In this WrestleTalk News, Sasha Banks is not released by WWE question mark, an update on
Stephanie McMahon and Triple H, the real reason Brock Lesnar returned and more!
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To paraphrase Sinaed O’Connor, again, it’s been several hours and 35 days since Sasha
Banks and Naomi walked out on an episode of Monday Night Raw over frustrations with their
creative.
Commentary made reference to them on that episode of the show - telling the audience
that they’d walked out - and then on the following SmackDown where Michael Cole said
that there would be a tournament to crown new Women’s Tag Team Champions as the pair
had vacated the belts.
As we discussed last week, nothing has been said about that tournament since, and there
are apparently no plans for it currently.
Banks and Naomi were suspended without pay from WWE, but there were a lot of questions
surrounding whether the pair would be released from the company.
It had been reported that Naomi’s contract was up in the next couple of months, so it
could be the case that she just doesn’t re-sign and leaves the company.
For Banks, her contract was set to expire later this year, according to one former WWE
writer, but then last week Raj Giri of Wrestling Inc reported that Sasha had been released
by WWE.
He was so confident in his report - despite Banks herself seemingly denying it on Instagram
- that he staked the rest of his career on the scoop.
The report was also backed up by the very reliable WrestleVotes, and while they could
not confirm the news, Andrew Zarian of Mat Men Podcast and Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful
Select noted that Banks’ attorneys were working on getting her released from her WWE
contract.
SRS also noted in a Fightful Select update, “Several talent were speaking openly backstage
about believing that Sasha Banks was released.”
And while they had not been told this officially by WWE, “there was talent that would be
in the position to know that felt she had been released.”
However, a new report from Mike Johnson of PWInsider might suggest a new twist in this
tale.
According to Johnson, as of last night, Sasha Banks was, “was still listed on WWE's roster
internally.”
If she had been released, she would have been removed from that list.
It’s likely that we’ll not know the reality of the situation until WWE themselves make
a comment or officially announce something.
But we might have an idea of how they’re feeling about the situation.
Banks and Naomi have already been edited out of the WWE ‘Then, Now, Forever, Together’
bumper, and a sign at this week’s SmackDown that read ‘Sasha Krew 4 Life’ has been
edited off the official WWE.com image gallery [re-recorded].
A totally normal and not-childish thing to do.
Like appearing on a live TV show when you’re being investigated by your own board for paying
hush money for an affair.
But while we may not be seeing Banks and Naomi on TV any time soon, this past Friday saw
a beastly return.
And now we know why Going into last Friday’s SmackDown, most
people expected Vince McMahon appearing on the show during an on-going investigation
would be the most talked about thing from the episode, but the closing angle that saw
the return of Brock Lesnar was on the lips of most wrestling fans.
And those lips were saying, URGH.
After beating Riddle in an excellent main event, Roman Reigns cut a promo saying that
there was no one left for him to beat - so out came Brock Lesnar, a man he’d beaten
just a few months ago at WrestleMania, and at Crown Jewel before that.
Many fans speculated that the reason Lesnar returned was because WWE learned that Randy
Orton - who was scheduled to face Reigns at Summerslam - was out with an injury and this
was a last-minute panic move to create a new Summerslam main event.
And those fans were basically correct.
According to Sean Ross Sapp over at Fightful select, “once it became clear that Randy
Orton wouldn't be able to perform any time soon, the plan was put in place for Brock
Lesnar to return to the company.”
Because why build new stars when you can just re-run a feud that people were sick of months
ago.
I suppose it could have been worse.
Could have been Goldberg.
Some had asked whether or not Lesnar’s return was also in response to the McMahon investigation,
but it doesn’t appear to be.
SRS reports that the plans for Lesnar’s return were put in place about three weeks
ago, which was after the investigation had started but well before the Wall Street Journal
story came out.
But while we on wrestling YouTube and Twitter may be sick to the back teeth of Roman vs.
Brock, there is no denying it’s a draw.
Brandon Thurston of WrestleNomics is reporting that this past Friday’s SmackDown has done
the best rating since last September.
While you may point to the McMahon appearance bumping the rating, the second hour of the
show with Roman vs. Riddle was actually higher than the first hour with McMahon.
And just in case of any of you are living under a rock, or like me have been off work
since last Wednesday and are just coming back to all of this now, Stephanie McMahon is now
the new CEO of WWE, replacing Vince McMahon who is stepping back from those responsibilities
while an investigation into him paying $3 million in hush money to a former employee
he had an affair with was on-going.
McMahon is still in charge of creative, which is quite obvious given the Lesnar return lol,
and Fightful Select are reporting that he was “particularly jovial” backstage at
SmackDown.
They even note that he was more hands on than usual with the show.
But there was also a report from PWInsider about the initial statement that WWE released
about Stephanie taking over, which referred to her as Ms. McMahon.
For those who might not know, the Ms term is often used for a woman who is unmarried,
but can be used by married women in certain circumstances.
PWInsider wrote that this had some “raised eyebrows” among those in the company, particularly
because Stephanie stepped away from her position in WWE to focus on her family.
This is all of course just speculation on the part of fans, but seemingly those in the
company as well, that there are problems between Stephanie and her husband Triple H, but a
new report from Wade Keller at PWTorch is debunking those theories.
Keller said on PWTorchVIP that, “I don’t wanna say rumors because that’s overstating
it.
(There was) conjecture that maybe there were marital issues that they were dealing with.
I’m told that’s just flat out not the case and that they are a team.”
But not all wrestling news is contained to just WWE…
Impact Wrestling celebrated 20 years of being a professional wrestling outfit with their
2022 Slammiversay show, which not only had video appearances by Kurt Angle, AEW’s Sting
and WWE’s AJ Styles - but also saw the biggest wrestling return of the year: The Reverse
Battle Royale.
If you’ve never seen one before, it’s really quite simple.
You start with 20 men the outside of the ring, fighting with everyone to get inside the ring.
Once 10 men are inside the ring, the rest are sent to the back, and a traditional over
the top rope battle royale commences.
Once 8 men have been eliminated, the final two then compete in a regular singles match
until one man is left standing.
It’s really quite simple.
And I love it.
And Shark Boy won this one so I love it even more.
The show also saw the return of The Monster’s Ball Match - the proper one where you’re
not allowed light, food or water for 24 hours before the match, I loved TNA so much - but
also The King of the Mountain Match - which is a reverse ladder match where you have to
pin your opponents to earn the right to climb the ladder and hang the title above the ring
and if you’re pinned you have to go into a penalty box for 2 minutes - I loved TNA
SO MUCH IT’S REALLY QUITE SIMPLE.
Former AEW star Jack Evans was pulled from the Ultimate X Match due to an injury precaution,
and saw Speedball Mike Bailey win the X-Division Championship.
Rosemary and Taya Valkyrie won the Knockouts Tag Team Championships, The Good Brothers
won the Tag Team Championships from The Briscoes, Jordynne Grace won the Knockouts Championship,
and Josh Alexander retained the Impact World Championship over Eric Young.
America’s Most Wanted, Nick Aldis and Dixie Carter also made appearances on the show,
with Carter bringing out Davey Richards to side with the Impact Originals against Honor
No More.
But, importantly, Shark Boy won the Reverse Battle Royale. 2005 Luke Owen on TheSmartMarks
message boards is so happy right now.
But sadly we must end this episode of the WrestleTalk News with the tragic announcement
that former WWE referee Tim White passed away at the age of 68.
White was a constant figure as an official during WWF’s Attitude Era, famously refereeing
the Undertaker vs. Mankind Hell in a Cell match at King of the Ring 1998.
He suffered a shoulder injury during a Hell in a Cell match between Chris Jericho and
Triple H in 2002, and transitioned into a backstage role until he was released in 2009.
His final match as a referee was Christian vs. Chris Jericho at WrestleMania XX in 2004,
where he re-injured his shoulder counting the final three.
He was part of a series of controversial sketches for WWE.com in 2006, where he unsucssedully
attempted to commite suicide each week while being interviewed by Josh Matthews.
No, I’m not kidding.
He will however always be remembered as the owner of The Friendly Tap, which was actually
featured in several episodes of WWE TV and their PPVs.
Big E wrote on Twitter, “I lit up every time I saw this man!
Tim White often was the man tasked with shepherding us at appearances and conventions the last
several years.
He was always extraordinarily kind and warm.
I will miss you, my friend.
My deepest condolences to his family and friends.”
It was also confirmed over the weekend that long-time WWE referee Dave Hebner had passed
away at the age of 71.
The brother of legendary referee Earl, Dave Hebner will forever be known for the Twin
Magic spot at WWF’s Main Event in 1988 in a match between Hulk Hogan and Andre The Giant.
Shawn Michaels wrote on Twitter, “Saddened to hear about both Dave Hebner and Tim White.
Both incredible men I was privileged to spend time with in and out of the ring.
My thoughts are with their families.”
We here at WrestleTalk would like to pass on our condolences to the families of both
Tim White and Dave Hebner.