Hello and welcome to the WrestleTalk News - I’m Oli Davis, and last night, WrestleTalk
passed 400,000 subscribers.
Thank you genuinely all so much for helping us reach this milestone and as a reward…
...here’s me dressed as Wonder Oli.
I don’t know why so many people are into this.
With 400k out of the way, now it’s time to start the Drive to Five...hundred thousand
subscribers.
We’re still working on the slogan.
So please keep subscribing if you haven’t already and make sure to click the notifications
button on your YouTube app to get every video we upload.
Which is more vital than ever in recent weeks, because the wrestling world has gone insane.
Kevin Owens & Sami Zayn Sent Home By WWE Because backstage virus outbreaks, biggest
stars being pulled just days before pay-per-views, Kurt Angle making his WWE in-ring return for
the first time in 11 years, Chris Jericho jumping ship to New Japan for a match against
Kenny Omega and AJ Styles becoming the new WWE Champion, changing the main event of Survivor
Series isn’t enough, we now have news that Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn have been sent home
by WWE.
As seen by this week’s Raw and Smackdown taking place in Manchester, England, WWE are
currently on their gruelling twice-a-year European tour - a run of 21 shows in 12 days
across 8 different countries.
With so much travel involved, tensions can sometimes run high within the rosters.
For instance, almost exactly this time last year on the November 2016 European tour, Sin
Cara was reportedly kicked off the Raw crew’s tour bus for making “annoying noises”
and then having an altercation with Chris Jericho.
Beginning last Wednesday 1st November, the Raw and Smackdown crews are now over halfway
into this year’s tour, and Owens and Zayn appear to be the latest victims of cabin fever.
PWInsider were first to break the news, reporting Sami and KO were sent back to the United States
following Tuesday’s episode of Smackdown, missing the European tour’s five remaining
dates, the last being in Florence, Italy this Sunday.
Pro Wrestling Sheet then provided more details on why this could be, reporting Zayn and Owens
“went against a creative directive given to them before Smackdown”, which “contributed
to them being sent home”.
According to the report, Owens and Zayn were meant to ‘feed’ for the New Day following
the opening Smackdown match of Zayn vs Kofi Kingston, which means taking a bump, getting
up really fast and then taking another bump, rinse and repeat, to give the good guys’
comeback positive fan momentum - just like how heels sell after a babyface hot tag.
Instead, Owens attacked Kofi after Sami lost - which was part of the plan - but then Zayn
and KO quickly bailed from the ring and exited up the ramp, which is when they were supposed
to get beaten up in the ring by the New Day.
The report adds Owens and Zayn “have been slightly difficult to work with lately and
seem unhappy backstage”, which could possibly be because of their close friend Neville requesting
his WWE release, and their longtime colleague Jimmy Jacobs being fired from his producer
role in the company.
PWInsider then revealed the New Day incident wasn’t the only reason the two were sent
home.
“Owens was allegedly complaining loudly on a tour bus after the taping, which one
person decreed was ‘the last straw following a long few days of touring.’”
Although another source said this was just Owens “venting” and “it wasn’t a major
issue”.
Finally - for now, at least - Sports Illustrated report the decision to send both men home
goes right to the top of WWE, and was “approved by Vince McMahon” himself.
What next for Jinder Mahal after losing his WWE Championship?
And which WWE star might’ve been injured on Smackdown?
Click the videos to the left to find out more, press subscribe and support WrestleTalk - order
issue 1 of the WrestleTalk Magazine now.
I’ve been Oli Davis, and that was wrestling.