WWE Shareholders Considering Lawsuit In Response To Vince McMahon’s Return

Vince McMahon‘s return to WWE might lead to a lawsuit.

McMahon officially returned to the WWE Board of Directors on January 6, just a few months after the former CEO retired amid a WWE board investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and hush money. The day before, McMahon confirmed his intention to return and participate in negotiations for media rights deals, and WWE announced his return on Friday. McMahon’s comeback came with a shakeup to the WWE board. An SEC filing revealed that JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R. Speed, and Alan M. Wexler were removed, while Michelle Wilson and George Barrios returned to the board. WWE also announced that Ignace Lahoud and Man Jit Singh resigned from the board.

In an update, Dave Scherer of PWInsider shared an email that was sent to a friend, who is a party in the WWE shareholder derivative lawsuit that Scott and Scott filed after the allegations against McMahon first became public in June 2022. In the email, the lawyers note that they believe there is “enough of a basis to bring a breach of fiduciary lawsuit”, and they hope to file a complaint against McMahon, and potentially other officers for breaching their duties to the company and the shareholders.

A friend of mine, who is a party in the WWE shareholder derivative suit that was filed last June by Scott and Scott after the NDA allegations against Vince McMahon surfaced, sent me the following update email that he received today from the lawyers (with names redacted to ensure privacy):

I hope you had a great holiday season. I’m writing with an update on WWE. We have been working with the company for several months and have received several internal documents, which we have been reviewing. We expect to get an additional batch of documents this week.

You also may have seen the news this past week about Vince McMahon forcing his way back onto the board, along with a major board shakeup. As a result, we believe there is enough of a basis to bring a breach of a fiduciary lawsuit. We hope to file a complaint against McMahon and possibly other directors/officers for breaching their duties to WWE and its shareholders. We should have a draft for you to review in the next couple of days.

It will also require a signature on a one-page verification which we will also send. In the meantime, do you have a phone number we could use in case we need to contact you that way? Please let me know if you have any questions about anything.

WWE gains another 6% as it reports record WrestleMania gate

World Wrestling Entertainment is 6% higher, driving into its sale-chatter rally from the end of last week and pacing toward its fifth straight session gain, as it reports record gate revenue for its WrestleMania almost three months prior to it taking place.

WrestleMania 39 - what the company is calling WrestleMania Goes Hollywood, based in its Los Angeles setting - has surpassed its previous record of $17.3M for 2016's WrestleMania 32. Tickets are still on sale.

The event is set for Saturday and Sunday, April 1-2, and WWE has yet to announce which matches will take place there. It will stream exclusively on Peacock in the United States and on WWE Network elsewhere.

WWE stock (WWE) is now up 30% over its five straight winning sessions. It rose 17% Friday following news that former CEO Vince McMahon is hoping to return to the company's board and plot a sale of the company.

Who might want to buy WWE?

Vince McMahon rejoined the WWE board Friday to begin a potential sale process for his company.

WWE has hired JPMorgan to advise on a sale, sources say.

Legacy media, streaming giants and entertainment holding companies could all end up submitting bids to buy WWE.

A deal would likely happen before mid-2023, when TV rights renewal deal negotiations will also take place.

WWE is providing the following update regarding the composition of its Board of Directors and the exploration of strategic alternatives

Today, we announce that the founder of WWE, Vince McMahon, will be returning to the Board,” said Chairwoman & Co-CEO Stephanie McMahon, Co-CEO Nick Khan and Chief Content Officer Paul Levesque. “We also welcome back Michelle Wilson and George Barrios to our Board of Directors. Together, we look forward to exploring all strategic alternatives to maximize shareholder value.”

As Vince McMahon stated yesterday, “WWE has an exceptional management team in place, and I do not intend for my return to have any impact on their roles, duties, or responsibilities."

In connection with the change in the composition of the Board of Directors and in cooperation with Vince McMahon as majority shareholder, the Company intends to undertake a review of its strategic alternatives with the goal being to maximize value for all WWE shareholders. There is no assurance that this process will result in a transaction.

Vince McMahon, in his capacity as controlling shareholder of the Company, has removed JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R. Speed and Alan M. Wexler from the Board. Vince McMahon, George Barrios and Michelle Wilson have been added to the Board to fill the resulting vacancies.

The Board currently consists of:

Vince McMahon

Stephanie McMahon

Nick Khan

Paul Levesque

Steve Koonin

Michelle McKenna

Steve Pamon

George Barrios

Michelle Wilson

Ignace Lahoud and Man Jit Singh have resigned from the Board, effective today.

You can’t kill Vince McMahon

Vince McMahon Trying To Get Back Into WWE For Media RIghts Negotiations

According to Lauren Thomas of the Wall Street Journal, Vince McMahon is planning to return to WWE in order to pursue a sale of the business. McMahon has reportedly told the company that he is electing himself and former co-presidents and directors, Michelle Wilson and George Barrios, to the board.

This move will require three current directors to vacate their positions.

Previous attempts for McMahon to be reinstated have been rebuffed by the board and he will need board approval if he assumes the role as executive chairman, which he reportedly expects to do.

McMahon still has majority voting power due to his ownership of WWE Class B stock.

The report goes on to state the board responded last month in a letter to Mr. McMahon that it was prepared to initiate a review process and would welcome working with him on it. It was reportedly unanimously agreed that Mr. McMahon’s return to the business wouldn’t be in shareholders’ best interest.

McMahon has reportedly communicated to the board that unless he has direct involvement as executive chairman from the outset of a strategic review, he won’t support or approve any media-rights deal or sale.

WWE media rights for WWE Raw and WWE SmackDown are reportedly set to be negotiated in the near future as the contracts for both shows end in 2024.

Vince McMahon sent out the following press release:

GREENWICH, Conn., Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Vince McMahon, the founder and controlling shareholder of World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. ("WWE" or the "Company") (NYSE: WWE), announced today that he has taken necessary actions to position the Company to capitalize on a unique opportunity to maximize long-term value for all WWE shareholders. The actions, communicated to WWE's Board of Directors today via written consent, include the election to the Board of Mr. McMahon, as well as Michelle Wilson and George Barrios – former WWE Co-Presidents and Board members, and currently the Co-Founders and Co-CEOs of Isos Capital Management – and the requisite removal from the Board of three directors. Mr. McMahon expects to assume the role of Executive Chairman of the Board.

Mr. McMahon's new role will enable unified decision making through the Company's upcoming media rights negotiations and a parallel full review of the Company's strategic alternatives, which Mr. McMahon believes is the right course of action and in the best interests of WWE and WWE shareholders amidst the current dynamics in the media and entertainment industry. As Mr. McMahon has communicated to the Board, he believes there is a narrow window of opportunity to create significant value for all shareholders and that to do so, the strategic alternatives review must occur in tandem with the media rights negotiations. He also expressed to the Board that he believes these two initiatives require Mr. McMahon's direct participation, leadership, and support as controlling shareholder.

"WWE is entering a critical juncture in its history with the upcoming media rights negotiations coinciding with increased industry-wide demand for quality content and live events and with more companies seeking to own the intellectual property on their platforms," said Mr. McMahon. "The only way for WWE to fully capitalize on this opportunity is for me to return as Executive Chairman and support the management team in the negotiations for our media rights and to combine that with a review of strategic alternatives. My return will allow WWE, as well as any transaction counterparties, to engage in these processes knowing they will have the support of the controlling shareholder."

Prior to delivering written consent, Mr. McMahon sent two separate letters to the Board in late December in which he expressed the urgency of his return to the Company as Executive Chairman and his desire to work collaboratively with the Board and management team. Following conversations with representatives of the Company both before and after Mr. McMahon's most recent letter on December 31, Mr. McMahon determined, consistent with his rights as controlling shareholder, that the steps announced today are necessary to maximize value for all WWE shareholders.

In conjunction with the changes to WWE's Board, Mr. McMahon's written consent also includes certain amendments to the Company's bylaws to ensure that WWE's corporate governance continues to properly enable and support shareholder rights. These changes will be detailed in a Schedule 13D amendment to be filed by Mr. McMahon and a Form 8-K to be filed by the Company in the coming days.

bylaws to ensure that WWE's corporate governance continues to properly enable and support shareholder rights. These changes will be detailed in a Schedule 13D amendment to be filed by Mr. McMahon and a Form 8-K to be filed by the Company in the coming days.

No assurances can be given regarding the outcome or timing of the review process. Mr. McMahon does not intend to comment further until the process has concluded or Mr. McMahon has otherwise determined that further disclosure is appropriate or required.

McMahon has stated that he remains willing to continue working to complete any reimbursement for reasonable expenses related to the investigation, to the extent they aren’t covered by insurance.

McMahon reportedly also declined the offer to not return to the company.

Source: fightful.com

Paul Levesque Named As One Of Westfair’s 2022 Persons of the Year

During 2022, Westchester and Fairfield County saw surplus number of professionals rise to the top of their industries with innovative leadership skills, often addressing tumultuous social and economic situations with inspirational intellect and an undiluted sense of passion for their work.

In compiling our list for 2022’s Persons of the Year, we are reminded that the concept of “business as usual” is nowhere to be seen in this gathering of the region’s best and brightest.

Paul Levesque, chief content officer of WWE, Stamford.

After the scandal involving longtime WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon’s departure amid press reports of hush money paymentsto former female employees regarding alleged harassment, the company moved far beyond mere damage control with a new vibrancy focused on inventive marketing — most notably the clever “White Rabbit” multimedia campaign highlighting the reappearance of wrestler Bray Wyatt — and a response to fan input by returning popular wrestlers who were previously forced out by McMahon. Much of the credit for this new level of excitement has been traced to Levesque, who is best known to wrestling fans as “Triple H.” Levesque’s content focus has helped boost TV ratings and put WWE stock up 15% higher than its level when McMahon was still in charge — and financial analysts are no longer dropping rumors of the company being a target for sale.

Vince McMahon’s Planned WWE Comeback Is Predictable But Not Feasible

Vince McMahon Reportedly Planning To Make WWE Comeback Amid Allegation Demands

The Wall Street Journal released a new report about McMahon and he is facing legal demands from two women who allege that he sexually assaulted them, per internal documents and people familiar with the legal negotiations. On 11/3, the lawyer of Rita Chatterton, former WWF referee who accused McMahon of rape, sent a demand letter to McMahon’s attorney Jerry McDevitt. 

She is asking for $11.75 million in damages. The letter was reviewed by the Wall Street Journal. McMahon has denied Chatterton’s allegation. 

In a separate email sent to McDevitt, the lawyer of a former spa manager is claiming that McMahon assaulted his client in 2011 at a California resort. Per the Journal, those familiar with McMahon’s reaction have shared that he refuses to pay settlements to Chatterton and the spa manager. 

In addition to those notes, it is noted in the piece that McMahon has told people he intends to make a comeback to WWE. He feels he received bad advice from those close to him to step down and he believes the allegations and investigations would have blown over if he stayed in his position. McMahon remains the largest shareholder of WWE. 

Axios Highlights WWE Business Success Following Vince McMahon's Exit

For most companies, the departure of a CEO would usually result in a wave of uncertainty from investors, and can often even result in the stock price tanking. However, that simply hasn't been the case for WWE in 2022. The company has performed exceedingly well in the aftermath of longtime CEO Vince McMahon's departure over the summer, and news website Axios has now declared WWE "2022's media winner."

Nearly every major publicly traded entertainment company has seen its stock plummet this year, except World Wrestling Entertainment.

The company now has a market capitalization of nearly $6 billion, up from a little under $4 billion when it signed a landmark five-year streaming distribution deal with Peacock in 2021.

Why it matters: Investors are bullish on WWE as an acquisition target, especially in light of a hush money scandal that led to the retirement of the company's longtime leader and controlling shareholder Vince McMahon in July.

Details: WWE, along with other independent sports entertainment companies, could be hot targets for streaming companies looking to bolster subscriber numbers and global followings.

While WWE's exclusive U.S. streaming rights deal with Peacock doesn't expire until 2026, its two biggest live TV deals with Fox and Comcast are set to lapse in 2024.

Between the lines: Earlier this month, WWE ended its monthslong investigation into alleged misconduct by McMahon, concluding that he made nearly $20 million of previously undisclosed payments, most of which went toward settling sexual misconduct claims.

But the company has had a relatively smooth leadership transition in the wake of the scandal, keeping investors optimistic about its long-term growth strategy.

The return of live events following COVID-era lockdowns this year has been a boon for WWE.

The bottom line: Much of WWE's revenue is tied to long-term media contracts and big events, which has helped the company dodge much of the advertising-driven headwinds plaguing other media firms.

Stephanie McMahon Discusses Triple H’s Creative Vision For The White Rabbit Project

During the Wells Fargo 2022 TMT Summit (via Fightful), Stephanie McMahon spoke about the success of the White Rabbit Project in WWE and Triple H’s creative vision for it. The project caused TV viewership and live event attendance to go up and eventually led to the return of Bray Wyatt.

She said: “In terms of in-ring content, under Paul Levesque, it’s one of the key strengths that he was one of the biggest performers in the history of our business. He understands what it takes to be a successful superstar, one of the most successful. He understands audience connection and how to create content in a way I don’t think many do. When you think about the changes he’s made, the talent he’s brought back, not only bringing back stars, but how he’s doing it. For example, we were bringing back one of our biggest stars, Bray Wyatt, whose character is a bit of a cult-type leader. We used a multi-media approach and hired a horror writer to help us craft this narrative so fans were engaged. We started doing QR codes randomly in the background. It’s what we called the White Rabbit Project. There were interactive games, there were different misleads. We had one puzzle that was coordinated to a record store in Corbin, Kentucky that was White Rabbit Records. It happened to be that the people at the store played along. Our fans would call and ask, ‘What’s going on? Is someone returning? What’s happening at WWE?’ They would use some of the language we were using in the campaign and then hang up the phone. One of the codes drove us to a date, and that date happened to be the SmackDown that was happening. It looked like it could be a date or a time code, September 23 or 9:23. At 9:23, we saw viewership increase 20% over that time period. It’s strategies like that, that work because the audience is different and they’re growing and evolving. Some people want to have a lean-back experience, and that’s great, but a lot of people want to engage deeply and have fun and have misleads and misdirections. The worst thing in the world is when things are predictable from a content perspective. We want to make them unpredictable.“

WWE Plans To Bring Stadium Show To Major International Market

WWE's global expansion is set to make another big splash. In the company's presentation at this week's Wells Fargo TMT Summit in Las Vegas, WWE Chairwoman Stephanie McMahon talked about WWE's top priorities heading into 2023 and revealed its recent streaming deal in Australia is expected to lead to a major stadium event there.

While speaking about the company's plans to continue pushing its global expansion, McMahon noted that WWE's deal with Australia's Foxtel Group includes plans to host a major live event in the country. "We need to bring a stadium event to Australia as well," she said.

WWE signed its deal with Foxtel Group in September. The deal will see the WWE Network get folded into local streaming giant Binge much like how the service has been integrated into Peacock in the U.S., according to Deadline, which first reported the news.

"International is a focus for us," McMahon said this week. "We have discussed in the past, but now we really have the opportunity to create what we call global localization — or 'glocal' — where we can create local performance centers with local talent and replicate the lines of business that we have here in WWE, but do it on a much smaller scale and hopefully that will ladder up into the bigger product and eventually creating a World Cup-type product that would be very fun and exciting."

McMahon added that expanding globally "also .. is an opportunity for talent to rotate throughout and we can have local stars that ultimately come up to the main roster of WWE."

This year, WWE held its Clash at the Castle event in Cardiff in September and continued its annual Crown Jewel event in Saudi Arabia last month.

WWE's 20th Anniversary of "Tribute To The Troops"

WWE will honor U.S. military servicemembers later this month with its 20th anniversary of "Tribute To The Troops."

The event will take place on Saturday, Dec. 17 at 2:30 p.m. ET and can be seen on FOX. A star-studded slate of superstars is expected to be on the card.

Braun Strowman, current SmackDown Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey, Drew McIntyre, Sheamus, Imperium and others are set to be in action for the special, WWE said.

"In what is considered WWE’s most patriotic and heartwarming show of the year, the company began ‘Tribute To The Troops’ to honor our servicemen and women and their families and thank them for their continued sacrifice to our country," the company said in a news release obtained by Fox News Digital.

Shawn Michaels announces the Iron Survivor Challenge for NXT Deadline

WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels returned to NXT to announce the brand new Iron Survivor Challenge, a new match type that will pit NXT superstars against each other to determine the No. 1 contenders for both the NXT Championship and the NXT Women’s Championship.

Five superstars will compete in this unique 25-minute Match as they battle each other and the clock.

Two superstars will start the match and every five minutes a new superstar will enter the match until all five are in the ring.

The goal is to have the most falls when the clock hits 25 minutes.

Falls can be won at any time via pinfall, submission or disqualification.

When a superstar scores a fall they will earn one point.

However, when a superstar loses a fall, that superstar must pay the penalty. They are forced out of the ring and into a penalty box for 90 seconds.

Once the 90 seconds are up, the superstar can re-enter the match.

The superstar who has scored the most falls when the clock hits 25 minutes will be named the Iron Survivor and become the No. 1 Contender for the NXT Championship and NXT Women’s Championship respectively

WWE Internal Memo Touts Crown Jewel 2022 As Most-Viewed International PLE In WWE History

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reports that WWE sent out an internal memo to company executives in which it stated that Crown Jewel surpassed Clash at the Castle to become WWE’s most viewed international Premium Live Event of all time.

Per Sapp, the top five most-viewed events WWE has held in Saudi Arabia are as follows:

1) Crown Jewel 2022

2) Greatest Royal Rumble 2018

3) Elimination Chamber 2021

4) Crown Jewel 2021

5) Super ShowDown 2019

WWE also highlighted Crown Jewel’s seven-figure viewership number on Peacock in the United States.

WWE’s Vince McMahon Investigation Ended Up Costing $19.4M In Expenses

The WWE, led by co-CEOs Stephanie McMahon and Nick Khan, handily beat Wall Street expectations on revenue in its third quarter, delivering net revenue of $304.6 million, and operating income of $58.9 million.

The bump in revenue was “primarily due an increase in both domestic and international media rights fees related to the Company’s flagship programs, Raw and SmackDown,” the company said.

Indeed, the majority of the revenue, some $233 million, came from media rights, with live events accounting for $35.2 million, and consumer products $36.4 million.

But while many entertainment companies are beginning to lower expectations for the rest of the year amid an uncertain economic environment, the WWE appears bullish on its prospects, telling investors that it now expects full year 2022 Adjusted OIBDA to be at the “upper end” of its $370 million – $385 million range from just a few months ago, including fourth quarter 2022 Adjusted OIBDA of $83 million – $90 million.

In its earnings report, the WWE also provided an update into the board investigation into former CEO Vince McMahon. McMahon retired amid the probe back in July, but he remains the company’s controlling shareholder.

“The Special Committee investigation is now complete and the Special Committee has been disbanded,” the company said in the earnings report. “Management is working with the Board to implement the recommendations of the Special Committee related to the investigation.”

The company says it spent $17.7 million on costs associated with the investigation in Q3, and $19.4M so far this year. 

WWE Bringing ‘Elimination Chamber’ to Montreal

WWE is returning to Canada for a pay-per-view.

Elimination Chamber will be held on Feb. 18 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Sports Illustrated has learned. It is the first PPV in Canada since 2019 when SummerSlam took place in Toronto.

This will mark the first pay-per-view—which WWE now refers to as a premium live event—in Montreal since Breaking Point in 2009. That card, headlined by CM Punk against The Undertaker in a submission match, featured a loaded roster, including current stars Cody Rhodes, Kofi Kingston, The Miz, MVP, and Randy Orton.

Last year’s Elimination Chamber was held in Saudi Arabia and ended with Brock Lesnar regaining the WWE championship in an Elimination Chamber match. That show also featured Bianca Belair punching her ticket to a women’s title match at WrestleMania by winning the women’s Elimination Chamber match, as well as Roman Reigns defeating Bill Goldberg. Like last year, this is expected to be the final major event prior to WrestleMania.

Shawn Michaels Gets Emotional Talking About Paying Triple H Back

With the monumental news of Vince McMahon retiring beginning to fade into the past, the WWE is currently in a great spot, with Triple H running the main roster side of things and his best friend Shawn Michaels taking over his duties down on the developmental side with "NXT." The two have experienced it all together in the WWE and are now steering the ship for the company that helped 

"Hunter was there for me at a time in my life when I really needed it, obviously it's been 25 years since that time, but I guess for me it's always been how could I pay him back for that?" Michaels said during a recent appearance on the WWE After the Bell Podcast.

The answer to Shawn's question came last year when Triple H suffered a cardiac event that caused him to take the year off and undergo heart surgery. The former WWE Champion has been on the record stating it was a life-threatening situation and his absence from "NXT" would be something the company would have to deal with. While he was away, his best friend came to his aid, repaying the favor Triple H did for him, as Michaels took over his role with the developmental brand.

'It was absolutely not a moment's hesitation, it wasn't even difficult to do.' "For me, that's what I feel like some of this was, this was a way for me to be there for him and that means a lot to me," said Michaels. "I can get emotional, I'm all about the romance of this job. Even [taking over for Vince McMahon] has been pulling that out of him, another side of him that not many people get to see. To be able to be there for your friend in the best way you can, it was not easy by any stretch, the situation wasn't great at all, but it was absolutely not a moment's hesitation, it wasn't even difficult to do. Again because of the love, the respect, the care that I have for him."

"I appreciate the pats on the back but my goodness, it was nothing more than what he's done for me many many years ago. I was just happy to at least put a little dent in what he did for me in hopes that I helped him through a hard time in his life and that's all that really matters to me."

Triple H Discusses 'The White Rabbit Project' Leading To Bray Wyatt's Return

Speaking to The Wrap, WWE’s Chief Content Officer Triple H discussed how WWE used social media to build up Bray's return.

“We asked ourselves how we could bring back Bray Wyatt in the most engaging way possible. So we created ‘The White Rabbit Project,’ intended to lead our audience down this literal rabbit hole of content to help build anticipation for Wyatt’s return at ‘Extreme Rules’ on Peacock,” he said. "It started with flickering lights in arenas and continued with the release of other easter eggs, like hidden QR codes within episodes of ‘SmackDown’ and ‘Raw’ that led viewers to more clues that kept them guessing, and tuning in, each week. It culminated in what we believe was a massive pay-off for our fans – and for WWE. This is a great example of how WWE is uniquely positioned as a sports and entertainment property to harness the power of our shows and our social following to develop multimedia, long-term storytelling that can help produce meaningful aggregated audiences."

WWE stock hits 52-week high, defying market trends, in aftermath of McMahon scandal

WWE is defying broader market trends this year.

The company’s stock is up more than 50% in 2022, hitting a 52-week high Monday, and trading at levels it hasn’t seen since summer 2019. The S&P 500, by comparison, is down more than 20% this year.

The stock’s strong performance this year occurred as WWE’s live wrestling events business came roaring back after months of Covid restrictions and the company increasingly became the subject of sale talks. The stock continued to do well after WWE’s longtime leader and biggest shareholder, Vince McMahon, retired from the company over the summer in a cloud of scandal.

Shares of WWE were effectively flat Monday after hitting $76.90. The company’s market capitalization is more than $5.6 billion.

Industry insiders believe WWE could be an acquisition target. A deal could come before the company’s next U.S. TV rights renewal — likely to be announced in mid-2023. WWE’s current U.S. streaming deal with NBCUniversal’s Peacock expires in 2026.

Analyst John Healy of Northcoast Research, who covers WWE, sees the stock’s success as a confluence of successful ratings, upcoming media deal opportunities and the speculation about a possible acquisition.

“That speculation has been going on for a long time, and I think will always be around this company given the unique asset that it is and the ownership structure,” Healy told CNBC on Monday.

He also noted that WWE is relatively insulated from consumer trends, saying that “two-thirds of the revenue is coming from locked-in relationships” with media companies. Given a highly saturated media market, Healy expects high bidding for the rights to “Raw” and “Smackdown,” which are set to be renegotiated in the coming year.

source:  cnbc.com

Triple H Reportedly Tests Positive For COVID-19

It appears WWE will be without their head of creative tonight for the first time since he stepped into the role earlier this year. Based on a report from PWInsider, Paul "Triple H" Levesque has tested positive for COVID-19. He will be absent from both tonight's "WWE Raw" and tomorrow's episode of "WWE NXT."

Levesque is said to be feeling good despite the diagnosis, and the company is hopeful that he will return in time for this Friday's "WWE SmackDown," or next week's "Raw" at the latest. The Chief Content Officer has reportedly been in touch with the company's writers and producers remotely, and feels confident in the direction of tonight's show in his absence.

While the company received internal criticism for the way it handled COVID-19 infections in the early days of the pandemic, they would eventually begin more rigid testing protocols before relaxing those rules towards the end of last year. WWE has seen its fair share of COVID-19 infections throughout the course of the pandemic, with the most recent outbreak of more than an isolated case or two taking place this past April.

Until he begins testing negative for the virus and is cleared to return, Levesque will be forced to take something of a step back from his duties as head of creative. However, it's likely that major creative decisions will still make their way to him to approve, while the actual running of the shows will be left to the producers with the most experience.

Shawn Michaels Talks Struggling To Run WWE NXT After Triple H's Cardiac Event

Shawn Michaels admits it was tough for him to take the reins of "NXT" during Paul "Triple H" Levesque's absence. Last year, Levesque underwent heart surgery following a serious cardiac event. "The Game" was in heart failure and had to have a defibrillator put in his chest.

Michaels, who is now WWE's Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative, was dealt a rough hand as he had to take what Levesque helped build while also dealing with what his higher-ups wanted for "NXT" during the Vince McMahon regime. He explained that time period during an appearance on "The MMA Hour."

"Well, look, nothing sucks more than to have to follow in those footsteps, and then have all these abrupt changes that you have to then take over," Michaels said. "I will say this, my knowledge at the time, for instance, the logo, that came at the last minute and even from Hunter's standpoint, from the best of my understanding it was, 'This is what it is.' I think that's maybe something a lot of people — and I saw the interview you did with Hunter where he said – look, I know there are a lot of things people thought he wouldn't have done or decisions he didn't make, but they actually were."

With that said, Michaels admitted that there were also some significant changes that were out of Levesque's hands.

"So, there were some things that he did know about, but then there was others, especially as it started going and he wasn't there, that were very different and very difficult to sort of deal with."

credit: The MMA Hour Wrestling Inc

WWE Announces “WWE CAMPUS RUSH” Recruitment Tour

WWE today announced “WWE Campus Rush,” a multi-campus college athlete recruitment tour which will visit top NCAA Division I universities in search of the next generation of WWE Superstars.

WWE Superstars such as Big E, Bianca Belair, Omos, Madcap Moss and Raquel Rodriguez, all of whom have transitioned from college athletics to a career in WWE, will address student athletes at each tour stop and educate them about the global leader in sports entertainment. In conjunction with each university, student athletes will learn about WWE’s “Next In Line” (NIL) program and the resources that they can utilize including brand building, social media, fan engagement, media training and more. Each stop of the tour will include a lively competition that features student athletes facing off on the microphone to cut the best WWE-style promo.

“WWE Campus Rush” will begin tomorrow, October 12 at the University of Mississippi and will visit a total of eight universities from five conferences during the fall semester, including:

University of Mississippi – Tomorrow, October 12

Georgia Tech – Thursday, October 13

Clemson University – Tuesday, October 25

Boise State University – Tuesday, November 8

University of Arkansas – Wednesday, November 9

Ohio State University – Tuesday, November 15

University of Kansas – Tuesday, December 6

Penn State University – Wednesday, December 7

*Schedule subject to change

Looking ahead to 2023, ‘WWE Campus Rush” will visit the University of Florida, University of Michigan, Michigan State University, University of North Carolina, Texas A&M University, University of Oklahoma, Auburn University, University of Illinois, and Northwestern University.

“WWE Campus Rush will serve as a core pillar in our commitment to finding the next generation of WWE Superstars among today’s elite college athletes,” said James Kimball, WWE’s Head of Talent Operations and Strategy. “The talent pipeline from college sports to WWE has proven to be effective, as evidenced by current champions Roman Reigns and Bianca Belair, and we are looking forward to visiting major college campuses around the country to introduce ourselves in a new way.”

WWE launched its “Next In Line” program in December 2021 and currently has 25 active athletes with NIL partnerships. Three athletes from the inaugural class have joined the company following their graduation from school and have started training full-time at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Fla.

Additionally, WWE has exclusively hosted more than 100 college athletes from more than a dozen different sports at multi-day talent tryouts in 2022. WWE signed nearly 50 athletes from those events in a growing effort to find the most talented athletes in the world.

Learn more about the path to WWE at wwerecruit.com.

WWE Announces Updates To Commentary Teams

Today WWE announced that Raw, SmackDown, NXT and Premium Live Events will all have updated announce booths starting with this week's season premieres. The news was first reported by Variety on Thursday afternoon.

On Friday Night SmackDown, the commentary table will be headed by Michael Cole with Wade Barrett doing color commentary. Samantha Irvin will be the ring announcer, and interviews will be conducted by Kayla Braxton and Megan Morant.

On Monday Night Raw, Corey Graves will still be providing his colorful insights and will be joined by Kevin Patrick on play-by-play. Mike Rome will continue to announce from the ring, and Byron Saxton will transition from the commentary booth to backstage interviews. Also joining Saxton in backstage interviews is none other than Cathy Kelley in her return to WWE.

Over on NXT, Vic Joseph will be assisted by six-time World Champion and WWE Hall of Famer Booker T. Alicia Taylor will still provide her exceptional voice to ring announcing, and McKenzie Mitchell will once again be conducting interviews.

On the Premium Live Event side, Michael Cole and Corey Graves will come together again to announce from the booth.

Pat McAfee will return to the WWE announce booth following his commitments to ESPN's College GameDay.

Anonio Inoki Passes Away, Age 79

Yahoo! Japan has broke the news that wrestling legend Antonio Inoki has passed away.

A translated version of the article can be read below.

Former professional wrestler Antonio Inoki (real name Kanji Inoki), who served two terms as a member of the House of Councilors, died at his home on the 1st. he was 79 years old. Born in Yokohama City. Born in 1943 (Showa 18). He lost his father at the age of five, and at the age of thirteen he and his family moved to Brazil to work on coffee farms. When he won the shot put at a local track and field competition, he was scouted by the late Rikidoyama, who was on an expedition to Brazil, and began professional wrestling. He entered Japan Pro Wrestling.

On September 30, 1960, he made his debut on the same day as the late Giant Baba, who turned from professional baseball to professional wrestling, and since 1962, he has used the ring name "Antonio Inoki". After training in the United States, leaving Japan, returning, and being expelled, he married actress Mitsuko Baisho in 1971 (later divorced).

In 1972, he launched New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and after that he built the heyday of professional wrestling. Boxing in June 1976, a "mixed martial arts match" with Muhammad Ali, the world heavyweight champion, attracted attention and was televised around the world.

As a politician, he launched the "Sports and Peace Party" in 1989, and ran for the 15th House of Councilors election in the same year as a proportional representation member with the catchphrases "Fix the swastika in the Diet" and "Slash the consumption tax" and was elected for the first time. He became the first wrestler-turned-member of parliament in history.

Chris Nowinski Blasts NFL's 'Tua Disaster' While Praising Pro Wrestling Promoters

Fans watching last night's NFL game between the Miami Dolphins and the Cincinnati Bengals witnessed a scary moment when Dolphins starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa had to be carted off the field on a stretcher following a rough sack. Tagovailoa was taken to a local trauma facility, and while he was ultimately released and traveled back to Miami with the team, he clearly suffered a concussion during the play, just one week after likely receiving another head injury in a previous game.

Neuroscientist and former WWE star Chris Nowinski, a prominent advocate for concussion safety, took to Twitter to share his perspective on the matter.

"In light of the Tua disaster last night, I appreciate more than ever AEW's Tony Khan, WWE's Triple H, and NWA's Billy Corgan all inviting me to come teach their talent [about] concussions & the risks of getting in the ring before you've recovered," Nowinski tweeted. "Protecting athletes begins with educating them."

Nowinski had tweeted about the NFL's concussion protocol ahead of last night's game, saying that it was blatantly dangerous to allow Tagovailoa to take the field after allegedly suffering a concussion the previous week. "If Tua takes the field tonight, it's a massive step back for concussion care in the NFL," Nowinski stated. "If he has a 2nd concussion that destroys his season or career, everyone involved will be sued & should lose their jobs, coaches included. We all saw it, even they must know this isn't right."

After being forced to retire in 2003 due to his own concussion issues, Nowinski went on to earn a PhD in behavioral neuroscience and is the co-founder of the Concussion Legacy Foundation non-profit organization. Nowinski and his former partner, Dr. Bennet Omalu, were able to get a hold of Chris Benoit's brain post-mortem and diagnosed the notorious wrestler with CTE in 2007 — the first time a wrestler was publicly diagnosed with the dangerous illness.

Happy Birthday Stephanie

Stephanie McMahon Levesque
September 24, 1976

Triple H Brings Back Another Name He Worked Closely With In WWE NXT

Triple H, since taking over WWE creative, has been in the process of bringing back those who were part of his team when he was in charge of NXT.

According to PWInsider, the latest name to be brought back to the company is Gabe Sapolsky and he will be part of the creative team, although it current remains unclear if he will be working for the main roster or returning to NXT.

Sapolsky was released from WWE this past January along with Ryan Katz and Road Dogg, who have also been recently brought back.

DX 25th Anniversary Episode of WWE RAW Announced

D-Generation X are set to reunite on the October 10 episode of WWE Monday Night Raw at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York to celebrate their 25th anniversary since forming. The episode will also be the USA Network season premiere.

The video released by the arena promoting the event features Triple H and Shawn Michaels, Sean "X-Pac" Waltman, and "Road Dogg" Brian James. During the video Triple H asked if there were more of them. AEW star Billy Gunn was not shown and is not expected to be involved.

It will be interesting if they honor Chyna who was also part of the group and passed away in 2016.

Triple H and Shawn Michaels are involved in running creative for the company while Road Dogg recently returned to the company as the Senior Vice President of Live Events.

Triple H Describes His Vision For WWE NXT

WWE Head of Talent Relations and Chief Content Officer Triple H discussed his vision of the "NXT" brand moving forward.

"NXT, for us, is that academy model or sort of that collegiate athletics for us," Triple H said. "If "Raw" and "SmackDown" are the NFL ... "NXT" is collegiate athletics and we had a small brand here called "NXT UK." We were headed down this road prior to the pandemic, pandemic kind of like, put a hold on it. But, we shut that brand down because we're going to relaunch it in 2023 as "NXT Europe" and try to blow it out bigger."

Triple H revealed what major sporting event he likened the future of "NXT" to be similar to. "The intent will be to take "NXT Europe" and take that around the world, so, "NXT Europe," I'll just throw names out; "NXT Australia," "NXT South Africa," South America, Mexico," Triple H continued. "Eventually build that into a global system that will lead to almost a World Cup.

credit "SPORTbible Stories" Wrestling Inc

Kurt Angle Suffering Memory Loss Issues

During the latest episode of his podcast, Kurt Angle revealed that he's been suffering memory loss issues following his wrestling career.

"I would say I probably had four concussions that I know of. Major. One was a slight concussion that wasn't too bad. The other three were pretty bad. But, you know, even to this day, I'm starting to not remember things, you know, and I'm only in my early 50s. But, I've gotten a little damage to my brain, there's no doubt about it. You know, my memory is not that great anymore. I really have to think hard about remembering the past."

During the latest episode of his podcast, Kurt Angle revealed that he's been suffering memory loss issues following his wrestling career.

"I would say I probably had four concussions that I know of. Major. One was a slight concussion that wasn't too bad. The other three were pretty bad. But, you know, even to this day, I'm starting to not remember things, you know, and I'm only in my early 50s. But, I've gotten a little damage to my brain, there's no doubt about it. You know, my memory is not that great anymore. I really have to think hard about remembering the past."

Mick Foley once described something similar, telling a story in a radio interview about driving around his neighborhood trying to remember which house he lived in.

WWE NXT Hints At Big Change To Brand

"NXT" had humble beginnings as a game show in 2010. It then became a developmental brand two years later and for most of its life since then, the brand has grown immensely, with Paul "Triple H" Levesque at the helm.

Vince McMahon became more involved with the brand in 2021, focusing on big-picture matters. WWE announced a rebrand. On September 14, "NXT 2.0" debuted with a new look and a new logo. However, now that McMahon has retired it appears Levesque has made the decision to go back to the brand's roots.

Tuesday's edition of "NXT" celebrated one year of the "2.0" brand and closed with a shocking ending, as Solo Sikoa made his return and managed to capture the North American Championship from Carmelo Hayes. 

However, the show did not end there. A short video narrated by Shawn Michaels then played as a montage of highlights from the brand over the past 12 months was shown.

"'NXT' has been and always will be about developing the superstars of tomorrow, but we will always reflect and acknowledge the past," Michaels said in the video. "'NXT' is constantly evolving and focused on the future. Superstars develop and move on, but our message to our passionate fans will never change. We are 'NXT.'"

The final shot of the video featured the current multi-colored logo. The "2.0" part of the log disappeared and the letters faded into silver letters outlined in gold over a black background. Many fans interpreted this as a sign that the brand will be reverting back to its "black and gold" roots before it switched over to the "2.0" era. Shortly after the show ended, "NXT's" Twitter account posted the shot with the caption "loading."