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Backstage WWE and AEW Rumors: Latest on Becky Lynch, Malakai Black, and More
B.Lee32 min ago
- WWE/ Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported that the assertions made by Jonathan Coachman that WWE did not want to pay Becky Lynch $2 million during contract negotiations was false. He wrote, "The $2 million number was outright denied by everyone who would know it. Lynch didn't ask for that amount, and we're told WWE would have jumped at that number if she did. The general pay scale for talent at the top or near the top of WWE and AEW are both well beyond that amount now. Lynch's contract would be well beyond 2M a year." Lynch is a WrestleMania headliner, multiple-time champion, one of the most popular Superstars in the company, a New York Times bestseller, and one of the faces of the company. Sapp added, "In speaking with both sides upon Becky's absence, it was intimated that each side expected to work together in the future if the situation called for it." Given all that she has meant to the company over the last five years, specifically, it would be difficult to imagine that WWE would low-ball her, then allow her to walk away and potentially join another company, neither of which appears to be the case. If and when Lynch decides to return to the company and she will find not only a talented crop of main roster talent, but a wealth of international Superstars in NXT ready to revolutionize the game in the same fashion that she, Charlotte Flair, Bayley, and Sasha Banks once did for that brand. The Man still has plenty to offer WWE and the pro wrestling world and when she does, she will do so at fair and appropriate market price; one that is reflective of her contributions to an industry she has already left better than she found it.
- Credit: All Elite Wrestling Following a loss to Adam Cole Wednesday night on AEW Dynamite, Malakai Black uncharacteristically embraced his longtime rival and exited stage left, creating questions about his future with the company. Sapp reported that, while he was unable to confirm if it was a sendoff of sorts, "The word backstage in AEW in recent months was that they believed he could be done towards the end of 2024 or early 2025, if options aren't exercised on AEW's behalf." It is important to note that Sapp reiterated it was not confirmed and that at one point in 2022, Tony Khan noted that Black had "almost five years" remaining on his deal. Those are believed to have been option years. Sapp ended his report by stating that it is not believed that Black will be retiring, which had apparently gained traction among fans. Black has had what could best be considered an uneven run in AEW, with inconsistent stories, appearances, and pushes. The company failed to capitalize on the momentum he had built via his feud with Cody Rhodes and, while did reign as AEW world trios champ alongside House of Black teammates Buddy Matthews and Brody King, it never felt like he a creative priority. A return to WWE at the conclusion of his deal, whenever that may be, is certainly a possibility. As Aleister Black in NXT, he enjoyed the greatest success of his career and was poised for a reignited push on the main roster before his untimely and unexpected release in 2021. His wife, Zelina Vega, currently works for the company.
- WWE/ The busy Sapp also reported that Netflix's wishes for the Raw roster starting in January include Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, and CM Punk. Shocker. Three megastars with huge, passionate followings and three of the top-selling merch movers in the game? Why would a streaming giant who spent on the product want those guys to be omnipresent on the show? Sapp added that Superstars from Raw and SmackDown were in New York recently to shoot the commercial for the flagship's move in January, suggesting that there may be competitors jumping among the shows as that debut date draws near. Considering WWE's commitment to USA Network with SmackDown, it would be difficult to imagine the company dumping all of its top draws on one show. Still, with January counting as the official start to the Road to WrestleMania, and crossover fairly common at that time of year, it is not out of the realm of possibility that Netflix gets its wish. Even if it's just for a short while.
Read the full article:https://bleacherreport.com/articles/10142529-backstage-wwe-and-aew-rumors-latest-on-becky-lynch-malakai-black-and-more
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