Actor and former WWE writer Freddie Prinze Jr. has had plans for his own wrestling promotion in the works for several years now, offering fans updates on his progress along the way. Speaking on his podcast, “Wrestling With Freddie,” Prinze provided another development on the project, revealing that one major media company passed on the idea.

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“I got a text during the podcast [last week] with the bad news,” Prinze said. “I’m comfortable saying who the pass was this week. … It was Warner-Discovery. They were the first people I went to and I … should’ve recognized by the types of questions that it was gonna be a no.”

Prinze referred to the idea for the promotion as his “brain-child” and said it can be difficult to maintain perspective when he is so passionate about the project. Warner Bros. Discovery isn’t the only company Prinze has pitched to, with the former “Scooby Doo” star stating that he was confident that another group was going to reject the idea as well. Without naming the brand, Prinze said it felt as though this unnamed corporation had no interest in wrestling during the pitching process. However, he remains hopeful that the right partnership will come around.

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“I think one [company] is a definite yes,” Prinze continued. “They’ve made multiple calls asking all kinds of questions, from creative to financial. When they start talking money, that’s when it’s getting serious.”

The aspiring promoter shared that there was one other party he was in contact with that he feels good about, referring to them as a “dark horse” choice. Though Prinze admitted that it might be a “weird” fit on the surface, the actor was adamant that he just wants to put more professional wrestling on TV and will keep updating his fans about the promotion in the days ahead.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Wrestling With Freddie” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Since the start of the NBA and NHL Playoffs a few weeks ago, wrestling ratings have, as expected, taken a dip, with viewership for “WWE Raw,” “WWE SmackDown,” “WWE NXT,” and “AEW Dynamite” all declining from the norm. Some wondered if that could change this past week for “Raw,” the first WWE TV show to air since WWE Backlash last weekend. Alas, the post-PLE bump wasn’t enough to counteract more NBA and NHL playoff action.

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Wrestlenomics and SportsMediaWatch report that Monday’s “Raw” drew 1.619 million viewers, along with 0.53 in the essential 18-49 demographic. While not steep falls, both categories were down from the previous week, with total viewership dropping 4% from 1.683 million, while 18-49 also decreased 4% from 0.55. Both numbers were down further compared to the four-week average, with total viewership falling 13%, while 18-49 is down 16%.

“Raw’s” first two hours would go against Game 1’s in both the NBA and NHL, including the Indiana Pacers vs. New York Knicks and Boston Bruins vs. Florida Panthers, while the final hour went up against Game 2 of the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves vs. Denver Nuggets series. As such, “Raw” came in fourth on the night behind all three games, with Pacers-Knicks drawing 4.254 and 1.44, Wolves-Nuggets drawing 4.061 and 1.47, and Bruins-Panthers drawing 1.846 and 0.53. 

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Even with competition, “Raw” would follow its usual patterns, starting strong in Hour 1 with 1.706 and 0.56, before decreasing to 1.692 and 0.55 in Hour 2, and 1.460 and 0.48 in Hour 3. The show was built around the start of the King and Queen of the Ring tournament, which is set to conclude at WWE’s next PLE, King and Queen of the Ring, set to take place in Saudi Arabia on Memorial Day weekend.

WWE Hall of Famer Kevin Nash thinks turning Cody Rhodes heel is a terrible idea. Rhodes might be one of the most popular WWE Superstars in recent years, but despite finishing his story at WrestleMania 40 and becoming the Undisputed WWE Champion, there have been rumblings amongst fans on if, or potentially when, he could be a heel again. 

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Rhodes has been a heel multiple times in his career during his first run in WWE, and his time in ROH and NJPW, but could he pull it off again? During the most recent edition of the “Kliq This” podcast, Nash stated that “The American Nightmare” is too popular and makes WWE too much money to be a bad guy.

“He doesn’t need to chase yet,” Nash said. “He sold a million dollars of merchandise at WrestleMania, he’s clearly the hottest entity you have, and as I said in the last episode, he’s the only guy that has that work ethic that the guys had in our era. He’s signing two, three, four hundred belts … it will work if you put a heel factory against him.”

Many AEW fans thought Rhodes might have turned heel during his final months with the company before his departure in early 2022, with crowds even throwing his weight belt back at Rhodes as they were fully against him. Rhodes himself admitted that he was, in fact, a heel during his final stint with AEW, stating that his nuanced approach of telling the fans he would never turn heel may not have landed the way he thought it would. 

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Please credit “Kliq This” when using quotes from this article, and give a H/T to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.

Drew McIntyre isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, having signed a lucrative new deal to remain with WWE for several years, and currently being featured in an A-list storyline with fellow marquee attraction CM Punk. Considering that, some fans were surprised to see his name picked so late in the 2024 WWE Draft, where he was selected third overall in the third round during night two. McIntyre was asked if he was satisfied with his standing in the draft on “The Pat McAfee Show.”

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“I don’t know the right word for it,” McIntyre told McAfee. “It’s just — this is stupid. This is actually stupid … It doesn’t even make me angry, it just perplexed me.” Many fans and pundits felt the 2024 WWE Draft was underwhelming, with many wrestlers failing to switch brands at all, sort of diminishing the novelty behind the concept. And then there are those within the industry, such as WWE Hall of Famer Eric Bischoff and former WWE writer Freddie Prinze Jr., who think the idea is past its prime altogether. McIntyre wondered why he was chosen so late, considering he’s one of the few stars on today’s roster that still look like a larger-than-life “body guy” from yesteryear.

“If that’s how you feel, I’ll keep proving you wrong,” McIntyre said. “I’m going to keep putting in the work and going to keep making sure I keep looking like a WWE Superstar. It seems like these days I’m constantly being asked, ‘Why don’t half the roster look like wrestlers?’… A lot of our roster aren’t larger-than-life and pass that ‘Airport Test.’ They walk through an airport and your eyes are drawn to them and you can’t figure out why. You don’t have to be my size to have that. But for goodness sake, at least look like an athlete.” 

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