The first SmackDown of 2024 saw some of WWE’s top names on the broadcast and also saw quite a notable name behind the scenes.
The January 5, 2024, SmackDown saw a fatal four-way be confirmed for the Royal Rumble event, as Roman Reigns will defend against AJ Styles, Randy Orton, and LA Knight. In the finals of the U.S. Championship Contenders Tournament, Kevin Owens defeated Santos Escobar. The Prizefighter will challenge U.S. Champion Logan Paul at the Royal Rumble PLE.
Nickelback at SmackDown
For all the Superstars at SmackDown, one of the biggest names in entertainment at the show remained backstage. On Twitter, Triple H shared a photo with Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger and made reference to their popular track ‘Photograph’.
While Kroeger and his bandmates haven’t competed in the ring, Nickelback has close ties to the world of professional wrestling. In 2009, their song ‘Burn it to the Ground’ became the official theme of Monday Night Raw. The theme would be used until Raw 1,000 in July 2012.
Music from Nickelback has been used for several WWE Premium Live Events. Their track ‘This Means War’ was used for the Elimination Chamber 2012 event, while ‘Edge of a Revolution’ was used for Survivor Series 2014. The group also performed live for the Tribute to the Troops event in 2011 with a rendition of ‘Burn it to the Ground’.
One of WWE’s most promising young Superstars competed before SmackDown went on the air. Click here to find out more.
Triple H is now the man spearheading WWE’s creative direction, as he breaks barriers and records with the company Vince McMahon brought to power. The Game is a student of pro wrestling, but he wasn’t always under WWE’s roof. Once he was in WWE, Triple H stayed, but it took getting fired from WCW to get him there.
Why Triple H Was Fired From WCW
While speaking to Inside The Ropes, Eric Bischoff was questioned about letting so many people go like Steve Austin, Mick Foley, and Triple H. He had all of them in WCW prior to their historic WWE runs, but Bischoff fired them all for different reasons.
Eric Bischoff commented on Triple H’s early career in WCW, noting that while he was good, it was challenging to foresee him becoming a star in 1993. Bischoff also acknowledged Triple H’s marriage to the boss’s daughter, emphasizing that he was a dedicated student of the game, a great performer, but not on the level of superstars like The Rock or Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Although Eric Bischoff recognized Triple H as a reliable utility player who worked hard, studied wrestling, and maintained consistency, leading to his eventual breakthrough; that wasn’t enough to keep Terra Ryzing in World Championship Wrestling.
“Triple H. He was just starting out. He was good. But there’s nobody that’s going to be honest about it that could go back and look at Triple H in 1993 and go ‘Oh, he’s gonna be a star.’ He married the boss’s daughter. It is what it is folks. This isn’t gonna do me any good. I think Paul Levesque, Triple H, he’s a student. He really is a student of the game. He is a great performer. But he’s never been a Rock.”
“He’s never been an Austin. He’s never been a Cena. He’s been a great utility player at a certain level. He’s been around forever but he’s never been a superstar. In 1993 I don’t believe anybody that’s really being honest can say ‘Yeah, when I saw him in 1993, I knew he was going to be a big star.’ He just worked hard. He studied. He did the right things.”
“He doesn’t drink. He doesn’t do drugs. He just studies professional wrestling. He worked his way up to a point where he was able to break through because he was so consistent. He was so good and so consistent, but he was never great.”
Eric Bsichoff’s Role in the Monday Night Wars
The Monday Night Wars was a competition between WWE and WCW, primarily led by Vince McMahon and Eric Bischoff, respectively. WWE’s Monday Night Raw and WCW’s Monday Nitro went head-to-head, battling for television ratings. Ted Turner, the owner of WCW, provided financial backing and support for Bischoff’s strategies, aiming to dethrone McMahon’s WWE.
Eric Bischoff, the mastermind behind WCW’s surge, implemented the strategy of giving away spoilers and live results to entice viewers to watch his show instead of WWE’s. This led to 83 weeks of domination for WCW, even though WWE was working hard to cultivate new stars on their own show, some that Eric Bischoff had fired along the way.
Vince McMahon responded by introducing edgier content, including the infamous Attitude Era, which featured stars like Stone Cold Steve Austin, Mick Foley’s Mankind character, and Triple H.
The Monday Night Wars eventually came to an end when Vince McMahon bought his competition. Eric Bischoff had a deal worked up to purchase WCW before that, but it did not come with any television deal attached.
WWE, on the other hand, went on to book their Invasion storyline with whatever WCW talent they could bring in who weren’t under huge contracts with Ted Turner to sit at home and collect paychecks.
WWE kicked off 2024 with a huge episode of RAW, and fans did not know what to expect. They received two action-packed title matches, and The Rock’s return. Those within the company also had a meeting prior to the whole event starting in San Diego.
WWE’s Meeting Before Day 1 RAW
PW Insider reported that Paul Levesque and Nick Khan held a talent meeting before the January 1st episode of WWE RAW. This was said to be a positive meeting with good vibes.
We haven’t heard much yet other than it was a short, positive meeting.
It was further reported that, “One source relayed it was a ‘great meeting’ that focused on rallying the troops. It was just much a ‘rah rah’ meeting to thank them for everything they’ve done and will do for the company.”
WWE is heading into a new year, and they had a blockbuster 2023 behind them. The company is also going to see some shifting internally, because long-time WWE Executive Producer Kevin Dunn is no longer a part of the picture.
Kevin Dunn concluded his three-decade tenure with the company, steadfast in his decision not to conform to imposed directives, so he is retiring instead. Kevin Dunn remained committed to his hands-on approach to overseeing production, even though there was reportedly a push for him to stay.
2023 proved to be the biggest, most significant year in the history of WWE, according to the promotion’s Head of Talent & Creative Triple H.
Taking to Twitter, the Game shared his hot take on the year that was, calling it “the biggest year in WWE history. EVER.” Triple H shared a graphic with some notable accomplishments by the company in 2023. The Game added that none of it would be possible without the WWE staff, crew, Superstars and fans, and was excited for what 2024 brings.
WWE ended 2023 on a high by hosting a record-breaking Holiday Tour, as touted by Head of Talent & Creative Triple H.
The eight-night tour kicked off on December 26 with WWE’s annual event from Madison Square Garden in New York City. That same night, WWE would host an event in Baltimore, Maryland. WWE would also host events in Boston, Montreal, State College, Detroit, Houston, Toronto, and Las Vegas before ending the tour at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles.
Taking to Twitter, Triple H shared more impressive news about the recent Holiday Tour. The 14-time WWE World Champion revealed that the eight-show tour had four sell-out events. Eight of the total ten events on the tour proved to be record-breaking gates for wrestling shows in their respective arenas.
In addition to #WWEMSG becoming the highest-grossing domestic non-televised WWE live event of all time, @WWE’s Holiday Tour broke records in markets across North America.
With this highly successful tour in the history books, WWE’s attention turns to what will be a stacked week of programming. Tonight’s Raw will be a ‘Day 1’ special edition of the red brand, followed by NXT New Year’s Evil the following night. On Friday, WWE will host their ‘New Year’s Revolution’ edition of SmackDown. From there, WWE will host the Royal Rumble on January 27. The promotion will head to Perth, Australia for their Elimination Chamber event in February, before WrestleMania 40 in April.
What resolutions do the WWE Superstars have for the New Year? Click here to find out.
RVD made a name for himself thanks to his innovative move set, and one of a kind attitude. At 53-years-old, Rob Van Dam is still able to perform in the ring, but WWE isn’t calling him.
RVD’s Status With WWE
The WWE Hall of Famer stands out as one of the most skilled competitors to grace the squared circle. He can still get fans to chant his name to this day, and he can still execute every one of his signature moves.
Over the course of RVD’s career, he has clashed with numerous top-tier opponents, including the likes of Triple H. However, RVD believes that a lack of communication with Triple H is a significant barrier preventing his return to WWE.
RVD saw an appearance on WWE television was during the 2023 Draft, but there have been no further developments since then. He has since made it very clear that he’s down to appear for WWE, in pretty much any way they want to use him.
During a discussion on Marty Jannetty’s “Party with Marty” podcast, RVD revealed that he never had a substantial relationship with Triple H, and that is likely why The Game didn’t call him for a comeback.
“No… I never really talk to Hunter. If I had that relationship with him where we talked, then maybe I would be there. I’m assuming that’s a big reason why I’m not there… Everyone can see I’m still in f*cking better shape than ever. I can work with a motherf*cker. If you ask me why I’m not there, I’d probably say relationships with the office but I don’t know.”
RVD’s journey in the wrestling world includes a successful stint in ECW before signing with WWE in 2001. He spent six years as an active wrestler in WWE, securing numerous championships, including the WWE and ECW Championships. Despite leaving WWE in 2007, RVD made a brief return in 2013 before departing again in 2014.
Although RVD appeared for AEW, he never inked a deal with Tony Khan. Those per appearance deals were definitely a sign that the Whole F’n Show is down to appear whenever he’s called.
In his current role as Chief Content Officer, Triple H holds a key position in WWE, making crucial decisions for the company. He worked for years to climb up WWE’s corporate ladder, and that paid off.
Although Triple H and RVD are in different places in the pro wrestling world, they are still pro wrestlers at heart. WWE fans can only hope that The King of Kings gives RVD a call down the road.
Triple H and William Regal have a long history with each other, which is what made Regal’s decision to leave AEW for WWE so much easier. Tony Khan let Regal go, but it came with a catch, because he wasn’t allowed to appear on WWE television for a year. That time period is almost over.
William Regal’s Departure From AEW
William Regal transitioned from leading the Blackpool Combat Club in AEW to an executive role at WWE. This change happened after gained significant influence in WWE. Vince McMahon made the call to release Regal, but Triple H brought him back several months later. This shift allowed Regal to return to WWE, but he didn’t immediately appear on television.
William Regal’s Current Position In WWE
Currently, William Regal serves as the Vice President of Global Talent Development at WWE. However, a one-year clause was established when he departed from AEW, preventing him from making appearances on WWE television. This is the reason behind his absence in announcing WarGames, despite his new position.
WWE signing William Regal’s son, Charlie Dempsey, to an NXT contract gave him even more of a reason to make a return to the company.
As the one-year clause for William Regal nears its end, fans can possibly expect a potential return to television. That being said, there are no real plans in motion at this point.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter indicated that there are currently no known plans for Regal to make a televised appearance.
Regal’s non-compete as far as appearing on television is just about over. At the time Regal left he said that he wasn’t going to be appearing on television. He hasn’t worked for NXT, and they have Michaels as an authority figure, who while not as good at the job as Regal, is a far bigger name. They just hired Aldis for that role on SmackDown, and wouldn’t have done so if they planned to put Regal in that spot. I could see a cameo but as far as a regular TV role, it would have to be as an authority figure or manager
William Regal’s Future In WWE
William Regal could take on an authority figure role in NXT once more, a position he held before his last departure from WWE. It seems that WWE doesn’t need anyone to play that part on the main roster at this point.
Possible options can now be considered, as William Regal’s non-appearance clause is set to expire in a few days. At least we know he will be around next year to announce WarGames, even if that is his only on-screen role, it will be a memorable one.
The WWE Hall of Fame is a yearly ceremony that gives the company a chance to honor those who have contributed substantially to the pro wrestling business. The 2024 ceremony will be very different, because it is the first year that Triple H is in control of the operation.
Looking At The 2024 WWE Hall of Fame
A notable shift occurred in WWE this year. Triple H is the Chief Content Officer, and Vince McMahon was removed from his previous position of influence. Now, the WWE Hall of Fame is under Triple H’s control.
With Triple H taking the helm instead of the longstanding influence of Vince McMahon, things could really change. As of this writing, no inductee for the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame has been announced.
The Wrestling Observer Newsletter noted that, although the fundamental criteria for induction are expected to remain consistent, the transition to Triple H’s leadership suggests potential nuances in the selection process.
“Regarding the Hall of Fame, this year will fall under Levesque for the first time instead of McMahon. It’s likely still the same basic rules regarding women, minorities and characters that the audience would know and those who make sense politically for a variety of reasons. I think Levesque may be a little more open to certain types since he was a fan of more than just WWE but once WWE owned the tape libraries a lot of that stigma was gone. I was told that, for example, if there is a political reason to put someone in that Nick Khan would want, that would be a factor but the Hall of Fame is under creative and that’s Levesque’s department and he’d in theory sign off on everyone.”
The 2024 WWE Hall of Fame May Be Different
The possibility of political factors influencing candidate selection was raised, especially if Nick Khan supports a particular individual. However, it was emphasized that the Hall of Fame is primarily within the creative realm, and decisions ultimately rest in the hands of Triple H.
This change in leadership dynamics may signal subtle alterations in the approach to future Hall of Fame inductees. Then again, we have no idea which direction Triple H will take the yearly ceremony.
There are many perspective inductees for the 2024 Class of the WWE Hall of Fame. It will be very interesting to see who Triple H picks, because it will be the start of a new era for WWE’s hall of heroes.
WWE signed a long list of talent after Triple H took over the creative reins of the company. While some of them returned with great fanfare, one pair of signings haven’t been seen yet, but things are expected to change for AOP soon enough.
WWE’s Plan For AOP’s Return
Sean Ross Sapp reported on Fightful Select that word is that AOP is making their return to WWE television sooner than later. It was also specifically noted that their home is expected to be on the SmackDown brand.
Fightful Select has learned that the Authors of Pain aka AOP are planned for a return to WWE TV soon. Specifically, we’re told that the working plan for them as of now is for them to appear on the Smackdown brand, though that could always change.
Akam and Rezar were spotted at the WWE Performance Center in August 2022 as well. Hopefully, fans will see them again soon.
The report from Sean Ross Sapp also confirmed that, “Paul Ellering has been expected to join the two, which had long been an important factor to them.”
Insight Into AOP’s WWE Return
I was told that AOP was signed in late 2022, but they never debuted. I was also able to confirm reports about Paul Ellering’s involvement a long time ago. He was also involved in talks to bring them back.
There have been rumors about their on-screen return for a while now. It wouldn’t be a big surprise to see them return as a big surprise to create the biggest moment possible.
AOP burst onto the WWE scene with an impactful debut in 2016. Hailing from the world of mixed martial arts, they quickly made a name for themselves with their powerful and dominating presence in the ring. They were also a favorite of Triple H’s NXT during their time, and now Triple H will apparently get a chance to book them on the main roster.
Mercedes Mone has fans eagerly awaiting word on her next move in the world of pro wrestling.
The WWE Superstars formerly known as Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out of the company together in May 2022, relinquishing their WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles in a defiant display aimed at Vince McMahon’s booking. They have both landed in other companies after that, and Trinity is now locked into a TNA Wrestling deal. That being said, Mercedes Mone’s contract status is a much more shrouded situation.
Triple H was asked by Ariel Helwani a few months ago if Sasha Banks’ return to WWE is a possibility. His response was, “Time will tell,” which left a lot to be interpreted, especially through his bearded grin.
Fans are still waiting for an official update about Mercedes Mone’s NJPW contract status. She was once thought to be a slam dunk for Tony Khan, as she showed up at AEW All In London. She remained seated during that brief appearance at Wembley Stadium, because she was still in a walking boot. That ankle injury was real, and she is just now approaching the end of that injury hiatus.
As the 2024 Royal Rumble looms closer on January 27th, some fans are hoping to see Sasha Banks make a return to WWE. With Triple H in control, anything is possible. During a recent episode of Keeping it 100, Konnan shared his view that ‘all roads lead back to WWE’ – especially for someone like ‘Sasha Banks’ – who achieved megastardom in WWE and then branched out in Hollywood.
“She’s a big megastar, looks professional, has worked on ‘The Mandalorian,’ … she’s from their system. I said this a couple of months ago, and I’m going to repeat it again — everybody comes back to WWE.”
Bayley also admitted that she “begs” Mercedes Mone every chance she can to make a WWE return. She also posted a photo of Mercedes alongside some Damage CTRL members recently, just to stir the pot even more.
Mercedes Mone Update (Exclusive)
I have spoken to sources within WWE who have confirmed to me on three separate occasions over the past 30 days that there are no contract talks between Mercedes Mone and WWE. The creative team is also not discussing any ideas for her return to the company. That being said, this is a much different time, especially how information flows within WWE.
I was told by a tenured member of the WWE team on December 12th that, “Sasha Banks’ name will only come up when there’s a deal.” Per one source, “There’s no deal, or no deal yet.”
CM Punk’s return during the closing moments of the 2023 Survivor Series premium live event in Chicago meant a lot more than a massive pop in the Allstate Arena. It also signified that anything is really possible in WWE right now, as Triple H has obviously thrown away the old way doing a lot of things.
CM Punk’s Road Back To WWE
In April 2023, CM Punk showed up to visit with people backstage during a WWE RAW in Chicago, but Vince McMahon had him removed. Punk was also under AEW contract at the time, but no report surfaced saying that had anything to do with the reason why Mr. McMahon didn’t want Punk around.
Triple H admitted in the press conference after Survivor Series that CM Punk’s deal came together after everyone already thought it was too late to work something out. I spoke to sources in the company during that time, and they confirmed time and time again that there were no talks, and the WWE creative team knew nothing.
CM Punk made his return to WWE, as a huge shock to the creative team as well. It’s anyone’s guess how WWE will play their hand with a possible Sasha Banks return, but it’s possible that we have another situation where only Nick Khan and Triple H are aware of the surprise before the big moment.
Punk’s return shows the door is wide open for Sasha Banks (or Mercedes Mone) to walk right through. This is also perfect timing for the Royal Rumble, an event that is always sure to include a surprise or two.
Keep checking back with us here at SE Scoops for more updates.
AEW star Mark Briscoe recently apologized for calling out WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H following WWE’s attention-grabbing Tweet which dropped a reference to his late brother.
Mark Briscoe recently tweeted about how Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits were referred to as “DEM BOYZ!” by the official WWE account on FOX. Mark and his late brother Jay Briscoe were regarded as “Dem Boys” for years and Mark made his displeasure known.
The tag-team legend became enraged and tagged Triple H, telling him that the person who created the post should be fired for lacking knowledge and fired for lack of reverence. He wrote:
“For real?? This s*** is hilarious. @TripleH , whoever runs this twitter should probably be fired for lack of knowledge. Or they need the taste slapped out of their mouth for lack of reverence.”
For real?? This shit is hilarious. @TripleH, whoever runs this twitter should probably be fired for lack of knowledge. Or they need the taste slapped out of their mouth for lack of reverence https://t.co/lQupDA91Ds
The Tweet started to get a lot of attention from the fans and wrestlers on social media. Eventually, Mark Briscoe tagged Triple H yet again. In the follow-up tweet, Briscoe apologized for his earlier Tweet and said he misses his brother and got carried away in feelings. He wrote:
“Oh yea, thatsss why I quit posting on Twitter lol. Just logged back on…woww. Some of y’all are wild lol. I just miss my brother, that’s all, and I got a little in my feelings when I seen the Fox post. @tripleh, you ain’t gotta fire nobody, times is tough. Love y’all..take it light people #DemBoysForever.”
Oh yea, thatsss why I quit posting on Twitter lol. Just logged back on…woww. Some of y’all are wild lol. I just miss my brother, that’s all, and I got a little in my feelings when I seen the Fox post. @tripleh, you ain’t gotta fire nobody, times is tough. Love y’all..take it…
Mark Briscoe’s brother Jay Briscoe passed away in a tragic car accident earlier this year. Jay was only 38 years old at the time of his death and the whole pro wrestling community paid tribute to the star. The Briscoe Brothers will go down as one of the most successful tag teams in pro wrestling. In their last match, Dem Boyz defeated FTR at Final Battle last year and secured the ROH Tag Team Championship.
Meanwhile, Mark Briscoe is currently competing as a singles wrestler and participating in the inaugural AEW Continental Classic tournament where he has yet to score points.
The annual SXSW Festival is underway in Austin, TX. While many people think of music and movies when they think of SXSW, they also have panels focusing on a variety of media.
Today, WWE will host a panel hosted by Sportico. “Reigniting Fan Engagement at Live Events” is being moderated by Sara Fischer of Axios. WWE COO Paul “Triple H” Levesque will be joined on the panel by Rhea Ripley, Kofi Kingston, and Undertaker.
WWE topic at SXSW
According to the SXSW website, the panel description is:
“The importance of community and human connection was more prevalent than ever when WWE returned with its biggest event of the year, WrestleMania, in April 2021. This historic event featured the first Black female Superstars to main event WrestleMania, celebrity appearances, live music performances and the unveiling of WWE’s new signature, “Then. Now. Forever. Together.” to recognize and celebrate WWE fans, our community and the message of inclusivity.This coming April, WWE will host WrestleMania 39 at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles where the WWE Universe will come together for another monumental event. WWE’s Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque along with WWE Superstars will discuss the road to WrestleMania, the importance of the WWE Universe and how this community has evolved.”
Triple H is doing a great job in the role of WWE Chief Content Officer since taking over the position last year. Fans have certainly loved his work and are eager as to what ‘The Game’ has in store for them.
While the card for this year’s WrestleMania 39 event is all stacked up, Triple H is reportedly chalking out plans for WrestleMania 40. The show is set to take place in Philadelphia, and The WWE Executive already appears to have big plans for the event.
“Next year they’re going to pack and stack the hell out of the card, because of the anniversary. It means something to Triple H.”
In addition to this, WrestleVotes noted that the ‘door is open’ for two major names to work next year’s event who rejected appearing at this year’s show.
These names include The Rock, who told WWE he wouldn’t be able to get in ring shape for a match with Roman Reigns in time for the show, and WWE Hall of Famer ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin. The Texas Rattlesnake had also rejected numerous pitches for this year’s event, including matches with Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns.
The show is over a year away and it is quite certain that several changes in plans will occur. It is needless to say that the company will try to make the most of this one year, once WrestleMania 39 goes into the history books.
Following the report that WWE is planning to hold two PLEs in the month of May, the location of one of them has been revealed to be Saudi Arabia, and that’s the King and Queen of the Ring.
As previously noted, WWE is planning to present Backlash on Saturday, May 6, an event that dates back to 1999, in addition to bringing back King of the Ring under the King and Queen of the Ring name on Saturday, May 27.
WWE hasn’t used the tournament theme as a pay-per-view event since 2002.
The Location
PWInsider Elite reports that WWE’s 2023 King and Queen of the Ring premium live event is slated to be in Saudi Arabia. WWE has yet to confirm either of these events, but WWE does have a 10-year deal with the Saudi Arabia government that calls for them to hold two PLE events each year in the country. The other 2023 event will take place later this year, likely in October or November.
This will be the second time that Saudi Arabia hosted the King and Queen of the Ring tournaments, as WWE previously held the tournaments in 2021 with them taking place at Crown Jewel.
The 2021 tournaments saw Xavier Woods be crowned King of the Ring after defeating Finn Balor and Zelina Vega defeat Doudrop to become Queen of the Ring, then known as the Queen’s Crown.
WWE fans hope that one day The Rock will return to the company. Now we know that his own family would like to see him make his comeback.
The Rock is one of the busiest celebrities in Hollywood. When he is not acting in a blockbuster film, he works on projects like running the XFL. However, it hasn’t stopped wrestling fans from wishing he’d work in WWE again.
For several months, people questioned if The Rock would be involved in WrestleMania 39 in April. WWE would’ve liked him to appear at WrestleMania if he could. Triple H has shared that the door is always open for him to return, but he couldn’t commit this year due to his availability. While fans want to see him compete again, his family also hopes to see The Rock back in wrestling.
In an interview with Insider, Tamina revealed that she and his entire family are looking forward to one day seeing him entertain wrestling again. Insider’s Alan Dawson transcribed the following quote.
“All of us, including his mama, want him to come back,” Tamina said. “I feel like everybody wants him to return,” said Tamina. She also added that The Rock could make his comeback and still be in his element as a performer.
Chances of The Rock Making A Return
(WWE)
Although The Rock isn’t able to participate in this year’s WrestleMania, Triple H has shared that there are no hard feelings. WWE has a relationship with him that they ask, but they aren’t pressuring the Hollywood star to say yes or no. It also seems WWE feels confident in its plan for WrestleMania 39 and is already looking forward to a successful event.
The WWE can contact him for next year’s 40th anniversary of WrestleMania, which will take place at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. According to IMDB, The Rock has two films in production, but their progress is unclear. While it’s not a high chance, his schedule could make his decision easier to make his long-awaited return to WWE.
In recent years, WWE has renamed it WrestleMania Backlash. For 2023, the WrestleMania branding is being dropped for the upcoming event, which is Mania’s follow-up show.
WWE is also bringing back King of the Ring under the King and Queen of the Ring name on Saturday, May 27. WWE hasn’t used the tournament theme as a pay-per-view event since 2002. Instead, they’ve used it on TV.
Competition
It should be noted that the event will fall on Memorial Day weekend. AEW has held its Double Or Nothing pay-per-view event on this weekend and it will do so again. AEW President Tony Khan recently stated that fans should expect to travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, during Memorial Day weekend to see the show live.
The tournament was originally held on a single night. In later years, WWE spread out the opening round matches on television and saved the semi-finals and finals for the night of the event.
It’s been said by countless people over the years that when you work in WWE whether that be talent or staff, you have to walk on eggshells to avoid getting any heat that will lead to you being put in the dog house or getting fired.
This has been the atmosphere for years due to Vince McMahon being in charge. Once Triple H took over creative and Stephanie McMahon was named co-CEO last summer, it was said that the atmosphere improved and things were looser backstage as it comes across as more of a family atmosphere than a corporate environment.
McMahon returned to WWE as the Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors last month with the intent of selling the company ahead of WWE’s media rights deal coming up.
The Mood
PWInsider‘s Mike Johnson reports that the mood backstage has begun to change as McMahon continues to work towards a sale and the uncertainty of what will happen should a sale go through has led to “waning morale.”
Johnson described things backstage as the eggshells starting to return and the “unbridled energy” is fading from where it started when Triple H and Stephanie McMahon took power.
Although he doesn’t hear this as much from wrestlers, it does come from those who work backstage at shows. While things are not as terrible as things once were, they know changes will come if a sale goes through.
If there’s been a difference in Triple H and Vince McMahon’s creative within WWE, Charlotte Flair hasn’t noticed it.
Flair recently took part in an interview with The Daytona Beach News Journal, and was asked about what differences she’s noticed since Triple H has taken over WWE creative for Vince McMahon.
“The Queen” noted that she hasn’t noticed much of a difference in all honesty, but mostly because she feels it’s more so up to her to make something work on-screen rather than the person coming up with the idea.
“I haven’t really noticed a difference because I feel, as a performer, that my job is just to make my boss happy. Whoever is in the seat is your boss,” Charlotte Flair said.
“Maybe if I was new, I would feel a difference, but I’m on more of the seasoned vet side. I don’t feel like there is as much maneuvering or trying to build a new character.”
(WWE)
McMahon was forced to step down from his position of head of WWE creative late last year in the midst of the sexual misconduct investigation against him. This left his son-in-law, Triple H, to step up and take over the creative helm.
Since, Triple H’s creative decisions have been hailed as being far more in-tune with the professional wrestling crowd than McMahon’s. Especially after a great Elimination Chamber event this past weekend from Montreal.
Now that McMahon is back with the company in an executive role, it remains to be seen if he ever eventually decides to return to run WWE’s creative process again.
Reports of Triple H being underwhelmed with recent signings have been greatly exaggerated, Fightful Select report.
In July 2022, the Game was appointed WWE’s Head of Talent Relations, replacing John Lauriniatis after his unceremonial dismissal from the promotion.
The Triple H era has seen multiple names be rehired to WWE, including Karrion Kross, Bray Wyatt, Johnny Gargano, Dakota Kai, and Hit Row, among others.
Underwhelmed?
In December 2022, a report came out stating that Triple H had been “underwhelmed” by some of the performances of some rehired talent.
That report stopped short of naming who had allegedly disappointed the former World Heavyweight Champion, leading to speculation among fans.
A source from WWE told Fightful that within WWE, reports of Triple H being disappointed have been downplayed.
That source added that even if Triple H had been underwhelmed by rehired talent, it would not be something that the Game said out loud.
Expectations and Depth
When a member of WWE’s creative team spoke to Fightful, they said that nobody who has been rehired was expected to immediately ascend to the top.
It was added that WWE’s plans on the road to WrestleMania had already been planned out during the rehiring frenzy of late 2022, so WWE is far from worried about returning names not standing out right now.
A different source familiar to the situation said that Triple H’s rehiring stars was about bringing “depth” to Raw and SmackDown, and the rehired talent were told as much.
The depth issue was one that was immediately brought up to creative when Triple H made it into power in July 2022, as the consensus was that Raw and SmackDown were largely the same shows each week.
One source pointed to the performances of Johnny Gargano and Bronson Reed at WWE Elimination Chamber, saying they were “showing their value when given an opportunity.”
Triple H may be one of the most influential names in WWE today, but the promotion’s Chief Content Officer would rather stay clear of talks of a potential sale.
Last month, Vince McMahon made his shocking return to WWE after retiring in July 2022 over allegations of misconduct which resulted in millions of dollars paid out in NDAs.
McMahon has returned to oversee a sale of the promotion, with names including Saudi Arabia, Amazon, Endeavor, and Tony Khan being listed as interested names.
Staying Out of It
The sale of WWE would be the biggest thing to happen to the promotion ever, but it is hardly the focus of Head of Talent/Head of Creative Triple H.
Speaking at the WWE Elimination Chamber post-show press conference, the Game said his concern is on producing quality programming and giving talent opportunities to shine.
“Depends on who is buying, I suppose. What the offer is, what the outcome is. Stay out of it, to me. That’s not a cop-out answer. I have the greatest gig in the world. I helped tonight, in some small way, create the magic we did here tonight. To me, it’s the best gig on the planet.
“As long we get to do this, as long as we get to create the way we get to create it, as long as we get to do our jobs and we get to go out there and put our passion on display, as long as our talent are allowed to put their passion on display and do what we do, I’m good. It is what it is.”
Triple H.
WWE CEO Nick Khan has previously said he expects a sale to be complete within the next three months.
Vince McMahon, Executive Chairman of WWE, is reportedly seeking $9 billion for the company, above the initially projected sale price of between $7.5 to $8.2 billion.
There are many aspects that make Cody Rhodes’ journey back to WWE very unique. One such aspect is his relationship with Triple H. He took some serious shots at the WWE Executive during the initial days of AEW, only to now find himself working under the guidance of The Game after his return.
The American Nightmare was asked about his relationship with the Chief Content Officer during an interview with Ariel Helwani. Rhodes claimed that the relationship has been great because neither of them are trying to force a friendship:
“So far? A plus. In terms of not, I hope this isn’t too divulgent, nothing has been forced. I’m not trying to force my ideas or a friendship. He’s not trying [either]. Everything he has said to me, or we’ve talked about has been very deliberate. Very much I get the sense [that] he’s expecting me to hit a home run every time. [I’m like] ‘Okay,’ I have had great education and great experience. I want to go out there and do that every time.”
‘It’s Been A Very Good Relationship’: Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes said that he expects struggles in the future but his relationship with Triple H so far has been good. Addressing his time in AEW, the former TNT champion explained that his actions were aimed at lifting the whole industry up:
“We’ve yet to really hit a road bump. They’re gonna come. I keep using different sports analogies, but we’re gonna fumble the ball. We’re gonna have these moments. They’re gonna come but right now, it’s been a very good relationship. Because it’s not performative. Right, it’s you call the play, and I’m gonna go out there and try to do the damn thing.
I’ve really enjoyed that because I don’t think there was necessarily bad blood. But that was a contentious thing on Wednesdays in a way for a while. If anything, I hope he would look at that and respect the hustle. I don’t think I’ve ever said respect the hustle. Respect what I was out there trying to do. Cause what I was out there trying to do then was for everybody.”
You can check out Cody Rhodes’ full interview below:
Two WWE Superstars are to be referred to as some of the “all-time greats” in an edict from WWE’s Head of Creative and Head of Talent Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque.
The Game entered both roles in July 2022, replacing his father-in-law Vince McMahon in Creative, and WWE veteran John Lauriniatis in the Talent Relations department.
Triple H’s work thus far has been widely praised by fans, who have appreciated the rehiring of big names and talent being given more opportunities to showcase their characters.
All-Time Greats
WWE’s current roster is home to legends in the making, but two names have already reached the status of being ‘all-time greats.’
In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, it is reported that Becky Lynch and Bayley will be referred to by the monikers going forward.
The Man and the Role Model have been feuding ever since the Raw after Summerslam 2022, when Damage CTRL attacked Lynch.
Returning to in-ring competition at Survivor Series: WarGames, the pair have continued feuding for months.
After Bayley and Damage CTRL once again got the upper hand at Raw is 30, Lynch bested her nemesis in a Steel Cage match this week, with an assist by the returning Lita.
Great Careers
Though some may find the label as ‘all-time great’ a tad premature for talent still wrestling today, Bayley and Lynch have some impressive claims to the moniker.
Lynch is a six-time Women’s Champion (two Raw, four SmackDown,) the winner of the 2019 Women’s Rumble match, and won the first-ever Women’s main event at WrestleMania.
Bayley is a four-time Women’s Champion (one Raw, one NXT, two SmackDown,) a two-time WWE Women’s Tag Champion, a Miss Money in the Bank winner, and was the first-ever WWE Women’s Triple Crown winner and WWE Women’s Grand Slam.
Cody Rhodes has offered his thoughts on WWE’s creative control transferring from Vince McMahon to Triple H.
Rhodes recently took part in an interview with Alex McCarthy of Daily Mail and was asked about the transition of creative power going from McMahon to Triple H.
The 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble winner was out of action (pectoral injury) from June 2022 through January 2023. A lot happened in WWE during that time, to say the least. Most notably – the exit and return of Vince McMahon. Vince is back as Executive Chairman of WWE’s Board of Directors, but Triple H is very much in control of day-to-day operations.
Rhodes says both Vince McMahon and Triple H were in touch during his hiatus. He acknowledged they each have very different visions for WWE. At the end of the day, he’s focused on being the best WWE Superstar he can be.
“At the time when the transition happened, I wasn’t even close to coming back and I was communicated with every step of the way,” he said. “I was communicated with by Vince and by Triple H. That was very nice. I was never left in the dark on anything and obviously, these are different visions, they change.
“My transaction needs to be simple. I don’t need to be caught up in whatever is happening behind the scenes. Those stories can be fun but I need my story on the screen to be the more important story. For that to happen I need to be at the very best. Best as a superstar, best as a wrestler because then the other stuff will come.”
– Cody Rhodes
Rhodes to WrestleMania
Cody Rhodes returned to WWE in April of last year as Seth Rollins’ surprise opponent at WrestleMania 38. After a tremendous rivalry with Rollins, Rhodes was forced to be sidelined for most of the year with a pectoral injury.
Upon making his in-ring return at the Royal Rumble last month, winning the match, Rhodes has now punched his ticket to WrestleMania, where he will challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE World Heavyweight Title.
Former WWE superstar Dave Bautista believes the WWE is in good hands with Triple H running creative.
Bautista retired from wrestling after his last match against Triple H at WrestleMania 35 on April 7, 2019. It doesn’t seem that he has any intention of making a comeback in wrestling. Bautista has become a successful movie star, with his featured film A Knock at the Cabin coming out on Feb. 3.
via Bleacher Report
Although Bautista is not watching WWE regularly, he knows that his mentor Triple H is running creative as the Chief Content Officer. In promoting his upcoming movie, he spoke with Comicbook’s Brandon Davis. In the interview, he praised Triple H for running WWE creative and said he was the best person for the job.
“I think this is the best thing for the company. It really is,” said Bautista. He continued, “It’s a personal thing with me because I know Triple H. I know how well he knows this business. I know how much he loves this business. As far as this business goes, he’s the smartest guy I’ve ever met in my life. He made me who I was. He was responsible for my career. I’ve never been ashamed to say that.”(h/t Comicbook’s Liam Crowley)
Bautista added, “I think he is so dedicated to this product and wants the best for it. I think he’s absolutely the right person. I’ve never met anyone else who thinks the way he does, as far as wrestling goes.”
WWE’s Recent Success With The 2023 Royal Rumble
WWE is having great success on its road to WrestleMania 39. The company just had its annual Royal Rumble event on Jan. 28, which generated excellent revenue. WWE released a statement on Jan. 30 that this year’s event was the most viewed and highest-grossing Royal Rumble in history.
“The event set a new all-time gate record at more than $7.7 million, far surpassing the previous Royal Rumble high in 2017 by more than 50 percent. Viewership of the event saw a 52 percent increase versus the previous record set in 2022,” said WWE.
It’s hard to deny that since Triple H has taken control as Chief Content Officer, WWE has thrived. WrestleMania 39 will be a two-night event on April 1 and 2 at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. As of now, Ticketmaster has both nights close to selling out. A complete sellout for both nights of WrestleMania 39 would be another significant achievement Triple H and WWE could tout if it happens.
WWE superstar Cody Rhodes wants fans to know he is sorry for his injury from last year.
Rhodes shocked wrestling fans when he wrestled injured against Seth Rollins at Hell in a Cell on June 5, 2022. He hurt himself while lifting weights, resulting in a torn pectoral muscle. Despite the injury, Rhodes competed in a Hell in a Cell match and defeated Rollins.
While fans have praised Rhodes’s effort in the match, he wants his supporters to know he is sorry for the injury. In the post-royal rumble press conference on Jan. 28, Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp asked Rhodes about the injury, and the WWE superstar apologized for getting hurt.
“…I do want people to know I’m really sorry. I’ve never been hurt; I felt genuinely bulletproof. I’m very sorry that I got hurt, and it happens right, but I’m just glad that I had the chance to go out. …Once a doctor says it can’t get hurt any worse, then I have to be out there. Chicago means so much to me, and I’m myself on the chair, and I’m so embarrassed and defeated. Half my body is no longer functioning. I know that match registers with people and I really appreciate it. It doesn’t register with me, because that’s what I’m supposed to do.”
-Cody Rhodes
Cody Rhodes and Triple H
Triple H Praises Cody Rhodes’s Return From Injury
Although Rhodes is apologetic about his pectoral injury, Chief Control Officer Triple H has praised Rhodes for his return and how he dealt with the injury. After Rhodes, the press conference, Triple H credited the WWE superstar’s dedication.
“…Going through what he did for all of us, for this industry, for himself, I know what’s the like. I’ve been in that spot. Unfortunately, a few different times, and I can admire what goes in with that, and for him to turn that around and come back tonight and do what he did is amazing in it of itself,” said Triple H. He also added that Rhodes is a special talent and human being.
