WWE SmackDown will air live tonight on FOX from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio.
- Fallout out from last Saturday’s Crown Jewel
- LA Knight vs. Grayson Waller
- Carlito vs. Bobby Lashley
Author: John Bass
John Cena Underwent Medical Procedure
John Cena put over Solo Sikoa last weekend at the WWE Crown Jewel PLE in Saudi Arabia.
Cena’s WWE run came to a close when the match finished with him taking a series of Samoan spikes.
He took to Twitter to express gratitude towards Orthopaedic Surgeon Jeff Dugas for a medical procedure he underwent at Andrew’s Sport Medicine and Orthopaedic Center in Birmingham, Alabama.
NWA’s Billy Corgan Doubles Down On Having TV Deals With Top 20 Network
Before the recent announcement of WWE NXT’s move to the CW Network in 2024, there were talks of the NWA brand being picked up by The CW for its Powerrr series and a reality show. However, a controversial skit featuring cocaine with Father James Mitchell may have hindered the NWA’s chances of securing a deal with the network.
Billy Corgan stood firm about their TV deals with a top 20 TV network still in place during a recent interview on 102.5 The Bone’s Drew Garabo Live.
“Yeah, I like to say, first and foremost, we are a television content producer,” Corgan began. That’s really wrestling in the 21st century, television first and everything else second. That’s not to say the second is not important, but if you can’t drive from television down, you’re gonna have a hard time building an audience. Certainly being on national television in any capacity, digital or otherwise, broadcast network, that’s how you reach the most people.
Going into a market like Sarasota as we’ll be on next Saturday after next, having people have a routine way to reach your television product is part of what makes people want to come see the matches. We are free on YouTube, but the way YouTube works and the way people’s schedules are, unless they go looking for stuff, they may not even know you’re there.
So yeah, TV deals are at the core of it and there’s been a ton of speculation lately. I stand by what I said: We have two TV deals with a top 20 network, that’s all I can say for now. There’s lots of speculation that that’s not true but I can stand here and say, hand on heart, that is absolutely true.”
Source: eWn
Backstage Report On Major Shift WWE Could Make With NXT Following CW Deal
Earlier this week, it was announced that “WWE NXT” would be moving from the USA Network to broadcast on The CW starting next year, with a major rights fee boost for WWE. The latest issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter offers up a few more details on the deal, including a report that discussions are being had within the company about making “NXT” a touring show, traveling to arenas across the country to film episodes live. However, nothing is set in stone as of yet.
With a few exceptions, “NXT” has long been taped at either the WWE Performance Center or, before that, Full Sail University. NXT PLEs used to be tied to a main roster PLE, taking place in the same town a night or two before. This has started changing, however, with recent PLEs held on their own weekends.
The Newsletter runs through some of the positive and negative points of making the change from filming at the PC to touring. The increased rights fees would help offset the added costs from touring while also offering a potential ratings boost, as well as events having larger live attendance. On the other hand, moving away from the Performance Center would mean less training time and a lot more travel for the company’s developmental roster.
While it’s still unclear what WWE plans to do with NXT moving forward, the company has notably been featuring more main roster talent on the brand. Becky Lynch recently held the “WWE NXT” Women’s Championship, and the company notoriously loaded up its Tuesday night show with talent when it was revealed that “AEW Dynamite” was going head-to-head with “NXT” for one night only. On top of that, recent weeks have seen “NXT” featuring “Raw” and “SmackDown” stars such as Lynch, Xia Li, Alpha Academy, Shotzi, Tegan Nox, and more.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
The Bunny Departs From AEW
The Bunny is reportedly gone from All Elite Wrestling.
After fans noticed The Bunny was removed from AEW’s official online roster, speculation picked up that she was gone from the company. Mike Johnson of PWInsider has since reported that the two sides mutually agreed to part ways, although more details are not known at this time.
AEW has quietly released talent in the past with no official statement until the talent comes forward with the news or AEW President Tony Khan is directly asked. Such was the case more recently for Sonny Kiss, whose contract was not renewed earlier this fall after largely being inactive on AEW’s flagship shows in recent years.
The Bunny, formerly known as Cherry Bomb and Allie, joined AEW in 2019 following a run with Impact Wrestling. The Bunny was one of AEW’s first signings as she competed at the first Fyter Fest, Fight for the Fallen, and All Out pay-per-views. She initially competed under the name of Allie until early 2021 when she introduced her gimmick change and officially aligned with The Butcher and The Blade.
The Bunny also formed a partnership with Penelope Ford in 2021 as the two feuded with Anna Jay and Tay Melo, culminating in a brutal Street Fight that aired on the New Year’s Smash edition of “AEW Rampage.” She only had three AEW matches in 2023, suffering two singles losses to Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker. Her last match took place on “Rampage” in September as she teamed with Anna Jay and Taya Valkyrie in defeat to Britt Baker, Hikaru Shida, and Skye Blue.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
MLW Fusion Preview 11/9/2023
MLW FUSION featuring the official contract signing for Fightland on FITE+ main event between Alex Kane and Jacob Fatu, streaming 8pm tonight on MLW’s YouTube channel and FITE+, Friday on beIN XTRA and Saturday on Cable TV’s beIN SPORTS (find a provider).
Alex Kane and Jacob Fatu put pen to paper and make their World Heavyweight Championship showdown at Fightland on FITE+ official this week on Fusion with a contract signing.
The first state of The Fed takes place as legitimate promoter Saint Laurent promises big plans for Fightland… and reprisals for Alex Kane and Jacob Fatu after last week’s Samoan Grand Theft Auto in WTF Superstar® Matt Cardona’s newly gifted set of wheels.
The legendary Don King has a FIGHTLAND proclamation. What’s the iconic promoter of the Bomaye Fight Club have to say to the fight world? Tune in and find out!
A MAJOR announcement with big implications for Fightland drops in the wake of the carnage that ended last week’s throwdown between The Calling and The Second Gear Crew.
MMA Fighter turned WTF sports entertainment Superstar® “Filthy” Tom Lawlor has a chicken bone to pick and it involves Fusion on Thanksgiving?!
World Featherweight Champion Janai Kai competes for the first time since dethroning Delmi Exo at Slaughterhouse to win the gold. Can anyone withstand the violent onslaught of Promociones Dorado’s “Kick Demon”?
Is there tension between AKIRA and Rickey Shane Page? The Calling has a message for the weak as the wicked ready for war at Fightland.
Double champion Rocky Romero has a message for top ranked middleweight Ichiban and his new amigo Máscara Dorada.
“Hot Sauce’” Tracy Williams grapples with newcomer Griffin McCoy. Coming off of an impressive showing in the 2023 Opera Cup, which saw the Brooklyn native go to the finals, Williams now looks to get a big win. A win, which could propel him into the mix for the National Openweight Championship. Standing in his way is the debuting 23-year-old Griffin McCoy. Despite his young age, McCoy is a 7-year veteran, debuting in 2016. Impressing league scouts, the 6’2” San Franciscan has a vicious arsenal of suplexes and strikes.
The Bomaye Fight Club’s dual powerhouses Mr Thomas and O’Shay Edwards go head to head with The Mane Event in tag team action!
ROH TV Preview 11/9/2023
Tonight on ROH TV. WatchROH.com on HonorCLUB
- Iron Savages vs. Griff Garrison & Cole Karter
- Kyle Fletcher vs. Lee Johnson
- Billie Starkz vs. Rachael Ellering
- Tony Nese vs. Serpentico
- Josh Woods in Action
Impact Wrestling Preview 11/9/2023
The action continues from Chicago on an all-new IMPACT! this Thursday at 8/7c on AXS TV and 8:30pm ET on YouTube for IMPACT Insiders.
- Impact Wrestling Championship: Alex Shelley (c) vs. Jonathan Gresham
- Impact Wrestling Digital Media Championship – No DQ: Tommy Dreamer (c) vs. Crazzy Steve
- Tasha Steelz vs. Deonna Purrazzo
- Brian Myers vs. Joe Hendry
- Eric Young vs. Eddie Edwards
WWE’s Carmella & Corey Graves Announce Birth Of Their Son, Share First Pic
Former “WWE SmackDown” Women’s Champion Carmella has been out of action since March, later revealing that she and husband Corey Graves were expecting a child together. In some heartwarming news, the two performers have now jointly revealed on Instagram that their son, Dimitri Paul Polinsky, was born on November 8, 2023. Carmella noted that she was in labor for 60 hours, promising to reveal more about that at another time.
Carmella and Graves have been together since 2019, as documented in the ninth and final season of “Total Divas,” and were later married in 2022. Last year, Carmella opened up about experiencing an ectopic pregnancy as well as an early miscarriage in the span of just a few months. Although Graves has children from a previous marriage, this is the first child that the two WWE stars have had together.
Though “Total Divas” is no longer on the air, the pair’s relationship has been indirectly acknowledged onscreen in WWE over the last few years, primarily in the form of Graves commenting on Carmella whenever she would appear. Before getting pregnant earlier this year, Carmella had just made her return to WWE after some time away. The brief run most notably saw her compete in this year’s Women’s Elimination Chamber match. With her priorities certainly set on parenting her newborn baby, it will likely be a while before Carmella returns to wrestling, if she decides to come back at all. Graves is still on TV as a regular commentator for “WWE SmackDown,” appearing every Friday night.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Front Runner Revealed For WWE RAW’s Media Rights?
WWE’s programming rights for RAW, NXT, and SmackDown are set to expire next year. RAW currently has an agreement with the USA Network.
Networks, including USA Network, Warner Bros [TBS or TNT], Discovery, and FX, are rumored to be interested in getting the broadcasting rights for RAW.
Most of the talk is that RAW is going to go to FX, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.
Source: eWn
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