Tag: WWE

WWE NXT Preview 10/18/2022, RAW & SmackDown Stars Appearing

Here is the lineup for tonight’s episode of WWE NXT in Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center on the USA Network.

Kevin Owens is slated to make his return to the WWE NXT brand on tonight’s loaded show to be the moderator for a segment featuring NXT Champion Bron Breakker, Ilja Dragunov, and JD McDonagh.

The three stars will meet in a triple threat match at Halloween Havoc this Saturday night. Owens announced the news in a video shared on his Twitter account:

JBL Returns To WWE On RAW With Baron Corbin

JBL along with Baron Corbin made their return to WWE Television last night on RAW.

On Monday night’s episode of RAW, Corbin was introduced by the returning JBL. The WWE Hall of Famer called Corbin a “wrestling god.” JBL announced Corbin coming over to RAW from SmackDown was a trade for Rey Mysterio who became part of SmackDown this past Friday on SmackDown. Corbin then proceeded to pick up a win over Dolph Ziggler.

WWE RAW Preview 10/17/2022

Tonight’s WWE RAW live from the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, OK on USA Network at 8/7C.

Backstage Latest on WWE’s Storyline Plans for Bray Wyatt’s “Wyatt 6” Faction

Bray Wyatt is the most talked about name in WWE this week, as his storyline plans remain a mystery.

Wyatt made his return over a week ago at Extreme Rules, and he spoke for the first time as himself during SmackDown, but the show ended with his promo being cut off by the mysterious video on the titantron, leaving fans wondering what was going on. There’s also speculation that Wyatt will command a new “Wyatt 6” faction. According to a WWE source, the entire storyline is still being worked out.

Dave Meltzer was asked about some of the suspected names for Wyatt’s faction during an appearance on TSN Radio’s “Sunday Night’s Main Event” broadcast.

Meltzer said, “I think they are gonna be a faction but I’m not sure who is gonna be in it. I’ve certainly heard names for a faction but then I heard other people say those aren’t the names. And someone even told me it’s not even all worked out exactly how it’s all gonna go down. I think it’s a faction. As far as who’s playing what, I don’t know. It’s being kept like that for a reason. I think they are trying to keep it secretive…”

Joe Gacy as Huskus, Grayson Waller as Mercy the Buzzard (Waller has denied this speculation), and Alexa Bliss as Sister Abigail are among the names that have been circulated. There is also a hint that Liv Morgan will become a darker character. There has been rumors of Erick Rowan’s comeback, particularly following a recent interview in which he stated that he is open to a WWE return because he has unfinished business.

Based on what Meltzer has gathered about the speculated names, it appears that most, if not all, of the individuals listed above, will not be part of the group.

Source: PWMania

WWE Making Major Changes to Premium Live Events in 2023

WWE is expecting even more changes in the coming year.

As PWMania.com previously reported, WWE has canceled the Day 1 Premium Live Event. Bryan Alvarez confirmed the cancelation via his Super Followers Twitter account. Brandon Thurston of Wrestlenomics.com broke the news earlier today.

Alvarez also mentioned that there will be more overseas shows and less gimmick events. If that is the case, we will see fewer events like Extreme Rules and Hell in a Cell.

The company has faced backlash from fans and critics who believe that a match like Hell in a Cell should be protected rather than used just because it’s that time of year. The same could be said about TLC and Extreme Rules.

There are no other details available at this time, but this is the most recent move in the post-Vince McMahon era.

In the past few months, a number of people have returned, and the weekly shows have undergone a number of changes. It appears that the product will undergo additional significant changes in 2023.

Source: PWMania

Bray Wyatt Delivers Heartfelt Words To Live Fans On WWE SmackDown

Bray Wyatt poured his heart out as he addressed his 18-month absence from the wrestling business on this week’s “WWE SmackDown” in New Orleans, LA.

Wyatt walked through the same shining door as he did at Extreme Rules, with a lantern in hand, and to brand new theme music. However, he wasn’t wearing a mask and was dressed simply in a t-shirt and jeans. Wyatt would then blow out the lamp before greeting some fans in the ringside area. 

In the ring, Wyatt was showered with thunderous “Welcome back!” chants as he looked genuinely moved.

“I am incredibly grateful and really, really nervous,” Wyatt began. “I never thought this would happen. This right here, this is just me, OK? This is a version of me I never got to introduce to you guys before. This is just me, genuinely being me for the first time.”

Wyatt then teared up as he touched upon the emotional hurdles he’s had to battle during his time away from WWE.

“I just want to share with you; this past year, I lost a lot of things,” Wyatt said. “I lost my career, I lost my self-confidence, I lost two people who were very, very close to me. And I lost my way. I got to a point where I thought that everything I did here [in WWE] was meaningless. I felt like nothing I ever did mattered to anyone, but I was wrong. Once I was done feeling sorry for myself and went back into the world, all I heard was people saying, ‘Thank you, Bray. When are you coming back home?’ Every once in a while, I would meet some truly remarkable people, who would tell me, ‘Thank you, Bray, I was in a time of need and felt weak but I found your words. I just wanted to thank you for saving my life.'”

At this point, a huge “Thank you Bray” chant broke out at Smoothie King Center, as Wyatt continued to tear up. 

“I can sit here and look at all of you and say you were all there when I was weak, vulnerable, and down,” Wyatt continued. “Thank you; you all saved my life. You wouldn’t let me alone. Every time I tried to run away and hide, you would always find me and chase me. You are the reason…” 

Suddenly, Wyatt’s speech was cut short and the lights went out. The Wyatt 6 moth logo then appeared on the screen, following which Wyatt’s new creation, introduced at Extreme Rules, spoke directly to him.  

“Oh little one, my little one,” said the masked figure. “Come with me, your life is done. Forget the future and the past. Life is over. Breathe your last. You have no idea who you’re dealing with. But you will.” 

The show went off the air following the mysterious video. Fans on social media believe the masked figure could be the brains behind the Wyatt 6 stable, which is rumored to include the likes of Bo Dallas, Joe Gacy, Alexa Bliss and Grayson Waller. While, there’s a lot of speculation regarding Wyatt’s new character, and whether he’ll actually be part of a stable, we could get more answers during next week’s “SmackDown” in Toledo, Ohio.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE SmackDown Preview 10/14/2022

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown live from the Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, LA.

Former And Current WWE Stars Rumored For Bray Wyatt’s New Stable

Bray Wyatt made his return to WWE at the end of Extreme Rules 2022 to a chorus of “Holy s***” chants, as this was the first time a live audience had seen the three-time world champion since Night Two of WrestleMania 37. The return also strengthened the rumors that Wyatt will once again have a faction around him, as mysterious individuals wearing costumes resembling characters from Wyatt’s previous Firefly Funhouse segments appeared in the crowd. The stable is rumored to be known as the Wyatt 6, playing into Wyatt’s current name and handle on Twitter.

In the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer seemingly confirmed that the Wyatt 6 is in WWE’s immediate plans, and suggested several names that have been discussed to portray the various characters. These include at least two call-ups from “NXT” — Joe Gacy, who is currently leading a faction known as Schism and whose character has been frequently compared to Wyatt, as Huskus the Pig Boy, and Grayson Waller as Mercy the Buzzard, potentially identified by his Hawaiian shirt at Extreme Rules. There are also rumors that former Wyatt Family member Erick Rowan will be playing Rambling Rabbit, though Meltzer emphasized that these are just rumors, while Bo Dallas, Wyatt’s real-life brother who is reportedly making his return to WWE, could be playing The Fiend himself.

As for Sister Abigail/Abby the Witch, who has been part of Wyatt’s mythology since the character’s beginnings, the names mentioned by Meltzer include Alexa Bliss, who famously transformed into a dark supernatural character aligned with Wyatt during his most recent run (and turned on him during his last WWE match), and Liv Morgan, who seemed to tease a darker side to her character when she smiled while being choked out by Ronda Rousey at Extreme Rules.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

The Latest On WWE And Naomi’s Reported Contract Negotiations

It has now been nearly five months since fans last saw Sasha Banks and Naomi, after the then WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions walked out prior to an episode of “WWE Raw” following a disagreement with former WWE Chairman Vince McMahon. Since then, both have been reported to be out of WWE, then likely to return following McMahon’s retirement, followed by uncertainty. And while things still seem uncertain about Banks, there is at least an update on Naomi.

According to Dave Meltzer in the latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there has been nothing new on Naomi returning due to unresolved deal points in negotiations between the two sides over a new contract. Many will recall that Naomi’s original WWE contract was set to expire prior to her and Banks walking out, and that the two sides had been negotiating a new deal at the time. Meltzer notes that a potential hold up could be that Naomi is still bound by her original contract, which could have been frozen due to her missing time after her and Banks walked out. As such, Meltzer stated she would not be able to negotiate to go somewhere else under hat circumstance, meaning she would have to work out the rest of the time on her old WWE contract in order to complete the deal. Meltzer was sure to reiterate, however, that talks between the two sides were ongoing.

While Banks and Naomi were reportedly added back to WWE’s internal roster in August, there have been no hints towards a return for either onscreen. The pair have continued to keep busy with outside projects, with Banks notably catching headlines in late September when she changed her Twitter handle from @SashaBanksWWE to @MercedesVernado, her real name.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Edge Joins The Cast Of Disney+ Series

WWE Hall of Famer Edge has been signed to co-star in the Disney+ series “Percy Jackson and the Olympians.”

According to a report in Variety, Edge — who will be appearing under his real name, Adam Copeland — has been cast as Ares, the God of War, a recurring guest star spot. Disney+ described the character as “handsome in a wicked way and arrogant, despite not always being the sharpest tool in the shed. He loves conflict and acts as an agent of chaos wherever he goes.”

“Percy Jackson and the Olympians” is based on the popular young adult novels by Rick Riordan and follows the adventures of a 12-year-old modern demigod who is erroneously accused by the sky god Zeus of stealing his master lightning bolt. The youth and two of his friends embark on an odyssey to locate the lightning bolt and restore it to Zeus’ authority.

In addition to Edge, the series’ guest star line-up includes Glynn Turman, Jason Mantzoukas, and Megan Mullally. Production is currently underway in Vancouver for the eight-episode first season, which is scheduled to premiere in 2024.

Outside of wrestling, Edge has enjoyed a lengthy and varied entertainment career, beginning with a small role as a bandit in the 2000 film “Highlander: Endgame.” He had starring roles in the films “Bending the Rules” (2012), “Interrogation” (2016), and “Money Plane” (2020), and he has been active in his native Canada with roles on the television series “Haven” and “Vikings,” as well as appearances as himself in the bibliophile-focused “Canada Reads.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.