New WWE Women’s Champion Nia Jax has shared her gratitude to Triple H following her title victory at WWE SummerSlam in Cleveland. On the post-show press conference, Jax reflected on becoming champion after not being with WWE this time last year
“It’s pretty incredible. A year ago, it was a different position for me. But I am so grateful to Triple H for taking a chance on me. Not just a year ago but ten years ago when he hired me here. So, it’s been an incredible journey and I’m grateful for the opportunity.”
Jax captured the title from Bayley at WWE SummerSlam 2024. The win marks the Queen of the Ring’s first taste of singles gold in WWE since 2018 when she held the RAW Women’s Title. Though Tiffany Stratton teased cashing in her contract, this proved to be a distraction that would play a role in Bayley losing the title she had held since WrestleMania 40. Stratton appeared on the post-show press conference with Jax and was excited for the Queen of the Ring’s championship victory.
As a leading voice in WWE’s creative team, Triple H is certainly putting his faith in Jax as the premier woman on WWE SmackDown. Stay tuned to SE Scoops for all the latest from WWE SummerSlam and the reign of the brand-new WWE Women’s Champion.
For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops.
No, you didn’t misread that headline: Former WWE Executive and Superstar Shane McMahon, had a private meeting with All Elite Wrestling President Tony Khan. The meeting took place at a private airport in Arlington, Texas, according to WrestleTalk and Fightful:
Shane McMahon in AEW
This surreal development comes just over a month after rumors circulated that Shane McMahon was interested in joining AEW. Former WWE and current AEW commentator Jim Ross mentioned in mid-June that he had received information that McMahon had expressed some interest in collaborating with AEW.
McMahon hasn’t been seen on WWE television since WrestleMania 39 when he made a surprise appearance for an impromptu match against The Miz. Unfortunately, the Shane-O-Mac would suffer a torn quad moments following the opening bell.
In a recent interview with SI’s Justin Barrasso, Tony Khan spoke about the possibility of Shane McMahon joining AEW and expressed great respect for McMahon:
“I heard the rumor he might be interested. I’ve never met Shane, but we have a lot of mutual friends…I have a lot of respect for him as an executive and a professional wrestler. Shane is always welcome in AEW.”
Shane McMahon appearing for All Elite Wrestling would be as much of a “never say never” moment as there is in wrestling. One of the only comparisons is when the Prodigal Son appeared on the last episode of WCW Nitro in 2001. It would also be a direct shot across the bow, as his brother-in-law Triple H currently serves as Chief Content Officer of AEW’s biggest rival promotion, WWE.
Will we see Shane McMahon attempt an on-screen hostile takeover of AEW? Will AEW fans get to see Shane McMahon and Darby Allin have a contest to see who can do the most death-defying dive? These might be premature questions now, but one’s that are not out of the realm of possibility after today’s developments.
Liv Morgan has found some new creative freedom in her main event storyline involving Dominik Mysterio and she makes clear how grateful she is for Triple H.
The WWE Women’s World Champion was on the “Rusic & Rose on The Big Show” and went into detail about how Triple H, the Creative Content Officer for WWE, has been so amazing to work with behind the curtain. She mentions how surreal it’s been to work with someone she grew up idolizing, but the open-mind the ‘The Cerebral Assassin’ has brought to the game makes it all the more beneficial.
“He’s so helpful with any questions that I have or anything I’m thinking. He’s always open to listen and to help me out. I couldn’t be more grateful for that. I walk into work so excited every single week to see what kind of shenanigans we’re going to get into. It’s a very happy, open, creative atmosphere that I think all of my co-workers appreciate as well. It’s been nothing short of amazing and fun. So, I’m looking forward to showing up to work this Monday and seeing what we’re going to get into, so watch us.”
Fans should be in store for another exciting Monday as WWE RAW will continue to build to the likely battle of Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley. While neither them or Dominik are slated for matches, one would only imagine that storyline will continue to cultivate as they build towards SummerSlam.
Also on tap for tonight’s WWE RAW is the return of CM Punk. You can check out the full preview to WWE RAW below.
Is Scott Steiner, ‘Big Poppa Pump’ all natural? The WWE Hall of Famer wants you to do the math on it.
A&E aired the WWE Legends Biography on The Steiner Brothers and during the episode, Scott Steiner discussed the notion that he used steroids. Steiner pushed back, stating that, “You can make all the accusations you want. I’ve never failed a drug test.” Steiner said he made a concerted effort to make the transformation from Scottie to ‘Freakzilla’ in 1998.
“Take that information and do what you want with it. When I made the transition from Steiner Brothers to Big Poppa Pump, I wanted to get in the best shape I possibly could. A lot of strict diet. Once you are leaner, you’re naturally going to look bigger.”
During a previous interview with Slam Sports, Steiner noted that he was asked to take a drug test back in 2003. Steiner says that he told WWE to take him and Triple H in a limosuine and the two can take a test together. “They never asked again,” Steiner said laughing.
Both Rick and Scott Steiner were inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame back in 2022. Steiner was greatly known for his main event run in the late days of WCW, but did have a program with Triple H when he eventually made his way over into the WWE.
The macabre Wyatt Sicks may not be to the taste of GUNTHER, but the 2024 King of the Ring believes the group is in safe hands given that Triple H is in control.
The group made its long-awaited debut on the June 17, edition of WWE Monday Night Raw by decimating several people at the show, including Chad Gable. During their debut segment, some fans believed that GUNTHER had been attacked backstage by the faction, though that has not been confirmed on TV. Both before and since their debut, the group has been featured in cryptic promos and segments, leaving fans to decipher clues about what’s to come.
Speaking to Gorilla Position, GUNTHER admitted that the Wyatt Sicks is not to his taste, and that goes for much more than just pro wrestling.
“It’s not just wrestling, it’s also movies, like the genre, everything that has to do with spooky stuff or ghosts, or supernatural, that’s not my taste at all. I’m more documentary guy, I love history, and I like movies about a topic or happenings that really happened. So it’s hard to judge when it’s not your taste, but by the reactions of our audience, obviously, there’s a big interest in it.”
While the group is not GUNTHER’s proverbial cup of tea, the King of the Ring is confident that the group will do well with Triple H running creative.
“The big challenge is always getting that in the ring and keep the mysterious aura around it but also making it work. But I haven’t paid too much attention to it right now, how it’s handled, but I would think if there’s somebody that can make it work and have the right dose of the spooky stuff and then the guys still being real [people], I think Hunter will have a good handle on that.”
What’s Next?
Since arriving, the Wyatt Sicks has targeted Chad Gable which many believe is because of how Gable has treated his Alpha Academy allies. In promos, the faction have spoken about false leaders not treating the family right, which many believe is a nod to Gable.
As for GUNTHER, his future is more clear. Due to his King of the Ring win, GUNTHER has earned himself a World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam. The Ring General will challenge Damian Priest at the August 3, event in Cleveland, Ohio.
Cena’s announcement understandably had the wrestling world abuzz with many taking to social media to share their reactions. On Twitter, Baron Corbin made his claim to face Cena in what will be John’s final match.
‘Filthy’ Tom Lawlor reacted to Cena’s retirement by using the same verbiage that John used to announce the death of Osama Bin Laden after WWE Extreme Rules 2011.
John Cena’s career compromised to a permanent end.
— “Filthy” Tom Lawlor (@FilthyTomLawlor) July 7, 2024
WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque has lavished praise on John Cena as the WWE Icon-turned-Hollywood A-Lister prepares for his life after the ring.
The 16-time WWE World Champion made a surprise appearance at Money In The Bank 2024 with some sobering news. In front of the rabid Toronto crowd, John confirmed that he will retire from competition in 2025 and his final match will take place at WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
At the WWE Money in the Bank post-show, Levesque was asked for his thoughts on Cena’s impending retirement from the ring. Levesque, who retired due to health issues in 2022, had nothing but good words for his friend and former rival.
“A lot of people talk about legends and icons and [there’s] so much speculation about who would be on wrestling’s Mt. Rushmore. I don’t care what metric you use, John is on the top of all of them. He’s had an unbelievable career.”
After speaking about Cena being able to call his ‘shot’ given his immense success, Levesque concluded with his personal views on the 16-time WWE World Champion.
“For me personally, I want to say thank you to John for everything he’s done. Everything he’s done for WWE, for all of the Superstars here, and for what he’s done just for sports entertainment and pro wrestling, for all of it in general. Against his will, a while ago he was being called the greatest of all time. But he truly is, I believe that. So thank you to John.”
Little is currently known about John Cena’s final match, though it obviously won’t be in London, England as he previously suggested. Nevertheless, fans can expect a fitting send-off by WWE to a talent whose name is etched in history as one of the all-time greats.
R-Truth and Triple H are two happy veterans after Friday night. Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano defeated Grayson Waller and Austin Theory to become the new WWE Tag Team Champions on SmackDown. and a celebration was in order.
Truth had no sour grapes for DIY after recently losing his own Tag Team Championships to The Judgment Day as once he saw a photo of Triple H standing with the new champs. However, Triple H traded places with Ciampa, holding the title alongside Gargano, leaning into the running bit that R-Truth believes DIY are DX.
Like another famous faction in The Beatles, Ciampa and Gargano have had a long and winding road as both men have been trying to find their footing on the main roster after being top names in NXT. Both men had gotten hampered by major injuries and were also pigeon-holed by creative under the Vince McMahon regime.
Ciampa and Gargano actually competed against Awesome Truth in the tag team ladder match at WrestleMania 40 and leaning into the joke, Ciampa and Gargano had DX-themed gear.
Truth is no stranger to mistaken identity as its the very thing that perpetuated his Tag Title loss to The Judgment Day. He thought Liv Morgan was once his right-hand gal in Carmella and wanted true love to work out for her and Dominik Mysterio, thus giving The Judgment Day the opportunity.
In May 2001, Triple H suffered one of the most devastating injuries that a professional athlete could experience: a complete tear of his left quadriceps muscle. The damage occurred half through a World Tag Team Championship match, with The Game continuing the match despite excruciating pain. After an over 8-month hiatus to have surgery and rehab, Triple H would return to WWE inside The World’s Most Famous Arena, Madison Square Garden.
The King of King’s triumphant return to MSG has etched its place in history as one of the greatest returns in professional wrestling history, as the WWE Universe welcomed Triple H back like a conquering hero. The moment has been referenced, reflected, and spoken about in countless mediums, with AEW’s MJF even referencing it in his return to All Elite Wrestling this past May.
This past Friday’s edition of WWE SmackDown saw Triple H return to Madison Square Garden again, this time in a much different capacity, as the company’s Chief Content Officer. Despite the turn taking place over 20 years ago, the moment’s significance still sticks with The Game, as he spoke about in a recent post on X.
In the short clip, WWE’s CCO recalled his grueling road to recovery, his anxiety about the fans’ reaction to him, and some wise words he received from WWE Hall of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin.
“I remember being two segments out, from me coming out, and [Steve] Austin came up to me…’I know what this is like. You’re thinking no one is going to give a sh*t right?’ and I said ‘that has crossed my mind’ and he said ‘yeah man, I went through the same thing. You know, when I broke my neck…what if your music hits and it’s crickets’. He talked to me about it.”
“Stone Cold” Steve Austin suffered a significant injury during SummerSlam 1997 when Austin took on Owen Hart for the Intercontinental Championship when a miscalculated piledriver caused Austin to become temporarily paralyzed. Austin would be plagued with neck issues for the entirety of his full-time WWE run, eventually leading him to retire at 38 years old from in-ring competition.
Triple H would later describe how it felt to hear the crowd’s reaction when his music hit. Stating how that moment was “10x more than anything I could have ever dreamed of. If all of it had been for that one moment, it would have been worth it.”
Every time @WWE comes to @TheGarden, all the memories come back… and this one will always be at the top of the list. Moments like these are what our business is all about. pic.twitter.com/saC0A5NPb0
WWE SmackDoxwn (6/28) Saw The BloodlineKick Out Paul Heyman
In a shocking turn of events, The Bloodline’s Acknowledgment ceremony turned into a vicious beatdown, as Solo Sikoa ordered the rest of the group to attack The Wise Man Paul Heyman. The New York native found himself being smashed through an announce table as the show closed out.
Heyman refused to acknowledge Solo Sikoa as the true Tribal Chief, sparking a brutal assault on The Godfather of Extreme. Later, Paul Heyman was taken out of MSG in an ambulance, leaving the WWE Universe wondering what comes next for the self-proclaimed tribal chief and the rest of The Bloodline.
Another bizarre incident on The Pat McAfee Show, seemingly committed by the Wyatt Sicks, has continued to raise anticipation for the Uncle Howdy-led faction.
During the latest show from the Raw commentator, WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque was in the studio. As the two men discussed all things WWE, an image with the phrase ‘You Lied’ appeared on the screen before promptly cutting to black. McAfee and others in the studio were perplexed with Pat blaming producer Evan ‘Foxy’ Fox.
Pat was quick to dismiss the notion that the Wyatt Sicks was behind this, despite the group’s past proclivity for hijacking broadcasts with cryptic images. Levesque humorously added that after meeting Pat’s production crew, he wouldn’t rule out a mistake being made by one of McAfee’s staff. The Game did admit though that this incident on McAfee’s show is quite the coincidence given the Wyatt Sicks’ tactics.
This isn’t the first time that the Wyatt Sicks has seemingly struck McAfee’s show. During the June 20, 2024, broadcast, McAfee’s broadcast ended with something off-camera spooking those on the show. The episode then cut to the ‘You Lied’ image that fans saw on the latest episode.
Whether this footage is legitimate or not is up for fans to decide, but this latest show certainly has fans interested in what’s next. With McAfee set to be on tonight’s Raw, one week removed from the Wyatt Sicks’ debut, the commentator may have to watch his back or face being introduced to Uncle Howdy.
MJF made an explosive return to AEW TV at AEW Double or Nothing, and he paid tribute to Triple H while doing so.
What’s interesting about the return is that the Salt of the Earth was wearing a jacket that looked very similar to one that Triple H wore when he returned back to the company after a while in 2002.
Back in May 2001, Triple H suffered a career-threatening injury. On an episode of Raw Is War, Triple H and Steve Austin were defending the WWF Tag Team Championship against Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit. When Jericho applied the Walls of Jericho move to Austin, Triple H ran towards them to break it up, but he suffered a tear in his left quadriceps muscle. This injury caused The Game to be sidelined for eight months, and he even missed the iconic Invasion storyline because of it.
The Cerebral Assassin then made his return to Raw in January 2002 in Madison Square Garden. During his return, he wore a denim jacket, which became an iconic symbol marking Triple H’s return. Triple H then went on to win the Royal Rumble that year and even won the Undisputed WWF Championship.
Quite similar to Triple H, MJF was also away from the ring for quite some time. He was last seen in the ring defending the AEW World Title in a losing attempt to Samoa Joe at AEW Worlds End. The event took place on December 30, 2023. Sporting a similar jacket to Triple H, MJF signalled to audiences that his era is upon AEW, and he is here to stay. It remains to be seen what trajectory his career takes from here.
There were also some rumors swirling that the former AEW World Champion is bound for WWE, however these rumors were laid to rest for good after the return. In fact, he made his contract status with AEW very clear by showing off a tattoo of the company’s logo on his ankle. You can read more about how the return took place here.
WWE Chief Content Officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque has spoken about the controversial finish to the 2024 King of the Ring tournament.
At WWE King And Queen Of The Ring, GUNTHER claimed the crown in the Men’s Tournament finals with a hard-fought win over Randy Orton. GUNTHER made it to the finals with wins over Sheamus, Kofi Kingston and ‘Main Event’ Jey Uso before dispatching of the Viper in Jeddah.
The match ended in controversy as Orton’s shoulder was not fully on the mat during the decisive pinfall. On Twitter, Levesque addressed the questionable result.
“I was out there. My vantage point was very difficult to see. Coming back here and seeing it back, I saw what everybody saw. Didn’t even seem very controversial to me, just seemed like Randy Orton’s shoulder wasn’t down. But I’ll say this, referee’s decision is final and GUNTHER is your King of The Ring.”
While GUNTHER’s victory is final, the Game added that he would love to see the two face off again to ensure there is a clear winner.
“Randy Orton deserves to have another shot at that and I think GUNTHER will want to have another shot at that to take the controversy out, to take the asterisk off the page where it says King of The Ring.”
With his (albeit controversial) victory, GUNTHER has earned himself a World Heavyweight Championship match at WWE SummerSlam on August 3. Currently, the Austrian is expected to face either current champion Damian Priest or Drew McIntyre, depending on who wins their title match at WWE Clash At The Castle: Scotland.
Will Ospreay wants to move on from his comments made towards Triple H and makes it clear that he likes the WWE Creative Content Officer.
Ospreay has a busy weekend ahead of him as the top AEW star will be challenging Roderick Strong for the International Championship at Double or Nothing this Sunday. In light of his big bout in Las Vegas, Ospreay spoke with some of the media, including Adrian Hernandez and was asked about his comments towards Triple H during an AEW Dynamite promo.
“People within the company were saying, ‘That was a bag at you.’ I’m over it now. I said my bit. My thing was funny. Everyone took it way too personally. All these old f***s that are like, ‘I have a podcast’ and they think they know everything. I couldn’t give a f*** about these guys.”
‘The Game’ previously stated that some wrestling talent weren’t willing to be apart of the ‘grind’ of WWE. Ospreay took umbrage with that decided to state that Triple H got his high profile spot due to “grinding on the boss’s daughter.”
Ospreay continued his comments with Hernandez, deciding to dampen down any further tension between he and Triple H, stating that he likes Paul Levesque.
“At the end of it, no harm done. I f***ing like Triple H. It was a little bit hard hearing that s***. I was nothing but respectful in all the talks. I have my own mission, my own objectives, my own goals. Just because it doesn’t fit with your things, it doesn’t mean people should be firing shots my way. I come from a generation where if you fire one at me, I fire one back.”
At the age of 28-years-old, 3x SuperBowl MVP Patrick Mahomes has already secured his name in the NFL Hall of Fame. Now, the Quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs has expressed interest in possibly getting physical inside the squared circle; and WWE is happy to oblige. Mahomes expressed his interest to RAW Commentator, and part-time in-ring competitor Pat McAfee while on the former NFL punter’s program, The Pat McAfee Show. Mahomes and McAfee discussed the QB’s special appearance on the April 29th edition of Monday Night RAW. That night Mahomes was partially involved in an angle between United States Champion Logan Paul and Superstar Jey Uso.
During a conversation with McAfee, Mahomes expressed his enjoyment of his brief appearance on WWE TV. He mentioned his interest in stepping into the ring to showcase his skills. Additionally, he explained the reason behind assisting Logan Paul by giving him one of his Super Bowl rings to use as a weapon against Jey Uso.
”The WWE thing was awesome, that thing was sweet, I should’ve got in the ring and show my skills a little bit!”
I’ve seen enough to know that Jey Uso is good at getting out of those situations. When he does the yeet, that was intense man, I loved that. At the same time though, that’s my man Logan, I know he’s not the biggest fan favorite there in WWE, but I had to make sure to help him out a bit.
I was definitely scared of the big dude (Braun Strowman), he was a lot bigger than I expected…”
While Pat McAfee invited Mahomes to get inside the ring half-jokingly, WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H was much more direct. Tweeting directly at Patrick Mahomes, and ensuring him that the door is always open for the Face of the NFL.
Could we see Patrick Mahomes headlining a WWE PLE event in the near future? Only time will tell. In 2020, Mahomes signed a 10-year, $450 million extension with the Chiefs, a deal that may make it challenging for Mahomes to compete inside a WWE ring. However, it would not be the first time a pro athlete became a focal point of a WWE program.
If WWE and Mahomes ever did strike a deal, the future NFL Hall of Famer could easily turn to Pat McAfee for advice. McAfee is no stranger to in-ring competition, having wrestled names like Adam Cole, The Miz, Baron Corbin, and Austin Theory since joining WWE in 2018.
Since their inception, pro wrestling press conferences has been a hot-button issue amongst fans and one former WWE employee stated what his ex-company’s intent is with having them after major PLEs.
Matt Camp, former host of The Bump, started a new daily wrestling news series titled The Wrestling Matt and kicked off his debut episode by talking about those press conferences. Camp was actually a media member of WWE’s first presser after Survivor Series 2022 in Boston. Camp made clear that he was a WWE employee at the time, but did ask to be apart of the media scrum. He asked questions to several names, including Paul Heyman, but did say there’s a matter of intent with WWE at utilizing the press conferences.:
“They want fans in there, they want people that want to be part of the show, that don’t want to mess with their part of the show. The press conference is part of the show … but they want this just to be an addendum to the end of the show, we wrap things up and we let people speak a little bit and show their excitement and for the most part, they want softballs, right?” (h/tAndrew Thompson)
Camp noted that WWE does get some “fans” presented as media in the press conferences, noting that one member member asked him for a photo after the event was over. He also said there are a contingency of media people there to get themselves over.
“I’ve heard people at press conferences for WWE, I’ve heard people at press conferences for AEW use their stage name or use their nickname. You’re killing your credibility doing that kind of stuff. Then you are playing into everything they want.”
Matt Camp was released from WWE in February 2014. He’d been with the company since 2019. WWE sources were surprised by the departure.
Since the departure of Vince McMahon from WWE, and the simultaneous rise of Paul Levesque as the company’s Chief Content Officer, discussions over each man’s differences in the creative process and booking philosophy have been a continuous source of conversation.
The King of King’s nearly 2-year reign as Head of Creative has been met with mostly positive reviews, with critics, fans, and pundits alike citing a more streamlined approach to storytelling, production, and usage of talent.
Current WWE Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn recently sat down for an interview with Daily Mail‘s Alex McCarthy, where he described the staunch differences in how Triple H and Vince McMahon viewed his character. Here’s what he said, as transcribed by WrestleTalk:
“I think Hunter sees me differently from how Vince saw me, especially as a good guy. I think Vince saw me much more as a bad guy, for a number of reasons. He saw my irksome qualities that he thought lent itself to being an irksome character.
This distinction can be seen plainly when you examine Sami Zayn’s booking between WrestleMania 38 and 39. Zayn went from an intolerable heel in a comedic feud with Johnny Knoxville and the entire cast of Jackass, to becoming one of the biggest babyfaces in the company; locked in an intense, emotional, and tangled storyline with The Bloodline and his real-life best friend Kevin Owens.
Furthermore, Zayn spoke on the differences between Triple H and his father-in-law’s philosophy on booking weekly programming. As fans have heard several times before, the former NXT Champion detailed Triple H’s long-term booking strategy, and how that clashed with McMahon’s more haphazard, even at times “chaotic” approach. He would note, however, that there are pros and cons to both.
“Having said that, I think things were a lot more unpredictable because of the nature of Vince’s week to week kind of approach, that sometimes the marble would just fall in the right hole, and now you’re champion, whereas with Hunter, I think it’s much more he has longer-term vision, and if you’re not part of that vision, then the chances of breaking into that vision are much, much slimmer…It’s kind of a double edged sword. He might see me in a way that lends itself more to being in that mix and possibly winning it. But on the other hand, I could have just slipped on a banana peel and won the world title.”
Since Triple H’s take over of the creative process, Sami Zayn has found himself at the center of some of WWE’s biggest storylines and matches. Becoming one of the company’s top babyfaces, proven more so at WrestleMania 40 when he became the first person to pin The Ring General since his call-up from NXT. Winning his fourth International Championship in the process
While Superstars have gone on record to praise the new leadership and overall company direction, some former talent have expressed that changing the guard in WWE had unfortunate consequences.
Take former WWE Superstar Eric Bugenhagen, aka Rick Boogs, as an example. For the better part of 2021 and early 2022, Bugenhagen seemed to be a hot commodity in the eyes of the WWE machine; armed with an impressive physique and strong character.
Unfortunately, Bugenhagen would find himself released by WWE in September of 2023, following a 9-month absence that began due to an injury he sustained at WrestleMania 38.
In the weeks and months that followed, Bugenhagen would express how some in the new regime didn’t quite see what Vince McMahon had seen in him.
While he has never directly implicated Triple H, he stated that his release was due to a “backstagepowerplay“, and noting that before his release, he has only received positive accolades from McMahon and corporate. Bugenhagen went as far as to say that he feels some in the new management had a “grudge” against him.
Kenny Omega appreciates the knowledge and work of two legends that have came before him and one of those names is Triple H.
Speaking on his Twitch stream, Kenny Omega was asked about Triple H the wrestler and Paul Levesque the booker. Omega said he couldn’t really comment on him as a booker because he doesn’t specifically know what Triple H inputs creatively, but does like him in particular for his physique. He then compares Levesque to another WWE Hall Of Famer.
“I really like Ravishing Rick Rude. He’s one of my favorites, actually, from the yesteryear era and I think he was a very underrated wrestler. He always had Bobby, Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan so already his promos would be taken care of whether he said much or not, didn’t matter. He had Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan.”
“For Triple H, I kind of look at him in the same light … I liked Triple H as a body guy.”
Omega mentioned how Triple H was influential in his promos and some talent try to replicate that, but Omega knew that he wasn’t able to do that. He and Triple H have different voices.
“I can’t tell you one promo that really hit me off the top of my head, but I’m sure it was effect and his matches, he’s got some great ones.”
Omega notes of Triple H’s memorable matches including his Royal Rumble 2000 match and the triple threat match against Shawn Michaels and Chris Benoit at WrestleMania XX.
Randy Orton enjoys the consistency of the new WWE product since Triple H has fully taken over of the company’s creative, but thanks two other employees for helping with that direction.
Speaking with “Adam’s Apple,” ‘The Viper’ gave his thoughts on the fresh, new and steady direction that Paul Levesque has implemented under his watchful eye.
“With Nick Khan, HHH, and Bruce Prichard, so many things have changed from a creative standpoint. They’re thinking months and months in advance. Before, we were flying by the seat of our pants. Creative was changed mins before we went live each week. I don’t mean sometimes. I mean, each week.”
Orton said that there’d be days where it would be 5:00 PM on the east coast and changes were still be made to the show that was airing in just a few hours. That aspect created for some very stressful moments. Under the Triple H regime, there’s more time laid ahead for talent to implement their own creativity.
“So just purely from a creative standpoint, you’re able to let it marinate and think about, okay, how am I gonna do this? Or how can I make this better? Or maybe there are tweaks, but you don’t do it ten minutes before you go live.”
Randy Orton has clearly been enjoying his time back in WWE has he got a gigantic reaction while he and Kevin Owens opened WWE Backlash in France and although the two lost, Orton remains in a top babyface role in WWE SmackDown.
Monday Night Raw’s Ricochet will go down in the WWE history books as the first-ever WWE Speed Champion following his win in the tournament finals.
The One & Only defeated Johnny Gargano in the tournament finals in a match that was given a five-minute time limit, far longer than the standard three-minute limit for WWE Speed matches. Ricochet defeated Dragon Lee in the first round of the eight-man tournament and JD McDonagh in the semi-finals to make it to his showdown with Gargano.
Backstage, Ricochet spoke about how it’s been some time since he’s held a championship. The One & Only added that he is set to be the front-runner of WWE Speed and is ready to take on all challengers in matches of any length.
This is the latest accolade for Ricochet who is no stranger to holding championship gold. The 35-year-old Superstar is a former United States, Intercontinental, and North American Champion, the only Superstar in history to hold all three mid-card titles.
More on WWE Speed
WWE Speed is the promotion’s new social media project and will be broadcast exclusively on Twitter/X. The show features Corey Graves as the sole commentator, another first in the promotion’s history as WWE has always favored two or three-man teams. Early tapings included Kevin Patrick before his release in January 2024.
So far, the only matches aired have been tournament matches and all have featured male Superstars. That’ll change soon enough though as Triple H recently confirmed that WWE Speed will also include women’s division matches. At this time, it’s not been confirmed when the next tapings of WWE Speed matches will take place.
It’s time for the Daily Drop on Thursday, May 2. Last night saw AEW present a very interesting three-hour block of programming, and there is a lot to unpack.
Kenny Omega made his return to AEW television last night in Winnipeg, but things did not turn out too well for him. After receiving a rousing welcome in his home city, The Elite inserted themselves into the situation to make sure The Cleaner left on a stretcher. Then, the Young Bucks chased that stretcher down and tipped it over like the dastardly heels they are.
Now, let’s get into today’s edition of the Daily Drop!
AEW:
Nyla Fires Back: The Native Beast, Nyla Rose, released a t-shirt to fire back at The Oklahoma State Athletic Commission, who said she cannot wrestle cis gendered females as a transgender woman. That new merchandise will go to help Freedom Oklahoma, a 2SLGBTQ+ advocacy group.
Pressure on Swerve: The new AEW World Champion Swerve Strickland spoke on the pressure that is on him now. He also said that all of his endeavors outside pro wrestling helped prepare him to carry the heavy ball for Tony Khan.
The Bounty Hunter: Bryan Keith confirmed that he inked a multi-year deal with AEW. He will be around for years to come. Keith signed a deal with AEW in February 2024 after competing against Eddie Kingston on an episode of AEW Collision. Since then, he has faced wrestlers like Kyle O’Reilly, Malakai Black, Top Flight, and Private Party on AEW television.
Bryan Danielson Can’t Travel: Brie Garcia revealed on the Nikki and Brie Show that Danielson hurt his neck at AEW Dynasty. She made a point to say that it wasn’t too bad, and it is the kind of bump that comes with being in the ring. Despite Garcia trying to play it down on her podcast, it was announced on AEW Dynamite that Danielson didn’t make the Winnipeg Dynamite because he was not medically cleared to travel.
Taz Gets Bad News: Taz recently visited an orthopedic surgeon due to severe knee issues. After tests and X-rays, he learned that both his shoulders and knees need replacements. He has opted not to undergo surgery immediately and will instead continue with regenerative procedures to manage the pain.
Went to a highly acclaimed orthopedic surgeon yesterday to discuss my knee. It’s been brutal for a couple of years, he did testing & X-rays on me. So, both of my shoulders & knees need to be replaced. 4 joints. I am not doing this right now. I’m gonna keep trying regenerative…
WrestleMania London: Triple H did not throw any kind of wet blanket on the idea of London hosting the show of shows. At this point, The Game stated that all locations are on the table.
Mandy Rose Gets Lips Dissolved: The former NXT Women’s Champion logged onto Instagram to update her fans about a cosmetic procedure that she’s having reversed, her lip filler. In the post, she revealed, “We did some lip dissolving today! I’ve always been a little afraid to do this ngl but it was definitely needed and really wasn’t that bad! Swollen at first but a couple hours later the swelling went down, and honestly with the numbing cream I barely even felt it.”
Drew Brings Up AJ: In a very bold move, Drew McIntyre said that he would steal AJ Mendez from CM Punk if he wasn’t already married. This was a big shot, and it will only add to the rivalry that Punk and McIntyre are destined to have once the Second City Savior returns to the ring. He later tweeted and deleted a quote retweet of that video saying: “It’s a general statement, not specific. Even when comes [sic] to Punk there’s some lines you don’t cross.”
WWE Speed For Women: Triple H confirmed that WWE is looking heavily into featuring women in upcoming versions of WWE Speed. No word on whether they will introduce a WWE Speed Women’s Title as a part of this.
WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque believes that everything is possible for WWE’s upcoming Premium Live Events, including a potential WrestleMania in the UK.
During a recent appearance on X Spaces alongside Rhodes, Levesque was asked about a possible WrestleMania in London. The Game said that this is a possibility and encouraged other cities to reach out to WWE.
“The thing about the global nature of what we do, where we are, what we’re doing. I look at the globe. I think everything is on the table for where it goes. You saw the Mayor of London the other day, put out a statement about WrestleMania. I said ‘We should talk.’ And we should. As should the mayors or the leaders of every other place around this globe.
“If they want WWE come talk to us. We’re open for business. We’d love to be there. Wherever our fans are going to be the loudest and the craziest and the most into what we do, it would be an honor.”
Levesque’s comments seemingly contradict those of WWE President Nick Khan who has said that WWE’s main PLEs will remain in North America for the time being. Fans are continuing to wait for confirmation regarding the location of WrestleMania 41 but Minneapolis and Las Vegas are said to be the favorites.
As for Europe, WWE will host Clash At The Castle: Scotland in Glasgow next month with WWE Bash At Berlin scheduled for August. While fans eagerly await a WrestleMania in the UK, there’s no shortage of WWE events coming their way.
For the use of quotes, please give a H/T to SE Scoops.
WWE Speed, the promotion’s new show featuring high-octane action, will feature women’s matches, CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque has confirmed.
WWE Speed was announced in February 2024 and sees three-minute matches, ensuring a fast-paced style between competitors. A tournament is currently underway to crown the first WWE Speed Champion and the show is expected to launch on Twitter/X in full this Spring.
So far, matches for WWE Speed have solely featured male talent. That will change soon enough according to Levesque. During an appearance on X Spaces alongside Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, Levesque confirmed that the show will feature women competing in Speed matches.
There’s no word yet on whether a championship will be created for the women competing on WWE Speed. This revelation will come as good news to Piper Niven who following the announcement of WWE Speed, poked fun at women often being granted only a handful of minutes for their matches.
The tournament finals for the WWE Speed Championship will see Ricochet and Johnny Gargano face off on the May 3, episode. Ricochet advanced to the finals with wins over Dragon Lee and JD McDonagh while Gargano bested Angel and Bronson Reed to get to the title match.
The new show could be a fantastic opportunity for talent who don’t typically get given attention on TV to build support from fans. This can especially be the case for the women of WWE as with only a select amount of opportunities on TV, several talented Superstars are often left on the sidelines. No women’s matches have been announced for WWE Speed yet but expect more news to come in the coming weeks.
Drew McIntyre may not be happy with his WWE Draft spot, but he is happy with the work of Triple H.
McIntyre is arguably doing the best character work of his pro wrestling career in 2024 and it was just revealed by The Rock that the former World Heavyweight Champion re-signed a brand new deal with WWE. With him being in a top bout at WrestleMania, many speculated that it was just a matter of time until McIntyre put paper to pen on a new contract with the company as the Chief Content Officer Triple H was putting Drew in a prominent light.
Following last night’s episode of WWE RAW, McIntyre took to social media to share a photo of himself in Gorilla with Triple H, giving ‘The Game’ a big vote of confidence as WWE rolls into a big future.
“I trusted Triple H when he brought me back in 2017. And I trust him now to lead the evolution of our industry. Here’s to the future.”
I trusted @TripleH when he brought me back in 2017. And I trust him now to lead the evolution of our industry
Drew was drafted very late on RAW, well past his recent “obsession” in CM Punk who was the first pick of round two while McIntyre was the third pick of round three. Punk ended up cutting a promo in the middle of the ring at McIntyre who watched from afar. McIntyre stewed as Punk made an effort to keep his conversation shorter than McIntyre’s very brief title reign. Punk said that he wasn’t out for revenge, but McIntyre has given him purpose.
Even if he doesn’t win King Of The Ring, Gunther feels like one in the Paul Levesque Era of WWE.
In a new interview with Gorilla Position, the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in company history was asked if he thought he’d have that same opportunity to make history under the old Vince McMahon regime.
“I don’t know, but it was one of the reasons why, for a long time I didn’t want to go to the US. The product before Triple H was not what I enjoyed. I just didn’t want to be part of that. I am who I am and that’s what I can do best. A big part of that is I need to have my time in the ring and have that time to put on the matches I can put on. That chance would not be there under the old regime.”
Gunther lost his title to Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 40 and the 4/22 episode of RAW is when he made his return, “thanking” Zayn for freeing him to be “the hunter” instead of “the hunted.” That’s when he staked his claim for the King of The Ring crown.
Gunther Trusts In Triple H
The Intercontinental Title reign has put Gunther in the upper echelon of talent in WWE and he knows that he has Creative Content Officer Triple H to thank for that.
“With Triple H, he always saw that in me, and he always had that vision for me. I got lucky that a lot of things in my career took place at the right time. It was a little bit of a leap of faith when I first made the move over. Everything worked out in the end.”
What didn’t work out in the end is the Imperium pairing of Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci as Kaiser brutally attacked Vinci after they lost a tag match to New Day on that very same episode of RAW.
WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H believes Trick Williams’ future looks bright after the latter captured the prized NXT Championship.
Williams defeated Ilja Dragunov to claim the coveted title during this week’s NXT Spring Breakin’ Week One. The stipulation stated that Williams would be banished from the brand had he lost the bout. However, he came out on top and was crowned the new champion.
WWE has ushered in a new era with Triple H at the helm and it’s the dawn of a new era for WWE’s developmental brand as well with Trick Williams claiming the top prize of the brand. Hunter is quite impressed with the “well-deserved victory” after a “hard-fought” match and feels the era of Trick Williams is “looking bright”. Check out this Tweet below:
The match featured some thrilling moments which ultimately culminated into Trick Williams securing the coveted title. In the final moments of the match, Williams hit the finisher to get the pinfall and bagged the title. Following the match, Dragunov showed sportsmanship and hugged his opponent as the fans chanted ‘Whoop that, Trick.’ The brand-new champ also explained what this title win means to him.
With this triumph, Williams put an end to Dragunov’s 206-day reign and became the 30th man to capture the title. Williams and Dragunov previously fought for the title at Vengeance Day in February. That night, the Mad Dragon was able to successfully defend his title.
What’s next?
Trick Williams had all the momentum by his side heading into the title match. He scored a couple of massive wins in matches against his former buddy, Carmelo Hayes. They had squared off at NXT: Stand & Deliver and then in a cage match on NXT. It will be worth witnessing how his championship reign pans out.
On the other hand, Ilja Dragunov is heading to the main roster as he declared himself for the 2024 WWE Draft which commences on Friday, April 26 on SmackDown and will conclude on Monday, April 29 on Raw. It will be interesting to see which brand lands the signing of Mad Dragon.
