Vince McMahon

Vince McMahon was noncommittal about finding a television partner for his new version of the XFL last year, but it appears his stance has changed. 

John Ourand of the Sports Business Journal reported the XFL is "deep in discussions" with FOX and ESPN to be the league's broadcast partner. Ourand noted a deal could be finalized next week.

The XFL is scheduled for a 2020 launch and is owned entirely by McMahon. It's a reincarnated version of the league he launched in 2001, which folded after only one season.

McMahon said last year that his primary focus would be on finding a digital partner for XFL content. 

"The media landscape has changed. Facebook, Amazon — they're all really getting into [live sports], but it's only the beginning," McMahon told reporters. "If you look at it right now, they'll take the CBS feed and rebroadcast it — that's horrible. It's not the way they would do it if they had their own production and their own ideas on how to broadcast the games. That is what we would do. As important as a linear feed might be, digital will be at least equally important."

While no digital partner has been named, both FOX and ESPN make sense as a partner. FOX has an existing relationship with McMahon and WWE, with the network beginning its agreement to broadcast SmackDown Live this October. ESPN is looking to build programming for its subscription ESPN+ platform and worked with McMahon on the 30 for 30 documentary about the XFL.

CBS and CBS Sports have already come to a deal with the Alliance of American Football, another fledgling league set to begin playing in 2019. Ourand reported NFL Network is nearing a deal to broadcast some AAF games, which could give that league a head start in any future merger or partnership talks.

McMahon said his goal with the XFL is to create "a shorter, faster-paced, family friendly and easier-to-understand game."

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

   

The Revival Set to Leave WWE?

The Revival's time in WWE reportedly could be nearing its conclusion.

According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (h/t PWMania.com), a situation occurred on Raw that has left people within WWE with "reason to be very fearful that The Revival are done or finishing up with the company."

Sapp added that it isn't known if Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder have officially asked for their release.

The Revival beat Lucha House Party on Monday's episode of Raw, marking the continuation of a long and fruitless feud.

After enjoying great success in NXT and becoming two-time NXT Tag Team champions, The Revival have struggled to gain traction on the main roster.

With All Elite Wrestling making waves since opening for business on New Year's Day, The Revival could have some intriguing options should they part ways with WWE.

    

Bludgeon Brothers Close to Returning?

One of WWE's most dominant tag teams may be on the verge of returning to action soon.

According to PWInsider (h/t Marc Middleton of WrestlingInc.com), The Bludgeon Brothers have been cleared to return to action, and they could be back on television as soon as Tuesday's episode of SmackDown Live.

Rowan has been out since suffering a torn biceps in August, while Harper was later seen sporting a cast on his left hand.

The Bludgeon Brothers dropped the SmackDown Tag Team Championships to New Day two nights after SummerSlam following Rowan's injury, thus ending a 135-day reign.

Harper worked a few NXT house shows, but he hasn't been utilized on the main roster since Rowan got injured.

If The Bludgeon Brothers are ready to come back, the already-stacked SmackDown tag division featuring New Day, The Usos, The Bar and newly formed team of The Miz and Shane McMahon is set to become even deeper.

     

Jericho Discusses McMahon, Signing with AEW

After agreeing to a three-year contract with All Elite Wrestling last week, Chris Jericho discussed the decision to join the company on the latest edition of Talk Is Jericho.

On his podcast (h/t Robert Gunier of WrestlingInc.com), Jericho divulged that he spoke with WWE Chairman Vince McMahon prior to signing with AEW and made him aware of his decision:

"Once again, I still kinda gave WWE the benefit of, 'Hey, listen guys, the train is leaving the station. Are we gonna work together or not?' And to their credit, we talked, and all the way up to a few days before the rally. But there was never really an offer given. And I understand the reasons why and I'm not going to get in to those. I understand Vince's mindset just as he understand mine, but we did leave on amicable terms.

"Vince McMahon is my friend and I respect him so much. He's helped me a lot and we've made each other a lot of money. And most importantly, like I said, we're friends. So the last thing I wanted to do, if I was going to leave the WWE, was do it as a screw job or as a stabbing in the back. I didn't want that. I never wanted it the whole time. I always told Vince what I was doing and he knew before anybody else that I was going to All Elite Wrestling and, once again, once I go there, I'm gone."

Jericho has often spoken about his great relationship with McMahon and previously used to insist that he wouldn't work for another wrestling company outside WWE.

That changed when Jericho did some shots for New Japan Pro Wrestling, and it evolved into him signing an exclusive deal with AEW with the exception of still doing some New Japan dates on the side.

Jericho made it clear that he is done with WWE for at least three years after signing with AEW, but he added that there are no hard feelings on either side.

      

Free Match of the Day: Aleister Black vs. Adam Cole

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRYpQHrz_RU

With the Royal Rumble and NXT TakeOver: Phoenix just a couple of weeks away, WWE went back into its recent history for Wednesday's free match of the day.

The Extreme Rules match between Aleister Black and Adam Cole at last year's NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia is being featured.

The bout was a brutal and entertaining one that saw Black come away with the victory after being pushed to the limit by Cole.

At NXT TakeOver: Phoenix the night before the Royal Rumble, Black will face Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Championship.

   

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

If you ask any pro wrestling fan what they think would help WWE improve its viewership and overall product, almost all of them will say it would be going back to a TV-14 rating. 

It has been a little over a decade since WWE opted to change its programming to a PG product, and since then, we have seen ratings fall to new lows. Many fans are choosing to skip Raw and SmackDown in favor of watching other promotions like Ring of Honor, Lucha Underground and New Japan Pro-Wrestling to get a show for a more mature audience. 

It sounds like it would be an easy solution to just go back to TV-14, but there are a lot of reasons why that's not going to happen anytime soon, if ever.

                        

Sponsorships and Partnerships

When WWE was at its edgiest during the Attitude Era, a lot of advertisers looking to appeal to families didn't want to be associated with the company. 

These days, thanks to its PG rating, WWE is able to attract organizations like Susan G. Komen, the Special Olympics and various youth outreach programs to form partnerships.

WWE Superstars have granted thousands of wishes through the Make-A-Wish Foundation and spent countless hours representing the company at other charitable events.

The company likes the mainstream exposure and positive press these things bring. Going back to a more violent and risque product would harm those alliances.

On top of that, WWE has to worry about sponsors. Snickers and KFC might not be willing to shell out big bucks for advertising space during Raw and SmackDown if WWE Superstars are constantly bleeding from the head and calling each other curse words.

                            

Prime-Time Programming

The USA Network gives WWE two nights of prime-time programming every week, and by the end of 2019, one of those nights will be provided by Fox.

The reason certain hours are referred to as prime time is that those are the most-watched hours of the day, especially for families.

This is when most major networks will air its biggest shows, but the most prominent cable and broadcast networks tend to err on the side of caution when it comes to controversial programs.

Sitcoms, the less-violent police procedurals and reality competitions dominate these hours most of the year, and for WWE to have five of those prime hours every week is a big deal.

Changing back to an edgier format might cause USA and Fox to rethink these time slots and push the shows back to a later hour, or in the worst-case scenario, cancel them altogether.

                          

Kids Control Everything

WWE wants to appeal to all of its fans, but younger viewers have always been the company's bread and butter, especially when it comes to merchandise sales.

The Attitude Era worked because the entertainment industry as a whole was trying to be more controversial at the time, but that has all changed and WWE chose to change in order to survive.

Parents want to know their children are watching something they approve of, and WWE has pulled back just enough to be considered appropriate for today's kids.

By keeping parents happy so they allow their little ones to watch Raw and SmackDown, WWE has ensured it will keep selling video games, action figures, posters and anything else it can slap a logo on. 

                         

TV-14 Was Not Good for the Women's Division

The past few years have been a renaissance for the women's division in WWE. Not only are female Superstars being given real storylines, longer matches and prime booking, but they are no longer being promoted primarily on their sex appeal to the WWE audience.

For every great Trish Stratus vs. Lita match we got during the Attitude Era, we also got 10 pillow fights or Bra and Panties matches. Guys going through puberty probably loved it, but many saw it as a low point for the industry.

WWE still occasionally does things like have Mandy Rose appear in a towel to distract Jimmy Uso during a match, but that actually helped further a storyline with Naomi. It wasn't just an excuse to get her in a towel, especially considering most WWE performers' ring gear (including Rose's) is more revealing than a towel anyway.

Having an edgier product doesn't necessarily mean WWE would automatically start pushing its female promoters based on their perceived sex appeal, but it would probably lead to some Superstars being asked to do things they didn't think would have to do when they were hired by a PG company and could be uncomfortable with.

                       

Shocking Moments Stand Out More These Days

The Attitude Era gave us a lot in a short amount of time, but when everything is designed to be surprising, nothing ends up being a surprise after a little while.

WWE has learned less is more when it comes to shocking moments. By only allowing a few curse words to be spoken on occasion, they have more weight than when Steve Austin was throwing them around every week.

When the company uses fewer violent moments, every instance of blood becomes more engaging to the audience. These days, if someone starts bleeding during a match, you know it happened the hard way without a blade.

WWE still pushes the envelope on occasion, and by doing it sparingly, we as fans tend to respond more than we would if we saw this kind of stuff all the time.

As much as it infuriates some fans, a PG product is better for everyone, and that includes the indy scene. Smaller promotions that like to think of themselves as the new ECW wouldn't get as much attention on social media if WWE was doing the same kind of risque and violent segments every week.

                       

The World is Changing

We live in an interesting, and sometimes equally inspiring and frustrating, time. The world, or at least part of it, is trying to become a more open and accepting place for everyone.

WWE might be changing a little slower than some people would like, but positive changes are taking place right in front of our eyes.

The women's revolution, an increased focus on wrestler safety, building the next generation at the Performance Center and working with several charities focused on helping kids were all things that seemed out of reach for WWE during the Attitude Era.

Returning to TV-14 wouldn't reverse all of these changes, but it would be a step in the wrong direction.

---

Do you think WWE will ever go back to a TV-14 rating?

On the December 17 episode of WWE Raw, the entire McMahon family—Vince, Stephanie, Shane and Triple H—appeared at the top of the show to say they would be taking a more hands-on role backstage. Triple H, in particular, emphasized that they were listening to the fans.

It was a sort of "worked shoot" promo that operated on two levels. In kayfabe, then-Raw interim general manager Baron Corbin was abusing his position, gaining the upper hand on petty grudges by making lopsided, unfair booking decisions.

There was a grain of truth to this segment as well, though. Corbin (the performer, not the character) had been scripted poorly and redundantly, in a way that made it impossible for him to succeed. He had been paired with Drew McIntyre and Bobby Lashley, who are both too powerful on their own to need help, even in fiction.

The Constable's character was involved in too many people's business and was present in the majority of the show's segments. That's inexcusable on a loaded roster where many performers never get to show their faces on television, let alone be central characters.

Combine that with Dean Ambrose's knockoff Bane tribute and a women's division that is spinning its wheels until WrestleMania season, and you have a recipe for bad results.

The December 3 episode of Raw was the lowest rated in the history of the red brand, until it was supplanted in that dubious honor by the December 10 edition, per Fightful. So the McMahon promo had the effect, at least from a practical standpoint, of wiping the slate clean.

However, one thing the McMahons should not do is remain on television as the replacement Authority figures. It's nice to see Vince on TV, but this will also wear thin eventually. The playbook has been run to death. And it's time to refocus on the performers rather than the palace intrigue among the ruling family.

When Vince McMahon began involving himself in WWE storylines as a money-hungry, evil boss from hell in 1997, he—along with narrative foil "Stone Cold" Steve Austin—elevated the company to one of its highest levels of popularity.

However, that was an exceptional time in WWE history that demanded an exceptional solution. Between the Montreal Screwjob and the working-class appeal of Austin, the conceit made sense.

Even when Daniel Bryan battled The Authority in the lead-up to WrestleMania XXX, it made better sense. He had been booked as a "B-plus player," and it was necessary to give that backstage sentiment some physical, literal kayfabe form. 

But now, two decades after the original gimmick, which has cycled between dozens of Vince stand-ins, it's getting long in the tooth.

After the Superstar Shake-up in 2016, Cesaro expressed frustration with the continued focus on backstage Authority figures rather than the performers in the ring. His point still stands today.

There doesn't need to be this mediator in a suit and tie who is making things happen. The performers themselves and the conflict they generate on their own should be at the forefront of any narrative. And any "Authority" should be a Jack Tunney figure, one with no affiliation.

If you asked any WWE fans what one word comes to mind when they think of Lio Rush, they will almost always respond with "Lashley, Lashley, Lashley."

The Man of the Hour was brought over to Raw from 205 Live to serve as Lashley's mouthpiece and facilitate his heel turn. It was an odd choice when you consider how new Rush was to the main roster at the time.

Not only were his promos grating, but allowing him to chant Lashley's name through a microphone throughout The Almighty's matches did not have the desired response. 

Instead of the chorus of boos WWE was hoping for, the fans responded with complete silence. Japanese crowds show respect through by watching matches quietly and cheering at the end, but when it comes to American wrestling, any kind of noise is better than a quiet crowd.

This partnership has been going on since September 10. Before they were put together, Lashley was feuding with the likes of Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns. 

His victory over The Big Dog at Extreme Rules led many to believe he was destined to pursue the Universal Championship in the near future, possibly against Brock Lesnar in what many would consider a dream match.

However, Lashley wasn't getting over the way management had hoped. He was doing fine and putting on good matches, but he wasn't getting the kind of crowd response a top star should receive.

Turning him heel was a logical choice. He had done well in TNA with a cocky character who thought he was above professional wrestling, so it seemed like we would see something similar in WWE.

Then Rush showed up. The cruiserweight had barely been on the main roster for a cup of coffee when he was expected to get someone over as a top heel in a managerial role he had never performed before.

To Rush's credit, his antics at ringside whenever he is forced to run away from Lashley's opponents are entertaining due to his agility, but everything else about his partnership with Lashley was falling flat.

Having his client pose to show off his glutes to the crowd felt like the kind of cheap heat tactic we would have seen in the '80s. It's not the kind of thing someone who is going to feud with Lesnar would be doing. 

Then the McMahon family appeared on Raw and promised the WWE Universe to change for the better in 2019 to address complaints from fans and Superstars. 

We all knew it would take time for any kind of significant changes to be implemented, but Lashley and Rush appear to have already altered their characters for the better with one promo on Monday's New Year's Eve episode of Raw.

Instead of coming out and pretending to laugh at his own bad jokes, The 24-Year Old Piece of Gold gave Lashley a pep talk like nothing we had heard from him before.

The passion in his voice as he talked about how Lashley was a true fighter was real. He was still being cocky, but he was doing it in a much more threatening manner.

One of the reasons Paul Heyman is considered such a great manager for Lesnar is because every time he picks up a mic, he gets more fired up than anyone else in the building.

#TheAllMighty @fightbobby is all about starting fresh in 2019, and it could start with defeating @WWERollins TONIGHT! #RAW pic.twitter.com/hbSI6bZiP9

— WWE (@WWE) January 1, 2019

His intensity and energy would make most people lose their voice after every promo if they delivered it the same way he would. While Rush is nowhere near being on the same level as Heyman, he showed some similar qualities when he introduced Lashley for his match against Seth Rollins.

There was no bending over for the crowd. There were no jokes. It was just Rush pumping his client up so he could get in the ring and destroy his opponent.

The delivery of his final line "Dominate. Dominate! You get in there and you dominate!" was the most convincing moment. If this is the where he is taking with his character as a manager, it's a big step in the right direction. 

It also helped that he wasn't chanting Lashley's name throughout the match. The crowd was able to focus on the action in the ring instead of the annoying guy from 205 Live at ringside.

This might all be premature. Rush could return to his old ways next week and Lashley could still be showing his butt to a silent audience, but if we want to believe WWE is changing for the better, we have to believe Superstars like Rush and Lashley can recover from a rocky start.

---

What do you think? Can Rush and Lashley salvage their gimmicks, or are they better off without each other?

WWE broadcasting legend "Mean" Gene Okerlund suffered a fall in December and was admitted to a nursing home last week before he died Wednesday at age 76. 

Tor Okerlund, the popular interviewer's son, told Jeff Baenen of the Associated Press his father had undergone three kidney transplants and after the fall his health "just kind of went from bad to worse."

"He really was the ultimate, the consummate entertainer," Tor said of Gene's career, which landed him a spot in the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006.

Another son, former NHL winger Todd Okerlund, told TMZ Sports his father suffered multiple broken ribs in the fall and was having difficulty breathing in the nursing home Wednesday when he was transported to the hospital and died with his wife, Jeanne, at his side.

Todd added the family has been "touched" by the outpouring of support for the Okerlunds.

WWE chairman Vince McMahon released a statement about Okerlund's passing:

It was impossible not to crack a smile whenever “Mean” Gene Okerlund entered a room. He was the voice behind so many of WWE’s most iconic and entertaining moments, and the WWE family will miss him immensely. pic.twitter.com/zbrkQAvtug

— Vince McMahon (@VinceMcMahon) January 3, 2019

Okerlund had continued to make sporadic WWE appearances through last January and was featured on the WWE Network special series Legends' House in 2014.