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WWE SMACKDOWN-MADISON SQUARE GARDEN NEWS AND NOTES

While WWE announced Madison Square Garden was sold out, we’ve heard from some readers there were tickets listed on Ticketmaster well after the show went on the air.  We are told that the vast majority of those were resellers and that WWE opened up a lot of tickets late in the week as production was locked in, including the Chase Bridge seating, which is rarely used.

In watching the broadcast of the show this morning, there were a lot of muted audio moments and even some quick jumps to black screens.  We are told by WWE sources that was done by FOX and not by WWE at MSG itself.

Madison Square Garden bestowed a golden-plated ticket of last night’s event to WWE stars who were making their Garden debut:

There was a lot of sympathy for WWE World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest as he missed his chance to main event in MSG for the first time due to mechanical issues with his flight.  Since he was originally from NYC, it was doubly worse and we are told since his flight was boarded and sitting on a runway, he couldn’t even get off the plane so WWE could attempt another alternative travel plan.  We are told Priest actually landed in New York as the taping ended.

Broadway great Lin Manuel-Miranda sat ringside all night and stayed until the end of the show.  We are told he was absolutely great with anyone who asked for photos.  Everyone loves Hamilton, but if you’ve never seen In The Heights, you really owe it to yourself to see the film version of the show that gave Miranda his first Tony Awards and showed the world how great he is.

During the first commercial break last night, Kevin Owens, Cody Rhodes and Randy Orton kept the crowd going with some great antics, including tossing a bunch of chairs into the ring with Orton even grabbing a computer desk chair from one of the staffers to sit in.  Owens began giving Orton a neck massage, which got a big pop.  As they got closer to returning to air, Orton was arguing with Nick Aldis while Cody removed the chair and when Orton turned around, he started acting mad his comfy chair was gone.

Bryan Gewirtz sat first ringside for part of the taping.  Stephanie McMahon was also sitting ringside.

Jacob Fatu and Logan Paul both received massive ovations for their entrances.

If you didn't see the Bloodline Acknowledgement Ceremony, you really need to go out of your way to see it.  It was one of the greatest Paul Heyman performances of his career.  For all the talk that Raven vs. Tommy Dreamer was Heyman's best booking work, The Bloodline storyline has surpassed that by far in my opinion.

Wes Lee and Joe Coffey were backstage but not utilized at the taping.

WWE taped Nathan Frazier vs. Xavier Woods and then Speed Champion Andrade defending against the winner for future episodes of the X series.

WWE did not announce a return to Madison Square Garden.  There were rumors last night among fans of MSG hosting Survivor Series but I have not been able to confirm there is anything actually to that claim.

There was HEAVY promotion of the Fanatics Fest event coming this August to NYC's Jacob Javits Center as tons of WWE personalities will be appearing.

WWE was selling signed photos of Cody Rhodes for $25.  WWE also sold a special New York Nightmare shirt for Rhodes as well as a NYC 3:16 shirt in New York Knicks colors.

There were quite a few fans arriving late to the taping due to the number of streets that were closed in NYC as United States President Joe Biden had an event around the corner from MSG at the Hammerstein Ballroom.

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