The Miz: Triple H Has To Think Five Steps Ahead. No One Gives Him Credit For That

The Miz praises Triple H.

WWE Unreal has taken fans behind the scenes of the WWE production as fans can see what goes into putting every event and story together. While some have criticized the series for going too far behind the scenes, The Miz loves it.

“A lot of the old timers don’t like Unreal. I love it. I love it because it allows people to appreciate exactly how hard we work to make sure it looks seamless and easy, but you guys don’t understand exactly what’s going on behind the scenes. Unreal can only give you so much. You really don’t know too much about it, but I feel like the fans now have an appreciation for the job of a WWE superstar and what that entials. Not just the job of a WWE superstar, but our production as a whole. As Triple H, the person behind everything. Triple H has to think five steps ahead of everyone, and no one gives him credit for that. They don’t understand how hard that seat is. They just throw stuff at him. ‘Why didn’t this happen? Why couldn’t they do this?’ There are domino effects that you guys don’t understand. Even me, when I’m doing my stuff and I’m involved and going, ‘Why can’t we do this?’ I will get the answer of, ‘If we do this, XYZ will fall apart. Do you have something else?'” Miz said on Not Sam with Sam Roberts.

Nick Khan Backs Paul Levesque, Addresses Criticism During TKO Town Hall

From a financial standpoint, WWE appears to be as strong as ever, continuing to break gate records, draw strong ratings, high revenues, and record profits. But over the last year, fan reception towards WWE has become more and more critical, with many taking issue with storylines such as John Cena's 2025 heel turn, Cena's subsequent retirement tour, and the inclusion of Pat McAfee into Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton feud in the lead up to WrestleMania 42.

But despite the hardships, one WWE executive is doing his best to give a vote of confidence for the increasingly embattled WWE chief content officer, Paul Levesque. POST Wrestling reports that a WWE/TKO town hall with staff was called on Monday, with WWE President Nick Khan giving Levesque his seal of approval. Those who attended the town hall say that Khan declared Levesque would continue in his role as head of creative, though it wasn't clarified whether this was just Khan voicing his support, or a sign that Levesque had agreed to a new WWE/TKO contract.

Levesque wasn't the only aspect of WWE that Khan was defending, as TKO President and COO Mark Shapiro asked Khan about the online criticism WWE had been receiving. Khan proceeded to characterize the criticism WWE was receiving as coming from a "vocal minority," specifically when it came to citing the contrast in reactions between WrestleMania 42's two nights, with Night Two being received more positively than Night One.

To further hammer his point home, Khan read out multiple messages criticizing WWE back in 2015, when Vince McMahon was still in charge of the company. While unconfirmed, it's believed that Khan used those past messages in an attempt to paint past criticisms of the WWE product as historically unreliable. No word was provided on how TKO executives reacted to Khan's defense.

New Details on WWE Talent Releases, Including Who Made the Call

How and why the decision was made to cut two dozen wrestlers from WWE main roster and NXT this past Friday night.

Friday, April 24 was an extremely difficult night for WWE employees and fans alike as the company executed a number of post-WrestleMania talent cuts.

This has unfortunately become an annual occurrence, to the point that many in the locker room were speculating that the releases would take place all week long, according to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select.

Former WWE Women's Champion Nikki Cross was the first to announce her departure, doing so on her X account at 5:21 p.m. ET. She made her announcement roughly 20 minutes after the company began informing two dozen wrestlers that they were being released or that their contracts were not going to be renewed.

Not long after Cross hit publish on her post, it was public knowledge that all of the Wyatt Sicks would be leaving the company, along with Aleister Black, Zelina Vega, Kairi Sane, Motor City Machine Guns and a bevy of others.

When diving into the how and why these cuts were made, Sean Ross Sapp noted that while there has been a great deal of chatter about TKO making the calls for them, the final decisions were made at the WWE level.

WWE President, Chief Content Officer and talent relations department made the tough calls of cutting talent "Triple H, Nick Khan and WWE talent relations were ultimately the primary decision makers," Ross Sapp said in his report Sunday night. "WWE sources indicated that majority of releases were to make way for new talent, and the possibility of SmackDown reducing to two hours in the near future."

The insiders at BodySlam did report earlier in the day on Sunday that SmackDown would be moving back to two hours within the next few weeks, a call that was apparently made by the USA Network.

A disproportionate number of SmackDown stars were released when compared to those in the Raw locker room who will soon be hitting free agency. Both brands, however, were hit with an infusion of NXT talent this week, including Ethan Page, Sol Ruca, Joe Hendry, Fatal Influence, Blake Monroe and Ricky Saints.

A number of releases at the NXT level were reportedly made with a new recruit class expected at the Performance Center in Orlando in the very near future.

Some of the releases were a bit more surprising than the others. Santos Escobar, for example. WWE re-signed him to a big-money deal just this past year and then never used him on the main roster. He made several appearances for AAA before suffering an injury that required surgery, and Escobar is expected to be sidelined for several more months.

"This used to be against the company's policy, but has happened a number of times in recent years," Ross Sapp said of injured talent being released. "Karl Anderson, BJ Ray and Ridge Holland were all released or not extended while they were awaiting clearance."

Zoey Stark is another talent who has been out injured. She tore her ACL and MCL in a Money in the Bank Qualifying Match last May, but sources told Fightful Select that she was recently cleared to return to the ring. She'll be good to go wherever she chooses once her right of termination and requisite notice is up in 90 days.

One talent who is expected to garner heavy interest on the free agent market is Kairi Sane. The multi-time Women's Tag Team Champion was among the more shocking company departures, considering she's been a key figure in the ongoing rivalry between IYO SKY and Asuka on Monday Night Raw.

"There was heavy frustration to her being cut before any real payoff to the story was made," Ross Sapp said in his report.

Kairi Sane has received a significant amount of support on social media from both her friends and the WWE Universe. The hashtag "WeWantKairi" has been trending on X for much of the weekend.

source: si.com

23 WWE Wrestlers Cut in Massive Shakeup

Inside WWE’s latest mass releases: why 23 superstars were let go, how it impacts Raw, SmackDown, and NXT, and what’s next for the fired wrestlers.

In the days following WrestleMania 42, WWE made a sweeping round of roster cuts, releasing more than 20 superstars across its main roster and NXT brands in a move that has quickly reshaped the company’s landscape.

According to CBS News, among the most notable names are Aleister Black, Zelina Vega, and Kairi Sane—all of whom had active roles on television heading into WrestleMania season. Vega confirmed her departure during a Twitch stream, while additional releases were reported shortly after.

Black’s exit stands out in particular. The former upper-midcard fixture had built momentum in recent months, picking up wins over high-profile opponents, including Sami Zayn and Randy Orton.

His return to WWE just one year ago, following a run outside the company, had positioned him as a potential breakout name—but that trajectory appears to have ended abruptly.

Vega, his real-life partner, was also a consistent presence on SmackDown.

Elsewhere, Sane’s departure halts her involvement in a long-running storyline tied to Damage CTRL, alongside Asuka, Iyo Sky, and Bayley. The group had also been featured prominently on WWE programming.

Several members tied to the Wyatt Sicks faction—including Bo Dallas, Nikki Cross, Joe Gacy, Dexter Lumis, and Erick Rowan—were also let go. The group, introduced in 2024 as a tribute to the late Bray Wyatt, had recently wrapped a feud after losing a multi-man street fight.

Cross addressed her departure publicly, writing, “Goodbye and thank you, WWE… I’m really excited for whatever my next chapter will hold,” while also acknowledging the coaches and performers who shaped her career.

The cuts extend beyond those names, with additional talent including Apollo Crews, Santos Escobar, and Zoey Stark others reportedly parting ways with the company.

The scale of the releases reflects a familiar pattern for WWE, which often reevaluates its roster following WrestleMania, its biggest annual event.

Testimony From Mark Shapiro Contradicts Public Comments And SEC Filing Regarding Vince McMahon And TKO

Mark Shapiro was deposed in December as part of the ongoing shareholders’ lawsuit against WWE, which claims that Vince McMahon predetermined the transaction with Endeavor to secure his continued role at the company in light of the sexual misconduct scandal surrounding him, rather than shopping WWE to maximize shareholder value.

In his deposition, Shapiro was asked if he viewed McMahon remaining in the Executive Chair role as a necessary condition for the success of the combined company.

The following exchange took place (via Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling):

“You personally didn’t view Vince being in the executive chair role as a necessary condition for the future success of the combined company; right?” an attorney for the plaintiffs asked Shapiro.

“Correct, especially with all the baggage,” Shapiro said.

“But at the end of the day, Vince is [sic] remaining with the company was a Vince goal, not an Endeavor goal; right?” the examining attorney followed up.

“Wasn’t a goal of ours, no, no, it was not,” Shapiro responded.

This testimony contradicts public comments made by Ari Emanuel, Shapiro’s partner at TKO.

Speaking to CNBC on April 3, 2023, when the WWE merger to form TKO was first announced, Emanuel said about keeping Vince, “I would have body-slammed him if he [Vince McMahon] thought he was going to leave, because as I said to you before, here’s a man who has seen around the corners at every beat over the last 40 years of this business and has a vision for where this business, way before a lot of people see it. Him now being able to utilize what we have built in our flywheel, I’m the luckiest guy in the world, because I got Vince McMahon, a visionary, that sees around corners.”

He reiterated his desire to keep Vince on when asked outright if he wanted Vince to stay.

“Oh my god yes,” replied Emanuel. Vince then confirmed that he wanted to stay. Emanuel also said that he wouldn’t let Vince walk away.

Shapiro’s testimony also contradicts an SEC filing regarding the merger, which stated that the proposal was increased on the condition that McMahon would serve as the Executive Chairman of TKO.

“Endeavor had conditioned the proposed increase in valuation upon Mr. McMahon serving as Executive Chair of the newly formed public company until his death, resignation or incapacity, having the right to nominate the five WWE representatives to serve among the 11 total directors on the newly formed public company board of directors and having a veto right over certain transactions, in each case until he sold down a to-be-agreed percentage of his equity or he no longer served as Executive Chair. The WWE advisors discussed with the WWE Board that Endeavor had stated that these governance changes were fundamental to Endeavor’s thesis for pursuing the potential transaction in light of, among other things, Endeavor’s belief that Mr. McMahon’s continued leadership as contemplated by the March 23 Endeavor Proposal would be critical to the value creation driving Endeavor’s desire to engage in the Potential Transaction.”

The merger lawsuit is scheduled to go to trial in June.

Ric Flair Explains Ban From WrestleMania, Tried To Fight Ludwig Kaiser

Ric Flair has gone off on Ludwig Kaiser, alleging that his altercation with the WWE star led to him being banned from attending WrestleMania.

In his appearance on "The Ariel Helwani Show," Flair revealed that he argued with Kaiser, following the drama that unfolded during the storyline between Tiffany Stratton and Charlotte Flair last year.

"I didn't get invited to WrestleMania this year. I threatened to beat up Tiffany Stratton's husband last year. I wasn't allowed to go. A 24-year-old kid [Kaiser's 35] being threatened by a 76-year-old man, and I can't go to WrestleMania. Are you kidding me? That English kid [Kaiser's German], he's going to go as far in wrestling as a net. He'll be a fly in the wall in a year," Flair began angrily. "Well, they had that thing, you know, where Tiffany's made a smart remark about Ashley's [Charlotte] divorces, which we both know she's not smart enough to have written. Somebody gave her a script and then he implied that — you know I'm just going based on social media once again, which there's a lot [of misinformation] — that he was implying that he wouldn't bum one off Ashley, and I went, 'Okay, I need your number.' I got it — which I can get anybody's number I want any minute of any day — and I called him. I said, 'When I see you, I'm going to beat the sh*t out of you.' So, he went like a little bi*ch [and] told Hunter, and I wasn't allowed to go."

Flair angrily stated that Kaiser will not go far in the pro wrestling business, and seemingly didn't know his whereabouts — despite him currently portraying the El Grande Americano character with great success in AAA — even questioning whether he is part of the WWE roster.

"Is he even on the roster?" asked Flair, with Helwani responding that he's currently in Mexico. "I'm sure he is. I hope he stays [in Mexico]."

"The Nature Boy" stated that he doesn't get the respect he deserves, asserting that WWE should roll out the red carpet for him for his impact on the pro wrestling business.

Mark Shapiro Claims TKO Has Full Creative Control Over WWE

Mark Shapiro clarified TKO had total control over WWE creative while answering criticism of celebrity involvement on the road to WrestleMania 42. 

Shapiro, TKO's Chief Operating Officer, visited the University of Alabama ahead of the "Show of Shows" last weekend. 

During which, he was asked by one student about the reception to TKO's perceived involvement in creative, with the likes of Pat McAfee, Jelly Roll, IShowSpeed, and influencer turned WWE Superstar, Logan Paul, so involved with the build to and then eventually the event. 

"First of all, [TKO] has complete control. So we're responsible," Shapiro clarified, continuing to defend the product that has been distributed thus far. "What I will tell you is WWE is growing every way," he said. "It's really exploded... As far as the stars part of it, I don't think that's true."

Shapiro pointed to the trajectory of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson from WWE into Hollywood, and justified that stars moving the other way is not new to the industry, it's just being done at a grander scale. 

"Having Hollywood tie-ins and celebs and stars; Logan Paul, and Pat McAfee, and Mark Wahlberg shows up and does his thing, or Tyrese Haliburton... That's not new, it's just on a larger stage. We're spending a lot more money to market the brand, market the content. And when you do that you're gonna win some folks over, but you're also going to chase some folks away."

Wahlberg was conspicuous considering the fact that he is a name to have been involved in anything recent with WWE. His last significant role saw him open WrestleMania 38 as "The Most Stupendous Two-Night WrestleMania in History."

Stephanie McMahon at the WWE HOF

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Triple H Opens Up On WWE Creative Transition After Vince McMahon Exit

What was the WWE creative transition like for Paul "Triple H" Levesque?

The current Chief Content Officer of WWE became a key figure in the role several years ago when Vince McMahon first retired from the company in July 2022.

McMahon had stepped down previously as Chairman and CEO of WWE following a Wall Street Journal report regarding sexual misconduct allegations. He returned to WWE in January 2023.

It was recently revealed via text messages from another lawsuit involving TKO and its shareholders that there seemed to be hesitancy from Triple H as to McMahon's potential participation in creative.

Levesque appeared on Cody Rhodes' What Do You Want To Talk About? podcast on Wednesday to discuss taking over WWE creative.

When asked by Rhodes about whether WrestleMania 40 in April 2024 was the first WrestleMania where he was the primary creative leader, Levesque shared that there wasn't a single moment that defined the transition from McMahon to him.

“I think so,” Levesque said. “And again, this is where I’m terrible with times, but it’s not like one day, ‘Here, it’s yours,’ and everything else went away. There were so many aspects to that of, ‘Vince is stepping away, you’re going to take this spot, but he’s chiming in.’ And he was still meeting with me all the time and still directing traffic from the side. And there’s no real clear moment for me. But I would consider it that, yes.”

Levesque also opened up on some frustrations with the perception that decisions being made were all his during that transition period.

“When people are like, ‘Yeah, but it’s your decision, right?’ Levesque said. "Yeah, sort of. You know what I mean? You have to defend your position, and you have to be able to sell that to people and explain it to people if it’s a little bit not your position or a little bit, ‘Well, why did this happen?’ And you don’t want to say, ‘Well, because it wasn’t totally my decision.'”

Lawsuit Texts Show Triple H's Reaction To Vince McMahon Attempting WWE Return

In September 2023, months after Vince McMahon returned as Executive Chairman to oversee a sale, WWE and UFC officially merged into Endeavor, and TKO Group Holdings was created. One day prior to the merger, Paul Levesque wrote that he was "wound up tight today... DDay tomorrow, expecting the worst" in a text message to Nick Khan, then-President of WWE. This is according to new reporting from Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling.

The uncovered texts are part of the shareholder's lawsuit over the merger, and show that Levesque seemed paranoid and concerned about McMahon's involvement. By October, Levesque would be in complete control of creative, with Endeavor's Ari Emmanuel and Mark Shapiro publicly stating he was prior to that. However, in December 2023, McMahon was reportedly coming to Cleveland for TV and texts show that Levesque was very concerned. He texted Khan, "Was just told by security that VKM is coming to Cleveland on Monday. What's that about??????" Khan responded right away, but those texts were deleted by Khan.

The following day, Levesque again texted Khan about McMahon coming to TV. He told Khan he was "disappointed in that Ari convo" and showed concern about how McMahon was being handled when attending TV and giving creative notes. Levesque asked Khan his opinion on involving Shapiro in the matter. Whatever response Khan gave, he later deleted.

Nearly an hour later, Levesque texted Khan again. "Between you and I, It feels like they are both backtracking on the 'he's out' narrative," Levesque wrote. The retired wrestler shared his belief that the TKO executives were moving their position to be more accepting of a McMahon role within creative, and he mentioned an email regarding a script for Emmanuel. Khan responded, "They already know. No need to send." The text conversation appears to end there.

Levesque has been heavily featured on Netflix's "WWE Unreal", which gives a behind-the-scenes look at the creative process for storylines. He has also made appearances on TV, including during last night's episode of "Raw".

Ric Flair Claims WWE Is Trying To Destroy His Legacy With Recent Decision

Ric Flair claims WWE is trying to kill him and diminish his legacy.

WWE Hall of Famer and current AEW star Ric Flair took to X/Twitter to reveal that WWE has banned him from partnering with Roots of Fight, a premium apparel and media brand. He listed some of his achievements and noted that he always played by the promotion’s rules by calling himself a 16-time world champion despite having 21.

Ric Flair also mentioned repaying the $800,000 he borrowed from Vince McMahon, despite McMahon’s initial indication that he would forgive the loan. While he is thankful for his other sources of income, including AEW, he asked WWE what more of his legacy they want to destroy despite his history of honoring agreements.

“I Woke Up This Morning To Find Out That I’m No Longer Allowed To Be With @rootsoffight Per @WWE. Let Me Think- I’m The Only Wrestler To Ever Be On 30 For 30 & Ranked In The Top 25 Of All Time, An Emmy Nominated Documentary-Courtesy Of The WWE, Which I Should Have Won But l Lost To A Team Not An Individual,” Ric Flair posted.

“21 World Championships, But I Always Played By Your Rules And Kept It At 16. Paid Vince McMahon Back 800k When He Said He Would Forgive It. I Honored It. Fortunately, I Still Make 1 Million Dollars From The GREAT Ryan Fiterman Fiterman Sports. 500k From Ric Flair Drip. And Thank God For Tony Khan. What More Of My Legacy Do You Want To Destroy WWE? You All Grew Up Loving Me And I Set The Bar. Now You Are Trying To Kill Me And Diminish My Legacy. Thank You, But It Ain’t Happening. Nice Try. LFG!”

Vince McMahon faces graphic sexual abuse allegations in new court filing from ex-WWE employee

A former WWE employee who is suing the company and its former CEO, Vince McMahon, made new and graphic allegations in a filing in the U.S. District Court of Connecticut earlier this week.

Janel Grant, who filed her initial lawsuit against WWE, McMahon and former executive John Laurinaitis, detailed more claims about how she was allegedly recruited to work for WWE, the alleged "abuse" she encountered while WWE leaders allegedly did nothing and other assertions.

Laurinaitis was previously removed from the lawsuit.

Fox News Digital reached out to McMahon’s lawyer and WWE for comment.

Grant, who worked at WWE from June 2019 to 2022, alleged she was "subjected to repeated physical and emotional abuse, sexual assault and sexual trafficking perpetrated" by McMahon, and "most senior officials and talent knew about and facilitated the abuse" she experienced.

"Instead of protecting Ms. Grant, WWE and McMahon conspired to use his coercive control over her to conceal its leaders’ wrongdoing and bar Ms. Grant from speaking out or seeking help," the lawsuit states.

Grant made allegations of having "violent" sexual encounters with McMahon and others.

"Throughout the three years, sex was violent, invasive, degrading, and produced injuries that could not heal because there would consistently be subsequent violent encounters, often involving other men or objects," the lawsuit says.

"Ms. Grant did not raise a complaint concerning her abuse because she lived in a state of duress and was fully under McMahon’s control, her survival ultimately depending on her complete submission to McMahon."

Grant claimed in the lawsuit that McMahon pressured her to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and that he allegedly sexually assaulted her after she signed the document.

The sordid allegations are a part of an ongoing lawsuit between the parties.

McMahon stepped down as the CEO of WWE in 2022 and stepped down from TKO in 2024 after the initial lawsuit was filed. He has maintained his innocence through the process.

"The Complaint’s outrageous claims of sexual abuse and coercion are pure fiction — plainly intended to garner publicity — and are flatly contradicted by Plaintiff’s own contemporaneous statements," McMahon said in an April 2024 filing.

"Contrary to Plaintiff’s false allegations, Plaintiff and Defendant (collectively, the ‘Parties’) engaged in a consensual relationship during which Defendant never coerced Plaintiff into doing anything and never mistreated her in any way.

"In fact, in a love letter Plaintiff wrote to Defendant shortly before the Parties ended their relationship, Plaintiff described Defendant as ‘[m]y best friend, my love and my everything,’ praising him for being the ‘wonderful, tender, vulnerable, heart-on-your-sleeve soul you really are.’

"It is incredulous that Plaintiff, a then 42-year-old woman who claims on her resume to have a law degree from Pace University, would have written these words to Defendant months after all the events in the Complaint of alleged abuse, coercion, and ‘sex-trafficking’ took place."

TKO Group told The Associated Press in January 2024 it took Grant’s allegations "very seriously."

"Mr. McMahon does not control TKO nor does he oversee the day-to-day operations of WWE," the company said at the time. "While this matter predates our TKO executive team’s tenure at the company, we take Ms. Grant’s horrific allegations very seriously and are addressing this matter internally."

source: foxnews.com

How John Cena Came to Host WWE WrestleMania 42

John Cena will return to WWE programming sooner than many expected to host WrestleMania 42 later this month.

The WWE retirement tour of John Cena wrapped up last December at Saturday Night's Main Event when the "Never Seen 17" tapped out to Gunther in his final match. Based on his comments following the event, it didn't seem like we'd see Cena back on WWE programming any time soon.

v However, in a move that surprised many, John Cena announced earlier this week that he would be the official host of WrestleMania 42. Cena will return to the same city and venue where he defeated Cody Rhodes last year to capture his 17th World Championship.

But how did all of this come about?

On the latest episode of WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select, it was revealed that when John Cena retired from WWE as an active in-ring competitor last December, his hosting WrestleMania this year wasn't part of the plan.

John Cena agreed to a new long-term deal with WWE following his retirement, keeping him with the company for several years to come. WrestleVotes states that Cena was approached back in February about hosting the Showcase of the Immortals this year, and he agreed to do so.

It was noted that WWE made this move to increase ticket sales for WrestleMania 42, which are still far behind those for last year's event in the same stadium.

source: si.com

Eric Bischoff breaks down Vince McMahon and Triple H’s WWE leadership

Eric Bischoff breaks down Vince McMahon and Triple H’s WWE leadership appeared first on ClutchPoints:

A WWE Hall of Famer and a former general manager, Eric Bischoff is also widely known as one of the crucial figures in giving Vince McMahon a run for his money during the late 1990s Monday Night War between WCW and WWE.

In an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints, presented and arranged with help from Wiz Slots, Eric Bischoff explained the differences between the leadership styles of both Vince McMahon and Triple H, having worked with both of them.

While Bischoff worked against McMahon during the Monday Night War, he became a part of WWE after WCW’s merger when he started working for McMahon. Sharing the differences, the 70-year-old claimed that McMahon “was very difficult to work with.”

“I think because Triple H worked with Vince so closely for such a long time, Triple H really understood Vince McMahon’s weaknesses. Now, Vince McMahon was a very successful guy, and he had a tremendous amount of strengths, but like all of us, there were certain things that he was not good at. And managing a creative team is probably one of the things, at least in my experience, that he was not very good at,” Bischoff said.

“I think Triple H, because Triple H was on the other side of that and felt the results of that, probably appreciates and uses the creative team in a much better way. Involves them more, probably treats them with more respect, generally speaking. And usually, when you treat people in a creative business, when you treat people with respect, [that’s] when you usually get the best work out of them.

“Vince didn’t treat people very well when it came to working with them creatively. He was very difficult to work with at times. He didn’t communicate very well. That makes good creative difficult to come by. So I think Triple H, having seen that, been part of that process, knows how important it is to really work closely with your creative team in order to get the best ideas,” Bischoff concluded.

Bischoff was involved with WWE from 2002 to 2007 before departing to join TNA in 2010, remaining there until 2014. Bischoff has made occasional appearances for WWE, even after his short stint with AEW.

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Stephanie McMahon On Raw

AJ Styles gets real on new WWE post-retirement job

AJ Styles gets real on new WWE post-retirement job appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Earlier this year at the 2026 WWE Royal Rumble in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Gunther defeated AJ Styles and successfully retired the veteran. A pro-wrestling legend, Styles later received a tribute on an episode of Monday Night RAW in Atlanta, Georgia, before being announced for the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame inductions.

Set to be inducted later this year, Styles has now taken on his new non-wrestling role in WWE. Speaking on his Phenomenally Retro podcast, “The Phenomenal One” shared his new role within WWE, which sees him scouting indie talent.

“I’ve been going to indie shows and checking those out, just seeing what everyone has to offer and stuff like that. I’m scouring the internet for something that sticks out…if you want to send me that stuff, fine, go ahead, I’d love to see it. So yeah, I’m trying to check out talent and see how much talent is out there,” Styles shared.

I know what it’s like to be on the indies and having a job. Traveling on the indies, sometimes it’s hard to get things that you need. And so, if they are as desperate as I was to make it in the wrestling business, then I’d love to see them before anybody else snags them up. That’s the way it is. And hopefully, I’m able to see talent before it’s developed,” he continued.

Styles, 48, made his WWE debut in 2016 and soon elevated himself into the main-event position. Before joining WWE, Styles was one of the top names in TNA, NJPW, and several other promotions across the world. An industry veteran, Styles finished his career on his own terms.

AJ Styles gets real on new WWE post-retirement job appeared first on ClutchPoints. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Bad News Brown to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026

WWE’s announcement read:

“Starting in the squared circle after winning the bronze medal in judo at the 1976 Olympics, Brown combined his grappling expertise with vicious brawling techniques he picked up on the mean streets of his hometown, Harlem, NY, to become one of sports-entertainment’s most feared competitors.

“After tearing through future WWE legends like Bret Hart at Stampede Wrestling in Calgary, Alberta, Bad News made his way to WWE in 1988. He made an instant impact, knocking out opponent after opponent with a devastating enzuigiri.

“Bad News preferred to keep to himself, making no friends. Even the most evil of WWE Superstars couldn’t warm up to Brown. At several Survivor Series events, the Harlem native opted to walk out on his team, rather than work as part of a unit.

“Brown demanded title opportunities, deriding the “beer-bellied sharecroppers” and “spineless cockroaches” he claimed were holding him back. Bad News went as far as to accuse then-WWE President Jack Tunney of colluding with stars like Hulk Hogan and “Macho Man” Randy Savage, putting his hands on the esteemed official when he denied the claims.

Bad News soon focused his attention on another unpredictable Superstar: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. After The Hot Scot eliminated him from the 1990 Royal Rumble Match, Brown climbed back to the ring apron and forced Piper over the top rope and out of the fray, setting off a brawl no WWE official could halt.

“During summer 1990, WWE fans learned there was one thing that scared the hardened New Yorker: snakes. Jake Roberts surprised Bad News with a birthday gift of the reptilian variety, spooking the surly Superstar. Looking for a way to combat Roberts and his dangerous python, Damien, Brown went back to his roots, searching for the meanest, nastiest creature in Harlem. He had to go underground to find them, scrounging through subway tunnels to find the biggest sewer rats in The Big Apple.

“Though Bad News trained the rodents to feast on snakes, they couldn’t help him much in the ring against Roberts at SummerSlam 1990. After his defeat at the hands of “The Snake,” Bad News Brown disappeared from WWE.

“Brown passed away in 2007, but his legacy lives on as his fellow legends welcome him into the WWE Hall of Fame.

WWE Unreal Nominated For Multiple Sports Television AwardsRead

On Wednesday morning, WWE took to social media to share that "Unreal" is up for Outstanding Sports Documentary Series: Serialized, Outstanding Sports Editing: Long Form, and Outstanding Sports Graphic Design: Specialty.

Last year, the popular Netflix series "Formula 1: Drive to Survive" won Outstanding Sports Documentary Series: Serialized, "Rhythm Masters: A Mickey Hart Experience" captured Outstanding Sports Editing: Long Form, while the event "Noche UFC" took home the gold for Outstanding Sports Graphic Design: Specialty. The only other Emmy nomination that WWE received prior to "Unreal" was for "Woooooo! Becoming Ric Flair" for Outstanding Long Documentary.

With "Unreal" debuting in 2025, season 1 of the show wasn't eligible for the Sports Emmy Awards last year, making this May's ceremony the first time the show has been nominated. This year, "Unreal" will be up against productions such as Netflix's "Quarterback" and returning winner "Formula 1: Drive to Survive" for Outstanding Sports Documentary Series: Serialized. As for Outstanding Sports Editing: Long Form, "Unreal" is pitted against HBO Max's "Saquon" and "We Beat the Dream Team," while facing Nickelodeon and CBS for Outstanding Sports Graphic Design: Specialty.

Following the announcement, WWE CCO Triple H took to social media to comment on "Unreal" receiving three Emmy nominations. "WWE: Unreal's nomination for three Sports Emmys is a testament to the work and dedication of every single individual @WWE whose work makes us run. Also, a massive thank you to our partners who helped bring this show to life and congratulations to all involved in the show and its production."

The 47th Annual Sports Emmy Awards will stream live from the Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall in New York City on Tuesday, May 26, 2026.