Ladies and gentlemen, hold onto your wrestling boots because WWE has a new scribe in town! Eric Watts, a former competitor from the 2011 season of WWE’s “Tough Enough,” has officially joined the writing team for “WWE SmackDown.” It looks like Watts is trading in his ring gear for a pen, and we can’t wait to see what stories he’ll help create.
According to “Fightful Select,” Watts, who stood out in season 5 of “Tough Enough,” is now set to bring his in-ring experience to the writer’s room. Although Watts didn’t take home the victory in the reality series—Andy Leavine did—he’s proven that persistence and passion can lead to big opportunities. And just to clear up any confusion, he’s not related to legendary promoter Bill Watts, despite the shared surname.
The “SmackDown” creative team has seen quite the shake-up lately. John Swikata took over as head writer earlier this year, replacing Ryan Callahan. Former wrestler Patrick Scott joined the team at the start of the year, adding his unique perspective to the mix. Meanwhile, senior writer Jeniffer Pepperman left for AEW, leaving room for fresh faces like Watts.
Eric Watts brings with him a wealth of in-ring experience, having wrestled for 16 years across various indie promotions in the USA. He’s made notable appearances in NWA, AEW, and even Impact Wrestling. His lone AEW match in 2020 saw him team up with Ray Rosas against The Jurassic Express on “AEW Dark.” He also wrestled for Impact Wrestling in 2019, teaming with Chris Bey against Peter Avalon and Rosas at the “Unbreakable” show.
With such a diverse background, Watts is sure to bring a fresh perspective to WWE’s storytelling. Get ready for some exciting new narratives on “SmackDown” as Watts puts his creative muscles to work!