Latest news with #Paul"TripleH"Levesque
Newsweek
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
WWE Reportedly Making Another Major Change To SmackDown
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A new report indicates that WWE SmackDown will return to its traditional two-hour broadcast format sooner than expected. The show had been airing for three hours since the beginning of the year. According to PWInsider, the change will take effect starting with the July 4th episode. That holiday episode will be pre-taped on May 30th following a live Raw in Pittsburgh. SmackDown: Earlier Return To Two Hours This new timeline is earlier than what was previously indicated by USA Network's fall schedule. A recent announcement for a new series, "The Rainmaker," had it premiering in SmackDown's 10 p.m. Eastern time slot on August 15. That announcement confirmed the show would eventually revert to two hours. This new report now pinpoints the exact date as July 4th. Paul "Triple H" Levesque looks on during Night One of WrestleMania 40 at Lincoln Financial Field on April 06, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Paul "Triple H" Levesque looks on during Night One of WrestleMania 40 at Lincoln Financial Field on April 06, 2024 in Philadelphia, Context For The Change On a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer discussed the likely financial reasons behind the move. He suggested that WWE was probably not earning significant additional revenue for the third hour. "I guess the way they signed the contract, they must have given USA the option," Meltzer said. "Because if they were making more money on the deal, it absolutely would have been said at the investors call and we would have seen it." More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation A Temporary Expansion When SmackDown initially expanded to three hours in January 2025, WWE executive Triple H indicated the move was not expected to be permanent. Fans who felt the three-hour runtime was too long will now see the show return to its original length this summer. The return to a two-hour format will align SmackDown with the runtime of WWE's other main roster show, Monday Night Raw. Since debuting on Thursday nights in 1999, WWE SmackDown has had a varied broadcast history. The show famously moved to Friday nights in 2005, a time slot it held for nearly a decade across multiple networks like The CW and Syfy. After a brief return to Thursdays in 2015, SmackDown was reborn in 2016 as the live, Tuesday night SmackDown Live during the brand extension, positioning it as an equal to Raw. Its biggest move came in 2019 with a high-profile return to Fridays on the FOX broadcast network before eventually moving back to the USA Network. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
AFTER SHATTERING RECORDS IN THE SPORTS AND ENTERTAINMENT CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, WRESTLEMANIA® RETURNS TO LAS VEGAS ON SATURDAY, APRIL 18 & SUNDAY, APRIL 19, 2026
Announcement Includes Video Featuring WWE Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque Atop WrestleMania Host Venue Allegiant Stadium (Watch Here) Ticket Pre-Sale Registration Now Available Here LAS VEGAS, June 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- WWE®, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), in partnership with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), today announced that Las Vegas will host WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday, April 18 and Sunday, April 19, 2026 – doubling down on the Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World. The announcement comes on the heels of a historic WrestleMania 41 this past April in Las Vegas, which became the most successful and highest-grossing event in WWE history, drawing 124,693 fans over two nights at Allegiant Stadium. WrestleMania 42 will mark the third time Las Vegas has hosted WWE's biggest event of the year (2026, 2025 and 1993). During Monday Night Raw, the announcement was celebrated with a video featuring WWE Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque atop the 195-foot tall Allegiant Stadium. Watch it here. "Las Vegas helped to deliver the biggest WrestleMania of all time, shattering records and delivering an amazing week for fans around the world," said Nick Khan, WWE President. "We look forward to once again working with the talented and effective teams at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority and Allegiant Stadium to bring WrestleMania back to the Sports and Entertainment Capital of the World." "We are honored that WWE has once again selected Las Vegas to host the biggest event on their calendar," said Steve Hill, President and CEO of the LVCVA. "Bringing WrestleMania 42 to Las Vegas underscores our city's reputation for elevating world-class events to new heights. We are excited to build on last year's success and deliver an even more incredible experience for the WWE Universe in 2026." In addition to two nights of WrestleMania, WWE will bring Monday Night Raw, Friday Night SmackDown, Stand & Deliver and WWE World – a multi-day interactive fan experience hosted in partnership with Fanatics Events – to Las Vegas, as well as a variety of other fan and community events designed to give back to the local region. Official WrestleMania 42 Priority Passes will soon be available through exclusive partner On Location, offering fans premium seating, hospitality events with Superstar appearances, exclusive photo opportunities, and more. Starting today, fans can place a deposit to secure access ahead of the general public. To learn more about WrestleMania 42 Priority Passes or to place a deposit, please visit: Additional ticket details and event information will be announced in the coming months. To register to be the first to hear about pre-sale opportunities for WrestleMania 42, please visit: About WWEWWE® is the global leader in sports entertainment. The company creates and delivers original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, premium live events, digital media, and publishing platforms. WWE's TV-PG programming can be seen in more than 1 billion households worldwide in more than 20 languages through world-class distribution partners including NBCUniversal, The CW and Netflix. In the United States, NBCUniversal's streaming service, Peacock, is the exclusive home to all premium live events, a variety of original programming and a massive video-on-demand library. Netflix is the exclusive home for WWE programming around the world, other than select international markets. WWE is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO). Additional information on WWE can be found at and About The LVCVA The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) is charged with positioning Southern Nevada as the undisputed global destination for leisure and business travel and operates the 4.6 million-square-foot Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC). With 151,000 hotel rooms and nearly 15 million square feet of meeting and exhibit space in Las Vegas, the LVCVA's mission centers on attracting visitors to the area. The LVCVA also owns the Vegas Loop at Las Vegas Convention Center, designed and operated by The Boring Company, and also owns the Las Vegas Monorail, an elevated 3.9-mile system with seven stops throughout the resort corridor. For more information, go to or About Allegiant Stadium Located adjacent to the world-famous Las Vegas Strip and home to the Las Vegas Raiders, Allegiant Stadium is an award-winning global events destination. A state-of-the-art, multipurpose venue with a capacity of 65,000, Allegiant Stadium has hosted world-class music artists such as Garth Brooks, The Rolling Stones, Guns N' Roses, Taylor Swift and BTS with more legendary concerts to come. The fully enclosed stadium is also home to the UNLV Rebels football team and has hosted premier sporting events such as the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final, Pac-12 Championship Game, Las Vegas Bowl, and WWE SummerSlam. The venue hosted NFL Pro Bowls in both 2022 and 2023, and Super Bowl LVIII in February of 2024 – the first in Las Vegas history and hosted WrestleMania 41 in April of 2025. Allegiant Stadium is committed to giving back to the community through numerous diversity, inclusion, and community outreach initiatives. In addition, Allegiant Stadium is proud to be both LEED Gold certified and powered by 100% Nevada-sourced renewable energy and is dedicated to implementing sustainable practices and programs. For more information on Allegiant Stadium, visit or follow us at @allegiantstadm on X and @allegiantstadium on Instagram. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA)
Newsweek
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
Triple H Is Reportedly Not A Big Fan Of Popular WWE Prop
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. WWE's Chief Content Officer, Paul "Triple H" Levesque, is reportedly not a major proponent of the Money in the Bank briefcase concept itself, according to WrestleVotes Radio. This news came to light during a discussion about the unusual late-August scheduling for the 2026 Money in the Bank premium live event in New Orleans. Speaking on SportsKeeda's WrestleVotes Radio, TC of WrestleVotes stated, "I've been told Triple H not a big fan of the Money in the Bank prop as a whole." This is noteworthy given Triple H's influential role in WWE's creative direction and the longstanding status of the Money in the Bank ladder match. It is a career-altering opportunity for WWE Superstars. The winner of the match receives a briefcase containing a contract for a championship match at any time and place of their choosing for up to one year. The Money in the Bank concept was created by Chris Jericho and first introduced at WrestleMania 21 in 2005. Due to its popularity and the excitement surrounding the cash-in possibilities, it evolved into its own dedicated annual premium live event in 2010. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 17: Paul "Triple H" Levesque attends the Fanatics Fest NYC 2024 at Jacob Javits Center on August 17, 2024 in New York City. NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 17: Paul "Triple H" Levesque attends the Fanatics Fest NYC 2024 at Jacob Javits Center on August 17, 2024 in New York Fanatics More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation A women's version of the Money in the Bank ladder match was later introduced in 2017, offering the same opportunity to the female roster. Over the years, numerous WWE fans have witnessed iconic cash-ins that have led to shocking title changes and the crowning of new champions. Despite Triple H's reported personal view on the "prop," the Money in the Bank event remains a key fixture on WWE's calendar. The 2025 edition is scheduled to take place on Saturday, June 7th, from the Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, California. That card will feature both Men's and Women's Money in the Bank ladder matches, alongside other bouts such as Undisputed WWE Champion John Cena teaming with Logan Paul against World Heavyweight Champion Jey Uso and Cody Rhodes. Following this, New Orleans is slated to host the 2026 Money in the Bank PLE, reportedly in late August. This is a shift from its usual June/July timeframe after WrestleMania 42 was moved from the city. WWE has yet to confirm that WrestleMania 42 is moving locations. That is expected to change in the coming weeks. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
29-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
WWE Scraps Plans To Make Big Change To SmackDown: Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. WWE SmackDown is set to continue its three-hour broadcast format on the USA Network for the "foreseeable future," a notable decision given earlier expectations for the show to go back to a shorter length. This news comes via a recent report from WrestleVotes Radio on SportsKeeda's Backstage Pass. The report states that SmackDown will remain a 3-hour show for the foreseeable future. This marks a shift from what was understood to be the original plan. According to the report, originally, the show was agreed upon to move back to 2 hours beginning in June this year [2025]. The continuation of the extended format is reportedly due to the network's positive reception. The primary driver for maintaining the three-hour runtime is attributed to the USA Network's satisfaction with the program's viewership and overall performance. WrestleVotes indicates that the "USA Network has been happy with the performance of the show numbers-wise with the added third hour." SmackDown made its move to the USA Network in October 2024, and the three-hour format has been a consistent feature since its debut on the channel. More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation This is a change from the show's traditional two-hour runtime during its many years on other networks, including FOX. The decision to maintain three hours aligns SmackDown's length with WWE's flagship Monday Night RAW, which has also been a three-hour program for over a decade, while NXT typically runs for two hours. LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 11: WWE Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events and Creative Paul "Triple H" Levesque speaks at a WWE news conference at T-Mobile Arena on October 11, 2019 in Las... LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - OCTOBER 11: WWE Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events and Creative Paul "Triple H" Levesque speaks at a WWE news conference at T-Mobile Arena on October 11, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was announced that WWE wrestler Braun Strowman will face heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury and WWE champion Brock Lesnar will take on former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez at the WWE's Crown Jewel event at Fahd International Stadium in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on October 31. MoreA three-hour weekly show provides WWE with more television time to develop multiple storylines, feature a larger portion of its talent roster, and present longer, more in-depth matches. This can be advantageous for building characters and feuds leading into premium live events. However, longer show lengths can sometimes be a point of discussion among WWE fans regarding pacing and content density. For the USA Network, a successful three-hour block of WWE programming offers a strong anchor in its weekly schedule, likely contributing to consistent viewership and valuable advertising revenue across all three hours. The network's reported happiness with the "numbers" suggests that the extended SmackDown is delivering from a ratings or engagement standpoint. WWE fans can expect Friday nights on USA Network to continue offering an extended dose of SmackDown action. Perhaps, if ratings start to decline, then a change will be made. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
Newsweek
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Newsweek
WWE Is Planning To Revive Fan-Favorite PPV Event: Report
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The desire among fans for a second all-women's WWE Evolution Premium Live Event (PLE) has been a consistent talking point since the groundbreaking original show in 2018. That historic night at the Nassau Coliseum showcased top WWE Superstars from Raw, SmackDown, and NXT, alongside legends, marking a significant moment for women's wrestling. The inaugural Evolution featured a main event clash between Nikki Bella and Ronda Rousey. It also presented a critically acclaimed Last Woman Standing match where Becky Lynch defeated Charlotte Flair for the SmackDown Women's Championship, a bout many consider one of the best in WWE women's history. Other notable matches from the 2018 Evolution included Toni Storm's victory over Io Shirai in the Mae Young Classic final and Shayna Baszler's triumph over Kairi Sane for the NXT Women's Championship, marking Baszler's historic second reign. These matches demonstrated the women's division's skill sets and storylines, contributing to the event's overall success. The sentiment for a sequel remains strong, with many believing it offers more vital opportunities. WWE certainly has a deep talent pool across Raw, SmackDown, and NXT. Many of these performers would undoubtedly relish the chance to shine on an all-women's PLE stage, making compelling booking crucial. More news: WWE News: Steve Austin Reveals Real-Life Vince McMahon Confrontation Now, new reports have added significant fuel to these long-standing rumors. has indicated that WWE is actively considering a timeframe and location for a potential Evolution 2. Paul "Triple H" Levesque looks on during Night One of WrestleMania 40 at Lincoln Financial Field on April 06, 2024 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Paul "Triple H" Levesque looks on during Night One of WrestleMania 40 at Lincoln Financial Field on April 06, 2024 in Philadelphia, to PWInsider, sources within WWE have told them that the promotion is potentially looking at the weekend of 7/12 in Atlanta as a possible spot for the event. This would place Evolution 2 around Saturday, July 12, 2025. The report from PWInsider further suggests this all-women's PLE could be strategically linked with other WWE programming. It is indicated that the event might be timed with a Saturday Night's Main Event taping the same weekend in Atlanta, creating a major WWE hub for that period. While this news is undoubtedly exciting for those advocating for the show's return, also included a note of caution. They emphasized that these plans are not yet finalized and discussions are ongoing. Therefore, while the prospect of Evolution 2 in Atlanta this July is more tangible than ever, official confirmation from WWE is still pending. Considering the success of the event and the fans pushing for it, some could argue that WWE has waited too long to host the show. Regardless, if WWE goes through with it, the show will be a night that fans will not forget. More WWE News: For more on WWE, head to Newsweek Sports.
