Fightful Select has provided backstage news and other notes from Friday’s night’s WWE SmackDown, which aired live on FOX and took place from Madison Square Garden in New York City.
As posted to social media by Damian Priest, he was unable to make it due to delayed flight issues. This led to WWE to having to change the dark match he was scheduled for. WWE went with Jey Uso taking on Finn Balor in a street fight. Uso pinned Balor after putting him through a table.
WWE President Nick Khan and NXT Superstar Wes Lee were backstage at the show.
WWE was said to be have been very happy with the ticket sales. This was WWE’s 32nd TV sellout and 47th event they sold out in 2024.
There were “We Want Dijak” chants during the night. Dijak’s contract expired on Friday was not renewed. He could essentially show up at the AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door pay-per-view on Sunday.
Marcus Mathers, who wrestled at Thursday’s AEW Collision tapings in Buffalo, Channing Thomas and Facade were among those who served as security guards during the opening segment with Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton and Kevin Owens and The Bloodline. Facade is the one who took the RKO from Orton.
As seen in the crowd, Lin Manuel Miranda was at the show. ESPN analyst Ryan Clark, NBA stars Tyrese Haliburton from the Indiana Pacers and Jalen Brunson from the New York Knicks were at the show as well.
There was reportedly considerable frustration behind-the-scenes, due to the very frequent black screen edits done by FOX throughout the show. One veteran WWE talent told Fightful Select, “it’s a chore to watch sometimes. I understand censoring ‘f— the Pacers,’ but it feels like every segment is edited and it makes us look like it’s our production.”