AEW President Tony Khan hasn’t been shy to open his checkbook to use licensed music for AEW programming, and he’s announced that a legendary song will play to promote the AEW Full Gear pay-per-view later this month.
Khan announced on X that the “November Rain” song by Guns N’ Roses will be used ahead of Full Gear on AEW’s shows this weekend and next week’s “AEW Dynamite,” creating a fittingly epic atmosphere for the event on November 23.
“Thanks to @gunsnroses, AEW has secured a license to use November Rain in our videos promoting #AEWFullGear + this AEW November to Remember! Expect AEW November Rain by this weekend + again next Wednesday before the ppv!” said Khan.
AEW has previously licensed songs like “The Final Countdown” for Bryan Danielson, Pantera’s “Walk” for Rob Van Dam’s debut, “Seek and Destroy” by Metallica for Sting and Darby Allin, and “Wild Thing” by X for Jon Moxley.
On this week’s episode of Monday Night RAW, Kai teamed up with her Damage CTRL mates (IYO SKY and Kairi Sane) to defeat Pure Fusion Collective (Sonya Deville, Zoey Stark, and Shayna Baszler).
Kai hasn’t been seen on WWE television since July after suffering a torn meniscus. Kai suffered the injury on the same leg where she tore her ACL last year. Kai was initially suspected to be out of action for eight to 10 weeks.
Damage CTRL is still missing one member, with Asuka recovering from an injury. She reportedly suffered the injury prior to WrestleMania 40 on an episode of “WWE SmackDown.” A date for her return has not been announced.
According to TNT’s current TV schedule, the cable network will air taped episodes of AEW Rampage and Collision back-to-back, beginning at 4:00 pm ET on Saturday, November 30, which is the same day at WWE’s Survivor Series. Collision is set to air beginning at 4:00 pm ET, followed by Rampage at 6:00 pm ET.
AEW will avoid going head-to-head with WWE Survivor Series, which is set to begin live at 7:00 pm ET on Peacock in the US and WWE Network everywhere else.
The reason for the early start times for Collision and Rampage is that TNT has and NHL game listed for Friday, November 29, with the Colorado Avalanche vs. the Dallas Stars beginning at 9:00 pm ET. Saturday on TNT, “Players Era” is listed with a start time of 7:00 pm ET and then again at 9:30 pm ET on Saturday, November 30th on TNT.
AEW will hold the November 30 Collision taping, following the live Dynamite on November 27 at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois.
AEW Collision tonight on TNT. Tonight’s show was taped earlier this week.
AEW World Trios Championships: Death Riders (Claudio Castagnoli, Wheeler Yuta & PAC) (c) vs. The Conglomerate (Kyle O’Reilly, Mark Briscoe & Tomohiro Ishii)
AEW TNT Championship: Jack Perry (c) vs. Action Andretti
AEW Tag Team Title Qualifying Match: The Outrunners vs. Top Flight
Nick Wayne vs. AR Fox
Roderick Strong vs. The Beast Mortos
The House of Black vs. Iron Savages & Jacked Jameson
According to a report from Pwinsider, the current plan is for both RAW and SmackDown to expand to three hours in January 2025.
RAW moved from 3 hours back to 2 last month for the rest of the year. The plan seemed to always be that RAW would then move back to 3 hours in January when the show makes the move to Netflix.
Now it appears that SmackDown on Friday night’s on the USA Network will also expand to 3 hours
While this is not confirmed just yet, there has been some talk of calling up talent from the NXT brand to help fill six hours of weekly television on the two main brands.
For years, the three-hour format has been a topic of debate among fans, with some embracing the extra content and others feeling it sometimes stretches thin. How WWE will balance the additional time without affecting pacing and viewership will be something to watch closely.
As January 2025 approaches, WWE fans can expect more announcements regarding this programming shift, as well as potential tweaks to the structure of RAW and SmackDown to maximize engagement and entertainment value in the new, extended format. For now, the prospect of a three-hour SmackDown is already stirring curiosity about how WWE will use the added time to shake up storylines and push its Superstars to new heights.
The Original Bloodline has fully reunited with Sami Zayn on last night’s WWE SmackDown.
After an opening segment that saw Reigns reject a reconciliation with his former “Honorary Uce” and subsequently appear to lose the trust of The Usos, Reigns came to the ring on his own during the main event segment to confront Solo Sikoa. Reigns challenged his cousin to a singles match, but Sikoa laughed in his face, challenging him instead to find four more others backstage ready to support him in a war. Reigns asked Sikoa if his intention was WarGames, saying Sikoa only had three men beside him; Sikoa then claimed Zayn had joined his side in the battle, prompting Zayn to emerge at the top of the ramp. Zayn stood and watched as Reigns was attacked by The Bloodline, with The Usos coming down to save their cousin.
Sikoa called for Zayn to deliver the Helluva Kick to Reigns, but Zayn instead kicked Sikoa’s head, allowing for Reigns to hit a spear, and then The Original Bloodline fought the rest of the mutineers to clear the ring. Zayn and Reigns stared one another down as The Usos threw up the ones, the former raising his own finger and visibly asking Reigns “Are you in, or are you out?” Reigns finally raised a finger with the other three, signaling that at least for now, the band is back together.
As the segment closed, commentary stated clearly that Reigns, Zayn and The Usos would meet Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and the one-time Guerrillas of Destiny at Survivor Series in a WarGames match. It remains unclear whether a fifth man will be added to each side, but the reiteration of the five-on-five format WWE has used in main roster WarGames matches thus far suggests there are more participants to come.
In a major announcement that’s sure to shake up the WWE women’s division, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis last night unveiled a brand-new title: the WWE Women’s United States Championship. This groundbreaking addition introduces a fresh opportunity for the roster to vie for championship gold, and it aims to further showcase the depth of talent in WWE’s women’s division.
The creation of the Women’s United States Title signals WWE’s commitment to expanding opportunities for its female Superstars. Much like the iconic men’s United States Championship, this new belt is expected to elevate its holder, rewarding both in-ring prowess and fan support. The decision underscores WWE’s ongoing focus on giving the women’s division its own unique platforms, something the fans have been clamoring for as the roster’s talent continues to grow.
As the Women’s U.S. Title enters the picture, speculation is already swirling about who might become the inaugural champion. With so many rising and established stars in the SmackDown women’s division, the competition promises to be fierce. Fans can look forward to new rivalries, fresh storylines, and perhaps even some surprises along the way as WWE continues pushing the boundaries of its women’s division.
Stay tuned, as more details will likely emerge in the coming weeks, including a possible tournament or match to crown the first-ever WWE Women’s United States Champion. With the addition of this title, SmackDown’s women’s division just got even more exciting!
BREAKING NEWS: #SmackDown GM Nick Aldis has announced a NEW Women's Title… the WWE Women's United States Championship! 🇺🇸
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