Things are always better when the boss-man is pleased, and that appears to be the situation the RAW team finds themselves in following last week’s show.

As noted, WWE announced two main events for Monday night’s episode of RAW through Sports Illustrated earlier this weekend.

The report confirmed Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch vs. Andrade and Zelina Vega in mixed tag-team action, as well as Roman Reigns and a mystery partner of Shane McMahon’s choosing against he and Drew McIntyre in a tag-team bout.

An additional stipulation in the latter match is that if The Undertaker interferes at any point during the contest, he will be removed from the scheduled tag-team match at the WWE Extreme Rules pay-per-view.

This Monday’s RAW show goes down from the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, and will be the “go-home” show for the red brand heading into the WWE Extreme Rules show.

WWE Extreme Rules goes down from the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania this Sunday, July 14th. The show will air live via pay-per-view, and will stream live on the WWE Network. Make sure to join us here at SEScoops.com on 7/14 for live WWE Extreme Rules results coverage.

Which Segments On 7/1 RAW In Dallas Were Paul Heyman’s Ideas?

In related news, the same SI article that broke the news of Monday’s RAW double main event included news about WWE officials being pleased with last Monday’s RAW at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

The show marked the first episode for RAW under the new “Paul Heyman Era.” As noted, his fingerprints were reportedly all over the show, even if he wasn’t “fully in charge” of things.

The SI articles notes that some of the ideas believed to be Heyman’s at last week’s show were the stage explosion with Braun Strowman and Bobby Lashley, the Maria and Mike Kanellis pregnancy segment, and the appearance by NXT Tag-Team Champions The Street Profits.

Vince “Immensely Pleased” With First RAW Of “Paul Heyman Era”

Additionally, the report mentioned that Vince McMahon was said to be “immensely pleased” with the RAW show in Dallas.

In particular, the article references the “pace, tone and essence” of last Monday’s RAW as parts that the WWE Chairman was specifically pleased with.

It’s always good when the boss-man is pleased.

What did YOU think of the first episode of RAW in the new “Paul Heyman Era?” Sound off in the Comments section below! You can also interact with us on Twitter @SEScoops and @MattBoone1984.

IWGP United States Champion Jon Moxley spoke with ESPN to talk about a wide range of pro wrestling topics as part of a feature article about his journey from WWE to NJPW. 

During the interview, he spoke about the differences between NJPW and WWE, which is where he made some interesting comments about how it feels like WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon is in the ring with him when he wrestled under the WWE banner. 

Moxley beat Juice Robinson for the IWGP US Championship in his NJPW in-ring debut at the Best of the Super Jr. Finals event on June 5 at Sumo Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

“[In WWE,] it’s almost like Vince is in the ring with you, the producer is in the ring with you,” Moxley told ESPN. “It’s like you have two little bubbles on your shoulder, like three heads in the ring. All of a sudden when I got in the ring [in New Japan], five minutes into the match I was like, there’s no chatter. There was no producer-ref-Vince chatter. It was like silence. And I didn’t expect that.”

Moxley continued by stating that he felt like he was alone again in the ring and then started beating Robinson down. He added that it was like what he had been used to. 

Now, Moxley is preparing to compete in B-Block matches as part of this year’s NJPW G1 Climax Tournament. 

WWE isn’t just sitting around while its upstart competition gains traction.

The company is well-aware of All Elite Wrestling’s early success. AEW is selling out arenas in record time, landed a big television deal on TNT and has already positioned itself as an alternative place to work for disgruntled talent.

WWE made headlines late last month with the announcement that EVOLVE’s 100th live event will air on the WWE Network head-to-head against AEW’s next show, Fight for the Fallen. This move got under the skin of Kenny Omega, who said it makes him sick that WWE ‘lines their pockets with [Saudi] blood money’ and felt the need to undermine AEW’s event, which benefits victims of gun violence in Jacksonville, FL.

According to Dave Meltzer at F4wonline, WWE has plans to jam up yet another AEW show. Meltzer says we should expect “another major counter by WWE” on August 31st, the night of AEW ALL OUT. It’s worth noting that WWE is holding an NXT UK TakeOver event that day from Cardiff, England.

• Triple H Comments On WWE Booking NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff the same day as AEW ALL OUT

This latest development shows that the ‘cold war’ between WWE and AEW is heating up. The tension began at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony, when Triple H referenced AEW as a “piss-ant” company that Vince McMahon could purchase and shut down if he really wanted to.

WWE forced The Undertaker and Kurt Angle to pull out of Starrcast II during Double or Nothing weekend, which also saw Cody Rhodes destroy a throne with a sledge hammer – a clear sign that AEW isn’t shying down from this confrontation.

WWE is locking in talent to longterm contracts, with pay increasing and mid-card performers scoring lucrative 5-year deals. WWE is shaking up its product in hopes of recapturing the coveted 18-34 demographic ahead of AEW’s premiere on TNT this fall.

WWE Hall of Famer Booker T was scheduled to appear at the next Starrcast convention, which takes place during ALL OUT weekend. According to Meltzer, Booker T pulled out of that appearance because he realized the the WWE vs. AEW situation is “very real” and decided it was best to not get caught in the middle. We’ve reached out to Booker T for comment.

Update: Starrcast III promoter Conrad Thompson wrote the following on Friday in response to Meltzer’s report about Booker T:

The Kabuki Warriors manager, Paige recently talked about how Fighting with My Family helped take a new direction in her life and career.

Speaking to The Sun Sport, Paige revealed that she was going through terrible times when the movie was being made, but she was able to power through.

Paige was hit with two drug test suspensions by WWE, and a rocky relationship with her now-ex Alberto Del Rio. She was also the victim of a sex tape leak.

Paige suffered a neck injury and was out of action for a year. When she returned in 2017, she suffered another injury which forced her to retire from wrestling.

Paige says that even though she was going through a lot, she opened her eyes and got out of the bubble so that the movie could be made.

“The movie was in the process of being made while I was going through those terrible two years. I could have lost it completely but I opened my eyes and got out of that bubble quick enough that the movie was still able to be made. It was a wonderful feeling to finally get to watch it and put what I’d done before completely in the past and bury it and pretty much start over again.”

When the movie came out, Paige received a lot of well wishes by her co-workers. One particular personality that also wished her was Vince McMahon.

“I don’t know what Vince’s reaction to it was. But if you get a big hug from Vince McMahon you’re doing well. I saw him last week and he gave me a big hug and said, ‘I’m very happy for you.’ I don’t know it that’s about the movie or the fact that I’m healthy. I think he probably liked it if he did watch it.”

Additionally, Paige also talked about how helpful Triple H and Vince McMahon can be when it comes to issues with writing, or when they’re not utilised properly.

“It frustrates me but once you actually get to speak with Vince and Hunter about your problems and frustrations, they’re always the first to say, ‘Let’s change this.’

“If you go up to writers it’s like talking to a brick wall sometimes, whereas if you go to Vince and Hunter they’re like, ‘If you have a problem we can change that for you.’”

WWE is making some changes to how their shows will be broadcast, thanks to a recent decision by Vince McMahon.

The company will no longer be showcasing matches during RAW or SmackDown advert breaks. A match can, apparently, continue throughout the commercial break, but no wrestling will actually occur.

It is reported that this has been done in order to align their product with legitimate sports events, as those don’t continue showcasing their shows during breaks in the way WWE has been doing.

Additionally, it’s been reported that all televised matches will be timed to end within the same allotted segment.

PWInsider has noted that the specific exception to this new formatting is for 2 out of 3 Falls matchups. The mindset is to allow each fall to occur within each concurrent segment. The promotion is allegedly also interested in trialling matches with multiple rounds, though there is no confirmation on whether they will pursue this at this point in time.

This new formatting decision went into effect last Monday. It’s speculated that pressure to change the current formatting came from Fox network officials. Fox is apparently driving for WWE to become more sports-oriented when they debut for the network on October 4th.

Apparently there is a reason R-Truth is being featured on WWE television and in highly-viewed social media segments as of late.

It’s actually a pretty simple one, too.

Basically, Vince McMahon loves Ron Killings as a performer. Through years of working together, McMahon has reportedly discovered that Killings, more than others, appears to be up for anything.

And in the world of Vince McMahon and WWE, being “up for anything” could mean just that … absolutely anything.

Regardless, Killings is supposedly not only up for doing anything, but in Vince’s eyes, he seems to be into it as well.

Fans Can Expect “A Lot More” R-Truth On WWE TV

There appears to be plans to feature R-Truth “a lot more” on WWE television and in special social media segments centered around the new WWE 24/7 Championship.

As seen this week, Truth attacked 205 Live General Manager Drake Maverick at his real-life wedding with former Mae Young Classic competitor Renee Michelle to reclaim the WWE 24/7 Championship for the sixth time.

The video of R-Truth attacking and winning back the WWE 24/7 title at Drake Maverick’s wedding has been viewed over 3.4 million times (3,437,536 views as of this writing).

Past videos of WWE 24/7 title changes have reportedly drawn significantly well on WWE’s various social media platforms as well, which means fans can expect this trend to continue going forward.

Vince McMahon & R-Truth’s Working Relationship Over The Years

Regarding Vince McMahon’s fondness of R-Truth, Paul Davis of WrestlingNews.co spoke with a source who talked at length about their working relationship over the years and why Vince is so high on the veteran performer.

“Vince loves Ron,” said the source. “Everyone loves Ron but Vince really loves the guy because he is up for everything. Sometimes Vince can tell when someone is not into what they are doing because it’s silly or whatever. You never see that with Ron and Vince loves that. I think Ron will have a job for life here if he wants it.”

The source added, “Remember little Jimmy? Vince loved that stuff. He would laugh so hard at that stuff.”

Additionally, Davis’ source discussed a short-lived heel run that Vince gave R-Truth in WWE back in 2011 and why it didn’t last that long.

“Yeah, that is because Vince wanted him to do comedy again,” the source said. “He says the fans smile when they see Ron so he needed to go back to being a face.”

The source concluded, “Vince didn’t like him as a heel.”

What do YOU think about the recent WWE 24/7 title changes on social media? Are you fond of the frequent R-Truth comedy segments? Sound off on this story in the “Comments” section below.

Turns out there may be more layers and nuance to Bray Wyatt’s Firefly Fun House than many assumed.

Former WWE Superstar, Lance Storm, made the claims on Figure Four Daily with Bryan Alvarez. He asserted that the majority of what has been shown on screen contains more subtext than what fans may have initially realized.

“Correct me if I’m wrong, but aren’t the writers making fun of Vince McMahon right in front of his nose with these segments?” he asked. “The Firefly Fun House is the WWE. The opening segment is ‘we’re glad you’re a friend, it’s a friendship that will never end’, and Bray keeps doing the ‘let me be the light, I’ll show you the way,’ and then all of the skits are all of the inside complaints about the company.”

Break It Down

Storm then broke down the events that have transpired on the Firefly Fun House over the past few weeks, juxtaposing characters that have appeared with situations that may have occurred in real life.

“There was the husky pig that was eating too much, and it’s like you’ll never get a push because you’re a fat slob. There was the buzzard that ate the rabbit and ate up his own to get ahead and was rewarded for it. In the last one that I saw, Bray bludgeoned the rabbit with a hammer because he was revealing the secrets on what really happens in the Firefly Fun House. It was Dean Ambrose! All of these skits are all of the inside bad stories you hear about WWE. The Firefly Fun House is the WWE!” he reiterated.

He highlighted the gloves Bray has been wearing, Hurt and Heal.

Apparently, it was a running joke in the past that in WWE you either got the carrot or the stick, something Storm believes the gloves relate to.

Lance wasn’t sure if Vince McMahon realizes what’s happening at his, supposed, expense, or if he’s doing it thinking no-one in the WWE Universe will understand, but at least according to Lance Storm, these segments are all burying WWE.

“The one video I saw, Bray’s hammering a sign on the door and it says ‘abandon all hope, ye who exit here.’ It’s threatening people, if you leave WWE, then you can abandon all hope. These skits, if Vince realizes what they are, I’m like ‘why would you put them out there?’ If he doesn’t, then are the writers laughing that they are able to get this stuff on television?”

Vince McMahon’s Approval

Alvarez countered Storm’s argument, stating that nothing would be done without Vince McMahon’s express approval—including the Devil puppet that bears a striking resemblance to Vince himself. If that’s the case, then every subtle reference is either intentional or inadvertent.

It was recently reported that WWE has been taking the approach that Storm brought up, with the company trying to create the sense amongst its roster that if they were to leave WWE, their careers would be effectively over.

It turns out that Vince McMahon was keeping a particularly close eye on the competition this past Monday.

In an effort to boost viewership for this past week’s Monday Night RAW, Vince McMahon was allegedly monitoring the NBA Finals that took place between the Golden State Warriors and the Toronto Raptors.

According to Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer Live, segments for the show were being adapted, edited, and moved throughout the entirety of RAW. This occurred because of what was transpiring during the NBA Finals.

“I can tell you for a fact that last night during RAW, they were monitoring the NBA game, and I believe that things were moved around as a result of what was happening during the game. They do keep an eye on things,” Alvarez claimed.

Subject To Change

No specific segment was pinpointed, but it’s worth noting that before the show began, WWE.com listed a preview showcasing The Revival facing off against Zack Ryder and Curt Hawkins. At that time, there was no mention of The Usos, who were later added into the championship matchup.

Last minute changes are far from new in how WWE are scripting their content. Just recently, the ending to Lars Sullivan’s Super ShowDown match was changed per Vince’s directive.

Despite Vince McMahon and WWE’s efforts, however, RAW still drew incredibly low ratings. The show accrued of the lowest ratings in recent times, attracting 2.125 million viewers into tuning into the action. In contrast, the NBA Finals drew 18.217 million viewers at 9PM on ABC.

Despite being primed for a significant heel push, Lars Sullivan picked up a confusing win during WWE’s recent Super ShowDown event in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Instead of having Sullivan play the monster heel, demonstrating power and strength by demolishing the Lucha House Party, their match instead ended in a disqualification after the three luchas attacked Lars.

Turns out that the original finish for the matchup was changed, with Vince McMahon instead opting for the three-person beat down, DQ ending instead.

“There’s No Logic Here”

Dave Meltzer, of Wrestling Observer Radio, commented on the situation, saying “[…] the finish got changed, and the original thing that would have theoretically made sense was in fact what they were going to do. Why that changed, I have no idea. I’ve heard that they may be running the match in San Jose [on Monday Night RAW].”

So the logical ending was originally on the table before being unceremoniously switched to what transpired. The lack of logic isn’t lost on many, including WWE staff members.

When Meltzer asked a source about the reasoning behind the decision, he was told “There’s no logic here. There’s no explanation of anything. Why did Shane McMahon win [instead of Roman Reigns]? It’s not like there’s a reason, it’s just weird.”

It’s worth noting that once the match had ended, “The Freak” proceeded to destroy the Lucha House Party in a post-match assault. But it begs the question: why not just have him deliver the same during the matchup itself?

When Jon Moxley decided he was done being Dean Ambrose and leaving WWE, there was nothing the company could do to keep him.

In fact, the Ohio native says that when it actually came time to WWE giving him a new contract, he didn’t even bother looking at the offer made to him because he knew his time in the promotion was finished.

“I never looked at it. I didn’t look at it. I didn’t want to,” Moxley told Chris Jericho on his podcast when asked about the deal WWE offered him to stay. “I remember thinking at one point earlier on in thinking about the decision, what if they offer me $10 million? Like a Brock [Lesnar] contract. What if they just offer me $10 million?

“What am I going to do with $10 million? My truck is paid off. My house is paid off. My mother’s house is paid off. I got everything I need. What am I going to do with $10 million? Am I going to go buy a Maserati? I don’t live like that. There’s literally no number they could put on a piece of paper that would get me to stay.”

Moxley says he was itching to tell WWE about his decision to leave but he had to wait until after a weekend to finally sit down with Vince McMahon to break the news to him.

According to Moxley, McMahon acted shocked that he was unhappy with the direction of his character and couldn’t fathom not coming back to WWE on a new deal.

“He’s got the ‘Million Dollar Man’ complex,” Moxley said about McMahon. “He has to be able to buy [everything]. That’s why he pays Brock [Lesnar] billions of dollars to come in and ruin his company.

“Because he wants to own Brock. He wants to be like ‘Brock’s my attraction!’ and a guy he has no power over — me — he didn’t know how to handle it.”

Once his deal with WWE was finally up, Moxley says that it felt like a weight being lifted off his shoulders because his passion for professional wrestling had largely been drained away from him during his closing months with the company.

“It’s almost like over the years a physical depression sets in,” Moxley explained. “Cause they take away the thing that you love. Like I was saying about being obsessed with wrestling 24/7, they take it away from you.

“Don’t worry about coming up with promos because we’ve got a writer. Don’t worry about coming up with cool things for your matches because we’ve got producers who will tell you exactly what to do in your matches. Don’t bother thinking of storylines because we’ve already written them for you. It’s kind of like ‘we’ve taken care of everything, you just show up’.”

In the end, Moxley waited out his contract and then left WWE free and clear to sign with a new promotion, which is exactly what he did.

Moxley is now performing for All Elite Wrestling with dates already booked in New Japan Pro Wrestling as well as he looks to get his love of wrestling back now that he’s gone from WWE.

The wrestling world is still buzzing from All Elite Wrestling’s inaugural event, Double Or Nothing. The show has been getting rave reviews from fans and performers alike, including WWE Superstars. The AEW pay-per-view was a hot topic of conversation behind the scenes at Monday’s Raw. Many people were waiting to see if WWE would react to the event on Raw.

The biggest instance of WWE acknowledging AEW came during Sami Zayn’s “electric chair” promo. Fans in the crowd (or as WWE would say, “Sports Entertainment Enthusiasts Comprising the WWE Universe”) were encouraged to ask Zayn hard-hitting questions. No topic was off limits, which seemed like a prime opportunity for an AEW reference. When none of the fans asked about AEW, Zayn mocked them and said, “You could have asked me about AEW.” The reference got a big reaction.

Given the WWE’s usual stance on other promotions, the namedrop surprised the WWE Universe— leading many to believe that Zayn went off script and improvised the reference. According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio, that’s not the case. He argued that it was a scripted moment.

Co-host Bryan Alvarez disagreed, stating that the AEW reference was, in fact, improvised. While Zayn was ready to respond to an AEW question had it come up, Alvarez heard Vince McMahon was “furious” after Zayn voluntarily referenced WWE’s new competition.

“Vince Flipped His Lid. He Was Furious.”

“There are absolutely people who insist that Sami was given the OK to mention AEW, alright?” Alvarez said. “I’ve even heard from one person who said that in the script that went around in the morning yesterday, it was in the script that he was going to mention AEW. One person said that. I had another person say, and Dave had people tell him that it was a scripted line. Now, with that said, I heard from multiple people, far more people in fact, and people that heard from other people, that all said, the line was not scripted, the line was not supposed to be said.”

“I was also told from multiple people that when it happened, Vince flipped his lid. He was furious that this happened, OK? […] The one [theory] that people seem to think is the most likely, is that a small number of people were told that he was given the OK, and that they’re working the boys and flipping out about it,” Alvarez explained.

“[…] I wasn’t there to witness it, but I do know that the people there who absolutely 100% believed that he was very angry, that this was not him putting on a show for people, that this was not him trying to work the boys, that he was angry when this got on the air. I don’t know how to explain everything, I just know that’s what happened last night.”

Future Consequences?

WWE edited out the AEW reference in their YouTube upload of the segment. They didn’t, however, choose to do anything with their live delay. RAW airs with a 15-second delay, which would’ve given them ample opportunity to bleep or silence the name.

If Zayn did go off script, and Vince was genuinely furious as described, it is believed that Sami will have to contend with the consequences of his decision. Meltzer even suggested that Zayn could face possible suspension if that’s the case.

Thanks to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

A lot of people believe that Vince McMahon being the sole authority in WWE is the reason that their programming has gone stale and the general belief is that the Boss does not listen to other people’s ideas.

However, the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Newsletter suggests otherwise and it reveals that the problem is the exact opposite of the popular belief.

According to it, one of the biggest problems backstage isn’t Vince McMahon not being open to suggestion but it’s the Boss being too far open to ideas these days.

Word is that there is too much input from too many people on the writing team and Vince asking for input from everyone leads to the original ideas and storylines getting lost in the shuffle and the product being watered down due to it.

The report also takes a look at the current workload of the Chairman. It’s general knowledge that McMahon is a workaholic, however, even at 73 years old; he is working a very busy schedule every week.

Mr. McMahon is often found in the office past midnights and at least once every week he leaves work close to 3 am. Fridays are said to be his easy work days but even then, he works until 8 pm.

His busy schedule also has people wondering about the launch of XFL and how he will manage to run the sports league while also being the boss at WWE.

While Vince McMahon is maintaining that XFL duties will not affect his role in WWE, it seems virtually impossible unless he spends very little time working on the football league and it’d be interesting to see if his position in WWE changes after its launch in 2020.

Considering the age of the 73-years-old Vince McMahon and his renewed interest in launching a football league of his own, a lot of people wonder if the Chairman of WWE would consider selling the company he has built into a multi-national corporation in future.

The Boss appeared on the cover of the latest edition of the Variety magazine and the corresponding story takes an in-depth look at the current form of the company.

The story features some interesting comments from several WWE Stars and McMahon himself. While talking about their program, the Chairman said that few people understand what they do:

“So few people understand what we do and how we do it, we’re different than anything else that’s out there. The respect factor is here, and now it’s global.”

In light of the recent rating declines and his new ventures, the Boss was also asked a question fans have had in mind – whether or not he will be interested in selling the wrestling corporation.

“We’re open for business,” says Vince McMahon

The answer that came from the Boss was very precise and Mr McMahon said “We’re open for business.” Though as in the past, he refused to elaborate any further on the matter.

Do you see Vince McMahon selling WWE in future if XFL kicks off? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

It’s rare that WWE CEO Vince McMahon ever gives interviews. However, “The Chairman Of The Board” recently spoke with Variety to promote SmackDown Live’s move to FOX this October. FOX unveiled SmackDown Live as part of their lineup for the fall at the recent television upfronts in New York City.

While speaking with Variety, McMahon offered a response to some criticism the company has received for not having an off-season. WWE Superstars have, arguably, the most demanding schedule in all of sports and entertainment. Talents and crew travel over 300 days a year, making things difficult in regards to family and personal life.

This criticism was elevated during John Oliver’s rant on WWE in a recent episode of his HBO show “Last Week Tonight.” In response, McMahon says that getting time off is “easy” for talents:

“Anybody who wants time off can get time off. That’s easy. In addition to that, it’s easy to weave a talent in and out of a storyline.

“If they get injured, you’re not expecting that. Or if they have a family matter. Our characters are real people with real problems. It’s a revolving situation where this talent will work these dates, that talent will work those dates.”

What do you make of McMahon saying it’s “easy” for talents to get time off?

Jim Ross is officially a member of the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) promotion. He joins the company as an advisor and commentator, bringing his undeniable wealth of knowledge and experience to the table.

Speaking with Busted Open Radio, Ross discussed his new role within AEW and whether Vince McMahon had issues with him joining a different wrestling company.

Surprisingly, Ross claims that Vince has been “very pro-me making this move. He has been very positive about this. We have communicated a lot. Probably the most in a month or so than in months, which is my fault. I would like to make him proud. I learned a lot working with the guy. We built a talented roster that I am proud of. I am proud of what we did together. It was a team effort.”

“He Is Bulletproof”

He was then asked whether Vince McMahon was concerned at all over the advent of AEW, especially given that they are being backed by a billionaire in the Khans. Vince hasn’t had to take on a billionaire-funded wrestling company since Ted Turner and WCW in the ’90s.

“You know, I don’t know if he is concerned about going head-to-head with anybody. I doubt it. I think he is bulletproof in that regard,” he said. “I have said this internally with AEW; the worst mistake we can make is trying to chase WWE. We don’t need to chase WWE.

He continued, divulging that he believes there is “concern financially about rosters. I am not officially in that department, but I asked one guy in WWE who is an under-card guy, a solid hand, who can help the younger guys earn, early 30s, and they said to me that he is not available. He just signed for a half a million dollars. He is not even on television. $500,000 just to keep him off the streets, sort to speak. So yeah, I think there is a reactionary phase that is going around that AEW is willing to pay people.”

AEW’s next event, Double Or Nothing, takes place later this month on May 25th. It goes down in Paradise, Nevada at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Former WWE Superstar and leader of the Spirit Squad Kenny Dykstra recently spoke to WrestlingINC on his WWE run. The former ‘captain’ of the team had some interesting comments regarding his reaction when he was pitched the gimmick.

“It was really cool, it was different,” Dykstra stated. “Vince brought us into his office and said, ‘I want five male cheerleaders’ and I thought it was a joke at first because growing up I’ve always been an athlete. I was touring with them before the Spirit Squad as Ken Doane, just doing my own thing, and I thought, ‘There’s no way that’s what they want me to do.’ But lo and behold, that’s what they want, so you just do what they want and make it work. It’s different, over-the-top, it’s not going to be duplicated because we’re going to know where you got it.”

Dykstra elaborated further, discussing his recent run in WWE alongside Dolph Ziggler and another Spirit Squad member, Mikey. “I don’t know, I don’t really make the decisions, I just know that they stopped calling, “Dykstra recalled. “The first time, I don’t know, I’m sure there are a lot of stories out there to what could or would have happened. The second time they called out us out of nowhere and then after nine weeks they stopped calling.”

You can check out the full interview with WrestlingINC below.

*Credit to WrestlingINC for the transcription

Luke Harper publicly requested his release from WWE last month. According to a recent report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Vince McMahon rejected Harper’s request in writing. The report continues to say that WWE made the decision not to use Harper after Vince McMahon expressed that he doesn’t “get him”.

“The update on Harper is that Vince McMahon, in writing, told him he wouldn’t release him,” Dave Meltzer wrote.

“One person close to the situation told us that (Harper) needs to get out because they made a call that they weren’t going to use him after Vince saw him in his return,” the report continued.

Evidently, Vince had concerns that Harper was unable or unwilling to do a Southern accent.

“Vince said that he didn’t ‘get him’ and complained that he couldn’t even do a Southern accent (that was from them wanting him to do a Southern accent four years ago).”

Harper worked a dark match with EC3 on the Smackdown after Mania which was largely done to test Drake Maverick being paired with EC3. Vince McMahon reportedly hated the match and did not like the manager spots with Maverick and EC3.

Timing Of Luke Harper Requesting His Release

The report continues to mention what led to Harper requesting his release from the company.

“The creative meeting the day of the draft when it was asked about which brand Harper would be on, Vince said how the guy can’t even do a Southern accent, said the match with EC3 was bad, so they didn’t put him with either brand and that’s when he asked for his release.”

• Backstage News On WWE’s Plans For Luke Harper

Out of all the female competitors that have ever worked for WWE, former Raw Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey has arguably had the best rookie year in the company’s history.

She started her in-ring career with an incredible WrestleMania debut and after achieving victory in several high profile matches throughout the year, the former UFC Star ended her rookie year by main eventing the Show Of Shows.

WWE Chairman Vince McMahon talked about Ronda’s performance during the 2019 quarter one earnings call and he offered some high praise to the former Champion.

The Boss said that Ronda has done an extraordinary job for them. Vince claimed that her challenge was to bring the entire women’s division up and implied that she achieved this goal with the first ever Women’s WrestleMania main event.

Continuing on the topic, he said that Rousey’s stint has resulted in increased visibility for the Women’s Division and explained that now you have stories that are still the focal point even when the former UFC Star is not around.

Later in the interview, Mr. McMahon also talked about the company suffering a loss in the first quarter of 2019 and cited the absence of talents as the reason for it.

• Also Read: WWE Reports Loss In First Quarter Of 2019

As we noted before, Ronda Rousey has taken a leave from WWE after WrestleMania and there is no news on when or if she will return to the company in future.

The AAF (Alliance of American Football) has filed for bankruptcy. This comes after the AAF only lasted eight weeks before the league suspended operations earlier this month.

Front Office Sports reported on Wednesday that the AAF filed for bankruptcy. You can see the filing here:

The league was in trouble before it started due to former USFL player Reggie Fowler, who was the AAF’s primary investor not coming through with a $28 million payment around Christmas. NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon then came aboard as the primary investor and funded it.

Dundon gave $250 million in funding and also became the league’s chairman. They couldn’t make it work as the AAF was reportedly losing $10 million per week before pulling the plug.

The Sports Business Daily reported this month that the AAF “was already running out of money” and “was on life support” before the season started back in February, which led to the suspension of football operations taking place.

It’s been reported that WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon declined the request offered by the AAF to merge with his second attempt at launching the XFL. McMahon, who owns the XFL under Alpha Entertainment, shot down the offer in December 2018.

The relaunch season for the XFL kicks off in 2020 on Saturday, February 8 and Sunday, February 9. 

The first part of the Superstar Shakeup took place on Monday Night Raw this week, and it saw a number of SmackDown stars, including AJ Styles moving to the Red Roster.

The second part of it will be held on SmackDown Live this Tuesday Night, and WWE is teasing a big announcement for the show with the television return of Mr. McMahon.

WWE has announced that the Boss will return to the Blue Brand and make up for the show’s loss of stars like Styles and Rey Mysterio by revealing the ‘Biggest Acquisition’ in SmackDown Live’s history:

“The mystery has been heightened by Mr. McMahon, who will be revealing the biggest acquisition in SmackDown LIVE history tonight. Who has the WWE Chairman secured for the blue brand?”

Speculation on who this star could be have already begun. Two of the most obvious names being thrown around are Roman Reigns and Braun Strowman.

Both of these stars have been on Raw since the beginning of brand split and a brand switch can definitely provide them the opportunity for some fresh feuds.

Though whether it’s them or a completely different star the Boss has handpicked for the glory will be revealed on SmackDown Live and we’ll have to tune in to the show to find out.

• 9 Takeaways From WWE RAW (4/15)

Former WWE World Heavyweight Champion Batista told several interesting stories that have been documented on the site from when he joined Lilian Garcia’s podcast.

In this interview, he talked about topics regarding his return to WWE where he wrestled Triple H in a No Holds Barred Match at WrestleMania 35 in East Rutherford, NJ that marked his retirement bout. He returned as a heel while Triple H was a babyface.

One story was about no being sold on some things including appearing in his hometown, which is Washington D.C, due to the fact that the fans were going to cheer him. This marked the go-home episode of RAW for WrestleMania 35. 

Batista originally didn’t want to appear on the show due to the support from fans. He stated that he thought he could go in the ring and take a poop and the fans would still cheer him. That’s how much support he gets from people. 

“That was the thing, and I came out and did my promo. Vince called me, and he wanted me to come to D.C., and I said I don’t think so. He goes ‘this is what I want you to do, and when he told me the four-word promo, I laughed my ass off and said I’ll be there!”

Batista mentioned that the more the fans are fired up the more he is. “The Animal” would also bring up how he knew he wouldn’t be back in the arena in his hometown which is why he was engaging with fans after the promo.

“I was just praying that the cameras were going to be turned off. I turned around, and I was praying they were going to say it was clear, but I totally gave in. I walked through the curtain, and I just said ‘I am so sorry.’ Hunter’s standing there like ‘you’re not a babyface.’ I was like ‘I’m sorry dude, it’s my hometown. I couldn’t help it! It was killing me! There were little kids with their hands out…’ I just totally caved.”

H/T to WrestleZone for the transcription

WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon reportedly declined the request offered by the AAF to merge with his second attempt at launching the XFL.

This comes after the AAF only lasted eight weeks before the league suspended operations last week. McMahon, who owns the XFL under Alpha Entertainment, shot down the offer in December 2018, according to the Sports Business Daily.

Per the report, the AAF “was already running out of money” and “was on life support” before the season started back in February. It was added that XFL representatives did not immediately return a request for comment on the report.

The league was in trouble before it started due to former USFL player Reggie Fowler, who was the AAF’s primary investor not coming through with a $28 million payment around Christmas. Thus, it forced Carolina Hurricanes owner Tom Dundon to then come aboard as the primary investor and fund it.

Dundon gave $250 million in funding and also became the league’s chairman, but they couldn’t make it work as the AAF was reportedly losing $10 million per week before pulling the plug.

The relaunch season for the XFL kicks off in 2020 on Saturday, February 8 and Sunday, February 9. It should be noted that this is the weekend following the NFL’s Super Bowl.

For those still upset over Kevin Owens turning on his best friend, Chris Jericho, during the Festival Of Friendship, Jericho has now revealed another tidbit over the duos WrestleMania 33 payoff match: Vince McMahon hated it.

In fact, according to Jericho, Vince McMahon hated it so much he allegedly called it “one of the worst matches in WrestleMania history.”

Speaking Inside The Ropes, the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) wrestler would discuss his long association and eventual feud with Owens. He revealed that he wanted the turning point at the Festival of Friendship to feel like the Red Wedding from Game Of Thrones, shocking fans with the sudden change in tone.

“Vince Said It Was One Of The Worse Matches In WrestleMania History”

Discussing his ‘Mania match specifically, he confessed that he “thought the match was good” before adding that “I was very surprised when I saw KO after and he’s like, ‘Vince said it was one of the worst matches in WrestleMania history.”

According to Jericho, McMahon’s opinion came down to what he perceived Owens’ heel persona to be versus what he delivered that night against Chris Jericho.

“Do I think it was a great match? No. Do I think it was the worst match in WrestleMania history? Absolutely not. […] Overall it was very hard to put on a match that would live up to the hype of the match. But, y’know, it’s all about the story of getting there. Like, the match was cool but I’d rather have a great story and an okay match than an okay story and a great match.”

For those interested, the fallout of Vince McMahon’s reaction to Kevin Owens that night can actually be seen on the Network series, 365. When Owens asked if Vince was happy with the match, he would receive a one-word reply: “No.”

WWE has issued a response after a scathing story on ‘Last Week Tonight with John Oliver’ criticized the organization for athlete treatment and boorish business practices.

The segment aired on Sunday night as Oliver took aim at WWE for several issues including athlete related deaths and flat out calling WWE CEO Vince McMahon ‘an a—hole’.

Oliver took particular aim at the WWE’s practice of signing athletes to lengthy, exclusive contracts yet calling them independent contractors, which prevents the promotion from having to provide basic health insurance, pensions or long-term medical care for injuries suffered on the job.

“Maybe when wrestlers might work years ago for multiple, different [wrestling] organizations, it made sense to call them contractors,” Oliver said. “But now that WWE has a choke hold on this industry, it makes just as much sense to call them that as it does to call Jimmy Carter a ‘panty-dropping f–k machine.’ It’s just clearly not true, anymore.”

On Monday, WWE issued a response to Oliver’s segment while stating that they responded to his producers putting the segment together and then invited the popular host to attend WrestleMania 35 this weekend in New Jersey.

“John Oliver is clearly a clever and humorous entertainer, however, the subject matter covered in his WWE segment is no laughing matter,” WWE officials said in a statement. “Prior to airing, WWE responded to his producers refuting every point in his one-sided presentation. John Oliver simply ignored the facts.

“The health and wellness of our performers is the single most important aspect of our business, and we have a comprehensive, longstanding Talent Wellness program. We invite John Oliver to attend WrestleMania this Sunday to learn more about our company.”

Oliver has won several Emmy Awards and been praised for the meticulous research that goes into the pieces that air on the show each Sunday night on HBO.

Obviously many of the criticisms that Oliver had about WWE are well known issues within the professional wrestling industry but those specific problems were not addressed in the response to the show’s story.

Oliver has taken aim at the WWE in the past, particulary when the company planned — and cashed in — on a lavish show in Saudi Arabia just after the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

While Oliver doesn’t typically get into a back and forth with subject matters he covers on his show, he will often times do a follow up and it’s entirely possible he addresses WWE again on his latest episode that will air in direct competition to WrestleMania on Sunday night.  

There might be a few interesting chants and signs in the crowd during WrestleMania 35 this weekend in New Jersey.

On Sunday night, HBO’s Emmy Award winning news and comedy series ‘Last Week Tonight’ spent the majority of the show dismantling the WWE and their business practices including the treatment of wrestlers, the lack of long-term care for the athletes and taking shots at WWE CEO Vince McMahon for his boorish behavior over the years.

When it came to McMahon, Oliver showed the kind of power he wields over the WWE universe including final say on everything from matchups to the scripts used during live television — and then he aired a clip from several years ago where he actually used the N-word live on television in a poor attempt at comedy.

“While the character Vince is an a–hole, it’s important to know that the real Vince is also an a–hole,” Oliver said. “Many fans legitimately hate him because while the WWE has made him a billionaire, many wrestlers say he’s treated him terribly.”

The biggest part of the segment was spent on the way WWE treats its athletes, particularly while calling them independent contractors rather than employees.

The reason behind that distinction is that WWE is then allowed to deny the athletes basic health care, pensions, and paid leave yet the wrestlers are held under long-term, exclusive contracts that prevent them from working for any other organization.

“Maybe when wrestlers might work years ago for multiple, different [wrestling] organizations, it made sense to call them contractors,” Oliver said. “But now that WWE has a choke hold on this industry, it makes just as much sense to call them that as it does to call Jimmy Carter a ‘panty-dropping f–k machine.’ It’s just clearly not true, anymore.”

Oliver also focused on numerous wrestlers who have died young while pointing out that there is no off season for WWE performers where they are allowed to let their bodies rest and recover.

He pointed directly towards the large number of athlete deaths amongst past WWE superstars including stats that show professional wrestlers die much younger than even past football players from the NFL.

Oliver also noted that many past performers from WWE have almost become destitute after leaving the organization because wrestlers don’t have any sort of pension benefits and many of them have been forced to turn to fans to help them pay for expensive medical procedures like a fund that was set up to help Jake “The Snake” Roberts get surgery a few years ago.

Oliver closed the piece by pointing out that WWE had attempted to make some changes to their health and wellness program over the years but ultimately the promotion was far behind every other major sports organization out there when it came to the treatment of their athletes — even worse than the NFL.

“Even the NFL, for all its massive faults, now offers players health reimbursement accounts and have established a legacy fund for older players who may be dealing with health issues,” Oliver stated “And when you have lost the moral high ground to the f–king NFL, you are morally subterranean.”

As he finished the story, Oliver mentioned how much power fans have over the WWE and he suggested that perhaps the people attending WrestleMania 35 this weekend could come up with a few new chants or perhaps some interesting signs to carry into the stadium with them this weekend.

WWE has not made any public statement regarding the piece since it aired on Sunday night.