Tag: Bobby Lashley

Bobby Lashley still wants to fight in MMA, asked Vince McMahon about possible UFC fight

Bobby Lashley hasn’t given up on the idea of more MMA fights, even floating the idea of a UFC fight by Vince McMahon.

Even though Bobby Lashley is in the midst of arguably his most impressive WWE run to date, he hasn’t given up on the idea of taking some more MMA fights — and even floated the idea of a UFC fight by Vince McMahon.

Lashley revealed both his desire to get back in the cage and the reason he put a bug in McMahon’s ear about the UFC in a recent interview with Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp.

“It’s still in me,” Lashley said. “I’m just that guy. I was talking before because I know that we were doing stuff with the UFC. Vince and Stephanie and all them was sitting ringside and I was in the stands also. I’m texting Vince, ‘Can I get in there?’ He’s like, ‘come on.’ So I still have it in me. I love fighting.”

You can watch Lashley’s full interview below.

The “stuff with the UFC” Lashley is referring to occurred on July 2, when WWE’s Money in the Bank event took place at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on the same night UFC 276 was happening nearby at T-Mobile Arena. Since WWE’s event ended first, a contingent of its personalities took in the UFC main event, and Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Paul “Triple H” Levesque and announcer Pat McAfee were shown in the crowd on the broadcast.

Lashley has had a nice amount of success in his MMA career, compiling a 15-2 record with 12 stoppage victories (six by knockout, six by submission). He’s fought in a variety of promotions, including Strikeforce for two fights in 2010.

He’s yet to fight in UFC, and doing so might not be possible at the current time; even if UFC was interested, Lashley is reportedly still under contract to Bellator, where he’s had his most recent five MMA fights — all victories.

There’s also a question about whether his WWE contract would allow him to take time off to pursue MMA fights. When he was in charge of the company, Vince McMahon was generally loathe to permit those kinds of arrangements, though he made an exception for Brock Lesnar.

In any event, Lashley is pretty busy at the moment as the WWE United States Championship, and will likely have a title defense in Wales at Clash at the Castle on Sept. 3. It’s fun to know, however, that his MMA fire still burns, even at age 46.

PLE Post-Mortem: SummerSlam winners, losers and what’s next

Our SummerSlam review breaks down what worked and didn’t work for the first big post-Vince event, and what’s next for all involved.

The full impact of the regime change at the top of WWE probably won’t be felt until its next premium live event, Clash at the Castle, or possibly even beyond that. But in terms of making fans hopeful for the future, SummerSlam did a pretty nice job.

Yes, the card was reliant on matchups we’ve seen before, including a rematch between Bianca Belair and Becky Lynch, and the umpteenth meeting between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar. Yet even those matches included new wrinkles or hinted at fresh programs in the near future.

One thing that’s almost always true for any big WWE event is that the talent involved worked like crazy to entertain the large (but not sold out) crowd on hand at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. That included Logan Paul, the divisive social media personality who showed he absolutely has what it takes to be an in-ring star going forward.

All told, the 2022 edition of SummerSlam isn’t likely to be remembered as the best of all time, but it should be looked back on fondly as a positive first step for a company adjusting to life without Vince McMahon. That’s a big accomplishment in and of itself.

Let’s take a spin back through every match in chronological order.

Bianca Belair def. Becky Lynch by pinfall to retain the Raw Women’s Championship

What worked: It would have been a huge surprise if WWE didn’t let Belair get some payback for losing to Lynch in less than 30 seconds a year prior, and it did exactly that. Bianca was able to show off her ridiculous strength en route to the finish, which felt right.

Though Lynch’s character becoming increasingly erratic as she sought a way to author a comeback story was entertaining, she teased a face turn after the bout by shaking Belair’s hand and hugging her. That said, what really got people buzzing was why she needed to return and stand beside Belair: the returns of Bayley, Dakota Kai and Io Shirai, the latter two of whom were gone from WWE entirely but now are back in the fold with Paul “Triple H” Levesque in charge of creative.

What didn’t work: If we’re being honest, this wasn’t the best in-ring performance for either Belair or Lynch, with a few spots where they weren’t as smooth as they often are. But they’re both so good that it was still fine, and the narrative impact of the match more than made up for any stumbles.

What’s next for Bianca Belair: New challengers, hopefully. One of the issues with the WWE women’s division was too many familiar pairings and too shallow a pool of contenders overall, but the returning trio menacing Bianca after the match suggests that won’t be the case over the coming months. Belair will have to watch her back.

What’s next for Becky Lynch: Certainly, Lynch should be shattered after failing in her quest to reclaim what she feels is “her” title. Turning her face again is a way to keep her over without the championship, however, and should be effective. Or WWE could play the long game with Lynch and have her look like she’s supporting Belair while secretly plotting to stab her in the back months from now. Either way, it’s hard to see her experiencing much falloff even after this loss.

Logan Paul def. The Miz by pinfall

What worked: It’s hard to say a star was born, since Paul is unquestionably already a star in his own sphere, but it was impossible to watch the match and not come away impressed with his tools. He’s already looking like a wise investment by WWE.

What didn’t work: Maryse didn’t add much by being involved in the match, except, one supposes, because she was included in the build-up.

What’s next for Logan Paul: It’s possible he’s not done with The Miz, seeing as they are essentially tied 1-1 in terms of getting over on each other, if not in actual match results. It will be interesting to see if he stays in the mix for Clash at the Castle or is off doing other things for a few months.

What’s next for The Miz: He’s become a dependable hand for putting others over at this point in his career, but he also figures to be rewarded for that with another championship run at some point. If the plan is something other than continuing a program with Paul, WWE has plenty of options since he’s so versatile.

Bobby Lashley def. Theory by submission to retain the United States Championship

What worked: Lashley is as over as he’s ever been as a face, so keeping the title on him was the right call. As well, the loss for Theory actually made it feel more likely he would successfully cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase later in the night, which added some additional tension to an already eventful final match.

What didn’t work: It was a little strange not to have Dolph Ziggler involved at all considering the way he showed up out of nowhere a few weeks ago to torment Theory and has been a thorn in Theory’s side ever since.

What’s next for Bobby Lashley: He should move on to a new challenger, perhaps as soon as the Aug. 1 episode of Raw. There doesn’t seem to be much left for him to settle with Theory.

What’s next for Theory: He’ll need to regroup after coming out of SummerSlam with zero championships, but his character is cocky enough to make that seem feasible: just pile on the excuses. Maybe he blames everything on Dolph and they end up feuding, which would be logical.

Rey and Dominik Mysterio def. The Judgment Day by pinfall

What worked: This was a pretty by the books match until Edge made his fiery return. That needed to happen; after unceremoniously getting dumped by the faction he founded, anything but Edge looking for revenge on The Judgment Day in a big spot would have been silly. The Mysterios getting the win was a feel-good moment as well.

What didn’t work: Considering the No Disqualification stipulation, Rhea Ripley should have been physically involved from the start. Why wait when you aren’t going to be punished for lending a hand?

Also, poor Finn Balor continues to be booked in the saddest possible ways.

What’s next for The Mysterios: Honestly, it’s hard to say. It’s pretty clear WWE didn’t want to turn them on each other, which is fine. They’ve settled into a nice groove helping propel other superstars’ storylines.

What’s next for The Judgment Day: Balor, Ripley and Damian Priest figure to have their hands full with a vengeful Edge. But the group still feels like it’s been floundering since he was booted, so WWE will need to find a way to make fans care about them — and the sooner, the better.

Pat McAfee def. Happy Corbin by pinfall

What worked: Usually, it’s not ideal to let a part-timer get over on a regular talent because there’s no dramatic tension in seeing if the latter will be able to get even. McAfee is an exception since he’s around full-time as a commentator, so this was fine. His entrance was also exceptionally entertaining.

What didn’t work: No one can ever knock McAfee for not putting everything he has into anything he does, but the bar has been raised for non-regular wrestlers in WWE thanks to Paul and Bad Bunny. McAfee was just a bit off on some of his spots, including the finish.

What’s next for Pat McAfee: Back to the announce table, presumably. He doesn’t have to be in the mix as a wrestler for a while, and it would be surprising to see him in the ring at Clash at the Castle.

What’s next for Happy Corbin: Logically, he could and should be looking for revenge against McAfee since this was their first encounter in the ring. If that’s not in the plans, he needs something to go his way, since he’s now been on the losing end in his programs with Madcap Moss and McAfee.

The Usos def. Street Profits by pinfall to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship

What worked: It’s easy to take for granted how good both these teams are, so when some observers pointed out this wasn’t quite at the same level as their previous title match, that’s not a diss. It was still an excellent, high level tag team match. And having the Usos retain keeps the Bloodline in a dominant position overall instead of leaning on Reigns alone.

What didn’t work: The only real downside to this match was that it seems to have written the Street Profits into a corner. They’ve been circling the titles since RK-Bro was still in the picture, and now they’ve had two shots and come up short both times. A breakup seems inevitable, and the tag team division isn’t all that deep.

What’s next for The Usos: The real question is who’s next. The Usos have the feel of a UFC champion who has cleaned out their division. They’re closer to “smashing everyone” than Reigns is.

What’s next for Street Profits: Assuming they don’t get a third shot, the “partners turn on each other” angle could start ASAP. Montez Ford is widely thought of to be a singles star waiting to happen, and Angelo Dawkins has made a lot of strides in the ring as well. It’ll be a bummer that one of them has to be a heel, but they should have the potential for excellent matches against each other.

Liv Morgan def. Ronda Rousey by pinfall to retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship

What worked: Not much, frankly. The match was laid out so that Rousey dominated, then got caught and pinned. Except there was obvious controversy because replays showed Morgan tapped out first. So … yeah. At least the finish provided a clear motivation for Rousey to turn heel, which is something she desperately needs to do.

What didn’t work: WWE had a tightrope to walk making Rousey look strong even in defeat while legitimizing Morgan as a champion at the same time. This wasn’t the way to navigate it.

What’s next for Liv Morgan: She can’t possibly be done with Rousey the way this match ended. Liv needs a clean win in a title defense quickly or it’s going to seem like the only reason she’s champ is because she cashed in when Ronda was injured.

What’s next for Ronda Rousey: Decimating everyone in her path as a vindictive heel, hopefully. Also, getting new entrance music, because people will pop for “Bad Reputation” automatically.

Roman Reigns def. Brock Lesnar in a Last Man Standing match to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship

What worked: Considering how often Reigns and Lesnar have met before, this needed to be a spectacle, and it was. From Lesnar entering in a tractor to the ring being completely tipped over, it had Attitude Era vibes in the best possible way. Even though the finish was predictable, nothing was on the way there.

What didn’t work: The same gripe about Ripley applies here too: Why didn’t The Usos simply help attack Brock from the start? That strained even pro wrestling logic.

What’s next for Roman Reigns: Thanks to his victory on SmackDown, we already know: Drew McIntyre will be waiting for the undisputed champ at Clash at the Castle. And given that the show is in the U.K., he’s a real threat to end Reigns’ iron grip on the two biggest men’s titles.

What’s next for Brock Lesnar: It’s probably back to his land for Brock … until WWE is put in a tough situation again due to injuries and needs to call him to fill a main event vacancy.

WWE SummerSlam preview: Everything you need to know

Prepare for WWE SummerSlam with our complete preview, including predictions for each match, start time, how to watch and more.

how It’s a new day, yes it is. That line comes from the entrance theme for the New Day, but it could apply equally well to the WWE writ large as it rolls into Nashville for SummerSlam.

While there’s always plenty of anticipation for WWE’s second-biggest card of the year, it’d be silly to say there isn’t even more intrigue around the show thanks to all of the change that’s in the air at the top of the company. Some of the recent developments, like Triple H taking over as head of creative, could be apparent right away.

It’s more likely, however, that the biggest tweaks to the way things have always been with Vince McMahon calling the shots won’t be apparent for a few more months. Top stars like Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes are still out with injuries as well, but that doesn’t mean this year’s event doesn’t have the potential to thrill.

Now that the Riddle-Seth Rollins match has been taken off the card, the program stands at a fairly tidy eight matches, with five title bouts among them. That should result in a night that feels full without being overstuffed, which is always ideal.

Scroll down to get the scoop on everything you need to know before watching SummerSlam try to end July on a high note.

WWE SummerSlam 2022

  • When: Saturday, July 30
  • Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville
  • Start time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
  • How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., or on WWE Network internationally
  • Matches announced: 8

Someone will finally beat Roman Reigns. Here are 6 realistic possibilities.

Someone will eventually beat Roman Reigns. Here are six ideas for who might get the honor of saying they dethroned the Tribal Chief.

The seemingly unbeatable champion has been an archetype in professional wrestling for decades, but Roman Reigns has taken the concept to a new level. As the current holder of both the WWE Universal Championship (a title that’s been in his possession for more than 650 days) and WWE Championship, he’s the undisputed WWE world champion, and after vanquishing Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 38, he didn’t have any immediately obvious challengers to his throne.

That kind of dominance is rare in the 21st century, but if there’s one certainty that has to be acknowledged, it’s this: Someone will eventually beat Reigns.

Because of the way he’s been positioned, it’s unlikely that Reigns will lose on a random episode of Raw or SmackDown, and he didn’t even have to worry about a Superstar cashing in the Money in the Bank briefcase on him until recently. That makes SummerSlam the first logical point for a true threat emerge — either in his scheduled match or a cash-in afterward — and if he survives Nashville, it’s not a stretch to think he could still be the undisputed champion when WrestleMania 39 rolls into Los Angeles in 2023.

Needless to say, it can’t be just anyone who ends up toppling Reigns, as it will be a massive story when it happens. That narrows the list of potential candidates, but here are a half-dozen ideas for who might finally get the honor of saying they dethroned the Tribal Chief, in rough order of ascending plausibility.

Brock Lesnar

Yes, Lesnar had his shot at Reigns in Dallas, and if WWE wanted him to run with the unified titles, it would have, you know, just given him the win there.

That said, Lesnar will remain a main event attraction for as long as he wants to keep working for WWE, never far from the championship picture. His credibility speaks for itself; along with his long list of accomplishments in pro wrestling and MMA, if you just showed a picture of Lesnar to someone who didn’t follow sports entertainment, they’d say that’s the guy who should be champion.

This would be the least inspired choice, but not one that insults fans’ intelligence. WWE is billing the SummerSlam match as their final showdown, so if Lesnar doesn’t beat him there, he’s out of the picture. Unless WWE needs him again, that is.

Bobby Lashley

Like Lesnar, Bobby Lashley has the look of a person who could defeat Reigns — and he’s done it before, winning by pinfall at Extreme Rules in 2018. Yet an extended program would still feel relatively fresh, as the two have met more often in multi-person matches than they have one-on-one.

There’s a perception that Lashley is charisma challenged, but he’s proved to be a capable talker who doesn’t necessarily need a manager to serve as a mouthpiece. His feud with Omos showed a different side of him as well, as he’s rarely been the smaller combatant.

Holding both titles simultaneously would be a big step up for Lashley, but maybe capturing one of them from Reigns would work. Keep an eye out if Reigns still holds both championships after SummerSlam, as Lashley’s chances go up in that case.

Kevin Owens

Now for something completely different. On the surface, Kevin Owens doesn’t leap out as the Superstar to showcase as an undisputed world champion. He’s also more natural as a heel, with an innate ability to push people’s buttons, and the physically smallest of the wrestlers on this list.

But fans love Owens when he’s a face, and giving him a run at knocking off Reigns would be a very popular move. He’s beloved by hardcore fans who have followed him since his indie days as well as WWE loyalists who appreciate all he’s done since he signed with the company in 2014.

And speaking of loyalty, Owens could easily have chosen to depart for AEW or elsewhere when his contract was up toward the end of 2021, but he re-committed himself to WWE. Repaying that by allowing him to be the man to finally end the reign of Reigns would be fitting. He just needs to get over his Elias/Ezekiel/Elrod fixation first.

Drew McIntyre

There was a time when it would have been laughable to suggest Drew McIntyre would be in this position, but since his return to WWE in 2017, he’s proven to be a top star. He’s even made it all the way to the top of the mountain, winning the WWE Championship twice.

Those two title wins famously came during the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, meaning McIntyre has never been able to bask in the adulation of the WWE Universe as champion. Tapping him to defeat Reigns would be the ultimate make-good move.

When McIntyre had drifted away from the title picture for a spell, it didn’t seem to lessen how over he was with live crowds. The guess here is that he’d take both titles from Reigns if that’s the way WWE decided to go, as he’d be a believable undisputed champion. Clash at the Castle would make a lot of sense if WWE was going to have McIntyre dethrone Reigns.

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Cody Rhodes

It’s telling that upon his much hyped and anticipated WWE homecoming, Cody Rhodes immediately made it clear that his goal was winning the world championship his legendary father never did (in WWE, at least). That’s something too big to signal if it isn’t going to pay off somewhere down the road.

That doesn’t mean Rhodes is going to be the one to beat Reigns, but it does suggest one of two things: Either he’s going to get a shot at it, or he’ll be a top contender when someone else has finally managed to snag one or both of the titles.

There is some skepticism that Vince McMahon would be eager to make someone whose career kicked into overdrive in other companies into his top champion, but the same thing could be said for McIntyre and he was given the ball at a critical time. Rhodes needs to heal up from his pectoral injury before we see what WWE has planned for him.

The Rock

It’s been widely rumored that The Rock would challenge Reigns at some point — so much so that some fans were expecting him to appear at the end of WrestleMania 38 to set something up for 2023. It wasn’t a stretch since WWE has shown that kind of long-term thinking before, but the night ended and Dwayne Johnson was nowhere to be found.

Yet it could easily still happen. Reigns spent the week after WrestleMania claiming total victory and focused on sending The Usos to unify the tag team championships. He had the feel of an MMA fighter or boxer who has cleared out their division, with no immediate threat to his supremacy on the horizon.

With that in mind, bringing in someone who’s not a regular at this point becomes more sensible. And there’s arguably no subplot as compelling as having The Rock — who isn’t related to Reigns by blood but is unquestionably linked through the greater Samoan pro wrestling family — coming back to point out how the Bloodline has gone too far.

In terms of mainstream appeal, a Rock-Reigns matchup would be hard to top, especially as a headliner for WrestleMania 39 in Hollywood, where Johnson has established himself as a megastar. The longer Reigns goes with the two championships in his possession, the more this feels like something that will evolve beyond dream booking into a real likelihood.

WWE Money in the Bank: Everything you need to know

Get ready for WWE Money in the Bank with our preview, including predictions for each match, start time, how to watch and more.

As gimmick matches go, the Money in the Bank Ladder Match has reached the point where it has stood the test of time. It’s long since graduated from a bout at other events to headlining status in its own right, and the latest Money in the Bank premium live event is set for Fourth of July weekend in Las Vegas.

WWE initially had thoughts of holding the show in Allegiant Stadium, the football venue where the Las Vegas Raiders play, hoping it would prove attractive enough to sell 30,000+ tickets. But several factors, including UFC holding a pay-per-view card on the same night in Vegas, caused the company to reconsider, moving it to the smaller MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Does that mean the event itself is less significant? That depends on one’s point of view. On one hand, Roman Reigns, the man with the two most important men’s titles, is not on the card. Nor is Cody Rhodes, probably the hottest performer in WWE the last few months, as he is out long term recovering from surgery.

The counter-argument is that Money in the Bank has no filler; its six matches include four title bouts and the namesake ladder matches for the men and women. The undisputed tag team titles are on the line, as are both women’s singles titles, and the United States Championship. Most other significant, healthy superstars are vying for one of the briefcases.

So while WWE might be saving some of its best stuff this summer for SummerSlam, Money in the Bank is shaping up to be a night that could definitely be a pleasant upside surprise. Scroll down to get details on everything you need to know before watching this holiday weekend.

WWE Money in the Bank 2022

  • When: Saturday, July 2
  • Where: MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas
  • Start time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
  • How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., or on WWE Network internationally
  • Matches announced: 6

Randy Orton might miss SummerSlam. Who should Roman Reigns face instead?

With Randy Orton potentially missing SummerSlam due to his back troubles, Roman Reigns may need a new opponent. Here are 7 possibilities.

It’s not always simple to tell which WWE injuries are legitimately bad (except for Cody Rhodes‘ torn pec, which was pretty obvious) and which are being played up for the sake of storylines. But when Riddle has been mentioning how bad Randy Orton‘s back has been bothering him, he hasn’t been exaggerating.

Fightful Select reported today that Orton’s back issues “have gotten progressively worse,” which may mean surgery that puts him on the shelf for the remainder of 2022. That’s a potentially big problem because as the article also notes, “Orton had been pitched and heavily figured in to SummerSlam plans, which are now in question.”

For all the flak WWE receives when its narratives are illogical or appear hastily thrown together, it doesn’t get enough credit when the opposite is true. According to several top wrestling news outlets, the tentative plan for Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns this summer was to face Riddle, then Orton at SummerSlam, and finally Drew McIntyre at Clash in the Castle.

If Orton is a no go for SummerSlam, that leaves a big hole in the middle of this otherwise nicely conceived roadmap. It’s one that needs to be filled, too; Reigns is pretty much mandatory for the show, party because he won’t be at Hell in a Cell, and also because it’s the second-biggest event on WWE’s calendar. Leaving both of the company’s primary men’s titles off SummerSlam would be unthinkable.

Working off the assumption that Reigns has to face someone on July 30 in Nashville, and Fightful Select noting that WWE has “already put alternative creative plans in place,” let’s take a look at some ideas on who could step in for Orton, along with some pros and cons for each option.

CM Punk and Cody Rhodes are injured. Which AEW and WWE stars can step up to fill the void?

With CM Punk and Cody Rhodes injured, we run down the WWE and AEW performers best positioned to step up while they are out.

Fans of traditional sports know how one unexpected injury can torpedo a promising year. It’s no different in pro wrestling, where both AEW and WWE have had the injury bug strike top performers at the worst possible time.

CM Punk had literally just won the AEW World Championship when he hurt his foot during Dynamite last week. That led to an appearance on Rampage on June 3, when he revealed he would be out of the picture for a while while he has surgery.

Cody Rhodes hadn’t won a title yet since returning to WWE at WrestleMania, but he was repaying the company’s faith in him as a top star and looked like he was on the path to contending for championships sooner rather than later. Then he tore his pec, which led to a legendary Hell in a Cell performance before he, too, announced that surgery was in his immediate future.

The situations aren’t exactly the same, but they’re eerily parallel in some respects and the injuries struck just days apart. In AEW’s case, we already know how it plans to pivot — the promotion is holding a mini tournament to crown an interim champion — but the absence of both Punk and Rhodes will be acutely felt.

The silver lining in both cases is that there are opportunities for other talent to step up and claim more of the spotlight while they are away. Who’s in the best possible position to take a step forward over the next few months? Let’s take a look at a few possibilities.

Who could fill in as Raw’s top babyface with Cody Rhodes out?

Riddle

The King of Bros has been rumored to be the next championship contender for Roman Reigns, but his alliance with Shinsuke Nakamura and ongoing issues with The Usos put at least a little doubt on that plan. The most recent episode of Raw made it appear Riddle has his sights set on Reigns again, and the timing couldn’t be better.

Riddle is arguably as popular as he’s ever been in WWE right now, and has shown he has the knack for balancing an edgier side to his persona with his unmatched comic stylings. Pursuing Reigns means he’ll likely appear on both shows over the next month, but he has the potential to stay Raw’s top face even after Money in the Bank.

Bobby Lashley

Speaking of performers who are as over as they’ve ever been, we’re living in the time of Peak Good Guy Bobby Lashley if recent crowd reactions are any indication. Putting him up against the larger Omos helped him as he wasn’t able to win just by being bigger and stronger, but still looked impressive in overcoming the odds.

The only hiccup here is that Lashley just started a program with Theory, so his ascension to top dog on Raw could be more of a medium-term play if Rhodes ends up out until almost the end of 2022.

Edge

Yes, Edge has just spent the last little bit recruiting other wrestlers to be part of The Judgment Day, definitely not a face faction. But then Finn Balor joined and the group turned on him, so he’s going to be a good guy by default.

The 48-year-old WWE Hall of Famer is playing with house money at this point in his illustrious career, but if the company wanted to give him one final babyface run, this is now the ideal chance to do it.

AJ Styles

Not to quite the same degree as Edge, but Styles is headed toward the end of his time as a main event caliber attraction too. It’ll be interesting to see if he joins forces with Edge in an “enemy of my enemy” sense, but why couldn’t WWE push him to the very top of the card right after they deal with The Judgment Day?

Styles has faced Reigns in championship matches before, but not for years, so a program between the two of them could still feel fresh. With Money in the Bank on the horizon, it’s easy to imagine him winning the briefcase and then turning his attention to the Tribal Chief.

John Cena or Brock Lesnar

These are names mentioned somewhat in jest, but if WWE feels this is a “break glass in case of emergency” situation, it’s already announced that John Cena is returning to Raw in a few weeks. And Brock Lesnar is presumably just a phone call away.

Who will emerge as AEW Interim World Champion while CM Punk is on the shelf?

Jon Moxley

He’s got a leg up already in narrative terms since he is guaranteed a spot in the main event on Dynamite to determine who will go on to fight for the interim title at Forbidden Door. And since he’s held the real title before, people know what they’re getting from a Jon Moxley reign.

That’s the downside though, too. The AEW World Championship hasn’t been around all that long, as Mox already held it for some time. Pushing him more right now might feel like something fans have already seen, and not as effective as elevating someone new. The Punk-Moxley unification bout at the end of the rainbow would be sweet, however.

Wardlow

Now that Wardlow has freed himself from the machinations of MJF and become a legitimate star, why not just strap a rocket to him? It’s almost certainly not what the promotion was planning, but injuries have a way of changing plans, and this could be a change that pans out.

His path to the interim championship would also afford AEW a chance to put him over even more, as it would mean winning a battle royale, then defeating Moxley and someone at Forbidden Door, likely Hiroshi Tanahashi. That’s earning it, for sure. Plus it would be easy to turn Punk heel to play off him for their showdown when the current champ returns.

Eddie Kingston

Anyone who has followed Eddie Kingston during his career in the indies is probably already in favor of this idea, and people who only discovered him through AEW TV have to be impressed with him by now. In terms of building a story and selling it with promo work, Kingston could have one hell of a feud with Punk when he returns.

Does AEW view him as a top guy? It would be interesting to know, but if Eddie gets a chance to run with the ball right now, that would go a long way to answering that question in the affirmative.

Bryan Danielson

Just a quick note that while Bryan Danielson had a shot at the AEW World Championship while Hangman Adam Page held it, he wasn’t successful in winning it. The American Dragon has an unlimited amount of goodwill with the fans and would be easy to accept as the interim champ.

He and Punk wouldn’t be a brand new program, of course, but it’s been a decade since they faced each other with gold on the line. Both men shift effortlessly between face and heel roles, so it would be a showdown that can go any direction the creative team envisions once Punk is healthy again.

Hiroshi Tanahashi (or Kazuchika Okada, or anyone from NJPW)

Even in the Forbidden Door era, it seems unlikely that AEW would let someone from another promotion hold its main championship for any length of time. An interim title, though? That’s another story altogether.

Tanahashi was getting ready to face Punk later this month before the injury, and has already invited Punk to face him at Wrestle Kingdom next January. That could be to unify the regular and interim championships if so desired. Or Tanahashi could defend the interim strap in NJPW for the rest of 2022, opening up the possibility of dropping it to Kazuchika Okada or another top NJPW talent. The sky is really the limit should AEW choose to go in this direction.

WWE Hell in a Cell: Everything you need to know

Get ready for WWE Hell in a Cell with our preview, including predictions for each match, start time, how to watch and more.

WWE fans in the Chicago area, get ready to go on lockdown. Hopefully the fun kind, in this case, as the Allstate Arena prepares to host Hell in a Cell on Sunday, June 5.

Similar to Money in the Bank, Hell in a Cell has evolved over the years into an entire event themed around its namesake gimmick match. But that’s where the similarities end; while MITB is now a major show with ramifications that echo far down the road, HIAC feels like something of an afterthought. To wit, this year’s card features only two title matches and just one appearance by the Cell itself.

That said, WWE premium live events that look forgettable on paper sometimes surprise to the upside thanks to the hard work of the talent, and the potential for that in 2022 begins with Cody Rhodes vs. Seth Rollins inside Hell in a Cell. WWE has consistently positioned Rhodes as a top star since his return, and Rollins is as reliable a main event performer as the company has.

The show will also pay off the most entertaining subplot on WWE programming since WrestleMania when Kevin Owens faces Ezekiel. Owens is a gem both in the ring and on the microphone, but he has taken his character to the next level with his paranoia-fueled disbelief over the true identity of Ezekiel. If you needed proof that excellent pro wrestling storytelling can happen at any part of the card, this is it.

It’s possible that WWE could still add a match or two during SmackDown this week, in which case we’ll update our preview with the latest. In the meantime, read on to get up to speed on everything you need to know for Hell in a Cell 2022.

WWE Hell in a Cell 2022

  • When: Sunday, June 5
  • Where: Allstate Arena, Rosemont, Ill.
  • Start time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
  • How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., or on WWE Network internationally
  • Matches announced: 6

WWE Raw live results: Nakamura, Riddle take on The Usos

Check out WWE Raw results for the May 30, 2022 episode from Des Moines, IA.

To be the man, you’ve got to beat the man … to get a chance to beat the man. Ahem. We’re not particularly fond of the “Championship Contender’s Match” that’s become so popular as of late, but we’re willing to give the one that’s been promoted for tonight’s episode of WWE Raw from Des Moines the benefit of the doubt.

At least with Riddle and Shinsuke Nakamura, they’re a brand new tag team forced together because both their regular partners are on the shelf, and they need to prove themselves as a credible threat to the undisputed tag team champs, The Usos. We just wish there was another way for them to prove it than by beating the Usos.

Also tonight, Bobby Lashley will sign a contract to face both Omos and MVP at Hell in a Cell, assuming they both sign as well. Bianca Belair will get the measure of one of her two HIAC challengers, Asuka, though Becky Lynch will undoubtedly be an interested observer. And Cody Rhodes should have something to interesting to say after he was attacked mid-match by Seth Rollins last week.

Can’t watch Raw this week? No worries, just bookmark this page and we got you. Get results in bullet point form as they happen tonight from Des Moines, then scroll down for more detailed recaps of every match and the most important in-ring segments.

Opening Bell: WWE, AEW previews for the week of 5/30

Get ready for Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage with WWE and AEW previews for episodes airing the week of May 30, 2022.

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 ahead.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, May 30, Wells Fargo Arena, Des Moines, IA

Cody Rhodes was just trying to have a normal, competitive match with The Miz when it was unceremoniously ended thanks to an ambush by Seth “Freakin'” Rollins. He’s not going to let that go without addressing it, which he’ll do this week on Raw. When? The Cody Clock will probably let us know on Monday night.

There’s also a contract signing set to take place. Bobby Lashley lost his match with MVP a week ago, meaning his former manager got to pick the stipulation for a third bout with Omos at Hell in a Cell. MVP chose a Handicap Match, so all three men will have to sign on the dotted line this week.

Also on tap for Raw:

AEW Dynamite preview – Wednesday, June 1, Kia Forum, Los Angeles

Double or Nothing was a entertaining but lengthy affair, so it’s good that AEW has some time to catch its breath … but not too long, as the company is set for the first live wrestling event at the Kia Forum since 2015. So far, just one match has been confirmed for L.A., but it’s a big one: Jungle Boy, Luchasaurus and Christian Cage (who still hasn’t turned heel) will join forces with The Hardys in a 10-man tag team match against the Undisputed Elite (Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly, Bobby Fish and Young Bucks).

It would be a surprise if we didn’t hear from new AEW World Champion CM Punk, who needs his first challenger. And we may or may not hear from MJF because … well, you know.

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WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, June 3, The Schottenstein Center, Columbus, OH

WWE hasn’t confirmed any matches yet for SmackDown in Columbus, but the venue has been advertising Drew McIntyre, Ronda Rousey, the New Day and The Usos. All of them make sense to appear.

On top of that, The Schottenstein Center is also saying AJ Styles will face The Miz, though that could be a dark match, for sure.

AEW Rampage preview – Friday, June 3, Toyota Arena, Ontario, CA

Last but not least (unless Rampage gets moved up again for the NHL playoffs, in which case SmackDown will air last), Rampage rolls into Ontario (not the Canadian one) to close out the week in televised Big 2 wrestling. Toyota Arena is promoting this as a homecoming for the Young Bucks, so they should be involved in some capacity.

As well, at Double or Nothing, Scorpio Sky promised Dante Martin he could have a shot at the TNT Championship, and given Rampage is on TNT, this feels like the proper place for that bout. Expect it to be officially confirmed during Dynamite.