Tag: WWE

Daniel Bryan WWE Status Notes Following WrestleMania 35 Injury Report

Daniel Bryan was not backstage for last night’s WWE SmackDown in Lincoln, Nebraska, according to PWInsider. Bryan had been advertised for the show locally.

Bryan has been away since losing the WWE Title to Kofi Kingston at WrestleMania 35 on April 7. Word coming out of the big event was that Bryan was dealing with an injury, and that the nature of his situation was being closely guarded by the company. It was reported that Bryan was to be examined by doctors following the post-WrestleMania SmackDown, but there’s been no news on what they found.

There are no WWE live events this weekend due to the upcoming European tour, but Bryan is not scheduled for Monday’s blue brand live event in Huntington, West Virginia. There’s no word yet on if he will work the European tour, but he is still advertised by WWE and locally.

Bryan was cleared to return to the ring in March 2018 after being out of action since April 2015 due to a history of concussions and the problems that came with them. Bryan went through a lengthy process to get cleared by WWE doctors and part of the agreement with WWE to get cleared was that he would see WWE doctors backstage after every match, he would undergo Impact concussion testing, and he would undergo a neuropsychological evaluation until WWE felt like he was okay.

Triple H spoke with The Express in 2018 and said the company would be keeping a close eye on Bryan’s health.

“He’s cleared his return to the ring, we’ll absolutely keep an eye out,” Triple H said. “As I said the other day, our first and foremost responsibility is the health and well-being of our talent when they are on the roster with us, so we want them to be as healthy as possible. That is extremely important to us and we will always try to do what is best for their health, their well-being and this situation is no different.”

Bryan has not tweeted since early March and his Twitter profile photo still features the WWE Title, indicating he’s been off social media since before WrestleMania. Stay tuned for updates on his status.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Update On WWE Backlash And WWE Return To Saudi Arabia

The WWE Backlash pay-per-view will be happening in late June, instead of being canceled altogether.

There were reports of Backlash being canceled after originally being scheduled for June 16 in San Diego, due to the next Saudi Arabia event being scheduled for Friday, June 7. Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that Backlash is now scheduled for June 23 from Tacoma, Washington.

The date originally scheduled for Backlash, June 16 in San Diego, will now be a regular non-televised live event for the RAW brand. Tickets go on sale April 26.

 

The next event from Saudi Arabia has not been confirmed for June 7, but the company is moving forward with the idea that it will happen on that date because they have started making moves towards producing the event.

WWE still has domestic live events scheduled for the weekend that the Saudi show is to take place – Sunday, June 9 in Stockton, CA and Sunday, June 9 in Fresno, CA. The show planned for that weekend in Denver, CO was moved to Saturday, June 15 and the show planned for Salt Lake City, UT was moved to Sunday, June 16.

The change to Backlash was made because WWE did not want to run pay-per-view events two weekends in a row.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Another WWE Superstar Shake Up Roster Move Made Last Night, Updated RAW And SmackDown Rosters

It was announced on last night’s WWE SmackDown Live that Jinder Mahal and The Singh Brothers have also joined SmackDown in the 2019 Superstar Shake-Up.

Here’s a list of the roster additions from the 2019 Superstar Shake-Up:

RAW: AJ Styles, The Miz, Ricochet, Erik and Ivar of The Viking Raiders, Rey Mysterio, Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso of The Usos, Naomi, EC3, Lacey Evans, Eric Young, Cedric Alexander, WWE United States Champion Samoa Joe, Cesaro

SmackDown: Roman Reigns, Elias, WWE Intercontinental Champion Finn Balor, Ember Moon, Bayley, Kairi Sane, Buddy Murphy, Lars Sullivan, Liv Morgan, Chad Gable, Apollo Crews, Mickie James, Otis and Tucker of Heavy Machinery, Andrade, Zelina Vega, Aleister Black, Jinder Mahal, Samir Singh and Sunil Singh of The Singh Brothers

Note: Andrade & Zelina Vega was originally moved to RAW but was moved back to SmackDown a week later and Aleister Black was placed on RAW then moved a week later to SmackDown.

Below are the updated RAW and SmackDown rosters coming out of this week’s RAW and SmackDown episodes, according to the official WWE website:

RAW
AJ Styles
Akam
Alexa Bliss
Alicia Fox
Baron Corbin
Becky Lynch – RAW & SmackDown Women’s Champion
Bo Dallas
Bobby Lashley
Robert Roode
Braun Strowman
Bray Wyatt
Brie Bella
Brock Lesnar
Cedric Alexander
Cesaro
Curt Hawkins – RAW Tag Team Champion
Dana Brooke
Dash Wilder
Dean Ambrose
Dolph Ziggler
Drew McIntyre
EC3
Eric Young
Erik – WWE NXT Tag Team Champion
Fandango
Gran Metalik
Heath Slater
Ivar – WWE NXT Tag Team Champion
Jason Jordan
Jey Uso
Jimmy Uso
Kalisto
Konnor
Kurt Angle
Lacey Evans
Lince Dorado
Lio Rush
Mojo Rawley
Naomi
Natalya
Nia Jax
Nikki Bella
No Way Jose
Rey Mysterio
Rezar
Rhyno
Ricochet
Ronda Rousey
Ruby Riott
Sami Zayn
Samoa Joe – WWE United States Champion
Sarah Logan
Sasha Banks
Scott Dawson
Seth Rollins – WWE Universal Champion
Tamina Snuka
The Miz
Titus O’Neil
Tyler Breeze
Viktor
Zack Ryder – RAW Tag Team Champion

SmackDown
Aiden English
Aleister Black
Alexander Wolfe
Ali
Andrade
Apollo Crews
Asuka
Bayley
Becky Lynch – RAW & SmackDown Women’s Champion
Big E
Big Show
Billie Kay – WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion
Buddy Murphy
Carmella
Chad Gable
Charlotte Flair
Daniel Bryan
Elias
Ember Moon
Epico Colon
Finn Balor – WWE Intercontinental Champion
Harper
Jeff Hardy – SmackDown Tag Team Champion
Jinder Mahal
Kairi Sane
Kane
Karl Anderson
Kevin Owens
Killian Dain
Kofi Kingston – WWE Champion
Lana
Lars Sullivan
Liv Morgan
Luke Gallows
Mandy Rose
Maryse
Matt Hardy – SmackDown Tag Team Champion
Mickie James
Otis
Paige
Peyton Royce – WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion
Primo Colon
R-Truth
Randy Orton
Roman Reigns
Rowan
Rusev
Samir Singh
Sheamus
Shelton Benjamin
Shinsuke Nakamura
Sin Cara
Sonya Deville
Sunil Singh
Tucker
Xavier Woods
Zelina Vega

Note: Nikki Cross still has no brand listed for her.

It’s Official: Becky Lynch Will Do Double Duty At WWE Money In The Bank

It was reported earlier today that Becky Lynch was most likely going to pull double duty at WWE Money In The Bank. Tonight on SmackDown Live it was made official, The Man will indeed be doing double duty at MITB. Becky will defend her RAW Women’s Championship against Lacey Evans and defend her SmackDown Women’s Championship against Charlotte Flair, who earned the title shot by defeating Bayley tonight on SmackDown.

The Undertaker And Kurt Angle Pulled From Starrcast II

WWE is reportedly “exercising its right to withhold talent from any events deemed not in the company’s best interests” by pulling The Undertaker and Kurt Angle from Starrcast II.

Event organizer Conrad Thompson told Sports Illustrated a deposit was made to Undertaker before announcing his inclusion in the event back in February. Shortly after, however, he was contacted by The Dead Man’s management team who told him WWE said he couldn’t appear at the event.

Taker’s deposit was returned after the two sides spoke.

“I had a friend discuss the situation with Vince McMahon, and I was assured the ‘heat’ wasn’t on me or my event but rather that The Undertaker shouldn’t be doing personal appearances outside of WWE,” Thompson told Sports Illustrated. “I was assured that damages would be covered, a suitable replacement offered, or some sort of compromise to make everyone happy.”

Adding, “I suggested Vince McMahon, Hunter, or Stephanie McMahon … and I said I would donate 100 percent of the proceeds to Conor’s Cure and match the donation personally, which would turn a negative into a positive for everyone involved.”

Unfortunately, Thompson was told he couldn’t book main roster Superstars. He then tried to book Shawn Michaels, but HBK reportedly backed out due to “the close proximity of Starrcast and AEW.”

“I asked to keep Kurt Angle and announce Shawn Michaels as the replacement for The Undertaker,” Conrad explained. “I offered to book everyone ‘through the office.’ I wanted to play by the rules but I felt like I already had, since each of these guys were actively marketing themselves for outside appearances via booking agents or their own social media. I have checked in daily for a week now and nothing is changing.”

According to SI, Kurt Angle and Undertaker both signed new WWE deals after taking the booking which allowed their employers to keep them from appearing at Starrcast II.

Source: Pro Wrestling Sheet

WWE SmackDown Live Preview 4/23/19

Tonight’s WWE SmackDown Live will take place from the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska with Superstar Shakeup fallout.

* Will Roman Reigns be fired?

* WWE Champion Kofi Kingston to battle Shinsuke Nakamura

* Becky Lynch to come face-to-face with Charlotte Flair for the first-time since WrestleMania

WWE 205 Live Preview 4/23/19

Tonight’s WWE 205 Live will take place from the Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Step into Gulak’s classroom

Two weeks ago, a match between Gentleman Jack Gallagher and Humberto Carrillo ended with an irate Drew Gulak attacking Carrillo for using high-flying maneuvers, but Gallagher came to the defense of the Mexican Superstar by leveling his longtime ally with a resounding headbutt. Gulak was sent careening out of the ring and was left reeling following Gallagher’s strike – which The Philadelphia Stretcher called “treason” – but Gulak is still determined to continue teaching Carrillo a lesson.

Tonight, Gulak will aim to show Carrillo the path to a better WWE 205 Live, as the two Superstars will clash. But which side is Gallagher on?

Don’t miss the most exciting hour of television at 10/9 C, streaming live on the award-winning WWE Network!

Sasha Banks Reportedly Wants To Sit Out The Rest Of Her WWE Contract

Sasha Banks is reportedly at a stalemate with WWE, according to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio.

Regarding the situation between the two sides, we’ve noted how Banks reportedly tried to quit the company during WrestleMania 35 weekend as she was unhappy about her team with Bayley being split up, and the decision to put the WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles on The IIconics. Banks and Bayley believed they would be given a lengthy run with the titles to make them mean something.

Word from within WWE is that Banks wants to sit out the rest of her contract, according to Meltzer.

There’s no word yet on when Banks would be eligible to leave the company but Meltzer noted that WWE could add time to the contract for the time she spends not working, similar to the situation with Neville. She could be out of action for a significant amount of time if WWE adds time to the contract.

It was noted that WWE does want Banks back in the mix, but she wants things to be different. Those differences are unclear and not agreed on because the two sides have not made up yet.

Banks has been scheduled for the May 19 WWE Money In the Bank pay-per-view, but her status for the show is up in the air right now.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Becky Lynch Pulling Double Duty At WWE Money In The Bank?

The current plan is for RAW and SmackDown Women’s Champion Becky Lynch to pull double duty at the May 19 WWE Money In the Bank pay-per-view from Hartford, CT.

As noted, Lacey Evans vs. Lynch for the RAW Women’s Title was confirmed for Money In the Bank on last night’s RAW. Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that the plan as of Monday was for Lynch to defend both titles in two different matches at the pay-per-view.

There’s no word yet on who Lynch’s second opponent will be, for the SmackDown Women’s Title, but it could be Charlotte Flair. A face-off segment between Flair and Lynch is scheduled to take place on tonight’s SmackDown episode.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

Jeff Hardy Reportedly Injured At Weekend WWE Live Event

WWE Tag Team Champion Jeff Hardy suffered an injury at Saturday’s night’s SmackDown live event in Madison, Wisconsin, according to Dave Meltzer on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio. The Hardyz had teamed up at that event to defeat The Usos.

Meltzer reported that Hardy appeared to have suffered some sort of leg injury. At Sunday’s SmackDown live event in Rochester, Minnesota, Jeff was in Matt’s corner and was said to be “limping significantly.” At the show, Matt defeated Jimmy Uso.

At Monday’s live event in Sioux City, Iowa, Matt Hardy teamed with R-Truth to defeat Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows.

The Hardy Boyz had just defeated The Usos to win the SmackDown Tag Team Championship on the April 9th edition of SmackDown Live. They are the first team to win the WWE World Tag Team Championship, the RAW Tag Team Championship and the SmackDown Tag Team Championship.

No other details are known about Jeff’s injury.

Source: Wrestling Inc.