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#5. Major force promoted CM Punk’s brand switch – Reports
The WWE landscape witnessed a major upheaval this week on RAW when CM Punk made a stunning return and won the Undisputed WWE Championship. He now holds the top prize of Friday Night SmackDown, which therefore makes him an official part of the SmackDown roster. However, massive backstage reports indicate that Punk’s jump to the blue brand wasn’t just a random twist.
According to WrestleVotes Radio on Fighful Select, NBCUniversal pushed for the idea to move Punk to Friday Night SmackDown to boost the show’s ratings. This proposition was under discussion for quite some time now. Because NBCUniversal owns USA Network, the current home of SmackDown, they have a massive financial stake in who performs on the blue brand under their banner.
#4. Finn Balor discusses the idea of his retirement
Finn Balor is one of the top stars in WWE currently dwelling on Friday Night SmackDown. The Prince recently appeared in an interview with Chris Van Vliet where he shed light on several things. But most importantly, Balor was asked about whether he would be wrestling in his 50s, subtly stirring the question of how long he would be involved in active competition.
The 44-year-old however gave a very interesting response. Finn Balor stated he would be wrestling as long as fans love to see him and the company needs him. The Prince made it clear that he wasn’t thinking about retiring from WWE anytime soon and has several more years left as an active competitor. Balor stated that he still feels hungry and rejuvenated, having a lot more to do as a wrestler.
#3. Major conflict erupted over Sheamus’ WWE departure – Reports
Sheamus recently parted ways with WWE, ending his decades-long career in the Stamford-based promotion. The news sent the wrestling world into utter shock and why not? But it appears that a major controversy erupted around this situation. WrestleVotes Radio reported that there was a visible conflict between WWE and TKO regarding The Celtic Warrior’s exit.
Reports suggest that WWE fought tooth and nail against the higher-ups in TKO to retain Sheamus, citing his valuable contributions and his star power. However, TKO offered a restructured contract to The Celtic Warrior, significantly reducing the pay, which the latter rejected. This apparently became the reason why the veteran walked out of the Stamford-based promotion.
#2. Huge spoiler for Roman Reigns & Seth Rollins match
Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins are set to collide in a high-profile match for the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam. The Shield saga is set to light up the U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis this year and the excitement is at a fever pitch. Amid this buzzing hype, WWE has seemingly dropped a major spoiler on the positioning of this blockbuster match on the card.
WWE’s official website is advertising Reigns vs. Rollins for Night 2 of The Biggest Party of the Summer. This indicates that the two stars are set to headline Sunday night of SummerSlam 2026. With the World Heavyweight Championship on the line and the deep-rooted history of the Shield, this is the perfect headliner for the two-night extravaganza in Minneapolis.
#1. Rhea Ripley’s title reign was set to be cut short – Reports
Rhea Ripley suffered a knee injury at Clash in Italy and has been on the shelf since then. The one question fans may be wondering is why WWE hasn’t stripped her of the gold yet. According to recent developments, the company had internal discussions about taking the WWE Women’s Championship away from Ripley ahead of SummerSlam due to her current injury.
However, WWE has scrapped those plans and decided to keep the belt around her waist. The company is seemingly optimistic about Rhea Ripley and her return timeline. The creative team, however, has alternate plans ready in case things get worse. But for now, WWE has no plans to strip Ripley of the coveted title. It will be interesting to see how things shape up in the future.
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