See how WrestleMania 40 came to its conclusion with all the results from Night 2.
When last we saw Cody Rhodes, he was looking glum. And why not? He and Seth Rollins had just lost the most significant tag team match in WrestleMania history, one that made the likelihood of Rhodes never hearing the phrase “finish the story” again that much more unlikely.
But that was Saturday and this is Sunday, and there’s still hope that Rhodes can regain control of his narrative in the main event of WrestleMania Night 2 in Philadelphia. He’ll have to overcome Roman Reigns despite the match being contested under Bloodline Rules, which means The Rock, fresh off scoring the pinfall on Night 1, is virtually guaranteed to get involved.
Fighting back will probably mean getting some help, whether it’s from the likes of Jey Uso and Sami Zayn or WWE legends who have a bone to pick with Reigns and The Rock. There’s also a chance Reigns may have an ace up his sleeve, but however it plays out, it should be wild and entertaining.
It might not be as enjoyable for Rollins, seeing as he has to defend his World Heavyweight Championship against a very locked in Drew McIntyre. Will the Scottish Warrior win the title he craves and be able to let the world know his way was the right way?
Another emotional high point should be the WWE Women’s Championship match between IYO SKY and Bayley. While fans are heavily invested in Cody’s journey, they’ve become quite attached to Bayley’s narrative as well. It’s hard to not relate to people you thought you could trust stabbing you in the back, and while that’s standard pro wrestling fare at this point, it’s become especially poignant in the case of Damage CTRL.
We’re ready with people in the press box at the Linc, in the crowd and watching at home, so let’s do this.
WrestleMania 40 Night 2 results from Philadelphia:
(please tap or click on any match with a link for full details)
Damage CTRL and Bayley are shown entering the stadium earlier today
The War and Treaty sing “America the Beautiful” to kick things off
Stephanie McMahon is introduced, putting over the specialness of WrestleMania, touting the work of Triple H and generally getting the fans excited
… while McIntyre is mocking CM Punk on commentary, Punk removes his arm brace and smashes him with it; Damian Priest runs down, hits McIntyre with his briefcase and cashes in his MITB briefcase, then hits the South of Heaven and pins McIntyre to become the new World Heavyweight Champion
Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits def. The Final Testament by pinfall in a Six-Man Tag Team Philadelphia Street Fight, with Snoop Dogg on commentary and Bubba Ray Dudley as special guest referee
Logan Paul is shown doing push-ups in his locker room; we then see a highlight package of the Night 1 main event
Paul Heyman tells Kayla Braxton that Bloodline Rules means no DQ, no count-outs and there has to be a definitive finish, but also suggests it’s really whatever Roman Reigns, The Rock and Heyman decide they are
LA Knight is shown pulling up to the ring in the Slim Jim car; he then hands the keys to the car to the sweepstakes winner by ringside
Rhodes celebrates in the ring after his victory with Brandi, his mom and many of the faces, including Cena, Zayn, Owens, Orton, Knight, Jey Uso and more …
… Cody gets on the mic and says he’s surrounded by greatness but wants to thank both Bruce Prichard and Triple H
A look at WWE’s match card for night 2 of WrestleMania 40.
Once again, WrestleMania takes place over two electrifying nights. Set to unfold from April 6 to 7 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, this year’s event promises to be a spectacle, spotlighting WWE’s top talents and culminating the year’s top storylines.
Night 1’s main event has implications for night 2’s headlining match, Roman Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Should Rhodes and Seth Rollins emerge victorious, all members of The Bloodline will be banned from ringside on night 2. However, should Reigns and Rock win, the championship match will be Bloodline Rules.
Rollins will also compete on night 2, defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre. While the spotlight has focused on the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, don’t overlook this match, as it stands among the weekend’s top bouts. The Architect puts his near-year-long title reign on the line against a superstar riding a wave of momentum, both in the ring and on the microphone, and though this won’t main event, it should prove noteworthy.
With Damage CTRL ousting her from the group, Bayley will use her Royal Rumble win by challenging IYO SKY for the WWE Women’s Championship at WrestleMania. It’s an opportunity for Bayley to receive a moment years in the making, and Philadelphia could be where she shines.
Recall when AJ Styles flew around the world to cost LA Knight a WrestleMania title match? After weeks of escalating tensions, the stage is set for these two to clash and settle the score once and for all.
WrestleMania night 2 goes down on Sunday, April 7 from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.
Latest update: April 1, 2024, 9:53 p.m. ET.
WWE WrestleMania 40 Night 2 card:
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes – Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match
Seth Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre – World Heavyweight Championship match
IYO SKY (c) vs. Bayley – WWE Women’s Championship match
Logan Paul (c) vs. Kevin Owens vs. Randy Orton – WWE United States Championship match
LA Knight vs. AJ Styles
Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits vs. The Final Testament – Philadelphia Street Fight
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.
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.
AJ Styles, Logan Paul caused chaos that Drew McIntyre exploited at Elimination Chamber.
After the women rocked the house at Optus Stadium to kick off the show, the men get their chance to do the same. Kevin Owens, Bobby Lashley, Logan Paul and Randy Orton get to start in pods, so Drew McIntyre and LA Knight will have a chance to get reacquainted quickly. Knight stands on top of Orton’s pod before the bell rings, getting the fans to react even more.
Knight emerges from the opening exchange with a suplex and an elbowdrop, but he’s only able to get a one count. McIntyre fires back with an overhead throw and cracks a smirk as the fans chant “CM Punk” at him. Drew mocks Punk and looks for the Go To Sleep, but Knight counters with knees to the back and sends the Scottish Warrior to the outside, forcefully.
Paul gets to watch up close as Knight smashes McIntyre’s head into his pod repeatedly. Same for KO over at his pod. Not for long for him, as he is the first wrestler released and eagerly joins the fray. Owens chokeslams Knight and follows with a senton for a two count.
McIntyre starts in on Owens and they brawl to one corner. KO gets the best of that battle, eventually hitting a frog splash and earning a near fall. Owens also does a cool spot that’s a Codebreaker to McIntyre and a simultaneous senton to Knight.
Owens and Knight finally agree to work together to fight McIntyre, but Drew escapes their double superplex attempt and hits a cross body on both of them. Lashley makes a beeline for McIntyre as well when his cell opens and has a decent amount of success.
A kick to the gut and a belly-to-belly throw allow Drew to fight back. But he can’t pull off the Future Shock and is sent outside the ring, where Lashley eagerly uses the cage as a weapon.
A loud Glasgow Kiss smacks Lashley backward, but the All Mighty comes right back with a uranage of sorts for a two count. Knight nearly gets pinned by inadvertent double team offense by Owens and Lashley.
Orton finally gets his chance to enter the match, and he immediately runs through some trademark offense on Owens. Then it’s Lashley’s turn to go corner to corner on multiple opponents. He spears the heck out of Knight, who avoids a pin by rolling out of the ring.
Knight DDTs McIntyre on the platform outside the ring, leaving pretty much everyone down. Orton is selling damage to his lower back on just about every move.
The timer expires for Paul, but Owens joins him in the pod and they battle in the proverbial phonebooth before Logan is painfully driven through the pod. Paul finally lures KO into trouble out by the cage, but a huge short arm clothesline puts a stop to that, and Lashley spearing him through a pod sure doesn’t help either.
Alas, just as the fans are thanking him, Lashley turns into a Claymore from McIntyre. Another Claymore follows in the ring, and we finally have someone out. Bobby Lashley is eliminated.
Knight pulls off a nice superplex on McIntyre and the Blunt Force Trauma on Orton … but then he gets attacked by a chair-wielding AJ Styles. He also hits a Styles Clash on the chair before refs can get him out of there, and McIntyre takes advantage by covering LA for three. LA Knight is eliminated.
Owens is handing out cannonballs, plus a swanton on Orton that gets a near fall. He tries one on McIntyre too but catches Drew’s knees to the back, and everyone is slow to rise.
Owens is in the line of a Claymore but counters with a Popup Powerbomb, then hits a stunner on Paul. Unfortunately, he is nailed by an RKO, and that’s it for him. Kevin Owens is eliminated.
Orton and McIntyre slug it out until a powerslam catches Drew coming in. Paul tries to join in but gets crotched on the top rope and eats a series of right hands. McIntyre arrives and hammers Orton’s back again. A Glasgow Kiss and a neckbreaker have McIntyre in position to kip up, but Paul comes soaring out of nowhere with a high cross body.
Paul goes in his waistband and produces the brass knux, perfectly legal in this setting. But he spends too much time psyching himself up and is hit by an RKO, and he isn’t getting up from that. Logan Paul is eliminated.
The vintage Orton DDT is the first big move between the final two men. He coils to strike, but McIntyre is ready and delivers a spinebuster. McIntyre wants a Claymore but sees Orton collapse face down on the mat. He has enough left to hit an RKO, but then he gets smashed by Paul and the brass knux. McIntyre covers and hears the three to send him to WrestleMania. Randy Orton is eliminated, and Drew McIntyre wins.
A look at how to watch the WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 premium live event from Perth, Australia.
On Saturday, Feb. 24, WWE will present Elimination Chamber as the last premium live event before WrestleMania 40. The show will emanate from Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia, featuring matches with implications for WWE’s biggest show of the year.
The Elimination Chamber event will include matches for both men and women, offering the opportunity to earn a title bout at WrestleMania 40. While championship matches will also grace the show, these bouts inside the steel structure are the selling points.
Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Naomi and Tiffany Stratton will complete in the women’s Elimination Chamber match. Morgan and Rodriguez recently returned from injuries, Naomi came back to WWE from a long TNA stint, and Stratton received a main roster call-up after Royal Rumble, loading this match with fresh faces.
However, Lynch likely enters the Elimination Chamber as the favorite to win after her laundry list of interactions with Rhea Ripley, the Women’s World Champion, this past year. A match between them offers ample star power that’s also worthy of the WrestleMania main event, so will WWE make this match official on Saturday?
Randy Orton, Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, LA Knight, Logan Paul and Kevin Owens will fight in the men’s Elimination Chamber match, with the winner facing Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. The lineup features stars with credentials worthy of headlining a marquee show, but which one walks out of Perth with the ultimate title opportunity?
These matches will grace Elimination Chamber, which has a special start time. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the action this weekend.
WWE Elimination Chamber 2024
Date: Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024
Location: Optus Stadium, Perth, Australia
Start time: 5:00 a.m. ET/2:00 a.m. PT
How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., and on WWE Network in the rest of the world
Lexington also saw three more wrestlers qualify for Elimination Chamber matches.
Happy pre-Valentine’s Day to those who celebrate. We’re not thinking love so much for WWE Raw tonight from Lexington, but more the opposite thing: Getting people out of our lives, or at least out of contention for the Elimination Chamber matches.
(Yes, we’re aware sometimes Valentine’s Day soul-searching leads in somewhat the same direction, but we digress.)
As of the start of this show, only two of the six men’s and women’s Elimination Chamber spots are spoken for. That will change tonight, with two men’s qualifiers and one women’s qualifier filling up more of those pods.
Perhaps the most interesting candidates right off the dome are LA Knight and Liv Morgan. Both are fan favorites, the kind of performers that will have big chunks of the WWE Universe backing them to make the Elimination Chamber bouts.
It’s also hard to see where they fit into the larger WrestleMania picture right this second. Knight has ridden his populist wave to two championship shots but hasn’t broken through. Morgan is a former champ, but has been out of action for a while due to injury and is trying to make her way back into contention.
Does that mean they might get upset tonight? It doesn’t feel like it, but it’s worth filing away in case it happens.
There’s also a fun six-man tag featuring The New Day and Jey Uso against Imperium, so this should be an entertaining Monday night. Off we go to Kentucky.
WWE Raw Results from Lexington:
(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
Cody Rhodes is shown heading into the arena this afternoon as Michael Cole reminds us Cody has another shot at Roman Reigns at WrestleMania
The New Day and Jey Uso def. Imperium by pinfall
Highlights of WrestleMania XL Kickoff are shown
Andrade says he needed to leave WWE to remember who he was, but now that he’s back, his direction is clear
Bobby Lashley def. Bronson Reed by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
Sami Zayn is shown coming to the rescue of Cody Rhodes after Raw went off the air last week; afterward, we see Zayn talking to Jackie Redmond about why he believes he is still a contender and will be a champion until he’s interrupted by some taunts from Shinsuke Nakamura on all the arena’s big video screens
Cody Rhodes is back on track to finish his story, but he may need some help — and Seth Rollins offers it
Cathy Kelley is backstage with a happy New Day and Jey Uso, who only get happier when they learn Uso will get an IC title shot next week
Liv Morgan def. Zoey Stark by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
Damian Priest tries to tell R-Truth the truth about his status with The Judgment Day, and it might finally be sinking in; later we see Truth desperately trying to get The Miz to join him ringside
JD McDonagh def. R-Truth by pinfall; after the bell, Truth tries to fight off all of The Judgment Day, and it goes about as poorly as you’d expect until #DIY finally comes running down with steel chairs to chase off the heels
Rhodes stops by to thank Zayn for having his back last year, and Cody also reassures Sami that he and the WWE fans all believe in him, which earns the American Nightmare a grateful hug
Becky Lynch is still locked in on WrestleMania, but both she and Rhea Ripley can’t overlook Nia Jax
Drew McIntyre is still taking credit for pushing Rhodes in the right direction and insists he’s still the underdog, and it appears he’ll be facing Cody next week
Truth thanks #DIY for the save, but thinks they are DX
LA Knight def. Ivar by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
McIntyre and Zayn have a brief but tense run-in backstage as Sami heads for the ring
Chelsea Green asks Adam Pearce if she’s going to be in the Last Chance Qualifier for the Elimination Chamber match, angering Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell, who are also in there; Green insults Shayna Baszler and Stark, who of course end up right behind her
Shinsuke Nakamura def. Sami Zayn by pinfall, with an assist to McIntyre for a timely distraction
When McIntyre and Nakamura try for a post-match beating, Rhodes hustles down to the rescue, hitting a Cody Cutter on Drew and Cross Rhodes on Shinsuke
Image credit: WWE.com
The New Day and Jey Uso prove to be a formidable team against Imperium
The crowd gets behind The New Day as soon as the bell rings, motivating Kofi Kingston to go right after Ludwig Kaiser. Jey Uso and Gunther quickly get tagged in, but the Ring General does the classic heel thing and deprives the fans of the matchup they want to see by tagging Giovanni Vinci in.
Only after Vinci takes control does Gunther tag back in to get some work done on Jey. Uso gets sent out to the floor in enemy territory, leaving Imperium in full control as of a commercial break.
That’s no longer the case on the other side, with Kingston unleashing a wide variety of offense and scoring a near fall on Vinci with a frog splash to the back. Kofi takes flight with a leaping clothesline and a Boom Drop on Vinci, but Imperium manages to send him to the outside and then into the steel steps.
Kofi kicks out after a boot to the face from Vinci, but now he’s dealing with Gunther’s methodical attack. The Ring General stops him from tagging a partner and puts him in a Boston Crab, but Jey breaks the hold with a nasty slap to the face.
After more commercials, Uso leads a furious rally, dropping both of Gunther’s wingmen and locking in on the man himself. Jey loses a battle of chops, however, and has to fight back with an enzuigiri. He hits a cross body off the top and covers for two.
A short-arm clothesline earns Gunther a two count of his own before he mocks Jey’s entrance. He pays for it by eating a spear, yet he manages to get a save from Kaiser.
After Kaiser is sent into the post, Vinci tags in and trades superkicks with Jey. The New Day returns to help pull off the 1-D, allowing Uso to hit a top rope splash on Vinci to end it.
Image credit: WWE.com
Cody Rhodes gets an offer of backup from Seth Rollins
Ever the consummate babyface, Rhodes stops to autograph some action figures for young fans on his way to the ring. The fans loudly chant his name once his music stops.
Cody says they could talk about him challenging Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 40. He says the only reason he can say that is because of the fans making their voices heard, and there’s only one way he can repay them.
Though he’s a passionate guy, Rhodes says he doesn’t want to get emotional because then he’d become a crybaby, referencing The Rock’s taunt toward him. He also shows footage of The Rock on “The Pat McAfee Show” coining the term, for which Michael Cole needles McAfee.
One thing The Rock does not do well is listen, Rhodes says, because he said nothing insulting about Rock’s ancestors and he still got slapped anyway. For that, Cody vows to hit Rocky back.
That brings Seth Rollins to join the party, and the fans greet him warmly as well. Cody wants to thank Seth for coming to his aid at WrestleMania Kickoff, and Rollins thanks him before saying he understands why Rhodes made the choice he did.
The Visionary tells Rhodes he must finish his story, because if he does not, the landscape on the other side of WrestleMania is very dark. As he sees it, this is probably the last real chance anyone has to take Roman’s title and power and give it to the people.
But Rollins also has a question: What’s your plan? Because last year, Cody got screwed by outside interference form The Bloodline, and now he’s facing that plus dealing with The Rock as well. Yet Rollins says he doesn’t have to fight this battle alone, as he’s been moved by the idea of taking everything from Roman.
He also says it’s partly his own fault that Reigns is the man he is today, with Rollins suggesting he taught Roman everything he knows during The Shield days. Seth says “there’s only one man on Earth who is uniquely suited to be your shield,” heh.
“Think about it,” Seth mouths after throwing down the mic.
Image credit: WWE.com
Liv Morgan is headed to Perth after taking down Zoey Stark
Morgan tries for a quick dub as her rollup gets a two count. Liv stomps away in the corner and shrieks as the referee pulls her away. Stark’s lariat gives her control, and she does some yelling of her own as she presses her advantage.
Liv hits a hurricanrana and smashes her foe’s head into the top turnbuckle before a springboard kick lands and sends Zoey to the floor. Stark fires back with a right hand that prevents a suicide dive, then follows with a painful looking Death Valley Driver on the apron.
Both women have chances to win it right after a commercial break. Stark gets a second in quick succession following a springboard missile dropkick before verbally berating Morgan.
Liv tries for a Codebreaker but gets sent into the turnbuckles instead, though Morgan instantly turns the tables … until she runs into a head kick and has to kick out at two again.
Zoey drags Liv to the corner, but her corkscrew splash finds no one home, and Oblivion means she’s not getting back up.
Image credit: WWE.com
Becky Lynch has her eyes on Rhea Ripley, but there’s a Nia Jax roadblock first
After promising to go to the prom in 2034 with a fan who has a sign to that effect, The Man talks about how much she loves the business and how it’s given her everything, including her husband and their daughter. But her obsession with wrestling has caused her to miss important moments in her loved ones’ lives, and more recently, it’s led to some tough conversations with her daughter.
On the plus side, her obsession has kept Becky on track for her intended WrestleMania date with Rhea Ripley. Lynch says a lot of fans love Ripley and think no one can beat her, but Becky isn’t just anyone. She grabs a drink and proposes a toast to Rhea’s last few weeks as champion.
It’s not Ripley but Nia Jax who comes out in response. Jax is emotional when talking about Lynch’s example as a mother, but it all turns into a shot at Ripley, who comes rushing to the ring for a donnybrook.
Lynch catches a stray in the corner, so she decides to clear Jax out with a missile dropkick. That leaves Lynch and Ripley face to face, though Rhea rushes over to smash Jax with a boot to the face.
Image credit: WWE.com
Shinsuke Nakamura gets an assist from Drew McIntyre to outlast Sami Zayn
Sami looks ready for Shinsuke in the early going, even having time to mock his “come on!” taunt right before the first commercial break. He’s still in control on the other side, at least until Nakamura buries some knees in his midsection.
Shinsuke goes for a couple of covers but doesn’t really seem to think they’ll be enough to end it. Zayn eats some kicks to the chest, even after catching a leg, and has to kick out again at two.
Stuck in the ropes, Sami takes a kick to the back of the head and the sliding German suplex, which means he’s got to kick out one more time. Zayn finally rallies with a Michinoku Driver, earning a flash two count.
After Nakamura is sent to the floor, Zayn finds the target with a tope con hilo, and we’re off to the final ads of the evening.
They’re standing and trading forearm shots when the broadcast returns, and now Nakamura is feeling it as he emerges in position for the Kinshasa. Sami counters with a Blue Thunder Bomb, but it’s only good for two.
Shinsuke rolls out to the floor to avoid an incoming Helluva Kick, and he’s able to catch Sami with a kick to the face when he tries to dive between the ropes. A knee to the back of the neck off the top rope has Zayn looking done, but he’s able to muster one more kickout.
There’s another back of the neck shot and another kick at two. Zayn is showing incredible resilience, but can he rally to win?
A clothesline helps, as do the cheers from the fans. Open hand strikes and punches force Nakamura back into the corner, and an exploder suplex puts him right back there.
It could be the end, except that Drew McIntyre distracts Zayn. Shinsuke takes Sami’s legs out, and the Kinshasa seals the deal.
Who will join the two men and two women to qualify for Elimination Chamber tonight on WWE Raw?
Has everyone recovered from that football game of some note Sunday night in Las Vegas? If so, it’s time to bring your attention about two-thirds of the way across the country to Lexington, Ky., because WWE Raw is advancing us another step toward Elimination Chamber. Here’s what to watch for tonight.
Can Jey Uso help The New Day tip the scales against Imperium?
The New Day has been having a fiery feud against the wingmen from Imperium, but the presence of Gunther would seem to be a problem from both mathematical and physical perspectives. Enter Jey Uso, who’s recently made it clear he’s got his sights set on the Ring General’s Intercontinental Championship.
As we all wait hopefully for the potential return of Big E, Uso feels like a nice fit as a partner for Kofi and Xavier, and there’s no question that a Jey-Gunther program has a lot of promise. If this six-man tag doesn’t settle things tonight, we’re fine with that.
Who else will win their way into Elimination Chamber?
To date, two men and two women have earned spots in the Elimination Chamber matches in Perth. That number will increase by three total in Lexington.
The men have two matches, with LA Knight facing Ivar and Bobby Lashley taking on Bronson Reed. On the women’s side, Liv Morgan will battle Zoey Stark. The feeling is that Knight, Lashley and Morgan will be the winners, but we also wouldn’t be stunned if there’s a surprise among these three bouts.
Will there be more WrestleMania Kickoff follow-up or is wait until Friday?
It’s wild to think about, but it’s still been only four days since the WrestleMania Kickoff event and the reshuffling of the top of the WrestleMania card. WWE is promoting Roman Reigns and The Rock for this week’s episode of SmackDown, so that figures to be the place where the next big developments will take place.
Still, it would be strange for the first Raw since Kickoff not to touch on what happened in Las Vegas at all, especially since Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins are on the Raw roster and were heavily involved in Kickoff. We’re anxious to see what they might say.
Also scheduled for Raw tonight:
R-Truth battles JD McDonagh
We’re set to recap all the action beginning at 8 p.m. ET tonight, so please join us back here then for live results and updates if you need somewhere to follow along.
Neither Bayley nor Cody Rhodes made the obvious WrestleMania choice on SmackDown … and The Rock returned.
It should be an interesting night on WWE SmackDown from Birmingham, Ala. as the Road to WrestleMania gets a couple of big signposts placed down … but will they be the ones we’ve been expecting for so long?
The big attraction for tonight is that WWE says Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns will be face to face. After Rhodes won the Men’s Royal Rumble match, most people figured it was a given that he’d ask for a rematch in Philadelphia against Reigns.
But the creative team at least wants us to think it might zig where we expect it to zag, what with Seth Rollins making his case for Rhodes to challenge for his World Heavyweight Championship instead on Raw. If the goal was to at least plant the seed of doubt that would lead to Rhodes vs. Rollins and The Rock vs. Roman, it worked.
Also, there are rumors that someone else is in Birmingham too, if you catch our drift. This whole situation could get very interesting before the night is through.
Interesting might actually be an understatement for the Damage CTRL saga on SmackDown. Bayley has also won the right to challenge for a championship, but would she really consider going after teammate IYO SKY because she’s too scared to challenge Rhea Ripley? Or might SKY force her hand somehow? We can’t wait to find out.
Buckle up and let’s get into it.
WWE SmackDown results from Birmingham:
(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
The Bloodline is shown entering the arena and heading for their dressing room before a Royal Rumble highlight package is shown
Logan Paul thinks he’s done with Kevin Owens but might be mistaken
Kevin Owens vs. Austin Theory by pinfall after using brass knux that Paul tries to supply to Theory, the difference this time is that he doesn’t let the referee see it; Paul escapes into the crowd to avoid Owens after the match
Rhea Ripley is shown on her way into the arena, and we see a hype video for Naomi’s return at Royal Rumble; both Naomi and Tiffany Stratton have signed to SmackDown, and Stratton decides to show how unafraid she is of the existing roster by smacking Michin
Bianca Belair asks Nick Aldis what she has to do to take on IYO SKY once Bayley chooses Rhea, but she’s not happy when Paul crashes their conversation asking about a match
Santos Escobar is out to dinner with his new Legado Del Fantasma and says his heart is full, but also tells his team their duty is to eradicate Rey Mysterio and the LWO
Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate def. Pretty Deadly, Legado Del Fantasma (Angel and Humberto) and LWO (Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde); they’ll now face the winner of a similar Fatal Four-Way on Raw, and the winner of that match will get a tag team title shot at Elimination Chamber
IYO SKY, Asuka and Kairi Sane seem to be plotting against Bayley … but she’s overheard them
Another version of Seth Rollins’ plea to Cody Rhodes is played, presenting the big question: What kind of champion do you want to be?
Bayley makes her WrestleMania choice, but it appears she’s done with Damage CTRL
The Final Testament has a brief clash with Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits, who get help from B-Fab to neutralize Scarlett
Aldis is working on getting Bron Breakker to sign for SmackDown, but he’s willing to talk to Pearce on Monday first; Jade Cargill stops in to talk to Aldis as well
Tiffany Stratton def. Michin by pinfall
The Tribal Chief is here to hear from Cody Rhodes, who looks to be setting aside a WrestleMania challenge to make way for The Rock
Logan Paul learns Kevin Owens isn’t done with him yet
Addressing the boos that greet him, Paul says he doesn’t want to be there either, because “this place sucks.” He admits that he underestimated Kevin Owens, saying he did more damage to him than Floyd Mayweather.
Paul mocks the wrestlers who have suffered injuries, calling himself unbreakable. Mercifully, someone interrupts him, and that someone is KO. After saying Birmingham seems like a great place to him, Owens says he felt good knocking the Maverick around, so now he can focus on taking the title from Logan and getting it sanitized.
“You took the bait, dummy,” Paul laughs, bragging about outsmarting Owens and causing him to get DQed. KO isn’t ashamed about cheating during the match but is a little sheepish about getting caught. Nevertheless, he says he won’t need brass knux to beat Paul next time.
Paul says Owens won’t be getting another title shot and says KO should focus on his match with Austin Theory … which appear to be up next.
Bayley makes her WrestleMania choice as Damage CTRL implodes
Accompanied by Damage CTRL, Bayley makes her way to the ring where both Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce are waiting. The fans are chanting for her, so this would be a good place for a face turn if that’s what awaits.
Bayley says she’s done almost everything there is to do at WrestleMania, but this year is different and special. She says she didn’t get there on her own, support that she never had in any previous year, as Damage CTRL was always there to support her.
When she thinks about Mania, she thinks about moments and beating the best, which brings her to Rhea Ripley. Or she could fight a different fight. Sometimes, she says, it’s more personal and about proving doubters wrong. Sometimes it’s about proving the people you thought were your friends wrong.
Bayley says she picked up some Japanese from all the times IYO SKY, Asuka and Kairi Sane were talking about her behind her back. She grows emotionally asking what happened between them, but the Kabuki Warriors jump her from behind. It’s going badly for Bayley until she produces a metal pipe and has a standoff with SKY, who has her title belt to use as a weapon.
As SKY and the Kabuki Warriors retreat, Bayley says about that announcement … “IYO, I’ll see you at WrestleMania.”
Tiffany Stratton has the prettiest debut ever against Michin
Michin greets Stratton with a furious attack as soon as the bell rings, so this won’t be a walk in the park debut by any means. A gutwrench suplex tosses Stratton backward and is followed by a vertical suplex for a near fall.
Stratton is forced to the floor, where she’s able to trip Michin on the apron and declare it’s Tiffy Time before commercials slide in.
Stratton’s still in control after the break but pays for taking the time to talk smack and has to suffer through a Michin rally. Double knees to the face in the corner force Tiffany to get a boot on the bottom rope for a break.
Tiffany cartwheels into an Alabama Slam and gets a two count. Michin responds with a boot to the face, but Stratton rolls forward and hits the Prettiest Moonsault Ever to wrap up a successful debut.
Cody Rhodes won’t challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania … but The Rock might
With the GMs in the ring again to await Rhodes, Reigns and The Bloodline make their way down as well. The fans chant for “Cody” but Reigns wants to be acknowledged first. Roman says he doesn’t like to recap but can’t let go of what Seth Rollins said on Monday. Didn’t he beat everyone competing for the World Heavyweight Championship, after all?
Reigns goes on to mock Rollins for being injured a lot and working too often. he says he won’t beg Rhodes like “the other guy,” saying Cody can either be the best No. 2 in this industry or take another crack at being No. 1.
After a commercial break, Rhodes arrives to ask Birmingham and Rhodes what they want to talk about. If Roman will indulge him, Cody wonders if they can have the ring to themselves.
Cody says he talked to just about everyone this week, from friends to legends. Rhodes says he had Reigns closer to defeat than anyone, and he thinks Roman knows that. One thing he disagrees with Rollins about is that Reigns’ title is the “Hollywood” title, because it’s the same one his father once had in his hands only to be swiftly taken away.
What does finishing the story mean to Roman, Cody wonders? Is it taking the championship or taking everything from him? Cody says he’s coming for Reigns … but not at WrestleMania. After all, one of the people he’s sought council from knows Roman vey well: The Rock.
The Great One moves in close to Rhodes and whispers something in his ear, and the American Nightmare leaves the ring. The show ends with Rock and Roman staring each other down, and a banner promoting a press event for WrestleMania 40 Thursday in Las Vegas.
We also got new women’s tag team champs Friday on WWE SmackDown in Miami.
To say that it’s been an eventful week for WWE would be a high grade understatement. While the company no doubt hoped it would coast into the Royal Rumble weekend on the strength of the Netflix-Raw deal and The Rock joining the TKO board, it’s now instead dealing with the latest horrendous Vince McMahon allegations and the prospects of sponsors jumping ship.
Nothing is more WWE than a show playing out against that wide of a backdrop, but that’s exactly what we’ve got with WWE SmackDown in Miami tonight. Even with the Rumble matches and a Fatal Four-Way starring Roman Reigns looming, there’s some potential intrigue bubbling up tonight.
It starts with what should be tonight’s main event. LA Knight got one shot at Reigns already, and he has another on Saturday albeit with the complications of AJ Styles and Randy Orton in the mix. He’ll go one on one with Solo Sikoa in a classic case of either gaining momentum or giving him one last moment of triumph before he takes an ‘L’ tomorrow.
(And even though we love Knight, we have a feeling it’s going to be the latter.)
There’s a women’s tag team title match as well, one that could hint at some developments in the Women’s Royal Rumble match. Bayley is the favorite there, but the Kabuki Warriors are going for gold in Miami. Should they win, does that put even more pressure on the Role Model to win on Saturday? Or might it finally signal the beginning of her end in Damage CTRL?
We have no idea, which is why we’ll be tuned in tonight. Here we go.
WWE SmackDown results from Miami:
(scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
Katana Chance and Kayden Carter are shown walking into the arena earlier, as are their challengers, the Kabuki Warriors; after that, a video package is shown to promote the Fatal Four-Way at Royal Rumble
Randy Orton, AJ Styles and LA Knight all make their cases for dethroning Roman Reigns
Santos Escobar def. Carlito by pinfall, but the big news is that Elektra Lopez, who was part of Legado Del Fantasma in NXT, joins Escobar’s new version of that group and helps neutralize the LWO
A scowling Styles (is there any other kind these days?) is stopped by Jimmy Uso, who proposes that he help The Bloodline take out Knight tonight; when approached by The O.C. and Michin asking what that was about, Styles sneers “don’t worry about it”
Ava’s meeting with Nick Aldis is interrupted by Bobby Lashley drawing his number for the Royal Rumble and Santos Escobar doing the same
Bayley talks about her goals of winning the Royal Rumble and ensuring Damage CTRL wins all the gold
R-Truth is confused about what he’s doing while drawing his Rumble number, as well as mistaking Nick Aldis for Adam Pearce, whose hair has grown in awfully fast
The Kabuki Warriors def. Katana Chance and Kayden Carter by pinfall to become the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions
Paul Heyman begs Solo Sikoa to “fix the problem” tonight and show no mercy while doing so; he simply says “OK” in response before walking away, while Heyman suggests that there will be a moment for Jimmy Uso to seize this weekend by winning the Royal Rumble
Bayley comes in to pick her Royal Rumble number and looks a little less excited about hers than Bianca Belair did right before her
Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits’ encounter with The Final Testament goes poorly
Jimmy Uso draws his number and says “No Yeet” in response … so is he No. 1?
Austin Theory def. Carmelo Hayes by pinfall, pulling the tights to do so; but when Theory and Grayson Waller try to attack Hayes after the bell, Trick Williams comes to Hayes’ aid — though it doesn’t seem all good between them
Eladio Carrión is confronted backstage by The Bloodline but is wise enough not to push things with them
LA Knight def. Solo Sikoa by DQ (presumably) after Styles attacks Knight; Orton also joins the fight, which ends badly for Sikoa and Uso, and ultimately Orton after a Blunt Force Trauma by Knight
Randy Orton has something to say ahead of Royal Rumble, but so do AJ Styles and LA Knight
Eladio Carrión introduces Orton, who thanks him for the “RKO” video. The Viper is here to talk about The Bloodline, however, and specifically Roman Reigns holding his Universal title for almost 1,300 days. No one can stop The Bloodline … except maybe Randy.
Orton claims that the only number that will mean anything to anyone after Saturday night will be 15, the number of times he’s been world champion. How will he do it? The three most destructive letters in sports entertainment, naturally.
That boast brings out AJ Styles, who wants to remind Orton there are other people in that title match. Styles says he asked for a match with Solo Sikoa, and was ticked that Nick Aldis gave it to LA Knight instead.
Now he’s upset that Orton seems to have forgotten about him, and he says Randy should know better as they have history. He also promises a receipt coming for the RKO he got last week, and he’s about to talk about stepping over the other challengers when LA Knight’s music hits.
Let him talk to you. Knight mocks Styles for crying about people “stepping over me” and ponders why he’s the only one with a match tonight. Is it because Paul Heyman thinks he’s the biggest threat?
As he finishes his statement, Styles makes one of his own, hitting Orton with a Pele kick.
And new … The Kabuki Warriors take down Katana Chance and Kayden Carter to once again wear tag team gold
You figure the champs will want to start fast, which is exactly what Chance does while working against Asuka. She treats both challengers to some arm drags while talking smack, and she flies to the floor to take out both of them to boot.
As is often the case, the Kabuki Warriors have battled back during a commercial break, though Chance is able to lure Asuka into flying through the ropes to the floor. She also sends Kairi Sane out of the ring on the other side, but the delay allows Asuka to grab her briefly in an ankle lock.
Carter tags in and flies from the top rope to the floor to take out both challengers. She smashes Asuka with a boot to the face, followed by a springboard legdrop for two.
Double team offense by the Kabuki Warriors now has Carter in trouble, but Chance is able to make the save. Sane sees an opening for the Insane Elbow, but Carter gets both feet up to ward it off.
Asuka tags in but misses a sliding kick, and Carter treats her to a facebuster. Chance is finally back on the apron to tag in, but while the Keg Stand nails Asuka, Sane is quick enough to break up the pin at the last moment.
The champs aren’t as lucky. After a brief scramble takes chance out of the equation, Sane delivers the Insane Elbow, and the Kabuki Warriors are titleholders once more, celebrating with the rest of Damage CTRL.
Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits come face to face with The Final Testament, to their detriement
Not that he really needs to, but Lashley introduces himself and the Profits to the crowd. He says the people of Miami came to see a fight, so he tells The Final Testament to come on out “and come get some.”
That group obliges, complete with new t-shirts and black and white entrance effects. Lashley and the Profits are unimpressed that they send only Scarlett into the ring, but Paul Ellering says it’s not because of fear. Karrion Kross says when he looks at them, he sees desperation because things aren’t going according to plan, a feeling he understands.
Kross ticks off the fans by saying he won’t give them a fight tonight, but Lashley and the Profits try to bring it to them. Scarlett rakes Lashley’s eyes, allowing Kross to head into the ring to send Bobby into the post. The Authors of Pain make short work of the Profits too, leaving Lashley to try to fight one-on-three.
It goes poorly, with the Kross Hammer laying him out. The Final Testament wins this round, easily.
LA Knight, Solo Sikoa settle nothing as the main event descends into chaos
Again, Knight seems to have a good strategy in mind, as he goes right after Solo’s right hand. That’d be the one he uses to deliver the Samoan Spike.
After a commercial break, though, Sikoa is in control, pummeling the Megastar in one corner and still very much using that right hand. The announcers remind us that Jimmy Uso is lurking on the outside as well if need be.
A clothesline is answered by a bulldog from Knight, leaving both men on the canvas. He pours on shots with both hands, then hits a leaping lariat and a Russian leg sweep.
Over in the corner, the fans do the “yeah!” thing to stomp his foe into the corner. A DDT is next, then a swinging kick that forces Solo into the announce table. Sikoa’s head is bounced repeatedly off the table, much to the delight of the Miami crowd.
Alas, AJ Styles isn’t one of the people in the seats who’s enjoying this, and he hits a Phenomenal Forearm off the barricade. Uso grabs a steel chair, then lays it in front of AJ. But lest we think Styles is down with The Bloodline, he throws Uso into the ring.
Randy Orton quickly joins the fray as well, dropping Sikoa on the announce table before turning his attention back to the ring. Uso tries to flee but can’t escape the hanging DDT … nor can Styles. AJ also eats an RKO, leaving Orton the last man standing ahead of the Royal Rumble.
Or maybe not, as Knight returns and lays out Orton with Blunt Force Trauma just as the show is about to fade to black.
