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Here is your news for June 20th 2020 Why Did WWE Expelled Their Own Superstar Today? Yet Another WWE Wrestler Drafted! Wrestling News! 3 00:00:03,266 --> 00:00:08,100 We’re kicking off with a development from yesterday’s major story, as more big
wrestling personalities have been named.
One of the biggest names is Matt Riddle, who made his SmackDown debut last
night, as he is being named by indie wrestler Candy Cartwright.
Cartwright alleges that in 2018, she and Riddle were travelling with other
wrestlers, and when the others were asleep, the King of Bros forced himself upon her.
After allegedly making demands from Cartwright, which she refused, Riddle
allegedly grabbed her by the throat, choked her, and asked “what if I just made
you?” before reportedly forcing her.
In a statement responding to these claims, WWE gave the same quote when asked
about the claims around Jordan Devlin, saying that they are taking this matter very
seriously, and looking into it.
The company would follow this up with a second statement, outlining the
company’s policy on matters such as this, saying that suspensions and contract
terminations are just some of the actions they can take against those arrested,
and later convicted of doing this sort of thing.
Riddle, who married his partner in 2011, is the father of a son and twin girls, and
whilst big things have been expected from him on the blue brand, kicking off with
a non-title win over Intercontinental Champion AJ Styles, time will tell what will
come of this very serious claim by Cartwright.
Riddle isn’t the only WWE Superstar to face accusations, as Gentleman Jack
Gallagher has also been accused of making unwanted advances.
A woman known as Becky is alleging that the Cruiserweight got her drunk on New
Years Eve in 2014, and made advances. She said:
“Jack asked me to sit on his lap, I said. He then sat on my lap, and made advances.
The entire time I expressed that I was uncomfortable, but I also didn’t want to
make a scene.”
Becky claims to have resisted his advances, which only angered the 205 Live, who
reportedly ripped off her skirt when she tried to push him off.
Finally WWE acted on these charges and released a statement confirming Jack
Gallagher’s release from the company. “WWE has come to terms on the release of
Jack Gallagher (Jack Claffey” is all they said.
It might be worth nothing that they did not wish him the best in his future endeavours.
More prominent names have also been mentioned, as AEW’s announcer Justin
Roberts, NXT’s Velveteen Dream, NXT UK’s Wolfgang, and Kobold have also faced
claims of wrong doing to varying degrees.
Like we’ve said previously, these claims remain to be claims, but hopefully those
who have been affected by wrong behaviour get the justice they deserve.
Over to SmackDown next, as Bray Wyatt returned this week following his Money
in the Bank Universal Title match loss to Braun Strowman.
Re-emerging in the Firefly Funhouse, Wyatt acted as normal or at least as normal
as he can get, but that all fizzled away when he started being taunted by his own puppets.
Braun Strowman also got in on the action, as the Universal Champion said that he
wasn’t finished with Wyatt, and that’s when the host of the Firefly Fun House gave
the fans, and the Monster Among Men a blast from the past.
Transforming into the Wyatt family version of himself, complete with old footage
of the Family, Bray told Braun that if he wanted to find him, all he has to do is
follow the Buzzards.
This is an interesting development in Wyatt’s character to say the least, as the
Firefly Fun House character juxtaposed with the Fiend has been one of WWE’s
most popular characters since he appeared in April last year.
Given the rumours of a rematch between Strowman and The Fiend for the
Universal title, fans will have to wait and see whether the Fiend reappears, but for
now, it looks like the old Bray Wyatt is back in charge.
Speaking of the blue brand, we’re looking ahead to next week’s show, as the
storyline with Sheamus and Jeff Hardy will carry on.
Appearing in a backstage interview, Sheamus said that he’s preparing to raise a
glass and toast the charismatic enigma next week, and this comes after Hardy’s
own interview where he called Sheamus insecure and a bully.
Sheamus knows all about glasses being raised, as he received a cup of urine to the
face courtesy of Hardy recently, and we’re sure that Sheamus will be planning
something for next week
Raising a glass to the former World Heavyweight Champion, is of course
referencing Jeff’s past issues with alcohol, as whilst he may have defeated the
Charismatic Enigma at Backlash, it looks like Sheamus isn’t finished having fun at Hardy’s expense.
Next week’s show will also see AJ Styles defend the Intercontinental
Championship against Drew Gulak, and hopefully the Phenomenal One will
bounce back after losing to Matt Riddle in non-title action this week.
Whilst the match between Styles and Gulak will no-doubt be entertaining, we’re
curious to see what role Daniel Bryan will play in the match, as in addition to being
Gulak’s training partner, it was Bryan who Styles defeated to capture the vacant
Intercontinental Title.
With these two huge segments already announced, as well as more to take place,
next week’s SmackDown will be a huge deal, as the road to WWE Extreme Rules continues.
One person fans won’t be seeing on next week’s Smack Down is Dolph Ziggler, who
is reportedly heading to RAW, but he isn’t going alone.
It’s being reported that Robert Roode is set to go with him, but isn’t at this time as
he’s unable to make TV tapings.
The reason for this is that the former NXT and US Champion has been in Canada,
and due to the ongoing global situation, hasn’t been able to travel from the Great
White North to Florida to make any of the tapings.
With that in mind though, there is now a loophole for professional athletes, which
could mean that Roode may be able to travel to the Performance Centre, but at
this time it’s not clear how long it will be until Roode is able to return.
What’s even more interesting about the moves of Roode, Ziggler and Mustafa Ali,
is that they were all being discussed a few weeks ago, even before Paul Heyman’s
firing, according to a source for Ringside News.
On TV, these trades have been described as part of AJ Styles’ move to
SmackDown, as when he made the Phenomenal Move, the WWE said that he’d
been traded for what they described as ‘future considerations’.
It’s also been reported that this future considerations line is also being used as the
reason behind the scenes as well, and given that three people have been moved
to make up for Styles leaving RAW, time will tell whether a fourth future
consideration will join them on the red brand.
Speaking of RAW, this week’s show saw a guest appearance by the Nature Boy Ric
Flair, and this won’t be the only time this month that fans get to see the Dirtiest
Player in the Game.
During SmackDown, a commercial aired that announced Flair will be on next
Monday’s show, as he plans to crown Randy Orton as the Greatest Wrestler Ever.
After defeating Edge in the Greatest Wrestling Match Ever, Orton opened this
week’s show of RAW but was confronted by Christian, though when the pair met
later that night in an unsanctioned match, Flair proved he’s the Dirtiest Player in
the Game, giving captain charisma a low blow, allowing Orton to Punt Captain
Charisma, much like he did to Edge at Backlash, to get the win.
As a 13-time WWE World Champion, Grand Slam winner, former Mr. Money in the
Bank and two-time Royal Rumble winner, Orton certainly has a lot of reasons to
believe he is the greatest wrestler ever, and it seems that The Nature Boy is more
than happy to bestow that accolade to his team-mate.
With Edge on the shelf with a torn tricep, it seems like WWE are pitching an
Orton-Christian story, and time will tell whether the Canadian Superstar will have
something to say during next week’s coronation of the greatest wrestler ever.
This coming Monday’s edition of RAW is also being described as Championship
Monday, and for good reason.
Also on the card, R-Truth will be defending his 24/7 Title against Akira Tozawa and
his army of Ninjas, but that’s just one of the four title matches scheduled for the show.
RAW Women’s Champion Asuka will defend her title against Charlotte Flair after
the Queen has had her number recently, whilst Bayley and Sasha Banks will put
their Women’s Tag titles on the line for the third time in just over a week, when
they defend against the IIconics.
The Street Profits will also be defending their RAW Tag Team Championships
against the Viking Raiders, and with Rey Mysterio also set to make his first in-
person appearance since Seth Rollins attacked his eye last month, it’s going to be
a huge night come this Monday.
From one former champion to two current champions in WWE, as Bayley and
Sasha Banks have had one very impressive week.
After retaining their Women’s Tag Titles against both the IIconics and Alexa Bliss
and Nikki Cross at Backlash, the pair also retained against Tegan Nox and Shotzi
Blackheart on NXT, leaving the reigning champions in a bragging mood.
On Twitter, Banks referred to herself and Bayley as the greatest tag team of all
time, an accolade that Mickie James said belongs to the Rock ‘N Roll Express.
Things got more interesting when AEW’s Dax Harwood got involved, as he pointed
out that Banks responded to the veteran team as ‘The Rock ‘N Express’, leading
the Boss to say that she and Bayley are better than FTR.
After years of being under- utilised in WWE as the Revival, Harwood and Cash
Wheeler are already doing big things in AEW, but don’t expect the Boss or the
SmackDown Women’s Champion to be praising FTR anytime soon.
Back to WWE now, and fans will remember Paul Heyman and Eric Bischoff being
appointed the role as executive directors, and whilst neither man Is in the role
now, the pair had an interesting way on decideing who they wanted.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Heyman had a very specific
group of people he wanted, as they reported:
When the new rosters were being put together before SmackDown went to FOX,
and when Eric Bischoff was still in charge, there was a legitimate draft or trade or
negotiations between the two regarding talent.
It was also reported that Heyman allowed Bischoff have Bray Wyatt and Braun
Strowman, but only if RAW was allowed to get Andrade, Charlotte Flair, Aleistair
Black and Zelina Vega.
More knowledgeable fans will notice that Heyman wanted to keep these real-life
couples together, and Buddy Murphy was also a name that Heyman made sure
was on his show.
Of course, now that Bruce Prichard is the executive director of both RAW and
SmackDown, the company is set to undergo a lot of changes, and time will tell
whether any of these couples are split up under the new rosters.