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Showing posts with label Triple H. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Triple H. Show all posts

March 6, 2024

WWE Announcers Are Being Given More Leeway Under Triple H

A ton of things have changed in WWE once Paul "Triple H" Levesque took over creative from Vince McMahon in the summer of 2022 following the hush money scandal. The product has gotten better and morale has increased within those who work for the company. Commentary has also changed after years of McMahon being notorious for yelling at the announcers.


Changes

Corey Graves has been part of the commentary team for years and has worked under both men. Graves took on a new role as the lead SmackDown play-by-play voice last month.


While speaking on the Short and to the Point podcast, Graves talked about the support he has from Triple H, noting he owes a lot, if not his career, due to him supporting his transition from wrestler to commentator.


Experience

“He also is really cool and sort of refreshing in a sense that he gives us [announcers] space. When he's in Gorilla [position] right where the old boss sat, instead of being told and prompted, 'Hey, you've got to say this, you have to do it this way, you have to use this verbiage,' He, I think, understands that we’re all fans and we all love this in different ways. And as the business grows and evolves, you kind of have to let go of the reins a little bit. I still have my guide rails, I just feel like they’re a little bit wider on each side now where rather than trying to stay on a particular path and walk in a certain rhythm and do things a certain way, I have a little bit more leeway to be me and develop my own style.”

February 13, 2024

The Rock Recalls Getting Emotional After Recent WWE Headquarters Tour With Triple H

With The Rock recently confronting Triple H and the WrestleMania 40 Kickoff, and Triple H firing shots at The Rock on SmackDown, there has been a lot of speculation about the two names’ dynamics backstage.

Speaking with ET ahead of the Kickoff event, The Rock revealed that Triple H recently gave him a tour of WWE Headquarters. Admitting that he got choked up at one point during the tour, The Rock said: “(Triple H) goes, ‘Hey, I got one more thing to show you,’ and we went downstairs, (where) you see on the wall these pictures of these wrestlers. He goes, ‘Oh, look at that one.’ And over in the corner is this incredibly well-lit picture, black-and-white, of my dad and Tony Atlas, the day they made history and became the first Black tag team champions.” 

“I have never seen that picture before and I was so choked up… I was really moved. In that moment, I thought, ‘Man, they were wrestling in what was a field house back then and wrestling has changed!’ My dad just made history and the bumps and the bruises and the sacrifices that he made and that all those guys made. “Now we’re talking about the biggest WrestleMania of all time and the company signs a $5 billion deal with Netflix. It’s just incredible.”

The Rock’s father Rocky Johnson won the World Tag Team Championship alongside Tony Atlas in 1983 to become the first black tag-team champions in WWE history. 

The Undertaker Comments On Triple H’s Management Style in WWE

During the latest episode of Six Feet Under (via Fightful), The Undertaker gave his thoughts on how Triple H runs WWE creative, describing it as a ‘very calm’ management style. He also noted that it was almost “too calm” for him.

He said:

 “He’s doing it calmly. So I’m not I’m not around, obviously, like I used to be. When I was working full-time, or even when I wasn’t working full-time. It was just so chaotic. There is like this calm backstage. The crew itself, the talent, they’re relatively young. Top to bottom, they’re young people. They’re all so chill. I’ve seen Triple H get worked up, but I haven’t seen him yell at Talent. I haven’t seen him bad mouth anybody. There’s been times where you come back through the curtain and you know that ass-chewing is coming. I haven’t seen that with him. Like I said, I haven’t been around a whole lot, but I’ve been around enough, and I know him well enough, and I can just tell it’s such a chill vibe. For me, I almost don’t like it because it’s almost too calm. To me, and this is just me on the outside looking in, it’s like they don’t care enough. It’s not that. It’s just the atmosphere.”

Triple H Introduced As Paul Levesque On SmackDown

January 28, 2024

Triple H When Asked About Vince McMahon Allegations: I Want To Focus On The Positives

At the WWE Royal Rumble post-show press conference, Jon Alba asked WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H about the allegations against Vince McMahon and how the situation affects WWE.

“I’m gonna do exactly what you would expect me to do here,” Triple H said. “Look, we just had an amazing week. A ten-year, $5 billion Netflix deal, Rock joining our board. We just sold out the Royal Rumble, put 48,000 people in Tropicana Field. I choose to focus on the positive. Yes, there’s a negative, but I want to focus on that and just keep it to that.”

Triple H was then asked to describe what is being done to make sure people in positions of power can’t take advantage of employees under them.

“I’ll give you the most generalized answer that I can. Everything possible. That is a very important thing to us, a very important topic to us. It’s as simple as everything possible.”

Triple H Says He Has Not Read The Lawsuit

Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics subsequently asked Triple H whether he read the lawsuit featuring the allegations against Vince McMahon.

“I did not. I did not,” Triple H said. “I think Cody mentioned it, that we all found out real-time when you were, and that’s the truth. I’ll go back to what I said before. This is an amazing week for us. I just, at this point, I don’t even want to get bogged down in the negatives of it. I just want to focus on the positives and where we’re going, and we’re at the most exciting time of the year for us, we’re at the most exciting point, to me, business-wise I think that we’ve ever had.

“I think [it’s] the best positioning of this company since the A.ttitude Era. I’ve been through that era. I understand what it’s like. I feel like we are in the middle of something that, while we might not be able to put our finger on it right now, five, ten years from now, we’re gonna be saying wow, what a time that was. I want to focus on that.”

January 27, 2024

End Of An Era 2.0

For the first time since its inception as the Capitol Wrestling Corporation in the 1950's, the only member of the McMahon family currently with the WWE is a Levesque. End of an era.

November 27, 2023

WWE-UFC Merger Challenged In Lawsuit Alleging “Sham Sales Process” for Megadeal

Investors claim that WWE board members favored a merger with Endeavor's UFC to allow Vince McMahon to stay on as executive chairman of TKO Group.

Vince McMahon’s corporate coup that paved a path for him to force his way back onto the WWE board and merge the sports entertainment powerhouse with Endeavor’s UFC is back in the spotlight, with a lawsuit arguing that he ignored more lucrative offers at the expense of investors.

A suit, unsealed in the Delaware Court of Chancery on Nov. 22, alleges that McMahon pushed a “quick sale” of WWE to Endeavor chief Ari Emanuel, his “close friend and longtime ally” who proposed a sweetheart deal that allowed the wrestling mogul to stay on as executive chairman of TKO Group and avoid scrutiny in connection with sexual misconduct allegations that could’ve ousted him from the company. According to the complaint filed by investors, WWE board members “conjured up a sham sales process” designed to favor Endeavor and “exclude other bidders seeking to axe” McMahon, disregarding at least two all cash offers with betters terms.

The complaint extensively details McMahon’s turbulent tenure as head of WWE, culminating in September with the formation of TKO Group through a $21 billion merger between UFC and WWE. He had returned to the company in January after having stepped down as chief executive amid a sexual misconduct investigation into $17.4 million in hush money payments to four different women formerly employed by the company. McMahon, as WWE’s controlling stockholder, removed and replaced three then-serving board members with himself and former executives George Barrios and Michelle Wilson.

“If McMahon was found to have breached his duty of loyalty, WWE stockholders could have sought his removal as a director,” states the suit. “Such scrutiny appears to have prompted McMahon to seek a ‘quick’ sale of the Company that also allowed him to continue running WWE.”

WWE announced on the same day as McMahon’s return in January a review of strategic options. In a statement, he said that he wanted to lead any talks about a possible sale or rights negotiations himself. Investors claim that he immediately turned to Emanuel, his former agent whom he “knew would allow him to remain at the helm” of the merged entity. They say that both the process and price point were unfair, alleging there were betters deals on the table.

According to the complaint, this included undisclosed companies submitting cash offers at $95-$100 and $90-$97.50 per share. But because they contemplated cashing out WWE stockholders and barred McMahon from rolling over his shares, which would’ve signaled his “complete ouster” from the wrestling world, the board “never bothered to make” counterproposals, the suit states.

Instead, WWE exclusively negotiated with Endeavor, proposing an all-stock deal that was contingent upon McMahon serving as executive chairman of the combined company, the complaint says. Endeavor ultimately agreed, with it owning 51 percent of the post-deal firm and former WWE stockholders owning the remaining 49 percent. Investors allege that merger was consummated at $95.66 per share, which fell below two competing, all-cash offers. (Those WWE suitors were redacted in the complaint. But the companies were described as “major institutions with significant access to capital” that had “compelling reasons to close an acquisition of WWE.” One of them likely had “significant runway to increase its offer due to the outsized synergies it could generate in a combination with” the company, the suit says.)

“Not only did he secure a future for himself at post-merger WWE, McMahon also stuffed his pockets and those of his loyalists before agreeing to a deal,” states the complaint, which points to he and former chief executive Nick Kahn securing so-called golden parachutes, along with Khan, McMahon’s son-in-law and WWE chief content officer Paul Levesque (known professionally as “Triple-H”) and WWE president Frank A. Riddick getting a combined $25 million in cash bonuses.

The suit argues that the $21 billion price tag undervalues WWE. It’s “far below the offers” the board could’ve obtained from multiple other bidders had it “made any effort to negotiate in good faith,” investors claim.

According to the complaint, McMahon and his allies on the board “timed negotiations” to favor a deal with Endeavor, including by providing early due diligence and backchanneling information to the company so that it was able to make an early offer. During this process, WWE only secured a budget for UFC’s current fiscal year rather than insisting on a full set of multi year projections, as is customary, despite agreeing to merger consideration that depended on valuing UFC accurately, the suit says. By rushing to secure a merger with Endeavor without conducting adequate due diligence, investors argue the board got an unfavorable deal in agreeing to a 51-49 split.

The complaint, filed by an Ohio pension fund, names McMahon, Khan, Levesque, Barrios and Wilson, among others. It contains various claims for breach of contract and seeks to represent all stockholders who cashed out their shares in the merger.

WWE didn’t respond to a request for comment.


source: Hollywood Reporter

November 26, 2023

CM Punk Returns To WWE


When "never say never" becomes a shocking reality.

As those in attendance at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois — and the WWE Universe overall — were left reeling by Punk's shocking return to the company weeks after his departure from AEW, Paul Levesque also tried to put the moment into words during the Survivor Series post press conference.

"This was one of those sort of lightning in a bottle moments that came together very quickly," Levesque told members of the media. "But we are incredibly excited by it. It's been a long time and in some ways, it's been a long time coming."

He added: "You could say this about CM Punk — love him, hate him, positive, negative, whatever you want to say — people talk about him all the time. He is a magnet for that. He is a conversation starter and it's tough to look past that. And for me, if our fans want it, if the WWE Universe is excited to have it, then let's go and we'll figure out the rest of it from there."

The Chief Content Officer of the WWE reinforced that Punk's return materialized "super quick."

"A lot of time has gone by — almost 10 years, right?" Levesque said, referring to the last time Punk was a WWE Superstar. "And if you are the same person you were 10 years ago 10 years later, you've messed up. Everybody grows, everybody changes and I'm a different person, he's a different person and this is a different company. And we're all on the same, even starting ground."

As for what's next for CM Punk? Levesque is as intrigued by the possibilities as anyone else.

"That will be interesting, won't it?" he said. "I'm interested to see that myself. I know whatever it is, it'll be talked about, it'll be exciting and it will be a thrill ride for the WWE Universe no matter what it is. And I'm thrilled, we're all thrilled to have him back here.

"And to have him back — cliche to say — but have him back here in WWE. It's where he belongs."

November 23, 2023

Paul “Triple H” Levesque Offers Inside Look At WWE Storytelling

 "Book what people want to see and feel...More?

source:  si.com

November 10, 2023

Paul Levesque On WWE’s Merger With Endeavor: ‘I Can’t Tell You How Excited I Am’

Front row at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater last night for the Callum Walsh-Ismael Villarreal boxing match were UFC CEO Dana White, WWE President Nick Khan, and WWE Head of Creative Paul “Triple H” Levesque.

 
The fight aired on UFC Fight Pass, which is investing more resources into its boxing and building around potential cornerstones like Walsh. A highly touted super welterweight prospect, Walsh (9-0) won a closely contested bout by unanimous decision, earning Levesque’s respect with his performance.
 
“It’s the first time I had the chance to see him fight live,” said Levesque, who spoke with Sports Illustrated while ringside. “He’s so well-rounded. I think this kid has it on all levels.”
 
Levesque marveled at the ten-round performance of the 22-year-old Walsh, who extended his undefeated streak with the victory.
 
“No matter what the genre, when you reach the next level, there are nerves and second-guessing that come at this level–and maybe a part of you that doesn’t believe in your hype,” said Levesque. “When you get to a certain level, a lot of it is a head game. To see how poised he is at this level, it’s awesome to see.”
 
Levesque is in the midst of a superb run of storytelling in WWE, especially since the company’s merger with Endeavor, which is also the parent company of the UFC. An old-school booker willing to embrace wrestling’s modern aspects, Levesque is molding Raw and SmackDown back into must-see products. Raw has been especially strong, with seemingly minute details–like advertised matches taking place–allowing multiple talents to have significant storylines.
 
Endeavor CEO has tasked Levesque to oversee all of WWE’s creative, a role he relishes.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am,” said Levesque. “Working with Endeavor, it’s next level. The flywheel for all the things they touch–if you were trying to build that on your own, it’s taking you a decade. For us, now, it fast tracks everything we’re doing.
 
“Endeavor, UFC, they’re the best in the business at what they do. They put things on a different level of professionalism, and we fit right into that. The future is so bright because of the opportunities Endeavor is going to provide for us and the synergies that are there. We’re going to take this to a whole new level.”

source:  si.com

November 7, 2023

The CW Network To Become The Exclusive Broadcast Home To WWE NXT

NXT Makes Broadcast Television Debut with Five-Year Deal Beginning October 2024
Network to Air Live Events Featuring WWE’s Next Generation of Superstars 52 Weeks a Year

November 7, 2023 (Burbank, CA & Stamford, Conn.) – The CW Network will become the official broadcast home to WWE NXT in October 2024. The five-year agreement marks the first time in its 13-year history that WWE NXT – which showcases WWE’s hottest up-and-coming Superstars – will air on a broadcast television network. WWE NXT will debut on The CW Network in October 2024 and air 52 live weekly events throughout the season.

“We are thrilled to welcome the WWE brand into the CW Sports portfolio as they play an integral role in our mission to bring live sporting events to the network year-round,” said Dennis Miller, President, The CW Network. “WWE NXT is a perfect fit for The CW thanks to its dynamic young talent featuring the hottest rising stars in the sport and exhilarating, unpredictable weekly events. The passion and engagement of WWE’s fanbase is unmatched, and we are eager to grow that audience as WWE NXT’s new home on broadcast television.”

“The CW has made impressive moves over the past year with its live sports programming schedule,” said Nick Khan, WWE President. “It’s a truly exciting opportunity to expand NXT’s audience by bringing the show to broadcast television for the first time in NXT’s history.”

Launched by WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE NXT has aired weekly since 2012 and features the brightest young talent in sports entertainment. Nearly 90% of the participants in last year’s WrestleMania were developed under the NXT banner. Led by WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, NXT is popular with younger audiences, ranking No. 1 in cable primetime on Tuesday nights last quarter among adults 18-49 and 18-34. Year to date, NXT’s average viewership is up 30% among adults 18-49. WWE Superstars, such as Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch, have come up through NXT.

WWE NXT joins a growing roster of live sports on The CW Network, including ACC football and basketball games airing every Saturday throughout the season and LIV Golf. The CW is also the new home of the Emmy-award winning weekly studio series “Inside the NFL” and will broadcast NASCAR Xfinity Series beginning in 2025. The network will soon offer more than 500 hours of sports programming year-round.

October 25, 2023

Happy 20th Anniversary Paul and Stephanie


October 25, 2003

October 13, 2023

Triple H and Vince McMahon Have More Defined Roles in WWE

Per Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel, Paul “Triple H” Levesque is in full control of WWE creative.

When WWE merged with Endeavor last month, Paul “Triple H” Levesque did not receive a seat on the Board of Directors, a position he had held prior in WWE.

Yet that has not represented a loss of power.

In fact, the opposite has occurred.

If you have noticed a change in WWE programming, you are not alone. Levesque, who is WWE’s Head of Creative, has overseen all of the creative on SmackDown and Raw since the merger, which is precisely what his job description entails.

The difference is that Vince McMahon, who is synonymous with all things WWE, is no longer directly involved in dictating the weekly creative in the same manner he once did. McMahon remained the title of Executive Chairman in WWE, but he no longer possesses majority control of the company. That has allowed for change in the new regime, particularly in the creative department.

Multiple contacts within the WWE and UFC have confirmed that Ari Emanuel, who wields power as the Endeavor CEO, is behind the change. Emanuel has long been a firm believer that, in order for an organization to be as effective as possible, people need to do the job they are assigned. In this case, that approach has empowered Levesque to exert his full influence in the company’s creative sphere.

Not all is lost for McMahon. As Executive Chairman, his focus is elsewhere, particularly in overseeing a lucrative new media rights deal for Raw and the NXT brand. But it is a fascinating time for McMahon.

No longer the be-all, end-all of WWE, McMahon possesses an iron-clad contract that protects him financially–yet not politically. Will he view this as a loss of leverage? His response will be a very telling action.

source:  si.com

October 10, 2023

Rumor Mill - Triple H And Vince McMahon's Roles In WWE Creative

Rumors began to emerge yesterday suggesting that Paul "Triple H" Levesque is fully in control of WWE creative following the formation of TKO Group Holdings. In this scenario, it was said that Vince McMahon still retains his position on the board, but is no longer submitting last-minute creative changes to "WWE Raw" and "WWE SmackDown." On today's "Wrestling Observer Radio," journalist Dave Meltzer shared what he's heard regarding the creative situation in WWE.


McMahon has reportedly "backed off" of the company's creative. However, that is only for the time being, and McMahon still retains the power to change things if he desires. As of now, though, the creative direction is said to be almost entirely set by Levesque. Meltzer stated he was unsure why exactly McMahon seems to have chosen to take a step back willingly, as he has expressed no desire to do that in the past. In fact, McMahon pushed hard to return to the company in the wake of his retirement last year, and for a period of time was said to be making a number of creative changes to WWE shows.


While the details are not yet clear, McMahon is currently under investigation by the federal government. The investigation is likely diving into alleged "hush money" payments made by McMahon to several women previously employed by WWE. Several months after news of the scandal first broke, McMahon stepped down as WWE CEO, and soon after announced his retirement. Early this year, however, McMahon would shockingly re-appoint himself to the board, quickly changing the rules to allow himself to become the company's Executive Chairman. McMahon then presided over the merger between WWE and UFC under the umbrella of Endeavor, which was finalized last month.

October 1, 2023

Jim Ross On Why Triple H’s Creative Involvement Is A Good Thing for WWE

In the latest episode of Grilling JR (via Wrestling Inc), Jim Ross spoke about Triple H being involved behind the scenes in WWE and why it can only help the company.


He said: “The more you can get Triple H involved on a decision-making scenario, the better off you are. He’s just got a great feel for the business. He’s a student of the game, literally, more than just a nickname. I didn’t see a bad thing about it. My situation was just very arduous. It was no secret that Vince wanted to go younger, different look, different sound, and that would eliminate JR. I guess, if you’re a performer or a talent, you gotta expect that this is going to happen [at] some point in time. I have great respect for Triple H. Then, now, forever as the expression goes. We have a lot in common. We both love wrestling. We both love pro wrestling. I don’t remember having too many bad days with Triple H. We communicated well… And I understood too that he was kind of hamstrung on what he could do in my regard because the influencer was Vince, and Vince wanted a change. And he was hell-bent on getting his change at that announce position.“

September 25, 2023

Triple H's 2018 'Global Localization' Vision Now A WWE Trademark Initiative

On September 18, WWE submitted a trademark application for the phrase 'Global Localization' to the United States Patent & Trademark Office. The application reveals WWE's intention to utilize the term within the scope of 'entertainment services.'

Accompanying the application was the following description:

Entertainment services, namely, a show about professional wrestling; entertainment services, namely, the production and exhibition of professional wrestling events rendered live and through broadcast media including television and radio, and via the internet or commercial online service;

providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network; providing information in the fields of sports and entertainment via an online community portal; providing a website in the field of sports entertainment; fan club services, namely, organizing and staging events with wrestling fan club members; providing online newsletters in the field of sports entertainment; online journals, namely, blogs in the fields of sports entertainment; Entertainment services in the nature of development and creation of multimedia entertainment content.

The term 'Global Localization' was originally coined by Triple H in 2018 to outline his concept of creating international WWE hubs that would serve as talent pipelines for the US-based NXT brand

September 20, 2023

Details Behind Vince McMahon's WWE Ouster And Return

Last year, allegations of sexual misconduct and hush money payments forced Vince McMahon to step down from his role as WWE CEO. Though he retired for a time, it would be short-lived. McMahon was able to reinstate himself to the board earlier this year, though he remains under investigation by federal officials. A new story by the LA Times, in which the publication spoke to an "individual close to the board," features new insight into the company's internal investigation into McMahon and more.

According to the LA Times report, McMahon initially told the board he wouldn't stand in the way of their investigation into his actions. Additionally, McMahon reportedly agreed to step down from the board voluntarily, with some reluctance, while also claiming that each of the described encounters had been consensual and the payoffs had only been a matter of "protecting the company against potential litigation."

However, by December, McMahon had seemingly changed his mind about stepping to the side. McMahon sent a pair of letters to the company's board, informing them of his intent to return to shepherd a sale. Though the company's board, which at the time featured Stephanie McMahon and her husband Paul "Triple H" Levesque, voted unanimously against McMahon's return, the 78-year-old was able to use his voting power as a majority stockholder to replace two members and get himself back on the board.

The report indicates that McMahon viewed the internal investigation as being disloyal, and two more board members resigned in the aftermath of McMahon's return. Since then, McMahon was true to his word on setting the company up for a sale, with WWE and UFC merging into TKO Group Holdings, made official earlier this month. Under the new corporate infrastructure, McMahon remains in power, serving as the Executive Chairman.

September 19, 2023

WWE CCO Triple H Makes Cameo On Showtime's Business Drama 'Billions'

The latest Season 7 episode of Showtime's hit business drama "Billions" featured a cameo from none other than WWE's Chief Content Officer Triple H. One scene shows Chuck Rhoades, portrayed by Paul Giamatti, walking into an empty "WWE Raw" arena at Barclays Center alongside "The Game." Rhoades asked Triple H if it feels different walking to the ring as a businessman as opposed to a performer.

Triple H responded, "Man, I still feel every bump. Whether you're giving them, whether you're taking them, whether you're scripting them... Look, you could do it. When this crowd comes alive, you come alive. There is nothing else like this."

Rhoades expressed that he needed to turn one guy heel and one guy babyface in one move. Triple H then explained how he could pull it off in wrestling terms.

"Double turn. Tough to pull off, but, when it's done right, one of my personal favorites," Triple H said. "You need to let the heel come in and get the heat from the crowd. Then your babyface comes and gets the pop."

September 12, 2023

Endeavor Announces Close of UFC® And WWE® Transaction To Create TKO Group Holdings, A Premium Sports And Entertainment Company



Endeavor Announces Close of UFC® and WWE® Transaction to Create TKO Group Holdings, a Premium Sports and Entertainment Company

New Company to Begin Trading Today, September 12, on the New York Stock Exchange Under “TKO” Ticker Symbol

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. & STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR) (“Endeavor”) and World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (previously NYSE: WWE) (“WWE”) today announced the close of their previously announced agreement and the launch of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) (“TKO”).

TKO brings together UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, and WWE, an integrated media organization and the recognized global leader in sports entertainment, to create a new premium sports and entertainment company serving more than one billion young and diverse fans1, reaching viewers in 180 countries, and producing more than 350 annual live events. Through this combination, TKO will leverage Endeavor’s expertise in areas including domestic and international media rights, ticket sales and yield optimization, event operations, global partnerships, licensing, and premium hospitality to drive revenue growth.

“The creation of TKO marks an exciting new chapter for UFC and WWE as leaders in global sports and entertainment,” said Ariel Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor and TKO. “Given their continued connectivity to the Endeavor network, we are confident in our ability to accelerate their respective growth and unlock long-term sustainable value for shareholders. With UFC and WWE under one roof, we will provide unrivaled experiences for more than a billion passionate fans worldwide.”

“This is the culmination of a decades-long partnership between Endeavor and WWE across strategic initiatives including talent representation and media rights. Given our collaborative, trusted relationship and Endeavor’s incredible track record of success growing UFC, we believe WWE is optimally positioned for future growth and success as part of TKO,” said Vince McMahon, Executive Chairman of TKO. “Our focus remains on delivering for our fans across the globe as we take the business to the next level alongside UFC and Endeavor.”

TKO will begin trading today on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “TKO,” with Endeavor holding a 51% controlling interest in the new company and existing WWE shareholders holding a 49% interest in the new company, on a fully diluted basis.


As previously announced, TKO is led by:


Ariel Emanuel, Chief Executive Officer, who continues as Chief Executive Officer of Endeavor;

Mark Shapiro, President and Chief Operating Officer, who continues as President and Chief Operating Officer of Endeavor;

Andrew Schleimer, Chief Financial Officer; and

Seth Krauss, Chief Legal Officer, who continues as Chief Legal Officer of Endeavor.

Dana White is now Chief Executive Officer of UFC and Lawrence Epstein remains Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of UFC. Nick Khan continues at WWE in the role of President.


The Board of Directors of TKO is led by Vince McMahon as Executive Chairman of the Board and consists of 11 members, including Mr. Emanuel, Mr. Shapiro, and Mr. Khan, in addition to the following directors:


Peter C.B. Bynoe, Senior Advisor at DLA Piper LLP;

Egon P. Durban, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Silver Lake;

Steven R. Koonin, Chief Executive Officer of the Atlanta Hawks, LLC;

Jonathan A. Kraft, President of the Kraft Group LLC;

Sonya E. Medina, President and Chief Executive Officer of Reach Resilience;

Nancy R. Tellem, Executive Chairperson and Chief Media Officer of Eko; and

Carrie Wheeler, Chief Executive Officer and a board member of Opendoor Technologies Inc.

September 11, 2023

End Of An Era




Tonight's WWE Raw will be the last WWE show under the full majority control of Vince McMahon. End of an era.

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