Friday night’s episode of WWE SmackDown averaged 1.24 million viewers on USA Network. That figure marked a 16.7 percent increase from the previous week and represented the show’s highest audience since September 19, which came before Nielsen transitioned to its Big Data plus Panel ratings system.& Rate This Report
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AEW returns to the UK tonight for a special three hour edition of Dynamite and Collision under the Holiday Bash banner, taking place at the Co op Live venue. The stacked show brings major storyline developments, championship matches, and tournament action as AEW continues its busy end of year run.
Samoa Joe vs Hangman Adam Page vs Swerve Strickland
FTR c vs Bang Bang Gang
The Elite Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks vs The Don Callis Family Kazuchika Okada Konosuke Takeshita and Hechicero
Ricochet Shelton Benjamin Mark Davis Anthony Bowens Brody King Max Caster and more
Pac vs Kyle Fletcher
Orange Cassidy vs Mascara Dorada
Roderick Strong vs Jon Moxley
Mercedes Moné Athena Marina Shafir and Megan Bayne vs Babes of Wrath and Timeless Lovebombs
John Cena’s relationship with Vince McMahon has been brought up several times across the now-retired veteran’s final WWE run. Most notably, Cena became visibly emotional when McMahon appeared in archival footage during a video package paying homage to his career. Reflecting on Cena’s eventual WWE Hall of Fame induction, Eric Bischoff expressed his desire to have none other than McMahon induct the biggest star of the Ruthless Aggression era.
“My sentiment, of what would make me feel best, would absolutely be to see Vince induct John,” Bischoff said during an episode of his “83 Weeks” podcast. “Do I think that’ll happen? I wouldn’t be surprised. You know, it’s Vince, right? Anybody who’s surprised by anything Vince does, obviously has never heard about Vince McMahon.”
Bischoff then pointed out that he’s been around McMahon long enough and competed and lost to him to know that one should never underestimate how far he’d go to get what he wants. “It would not surprise me, because it’s Vince, but I highly doubt it’ll happen,” Bischoff admitted, however. “But I hope it does! I hope for John it does!”
As Bischoff pointed out, it’s highly unlikely that McMahon will end up being the one to induct Cena into the WWE Hall of Fame, considering how TKO has clamped down on mentioning him, per reports from 2024. Last month, a report emerged indicating that Cena is being eyed as the headliner for the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame class.
If you use any quotes from this article, please credit “83 Weeks” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
Tyler Breeze has spoken about his contract with WWE, emphasizing that it is not a wrestling deal.
Breeze appeared on “WWE NXT” in September, a few years after he was let go by WWE. The former Breezango star recently revealed in an interview on “Reel Appreciation” how WWE re-signed him to a non-wrestling deal after his initial release in 2021.
“Basically what had happened was WWE released me in 2021 and then immediately hired me back to do other stuff because I had kind of a lot of irons in the fire and I had a lot of other things that I was a part of. So, they hired me back. I guess, to get me in the video game, they had to classify me as a legend because I wasn’t on the active roster. I think to be playable, they had to put me as in a Legends category, which was kind of funny because, you know, a lot of people — there was like an uproar for a second of like, ‘We’re calling Tyler Breeze a legend? You can’t put him next to like Hulk Hogan and Andre and all these guys.’ I was like, ‘Calm down. It’s not like I’m in the Hall of Fame here. We’re just classifying it as that.'”
He reiterated that he was re-signed by WWE on a deal that wasn’t a Legends contract just so he could be featured in the video game. While discussing the possibility of returning to the ring following his appearance on NXT, Breeze added that he would be interested in re-signing as an active roster star, but stated that it’s not his decision.
“If there was ever was a spot or a, you know, an idea where they said, ‘Hey, man. Are you interested in this?’ Yeah, I don’t see why not. I’m still active. I’m still wrestling around. I’m still doing all sorts of stuff,” he said.
Breeze had disclosed earlier this year that he was a writer on “NXT,” while he also continues to appear on the UpUpDownDown YouTube channel.
This week’s “WWE NXT” saw Blake Monroe defend the NXT Women’s North American Championship against the up-and-coming Thea Hail, ending in an upset victory for Hail. The match featured an awkward finish and, according to a backstage report from Fightful Select, the outcome was not the intended result.
Monroe was reportedly meant to retain, and there was said to be a “scramble” behind the scenes, explaining the delay before Hail’s entrance theme hit following her win. Creative plans have also been shifted heavily for Hail, Monroe, and others. Whatever was going to happen on “NXT” in the coming weeks, it would’ve required Hail to not be champion, forcing a new direction.
There was no word on who, if anyone, is being blamed for the situation. Fans have already started to debate over if it was Monroe for missing her cue to kick out, Hail for being inexperienced and locking her into a complicated pin, or the referee for continuing the three-count. However, when the opposite happened earlier this year, with a referee refusing to finish the count during a three-way match with Tiffany Stratton, Nia Jax, and Jade Cargill, it resulted in the referee in question facing mass criticism online.
Though it was supposed to continue, Monroe’s Women’s North American title reign came to an end after 52 days. With her win, Hail has now captured her first-ever championship in pro wrestling after signing with WWE in 2022. Until last year, Hail had been a member of the Chase U stable in NXT, but as of late, she’s been allied with none other than Joe Hendry.