The most recent episode of WWE SmackDown was quite eventful, as it marked the unveiling of new rosters for the blue brand following the 2023 Draft. In addition to this, SmackDown’s representative in the highly anticipated World Heavyweight Championship match at Night of Champions was also determined. However, despite all the excitement, there was a noticeable absence of a key figure backstage.
Ringside News took note of the peculiar ending to SmackDown’s main event match between Bobby Lashley and AJ Styles. According to a production staffer who had been with the company for a long time, Triple H, who is known for running the show backstage, was not present this week. When asked about his absence, the same staffer revealed that “Levesque was not at TV this week.” It was later clarified that his absence was due to a “corporate commitment.”
Despite the absence of Triple H, the show still went on with two people responsible for running things backstage. The timing of the show was mainly attributed to Bruce and Ed Koskey, but it was pointed out that it’s ultimately Prichard’s responsibility.
This marks the first time that Triple H has missed any WWE television since being appointed as the new Chief Content Officer of the company. It remains to be seen if he will miss any more weeks of television in the future.
Interestingly, Vince McMahon, the chairman and CEO of WWE, was also absent from SmackDown this week. However, this is not uncommon as he rarely attends the Blue brand’s live television taping events.
Overall, while the absence of Triple H was definitely felt, the show still managed to deliver an entertaining and action-packed episode. Fans will no doubt be eager to see what the future holds for both SmackDown and the WWE as a whole.
WWE SmackDown was a good show this week, but they were missing a huge piece of the puzzle.
We are told that Triple H wasn't backstage at all this week. He had to miss the show, which is very rare for him.
— Steve Carrier (@steve_carrier) May 14, 2023
