Here's your wrestling news for July 15th, 2022.
And we're kicking off today with WWE and it was in 2008 that the company changed the rating of their TV product
ushering in what would be dubbed by fans as the PG era.
While the PG era has provided fans with some of the best matches and incredible moments.
Countless fans have long waited for a return to a more edgier rating.
Now those prayers have been answered as Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Pro-Wrestling podcast reports that the PG
era is over at least for Monday night, raw Zarian reports that starting July 18th raw will have ATV 14 rating.
The same rating WWE ran with throughout the attitude era in an update.
However Zarian said that the July 18th date had been leaked prematurely, and that an internal memo from WWE confirmed
that the day for the return of TV 14, hasn't been finalized.
The exact date hasn't been finalized, but fans may have Cody Rhodes to thank as in a tweet shortly after the
news, the American nightmare sent out a winking emoji.
Then he took that as Cody saying that his return has led to the return of the ETV 14 rating, perhaps due to his fondness
for blood that was consistent throughout his AEW run.
Under the official us TV, parental guidelines, ATV 14 rating allows intensely suggestive dialogue, strong course
language, intense sexual content and intense violence.
Part of WWE's decision to move from TV 14 to PG in 2008 was to attract more family friendly sponsors,
which the company certainly succeeded in doing.
With the return of TV 14 for raw, we'll have to see if those sponsors stick around, but after years of wanting a change,
fans will be getting what they asked for in the near future on raw fans may have been waiting for the return of TV 14
for years, but fans who are expecting a return to the sex and violence may be a bit disappointed in an update from Fightful
it was explained that despite a change in rating, it is still up to the content creators to decide what makes it onto their broadcast.
For those expecting a significant content adjustment might end up being disappointed while NXT has race your content regularly.
It's still rated TV PG, and the content that airs is still up to the creator itself.
Unlike MPAA for movies or ESRB for video games, cable television shows aren't required to meet a certain standard
in order to retain a TV, PG status or move to TV 14 status.
For instance, WWE could have very well self-rated WWE raw at tvpg during the attitude era with no oversight ramifications.
However, input from the network and sponsors about the content is always taken into effect.NXT has already picked up its
programming significantly with both internal stakeholders and the USA network liking the changes to the brand.
It's unlikely that fans will soon be turning into raw 2.0, but a change is coming to the red brand.
Albeit one that may not be too visible to the fans each week.
The writers of WWE are tasked with filling hours of content with an ever-changing roster and have to do
so all under the watch of some very important people.
Despite stepping down as CEO and chairman Vince McMahon remains in control of WWE's creative team.
And the controversial billionaire has a very exact image of what he wants.
Ringside news has been told by a tenured member of the writing team that McMahon recently bashed their team and had particularly
harsh words for lead writers, John Baeckstrom and Ryan Ward bashing the pair in an email to everyone on the company's TV mailing list.
This happened because Vince clicked reply all meaning anyone who may need to know what's going on with the show
received the scathing email, not just the writers and producers, the source called it a total burial of Baeckstrom
and Ward as McMohan wrote how uninspiring the show was and how the raw writing team especially need to do better.
It was added that Bruce Pritchard, the head of creative and a confidant of McMohan did nothing to defend them.
While ed Koski was not around to help out something.
He usually does.
McMohan is notoriously difficult to please and him stepping down as CEO hasn't changed this and the WWE writing team
will continue to work on what appears to be a thankless job.
Yesterday, we reported on Sasha banks who has been taking bookings for non WWE appearances banks is set to appear at next month's C2E2.
ComicCon in Chicago, Illinois, but has informed wrestling promoters that she does plan on doing
wrestling conventions, but not until next year.
One promoter who spoke to Fightful has said that the former women's champion is asking for a firm specific rate.
And now we know what that number is in an update Fightful select reports that banks has an appearance fee of $30,000,
which at least one promoter was perfectly fine with telling Fightful that they know they'd make their money back.
Fightful add's that this figure is one of the highest asking prices around for any just off TV star comparable to the
likes of Ric flair Goldberg, Sean Michaels, and Hulk Hogan.
Another promoter said that their own talks with banks team wouldn't have gotten as far as they have, if she was still
with WWE, as it seems all, but announced that the boss's lengthy tenure with the company is well and truly over.
Over to AEW is Jim Ross has been calling the action for the company since they got started.
But his time behind the commentary table recently underwent a shakeup in the latest change.
Ross was moved to the rampage commentary booth, but still sometimes appears on AEW dynamite.
While speaking on his podcast, Jr explained the change saying that it was a Tony Khan decision and that his time on commentary
was changed in order to give the middle of dynamite a boost.
Ross said that he very much enjoys the new format, which sees him come out in the middle of the show to call dynamite and gets
to keep calling the main event of AEW's flagship weekly show.
Jim Ross may be considered by many to be the greatest commentator around, but he has had some issues during his time with AEW
often using WWE terms or names in the all elite promotion.
It was last year that reports came out of AEW's plan to limit Ross's time on commentary.
And that plan has finally begun, but Jr.
Isn't too mad now that his appearances seem even more special back to WWE as Roderick Strong is one of the few remaining veterans
of the original days of NXT and has established himself an NXT 2.0, but he's far from happy in the paint splattered brand.
On TV strong is experiencing plenty of tensions within the diamond mine.
And this seems to be art imitating life on the latest wrestling observer radio.
Dave Meltzer said that strong is beaten down, not physically, but emotionally and wants out of WWE.
He's asked to get out.
He's not allowed to get out.
So he's in that weird state, you know, where he is somewhere.
He doesn't wanna be basically.
In may, it was reported that strong had asked for his release several times, in fact, but his requests had been denied and it
was also noted that he has a long time remaining on his contract.
Part of WWE's refusal to release him may come from the fact that the rest of the undisputed era or in AEW and WWE
doesn't want to see their group reunite in another promotion.
Speaking at motor city ComicCon Adam Cole said he'd love nothing more than for strong to come to AE.
W saying that he has a home waiting for him in the all elite company, whether that day ever comes.
It's hard to say right now is strong.
Has a long time to go before.
He'll be given the chance to leave WWE during a recent WWE live event.
Smackdown's women's champion live Morgan defended against Natalia and Rhonda Rousey and the match's finished confused.
Given, it was an UNtelevised show.
Nobody was surprised to see Morgan retain, but when Natalia immediately stood up after the pin seemingly breaking
Kfabe that was something the crowd didn't see coming.
We've previously reported that Natalia has some backstage heat on her due to what happened, but
the situation is more dire than first thought.
A tenured member of WWE's writing team told ringside news that Nattie was a serious problem backstage last Friday.
And that several producers were talking about speaking with Vince McMohan or Bruce Pritchard about her Pritchard
is currently serving as interim head of talent relations due to John Laurinaitis being placed on indefinite leave
due to his alleged role in the Vince McMohan scandal.
The source added that they considered going to Natalia's husband, WWE producer, TJ Wilson, as a courtesy, hoping he can deal with
her unprofessional behavior, that same source claim that Natalia has been harassing writers and producers with Natalia saying
that she gets her role, but that she's treated like a jobber.
Natalia is reportedly furious when speaking to writers and producers, but will instantly switch when in front of Vince
McMahon talking about how happy she is and how grateful she is to work with WWE addressing Natalia's no sell of
Morgan's finisher at the Sacramento, California live event.
WWE reportedly sees it as very unprofessional and believed that she didn't explain it well on social media, claiming
that she was thanking Morgan before deleting that tweet.
The producers and writers have had their fill of Natalia's quote, constant games as they have a lot to handle already.
And the veteran superstar, certainly isn't providing a great example for younger talent.
Either.
Natalia made her debut on WWE TV in 2008, making her one of the longest tenuring superstars around.
But her actions of late are in stark contrast to the usually professional talent that WWE up until recently could always rely.
More from AEW now as this week's dynamite was night, one of the annual fighter Fest special and saw the world tag team championships
change hands that match saw Keith Lee and swerve Strickland win the titles from the young bucks, but that wasn't even the
worst of it for the now former champions on wrestling, observer radio, Brian Alvarez reported that Matt Jackson was injured
during the match saying it happened within minutes of the match.
Alvarez explained that the injury took place when Lee powerhouse Hobbs gave him a basic vertical suplex and that
Matt landed buttock's first and his head snapped back.
It was noted on the show that Jackson does have a history of neck issues due to his in ring style.
And there's no word on when he'll wrestle again.
A vertical suplex is one of the most commonly used moves in wrestling, but as Matt Jackson learned this week,
every move could be a risk in the world of pro wrestling.
And we're ending today with Rita Chatterton, who was WWE's very first female referee decades before the likes
of Jessica Carr and Aja Smith Chatterton was officiating, but her name was scrubbed from the history books.
After an alleged incident with Vince McMohan, Chatterton has alleged that in 1986, she was sexually assaulted by McMahon and
spoke about it recently in an interview with New York magazine.
Speaking to chep heat productions this week, Chatterton spoke about how that article came about.
I had met Abraham Riesman and had talked to him about my referee days.
This is after I had received the award from the hall of fame.
And the next thing I know, McMahon was in the papers again for paying hush money.
Mr Riesman called me and asked me a few questions.
I answered a few questions for him.
The next thing you know, we were in the magazine and here we are, things are crazy.
My phone is going crazy with people wanting me to do interviews, wanting me to do television, this show, and
that show at this point, I've chosen not to do anything.
And that doesn't mean I won't in the future, but at this point I am not quite sure what I'm doing.
So I'm going to sit back, take my time, think about it and figure it.
If anyone wants to see it, they're more than welcome to read the article it's New York magazine, or if
they wanna know the rest of the story, I reported the rest of the story 30 years ago with Geraldo Rivera on.
Now it can be told and that's on YouTube.
So they're more than welcome to see it there.
But as far as I'm concerned at this point in my life, I'm not going there again.
It still hurts.
The whole thing still bothers me.
So I would rather not go.
Chatterton’s name has come up recently because of the ongoing investigation into McMohan something, the WWE's
first female ref isn't too shocked at no, not at all.
Chatterton said, I'm surprised it's taken this long, to be honest with you, but none of it surprises me.
McMohan has promised to respect the results of the investigation into alleged sexually inappropriate behavior level against him.
And it may be that the billionaires days in the wrestling world may be coming to an end.