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Rumor Killer On Future Of Bray Wyatt

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There has been a rumor going around that Bray Wyatt has agreed to a deal with Impact Wrestling but latest reports suggest that this news is not correct.

Although Impact does have an interest in bringing the former WWE Superstars, Fightful notes that no deal has been made between the two parties.

Impact officials asked one of their roster members to reach out to Wyatt but they are nowhere close to reaching an agreement. The report doesn’t state the name of the Impact star who reached out to Bray.

The eater of worlds was released from his WWE contract back on July 31 after more than a decade with the promotion. His non-compete clause is set to expire later this month on Friday, October 29.

Bray Wyatt has been teasing his next move on social media. In a Twitter post last month, the Fiend promised to see everyone very soon. He then responded to some comments from Seth Rollins about their Hell In A Cell match.

Though despite the teases, there is no word yet on which company he is leaning towards and no clear indication of what the former champion is planning for his future.

Jinder Mahal Disputes Notion That WWE Doesn’t Create New Stars Anymore

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WWE’s declining ratings are generally attributed to the notion of the officials blocking the rise of new stars. Though Jinder Mahal doesn’t agree with this sentiment. The former WWE champion recently had an interview with Inside The Ropes. Discussing the belief that WWE doesn’t create new stars anymore, he named the stars of different generations including his own:

“Yeah, they absolutely do. That’s what we’re in the business of, right? Just being a fan myself. So I grew up first the Hulk Hogan era. Then the new stars came Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Undertaker, Mankind, right? And the new stars came the next generation – Rock, Stone Cold and then the next generation after that, Randy Orton and John Cena, Batista, right? And then the next generation after that, I guess, is possibly my generation, right? Me, Drew McIntyre, Big E, Bobby Lashley, Kofi Kingston, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins.”

Jinder Mahal Believes WWE Still Creates New Stars

Jinder Mahal WWE Champion
Jinder Mahal had a 170 day long WWE title reign in 2017

The former NXT star went on to describe how the names he listed alongside his own are all first-time world champions. Jinder Mahal explained that out of the total 53 WWE champions in the history of the company, 10 have been crowned in the past decade which is a proof of the fact that WWE still creates stars:

“So actually, I started with WWE in 2010 and all those champions that I’ve listed are first-time champions and there’s more that I’ve missed. So in the last ten years, we have had several champions. And if you look back in the 70-year history, I believe we’re at number 53. Ten have happened in the ten years. I think that speaks for itself, that we are creating new stars.

Mahal went on to say that looking at the stats will make people realize that there have been a lot of first-time champions. He claimed that people just need to sit back and enjoy the product and let the storylines unfold. Jinder Mahal won the WWE Championship from Randy Orton at Backlash in May 2017. He held the title for a total of 170 days before dropping it to AJ Styles in November the same year.

WWE Announces Additional Draft Picks After SmackDown

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WWE Draft began on this Friday’s SmackDown. The show saw several surprising changes such as the WWE Hall Of Famer Edge moving to Raw or The New Day members Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods moving to the blue brand without Big E.

However, the company only announced a total of 16 draft picks on air during the episode, which left a lot of eligible superstars undrafted.

The promotion later continued the Draft on Talking Smack and announced additional picks for both the brands before next Monday’s episode of Raw.

During the show, Raw picked Nia Jax, John Morrison, WWE 24/7 Champion Reggie, R-Truth, Drake Maverick, T-BAR, Akira Tozawa, Otis, Chad Gable, Apollo Crews, Commander Azeez, Doudrop, and Zelina Vega for the brand.

On the other hand, SmackDown drafted stars such as Aliyah, Drew Gulak, Mace, Mansoor, Mustafa Ali, and Toni Storm to the blue brand’s roster.

WWE Draft will continue on Raw with stars such as Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins, and Bobby Lashley being available to be picked by either of the brands.

You can see all the draft picks made during this week’s episode of SmackDown here and check out the reactions of stars such as Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston on the breakup of The New Day here.

W. Morrissey Seeks Long-Term Deal With Impact Wrestling

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W. Morrissey has changed his tune when it comes to signing a long-term deal.

Morrissey has been with Impact Wrestling since April of this year. He is formerly known as Big Cass in WWE. Morrissey’s run with WWE came to an end in 2018 after some behavioral issues and going against the script on an episode of SmackDown.

Back in July, W. Morrissey appeared on the Pro Wrestling 4 Life Podcast and said that he wasn’t looking to sign anywhere long-term for the time being. Now that a few months have passed and his contract with Impact is coming due, Morrissey knows the place he wants to call home over the long haul.

During an interview with Bison Talks, Morrissey said he’s ready to put pen to paper with Impact Wrestling for a long-term deal.

“I’m with IMPACT through October. The end of October is Bound For Glory. It’s definitely something I want to do, stick with IMPACT for the long-term. I want to be the IMPACT World Champion, for sure, that’s my goal. That’s been my goal since I got there. I want to be the guy. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. That’s my goal and that’s where I’m going to get to or I’m going to die trying. My ultimate goal is to become the IMPACT World Champion and represent IMPACT on a grand stage.”

At the moment, Morrissey has aligned himself with Moose. In storyline, Morrissey and Moose attacked Sami Callihan and caused an injury to write him off TV. The reality is, Callihan suffered a broken tibia and fibula due to a suicide dive done wrong.

Cody Rhodes Discusses Role As AEW EVP Of Talent

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Cody Rhodes has detailed what his job entails as the Executive Vice President of Talent for AEW.

There’s been a lot of chatter as of late when it comes to the current state of EVPs in AEW. Cassidy Haynes of Bodyslam.net reported that EVPs Cody, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks have seen their roles become greatly reduced. The report also notes that Cody has had a falling out with the other EVPs.

Still, Cody Rhodes appears to see his EVP of Talent role as a prominent one. During an interview with Monsters and Critics Reality, Rhodes said he’s still very much active in trying to find the stars of tomorrow for AEW.

“Well, that’s technically my number one job at AEW as the Executive Vice President of Talent. That’s the most important thing I already know that Bryan Danielson is famous, I already know that CM Punk is amazing in the ring, that Kenny Omega can have a five-star match, I know that. It’s our job to show you who in five years, or three years, will be leading the charge and if you just look at some of the homegrown types with Ricky Starks, and MJF, and Private Party, and Lee Johnson, I mean, I could go on and on. It’s vastly important.”

Rhodes went on to fire back at critics who claim he buries talent. He says he loves mixing it up with rookie performers so that the future of AEW is showcased in a prominent position. In particular, Cody was quite high on Darby Allin and Ricky Starks throughout the interview.

Despite the report of having a diminished role as EVP of Talent, Rhodes heaped praise on Tony Khan. He said that Khan always seems to know which young talent has the potential to stand out above the rest.

AEW Could Make Its Way To The UK In 2022

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AEW may be going international in 2022 starting with the UK.

The COVID-19 pandemic ruined plans for all businesses. AEW was no exception. The company had plans to make its way to the UK sometime in 2020. With the global lockdown in place, that just wasn’t possible. Things are looking up, however, as travel restrictions have been easing up.

AEW head honcho Tony Khan appeared on Busted Open Radio and expressed his desire to run shows in the UK next year.

“I do really want to do an international tour next year in 2022. I’m not sure if we’ll hit a lot of different cities or if we’ll focus the international trip primarily on Craven Cottage, the home of Fulham Football Club. You know [the stadium] is very, very near and dear to my heart. With our relationship or ownership of the Fulham Football Club and our relationship with the fans and having such a great venue to do a show in such a historic venue, and I would really want to put my focus on that if we do go overseas and I don’t know when we’ll do it, but it’s something I’d really like to do.”

Of course, there are other countries that AEW would like to explore. The main priority in terms of international endeavors seems to be the UK given that initial plans were foiled thanks to unforeseen circumstances.

We’ll keep you posted on any progress being made towards AEW making its way to the UK once those updates become available.

Update On Why Charlotte Was Drafted To SmackDown

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There is now word on the reasoning for Charlotte being drafted to Friday Night SmackDown.

Charlotte is the reigning Raw Women’s Champion but she’s now on her way to the blue brand. Fans were left confused when SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch wasn’t moved over to Monday Night Raw. Becky is still available to draft on the Oct. 4 edition of Raw.

Raj Giri of Wrestling Inc is reporting that FOX officials can be thanked for Charlotte being moved to the show. It’s been said that the movers and shakers over at FOX put in a request to have her moved to SmackDown.

Giri was not able to confirm whether or not Raw will get Becky. Regardless, the Raw Women’s Championship will make its way back to the brand one way or another.

It’s interesting to note that the ending of the Oct. 1 edition of SmackDown seemingly teased a feud between Charlotte and Becky. Of course, Becky could be drafted to Raw leading to a Survivor Series showdown between the two champions in November. Again, that is only speculation at this time.

Stick with SEScoops for coverage of night two of the WWE Draft. We’ll bring you word on all the picks from night two.

CM Punk Explains Doing Commentary For AEW

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CM Punk enjoys his time whenever he’s in the booth for an AEW show.

Punk has had his share of moments at the commentary table throughout his career. He’s served as a color commentary for a few episodes of Monday Night Raw in the past. Oftentimes, Punk poked fun at Vince McMahon’s “What a Maneuver” line.

Now that he’s in AEW, CM Punk is playing a key role on the roster as a competitor. With that said, he wasn’t about to be taken away from the booth.

During an appearance on the AEW Unrestricted podcast, Punk explained doing commentary in recent weeks.

“We had an idea of me doing commentary on one of Darby’s matches, and we did that, but I was legit backstage going, ‘I want to do the whole show.’

“I’m not trying to take nobody’s job. I just think it’s a cool way to get CM Punk on the show without doing the same things over and over. It’s just a different look. Obviously, selfishly, I was like, I want to work with Tony, and JR and Excalibur, and I got to have a lot of fun and we got to do a cool little angle out of it, made it look different. I think maybe Darby put somebody through the announce table. That was a while ago, so we got to do something a little bit different. Doing commentary with those guys is a blast.”

Punk has received praise from legendary play-by-play ace Jim Ross for his work in the booth. He went as far as to call Punk a “natural” during an episode of his Grilling JR podcast.

Punk was on commentary throughout the Sept. 29 edition of Dynamite. He is fresh off a victory over Powerhouse Hobbs on the AEW Grand Slam edition of Rampage. He has yet to start a new feud but many are left to believe there is unfinished business with Team Taz.

WWE Superstars React To Night 1 Draft Picks

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Night 1 of WWE Draft on SmackDown featured some surprises. WWE stars have been reacting to the picks on social media since the show went off the air.

After becoming the #1 overall draft pick, the Universal champion Roman Reigns tweeted a couple of pictures of himself and wrote “I am the one.”

One of the most surprising changes of the nights was Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods once again being separated from Big E. The New Day members were drafted to SmackDown while the WWE champion remained on Raw.

Kingston seemed excited with this change and he made a tweet about being part of the blue brand now. He also seemed hopeful about E possibly being drafted to SmackDown as well during night 2 of WWE Drafts on Raw.

Woods on the other hand didn’t seem very enthusiastic. He posted a video and noted how it does not make sense to pick only two out of three members of their faction.

Austin Theory who was drafted to Raw was interviewed backstage afterward. He was very excited over WWE Draft and claimed that the red brand just became all day.

One interesting reaction came from none other than Becky Lynch herself. A fan tweeted at her saying that Bianca Belair was picked before The Man.

Replying to it, the SmackDown women’s champion mentioned how she is not eligible to be picked up until night 2 of the WWE Draft and gave her reason for it.

You can check out all the reactions below:

https://twitter.com/MsCharlotteWWE/status/1444089750244270082

WWE Draft Night 1 Results: All On Air Draft Picks

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The first night of WWE Drafts on SmackDown saw some surprising picks and gave people a lot to talk about until Monday’s episode of Raw.

Many of the stars stayed on the same brand as expected. SmackDown picked the Universal champion Roman Reigns as their first pick of the night while Raw chose Big E as their #1 pick.

Some big brand switches that were teased in the past couple of days also got confirmed during the WWE Draft. The most notable of them was the former WWE champion Drew McIntyre being picked by the blue brand.

The company had a few surprises in store too. The first of them was SmackDown picking the Raw women’s champion Charlotte Flair in the first round.

Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston being drafted to SmackDown was a big surprise as well. This was especially shocking because the duo had only reunited with Big E on Raw a few weeks before WWE Draft.

WWE Draft Night 1 Result: All Draft Picks Made On Air

A total of 16 picks were made on air during tonight’s episode of SmackDown. Here is a list of all the stars picked by both the brands during tonight’s show:

SmackDown picks:

  • WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns
  • RAW Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair
  • Drew McIntyre
  • Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods
  • Happy Baron Corbin and Madcat Moss
  • Hit Row (“B-Fab” Briana Brandy, Ashante “Thee” Adonis, “Top Dolla” AJ Francis, NXT North American Champion Isaiah “Swerve” Scott)
  • Naomi
  • Jeff Hardy

Raw picks:

  • WWE Champion Big E
  • Bianca Belair
  • Raw Tag Team Champions Randy Orton and Riddle
  • WWE Hall Of Famer Edge
  • WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Nikki A.S.H. and Rhea Ripley
  • Keith “Bearcat” Lee
  • Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio
  • Austin Theory

WWE Draft will continue on Raw this Monday.

Casino Ladder Match Participants For AEW Dynamite Revealed

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The Casino Ladder Match participants for the Oct. 6 edition of AEW Dynamite have been revealed.

AEW is gearing up for its big second-year anniversary show. The Casino Ladder Match will be making its return on that edition of Dynamite. The winner will receive a shot at the AEW World Heavyweight Championship.

The participants have been announced and they inclulde:

  • Pac
  • Andrade El Idolo
  • Jon Moxley
  • Lance Archer
  • Orange Cassidy
  • Matt Hardy

Of course, there is also the Joker entrant. This wrestler will not be revealed until he makes his entrance. Speculation has run wild on who this participant may be. Who do you think will walk down the aisle?

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Kenny Omega is the reigning AEW World Heavyweight Champion. He’s been having issues with Bryan Danielson as of late. Omega will be teaming with his Elite buddies (Adam Cole and The Young Bucks) to take on Danielson, Christian Cage, and Jurassic Express on the special anniversary Dynamite show.

Be sure to stick with SEScoops for coverage of Dynamite on Wednesday night. We’ll update you on who the Joker entrant is as well as who wins the Casino Ladder Match. Of course, we’ll also provide full results once the show has wrapped up.

AEW Rampage Results (10/1): Bryan Danielson vs. Nick Jackson, Hair vs. Hair Match

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AEW Rampage was taped on Wednesday night and aired tonight on TNT. Bryan Danielson faced Nick Jackson in the first match of the show. Thunder Rosa, Nyla Rose, and Jade Cargill battled in a No DQ Triple Threat match. Jack Evans faced Orange Cassidy in a Hair vs. Hair match in the main event. CM Punk had a backstage promo and said that he would rather choke to death on greatness than starve to death on mediocrity. Punk wants to face the best and added that nap time is always on the menu for whoever steps up to him next.

Rampage Results:

  1. Bryan Danielson def. Nick Jackson
  2. Jade Cargill def. Thunder Rosa & Nyla Rose in a Triple Threat match
  3. Orange Cassidy def. Jack Evans in the Hair vs. Hair match

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Bryan Danielson def. Nick Jackson

Bryan Danielson battled Nick Jackson in the first match of the night. Matt Jackson was ringside for the match. Danielson dominated early and got Nick Jackson in a submission hold in the middle of the ring. The crowd chanted “you’re going to get your f*cking head kicked in!” and Bryan continued to control the action.

Danielson locked in an Armbar in the middle of the ring. Bryan focused his attack on Jackson’s arm and elbow. Jackson broke free and sent Danielson out of the ring. Matt Jackson leveled Danielson with a Spear outside the ring as Nick distracted the referee. Rampage went to a commercial break with Matt Jackson & Brandon Cutler mocking Danielson outside the ring.

When Rampage returned, Nick Jackson connected with some Yes Kicks to the chest. Danielson got fired up and stared at Nick. Bryan started leaning into the kicks while maintaining a dead stare at Nick Jackson. Nick backed away as Danielson dared him to keep going. Jackson hit a kick to the chest that echoed throughout out the arena.

Danielson sent Nick to the corner and lit up his chest with some chops and kicks. Bryan leveled Nick with a Clothesline and followed it up with some Yes Kicks. Danielson followed it up with a big roundhouse kick to the face and went for the cover but Nick was able to kick out at two.

Bryan hit a couple more kicks but Nick battled back with two Superkicks for a near fall. Nick went for a 450 Splash but Bryan was ready for it. Danielson went for the LeBell Lock but Nick got his boot on the rope to immediately break the hold. Bryan unloaded some more kicks and knocked Jackson to the ring apron.

Nick ducked under a kick and Bryan kicked the ring post. Danielson grabbed his knee in pain and Jackson capitalized with a German Suplex on the apron. Danielson hit a release German Suplex on the floor and rolled Nick back into the ring. Bryan hit a Tiger Suplex and unloaded several elbow strikes to the face. Danielson applied the Cattle Mutilation for the submission victory.

The Elite made their way to the ring after the but Christian Cage & Jurassic Express made the save. A brawl broke out and Jungle Boy got Adam Cole in the Snare Trap as AEW Champion Kenny Omega retreated. The crowd chanted “Kenny No Balls” and Omega got pissed. Omega rolled into the ring and right into a LeBell Lock from Danielson. The Elite will battle Bryan Danielson, Christian Cage, and Jurassic Express in an 8-man tag match on next week’s Dynamite.

Ricky Starks Warned Brian Cage

Powerhouse Hobbs and Hook cut a backstage promo tonight. The said FTW Champion Ricky Starks has a message for Brian Cage. Starks said there is such a gap between them and Cage will never be able to compete with him. Ricky added that just because Cage is bigger, doesn’t mean he can whoop everyone’s else. Starks said he is not going to let a “cornball” like Cage put him out and that is the absolute truth.

Jade Cargill Remains Undefeated

Jade Cargill, Nyla Rose, and Thunder Rosa battled in a Triple Threat match tonight on Rampage. Mark Sterling and Vickie Guerrero were ringside for the match. Thunder Rosa hit Nyla with some kicks and sent Jade to the mat to begin the action. Thunder Rosa went for a Crossbody but Nyla countered into a slam.

Nyla went for the cover but Jade broke it up. Jade and Nyla traded punches in the middle of the ring. Cargill got the better of the exchange and leveled Rose with a big boot. Cargill followed it up with a Clothesline that knocked Nyla out of the ring. Thunder Rosa sent Jade Cargill out of the ring as Rampage went to a break.

When Rampage returned, Thunder Rosa connected with a Dropkick and put a trash can on top of Jade. Thunder Rosa hit another Dropkick and drove the trash can into Jade’s face for a two count. Jade planted Nyla Rose with a Spinebuster and booted Thunder Rosa in the face.

Nyla Rose connected with a Neckbreaker on Jade and applied a Half Crab. Thunder Rosa broke up the hold and rolled up Rose for a near fall. Rose and Rosa battled to the ring apron. Nyla perched Thunder Rosa up on the top turnbuckle but she escaped. Thunder Rosa hit Nyla with a Powerbomb through a table outside the ring as the crowd chanted “holy shit!”. Mark Sterling gave Jade Cargill a chair and she hit Thunder Rosa over the back with it a few times for the pinfall victory.

Malakai Black Addressed The Nightmare Family

Malakai Black said that Cody still won’t do what is necessary. Black added that the myst he hit Cody with came from the heart and he hopes it eats him alive. Malakai stated that there are plenty of souls in this company that need to know their own truth and plenty of toll that needs to be collected.

Orange Cassidy Won, Participants For Casino Ladder Match Announced

Orange Cassidy faced Jack Evans in a Hair vs. Hair Match in this week’s main event. Before the match, Cassidy & Evans were interviewed by Mark Henry. Matt Hardy was with Jack Evans and claimed that this whole thing was Jack’s idea. Jack didn’t seem to agree with that and Orange Cassidy had no idea that he was having a Hair vs. Hair match tonight. Mark Henry informed him of the situation and Cassidy said “I guess I won’t lose then”.

Matt Hardy distracted the referee right away and Jack went for a roll-up but Cassidy kicked out at two. Cassidy put his hands in his pockets and hit Jack with some lazy kicks. Evans went for a Clothesline but Cassidy countered into a backslide pin for a two count.

Cassidy whipped Evans to the mat by his hair but Matt caught Orange with a cheap shot outside the ring. Evans connected with a leaping kick off the apron to Cassidy’s face. Jack followed it up with a 450 Splash as Rampage went to a final commercial break.

When Rampage returned, Cassidy was in control and took out Matt Hardy outside the ring. Back in the ring, Cassidy climbed to the top rope and hit a Crossbody. Evans rolled through and went for the cover but Orange kicked out at two. Cassidy went for a DDT but Jack countered into a Northern Lights Suplex. Evans followed it up with a Michinoku Driver for another near fall.

Evans hit a Splash off the top rope and went for the cover but Cassidy wouldn’t stay down. Jack climbed back up to the top rope and went for a Sky Twister but Cassidy got out of way. Cassidy hit a DDT and made his way to the top rope. Cassidy hit a diving DDT as the crowd chanted “freshly squeezed!”.

Cassidy went for the cover but Jack Evans kicked out at two. The Butcher, The Blade, and The Bunny made their way towards the ring. Chuck Taylor, Wheeler Yuta, Kris Statlander showed up at the bottom of the entrance ramp. The rest of HFO came to the entrance ramp but Dark Order joined Taylor, Yuta, and Statlander to block HFO. Cassidy then hit Evans with the Orange Punch for the pinfall victory.

HFO tried to save Jack Evans but Dark Order kept them away. Matt then left with HFO and said “I am sorry Jack but this is for the greater good”. Cassidy snipped off some of Evan’s hair. -1 used some of Evans’ hair as a fake mustache at the end of the show.

Jon Moxley, PAC, Andrade El Idolo, Lance Archer, Orange Cassidy, and Matt Hardy were announced for the Casino Ladder Match this Wednesday night. The Joker will be revealed during the match on Dynamite.

WWE SmackDown Results (10/1): WWE Draft Night 1, Lesnar Confronts Reigns

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WWE SmackDown aired live from the Royal Farms Arena in Baltimore. It was Night 1 of the WWE Draft and several superstars changed brands tonight. Sasha Banks squared off against Bianca Belair and Edge responded to Seth Rollins’ challenge.

SmackDown Results (10/1)

  1. Happy Corbin def. Kevin Owens
  2. New Day & Street Profits def. Roode, Ziggler, Otis, Gable
  3. Sasha Banks def. Bianca Belair

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Brock Lesnar Interrupted Roman Reigns

The 1st round of the WWE Draft kicked of the show. SmackDown selected Universal Champion Roman Reigns and RAW Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair. RAW selected WWE Champion Big E and Bianca Belair. Charlotte Flair was interviewed backstage

Universal Champion Roman Reigns made his way to the ring with Paul Heyman. Reigns asked the crowd to acknowledge him and they chanted his name. Heyman told the audience that they were not being loud enough for their Tribal Chief. Paul called the crowd “Baltimorons” and boasted about Reigns defeating The Demon at Extreme Rules.

Heyman brought up Crown Jewel and said that the event will not be held in Suplex City. Paul referred to Reigns as the “suplexorcist” before they were interrupted by Brock Lesnar. The Beast marched to the ring to a great reaction from the crowd. Reigns and Lesnar had a stare down in the ring as the crowd chanted “Suplex City!”. Reigns and Lesnar traded punches in the middle of the ring. Lesnar connected with a couple German Suplexes and Roman rolled out of the ring. The Usos rushed the ring and Lesnar beat them down. Brock challenged Reigns to get back into the ring but the Universal Champion retreated. Lesnar delivered an F5 to Jimmy and Jey to end the segment.

Happy Corbin def. Kevin Owens

Kevin Owens faced Happy Corbin tonight on SmackDown. Madcap Moss (FKA as Riddick Moss) hit Owens with a chop block as the referee was distracted. When SmackDown returned, Owens was back in control

Seth Rollins Showed Up At Edge’s House

In the 2nd round of the WWE Draft, SmackDown took Drew McIntyre & New Day. RAW selected RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) and Edge. Below are the selections through the first two rounds.

RAW: Big E, Bianca Belair, RK-Bro, Edge

SmackDown: Roman Reigns, Charlotte Flair, Drew McIntyre, New Day

Edge made his way to confront Seth Rollins as SmackDown went to a commercial break. Edge noted that he has been drafted to RAW and is excited because that brings about new opponents. Edge challenged Rollins to come to the ring but Seth appeared on the Jumbotron.

Seth laughed and said he was impressed that Edge showed up tonight. Rollins claimed that Edge wasn’t saying the things he wanted him to say and announced that he is not at the show. It was revealed that Rollins was at Edge’s house and he walked right inside.

Edge ran backstage as Rollins grabbed a snack from the fridge. Rollins enjoyed some juice and a fresh apple as he mocked Edge’s daughters’ artwork displayed in the house. Rollins turned on the TV as Edge called his wife. Edge told Beth Phoenix to go to her brother’s house while he calls some people to deal with Rollins.

Carmella Attacked Liv Morgan

Sonya Deville & Adam Pearce announced the selections for the third round of the WWE Draft. SmackDown selected Happy Corbin, Madcap Moss, and Hit Row from NXT. RAW selected the Women’s Tag Team Champions Nikki A.S.H. & Rhea Ripley, and Keith “Bearcat” Lee.

Here are the selections through the first three rounds:

RAW: Big E, Bianca Belair, RK-Bro, Edge, Nikki A.S.H., Rhea Ripley, Keith “Bearcat” Lee

SmackDown: Roman Reigns, Charlotte Flair, Drew McIntyre, New Day, Happy Corbin, Madcap Moss, Hit Row

Carmella was supposed to battle Liv Morgan but the match never started. Carmella attacked Liv and connected with a Facebuster in the ring before the bell rang. She then removed the protective mask she was wearing to reveal that there was nothing wrong with her face.

New Day & Street Profits Picked Up A Win

New Day (Xavier Woods & Kofi Kingston) teamed with Street Profits to face Bobby Roode, Dolph Ziggler, and Alpha Academy (Otis & Chad Gable) in an 8-man tag team match. The action went back and forth for several minutes. Dawkins and Gable tagged in and Angelo connected with a Spinebuster.

Otis broke put the cover but got sent out of the ring by Montez Ford. Montez flipped onto Otis as Roode planted Dawkins with a Spinebuster of his own. Roode went for the cover but Dawkins kicked out at two. Roode went for the Glorious DDT but Angelo blocked it and tagged out. New Day hit a Backbreaker/Double Stomp on Roode for the pinfall victory.

Roman Reigns Warned Paul Heyman

Brock Lesnar popped up during a backstage interview and thanked Paul Heyman for making him a free agent. Lesnar announced that he will be doing whatever he wants. The Bloodline was then shown backstage. Reigns wondered if Heyman was friends with Brock Lesnar and then shouted about The Usos not being drafted to SmackDown tonight. Reigns demanded that Heyman make sure that The Usos get drafted to SmackDown on Monday night. Heyman exited and Reigns told The Usos to leave Heyman for dead if he doesn’t get them drafted to SmackDown.

Sasha Banks def. Bianca Belair

Adam Pearce & Sonya Deville announced the fourth round selections of the WWE Draft.

RAW: Rey & Dominik Mysterio, Austin Theory,

SmackDown: Naomi, Jeff Hardy

Sasha Banks faced Bianca Belair in the main event of this week’s show. It was announced earlier today that Becky Lynch will defend the SmackDown Women’s Championship against Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks in a Triple Threat match at Crown Jewel in three weeks.

Banks and Belair locked up in the middle of the ring to begin the action. Sasha drove Bianca to the corner but Belair shoved her away. SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch joined commentary for the match.

Belair lifted Banks above her head and dropped her to the canvas. Banks sent Belair into the turnbuckle and followed it up with a knee to the face. Belair bounced off the ropes and leveled Sasha with a Clothesline. Bianca sent Banks to the outside and Becky Lynch posed with the SmackDown Women’s Championship as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Bianca sent Banks to the corner and went for a Splash but Sasha was able to get out of the way. Belair hit a big Vertical Suplex and followed it up with a Standing Moonsault for a near fall. Sasha connected with a Tornado DDT and went for the pin but Belair was able to kick out at the last moment.

Sasha climbed to the top rope and hit a Splash but couldn’t keep Belair down. Belair sent Banks to the apron and lifted her up for the KOD. Sasha escaped and went for a Powerbomb but Bianca flipped away. Bianca and Becky traded some words before Banks charged. Belair slammed Banks into the barricade and rolled Asha back into the ring. Becky Lynch grabbed Bianca’s hair and Sasha capitalized with a roll-up for the pinfall victory. After the match, Charlotte Flair hit Natural Selection on Sasha Banks. Becky Lynch posed with the SmackDown Women’s Championship and Charlotte posed with the RAW Women’s Championship to close the show.

WWE Draft Night 1 Results

The first four rounds of the WWE Draft were completed tonight on SmackDown. The remaining selections will be made this Monday night on RAW. Below are the picks made during tonight’s show.

RAW

  • WWE Champion Big E
  • RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle)
  • Women’s Tag Team Champions Rhea Ripley & Nikki A.S.H.
  • Keith “Bearcat” Lee
  • Rey & Dominik Mysterio
  • Austin Theory

SmackDown

  • Universal Champion Roman Reigns
  • RAW Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair
  • Drew McIntyre
  • New Day
  • Happy Corbin & Madcap Moss
  • Hit Row
  • Naomi
  • Jeff Hardy

Seth Rollins Reflects On Creative Differences With WWE

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Seth Rollins has looked back on the one time he strongly disagreed with the direction of his character.

Many have viewed Rollins as a team player. He often defends WWE publicly and has called the promotion the best wrestling company in the world. You never really hear about Rollins causing a fuss internally with WWE management.

With that said, disagreements are bound to happen. Back in 2016, Rollins returned from a torn ACL and MCL that he suffered in late 2015. Fans were excited to see Rollins return at the conclusion of the Extreme Rules PPV, nailing Roman Reigns with a Pedigree.

At the time, Reigns was the top babyface while Rollins was the heel. Despite knowing that he’d get big reactions upon his return, Seth Rollins remained a heel.

Appearing on Stone Cold Steve Austin’s Broken Skull Sessions, Rollins admitted he felt WWE missed the boat on turning him face at that time.

“They [WWE Universe] had not fully accepted Roman as the top babyface champion yet. They still weren’t ready for it. I come back for the title I never lost, and so it made perfect sense. I thought for sure I’d be coming back as a babyface but the company had other plans, and that didn’t jibe with where I was mentally. I had envisioned myself as a babyface coming back. I had started to see momentum kind of pick up as I was coming back. I was like, ‘Okay, they’re gonna cheer me.’”

Rollins eventually did turn face, feuding with Triple H. “The Game” had turned his back on Rollins, hitting him with a Pedigree during a WWE Universal Championship match. This allowed Kevin Owens to pin Rollins and lay claim to the gold. Rollins got his revenge on Triple H, pinning him at WrestleMania 33.

Do you agree with Seth Rollins on how WWE should’ve handled his 2016 comeback from injury?

Details On The Relationship Between USA Network & WWE

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WWE is getting big money from its television deals with FOX and USA Network. A new report had shed some light on the relationship between the company and the USA Network as well as the input from the networks regarding this year’s WWE Draft that kicks off Friday night on SmackDown and continues on next week’s Raw. 

Fightful Select reports WWE is working with both networks to make sure all parties were satisfied with how the Draft ends up and where the stars land. The USA Network is said to enjoy “the unique rosters a brand split provided, and that the prevailing thought is that they prefer that continue.” One source compared the situation to the NFL balancing all their broadcast partners. 

There were concerns on USA’s side regarding some at Fox being under the impression that their platform was used to promote Peacock so heavily as they pointed to WWE booking Hell in a Cell matches on both Raw and SmackDown as WWE was doing their best to work with both sides.

Andrew Zarian of Mat Men noted in the report that he’d heard that USA Network was responding favorably to NXT 2.0 and many of the changes put forward. They also pointed out the increase in NXT 2.0 viewership in addition to the production values added, which made USA Network very happy. It was also said that USA Network does keep tabs on the product and is familiar with Tommaso Ciampa.

USA Network was said to be “elated” about the direction of NXT 2.0 specifically and didn’t worry about pushback from sponsors regarding the edgier product as they have the same elements on their own shows. 

One person said the company’s relationships extended well before many of the employees there were even born and quickly dismissed the notion of “not caring” about the quality of the program. 

The network is well aware of viewership trends and acknowledged the decline in viewership. Despite the decrease in ratings since signing the new deal back in 2019, it hasn’t waned to the degree that is something they’d like to see addressed as they’ve noticed the shows have been getting better. 

Some people at the network grew tired of “scapegoats and shortcuts” in the two years before the COVID-19 pandemic to the point where they wanted it to change once fans returned. 

Regarding WWE doing multiple drafts in the same year or concepts like Raw Underground, a USA Network representative said they aren’t opposed to these types of things, but don’t want them used as crutches or scapegoats.

It was said Stephanie McMahon has been a big steward of the connection between the two sides as NBCUniversal Chairman Mark Lazarus personally invited her over the summer to join him for a 1-on-1 discussion with the Paley Center for Media.

Smackdown Women’s Title Match Added To WWE Crown Jewel

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WWE Crown Jewel will play host to a big women’s title match.

The promotion announced that a triple threat match between Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair, and Sasha Banks will take place at the event on Oct. 21. Lynch is the reigning WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion and her gold will be at stake.

Here’s what WWE said in the announcement:

“Three of the best in the game will vie for the SmackDown Women’s Championship at WWE Crown Jewel when Becky Lynch defends her title against both Bianca Belair and Sasha Banks in a Triple Threat Match.”

Lynch vs Banks vs. Belair

Becky Lynch made her surprise return at SummerSlam back in August. She challenged Belair for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Belair was initially set to meet Sasha Banks but “The Boss” was removed from the card. Bianca Belair accepted Becky’s challenge, only to get hit with a cheap shot and lose her gold in under 30 seconds.

Becky and Bianca ended up having a rematch at Extreme Rules. The match ended in a No Contest as Banks made her return and attacked both competitors. It all leads to the triple threat title match at Crown Jewel.

WWE Crown Jewel 2021 Matches

wwe-crown-jewel-2021

Here’s the current card for the upcoming Crown Jewel event:

  • Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar
  • SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks vs. Bianca Belair

Stick with SEScoops as we’ll be providing coverage of Crown Jewel.

Update On Impact Wrestling Digital Media Title

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There is some more information about the new Impact Wrestling Digital Media Championship.

Impact introduced the championship during a promo video on Sept. 30. The video package included both male talent and Knockouts. Of course, this led many to speculate that female competitors can also challenge for the gold.

That assumption is correct. In a press release, the EVP of Impact, Scott D’Amore confirmed that Knockouts can challenge for the championship.

“In the fine tradition of the iconic television titles from pro wrestling history, IMPACT Wrestling will add a fourth singles championship on October 23rd. The inaugural Digital Media Champion will be crowned in a six-way match, with the winner making history.

“Twelve contenders, drawn from both the Knockouts and male rosters, will compete in six single-elimination matches over the next three weeks. The winners of those matches will be the final six who go on to BEFORE THE GLORY and the Digital Media Championship six-way.”

A tournament will begin on Oct. 5 with the finals taking place on the pre-show of Bound For Glory on Oct. 23. On top of that, elimination matches will be airing on Impact Plus. Those who are Ultimate Insiders on Impact Wrestling’s official YouTube channel will also have access to the matches.

It appears this title was created as a way to help boost the subscription count for Impact’s digital offerings. It appears all matches involving the new championship, at least for now, will be exclusive to subscription services. It makes sense given the name of the title.

What do you make of the new Impact Wrestling Digital Media Championship?

AEW vs. ROH? Rok-C Open To Facing Dr. Britt Baker

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Newly-minted ROH Women’s World Champion, Rok-C wouldn’t mind competing in a Champion vs. Champion match.

Rok-C had the wrestling world buzzing with her performance at Death Before Dishonor XVIII. She went toe-to-toe with Miranda Alize in a tournament final match to determine the new ROH Women’s World Champion. Rok-C got the win after 18 minutes of action.

Now that the “Forbidden Door” is wide open, ROH’s top female is hoping to walk through. One person she has in mind to share the ring with is current AEW Women’s World Champion Britt Baker.

Here’s what Rok-C told Wrestling Inc.

“I think it’s really cool. Maria Kanellis said it. There is no door. I’m open to anyone who wants to challenge me for the championship. Whether it be [at] Impact or Britt Baker or anyone. I think that would be so amazing. I’ve had so many experiences throughout my career regardless of how old I am. They’ve shaped me to be ready for matches like this. I’ve always been told you should not have to get ready. You should stay ready. If anyone wants a shot at the title I’m ready.”

Baker has been making waves in the wrestling industry as well. She’s clearly one of the most popular stars in AEW. Her heel persona has done wonders for Baker, as she wasn’t exactly “over” as a babyface right at the start.

AEW has done business with many promotions such as NJPW, AAA, Impact Wrestling, and others. Time will tell if a partnership with ROH could be in the cards down the road.

Mystery Joker Set For Casino Ladder Match On Wednesday’s AEW Dynamite

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AEW appears to have another surprise in store next week when it presents the Casino Ladder match on the special 2-year Anniversary episode of Dynamite.

Company President Tony Khan appeared on Busted Open Radio Friday morning to promote tonight’s edition of Rampage. TK revealed the Casino Ladder Match will feature a “Joker” mystery entrant similar to what we’ve seen in the Casino Battle Royale matches.

Khan will announce the Casino Ladder Match participants on Rampage. Also scheduled for the show:

  • Bryan Danielson vs. Nick Jackson
  • Thunder Rosa vs. Nyla Rose vs Jade Cargill
  • Hair vs Hair: Jack Evans vs. Orange Cassidy

Dynamite Anniversary Preview (10/6)

Next week’s show will take place from the Liacouras Center in Philadelphia, PA. In addition to the Casino Ladder Match, 3 other matches have been signed:

  • Serena Deeb will face Hikaru Shida in singles action. This will be Deeb’s first match since July.
  • Sammy Guevara will also defend his newly won TNT Championship next week. He’ll face Bobby Fish, who will be wrestling in his first match for AEW.
  • An 8-man tag-team match is also scheduled for next week pitting Bryan Danielson, Christian Cage & The Jurassic Express against The Elite (Kenny Omega Adam Cole & The Young Bucks)

Angelo Dawkins On Potential Street Profits Break Up During Upcoming Draft

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There is a possibility that some tag teams will be split up during the upcoming WWE Draft and Angelo Dawkins of the Street Profits is ready if it happens. The former NXT star recently had an interview with Rick Ucchino of Sportskeeda. He was asked about the possibility of their team being drafted to different brands.

Replying to it, Dawkins said that they have not thought about it. Though he claimed both of them would be ready for it if it happens, mentioning how Montez Ford went up against the Universal champion Roman Reigns last week:

“We haven’t really thought about it, but I also know if it were to happen, we’ll both be ready,  I mean, Tez just showed last week that he can handle it. You know what I’m saying? I’m not shying away from it.”

Angelo Dawkins said that both the stars will still support each other. He then explained how people will get to see a different side of him if their tag team is split:

“Not a lot of people know what I can bring to the table. I’m the powerhouse of the team. So like not many people have seen me really move.

I don’t really need to fly because I got the flyer next to me. And I let him handle the high-flying stuff. So, if it ever happens to where we’re on different brands, I think I got a different side that nobody’s ever seen of me before to show.”

The Street Profits originally debuted on NXT back in March 2016. The two started making appearances on Raw in July 2019. Their tag team was moved to SmackDown in the 2020 draft. The duo have won tag team titles in all three of WWE’s brands.

Jackie Redmond Joins WWE As Co-Host of Raw Talk & Talking Smack

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Renowned sportscaster Jackie Redmond has signed with WWE. She’ll join Matt Camp as the new co-host for Talking Smack and RAW Talk.

Redmond previously served as an on-air host for the NHL and MLB Networks. She has also covered hockey for Turner Sports.

“As someone who grew up on Stone Cold Stunners and Rock Bottoms, I cannot even begin to explain how excited I am to join WWE,” said Redmond.s

“There is nothing quite like the WWE Universe and I am so grateful for the opportunity to engage with the most passionate and dedicated fans in sports entertainment every week on Raw Talk and Talking Smack.”

Jackie Redmond’s Road to WWE

The Toronto native has previously worked for Sportsnet, which is the Canadian broadcast partner for the WWE. In 2011, Redmond won the “Gillette DRAFTED 3: The Search for Canada’s Next Sportscaster” competition.

Redmond joins the world’s premiere sports entertainment organization just in time for the 2021 WWE Draft. The Draft kicks off tonight on Smackdown and continues this Monday on RAW.

“Gotta love draft day,” she wrote on Twitter. “There is no Fanbase more passionate than the WWE universe and I am so THRILLED for the opportunity to hang out and talk all things WWE every week! Let’s freaking go!!!!”

Triple H Didn’t See Anything Special In Seth Rollins At First

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Triple H wasn’t initially impressed by Seth Rollins.

Rollins is one of the biggest stars in WWE today. He is a multiple-time world champion under the WWE banner. Things weren’t all rosy for Rollins in the early going, however.

Speaking to WWE legend Stone Cold Steve Austin on Broken Skull Sessions, Rollins detailed the time Triple H scolded him for not following the WWE ideology.

“Hunter took me aside and was like, ‘Look, I don’t see anything special in you. If you don’t want to play ball and don’t want to work with us, you can go back to Ring of Honor and do things your way, but you need to start doing things our way.'”

Seth Rollins went on to say that he later told Triple H that he wanted to become the first-ever NXT Champion. Rollins got his wish but it may have been his final chance to prove himself.

“Three months later, I’m sitting in a room with Hunter and I’m saying, ‘I want that NXT Championship. I want to be the first one to hold that title. Put it on me and this brand is off and running. If you go in another direction with it, I don’t know where you’re going to be in a couple of years.’ I told him that, ‘I’m the right guy for this. You know that, I know that, let’s bury this hatchet and make this work.’ It was close, it was a lesson I had to learn the hard way. It was one more slip up from, ‘that’s it for you.'”

Today, Rollins views Triple H as a mentor. At one point, Rollins even used the Pedigree as his finisher. He credits “The Game” with his ability to grow and do things by the book. Along the way, Rollins has also been able to mix in his own style and hasn’t had trouble switching up his character over the years. It’s why he has remained a top star for so long.

Prior to entering the WWE Universe, Rollins competed as Tyler Black in ROH. He even captured the ROH World Title. Rollins appeared to be on his way to TNA Wrestling, but he decided to sign with WWE instead. The rest is history.

CM Punk Reveals Backstage Reaction To His ‘Pipebomb’ Promo

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CM Punk’s infamous “Pipebomb Promo” (2011) is still talked about to this day. Punk appeared on the AEW Unrestricted podcast this week to discuss his return to pro wrestling and much more.

Thinking back to his groundbreaking promo, Punk [jokingly] says he was ready for a physical confrontation when he returned to the backstage area. He hoped to avoid a scuffle with anybody he offended and decided to exit the side of the stage instead of the usual entrance way. To Punk’s surprise, he found the whole area empty:

“When I got in the back, nobody anywhere,” he said. “Backstage is normally buzzing, people in the hallways. It was empty.”

Punk continued, “I remember looking around like, ‘Jeez, what’s going on’. And then I walked past the curtain through Gorilla and everybody in the company was jammed into the tunnel waiting to see me come through Gorilla, because they figured the same thing, they were like, ‘Ah man, this is gonna get real.’”

Texts From ‘Lofty People In The Business’

Punk McMahon apologies 1
The storyline was among the first to blur the line between reality and kayfabe

Revealing some interesting reactions to his promo, CM Punk mentioned how chef Robert Irvine was in the arena at the time who told him that the promo was amazing. He then detailed the weird reaction of Chris Masters:

“And then I saw Chris Masters and Chris Masters looks at me and goes, ‘Did you just hear what Punk said?’, and I was like, ‘Chris, it’s me’, and he was like, ‘Oh. Oh it is you! You’re gonna get fired dude’. And then I just walked up. It was a weird scene. I didn’t know it was gonna become as big as it did, but I knew just based off those reactions, I knew we had something.

The straight edge star went on to claim that he received texts from some ‘pretty lofty people in the business’ who he respected after the promo. So he knew that he did some good television. CM Punk delivered his pipebomb promo criticizing the WWE chairman Vince McMahon among others during the June 27, 2011 episode of Raw.

You can relive the iconic moment below:

WWE Draft Again Shows Brand Loyalty Is Not A Thing

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WWE has pushed Survivor Series PPVs as a test of brand loyalty since the brand extension was reintroduced on TV many years ago. Raw and SmackDown talents were sorted through a Draft back in 2016. Since then, wrestlers are asked to put their differences aside once every year. Friends and foes work together against the competing brand for the bragging rights until the next competition.

The WWE Draft, however, proves how futile the narrative of brand supremacy is as most superstars don’t seem to mind ending up on the show they have competed against. The frailty of WWE’s brand warfare storylines is at display again ahead of the upcoming WWE Draft. If anything, stars seem to be excited over the coming changes and they are expressing this feeling through social media.

Former WWE champion Bobby Lashley has been part of Raw roster since his 2018 seems to be excited for a potential move to the blue brand. He wrote on Twitter that he’s been ‘running’ Raw for years, but it might be time to shake things up.

Drew McIntyre, who carried the Raw brand through the pandemic era, feels that he has worked with everyone he could on the red brand. He’s actually looking forward to fresh storylines. Angelo Dawkins isn’t afraid of ending up on a different brand even without his partner. He believes fans will get to see a new side of him if it happens.

The phenomenal one, AJ Styles, who became the face of SmackDown after the 2016 Draft and helped build it as the promotion’s A-show, is not too worried about which brand he would end up on. One-half of the current Raw tag team champion Matt Riddle on the other hand, seems more concerned about a possible split with his RK-Bro partner Randy Orton.

Even someone like Carmella, who has been a loyal soldier of the blue side since the brand extension returned, doesn’t seem that fond of her current home. Despite being is the only one left of the original SmackDown roster from 2016 who hasn’t changed sides, the former champion will not mind a move to the opposite brand during Draft.

See all the reactions yourself and decide how much weight would you put on the brand supremacy storyline when Survivor Series comes around this year:

The WWE Draft this year will begin on the October 1 edition of SmackDown. It will conclude on the October 4 episode of Raw.

Toni Storm & Juice Robinson Announce Their Engagement

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Congratulations are in order for WWE Superstar Toni Storm and NJPW star Juice Robinson. The happy couple are now engaged to be married.

The couple went public with their relationship in the summer of 2020.

Storm announced the big news on her Instagram page. Juice popped the question and now it’s time to pop a little bit of the bubbly to celebrate.

“Pop the champagne I’m changing my last name.”

– Toni Storm
Toni Storm Engaged
(Photo: Instagram @tonistorm_)

Toni Storm & Juice Robinson

Storm recently returned to WWE Smackdown after being off TV for several weeks. She teamed with Liv Morgan and defeated Zelina Vega and Carmella by count-out on the 9/17 show from Knoxville, Tennessee. It was her first match since she defeated Zelina Vega in singles action on the 7/23 show from Cleveland, Ohio.

Robinson has been wrestling for NJPW of America and Impact Wrestling since the spring. The last time he was in Japan was on the New Japan Cup tour in March. He’s scheduled to be on Impact Wrestling next week as FinJuice will take on Bullet Club’s HIKULEO and Chris Bey. The winning team will challenge the Good Brothers for the Impact World Tag Team Championships at Bound For Glory on 10/23.