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SmackDown Viewership Down Up Against The NBA Playoffs, Top 10 Moments Video

Scott Lazara
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This week’s WWE SmackDown drew 2.544 million viewers, down from last week’s 3.105 million viewers, which was the 2017 high and the highest SmackDown viewership going back to the 2016 Draft episode.

SmackDown features AJ Styles vs. Baron Corbin in the main event plus a Six-Pack Challenge to crown a new #1 contender to the WWE Championship, Kevin Owens’ Face of America Open Challenge and more.

SmackDown was #6 in viewership and #3 in the 18-49 demographic for the night on cable, which was topped by the NBA playoffs.

By comparison, this week’s RAW averaged 3.346 million viewers.

Matt and Jeff Hardy Wrestling For House of Hardcore This Weekend

Chris Stephens
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Jeff and Matt Hardy will be keeping commitments they made to Tommy Dreamer’s House of Hardcore promotion this weekend. Matt also seems to be indicating they will be in their “broken universe” characters for the shows.

House of Hardcore 24 & 25

HOH 24 will be Friday night in New Jersey. The main event for that show will be Tommy Dreamer vs. Matt Hardy in a “New Jersey Delete Street Fight”.
Also on the show:
Bully Ray vs. Sami Callihan
Brian Cage vs. MVP

HOH 25 is Saturday night at the 2300 Arena in Philly. That show is headlined by Matt and Jeff Hardy vs. Tommy Dreamer and Bully Ray. Pentagon Jr. will also wrestling Sami Callihan on that show.

Both shows air live on the FloSlam app for subscribers.

Drew Galloway To Defend His WCPW Title in a ’30-Man Championship Rumble’

Jake Skudder
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ICMYI – Drew Galloway/McIntyre has re-signed for WWE on the NXT brand.

Since his departure from the WWE in 2014 Galloway has become one of the biggest stars on the UK independent circuit. His return to the WWE will now leave a big void in the UK  scene, particularly for WCPW where he is the World Heavyweight Champion.

Drew’s final two appearances for WCPW are at No Regrets on April 29th and the Pro Wrestling World Cup Mexican Qualifier on April 30th.

What Culture Pro Wrestling General Manager Adam Blampied has announced that Galloway will defend his WCPW Title in a 30-Man Championship Rumble at No Regrets, check out the video below for further information:

Aleister Black Being Billed by WWE as a Cruiserweight

Jake Skudder
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New NXT signee Aleister Black is now being billed by WWE as a Cruiserweight competitor. The man formally known as Tommy End weighs in at 205 pounds and has been booked to compete in Cruiserweight Title matches against Austin Aries and Neville as part of WWE’s upcoming UK tour.

It is not yet known whether Black will be joining the 205 Live roster officially or whether this is a temporary move to bring some added star power to the WWE European tour.

https://twitter.com/WWEAleister/status/853281634522681344

Rey Mysterio Match Announced for WCPW ‘No Regrets iPPV’

Jake Skudder
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WCPW has announced that UK star El Ligero will be facing Rey Mysterio at the ‘No Regrets’ iPPV taking place on April 29th. The show will be available to watch via the What Culture Extra Service.

El Ligero is one of the hardest working performers on the UK scene today. He is a mainstay in companies such as PROGRESS, IPW:UK, Southside and PCW. His showing as part of the New Years Eve World of Sport programme earned him a spot on the WOS roster and he looks set to have a big year with his ‘kid-friendly’ persona hitting the mark on mainstream UK television.

Other matches announced for the show are as follows:

  • Travis Banks vs Penta El Zero M
  • Alberto El Patron vs Joe Coffey
  • Internet Title Match – Cody Rhodes (c) vs Gabriel Kidd vs Joe Hendry
  • Prince Ameen vs Brandi Rhodes

https://twitter.com/Ligero1/status/854425036580696065

205 Live Highlights And Results: Who’s With Alicia Fox Now??

Chris Stephens
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205 Live
April 18th 2017
Louisville, KY

1. Akira Tozawa vs. Tony Nese

This match continued the storyline between Tozawa and Brian Kendrick, with Tozawa now being the one who teaches Kendrick lessons. This week Tozawa picked up the victory over Nese after Kendrick attempted to get involved, only to have it backfire. Nese then attacked Kendrick. After the attack ended, Tozawa told Kendrick his next lesson was “to have eyes in the back of his head”.
Winner: Tozawa

Rich Swann, Alicia Fox, Noam Dar Segment

In a big update to this storyline, Alicia Fox dumped Noam Dar in an in-ring segment, but was made to look a fool afterwards. Swann then revealed to Fox that he had only sent those gifts to Fox in order to get her to make a fool of herself. He continues to say that he was getting revenge for his friend Cedric Alexander, who is currently out with injury.

Fox then snapped in the ring and seemed to get into an off-script argument with the live audience. The camera switched to commercial (on the Network mind you) before the segment ended. Fox may have gone a little off-script there, she’s possibly prone to going rogue.

2. Mustafa Ali vs. Ariya Daivari

They showed clips in the back of Daivari arriving to the arena in an expensive sports car, and commentary played up his “Persian wealth”. Daivari picked up the win here as well. Ali was looking to go for his inverted 450 splash but Drew Gulak came down the ramp protesting high-flying moves. The distraction allowed Daivari to capitalize and get the win.
Winner: Ariya Daivari

3. TJ Perkins vs. Austin Aries

With Aries set to get his rematch with Neville at Payback, this week’s main event had him taking on the champion’s new run-in buddy TJ Perkins. The cruiserweight classic winner Perkins had been struggling as of late, leading to the heel turn.
Arise picked up the win with the discus forearm. This brought out Neville, but Aries was ready for him however. Perkins joined in and the bad guys used the numbers advantage to soften Aries up for Payback.
Winner: Austin Aries

Daniel Bryan And Brie Bella Due To Be Parents Imminently

Chris Stephens
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As Renee Young put it on Talking Smack last night, Brie Bella’s baby is “about to drop”. The impending birth is what caused Daniel Bryan to miss Smackdown last night.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTAG1szlv7X/?taken-by=thebriebella&hl=en

Birdie Joe Danielson

Brie and Bryan’s pending baby girl has already been given the name “Birdie Joe”. The couple’s struggles to conceive had been documented on Total Divas and the E! Network.

Birdie Joe was originally due on April 30th, but it seems she is eager to come into the world a little early. Brie is past 38 weeks however, so even if the baby is early she would not be considered premature.

Sami Zayn Frustrated After Loss, Jinder Mahal Confident He Can Defeat Randy Orton (Videos)

Robert Lentini
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Sami Zayn Frustrated After Another Loss On SmackDown

Last night on WWE SmackDown, Sami Zayn competed in a Six-Pack Challenge. The winner of that match would become the #1 contender for the WWE Championship. Sami Zayn was about to hit the Helluva Kick on Jinder Mahal but the Bollywood Boyz appeared and grabbed his legs from behind him. Jinder Mahal then won the match and Sami Zayn came up short yet again. WWE has uploaded a new backstage interview with Zayn after his latest loss and Zayn was visibly frustrated. Zayn stated that he was really angry and heartbroken about coming in second place again.

Jinder Mahal Confident He Will Defeat Randy Orton

Jinder Mahal appeared on Talking Smack last night after WWE SmackDown. Mahal said that he heard the boos from the crowd when he won the match. Mahal also stated that when he wins the WWE Championship he will become the new American Dream. Jinder was asked about Randy Orton and Mahal claimed that Orton should be worried. Mahal claimed that he could see fear in Orton’s eyes and that he is going to take the WWE Championship away from him.

WWE SmackDown Recap & Reaction (4/18)

Robert Lentini
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Charlotte kicked off this week’s episode of SmackDown. Charlotte stated that she has already lost her patience with Daniel Bryan and Shane McMahon. Charlotte demanded a SmackDown Women’s Championship match. Smackdown Women’s Champion Naomi came down to the ring and made fun of Charlotte for begging for a match. Naomi then stated that the match will happen right now and leveled Charlotte. Naomi knocked Charlotte out of the ring and a referee then sprinted to the ring and actively tried to prevent Charlotte from getting back in the ring for some reason.

Shane McMahon then made a match between Naomi and Charlotte for later tonight. If Charlotte wins, she is the number one contender and will face Naomi again next week for the Smackdown Women’s Championship. Charlotte and Naomi then brawled for a bit. Charlotte threw Naomi out of the ring and celebrated with the Smackdown Women’s Championship. Naomi then got back in the ring and threw Charlotte out and raised up her title.

Reaction: Charlotte made a reference to the new Fast & Furious movie and it was one of the worst lines I’ve ever heard. Whoever came up with “I’m fastly getting furious” needs to go sit in a dark room for a while and reevaluate things. Other than that line, I enjoyed this promo and the mini-brawl between Naomi and Charlotte.

Natalya, Carmella, James Ellsworth and Tamina Snuka were all backstage and pissed off at Shane McMahon. Natalya thought it was ridiculous that Charlotte is already in the title picture on SmackDown. Natalya then said that she had an idea and instructed Carmella, Ellsworth and Snuka to follow her to discuss things.

Six-Pack Challenge To Determine #1 Contender For WWE Championship: Luke Harper vs Sami Zayn vs Erick Rowan vs Mojo Rawley vs Dolph Ziggler vs Jinder Mahal

Harper connected with a big boot to Ziggler for a two count. SmackDown quickly went to a commercial break right after the match started. When SmackDown returned, Mojo delivered a Superplex to Ziggler, Harper hit a Superplex on Rowan and Zayn Powerbombed Mahal off the top rope. Zayn went for the Helluva Kick on Ziggler but Dolph hit him with a Superkick. Rowan Powerbombed Harper and then collided with Mahal and both Superstars fell to the mat.

Mojo leveled Mahal with a shoulder tackle and he fell out of the ring. Zayn knocked Mojo out of the ring and then Harper knocked Zayn out of the ring. Harper then leaped out of the ring and hit Jinder Mahal with a Suicide Dive. Harper then hit another Suicide Dive onto both Mojo and Zayn. Back in the ring, Rowan hit Ziggler with a big boot for a two count. Rowan then Powerbombed Ziggler onto everyone outside the ring.

Rowan brought Zayn back in the ring and went for a pinfall but Zayn kicked out at two. SmackDown went to another commercial break after Rowan launched Sami out of the ring. When SmackDown returned, Mojo Rawley was in control of the match. He hit Ziggler with a Splash in the corner. Dolph fought back but Mojo slammed him to the mat. Mojo leveled Rawley with a running punch and then Jinder through Mojo out of the ring. Jinder went for the pinfall but Sami Zayn broke it up.

Harper and Rowan then traded punches in the ring. Ziggler hit Rowan with a Zig Zag for a two count. The crowd started to chant “this is awesome!” as Ziggler connected with a Dropkick to Harper. Harper responded by hitting a Powerbomb on Ziggler for a two count. Jinder slammed Harper into the steel steps outside the ring. Mahal then charged at Zayn in the ring but Sami got out of the way and Mahal slammed into the ring post. Sami then Moonsaulted onto Mojo outside the ring.

Back in the ring, Sami Zayn hit Jinder Mahal with an Exploder Suplex. Zayn was about to go for the Helluva Kick but the Bollywood Boys appeared and grabbed Sami’s legs from behind. Jinder Mahal then slammed Zayn to the mat for the victory.

After the match, Mahal cut a promo bashing Americans for not accepting diversity. Mahal stated that Americans will now have no choice but to accept Mahal as the next WWE Champion. Randy Orton then came down to the ring and congratulated Mahal on winning the match. Orton said that Mahal’s prize won’t be the WWE Championship, it will be an RKO.

Orton then mentioned Bray Wyatt and the House of Horrors match that they will have at WWE Payback. Bray Wyatt then appeared on the Jumbotron and said that he is going to inflict pain on Orton at Payback. Wyatt then stated that Orton will not walk out of the House of Horrors match and then he told Orton to run and that was the end of the promo.

Winner & New #1 Contender For WWE Championship: Jinder Mahal 

Reaction: I did not expect Jinder Mahal to win this match at all. I don’t think anyone did. Jinder cut a solid promo after the match as well. It is a little tiresome that every heel Superstar that is not American automatically has to be this anti-American guy that shouts in another language. I don’t have a problem with the gimmick, I’m just tired of seeing it over and over again. Hopefully Mahal can bring something new to the table and actually piss off the crowd, rather than just get them to unenthusiastically chant “USA!”.

I cannot stand how WWE is booking the WWE Championship match between Orton and Wyatt at Payback. It feels like a total afterthought. Randy Orton confronted Jinder Mahal tonight and then a minute later he was talking about his match with Bray Wyatt. As for Bray Wyatt, he cut another ominous promo about fear and pain. It is stunning how WWE has made a character that was so interesting a few months ago into a  complete bore. Nothing Bray Wyatt says matters if he continues to lose matches. This has been the issue the entire time he has been in WWE.

AJ Styles was interviewed backstage about being the number one contender for the United States Championship. Baron Corbin quickly interrupted and it led to a match between Styles and Corbin later tonight.

Charlotte was shown backstage and stumbled upon Ellsworth, Carmella, Tamina Snuka and Natalya. Natalya welcomed Charlotte to SmackDown. Ellsworth then sarcastically said it was an honor to be in the presence of greatest. Natalya then purposely bumped into Charlotte as she tried to walk past her.

Naomi vs Charlotte

Charlotte started off the match in control and stomped on Naomi in the corner. Carmella, Natalya, Ellsworth and Tamina were shown watching the match backstage. Charlotte beat the hell out of Naomi for the next several minutes and taunted her the entire time. Charlotte applied a Chinlock but Naomi battled out of it and hit a Leg Drop for a two count. Charlotte and Naomi traded chops and kicks. Naomi then hit Charlotte with a series of kicks and knocked her to the mat. SmackDown went to a commercial break with Superstars on the floor outside the ring.

When SmackDown returned. Charlotte was once again in control of the match. Ellsworth, Carmella, Snuka and Natalya were once again shown backstage watching the match. All four of them had zero expression on their face while watching the match backstage. It was as if they weren’t aware the camera was on this time. Naomi hit a series of punches to Charlotte and then followed it up with a Clothesline. Naomi hit a Crossbody off the top rope for a two count. Naomi went for the Rear View but Charlotte booted Naomi in the back. Charlotte then hit Natural Selection and now has a shot at the Smackdown Women’s Championship next week. After the match, Charlotte was shown walking backstage and she stumbled upon the viewing party of Ellsworth, Carmella, Snuka and Natalya. Charlotte winked and screamed “woo!” and walked away.

Winner: Charlotte

Reaction: Charlotte and Naomi had a decent match tonight. I’m just going to assume that Natalya’s plan will come to fruition next week. WWE seems to like having Superstars defeat Champions in non-title matches to earn a title match. I’d rather see a tournament, or Charlotte face Becky Lynch or any woman on the SmackDown roster to earn the title match. I don’t understand the point of having Superstars that hold titles lose matches regularly on television. I also don’t like how we just watched Charlotte versus Naomi tonight and now we are getting the same match again next week. Granted, next week’s match is for the Smackdown Women’s Championship so it will be a bit more exciting.

American Alpha vs The Shining Stars

American Alpha was in control of this match in the beginning. Primo and Epico eventually isolated Gable and spent a few minutes taking turns beating him down. Jordan was tagged in and the momentum turned once again.  Epico and Primo then hit Jordan with a cheap shot while the referee was distracted for the victory.

Winners: The Shining Stars

Face Of America Open Challenge: Kevin Owens vs Gary Gandy 

Owens won the match easily with a Pop-Up Powerbomb. After the match, Owens demanded that all the lazy citizens of the United States put the hot dog down and listen to him. Owens stated that he will remain the face of America as long as he is the United States Champion. Owens then joined the commentary table for the main event.

Winner: Kevin Owens

Reaction: *cracks open a Budweiser and screams “AMERICA!” at screen*

Baron Corbin vs AJ Styles

The crowd chanted “AJ Styles!” as the bell rang. Corbin threw Styles out of the ring and then followed him out there. Corbin slammed AJ’s head off the ring apron and SmackDown went to a commercial break. When SmackDown returned, Corbin was still in control. Corbin lost momentum when he charged at Styles in the corner and missed and smashed into the ring post. That seems to happen to Corbin in every single match.

Styles hit Corbin with a Pele Kick. Corbin battled back and hit a Backbreaker for a two count. Corbin charged at Styles in the corner but Styles booted him in the face and applied the Calf Crusher in the middle of the ring. Corbin hit the Deep Six for a two count and became frustrated when Styles kicked out. The action spilled out of the ring and Corbin launched Styles into Owens at the announcer’s table. Styles then hit a Phenomenal Forearm on Corbin and sent him over the barricade. Styles then got back in the ring right before the referee counted to ten.

Winner via Count Out: AJ Styles

Reaction: The main event was a decent match, but overall I wasn’t a fan of this week’s episode of SmackDown. I think Jinder Mahal as the #1 contender can be interesting in the next few weeks. However, if it turns into Randy Orton carrying around an American flag and stereotypical garbage, I won’t be that interested anymore. The Six-Pack Challenge match was very entertaining, but the rest of this week’s episode of SmackDown was pretty forgettable.

What did you think of this week’s episode of SmackDown? Let us know in the comments below.

WWE SmackDown Results & Live Discussion (4/18)

Eric Lynch
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The April 18th edition of WWE SmackDown aired live from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY. This was the first episode of SmackDown since last week’s Superstar Shake-up.

– Charlotte comes out to the ring to kick off SmackDown to comaplain about how Shane McMahon and Daniel Bryan are treating her. She makes a joke about the new Fast & Furious movie, and says she’s the best star in WWE today. This brings out Naomi who says she’ll give Charlotte what she wants: A Women’s Title shot. Naomi says they’re going to do it right here and right now, then lays out Charlotte with a right hand. A referee tries to separate them and Naomi dropkicks Charlotte out to the floor at ringside. Shane McMahon comes out and makes a match between them. Shane says Charlotte has to earn her spot here on SmackDown, and if she beats Naomi tonight she’ll get a Title match next week. This will happen later tonight. We go to the announcers at ringside, but then Charlotte tackles Naomi in the ring and pummels on her. Naomi fights back and throws Charlotte out of the ring again.

– Backstage we see Natalya complaining to Shane that Charlotte is getting better treatment than her. Shane tells Natalya she’ll have to make her own opportunities. Carmella and Ellsworth interrupt next, and they also complain about Charlotte. Tamina interrupts next, and the women all get into a war of words. Natalya tells them to shut up and that this is all Charlotte’s fault. Natalya tells the ladies that management already has their minds made up, and invites them to go talk in private away from Shane.

– Jinder Mahal def. Luke Harper, Dolph Ziggler, Eric Rowan, Mojo Rawley, Sami Zayn: This one is the Six-Pack Challenge to determine the #1 contender for the WWE Championship after Payback. All six men start brawling off the opening bell with several of them spilling out to ringside, leaving Harper and Rowan alone in the ring. The former & current Wyatt disciples go at it in the ring until Harper hits a senton bomb on Rowan. Sami Zayn and Jinder Mahal make their way back in the ring and Zayn hits a Blue Thunder Bomb on Mahal for a near-fall. Ziggler hits a superkick on both Zayn and Harper, but Harper comes right back with a lariat on Ziggler. Harper follows up with a powerbomb on Zayn. Mojo and Jinder start going at it until things spill outside, then Harper hits a suicide dive on Jinder on the floor. Harper then climbs back in the ring and hits another suicide dive on both Zayn and Rawley. Eric Rowan gets his second wind and starts laying out his opponents left and right. Mojo gets back in the ring and drops Rowan, then hits a splash on Ziggler in the corner. Ziggler fights back with an elbow and attempts a cross-body ff the middle rope, but Mojo reverses into a gorilla press slam. Mojo hits a running forearm on Ziggler, but Jinder throws Mojo outside and steals the pin on Ziggler. Zayn breaks up the pin and starts working on Mahal. Mahal sends Zayn rolling outside with a flying knee to the face. Rowan drops Jinder with a variation of the Rock Bottom, then turns his attention to Harper. Ziggler hits the Zig Zag on Harper from behind but only gets a two count. Harper drops Ziggler, but then Jinder pulls Harper outside and throws him into the ring steps. Zayn hits a suicide dive on Harper, then a springboard moonsault on Rowan. Sami gears up for the Heluva Kick on Jinder, but some unknown men in white shirts grab Zayn by the legs. Zayn breaks free, but Jinder capitalizes on the distraction with a half-nelson suplex for the win. This one was an all-out brawl and got “this is awesome” chants from the crowd.

– Jinder cuts a promo after the match saying the fans hate him because he doesn’t fit the image of an “all-American,” he’s better educated than them, wealthier than them, and says that Americans can’t handle diversity. Jinder says he will be the next WWE Champion. Randy Orton’s music hits and the current Champion makes his way down the ramp. Orton gets on the mic and congratulates Jinder, but says the only prize he will get is an RKO. Orton turns his attention from Jinder to address Bray Wyatt, and is quickly interrupted by a video of Wyatt on the big screen. Bray shows highlights of Orton burning down his property, and says he’s going to make Orton feels his pain in their House of Horrors match.

– We see a video promoting The New Day “coming soon” to SmackDown.

– They air a video highlighting Shinsuke Nakamura’s career in NXT, including matches against Samoa Joe and Sami Zayn.

– AJ Styles does an interview backstage about Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho, but he’s quickly interrupted by Baron Corbin. AJ brings up that he won in a match against Corbin last week. Corbin reminds him that it wasn’t him that he pinned. AJ says he’ll win again tonight, this time against Corbin. Corbin accepts, and tells AJ “just remember, you asked for this.”

– Charlotte is walking backstage when she runs into Tamina, Natalya, Carmella and Ellsworth. They sarcastically welcome her to SmackDown, and Natalya bumps into her when she walks by.

– Charlotte def. Naomi: Charlotte takes control early on. They exchange submission holds until Naomi drops Charlotte with a double leg take down and they exchange rollup pin attempts. Charlotte gets Naomi in a headscissors choke and tries to keep the Champion grounded. Naomi comes back with a headscissor take down and follows up with a leg drop. Charlotte hits some chops on Naomi and Naomi strikes back with a series of kicks for a two count. Charlotte misses a knee drop and shortly after Naomi hits a dropkick and a facebuster. The Champion hits a cross-body off the top for a near-fall on Charlotte. Naomi sets up for the Rear View, but Charlotte sees it coming and stops short, then follows up with the Natural Selection for the win after a competitive match. Charlotte will now have a shot at Naomi’s Women’s Championship next Tuesday night.

– American Alpha is shown backstage getting ready to come out to the ring.

– Charlotte is shown walking backstage and she runs into the group of Tamina, Natalya, Carmella and Ellsworth again. This time Charlotte just gives a “Woo” and walks away.

– The Shining Stars def. American Alpha: The Shining Stars use an illegal double team behind the ref’s back early on to get an advantage over Gable. The Stars take turns working on Gable and wearing him down. Epico hits a double-underhook gut buster on Gable, then goes into a chin lock. Gable fires up and gets the tag to Jordan who cleans house. Jordan hits a belly to belly overhead suplex on Epico then a big splash in the corner. Jordan follows up with a Northern Lights suplex, but Primo breaks up the pin. Gable comes in but the referee tells him to get out, and The Shining Stars use the distraction for another cheap shot for the win. The Stars quickly escape up the ramp, and Jordan and Gable look angry about the loss.

– We see a video promoting Lana coming to SmackDown soon.

– Tye Dillinger does an interview backstage where he is asked why the fans have welcomed him with such open arms. He says he has a couple ideas why, but has a video package for us that will explain it better. We go to a video showing his WWE debut and some clips from his matches in NXT. We go back to the interview where Dillinger says that’s why he’s the perfect ten, and walks off.

– Kevin Owens’ open challenge: Owens takes the microphone from the announcer during the introduction and does it himself. He reminds the fans that he’s their U.S. Champion from Quebec, Canada. Owens tells the jobber in the ring with him to introduce himself, and he says he’s Gary Candy from Louisville, which gets a hometown pop. The bell rings and Owens immediately beats down the jobber in the corner and stomps a mud hole in him. Owens whips him off the ropes and hits the pop-up powerbomb for the quick win. JBL calls Owens an American hero and “the face of America.” Owens cuts another anti-American promo at ringside, and says that neither Chris Jericho or AJ Styles will take his U.S. Title away from him.

– AJ Styles def. Baron Corbin via count out: Kevin Owens is on commentary for this one. AJ works on Corbin with leg kicks early on. Corbin comes back with an elbow to the face that sends AJ down to the mat. Corbin throws AJ outside and follows him out. Corbin picks up AJ on his shoulders and drops him face-first onto the corner of the ring apron. Corbin beats down AJ at ringside some more, briefly getting distracted by Kevin Owens. Back in the ring, Corbin stomps on Styles in the corner until the referee backs him off. AJ and Corbin trade chops and elbows until Corbin misses a spear in the corner and crashes into the ring post. AJ works on Corbin with some kicks then hits a Pele Kick that drops Corbin. Styles hits a flying forearm smash in the corner, then a flying elbow onto Corbin on the mat for a two count. AJ goes for the Styles Clash, but Corbin gets out and hits a chokeslam onto his knee for a near-fall. AJ gets Corbin in the Calf Crusher but Corbin reaches the ropes to break the hold. AJ charges at Corbin and Corbin catches him with a Deep Six for another two count. AJ hits a forearm shot on Corbin that sends him down to the floor at ringside, then he follows up with a knee to the face at ringside. AJ sets up for a Styles Clash at ringside, but Corbin reverses into a back body drop that sends AJ flying into Kevin Owens. Corbin goes for the End of Days on the floor at ringside, but AJ gets out and kicks Corbin in the face. AJ hops up on the ring apron and jumps off with a flying forearm that sends Corbin falling over the fan barricade. AJ rolls back in the ring and the referee counts out Corbin, who is still in the crowd. Owens regains consciousness at ringside and he doesn’t look happy. AJ celebrates his victory in the ring as SmackDown goes off the air.

Mike Bennett & Maria Kanellis Reportedly WWE Bound

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Pro wrestling power couple Mike Bennett and wife Maria Kanellis are set to join WWE soon, according to a report by Wade Keller at PWTorch.com.

Although WWE is in the process of beefing up the NXT roster with talent like Drew Galloway, Kassius Ohno and Aleister Black Keller’s report states that “The Miracle” and Maria will be joining SmackDown Live.

Aside from winding down their independent bookings, the couple has been turning down guest spots on multiple podcast, another indication that they could be WWE-bound.

With news that SmackDown Live’s Kevin Owens is rebooting the ‘United States Champion Open Challenge’ – we can’t think of a better opportunity for the Bennetts to make a big splash on the main roster.

WWE RAW Viewership Against NBA Playoffs

Scott Lazara
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This week’s WWE RAW drew 3.346 million viewers, down slightly last week’s 3.429 million viewers. RAW featured Big Show vs. Braun Strowman in the main event, fallout from last week’s Superstar Shakeup and more.

Here is this week’s hourly breakdown courtesy of ShowbuzzDaily:

  • Hour 1: 3.405 million viewers
  • Hour 2: 3.469 million viewers
  • Hour 3: 3.165 million viewers

RAW was #3 in viewership and #5 in the 18-49 demographic on cable this week. The two NBA Playoff games on TNT topped the night in viewership and the 18-49 demo.

Lineups Announced For WWE’s Upcoming European Tour

Jake Skudder
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WWE has announced the matches for three of the dates on their upcoming European tour that kicks off on May 3rd in Italy. As reported previously the Hardy Boys will be part of the tour as the ban on Jeff Hardy entering the United Kingdom has now been lifted. Other notable inclusions to the tour include Shinsuke Nakamura and newly signed NXT star Aleister Black.

The currently scheduled matches are as follows:

May 3rd in Rome at Palalottomatica

  • Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman
  • Finn Balor vs. Bray Wyatt
  • Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe
  • The Miz vs. WWE Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose
  • Enzo Amore & Big Cass vs. Sheamus & Cesaro vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. RAW Tag Team Champions The Hardys
  • Alexa Bliss vs. Emma vs. Mickie James vs. Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax vs. RAW Women’s Champion Bayley
  • Appearances by Austin Aries, WWE Cruiserweight Champion Neville, Goldust, R-Truth and more

May 6th at Plaza Toros Valencia in Valencia:

  • AJ Styles vs. WWE Champion Randy Orton
  • Sami Zayn vs. WWE United States Champion Kevin Owens
  • American Alpha vs. The Shining Stars vs. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos
  • Carmella vs. Becky Lynch vs. Natalya vs. Charlotte Flair vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Naomi
  • Appearances by Shinsuke Nakamura, Luke Harper, Dolph Ziggler, Tyler Breeze, Fandango and more

May 13th at Ahoy Arena in Rotterdam, Netherlands:

  • Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman
  • Finn Balor vs. Bray Wyatt
  • Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe
  • The Miz vs. WWE Intercontinental Champion Dean Ambrose
  • Enzo Amore & Big Cass vs. Sheamus & Cesaro vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson vs. RAW Tag Team Champions The Hardys
  • Alexa Bliss vs. Emma vs. Mickie James vs. Sasha Banks vs. Nia Jax vs. RAW Women’s Champion Bayley
  • Aleister Black vs. Austin Aries vs. WWE Cruiserweight Champion Neville
  • Appearances by Goldust, R-Truth and more

NJPW Stars Announced for Ring of Honor War of the Worlds Tour

Jake Skudder
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Ring of Honor has announced the first few New Japan Pro Wrestling stars that will be appearing as part of the War of The Worlds tour starting May 7th in Toronto, Ontario. The performers currently signed to appear are:

  • KUSHIDA
  • Tetsuya Naito
  • EVIL
  • NEVER Openweight Champion – Hirooki Goto

The following Ring of Honor stars have also been announced for the tour:

  • ROH WORLD CHAMPION Christopher Daniels
  • ROH WORLD TELEVISION CHAMPION Marty Scurll
  • ROH WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS Young Bucks (Nick & Matt Jackson)
  • ROH WORLD 6-MAN TAG TEAM CHAMPIONS  Bully Ray, Mark & Jay Briscoe
  • Cody
  • Will Ospreay
  • Dalton Castle
  • Jay Lethal
Ring of Honor released the following press release for the NJPW/ROH super shows:
“For the fourth-consecutive year, the stars of Ring of Honor and New Japan Pro-Wrestling will do battle with and against one another on the War of the Worlds Tour! Titles will be contested and dream matches realized as all of your favorite stars from ROH and NJPW do battle in Toronto, Dearborn, New York City, and Philadelphia! With the relationship between ROH and NJPW stronger than ever, tickets have moved fast and these events will sell out.”

 

Impact Wrestling & AAA To Run Co-Branded Events This Year

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A press conference was held in Mexico earlier today to reveal details of Impact Wrestling’s alliance with the Lucha Libre AAA promotion. In addition to AAA talent working Slammiversary 2017 in July and Impact talent working TripleMania XXV in August, the two organizations intend to launch co-branded live event tours in the fall.

Here’s the official press release, including quotes from Impact Wrestling Chief Creative Officer Jeff Jarrett and Dorian Roldan, AAA’s Executive VP of Enterprise Development:

IMPACT Wrestling Unveils Details for Cross-Promotion, Co-Branded Events and Distribution with Lucha Libre AAA

TORONTO | NASHVILLE | MEXICO CITY – IMPACT Wrestling, a subsidiary of Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp., today unveiled details about the landmark alliance announced last month with Promociones Antonio Peña S.A. de C.V., the owner of Lucha Libre AAA, Mexico’s preeminent professional wrestling organization founded in 1992.

The alliance coincides with a mutual milestone, as this year marks the 15th anniversary of IMPACT Wrestling and 25th anniversary of Lucha Libre AAA.

“This is an exciting time of celebration for both IMPACT Wrestling and AAA Lucha Libre,” said Ed Nordholm, president of IMPACT Wrestling. “By combining our efforts on talent, touring and distribution, we will increase the global footprint of our respective companies and create the best product for our passionate fan bases.”

The previously announced talent exchange between the organizations will kick into full gear on July 2 when IMPACT Wrestling presents Slammiversary 2017 from The IMPACT Zone in Orlando, Florida. The blockbuster pay-per-view event will showcase top talent from the high-flying AAA roster.

Meanwhile, AAA will present its 25th Anniversary Triplemania XXV on August 26, 2017 in Mexico City. The annual extravaganza will feature top IMPACT Wrestling stars Bobby Lashley, Eddie Edwards and Davey Richards, and an IMPACT championship belt will be defended on Mexican soil.

The two organizations also intend to launch co-branded live tours in the fall.

In addition to these cross-promotional initiatives, Anthem Sports & Entertainment Corp. will work with Lucha Libre AAA to expand the distribution of Fight Network, the world’s premier combat sports channel and home of IMPACT Wrestling in Canada. AAA will also facilitate distribution of IMPACT Wrestling in new territories throughout Latin America and South America, while Anthem will facilitate the expansion of the Lucha Libre AAA footprint through Fight Network’s diverse distribution channels.

“The best way to celebrate these 25 years of uninterrupted work is sharing with all of you the news that we presented today – our alliance with IMPACT Wrestling and the announcement of our international tour that includes not only the North American stops that we will complete with IMPACT Wrestling but also countries like Colombia and Japan, in addition to other activities that will help us to celebrate this important anniversary,” said Dorian Roldan, Executive VP of Enterprise Development for AAA.

Jeff Jarrett, Chief Creative Officer of IMPACT Wrestling, added: “I am excited to see the stars of IMPACT Wrestling and AAA on both anniversary shows and eager to start the co-branded live events as we continue to build promotional bridges on a global basis.”

For more information, please visit www.impactwrestling.com.

Jack Gallagher Giving “Gentleman Lessons”

Chris Stephens
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The cruiserweight division seems big on teaching lessons at the moment.

Jack Gallagher recently announced that he will be providing weekly written lessons to his fans on how to be a “gentleman”. Each week, seemingly for 13 weeks, Gallagher will provide one rule of being a gentleman. He unveiled rule #13 recently:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTAMTNFFOGM/

“Gentleman” Jack Gallagher

Gallagher has become one of the bright spots for WWE’s revamped cruiserweight division. While 205 Live has produced some entertaining shows as of late, viewership of the program is said to be low on the WWE Network.

On Raw last night, Gallagher dropped a match to former CW champion TJ Perkins. The now-heel Perkins capitalized on Gallagher’s distraction with Neville and Aries at ringside to score the win.

TJ Perkins vs. Austin Aries has been announced for tonight’s 205 Live.

 

Return Of US Title “Open Challenges” Tonight On Smackdown

Chris Stephens
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WWE.com announced earlier today that Kevin Owens plans on issuing a “Face of America Open Challenge” tonight on Smackdown. This despite Owens already having a scheduled title defence at Payback versus Chris Jericho and another pending against AJ Styles.

John Cena popularized such open challenges during his run with the US championship in 2015.

US Championship Contenders

Baron Corbin, Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, and even Shinsuke Nakamura could all find themselves competing for this title later in the year. Mojo Rawley is someone WWE has pushed up the card as of late as well. Additionally, Rusev will be returning from injury later in the year and has a long history with the belt.

Jim Cornette Interview: Changing His Mind About Triple H, Making Peace With Bischoff During WM33 Wekend

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Legendary manager Jim Cornette returned to the Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling podcast this week to discuss his unexpected return to the WWE during WrestleMania weekend, inducting the Rock N’ Roll Express into the WWE Hall of Fame, burying the hatchet with certain people and turning the corner on previous views he has had regarding members of WWE management. Here are some highlights of what Jim Cornette said about:

Mending fences with Eric Bischoff as part of WWE’s Table For 3: 

“Eric did not remember why we had only spoken once in twenty-four years. At the top of the Table For 3 I reminded him of that and we did a little jousting back and fourth and then we got onto other topics and Michael (Hayes) was an excellent moderator. We talked for an hour and a half and I understand that that program goes about half of that time so I don’t know if it is going to be a two parter or I don’t know if it is going to be cut up or what and I really don’t know when it is going to air. There was some tension but at the end Eric and I managed to bond over our mutual hatred for the biggest idiot in the history of wrestling, Vince Russo. So the enemy of my enemy is my friend and Eric and I were able to come to a agreement regardless of what we thought of each other in the past neither one of us begins to be as big of a sh*t-stain as Vince Russo is. We bonded over that.”

Are there anymore WWE Network projects in his future: 

“There is and we didn’t go into this thing saying okay we are just going to do this once and never again and that I’m not going to speak to you people after this. If Connecticut was closer to Louisville I’m sure there would be a lot more things I’d be open to. I don’t know if they wan to pay me as much money as it would take to get me to drive to f*cking Connecticut on a regular basis. I don’t fly. Not only do I not fly United Airlines, I don’t fly any airlines because you don’t have any rights in an airport anymore and I don’t like being in a metal death-tube five miles in the air with some drunken f*ck that has probably had a fight with his wife and is now in charge of my life. If something was to come up there are two things I enjoy and that is going back and examining and talking about the old footage of when wrestling was actually wrestling and training the next generation which I did in OVW for quite some time (John Cena, Randy Orton are a legacy of that). If it is something to do with that than yes I am entirely open, not saying we are going to do it and I’m not saying we are not. I’m open to the suggestion and to be honest there is nothing I am going to be doing full time for anyone but myself.”

What is it about the Undertaker that made him have such great longevity: 

“Where do I start? Who else is drawing that much money? Who else has had that many great matches over that long a period of time? Who else has never brought bad publicity either in the ring or outside the ring? Who else has been a locker room leader and a true professional? Who else has never sh*t on the wrestling business by going out and doing asinine childish things or curtain calls or exposing the business? By any measure or any yard stick you can use, The Undertaker has been not only a true professional but an incredible gate attraction and made money for himself and everybody he has ever worked for or worked with. That right there if you can’t respect The Undertaker than you don’t respect anybody ever in wrestling.”

Will we ever see anyone like The Undertaker again?

“I think it is going to be tough. Especially with unfortunately the way that things have gone and the styles of work these days and the things that the guys are expecting to do I don’t know how anybodies body will hold up for twenty-seven years again.”

His impressions of what WWE and Triple H have done to change aspects of its wrestling presentation:

“I’ll tell you this. I didn’t like Triple H for fifth-teen years because of the curtain call. I thought he was a piece of sh*t for exposing the business along with his butt-buddies. He was the junior member at the time and Michaels and Nash were the ring leaders and Ramon (Hall) but by the same token now Triple H and remember when I said the enemy of my enemy is my friend? Triple H is now responsible for NXT which is the most pro wrestling like, pro wrestling promotion on a big budget level in the world today so people can change and things change. I would be a stubborn prick (which of course, I am) but I’d be a stubborn prick if I didn’t say well he may have done some bullsh*t before but now guys like The Revival wouldn’t have a chance, The Revival is the best tag team in wrestling and I love The Briscoes in Ring of Honor and I was huge fans of Chris Hero (Kassius Ohno) and Claudio Castagnoli (Cesaro) when they were the Kings of Wrestling. I thought they were the modern day version of the Midnight Express but right now The Revival is the best tag team in wrestling and NXT has the best pro wrestling presentation of big budget wrestling, Ring of Honor being a close second in the business.”

“When I walked into the TV hotel in Orlando at first I saw Ric Flair than I saw Sting, I saw The Rock N Roll Express and I’m like “my God, it is a Crockett pay per view”. In the same weekend Jim Ross, Kurt Angle and Jim Cornette return to WWE television. This is like the bizarro world, I don’t know what to think anymore.”

Ten years ago, would Jim Cornette have stayed with the WWE if they had this current model in place: 

“No, I would have gone to NXT (laughing). I still wouldn’t want to be on the main roster and I’m definitely not going overseas except for an obscene amount of money (which I’ve been paid a couple of times) to go to England. I would have been interested in NXT because that is why I was interested in OVW and that is why I was interested in Ring of Honor. I wanted to impart some wisdom and also preserve and perpetuate professional wrestling instead of sports entertainment. I’ve always over the last fifth-teen years been more interested in the new talent and training guys  to get over for the new generation than I can about ringing everything I can out of the previous generation. I would have definitely been interested in working with NXT because myself, Jim Ross and Danny Davis invented the developmental program in the first place.”

Former WWE Superstar Rosey (Matt Anoa’i) Passes Away

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Former WWE Superstar Matt “Rosey” Anoa’i passed away on Monday at the age of 47. He was the older brother to RAW Superstar Roman Reigns. No word yet on what led to the former WWE Tag Team Champion passing but he was hospitalized due to congestive heart failure back in 2014.

Matt Anoa’i worked for WWE around 2002-2003 as part of the 3-Minute Warning tag team along with Jamal (Umaga). Rosey later worked as a ‘Super Hero In Training’ and tagged with The Hurricane.

Our condolences go out to the family and friends of Matt Anoa’i.

The Anoa’i family shared the following statement with WWE.com:

“The Anoa’i family is mourning the loss of Sika’s son, Matt aka Rosey, due to an untimely death.

We want to let his fans know that he loved them and the wrestling world so much. In his passing, he left three beautiful young children and a heartbroken family. Please respect the privacy of his children and family as they mourn the loss of this kind, loving, gentle man, who was a father, son, brother and a superhero to us all.

Our family appreciates your prayers and continued support during this very difficult time.”

https://twitter.com/ebischoff/status/854351855186362369

https://twitter.com/mlw/status/854350139615571968

Update On Matt & Jeff Hardy’s Broken Universe Coming to WWE

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We’ve got an update on Matt and Jeff Hardy’s “Broken” characters. Since returning to WWE at WrestleMania, the Hardys have been wrestling under their real names with some subtle references to the broken universe. Their legal battle with Impact Wrestling parent company Anthem is still ongoing, but WWE is working on bringing the Broken Universe to RAW.

According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, WWE is in talks with Impact Wrestling parent company Anthem to secure the rights for the Broken characters. Meltzer said,

“The plan is to do the Broken character. The delay is that they’ve gotta work out the deal [with Anthem] and the deal is not worked out … The goal is to work out a deal.”

Whether WWE licenses the rights to the Broken characters or outright acquires the trademarks, a deal is being worked on.

There is still a lot of excitement surrounding Matt and Jeff Hardy back in WWE, but WWE is aware their current gimmick will grow tired soon and the main storytelling potential lies with the Broken Universe.

Matt Hardy has been incorporating aspects of his various gimmicks in his current  character, referencing “Matt Facts” on Twitter but also using the Broken Matt accent and talking about deleting people.

Slow-Motion Video Of RAW Ring Collapse, Who Will Beat Lesnar Poll, Charlotte

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– WWE.com is running a poll asking fans which RAW Superstar will be the one to hand Universal Champion Brock Lesnar his next defeat. As of this writing, Braun Strowman is in the lead with 28% of the vote, followed by Roman Reigns (25%), Finn Balor (16%) and Goldberg (9%).

– Charlotte Flair tweeted the following prior to Monday’s RAW. The former RAW Women’s Champion was traded to SmackDown last week as part of the Superstar Shake-Up.

– As a result of the ring implosion angle from the end of RAW, there was no post-show dark match main event. WWE posted this slow-motion video of the ring collapsing after Braun Strowman’s giant-sized superplex to the Big Show.

Braun Strowman had this to say on Twitter after RAW. Strowman faces Roman Reigns at WWE Payback on Sunday, April 30th (Updated Card).

https://twitter.com/BraunStrowman/status/854178157427126272

SmackDown Live Preview (4/18): Six-Pack Challenge To Determine #1 Contender

Eric Lynch
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The April 18th edition of WWE SmackDown airs live tonight from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY, and will be the first episode of SmackDown since last week’s Superstar Shake-up.

WWE announced that SmackDown GM Daniel Bryan booked a Six-Pack Challenge for tonight’s show to determine who will become the #1 contender for the WWE Championship after Payback on 4/30. Luke Harper, Erick Rowan, Sami Zayn, Jinder Mahal, Mojo Rawley and Dolph Zigger are the participants in the six-man match.

Randy Orton defends his WWE Championship against Bray Wyatt in a “House of Horrors match” at WWE’s Payback pay-per-view on April 30th, and the winner will have to defend the WWE Title against the winner of tonight’s Six-Pack Challenge.

Join us at 8 PM ET tonight for live SmackDown coverage and discussion.

https://twitter.com/RunningAlexC/status/854299909243248640

https://twitter.com/BillKauff/status/854309599171805184

  • Discussion: Who do you think will win tonight’s Six-Pack Challenge and become the #1 contender for the WWE Championship?

Updated Card For WWE Payback (4/30)

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Following Monday’s episode of RAW, the following is the updated card for WWE Payback:

House of Horrors Match for the WWE Championship
– Randy Orton defends against Bray Wyatt

WWE United States Championship Match
– Kevin Owens defends against Chris Jericho

WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match
– Neville defends against Austin Aries

RAW Tag Team Championship Match
– The Hardy Boyz defend against Cesaro and Sheamus

– Seth Rollins vs. Samoa Joe

– Roman Reigns vs. Braun Strowman

WWE Payback takes place on Sunday, April 30th from San Jose, California.

Matt Hardy Relates With Ring From Last Night

Chris Stephens
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Last night on Raw, WWE pulled the “collapsing ring” gimmick. The angle has occurred less than a handful of times in WWE history, and even requires 3 stored finishers in WWE 2K17 to execute (!!).

Raw’s ending seemed to resonate with returning tag team champion Matt Hardy. He issued the following statement on Twitter:

Is Matt Hardy Completely Fixed?

Shortly after WrestleMania 33, Matt Hardy appeared on Raw Talk and ditched the #Broken mannerisms he had developed on the indies and in Impact. He would state on Twitter that the team’s successful expedition of gold has contained his condition. From time to time, he appears to be making subtle references to the character both on-camera and via social media.

Dash Wilder Injury Update, Statement Regarding His Fractured Jaw

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WWE confirmed on Monday that Dash Wilder of the Revival suffered a fractured jaw over the weekend. He’s expected to be out of action for approximately 2 months and will have his jaw wired shut for the next several weeks.

Wilder issued the following statement on Monday regarding his condition:

This is far from the end for The Revival. It’s just a lucky “break” for every other tag team on Monday Night Raw. An eight week reprieve. It’s gonna take more than a mouth that’s wired shut to keep us from being the greatest tag team of all time. If it were up to me we’d be out there every night fighting and making money. Even with some metal hardware holding my jaw together we are the best tag team on the planet. It’s just a matter of time before the only metal hardware The Revival has are the Raw tag team titles.

#TopGuys
#MondayNightRevival

Scott Dawson also released the following statement:

https://twitter.com/ScottDawsonWWE/status/854134342129471488

Dash Wilder retweeted this photo from Friday’s NXT live event, which saw The Revival face Shinsuke Nakamura and Hideo Itami during the Revival’s “NXT farewell” tour.

https://twitter.com/sophvas/status/854190551251402752

Raw’s Tag Team Division

The Revival had defeated New Day on Raw two weeks in a row to start their main card careers. Raw’s tag team division is fairly stacked at the moment however.

Sheamus & Cesaro will challenge the Hardys at Payback, and just lower in the division are Anderson and Gallows who defeated Enzo and Cass last night. Below them in the division are The Golden Truth, who were beaten up by Braun Strowman this week.

It looks like the Revival were going to debut new T-shirts had it night been for Wilder’s injury:

https://twitter.com/ScottDawsonWWE/status/854036436231782401

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