Brock Lesnar, who was advertised for tonight’s broadcast and was expected to open Smackdown, is no longer appearing on the show.
A couple of hours ago, multiple insiders reported that Lesnar walked out of the TD Garden arena after the announcement of Vince McMahon’s retirment was communicated. McMahon was never in Boston for the show and Lesnar, like pretty much every other talent, had no idea that Vince was leaving WWE.
Instead of Lesnar opening Smackdown, it was Stephanie McMahon who launched the broadcast. The WWE.COM preview of Smackdown, which had Lesnar all over it, was also removed.
His status for SummerSlam remains unknown with one week to go with many believe he might not return without Vince at the helm.
The situation will be clearer on Monday night as Raw will feature champion Roman Reigns live from Madison Square Garden.
A confirmed WWE insider on the popular Reddit SquaredCircle forum, kerrmit125, published the e-mail that Vince McMahon sent to all the WWE Superstars after the retirement announcement came out.
“To all WWE Superstars: as I approach 77 years old (OMG am I really that old?), I feel it’s time for me to retire. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed sharing my passion, wisdom, and love of the business with you. No longer will you see the smiling, docile, level-headed, calm presence at Gorilla every week,” McMahon wrote.
He continued, “Your dedication to WWE will ensure that our company will continue to grow and prosper. Our organization is nothing without you. You are WWE’s only natural resource, chosen to perform in front of a global audience.”
Vince said that all of them are WWE Global Ambassadors and should carry the WWE flag, high and proud, wherever they go and bust their asses “to be all you can be as a person and as a performer.”
His final paragraph read, “One other thing – I won’t be with you, but I’ll be watching. Remember to keep your hands up, grab a hold, and sell. Btw, SmackDown airs live tonight at 8pm Eastern/7pm Central on FOX.”
While retaining his position as a majority shareholder in the company, Vince McMahon is stepping away from all duties, including that of creative, which he has held on to since stepping down temporarily from CEO and Chairman when the WWE Board of Directors started the investigation on him.
His departure has elevated his daughter, Stephanie McMahon as now the permanent Chairwoman of WWE. She will also be the co-CEO of the company along with WWE President Nick Khan. Stephanie took the roles of interim CEO and Chairwoman on June 17, with her leave of absence cut short when her father was thrown into turmoil after a damaging Wall Street Journal story.
Nick Khan, who joined WWE in August 2020 as President and Chief Revenue Officer, is also getting a step-up as co-CEO, marking the first time in WWE history that the company has two CEOs. Khan is the most powerful individual whose name is not McMahon in WWE and is considered an integral part of the company.
His departure will also leave a huge empty spot moving forward: who will take charge of WWE creative?
WWE issued a press release announcing the official retirement of Vincent Kennedy McMahon from the company.
The full press release is as follows:
As I approach 77 years old, I feel it’s time for me to retire as Chairman and CEO of WWE. Throughout the years, it’s been a privilege to help WWE bring you joy, inspire you, thrill you, surprise you, and always entertain you.
I would like to thank my family for mightily contributing to our success, and I would also like to thank all of our past and present Superstars and employees for their dedication and passion for our brand. Most importantly, I would like to thank our fans for allowing us into your homes every week and being your choice of entertainment. I hold the deepest appreciation and admiration for our generations of fans all over the world who have liked, currently like, and sometimes even love our form of Sports Entertainment.
Our global audience can take comfort in knowing WWE will continue to entertain you with the same fervor, dedication, and passion as always. I am extremely confident in the continued success of WWE, and I leave our company in the capable hands of an extraordinary group of Superstars, employees, and executives – in particular, both Chairwoman and Co-CEO Stephanie McMahon and Co-CEO Nick Khan. As the majority shareholder, I will continue to support WWE in any way I can. My personal thanks to our community and business partners, shareholders, and Board of Directors for their guidance and support through the years. Then. Now. Forever. Together.
The day that many thought it would never come arrived today as Vince McMahon, arguably the greatest professional wrestling promoter in our lifetime, announced that he is retiring.
At 77, time for me to retire,” McMahon wrote in a tweet. “Thank you, WWE Universe. Then. Now. Forever. Together.” McMahon also added the hash tags #WWE and #thankful.
His retirement probably comes thanks to pressure from the WWE Board of Directors and other WWE business partners due to the investigation he is currently embroiled in. And the bad news does not stop there as more stories are set to come out over the next weeks exposing McMahon of more hush money deals.
McMahon voluntarily stepped down from his role as Chairman and CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment a few weeks ago while the investigation is ongoing. His daughter, Stephanie, assumed the role of interim CEO and Chairwoman.
Today, probably not by coincidence, Paul “Triple H” Levesque also assumed the role of EVP of Talent Relations.
WrestleMania 39 packages through On Location are now available for sale. There are ticket packages, all inclusive packages, and just Raw and Smackdown tickets.
Ticket packages start from $675 per person and include a ticket, dedicated stadium entrance, exclusive Superstore checkout line, WrestleMania hat, and WWE credential and lanyard. Silver, Gold, and Champion packages are $1,650, $3,650, $7,500, and the Elite package is too expensive to put a price on!
All-inclusive packages also include hotel accommodation at either the Sonesta LAX hotel or Courtyard LA Live hotel. Prices start from $1,725 per person and all the way up to $11,310 per person for a three-night stay.
Raw and Smackdown ticket packages start from $275 per person.
You’ve probably seen the term loose slots thrown around online and in casinos, but what exactly are they? Everyone seems to be talking about them, but few people seem to know what they are. How do you know if a slot is loose? Should you play a slot if it’s loose? You’ll have all the answers to those questions and so many more by the time you’re done reading this article.
Let’s get down to the nitty-gritty about loose slots:
What Are Loose Slots?
Loose slots are simply slot machines with a higher-than-average payout percentage. It’s really that simple. The higher the payout percentage, the more likely you will win when playing that machine.
You might think that all slot machines have roughly the same chance of winning, but that’s not the case. The algorithm determines the payout percentage chosen by the online casino. They are the ones who decide if the slots are loose or not.
How Do You Know If a Slot Is Loose?
The best way to determine if a slot is loose is by looking at the payout percentage. This is the percentage of money paid to players when they win. The higher the number, the higher the payout.
Of course, not all casinos are forthcoming with this information. However, plenty of online resources track payout percentages for different casinos. This information is readily available and can help you make informed decisions about where to play.
Are There Any Benefits to Playing Loose Slots Online?
Absolutely! The beauty of playing slots online is that you can access a much wider selection of games than you would in a brick-and-mortar casino. This means that you can play the loosest slots available, increasing your chances of winning big!
In addition, online casinos often offer generous bonuses and promotions that can further increase your winnings. So, not only do you have access to more games, but you also have the opportunity to boost your bankroll with some extra cash.
What Are Some Strategies for Winning at Loose Slots?
The Martingale betting system is the most popular strategy for winning while playing loose slots. This system is relatively simple and only requires you to bet the maximum amount on each spin.
Basically, you’ll start by betting the minimum amount on your first spin. If you win, great! You’ll keep your winnings and bet the same amount on the next spin. If you lose, however, you’ll double your bet on the next spin. Then, you’ll keep doubling your bet until you eventually win.
The Martingale betting system is a great way to increase your winnings while playing loose vigorslot quickly. However, it’s important to remember that this system doesn’t guarantee a win. You could lose a lot of money if you hit a losing streak.
So, there you have it! Now you know everything there is to know about loose slots. If you find a loose slot, don’t shy away from putting as much money into it as you can afford. With some luck, you could walk away with a massive jackpot!
WWE is going back to international touring in late October and early November with five non-televised live events – two in Mexico, two in Germany, and one in Scotland.
The Mexico shows will take place from Arena Monterrey in Monterrey on Saturday, October 29 and Arena CDMX in Mexico City on Sunday, October 30.
The European dates are on Sunday, October 30 at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow, on Monday, October 31 at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart, and on Tuesday, November 1 at the Westfalenhalle in Dortmund.
The Raw brand will be doing the Mexico shows while the Smackdown brand doing the Scottish and German shows.
Riddle, Bobby Lashley, Bianca Belair, Rey Mysterio, Becky Lynch, and Seth Rollins are being used in the marketing for the Mexico shows while The Usos, Raquel Rodriguez, Drew McIntyre, Natalya, and Sheamus are being used in ads for the European shows.
Mattel, who holds the licensing for WWE action figures, today launched the No Holds Barred Ultimate Edition 2-pack combo at the San Diego Comic-Con.
The pack features Hulk Hogan as Rip Thomas and Tiny Lister as Zeus in their movie gear and come packaged in a video cassette box.
Unfortunately, the $70 collectible figures sold out immediately after they went on sale on creations.mattel.com.
Mattel also launched the first WWE “American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes action figure which is going for $45. Cody was part of the Q&A panel yesterday at the Comic-Con and the panelists and fans were also treated to a surprise appearance from The Undertaker.
Impact on AXS TV did 107,000 viewers this week, down 7,000 viewers from last week’s broadcast. The show did a 0.03 in the 18-49 demo, same as last week and finished #137 for the night on the top 150 cable chart. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Chris Jericho has a broken nose thanks to an accidental chair shot to the face from Wednesday’s barbed wire everywhere death match on Dynamite Fyter Fest.
“Just left the doctors office. It’s official…that SAVAGE @MadKing1981 broke my nose last night,” Jericho tweeted.
Jericho suffered the injury when he went for a Codebreaker on Kingston and the chair – wrapped in barbed wire – which Kingston was holding landed on his face by accident.
The former AEW champion soldiered on though and finished the match, pinning Kingston to win.
Week two of Dynamite Fyter Fest on TBS drew 910,000 viewers, down 32,000 viewers from last week’s broadcast. The show did a 0.32 in the 18-49 demo, the same as last week, and topped the cable chart for the fifth week in a row. This was the third week in a row that numbers decreased week over week. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
With football being one of the biggest sports in the world, we can often see athletes from different sports getting involved with football and sharing their passion on social media. There is a certain unwritten rule that all professional athletes follow, and that is to respect all other sports since they all know the struggle of what it takes to be a professional athlete.
In today’s article, we will focus on the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) where this sport has turned out to be one of the most entertaining fighting sports in the world. Despite the aggressiveness of the athletes and big and strong appearances, it seems like many of them have a soft spot for other sports, including football.
Even though WWE is mostly popular in the United States, we’ve seen many wrestlers that are interested in football, even to the point where they travel oversea to support their favorite European club.
At first, it is really tough to find a connection between WWE and football, but once you start to dig deeper, you’ll find many parallels.
So, let’s highlight some of the WWE stars that shared their passion for football.
Sheamus
The four-time world champion and winner of the 2012 Royale Rumble is a true football fan. Sheamus also has a sweet spot for the Reds as he has been seen with a Liverpool kit on a match in Manchester a few years ago.
Sheamus is an Irish wrestler with a scouse accent, which means that Liverpool is a perfect match for him. He has also been seen with a Liverpool kit during multiple WWE shows in the United Kingdom.
Drew McIntyre
Out of all the biggest clubs in the world, some WWE stars stay true to their roots and support smaller football clubs that they grew up with. That is the situation with WWE’s first-ever British world champion, the Scottish Psychopath that shows his support for the Rangers.
However, this match of Drew supporting the Rangers shared more similarities than you’d think. After years of disappointment on the big scene for both the Rangers and McIntyre, the WWE star finally managed to win the WWE Championship in 2020, and the year after, Rangers managed to become Scottish Champions.
Unfortunately, his national team of Scotland just missed out on a spot among the teams in the World Cup betting lines, as they were beaten by Ukraine, who would then lose against Wales.
Rey Mysterio
Rey Mysterio is the 2006 Royal Rumble winner which skyrocketed his career making him everyone’s favorite wrestler. So, once you climb to the top of your game, you need to find a team to support that is also on your level.
Rey Mysterio showed his support for Real Madrid, one of the most successful European teams of all time. He visited Real Madrid in 2009 and took pictures with some world-class athletes including Kaka, Raul, and Ronaldo.
Finn Balor spent the majority of his career back in NXT, and he is an experienced fighter with a chimp on his shoulder and a two-time NXT Champion. Even though Finn Balor is feared on the WWE stage, he has developed a soft spot for football and likes to attend football games in his free time.
He is a true Spurs fan, and even though watching Tottenham is hardly ‘relaxing’ these days, Finn Balor finds it entertaining.
John Cena
One of the biggest names in the WWE that transformed from rapper to pro wrestler and finally actor has many passions in his life. One of which is supporting big football clubs from Europe. Even though we haven’t got any evidence of John Cena attending a football match, we’ve seen him many times meeting team officials and getting jerseys with his name on the back.
Back in 2008, we spotted John Cena with a Tottenham jersey, but he has never publicly expressed his support for the team. If Tottenham has John Cena as their fan, maybe they should make it mandatory for athletes to play with jean shorts. It will be hilarious.
Triple H
Unlike John Cena, Triple H has never been shy of expressing his support for his favorite football team in the world – West Ham. He is a true Premier League fan and likes to watch most of the matches, especially when his favorite team is playing.
Triple H is a die-hard West Ham fan and has shown his support for the hammers, even when they were going through a rough patch in the Premier League, just like any true fan would do.
Shawn Michaels
If you thought Triple H support for West Ham was strange, wait until you find out which team Shawn Michaels supports. Out of all the European teams, he is a true supporter of Blackburn.
He has been a true Rovers supporter ever since he was a young kid, and the love of football was born after seeing Blackburn being a dominant force in the 1990s. Even though we’ve never seen him publicly attending a match, he has never been shy about revealing his passion for football and the team he is supporting.
WWE today issued a press release announcing that effective immediately, Paul “Triple H” Levesque will resume his executive position as Executive Vice President of Talent Relations.
“I look forward to returning to my prior position as head of Talent Relations. I’m healthy, fired up, and ready to take charge,” said Levesque.
The WWE Hall of Famer took a step back from his duties late last year after he suffered a cardiac event which nearly killed him.
Since then, a lot have changed within the WWE corporate structuring, including his wife Stephanie McMahon assuming the role of interim CEO and Chairwoman from her father Vince who is being investigated by the WWE Board of Directors.
Fanatics have taken over the WWE Shop e-commerce website over four months after initially announcing a long-term partnership.
As part of the agreement, Fanatics will be in charge of running the WWE Shop website giving fans around the world access to a leading assortment of WWE merchandise across all categories, including apparel, hard goods, such as title belts, headwear, accessories and more. Fanatics will work closely and collaboratively with the talented teams at WWE who have significantly grown this business in-house for decades, and the company will also add rights to design, manufacture and distribute real-time, on-demand merchandise collections to celebrate unpredictable WWE moments and new and emerging Superstars.
The new WWEShop.com was launched yesterday and now features the FanCash option where fans earn cash back on every purchase from the store.
Unfortunately, with the move, the sale section has been removed and many items which were marked down, including replica titles, are now back to their full regular price.
During the conference call with the press ahead of the ROH pay-per-view Death Before Dishonor, AEW President and ROH owner Tony Khan said that Jay and Mark Briscoe have signed a long-term deal with Ring of Honor.
It’s unclear how this affects their status with Impact Wrestling since both are signed to an Impact deal as well.
The controversial duo worked for ROH for nearly two decades during their career and started with the promotion back in 2002. They are former 12-time ROH Tag Team champions and one-time Six-Man Tag Team champions and were recently inducted into the ROH Hall of Fame class of 2022.
According to a news report by Bloomberg, WWE has invested in the Premier Lacrosse League along with NBA star Kevin Durant.
Bloomberg says that WWE now joins a roster of well-known names across sports, entertainment and media that have backed the lacrosse circuit since its inception in 2018. It was not listed how much money WWE invested although a future filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission will probably reveal the figure.
Founded by American professional lacrosse player Paul Rabil and his brother Mike Rabil, the league started operating in 2019 and has eight teams from the United States and Canada. Games air on ESPN, ABC, ESPN2, and ESPN+.
Investors in the Premier Lacrosse League include The Chernin Group, The Raine Group and Joe Tsai.
WWE today announced that producer and DJ Valentino Khan will perform at SummerSlam, where he will welcome fans with the hottest hits in music as they arrive at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee.
Khan became the first-ever DJ to play at a WWE event when he performed at SummerSlam last August at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. In addition, he performed across two nights at WrestleMania 38 at AT&T Stadium in Dallas.
“After playing at SummerSlam last year and WrestleMania this past April, I’m hyped to be back with the WWE for this year’s SummerSlam in Nashville,” said Khan. “It’s always an honor to be part of such an amazing spectacle and I can’t wait to kick things off.”
Tickets are currently on sale via Ticketmaster and premium experience packages are available via On Location. SummerSlam will stream live exclusively on Peacock in the United States and on WWE Network everywhere else.
This week’s episode of NXT on USA Network drew 588,000 viewers, slightly up 6,000 viewers compared to last week’s broadcast. The 18-49 demo number did go down 0.01 to 0.13 this week and the show placed #14 in the top 50 cable chart for the night. (Ratings credit: Showbuzzdaily.com)
Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer is reporting that Kenny Omega is on the way back to AEW from injury and is hoping to be fit to be able to participate in the upcoming All Out pay-per-view in September.
Omega has been out of action since November 2021 and underwent a couple of surgeries to repair different injuries he was suffering from. His last match came against “Hangman” Adam Page at Full Gear where he lost his AEW World title.
A previous report from Fightful Select said that AEW talent have been told that Omega, one of the biggest stars of the company, will be returning soon to active competition.
AEW are currently without Omega, Adam Cole, Bryan Danielson, and their world champion CM Punk, all of whom are out with injuries. Punk is also expected to return in the next couple of months while the jury is still out on Danielson, who has not appeared for several weeks due to a concussion issue.
