Bad week for WWE
Since last week鈥檚 column, WWE has not had a good week.
Here is a look back as well as a look at other news in the world of pro wrestling.
WWE fires Co-Presidents
In a shocking announcement late last Thursday, WWE announced in a press release that longtime Co-Presidents George Barrios and Michelle Wilson were departing the company immediately and would no longer serve on its Board of Directors.
The duo worked with WWE for over 10 years and were instrumental in the new TV deals with NBCUniversal and especially Fox.
Barrios and Wilson were the ones who negotiated the Fox deal instead of Vince McMahon.
The importance of their departures cannot be overstated as the belief was that if something were to happen to McMahon, Barrios and Wilson would have taken on the responsibility of running things from a corporate perspective.
Mike Johnson of www.pwinsiderelite.com stated, 鈥淭he only way this could have been a bigger departure is every McMahon left WWE at once.鈥�
WWE鈥檚 stock plummeted to $40.24 a share Thursday, which is hard to believe considering it was well over $100 a share nine months ago.
One of the other bits of bad news was that WWE Network subscriptions have dropped 10% since the fourth quarter from the previous year.
The one bit of big news that came out of the press conference was WWE possibly having content available to the highest bidder, if the price is right.
McMahon referred to those WWE were negotiating with as being 鈥渢he majors.鈥�
With Raw and Smackdown locked up with TV deals for years to come, what content could McMahon have been talking about?
Could WWE pull its PPVs from the WWE Network and sell them to ESPN+, like the UFC did, or a streaming service like Netflix?
WWE is playing with fire right now and time will tell which direction it will head in.
When the content comment was made, it shook WWE Headquarters to the core as almost no one knew this option could be on the table.
Talk about a lack of communication from the top of the company.
Lesnar best of all time?
Recently, John Cena, the top draw in the world of pro wrestling this century, was interviewed by SI.com and he made a statement that caught the attention of many fans when he commented on Brock Lesnar.
鈥淚 think he is the best in-ring performer of all-time,鈥� Cena said. 鈥淚 thought his performance at the Rumble was a clinic on how to establish yourself, how to establish those around you, establish the (WWE) championship, establish the importance of the event. He did so in less than 30 minutes.鈥�
While some pundits shook their head at Cena鈥檚 comments, other have shared similar views.
On WWE Backstage Tuesday night, both Booker T and Christian echoed similar sentiments.
鈥淭he beginning of the Rumble, it was Shakespearean,鈥� said Booker T, who held six world title in his career, of Lesnar in the Rumble. 鈥淗e set up Drew McIntyre to go out there and become a star.
鈥淚 agree with John Cena 100 percent.鈥�
Christian, who won four world titles, commented immediately after Booker T finished.
鈥淲hen you step in the ring with, when you share space with Brock Lesnar, you elevate your status,鈥� he said. 鈥淢ore than that, he elevates your status.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 how good Brock Lesnar is.鈥�
Edge鈥檚 contract
The rumored details of Edge鈥檚 WWE contract leaked out recently, and he has signed quite the deal.
The three-year pact, according to Wrestling Observer Radio, is worth $3 million a year with limited dates.
He must wrestle four times a year and appear on 25 episodes on TV during the three-year deal.
Edge negotiated with AEW to receive a big offer and then went back to WWE telling it what he had been offered.
Edge had no interest in wrestling for AEW, but he definitely drove up his contract by 鈥渓ooking鈥� elsewhere.
Goldberg on Friday Night Smackdown
Goldberg will appear on Smackdown tonight which will set up his next match.
It will take place at the Saudi Arabia show on Feb. 27.
On This Day鈥�
In 1986, Randy 鈥淢acho Man鈥� Savage defeated Tito Santana to win the WWF Intercontinental title in the main event of a house show at the Boston Garden.
Santana continued to defend the title for two more weeks until Feb. 24 when the match aired on Prime Time Wrestling.
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