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Welcome to Sportskeeda's daily WWE News Roundup, where we compile all the top stories being discussed by the pro wrestling faithful.
WWE recently announced some significant changes to the commentary team as a RAW personality confirmed his departure from the company. A top name also squashed rumors of a massive Brock Lesnar dream match.
We also have an update regarding the status of a promising young star and his recent medical procedure.
The latest news roundup ends with a veteran suggesting an opponent for Edge's retirement match. On that note, let's look at the day's trending stories:
#1. Jimmy Smith leaves WWE
Jimmy Smith's tenure as a RAW commentator has come to an end!
The former MMA fighter took to Twitter earlier today to confirm his exit in a heartfelt tweet, in which he looked back at his memorable run in WWE's broadcast team.
Smith joined WWE in May 2021 and quickly settled into his new role as RAW's play-by-play commentator. As we had revealed earlier, the company has announced new commentary teams for all three brands, with Kevin Patrick being brought in as a replacement for Smith.
The former RAW announcer issued the following statement:
"Just wanted to say, now that the story is officially out, that my time with the WWE is officially done. Had a lot of fun and met some great people. Really and truly blown away by the acceptance from the WWE fans! You folks make it work every week, and your enthusiasm was amazing!"
Sportskeeda sends its best wishes to Jimmy Smith as he prepares for a new chapter in his career. As always, we'll keep you updated on what's next for the 45-year-old personality.
#2. Daniel Cormier shuts down rumors of a Brock Lesnar match
As announced by WWE, Daniel Cormier will be at Extreme Rules as the special guest referee for Seth Rollins and Matt Riddle's Fight Pit match.
Fans are thrilled about Cormier's first WWE assignment, as many expect him to eventually step into the ring. Unsurprisingly, reports of a battle against Brock Lesnar have also been rampant online over the past few days.
DC addressed the rumors during an interview with ESPN and clarified that there were currently no talks regarding a pro wrestling showdown against Brock Lesnar. The retired MMA fighter was previously slated to fight Lesnar in the Octagon in 2018, but the bout never materialized.
The former UFC Champion also spoke about his nixed UFC fight against Lesnar.
"I've not heard anything. That's the thing, right? When something like this happens, and this was, honestly, very good for me because people started to talk," said DC. "People started talking about, 'Oh my goodness, I remember when him and Brock were in the octagon, and they were supposed to fight.' It seems to make a lot of sense. As you know, just because something makes sense see, it doesn't mean that it's going to happen. So, no, there is no talk of me fighting Brock Lesnar," said Cormier.
DC is an ardent pro wrestling fan who has always expressed his desire to enter the business as an active talent. But we'll have to wait and see if Triple H convinces Cormier to wrestle.
#3. Gable Steveson underwent a heart procedure
There has been a lot of speculation about Gable Steveson's WWE career, as he was initially expected to get a considerable push after WrestleMania 38. The Olympic Gold Medalist's development as a wrestler has visibly slowed down, and it is due to a medical condition.
ESPN's Mike Coppinger revealed that an ablation was performed on Steveson's heart as he suffered from Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome. The 22-year-old wrestler was diagnosed with the condition before the Tokyo Olympics and went under the knife based on advice from WWE's medical team.
Triple H also reacted to Steveson's recent struggles and was glad that the young star was healthy again and ready to kickstart his professional wrestling career.
"We're glad to see that Gable is healthy and training full-time at our Performance Center in Orlando," said Paul "Triple H" Levesque, a WWE Hall of Famer who is the company's chief content officer. "WWE takes pride in our best-in-class medical team, which guided Gable through this process to ensure that he has a long, healthy career with WWE."
Steveson is finally at the Performance Center, and it shouldn't be long until fans see him showcase his skills on TV.
#4. Vince Russo says Edge should face Bobby Lashley in his retirement match
Edge's in-ring comeback will always be one of the most inspiring stories in wrestling. The Rated-R Superstar returned from a career-ending neck injury and has since been involved in some exceptional matches.
However, Edge confirmed that he plans to retire in Toronto in 2023, and there are many opponents he could face in his swan song. During the latest episode of Writing with Russo, the former WWE writer explained why Bobby Lashley is the perfect candidate to end Edge's career.
Here's what Vince Russo stated regarding the proposed Edge vs. Lashley matchup:
"Let's say Edge is at the point of retirement. He knows he's seeing these young guys come up, 'It's time for me to step aside,' but Edge says, 'You know what, I wanna go out in a match against the best. I don't wanna start at the bottom. I want to take on the best guy on this roster as a man, just to prove something to myself.' And have that match be Lashley." [5:30 – 6:04]
Edge will take on Finn Balor in an 'I Quit' match at the upcoming Extreme Rules show. Their bout could end up being the most impressive contest of the evening.
Who do you think should face Edge in his retirement match? Sound off in the comments section below.
