In this WrestleTalk News, NXT’s sexy dress code meetings get exposed, Bobby Lashley takes
a nasty bump at a WWE live event and is AEW’s future uncertain with looming budget cuts
all - that and more today so…
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[SUPPORT WRESTLETALK] NXT 2.0 marked a shift in WWE’s approach
to its developmental brand - there has been lots of talk about them refocusing their talent
acquisition away from indie wrestlers to athletes from other sports, a storyline shift that
makes it feel more main roster and the diminished involvement of Triple H and his team that
made the brand so successful over the years.
Now with established WWE backstage influences taking control of the brand, it seems some
of the worst aspects of old school WWE thinking have bled into the show.
Ember Moon was released by WWE last November, having been lost in the shuffle when NXT gained
the 2.0 moniker, she spoke to Chris Van Vliet about the closing moments of her time in the
company.
She said that the plan had been to turn her heel after Shotzi was called up to the main
roster, though this got delayed until suddenly a report came in that Vince wanted her back
on the main roster as the original Ember Moon character but heel this time.
Even going so far as to reveal a return package, “I get the video ready.
I’m ready to show everyone after TVs, and they go, ‘Hey, we got some bad news.’
And I was like, ‘I’m sorry, what?
I just, I got this video...’
‘No, Vince is pulling you off TV indefinitely.’
And I just kind of sat there and I was just like, what did I do wrong?...I’ve done everything
that you guys have asked me.
I’ve gone over and above...”
She said what stung the most was that she was told by WWE that she had done nothing
wrong at all, which must have been frustrating and confusing - she then revealed a backstage
meeting that has previously not been made public.
“I remember when Shotzi left, I remember going to my makeup artist and going, I’m
so unhappy.
I’m so unhappy.
And we’d have to sit through stupid meetings about how we would have to dress sexy.
And I remember looking at someone and I was like...I cater to children.
I am not about to wear fishnet booty butt cheek shorts because we had a two hour meeting
about how to dress like Mandy Rose.”
For Moon this was the beginning of the end and she was offered what she said was tantamount
to a coaching position but instead told them she was going home until they had something
for her - they never did.
To go back to the what sounds like diva era meeting - Fightful Select confirmed that they
had heard about the meetings months ago but nobody had been willing to go on the record
about them.
Fightful were told they were held under the guise of “fashion consulting” or “fashion
aid” in an attempt to highlight the women of NXT as larger than life stars, bringing
in fashion expert Melanie Pace to conduct the meetings in October 2021.
According to roster members this went against previous policy to wear ring gear or NXT merchandise
on screen.
It was also said that many refused to attend the meetings, and several roster members were
very unhappy with them in general, blaming John Laurinaitis as the meetings began when
he regained power in the company with Triple H out of action.
Though his hand in the meetings has not been confirmed so is speculation at the minute.
One talent also implied that they were encouraged to dress similarly backstage, ‘dress sexier’
wasn’t said but heavily implied according to
the reports.
It’s 2022 baby.
So as Athena, the former Ember Moon, pointed out WWE likes to drive its talent to the end
of the their rope, but it also likes to drive its rope to the end of its rope as seen at
a live event in Newcastle last night.
Bobby Lashley suffered a nasty looking spill to the outside during a match with Drew McIntyre
- both men were running the ropes, setting up for what looks like a claymore when the
top rope snaps as Drew rebounds, leaving Lashley to take an unplanned tumble to the ringside
area.
He takes a really nasty looking bang on the apron as he tips over the second rope there,
oof.
Fans in attendance were audibly shocked and the referee quickly hopped outside to check
on The All Mighty, with Sami Zayn eventually picking Bobbles up and putting him back in
the ring to finish the match - suggesting he at least felt able to finish the match.
Here’s hoping you’re doing ok Lashley!
Hopping the barricade now, let’s talk AEW, who might seem like they are going from strength
to strength in terms of viewership, popularity and just general buzzworthiness around their
wrestling shows, but there is a threat looming on the horizon.
A merger between WarnerMedia and Discovery which has created some uncertainty about the
company’s future.
Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio was discussing and said that the merger could
bring with it significant budget cuts!
“[Warner Bros. Discovery is] gonna be eliminating new scripted programming...they’re gonna
cut some of the scripted shows.
Some of the ones that are around they’ll renew, but they will not be making news ones,
apparently.
So when these shows die off, the ones that are around now, in theory there will be no
more scripted programming on TBS and TNT.
As far as what it means for AEW...when you’re talking about a company looking at making
hundreds of millions of dollars in budget cuts, and another company partner that’s
looking for a substantial rate increase on what they are getting on a new contract, which
would be in 2024, you can do the math...”
AEW’s current deal nets them 45 million dollars a year, but you would assume they
would be looking to grow that figure in 2024 when their contract comes up for renewal.
If WarnerMedia is not looking to spend on scripted programming this could be a major
spanner in AEW’s works.
For one thing with the ballooning roster it might mean some difficult decisions need to
be made and it could give WWE the chance to poach some of the top stars once again.
And at the more extreme end of things there could be no money for AEW and total cancellation
of the product - though Meltzer thinks that is unlikely.
“It’s really too early to tell anything for sure.
You just don’t know the new people involved.
You don’t know what their feelings are about wrestling...I mean anything is possible, but
I don’t think that they would cancel it.
But the key is still a rights increase.
And then you’re talking about a company that’s trying to cut way back, so those
two things are contradictory.”
It’s a ways away, but negotiations for 2024 will likely start happening towards the end
of this year and throughout next year, so it is a critical time for AEW.
Here’s hoping Warner do the right thing and support professional wrestling.