Andreas Hale’s handy guide to the UFC-WWE merger | Crooklyn’s Corner 36

Our latest episode features Sporting News senior writer and documentary filmmaker Andreas Hale to give us a handy guide to the UFC-WWE merger for those that don't keep up with pro wrestling.

By: Stephie Haynes | 2 months ago
Andreas Hale’s handy guide to the UFC-WWE merger | Crooklyn’s Corner 36
Episode 36 guest, Andreas Hale | Art courtesy of June M. Williams & Anton Tabuena

In our latest episode, Stephie is joined by documentary filmmaker and Sporting News senior writer Andreas Hale for a quick rundown of all the things you might not know about the WWE side of the merger. Andreas has been embedded in the pro-wrestling landscape for more than a decade, covering it extensively and continues to through a variety of outlets and podcasts. Thanks to his years of experience covering not just the WWE, but MMA and boxing as well, he was a shoe-in for the task of providing an easy to follow, no frills explainer for the MMA fan that doesn’t yet share community space with the pro wrestling fan.

Episode 36: Guide to the UFC-WWE Merger

  • Brief of the history of the WWE and Vince’s role since taking over from his father
  • What “Chief of Creative” entails
  • Nick Khan’s role/Triple H’s role
  • Familial dynamic/roles within the McMahon family

The first half of the show covers the early roots of the WWE, Vince’s takeover and some important moments in the company’s history. It also lays out what Chief of Creative involves and lays out key roles for those outside the McMahon family name, as well as identifying the major players within the family.

The second half deals with Vince’s various scandals within the WWE that reach back decades, as well as some notable similarities and differences in how the UFC and WWE are run, what the upside and downside of the merger are, and what this deal could mean for other wrestling promotions, if anything. We also weighed out the possibilities of crossovers and what that could actually mean (Hint: a crossover appearance doesn’t necessarily mean we’re getting crossover matches).

For our paying subscribers on Substack, we have a special treat for you. With the latest Crooklyn’s Corner Podcast Substack, you get some EXCLUSIVE BONUS CONTENT right away – stay tuned after the break for THE REST OF THE SHOW (accessible only to paid subscribers), featuring extra headline coverage or the remainder of the episode you happen to be listening to.

Bonus Content

  • What exactly is Vince’s role now and what does his salary look like going into this deal?
  • Vince’s controversial headlines over the span of decades
  • How does Vince differ from Dana? Conversely, how are they alike?
  • Upside for the merger
  • Hindrances for the merger
  • Are they (they being the superpowers at the newly formed company) now bulletproof?
  • Are there similarities in how the companies were run and what could change with the merger?
  • What does this mean for the smaller promotions like AEW and NJPW?

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About the author
Stephie Haynes
Stephie Haynes

Stephie Haynes has been covering MMA since 2005. She has also worked for MMA promotion Proelite and apparel brand TapouT. She hosted TapouT’s official radio show for four years before joining Bloody Elbow in 2012. She has interviewed everyone there is to interview in the fight game from from Dana White to Conor McGregor to Kimbo Slice, as well as mainstream TV, film and music stars including Norman Reedus, RZA and Anthony Bourdain. She has been producing the BE podcast network since 2017 and hosts four of its current shows.

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