WWE: Next Gen debuts April 1 on Roku

AJ Styles reveals why WWE 'isn't the same' under Triple H

AJ Styles has revealed that WWE is incredibly different under Triple H compared to Vince McMahon.

McMahon reigned in the company since its formation a number of decades ago, until his retirement in 2022 following allegations of sexual misconduct, though returned and began to lure control back.

That was until September last year, when WWE and UFC formed a merger under umbrella company TKO, which had McMahon as executive chairman until he resigned in January following allegations of sex trafficking, which he has denied.

Now, the show is run by former WWE star and McMahon's son-in-law, Triple H - real name Paul Levesque - and reports have generally suggested that the company is a much better place to work.

Those opinions were echoed by Styles The Battleground Podcast.

Ronda Rousey Details NXT Being Stolen From Triple H

Writing in her new book Our Fight – available for pre-order now – Ronda Rousey detailed that turbulent time in WWE history and thinks it was McMahon’s “cronies” that made the move to take NXT out of Triple H’s hands:brbr NXT, which had been Triple H’s domain, had been caught in the ongoing family dispute between him and Vince McMahon. Vince’s unwillingness to give up any control made progress on the main roster all but impossible. But operating out from under Vince’s thumb, Triple H had built NXT into a brand that was not only developing WWE’s next generation but producing some of the organization’s best and most innovative wrestling.

People were excited about NXT in a way that they weren’t about Raw and SmackDown’s constant reliance on rehashing the same formulaic story lines over and over. As NXT grew and it became apparent that there was the potential to expand and profit from it, suddenly it became attractive to Vince. In fall of 2019, WWE launched a weekly NXT show—slated to go head-to-head on-air with AEW.

Now, NXT was on the up-and-up, but so too was AEW. Then Triple H almost died, suffering from heart failure and requiring surgery. He stepped away to deal with his health, and in his absence, Vince’s cronies saw an opportunity. NXT was losing the ratings battle to AEW, they whispered to Vince.

Ronda Rousey then took aim at former Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis who she claimed was running NXT in Triple H’s stead. It’s safe to say Rousey is no fan of Laurinaitis but says his failure running the brand was systematic of wider problems in the company:

Changes needed to be made. Which is how John Laurinaitis, a former wrestler turned WWE executive and all-around dirtbag, ended up running NXT. Laurinaitis had made a name for himself as an average but by no means outstanding wrestler before he moved into playing an in-ring authority figure type and then a producer. He looked and acted like an entitled sixty-year-old former frat boy. Tall, blondish, and with a cleft chin, he always appeared to be scowling, even when he smiled. His raspy voice earned him the nickname Johnny Laryngitis, which was one of the nicer things people called him.

Whereas Triple H looked for talent and potential in NXT prospects, it appeared John Laurinaitis looked for f*ckability. He further purged the NXT roster, firing it seemed like everyone over twenty-five and turning recruiting attention away from the indie circuits in favor of blonde sorority-types from places like the Universities of Florida and Tennessee.

Putting the blame for the decline on Laurinaitis—which Vince would basically try to do a few months later—would be easy but Laurinaitis was only a symptom of what was wrong within WWE. Honestly, the actual drama was so much better than anything WWE could ever script.

source: tjrwrestling.net

Thunderbolt Patterson to be inducted into WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024

 

As first reported by Andscape, Thunderbolt Patterson will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024.

A hugely influential, although often overlooked, figure in sports-entertainment history, Patterson’s captivating abilities on the microphone inspired a generation of talkers that followed in his footsteps.

Growing up in Iowa, Patterson moved to Texas and worked with legendary promoter Dory Funk Sr. (father of WWE Hall of Famers Dory Funk Jr. and Terry Funk) where he began performing incredible interviews using a delivery inspired by Black Southern pastors.

Patterson backed up his talents on the microphone in the ring as he captured titles across North America while defeating iconic opponents like Bruiser Brody and WWE Hall of Famer The Sheik. Thunderbolt was also a decorated tag team competitor, most famously teaming with Ole Anderson before their partnership erupted into a brutal rivalry, which helped launch the legendary Four Horsemen.

Patterson was also a contemporary of WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes, and was often credited with inspiring The American Dream’s charismatic persona.

Patterson’s work as a captivating performer was self-evident, but he was also a fierce advocate for the health and welfare of competitors outside of the ring.

His legacy as a showman with his signature quick punches, his incredible blend of power and speed, and his compassion for his fellow man live on as his influence can still be seen in the ring today.

More WWE Executives Revealed As Key Figures In McMahon Sex Trafficking Suit; WWE Responds

More names have been revealed as part of the ongoing sex trafficking lawsuit against Vince McMahon, John Laurinaitis WWE, and unnamed corporate officers.

A new report from Tim Marchman, John Pollock, and Brandon Thurston for Front Office Sports has named President Nick Khan and COO Brad Blum as those identified as Corporate Officers No.1 and No. 2 in the suit filed by Janel Grant in January.
Before their naming in the report, Khan and Blum were alleged to have been instrumental to a scheme in which Grant had been employed in a completely undefined role, except for the understanding that she would remain a sexual slave to be used and trafficked by McMahon within WWE. Khan and Blum are not personally accused of sexual wrongdoing but they are rather part of a group that is claimed to have facilitated and covered up exploitation in a way that would make WWE liable under federal anti-trafficking law.

Front Office Sports' report notes that Blum and Khan were identified independently alongside the two other anonymous corporate officers described in the suit by cross-referencing details within the filing with other records like online resumes and corporate filings. A WWE source also reportedly confirmed details within the suit, such as the location of Khan's office. All names were confirmed with Janel Grant's attorney, Ann Callis.

According to the suit, McMahon presented Blum and Khan to Grant as his key fixers. Nick Khan is the current WWE President under TKO's hierarchy following the merger with UFC last year and has been instrumental in the business growth behind the company in recent years.

The report continues to name Stephanie McMahon as Corporate Officer No.3 within the filing, who is mentioned once in an ambiguous context. It's told how Grant had attended meetings with WWE's executive committee, which was noted to be above her pay grade and something she had even inquired to Khan and Blum about regarding appropriateness. The suit alleged Stephanie McMahon had motioned for Grant to sit near her in these meetings. Ms. McMahon is also described as knowing of "other instances of [Vince] McMahon engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct".

Stephanie McMahon notably took a leave of absence in 2022 – three months after Vince McMahon and Janel Grant signed their $3 million NDA – from her role as Chief Brand Officer. A month later, reports emerged on a probe by the WWE board of directors into unauthorized payments involving NDAs with several former female employees and performers made by Vince McMahon, after which he resigned from his roles as CEO and Chairman and Stephanie McMahon became interim CEO and Chair. When Vince McMahon forced his way back onto the board in early 2023, Stephanie McMahon resigned from her role as Co-CEO – held alongside Nick Khan – and has not returned.

Front Office Sports further identified Brian Nurse – former general counsel and head of WWE's legal department – as Corporate Officer No.4. Nurse is described in the suit as offering the legal role to Janel Grant at the behest of Vince McMahon, a revelation allegedly made by McMahon to Ms. Grant before he sexually assaulted her for the first time. Nurse is claimed to have been terminated or asked to resign as one of a number of employees forced to resign or let go if they knew of McMahon's exploits and failed to assist, support, or facilitate them.

In response to the report, a WWE spokesperson told FOS:
“WWE takes Ms. Grant’s allegations very seriously and has no tolerance for any physical abuse or unwanted physical contact. Neither Nick Khan nor Brad Blum, prior to the lawsuit being filed on January 25, 2024, were aware of any allegation by Ms. Grant that she was the victim of abuse or unwanted physical contact; nor does the complaint allege that either had knowledge of such.”

Nick Khan, Brian Blum and Stephanie Mcmahon are not explicitly accused of wrongdoing.

Muhammad Ali to Be Inducted Into WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024

Muhammad Ali will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2024, Variety has learned exclusively.

Ali will be inducted during the Hall of Fame ceremony taking place on April 5 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He will be inducted by his widow, Lonnie Ali. The ceremony will be livestreamed on Peacock beginning at 10 p.m. ET/9 p.m. CT.

Ali dabbled in professional wrestling at different times in his career. He famously fought an exhibition match against Japanese pro wrestling legend Antonio Inoki in Tokyo in 1976. In the leadup to that matchup, he appeared at a WWWF (now WWE) show, where he entered the ring and challenged Gorilla Monsoon. Ali would go on to appear as a special guest referee for the main event of WrestleMania I in 1985, which saw Hulk Hogan and Mr. T face off against Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff. Ali also appeared as the guest of honor at the infamous “Collision in Korea” pay-per-view event held in North Korea in 1995.

Widely considered to be one of the best, if not the best, boxers of all time, Ali won an Olympic gold medal for the United States in boxing in 1960 and went on to become the undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds notable wins over opponents such as Sonny Liston, Ken Norton, Joe Frazier, and George Foreman among many others. His final professional boxing match came in 1981. He finished his career with 56 wins, 5 losses, with 37 knockouts.

He was also noted for his social activism, including refusing to be drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. His refusal led to him being stripped of his heavyweight championships and being largely forced out of boxing for years.

He passed away in 2016 at the age of 74.

source:  varity.com

WWE Sells Ring Mat Sponsorship for First Time in ‘Record-Setting’ Pact With Logan Paul’s Prime Sports Drink

On Friday, WWE announced a “record-setting” pact with Logan Paul and KSI’s Prime Hydration beverage brand to become the wrestling entertainment company’s exclusive “official hydration drink partner” and the first partner to ever appear on the center of the WWE ring.

With the deal, WWE is following the playbook of UFC, now its corporate cousin under TKO Group formed last year in a merger engineered by UFC owner Endeavor. Earlier this year, TKO brought together the global partnerships teams at UFC and WWE to form “a singular global partnerships unit with a unified sponsorship strategy,” the company said. 

WWE’s new deal with Prime comes after UFC in January 2023 struck an exclusive global partnership with the drink brand. Paul, a digital influencer and wrestling pro, also has a talent deal to appear in WWE’s SmackDown. 

Terms of the WWE-Prime sponsorship deal weren’t disclosed. WWE said Prime Hydration will receive “unprecedented exposure and integration” including on center-mat branding at premium live events including WrestleMania and Money in the Bank along with “key brand placement” within WWE events including WrestleMania XL and Survivor Series, match sponsorships, co-presenter designations and product activations at future live events, and social support from WWE Superstars across retail and digital activations.

“What Logan and his team have built in a short time is phenomenal and we’re excited to help showcase Prime Hydration across our biggest events,” WWE chief content officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque said.

Paul commented, “Combining two of my greatest achievements into one knockout partnership is a dream come true. We’ve worked incredibly hard at Prime to build a brand that disrupts the beverage industry and it’s time to join forces with the global leader in sports entertainment.” Paul co-founded Prime in 2022 with KSI, the British YouTuber, rapper, boxer and entrepreneur. 

In January, TKO announced 10-year deal with Netflix for WWE’s “Monday Night Raw” that delivers a significant step-up in fees for the franchise. TKO’s deal WWE “Raw” deal with Netflix ;has an initial 10-year term for an aggregate rights fee of more than $5 billion, or $500 million annually. That’s up from WWE’s current five-year deal for “Raw” with NBCUniversal, said to be worth approximately $250 million-$260 million per year. Netflix has the option to extend the pact for an additional 10 years or to opt out after five years.

source: variety.com

US Express Announced For 2024 WWE Hall Of Fame Class

The 2024 class of the WWE Hall of Fame is coming together with the addition of Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham, the US Express.

While Mike Rotunda and Barry Windham teamed for over two decades, they were only a tag team in WWE from 1984 to 1985. Despite their short stay with the company, the US Express are former two-time WWE World Tag Team Champions.

WWE surpassed 100 million subscribers on its official YouTube channel

WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings, today surpassed 100 million subscribers on its official YouTube channel, becoming one of only 10 channels worldwide to achieve the milestone.

The return of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has helped supercharge the channel’s subscriber total in recent months, highlighted by the WrestleMania XL Kickoff event in Las Vegas on Feb. 8 which added more than 100,000 subscribers in a day. Further, every segment featuring “The Rock” since his surprise Friday Night SmackDown return on September 15, 2023, has drawn more than one million views. Prior to The Rock’s return to WWE television in September, the company was tracking to reach the 100 million subscriber milestone in late April.

With more than 100 million subscribers and 81 billion lifetime views, WWE is the largest sports channel on YouTube and No. 10 overall. The new subscriber total is more than the NBA, NFL, MLB and NHL combined. An early adopter of the platform, WWE joined YouTube in 2007 and has since created and curated exclusive and original content to super serve the WWE Universe. Today, the channel combines premiere in-ring action highlights from Monday Night Raw, Friday Night SmackDown, NXT and premium live events, archival premium live event footage, exclusive interviews and content featuring WWE Superstars, weekly episodes of The Bump, post-event press conferences, and more.

Much of WWE’s success on the platform is owed to original programming created specifically for YouTube. Productions such as WWE Playback where Superstars rewatch classic matches, WWE Now, a news series covering all things WWE, and popular highlight compilations like WWE Top 10 and WWE Playlist have driven massive growth for the channel.

WWE Announcers Are Being Given More Leeway Under Triple H

A ton of things have changed in WWE once Paul "Triple H" Levesque took over creative from Vince McMahon in the summer of 2022 following the hush money scandal. The product has gotten better and morale has increased within those who work for the company. Commentary has also changed after years of McMahon being notorious for yelling at the announcers.

Changes

Corey Graves has been part of the commentary team for years and has worked under both men. Graves took on a new role as the lead SmackDown play-by-play voice last month.

While speaking on the Short and to the Point podcast, Graves talked about the support he has from Triple H, noting he owes a lot, if not his career, due to him supporting his transition from wrestler to commentator.

Experience

“He also is really cool and sort of refreshing in a sense that he gives us [announcers] space. When he's in Gorilla [position] right where the old boss sat, instead of being told and prompted, 'Hey, you've got to say this, you have to do it this way, you have to use this verbiage,' He, I think, understands that we’re all fans and we all love this in different ways. And as the business grows and evolves, you kind of have to let go of the reins a little bit. I still have my guide rails, I just feel like they’re a little bit wider on each side now where rather than trying to stay on a particular path and walk in a certain rhythm and do things a certain way, I have a little bit more leeway to be me and develop my own style.”

Triple H Announces Women's Wrestling Legend For 2024 WWE Hall Of Fame Class

Following the news earlier this week that Paul Heyman would be part of the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame class, the company's Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque has now announced the second performer set to be recognized — former All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling star Bull Nakano. Levesque revealed the news on X and recognized the retired wrestler for her contributions to the industry.

"An unbelievable talent with an unforgettable look, and a mean streak a mile long," Levesque said. "Bull Nakano isn't just one of the best women's wrestlers of all time — she's one of the best of all time, period."

Following the news earlier this week that Paul Heyman would be part of the 2024 WWE Hall of Fame class, the company's Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque has now announced the second performer set to be recognized — former All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling star Bull Nakano. Levesque revealed the news on X and recognized the retired wrestler for her contributions to the industry.

"An unbelievable talent with an unforgettable look, and a mean streak a mile long," Levesque said. "Bull Nakano isn't just one of the best women's wrestlers of all time — she's one of the best of all time, period."

Nakano began her wrestling career in the early 1980s when she was still a teenager. She captured the AJW Championship before the age of 18 and promptly held onto the title for more than three years. In the early 1990s, after years at the top of the promotion, Nakano left AJW.

In addition to her main body of work in Japan, Nakano made various appearances for both WWE and WCW, primarily from 1994 to 1996. Throughout this time, Nakano had a lengthy rivalry with Alundra Blayze (AKA Madusa). The two feuded in WWE in 1994 and 1995, including a match at WWE SummerSlam 1994, and Nakano later won the WWF Women's Championship for a time. Both Nakano and Blayze wound up leaving the WWF for WCW in 1996 and their feud continued there.

After retiring due to injuries in 1997, Nakano spent some time as a professional golfer. She would later come out of retirement twice for very brief spots in gauntlet matches. It was also recently announced that Nakano would serve as the onscreen commissioner for Sukeban, a United States-based promotion that focuses on Japanese women's wrestling.

Paul Heyman Set for 2024 WWE Hall of Fame Induction

Paul  Heyman, the manager behind some of WWE's greatest talents, is set to join the prestigious ranks of the WWE Hall of Fame later this year.

The announcement of Heyman's induction, reported by The Associated Press, carries special significance as it will take place in Philadelphia, PA. This city holds a profound connection to Heyman, as it was the epicenter of ECW's electrifying shows during his tenure as a key figure in the promotion.

Reflecting on his time with ECW, Heyman emphasized the ethos of hard work and staying ahead of the curve that defined the promotion's legacy.

"The extreme in ECW stood for the work ethic involved... The legacy of ECW is firmly rooted in the very simple concepts of paying attention to the cultural curve and obsessively trying to stay a few steps ahead of it.”