This week’s WWE Main Event was taped at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida before last Monday’s Raw.
Akira Tozawa defeated Reggie (6:12)
This was good with Tozawa getting a rare win in a longer-than-usual opening bout.
Akira Tozawa is a Main Event regular these days, but he’s always excellent value and that was no different here. Reggie is yet to notch up a win on Main Event this year and he didn’t really ever look close here.
They went back and forth but Tozawa took most of the early going. They traded high spots and tried to outdo each other, with Tozawa really looking the more accomplished.
In the end, Tozawa went up top and Reggie tried to suplex him but got thrown to the mat. Tozawa then ended it with a senton to leave Reggie 0-5 in his recent Main Event outings.
This was Tozawa’s first non-24/7 title singles win since January 2021. What that says about Reggie is probably more worrying than what it says about Tozawa.
Alpha Academy defeated Mustafa Ali & Cedric Alexander (7:18)
This was a really good Main Event tag match.
Ali was flanked by Alexander last week, but this week they had matching ring gear. Although they’re both fantastic workers, their gimmick is super-cheesy grins and they’re trying to play up that they’re harmless pranksters. It’s actually fairly excruciating.
This one also marked Alpha Academy’s debut on Main Event. Chad Gable and Otis have both worked the show before, but never in this guise. This foursome could pretty much curtain jerk any live event from now on and people would enjoy it, but they’ll no doubt have higher aspirations than that.
The final few minutes were really fun with a typical WWE tag match format where about 30 things were happening at once in a kind of controlled chaos.
Otis came in to break up a pinfall after Ali had nailed Gable with a second rope tornado DDT. They then did this cool spot where Otis was posted and laying with his chest on the second turnbuckle so Ali and Alexander did a superplex off him with Gable. The crowd popped for this one.
After Gable kicked out, they went to the finish. Alexander took out Otis with a flip to the outside over the top rope and Gable set up Ali for the Alpha Bomb after Otis recovered to help out.
The crowd really got into it for the finish which was very strong.
Final Thoughts —
Two decent matches, but all eyes will be on how all these limited-audience shows change over the coming weeks now that Vince McMahon is gone. There’s a big opportunity to do something completely different with a show like this, but time will tell.
The Raw Tag Team titles will officially be on the line in a triple threat match at WrestleMania 38.
WWE has confirmed that RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) will defend their Raw Tag Team titles against The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) and Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis) at WrestleMania. The match will be part of the card for WrestleMania 38 night two on Sunday, April 3.
Two weeks ago, RK-Bro regained the Raw Tag Team titles by defeating Alpha Academy and Seth Rollins & Kevin Owens in a triple threat match. Alpha Academy were champions going into that match after winning the titles from RK-Bro in January.
The Street Profits confronted RK-Bro on Raw last week and challenged them to a title match at WrestleMania. Dawkins & Ford brought up that they had defeated Orton & Riddle in a tag match before RK-Bro won the titles.
Alpha Academy then inserted themselves into the title picture for WrestleMania by interrupting a singles match between Riddle and Ford on Raw last week.
On tonight’s Raw, RK-Bro will take on Alpha Academy in a non-title match.
WrestleMania 38 is being held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. Here’s the updated lineup for the event:
Night one (Saturday, April 2) —
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair defends against Ronda Rousey
Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch defends against Bianca Belair
The KO Show with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin
Rey & Dominik Mysterio vs. The Miz & Logan Paul
Drew McIntyre vs. Happy Corbin
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos defend against Shinsuke Nakamura & Rick Boogs
Night two (Sunday, April 3) —
Winner-take-all championship unification match: WWE Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Universal Champion Roman Reigns
Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory
Sami Zayn vs. Johnny Knoxville
AJ Styles vs. Edge
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Queen Zelina & Carmella defend against Sasha Banks & Naomi, Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan, and Natalya & Shayna Baszler in a fatal four-way match
Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro defend against The Street Profits and Alpha Academy in a triple threat match
WWE has announced three new additions to the lineup for tonight’s Raw.
Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch will appear on Raw tonight and address her attack on Bianca Belair from last week. Two non-title matches involving champions have also been added to the show. Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) will take on Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis), while United States Champion Finn Balor will face Austin Theory.
Over the weekend, WWE issued a storyline injury update claiming that Belair suffered a “fractured hyoid bone” when she was attacked by Lynch last Monday. Lynch got payback on Belair by wrapping a steel chair around Belair’s head and sending her throat-first into the ring post.
Lynch is defending her Raw Women’s Championship against Belair at WrestleMania 38 night one on Saturday, April 2.
RK-Bro accepted a WrestleMania challenge from The Street Profits on Raw last week. Gable and Otis then inserted themselves into the picture by interrupting a singles match between Riddle and Montez Ford.
Due to a distraction by Theory, Balor lost a non-title match to Damian Priest last week. Theory then laid out Balor after the match.
Theory is facing Pat McAfee at WrestleMania 38 night two.
Tonight’s Raw is taking place at the Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Illinois. The updated lineup for the show is listed below:
Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch will address her attack on Bianca Belair from last week
AJ Styles returns to Raw for the first time since being given two con-chair-tos by Edge three weeks ago
Non-title match: Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) vs. Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis)
Non-title match: United States Champion Finn Balor vs. Austin Theory
RK-Bro agreed to a Raw Tag Team title match against The Street Profits at WrestleMania 38 tonight on Raw.
During the show, RK-Bro held a celebration in honor of them winning the Raw Tag Team titles on last week’s Raw, defeating former champions Alpha Academy and the team of Kevin Owens & Seth Rollins in a three-way match. During the celebration, The Street Profits came out and challenged RK-Bro to a title match at WrestleMania. Orton declined the match initally, but Riddle agreed, saying they needed to face someone at WrestleMania.
An altercation between Montez Ford and Riddle turned into a match. However, the match ended when Alpha Academy came in and took out both teams. WWE has yet to officially confirm the match for WrestleMania.
Here are the current lineups for both WrestleMania cards:
Night one (Saturday, April 2) —
SmackDown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair defends against Ronda Rousey
Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch defends against Bianca Belair
The KO Show with “Stone Cold” Steve Austin
Rey & Dominik Mysterio vs. The Miz & Logan Paul
Drew McIntyre vs. Happy Corbin
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos defend against Shinsuke Nakamura & Rick Boogs
Night two (Sunday, April 3) —
Winner-take-all championship unification match: WWE Champion Brock Lesnar vs. Universal Champion Roman Reigns
Pat McAfee vs. Austin Theory
Sami Zayn vs. Johnny Knoxville
AJ Styles vs. Edge
WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Queen Zelina & Carmella defend against Sasha Banks & Naomi and Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan in a triple threat match
RK-Bro are Raw Tag Team Champions for a second time.
Randy Orton and Riddle regained the Raw Tag Team titles for a second time as a team tonight on Raw, defeating former champions Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis) and Kevin Owens & Seth Rollins. The finish had Gable going for a moonsault, but Orton countered with an RKO. Orton was taken out of the ring as Rollins hit a curb stomp and Owens connected with a powerbomb. However, Riddle came in, threw Owens out of the ring and pinned Gable to win the titles.
After the match, the cameras focused on Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens, with announcers noting that their path to WrestleMania was now in question after failing to win the titles.
Alpha Academy won the titles back on the January 10 edition of Raw, defeating RK-Bro. Alpha Academy then started an Academic Challenge where if RK-Bro won, they would get a future title match. RK-Bro in fact won, defeating Alpha Academy in a quiz bowl and a spelling contest, while Alpha Academy won a scooter race. Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins were later added to the title match after they defeated Alpha Academy in a match on the February 28 edition of Raw.
Date: March 7, 2022 Location: Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, OH
The Big Takeaway —
Kevin Owens called out Steve Austin for the “KO Show” at WrestleMania.
Randy Orton and Riddle won the tag titles in a great match. Bron Breakker made his Raw debut by teaming with Tommaso Ciampa to beat Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode. Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan were added to the WrestleMania women’s tag title match after beating Carmella and Queen Zelina.
Show Recap —
They aired clips of Roman Reigns attacking Brock Lesnar (with fake booing added) at the Madison Square Garden show.
Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins entered as the announcers ran down tonight’s show.
Owens and Rollins said they would win the tag titles tonight and pondered what WrestleMania would even look like without them. Owens insulted Dallas, Texas again. They played clips of them beating RK-Bro and Alpha Academy in recent weeks. Owens said they were “undeniable.”
Alpha Academy interrupted. Chad Gable called the match result last week erroneous. He said that they would retain tonight before going on to WrestleMania.
In the back, Kevin Patrick interviewed Riddle and Randy Orton. Orton said they would win by any means necessary because they’ve come too far and worked too hard to get here.
Triple threat tornado tag team match: Randy Orton & Riddle defeated Alpha Academy and Kevin Owens & Seth Rollins to win the Raw Tag Team Championships (27:01)
One wrestler from each team was legal at all times and you can only tag your own partner. There were no count-outs or disqualifications, which makes you wonder why anyone would stay on the apron.
Rollins wiped out Gable and Riddle with a dive before Owens gave Gable a senton for a nearfall early in the match. After a break, Otis took over and splashed Riddle but picked him up at the two count for some reason.
Orton made the (very) hot tag and he handed out powerslams to Gable and Rollins before giving them a double draping DDT. After Gable blocked an RKO, Orton hit Rollins with one instead but Owens broke up the cover. Orton backdropped Owens and Gable onto the announce table before Riddle and Orton both dropped Otis on the table.
After a second break, Riddle gave Gable a floating bro but Owens broke up the cover. Gable hit Riddle with a moonsault but Rollins broke up that cover. They did a big tower of doom spot where Otis brought down Owens and Rollins and his partner Gable with a powerbomb. (Owens and Rollins were trying to superplex Gable). This led to a brawl and a third commercial break.
Owens wiped out everyone with a dive during the break and Rollins gave Riddle a double foot stomp for two after the break. Rollins tried a rolling forearm but Riddle applied a triangle choke. Gable broke that up with a diving headbutt before handing out German suplexes to Orton, Rollins and Riddle.
Gable went for a moonsault but Orton brought him down with an RKO and the crowd popped huge for that counter.
Owens and Rollins handed out superkicks before Rollins gave Gable a buckle bomb. Owens followed with a stunner and Rollins hit a curb stomp, but Riddle chucked Rollins out of the ring and stole the pinfall for the win. RK-Bro are the tag champs again.
This was a fun match and the crowd was really into it. (Corey Graves said this might be the greatest triple threat match we’ve ever seen, which is funny.)
Owens and Riddle acted despondent after the match. (They kept showing Owens’ and Rollins’ reactions but never showed Gable and Otis.)
********
Patrick interviewed Orton and Riddle in the ring. Orton said he hasn’t had this much fun in the 20-plus years that he’s been doing this. He called Riddle his friend, something he hasn’t said about anyone else in all that time. Orton was pumped that they were going to WrestleMania. (This was also very good.)
This all took up pretty much the entire first hour.
[SECOND HOUR]
They showed replays of the tag match after a break before showing a dejected Kevin Owens sitting alone in the back.
********
Reggie gave Dana Brooke a good luck kiss earlier tonight. Tozawa wanted to give Tamina a good luck kiss so she grabbed him by the face and kissed him.
Dana Brooke (w/Reggie) defeated Tamina (w/Akira Tozawa) to retain the 24/7 Championship (1:43)
Brooke reversed a Boston Crab into a rollup for the pinfall win here in her hometown.
After the match, Tozawa called Tamina the love of his life. He wanted another kiss. She walked away before begrudgingly blowing him a kiss.
********
Patrick tried interviewing a miserable Seth Rollins. Rollins began seething so Patrick backed away.
The Miz and Logan Paul homecoming with Jerry Lawler
The Miz was happy to be home and the crowd chanted his name. Miz was glad to finally get shown some respect. He introduced fellow hometown boy Logan Paul. Paul spoke about growing up in Cleveland and credited his city for helping him become who he is today.
Miz said Paul accomplished everything on his own and didn’t get favours from his dad like Dominik Mysterio. He called Rey Mysterio a legend but they’ve both accomplished the same things and yet Rey is cheered while Miz is booed.
Miz introduced Jerry Lawler. I believe Miz said Lawler was “born” and raised in Cleveland. Lawler wore a Browns jersey and did speak about growing up in the area in places like Lorain and Amherst, Ohio. He was also in Cleveland when the Browns won the championship in 1964. Lawler thought it would be great if Cleveland hosted a WrestleMania.
Miz didn’t like that idea and began running down the city and said he doesn’t even live there anymore. The city’s football team moved to Baltimore, LeBron James left and Odell Beckham left (and won a championship too). Miz said winners always left Cleveland and thought it was time he left right now. Miz left. Paul seemed somewhat surprised by Miz’s remarks but he left with Miz.
********
Patrick interviewed Tommaso Ciampa and Bron Breakker. Bron was excited to be on Raw for the first time and was taking it all in. Bron called it a dream come true to compete on Raw and couldn’t wait to get his hands on Dolph Ziggler and Robert Roode. Ciampa planned on beating them again.
********
The announcers congratulated Gable Steveson on his third Big Ten championship.
Sarah Schreiber interviewed the Street Profits and wondered if they had a path to WrestleMania. They reminded her that they beat the RK-Bro last week and said they should be next in line for the titles.
********
They aired a video package for Bron Breakker as he entered.
NXT Champion Bron Breakker & Tommaso Ciampa defeated Dolph Ziggler & Robert Roode (9:37)
Bron gave Roode a delayed vertical suplex early in the match. Roode gave Ciampa a spinebuster and the heels took over ahead of a break. Ciampa hit a knee strike before tagging in Bron who gave Ziggler a big overhead suplex and spinebuster. Bron ran into a Ziggler kick but came right back with a clothesline. Roode distracted Bron and Ziggler used a schoolboy for a nearfall.
Ziggler followed with a Zig Zag but Ciampa broke up the cover before taking out Roode. Bron finished off Ziggler with a military press powerslam for the pinfall win.
After the match, Ziggler told Bron and Ciampa he planned on winning the title tomorrow on NXT.
(Bron’s offense looked good and he received a modest pop from the crowd.)
********
Omos told the disembodied voice of Sarah Schreiber that he planned on taking a spot at WrestleMania.
Omos defeated Apollo Crews (w/Commander Azeez) (2:42)
Omos won with a tree slam.
After the match, Omos and Azeez had a brief staredown before Omos left.
[THIRD HOUR]
Edge segment
There was a very dramatic video package of Edge’s turn last week. They said that AJ Styles suffered a severe neck contusion.
The lights were off and Edge’s Alter Bridge music hit but the music faded out as Edge entered. The arena was dimly lit with blue lights as Edge, wearing a suit, slowly entered the ring without music. (There was a mixture of cheers and boos and fake boos.)
Edge said he knew Styles was watching at home and suggested that he put his kids to bed for this. Edge said he did Styles a favour. Edge said he felt the freedom to fly last week. It was a side of him that he’s never seen before and a side that he’s fallen in love with.
Edge felt in full control over everything that he does, everything that happens in the ring, and everything that will happen in this industry. Edge was standing on top of a mountain of omnipotence and the view was “phenomenal.”
They cut to black and a few moments before the lights turned back on and they moved on to the next thing.
(In hindsight, I’m not sure why he thought AJ’s kids shouldn’t have watched this.)
********
Patrick interviewed Owens in the back. Owens said he wasn’t as distraught as Rollins because he had an epiphany and this idea would be his ticket to WrestleMania. Patrick wanted to know what it was and Owens said he would reveal it tonight.
********
They aired the Reigns/Lesnar MSG footage again. Graves said this was the most-watched video on WWE’s Instagram page.
Rhea Ripley & Liv Morgan defeated Tag Team Champions Queen Zelina & Carmella in a non-title match (9:04)
Carmella kicked Ripley into the steps which allowed her team to take control through a break. Morgan eventually made a tag and hit Zelina with a missile dropkick for two. Zelina fought back but had no one to tag because Carmella was busy chatting with Graves.
Morgan gave Zelina a codebreaker and Ripley followed with Rip-tide for the pinfall win. Carmella wasn’t even paying attention when the fall happened.
With the win, Ripley and Morgan have been added to the tag title match at Mania.
********
They announced Vader’s induction into the Hall of Fame.
They aired a clip of Vince McMahon offering Pat McAfee a match at WrestleMania and Austin Theory’s announcement on Smackdown.
Non-title match: United States Champion Finn Bálor defeated Austin Theory via DQ (8:40)
Bálor was in control before a break but Theory went on offense when they returned. Bálor fought back and set up for a Coup de Grace but Damian Priest showed up out of nowhere and attacked Bálor for the DQ. Priest laid out Bálor with a Razor’s Edge.
Theory gave Bálor an ATL and took a selfie.
********
Patrick asked Bianca Belair if she planned on using her hair as a weapon at WrestleMania. Belair said she and Becky Lynch were both WrestleMania main eventers and they should fight with respect, but she used her hair as a weapon last week only after Lynch tried using it against her. Belair said she would win at WrestleMania.
********
Main event segment with Kevin Owens
Owens said he wanted to have the biggest, most stupendous KO Show in history at WrestleMania. Because of where it’s being held, his guest should be someone from Texas.
He could choose a blowhard like JBL but the bullhorns on his car would be more interesting. He could choose Booker T but Booker was a hypocrite — a Texan who spent most of his career in a team called Harlem Heat and who spoke with a fake British accent. He could choose Shawn Michaels but Owens was a proud Canadian and, out of respect of Bret Hart, he wasn’t going to do that.
Owens wanted a guy who we haven’t seen in a long time. A guy who has probably let himself go after years of drinking beer. A guy who probably couldn’t even walk to the ring because he spent so many years wrestling in knee braces. Owens wanted to drop this person and pour a glass of milk over his lifeless body. “The bottom line is, I’m calling you out — Stone Cold Steve Austin.”
(They played Austin’s music which surely made people think for a second that he might be coming out but it was just done to air the graphic for WrestleMania.)
A title match will be kicking off tonight’s episode of Raw.
WWE has announced that Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis) vs. RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) vs. Seth Rollins & Kevin Owens for the Raw Tag Team titles will open tonight’s show. The episode is taking place at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio.
Gable & Otis won the Raw Tag Team titles from Orton & Riddle this January. To earn a rematch for the titles, Orton & Riddle defeated Gable & Otis in an Academic Challenge.
Tonight’s Tag Team title match became a triple threat when Rollins & Owens were added two weeks ago. They defeated Orton & Riddle to earn a spot in the match.
Rollins & Owens defeated Gable & Otis in a non-title match on last week’s Raw. Orton & Riddle also lost to The Street Profits on the show.
The updated lineup for tonight’s Raw is listed below:
Edge will address his attack on AJ Styles from last week
The Miz and Logan Paul will throw a homecoming celebration
Jerry Lawler will make a “special guest appearance”
Raw Tag Team Champions Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis) defend against RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) and Seth Rollins & Kevin Owens in a triple threat match
A triple threat match for the Raw Tag Team titles is now set for the March 7 edition of Raw.
Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis) will now defend the titles against both RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) and Seth Rollins & Kevin Owens after Rollins & Owens defeated RK-Bro in the main event of tonight’s Raw. It had been previously announced that RK-Bro would get a title match against Alpha Academy on the February 28 edition of Raw.
Earlier on tonight’s show, Rollins and Owens were interviewed. Owens, attempting to get himself on the WrestleMania card, said he petitioned to the WWE and was successful in getting a match against RK-Bro where if they won, they would be added to the match that would take place in two weeks. Rollins and Owens were successful, with Owens pinning Riddle with a stunner to win the match.
RK-Bro earned a title match after defeating Alpha Academy in an Academic Challenge. While Gable defeated Riddle in a scooter race, RK-Bro won a spelling contest and a quiz competition, earning themselves a rematch after losing the titles on the January 10 edition of Raw.
Alpha Academy and RK-Bro’s Academic Challenge came to an end with its third event taking place on Raw last night.
After RK-Bro won the spelling bee and Alpha Academy won the scooter race, the Academic Challenge came down to who would be victorious in the Quiz Bowl. RK-Bro got the win by five questions to four, clinching the Quiz Bowl when Randy Orton was able to correctly answer how many grams are in an ounce.
RK-Bro will get a Raw Tag Team title rematch against Chad Gable & Otis for winning the Academic Challenge. WWE hasn’t announced when that match will be taking place.
On Raw next week, Orton & Riddle will celebrate their Academic Challenge win with an “RK-Broga Party.”
RK-Bro were also in action in last night’s main event. A singles match between Riddle and Seth Rollins turned into a tag team match after Kevin Owens attacked Riddle and caused a disqualification. Orton made the save and dropped Owens with an RKO.
But Rollins & Owens defeated RK-Bro in their tag team match after Rollins hit Riddle with a stomp. After the match, Orton gave Owens another RKO. Rollins cackled at RK-Bro and headed to the back.
Riddle and Rollins will be two of the participants in the WWE Championship Elimination Chamber match in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, February 19. Owens wanted to take Austin Theory’s spot in the match after defeating him last night, but Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville told Owens that the results of the previous week’s qualifying matches were final. Pearce and Deville told Owens that he might not even be on WrestleMania this year.
A Quiz Bowl acedemic challenge between RK-Bro and Alpha Academy has been announced for next week’s Raw.
Chad Gable named the stipulation on tonight’s Raw after he defeated Riddle in a scooter race. Gable told Riddle after the announcement that he would lose, and RK-Bro wouldn’t get a rematch for the Raw Tag Team titles.
The scooter race had both Riddle and Gable use scooters to circle around the backstage area in a 50-lap race. As they started to reach the finish line, Gable tripped, seemingly giving Riddle the win. However, as Riddle was about to cross the finish line, Otis emerged and attacked Riddle, allowing Gable time to recover and eventually cross the finish line for the win.
After the contest, Gable was mad that Riddle had “run into” Otis and gave Riddle a match against his pupil. Before the match started, Adam Pearce announced that the winner of the match would qualify for the Elimination Chamber match next month. Riddle ended up pinning Otis to qualify.
Raw next week will air on the SyFy channel due to Winter Olympic Games coverage on USA.
The Raw Tag Team titles will be on the line on Monday night.
WWE has announced that Monday’s Raw will feature a Raw Tag Team title match with RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) defending against Alpha Academy (Chad Gable & Otis).
The match comes after Alpha Academy defeated RK-Bro in a non-title bout on Raw earlier this week. Gable & Otis attacked Riddle & Orton before the match started.
RK-Bro have held the Raw Tag Team titles since winning them from AJ Styles & Omos at SummerSlam 2021. At Day 1 last Saturday, Orton & Riddle retained against The Street Profits .
Monday’s Raw is being held at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. Here’s the updated lineup for the show:
Liv Morgan vs. Bianca Belair vs. Doudrop (winner challenges for Becky Lynch’s Raw Women’s Championship at the Royal Rumble)
Alexa Bliss’ “journey back to Raw”
Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro defend against Alpha Academy
The Wells Fargo Center is also advertising that WWE Champion Brock Lesnar will be appearing at Monday’s show.
More WWE wrestlers were drafted during the episode of Talking Smack that aired this morning on Peacock.
It was announced during the show that Reggie, Akira Tozawa, Alpha Academy (Chad Gable and Otis), Apollo Crews, Commander Azeez, Doudrop, Drake Maverick, John Morrison, T-Bar, Nia Jax, R-Truth, and Zelina Vega have been drafted to Raw. NXT star Aliyah, Drew Gulak, Mace, Mansoor, Mustafa Ali, and Toni Storm, meanwhile, have been drafted to SmackDown.
Back in July, Aliyah had turned on Robert Stone after she and Jessi Kamea lost to Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter. Since then, she has been off NXT television, reportedly traded to the main roster for Mandy Rose, who has since returned to NXT and has aligned herself with Jacy Jayne and Gigi Dolan to form Toxic Attraction.
The first night of the draft took place on SmackDown, with the second night of the draft due to take place on Raw this coming Monday. High profile brand switches include Charlotte Flair, Drew McIntyre, New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods), NXT’s Hit Row, and Jeff Hardy being drafted to SmackDown while Bianca Belair, Edge, Rey & Dominik Mysterio, and NXT’s Austin Theory are moving to Raw.
The Street Profits will be in action on next week’s SmackDown.
On SmackDown tonight, it was announced that The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford) will face The Alpha Academy (Otis & Chad Gable) on next Friday’s episode of the show. The match was made after a segment where The Street Profits were attacked by Otis tonight.
After The Street Profits lost to The Usos on SmackDown last week, Gable approached Dawkins and Ford backstage on tonight’s show and said he’s seen a downward trend in their careers. Gable said Ford has lost at least six inches on his frog splash and Dawkins’ Sky High is now more like a “grounded medium.” Gable said he can advise The Street Profits in the same way that he’s advised Otis. The Street Profits were insulted and declined Gable’s offer.
Otis later confronted The Street Profits and told them that they were out of line. Otis said The Street Profits need to apologize, but Ford said they didn’t owe anyone an apology. The Street Profits told Otis that Gable is holding him back. When Dawkins and Ford said Otis needs to get out of the Alpha Academy, Otis attacked both of them.
The Street Profits cut a promo later in tonight’s show and warned Otis that he better stay away and mind his own business. Ford said they don’t know what kind of machine Otis thinks he is, but they’re about to send him and Gable back to the dump where they belong.
