WWE, AEW Rumors on Vince McMahon's Creative Input, Jeff Hardy and Dominik Mysterio

Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe and All Elite Wrestling.

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McMahon Reportedly Still Making Some Creative Changes

While WWE chairman Vince McMahon was apparently less heavy-handed with his input regarding last week's SmackDown and this week's Raw than he was with regard to the Raw after WrestleMania 39, he is reportedly still making some creative changes to the scripts.

According to Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Felix Upton of Ringside News), McMahon made some "minor changes" to Raw, including altering wording in some promos.

While it isn't known which exact wording McMahon changed, fans reacted to Becky Lynch using the term "local medical facility" in a promo to describe where Lita was taken after getting attacked.

It is well known that McMahon prefers to use the term "local medical facility" rather than hospital, which suggests he may have had influence over that word choice.

PWInsider.com's Mike Johnson reported that McMahon was backstage and "firmly in charge" of the Raw after WrestleMania, as he was on the headset and made script changes during the show.

McMahon was the driving creative force in WWE from the time he purchased it from his father in 1982 until his retirement last summer. When McMahon stepped aside, Triple H was elevated to head of creative.

In January, McMahon returned to WWE as chairman of the board to facilitate a sale, which became official last week when Endeavor Group Holdings purchased 51 percent of WWE and merged it with the UFC.

McMahon was named executive chairman of the new company, which seemingly empowered him to be more hands on creatively.

While McMahon was reportedly not backstage for last week's SmackDown or this week's Raw, he is reportedly reviewing the scripts remotely and still making his presence felt creatively even when he isn't in attendance.

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Jeff Hardy Reportedly Still Recovering from Injury Despite AEW Return

After 10 months away, Jeff Hardy made his return to AEW programming on Wednesday night's episode of Dynamite, but he reportedly may not be having his return match right away.

According to Fightful Select (h/t Upton), Hardy recently underwent eye surgery and is still recovering from the procedure.

As a result, AEW reportedly has plans in place for Hardy in the coming weeks that do not involve him wrestling.

Following his release from WWE in December 2021 for refusing to enter rehab, Hardy made his AEW debut in March 2022 by saving his brother, Matt Hardy, from an attack at the hands of Andrade El Idolo, Private Party, The Butcher and The Blade.

Jeff and Matt reunited as a tag team from that point forward and even scored a big victory over The Young Bucks at Double or Nothing 2022.

In June 2022, Hardy was arrested for driving under the influence and was subsequently suspended indefinitely by AEW.

While Hardy avoided jail time, his license was reportedly suspended for 10 years due to his history of DUI arrests, and alcohol and drug abuse.

The 45-year-old Hardy remained out of the spotlight for nearly a year, but he resurfaced Wednesday by saving Matt Hardy, Isiah Kassidy and Hook from a beat-down perpetrated by Firm members Big Bill, Ethan Page and Lee Moriarty.

It is unclear when AEW intends to have Jeff get back in the ring, but when he does, it seems likely that he and Matt will resume tagging together.

AEW is holding a huge All In show at Wembley Stadium in London at the end of August, and in an effort to sell as many seats as possible, the company would likely love to have all of its top stars on the card, and Hardy has long been among the most popular performers in the business.

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Dominik Was Considered for NXT Run Before Rey Mysterio Feud

Before becoming one of the hottest heels in pro wrestling, WWE reportedly considered sending Dominik Mysterio to NXT.

According to Meltzer (h/t Upton), WWE's decision-makers gave "serious thought" to putting Dominik in NXT, but there is now "no chance" of it happening due to how big of a deal he has become.

Dominik made his in-ring debut at SummerSlam 2020, and for the next two years, he primarily teamed with his father, Rey Mysterio. The pair even became the first father-son duo to ever hold the WWE Tag Team Championships.

During that time, Dominik received his fair share of criticism from fans for not standing out on his own, but that began to change last summer when he turned on his father and joined The Judgment Day.

That started a nearly yearlong build toward a singles match between Dominik and Rey at WrestleMania 39, which Rey won thanks to Grammy-winning musician Bad Bunny preventing Dominik from hitting Rey with a chain.

Dominik has continued his feud with Rey and Bad Bunny since then, and with Bad Bunny set to host Backlash in his home country of Puerto Rico next month, another huge match could be on the horizon for Dom.

All signs point toward Dominik teaming with Damian Priest against Rey and Bad Bunny in what figures to be the best-received match on the entire card.

Dominik has thrived as a heel, especially since developing his ironic "ex-con" character, which was created after he spent a short period of time in jail within his storyline with Rey.

Since WrestleMania, Dominik has consistently received the biggest heel reactions in the company, which is a sign that he has progressed beyond the need for NXT and has truly found his footing on the main roster.

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