Select Answers: Rhea vs. Iyo, Private Party, HHH booking

Welcome to Select Answers, a feature that provides some of the answers to questions that were posed to Sean Ross Sapp in the most recent Fightful Weekly Q&A Podcast. The show drops every week on Fightful Select for subscribers.

When aggregating these posts please refer to it as "Fightful Select Answers Q&A" and tag Fightful, noting that it was in the Q&A format to avoid confusion.

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Hey SRS, do you see Rhea vs Iyo at WM? I can see them lose the tag titles around rumble and then go into a feud until WM

If they aren't still teaming with each other at that point, then yes I do. Rhea Ripley is a transcendent, crossover star. You definitely want a match that showcases her when casual fans are watching. IYO SKY is a top-level talent that they've had figured into the top of the card for years now and looks to be a major player for a long time. Whatever they do at WrestleMania, I expect it to involve one another as of now.

Any update on Private Party? They haven't been on TV in over a year with no sign of a return or contract expiring in sight. I know they've spent plenty of time in the gym since but I wonder what's next for them

Marq Quen was backstage at an AEW event a couple of months ago, but I haven't heard much beyond that. When it was reported elsewhere that their deals were up "soon," I'd have expected them up in the year, but it's 2026 now and they're still under AEW contract. The last I've heard, their deals don't match up exactly, but there was WWE interest.

HHH as head of creative has lately been criticized for his booking .It sounds that his model is more collaborative than the previous booker. Are the creative criticism’s only his doing? For example, are there instances where his booking is dictated to by TKO or by PLE sites as to who he should book or what matches he should book?

It's never only his doing or any creative heads doing, but they are the ones who should get the blame, because everything goes through them. Tony Khan specifically took this to heart a few months in to AEW and hasn't relinquished since and has made it clear he won't. You have to have a good, effective team around you. But if you're at the top of creative, you're always going to get the blame, and only sometimes get the credit. With most leadership positions, it's like that. I've not heard of any creative besides The Rock driven by TKO.