"All my legal commitments to WWE ended Wednesday night at midnight which concluded a 21 year tenure with the company. Coming to WWE in 1993 was the best business decision I ever made even though I really loved living in Atlanta. Great city...great food...many friends...fun, sports town.
Arriving in WWE in 1993 and officially ending my tenure there this week made it 21 years working for Vince McMahon which not too many individuals can say that they did especially on the management level that I was in the majority of the time. We worked through drastic, financial issues, a federal trial, bankruptcy was discussed more than once, but we all pulled together and put our personal lives on hold, got lucky on hiring some amazing talents and then launched the Attitude Era that created the greatest success WWE ever achieved.
It was always a team effort and we had some very talented people working tirelessly to make WWE a more viable brand and to establish their place as firmly the #1 sports entertainment company in the world.
I have no regrets and am thankful for the opportunities that were presented me. I wouldn't have done a thing differently but I'd have preferred to not have had three Bells palsy attacks but that's the hand I was dealt. I've always tried to man up and navigate through those challenging waters. Obviously, my 'look' after the Bells attacks did me no favors as a TV broadcaster and some folks even had fun imitating me but that's something that they have to live with and not me.
I will always take great pride in how our staff in talent relations delivered time and time again when the company was going through it's toughest period ever. We got the work done, were honest and straight forward to the talents, managed some highly motivated and talented athletic performers, and recruited and signed some of WWE's all time biggest stars.
I'd like to think that my work at ringside with Jerry Lawler and with Paul Heyman along with Vince McMahon contributed some to the process. It sure as hell was a lot of fun working with such talented men at the announce desk."
"My departure from WWE over the Summer Slam symposium in 2014 was a fiasco of misinformation and rumors allegedly spread by some perhaps with dubious character, agendas and with an overall lack of information. My side of the story will be told thoroughly some day to the chagrin of some and, yes, there are two sides to every story. But that was then....today is a better day with great things on the horizon."
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July 26, 2014
Jim Ross Blogs on His WWE Departure
July 25, 2014
July 22, 2014
SummerSlam Panel Series
Members of the WWE Universe can get closer to their favorite Superstars and Hall of Famers than ever before this summer when Club Nokia at LA LIVE in Los Angeles hosts the live SummerSlam Panel series Aug. 15-17. Tickets for the interactive events go on sale at AXS.com starting this Saturday, July 26, at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT.
The panels give the WWE Universe the opportunity to ask questions directly to their favorite WWE Superstars and Hall of Famers including:
Hulk Hogan on Friday, August 15 at 7 PM PT. The WWE Hall of Famer and pop-culture icon will talk about his legendary career in and out of the ring, as well as his recent return to WWE.
"WWE 2K15" Roster Reveal hosted by Stone Cold Steve Austin featuring John Cena, Hulk Hogan, Roman Reigns, Sheamus and Cesaro on Saturday, August 16 at 10 AM PT. In addition to speaking about their respective WWE careers, the panelists will reveal the official roster for 2K’s upcoming WWE 2K15 video game, which is available October 28. VIP Ticket holders will receive their photo opportunity with Roman Reigns for this SummerSlam Panel.
D-Generation X, featuring Triple H and Shawn Michaels on Saturday, August 16 at 7 PM PT. One of the most popular and controversial groups in WWE history will address their rebellious exploits and discuss their lasting legacy.
Stone Cold Steve Austin on Sunday, August 17 at 12 Noon PT. The WWE Hall of Famer will discuss his monumental rise to become one of the biggest stars in WWE history.
Each panel will feature a two hour discussion and Q&A with fans in attendance. VIP experiences will follow. Ticket prices per panel are $50 for lower balcony seating; $100 for floor seating, which includes an exclusive SummerSlam Panels collectible pre-signed poster; and $200 for a VIP experience, which includes priority floor seating, a professional photo with select panel Superstars and an exclusive SummerSlam Panels collectible pre-signed poster. For more information on the SummerSlam Panels, please visit www.SummerSlam.com.
July 19, 2014
Rumor Mill - Who Is Triple H’s “Right Hand Man” Now?
It’s said there recently has been a notable power shift backstage in WWE and that Producer “Road Dogg” BG James has ascended as one of Triple H’s key men when it comes to “kicking around” booking ideas. Road Dogg’s official title is Producer but he’s been gaining more clout creatively.
While Vince McMahon is still the head of creative, a lot of Road Dogg’s ideas are being funneled through Triple H and it’s Triple H that presents them to Vince. Word is that Road Dogg is “very well liked” and quickly gaining influence in creative.
July 18, 2014
Natalya Comments on Drunk Dialing Stephanie McMahon
Thank goodness I have an impeccable reputation! It’s funny because at the time we’re filming this reality show and sometimes things get a little wacky on the show…
Nobody, including Steph, ever expected something like [that] to happen. It’s something now that we laugh about. The lesson learned is don’t ever go into “Brie Mode” (a.k.a. getting rip-roaring drunk)…
Stephanie, despite the role that she plays on TV, she is one of the women that the Divas really look up to… I’m so glad that Stephanie and I have moved past that and I will continue to try to make her proud.
Sami Zayn Comments on feedback from Triple H after his match with Cesaro at "Arrival"
It was awesome. If I'm being honest again, actually the first time that I got that kind of feedback from HHH was actually the two out of three falls match (with Cesaro), which had been about a year, nine months prior to the Arrival match. So we had this match, now has gotten a lot of talk, buzz or whatever it is. As I was in the ring and the crowd was like just going nuts, giving us this standing ovation, which was so cool. And as I was on my back, out of the corner of my eye, I kinda saw the replaying some of the highlights of the match and the crowd with each replay started getting louder and louder to the point by the time they were replaying the finish, it was another standing ovation. So it was actually one of the most incredible moments of my career. Just to lay flat on my back and just hear them continually getting louder way after the match. And they (crowd) start chanting match of the year, match of the year and I haven't told anybody this on camera or anything like this. I really didn't know how that reaction was going to go over. At this point, I was fairly new to the WWE system. I didn't know if I overextended myself, if we had done more than they wanted, I don't know. I really didn't know. And then we came back and I had no idea what to expect, I really didn't. I thought I'd get chewed out over like what the hell are you doing out there? I really didn't know. And I got back there and HHH was the first one to pull us aside. He said that was awesome. He gave us a very candid speech. That was the first time I got insight into his mind and the way his mind works. I was so happy because yes, its not gunna be this like, I have my vision. the office has their vision. It was this guy who likes good stuff and he appreciates good stuff. And it was an amazing experience and amazing thing validated by a guy who is not only your boss, but as one of the most accomplished and greatest professional wrestlers/WWE superstars of all time. It was really cool to have him on your good side for sure.
July 17, 2014
Bo Dallas On How WWE's Performance Center Helps, DeMott On How It Has Raised The Bar, Triple H
Brian Fritz of The Orlando Sentinel has an in-depth article on the WWE Performance Center, which just turned 1 year old. The article features quotes from Bo Dallas, Terry Taylor and Bill DeMott, who revealed what he thought when Triple H first wanted to launch the center:
"I thought he was a little nuts in a good way. Think big, right? Think big, make big things happen and that's what he did."
Bo talked about how the Performance Center has helped him:
"Coming here, I sharpened and fine-tuned everything I had and needed. What I thought of as myself as a performer, I looked back and was like, 'Wow, I improved from where I was.' I thought I was ready and then saw the improvements I made which were unbelievable. It makes the transition from down here to up there (the WWE roster) so much easier because you're prepared for what they need you to do. It's not like you're jumping into a whole other world. You're prepared for what they need."
DeMott also talked about how the Performance Center has raised the bar for everyone:
"I think the expectations are higher, and I think that falls back on this coaching staff and everybody here. The nice connection from main roster to developmental is we're working like that -- which we always have been -- but there's less of a gap and they're TV ready."
You can read the full article at this link.
Triple H on WWE’s signing of Kenta
On July 12, 2014, WWE made the huge announcement that the company had signed Japanese wrestling sensation Kenta. WWE Hall of Famer and pop culture icon Hulk Hogan presided over the ceremony, which took place in the ring at a Live Event in Osaka during WWE’s recent Japan Tour. Hogan, who became a star in Japan before Hulkamania ran wild at Madison Square Garden, mentioned Kenta in the same breath as Japanese legends (and Hogan contemporaries) Antonio Inoki, Riki Choshu and Tatsumi Fujinami.
Kenta has the potential to be as transformative as any of those stars. Rising to fame in Pro Wrestling Noah — an organization he helped build alongside owner Mitsuharu Misawa — Kenta caught the attention of American audiences during stints with independent organization Ring of Honor, where he wrestled Daniel Bryan and Seth Rollins in acclaimed bouts.
WWE.com spoke with WWE’s COO Triple H to learn more about Kenta’s unique style and the global ramifications of him joining WWE.
WWE.COM: When did Kenta first come on your radar?
TRIPLE H: I’ve known about Kenta for years. He’s one of the biggest stars in Japan. He’s a huge talent, obviously. I’m excited for him to try to bring his brand of sports-entertainment to WWE and see how he does.
WWE.COM: Had you seen his work or was it only word of mouth?
TRIPLE H: No, no, I was absolutely familiar with him. It’s funny, because WWE is a different world. You’ll hear players all the time talk about making the switch from college football to the NFL and the difference in the game. I think it’s the same when you come to WWE. I don’t care where you’ve been or how big you’ve been anyplace else. When you get here, it’s a whole different world. There’s no ceiling for anybody in WWE. You just have to come here and prove that you belong to be in the ring with the best in the world. If you can hang with them, that’s exactly where you’ll be. Kenta has all the tools to be able to do it — he’s proven that for years in Japan. Now let’s see what he can do in NXT. Adapt or perish.
WWE.COM: Who would you like to see Kenta wrestle in NXT when he goes down there for the first time?
TRIPLE H: There’s a massive amount of talent I’d love to see him work with down there. The obvious guys are Sami Zayn and NXT Champion Adrian Neville, but there are ton of guys down there like Tyson Kidd, Justin Gabriel and anybody in that class. NXT is the proving ground to get to WWE, and that’s where Kenta’s gonna have to prove himself. He’s gotta prove that he belongs in WWE.
WWE.COM: What is Kenta’s training status and when can we expect to see him on Raw?
TRIPLE H: He just signed with us. I was there when he had his tryout at the Performance Center and I met with him there. We’ve been working on this for a while. His training will start when he gets here. The thing is, you can be a big star anyplace else in the world. That gets you in the door. What you do once you get here is a whole different ballgame. He’s no different than anybody else once he walks through the door of the Performance Center.
WWE.COM: What makes Kenta different than other international stars WWE has signed in the past, and what does he do for WWE’s international appeal?
TRIPLE H: For the Japanese markets, it’s a huge opportunity to see one of their stars come try to make a name for himself in the US and on a global basis. We are a global company and we recruit globally. We are looking for the biggest and brightest athletes all over the world.
