Rishabh is an avid pro wrestling fan and a WWE writer at Essentially Sports with over a year?s experience in journalism. Having completed his Bachelor?s in Education at European International University, his research prowess is the most powerful tool in his skillset. For Rishabh, pro wrestling is not just sports entertainment; it?s an emotion. 

As an impressionable 7-year-old child, he believed that only The Undertaker could defeat his dad. Besides expressing his love for WWE in his articles, he teaches fitness and flow art. He is a certified Steelmaceflow artist and coach, teaching people how to do something beautiful with their strength.

They say when you turn your passion into your profession, you don?t have to work a day. Well, that has been my story. Grew up as a pro wrestling fan during WWE?s famed Attitude Era. It took the epic Ladder Match between Hardy Boyz, Edge &amp; Christian and The Dudley Boyz to convert me to a wrestling fan for life time and here we are. I would have bitten your hand off if you would?ve told me back then that I will covering my favorite form of sports entertainment for a living.

EssentiallySports was the beginning of this journey as a writer and I had a shining moment of personal and professional glory when The Bloodline?s Wise Man, Paul Heyman shared my article on his Instagram story. Since then I have taken up the role of an editor at ES for WWE division and continue to provide coverage of WWE?s biggest events as well as marquee PPVs from AEW. I?ve had the chance to cover events such as WrestleMania 39, SummerSlam, AEW?s All In and much more. Pro wrestling is on my mind 24x7 and when I have time away from work, I like to get into fantasy fiction reading and war documentaries online. You can find me tweeting about pro wrestling @blackbeard__11 on X and on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/sherjeel-malik-70bb1a235

Carlito [https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&cx=4640a176a0c3047d9&q=https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/carlito/&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwizirjVkt6CAxViT2wGHfOTA58QFnoECAcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3c8aJ44o64i0-W4xbWj9R5] is not going to wrestle tomorrow at Survivor Series. This week on SmackDown tonight, he came out to address Santos Escobar and his attack on his friend, Rey Mysterio. [https://www.google.com/url?client=internal-element-cse&cx=4640a176a0c3047d9&q=https://www.essentiallysports.com/tag/rey-mysterio/&sa=U&ved=2ahUKEwiX6O3Lkt6CAxWKbmwGHQYEBn0QFnoECAgQAQ&usg=AOvVaw1gQ7PWcBIHECMgRN2Aq0wi] He was scheduled to defend Mysterio’s honor at Survivor Series this weekend, but now that won’t be happening. After their heated segment on Friday Night SmackDown, Escobar sneakily attacked Carlito first at ringside, then backstage as well. The attack was so vicious that he ended up getting severely injured. Nick Aldis later informed that he had to cancel the match given Carlito’s unfit situation. He was going to postpone the match, but someone stopped him. DRAGON LEE COMES TO THE RESCUE Earlier, when Escobar was attacking Carlito backstage, Dragon Lee showed up and prevented any further damage. Again, when Aldis was about to remove Escobar vs. Carlito from the match card, Lee requested to give him permission to replace Carlito. [data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==] Therefore, it’s official now. Tomorrow at Survivor Series Wargames, Dragon Lee will take on Santos Escobar and try to defend his fellow Luchador’s honor by beating Mysterio’s attacker. 

<p>Carlito is not going to wrestle tomorrow at Survivor Series. This week on SmackDown tonight, he came out to address Santos Escobar and his attack on his friend, Rey Mysterio. He was scheduled to defend Mysterio&#8217;s honor at Survivor Series this weekend, but now that won&#8217;t be happening. After their heated segment on Friday Night&hellip;</p>


Monika Thapa

Monika Thapa | WWE Writer at EssentiallySports

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Santos Escobar’s Vicious Attack on Carlito on SmackDown Alters Plans for
Survivor Series WarGames

“Wyatt 6”: After Erick Rowan’s Signing, Uncle Howdy’s Stable Members Decoded
Ahead of Rumored Backlash Debut

Triple H Accused of Disrespecting Cody Rhodes’ AEW Tenure by Walking Out During
Live Discussion

Roman Reigns’ Cousin Rikishi Deemed “Horrible Father” After Disrespecting Jimmy
Uso’s Wife Naomi & Missing Wedding

Major Botch in CM Punk’s Raw Draft Announcement Spotted, USA Network Issues
Response

“Political Chips”: Roman Reigns Deemed Backstage Politician After Reports of
Killing Cody Rhodes’ Push at WrestleMania Emerge

Maximizing Success by Athlete Branding ft. Keenan Beasley

Behind the odds: Decoding 2024 NFL Draft

Championing Women in sport ft. Madisen Skinner

Delving into the business intricacies of the sports world ft. Chloe V. Mitchell

Wrestling

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<h2>WWE SmackDown 2021: Latest News, WWE Rumors, Results</h2>
Probably the most popular brand in WWE right now, SmackDown has come a long way since it started off as a brand extension to Raw. The Blue brand has seen some of the best Superstars to ever step foot in the ring and continues to host the best fights in WWE.

<img class="n3VNCb" src="https://mms.businesswire.com/media/20190812005320/en/737919/5/SmackDown_Crowd.jpg" alt="WWE? and FOX Sports Celebrate SmackDown's 20th Anniversary on October 4 | Business Wire" data-noaft="1" />

The event may be your weekly Friday Night watch, but you may not know why it started in the first place.
<h2>History</h2>
SmackDown was initially introduced in 1999 to compete with WCW?s Thunder that aired on Thursdays. This sub-branch to Raw was going to be a second home for WWE Superstars.

<img class="n3VNCb" src="https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNmJiZWIxYzEtNGZlZS00YTBmLWExZGItYThlMzIxZjIwYjNlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyOTA0NzE2MzA@._V1_.jpg" alt="WWE Smackdown! (1999-)" data-noaft="1" />

The first episode of SmackDown took place in a Raw ring until it got its own theme.<span class="Apple-converted-space">?</span>

A young and fiery Dwayne ?The Rock? Johnson was moved to SmackDown to hold up the flag for WWE. These were arguably his golden years, where his segments were going viral.

<img class="n3VNCb" src="https://www.wwe.com/f/styles/gallery_img_l/public/all/2016/11/004_8.26.99-004--6a6f334bf95da505967bcce6c00db032.jpg" alt="100 Definitive Photos of The Rock | WWE" data-noaft="1" />

The Rock made SmackDown his own brand and even claimed that it was named after him. This was due to his previously introduced catchphrase ?Laying the Smackdown?.<span class="Apple-converted-space">?</span>
<h3>Victory over WCW</h3>
WCW Thunder could not compete with SmackDown at all and was forced to move to Wednesdays. Unlike the long and fierce battle between Raw and Nitro, SmackDown had won its side of the battle already.

<img class="n3VNCb" src="https://www.wwe.com/f/styles/gallery_img_l/public/all/2017/10/006_WM16_04022000_0657b--4a46fccda63f677e23004a9dcbb0b13a.jpg" alt="Stephanie McMahon &amp; Triple H through the years: photos | WWE" data-noaft="1" />

Following WWE?s victory in the Monday Night Wars and the subsequent acquisition of WCW, SmackDown was moved to Friday nights in 2005. This was possible only because the popular show <em>Star Trek: Enterprise</em> had been canceled.

Taking its slot, WWE renamed SmackDown to Friday Night SmackDown to emphasize the change in airing day.

Since then, SmackDown has seen a steady rise in viewership. At its peak from 2002-2005, the show pulled in an average viewership of 5 million!

<img class="n3VNCb" src="https://image-cdn.essentiallysports.com/wp-content/uploads/20200617231732/undertaker-wrestlemania.png" alt="You Pushed the Limits Yesterday" data-noaft="1" />

This made it the second-highest-rated series behind America?s Next Top Model.

The SmackDown Logo has now permanently adopted a blue theme, which is reminiscent of the one it originally started off with in 1999.
<h3>Lockdown Success</h3>
During the pandemic, the brand has been able to somehow maintain pre- lockdown numbers and is doing steadily well. The impressive rise in numbers following the introduction of ThunderDome is commendable.

<img class="n3VNCb" src="https://www.wwe.com/f/styles/og_image/public/2020/08/20200821_SD_Vid_Seg11_InterconAlt--37d932e39ba9504ebaad96e043156148.jpg" alt="Jeff Hardy vs. AJ Styles ? Intercontinental Championship Match: SmackDown, August 21, 2020 | WWE" data-noaft="1" />

SmackDown, once being the subsidiary of Raw, has taken over the main show and is now the leading brand in terms of viewership.

The two brands compete annually at Survivor Series in a massive SmackDown vs Raw showdown.

<img class="n3VNCb" src="https://www.wwe.com/f/styles/og_image/public/2020/05/20191011_Smackdown_TheFiend--273df341293e9636428bf3c0e3a9e9eb.jpg" alt="The Fiend? Bray Wyatt drags Seth Rollins to hell: SmackDown, Oct. 11, 2019 | WWE" data-noaft="1" />

The show is set to float through the pandemic in calm waters. If you ever need consistently good content every week, tune in to SmackDown every Friday Night.
<h2>WWE Smackdown Roster</h2>
The SmackDown roster has upheld its standards of having the best even today.

The WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns is the dominant figure of the roster. His recent return has made him more popular than ever before.

<img class="n3VNCb" src="https://img.bleacherreport.net/img/images/photos/003/883/705/5b312eb73369f7714ee448e39700122a_crop_exact.jpg?w=1200&amp;h=1200&amp;q=75" alt="Backstage WWE and AEW Rumors: Latest on Roman Reigns, Raw Creative and More | Bleacher Report | Latest News, Videos and Highlights" data-noaft="1" />

The SmackDown Women?s Champion Sasha Banks is another prominent figure in the division. Her massive feud with Bayley shot up the ratings for SmackDown.

Intercontinental Champion Big E also makes the headlines for this roster.

<img class="n3VNCb alignnone" src="https://cdn.gouki.com/scoreboard-image-wwe/d41ebc72f13d43d4b046486869db5af9.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="675" data-iml="30489" />

Other big names from SmackDown include Bayley, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Rey Mysterio, and Bianca Belair.
<h2>Where to watch WWE Smackdown?</h2>
You can watch WWE SmackDown live every <strong>Friday Night at 7:30 PM E.T.</strong> on traditional Streaming platforms and exclusively on <strong>WWE Network</strong> and <strong>Fox Network</strong>.
<table cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">Created By</td>
<td valign="middle">Vince McMahon<span class="Apple-converted-space">?</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">Country of Origin</td>
<td valign="middle">United States Of America</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">Original Network<span class="Apple-converted-space">?</span></td>
<td valign="middle">Fox (Present)</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">Distributor /<span class="Apple-converted-space">?</span>

Live Streaming</td>
<td valign="middle">WWE /<span class="Apple-converted-space">?</span>

WWE Network, Fox Network<span class="Apple-converted-space">?</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">History</td>
<td valign="middle">1999- Present</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">First Event<span class="Apple-converted-space">?</span></td>
<td valign="middle">April 29, 1999</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">Date</td>
<td valign="middle">Friday nights at 7:30 PM E.T.</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">Location</td>
<td valign="middle">ThunderDome (Amway Centre), Orlando, Florida<span class="Apple-converted-space">?</span></td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">Live Streaming</td>
<td valign="middle">WWE Network, Fox Network</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td valign="middle">TV Channels</td>
<td valign="middle">Traditional Sports Streaming Channels<span class="Apple-converted-space">?</span></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>

WWE SmackDown

WWE SmackDown 2021: Latest News, WWE Rumors, Results Probably the most popular brand in WWE right now, SmackDown has come a long way since it started off as a brand extension to Raw. The Blue brand has seen some of the best Superstars to ever step foot in the ring and continues to host the best fights in WWE. The event may be your weekly Friday Night watch, but you may not know why it started in the first place. History SmackDown was initially introduced in 1999 to compete with WCW?s Thunder that aired on Thursdays. This sub-branch to Raw was going to be a second home for WWE Superstars. The first episode of SmackDown took place in a Raw ring until it got its own theme.? A young and fiery Dwayne ?The Rock? Johnson was moved to SmackDown to hold up the flag for WWE. These were arguably his golden years, where his segments were going viral. The Rock made SmackDown his own brand and even claimed that it was named after him. This was due to his previously introduced catchphrase ?Laying the Smackdown?.? Victory over WCW WCW Thunder could not compete with SmackDown at all and was forced to move to Wednesdays. Unlike the long and fierce battle between Raw and Nitro, SmackDown had won its side of the battle already. Following WWE?s victory in the Monday Night Wars and the subsequent acquisition of WCW, SmackDown was moved to Friday nights in 2005. This was possible only because the popular show Star Trek: Enterprise had been canceled. Taking its slot, WWE renamed SmackDown to Friday Night SmackDown to emphasize the change in airing day. Since then, SmackDown has seen a steady rise in viewership. At its peak from 2002-2005, the show pulled in an average viewership of 5 million! This made it the second-highest-rated series behind America?s Next Top Model. The SmackDown Logo has now permanently adopted a blue theme, which is reminiscent of the one it originally started off with in 1999. Lockdown Success During the pandemic, the brand has been able to somehow maintain pre- lockdown numbers and is doing steadily well. The impressive rise in numbers following the introduction of ThunderDome is commendable. SmackDown, once being the subsidiary of Raw, has taken over the main show and is now the leading brand in terms of viewership. The two brands compete annually at Survivor Series in a massive SmackDown vs Raw showdown. The show is set to float through the pandemic in calm waters. If you ever need consistently good content every week, tune in to SmackDown every Friday Night. WWE Smackdown Roster The SmackDown roster has upheld its standards of having the best even today. The WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns is the dominant figure of the roster. His recent return has made him more popular than ever before. The SmackDown Women?s Champion Sasha Banks is another prominent figure in the division. Her massive feud with Bayley shot up the ratings for SmackDown. Intercontinental Champion Big E also makes the headlines for this roster. Other big names from SmackDown include Bayley, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Rey Mysterio, and Bianca Belair. Where to watch WWE Smackdown? You can watch WWE SmackDown live every Friday Night at 7:30 PM E.T. on traditional Streaming platforms and exclusively on WWE Network and Fox Network.  Created By Vince McMahon?  Country of Origin United States Of America  Original Network? Fox (Present)  Distributor /? Live Streaming WWE /? WWE Network, Fox Network?  History 1999- Present  First Event? April 29, 1999  Date Friday nights at 7:30 PM E.T.  Location ThunderDome (Amway Centre), Orlando, Florida?  Live Streaming WWE Network, Fox Network  TV Channels Traditional Sports Streaming Channels?

Santos Escobar’s Vicious Attack on Carlito on SmackDown Alters Plans for Survivor Series WarGames

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