Month: April 2019

“Road Dogg” BG James Steps Down As WWE SmackDown Co-Lead Writer, Another Writer Fired At WWE Hall Of Fame

2019 WWE Hall of Famer “Road Dogg” BG James has stepped down as the co-lead writer for WWE SmackDown, according to PWInsider. James informed WWE officials that he was stepping down on Wednesday as WrestleMania 35 Week came to an end.

James had been leading SmackDown with Stephen Guerrieri, who has been with the creative team since 2012 and in a head writer position since 2014, with James going on the road with the blue brand while Guerrieri would work out of WWE HQ in Stamford, CT. Word is that James had become increasingly frustrated with changes made to SmackDown scripts by Vince McMahon, and he finally hit a “breaking point” at Tuesday’s post-WrestleMania 35 edition of SmackDown from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

There’s no word yet on who may be replacing James in the co-lead writer role on the blue brand, but sources stated to PWInsider that with the way WWE creative is set up these days the lead writer is more of a formality as opposed to a specific voice that drives the show. Everything pitched for SmackDown comes through the team to Vince, and is then approved with Vince tweaking the script up until it’s time to go on the air. There’s also no word yet on if James will be transitioning into another role with WWE.

James had been working on the SmackDown creative team since 2016. He was quickly promoted to become co-lead writer with Ryan Ward.

While it’s not known if this is directly related, but James posted a tweet about change on Wednesday, writing, “Today I pray that I face the change, that is inevitably coming, head on and with faith and courage. The only constant is change! #HOPE #FAITH #OUDK”

James also defended SmackDown creative on Twitter, as he often does. Responding to criticism over the two six-man matches on this week’s episode, James wrote, “What about either 6 man last night was BS? A lot of the time it gets more talent on tv. I really don’t see what there is to get so angry about!”

In other WWE creative team news coming out of WrestleMania 35 Week, WWE writer Robert Evans was fired this past week. Word is that Evans was fired at the WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony after he helped produce the Bret Hart speech for The Hart Foundation’s induction, and it featured a mention of Vince. Vince has strongly stressed for years that he does not want to be mentioned or praised during Hall of Fame speeches, according to PWInsider, to the point that it has become a running joke. When Vince was mentioned in Bret’s speech, Evans reportedly took the blame as the writer and producer of that segment. Evans was reportedly fired backstage in the Gorilla Position as the ceremony was going on.

For those who missed it, Bret’s speech included a story of the first time Vince reacted to The Hart Foundation and praised their in-ring work. DX later joked about Vince’s name being mentioned during their speech that wrapped the ceremony, and these jokes may have been inspired by Vince firing Evans for the earlier mention in Hart’s speech.

Evans was reportedly liked by those who worked with him backstage. The 35 year old previously wrestled on the indies as RD Evans and Archibald Peck before joining the WWE creative team in the fall of 2016.

You can see Road Dogg’s tweet on “change” below along with the exchange defending SmackDown:

Source: Wrestling Inc.

XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck Reveals Three-Tiered Extra Point System & Overtime Rules

Not only does the XFL want to distance itself from the AAF which lasted all of eight weeks, but Vince McMahon’s pro football league is also taking steps to differentiate itself from the NFL.

XFL Commissioner Oliver Luck revealed a number of rule changes that will make the XFL look like a brand of football that fans haven’t seen before.

Luck said on the PFT PM podcast that the league will have a three-tiered extra point system in which teams can score one point, two points or three points after a touchdown.

On extra point attempts, teams can choose whether to go for a one-point conversion from the 2-yard line, a two-point conversion from the 5-yard line or a three-point conversion from the 10-yard line.

Thus, a touchdown and the ensuing PAT could result in anywhere from six to nine points. All of the conversion attempts would be from scrimmage plays as opposed to kicking attempts.

“We literally have a nine-point touchdown,” said Luck. “We think that’s valuable because teams that historically are down by let’s say three scores, well guess what, if it’s a 16-point or a 17-point differential, you’re really looking at a two-score game theoretically.”

The league considered moving the three-point conversion to the 15-yard line, but Luck said that defenses would have too much of an advantage with that much yardage to go.

The XFL will also use overtime rules which will resemble a soccer or hockey shootout. Each offense will have five attempts to score from the five-yard line and will accumulate one point for each score. If the defense forces a turnover, then the defense would get one point.

Both teams’ offenses and defenses will be on the field at the same time and lined up in opposite endzones. The offenses will then alternate during the five scoring attempts just as what happens in a shootout.

The XFL plans to begin play in 2020 and the overtime rules are currently being tested in the Spring League.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW’s Rumored New Television Home

Warner Media Group, which operates Turner Sports (TBS, TNT), will reportedly be presenting AEW at their upfronts to advertisers next month, per the @fightoracle insider account, which bears an uncanny resemblance to MMA insider Front Row Brian’s now-suspended Twitter account.

Upfronts are where major television networks make presentations and preview their upcoming fall and midseason shows so that advertisers can purchase commercials on them ahead of time. The upfronts are held in the third week of May in New York, and Warner Media are currently scheduled to present on May 15th.

https://twitter.com/fightoracle/status/1116120237844332544

As we previously reported, WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross, who signed a three-year deal with AEW earlier this month, recently told WFAN Radio in New York City that AEW will have a weekly two-hour live TV show that premieres in October. While Ross declined to provide any additional details, he did say that the AEW TV show will air on a major network that everyone will have access to.

“[AEW] is overwhelming for me,” Ross said. “To be 67 years old and be anointed the voice of a brand that’s gonna be debuting in October on national television on a major cable network, which can’t be named now. When people hear what network we’re going on, they’re gonna be doubly excited. It’s a network we can all find.”

During an interview with Wrestling Inc. in February, AEW Executive Vice President Cody Rhodes told us that their potential deal could create a “massive shift in the pro wrestling industry.”

“I can’t talk about it but I know that I was quoted as saying, not by you guys, that ‘a TV deal was not important.’ And I think that in the context I was speaking, I was talking about how important social media and do-it-yourself brands are compared to the traditional TV median,” Rhodes explained. “But I also – let’s be serious, major TV is a huge thing. And it would be a massive shift in the pro wrestling industry. It would be a change-the-world-like move. But I can’t talk about any pending TV deals.

“A lot of the information that’s out there is very accurate about what we’re seeking to do and how frequently we’re seeking to do it,” Rhodes said. “But I don’t want to discourage any future partners. I can say that people have been really calculated about how we roll out announcements. We want to be proper. We can’t just stand on the podium in Jacksonville and say, ‘Hey, here’s the entire business model, here’s all of our plans, here’s x-amount of money.’ We can’t do that. I know the business of the business is very entertaining but I think if people put their trust in us like they have, we won’t let them down.”

Turner Sports has had a long history with professional wrestling, as Turner Broadcasting System purchased Jim Crockett Promotions in 1988, which was rebranded as WCW. WCW programming aired on TBS and TNT with WCW Monday Nitro on TBS going head-to-head with WWF Monday Night RAW from 1995 until the company was sold to WWE in 2001. Monday Nitro even surpassed RAW in the ratings for 83 consecutive weeks from 1996-1997.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

KUSHIDA Makes NXT Debut At TV Tapings

New WWE NXT Superstar KUSHIDA made his in-ring TV debut at this week’s NXT tapings from Full Sail University. He wrestled Kassius Ohno in a match that could air on May 1 or May 8.

As noted, WWE announced that Triple H and NXT General Manager William Regal had signed the 35 year old former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion during WrestleMania 35 Weekend in New York City. He was shown at ringside for Friday’s “Takeover: New York” event.

Below are a few photos from KUSHIDA’s debut at Full Sail:

https://twitter.com/JJWilliamsWON/status/1116147353248063488

https://twitter.com/JJWilliamsWON/status/1116147458042675200

https://twitter.com/JJWilliamsWON/status/1116152222511980545

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AJ Styles Reveals When WrestleMania 35 Injury Happened, How Soon He Might Return

AJ Styles confirmed his injury on Wednesday while playing the PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds video game on his Mixer account with fans.

We’ve noted how Styles suffered a hip injury during his WrestleMania 35 win over Randy Orton, one that forced him to miss Monday’s Axxess meet & greet appearance and then Tuesday’s WWE SmackDown Live. Styles confirmed that he was sent home because of the injury and to undergo x-rays on Wednesday. It was previously reported that the belief was Styles suffered the injury while doing the forearm from the ring to the floor, but he said he was injured while taking a superplex.

“When you take a suplex from about 15 feet in the air… You know, I think I hit my left side before my right, just a little bit, and that’s totally on me, totally my fault,” Styles said of the injury. “It kind of knocked my hips out of place and then everything else, all those muscles in your butt and your back, swell up and then those muscles press on your nerve endings, and next thing you know you can’t walk the next day.

“But, got x-rays [on Wednesday] and they were all positive, I didn’t break anything. So, as far as that looks, I should be good to go here soon.”

Styles said the injury came on the superplex that Orton hit towards the end of the match, right after a headbutt and right before a 2 count then uppercut by Orton. The x-rays indicated soft tissue damage and he’s already up and walking around, hoping to return to the ring next week.

There’s no word yet on if Styles will be at the Superstar Shakeup edition of RAW and SmackDown from Montreal next week, but we will keep you updated on his in-ring status.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Becky Lynch Says Ronda Rousey Could Not Handle The WWE Schedule

RAW and SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch spoke with Sports Illustrated this week and said she is resolute in the belief that she was built for this business, unlike Ronda Rousey.

“Only four months after having a part-time schedule, after making her debut at WrestleMania—having been on the cover of everything, just handed everything, she was crying in her kitchen about how she couldn’t make her husband breakfast,” Lynch said. “She couldn’t hack our schedule. Yet we do this every single night, 52 weeks a year, yet she couldn’t handle it for four months.”

Regarding her recent rise to being one of WWE’s most popular Superstars, Lynch said she treats her spot like a political campaign.

“I approach this as a political campaign,” she explained. “Any time I’ve the opportunity to get my voice out there, get myself heard and my message across, I use it. I want to make sure I do the people proud.”

It was noted that Lynch now hopes to headline the grandest stage of them all two years in a row with the WrestleMania 36 main event in Tampa on April 5, 2020.

“This is when the hard work starts. I’ve got two championships to make,” said Lynch.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Why Sasha Banks Canceled Her Appearance On The Wendy Williams Show

As noted, Sasha Banks was scheduled to appear on The Wendy Williams Show yesterday but she backed out of the appearance, citing personal reasons on Twitter. This led to heat from staff of the show as she reportedly pulled out at the last minute.

Sasha added the “#IfYouOnlyKnew” hashtag to the Twitter post, indicating more to the story. She wrote, “Due to personal reasons, I had to pull out of my appearance today on @WendyWilliams . Sorry to everyone who was looking forward to it. Hopefully the opportunity will be there again later. #IfYouOnlyKnew”

In an update, it was noted on today’s edition of The Wendy Williams Show that Banks canceled her appearance because she had a family emergency. It was noted that Sasha’s representative called to cancel the booking after midnight the night before. Williams wished Banks and her family well. There’s no word yet on what the issue is.

It was reported on Tuesday, via Paige Six, that Banks bailed on the show at the last minute and that the unexpected cancellation left everyone on the staff fuming.

“She won’t be booked again,” a show source reported to Page Six. “She didn’t give a real reason for canceling, and she did it only hours before the show tapes, so production was left scrambling to fill her spot. Wendy ended up doing an extra segment of Hot Topics instead.”

Paige Six reached out to Banks’ representative for comment but they were referred to her Twitter statement.

We also noted how Banks posted a cryptic message on Twitter during Monday’s RAW, just hours after she and Bayley dropped the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles to The IIconics at WrestleMania 35. WWE announced on Monday afternoon that Alexa Bliss had challenged Banks and Bayley for RAW. Bayley appeared for the loss to Bliss, but Banks was not on the show.

Below is Banks’ cryptic message from during RAW and the tweet on Tuesday’s show cancellation:

“There is something about the way life happens today that makes it hard to look ahead. There are things that make it difficult to laugh; difficult to live the way you want. There are things that make it almost impossible to trust where you are, or to believe in where you want to be. You look around and life is happening way too fast. Sometimes it feels like the moments are gone. Everything happens all at once and right away. We’re marching towards a destiny we cannot understand, towards the kingdom of convenient. Then one day you look up and you can’t find the meaning. Your crisis of purpose and passion is acting up, but they tell you that that’s suppose to be normal. Well… I don’t want normal, I want magic; cause that’s the place that feels like home to me. That’s the place where I remember what dreams look like, where meaning is effortless, and purpose is simple. That’s the place where love still matters. I want that feeling of coming home again. I want to feel like myself….. I want that magic.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Pat McAfee Details Backstage Blowup At WrestleMania 35 Over His Shorts

Moments before the WrestleMania 35 pre-show was set to begin, Pat McAfee says he was on the verge of walking out due to Michael Cole yelling at him for wearing shorts.

McAfee detailed the tense backstage moment on his show this week and said it began with him being told not to wear jorts to WrestleMania. Pat obliged by making tuxedo pants into tuxedo shorts.

However, when Michael Cole saw him wearing them backstage before the kickoff show, he got angry in front of everyone who was around … saying Pat looked unprofessional and sloppy.

“He was like yelling. Real. This wasn’t like a rib, or like a gimmick, you could tell there was actual panic,” McAfee explained. He then walked to the room where the WrestleMania watch-a-long was going to film and began packing his things. When the digital person in charge of the stream asked what was going on, Pat said, “You can tell Michael Cole to go f*ck himself, I am leaving. I am not getting punked and yelled at like a child in front of everybody like that.”

The WWE employee then said he’d go talk to Vince McMahon and asked Pat to hold tight.

He returned moments later with Michael Cole and the two explained how they showed Vince a picture of Lebron James wearing suit shorts. Vince apparently told them “yeah, I’m hip. I’ve seen it” and said he loved the idea of Pat wearing them.

Cole then apologized for yelling at him and said he was worried the shorts would ruin his chances in WWE, because this was the first time he was being seen on TV by Vince McMahon.

Watch Pat explain how it all went down HERE.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

WWE NXT Preview 4/10/19

NXT, tonight at 8pm ET on WWE Network.

* Street Profits prepare to bring the smoke to Marcel Barthel & Fabian Aichner

* Candice LeRae looks to make an example out of Aliyah

* Danny Burch aims for retribution against Jaxson Ryker

* What will be the fallout from NXT TakeOver: New York?

WWE NXT UK Preview 4/10/19

NXT UK, today at 3 ET / 8 GMT on WWE Network.

* Toni Storm takes on Jinny in an NXT UK Women’s Championship Match

* Kassius Ohno vs. Travis Banks

* Piper Niven will step into the squared circle in her highly anticipated NXT UK debut.