Former XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck is suing Vince McMahon. Luck was not listed as a creditor during the XFL’s bankruptcy filings. According to a recent statement issued by Vince McMahon’s attorneys, this was because Luck was terminated from the position on April 9th, 2020.
McMahon has issued the below statement on the lawsuit through his attorneys:
“Oliver Luck’s services as Commissioner and CEO of The XFL were terminated by a letter sent to him on Apr. 9, 2020 which explained the reasons for the termination. As to the lawsuit he filed, his allegations will be disputed and the position of Mr. McMahon will be set forth in our response to his lawsuit.”
Luck’s XFL contract was believed to be worth $20-25 million over 5 years depending on how well the league performed. The agreement stipulated he would receive all money owed if terminated without cause. His lawsuit is seeking to recoup the money owed on the contract.
The league issued the following statement to TMZ earlier this month:
“Unfortunately, as a new enterprise, we were not insulated from the harsh economic impacts and uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 crisis. Accordingly, we have filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. This is a heartbreaking time for many, including our passionate fans, players and staff, and we are thankful to them, our television partners, and the many Americans who rallied to the XFL for the love of football.”
WWE Hall of Famer and co-host of Busted Open Radio Bully Ray recently commented on the ongoing ’empty arena’ shows that AEW and WWE have been producing. These have obviously been a necessity, due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic that is affecting the entire globe.
Bully Ray mentioned the flagging ratings for both shows, with RAW recently hitting below 2 million viewers, something that would be unheard of even just five years ago. Ray would offer his own solution to the problem, saying that WWE needs to create more of an ‘ambience’ for the shows. Bully Ray’s solution? Bring back Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon to do WWE commentary.
Bully Ray on WWE Commentary
“All right, this is gonna sound crazy. If somebody said to me, ‘who should be on WWE commentary every week right now?’ Considering the times that we’re in, considering what needs to be done? You know who I would put a commentary? Vince McMahon and Steve Austin” Bully Ray began on Busted Open. “Would you tune in just for the commentary? Of course you would.”
Bully Ray would elaborate further, saying how he believes Austin and McMahon would be hugely beneficial to the talent in-ring. “Do you think Vince McMahon and Steve Austin could get the talent in the ring over? Yes. Now, is there a chance that you’re going to be more invested in Steve Austin and Vince McMahon than you are the talent on the ring. Yeah, but you got to do everything you possibly can do to keep a rating right now.”
Credability
Bully Ray would finish by discussing the credibility that Austin and McMahon could bring to the talent on screen. “Vince McMahon has been one of the best people behind that announce desk ever Right? Because he’s getting across the stories that he wanted to tell. So if you put the greatest rivalry in the history of wrestling behind behind the announce table, holy crap what the hell are these two guys gonna say to each other? And when the time is right they bicker, and when the time’s right they lay out and tell stories. ‘Well you know these New Day guys they’re really good you know they’re sitting on 8 Tag Team Championships, only a matter of time before they break the record.’ Holy sh*t Steve Austin just put over the New Day!? Instant frickin’ credibility.”
Bully Ray
Do you feel that WWE need to change up the commentary booth to bring some more life to the broadcasts? Let us know in the comments
There have been reports of a drop in WWE morale due to the difficult working conditions amid the coronavirus outbreak but the boss Vince McMahon believes that the talent are taking this as a challenge instead.
The WWE Chairman recently took part in the 2020 Q1 earning calls with others where the WWE officials detailed the financial performance of the company in the first three months of 2020 and answered many questions.
When asked about the talent morale amid the coronavirus
outbreak, Mr McMahon claimed that their talents have taken this as a challenge
and risen to the occasion:
“Our only natural resource, obviously, is talent, and our talent have taken this as a challenge, have taken this almost as a duty, which has always happened with us, and they realize that, people are sitting at home, they’re bored.
And we can entertain them like no one else can entertain them. So, I think that they look at this as a challenge and they’ve really risen to the occasion. It’s amazing actually.”
Vince McMahon also mentioned how there are a few talents who are unable to perform due to certain pre-existing conditions, though he did not take the name of Roman Reigns or anyone else:
“There are a few that are unable to come down due to certain existings… certain things that exist, but nonetheless, by and large, kudos to them. They are a very, very special people, they’re extraordinary athletes. They love to give.
The boss continued by saying that the business is all about
giving and performing for the audience. He gave another kudos to the performers
for working without an audience in the attendance and said that he is proud of
them.
Apart from this, Vince McMahon also talked about their deal with Saudi Arabia and provided an update on the status of their next Saudi show. You can check out his comments on the matter at this link.
The coronavirus has forced the world to cease all nonessential operations. This includes WWE and their deal to produce shows for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as well.
Vince McMahon talked about the company’s performance in the
first few months of 2020 during the Q1 2020 earning calls recently and he also
provided an update on the status of their next show in the Middle Eastern
country.
The Boss revealed that the current plans are for them to do their second Saudi show of the year in November or December later this year after the Super Showdown 2020 event.
He is not sure if the authorities will be able to give them ok to perform at the time but according to McMahon the Saudis really want them to hold another show later this year.
Though even if the event is canceled, it will not have a negative impact on the company’s finances because they will be able to “tack it onto” the backside of their deal.
Per Vince McMahon’s explanation, this essentially means that
the show will be postponed to a later date and not canceled completely meaning
that the company will not lose the potential revenue from the event.
WWE signed a ten-year contract to put on two shows per year in Saudi Arabia in 2015 and the company put out their fifth show under the deal in Super Showdown 2020 in February earlier this year.
Former WWE on-air personality and backstage producer Jim Cornette recently made comments on the ‘independent contractor’ status in WWE. It is a conversation that has been going on for years; WWE hires wrestlers/on-air talent on an ‘independent contractor’ status which means that they do not get the same sort of benefits as a full-time employee.
This has been a point of contention for a long time, as WWE seemingly controls a lot of what their talent can and can’t do, thus seemingly nullifying the idea of the talent being ‘independent.’
Jim Cornette on Contracts In Wrestling
“F*cking contracts in wrestling” Jim Cornette began on this week’s episode of the Drive Thru podcast. “Once you get to the level of involvement with each other where you are working for a company like the WWE or like WCW? You’re an employee.”
Interestingly, Cornette would then state that AEW, a company that he has quite a few issues with, actually should be classing their performers as ‘independent contractors.’ “Now All Elite Wrestling? They run one day a week and then a pay per view every three months or whatever. You can work for other promoters. Anywhere where you legitimately can work for other promoters, or determine what your name is or how you’re presented? You’re an independent contractor.”
Full Time Employees
Jim Cornette continued to rip on WWE, saying “when you work for the f*cking WWE? You are a full time employee, you’re an employee in spandex. AND they’ve conned the government this long. You know, they’ll continue to do so until there’s a [wrestlers] union. And then the first thing that they’ll do is say ‘well this is f*cking ridiculous. We’re gonna call the IRS and talk to somebody important.'”
McMahon and…Trump?
Cornette would then finish by seemingly referencing the President of The United States, indicating how he and McMahon are both liable for crooked dealings.
“I’ve said this before, wrestlers should have always been independent contractors and should be independent contractors,” Cornette stated. “Because that’s the way that wrestling should be run. But if it’s going to be run THIS WWE way? Then the WWE wrestlers not being employees is f*cking idiocy, and it’s against the law. Guess who technically runs the IRS? We haven’t even seen dipsh*ts (Trump?) f*cking tax returns, much less get them to reclassify Vince McMahon and Linda McMahon’s employees but nevertheless. It’s just. It’s insane.”
The idea of a wrestlers union has always been prevalent, and potentially with the issues surrounding the handling of coronavirus by WWE it may be brought back into the fold once again.
Former WWE Superstar Ryback recently made some explosive comments regarding Vince McMahon and his status as the biggest name in sports entertainment. With the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic causing most major sports leagues and brands to cease operations; WWE has continued to tape shows and it has created controversy that has seen WWE in the mainstream news cycle.
It is arguable that last week was potentially one of the worst in Vince McMahon’s career as the CEO of WWE. The XFL went bankrupt, WWE had to offload numerous on-air and backstage personalities on ‘Black Wednesday.’ Legendary Hall of Fame announcer and the first ever WWE employee Howard Finkel tragically passed away, and Oliver Luck, the former XFL Head is suing Vince McMahon for wrongful termination.
Vince McMahon The Businessman
On top of this, there are reports and rumors that WWE may be ‘forcing’ staff to work during the pandemic. This however is not confirmed but we will be following the situation closely.
“Just knowing what I know. Vince [McMahon] as a businessman? He is a very savvy, very cutthroat businessman” Ryback began on his Conversation With The Big Guy podcast. “What he’s been able to achieve? It’s at the expense of human lives and there’s a lot of things wrong with how he treats, specifically the wrestlers and people in general. I don’t even really need to even say anything anymore.”
Ryback “speaking up” for WWE Talent
Ryback would then elaborate further, discussing how fans have thanked him in the past for speaking up for the talent at WWE. “I’ve said my peace time and time again. I get people messaging me saying ‘you’ve told us the truth from the very beginning,’ and now they’re they’re finally seeing it just sit back and let everything play out this way. That’s kind of my take on this. I speak up for the wrestlers and I think karma is playing out.”
Losing Everything “In The Battle”
The ‘Big Guy’ would then reveal that he believes the worst is to come for Vince McMahon. “I honestly think we’re seeing the fall of Vince McMahon” Ryback stated. “He is truly being tested now, and I think he’s going to go down in flames. He’s going to go down swinging. Regardless, I could see him…he’s the type that will lose everything in the battle. And it’s the fact that there, it’s so public this, it’s right in your face what’s going on. And it’s almost like well ‘what do you guys gonna do about it?’ Okay, that’s worked in the past. The coronavirus is the one variable that he can’t control, and all it’s gonna take is one superstar dying, or their family member dying. Or just something, just even superstars getting it [COVID-19]. and it’s going to, it’s going to be a fire that not even Vince McMahon will be able to put out.”
WWE had previously announced that they would be taping live shows going forward on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. This has since been changed and certain shows will be taped to air at a later date. Either way, WWE seems to be playing with fire in this unprecedented situation.
Do you think WWE needs to take a break during the pandemic? Let us know in the comments
WWE managed to be deemed an essential business in the state of Florida thanks to Governor Ron DeSantis.
Now, WWE is free and clear to hold TV events at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
The news was made official by Orange County, Florida Mayor Jerry Demings at a press conference earlier this week. This was after WWE was originally deemed non-essential. The Mayor claimed that the change happened after some talks with the office of DeSantis.
“I’m sure it had nothing to do with the fact that the McMahon family is very tight with the Trump’s and the fact that Linda McMahon is raising $300 million dollars for Trump’s Super PAC, and the governor is very tight with the President,” Aronberg stated sarcastically. “You know, I’m sure it had nothing to do with that, right?”
President Trump also named Vince McMahon along with other sports commissioners to advise him on getting the economy back up and running.
Aronberg realizes that pro wrestling business brings a lot of elements with it as there are more than ten people to put on a show. However, having no fans in attendance helps WWE’s cause to run the show.
“Putting on the shows in a closed building where everyone is tested and there’s medical staff there and social distancing except for the competitors in the ring; I don’t think there is a threat to public safety and what they are doing,” Aronberg said.
He added that there’s another way to look at the situation as some people will ask how WWE got an exemption. He thinks asking that question is haphazard in the process.
Vince McMahon and WWE have announced that some major cuts are coming the company’s way.
This is due to the current coronavirus outbreak and how detrimental it has been to the United States economy. WWE released an official press release, noting the coronavirus and current government-mandated impacts on the company will force several changes. The changes read as follows:
Reducing executive and board member compensation;
Decreasing operating expenses;
Cutting talent expenses, third party staffing and consulting;
Deferring spend on the build out of the Company’s new headquarters for at least six months
To recap, WWE will be reducing executive and board member salaries. Also, operating expenses, talent expenses, and third party staffing/consulting will be cut. This means that some roster cuts are coming, and there will be select WWE stars who will be given their walking papers soon. “The Company also identified headcount reductions and made the decision to furlough a portion of its workforce effective immediately.”
It might only be a matter of time before the news begins pouring in that some talents are now free agents. Once the coronavirus pandemic begins to wind down, hopefully things will slowly return to normal and those who have been furloughed will return to work. We’ll keep you updated as we learn more.
The hits continued for the XFL as on Monday, the pro football league filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy.
The bankruptcy statement noted that the economic impacts and uncertainties caused by the coronavirus forced the XFL to close down.
This comes after the XFL had suspended operations last week. The season was postponed after week five. The XFL issued a statement to TMZ:
“Unfortunately, as a new enterprise, we were not insulated from the harsh economic impacts and uncertainties caused by the COVID-19 crisis. Accordingly, we have filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. This is a heartbreaking time for many, including our passionate fans, players and staff, and we are thankful to them, our television partners, and the many Americans who rallied to the XFL for the love of football.”
It should be that once the relaunch of the league was made official, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon stated that WWE wasn’t part of his new project. Instead, WWE would be a separate company from the XFL, which was owned by McMahon under Alpha Entertainment.
The listing for the bankruptcy revealed that wasn’t the case. Instead, WWE owned 23.5 percent of the XFL’s Class B stock while McMahon owned the remainder of it.
As recently as February, WWE’s Interim CFO Frank Riddick stated on a conference call that WWE had no plans of investing in the XFL.
WWE is slated to release its quarterly financial report on April 23 and will hold a conference call for investors. WWE having an equity stake in the XFL could be brought up.
McMahon had sold nearly $300 million in WWE stock in order to fund the league.
All Elite Wrestling announcer Jim Ross has reflected on “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s heel turn at WrestleMania X-Seven. He also shared details on his current relationship with Vince McMahon.
Ross shared how he doesn’t believe Austin’s heel turn would have worked at any point during that time because of his popularity with the fans. He likened it to Western director John Ford casting John Wayne to play a Nazi. Ross contextualized how the turn took place in Austin’s home state at a WrestleMania. This created a situation where Austin “could do no wrong.”
“[…] if you go back and watch that on the WWE Network or wherever, you’ll see that the ovation Austin got coming out was nothing short of extraordinary,” Jim Ross told Top Rope Nation Podcast. “So I just don’t think it ever would have worked because he was that great of a babyface. ‘Stone Cold’ Steve Austin was a folk hero, he was a hero to many working, blue-collar people. I just never saw it working very well.”
Jim Ross & Vince McMahon
Having become a part of WWE’s competition, Jim Ross shared that he still casually talks with Vince McMahon. He divulged that they speak during the holidays, acknowledging how Vince is an incredibly busy man. This makes a sit-down, casual catchup pretty unrealistic. That being said, they do text one another, with Ross noting he had messaged him over WrestleMania 36’s success given the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’d say our relationship is casually friendly at best, at worst, I mean. If I needed something, I know that I could call Vince and the request discussed, it’d be, I think, accommodated. And he knows I’m the same way.”
Jim Ross stressed that this doesn’t mean he’s going to work with him again. He stated how he’s got a great job in AEW and has just started the second year of a three year contract. As far as he’s concerned, he made the right move for himself by signing with AEW.
Vince McMahon has reportedly made the decision to return to live programming beginning with this Monday’s edition of RAW. Smackdown, NXT, and RAW are currently scheduled to air live every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from the WWE Performance Center moving forward.
According to a report from the Wrestling Observer, McMahon made the decision to move back to live shows on Friday. This was as the company had plans to run tapings all weekend. The move is possibly due to WWE’s contracts with both Fox and NBC Universal. The contracts only allow for a certain number of shows to be prerecorded per year.
Speculation currently holds that if WWE were to air more taped shows, they risk violating the terms of its contracts. This could potentially lead to the networks withholding money or finding a way to restructure the deals. It is not clear, however, if Fox or NBC Universal would be motivated to do this.
Some in WWE are said to have been shocked by Vince’s decision. Others, however, have defended the move due to the potential financial implications. It is also not clear if Vince was instructed to return to live shows by the networks or if this is something he decided to do on his own.
Executive Vice President of AEW Cody Rhodes recently appeared on Busted Open Radio. The former WWE Superstar would discuss a plethora of topics regarding AEW’s ongoing taping schedule and the way that they are dealing with the COVID-19 coronavirus situation.
One of the topics brought up was that of Brodie Lee’s Exalted One character. Over the past few weeks there have been vignettes with Lee that show him to have characteristics akin to WWE CEO Vince McMahon. Cody was asked about this on Busted Open, and he denied that the character is an ‘outright parody’ of McMahon.
Cody Rhodes on the Exalted One
“I could never tell you the original plan. And I don’t even know if there ever even was an original plan” Cody began. “I will say it’s very unlikely on AEW you’ll ever hear the name Vince McMahon said.”
Cody Rhodes would then go on to talk about his respect for McMahon and his time in WWE. “If you do hear me say it [Vince’s name] in interviews? In general I always speak very, very highly of him. Because A) he’s Vince McMahon and B) I was a WWE guy to start. I didn’t come from anywhere else, I came up through their feeder system. They were the house that built me.”
Parallels Between WWE CEO & Brodie Lee
Cody Rhodes would finish by stating that there are definitely parallels between the Exalted One and Vince McMahon. However Cody seems to indicate that these are purely coincidental, and that it’s all down to Brodie Lee’s “style of leadership” for the Dark Order.
“I don’t want to be vague or coy with your question,” Cody said. “When it comes to the parallels between Brody’s style of leadership? There are a lot of unique parallels but I don’t think it’s particularly a spoof on Vince McMahon. We’ll see how develops in the next few weeks, I think Brodie just has a very…’power’ boss, very animal kingdom, kind of social Darwinism type approach to the Dark Order. And I think that falls in line with perhaps some of Vince’s quirks. But it is not an outright spoof on the legendary Mr. McMahon…not outright.”
Check out the video below if you have not already seen the Exalted One on AEW television. Let us know in the comments if you think that it is a spoof on the WWE CEO, is Cody Rhodes playing around with us?
The White House and US President Donald Trump held a conference call with commissioners from major sports leagues in the United States today. Vince McMahon represented WWE on the call. The topic of conversation was how the ongoing global pandemic is impacting sports in the country.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Trump told those on the call that he hopes to have fans back in stadiums, arenas, and at live events by August or September. It is not clear, however, if medical experts agree with this timeline.
Donald Trump also told commissioners that he hopes to have fans back in stadiums and arenas by August and September, sources said, though it is currently unclear if medical experts find that to be a realistic timeline amid the current coronavirus pandemic. https://t.co/EFqDryGlTQ
In addition to Vince McMahon, Dana White was on the call representing the UFC, Adam Silver representing the NBA, Rob Manfred representing MLB, Roger Goodell representing the NFL, Gary Bettman representing the NHL, Jay Monahan representing the PGA Tour, John Middlebrook or Jim France representing NASCAR, Don Garber representing MLS and Cathy Engelbert representing the WNBA.
Most major sporting leagues across the United States have currently suspended ongoing play. The UFC, however, is still hoping to present its UFC 249 PPV. Vince McMahon and WWE have been filming content on closed-sets with no fans in attendance.
Vince McMahon is scheduled to take part in a phone conference with major sports league commissioners and US President Donald Trump today. ESPN’s Adam Schefter revealed the participants of today’s call today on Twitter:
Scheduled participants on call with Trump:
NBA – Adam Silver WNBA – Cathy Engelbert MLB – Rob Manfred NFL – Roger Goodell NHL – Gary Bettman PGA Tour – Jay Monahan UFC – Dana White WWE – Vince McMahon NASCAR – John Middlebrook or Jim France. MLS – Don Garber.
Vince McMahon To Participate In White House Call With Sports Commissioners
While the exact nature of the call is not known, it is expected it will cover the growing spread of the COVID-19 in the United States and its impact on sports. Most sporting leagues have shut down for the time being except for the UFC. The UFC is still hoping to go-ahead with UFC 249 despite the main event falling apart. WWE has been hosting closed-set shows from the WWE Performance Center.
Donald Trump was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013. Mick Foley, Bob Backlund, Trish Stratus, Bruno Sammartino and Booker T were also inducted that year. Additionally, Vince McMahon’s wife, Linda McMahon, announced last year she was stepping down as the head of Small Business Administration for the Trump Administration in order to chair the Super PAC America First Action.
WrestleMania IV and V were hosted at Trump Plaza. Trump also managed Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania 23. Vince McMahon managed Umaga. McMahon then had his head shaved after Lashley defeated Umaga at the event.
WWE Superstar The Big Show recently appeared on the Gorilla Position podcast. During the interview the 7 foot 2 giant would discuss a litany of topics from his career; including the brand new ‘The Big Show Show’ that is coming to Netflix.
This is arguably the biggest out of the ring opportunity that Paul Wright/The Big Show has had in his career. Big Show has previously appeared in motion pictures, such as Adam Sandler’s The Waterboy, but this is the first ‘vehicle’ for the WWE Superstar that has seen him be the main focus.
Big Show on Joining WCW
Show would start the interview with Gorilla Position by describing how different opportunities are now as opposed to when he first joined WCW in 1995. “No, I’m not even close to being were I was when I first started” Big Show began. “I was a kid from South Carolina, and I’m still [then] blown away that I’m working in the same ring with Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Ric Flair and Arn Anderson. It’s like I should get an autograph before they figure out that I shouldn’t be here and kick me out!”
The Chance To Appear on Netflix
Big Show
Big Show elaborated further, saying “to understand where our business has grown since then and the opportunities are available now for for all the talent across the board. So many different avenues of being able to build their brand, to build a worldwide brand. And a lot of talents are doing that now, [even] for me to end up with my own TV show in partnership with Netflix. Big Show would also reveal that he has been pushing for this sort of opportunity for years. Although he had no idea that it would lead to such a slot on a massive streaming service.
“I think he probably knew that if he didn’t let me have this opportunity I was gonna like come into his office and throw things out of the window”
Big Show
“I drove Vince [McMahon] nuts for years, about trying to get me a vehicle like this” Big Show revealed. “From trying to have my own segment on RAW or Smackdown. Even something like when we got the WWE Network like ‘hey, I should have my own show I could do this, I could do that.’ And when this partnership came up with Netflix and WWE; I’m so thankful and grateful that Vince let me lead the charge on this opportunity. I think he probably knew that if he didn’t let me have this opportunity I was gonna like come into his office and throw things out of the window.”
‘The Big Show Show’ premieres only on Netflix on April 6th, check out the trailer for the new series below:
This Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite episode highlighted a segment featuring “The Exalted One” Brodie Lee with his fellow members of The Dark Order – Alex Reynolds and John Silver.
The much-discussed-vignette saw Brodie Lee have a steak dinner with Alex Reynolds and John Silver where he chided them for depending on their strength in numbers. He told them to get with the program in regards to what direction The Dark Order is heading in. While Lee was busy chastising, Silver tried to eat his steak before Lee finished his meal which angered him. He threw him out of the room.
After this happened, Alex Reynolds sneezed, which disturbed Lee very much, to the point where he kicked him out as well.
On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted that the entire segment was made to rib on Vince McMahon, and it didn’t sit too well with the company.
The part where Lee gets angry at Silver for eating his food before he finished his own meal is a reference to Vince getting upset whilst having a meal at Morton’s Steakhouse because he wanted to be the first to eat. Vince is also known to dislike sneezing a lot, and he gets very mad when someone around him sneezes.
Meltzer noted that people in the company were very upset with this segment by AEW.
This is just another segment by Lee needling Vince McMahon – as during last week Lee had said the following about his former boss: “You’re not the first out-of-touch old man to not believe in me. But I will make damn sure you are the last.”
You can watch the segment below:
What would you give to have dinner with The Exalted One @ThisBrodieLee..?
WWE Superstar Natalya recently appeared on the Gorilla Position podcast. The Hart Family member discussed a number of topics on the show, with one being her relationship with WWE CEO Vince McMahon. Natalya would describe how McMahon has “been there” for her at numerous times in her career.
“You know what’s really funny? And maybe, I’m gonna say this because…it’s coming from a place that, it’s a compliment!” Natalya began. “Vince is the type of boss, that if you need to talk to him as a talent, you can talk to him. And in the most serious moments of my career and the most serious moments of my life? [Like] When my dad passed away, when I was announced that I was going to Saudi Arabia.”
Natalya elaborated further, saying how she had spoken to McMahon even this week. “In the last week I’ve spoken to him and communicated with him. He’s been wonderful. He’s always as crazy as it gets. And as crazy as his schedule gets because he’s running so many things? He is so accessible, he is so accessible for us if we really need him. He’s been there for me through the best and worst times in my life.”
Natalya would finish by saying “if it was something I needed to ask him a question about my match or, you know, say I I’m concerned about this or I wanted to add this idea or I think we can contribute this way? He’s all open, like we can always…I’ve never not been able to talk about anything with him.”
AEW on-air talent and former WWE agent Arn Anderson recently talked about the relationship between Triple H and WWE CEO Vince McMahon. This week’s episode of the ARN podcast focused on WrestleMania 31, which featured the controversial encounter between Sting and the aforementioned HHH.
Arn Anderson on Triple H/Vince McMahon
Anderson was discussing how a number of WWE fans believe that the company will be different once/if Triple H takes over the creative reins overall. The match between HHH and Sting was arguably a creative train wreck, and co-host of ARN Conrad Thompson asked if it was Triple H who likely booked the match or if Vince McMahon had final creative say.
“I know that Hunter will never be able to override Vince’s idea” Arn Anderson began. “No matter how good [the idea] is that he has. Or how it applies, or what you know is more appropriate. It would always be Vince’s idea.”
“the harder you push against him [Vince], the harder he pushes back. “
Arn Anderson
Anderson would elaborate further, saying that “the harder you push against him [Vince], the harder he pushes back. And he just happens to have a lot more weight behind his push.” Arn would also discuss how the flow of the match was almost nonsensical; especially with the talents who were hitting finishers that were easily kicked out of. “There was a whole bunch of sh*t. I mean why would you kick out of Shawn Michaels Superkick on top of Hunter’s Pedigree? And all the other finishes you compile and pile on top of each other?”
Triple H at WrestleMania 35. Image Credit: WWE.com
Arn would finish by saying that “you’re not building anybody, you’re killing everything off. I don’t understand why guys of this era don’t understand your finish is the one thing that should be sacred. Once you hit your finish on the guy, he’s beat. That’s why it’s your finish. If you didn’t have confidence in it because it had a proven record; then why is it the move that you choose to win a match?”
WWE is still looking to land a new streaming deal with ESPN, but negotiations are still underway.
In February, Dave Meltzer reported that the talks would be in regards to WWE content airing on the ESPN+ service. The deal would see WWE sell their rights to air pay-per-views on ESPN+ in order to get more money than what they earn through the WWE Network.
Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that while the two sides have been talking, they are “far apart on money” because WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon wants a higher number than what UFC got from ESPN.
Meltzer didn’t share the exact number but it was noted it wasn’t expected to be a big $100+ million deal. It all comes down to the unsteady climate and how much revenue from advertisements that ESPN can get.
While WWE is talking with ESPN, there are other streaming services that could be options for WWE. These partners include DAZN and NBC’s Peacock service.
The Peacock service will launch later this year and some people think this would be the best bet for WWE.
The situation for such a move of WWE selling PPV rights is due to the subscription numbers for the WWE Network continuing to decrease.
A class-action lawsuit has been filed against WWE, Vince McMahon, Georgie Barrios, and Michelle Wilson by the City of Warren Police and Fire Retirement System in regard to the company’s deal with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The action was filed yesterday.
“This is a securities fraud class action on behalf of all purchasers of WWE Class A common stock between February 7, 2019 and February 5, 2020,” read documents relating to the case. “These claims are asserted against WWE and certain of its senior executives who made materially false and misleading statements regarding the Company during the Class Period.”
The filings continue to state that WWE hid tensions between the company and the Saudi government from investors.
“Unbeknownst to investors, the events in late 2018 fomented simmering tensions between WWE and the Saudi government. In particular, conservative elements of the Saudi government disliked WWE’s portrayal of women and what they viewed as the questionable morality reflected in WWE programming and live shows. At the same time, WWE was under immense pressure to justify its decision to continue working with the Saudi government and outwardly claimed that it was trying to push for change from within the country.”
The filings then contend that WWE publicly displayed confidence in the ongoing Saudi deal despite the ongoing trouble related to it.
“In reality, however, the prospects for a deal continued to worsen throughout the Class Period, as the Saudi government failed to make millions of dollars in additional payments owed to WWE following a June 2019 live event held in the country and the negotiations with OSN floundered.”
WWE is also dealing with legal action from the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension Fund, seeking transparency on the relationship between WWE and the XFL.
Backstage news has surfaced regarding Vince McMahon and Shayna Baszler.
We noted earlier on the site that the WWE Chairman & CEO made several changes to Monday’s RAW from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.
WWE originally announced WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Asuka vs. Baszler for this show. However, Asuka suffered a left wrist injury the night before at the WWE Supershow.
Thus, WWE doctors didn’t clear her to compete. As a result, Kairi Sane replaced her and lost to Baszler.
Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that there was said to be a lot of “negativity and uncertainty” regarding McMahon’s reaction to this contest.
In fact, McMahon felt that the Baszler vs. Sane match did not get the desired reaction and that Baszler did not come off like a WrestleMania headliner.
This could play a factor regarding whether Baszler gets to WrestleMania 36 as originally planned.
WWE booked a Women’s Elimination Chamber Match for Sunday’s (March 8, 2020) WWE Elimination Chamber pay-per-view event in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at the Wells Fargo Center on the WWE Network.
This contest will see WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion Asuka vs. SBaszler vs. Ruby Riott vs. Sarah Logan vs. Liv Morgan, vs. Natalya.
The winner will become the new #1 contender for the RAW Women’s Title, which is currently behind held by Becky Lynch.
Vince McMahon wasn’t happy with the original script that had been written for this past Monday’s episode of RAW.
Thus, when the WWE Chairman and CEO arrived in Brooklyn, NY at the Barclays Center, he changed his mind and the script.
Bryan Alvarez shared the news on Wrestling Observer Live. This is where he noted that despite the XFL being in the full swing of its season, McMahon is very hands-on with WWE programming even if he’s not backstage at the shows.
While McMahon has been absent at several recent shows, he was at RAW this week.
Alvarez stated, “I don’t know everything that happened on Monday but I do know that this guy showed up and he changed everything again. Apparently, it was worse than usual and if you watched the show, the show was worse than usual.”
By looking at the feedback from fans on social media, the opening segment with WWE Champion Brock Lesnar and Drew McIntyre, as well as the last segment with Randy Orton and Beth Phoenix, was praised.
However, there has been some criticism from fans regarding other segments on the show. Most notably, Ricochet was defeated by WWE 24/7 Champion Riddick Moss just days after he was squashed by Lesnar at Super ShowDown.
Some fans have felt that this was McMahon’s latest burial of a talent who is considered to be supported by Paul Heyman, who oversees the brand as the RAW Executive Director.
Despite his new role in the company, McMahon has complete control over the creative side of things.
WWE could land a new streaming deal with ESPN if things go well in negotiations.
Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that the talks would be in regards to WWE content airing on the ESPN+ service. WWE saw what the UFC did with ESPN and now is looking to get a similar deal, per the report.
This potential deal if reached would see WWE sell their rights to air pay-per-views on ESPN+ in order to get more money than what they earn through the WWE Network.
This potential deal to air PPV events on ESPN+ could also potentially bring more mainstream exposure to WWE’s big events and their biggest Superstars. The UFC has been heavily covered on ESPN networks since inking their deal.
WWE Partnership With ESPN
As of this writing, there’s no word yet on how far the talks with ESPN are. The report did note that it looks like the deal has not been agreed on as of this week.
Earlier this month, there were rumors that WWE was possibly talking to Amazon about selling content rights to them but have since been dismissed. ESPN isn’t the only player that WWE has been talking with as they had talks with other potential partners.
These partners include DAZN and NBC’s Peacock service. The belief is that the Peacock service will launch later this year and some think this would be the best bet for WWE.
TV industry sources recently told Meltzer that Peacock would look at WWE to be its key initial programming to draw subscribers from the launch moving forward. Thus, it would be very similar to how ESPN+ did with UFC.
Since the subscription numbers for the WWE Network continue to decrease, WWE would be able to get significantly guaranteed money for their big-money events, instead of relying on their own service for revenue.
Becky Lynch recently did an interview with TV Insider to talk about a wide range of topics.
In the interview, the WWE RAW Women’s Champion talked about how much money she should be making. This is where Lynch made some interesting comments including why she thinks she should earn more than WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon.
“I should be making more in that whole company, everybody — Vince McMahon included. I want to change the game.
I want to prove that it doesn’t matter your gender, your race, your background, if you are doing the job and keeping people invested if you are keeping people interested, then you deserve to be paid at a level higher than anybody else.”
Lynch added or high as the best of them because when she looks around the arenas and the majority of the people are in her shirts.
She added that the majority of people hold signs for her. Thus, she thinks that WWE should pay her as such and that will be the way it will be.
Lynch makes her latest title defense as RAW Women’s Champion against Asuka on Monday’s episode of RAW in Ontario, CA at the Toyota Arena.
Matt Riddle got fans talking when he shared an interesting comment on social media.
It all went down when the WWE On FOX Twitter account hyped an appearance by WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg on Friday’s episode of SmackDown on FOX. This is where they asked fans who his next opponent should be.
The belief as of this writing is that Goldberg’s opponent at the Super ShowDown pay-per-view show on Thursday, February 27, 2020 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia at the King Fahd International Stadium will be revealed.
This is when Riddle responded to the post by writing, “I’m not gonna do what sources are saying I’m not suppose to do. Or am I? What are sources saying?”
This comes after a report by Dave Meltzer that Riddle has heat with Vince McMahon for calling out top stars such as Goldberg and WWE Champion Brock Lesnar on social media and other reasons.
