Tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown from the Honda Center in Anaheim, California.
- Fatal 4-Way #1 Contenders Match for the WWE Undisputed Tag Team Title: Street Profits vs. New Day vs. Alpha Academy vs. Los Lotharios
- Logan Paul to appear
Tag: WWE
WWE Bringing Back The TakeOver Tag For NXT Events Starting At Halloween Havoc
NXT events will be Takeovers again starting in October.
WWE made a lot of changes to NXT almost exactly one year ago. Rebranding the developmental show NXT 2.0 its color scheme was changed, the arena from which it airs was given a makeover, and the majority of the faces appearing every week were new. Tuesday marked the first anniversary of all those changes, and the first indicator that now Triple H is in charge, NXT might return to the old way of doing things.
That indicator came after Solo Sikoa defeated Carmelo Hayes for the North American Title in the main event. Before NXT went off the air, Shawn Michaels’ voice could be heard as the colorful 2.0 logo transformed. Not exactly like the yellow and black of old, but far closer to it than NXT imagery has been for the past 12 months.
A logo change doesn’t appear to be the only way Triple H and HBK are shaking things back up in NXT. Wrestling Observer has also noted the Halloween Havoc event slated for next month now has TakeOver in its name. NXT events were traditionally known as TakeOvers prior to the rebrand, but that was another element that was left by the wayside when it became NXT 2.0.
Halloween Havoc is a WCW event that was revived for NXT in 2020. Even though its revival came before the 2.0 changes, it has never had the TakeOver tag attached since it was previously used as a themed episode in the middle of the week rather than a premium live event at the weekend. That will also change this year as apparently, Halloween Havoc will take place on Saturday, October 22.
The wholesale changes made to NXT last year were done, for the most part, while Triple H was away. The Game was recently asked if there was any truth to the talk that the brand he built from the ground up was altered drastically to punish him for the show losing to AEW in the Wednesday night war. While he rubbished that idea, the changes he and Michaels are making now are evidence The Game wasn’t the biggest fan of what happened to NXT while he was away.
Source: TheSportster
Tony D’Angelo Reportedly Injured During Wednesday Night’s WWE NXT 2.0 TV Tapings
According to a report from WrestlingNews.co, Tony D’Angelo suffered an injury during Wednesday night’s WWE NXT 2.0 TV tapings. The company taped two weeks worth of shows on Wednesday night.
While there are some conflicting reports regarding the significance of the injury, it appears to be related to his knee.
D’Angelo actually had his match stopped as trainers tended to him at ringside. As of this writing, there’s no word on how long he could be out of in-ring action.
Source: EWrestlingNews
UPDATE:
Dave Meltzer reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that D’Angelo suffered a legitimate injury, but officials aren’t sure how serious it is yet.
NXT Reverting Back To A “Black & Gold” Logo
This week’s first-anniversary edition of NXT 2.0 concluded with the unveiling of a new logo for WWE’s developmental brand.
The “paint splash” logo for WWE NXT 2.0 appears to be a thing of the past.
Tuesday night’s episode of WWE NXT 2.0 went off the air with a vignette that featured a voiceover by WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels, who currently serves as the head man in charge of WWE’s developmental brand.
The vignette ended with the current WWE NXT 2.0 logo turning into a new one that reverts back to the “Black & Gold” logo.
Solo Sikoa Is The New NXT North American Champion
The Bloodline added another title to its collection following Solo Sikoa’s win on NXT 2.0’s first-anniversary episode.
WWE Superstar Solo Sikoa is the new NXT North American Champion following his victory over Carmelo Hayes on the special first-anniversary edition of NXT 2.0.
It all went down at the WWE Performance Center on Tuesday, September 13. In the main event, recent main-roster debutant and Bloodline member Solo Sikoa brought the NXT North American Championship reign of Carmelo Hayes to an end after connecting with a Superfly Splash for the 1-2-3. Sikoa prevailed despite interference from Hayes’ crony Trick Williams, who did all he could to help his buddy out. Trick’s tricks weren’t enough, Sikoa was too dominant.
Sikoa’s appearance in the main event was un-scheduled. Wes Lee won the right to challenge Hayes for the gold in the main event by receiving more fan votes than Von Wagner and Joe Gacy — but it wasn’t Lee’s night. He was ambushed by Carmelo and Trick in the locker room and suffered an injury which meant he was unable to compete. Carmelo’s chicanery backfired, however, as Sikoa took Lee’s place … and left the Performance Center with the title.
Sikoa made his NXT 2.0 debut in October of last year.
The new NXT North American Champion, Solo Sikoa, made his main roster WWE debut at Clash At The Castle in Cardiff, UK on September 3 when he interfered in the main event between his cousin Roman Reigns and the challenger Drew McIntyre, helping Reigns retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship in the process.
Source: TheSportster
Backstage News Regarding WWE Creative Frustrations Around Roman Reigns As Double Champion
According to WrestleVotes, the situation with Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns is “complex,” as WWE wants to go into WrestleMania with two champions, but also doesn’t want Roman Reigns to lose “at all” between now and WrestleMania, with “at all” emphasized. Citing a source, WrestleVotes said that WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H and his team are “open to all things creatively here.”
Reigns has been WWE Universal Champion since August 2020, an unprecedented 741-day reign. Reigns unified that title with the WWE Championship in April by defeating then-WWE Champion Brock Lesnar in the main event of the second night of WrestleMania 38.
There has been speculation that Reigns will be facing his cousin Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson at WrestleMania 39. The match has even been teased on Johnson’s NBC sitcom “Young Rock,” but Johnson’s schedule continues to fill up between his acting career and being a co-owner of the third iteration of the XFL. Johnson has been so busy that he even turned down hosting The Emmy Awards, which aired on Monday.
There had been speculation that Cody Rhodes could be the one to challenge and eventually dethrone Reigns. Rhodes suffered a torn pectoral muscle in June but could be back in time for the 2023 Royal Rumble in January.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
WWE NXT 2.0 Preview 9/13/2022: One-Year Anniversary Celebration
WWE NXT 2.0 celebrates its one-year anniversary of the NXT 2.0 rebranding.
Here is the lineup for tonight’s episode of WWE NXT in Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center on the USA Network:
- WWE Universe to decide next challenger for Carmelo Hayes’ title
- Pretty Deadly to face the Creed Brothers in Steel Cage Match following NXT fan vote
- Cameron Grimes looks for backup against The D’Angelo Family
- Arianna Grace joins Kiana James to take on Nikkita Lyons & Zoey Stark
- Fallon Henley and Lash Legend ready to throw down
- Hank Walker set to teach Javier Bernal some manners in one-on-one match
- NXT 2.0 Superstar of the Year revealed
- Quincy Elliott debuts
Jerry Lawler Confirms Plans For Upcoming A&E Biography
WWE and A&E have produced over 130 hours of new content since they expanded their partnership in March. The current season of the series “Biography: WWE Legends” kicked off with an episode centered around The Undertaker and recently wrapped up with an episode dedicated to the first WrestleMania. Next season will include an episode featuring WWE Hall of Famer Jerry “The King” Lawler.
“For next season, they’re doing my documentary for A&E, and we had the Batmobile out, driving it over to the Mid-South Coliseum where we had all those famous matches and all that sort of stuff,” Lawler said on the Johnny Dare Morning Show. “So yeah, it’s always fun to get the Batmobile out. I love looking at people’s faces.”
The series premiered in April 2021, with episodes featuring stars such as WWE Hall of Famers “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and Bret “The Hitman” Hart. A&E ordered more episodes, which began airing weekly in July. When the two sides expanded their deal earlier this year, WWE co-CEO Nick Khan commented on the successful partnership with A&E.
“A&E is an amazing partner with an impressive lineup of signature series across its networks,” Khan said in the original announcement. “The expansion of our partnership will allow us to continue creating a massive slate of new content with a trusted partner while further establishing A&E as a destination for WWE fans for years to come.”
Source: Wrestling Inc. with credit to “Johnny Dare Morning Show”
Madusa Autobiography Announced For 2023
With a career in the squared circle as storied as the one Madusa Miceli has had, one would think she would have more than enough material to write her own book. Evidently the women’s wrestling and WWE Hall of Famer agrees with that sentiment.
Canadian publishing company ECW Press, who have previously published wrestling biographies or autobiographies on Stu Hart, Bruce Hart, and Pat Patterson, as well as books detailing the history of Stampede Wrestling or the Death of WCW, have announced “The Woman Who Would Be King: The Madusa Story.” The former WWE Women’s Champion is listed as the co-author of the book, along with Greg Oliver.
A description of the autobiography reveals that the book will cover Madusa’s in-ring career, including her time in All Japan Women’s Pro Wrestling, WCW, and WWE as Alundra Blaze, and moments such as her tossing the WWE Women’s Championship in the trash on “WCW Monday Nitro.” The book will also delve into Madusa’s private life and her post-wrestling career as a monster truck driver, where she became the first woman to win the Monster Jam World Finals racing championship in 2005.
Madusa has remained active in wrestling over the last several years, appearing a handful of times on WWE TV and for AEW back in 2020, where she presented the AEW Women’s Tag Team Cup to eventual winners Diamante and Ivelisse. Her most recent appearance was on “NXT 2.0” this past July, announcing a fatal four way match for the then-vacant “NXT” Women’s Tag Team Titles.
“The Woman Who Would Be King: The Madusa Story” will be available to read as of April 13, 2023, though fans can pre-order the book today.
Source: Wrestling Inc.
WWE RAW Preview 9/12/2022
WWE invades the Moda Center in Portland, OR for tonight’s episode of Monday Night Raw. Here is what’s on tap for tonight’s show:
- WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Raquel Rodriguez & Aliyah (c) vs. IYO SKY & Dakota Kai
- Raw Women’s Champion Bianca Belair hosts an open challenge
- Edge vs. Dominik Mysterio
- Johnny Gargano’s in-ring return against an unknown opponent
