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Let’s get right into the craziness of the day.
Today’s top rumor: AEW TV deal confusion
Something seems to be going on with AEW and its television deal with WBD, but it’s hard to parse out exactly what that is, if anything.
Nick LoPiccolo, a talent agent, initially tweeted that WBD told Tony Khan back in August of last year that AEW’s television deal would not be renewed. He was widely discredited and/or mocked for as much. Then, John McMullen, a journalist with deep ties in the NFL, posted an entire article to X talking openly about AEW’s situation.
The article has denials from AEW and WBD that the company was told in 2025 that WBD would be sold and others would be in charge of programming from there. While LoPiccolo has taken an aggressive tone as a critic of AEW and its practices, McMullen has been more measured, simply stating this was more or less a heads up from a business partner that changes were coming and that may very well affect AEW.
McMullen states AEW will have just over a year to find a new TV deal, and that allegedly Khan has told associates he is prepared to move to YouTube if that becomes necessary. However, the goal is to “leverage the Khan Family’s power with the NFL and their prior relationship with (Paramount Chief David) Ellison to gain an extension.”
The Wrestling Observer, meanwhile, calls the entire McMullen story a “non-story” that he “completely re-wrote” and the “only accurate thing is that the contract expires at the end of 2027 and whatever decisions will likely be made that year by whomever at Paramount/Skydance on either the sports side or entertainment side (and we don’t even know yet which side it will fall under) makes those decisions.”
Other rumors floating around
- According to Fightful Select, WWE has no plans to slow down on celebrity involvement with the company, and there are plans into the summer. No word on exactly who but more are coming.
- Per the Observer, Roman Reigns was pulled from June television dates because he won’t be working the next Saudi Arabia show so there would be no reason for him to appear in the build up to it.
- Despite speculation, Ted DiBiase Jr. was never seriously considered for involvement in the Randy Orton vs. Cody Rhodes WrestleMania program, says Fightful.
- Blake Avignon claims WrestleMania 43 in Saudi Arabia dates all the way back to the deal Vince McMahon made back in 2018.
- Shedding more light on roster cuts that hit the NXT roster, Bryan Alvarez said it was more talent evaluation than budgetary in nature.
- Per Bodyslam, Karmen Petrovic is scheduled for a match against Nikita Lyons on EVOLVE in the next few weeks and there have apparently been talks of her doing some work in AAA before she is slowly transitioned back to NXT television.
Get in on this, Cagesiders.
