Triple H On Working With Indies For The WWE Global Series, WWE NXT Growth, Takeover: Dallas, More

WWE World Heavyweight Champion Triple H did a media call today to promote Friday's WWE NXT "Takeover: Dallas" event. We will have more highlights later but below he talks about Takeover, the WWE Global Cruiserweight Series, working with indie promotions and more.

* He mentioned how he always says it's an exciting time for NXT and today is no different as they're about to have their first Takeover special that's a part of WrestleMania weekend. He talked about how they went from Florida to The Arnold in Columbus, the non-televised WrestleMania 31 Week event to this year's Takeover event. He says the brand has grown in a massive way in one year and he's looking forward to seeing it continue to grow. He said it's very exciting and should be amazing

* He reminded everyone that Takeover starts at 9pm EST tomorrow night with the pre-show. The actual main show airs at 10pm EST. He said it will be an amazing show with a ton of talent. He believes Austin Aries' debut against Baron Corbin will be very exciting for fans. He said Corbin has really come into his own recently. He said Shinsuke Nakamura's debut is going to be one of the most exciting things on the card. He's been a big fan of Nakamura for a while and he's looking forward to seeing what he does in WWE. He also said Sami Zayn continues to wow people. Triple H called American Alpha and The Revival two of the best tag teams in the world right now. He said he's been looking forward to Asuka vs. Bayley since Asuka arrived. He praised Bayley as champion and called Asuka a destroyer. He also said he can't wait for the Samoa Joe vs. Finn Balor rematch from London to take place.

* They are very excited about the buzz for the WWE Global Cruiserweight Series. He talked about working with other indie promotions for the qualifying matches and said it's an exciting time that opens the door to a lot of things. As noted, he announced Rich Swann, Tommaso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, Zack Sabre Jr., Noam Dar, Ho Ho Lun and Akira Tozawa for the tournament. He called it a very diverse group and said they're looking for the absolute best to be involved with this.

* He announced NXT will return to the UK in June. They will start on June 10-12 at the Download music festival. They will go through Belfast, Dublin, Liverpool, Bournmouth and Plymouth.

* Triple H then took questions from the media and was asked if they are now signing talents just for NXT to keep there instead of signing them with the potential to go to the main roster. Triple H said he dislikes saying "main roster and NXT" because it feels like it lessens things. He said NXT is a brand and he wants to present it like that. Anyone who is signed with WWE has the potential to be on RAW, SmackDown or WrestleMania. He's sure that is everyone's goal in this industry and if it's not, he would be shocked. He said NXT is an amazing brand in itself and he has guys calling saying they want to be a part of NXT, who are happy with making it to the main roster but fine if they don't. That's amazing to him. He wants to treat it like a brand and doesn't want to lose perspective of what they do. He said as guys come out of the Performance Center and are ready to go to NXT, they will. As they get ready for RAW and SmackDown, they will go. He said there are a lot of guys and girls in NXT who would be ready for the transition. He said it's all about timing and the different positions you need filled. He said, "I can't have 12 short-stops."

* He was asked about the relationships with independent promotions for the Cruiserweight Series qualifying matches. Triple H said they're figuring a lot of that out as they go but he called it a win-win for everyone. He's a big fan of the independent undercurrent of everything they do and he believes it's important to the health of the business. These are things that help those promotions but also help the legitimacy and the image of what WWE is doing. He said it's a great thing and a win-win. He also noted that WWE will be promoting the qualifying matches on their website and other pages.

* He was asked if he sees a time in the near future where they do more than 4 Takeover specials per year. He said anything is possible because the NXT brand grows so rapidly. It's hard for him to say what they can do in the future but he doesn't want to over-saturate the market. He likes what they're doing and the product they have. He always hears people say NXT should be two hours each week but said then you run into bigger problems. He likes the way they're doing things and people like the product so that's wonderful. He said if they can increase things then that's great. He said he's just seeing where everything goes and what the demand is

* He was asked if they will start doing more teasers and vignettes with new NXT talents and NXT talents getting called up. He is open to doing more of those but tries not to follow one plan for everyone. He tries to look at each talent they're bringing in and create a plan. If that includes vignettes that air for 3-4 weeks, like they're doing with "No Way Jose" now, they're open to it.

* He was asked if he or other WWE representatives will be at some of the Global qualifying matches in the UK since the company will be in town. He joked that he doesn't even know what he's doing all day tomorrow and said there are too many things on the calendar to look that far ahead. He said maybe to an appearance by someone. They are working on the relationships to see what he's there. He's not trying to take over anything that Progress or Revolution Pro is doing. He said they are doing a great job and doing their thing. WWE can give them a rub and benefit from that rub in some way, like letting people learn more about the Global Series talents. He mentioned getting the talents and the promotions more exposure. It's not about WWE coming in and planting their flag at Progress, he's not interested in that at all. In regards to working with other promotions, he's open to working with quality promotions of a style and quality that they like and want to do business with. If he likes their style and what they're doing, he's open to working with them. He was asked about Zack Sabre Jr. and Noam Dar. He praised them both, calling them amazing in-ring athletes and phenomenal talents. He said he has a team that William Regal and Canyon Cemen are a big part of. They look across the world for talents that have potential and may be a diamond in the rough. They're just looking for great talents.

WWE Announces Multi-Year Partnership With Snapchat

Forbes Reveals WWE's Highest Earners

Forbes has a new article where they used a number of data sources to compile an estimated list of WWE's highest-paid earners. The estimates represent pay for the 2015 calendar year, including base salary, bonus pay and, in one instance, executive compensation for Triple H.

Here's what they came up with:

1. John Cena - $9.5 million
2. Brock Lesnar - $6.0 million
3. Triple H - $2.8 million
4. Randy Orton - $2.7 million
5. Seth Rollins - $2.4 million
6. Roman Reigns - $2.1 million
7. The Undertaker - $2.0 million
8. Big Show - $1.5 million
9. Kane - $1.3 million
10. Dean Ambrose - $1.1 million

Shane McMahon On His Post-WrestleMania Future, Performing For His Sons, Training, More

Shane said he was sore after delivering the big elbow drop to The Undertaker. Coach asked how he can top what he did on RAW and Shane said anything can happen. He's excited and nervous to be in Hell In a Cell. He said it's a whole different atmosphere when you're in with The Undertaker, who he calls the measuring stick of the business. Shane says Taker has carried the business on his back and he's intimidating. Shane said he's going to let it rip on Sunday. He's known for putting his body on the line, especially when the stakes are high, and he will do that. Shane said he's going to give everything he possibly can in the match.

Coach asked what sticks out in Shane's mind from everything he's done and he talked about how he originally thought he would have just one match but that evolved and escalated to where he's at today. Coach asked what's inside of Shane that makes him want to go where he has to go on Sunday and do it for the fans. Shane said it's just his drive, he's always wanted to do more and always had a competitive nature. Shane said he goes into every physical activity he does with the mindset that he's going to push it until he can't push it any further. Coach asked about Shane's three sons having the chance to watch him on Sunday and he said it's emotional. Shane said that's his main reason for doing this. He said the experience of him performing in front of 100,000 fans at WrestleMania is bigger than any give he can give them, so he's very excited about doing it.

Regarding Shane's return to the company on RAW several weeks back, Shane said he was speechless. He still gets goosebumps thinking about it. Shane called the reaction and the sustained reaction humbling. He wanted to soak up all the energy and he did, he was blown away. Shane said he's not articulate enough to describe the feeling. He's been in the business his whole life and never felt or heard something like that. Shane said the emotions got him and he was crying that night. Coach brought up the training videos we've seen and Shane talked about the different coaches he's been working with to prepare for The Undertaker.

In regards to his future after Sunday's match, Shane said he doesn't know but he thinks he will walk out on Monday night in control of RAW.

Shane also talked about watching Vince McMahon start WrestleMania and the lead up to WrestleMania I, working out with NFL star Eli Manning and more.

Details on WWE Adding the “Legacy Award” to the WWE Hall of Fame This Year

WWE posted a graphic in its online store advertising the “Legacy Award” at this year’s Hall of Fame ceremony.

The graphic lists seven pro wrestling legends including Ed “Strangler” Lewis, Frank Gotch, George Hackenschmidt, Lou Thesz, Mildred Burke, Pat O’Connor and “Sailor” Art Thomas.

According to F4WOnline.com, Gotch and Hackenschmidt responsible for the first huge gate and spearheading wresting getting national headlines, Lewis being the most famous wrestler of the 20s, Thesz being the dominant world champion of the 50s, Burke being the first women’s champion to get worldwide attention and O’Connor being one of the smoothest workers of his day.

WWE has already inducted Gorgeous George, Buddy Rogers and Antonino Rocca, who were contemporaries of Thesz and O’Connor, however the company has yet to induct anyone into the WWE Hall of Fame prior to the days of television. It appears as if the “Legacy Award” might be honoring the pioneers of pro wrestling who were not TV stars.

More Details On WWE’s Global Cruiserweight Series

The new WWE Global Cruiserweight Series is currently scheduled to start airing Wednesday nights on WWE Network beginning July 13th at 9 p.m. EST, right after NXT airs.

The tournament will feature 32 participants, and the whole thing is expected to be filmed from June 20th through the 24th at Full Sail University in Orlando. The tapings would likely see two episodes taped per night, and the finals of the series would air on WWE Network on September 14th. It was noted that the idea for the tournament is to make it an annual event.

As far as the qualifying matches go, they are expected to be taped, but might not air in full on WWE Network. As of right now WWE production teams would not be involved with shooting the qualifiers, and the promotions hosting those matches would provide the footage.

Progress Wrestling, Revolution Pro Wrestling and EVOLVE Wrestling have been announced as qualifying match hosts so far.

WWE Reportedly Replacing The Divas Division With The Women's Division, New Title Belt Created

WWE officials have commissioned a new title belt to replace the current WWE Divas Title and they are replacing the Divas division with the Women's division on the main roster, according to PWInsider.

The changes are set to begin on Monday's post-WrestleMania 32 RAW in Dallas.

Word is that the design for the new WWE Women's Title is similar to the WWE World Heavyweight Title but smaller.

As noted, WWE Divas Champion Charlotte will defend her title against Sasha Banks and Becky Lynch in a Triple Threat on Sunday at WrestleMania.

WWE Signs New Deal To Help With Production And Content, Back-Up System For Unexpected Disruptions

Avid announced today that WWE has invested in a new production workflow system powered by their Avid MediaCentral Platform. They issued the following:

World Wrestling Entertainment Tag Teams With Avid to Bring Pro Wrestling to Fans Worldwide

Avid MediaCentral Platform provides a resilient back up system while facilitating fast, seamless, collaborative workflows and maximizing the value of WWE's content

BURLINGTON, Mass., March 29, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Avid® (Nasdaq: AVID) today announced that the world's largest professional wrestling company, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), has invested in a new production workflow powered by the Avid MediaCentral™ Platform. By embracing Avid Everywhere™, the global sports media company can enable its production teams to work more efficiently. WWE has chosen to protect its investment in the new workflow solution, as well as its media assets by implementing a back-up system so it can continue to produce content in the event of an unexpected disruption.

WWE is a global sports entertainment company headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut. The company is one of the largest producers of original content, which is distributed via broadcast, cable, web, DVD, print, and its own streaming network to 180 countries across the globe. To help manage the huge amount of content it produces—including 40 hours a week in the U.S. alone—WWE needed a scalable, efficient, and integrated workflow to generate and manage content. The media giant also felt it was of utmost importance to include an integrated backup production system in the solution design to maintain its production workflow.

"We can now edit and distribute all of our content seamlessly within the Avid environment," said Mike Grossman, senior vice president of Television Operations at WWE. "With a centralized system, we can manage multiple production groups and repurpose content much more easily. Avid's integration with third-party applications means that the system can grow with us in the future, and the new back-up system mitigates the risk of disasters affecting our production and revenue."

More?

Power Couple

Finn Balor Talks About Becoming The Demon, Getting Butterflies Before NXT TakeOver, NXT's Brand

Finn Balor appeared on Another Wrestling Podcast to promote NXT TakeOver: Dallas. You can check out some highlights below, and the full interview above.

Finn Balor says that he has butterflies in preparation for NXT TakeOver: Dallas. He thinks something would be wrong if there weren't any, and it's that way for the whole roster.

He says any time you're in the ring with Samoa Joe it's a test. He talks about how they're both world traveled, and says Samoa Joe pushes him out of his comfort zone, which is what he wants.

He won't say whether he's going to be Finn or the Demon at NXT TakeOver: Dallas. He says that he takes inspiration from everywhere.

Balor's happy to be at the forefront of NXT and help lead the brand. His goal is to main event WrestleMania, but he's sure he'll get sidetracked along the way on his journey.

He saw a lot of Bullet Club shirts when he arrived in the United States, so he was aware of the American following he had gained during his time with New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Balor goes on to talk about what he has to do to beat Samoa Joe, WWE Axxess NXT Takeover, being on the road and much more on the show., which you can view here.

WWE Announces Full WrestleMania AXXESS Signing Schedule: Randy Orton Appearing, Rollins, HBK, Sting, Reigns, Undertaker and More

WWE has announced the following:

AXXESS DATES AND TIMES (all times listed are local)

Premium VIP sessions
Friday, April 1
7 p.m. – Sting

Saturday, April 2
10 a.m. – Roman Reigns
3 p.m. – The Undertaker

Sunday, April 3
8 a.m. – Seth Rollins
10 a.m. – Shawn Michaels

VIP sessions
Thursday, March 31
6 p.m. – Dean Ambrose
8 p.m. – Ric Flair and Charlotte

Friday, April 1
5 p.m. – Chris Jericho

Saturday, April 2
8 a.m. – Mick Foley
1 p.m. – Alberto Del Rio
1 p.m. – The Dudley Boyz
6 p.m. – Kevin Owens
8 p.m. – Bray Wyatt

Sunday, April, 3
10 a.m. – Randy Orton

General Admission sessions
Thursday, March 31
6 p.m. – Becky Lynch, King Barrett, U.S. Champion Kalisto, Stardust, The Godfather, Damien Sandow, Zack Ryder, Baron Corbin, Sami Zayn and more

Friday, April 1
5 p.m. – The Usos, Eva Marie, Ryback, Paul Heyman, Alicia Fox, Natalya, The Ascension, Goldust, Summer Rae and more

Saturday, April 2
Session 1, 8 a.m. – Rusev, R-Truth, Paige, Curtis Axel, Adam Rose, Heath Slater, Vader, Diamond Dallas Page, Lana and more

Session 2, 1 p.m. – Sheamus, Sasha Banks, Dolph Ziggler, AJ Styles, “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan, Kane, Cesaro, Jake “The Snake” Roberts, Michelle McCool and more

Session 3, 6 p.m. – Neville, Braun Strowman, Erick Rowan, Jack Swagger, Fandango, Bayley, Naomi, Apollo Crews, Shinsuke Nakamura and more

Sunday, April 3
8 a.m. – WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day, Nikki & Brie Bella, Edge, Booker T, Mark Henry, Alundra Blayze, Tyler Breeze, Samoa Joe, Hideo Itami and more

Katie Couric Speaks with Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon About The 2016 Presidential Race, Trump, Clinton, And Women In Leadership Roles

Linda McMahon recently spoke with Yahoo Global News Anchor Katie Couric, talking about the 2016 Presidential race, Donald Trump, her future as a politician, Hulk Hogan, and much more. You can view the full interview here.

Linda McMahon comments on her family’s relationship with Donald Trump:

“He was a great partner, a wonderful promoter. He really greased the wheels and made things work very easily… he was fun. We got to know him personally. He is very loyal, he’s a patriot. I think he hires smart people around him, all of the people that we ever dealt with were just really smart and efficient and really good at what they did – very gracious, made you feel welcome and really did exactly what he said he would do.”

Would Linda run for office again?

“I have no absolutely no plans to ever run for office. I ran twice, I gave it everything I had two times. It wasn’t meant to be in Connecticut for a Republican to win, it is a very, very blue state. I gave it all I had, I really wanted to win but didn’t.”

What WWE fans represent about the 2016 electorate:

“The persona of Donald Trump has resonated with them. Maybe their business isn’t growing, maybe they have kids who are graduating who can’t get jobs. All of those things that you hear I think resonate not only with some WWE fans, but across really the specter.”

Linda comments on Gawker’s release of Hogan’s sex tape:

“I don’t think anyone had the right, you know, to take his private tape and put it out. I thought Gawker was wrong, you know, to do that.”

Hogan’s interest in coming back to the WWE:

“I think you never say never at WWE, but I wouldn’t speak on behalf of anyone there.”