WWE’s internal creative and production assignments for the September 7 edition of Monday Night Raw in Birmingham, Alabama, and the September 11 edition of Friday Night SmackDown at Arena CDMX in Mexico City have been detailed.
The two shows carried distinct internal titles. Raw was referred to internally as “Modern Warfare,” while the Mexico City edition of SmackDown was titled “Mexico City Mayhem.” The assignments offer a look at the respective writers behind backstage material and the producers credited with overseeing in-ring matches and featured segments.
One notable item from SmackDown concerns CM Punk’s backstage interview involving Sami Zayn. Punk’s “jerking it” jab at Zayn was reportedly not included in the show rundown, indicating that the line was not part of the material listed for the segment ahead of time.
Raw creative assignments from Birmingham
Raw’s September 7 rundown included several interconnected backstage pieces involving The Usos, Jacob Fatu, LA Knight and Solo Sikoa. James Curtin, Michael Kirshenbaum, Ben Saccoccio and Jon Baeckstrom were credited as writers for the backstage segment featuring The Usos and Jacob Fatu.
For more background on this topic, read Bobby Roode and Shawn Daivari Produced CM Punk vs. Sami Zayn on WWE SmackDown.
Kirshenbaum, Saccoccio and Baeckstrom were also listed together on a number of other Raw items. The trio wrote the Adam Pearce, LA Knight and Solo Sikoa segment, as well as Penta’s backstage promo. They were additionally credited for The 946 phone promo.
Kristen Koedding was credited for the Stephanie Vaquer and Becky Lynch backstage segment. The Becky Lynch and Liv Morgan segment was listed under Kirsten Koedding’s name in the rundown.
Brian Parise handled two prominent pieces of Raw material: The Vision and Paul Heyman segment, along with the Big Cass backstage promo segment. Those assignments placed Parise on material involving both an established WWE on-screen authority figure in Heyman and Big Cass’ promotional appearance.
The match and in-ring segment side of the Raw production sheet was divided among several experienced WWE producers. Jamie Noble produced Otis versus Austin Theory, while Shane Helms was assigned to The Miz, Kit Wilson and Matt Matthews segment. Helms also produced Joe Hendry versus JD McDonagh.
Michael Hayes and Robert Roode worked together on Rey Mysterio versus Ethan Page versus Bron Breakker. The same Hayes and Roode pairing was also credited with producing the main-event segment involving The Usos and Jacob Fatu, linking them to both a multi-man match earlier on the card and a major closing angle.
Petey Williams produced the women’s triple threat between Lyra Valkyria, Sol Ruca and Maxxine Dupri. Jason Jordan was assigned to Stephanie Vaquer versus Liv Morgan. The distribution of producers across the lineup saw Jordan, Williams, Helms, Noble, Hayes and Roode all attached to separate portions of the Birmingham show.
“Mexico City Mayhem” rundown details
SmackDown’s September 11 presentation from Arena CDMX had its own set of writer and producer credits, with the episode built around the Mexico City setting. The internal “Mexico City Mayhem” label accompanied a show that included segments involving CM Punk, Sami Zayn, Gunther, Finn Balor, Nick Aldis, Randy Orton and several divisions across the roster.
Devyn Prieto wrote the Nick Aldis, Chelsea Green and Tiffany Stratton segment. Colin Clark was credited for the Sami Zayn and Johnny Gargano backstage scene, and Clark also wrote CM Punk’s backstage interview.
That Punk interview became especially noteworthy because the “jerking it” remark aimed at Sami Zayn was not listed in the rundown. The available information does not establish whether the jab was improvised by Punk or added through another process; it only establishes that the line was absent from the listed rundown material.
CM Punk’s “jerking it” jab at Sami Zayn during the backstage interview was not listed in the SmackDown rundown.
Sondra Lacey wrote Nia Jax’s backstage interview. Cristian Scovell was credited as the writer for the Gunther, Nick Aldis, Finn Balor and Danhausen backstage segment, with Shawn Daivari listed as that segment’s producer.
Ioannis Filippides wrote the backstage material involving Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Tatum Paxley and Fatal Influence. Eric Watts was credited as the writer for the Rey Fenix and Ricky Saints backstage segment, while Chris Park served as producer for that portion of the show.
Producers across SmackDown’s matches and major segments
Daivari’s responsibilities on the Mexico City episode extended beyond the Gunther, Aldis, Balor and Danhausen segment. He also produced Randy Orton’s promo, placing him on two separate non-match portions of the show.
Chris Park, known to many fans as Abyss, produced Ricky Saints versus Rey Fenix. Park was also assigned to the segment involving Trick Williams, Lil Yachty and Baron Corbin. His credits therefore covered both an in-ring singles match and a celebrity-connected segment.
Jason Jordan produced Nikki Bella versus Paige and was also credited as producer for Chelsea Green versus Nia Jax. Kenny Dykstra produced Damian Priest and R-Truth versus The War Raiders.
The main-event-level title program between CM Punk and Sami Zayn was assigned to Robert Roode and Shawn Daivari, who produced their rematch for the WWE Undisputed Title. Roode’s assignment on SmackDown followed his shared work with Michael Hayes on Raw’s Rey Mysterio, Ethan Page and Bron Breakker triple threat, as well as the Usos and Jacob Fatu closing segment in Birmingham.
The producer sheet reflects the breadth of duties divided among WWE’s behind-the-scenes team. Some are attached strictly to matches, while others are credited with backstage interviews, live promos and larger multi-person angles. In the cases of Hayes and Roode on Raw, Park on SmackDown, and Daivari in Mexico City, individual producers were assigned to multiple portions of the same event.
Full September 7 Raw writer and producer list
- The Usos and Jacob Fatu backstage segment: James Curtin, Michael Kirshenbaum, Ben Saccoccio and Jon Baeckstrom
- Stephanie Vaquer and Becky Lynch backstage segment: Kristen Koedding
- Adam Pearce, LA Knight and Solo Sikoa segment: Michael Kirshenbaum, Ben Saccoccio and Jon Baeckstrom
- Penta backstage promo: Michael Kirshenbaum, Ben Saccoccio and Jon Baeckstrom
- The 946 phone promo: Michael Kirshenbaum, Ben Saccoccio and Jon Baeckstrom
- Becky Lynch and Liv Morgan segment: Kirsten Koedding
- The Vision and Paul Heyman segment: Brian Parise
- Big Cass backstage promo: Brian Parise
- Otis versus Austin Theory: Jamie Noble
- The Miz, Kit Wilson and Matt Matthews segment: Shane Helms
- Rey Mysterio versus Ethan Page versus Bron Breakker: Michael Hayes and Robert Roode
- Lyra Valkyria versus Sol Ruca versus Maxxine Dupri: Petey Williams
- Joe Hendry versus JD McDonagh: Shane Helms
- Stephanie Vaquer versus Liv Morgan: Jason Jordan
- The Usos and Jacob Fatu main-event segment: Michael Hayes and Robert Roode
Full September 11 SmackDown writer and producer list
- Nick Aldis, Chelsea Green and Tiffany Stratton segment: Devyn Prieto
- Sami Zayn and Johnny Gargano backstage segment: Colin Clark
- Nia Jax backstage interview: Sondra Lacey
- Gunther, Nick Aldis, Finn Balor and Danhausen backstage segment: Cristian Scovell; producer Shawn Daivari
- CM Punk backstage interview: Colin Clark
- Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Tatum Paxley and Fatal Influence backstage segment: Ioannis Filippides
- Rey Fenix and Ricky Saints backstage segment: Eric Watts; producer Chris Park
- Randy Orton promo: Shawn Daivari
- Ricky Saints versus Rey Fenix: Chris Park
- Nikki Bella versus Paige: Jason Jordan
- Trick Williams, Lil Yachty and Baron Corbin segment: Chris Park
- Chelsea Green versus Nia Jax: Jason Jordan
- Damian Priest and R-Truth versus The War Raiders: Kenny Dykstra
- CM Punk versus Sami Zayn WWE Undisputed Title rematch: Robert Roode and Shawn Daivari
These credits provide a detailed snapshot of how WWE allocated its creative and production staff across Raw’s “Modern Warfare” and SmackDown’s “Mexico City Mayhem” episodes, from individual backstage exchanges to championship-level matches and the programs positioned at the center of each broadcast.
Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.