Welcome to the WrestleTalk News, I’m Pete Quinnell.
On Fridays…we wear our usual clothes.
In yesterday’s news video, I spoke about WWE and Warner Bros. Discovery and a potential
deal between the two to bring Monday Night Raw to the network, as well as the ramifications
of that deal for not just WWE, but AEW as well, whose shows currently air on WBD’s
channels.
Well we have a ton more detail on what’s been going on behind the scenes.
As Dave Meltzer originally reported, WWE and WBD have begun meeting again after what was
thought to be a dead deal, primarily because of CM Punk.
PWInsider then reported that on Monday, TKO’s Mark Shapiro, Triple H and Nick Khan all met
with WBD executive Bruce Campbell for several hours during the day, with Triple H then attending
Raw later that day.
Haus of Wrestling then reported that “the vibe we have been given is that AEW is in
danger of not being renewed by WBD for TNT or TBS”.
Crucially, this isn’t necessarily that AEW could be done with WBD entirely, just that
Raw would potentially take over the TNT or TBS slots, while AEW would move to Discovery.
An interesting note in the Haus of Wrestling report however, is that according to a WWE
source, there’s a chance that meeting never happened, with the internal schedules of Triple
H, Nick Khan and Mark Shapiro not lining up or putting them together on Monday for the
meeting.
However, WWE execs were reported to potentially be “kayfabing their schedules”.
If these talks have indeed happened, they are trying to be very secretive about it.
Sean Ross Sapp also posted about this secrecy on X, saying that all he’d heard is speculation
and chatter, nothing confirmed yet, but that those that would normally be in the know on
both sides were being kept in the dark.
But even if WWE are having these meetings and the winds might be blowing in favour of
the bigger company right now, that doesn’t mean it’s all over for AEW.
Tony Khan confirmed on the Final Battle media call that he spoke with WBD on Tuesday, which
would be the day after the meeting with WWE, so there’s every chance they’re still
in the running.
And as has been mentioned before, WBD has higher priorities right now, like the NBA.
And if the NBA rights ends up costing them a fair chunk of change, how likely are they
to fork out another fair chunk of change for WWE programming when they could get similar
but slightly lower results from AEW for a fraction of the cost?
Let’s look at the ratings for this week’s AEW Dynamite - it drew an average of 845,000
viewers and importantly a .30 rating in the 18-49 demographic, while this week’s Raw
drew an average of 1.46 million viewers and achieved a .46 rating in the same demo.
So yes, AEW Dynamite does draw less than Raw.
But it also costs significantly less, with WWE reportedly looking for around $400 million
per year according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.
AEW would be looking for more money than before, for sure.
They need an increase on their rights to really help them become profitable, but even so,
it will almost certainly be for less money than what WWE are asking for, so if WBD stick
with AEW, they’d be getting more bang for their buck, pardon the pun, with a potentially
bigger return on investment.
So…what’s next?
We sit and wait and wait to see where the chips fall where they may.
I’m genuinely really intrigued by how all of this is playing out.
While AEW’s future on WBD looks to be uncertain, the one angle the company has managed to garner
fan intrigue is the ongoing AEW Devil saga.
For months now, we’ve seen MJF’s devil masks being sported by unidentifiable goons,
with each week seeing a new victim.
With each week that passes it seems our list of suspects grows smaller, but there has been
one currently absent name that many have theorized could be the one behind the entire thing…
Or at least involved in some fashion.
The ‘Jungle Man’ himself…
Jack Perry.
And he earned the promotion from Boy To Man when he did the impossible and brought CM
Punk back to WWE… allegedly.
Now, Perry has been absent from our screens since All In London and the previously-alluded
to backstage altercation with Punk, however, reports have suggested that his suspension
has actually been up for a while now.
While his absence from all the devil shenanigans was enough to draw suspicion on his involvement,
a major tease from this week’s Dynamite had many even more convinced that Perry is
indeed the culprit.
That’s of course the use of REAL GLASS in the backstage attack on Hangman Page.
Which happens to be Perry’s brand of choice.
The attack, which saw Page put through a car windshield, echoed the spot from Perry’s
match with Hook at All In.
And given the infamy around the whole real glass fiasco, surely that was a big ol’
nudge that Jungle Jack was indeed back on TV this whole time.
Well…
Not quite.
While creative plans could change, Fightful Select has revealed that a “high-level”
AEW source was of the belief that Perry was not involved in the angle whatsoever despite
the apparent tease.
It’s been reported that the identities of the people under the masks at present are
in fact those who will eventually be revealed to be involved.
A crucial detail that has seemingly ruled out a fair few names such as the injured Adam
Cole and prospective new signings like Mustafa Ali, Dolph Ziggler etc.
As they are only just about to be set to be allowed to compete elsewhere following their
releases from WWE in September.
While again, this could change and AEW could plant any one of these names into the roles
nearer the time, it does beg the question of who the hell is left to actually take the
role?
Is it actually MJF after all?
Quite possibly at this rate…
Let us know your best and/or silliest suggestions down in the comments below.
While we’re on the topic of those released WWE stars, as mentioned, it’s almost time
for the names who were let go from the company to be allowed back in the wild and competing
wherever they please once again.
While many have yet to make moves just yet, we have seen a few already dip their toes
back in the water, with Dolph Ziggler being announced for a match at Puerto Rican promotion
World Wrestling Council’s Euphoria event on January 20.
Ziggler has also been advertised for another appearance for MCW Pro Wrestling on February
4, alongside fellow WWE release Matt Riddle.
Now, we can add another name to that list as former Hit Row member Top Dolla’s first
post WWE appearance has now been announced.
Competing once again under his real name of AJ Francis, the former NFL Defensive Tackle
has been announced for GCW’s Look At Me event on January 26.
Francis had previously competed in GCW prior to returning to WWE last year and interestingly
won’t be the only name from the latest round of talent cuts to feature on the same show.
Former Maximum Male Model Mansoor is also set for Look At Me, as well as AEW star Andrade
El Idolo.
There’s sure to be many more updates to come on the next moves for all the ex-WWE
talents so make sure to stay locked to WrestleTalk.com for updates.
Sticking with WWE and tonight’s SmackDown will of course see the return of your Tribal
Chief Roman Reigns to TV for the first time since Crown Jewel on November 4.
Which was only his fourth televised WWE match since WrestleMania.
While Reigns looks set to skip Elimination Chamber in February, he is set to appear at
the Royal Rumble where it’s looking like he will perhaps defend his UWU title against
the recently returning Randy Orton.
Before FINALLY losing to Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania…
Which is definitely happening this year…
I will not accept otherwise.
While this proves absolutely nothing, Reigns could be set to take more time off following
Mania 40, if the poster for the first PLE post-Mania, Backlash 2024 from Lyon, France
is anything to go by.
The poster currently features Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, Becky Lynch, Randy Orton, Bianca
Belair and Rhea Ripley; with no Reigns in sight.
While this doesn’t necessarily confirm Reigns won’t appear, it does at least suggest that
to be the case.
AND even so, Reigns skipped plenty of PLE's this year as champion, so it also doesn’t
confirm that he will be losing at WrestleMania.
However, I’m certainly going to take it that way because I need all the reassurance
I can get to be quite honest.
Speaking of soon-to-be UWU champion Cody Rhodes, despite the loss to Roman, it’s safe to
agree that aside from the loss to Roman, he’s had a pretty solid year one in 2023.
However, there was perhaps one unfulfilled hope from 2023 and it pertained to his feud
with Brock Lesnar.
Around the build to SummerSlam, it was rumored that WWE could be bringing the Texas Bullrope
stipulation back for Cody and Brock’s final encounter.
Yet, this didn’t come to pass in the end, despite seeming perfect for it.
So, naturally all hope of ever seeing the match in WWE kinda went out the window…
UNTIL NOW.
Yes, bafflingly, out of nowhere, it has been announced that Cody will in fact tick the
bullrope match off his 2023 bucket list as he competes in the rare stipulation against
current rival Shinsuke Nakamura.
The only kicker is… unless you're attending the December 26 WWE Holiday Tour show from
New York’s Madison Square Garden, you’re not going to see it.
Why does WWE do this kinda thing…
I don’t quite know.
But hey, good for Cody and good for anyone going to MSG on Boxing Day.
Let us know if Cody bleeds or not.