Vince McMahon’s Share of Massive WWE Lawsuit Settlement Disclosed

A newly filed court document has revealed the complete financial breakdown of the settlement reached in the WWE shareholder lawsuit connected to the company’s 2023 merger with UFC under TKO Group Holdings.

According to Bloomberg Law, Vince McMahon and his insurers are responsible for $42.5 million of the settlement, bringing the overall agreement to a substantial $147.5 million.

WWE/TKO’s portion of the settlement stands at $105 million. TKO has previously indicated that it expects approximately $75 million of that amount to ultimately be covered by insurance.

The lawsuit was filed by a group of WWE shareholders against McMahon, Nick Khan, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, Michelle Wilson and George Barrios.

At the centre of the case were allegations surrounding WWE’s 2023 sale process. The shareholders argued that the process had been directed toward Endeavor in a manner that ultimately allowed McMahon to retain a favourable position once WWE and UFC were brought together under the TKO banner.

The case had been heading toward trial earlier this summer before the two sides reached a settlement shortly before proceedings were due to begin.

A significant development came beforehand when the judge issued a ruling concerning the destruction, or spoliation, of potential evidence.

The matter involved messages sent through Signal, an encrypted messaging application that allows communications to automatically disappear. Messages involving McMahon, Khan and others had been set to delete automatically.

That ruling shifted the burden of proof in a way that reportedly would have created a considerably more difficult path for the defence had the lawsuit proceeded to trial.

Neither WWE/TKO nor Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel were named as defendants in the shareholder action.

Despite an agreement being reached, the settlement has not yet been completely finalised.

Bloomberg Law reports that a disagreement involving McMahon, the other defendants and insurance indemnification arrangements is currently contributing to the delay.

In Friday’s filing, the shareholders disclosed the complete $147.5 million settlement figure and criticised TKO over what they described as “partial disclosures” regarding the financial terms.

The shareholders argued those disclosures had allowed “an incomplete picture of the full settlement” to circulate publicly.

They also claimed delays on the WWE side of the litigation were “creating larger problems,” referring to a filing from Thursday detailing a dispute between McMahon and his co-defendants concerning their indemnification agreements and insurers.

The latest disclosure therefore provides a much clearer picture of the financial cost of bringing the shareholder case to an end, even as the parties continue working through the remaining details.

McMahon initially remained one of the most powerful executives within the newly created TKO organisation following completion of the WWE-UFC transaction in September 2023.

He resigned from his position as TKO Executive Chairman in January 2024 following the filing of a lawsuit by former WWE employee Janel Grant against McMahon, WWE and others.

That separate legal dispute has since moved into private arbitration.

Vaughn Evelyn Levesque, Daughter Of Stephanie McMahon And Triple H, Sings ‘God Bless America’ At WWE SummerSlam

Vaughn Evelyn Levesque, the daughter of Stephanie McMahon and Triple H kicked off WWE SummerSlam by singing “God Bless America.”

This was her official WWE TV debut.

Triple H is the Chief Creative Officer in WWE, while Stephanie is no longer an official employee of the company, she still makes various on-screen appearances.

Triple H Sends Strong Message to Frustrated WWE Talent After SummerSlam

Triple H didn't hold back during the WWE SummerSlam Night 1 post-show press conference.

While the WWE Chief Content Officer addressed several major news items coming out of the event, his strongest comments were directed toward criticism surrounding television time and talent who believe they deserve bigger opportunities. Asked about frustrations within the roster, Triple H delivered a pointed response, emphasizing that earning a spot on WWE programming is part of the business.

Triple H has faced his biggest year of criticism yet as pressures mount from WWE fans and TKO executives.Getty Images

Triple H Says WWE Superstars Must Earn Their Spot

In what felt like an opportunity to get a few things off his chest, Levesque explained that every WWE superstar wants more television time, but opportunities are not simply handed out. Instead, he stressed that performers must continue proving themselves, maximize every opportunity they're given, and ultimately earn their place on television.

The remarks stood out as one of the most candid moments of the nearly hour-long post-show and are likely to spark discussion among both fans and wrestlers in the days ahead.

Triple H says he wishes fans wouldn’t criticise his booking, get invested in stories instead

WWE's Chief Content Officer doesn't understand why fans are more concerned with the behind-the-scenes aspect rather than their programming.

Triple H, who now goes by Paul Levesque, took over the creative reins from his father-in-law, Vince McMahon, after the latter resigned from the company in 2022.

And while the company experienced a creative and commercial boom during the first two years of his tenure, the last few years have been marred by negative critical reception.

Speaking on SiriusXM's Busted Open Radio, WWE COO Paul 'Triple H' Levesque was asked about the criticism he has faced recently for the company's perceived creative decline.

Levesque suggested that fans should place their misguided passion towards investing in the WWE Superstars and their storylines rather than the creative process.

"I wish sometimes we could put that passion into the talent now as opposed to when somebody gets heat in our business, it's like 'God, why would they write that that way?'

"As opposed to 'that no good piece of c— did this.' There's something to saying that innocence of not knowing and 'it still being real to me, d—–.'

"But it is what it is. I love that. I love the hate. I love the love. It's all passion for what we do."

Triple H and WWE created current fan backlash with poor decisions It is hard to understand why Levesque is so opposed to criticism of creative given that he was the first to enjoy the success and positive critical reception during their initial boom period.

When WWE's creative was being applauded under his tenure, Levesque rarely asked fans to focus their passion toward the talent and the programming.

On top of that, WWE's partnership with Netflix has given fans unprecedented access to the behind-the-scenes workings of the company and their programming.

Through 'Unreal,' which is centred around Levesque and his creative team, fans now have a figure to attribute blame to when the programming is incoherent, inconsistent, or uninteresting.

Levesque and the WWE's creative force should focus more on trying to address the criticism and improve the product rather than insulating themselves from criticism.

source: yahoo sports

Happy Birthday Triple H

Paul Michael Levesque
July 27, 1969

Jeff Jarrett Sympathizes With Triple H's Position As Head Of WWE Creative

As Jeff Jarrett put it best: "Servant leadership isn't easy." So, he gives recognition where it matters most. And that's towards WWE's Head of Creative and Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque. When asked how Triple H fares in his ascent from being a former in-ring talent to his now high pressure roles backstage, Jarrett thinks the WWE Hall of Famer is doing a remarkable job.

"Fantastic," the TNA and WWE Hall of Famer said on "The Ariel Helwani Show." "Because I don't know who he has to answer to. I mean, I truly don't know – does he have to make fill in the blank happy today...Look, when you're in that seat, you always got to appease a top talent, a top babyface, a top heel...that's part of the game. But at the end of the day, you still got the stick. Paul's got how many people above him with bigger sticks? That ain't easy...You don't get groomed by the chairman himself and not walk away."

Following the retirement of his father-in-law and former Chairman and CEO of WWE Vince McMahon, Levesque is just days away from celebrating four years of calling the creative shots in WWE. During an interview with Cody Rhodes on "What Do You Wanna Talk About," "The Game" revealed that while he's learned how to stand firm in this position, the hardest part still is taking accountability for decisions that aren't fully his own.

credit "The Ariel Helwani Show" Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Triple H’s Remark After CM Punk’s WWE Title Win Was 15 Years in the Making

Triple H recently drew a nostalgic parallel to CM Punk's Undisputed WWE Championship win.

CM Punk made a surprise return on the July 6 episode of RAW as the last-minute replacement for Cody Rhodes and defeated Sami Zayn to win the Undisputed WWE Championship. Following his victory, he had a moment backstage with the promotion's Chief Content Officer, Triple H, posing for the latter's signature finger-pointing photo.

Triple H then shared the photo in a congratulatory post on X/Twitter, recalling CM Punk's historic first WWE Championship win against John Cena at Money in the Bank 2011. The event took place at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, the same venue as this week's RAW, where Punk won the title for the third time (his eighth world title overall).

"Same building, 15 years later. Different opponent, same result. CM Punk is the Undisputed WWE Champion!!! #AndNew," Triple H wrote.

Triple H On WWE President Nick Khan: 'I've Never Been Around A Better Businessman'

Paul "Triple H" Levesque transitioned to the corporate side of WWE in 2010, when he was named Executive Senior Advisor, and has since slowly risen to the CCO of the promotion. Along the way, Levesque has had many opportunities to rub shoulders with businessmen, but in an interview with Stephan A. Smith, he claimed that Nick Khan is the best he's ever had the pleasure to work with on a corporate level.

"[Khan] is the absolute best President. Here at WWE, I've never been around a better businessman," Levesque proclaimed. "What is incredible about him is not only his mind for the business, for rights fees, and ratings, and analyzing all those things, but he grew up a fan of this; he grew up a fan of boxing, and combat sports, but especially pro wrestling."

Levesque further claimed that Khan is simply one of the most knowledgeable people he knows, and he appreciates how straightforward he is. "Man, I love working with him every day," he said. "To me, he and I together, it's like this perfect partnership of being able to do the business side, but this energy that we both feel and have and love for this business, like nothing else. So, man, we're in it together, and I love it. ... It's keeping me young, man!"

Earlier this year, Khan signed a new four-year deal to remain with the company, confirming he'll still act as WWE's President until 2030.

credit Stephan A. Smith and Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Triple H Says WWE’s Presidential Fitness Test Partnership With RFK Jr. Is About Inspiring Kids

Triple H is proud to help celebrate the return of the Presidential Fitness Test.

The WWE Chief Content Officer recently appeared at the Boys & Girls Club of Atlantic City to mark the restoration of the Presidential Fitness Test and the launch of GetActive.gov/kids. He was joined by WWE Superstars Cody Rhodes, Charlotte Flair, Rey Mysterio, and Austin Theory, along with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Speaking during the event, Triple H reflected on the impact fitness has had on his personal and professional life, saying it taught him discipline and helped him achieve the success he enjoys today.

"I feel like I owe everything in my life to fitness, to going in the gym and learning that discipline and that motivation," he said. "The success that I have in life is from that lesson that I learned in the gym. The weights don't lie, right? And if I could help inspire kids and help get this started again, I wanted to be a part of that."

Triple H says the initiative is to praise effort and show support The two-time WWE Hall of Famer also emphasized that the program is about more than physical fitness. He said it encourages children to support one another instead of putting others down.

"We're rewarding kids that put in the effort, that work hard to get to where they want to be. It's incredibly important for us to teach kids to support the kid that can't do it, you support them to get better. You don't bully them, you don't make fun of them. You know what it took for you to get there, then you help them get there as well."

This is not the first time Triple H has represented WWE in support of the initiative. During the 2025 Christmas season, he appeared at the White House alongside President Donald Trump to promote health and fitness after Trump signed an executive order reinstating the Presidential Fitness Test in schools.

source: yahoo sports

Paul Heyman Explains Current Roles In WWE, Compares Working With Vince McMahon & HHH

Paul Heyman has discussed his current role in WWE, while also praising Paul "Triple H" Levesque for the way he's run WWE.

Heyman, who previously had an executive position in WWE, currently serves as an on-screen manager for a few stars, as well as mentors others, which he opened up about on "Insight."

"If I were to list my scope of services, well, it would be, number one, I'm the liaison for some talent. In terms of, I'm the creative liaison between that talent and the creative team, the creative team and that talent. So a lot of the creative will flow through me in both directions. I handle a lot of the behind-the-scenes business for members of The Vision, obviously for Brock Lesnar, and there are others."

He also stated that his role involves sitting in Gorilla Position and helping the creative team in whatever way possible during shows, particularly "WWE SmackDown." Heyman additionally pointed out the differences between working under Vince McMahon and Levesque, arguing that the latter is more collaborative in an era where, he says, content is dictated by algorithms.

"You have to please a lot of masters [now]. Paul Levesque is the best person for that job. He's a collaborator. He pivots. He understands. And he understands that what works today may not work tomorrow, and what works tomorrow may not work in two days. He's brilliant at taking a look at the landscape and understanding: Does this make sense? Is it logical? Does the storyline work? Will it create box office interest and intrigue? Does it work for the characters involved? Does it progress the characters involved and take them from being characters on a television show into becoming attractions?" said Heyman.

The former ECW owner said that the role of a creative head has changed significantly since McMahon was in charge, as there are many stakeholders Levesque has to satisfy, including WWE's various distributors and partners. He commended Levesque for the job he has done, boldly stating that he would hire him if he were to start a pro wrestling company.

Vince McMahon, Nick Khan and Others Reach Settlement In Principle On WWE Merger Lawsuit

Vince McMahon, Nick Khan, Paul 'Triple H' Levesque, Stephanie McMahon and other WWE executives and former WWE shareholders have reached a settlement in a lawsuit brought about by the shareholders who alleged misconduct on the part of McMahon, Khan, and the others during the company's merger with Endeavor to form TKO Group.

According to Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling, Tamara Burton from the Delaware Court of Chancery has confirmed that both parties have reached a settlement agreement in principle.

“At the parties' request, the trial is cancelled," said Burton. "The parties have advised the court that they will present the settlement for approval in due course.” The exact terms of the settlement have not been released at this time.

WWE Shareholder lawsuit was cancelled over the weekend

The trial for this case was set to begin in court on Monday. However, over the weekend, the court date was canceled, leading to speculation that a settlement agreement may be on the horizon.

Last week, the defendants were dealt a major blow in the case when a judge ruled that they misused the auto-delete feature of the messaging service Signal to delete communication they were legally obligated to keep. The ruling allowed for five key facts to be treated as true once the case went to trial on June 8.

The lawsuit by the former shareholders alleges that McMahon failed to conduct the proper due diligence to get the best deal possible for shareholders when selling WWE. The suit claims that McMahon was only interested in one bidder for his pro wrestling juggernaut ,and that bidder was Endeavor.

The suit also alleges that the reason McMahon wanted to sell to Endeavor only was that he was to receive a prominent and powerful position inside the new company, TKO Group.

WWE was officially sold to Endeavor in 2023. At that time, Endeavor merged with the UFC to form the TKO Group. At that time, McMahon was made Executive Chairman of the company.

McMahon resigned from his position at TKO Group after horrific allegations were made about him by a former WWE staff member who claimed he sexually assaulted her during his time as Chairman of the Board in WWE.

Prior to that, McMahon retired from WWE in 2022 after the WWE Board of Directors began an investigation into payments made to former WWE employees with whom McMahon allegedly had affairs. He returned to the WWE at the beginning of 2023 in order to facilitate the sale of WWE to Endeavor.

Stephanie McMahon Says Her Oldest Daughter Considered WWE Career Before Vince Scandal

Vince McMahon's controversial exit from WWE and TKO was sparked by the allegations of sexual assault and trafficking of Janel Grant, but his alleged actions had an effect on a wide range of people. According to his daughter, Stephanie McMahon, the controversy surrounding her father affected her daughter and a future in pro wrestling she contemplated.

"Aurora used to want to [get into pro wrestling], and she even got in the ring with Nattie, and she rolled around a little bit," Stephanie recalled during an episode of her "What's Your Story? with Steph McMahon" podcast. "But then, you know, everything kind of happened with my dad and me leaving and it was an awkward time, right in the time that she would've really been making her decision."

Stephanie then pointed out that her daughter could someday pivot back to pro wrestling someday, but right now, she has her mind set on getting her doctorate in physical therapy. "And she's grown up with all of our injuries, which is why – I think – she kind of has a proclivity towards it," she added, speculating where the second option came from. "She's been on the road and she's seen how everything operates; she's fascinated with sports injuries, like, fascinated with it! ... It's kind of a calling for her; but that's not to say she couldn't do both! I mean, she'd be such a natural."

credit "What's Your Story? with Steph McMahon" & Wrestling Inc. for the transcription

Vince McMahon and Nick Khan sanctioned by judge in WWE merger lawsuit, heightening their burden to prevail at trial

Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster found that Vince McMahon and WWE President Nick Khan destroyed evidence in the merger lawsuit.

According to the filing (via Brandon Thurston at POST Wrestling), the court will treat five damaging facts as presumptively true when the case goes to trial next month.

The judge found that McMahon, Khan, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque (Triple H), and former WWE executives Stephanie McMahon and Brad Blum all used Signal’s auto-delete function, which wiped out messages they had a legal duty to preserve.

Laster listed the five presumed facts as follows:

Emanuel’s promise to provide Vince with a continued role at any post-merger company after a transaction influenced Vince’s decision-making with respect to the merger.

Emanuel’s offer of indemnification and other legal support related to pending federal investigations of Vince’s alleged misconduct influenced Vince’s decision-making with respect to the merger.

Vince decided to pursue a transaction with Endeavor in 2022, before the Company initiated the strategic review process.

Khan communicated with Emanuel between August and December 2022 to facilitate a transaction between WWE and Endeavor.

Vince and Khan worked with [advisement firm] Raine to steer the process toward a deal with Endeavor and away from other potential bidders.

The defendants still have an opportunity to plead their case and overcome the presumptions.

The trial is scheduled to take place from June 8 to 12.

The lawsuit, which was filed in 2023, alleges that 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.

source: fightful.com

Vince McMahon, Nick Khan, Paul Levesque To Testify In WWE Shareholders Lawsuit

Vince McMahon, Ari Emanuel, Nick Khan, and Triple H are set to testify in the upcoming trial for the lawsuit related to WWE’s merger. As previously reported, WWE shareholders filed a lawsuit against WWE in November 2023 over the TKO merger. The lawsuit alleges that WWE’s investigation into former Chairman McMahon was a “sham,” and that McMahon manipulated the sale process to Endeavor for his benefit.

According to POST Wrestling’s Brandon Thurston, the four executives are among those set to testify as witnesses in the trial.

Mark Shapiro is also among the list of witnesses, which includes many other names as revealed in a pre-trial order. Stephanie McMahon is listed among the names the plaintiffs may call, either live or by deposition.

The trial is set to kick off on on June 8th in the Delaware Court of Chancery and claims that McMahon set up the deal with Endeavor for them to acquire WWE and merge into TKO in order to ensure that he would remain with WWE. This was after he was accused of sexual misconduct in summer of 2022. McMahon retired from the company in the wake of the allegations, but forced his way back onto the Board of Directors in order to facilitate the sale of WWE.

McMahon of course eventually exited WWE and TKO just after he was sued by Janel Grant over allegations by Grant that he sexually abused, assaulted, and trafficked her. That lawsuit is ongoing.

The report by Thurston notes that plaintiffs and defendants plan to call McMahon and Emanuel as live witnesses in the courtroom. McMahon has separate legal representation from the rest of the defendants which include Khan, Triple H, George Barrios, and Michelle Wilson. WWE and TKO are not direct parties to the lawsuit, through they are believed likely to be funding the legal bills for the defendants beyond McMahon.

The full list of names who are intended to be called to testify are:

Plaintiffs Intend To Call Live:
* Vince McMahon
* Ari Emanuel
* Mark Shapiro
* Jeffrey Sine, Raine banker
* Frank Riddick, then-WWE Chief Financial Officer and board member
* Andrew Schleimer, TKO CFO and then-UFC CFO
* Brendan Houlihan, expert witness
* James Canessa, expert witness


Plaintiffs May Call Live Or By Deposition:
* Jeffrey Speed, then-WWE board member
* Stephanie McMahon
* Marty Patterson, Liberty Media President & CEO
* Steve Pamon, then-WWE board member


Defendants Intend To Call Live (Several Also Pppear Plaintiffs’ List):
* George Barrios, then-WWE board member and former WWE executive
* Brad Blum, former WWE executive
* Ari Emanuel
* Daniel Lee, Moelis Managing Director (an advisor in the process)
* Paul Finger, JP Morgan Managing Director (advisor)
* Nick Khan
* Steve Koonin, TKO board member, then-WWE board member
* Paul Levesque
* Vince McMahon
* Frank Riddick
* Andrew Schleimer
* Mark Shapiro
* Jeffrey Sine
* Michelle Wilson, then-WWE board member and former WWE executive
* Mark Zhu, TKO Chief Strategy Officer and then-Endeavor executive
* Doug Perlman, expert witness
* Professor Steven Salaga, expert witness
* Professor David C. Smith, expert witness
* Matthew Archer, shareholder plaintiff
* Dennis Palkon, shareholder plaintiff

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

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