Arn Anderson Says No One But Triple H Should Run WWE

WWE Hall of Famer Arn Anderson has voiced his strong support for Paul “Triple H” Levesque as the creative force behind WWE, stating that no one else is more qualified for the role.

Speaking on his ARN podcast, Arn Anderson reflected on his longtime acquaintance with Triple H, recalling his early days in WCW and his passion for the business.

“I’ve known Triple H since he very first started in the business with WCW, and I liked him right away, I could just tell—here you got a young guy that’s a student of the business, he’s studying, he’s learning, and he’s asking questions.”

Triple H’s career trajectory saw him transition from WCW to WWE, where he became one of the most decorated wrestlers of all time. His shift from in-ring competitor to top executive has impressed Anderson, who believes he is uniquely suited to lead WWE’s creative direction.

“The evolution that he’s had… to be in the saddle where he is right now—you’ve got a wrestling person with a wrestling mind, but he’s smart enough, and he’s learned so much about the business, he’s into every other aspect—the marketing, you name it. He is a well-rounded boss.”

Since taking charge of WWE’s creative direction, Triple H has been widely praised for his approach to storytelling, talent development, and long-term booking. Anderson believes WWE’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings, fully recognises his value.

“If somebody asked me, ‘If it wasn’t him, who would you put in that seat?’ nobody comes to mind. He’s doing a phenomenal job across the board, and I’m sure TKO is very happy to have him and thrilled to have him because he’s a leader.”

TKO and Saudi Arabia Launch New Boxing League Led by Nick Khan, Dana White, and Turki Alakshikh

TKO is teaming up with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund to create a new boxing league.

During the latest episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer revealed that WWE President Nick Khan, who also serves on the TKO Board of Directors, will be involved in the initiative.

The boxing league will reportedly be led by UFC President Dana White and Turki Alakshikh, Chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority.

Meltzer commented, “Nick Khan is supposed to be a major part of that as well. A lot of the rival promoters had a meeting in Las Vegas about how they’re going to combat this. Almost sounded like the famous meetings that the Einhorn’s arranged when Vince started his expansion…and they all got together, all the rival promoters got together and ‘We’re going to put a united front against him,’ which didn’t last very long at all, of course. But now the boxing promoters know they’ve got a real threat. And in their minds, it’s Nick Khan, Dana White, and Turki Alakshikh as the three people running this new boxing venture.”

Triple H Discusses His Reaction To Upcoming WWE Hall Of Fame Induction

This year's WrestleMania weekend will once again see the WWE Hall of Fame take place, which will be headlined by WWE CCO Paul "Triple H" Levesque. At the Royal Rumble Post-Show press conference, Triple H commented on his upcoming Hall of Fame induction.

"Nick [Khan] and I talked about the Hall of Fame many times, and he would always bring up the fact that, 'When are we are gonna put you in?' And I would say, 'Not now because no matter how I do it, it looks like I'm putting myself in the Hall of Fame,'" Triple H remarked. "He would say, 'Well, we have to do it eventually,' and I would say, 'Okay, well if we have to do it eventually, let's wait 3, 4, 5 years and then we'll talk about it.'"

At the company's town hall meeting last week, Shawn Michaels and The Undertaker made surprise appearances to give Triple H his Hall of Fame news. When Triple H noticed Khan walk aside, he got the impression that something involving him was happening. Soon to be a two-time Hall of Famer, Triple H's first induction came in 2019 as part of D-Generation X. 

"We did it with DX, it was a lot of fun. It's different when it's you, and while I've been a part of all of these and I've seen some talent see it as the biggest honor, I've seen other talent be like, 'Eh, whatever,'" Triple H continued. "Because of our passion for what we do, it hit me way harder than I thought it would. It's one of the most meaningful things in my career, and to have it come from Shawn and have it come from 'Taker ... [Khan] doing that for me was incredibly meaningful."

credit: "Royal Rumble Post-Show" with a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription

WWE Evolve: WWE and Tubi Launch Wednesday Night Wrestling Program to Highlight New Talent

For the future of wrestling, WWE is looking to the past. WWE and Tubi announced the launch of a new weekly wrestling show, “WWE Evolve” which will premiere Wednesday March 5, at 8pm ET / 5pm PT. “Evolve” gets its name from the defunct wrestling promotion Evolve, which was purchased by WWE in 2020 following a five-year partnership.

“WWE Evolve” relaunches as a showcase of in-ring action for up-and-coming WWE prospects, including talent from the recently established WWE ID program, a developmental program that works to provide indie wrestlers a more seamless transition to WWE.

“We are excited to work with our incredible partners at Tubi to showcase our young, rising talent to the WWE Universe, as they start their in-ring journey competing each week to fulfill their lifelong dream of becoming a WWE Superstar,” said WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels.

According to a press release, “Evolve” will feature “the most intense and charismatic prospects recruited from college athletics and independent wrestling as they strive to build their in-ring careers and elevate their personas,” emphasizing a focus on homegrown talent from the WWE performance center in Orlando in addition to talent from the first-of-its-kind ID program and NIL athletes.

Wrestlers featured in the “Evolve” teaser include “NXT” stars Wendy Choo, Brinley Reece and Kali Armstrong, as well as WWE ID prospects Sean Legacy, Brad Baylor and Jack Cartwheel.

“Evolve” will mark the fourth WWE show currently streaming weekly, joining Monday night “Raw” on Netflix, “NXT” Tuesdays on The CW, and Friday night “SmackDown” on USA.

source: variety.com

CM Punk Compares Triple H And Vince McMahon’s Leadership Styles

CM Punk appeared on Friday’s edition of The Pat McAfee Show, where he discussed a range of topics, including the differences between working under Triple H and Vince McMahon.

Punk highlighted Triple H’s openness to feedback and willingness to consider other people’s ideas—something he believes was less common under McMahon. However, he also acknowledged the importance of having a definitive leader in charge.

“I think he’s receptive to other people’s ideas, whereas maybe Vince wasn’t. He was like, ‘I’m the boss. We’re doing this, and this is how we’re doing it.’ And that’s great. If you run a company, you need somebody who is the yes and no man and [has] the final say.”

Punk continued, emphasizing Triple H’s collaborative approach:

“But I think Triple H thinks he’s surrounded, and oftentimes is, by a lot of really, really genius wrestling minds. If he has an idea or see something one way, he’ll look at Michael Hayes and be like, ‘What do you think?’ He’ll turn and look at Paul Heyman. These are people who have Bonafide resumes. They have literally done everything you possibly could do in the sport. I think their voices should be heard. Not all the time everybody’s going to have this dynamite idea. But I think the best idea always wins in today’s WWE.”

WWE legend's name added to Janel Grant's blockbuster lawsuit against Vince McMahon

The blockbuster lawsuit being brought against Vince McMahon and the WWE by former employee Janel Grant has been ammended to include the name of WWE and UFC legend.

In the 104-page lawsuit, Grant now alleges that she was offered to Brock Lesnar “for a sexual encounter” during his contract negotiations with the WWE. In addition, Grant allleges that she was told to sent sexual content to the former WWE champion. It was reported earlier this month that Grant was planning to alter the suit.

The new allegations involving Lesnar come alongside further accusations that McMahon was active in trafficking Grant during her time working at the WWE.

“Ms. Grant's amended complaint reveals new details. That further demonstrates the sexual abuse Janel Grant suffered at the hands of Vince McMahon and John Laurinaitis and pulls back the curtain on the dangerous workplace culture McMahon created at WWE. Ms. Grant looks forward to holding her abusers accountable in a court of law,” Grant’s lawyer Ann Callis said in a statement.

The lawsuit was submitted to the U.S. District Court in Connecticut. Grant alleges that the WWE was negligent in allowing McMahon’s behavior to go on unchecked. One of the men previously name in the lawsuit, John Laurinaitis, claims that he too was a victim of McMahon.

Another WWE legend, Michael Hayes, is also named in the new filing with Grant alleging that McMahon told her to make pornographic content for him. At the time, Hayes worked as part of the wrestling company’s creative team.

Other names in the new complaint include Vince McMahon’s daughter and former co-CEO Stephanie McMahon, WWE President Nick Khan, former COO Brad Blum and former legal executive Brian Nurse.

In another section, Grant accuses McMahon of sending her nude photos to others without her consent. At one point, Grant also says that McMahon recorded her naked while he was on a video call with Laurinaitis.

Grant originally accused McMahon and Laurinaitis of sexually assaulting her inside of WWE’s office.

Text messages in the new filing detail McMahon discussing his authority in arranging her sexual encounters and discussing his fantasies involving her. In a voice message, McMahon allegedly pressed Grant to sign an NDA “really f*****g fast.”

In another message, he allegedly wrote: “I’m the only one who owns U and controls who I want to f*** you.”

Vince McMahon’s representatives have responded to the new allegations.

“As expected, the proposed amended complaint is nothing more than the latest publicity stunt in an ongoing smear campaign. It is filled with desperate falsehoods from a team that continues to disregard the law and the truth,” the statement, given to reporter BJ Bethel.

Stephanie McMahon to helm new show on ESPN+

Former WWE exec Stephanie McMahon appeared on the " Pat McAfee Show" on Thursday to announce a new WWE-centric show in partnership with Pro Football HOFer Peyton Manning’s Omaha Productions, ESPN and WWE. The new show, titled “Stephanie's Places,” will be “a part of” Manning’s “Peyton Places” that currently airs on ESPN+ and will see McMahon travel around the country to “to really find out the stories behind the biggest stars in WWE.” The show will air in March and will include appearances from former and current WWE stars including Stone Cold Steve Austin, Charlotte Flair and Roman Reigns.

McMahon, who will host the show, said the goal of “Stephanie's Places” is to “really tell the stories that haven't been told, and to find out more about the people behind the characters.” She said, “These people are all hugely successful, but like most people, they've been knocked around a lot. So how did they overcome the challenges that were put in front of them?” McMahon said she was “really nervous” to be a part of the show as it was her “first step back” into WWE.

McMahon stepped down as WWE co-CEO in January 2023 after her father, Vince, had forced a return the company. “I never stopped being proud, ever," she told McAfee. "I do think I wanted to disappear for a little while, and I kind of did. It was good for me. I needed it, and now I’m back.”

Paul Levesque To Headline WWE Hall Of Fame Class Of 2025

Insider reports that WWE Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque, aka Triple H, will headline the 2025 WWE Hall of Fame class. Despite his position of being in charge of the promotion, Levesque was said to be caught off guard by the decision, which was revealed to him today in a meeting by his wife, Stephanie McMahon, and fellow Hall of Famers Undertaker and Shawn Michaels.

Levesque has largely sat atop the WWE pyramid since the initial retirement of his father-in-law, Vince McMahon, in 2022, and has been credited for revitalizing WWE under his direction. However, his Hall of Fame induction has less to do with his executive career and more with his in-ring accolades. 

Levesque first gained notoriety in WCW from 1993 to 1994, before joining WWE and assuming his Triple H moniker. When he ended his in-ring career in 2022, he had wracked up 14 World Title reigns, as well as runs with the WWE Intercontinental, European, and Tag Team Championships. He also won the 1997 King of the Ring, the 2002 and 2016 Royal Rumbles, and along with Michaels was a founding member of the popular stable, D-Generation X.

Major League Soccer to Move Production Studio to WWE Headquarters

Major League Soccer will move its production arm to new studios at the headquarters of WWE in Stamford, Conn., as part of a renewal of a pact with IMG.

Under terms of the new multi-year partnership, MLS and IMG, the latter will continue to produce live match and studio productions and programming for more than 600 annual games on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV. MLS Productions will move to the Studios at WWE in Stamford, Conn. The new facility will serve as the hub for popular MLS live studio programming and content in English and Spanish. The new location for MLS Season Pass will enable MLS Productions to add programming in the new season.

source: variety.com

WWE's old Stamford HQ could become apartments after $3.75M sale

For more than 30 years, the six-story building at 1241 E. Main St., on Stamford’s east side, housed the headquarters of one of Connecticut’s best-known companies. Now, it is poised for a transformation under new ownership.

WWE, which is now headquartered in downtown Stamford, last month sold 1241 E. Main for $3.75 million to real estate firm MB Financial Group, which has offices in Branford and Boston. Reflecting its experience with redevelopment, MB Financial wants to convert the property into an apartment complex.

“The location is superb,” Michael Massimino, CEO and managing partner of MB Financial, said Friday. “It’s on the Stamford-Darien line, and it overlooks Long Island Sound and the Noroton River. The views of Long Island Sound really make this property unique.”

A message left for WWE was not immediately returned in time for this story.

MB Financial’s plans for the redeveloped 1241 E. Main, which they expect will have more than 80 units, will be reviewed by local zoning officials. Assuming the project navigates that process, the redevelopment could be completed by the first half of 2027, according to Massimino.

“Our intention is definitely to do this within the existing building,” Massimino said. “Right now, we’re in our conceptual phase, as far as laying out density and common-area amenities.”

Redevelopment of 1241 E. Main would be part of a local trend. In recent years, a number of office complexes in Stamford have been approved or proposed for redevelopment.

Stamford Mayor Caroline Simmons said in her State of the City speech last April that conversion of empty commercial buildings into residential properties is one way to address the need for more affordable housing. It could also grow the grand list and bolster local home values, she said at the time.

MB Financial has experience with redevelopment. In Clinton, several buildings are being repurposed through its Station at Clinton project. When completed, it will have about 200 units across apartments and town homes. The first component, a 45-unit apartment complex known as The Grand, opened in 2023.

“It was formerly a 40,000-square-foot data center. We did a third-floor addition on top of it. The floor plates are very similar to the WWE building,” Massimino said of The Grand.

MB Financial’s portfolio also includes The Lofts at 250 Greene in New Haven. The 23-unit apartment complex, which opened in 2020, repurposed former convent and school buildings of St. Michael’s Church.

As for WWE, its decision to sell 1241 E. Main was not surprising. When the company announced in March 2019 that it would relocate its headquarters to downtown Stamford, it said that it expected to sell 1241 E. Main. The building was also known as Titan Towers when the company was based there, from the early 1990s until 2023.

Among other deals related to its headquarters relocation, WWE recently sold for nearly $7.5 million the site of its former production studio on Hamilton Avenue in Stamford, a property that stands a few blocks from 1241 E. Main.

Meanwhile, WWE has settled in at its current headquarters at 677-707 Washington Blvd. Company officials have said that the hub covers about 400,000 square feet, including offices in the property’s 13-story tower and production space in the adjacent seven-story pavilion. WWE officials have also said that the company would have more than 800 people working at the new base, after the company had opened all of its space there.

Last April, WWE announced the opening of an approximately 30,000-square-foot production facility, with five studios, at the current headquarters.

source: ctinsider.com

Morgan Stanley Says Bankrupt EV Firm Owes $10 Million Deal Fee; Shane McMahon Exec Chairman

Morgan Stanley claims it wasn’t paid most of a $12 million fee for advising now-bankrupt electric-vehicle technology firm Ideanomics Inc. on its acquisition of VIA Motors years earlier.

The transaction fee was described in a claim Morgan Stanley filed the day after Christmas in Ideanomics’ Chapter 11 case. The firm says it’s still owed more than $10 million for advisory work on the VIA Motors acquisition, which closed in January 2023.

Morgan Stanley acted as an exclusive financial adviser to Ideanomics on the acquisition, which — at the time it was announced in 2021 — valued electric-vehicle maker VIA at as much as $630 million, according to a press release.

The acquisition was part of a broader strategy to acquire electric-vehicle assets and technology between 2021 and 2023. But most of Ideanomics’ investments from that time “were unsuccessful, or continue to remain a substantial liquidity drain,” the company’s Chief Restructuring Officer Alpesh Amin said in a December bankruptcy filing. Ideanomics spent about $320 million to fund the acquisitions, he added.

A representative for Morgan Stanley declined to comment. Lawyers for Ideanomics didn’t immediately return messages sent Monday seeking comment.

Ideanomics paid a $2 million “announcement fee”, which Morgan Stanley said it credited the company for. The unpaid portion of the fee will be treated in bankruptcy court as unsecured debt, which is usually repaid in Chapter 11 for pennies on the dollar.

An entity linked to Shane McMahon, the company’s executive chairman, is funding the bankruptcy and has also offered to acquire the firm’s assets, according to court documents. McMahon is the son of Linda McMahon, who is expected to be nominated as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for education secretary, and Vince McMahon, the former chief executive officer of World Wrestling Entertainment.

The case is Ideanomics Inc., number 24-12728, in the US Bankruptcy Court in the District of Delaware.

source: BNNBloomberg

WWE & TNA Wrestling announce multi-year partnership

WWE part of TKO Group Holdings and TNA Wrestling, one of the world’s top wrestling brands and a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment, today announced a multi-year partnership aimed at creating unprecedented crossover opportunities within WWE and TNA programming for NXT Superstars and TNA Wrestling Stars.

The agreement will enable talent to garner additional exposure across key WWE and TNA programming, including weekly flagship shows such as NXT – which airs live on The CW – and TNA iMPACT!, select WWE Premium Live Events and TNA pay-per-views, in turn bolstering their in-ring development with exposure to world-class talent and coaching.

“This historic relationship demonstrates that collaboration and competition do not have to be mutually exclusive,” said Ariel Shnerer, Senior Vice President of Content & Distribution for TNA Wrestling and Anthem Sports & Entertainment. “Our partnership allows the TNA Wrestling brand and its incredible athletes to reach a significantly wider audience, while giving WWE and NXT stars an opportunity to cross the line and gain valuable experience, as they join forces with one of the most talented rosters in professional wrestling today. The response to our collaboration over the past year has been tremendous and both companies have benefited, but the fans have reaped the greatest rewards from this talent crossover and working relationship.”

“We look forward to growing and evolving our partnership with TNA Wrestling and its outstanding group of athletes by creating new opportunities to further the development of our talent and to elevate the viewer experience at home,” said WWE Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative Shawn Michaels.

Former TNA Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace and Joe Hendry frequently appeared on NXT programming in 2024, highlighted by an NXT Championship match featuring Hendry and Ethan Page at No Mercy, and an NXT Women’s Championship match featuring Grace and Roxanne Perez at Battleground.

Many NXT Superstars also crossed the line into TNA Wrestling, including Wes Lee’s short-lived reunion with The Rascalz, Charlie Dempsey and the No Quarter Catch Crew, Riley Osbourne, Dante Chen, Gallus, Arianna Grace, Tatum Paxley, Izzi Dame, Wendy Choo, Brinley Reece and more.

TNA iMPACT! airs on AXS TV and TNA+ in the U.S., in addition to being distributed internationally on TNA+ and other leading broadcast platforms, including Sportsnet 360 across Canada.

In November 2023, WWE and The CW announced a five-year agreement to bring NXT to broadcast television for the first time in its 13-year history.