Category: SmackDown

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 SmackDown Preview 4/15/22

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX will take place from the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.

* Ricochet will defend the WWE Intercontinental Title against Jinder Mahal

* Drew McIntyre will face Sami Zayn in a rematch from last week’s bout that ended in a count out win for McIntyre

The WWE Events website has RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro advertised for tonight’s SmackDown. There’s no word on if they will be there to continue the feud with SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos, or if they’re just working a dark main event.

RAW Superstars Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins are also advertised by the WWE Events website. The arena website has Rhodes vs. Rollins advertised, which is likely a dark main event.

It’s interesting to note that The Usos and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns are not being advertised to appear, by the WWE Events website or the arena. Ronda Rousey is also not listed by either website, but SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair is.

The Bloodline ended last week’s show by taking out Shinsuke Nakamura, so it will be interesting to see if they miss this week’s SmackDown for whatever reason.

WWE SmackDown Preview 4/8/22

The post-WrestleMania 38 edition of WWE SmackDown on FOX will air live tonight from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Roman Reigns to reveal the next step on The Island of Relevancy tonight

Ronda Rousey vs. SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair is being advertised by the venue and is still being listed in an updated ad for tonight’s show. The WWE Events website also has Rousey advertised for tonight.

The WWE Events website had Seth Rollins advertised for SmackDown at one point, but he was removed earlier in the week. PWInsider has reported that Cody Rhodes is scheduled to be at the show tonight, but there’s no word yet on if he will be appearing on TV or working a dark match.

New WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Sasha Banks and Naomi are also scheduled to appear tonight, along with Drew McIntyre.

WWE SmackDown Preview 4/1/22

The WrestleMania 38 go-home edition of WWE SmackDown on FOX will air live tonight from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas.

WWE SmackDown Preview 3/25/22

The Road to WrestleMania 38 will continue tonight with the final SmackDown on FOX episode before next week’s special go-home show. SmackDown will air live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York City tonight.

WWE has not officially announced Ronda Rousey for a segment on tonight’s show but she is being advertised locally and by the WWE Events website.

WWE SmackDown Preview 3/18/22

The Road to WrestleMania 38 will continue tonight as WWE SmackDown on FOX airs live from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC.

Brock Lesnar to collide with Roman Reigns ahead of WrestleMania

It’s likely that King Xavier Woods will make his return to SmackDown tonight. Woods had been out of action since suffering a calf injury in January, but he returned at last weekend’s live events because Big E suffered a broken neck on last Friday’s SmackDown. WWE had plans for a six-man match at WrestleMania 38 with The New Day vs. Sheamus, Ridge Holland and Butch, but now we should find out if that will turn into a standard tag team match with Big E being out.

The WWE Events website has Ronda Rousey advertised for tonight’s show. There should be a follow-up to last week’s show-closing brawl with SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair.

Big E Returns Home Following Stint In Hospital For Broken Neck

Big E is back at home following a brief hospitalization for a broken neck.

As noted, Big E suffered a broken neck during Friday’s SmackDown in Birmingham, AL after taking a belly-to-belly throw from Ridge Holland at ringside. He was stretchered away from the ringside area, and then taken to a local hospital for further evaluation. Big E announced that same night that he suffered the broken neck when taking the move from Holland.

In an update, Big E revealed in a tweet that he is already back at home after being hospitalized at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital.

NFL star Andre Smith, who was born in Birmingham, tweeted Big E and offered to help him with anything he needed while he was in town for the hospitalization. Big E responded and revealed that he was already back at home in Tampa, FL.

“Appreciate you, man. I’m actually home now but Birmingham took good care of me,” Big E wrote.

On a related note, Drew McIntyre took to Twitter and wrote about spending some time in the hospital with Big E on Friday night. Several WWE stars visited with Big E in the hospital that night, and McIntyre commented on how he was feeling.

“I spent some time with @WWEBigE in the hospital last night and even in that situation you couldn’t take the smile off his face [face with tears of emoji] He really is remarkable. Love ya brother, can’t wait to hear the reaction when you return,” Drew wrote.

Big E responded, “It meant a ton to me. Thank you for being who you are, my friend.”

We noted before how Big E announced the broken neck in his first Twitter video on Friday night, but he then posted another video on Saturday morning and revealed that he fractured his C1 vertebrae and his C6 vertebrae, but would not need surgery. He also confirmed that there was no damage to his spinal cord, and no ligament damage.

There’s still no word on how long Big E will be out of action, but we will keep you updated. We noted before that WWE had plans for a big six-man match at WrestleMania 38 with The New Day (Big E, Kofi Kingston, Xavier Woods) vs. Holland, Sheamus and Butch, the former Pete Dunne.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE SmackDown Preview 3/4/22, Pat McAfee – WrestleMania 38

The Road to WrestleMania 38 continues tonight as WWE SmackDown on FOX will air live from the FTX Arena in Miami, Florida.

It’s believed that there may be some sort of follow-up to Pat McAfee’s interview with WWE Chairman & CEO Vince McMahon on tonight’s show, but nothing is official. McAfee vs. McMahon in some form is still rumored for WrestleMania 38, and while McAfee agreed to wrestle on The Grandest Stage of Them All during the interview, Vince said they would find him a worthy opponent.

WWE SmackDown Preview 2/25/22

The post-Elimination Chamber edition of WWE SmackDown on FOX will air live tonight from the GIANT Center in Hershey, PA.

Ronda Rousey is also scheduled to appear tonight. WWE has not announced Rousey for a match or segment, but the arena and the WWE Events website has her listed for the show, along with SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair, SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos, Shinsuke Nakamura, Sasha Banks, Kofi Kingston and Big E, and more.

WWE SmackDown Preview 2/18/22

The WWE Elimination Chamber go-home edition of SmackDown on FOX will air tonight, taped last week from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans.

The show was taped due to WWE traveling to Saudi Arabia for Elimination Chamber.