Friday's SmackDown will feature the start of the 2020 WWE draft, which will shake up the rosters and present new feud opportunities. There's no telling what WWE has in store as far as who will be traded between Raw and SmackDown...
WWE Clash of Champions 2020 was a rushed event, but the talent was certainly present. Even after WWE announced Nia Jax, Shayna Baszler and Nikki Cross would not wrestle on Sunday, the show still had massive potential...
Bayley Attacked by Sasha Banks After Loss vs. Asuka at WWE Clash of Champions
Sep 27, 2020
Asuka defeated Bayley by disqualification at WWE Clash of Champions on Sunday, resulting in the titleholder retaining the SmackDown Women's Championship. But the appearance of The Empress of Tomorrow in place of Nikki Cross wasn't the only surprise for The Role Model, who was then beaten down by Sasha Banks.
Cross was not medically cleared for the contest, which cleared the way for Raw women's champion Asuka to compete in an impromptu match.
However, Bayley was disqualified for hitting her challenger with a steel chair, which ensured The Role Model's lengthy title reign continued.
A bigger surprise was to come, though, as Banks attacked her former friend with a steel chair to set up a feud and a possible match at Hell in the Cell on October 25.
As for the originally scheduled fight, both Bayley and Cross are involved in more compelling separate storylines.
On the September 4 episode of SmackDown, Bayley betrayed her former best friend, Banks, when she attacked her after losing the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship match against Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax.
After Jax pinned both Bayley and Banks, The Role Model feigned concern for her teammate, but rather than help The Boss, she further damaged her knee and then stomped on a steel chair while her head was inside of it.
Meanwhile, Cross has been involved in a strange situation with former friend and tag team partner Alexa Bliss, who has been enthralled by "The Fiend" Bray Wyatt ever since he attacked her in order to get the attention of Braun Strowman.
The Goddess has been a different person ever since that moment, and she has worried Cross because of her mood swings and the fact that she started adding dreadlocks to her hair as an apparent homage to The Fiend.
In a Fatal 4-Way match between Cross, Bliss, Lacey Evans and Tamina to determine Bayley's opponent at Clash of Champions, The Goddess hit the Scot with Sister Abigail before exiting the match. Cross bounced back to win, but her mind was clearly still on her best friend.
Sunday's match would have marked Cross' third shot at the SmackDown Women's Championship since July, as Bayley beat her at Extreme Rules and then again on the ensuing episode of SmackDown to retain.
While the Scot fell short in those matches, she pushed Bayley to the limit and it was clear she was a worthy opponent with a potential championship win in her future.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below (warning: some language NSFW).
Although WrestleMania 37 is still a ways off, now is normally the time that WWE begins to plant the seeds for what the loaded lineup at The Show of Shows will consist of...
The Mandalorian debuted to great fanfare on Disney+ last year, and its second season is among the most highly anticipated releases in television currently. The Mandalorian Season 2 will begin streaming on Disney+ on Oct. 30.
The Mandalorian is part of the Stars Wars franchise and it focuses on bounty hunter Din Djarin, as well as "The Child," who is affectionately called "Baby Yoda" by many.
In the first season of The Mandalorian, a bounty was placed on The Child, but Djarin protected it from other bounty hunters.
Banks has showed off her acting chops in WWE ever since making her NXT debut in 2012 and then getting called up to the main roster in 2015, but The Mandalorian is her first major acting role outside of professional wrestling.
At 28 years old, she is already one of the most accomplished female wrestlers in WWE history, as she has held the NXT Women's Championship once, the Raw Women's Championship five times and the WWE Women's Tag Team Championships twice.
Two weeks ago, The Boss was betrayed by her longtime friend Bayley, who attacked her after they lost a WWE women's tag title match against Shayna Baszler and Nia Jax on SmackDown.
Banks was the victim of a brutal beatdown that ended with Bayley stomping on a steel chair while it was around The Boss' neck.
Banks is scheduled to speak on Friday's episode of SmackDown for the first time since Bayley turned on her. All signs point toward Banks feuding with Bayley and potentially winning the SmackDown women's title in the near future.
Listen toRing Rust Radiofor all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below(warning: some languageNSFW).
Jericho-Vince McMahon; Sasha Banks' Return; The Rock's Daughter Set for Surgery
Sep 14, 2020
SmackDown Women's Champion Bayley is greeted by fans as she enters for the second-ever women's match in Saudi Arabia at WWE Super ShowDown in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, late Thursday, Feb. 27, 2020. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from WWE and AEW.
Jericho Still Talks to Vince, Others in WWE
Even though Chris Jericho is one of the biggest faces of WWE's chief rival, All Elite Wrestling, he left on good terms and remains in contact with several people in the locker room—including CEO Vince McMahon.
"I haven't been speaking to a lot of people, but not for any other reason than the fact that we're all busy doing our things, going in our own directions," Jericho said on his Saturday Night Special(h/t Sai Mohan of Wrestling Inc). He continued:
"I still talk to Kevin Owens, Drake Maverick and Samoa Joe. I speak to Edge once in a while. I also text Seth Rollins once in a while.
"I also talk to Vince from time to time. But do I talk to WWE guys on a daily basis? Definitely not. We're all busy people, on different planes, flying to different parts of the world. I still have much respect and love for all of them there."
Anyone else picturing Vince texting Jericho after his Mimosa Mayhem match to say "that was such good s--t?"
It's no surprise that Jericho would still have a relationship with guys in WWE; he was there for nearly two decades and is one of the greatest wrestlers the sport has ever seen. Even if he's a rival, he still watches the product, and guys likely reach out to him for his advice or thoughts on their segments.
Sasha to Return Friday on SmackDown
If you thought Bayley's beatdown of Sasha Banks would keep her off television for a few weeks, think again. Banks will be back on Friday's SmackDown after a one-week absence to address Bayley's attack. The announcement was made during Fox's NFL coverage Sunday.
It will be interesting to see how they handle the promo, though this feels like a bit of a rush job. Bayley is already set to defend the SmackDown Women's Championship against Nikki Cross at Clash of Champions on Sept. 27. This would have been a perfect opportunity to let Banks take a couple weeks off, giving Bayley further rub for the attack and potentially set up some sort of payback at Clash of Champions.
We'll have to see what Sasha says Friday, but unless the match between Bayley and Cross is turning into a Triple Threat, it's hard to see the benefit in her returning so soon.
Rock's Daughter to Have Knee Surgery
Simone Johnson, the daughter of The Rock and NXT signee, announced she will be having knee surgery in a tweet Sunday.
so tomorrow i’m having knee surgery for the third time. as not fun as surgery is, i’m looking forward to my knees not popping out anymore✌🏽🙃
that said, please send me video games suggestions, movie suggestions (preferably scary) or anything else to help pass the time
No timetable has been set for her return. Nor is there any word on the severity of her injury. Johnson has yet to make her NXT debut and has been training at the WWE Performance Center since signing with the company in February.
