Vince McMahon

Drew McIntyre joked Friday about WWE Chairman Vince McMahon's unwillingness to lock up with him like he has other wrestlers.

McIntyre discussed the subject in an interview with Fightful's Sean Ross Sapp (h/t Nitish Vashishtha of Ringside News):

After Sapp talked about Kofi Kingston, Kurt Angle and Bobby Lashley telling him that they grappled with McMahon in the past, McIntyre was asked if McMahon had ever tried to take him down, and the Scot responded: "He's not, and hearing that he's done that with all those people, especially Lashley, tells me that he's intimidated by ol' Drew McIntyre. He should be."

McIntyre continued:

"He knows I'm Scottish as well. That Glasgow Kiss that I do, that is a real Scottish thing. Like, if I feel like someone is coming up on me, and trying something with me, it's almost a reflex that I headbutt the nose, instantly, because I just assume everybody in the world is Bruce Lee. No matter what size they [are], it breaks the nose so they can't see, and then go from there in a fighting situation. I think he knows I [Vince] don't wanna go try ol' Drew or he might go for that headbutt real quick."

Many wrestlers have told stories about locking horns with McMahon in a playful way over the years, although it may not be so prevalent nowadays with Vince having turned 76 in August.

McMahon is in remarkable shape for his age, however, and seems to be as engrossed in running the company as ever.

McIntyre has established himself as one of McMahon's top guys over the past couple of years following a failed first run with WWE from 2007-14.

Drew came back with a new look and attitude, and it led to him winning the 2020 Royal Rumble and going on to beat Brock Lesnar for the WWE Championship in the main event of WrestleMania 36.

Now, McIntyre is arguably the top babyface on SmackDown, and WWE may be preparing him for an eventual clash with Universal champion Roman Reigns.

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Goldberg Says His WWE Contract Is Nearing Conclusion

Goldberg is coming off a victory over Bobby Lashley, but his long-term future in WWE is still up in the air as his contract has just one match remaining.

The two-time WWE universal champion told Ring Rules (via Marc Middleton of Wrestling Inc.) he still feels like he can perform at the age of 54.

"I still feel as though I can wrestle, I still feel as though I can entertain," he said. "After this match I have one more match on my contract, and that's it. We'll see what happens, you never know."

Goldberg also left the door open for a future match featuring himself and his son, Gage, taking on the father-son tandem of Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio after Gage became involved in his storyline with Lashley leading up to Crown Jewel.

"Oh you never know, you never know what the next day brings," he told Ring Rules. "So if people want that, we'll see if we can give them what they want. You never know."

WWE has found success with bringing back marquee names like John Cena, Brock Lesnar and Goldberg for short-term storylines leading up to major events. It can give a pay-per-view an added boost without taking too much television time away from the full-time Superstars.

Goldberg generated a massive following during his dominant run in WCW during the late 1990s, and he still generates a positive response from fans every time he returns to WWE.

In turn, it wouldn't be a surprise if the sides come to an agreement on an extension before his current deal runs out.

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Vince McMahon Returns to Saudi Arabia For Business Talks

Fresh off the Crown Jewel event last week, which took place in the Saudi Arabia capital of Riyadh, McMahon has returned to the country for further talks.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter (via Middleton) reported McMahon came back to the United States after Crown Jewel but has quickly made his way back to Saudi Arabia for "business-related discussions."

It's unknown what those talks are centered around, but WWE has already committed to a long-term partnership with the country as part of a 10-year contract signed in 2018.

The company has run six pay-per-view events in Saudi Arabia since the deal kicked off with the Greatest Royal Rumble in April 2018. There were two shows per year in 2018 and 2019 before COVID-19 caused a hiatus from February 2020 until Crown Jewel last week.

WWE has consistently created high-level cards for their events in the Middle Eastern country, so it'll be interesting to see how the partnership continues to evolve over time.

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Charlotte Flair Pulled From Media Availability

Flair has faced rumors of significant backstage heat following a contentious segment and subsequent altercation with Becky Lynch at last week's SmackDown, and now it appears the backlash is having a tangible impact.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com reported WWE pulled the SmackDown women's champion from her media assignments this week:

And they pulled it https://t.co/Kib32E6swg

— Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com (@SeanRossSapp) October 28, 2021

That update comes on the heels of a report from Mike Johnson of PWInsider, who noted there are people close to Flair who are "privately pushing the idea of her trying to get out of her WWE deal," though it's unclear how realistic that is given her longtime status as one of the company's top stars.

Flair and Lynch are on separate shows and came together to trade their championship belts following their swaps from Raw and SmackDown in the 2021 WWE draft. So while they likely won't cross paths weekly, a champion vs. champion match often takes place at Survivor Series, which creates some questions heading into that hallmark pay-per-view next month.

It's also unknown whether the SmackDown champ's removal from media commitments was a one-week move amid the widespread speculation or a more extended decision by the company.

The story should continue to play out in the weeks ahead, starting with Friday's SmackDown.

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Khan Responds to McMahon Not Viewing AEW as Competition

AEW President Tony Khan seemingly isn't buying the notion that WWE Chairman Vince McMahon doesn't view AEW as competition.

In an interview with DAZN (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Sai Mohan), Khan said:

"Do they see us as rivals or competition? They say we're not, but I've heard that AEW shows are on monitors in the Gorilla position over there, so I take that as a compliment if they're watching us whilst trying to run their own show.

"I also admire them for that because trying to run a show whilst watching another show is something else. I put everything into producing our shows so there's no way I'd be watching something else whilst trying to get on with things."

Khan was referencing a video from last year that surfaced in August. The video, which was shot during an episode of NXT, showed that a monitor off to the side was playing an episode of AEW Dynamite.

NXT and Dynamite went head to head on Wednesday nights for over a year before NXT made the switch to Tuesdays. It was often assumed by fans that WWE and AEW had a "Wednesday Night War" for ratings.

Khan was also responding to a comment made by McMahon back in July during WWE's earnings call for the second quarter of 2021.

During that call, McMahon was asked if he views AEW as competition. He responded: "I don't consider them competition in the way that I would consider WCW back in the day, not anywhere near close to that."

WCW was the toughest competition WWE ever faced, as Nitro beat Raw in the ratings for 83 consecutive weeks before WWE seized control and ultimately ran WCW out of business.

While Dynamite beat NXT in the ratings quite regularly, Dynamite has yet to come close to consistently matching the viewership of WWE's flagship shows in Raw and SmackDown.

McMahon and the higher-ups in WWE have long said WWE is sports entertainment rather than pro wrestling, meaning it views everything on television as competition rather than only other wrestling shows.

On Friday, some level of head-to-head competition between WWE and AEW will return, however, as WWE is running a "super-sized" edition of SmackDown on FS1 after it was bumped from Fox due to the MLB playoffs.

The final half-hour of SmackDown will run commercial-free and overlap the first half hour of AEW Rampage, which will air on TNT.

Khan tweeted that he "can't wait to finally beat your main show head-to-head" in reference to Friday. AEW will have the advantage in terms of its show airing on a far more popular channel, but with WWE advertising a Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch main event, Rampage may be hard-pressed to post better ratings.

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Lynch Talks Conversation with The Rock Before SummerSlam

Becky Lynch divulged this week that she had a conversation with WWE legend Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson before her return at SummerSlam.

Appearing on Out of Character with Ryan Satin of Fox Sports (h/t Subhojeet Mukherjee of Ringside News), Lynch noted that she asked for and received permission from The Rock to use the Rock Bottom in her match against Bianca Belair:

"So I used a variation of the Rock Bottom before but it's just easier to get it and go. I asked The Rock if I could use it and he was very gracious and said that I could.

"Called him. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I told him how SummerSlam is gonna go down. And said, 'Look, here's what I’m thinking. I'm supposed to hit one move on her. Can I use this?' 'Yeah!'"

SummerSlam marked Lynch's first WWE appearance in more than a year after giving birth to her first child. Making her return even more exciting was the fact that it was a complete surprise.

The Man was a last-second replacement for Sasha Banks, who was unable to compete in her scheduled SmackDown Women's Championship match against Bianca Belair.

Lynch offered Belair a handshake before the match, but she took advantage of the situation by punching The EST in the face and then hitting her with a variation of the Rock Bottom to win the title in less than 30 seconds.

That moment cemented the start of a heel turn for Lynch, and it has seemingly resulted in the WWE Universe getting even more behind Belair as well.

On the heels of that huge moment in SummerSlam history, Lynch will put the title on the line at Crown Jewel next week in a Triple Threat against Belair and Banks.

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Aubrey Edwards Provides AEW Video Game Update

AEW referee Aubrey Edwards provided an update on the upcoming AEW console video game this week during an appearance on Into the Danger Zone with Chris Denker.

During the interview (h/t Fightful's Robert DeFelice), Edwards was asked about her involvement in the game and how things are coming along:

"This is gonna blow your mind. I'm not working on the console game at all. I am 100 percent focused on Elite General Manager. All of the things that you have seen of the console game are the same things that I have seen of the console game. So if it's public footage, that's what I've seen. It's very, very close to the chest right now. I think part of [why] the expectations are so high is that Kenny [Omega] is very, very focused on this. When he's not wrestling, he's working on this thing. It's insane. I will be working on it eventually, that's a given, but with Elite General Manager shipping this year, and then us trying to get out our Season Passes and all these things, there's a ton of things for me to be focused on, right now, around that project."

Prior to becoming a professional wrestling referee, Edwards worked in video game development, making her a major asset for AEW in terms of developing that side of its business. Edwards told Denker she played a role in the shipping of six console video games before her foray into wrestling.

There is no official release date in place for the AEW video game, but gameplay footage was released in November, and player models of Darby Allin and Jungle Boy have been shown since then.

The game has a decidedly similar look to the immensely popular WWF No Mercy video game for the N64, which is still widely considered the greatest wrestling video game of all time.

While the console game is still in development, AEW Elite General Manager is available on mobile devices, and Edwards is continuing to have a significant hand in the progression of that game.

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Baker Says WWE Expressed Interest in Signing Her

Britt Baker is the biggest female star in All Elite Wrestling and the reigning AEW Women's World champion, but she divulged this week that AEW isn't the only wrestling company that values her.

Appearing on Throwing Down with Renee & Miesha (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), Baker said WWE recently made it clear it had interest in signing her if she was available.

Baker's boyfriend, Adam Cole, was in WWE at the time, but he has since signed with AEW, making his debut at All Out last month.

Regarding the overtures, Baker said:

"It's no secret, [Adam] has already said it, that cat is out of the bag and I'm not going to get in trouble. WWE was definitely poking the bear a little bit through him recently, when I was still with AEW. 'Hey, we're interested in her,' without teetering the line of contract tampering, they definitely let me know that they had interest in me, but it wasn't a mutual thing. I'm very happy with AEW and thankful for the opportunities and this is where I want to stay."

While WWE remains the biggest pro wrestling company in the world by a significant margin, AEW has made a ton of headway over the past two years and is a more than viable alternative capable of giving wrestlers large contracts and a platform to shine.

There is no shortage of wrestling fans who prefer the AEW product to WWE, although it is fair to say the women's division is one area in which AEW still clearly lags behind.

Baker is the one woman in AEW who has consistently been booked well and given regular television time, however, which is why it is understandable that she wants to stay put.

Many of the best women's wrestlers in the world reside in WWE, including Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Bayley, Asuka and Bianca Belair, so it is possible Baker could have gotten lost in the mix in WWE.

As things stand, Baker is likely in the right spot, although she can rest easy knowing she has another good option available.

Former WWE Ref Thinks Vince is Concerned About AEW

Longtime former WWE referee Mike Chioda believes WWE Chairman Vince McMahon may be worried about AEW's ascent in the pro wrestling world.

Answering a question on the Monday Mailbag podcast for AdFreeShows (h/t Upton), Chioda gave his take on what he thinks McMahon is feeling regarding AEW:

"Yes, I think he is [concerned]. He always wants to be on top. I have seen him demolish and step on a lot of territories around the country and around the world. He wants to be No. 1. Everybody wants to be No. 1 whether it's in their sport, in their career, or owning a company. I definitely think he's very concerned right now because they're picking up some good talent. I know Vince. Vince is concerned.

"AEW's ratings are going up. People are interested. I'm interested in watching AEW. They're selling out arenas. The energy in the crowd is just phenomenal now. They went from one show to two shows now. Everybody is talking AEW."

Chioda broke into WWE in 1989 and worked there for over 30 years before getting released by the company last year. Given how long he worked for McMahon, there may be some validity to his comments.

The veteran official also worked a couple of dates for AEW last year following his WWE release, giving him firsthand knowledge and experience with both promotions.

McMahon is undoubtedly well aware of AEW given that NXT went head to head with Dynamite on Wednesday nights for over a year until NXT moved to Tuesday nights.

For now, Raw and SmackDown are still bringing in significantly higher viewership than Dynamite and Rampage, although Dynamite has been near and even above Raw's rating in the 18-49-year-old demographic recently.

McMahon would likely prefer not having any competition in the pro wrestling space, but there is plenty of room for multiple companies to thrive, and given WWE's massive footprint and multiple billion-dollar television deals, it is in no imminent danger of falling from its perch.

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Big Push Planned for Theory on Raw

Austin Theory made a big splash on Monday night's episode of Raw, and that reportedly may continue to be the case moving forward.

According to H Jenkins of Ringside News, a tenured member of the WWE creative team said there are "big plans" to heavily feature and push the up-and-coming Superstar moving forward.

Theory had a cup of coffee on the main roster before around the time of WrestleMania 36 in 2020, but he eventually got sent back down to NXT.

It was during his second NXT stint that Theory truly came into his own. Theory joined The Way stable with Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell, and he became one of the most entertaining people on the roster during that time.

Theory was given a ditzy personality, and he played the character to near perfection while also showing off his ability and high ceiling in the ring.

At just 24 years of age, the sky is the limit for Theory, and WWE seemed to give him a ringing endorsement this week.

After getting moved to Raw as part of the WWE Draft, Theory interrupted a Jeff Hardy promo and asked for a selfie with him. After taking it, Theory knocked Hardy out and then took a selfie next to Hardy's prone body.

Involving Theory with a legend and former WWE champion like Hardy seemingly says a lot about how WWE views him and intends to utilize him moving forward.

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Prior to his match against All Elite Wrestling World champion Kenny Omega on Wednesday night's Grand Slam edition of AEW Dynamite, Bryan Danielson discussed his move from WWE to AEW and compared the heads of both companies.

Appearing on WFAN's Moose & Maggie (h/t WrestlingInc.com's Eric Mutter), Danielson noted that there are some significant similarities and differences between AEW President Tony Khan and WWE Chairman Vince McMahon:

"I think if you were to speak to both of them, if you were to interview both of them, I think you would be like 'Wow. You could not meet two more different people.' But I see a lot of similarities in them. And one of the things I think they would both respect about each other is the hard work. Neither of them sleep much, and they take on so much, and I think that's incredible. One of the things that's very different is communicating with them. When you first communicate with Vince McMahon, it's very intimidating because he's somebody who speaks deliberately. You ask him a question, he won't answer right away, and not because he's trying to impose his will on your or anything like that, just because he doesn't want to give you a thoughtless response.

"When you talk to Tony, you can feel Tony's excitement. I don't remember meeting Tony, but we had met previously several years ago. It was probably just a 'Oh hi!' or something like that. But I was walking out right before walking out before All Out, and Tony was like 'Bryan! It's so great to see you!' He gives me a big hug and literally, before I'm about to walk out he's like 'Bryan! LET'S GO!' It was just wild, you know what I mean? I really enjoy talking with Tony on the phone and all that kind of stuff, and all our interactions have been great."

Outside observers may have the impression that McMahon is a cold, heartless businessman, but Danielson has made it clear since leaving WWE that he doesn't view McMahon in that light.

In a thank you and farewell letter written to WWE for The Players' Tribune on Wednesday, Danielson wrote of McMahon, "I wish more people could see you how I see you."

Danielson also said during his appearance on WFAN that leaving WWE wasn't an easy decision because of his loyalty and admiration for McMahon.

The five-time WWE world champion said of McMahon: "I have a great relationship with him. I love that man. And he's done so much for me and my family, and the things I've learned, and that kind of stuff. So that was the hard thing."

While McMahon has essentially always been on the business side of things, it is well documented that Khan is a longtime fan of pro wrestling and existed in that space for many years before helping to found AEW.

Because of that, McMahon and Khan seemingly look at things from a different perspective, and they have both enjoyed immense success in their own ways.

McMahon has built WWE into a global empire, and the company is generating more revenue than ever on the strength of billion-dollar television deals with Fox and NBCUniversal.

Meanwhile, Khan has molded AEW into the clear No. 2 company behind WWE in just two years, and he ran a show Wednesday that packed 20,000 fans into Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York City.

Danielson was a huge part of the success of that show, wrestling Omega to a time-limit draw, and all signs point to him being one of the faces of the company moving forward, just as he was during his decade-plus run in WWE under McMahon.

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Vince McMahon Wants NXT to Be Edgier Product

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEQ3MPKQYRg

WWE Chairman Vince McMahon is reportedly looking to appeal to a younger demographic with the new NXT 2.0 product.

According to Fightful Select (h/t H Jenkins of Ringside News), McMahon suggested the use of more adult language and themes, as well as "more lenience" regarding the ring gear of female wrestlers.

McMahon also reportedly wants NXT wrestlers to "keep up with current affairs with promos and character verbiage."

It was noted by Fightful that McMahon primarily wants to target the 18-34-year-old demographic with the new version of NXT.

NXT 2.0 launched last week, and it had a decidedly different feel from the previous NXT, with its focus on young, unknown talent.

That largely continued this week, especially in terms of building up Bron Breakker as one of the top stars on the brand.

It also seemed as though the boundaries were pushed a bit more than normal based in promos and some of the jokes that were cracked by the announce team.

It remains to be seen if the changes in philosophy will bring in a younger audience, but NXT 2.0 has been entertaining thus far and done a good job of showcasing some of the young talent WWE has under contract.

        

Young Rock Casting Several Old School Wrestlers

After a successful first season, the NBC sitcom Young Rock is casting for Season 2, and many of the names included will be familiar to wrestling fans.

According to PWInsider's Mike Johnson, the 1980s wrestlers and wrestling personalities the show is currently casting include Jerry "The King" Lawler, Tommy Rich, Bam Bam Bigelow, Haystacks Calhoun, "Mean" Gene Okerlund, Big John Studd, "Classy" Freddie Blassie, Mr. Fuji and The Great Kabuki.

Young Rock is also re-casting some of the wrestlers featured in Season 1, including "Rowdy" Roddy Piper.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is an executive producer on the show, which focuses on his upbringing in a professional wrestling family and his time as a football player at the University of Miami.

The Rock went on to become one of the biggest stars in the history of pro wrestling, and he is among the most successful actors in the world as well.

Young Rock received positive reviews, especially from wrestling fans.

PWInsider noted that Young Rock Season 2 will begin filming in Australia in October and production for the 10-episode season will run through January.

       

Fox to Air King of the Ring Special First Weekend of October

In anticipation of the potential return of WWE's King of the Ring tournament, Fox will reportedly air a King of the Ring special.

According to Johnson, the special will air the weekend of Oct. 1 through Oct. 3 in different time slots depending on the market. It is expected to serve as a preview for the 2021 King of the Ring tournament.

The return of King of the Ring has been speculated on for quite some time, and while WWE has yet to confirm anything, all signs point toward it taking place in October.

Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men Pro Wrestling Podcast recently reported that the King of the Ring and debuting Queen of the Ring tournaments will occur during the month of October with the finals of both taking place at Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia on Oct. 21.

King of the Ring was once a highly anticipated annual tournament in WWE, and it even had its own pay-per-view from 1993-2002.

More recent iterations of King of the Ring have seen the tournaments play out primarily on Raw and SmackDown, and it seems as though that will be the case this time around as well.

The latest King of the Ring tournament occurred in 2019, and it saw Baron Corbin beat Chad Gable in the finals to take the crown.

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Vince McMahon lost Bryan Danielson to AEW, but it wasn't without trying everything he could to keep him in WWE.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported Danielson was offered by WWE the chance to compete in New Japan Pro-Wrestling's G1 Climax tournament. WWE does not typically allow its performers to wrestle for other promotions, so this was seen as a major concession on McMahon's part.

The Observer report noted Danielson was offered similar contracts by both promotions, offering him more limited dates and the chance to work for other companies if he wanted. Danielson ultimately chose AEW, saying he chose the new promotion for the health of the wrestling business and because he wanted to test his limits: 

I started thinking about things and WWE was so gracious with me as far as the offer that they gave me. They were going to let me go do some other stuff on the outside. But, I hate to say this... Vince (McMahon) and I have a great relationship. I love him, I do. Sometimes he's overprotective of me. And I want to be able to push my limits. That's one of the things that I love about this, is the physicality of what we do out there and being able to push my limits and being able to do that here in a safe manner is one of the things that really drew me here.

There's just excitement," he continued. "You all see it. You were probably all out there and you felt it. You felt how excited people are about this product and it feels vibrant. And even just watching it through a TV screen in a trailer. I'm sitting there going, 'God this is awesome. I want to be a part of this.' So that was it... I really battled back and forth because there's a lot of people there that I consider family, that actually are legitimately my family, and you know, people that I love there. So it was a really tough decision.

Danielson made his AEW debut at All Out in what was one of the biggest pops in recent wrestling history. He immediately hopped into a feud with AEW champion Kenny Omega, who is often mentioned alongside Danielson as the best wrestler in the world. 

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Bryan Danielson is remaining diplomatic about his former employer after signing with All Elite Wrestling.

Danielson was among multiple marquee stars to make their AEW debuts Sunday at All Out:

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1434725432033570819

Speaking to reporters after the show, the 40-year-old discussed one of the reasons that caused him to leave WWE following a wildly successful run with the promotion, per Ringside News' Subhojeet Mukherjee:

But the final decision, honestly, was just like, I started thinking about things — WWE was so gracious with me as far as the offer that they gave me. They were gonna let me go do some other stuff on the outside, but, I hate to say this, Vince sometimes — He and I have a great relationship. I love him, I do. Sometimes he’s overprotective of me. I want to be able to push my limits. That’s one of the things that I love about this, is like the physicality of what we do out there and being able to push my limits and being able to do that here in a safe manner is one of the things that really drew me here.

Danielson abruptly retired in February 2016 because of medical concerns stemming from multiple concussions he suffered across his career. However, WWE announced in March 2018 that multiple doctors had cleared him for a return to the ring.

That will inevitably have fans somewhat concerned any time Danielson wrestles because the long-term risks of concussions can be significant. The concern is somewhat heightened if he wants to "push [his] limits."

But this isn't the first time Danielson has alluded to his internal thoughts on how WWE typically stages its in-ring action.

The Miz's famous promo on Talking Smack was somewhat prompted by Danielson's comment that his one-time rival "wrestle[s] like a coward" and came to represent what he thought was a "soft, WWE style."

Because of his medical history, it seems doubtful that Danielson will grapple in the kind of brutal affairs Kenny Omega and Jon Moxley have waged. However, he may veer toward a style similar to the one that helped him rise to prominence with Ring of Honor.

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Danielson Embraces 'Wrestling' with AEW Move

On a night full of big debuts, none was bigger at AEW's All Out pay-per-view than Bryan Danielson's arrival to close out the show.

https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1434725432033570819

Speaking to fans inside NOW Arena, Danielson echoed one theme of CM Punk's long-awaited comeback.

"I am a wrestler," he said, per Wrestling Inc's Sai Mohan. "I never left wrestling. I took wrestling everywhere I went. I said wrestling when I wasn't supposed to say wrestling. And now, I'm here to goddamn wrestle!"

During his promo on AEW Rampage after returning to the ring, Punk said how he "left professional wrestling" in 2005, which is when he signed with WWE. That comment referenced how WWE Chairman Vince McMahon has long viewed his product as "sports entertainment" rather than wrestling.

AEW appears to be establishing itself as a contrast to that.

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Cole Explains Departure from WWE

Before Danielson made his way down the entrance ramp, it looked like Adam Cole was going to be AEW's most impactful addition Sunday night.

https://twitter.com/AEW/status/1434724098748395522

Cole said during a post-All Out media conference he "had a very excellent four-year experience" in WWE—competing almost exclusively in NXT. Despite that, the allure of signing with AEW was too good to pass up.

“Making the decision was a fairly easy one.”@AdamColePro is #AllElite & talks his debut at #AllOut 👊@AEW @davidlagreca1 #baybay pic.twitter.com/ex7jnLK1Oa

— SiriusXM Busted Open (@BustedOpenRadio) September 6, 2021

For years, wrestlers didn't have many alternatives to WWE in the United States if they grew a bit disenchanted or wanted a new challenge. No other promotion was a viable direct competitor, and competing on the independent scene brought its own challenges.

In terms of revenue, AEW still has a long way to go to catch up to WWE. The signings of Punk, Danielson, Cole and Ruby Soho show how it's quickly earning a reputation to be on par with WWE as an in-ring rival, though.

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Foley: AEW Has 'No Shortage of Compelling Storylines'

Wrestling legend Mick Foley praised the work of AEW in building a strong stable of stars less than two full years after the launch of AEW Dynamite in October 2019.

https://twitter.com/RealMickFoley/status/1434726402000052228

There's no question the buzz surrounding AEW is enormous.

Maintaining that momentum is the company's next challenge because the initial excitement inevitably fades. As Foley alluded to, telling engaging stories and making Dynamite and Rampage must-watch television is what AEW needs to truly thrive.

It's equally important to use marquee stars such as Danielson and Punk to help shine a light on wrestlers who didn't build reputations in WWE. There are probably a lot of people who have discovered Darby Allin in large part because of his alliance with Sting and brief feud with Punk.

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WWE chairman and CEO Vince McMahon and Executive Director of SmackDown and Raw Bruce Prichard will produce the revamped version of NXT.

Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer broke the news (h/t Bryan Rose of Wrestling Observer).

"It's gonna be like the old NXT," Alvarez said. "I have heard from several people now that when they go back to live shows, this is going to be a McMahon-Prichard production."

Rose also relayed more information via Meltzer.

"Additionally, Dave Meltzer reports that McMahon and Prichard will be behind the big decisions, not the little ones, and will be behind marketing, promotion, and direction," Rose wrote. "Their role in booking may only be regarding those at the top."

WWE President and Chief Revenue Officer Nick Khan previously revealed to Ariel Helwani of BT Sport on Aug. 22 that NXT would be going in a different direction.

"We're doing a complete revamp on NXT, led by Triple H, Paul Levesque, who is really one of the architects of the original NXT," Khan told Helwani. "In terms of an NXT rebrand, look for it in the next couple of weeks. It's gonna have a whole new look, it's gonna have a whole new feel."

As for what those changes may be, Paul Davis of wrestlingnews.co provided an idea on Aug. 15 after citing a report from Meltzer:

The idea is to revert back to what NXT was several years ago when it was a true developmental brand and McMahon wants to focus on signing younger wrestlers and he wants to focus on signing wrestlers that look like they can headline a WrestleMania. In other words, McMahon wants bigger wrestlers and he wants them to learn the WWE style and wrestle less like what is seen on the independent scene.

The NXT brand was introduced in Feb. 2010. Multiple wrestlers who spent at least a few months there have become some of WWE's biggest current stars, including Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens.