WWE: Ricky Saints on Triple H Calling Him About Joining WWE, Goldberg on His Retirement Opponent Could Have Been ‘Anybody That Opened Their Mouth Negatively About Me & My Family’, Big 12 Partnership Expansion for SmackDown Shows

Ricky Saints Comments on Triple H Calling Him About Joining WWE & Reason for Starting in NXT

A recent episode of the What Do You Wanna Talk About? with Cody Rhodes podcast featured Ricky Saints as the guest. One of the topics discussed included Saints’ thoughts about WWE CCO Paul “Triple H” Levesque calling him about potentially joining WWE and the reason for starting in NXT.

“Hunter (was who called me about coming to WWE). Yeah. Triple H called me. Just got off a flight to Seattle actually, and he called me and I was just like, ‘Uh,’ because I didn’t know the number, and it didn’t say Stamford or anything so I was like who is this? And I always answer it. Even if it’s an unknown, I’ll always answer… So Hunter calls me, I’m getting off this flight in Seattle and I can barely hear him. The airport’s so loud and he asks me, ‘Hey, would you wanna come in?’ And, ‘We’re interested,’ blah, blah. ‘We’d love to have you. You’re talented,’ X, Y and Z and I was like, ‘Oh yeah, sure. Hell yeah,’ and right as I’m getting on the tram, he says something about — he was like, ‘Raw or SmackDown’ and I was like, ‘Wait, what? What did you say?’ And I was so scared to say, ‘Hey, could you repeat yourself?’ Because I know how it feels, that I said, ‘Yeah, yeah, for sure.’ Basically, what he was saying was, ‘Hey, we’re not gonna put you on Raw or SmackDown just yet…’ But he wanted me to meet Shawn (Michaels), and so that was like a big thing. I was like, ‘Of course I will. Yes, I would love that.’ That’s all I really wanted is just resources. I feel like I’m a rough diamond that just needs a little polishing.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

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Goldberg Comments on His Retirement Opponent Could Have Been ‘Anybody That Opened Their Mouth Negatively About Me & My Family’

NBC’s 11Alive News held a recent interview with WWE Hall of Famer Bill Goldberg. One of the topics discussed included Glodberg’s thoughts about Gunther being his final opponent and how it could have been anyone else instead.

“Well, as I said the other night on the show, I was vying for my retirement match and he just so happened to put himself in that spot. It could have happened to anybody that opened their mouth negatively about me and my family when we were there, back for the pay-per-view (Bad Blood). So I don’t know whether it was planned by him. I don’t know. All I can say is he willingly stepped right into that spot, and I willingly accepted him as my final opponent. I just want to put my fist through his face. I, I just want to make sure that this younger generation and he’s representing that younger generation respects us old guys and doesn’t, and they don’t, and they must understand that we must command that respect forever because you never know what position they’re in or condition they’re in or.. You never know if they’re still willing to go and I’m still willing to go. So you better watch your mouth and you, younger generation, man, look up to your elders, respect them because you never know what can happen.”

Transcript h/t: Fightful.com

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WWE Announces Partnership Expansion Deal with Big 12 Conference

WWE announced that they recently signed a new partnership expansion deal with the Big 12 conference to hold multiple episodes of WWE SmackDown in Big 12 markets during the 2025 College Football season.

Official press release:

WWE® & BIG 12 CONFERENCE TO BRING FRIDAY NIGHT SMACKDOWN TO BIG 12 MARKETS DURING 2025 COLLEGE FOOTBALL SEASON

SmackDown to Emanate from 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland on August 22 Ahead of Week 0 Matchup Between Iowa State and Kansas State on August 23

July 9, 2025 – WWE, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), and the Big 12 Conference today announced an expansion to their multi-faceted partnership that will see Friday Night SmackDown broadcast from Big 12 markets on the eve of four conference football games throughout the 2025 season.

The first SmackDown will be held on Friday, August 22 at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland, a day before the 30th year of Big 12 Football kicks off with a Week 0 matchup between the Iowa State Cyclones and Kansas State Wildcats in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic on Saturday, August 23 at Aviva Stadium.

Full dates include:

Friday, August 22 – SmackDown at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland (Iowa State vs. Kansas State on Saturday, August 23)

Friday, October 3 – SmackDown at Heritage Bank Center in Cincinnati, Ohio (Iowa State at Cincinnati on Saturday, October 4)

Friday, October 24 – SmackDown at Mullett Arena in Tempe, Arizona (Houston at Arizona State on Saturday, October 25)

Friday, October 31 – SmackDown at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah (Cincinnati at Utah on Saturday, November 1)