WWE SmackDown will air live tonight on FS1 due to FOX’s coverage of the MLB’s World Series. Tonight’s show will take place from Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, WI.
WWE recently confirmed a brand new international event for August 2024 with WWE’s Bash In Berlin, which will mark the first-ever premium live event in Germany. However, that might not be the last, as the company has been in negotiations with a lot of different city governments around the world regarding future shows, according to the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter.
The idea is that WWE wants to gain significant money for premium live events going forward, with Paris being one of the cities that have been in discussions. While it is not confirmed that an event will be taking place in France’s capital, there has been speculation that next year’s WWE Backlash event – which is typically the first PLE after WWE WrestleMania – might be happening in Paris.
WWE already has two overseas shows confirmed for 2024 with Bash In Berlin and WWE’s Elimination Chamber, which will be taking place in Perth, Australia. Meanwhile, it is expected that there will be at least one show taking place in Saudi Arabia as a continuation of the deal WWE has with their government, with the company continuing its worldwide growth.
These negotiations come off the back of several successful international events, with Clash At The Castle, Money In The Bank, and Backlash having all taken place outside of the United States in recent times. Nick Khan has been open in the past about wanting to expand WWE’s reach globally, with countries having recently paid for WWE to host events, with the popularity of them then giving back to the local economy in the form of hotel stays, restaurants, and local bars, making it mutually beneficial.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
WWE announced first thing this morning that it will hold its first-ever premium live event in Germany next August. Bash In Berlin will emanate from the Mercedes-Benz Arena in the capital city. Pre-sale registration is now available for European fans and those willing to make the trip overseas from elsewhere, although no further on-sale information has been provided at this point.
This development comes in the wake of WWE expanding its international dates for major events of this nature with Clash At The Castle, Backlash, and Money In The Bank all traveling away from the continental United States as of late. It also marks the second overseas date that WWE has announced for 2024 with Elimination Chamber being hosted in Perth, Australia in February — and that doesn’t even take into account at least one expected show in Saudi Arabia.
WWE is in Germany for a live event tour which commences tonight, hitting Munich, Cologne, and Hamburg over the next few days and ending in Berlin at the same 17,000-seat arena where Bash In Berlin will be held. Nick Khan had previously teased the company was in talks with several international cities for 2024 dates, so this may just be the tip of the iceberg for what WWE has planned heading into next year.
Bash In Berlin will also be the second major wrestling event taking place across Europe next August. AEW had previously announced a return to Wembley Stadium for All In, which will occur just six days prior to the Bash.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Tonight is WWE NXT Halloween Havoc Night 1 live on USA Network from the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
WWE also announced that Shotzi, Scarlett, and The Boogeyman as guests.
Tonight’s WWE SmackDown Live on FOX from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
Tonight’s WWE NXT live on USA at 8/7 C from the Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
The season premiere of WWE Raw will air live tonight on the USA Network from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK.
The roles of Vince McMahon and Paul “Triple H” Levesque in WWE’s creative department appear to have changed. While the latter has been in charge of these duties for quite some time, McMahon is known for having a very hands-on approach when it comes to the company’s television product. However, a report from Sports Illustrated states that Levesque is in charge in the wake of WWE merging with UFC to form TKO Group Holdings following the completion of the Endeavor sale.
According to the report, Ari Emanuel, the CEO of Endeavor, is behind the change as he believes that everyone in the company should focus on the jobs they’ve been assigned. McMahon is currently an executive chairman, and his main focus for now is to oversee media rights negotiations. As WWE’s Chief Content Officer, however, it’s Levesque’s role to spearhead the creative direction of “WWE Raw” and “WWE SmackDown.”
What’s more, McMahon is said to have an iron-clad contract that protects him financially. However, there doesn’t appear to be any clauses in the agreement that give him license to run the company however he sees fit. Emanuel has the final say over all matters.
Previously, it was reported that McMahon was involved in WWE creative prior to his spinal surgery, which led to him making several changes to the shows. That being said, it’s believed that he stepped away from the role willingly to allow Levesque to steer the ship in that department.
As of this writing, McMahon is under investigation by the federal government, presumably in regard to the hush money payments he made to several women in the past. The outcome of the case remains to be seen.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
It’s been almost 17 months since fans saw Randy Orton in a WWE ring, but if the latest murmurs are true, “The Viper’s” extended absence is coming to an end. Fightful Select is reporting that Orton and WWE are circling Survivor Series, which takes place November 25 in Chicago, as the date for the former WWE Champion’s return. Fightful previously reported that Orton was seen at the WWE Performance Center in September.
Orton last wrestled on the episode of “WWE SmackDown” that took place on May 20, 2022. That was the night “SmackDown” Tag Team Champions Jimmy and Jey Uso defeated Orton and Matt Riddle for the “Raw” Tag Team Championship, resulting in the titles being unified (still the case as of this writing). Orton and Riddle were beaten down by The Bloodline after the match, which served to write Orton off television. If November 25 is truly his return date, “The Apex Predator” will be back exactly one year after it was reported that he had undergone back fusion surgery.
It’s difficult to overstate how much WWE has changed in the time Orton has been gone, a period that has included Vince McMahon’s retirement, Vince McMahon’s return, and the merger of WWE and UFC into TKO Group Holdings under the broader umbrella of Ari Emanuel’s Endeavor. As a result, it’s unclear what role a returned Orton would play in the current landscape — even Riddle, his tag team partner for more than a year before his injury, was recently released from the company. But it’s worth noting that creative plans for Orton before he was put on the shelf reportedly involved an Undisputed WWE Universal Champion match with Roman Reigns at SummerSlam 2022, and Reigns’ title reign is, ironically, one of the few things that hasn’t changed in Orton’s absence.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
The season premiere of “WWE SmackDown” was always set to have an announcement from Chief Creative Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque, but what we got was a triple-whammy, with Adam Pearce announced as the new General Manager of “Raw,” Kevin Owens as the trade chip returned to “SmackDown” in exchange for Jey Uso, and former NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Nick Aldis, introduced as the new GM of “Smackdown.”
After the appointment of Pearce, who Levesque acknowledged for doing a great job as the all-encompassing authority figure on both brands for the last several years and subsequently promoted to “Raw” GM, Levesque alluded to the “SmackDown” side of things. He was interrupted by “NXT” North American Champion — and The Judgment Day’s biggest heat magnet — Dominik Mysterio before calling Aldis into the ring.
Aldis, following a handshake agreement with Levesque, fought off Dom’s interjections and the ensuing crowd displeasure, to turn the conversation back to the completion of the Jey Uso trade. That’s when Owens’ music hit and “KO” made his way to the ring. Not showing any patience whatsoever, Owens immediately Stunned Dom, putting an end to the segment and seemingly kicking off a new era for both brands on the road to Survivor Series.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
Wrestling News Blog 