WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H doesn’t believe The Rock will be at WrestleMania 39 in April.
The spectacular event will be a two-night show held at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, on April 1 and 2. Wrestling fans were excited over the speculation that The Rock could be competing at this year’s WrestleMania. He has become a dream opponent to challenge the current Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, Roman Reigns.
With the event in California, fans were ready to see “The Great One” return to WWE. However, it doesn’t seem like that will happen this year. In a press conference after the Royal Rumble, TV Insider Scott Fishman asked Triple H about The Rock’s involvement at WrestleMania 39. The Chief Content Officer revealed that the superstar isn’t available.
“…I know for him, and I know his family, his background, and everything, there is a part of him that if he could be here for this WrestleMania in Hollywood, he would turn over every stone and walk through fire to be able to do it if he could. I just don’t think it is in the cards, but then again, you don’t know,” said Triple H.
He added The Rock is always in talks about a return, and he could come back when he wants. Triple H also said, “…I think that respect factor works both ways that he wouldn’t want to do it unless he could absolutely do it. There is no way he would half-ass it. There’s no way he would show up here and not come in and want to put every single thing he had into it.”
What’s Next For Roman Reigns?
Wrestling fans may be unable to see The Rock challenge Reigns at WrestleMania 39.
However, they will get a chance to see Cody Rhodes challenge the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at “WrestleMania Hollywood.” Rhodes earned his opportunity by winning the Royal Rumble match on Jan. 28. It’s unclear if the Royal Rumble winner will challenge for both titles or just the WWE Championship. Rhodes has spoken in the past about wanting to be the WWE Champion, which his father wasn’t able to do.
Reigns also have unfinished business with Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn. He defeated Owens at this year’s Royal Rumble event but gave him an extra beat down after the match. When Reigns asked Zayn to attack Owens, Zayn refused and the champion in his back with a chair. Zayn’s actions led to The Bloodline beating him up to the event. It’s possible WWE could have Owens and Zayn try to get their revenge on the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
Although The Rock will not be involved in this year’s WrestleMania event, WWE seems to have exciting plans in store for its fans.
“Sometimes when people look at the Royal Rumble, they just look at the winner. I tend to look at who has the moments that are most spectacular. That’s what our business really a lot of the time is. It’s about those big moments. That moment that catapult’s you to another moment that raises you up to another even bigger moment.”
“There were a lot of people who had moments tonight. Logan Paul and Ricochet. It’s one of the craziest things I’ve ever seen. Cody with the win. But GUNTHER, going in there at number one, with Sheamus which is tough enough because you know you’re going to take a beating.”
“To have the performance that he did, all through that hour [was incredible.] There was never a moment in that Rumble match I feel where you lost GUNTHER. Where he just blended into the background. He stood out the whole thing. He’s a star. He is an incredible talent.”
“He stood out the whole thing. He’s a star. He is an incredible talent.”
Triple H.
“It’s funny how many talents come to me when they walk through that curtain after they work with him, whether it’s briefly or whether it’s a long match, and walk through that curtain and say ‘oh my God. He’s incredible.’ He’s a special talent and he had a big night tonight and I’m excited to see where he can take that. If each moment leads to another, I’m excited to see where he takes it next.”
Triple H thinks highly of Austin Theory, just like his father-in-law, Vince McMahon, now that he has seen what the young star can do on the WWE main roster.
Theory’s first run on the main roster didn’t go as anyone wanted it to and he was sent back to NXT where he was paired with Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae, and Indi Heartwell, where he got over with the fans.
It was reported that when Vince McMahon was still overseeing main roster creative, he thought Theory had the potential to be the next coming of John Cena. Theory even looked up to Cena while growing up as a child and wants to work a match with him.
Triple H on Theory
Triple H commented on Theory’s potential as a top WWE star while speaking to ESPN.
“It’s a nuanced feeling… once you see this guy’s a great athlete, I’m looking for their personality, their charisma,” Triple H said. “Austin Theory has it, and then some. Do I think he has all the potential to be one of the biggest stars in the business? Absolutely. What determines that? A lot of that is up to him now. You give him little bits of things here and there and he’s improving his game and he’s smart. He listens to the crowd, he listens to the people. He sees all the stuff that’s going on, and he adapts his game on a regular basis.”
Theory, who retained his US Title over Bobby Lashley in the main event of WWE Raw 30, has not officially declared for the WWE Royal Rumble.
Over the last year, WWE has expanded their approach talent recruitment to target a new group of people — college athletes.
In December 2021, the company unveiled their NIL (Name, Image & Likeness) program, opening up a route for collegiate athletics to enter WWE. According to Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque the system will properly “ready the NCAA competitors for WWE once their collegiate careers come to a close.”
15 college athletes officially joined the inaugural class, including track & field athlete Masai Russell. Hailing from Potomac, Maryland, Russell competes out of the University of Kentucky, with some impressive accolades to her name.
In high school, Russell claimed the top ranking in the 300m hurdles, and proved herself as the Gatorade Athlete of the Year in Maryland in 2018. At the 2018 Pan American Junior Games, she also claimed a bronze medal in the 400m hurdles. Now, Russell has unlocked a new achievement.
Record-Breaking Performance
On Friday, January 20, Masai Russell competed at the TTU Red Raider Open. There, she made it to the finals of the Women’s 60m hurdles event, and effectively swept away her opponents.
Clocking in at a time of 7.75 seconds, Russell surpassed Grace Starks 7.78 time to take over the all-time NCAA record.
In response to her impressive feat, Triple H congratulated the NIL athlete via Twitter.
“Congratulations to #WWENIL athlete @masai_russell on setting a new @NCAA record in the 60m hurdles! An incredible achievement with undoubtedly more to come…” he wrote.
Last fall, WWE introduced a new recruiting tactic: “WWE Campus Rush.”
Throughout October, November, and December 2022, the company explored multiple college campuses as a part of an athlete recruitment tour. Several current WWE Superstars aided in the “campus rush,” including Big E, Bianca Belair, Omos, Madcap Moss and Raquel Rodriguez. Now in 2023, the tour will continue with stops in the University of Florida, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Texas A&M University, and more as WWE looks for the next generation of WWE Superstars.
WWE has lost another employee this month as the Vice President of Communication departs the company
The company is off to a rough start to the year. It began with the unexpected return of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon after retiring last year. His comeback led to uncertainty for the company’s future, as WWE might be sold. As a result of McMahon’s return led to the departure of WWE Board of Director members JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R. Speed, Alan M. Wexler, Man Jit Singh, and Ignace Lahoud.
One of the significant departures from the company was former Co-CEO and daughter to the WWE Chairman, Stephanie McMahon. She resigned from her role with the company after taking over with current CEO Nick Khan after Vince’s retirement. While WWE fans may have hoped that would be the end of employees leaving the company, it’s now reported not to be the case.
Fightful Select reports that WWE’s VP of Communications, Adam Hopkins, has left the company. Hopkins has worked for WWE for over 25 years, from Fan Service Coordinator to his last role as VP of Communication. It’s unclear if his departure is a resignation or if he was fired.
On Jan. 13, it was reported that Triple H met with talent before Smackdown to reassure them that he is still the Chief Content Officer and that McMahon’s return would not affect WWE creative or talent relations. He also acknowledged that McMahon’s stance could change.
It’s unclear what the future holds for WWE. However, the departure of employees is not a good sign to help concerned fans.
Days after holding a talent meeting with the blue brand at Friday’s WWE SmackDown, Triple H held another talent meeting, this time with the red brand at Monday’s WWE Raw.
Bryan Alvarez posted to his Super Followers that staff and talent met with company management in Cincinnati, Ohio, ahead of the show. Also, Fightful Select provided some details on the meeting. They noted it was led by Triple H, Kevin Dunn, and Dan Ventrelle, who was hired as WWE’s executive vice president of talent in September.
The Details
It was said today’s meeting addressed many of the same points discussed with SmackDown talent on Friday. Triple H once again reiterated that he is still the company’s Chief Content Officer and that Vince McMahon’s return as Chairman of the WWE Board Of Directors will not impact creative or talent relations.
Triple H also debunked last week’s rumors that the company had already been sold to the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.
Triple H told SmackDown talent last week that if the company is to be sold, the process will be a long one. He also noted that while discussing with Vince McMahon about creative, Vince always defers to him for the final say.
Last Tuesday, Stephanie McMahon announced she had resigned as the Chairwoman and co-CEO of the company.
WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H held a talent meeting backstage at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, ahead of the live SmackDown episode on Friday night.
Fightful Select reports that Triple H thanked the wrestlers for all they do and said he understood there was some concern. He told them that the role of new WWE Chairman Vince McMahon since returning to the company last week is to spearhead the search to see if they will sell the company and to whom they may sell.
As previously noted, WWE is looking to sell the company by the middle of this year, and several companies are interested in potentially buying WWE.
Not a Done Deal
Triple H also made an attempt to squash the story of the WWE sale being a “done deal” and said even if it happened, it would take a lot longer. This comes after the rumors about the Saudi Arabia Investment Fund buying the company, only for those rumors to be squashed.
Triple H reiterated that this would not affect the current WWE creative team or process. This calmed many of the talent’s concerns over the last week.
He kept it open by noting anything could change, but Vince defers the final creative say-so to Triple H. He noted that while he and his father-in-law may have discussions, Triple H makes the final call.
Former WWE CEO Stephanie McMahon and her husband, Chief Content Officer Triple H, opposed a potential WWE sell, according to Axios.
This year has begun with a major shakeup with the return of WWE Chairman Vince McMahon on Jan. 6. The chairman returned after retiring last year after allegations of misconduct from former WWE employees. However, McMahon’s return also has led to the possibility of WWE being up for sale.
While McMahon is exploring the possibility of selling the company, it doesn’t seem everyone is on board with the idea. Axios’s Tim Baysinger and Sara Fischer report that Stephanie and Triple H were against the idea of WWE potentially being up for sale.
Sources told Axios that Stephanie McMahon and her husband Paul “Triple H” Levesque, the company’s chief content officer and a retired professional wrestler, had opposed a sale.
While WWE employees and fans are worried about McMahon’s return, some former WWE employees and wrestlers are happy he’s in charge. Ric Flair has spoken openly about McMahon’s return and hopes he’s on TV for the Monday Night Raw 30th Anniversary on Jan. 23.
WWE future is up in the air, as the company opens itself to be sold potentially this year. However, it doesn’t seem everyone is on board with its current direction.
WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle has nothing but great things to say about Triple H’s love for professional wrestling.
Angle recently took to his podcast, “The Kurt Angle Show,” and was asked who he believes has a good mind for the professional wrestling industry. He didn’t hesitate to name former in-ring foe and current head of WWE creative Triple H.
“For me personally, Triple H. He’s always had it,” Kurt Angle said. “He’s not just from a wrestling standpoint, but from a creative standpoint, from a psychology standpoint, from a promo standpoint. Triple H is one guy that is so well-educated.
“He loves pro-wrestling like it’s his wife. Okay? He cherishes it, and he’s really good at it. He has a great mind for it. In the past, I would say somebody like Hulk Hogan, who was able to bring the fans in at a time when wrestling was not so hot, but Hulkamania actually made wrestling so much bigger.
“And he has a great mind for the business as well. I worked with Hulk Hogan, and he definitely is well educated with the wrestling aspect.”
After Vince McMahon was forced to step down as WWE CEO, and later retire as head of creative for the company, Triple H stepped in to fill the void of creative head for the professional wrestling juggernaut.
Since, “The Game” has made a multitude of changes that have been positively received for the most part. His love for the industry has certainly shined through on multiple occasions since assuming his new role.
Wednesday was a big night for the highly sought-after lucha libre star, Dragon Lee. He and his brother, Dralistico, challenged FTR for the AAA tag team titles.
Not only did they win championship gold, but the bigger news is Dragon Lee’s announcement that he’s signed with WWE.
Lee will report to the Performance Center and WWE’s NXT developmental brand.
In an exclusive interview with ESPN, Lee said signing with WWE was always the “dream.”
“I think I can become the new Rey Mysterio in WWE. I just need the opportunity.”
– Dragon Lee
The opportunity came about when Finn Balor asked him if he’d like to join WWE. From there, he worked with Trent Wilfinger and James Kimball to join the promotion.
“This signing is reflective of WWE’s renewed emphasis on globalizing our talent pipeline with Latin America positioned as a focal market,” Kimbal told ESPN.
Lee, 27, is a former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, ROH Television Champion and Tag Team Champion, CMLL Welterweight and Lightweight Champion.
Triple H on Dragon Lee Joining WWE
Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE’s Chief Content Officer, welcomed Dragon Lee to the WWE family. He called Lee an unbelievable athlete who is just getting started.
An unbelievable athlete who has collected accolades and held championships across the globe… and he’s just getting started.
WWE is putting in extra effort to try and avoid more travel woes for talent and crew that could impact Friday’s SmackDown on FOX episode, which is one of the biggest shows in recent SmackDown history.
As previously reported, those working Monday’s house show in Columbus, OH, dealt with significant travel-related issues that caused changes to the lineup. Talent working the SmackDown event at MSG that same night dealt with their flights being delayed.
Some people working the house show in Columbus couldn’t even appear, including Alexa Bliss, Bobby Lashley, Seth Rollins, and Becky Lynch.
The Warning
On today’s Wrestling Observer Live, Bryan Alvarez noted that some WWE talents and crew members were told to leave Tuesday to make it to Tampa, FL, for Friday’s SmackDown because of travel issues.
It’s believed that there should be limited issues as many of the wrestlers are already in Florida as they live there. WWE’s post-Christmas tour runs through Thursday in Miami. Top wrestlers booked for the final SmackDown of 2022 will likely go to Tampa in advance.
The show will have a stacked lineup that includes Raquel Rodriguez vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey, Sheamus vs. Solo Sikoa, Kevin Owen & John Cena vs. Sami Zayn & Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns.
WWE has filed for several trademarks centered around slogans as the filing was made on Friday, December 23, 2022
WWE applied to trademark the terms “All Heart All In,” “Inspire The Impossible,” From Dreams To Destiny,” “Desire. Determination. Destiny.” and “Where The Stars Align” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
Purpose
The trademarks all list the same Goods and Services usage descriptions, which are for general pro wrestling and sports entertainment use, as well as merchandise and other common uses.
Earlier in the month of December, WWE filed trademarks on its logo for metaverse-related purposes earlier this month. WWE has spoken in the past about its interest in breaking into the metaverse, which is why it opened an NFT shop, WWE Moonsault. There are occasional NFT drops to go along with holidays or premium live events.
Regarding e-sports, a field largely untapped by WWE for now, Stephanie McMahon is on the Board of Directors for FaZe Clan, a popular e-sports franchise.
As of this writing, there’s no word yet on what the new trademarks are for. Most recently, WWE filed to trademark its logo for various categories.
Kurt Angle has worked with some of the most influential people in wrestling history. However, there’s one person who stands out to him as having the highest wrestling IQ.
Angle spoke about this topic and much more on the latest ‘Ask Kurt Anything’ edition of his Kurt Angle Show podcast.
Throughout his runs in WWE and TNA, the Olympic gold medalist collaborated with the likes of Vince McMahon, Paul Heyman, Stephanie McMahon, Steve Austin, The Rock, The Undertaker, Hulk Hogan, Ric Flair, Bruce Pritchard, Pat Patterson, Dixie Carter, Vince Russo and countless others.
They’ve all made immeasurable contributions to the industry, Angle is convinced one name surpasses them all.
Triple H’s Wrestling IQ
Kurt Angle says Triple H has a grasp on the wrestling business better than anybody he’s ever worked with. The Game is an all-time-great in-ring performer, but also understands the psychology, creative and business aspects of wrestling as well.
“For me, personally, Triple H. He’s always had it. He’s not just from a wrestling standpoint, but from a creative standpoint, from a psychology standpoint, from a promo standpoint. Triple H is one guy that is so well educated. He loves pro wrestling like it’s his wife, okay? He cherishes it. He’s really good at it. He has a great mind for it.”
– Kurt Angle
Angle says he previously may have named someone like Hulk Hogan, who was a master at drawing business and holding crowds in the palm of his hand.
He went out of his way to praise Hogan, who helped blast wrestling’s popularity into the stratosphere during the 1980’s expansion period. Nobody would argue against the fact that Hogan was a bigger star than Triple H as an active competitor and pop culture phenomenon.
However, the topic at hand is ‘highest wrestling IQ’ and best mind for the business, and Angle says Triple h is number one.
Well, today’s the big day. After weeks of counting down, Christmas Day is finally upon us.
This day will see countless people around the world open presents, and as we all know, WWE is no stranger to embracing the Holiday spirit
Here are five of the best Holiday moments to curl up in a warm blanket and watch this festive season.
5: A Christmas Carol starring ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper
We all have our favorite renditions of Charles Dickens’ classic tale ‘A Christmas Carol’ which tells the story of a wicked man who turns good when he learns about the meaning of Christmas.
Some people see the Muppets Christmas Carol as the best, while others like my father herald Alastair Sim’s 1951 portrayal of Ebeneezer Scrooge as the best telling of the story.
Well on December 20th, 1985, the WWF gave their own rendition of A Christmas Carol, this one starring none other than ‘Rowdy’ Roddy Piper.
Unquestionably the biggest heel of the year, that week’s episode of Tuesday Night Titans saw Piper visited by three spirits, eager to teach the Hot Rod to change his wicked ways.
Unlike Scrooge though, Piper learned no lessons, and would instead vow to be more wicked after his ghostly visitations.
It would be another two years before Piper turned face and become one of the most beloved good guys of all time, and by 1989, he’d be the one defending Christmas from Bobby ‘The Brain’ Heenan.
4: A Very Merry D-X-Mas
DX showed Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter exactly what they thought of him during an episode of Raw in 1997.
Forming in 1997, D-Generation X would establish themselves as a counterculture, anti-authority group, much to the chagrin of WWF Commissioner Sgt. Slaughter.
After making an ass out of the company, Triple H and Shawn Michaels would go one step further, exposing their buttocks to spell out a festive message, all while Chyna was in the ring with them.
To counteract, Slaughter booked a gift of a main event: Shawn Michaels Vs. Triple H for HBK’s European title.
After teasing dissension for the rest of the show, the pair ‘fought’ in the ring, but to call this a match is a stretch.
Triple H “powered” Michaels to the mat out of collar and elbow tie-up, then comically ran the ropes before delivering a big splash that didn’t make contact.
One pinfall later and the Game was the new European Champion, while the two friends celebrated their very fake match.
Sure, it may have devalued the European title somewhat, but DX got one over on Commissioner Slaughter in an iconic festive moment.
3: The Arrival of Xanta Claus
ECW alum Balls Mahoney played Xanta Claus, an evil counterpart to Jolly ol’ Saint Nick who heralded from the South Pole.
We all know the story of Santa Claus: the rosy-cheeked, bearded legend who lives at the North Pole, and judges whether people have been naughty or nice.
Well after a career of humiliating others, Ted DiBiase was definitely on the naughty list, and proved just how bad he could be in 1995.
Interrupting a segment with Savio Vega and ‘Santa,’ DiBiase proved everybody has a price for him, as Mr. Claus attacked Vega.
With that, DiBiase introduced the wrestling world to Xanta Claus, the polar opposite (quite literally) of Jolly ol’ Saint Nick.
Xanta Claus (played by future ECW staple Balls Mahoney) would not last long, and while the angle is incredibly goofy, it goes to show that anything can happen in the WWE.
2: ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin Stuns Santa Claus
WWE has hosted plenty of festive shows over the years, but the December 22, 1997, episode of Raw remains arguably the best holiday edition of the red brand ever produced.
Airing from Worcester, Massachusetts, the show was dripping in festive cheer, but the most iconic moment came from good ol’ ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin.
After a fake Santa Claus mocked a young boy, Austin made the save, stomping to the ring in that way only the Bionic Redneck can.
Berating the evil Santa, Austin dropped the not-so-jolly Saint Nick in what has become an iconic Christmas moment.
For all of Austin’s badassery, the segment showed that Austin still had a heart, cementing why it was okay to cheer this foul-mouthed, beer-swilling S.O.B.
Stunning the fake Santa proved that you could never quite predict what the Rattlesnake was going to do, and this unpredictability would be just part of what would launch Austin into mega-stardom the following year.
1: Tribute to the Troops
Six years after stunning Santa Claus, Steve Austin donned the iconic red suit himself to drop then-WWE CEO Vince McMahon.
For most of us, the holidays are a time to be with family and loved ones, surrounded by presents, food, and warmth.
For those serving in the armed forces though, they don’t get to enjoy such luxuries, but WWE attempted to bring some festive cheer to those on duty.
In 2003, WWE introduced Tribute to Troops, an event that has become an annual display of support and appreciation for those who are risking their lives for their country.
The brainchild of John ‘Bradshaw’ Layfield, the show still carries on to this day, though takes place back in the U.S. instead of being in the Middle East as it was originally.
Nevertheless, this small token of appreciation goes a long way, and with the show taking place every December, there are plenty of seasonal festivities to enjoy each year at Tribute to the Troops.
The latest star brought back by Triple H was Bronson Reed, formerly known as JONAH, who made his return to the company on Monday’s episode of Raw.
This is over a year after Reed was let go by the company when Vince McMahon was still in charge. There had been rumblings that Triple H wanted to bring him back.
His return happened when the former NXT North American Champion got involved in The Miz and Dexter Lumis’ ladder match. Reed helped Miz go over and got the money that was part of the stipulation for the match.
Triple H Got His Man
Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported that “Bronson Reed was a priority hire for Triple H when he gained power within WWE.” It was said that NJPW wanted to retain Reed and was hopeful he would stay.
The report noted that Reed is done with NJPW and has signed a contract with WWE.
After Jonah first joined WWE in January 2019, he made his televised in-ring debut as a competitor in the NXT Breakout Tournament. In May 2021, he won the NXT North American Championship.
Jonah worked his last match on WWE television in July 2021 when he lost to Adam Cole on an episode of NXT.
Triple H is gearing up for his first WWE WrestleMania in charge of creative after Vince McMahon decided to retire due to the hush money scandal.
Since taking over creative, fans believe WWE has changed for the better. WrestleMania 39 will be a two-night show, set to take place on April 1st and 2nd at the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that the company has already started discussing multiple ideas for top talent.
Where Things Stand
Graphic Credit: Business Wire
Meltzer wrote, “regarding stories that the WrestleMania card is finalized, we are told that there are multiple ideas for Mania cards in discussion and every top act has multiple different things under discussion right now.”
As previously reported, WWE has locked in plans for Brock Lesnar. WWE is hoping to have The Rock, Steve Austin, and John Cena wrestle at the show.
The speculation is that if WWE can’t get The Rock to come back to do a match with Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns then Cody Rhodes may fill that rople. There’s also been talk of having Reigns wrestle on both nights of the show against both stars on different nights.
The way that WWE does its call-up system from the NXT developmental brand to the main roster has been an unknown process, as it seems like every wrestler called up is in a different situation.
A few times throughout 2022, fans thought NXT stars may be called up. Typically, WWE does NXT call-ups the night after WrestleMania and on the nights of the annual WWE Draft. Up until this year, it was always up to the whims of Vince McMahon. With Triple H overseeing the main roster creative, some fans have wondered if the call-up system will also change.
The Process
Brian “Road Dogg” James, who works as the Senior Vice President of Live events, discussed that on his latest, Oh…You Didn’t Know podcast.
“Yeah. So all of the above to be quite honest with you because there’s not a strict streamlined process, especially now that Hunter is in charge of the creative. He understands much more about giving fair warning so you can write the person out or write the person off or however you’re going to do it. It gives you time to prepare creatively for that. I like a heads-up.
So sometimes we got those and sometimes we didn’t. I think going forward, you’ll always, I’m speaking now from NXT creative experience, that we had time to prepare to send people off, but sometimes we got, ‘Hey, we’re taking this person because we got an idea for this and this’, and you could be in the middle of something with them or not, and there they went.”
Road Dogg doesn’t think it’ll be that way anymore because everybody understands the star needs to get beat on the way out or finish up a feud. He thinks giving NXT time to finish a program will happen much more now because Triple H knows what that is like to not have much notice.
WWE Hall Of Famer Shawn Michaels is now overseeing NXT creative. It was recently reported that just because an NXT talent works a Main Event taping doesn’t mean they’re being called up. Instead, they view it as a reward and WWE officials simply want to take a look at them on a bigger stage.
Triple H has brought back a lot of WWE stars who the company had previously released under the Vince McMahon regime.
Some of the signings were praised by fans as they thought the wrestlers shouldn’t have been released from the beginning, while others have been criticized as they hadn’t been big stars or seen with a high upside during their first runs with the company.
WrestleVotes reported today that there are several stars who were brought back that have underwhelmed Triple H since coming back.
The Report
(WWE)
“I’m told a handful of talent brought back in the ‘rehiring wave’ over the summer have underperformed and severely underwhelmed Triple H & others since returning to the company.”
Triple H has brought back names such as Johnny Gargano, Mia Yim, Candice LeRae, Braun Strowman, Dakota Kai, Karrion Kross, Scarlett, and perhaps most notably, Bray Wyatt.
Triple H attempted to bring back Naomi and Sasha Banks after they walked out of the company earlier this year due to creative differences. Naomi is still under contract with WWE while Banks is headed to NJPW in January as her contract expires this month.
As previously reported, former Impact Wrestling stars Chelsea Green and Eric Young are on their way back to the company. Matt Cardona is rumored to be another possible star to make a return.
Could Triple H one-day trade in his throne on top of WWE for a seat in the Oval Office? Kevin Nash isn’t against the idea.
Speaking during the latest Kliq This, the two-time WWE Hall of Famer said he believes Triple H would make a fine President of the United States one day and explained why.
“You can p*ss him off, but he doesn’t get p*ssed off like a normal dude. Especially once he got where he was a Senior Vice President, he just couldn’t. He always had control where the rest of us didn’t. Paul’s very level-headed.”
Triple H
Triple H in 2022
Triple H could make an excellent President (at least according to Nash,) but the former World Heavyweight Champion is kept plenty busy in WWE.
After losing control of NXT last year and suffering a cardiac event, the Game announced his in-ring retirement earlier this year and left his boots in the ring at WrestleMania 38.
In July, Triple H was appointed WWE’s Head of Creative, replacing his father-in-law Vince McMahon, and would later replace John Laurinaitis as Head of Talent Relations.
The McMahon Family and Politics
While Triple H likely isn’t making plans for the oval office, the McMahon family has never been far from politics.
In September 2009, Linda McMahon announced her candidacy for U.S. Senate, seeking to be the representative for Connecticut.
While WWE never publicly endorsed McMahon on-screen, the promotion did launch the political ‘Stand Up for WWE’ campaign, alleging that fans had been turned away from polling centers for wearing wrestling merchandise.
After earning the Republican nomination, McMahon lost to Democrat Richard Blumenthal in the 2010 election.
Linda hinted immediately after her loss that she would run again in 2012, and did just that, but lost to Democrat Chris Murphy that year.
WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle appeared on tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown to celebrate his 54th birthday.
SmackDown aired live from the PPG Paints Arena in Angle’s hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Kurt held a party throughout the show backstage and seemingly everyone could get in besides Alpha Academy.
At the end of the show, Kurt told fellow Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson that he was going to head to the ring alone. Angle made his way to the ring where there was a giant cake already set up for him.
Alpha Academy immediately interrupted and Chad scolded Angle for not inviting them to his birthday party. Gable added that if Kurt doesn’t get out of the ring he’s going to suffer another broken neck.
Kurt exited the ring but stopped on the entrance ramp. Gable Steveson showed up in a milk truck and they started throwing milk cartons at Alpha Academy. Angle then sprayed Otis and Chad with the hose and posed with Gable Steveston to close the show.
After SmackDown went off the air, Triple H took to Twitter and posted a photo with Kurt Angle. The Game said they had to bring back the milk truck for his birthday.
Kurt Angle also reunited with his long-lost son, Jason Jordan, during tonight’s episode of SmackDown. Jason presented his storyline father with a greatest dad greeting card and they shared a hug backstage.
WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H met former 24/7 Champion Bad Bunny for lunch today in Los Angeles.
Bad Bunny first appeared in WWE at Royal Rumble 2021 and performed his song “Booker T”, while the two-time Hall of Famer was standing on the entrance ramp with him.
He formed a tag team with Damian Priest and they defeated The Miz and John Morrison at Night 1 of WrestleMania 37. Bad Bunny captured the WWE 24/7 Championship from Akira Tozawa on the February 15th edition of the red brand.
He relinquished the title to R-Truth 28 days later in exchange for Stone Cold memorabilia. The 24/7 Championship has since been thrown in the trash by Nikki Cross and officially retired. Bad Bunny was impressive in the ring during his short time with the company and it will be interesting to see if he returns down the line.
The Game took to Twitter today and shared a photo with the popular musician. Triple H noted that Bad Bunny is so famous that he can just fly in for a lunch and leave.
@sanbenito is such a big star that when he drops in to have lunch… he just lands his plane in downtown L.A., eats and then takes off… #RockStarLife
Speaking at the Clash at the Castle press conference following the premium live event, Triple H noted that he was going to have a conversation with Bad Bunny very soon.
A little bit of a spoiler. He and I are gonna have a conversation very, very soon. It’s already scheduled. We’re gonna go and see what’s available. [He’s The] biggest music star in the world. So let’s go.
WWE is slated to return to India for the first time since 2017 next year.
It was previously reported that WWE has plans to run a show on a “grand scale” in Hyderabad, India, and would consist of “a mix of superstars, both Indian and international.”
As part of WWE’s deal with Sony Pictures Networks India, WWE previously held an Indian show, Superstar Spectacle, on January 22, 2021, that aired five days later to coincide with India’s Republic Day.
The Latest
Pwinsider.com provided an update on the show as the date of the show will be Wednesday, January 18, 2023, from the G.M.C. Balayogi Sports Complex, an indoor stadium in Hyderabad with a capacity of 5,000 people.
It’s expected to feature SmackDown talent mostly. It’s unclear whether WWE plans to air the show as a special on Peacock, tape it for the local market, or just have it as a house show.
The Superstar Spectacle special was billed as “a unique showcase of Indian-inspired action,” which also featured elements of Indian culture and was headlined by Drew McIntyre and The Indus Sher (Rinku and Saurav) defeating The Bollywood Boyz (Samir Singh and Sunil Singh) and Jinder Mahal.
The WWE 24/7 Champion is officially retired as part of Triple H’s new regime as Head of Creative and Head of Talent Relations.
The championship debuted in 2019 and despite initial hostility by fans over the design, became popular for providing comedy segments during WWE programming.
After winning the title last month, Nikki Cross dumped the title in the trash, signifying the end of the championship.
The End of the WWE 24/7 Championship
After Triple H took the creative reins from his father-in-law Vince McMahon in July, the 24/7 Championship was immediately featured less and less on TV.
The green-and-gold title played no part in the Game’s plans for WWE in the post-McMahon era, Fightful Select reports.
A source who spoke to Fightful said that the title “was almost never mentioned in a creative sense” backstage in production meetings, but allowed for some fun moments at live events.”
The source added that “the future of the title seemed to be up in the air and it wasn’t something that we heard Triple H ever talked about.”
Despite the title appearing on TV during the Triple H era, no championship matches were held until Dana Brooke lost the title to Nikki Cross.
The WWE 24/7 Championship
After being introduced by Mick Foley, Titus O’Neil became the first 24/7 Champion by winning a battle royal but quickly lost the title moments later.
R-Truth holds the records for both the most reigns (53) and the most combined days as champion (415 days.)
Pat Patterson’s win at Raw Reunion in July 2019 aged 78 made him the oldest champion in WWE, while Kelly Kelly would become the first woman to hold the gold, also winning at Raw Reunion.
The Revival (now AEW’s FTR) was the only tag team to win the title together, while Maria Kanellis-Bennett’s reign made her the first pregnant champion in WWE.
William Regal is expected to return to WWE soon, after his release in January of this year left Triple H “very unhappy.”
This week, Regal was written off of TV with an attack by AEW World Champion MJF, who chastised the British veteran for making a deal with ‘the Devil.’
It was reported not long after that Regal is expected to finish with the company and return to WWE when he is able to.
Done
Sources in AEW all are operating on the assumption that he’s leaving the company, Fightful Select has reported.
On the other side, sources from WWE who spoke to Fightful are all under the impression that Regal is rejoining their promotion.
One AEW source said that after the MJF angle that ran last week, William Regal was “done” with the company, and will not be appearing on-screen again.
Unhappy
Regal’s imminent return to WWE comes after the former King of the Ring was released in January of this year.
A WWE source said that it does not come as any surprise that William Regal is likely headed back, given how close he was to Triple H.
Working as a tag team in WCW in 1994, Regal would serve as one of the Game’s groomsmen in 2003, and the pair worked together in NXT until Regal’s release.
That same WWE source added that Triple H was “very unhappy” when Regal was let go, and those in NXT said they believed the Gentleman Villain would be a “lifer” with the brand.
Those in WWE expect him to resume an advanced role similar to the one he had before, but that wasn’t confirmed.
WWE usually puts on a special edition of Monday Night Raw around Christmas, where fans typically get a Christmas-themed street fight that is just fun to watch.
The status of this year’s edition of Raw after Christmas is unknown. In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reported that plans are still up in the air regarding the December 26th edition of Raw.
WWE is planning two shows that night in Columbus, OH, and the other in Madison Square Garden, but there isn’t much information available regarding these shows as Meltzer explained.
Where Things Stand
(via WWE)
“For whatever reason, the decision was made not to tape that night. The two ideas looked at right now were either taping two shows on 12/19, which you can do with Smackdown but I don’t know how you do that with a three-hour draw or doing a Best of 2022 show. An announcement is expected to be made any day now. But both shows are advertised as house shows.”
This year’s RAW after Christmas will be the first one under Triple H’s regime. Here is what the WWE schedule during the holidays looks like:
Monday, December 19: Raw – Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, IA
Monday, December 26: WWE Live Holiday Tour – Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH
Wednesday, December 28: WWE Live Holiday Tour – Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland
Wednesday, December 28: WWE Live Holiday Tour – Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C.
Thursday, December 29: WWE Live Holiday Tour – FTX Arena in Miami
Friday, December 30: WWE Live Holiday Tour – Coca Cola Coliseum in Toronto, Ontario
Friday, December 30: SmackDown – Amalie Arena in Tampa, Fla.
