WWE RAW takes place tonight from the Ford Center in Evansville, In.
Category: RAW
WWE Shares Statement On Sasha Banks & Naomi Walking Out Of Raw, Sasha Reportedly Has Backstage Heat
Sasha Banks and Naomi made headlines this week by walking out of the Raw tapings. WWE has released a statement on the matter.
More details have emerged regarding the story of Sasha Banks and Naomi walking out of last night’s edition of WWE Raw.
As previously covered here, multiple reports stated that the Women’s Tag Team Champions walked out ahead of Raw because of creative frustration. Apparently, the initial planned main event was a Raw Six-Pack Challenge to decide the challenger for Bianca Belair’s Raw Women’s Championship.
Banks was reportedly unhappy with the plans for the match, which led to her leaving the taping. Naomi decided to walk out as well, and Raw commentator Corey Graves even acknowledged it during the show. In the main event, Asuka defeated Becky Lynch to become the new No. 1 contender for the Raw Women’s Championship.
During the show, Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful.com shared a statement that he received from WWE. The statement claims that the Women’s Tag Team Champions were carrying suitcases when they entered the office of John Laurinaitis.
Banks and Naomi placed their title belts on his desk and “walked out”. According to the statement, that and Naomi “claimed they weren’t respected enough as tag team champions.” WWE offered “regret” for not being able to perform the planned main event. You can read the full statement below:
When Sasha Banks and Naomi arrived at the arena this afternoon, they were informed of their participation in the main event of tonight’s Monday Night Raw.
During the broadcast, they walked into WWE Head of Talent Relations John Laurinaitis’ office with their suitcases in hand, placed their tag team championship belts on his desk, and walked out.
They claimed they weren’t respected enough as tag team champions. And even though they had eight hours to rehearse and construct their match, they claimed they were uncomfortable in the ring with two of their opponents – even though they’d had matches with those individuals in the past with no consequence.
Monday Night Raw is a scripted live TV show, whose characters are expected to perform the requirements of their contract. We regret we were unable to deliver, as advertised, tonight’s main event.
After walking out during WWE RAW this week, Sasha Banks has backstage heat, according to Dave Meltzer on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio.
These feelings were passed on from people not in WWE management, but they also weren’t aware of the full situation going on. Naomi’s name was not mentioned, so it is unknown whether or not there are the same feelings towards her right now.
Since then, Sasha Banks has unfollowed all WWE-related social media accounts, including Vince McMahon. Meanwhile, a friend of Naomi’s has tweeted at length about the issue, citing creative as the problem here. Naomi was set to win the match that last night and face Belair at Hell In A Cell.
She was going to pin Nikki A.S.H. to achieve that goal, not Sasha, as had been speculated. It is believed that they wanted to focus on improving the tag team division instead. Neither woman reportedly had any safety concerns about their opponents, despite what WWE claimed.
There has yet to be a confirmed reason for why they left the show, and the exact issues that have taken place. Neither Sasha Banks nor Naomi has made a comment on the matter at the time of writing.
Sources: TheSportster and Wrestling Inc.
WWE RAW Preview 5/16/22
WWE RAW takes place tonight from the Scope Arena in Norfolk, Virginia.
Bobby Lashley locks himself inside of a steel cage with “The Nigerian Giant” Omos
RK-Bro, RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, Edge, Damian Priest and Kevin Owens are also scheduled to appear.
WWE RAW Preview 5/2/2022
Tonight’s WWE RAW will take place from the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina with the WrestleMania Backlash go-home build.
The Bloodline looks to take over Monday Night Raw tonight
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns are set to appear to hype their WrestleMania Backlash six-man with Drew McIntyre and RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro.
You can also expect the following programs to continue tonight, among others: Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins, Ezekiel vs. Kevin Owens, Asuka vs. Becky Lynch, AJ Styles vs. the Judgment Day stable.
WWE RAW Preview 4/25/22
WWE RAW will air live tonight from the Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Tonight’s RAW will be headlined by a 20th Anniversary Celebration for RAW Tag Team Champion Randy Orton. The WWE Legend made his official TV debut with a win over Hardcore Holly on the April 25, 2002 edition of SmackDown.
WWE has announced the following line-up for tonight:
* Becky Lynch makes her first RAW appearance since WrestleMania 38
* 20th Anniversary Celebration for RAW Tag Team Champion Randy Orton
* Hometown star and RAW Women’s Champion Bianca Belair defends against Sonya Deville
* Bobby Lashley vs. Omos in an Arm Wrestling Contest
Backstage News On The Future Of WWE’s Brand Split
WWE is not planning on ending the brand split anytime soon, despite the recent title merger, according to the latest Wrestling Observer Daily Update.
There have been some rumors about WWE doing that, but at the moment the company is not expected to be merging rosters. It was noted that Vince McMahon could change his mind, but right now that is not the direction he is heading.
At WrestleMania 38 Roman Reigns brought both the WWE and Universal Championships together by defeating Brock Lesnar. The company is now moving forward with unifying the Raw and SmackDown Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania Backlash when The Usos face RK-Bro.
When it comes to WrestleMania Backlash, the update notes the Tribal Chief is expected to headline the event, although he does not have any match announced at this point. Roman Reigns did attack Shinsuke Nakamura on the post-WrestleMania episode of SmackDown, which could potentially lead to a match.
Roman will be defending his titles against Drew McIntyre on WWE’s UK Tour, which takes place at the end of this month before the next premium event.
On Monday Night RAW this week WWE did add another match to the card as AJ Styles will be facing Edge in a rematch from WrestleMania 38.
The WrestleMania Backlash Premium Live Event is scheduled for Sunday, May 8 from the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. Below is the updated announced card:
Winners Take All Title Unification Match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro
I Quit Match for the SmackDown Women’s Title
Ronda Rousey vs. Charlotte Flair (c)
Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins
AJ Styles vs. Edge
WWE RAW Preview 4/18/22
Tonight’s WWE RAW will take place from the KeyBank Center in Buffalo, NY with more build for the upcoming WrestleMania Backlash event.
- Theory looks to bring United States Title back to Mr. McMahon in showdown with Finn Bálor
- Dana Brooke & Reggie and Akira Tozawa & Tamina to be joined together by R-Truth in a Double Commitment Ceremony
- WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks & Naomi vs. Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan
- Kevin Owens to give a lie detector test to Ezekiel
It looks like Becky Lynch may return to RAW on tonight’s show, her first appearance since dropping the RAW Women’s Title to Bianca Belair at WrestleMania 38.
Cody Rhodes’ Banned Word Slips On Raw Were No Accident
More than a week later, it’s still sort of hard to believe Cody Rhodes is back in WWE. This week on Raw, Rhodes wrestled his first match on the red brand since 2015. A clash with The Miz from which Rhodes emerged victorious. Prior to their clash, Rhodes and Miz opened Raw with a talk show segment during which The American Nightmare dropped a couple of supposedly banned words.
The first faux pas came when Rhodes referred to the Universal Championship as a belt. The Miz quickly cut in, informing him it’s a title as belts are for holding your pants up. A line Vince McMahon has likely said to wrestlers a thousand times as he doesn’t like WWE’s championships being referred to as belts. Speaking of wrestlers, the second slip-up came when Rhodes used that word instead of Superstars, at which point Miz corrected him again.
The American Nightmare is allowed to say belts and wrestlers.
Rhodes making these mistakes would make sense as he has been working in a company that lets you say them for the past three years. The thing is, according to Wrestling Observer Radio, Rhodes’ use of these banned words wasn’t a mistake at all. It’s all part of his gimmick in WWE. That he isn’t a WWE guy at all and he uses these words because he is a different Cody Rhodes who has returned from somewhere else.
There was another subtle nod to that during the very same segment. Rhodes went to tell The Miz that he’s full of shit, only to stop short at the curse word and look around at the fans. The word shit is thrown around a lot in AEW, but it is seldom said on WWE television. Only people like Brock Lesnar tend to be allowed to say it, probably because they don’t ask for permission first.
Rhodes’ gimmick in WWE is basically the AEW guy. It’s why he has the same look, the same music, and why he almost says curse words and utters banned terms on live TV. It all fits in with the framing of Rhodes being a completely different person to the one that left WWE six years ago without having to give credit or even make mention of the company he helped create while he was away.
Source: TheSportster
WWE RAW Preview 4/11/22
Tonight’s WWE RAW will air live from the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, Michigan with the latest build for WrestleMania Backlash.
RAW will be headlined by Cody Rhodes’ first RAW TV match in six years as he faces The Miz.
- Cody Rhodes set for his first match on Raw in six years against The Miz
- AJ Styles to battle Damian Priest
- Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns is sending SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos to capture the RAW Tag Team Titles from RK-Bro to unify them
- WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks and Naomi will defend against Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley
- MVP and Omos discuss Bobby Lashley and address the WWE Universe on a special edition of The VIP Lounge
Tommaso Ciampa is reportedly an official member of the WWE RAW roster.
Jerry Lawler Returning To WWE RAW Commentary
WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler is set to return to RAW commentary next week.
Lawler appeared on RAW Talk last night and revealed to Matt Camp and Jackie Redmond that he will work RAW commentary for a few weeks to replace Corey Graves while Graves is on his honeymoon with Carmella.
Lawler did not specify how many weeks he will be working RAW, but Redmond noted that he will be at the announce table with Jimmy Smith and Byron Saxton for “a couple of weeks.”
“I am looking forward to it,” Lawler said. “I’m going to be back behind the announcer’s table there on Monday Night RAW because that idiot Corey Graves is getting married!,” he joked.
Graves and Carmella are set to tie the knot in Fort Lauderdale, Florida this week. Graves spoke to The Athletic last week in the lead-up to WrestleMania 38 and commented on getting married this week, revealing that the ceremony is scheduled for Thursday.
“Tuesday morning, I get on a plane and fly to Fort Lauderdale. Because Thursday, we’re getting married. Why try to relax after a busy professional week? Let’s go right into the biggest life event we could possibly have,” Graves said.
Last night’s RAW saw Carmella and Queen Zelina Vega officially split up, which came after they dropped the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles to Sasha Banks and Naomi at WrestleMania 38. The RAW segment featured a ringside make-out sessions with Graves and Carmella, which you can see below.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
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