WWE live event notes including brand split notes, new Legends with JBL Monday, new Network collections, Raw jobber talks, new title match at Summerslam, and Questions on Cornette's alleged booking prowess, the latest money grab lawsuit, Lana wrestling, the ending to Battleground, and Orton returning in the Highlight Reel

Raw and Smackdown performers are still working on the same live events. I suppose travel had already been set for talents and they didn't want people to have to change things at the last minute.

At a WWE live event in Florida:
- Zack Ryder and Jey Uso beat Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows. No Jimmy on either live event loop.

- Sin Cara beat Viktor. No Konnor on either live event loop.

- PTP reunited to beat Bo Dallas and Heath Slater.

-- So, live events are in an odd transitional phase right now. It's interesting they didn't do the Usos vs. Anderson/Gallows, and Ryder/Sin Cara vs. The Ascension. Jimmy and Konnor might have needed time off or something, but that's pure speculation on my part since neither of them worked this show or the other set of live events.

JBL will interview Booker T. on the WWE Network after Raw. I wouldn't have minded Booker as GM in Foley's place.

A "Three Faces of Foley" collection and a collection focusing on the Intercontinental Championship at Summerslam are coming to the WWE Network tomorrow.

WWE live events announced for September are branded as either Raw or Smackdown shows, so the draft will be in effect for all newly-booked live events. It's possible everything that's already had tickets sold for it based on advertised lineups will stay as it was before the brand split.

- The brand split will take effect for live events by the September 5 Raw at the latest. So, we could still see people working dark matches for the other brand for a few weeks.

- John Cena is being advertised for Raw-brand events in Manila on September 9 and Beijing on September 10. Those will likely be his last Raw appearances for now. Whether he's insane enough to travel back to the U.S. for the September 11 Battleground show is unknown at the moment. I wouldn't put it past him.

James Ellsworth, the man destroyed by Braun Strowman on Raw, talked to WWE.com. I think a "Colin Delaney" style gimmick of pet jobber who keeps taking matches just to get beat up would be fun. 


Sasha Banks will defend the WWE Women's Championship against Charlotte at Summerslam. I expect Sasha vs. Nia will follow the end of that feud.

For my take on yesterday's PWInsider.com questions:
1. So much to unpack here:
a. SMW lasted four years and primarily ran places like high school gyms. They occasionally had a big show draw 1,000 or more, but the majority of shows didn't hit that mark. "He booked good stories and wrestling" is subjective, and the attendance numbers suggest that's a minority appearance. Creative teams either did the same or better without him around.

b. I don't see how the booking vs. writing argument changes anything. If anything, that makes Cornette more to blame for his poor track record of actually drawing money in the business. He doesn't have anyone to blame when it was him making all the decisions. 

c. If you don't think Cornette is thin-skinned, read his Twitter page or listen to one of his zillion rants about... well... anything. He wanted to kill Russo over differences of opinion regarding pro wrestling. That's how seriously he takes things. He has an uncontrollable temper that's cost him jobs (and rightfully so).

2. I guess she figured while everyone else was trying to catch a payday from WWE, she would, too.

3. I imagine we'll see her in the ring more at some point, but I don't see her becoming a regular wrestler in the near future. Until WWE thinks there's a good angle for her to get in the ring, I suspect she'll just do her current duties.

4. I think the focus should have been on Ambrose that night. The following Smackdown set up the next stage of things.

5. No. Generally it's fine to have a non-wrestling segment on a PPV to break things up. A good show is like a roller coaster. In order to get from one peak to another, there has to be some down time. It also helps to have variety. Certainly some people want to see an ROH-style show where every match goes all out, but it can be a draining experience for people who aren't diehard fans.

More wrestling tomorrow.