks could put their issues behind them at this point, but some fans are still holding out hope. In case you’ve been under a rock, CM Punk went on an expletive-filled rant about Colt Cabana, Hangman Page, and The Young Bucks following winning the title at All Out.
Instead of talking about becoming champion again, Punk opted to go on a twenty-minute rant while eating muffins. To make matters worse, he was also injured during the match and relinquished the title again. He is a two-time AEW Champion without making a single title defense.
The former AEW Champion claimed that the EVPs (Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks) could not even manage a target and blamed them for starting the rumors that he wanted to get Colt Cabana fired. The EVPs then confronted CM Punk in his locker room and a wild Ace Steel appeared. Ace Steel is/was an AEW producer that was unknown to the audience until the Wednesday before All Out, in which he delivered a passionate promo to convince CM Punk to accept the match against Jon Moxley.
The circumstances surrounding the brawl make it seem highly unlikely that CM Punk and The Elite could work together in the future, but they would have everyone’s attention if they did. AEW Brawl Out remains one of the biggest stories of the year and people are still awaiting to find out the repercussions for everyone involved.
While CM Punk probably shouldn’t be relied on to carry the company anymore as he’s injured again, a Trios match with FTR against The Elite would be instant money for AEW. One can only hope that CM Punk and The Elite can follow in Eddie Kingston’s footsteps and put the past behind them. Hopefully, a positive can be found in Punk’s injury and it might actually allow the time needed for cooler heads to prevail.
CM Punk is Probably Not Returning to AEW
Whoever made this CM Punk – Dark Side Of The Ring parody deserves a bloody raise… pic.twitter.com/NlcODNdD6K
White Rabbit is at the center of WWE’s latest mystery. The classic rock song by Jefferson Airplane has played at several live events in recent weeks, leaving wrestling fans to wonder who (or what) is behind this viral campaign.
We’ve seen several other clues dropped on WWE television in recent weeks, which we’ll break down below. WWE has hyped debuting/returning Superstars using cryptic vignettes, flickering lights and other techniques. WWE’s TV productions are carefully orchestrated and (almost) nothing happens by accident.
The following is a breakdown of what we know about WWE’s White Rabbit. We’ll use this article as a master resource to track everything in the lead-up to the big reveal.
The Song by Jefferson Airplane
The White Rabbit mystery began when WWE began playing Jefferson Airplane’s 1967 song at live events. It first happened during a commercial break at a recent Friday Night SmackDown taping.
It occurred once again over the weekend, prior to the WWE live event from Oakland, CA.
The September 19th edition of WWE Raw brought more clues about the White Rabbit.
Just before a match between Austin Theory and Kevin Owens, a QR code appeared on screen. When the code is scanned, it sends fans to a hidden section at the WWE website.
That URL displays a video showing a game of ‘Hang Man’ with the question, “Who killed the world?” The answer to the puzzle is, “YOU DID”.
A white rabbit then hops around an alarm clock that reads 9:23, an indication that a reveal may be coming on 9/23, which coincides with the September 23rd edition of SmackDown.
“Go ask Alice, when she’s ten feet tall.”
Lyric from White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane
Later in the show, Alexa Bliss dropped a White Rabbit clue that some fans may have missed. She told Bayley, “You act like you’re 10 feet tall.” In passing, there doesn’t seem to be anything unusual here. It just so happens, “like you’re 10 feet tall” are lyrics taken from “White Rabbit” by Jefferson Airplane.
I didn't even catch that @AlexaBliss_WWE referenced White Rabbit during the segment. #WWERaw
There are two prevailing theories about the identity of WWE’s White Rabbit.
One Possibility: Karrion Kross
SmackDown Superstar Karrion Kross portrayed a character called White Rabbit during his time wrestling for Lucha Underground, the defunct promotion that ran from 2015-2018.
Lucha Underground’s White Rabbit, as well as the Jefferson Airplane song, are references to the White Rabbit in “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland,” which represents following your curiosities.
We’ve seen Kross portray several gimmicks during his short time with WWE. If WWE is laying the groundwork for Kross as the White Rabbit, this could be the vehicle he needs to finally make a meaningful impact on the main roster.
Ever since Triple H took over as the head of creative and talent relations, fans have understandably compared his approach to that of his predecessor, Vince McMahon. We saw how McMahon presented acts that were dark, mysterious and even supernatural. It would be interesting to see how a similar approach would be handled in 2022 under Triple H.
More Likely: Bray Wyatt
Whenever anything remotely mysterious or spooky happens in the WWE Universe, some fans are convinced it’s a sign that Bray Wyatt is returning home.
WWE has had many supernatural characters over the years, but few have resonated like the Eater of Worlds. This time, there’s actually a lot of substance behind the wishful thinking.
WWE has given us a lot of dots to connect and breadcrumbs to follow. There is a theory going around that Bray Wyatt is WWE’s White Rabbit. We were skeptical at first, but it’s actually very convincing. In fact, there are so many coincidences here that we’d be legitimately surprised if Bray Wyatt is not revealed as the White Rabbit.
Check out the theory below and decide for yourself.
Jim Ross signed plenty of big names to WWE during his tenure as the promotion’s Head of Talent Relations, but not everyone was to Vince McMahon’s liking.
JR was appointed Head of Talent in 1997, with a Wrestling Observer Newsletter report at the time calling him the most powerful man in the then-WWF not named McMahon.
Signing the Legend Killer
It was during JR’s tenure as Head of Talent that Randy Orton was signed, the second-ever third-generation WWE Superstar (after The Rock.)
Speaking on this week’s ‘Grillin’ JR’ podcast, Ross spoke about the future World Champion, and how Vince McMahon opposed the idea.
“When Vince found out that Randy Orton was court-martialled, he didn’t want me to hire him. I resisted with good reasons. I said ‘look Vince, everybody deserves a second chance. How many chances have you gotten?’ I’ve gotten plenty and I’m thankful for them.”
” I said ‘look Vince, everybody deserves a second chance. How many chances have you gotten?'”
Jim Ross on defending the hiring of Randy Orton.
Orton would be signed in 2001 and would debut on WWE SmackDown the following year.
The OVW Class
Orton was just part of the esteemed Ohio Valley Wrestling class, which included John Cena, Batista and Brock Lesnar.
Speaking about Cena, arguably the most successful man in the group, JR said that he gave the future Hollywood megastar a chance despite McMahon having no interest in him.
“I hired so many guys that Vince [McMahon] had never heard of. Never seen. He didn’t know who the hell John Cena was.
“He [Cena] wasn’t on the mainstream working in Hollywood. He was working two or three jobs and he was learning to wrestle.”
JR reflected on his tenure as Head of Talent, and highlighted the huge names he would sign to WWE.
“It was a fun job, and we left our mark. Our administration left our mark on the company that’s still being felt today.”
Head of Talent Relations
In 2001, Jim Ross would be replaced as WWE’s Head of Talent Relations by John Laurinaitis, who was fired by WWE earlier this year.
In his absence, WWE has appointed Triple H to the role, in addition to appointing him Head of WWE Creative.
Speaking about the Game, Jim Ross had high praise for the man who once terrorized him on-screen.
“We didn’t have the staff that they utilize now. And I think that’s important for those guys, that you’ve got a leader that understands the business thoroughly in Triple H. And that’s what you’ve got to have.”
“You’ve got a leader that understands the business thoroughly in Triple H.”
Jim Ross on WWE’s new Head of Talent Relations.
“The lead decision maker has got to have product knowledge. I still think and this may be naive, but I believe that you still need to be a fan.”
For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.
Toni Storm believes the AEW Women’s Division is primed to ‘change the entire game.’
Although Storm is only the Interim AEW Women’s World Champion, she is invested in the permanent history of the AEW women’s division and wants to see it grow.
Toni Storm’s Vision
While speaking with TV Insider, Storm talked about the future of the division:
“It’s a story as old as time. Women’s wrestling struggles to get the same amount of time as the guys. We are put in a different position, but I really do believe we are headed in the right direction. We’ve got a locker room full of really hardworking and talented women that I believe are the future. It’s going to change the entire game. I think we’re going to overcome and get more time and see more emphasis on ourselves. But we’re doing the hard work. I’m very confident in this entire division.”
Storm stated that she’s proud to be at the top and will do whatever it takes to push it to where it needs to go.
“I’m proud of everyone back there. “I’m choosing to be positive. I think, little by little, there will be more emphasis on us in AEW. We just need to keep breaking down that door. I also think consistency is what will get us there.”
Storm successfully retained the Interim AEW Women’s World Championship on Wednesday night at the Dynamite: Grand Slam event in a fatal 4-way match against Athena, Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D., and Serena Deeb.
Last night’s AEW Grand Slam Dynamite saw Jon Moxley capture his third-world title under the AEW banner, a definite departure from the company’s original booking plans following a number of issues with former champion, CM Punk.
The Second City Saint broke his foot shortly after winning the world title from Adam Page at May’s Double or Nothing pay-per-view, which was going to kickstart a renewed Summer of Punk, and would have seen him walk into ALL OUT 2022 holding the top prize. While Punk managed to reclaim the gold at ALL OUT from Moxley, the original booking plan would have seen him face one of his most recent rivals.
CM Punk vs. MJF III Was Originally Going To Headline ALL OUT 2022
According to Dave Meltzer from the Wrestling Observer, Punk was originally going to be defending the AEW world title against MJF. This would have been the two top stars third meeting, with each holding a victory over the other. MJF handed Punk his first loss on Dynamite thanks to an assist from Wardlow. Punk would get his revenge at Revolution in a critically acclaimed Dog-Collar matchup.
It was not specified in the report whether MJF’s temporary hiatus would have played out the way it did on television. MJF has since won the Casino Ladder Match, and has the right to challenge for the AEW world title whenever he pleases.
John Cena has set a new record for the most wishes granted through the Make-A-Wish Foundation with 650. The Make-A-Wish Foundation announced the news today and the milestone has been recognized by Guiness World Records.
Since becoming a top star in WWE after his rise in 2005, he was portrayed as a babyface who was a hero for fans and the face of WWE’s “Be a Star” anti-bullying campaign.
Cena made his first wish come true in 2002 and granted Make-A-Wish’s 1000th wish to a fan named Cardon in 2012.
John Cena’s Inspiring Work
John Cena
The non-profit organization helps fulfill the wishes of children who have been diagnosed with a critical illness. Children between the age of 2 and 18 can choose to meet a celebrity, go to an event, or even give a gift to someone else.
When children meet the former WWE Champion, they can take photos with him and hang out.
He told Reuters: “If you ever need me for this ever, I don’t care what I’m doing, I will drop what I’m doing and be involved because I think that’s the coolest thing.”
“I just drop everything,” Cena said when he was honored for granting 500 wishes. “If I can offer a fantastic experience, I’ll be first in line to do my part.”
Cena is the most requested celebrity, and nobody else has ever granted more than 200 wishes in the 42-year existence of the foundation.
