Triple H On The Tradition Of Sending Custom WWE Title Belts To Sports Teams

Triple H recently spoke with Tony Maglio of The Wrap and talked about the Tampa Bay Buccaneers receiving their custom WWE Title belt, which was brought to last night’s Super Bowl LV post-game victory press conference by safety Antoine Winfield Jr.

It was noted that the tradition of sending championship sports teams a custom WWE Title belt goes back 8 years, but the seed for the idea was planted long before then. Triple H noted that sports players would often stop him and ask him to take photos with his titles during his various reigns when he was an active Superstar.

“You see Aaron Rodgers motion for the title belt,” Triple H said of the Green Bay Packers quarterback’s regular touchdown celebration. “It’s just become synonymous with ‘The World Champion.’”

WWE began sending titles to sports teams back in 2013 when the Boston Red Sox won the MLB World Series.

“David Ortiz — Big Papi — was a huge fan. Still is. Here’s a guy with all this bling, he’s got the earnings and the giant chains and everything. It’s part of who he is,” Triple H told The Wrap before Sunday’s big game. “When they won the World Series, he was such a big fan and was so into them, we [sent him a] title. He wore it nonstop and just put it over like a million bucks.”

WWE sent a title to LeBron James in 2014 after the Miami Heat won the NBA Championship. James then purchased custom title belts for everyone else on the team. More requests began coming in after that.

Triple H noted that the hand-made WWE Title belts run a few thousand dollars each WWE ordered side plates for both Super Bowl teams this year so the belt would be ready to wear right after the game ended. He said the “rush process” can be the most expensive part of the promotion.

Former WWE superstar Gabbi Tuft comes out as transgender

Gabbi Tuft is ready to show the world who she is.

Tuft, a former WWE wrestling star, announced she is transgender this week.

"This is me," she wrote in an Instagram post coming out as transgender. "Unashamed, unabashedly me."

The former wrestler was active in the WWE from 2009-2012 under the ring name "Tyler Reks." In 2012, she left WWE fame to spend more time with her wife, Priscilla, and their daughter.

But her post-wrestling life wasn't always smooth sailing.

"The previous eight months have been some of the darkest of my entire life," Tuft wrote on Instagram. "The emotional turmoil of being transgender and having to face the world has almost ended me on multiple occasions."

Tuft, a former WWE wrestling star, announced she is transgender this week.

"This is me," she wrote in an Instagram post coming out as transgender. "Unashamed, unabashedly me."

The former wrestler was active in the WWE from 2009-2012 under the ring name "Tyler Reks." In 2012, she left WWE fame to spend more time with her wife, Priscilla, and their daughter.

But her post-wrestling life wasn't always smooth sailing.

"The previous eight months have been some of the darkest of my entire life," Tuft wrote on Instagram. "The emotional turmoil of being transgender and having to face the world has almost ended me on multiple occasions."

"However," she said, "the day I stopped caring about what other people thought, was the day I truly became limitless and allowed my authentic self to come into the light."

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Booker T on How He Looks Back at His WrestleMania Match With Triple H, Possible Rematch

During a recent edition of his Hall of Fame podcast, WWE Hall of Famer Booker T spoke about his match with Triple H for the World Heavyweight title at WrestleMania 19, which was a very controversial loss. During the podcast, Booker T spoke about getting back into the ring with Triple to get his win back, saying it would have to be a big payday for him for a WWE card in Saudi Arabia.

Additionally, Booker T noted he doesn’t look back at the matchup thinking he “should’ve won that.” Below is an excerpt and a clip of Booker T talking about the matchup (via Fightful):

“If Booker T vs. Triple H went down, it would have to be in Saudi because they are passing out big big checks. For me to get in the ring, the situation would have to be right. I would want to get paid to get back in the ring. ‘Oh you wrestle at Reality of Wrestling.’ Yeah, that’s my place and it’s my job to teach my students how it’s done sometimes. That’s how I am. I would love to have another match, if the situation is right, with Triple H. A lot of people think about that match and talk about it and the ending wasn’t what most fans wanted. So many people wanted me to win that night. A couple of the office guys were like, ‘Book, you should have won that night.’ WELL YOU WROTE IT! Why didn’t you speak up? [laughs]. I don’t lose any sleep over it because I’ve looked at wrestling like movies. Sometimes, the bad guy wins. I’ve never once looked back at that match and been like, ‘You should’ve won that.'”

 

Damian Priest On Triple H Telling Him About Call-Up

In a recent interview with Sportskeeda, Damian Priest discussed Triple H telling him he was joining the main roster:

"He wanted to tell me face to face and shake my hand and congratulate me. I appreciate that he was the one just cause he’s helped me so much, and he believed in me. That’s the main thing. Like he’s actually believed in me and helped me to believe that it’s okay to be myself. So I was really appreciative that he was the one and the words he said to me, you know like, as far as like going forward and it was super cool.”

Bianca Belair On Her Post-Royal Rumble Talk With Triple H

 

Bianca Belair recently spoke with Ryan Satin of FOX Sports to promote her big win in last Sunday’s Women’s WWE Royal Rumble Match. She revealed a talk she had with Triple H after her win at Tropicana Field.

Belair was asked if Triple H gave her any specific advice as she’s headed to WrestleMania 37, or any insight on what to prepare for over the next few months.

“I mean, I’ve always gotten a lot of different words from him and some of them I always want to keep for me and for myself,” she said. “But, the one thing that really stuck with me from that night was, he just commented on everything that I’ve been through from the very beginning and said he always believed in me, and the one thing that stuck with me was, I won the Royal Rumble and I’m about to go to WrestleMania, but I haven’t even scratched the surface yet.

“That’s the one thing I’m like, ‘Okay. You’re right.’ Because, you know, you win the Royal Rumble, and you’re going to WrestleMania and everybody in WWE wants to go to WrestleMania. That’s your dream. But, winning the Royal Rumble, hearing him say that you haven’t even scratched the surface yet, lets me know, ‘Don’t get complacent. You won the Royal Rumble, but don’t get complacent.’

“So, lets me know, ‘Get your emotions in check. Don’t just be happy with the Royal Rumble win. You gotta go to WrestleMania and you still have something else to prove. And even after WrestleMania, whatever happens, you still have a long career to go from there.'”

New Japan Pro-Wrestling Sets Roku Channel TV Deal in U.S., U.K, Canada

New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) will air on the Roku Channel in the U.S., U.K., and Canada under a new television deal, Variety has learned.

The professional wrestling promotion will air a one-hour weekly series on the Roku Channel beginning Feb. 11 and will air every Thursday thereafter beginning at 5 p.m. Episodes will then be available on-demand to Roku’s estimated 61.8 million users for free with ads. Additionally, the Roku Channel will host a block of library content, featuring key highlights from the 2020 NJPW catalogue, with potential for the introduction of more historical content in the future. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.

The deal will make NJPW the first pro-wrestling promotion to debut on an AVOD service. WWE recently announced that it will be moving the WWE Network over to Peacock, with that transition set to take place on March 18.

source:  variety.com

Shawn Michaels On Working With Triple H In NXT

Shawn Michaels on whether creative has changed in NXT since moving to NXT and what it’s like working with Triple H:

“Not that I’m aware of. Hunter, obviously, he’s the final say. But we’ve always had similar visions and similar ideas as far as creative and what we enjoy about wrestling. I’m still a huge wrestling fan, and when they’re actually out there in the ring, I don’t think anybody gets any more joy out of that than I do. Hunter has learned so much more than me when it comes to a production standpoint. He could now produce a movie or a motion picture. I’m very much enjoying learning that aspect from him. I think we balance each other out.

“I’m still the wrestling fan part of it – the simplicity, the old wild west aspect of it. Together, he’s able to take something that may be very wrong that I might have as an idea and make it so much bigger and better than what it was. In that aspect, I think we work well together. It’s still a business, and it’s no different than when we were in the ring. It continues to evolve and change, and you have to adapt to that. To me, that’s where all the enjoyment comes out……there’s just nothing better than being able to be out there and work side by side with the guys you drove up and down the road with.”

WWE Files Lawsuit Against US Citizenship And Immigration Services

WWE has filed a lawsuit against United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

The lawsuit was filed on Tuesday, January 26 in the US District Court of Connecticut, according to PWInsider. Immigration attorney Martine G. Cuomo has filed documents on behalf of WWE for the lawsuit.

The nature of the lawsuit is currently sealed to the public, but speculation is that this has to do with WWE not being able to get a talent or employee into the United States, possibly due to recent policy changes amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Court records show that Citizenship and Immigration Services has not been served with the lawsuit yet, but they have 60 days to respond. Records also indicate that amended pleadings must be filed by March 27 with discovery completed by July 8.

ESPN Is Reportedly Finished With WWE

ESPN has reportedly made the decision to stop airing all WWE content

Dave Meltzer indicated that there are issues between WWE and ESPN as it’s believed that ESPN was a significant part of the WWE Network talks before WWE decided on a deal with NBCU for Peacock. Disney is the parent company of ESPN, and there were rumors at one point of Disney/ESPN potentially being interest in buying WWE. Apparently ESPN found out three weeks ago that they were not getting the WWE Network deal. Meltzer then reported that ESPN has “pretty much shut down” any WWE coverage, and right now no more WWE content is to air on ESPN.

ESPN started airing classic WWE content back in 2020, and often covers significant stories for the company. ESPN launched a WWE subsite in 2016, but it looks like that site is no longer being regularly updated. It was also reported back in February 2020 that WWE and ESPN had talks about potentially moving WWE pay-per-view events to the ESPN+ platform.

WWE Network – Peacock Deal Reportedly Worth More Than $1 Billion

The new WWE Network – Peacock deal is reportedly worth more than $1 billion.

As noted, WWE announced today that NBCUniversal’s Peacock will become the exclusive new home for the WWE Network in the United States on Thursday, March 18. You can click here for full details on the announcement, including price points.

In an update, the Wall Street Journal reports that a person familiar with the deal says it runs for 5 years, and is valued at more than $1 billion. WWE and NBCU did not officially disclose terms of the multi-year agreement.

It’s also been noted that WWE and NBCU will share details on how existing WWE Network subscribers in the United States will be switched to the Peacock platform in the next few weeks. It remains to be seen if current subscribers will be automatically subscribed to Peacock, or how they will do it.

WWE Network will continue to operate as a stand-alone entity outside of the United States and nothing will change for international users.

WSJ also reported that Alan Gold, a partner at Creative Artists Agency’s advisory and investment Evolution Media, served as an adviser on the new WWE – Peacock deal.

NBCU’s Peacock Pins WWE Network Exclusive U.S. Streaming Rights

NBCUniversal’s Peacock soon will be the only place to watch WWE Network in the U.S.

WWE and NBCU reached a multiyear agreement giving Peacock exclusive streaming rights to WWE Network for American viewers. The over-the-top wrestling entertainment service’s existing U.S. subscribers (about 1.1 million in total) will be migrated over to Peacock Premium, where they’ll continue to get access to WWE Network but will pay 50% less per month while getting full access to the version of the Peacock Premium tier with ads.

Peacock will launch WWE Network on March 18, 2021, when Peacock will begin the rollout of more than 17,000 hours of WWE Network new, original, and library programming (both on-demand and on a new 24-hour channel).

The NBCU streamer will have all WWE live events — for no additional charge — including WrestleMania and SummerSlam, with Fastlane the first event to stream on Peacock on Sunday, March 21. (WWE fans who would prefer to order events via traditional pay-per-view will still have that option.)

WWE Network will be available on Peacock Premium (which includes ads) for $4.99 per month, half the price of WWE Network’s current $9.99/month pricing. The no-commercials Peacock Premium Plus plan, which costs $9.99/month, also will include WWE Network.

The companies plans to share details of how existing WWE Network subscribers in the U.S. will be switched to Peacock (e.g., whether they will be automatically subscribed to Peacock) in the next few weeks. Nothing will change for WWE Network subscribers outside the U.S.

Financial terms of the Peacock-WWE Network pact were not disclosed. According to sources, it’s a five-year deal worth more than $1 billion over that time period.

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The Undertaker Talks About WWE's Drug Testing Protocol

During an interview on The Joe Rogan Experience, The Undertaker revealed he is currently working for WWE under a legends contract like that of Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan etc. He revealed the news wh talking about drug testing in WWE.

"Before I switched my contract — now I’m not a Talent, I’m a Legend — I only worked two or three times a year, but I was under a regular contract. Under a regular contract, and this is if you tested clean, you had to have four mandatory piss tests and two blood tests every year. They’d get to the end of the year and I’d get a call, ‘Go to the lab and do a piss test.’ I hadn’t been in the ring in 6 or 7 months, but they’d look at the book and say ‘oh, we forgot about him.’ So you get the piss test done, but that was only three. Sure enough, next day, another phone call, ‘go back to the lab.’ 

They’re totally random, they just show up. I was home, that’s why I didn’t get tested until the end. I know what the protocol is and if anyone could get out of it, it would be me, and I couldn’t get out of it."

The Undertaker signed a contract recently until 2035.

Triple H Asked If He Will Eventually Run WWE

Triple H appeared on ESPN’s The Michael Kay Show this week. The Game spoke with Michael Kay, Don La Greca and Peter Rosenberg about any plans he may have to take over WWE one day.

“Look, for me, all of this comes down to the success of WWE. I never started doing this from any standpoint. When I first got into this, I just wanted to do it because I thought it was the greatest form of entertainment in the world and you just want to be great at it and whatever comes along with it. As my career wound down, I realized that I was just as fascinated with the behind-the-scenes of it.”

“It’s irrelevant to me who is steering the ship, who is doing what, there is plenty of work for everybody here. For me, it’s just about ensuring that like the tagline says, ‘Then, Now and Forever,’ that this brand of entertainment that I personally consider the greatest blended form of entertainment in the world, that it continues. So to me, it’s irrelevant, any of it, just as long as it continues.”

You can listen to the full Triple H appearance on the The Michael Kay Show at ESPN.

WWE Plans To Have Fans In Attendance At WrestleMania 37

TMZSports.com WWE hasn't had a live audience since March ... but that's about to change, 'cause Stephanie McMahon tells TMZ Sports WWE plans to have fans in attendance at WrestleMania 37!! McMahon joined the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs nightly on FS1) ... where she announced WWE's gunning to have an audience at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa at WM on April 10 and 11. “I’m thrilled and excited because, hopefully, this will be the first opportunity for us to have our fans back in attendance," McMahon says. "That’s the current plan. Of course, ticket information is not available yet cause we’re still trying to figure out all the machinations.” McMahon tells us WWE is keeping an eye on the Super Bowl (Feb. 7, also at RJS in Tampa) ... for tips on how to make sure the massive event goes off without a hitch. "We're going to learn a lot from [the NFL] logistically, etc., and really best practices, what works, what doesn't work. But man, we can't wait to come in and for 2 nights, really rock that pirate ship." FYI, it's been 316 days (March 9th's Monday Night Raw) since the wrestling organization had live fans in the building. Still, plans can change ... and McMahon stressed WWE's top priority is the health of everyone involved. "Working with the local organizing committee, all of the health officials, health and safety is first and foremost, of course," Stephanie says. "For our fans, for our performers, for the employees, for the staff working the building, there's a lot of different logistics that need to determined, but hopefully, it'll all work out, and this will be the first WWE event where we actually bring the WWE Universe back together in person, and I cannot wait." As far as the exact number of fans they plan to admit ... Stephanie says WWE has a plan, but isn't ready to reveal the figure at this time. For comparison's sake, WWE had around 100K fans at WM 33 at AT&T Stadium in 2016 (WWE's going back to Texas for WM 38). Obviously, the number will be way smaller this April. But, bottom line ... humans will be there!

Adam Cole Says There Is "No Debate" NXT Is Part Of WWE's Main Roster

Adam Cole believes there is no longer any debate that NXT is a part of WWE's "main roster" and not just a developmental brand to prepare WWE Superstars for RAW or SmackDown. Cole stressed this view while replying to a fan on Twitter, who wrote that the former NXT Champion could advance to the main roster this year. "@WWENXT is main roster. No debate. End of story," wrote Cole in his response to the fan. In his initial tweet, Cole reassured fans that Undisputed ERA will continue to dominate NXT in 2021 like they have since their arrival in August 2017. "#UndisputedERA has run @WWENXT since we've arrived...2021 will be no different. Enjoy the ride boys & girls. @KORcombat @roderickstrong @theBobbyFish," tweeted Cole. In recent years, NXT Superstars have participated in main roster events such as the Royal Rumble match and traditional Survivor Series elimination matches. However, they have never been included in the draft pools for the WWE Draft.

Former WWE Co-Presidents George Barrios And Michelle Wilson Launch New Company

Former WWE Co-Presidents George Barrios and Michelle Wilson have announced their new company, Isos Capital Management. Barrios and Wilson, who were released from their WWE jobs on January 30 of last year, will identify & execute attractive investment opportunities in global media, sports and entertainment industries with the new venture. "Global connectivity has unleashed unprecedented disruption in content creation, distribution and consumption. The COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated these changes and requires a new strategic framework for success," Barrios said in a press release. "Against this backdrop, Michelle and I see unique opportunities for growth and value creation across the media, entertainment and sports ecosystem." Barrios and Wilson both started with WWE in 2008, and worked their ways up to Co-President until their departures in January of last year. The Isos announcement noted how they worked together in WWE, building the company "into one of the most successful multi-platform media businesses in the world across traditional, digital, social and direct-to-consumer media platforms. Working together for more than 11 years, Barrios and Wilson's expertise in strategic transformations and value creation led to record revenue, profit and market capitalization." "There is no better time to invest in the industry and we believe Isos offers a distinct advantage in the marketplace. We are a firm built by operators for operators, and we bring proven strategies and innovative thinking to help media, entertainment and sports companies win in the long term," Wilson said in the press release. "George and I have worked together for more than a decade and have demonstrated how to achieve game-changing results in an evolving landscape. We look forward to utilizing our experience, insights, network and capital to partner with management teams to accelerate growth and better meet consumer needs." Below is the full press release issued today on Isos Capital Management, which is based in Westport, CT, about 20 minutes from WWE HQ in Stamford, CT: Media and Entertainment Executives George Barrios and Michelle Wilson Announce the Formation of Isos Capital Management Firm Uniquely Positioned to Identify and Execute on Attractive Investment Opportunities in the Global Media, Entertainment and Sports Industries WESTPORT, Conn., Jan. 11, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Media and Entertainment executives George Barrios and Michelle Wilson today announced the formation of Isos Capital Management ("Isos" or the "Firm") to identify and execute on attractive investment opportunities leveraging their unique operating experience, insights and network. The Isos Co-Founders plan to invest in businesses that fit their thesis of mega trends shaping the industry and provide value creation through brand growth, digital transformation and globalization. Isos will target early, growth and late stage media, entertainment and sports companies and will consider a variety of investment vehicles. Mr. Barrios and Ms. Wilson bring deep industry experience having worked at leading global companies in the media and sports industries including the National Basketball Association, Time Warner, HBO, The New York Times and the United States Tennis Association. Most recently, they served as Co-Presidents of WWE, Inc. ("WWE") where they co-led the company's day-to-day operations and strategy, building WWE into one of the most successful multi-platform media businesses in the world across traditional, digital, social and direct-to-consumer media platforms. Working together for more than 11 years, Barrios and Wilson's expertise in strategic transformations and value creation led to record revenue, profit and market capitalization. "Global connectivity has unleashed unprecedented disruption in content creation, distribution and consumption. The COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated these changes and requires a new strategic framework for success," said Mr. Barrios. "Against this backdrop, Michelle and I see unique opportunities for growth and value creation across the media, entertainment and sports ecosystem." "There is no better time to invest in the industry and we believe Isos offers a distinct advantage in the marketplace. We are a firm built by operators for operators, and we bring proven strategies and innovative thinking to help media, entertainment and sports companies win in the long term," said Ms. Wilson. "George and I have worked together for more than a decade and have demonstrated how to achieve game-changing results in an evolving landscape. We look forward to utilizing our experience, insights, network and capital to partner with management teams to accelerate growth and better meet consumer needs."

Triple H Discusses His Most Challenging Year In WWE

On the latest episode of WWE's The Bump, the panel brought on Triple H to talk about his memories of the Royal Rumble and which moments in those pay-per-views stood out to him. The first Rumble they look back on was his triumphant return back in 2002, when he suffered an eight-month quad injury, which almost cost him his in-ring career. For the former nine-time WWE Champion, this moment 19 years ago solidified where exactly he stood in the company. "It's hard to sort of put into words the journey at that point in time because, you know, there was a high probability I might've not been able to wrestle again," Triple H stated on his 2002 Royal Rumble return. "Coming back and having the return I did at Madison Square Garden, and the reaction I got was great. The challenge was: How do you capitalize on that? So, to come back at the Royal Rumble, there's so much meaning there. Not only from a performer's standpoint but from an athlete's standpoint of the validation to be able to do this still." In this exact match, Triple H recalls the excitement he felt from the crowd when his mentor Mr. Perfect made his entrance at the event. "It was awesome! For me, as a fan, Curt was one of the best in-ring performers ever," he replied. "When I came to WWE at the time, and Curt sort of being in his first management position, [he] helped me get [towards] the Intercontinental title. After leaving WWE to go to WCW and then returning later, it was a weird full-circle moment. To see him in that spot and the reaction he got, that was awesome." Last month, the wrestling community lost one of its influential minds in the business when Pat Patterson passed away at 79 years old. With Patterson's vision of the Royal Rumble living up to the hype since it first started in 1988, Triple H credits the inaugural Intercontinental Champion for his contributions in this annual event. "[The] Rumble is one of those great matches where it can last the length of time that it does. And every couple of minutes, there's this surprise every time. Sometimes, those surprises are underwhelming. Sometimes they're those 'Oh, my God' moments," he began. "They are a lot of fun to put together because of those moments because you're constantly looking at how you can get that excitement level. But that's the genesis thing that Pat Patterson put together. Pat was the concept creator of the Rumble." When he made his return back to being a full-time in-ring performer in 2016, Triple H admits that year was the most challenging part of his overall career. "Absolutely, because it was completely out of the blue and completely unplanned in a way," he noted. "There was a moment in time with injuries and everything that was happening in the company where, you know, I sort of got to a place in my career where Vince [McMahon] would joke that I was the in case of an emergency, break glass [guy]. So, I'd be sitting there with my trunks on. He'd tell me, 'Ok. You're my in case of an emergency guy, we're breaking the glass, and here's what we're going to do.' And you're like, 'Oh, my God.' "I don't believe I've ever done anything harder in my career than have moments where you don't wrestle for an entire year or a long, long period of time. Then you come out and do whatever it is at the highest level, you know, to try to add to the stuff you've done without letting others or yourself down. It's really one of the most difficult challenges I've ever faced. The pressure was immense." Throughout the month, The Bump will ask their guests which moments in Royal Rumble history were their favorites to participate in or to watch. For Triple H, he says the very first Rumble he participated in will forever be his favorite because of the interaction he got to have with Dory Funk Jr. "It's funny. There are moments for me in the Rumble...I'll give you one that was a cool moment for me that nobody else would even remember happened," he opened. "It was my first Royal Rumble, and I was in there for a long period of time, and Dory Funk Jr. came into the ring. I don't remember how long I'd been in there, but I remember Dory just coming and grabbing me in the center of the ring and picking me up and putting me in the corner. He said to me, 'Get yourself a breather, kid.' He just started working with me in the corner. And, you know, that was a guy I grew up watching. For me to have that moment with Dory Jr., it was the coolest thing for me of all time."

WWE India Announces "Superstar Spectacle"

Back in October, WWE President & Chief Revenue Officer Nick Khan revealed during an earnings call WWE is teaming with their TV partner in India, Sony, for a 2021 event that will focus on developing new Superstars from India. "To realize greater economics from WWE's international markets, we remain focused on developing localized content, which utilizes local talent and is produced in local language," Khan said. "We're excited to now be working with our content partner in India, Sony, on a 2021 event that will primarily feature our developing Indian superstars. That event will air in India on the Sony platforms and will also be distributed domestically in the United States. We believe partnerships like this are the best way to build engagement and to maximize the value of content for our international distribution partners and our fans." It looks like that series potentially now has a name as WWE India announced earlier today WWE Superstar Spectacle is coming soon. It was reported late last month, filming was expected to begin on Friday, January 22. One source close to the situation indicated that it could begin with a one or two-night event to kick things off. This would be similar to the model for NXT UK, which began with a two-night tournament in January 2017, before the weekly series was rolled out. Still no word on talent that will be used, although it was reported Jinder Mahal, The Bollywod Boyz, Indus Sher, Kavita Devi, and Jeet Rama could be involved. Depending on the current pandemic, a WWE Performance Center in India was also reportedly in play, and could be active by 2022.

Triple H wrestled zero matches in 2020

Ric Flair Hopes To See Triple H Have "A Huge Retirement Match"

Triple H skipped WrestleMania earlier this year for the first time since WrestleMania 23 when he was out with a torn right quadriceps. The 51-year-old Triple H might still have a few great matches left in him, according to his good friend Ric Flair. In a recent interview with WWE UK to promote next week's RAW Legends Night, Flair discussed Triple's possible retirement down the road and why The Game deserves a huge sendoff from the WWE Universe. "I'm actually hoping to see him have a huge retirement match, if he even elects to retire in the future," said Flair [h/t Inside The Ropes]. He deserves every bit of it and all the recognition to go with it." While admitting that Triple H "probably knows more about the business" than him despite their 20-year age gap, Flair said that The Game exemplifies 'Legend' more than anyone else because he's a student of the game. "He exemplifies 'Legend' more than anybody because he is not only a great performer, he has studied the business, he is a historian," stressed Flair. "He probably knows more about the business than I do and I've been in it 30 years longer than he has." Flair continued, "He [Triple H] came into it with a knowledge of it that I hadn't seen anybody at his age come into the business with. He was respectful every day and it was fun to see someone that just loved to be in the ring and loved the business. He became a great worker and he has also taken that with him and has become an intricate part of the company." The Nature Boy also gave major props to Triple H for building and managing the WWE NXT brand. "He's accomplished all this through his efforts and he has ascended himself to a place of not just being a great worker, he's helped to impact the company with the growth of NXT," said Flair. "Helping to see young guys get the opportunity to make the main roster, working with people on a daily basis. "Plus he's one of my two or three best friends. I just saw him at RAW and at TLC and had a nice talk with him. He basically lives the kind of schedule we did in the old days. He wouldn't have it any other way. He won't miss anything, and he's always wanting to see the company grow."

Brodie Lee Passes Away

WWE has released the following statement about Lee's passing: WWE is saddened to learn that Jon Huber, known to WWE fans as Luke Harper, passed away today at age 41. Known as both Luke Harper and Brodie Lee in the ring, Huber found success in every stop of his sports-entertainment career, as his soft spoken yet imposing presence helped him create countless awe-inspiring moments in the ring. After a highly decorated run on the independent circuit, Harper debuted in NXT as a menacing enforcer for The Wyatt Family. Harper had a dominant tag team run with Rowan that would lay the groundwork for future championship success. As a member of The Wyatt Family, he engaged in heated rivalries with the likes of Kane, Daniel Bryan, The Shield, John Cena and The Usos. After being set free from the family, Harper authored an impressive singles run that culminated with him defeating Dolph Ziggler for the Intercontinental Championship. Harper & Rowan later comprised The Bludgeon Brothers and embarked on a path of destruction that was highlighted by a SmackDown Tag Team Title victory in a Triple Threat Match at WrestleMania 34.

WWE Announces Superstar Gaming Series

WWE announced a new video game-centric streaming series is set to debut on Tuesday, December 29, at 8 p.m. EST. Known as the WWE Superstar Gaming Series, the show will air on both WWE social platforms as well as the free version of the WWE Network beginning next week. Advertised wrestlers for SGS include Ronda Rousey, The Miz, Liv Morgan, Adam Cole, Tyler Breeze, Shayna Baszler, and Jessamyn Duke. They will be joined by celebrities such as FaZe Adapt, Nick Eh 30, Lele Pons, Wale, and Greg Miller of Kinda Funny Games. Miller will host the series alongside Xavier Woods, who is being advertised as a "special guest." The first episode of SGS will see the aforementioned superstars and celebrities go head-to-head in an Among Us "Holiday Sus-Fest" and a WWE 2K Battlegrounds "Holiday Throwdown." Leading up to the 8 p.m. debut, WWE will air a "Best of UpUpDownDown 2020 Marathon" on their social platforms, beginning at 3 p.m. EST. This announcement comes months after Wrestling Inc. exclusively reported about WWE's third-party edict, a new regulation that forced WWE talent to stop working with outside platforms such as Twitch and Cameo. The edict was met with much criticism and controversy from within the company, and even led to a firing. Former WWE superstar Zelina Vega was released from her WWE contract due to being "extremely vocal" about maintaining her personal Twitch account. WWE officially closed their talents' Twitch accounts at the end of October.

Wrestling Legend Danny Hodge Passes Away At The Age Of 88

Combat sports legend and Olympic silver medalist Danny Hodge passed away late last night at the age of 88. Hodge is well known for his accomplishments in amateur and professional wrestling and in boxing. Hodge began his career as an amateur wrestler winning countless state and conference titles. Hodge's accomplishments have been honored through the Dan Hodge Trophy, the equivalent to the Heisman Trophy for collegiate wrestling. In the world of pro wrestling, Hodge was trained by Leroy McGuirk and Ed "Strangler" Lewis and went on to win the NWA World Junior Heavyweight Championship seven times and the Tri-State NWA North American HeavyweightChampionship three times. Hodge has received honors from amateur and pro wrestling as well as boxing.

News On Talks Of A WWE Lucha Libre Series

As Wrestling Inc. first exclusively reported, WWE has been planning to create a new NXT show, which apparently would be an NXT minor leagues system. Wrestling Inc. has learned that the company has also been discussing a Mexican Lucha Libre series, which would be an NXT Mexico of sorts. The show would reportedly air in the U.S. WWE has spoken with a few people about running the project, but it is very early on in the planning stages. One of the names being considered as a consultant on the project is Chavo Guerrero Jr. Chavo was an agent for Lucha Underground and was very involved with the promotion. One source compared the project to the WCW Telemundo "Festival de Lucha" pilot that was taped in Waco, Texas on January 27, 1999 that never aired. The pilot was added to the "Hidden Gems" section of the WWE Network last year. WWE has been looking to expand into international markets for awhile now. The company launched NXT UK in 2018, and has been considering creating NXT brands in several other countries as well.

Rumor Mill - USA Network Reportedly Upset With WWE RAW Ratings

Monday's TLC go-home edition of RAW drew an average of 1.527 million viewers, down 12% from last week's 1.737 million viewers. Monday's show drew a new all-time low in total viewership, a new all-time low in viewership for each hour, and a new all-time low in the key demographic. Furthermore, last week's AEW Dynamite episode drew a 0.45 rating in the key 18-49 demographic, which beat every hour of this week's RAW in that same demo. You can read our full report on this week's RAW numbers at this link. In an update, WWE officials aren't the only ones who had a big reaction to this week's record-low numbers as there was a similar reaction at the USA Network, according to Alex McCarthy of talkSPORT. It was noted that USA Network management is furious with the drop in ratings, and they want more dark and violent content. "USA Network are furious. They want more adult content. Not sexy adult, but dark and violent adult," the source said. It was also said that WWE officials are hoping that the 2021 Royal Rumble pay-per-view can serve as some kind of a "big reset" for the company. This new report comes after it was reported earlier this week, via Wrestling Observer Radio, that the low numbers were a wake-up call for WWE. Dave Meltzer noted that everyone he knows in WWE were stunned at the numbers, and that people in WWE "got the message" as well. It was also reported this week, via @Wrestlevotes, that the record low numbers for Monday's RAW were not "sitting well" with WWE higher-ups. People in the company expected some "reactionary decisions" to be made, but no other details were provided. It will be interesting to see what WWE does to bring the numbers up, and if anything major happens at the TLC pay-per-view on Sunday. It will also be interesting to see if USA officials recommend any kind of major "reset" storylines as they have in the past.

Stephanie McMahon shares Paul Heyman’s reaction to her clash with Vince McMahon

Vince McMahon is the Chairman of WWE and his daughter Stephanie McMahon is the Chief Brand Officer. The two have not shied away from being involved in storylines over the years and have certainly butted heads over decisions made in the company. Stephanie McMahon recently spoke to David Meltzer of Sports 1 Marketing. During the interview, McMahon revealed a fascinating story that involved Paul Heyman. Stephanie McMahon recalled how she was once upset with her father Vince McMahon over an incident that took place long ago. Here is what she said: Paul Heyman actually said to me one time… I was really upset over something that had happened with my dad as my boss, and it really hurt. It was this one particular incident, and it just rocked my world. And Paul Heyman said to me, “You know what Steph? This is so good!” And I said, “Why is this so good, Paul?” And he said, “Because, if you can stand in a room and look Vince McMahon in the eye, and go toe to toe with him on whatever opinion you’re trying to share, anybody else pales in comparison. Paul Heyman is currently managing WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns, which has seen great success since the start of their partnership. source: ringsidenews.com

Rumor Mill - Triple H Creates Team For New WWE NXT Show

Paul "Triple H" Levesque has created a team to oversee a new NXT show, which apparently would be an NXT minor leagues system. Gabe Sapolsky is leading the team. Levesque has given him several agents and writers to help him get more comfortable with writing television. Levesque is a big believer in Sapolsky, and this is said to be a case of Levesque giving him the ball. The idea is to create a show that was described to me as an "NXT for NXT". The biggest challenge has been to format the concept for TV. The original idea was for this to be akin to another promotion running in some of the smaller tier markets that NXT serviced. However, with house shows likely to not return, they are making it just a TV series. The goal was for the show to launch in early 2021, but it has been delayed before and probably will again.

AEW Dynamite Sees Big Drop In Viewership From Last Week, WWE NXT Viewership Rises

Week 62 of the Wednesday Night War saw AEW Dynamite defeat WWE NXT in viewership and ratings. Wednesday's live episode of Dynamite drew 806,000 viewers on TNT, topping the 766,000 garnered by last night's live NXT on the USA Network by 5.2%, according to Nielsen via Showbuzz Daily. AEW ranked #3 in the Cable Top 150, while NXT ranked #34. AEW tied for #62 in viewership, with CNN's New Day at 7am, while NXT ranked #67 in viewership. Last week's Dynamite show drew 995,000 viewers and ranked #2 in the Cable Top 150, and #55 in viewership. Last week's post-WarGames edition of NXT drew 659,000 viewers and ranked #37 in the Cable Top 150, and #75 in viewership. AEW drew a 0.32 rating in the 18-49 demographic, beating the 0.19 scored by NXT in the same demo this week by 68%. Last week's AEW show drew a 0.45 rating while the NXT episode drew a 0.17 in that demographic. This week's AEW show was down 19% in total viewers from last week, but on the higher end of what the show was doing before the past two loaded episodes aired. AEW was down 29% in the 18-49 demographic rating this week, but again, it was on the higher end of what Dynamite was drawing before the past two loaded shows aired. This week's AEW show was up 18% from the same week in 2019, but that same week last year, the December 18 show, was their worst number of 2019 - 683,000 viewers with a 0.25 rating in the key demo. This week's NXT show drew the best number of total viewers since Halloween Havoc, which drew 876,000 viewers on October 28. NXT's 18-49 demographic rating for this week was the second-best since Halloween Havoc, behind the November 25 show that drew a 0.20 rating. This week's NXT was down 3.7% from the same week in 2019. The Challenge on MTV at 8pm topped the night in the 18-49 demographic on the Cable Top 150, with a 0.45 rating, but drawing just 839,000 viewers. Rachel Maddow Show on MSNBC topped the night on cable in viewership with 3.593 million viewers, ranking #11 on the Cable Top 150 with a 0.26 rating in the key 18-49 demo.

WWE Raw Draws Lowest Viewership Ever, Upcoming Booking Said To Be "Reactionary"

The ratings for this past Monday's WWE Raw are in--- and they're the lowest ratings that Raw has ever had.

WWE Monday Night RAW averaged 1.527 million viewers, which is down 12% from last week’s 1.737 million viewers.

The report has made it clear that people weren't tuning out of the show halfway through, but rather they just weren't watching it at all.

WrestleVotes is reporting that WWE higher-ups (including Vince McMahon) are said to be very unhappy about this development, and are likely going to do some reactionary booking to attempt to gain people's attention again.

source:  WrestleVotes

WWE NXT India Brand To Launch Next Year

WWE NXT India brand is reportedly scheduled to launch in 2021.

The new NXT India TV series will air in the Indian market and is expected to begin filming in January, according to a new report from Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics and John Pollock of POST Wrestling.

There's no word yet on talent for the brand, but the plan as of several weeks ago was to feature an eight-man single elimination tournament for the new series. This was not confirmed, but the tournament could be to crown the first-ever NXT India Champion.

 new NXT India series is expected to air on linear TV in India, along with a digital window through the WWE Network.

WWE currently has a distribution deal with Sony Pictures Networks in India. A five-year renewal for that deal was announced in March of this year. The deal also includes Sony having the rights to the WWE Network for its audiences through SonyLIV, which is their own OTT (Over-The-Top) streaming platform.

NXT India will join the main NXT brand here in the United States, and the NXT UK brand based out of London, England.

Triple H And Stephanie McMahon Make List Of 2020's Most Influential Names In Sports

WWE's Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon and WWE's Executive Vice President of Global Talent Strategy & Development Paul "Triple H" Levesque have been named to Sports Business Journal's 2020 list of Most Influential Executives. SBJ presented a different take on their 17th annual list of the Most Influential names in sports business, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The list included 79 names who made an impact on sports business in 2020, from league commissioners and media executives, to union leaders and impactful athletes. The issue is available for purchase now. Triple H and Stephanie were the only pro wrestling-related names to make the list. The list included the following blurb for the husband & wife WWE power couple: "As other leagues suspended their seasons, WWE continued offering fresh content, starting with shifting 'SmackDown' to its Performance Center in Orlando on March 15. Under the guidance of Levesque and McMahon, WWE never missed a 'Raw,' 'NXT,' 'SmackDown' or pay-per-view event. And the ThunderDome concept for shows further demonstrated WWE's mastery of production, even on the fly."

Lemmy Kilmister Credited Triple H With Rejuvenating Motorhead

The friendship between Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister and WWE legend Triple H is one of metal’s greatest bromances, and it came from mutual respect. Triple H reached new heights in WWE after Lemmy Kilmister sang his entrance music, but the gravel-voiced frontman benefited even further, giving The Game credit for Motorhead’s career rejuvenation. Triple H recently appeared on Metal Injection’s Squared Circle Pit podcast to promote NXT TakeOver: War Games, which will air live Sunday, Dec. 6 on the WWE Network. During the chat, The Game spoke about a heart-to-heart he had with Lemmy before a Motorhead gig. “We were talking and [Lemmy] goes, ‘You’ve gotta look out there tonight. Wait until you see all the kids that are at our event. We didn’t have any of that before we started with you,’” Triple H recalls. “He said, ‘It used to be an old-timer event at our shows where it was all these old metalheads that had kinda aged out. All of a sudden, we’re like this cool, young band and we’ve got kids here and teenagers and young adults that are at our shows again. It’s been like a refresh for us.’ To me, there was no bigger compliment.” Triple H also revealed the music that WWE chairman Vince McMahon listens to, including his all-time favorite band AC/DC. “He’s sort of a classic rock kind of guy. AC/DC is the big thing for him,” the wrestler and NXT leader says. “The Stones, Bob Seger — those are the things that really resonate with him … He loves the music, but to him, it’s the experience. Kid Rock, ZZ Top — all that stuff where they can give you that performance as well. Not just the music, but the performance is big, too — he loves that.” Read More: Lemmy Kilmister Credited Triple H With Rejuvenating Motorhead | https://loudwire.com/lemmy-kilmister-triple-h-motorhead-career/?utm_source=tsmclip&utm_medium=referral