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Blake Monroe's official WWE SmackDown debut is expected to happen before the end of May, according to PWInsider reports from May 6, 2026. WWE aired a vignette for "The Glamour" during the April 24 edition of SmackDown that concluded with a "coming soon" message, confirming her move from NXT to the blue brand is imminent.
Jeff Jarrett has expressed shock at WWE's decision to return to Saudi Arabia for the Night of Champions PLE amid the ongoing conflict. Jarrett stated that WWE's choice to continue with the Saudi Arabia event surprises him given the current situation.
Bully Ray has shared his thoughts on Ricky Saints' WWE SmackDown debut and discussed whether he considers Saints to be world champion material. Bully Ray expressed concerns about Saints following his debut appearance on the show.
WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray has commented on Oba Femi's direction following WrestleMania 42, stating that WWE should "go all in" on the star. Bully Ray reflected on Femi's current trajectory and expressed his belief that the company should fully commit to pushing the wrestler.
Cody Rhodes revealed on the What Do You Wanna Talk About? podcast that he recently visited WWE headquarters to explore what a corporate or creative role with the company would entail, treating the experience like a formal job interview process. Rhodes met with key figures across multiple departments including Bruce Prichard and the creative team, prepared detailed creative materials and sample formats, and reached out to wrestlers on the roster to collect storyline ideas. He stated that his previous experience as an executive vice president, despite acknowledging he "failed at it," taught him valuable lessons that motivated him to thoroughly prepare for a potential future behind-the-scenes role at WWE.
WWE made a last-minute change to former NJPW star EVIL's new ring name just days before officially revealing it as "Naraku" on the May 5 episode of NXT. According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful, internal WWE materials were still using the previously trademarked "Nox Raijin" name as recently as Sunday before the reveal, indicating the company pivoted from their original plan very late in the process.
Corey Graves believes the backlash against Pat McAfee and Jelly Roll's involvement in the Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton match at WrestleMania 42 was due to poor timing and placement rather than the celebrities themselves. Speaking with Bill Apter, Graves explained that fans had been waiting for the Rhodes-Orton story and the celebrity involvement felt "inorganic" because it wasn't given proper build-up from events like Royal Rumble or Elimination Chamber. Graves contrasted this with Lil Yachty's successful integration with Trick Williams, saying the issue was execution rather than celebrity involvement in general.
WWE has filed a trademark application for "Naraku," which has been confirmed as the new NXT name for former NJPW star EVIL.
Cody Rhodes expressed concern about the overwhelming amount of backstage and insider information constantly flooding the internet, particularly regarding attendance figures and ratings discussions. Speaking on "What Do You Wanna Talk About?" with Kit Wilson, Rhodes suggested that fans may reach a breaking point with information overload, stating "I think what's going to happen is an overload of information to where fans just stop caring." Rhodes questioned the need for constant tracking of statistics and business metrics, arguing that regular viewers don't need to know attendance numbers to enjoy wrestling shows.
WWE has hired Jim Rodriguez as a Senior Associate Producer, with Rodriguez announcing on Twitter that he joined the company in April 2026. Rodriguez will be involved with RAW, SmackDown, and NXT productions and will make trips to Mexico for AAA coverage, adding to WWE's recent production team expansion that also included Hunter Selby joining as Director of Show Production and Design.
A WWE fan had their Bella Twins-themed sign confiscated during the May 4, 2026 episode of WWE RAW, despite the sign featuring photos of Nikki and Brie with the message "Scream for Brie Mode + Nikki we miss you." The Bella Twins responded on Twitter expressing surprise about the confiscation, with the fan explaining that security said all floor-level signs had to be put away due to camera concerns. The fan noted that Nikki, Brie, and Saraya had all seen the sign before it was taken away.
Braun Strowman shut down fan suggestions for a match with Oba Femi on Instagram, claiming "they can't afford me lol" when a fan requested a storyline between the two wrestlers. Strowman has previously taken shots at Femi following the latter's victories over Brock Lesnar, including stating he would "squash him faster than Goldberg" and declaring "there isn't and will never be another like me."