Vince McMahon

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

     

Owens Wants to Do Big Stunt at WrestleMania

Kevin Owens is known for taking some big bumps, and he has his sights set on what would be perhaps the biggest of his career at WrestleMania 37.

In an interview with Ryan Satin of Fox Sports, KO expressed his desire to jump off the pirate ship located inside Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Florida:

"No, I want to do it. I can't promise people that I'm going to do it because, you know, circumstances and whatever. But, I can promise everybody that I'm gonna try as much as possible to do it. I'll do my best. I'll annoy anybody I can. I will get into anyone's ear I possibly can. I will literally do everything in my power to get to the point where I can jump off that ship."

WrestleMania was supposed to emanate from Raymond James Stadium last year, but it was moved to the WWE Performance Center with no fans in attendance because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

WWE altered its plans in order to hold WrestleMania 37 there in April, however, and Owens is excited to possibly top what he did at WrestleMania 36.

WWE managed to squeeze the WrestleMania sign into the Performance Center last year, and KO made the most of it by diving off the sign and onto Seth Rollins through a table.

Owens has been doing some death-defying stunts lately as well, including getting thrown off a platform and through some tables by Roman Reigns and Jey Uso. He has jumped off a forklift and onto Reigns through a table.

KO hasn't been able to beat Reigns for the Universal Championship yet, but he has been a huge part of SmackDown in recent months and figures to have a match of some significance at WrestleMania.

Regardless of who is opponent is, it is clear that KO wants to create a true WrestleMania moment for himself in Tampa.

     

Angle Talks McMahon's Feelings on Styles

WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle launched his debut edition of The Kurt Angle Show podcast this week, and in it he revealed a lot of previously unknown information about WWE presently and in the past.

At one point, Angle discussed AJ Styles, who he previously worked with quite often in TNA. Styles made the move to WWE in 2016 and has been far more successful than most expected, winning the WWE Championship on two occasions.

During his show (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), Angle discussed WWE Chairman Vince McMahon's feelings about The Phenomenal One.

"You know Vince, I was told, Vince, when he met up with AJ after AJ won the world title, Vince went to him and said, 'I wish I would have hired you 10 years ago,' and that is that, " Angle said. "That tells you exactly how Vince feels about AJ. AJ is a star. He is, you know, when he came in the WWE, at that particular time, he was the No. 1 top best wrestler in the world. The best performer. Just from a wrestling standpoint, he was the top guy."

WWE steered clear of former TNA wrestlers for quite some time, so when the company brought in Styles, it was unclear what level he would be able to reach.

Styles received a massive crowd reaction when he debuted as a surprise entrant in the 2016 Royal Rumble and quickly entered into a program with Chris Jericho. Then, just about eight months into his WWE tenure, Styles beat Dean Ambrose to become WWE champion.

In addition to being a two-time WWE champ, Styles has held the United States and Intercontinental Championships. He has also had a marquee singles match at each WrestleMania he has been a part of, with his opponents being Jericho, Shane McMahon, Shinsuke Nakamura, Randy Orton and The Undertaker.

Even though he didn't make his WWE debut until he was 38 years old, Styles has firmly established himself as one of the company's top stars, and WWE is making up for lost time after not signing him as soon as it should have.

    

Angle Reveals That Cedric Was Punished by WWE

Another topic that was discussed on this week's The Kurt Angle Show involved Hurt Business member and reigning Raw Tag Team champion Cedric Alexander.

Angle divulged that Alexander was essentially punished for "a good half-year" after not following orders from McMahon before finally getting back on the chairman's good side (h/t Phillip Hendrix of Ringside News).

"You look at what they have been doing with Alexander, the Hurt Business," Angle said. "You know, he got in a little trouble last year. He didn't do something that Vince wanted him to do, and you know, if you don't listen to your boss, things could get a little bit, you know, depressing for you, and he didn't listen the one night, and they scolded him for a good half-year before they started using him again, and rightfully so, he should have listened.

"That is his job, it's to listen to Vince and do what Vince tells you to do, and he didn't do that. So, I thought, 'Wow, this kid's career is over,' you know, when that happened, and Vince eventually gave him another chance."

Alexander was in the midst of a singles push in 2019 and seemed to be trending toward beating Styles for the United States Championship, but AJ beat him at Clash of Champions and then again on Raw.

Cedric wasn't used much for several months after that, but he resurfaced last year as part of a rivalry alongside Ricochet and Apollo Crews against The Hurt Business.

After The Hurt Business attempted to recruit Alexander multiple times, he finally turned on Ricochet and joined the group in September.

Alexander has enjoyed a great deal of success as part of The Hurt Business, including teaming with Shelton Benjamin to beat New Day for the Raw Tag Team Championship.

It has been a bumpy road for Alexander to get to this point, but he has finally established himself and may be in line for a big WrestleMania match.

     

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

WWE released its financial report from the fourth quarter of 2020 on Thursday, showing a 26 percent decrease in revenue to $238.2 million.

That's a drop of $84.6 million, which was related to the company's lack of shows in Saudi Arabia and lack of gate revenue from fans. 

WWE Chairman Vince McMahon said in a statement: 

"During the fourth quarter, we continued to produce live content in new ways, which successfully increased audience interaction and engagement. As we continued to adapt our business to the changing media environment, we completed an important agreement to license WWE Network content to Peacock, which we expect will expand the reach of our brands and enhance the value of our content."

The company saw a 64 percent drop in operating income to $36.2 million. 

While the fourth-quarter results compare unfavorably to 2019's, WWE's overall financial picture from 2020 paints a far rosier view. WWE totaled $974.2 million in overall revenue, an increase of $13.8 million, thanks in large part to the increase in revenue from television deals.

That significant increase in revenue from their deals with Fox and USA allowed the company to more than offset the loss of gate receipts and expenses setting up the ThunderDome.

WWE laid off several employees in April, citing pandemic-related cuts, but wound up more financially sound than perhaps the company expected. The lack of nationwide travel and holding shows in one location undoubtedly helped reduce expenses as well.

In the revenue report, WWE says it expects "restrictions related to the spread of COVID-19, particularly related to the cancellation, postponement or reduced capacity of ticketed live events, to continue at least through the first half of 2021."

WWE could offset some of the continued lost gate receipts with its new Peacock deal, which will see the company shutter its standalone streaming network in favor of a five-year partnership with NBCUniversal. The deal with Peacock begins March 18.

WWE Network has 1.5 million worldwide subscribers. 

WWE Network is coming to Peacock.

WWE and NBCUniversal announced a partnership Monday that will give the Peacock streaming service exclusive rights to WWE Network in the United States.

Rick Cordella, Peacock's executive vice president and chief revenue officer, released the following statement: 

"NBCUniversal has a long-standing relationship with WWE that began nearly 30 years ago with Monday Night Raw on USA. WWE has always tapped into the cultural zeitgeist with spectacular live events and larger-than-life characters, and we are thrilled to be the exclusive home for WWE Network and its millions of fans across the country. WWE Network is a transformative addition to the platform and complements Peacock's massive catalog of iconic movies and shows, as well as the best live news and sports, from NBCUniversal and beyond."

Joe Flint of WSJ.com reported: "Terms of the pact weren't disclosed. A person familiar with the deal said it runs five years and is valued at more than $1 billion. Under the agreement, WWE will shut down its WWE Network streaming service in the United States in mid-March, and Peacock will license the programming, including the popular WrestleMania franchise, for its own platform."

All pay-per-views, starting with March 21's Fastlane, will be streamed exclusively on the Peacock platform. NBCUniversal owns USA, which broadcasts WWE Raw on Monday nights.

WWE launched its own network in 2014, which boasts 17,000 hours of programming, including new and original content, along with the company's library of shows.

The service was instrumental in the launch of NXT, which was a WWE Network-exclusive show until it began broadcasting on USA in 2019. WWE Network is also home to original series, including Steve Austin Broken Skull Sessions and the Monday Night War documentary series.

Some WWE programming is already available on Peacock.

From a fan perspective, this partnership is nothing short of a massive value boost. The ad-supported version of Peacock is $4.99, a $5 monthly saving from WWE Network. An ad-free version is available for $9.99.

Peacock boasts the exclusive streaming rights to The Office, Parks and Recreation and the new Saved By the Bell reboot, among others. The combination of the two robust streaming services into one package creates strong value for wrestling fans and those whose WWE content consumption may have lapsed in recent years looking to get back into the sport.

Peacock's deal with WWE comes amid NBCUniversal's plan to shut down NBC Sports Network. USA is set to begin broadcasting some of the events previously held on NBC Sports Network, including the NHL and NASCAR. It is unclear how much WWE will be affected by the change. 

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

   

Reigns Talks Possible Match vs. The Rock

Roman Reigns vs. The Rock has long been regarded as a potential dream match, and Reigns acknowledged the possibility of it happening eventually in a recent interview.

In an interview with Ryan Satin of Fox Sports, Reigns expressed his belief that a match against The Rock at WrestleMania 39 in Los Angeles in 2023 would make the most sense:

“We’ll go to Hollywood for [@WrestleMania] 39, and I think it just makes sense.” - @WWERomanReigns on when a match with @TheRock makes sense.

Roman’s full interview w/ @ryansatin drops Thursday at 7e/4p across our social platforms. @HeymanHustle pic.twitter.com/EMaKYZxOB8

— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) January 19, 2021

Last week, WWE unveiled its plans for WrestleMania for the next three years. This year's WrestleMania 37 will be a two-day event in Tampa, Florida, followed by WrestleMania 38 in the Dallas area and WrestleMania 39 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

This year's WrestleMania was supposed to occur in the L.A. area, but with the COVID-19 pandemic hitting California hard and likely making it impossible to have fans at the show, WWE made some adjustments.

Hollywood always seemed like the perfect setting for Reigns vs. The Rock, and moving it back two years may turn out to be a blessing in disguise, as it will allow The Rock to clear his schedule and make himself available for WrestleMania 39 if he so chooses.

There is perhaps no bigger potential match in wrestling right now than Reigns vs. The Rock due to the fact that they are cousins and the fact that Reigns is in the midst of the best run of his career.

Reigns is firing on all cylinders as a heel, and a central part of his character is calling himself the "head of the table" and the "provider" for his entire family, which is something The Rock could dispute.

As one of the biggest stars in the history of professional wrestling and one of the biggest stars in Hollywood today, it is easy to envision The Rock stepping up to Reigns and battling him for the right to be called the head of the table.

While WrestleMania 39 seems like a long way in the future at this point, having a two-year build for a match that big would be fitting.

  

Renee Young Invites Vince McMahon on Her Podcast

Former WWE interviewer and announcer Renee Young put out an invitation Tuesday for WWE Chairman Vince McMahon to appear on her Oral Sessions podcast.

Young sent out the invite via Twitter after someone asked about the possibility of Vince coming on her show:

Hey @VinceMcMahon you down?! ☺️🎧🎙 https://t.co/7J7YJFUsGn

— Renee Paquette (@ReneePaquette) January 19, 2021

The hypothetical was posed since Young interview AEW President Tony Khan on the most recent edition of her podcast.

Young, who is now going by Renee Paquette, was a huge part of WWE programming from 2012 until her departure last year.

It can be argued that no non-wrestling woman in WWE history accomplished more, as she served in a multitude of roles, including backstage interviewer, panel host and color commentator. In fact, she was the first full-time female announce team member ever in WWE.

Young pretty much did it all, but she left to explore other opportunities, including starting a family. Young's husband, current AEW and former WWE star Jon Moxley, announced in November that Young was pregnant with the couple's first child.

Many have assumed that Young will eventually join AEW since her husband works for the company, but she has so many other interests that it is far from a lock.

Her podcast is a primary focus right now, and getting someone like McMahon to be part of it would be a massive coup.

Unfortunately for Young, it is highly unlikely that McMahon will agree since he does very few interviews and generally stays out of the public eye.

   

Booker T Gives Opinion on AEW

WWE Hall of Famer Booker T gave his thoughts on AEW this week following Bully Ray's critique of the company.

On his Hall of Fame Podcast (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Marco Rovere), Booker provided the following take regarding AEW:

"Wrestling is so many different things. Wrestling is not MMA, it's not boxing. Professional wrestling has always been entertainment based. One thing you can rest assured on with AEW is not every match is going to look the same because those guys are a fluctuation of indie guys and more experienced guys like [Jon] Moxley going to look totally different than some of the other guys. Wrestling is what I always say, to be able to do the same thing everyone else is doing a little different."

Booker's comments came on the heels of Bully saying on Busted Open Radio that he believes NXT is a more polished in-ring product than AEW: "A lot of times you watch AEW and guys and gals are missing stuff. It can get indie-rific at times and the NXT product is a lot more polished and the work rate is extremely tight."

Booker added: "I agree with [Bully Ray] in a lot of aspects, but in this business you've got to be able to figure out how to do the same thing everyone else is doing a little bit different, and I think that's what AEW is doing."

While Booker didn't necessarily completely agree or disagree with Bully's assessment, he seemingly gave AEW some praise for attempting to separate itself from the other wrestling products that are out there.

Most of the top stars in AEW and NXT have an independent background, but it is clear that NXT wrestlers have a more defined style to adhere to, which is why they train at the WWE Performance Center.

AEW wrestlers seem to have more creative freedom, and while that can be a great thing at times, it can also be a negative when there is no one present to rein them in.

There isn't necessarily a right or wrong way to do wrestling, and it ultimately comes down to the personal preferences of those watching.

  

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

Vince McMahon was adamant Johnny Manziel would not be part of the XFL, ordering the league's Commissioner and CEO Oliver Luck to keep him out of the football league, per Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic.

McMahon is currently countersuing Luck over breach of contract, claiming the commissioner disobeyed orders to not allow players with bad backgrounds. Though the lawsuit is focused on receiver Antonio Callaway, the pursuit of Manziel was highlighted as another example of the two sides' disagreements. 

“How long R U going to play this game Oliver? U know there is NO CHANCE IN HELL for Manziel to play for us," McMahon sent in a text. "I will NOT change my mind. So what’s Ur plan??"

As Luck later revealed, the public discussion was a marketing ploy.

"Vince—we have no intention of signing him, none whatsoever. We’re just milking the story to stay in the news," he responded.

When McMahon restarted the XFL, he instituted strict rules on player behavior that included no players with a criminal record and no kneeling for the national anthem.

Manziel pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor in 2012 after being arrested following a fight in College Station, Texas.

He also was investigated for alleged domestic battery against his girlfriend in 2016 but reached an agreement to have the charges dismissed once he completed an anger management course, attended a domestic violence impact panel and participated in a substance-abuse program.

The Heisman Trophy winner initially showed excitement for the XFL, saying it would be a "great opportunity" if he could reunite with coach June Jones. He also supported the league on Twitter:

#XFL2020 @VinceMcMahon

— Johnny Manziel (@JManziel2) January 25, 2018

Luck indicated at the time Manziel was eligible for the league but it was up to the coaches to put him on their rosters.

"If eight guys say, ‘we’d like that guy in the league,’ we’ll put him in the league. Or put him in the draft pool," the commissioner told Tom Schad of USA Today in 2019. "Whether teams draft him, that’s up to the individual head coaches."

It now appears the quarterback never had an opportunity to join the league.

Luck was fired and later filed a lawsuit against McMahon for the remaining $23.8 million on his contract. McMahon has since sold the XFL to a group led by Dwayne Johnson.

Manziel signed on to play for Fan Controlled Football last month.

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe and All Elite Wrestling.

           

Sting Recounts Conversations with McMahon over WWE Move

For more than a decade after WCW was bought out by WWE in 2001, fans wondered whether Sting would follow many of his colleagues and wrestle under the WWE banner. It finally happened in 2014.

Sting revealed on a Christmas Eve episode of the AEW Unrestricted podcast (via Wrestling Inc's Ross Kelly) that he and Vince McMahon had spoken about a move well before that:

"After [WCW] ended, we never did talk. There was never any discussion, at least not immediately after. It was, maybe, a year after that Vince reached out and we had a conversation and talking with Vince was always good. But then you get his group of attorneys and my attorney and it all kinda falls apart. Long story short, I wasn't willing to make the commitment that he wanted."

The Hall of Famer also recalled how he explained to McMahon at one point how he was going to sign with TNA, to which the WWE chairman responded, "BLAH!"

            

Stratus Talks Possible Banks Match

Trish Stratus' days as a full-time wrestler are over, but that hasn't stopped her from making the occasional appearance in recent years. She faced off with Charlotte Flair at SummerSlam 2019 and teamed with Lita to take on Alicia Fox and Mickie James at Evolution.

During an appearance on Women's Wrestling Talk (via Kelly), Stratus expressed her belief that a match with Sasha Banks is something "fans want to see and I think deep down I would like to see." She added she respects Banks "as a person and as an athlete and as a performer and as a friend."

"And so, when we had a simple face-off at Royal Rumble and people are still buzzing about it how many years later and talking about it like it's a dream match. And so, I've always said since I have retired, if there was an opportunity for me to go back it would be for something that's challenging, stimulating, the fans want it. Something that's exciting and it does something for both parties involved. So, she kinda fits the bill in that regard. Not to say I'm coming back; I'm just saying that's someone that I think...Trish Stratus and Sasha Banks is a nice pairing."

It doesn't seem like it would take much for WWE to get the 45-year-old back in the ring for a marquee pay-per-view bout.

           

Jericho Intervened in Dynamite Match Booking

Chris Jericho and MJF earned a victory over Top Flight on AEW's Holiday Bash edition of Dynamite on Wednesday.

According to Wrestling Observer Radio's Dave Meltzer (via Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc), Dante and Darius Martin "had all kinds of ideas for the match" before Jericho weighed in to dictate how the bulk of the match would unfold.

Rather than attempting to take the spotlight away from Top Flight, Meltzer said Jericho was weighing in and using his experience to show how some of the spots were unnecessary to tell a good story during the match.

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

Styles Not Pleased With Third-Party Ban

WWE's ban on its performers doing third-party work—most notably on their Twitch channels—drew overwhelmingly negative reviews when it was announced. Wrestlers complained and even outright defied the order, which played a large part in the firing of Zelina Vega.

One by one, however, WWE's biggest stars shuttered their accounts and toed the company line. That doesn't mean they were happy about it. 

AJ Styles openly discussed his displeasure in an interview on Inside the Ropes.

"I was already streaming and doing my thing," Styles said. "But it was during my time off, and not while working. So, they [WWE] examined [the situation]. I wasn't happy about [the ban], no one really was. But, it is what it is. I'll handle it the way that I have to. I'm a team player, [Vince McMahon] is the captain. I'll follow his lead as far as Vince is concerned."

Styles, Xavier Woods and Sasha Banks were among the talents to meet with McMahon in an attempt to change his mind.

Make no mistake: WWE's Twitch ban was one of the most unfathomable decisions in company history, one that continues to defy logic on how these employees can still be considered independent contractors. While WWE is in the process of setting up its own Twitch where talent can appear, it's understandable why stars have been open about speaking out against the ban.

   

Sting Advertised for AEW New Year's Smash

The latest promotional tweet for the New Year's Smash Dynamite special features Sting, ostensibly guaranteeing The Icon will make an appearance on the two-week event.

It's your last chance to see #AEW LIVE in 2020. Wed. 12/30 @dailysplace in Jacksonville, FL #AEWDynamite.⁠
⁠
Tickets go on-sale TODAY at 10am EST.⁠
Visit https://t.co/5WsWwyDkwZ for full event details and safety guidelines pic.twitter.com/HeJKXXdUAm

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) December 21, 2020

Sting's ultimate purpose in AEW is yet to be hashed out, though he's consistently interacted with Cody Rhodes and Darby Allin. It's expected that he will eventually compete inside the ring, but AEW is smartly keeping the 61-year-old limited at this point.

Perhaps we'll get a better understanding of what's to come when Sting makes his splash (heh) heading into 2021.

    

Reigns, Owens Set for Cage Match Rematch on SmackDown

Roman Reigns and Kevin Owens aren't finished with one another just yet.

WWE announced the two will have a rematch Friday on SmackDown after Jey Uso interfered in their TLC match Sunday.

Because no one has ever interfered in a cage match before. 

Kidding. Sort of.

This is one of those ideas that is theoretically great—Owens and Reigns have great in-ring chemistry and had one of the best TLC matches in history, even with Uso's interference—but needs longer to cook. Had WWE been more patient, Owens vs. Reigns in a cage could have been a tantalizing Royal Rumble main event.

Both competitors could have taken a week off to deal with the wounds of their TLC match before the build, but as it stands we're getting a repeat of the same match on free television five days after we last saw it. The match will be great; the build should just be better. 

Former XFL owner Vince McMahon and the league's former commissioner, Oliver Luck, are locked in a dispute about whether Luck's iPhone passcode should be turned over as part of the $23.8 million lawsuit he filed against McMahon's Alpha Entertainment for wrongful termination.

Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic reported Monday the sides' legal teams have already met four times to discuss the contentious issue, and a discovery conference with a federal district court judge is set for Dec. 17.

McMahon argued in a court filing the information on Luck's league-issued phone is central to the case and can be handled over to the defense based on Connecticut law:

"The full contents of Alpha's iPhone are relevant to showing that Luck was properly terminated for cause under his Employment Contract because he grossly neglected his duties after March 13, 2020—when Luck effectively abandoned his responsibilities as XFL Commissioner and CEO and returned home to Indiana despite the existential threat to the league posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Examination of the data on the iPhone will show Luck's activities during this critical time period when he was not in the office and demonstrate that he failed to 'devote substantially all of his business time to the performance of his duties to the XFL' as required by his Employment Contract."

Luck's lawyers have argued they hired a forensic expert to evaluate the phone for work-related activity and provided it to Alpha Entertainment, per Kaplan. They described the defense's continued efforts to acquire the passcode as a "fishing expedition designed to harass and embarrass Mr. Luck and invade his privacy":

"Despite Defendants' arguments to the contrary, neither Defendant (Luck is suing both McMahon and Alpha) has any statutory right to the passcode, as they are not employers of Mr. Luck nor is he their employee. These narrowly defined terms are used throughout the statute's text, but neither the statute nor the bill's analysis mentions former employees or former employers nor is their definition ever expanded."

U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden of Connecticut will determine the fate of the passcode, per Kaplan.

McMahon took on a less front-facing role in the second reincarnation of the XFL after a similar effort to create a secondary football league ended after one season in 2001. He hired Luck as commissioner in June 2018 based on his experience as an NCAA executive.

Luck, a former NFL quarterback, guided the league through its development stages, and it got off to a promising start in early 2020 before the coronavirus pandemic cut its debut season short.

McMahon fired Luck in early April citing "gross neglect" of his duties at the onset of the pandemic less than a week before the league filed for bankruptcy.

Luck filed the lawsuit a short time later saying he "wholly disputes and rejects the allegations set forth in the Termination Letter and contends they are pretextual and devoid of merit."

In August, the XFL was sold to a group featuring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, his business partner Dany Garcia and RedBird Capital as part of the bankruptcy proceedings.

Johnson previously worked for McMahon as a WWE Superstar. McMahon is the longtime WWE chairman.

The new ownership group has announced the XFL plans to resume play in the spring of 2022.

WWE Chairman Vince McMahon's decision to send Keith Lee and other big men to the WWE Performance Center for additional seasoning was reportedly made in an effort to prepare them for pushes.

According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio (h/t Wrestling Inc.'s Sai Mohan), the move is not viewed internally as a demotion. Rather, McMahon considers it a case of further polishing Lee and Co. so they are ready for major opportunities in the future.

Along with Lee, McMahon reportedly set up classes for Otis, Omos, Dabba-Kato and Mace of Retribution at the WWE PC in Orlando, Florida.

Per PWInsider (h/t Wrestling Inc.'s Marc Middleton), the PC classes will occur on Tuesdays and Thursdays and be taught by WWE producer Adam Pearce and Superstar Drew Gulak.

Meltzer noted that McMahon was unhappy with the in-ring work of the aforementioned performers and believes Lee is "not ready" for a prime spot quite yet.

Of those who were sent to the PC, Lee has been the most-talked-about name since he is the veteran-most performer and seemingly has the best chance to become a future world champion.

Lee has already held the NXT Championship, and it is clear that McMahon sees something in him, as he defeated Randy Orton clean in his first main roster pay-per-view match, and he scored the final elimination in Team Raw's victory at Survivor Series.

Otis is also a high-profile name since he won the Money in the Bank ladder match earlier this year, although he dropped the Money in the Bank contract to The Miz, which could be a sign that some confidence in his ability has been lost.

Mace is part of the floundering Retribution stable, Omos is AJ Styles' bodyguard and Dabba-Kato hasn't been seen on television since the demise of Raw Underground.

Meltzer divulged that McMahon prefers for big men to work matches in a particular way in WWE, so if any of those who were sent to the PC are able to adapt their style, they may have a chance to enjoy a great deal of success moving forward.

           

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