'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
It's time for another WWE News & Rumor Roundup, and as always, we've stacked today's edition with some of the biggest stories doing the rounds.
A longtime WWE employee recently confirmed his departure from the company where he had been working since the early 2000s.
A veteran SmackDown superstar also received massive praise following his recent performance on the blue brand. Details on the salaries of several WWE Superstars have also been revealed, with an 'unnamed wrestler' earning $4 Million per year.
Did you know Bryan Danielson, aka Daniel Bryan, pitched a different in-ring name when he arrived in WWE years back? We now know the nixed name as Bryan spoke about his former company during a recent interview.
We ended the roundup with a WWE Hall of Famer making a big claim about Becky Lynch. His comments have received polarizing reactions on social media.
On that note, let's dive right into the latest WWE News & Rumor Roundup.
#5. A longtime employee quits WWE
Scott Aycock announced on his LinkedIn page that he had left WWE after spending nearly 17 years in the company.
Aycock was a Security Consultant and Executive Protection executive for the WWE and first started working with the promotion in 2005 as a tour bus driver. Scott Aycock entered the wrestling scene from a law enforcement background, and he released the following statement regarding his WWE exit:
"I'm closing one huge chapter and starting another. This month of November is the end of my amazing career with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) after 17 years. The memories will last forever, and the friendships will last in my heart for eternity. Some amazing, hard-working people that I have been blessed to get to know. May God Bless you all; I will see you down the road."
Dave Meltzer reported that Scott Aycock was not released from WWE, and it was the employee's choice to 'retire from his position' and move on to his next job.
Scott Aycock leaving WWE gave rise to speculation whether the recent fan attack on Seth Rollins had anything to do with the decision.
There are no updates on whether the incident affected his standing, and it just seems like Scott Aycock is ready for a new phase in his career.
#4. Dutch Mantell praises Sami Zayn following WWE segment with Brock Lesnar
This past week, Sami Zayn experienced a lively night on WWE SmackDown as he kicked off the show in a segment with Brock Lesnar.
During Sportskeeda Wrestling's Smack Talk, Dutch Mantell opened up about Zayn's recent performance and showered praise on the SmackDown Superstar.
Sami Zayn is known for his versatility, and Mantell said that every wrestling territory needed a talent like Sami back in the day. The former WWE manager felt Zayn was a vital member of the roster as he filled various roles on TV. Here's what Mantell said about the former Intercontinental Champion:
"I liked the opening segment because you got your guy (Sami Zayn) out there. He's the type of guy that every territory always had. He's a heel that you want to like, but you just can't like him because he keeps doing things that tee you off. And he can be beat. You can do anything with him. He's a utility man. You can do anything with him, and it doesn't affect him. I think he's probably the strongest part of the bench that they've got." (H/t: Sportskeeda Wrestling)
Sami Zayn has been consistently excellent for the WWE over the past few years and deserves all the compliments coming his way.
#3. Details on the salaries of WWE Superstars
It's a fact that being a WWE Superstar comes with tremendous monetary benefits and most fans often have queries regarding the earnings of top talents like Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns.
Dave Meltzer reported in the Newsletter that Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar pocket more than $5 Million per year as per their guaranteed contracts. Another WWE Superstar, whose name wasn't revealed, reportedly earns $4 million.
The salaries of other popular wrestlers range between $2 to 3 Million, which is noticeably higher than what the roster members earned a couple of years back:
"Regarding contract sizes, the very top people (by this meaning Reigns and Lesnar) are above $5 million per year on their guaranteed deal, and another person is at around $4 million, but a lot of the top talent is now at $2 million and some at $3 million," reported Dave Meltzer.
WWE might be losing viewers, but the company seems to be facing no issues from a financial standpoint.
#2. Bryan Danielson reveals the in-ring name he pitched to WWE officials
Bryan Danielson has been in fine form ever since he left WWE to join AEW, and the former world champion recently revealed details of a scrapped WWE in-ring name during an interview with TV Insider.
Bryan came to the WWE after a highly-successful spell on the independent circuit and admitted that many people in WWE knew him as Bryan Danielson. The veteran pitched several names to the WWE, one of which was Buddy Peacock.
The superstar eventually went ahead with 'Daniel Bryan,' and the rest, as they say, is history. Here's Daniel Bryan recalling details of his start in the WWE:
"I laugh because it has happened with the same people who knew me in WWE. CM Punk has been on both sides of the spectrum. When I first came up to NXT in the original season. That was the beauty in changing my name when I went to WWE. People who were on the independents knew me as Bryan Danielson. It was better than some of the other names I pitched, like Buddy Peacock. Jim Ross may have known me a little bit as Bryan Danielson, but he wasn't intimately connected. Daniel Bryan is how I made a really big name for myself. So, I get it."
Bryan Danielson is currently doing some incredible work as a heel in AEW, and, astonishingly, he continues to be one of the best wrestlers in the world at the age of 40.
#1. Eric Bischoff says WWE's Becky Lynch has the best character in wrestling
Eric Bischoff recently spoke about his admiration for Becky Lynch on his podcast and admitted that he tunes into RAW every week just to watch The Man in action.
Bischoff claimed that Becky Lynch had the best character in the entire professional wrestling business:
"Just to watch Becky. And I say that, I mean, she is the best character in wrestling right now. I mean, she is so authentic. You know, I was thinking about this. It's funny you brought her name up. I was thinking about her a little while ago."
The WWE Hall of Famer explained that Becky Lynch's gimmick has authenticity, which most wrestling characters currently lack. Eric Bischoff was also a big fan of the RAW Women's Champion's social media interactions and added it all contributes to her being a well-rounded performer:
"Somebody asked me a question, it was in an earlier interview, about what's missing? Why doesn't wrestling feel the way it felt before. I think it's authenticity. There are so very few authentic-feeling characters, especially in WWE, because everything is so well-crafted and polished, except for Becky. Even her social media, there is something special about her as a performer. She really gets it. So, I watch her."
Eric Bischoff's comments have split the wrestling community as some fans don't quite agree with the former SmackDown Executive. What are your thoughts? Is Becky Lynch the best in the game?
A WWE Hall of Famer called out AEW fans HERE
