SmackDown Segment Removed By FOX, Kevin Owens Misses Tapings

SmackDown Segment Removed By FOX

Last week, all the talk around the pro wrestling world centered on the segment involving Jeff Hardy and Sheamus during SmackDown.

Hardy, who has had his own troubles with drugs, was ordered to take a urine test by Sheamus ahead of their meeting this past weekend at WWE Backlash. Hardy finally obliged but finished things off by throwing the urine in the face of Sheamus.

However, not everyone who tuned in to watch SmackDown saw the complete segment.

Those on the East Coast watching the FOX program heard Hardy say “It’s better to be pissed off than (bleeped)” before throwing the cup at Sheamus. For West Coast viewers, the feed cut out during the entire segment because it violated FOX’s standards and practices.

“So you know it aired on the East Coast, but not the West Coast,” Dave Meltzer said on Wrestling Observer Radio.. “FOX decreed that it violated their standards and practices so they threw a commercial in so we didn’t get to see it on the West Coast.”

At Backlash, Sheamus was awarded the victory over Hardy after landing a second Brogue Kick and picking up the pinfall.

It remains to be seen if the angle will continue, or if that bout was the final piece to the saga between Sheamus and Hardy.

Kevin Owens Misses Tapings

Count Kevin Owens among those who are putting the safety of himself, his family and those closest to him ahead of his pro wrestling career during the coronavirus pandemic.

Owens did not attend the recent WWE television tapings after it was reported a member of the developmental team tested positive for COVID-19 recently. WWE officials have excused anyone who did not want to work due to concerns over the virus if they felt like it was not safe.

According to Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio, Owens’ wife’s grandfather passed away due to COVID-19 earlier this year. That raised the awareness level of the virus for the family, including Owens and his wife.

It is believed that Owens will be back during the next set of tapings. He last appeared on the most recent edition of Raw, scoring a victory over Angel Garza.

The 36-year-old Owens and his wife, Karina, have two children together, Owen and Elodie Leila.

During his time with the WWE, Owens has captured the Universal title, Intercontinental belt twice and United States championship three times, along with the NXT title.