Official Wrestling News Thread

[BountyHunterRo]

Fightful can confirm that the former Grizzled Young Vets, Jagger Reid and Rip Fowler have requested their releases from WWE. They've been involved with Schism of late on NXT.

We haven't heard a reason why they've asked for their releases, but they're expected to announce themselves shortly as well. The duo has been in NXT for over three years.

Both men are veterans of over a decade, and are expected to be in demand on the US indie scene, in addition to the UK.

We can't speak to their visa situation, but generally there's a non-compete associated with requested releases, and then a grace period following that they'd be able to work in the states.

 

[IP360]

Ww need the dark version of Kana. Damn the smiles

 

[IceManKamReturns]

Fightful can confirm that the former Grizzled Young Vets, Jagger Reid and Rip Fowler have requested their releases from WWE. They've been involved with Schism of late on NXT.

We haven't heard a reason why they've asked for their releases, but they're expected to announce themselves shortly as well. The duo has been in NXT for over three years.

Both men are veterans of over a decade, and are expected to be in demand on the US indie scene, in addition to the UK.

We can't speak to their visa situation, but generally there's a non-compete associated with requested releases, and then a grace period following that they'd be able to work in the states.

Damn...after one of the niggas started looking like that Calypso nigga from Twisted Metal Black

It was a wrap

 

[willhustle]

 

[TonyDubbz]

Damn...after one of the niggas started looking like that Calypso nigga from Twisted Metal Black

It was a wrap

One of the stupidest changes ever!

It happened under Vince & his people but they never reverted them back

cant even be mad at them for requesting their release

 

[Shenco]

Vince back in creative? Good luck to us all

 

[Shenco]

And y’all know dang well that “higher level” is gonna soon become ALL level

 

[BDP™️]

“At a higher level”

 

[Iceberg_Taylor]

Once the deal falls through he’ll no longer be a majority share holder. I wonder if at some point he’d be voted off the board

 

[Iceberg_Taylor]

Would welcome this instead of boring Kevin Patrick

 

[BountyHunterRo]

The most pressing matter is WWE’s television deals for Raw and SmackDown, which expire next year. In pre-sale interviews, Khan said WWE would start the renegotiation process with current rights holders NBCUniversal and FOX during the just-completed WrestleMania weekend. Based on what he told Axios, that plan remains intact. UFC and WWE will pursue separate linear TV deals, and NBC and FOX will have an opportunity to ensure the rights to Raw and SmackDown don’t hit the open market:

“The most important thing is that NBC and Fox, from a WWE point of view, feel respected in the process. So we’re going to enter those conversations with them... hopefully it’s robust, and we don’t get out of the ‘right of first window’ [and] we strike a deal with each of them. If we’re not able to do that, we’ll see what the marketplace has to say and ultimately choose the right partner for the WWE audience in our shareholders.”
NBCUniversal is also WWE’s streaming partner, with content currently on NBC’s Peacock service in the United States. That contract expires in 2026. UFC has a deal with Disney-owned ESPN+ for streaming which is up in 2025. He wouldn’t rule out bundling the wrestling and MMA streaming rights, but indicated Peacock will have a chance to remain the home of WWE Network:

“The good folks at NBCU have been tremendous partners to us. So let’s see what they have to say.”

The subject of returning some or all of WWE’s premium live events to a pay-per-view model — something Khan floated last week, much to the consternation of wrestling fans who’ve grown accustomed to getting all the company’s weekend shows as part of a monthly streaming subscription — wasn’t addressed.

 

[TonyDubbz]

Once the deal falls through he’ll no longer be a majority share holder. I wonder if at some point he’d be voted off the board

this is another plus kinda

he'll have power but not as much as he had before

 

[TonyDubbz]

I Think we should brace ourselves because as good as this weekend was I feel like we bout to enter that talent release period.

it might not be as bad as previous years but people losing they jobs is never a good look

 

[IP360]

Vince not being majority owner is a good good thing.

 

[already home_17]

Would welcome this instead of boring Kevin Patrick

he wasn’t bad this weekend
pretty funny in some moments

 

[willhustle]

I Think we should brace ourselves because as good as this weekend was I feel like we bout to enter that talent release period.

it might not be as bad as previous years but people losing they jobs is never a good look

Some kats need to go though...like Baron Corbin

 

[IceManKamReturns]

I just want a healthy balance between what they had around 19/20 and what they have now

 

[KillaCham]

I Think we should brace ourselves because as good as this weekend was I feel like we bout to enter that talent release period.

it might not be as bad as previous years but people losing they jobs is never a good look

Maybe, maybe not. A lot of the 2021-2022 budget cuts were probably done to make the company look more profitable for a potential sale - the deal is damn near done now. And cuts after acquisitions are usually when the companies identify employee redundancies for cost savings (which usually takes some time). I feel some wrestlers getting the axe this year, but I don't think it's strictly because of the merger... they're still 2 different companies with 2 different talent pools.

 

[KillaCham]

Also interesting that we had no budget cuts since Vince been gone almost a year.

EDIT: Wait y'all think all those budget cuts were done to pay for coochie?

 

[IP360]

Also interesting that we had no budget cuts since Vince been gone almost a year.

EDIT: Wait y'all think all those budget cuts were done to pay for coochie?