Tag: Bobby Lashley

WrestleMania 39 card update: Only 3 matches official, but several more rounding into shape

Here’s how the WrestleMania 39 card is shaping up with just over five weeks to go until L.A.

As we speed toward the final month before WrestleMania 39, Elimination Chamber is now in the books. That means no more premium live events between here and Los Angeles, which in turn means the rounding out of the WrestleMania Goes Hollywood card will take place on the next few weeks of Raw and SmackDown.

Elimination Chamber settled one big question about Mania, which is whether WWE would call an audible and work Sami Zayn into the main event mix — either by defeating Roman Reigns in Montreal, or because seeds were sown that he’d be added into a triple threat situation. That almost certainly won’t be the case now, as Reigns vs. Cody Rhodes is the advertised main event (presumably for night 2), while Zayn will likely work his way toward teaming with Kevin Owens to face The Usos.

Another piece of the WrestleMania puzzle slid into place when Asuka, as expected, won the Women’s Elimination Chamber match and the right to challenge Bianca Belair for her Raw Women’s Championship. Both women’s title matches are now set.

There’s still plenty left to materialize, as last year’s show had 16 total matches (seven on the first night, nine on the second). Here’s how things stand 38 days away from SoFi Stadium.

WrestleMania 39 confirmed matches

  • Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes – Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match
  • Charlotte Flair (c) vs. Rhea Ripley – WWE SmackDown Women’s Championship match
  • Bianca Belair (c) vs. Asuka – WWE Raw Women’s Championship match

WrestleMania 39 expected matches

  • The Usos (c) vs. Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens – Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship match
    • While KO rebuffed Sami’s pleas to work together to take down the Bloodline, it would be surprising if they didn’t end up banding together, even grudgingly, to challenge for the gold. Zayn’s accidental shot to Jey Uso on Raw was a sign their roller coaster ride of a story isn’t done yet either.
  • Seth Rollins vs. Logan Paul
    • Paul ruined Rollins’ chances at a clear path to WrestleMania, something fans know Seth’s character hates from previous years. This feels like a matchup that will be made official soon.
  • Austin Theory vs. John Cena
    • We’ve yet to see these two interact on WWE TV, but that’s because Cena simply hasn’t been around much. The March 6 episode of Raw, for which Cena has been advertised and is in his hometown of Boston, will go a long way toward cementing this program.

WrestleMania 39 rumored matches

  • Brock Lesnar vs. Omos
    • While MVP’s challenge to Lesnar this week set off the swerve radar of many fans, reliable outlets claim this is indeed the plan for now. It’s certainly a cap in Omos’ feather if WWE stays on this course, but will he get the rub considering how little the company has pushed him the last few months?
  • Bobby Lashley vs. Bray Wyatt
    • Since Lesnar vs. Lashley doesn’t appear to be in the cards, this is the other half of their equation. Lashley has floated back and forth between heel and face a bunch, but he’d certainly be the heel, and just hope that his straightforward super athlete presentation works with whatever Wyatt has planned.
  • Rey Mysterio vs. Dominik Mysterio
    • There’s been little movement toward this as both men have been involved in other subplots, but Dominik suggested he’d visit SmackDown this week with Ripley to say hi to his dad, so that could put this father-son clash back on track.
  • Edge vs. Finn Balor
    • Edge declared his quest to topple The Judgment Day behind him, but Balor came out and beat him down at the end of Raw … which means they very well could have one more match, possibly with a stipulation of some sort.

Biggest questions left for WrestleMania 39 card

  • Becky Lynch, Lita, Bayley, Damage CTRL … and maybe Trish Stratus?
    • A “creative change” reportedly scuttled Stratus’ appearance on Raw in Ottawa, and now Lynch and Lita are facing Damage CTRL for their tag team titles next week. Unless Dakota Kai is too injured to compete, it would make sense for all six women to be in a match at WrestleMania, but at the very least, Lynch and Bayley are two big names that can’t be left off the card.
  • Gunther, Drew McIntyre and Sheamus
    • Gunther absolutely deserves a big match at Mania considering the run he’s on as Intercontinental Champion. McIntyre and Sheamus have been focused on other things as of late, including a beef with the Viking Raiders, but fans would be delighted if this turned into a triple threat match — and WrestleMania almost always has one of them.

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WWE Raw results: Edge learns The Judgment Day isn’t done with him yet

Get full WWE Raw results for Feb. 20, 2023 in Ottawa, with Edge looking to take the United States Championship from Austin Theory.

The old adage about try, try again will be in full effect tonight on WWE Raw in Ottawa.

As you may have heard, Sami Zayn did not write the storybook ending to his personal saga at Elimination Chamber in front of his hometown fans in Montreal this weekend. But it’s possible that a Canadian could still end up sporting some gold before WWE heads back to the U.S.

That’s because Edge has answered the open challenge of Austin Theory for the United States Championship. Both men should feel pretty good coming off big victories on Saturday night. But Theory has a way of coming out on top even when things go against him, and Edge can’t be sure he’s left The Judgment Day completely behind him. That makes it look like uphill sledding for the Rated R Superstar.

Speaking of uphill sledding, Mustafa Ali has been doing plenty of that in recent weeks. While he’s more than willing to do whatever it takes to earn more opportunities, he’s about had it with Dolph Ziggler for … well, not having the same attitude, basically. They’ll try to settle their differences in the ring in Ottawa.

And a late addition to tonight’s card should also have plenty of WrestleMania implications as Seth Rollins battles The Miz. Rollins saw his Elimination Chamber moment ruined by Logan Paul, who also has quite a history with the A-Lister. It will be interesting to see if and how that might come into play tonight.

WWE Raw results in 90 seconds:

  • The show kicks off with a highlight package from the main event at Elimination Chamber.
  • Sami Zayn says his story is entering the final chapter, but it also involves Kevin Owens … only KO can’t let some of the recent past slide
  • Right before side by side commercials, Baron Corbin comes rushing down the ramp and attacks Zayn from behind
  • As Zayn gets help after taking a beating through the whole break, Corbin continues to berate Sami, but Adam Pearce tells Zayn he can head back to the ring, and we’ve got ourselves a match
  • Sami Zayn def. Baron Corbin by pinfall
  • Rhea Ripley sits down with Byron Saxton to look forward, not back
  • Austin Theory says he’s banged up after Elimination Chamber, but he’s still there, still the champ and he’s upset that John Cena’s return is getting more publicity than he is; he’s also ready to beat Edge in “crappy Canada”
  • Mustafa Ali def. Dolph Ziggler by pinfall
  • The Miz and Maryse exchange anniversary pleasantries, with Miz saving whatever news his wife just gave him for next week, and he happily takes credit for the rise of Logan Paul
  • Cody Rhodes gets another visit (virtually) from Paul Heyman, but shrugs off some reverse psychology and remains determined to “finish the story”
  • The Seth Rollins-Becky Lynch Joker trailer for WrestleMania is shown again
  • Asuka def. Nikki Cross by submission
  • Carmella hasn’t thought up a new path to WrestleMania yet but is ready to give a receipt to Asuka, and Seth Rollins stops laughing long enough to address Logan Paul
  • MVP calls Brock Lesnar a coward for getting DQed on purpose at Elimination Chamber, and Omos wants to challenge Lesnar to a match at WrestleMania
  • Seth Rollins def. The Miz by referee stoppage
  • Pearce tells Carmella she can have her match with Asuka before getting another irate call from Chelsea Green, and Bronson Reed mocks Chad Gable for his match preparation
  • Bayley‘s Ding Dong Hello! ends somewhat badly for Damage CTRL after they end up with a title defense against Becky Lynch … and Lita
  • Candice LeRae tries to find out why Cross is following her and it seems like it’s just because Nikki is lonely
  • Bronson Reed def. Chad Gable by pinfall
  • Elias asks who wants to walk with him, and … maybe didn’t want Bobby Lashley to answer that question considering how painful it is; Lashley goes on to brag about the Hurt Lock and says he’ll put down anyone who disrespects him
  • Edge says he’s happy to have put The Judgment Day behind him and is anxious to see if Theory understands that everything can be taken away in an instant
  • Austin Theory def. Edge by pinfall to retain the WWE United States Championship thanks to some interference by Finn Balor, who also attacks Edge after the match

Scroll down for more details on every match and major non-match segment.

WWE Survivor Series WarGames preview: When and where it’s going down, what to expect

Get ready for WWE Survivor Series WarGames with our full preview, including the start time, card and predictions for every match.

Let’s face it: For one of the traditional big WWE events, Survivor Series needed a refresh. Triple H and company have given it exactly that by folding in a fan favorite match from NXT — but whose roots go back much further to when it was originally invented by Dusty Rhodes during his Jim Crockett Promotions days — to create the first ever Survivor Series WarGames.

For those who have never seen the namesake match, it involves two teams doing battle within a steel cage large enough to contain two wrestling rings side by side. While one competitor from each team starts out the match, another enters every few minutes. That means the team that sends someone in first will always have an edge for a bit (two-on-one, three-on-two, etc.), which is why that advantage is valuable enough to compete for in matches leading up to the event.

The match doesn’t even officially get underway until everyone on both teams has entered, so the goal is to simply do as much damage as possible before that. To that end, all weapons are legal, and the only way to win this WWE version of WarGames is by pinfall or submission.

It’s a logical fit for Survivor Series, which has long been the domain of team vs. team matches, though traditionally they have been elimination affairs. Still, if there was any gimmick match that contained some of the event’s historical DNA, this is it.

Along with both men’s and women’s WarGames matches, there have been a handful of other matches announced, including two title bouts. While more could still be added, the WarGames matches figure to both go pretty long, so don’t expect this to end up with a dozen matches on the card when it’s all said and done.

WWE Survivor Series WarGames

  • When: Saturday, November 26
  • Where: TD Garden, Boston
  • Start time: 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT
  • How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., or on WWE Network internationally
  • Matches announced: 5

Keep scrolling for our complete WWE Survivor Series WarGames preview, including the stories behind every match and what to expect.

Bobby Lashley wants another Hurt Business run: ‘I will make sure that somehow, some way, we get back together’

If this is what it takes to get Shelton Benjamin his flowers, let’s do it.

Bobby Lashley is pretty focused right now on wreaking havoc on his own, something he is very well equipped to do. But he hasn’t forgotten his time in The Hurt Business, and he wouldn’t mind if the stable reassembled for another run.

Under the guidance of MVP, The Hurt Business included Lashley, Shelton Benjamin and Cedric Alexander, and got a fair amount of TV time during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic, starting in May 2020. The group did a nice job not only giving Lashley a mouthpiece and some support, but also elevating Benjamin and Alexander, who have been mostly adrift since Lashley left this January and their tag team splintered during the summer.

Despite that, Lashley expressed his belief that there’s a purpose for having The Hurt Business reform, as well as his desire to make it happen while talking to Radio Rahim in Saudi Arabia (via the Wrestling Observer Newsletter).

Never say never. Not even never say never, I will make sure that somehow, some way, we get back together because it seems like right now, everybody is getting back into some sort of group in the WWE. There are so many different factions coming together. The most important faction and one of the biggest factions for the last few years, the one that took us through the pandemic was the Hurt Business. During the pandemic, everyone else was staying at home, so many people staying at home, didn’t want to go to work, so many people who took a backstep. The Hurt Business stepped up. We were every part of the show for a long time. That should get a rebirth.

While this certainly aren’t the glory days of factions in WWE, Lashley isn’t completely wrong either. Along with the Bloodline expanding with Sami Zayn and Solo Sikoa, The Judgment Day has been cruising along making life miserable for babyfaces on Raw, with AJ Styles feeling the need to reboot The O.C. — and add Mia Yim — in response. The women’s division also has Damage CTRL as a significant player.

So perhaps a reunion of The Hurt Business wouldn’t be a bad idea after all. Heck, MVP could even bring Omos in for some additional muscle. We’d guess Benjamin and Alexander, in particular, wouldn’t say no.

WWE Crown Jewel preview: When and where it’s going down, what to expect

Prepare yourself for WWE Crown Jewel 2022 with our full preview, including the start time, card and predictions for every match.

It’s fight week in WWE, and if you feel like that’s a slightly strange way to phrase things heading into WWE Crown Jewel, that’s only because that’s sort of the way the company is promoting its latest Saudi Arabia show.

Take a look at the image above to see what we mean. The Logan Paul vs. Roman Reigns match that will headline the card is being presented a bit more like a heavyweight boxing match than a traditional WWE wrestling match. Perhaps that should come as no surprise since social media superstar Paul has dabbled in the sweet science before (and his brother Jake even more so).

The “puncher’s chance” concept is also right at the heart of how Paul is being pushed as posing even the slightest threat to the most dominant WWE champion in years. It’s a smart move on the part of the creative team, though whether it will pull in people who wouldn’t otherwise watch Crown Jewel remains to be seen.

Even though Vince McMahon has been gone for months, it feels like he would enjoy the rest of the Crown Jewel card, seeing as it has multiple bouts pitting two large human beings against each other, including Drew McIntyre vs. Karrion Kross, Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley and Braun Strowman vs Omos.

There’s also a bout that feels like it could be the show-stealer as Bianca Belair puts her Raw Women’s Championship on the line against Bayley in a Last Woman Standing match. And The Usos will tempt fate and history by defending their undisputed tag team titles as they approach the longest reign of all time.

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If you’re looking forward to Crown Jewel, the most important thing to remember is that because its being held in Saudi Arabia, the time difference means this is a daytime event for fans in North America, beginning at lunch time in the east and at morning coffee time in the west.

WWE Crown Jewel 2022

  • When: Saturday, November 5
  • Where: Mrsool Park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • Start time: 12:00 p.m. ET/9:00 a.m. PT
  • How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., or on WWE Network internationally
  • Matches announced: 7

Keep scrolling for our complete WWE Crown Jewel preview, including the stories behind every match and what to expect.

WWE Raw results: Rollins vs. Riddle again, and Brock Lesnar is on hand

Get full WWE Raw results from the October 17, 2022 episode in Oklahoma City, including a US title match and a Brock Lesnar appearance.

As the Cage the Elephant song goes, there ain’t no rest for the wicked. In the case of WWE Raw from Oklahoma City, that means no rest for Seth Rollins, who won the United States Championship last week only to have to turn right around and defend it this week against Matt Riddle.

You may recall that these two gentlemen met in a Fight Pit match at Extreme Rules, which was won by Riddle. You may also recall that prior to that, they had a rivalry so intense that they pretty much started throwing hands any time they were in the same vicinity. So expect nothing less than that same rage with gold on the line this time around.

Another important showdown from a very different rivalry will also take place in OKC. Dexter Lumis has been tormenting The Miz for weeks, though it’s never really been clear why he’s doing it. The A-Lister has finally worked up the courage to confront his stalker head on, but if Lumis wins their match on Monday night, he’ll earn a WWE contract … and hypothetically be allowed to pester Miz all he wants going forward.

Last but certainly not least, Brock Lesnar is scheduled to be on hand for Raw. Last week, the Beast Incarnate made his latest dramatic return, a smile on his face before he absolutely decimated Bobby Lashley. What is Lesnar’s overall goal, besides just to sow chaos? There’s a decent chance we’ll learn the answer to that question this week.

So buckle up, Oklahoma City, as you’re in for what promises to be an action-packed three hours. Can’t watch live on USA tonight? That’s why this post exists: Just bookmark this page because we’ll be updating it with the latest WWE Raw results as they take place.

WWE Raw results in 90 seconds:

  • Bobby Lashley calls out Brock Lesnar and manages not to regret it, spearing Lesnar through the barricade and slamming him through the announce table

Opening Bell: DX reunion on Raw’s season premiere, Dynamite goes North

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week we’ve just begun.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, October 10, Barclays Center, Brooklyn

Where Brooklyn at? Probably at Barclays Center for the season premiere of Raw. WWE is going hard on the nostalgia front for this one, promoting a DX 25th anniversary reunion that’ll have everyone you know and love except for one blonde guy you may remember who works for another company. But more on Daddy Ass in a bit.

(Also, it’s been 25 years since D-Generation X first hit the scene? Wow.)

Roman Reigns and the Bloodline will also be on hand, because you can’t have a season premiere without your top star. Or you shouldn’t, anyway. With Extreme Rules in the rear view mirror, where Reigns wasn’t booked anyway, he can turn his full attention to Logan Paul, who he’ll face at Crown Jewel in just a few weeks.

Also on the schedule for Raw from Brooklyn:

AEW Dynamite preview – Wednesday, October 12, Coca-Cola Coliseum, Toronto

There are few guarantees in pro wrestling or life in general, but for something that is as close to a sure thing as possible, consider the AEW Dynamite debut in Toronto this week and how hot the crowd will be. While numerous people have suggested AEW has perhaps run some eastern and midwest U.S. markets too often, this should be a very live show considering how fans have clamored for the company to do a Canadian swing.

We know a bit about what is planned for Dynamite too. Chris Jericho will put his status as “The Ocho” on the line by defending his ROH World Championship against Bryan Danielson. Jericho will get home country love, but the American Dragon is over everywhere, so this should be a very fun encounter particularly in Toronto.

Billy Gunn, the one DX member who is not invited to the Raw reunion, will have his hands full anyway as he takes on Swerve Strickland. Considering Swerve won’t stay out of the tag team champs’ business, you can bet The Acclaimed will probably arrive for this one as well.

And a former friendship turned sour will be showcased when “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry faces Luchasaurus. The one-time tag team champions were bound to collide when the dinosaur man sided with Christian Cage, making this match as inevitable as Thanos.

Wait, that’s not all (said in infomercial voice)! Orange Cassidy still hasn’t won AEW gold, but he’ll get another chance when he faces Pac again for the All-Atlantic Championship. So this is definitely a worthy debut show all told.

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, October 14, Smoothie King Center, New Orleans

As is normal when we’re at the beginning of a week, we only have a small snippet of what will happen this Friday on SmackDown in NOLA. Sami Zayn, the Honorary Uce, will take on Kofi Kingston in a match that spun out of things that went down on last week’s show. Can he prove to Jey Uso that he has things under control when left to his own devices?

Also, LA Knight is back! In the latest example of trying to kill something you’ve created. In this case, he’ll be attempting to put his Max Dupri persona behind him when he battles Mansoor of the Maximum Male Models.

Oh yeah, and maybe that Bray Wyatt fellow everyone seems to be talking about will make an appearance on SmackDown …

AEW Rampage preview – Friday, October 14, Coca-Cola Coliseum, Toronto (taped on October 13)

This week’s Rampage is an unusual one: It’s not live, but it’s also not being recorded after Dynamite on Wednesday night. Instead, it will be taped during a separate show in Toronto on Thursday evening.

We’re not sure of any matches definitively set for Rampage, but as is typically the case, we should know at least two by the end of Dynamite.

WWE Raw results: Extreme Rules is extremely close

Get full WWE Raw results for the October 3, 2022 episode from St. Paul, Minnesota, the final Raw before Extreme Rules.

It’s time to get Extreme. Well, almost time. Extreme Rules goes down this Saturday in Philadelphia, which means tonight’s episode of WWE Raw needs to sell the show and put the final pieces in place.

While it remains to be seen how much of the latter still needs to be done, considering the card looks pretty darn good already, St. Paul should see plenty of the former. It starts with two showdowns between people fighting each other at Extreme Rules: Bianca Belair and Bayley will have a contract signing ahead of their championship Ladder Match, while Seth Rollins and Matt Riddle will get one last chance to say mean things to each other (but without touching each other, since WWE says if they do, they’ll lose their match).

In-ring action? Sure, there will be plenty of that as well. Both halves of Alpha Academy have matches scheduled, with Otis facing Johnny Gargano and Chad Gable, perhaps to his dismay, taking on Braun Strowman. Those size disparities would be lessened if they just switched those opponents around …

Also, the battle against The Judgment Day continues, with two wrestlers who have their own separate beefs against the group coming together for a common cause. AJ Styles and Rey Mysterio make for a high-powered team, but they’re outnumbered unless Edge is planning on watching their backs. And might Styles still be swayed by Finn Balor’s repeated attempts to get him to join The Judgment Day?

That’s a lot to look forward to tonight in Minnesota, and that’s not even including the likelihood that there will be another White Rabbit tease somewhere in there. All the better to tune in live on USA, or to bookmark this page and check back throughout the evening for the latest live WWE Raw results.

WWE Raw results in 90 seconds:

  • Accompanied by the rest of The Judgment Day, Finn Balor says he’s going to beat Edge badly enough to quit and taunts both AJ Styles and Rey Mysterio
  • The Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Damian Priest) def. AJ Styles and Rey Mysterio by pinfall
  • Bobby Lashley says it’s the man that makes the title, and he wants opponents who match his desire … and may have one in the form of an emphatic Mustafa Ali
  • Sami Zayn is laughing it up with Jimmy Uso, and they even make the stoic Solo Sikoa smile and shake his head, but Jey Uso gets them focused on business, which includes a run-in with the Street Profits that apparently ends with a match booked between Angelo Dawkins and Solo
  • Bobby Lashley vs. Mustafa Ali – United States Championship Match

Scroll down for more details on every match and major in-ring segment.

Roman Reigns, Kazuchika Okada, CM Punk top 2022 PWI 500

According to the latest PWI 500, Roman Reigns is the top star in all of pro wrestling, not just WWE.

It’s time to acknowledge Roman Reigns as the best pro wrestler on the planet.

For the second time, Reigns was selected No. 1 in Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s PWI 500, its rankings of the top male pro wrestlers in the world. The list, which has been published annually since 1991, also gave Reigns the top spot in 2016.

Joining Reigns in the top three are Kazuchika Okada of NJPW and currently suspended AEW star CM Punk. Both are former number ones in their own right; Okada in 2017, Punk in 2012.

AEW and WWE each placed another wrestler in the top five, with Hangman Adam Page appearing at No. 4, followed by Bobby Lashley. It’s a career-best rank for Page, whose previous high was No. 33 two years ago, while Lashley slips just a few spots from No. 3 in 2021.

The top 10 for 2022 also includes AAA luchador El Hijo del Vikingo at No. 8, and former ROH World Champion Jonathan Gresham at No. 10. After Okada, the next highest ranking NJPW wrestler is Shingo Takagi at No. 11.

Perhaps the most bittersweet entry among this year’s top wrestlers is No. 9-ranked Big E. While it’s his first appearance in the top 10 after moving up four places since 2021, Big E is currently out of action following a broken neck sustained in March, and he told TMZ over the summer that he’s unsure if he will ever be able to wrestle again.

Other notable entries within the PWI 500 top 30:

  • Jox Moxley slips just a bit from No. 6 in 2021 to No. 12.
  • At No. 13, Matt Cardona is the top-ranked indie performer.
  • Josh Alexander‘s No. 14 ranking makes him the top Impact Wrestling star for 2022.
  • Last year’s No. 1, Kenny Omega, finds himself at No. 19 this year, in large part due to time he missed due to injury.
  • Current IWGP World Heavyweight Champion Jay White of NJPW is sure to use his No. 23 ranking as even more of a chip on his shoulder.

The December issue of Pro Wrestling Illustrated containing the entire PWI 500 is available now digitally, and will go on sale in print form soon.

Opening Bell: Stretch run toward Clash at the Castle, All Out

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week we’ve just begun.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, Aug. 29, PPG Paints Arena

The final live WWE show before Clash at the Castle (because SmackDown was taped last week, since everyone is traveling to Wales) is unsurprisingly loaded. The card starts with the crowning of new Women’s Tag Team Champions, as Raquel Rodriguez and Aliyah collide with Dakota Kai and IYO SKY.

Bobby Lashley and The Miz will also do battle on Monday night, but there’s a story to tell first since Miz was dragged into … um, wherever by Dexter Lumis last week. Is he any the worse for wear? And how exactly did he escape? Hopefully there’s a fun story in there somewhere.

Also on the slate for this week’s Raw:

  • Hall of Famer Kurt Angle makes an appearance in his hometown
  • The Usos and Sami Zayn visit from SmackDown to represent the Bloodline (yes, Sami too)
  • Riddle and Seth Rollins have one final face-to-face before Clash at the Castle and it’s likely to result in fisticuffs

AEW Dynamite preview – Wednesday, Aug. 31, NOW Arena, Chicago

Hey, what do you know, AEW has a big event this weekend as well, so Dynamite is also a pretty stacked show as a result. The World Trios Championship tournament will have its Dynamite final (or as it’s better known more generally, the tourney semifinal) when Kenny Omega and the Young Bucks take on Will Ospreay and Aussie Open of the United Empire. Get your popcorn ready, as the great American philosopher Terrell Owens once said.

Also of interest is a tag team match pitting Toni Storm and Hikaru Shida against Dr. Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter. You may recognize those women as the four who will compete at All Out for the interim AEW Women’s Championship.

Plus there’s more already announced for Dynamite:

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, Sept. 2, Little Caesars Arena, Detroit (taped on Aug. 26)

As mentioned above, this episode is already in the can, as it was recorded after the live SmackDown last week in Motown. You can get full spoilers online should you be so inclined.

If you’d rather just have teasers of what’s to come and enjoy SmackDown as it happens on Friday, here’s what to expect:

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AEW Rampage preview – Friday, Sept. 2, NOW Arena, Chicago

In a bit of role reversal, Rampage is live this week while SmackDown is recorded. That means it should be a sweet hour of TV even though AEW has so far not said much about what to expect yet.

One match we feel confident will take place is the other semifinal of the World Trios Tournament. The two teams left on the Rampage side of the bracket are Dark Order, after they upset House of Black, and Best Friends. Expect to see them compete this Friday for the right to challenge for the inaugural championship on Sunday.