10,767 articles
WWE approached several wrestlers about new contract deals during overseas tours, well before the talent anticipated being offered new deals. Some within the company viewed this as an attempt to get talent to sign before their representatives could review the offers, though this was characterized as opinion rather than confirmed strategy.
Former NJPW star EVIL made a mysterious arrival on WWE NXT last Tuesday without being given a new name, though he was acknowledged as a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion.
According to a new report from Fightful Select, WWE's recent cuts and contract renegotiations have caused growing concern among agents and wrestlers about job security, with diminishing confidence that big money deals will last through their full terms. The report indicates that wrestlers like New Day and Santos Escobar had their pay cut after recently signing new deals, which has reduced their leverage in negotiations. Industry sources suggest this approach could affect how talent negotiate future contracts with WWE and may impact WWE's competitive position against companies like All Elite Wrestling.
According to Fightful Select, WWE approached numerous talent on the day of mass releases asking them to take pay cuts to remain with the company, giving several wrestlers only two days to make their decision. New Day's Austin Creed (Xavier Woods) and Kofi Kingston quickly decided they would rather leave the company despite the pay cut offer. The duo left millions of dollars on the table over the next four years by choosing to walk away.
Jacob Fatu has discussed what it would mean for him to defeat Roman Reigns for the World Heavyweight Championship at WWE Backlash. Fatu stated "This Is Exactly The Moment I Was Grinding For, I Was The Cousin That Wasn't Supposed To Be Here" when speaking about the potential victory over his cousin Roman Reigns.
WWE was tasked with cutting millions in payroll over the last month, leading to roster releases and requests for talent to take pay cuts of seven figures per year in many cases. These aggressive payroll reduction measures occurred while TKO executives received high pay packages amid record-high stock prices, drawing heavy criticism within the wrestling industry.
A former Sportsnet host has announced that she has joined WWE NXT's broadcast team. She becomes another Canadian on-air personality to officially become a WWE broadcaster.
According to a backstage report, WWE had original creative plans for LA Knight following WrestleMania that have since changed. The altered plans have resulted in LA Knight waiting on the sidelines.
Former WWE star Scarlett Bordeaux shared Instagram photos from a boat party celebrating Tiffany Stratton's birthday, which also included Nia Jax. The photos show Bordeaux kissing Stratton's cheek while they posed together, with Bordeaux captioning the post "A champions birthday done right ????."
WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash commented on the recent four-part Netflix documentary "Hulk Hogan: Real American," saying it "made me really f***ing sad." Nash shared his feelings about both the documentary series and his own appearance in it.
Lola Vice posted poolside photos on Instagram showcasing both the NXT Women's Championship and the AAA World Mixed Tag Team Championship, which she holds alongside Mr. Iguana. The post was captioned "the double champion" and comes during her current run with both titles since winning the NXT Women's Title at Stand & Deliver.
TKO Group Holdings executives received massive compensation packages in 2025, with CEO Ari Emanuel earning $67 million (up 272% from 2024) and WWE President Nick Khan's pay jumping 304% to $24 million according to SEC filings. Meanwhile, according to Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer, WWE wrestlers are being asked to take pay cuts to renew their contracts, with some talent accepting reduced terms while others like The New Day were released after refusing to renegotiate. The contrast highlights a widening gap between executive compensation and talent pay under the TKO structure.