Vince McMahon

Jake Roberts isn't the same man today he once was. He's better. More importantly, he's happier.

"The Snake" rose through the pro-wrestling territories and became one of the WWF's biggest stars during the 1980s into the early '90s. Crowds roared when he attempted his patented DDT or pulled out one of his slithery pals to cover downed opponents.

His career began to fall apart as alcohol and drug addiction overtook his life, as chronicled in the documentary entitled The Resurrection of Jake the Snake. He also bared his soul for the world to see when discussing his father—Grizzly Smith, another former professional wrestler—and broken family as part of Vice's Dark Side of the Ring.

After getting sober, Roberts resuscitated his career. WWE inducted him as part of the company's 2014 Hall of Fame class. He then took the fledgling All Elite Wrestling by storm as the manager of Lance Archer. His promo toward Cody Rhodes during his debut is still one of the company's best in its short history.

Roberts remains All Elite and under contract, though he hasn't been part of creative recently due to a respiratory ailment. Doctors cleared him after five months of rehabilitation, and he can return to his role. Meanwhile, the wrestling icon started a solo podcast called The Snake Pit.

The rejuvenated 67-year-old sat down with Bleacher Report to discuss where his life currently stands, what he's seen in the AEW locker room, his reactions to some shocking moments this year and what comes next—for him and the professional wrestling industry.

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Bleacher Report: Thanks to The Resurrection of Jake the Snake and the Vice episode, you aired significant issues which aren't easy for anyone to discuss. How have your relationships with your family changed after addressing those pitfalls of the past?

Jake Roberts: "It's gotten better. My oldest daughter and I are now golden. I have another daughter who's golden. I have twin boys who are golden. But I do have four other children, who are…still holding their ground. I understand it. I'm not trying to shove anything down their throats.

"I'm guilty of everything I did and didn't do. It's more things that I didn't do, because I was never around them when I was messed up or drunk or anything like that. Thank you, Lord. It would have been horrible to have seen me like that. I'm grateful I wasn't around at that time, and it's all because of my wife at the time who made it happen. We divorced because she said she didn't want drugs and alcohol around the children.

"Just to show how powerful drugs and alcohol are, I chose drugs and alcohol over a family. How insane is that? I look back now and wonder, 'What in the hell were you thinking?' I wasn't thinking. Once that addiction has you, the only thing that matters is your drug. That's all."

B/R: Has there been anyone who reached out, told you how helpful your story has been to them and asked for help?

JR: "Literally hundreds of people.

"Currently, I have two or three people that I'm working with—one being Buff Bagwell. We're trying to get Buff on the straight and narrow. It's a process, and it's not easy. It takes time, especially for those who did it long-term. When you do something…religiously…24/7, then you stop, there's a little thing in your brain that goes crazy and says, 'Hey, where's the next drink at? Where's this?' It's a bad habit.

"I've been to jails and I've been to rehabs. I never met anybody at a jail or rehab who said, 'Gee, Jake, when I was growing up, my dream was to become a drug addict and alcoholic.' Nobody dreams of that. It's something that happens along the way. You take a left instead of a right, then you're right in the middle of it.

"Once the hook is set, you're in trouble.

"For me, it took a long time to reach the bottom, because I had money. But I finally got rid of all of it. I got rid of the car. I traded drugs for a car. I've done it all. It wasn't until I was at the very bottom, praying to die, cursing God because I wasn't dead and becoming a hermit more or less…I wouldn't go shopping until 2 or 3 a.m. because I didn't want people to see me. That's how bad I looked and how bad I felt.

"With me, I went to the top. There was nobody any better than me. They may have had belts and stuff, but that doesn't mean you're any better. I was the very best.

"To go from there—not to the bottom of the barrel, but under it—that's where I was at. The opportunity to come out of it, I'm forever grateful to Diamond Dallas Page for saving my life. He saved my life by giving me the opportunity to get sober."

B/R: After getting yourself right and doing everything you needed to do over an extended period of time, you finally returned to an on-screen role with AEW in 2020. What did that moment mean to you?

JR: "That was one of my golden moments. I'll never forget it.

"Having that opportunity in Salt Lake City was more than I ever dreamed of. When they asked me to come in, I thought it would be a one-day deal. After the Salt Lake City thing, they decided it was worth a couple of years.

"Redemption is what it was.

"To go back out on a major stage, be the focus of what's there and still being able to deliver, it was incredible. I know when I touched the ring I thought my hands were going to catch on fire. It was…hot. I just felt something coming through me.

"It was just an incredible feeling. I can't explain it, until you've had that moment."

B/R: You had stepped away for health reasons during the time of September's All Out pay-per-view, yet CM Punk's post-match press conference continues to dominate the discourse around professional wrestling. When you heard what he said, what was your first impression?

JR: "Disgust. The whole thing disgusted me. Other than that, my feelings…you don't want to hear what I think and I'm not going to tell you."

B/R: Well, you did spend time in the locker room with Matt and Nick Jackson (The Young Bucks), as well as Kenny Omega. All three were reportedly involved in a backstage altercation with Punk after his comments to attending media. What are AEW's executive vice presidents like behind the scenes that could lead to such an incident?

JR: "I don't think they did. I think it's all on [Punk]. That's my own personal thought."

B/R: From a personal standpoint, what has the backstage reaction been like since joining AEW?

JR: "Y'know, the one thing I'm not real happy with is that the younger talent—I don't know if they're intimidated by me or what—don't come to me and ask for advice. They don't come to me and ask for help. A few have. If the shoe were on the other foot, I'd be right up in the middle of it. That's what I'm there for. I'm there to help them. That's my job. And I can help them so much."

B/R: It's not just about wrestling, though. You have other experiences in an industry notoriously hard on its workers. Has there been any progress on that front?

JR: "I have been able to help a couple of fellows dealing with addiction and alcohol. … I can honestly say that I saved one guy's marriage. We got him on the straight-and-narrow. I just talked to him again the other night and he told me, 'Life's better than it's ever been before.' That's the same way I feel.

"My life today is 10 times…100 times…better than it was at my peak, because I'm enjoying it. I'm not carrying around a lot of garbage and guilt and shame. Man, you start carrying all that stuff around and it gets heavy. It's always knocking…hitting you in the head. Slapping you, telling you that you're not worth it.

"You are worth it."

B/R: Is there a legitimate problem with the younger generation not taking advice from longtime veterans of what to do in the ring, in general?

JR: "I think it is. It's a double-edged sword. The business today isn't what it was 20 years ago. It's different. These kids are under a tremendous amount of pressure to perform. They go out and take risks that are (shakes head in disbelief) insane. Tossing their bodies around and flying. But they're missing so much when it comes to character. Who are you? You can put 10 of them into a room, and all 10 will do the same thing. They need to work on character. They need to work on timing. They need to learn how to connect with the fans. I don't know if they'll ever get that opportunity.

"There are a few who take it: Mox [Jon Moxley], Bryan Danielson, Chris Jericho and several others. They know what to do out there. Yet there are so many who aren't getting it."

B/R: From a creative standpoint, were you happy with Archer's direction after introducing both of you as a tandem?

JR: "Gosh, no. Why would I be? Not for me, for Lance. Lance is an incredible athlete. He's a monster, for Christ's sake. He's 285 pounds and doing flips and all sorts of stuff that he doesn't need to be doing. But he's so hungry to get that spot up above.

"For whatever reason, it's not happening. It's back to the old thing, you're not the chosen one. In WWE, if you weren't Hulk Hogan, you weren't Hulk Hogan. That was it. That's where he finds himself. He's not the guy.

"Whether that changes or not, I don't know. Is it right or wrong? It's hard for me to say it's wrong, because if I was in their shoes, I'd want to do what I had in mind.

"Myself, I'd make him a champion. He's a killer."

B/R: When you do return to your onscreen persona, is the plan to work with Archer again or move in another direction?

JR: "It's with him or not. I won't go anywhere else. I love Lance. He's a great man. He's a solid guy. I wish to hell he'd been around when I was wrestling. Maybe he could have helped me. Maybe he could have forced me not to go down the roads I went. I have that kind of respect for him. You have to respect somebody before you follow them. I respect him."

B/R: Your final line to Rhodes was, "A wise man once told me to never turn your back on somebody you respect or you're afraid of." You then turned your back on him and walked to the backstage. Obviously, you don't feel that way personally about him. How much did he help in bringing you into the company?

JR: "It was huge. He's very tight with [Diamond Dallas Page].

"At the time, AEW wanted people to make a splash to get some attention. Who better than me? Nobody, not any more than me. Sting? Sure. I like to think the impact I had coming back for them was just as good as Sting."

B/R: Brodie Lee seemed to be another massive influence in the AEW locker room. His sudden and unfortunate passing two years ago rocked the industry. How big of a presence was he backstage?

JR: "Brodie was a great influence. He was one of those guys still young enough to be associated with the younger group and they looked up to him.

"It's a shame what happened. Nobody saw that coming. I commend AEW for what they're doing for his family. They'll never have to worry because Tony Khan is a man of his word. He's golden. He's such a good guy, man.

"I just hope these bad moments don't sour him. They certainly could. He might eventually get tired of having s--t thrown into his face. He just pushes it off, but I don't know how long he can do that. I pray that it's never an issue.

"As he gets more salt under his feet and gets focused…he has so many things going on. It's not just AEW. He's got ROH, the NFL…I don't know how in the hell he does it. To me, it would be impossible. I wouldn't even attempt it."

B/R: On the opposite side of the spectrum, you worked with Vince McMahon for a very long time. When he resigned as chairman, CEO and head of creative for WWE, what was your first thought and how big was it for professional wrestling?

JR: [immediately claps] "If it was real. Do you think he stepped away? You don't think he has anything to do with their product? He's the f--king boss."

B/R: What are your initial impressions of HHH leading WWE creative?

JR: "They're doing good. I think HHH is righting the ship. It's going to take time for people to forget what Vince did. Dirt finally washes off or fades away. Wrestling fans are very forgiving. Thank God. But I think HHH is doing a phenomenal job right now."

B/R: Let's shift to the in-ring product. As the master and creator of the DDT, how does the move's continued evolution, with all of its variations and usage, make you feel?

JR: "It's great. People often ask how I feel about it being used as a high spot. Go ahead, it just makes me look stronger. People now say, 'Damn, that's a DDT. But when Jake Roberts did that, you didn't get up.'

"You're right. You didn't get up because you couldn't."

B/R: Finally, you get one young wrestler to take this industry to the next level, who is it?

JR: "Hangman [Adam Page]. He's rock solid. He's got a good look to him. Handsome guy. I think he can do it. Hell, Hook could do it. So could Sammy Guevara. Sammy could be a big player, if he doesn't get busted up. Unfortunately, I feel he'll be busted up.

"That's what I hate for these guys. Here I am at 67 years old. It's been 30 years since I've been in the ring wrestling. Yet I still make a lot of money doing signings. That's because I got over. Everybody knew my name."

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Brent Sobleski covers the NFL and professional wrestling for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.

Former WWE chairman, CEO and head of creative Vince McMahon has reportedly told people close to him that he plans to return to WWE at some point.

McMahon retired in July amid allegations that he paid millions of dollars to four women over a 16-year period to secure their silence over sexual relationships with McMahon, told people he received "bad advice" to step down and believes the allegations against him would have "blown over" had he stayed in power, according to Joe Palazzolo and Ted Mann of the Wall Street Journal.

After purchasing WWE from his father in 1982, McMahon headed the business and creative sides of the company for decades before ceding control to a host of executives in July.

The 77-year-old McMahon's daughter, Stephanie McMahon, took over as chairwoman and co-CEO, while WWE president Nick Khan was elevated to co-CEO. McMahon's son-in-law, Triple H, took the reins as head of creative and vice president of talent relations.

In addition to the alleged payments, McMahon has been accused of sexual assault by two women. Former WWE referee Rita Chatterton sued McMahon over allegations he sexually assaulted her in a limo in 1986. McMahon's legal team reportedly received a letter from Chatterton's representative in November asking McMahon to pay $11.75 million in damages.

According to Palazzolo and Mann, McMahon was also accused of sexually assaulting a former spa manager in 2011 in a separate lawsuit filed in November

McMahon has reportedly denied both allegations and is refusing to pay any settlements.

According to Palazzolo and Mann, people familiar with the situation said the former spa manager reported her allegations to the resort. Those people also said she told her husband, who allegedly tried to confront McMahon with a baseball bat at a venue where a WWE event was being held before being turned away.

McMahon's retirement came after he was alleged to have paid $12 million in secret settlements to multiple women since 2006.

WWE's board of directors investigated McMahon and determined that the payments should have been recorded as WWE expenses, but weren't. People close to the situation told Palazzolo and Mann that the WWE board of directors is still looking into the possibility of taking legal action against McMahon.

In July, Palazzolo, Mann and Joe Flint reported that the $12 million in payments were made to four different women. An investigation into those payments began when allegations came to light that McMahon paid $3 million to a woman who was a WWE employee from 2019 until January 2022 in exchange for confidentiality.

McMahon remains the majority owner and stakeholder of WWE and retains more individual voting power than anyone else in the company.

That suggests there is at least some level of possibility that McMahon could return to his previous positions with WWE at some point, but if the board of directors decides to block him or even take legal action against him, it may not be a realistic option.

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

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Triple H Talks NXT Model

Triple H founded the NXT brand that exploded in popularity several years ago before transitioning to NXT 2.0 last year, but now that he is the head of WWE creative, he conceivably can have as much influence on the brand as he wants.

While NXT began as a developmental brand, it evolved over time and began to feature more experienced performers who were stars on the independent scene. The philosophy changed last year with the transition to NXT 2.0, as WWE went back to featuring less-experienced wrestlers with the goal of building them from the ground up.

Triple H seems to be embracing that plan of attack, as he said the following about NXT in an interview with SPORTbible Stories (h/t WrestlingInc's Dakota Cohen) this week:

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

Last week marked the one-year anniversary of the first episode of NXT 2.0, and the show ended with a new logo being revealed, sans the "2.0" branding.

That led to speculation among fans that NXT would be transitioning back to what it was during its heyday under Triple H, but that may not necessarily be the case since Triple H has largely been supportive of the direction publicly.

Also, Shawn Michaels has been the one in charge of NXT over the past year, and Triple H's primary focus is likely to be on Raw and SmackDown, although there promises to be more synergy between NXT and the main roster with The Game in charge.

NXT has had a collegiate feel over the past year in terms of taking green performers and molding them into stars, and the brand has largely been successful in that regard, with Bron Breakker being the most obvious example.

WWE may not shy away from using veterans in NXT more often moving forward, but it seems like the crux of the brand will remain its development of young, inexperienced wrestlers.

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Bayley on Differing Relationships with Triple H, Vince

Bayley gave her take this week on the differences and similarities between working under Vince McMahon and Triple H.

Appearing on In The Kliq (h/t Cohen), Bayley noted that while she has enjoyed working with both of them, there is a different feeling with Triple H in charge since he was the head of NXT when she signed with the company:

"I've had a great relationship with [Triple H] since NXT, and he's watched me grow and we've had many conversations," she said. "He knows me, and it's so easy to be able to talk to him. Like, I had a great relationship with Vince as well, but he kind of didn't watch me grow up like Hunter did. So having him there and just having him very hands-on ... It feels like 'The Twilight Zone,' like we're back seven years, you know, in NXT. But what Hunter is doing is just changing and revolutionizing what WWE was already, which was already an amazing show."

Shortly after Bayley arrived in WWE in 2012, she developed into arguably the most popular figure in the history of the brand, as her bubbly "hugger" character got over huge with the NXT fanbase.

The gimmick never translated well to the main roster under McMahon's guidance, but he was intuitive enough to allow Bayley to turn heel for the first time in her WWE career, and it worked to perfection.

It can be argued that the best run of Bayley's career occurred when she was a heel alongside Sasha Banks and held the SmackDown Women's Championship for a record 379 days.

Bayley missed more than a year with a knee injury, and by the time she returned at SummerSlam in July, Triple H had taken over creative duties from McMahon after he retired.

The transition in power likely paved the way for Bayley to lead her own stable called Damage CTRL with Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky by her side. Before Triple H took over, Kai had been released and there was talk of Sky leaving WWE for her native Japan at the conclusion of her contract.

Instead, Triple H allowed Bayley to work with two talents she likes and respects immensely, which speaks to how positive of a working relationship they have and will likely continue to expand moving forward.

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Updates on Toxic Attraction Call-Up, Aliyah Injury

The WWE women's division could be receiving a shake-up of sorts based on some news tidbits that surfaced this week.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), WWE has "talked about" calling Toxic Attraction members Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne up to the main rosters, and the discussions have been ongoing for "a while."

Dolin and Jayne were named replacements for Nikkita Lyons and Zoey Stark in the tournament for the vacant WWE Women's Tag Team Championships, and they beat Natalya and Sonya Deville in the first round, but they were removed from the tourney due to injury.

While Dolin and Jayne soon returned to competition in NXT, they resurfaced again on SmackDown two weeks ago, losing to Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah.

There was some thought that they had been called up, but they went back to wrestling in NXT as well, and they may be trying to get back in the hunt for the NXT Women's Tag Team Championships they held twice.

While Toxic Attraction is likely ready for the main roster, it may make more sense to wait until leader Mandy Rose loses the NXT Women's Championship before calling them up.

In other news, Meltzer (h/t Mukherjee) reported that Aliyah is dealing with a minor injury and is expected to be back in action next week.

When Rodriguez got attacked last week on SmackDown, it was Shotzi who made the save rather than Aliyah, and it was mentioned on commentary that Aliyah was out due to injury.

Rodriguez and Aliyah won the tournament to crown new WWE women's tag team champions, but they dropped them to Dakota Kai and Iyo Sky of Damage CTRL shortly thereafter, creating some uncertainty regarding the direction of Rodriguez and Aliyah as a team moving forward.

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Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

Vince McMahon 2023 WWE HOF Induction Reportedly Considered

Vince McMahon retired from WWE in disgrace in July, but the former WWE CEO, chairman and head of creative reportedly may be penciled in for a huge appearance next year.

According to Sunni Upal of The U.S. Sun, McMahon's daughter, Stephanie McMahon, wants to give her father a huge sendoff.

While nothing is official, the new co-CEO and chairwoman is reportedly part of talks regarding Vince receiving a WWE Hall of Fame induction in 2023, which would subsequently result in an appearance at WrestleMania 39 in Inglewood, California.

Although he was initially defiant, McMahon stepped down from all of his WWE posts in July, besides his status as majority shareholder of the company.

McMahon's decision to retire came amid an investigation by WWE's board of directors into allegations that he paid millions of dollars to former female WWE employees in exchange for their silence regarding sexual relationships and encounters with him.

After McMahon stepped down, Stephanie took on two of his roles, while Triple H was elevated to head of creative.

Vince has remained completely out of the spotlight for the past couple of months, although Stephanie did orchestrate a farewell chant and cheer from the live audience on the first episode of SmackDown after her father's retirement.

While there is a great deal of controversy surrounding Vince at this point, there is no denying what he accomplished as a businessman after buying WWE from his father in 1982.

McMahon molded WWE into an international powerhouse and the biggest company in pro wrestling by a wide margin. He also created WrestleMania, which is among the biggest spectacles in sports and entertainment.

If McMahon does get inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, it would be arguably the most highly anticipated acceptance speech of all time, as both his supporters and detractors would be interested to see what he has to say about his time in wrestling and the scandal that took him down.

It is also likely that McMahon would receive a thunderous ovation at WrestleMania upon taking the stage with the rest of the Hall of Fame class, especially since live audiences continued to support him even when he was under fire earlier this summer.

Update on Wyatt's WWE Return Negotiations

Bray Wyatt has reportedly held talks to return to WWE, although it is unclear where the negotiations stand currently.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), WWE and Wyatt "definitely" had talks in the direction of him returning before they stalled. Meltzer added that it is "not a dead issue," however.

Meltzer also reported that Wyatt previously had contract talks with other wrestling companies, but they never entered the closing stages due to Wyatt's high contract demands.

Despite being a three-time world champion and one of WWE's biggest stars, Wyatt was shockingly released from the company in July 2021.

Wyatt had been signed with WWE for over a decade at that point, and during that time he became known as one of the most creative minds and best characters in the wrestling business.

WWE released Wyatt at a time when it was parting ways with several notable wrestlers due to budget cuts, but many of those wrestlers have been brought back under Triple H's leadership.

In Triple H's less than two months at the helm, WWE has re-signed Dakota Kai, Karrion Kross, Scarlett, Dexter Lumis, Hit Row, Johnny Gargano and Braun Strowman. Wyatt would likely be the biggest name among them to be brought back into the fold.

Given that Triple H worked closely with Wyatt in NXT to develop his character, it is fair to assume that they have a solid relationship and respect for each other.

Also, the fact that Wyatt hasn't wrestled anywhere else since getting released could be a sign that he favors WWE and has been waiting for an opportunity to return.

Based on Triple H's willingness to restock the roster with former WWE talents, WWE has to be considered the favorite to land Wyatt at this point.

Steveson Reportedly Mulling Return to College

Olympic gold medalist and WWE signee Gable Steveson reportedly may be considering a return to the University of Minnesota for another year of amateur wrestling.

According to Meltzer (h/t Mukherjee), there is reportedly some belief that Steveson wants to compete collegiately for one more season despite previously announcing that last year would be his final season.

Meltzer added that WWE had big plans for Steveson after signing him as part of the Next In Line program, but things have not progressed as quickly as hoped.

The original plan was reportedly for Steveson to start on WWE's main roster shortly after WrestleMania earlier this year. Steveson appeared at WrestleMania 38, taking out Chad Gable after a Raw Tag Team Championship match.

As noted by Meltzer, however, Steveson has yet to make his official WWE debut as a wrestler, isn't training in Orlando with other WWE recruits and isn't in the immediate plans to debut.

When Steveson signed with WWE last year, it came amid plenty of fanfare, as he was fresh off winning an Olympic gold medal for Team USA in heavyweight freestyle wrestling.

Multiple suitors were vying for Steveson's services, including UFC, but it was WWE that ultimately secured him.

Steveson may not be taking to pro wrestling as quickly as other Olympians like Kurt Angle and Ronda Rousey, but that doesn't mean his chances at success are gone.

If Steveson does have a desire to wrestle one more year at Minnesota, it may not be the worst thing for him or WWE, as winning another national title would raise his stock again and get people talking about him ahead of his potential WWE debut.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Several WWE executives, including Paul "Triple H" Levesque and Stephanie McMahon, received raises for their new roles following the retirement of longtime chairman Vince McMahon in July.

Nitish Vashishtha of Ringside News provided the updated salaries Friday based on the company's latest filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission:

• Triple H: $730,000 (old salary) to $900,000 (new salary)
• Stephanie McMahon: $730,000 to $1.35 million
• Nick Khan: $1.2 million to $1.35 million
• Frank A. Riddick III: $850,000 to $950,000
  

After Vince's retirement, WWE announced his daughter Stephanie and Khan would be promoted to co-CEO status, while Triple H took over as the head of creative.

The SEC filing noted Riddick, WWE's chief finance officer, will retain that role while also now serving as the company's president.

Triple H ($1 million) and Stephanie ($750,000) have additional salaries as on-screen performers, per Ringside News. All four executives also receive equity grants: $3.6 million for Khan and McMahon, $2.4 million for Riddick and $1.6 million for Levesque.

Changes to the product since Triple H took over creative control have drawn mostly positive reviews. The nine-time WWE champion has brought an old-school feel to the weekly broadcasts, with more backstage segments and a willingness to use slower story building.

He's also pushed some new faces up the card, including some former NXT talents he worked with while leading WWE's developmental program. That has created an infusion of much-needed fresh storylines over the past few months.

On Friday, Triple H told BT Sport's Ariel Helwani (via Zack Heydorn of PWTorch) it's "surreal" to make all the key decisions about the creative direction of the on-screen product:

I can look at some many things in my career and even now, to say that I'm in this place where I have creative control of WWE—of the largest sports entertainment company that there has ever been on the planet, like, it's hard to even think about. It's overwhelming and is such a massive responsibility. Trying to fill Vince's shoes in some way, which can't be done by one person, but trying to step into those in any way shape or form is just overwhelming, but you just go and do the job. Hopefully, you do it well and people dig it.

The WWE schedule rolls on Saturday with the Clash at the Castle pay-per-view at Principality Stadium in Cardiff, Wales.

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Former WWE Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon paid a total of $5 million to the now-dissolved Donald J. Trump Foundation in 2007 and 2009, per Joe Palazzolo and Ted Mann of the Wall Street Journal.

That money reportedly served as a portion of the $19.6 million in unrecorded company expenses that McMahon should have disclosed, per an SEC filing.

According to Todd Spangler of Variety in July, WWE stated in an SEC filing that it planned to revise financial statements dating back to 2019 to account for $14.6 million in previously unrecorded expenses.

As noted by the Wall Street Journal, the bulk of those payments were in response to allegations of sexual misconduct against McMahon and another WWE executive.

Amid the allegations, McMahon stepped down from the company, handing WWE off to his daughter Stephanie and executive Nick Khan.

However, an additional SEC filing revealed another $5 million in undisclosed McMahon payments, but WWE did not reveal the reasoning for them.

That money reportedly went to former President Donald Trump's charity after he appeared on WWE programs in 2007 and 2009. A total of $4 million was paid in 2007, and $1 million was paid in 2009.

Most notably, Trump took part in the Battle of the Billionaires at WrestleMania 23 in 2007, when he helped shaved McMahon's head after Bobby Lashley (managed by Trump) took down Umaga (managed by McMahon).

In 2009, Trump was involved in a storyline in which he bought Monday Night Raw before later selling it back to McMahon.

WWE stated in the SEC filing that it had "made a preliminary determination that certain payments that Vince McMahon agreed to make during the period from 2006 through 2022 (including amounts paid and payable in the future), and that were not recorded in the WWE consolidated financial statements, should have been recorded as expenses in the quarters in which those agreements were made."

Matty Breisch of ClutchPoints explained the issue at hand.

"What is a problem, however, is the concept of paying that money without putting it on the official ledgers, as it creates all sorts of tax issues, which isn't ideal for a publicly traded company," Briesch wrote.

The relationship between McMahon/WWE and Trump dates back decades.

The Trump Plaza in Atlantic City, New Jersey, notably hosted WrestleManias IV and V in the late 1980s. Trump was also interviewed by Jesse "The Body" Ventura at WrestleMania XX in 2004. Trump was enshrined in the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame in 2013.

Although it never happened, legendary WWE Superstar John Cena was supposedly open to turning heel at one point in his career.

Appearing on the Cheap Heat podcast (h/t Nitish Vashishtha of ThirstyForNews.com), former WWE writer Brian Gewirtz revealed Cena's reaction to a potential heel turn:

"All right, listen, you want to turn me heel? If that's what Vince [McMahon] says you guys want me to do, I'll do it. But just so you know, I will go full-bore heel. There won't be none of that like, 'Oh, he's a fun heel, he's a cool heel, he's winking at the audience heel.'"

Gewirtz added: "He is going to go full heel. That's what he wants to do, which would have been awesome."

Cena did spend some time as a heel early in his WWE tenure, but his rapper gimmick became so popular that the fan reaction turned him babyface.

He made his main roster debut in 2002, and by 2004 he was on a meteoric rise that saw him become United States champion and then WWE champion in 2005.

From that point forward, Cena would be the face of WWE, although the door has been open for others to take on that role in recent years with Cena focusing more on his burgeoning acting career in Hollywood.

Gewirtz divulged that while turning Cena heel was discussed on multiple occasions, there was always a reason why it couldn't or didn't happen: "We did push plenty of times for John to turn heel, and there was a lot of reasoning going into it. [McMahon] was tempted … but ultimately, there was like the merch [sales] and everything John does."

Perhaps the biggest heel turn in pro wrestling history occurred in 1996 when Hulk Hogan joined the New World Order in WCW and became "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan.

Hogan had been the biggest babyface of all time during his WWE run, but fans in WCW started to sour on him, so the decision to turn him was made, and that helped contribute to WCW Nitro beating WWE Raw in the ratings for 83 consecutive weeks.

More recently, WWE turned Roman Reigns heel, and the move has been an unquestioned success, as he has become better and more popular than ever and is in the midst of one of the longest world title runs in WWE history.

There is little doubt that Cena would have thrived in a heel role just like Hogan and Reigns, but at this point it seems unlikely that fans will ever see that scenario play out.

Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe.

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Wyatt, McMahon Reportedly Clashed Before WWE Release

Prior to his shocking release last summer, Bray Wyatt reportedly clashed with then-WWE chairman, CEO and head of creative Vince McMahon.

According to Fightful Select (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News), one WWE talent said Wyatt and McMahon had issues with each other personally, which spilled over into the workplace.

The anonymous talent said Wyatt would criticize the creative direction of his character at times, leading McMahon to retaliate by criticizing his physique.

McMahon and those close to him reportedly felt that Wyatt had a "bad attitude," and rumors about Wyatt were allegedly started to "ease the heat off" WWE for its decision to release him.

A WWE higher-up reportedly told Fightful that McMahon had "reservations" when the possibility of bringing back Wyatt was mentioned following his release.

Things have changed significantly in recent weeks, though, with McMahon retiring and getting replaced by three different people.

His daughter, Stephanie McMahon, is now chairwoman and co-CEO, while WWE president Nick Khan is the other co-CEO. Also, Triple H has been elevated to vice president of talent relations and head of creative.

Since Triple H took the reins, he has brought back several Superstars who were released over the past year, including Dakota Kai, Karrion Kross, Scarlett and Dexter Lumis.

Because of that, the assumption is he would be more willing to bring Wyatt back than McMahon would have, especially since they worked closely together to develop the original Wyatt character in NXT.

Wyatt is the biggest name available on the free-agent market currently, and his return would generate a ton of buzz for WWE at a time when there is growing excitement surrounding the product.

Triple H clearly hasn't had any qualms about signing wrestlers who McMahon wasn't enamored with, so it seems certain that the chances of Wyatt returning to WWE have increased significantly.

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Top Dolla, Adonis Reportedly Scheduled to Attend SmackDown

Two members of Hit Row are reportedly expected to be present for Friday night's episode of SmackDown in Raleigh, North Carolina.

According to Fightful Select (h/t Jenkins), Top Dolla and Ashante Thee Adonis are "actively planned" to be at SmackDown, although it isn't clear if they will be on television or how they will be used.

Top Dolla and Adonis were part of the Hit Row stable with Isaiah "Swerve" Scott and B-Fab, and after making waves in NXT for much of 2021, they were called up to the main roster on SmackDown in October 2021.

B-Fab was shockingly released shortly after the group debuted on SmackDown, followed by the rest of the stable getting released two weeks later in November 2021.

Scott eventually signed with AEW, and he is currently one half of the AEW world tag team champions with Keith Lee under the name Swerve Strickland.

While most considered Swerve to be the leader of Hit Row due to the fact that he had enjoyed the most success in wrestling among those in the group, it could potentially still thrive without him.

Top Dolla and Adonis would add some much-needed depth to the tag team division, and although she hasn't been mentioned as potentially appearing on SmackDown, B-Fab would be an ideal manager if she returns as well.

That trio could make some headway on SmackDown, and there could always be the possibility of another wrestler being brought in to replace Swerve's spot in the stable.

Triple H gave Hit Row a huge push during their time in NXT, so it comes as little surprise that he may be trying to bring them back into the fold now that he is the head of WWE creative.

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WWE Higher-Ups Approved Punk's Pipe Bomb Promo

On the June 27, 2011, episode of Monday Night Raw, CM Punk cut one of the most famous promos in the history of pro wrestling.

Dubbed the "Pipe Bomb Promo," Punk aired his grievances with WWE, made disparaging remarks regarding Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, and made reference to wrestling outside the WWE Universe, including Ring of Honor.

Punk also divulged that his WWE contract was expiring and vowed to defeat John Cena at Money in the Bank and take the WWE Championship with him. Punk did beat Cena, but he ultimately re-signed with WWE and remained with the promotion for about two and a half more years before leaving in early 2014.

The Pipe Bomb Promo has been lauded by fans for years because it came off as a shoot rather than a scripted promo like most of WWE's other segments, but a prominent former WWE writer confirmed this week that the power players in WWE knew what Punk was going to say before he went through the curtain.

Appearing on the Ariel Helwani Show (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), Brian Gewirtz discussed the famous promo:

Gewirtz noted that while there were real elements to the promo and Punk likely expressed legitimate gripes, McMahon knew what was going down.

The former writer said McMahon had a version of the script in front of him and gave clearance for Punk to rant. Gewirtz added that Punk ad libbed to some degree by sitting rather than standing and saying things a bit differently than they may have been scripted, but he mostly stuck to what had been discussed.

Only a small handful of promos are consistently mentioned by fans as the best of all time, and there is no question that the Pipe Bomb Promo belongs in that conversation.

It ultimately didn't change things to Punk's liking, as he was gone from WWE less than three years later, but it reinvigorated part of the fanbase and undoubtedly aided in keeping Punk relevant years after his WWE departure to the point that he is now one of AEW's top stars and the reigning AEW world champion.

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