Will Ospreay doesn’t plan on taking shots at WWE again on AEW programming after recently taking aim at Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque. 

On an episode of AEW Dynamite, Ospreay spoke about the ‘grind’ and said that Triple H only reached the top of WWE due to ‘grinding’ on Stephanie McMahon. The dig was in response to comments made by the Game over WrestleMania week in which he said some wrestlers opt not to sign with WWE due to the ‘grind’ and choose a promotion with a lighter schedule. 

Ospreay’s dig sparked a discussion as to whether he crossed a line given that Triple H hadn’t mentioned him and that his comment took place in front of Renee Paquette, a friend of both Triple H and Stephanie. Speaking on the AEW Dynasty media scrum, Ospreay shared his belief that Triple H’s comment was about him. 

“If you throw a jab, I throw one back. And although I wasn’t mentioned by name, it was clearly about me.”

Ospreay added that he’s finished with taking aim at WWE as he doesn’t feel such ‘tribalism’ is good for anyone involved. 

“I don’t wanna do that anymore because I feel like I lowered myself to that standard. I don’t need to do that anymore… that’s the first time I’ve ever experienced true tribalism between the two. It’s not nice. It’s unnecessary.”

Though Will is done taking aim at WWE, he does not regret what he said as Triple H’s comment did “piss me off.” Ospreay couldn’t help but take one last swipe, however, as he finished speaking on the matter, saying he doesn’t need to “f***ing f*** with guys below me.”

AEW Dynasty saw Ospreay defeat Bryan Danielson in an instant classic that went over 30 minutes. Ospreay got the win after hitting the Tiger Driver 91 which led to a worrying scene after the match. 

The WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship belts have officially been retired, with the new WWE Tag Team Titles being introduced on the 4/19 WWE SmackDown. 

WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque was on the show to introduce the new titles to A-Town Down Under, who won the SmackDown Tag Titles at WrestleMania 40: Saturday. This reveal wasn’t a massive surprise, however, as the Game had revealed the new World Tag Team Titles on Raw mere days earlier. 

The new championship designs are a throwback to the original WWE Tag Team Championship design that proved immensely popular with fans. No doubt this new championship design will only help solidify that this is a new era, one in which the fans feel they are being listened to. 

While A-Town Down Under were pleased to receive the new gold, they pushed their luck with Triple H. The pair continued to taunt the Game which resulted in SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis stepping in and threatening to deal with the pair personally. 

New Challengers

With new WWE Tag Team Championship titles, there was also a need for new challengers. Immediately after this presentation, a four-way tag-team match saw The Street Profits overcome New Catch Republic, Legado del Fantasma and The Authors of Pain to become the No. 1 Contenders to the WWE Tag Team Titles. The Profits are one of three teams to have held the Raw, SmackDown, and NXT Tag Team titles are are now eager to add another pair of belts to their collection. 

Triple H presented Awesome Truth with the new WWE World Tag Team Championships during the 4/15 episode of WWE RAW. This was a historic moment in front of a frenzied Montreal crowd.

Awesome Truth won the RAW Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania 40. Two weeks later, the company did away with those titles and replaced them with totally new belts.

WWE is in a new era, and that has brought many changes. The Undisputed Tag Team Championships were split during WrestleMania 40, and now the RAW Tag Team Titles are no more. In their place, Triple H introduced new titles.

Crowning New Champions on 4/15 WWE RAW

Triple H made his way out during RAW this week and the Montreal crowd was pumped to see him. Then the camera revealed that the ring was done up in its red carpet look, with something covered on a podium in the center.

It did not take long for Triple H’s promo to get directed toward the new RAW Tag Team Champions. Then Awesome Truth made their way to the ring. Triple H revealed that Awesome Truth are no longer RAW Tag Team Champions. They are now the World Tag Team Champions, and that came with new titles.

When The Game revealed Awesome Truth’s new titles, R-Truth flipped out and thought it was an amazing magic trick. Then he mistook Triple H for Tommaso Ciampa once again.

WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS!

Paul @TripleH Levesque just revealed the brand new World Tag Team Championship for @RonKillings & @mikethemiz on #WWERaw! pic.twitter.com/L6LBAO9v3m

— WWE (@WWE) April 16, 2024

Triple H left, but not before taking Awesome Truth’s old titles and putting the new ones around their shoulders. As R-Truth and The Miz raised their new titles up, fans cheered the new belts.

After the new WWE World Tag Team Titles were given to Awesome Truth, they held a triple threat tag team match to decide a new #1 contender. Team DIY, Creed Brothers, and The New Day. In the end, Team #DIY won the match, so they will face Awesome Truth for the new World Tag Team Titles first. That might get confusing for R-Truth, because he thinks they are Shawn Michaels and Triple H.

WWEShop already has the new World Tag Team Champions replica belts available for pre-order here:

Will Ospreay took Triple H’s comments about wrestlers who pick AEW over WWE personally. He returned fire on the 4/10 episode of AEW Dynamite.

While speaking to the Pat McAfee Show during WrestleMania weekend, Triple H said, “When I see people trying to make it, and they pick the job where they go, ‘Well I work less and the schedule’s lighter,’ okay I’m glad I didn’t get you. Because if you’re not in it for the grind in that point in your career, you have no business being here.”

Will Ospreay cut a promo on AEW Dynamite, where he answered Triple H’s comment about wrestlers who pick AEW over WWE.

“Normally I wouldn’t rise to this type of bait, right? But seeing how the guy who said it is only in the position because he was grinding the boss’ daughter, you have no business telling me what the grind is all about, my friend, because you have no idea what I fight for.

Will Ospreay takes aim at Triple H’s comments of running from the grind:

“The guy that said it is only in the position he’s in because he was grinding on the bosses daughter.”#AEWDynamite

pic.twitter.com/zXW6dXwX1K

— Wrestle Ops (@WrestleOps) April 11, 2024

It Was Ospreay’s Idea

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reports that it was all Will Ospreay’s idea to throw a dig at Triple H into the promo on Dynamite. He collaborated with the creative team on the promo. The media’s recent portrayal of him confused wrestlers from various organizations. A WWE member noted his efforts to honor the process and WWE, despite choosing AEW for his family’s benefit.

AEW’s Recent Signings

AEW signed three big names in a row with Will Ospreay, Kazuchika Okada, and Mercedes Mone. All of those stars were talking to WWE at one point, and they decided to take Tony Khan’s deal instead.

Mone and WWE came to a financial roadblock. She signed an incredibly lucrative deal with AEW, one that is reportedly the largest woman’s deal in pro wrestling history.

AEW locked down Kazuchika Okada with a three-year contract valued at approximately $13.5 million. Okada is earning about $4.5 million a year with his All Elite deal.

Will Ospreay has been open about why he turned down a WWE contract. Ospreay acknowledged the offer from WWE, but he emphasized the trust he has in Tony Khan, a significant factor influencing his decision to sign with AEW.

“I want to know what I’m doing within the ring, and the rest, for me, is easy. What more could you want from a boss?”

Welcome the Daily Drop, your daily roundup of wrestling news and rumors for Monday, April 8. Last night was WrestleMania Sunday, and Cody Rhodes finished his story. 

After WrestleMania 40’s Sunday event was over, the celebrations and stories kept going. You can check out video footage of what happened here.

Check out our complete WrestleMania 40 Saturday coverage by visiting our WrestleMania 40 hub.

There is a lot to get to, so let’s get started! 

WWE:

– WrestleMania Attire: This was quite a WrestleMania when it comes to entrance attire. You may check out our comprehensive article here.

– 2024 Slammys: WWE presented their Slammy Awards before WrestleMania 40. They had a lot of winners, and we provided live coverage of the event.

– Samantha Irvine’s Big Announcement: After Cody Rhodes’ title win at WrestleMania, Samantha Irvine was in tears, and it was quite a video.

– WWE Changes: Triple H made it clear after WrestleMania 40 that there are a lot of changes to come. 

– Cena Interview: John Cena will be on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday, April 8. We will have notable highlights from that interview.

– Triple H’s Gift: Cody Rhodes received an incredibly emotional gift from Triple H after his big Mania win. It was quite a story, and we invite you to check it out.

– Bloodline May Be Growing: Jacob Fatu was spotted in Philly before WrestleMania 40. We will have to see if he makes his presence felt soon. 

– Paul Heyman’s Induction: We ran an exclusive article about the backstage reaction to Paul’s unfiltered WWE Hall of Fame speech.

AEW:

– Matt Hardy Gone: It was reported after WrestleMania 40 that Matt Hardy is now a free agent. His AEW contract has expired at this point.

– CM Punk Footage: Don’t forget that Tony Khan promised to air the footage of Punk and Jack Perry’s All In brawl during Dynamite this week. That video could break the internet. 

Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Pay-Per-View Events:

• AEW is coming to St. Louis, MO with AEW: Dynasty LIVE on PPV on Sunday, April 21st at Chaifetz Arena
• Backlash France is scheduled for May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
• WWE NXT Battleground is booked for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, exclusively available on the WWE Network and Peacock.
• WWE Money in the Bank will be held on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
• WWE Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.

Triple H believes the production changes we have seen in WWE in recent months are only the tip of the iceberg and there is a lot more to come.

Many people have credited the WWE Chief Content Officer for ushering in a new era in WWE. During the post-WrestleMania 40 press conference, The Game noted how there are a lot of people who are helping him bring this change.

One such name he mentioned was the new WWE Head of Media Lee Fitting. According to the former world champion, Fitting is responsible for a lot of production changes people have noticed in the post-Kevin Dunn era:

“Lee Fitting, from a production standpoint, from what we’re doing, from the look the feel, all of it. You see changes happening every week on TV and there’s gonna be more of them. But you see that and I see people excited by them and just loving the changes that are made. I’m telling you, there’s so much more to come.”

There’s A Lot More Coming: Triple H

Triple H claimed that Fitting is a guy that he loves to work with and they’ve made a conscious decision to roll out the changes slowly:

“We’ve made a conscious decision together Lee, Nick [Khan] and myself to slowly roll out some of those changes over time. There’s a lot more coming, but when I tell you Lee Fitting, that I love working with him. He has a passion for this just like we do. Might be new here, but he’s all in.

He’s the kind of guy that I want to go to work for. I want to do stuff to make his job easier. I want to collaborate with him and I want to make things better with him. So I can’t say enough good stuff about him. A lot of the change that you see a lot of the success that you’re seeing comes from Lee Fitting.”

You can watch the full WrestleMania 40 Night 2 press conference below:

If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

WrestleMania 40 proved to be the biggest event in the history of WWE’s mega-show, as far as CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque is concerned. 

WrestleMania 40 was the promotion’s fifth-annual two-night ‘Mania, a tradition that began during the Covid-19 pandemic. The show has been met with praise from fans with Cody Rhodes’ victory over Roman Reigns in the WrestleMania 40: Sunday main event being a notable highlight. 

Speaking on the post-WrestleMania 40: Sunday press conference, Levesque addressed the success of the show and of WrestleMania week. 

“You hear a lot of hyperbole coming into these things. ‘Greatest WrestleMania of all time, biggest WrestleMania of all time’… A lot of times that stuff and said, and you move on. But I do feel like this was the biggest WrestleMania of all time. I really do. And when you break it down… This was legitimately on every metric the biggest WrestleMania of all time.”

The 14-time WWE World Champion added that whether you look at the gate, social media, or various other metrics from WrestleMania or WWE World, all the numbers back up his claim. 

The Paul Levesque Era

This year’s WrestleMania was truly a historic show, as it marked the first time ever that Vince McMahon did not oversee the show. In place of the disgraced ex-Chairman, Levesque served as the creative head of the show and welcomed fans to WrestleMania at the start of the Saturday event. At WWE WrestleMania 40: Sunday, Stephanie McMahon spoke of ushering in the ‘Paul Levesque Era’ and welcomed fans to the show. WWE also recently filed a trademark for the ‘Renaissance Era.’ 

Triple H is promising that the story of Roman Reigns is not finished after WrestleMania 40.

The run of The Tribal Chief since his heel turn in 2020 has been one of the most epic storylines WWE has ever produced. Now that it’s over, there has been a lot of curiosity on what’s next for the now former Undisputed Champion.

The WWE Chief Content Officer talked about Reigns in the post show press conference after WrestleMania 40. He claimed that after the latest run, Roman is for certain one of the greatest of all time:

“Before I talk on Cody, let me talk about Roman. There’s a lot of banter about greatest of all time. You can make arguments for a lot of people in that and there’s a lot of metrics that you could measure that by, or opinions or whatever that is. If he is not the, he is one of, absolutely for certain – the greatest of all time.

To do what he has done, to overcome all the things in his career. The positioning and the stuff that he had to get through and hung in there to get where he needed to be. To deal with his physical issues and his health issues to overcome, the pandemic to overcome.

Just everything that he has had to deal with, on the way here. Then to go out there and put on a run like nobody has ever put on before. A run of just epic, epic moments, epic storytelling. I see that word cinema thrown around a lot but it really is.”

Roman Reigns Is Going On A Whole New Story: Triple H

Triple H discussed how Roman Reigns has changed the business in many ways through his run. Though he proclaimed that his story is far from over and teased that The Head of The Table is going to take things on a whole nother level:

“There’s few guys that come along in our business where you say, during that period of time that they were in it. They changed the industry. He changed the industry. I mean that in front of the camera, I mean that behind the camera, he’s changed the industry. He’s that good. I can’t say enough good stuff about him.

Then to do what he did tonight with Cody Rhodes, it’s not completing the story. It’s just getting to the end of this chapter. Because he’s gonna go on a whole new story now that is going to blow people’s minds I think. I know he’s going to take it to a whole nother level, but I can’t tell you how much respect I have for Roman Reigns.”

The last time Triple H promised something like this was when Cody Rhodes lost the WrestleMania 39 match against Roman. He claimed that Cody’s story wasn’t finished and it led us on a year-long journey that concluded tonight. A promise similar to that suggests that there are some plans already in place for the former champion and we should gear up for another epic ride.

You can watch the full press conference below:

If you use any quotes from the article, please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

Triple H believes that WWE is in the business of selling emotions and performers such as Shawn Michaels and Sami Zayn are successful because of their ability to draw emotion out of people.

HBK was called Mr. WrestleMania for the longest time because of his incredible performances at the Show of Shows against opponents such as Bret Hart, Ric Flair and more.

Sami Zayn has been following in the footsteps of the NXT head. In recent years, he has earned praise for his WrestleMania matches against the likes of Kevin Owens and Johnny Knoxville. This year he gave another incredible performance against Gunther who he defeated to win the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 40 night 1.

In the post-show press conference, Triple H was asked to compare the two performers. The Game first explained how Shawn Michaels was successful because of his ability to draw out emotion:

“A lot of people would look at Shawn back then [or] even now, they would see Shawn as this spectacular performer, right? Like the moves that he did. All these spectacular things that he did. Shawn was doing a lot of that at a period of time maybe before everybody else was which is why I think so many younger talent resonate towards him because he’s so good.

But the thing that made Shawn so good was his ability to pull emotion out of you. It wasn’t the moves, the moves were like the special effects. Shawn is unbelievable at getting emotional out. When you hit Shawn, and he goes down and he sells, you feel bad for him.

You want him to do better and he just can get that emotion out of you. When Shawn begins to then make a comeback begins to fire up and begins to put that anger out or whatever it is, that aggression out. You believe it and you buy into it. He’s a Pitbull when he’s on you.”

We Sell Emotion: Triple H

Triple H then explained that WWE is in the business of selling emotion. Sami Zayn, like Shawn Michaels has found success in WWE because he is able to make people feel for him:

“It’s emotion. We sell emotion. We build stories and sell emotion. It’s not the moves, it’s not the spots. It’s not the sequences or whatever, however people want to say – it’s emotion. Yes, those things all lead into it. But without it, it’s just a video game. It doesn’t mean anything.

What you saw in Sami and Gunther tonight was two people that are geniuses at pulling emotion out of you. That’s Sami’s calling card. Yes, he does spectacular things. But his ability as a performer as an actor, whatever you wanna call it, to pull that emotion out of people. It’s awesome. It’s why he is in the spot he is, it’s why he is as good as he is.”

You can check out the full media scrum below:

If you use the quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

Brock Lesnar may not have competed at WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday, but that doesn’t mean his days with the promotion are a thing of the past. 

Despite being one of WWE’s top Superstars, Lesnar did not appear at the Saturday event and is not expected in any capacity at the upcoming WrestleMania 40: Sunday show either. Speaking at the post-WrestleMania 40: Saturday press conference, Triple H was asked about Lesnar’s current WWE status. 

“At one point, there was a conversation with Brock about Royal Rumble, quite a long time ago. Right now, Brock is at home being Brock. We’ll see where that leads to from here. His status is the same as it has been before. Brock is not gone from WWE. He’s just home being Brock.”

Brock Lesnar’s WWE Hiatus

Lesnar has been implicated, but not named in Janel Grant’s damning lawsuit against WWE and Vince McMahon. In the suit, Grant alleges that she was trafficked to a former UFC Heavyweight Champion, believed to be Lesnar. The former WWE Universal Champion has not publicly commented on the matter. 

The controversy surrounding Lesnar led to WWE nixing all plans for the Beast, who was supposed to be a part of the 2024 Men’s Royal Rumble match. He was replaced in the bout by Bron Breakker. Lesnar was set to face ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio at WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 but that match was also nixed. It’s believed that WWE intended for Lesnar to face GUNTHER at WrestleMania 40. The Austrian instead lost the Intercontinental Championship to Sami Zayn at WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday. 

H/T – Fightful

As WWE’s Chief Content Officer, Paul “Triple H” Levesque is tasked with completing an abundance of responsibilities. Given this increased workload, though, Levesque has admittedly taken a bit of a backseat in WWE’s recruiting department. often leaning on others, such as William Regal, to primarily scout potential future WWE Superstars. Nevertheless, Levesque asserts that he is still keeping tabs on a number of prospective talents. 

WWE Recruiting

During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Levesque addressed the process of recruiting potential WWE stars. While he may listen to the recommendations and feedback of the company’s scouts, Levesque prefers to formulate his opinion by seeing a talent’s work with his own eyes. Levesque also pointed out that a talent succeeding in one promotion doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they will flourish in WWE.

“I get reports on everybody,” Levesque said. “I know who is out there, I know how good they are, I know what their potential is. I see what’s out there. I don’t subscribe to the ‘Oh, this guy says they are good, that guy says they are good.’ I have to see it and feel it. It’s just keeping track of who is out there, how good they are, and what you think they can do.”

Success In WWE Is Not Guaranteed

Levesque also pointed out that a talent succeeding in one promotion doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they will flourish in WWE.

“Because they succeed someplace else, doesn’t mean they’ll succeed at the big time. How many players go from college football at a high level and fail in the NFL? It’s massive. It’s a different game, it’s a different world. If they are not here to be all in on this — like when I see people coming out of trying to make it, and then they pick a job where they go, ‘Well.’ They work less, the schedule is lighter. Alright, then I’m glad I didn’t get you. If you’re not in it for the grind, at that point early in your career, you have no business being here.” 

Welcome the Daily Drop, your daily roundup of wrestling news and rumors for Saturday, April 6. This is a day that a lot of fans have waited for, because it is officially WrestleMania Saturday. We also have NXT Stand & Deliver to take care of, so let’s get right to it!

NXT: Stand & Deliver starts first today, with the broadcast beginning at noon EST. You can check out the updated card below:

• Singles Match: Trick Williams vs. Carmelo Hayes
• NXT Championship Match: Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Tony D’Angelo
• NXT Women’s Championship Match: Lyra Valkyria (c) vs. Roxanne Perez
• NXT North American Championship Match: Oba Femi (c) vs. Dijak vs. Josh Briggs
• NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Baron Corbin & Bron Breakker (c) vs. Axiom & Nathan Frazer
• Thea Hail, Fallon Henley & Kelani Jordan vs. Jacy Jayne, Kiana James & Izzi Dame
• Pre-Show Match: Shawn Spears vs. Joe Gacy

WWE:

– WWE World Brawl: AJ Styles and LA Knight threw down at WWE World for a brawl that lasted well over three minutes. It was chaos, and we have the video.

– Stand & Deliver Gate: Shawn Michaels disclosed that Stand & Deliver in Philly is set to become the second highest-grossing event for NXT, following closely behind NXT Brooklyn.

– The Rock’s Training: SEScoops also had an exclusive where Shawn Michaels explained exactly why Gallus was picked to train with The Rock for his WrestleMania 40 match.

– WWE Draft: Triple H confirmed that another WWE Draft is coming, possibly in May.

– Andre Winner: Big Bronson Reed won the 10th annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on SmackDown.

– Cody’s Bus Fire: Cody Rhodes’ bus caught on fire before WrestleMania. That was not a surprise he wanted at all.

– Vince McMahon’s Absence: The fact that Vince McMahon isn’t around for WrestleMania 40 weekend has made a lot of people within the company pretty happy.

– One More Match: Triple H spoke on the idea of wrestling again. He’s happy being retired, but he does train every day.

WrestleMania 40 night one starts at 7:00 PM EST. It will be a loaded show, headlined by a massive tag team match, that is being billed as the biggest ever. You may check out the updated card below:

• Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch for the Women’s World Championship
• Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
• The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. #DIY (Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa) vs. The Awesome Truth (The Miz and R-Truth) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs. A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) vs. New Catch Republic (Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate) – Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
• Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso
• Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill, and Naomi vs. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai, Asuka, and Kairi Sane)
• Latino World Order (Rey Mysterio and Andrade) vs. Santos Escobar and “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio
• The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth “Freakin” Rollins

AEW:

– Tony Khan Called Out: Brandon Tate of The Boys detailed exactly what happened when it comes to them “no-showing” events to combat Tony Khan’s narrative.

– AEW May Move: AEW and WBD are exiting their window of exclusive talks. We may see AEW programming move if they can’t figure something out.

– AEW At WWE HOF: Keith Lee was accidentally shown on screen during the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony. He is married to Michin, so he was there for the ceremony. However, he wasn’t supposed to be seen on camera.

– Forbidden Door: Toni Storm claimed that the Forbidden Door is always open. We will have to see who steps through that door to challenge her next.

Upcoming Wrestling Shows

Looking ahead, here are some of the major upcoming shows that we have in the pipeline:

April 6: NXT Stand & Deliver and WrestleMania XL Saturday from Philadelphia, PA.

April 7: WrestleMania XL Sunday from Philadelphia, PA.

April 21: All Elite Wrestling presents AEW Dynasty live on pay-per-view from St. Louis, Missouri at the Chaifetz Arena.

May 4: WWE Backlash France from Décines-Charpieu, France at the LDLC Arena.

WWE is known to mix things up after WrestleMania with a draft, and this year will be no exception. Another edition of the WWE Draft is coming soon enough.

While appearing on Logan Paul’s Impaulsive podcast, Triple H confirmed that the WWE Draft will be coming back. He said that fans will see if again in a couple of months.

Right now, the 2024 WWE Draft is planned for sometime in May. It was May 1 in 2023, so they are right on schedule if that is the case.

Fuck YES! I knew this would be the case but I'm happy he confirmed it. Triple H says The Draft is coming a month after #WrestleMania . Logan Paul wants to move to Monday Night RAW. pic.twitter.com/4D8b6gdExj

— Exposing the IWC (@ExposingIWC) April 5, 2024

This year’s WrestleMania and WWE Hall of Fame saw Triple H book his first events without Vince McMahon’s input. That will also be the case for the upcoming WWE Draft.

WWE will likely wait until their Saudi Arabia trip is out of the way before implementing a new draft. We will have to see what they decide to do when it comes to timing.

WWE Draft History

The draft was first started in 2002 alongside the introduction of the brand split. Over the years, it was further renamed as the WWE Brand Extension Draft in 2006 and eventually simplified to the WWE Draft from 2007 to 2011.

Now, fans get the WWE Draft every year as a way to mix up the rosters. The company is also known to proclaim several Superstars as “free agents,” meaning they can pop into any brand where they can be of most use.

WWE is known to surprise fans with their yearly draft. Now with three brands in the mix, that can also mean that main roster call-ups are in store for NXT Superstars. 

WWE CCO Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque insists on seeing a prospective Superstar for himself to see if they’re the right fit for the promotion. 

As part of his many roles as Chief Content Officer, Levesque oversees talent relations and ultimately has the final say over who is hired to a contract. On the Pat McAfee Show, the Game shared why he thinks it’s vital he personally sees a talent’s work for himself. 

“I see what’s out there. I don’t subscribe to, ‘this guy says they are good, that guy says they are good.’ I have to see it… Because they succeed someplace else doesn’t mean they’ll succeed at the big time.”

Levesque compared the situation to football, stating that players who performed at a high level in college often fail to make waves in the NFL. 

Triple H on ‘The Grind’

Being a WWE Superstar is far from an easy job as talent are expected to compete almost every night across the globe. WWE is also not the only option for a young wrestler as various promotions exist in the U.S. and abroad. On the show, Levesque shared his skepticism for any wrestler who’d choose a promotion because it may be easier than WWE. 

“When I see people coming out of trying to make it, and then they pick a job where, well, they work less, the schedule is lighter, then I’m like, ‘I’m glad I didn’t pick you.’ If you’re not in it for the grind, at that point early in your career, you have no business being here.”

Triple H as Head of Talent

In 2011, Levesque was officially made Executive Vice-President of Talent and Live Events, a role that expanded to include live events and creative two years later. In July 2022, following the resignation of Vince McMahon, Levesque was promoted to Executive Vice-President of Talent Relations and was named Chief Content Officer in September. In October 2023, Ari Emanuel ensured that Vince McMahon (who was back with WWE at the time) would not interfere with Levesque’s work and it was said the Game controlled “99.9% of the creative” at the time. 

The ring has called many retired Superstars back for another match. Although Triple H is around every single week, he doesn’t intend on booking himself in matches any time soon.

WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque appeared on The Pat McAfee Show during WrestleMania weekend at WWE World. During that appearance, Triple H was asked a very interesting question about his future in the ring.

McAfee inquired if Triple H continues to train, despite his heart issues.“I still train, I still do all that,” Levesque said.

The return of The Rock this year sparked rumors online about Triple H possibly returning to the ring for a feud with The Rock or another wrestler at 54-years-old.

The Game was asked if he has any intention of getting back in the ring. He made it clear that time has passed for him.

“I don’t think so. I don’t think I should be out there taking bumps.”

Triple H’s Pro Wrestling Career

Triple H did just about everything he can in the pro wrestling ring. The Game has won the WWF/WWE Championship nine times, the World Heavyweight Championship five times, and the WWF/WWE Intercontinental Championship five times.

He also racked up many other title wins in the company. Moreover, Triple H is a WWE Hall of Famer as part of DX.

After becoming WWE COO after Vince McMahon departed, he holds the creative reins. Needless to say, things have gone very well for Triple H, and he is enjoying his current situation in a big way.

Triple H is okay with changing WWE’s storylines due to the response of fans as he handles the company’s plans differently from Vince McMahon. 

The Game serves as WWE’s Chief Content Officer and oversees the company’s creative plans as well as talent relations. Following Vince McMahon’s resignation from WWE, Triple H has been able to book matters fully in line with his creative vision rather than having to appease his father-in-law

Changing Plans

When The Rock returned to WWE, the promotion’s plan was for the Brahma Bull to challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. Immediately, fans rejected the notion of Cody Rhodes ‘handing over’ the spot many have expected for him since WrestleMania 39. The ‘We Want Cody’ movement would lead to WWE changing plans; putting Cody back in the Undisputed WWE Universal Title picture and turning The Rock heel. 

Triple H Weighs In

The fact that WWE was willing to change its plans marked a considerable change from the company’s past stance of sticking with its plans even in the face of fan backlash. In a recent interview with ESPN about WWE’s changes in the post-McMahon era, Triple H highlighted how he’s more open to other ideas. 

“Now it’s a different time, and the way I do things is slightly different. My career, I learned from being here, but there were things along the way that I always thought I would do differently. In this time now, I get to make those calls and with a large team of people.

“Everything you do is dependent on reactions. That’s what we do as an industry. … The beautiful thing with this group and with Cody and Roman and Rock especially, everybody’s got their ear to the ground. … And then we all just get together and figure the s*** out.”

Cody Rhodes Weighs In

Nobody has benefitted from Triple H willingness to change plans more regarding this situation than Cody Rhodes. The American Nightmare is poised to have another shot at Roman Reigns and the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania 40. When Rhodes spoke to ESPN, he addressed why The Rock’s return didn’t go as WWE had intended. 

“[Rock] might just have come back at a strange time, which is wild [for] the most popular wrestler of all time and one of the most recognizable faces on Earth… the fact that one person is booing him out there throws me. It means we’re doing something special here.”

Rhodes will team with Seth Rollins to face Roman Reigns and The Rock on WWE WrestleMania 40: Saturday, the night before Rhodes Vs. Reigns for the title.  

Booker T had no issue with his angle with Triple H in early 2003, despite many believing that the angle leaned too heavily into racial insensitivity. 

The angle in question saw Booker feud with the Game over the World Heavyweight Championship. Triple H’s verbiage in promos would raise eyebrows as he said that “people like you” don’t win world titles. Many took this as a nod at Booker being African-American, as there had not been a fully-black WWE World Champion at the time. 

Amid backlash, WWE would try and play off the comment as Triple H making reference to Booker T’s criminal history. The two-time WWE Hall of Famer spent 19 months in prison after pleading guilty to armed robbery at Wendy’s restaurants in Houston. This did little to quiet critics of the angle, as similar comments had not been made about white WWE Superstars who had fallen afoul of the law. 

 Booker T on the Storyline

While many still take issue with the angle and the racial undertones, Booker does not have a problem with the storyline. In a recent interview with Adrian Hernandez, Booker discussed some of Triple H’s verbiage during the angle. 

“The one line people remember the most is when Triple H said ‘People like you don’t deserve to be here.’ That’s motivation for all of us to get up off our asses and prove them wrong.”

Booker then discussed how the angle played on his real-life background and said he approved of what was said in the storyline. 

“It was as real as it could possibly be for me from an emotional perspective and a lot of the stuff that went into the angle, I approved all of it.”

What Came Next? 

While the angle was distasteful to many, it did build Booker as a sympathetic babyface. Many assumed that the vile heel Triple H would finally get his comeuppance at WrestleMania 19 by losing the World Heavyweight Championship. 

Instead, The Game retained and the finish of the match also saw controversy. Triple H waited close to a minute after hitting the Pedigree on Booker before getting the decisive pinfall, which many felt was a ‘burial’ of the ex-WCW star. Booker would have to wait over three more years before he won the World Heavyweight Championship from Rey Mysterio in 2006. 

For the use of quotes, please give an H/T to SE Scoops. 

WrestleMania events are famous for bringing celebrities to WWE, whether it be for a match, performance, or to just sit in the crowd as fans. This year’s grandest stage of them all in Philadelphia will be no different.

Meek Mill has already received an invitation from Triple H to attend WrestleMania 40. Now, it appears that they are teasing more than just Meek Mill sitting in the crowd for the showcase of the immortals.

Meek Mill x WrestleMania XL

During this week’s episode of WWE RAW, a commercial hinted at a possible WrestleMania performance from Grammy-nominated rapper Meek Mill. This would be appropriate, since he hails from the host city.

https://www.instagram.com/p/reel:C49VzcgJ0ka

Following the airing of the commercial, Triple H took to social media to urge Meek Mill to keep his schedule open for WrestleMania. In another indication of Meek Mill’s potential WrestleMania performance, Triple H shared another teaser video titled “Dreams and Nightmares” later that evening.

It appears that there is a real possibility of Meek Mill showing up at WrestleMania 40 for something other than just watching the show. 

A story of neon dreams… or faded nightmares. You ready for this, @MeekMill? #WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/deR4sPI1zX

— Triple H (@TripleH) March 28, 2024

Celebrities at WrestleMania

WWE has booked matches with celebrities in the past to light up the WrestleMania stage. Johnny Knoxville will never forget his Anything Goes match against Sami Zayn at WrestleMania 38, and there are so many celebrities who created everlasting moments in WWE history.

Pete Rose, known for his career as a player and manager for the Cincinnati Reds, made multiple WrestleMania appearances. Charlie Hustle belongs in the MLB Hall of Fame, but he is in the WWE HOF for a reason. At WrestleMania XIV, he served as a guest ring announcer and engaged in a physical altercation with Kane. Also, at WrestleMania XV, he donned the costume of the San Diego Chicken and encountered Kane once again for a punishing experience.

Floyd Mayweather Jr stepped into the WWE ring at WrestleMania XXIV for a No Disqualification match against the towering Big Show. Similarly, basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal made waves at WrestleMania 32 by participating in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

Lawrence Taylor, known for his career as a linebacker for the New York Giants, took center stage at WrestleMania XI against Bam Bam Bigelow. Meanwhile, Mike Tyson made a memorable appearance at WrestleMania XIV as the ringside enforcer for the main event.

Even figures from the music industry have graced the WrestleMania stage, such as Ozzy Osbourne, who is a heavyweight in heavy metal along with WWE Hall of Famer. At WrestleMania 2, Osbourne took on the role of manager for The British Bulldogs during their match against The Dream Team.

These celebrity appearances have become an integral part of WrestleMania’s legacy, and those names are just a drop in the bucket. There are many more that we could list, because there is also no shortage of celebrities who would love an experience under WrestleMania’s bright lights.

We will have to see if Meek Mill is able to block off his schedule for WrestleMania 40. By the look of things, they certainly have something planned.

SEScoops will have more on this story, and many more on the road to WrestleMania. You never know what will break next, but we will be here with all the headlines you need.

It takes a special kind of talent to become a WWE Superstar, especially at a high level. Logan Paul has been able to prove a lot of his doubters wrong, on even the highest levels of WWE.

Logan Paul revealed that Triple H laughed when he heard about LP’s interest in WWE. Triple H’s opinion on Paul certainly changed after he saw his dedication to pro wrestling and his in-ring abilities.

Triple H Laughed at The Maverick

Logan Paul is on the road to WrestleMania once again, and he is enjoying some big deals with WWE. Not only has his hydration brand, Prime, inked the biggest sponsorship deal in WWE history, but The Maverick is also in the middle of his own performer contract.

While speaking to Graham Bensinger, Logan Paul was asked about Triple H laughing at the idea of him becoming a WWE Superstar. LP confirmed that story was true, because Triple H admitted it to his face after he earned his respect.

“Yeah, [I heard Triple H laughed when he heard I was interested in WWE], he told me to my face. I’m sure he thought ‘there’s no way this internet kid can hang with the toughness and complex nature of this sport.'”

Triple H later said about Logan Paul that, “once he got into it, and I saw not only what he’s able to do, but his dedication to doing it, you know that’s a game-changer for me. He earned my respect right out the shoot.”

Logan Paul’s entrance in WWE made several fans roll their eyes. Once they saw what he was able to do in the ring, and how much he gave to the business, that changed a lot of fan perception, as he was welcomed as a bona fide WWE Superstar by the locker room as well.

John Cena on Logan Paul

John Cena was also featured in the video from Graham Bensinger. The footage, which was filmed on April 1, 2023, the day of WrestleMania 39, features a brief interaction with the 16x World Champion.

Cena, who was shocked to discover that April 1 is also Logan Paul’s birthday, gave a glowing review to what LP is capable of, and what he has been able to bring to WWE. 

“I wish we had found him years ago and this would be his calling. I’m glad he’s found us, because he fits perfectly in what we do here.”

Logan Paul at WrestleMania 40

Logan Paul is walking into WrestleMania 40 as the WWE United States Champion. He will defend his title against Kevin Owens and Randy Orton during the event. He may not be happy about his situation, but he will give it all in Philadelphia at WrestleMania XL to retain his title.

SEScoops will have more on this story, and many more from the pro wrestling world. Keep checking back throughout the day for more of the headlines you need.

WWE fans have been enjoying the direction the company has been going under the creative leadership of Paul Levesque(AKA Triple H). For years. the company has faced issues like plans being changed during a TV episode to the last minute with Vince McMahon at the helm. However, creativity has seemingly run more smoothly with Levesque in charge, and superstars like Becky Lynch appreciate the shift. 

In an interview with Getting Over: Wrestling Podcast, ‘The Man’ discussed the differences in WWE creative under Levesque and McMahon. She shared that consistency is the main factor and praised the former nine-time WWE Champion for his long-term storytelling. 

“…Paul tends to have a long-term vision of something and an idea of something and then executes, whereas before, you know, it was notorious that the show was being rewritten as it was going, and we were live on TV, and people didn’t know what was happening in the third hour and there would be stories that would start and then Vince would change his mind and so with Paul, he sees things through and for better or worse that gives a different viewing experience,” said Lynch.

‘The Man’ also explained why it’s important to let storylines develop over time as intended rather than nixing them altogether. 

“…You might not like the story on week two, but you don’t know where it’s going on week four, and so if we listen to people that saying ‘Yeah, but we don’t like the story on week two,’ well then you might never get the magic that you were going to get on week four, and so I think it’s important to listen to the audience to a certain degree,” said Lynch.

More On Becky Lynch’s Thoughts On Storytelling

Lynch went into detail about storytelling and why letting things play out as intended over time is good. The former WWE Smackdown Women’s Champion used herself as an example from when she was feuding with Bianca Belair and defeated her in 26 seconds at WWE SummerSlam on August 21, 2021. 

She noted that the fans didn’t like some of the ‘heel’ things she did during her rivalry and that it was meant to elicit negative reactions. 

“…You were meant to be outraged. You were meant to want to see her succeed, and then I think I started talking about her hair, and people were outraged that I might touch her hair,” said Lynch. She continued, “…If you don’t know where we are going… also, I am a heel. You are meant to be outraged by the things that I do, and please understand that is a heel. Heel isn’t like somebody that gives cool zingers. It is somebody that is unlikable that you want to see the babyface overthrow. Doesn’t always work out.”

Lynch reaffirmed her stance that it is good to see things through, which is something that WWE is doing more under Levesque’s leadership. It seems WWE creatively is in a better place than it has been for their talent and fans. Hopefully, the company’s momentum will continue and allow for more creative storytelling that can make for great weekly TV programming. 

Former WWE superstar Ronda Rousey tells it all in her new book, Our Fight: A Memoir, which will be released on April 2. She is promoting the book ahead of its worldwide release, and she has been opening up about her career in WWE.

In an interview with Cageside Seats, Rousey detailed her frustrations with her time at the company and how she felt mismanaged under Vince McMahon’s regime.  

Rosey also noted that even when McMahon retired on July 22, 2022, his influence was still felt through WWE Executive Director Bruce Prichard. Ultimately, McMahon would return, and Rousey left the company the following year. However, McMahon’s leadership also changed, as he resigned from the company and TKO Group Holding on January 26 after being alleged of sexual assault and sex trafficking by former employee Janel Grant. 

WWE President Nick Khan currently leads WWE, and Levesque is the Chief Content Officer. In the interview, she spoke highly of Levesque and wished he was entirely in charge, dating back to her return to WWE in 2022.  Rick Ucchino transcribed the following quotes:

“I’m so glad that it’s getting turned around,” Rousey said after certain changes were brought to her attention. “Triple H has been great towards the women in the company and really believing in us. He’s the whole reason that I was there, ‘cause he believed in me. I really wish that my last run was under Triple H running things and Vince being gone.”

Ronda Rousey Recalls Conversation With Paul Levesque & Calling WWE Mediocre 

Rousey also revealed that WWE wanted her to stay before she decided to leave last year. She lost her last match in the company against Shayna Baszler at WWE SummerSlam on August 5, 2023. Before the final appearance, the former WWE Smackdown Women’s Champion detailed her conversation with Levesque in her book. 

In a meeting to get her to stay, Rousey shared that she felt it was time to move on and even called WWE mediocre at the time. 

“I had a long sit down with Triple H, and I was like, ‘I can’t be associated with mediocrity.’ And that’s what they seemed to be happy with at the time. And I hope that is different now, but I can’t say… that I’ve ever experienced it any other way,” said Rousey. 

If Levesque had more creative control in WWE two years ago, Rousey may have decided to re-sign with the company. However, the issues behind the scenes were enough to make the former UFC superstar walk away for good. 

WWE’s biggest show of the year is coming in less than 2 weeks, and celebrities are usually expected. Now, we can add Meek Mill to that list.

Triple H will book his first WrestleMania event this year. This will also be the first Mania after TKO Group Holdings took control of the company. The Game wants to make sure that the event is star-studded.

Meek Mill Receives WrestleMania Invitation

After Meek Mill expressed interest in WrestleMania 40 in Philly, Triple H replied. The WWE Hall of Famer said that Meek Mill should clear his schedule.

When Meek Mill sent out an Instagram post to hype WrestleMania, he tagged Triple H in the process. He also said that his sons want to come to the show of shows, and he’s thinking about bringing them.

Meek Mill is from South Philadelphia, so WrestleMania 40 coming to his city is a big deal. Fans are expected to pack Lincoln Financial Field for both nights on April 6 and 7.

It did not take Triple H very long at all to reply to the famous rapper. He said that WWE is coming to have some fun, and Meek Mill should clear his schedule to attend the show of shows.

I got you, Meek Mill. It’s your city, and WWE is just coming to have some fun. Clear your schedule…

Triple H invited Meek Mill to WrestleMania pic.twitter.com/5RZGfXxEU9

— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) March 24, 2024

Sylvester Stallone & WrestleMania 40

Sylvester Stallone was in talks to make an appearance at WrestleMania 40, and that would have been great considering his Philly roots. They could not make that deal work out, but there will likely be plenty of famous faces at the showcase of the immortals this year.

SEScoops will have continued coverage of the road to WrestleMania. Please keep checking back for more on this story and so much more in the pro wrestling world.

Goldberg has revealed that the reason for his real-life animosity with Triple H is rooted into an infamous WCW segment.

During the December 23, 1999 episode of WCW Thunder, the former World Champion was involved in a segment with nWo. The sequence of events led to him chasing the nWo limousine in a parking lot. The wrestling veteran was originally supposed to use a tool to break the glass windows of the car, but he chose to use his hands instead.

A shard of glass sliced an artery in Goldberg’s arm during this spot, leading to a serious injury. It nearly resulted in the amputation of one of his arms. The recovery took him out of WCW programming for nearly five months, and is considered one of the reasons for WCW’s eventual demise.

The former WCW World Champion reflected on this spot during his interview with Tim Green for his Nothing Left Unsaid podcast. He claimed that it was an incident where his inner defensive lineman took over:

“Yeah. It was one of those things when the defensive lineman took over. I was mad at one of my opponents in real life. He was in a limousine and I had to go from the backstage to the ring, dispose of someone and then go get in the limousine.

After I got out of the ring, I was supposed to grab a sledge hammer to take care of the limousine and I refused and wanted to use my hand therefore providing the highest-rated segment on TNT’s history on cable television.

It had to go to black and white because there was so much blood with the background of a white limousine and I got 199 stitches and came a centimetre away from losing the use of one of these arms. But it was good television.”

• Read More: Goldberg Breaks Silence On Continued Animosity From Bret Hart: I Learned A Lot From Him, But I Can Only Be Remorseful For So Long

Goldberg’s Altercation With Triple H

Later in the interview, Goldberg also talked about his real-life issues with Triple H. He blamed the animosity between them for WWE undermining his undefeated streak and his character in various ways.

He was asked for the reason behind his issues with the WWE Executive. The wrestling veteran recalled back to the limousine segment and other injuries that kept him off TV while WCW was acquired by WWE. He claimed that Triple H made some comments about his absence from WCW programming, which led to a real-life confrontation between the two:

“I think a lot of that between Hunter and myself was real. We had an interaction when I was at WCW leading the charge in New York at a press event. I had heard, you knew all the behind-the-scenes [gossip] right so the Kliq and Kevin Nash and Scott Hall, they’re his buddies till the end.

So I hurt myself. I know some people that were friends, that weren’t with me, were talking to him when he was working in WWE. He made a comment while I was at home and I remember it like it was yesterday. He said I was tanking it or faking it or something and I wasn’t there for the demise of WCW. How could I [do that].

So from then on, I wanted to eat that guy’s… I wanted to rip his face off. So we had a confrontation prior to me signing with the WWE. And then ironically, we were represented by the same agent. So it made the situation quite uncomfortable once I signed with the WWE. Let’s just say that.”

You can check out Goldberg’s full interview below:

If you use any quotes from the article please credit SEScoops with an H/t for transcription

Vince McMahon led WWE in his own way for decades. Things are much different now, as the company is operating in a much different way now. Triple H is calling the creative shots, and the change has been noticed throughout the business.

AJ Styles recently opened up about the change WWE experienced. While expressing his belief that WWE is no longer the same under Triple H’s guidance, Styles commended Triple H for his approach to talent development. He emphasized Triple H’s focus on nurturing talent and bringing out their best rather than highlighting their weaknesses, contrasting it with past practices under McMahon’s regime.

Changes in WWE

AJ Styles recently shared his thoughts on the evolution of talent treatment in WWE Styles appeared on The Battleground podcast, particularly under the leadership of Triple H compared to Vince McMahon’s tenure. According to Styles, there has been a noticeable shift in how wrestlers are perceived and valued within the company.

Reflecting on the emotional toll of talent releases, Styles conveyed empathy for performers whose careers were abruptly halted. He questioned the rationale behind releasing talent instead of providing them with opportunities to improve, advocating for a more supportive approach such as sending them back to NXT for further development.

“This isn’t the same WWE that Vince was in charge of,” Styles said during the interview. “I really believe that Triple H looks at our talent and goes, ‘Alright, let’s get them better or let’s find ways to bring out the best in them rather than show off the worst.'”

AJ Styles expressed his appreciation for Triple H’s approach to talent management in WWE, highlighting the shift in how wrestlers are valued compared to Vince McMahon’s era. Styles emphasized Triple H’s focus on improving talent rather than emphasizing their flaws, contrasting it with the past practice of releasing performers, which often devastated them.

A lot of those guys and girls, when they got released from WWE, it crushes them. I never understood why we would want to do something like that rather than just like, ‘Ok, let’s send them back to NXT, they just need a little bit more work’ or something like that.

Being released, it’ll crush you and I don’t want to see people, their lives being ruined because of a job. At the end of the day, it’s just a job, but still, it’s something they’ve worked for their whole life and then when you’re told you’re not good enough, man, that sucks.

But that’s not the way it is these days. Now, with Triple H in charge, I think he’s doing a great job of making everyone feel important.

WWE in the Future

TKO Group Holdings has WWE and UFC under one umbrella. Odds are, they will continue raking up big business for years to come, as sponsorship and huge money deals keep coming in.

Vince McMahon is no longer in the picture, and the company is arguably better off for it. The future looks bright in the post Vince era, and talent can also see the shift right in front of their eyes. Only time will tell how Triple H is remembered in pro wrestling history, but he’s off to a good start steering WWE into the future.

SEScoops will have more on this story, and so much more, as we continue on the road to WrestleMania 40. You never know what headline will pop up next, so please keep checking back for constant updates and the latest headlines.

Shayna Baszler’s role at the upcoming Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport X is the culmination of years of a deal trying to be reached between the indie promotion and WWE. 

The two-time WWE NXT Women’s Champion will be part of Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport event that will take place during WrestleMania week. This is a huge get for GCW as WWE has historically been against allowing their talent compete elsewhere, though that stance has softened in recent years.

Years in the Making

Baszler’s role at Bloodsport X is a huge deal and isn’t the first time Barnett has made the effort, Fightful Select reports. Years ago, Barnett inquired about the possibility of Jessamyn Duke working Bloodsport while she was under WWE contract. Duke was said to be open to the idea but WWE said no. 

Duke had trained with Barnett in the past and had MMA experience thanks to her time on The Ultimate Fighter and UFC. She has not competed in WWE or UFC since her 2021 release.

Getting in Touch

Barnett made the call and personally requested that Baszler appear on the GCW Bloodsport show. It’s reported that he and Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque have known each other for years. 

Working Together Again? 

When the news of Baszler’s involvement with Bloodsport was made public, some suggested that WWE and GCW were working together “again.” This is in reference to a photo that surfaced in 2022 featuring Brett Lauderdale and Stephanie McMahon. At the time, the sight of the pair, alongside GCW talent and staff, in a suit at WrestleMania led to rumors that the two companies were working together. 

This wasn’t the case and WWE had some fun with the rumors as company reps didn’t shoot down the notion, but later definitively denied the connection. The ‘Mania suite belonged to Orange Crush, a co-owner of Jersey Championship Wrestling and McMahon was on hand to greet everyone, regardless of affiliation. Sources told Fightful that both WWE and GCW got a good laugh out of the “harmless” rumors.