WWE Rumors: Growing leadership concerns lead to SmackDown creative team changes

Roman Reigns
Roman Reigns

WWE makes creative team changes

WWE is less than one month away from SmackDown Live's big premiere on FOX Sports, and The Wrap is reporting that several creative shakeups have taken place within the blue brand ahead of the premiere.

The report notes that SmackDown head writer Ryan Ward will be stepping down from his role on the show and will be taking a "short-term leave of absence" from the company.

Replacing Ward, who formerly worked as the head writer of NXT, will be Ed Koskey, the former head writer of WWE RAW. Ward will reportedly be returning to WWE at some point, but his role will likely be as a member of the creative's "home team", which includes staff that works out of WWE headquarters and does not travel. The role will be a big step down for Ward, who became the WWE SmackDown head writer earlier this year.

Botched storyline prompts WWE creative changes

As for why the creative changes are taking place, it's being said that the current storyline featuring Roman Reigns, Rowan and Daniel Bryan, which many fans have perceived to be confusing and directionless, has been "botched" by the previous creative team headed up by Ward.

"According to the WWE insider, the storyline was “botched so bad” that “explaining to anyone what it was supposed to be wouldn’t make any sense at all," reads The Wrap report.

The report adds the WWE creative team changes come on the heels of growing concern over Eric Bischoff's leadership of SmackDown Live, and his hiring of a former Sons of Anarchy writer who was recently found asleep on the job by longtime WWE employee Michael "P.S." Hayes.

As for the upcoming WWE SmackDown Live premiere on FOX Sports, WWE has been loading up the show as a 1,000th episode special, and it is set to feature all of the company's top stars, including members of the Raw roster and WWE Hall of Famers and legends.


What are your thoughts on the current Roman Reigns SmackDown Live storyline? Let us know in the comment section.

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