Spoilers for Smackdown, everything indicates this is real and not a part of the story, of course in this new world who knows.

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I tried to push it down further on the screen because sometimes the spoiler tags don't work in some apps...

SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER

::: spoiler Title Kevin Owens, who last wrestled at the 3/1 Elimination Chamber PPV, announced on tonight's Smackdown that he has been dealing with a neck issues for four months and it was finally determined he would need neck surgery.

It was announced he would miss Wrestlemania 41 and his match against Randy Orton at the PPV is off.

More as we confirm. :::

Source: PWInsider

Late Night Update

::: spoiler Title To respond to the MASSIVE amount of emails we have received since Smackdown went off the air, all accounts that we have heard is that the neck issues Kevin Owens spoke about in his promo are 100% legitimate.

One WWE source described the situation as "awful", noting that Owens is expected to get surgery as he mentioned in the promo.

Another source said the word among talents tonight was that Owens was looking at fusion surgery in the future.

There's no word if and when Owens could return.

For those who have asked if the announcement was a work, the reaction among those we've spoken to in the company has been sympathy and sadness for Owens, not that this was storyline. :::

As GeekFTW Neon_Carnivore posted here, Cedric Alexander.

PWInsider:

Blair Davenport

Davenport was signed to WWE NXT in 2021 and brought to the Smackdown roster last year.

Sonia Deville

Deville, who just hit her 10 year anniversary with the company, was hired in 2015 after competing on Tough Enough. She was informed tonight that the company would not be renewing her current contract. When it expires later this month, Deville would be free and clear to perform anywhere as there would not be a 90 day no compete involved.

Authors of Pain

They had most recently been on the Raw brand as part of The Final Testament.

Paul Ellering

Ellering had been part of The Final Testament. Ellering and The Road Warriors were inducted together in the WWE Hall of Fame back in 2011.

Edit: Correcting sources. Edit 2: As seen in comments more people have been released...

• Isla Dawn
• Luke Gallows
• Karl Anderson
• Giovanni Vinci
• Elektra Lopez

PWInsider: PCO-TNA

PCO is done with TNA.

PWInsider: Jordynne Grace-TNA

::: spoiler Spoiler Title

TNA Genesis was Jordynne Grace's final night with TNA.

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The 2026 WWE Royal Rumble event will emanate from Saudi Arabia, PWInsider.com has confirmed with multiple sources in the company.

We are told the deal to take the event to Saudi is locked in and that an official announcement could come as soon as this Monday's Raw Netflix premiere.

Personally, I'm not happy about this if it's true.

MONDAY NIGHT RAW ARCHIVES LEAVING PEACOCK By Mike Johnson on 2024-12-04 11:46:00

Chris H sent word that Peacock is now listing that every single episode of WWE Raw from 1993 to 2024 will be removed from the streaming service at the end of the month.

Obviously, Raw moves to Netflix in January. Whether/when the Raw archives follow remains to be seen as nothing has been announced in that regard.

Either stuff is heading to Netflix or the network idea is dead everywhere.

Baron Corbin's X-Twitter

PWInsider with the rest.

Baron Corbin

Corbin, a former NFL star and Golden Gloves boxer, 40, was signed to WWE in 2012 and was part of the initial WWE NXT Black and Gold roster that helped kick off that brand's WWE Network era. He was brought to the main roster with an Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal win at Wrestlemania 32. He held the United States title and had several character changes over his run from a Lone Wolf badass, to a sad, broken comedy character that morphed into "Happy Corbin" after hitting it big in Las Vegas. In recent months, Corbin was billed as a free agent and returned to NXT as a veteran working with the younger talents. He was more versatile than given credit for and was a good utility player for the company in that he filled any role they tasked him with.

Indi Hartwell

Hartwell, 28, signed with WWE in 2019 and was most memorably a member of The Way with on-screen husband Dexter Lumis and adopted "parents" Johnny Gargano and Candice LaRae in NXT. She was brought to the main roster in 2023. Her final match for the company, teaming with LaRae, will air on tonight's Smackdown.

Indi Tweets

Tegan Nox

Nox, 29, signed with WWE in 2017 but tore her ACL during the Mae Young Classic tournament that year. She made her main roster debut for WWE in 2021 but suffered another torn ACL. She was released in 2021 but brought back in 2022. She last wrestled for the company this past July.

Tegan/Nixon Tweets

PWInsider

That states these are the only three that were going to be released today.

WWE is probably in Kayfabe but...

PWInsider Reports:

We are told there is an injury behind the angle but have not confirmed specifics at this time.

If you want it from WWE's twitter. Twitter

EDIT: SRS posted on X-Twitter that the X-Ray is allegedly real according to "internal claims." SRS on X

Six former writers for the organization’s long-running shows SmackDown! and Monday Night RAW describe bullying and sexism behind the scenes while former CEO Vince McMahon was in charge

“Everybody was getting yelled at all the time in the room,” one former writer says. “It was more saying shit that was humiliating or mean [that was then] couched as a joke, but it’s a nasty joke.” The writer adds, “If you’re being targeted in the room, nobody stands up for you, but that’s because if they do, they will get the bullet in the head, too. You don’t stick your head up out of the foxhole for anybody, because nobody wants to take a bullet.”

PWInsider.com is extremely saddened to report the passing of Joe Koff, who was the The Chief Operating Officer of Ring of Honor when it was owned by The Sinclair Broadcast Group.  Joe had been privately battling cancer for some time and made the decision in August that he was going to discontinue treatment in order to enhance the quality of time he had left with his family.  Koff passed away early this morning.

Nitter Link

::: spoiler Spoiler Title New titles to put the new silver logo on them were introduced as well before the first match. :::

An AEW star is in rough shape after a scary medical situation. Former AEW Trios, Tag Team and TNT champion Luchasaurus, aka Killswitch is recovering after his fiance found him collapsed on Friday, September 27. He was rushed to the hospital where they found his blood oxygen below 80 percent and determined he had pneumonia in both longs. It was discovered that he was days away from permanent lung damage. Killswitch has been on oxygen in the days that have followed, and was told to expect a recovery of over a month. His in-ring return is unclear. Fightful gained permission from those close to Killswitch/Luchasaurus before running this article.

Variety has learned that the pro wrestling series will air live on NBC and simulcast on Peacock on Dec. 14 at 8 p.m. ET. It will originate from the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum on Long Island, N.Y., the site of the first-ever “Saturday Night’s Main Event” back in 1985.

Puck: A Premium Entertainment Industry newsletter as reported by PWInsider... so Puck made a story, PWInsider reported what was in it... here we go...

AEW's deal with WBD is "close to finalizing a package" and a formal announcement "could come as soon as next week, barring any last-minute challenges."

It looks like it will be a four-year deal (three years guaranteed, plus an option)" with AEW broadcasts on "TNT, TBS and TruTV."

broadcasts would be "twice a week" but did not give further explanation of what that meant

$170 million per year number is "apparently in the ballpark"

"AEW is also pitching another package, primarily to broadcast channels."

No details on the PPV's being added to the deal or not.

EDIT: Link to Post Wrestling Article

PWInsider is quoting PostWrestling.com but it's Mike Johnson so the story is likely vetted.

PostWrestling.com is reporting that TNA has suspended former TNA Champion Rich Swann after they became aware that Swann was arrested this past June and charged with disorderly public intoxication and causing a disturbance, a misdemeanor offense. TNA stated to PostWrestling.com that they were not aware of Swann's 6/8 arrest until being asked for comment.

Swann was released on a $250 bond on 6/9. He has a case hearing this week in Florida.

It should be noted that on his Facebook page, Swann has posted numerous times in recent months that he has been alcohol free, which would line up with right after the arrest.

“TNA Wrestling takes any and all charges against its performers seriously,” TNA told POST Wrestling in a statement. “Rich Swann is responsible for his own personal actions. He has informed TNA Wrestling that he is voluntarily entering into a substance abuse rehabilitation program. TNA Wrestling has suspended Rich pending the completion of its investigation into the incidents.”

Swann had been paired with AJ Francis as First Class in recent months.

No word on what was discussed, but we have also heard some content was filmed to be rolled out via WWE digital as well.

The Hardys are scheduled for this weekend's TNA tapings and are signing today at Wrestlecon's Destination Cleveland.

WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix is no longer under contract to WWE, PWInsider.com has confirmed with multiple sources.

Phoenix last wrestled for the company in 2023 and had also been working as an announcer.

I copied their headline, but man is it worded dumb when they could just say Beth Phoenix has departed the company. But they wouldn't get a click that way.

Due to USA Network coverage of the 2024 Olympic Games, WWE Monday Night Raw will shift over to Syfy for the next two Mondays.

It will return to USA on Monday 8/12.

Cody Rhodes sits down with Bayley to discuss her upbringing, career struggles, the possibility of WWE Evolution Pt. 2, and more, presented by Wheatley American Vodka.

Broadcasting Executive Jamie Kellner, who helped to launch both FOX and the now defunct WB Network passed away this weekend according to multiple reports, including Variety.

In the professional wrestling periphery, Kellner is best known as the executive who took over Turner Broadcasting after parent company Time Warner merged with AOL - making the decision to cancel World Championship Wrestling programming, including Monday Nitro on TNT, Thunder on TBS and WCW Saturday Night.

EDIT: See comments for spoiler...