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WWE Not Affected by Writer’s Strike; 2023 Draft Completed Ushering in New ‘Raw’ & ‘Smackdown’ Rosters

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: WWE

In case sports entertainment/pro wrestling fans across the globe were concerned that the just called WGA writer’s strike would have an effect on WWE programming, there is good news.

According to WWE CEO Nick Khan, on a quarterly business meeting about the organizations merger with Endeavor, “Our writers are not members of the guild, so there is no effect on us whatsoever. Of course we are supportive of the writers who are members of the guild and their efforts, and we are hopeful a deal can be reached between them and the other side in short order.”

As previously reported, the writer’s went on strike on Tuesday that will have wide-ranging implications on various types of television programming and motion pictures. Currently, picket lines are set up and can be seen at studios and networks across Los Angeles and New York City.

In other WWE news, if you caught the second night of the WWE 2023 draft on this week’s Monday Night Raw, you know which wrestlers will be on the blue brand on Friday Night Smackdown and who will be on the red brand on ‘Raw’.  In addition, supplemental talent was drafted on Raw Talk.  Several wrestlers were also drafted-up from NXT.  The talent picks will take effect on Monday, May 8th following this weekend’s WWE Backlash ppv in Puerto Rico.

As for ‘The Beast Incarnate’ Brock Lesnar, he remains a free agent that allows him to compete on both brands.  Other just announced free agents include:Baron Corbin, Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander, Elias, and Xyon Quinn.

Check out who is going where from the second night of the draft below.  Check here for night one results.

Raw Draft Picks

  1. Rhea Ripley
  2. Seth Rollins
  3. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn
  4. Judgment Day (Finn Balor, Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio)
  5. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez
  6. The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods)
  7. Trish Stratus
  8. Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler
  9. Braun Strowman and Ricochet
  10. Bronson Reed
  11. Otis and Chad Gable
  12. Katana Chance and Kayden Carter
  13. Dana Brooke
  14. Nikki Cross
  15. Johnny Gargano
  16. Humberto Carillo and Angel Garza
  17. Akira Tozawa
  18. Piper Niven
  19. Xia Li
  20. Tegan Nox
  21. Emma
  22. Riddick Moss
  23. Indus Sher (Jinder Mahal, Veer and Sanga)
  24. Odyssey Jones

SmackDown Draft Picks

  1. Austin Theory
  2. Charlotte Flair
  3. The Usos
  4. LWO (Rey Mysterio, Santos Escobar, Cruz Del Toro, Joaquin Wilde and Zelina Vega)
  5. Asuka
  6. The Brawling Brutes (Sheamus, Ridge Holland and Butch)
  7. Karrion Kross (with Scarlett)
  8. LA Knight
  9. Shotzi
  10. Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince and Kit Wilson)
  11. Rick Boogs
  12. Cameron Grimes
  13. Tamina
  14. Grayson Waller
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Recaps

MONDAY NIGHT RAW: CM Punk Returns in Chi-Town and Defeats Sami Zayn for WWE Undisputed Championship

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On the July 6 episode of WWE Raw on Netflix, CM Punk made his triumphant return to WWE programming and captured the Undisputed WWE Championship, in his hometown of Chicago, no less.

In the story, Punk stepped in at the last minute as a replacement in the title match against Sami Zayn, when Zayn’s scheduled opponent, the American Nightmare, Cody Rhodes was taken out at the beginning of Raw by sneak attack by Gunther.

The attack on Rhodes, left Cody out of the title picture for the night and chance to reclaim the championship he lost to Zayn at Night of Champions in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia just 9 days ago.

Photo: WWE

LAST MINUTE OPPONENT

With Adam Pearce currently in charge of both Raw and SmackDown after Nick Aldis also got into an altercation with Gunther last week, Aldis returned and got into with Pearce over the booking of the title match.

Zayn, who thought he got out of a title fight, soon learned he has an unnamed challenger in the main event and headed to the ring for this title defense. Only, it was going to be a losing battle with CM Punk’s theme music hit, and the crowd in Chicago went nuts!

Despite Zayn building significant offense throughout his match,, Punk ultimately came out victorious after using Zayn’s patented victory following a Helluva Kick and a Go To Sleep.

PUNK BECOMES A WWE CHAMP FOR THE EIGHTH TIME

This makes CM Punk an eight-time WWE world champion.  Zayn’s reign as champion became one of the shortest ever. Previously, Punk dropped the WWE World Championship title to Roman Reigns in a classic bout at WrestleMania 42, and until now has been out of the storyline.

Since the Undisputed WWE Championship is associated with SmackDown, the WWE Universe can most likely to CM Punk heading to the blue brand as champ with Reigns the champ on Raw.

But all of this has to be leading to SummerSlam, where the smart money is that Cody Rhodes will demand a title shot at CM Punk for the Undisputed Championship, while we already know Seth Rollins is facing Roman Reigns for the WWE Championship.

WWE SummerSlam takes place in Minneapolis on August 1 and August 2 with the full match cards being revealed in the coming weeks.

So, what did you think of CM Punk returning in Chi-Town to win the Undisputed WWE Championship? Do you think we will now get a Cody or Punk heel turn? Happy or mad, that Sami Zayn’s title run was oh-so short? Weigh-in via the comment section. But first, check out Punk’s winning moment below.

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News

Netflix Releases ‘WWE Unreal’ Season 3 Official Trailer

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“Legends will fall, heroes will rise,” those are the keys to the stories as Netflix is set to take you one more time behind the scenes of the writers room and life as a professional wrestler in WWE Unreal premiering on July 21.

Now on Monday, the streamer has unveiled their official season 3 trailer for the docudrama which features: WWE legend, John Cena on the final run of his retirement tour, and a host of top WWE superstars including: Cody Rhodes, Liv Morgan, CM Punk, AJ Lee, Trick Williams, Lash Legend, Stephanie Vaquer, Oba Femi, Bron Breakker, Chelsea Green, Matt Cardona, Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch.

On the new season of WWE: Unreal, it is set to takes viewer inside the writers’ room as injuries, last-minute pivots, and career-defining decisions reshape WWE’s biggest season yet heading into WrestleMania 42.

Photo: Netflix

HOW THE STORYLINES AND MATCHES CAME TOGETHER FOR WRESTLEMANIA 42

In the trailer, John Cena asks,”Why are we fighting? Start there.The why is everything!” Then, the footage showcases the rising stars of the WWE from Oba Femi, Bron Breakker to Trick Williams.

WWE Chief Content Officer, Triple H is seen in the writers room as he says, “I think we got to pull the trigger on somebody.” Cena shares, “We have so many great new people. Who’s next? That’s the why”  Bron Breakker explained, “If I get dinged up in the middle of a match, you quit? What’s it say about me? I’ll run through a wall for those people.”

In addition, AJ Lee returned after 10 years away from the WWE and wrestled alongside her husband CM Punk, who shared on having his wife back, “It might not seem like a big deal, but everything’s just so much better when she’s there.”  Meanwhile, AJ Lee explained,  “I needed to change things for everyone who came behind me.”  The trailer also shows Liv Morgan battling back from injury, and so much more.

Check out the official WWE Unreal Season 3 trailer below.

Now, let us know, what you are most intrigued to see on the new season as WWE takes you behind the scenes of the creative decisions that led into WrestleMania 42 and more via the comment section.

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Recaps

WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW: Seth Rollins Challenges Roman Reigns at SummerSlam with Deep History

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Two former teammates, two bitter rivals with unfinished business, was the voiceover call from WWE legend Michael Cole as Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns stood toe to toe in the ring after the OTC Tribal Thief accepted Seth Rollins challenge for a WWE World Heavyweight Championship match at SummerSlam.

The moment went down during the closing segment of the June 29th edition of Monday Night Raw on Netflix. After Roman entered the ring with his now sidekick, Jacob Fatu, he was interrupted by Seth Rollins’ theme music of “Burn it Down.”

Right from the start, Rollins brought up their now legendary rivalry that has gone on now for almost 15 years when he took the mic, in what was to be one of Seth’s most effective and heartfelt promos of his career.

Courtesy/WWE

FROM THE SHIELD TO WRESTLEMANIA

The Visionary explained that despite everything Roman has achieved in WWE, there is still one thing missing from his resume: he has never beaten Seth “Freakin” Rollins.  In fact, and in truth, Seth never lost the WWE World Heavyweight Championship which is now in the possession of the Tribal Chief. Seth had to vacate the title due to his shoulder injury which kept him out of action for 9 months.

Taking the viewers and the fans in attendance on a history lesson, Rollins explained how he took Roman’s wiseman in Paul Heyman, pulled off the ruse of the century with his Money in the Bank cash-in, and yes, betrayed Reigns with the infamous chair shot when they were both a part of The Shield with Dean Ambrose (now Jon Moxley, AEW) when they came up in this business together.

Seth also pointed out that time is moving on, and that the younger generation of superstars is coming up and there may not be much time left for them to face each other again. All that, leading to recent remarks said by Rollins which could indicate that a loss at SummerSlam may be the last match of Seth’s WWE career?

Reigns didn’t argue with that points made.  He accepted the challenge saying he needs to beat Rollins once and for all for him, and for his family, and to “close the door on The Shield forever” at SummerSlam.

WWE’s Chief Content Officer Triple H announced on X that Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins will headline SummerSlam 2026 for the World Heavyweight Championship, calling it “a main event 14 years in the making.”

That’s about right! We have been asking and begging for this match-up for years, and it’s finally in sight in four weeks time!

You can check out the segment between Seth and Roman as they come face to face on Monday Night Raw below.

Now weigh-in: are you excited to see Seth and Roman headline one of the nights of SummerSlam 2026? What did you think of Seth’s promo? Who do you think will come away the victor? Share your thoughts in the comment section.

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