Want more wrestling news, rumors, and results? Be sure to visit PWInsider.com and PWInsiderXtra.com.
Why is WWE airing multiple episodes of NXT UK a week? I can't keep up.
They aren't doing it so that you can't keep up! WWE had filmed a number of episodes in advance while they were trying to hammer out a local TV deal. Since that didn't happen and they ended up placing the series on their own Network, they are trying to catch up to "real time" so the episodes are taped and aired quicker. In time, they will get caught up and air an episode a week.
You've had a rough week when it comes to people incorrectly reporting things you have said and taken them out of context. Do you worry about the ripple effect of that, i.e. an issue with WWE or Impact or a wrestler because of them seeing the incorrect version? Or losing readers who think you had an incorrect story?
I don't, because I can always offer someone the Elite audio so they can hear what was said in context. If anything, it's only helped as it actually helped us to add new sources in the last week after they reached out wondering what was actually said. The major companies closely monitor what we report and say here, so they are aware anyway. It should be pretty obvious to any reader very quickly who is changing the context of a statement in order to make a false story sound true or to incorrectly credit me for something I never said. Once that happens, it's on the reader to choose whether they want to continue to support an outlet that lies to them and if they do, that's their decision, as dumb as that choice would be, in my opinion. I mostly feel bad that anyone's time is wasted in cases like we saw with the false Braun, Paige and Homicide stories, but I can do nothing to control the stupidity of those responsible for making false claims about my reporting.
Do you think WWE cancelling the Wrestlemania Party is a bad omen for WWE fan interest in the show? Should we be worried they will cancel Mania for weather?
Absolutely not. They canceled the event because it's scheduled to be 20-30 degrees with rain and snow all day here in the NYC area and they didn't want to subject everyone involved to that. They didn't cancel for lack of interest. The company made a ton of cash yesterday with the online pre-sale and will continue to make more in the days to come. They are not going to cancel Wrestlemania for weather unless there is a massive natural disaster. They have a ring specially built that pumps heat out of the ringposts into the ring and the talents will be covered with a canopy. Remember, they ran Metlife Stadium for Wrestlemania before. They know what they need to do. The fans might be freezing and sitting in the cold, but the wrestlers will be protected and the show will go on.
What do you make of all the heat on Nia Jax among fans after the Becky Lynch incident?
I don't believe for a second that Jax purposely hurt Lynch. Errant shots happen all the time. If Jax is heavy handed, that is something she and the company will need to address, but I think a lot of the anger is ill-placed and is probably magnified among fans online because it's the women's division, because fans were greatly looking forward to Becky vs. Ronda Rousey and Becky is pretty much the hottest female star at the moment. If the same thing had happened with Samoa Joe and Daniel Bryan, for example, I don't think there would be the same amount of outrage. Would I believe there are others on the roster who are down on Jax over the injury? Sure, I can believe that, even if no one has specifically said that to me, even off record. No one, especially in WWE, goes out there with the intent of hurting the person they are working with. Someone zigged when they should have zagged, with unfortunate circumstances. It's happened before and it will happen again at some point, with the men and the women. It's just an unfortunate thing that happened that, oddly enough, will make Jax a bigger monster heel and make Lynch a bigger star.
Why did WWE make the footage of Lynch bloody black and white? Will they do that with the WWE Network version?
They did it to maintain their PG TV rating. The blood happening live is one thing. It's live TV. Choosing to show is in taped segments is another. I don't believe it will be edited on the WWE Network version when that appears in a month.
I saw Adam Pearce backstage. What does he do for the company?
Pearce works as a Producer and helps put matches together with talents. He's been with the company for a few years now.
If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!
Bang On Casino
