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It appears WWE will be adding a seasoned veteran to the "Friday Night SmackDown" brand.
It's been a busy year for the WWE brass with a slew of roster additions and cuts. The company has been creating some space for its developmental talent and new signings. The company has added the likes of Penta and Rey Fenix while cutting ties with other well-known names such as Braun Strowman and Dakota Kai.
It had been reported recently that former NJPW star Jeff Cobb is on his way to the WWE roster. Rumors had been swirling about his WWE status when a claim was made that he was on the internal roster despite still working for NJPW.
Now that he has wrapped up his time in Japan, Jeff Cobb will be making his way to the "WWE SmackDown" brand, per Cory Hays of PW Nexus. During the "Podyslam Podcast," Hays revealed that Cobb is internally listed for the blue brand.
While the exact WWE debut date for Cobb hasn't been revealed, many within the industry expect the former IWGP tag team titleholder to be on WWE TV imminently. Whether Cobb will be on his own or serve as the muscle for another WWE superstar remains to be seen.
Cobb has been featured on AEW TV several times, but he remained with NJPW before agreeing to a deal with WWE. Cobb teased retiring on social media, but many believe he's trying to sway fans into thinking he won't be making his WWE debut despite the reports.
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Dominik Mysterio Responds To Tiffany Stratton Teasing ‘Taking Him’ From Liv Morgan
Dominik Mysterio has finally broken his silence after Tiffany Stratton suggested last November that she could take 'Daddy Dom' along with Liv Morgan's Women's World Championship. Stratton instead cashed in her Money in the Bank briefcase on Nia Jax on WWE SmackDown in February to win her first world title. "Go With Her" - Dominik Mysterio on Tiffany Stratton's Tease It's been a year since Tiffy Time teased pursuing Dom once she'd claimed Liv's world title, but that didn't happen as she remained on SmackDown and held the WWE Women's Championship for 302 days. But she sent fans wild while speaking on Gorilla Position a year ago when she said that she saw the appeal in the former Intercontinental Champion: "I do see it (the appeal). But I definitely want Liv Morgan’s title first, and then we can go from there. I want the gold." Dom addressed those comments while appearing on Delivering Happiness - Prince St. Pizza when explaining his love interests over the past year: "I had a little situation with Rhea Ripley, put her to the side because Liv Morgan came along, and she was 10 times better. That situation happened, I'm still with Liv, but there were a couple other situations." He added: "Tiffany (Stratton) did throw some stuff out there when she had the Money in the Bank briefcase, (asking) if she cashed in on Liv, if I would go with her." Dom remains in an on-screen relationship with Liv, which started at SummerSlam 2024 when he betrayed Rhea Ripley and planted a kiss on the then-Women's World Champion. But he's been without his other half since June when she suffered a shoulder injury and he has admitted he "misses" his "little blonde" who is expected to return in early 2026, perhaps at the Royal Rumble. "Stay Away From Dominik" - Liv Morgan Warned Tiffany Stratton Tiffany Stratton's comments didn't go unnoticed by Liv Morgan at the time and she even directly fired a warning to the then-Women's World Champion about taking Dominik Mysterio along with the title. Liv hit back while speaking to Adrian Hernandez by admitting she disliked Tiffy and that she had best stay away from her partner: "Tiffy Time. Tiffy, baby. Ms. Money in the Bank. … I don’t actually not like you. I actually kind of like you and respect you in a way … But please, please, please … stay away from me and my Women’s World Championship, and stay away from Dominik. I mean that wholeheartedly—100%, with every fiber of my being." While the storyline didn't go further between the trio, it could be an intriguing feud for WWE to build once Liv returns in early 2026. Tiffany will also be returning soon, having been written off TV after losing her title to Jade Cargill at Saturday Night's Main Event in October. There are some similarities between the pair that could make a rivalry a real hit with fans. Both have passionate fanbases, and putting Dom in the middle of another love affair would make for must-see television, as it was between Liv and Rhea back in 2024.
Packers Receive Disappointing Injury News Before Vikings Matchup
Jayden Reed’s anticipated return to the practice field for the Green Bay Packers will have to wait a little longer. Despite some growing hope earlier this week that the dynamic wide receiver could begin the next phase of his recovery, head coach Matt LaFleur confirmed Wednesday that Reed will not open his 21-day practice window yet. “He’s not practicing today,” LaFleur said ahead of Sunday’s critical matchup against the Minnesota Vikings. When pressed for a clearer timeline on the second-year standout, who remains on injured reserve with collarbone and foot injuries, LaFleur deferred to the medical staff. “I don’t know. As soon as medical clears him, he’ll be out there,” LaFleur said. “I know he’s excited to get back. As am I.” The optimism had spiked in recent days. On Monday, LaFleur indicated there was a chance Reed and/or rookie running back MarShawn Lloyd could start their practice windows this week. Reed himself fueled the excitement Tuesday by sharing a photo of himself dressed in full uniform on social media. Those plans, however, are now on hold. Reed’s surgically repaired foot seems to have healed satisfactorily, but the collarbone—fractured on a diving attempt during the first half of Green Bay’s Week 2 victory over the Washington Commanders—still needs additional time. For a wide receiver whose job involves regular physical contact and the risk of landing hard on the shoulder, the medical staff is requiring clear imaging evidence that the bone is strong enough before green-lighting a return. The cautious approach echoes the Packers’ handling of Aaron Rodgers’ similar collarbone injury in 2017, when the former quarterback sat out seven games while waiting for full healing. Nearly 10 weeks removed from the injury and having already missed eight contests, Reed could still require another one to two weeks before doctors are comfortable clearing him for football activities. That timeline keeps a potential return for the Thanksgiving night clash with the Detroit Lions or the following week against the Chicago Bears realistically in play. Before the injury, Reed had established himself as Green Bay’s top receiving weapon. He paced the team in receiving yards in both 2023 and 2024, and in the two games he played this season while managing the foot issue, he recorded three receptions for 45 yards and a touchdown. The Green Bay Packers will continue their Week 12 preparations without their leading wideout on the practice field, with LaFleur and the organization prioritizing full recovery over a rushed comeback.
Aaron Rodgers explains his criteria for playing Sunday vs. Bears
Aaron Rodgers has always been a tough quarterback. He has dealt with several injuries throughout the course of his career, but he's always done everything he could to see the field. That's no different now that he's with the Pittsburgh Steelers and dealing with a fracture in his left (non-throwing) wrist. Rodgers injured himself against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday, but he's already talking about trying to get back for Pittsburgh's Week 12 contest against the Chicago Bears. In fact, he revealed on Wednesday that he will try things out at practice before this week is over. "It feels better than it did Sunday, that's for sure," Rodgers said Wednesday afternoon, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. "... Was thankful to get today to work with [head athletic trainer Gabe Amponsah] and just focus on rehab for today. Trying to get back on the field tomorrow and see what I can do." Aaron Rodgers going to test out his wrist injury on Thursday Rodgers wants to be able to play against the Bears, a team he has owned throughout the years, but he's also saying that he'll be cautious. Remember, he is just weeks away from turning 42. A fractured wrist would be tough to play with at 24. As anyone who has ever gotten older would attest, things tend to hurt even more as you age. Throw in the fact that Rodgers is playing perhaps the most physical sport on Earth, and it makes sense that he does have a very specific standard that he must meet before he decides if he can play — and it has nothing to do with pain. "It's a safety thing," Rodgers said. Rodgers has played in 29 regular-season games against the Bears in his NFL career. Including two playoff wins, he boasts a 26-5 record against them. Since he last squared off with Chicago as the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers in 2022, he had won nine games in a row against the Bears. If he feels he can keep himself safe on Sunday, you can bet he's going to try to play.
MLB’s new media deal may end up being a bad deal for consumers
Major League Baseball will have a new television deal heading into 2026, with NBC/Peacock getting the best portion of the pie. The network, which already hosts "Sunday Night Football," will now also host "Sunday Night Baseball" after spending 36 years on ESPN, according to The Athletic’s Andrew Marchand. NBC/Peacock will also play host to the first round of the playoffs. Marchand adds that the streaming platform Netflix will get the rights to broadcast the Home Run Derby, the Field of Dreams game and the standalone Opening Day game featured in prime time. NBC/Peacock is paying nearly $200 million per year (total of $600 million) for its broadcasting rights, while Netflix is paying $50 million (total of $150 million) for its portion. ESPN, meanwhile, was allowed to broadcast all out-of-market games for all 30 major league clubs, while also getting the right to broadcast in-market games for six teams. ESPN had opted out of its remaining three years of its deal with Major League Baseball back in March. How does MLB's new media deal affect baseball viewing moving forward? This new deal for Major League Baseball isn’t necessarily the best for consumers. Bringing three of the four major pro sports in the United States (baseball, football and basketball) under one umbrella (NBC/Peacock), Major League Baseball will now reach 42 million more people with this maneuver than it originally did. Peacock recently reached that many new subscribers this past October. However, with the U.S. population at 340.1 million people, that number is deceiving. Sports viewers don’t usually stream, with 17 percent of Americans not having streaming services, according to a Pew Research Center poll. There was a recent scandal between ESPN and YouTube TV, in which they were at odds over their deal, cutting off "Monday Night Football," college football and other sports like Formula 1 from 10 million viewers. After a two-week standoff, both sides finally agreed on a deal. NBC/Peacock had its own standoff with the streaming platform heading into October. However, both sides agreed at the final hour. The costs of streaming have gone up over the years, when the point was to be cheaper than cable. With Netflix costing $25 a month (premium), Peacock costing $14 a month ($140 a year) and the ESPN app costing $30 a month ($300 per year), fans' frustrations may continue to mount as the cost to watch sports rises.
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