Here's your wrestling news for July 27th, 2022.
And we're kicking off today with triple H,
who is finally in charge of WWE's main roster.
After years of proving himself as head of NXT.
It was when the game was in charge that
NXT reached its peak in popularity, though.
Many of the stars he pushed were cut under
Vince McMahon's rule in a report on Fightful
sean Ross Sapp noted that while many have been cut
from WWE in recent years, there's a feeling that
some could return thanks to the change of management.
One former NXT talent that had options within WWE before signing
elsewhere said that they felt an incredible sense of loyalty
to triple H and had he been the person managing their creative
future things could have been much different that talent and
another talent that ended up in AEW said that they had no
confidence in being creatively satisfied on the WWE main roster.
One said, I'm glad that I went to AEW but if I was graduating to a
triple H led SmackDown, or Raw, I probably would've resigned with
WWE before my deal was up another top free agent that has several
options that we spoke to said that both triple H and Stephanie McMohan
being in their positions greatly increases the possibility of them.
Eventually heading back to the company we've heard from
other free agents that were hopeful, their previous
relationships with triple H led to them, at least having
conversations, but didn't expect that to happen imminently.
Many released to WWE superstars have gone
to AEW earning Tony Khan's promotion.
The joke nickname of all Ex WWE but if triple H and
Stephanie do well in their respective new roles, then we
may be seeing some ex superstars give WWE one more chance
with Vince McMohan gone, the dynamic of WWE behind the
scenes has changed and many more changes are expected to.
It's been reported that Kevin Dunn, a longtime McMohan
loyalist isn't expected to be with WWE this time next year.
And that John Laurinaitis is also expected to lose his job.
Speaking on the latest PW torch audio show, Wade Keller
discussed the changes yet to be made and who could benefit
backstage Keller noted that with Stephanie McMohan, Nick
Khan and triple H leading the way this could open the
door for Paul Heyman to have a role behind the scenes.
It was pointed out that despite the animosity between them 20 years
ago, that Stephanie and Heyman are very close these days and that he
is connected to some of WWE's biggest names, including Roman reigns
Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey Keller said how Haman could become part
of the new WWE management's inner circle, which would be a great idea.
Given Paul's knowledge of wrestling and creative.
Heymen has previously served as the executive
director of raw, but that position was taken from
him by Vince McMahon and given to Bruce Pritchard.
But now the ECW magnate could finally find
himself in an important role behind the scenes.
Again, we've got some news from summer slam.
Now, as Saturday's premium live event will be the first
premium live event since triple H took charge of WWE creative.
20 years after facing Sean Michaels and a decade after losing to
Brock Lessner the game now has a much different role at the biggest
party of the summer and is looking to get off to a strong start.
But according to a report by Wrestle Votes, triple H wants to make
a creative splash at this Saturday show, but only if it makes sense,
the report said that triple H won't just do something for the sake of
doing it with wrestle votes, calling the attitude, a change of pace.
While this week's raw was written by Vince McMohan last week
before he stepped down, WWE content will be the triple H show.
Moving forward with this Saturday show.
The first of what will be many premium live events for the king of
Kings summer slam will see Roman reigns defend his undisputed WWE
universal championship in a rare match from the head of the table.
Since WrestleMania 38 Reigns has been
making fewer appearances on WWE TV.
Thanks to a new contract.
He signed earlier this year.
Speaking on the today, show Reigns explained that
he didn't just want an easier schedule, but has
a very special reason for appearing less for WWE.
When you have that many kids, you really have to have
a schedule and just try to get everything in line.
And you're just kind of treating it like a business
because there's so many of them and you have to try to
delegate and give them all as much attention as possible.
So it's been great.
You know, my schedule's shifted around a little bit, so I have
a lot more time at home now, and I can feel that relationship
strengthening those bonds are getting better and better.
So it's a very blessed situation.
Reigns is the father of five children with his daughter,
Joelle, born in 2008 and sets of twins born in both 2016
and 2020 with his children still at a young age Reigns
doesn't want to miss out on seeing them grow up as all this
talk about the bloodline and the importance of his family.
Isn't just for TV.
One name who won't be wrestling at summer slam is Cody
Rhodes, who is out with a torn pectoral suffered last month.
While WWE told fans in June that Cody would be gone
for nine months giving him a March 20, 23 return.
Many expect that the three time former AEW T N
T champion will be back far sooner than that.
The theory from fans and medical experts outside WWE is
that Cody will be ready in time for the Royal rumble.
And that WWE is saying March to make his return in January a surprise.
While speaking during the San Diego ComicCon roads addressed
the possibility of him returning during the rumble match.
And didn't shoot down the idea.
My Royal rumble stats are top 10.
They're phenomenal.
So if I was to come back at that event, there is a
chance that I could actually get up in the top five.
And I'm all about that.
You never know.
We'll see.
Rhodes certainly has impressive stats, including
having the ninth longest cumulative time spent in Royal
rumble matches and had the most eliminations in 2012.
No matter when he returns expect Cody Rhodes to receive a
monster push when he is back, which will likely be far sooner
than what WWE is claiming more from the McMohan scandal.
Now, as now that he's retired, we are learning a lot more about the
former owner of WWE for years, it's been known that McMohan could be
difficult to work with with stories of scripts being ripped up and
rewritten at the last minute, becoming common over the last few years.
When Sean Ross Sapp spoke to several WWE staffers about their
experience with Vince McMahon, they explained how everything needed
to be filtered due to McMahon's quirky and unprofessional habits.
The report reads Fightful learned from many within the
creative process, who said that many of the creative writers'
assistants effectively needed to filter Vince themselves.
In ways specifically, we were told that the assistants often had to
know what to not write for Vince McMohan when taking notes for him.
We've also heard that the minutes are heavily edited.
We're told this has largely been the case for a long time.
It ranged from Vince saying things that would appear
insensitive or offensive to, oh God, what did he just say?
Moments all the way to simple K fade things as well.
Some of the stories included McMahon, constantly calling people
the wrong names or using terms that weren't socially acceptable
and that even he himself would have never allowed on television.
Another former production employee said if a live feed of
Vince McMohan on a headset, any given night ever made it out,
that would provide a picture of that production experience.
Especially for the announcers.
There were plenty of times he was in a good mood, but he
would blow up at the most ridiculous things and act like
they ruined an angle that was far past its expiration date.
Anyway.
Fortunately for those who had to deal with Vince's
unprofessional behavior, he's no longer running the show.
And there's a huge sense of optimism.
Now that triple H and Stephanie McMahon
are in charge behind the scenes.
Triple H's tenure.
As new WWE head of creative began on this week's raw and
hours prior to the show going on air the game, held a
meeting backstage with the roster and the production team.
According to Fightful select the meeting, laid out the groundwork
for triple H's intentions with the main roster going forward.
Triple H promise talent, more transparency in the
future, including open lines of communication.
This has been an issue for WWE in recent years.
Talent would sometimes have to wait for hours outside
of Vince McMahon's office in order to talk with him.
Triple H also told talent during the
meeting that he wants work to be fun.
According to Fightful report, the meeting
went smoothly and was well received.
Talent is said to be feeling optimistic.
Now that triple H is in charge.
If triple H means what he said to WWE's talent tonight,
then things could be looking up for the company.
Hopefully WWE's new regime is able to make it through
this rough patch and find brighter days ahead.
It was last Friday that McMahon announced his
retirement with his daughter, Stephanie and Nick Khan.
Now serving his CEOs and the former owner is
really distancing himself from the promotion.
According to a recent sec filing McMohan has forfeited all
Unvested stock, which is stock promised to you, but that you've
not fully yet earned under the terms of your vesting schedule.
McMohan had to forfeit this stock due to his WWE
departure last Friday, but this doesn't include
all the stock his family has in the company.
It does not include the 100 shares of class, a common
stock owned by Linda Vince's wife, which the former WWE
owner has disclaimed that he benefits from in any way.
Vince McMohan is reported to have paid out 14.6 million
to women in non-disclosure agreements over 16 years, which
WWE have to edit its records to reflect these payments.
McMahon's scandal isn't over despite his decision to retire last week.
But the former chairman is continuing to distance
himself from the company he ran for decades.
And we're ending today with AEW who will host their annual all out.
Pay per view this September, once more from
Hoffman estate, Illinois, just outside Chicago.
This show will no doubt be a stacked affair as
has been the standard for AEW pay per views.
But fans will have to choose between Tony Khan's company or WWE.
A leaked internal sheet from WWE has revealed that NXT 2.0 will be
holding an event exclusively on peacock and internationally on the
WWE network on Sunday, September 4th, the same day as AEW all out.
When Brandon Thurston of WrestleNomics spoke about it.
He said that all out will start at 8:00 PM Eastern, but
there's no confirmation on what time the NXT show will run.
We'll have to see how this pans out as NXT struggled to be competition
to AEW in the Wednesday night wars and scheduling a special
event on the same day as all out is a very bold decision indeed.