CM Punk Returns To WWE

When "never say never" becomes a shocking reality.

As those in attendance at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois — and the WWE Universe overall — were left reeling by Punk's shocking return to the company weeks after his departure from AEW, Paul Levesque also tried to put the moment into words during the Survivor Series post press conference.

"This was one of those sort of lightning in a bottle moments that came together very quickly," Levesque told members of the media. "But we are incredibly excited by it. It's been a long time and in some ways, it's been a long time coming."

He added: "You could say this about CM Punk — love him, hate him, positive, negative, whatever you want to say — people talk about him all the time. He is a magnet for that. He is a conversation starter and it's tough to look past that. And for me, if our fans want it, if the WWE Universe is excited to have it, then let's go and we'll figure out the rest of it from there."

The Chief Content Officer of the WWE reinforced that Punk's return materialized "super quick."

"A lot of time has gone by — almost 10 years, right?" Levesque said, referring to the last time Punk was a WWE Superstar. "And if you are the same person you were 10 years ago 10 years later, you've messed up. Everybody grows, everybody changes and I'm a different person, he's a different person and this is a different company. And we're all on the same, even starting ground."

As for what's next for CM Punk? Levesque is as intrigued by the possibilities as anyone else.

"That will be interesting, won't it?" he said. "I'm interested to see that myself. I know whatever it is, it'll be talked about, it'll be exciting and it will be a thrill ride for the WWE Universe no matter what it is. And I'm thrilled, we're all thrilled to have him back here.

"And to have him back — cliche to say — but have him back here in WWE. It's where he belongs."

Paul “Triple H” Levesque Offers Inside Look At WWE Storytelling

 "Book what people want to see and feel...More?

source:  si.com

Big 12, WWE pairing hands title belt to conference championship MVP

WWE and the Big 12 have formed a new partnership around the Big 12 championship game that will include a custom-made championship title belt going to the game's most outstanding player.

The new pact will include blended Big 12-WWE logos on the field at AT&T Stadium, a new Big 12 merchandise line and WWE superstars presenting the most outstanding player belt and participating in events around the title game, which takes place Dec. 2.

The partnership with WWE adds to the Big 12's push to modernize and connect with a younger audience. Hip-hop star Nelly will perform at halftime.

"WWE is a global brand that connects with a wide array of audiences," Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormark said in a statement. "With this partnership, we will integrate WWE and its brand power into one of the conference's biggest moments, further strengthening the bridge between sports and entertainment throughout the Big 12."

Yormark has spent much of his career working in the sports entertainment world, coming to the Big 12 from Jay-Z's Roc Nation, where he served as CEO and president of business operations and strategy.

WWE has taken a more active role in college football in recent years. The promotion's name, image and likeness program, "Next In Line," has included football players and other college athletes and put some on track for professional wrestling careers. WWE also finalized licensing agreements with all 14 SEC programs to create championship belts with each school's logo on the side plates.

2023 WWE Tribute To The Troops

Tribute To The Troops To Take Place In Providence, Rhode Island At Amica Mutual Pavilion

STAMFORD, Conn., November 13, 2023 – WWE®, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), today announced that the 21st annual Tribute to the Troops will air Friday, December 8 at 8 p.m. ET on FOX. The event will take place in Providence, R.I. at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Tickets are available via Ticketmaster.com.

Since its inception in 2003, WWE’s Tribute to the Troops has honored our U.S. service members, veterans and their families for their continued sacrifice and commitment to our country, and is widely considered one of television’s most patriotic and heartwarming shows of the year.

WWE has a multi-decade commitment to the U.S. Armed Forces, which includes visiting nearly 400 military installations throughout the world, offering all U.S. military personnel free tickets to WWE live events, and has partnered with military organizations, such as Hire Heroes USA. WWE currently supports the USO and tells stories of heroism and valor of our nation’s bravest through the company’s partnership with National Medal of Honor Museum to make an impact in the community.

Paul Levesque On WWE’s Merger With Endeavor: ‘I Can’t Tell You How Excited I Am’

Front row at Madison Square Garden’s Hulu Theater last night for the Callum Walsh-Ismael Villarreal boxing match were UFC CEO Dana White, WWE President Nick Khan, and WWE Head of Creative Paul “Triple H” Levesque.

 
The fight aired on UFC Fight Pass, which is investing more resources into its boxing and building around potential cornerstones like Walsh. A highly touted super welterweight prospect, Walsh (9-0) won a closely contested bout by unanimous decision, earning Levesque’s respect with his performance.

 
“It’s the first time I had the chance to see him fight live,” said Levesque, who spoke with Sports Illustrated while ringside. “He’s so well-rounded. I think this kid has it on all levels.”

 
Levesque marveled at the ten-round performance of the 22-year-old Walsh, who extended his undefeated streak with the victory.

 
“No matter what the genre, when you reach the next level, there are nerves and second-guessing that come at this level–and maybe a part of you that doesn’t believe in your hype,” said Levesque. “When you get to a certain level, a lot of it is a head game. To see how poised he is at this level, it’s awesome to see.”

 
Levesque is in the midst of a superb run of storytelling in WWE, especially since the company’s merger with Endeavor, which is also the parent company of the UFC. An old-school booker willing to embrace wrestling’s modern aspects, Levesque is molding Raw and SmackDown back into must-see products. Raw has been especially strong, with seemingly minute details–like advertised matches taking place–allowing multiple talents to have significant storylines.

 
Endeavor CEO has tasked Levesque to oversee all of WWE’s creative, a role he relishes.
“I can’t tell you how excited I am,” said Levesque. “Working with Endeavor, it’s next level. The flywheel for all the things they touch–if you were trying to build that on your own, it’s taking you a decade. For us, now, it fast tracks everything we’re doing.

 
“Endeavor, UFC, they’re the best in the business at what they do. They put things on a different level of professionalism, and we fit right into that. The future is so bright because of the opportunities Endeavor is going to provide for us and the synergies that are there. We’re going to take this to a whole new level.”

source:  si.com

Vince McMahon Puts More Than 8 Million Shares Of Class A TKO Stock Up For Sale

Vince McMahon is getting ready to sell a significant chunk of his ownership in the company, even ceding some of it to board members Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro.

According to a new announcement from TKO, McMahon is selling 8.4 million shares of his Class A stock in the company, roughly 30% of his stake in the company, which Brandon Thurston says is worth roughly $700 million at the stock's closing price. TKO will buy $100 million worth of the stock, while Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel will purchase $1 million worth of the stock, and Endeavor president Mark Shapiro will purchase 850k of the stock. The remaining stock, worth roughly $598 million at closing price, will be sold to the public.

On Tuesday, McMahon was listed by the company as a possible liability in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. This comes less than two months since TKO filed that all 28.84 million shares of McMahon's Class A stock in the newly minted company were listed for sale, which led to speculation that the company was looking for a way to excise the controversial executive, especially since McMahon was served with a subpoena for a Federal Grand Jury, as well as a search warrant.

The CW Network To Become The Exclusive Broadcast Home To WWE NXT

NXT Makes Broadcast Television Debut with Five-Year Deal Beginning October 2024

Network to Air Live Events Featuring WWE’s Next Generation of Superstars 52 Weeks a Year

November 7, 2023 (Burbank, CA & Stamford, Conn.) – The CW Network will become the official broadcast home to WWE NXT in October 2024. The five-year agreement marks the first time in its 13-year history that WWE NXT – which showcases WWE’s hottest up-and-coming Superstars – will air on a broadcast television network. WWE NXT will debut on The CW Network in October 2024 and air 52 live weekly events throughout the season.

“We are thrilled to welcome the WWE brand into the CW Sports portfolio as they play an integral role in our mission to bring live sporting events to the network year-round,” said Dennis Miller, President, The CW Network. “WWE NXT is a perfect fit for The CW thanks to its dynamic young talent featuring the hottest rising stars in the sport and exhilarating, unpredictable weekly events. The passion and engagement of WWE’s fanbase is unmatched, and we are eager to grow that audience as WWE NXT’s new home on broadcast television.”

“The CW has made impressive moves over the past year with its live sports programming schedule,” said Nick Khan, WWE President. “It’s a truly exciting opportunity to expand NXT’s audience by bringing the show to broadcast television for the first time in NXT’s history.”

Launched by WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque, WWE NXT has aired weekly since 2012 and features the brightest young talent in sports entertainment. Nearly 90% of the participants in last year’s WrestleMania were developed under the NXT banner. Led by WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, NXT is popular with younger audiences, ranking No. 1 in cable primetime on Tuesday nights last quarter among adults 18-49 and 18-34. Year to date, NXT’s average viewership is up 30% among adults 18-49. WWE Superstars, such as Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch, have come up through NXT.

WWE NXT joins a growing roster of live sports on The CW Network, including ACC football and basketball games airing every Saturday throughout the season and LIV Golf. The CW is also the new home of the Emmy-award winning weekly studio series “Inside the NFL” and will broadcast NASCAR Xfinity Series beginning in 2025. The network will soon offer more than 500 hours of sports programming year-round.

IMPACT Will Rebrand As TNA Wrestling In Jan 2024

TORONTO | CHICAGO – October 21, 2023 – Anthem Sports & Entertainment, a global, multi-platform media company, announced today that its professional wrestling company, IMPACT Wrestling, is returning to its iconic Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling name, at “Hard To Kill,” its first pay-per-view event of 2024, which will originate for the first time ever from the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada.

TNA will launch 2024 with Hard To Kill on Saturday, January 13, with a second night of action-packed professional wrestling – the “Snake Eyes Extravaganza Show” – at The Palms on Sunday, January 14. The Snake Eyes Extravaganza Show will be taped to air on the company’s flagship weekly TV show, Impact!, airing every Thursday night on AXS TV (8 p.m. EST).

“We still hear the ‘TNA’ chants wherever we go,” said IMPACT Wrestling President Scott D’Amore. “Fans have longed for TNA Wrestling, so that’s what we’re bringing back in 2024: TNA Wrestling, we’re back!”

Happy 20th Anniversary Paul and Stephanie

October 25, 2003

Giant WWE Championship Belt Sculpture Already Awing Passersby

A giant, 7-foot-tall pre-cast concrete monument resembling the real-life championship belt worn by wrestlers in WWE is nearing completion in front of the offices of the wrestling company on Washington Boulevard.

By Friday, the main frame of the belt was already installed, as were decorations meant to mimic the bejeweled facade of the WWE Championship, currently held by wrestler Roman Reigns.

Triple H and Vince McMahon Have More Defined Roles in WWE

Per Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel, Paul “Triple H” Levesque is in full control of WWE creative.

When WWE merged with Endeavor last month, Paul “Triple H” Levesque did not receive a seat on the Board of Directors, a position he had held prior in WWE.

Yet that has not represented a loss of power.

In fact, the opposite has occurred.

If you have noticed a change in WWE programming, you are not alone. Levesque, who is WWE’s Head of Creative, has overseen all of the creative on SmackDown and Raw since the merger, which is precisely what his job description entails.

The difference is that Vince McMahon, who is synonymous with all things WWE, is no longer directly involved in dictating the weekly creative in the same manner he once did. McMahon remained the title of Executive Chairman in WWE, but he no longer possesses majority control of the company. That has allowed for change in the new regime, particularly in the creative department.

Multiple contacts within the WWE and UFC have confirmed that Ari Emanuel, who wields power as the Endeavor CEO, is behind the change. Emanuel has long been a firm believer that, in order for an organization to be as effective as possible, people need to do the job they are assigned. In this case, that approach has empowered Levesque to exert his full influence in the company’s creative sphere.

Not all is lost for McMahon. As Executive Chairman, his focus is elsewhere, particularly in overseeing a lucrative new media rights deal for Raw and the NXT brand. But it is a fascinating time for McMahon.

No longer the be-all, end-all of WWE, McMahon possesses an iron-clad contract that protects him financially–yet not politically. Will he view this as a loss of leverage? His response will be a very telling action.

source:  si.com

WWE NXT Viewership Triumphs Over AEW Dynamite in Tuesday Showdown

On October 10th, AEW Dynamite and WWE NXT clashed, with the former airing a special Title Tuesday edition featuring multiple title shifts and Adam Copeland's debut match against Luchasaurus. This came as Major League Baseball playoffs were scheduled on TBS for October 11th.

On the other hand, WWE NXT promised fans a star-studded evening with the likes of John Cena, Cody Rhodes, Asuka, and Paul Heyman in attendance. Fans also anticipated appearances from NXT Women’s Champion Becky Lynch, North American Champion Dominik Mysterio, and possibly, The Undertaker, following circulating rumors of his presence.

Before the showdown, reports mentioned Triple H and Shawn Michaels aiming to highlight the dominance of NXT over AEW. Tony Khan, on the other hand, had a sharp retort, labeling the NXT heads as "bald a**holes."

According to Wrestlenomics' Brandon Thurston, WWE NXT garnered an impressive 921,000 average viewers and a 0.3 rating in the 18-49 demographic. AEW Dynamite, in comparison, achieved an average of 609,000 viewers and a 0.26 rating in the crucial demographic.

Interestingly, while NXT dominated in viewership during the October 3rd episode, AEW Dynamite led in the key demographic against the October 4th NXT episode.

Rumor Mill - Triple H And Vince McMahon's Roles In WWE Creative

Rumors began to emerge yesterday suggesting that Paul "Triple H" Levesque is fully in control of WWE creative following the formation of TKO Group Holdings. In this scenario, it was said that Vince McMahon still retains his position on the board, but is no longer submitting last-minute creative changes to "WWE Raw" and "WWE SmackDown." On today's "Wrestling Observer Radio," journalist Dave Meltzer shared what he's heard regarding the creative situation in WWE.

McMahon has reportedly "backed off" of the company's creative. However, that is only for the time being, and McMahon still retains the power to change things if he desires. As of now, though, the creative direction is said to be almost entirely set by Levesque. Meltzer stated he was unsure why exactly McMahon seems to have chosen to take a step back willingly, as he has expressed no desire to do that in the past. In fact, McMahon pushed hard to return to the company in the wake of his retirement last year, and for a period of time was said to be making a number of creative changes to WWE shows.

While the details are not yet clear, McMahon is currently under investigation by the federal government. The investigation is likely diving into alleged "hush money" payments made by McMahon to several women previously employed by WWE. Several months after news of the scandal first broke, McMahon stepped down as WWE CEO, and soon after announced his retirement. Early this year, however, McMahon would shockingly re-appoint himself to the board, quickly changing the rules to allow himself to become the company's Executive Chairman. McMahon then presided over the merger between WWE and UFC under the umbrella of Endeavor, which was finalized last month.

Details Of Vince McMahon's Agreement To Pay Legal Fees For WWE Stockholder Lawsuit

For over a year now, former WWE owner Vince McMahon has been embroiled in a scandal revolving around hush money payments over alleged sexual misconduct. According to a recent SEC filing, McMahon agreed to pay $2 million to the plaintiffs in a stockholder lawsuit that originated back in January, meant to cover legal fees. That sum is in addition to the $17.4 million that McMahon was forced to pay back to the company to cover the cost of the investigation into his actions, which was one of the points of the lawsuit. The larger sum was ordered by the court back in March, while the $2 million amount was agreed to in May.

The suit, filed by WWE stockholders Carole Casale and Chrystal Lavalle in January, also sought to address McMahon's changing of the company's bylaws, allowing him to appoint himself back to the Board of Directors after stepping down in 2022. Once the nature of the lawsuit became clear, McMahon reverted the bylaws to the previous iteration, rendering that aspect of the lawsuit no longer relevant.

This isn't the end of the road for McMahon in terms of legal trouble. It was reported that McMahon had been served with a federal search warrant as well as a subpoena from a Grand Jury in July.

Jim Ross On Why Triple H’s Creative Involvement Is A Good Thing for WWE

In the latest episode of Grilling JR (via Wrestling Inc), Jim Ross spoke about Triple H being involved behind the scenes in WWE and why it can only help the company.

He said: “The more you can get Triple H involved on a decision-making scenario, the better off you are. He’s just got a great feel for the business. He’s a student of the game, literally, more than just a nickname. I didn’t see a bad thing about it. My situation was just very arduous. It was no secret that Vince wanted to go younger, different look, different sound, and that would eliminate JR. I guess, if you’re a performer or a talent, you gotta expect that this is going to happen [at] some point in time. I have great respect for Triple H. Then, now, forever as the expression goes. We have a lot in common. We both love wrestling. We both love pro wrestling. I don’t remember having too many bad days with Triple H. We communicated well… And I understood too that he was kind of hamstrung on what he could do in my regard because the influencer was Vince, and Vince wanted a change. And he was hell-bent on getting his change at that announce position.“

Triple H's 2018 'Global Localization' Vision Now A WWE Trademark Initiative

On September 18, WWE submitted a trademark application for the phrase 'Global Localization' to the United States Patent & Trademark Office. The application reveals WWE's intention to utilize the term within the scope of 'entertainment services.'

Accompanying the application was the following description:

Entertainment services, namely, a show about professional wrestling; entertainment services, namely, the production and exhibition of professional wrestling events rendered live and through broadcast media including television and radio, and via the internet or commercial online service;

providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network; providing information in the fields of sports and entertainment via an online community portal; providing a website in the field of sports entertainment; fan club services, namely, organizing and staging events with wrestling fan club members; providing online newsletters in the field of sports entertainment; online journals, namely, blogs in the fields of sports entertainment; Entertainment services in the nature of development and creation of multimedia entertainment content.

The term 'Global Localization' was originally coined by Triple H in 2018 to outline his concept of creating international WWE hubs that would serve as talent pipelines for the US-based NXT brand

WWE’s ‘Smackdown’ to Move from Fox to USA Network in New Rights Deal

WWE’s “SmackDown” is officially set to return to USA Network in a new five-year rights deal.

The weekly show currently airs on Fox but will move to its new network home in October 2024 when the Fox deal expires. “Smackdown” originally began airing on Fox in 2019 as part of a five-year deal between the network and WWE. It had previously aired on USA Network from 2016-2019 and had a number of network homes before that, including Syfy, The CW, UPN, and MyNetworkTV.

Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, but sources say the new deal is worth roughly $1.4 billion, up from the $1 billion Fox paid in 2019. As part of the new deal for “Smackdown,” WWE will produce four primetime specials per year for NBC, marking the first time that WWE will air in primetime on the network. It is unknown at this time exactly what form those primetime specials will take, i.e. if they will feature live wrestling or if they will be more documentary-focused like WWE’s programming on A&E. According to an individual with knowledge of the deal, the exact nature of the specials is still being determined.

“NBCUniversal has been a tremendous partner of WWE for decades,” said WWE president Nick Khan. “We are excited to extend this longstanding relationship by bringing ‘SmackDown’ to USA Network on Friday nights and look forward to debuting multiple WWE special events annually on NBC.”

The rights deals for both “Smackdown” and “Monday Night Raw” were due to expire in the next year. While “Smackdown’s” future has been determined, there is no word yet on where “Raw” will land. It currently also airs on USA Network, as does WWE’s NXT. Sources say that there has been serious interest from a number of top platforms but no deal has been made at the time of this publishing. Neither of the other two shows is expected to continue to on USA Network, according to sources.

“It’s a privilege and thrill to continue NBCU’s decades-long partnership with WWE which has helped cement USA Network’s consistent position as the top-rated cable entertainment network in live viewership” said Frances Berwick, chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment. “With Friday nights on USA, primetime specials on NBC, and the WWE hub on Peacock, we’ll continue to use the power of our portfolio to superserve this passionate fanbase.”

Since 2021, NBCUniversal’s Peacock has been the exclusive streaming home of the WWE Network. That includes the company’s expansive library of wrestling shows as well as the home for annual events like WrestleMania, the Royal Rumble, Summer Slam, and more.

WWE was recently sold to Endeavor, which merged WWE with the UFC to form a new company dubbed TKO Group. Vince McMahon, former CEO of WWE, has assumed the role of executive chairman of TKO Group. Under the terms of the deal, McMahon — who was WWE’s controlling shareholder — will own 16.4% of the economic interests in TKO (and 16.4% of the voting power in the new entity). McMahon stepped down as WWE’s chief executive in 2022 amid an investigation by the company’s board into alleged hush-money payments to women who accused him of sexual misconduct. McMahon returned to the company in January 2023 as executive chairman to head up efforts to sell WWE.

source:  variety.com

Details Behind Vince McMahon's WWE Ouster And Return

Last year, allegations of sexual misconduct and hush money payments forced Vince McMahon to step down from his role as WWE CEO. Though he retired for a time, it would be short-lived. McMahon was able to reinstate himself to the board earlier this year, though he remains under investigation by federal officials. A new story by the LA Times, in which the publication spoke to an "individual close to the board," features new insight into the company's internal investigation into McMahon and more.

According to the LA Times report, McMahon initially told the board he wouldn't stand in the way of their investigation into his actions. Additionally, McMahon reportedly agreed to step down from the board voluntarily, with some reluctance, while also claiming that each of the described encounters had been consensual and the payoffs had only been a matter of "protecting the company against potential litigation."

However, by December, McMahon had seemingly changed his mind about stepping to the side. McMahon sent a pair of letters to the company's board, informing them of his intent to return to shepherd a sale. Though the company's board, which at the time featured Stephanie McMahon and her husband Paul "Triple H" Levesque, voted unanimously against McMahon's return, the 78-year-old was able to use his voting power as a majority stockholder to replace two members and get himself back on the board.

The report indicates that McMahon viewed the internal investigation as being disloyal, and two more board members resigned in the aftermath of McMahon's return. Since then, McMahon was true to his word on setting the company up for a sale, with WWE and UFC merging into TKO Group Holdings, made official earlier this month. Under the new corporate infrastructure, McMahon remains in power, serving as the Executive Chairman.

WWE CCO Triple H Makes Cameo On Showtime's Business Drama 'Billions'

The latest Season 7 episode of Showtime's hit business drama "Billions" featured a cameo from none other than WWE's Chief Content Officer Triple H. One scene shows Chuck Rhoades, portrayed by Paul Giamatti, walking into an empty "WWE Raw" arena at Barclays Center alongside "The Game." Rhoades asked Triple H if it feels different walking to the ring as a businessman as opposed to a performer.

Triple H responded, "Man, I still feel every bump. Whether you're giving them, whether you're taking them, whether you're scripting them... Look, you could do it. When this crowd comes alive, you come alive. There is nothing else like this."

Rhoades expressed that he needed to turn one guy heel and one guy babyface in one move. Triple H then explained how he could pull it off in wrestling terms.

"Double turn. Tough to pull off, but, when it's done right, one of my personal favorites," Triple H said. "You need to let the heel come in and get the heat from the crowd. Then your babyface comes and gets the pop."

XFL, USFL begin talks to merge leagues

And then there was one. Spring league, that is.

The XFL and USFL are merging, per multiple reports. The deal isn’t done, but it’s close.

Obviously, there will be many questions. Who owns the equity? Who televises the games?

How many teams will be in the combined league? Will they play in home markets or hubs?

Who will run the combined league? Which executives will stay, which ones will go?

Most importantly, what will it be called?

The XFL? The USFL? The USXFL? The SUXFL? (I like the last one.)

In 2023, both leagues competed, with a few weeks of overlap. The XFL started one week after the Super Bowl, and the USFL started in April.

The XFL, the 2023 season represented the third crack at making it go. The USFL returned after multiple decades of going dark in 2022.

Endeavor Announces Close of UFC® And WWE® Transaction To Create TKO Group Holdings, A Premium Sports And Entertainment Company

Endeavor Announces Close of UFC® and WWE® Transaction to Create TKO Group Holdings, a Premium Sports and Entertainment Company

New Company to Begin Trading Today, September 12, on the New York Stock Exchange Under “TKO” Ticker Symbol

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. & STAMFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR) (“Endeavor”) and World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (previously NYSE: WWE) (“WWE”) today announced the close of their previously announced agreement and the launch of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) (“TKO”).

TKO brings together UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, and WWE, an integrated media organization and the recognized global leader in sports entertainment, to create a new premium sports and entertainment company serving more than one billion young and diverse fans1, reaching viewers in 180 countries, and producing more than 350 annual live events. Through this combination, TKO will leverage Endeavor’s expertise in areas including domestic and international media rights, ticket sales and yield optimization, event operations, global partnerships, licensing, and premium hospitality to drive revenue growth.

“The creation of TKO marks an exciting new chapter for UFC and WWE as leaders in global sports and entertainment,” said Ari Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor and TKO. “Given their continued connectivity to the Endeavor network, we are confident in our ability to accelerate their respective growth and unlock long-term sustainable value for shareholders. With UFC and WWE under one roof, we will provide unrivaled experiences for more than a billion passionate fans worldwide.”

“This is the culmination of a decades-long partnership between Endeavor and WWE across strategic initiatives including talent representation and media rights. Given our collaborative, trusted relationship and Endeavor’s incredible track record of success growing UFC, we believe WWE is optimally positioned for future growth and success as part of TKO,” said Vince McMahon, Executive Chairman of TKO. “Our focus remains on delivering for our fans across the globe as we take the business to the next level alongside UFC and Endeavor.”

TKO will begin trading today on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “TKO,” with Endeavor holding a 51% controlling interest in the new company and existing WWE shareholders holding a 49% interest in the new company, on a fully diluted basis.

As previously announced, TKO is led by:

Ariel Emanuel, Chief Executive Officer, who continues as Chief Executive Officer of Endeavor;

Mark Shapiro, President and Chief Operating Officer, who continues as President and Chief Operating Officer of Endeavor;

Andrew Schleimer, Chief Financial Officer; and

Seth Krauss, Chief Legal Officer, who continues as Chief Legal Officer of Endeavor.

Dana White is now Chief Executive Officer of UFC and Lawrence Epstein remains Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of UFC. Nick Khan continues at WWE in the role of President.

The Board of Directors of TKO is led by Vince McMahon as Executive Chairman of the Board and consists of 11 members, including Mr. Emanuel, Mr. Shapiro, and Mr. Khan, in addition to the following directors:

Peter C.B. Bynoe, Senior Advisor at DLA Piper LLP;

Egon P. Durban, Co-Chief Executive Officer of Silver Lake;

Steven R. Koonin, Chief Executive Officer of the Atlanta Hawks, LLC;

Jonathan A. Kraft, President of the Kraft Group LLC;

Sonya E. Medina, President and Chief Executive Officer of Reach Resilience;

Nancy R. Tellem, Executive Chairperson and Chief Media Officer of Eko; and

Carrie Wheeler, Chief Executive Officer and a board member of Opendoor Technologies Inc.

End Of An Era

Tonight's WWE Raw will be the last WWE show under the full majority control of Vince McMahon. End of an era.

UFC And WWE To Close Merger Next Week, Make NYSE Debut As TKO Group

UFC parent Endeavor Group and World Wrestling Entertainment said today they expect to close the planned merger of UFC and WWE on September 12. That’s on the earlier end of expectations as Endeavor said in August it expected the deal to close in mid-to-late September.

Endeavor and WWE announced a deal last spring for the Ari Emanuel-led company to take control of WWE and merge it into a new, stand-alone entity with UFC. The professional wrestling and mixed martial arts powerhouse will be called TKO Group Holdings and trade on the New York Stock Exchange. Valued at $21 billion, TKO will be a subsidiary of Endeavor, with 51% control. WWE (Raw, SmackDown) will control 49%.

Emanuel will be CEO. continue as president of UFCVince McMahon, WWE’s longtime leader, executive chairman and major shareholder, who orchestrated the deal with Endeavor, was set as executive chair of the new company’s board.

In early August, WWE announced federal law enforcement agents had executed a search warrant and served a federal grand jury subpoena on McMahon although no charges had been brought. WWE CEO Nick Khan also said then that McMahon was on a medical leave of absence until further notice following spinal surgery. launched an internal probe of McMahon in 2022 to investigate allegations of payments to women, which it found had totaled close to $20 million and that caused it to revise several quarterly financial statements. The probe wrapped up last November and McMahon paid the company $17.4 million for costs incurred.

source:  deadline.com

CM Punk fired from AEW after altercation with Jack Perry

AEW has released an announcement effective immediately about the termination of CM Punk from AEW. This comes following controversial situations involving Jack Perry, The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, and others.

You can read the full announcement below.

STATEMENT FROM ALL ELITE WRESTLING AND TONY KHAN

All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has terminated the wrestler and employment agreements between Philip Brooks (CM Punk) and AEW with cause, effective immediately. The termination was confirmed today by Tony Khan, CEO, General Manager and Head of Creative of AEW.

The termination follows a weeklong internal investigation of an incident occurring backstage at AEW – All In London on Sunday, August 27. Following the investigation, the AEW Discipline Committee met and later convented with outside legal counsel before making a unanimous recommendation to Khan that CM Punk be terminated with cause.

Khan offered the following statement:

“Phil played an important role within AEW and I thank him for his contributions. The termination of his AEW contracts with cause is ultimately my decision, and mine alone. Of course, I wish I didn’t have to share this news, which may come as a disappointment to many of our fans. Nevertheless, I am making the decision in the best interests of the many amazing people who make AEW possible every week – our talent, staff, venue operators and many others whose efforts are unsung but essential to bringing our fans great shows on television and at arenas and stadiums throughout the world.”

Tensions erupted between CM Punk and Jack Perry backstage at All Elite Wrestling's All In London event on Sunday, August 27, just before Punk's scheduled bout with Samoa Joe. While conflicting stories exist about the specific details of the clash, it's confirmed that both wrestlers had been temporarily suspended as AEW looks into the incident which now seems to have concluded.

The dispute was fueled by Jack Perry's comment, "It's real glass, go cry me a river," which he made during his Zero Hour match against HOOK. Perry pointed to a limousine's windscreen that he would later be slammed through. This jab was directed at CM Punk and pertained to a previous argument the two had about glass during an AEW Collision taping earlier in the summer. Perry reportedly felt that insiders close to Punk, who leaked the argument, aimed to publicly humiliate him.

Souece: WrestlingNewsSource.Com

NFL partners with WWE on officially licensed championship belts

A WWE championship belt featuring your team’s name and logo can be yours, if you’ve got nothing better to spend $550 on.

The NFL and WWE announced today that they’ve partnered on a multi-year licensing deal to sell NFL-inspired WWE title belts featuring the official colors, names, logos and branding of all 32 NFL teams.

The belts are already for sale through the NFL’s and WWE’s merchandising sites. The price is $549.99.

This deal is the first-ever licensing agreement between the NFL and the WWE.

source:  nbcsports.com

WWE Star Bray Wyatt Dead At 36

WWE superstar Bray Wyatt, whose real name is Windham Rotunda, has died, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque announced on social media Thursday. Wyatt was 36.

"Just received a call from WWE Hall of Famer Mike Rotunda who informed us of the tragic news that our WWE family member for life Windham Rotunda - also known as Bray Wyatt - unexpectedly passed earlier today," Levesque wrote on X, the company formerly known as Twitter. "Our thoughts are with his family and we ask that everyone respect their privacy at this time."

The news of Wyatt’s death was a shocking and devastating revelation as a report surfaced earlier this month that the former champion was nearing a return to the ring after battling a "life-threatening illness."

Earlier in the year, Wyatt got COVID that exacerbated a heart issue. He suffered a heart attack. Pro wrestlers and fans sent their condolences across social media.

Back in October, Wyatt had made a return to the WWE in one of the most mysterious build-ups the company had done in a while. A white rabbit, mystery QR codes and other messages appeared on WWE programming leading up to Wyatt’s eventual return at Extreme Rules. The hints pointed toward his return about 15 months since he was released in July 2021.

Wyatt’s "Fiend" character was among the favorite programs that WWE ran in recent years. WWE was able to make the character thrive through the height of the coronavirus pandemic, and he was put into epic feuds with John Cena and Randy Orton.

Wyatt’s cult leader character was also well-received when it began in 2013. However, Wyatt was released on July 31, 2021. His release marked the end of a 12-year run at WWE.

After his return on the premium live event, Wyatt cut a heartfelt promo thanking fans for welcoming him back and helping him through the tough times after his release.

"I am incredibly grateful. I’m really, really nervous to be here. I never thought this would happen," Wyatt said. "This right here, this is just me OK? This is a version of me I never got to introduce to you guys before. This is just me being me – genuine me – for the first time."

Wyatt explained at the time that over the last year, he lost a lot of friends and things in his life.

"I lost my career. I lost my self-confidence. I lost two people who were very, very close to me. I lost my way," he said. "And I got to a point where I thought that everything that I’ve ever done here or otherwise, it was all meaningless. Nothing I’ve ever did has ever mattered to anyone. And I was wrong.

"Once I was done feeling sorry for myself, I decided to go out in the world again and see … people everywhere that would say, ‘Thank you Bray, man. When you coming back home?’ And then every once in a while there would be someone I would meet that would be truly remarkable, and you know who you are. But these people they would come to me. They would come to me, and they would say, ‘Bray, I just wanted to thank you, man, because I was in a time of need, and I lost people that were close to me, and I lost my self-confidence, and I felt weak, and I felt vulnerable, and in this weakened state I found your words, Bray. I found your words, and I just wanted to thank you, man. You saved my life, Bray.’

"The truth is, I don’t think about stuff like that. And the thing about that is, is that I can sit here right now today, and I can look all of you in the eyes, and I can say you were there when I was weak, when I was vulnerable, when I was down, and I just wanted to say, ‘Thank you, you all saved my life.’"

Wyatt feuded with LA Knight, which culminated in a Pitch Black match at Royal Rumble. He was set to start a program with Bobby Lashley before he reportedly fell ill.

He was angled for a September return before his unexpected death, according to Fightful Select.

Wyatt had two daughters with his ex-wife and a son and daughter with former WWE announcer JoJo Offerman. His father, Mike Rotunda, was known in the WWE as Irwin R. Schyster (IRS).

Wrestling Legend Terry Funk Dead At 79

WWE wrestling icon Terry Funk has died at age 79, his manager Timothy Beal confirmed to CBS News Wednesday. His cause of death was not immediately released, but Beal said that Funk "was in bad health for some time" and was "in a nursing home."

Funk's death was also confirmed in a statement by the WWE. 

For Funk, wrestling was a family affair. Growing up in in Amarillo, Texas, his father, Dory Funk, Sr., was a professional wrestler, and he started out as a tag-team wrestler with his brother Dory Funk, Jr., according to his WWE biography.

Funk broke out as a wrestling star in the 1980s when he appeared in a tag team with his brother at WrestleMania 2. He then competed singularly throughout the U.S. and in Japan over the course of his 50-year career, the WWE said. 

He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame with his brother in 2009. His final wrestling match was in 2017. 

Funk was also known for his breakout roles in Hollywood films. He appeared in "Roadhouse" with Patrick Swayze, "Paradise Alley" and "Over the Top."

TAMMY SYTCH FACING UP TO 25 YEARS IN PRISON... After Pleading No Contest To DUI Causing Death

Former WWE Diva Tammy Sytch just pleaded no contest to a felony charge of DUI causing death ... and she's now facing a prison sentence of up to a quarter of a century, TMZ Sports has learned.

The 50-year-old wrestling Hall of Famer was first hit with the count -- and seven others -- back in May 2022 ... after officials alleged she killed a 75-year-old man during a drunken car crash just two months prior.

Sytch had initially pleaded not guilty to all of the charges ... but changed her pleas in a Volusia County courtroom on Wednesday afternoon -- days before the case was slated to go to trial.

According to court documents, in addition to the plea to felony DUI causing death, she also pleaded no contest to one felony charge of driving with license suspended causing death, four misdemeanor counts of DUI with damage to a person, and two misdemeanor charges of DUI with damage to property.

A sentencing hearing for Sytch has not yet been put on the docket ... though, according to court docs, she's facing a maximum sentence of 25 years behind bars whenever it comes up.

Sytch has been in jail since May 2022 in the case ... after prosecutors claimed she crashed her car into the back of another vehicle on a Florida road in March 2022 while it was stopped at a traffic light. The officials alleged at the time of the accident she had a blood alcohol content of .08 or higher.

Sytch had at first received bond in the case, but days later, she was thrown back in jail after prosecutors called her a danger to the community.

The case was not the first time Sytch had been accused of drinking and driving -- she had also been arrested at least six times for impaired driving before, including back in 2019 in New Jersey.

The former wrestling personality was also jailed last year for allegedly threatening to kill a man with scissors.

source: tmz.com

WWE Admits That Stephanie McMahon Spoke With Tubi Executive, Denies MLW’s Claim

WWE has formally denied allegations made against the company by Major League Wrestling after MLW filed an antitrust lawsuit against WWE in 2022. The lawsuit, which has since been amended and filed again after being dismissed last year, stemmed from MLW's claims that WWE prevented it from competing in the streaming market. MLW alleged that WWE pressured third parties to abandon contracts and prospective relationships with the company.

Wrestlenomics' Brandon Thurston posted a portion of new court filings to Twitter on Monday. In the documents, WWE denied the allegations. but did confirm that Stephanie McMahon spoke with a Tubi executive in August 2021. The filing denies that she pressured the streaming platform to kill a deal with MLW. The full court document can be seen online.

MLW's lawsuit alleges that Stephanie McMahon pressured the Tubi executive to "deny MLW a time slot that would compete head-to-head with WWE's NXT programs on Tuesday nights." It goes on to say "WWE threatened Tubi's affiliate, Fox, that it could lose WWE's business or preferred content if Tubi didn't acquiesce to WWE's demand and terminate its agreement with MLW." WWE formally denied these accusations.

There's no end in sight for the legal battle between WWE and MLW. According to the new filing, WWE has demanded a jury trial on "all issues so triable" in the Northern District of California where the antitrust lawsuit was filed.

Details On Endeavor Deal, WWE-UFC Merger And Plans For NXT

Following the news from earlier this week that the WWE-UFC merger under Endeavor is expected to close next month, Dave Meltzer's latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter offers up some additional details. The report states that layoffs and other efforts to save money are expected to begin within the company very soon. Additionally, Meltzer indicates that people within Endeavor are hoping to work with WWE to make NXT more of a "sustainable third brand."

The idea behind that is to increase the show's ratings, allowing it to bring in higher TV rights fees. According to Meltzer, the company hopes to make NXT a touring brand once again, with both live events and TV taped on the road. However, there is no timeline for when this will become a reality.

As for the previously discussed revival of "NXT U.K.," there is reportedly an idea for a full-time Performance Center in London, as well as the introduction of a new show focused on all of Europe. However, there will be no updates on that until at least next year.

WWE's stock price hit another record-high earlier this week, reaching $114 per share, giving the company a market valuation of nearly $8.5 billion. When the dust settles, the board of TKO will include six individuals from Endeavor and five from WWE. On the WWE side, that includes both Vince McMahon and current WWE CEO Nick Khan, as well as Steve Koonin, Nancy Teliem, and one more individual who has yet to be revealed.

In addition to remaining on the Board of Directors, Vince McMahon will own 16.4% of the stock for the new company, which will be called TKO. Stephanie McMahon will own 1.1% while Linda McMahon will have 0.3% of the company's stock. There was no word on how many shares Shane McMahon will own.

Triple H: Vince McMahon Is Not Currently Involved With WWE Creative Day-To-Day

WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H says Vince McMahon is not involved with WWE creative day-to-day.

McMahon reportedly had major spinal surgery in late July. Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported that it was unclear whether the surgery would affect McMahon’s work. McMahon had reportedly been making changes to WWE shows from a remote location in recent months.

During the WWE SummerSlam post-show press conference, Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics asked Triple H about Vince McMahon’s current contribution to creative. He also asked what extent McMahon recovery will impact his ability to contribute. Triple H noted that he wasn’t sure how long McMahon’s recovery would take. He also highlighted McMahon’s legacy.

“As far as the surgery, I’m not a doctor,” Triple H said. “I can’t tell you how fast that recovery will be. If I’m a guessing man, I’ve seen Vince come back from some remarkable things way faster than anybody else I’ve ever seen do it. He still brags that he was back quicker from two quad tears than I was from one. So how long that it, I don’t know.

“As far as contributions, I would just say this. The reason WWE is what it is, the reason this business, not just WWE, because you could make an argument that without Vince and his vision for this business, maybe it wouldn’t be here anymore. There was some things at that time back in the day that were very popular that just disappeared off the face of the planet. Vision of what he did changed the business, changed all of it for 50 years. Incredible run of success. No greater mind in the business.”

Triple H continued by noting that it would be silly not to ask for “counsel” from McMahon. However, he stated that McMahon is not involved with WWE creative on a day-to-day basis.

“At this point, if all of us didn’t look at moments in time for counsel from him on thoughts or ideas or if we had a question to go to him and ask, we’d be silly not to,” Triple H said. “It’s sitting next to somebody that knows more about this, it has forgotten more about this, than you’ll ever know, and to not utilize that in some aspect. But is he day-to-day? No. Is he in it all the time? No. If anybody has, he’s earned that right to be able to do that.”

IMPACT Wrestling's 1,000th Episode Celebration to Feature Return of Beautiful People and Awesome Kong

Next month, Impact is gearing up to record its 1,000th episode, and excitingly, the lineup for the special event includes the appearances of Beautiful People and Awesome Kong.

In an announcement made on social mieda, the promotion revealed that these former Knockouts will be making their return during the taping, scheduled for September 9th in White Plains, New York. Comprising Angelina Love and Velvet Sky, The Beautiful People boast an impressive history as former Knockouts Champions and Knockouts Tag Team Champions. Adding to the anticipation, Awesome Kong, who holds the title of former Knockout Champion and was also honored with an induction into the Impact Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2021, will be part of this momentous occasion.