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WWE kickstarted the week with a solid Money in the Bank pay-per-view. A lot has happened since then, especially in terms of big returns and title changes. The promotion has now set its sights on SummerSlam 2021, and there are quite a few exciting developments to note.
From controversial bookings to real-life heat, a lot has been reported lately. However, we also saw some incredibly wholesome moments unfold in the WWE Universe.
Here, we look at the top stories that have ruled the WWE headlines over the last few days.
#6 Vince Russo pitches a bold WWE storyline involving Roman Reigns and Jimmy Uso
On Sunday, WWE RAW Superstar Roman Reigns successfully defended his Universal Championship against Edge at Money in the Bank 2021. The pay-per-view also saw the SmackDown Tag Team Championships change hands as The Usos defeated Rey and Dominik Mysterio for their titles. The Bloodline walked out of the event with all the gold, but some fans were unhappy with the booking.
Jimmy Uso was recently arrested under DUI charges. His championship win at Money in the Bank 2021 led fans into questioning the promotion’s leniency towards the issue. Former WWE head writer Vince Russo suggested that the creative team should have involved Jimmy’s real-life incident in the storyline to draw more heat towards Roman Reigns.
He said that WWE could have had Jimmy Uso admit to his battle against alcoholism in a bid to seek help. However, Reigns could have attacked him instead of showing sympathy, and that would have worked well for both the superstars on WWE SmackDown. Here’s what Vince Russo had to say:
"Bro, what about, and I don't even watch SmackDown. But what about Reigns reprimanding him, and then Uso breaks down and just says, 'Listen, man, you know, I've got an issue, man. I'm an addict, man. I'm an alcoholic, bro.' Like he really breaks down. 'I've tried, I've gone to rehab. I've done this, and I've done that, man. What do you want me to do? I'm sick!'"
“Do you know what I'm saying? And then Reigns beats the crap out of him. Do you know what I'm saying? You could have actually done the angle and put more heat on Reigns for it," explained Vince Russo. You know, bro, it's funny because you hear about 'Oh, they are PG, because we have stockholders now, this and that.' Well, I guess the stockholders don't matter in a case like this," added Russo.
Russo further stated that respectfully addressing the incident and using it cleverly would have made people respect the show. Roman Reigns is currently expected to kickstart a feud with John Cena, who returned and challenged The Tribal Chief for the Universal Championship at WWE SummerSlam 2021. Meanwhile, The Usos might continue their title feud with Rey and Dominik Mysterio.
#5 Two WWE RAW Superstars are reportedly facing “big-time” heat backstage
Vince Russo revealed the backstage statuses of two WWE Superstars on the latest Legion of RAW episode. He stated that Keith Lee and Mia Yim have real-life heat backstage. Russo compared their situation to that of former WWE Superstars Rusev and Lana. He was quoted saying:
"Big-time heat on that couple. They've got Lana-Rusev heat," Russo revealed.
Both Yim and Lee spent most of this year off WWE TV. The latter made a surprise return on RAW earlier this week and answered Bobby Lashley’s open challenge. Unfortunately for him, Lee lost his first match back on the Red brand in five months.
You can check out the latest edition of Sportskeeda Wrestling's Legion of RAW in the video embedded above.
#4 Backstage reason why Goldberg returned to WWE and challenged Bobby Lashley
WWE Champion Bobby Lashley issued an open challenge for his title on RAW this week that led to Keith Lee’s much-anticipated return. Both superstars faced each other in a quick match that ended with The All Mighty picking up a dominant win. Soon after that, WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg walked out and declared himself “next” to face Lashley for the title.
According to the latest reports, WWE is convinced that Goldberg is a big draw. Their analytics suggest that the majority of fans want to see him back in action. The report further states that the criticism towards Goldberg’s return comes from a very small section of vocal fans on the Internet.
"Here is the reality WWE needs casual fans. Every single analytics indicator that the company uses shows that Goldberg is a big draw for them. "We" may not like him returning, but the majority of WWE's fans do. The reality is we are the minority when it comes to pro-wrestling viewership. Twitter is a fraction of how many people actually follow WWE content. Don't shoot the messenger," stated Andrew Zarian.
Goldberg and Bobby Lashley will engage in a WWE Championship feud that will likely set up a big match at SummerSlam 2021. MVP stopped any possible altercations between the two superstars, but we will get more details on the Red brand next week.
#3 WWE reportedly planning to change former RAW Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley’s character
WWE Superstar Rhea Ripley lost her RAW Women’s Championship to Charlotte Flair at the Money in the Bank pay-per-view. She was introduced as a heel on the Red brand and has been booked accordingly so far.
However, the latest backstage reports claim that she is now considered a babyface by the creative team. They have made subtle changes over the last few weeks and are now determined to push her as a complete babyface. Here’s what the report says:
"Going forward, Rhea Ripley is considered a babyface. This had quietly happened over the last few weeks but we are told it was made clear internally that going forward, she is now 100% a babyface. Ripley was initially brought in as a heel."
Ripley got another shot at the title on WWE RAW this week. She faced Charlotte Flair in a RAW Women’s Championship rematch, but The Queen purposely disqualified herself. The move didn’t play out well for her as a frustrated Ripley laid out a brutal attack on Flair.
Nikki A.S.H. saw the opportunity and cashed in her Money in the Bank contract to dethrone Charlotte Flair as the RAW Women’s Champion within 24 hours.
#2 Michael Cole credits Pat McAfee for revitalizing his WWE career
WWE SmackDown commentator Michael Cole recently appeared on The Pat McAfee Show. The two announcers were calling in-ring action when John Cena made his unbelievable return. Cole thanked McAfee for “revitalizing” his career by bringing his unfiltered passion to the job. In an earnest response towards working with Pat McAfee, Michael Cole said:
"It was one of the top five moments in my career. I do want to say this is that you have completely revitalized my career. I've been doing this for almost 25 years now, and I've seen everything in WWE. You go through different partners over the years, and everybody I've worked with has been great.”
“But you're different than all those guys because you're a true fan. You bring that enthusiasm to the product, and I realize I have to step up my game to keep up with what you're doing from an enthusiastic standpoint, and it's been a lot of fun for me. And I just want to thank you for breathing some life into this old body again", he concluded.
Pat McAfee made an impressive debut during his feud with Adam Cole on WWE NXT. Soon after that, he moved to the commentary team and quickly became a fan favorite. McAfee shares excellent chemistry with Cole, and they have hilarious segments together, including the madness surrounding “King” Shinsuke Nakamura’s entrance.
#1 The Undertaker’s daughter hilariously trolls WWE RAW Superstars
WWE legend The Undertaker was present during RAW this week along with his family. He was accompanied by his wife and former WWE Superstar Michelle McCool and their daughter. The Phenom went backstage to visit friends while McCool and their daughter took to the front row.
WWE fans noticed that The Undertaker’s daughter was carrying a hilarious yet adorable sign. It said, “My Dad can beat all these guys” on one side and “My Mom can beat all the women here” on the other. The internet loved the sign and expressed their agreement with the claims. A report detailing their presence during WWE RAW stated:
"The Undertaker and his wife Michelle McCool were at WWE Raw last night. McCool was in the front row away from the cameras. McCool and Taker were there just visiting friends since they live in the Dallas area."
The Undertaker last made an appearance at Survivor Series 2020. He confirmed his official retirement by saying, "My time has come to let The Undertaker Rest in Peace”. Following that, he kneeled in his signature pose next to a holographic image of Paul Bearer to the sound of a ten-bell salute.
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