Nick Khan Gets 50% Pay Rise Amid WWE Talent Pay Cuts | AEW DENY Aleister Black Return Talks

Added: 2026-05-10

[00:00:00]Welcome in my players. It's the Cultaholic wrestling news with Bobby Lashley AND ROSS TWIDDELL.

[00:00:06]CHRIST ALIVE. TKO reports 1.6 billion in Q1 revenue as their financial reports were released yesterday.

[00:00:14]>> Nick Khan gets a 50% pay rise amid WWE talent pay cuts.

[00:00:19]>> Oh, that's great news, isn't it? Great news.

[00:00:21]>> And AEW apparently are denying that they're in talks with Alistister Black over return to the company. More on that later. But first and foremost, rest in power, Ted Turner, who passed away yesterday at the age of 87. Turner had been battling Louis body dimen dementia, sorry, since 2018. Of course, he's the former owner, the the the head honcho of World Championship Wrestling that made wrestling what it was in the 1990s, the Monday Night Wars and all that malarkey.

[00:00:47]You might have heard a bit about it down the years there, Bob.

[00:00:49]>> Just a little bit.

[00:00:50]>> Just a little bit.

[00:00:50]>> Tiny little bit there. Uh, but his ties to pro wrestling began all the way back in the 1970s when Georgia Championship Wrestling started airing on what would become known as TBS Turner Broadcasting Things.

[00:01:02]>> That's what TBS stands for. It does.

[00:01:04]With the program being renamed to World Championship Wrestling in 1982, this deal would see Ted Turner interact with Vince McMahon. And we all know this one, don't we? In July of 1984, the Brisco brothers sold their shares in GCW to McMahon with the WF owner receiving GCW's time slot on the TBS station in the process on what would be known as Black Saturday, but the the fans, they were they were die hard. They were true.

[00:01:27]They were true h cuz they wouldn't accept the World Wrestling Federation.

[00:01:30]So, McMahon basically had to sell his his time slot back to Jim Crockett Promotions in 1985. Then come 1988, Ted Turner basically bailed them out. They were done financially. He was like, "No, no, I believe in the wrestling."

[00:01:42]>> Yep.

[00:01:42]>> I believe in the wrestling. And he he bought them out. And then obviously what would happen would happen. They would split off from the NWA in the early 1990s. WCW be become a thing by itself and we >> and we getting right up there.

[00:01:55]>> Up the Ted Turner.

[00:01:56]>> Up the Ted Turner. Obviously huge part of wrestling history. Uh WCW the biggest company at one point as well when it surpassed uh Monday Night Raw in views.

[00:02:06]And uh wrestling wouldn't be what wrestling is today without Ted Turner, without WCW. And that whole it was always a thing in school. Are you watching WWE? WWF or are you watching WCW? And I was always a WWF, WWE.

[00:02:22]>> Oh, you were rich, were you? With your bloody Sky Sports and that >> I never had Channel 4 for a brief period and then it and then it went away.

[00:02:30]>> I had to be a WCW tag cuz that's all we had. We had we had 1 2 3 4 and five and worldwide was on a on a Friday night at 7:00 p.m.

[00:02:37]>> That's the thing. We we never had channel 5 where we were. So I never got to I could always see it in the u in the telly book. If anybody had the telly book back in the day, we'd always see it but could never ever watch it. And uh so I missed out on a whole portion of that.

[00:02:49]But obviously you being a WCW kid um how was it exciting? I mean, when I was watching it, it was 2000, so it wasn't quite what it was. But, obviously, I got a VHS about Sting in 1997. You all know if you've been watching this channel for a while. But, uh, yeah, it it goes without saying he's just it's it's it's been mad to read over the last 24 hours how little of a portion of his like empire, the wrestling was when you consider how much disturbance he did in the wrestling world. It's crazy cuz looking sort of reading the the obituaries for for Ted Turner as well that barely any if any mention at all of WCW but to us and obviously the surf that we're in >> huge part of the industry as a whole and and what you know made one of the greatest rivalries in in wrestling history between these two companies.

[00:03:38]>> Maybe that's what wound Vince McMahon up so much is just the fact that obviously Vince was all wrestling all the time and Ted was just like a little bit of wrestling there. I've got the rest of it here and that would bother Vince cuz it was more like Ted was God.

[00:03:49]>> I'll go I'll go there, >> I guess. So, yeah, >> I don't know why. 24-hour news. If you like that, that's because of Ted Turner, isn't it? Hope the Ted Turner rest in power and all that malarkey. Right.

[00:03:59]Current day news. Takahashi. Could he be going to the WWE? We've got a report coming in from Body Slam there, Bob.

[00:04:05]>> We do. They say the word going around the performance center is Heromu Takahashi is expected to end up in WWE.

[00:04:11]Another source indicated that some believe that Takahashi will be using the Nox Ryan name. Yes. Uh WWE'se's trademark for Nox Ryan with the United States Patent and Trademark Office won't be wasted after all because it seemed as though to begin with maybe that was going to be used for evil. Uh that's not the case. Uh I've already forgotten.

[00:04:30]What is it? Haraku.

[00:04:32]>> No.

[00:04:32]>> What was it? I can't remember. Was it What was it again? What was it? I Naku, isn't it?

[00:04:41]That might be it. Paraku Naku.

[00:04:45]>> I don't know why.

[00:04:46]>> Well, it's not got to be Nox Rajin.

[00:04:48]Whatever it is. No, but a little bit of factology on old Takahashi, just in case you don't know. There's more to him than just having a cat up the Darl is what we've got to say.

[00:04:58]>> Naku. I was almost there.

[00:04:59]>> That's what I just said.

[00:05:01]>> I said, what did I say? Hanaku. Hanaku.

[00:05:03]>> I was almost there. I was kind of there.

[00:05:05]Almost there. Sorry. Yes.

[00:05:07]>> Takahashi. I'll let him tell him about that. I'll I'll try and get him back.

[00:05:12]You know, Takahashi been a part of New Japan since 2010 and is a five-time IWGP junior heavyweight champion, four-time best of the super juniors winner. He is also a one-time IWGP tag team champion with Tetsuito and a one-time never openweight six-man tag team champion with Yasuji and Bushi as well.

[00:05:30]>> Yeah, he left New Japan in February this year. Excuse me, I'm getting choked up.

[00:05:34]He left New Japan in February of this year and since then, just the talks of him going to Dwey have not gone away. It looks like they're finally coming to fruition. But on that Nox Ryan name, according to body slam, D were working on vignettes and promotional materials with evil being known as Nox Ryan up until a very like recent time when it got changed to >> Naroku. That's the >> There we go. I don't know why I've got this other name stuck in my head.

[00:06:00]>> So, it looks like Takahashi's going in.

[00:06:02]Looks like we've got his name there. I like Takahashi. He is mental.

[00:06:05]>> He's mental. um arguably like the face of the super juniors as well. My my only thing is and please don't let this happen again. We obviously had uh Kushida come in a fantastic junior super junior as well and we didn't really do too much with it.

[00:06:21]>> What do you mean? Jacket time was fantastic.

[00:06:24]>> Jacket time was fantastic. Not wrong, but um it felt it felt really exciting when he first came into NXT. Uh really looking forward to what to what he was going to do and then it didn't really amount to anything. And I just hope that's not this is not the same for Takahashi.

[00:06:38]>> Jackup time is so good. I've forgotten what the tag team partner was called. I can just picture him having his big poo on the toilet. Do you remember when he had >> it wasn't like was it some Jake Jake?

[00:06:47]>> I can't remember. Can't even remember.

[00:06:49]Anyway, that's a bad turn of events on my part. I'm supposed to be Corporal NXT.

[00:06:53]>> I Yeah, you are as well. But I I think the with the landscape that NXT is at right now, I think it'd be a really good fit. Obviously, they've still got the colorful characters, but it feels like they're pivoting a in a direction that's >> not necessarily Black and Gold 2019, but it it has more of that seriousness about when it comes to the wrestling, it seems quite focused and serious, >> but you've still got those those larger than life colorful characters peppered in there as well. I think Takahashi is perfect for for that.

[00:07:24]>> Spots are up for grabs at the moment.

[00:07:26]That's all I've got to say about NXT.

[00:07:27]Obviously, loads of people have gone to the main roster. Loads of new spots are free. Takashi coming in, especially at that main event level, which does still feel a little bit sparse.

[00:07:35]>> Yeah.

[00:07:35]>> Um, I think the mid card's absolutely fine with all the new names that are coming in. Mr. England.

[00:07:39]>> Mr. England.

[00:07:40]>> He will win it all.

[00:07:41]>> Will he?

[00:07:42]>> Did you know that he used to birth lambs and cut their hair or something?

[00:07:45]>> Whoa. Like me dad. That's me dad.

[00:07:48]>> You know when they always ask you in the I say you always we've never been wrestlers, but apparently they'll go like, "Oh, tell us about your life and we'll find a gimmick inspired off your life." Yeah. So he was a model and they've gone for the model aesthetic and how he talks or like all the models do obviously in the courtrooms and that in the houses of parliament and all that malarkey but he's obviously told them oh when I was young I used to help out me dad's farm cutting the sheep.

[00:08:08]>> That would probably be what mine be.

[00:08:10]>> So he's he's m they've made his gimmick both model and sheep farmer.

[00:08:13]>> So what would they make T? Because at one point farmer >> that was what I was thinking. Just bring him out in a giant cat mascot uniform.

[00:08:20]>> Just bring him make him full furry. Just make him a human cat. You would like that.

[00:08:24]>> I would.

[00:08:25]>> You would like that.

[00:08:25]>> We've been learning.

[00:08:26]>> Well, we're missing the broner furry head now, aren't we? Do you remember when he used to come out with that?

[00:08:30]>> I do. Yeah.

[00:08:31]>> Oh, >> his big dog head.

[00:08:33]>> Big wolf man.

[00:08:34]>> Big wolf man.

[00:08:34]>> Up the wolf dogs.

[00:08:36]>> Up the wolf.

[00:08:36]>> Is that what they were called? Baron Corbin. I'm having a mare this morning.

[00:08:39]>> It's one of them.

[00:08:39]>> Yeah. It's one It's been a long week, hasn't it, Bob? Naru. That's the name.

[00:08:43]>> You'll never forget that now. Get it?

[00:08:44]>> Right. Basically, F off Ali is what you have seen on social media if you've seen that little clip from Scotland where the guy gets hit by the bus. It's a fantastic video which we can't show here because there are swears in it. Anyway, besides from that, AEW have denied they're in talks with Alistister Black going back to the company following his release from the WWE. The report comes in this time there, Bob from Fightful Select.

[00:09:04]>> Yeah, they're saying AW currently denying that they're in quote active negotiations with Alistister Black.

[00:09:10]Brian Alvarez of the Wrestling Observer, meanwhile, noted that people in AW were astounded by a report that the promotion was negotiating with Alistister Black.

[00:09:19]Uh Alvarez tweeted, "I know people in AW saw the report that AW was negotiating with Alistister Black and I can tell you they were absolutely astounded.

[00:09:28]My goodness." As you would be. It sounds like that relationship was contentious.

[00:09:33]like it seemed as though he made it very known that he didn't want to be there, was looking to go back to WWE and obviously he saw grander things for himself and the company saw different sort of direction for him and it just didn't work out in the end.

[00:09:50]>> He must It just shows you that nothing in life is a given cuz cuz going back to when he was like his dying days in AEW, you would assume that he would be a made man going back to Triple H's main roster based off how he was booked in NXT. It was like if they just do the same thing, he can't fail.

[00:10:05]>> And then they didn't really do it, did they? He I know he's he's been gloating on different interviews and want to go, "Oh, it's been a great year for me. I've been main event in Smackdowns. I've been doing this. I've been doing that. I've been doing the other." They just gave him carrying crosses gimmick.

[00:10:15]>> That's it. They they got rid of Cross and Scarlet, didn't they? And then just put Alistister Black and Zelina Vega in that role instead, but then still didn't really capitalize on that at all. He beat Randy Orton on Smackdown not that long ago. I mean, it looked like they were going to do something in terms of like the higher power of Randy Orton and this that and the other because you go back and watch the segments before Wrestlemania, there's countless ones. I say there's countless, there's at least three where Alistister Black and Vega are still in the background of like Cody and Jelly Roll interacting or or Pat and Randy. So, it look like they were going something there, but just just the way that superstars would be cutting a promo, not about him. Yeah. And then he would walk on the scene with V and go, "Haha, we knew you were going to say that."

[00:10:53]And that would be the end of the gimmick. It's just it it's bizarre as well like you said when you think back to his reign in NXT. Um and and maybe that's on us for thinking that quite frequently with the with you know with the the stars like an Andrade or whoever who's been built up really well in NXT during that period that Triple H was in charge and then we think oh because Triple H is in charge now on the main roster you Johnny Garganos you Tomaso Champers you think they're going to be used and utilized in a fantastic way.

[00:11:20]maybe they're they're going to be the future that the company sort of goes with and directs with and that just tends not to be the case anymore, does it? I'm I'm really like Alistister Black, one of my favorite current wrestlers. Really enjoy the work that he does, but again, it's just one of those things where not utilized, right?

[00:11:41]Seemingly didn't really slot in anywhere within the the current landscape within WWE and just sad how it all ended up really. seems the man behind the gimmick. And this is just spitballing off the back of like the reports that you read, the reaction of certain AW personnel on social media when the rumors about him going back to the company were coming out. Like we saw the captain Sha Dean going, "No." When someone shared a picture of like the House of Black and like, "Oh, just put Zelena in there. It' be great." No. It seems like the man is a bit he takes himself a bit too seriously is what we've read from these reports. Reading between the lines, I mean the it feels like there's been a lot of >> He can't lose as much as he should do.

[00:12:18]>> That's it. You got to give in wrestling and take but also give.

[00:12:21]>> I think that's it.

[00:12:22]>> But give more than take.

[00:12:23]>> But give more than take.

[00:12:23]>> No. Take. Take take and give an equal amount.

[00:12:26]>> Yeah.

[00:12:26]>> But he wanted to take more than he did want to give.

[00:12:29]>> Yeah.

[00:12:29]>> Yeah.

[00:12:29]>> But >> on the other side of things, should he have been given more than what he was given >> at the same time?

[00:12:36]>> I know what you mean.

[00:12:37]>> Do you know what I mean?

[00:12:38]>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

[00:12:39]>> I It's like him coming into the company in the first place and doing that whole thing with Cody was just weird. And I think Cody sort of took away or outshined the moment where he was like I just put my boots in the ring and I was like okay I just a strange strange thing. Love the house of black stuff.

[00:12:55]>> Yeah. Yeah. I'm a big fan of the per me too. Yeah. But he just needs it just feels like he needs to just go take a step back and go like it's fine if I lose.

[00:13:03]>> Yeah.

[00:13:03]>> I'm a gimmick man. I know I'm a striking man with my feet and whatnot but also the gimmick is is he more gimmick than wrestling? That must be a weird conversation for >> in like what in terms of like more gimmick, more visual, more style than the actual >> he could eat a loss and not affect him is what I'm trying to say because the gimmick that he had.

[00:13:19]>> I absolutely think so. Yeah. But maybe he doesn't think the same.

[00:13:23]>> So get your head out your ass, Alistister Black. And then you'll go back there, I assume, or something. I don't know.

[00:13:28]>> I don't know. Not sure. See what happens.

[00:13:31]>> Enjoy Japan, I guess. Uh yes. Right.

[00:13:34]Moving on to TKO. Speaking of given more than taken. My goodness me. I mean taken more than given. And that's what I was meant to say. The TNT TKO stands for taken. Uh, I'm trying to think of a K and no, but I can't on the fly. So, we'll move on there. Excessive adverts during Wrestlemania 42 was the hot topic coming out of the show, aside from the booking decisions on the card itself.

[00:13:50]Mark Shapiro, one of the big wigs in TKO has addressed these criticisms and doesn't make too much sense there, Bob.

[00:13:57]>> No, he doesn't. He says, uh, we take any and all feedback, especially from our core fan base, extremely seriously. High priority. We listen, we learn. At the same time, balancing the fan experience in the business of sports is never easy.

[00:14:09]Whether you're talking ticket prices or commercial integration, no different than going to the movies.

[00:14:15]Sorry, no different No different than going to the movies and you see prices rising for admission, popcorn, and candy. Not to mention the 30 minutes of commercials and trailers prior to the film.

[00:14:26]>> Now, stop it there, Bob. We've all been to the cinema and we've all sat down for a film. Scene one comes to an end. An advert plays.

[00:14:33]>> Yes. We go back and see scene two. Scene two ends. Another advert.

[00:14:36]>> Another advert. Four. 45 to 30 minutes.

[00:14:39]Yeah. Yeah. Sometimes.

[00:14:40]>> And then we go and see scene three. And then another advert. This is how the cinema works. We all know that we pay upwards of $180 to sit outside the cinema screen trying to look in to watch the cinema screen.

[00:14:52]>> Not that. Not only that as well, but I'm paying like at least $250 quid for a bucket of popcorn.

[00:14:57]>> Oh, obviously. Yeah, of course.

[00:14:59]>> That makes no sense whatsoever. They're not comparable in any way. I'm sure we'd all say yes if the TKO group were going to go, you know what, we'll stick all our adverts for our partners on 30 minutes before the show because that means nobody would have to tune in and watch them. We could just get continuous wrestling with no adverts whatsoever.

[00:15:15]>> Yeah, that would that would be quite nice, wouldn't it? But that was certainly not the case for Wrestlemania.

[00:15:20]He continues saying, "The WWE in particular is truly new to commercial integration and sponsorship.

[00:15:26]>> Change will be more glaring for some as we inevitably commercially integrate.

[00:15:30]There is no magic formula or serum.

[00:15:32]There is going to be trial and error over time. We have experimented, pushed some boundaries with various events and leaned in. With others, we've pulled back. Uh what I can tell you unequivocally unequivocally uh and this is the most important is that our product comes first. Marketers around the world recognize that our product especially at WWE is strong. Our audience there is particularly unique.

[00:15:54]It's young. It's diverse. It's hard to reach. It's super passionate. Those market uh those marketers want access to our IP. We're working to give them the access while maintaining the balance. As we commercially integrate that revenue allows us to be more creative with our product and our superstars. Remember this, our audience is resilient. We don't take it for granted. It doesn't mean we can do whatever we want to do.

[00:16:18]Absolutely not. Quite the contrary.

[00:16:21]>> Yep. Uh currently >> I've seen that uh who who made that video again about the I'm having a bad time with names this morning. What's happened here?

[00:16:27]>> I don't know.

[00:16:27]>> I don't know. I'm losing my mind here, Jeffrey. Wrestling Bios, the the channel that did the the platinum uh the ticket experience thing where it just it is a ripoff >> where they do take fans for granted and they do try and like wizzlewazzle fans out of their money in in dark and evil ways like ah you'll get a meet and greet experience with a wrestler but just in case you want to not miss out on that wrestler also buy the specific meet and greet for that wrestler that you meet tomorrow anyway but we won't name them tomorrow.

[00:16:53]>> It's all very vague, isn't it?

[00:16:55]>> Wrestling bios of course bios.

[00:16:56]>> We're there. We're there. I'm all here.

[00:16:58]>> Uh he finishes saying, "Currently, we are experiencing record attendance, record viewership, and record engagement."

[00:17:04]>> Yeah. The product comes first, does it?

[00:17:07]>> Yeah.

[00:17:08]>> Does it?

[00:17:09]>> 7 minutes of wrestling matching, then 15 minutes of adverts.

[00:17:11]>> Nearly nearly a 5050% share between adverts and wrestling at Wrestlemania 42 over the two nights. I think there was about 20 minutes difference. 20 20 minutes more wrestling than there was adverts.

[00:17:20]>> Like you said, it's it's not comparable to the movies, is it? No. You're paying upwards of thousands of pounds to go to Wrestlemania to watch seven minutes of what the five six matches.

[00:17:32]>> But imagine, right, you're on the front row and you've got to look up at that screen that's above the ring and you just sat there for like, you know, nearly half of Wrestlemania 42 like this watching adverts that everyone else at home is watching paid out the ass to be there in person.

[00:17:43]>> And that's that's something else. Maybe maybe it was different being there, but I don't think there was anything special that was happening between those periods. Zilla just wanted to play their adverts and not have them interrupted even within the arena, right?

[00:17:55]>> So, it's he's just saying a load of bollocks really >> corporate bollocks. That doesn't make any sense. So many holes in that. I'm sure if we sat there and did a full-on dissection, we'd find more holes than what he said there, but we found enough this morning there, Bob.

[00:18:07]>> We found a lot of holes.

[00:18:08]>> Satisfied with the holes that we found in that speech there. More financial stuff post rest and thank you very much for the big breakdown on this stuff. The headline reports that TKO has 1.6 6 billion in Q1 revenue as media deals and the Saudi Royal Rumble h drive their growth. The TKO Holdings has reported first quarter 2026 revenue of 1.597 billion, a 26% increase over the same period of last year. So remember this is a 26% increase, but also we're asking the wrestlers to take a 50% pay cut.

[00:18:38]>> Absolutely. Absolutely. TKO reaffirmed its full year 2026 guidance targeting revenue between 5.675 675 billion and 5.775 billion. Uh an adjusted EBITDA of 2.240 billion to 2.90 billion.

[00:18:57]>> Good big numbers.

[00:18:58]>> Uh they generated the company, this is just WWE, not like the whole TKO thing, but W generate generated 475.7 million in revenue uh for the for the quarter, a 22% increase yearonear. The standout driver was live events and hospitality, which jumped 62%. So, you know, if you're paying your tickets for Wrestlemania, a lot more than last year.

[00:19:17]Oh, yeah. Yeah. You're contributing to a few men making more money than they were last year. And so, that's up 62% to 123.5 million from 76.3 million in Q1 of last year. TKO attributed uh this mo almost entirely to an increase in financial incentive package uh package revenues, most notably for the Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia. And we can see why they go there, Bob, based off the numbers you're about to read out.

[00:19:40]>> Yeah, WWE'SE's media rights revenue also climbed uh 12%. Um, sorry, did I miss uh have I missed something there about No, no, no, no, no. Yeah, sorry. Uh, apologies. WWE as well, it has. Are you all right?

[00:19:54]>> Yeah, I'm okay. Rising 12%.

[00:19:56]>> I wasn't even involved.

[00:19:58]>> 281.7 million. The increase reflects the impact of distribution deals with Netflix, which uh began carrying Monday Night Raw in January 2025 under a 10-year agreement reportedly worth 5 billion. And ESPN, whose direct to consumer streaming platform became the US home of WWE Premium Live Events beginning last September under a 5-year deal valued at 1.6 billion. They've also been doing gang busters at the merchandise tables around the arenas around the world because consumer products revenues rose to 44.3 million up from 38 million for the same time period last year. There were reports out yesterday saying that Triple H and the company had to find a million dollars. A million dollars in it.

[00:20:39]>> It seems like such a small a small piece of the grander pie.

[00:20:45]>> Yeah. So, we were sitting there going like, "Oh, the financial the Q1 results are coming out, you know, today. They must they must be dire compared if he has to find more money in the wage bill they must be struggling >> but no record profits up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh up oh um I we're going to see them obviously go to Saudi more regularly surely with the increase of revenue >> three times this year or is it three times next year >> maybe three times in some year >> we've got we got another one coming up soon I believe uh we had Royal Rumble obviously as well maybe we'll see another one towards the end of the here.

[00:21:19]Um, next year obviously we got Wrestlemania.

[00:21:22]>> Those numbers will be fascinating.

[00:21:23]>> Those numbers will be fascinating.

[00:21:24]>> But the Royal Rumble is the Royal Rumble. But Wrestlemania is Wrestlemania.

[00:21:28]>> Yeah. I mean, but Royal Rumble's like I would say a step just a step.

[00:21:33]>> It's number two. Number two.

[00:21:34]>> Oh, but now SummerSlam's two nights though as well, isn't it?

[00:21:37]>> It is the biggest party of the summer.

[00:21:39]>> It is the biggest party of the summer.

[00:21:41]Again, like you said, I think it'll be really interesting to see what happens next year, but I would imagine profits will just keep rising and rising and rising and rising for them.

[00:21:50]>> Yeah, but as long as the talents keep taking less money, that means Nick Khan can get more money because he signed a new deal. It was revealed in these financial reports. Um, that will keep him with WWE or TKO Group until the 31st of December 2030. The effective uh the the agreement became effective as of May the 4th. May the fourth be with you there, Nick Khan. It was disclosed in the TKO group holdings quarterly filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. It replaces Khan existing contract and significantly increases his compensation. What is the compensation there, Bob?

[00:22:20]>> Well, under the new agreement, Khan's base salary remains at 2 million through the end of 2026 before rising to 3 million per year from 2027.

[00:22:29]>> So, Natalia taking a pay cut, I presume.

[00:22:31]The new day obviously walking. That's just gone straight.

[00:22:33]>> It's g straight into a fair play. But not only that though, he can get more.

[00:22:38]He's eligible for an annual bonus targeted targeted at 150% of his base salary for 2026, which is roughly 3 million and 200% from 2027 through the end of the deal or 6 million per year.

[00:22:54]Yeah, bonus payouts are tied to performance targets set by TKO's board.

[00:22:58]So there you go. The carrot has been dangled. Nick Kahn, you go and chomp that boy. Post wrestling have a bit more here. They're saying the equity component of the deal is also substantial. Khan received a sign an equity award of 11 million and restricted stock units vest in equal installments over four years. He will also be eligible for annual equity awards targeting 7.5 million for 2026 and 8.5 million each subsequent year. So there you go. The restless take less, but he takes more.

[00:23:27]>> You couldn't make it up, could you?

[00:23:29]>> You can't. This whole entire week has been bizarre. It's the 50% thing. Yeah.

[00:23:33]Like he's there. The stories are out there. Our rest has taken 50% pay cut in certain circumstances and he's just literally taken 50% more over the coming years.

[00:23:41]>> Well, like you said, what's been taken from them has most likely helped to fill that Nick Khan's pockets, right?

[00:23:48]>> I think there's no doubt from a corporate standpoint, if you care about that, and as a wrestling fan, I do not care about that, but I'm trying to rationale this in my brain. They're doing bigger business than ever, and Nick Khan has been the sort of driving force of that. Yeah. So, that should be rewarded in some way. Yeah, for sure.

[00:24:01]>> Not as not as big as that, you'd argue, but still that should be rewarded in some way. But it also shouldn't be at the expense of the talent. The talent should be >> That's it. That's the main thing, isn't it? But as we've spoken about multiple times already this week, the the the stuff that the performers put themselves through and the stuff that cuz I was thinking about this too like it's not only just obviously they try to justify it by like oh well they don't do house shows and that but they're still driving and have to uh pay for the travel and they're taking bumps in the ring every single week. But then you think about all the other stuff outside of that. They're going to do like talk shows somewhere to promote the shows that are coming up or they're doing these other community events or these charity things as well. It's not just the week to week stuff of the wrestling that they're doing. They've got all these other >> all these other media things to do in between that as well. So yeah, it sucks.

[00:24:53]>> It's just a nonsense.

[00:24:54]>> It is.

[00:24:55]>> Let your contracts wind down and go to AW. AW can launch a second promotion with the amount of dur talent coming their way.

[00:25:00]>> It's called Ring of Honor.

[00:25:03]Hey, why not just flesh it out? Make it it like >> you make your day good now.

[00:25:07]>> Make their own competitors. Why not? Cuz it just it stinks, doesn't it? That's the >> I I We've said it multiple times. I I don't know what more we can really say other than that it's just it's gross and horrible, isn't it?

[00:25:18]>> Yes, it is.

[00:25:18]>> Yeah.

[00:25:20]>> Fair play to the No, I'm not even going to say that. I was trying to be ironic there, but it doesn't matter. Bob, what's happening?

[00:25:24]>> What's happening? I'll tell you what's happening. It's WWE Backlash this weekend. Can you believe it? Cuz I certainly didn't. I think a person that would a bit of share there.

[00:25:32]>> Oh, okay.

[00:25:38]>> Um, we're going to have predictions up on the channel later today for Backlash.

[00:25:43]We'll also have the Col Wrestling podcast coming out tomorrow as well.

[00:25:46]>> Yeah. 8:00 p.m. BST, my players. It'll be a big girthy one, no doubt. And obviously you and Sam drive will be live for a live stream while Backlash is going on.

[00:25:54]>> Yes. YouTube.com/caholic/live.

[00:25:57]That will be, I believe, BST time.

[00:25:59]Backlash starts at 11 p.m.

[00:26:02]>> And I need to apologize to those on Patreon. WTF will be delayed this time around because I've not been able to take any time off after Wrestlemania.

[00:26:07]And I took this week off not realizing Backlash was happening. And I've booked in several jobs to get done around my flat and I can't take them off now. So I'll I'll get backlash done the week after. So I'm very sorry. That's a that's a scheduling error on my part.

[00:26:18]Hey, >> you know, they were promoting Roman Reigns on the wrestling and that was a clerical error.

[00:26:22]>> Oh, this is a clerical error.

[00:26:23]>> This is this is Yeah, a big one on my part. So sorry it's it'll be there eventually, but it is delayed. Anyway, Joel, anything? No.

[00:26:29]>> No. Bye.