WWE Rumor Roundup: Vince McMahon's backstage reaction to SmackDown, another travel issue for company, Superstars' decision on future Saudi Arabia shows, and more - 2nd November, 2019

Enter caption

It's been an incredibly crazy few days in WWE as the promotion hosted Crown Jewel in Saudi Arabia, following which travel issues forced WWE's Superstars to be stranded in the Middle East. This resulted in them missing SmackDown. However, the show still went on as NXT's Superstars invaded the Blue brand ahead of this month's Survivor Series.

In today's WWE rumor roundup, we bring you Vince McMahon's reaction to the SmackDown after Crown Jewel, the mood of the Superstars following travel issues on the way back from Saudi Arabia, as well as the person in charge of SmackDown this week.

All this and more in the November 2nd edition of the WWE rumor roundup:


#1 Vince McMahon's reaction to SmackDown after Crown Jewel

Vince McMahon was backstage on SmackDown
Vince McMahon was backstage on SmackDown

The NXT Superstars stole the show on Friday Night SmackDown as they invaded the Blue brand to set up matches for Survivor Series, where NXT will compete against RAW and SmackDown this year.

Following the show, which was headlined by Adam Cole and Daniel Bryan, with Bryan competing for Cole's NXT Championship, WWE Chairman Vince McMahon was in a jubilant mood.

McMahon was reportedly happy at how the show turned out, despite the travel fiasco causing several SmackDown Superstars to miss the show. The WWE Chairman told people backstage that they "hit a home run" as per Wrestling News.

The report further states that McMahon rewrote the show just hours before SmackDown went on air. According to the report, Triple H - who led the NXT contingent - had a big role to play in how the show turned out.

The show was a hit among the fans who praised WWE and the NXT Superstars on social media as it was very different to what we usually expect from SmackDown shows.

youtube-cover

#2 NXT Superstars on SmackDown needed police escort

NXT Superstars with Triple H
NXT Superstars with Triple H

WWE's Superstars faced travel delays in Saudi Arabia. This then required NXT Superstars to be a part of the SmackDown show, but even they could have missed the show this week.

According to John Pollock of Post Wrestling, NXT's Superstars cut it close as they made it to the arena just before their segment, with their plane landing in Buffalo, New York just minutes before the show went on air. They needed a police escort to get to the arena on time.


#3 SmackDown viewership figures

youtube-cover

It seems that all the hardwork that was put in behind the scenes in WWE ahead of this week's SmackDown has worked. SmackDown's viewership for this week increased significantly from last week.

The show's viewership averaged out at 2.543 million viewers, which is a huge increase from the 888,000 viewership that they got last week, as per Showbuzz Daily (via WrestlingInc)

WWE will build towards Survivor Series, where all three brands will compete on the PPV, for the very first time.

#4 WWE Superstars to not travel to Saudi Arabia in the future?

Natalya and Lacey Evans at Crown Jewel
Natalya and Lacey Evans at Crown Jewel

The majority of the WWE Superstars who travelled to Saudi Arabia, as well as backstage personnel, were stranded in the country due to technical difficulties to their plane. Reports have suggested that Vince McMahon returned to the US in his own plane, as did Brock Lesnar, Paul Heyman, Hulk Hogan and Ric Flair.

But many others were still in Saudi Arabia and missed the SmackDown show. According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, there were several issues post Crown Jewel and that many Superstars are uncertain about returning to Saudi Arabia for the next show.

WWE have signed a 10-year deal with Saudi Arabia to host shows in the Middle Eastern country, and are currently in the second year of the deal. The report states that WWE are keen on proceeding with their Saudi deal and will not pull out of it anytime soon.

The WWE has hosted four shows in Saudi Arabia in the last two years, the latest being Crown Jewel, which was held on October 31, 2019.

#5 Who was in charge backstage at SmackDown?

Triple H and Vince McMahon
Triple H and Vince McMahon

Despite this week's SmackDown being an NXT heavy show, it was Vince McMahon who was calling the shots, rather than Triple H, who is the head of NXT.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Newsletter has reported that Triple H came up with the ideas for the show but it was McMahon who approved the show. The WWE Chairman rewrote the show when it was learnt that the WWE Superstars would not make it back in time from Saudi Arabia for SmackDown.


#6 Vince McMahon's booking decision for Adam Cole's match against Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan and Adam Cole faced off for the NXT Championship on SmackDown
Daniel Bryan and Adam Cole faced off for the NXT Championship on SmackDown

The highlight of this week's SmackDown was the main event where Adam Cole defended his NXT Championship against Daniel Bryan. This was the first time these two supremely gifted Superstars met in the ring and they put on a masterclass.

According to Dave Meltzer, it was Vince McMahon's decision to allow Adam Cole to defeat Daniel Bryan "clean" on SmackDown.

Cole defeated Bryan and then the NXT Superstars who invaded SmackDown arrived at the ring, with Triple H sending a message to both RAW and SmackDown ahead of Survivor Series.

Follow Sportskeeda Wrestling and Sportskeeda MMA on Twitter for all the latest news. Do not miss out!

Meet the man who called CM Punk the softest man alive HERE