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The Top Ten Wrestling Stories of The Week 10/16: WWE Draft, New Day Split Up, Big Returns, More

By Matthew Fowler • Published 16th October 2020

Welcome back TJR readers! Did you spend all day Friday trying to find a fly swatter, and miss Smackdown? Perhaps you spent all day Monday wondering how someone like Christopher Columbus ever got a holiday, causing you to miss RAW. Worry not, for I have returned with another edition of The Top Ten Wrestling Stories of the Week to catch you up.

10. Lana Becomes the New Number One Contender

The Main Event of this week’s RAW was a dual-brand Women’s Battle Royal to name a new number one contender for Asuka’s RAW Women’s Title. Lana was able to win the match; by eliminating her former partner Natalya. Natalya had broken up with Lana earlier in the night, after Lana lost her seventh consecutive match on RAW. After her big win, Lana’s husband Miro tweeted out, “Rocky was a jobber once as well!”; which consequently is also true for the majority of the AEW roster. (TJRWrestling)

9. John Cena Gets Married

John Cena proved once again that he “Never Gives Up” this week. After his engagement with Nikki Bella fell apart in 2018, John Cena got married for a second time this week. Cena got married to Shay Shariatzadeh in a secret private ceremony this week. Secret and private is a stark contrast to how Cena’s relationship with Nikki went, with them being regularly being featured on Total Divas/Total Bellas and actually getting engaged in the ring at Wrestlemania 33. After having his previous relationship so strongly in the public eye, Cena must have decided that for this relationship, “You Can’t See Me.” (TJRWrestling)

8. Eva Marie Reportedly Returning to WWE

A true legend of the ring is reportedly set to return to the WWE. Eva Marie has reportedly re-signed with the WWE, and could be returning very soon to the squared circle. The possible ramifications to the wrestling world with this huge news cannot be understated. How will Asuka respond now that there is finally an opponent that is equal and possibly surpasses her in-ring prowess? Will Charlotte and Ronda Rousey now stay away from the WWE longer, fearing this new adversary? Will Tony Khan run and get his daddy’s checkbook, hoping to steal away the savor for his floundering women’s division? One thing is known however, there is no year more perfect than 2020 for Eva Marie to return to the ring. (TJRWrestling)

7. Elias Returns on RAW

We, once again, now know what WWE stands for. Elias made his return during a triple threat match between match AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy and Seth Rollins. Elias proceeded to hit Hardy with a guitar, allowing Styles to get the win. Elias has not been seen on WWE television since June, after suffering a torn pectoral muscle. During his last television appearance, Elias was the victim of a hit and run. Hardy was originally arrested for the crime, before being cleared by police. Clearly however, Elias still believes Hardy to be the culprit, perhaps because Rikishi was nowhere near the arena that night. (TJRWrestling)

6. Spin the Wheel, Make a Deal Returning to NXT: Halloween Havoc

NXT is bringing back an old gimmick for their NXT: Halloween Havoc special on October 28th. This week on NXT it was announced that both the NXT North American Title Match Between Johnny Gargano and Damien Priest and the NXT Women’s Championship Match Between Io Shari and Candice LeRae will both have stipulations decided by Spin the Wheel, Make a Deal. For those of you that aren’t familiar with Spin the Wheel, Make a Deal, it is a concept that was originally used in the main event match between Sting and Jake the Snake Roberts at WCW’s 1992 Halloween Havoc. It is essentially a giant wheel with various match stipulations on it. In the 1992 match, the wheel disappointedly ended up on a Cole Miner’s Glove match, while passing more exciting options such as a barbed wire or cage match. I personally feel that if we all spun a wheel to make life decisions the world would be a much better place. Unfortunately, my wife disagreed with this sentiment when I tried to bring a giant wheel into the bedroom. (TJRWrestling)

5. Lars Sullivan Returns on Smackdown

Smackdown saw a huge return this week. After Jeff Hardy and Matt Riddle defeated The Miz and John Morrison, Lars Sullivan made his return. Sullivan proceeded to attack Hardy, Riddle and The Miz with only Morrison being able to escape his wrath. Sullivan has not been seen in WWE since June 2019, when he suffered a severe knee injury. Over a year is a long time to be out of the ring, so it is good that Lars has been able to use his social media to keep himself relevant to the fans. (TJRWrestling)

4. Third Hell in a Cell Match Announced

If you love Hell in a Cell Matches, boy do I have some good news for you! Roman Reigns vs. Jey Uso and Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton were already planned for the Hell in a Cell PPV on October 25, but now a third cell match has been added. After Bayley used a steel chair to get disqualified in her match against Sasha Banks, Banks challenged Bayley to a cell match for the Smackdown Women’s Championship. This is Bayley’s first Cell Match, while Banks has been in every Women’s Hell in a Cell Match in history. This should give Banks a huge advantage in the match as she has more experience inside a cell than any women in WWE history, besides Sunny. (TJRWrestling)

3. AEW Dynamite Celebrates One Year Anniversary

It was a very special edition of AEW Dynamite this week, with Dynamite celebrating their one year anniversary of being on the air. The show featured all four championships being defended but saw no titles change hand on the show. The show also saw MJF ask to join the Inner Circle, with MJF and Chris Jericho planning to meet over a steak dinner to discuss it next week. AEW: Dynamite’s actual anniversary date is October 2nd, which hopefully will further reiterate to my wife that the actual anniversary date doesn’t matter. (TJRWrestling)

2. New Day Win Smackdown Tag Team Championship Before Being Separated

It was a day of highs and lows for the New Day this past Friday on Smackdown. The night started out on a high when both Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods returned to action (Woods missed nearly one year of in ring action) and proceeded to beat Cesaro and Nakamura to become the new Smackdown Tag Team Champions. The high didn’t last long however, as it was then announced that Kingston and Woods were traded to RAW while fellow New Day Member Big E stayed on Smackdown. RAW Tag Team Champions The Street Profits ended up being traded to Smackdown on RAW this Monday, causing The New Day and The Street Profits to trade tag titles. This means that Kingston and Xavier Woods are now the RAW Tag Team Champions, while Big E will be all alone on Smackdown. This is the first time the New Day has been separated since being founded way back in 2014, which for all you younger readers out there was a magical time when people got together in huge groups and didn’t even have to wear a mask. (TJRWrestling)

1. WWE Draft Takes Place on Smackdown and Raw

It was that time of the year again in WWE. The time of the year were WWE pretends that the brand split matters, only to forget about it entirely after Survivor Series in November. WWE held their Draft on both Smackdown and RAW this week. Stephanie McMahon came out during both shows to announce all the picks. Lots of superstars ended up changing brands including top stars like Bray Wyatt, Braun Strowman, AJ Styles, Jeff Hardy, Seth Rollins, The Mysterio’s and many more. It is impossible to say who won the draft of course, until we find out what brand Eva Marie will be on. (TJRWrestling)

That will conclude another edition of The Top Ten Wrestling Stories of the Week. As always, if you like what I do, please follow me on Facebook and Twitter @BackseatBookers and listen to my podcast The BackseatBookers. (Please be aware that it is explicit as I have a number one draft pick potty mouth.)