Former WWE referee Tim White has passed away at the age of 68.

The wrestling veteran started his career in the industry back in 1985. He originally worked as a handler with Andre The Giant while also officiating matches occasionally.

White later transitioned to a full-time referee role. He officiated many famous matches during the Attitude Era including the 1998 Hell In A Cell match between Undertaker and Mankind at King of The Ring.

WWE sent out an official statement on his passing mentioning how the late star had to retire from his on-screen role due to a shoulder injury but he remained a major part of the promotion until 2009.

WWE is saddened to learn that long-time referee Tim White has passed away.

WWE extends our condolences to White’s family, friends and fans.https://t.co/qFSeSw5eRF

— WWE (@WWE) June 19, 2022

Wrestling World Mourns The Passing of Tim White

Many current and former WWE stars have reacted to Tim White’s passing. They have been paying tribute to the wrestling veteran since the news came out.

WWE COO Triple H replied to the official tweet from the company. He wrote that Tim was one of the absolute best people he has worked with:

Shocked and saddened. Timmy was one of the absolute best people I’ve known and had the pleasure of working with. Myself and the entire @WWE family will miss him dearly. https://t.co/TiH4mKvKWy

— Triple H (@TripleH) June 19, 2022

Big E posted a behind the scene photo with White. He noted how the former WWE employee was always very kind and warm:

I lit up every time I saw this man! Tim White often was the man tasked with shepherding us at appearances and conventions the last several years. He was always extraordinarily kind and warm. I will miss you, my friend. My deepest condolences to his family and friends. pic.twitter.com/fZm0Fq1sRj

— Ettore “Big E” Ewen (@WWEBigE) June 19, 2022

Other people who paid Tribute to Tim White include names such as Miro, Michael Hayes, Shawn Michaels, William Regal and many more. You can see the tributes below:

Very saddened to hear of the passing of Tim White. I always looked forward to seeing Tim. Last time was around Christmas. As always, Tim as as warm, genuine, and full of life as usual. I'll miss hearing your stories. See ya down the road.

— Eric Bischoff (@EBischoff) June 19, 2022

TIM WHITE I LOVE YOU FOREVER. WHAT A WEEK BUBBA MY HEART BREAK pic.twitter.com/y8yiYPiA3R

— The Iron Sheik (@the_ironsheik) June 19, 2022

I’m Saddened To Hear About The Passing Of Two Of My Friends- Dave Hebner & Tim White. I’m Grateful To Have Known Both Of These Incredible Men. Rest In Peace! ?????? pic.twitter.com/xrjWQ9ras7

— Ric Flair® (@RicFlairNatrBoy) June 19, 2022

Tim White brightened every room he walked into & the WWE locker room was especially lucky to have him. Being around Timmy on several PR tours was a joy! We would get our work done & meet after and he would tell old road stories & we’d laugh til the sun came up. Cheers, sir ?

— Nic Nemeth (@NicTNemeth) June 19, 2022

#RIP Tim White – Timmy was always so great to me & was a huge supporter of The Hardys. He was the kindest, most fair man you could ever meet. My thoughts go out to his family & loved ones – Rest in power, my friend. pic.twitter.com/5Brwqyv2wr

— MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) June 19, 2022

I’m deeply saddened to hear of the passing of my dear friend Tim White. My deepest condolences to his family. A great man, referee and person. We’ve laughed so hard together we’ve both had tears in our eyes. There’s not a better way to remember you. Rest well.x

— William Regal (@RealKingRegal) June 19, 2022

Saddened to hear about both Dave Hebner and Tim White. Both incredible men I was privileged to spend time with in and out of the ring.
My thoughts are with their families.

— Shawn Michaels (@ShawnMichaels) June 19, 2022

Man we have lost a great guy. Tim always made me feel like much welcomed family. My condolences to the White family R.I.P Tim White pic.twitter.com/5Ttkdk3eJY

— Shelton J. Benjamin (@Sheltyb803) June 19, 2022

I am soo saddened by the news of Tim White passing.
Tim was a great guy, ref, employee and a man’s man.
Tim loved WWE and WWE loved Tim back.
Thoughts and prayers to family, friends and fans.

— Michael PS Hayes (@MichaelPSHayes1) June 19, 2022

Tim White was an amazing man. He alway treated me like we were best friends and riding partner since the 90s, but that’s the man he was. An instant friend and a great great person. Rest easy, Timmy. Condolences to the family. pic.twitter.com/YoC1cEHzUc

— Miro (@ToBeMiro) June 19, 2022

Thankful that I had the chance to have one last conversation and hear one final story from Tim White just a few short weeks ago. A true class act who had seen it all and an infectious level of kindness to match. Rest in Paradise Mr. White. pic.twitter.com/WOJlCjjqSO

— Byron Saxton (@ByronSaxton) June 20, 2022

Terrible news. Every testimonial you’re reading about Tim White is true. I don’t know where the company motto “We put smiles on peoples faces” came from but Tim White did it every day, effortlessly.

RIP to Tim and Dave Hebner – two of the all time greats. https://t.co/lTRVkWvV1F

— Brian Gewirtz (@bfg728) June 19, 2022

The World's loss. The World is a less better place without Tim White. https://t.co/SEg0cXDPyC

— Sean Waltman (@TheRealXPac) June 19, 2022

Can’t believe we’ve lost both Dave Hebner and now the equally talented Tim White.
Two outstanding humans who were committed to pro wrestling.
??

— Jim Ross (@JRsBBQ) June 19, 2022

Steve Fall sat down with Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Candice Cordelia to discuss Impact Wrestling’s Slammiversary.

A big-time WWE superstar appeared at this year’s IMPACT Wrestling Slammiversary event.

IMPACT is celebrating its 20th anniversary and what better way to do so than Slammiversary? The show had brought plenty of other surprises such as an appearance from America’s Most Wanted (James Storm and Chris Harris).

The company also had a touching tribute to former IMPACT commentators Don West and Mike Tenay.

AJ Styles Appears

A special video message was also sent in by none other than “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles.

Styles is considered to be “Mr. TNA” but his appearance will certainly come as a surprise. He has been with WWE since 2016 but this isn’t the first time WWE and IMPACT have worked together.

More recently, Mickie James appeared at the WWE Royal Rumble event earlier this year.

Many years prior, WWE arranged an agreement to have Christian appear during a Slammiversary event in exchange for allowing Ric Flair another Hall of Fame induction.

Here is what AJ Styles had to say during his Slammiversary appearance.

Check out what @AJStylesOrg had to say about being voted the most IMPACTful X Division wrestler of the past 20 years!#Slammiversary #IMPACT20 pic.twitter.com/8uIK0Dhhty

— TNA Wrestling (@ThisIsTNA) June 20, 2022

Since debuting in WWE, Alexa Bliss has proven herself to be a formidable contender in the ring.

One of a small handful of women to have held the Raw Women’s Title, SmackDown Women’s Title, and WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles, Bliss is also a former Ms. Money in the Bank.

Bliss has accomplished much more than others in WWE, but the Raw Superstar has plans outside of the ring.

Bliss’ new career goal

On Twitter, Bliss expressed her desire to voice an animated character saying that it would be “so much fun.”

I think being the voice of an animated character would be so much fun- future goal??

— Lexi (Kaufman) Cabrera (@AlexaBliss_WWE) June 18, 2022

Bliss earned a ton of responses, with many calling on her to try and get a role in a Disney or Pixar movie.

Another suggested Bliss voice DC Comics character Harley Quinn, who Bliss used as inspiration for her Backlash 2016 ring-attire.

At least one person suggested that the Raw Superstar obtain her release from WWE in order to be able to control what kind of roles she can go for.

Bliss outside of the Ring

Alexa Bliss may be best known for her role as a WWE Superstar, but a career away from wrestling isn’t too far-fetched.

In 2017, Bliss joined E!’s Total Divas and has made regular appearances on Xavier Woods’ UpUpDownDown YouTube channel, under the name Miss Bliss.

In early 2020, Bliss appeared in a music video for Bowling for Soup, her favorite band, which made a song dedicated to and named after her.

A year later, Bliss would appear alongside Charlotte Flair on an episode of Punky Brewster.

Alexa Bliss Responds to Rumors of Possible Tag Team with Liv Morgan

When you think of wrestling’s biggest ever stars, two names likely to come to mind are The Rock and Hogan.

The Rock has transcended wrestling to become a leading man in Hollywood, while Hogan, for good or bad, is still known around the world.

Almost every wrestler wants to reach the same kind of heights as the “Brahma Bull or “The Hulkster,” but there’s one name who could have the potential to be the next breakout star.

The next Rock and Hogan

Hardy has seen plenty of big names come and go throughout his decades in the wrestling industry and right now, he’s particularly high on AEW’s Wardlow.

Speaking to Drinks With Johnny, Hardy praised the young powerhouse in a discussion about whether any wrestlers today could have the mainstream appeal as Rock or Hogan.

“I feel like Wardlow’s is a guy that might have that possibility here in AEW. I think he’s very special, he’s a good-looking dude, chicks love him, he’s super athletic and talented. You have a guy like that and hopefully, that does elevate the view of a company and kind of their status where they can grow and become more mainstream or whatever.”

Wardlow has been on the rise in AEW with his biggest win so far coming at last month’s Double or Nothing, where he handily defeated MJF.

What’s next for Wardlow?

On this week’s AEW Dynamite, Wardlow made it clear that he has his eyes on the TNT Championship.

Despite being in AEW for over two years now, Wardlow has yet to hold any gold as he has spent most of his career as MJF’s bodyguard.

Today marks Scorpio Sky’s 53rd day during this second reign (91 days overall) and with the MJF story finished, Wardlow could indeed be next in line for a shot at the gold.

Matt Hardy Says Childhood Trauma Caused Some of Jeff’s Issues

This week’s episode of SmackDown featured the return of some big names including Vince McMahon and Roman Reigns. Though one notable name who was not present at the show was John Laurinaitis.

The Head of Talent Relations has been named alongside the WWE owner in a latest scandal that accuses McMahon of having an affair with a former employee.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer talked about Laurinaitis recently. He explained that his absence from SmackDown is not necessarily newsworthy.

Despite some rumors, the WWE Executive was never scheduled to be in Minneapolis for the show. John Laurinaitis is, however, expected to be in Lincoln, NE for Raw.

Meltzer also noted how things are going to be different for him compared to Vince McMahon. The former WWE CEO would be harder to get rid of compared to John.

• Female WWE Star Slams John Laurinaitis Amid Allegations

So if Laurinaitis does not make it to the arena for Monday’s episode of Raw then it might be an indication about his future with the promotion.

In the meantime, Vince McMahon is said to be in a great mood despite the accusations made against him. His appearance on this week’s SmackDown also seems to have helped the show boost the ratings compared to last week.

While the reactions to Vince McMahon’s return to SmackDown were largely negative, it appears to have helped the show with the ratings.

The June 17 edition of the Blue Branded show featuring the Universal championship match between Roman Reigns and Riddle in the main event drew 2.274 million viewers according to Spoiler TV.

This is a big increase from last week’s show. The episode featuring Sami Zayn vs Riddle for the main event had drawn 1.803 million viewers.

The first hour of the show that featured the promo from Vince McMahon among other things drew 2.186 million viewers. The second hour, featuring the big title match then saw an increase in viewership with 2.362 million people tuning in.

As for the key 18-49 demographic, the episode managed to score a 0.55 rating, which is again an increase from last week’s 0.44 number.

• Vince McMahon’s SmackDown Promo Described As ‘Tone Deaf And Embarrassing’

On YouTube, the surprise return of Brock Lesnar at the end of the show is far ahead of other videos from the show with over 2.2 million views at the moment.

The Roman Reigns vs Riddle main event is at 1 million views and the unlisted video of Vince McMahon’s TV return is at 990K views. All other videos are below 500k.

It seems WWE officials are going out of their way to clear Sasha Banks’ name from its programming.

The June 17 episode of Friday Night SmackDown took place inside the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The show featured an Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match between Roman Reigns and Riddle.

After the match, Brock Lesnar returned and attacked The Bloodline.

Fans also took notice of something rather interesting following a Money in the Bank qualifying match between Raquel Rodriguez and Shayna Baszler.

WWE Digitally Removes Sasha Banks Fan Sign

After Rodriguez defeated Baszler, a camera shot captured a sign in the crowd that read “Sasha Krew 4 Life.” The production team quickly cut away to a view of the two MITB briefcases hanging above the ring.

While some may have thought there wasn’t much to this, WWE later released an image on its website with the fan sign edited to remove Sasha’s name entirely.

Sasha had been suspended by WWE along with Naomi for walking out of the May 16 episode of WWE Raw. Raj Giri was the first to report that Banks was released by WWE. Other trusted names in the industry later backed Giri’s report.

There has been no word on Naomi’s status with the company at this time, other than she remains suspended.

Some details on the return of Brock Lesnar have emerged.

The June 17 episode of WWE SmackDown was headlined by an Undisputed Universal Championship match between titleholder Roman Reigns and Riddle. Reigns ended up hitting a spear on Riddle, who attempted a springboard, for the win.

Now, Riddle can never challenge Roman for the gold again.

After the match, Roman Reigns grabbed the mic and said there’s no one left. Brock Lesnar’s music then hit and he ended up hitting an F5 on Reigns.

It was announced after SmackDown that Roman Reigns will take on Brock Lesnar in a Last Man Standing Match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at SummerSlam.

Notes on Brock Lesnar’s Return

Before the Brock appearance, Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter did note that WWE had a plan B for Reigns’ SummerSlam opponent and it wasn’t Riddle.

WWE had to come up with a plan B as the initial idea was to book Roman vs. Randy Orton. That plan went awry as it became apparent that Orton may need back surgery and could be out for the remainder of 2022.

Fightful is now reporting that Brock Lesnar’s return was in the works for roughly three weeks. This dispels rumors that he was brought in for shock value to take attention off the Vince McMahon investigation as The Wall Street Journal report hadn’t been released at that time.

As expected, Lesnar’s return was not listed in the internal run sheets as it probably would’ve leaked ahead of time.

AEW has been described as the land of creative freedom by many. According to Mercedes Martinez, the biggest difference compared to WWE is how accessible and receptive Tony Khan is.

The wrestling veteran recently had an interview with Complex Unsanctioned podcast. Among other things, she talked about the difference between WWE and AEW.

Martinez discussed how the AEW owner is busy man. Despite it, he is very accessible and responsive to talents:

“I can text him, I can message him whenever I want, If I have ideas or anything, he’s as accessible as he can be. That’s a big difference going from WWE to here.”

• Mercedes Martinez Discusses Her Issues with Retribution

Mercedes Martinez noted that Khan is the one that makes the decisions. So the fact that he listens to people’s concerns is a great thing:

“He’s the boss, he’s the man, he’s the one that makes the decisions, and the fact that he listens to you and your concerns and whatever you have for creative, [it’s great]. I love that creative freedom you have to tell your story where you see fit.”

Mercedes Martinez is a 22-year veteran of the wrestling industry. She has worked for all major promotions in the US in this time. This list includes WWE, AEW, ROH, Impact Wrestling and many more.

Quotes via WrestlingInc

Vince McMahon opened this week’s episode of SmackDown with a short promo. While many expected him to address the allegations made against him, the boss just welcomed the fans.

Fightful revealed that he talked to a number of current and former WWE stars about the appearance. The reactions to it range from ‘confused to enraged’.

An unnamed WWE talent told the site that Mr McMahon’s promo was ‘tone-deaf and embarrassing.’ Furthermore, a former WWE star claimed that it shows that Vince McMahon does not have any accountability:

“I’m happy it didn’t last long, so I didn’t have to sit through whatever bullshit he was going to say. But it shows that he has no accountability, especially when something is directly his fault.”

– Unnamed WWE source, to Fightful

The public reaction to Vince McMahon’s promo has largely been negative. Though the WWE owner himself seems unfazed by the opinions against him.

The wrestling veteran was said to be in ‘great mood’ before the SmackDown tapings. He was ‘making jokes’ in the production meeting.

It’ll be interesting to see how the announced McMahon appearance affected the SmackDown viewership and if it helped give the show a boost amid all the speculations about his future.

For more on the developing Vince McMahon situation…

• Vince McMahon Could be Fired from WWE Under Certain Conditions

Cody Rhodes isn’t expected back on WWE TV for months following his torn pectoral muscle suffered while training.

Despite the injury, Rhodes muscled through to defeat Seth Rollins at WWE Hell in a Cell 2022 in one of the gutsiest performances of his career.

On the Raw after Hell in a Cell, Rhodes was written off TV by a sledgehammer attack by Rollins.

Losing Rhodes is a huge blow to WWE who have made him the de facto face of the company since returning at WrestleMania 38, but the “American Nightmare” can expect a huge push upon his return.

Cody Rhodes – The New Triple H

A new report in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter notes that there’s been talk about giving Cody a huge return, akin to Triple H in early 2002.

After “The Game” tore his quadriceps in mid-2001, he was out for months and had a lot of build to his January 2002 return.

WWE’s production team filmed Triple H’s surgery and recovery, with weeks of promotional videos hyping his return.

Triple H eventually returned to a thunderous response inside Madison Square Garden and captured the Undisputed WWE Championship at WrestleMania 18.

Similarly, WWE reportedly recorded the entirety of Cody’s surgery and plans on using the footage in promotional packages.

Despite WWE reporting that he will be out for nine months, Cody is expected to return much sooner, and could be a selling point for the 2023 Royal Rumble.

The 2002 Rumble match marked Triple H’s first televised match back from his injury and he would win the 30-man bout.

Vince McMahon has stepped down from his role as WWE CEO and Chairman, in the biggest shift in power the promotion has seen in decades.

While McMahon is under investigation for an alleged affair and $3 million hush-money arrangement, many have said that he is safe, given that he’s the voting majority on WWE’s board of directors.

McMahon has survived scandals in the past, but this is a new battle for the Sports-Entertainment promoter and he could lose his job after all.

The Conditions

According to Brandon Thurston of WrestleNomics, McMahon’s contract does give the board power to remove him if certain conditions are violated.

While most have nothing to do with the ongoing investigation, there are two that stand out (via eWrestlingNews.)

(a) the Executive’s theft or embezzlement, or attempted theft or embezzlement, of money or property of the Company or its affiliates.”

McMahon’s contract

While the investigation has yet to be concluded some have argued that McMahon could face allegations of embezzlement given their relationship.

It has been claimed that the paralegal was promoted rapidly, from a $100,000 contract to a $200,000 deal after beginning the alleged physical relationship with McMahon.

Given that the payment would have come out of WWE’s pocket, an embezzlement claim could be made.

“(c) the Executive’s willful and intentional material misconduct in performance of his duties or gross negligence of his duties (other than due to the Executive’s Disability), including an intentional failure to follow any applicable Company policies or directives.”

McMahon’s contract

Having an affair with an employee could certainly be considered misconduct in the performance of his duties.

What’s next for McMahon?

Vince McMahon appeared on last night’s SmackDown but did not address the allegations against him.

In his absence, Stephanie McMahon will serve as interim CEO and Chairwoman of WWE until the investigation is concluded.

McMahon has promised to respect the result of the investigation no matter the result.

Vince McMahon Was In ‘Great Mood’ Before SmackDown

Former WWE star Aiden English, currently working in Impact wrestling as Matthew Rehwoldt says that he is glad that he is not working for the Vince McMahon-owned promotion anymore.

WWE has found themselves being subject to many negative headlines in recent days. This includes Sasha Banks and Naomi walking of the company because of their frustrations last month.

If that wasn’t enough, the WWE CEO Vince McMahon was accused of having an affair with a former employee. The scandal has led to him temporarily stepping down from his position as the chairman of the company.

English seemingly reacted to these developments on Twitter. He noted how he was heartbroken when he was first released but it’s not the case anymore:

https://twitter.com/DramaKingMatt/status/1537953123347488769

Aiden English was first signed by WWE back in 2012. He originally gained fame as part of The Vaudevillains tag team in NXT.

He later found success as the partner and manager of Rusev. Their pairing quickly became a fan favorite with their catchphrase Rusev Day becoming very popular.

English was one of the first stars to be released as part of the budget cuts during the initial days of the COVID-19 pandemic. He was released on April 15, 2020 and has since returned to independent circuit.

Andrade has been expressing his displeasure with being pulled off the Forbidden Door PPV vocally. He has now revealed the original plans for him at the show.

The AEW star recently had an interview with Lucha Libre Online. He talked about things such as Ric Flair’s upcoming retirement match and more.

During the talk, he also revealed that he was actually supposed to face the current IWGP US Champion Will Ospreay at the Forbidden Door PPV.

Andrade says he was supposed to face Will Ospreay on Forbidden Door, was schedule to go to Japan to set it up, and then it was stopped.

— luchablog (@luchablog) June 17, 2022

Andrade mentioned that he was scheduled to go to Japan to build up this match against the former IWGP world champion before the plans were canceled.

The former NXT champion also claimed that he was originally booked for the AAA’s TripleMania Tijuana event on June 18 but that appearance has been nixed as well.

Andrade noted how he cannot work with NJPW because he chose to work with AAA. Now AAA is also not booking him when they said they would. This has resulted in him sitting at home while everyone else is headed to Tijuana.

For those who don’t know, AAA is a rival promotion to CMLL. Since CMLL and NJPW have a partnership, they are prohibiting any AAA contracted talents from working the co-branded Forbidden Door PPV. Apart from Andrade, this also includes The Lucha Bros who are not booked for the upcoming show.

Many were expecting Vince McMahon to address the allegations against him during his appearance on tonight’s SmackDown episode.

Though the boss did not say anything about the rumors surrounding him during his TV appearance. He also apparently no-sold the accusations behind the scenes as well.

Per reports from PWInsider, there was nothing unusual with the proceedings at SmackDown. You wouldn’t have figured out that Mr McMahon was under investigation by just being backstage at the tapings.

As for the boss, the site notes that he was not selling anything. Vince McMahon was described as being in ‘great mood’ and he was ‘joking around’ during the production meeting before the show.

There were whispers among people that the WWE owner will be addressing the talents before the episode but nothing was said.

Several sources described the pre-show meeting as ‘weird’ given the circumstances, especially because nobody knows when more details on the allegations can surface.

Some people were wondering how many more NDAs were uncovered during the investigation and how many others could be out there.

Stephanie McMahon has been named the interim chairwoman after her father voluntarily stepped down from the role. You can check out the backstage reaction to this change here.

• What Happened After June 17 WWE SmackDown Went Off The Air

This week’s episode of AEW Rampage has come to a close and there was something extra for fans in attendance.

The June 17 Road Rager edition of Rampage was held inside the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri. The show featured Darby Allin vs. Bobby Fish, a TBS Championship match, Jon Moxley vs. Dante Martin, and more.

This show was taped right after the June 15 episode of Dynamite went off the air.

After the show, there were some more appearances.

After The Broadcast

Once the show went off the air, Tony Khan made his way out and he introduced HOOK and Danhausen. Sting grabbed the mic and called himself “Stinghausen.”

Sting was still in the ring as he had made his return to close the show. He helped Darby Allin even the odds as Kyle O’Reilly tried helping Bobby Fish put Darby out of action.

Commentator Tony Schiavone was also in the ring and Sting had some fun with his good friend.

In the end, Tony Khan thanked the fans of St. Louis for attending Dynamite and Rampage.

https://twitter.com/beccasbwayshop/status/1537275188148162563

Sting, Darby, Danhausen, and HOOK in the same ring last night after #AEWRampage ????#ThankYouSting ? #AEW pic.twitter.com/SyK2IcbD9G

— ?????? (@WrestlingCovers) June 16, 2022

AEW Rampage Road Rager was taped this week following Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite from the Chaifetz Arena in St. Louis, Missouri. Jade Cargill defended the TBS Championship tonight against Willow Nightingale. Bobby Fish battled Darby Allin in the main event.

Rampage Results

• Jon Moxley def. Dante Martin via submission
• Max Caster & Gunn Club def. Ruffin It
• Jade Cargill def. Willow Nightingale to retain the TBS Championship
• Darby Allin def. Bobby Fish

Here are the takeaways from this week’s show:

Jon Moxley def. Dante Martin

Jon Moxley battled Dante Martin in the first match of Rampage. William Regal joined commentary for the match. Moxley started off in control and applied a Headlock. Dante escaped but Moxley leveled him with a shoulder tackle.

Moxley and Martin locked up in the middle of the ring and Dante connected with a head-scissor takedown. Dante followed it up with a Dropkick that sent Jon to the outside. Martin set up for a dive but Moxley simply walked away to avoid it.

Back in the ring, Moxley dared Dante to hit him with some chops. Dante hit Moxley with a few chops but Jon responded with a thunderous chop that knocked Martin to the mat. Moxley applied a Texas Cloverleaf (Hiroshi Tanahashi’s move, the two will face at Forbidden Door) and then hit some knee strikes for a near fall.

Dante responded with a Crossbody off the top rope for a close two count. Martin followed it up with Sliced Bread off the top but Moxley wouldn’t stay down. Jon dodged a Cutter and went for the Paradigm Shift but Dante escaped. Moxley connected with a flurry of elbow strikes before applying the Guillotine choke for the submission victory.

Submission victory for @JonMoxley in our opening bout here on #AEWRampage: #RoadRager! Tune in to @tntdrama right now! pic.twitter.com/8LDIyoxLGl

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 18, 2022

Max Caster & Gunn Clubb def. Bear Country & Leon Ruff

Tony Schiavone interviewed Keith Lee and Swerve Strickland backstage. Strickland betrayed Keith Lee in the Casino Battle Royale last week and eliminated him. Swerve said the Casino Battle Royale was every man for himself and Keith would have done the same. Lee began to walk away but Strickland stopped him. Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs showed up for a stare down to end the segment. Caster and Gunn Club then made quick work of “Ruffin It” in a Trios match. Max got the quick win after hitting Ruff with an Elbow Drop off the top rope.

After last week’s Casino Battle Royale, this tense interaction between @swerveconfident & @realkeithlee leaves the question if they are even on the same page!

Tune in NOW to #AEWRampage on TNT! pic.twitter.com/FY1NJtf914

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 18, 2022

Yo! Listen! It's #TheAcclaimed's @PlatinumMax and #GunnClub's @theaustingunn & @coltengunn! #AEWRampage: #RoadRager is on @tntdrama! pic.twitter.com/hLJkHjf7A1

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 18, 2022

Jade Cargill Remains Undefeated & Retained The TBS Championship

Jade Cargill defended the TBS Championship against Willow Nightingale tonight on Rampage. Stokely Hathaway and Kiera Hogan accompanied the champion to the ring. Stokely joined commentary for the match and Kiera stayed ringside.

Cargill and Nightingale locked up to start off the title match. Jade sent Willow to the corner and unloaded some strikes. Willow escaped and connected with an Enziguri that staggered the TBS Champion. Cargill got Willow up in a fireman’s carry and showed off her strength by doing some squats in the middle of the ring. The TBS Champion delivered a pump kick to the face that knocked Willow to the outside as Rampage went to a commercial break. Kiera got in some cheap shots on Nightingale during the break while the referee was distracted

When Rampage returned, Nightingale went for a cradle but Cargill powered out at two. Willow stayed on the attack and hit a Splash followed by a Cannonball but the champion kicked out again. Cargill planted Willow with a Pedigree and followed it up with Jaded for the pinfall victory. Jade Cargill is still the TBS Champion.

Cargill attacked Nightingale after the match but Athena made the save. Athena hit Kiera with the Eclipse but turned around into a pump kick from Cargill. Kris Statlander joined the party but Cargill and Hogan retreated to end the segment.

The TBS Championship landscape has just gotten VERY interesting with the appearance of @AthenaPalmer_FG & @callmekrisstat! Watch #AEWRampage: #RoadRager on @tntdrama right now! pic.twitter.com/3YRWk5zhFK

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 18, 2022

Darby Allin def. Bobby Fish

Bobby Fish battled Darby Allin in the main event of AEW Rampage Road Rager. Before the match, it was announced that a Winner’s Take All 3-way tag team match will be taking place between FTR, Jeff Cobb & Great-O-Khan, and Roppongi Vice at Forbidden Door on June 26th. Mark Henry interviewed both wrestlers before the main event. Allin vowed to break Bobby Fish’s leg before the end of the night.

Fish attacked Allin during his entrance and went after Darby’s leg. Bobby connected with a Dragon Screw and slammed Allin on the ring apron. Allin tried to leapfrog Bobby but didn’t get enough height and wound up crashing to the floor. Darby battled back with his patented dive through the ropes. Bobby hit Allin with another Dragon Screw and sent him into the barricade as Rampage went to the final commercial break of the night.

When Rampage returned, Bobby Fish was still in control and got Allin in an Ankle Lock. Darby escaped but Fish quickly planted him with a German Suplex. Fish followed it up with a Falcon Arrow and went for the cover but Allin kicked out at the last moment. Fish went for the Ankle Lock again but Allin countered into the Last Supper for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Kyle O’Reilly rushed to the ring for an attack but the lights went out. The Icon Sting appeared on the entrance ramp and struck O’Reilly in the groin with the baseball bat Darby put Fish’s leg in a steel chair and hit him with a Coffin Drop to close this week’s episode of AEW Rampage.

An insane series of counters between @thebobbyfish and @DarbyAllin but the Last Supper gets the victory and redemption for Darby! #AEWRampage: #RoadRager is on @tntdrama! pic.twitter.com/UiHlj3VGjP

— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) June 18, 2022

.@DarbyAllin sends his regards! #AEWRampage #AEWonTNT pic.twitter.com/0FPUBtlLcv

— TDE Wrestling (@tde_gif) June 18, 2022

Join us as we run down The Good, The Bad and What The Heck?! moments from this week’s SmackDown.

Plus, we’ll name the show’s MVE (Most Valuable Entertainer).

Subscribe to the SEScoops YouTube Channel and comment below to let us know what you think!

The June 17 episode of WWE SmackDown is history and something went down after the show.

This edition of SmackDown featured an Undisputed Universal Championship match between Roman Reigns and Riddle. Reigns retained his championship in an action-packed match. As a result, Riddle can never challenge Roman for the gold again.

Vince McMahon also appeared for a very brief promo. Many believe this was a ratings ploy with Vince capitalizing on the news that he has stepped away from CEO and Chairman duties amid allegations.

Once The Broadcast Ended

There was no dark match when the show went off the air. Instead, Brock Lesnar simply posed for the crowd and gave some high fives.

Lesnar had returned to WWE TV after Roman defeated Riddle. He fooled Reigns into giving him a handshake and planted him with the F5. Lesnar also sent The Usos packing.

After SmackDown ended, WWE announced that Brock Lesnar will challenge Roman Reigns for the Undisputed Universal Title.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AfHpxJjGGUw

Roman Reigns’ WWE SummerSlam opponent has been revealed.

Reigns made his latest defense of the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Riddle in the main event of Friday’s episode of SmackDown. Brock Lesnar also made his return. It had the stipulation that if Riddle loses then Riddle can’t challenge for the title as long as Reigns is champion. 

The match saw Reigns dominate the majority of it until Riddle made a comeback with Randy Orton’s signature moves. At one point, Riddle hit an RKO for a near fall. Reigns hit a spear for the win.

Post-match, Reigns said there is no one left and he wrecked Riddle then he’s leaving. Lesnar walked out to have a face-to-face with Reigns before extending his hand and Reigns went to shake it before Lesnar hit an F5. 

This marked the first televised title defense for Reigns since he unified the WWE and Universal Championships at WrestleMania 38. It was also the first time we saw Lesnar on TV since Mania. 

Riddle earned the title shot when he beat Sami Zayn in the main event of last week’s SmackDown with the stipulation that he would earn the shot at Reigns with a win. However, Riddle would be banned from SmackDown with a loss. Riddle pinned Zayn with an RKO. Post-match, he fought off an attack from The Usos.

Originally, Reigns was slated to defend the title against Riddle at Money in the Bank, but WWE nixed plans for Reigns at the show once they moved from Allegiant Stadium to the smaller T-Mobile Arena due to weak ticket sales. 

Reigns’ next PPV title defense will be at SummerSlam and it’ll be against Lesnar as WWE announced once SmackDown went off the air. It’ll be a Last Man Standing Match.

JUST ANNOUNCED: @BrockLesnar will challenge @WWERomanReigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Title in a Last Man Standing Match at #SummerSlam! @HeymanHustle

? https://t.co/s7HlO4Vp46 pic.twitter.com/uHRM4RWUA3

— WWE (@WWE) June 18, 2022

We have an update on Sasha Banks’ status as a WWE superstar.

Earlier this week, WrestlingINC founder Raj Giri broke the news that Banks had been released. It was unclear at the time if she had requested to be let go, or if it was a WWE call, but it was a bombshell report that rocked the wrestling community.

I'm hearing Sasha Banks has been released. I don't know if it's he requested it or if it was on WWE's end

— Raj Giri (@TheRajGiri) June 16, 2022

Since then, more details have emerged and several verified WWE insiders have confirmed the news is true.

On Friday, Wrestlevotes tweeted that the word going around backstage at SmackDown is that Raj Giri’s scoop is accurate.

Reddit user /u/Kermit125, who has verified his/her backstage credentials with the mods at /r/SquaredCircle, has also confirmed the news.

In recent days, it’s been reported that Sasha Banks’ lawyers have working on her release, we can independently confirm this is the case.

Sasha Banks’ Road to Free Agency

Sasha had been in the midst of a suspension after she and Naomi walked out of the May 16 episode of Monday Night Raw. The two had been the reigning WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions.

It was reported that the two had creative differences with the company over the direction of the women’s tag team division. There was a six-pack challenge involving both Sasha and Naomi set for that edition of Raw.

Naomi was reportedly going to win that match and move on to challenge Bianca Belair for the Raw Women’s Championship at Hell in a Cell. Sasha would’ve challenged Ronda Rousey for the SmackDown Women’s Title.

It was also reported that during their suspensions, Sasha and Naomi weren’t being paid. They also had all of their merchandise online removed.

The WWE Women’s Tag Team Titles have been vacated and a tournament was announced. WWE still hasn’t given any more info on the tourney and it is reportedly “dead in the water.”

We’ll keep you posted once more details surface.

As advertised, Vince McMahon appeared on this week’s episode of WWE Friday Night SmackDown on the same day that it was announced Stephanie McMahon was named the interim CEO and Chairwoman of WWE, with Vince voluntarily stepping down in these roles. Vince is still in charge of WWE creative. 

McMahon cut a promo about how it’s a privilege to stand in the ring in front of the fans. He said he was here to remind them of WWE’s signature of “Then. Now. Together. Forever.” He then welcomed everyone to SmackDown. That was the entire promo. 

Mr. McMahon is LIVE now on #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/70PrPjgvi3

— WWE (@WWE) June 18, 2022

McMahon allegedly paid a former $3 million in a settlement to stay quiet regarding their sexual relations. In addition to this, the board of WWE is also investigating other nondisclosure agreements that involve misconduct claims made by other former female WWE employees about McMahon and WWE’s head of talent relations John Laurinaitis.

Before the show went live, it was reported by PWinsider.com that McMahon was seen “joking around” during the production meeting and he was not selling anything as he was said to be in a great mood despite the circumstances. 

The pre-show meetings were described as “weird” and some are privately wondering how many NDA’s were uncovered.

WWE SmackDown airs live tonight from the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Roman Reigns defended the Undisputed Universal WWE Championship against Riddle in the main event. Vince McMahon made an appearance tonight after it was announced that he was stepping down as WWE Chairman. In addition to the takeaways below, it was announced that The Usos will defend the Undisputed Tag Team Championships against Street Profits at WWE Money in the Bank.

The #StreetProfits vs. @WWEUsos at #MITB!

Who you rolling with in that one? pic.twitter.com/epo64FdKLO

— WWE (@WWE) June 18, 2022

WWE SmackDown Results

• Madcap Moss def. Happy Corbin
• New Day def. Jinder Mahal & Shanky
• Raquel Rodriguez def. Shayna Baszler in a Money in the Bank Qualifying match
• Roman Reigns def. Riddle to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship

Share your thoughts in the comment section below and refresh the page during SmackDown for live updates.

Vince McMahon Briefly Appeared, Riddle Vowed To Win Title Tonight

Vince McMahon kicked off the show and got a cheap pop from the crowd by mentioning Minnesota. McMahon noted WWE’s slogan “then, now, forever, and together” and left the ring after welcoming everyone to SmackDown.

Mr. McMahon is LIVE now on #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/70PrPjgvi3

— WWE (@WWE) June 18, 2022

Riddle made his way to the ring and vowed to win the WWE Undisputed Universal Championship later tonight. Riddle then rolled a video package highlighting the history between RK-Bro and The Bloodline. He said he has been waiting a long time for this opportunity and he knows all of his friends and family are watching at home. Riddle added that Randy Orton is watching at home and the crowd broke out in a “Randy!” chant. He wished Orton the best of luck and got emotional while saying how much everyone misses him.

We miss you @RandyOrton ??@SuperKingofBros #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/NUV4DnhaXP

— WWE (@WWE) June 18, 2022

Madcap Moss Got The Last Laugh, Happy Corbin & Pat McAfee

Madcap Moss battled Happy Corbin one final time in a bout billed as a Last Laugh match. Corbin got the advantage early and beat Madcap down in the corner of the ring. Corbin continued to beat him down as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Corbin connected with Deep Six and went for the cover but Moss kicked out at two. Madcap Moss battled back and planted Corbin with two Punchlines for the pinfall victory.

PUNCHLINE!

@MadcapMoss #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/oDsoGfwxtn

— WWE (@WWE) June 18, 2022

After the match, Moss grabbed the microphone and laughed at Corbin. Happy Corbin then grabbed the microphone and addressed Pat McAfee. Corbin said he’s known Pat for a long time and he has heard the jokes he made about him. Happy noted that Pat coined the phrase “bum ass Corbin” and threatened to beat him so bad that he wished he was dead.

Pat McAfee then grabbed a microphone and started a “bum ass Corbin” chant. McAfee added that he thought the Last Laugh match meant that Happy would get laughed out of the arena. Pat asked the crowd to help him laugh Corbin out of the arena and the crowd obliged.

.@PatMcAfeeShow and the WWE Universe get the last laugh on Happy Corbin.#SmackDown @BaronCorbinWWE pic.twitter.com/2SdSJKo8BH

— WWE (@WWE) June 18, 2022

Natalya Warned Ronda Rousey

Natalya cut a backstage promo and boasted about trapping Ronda Rousey in the Sharpshooter last week. Natalya added that Rousey is not here tonight and is at home licking her wounds. She claimed that her Sharpshooter breaks bones, tears tendons, and humbles champions. Natalya vowed to be the first woman in WWE history to make Rousey tap out and become SmackDown Women’s Champion for the 2nd time at WWE Money in the Bank.

"My Sharpshooter breaks bones, tears tendons, and humbles champions."@NatbyNature is sending a message to @RondaRousey. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/UK9VyUW3xi

— WWE (@WWE) June 18, 2022

New Day def. Jinder Mahal & Shanky

Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods squared off with Shanky & Jinder Mahal in a tag team match. Shanky dominated the match early but decided to take a break to show off his dance moves as Xavier Woods played the trombone. Jinder Mahal got pissed and tagged himself in. Kofi then quickly planted Jinder Mahal with the SOS for the pinfall victory. After the match, Shanky continued his dancing and argued with Jinder Mahal.

Go Shanky! Go Shanky!@DilsherShanky #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/nzkyrD6o5R

— WWE (@WWE) June 18, 2022

Drew McIntyre & Sheamus Are In The MITB Ladder Match

Sheamus and Drew McIntyre made their way to the ring. WWE official Adam Pearce was in the ring as well as the two superstars argued about who should be put in the Money in the Bank Ladder match. Sheamus noted that McIntyre has been cashed in on in the past. Pearce rolled footage of Sheamus and McIntyre’s qualifying match ending in a disqualification last week.

Pearce announced that Sheamus was in the match and the Celtic Warrior celebrated. Sheamus laughed into the microphone and mocked McIntyre. Drew responded with a Clothesline that sent Sheamus out of the ring. Adam Pearce then announced that Drew McIntyre was also in the Money in the Bank Ladder match. Sheamus threw a tantrum and ran into a Claymore from McInyre to end the segment.

.@WWESheamus AND @DMcIntyreWWE are both headed to WWE #MITB! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/wMBrKKcpuz

— WWE (@WWE) June 18, 2022

Raquel Rodriguez Qualified For The MITB Ladder Match

Shayna Baszler faced Raquel Rodriguez in a MITB Qualifying match tonight. Lacey Evans joined commentary for the match. Rodriguez sent Shayna flying into the turnbuckle to start off the action. Baszler rolled to the ring apron and Raquel followed her. Shayna tied up Rodriguez’ leg in the ropes and stomped on it. Raquel hobbled to the corner to buy herself some time but Shayna went right after her. Shayna connected with a kick to the injured leg as Shotzi & Aliyah were shown watching backstage.

Baszler followed it up with a boot to the face and went for the cover but Raquel powered out at two. Shayna went for the Kirifuda Clutch but Rodriguez blocked it and bashed the Queen of Spades into the turnbuckle. Raquel followed it up with a Chokeslam for the pinfall victory. Raquel Rodriguez has qualified for the women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match.

.@RaquelWWE is going to #MITB! #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/FH5mLFSZzi

— WWE (@WWE) June 18, 2022

Max Dupri Didn’t Reveal His Clients

Max Durpi was set to announce his first clients tonight and a spotlight was set up in the ring. However, Dupri was pissed with the lighting and confronted Adam Pearce. Max announced that Pearce will not see the “beautiful faced and hard bodies” of his clients until his standards are met. Thus, we will have to wait for Max Dupri to debut the clients of Maximum Male Models.

Up close and personal with @MaxDupri and @ScrapDaddyAP. #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/9VLM5OdUAN

— WWE (@WWE) June 18, 2022

Roman Reigns Retained, Brock Lesnar Returned

Roman Reigns defended the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Riddle in tonight’s main event. Paul Heyman and The Usos accompanied Roman Reigns to the ring.

The Tribal Chief is here on #SmackDown!@WWERomanReigns @HeymanHustle pic.twitter.com/FGphYwkph9

— WWE (@WWE) June 18, 2022

Before the match, two qualifying matches and an Intercontinental Championship rematch were announced for next week’s episode of SmackDown:

• MITB Qualifier: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn
• MITB Qualifier: Shotzi vs. Aliyah
• Intercontinental Championship: Gunther (c) vs. Ricochet

NEXT WEEK on #SmackDown@ShinsukeN vs. @SamiZayn in #MITB Qualifying Match! pic.twitter.com/NV8qdtUcKu

— WWE (@WWE) June 18, 2022

Riddle went after Reigns to begin the action and unloaded strikes in the corner of the ring. The Tribal Chief shrugged them off and bashed Riddle in the face with a right hand. Riddle battled back and planted the champion with a Fisherman’s Suplex. Roman rolled out of the ring to regroup but Riddle caught him with a springboard Moonsault as SmackDown went to a commercial break.

When SmackDown returned, Riddle connected with an Exploder Suplex and went for a Senton but Roman got his knees up. When SmackDown returned from a break, Reigns was in control and planted Riddle with a Uranage. Roman followed it up with the Superman Punch and went for the cover but Riddle kicked out at two.

Riddle battled back with an RKO out of nowhere but Roman kicked out. Riddle went for another one but Reigns dodged it. Roman Reigns then leveled Riddle with a Spear to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Roman’s epic title reign has now reached 657 days.

After the match, Reigns boasted that there is nobody left for him to face. Roman added that he recked Riddle and now he’s leaving. Reigns asked the crowd to acknowledge him and posed with The Bloodline to close the show.

Brock Lesnar’s theme hit and The Beast showed up on the entrance ramp. Lesnar was sporting his cowboy hat and got in the ring with The Tribal Chief as the crowd chanted “holy sh*t!”. Lesnar and Reigns stared at each other in the ring and Brock smiled. Lesnar took off his cowboy hat and extended his hand to Roman. Reigns took a look at it but Lesnar planted Roman with an F5. Brock hit Jimmy and Jey with an F5 as well and posed for the crowd to close the show.

?@BrockLesnar @WWERomanReigns @HeymanHustle #SmackDown pic.twitter.com/v2OCEgj6o9

— WWE (@WWE) June 18, 2022

We are sad to share that Dave Hebner has passed away at the age of 73. The news was first reported on Brian Hebner’s podcast.

Dave is the twin brother of Earl Hebner. He got his start in the wrestling business in the 1970s as a referee for WWE where he was part of several historic matches such as Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat at WrestleMania III and as part of the famous twin referee angle on The Main Event in 1988 that let to Hulk Hogan being screwed out of the WWF Championship.

Andre The Giant handed the belt over to Ted DiBiase. The event marked the all-time viewership record for pro wrestling in the United States with 33 million people watching. Hebner worked in WWE on and off camera until 2005 before having a brief run in TNA Wrestling.

RIP Dave Hebner

Gone but never forgotten

Always loved pic.twitter.com/jW4GxoGAdG

— Refin’ It Up (@RefinItUp) June 17, 2022

NASCAR’s Hermie Sadler mentioned on Twitter last month that Dave had been dealing with health issues but the exact nature of his illness was not mentioned although PWInsider reports that he had been battling Parkinson’s Disease.

I’ve said many times that friendships and relationships are very important to me. Took the time today to go visit Dave Hebner. The Hebner family is so special to my family. Join me in sending some positive vibes his way !! @BrianRDJames @WWEArmstrong @RealJeffJarrett @WWE pic.twitter.com/G8SHrs9jqa

— Hermie Sadler (@HermieSadler) May 28, 2022

We send our condolences to Hebner’s friends and family.