Backstage update on Triple H's major announcement amid rumors
A major WWE-TNA rumor is making the rounds as Triple H prepares to make his live announcement this week.
It was previously announced that Peacock will air a WWE Preview Special 2024 on Thursday, live at 8 pm ET. CM Punk is set to appear, while Rhea Ripley, Ilja Dragunov, Bianca Belair, and Montez Ford are also advertised. Michael Cole noted during RAW that Triple H will appear to make a big announcement.
There have been rumors about WWE possibly working with or even buying TNA. The online talk began when fans noticed that a TNA special had been billed as a Premium Live Event – a term coined by the Stamford-based promotion. The new TNA+ streaming service is launching on Friday, one day after Triple H makes his announcement.
Furthermore, a special Impact episode will air on Thursday, head-to-head with the Peacock special. The episode will cover various moments ahead of the rebrand from Impact back to TNA at Hard To Kill on January 13. The rumors about Naomi, aka Impact Knockouts World Champion Trinity, returning to her former employer have also added fuel to the speculation.
Despite the rumors and online speculation, backstage sources report to PWInsider that there is absolutely nothing to the connection that some are making, and the announcement from Triple H is not related to a working agreement with TNA or anything else related to that company.
It was reiterated that no "Forbidden Door" announcement from the two companies is coming this week. With that said, sources were not sure of what WWE's Chief Content Officer will be announcing.
Updated details on WWE Preview Special 2024 with Triple H and another live Peacock show
Peacock has confirmed that the WWE Preview Special 2024 will have a runtime of one hour on Thursday, meaning it will end at 9 pm ET.
It was also confirmed that Matt Camp and Megan Morant will host the special episode. The official synopsis gives a sneak peek at what will be covered.
"WWE gears up for an incredible international lineup of Premium Live Events as WWE Superstars span the globe in 2024," Peacock wrote.
Peacock will air another live special on Thursday as the lead-in to the 2024 preview. The Best of WWE: The Best of 2023 will air live at 3:30 pm ET, with a runtime of 4 hours and 30 minutes, ending right at 8 pm, when the 2024 preview begins. It should be noted that the company website has the first show airing at 3:30 pm ET, while the Peacock website lists a 4 pm start time.
The synopsis for the "Best Of" special confirms that the show will be made up of a collection of the best matches from the last year. The hosts were not confirmed.
"Instant WrestleMania classics, a San Juan Street Fight and the WarGames Match highlight this collection of 2023's best matches," Peacock wrote.
What is your prediction for Triple H's announcement? Do you want to see Triple H and his crew develop a working relationship with TNA, or should WWE buy TNA? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!