A few weeks ago on Monday Night RAW, RAW Women’s Champ Alexa Bliss hosted a “This Is Your Life” segment for her Extreme Rules opponent, Bayley. The segment was truly awful and was very poorly received by professional wrestling fans. On a recent edition of the WWE Network exclusive program Bring It To The Table, WWE commentators Corey Graves and JBL laid into the segment:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8_d4lQUsjU

JBL:

“If it was better it would of sucked. It would have to improve to be horrible, that was how bad it sucked. Remember the first ‘This is Your Life’ with The Rock and Mick Foley, that was terrible, but you just had two incredible superstars so that was fantastic and they drew a heck of a rating, but I think it fails in comparison to the Harvey Wippleman and Howard Finkel Tuxedo Match. I think that was one of the worst of all-time. What was worse was probably the JR and Michael Cole Rap Battle where JR forgot all of his lines.”

Corey Graves:

“We are talking specifically about the worst Raw segments ever, thank God we are not talking about WCW and Viagra on a Pole and Judy Bagwell on a Forklift Match, that Russo guy, he was a treat, right? JR brought in Razor Ramon and Diesel, of course not Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, Razor Ramon and Diesel. Fake Razor, classic moment, nobody could tell the difference, right? There’s Diesel—he looks familiar.”

JBL:

“If you watch ‘Legends’ with JBL that the WWE Network cancelled, I’m furious about that—but that segment got the real Razor and the real Diesel huge pay raises because WCW actually thought they were going to go back to WWE on Monday Night Raw. The worst segment in the history of television, not just Monday Night Raw, but television. It was in Philadelphia of all places, sports capital of the freaking world. It was me, Trish Stratus and JBL against Jackie Gayda & Christopher Nowinski. Trish actually mentioned this in her Hall of Fame speech and she looked at me and laughed. That was the worst segment in the history of television.”

H/T WrestleZone for the transcriptions

WWE Possibly Reuniting The Club, Changing the Women’s Division

WWE will be having a Superstar Shake-Up next week. PWInsider.com is reporting that WWE is currently considering the idea of moving AJ Styles to Raw so that he could reunite with Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson. It has also been suggested that Gallows and Anderson move over to Smackdown and having The Club reunite on the Blue Brand.

On a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer speculated that Alexa Bliss and Charlotte may switch brands during next week’s Superstar Shake-Up. PWInsider is reporting that was an actual pitch made last week. Sasha Banks has also been rumored to switch from Raw to Smackdown.

Corey Graves Did Not Know The Hardys Were Returning To WWE

WWE tried their best to keep the Hardys return a secret at Wrestlemania 33. Corey Graves was asked by a fan on Twitter to describe his reaction when he found out the Hardys were coming back to WWE. Graves responded with the following:

You heard it live. I found out when all of you did. https://t.co/FfPaq1aelh

— Corey Graves (@WWEGraves) April 6, 2017

• The Hardys Return To WWE, Win RAW Tag Team Titles

Graves Admits He Was Wrong

Last week during an episode of “Bring It To The Table”, Raw announcer Corey Graves stated that he had no interest in the match between Shane McMahon and AJ Styles at Wrestlemania 33. Today, Graves admitted he was wrong and praised the match on Twitter.

It's not often I admit to eating crow, but @shanemcmahon & @AJStylesOrg tore it down @Wrestlemania!#SDLive #BringItToTheTable

— Corey Graves (@WWEGraves) April 5, 2017

Cena Hypes Second Season of American Grit

Get ready for Camp @AmericanGritFOX, June 11 on FOX! A group of military experts will join me on #AmericanGrit to change people's lives. pic.twitter.com/FBS0FrvOeF

— John Cena (@JohnCena) April 5, 2017

John Cena is hyping the second season of “American Grit” on Fox. The new season on premieres on June 11th and below is the trailer released by Fox. Cena will also begin filming his new film “The Pact” in Atlanta on April 19th.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K65Oqs0VscQ

WWE, ESPN & Hot 97’s own Peter Rosenberg and RAW announcer Corey Graves took to Facebook on Tuesday to reveal new WWE-inspired footwear apparel from PUMA. The line of limited edition gear will launch in select Foot Locker stores to celebrate WrestleMania 33. The new collection has been exclusively curated by Rosenberg.

The new collection of Puma products is designed by Alexander John, featuring exclusive art of six WWE legends: “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, The Ultimate Warrior, “Macho Man” Randy Savage, Ric Flair, André the Giant and The Undertaker.

The collection includes 600 pairs of WWE-inspired white Puma Clydes (100 pairs per legend) in custom boxes. Additionally, 23 pairs of black Puma Clydes will be sold, touting Undertaker imagery and packaged in a collectible casket. The WWE legends will also be featured on exclusive Puma T-shirts.

“I’ve been a fan of WWE forever and am also an avid sneakerhead, so having the opportunity to curate this line exclusively for Foot Locker is incredibly special,” said Rosenberg. “WWE has an amazing following and sneaker culture just keeps growing; I know this product will get a crazy response from that community.”

The collection is slated to hit stores on Saturday, April 1, one day before WrestleMania.

AJ Styles appears to be on a WrestleMania collision course with SmackDown commissioner Shane McMahon, but one person who is not a fan of this matchup is Corey Graves. During Monday night’s Bring it to the Table episode, no topic was off limits – including WWE booking.

In particular, Graves said, “The prospect of AJ Styles vs. Shane McMahon does absolutely nothing for me.”

The comments by Graves echo the sentiment from many WWE fans who worry that a match with Shane McMahon will not provide the excitement that an AJ Styles WM match with another opponent would. Graves continued that what fans remember about Shane McMahon matches are one big spot, such as diving off the Hell in a Cell, whereas AJ Styles is more about complete match.

“AJ Styles is an artist, he can give you a full bell-to-bell experience,” Graves added.

Watch #BringItToTheTable RIGHT NOW on the award-winning @WWENetwork! @Rosenbergradio @WWEGraves @JCLayfield pic.twitter.com/q3xNHglGA6

— WWE (@WWE) March 14, 2017

Honesty on WWE Network Shows

Graves’ comments continue a noticeable trend of superstars coming out of character and making honest comments about the company on shows like Talking Smack and Bring it to the Table.

Daniel Bryan hinted on a recent episode of Talking Smack that when his contract is up in 18 months he may be leaving the company in order to go somewhere which will allow him to wrestle. Whether such comments are being encouraged or if Daniel Bryan and/or Corey Graves are taking a risk by pushing the envelope on their own is currently not known.

– This week’s WWE Main Event episode features Titus O’Neil and The Shining Stars vs. The New Day, plus Bo Dallas vs. Sin Cara. It’s available now on Hulu.

– RAW announcer Corey Graves will be replacing WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler at the Big Event Convention in Queens on March 4th. If you’ve pre-ordered Lawler items to be signed at the convention, you can email newwrestling@yahoo.com for an exchange or refund. This will be Graves first convention appearance.

– According to WWE, 52,020 fans were in attendance at this year’s Royal Rumble pay-per-view from the Alamodome. In 1997, the Rumble played the same venue to 60,477 fans.

– Watch the Bella Twins open gifts from their fans and admirers in this new video from their YouTube channel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IzrD6SfV7ag

Ford has a new commercial and it features The Rock.

I partner with brands I trust and people I believe in. Proud of the work our @Ford service people are putting in. #Ambassador #FordService pic.twitter.com/A5pHnR2MlK

— Dwayne Johnson (@TheRock) February 1, 2017

Corey Graves praised the WWE behind the scenes crew for their hard work during a very busy week. There was NXT Takeover, Royal Rumble, Raw and Smackdown four days in a row. Graves took to Twitter to acknowledge their efforts.

Just wanna send a shout out to our amazing @WWE crew BEHIND the cameras, who worked harder than anybody this week! #respect #homestretch

— Corey Graves (@WWEGraves) February 1, 2017

Wrestling LAD has been uploading a series of videos of people reacting to Roman Reigns coming out at number 30 at the Royal Rumble. Below are three more videos of people flipping out.

https://twitter.com/WrestlingLAD/status/826837418699546627

https://twitter.com/WrestlingLAD/status/826652976651571200

https://twitter.com/WrestlingLAD/status/826590770182356993

Michael Cole recently spoke with ESPN and major praise for Corey Graves, calling him WWE’s next JBL or Jerry Lawler on commentary. “We knew he was gonna be good, I just didn’t know he was gonna be this good, this fast,” Cole said of Graves. “We gave him a chance and he really worked hard at it. This didn’t come to him easy. He put a lot of time in at the Performance Center, and hours and hours of work.”

“We put him on Raw, and he took off. He’s the new guy, he’s the new heel. He’s the next JBL, the next Jerry Lawler,” Cole continued. “He’s got a unique presence, he’s got sarcasm and he’s got wit, and he also has the experience of being in the ring, being a former NXT tag team champion. He has everything. A good looking young kid – he’s the future of what we do here.”

Cole also revealed that he’s been trying to get Nigel McGuinness in WWE for some time. Cole will be calling the upcoming WWE UK Championship two-night tournament with Nigel and William Regal. “I cannot wait. I’ve been trying to get Nigel here for a long time,” Cole told ESPN. “And this just worked out to be the perfect venue to bring him aboard. He’s gonna start his career off as part of this tournament, but he’s gonna be with WWE full time going forward. “We have a lot of plans for Nigel, and I think fans are going to be excited seeing what he has coming in his career. There’s not a better person to be able to do this.”

Cole also defended the three-man booth, saying it brings out his best.

“I know a lot of critics don’t like a three-man booth, but I enjoy it,” Cole added. “The main reason is because it allows me to be right down the middle. I can just be an unbiased play-by-play guy, and let Corey have his views, and Byron have his views, and they can go back and forth and debate and argue with each other while I can just do what I do, which is call a match and tell stories.

“That’s why I like the three-man booth. I think sometimes when you’re in a two-man booth, I get bogged down having to be the good guy a little bit too much, or the bad guy as it used to be. It’s tough that way, but just having that straight play-by-play guy to tell your stories, be unbiased, and have your two guys playing off each other, it’s perfect.”

You can read the full interview with Cole by clicking here.

WWE Smackdown (11/29)

This week’s episode of Smackdown kicked off with Renee Young in the ring. Alexa Bliss and Becky Lynch joined her in the ring for a contract signing for their Smackdown Women’s Championship match this Sunday at WWE TLC. Alexa Bliss told Renee Young to get out of the ring. Bliss also scolded Renee for her fashion choices. Becky Lynch then compared Alexa to her four year old cousin. Bliss continued to insult Becky Lynch and they both signed the contract. After they both signed it, they brawled in the ring. Lynch hit the Becksplex on Alexa Bliss. Alexa then fought back and shoved Becky through a table off of the turnbuckle.

Reaction: I thought this promo was really good. Becky Lynch can be a bit of adventure on the microphone but tonight she did a good job. Alexa Bliss is excellent on the microphone and her facial expressions are hilarious. I find this feud to be much more interesting than the one between Charlotte and Sasha Banks on Raw.

.@AlexaBliss_WWE blocks @BeckyLynchWWE's #Bexploder, and sends the Champ crashing through the table! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/gbOh4XYeVU

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Dolph Ziggler & Kalisto vs Baron Corbin & The Miz

Corbin dominated the match early and threw Ziggler out of the ring. The Miz was then tagged in and he immediately grabbed a ladder from under the ring. Ziggler got up and connected with a DDT on The Miz outside the ring. Ziggler then hit Corbin with a Superkick. Back in the ring, Ziggler tagged in Kalisto. The Miz hit Kalisto with a boot to the face and dove outside the ring onto Ziggler. Miz then launched Ziggler into the barricade surroinding the ring.

Kalisto then dove onto Corbin outside the ring. Ziggler hit a Superkick on The Miz as he was lying on the ring apron. Maryse shoved the ladder into Ziggler’s face. Kalisto landed the Salida del Sol on The Miz in the ring. Before the referee could count to three, Baron Corbin nailed Kalisto in the back with a chair. The referee then disqualified The Miz and Baron Corbin.

Winners via DQ: Dolph Ziggler & Kalisto

Reaction: This was a quick match but it served a purpose. Ziggler will be facing The Miz in a ladder match for the IC Title on Sunday. Corbin will be squaring off with Kalisto in a chairs match at TLC. Both the ladder and a chair came into play during this match. I like it when things make sense, don’t you?

.@BaronCorbinWWE, you can't do that until Sunday at #WWETLC! @HEELZiggler & @KalistoWWE win by DQ! #SDLive pic.twitter.com/IDPvwvv19j

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

American Alpha were interviewed backstage about their match tonight versus Bray Wyatt and Randy Orton. Gable and Jordan stated that they will prove again tonight why they are the best team in the WWE.

Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton and Luke Harper were then shown backstage. Orton interrupted Wyatt and questioned Luke Harper. Orton asked Harper if he was going to do what needs to be done tonight against Kane. Harper looked aggravated and Wyatt instructed Harper to go send Kane back to hell. There is obviously some friction between Harper and Orton. I do not believe that Harper is completely sold on Orton joining the Wyatt Family.

"Harper … go send @KaneWWE back to HELL!" – @WWEBrayWyatt #SDLive #WyattFamily pic.twitter.com/GLnJn5MvrR

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Carmella came down to the ring for a match but that never happened. Carmella gave a special message to John Cena. Carmella apologized for what she will do to his girlfriend, Nikki Bella at TLC. Carmella claimed that she was going to rearranged Nikki’s “Bella twins” and her face as well. Nikki Bella came sprinting from backstage and attacked Carmella. The referee seperated them and that allowed Carmella to haul off and slap Nikki in the face. Nikki then got up and continued the assault on Carmella.

"@JohnCena, I want to publicly apologize for what I'm going to do to your girlfriend [at #WWETLC]." – @CarmellaWWE #SDLive pic.twitter.com/lNqKBBw8PB

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Ambrose Asylum w/ Dean Ambrose

Dean Ambrose introduced James Ellsworth as his first guest on the Ambrose Asylum. An “Ellsworth!” chant broke out amongst the crowd. Ambrose poked fun at Ellsworth’s old wrestling boots. Ellsworth thanked Ambrose for helping him become an official WWE Superstar. Ellsworth stated that if Ambrose ever needed anything he would do it. Ambrose asked Ellsworth to wash his car, do his laundry and pick him up a six-pack and some candy for later.

Ambrose asked Ellsworth who he will be rooting for this Sunday at TLC. Ellsworth stated that it would be an honor to wrestle Dean Ambrose for the WWE World Championship. AJ Styles interrupted the party and stood on the announce table. Styles poked fun at Ellsworth and called him a dummy. Ambrose stated that Styles had then lost to a dummy three times.

Styles got in the ring and claimed that he was tired of Ambrose making him out to be a joke. Styles demanded respect and claimed that he was going to beat the hell out of Ambrose at TLC. Styles dared Ellsworth to show up during his match againt Ambrose at TLC. Ambrose claimed that Styles was weak mentally. Ambrose stated that this Sunday the fun and games were over. Ambrose went on to state that he will recapture the WWE World Championship at TLC.

Styles pushed Ellsworth into Ambrose who fell into a ladder. AJ then whipped Ellsworth into a table and smashed Dean Ambrose with the steel steps. Styles returned to the ring and beatdown Ellsworth. Styles hit Ellsworth with a ladder and then tossed him out of the ring. Ellsworth’s feet got caught up in the bottom rope and Styles hit him with a steel chair. AJ then hit the Styles Clash on Ellsworth off of the steps onto the floor outside the ring.

Reaction: Finally, Styles got the upper hand on Ellsworth and Ambrose. I find Ellsworth to be very entertaining but I’m not really interested in seeing him in the WWE World Championship picture. Having said that, this was a very good promo. There has only been one match in the first hour and fifteen minutes of tonight’s Smackdown. Usually that would annoy me but tonight’s promos have all ended in brawls.

"@AJStylesOrg has just delivered the MOTHER OF ALL #StylesClashes to @RealEllsworth!" – @MauroRanallo#SDLive #WWETLC pic.twitter.com/KKihIY7zO4

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Luke Harper vs Kane

Kane and Harper tied up to begin the match. Kane shoved Harper down and Harper got back up and they locked up again. Harper bounced off of the ropes and hit a couple of shoulder blocks but Kane was not phased. Kane then leveled Harper. Luke Harper got back up and hit Kane with a series of uppercuts. Kane once again shrugged them off and came right back at Harper. Smackdown went to a commercial break with Luke Harper outside the ring with a shocked look on his face.

When Smackdown returned, Harper was in control of the match and had a Chinlock applied to Kane in the center of the ring. Kane battled out of the Chinlock and hit a Jawbreaker. Kane went for a Chokeslam but Harper blocked it and kicked Kane in the head. Harper went for a pinfall but Kane kicked out at two. Kane fought back and connected with a DDT on Harper. Kane followed it up with a Sidewalk Slam and went for a pin but Harper kicked out. Harper battled back and hit Kane with a Dropkick to the ribs. Kane was affected and hunched over in the corner. Harper leaped on him twice and connected with a couple of shots to the ribs. Harper then then climbed to the second turnbuckle and hit Kane with a couple of punches.

Kane fought out of the corner by hitting a Powerbomb on Harper. Kane once again went for the Chokeslam but Harper grabbed the rope. Harper connected with a Sidewalk Slam of his own but Kane kicked out once again. Kane slammed Harper to the mat and climbed to the top rope. Kane went for a Clothesline off of the top rope but Harper ducked it and drilled Kane with a Superkick. Kane once again powered out of the pinfall at two. Harper then climbed to the top rope but Kane got up and punched him in the face. Kane then joined Harper on the turnbuckle and connected with a massive Superplex to Harper.

Both men slowly got back to their feet and began to trade punches. Kane blocked a punch by Harper and grabbed his throat. Kane then connected with a Chokeslam and picked up the victory.

Winner: Kane

Reaction: When you think of Kane versus Luke Harper it doesn’t sound like it would be a good match. This match was actually quite good. The announcers made a comment after the match that Bray Wyatt will not be happy with Luke Harper following this loss to Kane. I’m intrigued with the Wyatt Family storyline right now. It appears that Harper may be on his way out and Orton will be replacing him. I’m curious if this will wind up with Orton turning his back on Bray after he has already destroyed the Wyatt Family from the inside. I do not really know where they are going with this and that is a good thing. Luke Harper has always been one of the more underrated Superstars on the roster. I wouldn’t mind seeing him in the Intercontinental Championship picture and having a single’s run of his own. Harper can work well with almost any male Superstar on the Smackdown roster. I think if you put him up against someone like Baron Corbin they would put on some very physical and entertaining matches.

#CHOKESLAM by @KaneWWE!!! ONE TWO THREE!! #SDLive @LukeHarperWWE pic.twitter.com/46nPuNNTqZ

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

Smackdown Tag Team #1 Contenders Match: Randy Orton & Bray Wyatt vs American Alpha

Randy Orton and Jason Jordan started out the match. Jordan went on the offensive to start things off. The WWE cut to Slater and Rhyno watching the match from backstage. This was humorous because the television screen they were watching was black for a second and essentially Slater and Rhyno were staring at nothing.

Bray Wyatt entered the match and Jordan went to jump onto him but Wyatt ducked and Jordan went flying into the ropes. Bray tagged in Orton and he continued the assault on Jordan. Gable tagged himself in and immediately connected with a Crossbody off the top rope on Orton. Gable climbed to the top rope again but Wyatt knocked him to the outside of the ring and Smackdown went to a commercial break.

When Smackdown returned, Wyatt and Gable were in the ring. Wyatt hit Gable with a DDT on the ring apron. Wyatt then went for a pin but Gable kicked out at two. Orton then entered the match and applied a Chinlock to Gable. Orton hit a Powerslam on Gable and once again went for a pinfall but it was unsuccessful. Orton tagged in Wyatt and Gable connected with a Dropkick then sent Bray to the mat. Gable tried to tag in Jordan but Bray got up and punched Jordan off of the ring apron.

Bray mounted Gable on the mat and punched him in the face several times. Orton was tagged back in and propped Gable up on the top rope. Orton connected with a Superplex on Gable. Jason Jordan and Bray Wyatt were then tagged in. Jordan leveled Wyatt with an overhead Belly to Belly Suplex. Chad Gable hit Orton with a Cannonball off of the ring apron. Back in the ring, Jordan hit a German Suplex on Bray Wyatt.

The lights then went out and Luke Harper was ringside. Bray went for the Sister Abigail but Gable prevented it. American Alpha then went for the Grand Amplitude but Orton hit Gable with an RKO out of nowhere. Jordan went to hit Bray with a Spear but Harper pulled Bray out of the way. Wyatt then hit the Sister Abigail on Jordan for the victory. Wyatt and Orton will now face Slater and Rhyno at TLC this Sunday. Slater and Rhyno were interviewed backstage but AJ Styles interrupted. Styles stated that nobody cared about the Tag Team titles. Ambrose then appeared out of nowhere and attacked Styles and Smackdown went off the air.

Reaction: This was a very solid match to close out a good episode of Smackdown. It appears that Harper and Orton are back to getting along for now. Tonight’s episode was promo-heavy but they all were effective. TLC is shaping up to be an exciting show and I cannot wait to watch it on Sunday.

Winners & #1 Contenders For The Smackdown Tag Team Championships: Randy Orton & Bray Wyatt

#SisterAbigail!! The #WyattFamily is going to #WWETLC to face @HeathSlaterOMRB and @Rhyno313!! #1Contender pic.twitter.com/telCi0c0T9

— WWE (@WWE) November 30, 2016

205 Live (11/29)

Austin Aries and Corey Graves joined Mauro Ranallo on commentary. All of the Superstars on 205 Live were on the entrance ramp and they were introduced to the WWE Universe. A vignette for the Bollywood Boyz was then shown.

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803797913251917824

Bollywood Boyz vs Drew Gulak & Tony Nese

Harv and Gurv Sihra started out the match on the offensive. Tony Nese was laid out by both of them but was able battle back and tag in Gulak. For the next few minutes, Gulak dominated the match. Nese was tagged back in and he continued the assault on the Bollywood Boyz. Gulak got back into the match and maintained control of the match.

Nese got back in the match and he applied a Chinlock to one of the Bollywood Boyz. Harv battled out of the Chinlock and connected with a Neckbreaker. Harv tagged in Gurv and he hut Gulak with several chops and a kick to the face. The Bollywood Boyz hit a double Superkick on Drew Gulak for the pinfall victory.

Winners: The Bollywood Boyz

Reaction: Not the best way to start off the debut episode of 205 Live. There were some cool spots in this match but overall it was very clunky.

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803800282756878338

TJ Perkins and Brian Kendrick had a confrontation. Perkins stated that he is still owed a rematch and that he wants Kendrick to retain the Cruiserweight Championship tonight. Perkins wants Kendrick to keep the belt so he can get his rematch and take the title away from him.

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803801771600580608

Ariya Daivari vs Jack Gallagher

Gallagher started out this match extremely cocky and applied a few submission holds to Daivari while posing for the crowd. Daivari battled back and but Gallagher escaped his Headlock. Gallagher did a handstand on the top turnbuckle and then took Daivari down. Gallagher then tied Daivari up in a knot in the center of the ring and taunted him from the corner. Gallagher then hit him with a running kick and Daivari escaped the knot.

Daivari connected with a Neckbreaker on Gallagher and slapped him in the face a couple of times. Daivari applied a Chinlock but Gallagher fought out of it and connected with a couple of Dropkicks. Gallagher then headbutted Daivari and hit him with a Dropkick in the corner for the victory.

Winner: Jack Gallagher

Reaction: This match was bizarre and entertaining. Jack Gallagher may look ridiculous but he is fun to watch. The main positive to take from this match is that Gallagher was able to get the crowd into it. That is something that has escaped the Cruiserweight division when it is featured on Monday Night Raw.

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803803266274369537

Cruiserweight Championship Match: Brian Kendrick (c) vs Rich Swann

Kendrick started off the match in control. Swann battled back and hit a Dropkick. Kendrick kicked out of a pinfall and Swann applied a Chinlock. Kendrick reversed the Chinlock into a German Suplex. Kendrick attacked Swann in the corner but Swann fought back and connected with several chops to the chest of Kendrick.

Swann landed a Tiger Bomb on Kendrick and Kendrick rolled out of the ring. Swann followed him out of the ring and hit a Summersault Clothesline off of the barricade. The action returned to the ring and Kendrick connected with another German Suplex. Kendrick then hit a Neckbreaker and Swann’s head hit the top turnbuckle. Swann then fell out of the ring and to the floor.

Swann was able to get back in the ring before the referee counted him out. Kendrick immediately hit him with a Suplex. Kendrick went for the Captain’s Hook but Swann blocked it. Swann then connected with a Michinoku Driver on Kendrick. Swann followed it up with a kick to the face of Kendrick. Swann went for the Standing 450 but Kendrick got his knees up and then locked in the Captain’s Hook.

Swann was able to reach the bottom rope and the crowd cheered him on. Both men were on the top turnbuckle and Kendrick bit Swann’s wrist and hit Sliced Bread. Swann kicked out and the crowd started to chant “this is awesome!”. Swannt connected with three spinning heel kicks in a row and pinned Kendrick for the victory.

After the match, Swann thanked his mother that has passed away and dedicated the match to her. Kendrick was also interviewed on the entrance ramp. Kendrick blamed the loss on TJ Perkins for playing mind games with him earlier in the night. Kendrick also stated that the WWE Universe should not get used to Swann as the Cruiserweight Champion. Kendrick vowed to get his title back and walked away.

Winner & New Cruiserweight Champion: Rich Swann

https://twitter.com/WWE205Live/status/803809979639558144

Reaction: 205 Live started off slow but picked up momentum and wound up being a pretty decent show. I thought the match between Kendrick and Swann was very good. I hope that the Cruiserweight division gets some more time on Monday Night Raw as a result of this show but I doubt that will be the case. Overall, both Smackdown and 205 Live were good shows tonight.

What did you think of this week’s episodes of Smackdown and 205 Live? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.

ECW originals Taz, Tommy Dreamer, The Dudley Boyz and Paul Heyman himself were backstage at Tuesday’s SmackDown 900 from Wilkes-Barre, PA. Accoridng to Taz, they filmed something “very cool” for the WWE Network.

It appears Corey Graves will be hosting the project as he tweeted the following:

Honored to be part of a great project today for @WWENetwork. #ECW@bullyray5150 @HeymanHustle @OfficialTAZ @TestifyDVon @THETOMMYDREAMER

— Corey Graves (@WWEGraves) November 16, 2016

You can check out a video from Taz and a photo from Dreamer below:

https://twitter.com/OfficialTAZ/status/798688821709770753

No matter where I was, you were always there for me, never let me down & the only time me & @bullyray5150 are ever happy We luv u #SDLive900 pic.twitter.com/0TYOLPHcCk

— Tommy Dreamer (@THETOMMYDREAMER) November 16, 2016

– As reported, it’s now confirmed that Team Smackdown’s Survivor Series team will consist of Dean Ambrose, Baron Corbin, Bray Wyatt, Randy Orton, and World Champion AJ Styles. RAW will include Chris Jericho, Braun Strowman, United States Champion Roman Reigns, Universal Champion Kevin Owens, and one more name yet to be announced. Heated exchanges have already gone down in social media between the brands, as seen below:

Hahah I can’t believe @WWEDanielBryan picked @baroncorbinwwe & @TheDeanAmbrose for #SmackDownLIVE Survivor Series team! What a #STUPIDIDIOT!

— Chris Jericho (@IAmJericho) November 2, 2016

Is "retirement" on your list? Because it should be. https://t.co/lTlO1pR0pl

— Tom (@TomPestock) November 2, 2016

– As seen on Tuesday, Curt Hawkins was defeated in just about five seconds by WWE Intercontinental Champion Dolph Ziggler on Smackdown. In addition to suffering a humiliating loss, WWE screwed up Hawkins’ name on the screen during his entrance, as seen below:

Before he goes to bed at night Chuck Noris checks under his bed for Curt Hawkins #FaceTheFacts #SDLive pic.twitter.com/CInHn7Q4ml

— Tim White (@HeelTimWhite) November 2, 2016

– As was reported yesterday, WWE announced a new cruiserweight series set to debut on November 29th following Smackdown. The new show titled “205 Live” will air weekly on the WWE Network, and will feature Mauro Ranallo and Corey Graves on commentary. Mauro commented that both he and Graves will maintain their roles on their respective main roster brands, but this is why the duo were chosen to provide commentary on the six man match last Sunday at Hell in a Cell.

https://twitter.com/mauroranallo/status/793860938118012928
https://twitter.com/mauroranallo/status/793861270663409664

– “Ultimate Warrior: A Life Lived ‘Forever’ won an award for Best Biography at the 2016 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards. They included this blurb on their announcement:

“Here, for the first time, the complete legend of The Ultimate Warrior is told in full. Filled with intense action and little-known details, ULTIMATE WARRIOR: A LIFE LIVED FOREVER is a celebration of the Superstar who left an inimitable mark on WWE and redefined sports entertainment for generations.”

– As seen below, Dolph Ziggler is currently in Cleveland for the Republican National Convention. It appears he’s providing coverage for both WWE and FOX Business’ Kennedy Nation program. Ziggler tweeted the following from Cleveland:

https://twitter.com/HEELZiggler/status/755086846208647168

– Corey Graves will be back looking at WWE stars’ tattoos this Thursday as Superstar Ink returns to the WWE website. Below is a new promo for the show:

Get ready, because a NEW season of #SuperstarInk with @WWEGraves premieres THIS THURSDAY on https://t.co/wNpELtT99X! https://t.co/l0fIeY0umF

— WWE (@WWE) July 18, 2016

– Nikki and Brie Bella announced on Tuesday that they’re on the cover of the new new Latina Magazine. Here are some photos from the shoot:

We are so honored & happy to share with you our cover of @latina Magazine! B&N #BellaTwinsOnLatina pic.twitter.com/K5ipzRaBXC

— Nikki & Brie (@NikkiAndBrie) June 28, 2016

Check out the article and more photos here at @Latina .com 💋💪🏽 B&N #BellaTwinsOnLatina https://t.co/j3jSEukRiR pic.twitter.com/NPfNGfYqqV

— Nikki & Brie (@NikkiAndBrie) June 28, 2016

– After being cut by WWE after 30 years of service last month, The Brooklyn Brawler is now working indies. Here he is making his Legendary Action Wrestling debut this past weekend:

https://twitter.com/NYCPublishings/status/747222192564244480

– Crossfit athlete Bianca Blair, now using the name Binky Blair, introduced herself to NXT fans at a house show in Cocoa this weekend. Below is a photo from her debut:

Cocoa Beach was amazing tonight! So happy and honored to introduce myself! BIANCA BLAIR The StrongEST. The PrettiEST. The ToughEST. EST of NXT. #nxtcocoa #wwe #wwenxt Thanks for the pictures! #photocred

A photo posted by Bianca Binky Blair (@binkyinthehouse) on Jun 25, 2016 at 9:34pm PDT

– Dana Brooke is reportedly expected to continue receiving a push as she has support from WWE officials, including new main roster writer Ryan Ward, who recently came up from NXT.

– Corey Graves looks at WWE returns that “blew us away” in this new video:

– After defeating Zack Ryder to qualify for MITB on this week’s Smackdown, Alberto Del Rio spoke to Tom Phillips on why he has an advantage going into this year’s ladder match. Video is below:

– A new WWE Network Collection will be released in June. “The Rise of John Cena” will look at Cena’s debut against Kurt Angle through the WWE Championship win over JBL.

– Corey Graves tweeted the following and added to the speculation that announcers may be included in the upcoming WWE Draft. We already know there will be dual announce teams at PPV events and there are rumors of SmackDown having a more sportslike identity. Many believe Graves and Mauro Ranallo would be a perfect fit for Tuesday nights.

One of these days Mauro, you'll realize that I'm a genius….How does Tuesday sound? https://t.co/HVQDT1WTEv

— Corey Graves (@WWEGraves) May 27, 2016

– The new voice of WWE SmackDown on the USA Network, Mauro Ranallo, spoke with WWE.com for a “SmackDown Fallout” post-show interview. In the brief backstage interview, which you can view above via WWE’s official YouTube channel, Ranallo talks about it being a dream 30 years in the making to call a show for WWE.

– Speaking of announcers, the new NXT announce team of Tom Phillips and Corey Graves made their official debut at the NXT television tapings at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida on Thursday night.

– Vince McMahon posted the following on Twitter on Friday morning to congratulate The Rock on winning the Favorite Cable TV Actor Award at this year’s People’s Choice Awards.

Congratulations to the People's Champ @TheRock on his People's Choice Award pic.twitter.com/jetBKxJYNT

— Vince McMahon (@VinceMcMahon) January 8, 2016

• (NEW: Jan. 7): Ronda Rousey Wearing NOTHING But Body Paint!

– The Thanksgiving edition of “This Week In WWE History,” which you can check out above, features Corey Graves and Kyle Edwards looking at a “Turkey-On-A-Pole Match” featuring Team Sgt. Slaughter vs. Team Larry Zbyszko from the AWA.

– WWE’s official website has confirmed Apollo Crews vs. Baron Corbin for the NXT TakeOver: London show on December 16th. They are billing the match as a battle of two of NXT’s hottest prospects.

– WWE taped the following matches on Tuesday evening in Indianapolis, Indiana for tonight’s Thanksgiving edition of WWE SmackDown:

* The Dudley Boyz vs. Erick Rowan and Braun Strowman
* Paige vs. Becky Lynch
* The First Annual New Day Potluck Dinner
* Jack Swagger vs. WWE United States Champion Alberto Del Rio in a non-title match
* The Lucha Dragons vs. Big E and Kofi Kingston with The Gobbledy Gooker in a non-title match
* Dean Ambrose vs. Tyler Breeze vs. Dolph Ziggler in an Intercontinental Title #1 Contenders Triple Threat

• Video: Emotional Footage Of Ronda Rousey’s Family Watching Her Get KO’d

– Featured above is the latest “This Week In WWE” video with Corey Graves and Kyle Edwards. In honor of “The Undertaker Week” on the WWE Network, Graves and Edwards look back at The Undertaker’s WWE debut at Survivor Series 1990.

– WWE taped the following matches on Tuesday night in Knoxville, Tennessee for tonight’s WWE Survivor Series “go-home” edition of SmackDown.

* Cesaro vs. The Miz
* Neville and The Dudley Boyz vs. Stardust and The Ascension
* Tyler Breeze vs. Zack Ryder
* Charlotte vs. Brie Bella
* Big E. vs. Kalisto
* Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens and Alberto Del Rio

– WWE Hall Of Famer “Stone Cold” Steve Austin interviews longtime WWE director Kerwin Silfies on the latest edition of his “Steve Austin Show – Unleashed!” podcast, which is available right now at PodcastOne.com. The official description for the episode reads as follows:

“Steve Austin is giving you a true behind-the-scenes look at WWE with longtime director Kerwin Silfies. Kerwin’s talking about what it takes to do three hours of live RAW every Monday night, what goes into Wrestlemania, why he sat with the audience at Wrestlemania 1 at MSG, and he’s got some great stories about working with Gorilla Monsoon, Bobby Heenan, Jesse Ventura, and Vince McMahon himself! He’s even got a couple of tales about Stone Cold!”

• Ronda Rousey Makes First Statement Since Losing: How Is She? What’s Her Plans?

– Featured above is the latest edition of WWE’s “This Week In WWE History” YouTube show. This week, hosts Corey Graves and Kyle Edwards look back at the episode of WWE SmackDown in 1999 where Arnold Schwarzenegger and Triple H had their big altercation.

– At the WWE live event in Brighton, England on Wednesday, Hulk Hogan fans were reportedly handing out flyers outside of the arena for Hogan’s upcoming one-man show in Sheffield, England on November 14th.

– For the first time since his podcast debuted back in May, WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair has no guest on his latest show. Instead, the show is called “Ask Naitch!,” and like it suggests, the show features Flair answering questions submitted from fans. You can download Ric Flair’s latest “Woooo! Nation” podcast at Play.it.

• Ronda Rousey Getting Heat For Controversial Sex Comments, Rousey Responds

– In an update from yesterday’s WWE SmackDown television taping in Manchester, England, it appears that The Undertaker and King Barrett segment in the middle of the show was actually a dark segment for the live crowd. As noted, the segment began with Barrett talking about the Wayne Rooney incident from RAW and ended with The Undertaker coming out and hitting him with a Tombstone piledriver.

– As noted, Triple H and Corey Graves recently appeared as Christopher Nowinski’s Concussion Legacy Foundation’s 8th annual Impact Awards in Boston, Mass. and presented the foundation with a check. That check was for $1.5 million. You can check out photos from the event at WWE.com.

– WWE and James Storm are still hyping the former TNA stars’ NXT debut and teasing his eventual return. Storm and the official NXT account tweeted the following this week:

Will we ever stop talking about @JamesStormBrand's shocking @WWENXT debut? Doubtful. #SorryAboutYourDamnLuck #WWENXThttps://t.co/2UmF0MZETw

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) November 10, 2015

https://twitter.com/JamesStormBrand/status/664203029202124800

• Ronda Rousey Getting Heat For Controversial Sexual Comments, Rousey Responds

.@WWEGraves met some unique characters at @NY_Comic_Con on #Culture Shock, only on the award-winning @WWENetwork! https://t.co/G9Em3m50y3

— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) October 30, 2015

– WWE posted a new preview for the latest edition of “Culture Shock” that features Corey Graves visiting the New York Comic Con. You can check out the video preview above.

– The booking agency that represents WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair announced via social media that he will be featured in an upcoming ESPN “30 For 30” special. They wrote the following on their official Facebook page:

“We named this company Legacy Talent because it’s our mission to help preserve the legacies that our clients have worked a lifetime to build. Yesterday we took a huge step in documenting Ric Flair’s legacy by starting to shoot his 30 for 30 ESPN Film. We are honored to work with such a prestigious group on a project we are so passionate about! ?#?Flair30for30? ?#?ComingSoon?”

– The Thursday, October 29th Halloween edition of WWE SmackDown drew 2.171 million viewers, down from the previous week’s 2.204 million viewers.

• PHOTO: Former UFC Star Teaching Striking Techniques To WWE Diva!

– As noted, Triple H and Corey Graves apparently filmed with Lemmy of the band Motorhead on Tuesday. It looks like the band may be playing at NXT Takeover: London on December 16th. Triple H posted the following teaser today:

BIG NEWS for #NXTLoud and @WWENXT #NXTTakeOver: London coming from meeting with Lemmy yesterday… #StayTuned

— Triple H (@TripleH) October 28, 2015

– Adam Rose posted the following on Twitter regarding the passing of his sister. Rose is in South Africa for the first time in five years for her funeral.

pic.twitter.com/wkye9kqIwe

— Aldo Rose (@Aegis_Rose) October 22, 2015

Good bye my sweet sister. pic.twitter.com/6cvsSTzxBF

— Aldo Rose (@Aegis_Rose) October 22, 2015

First time back in South Africa in 5 years! Sad it's under these circumstances.

— Aldo Rose (@Aegis_Rose) October 28, 2015

My sister was a role model who spent her life trying to help others deal with there own demons! pic.twitter.com/1GzmMUUY09

— Aldo Rose (@Aegis_Rose) October 28, 2015

– Adam Rose responded to a fan on Twitter today who wrote that NXT Superstar Tyler Breeze will become a “jobber” when he moves to WWE’s main roster, and that he will get “the Adam Rose treatment.” Rose replied to the fan, “Not at all, Tyler is gonna be a mega star! Mark my words.” As noted, Breeze is rumored to be joining the main roster imminently.

– WWE shot an angle during the RAW pre-show that saw co-hosts Corey Graves and David Otunga campaign for the job of “Director of Operations.” Prior to RAW, WWE announced that Corporate Kane was suspended this week and that if he loses to Seth Rollins at WWE Hell In A Cell this Sunday, he will be relieved of his job in The Authority permanently. The announcements led to Graves and Otunga campaigning for the spot throughout the pre-show, with both guys referencing it multiple times and airing campaign-style video packages. The fun continued on social media, as you can see via the following tweets.

GRAVES: "I'm going to be installed as new Director of Operations next week!" #GravesForDOO #RAWPreShow @WWEGraves pic.twitter.com/wLd07nKmm0

— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) October 19, 2015

The campaign by @WWEGraves and @DavidOtunga to be next @WWE Director of Operations is going full steam! #RawPreShow pic.twitter.com/9vXvdmvNvz

— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) October 19, 2015

The campaign by @WWEGraves and @DavidOtunga to be next @WWE Director of Operations is going full steam! #RawPreShow pic.twitter.com/tkBUou0oA2

— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) October 19, 2015

• CM Punk On CRAZY Internet Reaction To His Decision To Film w/ AJ Lee + UFC Debut DELAYED?!

– In Winter Haven, Florida last night Kenneth Crawford successfully cut his first WWE NXT live event promo. He made his debut in the ring a few weeks back during a battle royal. Crawford declared we were entering the “era of Ken” and that he was sent to NXT to clean it up on account of his military background. He took shots at NXT Champion Finn Balor, NXT Tag Team Champions The Vaudevillains and Tyler Breeze. Crawford is a United States Marine from North Carolina. He was signed to NXT back in April of this year with the rest of the new recruits. Crawford was a high school Athlete of the Year, however he has no wrestling experience.

– There may be a new agreement between WWE and Hulu as NXT Takeover specials are now available on the official Hulu website. The most recent “Takeover: Respect” special is already available.

– As noted earlier, Sunday would have been the 70th birthday of the late WWE Hall Of Famer, “The American Dream” Dusty Rhodes. In addition to Triple H acknowledging “The Dream’s” birthday on social media yesterday, Corey Graves tweeted this one out.

Tell someone you love them today. Remember the Dream, smile, & know that "you can't roller skate in a buffalo herd."#HappyBirthdayDusty

— Corey Graves (@WWEGraves) October 11, 2015

Tell someone you love them today. Remember the Dream, smile, & know that "you can't roller skate in a buffalo herd." #HappyBirthdayDusty

— Corey Graves (@WWEGraves) October 11, 2015

• Ronda Rousey Beefing With Justin Bieber Over Incident Between Bieber & Rousey’s Sister!

As previously noted WWE.com caught up with Sting following his match with Seth Rollins at WWE Night of Champions which left him injured and the WWE Universe concerned for his future.

Among a variety of topics including his injury, what happened after the match and if he’ll wrestle again, Sting was also full of praise for his opponent that night Seth Rollins.

What he has to say about competing against Seth Rollins:

“The biggest pleasure. I’m honored. After 30 years and working with some of the best and some of the greatest, [Rollins] is, I’m telling you, he’s got to be the best I’ve ever worked with. I mean, this guy has it. And I think he’s just scratching the surface on what he will do. I’ve never seen somebody as talented. He’s working two [matches] on Raw, two [matches] on the pay-per-view, he’s involved in every other segment and it’s physical. He’s got guys coming from every angle. There’s a lot on his plate. He’s carrying a lot, and he’s handling it. He’s proven he can do it. I’m just glad I had a chance to work with him. He’s the kind of guy who could be in there with a broomstick and make something very interesting happen, a match that people would love somehow.”

What they had to say to each other once the match was over:

Really, I can’t say enough. He poked his head in the ambulance and said, “Man, I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened.” I said, “Seth, don’t worry about it. It’s not your fault.” And he, for 15 minutes, he said, “I just wanted to tell you what an honor it was, what a pleasure. I can’t believe I had a chance to get in the ring with you and work with you. I was you for Halloween when I was a kid.” He was on and on about it, but man, this young guy, he doesn’t have any idea how much I appreciate being able to work with him.

Credit: WWE.com

– In other news, this coming Monday following RAW exclusively on the WWE Network fans will get a unique insight into the NXT panel from SummerSlam weekend in Brooklyn.

The panel which took place before NXT Takeover: Brooklyn features Triple H, Finn Balor, Sasha Banks, Kevin Owens, Corey Graves and Seth Rollins.