The era of the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships is coming to an end according to last night\’s episode of WWE SmackDown on FOX.
The Raw and SmackDown Tag Team Titles were unified when The Usos (SmackDown) defeated RK-Bro (Raw) on the May 20, 2022 episode of SmackDown.
No other Superstars have held the titles, and the Usos have retained them against the likes of Hit Row, the Brawling Brutes, and Kevin Owens & Matt Riddle.
SmackDown
During this week\’s SmackDown, a number-one contenders tournament was set up to determine the next challengers to The Usos.
It was announced that the Banger Bros. (Sheamus and Drew McIntyre) will face the Viking Raiders in the first round of the tournament next week.
This tournament will determine the next challengers for the SmackDown Tag Team titles, not the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championships.
Raw
This week\’s SmackDown seemingly confirmed plans to split the titles, but talk of a split first began with this week\’s Raw.
In the main event, the Judgment Day went the distance in a gauntlet match to become the number one contenders for the Raw Tag Team Titles.
The show ended with Jimmy and Jey having a face-off with Finn Balor\’s faction, and raised only their Raw Tag Team gold.
On commentary, Kevin Patrick repeatedly stated that the match would determine the next challengers for the Raw Tag Team titles.
It remains unclear as to when this title match will take place.
Mickie James\’ career lives on, and the wrestling veteran has now added another reign as Knockouts World Champion to her impressive resume.
In the main event of the show, James dethroned Jordynne Grace to start off her fifth reign as Knockouts Champion.
The finish saw Grace lock in a sleeper on the veteran, who slammed Grace into the ring post to break the hold, and leveled her with a tornado DDT to become the new champion.
Speaking backstage after the match, James spoke about the odds being stacked against her going into Hard to Kill.
In September of last year, James kicked off her Last Rodeo, vowing to retire from wrestling the next time she lost a match in pursuit of the Impact Knockouts World Championship.
The list of opponents James has defeated in that time includes Mia Yim, Taylor Wilde, and Gisele Shaw, among others.
What\’s Next?
Masha Slamovich became the number one contender for the Impact Knockouts World Championship at Hard to Kill.
Mickie James\’ career continues on, but the new Impact Knockouts World Champion will soon face a mammoth challenge.
Hard to Kill also saw Masha Slamovich become the new number-one contender for the Knockouts title, winning a fatal four-way.
Slamovich demolished Deonna Purrazzo, Taylor Wilde, and Killer Kelly to earn a spot at James.
Impact Wrestling has yet to confirm when their title match will take place.
Slamovich debuted for Impact Wrestling in June 2019, but it was only after impressing Impact Wrestling official (and Hall of Famer) Gail Kim) that she was offered a contract in 2021.
Results
Here are the results for Impact Wrestling Hard to Kill 2023.
[PRE-SHOW] Kushida defeated Angels, Delirious, ”Speedball” Mike Bailey, Mike Jackson and Yuya Uemura by submission
[PRE-SHOW] Impact X-Division Champion Trey Miguel (c) defeated Black Taurus by pinfall (title match)
Impact World Champion Josh Alexander (c) defeated Bully Ray by submission (Full Metal Mayhem. Title Match.)
The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) (c) defeated Heath and Rhino, The Major Players (Brian Myers and Matt Cardona) and Bullet Club (Ace Austin and Chris Bey) by pinfall (Fatal Four-Way. Title Match)
Impact Digital Media Champion Joe Hendry (c) defeated Moose by pinfall (Title Match)
Masha Slamovich defeated Deonna Purrazzo, Killer Kelly, and Taylor Wilde by pinfall (Number One Contenders Match)
Steve Maclin defeated Rich Swann by pinfall (Falls Count Anywhere Match)
Eddie Edwards defeated Jonathan Gresham by pinfall
Mickie James defeated Jordynne Grace (c) by pinfall (Title Change)
Those working at Impact Wrestling gave a touching tribute to the late Don West at last night\’s Impact Hard to Kill Pay-Per-View.
West joined Impact (then NWA:TNA Wrestling) in 2002 and was the voice of the promotion for years.
On December 30, 2022, West died from lymphoma of the brain at the age of 59.
During last night\’s show, Impact\’s first Pay-Per-View since Don\’s passing, the roster gathered on the entrance ramp and a ten-bell salute was given in West\’s memory.
We open the show with a ten bell salute to one of the defining voices in the history of IMPACT Wrestling – Don West. pic.twitter.com/FZXIiviYkU
Before coming to wrestling, West made his name on the Shop at Home Network, joining the channel as a knife salesman in 1991.
In 1993, West would be promoted to Sports Collectibles, a position he had applied for years earlier, but had been rejected due to his \”scrabbly voice.\”
West won over viewers with his passionate, often frantic sales pitches, which were parodied by the likes of Will Ferrell and Chris Kattan on Saturday Night Live.
After turning down an offer to join WCW in early 2001 (wisely seeing that the promotion\’s days were numbered) West joined Impact a year later, after Vince Russo introduced him to Jeff Jarrett.
West debuted for Impact on the June 19, inaugural Pay-Per-View, and would later host the YouTube series \’TNA Today.\’
Using his Shop at Home Network skills, West would promote new TNA merch as part of his \’Don West Brown Bag Specials\’ and would be made Head of Merchandise development in 2009.
In May 2012, West parted ways with TNA, having accepted a role as director of sales and marketing for the Wenatchee Wild ice hockey team.
In 2017, West returned to Impact as part of the merchandise team and would commentate one last time at Slammiversary XV that July.
How much money would cause Vince McMahon to part ways with the creation he has overseen for close to half a century?
Last week, McMahon shocked the world with his return to WWE, months after his retirement in July of last year.
McMahon returned to oversee a sale of the promotion but has since been appointed Executive Chairman, replacing Stephanie McMahon.
Money Talks
For the right price, you could be the next owner of WWE, but it won\’t come cheap.
In the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer reports that Wall Street analysts expect WWE to sell for anywhere between $7.4 to $8.2 billion.
WWE is optimistic and is hoping for a sale figure of around $8.5 billion.
The Observer added that the acquisitions market has cooled off in recent days.
Meltzer also pointed out that a purchase from the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund would bring a lot of bad publicity to the promotion, but that would likely be temporary.
It is pointed out that the Saudis have purchased Newcastle United, and things have been business as usual since that purchase.
Going Private
It has been reported that if the Saudi PIF does purchase WWE, they intend to turn the company private once again.
In the Observer, Meltzer adds that Tony and Shahid Khan are also interested in taking the promotion private.
It was reported this week that the AEW President and his father are interested in a merger with WWE, but would pool their finances and resources with other groups.
McMahon was appointed Interim CEO in June 2022, after her father stepped down due to the investigation.
A month later, McMahon was appointed Chair of the Board and shared responsibilities as CEO with Nick Khan.
Resigning this month, Vince McMahon has replaced his daughter as Executive Chairman while Khan serves as sole CEO.
Before being appointed Interim CEO last June, Stephanie announced that she would be taking an extended break from WWE to spend more time with her family.
Andrews Medical Center
Judging by her tweet, McMahon went under the knife at the Andrews Sports Medicine Center in Birmingham, Alabama.
Named for Dr. James Andrews, the center has been the go-to place for injured WWE talent for decades.
Names who have had surgery at the center include Dave Batista, CM Punk, and Bobby Lashley.
After testing his quads in 2001 and 2007, Triple H would report to the Andrews Center for surgery.
More recently, Cody Rhodes made the trip to Birmingham after tearing his pectoral prior to Hell in a Cell last June.
WWE and the promotion\’s new Executive Chairman Vince McMahon are bringing in some heavy hitters to aid in the potential sale of the promotion.
McMahon returned to WWE\’s Board of Directors last week to aid with a potential sale, alongside former co-Presidents Michelle Wilson and George Barrios.
The return of the controversial 77-year-old founder resulted in multiple resignations from the board from individuals who disagreed with the decision for McMahon to return.
Now, a new statement from WWE has announced that more names are working with them, including The Raine Group, LLC as the promotion\’s financial advisor.
Kirkland & Ellis LLP will serve as legal advisor and August LLC as strategic communications advisor to support WWE’s management team.
In a quote from Vince McMahon, the Executive Chairman spoke about the future of the promotion.
“WWE’s upcoming media rights cycle will take place amid a rapidly evolving media and entertainment landscape, and we believe exploring our strategic alternatives at this critical juncture will enable WWE to fully capitalize on the significant value of our intellectual property.
\”I am highly confident that our outstanding Directors, outside advisors, and executive team will provide valuable expertise and counsel to help guide the Company through this important process while our management team and employee base continue to deliver results and content our fans love.\”
Despite reports earlier this week that WWE had been purchased by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, it has since been clarified that no deal has been reached at this time.
In an update from CNBC, they are reporting that several sources familiar with the situation have confirmed that the Khans are interested in a merger.
The report adds that the Khans would not seek to buy WWE themselves, but would team with a financial group and pool their resources.
The idea is described by CNBC as a \”long shot\” given the hostility between WWE and AEW that has existed since the latter was founded in 2019.
Shahid Khan is said to have a net worth of $7.56 billion, and in addition to AEW, the Khans own the Jacksonville Jaguars NFL team, and the soccer club Fulham FC.
If this merger went ahead, it is unclear if the Khans would cease WWE production, keep the brand going, or create a new hybrid brand of WWE and AEW.
Competition
The Khans are interested in merging with WWE, but they\’re not the only ones open to a deal.
This week, it was reported that the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund had purchased WWE, but those reports were later clarified to be premature.
As Dave Meltzer reported on Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE CEO Nick Khan recently spoke to Bob Iger, CEO of The Walt Disney Company.
Sting has spent decades building a legacy as one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, and now the Icon\’s daughter is ready to follow in his footsteps.
D Magazine reports that Sting\’s daughter Katelyn is taking her first steps into becoming a pro wrestler herself.
In addition to her training, Katelyn works for All Elite Wrestling as part of the promotion\’s social media team.
Katelyn Borden
Katelyn still has plenty to learn in the world of professional wrestling, but the second-generation star has already reached championship glory.
Borden is currently the Rhodes Wrestling Academy Women\’s Champion and is in her first reign.
Going by the name \’Jael\’ Katelyn captured the title last July, dethroning inaugural champion Shawna Reed.
The End of Sting
While Katelyn\’s career is on the rise, her father\’s career, by his own admission is coming to an end.
Speaking to D Magazine, Sting said that he has broached the topic of his final match, which he believes will be for AEW.
The former WCW World Heavyweight Champion added that he realizes the high expectations his final match will have.
\”I’ve got some insecurities about that, I guess, mainly due to age. The more focus, now you’ve got to follow that big build-up, you know?”
Sting
Sting added that he knows the details of his retirement will be decided sooner rather than later, but he is trying to avoid specifics.
The Icon said that with his final match, the most important thing to him will be how he makes the fans feel, which takes precedence in his view over the setting or the opponent.
McMahon reportedly strong-armed his way back into WWE by threatening to withdraw support from all future TV rights negotiations and possible sales.
Benefit
Matt Hardy\’s days with WWE are behind him, as he left in 2020, but he still keeps a close eye on the competition.
On the latest Extreme Life podcast, Hardy explained how chaos and unpredictability in WWE can only help AEW.
\”Vince McMahon is back and he is the head. He is sitting as the head of the table of WWE currently. We also have Stephanie gone so there\’s obviously been a big shake-up. There is a lot of cells, rumors, and innuendo going around, and if you ask me more than anything who benefits from all this? I would say AEW so I\’m very happy to be at AEW currently right now. AEW has been producing great content.\”
\”Who benefits from all this? I would say AEW.\”
Matt Hardy on the ongoing power plays in WWE.
Hardy summarised his view on the situation by putting it into context with an analogy from Game of Thrones.
\”One thing I love about it is at WWE, they\’re playing Games of Thrones It\’s like in and out. Who can retain the power and who can backstab? Who can get someone else out or how can I get back in whatever it may be. Here, fortunately, it is just TK [Tony Khan] sitting on the Iron Throne.\”
Skeletons in the Closet
There were years, decades even, when the idea of Vince McMahon retiring seemed impossible.
Once McMahon did resign due to allegations of misconduct with female employees, fans thought they\’d never see him return.
On his podcast, Hardy discussed McMahon\’s controversial comeback and suggested that there are more secrets that could be revealed.
\”It was very controversial whenever Vince ended up leaving [in July 2022.] Some of the accusations against him. And I don\’t know, considering how much pro wrestling has started to begin mirroring society which is a good thing that it has it\’s no longer the wild west it is starting to try and mirror society and run a parallel to how society is. Be a little more moral. But like the Vince thing could end up being very controversial because there are a lot of skeletons in those closets.\”
In all statements by WWE so far, there has been no reference to the allegations of misconduct or the millions of dollars McMahon paid in NDAs.
Fingerprints
Prior to McMahon\’s return, the ex-CEO stated his attempted comeback was merely to oversee WWE\’s sale to another company.
Many are skeptical (especially now that McMahon is Executive Chairman) with fans fearing he will usurp Triple H as Head of Creative.
Hardy said that while McMahon may have only returned for the sale as stated, it may be difficult for him to break old habits.
\”I feel like even if Vince is being sincere about that, he won’t be able to control himself like that. If he is back, he is going to put his fingerprints on things. It’s just who he is. It’s absolutely who it is.\”
\”He won’t be able to control himself.\”
Matt Hardy on Vince McMahon.
\”There was someone, I would just say randomly, without mentioning names, who said, ‘Raw felt different on Monday. I’ve got a feeling Vince may have had his fingerprints on it.’ Which is interesting.\”
McMahon\’s roster has not gone down well with WWE\’s roster, with some threatening to walk out of the promotion if the rumored deal with Saudi Arabia goes ahead.
WWE is still on the market following premature reports of a sale, but higher-ups in the company hope this won\’t be the case for long.
Last week, Vince McMahon returned to WWE to oversee a sale of the company but has since been appointed as Executive Chairman of the board.
Names reportedly interested in purchasing WWE include Comcast, FOX, Netflix, Amazon, and Disney, among others.
Nick Khan
This week, it was reported that the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund had purchased the promotion, but it was later clarified that a sale hasn\’t happened yet.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said that WWE CEO Nick Khan was recently in the vicinity of some influential names.
\”Nick Khan was in Los Angeles when I was in Los Angeles…One hotel over from me. I didn’t know it at the time. Nick Khan went to football game Monday night, so he wasn’t on RAW.
\”he met with some heavy hitters, cause heavy hitters went to the college football championship game. Bob Iger [CEO of The Walt Disney Company,] Jimmy Pitaro [CEO of ESPN] so, I guess those names will ring some bells.”
Dave Meltzer.
Summer
There was a time when the sale of WWE seemed impossible, but now Vince McMahon and others are eager to make it happen.
On his show, Meltzer gave a timeline as to when to expect a deal to be reached.
\”They are looking to sell by the middle of the year. JPMorgan is helping them.\”
Dave Meltzer.
Neither WWE nor the Saudi Public Investment Fund have commented on the reports of a deal between the two parties.
Vince McMahon\’s return to WWE has shaken the wrestling world to its core and saw the departure of multiple members of the promotion\’s Board of Directors.
McMahon, who has the majority voting power in WWE, was reappointed to WWE\’s Board of Directors last week, alongside former co-Presidents Michelle Wilson and George Barrios.
Despite McMahon\’s return being cited as just to oversee a sale of WWE, the 77-year-old billionaire has been appointed \’Executive Chairman\’ of WWE following the resignation of Stephanie McMahon.
Resignations
The return of McMahon, Wilson, and Barrios also saw the departure of JoEllen Lyons Dillon, Jeffrey R. Speed, and Alan M. Wexler from the board.
Not long after these names were removed, it was reported that Man Jit Singh And Ignace Lahoud had voluntarily relinquished their positions on the board.
In an SEC report filed yesterday afternoon, WWE confirmed that their departures came about because of McMahon\’s return.
\”Messrs. Lahoud and Singh agreed with the Board’s decision to explore the Company’s strategic alternatives, they did not agree with Mr. McMahon’s return at this time.\”
Singh\’s departure is particularly notable, as he led the board\’s investigation into McMahon\’s allegations of sexual misconduct and hush-money payments.
There is currently no word on who will fill these spots.
Legal Trouble
Vince McMahon is back on top of his wrestling kingdom, but how long the Executive Chairman stays there remains to be seen.
McMahon allegedly threatened to oppose any TV rights talks or offers to buy WWE, unless he got the final say on any future plans.
The suit states that the move to “take complete personal control over any major corporate decision” by “adding his cronies to the board” violates Delaware law.
This popular wrestling promotion celebrated its four-year anniversary recently and will soon be teaming with the hit quiz show Jeopardy.
The answer: What is All Elite Wrestling?
That\’s at least according to AEW referee Bryce Remsburg, who on Twitter this week, shared a photo from the Jeopardy studio.
In his tweet, Remsburg thanked Ken Jennings, the host of the show for letting him visit his work, and teased a crossover project between AEW and Jeopardy that will be revealed next week.
Thanks to the great @KenJennings for letting me come visit him at work this week.
All Elite Wrestling may still be a young company (celebrating its four-year anniversary this week) but Tony Khan\’s brand of wrestling has struck a chord with the mainstream.
Last June, several AEW stars, including Bryan Danielson, CM Punk, Christian Cage, Ruby Soho, Powerhouse Hobbs, MJF, and Britt Baker, appeared on Apple TV\’s Carpool Karaoke.
Not long after, it was confirmed that AEW\’s Orange Cassidy, Kris Statlander, and Chuck Taylor would be part of season two of Netflix\’s hit show \’The Floor is Lava.\’
The show sees teams attempt to traverse an obstacle course without falling in the \’lava\’ below.
Wrestlers and Game Shows
This will be the first time AEW teams with Jeopardy, but will hardly be the first example of wrestlers appearing on a quiz show.
In November 2001, stars of the WWF appeared on a celebrity edition of the Weakest Link, which was won by Triple H.
The Game outlasted other stars and his wife Stephanie McMahon-Helmsley to win for his charity.
A second edition of the show was hosted the following year, with the Big Red Machine Kane (in full Kane attire) defeating Bubba Ray Dudley in the finals.
Vince McMahon is back with WWE, and the company could soon be owned by Saudi Arabia, and that\’s just something Jim Ross believes the WWE Superstars have to accept.
McMahon returned to WWE last week, initially as a member of the Board of Directors, but has since powered his way into being appointed \’Executive Chairman.\’
It was reported this week that the company had been sold to the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, but it was later clarified that this sale isn\’t complete just yet.
Don\’t Be a Baby
McMahon\’s return to WWE has not gone down well with fans or those backstage, with the belief being that morale was much better with him gone.
It has been reported that talent have been left fearful that mass-cuts will resume with McMahon in charge again, and some anonymous Superstars have told sources they want out.
Speaking on his Grilling J.R. podcast, Ross, a former WWE Head of Talent Relations, gave his advice to the roster.
\”I’m sure that the guys that work there are wondering what the hell’s going on. My advice to them is just do your job. Come to work on time, don’t be a problem child, don’t be a baby. Be willing to go along with things to see how it’s gonna work out.\”
Jim Ross.
Saudi Arabia
McMahon\’s return isn\’t the only thing that is shaking morale in WWE at this time.
While reports of WWE being sold to Saudi Arabia were premature, many believe that this sale will still happen down the line.
Fightful Select reported this week that while nobody has asked for their release yet, one talent said \”they\’d be done\” if WWE goes through with a Saudi sale.
On a Fightful live-stream, Sean Ross Sapp said that talent have threatened to walk out if this sale happens, and \”100%\” believes that those Superstars will go ahead with their threat.
Neither WWE nor the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund has confirmed or even commented on the reports of a sale taking place.
Vince McMahon\’s shocking retirement in July of last year did little to stop the former CEO\’s business plans, it has been claimed.
McMahon retired following allegations of misconduct with female employees which resulted in millions being paid in non-disclosure agreements.
While McMahon paid out of his own pocket, an investigation determined that these payouts should have been noted on WWE\’s financial records as they were seen as beneficial to WWE.
Immediately
Last month, it was reported that McMahon regretted his retirement and was plotting a comeback to oversee a sale of WWE.
Earlier this month, McMahon\’s return proved to be successful, as he is now serving as Executive Chairman of the promotion, replacing the recently departed Stephanie McMahon.
On Wrestling Observer Radio Dave Meltzer reported that McMahon had been plotting a sale immediately after his retirement.
\”Ever since Vince was ousted, he did open up talks with the Saudis. I mean, this didn’t come in the last week. His coming back was obviously to close the deal.\”
Dave Meltzer.
Up for Sale
It was reported by multiple sources earlier this week that WWE had been purchased by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.
The fund has over half-a-trillion dollars to its name and is overseen by its Chairman: Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
With the Saudi purchase not confirmed, WWE remains open to offers, with names like FOX, Comcast, Disney, Netflix, and Amazon all considered possible buyers.
The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund may be the new owners of WWE, but the nation may not have gotten a good deal on their acquisition.
It was reported this week that the fund has purchased WWE, but neither side has confirmed reports of a sale.
The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund has $620 billion in wealth and is overseen by its Chairman, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.
Overpaid
With over half-a-trillion dollars to their name, the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund can certainly afford to purchase WWE.
During a Fightful live-stream, Sean Ross Sapp reported that there is a chance the Saudis \”grossly overpaid\” considering the competition that they faced.
Other names reportedly interested in buying WWE include FOX, Comcast, Apple, Netflix, Disney, and Amazon.
Sapp reiterated multiple times during the stream that nothing has been confirmed to him regarding a sale, and that there is a possibility that this deal has not happened.
Creative
When Vince McMahon returned to WWE last week, there were immediate concerns that he would make a move to return as Head of Creative.
Following McMahon\’s retirement in July of last year, Triple H was appointed Head of Creative, and earned critical acclaim from fans.
Sapp noted that if there was any possible buyer that would be open to appointing McMahon as Head of Creative again, it is Saudi Arabia.
With that said, Sapp added that the relationship between the two sides isn\’t perfect, and noted McMahon turning off the broadcast for Crown Jewel 2019 in Saudi Arabia as he hadn\’t been paid for previous shows.
After that event, WWE\’s roster were prohibited from taking off, with the explanation given that there were mechanical issues with the aircraft.
There are a lot of questions about the future of WWE right now, and Ronda Rousey doesn\’t have the answers.
It was reported this week that the promotion has been sold to the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, though neither WWE nor that fund has confirmed that.
The Public Investment Fund controls $620 billion in assets with Saudi Royal Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman serving as Chairman of the fund.
Rousey
No matter who ends up owning WWE, odds are that Ronda Rousey will continue to be prominently featured on programming.
During a YouTube Gaming stream, Rousey was asked by a fan whether she will be appearing at the February 3, SmackDown in Greenville, South Carolina.
Rousey did not confirm her appearance for the show and instead highlighted just how much is changing at this time in WWE.
“If you haven’t noticed, everything’s a little bit in flux with the WWE right now. I don’t think anybody knows what’s going on with anybody this week, let alone weeks from now.”
Ronda Rousey.
Names advertised for that particular SmackDown include Drew McIntyre, Braun Strowman, the Brawling Brutes, Sami Zayn, Undisputed WWE Tag Champions The Usos, and WWE SmackDown Women\’s Champion Charlotte Flair.
Unhappy
WWE\’s roster was far from thrilled with the return of Vince McMahon, as morale had improved significantly following his retirement.
With reports of a purchase from Saudi Arabia, things have only gotten worse, with talent being said to be \”p*ssed off\” over the potential deal.
One anonymous WWE Superstar is ready to walk if the reports of the company being purchased by Saudi Arabia are indeed accurate.
Last week, Vince McMahon returned to WWE, less than six months after his retirement to oversee a sale of the promotion.
McMahon has since been reappointed to WWE\’s Board of Directors and has been appointed as Executive Chairman of the Board, replacing his daughter Stephanie McMahon.
Done
WWE\’s relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has always been controversial and the company\’s events in the nation often see boycotts by fans.
Fightful Select reports that those in WWE are also wary and concerned about the possibility of the company being owned by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.
No talent who spoke to Fightful said they have already requested their release, but at least one talent said \”they\’d be done\” with WWE if the Saudi purchase goes through.
Fightful did not give any indication as to who this anonymous Superstar is.
There has been an incredible amount of concern among staff and talent regardless of the Saudi purchase reports, with Vince McMahon back in control.
Neither WWE nor the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund has confirmed or even commented on the reports of a sale taking place.
WWE\’s Roster and Saudi Arabia
While the majority of WWE Superstars appear at the Saudi Arabia events, some are able to boycott the shows due to personal beliefs.
In the case of Sami Zayn, the decision has been made for the Syrian-Canadian wrestler to not work the shows due to Saudi Arabia\’s hostile past with Syria.
Kevin Owens has refused to appear at Saudi events in solidarity with his real-life best friend and on-screen rival.
Jinder Mahal is back in WWE NXT with a mission after returning to the gold brand during last night\’s New Year\’s Evil event.
For the show, Indus Sher (Veer Mahaan and Sanga) were scheduled to face the Creed Brothers, but Sanga said Veer was not present for the show.
Despite teasing a two-on-one handicap match, Sanga and the returning Mahal attacked Brutus and Julius Creed.
Reaction
Mahal\’s appearance this week comes two months after his most recent televised match, and years after the former WWE Champion last competed in NXT.
Speaking in a backstage interview, Mahal highlighted his success in wrestling, including his reign as the first Indian WWE Champion.
Mahal said that the only thing he has not done in the wrestling industry is \”give back,\” which is exactly what he plans on doing.
Speaking about Veer and Sanga, Mahal said the two fight with honor, but he will teach them that being respectful and obeying the rules won\’t get them far in WWE.
WWE is reportedly now the property of the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund, which isn\’t sitting right with those on the roster.
Last week, Vince McMahon returned to WWE to oversee a sale of the company, mere months after his retirement in July of last year.
McMahon has since regained his position as WWE\’s Chairman of the Board, replacing his daughter Stephanie, though Nick Khan has remained as the sole CEO.
P*ssed Off
This week, it was reported by multiple verified sources that a WWE sale has taken place and that it has been purchased by the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund.
WWE has not confirmed the reports themselves, nor has the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
Speaking on a Fightful live stream, Sean Ross Sapp reported that the talent is far from happy about what is going on.
\”I can tell you one thing. I know talent is pissed off. Real pissed off. Really really mad. Really dejected. Really frustrated. And this is all based on rumors. This is not official, nothing like that.\”
Sean Ross Sapp.
WWE has worked with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for years and is part of a decade-long deal with the nation to host major events there.
This relationship was put on hold during the Covid-19 pandemic, with the missing dates being tacked on to the end of the deal.
WWE and Saudi Arabia
The reports that WWE are now owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund raise a lot of questions about the future of the company.
WWE\’s relationship with the kingdom has always been controversial given the country\’s restrictive laws on women, LGBTQ+ people, and other groups.
There is also the question of Sami Zayn, arguably WWE\’s most popular Superstar today, who given his Syrian heritage, is not allowed to compete at any Saudi shows.
WWE has added to its growing talent roster with the signing of New Japan Pro Wrestling alum Karl Fredericks.
Last summer, Fredricks informed fans on social media that he had opted not to re-sign with New Japan, ending his four years with the promotion.
PW Insider reports that Fredericks has signed with WWE, and is set to be a part of the NXT brand in Florida.
Fredericks was first spotted at the WWE Performance Center in September 2022, a month after his deal with New Japan expired.
Interestingly, Fredricks said that he did not see himself going to any other company than New Japan prior to his contract expiring.
Fredericks\’ arrival marks the second notable signing in as many months after Dragon Lee confirmed in December that he is also joining WWE.
Karl Fredericks
Three years after making his debut in 2015, Fredericks entered the New Japan LA Dojo alongside current NJPW stars Clark Connors and Alex Coughlin, and Gabriel Kidd.
Visiting Japan the following year, Fredericks represented the LA Dojo in the Young Lion Cup and won the tournament with 12 points.
Fredericks\’ later teamed with Hirooki Goto for the 2019 World Tag League, finishing with three wins and 12 losses.
Fredericks last wrestled for New Japan Pro Wrestling at a May 2022 taping of STRONG, where he defeated QT Marshall.
Since then, he has wrestled twice for separate indie promotions, with his most recent match seeing him defeat Kevin Blackwood for Prestige/West Coast Pro Savage Mode last September.
Two-time WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair is desperate to have his \’final\’ match again, believing it would go better the second time.
Flair teamed with his son-in-law Andrade El Idolo last July to defeat Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal in what was billed as Ric\’s final match.
Prior to that match, Flair had competed on the September 12, 2011, edition of TNA Impact!, where he lost to Sting.
Begging
After over ten years away from the ring (and decades after his heyday) Flair\’s final match was far from a five-star technical classic.
Aged 73, Flair had to be carried throughout much of the match, and at one point, faked a heart attack, a spot Flair has since said was in poor taste.
Speaking on his To Be the Man podcast, Ric expressed his desire to have one more shot at his final farewell.
“I’m begging to do it again. I’m begging because I’ve told 100 people, ‘How do I forget to drink water all day long?’ That’s all that happened to me. You saw me. I drank five beers right after.”
Ric Flair.
Flair added that he can\’t understand how he forgot to stay hydrated given all the training he did with Jay Lethal.
\”I can think of a lot of things I’ve screwed up and matches and, you know, things you would change. I just know that could’ve been golden. You know, I just happened to be dehydrated.
\”I just know that could’ve been golden.\”
Ric Flair on his final match.
I don’t know how I could’ve made that mistake because you know how much work I put in with Lethal. We had everything figured out, I mean, and we had so much more to do. God, it would have been great.”
There is currently no talk from any promotion that another final match for the Nature Boy is in the works.
One More Match
This isn\’t the first time Flair has spoken about wrestling after the show billed as \’Ric Flair\’s Last Match.
After the announcement that Ricky Steamboat would be wrestling again, Flair said he felt inspired to have another final match.
Flair later stated he would never truly retire, while Steamboat would go on team with FTR and win a six-man tag for Big Time Wrestling last November.
\”I\’m just afraid, and all you\’ve got to do is look at their past history, that [Moné is] going to be there, be a big deal for a few couple weeks and then they won\’t know what to do with her.\”
Konnan.
It had been speculated that Moné would be Saraya\’s mystery partner for this week\’s tag-team match against Dr. Britt Baker and AEW Women\’s World Champion Jamie Hayter.
Though AEW has announced that Saraya will team with Toni Storm, many believe that Storm will be taken out of the match, giving Moné the spot.
One Woman Roster
Konnan is hardly the only person to have an issue with AEW\’s women\’s division, as this has been one of Tony Khan\’s biggest pitfalls.
After Thunder Rosa had a minute-long backstage segment to explain her injury last August, Khan said he opted not to give her a long in-ring spot (akin to CM Punk\’s injury) as he believed it wouldn\’t be a ratings draw.
On his podcast, Konnan said that the whole women\’s division is Britt, Britt, and Britt,\” referring to Baker\’s frequent appearances, and called on AEW to \”give other girls a chance.\”
Daniel Garcia’s departure from this year’s Battle of Los Angeles came about thanks to a request by All Elite Wrestling.
In the first round of the tournament hosted by Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Garcia lost to Titus Alexander, who would lose to Konsuke Takeshita in the second round.
Takeshita would make it to the tournament finals, where he would lose a 27-minute war to ‘Speedball’ Mike Bailey.
Request
Given that he is the reigning PWG World Champion, Garcia’s early elimination came as a shock to the fans in attendance.
On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer stated that AEW did not want Garcia to lose clean, and requested the DQ finish.
While Garcia came up short this year, he won last year’s Battle of Los Angeles, ironically defeating this year’s winner Mike Bailey in the finals.
Night Two
Garcia’s elimination from the tournament allowed him to exit the running without dropping a fall, but also freed him up for night two of the event.
On the second night, Garcia, would make a surprise appearance among the rest of the Jericho Appreciation Society.
That show saw Chris Jericho make his PWG debut, teaming with Garcia, Matt Menard, Angelo Parker and Sammy Guevara to defeat Jonathan Gresham, Evil Uno, SB Kento, Michael Oku, and Kevin Blackwood.
Jericho got the pinfall on Blackwood, and after the match, said he and the JAS had a “f***ing blast.”
The former AEW World Champion added that PWG is the modern-day ECW in that the show has passion and allows indie wrestlers to hone their skills in front of a rabid crowd.
It may be some time before fans see the New Day defend their WWE NXT Tag Team Championships as Xavier Woods is reportedly injured.
Woods, alongside Kofi Kingston, won the titles at WWE NXT Deadline, dethroning Pretty Deadly and ending their reign at 97 days.
With their victory, the New Day becomes the third team to capture the WWE Tag Team triple-crown, after The Revival in 2019 and the Street Profits in 2020.
Injured
Since winning the titles, the New Day has had just two matches: a title defense on the December 14, 2022 episode of NXT, and a six-person tag-team match at the December 27, WWE live event.
PW Insider reports that Woods is \”banged up\” and \”not yet 100% cleared,\” which is why New Day hasn\’t been seen more inside the ring.
Details of his injury remain unclear, but he is not expected to miss much more time in the ring.
The expectation within WWE is that the UpUpDownDown host should be good to go by this month\’s Royal Rumble, if not sooner.
While he has not been wrestling, Woods has continued to appear at WWE events, and was in Kofi\’s corner for a house show in Huntsville, Alabama.
The Rumble
If the backstage talk is right, Woods will be healed in time for the Rumble, and would likely be a member of the Men\’s Royal Rumble match.
The Men\’s match is coming together, with Kingston, Ricochet, and Santos Escobar coming from SmackDown.
On last night\’s Raw, it was confirmed that Seth Rollins, Bobby Lashley, and WWE United States Champion Austin Theory will also be in the Men\’s Rumble match.
WWE Superstars are concerned that the era of mass releases will resume now that Vince McMahon is back with the company.
McMahon retired from WWE in July of last year due to allegations of misconduct which resulted in millions of dollars being paid out in NDAs.
Last week, McMahon was reappointed to WWE’s Board of Directors alongside former WWE co-Presidents Michelle Wilson and George Barrios.
Concerns
Vince McMahon and WWE have insisted that his return is to oversee a potential sale of the promotion and nothing more.
Many are skeptical of this claim, believing that McMahon would not return to WWE if he did not have plans to be at the very top of the promotion again.
On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said that there are worried Superstars fearing the return of mass releases.
“Everyone’s worried again because it’s like ‘if Vince is in charge and they’re trying to sell, does that mean they’re going to start doing cuts again?\’”
Meltzer reiterated previous reports that WWE morale was significantly higher after McMahon’s retirement last year.
Morale in the locker room was said to have been at an all-time low following last year’s Royal Rumble Premium Live Event.
Sale
It was in April 2020 that WWE began a new strategy, releasing talent in large waves that drew significant backlash from fans.
At the time, some suggested that WWE was cutting costs to widen its profit margins and make the company look more attractive to potential buyers.
A list of buyers rumored to be interested in WWE includes Comcast, FOX, Disney, and Netflix, among others.
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