Triple H Heading To Vidcon

WWE is headed to Vidcon for the first time ever. Triple H announced today that he will be speaking at the big YouTube-related convention in Anaheim next week, discussing the Content Innovation Lab. WWE has success with both of their YouTube channels - the main WWE channel and the WWE Performance Center channel. They also have a hand in running some of the other related channels, such as The Bella Twins and Xavier Woods' UpUpDownDown channel.

"The @WWEPC has continued to grow in all facets, training the next crop of @WWENXT Superstars in every aspect of the business. Excited to discuss the Content Innovation Lab's success and growth opportunities next week at #VidconUS," Triple H wrote.

Triple H Praises Paul Heyman And Eric Bischoff, Welcomes Them Back To The WWE Team

WWE Hall of Famer Triple H took to Twitter this evening to issue his first public comments on Paul Heyman being hired as WWE's Executive Director of RAW and Eric Bischoff coming back to the company as the Executive Director of SmackDown.

"Two people who pushed our industry and @WWE forward over the last 25+ years. Great to have @HeymanHustle and @EBischoff working on #Raw and #SDLive. Welcome BACK to the team," wrote Triple H, WWE's Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events and Creative.

Rumor Mill - Reason why Vince McMahon didn't offer Triple H the Executive Director position

On Thursday, June 27th, Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff were announced as the new Executive Directors of WWE Raw and SmackDown Live respectively.This announcement made a major impact on the wrestling community because of the surprise factor and the individuals in question. It seems to have been largely received as a very positive step. Certainly, it has taken a lot of attention away from the upcoming All Elite Wrestling show this weekend.There are questions however over Triple H, the current Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events and Creative for WWE. Fans have been asking why the King of Kings has not been offered either of those jobs.

Paul Heyman ran Extreme Championship Wrestling during the Monday Night Wars while at the same time Eric Bischoff ran World Championship Wrestling. After the Monday Night Wars ended, McMahon would hire both to run shows within his organization.Early in the brand extension, Bischoff would be in charge at Raw, meanwhile Heyman was in charge over on SmackDown. Heyman has had particular credit over the years for the rise of Brock Lesnar and the high-quality performances from a group known as the SmackDown Six.Triple H and his tight grip on the WWE world heavyweight championship at the time would be overseen by Bischoff in storyline as Eric Bischoff’s famed on-screen character would be heavily used for years on the Raw side.Triple H would later transition into a more managerial role. Since 2013 he has been Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events and Creative – an all-consuming role that he has successfully juggled alongside being the founder and Senior Producer of NXT.

While some members of the WWE locker room were also questioning why Triple H was not offered one or both of the WWE Executive Director positions, I am told that the answer lies in the role itself.

A source close to WWE management explained that the role is essentially very similar to the Senior Producer role that Triple H already occupies in NXT and that Triple H is known to prefer a continuation of that role.Triple H is also overseeing large quantities of WWE’s international expansion, particular as regards the set up of NXT UK, the Saudi Arabia and Australia shows and the set up of WWE Performance Centres worldwide. The source went on to explain that Triple H already had considerably more responsibility than an Executive Director role would offer.Finally, a separate source explained Triple H’s position in relation to talent a little closer. Heyman will be in charge of Raw. Bischoff will be in charge of Smackdown. Triple H is in charge of all talent, everywhere in WWE. “The job’s basically beneath him.

There is continual speculation that Triple H will be taking over the mantle for the WWE when Vince McMahon eventually retires. Triple H, meanwhile, is actively involved in everything that the WWE does.

source: sportskeeda.com

FOX Hoping To Make AEW Look Inferior With WWE SmackDown Debut?, News On AEW Start Date And Time Slot

AEW is expected to start on Turner during the first week of October, which is the same week that WWE SmackDown will being airing on Friday nights on FOX. The news was first reported by MMA insider @fightoracle, who first broke the story that Turner Sports would be presenting AEW at their upfronts last month. As noted, AEW applied for the trademark "Wednesday Night Dynamite" earlier this month.

With the television show seemingly airing on Wednesday nights, the premiere date will be October 2nd. Dave Meltzer reported in the latest edition of The Wrestling Observer Newsletter that while there are still meetings occurring regarding the show, strategies, and other ideas from the TNT side, the plan is for the show to air on Wednesdays, with 8-10 p.m. being the most likely time slot.

WWE SmackDown will make its much anticipated debut two nights later at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA. It was reported in The Observer that FOX will be testing out two new cameras for the debut. FOX is also looking to invite a lot of celebrities and give the show the feel of a major event, which is a reason that it's being held in Los Angeles. It was noted that the idea is to make WWE look as major league as possible, which in turn would make AEW look minor league from the start.

Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

WWE Names Eric Bischoff And Paul Heyman As New Executive Directors Of RAW And SmackDown

WWE has named Eric Bischoff and Paul Heyman as Executive Directors.

Bischoff is set to become the new Executive Director of WWE SmackDown while Heyman is set to become the new Executive Director of WWE RAW. Both will report directly to WWE Chairman Vince McMahon.

The new roles are full-time executive roles. According to Sports Illustrated, there are no current plans for these roles to be introduced as part of a TV storyline.

Bischoff will also work directly with Fox executives as the blue brand plans to premiere on Fox Friday nights in October, SI reported.

The major move will allow WWE to establish "two distinct creative processes for its flagship shows."

Below is the full press release that WWE sent Wrestling Inc.:

WWE® NAMES PAUL HEYMAN AND ERIC BISCHOFF EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS

Stamford, Conn., June 27, 2019 – WWE (NYSE: WWE) today announced that it has named Paul Heyman as Executive Director of Monday Night Raw and Eric Bischoff as Executive Director of SmackDown Live, newly created positions reporting directly to WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon.

In their executive roles, Heyman and Bischoff will oversee the creative development of WWE's flagship programming and ensure integration across all platforms and lines of business. The creation of these roles further establishes WWE's ability to continuously reinvent its global brand while providing two distinct creative processes for its flagship shows.

With more than 30 years of experience in the sports entertainment industry, Heyman served as President of ECW from 1993-2001, securing pay-per-view distribution for the company as well as a national cable television deal with TNN. After his time with ECW, Heyman joined WWE's Creative team and is widely credited with helping launch the careers of many current and former WWE Superstars.

Bischoff is a former WCW President and New York Times bestselling author. During his WCW career, Bischoff oversaw the signing of some of the biggest names in sports entertainment and helped create and develop the NWO storyline. He was also instrumental in securing a television deal for WCW Monday Nitro on TNT and WCW Thunder on TBS. After WCW, Bischoff co-founded Bischoff-Hervey Entertainment, a production company that launched TV reality shows and mobile games.

CM Punk Files Lawsuit Against Colt Cabana

CM Punk has filed a countersuit against his former friend, Colt Cabana, on June 18th. According to a report from PWInsider, Punk is seeking $600,000 for general damages as well as interest and legal fees in response to an amended lawsuit that Cabana filed in August of 2018.

WWE Doctor Chris Amann sued Punk and Cabana in 2015 for comments that Punk made on Cabana's podcast where Punk said, among other claims, that Amann misdiagnosed a MRSA staph infection as a fatty deposit. Punk claimed that a doctor recommended to him by wife AJ Lee said that he should be dead after wrestling with the staph infection for months. The jury ruled in favor of Punk and Cabana, and they did not have to pay anything to Amann.

Cabana had sued Punk last August for breach of contract and fraud over legal fees related to the lawsuit. Cabana claimed that Punk promised to cover his legal bills, however Punk's legal team dropped him as a client. Cabana got his own representation after their falling out. Cabana is seeking $200,000 for his personal legal costs and additional damages.

Punk claims that he spent $1.2 million in legal fees between himself and Cabana in the Amann lawsuit and was never reimbursed, which he stated "violated fundamental principles of justice, equality, and good conscience" and breached their contract. Punk also noted that the podcast with Cabana was immensely popular, however he never received any compensation for it.

Cabana's side must respond to the countersuit by July 3rd. You can read more details on the lawsuit at PWInsider by clicking here.

Exclusive Details On Harvard's WWE Case Study: Who WWE Sees As Their Main Competitor, Royalties

As previously noted, Harvard Business School's Business Of Entertainment, Media, And Sports class will include a case study on World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), beginning this fall. Course instructor, Professor Anita Elberse, has been gracious enough to provide me with an advance copy of the WWE case. Here are some highlights that may be of interest to professional wrestling fans:

WWE did not pay for the development of the case; however, a WWE designate approved of the case before publication.

The case takes place in January 2018 and focuses on the questions of whether WWE should try to sign retired MMA fighter Ronda Rousey, and, if so, how such a deal should be structured.

More?

WWE Network To Stream Big EVOLVE Event With WWE Stars In Action

EVOLVE's 10th Anniversary Celebration will be airing live on the WWE Network.

EVOLVE's 10th Anniversary Celebration will air as the EVOLVE 131 event, on Saturday, July 13 from the former ECW Arena, the 2300 Arena, in Philadelphia, PA. Tickets are on sale now. The live stream on the WWE Network will begin at 8pm ET.

The special show will feature two former EVOLVE talents doing battle in the main event - WWE NXT Champion Adam Cole vs. Akira Tozawa with the title on the line.

Matt Riddle vs. WWE Cruiserweight Champion Drew Gulak in a non-title match will also take place. The event will also feature NXT's Arturo Ruas (Adrian Jaoude) and Babatunde, plus EVOLVE Champion Austin Theory and EVOLVE Tag Team Champions Eddie Kingston & Joe Gacy. A full line-up of matches will be announced soon.

"Evolve was the birthplace for many current WWE and NXT Superstars so it is only fitting that their 10th Anniversary Celebration will be showcased live on WWE Network," Triple Hsaid.

WWE began their working relationship and talent exchange with WWN Live's EVOLVE promotion back in 2015. Booker Gabe Sapolsky now works behind-the-scenes for NXT and the WWE Performance Center.

Seth Rollins Continues To Defend WWE Against "Idiots With No Clue

WWE Universal Champion Seth Rollins continues to defend the company on Twitter after Sunday's pre-Stomping Grounds tweet about WWE providing the best pro wrestling on the planet.

For those who missed it, Rollins wrote, "Best pro wrestling on the planet. Period."

He later doubled down after the Stomping Grounds Kickoff pre-show match that saw Drew Gulak capture the WWE Cruiserweight Title. Rollins wrote, "Doubling down. Best pro wrestling on the planet. See that Cruiserweight Triple Threat? And that's just one night, one match amongst the many. Find anyone else alive who does what I do as well as I do it as often as I do it. Ya can't. #WWEStompingGrounds #UniversalChampion @WWE"

Rollins later responded to a media tweet that said, "Remember when Seth Rollins said that WWE had the best pro wrestling in the world? #WWEStompingGrounds."

Rollins fired back, "Sure do dorks. And after that PPV I stand by it even more. The crew brought it tonight. From top to bottom all out effort from every person in the ring and out. And you're still talking/writing about it."

Molly Danger creator Jamal Yaseem Igle tweeted and said he loves Rollins, but The Architect should dial it down a notch. Rollins refused. He responded, "Nah dawg, let me dial it up. I've sat back and watched idiots with no clue talk poorly about the place I dedicate my life to EVERY HOUR OF EVERY DAY. The level I perform at on constant is untouchable. Time to let em know."

As we've noted, Rollins' tweets have received responses from The Usos and Roman Reigns, AEW star Chris Jericho, and top NJPW stars Tama Tonga and Will Ospreay. Ospreay responded to Rollins' "double down" tweet and said he's alive. Rollins fired back and said WWE already has a better version of Ospreay - new WWE United States Champion Ricochet. Rollins wrote, "Ahhhh I'm sorry little guy. We already have a better version of you here and he just won his first US Title tonight (Congrats @KingRicochet). Keep working hard though buddy!"

WWE Stomping Grounds’ Paid Attendance Estimated At Between 4000 & 4500

Heading into Stomping Grounds, it was pretty much public knowledge that the ticket sales weren’t exactly going all too well. Now, though, in the immediate aftermath of the show, there are some estimated numbers for fans to discuss. According to Wrestling Observer Newsletter, between 4,000 and 4,500 paid tickets were registered for the event. This continues the trend of falling numbers not only in regards to RAW and SmackDown Live, but also for live events and pay-per-views themselves.

WWE And Netflix Officially Announce New Movie With Kofi Kingston And Other WWE Superstars

WWE and Netflix have officially announced their first movie together, The Main Event.

The film will star Seth Carr, Tichina Arnold, Ken Marino and Adam Pally. Several WWESuperstars will also be featured - WWE Champion Kofi Kingston, The Miz and Sheamus, among others.

Netflix noted that the logline for the movie reads, "After discovering a magical mask, an 11-year-old aspiring wrestler enters a competition to become the next WWE Superstar."

Production on the movie begins this week in Vancouver. The movie is based on an original screenplay by Larry Postel. Jay Karas will be the director.

The Main Event is expected to premiere on Netflix in 2020 some time.

We noted before that this movie also features a reference to John Cena, who reportedly has a cameo role. WWE did not mention Cena being in the movie. It was also recently reported that Bray Wyatt is featured. There are also said to be several WWE NXT references in the script.

This is the first collaboration between WWE Studios and Netflix. The two companies have been working to develop new, original feature films. The projects will be directed towards family audiences.

Netflix sent us the following blurb on the movie:

"The Main Event joins a growing slate of live action movies featuring kids and teens and made for families, which includes the upcoming comedy Tall Girl, A Babysitter's Guide to Monster Hunting, and Hello, Universe, based on Erin Entrada Kelly's Newbery Award-winning, New York Times bestselling novel.

WWE Receives Its Own Category At This Year's ESPYS

For the first time, WWE is getting a "Best WWE Moment" under the Best Performance category at this year's ESPYS, which will be hosted by Tracy Morgan on July 10 at 8 pm ET on ABC.

The nominees for the award are: Roman Reigns' return after his battle with Leukemia, Becky Lynch wins the WWE RAW and SmackDown Women's Championships at WrestleMania 35, Kofi Kingston wins his first WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35, and Ronda Rousey becomes WWE RAW Women's Champion.

Voting is done by the fans via ESPN's site, which you can do by clicking here.