WWE filed a complaint earlier this month against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to keep the agreement between WWE and the City of San Antonio a secret. 

Wrestlenomics reports that the agreement in question would reveal information including what San Antonio gave WWE in exchange for bringing the 2023 Royal Rumble PLE to the Alamodome. WWE says the agreement is a trade secret and contains proprietary information that fits an exemption in Texas’s public information law.

Various records were requested by Wrestlenomics last year in relation to the event. The records revealed the events ticket sales, as well as the ticket sales for the 2017 Royal Rumble, which was also held in the Alamodome. 

In April 2023, city officials were granted an exemption from the state Attorney General’s office, which allowed them to withhold the bidding contract. That decision was revised in January of this year. At the time, Assistant Attorney General Michelle Garza stated: 

“WWE has failed to provide specific factual evidence demonstrating the information at issue is confidential under [Texas’ public information law.]”

WWE’s Big Money Deals

Various locations have paid big money to WWE to host events in their area, which are often a massive boost to the local economy. Puerto Rico reportedly paid $1.5 million in subsidies for Backlash and SmackDown in San Juan last May. 

In December, TKO COO Mark Shapiro said that TKO would be getting $16 million for a “combination of events” in Australia. That presumably includes last weekend’s Elimination Chamber 2024 event in Perth. 

WWE’s biggest event-based deals come from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Since 2018, WWE has received more than $50 million per event from Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority.

While fans were blown away by the closing moments of last month’s Royal Rumble Premium Live Event, Kurt Angle has a different pick for his segment of the night.

The finale of the January 28 event saw Sami Zayn’s time with the Bloodline end after he refused to attack Kevin Owens and instead struck Roman Reigns.

The segment has been praised by fans and those in the industry as an excellent culmination of Zayn’s near-year-long angle with the Bloodline.

Women’s Rumble

Before Reigns and Owens headlined the event, fans saw Rhea Ripley become the sixth woman to win a Rumble match.

The Judgment Day’s Eradicator now joins Asuka, Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Bianca Belair, and Ronda Rousey, and is the first woman to win a Rumble from #1.

Speaking on his show, Kurt Angle praised the finish which saw Ripley face off against a returning Asuka and Liv Morgan (who entered at #2.)

“I thought it was a great Royal Rumble and I’m not gonna lie to you the women’s finish of the women’s Royal Rumble was the best finish I’ve seen in years. Rhea Ripley — the way that that match ended was incredible. I was so impressed by it. I have to give the women five stars for that match.”

Kurt Angle.

Ripley at WrestleMania

On last week’s Raw, Ripley declared that she will be challenging SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 39.

This match will mark the second WrestleMania match between the two, after Flair dethroned Ripley to become NXT Women’s Champion at the crowd-less WrestleMania 36.

Should Ripley win this year, she’ll be the first woman to hold the Raw, SmackDown, NXT and NXT UK Women’s Championships.

h/t – Fightful

WWE’s latest Premium Live Event has received rave reviews from fans, and was said to be much easier without Vince McMahon backstage.

Last Saturday’s WWE Royal Rumble 2023 saw Cody Rhodes and Rhea Ripley punch their tickets to WrestleMania 39, winning the Men’s and Women’s Rumble matches.

In the main event, Roman Reigns retained his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship over Kevin Owens.

The post-match segment that resulted in Sami Zayn (and Jey Uso) exiting the Bloodline has been praised as one of WWE’s best stories in years.

Without McMahon

Last Saturday’s Premium Live Event was the first PLE since the return of Vince McMahon, who didn’t attend the show himself, Fightful Select reports.

One talent who spoke to Fightful said that this year’s Rumble was the easiest the annual event has been “in a long time” and cited the lack of McMahon as the reason.

That same Superstar said that you can’t really count 2021 towards that because of COVID, but that this year was a dream compared to last year’s nightmare.

Another source added that while people are not ‘afraid’ to bring up Vince’s name, generally most haven’t really asked much since Triple H, Nick Khan and Kevin Dunn held meetings.

Those meetings last month assured talent that despite McMahon’s return as Executive Chairman, he will not have influence over Creative or Talent Relations.

The only complaints that Fightful heard were about the Hardy performance cutting into the time of others, and some minor transitional things that they believe the current regime will get used to.

Looking Ahead

With the WWE Royal Rumble 2023 being a huge success to fans and those in the company, the promotion looks to keep that momentum going.

WWE’s next PLE will be the Elimination Chamber event on Saturday, February 18, which will be WWE’s first major event in Montreal in over 13 years.

A U.S. title Chamber match, as well as a Chamber match to determine Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair’s WrestleMania opponent have already been announced.

It is reported that the main event will see hometown hero Sami Zayn challenge Roman Reigns for his title.

Sami Zayn’s turn at the end of Royal Rumble 2023 captivated the 51,000+ fans in the Alamodome, millions watching worldwide, and the WWE roster and crew.

In the main event, Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns retained his title against Kevin Owens, and the Bloodline continued their beatdown post-match.

When Zayn refused to attack his best friend, he instead struck Reigns with a steel chair, and was beaten down by the Bloodline (sans Jey Uso) for his insubordination.

Curtain Sellout

The main event of WWE Royal Rumble 2023 and what transpired after the match has been heralded by many as some of the company’s best storytelling in years.

The segment was also a hit backstage, with Fightful Select reporting that it was a “curtain sellout” with wrestlers and the crew gathering around monitors to see what happened.

It has been reported that WWE’s plan for this angle will see Zayn challenge the Tribal Chief at next month’s WWE Elimination Chamber event, in Sami’s hometown of Montreal.

During this week’s Raw, 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble match winner Cody Rhodes confirmed his plans to challenge for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 39.

Rumble Backstage

After the disaster of last year’s Royal Rumble (which resulted in Shane McMahon being fired) a lot was riding on this year’s event.

Fightful adds that the mood backstage was “very laid back” and that the children of several wrestlers were having fun behind the scenes.

The WWE Royal Rumble Premium Live Event went a bit over time, as it was scheduled for four hours and lasted four hours and 12 minutes.

Statistically, entering a Royal Rumble match from the #1 position is the worst possible number for a wrestler hoping to headline WrestleMania.

As seen at the 2023 Royal Rumble, Rhea Ripley won the Women’s Rumble match from the #1 position and has made history in the process.

With Ripley’s win, the #1 spot has now produced four winners, tying the coveted #27 spot.

Being third from the last has often been touted as the best position to be in, with Big John Studd (1989,) Yokozuna (1993,) Bret Hart (1994,) and ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin (1997) all winning from #27.

While #27 has long been considered the best spot, it has now fallen to second place, as Cody Rhodes’ victory in the #30 spot is the fifth overall.

Winning from #1

Rhea Ripley is just the latest Superstar (and first female) to win a Rumble match from the #1 position, and has joined some notable names.

In 1995, Shawn Michaels became the first Superstar to go the distance, eliminating ‘The British Bulldog’ Davey Boy Smith, who had entered at #2.

Nearly a decade later, Chris Benoit did the same, entering at #1 in 2004 and last eliminating the Big Show to earn a championship match at WrestleMania.

Aware that then-SmackDown GM Paul Heyman was planning to screw him, Benoit jumped from SmackDown to Raw for his WrestleMania title opportunity.

It was Benoit’s action that led to the rule that the Royal Rumble winner can choose which title they challenge for when there are two WWE World Championships.

Fans would wait another 17 years before Edge won the Men’s Rumble at #1, at the (thankfully) only Rumble to happen without a live crowd.

WWE Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER did not win the Men’s Royal Rumble match, but the Austrian’s performance has had everybody talking.

GUNTHER entered his first Royal Rumble match from the unfortunate #1 position, but lasted until the end and was the final person eliminated.

The leader of Imperium lasted over 71 minutes, smashing Rey Mysterio’s record for the longest stint in a 30-Man Royal Rumble match.

Incredible

Joining WWE as WALTER as part of NXT UK and later WWE NXT, GUNTHER’s career with the promotion is closely tied to Triple H.

Speaking at the Royal Rumble 2023 post-show press conference, the Game had nothing but praise for the Intercontinental Champion.

“Sometimes when people look at the Royal Rumble, they just look at the winner. I tend to look at who has the moments that are most spectacular. That’s what our business really a lot of the time is. It’s about those big moments. That moment that catapult’s you to another moment that raises you up to another even bigger moment.”

“There were a lot of people who had moments tonight. Logan Paul and Ricochet. It’s one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen. Cody with the win. But GUNTHER, going in there at number one, with Sheamus which is tough enough because you know you’re going to take a beating.”

“To have the performance that he did, all through that hour [was incredible.] There was never a moment in that Rumble match I feel where you lost GUNTHER. Where he just blended into the background. He stood out the whole thing. He’s a star. He is an incredible talent.”

“He stood out the whole thing. He’s a star. He is an incredible talent.”

Triple H.

“It’s funny how many talents come to me when they walk through that curtain after they work with him, whether it’s briefly or whether it’s a long match, and walk through that curtain and say ‘oh my God. He’s incredible.’ He’s a special talent and he had a big night tonight and I’m excited to see where he can take that. If each moment leads to another, I’m excited to see where he takes it next.”

For use of these quotes please give a h/t to SEScoops.

The American Nightmare is one step closer to fulfilling his promise to his father the American Dream.

Entering the Men’s Royal Rumble match at the coveted #30 spot, Cody Rhodes eliminated 5 Superstars to win the match, earning a Championship opportunity at WrestleMania 39.

Rhodes’ final elimination saw him throw out GUNTHER, who broke the record for the longest time in a traditional Royal Rumble match.

Biggest Night of My Career

For Cody Rhodes, the road to this victory has been far from easy.

Cody was not with WWE this time last year, and plans for his return were severely delayed by his torn pectoral muscle injury last June.

Throughout his recovery, Rhodes has been on the receiving end of well-wishes from fans and those within the industry.

Speaking after the match to Ryan Satin, Rhodes thanked the fans for their support

“Thank you for everything. I can’t thank you enough [from the] bottom of my heart. The biggest night of my career so thank you very much.”

Cody Rhodes.

WrestleMania Moment

With this victory, Rhodes now has a World Championship match assured for WrestleMania, something that alluded the American Nightmare during his first run with WWE.

In a separate interview with Cathy Kelley, an emotional Rhodes made it clear he’s looking forward to walking into his first WrestleMania main event.

“I don’t have a, sorry I’m very emotional. I don’t have a frame of reference. I’ve never punched a ticket to WrestleMania.

“I don’t have any words other than, I’ve got to finish it, right? There’s no one better in the world than Roman Reigns. I can’t say I’m better, but I have to beat him to say I’m better.”

Unless Reigns drops the title before April, the Tribal Chief will face the American Nightmare at WrestleMania 39.

The talent from WWE NXT are still in the dark as to whether they will be used for tomorrow’s Royal Rumble Premium Live Event.

The show will be the 36th Rumble event (37 if you include the Greatest Royal Rumble) and will be the sixth year in a row that there will be a men’s and women’s match.

This will also be the first Royal Rumble for Triple H following his appointment as WWE’s Head of Creative and Head of Talent Relations last July.

NXT Power

At this time, just seven spots in the Women’s Royal Rumble match have been filled, while 16 for the men’s match have been claimed.

In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it is reported that as of midweek, NXT talent, particularly the women, were waiting to hear if anyone was being brought into the Rumble.

WWE has previously used NXT talent to boost the numbers in previous Royal Rumbles.

It was reported ahead of last year’s Royal Rumble event that WWE did not want to use women from NXT for that year’s match, following the brand’s relaunch as NXT 2.0.

The belief at the time was that with NXT 2.0 once again being a developmental brand, it didn’t make sense for these ‘rookies’ to be put in the Women’s Rumble.

No Rousey

The women of NXT may not be sure of their Royal Rumble fates, but we do know that Ronda Rousey will not compete.

The Observer adds that as of mid-week, the former SmackDown Women’s Champion was not going to be in the Rumble match.

The feeling is that they didn’t want to marginalize Rousey’s star power by making her just one of 30 names in the match.

Ronda Rousey returned to WWE after a near three-year hiatus at last year’s Royal Rumble event, winning the Women’s Rumble match.