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Showing posts with label SummerSlam. Show all posts
Showing posts with label SummerSlam. Show all posts

April 17, 2023

WWE Breaks Record For Non-WrestleMania Stadium Ticket Sales With SummerSlam 2023

Tickets for this year's WWE SummerSlam went on sale this past Friday, and the numbers aren't just looking promising — they're looking historic. On Twitter, Sports Business Journal reported that WWE has already sold more than 32,000 tickets for the event. That figure breaks the company's record for day-one sales on any non-WrestleMania stadium show.

Detroit's Ford Field was announced as the home of this year's SummerSlam in February, alongside a new logo for the event to go with the location, with the press release for the announcement noting Detroit's special place in WWE history. WWE previously held WrestleMania 23 at Ford Field in 2007, but more significantly, Detroit was home to WrestleMania III — although that show took place in the larger Pontiac Silverdome.

WWE's rapid sale of tickets for their premiere summertime event is no surprise, as tickets for 2021's SummerSlam sold at a similarly speedy pace. The pace of their current sales measure well against perceivable advantages that the sale of 2021's tickets had, such as being their first full capacity stadium show in over a year and the then-rumored blockbuster main event of John Cena vs. Roman Reigns. No significant matches or plans are currently known for this year's SummerSlam, but there are reports that a dream match between Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus is planned for the show. WWE CEO Nick Khan noted in the lead-up to WrestleMania 39 that the company had WrestleMania plans in place months in advance, as well as plans for the months after, further suggesting the SummerSlam card is already well under construction.

August 2, 2022

Stephanie McMahon Reveals WWE SummerSlam Broke Major Record

WWE has held some massive SummerSlam events in its history, including the 1992 SummerSlam in England’s Wembley Stadium and last year’s SummerSlam in the newly built Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada. But as big as those events were, they appear to pale in comparison to the success of this year’s event in Nashville, Tennessee.

In a press release sent by new WWE co-CEO Stephanie McMahon this morning, WWE revealed that this past weekend’s SummerSlam was the most watched SummerSlam in the 35 years the promotion has run the summer extravaganza. Though no figure was provided regarding how many fans watched the PLE on Peacock, the event was attended by 48,449 fans in Nashville’s Nissan Stadium.

WWE also revealed in the release that they had surpassed 90 million subscribers on their YouTube channel, to go along with 70 billion lifetime views of videos and over 18 million followers on social media brand TikTok. The promotion also hyped their crossover with Epic Games’ free-to-play “Fall Guys” game and thanked the fans, Nissan Stadium, the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, and other sponsors for helping make SummerSlam a success.

The most-watched SummerSlam in history was headlined by Brock Lesnar vs. Roman Reigns for Reigns’ Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in a Last Man Standing match. Reigns successfully defended the championship in the face of daunting odds, with Lesnar at one point using a tractor to destroy the ring and knock Reigns to the floor.

Meanwhile, the event included the returns of Bayley, Dakota Kai, and Iyo Sky (Io Shirai), with all three confronting “WWE Raw” Women’s Champion Bianca Belair and Becky Lynch following Belair’s successful defense against Lynch. Other notable moments included Bobby Lashley retaining the WWE US Championship against Theory, Logan Paul defeating The Miz, Seth Rollins laying out Riddle for the second straight show, and the Usos retaining the WWE Tag Team Championships against the Street Profits, with Jeff Jarrett as special guest referee.

June 24, 2022

UNDERTAKER 1 deadMAN SHOW comes to Nashville July 29

As first reported by the Tennessean, the UNDERTAKER 1 deadMAN SHOW will make its debut on Friday night, July 29 at Wildhorse Saloon in Nashville, Tenn. as part of SummerSlam Week.

UNDERTAKER 1 deadMAN SHOW will feature “The Phenom” in an intimate setting, sharing never-before-heard stories from his Hall of Fame career and taking questions from the WWE Universe in attendance.

Tickets for UNDERTAKER 1 deadMAN SHOW go on sale this Tuesday, June 28 at 10 a.m. CT via Ticketmaster.com.  A limited number of VIP tickets, which includes premier seating and a meet-and-greet with The Undertaker, will also be available. 

August 22, 2021

WWE Issues Announcement On SummerSlam Attendance

WWE announced a sold out crowd of 51,326 fans in attendance at Allegiant Stadium for tonight’s SummerSlam pay-per-view from Las Vegas, Nevada.

WWE noted that this is the indoor attendance record for SummerSlam, and their biggest event of 2021.

To compete, WWE announced a total of 51,350 fans at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa earlier this year for WrestleMania 37, which broke down to 25,675 fans each night. That event had a limited capacity due to COVID-19.

WWE issued the following press release to us tonight:

WWE BREAKS SUMMERSLAM INDOOR ATTENDANCE RECORD

WWE SummerSlam at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas set an indoor attendance record for the event, as a sold-out crowd of 51,326 fan attended WWE’s biggest event of 2021.

August 16, 2021

One-of-One Vince McMahon T-Shirt And Signed Billion Dollar Bill Part Of New Auction Partnership Between WWE And Goldin

WWE and Goldin are giving fans the chance at bidding on some truly one-of-a-kind items, including a “Billion Dollar Bill” signed by Vince McMahon himself!

Goldin, the leading marketplace for trading cards, collectibles and memorabilia, and WWE have partnered for a new memorabilia auction that starts today. The auction includes a billion-dollar bill featuring and signed by Vince McMahon, a 1-of-1 “Billionaire Bucks” t-shirt, as well as seven unique SummerSlam memorabilia items, a chance to tour the WWE Warehouse with Triple H and a WrestleMania meet-and-greet with The Undertaker.

“We are honored to be working with WWE for our first-ever auction featuring fan experiences,” said Ross Hoffman, CEO of Goldin. “WWE has built a brand that is constantly innovating and providing the best to their fans, and we could not be more proud to help provide a new way to engage with their passionate fans. And what better way to do so than to offer experiences with storied WWE Legends Triple H and The Undertaker!”

“Goldin is a clear industry leader, and we believe this is an incredible opportunity to give fans a chance to own a unique piece of SummerSlam history,” said Scott Zanghellini, WWE Senior Vice President, Revenue Strategy & Development.

The autographed billion-dollar bill and “Billionaire Bucks” t-shirt were created specifically for this auction. An additional unsigned bill and “Billionaire Bucks” t-shirt will be available for auction in-venue at SummerSlam in Las Vegas this Saturday, August 21.

The seven WWE SummerSlam memorabilia items include:

The Barb Wire Baseball Bat Ric Flair used in his victory against Mick Foley in the “I Quit” match at SummerSlam 2006 (LOT 23)

The shears Brutus “The Barber” Beefcake and Hulk Hogan used in their 1989 match victory against “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Zeus (LOT 24)

The Night Stick Big Boss Man used in his match against Koko B. Ware at SummerSlam 1988 (LOT 25)

The Money in the Bank Briefcase Randy Orton cashed in on Daniel Bryan to become WWE Champion at SummerSlam 2013 (LOT 26)

The Arena Banner used at SummerSlam from 1992-1997 (LOT 27)

The Ring Skirt used at SummerSlam from 1989-1997 (LOT 28)

The Ring Skirt used at SummerSlam in 1998 (LOT 29)

July 28, 2021

Tiffany Haddish to Host Official WWE SummerSlam After-Party

Actress Tiffany Haddish is set to host the official WWE SummerSlam After-Party.

Haddish will host the exclusive, invite-only event on Saturday, August 21 in Las Vegas. The party will take place after the pay-per-view, and will feature WWE Superstars, celebrity guests & influencers, and more. Pure Life Purified Water is the sponsor of the party.

WWE will be making a financial contribution to the She Ready Foundation, which was founded by Haddish. The foundation’s mission is to protect, provide resources, and ensure normalcy for foster children through sponsorship, suitcase donations, mentoring, and counseling.

“I’m really glad that me hanging out at the SummerSlam After-Party with WWE Superstars is helping out foster kids. I’ve never hung out with WWE Superstars before, but I’ve definitely helped a lot of foster kids,” Haddish said in a press release issued to us.

WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon added, “WWE’s mission is to put smiles on people’s faces and one person who does just that is the official host of the SummerSlam After-Party, Tiffany Haddish. We are proud to support Tiffany and the She Ready Foundation during our biggest event of this year, SummerSlam, live from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.”

July 22, 2021

WWE SummerSlam To Air In Movie Theaters

The 2021 WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view will air live in select movie theaters across the country.

WWE and Iconic Events Releasing announced today that SummerSlam will air live in movie theaters nationwide for the first time ever.

Ticket prices vary based on the theater location, but select theaters in the following states will be showing the pay-per-view live: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, North Carolina, Nebraska, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

You can find a list of participating movie theaters at WWEliveintheaters.com.

WWE SummerSlam will take place on Saturday, August 21 from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. 

July 19, 2021

WWE and TikTok Launch Ring Announcer Search

Beginning today, WWE will launch a search for its next great ring announcer on TikTok as users can upload their most entertaining videos using the hashtag #WWEAnnouncerContest. The best performers will earn a trip to SummerSlam at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on Saturday, August 21, where they will serve as a ring announcer at WWE’s biggest event of 2021. The announcer search is presented by Pure Life® Purified Water.

In the weeks leading up to SummerSlam, WWE will review each video before announcing two winners from the company’s official TikTok channel on Monday, August 16.

“Our engagement on TikTok to date has been incredible and we couldn’t think of a better platform to help us find the next great ring announcer,” said Steve Braband, WWE Vice President, Digital.  

Today’s announcement follows another innovative TikTok activation, through which WWE aims to discover and recruit its next generation of Superstars via the TikTok Resumes product. The search culminates in a multi-day talent tryout in Las Vegas as part of SummerSlam.

To date, WWE has amassed one of the largest TikTok audiences in sports with more than 11 million followers and has more than one billion fans across its global social media platforms, further cementing its position as one of the most-followed brands in the world.

August 28, 2017

Triple H's advice to Stephen Amell before his 2015 SummerSlam Match

While in the Gorilla' position before their tag match at SummerSlam 2015, Triple H approached Stephen Amell and offered this advice:

If you think you’re going too fast, slow down. When you’re sure you’re going too slow, then slow down some more. And when you’re positive you’re going too slow, then slow down some more.

The advice must have been helpful for Stephen because, during the match, he looked like he belonged. However, Amell recounted that his mouth went completely dry as soon as he walked out and he forgot how to enter the ring. He credited Cody for helping him in that match, stating that he believed it could not have been better.

August 21, 2017

Rumor Mill - Baron Corbin’s WWE Push Stalling, NXT Takeover Crowd Picks Up on Reports of Corbin’s Backstage Heat, News on Enzo Following SSlam



Speculation has been that Baron Corbin’s current WWE push has stalled due to backstage heat on him for a number of reasons, the main reason being recent behavior on social media.

It appears as if the NXT Takeover Brooklyn crowd picked up on the reports of Corbin having heat, as they directed a “you f**ed up” chant at The Lone Wolf when he appeared in front of the live crowd.

On the most recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer confirmed Corbin definitely has backstage heat on him, and that was made clear by the way he was booked in a “basic” opening match against John Cena at SummerSlam. Meltzer added that WWE officials are very high on former NXT Champion Bobby Roode, and it’s possible WWE might be called up to Smackdown Live to replace Corbin’s spot/push.

News on Enzo Following SummerSlam

In related news, for reasons not yet known, Enzo Amore’s backstage heat seems to have worsened, as Meltzer noted “everybody” in WWE hates him. Meltzer added the fact that the crowd is staring to cool on Enzo is bad news for the Raw star, as that was one of the few things saving his spot in the company.

August 19, 2017

WWE Fans Protesting Donald Trump In The Hall Of Fame At Barclays Center, Protests During SummerSlam?

A group of WWE fans held a protest outside of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn this evening to protest US President Donald Trump being in the WWE Hall of Fame, according toGothamist. The protest was led by 30 year old Brooklyn resident John Stevens, who is a big wrestling fan. Stevens and his friends are calling on WWE to "reject racism by tossing Trump from an honored spot with the company."
Stevens was joined by fans who are in town for SummerSlam, which will be held at the Barclays Center on Sunday. Stevens told Gothamist:
"We were talking about how Trump gave that crazy press conference, and then thought about how he's in the WWE Hall of Fame even though Hulk Hogan got kicked out over racism. What Trump has done is remarkably worse than what Hogan did, since he's dividing the country by siding with neo-Nazis and white nationalists."
"I was sickened by that press conference, and his response to Charlottesville. Basically WWE is endorsing those comments by having [Trump] in their hall of fame. I can't wrap my brain around the fact that they'd leave him in there, take Hogan out and claim they say they care about racism."
Stevens also runs a website, racistwwe.com. He noted that some of his supporters attended a signing with WWE Champion Jinder Mahal on Thursday night to hand out flyers for the website and protest. Stevens says despiteLinda McMahon acting as Trump's Small Business Administration head, WWE needs to make a choice or face the backlash.

July 24, 2017

Join Triple H and Stephanie McMahon for a special SummerSlam Meet & Greet to benefit Connor’s Cure on Friday, Aug. 18.



As part of WWE’s SummerSlam Week, Triple H and Stephanie McMahon will appear at a special Meet & Greet with the WWE Universe, with proceeds benefitting Connor’s Cure.

Don’t miss your opportunity to meet The Authority when The Game and the Commissioner of RAW journey to the 40/40 Club at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. on Friday, Aug. 18, from 6:30-8:30 p.m. local time.

Tickets can be purchased starting this Saturday, July 29 at 10 a.m. ET at ticketmaster.com. The price for this event is $200 and will help raise funds to support pediatric cancer research. Each ticketholder will receive an autograph from Triple H & Stephanie, a picture with WWE’s No. 1 power couple taken by a professional photographer, and an 8x10 glossy photo.

This event is the latest addition to the previously announced SummerSlam Superstar Meet & Greets, which give the WWE Universe the opportunity to meet many of their favorite Superstars prior to The Biggest Party of the Summer.

November 17, 2016

WWE to bring all events surrounding the big 4 PPVs to the same city


ESPN is reporting that WWE will be rolling out a new business model around its four annual major events – Royal Rumble, WrestleMania, SummerSlam, and Survivor Series.

Beginning with WrestleMania 33 in April of next year, WWE will bring all their shows – NXT, Raw, and Smackdown – in the same city of the particular pay-per-view, with fans able to purchase a complete package of tickets for all the shows.

WWE already did this for SummerSlam in Brooklyn and will be doing the same for the Survivor Series in Toronto. Merging all the shows in the same city and the same arena (apart from WrestleMania) will also bring down the cost as the sets only have to be assembled once, rather than different arenas on different days.

The WrestleMania 33 week will have the Hall of Fame, NXT, Raw, and Smackdown all at the Amway Center. This will be the first time that Smackdown will be held in the same WrestleMania host city.

August 22, 2016

Mick Foley laces WWE fans for their reaction at SummerSlam


RAW General Manager Mick Foley is taking his role seriously.

The WWE legend took to Facebook on Monday to criticize those fans in attendance at SummerSlam at Brooklyn's Barclays Center, who mocked the debut of the Universal title.

The impetus for Foley's lecture was a tweet from Seth Rollins, who lost to Finn Balor in the first Universal title bout.



Per Foley on Facebook:

WHEN SMART FANS TURN DUMB

I have long felt, and often spoken about the element of magic needed to make a good match great and a great match classic.

Finn Balor and Seth Rollins had a GREAT match last night - a match that I was HONORED to watch from ringside. But instead of that element of magic necessary to turn that great match into a classic, what Finn and Seth got instead was the stench of self-congratulatory snarkiness from a a very vocal minority of the sold-out Barklay's Center. But a couple thousand self-important chanters, mixed in with 14,000 other people who genuinely WANT TO WATCH THE FREAKING MATCH is an awful distraction.

Yes, the chants were clever. Maybe the look of the Universal Championship isn't the one that I personally wouldn't have wanted. But remember the Hardcore Title? It was supposed to be a joke when it was presented to me – broken pieces of metal held together by duct tape. But we made that title mean something by busting our asses to show it's worth. As Seth Rollins writes in his tweet, a title is about more than appearance; it's about what it represents for the men fighting for it. Remember the WWE title I won from The Rock – that moment that has gone down as among the greatest in Monday Night Raw history? Did you know that title belt reeked of beer and mildew, and stunk up my bag every day for the 37 days (or whatever the exact number was) that I held it? Did you know that I didn't give an F about the beer and mildew... or what it looked like, what color it was, if it spun or had my name on it? I only cared about the hard work that had gone into winning it, and that those responsible for running the company felt that I was worthy of holding it.

There are so many times when WWE fans act in a way that makes me proud. Last night was not one of them. Last night, that vocal minority in attendance - who thought their clever chants about their displeasure toward the aesthetic design of a FREAKING belt were more important than the two guys busting their asses to have the best match possible, made me feel ashamed.

I hope some of those people who were chanting about the Universal Championship - many of whom are Finn Balor fans - will read this article, and realize that Finn flew his family in from Ireland to be part of the event last night. I hope they will take a good look at themselves in the mirror, and realize they made the evening a little less special for him by trying to make the evening about themselves.

There is a reason why Seth Rollins simple, yet eloquent statement received 10,000 RT's from around the world. People agreed with him! Most of them would have loved to be sitting in the seats of those self-important fans - with that element of magic in the air that would have turned their great match into a classic.

Rumor Mill - Backstage Altercation Between Chris Jericho And Brock Lesnar At WWE SummerSlam


The finish to Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Orton at WWE SummerSlam went pretty much as planned but led to a big incident between Chris Jericho and Lesnar backstage.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, multiple sources report that Jericho came to the gorilla position as the match ended, apparently to find out exactly what happened and to see if Orton was alright. Jericho asked WWE producer Michael "PS" Hayes if that was the planned finish and Hayes wouldn't respond. Jericho then said, "That's bulls--t."

Jericho's "bulls--t" comment came just as Lesnar was returning backstage. Lesnar, thinking Jericho was talking about the match, called Jericho a "p---y," according to one version, or just said "shut up," according to another version, and for Jericho to mind his own business. They came face to face and had words. One version of the story says they were shouting at each other the whole time.

Lesnar reportedly pushed Jericho with his fingers. Jericho then did what was described as the "Rousey-Tate" forehead press. Another version of the story said Jericho shoved Lesnar into the wall. The two were then tangled up against the wall when Lesnar told Jericho to either punch him or kiss him. Triple H then jumped in and broke things up. The two went at it again but this time Vince McMahon broke it up. Jericho was then yelling about Lesnar and Vince told him that everything was a work, and to be professional.

Triple H reportedly told Vince that Lesnar started the fight, and that Jericho was just standing up for himself. No more words were exchanged but Jericho saw Orton's condition and got mad. It was noted that Jericho was concerned with Orton's health and safety, but Orton assured him that he knew what was going to happen.

August 10, 2016

Enzo Amore on coming back from a concussion and fulfilling a dream at SummerSlam


Enzo Amore and his tag team partner Big Cass have become arguably the biggest breakout stars in WWE this year. Since the very first night Enzo and Cass debuted on the main roster, the night after WrestleMania 32, their entrances and in-ring promos have consitently gotten some of the biggest pops of the night, and the team even temporarily joined forces with 15-time champion John Cena prior to the brand extension. Now on Raw, Enzo and Cass are headed toward a showdown with Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho at SummerSlam August 21st. Enzo Amore spoke with Fox Sports ahead of WWE's second-biggest event of the year to talk about his journey to the main roster, getting his big break from Triple H, and the concussion that knocked him out of action at WWE Payback.

Fox Sports: Let's go back to your debut in April. Coming up from NXT, were you expecting the type of reaction you got from the Raw crowd with everybody knowing the words to your entrance bit?

Enzo Amore: You know, there was probably a ton of people there - including Vince McMahon - that would have never expected that kind of reaction. But going into it, you know, Triple H gave us the opportunity of a lifetime and I don't think anybody ever realized that when the WWE Network came out and NXT was on the Network it became a brand. And it was the third brand of our company.

The opportunity we got there was to perform in front of crowds by the thousands in the U.K. [at NXT TakeOver: London], and the majority of the crowd that night after WrestleMania for Monday Night Raw in Dallas was a U.K. crowd, a crossover crowd. People who are enthusiasts of WWE and they knew what WWE NXT was.

I kinda looked at Hunter when my music hit from across Gorilla, I saw him right before I went out of the curtain ... and it was organic, it was real. I could have never imagined that kind of reaction in a million years, but at the same time I had an inkling that 'hey wait, these are the same fans that I just performed in front of in Europe three months ago."

FS: Speaking of Triple H, I know you have an interesting story about how you got your big break with WWE in the first place?

July 29, 2016

Flo Rida to headline SummerSlam concert to benefit Connor's Cure


WWE, Barclays Center and iHeartMedia have announced that the first WWE SummerSlam Concert will take place Thursday, Aug. 18, at 7 p.m. ET at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, with proceeds benefiting Connor’s Cure, a fund to help further pediatric cancer research.

Tickets are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com!

The announcement was made by Stephanie McMahon on "Elvis Duran and the Morning Show."

The concert, headlined by hip-hop recording artist Flo Rida and international pop superstar Jason Derulo, is part of WWE’s week-long lineup of events, including interactive fan experiences and community outreach programs, culminating with SummerSlam on Sunday, Aug. 21, at 7 p.m. ET from a sold-out Barclays Center and live on WWE Network around the world.

The WWE SummerSlam Concert will also include performances by recording artist Daya and emerging hip hop recording artist Jordan Hollywood, as well as appearances by Stephanie McMahon, Daniel Bryan, AJ Styles, The New Day, Nikki & Brie Bella, Big Show, The Miz & Maryse, R-Truth, Charlotte, Dana Brooke, Jimmy & Jey Uso, and Naomi.

A portion of proceeds from the concert will benefit Connor’s Cure, and be distributed to leading research centers and hospitals nationwide. In 2014, Connor’s Cure was created by McMahon and Levesque as a fund within Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation to support pediatric brain and spinal cord cancer research. Earlier this year, WWE and The V Foundation announced a partnership to expand Connor’s Cure outside of Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation and support cancer research nationally.

"I’m definitely honored to be a part of this spectacular event with my WWE family,” said Flo Rida. “They have been there from day one, and I truly appreciate the opportunity to perform for all my WWE fans."

July 25, 2016

Stephanie McMahon and Mick Foley announce the creation of the WWE Universal Championship


With Dean Ambrose’s WWE World Championship taking up residence as the in-house title of SmackDown Live, Raw Commissioner Stephanie McMahon and General Manager Mick Foley opened their first show of the New Era by announcing the creation of the WWE Universal Championship, the first recipient of which will be decided at SummerSlam.

McMahon and Foley confirmed former WWE World Champion and first overall WWE Draft pick Seth Rollins as one of the Superstars who will contend for the new title at The Biggest Event of the Summer; The Architect’s opponent will be decided in Raw’s main event, which will be contested between the winners of two Fatal 4-Way Matches held throughout the course of the night.

July 16, 2016

WWE Issues Statement Over Possible Brock Lesnar USADA Violation, Lesnar Still Set For SummerSlam?


From WWE.com:

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has informed Brock Lesnar of a potential policy violation, stemming from an out-of-competition sample collected on June 28, 2016, according to a statement released by UFC on Friday afternoon and reported on by ESPN and other news sources.

Lesnar successfully returned to the UFC against Mark Hunt 12 days later on July 9 at UFC 200. The results of the sampling were received by USADA on July 14.

UFC released the following statement on the matter via Twitter



"Brock Lesnar has not performed for WWE since WrestleMania and is not scheduled to return until Sunday, August 21."

June 30, 2016

Batista On Arguing With Vince McMahon During Last WWE Run, Triple H And Stephanie Disrespecting Him


Recently on MLW Radio's Writers Room, Dave Bautista, also known as WWE's Batista, shared some insight into his most recent WWE run. According to 'The Animal', his time with the company in 2014 was a struggle from the start. Batista talked about some of the problems he faced during the stint. The six-time world champion claimed that he stayed with the company longer than originally planned during his 2014 run and he divulged why he did not return to WWE for SummerSlam 2014.

According to Batista, his 2014 WWE run was a struggle from the start as he did not share the same creative vision for his return as Vince McMahon.

"Right from before I went back, I was arguing with them. For one, Vince wanted me to come back as a babyface and I was like, 'it's not going to work, Vince. I'm a heel. [The fans] want me to be a heel. They like me as a heel. I'm a good heel!' He was like, 'no, they miss you. They love you.' And I was like, 'Vince, that's going to last for like two seconds.' And then, also, the first night I came back, they wanted me to come out and do this goofy thing with all these other people in the ring and I was like, 'it's my first night back! Give me five minutes alone, me and the fans. Let me just have the ring to myself for a night, my first night back.' And they didn't want to do that, so it was a real struggle from the very beginning."

Batista indicated that McMahon wanted to push him too hard. Also, Batista said that some fans blamed him for CM Punk's departure.

"I was just beating my head against a wall, struggling, fighting with them, arguing. Everyday I was standing outside of Vince's office waiting to talk to him." Batista recalled, "Vince just wanted to push me, shove me down their throats, as a babyface. It just got worse and worse and the more they shoved me down people's throats, the more they resented me for being there. And then, there was all this stuff with [CM] Punk leaving and somehow I was blamed for that. I don't know. It was just really odd. It just wasn't very good from the very beginning."

Interestingly, Batista claimed that he stayed with WWE longer than he originally planned because he was "unsatisfied" by his return.

"I was just starting to really break into my stride when I had to leave. And I had to leave. I stayed a month longer than I was supposed to because I just felt so unsatisfied by that return. It just broke my heart because I was thinking about for years going back. I missed it and I wanted to be there. So I was just starting to hit my stride and I literally had to leave because I just started promoting Guardians [of the Galaxy]."

Apparently, Batista wanted to return to WWE for SummerSlam (2014), but when he brought up the possibility of being with the company while also being in the number one film at the same time, he was disrespected by Stephanie McMahon and Triple H.

"When I left, and I haven't talked to a lot of people about this, and I don't care if they're pissed about me saying something, but I wanted to come back and do SummerSlam." Batista continued, "I wanted to come back around [the time of] the release of the film, around Guardians. And I said, 'wouldn't it be great if I was back and I was also in the number one movie in the world?' And they kind of had a snicker and there was, you know, 'yeah, well, we don't know if the movie's going to be that good.' And it was one of those moments. Literally, and I swear I'm not exaggerating. It was that and it was a very uncomfortable moment where I think they were just kind of doubting me and laughing in my face. And I was like, 'okay'. But it's not that I wanted to leave. I even wanted to come back. It's just that they're really difficult to work with and they're just not very flexible.

"If I ever went back it would be a lot different, a lot different for sure. For one, I'd make sure even before I went back that I knew what I was getting into and they had a plan and stuck to it and I'd hold them accountable for what they promised me. The last time, I really didn't and I'm really sorry about the way the whole thing went, man, still. I'm a little sour about it still."

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Oderint Dum Metuant: Let Them Hate As Long As They Fear