Jon Moxley defended the AEW World Championship against Maxwell Jacob Friedman in the main event of AEW Full Gear at the Prudential Center in New Jersey last weekend.

MJF was about to use the Dynamite Diamond Ring as a weapon but William Regal made his way down the entrance ramp. Maxwell threw the ring to the floor and then the Blackpool Combat Club leader made a shocking decision.

Regal slid MJF the brass knuckles and he bashed Jon over the head with them. MJF then covered Moxley to win the AEW World Championship. On this past Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite, Jon Moxley confronted William Regal to begin the show. Moxley was about to attack him but Bryan Danielson prevented it. Jon told Regal to go away and not come back at the end of the segment.

Jim Cornette on Jon Moxley Confronting William Regal on AEW Dynamite, Triple H Wanting Regal Back

Jim Cornette discussed the promo segment between William Regal and Jon Moxley on episode 459 of the Jim Cornette Experience.

The wrestling legend noted that William Regal’s promo at the start was the best thing AEW could have put on the program to start the show as MJF was off filming a movie. Cornette complimented Regal work as a heel before discussing the segment.

Cornette wondered why AEW didn’t have MJF and Regal appear on the jumbotron from the movie set and say they will be on the show next week. Jon Moxley could have then cut a promo in the ring and Danielson could have confronted him.

Jim brought up how WWE Chief Content Officer William Regal and Triple H have been close for years and Regal had a lot of responsibility in Triple H’s NXT.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the Jim Cornette Experience with a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.

Press conferences in wrestling may conjure up images of bitter veteran wrestlers badmouthing other members of their roster, but WWE is confident that won’t be the case for them.

This year has seen WWE host several press conferences in an effort to add a sense of realism to their shows.

The Press Conference

After last weekend’s Survivor Series WarGames Premium Live Event, WWE held a post-show press conference to discuss the show.

The press conference saw a blend of kayfabe and real-life, with Superstars speaking in character about their matches.

WWE’s Head of Creative and Head of Talent Relations Triple H fielded questions from the wrestling media and spoke openly about future plans in WWE.

Fightful Select reports that this press conference, like previous ones, has gone down well backstage, and that WWE is hopeful to hold more in the future.

WWE hosted a post-show press conference after WWE Clash at the Castle in September of this year, and hosted a press conference for WWE Crown Jewel last month before the show began.

Triple H and the Media

With Triple H now running a lot of WWE, it should come as little surprise that the promotion is open to hosting more press conferences.

The Cerebral Assassin has enjoyed a much more friendly relationship with the media, and hosted pre-show media calls prior to NXT TakeOver events.

Speaking at last weekend’s press conference, Triple H discussed the future of the traditional Survivor Series elimination match, given that none of these matches took place at Survivor Series WarGames.

It’s been several months since Vince McMahon departed from WWE as Chairman and CEO, with Triple H taking over main roster creative. At the same time, Nick Khan and Stephanie McMahon are co-CEOs of the company. 

The backstage atmosphere in WWE is said to be much better in recent months after McMahon departed from the company. 

Fightful Select reports that backstage morale has “improved significantly” after McMahon stepped down, and those in the locker room have said that backstage culture has changed for the better.

During the 80s, 90s, and 2000s, wrestling was the wild west backstage in the company, and if you upset the wrong person, you would either lose your push or be let go. Although the culture has improved over the last decade, there have been countless reports of McMahon’s erratic decisions affecting the shows, and the morale would take a hit at different times.

Happy Times

Per the report, “almost everyone” they spoke with said that going to work these days with Triple H running the ship is more fun and easy going and there is less of a feeling that you could get fired for things you can’t control.

While there is still a feeling that some wrestlers are not being used the right way, things are much improved compared to where they were this past summer. 

Numerous talent looked at Royal Rumble 2022 this past January as an all-time low for them from a creative standpoint and some lost faith in McMahon as a leader in some sense based on the situation with Shane McMahon that led to his exit from the company.

What is the fate of the traditional Survivor Series elimination match, following the recent Survivor Series WarGames event?

The traditional elimination match has been a staple of the November Premium Live Event since the first Survivor Series in 1987, and the show was only tag-matches until 1991.

This week’s Survivor Series WarGames saw the iconic NWA/WCW match replace the traditional elimination match.

Not Over

This year’s Survivor Series marked the third time in history that the November show has featured zero traditional Survivor Series elimination matches (after 1998 and 2002.)

On the Survivor Series WarGames post-show, Triple H was asked by Pro Wrestling Illustrated if this year’s show is a sign that WWE is done with the elimination tag match.

“I don’t think we’re done with anything. I think that when we look at it together as a whole, it’s about what’s best for our fans in the moment, Sometimes stuff needs a break for a while. Sometimes you bring it back later and it’s iconic. ‘Oh my God, they’re going back to that!’ To say it’ll never happen again, I think is wrong.”

“Sometimes stuff needs a break for a while.”

Triple H on WWE’s lack of elimination tag matches at WWE Survivor Series WarGames.

Group Decision

Given how iconic the Survivor Series elimination match is, the decision to host no matches with the stipulation could not have been easy.

On the post-show, Triple H said that this wasn’t a call he made on his own, but rather a group effort.

“I think it was the right year [for a break from Elimination matches.] We all looked at it and decided internally that it was the right year to maybe freshen up the concept a little bit. Either the five-on-five tags and maybe even the straight-out Raw Vs. SmackDown [stipulations] were a bit tired and needed a refresh. So that’s what we did.”

Triple H didn’t name who else was a factor in the decision-making process regarding scrapping the Survivor Series elimination match type.

The King of Kings took over as WWE’s Head of Creative in July, replacing Vince McMahon in the role.

For the Fans

Triple H did not confirm that the traditional Survivor Series match-type is done, but did not confirm the future of WarGames either.

As he explained in the press conference, WWE is taking a wait-and-see approach, which works around the response by fans to the show.

“We try it out. We see where it goes. And we see if the fans enjoy it. Because at the end of the day, we’re just trying to give everyone the best entertainment that we can. So we try things on. If they [the fans] happen to like it, we stick with it. If it needs to tweak [we will.] You’re constantly evaluating everything you do. You have to. Otherwise, you stagnate and die.”

Triple H’s ‘evaluations’ of WWE since being appointed Head of Creative and Head of Talent have seen several released Superstars be brought back to the promotion.

WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022 airs live tonight from the TD Garden in Boston, MA. The Survivor Series premium live event used to be centered around brand warfare between RAW and SmackDown but that is no longer the case.

Triple H replaced the traditional 5 vs. 5 Elimination matches with WarGames matches this year. WarGames was a staple in NXT and former NXT GM William Regal used to shout “WarGames!” when booking the match.

WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H just uploaded a video featuring William Regal shouting WarGames ahead of WWE Survivor Series tonight.

“Tonight just wouldn’t be the same without…”

William Regal was recently the leader of the Blackpool Combat Club but betrayed Jon Moxley in the main event of AEW Full Gear. Regal slid MJF the brass knuckles and Maxwell punched Jon in the face with them. Jon Moxley confronted Regal on this past Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite and told him to walk away and keep walking. Moxley was about to attack Regal but Bryan Danielson prevented it.

WWE Survivor Series WarGames Live Coverage

WWE Survivor Series WarGames 2022 airs live tonight from the TD Garden in Boston, MA. The SmackDown Women’s and United States Championship will be on the line tonight in addition to two WarGames matches.

Here is the card for tonight’s show:

• Men’s WarGames Match: Sheamus, Ridge Holland, Butch, Drew McIntyre, and Kevin Owens vs. The Bloodline’s Roman Reigns, Jimmy and Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa, and Sami Zayn
• Women’s WarGames Match: Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, Alexa Bliss, Asuka, and Mia Yim vs. Bayley, Dakota Kai, IYO Sky, Nikki Cross, and Rhea Ripley
• United States Championship Triple Threat match: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Austin Theory
• SmackDown Women’s Championship: Ronda Rousey (c) vs. Shotzi
• Finn Balor vs. AJ Styles

Our live coverage will begin alongside the premium live event in the link below.

WWE’s Head of Creative Triple H wants to make it clear that he isn’t like his father-in-law Vince McMahon.

The Game was appointed Head of Creative in July of this year, following McMahon’s shocking resignation and retirement from the promotion.

Triple H has also been appointed WWE’s Head of Talent Relations, replacing McMahon confidante John Laurinaitis.

Different

So far, Triple H’s tenure as Head of Creative and Talent has seen several released Superstars return, including Bray Wyatt, Karrion Kross, and Dakota Kai, among others. All of these stars were released under McMahon’s regime, and Triple H is doing more to set himself apart from his father-in-law. A new report from PWInsider sheds some light on this subject.

Triple H seeks to differentiate himself from the McMahon regime by giving talent a little more leeway and creative freedom.This new regime is also providing talent with a bit more “grit” and allowing for more “unexpected action.”

The Game reportedly has big plans for WWE’s women’s division, and has seen the Judgment Day’s Finn Balor as a ‘reclamation project.’

Triple H’s changes to WWE so far, which have included changing rules over certain banned terms, have gone down well with fans for the most part.

Future Changes

Triple H is giving Superstars more leeway, and the Head of Creative and Talent has big plans for the future.

It has been reported that WWE will be scrapping stipulation Premium Live Events, in favor of more traditionally-themed shows.

WWE has already removed WWE TLC, which is traditionally scheduled to air each December.

It has been said that the annual Hell in a Cell Premium Live Event is “completely dead.”

Despite recent rumors, there have been no plans yet for WWE to scrap the popular Money in the Bank event.

WWE’s Premium Live Event calendar is expected to undergo a major overhaul next year, as part of the promotion’s new regime.

Since Vince McMahon’s retirement, Triple H has been appointed as both head of Creative, replacing McMahon, and head of Talent Relations, replacing John Laurinaitis.

The Game’s tenure in the roles has seen multiple ex-Superstars brought back and remove rules on certain ‘banned’ terms.

Premium Live Events

Last month, it was reported that WWE’s annual Hell in a Cell event is “completely dead,” as part of Triple H’s plan to scrap stipulation events.

Instead, high-profile stipulations will be used when the storyline demands, an idea that has gone down well with fans.

There have been rumors that WWE could also scrap the annual Money in the Bank event, and would likely host the two ladder matches on each night of WrestleMania.

Fightful Select asked several members of creative and higher-ups in WWE, who said that the idea of scrapping Money in the Bank as an event hasn’t come across their desks as of yet.

The report added that the idea of ending the Premium Live Event, which has been a staple since 2010 “isn’t impossible.”

Other Shows

Even if WWE Money in the Bank is safe, many Premium Live Events may not be as lucky.

Starting in 2009, WWE introduced several stipulation-based Premium Live Events which may now face the ax.

Elimination Chamber is likely to go, as, like Hell in a Cell, it is a stipulation close to the heart of Triple H.

Not only did the Game compete in the first three Chamber matches, but he also won the second one in Summerslam 2003.

Other events that could go include WWE TLC and WWE Extreme Rules.

Since taking over main roster creative, Triple H has brought back several former WWE stars and also repackaged wrestlers already on the roster, including Finn Balor. He has been pushed strongly as part of The Judgment Day alongside Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, and Dominik mysterio Mysterio. 

Balor is just the third man to win the NXT Championship twice, winning it first in 2015 and again in 2020 when he moved back down from the main roster in between runs. Balor was in the main event of many a Takeover events. 

Although Vince McMahon pushed Balor at points, including when he was first called up to the main roster and became the inaugural Universal Champion, Balor’s push by McMahon came to an end earlier this year. 

Triple H on Finn Balor

WrestleVotes told GiveMeSport that Triple H views Balor as a ‘reclamation story’ after how he was booked by McMahon. 

“They’ve always, always really liked each other. Seeing what Finn has been over the last few years, Hunter sees almost like a reclamation project, but one that he can get behind because of their personal relationship.

Hunter’s first real big name was Fergal, so they’ve always had a relationship and worked well together. Hunter has always believed in him. When Finn got injured, after he won the title at SummerSlam 2016, he was checked on him daily, like keeping the relationship tight, even though he left NXT.”

Balor vs. AJ Styles in a singles match has been booked for this Saturday’s Survivor Series premium live event. 

Chris Jericho spent the majority of his career in WWE but has found a new home in All Elite Wrestling.

Jericho is currently the Ring of Honor Champion and will be defending the title in a 4-Way against Bryan Danielson, Sammy Guevara, and Claudio Castagnoli at AEW Full Gear on November 19th.

The 52-year-old recently signed a contract extension with All Elite Wrestling, which reportedly surprised some in WWE that were expecting him to return and go into the company’s Hall of Fame.

Chris Jericho on His Issues with Triple H

Jericho discussed his issues with Triple H in the past and claimed that The Game almost got him fired because he had heat with Chyna back in the day.

Speaking on his Jericho Chronicles Q&A session on his podcast, The Wizard said he called Triple H for directions once and The Game shouted at him to “buy a map!” as his pals laughed in the background. Jericho added that he had heat with Chyna and that furthered his issues with Triple H.

Chris claimed that most of the heat stemmed from WWE guys not wanting WCW guys in the locker room.

Le Champion added that he almost got fired a month in to his WWE career after a meeting with Jim Ross, Blackjack Lanza, and Vince McMahon.

H/T: Ringside News

Paul Levesque (Triple H) wasn’t always on board with Judgment Day as he reportedly “changed his mind” about pushing a particular WWE act since he took over main roster creative from Vince McMahon. 

WrestleVotes discussed Levesque’s current perception of the group while doing an interview with GiveMeSport. Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, and Dominik Mysterio make up the current group after kicking out Edge, the original leader, weeks ago.

Triple H Changed His Mind

“I know back in late July or early August, whenever this whole shift happened, from what I was told Hunter wasn’t really cool with Judgment Day. Not personally, but he just didn’t like the idea. But since he’s grown behind it, I think that they’re going to be around for longer than anticipated.”

The group has since Triple H has taken over creative as there is a dynamic between Ripley and Dominik, and now they’re feuding with The OC. 

This past Monday night on Raw, the feud was pushed forward as Mia Yim returned to WWE and aligned with the OC as a female equalizer to Judgment Day’s Rhea Ripley. It looks like WWE is building to another match between the groups at Survivor Series later this month. 

It’s looking more likely that WWE is bringing back the King of the Ring tournament as a standalone event.

Dave Meltzer originally reported last week that “there is talk of bringing back the King of the Ring tournament with a show that would be both King of the Ring and Queen of the Ring.”

What was unclear about this report is how WWE would do the tournament. Originally, the tournament was held on a single night, while 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. 

King of the Ring is Back

On Wednesday, WrestleVotes reported that there is a good chance the event is coming back and it will use the original format. 

“There’s a very good chance that King of the Ring is back, and likely back in the format that had happened in the late 80s. The idea is that every single match will happen that night. In the 90s, a lot of the matches happened on Superstars and Raw, with the semi finals and finals on pay-per-view. If it’s going to come back on pay-per-view, which I would say is probably going to happen, you’re going to have a full-on one-night tournament.”

With WWE using the original format, it’s unclear how WWE would also do a Queen of the Ring tournament in a single night as there would be a lot of matches that would have to take place. 

WWE recently filed a trademark application on the term Queen of the Ring, which you can read more about below.

• Charlotte Flair Not Interested In WWE Queen of the Ring Tournament

WWE superstar Natalya thinks we will see the all-women’s Pay-Per-View Evolution again under the leadership of Stephanie McMahon.

Wrestling fans have wanted to see WWE hold another Evolution event since its inaugural PPV in 2018. Although fans have shown interest in another all-women’s PPV, WWE hasn’t shown any signs of doing it again. However, Natalya is optimistic fans may see it return now that McMahon has taken over the company after her father retired.

In an interview with Faction 919’s Darren Stone, Natalya shared she does think Evolution PPV will return and her reason why.

“I definitely see Stephanie wanting to do more with women’s wrestling,” said Natalya. “Stephanie always wanted women to have more representation. She doesn’t want a show where it’s like, okay, we have 75 percent male matches, and we’ve got 25 percent women’s matches. She wants a show where it’s half men and half women. She wants equality for the women in WWE.”

Triple H & Stephanie McMahon’s Leadership

Natalya believes that WWE’s future is bright under the leadership of McMahon and Triple H. She shared that both McMahon and Triple H’s thoughts on women wrestling could bring more opportunities for more female wrestlers in the company.

“One of the first things I thought about all these new changes, especially with Stephanie, is that Stephanie and Triple H, they really care about women’s wrestling, and you know the thing is that when you’re in that position of authority, you’re never going to please everyone,” said Natalya.

She continued, “…I know how hard that was for Vince McMahon because we wouldn’t have had any of this without Vince and so I always expressed so much gratitude to Vince because we wouldn’t have this company with to do our work and I wouldn’t have the dreams that I have without Vince McMahon having allowed those dreams come true because he built all this.”

Although Natalya expressed gratitude to the former chairman, she is looking forward to the new changes. She also shared in the interview that she hopes to have an opportunity to win the Raw Women’s Championship and become a Grand Slam Champion.

The future of WWE does look promising, but it’s unclear if that means we will see an all-women’s PPV again. Although, WWE superstars like Natalya are optimistic that fans will get to see the event make its return.

CJ Perry’s time with WWE may be over, but the former Lana will always be grateful to Triple H.

After a career in music and acting, Perry signed with WWE in 2013, initially the manager of real-life husband Rusev (now Miro in AEW.)

In 2016, Perry would transition into a wrestling role which would continue until her release in June 2021.

Forever Grateful

Perry has been absent from WWE for over a year, but has kept a close eye on the product in this time.

In July, Triple H was appointed WWE’s Head of Creative, replacing his father-in-law Vince McMahon after the latter’s retirement.

During a recent interview with Fightful, the former Total Divas star praised The Game as a genius for his work behind the scenes.

“Triple H is a genius. He hired me. He was at my tryouts in the beginning of 2013. He paired me with Miro. He guided me so much in the approach of creating, essentially, the character of the Ravishing Russian with the suit, the hair.

“He was really hands-on with that, very hands-on with Miro and I. So I will always be grateful for that because people still talk about the tank, still talk about the Ravishing Russian and her accent and her look. So I’m forever grateful for that.”

Miro and Perry would be split on-screen in 2015 but reunited later that same year after TMZ broke the news of the couple’s real-life engagement.

What’s Next?

Perry hasn’t competed since her WWE exit last year, which was said to have been partly due to her high-dollar contract.

Speaking last month, the Ravishing Russian told Busted Open Radio that she would “love” to go to AEW, as it is where the “hardcore” fans are.

Perry added that she misses seeing close friends who now call AEW home, including Saraya, Renee Paquette and Dustin Rhodes.

Many fans were surprised to see how Vince McMahon handled Karrion Kross’ WWE main roster run last year as he changed up Kross’ entrance and didn’t use Karrion’s wife Scarlett as his manager. 

He also booked Kross to be beaten in matches. They returned to WWE in August 2022 – less than a year after the company had released both stars.

They are just two of many former stars that have returned to the company since Triple H took over creative following the retirement of Vince McMahon.

How Did it Happen?

While speaking to The Sun, Kross explained how his relationship with Triple H helped lead to the couple’s comeback. 

He noted he stayed in touch with a lot of people in WWE after his release and viewed it as a good experience. 

“So every once in a while, we would check in on Hunter and see how he’s doing, just personal stuff – we never talked about work – and he would check in on us. One day he was wondering if we were around for a call. And then I think it was the week that you guys saw me on TV. I jumped on a call with Hunter and he proposed the concept of coming back. He said, ‘Would you guys like to come home?’ And we were like, ‘Of course we would’. And then you guys saw us two days later, we were on TV.”

“We’ve always had a good relationship with everyone. We loved our experience there. That bridge was never ever burned or damaged or anything like that. It was just a series of unfortunate events that led to where we’re at and we came full circle.”

Johnny Gargano, Braun Strowman, Bray Wyatt, and Dakota Kai were just some of the names brought back after McMahon’s controversial retirement.

WWE is going “XXX” for the 30th Anniversary of Monday Night Raw.

The longest running episodic series in cable television history premiered on January 11, 1993 from The Manhattan Center in New York City. Over 1,500 episodes later, we’re coming up on yet another huge milestone for WWE’s flagship show.

Former WWE boss Vince McMahon was reportedly considering bringing Raw back to the Manhattan Center for the 30th anniversary, but the company decided to go in another direction.

WWE will celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Raw on Monday, January 23rd from Philadelphia, PA at the Wells Fargo Center. Tickets for the event go on sale next Friday, November 18th.

WWE typically goes all-out with the Raw celebration shows and this should be no exception. Expect to see guest appearances from legends and other surprises on this episode, which will be the ‘go home’ show before the 2023 WWE Royal Rumble.

Triple H has big plans for the women’s division of WWE now that he is running both the Creative and Talent Relations departments.

The Game was appointed head of both roles in July, replacing his father-in-law Vince McMahon as Head of Creative and John Laurinaitis as Head of Talent.

Both men have since left the promotion following allegations McMahon paid millions in NDAs to female talent he had extramarital affairs with.

The Game’s Plans

Triple H’s first 100 days running things have been marked by the many returns to the company, with Braun Strowman, Bray Wyatt, Karrion Kross, and others all returning.

On the women’s side of things, Candice LeRae, B-Fab, Dakota Kai, Emma, and Scarlett have all returned, and that is expected to continue.

Fightful Select reports that WWE plans on bringing back more female talent to “restock the women’s division with several TV-ready, experienced women’s wrestlers.”

It was reported last month that WWE has shown interest in bringing back Tegan Nox, who was released on November 18, 2021.

Who’s Next?

Nox may soon be the latest released WWE Superstar to return to WWE, but WWE has plenty of possible female stars they could bring back.

Fightful’s report adds that WWE has discussed bringing back Chelsea Green, who suffered a wrist injury during her November 2020 call-up to SmackDown.

Green was released in 2021 but was allowed to continue attending WWE’s Performance Center during her recovery process.

When Fightful spoke to Green, she confirmed that WWE has not contacted her for a return.

She added that she has commitments with the NWA, Wrestlecade and other independent bookings scheduled well into March 2023.

Roman Reigns is on a historic run as the WWE Universal Champion and he has been on the top for almost 800 days. The big question everyone has in mind at this stage of his historic reign is who will finally defeat The Tribal Chief for WWE’s top prize. It appears that Triple H finally has an answer to it.

Louis Dangoor of GiveMeSport recently tweeted about the situation. He noted that while Vince was only focused on Reigns’ run as the champion, The Game has an idea on how to conclude the unprecedented reign.

WrestleVotes Twitter account, which has broken several stories in the past added to the story of Dangoor. They claimed that there are guys that would support the idea:

“They have an idea of who is going to beat Roman. I don’t know specifically if it’s Cody. I don’t know if it’s The Rock. I don’t know if it’s Bray. But I think there’s a handful of guys that they would say ‘alright, this makes sense for future.’ But I don’t think it’s happening anytime soon, to be honest with you.”

Cody Rhodes, Drew McIntyre and Bray Wyatt are some of the names that fans have discussed as potential opponents who can dethrone Roman Reigns. The Rock’s name has obviously been in the mix for a while as well but a lot of people believe that instead of the 50-year-old it should be someone whose career could benefit from the win.

• Who Produced Roman Reigns vs Logan Paul At WWE Crown Jewel 2022?

Who do you think should defeat Roman Reigns and become the next WWE Universal Champion? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

WWE’s Butch, fka as Pete Dunne in NXT, recently joined Ryan Satin on the Out of Character podcast. He discussed numerous topics, including Triple H as a boss in WWE and how Sheamus is having the best run of his career.

Butch and Ridge Holland are scheduled to battle The Usos this Saturday at WWE Crown Jewel for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships. The Bloodline brutally attacked Sheamus on a recent episode of SmackDown and the challengers will look for revenge at WWE Crown Jewel.

• WWE Crown Jewel 2022 Preview

Butch on His Relationship with Triple H

During the conversation, Satin asked if Butch had a good relationship with WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H and the the 28-year-old said that their relationship was great.

Sheamus Having the Best Run of His Career

Sheamus is the leader of The Brawling Brutes and Butch said that the 44-year-old is having the best run of his career.

Butch noted that there is a “visceral” reaction from the crowd toward Sheamus and he can see how proud The Celtic Warrior is of that. The 28-year-old added that Sheamus still isn’t satisfied.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the Out of Character podcast with a H/T to SEScoops for the transcription.

In July this year, Vince McMahon’s four-decade reign on top of the wrestling world came to a shocking end.

A month after stepping down as CEO and Chairman, McMahon’s time on top of the wrestling world ended in controversy, as he announced his retirement from his own promotion.

McMahon had been under serious scrutiny following the shocking allegations of Non-Disclosure-Agreements, totaling over $12 million, reported by the Wall Street Journal.

With McMahon gone, his daughter Stephanie has filled his shoes as Chairwoman and WWE, while she and Nick Khan share the title of Co-CEOs.

Best for Business

While Stephanie and Khan are the ones running the company, much of the responsibilities have fallen to Triple H.

Today marks 100 days since the Game was appointed Head of WWE Creative, replacing McMahon, and also serves as Head of Talent Relations, replacing John Laurinaitis.

At the time of McMahon’s retirement, there was plenty of uncertainty, but the stock market has bounced back nicely.

Last month, WWE’s stock reached a four-year high, closing the trading day at $74.12 a share.

This, ironically, benefitted Vince McMahon more than anyone else, as he still owns 28 million shares in the company, making him the majority shareholder.

When McMahon stepped down from his roles in June, WWE’s stock was at $62.23, and the new regime has certainly been good for the market.

Evidently, the markets appreciate what Triple H has done, and this is earning those with large shares in the company a small fortune.

Morale

It’s not just the markets that have been pleased with WWE’s post-Vince McMahon era, but the atmosphere behind the scenes has been said to have improved.

Not long after McMahon was gone, reports came out that things were far more relaxed backstage and employees no longer feel like they were walking on eggshells.

Many on WWE’s main roster first honed their talents in WWE working as part of NXT, and are said to be much happier working for him again.

An August 2022 report from Fightful said that morale backstage lifted “immediately” with Triple H in charge, a far cry from morale being at a reported all-time low in January this year.

It was during the Ruthless Agression era that fans would critique Triple H as someone who only thought of himself and his own ego, but the Game has proven to be a team player in his roles.

It’s hardly surprising, that someone who spent decades as a wrestler, knows what his wrestlers want, and Triple H has been an effective leader thus far.

Returns

Triple H’s tenure as Head of Creative and Talent Relations has been distinct with how many Superstars he’s been able to bring back.

Names like Dakota Kai, Braun Strowman, Candice LeRae, Johnny Gargano, Hit Row, Karrion Kross, and more have all returned to WWE under the watchful eye of the King of Kings.

Triple H’s biggest success story is by far Bray Wyatt, whose return at Extreme Rules 2022 racked up millions of views within hours on YouTube.

At the time of his controversial release in July 2021, it was reported that Waytt had been creatively frustrated working with McMahon, but the future looks very bright now with Triple H in charge.

What’s next?

Triple H is just 100 days into his roles as WWE’s Head of Creative and Talent, but with the success so far, he won’t be leaving the role anytime soon.

Even now, the Cerebral Assassin continues to make big moves, including allowing Shinsuke Nakamura to compete at the Pro Wrestling NOAH event on January 1.

As to what the future will bring, that’s uncertain, but the Game has already proven to be someone WWE talent and higher-ups can rely on.

At a time when AEW has been thrown into dissary, with multiple suspensions and injuries to their name, Triple H’s work so far has only proven to fans not to give up on WWE just yet.

WWE has a lot of options open going into 2023, including allowing more Forbidden Door crossovers, seeking more international PLEs and the return of top stars such as Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton.

In just a few weeks time, WWE will kick off their first Road to WrestleMania with Triple H in charge, and if the past 100 days are indicative of the future, expect a wild road with the Game in the driver’s seat.

WWE will present its second and final premium live event of 2022 in Saudi Arabia this Saturday with Crown Jewel. 

The Wall Street Journal reports that Saudi Arabia has shared with the United States that they have intelligence about an imminent attack from Iran. The story notes that the attacks are planned for “targets in the kingdom.” 

As a result of the warning, Saudi Arabia, the United States, and “several other neighboring states have raised the level of alert for their military forces.”

WWE’s Reaction Following The News

WWE talent is scheduled to fly out to Saudi Arabia this week for Crown Jewel ahead of the show on Saturday. Logan Paul noted that he’s flying out on Tuesday. 

However, it appears that nothing has changed on WWE’s end for now as they announced this afternoon Alexa Bliss and Asuka will defend the Women’s Tag Team Titles against IYO SKY and Dakota Kai, a rematch from Monday’s Raw that featured the title change between the two teams. 

The leader of the group, Bayley, will also be in action at this show as she meets Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair in a last woman standing match. The show will be headlined by Roman Reigns defending the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Logan Paul.

PWInsider reports WWE is set to go forward with the event and have security protocols in case of emergency.

WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H reportedly had plans for former Universal Champion Kevin Owens but those plans have been put on hold for the time being.

• 5 Ways Triple H Can Improve WWE RAW

The reason is a good one. It is because his old pal Sami Zayn has become so popular that plans for him to reunite with KO have been put on hold.

Owens and Sami had a brief interaction backstage on a recent edition of SmackDown. Kevin walked by Zayn wearing his Honorary Uce merch and told him that he needs a new shirt.

WrestleVotes spoke with Louis Dangoor of GiveMeSport in an interview posted today and revealed that Triple H has “paused” his plans to team Sami and KO due to how popular Zayn has become.

WrestleVotes added that the Honorary Uce’s involvement in The Bloodline was only supposed to last a few weeks but it is going so well that WWE has extended the storyline.

The tension between Sami Zayn and Jey Uso almost came to a boiling point on this past Friday’s episode of SmackDown. The Tribal Chief instructed the two Bloodline members to hash out their differences but Jey claimed that he didn’t care what Reigns said.

Roman was visibly pissed off but Zayn calmed everyone down. Sami pointed out that Jey hasn’t been himself lately and is not feeling very “Ucey”. Jey and Roman could not contain their laughter in one of the more entertaining segments in recent memory.

H/T: GiveMeSport

Triple H has already made changes to the 2023 WWE premium live event schedule as he nixed the Day 1 and Hell in a Cell shows. He is also looking to go away from gimmick-themed shows. 

Some fans think WWE should make a change to the Money in the Bank event with it being moved back to WrestleMania instead of its stand-alone event. 

WrestleMania to Host MITB Again?

While speaking with GiveMeSport, WrestleVotes noted that WWE has talked about bringing Money in the Bank back to WrestleMania.

“Putting Money in the Bank on WrestleMania, one night women’s and one night men’s is something I’ve heard. I know since Hunter has taken over, the idea of one night women and one night men is alive.”

The person behind the Twitter account did explain that while WWE is considering the idea, this person doesn’t think it will happen. 

“I don’t think they’re going to do that. Let’s say Money in the Bank was scheduled for Allegiant Stadium, and they’re hoping to get 50,000 people. If you can do that on the back of Money in the Bank, I don’t think you put that show in the garbage and put the matches WrestleMania.”

In July, Money in the Bank was originally scheduled to be held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, but the show was moved to MGM Grand Garden Arena due to poor ticket sales.

CM Punk and All Elite Wrestling are reportedly about to go their separate ways.

The 44-year-old returned to professional wrestling last year on Rampage: The First Dance. AEW sold out the United Center in Chicago on a rumor that CM Punk would be there and the crowd absolutely erupted when he arrived.

A year later, CM Punk appears to be on the way out of All Elite Wrestling following the brawl with The Elite at the All Out media scrum. The Elite are reportedly on their way back to the promotion.

• CM Punk Probably Won’t Return to AEW

Update on how Triple H Feels About Bringing CM Punk Back to WWE

WrestleVotes recently spoke to GiveMeSport and provided an update on how Triple H feels about bringing CM Punk back to WWE. It was previously reported that The Game was open to bringing the former AEW Champion back to the company but likely not on a full-time deal.

During the interview, WrestleVotes revealed that Triple H wanted nothing to do with CM Punk, and even less to do with the person (Phil Brooks) in July.

However, WrestleVotes claims that The Game’s stance on CM Punk has “softened” recently but animosity between the two still remains.

WrestleVotes added that it is “ridiculous” to say that the door is closed for Punk to return to the company, especially in the ‘war’ that is happening right now between the promotions.

H/T: GiveMeSport

One of WWE’s staple events of the past 13 years is said to be “completely dead” as part of changes made under the new regime.

Since July, Triple H has operated as both Head of Creative and Head of Talent Relations, implementing several changes.

The Game’s tenure has seen several released Superstars be rehired, including Bray Wyatt, Braun Strowman, Karrion Kross, and Hit Row among others.

Completely Dead

Triple H isn’t just changing the rosters of WWE, but is also changing the line-up of Premium Live Events. According to Wrestle Votes, the annual Hell in a Cell Premium Live Event is said to be “completely dead” and will not return next year.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Wrestle Votes explained Triple H’s personal attachment to the stipulation.

“That match, from what I understand, means a lot to Hunter, just think of the classics that he’s had in there. Roman Reigns & Jey, so they’ve been feuding for six weeks. They got to be there now because the calendar says so… That’s not going to happen anymore.”

Wrestle Votes.

Triple H entered Hell in a Cell for the first time at No Way Out 2000 with a victory over Cactus Jack, and has competed in the match nine times.

The King of Kings has the second most Cell appearances (behind The Undertaker at 14) and boasts a 66.6% win rate.

It is believed that the stipulation will still be used but only when the storyline demands it.

More Changes

WWE Hell in a Cell may be finished as an event, but it may not be the only show on the chopping block.

This month, it was reported that WWE’s new regime will move away from stipulation events, meaning shows like Elimination Chamber and WWE TLC could also be scrapped.

WWE is also reportedly interested in hosting more international Premium Live Events, following the monumental success of WWE Clash at the Castle in Cardiff, Wales.

With WWE gearing up for its return to Saudi Arabia in just over a week and the announcement on Monday of what the company has planned for the Elimination Chamber event, there has been speculation as to when WWE will hold its first Saudi Arabia in 2023. 

On November 5th, WWE will present its Crown Jewel premium live event headlined by Roman Reigns defending the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Logan Paul from Saudi Arabia. 

On February 18, 2023, the Elimination Chamber event will be held from the Bell Centre in Montreal, marking a change from this year, where they held the Chamber event from Saudi and had a main event that saw Brock Lesnar regain the WWE Championship in an Elimination Chamber match.

For November, WWE will have two premium live events with Crown Jewel and then hold the Survivor Series event later in the month. WWE won’t be doing this in February, a typical month that WWE holds Saudi shows. 

WWE’s Return

According to Pwinsider.com, there will not be a Saudi Arabia event in February as is planning to hold the next Saudi Arabia show in the Spring, although an official date has yet been locked down. 

WWE and the Saudi General Entertainment Authority have a long-term partnership through 2027. That contract states that WWE is obligated to hold two events annually in the country.