WWE SmackDown Preview 6/4/21

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown on FOX will feature two big title matches.

WWE has announced that SmackDown Tag Team Champions Rey Mysterio and Dominik Mysterio will defend against The Usos on tonight’s show. Jimmy and Jey defeated The Street Profits last week to earn tonight’s title shot.

WWE Intercontinental Champion Apollo Crews will also be defending his title tonight. He will face Kevin Owens with Commander Azeez banned from ringside.

It’s believed that the first Hell In a Cell match will be announced for the blue brand on tonight’s show, but that has not been confirmed.

Former WWE Superstar Debuts In A Vignette During Thursday’s IMPACT

Steve Maclin (real name Thomas Maclin), formerly known as Steve Cutler in WWE made his IMPACT Wrestling debut during Thursday night’s show, appearing in a vignette.

In the 48 second vignette, Maclin is seen taking a drink and looking very intense before the name MACLIN appeared with a skull under his name.

Maclin was released from his WWE Contract back on February 4.  He was a member of The Forgotten Sons.  Maclin is currently in a relationship with the IMPACT Knockouts Champion Deonna Purrazzo.

IMPACT posted the vignette that aired Thursday night to Twitter, which can be seen below:

Impact Wrestling Preview 6/3/21

Tonight on Impact Wrestling – AXS TV

* Sami Callihan vs. Moose

* Satoshi Kojima vs. Deaner

* Knockouts Tag Team Championship: Fire ‘N Flava (c) (Kiera Hogan & Tasha Steelz) vs. Jordynne Grace & Rachael Ellering

* Tables Match: Jake Something vs. Rohit Raju

* X-Divison Championship/60-Minute Iron Man Match: Josh Alexander (c) vs. TJP will kick things off on Before The Impact (AXS TV 7/6/c)

WWE Releases Braun Strowman And Other Superstars

WWE has reportedly parted ways with several top talents, according to Fightful Select.

Braun Strowman, Aleister Black, Lana, Ruby Riott, Buddy Murphy and Santana Garrett were all released today.

It was reported earlier this week that these releases were being made due to budget cuts. These come after an initial round of talent cuts in mid-April, another round of talent cuts in mid-May, and a number of significant office/corporate departures in May that were part of a major restructuring.

Strowman had been with the company since 2013. His last match came at the WrestleMania Backlash pay-per-view in the Triple Threat with Drew McIntyre and WWE Champion Bobby Lashley, but he has not been seen since then. He leaves a one-time Universal Champion, a one-time Intercontinental Champion, a two-time RAW Tag Team Champion, the 2019 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal winner, the Greatest Royal Rumble winner, and the 2018 Men’s Money In the Bank winner.

Lana had also been with WWE since 2013. She just wrestled on this week’s RAW, teaming with Naomi for a loss to Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose.

Black signed with WWE in 2016. He was away from the storylines for 6 months but just returned in April with new vignettes after being re-packaged on SmackDown. His big TV return came on the May 21 SmackDown and it looked like he was about to feud with Big E. They were held off last week’s SmackDown but it was reported that this was a creative decision to allow for some time before they did the follow-up. Black leaves a one-time WWE NXT Champion, and the 2019 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic winner with Ricochet. His wife Zelina Vega was released in late 2020 but was reportedly recently re-hired. There is no word yet on if WWE still plans to bring her back.

Riott also signed with WWE in 2016. She just competed on last Friday’s SmackDown, teaming with Liv Morgan for a loss to WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Natalya and Tamina Snuka.

Murphy signed with WWE in 2013 and leaves the company as a one-time NXT Tag Team Champion, a one-time WWE Cruiserweight Champion, and a one-time RAW Tag Team Champion. He last competed in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal in April. Before that his last singles match was a DQ loss to Cesaro on the March 12 SmackDown.

Garrett originally began working with WWE in 2013 and officially signed a contract in 2019 after making various appearances over the years. She last competed in the Women’s Royal Rumble Match in January, and before that her last singles match was the loss to Mercedes Martinez at NXT’s Great American Bash Night 2 in July 2020.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE NXT Preview 6/1/21

Tonight’s WWE NXT episode on the USA Network will feature more build for the upcoming “Takeover: In Your House” event.

Tonight’s show will open with Kyle O’Reilly vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Pete Dunne to determine the Takeover challenger for NXT Champion Karrion Kross. The match will air with only picture-in-picture commercials.

WWE has also announced that Legado del Fantasma’s Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde will challenge NXT Tag Team Champions MSK on tonight’s show.

Mark Henry Signs With AEW

Mark Henry has signed a contract to work as a coach and commentator for the company. The WWE Hall of Famer briefly appeared at Double Or Nothing and will speak on this Friday’s Dynamite. AEW has announced that Henry will be one of the commentators for AEW Rampage when it premieres on TNT this August.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

AEW Double Or Nothing Results 5/30/2021

NWA WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (BUY IN)
Serena Deeb (c) defeated Riho

Hangman Page defeated Brian Cage

AEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
The Young Bucks (c) defeated Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston

CASINO BATTLE ROYALE
Jungle Boy wins to earn future AEW World Championship Match

Cody Rhodes defeated Anthony Ogogo

AEW TNT CHAMPIONSHIP
Miro (c) defeated Lance Archer

AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Britt Baker defeated Hikaru Shida (c) to win the AEW Women’s World Championship

Sting and Darby Allin defeated Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky

AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Kenny Omega (c) defeated PAC and Orange Cassidy

STADIUM STAMPEDE MATCH
Inner Circle defeated The Pinnacle

WWE Announces SummerSlam Date, 21 More Dates For Summer Return To Touring

WWE has officially announced SummerSlam for Saturday, August 21.

This will be the first time that the biggest show of the summer airs on a Saturday. SummerSlam 1992 was held on Saturday, August 29 in England, but did not air until Monday, August 31.

WWE has not named the location for SummerSlam, but noted that it will be announced on NBC next Saturday, June 5 during the 2021 Belmont Stakes’ pre-race show. Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas is said to be the front-runner for the SummerSlam location.

SummerSlam tickets will go on sale Friday, June 18.

WWE has also announced the next 21 dates on the summer return to touring. The tour was originally announced as a 25-city schedule, but now they have 27 dates confirmed. The new announcement includes weekend events billed as Supershows. Tickets for the remaining live events will go on sale Friday, June 11. The current line-up runs through Labor Day on Monday, September 6, which is the original date announced for the end of the tour.

Below is the full schedule that has been announced, with the 21 dates that were just announced today:

* Friday, July 16: SmackDown from the Toyota Center in Houston, TX (Previously Announced)

* Sunday, July 18: Money In the Bank from the Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, TX (Previously Announced)

* Monday, July 19: RAW from the American Airlines Center in Dallas, TX (Previously Announced)

* Friday, July 23: SmackDown from the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, OH (Previously Announced)

* Saturday, July 24: Supershow from the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA

* Sunday, July 25: Supershow from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY

* Monday, July 26: RAW from the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, MO (Previously Announced)

* Friday, July 30: SmackDown from the Target Center in Minneapolis, MN (Previously Announced)

* Saturday, July 31: Supershow from the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI

* Sunday, August 1: Supershow from the Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, MI

* Monday, August 2: RAW from the Allstate Arena in Chicago, IL

* Friday, August 6: SmackDown from the Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL

* Saturday, August 7: Supershow from the Hertz Arena in Fort Myers, FL

* Sunday, August 8: Supershow from the Stephen O’Connell Center in Gainesville, FL

* Monday, August 9: RAW from the Amway Center in Orlando, FL

* Friday, August 13: SmackDown from the BOK Center in Tulsa, OK

* Saturday, August 14: Supershow from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC

* Sunday, August 15: Supershow from the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, SC

* Monday, August 16: RAW from the AT&T Center in San Antonio, TX

* Friday, August 20: SmackDown from the Phoenix Suns Arena in Phoenix, AZ

* Saturday, August 21: SummerSlam

* Sunday, August 22: Supershow from the Ball Arena in Denver, CO

* Monday, August 23: RAW from the Pechanga Arena in San Diego, CA

* Friday, August 27: SmackDown from the Simmons Bank Arena in North Little Rock, AR

* Monday, August 30: RAW from the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City, OK

* Friday, September 3: SmackDown from the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, FL

* Monday, September 6: RAW from the American Airlines Arena in Miami, FL

AEW Dynamite Preview 5/28/21

Tonight’s AEW Dynamite episode airs on TNT at Daily’s Place in Jacksonville, Florida. This week’s show was preempted on Wednesday due to the NBA Playoffs.

* Miro (c) vs. Dante Martin (AEW TNT Championship)

* Joey Janela vs. Hangman Page

* Anthony Ogogo and Cody Rhodes weigh-in

* Jade Cargill issues an open challenge

* A celebration of the Inner Circle hosted by Eric Bischoff

* Evil Uno and Stu Grayson vs. Scorpio Sky and Ethan Page

* Darby Allin with Sting vs. Cezar Bononi with Ryan Nemeth

* One year anniversary of Hikaru Shida as AEW Women’s World Champion

* Orange Cassidy will respond to Kenny Omega’s offer to defer his title shot

AEW Double Or Nothing 5/30/2021

DATE: May 30, 2021 8:00 pm
LOCATION: Daily’s Place, Jacksonville, Florida
AVAILABLE ON:B/R Live, Traditional PPV, FITE (Outside of the U.S.)

CARD

AEW WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Kenny Omega (c) vs. PAC vs. Orange Cassidy

AEW WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Hikaru Shida (c) vs. Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D.

AEW TNT CHAMPIONSHIP
Miro (c) vs. Lance Archer with Jake Roberts

AEW WORLD TAG TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP
The Young Bucks (c) vs. Jon Moxley and Eddie Kingston

STADIUM STAMPEDE MATCH
The Pinnacle vs. Inner Circle

CASINO BATTLE ROYALE
Christian Cage, Matt Sydal, Powerhouse Hobbs, 10, Evil Uno, Colt Cabana, Matt Hardy, Isiah Kassidy, Marq Quen, Jungle Boy, Penta El Zero Miedo, The Acclaimed, Nick Comoroto, Lee Johnson, Dustin Rhodes, Varsity Blonds(Brian Pillman Jr and Griff Garrison)
Winner receives future title shot.

Sting and Darby Allin vs. Ethan Page and Scorpio Sky

Cody Rhodes vs. Anthony Ogogo

Hangman Page vs. Brian Cage

NWA WOMEN’S WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (BUY IN)
Serena Deeb (c) vs. Riho