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WWE SmackDown Results (8/27): Becky Lynch & Bianca Belair, Balor Challenges Reigns

Robert Lentini
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WWE SmackDown aired live from the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, AR. New SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch appeared during tonight’s show and Universal Champion Roman Reigns held a championship celebration.

SmackDown Results

  1. Bianca Belair def. Carmella, Zelina Vega, Liv Morgan in a Fatal 4-Way to earn a shot at the SmackDown Women’s Championship
  2. Cesaro def. Chad Gable via DQ
  3. Rick Boogs & Shinsuke Nakamura def. Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode
  4. Sami Zayn def. Dominik

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Becky Lynch Declined Bianca Belair’s Challenge

Kevin Owens joined Michael Cole and Corey Graves on commentary as SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch kicked off the show.

Lynch said it feels good to be back and to be champion again. Becky told the crowd that she missed them and that giving up her RAW Women’s Championship was one of the hardest things she has ever had to do it.

Becky said it felt like she gave up her identity and has worked hard to get back here. She claimed that if you thought she was dangerous before, she isn’t even more dangerous now because she isn’t just fighting for herself. Lynch said she was sorry for absolutely nothing for what went down at SummerSlam.

Former SmackDown Women’s Champion Bianca Belair interrupted and made her way to the ring. Belair told Becky that wasn’t happy with what happened at SummerSlam because she has worked too hard for it to be erased in 26 seconds. Bianca noted that she accepted Becky’s last minute challenge and wanted a title match tonight.

Zelina Vega interrupted in her ring gear and mocked Bianca for complaining. Vega told Bianca to fall to the back of the line and said she wanted a match against Becky. Carmella interrupted and claimed that she deserves a title match. Liv Morgan joined the party and made her way to the ring as well. Liv wanted a title shot and Carmella joked that the spotlight must be a nice change of scenery from catering. Bianca told everyone that the lost their minds and said she wanted her rematch. Becky simply said no and left the ring.

Bianca Belair Earned A Title Shot

Carmella, Zelina Vega, Bianca Belair, and Liv Morgan battled in a Fatal 4-Way Elimination match. Belair sent Carmella out of the ring and showed off her power with a big slam to Vega. Bianca followed it up with a standing Moonsault but got attacked from behind by Carmella.

Carmella hit a Bronco Buster on Bianca for a two count. Liv hit Vega with a Dropkick but Zelina battled back with a Sunset Bomb. Carmella rolled up Zelina from behind for a near fall and the two started arguing. Bianca leveled Vega with a Clothesline and launched Carmella out of the ring. Belair connected with the KOD on Zelina Vega for the first elimination.

Bianca rolled Liv into the ring but Carmella snuck up from behind and sent Belair into the barricade. Back in the ring, Liv Morgan planted Carmella with the ObLIVion (off ropes Flatliner) for the pinfall elimination. SmackDown went to a commercial break as Bianca Belair and Liv Morgan had a stare down in the middle of the ring.

Liv went for a roll-up but Belair kicked out and connected with a massive Clothesline. Belair followed it up with a Dropkick and taunted Liv. Morgan countered a Powerbomb into a Hurricanrana and then hit a Double Stomp for a near fall. Belair connected with a Spinebuster and went for the cover but Liv kicked out at two.

Morgan went for the ObLIVion but Belair blocked it. Bianca went for a Suplex but Liv countered into a Codebreaker for a near fall. Bianca bounced Liv’s face off the turnbuckle and followed it up with the KOD for the pinfall victory. Bianca Belair earned a shot at the SmackDown Women’s Championship.

Paul Heyman Was Locked Out Of The Tribal Chief’s Locker Room

Paul Heyman was stuck waiting outside Roman Reigns’ locker room for the first 40 minutes of the show. The Usos finally opened the door and claimed that Heyman knew Lesnar was going to show up. Heyman said he did not know that Brock was at SummerSlam. The Usos wondered why Heyman sent them to the back for Reigns’ match against Cena and Paul noted that Roman was the one that sent them backstage. The Usos wound up shutting the door in Heyman’s face as SmackDown went to a break. Roman Reigns eventually showed up and let Paul Heyman in the locker room.

Alpha Academy Attacked Cesaro

Cesaro squared off against Chad Gable tonight on SmackDown. Otis was ringside for the match. Cesaro controlled the action early but Gable battled back and applied an Armbar. Gable connected with a Northern Lights Suplex and bridged into the cover but Cesaro kicked out at two. Gable quickly made his way to the top rope and hit a Moonsault for a near fall.

Cesaro got Gable in the Swing but Otis attacked him from behind to end the match in a DQ. Alpha Academy then leveled Cesaro with a German Suplex/Clothesline combo and dragged him to the corner. Otis made his to the middle turnbuckle and hit Cesaro with a Splash.

Corbin Is Now Happy & Rich

Baron Corbin apparently won a ton of money and made his way to the ring with a top hat. Corbin noted that he had been wearing the same dirty shirt for months and thought he hit rock bottom, but now he looks incredible. Baron said he was the happiest man in the world and rolled a video package of his downfall and now return to glory. Corbin took his last $35 and left Las Vegas with a fortune.

Corbin referred to himself as the “Mayor of Jackpot City” and the crowd chanted “you deserve it!”. Baron asked the crowd to refer to him as “Happy Corbin” and asked Big E to come down to the ring. Corbin offered to buy the MITB contract from Big E and asked how much he wanted for it.

Baron offered 20k and Big E declined. Corbin upped the offer to 50k and Big once again declined. Corbin joked that Big E will probably cash in and lose anyway and Big E pointed out that happened to Baron. Corbin made a final offer of 100k and Big E shouted “hell no!”. Big E said he has some things Corbin can spend the money on and pulled out a half eaten sandwich, a pencil, and an Arkansas Razorbacks plushy. The crowd went bananas and Big E challenged Corbin to a fight. Baron exited as his new dance theme played.

Seth Rollins Had A Bizarre Message For Edge

Edge cut a backstage promo and said he defeated a generational talent like Seth Rollins but paid for it. He claimed that it was time to move on and refocus on the Universal Championship.

Seth Rollins then responded in a backstage promo of his own. Rollins stared off in the distance before saying that he only has one thing to say to Edge. Seth smiled and congratulated Edge on his victory.

Rollins said that Edge won his respect and his admiration at SummerSlam. Seth added that if he wanted to fight his way back to the Universal Championship, maybe he needs to be a little more like Edge. Rollins creepily smiled into the camera and once again thanked and congratulated Edge to end the promo.

Rick Boogs & Shinsuke Nakamura Picked Up A Win

Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs faced Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode tonight on SmackDown. Boogs and Dolph started off action and Boogs sent Ziggler across the ring. Ziggler punched Rick in the face and tagged in Roode. Roode connected with a Neckbreaker for a two count. Roode followed it up with a Suplex for another near fall.

Shinsuke tagged in and caught Roode with a Dropkick. Shinsuke followed it up with an Exploder Suplex to Dolph and a sliding German Suplex to Roode. Nakamura geared up in the corner of the ring and went for the Kinshasa but Roode countered into a cradle for a two count. Nakamura booted Roode in the face and rolled out of the ring. Dolph planted Nakamura with the Zig Zag on the floor outside the ring as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Roode hit Nakamura with a Suplex for a two count. Shinsuke connected with a kick tot he face and tagged in Rick Boogs. Ziggler tagged in and walked into a massive overhead throw from Boogs. Rick followed it up with a Running Bulldog and went for the cover but Dolph kicked out at two.

Boogs went for a Pump Handle Slam but Ziggler broke it up. Dolph hit a Superkick as Nakamura booted Roode to the outside. Ziggler launched Nakamura out of the ring but turned around into a Pump Handle Slam from Boogs for the pinfall victory. Boogs and Nakamura celebrated after the match.

Sami Zayn def. Dominik

Dominik Mysterio faced Sami Zayn the returning Sami Zayn on this week’s show. Sami beat Dominik down in the corner until referee Charles Robinson broke it up. Dominik connected with a Back Body Drop and Sami retreated tp the corner. Zayn smirked and locked up with Dominik in the middle of the ring.

Sami booted Dominik in the midsection and unloaded some punches to the back of his head. Dominik booted Sami in the face and bounced off the ropes a few times before connecting with an Arm Drag. Dominik went for a kick by the ropes but Sami got out of the way. Dominik tumbled to the floor and Rey Mysterio made his way down the entrance ramp as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Zayn went for the Blue Thunder Bomb but Dominik escaped and connected with an Enziguri. Dominik hit the 619 and made his way to the top rope but Sami rolled away. Dominik followed him and Sami caught him with an Exploder Suplex in the corner. Zayn followed it up with the Helluva Kick for the pinfall victory. Dominik didn’t want to have a conversation with Rey after the loss.

Finn Balor Challenged Roman Reigns

Paul Heyman handed Reigns the Universal Championship backstage before the celebration. Heyman noted that this is a family celebration and Reigns told Paul that he was family. When SmackDown returned from a break, Reigns raised the Universal Championship as The Usos raised the SmackDown Tag Team Championships behind him.

Reigns stood in silence with the microphone as the crowd booed. Roman handed the microphone back to Paul Heyman and he told the crowd that the Tribal Chief has granted them permission to acknowledge him. Roman instructed Heyman to give The Usos a proper introduction as well.

Heyman joked that we have “Cena-nuff” off John and complimented Reigns on his beatdown of Cena. Finn Balor interrupted and made his way to the ring. Balor said he was going to challenge Reigns to a match at Extreme Rules but opted to challenge him to a Universal Championship match next week. Balor threw the microphone at Reigns’ chest and attacked him. The Usos beat Balor down behind before the Street Profits made the save. Balor and Street Profits beat The Usos down as Reigns retreated with Heyman to close the show.

Riddle Sends Message To Roman Reigns: You’re Not Moving Needles

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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One half of the Raw Tag Team Champions, Riddle, is well aware of recent comments made by Roman Reigns on moving the needle.

Reigns made some headlines when he discussed the return of CM Punk. Reigns told Ariel Helwani of BT Sport that Punk was never as over or as good as John Cena or The Rock.

Riddle caught wind of that interview and told Bleacher Report that Reigns himself isn’t exactly moving the needle.

“No disrespect to Roman, he seems like a swell fella, but at the same time, it’s like when people say they’re a good parent. You know what? If you were a good parent, your kids would be telling you you’re a good parent. When he’s saying ‘Acknowledge me’ or ‘I move the needle,’ no, you don’t. You’re related to The Rock. Shut up. Like, I’m not impressed, I can beat you up in a real fight. So, shut your mouth.

“You’re not moving needles. I’m the real stallion, RK-Bro is moving the merch, we’re moving the needle, and that’s it. I don’t want to say too much, I’m not trying to get in trouble. Hey, hats off to him. He’s amazing at what he does. I do like what he does, but at the same time, it’s like, get off your high horse. You’re in that spot for a reason. You’re not a bro. You’re second generation. I’m first generation.”

Riddle has been known to ruffle some feathers. He’s had backstage run-ins with Goldberg and Brock Lesnar. When it comes to Goldberg, Riddle seems to have been able to ease tension between the two. The incident with Lesnar was reportedly due to Riddle constantly calling him out in the media. It’s said that Lesnar told Riddle to stop talking about him because they’ll never share the ring.

As far as Reigns goes, he and Riddle aren’t likely to cross paths unless this year’s Survivor Series PPV has cross-promotional matches. Riddle has hit his stride on Monday Night Raw with Randy Orton as his tag team partner. Reigns is also on a roll with his “Tribal Chief” character on Friday Night SmackDown.

Jade Cargill Comes To Defense Of Red Velvet Following Moonsault Botch

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Jade Cargill is sticking up for Red Velvet.

Velvet was seen in action on the Aug. 25 edition of AEW Dynamite. She went one-on-one with Jamie Hayter. Hayter ended up winning the match but Velvet’s performance was panned after she badly missed a standing moonsault.

Jade Cargill took to her Twitter account to respond to a fan who criticized AEW’s decision to give Red Velvet airtime over her.

“Red was/is fine. She can work. Everybody loved her when she was killing it. Shit happens. But clearly you all don’t know wrestling to not see some shit in that go round. SMH. I’m done.”

Cargill has been built up to become a dominant athlete on the AEW roster. She’s gotten off to a red hot start in AEW with a record of 10-0. AEW has also been making Red Velvet look strong with a 2021 record of 24-5. She challenged Britt Baker for the AEW Women’s title in a losing effort.

Cargill was immediately put in a prominent spot on AEW television. She was set for a tag team match with Shaq to take on Cody Rhodes and Brandi Rhodes. Brandi was pulled from the match due to her pregnancy. Cargill and Shaq ended up defeating Cody and Red Velvet.

Do you agree with Jade Cargill on the criticisms hurled at Red Velvet?

First Look At The New WWE NXT Logo

Andrew Ravens
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WWE is rebranding the image of NXT and it all starts with a new logo. Wale sent out a video on Twitter this evening of the logo, which was retweeted by the official WWE account, essentially confirming that this is it. 

WWE is making various changes to the brand from its production, look, and talent. WWE is moving away from scouting independent talent. They also will be signing and pushing younger and taller wrestlers instead of doing this with older and smaller wrestlers. 

Even this past Tuesday night on TV, the pace of the matches was much slower. WWE President Nick Khan confirmed the changes last week while doing an interview with Ariel Helwani. 

 “We’re doing a complete revamp on NXT, led by Triple H, Paul Levesque, who’s really one of the architects of the original NXT. What we found, it’s probably why we did the tryout yesterday, what we want to make sure is easy for folks who want to be WWE superstars is figuring out how to become WWE superstars. If you think of the life of an elevated athlete throughout their career, the opportunity to go play somewhere has always been easy, being able to play somewhere is not.

“In terms of an NXT rebrand, look for it in the upcoming weeks, it’s going to have a whole new look, it’s going to have a whole new feel, and we believe because of a lot of the ‘indie wrestlers’ if you will, have come through our system, and are in our system with SmackDown and RAW now. We don’t want to keep doing that same thing, we want to look elsewhere for great young talent.”

WWE taped two weeks’ worth of television this past week in order for the CWC to be revamped with the new look. WWE will show off the changes on the next live episode of NXT that airs on September 14th.

Baron Corbin Offers Explanation For His Gimmick Change

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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Baron Corbin has discussed the significant change to his character.

Corbin debuted on WWE’s main roster as “The Lone Wolf.” He then went on to become the Constable of Monday Night Raw, which saw him take on a role as an authority figure. Once that gimmick ran its course, he became “King Corbin.” Nowadays, Corbin finds himself on WWE SmackDown going through financial struggles.

During an appearance on 104.5 The Zone, Corbin explained why it was the right time to portray a character who lost all of his riches.

“Right I’m doing what now is so different than anything I’ve done. And I’m a believer that it’s like evolve or die. I don’t want to spend ten years doing the same thing. So a lot of this, when I’m getting to evolve from ‘The Lone Wolf’ to ‘The Constable’ to ‘The King’ to what I’m doing now, to me it’s this really fun evolution, and it’s just a fun ride. Because you see a lot of guys don’t want to change or they want to continue the same thing, and the fans, it’s hard to keep them invested.

“We live in such a fast-paced world now where two weeks is a long time. We used to tell stories over six months or a year, and now the audience can be a little impatient and they wanna get where we’re going quick but I think this story we’re telling right, they’re really enjoying the ride, which is different. Because normally after two or three weeks, they’re like alright, what are we doing? Where are we going? But now they’re going well I can’t wait to see what happens next. I think this is a fun story that people have been invested in.”

Corbin has gone as far as to beg the WWE Universe for a minimum of $1,000. He also asked Drew McIntyre for $100,000 and even stole Big E’s Money in the Bank briefcase before losing their match on the SummerSlam kickoff show.

As of late, Baron Corbin has been rolling out videos where he’s had a string of luck in Las Vegas. While he ended up being down to a few hundred bucks after one bad night, Corbin seems to have hit his stride again, purchasing a luxury car.

Backstage News On Britt Baker’s AEW Women’s Title Run

Fernando Quiles Jr.
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AEW is thinking long-term as far as Britt Baker’s toughest title challenger is concerned.

Baker is arguably the most popular female competitor in AEW. Baker ended the 372-day reign of Hikaru Shida at the Double or Nothing PPV event back in May. She successfully defended her gold against Nyla Rose and then Red Velvet in her hometown of Pittsburgh.

While many agreed that Britt was primed for a run with the AEW Women’s Title once she turned heel, one match pretty much sealed the deal. Back in March, Baker and Thunder Rosa headlined an episode of Dynamite in an unsanctioned Lights Out match. Rosa won the match but Britt emerged as an even bigger star in defeat.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio reports that AEW fans shouldn’t expect to see a rematch between the two this year. In fact, the plan is to save the match for early 2022. There’s no word on whether this will be a match for Dynamite or if it’ll take place on next year’s Revolution PPV.

Baker is scheduled to put her gold on the line against Kris Statlander at All Out on Sept. 5. As for Thunder Rosa, she recently signed a full-time deal with AEW and has 25 wins and just three losses with the promotion in 2021.

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Adam Cole Cancels Twitch Stream Ahead of WWE SmackDown

Jake Skudder
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Adam Cole has been one of the major talking points amongst pro wrestling fans over the past few weeks.

It was recently revealed that Cole had not signed a new deal with WWE. His original contract had actually come due around the NXT Great American Bash event earlier this year.

Cole apparently signed an extension with WWE, keeping him with the NXT brand for a further month just beyond WWE SummerSlam 2021 weekend. Cole’s contract extension runs through today, according to Fightful.

Cole has since removed the link to his WWE Shop page from his Twitter bio. He has also cancelled the Twitch stream that he had planned for tonight.

“Hey Chugs Army….I’m very sorry but something has come up today and I won’t be able to stream today [frown emoji]” Adam Cole wrote to fans. “I really really wish that I could. But I will keep you all posted on when the stream will be Saturday! Love you Chugs Army and thanks for understanding as always [folded hands emoji].”

Adam Cole Leaving WWE?

With Cole becoming a free agent, he is free to go wherever he chooses. Most WWE talent contracts include a non-compete clause on the back end. Cole’s extension had no such clause.

With that in mind, WWE could cause a stir by having Cole appear on SmackDown and elevate him right from the word go.

WWE has come under flak from fans for their supposed ‘no indie stars’ mentality going forward for developmental. Cole making a huge debut on SmackDown would offset some of that blowback.

There’s also the fact that FOX is not happy with CM Punk making his debut for All Elite Wrestling. WWE may still be looking to help that relationship and bring another ROH alumnus to the show.

PROGRESS World Championship Match confirmed for Peacock and WWE Network

Jake Skudder
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PROGRESS Wrestling has confirmed that PROGRESS World Champion Cara Noir will be defending his title this weekend on Peacock in the United States and WWE Network everywhere else internationally.

The Black Swan will be defending his PROGRESS World Title against British wrestling veteran Dean ‘Xtreme’ Allmark.

Allmark challenged the Champion at the last Chapter event after Cara Noir successfully retained his title against promising upstart Danny Black.

The winner of this match will go on to face the winner of the planned Scramble match that will also be taking place on the show.

PROGRESS Chapter 119

Danny Black, Jody Fleisch, Dan Moloney, ELIJAH, Chris Ridgeway, Charlie Sterling, Luke Jacobs and Kid Lykos have all attempted to defeat Cara Noir and have come up short; now the winner of the Scramble/Thunderb*stard match will be able to get another shot at the gold, should that be held by Noir or Dean Allmark.

Chapter 119 will be airing on Peacock, WWE Network and demandPROGRESS as of 5 pm BST, and the following matches have been confirmed for the event:

  • Second Chance Scramble – Danny Black, Jody Fleisch, Dan Moloney, ELIJAH, Chris Ridgeway, Charlie Sterling, Luke Jacobs and Kid Lykos 
  • Man Like Dereiss vs Malik w/Kosta K
  • PROGRESS Women’s Championship – Gisele Shaw (c) vs Alexxis Falcon
  • Ronnie Knocks vs Mercedez Blaze
  • Sandy Beach vs Warren Banks
  • Sunshine Machine vs Big Money Gun Dogs
  • PROGRESS World Championship – Cara Noir (c) vs Dean Allmark

WHERE AND HOW TO WATCH: 

WWE Network (worldwide)

demandPROGRESS (worldwide)

Peacock (US only)

AEW Dark Moving To Universal Studios In Orlando, FL

Chris Stephens
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What’s AEW Dark doing in the Impact Zone?!

With All Elite Wrestling shows back on the road and Rampage airing on Friday nights, the promotion is preparing to make some changes to AEW Dark. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, the show will be moving to a studio setting.

“They are going to be doing studio tapings for Dark most weeks now since Rampage is being taped on most Wednesday nights going forward,” wrote Dave Meltzer. The report continued to say that the format will typically be Dark Elevation filmed before Dynamite and then Rampage being filmed after.

Episodes of Rampage will take place live from time to time, however. While this week’s show was taped, Rampage will air live from Chicago on September 3rd. The next live episode of Rampage to air after that is currently scheduled to be October 15th from Miami.

Impact Wrestling
Impact Wrestling at Universal Orlando

According to Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast, Florida’s Universal Studios could be the studio AEW films in.

“Hearing that the possible new home for AEW Dark will be in Universal Studios in Orlando at a Sound Stage similar to what IMPACT use to do,” Zarian Tweeted.

Dave Meltzer has since confirmed that Universal Orlando is the future home of All Elite Wrestling’s AEW Dark tapings.

3 matches will air on Rampage tonight that were taped following Dynamite in Milwaukee this week. The Lucha Bros will face Jurassic Express. Tay Conti will take on the Bunny. Christian Cage will also team up with Frankie Kazarian to take on Kenny Omega and Brandon Cutler.

Tony Khan Understands The Reasoning Behind WWE Releases

Alex Laybourne
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What do Tony Khan and Vincent Kennedy McMahon have in common? They are both businessmen. While the media and wrestling fans around the world may view the two as being polar opposites to one another.

However, they are both men cut from the same cloth, and while, right now, they have two different ways of conducting their business, it doesn’t mean they are that far apart in mindset. Speaking during a recent appearance on the Le Batard and Friends – South Beach Sessions, Tony Khan addressed the spate of WWE releases this year. Speaking as a businessman he fully understood what was happening.

“Well, they had a really big roster, and they’ve chosen to try to maximize their profit margins by letting talent go to reduce the amount of cost they have due to talent,” Khan explained, his inner businessman coming out.

“They had a lot of really good people, and they’re making choices about why people have value to them. I can’t say what number they’re trying to hit, but they’re definitely trying to hit a number there. I think it’s about profitability, and they’re making choices, I’m sure they don’t necessarily want to make, but they’ve let good people go in the process, absolutely.”

Tony Khan Understands What It Will Take to Be a Success

There has also been a lot of talk recently from WWE about how the people up the top don’t see AEW as a credible threat. This topic was also discussed during Tony Khan’s interview. Khan understands the talk, however, with WCW and their documented faults acting as a mile marker, he believes he has what it takes to survive.

“If Ted (Turner) had been 1% as hands-on or capable as I am to run a wrestling business, WCW never would have gone out of business.”

Tony Khan also has a good friend in Eric Bischoff, who at the helm of WCW pushed WWE to their limits back during the Monday Night Wars. Armed with industry knowledge, passion and undeniable business acumen, Tony Khan believes he knows the formula for long term success, and it isn’t actually too different from WWE right now.

“There’s been one supreme commander at the top who runs a company and negotiates the contracts, negotiates the TV deals, and the arenas, and figures out who’s wrestling who and books the matches.”

Some wrestling fans, those that feel WWE can do no right will find these words worrying. However, to those that understand the industry, know the history, and appreciate the multiple pathways that constitute sports entertainment, there is an undeniable truth in his words. A truth that should instil confidence and paint a very bright future for All Elite Wrestling.

Mark Henry Helps Young AEW Talent Each & Every Week, Says Jim Ross

Rayan Sayyed
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Mark Henry, WWE Hall of Famer and pro wrestling legend signed with All Elite Wrestling in May this year as coach, broadcaster and talent scout, shocking the wrestling world. Aside from performing his broadcasting duties in the company, Henry’s behind-the-scenes duties as a coach include mentoring and guiding AEW’s up-and-coming stars. He is also responsible for scouting talent for AEW, which is nothing new for Henry as over the years working with WWE he brought several talented athletes to the company.

Jim Ross, who is a senior advisor at AEW, took notice of Mark Henry’s impact on the AEW locker room and spoke about it on a recent episode of his Grilling JR podcast. Ross said that Henry does a great job for AEW by talking to the young stars. One of the things he does is sit together with them during the shows and points out things and lets them ask him questions. “He’s a very valuable asset to AEW. A lot of folks may not realize it because he’s not on TV all the time, he will be in some role on Rampage. But in any event, Mark was a long term investment [during his early years with WWE]. He was a project, but you can’t replace Mark Henry. Over time he’s evolved into one of the most beloved characters in the business,” Ross said. (H/T Wrestling Inc.)

Mark Henry has said that when the expiry of his WWE contract neared, he felt like he wanted to do more and be in an executive position. “I felt like I wanted to do more. I always wanted to do more. You know me, I’m a busybody. If I’m not doing what I know I can do, especially if I feel I can do it better than somebody else. If I can’t get that opportunity, I have to start looking for that somewhere else. And I did.”

Henry has also said he wants to wrestle again and that his retirement match is “definitely going to happen in AEW.” He also wants to bring Braun Strowman to AEW. “I talked to him, I mentored him but I tell him all the time, I can’t talk business,” Henry said regarding Strowman. “When your contract expires, you call and let me know and then we’ll have a talk.”

Ilja Dragunov Urges Fans To Stop Sleeping On NXT UK

Rayan Sayyed
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Ilja Dragunov wants to be the face of NXT UK after defeating WALTER at NXT TakeOver 36 and becoming the new NXT UK Champion. In what was a rematch of one of 2020’s best matches and a potential contender for match of the year in its own right, Dragunov ended WALTER’s 870-day reign as NXT UK Champion in Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center.

After his win, Ilja Dragunov wants fans to pay attention to the UK brand as according to the new champion, it is better than all the other brands in WWE. Speaking to Lucha Libre Online, Dragunov said that he knows that he now has the responsibility to represent NXT UK and in his opinion, it is the greatest brand in WWE. The reasoning he gave behind his statement is that no other brand comes close to NXT UK when it comes to the in-ring style and physicality, and the ability to connect fans to the performance. Dragunov said that NXT UK is untouchable and he urged fans to stop sleeping on it.

Previously in an interview, Dragunov said that the work ethic of the NXT UK locker room inspires him to do better and reiterated that fans should be paying attention to he brand. “Just when I step into the locker room, I see the people, day by day getting better. The work mentality inspires me and makes me proud to be the champion of this brand and represent. I see so much talent on this brand that people will pay attention to as soon as they get a chance. One chance can change the world. I’m sure the people who sleep on NXT UK will not sleep on NXT UK in the future because the talent is rising.”

Meanwhile, after his loss to Dragunov, WALTER was reportedly in a lot of talks among WWE officials that he should become a regular fixture on NXT. It is not known however if he would actually appear on the regular version of NXT as WALTER is not too keen on relocating to America. So much so that didn’t even consider signing with WWE before NXT UK was created. “I was never too keen about leaving Germany or Europe to live in the United States. It’s a big step. Most of the other wrestlers are willing to do it because it’s their goal from day one or early in their career.”

Daniel Bryan Sporting A New Look Amidst Hints He’s AEW Bound

Anutosh Bajpai
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Daniel Bryan is gearing up for his apparently imminent AEW debut by abandoning his traditional appearance and opting for a brand new look instead.

Brie Bella recently shared photos with the former world champion on Instagram. In the pictures as seen below, the leader of the yes movement is seen sporting a brand new hairstyle:

Daniel Bryan opted not to renew his contract with WWE when his last deal expired in April this year. He was written off TV after losing a career vs. title match to Roman Reigns during the April 30 episode of SmackDown.

Daniel Bryan To AEW?

While the former champion himself has been pretty quiet about his future plans since his WWE departure, multiple reports suggest that he is AEW bound already.

The wrestling promotion has also been dropping hints about his future. Daniel Bryan action figures were recently shown on an episode of Being The Elite

This week’s episode of Dynamite saw CM Punk teasing Daniel Bryan’s arrival during his promo. When showered with yes chants from the fans, the straight edge star said “That’s somebody else’s shtick and you might just need to be a little more patient,”

When the star known as Bryan Danielson outside the WWE realm may make his return to wrestling is anyone’s guess. Though the AEW teases have certainly excited fans about the prospect of many interesting future rivalries for the American dragon.

Shinsuke Nakamura Denies Report He’s Signed A Contract Extension With WWE

Chris Stephens
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Shinsuke Nakamura is denying a report that he has signed a contract extension with WWE. An article in Nikkan Sports published a report stating that Nakamura had extended his deal with the company but Nakamura replied to say that this is not the case.

“‘King’ Shinsuke Nakamura extends contract with WWE, period unknown US media coverage,” a translation of the headline reads.

Nakamura then responded with “Soreusodesuyo” which according to Google translate means “That’s a lie.”

In terms of what led to this report, it appears multiple outlets may have misconstrued comments made by Andrew Zarian on the Mat Men podcast. Zarian says he was referring to a contract extension that Nakamura signed in 2019, not a new one signed recently.

Reports of Nakamura signing a contract extension with WWE in 2019 were originally made by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

It has been a successful summer for Nakamura. He defeated Baron Corbin for the “King of WWE” title in June. That ended up sending Corbin on quite the downward spiral. Nakamura then defeated Apollo Crews to win the Intercontinental Championship on the August 13th episode of Smackdown. He is a former 2x NXT Champion, 2x United States Champion, and 2x and current Intercontinental Champion. Nakamura also won the Royal Rumble in 2018.

IInspiration (FKA The IIconics) Announce Return To Pro-Wrestling

Chris Stephens
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Jessica McKay and Cassie Lee are now known as Iinspiration (FKA Billie Kay & Peyton Royce, the Iiconics). The Australian duo have recently announced their return to pro-wrestling. They had both been released from their WWE contracts in April after having been with the company since 2015.

Both Jessica McKay and Cassie Lee took to Twitter recently to announce their returns to pro-wrestling. They have announced “The Iinspiration Tour” with dates and cities to be announced soon.

WrestleCade has announced them for their event at the Benton Convention Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in late November:

News that the team are returning to pro-wrestling comes after they had both discussed having problems obtaining work visas after being released from WWE.

“People are like, ‘what are going to do now?’ Well, nothing, because I can’t legally work in the country and people think that you apply for the green card and it comes in the mail,” said McKay on Oral Sessions. “This stuff takes years and we’ve been through the ringer with this, getting stuff denied and switching the process because of the pandemic. It keeps backing up, year after year. We’re almost there, but almost there could still be a year away. We just don’t know.”

The IIconics became the second team to win the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championships after they were brought back in 2019. They won a 4-way match at WrestleMania 35 to win the belts from Sasha Banks and Bayley.

Adam Cole Considered “Done Internally” By WWE

Rayan Sayyed
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Adam Cole, the former NXT Champion will become a free agent later today as his contract with WWE has expired. As noted earlier, WWE scrambled to tie him up for a short-term extension so he could compete at NXT TakeOver 36 as advertised against Kyle O’Reilly. It was also reported that Cole’s short-term WWE contract extension has no non-compete clause, meaning that he would be free to sign with a different company as he becomes a free agent. It was also believed that WWE could re-sign Cole in the days since then, but the company seems to consider him done with the WWE as of now.

According to a new report by PWInsider, WWE considers Adam Cole “done internally” unless they have a new offer for him. Cole is still advertised as part of a livestream this evening on Amazon which is for the promotion of upcoming WWE Mattel action figures. The livestream isn’t really live however, as it was reportedly taped a few weeks ago, so Cole isn’t actually making an appearance in any capacity for WWE today.

Adam Cole’s girlfriend, AEW Women’s Champion Britt Baker, discussed in an interview recently about the possibility of a mixed tag team match taking place in AEW featuring Baker & Cole against CM Punk & AJ Lee. “I could think of a mixed tag that I would like to see. One involving her (AJ Lee), him (CM Punk), me and… somebody else.”

The reason why Cole’s contract had to be extended short-term was because WWE officials were erroneously under the assumption that his contract was not expiring until December. There’s a chance that WWE could strike up a new deal for him but if not, then Cole has good options to choose from to further his career in wrestling.

Braun Strowman Likely Heading To Impact Wrestling (Report)

Anutosh Bajpai
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Former WWE superstars Braun Strowman and Buddy Murphy are both likely heading to Impact Wrestling after their release from the company earlier this year, suggests Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Dave Meltzer talked about the future of some recently released stars in the latest edition of the Newsletter. He noted that both the former WWE talents are likely headed to the Impact Zone:

“It appears that the former Braun Strowman and Buddy Murphy will be here, with Murphy as Buddy Matthews (his real name is Matthew Adams) and not sure what name Strowman will use. Scott D’Amore did a Twitch show from a baseball game and mentioned the term Braun for Glory.”

Meltzer also reiterated his comments about the company officials being interested in bringing in Bray Wyatt as well. Though he noted that it’s one situation that can go in many different directions.

Braun Strowman has not provided a lot of hints about his future since his WWE release. Buddy Murphy on the other hand has been very active on social media. He has been posting vignettes teasing his next move.

Since both the stars were released on June 2, they are expected to become free agents once their non-compete clause expires at the end of this month. It would be interesting to see when they make their first appearance for Impact.

Braun Strowman Reveals 15% Paralysis In His Left Leg

Brock Lesnar’s Last-Minute Return Due To CM Punk’s AEW Debut (Report)

Chris Stephens
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CM Punk, Becky Lynch, and Brock Lesnar all returned to pro-wrestling after varying lengths of absences recently. According to a report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE brought back Brock Lesnar and may have sped up the return of Becky Lynch due to pressure to appease Fox after CM Punk debuted for AEW.

“FOX was very upset that WWE didn’t make a big offer to Punk to keep him from going to AEW, and politically, WWE felt the need to get Lesnar and Lynch to Smackdown right away,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

Fox and CM Punk are said to have a good relationship stemming from his time on WWE Backstage.

In terms of Becky Lynch, she was likely always returning at SummerSlam, anyway. For Lesnar, however, his deal was said to have been made very last minute. Meltzer noted that those close to the situation are “saying it was literally a last-minute deal that was put together for a number of reasons, all in some form related to FOX, C.M. Punk showing up in AEW and John Cena leaving.”

It was also noted that the reason Lesnar looked leaner than usual is that he did not have advanced notice he’d be returning. Both Lesnar and Lynch will be headed to the Smackdown brand with Lesnar challenging Reigns for the Universal title and Lynch now the Smackdown Women’s Champion after defeating Bianca Belair on Saturday.

WWE No Longer Scouting Independent Wrestling Talent

Chris Stephens
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There have been several reports in recent weeks regarding WWE’s approach to scouting and hiring talent. According to a recent report from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WWE will no longer be scouting talent from independent wrestling promotions.

“Several in the company have told us that the word from the top is no more independent talent as far as scouting and such,” wrote Dave Meltzer.

“They are back to the feeling of scouting by looks and not because guys have gotten over elsewhere and teaching people with the right look to be wrestlers.”

The report continued to say the plan is to bring in a lot more athletes with backgrounds in other sports for tryouts.

WWE has dozens of former independent wrestlers on the main roster, in NXT and at the Performance Center. What does this new philosophy mean for the Adam Cole’s, Johnny Gargano’s and Ricochet’s of the world?

performance center

WWE’s New Talent Scouting Policy

WWE’s Nick Khan recently spoke about WWE’s approach to scouting and hiring during an interview with Ariel Helwani for BT Sport.

“In terms of an NXT rebrand, look for it in the next couple of weeks. It’s going to have a whole new look. It’s going to have a whole new feel, and we believe because a lot of the ‘indie wrestlers,’ if you will, have come through our system and are in our system with SmackDown and RAW now, we don’t want to just keep doing that same thing. We want to look elsewhere for great young talent. The look of the show, the production of the show, everything’s gonna’ change.”

AEW President Tony Khan reacted to the Nick Khan’s interview with Ariel Helwani, specifically his comments about WWE looking to recruit a very specific type of athlete.

Visit f4wonline.com to subscribe to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

Impact Results (8/26): Christian Cage Returns, The Good Brothers vs Swann & Mack

Chris Stephens
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Impact Wrestling on 8/26 featured the Good Brothers vs Willie Mack & Rich Swann in the main event, Mickie James was there to promote NWA Empowerrr this weekend, and Christian Cage returned to the Impact Zone.

Impact Wrestling 8/26 Quick Results:

  1. Chris Sabin defeated Sami Callihan
  2. Chris Bey defeated David Finlay
  3. The Influence (Tenille Dashwood, Madison Rayne, & Kaleb with a K) defeated Taylor Wilde
  4. Willie Mack & Rich Swann defeated The Good Brothers (Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows)

Chris Sabin Beats Sami Callihan

The opener this week saw two of the promotion’s top-ranked singles wrestlers and former world champions go one-on-one as Chris Sabin faced Sami Callihan. Sabin somehow found the strength to kick out after Callihan hit him with a curb stomp and piledriver. Shortly after, Callihan just barely got his shoulder up on a pin attempt. He probably shouldn’t have taken a moment to confirm with the referee that it was only a 2-count, however, as Sabin quickly hit his Cradle Shock finish for the win after.

After the match, Moose attacked and was about to inflict more damage on Callihan when Eddie Edwards made the save.

Deonna Purrazzo, Melina, & Mickie James Build To NWA Empowerrr

The Knockouts title will be on the line this weekend from St. Louis. Deonna Purrazzo will face Melina on the NWA Empowerrr show Saturday night. The Virtuosa and Mickie James came face to face this week, with James warning the champion not to underestimate Melina. She reminded Purrazzo that she will not have Drama King Matt’s help at Empowerrr like she did at Emergence. Purrazzo attacked James but Melina and Trey Miguel came out for the save.

Chris Bey Defeats David Finlay

David Finlay was likely wanting some revenge against Bullet Club here after dropping his match against Jay White at NJPW Resurgence recently. After a competitive and action-filled match, Bey rolled up Finlay and gained leverage by putting his feet on the ropes for the win.

Christian Cage Returns To The Impact Zone

Christian Cage returned to the Impact Zone this week. His next challenger for the title will be Ace Austin at Victory Road but Christian sounded quite confident that the former X-Division Champion doesn’t represent a significant threat to his title. Tommy Dreamer then came out and let Christian know that he wants to face him down the line but plans on earning his opportunity first. Ace Austin and Madman Fulton then came out and a melee ensued between the 4 men.

Later in the show, Scott D’Amore announced that next week Ace Austin will face Tommy Dreamer in singles action. If Dreamer wins, he’ll be added to the match at Victory Road.

Eric Young Blames Rhino For Loss At Emergence

Rhino took the pin at Emergence, costing his Violent By Design faction a chance to regain the Impact tag-team titles. Eric Young was not happy about this. A vignette aired this week featuring Young telling Rhino he needs to cleanse him in the holy waters of change.

Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering Come To Taylor Wilde’s Rescue

Taylor Wilde had a tough task this week. She faced all 3 members of The Influence, Madison Rayne, Tenille Dashwood and Kaleb (With a K) Konley. Although Wilde got in some offence, she was eventually hit with a Spotlight Kick and pinned. After the match, the 3 Instagram-savvy wrestlers kept up the attack on Wilde until former tag champs Rachael Ellering and Jordynne Grace made the save.

Su Yung & Kimber Lee Take Brandi Lauren’s Soul

Brandi Lauren was being interviewed in the back when things took a turn. The lighting changed and it became clear that Su Yung and the now somewhat demonic Kimber Lee were going to attack. Gia Miller exclaimed that they needed to get out of there but it was too late. Kimber gave Lauren the mandible claw and took her into a room with Yung to end the segment.

Willie Mack & Rich Swann Beat The Tag Champs

Willie Mack and Rich Swann have likely earned a future shot at the Impact tag team championships after defeating the champs in non-title action this week. After a competitive match, Swann countered Karl Anderson’s Gun Stun into a pinning combination and got the 3-count. The Good Brothers were not good sports about the loss. They attacked Swann and Mack after the match. They tossed Swann into the steel post and gave Mack a Magic Killer before power-bombing him through a table. The Good Brothers stood tall to end the show despite losing the main event.

Coming Up In Impact Wrestling

Next Week:

  • Tommy Dreamer vs Ace Austin (If Dreamer wins, he’s added to the world title match at Victory Road)
  • The Influence (Tenille Dashwood, Madison Rayne, & Kaleb with a K) vs Taylor Wilde, Jordynne Grace and Rachael Ellering
  • Rohit Raju & Shera vs Matt Cardona & Chelsea Green
  • X-Division Championship
    Josh Alexander Open Challenge

Victory Road (September 18th)

  • Impact World Championship
    Christian Cage (c) vs Ace Austin

Samoa Joe Doesn’t See the Benefit of the Forbidden Door

Alex Laybourne
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Samoa Joe is a name that wrestling fans around the world know and love. An indie superstar who became a household name. From spells with ROH and Impact to spells in Japan and dominance in WWE. Joe has fought them all, beat them all and conquered every challenge that has come his way.

With the wrestling world starting a new phase in its continuing evolution. The forbidden door is well and truly open. Dream matches that many never thought possible are now happening week-in and week-out. Yet, Samoa Joe does not support this concept at all. In fact, talking in a recent appearance on So Catch by Hal, Joe made it very clear just how much he would like to close that door.

“I work for a company,” Joe said. “If I played for a major football club, you wouldn’t lend me out on the weekend to go play for the rival team. Messi’s ain’t doing day shifts over at Manchester United. I understand some fans want for that and they want to see that, but at the same time, just with the whole politics of that type of situation, it wouldn’t be a good outcome anyways. Nobody wants to look bad in that situation. Everyone’s getting pushed and pulled in a certain way and it becomes a convoluted mess.

Samoa Joe Doesn’t Need the Forbidden Door

There is an argument to be made that this stance of a WWE stance. However, it could just be that now, at his age he has achieved what others strive for. Joe simply doesn’t need the Forbidden Door. He has been around the world; he has fought everybody there is to fight. Not to mention being a record-setting three-time NXT champion. He has a base, and it is established.

“If guys want to show and get down with Samoa Joe, get on my level, then come find me and let’s do this. I ain’t making house calls right now.”

While for others, those hungry to get on the ladder or to make a name in the way Joe has done, the prospect of fighting on other promotions, and exposing their individual brand to new audiences is a means to obtaining that.

Either way, Samoa Joe, while steadfast in his view, still isn’t going to back down from a fight. Should anybody want to come sign for NXT he will be waiting for them.

CM Punk On If He Had Decided On AEW Signing While Filming Heels

Anutosh Bajpai
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While CM Punk only made his official return to pro wrestling last Friday during AEW Rampage, he knew in his mind that he will be coming back long before that.

The former WWE champion recently had an interview with Variety to promote the pro wrestling drama series Heels. He talked about his character on the show and more.

Punk also talked about his return to wrestling. He admitted that he had some idea about making his AEW debut while shooting the show in late 2020 and early 2021:

“It wasn’t 100%, but I knew that’s what I was doing, if that makes sense. It was just fortuitous, I guess. Here I am in a wrestling ring for this acting gig and I know, in the back of my head,

I’m getting back into the ring in a few months anyway, so I figured it was two birds one stone. I got a little out of camp training.”

CM Punk had been away from wrestling for more than 7 years after quitting WWE in 2014. He finally made his return during the second episode of AEW Rampage.

Heels airs on the Starz network on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET. This week’s episode of the show will feature the debut of Punk’s character named Ricky Rabies.

CM Punk Reveals How Long He’s Talked To AEW

Tony Khan On Getting Inspiration From Vince McMahon

Anutosh Bajpai
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A lot of people believe that the WWE president Vince McMahon does not care about his product anymore but his AEW counterpart Tony Khan doesn’t think the same. The AEW president recently appeared on the Le Batard and Friends – South Beach Sessions. During the interview, show host Dan Le Batard wondered if Mr. McMahon doesn’t care about his product.

Replying to it, Khan claimed that the boss does care. He then recalled the 80s when Vince McMahon was trying to expand WWE and claimed that he is inspired by the effort McMahon put at the time:

“You hear about Vince going to convince Hulk Hogan, going to convince individual people to come in and work for the WWF, convincing a sponsor to come on. Vince was taking all these meetings and all this responsibility, and he was a similar age to me, and I think I’m inspired by that.”

Tony Khan continued on the topic and explained that he has taken inspiration from what Vince did in the 80s for a lot of work which he has done with AEW:

“The amount of people I’ve gone out and convinced to join AEW, signed, built relationships with that I now have under the umbrella of this company And so I tried to take a lot of inspiration from what Vince did in the ’80s building the wrestling empire and expanding it”

Apart from this, Khan talked about things such as competing against NXT in the Wednesday night wars, how fans can support both WWE and AEW at the same time without creating a hostile environment, and more.

Details On Brock Lesnar’s New WWE Contract

Anutosh Bajpai
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Brock Lesnar made his surprise return to WWE during the SummerSlam PPV. This was his first appearance for the company since the WrestleMania 36 event in April 2020. Since The Beast’s last contract with the promotion had expired after Mania, his return made people curious about his behind the scene status with WWE.

Fight Select recently provided some updates on his new deal. The site notes that Lesnar’s new contract is believed to be for ‘roughly a year and a half.’ If this report is true then it means that the former Universal champion’s new deal will run through early 2023. It should keep him WWE-bound through the 2023 Royal Rumble.

Brock Lesnar’s new contract is said to be for ‘at least 8 matches.’ Though this is not a concrete figure and there is a possibility for changes and further negotiation down the line. The former world champion confronted Roman Reigns during the PPV this past Sunday. This confrontation is likely leading to his first match under the new contract.

The belief is that the bout will be taking place at the upcoming Crown Jewel PPV from Saudi Arabia in October. Though considering the importance of this fight in the storyline for Roman Reigns, the officials can hold off the match for the Survivor Series in November as well.

Backstage SummerSlam Notes: John Cena’s Future, Original Brock Lesnar Plans, Sasha Banks

News On Becky Lynch’s SummerSlam Appearance

Anutosh Bajpai
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Becky Lynch’s SummerSlam appearance has created both positive and negative buzz for WWE, especially due to Lynch’s quick win over Bianca Belair on the show.

Belair was originally supposed to face Sasha Banks. Since WWE had not changed the match until the show started, a lot of people wondered if The Man’s return was a last-minute decision made in response to CM Punk’s AEW debut.

Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast recently provided some updates on the situation. He noted that Becky Lynch was always going to appear on the show, though the title change was a last-minute decision:

“Becky Lynch was always gonna come out for this live crowd. That was not something that was last minute. The title change was the difference, that was something new. That was not planned…that was an adjustment, they made.”

WWE knew that Sasha Banks will not be able to make it to SummerSlam 8 days before the PPV.  So it makes sense that they adjusted the plans accordingly instead of completely changing their long-term booking for Becky Lynch.

Reports also suggest that the new SmackDown women’s champion herself made the decision to turn heel. Now it would be interesting to see how the company handles Bianca Belair after the big loss.

Update On Bianca Belair’s Push Following WWE SummerSlam Loss
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