SmackDown Archives - Page 2 of 2

WWE superstar Daniel Bryan talks transition to Cruiserweight Classic announcer and SmackDown Live GM

September 1, 2016 Scott Fishman

Imagine loving what you do so much, living your dream … and then having it taken away from you. This is what happened to Daniel Bryan. The 35-year-old WWE superstar relinquished major championships due to medical reasons and was forced into an early retirement from the ring this year. The popular performer was widely regarded for his passion for pro wrestling. Fans and peers alike were devastated to hear Bryan had to hang up the boots. However, the last few months these dark clouds did reveal a silver lining. The Yes! man joined the Cruiserweight Classic announce team with Mauro […]

WWE marrieds The Miz and Maryse talk pairing up at work and at home

August 29, 2016 Scott Fishman

The Miz is the first to admit that his wife and fellow WWE superstar Maryse is his good luck charm. This is hard to argue, considering the French-Canadian bombshell returned to the company the same night Miz won the Intercontinental championship. Since then, the two have been inseparable on the road. “It’s great,” Maryse said, holding her husband’s hand during a recent red carpet of a “WWE 2K17” event in New York City. “I just wish he wouldn’t listen to Howard Stern on the rides at night. Besides that, it’s great. I get to see my husband, who is the best […]

Carmella Talks: How the “Princess of Staten Island” Plans to Reign on WWE SmackDown Live

August 26, 2016 Scott Fishman

If you ask WWE superstar Carmella, it has been an absolutely F-A-B-U-L-O-U-S few weeks. That’s because the “Princess of Staten Island” was called up from the NXT ranks to the SmackDown Live brand. She watched with everyone at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando when the announcement was made during the draft and her life changed forever. “I was so overwhelmed,” Carmella said, looking back. “I was the very last pick. Of course, I wanted it to happen. I was hoping it would happen. But by that point I was thinking, ‘This is not going to happen for me.’ So when […]

Kofi Kingston talks Scooby-Doo, Booty-Os and his WWE longevity

August 9, 2016 Scott Fishman

Thanks to his voice work in Scooby-Doo and the Curse of the Speed Demon, Kofi Kingston checked another accomplishment off his bucket list. “I was a huge fan of Scooby-Doo,” Kingston said. “It was one of the staple cartoons that we grew up with as ’80s babies. To be in a movie with Scooby-Doo is right up there with becoming a WWE superstar, having my own toy and action figure and being in video games. Being in a cartoon, especially with a character I grew up watching, is really cool.” Of course, the New Day member isn’t alone. Vince McMahon, Stephanie […]

Paul Heyman reveals Brock Lesnar will grace the cover of WWE 2K17 and more

June 27, 2016 Scott Fishman

When it comes to WWE, Paul Heyman’s reputation for salesmanship and promotion is unparalleled on the microphone. So who better for 2K Sports to enlist to make a big announcement for its upcoming WWE 2K17 video game. The advocate for Brock Lesnar revealed during his State of the Union for Suplex City media call that the Beast Incarnate will be the cover superstar for the release, out Oct. 11 for PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 3, as well as Xbox One and Xbox 360. “Brock Lesnar continues his dominance of global headlines and remains the only athlete that can walk between […]

Trish Stratus on acting, Gridlocked and the evolution of women’s wrestling in WWE

June 24, 2016 Scott Fishman

Since retiring from WWE almost 10 years ago, Trish Stratus has found new ways to kick butt within the entertainment industry. The latest addition to her acting resume is Gridlocked, an action-thriller out now on DVD and Blu-ray. The role sees the multi-time WWE women’s champion play Gina, a member of a team of law enforcement agents who must work to secure a police training facility under attack by mercenaries. The big budget flick gave her the opportunity to work alongside Hollywood heavyweights like Danny Glover and Prison Break‘s Dominic Purcell. Stratus, who made her feature debut in Bounty Hunters (Bail Enforcers), came in well prepared for the physical […]

WWE SmackDown goes live and moves to Tuesday nights!

May 25, 2016 Scott Fishman

In an exciting development for WWE fans, SmackDown is going live — and moving to 8pm Tuesday nights — on USA Network starting July 19. And if that weren’t enough, the sports entertainment juggernaut announced the blue brand will feature a distinct roster, storylines and dedicated writing team. This isn’t the first time when WWE made Raw and SmackDown their own separate entities. A similar decision came in 2002 regarding a draft and brand extension. However, the fact that the two shows are going to be on USA Network — and live — helps raise the profile of SmackDown immensely. It’s also […]

WWE superstar Ryback hungry for SmackDown’s move to USA Network

January 4, 2016 Scott Fishman

WWE is revving up for the big premiere of SmackDown on USA Network, and Ryback is hungry for the move. The powerhouse will be featured with the rest of the superstars and Divas as the show settles into its new home starting 8/7CT Thursday, Jan. 7. Before “Feeding Time” commenced, Ryback talked about what the transition from SyFy means for the program. “The big thing is we are going to have more eyes on us,” he said. “Having both of our WWE programs Monday Night Raw, our flagship show, and SmackDown, which is the second longest running episodic show, only […]