WWE will reportedly begin making significant changes to the look and feel of RAW and SmackDown next week.
WWE is set to bring back pyro to their weekly RAW and SmackDown TV shows next week, according to a new report from @Wrestlevotes. It was noted that fireworks will once again be a fixture on WWE programming, which comes after WWE reportedly cut back on expenses a few years ago.
It was reported over the weekend, via @Wrestlevotes, that this week is the final week that WWE will be using the current entrance stage. RAW and SmackDown are set to receive “updated, fresh feeling” sets next week. There will apparently be a new set for RAW and a different set for SmackDown.
A WWE fan was arrested at Monday’s RAW after filming a Snapchat video of a police officer and other individuals urinating in the bathroom, according to WKYT in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Tyler Bollinger was accused of recording video inside the bathroom of the Thompson-Boling Arena. An arrest report notes that other individuals were in the video, and that a man and his son flagged an officer down to report what had happened. Police questioned Bollinger and found the video in question. Bollinger admitted to having six adult beverages. Bollinger first denied the accusation but agreed to show police his phone. He later admitted to taking video of the officer and at least one other man while they were urinating.
The officer said he was working the WWE event and had went to use the restroom. He stated that when he left the restroom, he was stopped by a man and his young son, who told him that they saw a man recording people in the bathroom while urinating. The man pointed out Bollinger and that’s when police confronted him.
Bollinger was charged with disseminating unlawful photographs and public intoxication. He was due in court earlier this week.
The WWE RAW announce team is set to undergo a major change soon, according to @Wrestlevotes.
The current plan as of this week is for Vic Joseph and Dio Maddin to call the action on RAW each Monday night.
We’ve noted how WWE will be focused on brand exclusivity coming out of the WWE Draft in October, and that includes the announce teams. It was reported last week that the plan was for Michael Cole to move to SmackDown from RAW while Joseph moved to RAW from 205 Live. It was also reported that Corey Graves was set to join Cole on SmackDown Friday nights, and that Graves will no longer be pulling double duty on two shows.
RAW is currently called by Cole, Graves and Renee Young. There’s no word yet on where Renee will end up, but she is expected to host the weekly WWE FS1 studio show on Tuesday nights, which will air live from Los Angeles. SmackDown is called by Graves, Tom Phillips and Byron Saxton, but there’s no word yet on what will happen to Tom and Byron. Joseph and Maddin currently call the 205 Live show with Aiden English. Maddin (WWE NXT Superstar Brennan Williams) was just brought up to 205 Live last week, replacing Nigel McGuinness, who will be going exclusive to NXT on Wednesday nights with Mauro Ranallo and WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix.
Again, current plans have Cole and Graves on the SmackDown announce team together with Joseph and Maddin on the RAW announce team.
Last night’s WWE RAW featured a new vignette with The Authors of Pain, Akam and Rezar, re-introducing themselves as they prepare to return to the storylines.
“My name is Rezar,” the promo began.
“My name is Akam,” he continued.
“Together we’re known as AOP, The Authors of Pain.”
“No one has seen us in a match since before WrestleMania.”
“There’s a very good reason for that. We haven’t had one match since before WrestleMania.”
“We’re fighters. We’ve been fighting our whole lives. We earn money by fighting.”
“That’s the problem. We come here to fight and everyone complains we’re hurting them in the ring.”
“Neither one of us could make a living in mixed martial arts because no one wanted to fight us and now we come to WWE and no one wants to fight us.”
“Every tag team in WWE is soft. None of you are men. None of you are hard enough to fight us.”
“None of you have the heart to fight us.”
“None of you have the manhood to step up to us.”
“This is a warning. You give us the opportunity we earned. Or we’ll take the opportunity we earned.”
“We are the future of the WWE tag team division.”
“And that future will be written in pain.”
AOP returned to live event action at a SmackDown show in early July, losing to the team of Ali and Matt Hardy. They had been away for several months while Akam recovered from a knee injury, but they returned to the ring at WWE Super ShowDown in June, to compete in the 50-Man Battle Royal. Rezar did work some WWE Main Event matches while Akam was out. It looks like AOP will no longer be working with 205 Live General Manager Drake Maverick. It was reported in late August that WWE almost brought AOP back for a Tag Team Turmoil match, but it looks like they delayed the return for a slower build. There’s no word yet on when they will return to the RAW ring.
Following a brief hiatus from WWE TV, Rusev returned on Raw this week and got involved in the baby drama between Mike and Maria Kanellis.
Last night’s edition of RAW featured a gender reveal party that ended with an angry Maria telling Mike that Ricochet was the father of her baby. Frustrated over the revelation, Mike challenged Ricochet to a match … even though the former United States champ denied the accusation.
Ricochet picked up the win with ease and Maria scolded her husband for it afterward. She then said Ricochet obviously wasn’t the father, but teased revealing the father in that moment.
That’s when Rusev’s music hit and he made his way to the ring in tremendous shape with a new look. After a brief interaction in the ring, Rusev demolished Mike Kanellis.
Rusev’s last match in WWE took place back in June at Super ShowDown.
According to sources, Rusev was kept hidden backstage before and during RAW to keep the surprise return a secret. It’s unclear if he’ll eventually be re-paired with Lana, and her status in all of this was also questioned during RAW.
Below are the videos of what happened from last night’s RAW:
Reports began surfacing earlier this month of a WWE Draft taking place in October as SmackDown makes its way to FOX on Friday, October 4.
Earlier today, during the 1 pm ET NFL game on FOX it was announced the WWE Draft will begin on the October 11 episode of SmackDown and will then continue the following Monday (October 14) on RAW on the USA Network.
The 2019 WWE Draft has been confirmed to begin on the October 11 SmackDown episode, then wrap on the October 14 RAW episode.
WWE has announced that Superstars will be appearing on RAW and SmackDown along with personalities from Fox and NBCUniversal programming, who will announce the picks.
WWE issued the following press release to us this afternoon to confirm the Draft:
WWE® DRAFT SET FOR FOX AND USA NETWORK ON OCTOBER 11 AND 14
STAMFORD, Conn. – September 15, 2019 – The destiny of WWE’s Superstars will be determined during a two-night draft taking place live on Friday Night SmackDown® on October 11 at 8 pm ET on the FOX broadcast network and Monday Night Raw® on October 14 at 8 pm ET on USA Network.
On both nights of the draft, Superstars from Raw and SmackDown will appear along with personalities from FOX and NBCUniversal programming who will announce select picks from each brand. The draft will determine the Superstars that compete for Raw and SmackDown, which feature distinct casts, unique storylines and dedicated writing teams.
Friday Night SmackDown on October 11 will emanate from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas while Monday Night Raw on October 14 will take place at the Pepsi Center in Denver.
Raw and SmackDown are the #1 and #2 longest-running weekly episodic television shows in U.S. primetime history. The programs have aired more original episodes than The Simpsons, Gunsmoke, Lassie and Monday Night Football.
Raw will continue airing on USA Network while SmackDown moves to FOX beginning Friday, October 4.
In an update, @Wrestlevotes revealed this afternoon that Michael Cole is scheduled to head to SmackDown from RAW. Vic Joseph would then go to RAW to be the lead announcer there.
It should be noted that these changes with Cole and Joseph are not set in stone, but this is the working idea.
Cole currently calls RAW with Corey Graves and Renee Young. Joseph is calling 205 Live with Aiden English and WWE NXT Superstar Dio Maddin, who made his debut last night to replace Nigel McGuinness, who is headed to NXT full-time to call the Wednesday night USA Network show with Mauro Ranallo and WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix.
There’s no word yet on who will work RAW and SmackDown with Joseph and Cole, but the announce teams are expected to be exclusive to each brand. Tom Phillips currently leads SmackDown with Graves and Byron Saxton. There’s been talk of having Renee be exclusive to SmackDown, because she will be hosting the FS1 WWE studio show on Tuesday nights. Graves could stay on RAW to call the show with Joseph. There’s also no word on if 205 will be called by just Maddin and English each week.
Stay tuned for more updates on the WWE announce teams.
WWE is scheduled to make significant changes to the announce teams, according to @Wrestlevotes.
We’ve noted how WWE is looking to have more brand exclusivity, with everything from announcers to rosters to storylines, after SmackDown premieres on Fox Friday nights on October 4. The announce team changes are set to be made then.
There’s no word yet on the exact commentary team changes, but word is that all shows will be impacted, including RAW. It was also said that the return of the two-man booth is coming.
As noted, there’s been talk of Renee Young becoming exclusive to SmackDown because she will be hosting the FS1 WWE studio show on Tuesday nights. Corey Graves is expected to call either RAW or SmackDown, but not both shows. Nigel McGuinness has left the 205 Live announce team, to call WWE NXT with Mauro Ranallo and WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix each week. 205 Live is now being called by Aiden English, Vic Joseph and NXT Superstar Dio Maddin (Brennan Williams) each week.
Last night on RAW “Stone Cold” Steve Austin moderated the Universal Title match contract signing between Champion Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman.
After the contract was signed AJ Styles and the OC came out.
AJ mocks everyone in the ring and talks trash to the fans, telling them to shut up after he gets the “What!?” treatment. The OC gets closer to the ring. AJ tells Austin to stay out of this because it has nothing to do with him. The fans boo AJ more and he says this is why no one likes coming to NYC. The back & forth goes on as The OC stands at ringside now. Everyone chants “asshole!” at AJ. AJ says Austin has turned into a real asshole in his old age. The OC is in the ring now. AJ calls Austin an “old fart” and fans boo him some more. The two sides face off a AJ keeps running his mouth. Austin moves the table out of the way, which was separating the two ides. Austin says he doesn’t know where AJ is coming from, but he knows where AJ’s going. Strowman and Rollins attack The OC as Austin watches. Strowman goes out of the ring and runs over Gallows on the outside, and then Anderson on the ramp. AJ ducks a Stomp in the ring, then sends Rollins out of the ring to the floor. AJ runs his mouth as Austin sneaks up from behind. Fans cheer as Austin waits. AJ turns around to a big Stunner from Austin as fans go wild.
Austin drops down and gets in AJ’s face as the trash talking flies. Austin calls for some of his Broken Skull IPA beers to be tossed in the ring, then hits the corners to pose as the music hits. AJ is laid out on his back in the middle of the ring as Austin makes his exit to the back.
Later at the end of the 10-Man Tag main event, Austin came down and had a beer bash celebration with Rollins, Strowman, Cedric Alexander and the War Raiders.
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