Dave Meltzer Speculates On WWE Advertisers Potentially Influencing Match Outcomes

WWE just landed a lucrative sponsorship deal with Slim Jim and the ramifications were immediately clear on Saturday when LA Knight won the SummerSlam Battle Royal and became the new pitchman for WWE's partnership with the spiced beef titan. In an interview with "McGuire on Wrestling," Wrestling Observer's Dave Meltzer said that it's possible for those sponsorship deals to play a role in how matches turn out.

"If there's enough money involved, yes," Melzter exclaimed. "And I'm sure that's always been the case." Meltzer believes money talks in the wrestling business, and if there's enough cheddar involved, he could see WWE booking its Women's division or even its midcard titles around the whims and desires of sponsors. 

Meltzer began to hedge whether or not WWE would let a sponsor determine the winner of either the World Heavyweight Championship or the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, but then acquiesced to the possibility. "If it's the big title, yeah, if there's enough money involved they'll do it," Meltzer added.

As it stands, WWE's partnership with Slim Jim is the biggest sponsorship deal in the company's history. It is set to run through the rest of the "Big 4" PPVs — SummerSlam, Survivor Series, Royal Rumble, and then conclude at WrestleMania 40. WWE is reportedly seeking similar sponsorship deals after the success of its deal with Cinnamon Toast Crunch ahead of WrestleMania, where the sugar cereal sponsored Rey Mysterio's match against his son Dominik, as well as the Mountain Dew Pitch Black match between Bray Wyatt and LA Knight at the Royal Rumble.