LA Knight Admits He Was ‘Majorly Holding His Tongue’ During Backstage Talk With Triple H On WWE Unreal

On WWE Unreal season two, Triple H is seen talking to LA Knight over the ending of the Money in the Bank ladder match that didn’t go as planned.

The camera shows Knight sitting in Gorilla as Triple H explains what went wrong and how Knight missed his moment despite not winning the match.

Speaking to Bootleg Kev, Knight was asked about Unreal.

“I personally don’t think it’s super productive, but I understand why they’re doing it. I have definitely shifted the way I do some things, because you had mentioned my appearance on Unreal there. I was majorly holding my tongue in that scenario, if you could tell when I looked…because I had my own frustrations about that situation, that partially had to do with the finish, but more so it had to do with the overarching theme that I don’t need to get into the weeds about right here.

“Although they told us, ‘Unreal is going to be here filming stuff,’ I had no idea I was being filmed. I had no idea that I was on a microphone at that point in time. With that being the case, I don’t even stop there in Gorilla anymore. When my match is over, my segment is over, I go straight through and I go back to the locker room. If they want to talk to me about my match or whatever happened out there, sure, let’s talk about it when there’s not a microphone or camera around, because that’s how it’s always been. With that being the case, I’m not going to stop in there and leave myself susceptible to that.”

WWE Unreal will continue as season three is set to premiere later this year. Fans can stream both seasons on Netflix.

source: fightful

Shareholder Plaintiffs In Merger Lawsuit Accuse Vince McMahon, Paul Levesque, And Nick Khan Of Destroying Evidence

The latest update in the WWE shareholder lawsuit.

According to Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling, the plaintiffs are accusing Vince McMahon, Nick Khan, Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, and Brad Blum of destruction of relevant evidence, including Signal messages and McMahon’s handwritten notes, regarding the WWE merger that led to the formation of TKO.

They are asking the Delaware Chancery Court to sanction the defendants: Vince, Khan, and Triple H. Stephanie and Blum are not defendants in the lawsuit.

According to the filing, all five, “failed to preserve communications despite multiple notices from WWE’s legal team to do so.”

The filing alleges that Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, and Khan met with Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel and President Mark Shapiro on December 13, 2022, just weeks before McMahon exercised his controlling interest in WWE and returned to the company. Upon returning, Vince immediately pushed to explore a sale or merger.

Khan is characterized as “spearheading” communications on Signal, which allows users to auto-delete messages on a timer. It is also alleged that Khan deleted conventional text messages, which plaintiffs say, based on context, included merger discussions and the investigation of alleged misconduct by McMahon.

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.

Unsealed documents show that Vince and Emanuel were in communication throughout the summer of 2022

The lawsuit is currently scheduled to go to trial in June 2026.

source: fightful.com

Paul 'Triple H' Levesque Reportedly Facing 'Internal Criticism' Over WrestleMania 42

There's still over two months to go before WrestleMania 42 emanates from Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, but WWE's Chief Content Officer is reportedly facing some internal criticism over the build to the show.

The Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer is reporting that advanced ticket sales for the 'Showcase of the Immortals' is down about 18 percent compared to WrestleMania 41, which was held in the same exact city and venue.

There is apparently a belief from some within the company, according to Meltzer, that Levesque's recent adjustments to the creative direction have contributed to the slump in sales. Meltzer himself noted that the correlation between the two doesn't really add up, and he's not wrong.

Unless you're among the portion of fans who keep up with constant updates over matches that were reportedly planned, but never officially announced, you very likely are out of the loop that Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes were initially supposed to face one another for the third time in four years. Or that Bron Breakker was a heavy favorite to win the Royal Rumble until Roman's plans were changed, and Cody Rhodes pushed to drop the WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre.

All of those moves have a natural trickle-down effect, but some in WWE have been critical of the decision-making process. Meltzer even mentioned comparisons to the last minute, and oftentimes chaotic changes that Vince McMahon would make during the latter years of his creative control.

That said, the card for WrestleMania 42 is starting to come together. 2026 Men's Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns will face CM Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship, while 2026 Women's Royal Rumble winner Liv Morgan will challenge either Women's World Champion Stephanie Vaquer or WWE Women's Champion Jade Cargill. The No. 1 Contenders for the other two world titles will be determined on Saturday, February 28 at WWE Elimination Chamber, with Randy Orton and Tiffany Stratton qualifying for their respective matches Friday night on SmackDown.

source: si.com

WWE 2K26 announced with an Attitude Era throwback

2K Games has announced WWE 2K26, the next game in its long-running professional wrestling video game series.

The new game was announced during Friday Night Smackdown with an Attitude Era Edition, featuring a cover adorned with stars from the Attitude Era of the WWE such as Triple H and The Rock. The Attitude Era was a period between 1997 and 2002 that saw an increase in edgier content and unpredictable storylines.

In addition to the Attitude Era Edition, WWE 2K26 will have at least two more specially themed editions -- a Monday Night War Edition, referencing an overlapping era of weekly events during the Attitude Era, as well as a King of Kings Edition, which prominently features Triple H.

No further details have been revealed for the game yet, including the details for what's included in each edition, new gameplay features, or platforms. Las year's entry was released on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch 2. WWE 2K25 was the first game in the series to be released on the Nintendo Switch 2. It was released to generally positive reviews, with critics praising the small but meaningful additions, including the addition of intergender matches and improved presentation and performance.

The full reveal of the standard cover of WWE 2K26, including its cover star and new features and details about the game, will take place on Jan. 30, 2026.

Triple H Gets Candid On R-Truth’s WWE ‘Release’

Following a confusing situation that seemingly saw R-Truth released from WWE last year, we’re hearing more about what happened behind the scenes from Triple H.

Last June, the WWE Universe was in a state of shock when R-Truth announced on social media that the company was releasing him and not renewing his contract.

The reaction online and on WWE programming from fans in the audience was massive, and it led to the two sides coming to a new deal. Truth would return to the company days later at Money in the Bank.

Ahead of its official release tomorrow, a sneak peek of WWE: Unreal Season 2 was released, where Triple H would explain his side of the story regarding R-Truth’s “release,” stating there was never a point that Truth wasn’t under contract to the company.

“We got to a point in Truth’s run where his contract was coming up,” Triple H said. “When you are dealing with contracts and money, and you’re very far apart in the numbers and communication breaks down, it’s very easy for both sides to read into the communications differently. ‘Okay, well, if you’re not going to come to us, then… Your contract is at the end. We’re not going to renew.’

“Knowing that hopefully, maybe this will force his hand to say, well, hold on a second. Can we talk? He immediately went out on social and said he was fired, which he was never fired. Contrary to prior belief, he was never not under contract with us.” [H/T: Fightful]

Triple H: I went from 130 pounds to a world champ. We all must get fit.

WWE star reveals how Trump tapped him to revive Presidential Fitness Test as childhood obesity rates hit alarming 270% increase

Opinion By Paul Levesque

At 14, I was about six feet tall, pimple-faced and 130 pounds soaking wet. I remember because that was the year I joined a gym. It was on Daniel Webster Highway, not far from my house in Nashua, N.H., and my mother said she’d drive me as long as I kept up my grades.

I’ll never forget the sounds that greeted me as I walked through the door: the clank of the weights, plates being loaded onto the machines, the grunts that came with each rep. I remember thinking: powerful stuff is happening here. In fact, it was more than that. It was transformative. I couldn’t do a single pull-up when I started. Fortunately, some of the older guys encouraged me, giving me tips on everything from technique to nutrition. Suddenly, I was hooked. The gym helped me think of myself in a different way. It allowed me envision what I wanted to be. For me, working out illuminated a destination.

Now I’m not suggesting that you become a WWE Superstar or even an athlete. You do you. Just understand that a fitness regimen — doesn’t have to be clanking weights in a gym — will help you get there. And I’m imploring you, and your kids, to start right now. It will make you all better, sharper, healthier.

This year will mark the 70th anniversary of the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness and Nutrition, founded by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Now, President Donald Trump is revitalizing the council and reviving a core tenet, the Presidential Fitness Test. We will work with schools and communities across the country to encourage Americans of every generation to be healthier, stronger and more active in their daily lives.

Here's the deal: our health has dramatically declined over the past few decades. Americans are increasingly sedentary and lacking nutritious diets. Our children, in particular, are facing a crisis. Rates of chronic disease and poor nutrition are through the roof. Childhood diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate. One in five American kids are obese — a 270% increase from 50 years ago — and obese children are five times more likely to remain overweight in adulthood.

Bottom line: We’re allowing our kids to eat super-sized portions of ultra-processed food, and spend too much time on their butts, looking at screens. Kids don’t play outside anymore. Schools rarely instill the lifestyle practices to live healthy lives — exercise, proper nutrition and the inclination to challenge oneself.

We can’t continue this way.

It’s why those of us at the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition are so committed to reversing this calamity and revolutionizing Americans’ health and fitness, especially for the next generation.

It's vital to take care of ourselves physically. But it’s even more crucial to set an example. Kids don’t just listen, they observe. The good news is, it’s not that complicated. You don’t have to spend hours pumping iron or start training for a marathon.

Just a daily 15-minute walk significantly reduces one’s risk of early mortality. So, get outside, move, begin pushing yourself. Start small, progress gradually — as long as you keep showing up. Remember: It’s not just about you. It’s about your kids.

Physical fitness is a lot more than being strong, fast, or playing varsity sports. Actually, I’m not writing this for those who already think of themselves as athletes so much as those who don’t. I’d tell them the same thing I told my own daughters when they said something was hard.

The reward is on the other side of difficult.

It doesn’t matter if you can’t do a single pullup, pushup or sit-up. It matters if you try. If you keep trying, you will. Working out will give you discipline. Discipline will give you confidence. It will open up a door to the possible. That’s what this is really about.

A physical fitness regimen changes you as a person. It changes the trajectory of your life. So, I’m asking, on behalf of the president: are you ready?

source: fox news

Endeavor Executives Anticipated Vince McMahon’s 2023 WWE Return

The executives were plotting for McMahon’s return.

There’s an exclusive story up on POST Wrestling via Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics. It has to do with Vince McMahon’s return to WWE in January 2023 being anticipated by executives at Endeavor, which is the company that went on to acquire WWE in 2023. McMahon was a part of that transaction process.

When Vince McMahon announced his resignation/retirement from WWE in 2022 after sexual misconduct allegations emerged, a top executive at Endeavor had been relaying to colleagues on the same day that McMahon would only be gone temporarily.

After McMahon’s resignation, Endeavor President and TKO Chief Operating Officer, Mark Shapiro, sent the following message to Endeavor and TKO CEO Ari Emanuel and fellow Endeavor execs (POST Wrestling included photographic evidence of the text messages):

Nick and Stephanie are going to take over the WWE for the next nine months. Vince [will] be back with a new board or he will take the company private or he will sell it/coming to us. The race is on. The courtship is on.

Vince McMahon was back in the fold of WWE less than six months later. He was back on the Board of Directors after reinstating himself by using his superior voting power as the controlling shareholder.

The text message from Shapiro was disclosed in the WWE shareholder lawsuit in Delaware Chancery Court. The plaintiffs in that case allege that McMahon violated his legal and ethical obligation to act in the best interests of the shareholders, but instead of doing that, he helped move along the sale process to keep his own power.

There was communication between McMahon and Ari Emanuel throughout the backend of 2022.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are presenting the stance that McMahon and Emanuel had a friendship that would make sure McMahon stayed with WWE after the sale to Endeavor. On the other side of the spectrum, other potential suitors would have required Vince to leave WWE immediately. Vince denied that.

WWE President Nick Khan, Chief Content Officer Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque, and former executives/Board members George Barrios and Michelle Wilson are being represented by TKO’s outside counsel. They’re being accused of being on board with McMahon’s plan to preserve his power. McMahon has separate counsel.

POST/Thurston reached out to WWE, TKO, and Vince McMahon’s reps for a comment on this story, but the requests were not responded to.

As mentioned, while McMahon was publicly retired, he had been in communication with Ari Emanuel. While they were exchanging messages, Emanuel told McMahon, “I will be your greatest partner.”

It was also revealed that several days after that August 2022 exchange, Emanuel texted McMahon and said he knew that McMahon met with Jeff Sine the day prior. Sine is a senior banker at Raine Group, who served as WWE’s financial advisor in the sale to Endeavor. Included on Sine’s extensive advisory résumé is that he advised Vince McMahon on his XFL revival.

Sine chatted with McMahon and said if things were to move forward, he would like to work for McMahon and McMahon only — not Ari Emanuel or Endeavor. He told McMahon that Morgan Stanley was not prepared to represent him.

The iteration of the deal that left Endeavor with less equity was the one that would lock in McMahon’s future with the company. The shareholders are positioning the situation as other bidders would have insisted that McMahon leave WWE, but WWE’s stance is that they did not have to give up anything to assure McMahon’s future. Endeavor gave WWE more equity to keep McMahon, which asserted his importance.

The article write-up has a section about Vince McMahon texting Nick Khan about WWE creative, per the court filings. Below is a text exchange from McMahon that he copied and pasted and sent to Khan. In the copy and pasted texts was a conversation McMahon was having with Paul Levesque and Bruce Prichard about the creative for Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes’ Undisputed WWE Championship match at WrestleMania 39:

Text from me to Paul and Bruce: “Hey guys just double checking. Does Roman [Reigns] and Cody [Rhodes] know the new creative re [WrestleMania] and next year ?”

Bruce : “Not to my knowledge. I don’t know if Paul has had a conversation with either. Roman’s first appearance since we spoke is Friday in DC. Both will be there in person.”

Me to Paul: “ Paul have U “?

The shareholders in the lawsuit are not concerned with McMahon’s involvement in WWE creative, but are focused on these discussions amongst executives being relegated to the Signal chat app, which has an auto-delete function. The shareholders argue that key communications were not preserved on Signal, which would be a loophole of sorts to get around special preservation measures during mergers and acquisitions. If the messages weren’t properly maintained, it could factor into the outcome of the lawsuit.

The plaintiffs asked the court to order Nick Khan, Ari Emanuel, Paul Levesque, and Brad Blum (former WWE exec/McMahon aide) to sit down with attorneys and take screenshots of any relevant messages they have on the devices on which Signal was downloaded. The decision on that order is still pending.

The lawsuit is nearing the end of discovery.

After the TKO deal was finalized in September 2023, it secured multimillion-dollar bonuses for Nick Khan and Paul Levesque. The shareholders allege that those bonuses are what encouraged executives to go through with McMahon’s plan to keep his power.

The WWE and UFC merger under TKO guaranteed McMahon a lifetime role with TKO unless he resigned. He resigned in January 2024 after former WWE employee Janel Grant filed a sex trafficking lawsuit against McMahon, WWE, and John Laurinaitis. The former WWE exec, Laurinaitis, has since been dropped from the ongoing suit after agreeing to provide evidence for Grant’s case.

If the plaintiffs in the shareholders’ suit emerge victorious, they could recover financial damages on behalf of stockholders and financial institutions that held WWE shares during the specified period of time.

The merger lawsuit is going to trial in June 2026.

source: fightful.com

Triple H Reflects On Motörhead’s Outlaw King Ten Years On

Motörhead were untouchable, but Lemmy existed on a different level entirely, he was more than just a frontman. He was a historian, philosopher, war nerd, speed freak, gentleman, and walking contradiction, usually with a Jack and Coke glued to one hand and a cigarette burning down in the other.

Nearly a decade on, Lemmy’s absence still echoes, to mark the loss of one of rock’s most singular figures, Paul Levesque, better known as Triple H, caught up with Revolver and reflected on their friendship and the unlikely crossover between Motörhead and WWE.

Three Intro themes Motörhead famously wrote three entrance themes for Levesque, ‘The Game’, ‘King Of Kings’, and ‘Line In The Sand’, even performing live for his WrestleMania entrances.

The connection ran deeper than licensing deals, Lemmy and Triple H were genuine mates.

Asked how Motörhead first hit him, Levesque pointed to their lack of artifice.

“I just loved the sound and the raw energy of it. There was no gimmick to it… It was guys that looked like you might not wanna meet them.”

That authenticity was exactly what he wanted when WWE pushed him to reinvent his entrance music.

“I kept saying I wanted something raw and guttural… Then they asked me for an example and I said, ‘I want it to sound like Motörhead.’”

Lemmy wasn’t a wrestling fan and didn’t initially know who Triple H was, but that changed fast.

“They sent him some video of me and he said, ‘I can do that.’”

Their friendship properly formed during the recording of Motörhead’s ‘Serial Killer’, when a chaotic studio day turned into hours of conversation.

“Lemmy was a deep guy… [Life] was simple for Lem, in a way. He didn’t [care] about what anybody thought.”

That simplicity carried through to Lemmy’s final days, Triple H recalls Lemmy quietly acknowledging the end was near during their last meeting at the Rainbow.

Perhaps the most telling moment came when Lemmy credited Triple H with helping introduce Motörhead to a younger generation.

“All these kids and young people here — that’s because of you.”

Coming from Lemmy, that meant everything, because behind the volume, the vices, and the mythology, Lemmy Kilmister was exactly what rock and roll pretends to be.

source: bluntmag.com.au

Triple H Responds To Fan Backlash Over John Cena’s Loss And Teases The Dawning Of A New Era

Following Saturday Night’s Main Event, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque spoke to the media about John Cena’s final match, the reaction to the finish, and what comes next for WWE.

Levesque addressed the crowd response to Cena tapping out to Gunther and made it clear he had no regrets.

“I’m actually mildly disappointed. I thought it would be so much louder,” Levesque said. “There are time honored traditions in our business. There is a way that you handle your business agenda. John has said the right thing his entire career, that it is about leaving this place better than you found it. But you do what is right for the business, you do what is right for this industry. John has done that his entire career, and I’m going to do that my entire career. I will do what I believe is right for this business.”

He explained that the finish was exactly in line with who Cena has always been.

“If you were to say, ‘What will Cena do on his way out?’ Take the emotion out of it. He will put over somebody on the way out. He will leave this better than he found it. He will go into the ring and he will make somebody on his way out. That’s what John does. It’s what John has always done,” Levesque said. “I know people will criticize this. People will talk about this moment right here. I’ve got big shoulders. I’m good with it.”

Turning his attention to the rising stars on the show, Levesque had high praise for NXT Champion Oba Femi and Sol Ruca.

“Oba was just incredible. If there’s anybody with a presence that says star. He is a bona fide, charismatic X Factor star that will be on top of this business when he gets there, and will stay there for a long time,” he said. “Not long ago, a little over three years ago, he had never stepped into the ring in his life, came to a tryout with dreams and hopes coming out of college, and you see where he is today. I don’t know how anybody stops this kid.”

He also addressed the early Brock Lesnar comparisons.

“You’re talking about Brock Lesnar, the ultimate destroyer in the business, and already there’s a comparison to him walking in the door.”

On Sol Ruca, Levesque pointed to her game changing athleticism.

“The level of athleticism that you see in Sol is another, just a whole nother level. You see people that come into an industry, and in a moment when you see them, you think, ‘Wow, they just changed the business.’ Sol Ruca just changed the business.”

Levesque described the night as a clear turning point for WWE.

“What you saw tonight to me, was the dawning of a new era. This whole thing goes full circle. You see the end of the John Cena era, and the beginning of a whole new wave in this business that will carry everything over into the future,” he said. “January 5, we’re gonna sort of hit that one year mark on Netflix. We’re gonna have a big event coming up in Brooklyn, at the Barclays Center there that’ll be a whole other launch into a new generation.”

He closed by confirming Cena is not done with WWE, just done in the ring.

“John Cena’s passion for WWE didn’t end tonight. John Cena’s in ring career ended tonight,” Levesque said. “He had his sort of farewell run for this year on his terms, and got to do it here in a way tonight that just meant the world to him. One thing that I know about John is every time I’ve seen him go into that ring, he’s had a blast doing it. Tonight was no different.”

Reflecting on the atmosphere, Levesque said the respect for Cena was unmistakable.

“My takeaway is just respect, respect for a man that deserves all the respect he’s getting. The records that were set tonight, we crushed a record here for this building, not just for WWE, but also for this building. We didn’t have to make anybody want to be here tonight. They all wanted to be here. It’s respect for John. He is probably one of the most universally respected performers I’ve ever seen in this business.”

Triple H Booed by WWE Fans After Controversial End to John Cena’s Retirement Match

After a solid stretch of storytelling, WWE fans have begun to turn on Triple H and his booking strategy... which is mostly due to personal bias

Triple H Gives a Tour of WWE's Insane HQ with $2 Million in Rare Wrestling Collectibles

WWE's Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque visits Albany pro wrestling hall of fame

This past Friday, Albany’s pro wrestling hall of fame got a visit from “The Game.”

World Wrestling Entertainment returned to MVP Arena on Friday night for a live episode of “SmackDown.” Earlier that day, WWE chief content officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque took a trip inside the International Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, which is located inside the MVP Arena atrium.

Levesque was joined by members of WWE’s creative team and backstage crew.

“They’re all fans of the history of pro wrestling,” said Seth Turner, the hall of fame’s president and co-founder. “They love seeing the artifacts we have and taking it in.”

It wasn’t the first trip Levesque has made to the museum. In fact, Turner said, when WWE comes to Albany, the museum opens up several hours before the arena opens to the public, allowing WWE wrestlers and crew members in for a private look at the hall of fame’s impressive collection of wrestling memorabilia.

The IPWHF has a “good, collaborative relationship” with WWE, Turner said. The museum has been featured in the A&E documentary series “WWE’s Most Wanted Treasures” in a 2023 episode about Trish Stratus and Lita, and the opening of an Albany episode of “Monday Night Raw” was filmed inside the hall of fame.

Levesque was joined for his visit on Friday by Rich Hering, a retired long-time WWE employee and former executive with the New York State Athletic Commission.

Levesque, a 14-time world champion in WWE as “Triple H,” has been a part of the company’s front office for more than 15 years. He’s been in charge of the company’s creative direction as its chief content officer since 2022.

Turner said that Levesque enjoyed getting a chance to see the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal trophy, which is on display at the hall of fame on loan from WWE.

“He told a great story about the original trophy falling and breaking into a lot of pieces by accident,” Turner said. “He was glad to see that one. He’s always a huge fan of Killer Kowalski, who was his trainer. We have a full mannequin of Killer Kowalski, and we have some other artifacts.

“Everyone is always a fan of the Gorgeous George hair curling machine, too. And I would say Paul really liked some of the older artifacts that we have that go back 100 years; scrapbooks and things like that.”

Turner said Levesque’s interest was also piqued by a copy of the card from the first WWE (then the World Wrestling Federation) show at MVP Arena (then Knickerbocker Arena) in February 1990.

“It’s a who’s who of WWF from that era,” Turner said. “It was Hulk Hogan vs. Mr. Perfect, and Macho Man vs. Dusty Rhodes. I mean, everybody was there, and those were some of the stories we were talking about.”

TKO President Mark Shapiro: A Lot Of Our WWE PLEs Were Created By Vince McMahon, We Need To Get In The Business Of Taking That Torch & Moving Past That

TKO head is enjoying the progression.

The latest episode of The Main Event with Andrew Marchand featured a sit-down chat with TKO President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Shapiro.

While the conversational focus was on WWE, Shapiro spoke about how the company’s Chief Content Officer, Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque, and President Nick Khan are moving things forward.

He added that a lot of WWE Premium Live Event titles were created by former Chairman Vince McMahon. Shapiro said they needed to take the torch and move past that, so Levesque and Khan introduced the Wrestlepalooza PLE. Shapiro said securing the I.P. to Wrestlepalooza to sell event merchandise was a success.

“And yet, they’re open to new ideas. They never seem exhausted. They’re ready to take on a new shot, a new risk, a new opportunity. ‘Hey, Nick, let’s talk about launching a new event.’ Right now, a lot of our PLEs were created by Vince McMahon. We need to get in the business of taking that torch and moving past that, and Nick (Khan) and Triple H created Wrestlepalooza, which is the launch event for our new ESPN deal, which did incredibly well and may turn into a superfranchise. Not to mention from a merch standpoint, I don’t need to tell you, securing the I.P. rights and then selling merch at Wrestlepalooza, let’s just say it was a real winner…”

The first-ever Wrestlepalooza event was produced under the ECW banner in 1995.

The next Premium Live Event on the docket for WWE is Survivor Series: WarGames on November 29th from Petco Park in San Diego, California.

credit The Main Event with Andrew Marchand with an H/T to Fightful for the transcription

Triple H Compares WWE's Booking Style To Marvel Cinematic Universe

Triple H has been the head of WWE creative since the summer of 2022, and his tenure as booker has had it' ups and downs.

The ups? The Bloodline saga, CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre, and Cody Rhodes finishing his story. The bad? John Cena turning heel, the disappearance of The Rock, and more.

The stakes couldn't be higher for Triple H as TKO Group continues to load up the WWE calendar and tries to break company records year in and year out. Through all of that, Triple H says his focus is still on telling stories.

In an interview with All In, Triple H opened up on his booking strategy and compared it more to a Marvel movie than a UFC fight.

“I would say we’re much more akin to the Marvel Universe, where you’re planning out long term where the movies fit and how they go with all the characters, than we are direct MMA. At the end of the day, direct MMA is — you’re booking matches and the interest is, ‘That guy’s really good. He’s really good. I’m not sure who’s going to win."

The Chief Content Officer of WWE continued and confirmed what has been widely speculated — telling stories is the most important aspect of the job, not putting on great matches.

“We tell stories. People within our business sometimes take this wrong, but we don’t write the shows based on ‘That’ll be a great match.’ We write it on the stories that we can create, the protagonist, the antagonist, how does that work with each other, telling stories that can resonate with people that maybe they’ve experienced in their real life."

Triple H was a multiple-time world champion as an active wrestler in WWE. He spearheaded the popular NXT black and gold run and turned that promotion from being strictly a developmental territory to a true third brand for WWE.

In 2026, Triple H will need many strong stories for some huge events that TKO Group has planned for the business. The 2026 Royal Rumble will take place inside Saudi Arabia for the first time ever. The company will return to Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas for Wrestlemania. And in 2027, WWE will produce WrestleMania from outside of North America for the first time in history.

source: si.com

Happy Anniversary Paul and Stephanie

October 25, 2003

WWE Reportedly Exploring Creative Changes After Recent Criticism

WWE and parent company TKO are experiencing another banner year when it comes to ticket sales, merchandising, and in particular, landing multi-billion dollar media rights agreements.

It is more than fair to say, however, that the honeymoon period with Paul 'Triple H' Levesque as WWE's Chief Content Officer has come to an end.

Fans have been more critical of the company's booking practices in 2025 than they ever were during Levesque's previous years in control. The headlining gripe, of course, has been the handling of John Cena's retirement tour.

His shocking heel turn at Elimination Chamber was a very promising start, but despite a few glimmering moments — such as his pipebomb promo on CM Punk — many feel WWE has completely dropped the ball with Cena's final run.

That's not entirely on Levesque, as The Rock's abrupt departure from the story left Cena to carry the weight of the entire arc without the lead protagonist that finally talked him into abandoning his principles.

It wasn't working. WWE knew it. Cena knew it and the entire angle was dropped ahead of SummerSlam. However, just as Cena was catching fire with spectacular matches against Cody Rhodes and Sami Zayn, the WWE creative team made the conscious decision to have Brock Lesnar squash him at WrestlePalooza.

He'll now face AJ Styles at Crown Jewel this Saturday, with absolutely zero build up on WWE programming. Outside of a few video packages highlighting their rivalry from 2016 and 2017, and Styles quite literally saying on Raw that they don't need a story for this match.

A lack of compelling storytelling overall, especially when it comes to many of WWE's female superstars, has been another cause of aggravation for fans this year.

Even some of the company's top champions have fallen victim to lackluster creative unbefitting of the talent involved. Tiffany Stratton's rivalry with Jade Cargill and the U.S. Title reigns of Zelina Vega and Giulia serving as prime examples.

Distraction finishes and post-match attacks have become heavily leaned on crutches. Almost as though WWE is overly concerned with protecting everyone, that as a result, no one ever truly goes over.

Pacing has been another major issue. Whether that's finding time to consistently feature the WWE World Tag Team Championships during a two and half hour Monday Night Raw, or on a grander scale, effectively moving from PLE to PLE with often just weeks in between shows.

No one is suggesting that the job of Levesque and his creative team is easy, and the product today is still miles ahead of where it was during the latter years of the Vince McMahon era, but WWE reportedly knows improvements need to be made.

The folks over at BodySlam say the company has taken notice of the audience's criticisms this year and meetings have been held recently to discuss how to best adjust the creative process.

"Sources indicate to Bodyslam that WWE is undergoing creative changes to their team to overall improve the product. Road Dogg will continue to be head of creative for SmackDown, but there will be additions to the team to make the show more enjoyable moving forward."

The general consensus is that Raw has consistently been the better of the two brands for some time now. Creative adjustments on the SmackDown side of things should be welcomed news to those who tune in every Friday night.

source: si.com

Stephanie McMahon and Triple H Visit The White House For Pediatric Cancer Initiative

Stephanie McMahon and Triple H visit the White House again.

On Tuesday, United States President Donald Trump signed an executive order to employ artificial intelligence (AI) for childhood cancer research, with $50 million accordingly being added to the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative. According to Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, the order is all about “action, unlocking cures, empowering families, and giving every child the chance to grow up healthy and strong.”

WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque and former WWE executive Stephanie McMahon were in attendance for the signing, which took place at the White House in Washington, D.C. In 2014, Triple H and Stephanie established Connor’s Cure, a campaign aimed at raising funds to support pediatric cancer research. In 2025, McMahon helped lead the charge to make the latest executive order.

“I cannot begin to describe how proud I am of Stephanie,” Triple H wrote on X alongside a photo of himself, Stephanie, Linda McMahon, Trump, and others present at the White House meeting. “Her dedication to Connors Cure and tireless advocacy in the fight against pediatric cancer over the past decade has been truly inspiring. Today’s Executive Order, which she spearheaded, marks a historic breakthrough in this incredibly important cause.”

“With Connor in my heart and you by my side, anything is possible,” Stephanie wrote in response, referencing Connor Michalek, the young boy who inspired Connor’s Cure. Michalek sadly died in 2014 after battling medulloblastoma, a rare tumor affecting the brain and spine.

Triple H And Shawn Michaels Kick Off WWE NXT Homecoming

Last night’s special edition of WWE NXT, titled Homecoming, aired live on The CW and marked a return to Full Sail University—NXT’s original home. The show opened with a nice video package of NXT’s history including many of today’s stars who are on the main roster that made their WWE debut here.

Full Sail University served as the home base for WWE NXT from 2012 until 2020. During this period, NXT evolved from a developmental territory into a globally recognized brand. Full Sail allowed for close interaction between fans and performers, helping cultivate a passionate fan base. Many of WWE’s current top stars—including Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Charlotte Flair, and Alexa Bliss started their WWE career in this venue.

Triple H addressed the crowd, stating, “It feels good to come home.” He emphasized that NXT exists because of the passion of its fans and the dedication of its talent.

Shawn Michaels, who has served as a creative leader for NXT in recent years, said the current roster is ready to “steer the ship into the future.” In a tongue-in-cheek exchange, Triple H asked what would happen if he wanted to return. Michaels replied, “We would have a big problem,” referencing their long-standing friendship and professional rivalry.

Former NXT General Manager William Regal entered and simply declared, “War Games.” The phrase is a callback to Regal’s tenure, where he popularized the War Games match format in NXT starting in 2017.

The reigning WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, came to the ring. Flair stated, “The women have always run NXT because this is where the women’s revolution started.” Bliss added that the women will always run NXT.

ESPN Will Create Its Own WWE Shows for Coverage of ‘Wrestlepalooza’

ESPN raised eyebrows when it struck a deal with TKO that gave it the rights to show WWE premium live events including “WrestleMania.” Now, the Disney sports giant may surprise further: it’s launching some of its own bespoke programing to accompany the professional-wrestling antics.

ESPN will produce two pre-event shows for the looming “Wrestlepalooza” event slated to take place September 20. An “ESPN Wrestlepalooza Special” will air Friday, September 19 at 3 p.m. on ESPN2 and the ESPN App and a “Road to Wrestlepalooza” show will be available on September 20 at 4 p.m. on ESPN’s social media feeds as well as on the ESPN app.

“Wrestlepalooza” is a new WWE event crafted for ESPN after the two entities struck a new five-year deal that had ESPN getting the rights to all of WWE’s live spectaculars in 2026. But the deal is starting earlier than expected. ESPN will also show WWE’s “Crown Jewel” on October 11, and “Survivor Series” on November 29.

The “Wrestlepalooza” card includes a main event that features John Cena squaring off against Brock Lesnar, and Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes taking on Drew McIntyre. The event starts at 7 p.m. on September 20 from Indianapolis, and can be seen by ESPN streaming subscribers with an “unlimited” tier subscription and also on the ESPN App.

The new pre-show events give ESPN a chance to meld its talent with WWE performers. Peter Rosenberg will host the “ESPN Wrestlepalooza Special” alongside guest analyst and Indiana Pacer Tyrese Haliburton. Various WWE personalities will also appear. The “Road” show will be co-hosted by actor and musician O’Shea Jackson, Jr. and TJ Jefferson, who host “No Contest Wrestling.” They will be joined by various ESPN and WWE personalities. “Road” will lead into pre-event coverage for the new WWE special.

Even “SportsCenter” will be dispatched. SportsCenter with Elle Duncan hits the road. Anchor Elle Duncan will be on site in Indianapolis ,and her segments covering “Wrestlepalooza” will feature meet-ups with WWE stars.

Katie Feeney, who joined ESPN in August as a sports and lifestyle creator, will offer her own perspective on the event as he attends her first WWE live spectacular.

Meanwhile, WWE personalities are expected to appear on ESPN programs throughout the week leading up the to “Wrestlepalooza.” Among those scheduled to turn up are WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes, World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins, Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch, AJ Lee, CM Punk, Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso, Drew McIntyre and Bron Breakker.

Careful ESPN viewers may have already noticed some activity. Jey Urso appeared on ESPN’s regulary Sunday-night baseball coverage, tossing out a ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park, live on ESPN before a telecast of the New York Yankees taking on the Boston Red Sox.