Browsing: McMahon

Jim Ross (photo credit Wade Keller © PWTorch)

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

The following report originally published 20 years ago this week here at PWTorch.com.

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW REPORT
OCTOBER 17, 2005
SACRAMENTO, CALIF.
REPORT BY WADE KELLER, EDITOR

-The show opened with a lengthy recap of last week’s show-closing angle with Jim Ross being fired by Linda McMahon. Then the Raw opening aired.

-Vince McMahon stepped out without any introduction from any announcers and stood on the stage with a mic. He reminisced about how proud his wife made him in the way she fired Jim Ross. He said Linda would address the J.R. situation later live from their World headquarters in Connecticut. He said there is a nasty rumor going around that a certain individual is on his way to the arena. He said that person alleges to be J.R.’s best friend – “Stone Cold” Steve Austin. WWE.com had teased that all day. “Don’t be surprised if I kick Stone Cold’s beer swilling, pick-up driving ass. I don’t want to, but I might.” He said he isn’t there to appease the fans or “good ol’ J.R.” He said J.R. has made some contributions to WWE. The fans began an “asshole” chant (it’s noteworthy that there is no “J.R.” chant so far). Vince said they put together a video compilations of some of Ross’s better contributions. This sure appears to be a major endorsement and push of J.R. as a personality to lead Raw on USA in the future, rather than a true last chapter of his career as a lead announcer on TV. The clips showed J.R. kissing Vince’s ass, having beer poured on his bloodied face, being stomped into the mat, and kicked between the legs by Linda.

Vince then introduced the “new permanent announcer for Raw.” Out walked Coach in a cowboy hat. McMahon referred to him as “Good ol’ Coach.” The crowd booed. Coach then said, “Thank you to Mr. McMahon.” He said J.R. was a father figure to him, “although a fat Texas father figure.” He said all of that was about to change. He was going to pick up the slack J.R. left behind. He said that as of now, he was “the new voice of the people.” He then put on his headset.

-They went backstage where Kurt Angle met McMahon and said he had to talk to him. He said before he fired J.R. last week, he was about to announce a new no. 1 contender. He wanted to know if he deserves that slot after beating Cena last week. Vince said he is on his way to talk to Eric Bischoff about the Raw main event. Hurricane then showed up and asked him “what’s up w’dat?” regarding Ross being fired. McMahon ordered Angle to attack him. Angle did so, throwing him into the equipment chests and then dragged him through the crowd to the ring. Coach then called the attack solo. He reiterated he is the new voice of Raw. Hurricane made a comeback. Coach’s call of it already accentuated the value of Ross, which at this point may have been intentional since they left Jerry Lawler off commentary. Conspicuously, there was no reference to Lawler yet. Angle applied the Anklelock with viciousness. Four referees pried him off of Hurricane.

-Coach plugged that Mick Foley would be on Carlito’s Cabana later.

-A vignette aired advertising the pending return of Kane, with him saying, “I’mmmm baaaack!” Of course, maniacal laughter followed.

[Commercial Break]

-Coach introduced Lawler. He apologized for taking so long to bring him out.

-Backstage, McMahon told Eric Bischoff he expected to give the audience something they’ve never had and empower them with choices. He wanted him to present a main event that is “absolutely compelling.” Bischoff said he is glad he asked, in full ass-kiss mode. He said at Taboo Tuesday, there would be a three-way match featuring John Cena defending against Kurt Angle and a third man the fans decide. He announced Shawn Michaels vs. Carlito as a match where the winner would be one candidate. He said Big Show vs. Edge would face off for a spot on the ballot. He also booked an 18 man battle royal, with the winner also being listed as a candidate for a title match Taboo Tuesday. Lawler said it looks like Bischoff hit a homerun with his line-up, at least as far as Vince McMahon was concerned.

1 — EDGE (w/Lita) vs. BIG SHOW

When Coach said, “Big Show is so big.” Lawler mocked him for that being the type of analysis he’ll provide in Ross’s absence. Show tossed Edge over the top rope and they cut to a break at 1:10.

[Commercial Break]

Edge worked over Show’s chokeslam arm. He grasped at his shoulder right away as if he might have popped something. Lita then hung from his arm. Show grabbed her by the hair. Edge hit Show with a forearm from behind. Show came back, but Edge used a low blow to regain control a minute later. He then hit a spear, but Coach yelled “Gore! Gore! Gore!” Lawler corrected him, saying it was a “Spear! Spear! Spear!” They’re trying to play up Coach’s incompetence, setting up J.R.’s big comeback or set the bar so low J.R.’s eventual replacement will seem like a gift. Edge grabbed his briefcase. JBL’s introduction then played. That distracted Edge just as he was about to hit Edge with the briefcase. Show then surprised Edge with a chokeslam for the win. Show favored his right arm after the match, and appeared to be in pain.

-Coach plugged Mick Foley on Carlito’s Cabana again.

-A video aired of the ticket sales launch for WrestleMania 22. They aired clips of WWE fans who had spent between 24 and 48 hours camping out for tickets. One fan said he saved up his money to get a $500 ticket to Chicago just to stand in line to get a ticket. They showed fan celebrating getting tickets.

-Edge complained about the JBL music playing. Bischoff asked what he’s going to do about it. Edge told him to tune into Smackdown to find out what he’s going to do.

-Carlito’s Cabana: Carlito introduced Foley. Foley said it was an honor to be in the same ring with him. Foley said he was there to talk about the travesty that happened last week. He said J.R. may not be cool, but he is the best announcer in WWE history. He said he was disappointed in Linda, whom he felt was a voice of reason within the McMahon family. Linda said that they have been flooded with emails. She said many were concerned with J.R.’s condition because he is scheduled for colon surgery tomorrow. She said there were accusations that her kick to his groin added to his problems. She said that is not true and a lawsuit would be unsuccessful. She said everyone is praying for his health and wished him the best for his years of service with the company. She then told Foley, “Have a nice day.” The fans chanted, “That’s not cool.”

Carlito said, “Let’s face it, J.R.’s gone. He’s not just a fat, out of shape loser. Just like you.” He said that is why he brought him to the Cabana. He said, and we quote: “You must be the least coolest person Carlito’s ever seen. How does it feel to be so uncool.” Foley said, “You got me! I’m here to make a shocking confession. You see, I, Mick Foley, the hardcore legend, am not cool. I’m not even sure I want to be cool.” He asked him to hear him out before spitting on him for not wanting to be cool. He said even though he doesn’t have cool friends or travel to cool places, “with the exception of Sacramento, California” (cheap pop), he said after fans talk to him, they inevitable say, “Mick Foley, he’s cool.” He said on the other hand, Carlito dresses cool, has a cool accent, cool hair, but despite all that, after fans talk to him, they inevitable say, “Carlito is a horse’s ass.”

He asked Carlito not how he feels, but what is he going to do about it. Carlito smiled and then grabbed an apple. Foley told him to go ahead and spit an apple in his face. He said it wouldn’t be the first time he was spit on. He said he shouldn’t worried about produce (i.e. an apple; get it?), what he should worry about is whether he can produce inside the ring later against Shawn Michaels. He said when it’s all said and done, HBK would beat him like a government mule. “And that would be cool,” he concluded. “Have a nice day!” Coach said Foley always wears out his welcome. Lawler said Coach shouldn’t talk about people wearing out their welcome.

-The showed the outside of the arena and Coach said rumors persist that Steve Austin was going to make a surprise appearance.

[Commercial Break]

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

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2 — SHAWN MICHAELS vs. CARLITO

Carlito attacked Michaels on the rampway during his intro. Coach said, with absolutely no semblance of context or authority, “Viewers, settle in, this one will be a classic!” He said he is trying to wean people off of J.R.’s style, you can’t expect people to go cold turkey. Coach said fans should embrace he and Carlito as a youth movement. Lawler sarcastically said the fans would be doing what he says. Carlito dominated early, clotheslining Michaels over the top rope. Coach said that in his “25 years in the business,” he’s never seen a talent such as Carlito be so aggressive.

Lawler called him out on that outrageous exaggeration. Michaels showed the first sign of life at 5:00 by rolling through on a Carlito bodyblock off the top rope for a near fall. Michaels threw chops at Carlito, then applied a sleeper. Carlito came back with an Abdominal Stretch at 7:00. Michaels came back with a suplex, but both men ended up spilling to the floor. Coach then tried to create drama by saying, “They’re down, they’re down, they’re down!” It sounded as convincing and authentic as when those kids read scripts of pundit arguments on “The Daily Show.” Coach is absolutely terrible, and it’s not just him being terrible on purpose for effect; he just is the wrong person to be doing play-by-play. It’s greatly affecting the quality of the entire show.

[Commercial Break]

Michaels eventually made a full-fledged comeback at 13:30. He played to the crowd well as he climbed to the top rope and hit an elbow. He then signalled for the Sweet Chin Music. Carlito ducked the telegraphed finisher and rolled up Michaels and used the ropes for leverage to score a very near fall, albeit clumsy looking. Carlito nearly whipped Michaels into the ref, but Michaels stopped short. Carlito then shoved Michaels into the ref, then retrieved a chair. Carlito swung the chair, but Michaels ducked. Carlito tried again, but Michaels kicked the chair into his face. The ref returned to the ring and counted to three.

WINNER: Michaels at 15:51.

STAR RATING: **3/4 — Above-average, but bland and one dimensional for several stretches of time. One of Michaels’s worst singles matches in a while.

-As Michaels returned to the stage, Ric Flair walked out to his music. He looked serious, but gave Michaels a handshake first.

[Commercial Break – 10:13 p.m.]

-Ric Flair was standing mid-ring. He said Triple H has told the fans that he (Flair) is the greatest wrestler in history and worships the ground he (Flair) walks on. He said that signal of respect shows he has a soft spot, but after what he did two weeks ago, “he has now lit a fire under my ass.” He said he has a desire right now to achieve at a level he hasn’t achieved at for 15 years.

“God I’m feeling good,” said Flair. “I, for 20 years, carried that brass ring we talked about in my back pocket. I owned it. No one could take it from me. I knew day in and day out I was the best wrestler alive today. And you knew it. Nobody walked out of that arena without saying god, Ric Flair put on a show tonight. He did it all.’ Well, Triple, now you’ve got that ring. You are considered the man. God, I question that call.” He said he knows he’s 20 years older, but then he dropped an elbow on the sports coat he shed a minute earlier. He said he wanted to get everyone up to speed on him. He said he was in a plane crash which killed a pilot and paralyzed two other wrestlers. He said doctors said he’d never wrestle again.

He said six months later he was in the ring wearing gold. He said in 1981, he got off an Eastern airlines jet in Richmond, Va., it was raining so hard, lightning hit his umbrella and killed the guy standing three feet from him dead. “You think I’m afraid of you, Triple H? God!” He pulled off his bandage and said every day he has to look at his cut. He punched away it and said he got the stitches out just a few minutes ago. He began bleeding heavily. He rubbed the blood all over his face and shirt. He said he has taken two of his sledge hammer shots.

He called him out to the ring. “Come out here to see what Nature Boy has for you,” he said. Then he rubbed the flowing blood on his face like aftershave. “God, I want you bad! Where are you?” he said. Triple H walked out with a mic in hand. When Flair made a move toward him with a baseball bat, Hunter bolted to the back. Flair chased after him. He said he wouldn’t stop until he found him. He asked why he would run from him.

[Commercial Break]

-They again teased the arrival of Steve Austin.

-Maria was going to interview Carlito. He yanked the mic out of her hand and in a rage said he didn’t win his match because of Mick Foley. He challenged him to a match at Taboo Tuesday. “I don’t care if you’re retired.” Maria was flown into Sacramento for that?

3 — MICKEY JAMES & TRISH STRATUS & ASHLEY vs. VICTORIA & TORRIE WILSON &

Coach plugged that after Raw, USA would show exclusive footage of Rock’s new movie, “Doom.”

-They showed Steve Austin driving into the arena in his pick-up truck. He crashed into a few things as he drove right up to ringside. Austin entered the ring and stood on the top rope, saluting the fans from each corner. They cut to a break.

[Commercial Break]

-Austin said he came to the arena because he has something important to discuss. He said he has been with WWE for ten years and he gave the place his blood, sweat, and tears. He said there have been some good times and some bad times. “I ain’t never backed down from anybody in this sum-bitch company. I fought everybody in this company. I can honestly say through all the times I’ve been here, only one person has been my friend. That is Jim Ross. He has been like a father to me, and a brother to me. I sat there in my house and watched him get treated like a dog. It was completely unacceptable. It was complete… you know what I’m saying.” He said he has to address one man – Vince McMahon. He called him to the ring and said they had business to take care of. He said he had 48 beers so he could stay there all night long. Stephanie McMahon walked out instead.

She said, “What’s the matter? Steve. You look disappointed to see me.” He said he doesn’t understand what’s wrong with the McMahon family. He said they seem obsessed with balls and grapefruits. He said last week she even claimed to have the biggest balls in the company. “Am I about to slam a transvestite?” he asked. He said her breath stinks. She said he won’t lay a hand on her because then it would be his fault if J.R. stays fired. Austin swigged a beer and said, “Let me understand this. You fired J.R. why?” He said because he gave each of the family members Stunners. Steph began talking over Austin and asked, “Where is J.R.?” Austin asked if it was J.R.’s fault. “You’re not making a lick of damn sense to me,” Austin said. “He had nothing to do with what happened to you and your little family.” He said, “Since you’re in the ring, what if I just put you over my knee, pull your little dress up, and I have to be careful because I don’t want your balls to fall out.” That got a big crowd pop, and Austin even cracked himself up. He asked the crowd for a “hell yeah.”

Coach stood up and said, “Hell, no. Don’t you even think of attacking a defenseless woman. Don’t you get it, Steve. J.R. isn’t coming back. Nobody wants J.R. here and nobody wants you here.” He told Austin to get in his truck and drive away like the scolded dog he is. Austin cleaned out both of his ears with his finger, then said, “I don’t remember talking to you, you kiss ass son of a bitch.” He said after he’s done kicking Vince’s ass, he was going to kick his ass anyway, so he might as well do it now. As he was about to leave the ring, Steph asked him to wait a second. Austin mocked her tone of voice. He said he’d do whatever he wants. “I’ve got a proposition for you, but not the kind you want to hear,” she said. Austin said, “I don’t think I’ve got a 20 on me.” She said she had a proposal to get J.R. back. Austin said he was listening.

Steph said he gave her a hell of an idea. She said if he faces Coach at Taboo Tuesday and he wins, he’d win J.R.’s job back. She said J.R. would be rehired if he could win. Austin said since she’s a McMahon, he doesn’t trust her. He wanted to get it straight, and then repeated her proposal. Steph said, “As a McMahon, and as your boss, I guarantee it.” Austin said, “I can drink to that. Give me a damn beer.” He then told Coach he had ass whippin’ coming. Lawler gloated. As Austin celebrated, Steph said from the stage, “Oh, one more thing. If you lose to Jonathan Coachman at Taboo Tuesday, then you’re fired.” Austin said, “Oh, Stephanie. I fully understand if I lose, I’m fired. It won’t be the first time I’m fired. Here’s to ya’.” He gave her the finger, then called for more beers.

Austin walked up to Coach at the broadcasting desk. Austin said he could have the first shot. He said, “You know what bothers me, when I talk to a sum-bitch like you and you disrespect me.” He mocked his sunglasses, flipped them off, then asked if that made him mad. He asked if he was okay. He ripped his shirt open and knocked off his hat. Coach got wide-eyed in a cartoonish way. Austin asked if he was going to do something. Coach said, “Not tonight.” Austin said he was giving him a free shot. Austin poured a beer into Coach’s hat, then put it over his head. He told him he’d see it in two weeks and “a war machine is rolling into town named Stone Cold Steve Austin.”

[Commercial Break]

-With a bunch of wrestlers standing in the ring, Bischoff stepped out and announced that voting for Taboo Tuesday begins next week on Raw. He said fans could vote on stips for Triple H vs. Ric Flair. He also said they’d be able to vote on Carlito vs. Mick Foley. He said there would also be a “Fulfill Your Fantasy Diva Battle Royal.” John Cena walked to this music, adjusted Bischoff’s collar, waved his hand in his face, and then joined Coach and Lawler at the announcers’ desk. He said he is doing his homework and scouting the battle royal. Bischoff went back to announcing a surprise entrant in the battle royal, the seven foot Kane. Carlito took a big bite out of his apple as Kane entered the ring. The entire riing of wrestlers backed off to one side of the ring. Carlito went to spit at Kane, but Kane grabbed him by his throat to chokeslam him. Carlito showed what happens when a wrestler attempts a chokeslam without help. On the second chokeslam, Carlito leaped into the air so Kane got good height on it. They cut to a break.

[Commercial Break – 10:58 p.m.]

It came down to Chris Masters vs. Kane after just a couple minutes. Kane blocked the Master Lock and then backdropped Masters for the win. Cena stood up and looked at Kane. Kane shot back a look in his direction. Kane then signalled he wanted the belt. Nice finish to the show to add a refreshed Kane into the mix headed into Taboo Tuesday. I suspect Shawn Michaels will run away with the voting, but Kane isn’t a bad third wildcard to include in voting. Other in the battle royal were Edge, Kerwin White, Trevor Murdoch, Lance Cade, Rob Conway, Viscera, Rosey, Shelton Benjamin (take him off the milk carton), Gene Snitsky, Tyson Tomko, Eugene, Heart Throbs, Tajiri, and Val Venis.

WINNER: Kane in 6:00.

STAR RATING: 1/2* – Not a memorable battle royal.

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John Cena (photo credit WWE media kit)

SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

For the most part, Iâ€ve really enjoyed a post-Vince McMahon WWE. Most of the things I dislike about the current product have been faults of TKO. The constant brand-integration sponsorships, rising prices to attend a live event, and having to have access to six different platforms to watch WWE are at the top of my list. While not perfect, WWE’s Creative has been better than what we were getting from WWE in the last decade of Vince McMahon. Better is not an automatic pass, though.

Paul Levesque will never be a perfect booker, nor should he be expected to be. Look at any era and there are stories that didnâ€t work. The same shows with The Undertakerâ€s debut had the Gobbledy Gooker, and while Steven Austin and the Rock were on top of the world, Mae Young was delivering Mark Henryâ€s baby hand. Any writer will tell you that not everything is a hit. I know that different ideas in my head will play differently when put out into art for others to appreciate.

Weâ€ve had great moves like Codyâ€s story, the introduction of mid-card womenâ€s titles, and the rise of brilliant talents such as Dominik Mysterio. Weâ€ve also had some misfires that were more than simple undercard angles that were dropped.

Tag Teams (or Making Every Title Matter)

If you watch Smackdown in a vacuum, they have a really good tag team division. Thereâ€s even a team in Charlotte Flair & Alexa Bliss that are a pretty fan act as champions right now. But thereâ€s a lacking of depth in the company when it comes to tag team wrestling.

Raw has been the worst offender, as Finn Balor & J.D. McDonough have only defended their titles once on television before the match with A.J. Styles & Dragon Lee – two guys who have been feuding with another guy in their stable, showing there are no actual tag teams that are taken seriously on Raw as contenders right now. With a roster with more members on it than ever before, there have to be more green guys who can learn in teams or established stars without storylines, like with Styles & Lee.

With the women, it will be the same 3-4 teams, not leaving enough teams to have personal grudges as established teams. Makeshift teams end up being the majority of the womenâ€s tag roster. We need the male equivalents to the Road Warriors, Dudleys, and FTR who make tag wrestling their established division to work within.

As stacked as the Smackdown tag roster is, you do have to watch Smackdown to catch the matches. With USA not having streaming abilities outside of a cable package, this leaves many people without access to Smackdown. While personally loving tag team wrestling, and one that has watched the majority of WWE PLEs, I miss watching tag title matches on the big cards. The biggest moments are saved for these PLEs, and their tag team champions arenâ€t priority to get those moments.

Wyatt Sicks

While on the topic of tag team champions, The Wyatt family not being a major part of your October PLE makes no sense to me. People adored Bray. We miss him and want to celebrate and honor his work that was left. After a stellar debut, it quickly became just another faction. There were injuries, but instead of using the healthy members, theyâ€re removed from television until all were healthy. Thereâ€s a Universal Studios exhibit, and theyâ€re tag team champions, but we missed a lot in between, and now fans have less invested in the group than we should.

ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…

Check out the latest episode of the Wade Keller Pro Wrestling Post-show covering the latest episode of Smackdown: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “wade Keller†on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)

Karion Kross

I remember when Claudio Castignoli was in WWE as Cesaro and how everyone he worked with seemed to have great things about him, fans were strongly behind him, and even “Stone Cold” Steve Austin was pushing for Cesaro to get pushed to the top of the card on a live podcast to Vince McMahon. Alas, that glass ceiling withstood, and there was no shattering it by proving yourself if the right person who made the decisions didnâ€t see it.

Kross was a viral sensation and top merch seller, while being at the bottom of the mid-card. He was getting ovations in multiple cities that didnâ€t match his presentation. The fans liked him. I guess the new WWE offices have those glass ceilings too.

Ron “The Truth†Killings

The man cut the Promo of the Year after returning from being released from his contract. Interrupting the broadcast, taking over the show, and ending that monologue by cutting the braids from his hair heâ€d been known from for decades… and nothing.

Heâ€s now the same R-Truth comedy character he was before. I was ready for a matured version of his TNA run. I wanted to hear from the man who was always held back. Especially when the fans – and fellow wrestlers who disagreed with the decision – were very vocal in their support. It was his chance to visit the main event in the twilight of his wrestling career, but nowâ€s heâ€s another missed opportunity.

Cena Heel Turn

We all wanted to see it. We got it and the wrestling world was on fire. Crossover attention on memes, fan reaction videos creating internet traffic, and the venture fandom wanting to hear that first promo afterwards. Then he came out in jorts and a retirement T-shirt that celebrated his career as brightly as a cereal box.

When Eric Bischoff recalls working with Hulk Hogan, he remembers how, no matter how good an idea was, that Hulk Hogan would always ask, “What happens next?†Hogan knew that no matter how big the moment could be, there was a show to do next week and a new PPV to start building towards. WWE has attempted to build too many shows around “moments†without there being a payoff or a move to something bigger.

In any narrative, you need a reason for a character to change their motivation, and it needs to be plotted out, as a shocking moment should be a stepping stone, not the ultimate moment itself. TV dramas have shown how this can go down for years. Kill off a character in order to alter the relationships of the characters for a storyline payoff, or a ratings ploy that left them in a hole they couldnâ€t get out of. The Cena turn ended up being the latter.

(Griffin is a lifelong fan of wrestling, superheroes, and rebellious music of all forms. He is the owner of Nerdstalgia, and you can shop online, learn about visiting the store in Colorado Springs, or catch him at a comic con in the Rocky Mountain area by going to http://nerdstalgia.shop.)

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Former WWE CEO Vince McMahon was charged with one count of reckless driving and one count of following too closely, resulting in a motor accident over the summer.

TMZ broke the news that his charges were going to be dropped as he was willing to participate in a special program where he had to meet some conditions. A Stamford judge allowed the former WWE Chairman into an accelerated pre-trial rehabilitation program that would ensure that if McMahon kept his nose clean, donated $1,000 to charity, and adhered to driving lawfully, his case would be tossed out in October 2026.

Fans Greet Former WWE CEO Vince McMahon Outside The Courthouse

Vince McMahon was surrounded by many fans outside the courthouse. The fans apparently wanted to get his autograph, with one X/Twitter user stating that eBay resellers were also part of this group.

They were stalking the courthouse to get McMahon to sign a bunch of stuff. The 80-year-old obliged, quietly signing each of them before walking into the building.

You can WATCH the video in the tweet below:

eBay resellers are stalking the courthouse to get Vince McMahon to sign a bunch of stuff. pic.twitter.com/2BVdKnEhU1

— Pro Wrestling & MMA News (@PWMMANews) October 16, 2025

After Marissa Alter originally posted the video above, many fans online were astounded by the people who seemingly did not find Vince McMahon appalling. Nobody has forgotten the allegations of the Janel Grant lawsuit, which were made public in January 2024, deeply affecting the former WWE CEO’s reputation.

It also forced McMahon to step down from his role as the Executive Chairman of the Board in TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE and UFC.

Interestingly, Brock Lesnar is back on television. He was brought back at SummerSlam to kickstart a program with John Cena, one that culminated at Wrestlepalooza, WWE’s debut show on ESPN. The Beast dominated Cena en route to defeating the 17-time World Champion. Lesnar is expected to do more shows in 2026.

While the former UFC Heavyweight Champion’s comeback sparked controversy, it has proved to be a massive commercial success for WWE.

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Business mogul and former WWE CEO Vince McMahon has won a legal battle.

Vince McMahon was charged with one count of reckless driving and one count of following too closely, resulting in a motor accident over the summer. However, police confirmed everyone was wearing their seatbelts, and so no one sustained any injuries.

As reported by TMZ, McMahon was given the opportunity to have the charges against him dropped in a year by participating in a special program where he had to meet some conditions. A Stamford judge allowed the former WWE Chairman into an accelerated pre-trial rehabilitation program that would ensure that if McMahon kept his nose clean, donated $1,000 to charity, and adhered to driving lawfully, his case would be tossed out in October 2026.

Former WWE CEO Vince McMahon’s Attorney Calls The Outcome “Good News”

Vince McMahon appeared in court for the proceedings, wearing a navy suit and white shirt. He did not speak. McMahon’s attorney, Mark Sherman, told TMZ, “It was good news.” Sherman further noted, “Not every car accident is a crime, and the judge agreed that he deserved this dismissal, and we’re grateful for that.”

JUST IN: WWEâ€s Vince McMahon arrives at Stamford Superior Court on reckless driving charges for a three-car crash in Westport over the summer. Prosecutors allege he was swerving in and out and going up to 90mph on the Merritt Parkway. Fans were waiting for his arrival. @News12CTpic.twitter.com/XnUirqNchz

— Marissa Alter (@MarissaAlter) October 16, 2025

Vince McMahon Celebrated His 80th Birthday In August; Major WWE Names Attended The Party

Vince McMahon turned 80 on August 24. As per PWInsider, major names such as Kane, The Undertaker, John Cena, Gerald Brisco, Michelle McCool, Bruce Prichard, JBL, Sgt. Slaughter, Shane McMahon, Sheamus, and Ron Killings (R-Truth), among others, were in attendance for McMahon’s party.

Meanwhile, Brock Lesnar, who was named in former WWE employee Janel Grant’s lawsuit against McMahon, has returned to WWE. He resurfaced at SummerSlam, before destroying John Cena at Wrestlepalooza, World Wrestling Entertainment’s debut show on ESPN. It remains to be seen how the former UFC fighter will get booked going forward. Furthermore, what will be the fate of Vince McMahon? Only time will tell.

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WWE

Accounts of how Vince McMahon treated talent and those who worked under him differ depending on the source, but the accepted consensus has always been that he ran a tight ship and would chew people out when they didn’t do things the way he wanted them done. Even veteran referee Mike Chioda wasn’t excluded from this, as he recalled during an appearance on the “Busted Open Radio” podcast.

“The only night I -probably- I did so wrong was Candice [Michelle] and Beth Phoenix; best out of three falls,” he recalled when asked if he wishes there was a single night he could redo in his career. “We just get off a seventeen-day Europe tour, and I knew Candice, she was hanging tough all week, you know, we were all hanging out, partying. She was a little tired. She got dehydrated in that match, and stuff like that.”

Chioda further told that Candice Michelle ended up taking a bad bump after going to the top of the turnbuckle and falling down fast in the corner. “She was still awake, and I was like, ‘Alright, just cover Beth, just cover!’ I knew she was hurt, but if I call the match, Beth still wins the title?” he noted, assuming that he was safe to make a judgment call.

Mike Chioda claims that male wrestlers would always push through injuries to make sure the finishes to matches were met

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Unfortunately for Mike Chioda, Beth Phoenix didn’t exactly play things the way he had hoped she would, and instead pulled the dehydrated Candice Michelle by her hair out of the corner. “I was like ‘oh, s**t!’ I counted 1-2-3. I was so proned, as a referee, to finish the matches with the boys, the girls, everybody, always, the boys, that’s one thing the wrestlers always did: whether they were hurt or not, man, they would get into a finish right away,” the veteran referee added.

“The referee, really, just never stops the match unless he talked to the boys,” Chioda explained. “So, I counted three, man, Vince was hot, she dislocated her shoulder, she was badly concussed, thank God she was okay later on and stuff, but Vince, man? That’s the one time, and only time, he ever f**king reamed me out, man.” Chioda then admitted that he was supposed to stop the match immediately, and took responsibility for not making a better call, while claiming that Vince McMahon was angered by how he didn’t use all the control he had as a referee to make sure the wrestlers weren’t injured.

In the past, Michelle has looked back on her feud with Phoenix and never mentioned the incident, but instead called the feud the biggest highlight of her career.

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “Busted Open Radio” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

SUMMARY of #882 cover-dated October 8, 2005: The cover story features Wade Keller’s analysis of the newsworthy WWE Homecoming edition of Raw… Pat McNeill looks at the growing trend of indy promotions offering their weekly shows in digital streaming online… Bruce Mitchell’s feature column looks at Vince McMahon, Ultimate Warrior, and the First Amendment… Wade Keller’s feature column examines in-depth the first edition of TNA Impact… Part three of the Torch Talk with Jeff Hardy features his explanation for why he’s not in TNA’s X Division at this point and if he will be in the future… Ringside Beat features a detailed report on ROH’s New York event featuring Samoa Joe vs. Kenta Kobashi… WWE Newswire details the behind the scenes craziness with the WWE-Spike TV controversy, the crazy Ultimate Warrior-WWE story, the latest financials for WWE Inc., and much more… Wade Keller’s End Notes talks about the 18th Anniversary of the Torch, the newsletter’s extreme makeover, and random thoughts on the week in wrestling… Also, TNA Newswire, Top Five Stories of the Week, The Raw Big Story, The Smackdown Big Story, The TNA Impact Big Story, and more…

–DIRECT LINK: PWTorchNewsletter #882

–LIST OF ALL 2005 BACK ISSUES

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SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)…

SHOW SUMMARY:Today we jump back 15 years to two back-to-back episodes of the PWTorch Livecast from Oct. 7 and 8, 2010.

On the Oct. 7, 2010 episode, PWTorch assistant editor James Caldwell and Torch columnist Greg Parks includes discussion with live callers on tonight’s live TNA Impact, Bruce Pritchard joining TNA, Hulk Hogan’s trip to the hospital and who could replace him at Bound for Glory, whether TNA changes course at BFG without Hogan, TNA’s PPV hype philosophy, changes WWE could make to their PPV hype, Austin Aries apparently leaving ROH, wrestlers pushed because they have “the look,” and more.

In the previously VIP-exclusive Aftershow, they discuss how the Royal Rumble is structured and laid out, ways to improve the Rumble, the strengths & weaknesses of the battle royal on Monday’s Raw, Linda McMahon’s debates this week and whether she improved, lost ground, or stayed the same, and more.

On the Oct. 8, 2010 episode, PWTorch assistant editor James Caldwell includes discussion with live callers on last night’s live TNA Impact, with every single aspect of the show covered along with an overall view of the product. Plus, the breaking news analysis at the start with Impact ratings and Reaction viewership. Also, comparison of WWE’s audience buying into the storylines vs. TNA’s audience choosing their favorites, a strong prediction for the three-way TNA Title match finish, social issues in wrestling, and much more.

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The ongoing legal battle over WWEâ€s merger with Endeavor is intensifying, with TKO CEO Ari Emanuel set to be deposed under oath on December 2. The questioning will take place as part of the shareholder lawsuit currently being heard in Delawareâ€s Court of Chancery, according to filings obtained by Wrestlenomics.

Emanuel, who played a key role in the 2023 merger that created TKO Group Holdings, is expected to face questions about the terms of the deal and his communications with Vince McMahon. Attorneys representing WWE shareholders are alleging that McMahon intentionally steered the sale toward Endeavor because he believed Emanuel would allow him to maintain power within the company—something other potential buyers reportedly were not willing to do.

The deposition schedule includes several major WWE figures. Former co-CEO and board member Stephanie McMahon will testify on October 24, while longtime executive Frank Riddick will be questioned on October 28. Vince McMahon himself is scheduled for November 12, and Paul “Triple H†Levesque will appear on November 4. WWE President Nick Khanâ€s deposition has been moved to November 19 after initially being set for later that month.

Other key names include Brad Blum, a close McMahon associate who now serves as president of McMahonâ€s new venture 14TH & I, who will be deposed on November 14 at WWE headquarters. Mark Zhu, Executive Vice President of Strategy for TKO and Endeavor, is slated for December 5.

The shareholder lawsuit, titled In re World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. Merger Litigation, accuses Vince McMahon and members of WWEâ€s board of directors of breaching their fiduciary duties during the sale process. The plaintiffs claim McMahon manipulated the merger to ensure his continued influence after returning to the company in early 2023. They also allege that McMahon wanted to finalize the deal with Endeavor to avoid potential fallout from sexual misconduct allegations that surfaced during the same period.

Depositions are part of the discovery process, meaning their transcripts are not automatically public. However, excerpts could later be filed as evidence if the case proceeds to trial.

This lawsuit runs parallel to a separate federal case involving McMahon, who faces sexual misconduct allegations from former employee Janel Grant. The shareholder plaintiffs argue that these allegations were one of the motivating factors behind McMahonâ€s determination to merge WWE with Endeavor.

As testimony from top executives continues, the case is shedding new light on the power dynamics and behind-the-scenes maneuvering that shaped WWEâ€s billion-dollar merger.

Do you think Vince Mc Mahon pushed for the merger with Endeavor to maintain control of WWE? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

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Alberto Del Rio was part of the WWE family for several years before his departure back in 2016. He worked closely with Vince McMahon during his time in WWE and has now revealed why McMahon considered him a favorite.

While speaking to Eduardo Bates, Alberto Del Rio revealed his thoughts about working with Vince McMahon, saying that Vince was the creative force behind the entire golden era of WWE.

Del Rio explained that most people donâ€t really understand how much Vince shaped the wrestling world, calling him the mastermind of the industry. Alberto said that he was one of Vinceâ€s favorites because of his hard work, professionalism, and ability to connect with the audience.

Mexicoâ€s Greatest Export added that he could make fans believe in everything happening in the ring and feel the emotion exactly as he wanted them to.

“Vince created all the characters—the entire golden era of WWE exists because of him. What most people donâ€t know—because they really donâ€t know him—is that heâ€s the mastermind behind the industry. Everything we have in wrestling today exists thanks to him. I was always one of his favorites because of my dedication, professionalism, and effectiveness—because Alberto Del Rio can do whatever he wants with the crowd. He makes them believe, makes them feel that whatâ€s happening in the ring is real, exactly as he intends it to be.â€

Itâ€s clear that Del Rio and Vince McMahon had a good relationship, which is why he even defends McMahon while his trafficking lawsuit continues. Regardless, many fans might not agree with what Del Rio had to say and thatâ€s unlikely to change anytime soon.

Do you think Vince McMahonâ€s influence on wrestling will ever be matched?
Share your thoughts in the comments below and let us know how you feel about Alberto Del Rioâ€s praise for the WWE legend.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.

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Imagine having to kiss your boss on your first day on the job. Ok, now add that you have to kiss your boss in front of their spouse. That is precisely the situation that Torrie Wilson was in during her first night in WWE, when she had to plant one on Vince McMahon in front of his wife Linda on live television.Â

The WWE Hall of Famer is no stranger to being asked about kissing McMahon on her first day. Speaking on “The Ariel Helwani Show,” Wilson talks about what it was like to film that scene with McMahon.Â

“It was obviously extremely intimidating working with Vince the first day, and kissing Vince the first day. Kissing Vince was interesting, because Linda was standing right there, kinda, helping navigate it all. So, I don’t know if that made me feel better or more weird. But, you know, I was just really happy to have a big role on TV then.”

Helwani followed up by asking if there were a lot of nerves going into that scene.Â

“One thing about the nerves is that once you kinda get going, they subside a little bit. So, the lead up is worse than the walkthrough. From there, everything seemed a little less intimidating.”

For those wondering whatever happened to Torrie Wilson, the hour-plus interview touched on many topics, including what the women’s locker room was like in the early and mid-2000s, what women didn’t like her, and whether she would fit in with today’s female roster.Â

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit the “Ariel Helwani Show” podcast and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for transcription.

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