It wasn’t the first time we’ve heard the phrases “pro wrestling” on WWE programming lately. With Vince McMahon holding much less and fewer energy on the firm over the previous couple years (right down to, as WWE President Nick Khan stated in a podcast interview final week, his current “zero, zero, zero” involvement of their enterprise), the ban on that and other terms appears to have been lifted.

That was clear in Michael Cole’s newest excellent call*, this one following WrestleMania XL’s epic main event. Of new WWE Universal champion Cody Rhodes, Cole stated:

“He left right here disgruntled, heartbroken, to go create his personal story. And Cody Rhodes got here again right here as a Superstar. Cody Rhodes got here again right here and did one thing that his father, one of many best of all-time — the American Dream Dusty Rhodes — may by no means accomplish. Cody Rhodes got here again right here and received the WWE championship.

“Damnit, I love professional wrestling!”

Moments later, Cole’s companions Corey Graves and Pat McAfee would every use the once-verboten phrase. Graves declared that “pro wrestling is back”, to which McAfee would add “pro wrestling is beautiful”.

Coincidence? Apparently not. Both Fightful Select and Ibou, of WrestlingPurists report their sources inform them WWE is making an effort to depart “sports entertainment”, the time period McMahon most popular rather than “pro wrestling”, behind.

Swearing, blood, and now “professional wrestling”? It actually is a brand new period at WWE.

* Something only a few of us anticipated to be saying concerning the veteran announcer a number of years in the past, whose excellence was shrouded by having Vince screaming in his ear for the primary twenty years and alter of his WWE profession.