Daily Update: SmackDown notes, Corey & Carmella, Kevin Nash

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This Week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter: Elimination Chamber review, Undertaker to WWE Hall of Fame

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Saturday News Update

WWE

  • Last night’s SmackDown averaged 1.98 million viewers in the fast national ratings, down from last week’s fast national number of 2.06 million viewers. The rating in the 18-49 demo was a 0.5.
  • On SmackDown, Sasha Banks & Naomi declared that they’re going after the Women’s Tag Team titles. The titles are currently held by Carmella & Zelina Vega.
  • Independent wrestler Kayla Sparks made appearances on both WWE SmackDown and AEW Rampage last night. In addition to losing to Serena Deeb on the taped episode of Rampage, Starks appeared in a kiss cam segment with Los Lotharios on SmackDown.
  • Sami Zayn, Sonya Deville, and The Viking Raiders were interviewed on Talking Smack this week.
  • WWE announced the schedule for when episodes of Corey Graves and Carmella’s “Corey & Carmella” reality series will be uploaded to the promotion’s YouTube channel. The series, which was shot as a pilot episode and then broken up into shorter videos, premieres at noon Eastern time next Monday. The schedule is:
    • Monday, February 28: Episodes one and two
    • Tuesday, March 1: Episode three
    • Wednesday, March 2: Episode four
    • Thursday, March 3: Episode five
  • Carmella joined Graves on this week’s edition of WWE After the Bell.
  • Steve Austin will be making an appearance at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth on March 31 (the Thursday before WrestleMania) for the Texas release of his new American lager: “Join me @billybobstexas on Thursday 3-31-22 for the Texas release of my brand new American Lager. @esbcbrews and I have crafted and fine tuned this beer to be the most crushable and easy drinking beer in America. I will be there to drink beer and enjoy celebrating the release of this bad ass beer in my home state of Texas. @recklesskelly96 will be there to supply some awesome live music. I look forward to seeing everyone at the one and only @billybobstexas. Whether you’re coming down for #wrestlemania weekend,or from the area, come join the Broken Skull Beer Bash. General admission and VIP tickets available.”
  • On an Ask JR Live episode of his podcast, Jim Ross discussed Austin potentially returning to the ring at WrestleMania 38: “It’s an interesting concept, he’ll sell a lot of tickets if he’s booked, but [WWE is] burning daylight on getting closer and closer to their D-Day. One would assume if Steve is going to do something, that would be finalized sooner than later. I just don’t know if it’s going to happen or not, someone goes online and it hits the timeline and all of a sudden, it’s fact. It proves our society is very naive, it’s not that simple. If he wants to do it, I hope he does and I think it would be great because there’s a whole generation of fans that haven’t seen him in his full presentation inside the ring, and I think that would be entertaining for anybody.”
  • On what would have been Reid Flair’s 34th birthday, Charlotte Flair and Ric Flair posted messages paying tribute to him.
  • In celebration of Black History Month, Bobby Lashley, Big E, and Kofi Kingston took part in a roundtable of the Black WWE Champions of the Modern Era.
  • WWE uploaded John Cena & Shawn Michaels vs. Rated-RKO for the World Tag Team titles from the February 26, 2007 episode of Raw, Batista & Kane vs. Great Khali & MVP from the February 29, 2008 episode of SmackDown, and Becky Lynch vs. Natalya from Battleground 2016.

Other Wrestling

  • Kevin Nash apologized for having to miss appearances this weekend due to the death of his father-in-law: “It’s with deep regret that my appearances in Mohegan Sun and Springfield are canceled My father in law passed away today and my family needs me. I have worked a cage match with @BretHart in San Diego upon arriving to the building and learning of the death of my Mom, Family 1st. I feel like sh*t I’m letting you down. You’re love and well wishes are overwhelming. Thank you. I love you all”
  • Marina Shafir has been added to Josh Barnett’s Bloodsport 8, which is taking place in Dallas on Thursday, March 31.
  • Johnny Gargano uploaded a vlog from the days surrounding Candice LeRae giving birth to their son Quill.
  • Mia Yim sent out a tweet asking fans to respect her and Keith Lee’s boundaries and not come to their house: “We love and appreciate our fans, we wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for you. Please believe we love you guys. That being said, please don’t come to our home just to say hi. Respect our private home and boundaries.”
  • Bryan Danielson made an appearance on The Ringer Wrestling Show.
  • Comicbook.com has an interview with Ricky Starks and Powerhouse Hobbs.
  • Shawn Dean was the guest on this week’s episode of AEW Unrestricted.
  • Sports Illustrated spoke to MLW’s Alex Hammerstone and Richard Holliday ahead of tonight’s SuperFight tapings.
  • Joey Janela will face Barry Horowitz at WrestlePro’s show in Rahway, New Jersey on Saturday, March 19.