In this WrestleTalk News, Shane McMahon’s WWE return, released WWE stars to AEW, an
update on MJF and Tony Khan’s backstage bust-up and more.
Subscribe and enable notifications to always on for daily wrestling news videos, not just
because it’s WrestleMania week and you need all the news directly into your feed.
But also because yesterday was my birthday and you didn’t get me anything and now it’s
awkward and the only way to get past this is by subscribing.
Ok?
Right, thanks.
But the second best happy birthday gift is of course…
…Shane McMahon returning to WWE.
Oh, thanks.
Thank you WWE.
I love it, honestly.
I love it.
Just in case though, did you keep the gift receipt?
PWInsider has confirmed with multiple sources that WWE will be bringing Shane in for WrestleMania
38.
There’s no word on whether he’ll be on the pay-per-view itself, but the site notes
he will be in town for the entire weekend.
Presumably having just watched Succession, Vince got rid of his own son Shane from the
company just last month.
Multiple sites reported that, in Triple H’s absence because he’s still recovering from
his cardiac event, Shane was given more control over the men’s Royal Rumble match.
He used that control to book himself in one of the featured slots, getting himself in
the final four.
Apparently there were so many changes throughout the day, between his and eventual winner Brock
Lesnar’s feedback, production didn’t have the final running order, and played Shane’s
entrance music when Randy Orton was supposed to come out - meaning McMahon entered one
place too early.
Shane was “obviously frustrated” leading up to the Rumble match because his dad kept
shooting down his ideas, which led to significant heat on him behind-the-scenes.
The men’s Rumble match ended up being one of the worst in recent memory, and just two
days later, news came out that Shane had been dismissed from the company - scrapping his
own planned WrestleMania match.
Which brings us onto, maybe, the darkest of all timelines.
There were two working WrestleMania 38 ideas for Shane before he was sent home:
Wrestling a match against Austin Theory, tying into Vince taking the young wrestler under
his wing since Survivor Series and THE EGG, presumably with My Father’s Approval as
the special guest referee.
Or 2) a program with Seth Rollins.
This was apparently the main thing Shane was pushing for at the Rumble pay-per-view, but
Vince decided to remove Rollins completely from the match so he could sell Roman Reigns’
beatdown of him in the title match opener.
Shane and Seth were going to continue this feud in the Elimination Chamber, and then
have a blow off at Mania.
Seth is seemingly set for a WrestleMania match against a returning Cody Rhodes, with numerous
references being dropped over the last month.
This week’s Raw saw Rollins confront Vince McMahon in his office, where Vince said he’ll
pick Seth’s opponent, and we won’t find out who it is until the match begins.
The heavily reported plan is that it’s Cody, but Vince’s sudden involvement in the Seth
storyline, and everything that’s already gone on behind-the-scenes this year, could
be a classic WWE swerve to bring back Seth, and save Cody for the Raw after Mania.
What did you think will happen?
Let me know in the comments down below.
Where it’s obviously: Shane McMahon to AEW confirmed.
He can join two other ex WWE stars on their way there.
It’s Dynamite day, you know what that means: Tony Khan teasing on social media that he’s
bought another wrestler and/or wrestling promotion.
“It’s Tuesday, you know what that means: #AEWDynamite tomorrow on @TBSNetwork!
It’ll be a great Wrestling Wednesday, a huge new star signs in @AEW + debuts vs The
Bunny with the 1st spot in The Owen Hart Cup at stake, + I’ll announce big matches throughout
the day!
Thank you all!”
Tony is a modern marvel.
Not only does he run AEW, co-own the Jacksonville Jaguars and Fulham football club, is relaunching
Ring of Honor, runs his own sports analytics company, and apparently video edits AEW Dark
- he also has time to correct people on Twitter.
Where alibazzi9 replied to Tony’s tweet: Wednesday you mean hahahahah
So Tony shot back: “11:59” In your face AliBazzi!
You were incorrect by a minute, idiot!
Anyway, in that tweet that was definitely sent on Tuesday, Tony teased a “huge new
star” to AEW confirmed.
Unless we’re finally getting Windham Rotunda vs the Bunny, this will likely be a lady wrestler
- which Fightful Select have two potential candidates.
Sean Ross Sapp is reporting there is “significant interest” from AEW in bringing in Toni Storm,
“to the point that several talent outright expects her to land with the company sooner
than later.
There were numerous wrestlers in the company pushing for her to be brought in.”
Storm signed an NXT UK contract back in 2018, and was called up to SmackDown in July last
year - but she was quickly hit with the problem most NXT debuts experience: WWE not having
any actual plans for her.
She lost to Zelina Vega in the first round of the Queen’s Crown tournament - remember
that - featured in the Survivor Series elimination match, and then had a half-hearted women’s
title program against Charlotte Flair.
She was granted her release on the 29th December, apparently quitting after a live event because
of “burnout”.
If that release came with a 90 day non-compete clause, that would have expired yesterday
29th March, meaning today is the first day she can show up for any other wrestling promotion
she likes.
Like maybe tonight’s episode of AEW Dynamite.
Fightful notes that there have also been “light talks and gauging interest” between AEW
and another recently released WWE wrestler: Ember Moon, who now goes by the name Athena.
Apparently the two sides had a “feeling out” process back when WWE first let her
go back in November.
That said, Fightful write there doesn’t seem “to be a sense of urgency to lock her
down”, implying she could be a future debut for the company, especially as she’s already
made her return to wrestling, drawing against Thunder Rosa for the Warrior Wrestling Women’s
Championship on the 12th February.
Storm’s timeline fits far better with AEW debut advertised for tonight.
The other name mentioned was Nixon Newell, who wrestled in NXT as Tegan Nox and was released
by WWE on the 18th November - just a month after being drafted to Raw.
Fightful report that while she is a top free agent, she has experienced visa issues that
might be delaying her working for another North American promotion.
But while Tony’s trying to sign more women, he might want to focus on what he’s got
right in front of him with MJF…
As Pete detailed yesterday, AEW owner Tony Khan had a “heated discussion” with one
of his main event stars MJF over the weekend.
This came after MJF did an interview with top sports journalist Ariel Helwani - the
same guy who gave WWE President Nick Khan his first public interview last Summer.
MJF carried out the interview in character as usual, mentioning how his AEW contract
is up in 2024 and teased jumping ship to WWE, as usual.
Although the discussion “left both men frustrated”, the Wrestling Observer followed up saying
the issues between them “are now said to be settled”.
And while Fightful has corroborated that, saying Tony and Max remain good friends and
this was just “a minor speedbump”, there does seem to be a very real problem beneath
this.
From AEW’s side, their issue was with the way the interview came out.
Helwani is one of the biggest players in MMA and wrestling journalism, yet Tony and AEW’s
PR team didn’t know about it until it was published.
They would’ve more than likely approved the interview if asked, but AEW can’t set
a precedent of letting wrestlers do what they want.
But from MJF’s side there might be something far more significant.
Fightful added on their Backstage Report that he’s “frustrated about his contract and
wants to be paid more.”
Max constantly brings up how he’s going to make both AEW and WWE bid for him when
he’s a free agent in 2024.
As he should do, he’s one of the biggest stars in wrestling.
But until now, that’s always seemed to have come from a place of working the fans.
Surely he’ll stay with AEW forever, right?
Maybe not.
Sean adds: “There are a lot of people who have come in [to AEW] after [MJF] that are
getting paid way more, and MJF probably has two years left on that deal and knows his
worth, and I don’t think there’s been much budging on the AEW side of things.”
[QUOTE] It sounds like Max is still being paid the
same rate he signed to at the start of 2019, way before his name value increased.
Which is totally fair.
That’s the amount AEW signed him for, Max knew what he was getting into for the five
year term.
However, sometimes it’s better to keep your top talent sweet and up their pay based on
their elevated position on the card early.
It sounds like MJF is a main eventer working on lower-midcard pay.
That disparity can breed resentment over time, and make the eventual contract negotiations
take place on a less stable, more emotional footing.
Take heed of the example of Cody, and lock down Max’s future now.
But with that said, in the Helwani interview, MJF said there is “no chance” he would
sign an extension in June next year if it was offered to him, because he wants to play
both sides of each other to see his true market worth.
Now watch our 10 Secrets hidden on WWE DVDs over on partsFUNknown!