Big Updates on Bruce Prichard, Vince Russo, WWE Schedule (Patreon)

Bruce Prichard's WWE role will be changing significantly in the next six months or so.

PWinsider has reported that Prichard is planning to retire from his position of Executive Director of Creative Writing & Talent around WrestleMania next year, and would still be connected with WWE, but not retain his current duties.

Sources familiar with the situation claimed that Prichard would remain with WWE, but be working from home much more. Prichard needs a very serious surgery that would lead to him coming off the road and likely working from home, as he's already feeling rough physically. Prichard actually has filled in for Triple H running shows the last couple of weeks while Triple H had been on vacation.

There was an internal memo about Bruce Prichard sent out earlier this year about his status with the company, but the details of said memo weren't shared.

Prichard regained fame after starting a podcast "Something to Wrestle" with Bruce Prichard in 2016.

Last week, Fightful spoke to Prichard's Something To Wrestle co-host Conrad Thompson about the podcast content that would be available if Prichard moved on from WWE. "He knows that too. We did very, very well. I'm sure if and when the time is right and he is no longer living in Stamford, then then we'll be able to figure something out. But I think that's going to be the foreseeable future for a little while."

We have heard that this situation would likely allow Prichard to move from Stamford, but that conversations regarding the future of Something To Wrestle haven't occurred.

Speaking of Conrad Thompson, he published an article that stated Vince Russo had talks with WWE this year.

Fightful Select has learned that there were sources at WWE HQ that Nick Khan had conversations with Vince Russo, but we aren't sure how serious they were. Sources familiar with the situation claimed that Russo was either at WWE HQ at one point or was under consideration for a visit there.

However, this news didn't make it to the rest of the WWE staff. None of the agents, producers, writers, or staff that goes on the road had heard about this, with some influential names laughing it off. Even those who work closely with Nick Khan said that it had not been brought up to them at any point, and they first heard about it upon the Thompson article.

In addition, WWE’s taping schedule sees a little change next week.

WWE is taping both Raw and Smackdown next week, which is why WWE Raw will start at 6 PM ET. The plan as of now is to film both shows back to back, and then part the roster needed will fly to Saudi Arabia early in the week. 

Before any of that, WWE has a rare house show on Thursday, October 29 in Youngstown, Ohio. While part of the roster is over in Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel, there are a number of house shows that will feature other members of the roster. Even though Crown Jewel takes priority, the plan as of this week was to still have a solid roster for these house shows. In addition, we’re told that main roster wrestlers are likely to make cameos on upcoming NXT shows.

For those asking about the Solo Sikoa segment, WWE sources claim that it wasn’t green screened. It was just filmed last week.