WWE wins at prestigious Cablefax FAXIES

WWE captured several honors at the prestigious Cablefax FAXIES 2020.

WWE Advanced Media EVP Jayar Donlan won for Digital Executive of the Year, while WWE's Social Media team also claimed the victory for Overall Social Presence. In the Overall Social Presence category, WWE bested MTV's "Wild 'N Out" and Crown Media Family Networks' "When Calls the Heart Facebook Live."

Additionally, WWE's partnership with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society came in second place for Social Good Campaign, while WWE Network's WWE 24 took third place for Use of Video/Moving Image.

Jerry McDevitt Alleges Recent CTE Lawsuit Was "Plagiarized" NFL Suit, Reveals Amount WWE Is Owed

On Tuesday's episode of The Wrestling Inc. Daily podcast, Wrestling Inc. Managing Editor Nick Hausman sat down with longtime WWE lawyer Jerry McDevitt after WWE's recent victory in the CTE lawsuits brought against them. McDevitt went through the history of the lawsuits brought to WWE by attorney Konstantine Kyros.

"Well in the beginning, we noticed prior to October of 2014, this Kyros fellow was advertising on the internet and soliciting former wrestlers to contact him to bring lawsuits that would be patterned after the cases that had been brought against the NFL, which if you remember, resulted in the NFL agreeing to pay a billion dollars plus end up settling," McDevitt recalled. "And when they did that, they kind of emboldened a lot of the plaintiffs, class action lawyers and what not to sue anybody that had any kind of history with head trauma, concussions or things of that nature. And so they did.

"They brought lawsuits against college football teams in the NCAA and high school teams, water polo. You name it, and Kyros' solicitations suggested in his website suggested, incorrectly we believe, that he had somehow been involved in obtaining the settlement for the NFL players and would be able to replicate that if only these wrestlers would agree to hire him so he could sue the WWE to get the same amount of money and the same thing for the former wrestlers. So he was basically soliciting them with promises of there's nothing to lose.

"You can get money out of this, and I'll take a contingent fee of what I get, but it won't cost you anything, and he actually went out on radio shows and stuff and podcasts and was making statements to the effect that well, the more people that sign up, the more pressure we can bring on WWE to settle these cases and pay us a lot of money. And we know he had told these people that he would be able to use this litigation to renegotiate contracts that were expired long ago and get them better royalties and a bunch of nonsense frankly."

McDevitt continued discussing the other lawsuits brought against WWE by multiple individuals. All concussion-related lawsuits were dismissed by the courts in 2018.

"And I feel bad that he misled so many people because he did,

More?

AEW Draws Over 1 Million Viewers With PPV Fallout

While the two shows did not go head-to-head once again this week, Week 48 of the Wednesday Night War went to AEW Dynamite over WWE NXT.

The numbers have just been released for last night's post-All Out edition of AEW Dynamite on TNT. Dynamite aired on its normal timeslot this week but NXT aired on Tuesday due to the NHL Playoffs on the USA Network.

Wednesday's Dynamite episode drew 1.016 million viewers (+9.5% from last week) on TNT, topping the 838,000 viewers garnered by Tuesday's NXT Super Tuesday II by 21%, according to Showbuzz Daily.

AEW ranked #7 in the Cable Top 150 for the 18-49 demo and #55 in viewership.

Last week's Dynamite episode drew 928,000 viewers and ranked #8 in the Cable Top 150, and #61 in viewership.

This is the best AEW viewership of 2020 and the third-best viewership of all-time. Their TNT premiere on October 2 drew 1.409 million viewers while the October 9 episode drew 1.018 million viewers. Their third episode drew 1.014 million viewers, but this is the first time the show has hit 1 million viewers since then.

WWE Issues Statement Over Concussion Lawsuit Being Dismissed

"For nearly six years, WWE was subjected to stale and frivolous claims brought by Konstantine Kyros, whose misconduct triggered countless judicial opinions along the way. Today, the Second Circuit put an end to his pattern of baseless litigation, leaving open only the question of how much he must now pay to WWE as a sanction for his misconduct. We are grateful for the attention paid to these cases by the numerous federal judges who oversaw the litigation, and to the Second Circuit for its decision."

This appeal arises from seven cases consolidated in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut against the company by former WWE wrestlers, starting with a putative class action suit filed in October of 2014 by William Albert Haynes III, a.k.a Billy Jack Haynes. Two of the seven cases were not appealed. Kyros represented the plaintiffs / appellants in each of the cases.

The appeals of the cases brought by Haynes, Russ McCullough, Cassandra Frazier and Evan Singleton (Vito LoGrasso) were dismissed on the grounds that Kyros' appeal of those cases was not on time. Regarding the fifth case, brought by Joseph M. Laurinaitis (Road Warrior Animal), which involved dozens of former performers, the court decided on the merits and ruled that all those claims were either time barred or defective for the reasons cited by the trial judge.

Major Update On Concussion Related Lawsuits Filed Against WWE

The Second Circuit Court of Appeals today affirmed the dismissal of all the CTE cases filed against WWE by Konstantine Kyros.

This appeal arises from seven cases consolidated in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut against the company by former WWE wrestlers, starting with a putative class action suit filed in October of 2014 by William Albert Haynes III, a.k.a Billy Jack Haynes. Two of the seven cases were not appealed.

The former WWE talent claimed that they suffered CTE as well as other physical and mental health impairments due to the physical trauma they experienced while performing for the company. Kyros represented the plaintiffs / appellants in each of the cases.

The appeals of the cases brought by Haynes, Russ McCullough, Cassandra Frazier and Evan Singleton (Vito LoGrasso) were dismissed on the grounds that Kyros' appeal of those cases was not on time. Regarding the fifth case, brought by Joseph M. Laurinaitis (Road Warrior Animal), which involved dozens of former performers, the court decided on the merits and ruled that all those claims were either time barred or defective for the reasons cited by the trial judge.

It was noted to Wrestling Inc. that the amount of money that Kyros will have to pay WWE as a sanction is all that remains now to be decided.

More?

WWE Releases Statement On Talent Ending Third Party Deals

WWE has just released a statement on WWE talent ceasing third party deals by October 2:

"Much like Disney and Warner Bros., WWE creates, promotes and invests in its intellectual property, i.e. the stage names of performers like The Fiend Bray Wyatt, Roman Reigns, Big E and Braun Strowman. It is the control and exploitation of these characters that allows WWE to drive revenue, which in turn enables the company to compensate performers at the highest levels in the sports entertainment industry. Notwithstanding the contractual language, it is imperative for the success of our company to protect our greatest assets and establish partnerships with third parties on a companywide basis, rather than at the individual level, which as a result will provide more value for all involved."

Vince McMahon, WWE give talents 30 days to end third party deals

It would appear that the era of WWE talent using Twitch, Cameo, YouTube, and other third parties to make extra income and build names for themselves outside WWE is coming to an end.

First reported by Wrestling Inc. and confirmed by our Bryan Alvarez, Vince McMahon sent a letter to talents on Thursday, saying they have 30 days to stop engaging with third parties or else face fines, suspensions and even termination at WWE's discretion.

It's unclear what "third parties" means, however. Several wrestlers operate successful Twitch and YouTube channels where they interact with fans while playing video games or other activities.
The letter comes following a Sunday meeting with talent about the "reinvention of the product" where it came up that WWE owns the real names of talent in addition to their character names.

WWE wrestlers are independent contractors, so there is a legal question of what WWE can mandate and what they can/do own.

From the letter: "Some of you are engaged with outside third parties using your name and likeness in ways that are detrimental to our company. It is imperative that these activities be terminated within the next 30 days (by Friday October 2). Continued violations will result in fines, suspension, or termination at WWE's discretion.

Wrestling Inc. also said McMahon wrote that these actions are necessary as part of WWE's rebuilding process as they "enter the next phase of growth at WWE."

source: wrestling observer

Rumor Mill - WWE Is Reportedly Considering Cutting Back On Live Events Permanently

In the wake of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, many things abruptly changed within WWE earlier this year. This includes the company's demanding touring schedule that typically takes WWE superstars around the globe all year round.

It looks as though the changes to WWE's live event schedule may remain the same even after COVID-19 is a less prominent issue. There have been talks within WWE as of late to permanently cut back on the number of live shows produced, according to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio.

It was noted that this will most likely affect house shows more than the major network shows like RAW, SmackDown, or NXT.

WWE stars of the past and present have been vocal about how demanding the yearly WWE schedule is on them.

WWE NXT Super Tuesday Episode Draws Strong Numbers With No Competition From AEW Dynamite

For the third week in a row, WWE NXT aired with no head-to-head competition from AEW Dynamite last night. This was the first of two NXT Super Tuesday episodes due to the NHL playoffs airing on the USA Network.

NXT drew 849,000 viewers on the USA Network last night, according to Showbuzz Daily. This is up 3% from last week's 824,000 viewers.

This is the third-best NXT viewership of 2020, and the eighth-best of all-time.

NXT drew a 0.26 rating in the 18-49 demographic this week. Last week's show drew a 0.24 in the same demo.

The 0.26 rating in the key demo is the best of 2020, and the best since the December 18 episode, which drew a 0.27 rating in the 18-49 demographic.

This week's show ranked #60 in viewership and #10 on the Cable Top 150. Last week's show ranked #24 on the Cable Top 150 and #83 in viewership.

This is a rare top 10 finish for NXT on the Cable Top 150.

Mauro Ranallo Gone From WWE

Mauro Ranallo is gone from WWE.

Ranallo confirmed the departure on his Facebook page, as seen below. He wrote, "I appreciate the opportunity I had to realize my childhood dream of working in sports entertainment, and I wish WWE well in the future. Now I want to direct my focus and devote my time to my other projects and to my mental health charitable activities and the well-being of my mother and myself."

Ranallo reportedly finished with WWE at some point over the last few weeks, according to PWInsider. One source believes the departure happened shortly after the "Takeover: XXX" event during SummerSlam Weekend. There has been talk within WWE over the last week or so that Ranallo was leaving and/or was done, but details were hard to come by.

Mauro missed that NXT Takeover event earlier this month and it was reported that he missed the show because he had to return home to Canada for a family emergency.

There's no word yet on what will happen to the NXT commentary team, which currently consists of Vic Joseph and WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix. Wade Barrett did guest commentary last week, and will return for more guest commentary on this week's NXT Super Tuesday special. It was revealed today that Barrett is negotiating a full-time contract with WWE to do NXT commentary, and some NXT UK commentary.

It was recently announced that Ranallo will be doing commentary in the 2K WWE Battlegrounds video game with WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler.

Ranallo first signed with WWE in 2015 but parted ways with the company in 2017 for some time off. He returned in June 2017 to lead the NXT announce team, reportedly signing a multi-year deal at that time.

Triple H Discusses If He’s Close To Retirement From Wrestling, If It Would Bother Him To Never Wrestle Again

In a recent edition of The Bill Simmons Podcast, Triple H discussed considering retirement and if it would bother him to never wrestle again.

On retiring as an in-ring performer: “I just feel like there’s a moment where a talent goes ‘I’m retired’ and you’re not. For me, I’d rather just not say it and if the right opportunity comes up that everybody believes is right and I feel like I can do it without it falling apart – me or the match – then I’d consider it. I don’t feel like I’m at the point where I would say ‘Absolutely not’ under any circumstances. Probably not that far off, but the thing for me that’s good is I’m so transitioned over and satisfied with the other aspects of my career and life, and everything else. I get as much fun and excitement of what watching others succeed at it.”

On why it wouldn’t bother him to never wrestle again: “NXT for me in a way – and even watching the main roster because they all come through there – it’s a difference between as exciting as your own career is and watching your kids succeed at something. It’s a different level of passion and excitement and pride that you feel. I’ve been there and done that side, and the other side is almost better. I almost prefer the helping them, guiding them in whatever aspects we can to that, and giving them those opportunities to go out there and shine. And one of the coolest things is getting to do it with my best friend. I’m sitting there at the Gorilla position with Shawn and it’s like two giddy kids jumping up and down because it’s something we helped somebody with, or we’re watching them succeed, or that light bulb goes off for the first time where they’re having a level of success they only dreamed about. You know what it meant to you, so watching them is incredible. If the opportunity doesn’t come again for me to step into the ring, it wouldn’t bother me.”

credit: The Bill Simmons Podcast with an h/t to 411mania.com for the transcription.

Happy 75th Birthday Vince

Vincent Kennedy McMahon
August 24, 1945

Stephanie McMahon Says WWE Intends To Have 50/50 Representation Of Women On Rosters

WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon says that the company intends to eventually have equal representation of men and women on the active rosters of all three brands, RAW, SmackDown, and NXT.

To promote this weekend's WWE SummerSlam pay-per-view, Stephanie did a media call and spoke in length about the women's evolution and the steps that WWE will take to feature its women wrestlers in better storylines and more main event fixtures.

During her chat with Charlotte Wilder of Fox Sports, Stephanie noted that women being featured in main events should no longer be considered "a big deal" as it was a few years ago when the likes of Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, and Becky Lynch started headlining both PPVs and weekly shows.

"I don't want it to be a big deal anymore when our women are the main event. I think that they just should be equally alongside the men. There needs to be parity on the roster, I'd love to see an equal number of men and women equally represented. Of course, at times that would ebb and flow, but I think that would be very important. And just more storylines, more women, more storylines. I think that we've done a good job — I really do — but I think we can do even better," said Stephanie, who recently revealed that WWE is actively looking to hire more female writers.

Stephanie also praised her husband, Triple H, for hiring high-level women athletes and preparing them for the main roster through the Performance Center and NXT.

"The women's evolution happened in our business [once] we started recruiting and training athletes," Stephanie said. "Triple H started recruiting elite female as well as male athletes and training the women the same as the men — giving them the same match time, the same opportunity, the same number of reps. And like anything else, the more reps you have, the better you're going to be. And these women just really stole the show and rose to the occasion. The audience started chanting, 'this is wrestling' and 'women's wrestling.'"

Stephanie also revealed that she "is trying" to put together another all-women event such as Evolution, which first took place in October 2018.

Triple H Opens Up On His ‘Unique’ Relationship With Father-In-Law Vince McMahon

There has been a lot said about Vince McMahon over the years, but if there's one man that has a truly unique relationship with the Chairman and CEO of WWE, it's Paul "Triple H" Levesque.

Triple H spent many years on top of the wrestling world and may very well go down as one of the greatest to ever step inside the squared circle. That alone is enough for a relationship to blossom with the boss as we saw on the Undertaker's Last Ride documentary. Then you sprinkle in the fact that he married the boss' daughter and gave the man grandchildren, you're bound to gain a few bonus points.

During his recent appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Paul Levesque got into the weeds and revealed what McMahon is like now that he's gotten older and if he's lost a step along the way.

"He's a machine," Levesque said. "It doesn't bother him. He's probably, given the circumstances, sleeping more than he ever has, but I still don't think he ever missed a day at the office. Even when nobody else was there, he's still there and it's just what he does. He still trains every day. If you go to the office, even at one or two in the morning, he's probably in there training. That's what keeps him going. He eats incredibly well and is just a routine and disciplined person.

"It's hard for some people to understand. When someone is really driven to do something, this is his passion still to this day. He doesn't get up dreading going to work. He gets up looking forward to doing it. All these years later and it's still like he's dating a new girl in a way. He can't wait to get up and do all this stuff. It's awe-inspiring, it really is."

Simmons transitioned over and got Levesque to open up about what their relationship has been like over the years and what McMahon is like as a grandfather.

"He's awesome, man," Levesque said. "They love him. He's busy and works all the time, but he's a funny guy that he'll work and do all these things but when it comes to his family and he needs to be there, he's the guy that's right there. He's there for all the things that they need to do. He's there for their big moments, whether by video or in person, he's there.He loves having fun with them. It's funny, with family stuff he's like an observer. He likes to sit back and watch them do things that kids do. He just gets the biggest kick out of it. It's awesome, really.

Shotzi Blackheart Shares Touching Thing Triple H Did For Her After Car Was Stolen

WWE NXT star Shotzi Blackheart revealed last week that her 2015 Honda Civic had been stolen overnight from outside of her apartment. Her wrestling gear bag was inside the car, with her signature helmet and other items.

Later in the week, Blackheart posted a video to YouTube, seen above, where she revealed that local police had recovered her car. There was some minor damage to the front of the vehicle, but her belongings were still there including her signature helmet.

Shotzi has now taken to Twitter to share a touching story surrounding what happened. In her message, she explains that Triple H and the team at NXT actually produced a new helmet for her to wear to the ring.

"I didn't get to wear this but it came with a really awesome story so I wanted to share," Shotzi wrote. "As soon as Triple H found out about my car and helmet he made sure that I had help and had the crew put this together for me in time for my match filmed only 1 day after it was stolen!"

Thankfully, Shotzi found her special helmet and will now have a spare. Upon the item being returned, Blackheart told police that it's very sentimental to her because it was hanging on the wall of the wrestling school she first trained at. Her trainers eventually let her have the helmet once she started having matches, and she's taken it all over the world with her while she's furthered her career.

On NXT TV as of late, Shotzi has been feuding with The Robert Stone Brand. The rivalry has now lead to Shotzi teaming up with Rhea Ripley in hopes that they will take down the group.

WWE Officially Announces New "ThunderDome" Experience Coming To Orlando's Amway Center

It looks like we are about to see a different setting for WWE shows each week. The company has now confirmed ongoing reports of an extended residency at the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida, according to SI.com.

It was noted that WWE has rechristened the Amway Center as the "WWE ThunderDome" during their stay. Starting with this Friday's SmackDown, all future events, including RAW, SmackDown, and pay-per-views will be taking place from the ThunderDome. There has been no word yet on changes to 205 Live, Main Event, or NXT.

WWE Executive Vice President of Television Production Kevin Dunn took some time to speak with Sports Illustrated about what fans can expect from this new experience. He explained that the ThunderDome will include pyrotechnics, drone cameras, and video boards to give audiences something unique.

"When people think of WWE, most think of the spectacle that we are, but it was just impossible to put on a spectacle in the Performance Center," said Dunn. "Moving to Amway, and unveiling the ThunderDome, the opportunities are limitless.

"We can now do things production-wise that we could never otherwise do," he added. "We're flying drones in the arena, we are putting a roof inside the Amway Center, and we'll be able to project content onto the roof. So when a big star like Drew McIntyre comes down to the ring, the whole arena will turn into his content with lasers, pyro, smoke, projections on the top of the building and on the floor. It will be a big, beautiful entrance, better than WrestleMania."

Dunn says that the "almost 1,000 LED boards" will feature virtual fans live via video streaming, something that WWE officials hope will make up for the absence of the in-person audiences. Starting on this Monday's RAW, fans will have the ability to register for their own virtual seat by using the website www.WWEThunderDome.com. This service is reportedly being provided through a company called, The Famous Group.

"Like the NBA, we're doing virtual fans, but we're also creating an arena-type atmosphere," Dunn explained. "We won't have a flat board, we'll have rows and rows and rows of fans. We'll have almost 1,000 LED boards, and it will recreate the arena experience you're used to seeing with WWE. The atmosphere will be night and day from the Performance Center. This is going to let us have a WrestleMania-level production value, and that's what our audience expects from us. We are also going to put arena audio into the broadcast, similar to baseball, but our audio will be mixed with the virtual fans. So when fans start chants, we'll hear them.

"We start on Friday on SmackDown, and it will be a learning experience. We have two days of testing, and we're going to practice like hell, then we're off to the races. We may have fans for certain entrances, standing up and cheering for the typical babyfaces. But someone like Bray Wyatt, who is so character-driven, the entire Amway Arena will be one big Fiend-dom. That's our opportunity to be different from sports, where we can present these larger-than-life characters uniquely. This will be great for people watching at home across the globe, as well as the ones participating."

Throughout all of this, WWE has guaranteed that social distancing, wearing masks, and other COVID-19 protocols will continue to be enforced. There are still no plans to have fans return to shows any time in the foreseeable future.

"We're going to have a very tight set that is focused on safety for our performers," said Dunn. "Everyone is going to be tested all the time. It's really important that our performers feel safe. It's open-ended [with the future]. Obviously, we want to get back in the live event business. We rely so much on our fans. The Amway people have been fantastic to work with, and we look forward to staying as long as it takes."

Dunn mentioned how appreciative he and his fellow WWE staff members are for the fans that have continued watching the product through the pandemic. He believes that this new interactive experience will bring excitement back to their live shows.

"We're grateful and so appreciate the fans are hanging with us," said Dunn. "It's been tough. The shows haven't been what we'd like them to be, and we'd be dishonest saying anything else. We miss our fans. Our fans make our shows. Without them, it's been really challenging. I can't wait to see the ThunderDome full of 1,000 people, giving us the energy we need to make this as entertaining as possible. I think people watching and participating are really going to enjoy this, and it's going to make people say, 'Wow, WWE, it's back.'"

As noted this past weekend, WWE is scheduled to conduct their shows at Orlando's Amway Center through October 30, according to Jon Alba of MyNews13.

Man arrested on kidnapping charge at home of WWE star Sonya Deville

A man was arrested Sunday on a kidnapping charge at the home of WWE star Sonya Deville.

Phillip A. Thomas was arrested and charged with three felonies -- attempted armed kidnapping, armed burglary and aggravated stalking -- at a home in Lutz, Florida, according to police. Thomas is also being charged with misdemeanor criminal mischief. He is being held without bond.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office announced the arrest but did not release the homeowner's name. ESPN confirmed via public records that the home is owned by WWE's Deville, whose real name is Daria Berenato.

Police said Thomas had been planning the alleged crime for eight months. Sheriff Chad Chronister said Thomas stalked the alleged victim "on social media for years." According to a Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office news release, Thomas entered the home at 2:43 a.m. ET Sunday, after the homeowner went to bed, through a back sliding-glass door.

The entry triggered an alarm, which led to the homeowner looking out the window and seeing Thomas on the property. The homeowner and a guest fled the house in a car and called 911. Thomas was still inside the residence when officers arrived, according to the release. He was carrying a knife, plastic zip ties, duct tape, mace and "other personal items."

The release said Thomas cut a hole in a patio screen earlier in the night and remained there for three to four hours, watching and listening to what was happening inside the home through the windows. Thomas went to Florida from his home in South Carolina, telling deputies that he planned to take the homeowner hostage, according to the release.

"Our deputies are unveiling the suspect's disturbing obsession with this homeowner who he had never met, but stalked on social media for years," Chronister said in a statement. "It's frightening to think of all the ways this incident could have played out had the home alarm not gone off and alerted the homeowner of an intruder. Our deputies arrived within minutes and arrested this man who was clearly on a mission to inflict harm."

Deville addressed the incident on social media Sunday, saying it was a "very frightening experience but thankfully everyone is safe."

Thomas, 24, is listed on his jail records as being an Applebee's crew member. Berenato, 26, is starring on WWE's "SmackDown" on Fox as well as the E! network reality show "Total Divas." The New Jersey native is the first openly gay female wrestler in WWE history.

Berenato, a former MMA fighter, has been with WWE since 2015. Asked for comment, WWE referred to Deville's statement on Twitter.

source: espn.com

WWE Shows At The Amway Center To Have Virtual Fans Appearing Live On LED Boards

WWE is expected to announce the Amway Center in Orlando, Florida as the location for the SummerSlam pay-per-view on August 23. They're also looking at the venue for other upcoming events and TV tapings.

It was reported on Thursday, via PWInsider, that WWE was considering the use of virtual fans for SummerSlam, something FOX has done for recent MLB broadcasts. Now @Wrestlevotes reports that WWE has a much bigger interactive experience planned for the Amway Center.

It was noted that WWE is about to begin a "new long term residency" at the Amway Center, indicating they have signed a lease with the venue, which has been "officially" closed until 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This residency includes a new interactive experience that will see fans appear live on the show via LED boards. The interactive experience will be hosted by WWE Superstars and Legends.

The interactive experience will be shown in the arena with more than 2,500 square foot of LED boards.

WWE should be announcing details on the interactive experience soon as it was noted that applications for people to appear on screen will open next week.

WWE Network Acquires Content From Several Top Indie Promotions

Among the new content available on WWE’s streaming service is a collection highlighting how Drew McIntyre rejuvenated his career on the independent circuit.
JUSTIN BARRASSO14 HOURS AGO
WWE is adding content to the WWE Network, Sports Illustrated has learned.

WWE officials have confirmed that shows from EVOLVE, wXw, PROGRESS and Insane Championship Wrestling will begin airing on the WWE Network beginning this Saturday. The shows will add an international flair to the Network, with wXw based out of Germany, PROGRESS a staple of the English wrestling scene and ICW in Scotland.

The new content includes two “Best Of” compilation specials, which feature the work of Drew McIntyre in EVOLVE as well as Keith Lee’s rise in the same promotion.

WWE Pays Tribute To Chyna With New Signature Series Replica

WWE's latest Signature Series title replica pays tribute to WWE Hall of Famer Chyna.

The $499 replica is a reproduction of the Attitude Era version of the WWE Intercontinental Title that The Ninth Wonder of the World once held. It includes a custom nameplate with six Swarovski crystals. The strap features studs in homage to Chyna's ring gear, with her logo and nickname. The belt includes 5mm thick plates and weighs over 6 pounds.

WWE previously released Signature Series Championship replicas for several Hall of Famers and Legends - Eddie Guerrero, Triple H, The Rock, John Cena, Bret Hart, Hulk Hogan, "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan, Shawn Michaels, and Steve Austin.

Below is WWE's announcement on the new Chyna replica and a look at the belt:

New Chyna Signature Series Title Celebrates The Ninth Wonder of the World
Of all the wonders of the world, perhaps none shone as brightly as Chyna. The new Chyna Signature Series Championship Title available at WWEShop.com commemorates the trailblazing accomplishments and lasting legacy of this history-making WWE Legend.

Chyna was the first woman to hold the Intercontinental Title, a feat which she accomplished twice in her storied career. Fittingly, the main plate of this new replica is a reproduction of the Attitude Era version of that Championship complete with her custom nameplate and adorned with six Swarovski crystals. The strap is studded in homage to her iconic ring gear with her logo and nickname "The Ninth Wonder of the World" emblazoned across it. This title weighs more than six pounds and features five millimeter thick plates.

Chyna's accomplishments or impact cannot be overstated. Boldly treading into territories previously unknown for female Superstars, Chyna broke as many gender barriers as she did bodies. Known for her unbelievable strength, the late WWE Women's Champion blazed a trail unlike anyone in WWE history.

Celebrate this spectacular career with a truly special title. Perfect for any fan of the Attitude Era or this amazing Legend, you can get yours by heading to WWEShop.com today!

Forbes' Alfred Konuwa On Why Wall St May Not Embrace Triple H As Vince McMahon's "Heir Apparent"

Media outlet Variety recently called out WWE for its declining popularity and said that investors need to hold Vince McMahon accountable. Alfred Konuwa, wrestling analyst for Forbes.com, weighed in on Variety's comments when he joined The Wrestling Inc Daily podcast.

It's one thing for this story to come out and it's another for there to be actual change within WWE. Konuwa was asked if fans could expect to see real change with either WWE or Vince McMahon.

"We're close. I don't think this time around anything like that's gonna happen. This one feels like the calm before the storm because people are now slowly cracking away at that invincibility complex that Vince McMahon had for so long on Wall Street," stated Konuwa. "So now that these reports that you're talking about and there's a reason they came out right before the investor conference – this is a thing that they're reading to get ready for this meeting. So now that this type of information is out, it's going to be in their minds for months to come.

"Then once football and live sports come back and ravage WWE's ratings to what I think will be cataclysmic proportions, then the third quarter meeting is going to be when stuff hits the fan. That's when there might be like slight demand for Vince to get moved out because he's now done the scapegoat thing for a couple of cycles now, right? Paul Heyman in out and. Eric Bischoff in and out. Bruce Prichard here, same story. They're gonna eventually recognize what's going on."

If Vince were to take a backseat role in WWE, then someone would have to fill his shoes. Triple H is usually thought of as the person to do that and Konuwa discussed Triple H possibly being groomed to take over for Vince.

"Well maybe on one side some investors and the research firm have the same thing where they were saying that Triple H is the type of personality to steer the ship around. But that does not mean that Wall Street would accept that," admitted Konuwa. "That's what's scary about WWE is that maybe Triple H is the guy, but he's not equipped for the role of heir apparent to Vince McMahon.

"In the wrestling world, wrestling fans see him as the next guy up and he would be the natural transition in terms of the face of WWE, but in terms of the experience, in terms of having that financial wizard-czar type personality – and he hasn't even been presented by WWE or anybody publicly as this is the guy that's gonna take over Vince McMahon. This is the number two and only for the wrestling fans who follow the product closely know he's in charge of NXT. Really, the mainstream world knows him as Triple H and they know that he has some power in WWE and some stroke. But WWE needed to do a better job preparing Triple H for that role in terms of financial experience and in terms of selling him to Wall Street. I really don't think that narrative has been out there as much as it should be and that's scary to think of knowing that we're in a global pandemic, he's a 74 year old man where he's one drop away from potentially a disaster in WWE and that stock will go to zero if Vince McMahon is not around or even not well enough to run the company."

As a follow-up, Konuwa was then asked who he thought Wall Street would be more accepting of as WWE's next leader.

"I have two answers and WWE cancelled them: Michelle Wilson and George Barrios," stated Konuwa. "They were the co-presidents who were behind the $2 billion… WWE is a company that is a grease fire when it comes to creatively, when it comes to KPIs. But the only thing that's holding them up is that massive television deal and it's a massive deal. They're making record numbers. That's the work of the co-presidents George Barrios and Michelle Wilson, who were working side by side with Triple H and Vince but they were the spearhead of those deals."

Konuwa noted that they were the ones propping up WWE's business from a financial standpoint and selling the company to investors.

"So, I think Wall Street would have bought them but they had a disagreement with Vince or some sort, we still don't know what happened. Both of them got fired and nobody replaced them. That's what's scary about that. So, if somehow Wilson and Barrios were able to come back into the company, or they had two wizard types that Wall Street was able to see them succeed, that would have been a great answer for Vince's successor but now that they're not around and Triple H is not enough," said Konuwa.

Alfred Konuwa contributes pro wrestling analysis weekly for Forbes.com.

Lawsuit Filed Against Shane McMahon and Ideanomics

Shane McMahon has been named in a lawsuit against Ideanomics, the company which McMahon serves as Vice Chairman of the Board.

Ideanomics has several different divisions including commercial electric vehicles, and next generation financial services. The company owns dbot, Fintech Village, Intelligenta, Liquefy, Logistorm, and Treeletrik. The company is headquartered in New York City, and has offices in China.

The Verified Shareholder Derivative Complaint filed against Individual Defendants and together with Ideanomics, the “Defendants”) for breaches of their fiduciary duties as controlling shareholder, directors and/or officers of Ideanomics, unjust enrichment, abuse of control, gross mismanagement, waste of corporate assets, and violation of Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”).

The filing outline’s Shane McMahon’s role within the company.

“Defendant Shane McMahon (“McMahon”) has served as a Company director since July 2010. He has also served as Vice Chairman since January 2016. Defendant McMahon also served as the Company’s CEO in 2012, during which time he made a $3 million loan to the Company in consideration for a convertible note in the aggregate principal amount of $3 million at an annual interest rate of 4%. The Company has executed several amendments to extend the maturity date of the note due to McMahon, most recently to December 31, 2020. According to the 2019 Proxy Statement, as of November 15, 2019, Defendant McMahon beneficially owned 6,090,589 shares of the Company’s common stock, 5 which represented 4.5% of combined common stock and Series A stock of the Company. Given that the price per share of the Company’s common stock at the close of trading on November 15, 2019 was $0.70, Defendant McMahon owned approximately $2.1 million worth of Ideanomics stock, at least. 67. For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, Defendant McMahon received $339,354 in compensation from the Company. This included $20,250 in fees earned or paid in cash, $25,000 in stock awards, and $294,104 in option awards.

The lawsuit provides additional details that outline Shane McMahon’s role in making misleading false and misleading statements:

“Additional reasons that demand on Defendant McMahon is futile follow. Defendant McMahon has served as a Company director since July 2010. He has also served as Vice Chairman since January 2016 and served as the Company’s CEO in 2012. Defendant McMahon has received and continues to receive compensation for his role as a director, as described above. As a longtime Company director, he conducted little, if any, oversight of the Company’s engagement in the schemes to make false and misleading statements during the First and Second Relevant Periods, consciously disregarded his duties to monitor such controls over reporting and engagement in the schemes, and consciously disregarded his duties to protect corporate assets. Furthermore, Defendant McMahon signed, and thus personally made the false and misleading statements in 2017 10-K. For these reasons, too, Defendant McMahon breached his fiduciary duties, faces a substantial likelihood of liability, is not independent or disinterested, and thus demand upon him is futile and, therefore, excused.”*

* Demand is excused because of futility when a complaint alleges with particularity that the challenged transaction was so egregious on its face that it could not have been the product of sound business judgment of the directors.

Nick Khan Heading From CAA To WWE In Powerhouse Move

Nick Khan, the powerful CAA agent, is leaving the agency to take a senior role at WWE. CAA’s former co-head of television has been named President & Chief Revenue Officer of WWE, reporting directly to Chair & CEO Vince McMahon. Khan replaces WWE’s former co-Presidents George Barrios and Michelle Wilson, who left the company in January. A formal announcement will be made later today.

Khan joins the WWE at a time when its business is challenged: Ratings are soft and the pandemic restrictions have brought its live events business to a standstill. In a phone interview, Khan did not talk about specific plans he has for the job. “The first thing I want to do is figure out where the bathrooms are,” he joked. “We all have a lot of ideas in our head. It might be a little premature to share them in terms of when we are going to execute those.”

Khan joined CAA in '12 and quickly became one of the most powerful talent agents in the business, representing on-air personalities like Kirk Herbstreit, Colin Cowherd, Mike Greenberg and Jalen Rose. CAA agents Matt Kramer and Tom Young will take on new roles as co-heads of the agency’s sports broadcasting division. In his CAA role, Khan also represented organizations like WWE, SEC and Top Rank Boxing in their media-rights deals. It was his work in securing WWE’s most recent deals with Fox and USA Network that opened McMahon’s eyes to the possibility of hiring Khan. “While representing WWE at CAA, he was instrumental in transforming our business model by securing domestic media rights increases of 3.6x over our previous agreements,” McMahon said in a prepared statement.

Khan referred to WWE as a “family business” that made him feel comfortable. He referenced a small 50th birthday party he and his wife, IVETTE, were invited to at Paul “Triple H” Levesque’s house last summer. “We looked around the room and said, ‘It’s really kind of them to consider us friends,’” he said. “For a family-run business -- albeit a publicly traded one -- it just felt right. At that moment, I started thinking, ‘I wonder if there’s something bigger and better to do with them.’”

More?

Dwayne Johnson Buys XFL for $15 Million With Redbird Capital as Partner

The XFL has been sold to a group that includes former WWE star Dwayne “The Rock’’ Johnson, giving the bankrupt football league the kind of star power that may draw even non-sports fans. Variety’s sister site Sportico first reported the news.

Johnson, an actor and producer who played college football at the University of Miami, teamed up with Gerry Cardinale’s RedBird Capital to buy the league just hours before a planned auction was scheduled to begin.

They paid $15 million, splitting it evenly. Johnson’s business partner, Dany Garcia, who is also his ex-wife, will be a stakeholder as well.

RedBird has made a litany of sports-related investments, including some with ties to the National Football League and its players.

The presence of Johnson, meantime, continues pro wrestling’s involvement in the spring football league, which was founded—and funded—by WWE Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Vince McMahon.

The XFL filed for bankruptcy in April after the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the cancellation of its inaugural season, which got off to a promising start in terms of television audience. The league had a broadcast agreement with Fox.

With live sports a reliable vehicle to deliver ratings, there’s a good chance a number of traditional TV networks—and perhaps streaming companies—would seek to add the XFL to their portfolios. Besides the league, networks would likely seek a tie-up with Johnson, who is the executive producer of “The Titan Games,’’ a sports competition reality series on NBC.

The XFL is the latest sports-related move for Cardinale and RedBird, which recently bought French soccer team Toulouse. In addition, Cardinale—along with Oakland A’s executive Billy Beane—created a special purpose acquisition company, or SPAC, that’ll focus on buying companies in sports, media and data analytics.

The private equity firm is also an investor in the YES Network, the regional sports network that shows New York Yankees games, as well as On Location Experiences, which is partly owned by the NFL, and also OneTeam Partners, a tie-up that includes the unions that represent MLB and NFL players.

In its bankruptcy filing, Alpha Entertainment, the XFL’s parent, listed the league with assets and liabilities in the range of about $10 million to $50 million.

McMahon announced the XFL’s reboot in 2018, and spent two years developing the eight-team league.

The XFL drew more than 3 million viewers in its first week. The audience was about half that number in its fifth and final week before the shutdown.

The original XFL, created in 2001 in partnership with NBC, folded after one season.

XFL President Jeffrey Pollack oversaw the sale process for the league.

source: varity.com

Vince McMahon On AEW Ratings Rebounding While RAW And SmackDown Drop, Paul Heyman, Triple H

WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon commented on AEW vs. WWE NXT, Paul Heyman being dismissed from his creative job, and Triple H working creative during WWE's Second Quarter 2020 earnings call with investors from this evening.

Vince took the loaded call from Brandon Ross of Lightshed Partners. Ross asked Vince why he thinks WWE NXT and AEW Dynamite have bounced back from the initial COVID-19 shock better than RAW and SmackDown have, if Triple H could help in an elevated creative role on RAW and SmackDown given his NXT success, why why he fired Paul Heyman from the RAW Executive Director job and if firing Heyman means that Vince has abandoned the strategy he spoke about during the Q1 call in January, where he indicated that they had to be patient with the plan to get over new talents on the main roster.

"That was a lot," Vince first responded to the question. He took the NXT - AEW question and said they are looking to make RAW and SmackDown have a more youthful feel. "I think some of those are new. It's something that's new, and what have you, and it's up to us to make RAW and SmackDown feel more youthful. That is where we're going."

Vince then commented on the strategy that he firs talked about during the Q1 call in April, where he said they are working on building new main roster Superstars, and that it will take some time to get them over. He did not directly answer if Heyman's creative dismissal means a change in direction when it comes to getting over new stars.

"As far as continuing on, acting on what's new and building and characters, you always have to build new characters. Constantly," Vince said.

Regarding Triple H possibly taking on an "elevated role" with the RAW and SmackDown creative teams, based off his success on the NXT brand, Vince noted that he already helps out.

"As far as Paul Levesque helping out on RAW and SmackDown, that happens," Vince said. "It's 'all hands on deck' in terms of all that we do."

Finally, Vince commented on Heyman's work in creative. While he will remain with the company as an on-air talent, Heyman was released from his role as RAW Executive Director on June 11 of this year, one year after he was hired for the role. Vince briefly spoke on Heyman but said he did a good job.

"As far as Paul Heyman's concerned, he did a very good job in terms of creativity," Vince said.

Triple H On If AEW Is Taking WWE's Market Share

At the latest WWE stockholder's meeting, Triple H addressed the current state of NXT.

On the topic of AEW and ratings, Triple H talked about the internal focus WWE has on their product. When asked if AEW is taking some of WWE's market share, he said they are focused on the development of their stars and talent and reiterates their long-term approach.

"To me, there's a moment in time when you begin something and it's very exciting and it's fresh and there's some interest in it, certainly, but it's a big world," Triple H stated. "We continue to be focused on our product, continue to be focused on the development of our stars and our performers and as Vince said earlier, we have a very long track record of doing this incredibly successfully for many, many, many years, and we will continue to do so."


credit Wrestling Inc. for the transcription

WWE Sinking Popularity Called Out By Top Media Outlet And Media Research Firm

The decline in WWE's popularity was the subject of a story by top media outlet Variety, as well as Lightshed Partners, which is a top technology, media and telecommunications research firm.

Variety noted the company's consistent decline in popularity and Vince McMahon continually coming up with excuses like top stars being absent, the surge of new talent and needing to have better storylines. Lightshed took a look at WWE stock this week and noted that they could not recommend a buy right now because of "too many critical questions surrounding the company," mainly WWE's creative direction and whether there will be a significant rebound in their TV ratings, even in a post-coronavirus world.

"Instead of focusing on the long-term health of the company and building a product that audiences want to watch, both McMahon and investors have put all their eggs in the TV revenue basket," Gavin Bridge wrote on Variety.

More?

Triple H: No One Is Allowed To Enter A WWE Closed Set Without A Negative COVID-19 Test

WWE has not taken a full week off of producing content since the start of the global Coronavirus pandemic. Throughout the time that has elapsed since March when the pandemic began, Florida, where WWE films most of its content, has become a bit of an epicenter for the pandemic. As such, WWE has had to ensure the safety of its staff and performers and Paul Levesque aka Triple H continues to Champion the forward-thinking efforts of WWE and their partners. During The WWE annual shareholders meeting (via Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics), Triple H opened up about WWE testing procedure and how serious the promotion takes the COVID-19 threat.

 “Obviously, as Vince mentioned earlier, the health and safety of our performers, employees, and crew are the company’s top priorities,” began Levesque. “And since the beginning of this around mid-March we have been producing content on closed sets with only essential personnel in attendance and following guidelines set forth by our medical team in conjunction with state and local officials and the CDC. The protocol for these closed sets are extraordinary and include heightened safety and sanitizing during use, long-duration electrostatic and anti-microbial sprays and coatings, pandemic level cleanings, and disinfecting between and after our events.” Levesque continued, “As it relates to our talent, production, crew, and employees, we conduct COVID-19 testing in advance of any TV or content production, using polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, testing, which is the most statistically valid, the highest level of accuracy test available today. No one is allowed to enter a WWE closed set without a negative COVID-19 test. Once on set individuals must wear masks when talent are not performing social distancing and sanitize where appropriate. In the event of a positive test result, individuals must self-quarantine for a minimum of 14 days, will not be cleared to work until they are symptom-free and test negative. Extensive contact tracing is done following any positive test. Individuals possibly exposed are identified in quarantine appropriately. “

And this process is constantly being updated. We’re looking at this every day. Our medical staff working with state and local officials, as I mentioned, and the CDC, to reflect the most current data and medical recommendations available.”

Triple H And WWE Partner With Motörhead For New Line Of Products

WWE Hall of Famer Triple H has partnered with Motörhead for a new line of products, including a limited-edition vinyl album, apparel, and more.

The line officially launched today, on The Game's 51st birthday. Triple H was close with Motörhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister, who passed away in 2015.

Below is WWE's full announcement on the new line.

Triple H and Motörhead join forces for unique product line

Not every WWE Superstar becomes synonymous with a heavy metal band, but Triple H isn't every WWE Superstar.

Throughout his remarkable 25-year tenure in WWE, The King of Kings has won 14 world championships, engaged in countless five-star classics and led unforgettable groups such as D-Generation X, Evolution and The Authority to enormous success.

And he accomplished most of that while entering the squared circle to the headbanging sounds of Motörhead, including timeless tunes such as "The Game," "King of Kings" and "Line in the Sand."

Now, Triple H and Motörhead are once again together in the form of this new product line, available at WWE Shop. Among the smorgasbord of must-have products, the WWE Universe can find a limited-edition vinyl album of Motörhead's "Evolution of the Game," snug hooded sweatshirts, and eye-catching T-shirts to celebrate Triple H's birthday in style!

Don't miss your chance to rep one of the greatest and most accomplished Superstars in WWE history and one of the most influential heavy metal bands at the same time!

Happy Birthday Triple H

Paul Michael Levesque
July 27, 1969

Monday Night's RAW Draws Lowest Viewership Of All Time

This past Monday's edition of WWE Raw, featuring a Women's Tag Team Championship main event, drew it's lowest viewership in the history of it's 27 years as a television show at 1.56 million viewers.

Below is the hour-wise breakup of viewers for RAW:

Hour 1: 1.70 million viewers (last week: 1.70 million)

Hour 2: 1.60 million viewers (last week: 1.75 million)

Hour 3: 1.50 million viewers (last week: 1.61 million)

Triple H Reveals NXT's Storyline Strategy For The Rest Of 2020

Triple H outlined what NXT's approach to storytelling will be for the foreseeable future during a new interview with Yahoo! Sports.

According to 'The Game', the creative nucleus in charge of NXT programming believe they need to be a "little careful with how heavy" they get with current angles and storylines. This is a direct response to the ongoing health pandemic sweeping the globe, and it shows that Trips (and others) are aware of what fans need.

They need "to tune it out, tune into WWE and just have some fun for a little bit".

Triple H said it's "easy to lose perspective" sometimes, if only because WWE operations never stop for a breather. However, he's dedicated to ensuring that NXT acts as escapism to anyone currently affected by the pandemic, and thinks that's important right now.

WWE's Executive Vice President of Global Talent Strategy & Development also said that more throwbacks in the mould of NXT's In Your House and Great American Bash tributes could be coming. He didn't, however, specify which old shows the brand might use.