• WWE Canceled Original Angle For Last Week’s SmackDown
Creative direction for the February 6 episode of SmackDown shifted behind the scenes, resulting in an angle being pulled at the last minute.
Sources had previously indicated that The Miz and Ilja Dragunov were set to be positioned opposite one another, with an attack angle designed to spark a feud. The segment was reportedly still listed internally in updated drafts close to showtime.
Despite that, nothing involving the two aired on Friday night. WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select stated that the planned moment would have seen The Miz attack Dragunov to set up a future match. There is no word yet on whether the idea has been abandoned or if WWE intends to revisit it on a later date.
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• Real Reason Brody King Didn’t Appear On AEW Dynamite
A scheduling conflict, not a corporate ban, was the true reason for Brody King’s absence from the February 11 episode of AEW Dynamite.
While earlier rumors suggested that Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) had pulled King to avoid political chants, PWInsider has confirmed that King was never actually scheduled to appear at this week’s show.
The logistics of the upcoming Grand Slam Australia event forced King and several other roster members to depart from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on Wednesday night, placing them in the air during the live broadcast.
WBD has since issued an official statement to shut down speculation that they intervened due to the viral “F**k ICE” chants from the previous week. The network clarified that they have no involvement in King’s specific booking schedule and called any claims of a ban or political suppression “categorically false.”
To further distance themselves from the controversy, WBD confirmed that King remains a featured part of their programming. He is set to headline the Grand Slam Australia event against MJF for the AEW World Championship, which will air this Saturday on both TNT and HBO Max.
