Bret Hart took part in a Q&A session on Twitter and Periscope this week to discuss a bunch of topics, including Hulk Hogan’s racism controversy, CM Punk’s WWE departure, the Hart Foundation and more. Here are some highlights:
– Kevin Owens is one of his favorite wrestler, period. He’s a hard worker, a great heel and looks like a wrestler. Bret doesn’t agree with people who say he’s fat. He’s stocky and solid and resembles great big men like Bam Bam Bigelow.
– Bret loves CM Punk and says wrestling hasn’t been the same since he left. He was the best of the last generation and raised the bar for everyone. He was innovative, had a great sense of psychology and stood up for all the right things. Punk did what needed to be done and Bret has nothing but respect for him.
– Bret hopes Hulk Hogan never returns to WWE. Hogan should stay in Tampa in his little world of idol worship of himself. He feels bad for Hulk because he doesn’t remember him being a racist, but in his experience, a vast majority of white southern wrestlers “tend to be a little racial all of the time” and the n-word was used frequently whenever there wasn’t a black guy in the room. He’s glad Hulk got busted.
– Roddy Piper was the guy he kept in touch with the most from his wrestling days and it’s very sad he’s gone. He talks to Steve Austin, CM Punk, the Bella Twins and Natalya & Tyson Kidd. Most of his friends from his era are gone.
– Bret thinks Cody Rhodes is the best technical wrestler today. He also put over Goldust. He likes Seth Rollins a lot, but can’t forgive him for breaking John Cena’s nose and said you can’t call yourself a great wrestler when you’re making big mistakes like that.
– He thinks The Sharpshooter is the best finisher in wrestling history.
– Bret named Tyson Kidd as a very underrated wrestler.
– His best match ever was the Iron Man Match with Shawn Michaels at WresteMania 12 and thinks his match with Steve Austin the following year was a “work of art.”
Kevin Owens spoke to Mike Jones from DC101 in Washington, DC this week to promote WWE’s live event this Sunday at the Eagle Bank Arena in Fairfax, VA. Here are some highlights of what KO said about:
Finn Balor & Samoa Joe Joining The Main Roster: “I think there’s a lot of people in NXT that are right on the cusp of being ready to come and make an impact on the main roster! Joe, Finn, Hideo Itami, when he’s healthy cause he’s still hurt right now, Enzo and Big Cass, who are probably my favorites in NXT right now, and that’s just to name a few.”
NXT Preparing you for WWE: “That’s the thing about NXT and the way they built NXT is it’s so good to get you ready for that moment. Triple H built it with that in mind, that once you get that opportunity you nail it and knock it out of the park. He did everything he could to make NXT basically a smaller version of RAW.”
Finally Making It To The Big Time In WWE: “It’s happened to me several times over the past few months and it still happens. I get in the elevator and it’s just me in the elevator, I’ll find myself staring at the reflection and thinking ‘How did you get here’ and it’s a way of reminding myself that this is what I’ve been waiting for forever.”
You can check out the whole interview at DC101.com.
While this should be taken strictly as rumor for now, and is a clear example of “card is subject to change,” the official Madison Square Garden website is listing the following lineup for the WWE event on October 3rd, which features Brock Lesnar and the live WWE Network special.
– WWE Champion/US Champion Seth Rollins vs. John Cena. (Cena is listed as U.S. Champion.)
– Randy Orton vs. Sheamus
– Dolph Ziggler vs. Rusev
– Kevin Owens vs. Cesaro
– Brock Lesnar with Paul Heyman in his first time in the Garden in over 10 years. No opponent listed.
– Chris Jericho (no opponent listed) and more of “your favorite WWE superstars”
– In addition to the NXT Tag-Team Championships, which as we reported earlier, changed hands from Blake & Murphy to The Vaudevillians, the NXT Women’s Championship also changed hands on Saturday night.
– In the co-main event of NXT Takeover: Brooklyn, which took place at the Barclays Center and aired live on the WWE Network on Saturday night, Bayley defeated Sasha Banks with a Bayley-to-belly suplex to become the new NXT Women’s Champion.
– In the main event of the evening, Finn Balor defeated Kevin Owens to retain his NXT Championship in the third of three title matches during the NXT Takeover: Brooklyn special.
– Finally, it was announced by Triple H that NXT will be traveling to the U.K. from December 10th until December 16th. Tickets for the shows will go on sale to the public in the near future.
Triple H, Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, Kevin Owens, Sasha Banks and Corey Graves held a fan panel at the practice court of the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York on Saturday morning to promote Saturday night’s NXT Takeover: Brooklyn event.
Below are some photos and highlights from Stephanie McMahon, Triple H and others.
NXT contracted performers have not been given bonuses based on working events with bigger gates outside of their usual shows at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. This includes those who worked the NXT event in San Jose, California during WrestleMania weekend, a show that drew over 5,000 paid.
The main reason WWE does not offer bonuses for these shows is because NXT live events and developmental in general are currently money losing businesses. Developmental loses money largely due to the fact that so many talents are under guaranteed contracts. Also, as a promotion, NXT only runs three live events locally in Florida, at the most, drawing 200-300 fans. They run the shows to give talent experience in front of a live crowd, and because there are no travel expenses for NXT talent working in Florida, the feeling is that they are being paid to learn.
It’s worth noting that when NXT talent are brought to WWE live events, they are paid for those shows and have their road expenses covered as well.
This Saturday’s NXT Takeover: Brooklyn event will have a live gate of around $700,000, which is an incredible accomplishment for the brand. The Finn Balor vs. Kevin Owens and Sasha Banks vs. Bayley title matches are the headlining attractions, and traditionally those involved would receive a bonus based on the gate, however that may not be the case with NXT Takeover: Brooklyn.
Owens is now on a main roster deal, and Balor’s deal is said to be different than the traditional developmental deals because he was already an established star in a major league promotion, so they will both likely receive bonuses of some kind for Saturday’s live special.
The real question is whether or not Banks and Bayley will receive bonuses. Banks may also be on a main roster deal now, and if that is the case, she would get a bonus as well. What this could mean is that Bayley could be the lone performer among the four in headlining spots that will not receive a bonus due to the fact that she is under a regular developmental deal.
– WWE Hall Of Famer Ric Flair is in town for WWE SummerSlam weekend. Flair is there primarily to watch his daughter Charlotte wrestle at SummerSlam, and apparently other members of the Flair family are also in town for the show. Former WCW star David Flair is among those from the Flair family that made the trip.
– WWE taped the following matches for tonight’s edition of WWE SmackDown:
* Ryback vs. Big Show
* The New Day vs. Los Matadores and El Torito
* Neville vs. Bo Dallas
* Brie Bella vs. Sasha Banks vs. Becky Lynch
* Randy Orton, Dean Ambrose, Roman Reigns and Cesaro vs. Sheamus, Bray Wyatt, Luke Harper and Kevin Owens
– WWE posted the following video of Triple H looking at the new Ultimate Warrior book, “Ultimate Warrior: A Life Lived Forever.”
– Longtime WWE executive producer Kevin Dunn was trending worldwide on Twitter earlier this week after online rumors spread claiming he was the one who ordered Randy Orton to make comments about Kevin Owens’ weight during RAW. The rumors turned out to not be true, as Dunn nor Vince McMahon had anything to do with it.
– Vince McMahon tweeted the following on Friday, congratulating John Cena and Roman Reigns for being included on DoSomething.org’s “Athletes Gone Good” list, which recognizes and appreciates their charitable efforts.
NXT Champion Finn Balor recently spoke with Channel Guide Magazine to promote WWE SummerSlam weekend and the NXT Takeover: Brooklyn event. Below are some of the highlights from the interview.
On being NXT Champion: “Life hasn’t really changed as far as who I am. You still have to carry yourself day-to-day a certain way, whether you are NXT champion or not. So not much has changed, but the schedule has been hectic. I’ll admit that, but it is part of representing the company and what we are doing at NXT. That’s my responsibility now, and I’m happy to do it.”
On his Ladder Match with Kevin Owens at Takeover: “I wouldn’t say there is a lot of added pressure. Obviously, what we did in Japan was viewed by a lot of people and was a great spectacle. For me personally, it was one of the highlights of my career. It couldn’t have gone any better. I spent eight years in Japan and made this unsure decision to actually move to WWE. That ran in my mind whether I should come. Then I went through a pretty difficult adaptation to not only the Performance Center, but Florida, U.S.A., WWE. It was all very uncertain. I kind of went through all that with Kevin.
“Then a year later we return to [Ryougoku] Sumo Hall, the same building I had my first match in New Japan Pro Wrestling and the same arena I had my last match in New Japan. I invited all my friends. A year later I am back there with WWE and the NXT championship on the line live on the WWE Network. That story could not have been written any better. For some reason, going into TakeOver, the match feels so much bigger this time. I think it’s mainly due to the fact that in Tokyo it was a WWE show where TakeOver is an NXT show. We sold more than 13,000 tickets in Brooklyn. It’s NXT. We don’t just have a match or an act on the show. We are the show. We are excited to be in Brooklyn as a team, and we have to deliver.”
On uncertainty when he first came to WWE: “There was a lot of uncertainty when I came here whether this was the right decision or wrong decision. There were some downs in the beginning and that swung around. I made my debut and got a little bit of my confidence back. Things have been on the up-and-up. Every child has played video games growing up and played WWE games. To be part of a video game, it’s an unbelievable experience. I got the opportunity to do all the motion capture with 2K. They were amazing. Then I’m shooting a game commercial with Arnold Schwarzenegger. I then get a call that I’m going to Comic-Con the next day. I get to Comic-Con, and they tell me we have action figures coming out. I didn’t even know I was meant to be in L.A. to be with Arnold. I flew to L.A. and meet Arnold Schwarzenegger and then go to Comic Con. They show me drawings of action figures they are doing this year. So to say things are surreal is a huge understatement. I’m almost pinching myself every day. I’m sitting here at home and there is one of my WWE NXT t-shirts sitting on my chair. I can’t even believe that. It’s been an incredible year, and I’m looking forward to what the future holds.”
On NXT Head Coach Matt Bloom: “WWE realizes it can be difficult for foreigners to adjust to life here and have really been accommodating with that. I’m very grateful. I was helped by nearly everyone at the Performance Center, but one man I have to mention is Matt Bloom. We spent a lot of time together in New Japan. He came to Japan a few years prior to me. After his run with Tensai, he started coaching at the Performance Center. I must say if it wasn’t for him I’m not sure I would have lasted.
“He took me in and got me settled in. He helped me get my driver’s license. He helped me adjust to life in the United States. He is now head coach at the Performance Center. I can’t speak more highly of Matt Bloom and the help he gave me. With regards to in-ring work, Terry Taylor worked with me closely and helping me to adapt my style in NXT. I’ve had a lot of help top-to-bottom and am grateful for everyone.”
On a potential match against The Undertaker: “That would be a dream match for me to see Finn Bálor versus The Undertaker. It really doesn’t need to be explained more than that. I’ve been very fortunate to talk to Undertaker when I first came in here. We talked about entrances. He gave me a lot of advice that helps me to this day. So I’m very grateful for that. Maybe I’d play a couple of mind games with the Deadman. It would be a little bit fun.”
Kevin Owens will face Cesaro next Sunday night at WWE SummerSlam from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The match was announced on Thursday night’s SmackDown.
Owens and Cesaro have been feuding since Owens attacked Cesaro during his US Open challenge match against John Cena.
With that match set, here’s the updated card for WWE SummerSlam:
Brock Lesnar vs. The Undertaker
Winner Take All: WWE Champion Seth Rollins vs. US Champion John Cena
Bray Wyatt & Luke Harper vs. Roman Reigns & Dean Ambrose
Intercontinental Champion Ryback vs. Big Show vs. The Miz
Stardust & King Barrett vs. Stephen Amell & Neville
Elimination Tag Match: Team Bella vs. Team PCB vs. Team B.A.D.
Tag Team Champions Prime Time Players vs. The New Day vs. Los Matadores vs. Lucha Dragons
While not made official yet, Randy Orton vs. Sheamus will also probably be added to the card.
Join us here on Sunday, August 23rd for Live Coverage of WWE SummerSlam!
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated his official website blog with his latest thoughts and opinions on a number of current WWE topics. Below are some of the highlights:
On The Undertaker/Brock Lesnar angle: “I’m more interested in the Lesnar/Taker/Heyman business than any thing else on the show or heading to Summer Slam. Very curious as to what will go down in Brooklyn. Many ae predicting that Taker wins but I’m not so sure that he will and have predicted a Lesnar win on my podcast. I will certainly be watching from the comfort of my home on Sunday August 24 which is the day after my RINGSIDE Show in NYC’s Gramercy Theater the night before. The Undertaker-Brock video package was money.”
On rumors of Kevin Owens having issues with WWE management: “Thought the triple threat match was entertaining largely thanks to the fresh contributions of both Kevin Owens and Cesaro to go along with long time main eventer Randy Orton. Cesaro has never looked better in WWE than he has lately. I’m high on both Cesaro and Owens to continue to emerge in WWE. I’m getting deluged on Twitter with questions from people asking me if Kevin Owens is having issues with management. I have no earthly idea as to the answer and see no reason why Owens would be in hot water. Bottom line is I don’t know but I do know that Owens beat John Cena cleanly a few weeks ago which can’t be discounted or forgotten. Nonetheless a good match that saw all three men contribute significantly.”
On Stephen Amell in WWE: “Thought actor Steve Amell over achieved Monday night and I was dead wrong about doubting his appearance which is leading to Summer Slam. Amell is a good athlete or so it seems. Hope that they pull off the special attraction well at Summer Slam.”
Check out the complete blog at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
NXT Takeover: Brooklyn is just a number of weeks away and during last night’s episode of WWE NXT on the WWE Network, a number of new matches were confirmed.
Below are the results from last night’s edition of WWE NXT:
Bayley defeated Charlotte with a Bayley-to-Belly suplex from the top rope.
An interview is aired with Michael Cole and Kevin Owens. Cole questions Owens’ apology to William Regal. Owens goes on to speak about why the NXT Title is so important explaining that it reminds him of what he did to Sami Zayn, and of course it adds money to his bank account. Owens reveals that he’s concerned that Regal might try to screw him over at Takeover and challenges Balor to a ladder match.
Baron Corbin defeated Jesus De Leon with the End of Days
Bayley is shown meeting with General Manager William Regal and asked for a title match against Sasha Banks. Regal signed Bayley vs. Becky Lynch for next week to determine the number one contender and the opponent for Sasha Banks at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn.
Tyler Breeze defeated Aaron Solo with the Beauty Shot followed by a pin
William Regal appears on stage following the match and announces that at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn, Tyler Breeze will take on Jushin Thunder Liger. A video package is aired.
Another video package is aired showing Uhaa Nation, he confirms that he will debut at NXT Takeover: Brooklynunder the name of Apollo Crews.
Hype Bros defeated Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder via pinfall
William Regal is backstage with the Vaudevillians and gives them a tag team title rematch at NXT Takeover: BrooklynwithBlake & Murphy.
Samoa Joe defeated Rhyno with the Muscle Buster in the main event of this week’s show
Following this week’s edition of NXT TV, below is an updated look at the scheduled lineup for NXT Takeover: Brooklyn, which airs live on the WWE Network on Saturday, August 22nd.
NXT Championship (Ladder Match)
– Finn Balor (c) vs. Kevin Owens
NXT Tag-Team Championship
– Blake & Murphy (c) vs. The Vaudevillians
NXT Women’s Championship
– Sasha Banks (c) vs. Bayley
– Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Tyler Breeze
– Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin
– Apollo Crews (formerly known as Uhaa Nation) will make his NXT debut
– Appearances by Hideo Itami and others are expected as well
TNA Wrestling performer Matt Hardy recently spoke with Sean Ross Sapp of Wrestling Inc about a wide variety of topics. Below are some of the highlights of part one of their two-part interview.
On his match at tonight’s Impact Wrestling and being in such a high-profile position at this stage in his career: “It’s always an honor to be in a top position. When it comes down to it, I’m a kid who came from a small down in North Carolina and the dream was to become a professional wrestler. Obviously my brother and I have been very successful, but I still have a passion to be as good as I can be. I realize after 24 years that it’s hard to be as athletic as I used to be, but I feel like I have a lot of mileage in the tank. To go into this Full Metal Mayhem match tonight and challenge for the world title is very special. I guarantee people will walk away from this match in disbelief that Matt Hardy is still doing these things when he’ll be 41 in a month. That’s my goal coming out of this. I feel like no one can represent TNA better than I can right now.”
On both of The Hardy Boys wrestling at age 40 despite people thinking they wouldn’t due to their style in the ring: “I don’t know, man. I never try to predict the future. Even when we started with the WWE and were doing regular matches, the pace, the moves. We were doing splashes and Jeff was taking flat back bumps to the floor, and our finish was a legdrop/splash. The veterans who watched our matches said we wouldn’t be able to walk by the time we were 35. It was very scary. To still be a part of that right now and be able to do the things I do, I’ve had to totally change my thing. It’s a lifestyle, and you can tell the changes I’ve made in the last year. I really just try to work hard and stay passionate about things. I’m very lucky, I think.”
On still working crazy stipulation matches this late into his career: “Honestly, I didn’t expect it. I’m pleasantly surprised that I feel as good as I do. I try to be a statement for someone who is a regular person in this business and their longevity. I’m living proof that it can happen. I’ve been through struggles and survived. I was with the Young Bucks this weekend and we were talking about how intense Kevin Owens’ schedule was. For 12 years I was doing ten days on, four days off, then 5 days on, a day and a half off. There’s no way to describe the damage that puts on your body, especially if you wrestled a high impact style like I did. These TNA TVs are a little challenging sometimes because we have several days back-to-back. We did that recently. It was aggressive and tough for me. As soon as I was done, I’d get back to the room and sleep for an hour, then I’m up training, stretching, staying in survival mode. I really had to change my game. I have to make wrestling my lifestyle and what I build my schedule around.”
On his thoughts on TNA as a whole: “I encourage fans to check out TNA on Destination America not just tonight, but each week. We have a lot of really great programming and wrestling, and I think maybe some older fans who fell away from the brand would really enjoy it.”
Check out the complete interview at WrestlingInc.com.
WWE Hall Of Famer Jim Ross recently updated his official Q&A section, answering questions from fans on a variety of topics. Below are some of the highlights:
On Kevin Owens and his push: “I’m not worried about Kevin Owens “push” in the least. He’s too talented to not be successful if he continues to perform as he has. Fans need to display some patience on matters such as this.”
On The Undertaker’s physical status in 2015: “Taker seems to be healthier than he has in a long time. He’s months past his last surgery to repair lingering damage. Plus, he’s a stud.”
On the possibility of a Cesaro vs. Kevin Owens “Iron Man” match at SummerSlam since it’s a four-hour show: “That would be nice but for some reason I don’t think that they will give those two 30 minutes of bell to bell time.”
On getting UFC’s Daniel Cormier on his podcast and why WWE doesn’t run TV at MSG: “Steve Austin interviewed DC today in San Jose so he will be on SCSA’s podcast soon. Good dude is Daniel Cormier. WWE loses money doing TV from MSG even with a sellout. Union costs are killers.”
On what has happened to Damien Sandow and Curtis Axel: “It’s simply how they are cast/booked on an entertainment TV program. Apparently it is thought that this is how both men can best contribute to the WWE.”
On the news that WWE writers once pitched a gay character storyline for Brock Lesnar in 2002 (which was later confirmed by a former WWE writer): “Another ridiculous tale from the IWC. That one is truly absurd.”
Check out more JR Q&A updates online at JRsBarBQ.com. You can also order JR’s Bar-B-Q products online at WWEShop.com.
Ring Of Honor posted the above video tribute to the late WWE Hall Of Famer “Rowdy” Roddy Piper, who passed away last week from cardiac arrest at age 61.
Piper appeared at an ROH event in Nashville, Tennessee back in January of 2014, and in the video, Piper is featured with Kevin Owens, The Briscoes and other ROH performers.
Additionally, ROH issued the following statement on Piper over the weekend:
We at Ring of Honor are extremely shocked and saddened at the sudden passing of the legendary “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.
A true icon in professional wrestling, “Rowdy” Roddy Piper was a silent adviser to many, passing on his invaluable wisdom. An amazing man who will be missed by those who were lucky enough to work with or get to know him.
We extend our sincerest condolences to the family, friends and colleagues of “Rowdy” Roddy Piper.
– This weekend, while performing at an NXT live event in Lakeland, NXT Champion Finn Balor, who will face Kevin Owens at NXT Takeover Brooklyn this month hit his head off the ceiling.
Balor attached a photo along with his tweet where he joked that he blew the roof off the building, it looks like Balor was performing his Coup De Grace.
The NXT Champion was defending his title against Solomon Crowe and it was said that Crowe held his own to earn his place in the main event.
– The Rock took to Twitter yesterday (August 2nd) to praise Kevin Owens for his match against Finn Balor last month at the Beast in the East special on the WWE Network:
@MartyDeRosa @FightOwensFight Awesome. Keep up the great work KO. (watched your match w @wwebalor from Japan – incredible). ????
– Following the controversy ahead of the UFC 190 event on Saturday night where UFC President called wrestling “fake”, he took to Twitter yesterday to say he was joking:
@MLPChristian69 I pissed off wrestling fans? I respect wrestling and the people who do it. I was just responding to an idiot. It was a joke
As previously noted, following the broken nose he sustained on Monday Night RAW, John Cena has been pulled from a number live events until the final episode of RAW before SummerSlam.
WWE Australia have recently confirmed that WWE Superstar Cesaro will be replacing John Cena on the tour and will now face Kevin Owens.
They released the following statement along with the matches fans can expect to see:
“Unfortunately due to an injury sustained at WWE Raw this past week, John Cena is unable to travel and will no longer be appearing at next week’s Australian events. General Manager for the Australian events, Shawn Michaels, has today announced that former WWE United States & WWE Tag-Team Champion Cesaro has been added to the tour and will appear at all three WWE Live events.”
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match – Dean Ambrose vs Seth Rollins
Cesaro vs Kevin Owens
Randy Orton vs Sheamus
Neville vs King Barrett
R-Truth vs Luke Harper
Emma and Natalya vs Brie Bella and Nikki Bella
NXT Championship Match – Finn Balor vs Bo Dallas
Fandango vs Adam Rose
WWE Live™ returns to Australia this August at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane on Thursday August 6, Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Friday August 7 and Qantas Credit Union Arena in Sydney on Saturday August 8, 2015.
According a report from ProWrestling.net John Cena has been pulled from the live event tomorrow night (Friday) in San Diego, California.
Cena, who broke his nose during the main event against Seth Rollins on RAW was due to face Kevin Owens in a steel cage match at the event on Friday.
They note that Cena has been removed from WWE’s Live Events page but is still currently advertised for the live events on Saturday and Sunday. It’s not clear if the broken nose was the reason he was pulled.
As the road to NXT Takeover: Brooklyn continues the WWE Network presented yet another packed episode of WWE NXT taped in Full Sail University, Florida.
Below are the results:
– Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder defeated Enzo Amore and Big Cass
Jason Jordan and Chad Gable are shown backstage, mocking the other tag teams in the division.
A video package is shown to build up the Dana Brooke/Charlotte feud.
– Baron Corbin defeated Jesse Sorenson with the End of Days
Tyler Breeze visits William Regal in his office and demands a match at Takeover, Regal tells him to be careful what he wishes for.
– Jason Jordan & Chad Gable defeated Elias Samson and Manny Garcia (Levis Venezuela Jr.)
Devin Taylor is backstage with Dana Brooke and Emma. Dana says that she’s going to beat Charlotte and once again taps Devin on the head as she walks off.
A video package showing Bull Dempsey trying to get “Bull Fit” is aired.
– Charlotte defeated Dana Brooke with the Natural Selection
Samoa Joe is shown backstage talking about his goal in NXT is to win the title and talks trash about Rhyno and says that his future will end during their match next week.
Kevin Owens is shown backstage apologising to William Regal for striking him during the contract signing with Finn Balor last week.
– Kevin Owens defeated Martin Stone with the pop-up powerbomb and attacked him afterwards by planting him on the ring apron
– Blake & Murphy defeated The Vaudevillains to retain the WWE NXT Tag Team Championships
After the match, Alexa Bliss is left alone in the ring with The Vaudevillains, they allow her to leave unharmed but as she leaves she slaps them both across the face.
WWE taped the following matches on Tuesday night in Tulsa, Oklahoma for this week’s edition of WWE SmackDown.
– Seth Rollins kicks off this week’s show by coming out to the ring. He talks about John Cena and what happened on Monday’s RAW. Eventually, Rollins is interrupted by Cesaro. Cesaro comes out for our first match of the evening.
– Cesaro def. Seth Rollins via Disqualification in the first match taped for this week’s SmackDown. Kevin Owens joined the gang on commentary during this match and became involved in the finish, which saw Owens attack Cesaro for the DQ. Rollins teased a showdown with Owens but they ended up double-teaming Cesaro instead.
– Los Matadores & The Lucha Dragons def. The New Day & The Ascension in eight-man tag-team action in the second match taped for this week’s edition of WWE SmackDown.
– Summer Rae and Rusev come out for a promo segment in the ring. They address what went down on Monday with Lana and the dead fish at RAW.
– Rusev def. Jack Swagger in the third match taped for SmackDown. Swagger got a big hometown pop since he is from Oklahoma. After the match, which Rusev won, he tried to attack Swagger some more, however Swagger ended up countering him and applying the Patriot Lock.
– Stardust def. R-Truth in the fourth match taped for this week’s SmackDown. Stardust was cutting a promo in the ring after the match when Neville ran out and attacked him.
– Cesaro & Dean Ambrose def. Kevin Owens & Seth Rollins in the fifth and final match taped for this week’s show. Cesaro picked Ambrose as his mystery partner. The finish of this match saw Ambrose counter a Pop-Up Powerbomb attempt by Owens, which allowed Cesaro to roll Owens up for the 1-2-3. This is how SmackDown will go off the air this week.
Former NXT Champion Kevin Owens recently spoke with talkSPORT’s Gorilla Position podcast about possibly facing Brock Lesnar.
“I think there’s only one answer for me right now, and it is Brock Lesnar. I think a lot of people want to see it,” said Owens.
“I was there the night he made his debut on Raw for WWE,” Owens continued. “I was in the crowd, like the fifth row. I remember being blown away immediately by this guy, I was on board right away. I bought Brock Lesnar T-shirts and Brock Lesnar hats. My parents got a dog that summer, I named him Brock.”
Owens concluded, “Seriously, he was a blonde Lab, he was huge: ‘That’s Brock!’ I used to do the F5 when I was on the indies because of how much I admire him so I’d love to be the one to put an end to him.”
– As confirmed during last night’s RAW, Paige will be the next guest to appear on the Steve Austin Podcast on the WWE Network.
WWE shared the above promo for the Stone Cold podcast which will air next Monday (August 3rd) immediately following RAW.
– It was noted during last night’s episode of RAW that security had been confiscating Hulk Hogan signs brought in by a number of fans.
Wrestling Inc also note that they received a number of reports where security were asking fans to not stream anything on the Periscope app.
– This Thursday on SmackDown, former NXT Champion, Kevin Owens will be in action – as will Becky Lynch who will take on Nikki Bella in a non-title match.