Tag: Asuka

WWE SmackDown results 12/8/23: Randy Orton, LA Knight put a dent in The Bloodline

CM Punk and Cody Rhodes also had an interesting exchange on the Tribute to the Troops edition of WWE SmackDown.

Many men, many, many, many men (as 50 Cent once said back in the day) have tried to put an end to The Bloodline. None have completely succeeded. But until Roman Reigns and company completely fall apart, it’s an effort worth making, and two more superstars will attempt to weaken the group’s grip on the blue brand tonight on WWE SmackDown from Providence.

In this case, it will be LA Knight and Randy Orton. The former has already had one shot at Reigns and come close to knocking him off, while the latter seems likely to get a chance at the Royal Rumble. Before that can happen, though, the two fan favorites will tag up against Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa on SmackDown. A win could incur Reigns’ wrath … but that’s kind of the point.

Other big names will also be on hand. We’re talking CM Punk, for one, who may or may not be calling SmackDown home. Then there’s Cody Rhodes, who has successfully set up shop on Raw. What does the American Nightmare want to talk about with the Friday night crowd?

Throw in two United States Title Tournament matches and an intriguing collision between Asuka and Charlotte Flair and we’d say this is a pretty loaded edition of SmackDown, perfect for the Tribute to the Troops branding (though we do miss when that was its own separate broadcast). Let’s dive in.

WWE SmackDown Tribute to the Troops results from Providence:

(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • The War and Treaty kick off the broadcast by singing “God Bless America”
  • JBL is on guest commentary tonight with Kevin Patrick and Michael Cole
  • Santos Escobar def. Dragon Lee by pinfall in a United States Title Tournament first round match; after the match, Dominik Mysterio takes a moment to mock Lee before they meet at NXT Deadline
  • Last week’s signing of Randy Orton to SmackDown is shown again for those who missed it
  • Orton wants to know why he’s being paired with LA Knight tonight, but Nick Aldis tells him all he needs to know is that both of them want to get at The Bloodline; Orton has also paid twice the fine he needed to pay, saying “that’s for next time”
  • Cody Rhodes is here to thank all the U.S. military servicemen and servicewomen, with a special appearance by the United States Army Drill Team
  • Bobby Lashley def. Karrion Kross by pinfall in a United States Title Tournament first round match, with special guest commentary from Brad Nessler — yes, that Brad Nessler
  • Bayley tries to give Asuka a pep talk but is told by the rest of  Damage CTRL to “hang back” tonight
  • CM Punk delivers a spicier promo than his first one back, making a veiled joke about his firing, taking a shot at Seth Rollins and saying he’ll make his decision about which brand he’s signing for on Monday night
  • Walking backstage, Punk runs into Kevin Owens, who doesn’t seem thrilled to see him and won’t direct him to Nick Aldis’ locker room
  • Asuka def. Charlotte Flair by pinfall, getting some effective help from Bayley for once
  • Punk is seen talking to Aldis, and Rhodes stops by and notes that to finish his own story, Punk would have to win the Royal Rumble … which Cody finds “interesting”; he does say it’s good to have CM back
  • Punk wishes Randy Orton and LA Knight good luck before Orton asks Knight if he’s ready: “Yeah”
  • LA Knight and Randy Orton def. Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa by pinfall

Santos Escobar advances in the United States Title Tournament, defeating Dragon Lee

Right before the match is about to start in earnest, Dominik Mysterio decides to come down and get a closer look. He hears it from the crowd about how he sucks as the match gets going, and Lee wastes zero time in flying to the floor.

More fancy moves lead to a superkick that puts Escobar on the mat for a near fall. Santos offers a painful response with a neckbreaker back through the ropes, covering for his own two count.

Escobar has some Spanish language taunts for his foe as he works in the corner, and he stops Lee from a hurricanrana to powerbomb him on the apron.

Lee is back in control with a near fall coming out of a commercial break, and he delivers a German suplex before taking a nasty superkick that forces him to kick out again.

A Phantom Driver looks like it’s in the offing, but Lee counters with a rollup, then hits a sitout powerbomb, but neither can bring this match to a conclusion. Lee has some words with Mysterio, who he’ll face Saturday night at NXT Deadline, but Escobar catches him right afterward with a Phantom Driver that ends it.

Cody Rhodes pays his own Tribute to the Troops, with some special guests

Despite this not being his usual stomping grounds, Rhodes receives a warm welcome from the SmackDown fans. What does Providence want to talk about? Cody says he asked to be here because it’s Tribute to the Troops, and he talks about how proud he is to carry on this tradition, giving thanks to the servicepeople in attendance and watching at home.

He introduces a highlight video of Tribute to the Troops through its 21 years, heavily focused on John Cena. A “USA” chant breaks out in response.

Rhodes then welcomes the United States Army Drill Team, which shows off its typically incredible skill and precision on the stage.

Bobby Lashley buries Karrion Kross, advances in the tourney

Legendary sports announcer Brad Nessler sits in with the commentators for this one as he’s calling the Army-Navy football game on Saturday. No way that Lashley, a former Army sergeant, is losing this one on Tribute to the Troops night, right?

He certainly looks fine in the early going, tossing Kross around with ease and posing for the fans. Michael Cole is impressed Nessler knew JBL once played football, but jokes aside, he seems pretty comfortable trading lines with the actual WWE announcers.

Lashley pretty much cruises anyway, finishing Kross with a spear and advancing to face Escobar in the next round.

CM Punk is back on SmackDown, but is it for good?

The fans start a big chant for Punk, who says that since he’s not at the end of the show tonight, he’s not going to have his time cut, so they can go ahead and chant. Punk notes that Adam Pearce is trying to sign him to Raw and suggests he’ll partly leave it up to the fans.

Where do they want him to sign? Well these folks want him to sign for SmackDown, obviously, and they are fond of the idea that he’ll be in the Royal Rumble match too.

Even though he’s famous for talking, Punk says he’s been listening too, and there are some people who don’t like the happy go lucky version of him. So let’s make this spicier: Who do you want Punk to talk about?

He could tell stories about Cody Rhodes, or he could talk about somebody who’s not here, who’s never here: Roman Reigns. “Don’t forget who the OG Paul Heyman guy is.”

Punk says he isn’t familiar with Solo Sikoa, and if he messes with Jimmy Uso on SmackDown, he’s going to need backup. Would Randy Orton tag with him? He’s not sure. Punk thinks LA Knight would tag with him. Would Kevin Owens? Maybe they are too much alike, and he also makes a crack about his firing from AEW in not so many words.

Moving on, Punk says the one guy who wasn’t happy to see him back “isn’t even The Man in his own house,” referring to Seth Rollins. He claims he’ll reveal where he’ll sign on Monday night, even teasing that he’ll consider NXT, and where other people are talking about finishing their stories, he’s back to finish what he started.

Bayley actually comes through, helps Asuka beat Charlotte Flair

Before the bell rings, Zelina Vega and Michin attack Asuka’s Damage CTRL teammates, and they soon get reinforcements from Bianca Belair and Shotzi too. The announcers discuss the history that Flair and Asuka have together, including some of the best women’s matches in WWE history.

Flair gets an early edge that the Empress quickly reverses on the outside. Charlotte takes it back with a moonsault that almost overshoots and runs her into the announce table, but fortunately she comes out just fine.

After commercials, referee Charles Robinson is checking on Flair, but despite limping a bit, she wants a Figure Four. Can she bridge into the Figure Eight? Nope, because Bayley breaks the hold.

Flair ends up hammering Bayley with a forearm shot, giving Asuka a chance to roll up Charlotte for the pinfall. “I did that,” yells Bayley.

LA Knight and Randy Orton prove too much for Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa

The crowd is definitely feeling the team of the Megastar and the Viper, no question. The announcers, and especially JBL, put over how Orton looks better than ever and what a scary thought that is.

Knight only reluctantly looks like he’s willing to let Orton tag in, and Randy looks set to face Sikoa but gets jumped from behind by Uso.

After commercial breaks, Knight is on a roll, crushing Sikoa in the corner. But he stops to deal with Uso on the apron and gets viciously powerslammed by Solo.

Jimmy sneaks in another cheap shot or two from the floor, setting up a Sikoa vertical suplex for two. Solo follows with headbutts, then trades right hands with Knight, coming out on top.

Uso is now the legal man and looks very confident, making a quick tag back to Solo to whip Knight hard into the turnbuckles. Knight fires back with a bulldog off the second rope, and the fans come even more alive as Orton gets the hot tag. The Viper sends Sikoa to the floor and hits a powerslam on Uso before bouncing his face off the table and dropping him on it for good measure.

The vintage elevated DDT is next, and Orton signals for an RKO. But Sikoa attacks from behind before being taken out in turn by Knight. LA wants the Blunt Force Trauma, but Randy beats him to an RKO, pinning Uso afterward. LA and Randy seem on food enough terms as they pose following their victory.

WWE SmackDown preview 12/8/23: Will CM Punk follow Randy Orton to SmackDown?

Also on this Tribute to the Troops WWE SmackDown, Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka, and Randy Orton plus LA Knight vs. The Bloodline.

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As the holiday season rapidly approaches, WWE is bringing a gift of sorts to fans tonight on the Tribute to the Troops edition of WWE SmackDown in Providence, R.I.

Can Nick Aldis make CM Punk his second straight huge signing?

As you may have heard by now, CM Punk will appear tonight on SmackDown for the first time in ages. While his first promo back in WWE last week may not have exactly been a pipe bomb, fans will likely be worked into a frenzy again over seeing him live.

In storyline terms, Punk was invited to SmackDown by general manager Nick Aldis, who managed to convince fellow recent returnee Randy Orton to commit to Friday nights. That makes Punk feel like he’s headed for Raw, especially since Seth Rollins is his logical first target. But perhaps The Bloodline or other members of the SmackDown roster will try to sway him by throwing out a challenge, which is definitely something to keep an eye on tonight.

Can Randy Orton and LA Knight prove to be an effective team against The Bloodline?

There’s plenty of evidence at this point that going it alone against The Bloodline just doesn’t work. LA Knight has experienced that firsthand, and Orton is going to figure it out quickly as well.

Ah, but how about two solo stars joining forces? That’s proven to be more effective, and we’ll see it again in Providence as Knight and Orton take on Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa.

This is kind of a reminder that with Roman Reigns on a reduced schedule and the likes of Jey Uso and Sami Zayn no longer with the group like they were at its peak, The Bloodline is short on pure numbers at the moment. But with Reigns returning next week, it behooves the fan favorites to take advantage while they can.

Will Charlotte Flair cause more fissures within Damage CTRL?

There’s been an undeniable feeling that Bayley isn’t on the same page with the rest of Damage CTRL, so every time one member has a match, there’s the potential for more drama. That could certainly be the case again tonight when Asuka takes on Charlotte Flair.

What if Bayley tries to help and it backfires … again? The patience shown by the rest of the group is pretty clearly wearing thin, and a mutiny to install IYO SKY as leader might be inevitable. This is certainly worth watching.

Also slated for SmackDown Tribute for the Troops:

  • Two more United States Title Tournament matches: Dragon Lee vs. Santos Escobar and Bobby Lashley vs. Karrion Kross (remember him?)

WWE SmackDown Tribute to the Troops is set for 8 p.m. on Fox, so join us back here at that time for all the latest results and other happenings from Providence.

WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2023 predictions — Who will triumph in Chicago?

Who will win the WarGames this matches at Survivor Series? And what other match might steal the show in Chicago?

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I can’t believe I am about to type this, but for the second year in a row, I am looking forward to watching Survivor Series.

It’s been a while for me, as I have been firmly on the bandwagon to just get rid of Survivor Series all together. The fact that there are two WarGames matches and no Survivor Series matches on a show called Survivor Series tells me the people in charge at WWE don’t care that much about it either. I don’t blame them.

As far as the card itself, it’s carried mostly by a pair of what should be exciting WarGames matches. However, most of the talk surrounding the show is about who may or may not be in the building Saturday night. 

Of course I’m talking about CM Punk, which even bringing his name up in this context feels very speculative, but we can’t ignore the elephant in the room, even if it’s merely a figment of our collective imagination. 

Regardless, I try to only make predictions on things that are actually advertised and we’ve got a short list to get through.

WWE SmackDown results 11/24/23: Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch fail to put the past behind them

Also, find out who stepped up during WWE SmackDown to replace Carlito at Survivor Series.

With only five matches on the Survivor Series: WarGames card this weekend, there isn’t room for every title to be defended. That works out well for us tonight, as the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship is on the line at WWE SmackDown in Chicago (well, the greater Chicago area, anyway).

It seems wild to think about, but it’s been some time since the Street Profits wore tag team titles of any kind — more than two years, actually. They’ve had opportunities over that time and always been right around the periphery of the top of the division, but they never broke through.

Teaming with Bobby Lashley and making a bit of a heel turn was supposed to unlock the Profits. It’s not inconceivable to think that they might dethrone Damian Priest and Finn Balor tonight, especially if the overall drama surrounding The Judgment Day spills over somehow. A night before the WarGames match at Survivor Series, you can’t rule that out.

A victory for the Profits might tilt the tag team division back toward ongoing teams instead of high profile singles stars teaming up. But if they don’t seal the deal, what then? It’s fair to wonder if Lashley might be tired of the Profits and their partnership explode.

Could there be more wrinkles for Survivor Series during tonight’s show as well? You certainly can’t rule it out. That’s why we’ll be watching.

WWE SmackDown results from Chicago:

(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)

  • The broadcast begins with an extended replay of Becky Lynch joining the team opposing Damage CTRL in the Women’s WarGames match at Survivor Series
  • The all-star team of faces from the Women’s WarGames match is in the house, but Bayley sees an opportunity to sow distrust between Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair in what looks like it will be tonight’s main event
  • A replay is shown of the reveal of Randy Orton returning Saturday night for WarGames
  • The rest of Damage CTRL is backstage and looks pretty unexcited about Bayley booking them for a match, so they decide their leader should team with Asuka for the main event
  • The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) def. Street Profits by pinfall to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship, getting an assist from Rhea Ripley to do so
  • Flair says she got approval for the tag team match, but her bickering with Lynch has their teammates looking concerned
  • A recorded Dragon Lee promo explains his journey through pro wrestling and the importance of family to his story
  • Kevin Owens is on The Grayson Waller Effect, as is Austin Theory impersonating Owens, and pretty soon, Waller and Theory have angered LA Knight enough that he’s involved as well
  • Kevin Owens and LA Knight def. Austin Theory and Grayson Waller by pinfall
  • Belair tells Lynch that Flair was right and tells The Man that she really needs to set aside her issues with Charlotte for the greater good, and Lynch tries to tell herself she can keep it cool
  • A video package takes us back through Santos Escobar’s attack on Rey Mysterio and his other former LWO teammates
  • Carlito is the last man standing in the LWO … but not for long thanks to Santos Escobar
  • Escobar attacks Carlito again backstage, but Dragon Lee arrives to save the day
  • Pretty Deadly def. Brawling Brutes by pinfall after Ridge Holland walks out on Butch during the match
  • Shotzi talks to Flair about helping her at her lowest point and suggests that a few words from Charlotte could change things between her and Becky, just like it did for Shotzi
  • Nick Aldis says Carlito is hurt badly and in no shape to compete tomorrow at Survivor Series, but when he goes to cancel the match, Dragon Lee makes an impassioned plea to take Carlito’s place, and Aldis says he’s in
  • The Judgment Day cuts a promo about WarGames, taunting Randy Orton and reminding him that teammate Jey Uso put him on the shelf
  • Lynch and Flair have a quick work backstage and agree that they’re good
  • Damage CTRL (Asuka and Bayley) def. Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair by pinfall, taking advantage of some misfires between Becky and Charlotte, and Bianca and Shotzi have to hustle to the ring to prevent further catastrophe

How to watch WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2023 — Live stream US, international

A quick holiday week reminder on how to watch WWE Survivor Series: WarGames this weekend.

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It’s nearly Thanksgiving, so it’s that time of the year again where WWE presents Survivor Series, the long-running premium live event that usually pits teams and brands against each other, although the latter isn’t happening this year.

Instead, two WarGames matches will headline Survivor Series, as it’ll take two babyface groups trying to take down heel stables that are running rampant across Raw and SmackDown.

Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair and Shotzi will compete against IYO SKY, Kairi Sane, Bayley, and Asuka in WarGames. Over the last few weeks, Damage CTRL has increased in membership to five, but Bayley has been noticeably marginalized within the group. If tensions arise during the match, it could potentially end her involvement with the stable she once formed.

The other WarGames match pits Jey Uso, Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn and probably Randy Orton against Damian Priest, Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh and Drew McIntyre.

On the go-home episode of Raw, Rhodes clearly hinted at the Viper, who has not wrestled in over 18 months, being their mystery partner. It’s hard to believe it could be anyone else, even with the internet buzzing about CM Punk’s theme music playing at the Allstate Arena. When Orton emerges from behind the curtain, it will undoubtedly be a special moment for one of WWE’s iconic figures.

Survivor Series features a small match card otherwise since WarGames will dominate the night. Gunther vs. The Miz, Rhea Ripley vs. Zoey Stark, and Carlito vs. Santos Escobar all have the chance to potentially shine with more time, though, to make the undercard intriguing and entertaining.

These matches will grace Survivor Series. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the action this weekend.

WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2023

  • Date: Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023
  • Location: Allstate Arena, Chicago, Illinois
  • Start time: 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT
  • How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., and on WWE Network in the rest of the world

WWE SmackDown preview 11/17/23: Solo’s back (alright!), LA Knight takes on Jimmy Uso

LA Knight will face Jimmy Uso in one of the featured matches tonight on WWE SmackDown.

(With apologies to the Backstreet Boys.)

We haven’t seen Solo Sikoa since his brutal beatdown of John Cena at Crown Jewel, one that had Cena thankful for the end of the actors strike. But he’s back tonight on WWE SmackDown from Evansville, Ind., probably feeling more untouchable than ever.

What might attract Solo’s attention? Possibly what a certain Megastar is up to.

Can LA Knight battle The Bloodline alone?

Though LA Knight promised in the wake of his defeat at Crown Jewel to run through The Bloodline person by person, he’s hardly the first superstar to attempt that. Both SmackDown and Raw have examples of wrestlers who have tried, but no one seems able to hand the group more than a temporary setback or two.

That said, Knight can get started in Evansville when he takes on Jimmy Uso. While Jimmy has proven a little more prone to freelancing over the last few weeks, he’s generally done what Roman Reigns asks of him in the end. But one wonders what will happen if he loses this match and if Sikoa will have to get involved.

Has the power shifted in the larger, stronger Damage CTRL?

While all of us were focused on Damage CTRL adding Kairi Sane, it turned out the group had an even bigger surprise in store when Asuka turned on her tag team partners and joined the stable as well. That makes them four strong at the moment, and five when Dakota Kai is able to compete again.

It will be interesting to see if IYO SKY set aside her history with the Empress of Tomorrow and did the recruiting. And if so, what does that mean for Bayley? Sane said the right things about her leadership last week, but she can’t feel good about her teammates reaching out to others to join without her knowledge.

We very well might get some answers to these questions in Evansville.

WWE SmackDown heads our way at 8 p.m. ET on FOX on what will be a very busy night of pro wrestling, to be sure.

WWE SmackDown results 11/10/23: Damage CTRL grows even stronger with a surprise addition

The all-star team assembled to take on Damage CTRL on WWE SmackDown didn’t even make it through one match.

Was the stunning return of Kairi Sane at Crown Jewel a boon to Damage CTRL or the beginning of the group’s end? That’s going to be one of the big questions that may get answered tonight on WWE SmackDown from Columbus.

It was Sane, not Bayley, who helped ensure that IYO SKY remained WWE Women’s Champion at the end of a hard-fought encounter with Bianca Belair in Saudi Arabia. And of course, Sane and SKY go way back.

But it was Bayley who was mostly responsible for running Sane out of WWE (in storyline, anyway). So is Sane back for some revenge? And if so, will SKY side with her or with Bayley? The future of Damage CTRL certainly seems like it might be hanging in the balance.

Another highlight for tonight will be LA Knight (no, all that rhyming wasn’t intentional) taking on Grayson Waller after the two superstars got into it on social media. Knight is undoubtedly looking for someone to beat up after his valiant but losing effort against Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel, while Waller is just stirring the pot as per usual.

Oh, and Kevin Owens is on commentary tonight, filling in for new dad Corey Graves (congrats to Corey and Carmella). KO has already punched Waller in the face once and would probably like to continue doing so, but GM Nick Aldis made it a condition of his announcing gig tonight that he can’t touch anyone or he’ll be suspended.

Also, he needs a tie, but Aldis promised to hook him up.

Good stuff.

WWE SmackDown results from Columbus:

(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Kevin Owens is dressed like he normally is, but also has a tie on as he joins the commentators.
  • The LWO is in the house, but not united for long as Carlito blames Santos Escobar for Rey Mysterio’s loss to Logan Paul at Crown Jewel
  • Bobby Lashley def. Carlito by pinfall; after the match, Santos Escobar decides not to save Carlito from a beating by Lashley and the Street Profits and ends up finally turning on Rey Mysterio
  • Escobar is asked why he attacked Mysterio on his way out of the building, and simply says “Rey had it coming”
  • Bayley reluctantly accepts that Kairi Sane is now part of Damage CTRL, but Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair and Asuka are ready to see how united the group really is later tonight
  • Dragon Lee def. Cedric Alexander by pinfall
  • LA Knight says Crown Jewel didn’t go exactly as he’d hoped for, but that he did what he said he would and would be champion now if not for Jimmy Uso; Knight also says he won’t go to the back of the line and he’s not done with The Bloodline, but Grayson Waller wonders if he’s just “not the guy,” which turns out badly for the Aussie
  • LA Knight def. Grayson Waller by pinfall
  • Waller comes back out with Austin Theory, spilling water on KO and throwing a bottle at Michael Cole, so Owens pursues and catches them on the ramp, eventually hitting Waller with a Stunner in the ring
  • Jimmy Uso says he’s happy to take on Knight next week, and the phone call from Roman Reigns doesn’t seem like it’s stopping him from doing it
  • Damage CTRL (Bayley, IYO SKY and Kairi Sane) vs. Asuka, Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair ends in a no contest after Asuka turns on her teammates, seemingly joining Damage CTRL and helping them beat down Belair, Flair and Shotzi

WWE vs. AEW Tuesday night battle should be a lot of fun

Tonight’s the night: WWE and AEW are pulling out all the stops for their rare Tuesday head-to-head battle.

Wake up, wrestling fans. It’s Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023. You know what that means?

It’s time for Tuesday Night Wrestling Promotion Fights!

In one corner, you have AEW, which was forced to move Dynamite to Tuesday due to the MLB postseason. AEW gave fans some incentive to tune in Tuesday night by having Adam Copeland make his in-ring debut for the promotion.

In the other corner, we have the show that typically resides on Tuesdays, NXT, which decided to counter AEW with John Cena, Paul Heyman, Asuka, Cody Rhodes, and based off a not-so-subtle gong at the end of the promo for the show, possibly even The Undertaker.

Then NXT announced before Raw that the first 30 minutes of Tuesday’s show would be commercial free.

Just when it looked like AEW was already down on the mat, the promotion answered back via some fiery Tony Khan posts on X. First, he announced that the first 30 minutes of Dynamite will also be commercial-free.

He then made sure to note that this was indeed a response to WWE stacking NXT with major names that normally DO NOT appear on that program.

Then Khan raised the stakes by announcing a dream match between Eddie Kingston and Minoru Suzuki. Just casually. Not to mention that this will be happening on the pre-show…for an episode of Dynamite.

Good god. 

Neither promotion is even hiding it at this point. This is going to be an all out wrestling promotion fight. You thought we had Tribal Combat at SummerSlam? Well, buckle up, fam. You’re about to see the REAL tribal combat tonight.

Social media will be ablaze with hot takes, I’m sure. Wrestling fans should feel too blessed to be stressed at this point, but telling them to relax is an exercise in futility. So instead of trying to stamp out the flames, I’m going to stoke them. 

That is right, I am here to instigate the madness for once. Call me messy if you want to. I don’t care. I am here for the sneak disses both sides may throw on television. I will also be here for the discourse that will take place during and especially after the shows are off the air. 

Don’t worry, I’ll be sure to tune out before it gets too toxic. I still have my limits.

But until it gets to that point, I will enjoy this day. That is because days like this are unique. Days like this are wild. Days like this are fun.

I am here to embrace the chaos that will be this day. And this time, I am advocating for wrestling fans to do so as well.

For maybe the first time ever, WWE Fastlane was actually consequential

A skippable premium live event? Maybe in past years, but WWE Fastlane was worth watching this time.

If you have watched WWE for as long as I have (about 30 years, give or take), you are familiar with the fact that there are tiers to the company’s premium live events.

You already know that at the very top is WrestleMania, for obvious reasons. Right below that are Royal Rumble, SummerSlam, Survivor Series, and even Money in the Bank. These events don’t feature the spectacle and grandeur of WrestleMania, but are certainly among the most consequential on the calendar.

And then there’s the rest of the events, which if you’re a diehard fan you’re watching regardless. However, if you’re more of a casual fan, you may skip here or there.

Fastlane firmly falls into the last category, as its usual placement in February/March typically made this a mere speed bump you quickly pass over on the road to WrestleMania.

But that wasn’t the case in 2023. 

WWE moved Fastlane to October this year, which still placed it right before a more marquee event — Survivor Series, in this case. 

But unlike in years past where Fastlane could have largely been ignored, this year’s show served its purpose better than it ever has. And because of it, Survivor Series, which may or may not feature WarGames, feels like an even bigger event.

If there is a WarGames at Survivor Series, it could be among the most intriguing in the match’s history. Having The Bloodline and The Judgment Day form a, dare I say, dangerous alliance, has already made for great television. And I love the fact that it’s Rhea Ripley leading the transaction from The Judgment Day’s side.

But who knows how longer The Judgment Day will last after Finn Balor and Damian Priest lost the Undisputed WWE Tag Team titles to Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso? That will certainly add more cracks to the group’s already fragile foundation.

Then you got LA Knight and John Cena taking down Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa, which I’m sure will be addressed on the upcoming episode of Smackdown — which will feature an appearance from the Tribal Chief himself, Roman Reigns.

Seth Rollins retained his world title by defeating Shinsuke Nakamura in a Last Man Standing Match, which should all but end their feud and open the door for a new challenger to step up to the plate. And we all know there has been a lot of intrigue around who that person might be. Also, the match was tremendous.

And let’s not forget that Jade Cargill made her WWE television debut during the event as well. Sure, it was merely walking out of a car (looking stunning, I might add) and being greeted by Triple H, but it is a sign that WWE has got major plans for the former AEW TBS Champion.

There are some good things brewing in WWE. Things are so good that even Fastlane proved to be an exciting chapter in WWE’s never-ending tale between good and evil.

WWE Fastlane 2023 results: IYO SKY gets valuable help from Bayley to hold off Asuka, Charlotte Flair

Check out how Bayley came through for IYO SKY to help her retain her WWE Women’s Championship at Fastlane.

This has a big fight feel, especially for IYO SKY as she faces two future Hall of Famers at once. Asuka tries to take full advantage of no DQs by spraying the mist in the face of Charlotte Flair, forcing SKY to break up the pin.

Asuka tries to take control against SKY but soon finds herself barely kicking out as the champ outmaneuvers her on the mat. A kick from the Empress turns things around, but Flair is back in the mix and nails Asuka with a big boot.

Flair unloads on Asuka in the corner until SKY jumps on her back. That only slows Charlotte down a second, as she delivers a back suplex to Asuka before taking a stomp to the chest from the champ.

SKY uses an acrobatic transition to apply a crossface on Flair, who also takes a head kick from Asuka. The champ hits a missile dropkick on Asuka but is greeted up top by the Empress, who is fired up after hitting a release German suplex. A sliding dropkick follows for a near fall.

Flair hits a high cross body on both her opponents as the crowd starts to “whooo” for her chops. There’s a double suplex as a reversal too, leaving Flair wondering which person to attack next. She drives SKY into the top turnbuckle, then hits her stepover clothesline on both foes, covering Asuka for a near fall.

With the challengers struggling with each other, SKY uses a sunset flip to set off a series of pinning attempts between her and Asuka. SKY takes her time before launching a suicide dive onto Flair, raising her arms in triumph.

Flair regains the momentum and has Asuka down and SKY outside … but only for a moment. Asuka returns and hits a double powerbomb, trying to pin Charlotte but only getting two.

Asuka gets Flair in an armbar but soon finds herself in a Boston crab. Back and forth they go until Flair goes for the Figure Eight, but SKY is back for a meteora on Charlotte for a near fall of her own.

Charlotte finds herself in two submissions at once from her opponents until SKY sets off some more fun three-person spots. Flair emerges from the chaos to spear Asuka, looking incredulous when that doesn’t end it.

Bayley makes her way to ringside, trying to revive SKY. Flair cares not for that, nailing IYO with a big boot but turning into a Codebreaker from Asuka that almost ends it.

The crowd has the “this is awesome” chant going now. Asuka is in the Figure Eight and looks like she is tapping out, but Bayley distracts the ref so it isn’t seen. SKY comes off the top with the Over the Moonsault and is able to pin Flair to retain her gold.

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