Naomi On How She Developed Her 'Glow' Character

While Naomi has been on the main roster since January 2012, it wasn't until she embraced "The Glow" that she finally broke out in WWE. In an interview with TV Insider, Naomi talked about how the character came to be and more. Highlights from the interview are as follows:

Developing her character:

"I think that is why I struggled in the beginning, because I feel like I was put in storylines that weren't me.

"I did the heel stuff. When I first came to NXT, I was wearing the neon stuff. Then I got away from it and ended up being a Funkadactyl dancer, which was awesome. Then I ended up being with Tamina and Team B.A.D. Then I was with the Usos for a little while. I just felt like I needed an opportunity to be on my own. I knew that once I got that moment the 'Glow' was what I wanted to do. That's who I was. I really believe in the 'Glow' and live my life that way. It's about being positive inside and out, and being the best version of yourself possible. I really wanted to incorporate that into wrestling. That was my way of doing it."

Getting the character off the ground after Team B.A.D. split in May 2016:

"I went and had one of the many talks with Vince [McMahon]. I went to him with the idea and he was like, 'Well, we will give it a try.' It was an at a point where they weren't doing anything with me. Thanks to Vince and Triple H and Road Dogg, they really helped me get everything off the ground. It was rough trying to get the gear, trying to get the lighting. I just had to stay on them on that, because this is a machine. There is so much going on each day."

Getting the look right for television:

"We couldn't get it to translate right on TV. It looked cool. It glowed in person, but for some reason on TV, the glow in the dark fabric wouldn't translate on TV. I literally had to charge it backstage with the bright lights. Let it charge and go out. It was just too much. It wasn't going to work. Then we ended up doing the UV reactive stuff, which is where we are now. All of my gear has to be certain fabric that glows. Not all neon things glow. That was tricky, too.

"I would find all this stuff off of rave sites and trying everything. I would get to TV and the stuff wouldn't glow. I got it down now. I have a closet, a whole room of glow stuff that never made it on TV yet or didn't work. Money I've spent on all this stuff."

Gabe Sapolsky To Sign WWE Deal Soon, Backstage News On His Role, The WWN - WWE Relationship

WWN Live's Gabe Sapolsky will be signing a contract with WWE soon, according to PWInsider. The former ROH booker will be working for WWE as a consultant.

Sapolsky has been working for WWE on a handshake agreement for several months, specifically helping out backstage at WWE NXT TV tapings. Sapolsky will continue working with WWN and EVOLVE as this is a continuation of the working relationship between WWE and WWN.

Triple H spoke about Sapolsky during a NXT conference call back in the summer of 2017. He said:

"I like Gabe. I like what he does. I think he's a smart guy that helps to get talent going in their careers. ... It's an opportunity. ... When I have an opportunity for him to be around us and learn from us and I can bring him in and see how his mind works, it's good for everybody.

"I want to work with guys or groups or organizations who are in the business of cultivating talent and not just putting on shows and not just putting on an event, selling some tickets and moving on. ... People that are interested in cultivating talent and helping to push their careers along and to move them along."

Triple H On If WWE Will Make An Exception For Daniel Bryan's Ring Return

The Wrap asked Triple H if there's some sort of exception in WWE's strict policy that might allow SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan to return to the ring. Triple H said:

"There can be no exception medically," Triple H said. "If the belief is that he's not healthy enough and there's a risk [for him] to perform, then I don't know why you'd allow him to step into the ring unless it can be proven otherwise. There will be no exceptions. We have some of the best medical people in the world that work for us. Our wellness policy, our concussion programming, our protocols — I'll put them up there against any on the planet.

"That is a new science in a way, too. So we're gonna look at it from all aspects, but the medical experts will make the determination as to whether he can ever step into that ring or not. Look, personally for him, I know it would be something he would love to do, and part of me feels like I hope he has that opportunity. But at the same point in time, he's married and has a child. Certainly, [we put] the human being first."

Bryan has not wrestled since April of 2015. He announced his retirement in February of 2016, but has since said that he plans to wrestle again this year unless doctors advice him otherwise. His WWE contract expires in September.

Kevin Nash On What Vince McMahon Recently Told Him Regarding Current WWE Talent

During a recent episode of the The Ross Report, Jim Ross spoke highly of the potential XFL relaunch, stating that he believes that Vince and company have done significant research to make sure that they will not have another unsuccessful run. Ross also asked his guest, WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash, about his thoughts on the matter.

"Vince doesn't like to have a black mark anywhere on his dossier," said Nash. "At the beginning [of the XFL], the numbers were great, and it wasn't the right place at the right time."

Nash and Ross also discussed whether WWE will hurt from McMahon not completely focusing on the product, and both agreed that Triple H is next in line to steer the company creatively, and the WWE will be just fine with him at the helm. However, the landscape of WWE has changed regarding the grit of the talent.

"I remember one time I was talking to Vince – it wasn't the last WrestleMania, I think it was the one before – and I just asked him how things were," said Nash. "And he goes, 'The thing that's changed more than anything, [is] back when you broke in here in the fed, it was a shark tank. Like, everybody went after that top prize, and it was a battle. Now, [wrestlers] wait for him to come around with a sword and anoint them.' It's just not the same anymore."

Vince McMahon Files Five Trademarks For ‘XFL'

As we noted moments ago, Vince McMahon has sold 3.34 million shares of WWE stock with the primary reason being for funding his new Alpha Entertainment LLC.

ESPN’s Darren Rovell is reporting McMahon has also applied for five different trademarks for the term ‘XFL’ through his new Alpha Entertainment LLC. It was said that the filings just came into the trademark office, and it was filed on December 16th.

Talk about Vince McMahon’s revival of the XFL first surfaced after journalist Brad Shepard broke the news that McMahon was looking to bring back the league, and an announcement could come as soon as January.

Rovell noted previous XFL trademarks were abandoned over a period of time from 2002 to 2005.

Vince McMahon Sells 3.34 Million Shares Of WWE Stock To Fund His Alpha Entertainment LLC Company

According to a recent SEC filing, Vince McMahon has just sold 3.34 million shares of WWE stock (valued at about $105 million currently) to fund his new Alpha Entertainment LLC company.

The filing stated:

“On December 21, 2017, Vincent K. McMahon (“Mr. McMahon”), Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (the “Company”), sold 3,340,000 shares of the Company’s Class A common stock in a block trade made in accordance with the provisions of Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Mr. McMahon executed the sale primarily to fund a separate entity from the Company, Alpha Entertainment LLC, which Mr. McMahon established to explore investment opportunities across the sports and entertainment landscapes, including professional football.  Mr. McMahon has informed the Company that he has no current plan to sell additional shares of the Company’s stock and that he intends to continue in his capacity as the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer for the foreseeable future.

The shares sold by Mr. McMahon represent approximately 4.3% of the Company’s total outstanding shares of Class A and Class B common stock.  After the sale, Mr. McMahon beneficially owns 32,193,375 shares of the Company’s Class B common stock, which represents approximately 82.8% of the Company’s total voting power and approximately 41.8% of the Company’s total outstanding shares of common stock.”

As noted in the report, McMahon is exploring options in the sports and entertainment worlds with the new LLC. It’s been speculated that McMahon was also looking to bring back the XFL, with wrestling journalist Brad Shepard reporting this is the case, and that an announcement could come as soon as January 25th, 2018.

WWE Announces First All-Female Royal Rumble

The historic first-ever Women's Royal Rumble Match announced for Jan. 28

History will be made at the 30th Anniversary of the Royal Rumble when the WWE Universe witnesses the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble Match.

Raw Commissioner Stephanie McMahon made the massive announcement on the Dec. 18 edition of Raw, declaring that female WWE Superstars will compete for a championship opportunity at WrestleMania 34.

The much-anticipated contest could not be coming at a more pivotal moment for the ground-breaking women of each brand. In addition to the elite competitors who continue to make the Women's Evolution the cutting-edge phenomenon that it is, the main roster has experienced an influx of talented new Superstars over the past several months, including Raw's undefeated Asuka, the returning Paige and her destructive Absolution cohorts, as well as SmackDown LIVE's Riott Squad. This surge of talent will undoubtedly help make the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble a can't-miss contest.

Who will seize the moment and book a ticket to WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans by winning the monumental bout? Find out when the women of Raw and SmackDown LIVE make history at the Royal Rumble, streaming live on WWE Network on Sunday, Jan. 28!

Rumor Mill - XFL Trademark Filed, WWE Responds On Whether It Will Be Returning

From the very beginning, the XFL was quite a bizarre concept. Intentionally trying to go against the grain of what NFL fans view American football to look like, Vince McMahon sought out to create a league that was extreme and over-the-top.

Here were some rules that the XFL enforced to distinguish them from the NFL:

- Instead of a coin toss, players were placed on the 50-yard line to recover the ball. Whoever recovers had the choice whether they wanted to kick or receive.

- The receiving team had to run kickoffs out of the endzone, unless the ball was kicked through the endzone.

- Defensive players can use bump-and-run tactics down the entire field.

- There was no kicker for the point after touchdown (PAT). It had to be either via pass or run.

- There was no fair catch rule.

While the initial hype of the XFL generated a strong audience, diehard fans of the NFL began to heavily criticize the league, and numbers started to reflect the dissatisfaction. As a result, the XFL lasted only one season, and never returned again. On the ESPN 30 for 30 "This Was the XFL" documentary, the conclusion saw Vince McMahon discuss the ups and downs of the league with former NBC Sports Chairman Dick Ebersol. Interestingly, during the discussion, the idea of revitalizing the company after a 15-year absence was suggested. In fact, the idea was not adamantly rejected by either party.

Based on new information, the XFL could be returning. On Wednesday, June 28, 2017, the XFL trademark was filed by WWE under the category of "Education and Entertainment Services." WWE has until 12/28 before the foreign filing deadline is expired.

Here is the description provided to the United States Patent and Trademark Office for the filing.

"Entertainment services, namely, an ongoing series featuring wrestling exhibitions and performances by professional wrestlers and entertainers provided through broadcast media, namely, television and radio, and via the Internet or online service; Entertainment services, namely, production of sports and sports related programs provided through broadcast media, namely, television and radio, cable, satellite and via the Internet or online service; Sports entertainment, namely, conducting of sports competitions; Providing information in the fields of sports and entertainment via an online community portal; Providing a website featuring information in the fields of sports and entertainment."

Deadspin reached out to WWE regarding the resurrection of XFL. Although the spokesperson did not confirm or deny, it was revealed that Vince McMahon has started Alpha Entertainment, which will personally be funded by him to "explore investment opportunities across the sports and entertainment landscapes, including football."

How Was WWE NXT On The USA Network Viewership?

The broadcast debut for WWE NXT on the USA Network drew 841,000 viewers. This was a special airing for WWE Week on USA. The show ranked #22 on the Cable Top 150.

To compare, this week's RAW drew 2.684 million viewers (down from last week's 2.813 million viewers), this week's SmackDown drew 2.481 million viewers (down from last week's 2.493 million viewers) and last week's Impact Wrestling drew 226,000 viewers (down from 255,000 viewers).

WWE Gives Statement On Rich Swann's Arrest

WWE issued the following statement on Rich Swann's arrest, earlier today.

"WWE has zero tolerance for matters involving domestic violence, and per our policy, Rich Swann has been indefinitely suspended following his arrest."

As noted, earlier this morning at 12:09am in Gainesville, Florida, 205 Live Star Rich Swann was arrested and charged with Kidnapping and False Imprisonment: Adult, a third-degree felony in Florida that is punishable with up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine, if convicted. Swann was also charged with Battery (touching or strike), a first degree misdemeanor that is punishable with up to one year in jail or 12 months probation and a $1,000 fine, if convicted.

The Gainesville Police tweeted out Swann's mugshot and the police report, due to the numerous national media requests. According to the report, the victim was pro wrestler, Su Yung (Vannarah Riggs). Swann was driving a car and apparently began critiquing Riggs' performance at a wrestling show, earlier in the night. Swann was said to get angry and Riggs "got scared that the argument was going to escalate" and eventually jumped out of the car. The report continues Swann stopped the car in traffic, yelled for her to return, ended up putting her in a headlock and dragged her back to the vehicle.

SEE ALSO

WWE 205 Live Star Arrested, Updated With Police Report

Raven & Buff Bagwell's Lawsuit Against WWE Dropped "With Prejudice"

According to a report from PWInsider.com, the lawsuit filed against WWE by Marcus "Buff" Bagwell and Scott "Raven" Levy has been completely dropped, and with prejudice.

Their claim was that WWE owed them royalties from the WWE Network the same way that they would get royalties from physical media, like DVDs.

The report from PWInsider.com also notes that at one point while the lawsuit was going on, WWE officials were actually thinking about completely removing all content featuring Raven and Bagwell, even though it would have been a long and tedious process for them to go through and edit all of the WWE, WCW, and ECW footage that Raven and Bagwell appear in. 

This lawsuit reportedly stopped WWE from uploading more content to the Network that they wanted to add by now, including episodes of WWE Sunday Night Heat and WCW Thunder. Now that the lawsuit is finished, look for WWE to add more classic content in the near future.

Backstage News On Jim Johnston's WWE Release

Longtime WWE composer, Jim Johnston, was quietly released from the company this past week after his contract expired. The news was first reported by the @ThemeTitan_ Twitter account, as seen below. Johnston had worked for the company for over 32 years, and had composed legendary themes for The Undertaker, D-X, The Rock and many others.

While the release has yet to be officially announced by WWE, Dave Meltzer reported on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio that people in the company saw it coming and weren't surprised by it. Johnston apparently wanted to stay with the company but had a very high contract, and WWE has been relying more on CFO$ to produce their themes since 2012.

Johnston's release was expected once his contract expired, which happened last week. Meltzer noted that "it's the end of an era, but the era kinda ended years ago."