Planned Title Match Nixed from SmackDown Live Next Week

WWE had originally planned to have Jinder Mahal defend his WWE Title against Randy Orton on the June 13th SmackDown Live event, but those plans have been nixed.

While the match is still being advertised locally, it will now be only be a dark match at next week’s show and will not take place during the broadcast. They have been doing this match up as a dark match at recent SmackDown tapings. The match would normally end by DQ with interference from The Singh Brothers.

Rusev Posts Cryptic Tweet

Rusev took to his Twitter account to post this crytpic tweet that has a lot of people talking on social media:

As previously noted, Rusev was set to make his SmackDown debut a while back but those plans got nixed once the company decided to go all out with Jinder Mahal’s championship run. There is no new information on exactly when the company plans to bring him back, but we will keep you updated.

WWE SmackDown Live Results – 6 June 2017

Welcome to another edition of SmackDown Live!

Tonight we have a bonafide first-time ever match-up between two huge stars: Kevin Owens and Shinsuke Nakamura! These two men are set to lock horns in the Money In The Bank ladder match in less than two weeks but tonight they get to inflict some damage and probably have a show stealer!

Also on tonight’s show, AJ Styles will face Dolph Ziggler once again – after losing last week in what was seemingly a botched finish. Dave Meltzer predicted this match would happen again tonight, in order to give AJ a win and some momentum back. The match last week was really starting to heat-up into a great affair but it ended abruptly when Ziggler superkicked AJ in the back of the head.

The New Day jumped right into the tag team title picture upon arriving on SmackDown last week. Xavier Woods, Big E, and Kofi Kingston challenged The Usos in their first appearance on the blue brand since coming over via the Superstar Shake-up. And now a SmackDown Tag Team Championship match awaits them at the Money in the Bank PPV. I expect to finally see The New Day in tag team action tonight, but will The Uso’s play fair?

The women’s Money In The Bank ladder match is also less than two weeks away, and it’s a match that has gotten a lot of people excited. However it does seemingly leave Naomi off of a PPV, having not defended her title in a while. This could really hurt the Champion as she looks to add credibility to her reign. Rumours suggest Lana might appear soon and challenge Naomi at Money in the Bank but I don’t see this happening – why would WWE promote Lana so heavily, only to have her lose her first match and fade away? Hopefully we find out tonight if Naomi will have a role at the PPV.

And then there’s Jinder Mahal and Randy Orton. The two didn’t meet physically last week, but Orton did give a good promo and Jinder appeared on the tron afterwards to annoy him. Expect things to really heat-up tonight between these two, as WWE need to add some fuel to the fire before long. That’s the preview for tonight’s show, let us know what you’re excited to see in the comments below, check out the free Ringside News app, and enjoy the show!

Former WWE Diva Cameron Hopeful to Return to the Company

Former WWE Diva, Cameron has expressed her wish to return to the promotion in the future and also called it “definite”. Cameron was the former tag partner of current SmackDown Women’s Champion, Naomi. However, her last run didn’t work out and she was released by the company last year.

Regardless Cameron told Extra, that she is still on good terms with the WWE and would not chalk out a future return. Here’s what she said in the interview: (quotes by stillrealtous.com)

“As far as I am concerned WWE and I parted on good terms. I have no ill will towards anybody there. I am grateful for my time as a WWE talent. I appreciate all of the love and the hate I have received over the years from the WWE Universe. No matter what was said about me I appreciate their candour and their passion for the business. I would definitely love to come back in the future to show the WWE Universe my full potential. I like to say this isn’t goodbye but more like see you later. There will forever be a chip on my shoulder. Maybe one day I will be able to prove myself to the WWE Universe.”

Would you like to see Cameron back in action in a WWE ring once again?

Backstage Plans for the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match

It was previously reported last week via Pro Wrestling Sheet that WWE has plans to have a first-ever Women’s Money in the Bank ladder match at this year’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view event.

In an update, Dave Meltzer reported on today’s installment the Wrestling Observer Radio that if the company still has plans to have the bout, WWE will setup the match during this week’s episode of SmackDown Live.

Meltzer said that he expects that only four female competitors will participate in the match. Meltzer also added that if the match could be switched to five competitors if they decide to bring someone up fron NXT. Meltzer did not indicate on who that person could be. We will keep you updated if we hear anything else.

Lana’s New In-Ring Gear Revealed

WWE released the following photos of their website that reveal Lana’s in-ring gear for when she returns to WWE television on the SmackDown Live brand:

Several websites posted photos last month that displayed Lana wearing a dress and claimed that it would be her ring gear when she returns to WWE television. We knew at the time that she would not be wrestling in that because… well, who wrestles in a dress?

Why Jinder Mahal As Champion Is Fine

As most of you know by now, WWE pulled the trigger on Jinder Mahal and he is now WWE Champion. It’ll surely go down as one of the most shocking and unexpected victories in professional wrestling history. Sure it was met with harsh criticism, but others seem to think it was the right move. From a business standpoint, it was.

WWE is in the process of expanding its brand to India. Mahal winning the championship was the edge they needed to promote it and expand even more. It was a smart business decision, but don’t let that take away anything that Jinder has done to get to this point. He earned his match against Orton in the upcoming weeks to Backlash. His victory in the six-pack challenge and over AJ Styles showed that Mahal should be considered a true player.

Sunday night was just the coronation of his arrival to the spotlight, one that I’m perfectly fine with him having.

Mahal is considered a jobber by most of the WWE Universe. After being fired back in 2014, Mahal was brought back just to fill up the roster holes the brand split would create. The Mahal we saw in 2016 was different. Much different. He is built like a brick house. Maybe it’s the steroids, but nonetheless he changed his look. He also changed his character to a degree. No longer was he a founding member of 3MB. This Mahal was serious, ready to knock down anyone that stood in his way to success. It still didn’t change how he would be booked. By definition, Mahal was a jobber. That would all change at Wrestlemania 33.

Mahal was a finalist in the Andre the Giant battle royal, losing to Mojo Rawley with help from New England Patriots Tight End, Rob Gronkowski. Fast forward a little bit and we see him in the ring with a returning Finn Balor. The match was anything great, but what got people talking was the forearm shot by Mahal. It was viewed as stiff, unnecessary, and dangerous. Even though it got people talking bad about Mahal, it got them talking about Mahal nonetheless.

Jinder then shows up on Smackdown Live and does what every superstar plans to do, seize the opportunity before him. Thanks to The Singh Brothers (formally known as The Bollywood Boys), Mahal was able to pin Sami Zayn in the six-pack challenge and become the number one contender for Randy Orton and the WWE Championship. The rest, we say, is history. Mahal seized his opportunity and became the man of Smackdown Live.

The reason I love this so much is because Mahal has seized his moment, capitalized on every opportunity given before him, and took advantage where necessary. Smackdown Live is “The Land of Opportunity”, and Mahal is now the face of that moniker. Just three years ago Mahal was receiving his termination papers. Today, he holds the most coveted belt in all of professional wrestling.

If that isn’t perseverance, I don’t know what is.

People are going to hate the fact he is champ. They are going to say he hasn’t earned it, or that he doesn’t have enough credibility to be champion. The fact of the matter is, Mahal proved then wrong. He said he would become champ and everyone laughed at him. Now he’s the one holding the gold, laughing while people sit in unbelief.

Anything can happen in the WWE. It’s what makes it a great product. The unpredictability captivates audience or sours them, but either way it’s being talked about. I applaud WWE for making this happen. It was a shocking moment, and it was the right move to make.

The Taz Show Recap – Smackdown Analysis, Mahal’s Celebration, Ed Nordholm Goes Rogue, More!

Block 1:

Taz opens today’s show speaking about last night’s episode of Smackdown Live.

He says that he liked last night’s show, but he has a few criticisms as well. He says that Nakamura should have came out to the ring first in the opening segment of the night. Having Nakamura do his full entrance while all the other performers were standing in the ring felt incredibly long and awkward to Taz.

He understands that WWE wanted Nakamura to come out last because they’re building him as the biggest star. However, having him come out last put heels like Kevin Owens and Dolph Ziggler in a bad situation, because Taz expected those guys to just attack Nakamura while he was finishing his entrance in the middle of the ring.

Taz also points out that it was strange for Shane McMahon (a babyface authority figure) to give Kevin Owens (a heel) his way, after Owens complained about not being an entrant in the Money in the Bank ladder match. If Shane was a heel authority figure that would have made sense, but heels are supposed to complain, and it’s strange when babyfaces succumb to heel demands.

Taz says A.J. Styles should win the Money in the Bank ladder match in his opinion, because Styles is a top babyface who can surprise the Champion at any moment and have a terrific match. Styles is also good on the mic and can back up his briefcase win with believable promos.

WWE Title Match & Participants Announced for Money in the Bank

Shane McMahon opened up tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live announcing that Randy Orton will get his rematch for the WWE Title against Jinder Mahal at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view event.

Shane also announced AJ Styles, Baron Corbin, Sami Zayn, Dolph Ziggler, Nakamura and Kevin OWens as participants for the Money in the Bank Ladder match.

Money in the Bank will take place on June 18, 2017 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Missouri. As always, we will be providing live play-by-play coverage of the event.

Match Announced for SmackDown Live Next Week

Shane McMahon announced on tonight’s episode of SmackDown Live that Charlotte, Becky Lynch, Natalya, Carmella and Tamina will compete in a Fatal 5-Way Elimination Match. The winner of the match will face Naomi for the SmackDown Women’s Championship title at the upcoming WWE Money in the Bank pay-per-view event.

No other matches or segment’s have been announced for the show.