Ross was happy to see Paige announced as the new General Manager of Smackdown. He notes that this is a second chance for Paige and calls her an “amazing woman in more ways than one”. He also gives credit to Jeff Hardy for making the most of his recent return, winning the United States Title from Jinder Mahal. Ross notes that Hardy has the “It” factor and is still one of the most over performers on the roster, so hopefully Hardy can continue to help resurrect the U.S. Title.
Ross is critical of the wrestling’s media’s reaction to WWE’s Greatest Royal Rumble event which will take place in Saudi Arabia. There are several gender equality restrictions in that part of the world and because of that, WWE’s female talent will not be making the trip. Ross understands the point that some people are trying to make, but he notes that it’s not WWE’s place to upend the social standards of a country they visit.
He also points out that Saudi Arabia is slowly bringing pieces of the Western world into their culture, and WWE’s involvement there is a big example of this. This is also a huge business move for WWE, who’ve locked into a 10-year agreement with one of the richest countries in the world.
Ross thinks WWE’s Superstar Shakeup did an effective job of putting several performers in a fresh, new environment. However, he notes that it’s up to the performers now to decide whether they want to take advantage of this new opportunity. He thought the Smackdown roster improved greatly this week, and he’s intrigued to see how all of this plays out in the coming weeks.
