Tag: WWE

WWE Made Change On Uploading Video Content From RAW & SmackDown On YouTube Reportedly To Help With Drop In Ratings

You may have noticed how WWE did not upload any YouTube videos from this week’s RAW and SmackDown episodes until late in the show. This was done as a way to potentially help combat the drop in ratings, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

The current plan is to cut back on the amount of uploads to YouTube during the RAW and SmackDown episodes. The feeling is that uploading videos as matches and segments happen on TV is potentially hurting the ratings.

WWE usually uploads clips from RAW and SmackDown matches shortly after they happen on TV, but that was not the case this week. WWE started uploading the first clips from Monday night’s show late into the third hour. All clips from RAW were uploaded within an hour of the show going off the air, which isn’t far from how they usually do it.

The big difference was that there were no YouTube clips from RAW while it was still airing on the USA Network, until the final hour. While WWE is changing their policy on YouTube uploads, at least for now, it looks like things will not change on Twitter. WWE uploaded photos and videos as usual on Twitter with content going up as it aired on TV.

As noted, WWE is currently facing pressure to bring the ratings back up from NBCUniversal (USA Network) and Fox. This is part of the reason why Vince McMahon introduced the Wild Card Rule.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE SmackDown Live Preview 5/7/19

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown Live will take place from the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Kentucky.

* Shane McMahon will crown new SmackDown Tag Team Champions

* Kevin Owens to respond to Kofi Kingston’s attack from last week

* Massive Six-Woman Tag Team Match to go down on the blue brand

* Ali and Andrade to square off tonight

* Which Raw Superstars will take advantage of the “Wild Card Rule?”

WWE Introduced Wild Card Rule On RAW And SmackDown To Help With Star Power Concerns From Fox And USA

Vince McMahon’s new Wild Card Rule on WWE TV is a response to ratings pressure from NBCUniversal (USA Network) and Fox, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

Vince McMahon reportedly did not want to give up the idea of separate brands. As noted, the Wild Card Rule will see 4 RAW Superstars be eligible to appear on SmackDown each week while 4 SmackDown Superstars are able to appear on RAW each week.

WWE has been facing outside pressure from NBCU and Fox to bring the ratings up. The networks will not be happy with how bad the ratings are this coming fall because of how much money they are paying WWE. Fox and NBCU want star power on the shows and there has been a feeling that the brands don’t have enough star power individually.

It was also noted that Fox wants RAW and SmackDown storylines on the blue brand show when it goes to their network on Friday nights in October. NBCU was reportedly upset about the recent drop in ratings, especially for the third hour, and they were asking questions about the decline, specifically why they would give away a top star like Roman Reigns to SmackDown. There has been pressure from NBCU and Fox to have the top WWE Superstars work both shows.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Rhyno Says He Turned Down Big Money Offer From WWE, Talks About AEW

Sounds like Rhyno will soon be done as an active competitor in WWE, as his contract expires in July and the wrestler says he’s not signing a new deal.

In a new video interview, Rhyno told Chris Van Vliet the following:

“July 17th is my last date there. They actually offered me more than twice my downside but it wasn’t where they would have to use me because the downside is so large and it wasn’t about money it was about me wanting to be on the road work and helping the younger guys kind of like a player coach.”

“It was a mutual understanding that we were not going to figure out a number. And they’ve been great, I can’t say anything bad about them. I had a lot of fun. I was afraid that they would say yes to a larger downside than what they offered me because I was afraid that they would still sit me at home. It’s not that they don’t like me, there is a lot of talent there and they have to cycle the talent which is normal because you want to get men and women out there to work. I was afraid that I would become miserable and that’s the last thing that you want to do when you’re doing something that you love. I would rather take a step back and work for some of these companies and work the independent scene.”

As for why … Rhyno says he wants to help the future generation of wrestlers find themselves, which he can’t do if WWE doesn’t book him to be on the road.

“On the indies, I can do that,” he explained. “And with other companies whether it’s AEW, Impact, Ring of Honor or New Japan … I’ve done that before in the past and that’s something I can do now in the future.”

Watch the full interview below:

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

Location Revealed For Next Month’s NXT TakeOver: XXV

Triple H has finally revealed the location of next months’ NXT TakeOver event.

“Florida, Toronto, Los Angeles, London, Chicago, Texas, BROOKLYN, Phoenix, Philly, New Orleans… …to our TWENTY-FIFTH take over,” the WWE exec tweeted. “NXT TakeOver: XXV is LIVE from the [Webster Bank Arena] Sat, June 1, 2019. ”

For those unfamiliar, The Webster Bank Arena is located in Connecticut.

As you’ll recall, WWE announced the date of the event last week.

Tickets for NXT TakeOver: XXV go on-sale on Friday at 10 am.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

RAW Head Writer Ryan Callahan Fired From WWE

WWE RAW head writer Ryan Callahan was released last week, according to new reports from Pro Wrestling Sheet and Fightful. Callahan, who previously worked on The Bachelor and Monster Laws, among other shows, had been with WWE since December 2016.

Callahan was let go on the evening of Thursday, May 2, after butting heads with WWE’s Senior VP of Creative, David Kapoor (Ranjin Singh). The release was not a response to the recent drop in WWE TV ratings. Callahan was a member of the “home writing team” that does not travel to WWE events.

Kapoor reportedly felt like Callahan took some of the WWE creative changes too personally, and was difficult work with. His feeling was that this did not set a good example for the rest of the WWE writing team. It was also noted that Callahan and Kapoor were butting heads often.

As we’ve noted, there has been somewhat of a shake-up on the WWE creative team as of late as RD Evans, Dave Schilling, Kazeem Famuyide and WWE Hall of Famer “Road Dogg” Brian James also left or were released. Dana Warrior and WWE Hall of Famer Jeff Jarrett have joined the team in recent months.

Sources: Wrestling Inc., Pro Wrestling Sheet and Fightful

Vince McMahon Announces New “Wild Card Rule” For RAW And SmackDown

WWE Chairman Vince McMahon opened last night’s  RAW from Cincinnati. He was interrupted by SmackDown’s Roman Reigns who vowed he would be on RAW. Then Daniel Bryan and WWE Champion Kofi Kingston also came out. Vince was mad that they was out on RAW since they are assigned to SmackDown. Vince then said he had an epiphany. Vince announced a new Wild Card Rule that will see RAW Superstars appear on SmackDown each week, and SmackDown Superstars appear on RAW.

The idea is that 3 SmackDown Superstars “could be invited” to appear on RAW each Monday night while 3 RAW Superstars “could be invited” to appear on SmackDown every Tuesday night.

Vince made a two WrestleMania 35 rematches – Roman Reigns vs. Drew McIntyre and Daniel Bryan vs. Kofi Kingston for the WWE Championship.

Reigns won by DQ when Shane McMahon and Elias (SmackDown) attacked Reigns. The Miz came out and chased Shane out to the limo. Miz got a couple of shots in on Shane with a chair before Shane escaped in the limo.

Lars Sullivan from SmackDown attacked and destroyed No Way Jose and his conga line.

Vince McMahon was in in office on the phone talking about the new Wild Card Rule and Lars walked in glaring at Vince and Vince decided to allow 4 instead of 3 for the wild Card Rule.

Kofi Kingston defeated Daniel Bryan to retain his WWE Championship in the main event of RAW.

There’s no word yet on which RAW Superstars may appear on SmackDown tomorrow night in the Wild Card Rule. AJ Styles teased that he may go to SmackDown and bring back of couple of his friends to RAW, but Vince cut him off and said the invites are not decided on ahead of time.

 

WWE explained the Wild Card Rule on wwe.com:

The latest wrinkle in the ongoing Superstar Shake-up emerged this Monday on Raw when Mr. McMahon announced a new “Wild Card Rule” in which a limited number of Superstars from Raw or SmackDown would be invited to cross brand lines for one-night-only appearances, with unauthorized jumps to be penalized by fines or even potential firing. The number of crossover Superstars was initially capped at three — WWE Champion Kofi Kingston, Daniel Bryan and Roman Reigns started things off by appearing on Raw this Monday — though Lars Sullivan evidently persuaded The Chairman to expand the limit to four.

Superstars crossing between Raw and SmackDown LIVE has, of course, occurred on rare occasion since the 2016 Brand Extension, but the “Wild Card Rule” is the first officially-sanctioned blurring of the lines between Team Red and Team Blue Superstars. (The exceptions before tonight had been Becky Lynch, who holds both the Raw and SmackDown Women’s Titles, and The IIconics, who are eligible to appear on all brands as the free-floating WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions). And although this isn’t to say we’re about to go back to the days of Raw SuperShows or do away with the Brand Extension, there are some staggering implications to the rule depending on who decides to take advantage of it: The main event of the Wild Card’s maiden voyage was Raw’s first true WWE Championship Match since 2016, and AJ Styles has already openly speculated about getting some friends from SmackDown LIVE to back him up against Universal Champion Seth Rollins.

As always, it will take a while before the true impact of the “Wild Card Rule” is realized, but it’s sure to make things very, very interesting going forward. See which new matchups will be made possible by the “Wild Card Rule” by tuning in to Raw and SmackDown LIVE, Monday and Tuesday nights at 8/7 C on USA Network.

WWE RAW Preview 5/6/19

Tonight’s WWE RAW will take place from the US Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio.

* Roman Reigns says he will appear on Monday Night Raw this week despite WWE’s official response that he won’t

* All about the mon-aay: Road to MITB continues

* Clashing styles: Will Seth Rollins respond to AJ Styles?

* You shave my back: What’s next for The Revival vs. The Usos?

* Mysterio-us ways: Rey Mysterio wants the WWE United States Title from Samoa Joe

* A Lady in a Man’s world: Has Becky Lynch underestimated Lacey Evans?

Roman Reigns Says He’ll Be Kicking Off WWE RAW

Despite being moved to the SmackDown roster via the Superstar Shake-Up, yesterday, Roman Reigns announced he would be on this week’s RAW. Reigns wrote on Twitter, “I’m back on #SDLive, but I still have some business on #Raw. I’ll see y’all Monday. #ProtectTheYard”

https://twitter.com/WWERomanReigns/status/1124683766453153792

Shortly after that, WWE responded to Reigns, turning down his offer.

“WWE officials have learned of Roman Reigns’ desire to appear on Monday Night Raw, but as of now, and due to his obligations as a SmackDown Live Superstar, he will not be appearing on Monday Night Raw.”

https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1124693192148959233

Starting out with laughing emojis, Reigns reiterated not only will he be there, but he’s kicking off this Monday’s show.

“Just have my music ready,” Reigns responded. “I’ll be kicking things off on #Raw right at 8pm.”

https://twitter.com/WWERomanReigns/status/1125087160527458305

WWE postponed Monday’s SmackDown live event in Corbin, Kentucky as it’s expected a few SmackDown stars will show up tomorrow to help build towards Money in the Bank on May 19.

This past week’s historic low ratings may also be playing a factor into drumming up more interest in advance of next week’s shows. Both RAW (2.158 million viewers) and SmackDown (1.833 million viewers) were the lowest non-holiday ratings in each show’s history.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Speculation On Why Daniel Bryan Was Out Of Action

It was reported last week that  Daniel Bryan was cleared to return to the ring and could possibly get a storyline as soon as next week. Bryan has been absent from all WWE live events after his WrestleMania 35 match where he lost the WWE Championship to Kofi Kingston.

Bryan was initially scheduled to take on Kingston at WWE Money in the Bank on May 19, but his closely guarded injury forced WWE to call an audible and move Owens into that match.

Although it wasn’t confirmed, the speculation on this morning’s Wrestling Observer Radio was Bryan did sustain a concussion as that seems to be the assumption within the company. With Bryan’s past history with concussions and WWE not having a reason to hide a different injury, signs are pointing to that.

Dave Meltzer noted while getting a concussion is concerning going forward, it’s a positive it took this long for Bryan to get one since his return in early 2018, as opposed to getting one the week after returning. Another plus was Bryan getting clearance in a matter of weeks.

Bryan has previously mentioned wanting more of a part-time schedule in WWE, which will obviously cut down on the wear and tear from the ring. Last July, Bryan spoke to Gorilla Position about this topic.

“I’ve been talking to WWE about maybe doing a lighter schedule because when we first starting talking about this, when I sent that, when Vince [McMahon] told me to send the letter to Dr. Maroon, he said for me to say, ‘for a limited schedule’, like ‘revised concussion protocol for a limited schedule’, so then, they clear me and I’m just on everything!” Bryan said. “I was just like, ‘I wasn’t expecting this!’

“Anywhere between 50 and 100 matches a year, to me, [is ideal] because one of the doctors that cleared me at Barrow Neurological [Institute], Dr. Javier Cárdenas talked to me. He said, I think when he cleared me before in 2015, he said, ‘With all the stuff that [Bryan] had done on top of that, like, before I thought we dotted our Is and crossed our Ts, but the stuff you’ve done on your own, you’ve really scratched a big hole over the I and ripped, marked, through the T.’ And so, he said, ‘just so you know going forward, the less exposure you have, and this is for anybody whether you have a history of it or not, the healthier you’re going to be.

“So I was thinking, ‘Oh, I’ll do 75 to 100 matches a year or whatever it is.’ And now it looks to be way more than that, so if I were to change something, it’d be like I’d kind of like to do less, be away from home [less]. Like, for me, it’s not about wrestling less. It’s like I don’t want to be away from home this much.”

Source: Wrestling Inc.