• Updated Match-Card For Money In The Bank 2018
After this week’s SmackDown Live, below is the updated match-card for next month’s Money In The Bank 2018 PPV:
– Men’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match: Braun Strowman vs. The Miz vs. Bobby Roode vs. Kevin Owens vs. Finn Balor vs. Rusev vs. One Member Of The New Day (Big E or Kofi Kingston or Xavier Woods) vs. (Daniel Bryan or Samoa Joe)
– RAW Women’s Championship Match: Nia Jax (c) vs. Ronda Rousey
– Roman Reigns vs. Jinder Mahal
– Last Man Standing Match For The WWE Championship: AJ Styles (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
– Women’s Money In The Bank Ladder Match: Charlotte Flair vs. Alexa Bliss vs. Ember Moon vs. Becky Lynch vs. Lana vs. Naomi vs. Natalya vs. TBD
– SmackDown Women’s Championship Match: Carmella (c) vs. Asuka
– SmackDown Tag Team Championship Match: The Bludgeon Brothers (c) vs. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson
• WWE Stock Reaches New All Time High After SmackDown’s $1 Billion Deal
As we noted before, Hollywood Reporter reported that WWE is close to signing a 5 year, $1 billion deal with FOX for SmackDown Live. Below is the report:
“Fox will be the anticipated home of WWE’s SmackDown Live in a massive new five-year deal worth more than $1 billion, sources close to the negotiations tell The Hollywood Reporter. The new deal, which is nearing completion and is worth $205 million annually, is expected to begin in October 2019 and will mark a three-fold increase over what NBCUniversal is currently paying WWE to air SmackDown on its USA network.”
With that report, WWE stock reached an all time high of $59.45.
• WWE Making SmackDown Live Their A-Show (Highest Priority) After $1 Billion Deal With FOX?
According to Slice Wrestling, WWE might be making SmackDown Live their A-Show (which means the show that will have their highest priority in terms of creative plans & other stuff) after the $1 billion deal with FOX.
WWE officials will have to work on SmackDown Live drawing more than 3 million viewers to compete with other sports shows on the FOX Network. For those who read reports about weekly SmackDown Live viewership here on our website, you’d know that SmackDown Live rarely draws above 3 million viewers.
Report:
WWE Officials Are Making Preparations To Make #SmackDownOnFox Their Highest Priority (A Show) In 2019 WWE Will Need To Keep Ratings Above 3 Million Viewers To Compete With The Other Sports Shows On The Fox Network And Avoid Being Moved To FS1 Or Not Getting Renewed Later pic.twitter.com/z4G04Ubg0C
— SW (@SliceWrestling) May 22, 2018
Speaking of SmackDown Live moving to the FOX Network in 2019, The Wrap noted that SmackDown Live will move to Friday nights under this deal, according to their source.
