Weekly News Roundup (8/22 - 8/28) -- Randy/Brock news, ADR, Styles, Charlotte heat

[M.C.G. 31]

New idea for a thread since news is posted throughout spoiler, Smackdown and Raw threads, even some that aren't spoilers are posted in the spoiler thread, so it's a new idea for a thread.

**

8/24

- The initial plan for Finn Balor as Universal champion was to work with Kevin Owens at Clash of Champions and then work against Kevin Owens and Chris Jericho in a triple-threat match at the 10/30 HIAC PPV.

8/25

- Per Meltzer, Orton didn't know of the match finish vs. Lesnar until he got to the arena. The match was intended to be one-sided destruction for Lesnar to make him look stronger rather than having a back-and-forth match. It was supposed to look like Lesnar "went against the script" and go into business for himself.

Orton was told Lesnar knew how to cut someone open by grazing them with his elbow, but clearly that wasn't the case as Lesnar stiffed him. Orton stayed down and sold being knocked out like he was supposed to, but that likely wasn't the finish, and so few people knew what the actual finish and intention of the match was supposed to be that the referee called the match.

One person noted that Orton was told to do it, but didn't expect it to go down that way. He wasn't going to complain publicly, but he wasn't thrilled to do it and won't do any favours like that again.

- AJ Styles was initially penciled in to win the Universal Title at Summerslam. Originally, the idea was that the WWE title would be on the Raw brand and the Summerslam match would be Reigns vs. Rollins, but Reigns suspension changed that. Balor vs. Jericho would have happened instead if Reigns didn't get suspended.

- Charlotte was yelled at for being careless in her match with Sasha Banks at Summerslam, who was already hurt to begin with heading into the match and taking a month off to heal the injuries.

- Alberto Del Rio is not expected to stay with the company as he has an opt-out in his contract in September. Paige's contract goes to April 2019, and unless she's fired, she's sticking around.

- The Dudley Boyz had a verbal agreement with WWE to return for another year and were in the midst of a breakup angle, but the deal was never executed and the two parties parted ways. WWE wants to bring up more guys from NXT to fill out rosters and push more youth. The Dudleyz will likely be working the independents, and if TNA's financial situation calls for it, could return to the company.

- Many within WWE remain high on Big Cass and see money when they look at him.

- Baron Corbin vs. Kalisto was originally planned for Summerslam as well, but had to be scrapped due to the show having 13 matches.

- WWE was unable to get a trademark on the term "Lady Balls".

- The original plan after Summerslam was that Reigns and Rollins would be kept out of the title picture for some time.

8/26

- Sasha Banks was going to have a long run with the title until her back injury threw a wrench in those plans. Bayley is now the top face and contender in the Raw division. She originally wasn't going to be hotshot into the title picture upon her debut. That said, Vince is a big fan of Bayley and sees a lot of AJ Lee in her.

- The Usos are expected to turn heel and feud with American Alpha over the titles.

- TNA is building to a "Final Deletion II: Death or Decay" featuring The Broken Hardys against Abyss & Crazzy Steve. it's said to be even more insane than the first one and some "crazy" footage was already shot.

- Bo Dallas was kicked off a flight for being intoxicated and loudly singing The Lion King theme song.

8/27

- Nikki Bella's return is the reason Bayley ended up on Raw. Nikki is on Smackdown to give the show's women division a boost and because it's the show John Cena is on.

- Konnor [The Ascension] officiated Sasha Banks' wedding.

- Paige VanZant (UFC) is open to working with WWE.

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Whenever new news is posted in this thread (as long as it isn't legitimate spoilers, which belong in the spoiler thread) I will update the OP. New thread will be up every Monday from here on out for the week.

This also doesn't just have to be WWE news. It can be anything in the world of wrestling. Spoilers for other promotions need [SPOIL] tags, WWE/NXT spoilers need to go in the spoiler thread.

Click to read more...

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Others can post news in this thread too and I will update the OP.

 

[Hasek]

This is a great idea. Thank you.

 

[AfroThunder396]

Jericho said on his podcast that he wanted Balor at Summerslam and also wanted to do some kind of angle with Owens at some point or another. He thought they were each going to win their Fatal 4-Way and do Jericho vs. Owens for the Universal Title at Summer Slam.

Finn said he didn't know he was going to win his Fatal-4 Way until he got to TV that day, and didn't know he was going over Reigns until about halfway though the show. Prior to that he thought he was doing a program with Jericho at SS.

 

[Cor]

Couple tidbits I found;

This may come as no surprise but there continues to be big backstage praise on Big Cass. Many within WWE remain very high on Cass and see money when they look at him.

It's been reported that WWE originally planned to feature Baron Corbin versus Kalisto on the Summerslam card, but there wasn't enough time with thirteen matches already announced.

 

[saintflannel]

The greatest wrestler on planet earth, Kazuchika Okada, was backstage at SummerSlam. Presumably to catch up with former stablemate Nakamura. A boy can dream though.

 

[DenisSamson3]

A part of me likes spoilers and the thrill of it. Searching and comprehending. Another part says that it lowers the enjoyment level and unpredictability of the actual wrestling event.I don't know which part I should side with.

 

[saintflannel]

WWE was unable to get a trademark on the term “Lady Balls".

 

[M.C.G. 31]

- The original plan after Summerslam was that reigns and Rollins would be kept out of the title picture for some time before Balor's injury. No word on how it plays into the fatal-four way on Monday and if that plan was scrapped.

- Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

so WWE plan was to put the title on AJ Styles, but Reigns screwed up and got suspended. as a reward they could very well put the Universal title on Reigns next week.
never change WWE, never change.

 

[Pinkfloyd]

so WWE plan was to put the title on AJ Styles, but Reigns screwed up and got suspended. as a reward they could very well put the Universal title on Reigns next week.
never change WWE, never change.

If I had to bet, it would be Reigns pinning Owens for the title. Obviously Cass doesn't belong in the match and that difference would make one believe that he'd be the one to take the pin but Cass has been protected even in NXT for a bit over a year and a half. He hasn't lost a singles match. He doesn't take the pins in tag matches that I remember. He's going to be on the outside when the fall happens. And they'll probably have Jericho come down, screw up a run-in, and have Reigns beat Owens anyway. I just hope I'm wrong and Rusev screws him and KO walks out champ.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

so WWE plan was to put the title on AJ Styles, but Reigns screwed up and got suspended. as a reward they could very well put the Universal title on Reigns next week.
never change WWE, never change.

Instead we have Smackdown with the title that actually matters, has legacy and lineage and isn't ugly as sin, which Styles will win after pinning John Cena clean as a sheet at Summerslam and the guys on Raw can run around with the toy belt.

Fine by me.

 

[Cor]

Reigns isn't winning.

I give Cass more of a chance of winning

 

[Paris in Flames]

I mean...I'm okay with both Seth and Reigns having been kept out of the title picture for awhile after SS but with the split...the options to feud with Finn weren't exactly...numerous.

 

[The Gongshow]

Rollins wasn't going to be in the title picture any time soon... what!?? Well atleast now Rollins vs Balor for the title can possibly happen at Mania and keep Rollins the title picture since WWE doesn't want him in it for some reason...

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Reigns isn't winning.

I give Cass more of a chance of winning

That's just insane.

I think it'll be Owens, but Reigns/Rollins are on an even-playing field and Cass is so far behind.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Rollins wasn't going to be in the title picture any time soon... what!?? Well atleast now Rollins vs Balor for the title can possibly happen at Mania and keep Rollins the title picture since WWE doesn't want him in it for some reason...

Well he lost clean at Summerslam. No reason to remain in the title picture then. He's been in it since... what? January 2015? Sure, he was injured from November-May, but it's still a long time. Moving him down the card to feud with guys like Zayn wouldn't hurt him.

 

[GKJ]

Oh man, we're missing out on another Balor/Owens matchup?

I know Charlotte botched that spot on the turnbuckle, but I didn't see anything else egregious that would lead to her getting real heat. The splash mountain reversal had to have been a planned spot that they both knew they were going to do.

 

[GKJ]

Rollins wasn't going to be in the title picture any time soon... what!?? Well atleast now Rollins vs Balor for the title can possibly happen at Mania and keep Rollins the title picture since WWE doesn't want him in it for some reason...

Apart from the injury, Rollins has been in the title picture scene for the better part of two years when you consider he was holding the briefcase. Basically the whole time since he turned heel. I could see where writers might be concerned with the fatigue.

 

[The Gongshow]

But they've done such a terrible job booking and writing for other people there aren't any "main eventers" on the RAW roster besides Rollins and Reigns

 

[Pinkfloyd]

Apart from the injury, Rollins has been in the title picture scene for the better part of two years when you consider he was holding the briefcase. Basically the whole time since he turned heel. I could see where writers might be concerned with the fatigue.

If the dirt sheets are to be believed, Rollins was going to be written out of the main event picture after Survivor Series and TLC when Reigns would beat him. I can see a good reason to slide him down for a little while but even when you do that, he should be keeping in his progression that he's going to get back the title. The problem that they have at this point is that they don't have a whole lot of flexibility with turning people. Steph is kind of playing the middle at this point so she'd be a difficult person to turn face off of. There are no other top heels on Raw that are at a point that them joining and eventually turning on Seth is available. I think them going away from the heel Authority and them breaking up groups like the Club and League of Nations has put them in a hole when it comes to giving themselves story options.

 

[AfroThunder396]

If KO wins the belt Monday, then the Reigns suspension will officially have the biggest Butterfly Effect post-Attitude Era in WWE. Bigger than Punk leaving.

 

[GKJ]

Do we know what the plans for Punk were should he have stayed, apart from fighting Hunter again in a match not many people would have wanted to see?

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Do we know what the plans for Punk were should he have stayed, apart from fighting Hunter again in a match not many people would have wanted to see?

He was going to work Wyatt before his contract expired.

 

[Paris in Flames]

.....I didn't know that.

Now I'm sad.