Tag: WWE

(Report) WWE RAW & SmackDown To Expand To 3 Hours In January 2025

According to a report from Pwinsider, the current plan is for both RAW and SmackDown to expand to three hours in January 2025.

RAW moved from 3 hours back to 2 last month for the rest of the year. The plan seemed to always be that RAW would then move back to 3 hours in January when the show makes the move to Netflix.

Now it appears that SmackDown on Friday night’s on the USA Network will also expand to 3 hours

While this is not confirmed just yet, there has been some talk of calling up talent from the NXT brand to help fill six hours of weekly television on the two main brands.

For years, the three-hour format has been a topic of debate among fans, with some embracing the extra content and others feeling it sometimes stretches thin. How WWE will balance the additional time without affecting pacing and viewership will be something to watch closely.

As January 2025 approaches, WWE fans can expect more announcements regarding this programming shift, as well as potential tweaks to the structure of RAW and SmackDown to maximize engagement and entertainment value in the new, extended format. For now, the prospect of a three-hour SmackDown is already stirring curiosity about how WWE will use the added time to shake up storylines and push its Superstars to new heights.

Original Bloodline Reunites On WWE SmackDown, Will Enter WarGames At Survivor Series

The Original Bloodline has fully reunited with Sami Zayn on last night’s WWE SmackDown.

After an opening segment that saw Reigns reject a reconciliation with his former “Honorary Uce” and subsequently appear to lose the trust of The Usos, Reigns came to the ring on his own during the main event segment to confront Solo Sikoa. Reigns challenged his cousin to a singles match, but Sikoa laughed in his face, challenging him instead to find four more others backstage ready to support him in a war. Reigns asked Sikoa if his intention was WarGames, saying Sikoa only had three men beside him; Sikoa then claimed Zayn had joined his side in the battle, prompting Zayn to emerge at the top of the ramp. Zayn stood and watched as Reigns was attacked by The Bloodline, with The Usos coming down to save their cousin. 

Sikoa called for Zayn to deliver the Helluva Kick to Reigns, but Zayn instead kicked Sikoa’s head, allowing for Reigns to hit a spear, and then The Original Bloodline fought the rest of the mutineers to clear the ring. Zayn and Reigns stared one another down as The Usos threw up the ones, the former raising his own finger and visibly asking Reigns “Are you in, or are you out?” Reigns finally raised a finger with the other three, signaling that at least for now, the band is back together.

As the segment closed, commentary stated clearly that Reigns, Zayn and The Usos would meet Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, and the one-time Guerrillas of Destiny at Survivor Series in a WarGames match. It remains unclear whether a fifth man will be added to each side, but the reiteration of the five-on-five format WWE has used in main roster WarGames matches thus far suggests there are more participants to come.

Source: Wrestling Inc.

WWE SmackDown GM Nick Aldis Announced A NEW Women’s Title (WWE Women’s United States Championship)

In a major announcement that’s sure to shake up the WWE women’s division, SmackDown General Manager Nick Aldis last night unveiled a brand-new title: the WWE Women’s United States Championship. This groundbreaking addition introduces a fresh opportunity for the roster to vie for championship gold, and it aims to further showcase the depth of talent in WWE’s women’s division.

The creation of the Women’s United States Title signals WWE’s commitment to expanding opportunities for its female Superstars. Much like the iconic men’s United States Championship, this new belt is expected to elevate its holder, rewarding both in-ring prowess and fan support. The decision underscores WWE’s ongoing focus on giving the women’s division its own unique platforms, something the fans have been clamoring for as the roster’s talent continues to grow.

As the Women’s U.S. Title enters the picture, speculation is already swirling about who might become the inaugural champion. With so many rising and established stars in the SmackDown women’s division, the competition promises to be fierce. Fans can look forward to new rivalries, fresh storylines, and perhaps even some surprises along the way as WWE continues pushing the boundaries of its women’s division.

Stay tuned, as more details will likely emerge in the coming weeks, including a possible tournament or match to crown the first-ever WWE Women’s United States Champion. With the addition of this title, SmackDown’s women’s division just got even more exciting!

WWE SmackDown Preview 11/8/2024

WWE SmackDown airs live tonight on the USA Network from KeyBank Center in Buffalo, New York.

  • Fallout from Crown Jewel
  • WWE Tag Team Champions Motor City Machine Guns will be special guests on the Grayson Waller Effect
  • Jey Uso invites Sami Zayn to SmackDown to discuss what happened with Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel
  • Roman Reigns to appear
  • Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes to appear Champion Cody Rhodes?

WWE’s Karl Anderson To Be Out 6-9 Months

Karl Anderson will be out of action for six to nine months.

Anderson took to Twitter this week to announce that he underwent surgery. He captioned his tweet with, “See you after WrestleMania.”

On the latest edition of his “Talk N’ Shop” podcast, Anderson revealed that he underwent surgery for a torn rotator cuff tendon and a partially torn labrum. He said,

“It happened two months ago. I felt something in a match, and didn’t think anything of it because that’s what we do. The next week, something else happened in a match again. ‘That hurt a little worse,’ but still thought nothing of it because that’s how we’ve always rolled. We had three or four more matches, and each other, progressively, I realized, ‘This thing hurts.’”

Anderson added, “I wasn’t able to sleep at night because it was aching and throbbing. ‘Let me tell somebody.’ I talked to the WWE doctors who handled it right away and they immediately scheduled me for an anthrogram. They immediately saw it was a torn rotator cuff tendon and a partially torn labrum.”

Source: eWn

Another Member Of Samoan Dynasty Signs With WWE – Lance Anoa’i

Per a new report, another member of the legendary Samoan Dynasty has signed with WWE.

According to Fightful Select, former MLW Tag Team Champion Lance Anoa’i signed with WWE over the summer, though he’s currently sidelined with an injury. As such, WWE has not made any imminent creative plans for Lance for the “WWE NXT” brand nor its main roster. While there is no word on the exact timeline for Lance’s recovery, Fightful claims that he will not be cleared to compete for “a while.”

On Thursday morning, a photo surfaced (courtesy of MuscleManMalcolm on X) of Lance standing in a “We Are NXT” shirt as he was surrounded by other up-and-coming talents of WWE’s Performance Center. At the age of 32, Lance, also the son of Samu, brings forth 14 years worth of in-ring experience, including appearances in Major League Wrestling, Pro Wrestling NOAH, and WWE itself. Lance’s previous WWE work began in 2014, when he and Rhett Titus lost to The Ascension (Konnor & Viktor) on “WWE SmackDown.” Elsewhere, Lance battled The Authors of Pain on “NXT” as well as Shane McMahon on “WWE Raw” in 2019.

In October 2023, Lance confirmed that he, alongside his tag partner Juicy Finau, received his release from MLW after requesting it. Lance and Finau previously served as the MLW Tag Team Champions before their reign ended at the hands of AKIRA and Rickey Shane Page in July 2023.

The Samoan Dynasty has produced some of WWE’s biggest stars, from High Chief Peter Maivia The Wild Samoans (Afa & Sika), Rocky Johnson, Yokozuna, Rikish, The Rock and Roman Reigns to The Usos, Solo Sikoa and many others.

Roman Reigns’ unprecedented title reign and The Bloodline storyline have not only brought renewed mainstream attention to WWE but also elevated the entire roster. Adding yet another family member to this legacy could open doors for new storylines and alliances, especially if this new signee joins the ranks of The Bloodline in the future.

ECW Legends Appeared At Last Night’s WWE NXT Show In Philly At The 2300 Arena

In a special episode last night of WWE NXT at the old ECW Arena (2300 Arena) in Philadelphia, PA, several ECW legends appeared on the show.

The Dudley Boyz reunited as Bubba Ray joined Trick Williams against Ethan Page and Ridge Holland, with D-Von providing a table for a big spot. Elsewhere, Tony D’Angelo defended his North American Title against Nunzio, settling an in-ring misunderstanding. Rob Van Dam also got involved, helping Je’Von Evans overcome Wes Lee after Lee tried to take out RVD backstage. Jaida Parker defeated Lola Vice in a hardcore match with Dawn Marie as the guest referee. Rhyno/Rhino delivered his signature Gore to Robert Stone during the segment where NXT GM Ava announced the NXT PLE Deadline. Plus the Queen of Extreme Francine made an appearance, sitting near ringside.

WWE NXT 2300 Arena Preview 11/6/2024

WWE will present a new episode of NXT tonight at 8/7c on The CW Network from 2300 Arena, formerly known as the ECW Arena, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

  • Ava’s “Special Announcement”
  • Francine and Rob Van Dam to appear.
  • Je’Von Evans vs. Wes Lee
  • Bubba Ray Dudley & Trick Williams vs. Ethan Page & Ridge Holland
  • Hardcore Match: Lola Vice vs. Jaida Parker (Special Guest Referee: Dawn Marie)
  • Roxanne Perez, Cora Jade, & Fatal Influence vs. Giulia, Stephanie Vaquer, Kelani Jordan, ZARIA, & Jordynne Grace

WWE Raw Preview 11/4/2024

WWE Raw airs tonight on the USA Network taped from the Mohammed Abdo Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

  • Fallout from Crown Jewel
  • No. 1 Contender’s Fatal Four-Way Match To The WWE World Heavyweight Championship
  • The War Raiders vs. The New Day
  • Women’s World Championship No. 1 Contenders Battle Royal
  • Sami Zayn and The Usos to appear
  • Dragon Lee vs. Chad Gable
  • We will hear from WWE Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan

Backstage News On WWE Releasing Indi Hartwell & Tegan Nox, Not Re-Signing Baron Corbin

WWE announced on Friday the releases of Baron Corbin, Indi Hartwell and Tegan Nox.

Now, Fightful has compiled a series of backstage and out-of-company reactions.

It seems independent bookers are racing to get dates for Baron Corbin, who was informed that his deal with WWE would not be renewed upon its expiration. It’s speculated that Corbin’s deal runs until the end of 2024. It seems that Corbin was uninspired by his recent partnership with Apollo Crews despite the two’s personal friendship, as Corbin did not see their team topping his career-reviving run with Bron Breakker as The Wolf Dogs in “NXT.” It’s unknown whether Corbin will be seen on WWE programming again before his contract expires, but he already has one public offer from former WWE star and NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion Tyrus.

https://twitter.com/PlanetTyrus/status/1852480570212643164

Tegan Nox was formally released, and is currently under a 90 day non-compete period, with her expected release into free agency scheduled for February 2025. Nox has been largely absent from WWE programming, with her last televised match occurring on the April 1 episode of “WWE Raw.” WWE reportedly had no long-term creative plans for Nox in the months leading up to her release.

Fightful clears up some confusion regarding Hartwell’s posts.

Indi Hartwell, who is also under a 90-day non-compete period, caused a brief social media kerfuffle when her comments on X (formerly known as Twitter) led fans to believe that Hartwell found out about her WWE departure via the Fightful report. Fightful has clarified that Hartwell’s apparent social media confusion was a joke, reporting that Hartwell learned of her departure earlier in the day and that they have and will not report on releases before the affected talent are made aware. Fightful also claims that several backstage staff felt that Hartwell was “coming into her own” prior to her release, especially with her social media skits. Hartwell’s match on the November 1 pre-taped episode of “WWE SmackDown” is believed to be her last appearance for the company; she and Candice LeRae lost a tag team contest to Bayley and Naomi.

It is believed that both Nox and Hartwell, who are United Kingdom- and New Zealand-based wrestlers, respectively, will need to organize work visas before being allowed to compete in any United States-based promotions. WWE has not disclosed any reasoning behind the departures of Corbin, Nox, and Hartwell, but WWE sources told Fightful they are the extent of “this round of cuts,” though the source did not delineate a time frame for “this round” and the date of any potential future cuts remains uncertain.

Source: Wrestling Inc.