Below are a couple of top WWE news stories of the day, featuring Vince McMahon, SmackDown and Jacqueline.
• As WWE prepares to move SmackDown back to the USA Network on September 13, it’s a momentous transition in the company’s history.
Reflecting on WWE’s time on FOX, Sean Ross Sapp addressed whether the deal with FOX went sour during his Backstage Report podcast on Fightful Select.
Sapp explained that while FOX was initially enthusiastic about the partnership, their excitement faded over time, particularly during the pandemic.
Vince McMahon’s booking was a key factor in this decline, as some at FOX felt the shows were not meeting the expectations set for them. The challenges brought by COVID-19 also contributed to this shift in perception, significantly impacting how WWE produced its content.
“I would say they are indifferent to WWE at this stage. I did hear from some people from FOX recently who said, ‘Well, they aren’t tanking the shows or anything. They are still giving us good shows.’ They didn’t feel like that in 2020 and 2021.
They felt, especially under Vince McMahon—some of the last days of that or some of the last years of that—that he was not giving them a lot of what they’d been told.
Some of it was chalked up to COVID. COVID was a major part of souring some of the views from people at FOX. Now, I will say this: since the last couple of years, especially the last year and a half, people that I’ve talked to there have a more positive disposition regarding things than they did then.”
WATCH: Former WWE Diva Summer Rae’s Bare Buns:
• Jacqueline Moore has officially signed a Legends Contract with WWE, as reported by Double Take Sports. This milestone makes her the first African American female to sign such a contract with the company, solidifying her legacy as a trailblazer in the wrestling industry.
Jacqueline, a 2016 WWE Hall of Fame inductee, is a two-time WWF Women’s Champion and a WWE Cruiserweight Champion, marking her as one of WWE’s most accomplished female performers.
A Legends Contract ensures that stars like Jacqueline will be featured in various WWE projects, including video games, action figures, and other merchandise, preserving their legacy for future generations.
