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WWE Raw star Bayley has commented on her upcoming NXT return appearances, stating that it's time to go scout. Bayley teased scouting WWE John Cena Classic opponents ahead of NXT house show appearances.
Randy Orton may be returning to WWE television soon, with the company now officially advertising him for the May 29 episode of SmackDown in Barcelona, Spain. Orton has been absent from WWE programming since WrestleMania 42, where he lost to Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Championship. The May 29 SmackDown serves as the final episode before Clash in Italy.
Former NJPW IWGP Heavyweight Champion Naraku (formerly known as EVIL) made his WWE NXT in-ring debut. After the match, Naraku commented that he's "going to take over the whole damn place real soon," sending a message to the NXT roster.
Rey Fenix has commented on his brother Penta's WWE Intercontinental Championship reign, expressing that he would like to have his opportunity. The WWE star stated he wants to "have his chance" regarding the championship.
Rey Fenix responded to WWE's announcement of his brother Penta's upcoming Intercontinental Championship defense against Ethan Page at Saturday Night's Main Event on May 23 with what appeared to be a frustrated Twitter post. While Penta has found success on Monday Night RAW as Intercontinental Champion with major wins over stars like Dominik Mysterio, Finn Balor, and Kofi Kingston, Fenix's run on SmackDown has been notably different since arriving in WWE in 2025.
The Wyatt Sicks will make their first public appearance together since their WWE release at WrestleCon during WWE SummerSlam weekend in Minneapolis from July 31 through August 2. The group, which was released by WWE on April 24, will appear under new names including Bo Dallas as Taylor Rotunda, Nikki Cross as Nikki Storm, Dexter Lumis as Samuel Shaw, Erick Rowan as Erick Redbeard, and Joe Gacy as Joseph Sawyer.
DarkState will get their rematch for the NXT Tag Team Championships against Vanity Project next week on WWE NXT. The rematch comes despite dissension within the DarkState faction.
WWE NXT has booked multiple championship matches for their May 19 episode. Vanity Project will defend the NXT Tag Team Championships against DarkState, and Tatum Paxley will put her Women's North American Title on the line against Lizzy Rain.
Mason Rook officially joined the NXT roster during the May 12 episode, appearing in a contract signing segment where he was welcomed to the ring by Robert Stone. Rook stated he has traveled around the world and wants to make sure his name is on everyone's mind, explaining that he came to NXT because he wants more than he already has. The segment concluded with NXT Champion Tony D'Angelo confronting Rook, expressing displeasure about the attention Rook was receiving, particularly since Rook had made his debut by attacking him.
WWE SmackDown drew 1,279,000 viewers on May 8, 2026 on USA Network with a 0.29 rating in the P18-49 demographic, representing an increase of 12,000 viewers and a 0.04 demo increase from the previous week's episode on May 1. Year-over-year, the show was down 4.9% in viewership and 17.1% in the demo compared to the May 9, 2025 episode which drew 1,345,000 viewers and a 0.35 demo rating.
Angel Garza and Berto are reportedly not leaving WWE despite fan concerns following their loss to Oba Femi in a handicap match on RAW and subsequent social media activity. According to Bryan Alvarez, the internal expectation is that both wrestlers are staying with the company, with Hispanic talent likely safe due to AAA's pursuit of a US TV deal. The report also indicates that AAA is dealing with major visa issues affecting their US expansion plans and upcoming show announcements.
Naraku, formerly known as Evil in NJPW, made his WWE in-ring debut on the May 12 episode of NXT. He defeated Lince Dorado in a one-sided match that showcased his dominant wrestling style. This marked Naraku's first victory in WWE after transitioning from being a top name in New Japan Pro Wrestling.