In this WrestleTalk News, maybe Vince McMahon isn’t even selling WWE at all now, what
the hell is going on, Vince McMahon is being sued, and Oli’s review of Dynamite.
Alright guys, everybody just calm down.
I know yesterday was A LOT to handle but let’s just all take some deep breaths.
Ok now.
Let’s see what’s the latest?
Vince McMahon might not sell WWE after all!?
Yeah that checks out.
Yes, despite multiple sources such as Bodyslam.Net’s Cassidy Haynes and DAZN’s Steven Muelhausen
reporting yesterday morning that the WWE and the Saudi Public Investment Fund had agreed
to a sale of the company, things are now looking much MUCH less clear.
There were outlets claiming the deal was not a ‘done deal’ at various points in the
day, such as Sean Ross Sapp, Brandon Thurston, Ariel Helwani, and Jon Alba, the latter of
which said the reports were “completely false” on Twitter.
Adding to that was CNBC’s David Faber, who revealed that he had even been told by many
prospective buyers that they are “very much unclear” on whether Vince will indeed decide
to sell the company after all.
Now, despite the rampant rumors WWE also importantly haven’t commented on the Saudi rumors publicly,
leaving the whole thing very much up in the air to the public at this moment in time.
It's important to note however, that although nothing has been outright announced publicly
doesn’t mean that the whole thing is a lie.
As Wrestling Observer Radio’s Bryan Alvarez pointed out on his latest show:
“Do you know that when WCW was sold…there were still people denying that it had been
sold, after it had been sold.
The exact same thing that happened when UFC was sold.”
He went on to say that just because they’re rumours currently, there may still be a deal
coming and it may be agreed in principle but with work to do.
So basically, we still don’t know.
Nothing is clear.
Except for one bit we do know: Vince is being sued.
Again.
While Vince’s return six days ago seemingly happened without much pushback in the end,
primarily because he brought back George Barrios and Michelle Wilson with him and the people
who were against his return resigned or were forced out, it seems like his actions may
not go without consequence going forward as he now has a class action lawsuit on his hands,
precisely about this return to the company.
Bloomberg have reported that the suit comes from WWE shareholder Scott.
A. Fellows, who according to court documents, is attempting to sue McMahon for the manner
in which Vince returned to the company.
The filing states that McMahon violated WWE’s Charter and breached his Fiduciary Duty as
Controlling Stockholder with his return to the company as the Chairman of WWE’s Board
of Directors.
The report states that McMahon’s return alongside his “cronies” George Barrios
and Michelle Wilson, was made in order to “remove certain directors who opposed him”.
The three board members that were removed included JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R Speed
and Alan M Wexler, while according an 8-K filing by WWE another two board members Man
Jit Singh and Ignace Lahoud resigned from the board due to “not agreeing with Mr.
McMahon’s return”.
According to Bloomberg, neither WWE or Vince have decided to comment on the impending suit,
despite being reached out to.
The full details of the action being taken on McMahon are available on Wrestletalk.com
so be sure to check them out as well as any and all updates on the situation going forward
which will be on the site too.
It’s Thursday, you know what that means!
Another craziest story of the year like Triple H leaves WWE, or Walmart buys Vince McMahon,
or John Cena signs with New Japan.
But also, my review of one of the best cards in AEW Dynamite history… in about 5 minutes.
After two months of concussion protocol edging, Jon Moxley and Hangman Page opened the show
by going right at each other trying to give each other concussions again, and didn’t
stop the whole match.
Which body part were you working over there, Adam?
The head, Bill.
The head.
They redid the inside out lariat that knocked Hangman unconscious late last year.
They hit each other with open palm strikes in the face.
They had a brutal headbutt exchange.
It was like both men were trying to hit each other so hard, they wouldn’t get up ever
again - like Moxley had threatened to last week.
But after an amazing near fall off a Paradigm Shift, both men seemingly with nothing left
in their heads, just fighting on instinct, Hangman won this excellent match with a Buckshot
Lariat.
And like 90% of Hangman victories, he actually lost a part of himself.
Whether it’s his battle with alcoholism, his friends or, now, his own morality, Hangman
had to watch Moxley carried out by a medical team in a kayfabe concussion angle.
In winning, Page’s rage and revenge had cleared… but at what cost.
That man has a child too.
Will he remember her name come tomorrow morning?
Hangman lost himself in the sweet oblivion of vengeance, and now he’s sobered up, I
doubt he’ll be happy with the man he became.
All in all, it was a good night for people called Adam coming back from concussions.
Not my joke, but an observation from Yeehawfunny on Reddit.
Because Tony Schiavone said in the ring that he takes no pleasure in introducing his guest.
I had already started to write ‘MJF Promo Segment’ in my notes, when Adam Cole’s
entrance music hit!
You could feel the air in the Forum tighten.
Everyone was so happy to see Cole back, but was this going to be a triumphant ‘I’m
medically cleared’ announcement, or one where he says he’s being forced to retire.
Cole expertly leaned into the audience’s fears, setting up that he’s got good news
and he’s got bad news.
The good news was that his serious head injuries have made him really appreciate his life,
and that our support meant the world to him.
It was emotionally raw, and the exact kind of set up wrestlers give when they’re about
to say they’re having to hang up their boots.
And then Cole went onto the bad news… but it’s not for him, it’s for everyone in
the locker room.
He’s back, he’s medically cleared, and this is the day the new Adam Cole arrived,
pursuing the top championships.
This was an overwhelmingly brilliant segment, and another nitro boost to AEW’s recent
momentum.
Cole was definitively set up as more of a blue-eyed babyface, which will be intriguing
to see, as the closest he’s been to that has been a tweener for the last ten years.
Hook actually suplexed Big Bill in his and Jungle Boy’s victory over the Firm.
The wonderful actor Paul Walter Hauser, fresh off a Golden Globe win, because Golden Globes
are a thing again, had a segment with Danhausen purely because their names sound similar.
And then came the second match of the night.
But before Bryan Danielson vs Takeshita could start, MJF came out to do a Don Rickles roast
of the LA crowd.
He made fun of Takeshita’s English skills and the pronunciation of his name - which,
just before you get offended, is a morally bad character doing a morally bad thing to
highlight how bad that thing is, not justifying it - he jokes about the celebrities in the
LA crowd like Freddie Prinze Jr and Dr Ken, and then said if anyone is worried about how
long he can last in his potential Ironman match against Danielson, just ask your mother,
sister or skank girlfriend.
Max’s brilliance isn’t actually in the content of his promos, though.
If that’s all there was to him, his feuds wouldn’t be satisfying, and he’d just
end up undermining most of the people he was put against.
Max’s brilliance is his ability to take receipts.
Danielson’s music interrupted his catchphrase, causing MJF to sprint out the ring in the
most cowardly way possible.
The match itself was terrific, particularly the final third following a slightly botched
running hurricanrana to the outside.
Heavy strong style strikes.
Takeshita hitting a reverse package piledriver, maintaining waist control, and then hitting
a German Suplex.
Takeshita kicking out of Danielson’s busako knee finisher!
This was classic Bryan, just like Ethan Page two weeks ago, where he made both him and
his opponent look incredible.
Bryan eventually won making Takeshita pass out in a submission, but he raised his arm
afterwards.
This might be one of the most serious losing streaks I’ve ever seen - having Takeshita
lose to really high calibre opponents in incredible matches.
When he finally wins, AEW could have something really special on their hands.
Next week we’ll see Danielson take on Bandido.
Guys, it’s only January, I’m running out of stars.
Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker then beat Saraya and not Sasha Banks Toni Storm in a tag match
that, in hindsight, was built up way too long if this was the end result.
It was a very decent match, far better than the Jade Cargill undercard we’ve been treated
too the last few weeks, and it’s a joy to see how over Hayter is, but it was hampered
by the looming Mone presence AEW had accidentally created.
I understand why the crowd booed when they realised there wasn’t a big surprise, but
I’m confused to why Toni Storm looked so unhappy from the moment she came out.
The big angle instead was when Shida, who also isn’t Sasha Banks, slipped a kendo
stick in to help Saraya - or was it?
- but Britt used it on Toni to win.
Shida looked shocked that that had happened, but I don’t buy it.
The JAS came down in full golden jacketed force for a promo exchange with Ricky Starks
and Action Andretti, setting up Starks vs Hager for next week, which had literally just
been announced by Excalibur.
This was the weakest thing on the show, and I would’ve preferred it cut to give the
main event more time.
Because the final of Death Triangle and The Elite’s best of seven series for the Trios
Championships, arguably the greatest run of matches in wrestling history, only got 15
minutes for the in-ring action.
But, just like the main event of All In, where the show was running way over time, so they
just did 30 minutes worth of moves in a quarter hour slot, this was non-stop crazy action.
450 splashes off the top rope through the table outside, a Package piledriver on a ladder
bridge, and the winning move, Kenny Omega’s latest edition of hitting a One Winged Angel
on Rey Fenix off something high, this time that same ladder bridge.
This was another amazing match, but for me it was in the bottom half of their overall
series.
What did you think of Dynamite?
Let me know in the comments.
MJF’s celebrity roast, three excellent matches with the trios main event, Danielson vs Takeshita
and, my match of the night, Hangman vs Mox, and an emotional Adam Cole return.
This is in the top 5 episodes since I’ve been doing my new ratings system.
This week’s Dynamite is 94%.
Remember to click the link below to download Fishing Clash now!
And watch mine and Luke’s 3 word predictions for every AEW star in 2023…