– Bobby Roode deafeated Mike Kanellis in the dark match before this week’s episode of SmackDown Live. WWE uploaded a video after the event where Roode discusses the match and performing in front of the WWE Universe. Roode talks about how anything can happen in the ring, and says he was glad to open up the show to make the SmackDown crowd feel a little bit more glorious.
– The rubber match between TJP and Rich Swann has been booked for next week’s 205 Live in Las Vegas, NV. TJP returned to the ring this week with a win over Ariya Daivari. Perkins had been out of action selling a storyline injury.
– WWE ran an angle on SmackDown this week where show commissioner Shane McMahon assaulted Kevin Owens, which prompted Owens to sue McMahon and WWE in retaliation. Owens says he’s going to take over SmackDown, and Shane issued an apology on Twitter to the employees who might be effected by what’s about to happen. As noted, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon will be on SmackDown next week to take part in the storyline.
Apologies to the @WWE Superstars, employees, & fans that were affected by my actions tonight that led to my suspension. #SDLive
The World According To Wrestling podcast is back with a second episode this week and explores the current situation in the British wrestling scene, ITV’s revamp of World Of Sport, WWE’s UK plans and how the UK indie scene feels about it. The loaded line-up of episode guests includes Triple H, Dave Meltzer, Andy Quildan, Klondyke Kate, Fred Dinenage, William Regal, Robbie Brookside, Finn Balor, Neville and Court Bauer.
Here’s some highlights from this week’s show:
Paul Levesque, WWE’s Executive Vice President and 14-time World Champion Triple H, on launching in the UK at a similar time to World of Sport:
“Did it change our timing a little bit because of when they positioned their show? Yeah, but we are talking by maybe months or something not speeding up the process in terms of getting it done. We’ve been working on this for a long time. Any other show aside, if they are successful I’m happy for them. And, at the end of the day, it all helps the industry so we just do what we do. And I think we do it better than anyone else on the planet.”
MLW’s Court Bauer, former WWE writer, said:
“UK really was an amazing region for pro wrestling and then there was a scorched earth effect for many years and it’s revived itself in more modern times. When you have something as big as WWE hovering over you like a death star, you know, this could go two different ways. Fans might win, but also that might just be a short term position if you look at the large term something like ITV doing World Of Sport truly could really help sustain and stabilise this regeneration of pro-wrestling. So that’s my concern.”
Andy Quildan, founder of Revolution Pro Wrestling in the UK said, on ITV and WWE moving in on the British scene:
“Worrying about what everyone else is doing and trying to get into pretend wrestling wars with people is just ridiculous. The fact of the matter is if WWE want to come over and takeover UK wrestling, they’re going to do it. It is what it is. Let’s continue to do what we do in the highest level possible.
“I can see people’s mentality with ‘they’re trying to take over British wrestling’ and my argument is if you look at for example theatre, look at the West End. How many different theatrical productions are going on in the West End every single night. All at the same time. All competing with one another… I’m not phased by it. It’s a very interesting time and certainly a lot of stuff’s changing but at the same time it’s nice for British wrestling not to be an afterthought for once.”
The British wrestling scene is looked at in depth on The World According To Wrestling podcast, available on iTunes now.
The complete roster for the upcoming WWE 2K18 video game has been revealed. The following is a complete list of the 169 playable characters for the game.
WWE 2K18 will be available for PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch on Tuesday, October 17th. Fans who order the Deluxe Edition get the game early on Friday, October 13th.
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Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Randy Orton on this week’s SmackDown Live to earn a championship opportunity against Jinder Mahal at Hell in a Cell.
Nakamura is getting another shot at WWE Champion Jinder Mahal after coming up short at SummerSlam.
Based on Shane McMahon’s suspension as a result of his attack on Kevin Owens, don’t be surprised if Vince McMahon announces a match between these two when he returns to TV next week on SmackDown.
WWE Hell in a Cell 2017 takes place on Sunday, October 8th from Detroit, Michigan.
Vince McMahon returns to WWE television next week on SmackDown Live to address the suspension of SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon.
At this time, it’s unknown what the WWE Chairman has in store for his son and the future of the SmackDown commissioner role. News of the suspension comes after Shane McMahon attacked Kevin Owens on this week’s SmackDown Live broadcast. Shane logically can’t put his hands on a wrestler as an authority figure, but if he’s no longer Owens’ boss, anything goes.
Shane and Owens have been rumored to be squaring off in the ring at Hell in a Cell (10/8) and/or at November’s Survivor Series pay-per-view (11/19). We’ll find out next Tuesday if Shane’s attack on Owens and Vince’s announcement
After attacking Kevin Owens earlier in the night, Shane McMahon is informed by SmackDown General Manager Daniel Bryan that he has been suspended indefinitely as SmackDown LIVE Commissioner.
According to a report by Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, Anthem Sports and Entertainment, the parent company of Global Force Wrestling, is “hemorrhaging funds” on the wrestling promotion and is looking to cut bait.
“GFW is hemorrhaging funds, and sources close to the situation have confirmed that Anthem is ready to withdraw itself from the wrestling industry and sell GFW. Anthem even needed to gut the Fight Network in order to finance GFW.” (SI.com)
When Anthem swooped in (like an owl) late last year and purchased a majority stake in Impact Wrestling from Panda Energy and the Carter family, the purchased an asset deeply in debt and facing lawsuits on several fronts (Billy Corgan, the Hardy family, the Audience of One production company).
In an effort to alleviate the financial burden they acquired, Anthem has been aggressively cutting talent and scaling back on television tapings.
The news comes on the heels of Tuesday’s announcement that Jeff Jarrett is taking an indefinite leave of absence from the company due to ‘personal issues.’
Another dynamic at play is the fact that Jeff Jarrett reportedly still owns the “Global Force Wrestling” trademark. Anthem’s decision to rebrand the company without owning the rights to “Global Force Wrestling” is ‘questionable’ at best. As such, Anthem would technically be selling “Impact Wrestling.”
At this point, the biggest asset under the Impact Wrestling umbrella is the TNA Wrestling tape library. WWE seems like the most logical buyer of this tape library, which includes years of matches from the likes of AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Bobby Roode, Kurt Angle, Sting, Eric Young, Drew McIntyre and more.
Discussion: Which GFW stars would you want to see in WWE?
It’s official – WWE Superstar Nikki Bella has joined the cast of ABC’s hit show Dancing With The Stars. Nikki’s professional dance partner is Artem Chigvintsev.
Season 25 premieres Monday, September 18th and will air head-to-head each week with WWE RAW.
The other celebrities Nikki will be competing with include NFL star Terrell Owens, Barbara Corcoran of “Shark Tank,” actor Frankie Muniz, and married entertainment personalities Nick and Vanessa Lachey.
Nikki Bela is the third WWE Superstar to compete on the show, following Stacy Keibler (Season 2 in 2006) and Chris Jericho (Season 12 in 2011).
Several weeks back, Jerry Lawler filled in for Booker T on WWE RAW commentary when Booker T was unable to make the show due to Hurricane Harvey. Lawler got strong reviews for his guest spot and was asked if WWE floated the possibility of him calling the action on RAW more regularly.
“Umm, no. But if they did, I missed the call,” Lawler joked. “I was more than happy to come back to fill in for Booker T on Raw when the hurricane kept him from being able to be at the show. But if they were to call me and ask me to come back on a full-time basis, it would be a really, really tough decision to make. If they said I was going to make the same money as I did before, that would go a long way in making me consider going back again.”
Earlier this week, WWE announced that for the first time ever, Monday Night RAW will broadcast live on Christmas and New Year’s Day. Lawler was surprised to hear the news and said he would never wrestle on Christmas. “I would never wrestle on Christmas,” he said. “That’s almost sacrilegious to me. I wouldn’t do it.”
One of the big stories from last week came from an interview Sasha Banks on the Sam Roberts Wrestling Podcast. She ranted about overzealous ‘stalker’ fans who ambush her at airports and hotel lobbies at 4am and sell her autographs on eBay. Several wrestles reacted to the remarks on Twitter, stating that fans pay their salaries and it should be an honor to have fans who are so loyal.
As one of the biggest stars in the history of the business, Jerry Lawler is quite familiar with overzealous fans. So, what did the King think about Sasha’s comments?
“You can’t be offended or get mad at them when you accomplished what you set out to do, and that’s be famous. So I think Sasha Banks needs to step back and think about what Bubba Ray Dudley says, because they will be a day when nobody is waiting for an autograph, and you’ll wish you were back in the way it is now.
But you gotta stop and for just a minute and explain that you will try to come back later or you’ll trying to eat your pizza while it’s hot. You can’t just ignore them. If you take a little time and be nice to those fans, that usually works out for the best.
There are stalkers out there, people who can be dangerous out there. I’m looking at it from my own, male perspective. But Sasha is looking at it from her perspective. I understand both points of view though.”
Head over to PodAvenue.com to listen to the full episode.
On Tuesday, WWE announce Donovan Dijak has arrived in Orlando to begin training at the Performance Center.
WWE.com touted, “Combining heavy-hitting power with cat-like agility, Dijak’s explosive offense has won him admirers around the world. His ‘Feast Your Eyes’ knee-smash, meanwhile, has downed enough opponents to put Dijak on WWE’s radar with only four years’ experience.”
The 6-foot-7 grappler has wrestled primarily in the North East US since making his professional debut just four years ago. He won Ring of Honor’s Top Prospect Tournament back in 2015, has wrestled for EVOLVE, Germany’s wXw promotion and competed in Pro Wrestling Guerrilla’s Battle of Los Angeles tournament this past weekend.
With his size, agility and experience wrestling for the world’s top independent leagues, Dijak possesses characteristics that will serve him well in this new chapter of his career.
The news of Dijak’s arrival at the Performance Center comes just weeks after WWE announced the signing of another popular performer from the independent scene, Lio Rush.
Discussion: Are you familiar with Donovan Dijak? If so, what do you think about this signing?
Here are some reactions to the news of Dijak joining WWE:
Randy Orton was shown backstage to kick off this week’s episode of SmackDown. Orton stated that he taught Nakamura a lesson last week when he hit him with an RKO. Orton said that nobody will stand in his way from taking the WWE Championship from Jinder Mahal.
Nakamura was then shown backstage. Shinsuke said that he respects the legend of Randy Orton. Nakamura stated that he was chasing his destiny and will defeat him tonight to earn a shot at the WWE Championship.
Carmella and James Ellsworth were in the ring. Ellsworth started to introduce Carmella but was immediately interrupted by Kevin Owens. Kevin Owens came down to the ring and said that he had some exciting news. Owens announced that he was going to be the special referee for Carmella’s match against Natalya. Owens then demanded that the ref in the ring take off his shirt and give it to him.
SmackDown Commissioner Shane McMahon then came down to the ring. Shane danced around in the ring and then grabbed a microphone. Shane said that Owens will not be the referee and said that he has to make one thing very clear. Shane then awkwardly paused and finally said that Owens needs to stop blaming him for his losses.
Owens said that Shane McMahon keeps interfering in his matches and stated that Shane never wanted him on SmackDown. Owens said that he never wanted to be on SmackDown and if it were up to him, he would still be on RAW. Shane noted that Triple H gave Owens the Universal Championship and that all talent have to earn their success on SmackDown.
Owens claimed that Shane McMahon was trying to steal all of the spotlight because his father never gave him attention as a child. Owens mentioned Shane’s children and Shane got in Owens’ face. Owens then mocked Shane McMahon’s helicopter crash and insinuated that it was all an effort for Shane to get attention from his father. Owens stated that the McMahon family would have been better off if Shane didn’t survive the helicopter crash.
Shane then lost it and attacked Owens. Shane beatdown Owens ringside and security rushed down and broke it up. SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan helped break it up and shouted “what are you doing?” at Shane as the crowd chanted “yes!”. Shane was then escorted backstage as Daniel Bryan shook his head.
Reaction: While SmackDown has been rather boring lately, this is a storyline that I find interesting. I’m not sure where this is heading, but whenever Shane McMahon is in a match it turns out to be entertaining. I enjoyed this promo and Kevin Owens made things personal.
Kevin Owens was backstage being attended to by WWE officials. SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan showed up and apologized for Shane’s actions. Owens said that Shane was out of line. Owens said that Daniel Bryan better enjoy his job while he has it. Owens vowed to turn SmackDown into the Kevin Owens show and stated that he will sue every member of the McMahon family. Owens said that he is going to take the entire show and WWE down.
Daniel Bryan said that there has got to be a better way to handle this. Owens stated that he was going to press criminal charges on Shane McMahon himself. Daniel Bryan walked away and Corey Graves stated that he understands Owens’ point, but it was his fault because he brought Shane’s family into this. Byron Saxton stated that Kevin Owens should be ashamed of himself.
Carmella vs Natalya
Natalya dragged Carmella to the mat to start off the match. Carmella got back up but Natalya leveled her with a shoulder tackle. Carmella connected with a Dropkick for a two count. Natalya then slapped Carmella in the face and Carmella responded with a slap of her own. Natalya then hit a Clothesline and Carmella rolled out of the ring as SmackDown went to a commercial break.
During the break, Natalya hit a Dropkick and then bounced Carmella’s head off the ring apron. The action returned to the ring and Natalya planted Carmella with a Suplex for a two count. Natalya then applied a Chin Lock in the middle of the ring. Carmella broke free and slammed Natalya to the canvas.
Carmella booted Natalya in the face and then moonwalked across the ring. Carmella connected with a Bronco Buster for a one count. SmackDown returned from the break as Carmella had her legs wrapped around Natalya’s midsection in the middle of the ring. Natalya turned herself around and punched Carmella in the face several times.
Natalya then powered to her feet and slammed Carmella to the mat. Natalya went for the Sharpshooter but Carmella blocked it. Carmella then connected with a kick to the face. Ellsworth hopped up on the ring apron and accidentally dropped the briefcase in the ring. Carmella shouted that she didn’t want to cash in right now and Natalya used the distraction to roll-up Carmella for the victory.
After the match, Carmella grabbed the microphone. Carmella said that she knows Ellsworth is sorry. Carmella then called Ellsworth “the sorriest excuse for a human being that she has ever met”. Carmella said that she doesn’t need Ellsworth to succeed and asked why Ellsworth had a job in WWE. Carmella called Ellsworth a charity case and said that his mother should have given him away at birth. Carmella stated that she was through with Ellsworth and the crowd chanted “yes!”. Carmella then exited the ring with her briefcase.
Winner: Natalya
Reaction: This match was pretty boring. I am hoping that Carmella actually separates from Ellsworth and that this is not just some dumb storyline that gets dragged out for weeks. Carmella has proven that she can hold her own on the microphone and in the ring. I don’t really see why Ellsworth has to accompany her to the ring anymore.
Shane McMahon was shown pacing around backstage and was clearly frustrated with himself.
Dolph Ziggler came down to the entrance ramp and stated that he doesn’t appreciate the reaction he is getting from the crowd. Ziggler claimed he was the greatest performer in WWE history and that fans would rather see some dumb gimmick rather than him. The lights then went out and Cena’s music hit. Ziggler then returned with Cena’s hat on.
Ziggler stated that he has another gimmick lined up and then came back down the entrance ramp with a female companion while Macho Man’s music played. Ziggler said that the crowd is responding the nostalgia acts like they used to. Dolph then entered to Naomi’s music and had a glow in the dark wig and robe on. Ziggler danced around the entrance ramp and then quickly removed the glow in the dark attire.
Ziggler said that anyone can do what he just did, but nobody can do what he does in the ring. Ziggler stated that the crowd couldn’t care less and Dolph said that he didn’t give a damn what the crowd thought either. Ziggler said that the crowd makes him sick and walked backstage.
Reaction: I’ve always been a fan of Dolph Ziggler. Unfortunately, I just don’t see this gimmick working out for him. He is insanely talented in the ring, but injuries and horrific booking have made him a difficult Superstar to invest in as a fan.
Aiden English vs Sami Zayn
Sami Zayn interrupted Aiden English’s song before the match. English then was able to quickly roll-up Zayn for the victory. After the match, English tried to finish his song but Sami Zayn interrupted him yet again. Sami then chases English backstage.
Winner: Aiden English
Reaction: I don’t understand why WWE continually makes Sami Zayn look like a joke. I really thought that SmackDown was the perfect show for Sami Zayn. I figured he would be in the mid-card title picture and eventually would break through. I couldn’t have been more wrong.
New Day was shown backstage with SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan. The Usos joined the party and Daniel Bryan said that it was time for The Usos to announce the stipulation for next week’s title match. The Usos announced that it will be a Street Fight next week for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. Daniel Bryan then received a phone call and was instructed to head down to the ring right now.
Daniel Bryan came down to the ring and asked Shane to join him. Shane came down to the ring and grabbed a microphone. Bryan brought up The Miz insulting him on Talking Smack and how he was able to restrain himself from attacking him. Bryan said that Shane cannot assault their employees.
Shane agreed and said that he has not have put his hands on Kevin Owens. Shane added that Owens crossed the line when talking about his children. Shane said that he would talk to Kevin Owens and that he will smooth this over. Daniel Bryan stated that it was too late for that as he received a call from Vince McMahon. Bryan announced that Shane was indefinitely suspended and exited the ring. The crowd chanted “thank you Shane” as McMahon left the ring.
WWE Champion Jinder Mahal was interviewed backstage. Mahal said that it doesn’t matter if he has to face Shinsuke Nakamura or Randy Orton at Hell in a Cell. Mahal boasted that he has been WWE Champion for over 100 days and said that he will be watching tonight’s main-event very closely. Mahal then spoke in Punjabi and walked away.
AJ Styles joined commentary for this match. Corbin got distracted right away with Styles at ringside and Dillinger capitalized by connecting with a Suicide Dive. Back in the ring, Corbin planted Dillinger with a Chokeslam Backbreaker and then followed it up with a massive Clothesline. The match went back and forth for a couple of minutes. Corbin then hit a cheap shot to Dillinger’s throat and connected with the End of Days for the pinfall victory. Corbin stared at Styles before heading backstage.
Winner: Baron Corbin
Tye Dillinger was shown backstage selling the cheap shot to his throat. Styles approached him and offered him a shot at the United States Championship next week. Dillinger accepted and said that would be phenomenal.
Ellsworth apologized to Carmella once again backstage. Ellsworth begged for another chance and said that he would to anything for Carmella to forgive him. Carmella then gave Ellsworth a smooch and then slapped him in the face. Carmella walked away and while Ellsworth had a confused look on his face.
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Randy Orton
Orton went for an RKO quickly but Nakamura was able to avoid it. The action then spilled outside of the ring and Orton connected with a Suplex to Shinsuke on top of the announce table. Orton brought Nakamura back into the ring and attempted a cover but Shinsuke kicked out at two. Nakamura battled back and hit a Superplex off the top rope.
Nakamura connected with a series of knees to Orton’s midsection. Shinsuke went for a running knee but Orton countered it into a Powerslam. Randy then hung Shinsuke up between the ropes and planted him with a DDT. Orton attempted the RKO again but Nakamura reversed it into an Arm Bar. Orton got out of the hold for a moment but Shinsuke was able to lock in a Triangle choke.
Orton powered to his feet and Powerbombed Nakamura to break the hold. Orton once again went for the RKO, but Nakamura reversed it into a Backbreaker. Nakamura then connected with the Kinshasa for the pinfall victory.
Nakamura will now face Jinder Mahal again for the WWE Championship at Hell in a Cell. Jinder Mahal and the Singh Brothers were shown watching as Shinsuke celebrated his victory.
Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura
Daniel Bryan approached Kevin Owens backstage. Bryan said that Shane has been suspended and that the situation was over. Owens stated that he was just getting started and that he will make SmackDown his personal playground next week. Owens mocked Daniel Bryan and said that there was nothing that he could do about it. Bryan then said that Vince McMahon will be on SmackDown next week to address this situation. Bryan then walked away as Owens looked concerned.
Reaction: Orton and Mahal had a decent match in the main-event. It is hard to get pumped up for another match between Jinder Mahal and Shinsuke Nakamura after seeing their lackluster match at SummerSlam. The only storyline on SmackDown that I am invested in right now is Shane McMahon and Kevin Owens. The rest of the show is boring in my opinion. I’ve enjoyed watching RAW substantially more than SmackDown as of late.
What did you think of this week’s episode of SmackDown? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
The September 5th, 2017 edition of WWE SmackDown takes place at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, SD.
– SmackDown opens up with a video promoting Randy Orton and Shinsuke Nakamura’s match tonight. We then go deep into the backstage area of the arena where Orton cuts a promo about the match later. Orton says that Nakamura will not distract him from his ultimate goal of taking the WWE Title from Jinder Mahal, and no one rises above the Viper. We then go to Nakamura in the locker room where he cuts a promo saying he respects Orton, but he’s going to fulfil his destiny of winning the WWE Title.
– James Ellsworth and Carmella are in the ring, and Ellsworth starts to introduce Carmella on the mic until he gets interrupted by Kevin Owens. Owens comes down to the ring and says he has good news for them: He’s going to be the special guest referee for Carmella’s next match. Owens tries to forcibly take the referee’s shirt, but Shane McMahon comes out for the save. Shane steps in the ring and says he’s shutting him down, and Owens won’t be making himself a referee tonight. Shane says Kevin needs to stop blaming him for losing. Shane says on SmackDown they won’t hand him a Championship like Triple H did on the RAW brand. Owens blames Shane for not being the U.S. Champ right now, and he says Shane acts like this because Vince didn’t give him enough attention as a kid. Owens says Shane’s family would have been better off had he not survived his recent helicopter crash, including his kids. This sets off Shane and he starts fighting with Owens out of the right and over the announce table at ringside. Shane gets on Owens and starts pummeling on him and shoving off anyone who tries to stop him. Daniel Bryan, Joey Mercury and others come out to pull Shane off and calm him down. Shane heads backstage and Daniel Bryan doesn’t look happy.
– Kevin Owens is being helped backstage by Charles Robinson and some other referees. Daniel Bryan runs up and apologizes for Shane and says he was way out of line. Owens says Bryan better enjoy his job while he has it because he’s going to sue Shane and literally turn SmackDown into the Kevin Owens Show literally. Owens says he’s suing WWE and every member of the McMahon Family. Bryan asks if there’s another way they can handle this, and Owens says the only other option would be to press criminal charges against Shane.
– Natalya def. Carmella: Carmella hits a hurricanrana early on and follows up with a dropkick. They trade slaps to the face then Natalya drops Carmella with a discus clothesline. Natalya comes back with a suplex, then we see Naomi watching on a monitor backstage. Carmella comes back with a front face lock, but Natalya powers out and slams her down. Natalya goes for the Sharpshooter but Carmella fights out. Carmella hits an elbow and a superkick for a two count. James Ellsworth gets on the apron and hands over the Money In The Bank briefcase. Carmella gets mad and doesn’t want the briefcase now, and Natalya takes advantage of the distraction and rolls up Carmella from behind for the win. Ellsworth apologizes to Carmella and she rips into him. Carmella says Ellsworth is the sorriest excuse for a human being she’s ever met, and she doesn’t need a genetic defect like him. She says Ellsworth is a charity case and his mother should have given him away at birth. She says she’s through with Ellsworth, then she leaves with the briefcase.
– Shane McMahon is shown backstage looking concerned about what happened earlier.
– We’re told that Dolph Ziggler will “re-debut” next.
– Dolph Ziggler comes out with his usual entrance music and gets on the mic on the stage. He says the WWE Universe doesn’t appreciate how great he is in the ring, and they don’t realize that he’s the greatest performer in WWE history. Ziggler says the fans would rather have some dumb gimmick than Ziggler, so the screen goes dark and he walks off. John Cena’s music hits with Ziggler’s name still on the screen, and he comes out wearing Cena’s hat. The crowd boos so Ziggler gets on the mic and says he’s got another one. This time he goes behind the curtain, and comes back out with Macho Man’s music and entrance. Ziggler gets on the mic and says the crowd isn’t going for the nostalgia act like they usually do, but he knows what they want. Ziggler comes out dressed in glow-in-the-dark stuff and does Naomi’s dancing entrance next. Ziggler says anyone can do what he just did, but no one can do what he does in the ring. Ziggler says he doesn’t care about the crowd just like they don’t care about him, and they all make him sick, then Ziggler heads backstage.
– Aiden English def. Sami Zayn: Zayn interrupts English’s song to start the match. Zayn is in control right off the bat with a hurricanrana. Zayn goes up top and misses, and English rolls him up in a small package pin for the win after a very short match. Right after the match, English gets back on the mic to finish his song but once again Zayn interrupts him. Zayn chases English all the way to the back.
– The New Day & The Usos both walk in to Daniel Bryan’s office and discuss their match next week. The Usos says it’s going to be a Sin City Street Fight in Las Vegas next week. The Usos leave and the New Day seem excited about the match, then Bryan tells them he needs to take a phone call. He calls the person on the other line “sir” and they talk about Bryan going to the ring to do something.
– Daniel Bryan comes out to the ring without his entrance music, and he tells Shane to come down to the ring. Bryan says back when The Miz used to call him out, Shane told him to put WWE, the fans, and the employees first so Bryan restrained himself from punching Miz in the face. Bryan says Shane can’t assault an employee and they can’t run SmackDown like that. Shane says he’s right and he takes responsibility for his action. Bryan says they’re in legal trouble now and the company employees are in jeopardy. Shane says he’ll talk to Owens and smooth this over, but Bryan says it’s too late for that. Bryan says he just got a call from WWE Chairman Vince McMahon, and effective immediately Shane is indefinitely suspended. Bryan leaves first, then Shane heads backstage.
– Jinder Mahal is backstage with the Singh Brothers, where the WWE Champion cuts a promo about how he’s already beaten Orton and Nakamura. Jinder says he represents Asia better than Nakamura ever could, and for over 100 days he’s proven that he’s the greatest WWE Champion of all time. Jinder says tonight he’ll be watching Orton vs. Nakamura very closely.
– AJ Styles is on commentary where he talks about auctioning off his gold elbow pad he’s wearing tonight for the Connor’s Cure charity.
– Baron Corbin def. Tye Dillinger: Corbin rolls outside immediately to talk trash to AJ at ringside. Tye takes advantage of the distraction with a suicide dive onto Corbin. Back in the ring, Tye lays into Corbin with chops to the chest then clotheslines him back to the outside. Back in the ring, Corbin comes back with a chokeslam backbreaker and then a clothesline. Corbin and Tye trade strikes in the ring until Tye drops him with a flying forearm shot. Tye stomps on Corbin in the corner, then he goes for the Tyebreaker but Corbin escapes. Corbin puts the boots to Tye and Tye starts selling a leg injury. Back in the ring Tye hits ten punches in the corner, but Corbin gets in a cheap shot to the throat then hits the End of Days for the win. AJ takes issue with Corbin’s win on commentary. Corbin and AJ stare each other down after the match before Corbin heads backstage.
– Tye Dillinger is backstage selling the cheap shot to the throat when AJ Styles approaches him. AJ offers Tye another shot at the U.S. Title on SmackDown next weeks, and Tye says that would be phenomenal.
– A special look at Bobby Roode is up next and we see a video package looking back at Roode’s NXT career highlights.
– James Ellsworth finds Carmella and apologizes to her again for messing things up. He begs her for another chance and says he’ll do anything she wants. Carmella says from now on they’re doing things her way, and she grabs Ellsworth and gives him a big kiss then slaps him across the face. Carmella walks off and Ellsworth looks confused.
– Shinsuke Nakamura def. Randy Orton: Orton goes for an RKO early on but Nakamura avoids it. Orton also goes for a DDT early but Nakamura escapes and rolls outside. Back in the ring, Orton drops Nakamura across the top rope then keeps him grounded with a chin lock. Nakamura fights up and delivers some elbows to the head of Orton. Orton rolls outside and pulls Nakamura out with him. Nakamura throws Orton into the announce table, then Orton grabs Nakamura and suplexes him on top of the table. Orton takes Nakamura back in the ring for a two count. Nakamura unleashes an extended flurry off kicks on Orton, then sets up Orton in the corner for a running knee strike to the ribs. Nakamura goes up top but Orton stops him and executes a top rope superplex. Nakamura tells Orton to bring it, so Orton charges forward and Nakamura trips him. Nakamura follows up with a series of knee strikes to a grounded Orton, then Nakamura goes for another one but Orton reverses into a spinning powerslam. Orton hangs Nakamura off the middle rope and DDTs him, then he gets ready for an RKO. Orton goes for it but Nakamura reverses and puts Orton in an armbar. Orton blocks the armbar so Nakamura goes for a triangle choke and Orton powerbombs him to get out. Orton goes for the RKO but Nakamura counters with a backbreaker. Nakamura hits the Kinshasa for the three count, and Nakamura has now earned another shot at Jinder Mahal’s WWE Title. Jinder Mahal and the Singh Brothers are shown watching as referee Charles Robinson holds up Nakamura’s hand.
– Backstage, Daniel Bryan runs up to Kevin OWens and tells him that Shane has been suspended so this situation is done. Owens tells him he’s just getting started, and next week he will make SmackDown his personal playground. Owens says there’s nothing Bryan can do about it, but Bryan says there is someone who can do something about it – Vince McMahon – and Vince will be in the house on SmackDown next week!
– We go back to the ring where Shinsuke Nakamura is still celebrating his victory as SmackDown goes off the air.
Global Force Wrestling (GFW) issued the following statement announcing that Jeff Jarrett will be taking an ‘indefinite leave of absence’ from his role as Chief Creative Office for the company:
“Effective immediately, Jeff Jarrett is taking an indefinite leave of absence from his position as Chief Creative Officer to focus on personal matters. Jeff will be available on a consultative basis as needed.”
GFW has yet to make a decision on who will take over Jarrett’s duties in his absence. Original plans had Jarrett taking on Alberto El Patron at the GFW Bound For Glory pay-per-view (PPV) this November. That match is now likely off.
Former WWE United States Champion Chris Jericho’s latest WWE run has once again wrapped up, and WWE fans are left hoping we’ll get one more out of “Y2J” again. Jericho recently made an appearance on The Other Guys Podcast with Baby Huey and Bimbo Jimbo to talk about his WWE career. When asked about another possible run with WWE, Jericho did admit that it’s possible, but wouldn’t dwell over it if it never happened again:
“Will I be back? Maybe, possibly,” Jericho said. “If I never wrestled again it wouldn’t bother me.”
If he did return to WWE, Jericho doesn’t care who he’s working with inside the squared circle, as long as he is presented with a good storyline to get fans invested in the program:
“I don’t care about who is it I want to work with, for me it’s what’s the story behind it because I’ve worked with everybody,” Jericho said. “It’s about what’s the storyline that you can put behind these things to make people really care.”
“If I can think of a good story or if a good story is presented to me, then I’m all in, and I don’t care if it’s with John Cena or if it’s with Enzo Amore, whoever,” Jericho said. “If it’s a good storyline that I can sink my teeth into that I know people will love, just like the Festival of Friendship, then I’ll come back again. If not, then it might be a little harder to attract me.”
During a recent interview with The Mirror, Nikki Bella spoke about John Cena’s promo segment with Roman Reigns on last week’s RAW. Nikki said she loved the segment and gets chills just thinking about it. She also heaped praise on fiancé John Cena, claiming he is the best talker in WWE history and nobody even comes close to him.
“I think John is absolutely the best talent there has ever been on the mic. I don’t think anyone comes close to him. He just brings this reality to it every time he is on the mic and you are just like ‘how am I going to hang in here with him?’ He is so quick. I think that is what has made him an amazing actor, especially with comedy, his improv is unreal. He knows how to interact with a live crowd and however a live crowd is feeling, he knows how to turn a crowd. To me, I just watch him and I am in awe. I think it’s time for him and Roman to be in that ring and to say what they have said, I loved it. ”
She admitted that she might be biased in her assessment that John Cena is the best talker in WWE history, but says it hurts to hear when people are critical of his work because he gives so much to the business.
“Sometimes it’s hard for me because as his fiancé, it’s hard for me not to get upset when I hear stuff about John. I see John all the time behind the scenes and I know his love for wrestling, I know his love for the fans and his love for the talent. After every match someone has, they all go up to John. He is one of the most respected men in WWE and all he ever wants to do is make new talent, talent that isn’t or hasn’t been given the opportunity, he wants to give them the opportunity, he wants to help make everyone. So when I hear certain things about him, whether it’s online or it’s someone in an interview, it’s hard not to get upset because it couldn’t be further from the truth.”
Nikki Bella added that she’s never met anybody in her 10 years with WWE that loves the company as much as Cena does. He says “yes” to everything, whether it’s working on Thanksgiving or traveling to grant a “wish” for a Make-A-Wish child. The talent knows Cena’s dedication and even if they criticize him, “they know how much John helps everyone.”
Sting will be the acting General Manager at an upcoming independent show in Canada featuring several former WWE Superstars.
Bytown Championship Wrestling presents a live event on September 17th at the Robert Guertin Centre in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada. The show will be available on the Powerbomb.tv streaming network.
Other talent advertised to appear includes The Young Bucks, Rob Van Dam, John Hennigan, Stephan Bonnar, Chris Adonis (Chris Masters), Trevor Lee, Brian Cage, James Storm, Shane Strickland and more.
Sting last competed in the ring against Seth Rollins back at Night of Champions 2015. He was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame the following year.
As of this writing, it is unknown exactly how long he’ll be off of television. Big Show, a 7-time World Champion, made his WCW debut 22 years ago back in 1995.
Check out this footage from last night’s RAW main event featuring Big Show and Bruan Strowman in a steel cage match:
Joe Koff, Ring of Honor’s Chief Operating Officer, recently spoke to USA Today about Adam Cole’s decision to leave the company and join WWE/NXT. Koff said there “forever will be a place in my heart for my time working with Adam Cole.”
Cole, a 2-time ROH World Champion, made his NXT debut during SummerSlam weekend at Takeover: Brooklyn III by attacking new champion Drew McIntyre and aligning himself with former ROH stars Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly.
Koff told USA Today, “Do I feel any more because he left? I feel the same when anybody leaves. It always makes me feel like we did a good job on our part.”
He continued, “This is something that Adam really wanted to do –and Bobby did and Kyle did and Kevin Owens before them – I’m all for their happiness. If they can fulfill their happiness in their roles, then I’m all for it.”
Visit USA Today’s For The Win blog to read more from Joe Koff and comments from Adam Cole prior to his NXT debut.
In light of the incident involving Rosemary at TripleMania XXV, Lucha Libre AAA has stripped Sexy Star of the Reinas de Reina championship. The decision was announced just hours after Sexy Star released another letter explaining her actions at TripleMania.
This marks the second time this year that the Reinas de Reina title has been vacated. Taya was stripped of the title back in July so that they could put the title on Star. Taya alleges the promotion double crossed her by telling her to ‘bring the title in for a photo shoot’ and then refused to return it. Sexy Star was later awarded the belt.
The next Reinas de Reina champion will be crowned soon in a 5-way match involving Lady Shani vs. Faby Apache vs. Big Mami vs. La Hiedra vs. Goya Kong will determine a new champion.
WWE sent in the following press release on Tuesday:
WWE® SUPPORTS THE SUPERSTARS OF TOMORROW THROUGH PEDIATRIC CANCER RESEARCH FUNDING
STAMFORD, Conn., September 5, 2017 – WWE (NYSE: WWE) today announced that it has once again partnered with The V Foundation through Connor’s Cure to raise funds for pediatric cancer research during Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month in September. This year’s campaign features six pediatric cancer patients who have transformed into their own WWE Superstar characters. Each child designed their own ring gear, chose their entrance music and revealed their Superstar personas at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
To assist fund raising efforts for Connor’s Cure, WWE produced a limited-edition Connor’s Cure Collection featuring t-shirts, pins and the original Connor’s Cure bracelet. The Connor’s Cure t-shirts were created in partnership with apparel company Represent and will be available for purchase through WWEShop.com. 100 percent of net proceeds from sales of Connor’s Cure merchandise will directly benefit pediatric cancer research through The V Foundation’s grant-making process.
In addition to the new merchandise, select WWE Superstars will wear gold-colored versions of their in-ring apparel, which will then be auctioned off to benefit Connor’s Cure at WWEAuction.com.
WWE will utilize its global assets including WWE Network and TV broadcasts, live events, PSAs, digital and social media to generate awareness and encourage fans to get involved. Throughout the month, marquee elements of WWE TV broadcasts including the announcer table, entrance ramp, ring skirts and ring posts will bear the Connor’s Cure logo to promote the fight against pediatric cancer. Additionally, WWE Superstars will visit pediatric cancer patients at children’s hospitals throughout the month of September.
“WWE is proud to continue our partnership with The V Foundation in support of Connor’s Cure around Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month,” said Stephanie McMahon, WWE Chief Brand Officer. “Raising awareness and funds to help find a cure for pediatric cancer is imperative, and we are honored to once again join The V Foundation and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh to fight this terrible disease.”
“The V Foundation is excited to recognize Pediatric Cancer Awareness Month with such a fantastic and motivated partner,” said Susan Braun, CEO of The V Foundation. “We are both driven to end this disease, and working as a team to meet that goal means success can come more quickly.”
Connor’s Cure was created by Stephanie McMahon and her husband, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, in 2014 to support pediatric brain and spinal cord cancer research. Connor’s Cure was established in honor of 8-year-old WWE fan Connor Michalek, a patient at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC who battled medulloblastoma, a rare tumor that affects the brain and spinal cord. In 2015, Connor’s Cure launched a national partnership with the V Foundation for Cancer Research, ensuring that 100 percent of all net funds raised directly benefits pediatric cancer research. To date, Connor’s Cure has raised nearly $2 million and assisted more than 260 families around the world.
Every year, 12,000-15,000 children are newly diagnosed with cancer in the U.S. Through the efforts of The V Foundation, progress is being made with cure rates for most pediatric cancers dramatically improving. The V Foundation has awarded more than $25 million in pediatric research grants.
Click here to see the reveal of WWE’s newest Superstars.
WWE has released the latest “WWE2K Dev Spotlight Series” video. Episode 5 features WWE 2K creative director Lynell Jinks detailingthe new Carry System that is being incorporated into WWE 2K18.
The Carry System allows players to carry, drag and pick opponents and place them wherever you want or execute offensive moves from the carry position. The four carry positions are cradle, shoulder, fireman’s carry or powerbomb.
The gameplay engine incorporates’ the player’s level of fatigue and the opponent’s weight into the carry, so the move can be reversed if you’re not careful. If you’re on the receiving end of a carry, you can fight your way out of the compromising position.
Parts of the arena that are compatible with the new carry feature include the ropes, corner, ring post, apron, announce table, barricades and steel steps.
The dragging system also overhauled and has similar mechanics to the carry system.
WWE 2K18 will be available for PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch on Tuesday, October 17th. Fans who order the Deluxe Edition get the game early on Friday, October 13th.
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John Cena will be appearing in the upcoming film Daddy’s Home 2, the sequel to the popular 2015 holiday comedy starring Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg.
Cena is reprising his role of Roger, the biological father of Mark Wahlberg’s character’s stepchildren. Cena had an unadvertised cameo at the end of the original film.
In the sequel, “Father and stepfather Dusty and Brad join forces to make Christmastime perfect for the children. Their newfound partnership soon gets put to the test when Dusty’s old-school, macho dad and Brad’s gentle father arrive to turn the holiday upside down.”
The trailer for Daddy’s Home 2 premiered Tuesday morning on Ellen Degeneres’ daytime talk show.
Daddy’s Home 2 hits theaters in the United States on November 10th.
The finals of The Mae Young Classic are now confirmed as the first 8 episodes of the 32-competitor tournament are available for viewing on the WWE Network.
The semi-finals saw Shayna defeat Mercedes Martinez and Sane defeat Toni Storm to advance. The finals will feature Kairi Sane vs. Shayna Baszler.
The finals of the Mae Young Classic tournament takes place on September 12th from Las Vegas and will air live on the WWE Network at 10pm EST after SmackDown Live goes off the air.
– WWE announced on Monday that Mickie James has released a new country music song on iTunes titled, ‘Get Down.’ country music single via iTunes. Mickie James has released two country music albums over the years, including ‘Strangers & Angels’ and ‘Somebody’s Gonna Pay.’
After losing to Emma last week, Mickie did not work this week’s RAW and it appears she was moving into a new home over the weekend.
– Former WWE Superstar CM Punk continues to train for his next MMA fight, with no confirmation that it will be taking place in the UFC Octagon. Punk was training at the renowned Roufusport fight camp, which just welcomed UFC Lightweight John Makdessi to the team. Duke Roufus noted that both Punk and Makdessi are “awaiting fight confirmations.”
Following Monday’s Labor Day edition of RAW, two new matches have been confirmed for this month’s No Mercy pay-per-view.
RAW Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss will defend in a Fatal 4 Way match involving Nia Jax, Sasha Banks and Emma. The match was originally announced as Sasha vs. Bliss.
Finn Balor vs. Bray Wyatt is also now set for No Mercy, which takes place on September 24th from the Staples Center in Los Angeles.
With those changes, the following is the updated card for WWE No Mercy:
Universal Championship Match
– Braun Strowman (c) vs. Brock Lesnar
– Roman Reigns vs. John Cena
Fatal 4 Way for the RAW Women’s Championship
– Alexa Bliss (c) vs. Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax vs. Emma
RAW Tag Team Title Match
– Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins (c) Cesaro and Sheamus
WWE announced on Monday that the company will hold their first-ever Monday Night RAW television tapings on Christmas (12/25) and New Year’s Day (1/1).
Even the the timing of the announcement (Labor Day, a day that honors America’s workers), seemed like an odd choice to announce WWE talent will have to work on two of the biggest national holidays of the calendar year.
According to Jeff Hardy’s wife Beth, the decision to hold RAW on Christmas and New Year’s day was made by the USA Network, not WWE.
Both Beth Harty and Matt Hardy’s wife Reby vented about the situation on Twitter.
Christmas Day. Really??? Some are sensitive to my "public complaining" so let me NOT publicly complain about our Christmas Day without Jeff?
