Big Changes Coming To WWE Network In 2019

The WWE Network will see some huge changes in 2019, according to the company's Q1 earnings call. 

During the call with investors, WWE Co-President George Barrios noted that their team has been working on the new platform for over a year, and they are very excited for it to be released. 

The re-launched Network will include new features fans have been asking for for a while, though did not specify what these features will be.

Last year, WWE sent out a survey that gauged interest on a potential premium tier of the Network, which would offer "more content, features, and perks" for $15 per month

Source: WWE

Dean Malenko Is No Longer With The WWE

Former WCW United States Champion Dean Malenko is no longer with WWE. Malenko had been with the company since retiring from the ring in 2001.

Sports Illustrated reported on Thursday that Malenko quit the company. According to PWInsider, Malenko might have been let go.

"Hurricane" Shane Helms, Sonjay Dutt, Shawn Daivari, "Abyss" Chris Parks and WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett have been hired in recent months as producers. PWInsider noted that with the newer hires, many of the older producers are being "cycled on and off the road." There has reportedly been some concern that this is the start of some of the older producers being replaced.

WWE Hall Of Famer Says Sasha Banks 'Made The Biggest Mistake Of Her Wrestling Career'

Since her match at WrestleMania 35 along with Bayley against the IIconics, Natalya & Beth Phoenix, and Nia Jax & Tamina, Sasha Bankshas been missing from television. Reportedly, this is due to her frustrations with creative, particularly with her late notice of losing the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship to the IIconics at MetLife stadium.

Over the past couple of years, Banks has expressed dissatisfaction with her direction in WWE in previous interviews. In addition to it being nearly two years since she has been Women's Champion, her four title reigns spanning from July 25, 2016 to August 28, 2017 lasted only a total of 82 days.

Despite these factors, WWE Hall of Famer Tony Atlas adamantly disapproves of Banks' desire to quit the company. In a recent interview with Boston Wrestling MWF, Atlas shared his thoughts on the situation, feeling that Banks is making a bad decision to hold WWE up while she is sitting at home. To Atlas, Banks is making a "power play," which will backfire. He feels that WWE will fire Banks for "putting fear into her employee."

"They never fire you on the spot," said Atlas. "You always get it at home. That's why they say go home and think about it. Now what they do, they have a meeting. Now, if she [does] decide to come back, they're going to destroy her. Her career is over. They'll job her out. She lost [reliability], because what she... just told them, 'you can't trust me.' That's all she did. She let the wrestling world [down], and not just the wrestling world; everybody [who is] affiliated with the WWE is looking at it the same way."

Atlas stated that "WWE don't need Sasha Banks; Sasha Banks needs WWE, "and Banks will find herself going "lower and lower on the totem pole" without the backing of WWE. He also believes that "every woman in the WWE celebrated" when word got around that she wants to quit, because it opens up an opportunity for them.

"You know how many women right now [are] kissing up to Triple H, kissing up to Stephanie [McMahon] and saying, 'who are you gonna put in that spot?' She left a spot. They're glad she's gone. Every woman there is glad Sasha's gone. She's gone. Vince is not going to let [her do that]. If Vince let her do that, [this is] what you gotta understand, he just told every wrestler there that they could do that."

Knowing that Vince McMahon is a smart businessman and "don't get into nothing without first having a way out," Atlas feels that Banks could be making the worst decision of her wrestling career.

"She made the biggest mistake of her wrestling career," said Atlas. "They would never push her like that again." Atlas believes that anyone who leaves WWE after using the company to gain popularity is "working their way down," instead of up, because "everything [else] out there is beneath him." He adds that Vince will "make it hard" on Banks and use her as an example to the other women.

Source: Boston Wrestling MWF

WWE Stock Drops Over $13 After Financial Report Is Released

WWE stock had been rising to nearly $100 (and even surpassed the point recently before trading had closed), but it’s not remotely close to it anymore. After the company released their first quarter 2019 financial results and had a net income of a loss of 8.4 million, it dropped over $13. WWE stock is now at $85.38 after starting the day at $98.54.

That’s a loss of over 13% and not the way any company wants to see the financial world react to their latest quarterly numbers.

WWE Stock Hits $100 For The First Time Ever

WWE stock is once again booming and managed to smash the $100 mark today for the very first time since the company went public in October 1999.

Shares hit $100.10 before dropping back into the $99 range.

With the current value, WWE has a market cap of $7.5 billion and the company is looking to increase that with the upcoming new India and United Kingdom television deals.

Eric Bischoff comments on the risk taken by those who work for WWE

I knew what I was getting into when I signed that agreement. I knew there was going to be no health insurance. I knew there was going to be no retirement. Nobody talked to me about a 401(k). I’m intelligent enough to read the agreement I signed…I know what to expect, in return for my services. So it’s hard for me to relate to people that bitch and whine about it after the fact. If you don’t like that situation, you don’t like the fact that WWE is not offering you the things that maybe you could get at, I don’t know IBM or Apple or an airline, then go work there. But if you’re like me or I’m sure many people who aspire for an opportunity for greatness, like musicians do, you know what? You gotta roll the dice. And if you choose to roll the dice going into that deal knowing what it is and what it isn’t, then don’t bitch and whine about it afterwards.

Triple H Doesn't Think Vince McMahon Gets Enough Credit For Changing With The Times

WWE COO Triple H and Stephanie McMahon were interviewed by Sports Business Journal. During the discussion, Stephanie revealed that WWE's long term goal is to have a business plan similar to Disney's. Triple H also took some time to talk about Vince McMahon's part in the company's progress over the years.

More?

Sasha Banks' Husband Posts Statement

As we've noted, Banks reportedly tried to quit WWE over WrestleMania 35 Weekend as she was said to be "blindsided" over WWE's decision to put the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles on The IIconics so soon. It was also reported that Bayley and Banks caused scenes backstage at MetLife Stadium and at the WWE hotel, laying on the floor and making it known they were unhappy about the title change. You can read our reports on Banks trying to quit at this link and the report on Banks and Bayley at this link.

Banks' husband, WWE costume designer Mikaze, took to Twitter yesterday and posted a message that fans assume is related to the Banks situation.

Mikaze wrote the following, which could be a copied quote, "In life, there comes a point in time where passion and pleasure intersect with business and finances. Where the smart choice completely contradicts the right one. And when that time comes, some people will understand, but most people won't. They'll talk about you. They'll question whether you made a mistake. They'll cry because they miss you. They'll laugh and say good riddance. But at the end of the day, your choices are your own. They're not for anyone to understand except yourself. Life will become difficult. The roads you travel may get rockier. Believe in yourself. Believe in your dreams and what they mean to you. And as long as you stay true to who you are, and why you make the choices you make, then they will always be the right ones."

Rumor Mill - Sasha Banks And Bayley Reportedly Cause A Bad Scene Over WrestleMania Loss

Sasha Banks felt "blindsided" by the decision to put the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles on The IIconics and reportedly tried to quit the company. It was noted that she expected to have a strong run with Bayley and the titles. According to the report, which you can read at this link, Banks has been given time to think everything over before making a decision.

Ryan Satin of Pro Wrestling Sheet took to Twitter today and reported that Banks and Bayley were laying on the floor of the locker room at Met Life Stadium on Sunday, "loudly making it known they were unhappy" about dropping the titles. It was also noted that they made a similar scene back at the WWE hotel.

"Heard from a few sources now saying Sasha Banks and Bayley were laying on the floor of the locker room on Sunday, and back at the hotel in front of one of their rooms, loudly making it known they were unhappy about losing the tag titles," Satin wrote on Twitter.

Satin defended his report and said he heard the same information from multiple sources. "This info is from four different sources I've spoken with the past day. All independent from each other and all came to me about it, not the other way around," he wrote in one tweet to a fan. He continued in another tweet, "Was told this by four separate people who have no relation to each other. There were a lot of people staying in the hotel during Mania weekend."

WWE Release Official Press Statement On WWE Superstar Shake-Up

WWE SUPERSTAR SHAKE-UP ON RAW AND SMACKDOWN LIVE THIS MONDAY AND TUESDAY the world were surprised when it was announced that the WWE roster will once again undergo a seismic shift on this week’s editions of Monday Night Raw and SmackDown Live, both airing live at 8/7C on USA Network this Monday and Tuesday night

Both sides have been granted an opportunity to make any roster moves that they feel fit.

Tune into this week’s Raw and SmackDown Live on USA to see where your favorite Superstars land, as the WWE landscape prepares to undergo a major change.

Click here to view a teaser for the Superstar Shake-Up.

On air for more than 26 years, Monday Night Raw is the longest running weekly episodic television show in U.S. primetime history with 1,350 episodesand consistently a ratings juggernaut in all of cable. SmackDown Live is the second longest-running weekly episodic program in U.S. television history with 1,025 episodes.

WWE Sets New MetLife Stadium Attendance Record For WrestleMania 35

At last night’s WWE WrestleMania 35 event, it was announced by WrestleMania host Alexa Bliss that WWE had set a new attendance record for MetLife Stadium thanks to the event.

It was announced that the new attendance record for the venue is 82,265.

Triple H Announces New "Can't Miss" WWE Studio Show For FS1 To Premiere Later This Year

Photo Credit: Twitter

Triple H appeared on Fox Sports this morning to announce that WWE will premiere a new studio show on FS1 this fall. The discussion show will air on Tuesday nights.

It was noted that more details on the studio show will be announced soon, including the premiere date and the weekly timeslot. It was noted that there will be familiar faces on the show, from the past and present.

WWE SmackDown will jump to Fox beginning Friday, October 4. It's been rumored that more WWE programming could be included in the new deal with Fox and WWE has wanted to do a studio show for some time now.

Triple H said this studio show is something he's wanted to do for a long time.

"This is something I've wanted to happen for a long time," Triple H revealed. "I think this is the perfect opportunity for it. A studio show, for us, it kind of, because of the sports entertainment aspect of it, it's an endless show where you're talking about the athletic component of it, it's also an entertainment... where you're talking about where things are going, the storylines and the characters all of it. This is going to be one of those shows, that if you're a WWE fan, across the board, this is the show that will be 'can't miss' because it's going to talk about everything you love, in a way you can't get anywhere else."

Triple H continued, "To take people deeper into the personal lives and the day-to-days of what goes on behind-the-scenes to being a WWE Superstar, and anything that goes with it. That success, that failure, that heartbreak, that sorrow, that elation of WrestleMania moments, all of it. To see that all take place here, but in a way that's never been shown before. I can't wait for this."

WWE To Partner With A&E For Five Hall Of Famer Documentaries

The WWE will partner with the A&E Network to create five unique documentary biographies about WWE Hall of Famers. 

In a statement from A&E, the company said they were "thrilled for the tremendous opportunity" to create documentaries for Shawn Michaels, Booker T, 'Macho Man' Randy Savage, 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper and 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin.

Biography: “Macho Man” Randy Savage – Directed by Billy Corben (“Cocaine Cowboys,” “Screwball,” “The U”), this film will tell the larger-than-life story of one of the most colorful and charismatic Superstars to ever step foot inside the ring. With two WWE Championships, four WCW® World Championships and a 14-month reign as Intercontinental Champion, Savage became known for his famous catch phrases, larger-than-life personality and the enormous, flashy robes he wore into the ring. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2015.

Biography: “Rowdy” Roddy Piper – Directed by Emmy and Peabody Award winner Joe Lavine (ESPN 30 for 30 “Playing for the Mob,” HBO “Namath”) this film focuses on “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, who is universally considered one of WWE’s greatest villains. During his Hall of Fame career, he played the role of the antagonist against a who’s who of WWE greats, while amassing more than 30 championships.

Biography: Booker T – Directed by Emmy and Peabody Award winner George Roy (“The Curse of the Bambino”, “Mayweather”), this film showcases one of the greatest Superstars in sports entertainment history. Booker T is an 11-time WCW Tag Team Champion, a six-time World Champion, winner of the 2006 King of the Ring Tournament, and a two-time (2013 and 2019) inductee into the WWE Hall of Fame. In addition to his Hall of Fame career in the ring, Booker T also went on to become a color commentator for WWE’s weekly programming.

Biographies for Stone Cold Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels will be announced at a later date. These films are slated to air in 2021.

John Oliver Takes Down WWE, ‘A**hole’ Vince McMahon On Wrestlers’ Health Care; WWE Responds

John Oliver loves pro wrestling, and it’s breaking his heart that the WWE is treating its athletes like “circus animals,” as one wrestler put it.

So the “Last Week Tonight” host on Sunday staged his own cage match against the WWE and its boss, Vince McMahon.

The comedian grappled with working conditions at the WWE, which he said gets away with regarding performers as independent contractors even though it signs them to exclusive contracts.

The predicament leaves the wrestlers with health and financial protection so meager that it makes McMahon look like an “asshole,” Oliver said. The wrestlers have a “shockingly high” premature death rate, added Oliver, who compared the WWE rather unfavorably with another sports organization with battered alums.

“When you’ve lost the moral high ground to the fucking NFL, you are morally subterranean,” the HBO host said.

The WWE issued a statement in response to the segment on Monday, writing to HuffPost:

John Oliver is clearly a clever and humorous entertainer, however the subject matter covered in his WWE segment is no laughing matter. Prior to airing, WWE responded to his producers refuting every point in his one-sided presentation. John Oliver simply ignored the facts.

The health and wellness of our performers is the single most important aspect of our business, and we have a comprehensive, longstanding Talent Wellness program.

We invite John Oliver to attend WrestleMania this Sunday to learn more about our company.

Linda McMahon To Step Down From Small Business Administration, Reportedly Raising Funds For Trump

Former WWE CEO Linda McMahon is expected to announce later today that she is stepping down as the head of the Small Business Administration.

Linda is expected to rejoin the private sector, according to Politico. Her exact plans are unclear, but a source close to Linda said she plans on playing a fundraising role for President Donald Trump's 2020 re-election campaign. Linda was expected to join Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida this weekend.

Trump named McMahon as the head of his SBA back in December 2016. Trump administration officials have long seen Linda as a leading contender to replace Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross when he eventually steps down, but that won't be happening.

Vince McMahon Sells Millions Of Dollars Worth Of WWE Stock To Help Fund The XFL

A new SEC filing made by WWE today revealed that Vince McMahon sold 3,204,427 shares of company stock, worth around $270 million.

The filing noted that the sale was primarily to fund Vince's Alpha Entertainment LLC, which oversees the XFL football league that will re-launch in 2020. Vince informed the company that he has no current plan to sell additional shares, and that he intends to continue his role as WWE Chairman and CEO for the foreseeable future.

The shares sold today represent 4.1% of the total outstanding shares of stock. Vince still owns 28,682,948 shares of WWE stock, which represents approximately 36.8% of the company's total shares of stock and 80.1% of the total voting power.

Joan Jett To Perform ‘Bad Reputation’ For Ronda Rousey Live at WrestleMania 35

WWE has announced Joan Jett will be performing “Bad Reputation” live for Ronda Rousey’s ring entrance at WrestleMania 35.

Rousey will defend her Raw women’s title at WrestleMania 35 against Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair. The match will main event the show.

Major Stipulation Added to Triple H vs. Batista Match at WrestleMania 35

During tonight's edition of WWE Monday Night Raw, it was revealed that in addition to the No Holds Barred stipulation for the Triple H-Dave Batista match at WrestleMania 35, Triple H's in-ring career will also be on the line as well.

WrestleMania to feature first-ever women's main event

For the first time in WWE history, a women’s match will be the main event of WrestleMania as the Raw Women’s Championship Match featuring Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch will take place on Sunday, April 7, in front of a capacity crowd at MetLife Stadium and streaming live on WWE Network around the world.  

Ronda Rousey is the current Raw Women’s Champion, Olympic medalist, the first female UFC Champion and the first woman to be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. She is also an actress and New York Times bestselling author. Charlotte Flair is a seven-time Champion in WWE, a former Division 1 volleyball player, philanthropist and author. She is the daughter of two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair. Becky Lynch is the 2019 Women's Royal Rumble winner, a two-time SmackDown Women's Champion and was named Wrestler of the Year by both Sports Illustrated and CBS Sports in 2018. She was also the first woman ever to top ESPN’s WWE Power Rankings.

At WrestleMania 32 in 2016, WWE re-branded the Divas Division the Women’s Division and unveiled a new Women’s Championship title. Since that time, the women’s evolution has placed a greater spotlight on WWE’s female Superstars, including more prominent storylines and deeper character development that showcases their athleticism, charisma and star power.

Last October, WWE held it’s first-ever all-women’s pay-per-view event, Evolution, in front of a sold-out crowd and millions more watching on WWE Network.

Stephanie McMahon and Paul Levesque open new suite at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh

WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon and Executive Vice President, Talent, Live Events & Creative Paul Levesque donated $1 million to open a new suite at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.

McMahon and Levesque were on-hand Thursday, March 21, to cut the ribbon for the MIBG Therapy Suite, which was established to treat high-risk neuroblastoma. They personally donated $1 million in May 2018 to fund the suite.


In 2014, WWE created Connor’s Cure, a fund in honor of Connor Michalek, an 8-year-old WWE fan, to raise funds for pediatric cancer research to benefit UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. WWE supports Connor’s Cure through the V Foundation grant-making process.

Levesque said that his focus with the donation was to raise awareness.

“The biggest thing we can do is spread the word,” Levesque said. “The thing that impacted us the most when we met Connor was how little is done for kids. That doesn’t change until everybody is involved. Few people can make that difference. Everybody has to make that difference. Everybody has to hear that message. Everybody has to hear those words. Everybody has to understand what is needed to make that change.

“So instead of thanking, please go out, spread the word. Tell as many people as you can. Get them to go out there, get engaged and make a difference. Like [Dr. Jean Tersak, M.D.] said, we won’t stop until it’s 100 percent.”

Stephanie added that Connor inspired her and her husband to do something more, which led to the creation of Connor’s Cure.

The relationship between WWE and the hospital grew over the years, and McMahon joined the board for the UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation, where she learned more about the need for funding for pediatric cancer research.

“Currently, only 4 percent of all money from the government spent on cancer treatment goes to pediatrics,” WWE’s Chief Brand Officer said. “There have only been 10 drugs in the past 40 years developed for kids with cancer, and those kids are given the same dosages that adults are given because there is just not enough known.”

McMahon and WWE Superstars have visited the hospital many times in the five years since the creation of Connor’s Cure.

Stephanie praised the hospital staff, from Dr. Tersak to Connor’s favorite nurse, Stacy, who McMahon ran into before the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“Thank you for your tireless efforts, for never giving up, for constantly searching for ways to help these kids in all of their illnesses,” McMahon said. “This is a phenomenal hospital that we are proud to partner with.”

Both McMahon and Levesque emphasized that their work is not over.

Levesque urged everyone in attendance to spread the word to make sure everyone worked toward eliminating pediatric cancer, and he thanked the child who made this partnership happen.

“If there’s anybody that I’d like to thank, it’s right here. Thank you for the courage to be here. Spread your message so that others will spread that word. Thank you and thank you for Connor. He was the light that made that possible. He’s why we’re here."

WWE Announces New Global Headquarters in Stamford

WWE today announced that the company will move its global headquarters to a new office complex at 677 Washington Boulevard in Stamford, Connecticut. This move will allow the company to bring together its operations, including its production studios and corporate offices at its new site.

“One of the most important elements necessary to execute WWE’s long-term growth strategy is world-class talent collaborating seamlessly to create compelling content. Our workplace initiative will be the foundation to meet these objectives and underpins our ability to deliver long-term value,” said George Barrios, WWE Co-President.

The new headquarters will provide the company with work space suited to its growing and evolving workforce. The site in Stamford’s central business district provides greater access from various means of transportation, floor plans which are well-suited to producing video content and greater flexibility in workplace design. The Company anticipates that it will move to the new headquarters in early 2021.

WWE will lease the space for an initial term of approximately 16.5 years commencing no earlier than July 1, 2019, with five five-year renewal options thereafter. The lease will be accounted for as a finance lease, with the creation of a lease obligation (equal to the present value of future lease payments, which would result in the recognition of interest expense over time) and a right-of-use lease asset (equal to the lease obligation less tenant incentives, which is depreciated on a straight-line basis through depreciation expense). Accordingly, the accounting for the lease agreement is not expected to have a material impact on Adjusted OIBDA. Depreciation expense associated with the right-of-use asset will be reflected in operating income. The Company’s capital expenditure guidance reflects this initiative. That guidance estimated capital expenditures of approximately $70 million to $90 million for 2019 with continued spending in 2020 above the historic range of approximately 4% to 7% of revenue. Additionally, the company expects to sell its owned and operated corporate facility at 1241 East Main Street, exit its leased spaces at 1266 East Main Street, and will evaluate options for its production studio facilities at 88 and 120 Hamilton Avenue based on strategic, operating and financial considerations.

Backstage News On Arn Anderson's WWE Firing

Arn Anderson was released from WWE in February due to an incident at a live event with Alicia Fox.

Wrestling Inc. has confirmed with multiple sources that Anderson was fired because Fox showed up at a live event intoxicated. Anderson was the agent for her match and allowed her to perform. Vince McMahon was reportedly furious when he found out. There were apparently some other issues, however that was the final straw.

Anderson had been working with WWE since WCW folded in 2001. He would occasionally appear in backstage segments and even got physical at the WWE Starrcade event in November of 2017, where he delivered his trademark spinebuster to Dolph Ziggler.

Fox's status is unclear. She was not backstage at RAW last week.

Roman Reigns announces his leukemia is in remission

“The Big Dog is back!”

So said Roman Reigns on Monday Night Raw, four months after the former Universal Champion revealed to the WWE Universe that he would be stepping away from the ring to battle leukemia, a condition that he has lived with for 11 years.

“When I made my announcement, I said I was going to swing for the fences. We did better than that, y’all. We didn’t just swing for the fences, man, we hit a homerun,” Reigns said. “I’m in remission, y’all.”

Rumor Mill - Backstage Update on Arn Anderson's Release: Incident with Vince McMahon

In an update on the story about Arn Anderson's release from WWE, Dave Meltzer commented on the situation on Wrestling Observer Radio:

“Arn got fired. It’s an incident, I mean everyone is pretty much keeping quiet about what it was, but it was an incident with Vince. I know people who are siding with Arn. I know people who are siding with Vince. I don’t know the whole details of the incident other than it was something at a house show that evidently wasn’t handled well and Arn took the blame for that. Arn and Vince were not really on the best of terms. There had been a lot of situations over the years and another one not too long ago. You know the thing with Arn is he’s well-liked by key people — Triple H, John Cena, you know he’s John Cena’s agent.“

WWE Hall Of Famer Tammy "Sunny" Sytch Arrested In New Jersey

Sources at PWInsider have learned that WWE Hall of Famer Tammy "Sunny" Sytch was arrested in Freehold, New Jersey yesterday. Sytch currently remains incarcerated at the Monmouth County Corrections Facility as we anticipate further details about her arrest.


A bench warrant was apparently issued for Sytch in the State of Pennsylvania on 2/15, as well. On that day, the Carbon County Probation Department started the process to revoke Sytch's October 2018 parole. Court records indicate that Sytch paid a $120 fee in the months of October and November 2018 to begin reimbursing the State of Pennsylvania for the costs in her legal cases. Since then, Sytch reportedly did not make any additional payments.

Hulk Hogan Biopic Reportedly Coming To Netflix

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Hulkamania will run wild on Netflix. A deal is nearly done to bring the story of Hulk Hogan to life. Thor actor Chris Hemsworth is slated to play The Hulkster. The movie is being directed by Todd Phillips and Eric Bischoff is listed as one of the film's co-producers. No release date has been given.

Chyna’s Mother Comments On Her Daughter’s WWE HOF Announcement, Will Be In Attendance For Induction

Pro Wrestling Sheet caught up with Chyna‘s mother Jan LaQue after it was announced that her daughter will be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame this April alongside her fellow D-Generation X members. LaQue responded with the following:

“I am absolutely thrilled. And so is my husband. We have been invited to the ceremony and will be so proud to be there and celebrate this awesome occasion. She certainly earned this, to say the least.”

Pro Wrestling Sheet also states that LaQue gives credit to the social media manager for her daughter in helping to get the word out about Joanie Laurer long deserving the Hall Of Fame nod and thanks WWE for giving Laurer the recognition.

You can read Pro Wrestling Sheet‘s original write-up by going here.

Corey Graves Separated From Wife For Months, Divorce Close To Being Finalized

Corey Graves’ ex-wife publicly accused the WWE announcer this weekend of cheating on her with Carmella, but we’re told the truth of the matter is different.

Sources close to Graves tell us he and Amy Polinksy have been in the divorce process for around six months and Corey has been living in a different home for two of those months.

We’re told Corey informed his ex over the weekend that he was now seeing someone else — a relationship that began after he had moved out of their home — and she reacted in a very public way. In case you missed it … Amy posted a photo on Twitter of their family and claimed Graves had been “sleeping with one of my daughters role models all along,” Carmella.

Polinksy deleted the post, but posted others throughout the day about the situation before her Instagram account was taken down.

Our sources say that despite how it was made to sound on social media, Corey did not get caught cheating on his wife with Carmella and their divorce is close to being finalized.


source: prowrestlingsheet.com

Triple H On Chyna's WWE HOF Induction

ESPN noted how fans have wanted Chyna's role in WWE history to be better recognized, and how her induction with DX is a major step forward in that regard. Triple H said Chyna absolutely deserves to be in the Hall.

"Look, people believe what they want to believe. When I said a few years ago on the Austin podcast, or show, or whatever you want to call it, there's complexities around it," said Triple H. "But absolutely, definitely deserves to be in there. It'd be tough to pick a female that was more impactful on the business. She did something that was completely so out of left field that it wasn't even being considered when we first brought it up for her to come in. It wasn't even a consideration... it wasn't an easy thing, and against all odds she did all of that. She earned everybody's trust. She won over the fans. She won over the boys. She did all of it. From that standpoint, absolutely 100 percent deserves to be in the Hall of Fame, and should probably be more than once -- as a group, but individually as well. There's more complexity to that than meets the eye, but here we are. I'm just happy that it's here. I'm happy for her family, the people that she was close to, that hopefully this is super meaningful to them. I know it would be to her. It's a great thing -- very deserving."

D-Generation X to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2019

Are you ready?

As first reported by ESPN, D-Generation X, the most rebellious group in WWE history, are the first inductees in the WWE Hall of Fame Class of 2019. As first reported by ESPN, Triple H, Shawn Michaels (who now joins Ric Flair as a two-time inductee), Road Dogg, Billy Gunn, X-Pac and the late Chynawill take their place in sports-entertainment history during the 2019 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, April 6, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y., during WrestleMania 35 Week. Tickets for the ceremony will be available starting Friday, Feb. 22, at 12 p.m. ET.

DX was born out of the friendship between Shawn Michaels and Triple H, along with Chyna and their “insurance policy,” “Ravishing” Rick Rude. The two pals were lewd, rude and in-your-face, bucking authority and letting anyone in their way know that they had two words for them. Their penchant for crossing the line with regularity led to Bret “Hit Man” Hart calling Michaels “nothing more than a degenerate,” which HBK embraced, sparking the idea behind the alliance’s name.

When Michaels went on a hiatus from the squared circle following WrestleMania XIV, Triple H expanded the membership of the group, welcoming in The New Age Outlaws, Road Dogg & Billy Gunn, and the cocky X-Pac. Though you might not think it would be possible, the new DX turned up the irreverence to 11 and helped lead WWE into the Attitude Era. DX’s defiance wasn’t just limited to WWE. In one of the most infamous and groundbreaking moments of the era, the rebels hopped aboard a tank and drove from Monday Night Raw to rival WCW’s Monday Nitro, launching one of the biggest attacks in The Monday Night War.

he group eventually went their separate ways, but the DX name would not be limited to the history books after that. Following a long rivalry against each other, Michaels and Triple H patched things up and donned the green and black once again. The reunited DX may have only been the tag team of The Game & HBK, but that did not stop them from making Mr. McMahon’s life a living hell. The two troublemakers were a thorn in the side of the WWE Chairman, subjecting him to a flurry of pranks, even going so far as to vandalize Mr. McMahon’s personal limo and jet, and leaving their mark on the façade of WWE’s world headquarters. But it wasn’t only fun and games for Michaels & Triple H, as they also captured the WWE Tag Team Championship along the way.

Even though they disbanded once again and moved on to other roles within the industry, the DX Army maintained a close bond, and the tight-knit unit got the band back together for special occasions like Monday Night Raw’s 25th Anniversary, where they shared a “too sweet” moment with the Bálor Club.

And now, D-Generation X will enter the annals of sports-entertainment history. What will the rebels have to say when they take their place in the WWE Hall of Fame? Find out during the 2019 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony on Saturday, April 6, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. during WrestleMania 35 Week.

Matt Riddle Thinks NXT Has Potential To Be WWE'S Top Brand

TMZ Sports recently interviewed Matt Riddle. "The King of Bros" compared NXT to WWE's main roster and the possibility of NXT rising to the top of the company food chain in the future. Highlights and video are below.

NXT:

“I think we’re just different, and I know that’s easy to say. But we’re different, we’re new, we’re fresh, and we’re not the same watered down child’s product that WWE has kind of turned into a lot. And when people watch us — even though it’s scripted a lot of the time — it’s more real. It’s more believable.”

Moving To Main Roster:

“You know, funny enough, I was thinking about that the other day, and I want to get to the main roster. But then I was thinking, ‘Well, maybe I’m thinking about it wrong’ because NXT is so hot. Maybe we should stay and try to make it bigger than RAW and SmackDown, and just make it one—like the big guy, you know, which isn’t impossible I don’t think.”

NXT Being On Top Of WWE:

“The big thing is Vince [McMahon] owns RAW, SmackDown— he owns everything, and those are his babies. He’s had them forever. So, I think the probability of NXT taking over at that level is probably hard. But at the same time, I don’t see it too far from the future with us being on the same playing field as RAW and SmackDown.”

New WWE Women's Tag Team Champions Crowned At Elimination Chamber

Sasha Banks and Bayley became the first WWEWomen's Tag Team Champions by winning the women's Elimination Chamber match at tonight's Elimination Chamber pay-per-view.

Banks and Bayley are the first champions recognized under these new titles. Other teams in tonight's match were Naomi and Carmella, Sonya Deville and Mandy Rose, Tamina Snukaand Nia Jax, Liv Morgan and Sarah Logan, The IIconics.

Tonight's match started with Rose and Deville vs. Banks and Bayley. Carmella and Naomi were eliminated first by The IIconics. The IIconics were eliminated second by Jax and Snuka. The Riott Squad was eliminated next by Snuka and Jax. Jax and Snuka were eliminated next by Bayley. Banks and Bayley then eliminated Deville and Rose to win the titles.