Andrew Yang has responded to a post suggesting WWE wrestlers should join SAG-AFTRA.
Kevin Nash recently said on his Kliq This podcast that WWE wrestlers should look into joining the union amid reports of WWE/TKO asking some wrestlers to take pay cuts. Several wrestling news sites published Nash’s comments, and Yang responded to a post from Cultaholic.
“Nash is right – WWE wrestlers participate in highly-rated scripted programming every week. They should be SAG-AFTRA members already.”
Yang has been critical of WWE’s treatment of its talent and classification of wrestlers as independent contractors in the past. In 2020, he criticized WWE introducing a new policy restricting talent from working with third parties, such as Twitch. The situation led to Zelina Vega’s brief departure from WWE at the time.
Yang was also critical of WWE earlier this year regarding celebrity involvement at WrestleMania, writing, “It seems that TKO has really screwed up WWE/Wrestlemania with ads and celebs and getting away from the heart of pro wrestling – and talented performers are paying the price.”
Nash is right – WWE wrestlers participate in highly-rated scripted programming every week. They should be SAG-AFTRA members already. https://t.co/KkC6ClLcag
A look at the WWE draft is the lead story in the new issue of the Wrestling Observer.
We look at the different moves made, why they were made, look at the depth charts with both brands to see what is and isn’t lacking, talk the return of talent, talent being kept apart, the whys behind some moves, and the rosters of both brands.
The new issue also covers:
The G1 Climax tournament, with match-by-match coverage of every show this past week, with star ratings and poll results. We look at the quality of shows, matches being built up, who have been the stars and best matches of the tournament.
The Cena wedding, how much Linda McMahon has donated to Trump’s campaign, lots of WWE injury updates, Lawsuit updates, Total Bellas notes, U.K TV ratings, new WWE documentary, how wrestling stacks up to other sports on TV, WWE filming an indie star for documentary, upcoming TV bouts, WWE market value, a new WWE book, and the most-watched shows on the WWE Network this past week.
Saturday’s UFC show from Abu Dhabi and the ramifications of the top matches.
A feature on Len Rossi, one of the biggest stars in Tennessee and Alabama from 1958 to 1972, his career in the ring, his life after wrestling, his tag team partners and most well-known angles. It’s a look back at a unique era of pro wrestling and how Rossi was a key to change in a unique time.
The indictment of the former Alberto Del Rio on a sexual assault and kidnapping case.
Results of all the major pro wrestling events around the world over the past week.
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WEDNESDAY NEWS UPDATE
WWE
Former Democratic presidential candidate Andrew Yang on Talk is Jericho said that if Joe Biden wins in November, he would be in a position to inform the new Secretary of Labor regarding WWE’s business practices. “If we win, I’m going to be in a position where I can call up the Secretary of Labor or in this case, it’s the National Labor Relations Board and then, bring suit against WWE and say, “Hey, I think you’re misclassifying your employees here and the damages would be really significant,”, Yang told Jericho (h/t Post Wrestling). “So, that is more or less the plan. We may need to have some brave performer or ex-performer come forward and say “Look, here are the practices”, and I have been contacted by folks who are like “Look, I believe in this and I’m at a point in my career where they can’t really do anything to me anyway, so let’s have at this” because customarily for a National Labor Relations Board action it typically has to be an employee that initiates, so that is one of the trickier elements of this. But I’m very confident we can get there because there are a lot of people that recognize this is wrong and it’s been going on for far too long.”
Seth Rollins, Diamond Dallas Page, Lilian Garcia, and Damian Priest were all on today’s episode of The Bump.
A special episode of The Bump will air on Sunday prior to Hell in a Cell featuring Bayley, Murphy, Jey Uso, and Mick Foley.
WWE has added a “The Best of Hell in a Cell” compilation on the WWE Network.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Quibi, a mobile streaming service that aired the WWE show ‘Fight Like a Girl’, will be shutting down after launching in April.
The company announced today that they have declared their quarterly dividend to be $0.12 per share for all Class A and B shares of common stock.
The WWE Performance Center’s YouTube channel has released a video featuring Jake Atlas explaining where his love of pro wrestling comes from.
Bobby Fish talked to Wrestling Inc. on NXT being on USA Network for one year and bringing respect back to the NXT Tag Team titles.
Other Wrestling
Today marks the 48th anniversary of All Japan Pro Wrestling’s debut show, which was held on October 21, 1972.
Johnny Meadows, who worked for WCW and Smoky Mountain Wrestling as an enhancement talent and later worked as a musician, passed away on October 20 after battling COVID-19 for two months.
The BBC has an article on Nadia Sapphire, a wrestler in the United Kingdom who talked about being harassed and groomed while being a part of the UK independent wrestling scene..
John E. Bravo and Rosemary will get married on next week’s episode of Impact.
OVW and Al Snow Wrestling Academy have announced that they are partnering with Qatar Pro Wrestling.
The latest edition of Hiroshi Tanahashi’s Aces High looks at the year 2002 in New Japan Pro Wrestling, including the various departures and his experience working his first G1 Climax tournament.
Terry Funk released a short video regarding people trying to impersonate him on Twitter.
