Posted on

Vince McMahon Retires: A Timeline Of Events Amid 2022 Probe Of Sexual Misconduct

Vince McMahon Retires: A Timeline Of Events Amid 2022 Probe Of Sexual Misconduct

Vince McMahon shockingly retired from WWE amid rising allegations of sexual misconduct. McMahon is in the middle of a WWE investigation regarding alleged “hush money” settlements.

From the day these allegations were announced, McMahon has attempted to weather the storm during a Summer of Hell by publicly stepping down—presumably for optics—and no-selling the brewing scandal in public appearances.

With McMahon reportedly retiring from all duties, however, 2022 will go down as the year that saw the unlikely fall of Vincent Kennedy McMahon.

Vince McMahon Investigated by WWE | June 15, 2022

In a bombshell report by the Wall Street Journal (h/t Forbes), it was revealed that Vince McMahon was the subject of an internal WWE investigation amid “hush money” settlements for sexual misconduct. Amid the damning accusations, WWE reportedly increased the salary of a former paralegal whom McMahon allegedly had an affair with. The investigation also meant the end of John Laurinaitis’ tenure as Executive Vice President of Talent Relations, a role that would later be assumed by Triple H.

Today’s climate is littered with the demise of one male mogul after another due to accusations of sexual misconduct. These very serious allegations against Vince McMahon are the biggest threat to his iron rule as WWE Chairman and CEO, and proved to be too much to overcome.

Vince McMahon Steps Down From WWE | June 17, 2022

Days after the scandalous report of McMahon’s WWE investigation, Vince McMahon stepped down as WWE Chairman and CEO. In his place, McMahon installed his daughter Stephanie just one month after Stephanie McMahon announced she was taking a leave of absence from WWE to focus on her family.

Fast forward to today, Stephanie McMahon and her husband Triple H are at the helm of WWE, a far cry from both of their intentions to step back in favor of family time.

“I love this company and am committed to working with the Independent Directors to strengthen our culture and our Company; it is extremely important to me that we have a safe and collaborative workplace,” Stephanie McMahon said on Twitter.

“I have committed to doing everything in my power to help the Special Committee complete its work, including marshaling the cooperation of the entire company to assist in the completion of the investigation and to implement its findings.”

Despite Vince McMahon stepping down, many dismissed Stephanie’s interim role as an “optics play.” Vince McMahon continued to maintain creative control over WWE, and despite publicly stepping down, seemed to have more control than ever behind the scenes.

MORE FROM FORBESVince McMahon Steps Down; Stephanie McMahon Named Interim WWE Chairwoman And CEO

Vince McMahon Appears on SmackDown | June 17, 2022

Just hours after stepping down as WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon appeared briefly to open the June 17, 2022 broadcast of SmackDown.

In quite possibly his final appearance on SmackDown, Vince McMahon repeated WWE’s signature phrase: “Then, Now, Forever…” and “the most important word is Together.” McMahon reportedly shouted “f—k em!” in response to the mounting allegations against him before returning to a “business as usual” demeanor.

McMahon has attempted to no-sell these allegations throughout a very public scandal. Even in his retirement announcement he implied his age (77 years) was the reason for stepping away, with no references to the accusations. Vince McMahon followed up his SmackDown appearance with another empty appearance on the June 20, 2022 broadcast of Raw. McMahon briefly spoke about the impending return of John Cena.

Also under fire was former WWE Executive Vice President of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis, who was ousted from the company due to his alleged involvement with the former WWE paralegal. Bruce Prichard was named Interim Vice President of Talent Relations in his place.

Vince McMahon Hush Money Allegations Grow to $12 Million | July 8, 2022

WSJ’s original bombshell report received a sequel as a follow-up report noted McMahon had paid upwards of $12 million in NDA (non-disclosure agreement) settlements to former WWE contractors and personnel. Additional settlements ranged from $1 million to a stunning $7.5 million in alleged hush money. Accusations against McMahon included sending nude photos and “coercing” a former wrestler to perform oral sex.

Just one day prior, WWE Board of Directors member Connor Schell stepped down from his position.

“Mr. Schell’s decision to resign from the Board was not due to any dispute or disagreement with the Company, its management or the Board on any matter relating to the Company’s operations, policies or practices,” read an SEC filing.

Despite the public statement, it’s not difficult to make the connection between Schell’s decision and the rising amount of negativity plaguing the company. In light of the rising allegations, streaming giant Netflix reportedly pulled its planned documentary series about Vince McMahon.

MORE FROM FORBESVince McMahon Investigation Gets Worse As Alleged Hush Money Balloons To $12 Million

Triple H Named EVP of Talent Relations | July 22, 2022

Triple H, nicknamed the King of Kings, went back on his throne as WWE announced he would replace John Laurinaitis as EVP of Talent Relations. This wasn’t even the most shocking announcement of the day on another whirlwind of a Friday afternoon in pro wrestling. The announcement preceded Vince McMahon’s own shocking announcement that the WWE Chairman was set to retire.

It wasn’t too long ago that both Triple H and Stephanie McMahon’s futures—as power brokers within WWE—were in question. With Stephanie McMahon as WWE Interim Chairwoman and CEO, and Triple H installed as WWE Executive Vice President of Talent Relations, WWE’s seemingly scrapped succession plan was reincarnated amid internal turmoil. Amid Triple H’s unlikely return to power, Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestling Inc) reported Vince McMahon and Kevin Dunn were not present at WWE SmackDown.

Vince McMahon Retires from WWE | July 22, 2022

Vince McMahon shockingly retired via Twitter.

“At 77, time for me to retire. Thank you, WWE Universe. Then. Now. Forever. Together.”

McMahon’s decision was reportedly in the works for a week before the announcement was made as only a small circle was aware of the news beforehand.

Stephanie McMahon and WWE Chief Revenue Officer Nick Khan will be taking over as co-CEOs while Triple H steps in as WWE Executive Vice President of Talent Relations.

The announcement reportedly led to immediate backstage hysteria. Despite cynicism of McMahon possibly maintaining control behind the scenes, McMahon has reportedly retired from all duties, including creative.

“To all WWE Superstars: as I approach 77 years old (OMG am I really that old?), I feel it’s time for me to retire. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my passion, wisdom, and love of the business with you. No longer will you see the smiling, docile, level-headed, calm presence at Gorilla every week,” McMahon said in an internal memo.

“Your dedication to WWE will ensure that our company will continue to grow and prosper. Our organization is nothing without you. You are WWE’s only natural resource, chosen to perform in front of a global audience.”

“You are all WWE Global Ambassadors. Carry the WWE flag wherever you go. Wave it high and proud. And bust your ass to be all you can be as a person and as a performer.”

“One other thing—I won’t be with you, but I’ll be watching. Remember to keep your hands up, grab hold, and sell. Btw, SmackDown airs live tonight at 8pm Eastern/7pm Central on FOX.”

Possibly the most telling line, unintentional or not, is “I won’t be with you, but I’ll be watching.” Given Vince McMahon’s penchant for fighting and maintaining control, it’s safe that he will always be “watching” in some form or fashion until his final day on this earth.

Brock Lesnar Walks out of SmackDown | July 22, 2022

In response to Vince McMahon retiring, Brock Lesnar reportedly walked out of SmackDown. Per multiple sources, Lesnar walked out of SmackDown under the mentality that if Vince McMahon is gone, Lesnar is gone.

Lesnar’s sudden departure puts his forthcoming match against Roman Reigns—the WWE SummerSlam main event—in jeopardy. Lesnar has never been shy about walking out of WWE shows when the situation does not serve him. For Lesnar, McMahon’s ousting appeared to be a dealbreaker. In the end, cooler head prevailed and Lesnar returned to the building in time to close out SmackDown with a brutal beatdown of Mr. Money in the Bank Theory.

Posted on

PDC to expand Women’s Series to 24 events in 2023; Women’s World Matchplay will be staged again

PDC to expand Women's Series to 24 events in 2023; Women's World Matchplay will be staged again

Prize money of 145,000 on offer during expanded Women’s Series in 2023; Women’s World Matchplay will be staged again next year; inaugural Women’s World Matchplay live on Sky Sports Action from 1pm on Sunday, with Fallon Sherrock and Lisa Ashton among the players involved

Last Updated: 23/07/22 9:12am

Fallon Sherrock is one of the eight players participating in the inaugural Women's World Matchplay in Blackpool on Sunday

Fallon Sherrock is one of the eight players participating in the inaugural Women’s World Matchplay in Blackpool on Sunday

The Professional Darts Corporation has announced that its Women’s Series will expand to 24 events for the 2023 season with £145,000 in prize money to be offered in total.

The eight-player Women’s World Matchplay – which is being staged for the first time this Sunday in Blackpool, live on Sky Sports from 1pm – will return in 2023.

Fallon Sherrock and Lisa Ashton are among the players competing at the first Women’s World Matchplay.

Qualification for that event next year will come from a 12-month Order of Merit commencing from the Women’s Series events in August 2022.

Laura Turner has the lowdown on the players who will be battling it out at the inaugural Women's World Matchplay on Sunday, live on Sky Sports

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Laura Turner has the lowdown on the players who will be battling it out at the inaugural Women’s World Matchplay on Sunday, live on Sky Sports

Laura Turner has the lowdown on the players who will be battling it out at the inaugural Women’s World Matchplay on Sunday, live on Sky Sports

Live Women’s World Matchplay Darts

July 24, 2022, 1:00pm

Live on

The Order of Merit will include eight tournaments across the remaining two Women’s Series weekends of 2022 as well as an expected 12 events in the first half of 2023.

Twenty-four Women’s Series events will be held across six weekends next year. Each tournament is worth £5,000 in prize money.

PDC Chief Executive Matt Porter said: “We’ve been hugely encouraged by the increased interest in the PDC Women’s Series this year, with entries up by 50 percent to 100 on average, and there’s a lot of excitement ahead of the Betfred Women’s World Matchplay on Sunday.

“The Women’s World Matchplay will feature a great mix of experienced players and emerging faces, and it’s going to be fascinating to see them on stage at the Winter Gardens challenging for that title.

“With players also competing in the Cazoo Grand Slam of Darts and Cazoo World Championship, the opportunities for women within the PDC have never been greater and it’s a boost that we can continue to grow this aspect of the sport in 2023.”

Sherrock (left) plays Katie Sheldon in this Sunday's quarter-finals, with Lisa Ashton (right) to open up against Chloe O'Brien

Sherrock (left) plays Katie Sheldon in this Sunday’s quarter-finals, with Lisa Ashton (right) to open up against Chloe O’Brien

The Women’s Series will continue with events 13-16 in Hildesheim, Germany on August 27-28 ahead of the year’s final weekend in Wigan on October 29-30 with events 17-20.

2022 Women’s World Matchplay
Sunday July 24
Draw Bracket

(1) Lisa Ashton v (8) Chloe O’Brien
(4) Aileen de Graaf v (5) Laura Turner
(2) Fallon Sherrock v (7) Katie Sheldon
(3) Lorraine Winstanley v (6) Rhian Griffiths

Format
Quarter-Finals – Best of seven legs
Semi-Finals – Best of nine legs
Final – Best of 11 legs

Prize Money
Winner: £10,000
Runner-Up: £5,000
Semi-Finalists: £2,500
Quarter-Finalists: £1,250
Total: £25,000

Check out daily Darts news on skysports.com/darts, our app for mobile devices and our Twitter account @skysportsdarts. Watch the inaugural Women’s World Matchplay live on Sky Sports Action from 1pm on Sunday.

Posted on

WWE NXT stars Grayson Waller and Xyon Quinn explain the importance of returning to live events

WWE NXT stars Grayson Waller and Xyon Quinn explain the importance of returning to live events

NXT stars Grayson Waller and Xyon Quinn have explained the importance of returning to live events, with the COVID area officially in the rear-view mirror for WWE’s developmental territory.

The third brand of the pro wrestling juggernaut has seen a myriad of changes in recent times, with the new-look NXT 2.0 focusing more on preparing talent for the bright lights of the main roster, as opposed to being it’s own entity. 

Waller has become one of the shining lights for the brand since the changes were made, with the Aussie loudmouth cementing himself as one of the top heels in NXT.

From working an angle with the departing Johnny Gargano, to wrestling former world champion AJ Styles and challenging for a number of titles within NXT, the 32-year-old is primed for big things in the squared circle.

Waller is one of many NXT stars who will now get the experience to go back out on the road post-COVID, with the brand only working out of their Performance Center in Orlando, Florida since the pandemic began. 

Prior to the pandemic, NXT was a touring brand that would do ‘loops’ around parts of the US, and even travelled to the UK and Australia at the height of its popularity. 

And while the goalposts may have been moved in regards to the product, getting the opportunity as a developmental talent to perform solely for the live crowd, as opposed to a massive television audience, will only be beneficial in the long run.

Despite years of experience working the independents in Australia, Waller knows how important it is for the NXT roster and himself personally to get out in front of a different audience and further hone their craft. 

“It’s super important, I can’t put it over enough,” he told The Sporting News. 

“Luckily for me, I have about four or five years on the independent scene in Australia and working in front of live crowds twice every week.

“There’s a lot of people in NXT who this is their first time either working in front of a crowd at all, which is wild, or working in front of a crowd that isn’t at the Performance Center.

“That Performance Center crowd, they are there every week and they know everyone and they know what to expect. These live event crowds, some of these people have never seen wrestling before, so it’s a different environment.

“Regardless of how talented I am, when the camera comes on I perform, but the stress is there before you go out. There’s hundreds of thousands of people watching (on TV) and most of them want you to fail.

“Being able to go on these live events and have a little bit more fun and enjoy yourself more and interact with the live crowd, we’re not working for the people at home – we are working for the people who bought a ticket to come and watch us and we put on a show for them.

“I think it’s the most important thing and now that we are back doing that, I think you are going to see people improve even more rapidly than they are already are.”

With pro wrestling experience prior to signing with WWE, the likes of Waller, Carmelo Hayes and Cameron Grimes could be considered ‘main-roster ready’ in 2022, and those men likely aren’t far away from receiving a call to move up to Raw or SmackDown.

But for a talent like Xyon Quinn, who has come from a professional rugby league background just three years ago, the return to live events is even more important.

Up until the return to touring, the 32-year-old had only ever wrestled in front of the tight-knit Orlando crowd for the brand’s weekly TV program – but his world is about to change.

Quinn explained the ‘trial and error’ aspect of working live events without the pressure of TV. 

“You go out there, you have fun and try things – some things don’t work and you change them,” he told The Sporting News.

“As you know from school, when you make some drafts and send them in, the teacher has a look and they give it back to you – you send the next one in and get a much better mark.

“That’s kind of the same thing, you’ve just got to make sure you are ready and learn what things work and what things don’t and learn to try things.

“That’s the whole fun of it.”

Quinn and Waller are just two of a long list of Australian stars to make the jump to WWE, and while they come from different backgrounds, their end goal is the same.

And with WWE’s past reliance on part-time stars such as The Undertaker, Triple H and John Cena now leaving a huge hole at the top of the main roster, the hunger for NXT stars to make the jump and succeed is higher than ever. 

WWE NXT airs each Wednesday from 10am AEST on FOX8 and 8pm ET on USA Network. 

Posted on

WWE Sunday Stunner Live Event Results From Waco (7/10) – Wrestling Inc.

WWE Sunday Stunner Live Event Results From Waco (7/10) - Wrestling Inc.

WWE held its Sunday Stunner show at the Extraco Events Center Coliseum in Waco, Texas. In the main event, Riddle defeated Seth Rollins.

Also during the show, Asuka defeated Becky Lynch,  Veer defeated R-Truth, Dolph Ziggler defeated Theory, and Finn Balor defeated Dominik  Mysterio.

Below are the full results courtesy of WrestlingBodyslam.com: 

* Veer defeated R-Truth

* Ezekiel defeated Ciampa

* WWE 24/7 Champion Dana Brooke defeated Doudrop, then lost to Carmella, then defeated Carmella to retain the title.

* Dolph Ziggler defeated Theory

* Finn Balor defeated Dominik  Mysterio

* Asuka defeated Becky Lynch

* Omos defeated Cedric Alexander

* Riddle defeated Seth Rollins

 

Have a news tip or correction? Send it to [email protected]

counter

Sign up for Wrestling Inc. Breaking News Alerts

Posted on

WATCH: Roman Reigns makes his return to WWE live events at Sacramento, defeats former WWE Champion

WATCH: Roman Reigns makes his return to WWE live events at Sacramento, defeats former WWE Champion
Roman Reigns

Roman Reigns defeated a former WWE Champion at a live event. Photo: WWE.com

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Roman Reigns defeated Drew McIntyre in the main event of a live event
  • Reigns had been away from live events before the Sacramento event
  • He is scheduled to defend his titles against Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam 2022
Roman Reigns made a shocking return at live events and defeated a former WWE Champion in the main event in Sacramento. Reigns had been away from the live events for over a month now. In fact, he isn’t a regular on television either of late. His latest appearance on the Friday Night Smackdown was his first since June 17.
In the main event of the live event in Sacramento, Reigns defeated Drew McIntyre to retain his WWE Undisputed Universal Championship. The match ended with Reigns hitting the former WWE Champion with a spear before completing the pin.

Reigns and McIntyre have squared off in live events in the past few months and it was yet another occasion of the Head of the Table defeating his opponent. McIntyre is likely to challenge Reigns for the two titles at Clash at the Castle, which takes place in the UK in September.

McIntyre could have punched his ticket to the main event on this week’s Smackdown but his match against Sheamus didn’t take place. Despite this, he looks favourite to get the title opportunity.

Before Clash at the Castle, Reigns is scheduled to defend his titles against Brock Lesnar. And McIntyre might face Lesnar if the titles change hands at the biggest party of the summer. Reigns will be defending his titles in a Last Man Standing Match.
As far as the qualification match goes, the one-on-one match between McIntyre and Sheamus might be delayed till SummerSlam. Both the superstars are former champions and a qualification match at a premium live event would be a treat for the WWE Universe.

SummerSlam 2022 is scheduled to take place on July 30 at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. Both the superstars are likely to be part of Clash at the Castle as McIntyre hails from Scotland while Sheamus is Irish.

Posted on

WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event From Bossier (7/9): Street Fight Match – Wrestling Inc.

WWE Saturday Night's Main Event From Bossier (7/9): Street Fight Match - Wrestling Inc.

WWE held a Saturday Night’s Main Event with the “Raw” roster. In the main event, Riddle defeated Seth Rollins in a Street Fight match.

Also during the show, Asuka defeated Becky Lynch, Omos defeated Cedric Alexander, and Ezekiel defeated Ciampa.

Below is the full results courtesy of WrestleZone: 

* Dolph Ziggler defeated Theory. Theory originally thought he won but the ref caught his foot on the ropes during the pin.

* Veer Mahaan defeated R-Truth

* Ezekiel defeated Tommaso Ciampa

* Dana Brooke defeated Doudrop. Carmella came out afterward and cut a heel promo to the crowd.

* Asuka defeated Becky Lynch

* Omos defeated Cedric Alexander

* Finn Balor defeated Dominik Mysterio

* Street Fight: Riddle defeated Seth Rollins

 

Have a news tip or correction? Send it to [email protected]

counter

Sign up for Wrestling Inc. Breaking News Alerts

Posted on

WWE Advertising New Main Event For Madison Square Garden Return – Wrestling Inc.

WWE Advertising New Main Event For Madison Square Garden Return - Wrestling Inc.

A new main event match is being advertised for WWE’s Madison Square Garden.

The new match, according to PWInsider,  is Riddle & The Street Profits vs. WWE Undisputed Champion Roman Reigns & Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions The Usos.

Before Cody Rhodes’ injury, the original main event was Rhodes vs. Rollins and was later changed to Rollins vs. Riddle.

One of WWE’s last events at MSG was in March. During the event, Brock Lesnar defeated Theory, Ronda Rousey and Naomi defeated then WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte and Sonya Deville, The Usos defeated Big E and Kofi Kingston, and Roman Reigns defeated Seth Rollins.

WWE’s return to MSG is set for July 25 for “Monday Night Raw.”

Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, WWE United States Champion Bobby Lashley, AJ Styles, Theory, and Ronda Rousey have also been announced for the upcoming event.

 

Have a news tip or correction? Send it to [email protected]

counter

Sign up for Wrestling Inc. Breaking News Alerts

Posted on

Kurt Angle Questions Decision For WWE SummerSlam Main Event – Wrestling Inc.

Kurt Angle Questions Decision For WWE SummerSlam Main Event - Wrestling Inc.

Kurt Angle enjoys a good Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar bout, but he’s ready to see the “Head Of The Table” face some new blood too. In a new conversation with “NBC Sports”, Angle was asked about WWE having trouble finding comparable replacements to a star at the level of the Beast Incarnate, and he believes a good deal of the struggle comes from competition.

“I think that has a lot to do with the other promotion starting to get some momentum behind them — AEW,” Angle said. “You know, WWE lost a lot of talent to them. They’re looking at their NXT guys and they’re going to start making those guys pretty soon. I think that they do have a habit of going back to the older guys like Brock Lesnar.”

Lesnar was revealed to be the man scheduled to fight Reigns for the WWE Universal Title at SummerSlam after reports surfaced that Reigns’ originally planned opponent, Randy Orton, was going to be out with injury perhaps through all of 2022, but Lesnar has faced Lesnar at numerous headline events, including just recently, at WrestleMania 38 in Dallas.

“Roman Reigns, he needs to wrestle some new talent, some NXT guys, upcoming talent that are very talented, that can match his skill,” Angle said. He didn’t mention any names, but NXT has been heavily promoting stars such as NXT Champion Bron Breakker, the North American Champion Carmelo Hayes, and Roman Reigns’ legit “Bloodline” cousin in Solo Sikoa.

“I have nothing against Brock Lesnar coming back and wrestling Roman Reigns again but it’s already been done, and you don’t want to keep doing that over and over again. You have to make new talent,” Angle added.

Angle is no stranger to battling Brock Lesnar himself, as the two had a historic main event with one another at WrestleMania 19. He’s also no stranger at helping build new stars as he was the first to face-off against John Cena in his WWE debut. The same can be said for Taz, who gave Angle his first WWE loss when debuting for the promotion back at Royal Rumble 2000.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “NBC Sports” and give a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Have a news tip or correction? Send it to [email protected]

counter

Sign up for Wrestling Inc. Breaking News Alerts

Posted on

From Royal Rumble to Survivor Series: Marquee WWE events Cody Rhodes will miss due to torn pec

From Royal Rumble to Survivor Series: Marquee WWE events Cody Rhodes will miss due to torn pec
Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes is set to miss many marquee events in the remainder of 2022. Photo: WWE.com

KEY HIGHLIGHTS

  • Cody Rhodes has been ruled out of action for 9 months due to a torn pec
  • The American Nightmare competed at Hell in a Cell with the injury
  • Cody is likely to be fit in time for Wrestlemania 39
Cody Rhodes‘ rise to the top of the WWE ladder was halted due to a torn pec that he suffered before his Hell in a Cell match against Seth Rollins. The American Nightmare looked set to establish himself after yet another win over Rollins but his rise quest to climb to the top was stymied due to the injury.
WWE has announced that Cody will stay out of action for 9 months, which rules him out of many marquee events. From Royal Rumble to Survivor Series, here’s a look at marquee events that Cody Rhodes will miss due to a torn pec –

Money in the Bank 2022

Cody was booked as the face of the company since his return and he was the sole superstar featured in the advertisement for Money in the Bank 2022. He became the center of attraction on the updated poster for the event. Despite the injury, the former Intercontinental Champion teased appearing on the show but he will now sit out of action for long.

Clash at the Castle

Cody was among very few superstars on the poster for Clash at the Castle 2022. The premium event will mark WWE’s comeback to the UK after 30 years. The UK hasn’t hosted a premium live event since SummerSlam 1992. Cody looked set to be part of a marquee match at the event. But the fans in Cardiff won’t be able to watch him in action.

SummerSlam

SummerSlam is the Biggest Part of the Summer and can draw countless fans to the stadium as Wrestlemania does. Before the Clash at the Castle, Cody would have been in action in a stadium against another top-rated superstar at SummerSlam.

Survivor Series

Survivor Series is one of the top 4 premium live events of the year and Cody would have probably led Team Raw or would have been a part of a championship match. In his absence, Bobby Lashley, Kevin Owens and Rollins could be the frontrunners to lead the red brand later in the year.

Royal Rumble 2023

After it was confirmed that Cody was competing against Rollins with a torn pec, the fans expected him to make his return at Royal Rumble 2023, which is scheduled to take place in January. But since he is out of action for 9 months, the WWE Universe shouldn’t expect him to be one of the surprise entrants at the event.

Cody remains in line to be back at Wrestlemania 39 and he might once again face Rollins at the Show of the Shows.