Tag: bianca belair

WrestleMania 40: Biggest takeaways from Night 1

Look back at WrestleMania 40 Night 1 and ahead to what’s next for its winners and losers.

Since 1985, WrestleMania has been utilized as a way to showcase WWE and its biggest stars.

But as the 40th edition of the “Showcase of the Immortals” descended upon Philadelphia this week, it was clear that the event that was once a single day with a 1 p.m. start time has grown into a cultural happening for wrestling fans.

It’s a place where fans from opposite corners of the planet with nothing in common other than an undying love for professional wrestling can quickly bond and create lasting memories together.

Heck, you may even find Eagles and Cowboys fans putting away their differences for a week all in the name of pro wrestling.

There are wrestling shows, meet and greets, parties, and even a wrestling block party on South Street — and that was just Saturday.

But while all of those events are meaningful in their own right, the main course is still WrestleMania, which has also seen its share of growth over the years. WrestleMania XL on Saturday was simply the latest piece of evidence.

Here are my takeaways from a brutally cold night at Lincoln Financial Field:

Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes is shaping up to be a chaotic affair

It was an all-too-familiar scene for Cody Rhodes Saturday night as for the second year in a row, he was left sitting dejectedly in the ring while Roman Reigns — joined this time by The Rock — celebrated another victory over him.

Because of that result, Rhodes’ Undisputed Universal Championship match against Reigns will now take place under Bloodline Rules, which basically means there are no rules.

Within the story, it means Rhodes will be entering the match in a great deal of peril.

Rhodes and his partner Seth Rollins fell short against Reigns and The Rock Saturday and there was no interference. There was no sign of Solo Sikoa, and Jimmy Uso was still recovering from his defeat at the hands of his brother, Jey Uso, earlier in the night.

Sure, The Rock used his “Mama Rhodes” weight belt to help his team earn the win, but there isn’t a ton of wiggle room for Rhodes to dispute the outcome. Simply put, Rhodes and Rollins got beat. 

Now, Rhodes will have to try to do this all over again, except this time, The Bloodline can do whatever they want given that there are no rules.

However, the lack of rules also extends to Rhodes, who I expect will have a lot of backup during the title match. 

The result could be a chaotic, overbooked mess — and I would love every second of it.

The main event isn’t just the culmination of Rhodes’ story. It is the culmination of so many others as well. The Bloodline saga has incorporated so many characters since it began in 2020, it would only make sense for them to have a role in the climax of one of the best stories in wrestling history.

It’s a story that has drawn comparisons to the Avengers, which makes sense given WWE employs a former Marvel writer (Rob Fee).

While “Infinity War” ended on a bleak note, “Endgame” saw the heroes overcome Thanos and save the day. Will Rhodes enjoy a similar fate Sunday night?

Side note: The Rock’s entrance may have been the best in WrestleMania history.

Will we get Rhodes vs. Rock in the future?

One detail that some may have missed Saturday night was The Rock pinned Rhodes to win the match.

To me, that leaves the door open for a possible match between these two in the future. It doesn’t seem that far-fetched given all of the physicality between the two even before WrestleMania. 

But then during the post-show press conference Saturday, The Rock hinted that part of the reason why he returned to WWE (and joined TKO overall) was to build something not just for WrestleMania XL, but for the future as well.

Nothing is guaranteed, but I think it is something to keep an eye on moving forward.

Sami Zayn ends Gunther’s reign

The last two WrestleManias have been very kind to Sami Zayn.

Last year, he closed out Night 1 with an emotional victory for the tag team titles alongside his best friend, Kevin Owens.

This year, Owens was the last person to lend Zayn words of encouragement before he walked through the curtain to challenge the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time, Gunther.

And once again, Zayn walked away with gold.

In what was in my opinion the best match of the evening, Zayn ended Gunther’s historic 666-day reign (was it a bad omen for Gunther?) with a pair of Helluva Kicks to become the new Intercontinental Champion. It is Zayn’s first singles championship since he held the same title back in 2022.

One aspect of the Bloodline story that I don’t think is talked about enough is how it has developed multiple people into major stars, and Zayn is a prime example. 

Zayn was an over enough heel that he was slotted into a match with “Jackass” star Johnny Knoxville at WrestleMania in 2022. But once that was over, he was kind of … just there

But then Zayn began his attempts to join the Bloodline. Fast forward to 2024 and Zayn enjoyed an emotional moment in the ring with his family in front of more than 70,000 people. 

What a time.

What’s next for Rhea Ripley?

Mami proved once again that she is still on top after she defeated Becky Lynch in the night’s opening match to retain her WWE Women’s World Championship.

The match itself was good, but it left me with one question: What’s next for Rhea Ripley?

The Raw women’s division doesn’t have a slew of credible challengers lined up for Ripley. Lynch was easily the most credible, but Ripley has already beaten her clean in the middle of the ring.

Based on the reaction Ripley received in Philadelphia (and everywhere else), she is one of WWE’s biggest stars at the moment. I’d imagine WWE will have something planned. However, that does not mean it will be anything of real consequence.

WWE makes the right decision to split the tag titles

Anyone that knows me and how I view professional wrestling knows that I am usually against having split championships.

The NFL doesn’t split up the Super Bowl title. It goes to one team and one team only. That’s what makes it special.

For me, the same applies to pro wrestling, as I am typically in favor of having one title per division. That means one world title, one set of tag team titles, etc.

However, I am not unreasonable. I understand that WWE has placed itself under the unique circumstances of having a massive roster of wrestlers that need their respective time to shine. Five hours of television (not counting NXT) is simply not enough to feature them all, which means they are divided up into their own brands, and those brands come with their own set of championships.

I understand that. I’m not usually in favor of it, but I understand. That is why I am on board with WWE deciding to split up the undisputed tag titles and go back to having Raw titles and Smackdown titles.

Entering WrestleMania 40, each brand already had its own set of championships. The only one that was undisputed were the tag team championships.

I guess you could make the case that Reigns is the top champion in WWE since he is the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion and since the universe is bigger than the world (looking at you, World Heavyweight Championship), you could make the case that those titles are not on equal footing.

But when it comes to WWE’s tag team division, there is no hierarchy. Both titles are very much on equal footing.

WWE’s tag team division is pretty stacked at the moment. There’s young talent on both shows that did not appear at WrestleMania. It only makes sense to give each show its own set of titles so that more teams can be featured at a given time.

Also, it probably cuts down on the wear and tear that comes with appearing on both shows on a regular basis.

I think Austin Theory and Grayson Waller walking away with the Smackdown titles was a smart decision by WWE. They’re young, they’re talented, and I believe they have a bright future ahead of them. However, they still need time to develop into the top singles stars I think they are capable of being. 

A good way to help them eventually get to that point is to develop together as tag team champions. It’s a method that has been proven to work with countless others in the past. Legends such as Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Randy Orton, Batista, just to name a few, all started as one half of a tag team or as a member of a larger group before spinning off to become bigger stars. 

Whether Waller and Theory will reach those same heights remain to be seen, but I do believe they are on the right track.

On the opposite end of the spectrum would be R-Truth and The Miz, collectively known as the Awesome Truth. Truth and Miz have decades of experience between them and have enjoyed a recent run of success, mainly due to the fans simply loving Truth and his shenanigans. 

It was great to see Truth have a WrestleMania moment after all of these years. He’s gone from K-Kwik to the first Black NWA World Heavyweight Champion, and on this one Saturday, he sat atop the ladder before 70,000-plus who were all thrilled to see him become a champion.

Bah gawd, that’s Jason Kelce and Lane Johnson’s music!

Wrestling fans from around the world may or may not have cared, but wrestling fans from Philadelphia most certainly cared that recently-retired center Jason Kelce and tackle Lane Johnson not only appeared at WrestleMania, but were also involved in a match.

In the latter stages of the tag team match that pitted Rey Mysterio and Andrade against Santos Escobar and Dominik Mysterio, two large men wearing luchador masks hopped over the guardrail and prevented Dirty Dom from bringing a steel chair into the ring.

One of the masked men then tossed Dom into the ring post before throwing him back into the ring so he could receive a call from the 619 area code to end the match.

The men then hopped into the ring to reveal themselves to be Kelce and Johnson.

For the uninitiated, Kelce is among the best centers of all time and delivered the best Super Parade speech ever. He also co-hosts the popular “New Heights” podcast alongside his brother, Travis Kelce. I think Travis dates Taylor Swift or something.

Johnson is arguably the best tackle in the NFL and is always willing to cut a Steve Austin-esque promo. 

He also recently worked out with Seth Rollins at the NovaCare Complex, the Eagles’ headquarters.

Maybe it wasn’t for everyone, but as a Philadelphian — and former Eagles employee — I was here for it.

Yes, the crowd was cold — literally

If you watched WrestleMania from the comfort of your own home, you were guaranteed to be warmer than the 72,543 fans in attendance at Lincoln Financial Field who had to endure a brutally cold night in Philadelphia.

Just a week or two ago, it was 70 degrees and sunny in Philly. On Saturday night, the temperate dipped into the 40s with some gusts of wind to boot. It felt more like an Eagles playoff game than WrestleMania.

While it didn’t sour my personal experience, I do understand why others weren’t as enthralled, which I’m sure contributed to the lack of noise you heard at times during the event.

Philadelphia fans have a reputation for being vocal, especially when it comes to wrestling. However, not all of the fans at Lincoln Financial Field were from the Philly area, and they probably didn’t dress warm enough to prepare for the bone-chilling temperatures.

I wore a jacket with a hoodie underneath and was still kind of cold. There were plenty of cool WrestleMania fits on display Saturday night, but not all of them were ready to endure a chilly night in Philadelphia.

If someone traveled to WrestleMania, they probably didn’t pack a winter coat, which is what would have been the appropriate attire for Saturday night.

The cold is the only explanation I have for why WWE had a few production hiccups during the show, which is not what you would expect from WWE in general, but especially so at WrestleMania.

I’ll be attending Sunday night’s show as well and will be sure to dress even warmer.

WrestleMania 40 Night 1 results: All matches, winners from Philadelphia

Keep up with all the action from WrestleMania 40 Night 1 with results and live updates from Philadelphia.

The big day has finally arrived. The first of two big days, to be precise, as Night 1 of WrestleMania 40 invades Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. A completely sold-out crowd is expected to watch seven matches, culminating in what WWE is calling the biggest tag team match in WrestleMania history.

Considering the main event at WrestleMania I was a tag team match, that’s really a matter of opinion. There’s no question that it has real stakes, however, as it can shape the all important stipulation for the Night 2 main event.

Roman Reigns and The Rock have so far managed the two-alpha problem in The Bloodline just fine, and if they defeat Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins tonight, they’ll ensure Reigns has Bloodline Rules on his side against Rhodes on Sunday night. That will certainly make Cody’s second chance at finishing his story a lot harder.

The main event has attracted the lion’s share of attention, but there are several other great matchups on Night 1. The expected opener, Becky Lynch vs. Rhea Ripley for the Women’s World Championship, is definitely one of them. So, too, is the battle of brother between Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso.

The Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder Match should also be a spectacle where any team can win — or maybe more than one team, since it appears the Raw and SmackDown titles could be separated again during the match. And we’ll see the bona fide debut of Jade Cargill, something fans have been anxiously awaiting.

We’ve got multiple people on the ground in Philadelphia, and we’re ready to get this rolling.

WrestleMania 40 Night 1 results from Philadelphia:

(please click on any match with a link to see full details)

  • Coco Jones performs “The Star-Spangled Banner” to kick off the show
  • Triple H welcomes the crowd to a new era
  • Rhea Ripley def. Becky Lynch by pinfall to retain the Women’s World Championship
  • Pretty Deadly gives their own unique takes on the teams in the Six-Pack Ladder Match
  • Austin Theory and Grayson Waller and The Awesome Truth win the Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship; Theory and Waller grab the SmackDown titles, while R-Truth and The Miz grab the Raw titles
  • Andrade and Rey Mysterio def. Dominik Mysterio and Santos Escobar by pinfall, thanks in part to two masked figures who revealed themselves to be Philadelphia Eagles lineman Lane Johnson and recently retired center Jason Kelce
  • Jey Uso def. Jimmy Uso by pinfall
  • Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill and Naomi def. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai and Kabuki Warriors) by pinfall as Cargill pins Kai
  • Sami Zayn gets a visit from his family and Chad Gable, who tells him that “you’ve got this on your own” but also says “don’t forget, you owe me a favor”; he also gets some last second encouragement from Kevin Owens
  • Sami Zayn def. Gunther by pinfall to become the new WWE Intercontinental Champion
  • Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce come to the ring to reveal tonight’s announced attendance: 72,543
  • The Rock and Roman Reigns def. Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins by pinfall, meaning the Night 2 main event will be Bloodline Rules

WrestleMania SmackDown results 04/05/24: Jey Uso gets help from Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins

The Andre the Giant Battle Royal also produced a big winner at WrestleMania SmackDown from Philadelphia.

In unscripted sports, the idea of a tune-up game or match is a real thing. Think a boxer fighting an unranked journeyman prior to a big title fight, or Ohio State playing Akron in football before it heads to Michigan. Not in WWE, though, which subjects its stars to gut-wrenching, emotional contests the night before the Showcase of the Immortals, like tonight on WrestleMania SmackDown in Philadelphia.

Case in point: Jey Uso, who is going to take on his twin brother Jimmy Saturday at WrestleMania 40. If pro wrestling was a shoot, there’s approximately a 0% chance Jey would spend the night before battling it out against his younger but bigger brother, Solo Sikoa.

Why would you put yourself through the mental anguish and physical abuse? You wouldn’t. Yet here we are, and honestly it should be very entertaining.

Hopefully the same can be said about the Andre the Giant Battle Royal. It was a pretty cool idea once upon a time, a way to honor a one-of-a-kind WWE icon and get some additional people on the WrestleMania card. The winner gets a big trophy and everything.

Alas, WrestleMania got too big and popular to have filler matches, even intriguing ones like this, so it got shunted to SmackDown. There are worse fates; a strong argument could be made that this is better placement for the Andre than on the WrestleMania pre-show, when everyone is getting food and taking their last bathroom break before the Show of Shows gets rolling in earnest.

But still.

Anyway, this is all to say that while no one can wait for tomorrow night at Lincoln Financial Field, what’s happening tonight at Wells Fargo Center should also be fun. Let’s see if that’s the case.

WrestleMania SmackDown results from Philadelphia:

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

  • A hype video for WrestleMania narrated by Meek Mill gets you … well, hype
  • The KO Show welcomes Randy Orton, and when they both get mocked by Logan Paul, they decide to head across the street to pursue him
  • Bronson Reed wins the Andre the Giant Battle Royal, last eliminating Ivar
  • A highlight video replays the end of Raw, with The Bloodline beating the crap out of Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins
  • Karrion Kross says he targeted Bobby Lashley to teach him humility, scoffing at the idea that Lashley was left out of WrestleMania last year for any reason other than WWE not wanting him in it; Kross also says The Final Testament will win on Sunday, etc.
  • Now Logan Paul is in the building, thinking he’s outsmarted KO and Orton but quickly learning he’s wrong
  • The LWO discovers Dragon Lee has been laid out backstage
  • Elektra Lopez def. Zelina Vega by pinfall with lots of help from Legado Del Fantasma and Dominik Mysterio; Andrade is also out there but he reveals his true colors by standing with the LWO
  • Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill and Naomi are ready for WrestleMania
  • Jey Uso is fired up and wants to hear some yeets before he tangles with his big little brother
  • Rey Mysterio gets some bad news: Dragon Lee can’t compete at WrestleMania; Andrade says he’ll step up and team with Rey, so that seems official
  • New Catch Republic def. Austin Theory and Grayson Waller by pinfall, but both teams immediately get jumped by The Judgment Day after the bell
  • A hype video for Bayley takes us through her history with Damage CTRL and how it’s led to her showdown with IYO SKY, who also gives her side of the story
  • LA Knight cuts a short but passionate promo ahead of his WrestleMania grudge match with AJ Styles
  • The Pride says they will finish things with The Final Testament in the Street Fight
  • Jey Uso def. Solo Sikoa by DQ due to interference by Jimmy Uso, but Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins come to the rescue and Cody gets to cut one last pre-WrestleMania promo

The KO Show welcomes Randy Orton, who agrees with KO to go after Logan Paul

Like we’ve been saying for a bit, even if Owens and Orton aren’t BFFs, the one thing that unites them is their intense dislike for Logan Paul. Speak of the devil, he interrupts from the WrestleMania XL stage, mocking both of his challengers.

Owens and Orton realize together that Lincoln Financial Field is right across the parking lot and decide to head over there. Austin Theory and Grayson Waller pop out from under the ring and run after them, probably because they were supposed to attack KO and Randy in the ring.

We then see Owens and Orton get in a golf cart to roll over to The Linc, with Theory and Waller chasing them on foot.

Now Logan Paul is in the building, but his plan has gone awry

Guess Owens and Orton never caught up with Paul at the football stadium, as he’s now back at Wells Fargo Center. He gets right to work making fun of both them and the denizens of Philadelphia. As one does, if one is a heel.

Paul brags about playing 4D chess and says Theory and Waller will successfully ambush our heroes. He throws it to the Linc, where A-Town Down Under is perplexed as Owens and Orton are nowhere to be found.

“Did you do a thorough search?” Of course they did not, as Owens and Orton sneak into the ring. A Stunner and an RKO are quick to follow. Think this definitely means Paul is winning Sunday, but we shall see.

Bianca Belair, Naomi and Jade Cargill are ready for WrestleMania

Belair has a little Cowboy Carter going on tonight as she reminds us that she has the longest history of fighting back against Damage CTRL. It’s time to stop them for good, which is possible now that Naomi is here, and they agree that they needed each other.

But they’re still outnumbered, so it’s good they have someone new on their side: the new-EST SmackDown superstar, Jade Cargill. She’s dressed like a cowboy too, and gives Damage CTRL a shoutout for giving her the opportunity to show the WWE Universe what she’s all about.

The Big 3 will show everyone why “there is no Damage CTRL.” Asuka, Kairi and Dakota are now in the eye of the storm, and the three faces point at the WrestleMania sign again.

Jey Uso vs. Solo Sikoa ends in hijinks, and Cody Rhodes has the last word before WrestleMania

Well, it doesn’t start well for Jey as Solo smashes him into the apron, but that’s about all we get before commercials.

Will he fight back to the point where the crowd can yeet? Come on, of course.

A hip attack by Jey allows him to cover for two. There are eight minutes left in the show, but you feel like a few minutes might be reserved for hijinks.

Sikoa hits a Samoan Drop, but his Samoan Spike attempt is countered with a superkick and a spear. Jey’s Uso Splash is on target and WHAT DID WE TELL YOU? Jimmy Uso attacks and breaks up the pin.

Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins hustle down to the ring, and now that Solo and Jimmy are down, Rhodes removes his weight belt and gets in a few shots. Jey won’t let Jimmy escape, and he ends up getting rolled back into the ring to eat a Cross Rhodes, a belt shot from Rollins and an Uso Splash.

Cody grabs a mic and asks if everyone can feel the 40 years of WrestleMania history. Tomorrow night, he and Seth will slap the Final Boss so hard his soul will lift out of his body and he’ll remember what it’s like to be The People’s Champion. On Sunday (Sunday! Sunday!), Cody says he’ll dethrone the Tribal Chief.

The fans start a “Cody” chant as he says he’s fighting for everyone who’s ever had a dream. After all, when one story ends, an even better one begins.

Black women in pro wrestling are having a moment. Will the industry capitalize?

Black women are major forces in pop culture writ large, but will WWE and AEW recognize and take advantage?

Never in all my years of living did I ever expect to see the 1997 comedy classic “B.A.P.S.” referenced on WWE television, but that is what happened on the March 29 edition of SmackDown.

For the uninitiated, “B.A.P.S.” is a criminally underrated film starring Halle Berry, where she gives — and I don’t mean this ironically — one of the best performances of her career. Berry’s physical comedy was amazing, and her chemistry with late co-star Natalie Desselle-Reid was off the charts.

Both were on display during a scene where Berry’s character, Nisi, shows off her … unique dancing ability. Nisi’s friend, Mickey (played by Desselle-Reid) provides her friend with unwavering support by shouting “boo-yow!” before slowly turning around to show that the word she just shouted is in fact also on the back of her elaborate hairdo.

Looks familiar? Because it’s exactly what Naomi did during her backstage segment with Bianca Belair on Smackdown, except the back of Naomi’s hair said “EST.” 

The moment nearly caused Belair to burst into laughter on live television. I personally stood up and hollered in my living room.

I stood up and hollered again when Jade Cargill sauntered to the ring later on that evening and aligned herself with Naomi and Belair. 

For some, this may have merely felt like a means to further another story heading into WrestleMania, but the significance of that visual is not lost on me. For me, it was powerful.

I’m not breaking any news when I say that professional wrestling has not always been kind to Black people. The industry’s depiction of Black people has ranged anywhere from mildly concerning to downright racist at times.

This is the same industry that turned a truck driver by the name of “Sugar Bear” James Harris into a Ugandan savage named Kamala. The legendary Tony Atlas was once forced to become Saba Simba in order to escape the perils of being unhoused. Remember when Kofi Kingston, born in Ghana, was Jamaican, accent and all?

We can’t forget about Cryme Tyme, which basically reduced two Black people (the late, great Shad Gaspard and Jayson “JTG” Paul) to criminals. And yes, I’m still angry that Gaspard and Paul never won the tag team titles in WWE.

We’re not far removed from all of this. You can watch it all on Peacock right now. No, it’s not black and white, either. Some of it is actually in high definition. 

Friday’s show of strength between Belair, Cargill, and Naomi did not suddenly erase all of professional wrestling’s ugly history when it comes to its depiction of Black people. It is, however, a snapshot of the potential impact Black people — Black women especially — could have on the wrestling industry.

Elsewhere in wrestling, AEW promoted an entire event around a Black woman (Mercedes Moné) debuting with the promotion. The result was one of AEW’s largest crowds of the year so far. And let’s not overlook the work of Willow Nightingale, Athena, Queen Aminata and others. In NXT, you have Lash Legend, who looks to be on the precipice of becoming the industry’s next big star.

Let’s be clear: Black women drive mainstream culture. You may not realize it, but they do. From catchy phrases to beauty standards, Black women shape our everyday culture in a multitude of ways.

You think Kim Kardashian invented box braids? Hell no. That started with Black women. You think wearing long, stylish fingernails is a recent trend? Nope. Started with Black women.

If a wrestling promotion is looking to remain on the cutting edge of what is cool and hip, it would behoove it to feature Black women, as they are the straw that stirs the culture.

And if wrestling is going to reach a new level of mainstream notoriety, it will be done so with Black women at the forefront.

Recent events have provided some great momentum, but will the industry capitalize? If wrestling’s past is any indication, that answer is still very much in the air.

[lawrence-related id=47353]

WWE SmackDown results 03/29/24: The Jade Cargill era has arrived

Another thing to watch for on SmackDown: Which tag teams will win their way into the Six-Pack Ladder match at WrestleMania?

As I count myself among them, I feel comfortable saying this: Wrestling fans aren’t always the most patient bunch. A not insignificant percentage of them have been clamoring for the debut of Jade Cargill, for instance, and that’s finally happening tonight on WWE SmackDown in Uncasville, Conn.

WWE clearly was in no hurry to rush the former AEW champion into the fray, despite an impressive debut earlier this year at Royal Rumble. Part of it was likely getting Cargill used to the WWE style of in-ring work, given that she’s still not super experienced compared to many of the company’s other wrestlers.

But the other part was making sure Jade could have the proper impact at a time when storytelling is so strong up and down the card, so it will be interesting to see what’s been cooked up for her.

There seems to be a logical foil for her in Damage CTRL, which still has a lot of power on SmackDown between IYO SKY and the Kabuki Warriors. Could we see Cargill come to the aid of some of the faces who have been standing against the group?

If so, that could even lead to a spot for Jade in a multi-person match at WrestleMania, which would be a good way to use her.

Speaking of WrestleMania, two tag team matches tonight will fill the final two spots in the Six-Pack Ladder match for the men’s tag team titles, which should be a spectacle. Our picks are Street Profits and New Catch Republic, though the former may get caught up in their larger feud with The Final Testament.

Let’s see what this show has in store for us.

WWE SmackDown results from Uncasville:

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

  • A brief clip of The Rock’s attack on Cody Rhodes from Raw is played, and we see Bianca Belair and Dakota Kai entering the arena earlier today
  • Pretty Deadly def Randy Orton and Kevin Owens by pinfall … but only because Logan Paul sneaks out from under the ring and lays out KO with brass knux
  • Alas, Orton realizes that Paul is probably still under the ring and drags him back out, but Pretty Deadly ensure he doesn’t get driven through the announce table … then pay for it by eating a Stunner and an RKO; Paul is chased by Orton and Owens to the back, where he jumps into a Corvette and speeds off
  • IYO SKY cuts a promo calling Bayley a narcissist and taking fans to task for siding with her, but just as she’s wrapping up, Bayley appears and attacks her, tearing up the photo backdrop until they can be separated
  • Jade Cargill signs on the dotted line with SmackDown
  • Kayla Braxton talks with Damage CTRL, and Dakota Kai wants to know why there’s a fuss being made over Cargill and Bayley before turning her attention to Belair, who she faces tonight in the main event
  • After Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn get only a passing moment of Aldis’ time, AJ Styles angrily expresses his displeasure with the GM’s actions to ensure LA Knight won’t be here tonight; elsewhere Bobby Lashley and B-Fab fire up the Street Profits
  • Austin Theory and Grayson Waller def. Street Profits by pinfall in a WrestleMania Six-Pack Ladder Match qualifier; the critical moment comes when Karrion Kross appears on the big screen and shows that he and Scarlett have beaten up Lashley and the B-Fab in the back, and after the match, Kross and the Authors of Pain beat down the Profits … and eventually Lashley
  • Santos Escobar wants to thank Dominik Mysterio for helping him against Rey Mysterio, which brings the Hall of Famer to the ring with the LWO flanking him; their discussion turns into a challenge: Rey and a partner of his choosing vs. Escobar and Dom, with Rey revealing that his partner will be the newest member of the LWO, Dragon Lee …
  • … but a brawl breaks out after Zelina Vega and Elektra Lopez light the spark, which is eventually won by the LWO
  • Bianca gets well wishes from Naomi, who says she has Belair’s back if Damage CTRL plays the numbers game
  • The Judgment Day wants to know why Dom went and freelanced and they don’t seem super thrilled with his response, but Finn Balor calms everyone else down
  • New Catch Republic def. Angel and Berto by a pinfall in a WrestleMania Six-Pack Ladder Match qualifier
  • A replay of The Rock’s attack on Cody Rhodes on Raw is played, including his continuation of said attack even after the show went off the air
  • Paul Heyman appears and insists that The Rock took out Rhodes by order of the Tribal Chief; Solo Sikoa says he’ll see Jey Uso next week and take him out by orders of the Tribal Chief
  • AJ Styles wants to chat about home invasions, but LA Knight launches an in-arena invasion this time
  • A Tiffany Stratton hype video features her promising to show everyone what Tiffy Time is all about
  • Bianca Belair def. Dakota Kai by pinfall, and both Naomi and Jade eventually help her fight off a post-match attack by Damage CTRL

Jade Cargill signs on the dotted line with SmackDown

GM Nick Aldis says his only goal since assuming the position was to make SmackDown the very best show, and he believes signing this superstar will take him another step closer to that goal. Yes, he’s talking about Jade, who looks unbelievable as always as she heads to the ring.

Cargill says it’s about damn time after she signs the contract offered by Aldis. She says SmackDown has one of the best female rosters in the world, but they aren’t her, a once-in-a-lifetime superstar. Jade says she has a weather update: The storm has arrived.

AJ Styles may have provoked LA Knight a bit too much

Styles blames the fans for being the reason that Knight came to his house and assaulted him in the front yard. Now AJ wants the biggest possible spotlight so he can expose him as “the overachieving, undertalented piece of trash that he is.”

Despite Aldis asking him to stay away, Styles guarantees Knight is there and dares him to come to the ring. A guy in a hoodie jumps over the barricade, but it’s not the Megastar and he gets led away by security.

Oh but Knight is there, wearing glasses and a wig. He gets the best of a small scrap, then hops on the announce table to vow that he’ll get the dub when they collide at WrestleMania.

Bianca Belair takes down Dakota Kai, and a storm comes to help her afterward

Kai has not wrestled all that much since her return from injury, but she’s looked good when she has and we’d expect that to continue here. Bianca shows off her ridiculous strength with rolling suplexes like it’s no big deal.

There’s cool camera work coming out of a commercial break, with the camera circling the ring and capturing the action from every angle. The presentation continues to be very up close and tight on the wrestlers for a bit, though it does switch back to the hard cam at times.

The fans get an “EST” chant going as Kai is taunting her. Bianca is able to hoist Dakota from the other side of the ropes into a deadlift suplex, one of those moves that makes you go “damn.”

The KOD follows quickly to end it, but the Kabuki Warriors jump the victor as soon as the bell rings. As she promised, Naomi comes running down to help Bianca, but the numbers are against our heroes. The fans eventually realize what’s going on and chant for Jade Cargill, who obliges and strides to the ring.

Cargill quickly mows through Kai and the Warriors, locking eyes on Asuka who has escaped the worst of it. Six-woman tag at WrestleMania, anyone?

WWE SmackDown results 03/22/24: Cody Rhodes comes prepared for Bloodline hijinks

Turns out that neither Roman Reigns nor Cody Rhodes really kept their word on WWE SmackDown in Milwaukee.

Promises are a funny thing. Even villains, when they have a code of honor, can keep them, and there’s a big one that is at the heart of tonight’s WWE SmackDown from Milwaukee.

This week on Raw, Roman Reigns gave his word via Paul Heyman that he wanted to talk to Cody Rhodes on SmackDown and that he’d show up alone — no other Bloodline except for Heyman. In return, he asked that Rhodes also bring no backup, and Cody agreed.

It was somewhat reminiscent of the kind of agreement you’d see in movies, like a hostage exchange or drop of some sort. Meet me at this place, at this time, no cops.

Whether Reigns actually follows through will tell us a lot about how he’s feeling on the Road to WrestleMania. Does it make sense, at this point in his tale, that he’d be confident enough to stand across from Cody with no contingency plan? He did defeat Rhodes last year at WrestleMania, after all.

Or is Roman now paranoid and willing to go back on his word, a sign he’d do anything to keep the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship from even possibly slipping through his grasp?

It’ll also be nice to see Reigns take center stage on the Bloodline portion of things, as he’s been somewhat upstaged by The Rock the last few weeks. Pretty sure that’s never going to come up again somewhere down the road. Yep, probably never. Wink, wink.

There are important tag team matches in store as well, which will help shape the Tag Team Ladder match at WrestleMania. Buckle up and prepare, Milwaukee, because here we go.

WWE SmackDown results from Milwaukee:

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

  • Cody Rhodes and Damage CTRL are shown entering the arena
  • Santos Escobar def. Rey Mysterio by pinfall, in large part due to a distraction from Dominik Mysterio
  • Bayley thanks Naomi for helping her last week, but Bianca Belair hasn’t forgiven the Role Model for what she did as leader of Damage CTRL, and Naomi ends up having to step between them as they bicker
  • Backstage, Bianca and Naomi continue to have a conversation, to which Naomi says she can’t change what’s happened in the past and won’t back down when Damage CTRL is picking them off one by one
  • Austin Theory and Grayson Waller def. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows by pinfall in a Tag Team Championship Qualifying Match, with Theory using the ropes for leverage to aid in his pinfall
  • A hype video pushes Bron Breakker as a superior athlete
  • Highlights are shown from Roman Reigns’ appearance on “The  Pat McAfee Show”
  • IYO SKY def. Naomi by pinfall thanks to aid from Damage CTRL; after the match, Naomi gets a dose of the poison mist from Asuka before Bianca Belair hits the ring with a vengeance, and is able to do pretty well against the whole group until numbers wear her down
  • Jade Cargill will make her first official appearance as a SmackDown superstar next week
  • Tiffany Stratton mocks Naomi as she’s trying to get the mist rinsed out of her eyes
  • Nick Aldis is talking to Kevin Owens when they’re interrupted by Pretty Deadly, and KO ends up challenging them to a tag team match alongside Randy Orton; K.O. ends up punching both members of Pretty Deadly in the face at once, as he does
  • Footage is shown of LA Knight rolling up at the house of AJ Styles and starting a fight with him, then dashcam video shows Knight getting arrested

  • Street Profits def. Authors of Pain by pinfall in a Tag Team Championship Qualifying Match
  • Paul Heyman is on the phone telling Roman Reigns that Cody Rhodes is here alone, and that his public awaits
  • Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes go face to face, and when it turns out Reigns actually did bring The Bloodline with him, Cody has backup too in the form of Jey Uso and Seth Rollins

Naomi learns going it alone against IYO SKY isn’t really a great idea

Is IYO even going to make it out to the ring? Cameras find her backstage scrapping with Bayley, but she gets the better of it and refs finally tell the WWE Women’s Champion to get to the ring.

SKY has to weather an early storm, and the crowd gets behind Naomi as she rallies to hit a springboard bulldog of sorts for a near fall that leads to a commercial break.

Yes Corey Graves, Milwaukee is starting to feel the glow after the break. She splashes into a split but gets only another two count.

You feel like Damage CTRL is going to interfere at some point, and perhaps others may get involved too. Maybe soon after Naomi hits a superplex and rolls through to produce another near fall.

Ah here come the Kabuki Warriors and Dakota Kai, perfectly timed to set their leader up for an Over the Moonsault to win it.

Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes exchange insults, and neither came alone

So far so good for Reigns sticking to his word, as Roman comes to the ring accompanied only by Paul Heyman. The Tribal Chief asks for and is handed a mic, talking about how he kept his word and showed up without the Bloodline. He asks everyone to acknowledge him while Cody is shown walking toward the entrance.

After commercials, Rhodes makes his way out to join Reigns in the ring. Cody says he’s as much a man of his word and also came alone, to which Roman calls him a fool.

From Reigns’ perspective, Rhodes is unfit for the position of face of the company. He scoffs at Cody aligning himself with Seth Rollins, reminding Rhodes that Rollins eventually stabbed him in the back.

Cody of course remembers The Shield, but asks if Roman remembers the first team that defeated them. He also says he has his “bullet cufflinks” on so he knows all about factions and betrayals, and he’s banking on Rollins hating Reigns more than he hates Cody.

There’s also a good question: Can Roman trust The Rock? Who’s really in charge of The Bloodline anyway, the Tribal Chief or the Final Boss? A “Roman sucks” chant breaks out in response.

Reigns retorts that Rhodes said the same thing to The Rock in reverse, then ridicules him for promising things and failing to deliver like a politician. All Cody will ever be is No. 2, while he’s No. 1 … forever.

Talking about how Reigns grew up in the business like he did, Rhodes says he’s accepted the idea that the next generation of youngsters will grow up wanting to be the next Roman. Cody disagrees about being No. 2, though, saying he’s the one and offering a handshake and good luck at WrestleMania.

Reigns shakes Heyman’s hand instead and they leave the ring. But Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa are approaching the ring through the crowd, and the American Nightmare looks surrounded.

Cody cracks a smile, though, as Jey Uso and Seth Rollins are also out in the crowd. It’s a big standoff to end the show, like something out of a movie.

WWE SmackDown results 03/08/24: Cody, Seth accept Bloodline’s challenge, Cody slaps The Rock

A dramatic final confrontation was cut short by time, but not before Cody Rhodes had enough of The Rock on WWE SmackDown.

Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins aren’t usually on WWE SmackDown. But they’re needed in Dallas tonight to solidify an important part of the WrestleMania picture.

As you may have heard, The Rock turned down Rhodes’ request for a singles match last week on this very show. But being the businessman that he is, he made a counteroffer, albeit it one that he and Roman Reigns made it clear that they expected an answer to in seven days’ time.

That sounds like something from an old timey movie, but we digress.

Since this is WrestleMania SZN pacing we’re talking about here, Rhodes and Seth Rollins took Monday on Raw to deliberate. The deal is this: a tag team match on night 1 of Mania pitting Rhodes and Rollins against Rock and Reigns. If the former team wins, Rhodes vs. Reigns on night 2 will be blissfully free of Bloodline interference, allowing Cody the chance to “this time we mean it” finish his story solo.

If they lose, then it’s all Bloodline, all the time during the rematch, with The Rock pretty much guaranteeing he’d interfere himself.

That sounds like it’s a no-brainer, as in they should take him up on the offer just to give Rhodes the best chance. But that’s also asking a lot from Seth, who has his own match against Drew McIntyre to consider.

Anyway, we should probably get an answer tonight, though The Rock also said he’ll be on SmackDown next week, so it could possibly get dragged out another seven days. There’s other fun stuff in store too, including an appearance from Logan Paul, Randy Orton and Kevin Owens taking on Grayson Waller and Austin Theory (and those two things might overlap, just saying) and Bobby Lashley vs. Karrion Kross.

Let’s find out what this night has in store.

WWE SmackDown results from Dallas:

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

  • The cold open recaps The Rock and Roman Reigns’ counteroffer and the threat to “end your story tragically” if they don’t accept
  • The Rock is shown getting out of a pickup truck and putting on a cowboy hat about two hours before the show, while Roman Reigns looks and laughs at the extra security following him at the behest of GM Nick Aldis; Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins are also here
  • Logan Paul unveils some Prime sponsorship with KSI, who ends up on the wrong side of a Randy Orton RKO
  • Triple H shows off the Red Diamond Award WWE received from YouTube for having 100 million subscribers
  • Randy Orton and Kevin Owens def. Austin Theory and Grayson Waller by pinfall, but both men are attacked by Paul after the bell and narrowly escape a brass knuckles attack
  • Kayla Braxton talks to Bayley about Dakota Kai becoming the final member of Damage CTRL to turn on her, questioning if any of her time with the group was ever what it seemed; while Bayley admits that she’s done plenty of stuff for attention, she says much of it was done for the benefit of IYO SKY and Kai, and she also says they are underestimating her ability and drive to break them
  • Bianca Belair and Naomi disagree about whether Bayley is someone to feel sorry for
  • A ton of security is shown posted up outside the Bloodline dressing room
  • Bobby Lashley def. Karrion Kross by DQ after an attack by the Authors of Pain that soon draws in the Street Profits and B-Fab; The Final Testament wins the brawl and Lashley is flattened by The Final Prayer
  • Legado Del Fantasma mocks Dragon Lee and tries to bully him as well
  • Tiffany Stratton def. Michin by pinfall
  • AJ Styles cuts a taped promo laying out his issues with LA Knight (yeah!), who reacts angrily backstage
  • Tyler Bate is busy playing WWE 2K24 but Pete Dunne looks unenthused, though he changes his mind and takes over the sticks once Bate leaves to check on the tag team title situation with Aldis
  • Dragon Lee def. Angel by pinfall, but he takes a brief but hellacious beatdown by Legado Del Fantasma after the bell
  • Damage CTRL mocks Bayley and says they’ll see her in the ring next wee
  • Aldis is ticked at security when they find the locker room for Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins empty
  • What will Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins tell The Bloodline? Well they accept the challenge, and Cody slaps The Rock right as the show goes off the air

Logan Paul is thinking Prime, while Randy Orton just sees a prime opportunity for payback

Addressing the crowd, Paul calls Dallas a city of firsts. He wrestled in his first WrestleMania there and also vows he’ll make more history there tonight.

Working right through the “what?” chants, Paul says everything he touches turns to gold and no one can garner attention like he does. Logan says he’s not talking about his podcast or even his wrestling matches, but WWE. He claims a lot of credit for helping the company to its recent string of huge successes, calling himself the “secret sauce.”

Paul makes a pun about prime and unveils the Prime energy drink logo, which he says will be center ring starting at WrestleMania for all premium live events. He summons his partner KSI to the ring and they prepare to pose for a pic.

Something needs to interrupt, and in this case that something is Randy Orton’s music. Paul senses the Viper coming but KSI is not so lucky, receiving an RKO that is very popular with the fans, especially after Orton drags his body across the Prime logo.

After taking a sip of the Prime KSI was carrying and declaring it “very good,” Orton pours it on his crotch so it looks like he wet himself. As one does.

Randy Orton and Kevin Owens team well together but have to watch out for Logan Paul

The announcers put over Theory and Waller, and particularly Theory, as a threat to our heroes. Waller doesn’t seem to want any part of Orton, which only makes KO want to tag him in more.

Orton backs Waller into the corner and wails away as the crowd counts along with his right hands. He saves one for Theory too, knocking the former U.S. champ off the apron.

The heels try a two-man assault, but Owens tags back in and goes to work on Theory. A rolling dropkick makes for a good rally by Theory, and Waller lands a cheap shot on Owens so the bad guys are looking good for the commercial break.

Owens is badly in need of a tag, having worked during the entire time away. Waller mocks Orton’s theatrics prior to the RKO but immediately thinks better of it when Orton tags in and unleashes clotheslines and his snap powerslam.

Waller looks like he’s in trouble on the apron but is saved by Theory. KO get laid our by the barricade but Waller is too close to the ring and pulled in by Orton for the draping DDT.

The crowd erupts as the Viper coils, but Orton is rolled up when distracted by Theory. It’s a kickout at two, of course, but the heels now have Orton two on one … though for only a moment. KO comes back fighting with a Stunner for Waller, and Theory eats an RKO that ends this one.

While the good guys are celebrating, Paul attacks both of them from behind, pulling out the brass knux and zeroing in on Orton. Randy sees him coming, kicks Logan in the stomach and puts on the knux, but Paul ducks out of the ring and almost causes Orton to clock Owens.

Bobby Lashley wins his match against Karrion Kross but hardly feels like a winner afterward

This should be a straight ahead slugfest, to say the least. Scarlett enjoys Kross’ early success, but Lashley hits a big suplex to swing the momentum in his favor.

The All Mighty pursues Kross to the floor, but Scarlett puts herself in the line of fire to prevent Lashley from swinging her man into the post. Karrion takes advantage with several hard shots prior to a commercial break.

Kross is still bossing the action when the broadcast returns, hurling Lashley around in impressive fashion. But Lashley battles back when they return to the floor, and there’s nothing Scarlett can do this time.

Lashley wants the Hurt Lock but is hurled away toward a corner, and Kross’ Death Valley Driver earns him a near fall. As Lashley fights back, the Authors of Pain enter the battle, and even though the ref has called for the bell, the Street Profits run down to even the odds.

Just as Lashley looks like he might get the Hurt Lock applied, Scarlett interrupts, only to be violently interrupted by B-Fab. The two women chase each other to the back while the men continue to brawl in the ring, but The Final Testament prevails, and Kross smashes Lashley down with The Final Prayer.

Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins accept the challenge, and Cody slaps The Rock

Roman Reigns heads to the ring, flanked as always by Paul Heyman, Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso. The announcers remind us that Reigns will face Rhodes again in the main event on night 2, as if we can ever forget.

The Rock has an amazing new entrance video with a lightning theme now as well.

The Rock says greatness stands before you now and hands the mic to Reigns, who says “acknowledge us.” Someone who might not is Cody Rhodes, who comes down through the crowd instead of from the stage. Seth Rollins is with him as well, but we cut to commercial.

After the break, everyone leaves the ring but the four most important players in this drama. Rhodes says it’s a little tense but he feels very lucky to be standing in the ring and thinks the four of them should take a moment to feel this.

Cody says he understands the tag team challenge but teases The Rock by questioning whether he has the authority after acknowledging Reigns as his Tribal Chief. He’s about to give their answer when The Rock angrily interrupts, explaining it’s what family does.

The Rock reiterates the stakes, which everyone already knows. A “diarrhea” chant breaks out after Rollins made it a thing on Raw, which he loves. So much that he has the balls to remind The Rock that they already knows the stakes and he passionately says they accept.

Reigns starts laughing at Rhodes, wondering why he’d let Rollins answer for him. Roman says when he wins on WrestleMania Sunday, it’s over for Cody, his story is over.

The Rock reminds both our heroes he’s technically their boss, clarifying that if Rhodes doesn’t win, he’ll never get a shot at this championship again. He starts talking about Cody’s siblings and calls Cody “a mistake,: which earns him an angry slap in return, just as the show goes off the air.

WWE Elimination Chamber 2024: Breaking down the biggest takeaways from Australia

Elimination Chamber set a couple of intriguing ideas in motion in Perth.

For the most part, this year’s Elimination Chamber was as predictable as we all expected.

Rhea Ripley retained her WWE Women’s World Championship after a borderline great main event match against Nia Jax, Becky Lynch was the last person standing in the women’s Elimination Chamber to earn the right to challenge Ripley’s title at WrestleMania, and Drew McIntyre outlasted five others to win the men’s Elimination Chamber and punch his ticket to the biggest show of the year, where he will challenge Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

So nothing to see here, right?

No, actually, as there were two other happenings on the show that left me intrigued.

Cody Rhodes challenges The Rock to a one-on-one match

Although all indications have been pointing toward Rhodes and Rollins facing The Rock and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns to some sort of tag team match in the future (possibly at WrestleMania), judging by what happened during “The Grayson Waller Effect,” I’m not quite as sure.

As I predicted, a challenge was laid, but it wasn’t for a tag team match. Instead, it was Rhodes challenging The Rock to a one-on-one match. Rollins, who revealed that he was merely days away from being medically cleared, was there to lend his moral support, but nothing more. Rhodes did not put a date on his challenge, saying that he wants The Rock anytime, anywhere.

Will we actually get a one-on-one match between Rhodes and The Rock? I guess we can’t totally rule it out. My best guess is that the tag team match is still happening sooner rather than later and an encounter between Rhodes and The Rock is something WWE could visit at any time down the road.

Is this slightly confusing? Yes. I’m still not totally sure what to make of it. But again, this is intriguing. I am interested in seeing what happens. Rhodes laid the challenge, which means The Rock has to eventually respond. I anxiously await it.

What is Logan Paul doing at WrestleMania?

Logan Paul has made his share of enemies as a controversial internet influencer, and that has carried over, in storyline at least, to the WWE locker room.

He’s obviously got Kevin Owens as a sworn enemy after their encounter at the Royal Rumble, and that was on full display Saturday in Perth.

But Paul created a new enemy Saturday in the form of Randy Orton, who was seemingly poised to win the men’s Elimination Chamber after eliminating Paul. But before Orton could seal the victory, Paul sucker punched him with brass knuckles, knocking Orton out cold and paving an easy path to victory for McIntyre.

I had been predicting for weeks that LA Knight should be the person to face Paul for the United States title at WrestleMania, but after AJ Styles attacked him during the Elimination Chamber, I feel like Knight will be occupied elsewhere.

Do we get Paul against Orton one-on-one? Is Owens inserted to make it a triple threat? Either way, it will be an interesting road getting there.

Elimination Chamber winners: Every WWE wrestler to win an Elimination Chamber match

Check out our Elimination Chamber winners list, with details on every WWE wrestler to enter and win Elimination Chamber matches since 2002.

The Elimination Chamber is the answer to a question many wrestling fans probably never thought they’d ask: What’s more formidable than a match inside a steel cage?

WWE came up with it anyway in 2002. Said to be the brainchild of Triple H and Eric Bischoff, the Elimination Chamber combines the brutality of a steel cage match with the chaos and “who’s next” suspense of the Royal Rumble. And the structure itself is a key component, with its roofed cage and four pods — which have become central to some of the match’s most creative spots over the years.

Like the Royal Rumble, the Elimination Chamber has gone on to become the star of its own series of premium live events, with men’s and women’s versions of its namesake match. Not bad for a gimmick match that was originally a brand-only affair.

After the 2023 Elimination Chamber event in Montreal, WWE will be past 30 total Elimination Chamber matches, with no end in sight. Let’s take a look back at every winner since the first one was held in 1992.

WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 results: The Man comes around, is headed to WrestleMania

No experience, no problem, as Becky Lynch won the Women’s Elimination Chamber match in Perth.

The sight of the cage being lowered from above the big pavilion in the middle of Optus Stadium can mean only one thing: We’re starting with one of the Elimination Chamber matches. Bianca Belair, Raquel Rodriguez, Tiffany Stratton and Liv Morgan head down and into the pods, meaning Becky Lynch and Naomi will start the match.

Both women seem fine taking things to the mat as the crowd keeps singing Becky’s song. A shoulder tackle is answered in kind, and now a “let’s go Becky” chant is ringing through the crowd.

It’s as much of a stalemate as can be so far, with shows of sportsmanship sprinkled in. Naomi wants a top rope move of some sort, but Lynch sees her coming and hits a low dropkick.

Becky kicks Naomi into Liv’s pod door and goes to work near the cage, but Naomi is able to grab the steel and use her legs to drag The Man into the cage, then drop onto her with a split. That gets a near fall back in the ring.

The two women collide as they go for simultaneous cross bodies, meaning both are down as Stratton is the first to be released from her pod. Stratton shows off her crazy gymnastics moves and kicks both her foes, trying unsuccessfully to pin them both as well.

Lynch wants a Manhandle Slam, but Stratton counters into a spinebuster for a near fall. Naomi hits both of them with a top rope cross body, then covers them both for two at the same time.

Stratton tries to pin Lynch again but no dice. She also briefly gets both her opponents on her shoulders, but Becky nails her with a side Russian legsweep off the middle rope, and Naomi drops a leg on her for a near fall.

Naomi connects on a split-legged moonsault on Lynch only for Stratton to steal her near fall. The timer has expired again, bringing Morgan into the action. She sends Stratton aggressively into two pods and mocks her “Tiffy Time” catchphrase.

Morgan runs corner to corner with splashes and knees to Lynch and Naomi. Double knees to the face get her two on Lynch, but she nearly gets caught unawares by Stratton.

Lynch’s exploder sends Stratton hard into the cage, and she follows with the Disarmer through the steel links. Morgan stomps hard on Stratton’s back but gets hit with a sunset flip powerbomb by Naomi from atop a pod. However, Stratton rolls up Naomi after that sweet move and holds on for the three count. Naomi is eliminated.

Rodriguez is the next woman in, leaving only Belair still in a pod. Raquel uses her strength to pummel Becky before holding Tiffany upside down by her legs and swinging her several times into the cage.

Morgan also gets driven into the steel and dropped back into the ring. Lynch hits Rodriguez with a chop block, then gets help from Morgan for a DDT. Everyone tries at once to pin Raquel, who is strong enough to shove them all away.

Tiffany wants Bianca as soon as the pod opens, but that might be a tactical error as she gets thrashed and stuffed in a pod. Belair takes it to the others, doing a marching vertical suplex on Lynch.

Bianca and Raquel end up face to face, with neither able to hit their finisher. Belair pulls off a sweet counter using the cage to turn an attempted suplex into a DDT outside the ropes, which becomes a near fall.

A revived Stratton throws Belair out of the ring and has Rodriguez strung over the top turnbuckle. Morgan is atop the pod and pulls off a seated senton before Becky and Tiffany battle on top of the same pod. Stratton shoves Lynch down onto some of the others, and the crowd is encouraging her to jump. She does, launching herself into a swanton onto everyone but Morgan.

Stratton ends up isolated with Morgan, who pulls her backward off the top rope into the mat, then pins Tiffany. Tiffany Stratton is eliminated, though the crowd doesn’t like it.

Rodriguez sets her sights on Morgan with a spinning corkscrew elbow, but Lynch locks her in the Disarmer. That doesn’t work because Raquel picks her up off the mat, then plants both Becky and Liv. But Belair sneaks in and hits the KOD on Rodriguez for the pin. Raquel Rodriguez is eliminated.

We’re down to three now, with Belair throwing Lynch down onto Morgan. Bianca’s handspring moonsault allows her to pin both of them, but only for two again.

Lynch is blasted into the cage before Morgan executes the Backstabber on Belair. Bianca shrugs that off and smashes Liv into the cage, then does the same to Becky.

Morgan’s assortment of kicks drops both of her foes, and she does a cool catapult move with her legs to send Belair flying into one of the pods. Lynch takes advantage with an attack from behind on Morgan, but Belair won’t let her fly.

Bianca rains down corner punches until she’s halted by Liv. Morgan hits Belair with a sunset flip powerbomb before Lynch hits her with a missile dropkick for a two count.

A superplex hurls Lynch into the middle of the ring, though she’s still able to get knees up on Belair’s 450 splash. Bianca wants a KOD but is countered by Liv’s jawbreaker. As Belair tries to go after Lynch, Morgan sneaks up from behind and rolls her up for three. Bianca Belair is eliminated.

However, right after that, Lynch is able to get in a Manhandle Slam on Morgan, and that’s it for Liv. Liv Morgan is eliminated, and Becky Lynch is the winner.

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