STAMFORD – SPORTS – World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) have suspended Saraya-Jade Bevis (Paige) and Jose Rodriguez (Alberto Del Rio) each for 30 days effective tomorrow, August 18, for a first violation of the company’s talent wellness policy.
The move comes on the eve of the WWE Summerslam event in New York.
WWE’s SummerSlam returns to the NYC-Metro area with a week-long lineup of events including interactive fan experiences and community outreach programs covering all five NYC boroughs. SummerSlam takes place this Sunday, August 21, live on WWE Network around the world at 7 p.m. ET from a sold-out Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. The events begin today and include:
- New York Yankees Batting Practice – Tuesday, August 16
WWE Superstars Big Show, Charlotte, Mark Henry, Enzo Amore and Big Cass will visit Yankee Stadium to interact with players and take part in batting practice prior to the game vs. the Toronto Blue Jays.
- Children’s Hospital Visits – Wednesday, August 17
WWE Superstars Mark Henry, Dana Brooke and Neville will visit children at The Brooklyn Hospital Center, and WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon will be joined by The V Foundation CEO Susan Braun, WWE Superstars Darren Young, Dolph Ziggler, Zack Ryder and NXT Superstar Bayley at Montefiore Hospital in the Bronx. WWE Superstars will visit children and their families, take pictures, sign autographs and donate action figures for the facilities’ play rooms. Earlier this year, WWE announced a partnership with The V Foundation to expand Connor’s Cure outside of the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation to support other top research centers and hospitals nationwide.
- “Be a STAR” Bullying Prevention Rally – Thursday, August 18
Earlier this year, WWE and The Boys & Girls Clubs of America launched a multi-year partnership focusing on youth development and bullying prevention efforts around Be a STAR, WWE’s anti-bullying initiative. WWE Superstars Sin Cara, Natalya, Darren Young and Sami Zayn will speak about the importance of bullying prevention to more than 150 members of the Columbus Boys & Girls Club in the Bronx.
- Special Olympics Unified Basketball Game – Thursday, August 18
WWE, an international partner of the Special Olympics Global Play Unified Campaign, will host a Special Olympics Unified Basketball Game at the Navy Yard Boys & Girls Club in Brooklyn for 150 Club members. Special Olympics athletes will participate in a basketball game where WWE Superstars Big Show, R-Truth, Mark Henry, Zack Ryder and Naomi, WWE announcer Corey Graves and WWE Hall of Famer Howard Finkel will serve as honorary coaches.
- Hire Heroes USA Veteran Career Panel & Networking Event – Friday, August 19
WWE, in partnership with NBC Universal, will host a Veterans Career Panel and Networking Event in support of Hire Heroes USA, giving veterans an opportunity to receive one-on-one career coaching while networking with key employers including MTA, FDNY, Comcast, Viacom, Bloomberg, LinkedIn and more. WWE Chief Brand Officer Stephanie McMahon, WWE Superstars Mark Henry, Neville and Dana Brooke and WWE announcer Byron Saxton will be on-site to speak with veterans.
- SummerSlam Reading Celebration– Friday, August 19
WWE and First Book will host a reading celebration at the Metro Queens Boys & Girls Club for more than 200 members from grades K-5. WWE Superstars Cesaro, Darren Young, Lana, Apollo Crews, Sin Cara and ring announcer JoJo will read to local students to promote the importance of literacy. WWE and First Book will donate 2,000 books to Staten Island educators and 500 books to the JCC of Staten Island.
- New York Stock Exchange Closing Bell (NYSE) – Friday, August 19
In celebration of SummerSlam, WWE Intercontinental Champion The Miz and WWE Superstars Big Show and Kane will ring the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange.
- Tapout Fitness Workout – Friday, August 19
WWE Superstars Alicia Fox, Natalya, Naomi, Lana and Summer Rae will lead a Tapout Fitness Workout followed by an exclusive health and fitness Q & A moderated by television personality Maria Menounos at the Tapout Fitness Center in Manhattan. Tapout is the official fitness and training partner of WWE.
- Superstar Meet and Greets – Friday, August 19 & Saturday, August 20
These exclusive sessions will give fans an opportunity to get autographs from and photos with their favorite Superstars including WWE World Champion Dean Ambrose, WWE Women’s Champion Sasha Banks, WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day, Seth Rollins, AJ Styles, Kevin Owens, Charlotte, Randy Orton, Roman Reigns, Enzo Amore and Big Cass.
- One World Observatory Visit – Saturday, August 20
WWE Superstars Kevin Owens, Daniel Bryan, Natalya, Carmella, Jimmy Uso and Jey Uso will visit One World Observatory positioned on top of One World Trade Center, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere, to tour the exhibits and learn about the historic building.
- NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II – Saturday, August 20
Samoa Joe defends the NXT Championship against Shinsuke Nakamura for the first time ever. Plus, the NXT Women’s Championship is on the line when Asuka defends against former champion, Bayley; Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa challenge NXT Tag Team Champions The Revival; and fans will see the much anticipated in-ring debut of Bobby Roode when he faces Andrade “Cien” Almas.
- SummerSlam – Sunday, August 21
A sold-out crowd will converge on Barclays Center for SummerSlam, WWE’s biggest event of the summer, which can be seen live on WWE Network at 7 p.m. ET. In a confrontation more than 15 years in the making, “The Viper” clashes with “The Beast” when Randy Orton goes one-on-one with Brock Lesnar. Plus, Finn Bálor vs. Seth Rollins for the right to be called the first WWE Universal Champion; Dean Ambrose defends the WWE World Championship against Dolph Ziggler; Sasha Banks defends her WWE Women’s Championship against Charlotte; and John Cena faces AJ Styles.
- Monday Night Raw – Monday, August 22
For the third night in a row, WWE will sell out Barclays Center with Monday Night Raw, where fans can see the fall-out from SummerSlam live on USA Network at 8/7C. With more than 1,200 episodes, Monday Night Raw is the longest-running, weekly episodic program in U.S. primetime TV history and is one of the most-watched, regularly scheduled programs on cable, airing live every Monday night on USA Network.
