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In this episode, we discuss John Cena's Announcement, TKO Updates including cuts, contracts, etc., another New Japan Star coming to WWE, and the rest of the day's news and rumors.

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Transcript
00:21I got 141 and two-thirds chance of winning at Sacrifice.
00:51I got 141 and two-thirds chance of winning at Sacrifice.
01:00And I am a much-looking savage.
01:04Shut your mouth, you thong-wearing fatty.
01:06It's me, Austin.
01:08Whoa!
01:09Bang!
01:10I got 141 and two-thirds chance of winning at Sacrifice.
01:15I got 141 and two-thirds chance of winning at Sacrifice.
01:16No breaks with it.
01:17Y'all are made for...
01:26I said WWE stands for...
01:33Promotional consideration paid for by the following.
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02:25Hello, everybody, and welcome to this episode of the Fro Wrestling Podcast.
02:28If you've got questions, comments, something you want me to touch on in the future episode,
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02:33Fro Wrestling Sound Offline, 267-642-1160, and we will get to those questions or comments in a future episode.
02:41Jumping into WWE news tonight, John Cena says that his announcement at Backlash will shock the foundation of WWE.
02:49This is the thing I hate about all these types of announcements and things like that.
02:52They never live up to the hype.
02:55The only thing John Cena could announce that would shock the foundation of WWE would either be that they were
03:01being sold
03:02to Vince McMahon and the Saudis, that he was returning to wrestling, or he's announcing a new WrestleMania announcement,
03:08which I would suspect is possible that he may announce WrestleMania going to the United Kingdom after they go next
03:16year to Saudi Arabia.
03:17That's the only things I could wrap my brain around that would shock the foundation of WWE.
03:21If it's not going to be anything like that, then no matter what he says, it's not going to shock
03:25the foundation of anything.
03:26That's overhype, and then when it doesn't deliver on the hype, people are going to be frustrated.
03:31I hope whatever it is is a big deal.
03:33I hope whatever they do, people understand that this is modus operandi for TKO now.
03:40Hype everything up, get the maximum views, maximize profitability, and if they give you a letdown, they don't care if
03:45you walk away.
03:45That's what their own leadership has said in the past.
03:47They don't care if they lose some of their viewers as long as the bottom line is still at the
03:53top of the food chain.
03:54So whatever it is, what it is, which is interesting for an organization that this week has been, you know,
03:59in the last two weeks has been cutting so many people, but then other people have been signing new contracts.
04:03We know that Triple H got a new contract at the same time that The New Day, Aleister Black, Selena
04:07Vega,
04:08all these people were being cut.
04:09And now this week, Nick Khan signs a new multi-year deal to remain with WWE as their president through
04:142030,
04:14which will bring his tenure there to 10 years.
04:16So there is a quarterly earnings report that TKO files, and you can see in that report new terms of
04:23his deal.
04:23Nick Khan will receive a base salary of $2 million for this year, the year that ends December 31st.
04:29It will increase to $3 million annually from that period beyond for starting in January 1st, 2027 until the end
04:34of the term.
04:35And then he is eligible for annual bonuses measured at 150% of his base salary for 2026 and 200
04:42% for the remaining years.
04:43He's also entitled to receive an equity award of $11 million worth of restricted stock units when he signs,
04:50as well as annually a target amount equal to $7.5 million more for 2026 and $8.5 million every
04:57year following.
04:58And then there's also a special award incentive, one time of $5 million.
05:02So when you look at this, Nick Khan is going to be making who knows how many millions because that
05:08restricted stock units,
05:09those are worth significantly more than the $11 million they're giving him.
05:13Because their stock has just been skyrocketing for the longest time because of all this profitability stuff that is all
05:18they wrap their minds around.
05:19Under the deal, he does have non-disclosure, non-compete, non-solicitation agreements in place for 24 months
05:25if he is for some reason dismissed or departs the company.
05:30But signing somebody like him to a contract like this, Triple H last week with another huge contract,
05:35all while cutting talent just sometimes leaves a bad taste.
05:39Now Dave Meltzer has reported that the WWE has the releases that they've done are over.
05:44That doesn't mean we're not going to hear more names released, but those names that would be released,
05:49they could still come out with some more, but those people would have already been notified
05:53and just been told not to say anything on social media or have not had their names removed from the
05:58website yet.
05:59What I find interesting is somebody pointed out on social media tonight that Shane McMahon's profile
06:04has been moved back to the active roster page tonight on WWE.com.
06:08Now I have not personally verified that, but I saw multiple people posting about that.
06:12It makes you wonder what's going on with Shane McMahon.
06:14And then staying with the TKO theme, Mark Shapiro, the president of TKO,
06:19addressed the future of WWE and UFC events in Saudi Arabia.
06:24And it's not just WWE and UFC.
06:27It's also their Zufa boxing that they started.
06:29So he made a special point to emphasize that there are events in 2026,
06:35despite what's going on in the Middle East, that they are going to be doing in Azerbaijan,
06:39in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in Riyadh.
06:42He talks about that there are going to be more events, six more events in the Middle East
06:46across the three brands in the rest of 2026 and talked about how there's such a high demand
06:52in the Middle East because of their programming.
06:54And they are not backing off of this.
06:55So regardless of what's going on in the Middle East,
06:59there's a growing partnership with TKO in Saudi Arabia.
07:02And I don't believe that they're going to slow down.
07:04They're only looking at the money.
07:06And I almost wonder if they're even considering the safety of the talent.
07:10AEW's Jeff Jarrett talked about his concerns about the partnership,
07:13talking about it being a conflict, and he believes there's a combination
07:18between Saudi Arabia pushing for more shows, you know,
07:21so the conflict doesn't seem as bad, and WWE chasing the money,
07:25leading to a growing partnership.
07:27And I don't disagree.
07:28I think Jeff Jarrett hits the nail on the head with that,
07:29and that's something to be concerned about.
07:31Let's go with another WWE story that hit today.
07:34Another former New Japan pro wrestling superstar,
07:37but possibly headed to WWE.
07:39Earlier in the year, released in February,
07:41that the thought process was they thought this talent would go to
07:44All Elite Wrestling, and now there's been a filing for Nox Raijin,
07:50a name that everybody thought was going to be used for evil
07:52when he made his debut.
07:54Word is that is not the case.
07:55Now he's going to be Naraku, which is what he's going to be featured on NXT,
07:59and Body Slam is reporting that that name, Nox Raijin,
08:03is instead potentially for Hiromu Takahashi,
08:06who if you've never seen him perform in New Japan pro wrestling,
08:09this young man is incredible.
08:11He would fit very well with the NXT brand,
08:14and eventually on the main roster,
08:15and it sounds like Hiromu Takahashi may be coming to WWE.
08:18That, with him coming to WWE,
08:20I have to wonder if Tetsuya, Naito, and Bushi
08:25might consider it as well in the near future.
08:27I would love to see all of them there,
08:29because I think I'd like to see as many New Japan talents
08:31come to the United States,
08:32and get premium looks and opportunities on a huge platform like that,
08:37if for no other reason,
08:38just to kind of boost New Japan's business,
08:40because New Japan essentially is becoming a farm system
08:43for AEW and WWE as of late.
08:46So, but congrats to Hiromu Takahashi
08:48if he is indeed coming to WWE.
08:50And one last tidbit I have to get into tonight,
08:52WWE related,
08:54Quattrero found guilty of attempted femicide
08:57against WWE's Stephanie Vicker,
08:59and if you don't know what's going on with this,
09:02he was found guilty.
09:03His sentence is going to be announced Tuesday.
09:06He was arrested in 2023,
09:09basically going after Vicker,
09:11alleging that he grabbed her by the neck,
09:13threw her against a wall,
09:14and all this stuff over messages
09:16that he was sending to an unknown party.
09:18And it was just not a good look.
09:21And without going into details,
09:22because I don't believe in doing that,
09:23there was photo evidence.
09:25It went to trial,
09:27and he has been found guilty.
09:28So, I'll be curious to see what his punishment is
09:30and how he basically atones for his crime.
09:32But I'm thrilled for Stephanie Vicker.
09:35Hopefully that brings some closure for her,
09:37and she can move forward with what she's dealing with right now,
09:40which is an injury in WWE
09:41that supposedly is going to keep her out six to eight weeks.
09:44So, we'll have to see how that plays out.
09:45That's all the time we have for this episode.
09:47Check back with us next episode.
09:48We'll run down the latest wrestling news and rumors.
09:50Special thanks, as always,
09:51to Suno for creating the music and sound effects
09:52we use in our show.
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10:22I'm Fred Froelich, better known as Dr. Fro.
10:24I want to thank you for taking some time with us today.
10:25Until next time, take care, everybody.
10:27Have a great night.
10:27I want to thank you for joining us today.
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