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WWE SmackDown's Gingerbread Man angle involving the feud between Sami Zayn and Trick Williams has reportedly received pushback from WWE's creative team. The storyline has been heavily criticized internally according to reports.
WWE's Seth Rollins shared his thoughts on the World Heavyweight Championship match between Roman Reigns and Jacob Fatu scheduled for Backlash 2026. Rollins expects the two competitors to have "the worst kind of fights" due to their family connection.
WWE has announced two major additions to the May 8 SmackDown episode hours before the show goes live, with Jacob Fatu set to open the show ahead of his WWE World Heavyweight Championship match against Roman Reigns at Backlash. The company also added a match between Damian Priest and Talla Tonga to the card, joining previously announced segments including GUNTHER's appearance, a Women's United States Championship match between Tiffany Stratton and Kiana James, and a six-woman tag team match featuring Rhea Ripley, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss against Fatal Influence.
According to a Wrestling Observer Newsletter report, WWE recently scrapped major creative plans that had GUNTHER lined up for a program with Roman Reigns, with the company even shooting an interview to begin that direction. WWE has now pivoted to setting up Cody Rhodes vs. GUNTHER as the next WWE Championship feud, following GUNTHER's attack on Rhodes after the May 1 episode of SmackDown where he choked out the champion and stood over him with the Undisputed WWE Championship.
According to a Wrestling Observer Newsletter report, fewer than half a dozen WWE wrestlers have been approached to take pay cuts under the company's TKO-era contract restructuring. Dave Meltzer reported that these wrestlers were already viewed as lower-priority talent that WWE creative had little interest in featuring prominently, and they would have been released entirely if they hadn't accepted the reduced deals. The strategy involves keeping certain veterans under contract at lower rates while gradually phasing down their in-ring roles and transitioning them toward more promotional company positions.
JC Mateo was signed to a WWE contract in 2025 and was originally planned for a "big push" before his association with The MFTs. WWE has since scrapped plans for singles feuds involving Mateo with "key people."
Following the departure of The New Day's Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston, a report has revealed information about the future of former group member Big E in WWE. The report addresses Big E's current status within the company after his New Day teammates have left.
WWE positioned Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods to transition out of full-time wrestling into reduced roles with less money, offering them the option to wind down their in-ring careers while working in a promotional capacity. The New Day members, who had signed five-year contracts in 2025, were asked to restructure their deals just one year later and chose to leave WWE instead of accepting the reduced terms.
According to a Wrestling Observer Newsletter report, WWE originally planned a significant singles push for Jeff Cobb (who wrestled as JC Mateo) with major programs against important roster names, but those plans changed after he began appearing on television regularly. Instead of becoming a featured singles competitor, Cobb became background support in the MFT faction around Solo Sikoa, with Tama Tonga receiving more screen time and Talla Tonga filling the dominant "monster" role within the group.
Austin Theory has commented on IShowSpeed's actions at WrestleMania 42, calling the content creator's behavior "disrespectful." Theory stated that IShowSpeed cost "The Vision" their WrestleMania moment during the event last month.
John Cena recently teased a major announcement he will make at the WWE Backlash PLE. A backstage report has revealed what Cena could possibly announce at the event, though the specific details of the potential announcement were not disclosed in the available information.
Jacob Fatu has addressed fans who doubt his ability to defeat Roman Reigns at WWE Backlash 2026. Fatu explained why he believes he will beat Reigns and dismissed suggestions that Reigns will continue as champion.