WWE To Shake Up Commentary Teams For RAW & SmackDown

WWE is shaking up its commentary teams following the arrival of Joe Tessitore.

Tessitore will debut on RAW in Denver, Colorado, on September 2. This move aligns with Cole’s transition to SmackDown, prompted by Pat McAfee’s return to College GameDay.

This rearrangement will result in Cole partnering with Wade Barrett on SmackDown, while Tessitore will collaborate with Corey Graves on RAW.

WWE RAW is scheduled to move from the USA Network to Netflix in January 2025. The ten-year agreement is valued at over $5 billion, translating to at least $500 million annually.

WWE’s current contract with the USA Network expires in September 2024, and RAW will continue to air on the network as a transitional phase before moving to Netflix.

Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline is reporting that the changes to the WWE commentary teams are temporary. Tessitore will join SmackDown in January, and Cole will return to RAW upon its move to Netflix.

Moreover, Tessitore will continue working at ESPN, where he serves as a broadcaster for college football and Top Rank boxing.

Source: eWn

Wes Lee Turns On His The Rascalz Teammates Following Tag Title Match Loss At NXT GAB

The Rascalz are no more following a heel turn by former NXT North American Champion Wes Lee following a loss for the NXT Tag Team Championships against Axiom and Nathan Frazer on Tuesday’s episode of “WWE NXT.” Lee and Zachary Wentz, collectively known as MSK, fought for the championships they never lost, as they were forfeited when Wentz was previously released from WWE, but the pair came up short. Frazer and Axiom had been having their own issues as a tag team for weeks, and even suffered miscommunication in the match where Axiom accidentally super kicked Frazer, but the pair held on to the gold.

Following the match, Trey Miguel got in the ring to console his stablemates, but was met with violence from Lee’s end. The group hugged in the middle of the ring, but as Miguel pulled away, he ate a kick from Lee and Wentz received a low blow. Lee said he wanted to be left alone and continued beating down his partners, end sending Miguel through the ring barricade and Wentz into the ring steps. As he walked back the ramp with his head held high, Lee offered no explanation for his actions. As for Wentz and Miguel, as of this writing, there is currently no word on if they will continue to appear on “WWE NXT” through the company’s ongoing relationship with TNA Wrestling to continue a feud with their former friend.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE Announces Pair Of Arena Shows To Kick Off The CW Era Of NXT

“WWE NXT” will begin a new era this October, as the brand will move to The CW after five years of airing on USA Network. WWE agreed a deal in late 2023 to have “NXT” air on The CW for the next five years, meaning that “NXT” will be the only WWE brand on broadcast television, as “WWE SmackDown” moves from FOX to USA in September 2024, and “WWE Raw” moves to Netflix in 2025. In order to make “NXT’s” first pair of shows on network TV feel as special as possible, WWE have announced two events that will see “NXT” go back on the road, at least for a few weeks.

In an official press release, WWE confirmed that both the October 1 and October 8 episodes of “NXT” will be arena shows, with the first taking place at the Allstate Arena in Chicago, Illinois, while the latter will air live from the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. To make the shows feel even bigger, two of WWE’s top main roster stars will be stopping by in their respective hometowns each week, with CM Punk showing up in Chicago, and Randy Orton showing up in St. Louis. Tickets for both events will go on sale Thursday, August 15, with an exclusive pre-sale opportunity taking place on Wednesday, August 14. 

These two shows will be part of a very busy period for WWE, as both “Raw” and “SmackDown” will be airing on USA until the end of 2024, while the Bad Blood PLE will be sandwiched between the two “NXT” events on October 5. Coincidentally, the October 8 episode will also be going head-to-head with the “Title Tuesday” edition of “AEW Dynamite” for the third year in a row, as that show will be pre-empted by the MLB playoffs.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT ‘Great American Bash’ Preview 8/6/2024 (Night 2)

WWE NXT continues with Night 2 of the Great American Bash tonight on SyFy.

  • WWE NXT Championship: Ethan Page (c) vs. Oro Mensah
  • WWE NXT Women’s North American Championship: Kelani Jordan (c) vs. Tatum Paxley
  • WWE NXT Tag Team Championship: SuperSonic Duo (Axiom & Nathan Frazer) (c) vs. MSK (Wes Lee & Zachary Wentz)
  • Joe Hendry vs. Joe Coffey
  • Trick Williams vs. Pete Dunne
  • Kendal Grey vs. Wren Sinclair

Odyssey Jones Finally Debuts On WWE Raw After Being Drafted Twice, Joins The New Day

After being drafted to “WWE Raw” back in 2023 after a run in “WWE NXT” — and then again earlier this year, having never officially debuted for the red brand — Odyssey Jones finally debuted Monday night to help The New Day in their ongoing feud against The Final Testament.

Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods were taking on The Authors of Pain, with Karrion Kross, Paul Ellering and Scarlett at ringside. During the match, Kross hit a cheap shot to Woods while the New Day member was on the top turnbuckle, causing him to fall to the mat, where Rezar looked to do more damage. That’s when Jones came down the ramp — wearing a New Day t-shirt — and sent Kross into the ring apron, then over the barricade into the crowd. The distraction allowed Woods to roll up Rezar for the victory. An enraged Akam and Rezar started to beat down New Day before Jones got into the ring and took both members of Authors of Pain out, delivering a double sidewalk slam. Kross then got into the ring to try and take on Jones, but he also received a slam for his troubles.

The 30 year old, 405-pound, star appeared backstage with New Day, and Kingston explained they “linked up” at the Performance Center and Jones wanted to come help them with their Final Testament problem. Jones, Kingston, and Woods were greeted by the Alpha Academy, who started to dance with delight. Though not featured on WWE television, Jones was last defeated by Omos at a Road to WrestleMania house show at the end of March, according to CageMatch.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW’s Britt Baker Appears To Deny Reports About How & Why MJF Confrontation Went Down

Former AEW Women’s World Champion Britt Baker has seemingly dismissed recent rumors of being suspended by AEW following a backstage altercation.

Baker posted a caption on X that sarcastically hit back at reports of her suspension following an argument between her and MJF. 

“You ever heard a rumour about yourself and actually wanted to hear more. Like now way …. what did I do next?!” said Baker.

Reports had previously suggested that Baker was fined and suspended for one or two weeks after her confrontation with MJF backstage. The issues reportedly began after Baker was heard criticizing MJF in the women’s locker room, which was narrated to MJF by Alicia Atout, his girlfriend and AEW broadcaster. Baker was also rumored to have been angry at Atout for telling MJF about what she had said in the locker room, while MJF is said to have entered the women’s locker room to confront her. 

A recent report has claimed that the AEW star was reportedly “burying” both MJF and Will Ospreay in the locker room, and this report has added that the English star also confronted Baker. Despite her suspension, Baker is set to compete at this month’s All In pay-per-view, where she will face AEW TBS Champion Mercedes Mone. MJF and Ospreay, who have also been involved in the controversy, will go one-on-one with each other at the show in London on August 25, where “The Salt Of The Earth” will put his AEW American Championship on the line.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Report: Lucha Brothers Expected To Leave AEW And Sign With WWE, All In Match Canceled

The luchador market could be about to welcome two new free agents, but they might not be free agents for long. According to a report from WrestlePurists, AEW’s Lucha Brothers are not expected to renew their contracts when they expire. As for Rey Fenix and Penta El Zero Miedo’s next destination, there is an overwhelming belief within AEW that the two luchadors are WWE-bound.

WrestlingPurists’ Ibou broke the news on their post-SummerSlam livestream and included details about the Lucha Brothers’ immediate plans, especially in regards to AEW’s upcoming All In pay-per-view. The Lucha Brothers were slated for a match alongside fellow Death Triangle member PAC against The Patriarchy for the World Trios Championship at Wembley Stadium. However, according to WrestlePurists, that plan has since been scrapped following news of the Lucha Brothers’ intentions to leave the company; the plan now is reportedly to run a triple threat trios title match involving The Patriarchy, the Bang Bang Gang, and House of Black. This match has yet to be announced in any official capacity, but the three teams have been feuding on AEW programming.

“When the [All In] match got canceled, I asked around internally … multiple sources within AEW told me, basically made it clear to me, that the Lucha Brothers are expected to depart AEW at the end of their contract,” Ibou said. “Some of them speculated that WWE was the destination, others outright said to me that it was a formality.”

Previous reports have indicated WWE has interest in Penta, whose contract is expected to expire within the next two months. While there have been no reports of WWE’s interest towards Fenix, it’s been speculated that Fenix’s injury caused his AEW contract to be extended, and that WWE would sign both Fenix and Penta as a unit.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE RAW Preview 8/5/2024

Tonight’s WWE Raw from the CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore, Maryland will air live on SyFy due to USA Network’s continued coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics.

  • Fallout from SummerSlam
  • Wyatt Sicks (Dexter Lumis, Joe Gacy, & Erick Rowan) vs. Chad Gable & The Creed Brothers
  • Dakota Kai vs. Sonya Deville
  • The New Day vs. AOP
  • Awesome Truth (Miz & R-Truth) vs. A-Town Down Under (Grayson Waller & Austin Theory)
  • CM Punk to appear
  • Drew McIntyre to appear
  • WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther to appear
  • Ludwig Kaiser vs. Sheamus

Trish Stratus Teases Possibility Of A WWE Return

Trish Stratus was back on WWE programming last month, hosting the Money in the Bank Premium Live Event in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, where she did a backstage segment with Tiffany Stratton. At the post-event presser, Stratton addressed a potential match with Stratus, noting she was ready to face the veteran.

Stratus said, speaking on Unlikely with Adrian Hernandez this week, that she felt like she checked off some boxes during her last run and said if she felt like she could check off a few more by coming back for the Stratton match, she would entertain it.

Stratus returned in early 2023 for a feud with Damage CTRL, where she aligned with Lita and Becky Lynch. That led to Stratus turning heel, attacking Lynch, and aligning with Zoey Stark with her putting over Lynch in a steel cage match at the WWE Payback 2023 premium live event, ending the run.

While speaking with SI.com, Stratus spoke about a possible WWE return.

“Cody isn’t the only one with an unfinished story,” said Stratus. “I loved being back as a special guest in Toronto at Money in the Bank. And who knows, if I can still go, I’ll still keep going. I’ll never half-ass it. If fans are interested and it can influence another generation, then we’ll see.”

Source: https://wrestlingnews.co

Backstage Update On Jacob Fatu’s Injury At WWE SummerSlam

Regarding Jacob Fatu’s injury concern at WWE SummerSlam, Dave Meltzer of F4WOnline.com said that he was meant to sell his leg after the splash to keep him away from any confrontation with Roman Reigns.

When he took a scary bump, fans became concerned about Jacob Fatu’s health coming out of WWE SummerSlam.

He and the rest of The Bloodline, Roman Reigns, Kevin Owens, and Randy Orton got involved in the main event of Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa in a Bloodline Rules Match. In the end, Rhodes went over to retain the title.

During the bout, Fatu splashed off the top rope to Cody through the announce table. His leg hit the edge of the table, and he instantly showed that he was in pain, causing fans to think he suffered a legitimate injury. WWE staff spotted him being helped to the back after the bout.

As seen below, Fatu was spotted in a walking boot on Sunday morning.

https://twitter.com/PuroresuFlow/status/1820101526318141931

Meltzer stated that “people were talking about an ankle injury but nobody in WWE at the top level who would know has confirmed to us the nature of any injury or if it was just the planned angle.”

Sources: WrestlingNews.co and PWMania