Stephanie McMahon On Raw

AJ Styles gets real on new WWE post-retirement job

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

WWE Unreal Nominated For Multiple Sports Television AwardsRead

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

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

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

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

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

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

WWE & Front Office Sports Enter Partnership To Produce 'Behind-The-Scenes Content'

It's been a tumultuous road to WrestleMania 42 for WWE, one filled with reports of creative changes, frustration within certain departments, and concern over ticket sales for the event. But despite the bumpier road, WWE is still doing all it can to make their marquee event one to remember. And one way it'll be doing that is with a new partnership that may seem inconsequential to some, but could have major ramifications in how WWE is covered.

In a press release unveiled Tuesday morning, WWE announced a new agreement with Front Office Sports. The agreement will see the start of a "content partnership" between the wrestling promotion and multimedia/sports new organization, designed to "bring audiences closer to key WWE moments and tentpole events through access-driven, behind-the-scenes content." It was further suggested Office will be involved in certain creative elements with WWE, and that the deal will start officially at WrestleMania 42.

"Front Office Sports is known for its innovative approach to storytelling, and we look forward to partnering to produce new and dynamic content that underscores the evolving business of WWE," Co-Head of WWE Revenue Alex Varga said in a statement.

"Front Office Sports is the leader in the coverage of the business of sports, and we're excited to collaborate with the WWE," Front Office CEO Adam White said in an accompanying statement. "The sports media landscape is increasingly driven by off-the-field happenings, and this partnership will bring fans closer than ever to their favorite athletes, entertainers and moments in a unique way."

Front Office becomes the latest media company that WWE has entered a relationship with, having already established partnerships with Bill Simmons' The Ringer, Spotify, and ESPN through the promotion's PLE deal with the sports network. It also continues Front Office's trend of reaching content deals with sports organizations, having previously reached agreements with the National Football League and the National Women's Soccer League.

Road Dogg Brian James Gone From WWE Amid Major Creative Shake-Up

There's been a major creative reshuffle within WWE that's seen veteran Road Dogg leave the company.

With WWE's biggest show of the year just around the corner, the sports entertainment giant is undergoing some pretty big creative changes.

The folks over at Bodyslam were the first to report on Thursday after that the Road Dogg, Brian James, is out as co-lead writer of Friday Night SmackDown and has departed the company.

Mike Johnson of PWInsider has since corroborated BodySlam's report and added that it was Road Dogg who made the decision to leave the company. No specific reasoning for his decision was given.

The WWE Hall of Famer had been with the company in a creative capacity since 2014, aside from seven months away in 2022, and worked in a variety of roles backstage before being named co-lead writer for the Blue Brand last year.

Road Dogg's appointment to the positions garnered a significant amount of criticism from fans online, however, the recently retired AJ Styles went public in his defense and called on people to give him a chance. The former tag team champion had previously held the same position in the run-up to WrestleMania 35 back in 2019.

James was also heavily featured in season two of WWE Unreal on Netflix, where fans were given a behind-the-scenes look into creative meetings as Road Dogg made pitches for the likes of R-Truth and Chelsea Green.

source: si.com

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

Demolition to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026

From WWE.com:

Demolition to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2026

One of the greatest tag teams of all-time will make history once again as Ax and Smash of Demolition enter the WWE Hall of Fame as members of the Class of 2026, as announced by The Undertaker.

Two words described the ultimate goal of Demolition — pain and destruction.

Clad in black leather and spikes, Ax and Smash steamrolled into WWE from Parts Unknown in the late 1980s and made it painfully clear that they were going to demolish any team that stood in their path.

The pair bulldozed through the tag team division and captured the World Tag Team Championship at WrestleMania IV, starting one of the most iconic title runs in history.

Ax and Smash dominated WWE as champions for the next 478 days, a record that stood for 28 years until it was surpassed by The New Day’s 484-day tenure in 2015-16.

Synonymous with tag team greatness, Ax and Smash now enter the Hall of Fame where their legacy will live forever.

AJ Styles receives WWE Hall of Fame induction news from The Undertaker

From WWE.com:

As announced by WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker, AJ Styles will be inducted in the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2026.

Styles bid the WWE Universe farewell in his home state of Georgia when The Deadman arrived on the scene and delivered the special news to Styles in front of his family.

As a former two-time WWE Champion, Grand Slam Champion and an iconic list of rivalries that includes the likes of John Cena, Roman Reigns, The Undertaker, and more, Styles takes his rightful place among WWE legends.

Congratulations to AJ Styles on an incredible career and an amazing accomplishment!

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]

Lawsuit Filed Against WWE Claiming Fans Were Misled About PLE Access On ESPN

A new class action lawsuit has been filed against WWE, accusing WWE and ESPN of deceptive marketing practices.

Brandon Thurston of POST Wrestling, “The complaint takes issue with how some fans who already get ESPN channels through cable or other providers were still required to pay an additional monthly fee to watch WWE events. The plaintiffs allege this contradicts marketing communications from both WWE and ESPN, which they claim suggested all existing ESPN subscribers would have access to the PLEs.”

The lawsuit names only WWE as a defendant, not ESPN or Disney.

The complaint is brought by plaintiffs Michael Diesa of New Jersey and Rebecca Toback of New York.

The plaintiffs allege WWE and ESPN drew customers into a “bait and switch,” by requiring many existing ESPN subscribers to buy ESPN’s new direct-to-consumer product. When PLEs moved to ESPN, some pay TV subscribers who have ESPN as part of their service got access to ESPN Unlimited and the PLEs, while others did not.

According to Thurston, “Their proposed class would represent customers who paid for the ESPN Unlimited service between August 6 and September 20 while also being subscribers of services that get traditional ESPN channels. The class would exclude customers of DirecTV, Fubo TV, Hulu + Live TV, Spectrum, or Verizon FIOS — services that did allow their customers to authenticate into the app and watch the PLEs by September 20.”

WWE has not yet responded in court. source: fightful.com

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

Mick Foley Cuts Ties With WWE Citing Continued Association With Donald Trump

Back in October, WWE Hall of Famer Mick Foley made the news when he posted a several minute video addressed to fellow WWE Hall of Famer and President of the United States Donald Trump, where he criticized Trump's approach to immigration and implored him to change his ways. While Foley has long been critical of Trump, his words raised some eyebrows at the time due to Foley's continued association with WWE, and the promotion's stronger bonds with Trump over the past year.

Now a few months later, it appears that WWE/Trump relationship has forced Foley to make a decision. Taking to Facebook on Tuesday morning in a lengthy message, Foley officially severed ties with the promotion he called home for most of his legendary career.

"PARTING WAYS WITH WWE," Foley said. "While I have been concerned about WWE's close relationship with Donald Trump for several months — especially in light of his administration's ongoing cruel and inhumane treatment of immigrants (and pretty much anyone who "looks like an immigrant") — reading the President's incredibly cruel comments in the wake of Rob Reiner's death is the final straw for me. I no longer wish to represent a company that coddles a man so seemingly void of compassion as he marches our country towards autocracy. 

"Last night, I informed WWE talent relations that I would not be making any appearances for the company as long as this man remains in office. Additionally, I will not be signing a new Legends deal when my current one expires in June. I love WWE, will always treasure my time with them, and I am deeply appreciative for all the opportunities they afforded me. But, in the words of Popeye the sailor "I stands all I can stands, and I can't stands no more."

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.”

The Time Is Now...And Now It's Over

John Cena Signs New Contract With WWE

John Cena may have reiterated multiple times that he is done with in-ring competition after his retirement match on December 13, but that hasn't stopped the Never Seen 17 from signing a new WWE contract.

However, before anyone gets excited or outraged over the man with a PHD in Thuganomics going back on his word, the deal Cena has signed isn't to remain as an active wrestler.

In fact, John Cena's new WWE deal will see the Grand Slam Champion remain under contract as an ambassador for the company.

The 17-time World Champion put pen to paper on a five-year deal, discussing the new contract in a recent interview with Tom Rinaldi.

“I will be an ambassador to WWE. I’m already signed on for another five years. ‘Please, as long as you can do it. I would like to be in this family as an employee, as a contributing part for as long as I can.’"

Cena continued, “It’s not my time to perform anymore. I have a bunch of strengths and gifts that I can pass on. I’m looking forward to the second mountain of being an ambassador.

"Maybe ambassadorship comes with letting more people know to watch this, which was my goal in the first place, and maybe mentorship to talent I wouldn’t spend time with where I can sit and be like, ‘Who are you really? How can I get the rapping moment on the bus? I want that guy or girl on TV.’ I’m looking forward to that stuff,”

New Report Refutes Freddie Prinze Jr's WWE-ESPN Deal Claim

WWE and ESPN haven't even gotten to WrestleMania season and there are claims being made that their broadcast agreement is on the rocks.

Freddie Prinze Jr. made some eye-catching headlines on Wednesday.

The actor, director and former WWE creative contributor released the latest episode of his "Wrestling with Freddie Podcast", and during his review of Saturday's Survivor Series Premium Live Event, he claimed that ESPN has been less than thrilled with the early returns on their agreement to broadcast WWE PLE's.

WWE and ESPN are only three events into their 5-year, $1.6 billion deal, with their next broadcast a little less than two months away.

“ESPN, by the way, so unhappy with the deal," Prinze said during the show. "I was talking to a friend of mine who works for Disney, and he was just like, ‘Yo, they better make their money back on this deal.’ He just said, ‘They’re hot.’”

There has now been some internal pushback to Freddie Prinze's claims.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reached out to sources within WWE and ESPN on Wednesday, with one rep from the "Worldwide Leader in Sports" saying they haven't heard any negative chatter and that they've found the partnership to be enjoyable thus far.

Those comments are more in line with what ESPN President Burke Magnus said publicly on the SI Media Podcast just within the past week.

“It’s gone great so far," Magnus told Jimmy Traina. "They are fantastic to work with. They really hustle on behalf of their property... The superstars are highly engaged in promoting themselves, the broader WWE, and their stories. It’s been really good so far. We’re looking forward to WrestleMania [next] year, which would be our first."

ESPN has committed heavily to promoting WWE content across the network since the broadcast agreement started back in September. Major superstars like CM Punk, Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, AJ Lee, Becky Lynch and Chief Content Officer Paul 'Triple H' Levesque have been regular guests on ESPN programming in the days leading up to events.

"When we spoke to sources in WWE, a higher up said "no one in WWE upper management is aware of Freddie Prinze's role in wrestling or otherwise," Ross Sapp said in his report.

The next two major WWE events are NXT Deadline on Saturday, December 6 and John Cena's final match at Saturday Night's Main Event on December 13. Both shows will be streamed live on Peacock.

The Royal Rumble will be the next Premium Live Event to air on ESPN on January 31, 2026 from Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

source: si.com