Report – WWE SmackDown To Expand To Three Hours In January

WWE Friday Night SmackDown will undergo more changes after moving from FOX to the USA Network.

The SmackDown premiere episode last Friday showcased a new visual design with updated colors, graphics, logo, and theme.

The show no longer has to end two minutes before the top of the hour to make way for local news on FOX, allowing for greater flexibility.

As we’ve been reporting here on WNB, Monday Night RAW will revert back to its previous two-hour format, which it hasn’t had since 2012, starting on October 7. As WWE is transitioning from the USA Network to Netflix, a temporary gap exists before the Netflix deal takes effect in January.

WWE reached an agreement with the USA Network to extend RAW’s run on the channel after the original deal was set to expire this month. The USA Network made the decision to switch RAW to a two-hour format.

Once WWE RAW moves to Netflix, it will become a three-hour show again, with the option to change the duration every week.

According to a report from WrestleVotes Radio, WWE SmackDown is expected to follow in RAW’s footsteps and transition to a three-hour format in January 2025.

The report states, “Before we move off of SmackDown, our first real WrestleVotes tidbit here, as we get going on this backstage pass regarding SmackDown, is that we have learned that starting on the January 3 show 2025, Smackdown will indeed shift to three hours. The other big news here is there are rumors that once the show ends, it will be available on Netflix, which we haven’t heard elsewhere. Those are the internal talkings right now is that probably the day after Smackdown will be available on Netflix. But the real nugget here is that starting January 3, that show will be three hours.”

Source: eWn

Report – The Lucha Brothers (Penta & Rey Fenix) Sign With WWE

The Lucha Brothers (Penta El Zero Miedo and Rey Fenix) are headed to WWE.

Following numerous rumors and speculation, the Lucha Brothers have inked long-term contracts with WWE, bypassing NXT and moving directly to the main roster.

As we’ve been reporting here on eWn, Penta has been discussing a potential move to WWE since the summer. Penta emphasized that he and his brother Fenix would only make the transition together, and WWE was eager to accommodate this request.

Cory Hayes of PWN has verified the signing, stating, “Multi-year deal. Directly to main roster.”

WrestleVotes Radio is also reporting that the Lucha Brothers’ signing with WWE is likely a done deal as production of masks, t-shirts, and other promotional materials is already in progress.

The Lucha Brothers have been integral to AEW since their debut on the company’s inaugural show in 2019.

Penta’s AEW contract expired between August and September, and Fenix’s contract was also set to expire this year.

Source: eWn

Backstage Report Says Miro Has Asked For Release From AEW

AEW’s existence has objectively done a lot of good for the wrestling business, providing another viable option for wrestlers to ply their trade while earning major money in North America, but within any organization there will always be those who end up unhappy. For a long time, reporting has suggested that Miro, formerly WWE’s Rusev, has been displeased with his tenure in the promotion, and now it appears he wants out.

According to a report from “Fightful Select,” Miro has officially requested his release from AEW. At the time of writing, neither AEW nor Miro himself has confirmed the report, but “The Redeemer” has notably not competed in AEW at all this year, with his last match taking place during the company’s last pay-per-view in 2023, Worlds End. According to Fightful’s sources, Miro ended up being sidelined for longer than anticipated after his match at Worlds End, but that he recovered a long time ago, which the star previously confirmed, explaining that his injuries were seen to back in January.

Fightful also reports that AEW originally considered using Miro in the All In Casino Gauntlet, and an angle for him was pitched involving Jon Moxley, but added that he couldn’t reach creative agreement with management, largely the reason for his absence from programming for the past two years. The report further pointed out that there’s no confirmation if Miro’s been granted his release yet, or if WWE has any interest in picking him up. Fightful’s sources also noted that “The Redeemer” is currently signed to a seven-figure contract that doesn’t expire until Spring 2026, which might complicate the dealings around his release.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Rampage Preview 9/20/2024

AEW Rampage Friday night on TNT.

  • Mark Briscoe vs. Bryan Keith
  • Wheeler Yuta vs. The Butcher
  • Hikaru Shida vs. Harley Cameron
  • Roderick Strong & The Beast Mortos in action
  • Nick Wayne vs. Kip Sabian vs. Lio Rush vs. Rocky Romero

ROH TV Preview 9/19/2024

Ring of Honor will present a new episode of ROH TV on Honorclub tonight.

  • ROH Tag Team Championships Proving Ground Match: Dustin Rhodes & Sammy Guevara (c) vs. Evil Uno & Alex Reynolds
  • The Infantry vs. Angelico & Serpentico
  • The Infantry vs. Angelico & Serpentico
  • Brian Cage & Gates of Agony vs. TBA
  • Rachael Ellering vs. TBA

TNA Impact Preview 9/19/2024

TNA Wrestling will present a new episode of TNA Impact tonight on AXS TV.

  • Fallout form Victory Road
  • Texas Death Match: JDC vs. Mike Santana
  • Matt Cardona vs. Rhino
  • First Class vs. Sinner & Saint
  • Spitfire in action
  • We’ll hear from Joe Hendry

Backstage News On AEW Contract Status Of ROH Double Champ Dustin Rhodes

Dustin Rhodes may be a double champion in Ring of Honor, but there are no guarantees that he will be sticking around AEW after September. According to Fightful Select, Rhodes’ deal with the company is still up and the end of the month, as Fightful initially reported last year.

Rhodes is currently a ROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion alongside the Von Erich brothers, as well as ROH World Tag Team Champion alongside Sammy Guevara. Fightful reports that “many” assumed Rhodes’ title victories meant he’d signed a new deal, but that is apparently not the case as of this writing. The report contains no indication of whether Rhodes is considering jumping back to WWE, the company where he spent the majority of his career for two decades, and where his brother Cody Rhodes is the reigning Undisputed WWE Champion. According to Fightful, in addition to his spots on the AEW and ROH rosters, Rhodes helps out and contributes to the women’s division behind-the-scenes.

Rhodes debuted in ROH at Death Before Dishonor in July 2024 and teamed with Marshall and Ross Von Erich, defeating The Dark Order to win a shot at the ROH Six-Man titles. They defeated the Undisputed Kingdom later that month at battle of the Belts to win the championships. Rhodes defeated the Undisputed Kingdom once again, alongside Guevara, to win the ROH tag belts on an episode of “AEW Collision.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Dynamite Preview 9/18/2024

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite live on TBS from the Mohegan Arena in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

  • Orange Cassidy vs. Chris Jericho
  • The Elite (The Young Bucks & Kazuchika Okada) vs. Will Ospreay, Kyle Fletcher & Konosuke Takeshita
  • Yuka Sakazaki & Queen Aminata vs. Mariah May & Serena Deeb
  • Ricochet vs. The Beast Mortos

Kota Ibushi Reveals Training Session With Kenny Omega, Teases AEW Return

Both Kenny Omega and Kota Ibushi have been absent from AEW for some time, with fans anxiously waiting as the two stars recover from significant injuries. However, those fans may not have to wait much longer. Based on a post made by Ibushi on Instagram, he and Omega are training together once again.

“World domination is just days away,” Ibushi wrote. “Had a golden practice after a long time. We are still far from done. Next AEW!!!”

The first photo shows Ibushi and Omega striking an iconic pose just outside of a ring, while the next picture features the two men making funny faces while holding onto a pair of large beverages. While it’s not clear from the photo whether Ibushi and Omega are training in Japan, the Tokyo Game Show is set to begin next week and Omega is a noted video game fan, offering a potential reason for Omega to visit.

While Omega has been an EVP in AEW since the promotion’s inception, it took his Golden Lovers partner a while longer to make it over. Ibushi signed a contract with AEW in 2023 but has wrestled just four matches so far. The former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion has dealt with a string of serious injuries over the last several years, resulting in Ibushi performing only 11 times since the end of 2021.

As for Omega, the AEW star discovered last year that he was dealing with a case of diverticulitis that could have potentially ended his life if he hadn’t sought out treatment at the right time. After months away from television, Omega returned on “AEW Dynamite” this past May, updating the audience on his health status before being attacked by his former friends in The Elite. As of now, that was the last time Omega has been seen onscreen.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Announces Date & Location For Return Of Saturday Night’s Main Event

WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event is making another comeback. The company announced the return of the iconic show for later this year, with the special airing simultaneously on NBC and Peacock on December 14 at 8 p.m. ET. For those interested in attending, Saturday Night’s Main Event will take place at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island, New York, with tickets available to the public on Friday and pre-sale beginning tomorrow.

These specials will continue airing quarterly as part of WWE’s latest media rights deal with NBCUniversal, which was signed last year and went into effect earlier this month. In addition to the return of Saturday Night’s Main Event, the deal ensured “WWE SmackDown” made the move back to the USA Network after a stretch on Fox.

Today’s news confirms a report from earlier this month that suggested WWE was bringing back Saturday Night’s Main Event for the previously-detailed NBC primetime special. The company first introduced the show in 1985, with a series of occasional events that aired on the network until 1992. These shows sometimes offered major moments to capitalize on all the extra exposure from broadcast TV, and often featured Hulk Hogan wrestling in the main event.

More recently, the promotion revived the branding in 2022, with a series of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event shows scheduled during that spring. However, unlike previous iterations, those events were not televised. The last televised revival took place from 2006 through 2008, with a series of five hour-long specials that also aired on NBC.

Source: Wrestling Inc

Jesse “The Body” Ventura reportedly will be returning to WWE to be apart of the commentary team for Saturday Night’s Main Event.