WWE Backlash 2024 Recap, Tony Khan-NFL Network & more musing

The past two weeks have been quite eventful and I've decided to compile all the noteworthy incidents into one blog instead of writing separate columns for each.

You might think I'm lazy, but there's a lot to do and not enough time to write columns, conduct interviews, and handle everyday life. You can take legal action against me if you wish, but I'm determined to explore all of this and more.

It's great news that Tanga Loa is now the third member of Solo Sikoa's team.

Moving forward with the Bloodline, there has been a major concern on how to ensure that each crew member is equally strong. With Roman Reigns currently busy filming a movie, it looks like he may be unavailable for some time. Jimmy Uso has also been absent from TV, which has placed pressure on Solo Sikoa to step up and take on the role of the leading star.

Up until now, the strategy is proving successful and it's worth acknowledging the contribution made by Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa, who have added an extra level.

At Backlash, Tanga Loa finally came back to the WWE and helped Tama and Solo triumph over Kevin Owens and Randy Orton. The Guerilla's of Destiny, who Tama co-founded, are well-known as one of the finest tag teams across the globe and a significant part of The Bullet Club.

Tanga has had a lengthy journey to regain his place in the wrestling world. He initially appeared as Camacho and teamed up with Hunico. However, he gained experience and thrived in New Japan, making his comeback even more enjoyable.

To start with, these wrestlers are among the finest tag teams in professional wrestling in all aspects. They possess size, speed, athleticism and unlike some previous members of The Elite, they know how to gain popularity regardless of their location. WWE is already highlighting their background, referring to them as Guerilla's of Destiny, the offspring of Haku from New Japan.

The first stages of preparation are taking place for the upcoming conflict between different bloodlines.

Discover the reality of what happens behind the curtain with The Rock's behind-the-scenes shenanigans.

Dwayne Johnson has been hit with more accusations of misconduct in the past week than anyone else in the western hemisphere, besides Donald Trump and Joe Biden. These allegations include showing up to set hours late, urinating in water bottles, allowing unqualified family members to run his film company, and committing various other atrocious acts.

As per usual, this tale has a deeper meaning that may not be immediately evident. Allow me to elaborate and offer clarification.

To begin with, a few statements about Rock have some truth to them; he has a track record of showing up late to the filming location, using his political power to his advantage, and exhibiting some tendencies of diva behavior.

In other updates, it is a commonly known fact that water is wet and the entertainment industry is abundant with individuals of such nature. My opinion aligns with Mr. Tito's on most matters, however, I must respectfully disagree with his statement regarding Dwayne's employability in the event of displaying similar behavior. Historical evidence suggests otherwise.

Search for Alex Baldwin, Val Kilmer, Marlon Brando, Julia Roberts, and Bill Murray on Google to see some examples of difficult actors. In the world of television and movie production, if you're making money, rude and unpleasant behavior is not only acceptable but often rewarded.

It's quite ironic that all of this is surfacing right after The Rock publicly criticized voting for Joe Biden.

Even on FOX News, believe it or not.

The entertainment industry in Hollywood is largely influenced by liberal ideals. Many of the influential decision makers not only identify as staunch Democrat supporters but also contribute financially to the party. As such, when Rock made the announcement on FOX News that he does not plan to vote for Biden, it was seen as a declaration of war against Hollywood's Democratic community.

At the same time, TKO Sports is happy to tolerate The Rock's occasional diva-like requests or behavior. He generated a lot of revenue for WWE in the run-up to WrestleMania, as well as at the event itself. In addition, he provides them with a conversation topic whenever they don't want people to discuss Vince McMahon and his mischievous actions.

Although there may be instances where The Rock's tardiness and difficult attitude can cause inconvenience, it is quite typical in the Hollywood industry.

France was a lively and noisy event that pointed towards the direction WWE is heading in the future.

During the past ten years, all sports leagues in America have been interested in increasing their market abroad. Since the American market has reached its maximum potential, all leagues including NFL, NBA, and MLB are seeking additional financial benefits. For this reason, NFL is organizing a game in Brazil this year, and the NHL is permitting its players to participate in Olympic Winter Games in China.

With TKO Sports now at the helm of WWE, we can anticipate an increase in both European tours and live events (PLE's) in Europe and Southeast Asia. The recent Backlash event in France was a major success, with the crowd electrified from the opening match and generating significant revenue for WWE.

Anticipate an increase in the abundance of PLE's and monumental mass gatherings in the forthcoming years.

This year, there will be PLE events happening in various countries such as Saudi Arabia, Germany, France, Scotland, and Canada. It's interesting to note that the only PLE event that has been confirmed to take place in the United States is SummerSlam, which will be held at the Cleveland Browns Stadium.

Hello and welcome to the worldwide WWE! This means that both UFC and WWE are aiming to attract a global audience. By doing so, they can generate more revenue, gain greater widespread recognition, and even establish their own leagues and divisions in international markets.

A few years back, WWE made an effort to create NXT UK and also intended to launch NXT in Mexico and Japan. However, due to the Covid pandemic, these plans were halted. Now, with the support of TKO Sports, who aims to become a worldwide organization, it seems WWE is ready to revisit these plans and achieve their goals by any means possible.

Understanding the controversy surrounding Cody Rhodes.

There is a heated discussion happening at the moment regarding Cody Rhodes's status in the wrestling world. Many are questioning whether he truly belongs in the main event or if he's actually just a mediocre mid-carder. Some argue that now that his storyline has come to an end, he may lose his spark and bring down the excitement in WWE.

I already discussed this before, however the reality is that WWE has currently placed Cody in a difficult position in the short term.

At the moment, Cody Rhodes is the most prominent and well-liked performer in the WWE. However, he concluded his narrative at an inopportune moment in regards to the rest of the roster.

When you take a glance at the lineup for the main event, you can easily notice the number of renowned wrestlers who are currently sidelined due to injuries or taking a break. CM Punk, Roman Reigns, Drew McIntyre, Seth Rollins, Brock Lesnar, and The Rock are all currently off the charts. Since there are no noteworthy opponents to stand against Cody until SummerSlam, WWE needs to come with exceptional ideas to make compelling storylines.

At the present time, the team has the opportunity to give some of their up-and-coming talents such as Bron Breakker, Carmelo Hayes, Creed Brothers, and Gunther the chance to evolve into future stars.

Cody is facing a tough challenge in finding strong opponents to compete against in the main event. The recent Draft didn't do him any favors, as his options are now extremely limited. WWE won't be pairing Cody with LA Knights, as they have bigger plans for him as their second-most popular hero. They don't want to risk damaging his reputation by matching him up with Knights.

There aren't many male wrestlers left on Smackdown that Cody hasn't already had problems with (like Nakamura and AJ Styles). And the guys who aren't in that category are already involved in some long term storylines (like Solo, Guerillas, Owens, and Orton). There are a few wrestlers who haven't been in the spotlight lately (like Andrade and Lashley), but they need some attention before they can be considered top contenders. Some people might say this isn't fair to Cody, but that's just part of being the face of the WWE.

Tony Khan keeps making verbal mistakes that end up harming AEW's reputation.

Tony Khan was believed to have a compelling storyline, but he destroyed it yet again by speaking out. His recent appearance on the NFL Network where he commented on the draft had him likening AEW to Pepsi, stating that the company was the most acclaimed sports startup since the AFL. He went on to make a comparison between WWE and Harvey Weinstein.

Tony's actions keep highlighting Dixie Carter's intelligence more and more each day.

To begin, we need to address the initial statement made about the startup. It's important to acknowledge that both the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Major League Soccer are significantly larger than AEW. It's worth noting that Tony has a background in soccer, so he would be well-aware of this fact. However, it seems that Tony isn't always truthful with his statements, which brings us to the second part of what he said.

Comparing WWE to Harvey Weinstein is foolish and insensitive. The hosts on the NFL Network quickly moved on from that comment.

Vince McMahon has been identified as a disturbing individual and all the issues he has created have been carefully documented. However, the present proprietors of WWE have not come under scrutiny. Additionally, these people have a significant partnership with NFL in their licensing agreement. Anyone who is familiar with NFL is aware that they avoid risking any business deals whenever possible.

After hearing Tony's constant nonsense, one cannot help but question whether numerous NFL owners have influenced Shad Khan to put a stop to his behavior. The NFL values its positive public relations and reputation, and Tony's actions continue to reflect poorly on them. AEW is not gaining any traction, as its ratings remain low, and the overall vibe suggests that things are only getting worse. This is largely due to Tony's lack of tact and his inclination towards insensitive remarks.

A wise and capable entrepreneur would have enlisted the services of a PR agency or media expert to manage their Twitter and public appearances. However, Tony opted to disregard this advice and recently appeared on the NFL Network, further demonstrating why he is unfit for TV since he consistently says inappropriate things.

Jade Cargill's performance at Backlash has put WWE in a difficult position.

It was pretty obvious to everyone that when Jade joined the WWE, she still needed to improve her skills inside the ring. Although she had all the looks, personality, and charisma, last Saturday's match highlighted some areas where she needs to work on her wrestling techniques.

Observing her in the ring brings to mind former WCW wrestler Steve McMichael in the way that she still has a lot to learn. Reviewing her previous matches in AEW demonstrates that she has never been instructed to do anything beyond the fundamentals. While this is a fine foundation, at some point she must exhibit a more seamless style and be able to smoothly execute moves with speed.

I reckon the reason for my lackluster performance could be attributed to Auska and Kairi Sane's petite stature, quick movements, and dynamic style. It's possible that it was just a bad night for me, but the real issue is that it's becoming a recurring problem.

Many wrestling enthusiasts including Mr. Tito and Duke Loves Rasslin have expressed their disappointment with AEW's training and preparation of a certain wrestler. Ideally, the WWE could have provided her with an opportunity to train and hone her skills for a longer period of time in NXT to help her become a better wrestler.

Due to the agreement they made with her and the high hopes of supporters and WWE alike, she will likely face a challenging learning curve ahead.

It is important for the benefit of all that it happens soon instead of later.

Paul Levesque is having an exceptional week among all the organizers in combat sports.

If you keep up with boxing, MMA, and professional wrestling, you'll notice that many of the people in charge are immature, sometimes unskilled, or just plain dishonest.

Take a look at the match between Canelo Alvarez and Jaime Munguia, where Oscar De La Hoya, who is the promoter for Golden Boy Promotions, had a disagreement with Canelo. Oscar asked Canelo to take drug tests and demanded respect from him. Later, when Canelo accused Oscar of taking money from his fighters, Oscar threatened him with a lawsuit for defamation.

Compared to Tony Khan, Bob Arum's outbursts, and Dana White's behavior, Levesque appears very polite and courteous.

Many individuals at NoDQ.com, including myself and Mr. Tito, have frequently made jokes about his planning and previous behaviors. However, it is now time to acknowledge the positive actions he has implemented.

Over the past couple of years, the once WWE champion and Hall of Famer has become a skilled organizer and marketer. He was instrumental in contributing to WWE's massive financial success both at home and abroad. Additionally, he worked on improving WWE's relations with TNA, Pro Noah, and GCW to the extent that they even engaged in joint ventures.

There were many people who believed that the WWE would crash and burn once Vince McMahon stepped down, but Levesque has not only taken charge but has also steered the company through a difficult phase and into a promising future, which looks bright for a long time to come.

Now is the moment to express appreciation to the man and give him his deserved recognition.

If you want to hear additional interviews with Fighters, Boxers, and Sports Reporters, visit www.lastcallpodcast.com or follow me on Twitter @LastCallwChrisC.