During the WWE Wrestlepalooza pre-show, the conversation turned to the much-anticipated in-ring return of AJ Lee and WWE’s broader approach to welcoming back former talent. In a candid exchange with Big E, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque acknowledged a noticeable shift in company culture that has made WWE a more appealing destination for wrestlers who once thought their time in the promotion was over.
Big E framed the discussion around the changing atmosphere in WWE:
“When I think of some of the biggest stars currently on our roster and on the show tonight, I think of a lot of people that have left and are in other companies or are done with their careers. It feels like things have shifted, and I think CM Punk alluded to it when he was talking to his wife. The culture is different. As far as bringing people that might have said, ‘WWE is behind me,’ there are so many people coming back home and seeming energized by that. Have you had a more open mind about working with talent that might have wanted to come back?”
Triple H confirmed that not only has the door been opened, but wrestlers are actively reaching out to him on a regular basis about returning.
“I think so. I think the layout of how we operate — when you were trying to get to the top of the mountain, your drive, the grind, had to be different. And the workload here used to be very, very difficult. You know, it took a special person to be in that grind. A special performer to want to do that day in and day out for years on end, and it seemed like there was no light at the end of the tunnel. It is a bit different now. The culture is different now. The way superstars approach things is different now. I think it is a different timeframe. There is less workload, but that less workload opens itself up to a bit of scarcity that leads to a demand, to me.”
He went on to reveal just how much interest there is in returning to WWE under the new regime.
“So we have this talent — there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t get a text or voicemail from someone that says, ‘I want to come home’ or ‘Is there an opportunity there for me?’ Or, ‘I’m overseas right now, I have this time on my deal, and I would love to explore WWE and come into the Performance Center.’ The opportunity right now, and where we sit, opportunities like Netflix, The CW, USA, and ESPN open the door to talent to say, ‘Man, I’m in this place in my life, and I want to go to the top of the mountain again — or I want to be on the top of the mountain.’”
Triple H’s comments underscore how much WWE’s landscape has shifted since the Vince McMahon era, with the company’s expansion across ESPN, Netflix, The CW, and USA Network not only growing its reach but also sparking renewed interest from talent worldwide.
