Backstage Details On Late Changes During WWE Raw After WrestleMania
There was reportedly turmoil backstage during Monday night's episode of "WWE Raw," the production chaos that normally comes with previously-ousted Chairman Vince McMahon.
Fightful Select is reporting that McMahon was at the Gorilla position backstage throughout the night, which featured multiple run sheets handed out throughout the night. Initially, Piper Niven, Liv Morgan, and Dakota Kai were supposed to kick off the show, but their scrapped three-way match was replaced with Omos versus Elias. So last minute was the Elias-Omos match, Omos reportedly didn't have his gear when the match was added. Raquel Rodriguez, Candice LeRae, and IYO SKY were also scheduled for a three-way match that was scrapped. Both women's matches were intended to determine potential challengers for the "Raw" Women's Championship but they were cut in favor of a number-one contender match for the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship.
A segment featuring Cody Rhodes on the phone with someone was reportedly cut from the show sometime Monday morning. Rhodes ended up teaming with Brock Lesnar for an ill-fated tag match that never started due to Lesnar attacking "The American Nightmare" before the bell. A Latino World Order segment likely involving Bad Bunny was also cut from the show in favor of Bunny appearing live at ringside before being laid out by Damian Priest.
McMahon was on-site fresh off the announcement that Endeavor has agreed to purchase WWE, merging it with MMA powerhouse UFC in a new, yet-to-be-named company that will reportedly be worth around $21 billion. Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel asked for more input from the previously-retired McMahon on the WWE programming, saying he "paid a fair price" for the company.