Roman Reigns babyface plans.
A CM Punk cover up!
Real reasons for the WWE Draft picks, and more.
I’m Oli Davis, and this is the WrestleTalk News.
I don’t know if you’ve heard, but WWE is in a new era.
Blood and swearing is back, long term storylines are in, they even bought a new steadicam.
It’s a totally new era with new people heading it-
NO, DON’T LOOK IN THE LOCKBOX.
As I was saying, it’s a New Era.
Which means it’s time for brand new rosters with its first WWE Draft that started on Friday
where…
Nia Jax is moving to SmackDown…
And so is Carmelo Hayes, who was kind of there already.
The first night of the Draft, at least, was disappointing.
Along with Nia and Hayes - who was shockingly the round one pick (although not the first
ever NXT first round pick, as Wade Barrett claimed on commentary - that would be Finn
Balor) - the only actual moves were Bronn Breakker and Kiana James to Raw, and Andrade
to SmackDown.
Social media announcements then added Baron Corbin to SmackDown, and Alba Fyre and Isla
Dawn to Raw as the only other actual trades.
Fightful Select is reporting this is because WWE prioritised each brand retaining familiar
talent in the Draft, but there are more swaps expected for Monday’s Raw - where even more
NXT stars are expected to be ‘called sideways’, it’s an equal third brand now, like former
NXT Champion Ilja Druganov.
With Breakker going to Raw and Corbin call rebounded to SmackDown, NXT’s beloved Wolf
Dogs tag team is officially broken up - dashing hopes they’d continue as an act on the adjacent
roster.
Fightful Select is reporting this is because both men are going to get repackaged in singles
pushes.
Bronn is viewed as a wrestler with major singles star potential, and Corbin is planned to get
a “renewed look” after not being on the main roster since 2022.
While these moves were expected, talent apparently didn’t know for sure where they’d be going.
And in Kiana James’ case, it was a genuine surprise when she found out - even though
WWE had started making her video package earlier in the week.
One NXT talent had called James one of the best on the roster.
As for Roman Reigns, Paul Heyman revealed on the episode he had chosen to remove himself
from the Draft, as he didn’t want to take the top pick spot when he’s not planning
to come back any time soon - as that is not befitting of a Tribal Chief.
This directly impacted Solo Sikoa and Tama Tonga, as the Bloodline became a Third Round
pick without Roman’s star power.
It’s a very intriguing development in the Bloodline story.
Roman has both caused tension with the heel Sikoa and Tonga, and performed a babyface
act in removing himself from the Draft if he’s not going to be around to perform.
While Reigns is taking a break from WWE to film the movie Good Fortune right now, WrestleVotes
have reported he has: “substantial creative input in the evolving
Bloodline storyline over the course of the next few months.”
With his next advertised TV appearance as the 2nd August episode of SmackDown - the
go-home episode for SummerSlam - perhaps he could be returning as a face.
And he’s really earned that good guy spot, as he spent four years with us all wanting
him to lose.
Here’s a clip of our brand new video, Reacting To Every Time Roman Reigns Should’ve Lost.
Watch Every Time Roman Reigns Should’ve Lost right after you’re done with this video
using the link down below.
One top wrestler appears to have seen the Draft and worked themselves into a shoot,
brother, much love, HH x.
Because Drew McIntyre has finally signed a real contract to stay with WWE.
Finally finishing the other one year long story, about whether Drew would re-sign with
WWE or not, Rock ‘The Dwayne’ Johnson broke the news on his Instagram, posting:
“Man of my word 🗡️ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 As you’re a man of yours - Congratulations
@dmcintyrewwe on signing your new @wwe deal.
As we talked about after your #WrestleMania match, I know this Scottish Claymore represents
everything that you, your family and your country embody.
Alba gu bràth 🗡️ As you know, I wanted to personally hand deliver
this gift to you at your meeting with Nick Khan, but I had warm cheat meals and chilled
tequila waiting for me 🗡️🥃😉 Congrats again brother and cheers to hunger,
passion, climbing that mountain and always entertaining our fans.
- Final Boss With a video of Drew receiving an actual Claymore
as a gift from The Rock and Nick Khan.
I’m guessing Triple H didn’t contribute to the office whiparound.
So I’ll make up for that by bringing back an old segment!
It’s been such a long contract journey with twists and turns, Drew creatively stifled,
legit storming out after CM Punk’s Survivor Series return, using that to fuel his best
character reinvention ever.
So this is for you, McIntyre.
“Sward—” Oh crap I pressed send before I finishe-
Dave Meltzer has added that McIntyre’s contract is for three years, so it expires in 2027.
Fightful Select is also reporting that it’s worth “big money” with the end outcome
after a lot of “back and forth” in negotiations with WWE.
PWInsider is reporting Drew will now be taking some time off to recover from a hyperextended
elbow, which he received a lot of praise for working through on the recent live event tour.
He’s not expected to be out for long.
But he is expected to start a feud with CM Punk when both are healthy enough to return.
Which, I’m sure, will contain loads of insider references to annoy AEW from our next story…
For the first time since he was fired from AEW, Punk spoke about his feelings towards
the company in an interview with Ariel Hewani at the start of April.
It was mostly not that positive.
AEW responded first with a segment of Adam Copeland saying we should all just enjoy wrestling
and not become too tribalistic, and then followed that up by massively encouraging tribalism
by playing the real CCTV footage of the backstage brawl that got Punk fired.
After both Punk and AEW had seemingly moved on from each other, with both doing great
work in the first three months of this year, April appears to have reopened these wounds.
And yet another person, albeit anonymously, has now given their version of events.
Dave Meltzer has reported in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter that someone from AEW
reached out after the Punk Helwani interview to give their “perspective and what is ultimately
only my opinion.”
The person alleges that “Punk did indeed demand Colt be fired for no other reason than
their previous personal issues,” and that Tony Khan covering this up publicly makes
saying anything unsafe for anyone.
Meltzer then adds that another major star told him they feel like they’ve never been
told the truth about the Punk situation.
The AEW controversy continued when Tony Khan, wearing a neckbrace from being beaten up by
the Elite on Wednesday’s Dynamite, compared WWE to Harvey Weinstein.
Appearing on the other Draft over the weekend for the NFL, Khan was asked a question about
what his father thought of the kayfabe attack, and somehow turned it into this:
“We are like the Pepsi of pro wrestling.
We’re up against a really evil juggernaut.
WWE is our competitor, that’s who we’re facing.
AEW, like the Pepsi of pro wrestling.
WWE is like the Harvey Weinstein of pro wrestling...
I’m really proud of what we do down here...”
While it seemed as though the NFL Network quickly tried to wrap him up after the Weinstein
name drop, Fightful Select is reporting the network was happy with Khan’s appearance,
as the neckbrace was a smart bit of fun.
Unfortunately AEW isn’t just facing the biggest TV rights negotiations of their life,
and CM Punk living rent free in their head, they also have an injury epidemic.
With top stars like Kenny Omega, Adam Cole and Britt Baker on the shelf indefinitely,
MJF’s return has also reportedly suffered a setback.
WrestlePurists write Max has had surgery on his left shoulder, but while he was originally
planning to come back in March, there is now no scheduled timetable for his return.
Fightful Select and Bryan Alvarez have also confirmed that Powerhouse Hobbs did indeed
suffer a knee injury on Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite, and he isn’t expected back
any time soon.
Miro, who hasn’t wrestled for AEW since December’s Worlds End, is also a couple
months behind on his return schedule after injury.
Julia Hart, who dropped the TBS title at Dynasty, is set to undergo surgery for her injury.
And Dax Harwood is said to have suffered a concussion during the FTR Vs Young Bucks ladder
match, but is thankfully feeling much better.
Sometimes, when so many injuries happen, it’s just a really unfortunate coincidence.
But when one of your top stars who’s already out injured also gets hit by a bus, maybe
we are in full Curse territory.
Darby Allin was written off TV in March so he could take a year off and climb Mount Everest.
He then legitimate broke his foot during training, meaning he’d have to delay his expedition.
And now he’s posted: “That awkward moment when your crossing
the street in New York with a broken foot and get hit by a bus…”
Thankfully, he seems to be doing ok, because he then went to see a Broadway play.
What is more metal than getting hit by a bus and then going to see a musical.
Now go watch our Reacting to Every Time Roman Reigns Should’ve Lost…