Opening Bell: Crown Jewel approaches, All-Atlantic 3-way on Dynamite

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 31, American Airlines Center, Dallas

Happy Halloween, everyone! As WWE prepares to head overseas for Crown Jewel (and some of its talent is already in Europe for house shows in the meantime), there’s still some business to attend to first. Fans in Dallas should prepare to acknowledge the Tribal Chief, Roman Reigns, as he will be on hand. While he’s tried to get the Bloodline on the same page in recent weeks, there are still some cracks in the group’s foundation? Can he get them repaired before he faces Logan Paul?

Brock Lesnar is also being advertised for this week’s show. The Beast Incarnate has a big showdown with Bobby Lashley awaiting him in Saudi Arabia, and while the two men have already traded blows, Lesnar may have a a chance to get in the final word before Saturday.

Here’s what else WWE has in store for Halloween night on Raw:

AEW Dynamite preview – Wednesday, November 2, Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena, Baltimore

Dynamite returns to Baltimore this week with not one, not two, but three title matches. Orange Cassidy finally won his first AEW singles gold by claiming the All-Atlantic Championship, but he’ll have to work hard to keep it (which isn’t really his style) in a three-way dance with two very different opponents, Luchasaurus and Rey Fenix.

Chris Jericho has vowed to take out anything to do with ROH, including past champions, so he’ll put the ROH World Championship on the line against a mystery former champ. And Jade Cargill will try to fend off a familiar challenger for her TBS Championship in the form of Marina Shafir.

Plus AEW has promoted more for this week’s Dynamite, including:

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, November 4, Enterprise Center, St. Louis (recorded on October 28)

Yep, this episode of SmackDown was pre-taped last week because talent and crew members need to be in Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel on Saturday. That means that spoilers for exactly what happens on this show are already out there on the internet.

If you’d rather be surprised by outcomes but still want to know what to expect on SmackDown, keep reading:

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AEW Rampage preview – Friday, November 4, Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City

In a bit of role reversal, it’ll be a live episode of Rampage following a pre-taped SmackDown instead of the other way around. The most notable name on the show might not even be one of the wrestlers, as boxing legend Mike Tyson (who has worked with AEW before) is set to join the announce team.

In terms of matches, all we know for sure is that whoever emerges from the three-way dance on Dynamite with the All-Atlantic Championship can pick a dream opponent for Friday night. If that’s Cassidy, it will be a busy week for Freshly Squeezed, which might not be something he’d prefer. We’ll find out Wednesday night.

AEW Dynamite live report: Even less in numbers, Philly crowd still hot

Wrestling Junkie reflects on the best moments, crowd reactions and more, live from the September 28 AEW Dynamite in Philadelphia.

PHILADELPHIA — If absence makes the heart grow fonder, perhaps the opposite is also true. When AEW Dynamite went live on Wednesday night from The Liacouras Center on the campus of Temple University, it was in front of a noticeably lighter crowd than the last time the show came to Philly.

Then again, said show was just over five months ago.

There’s definitely a law of diminishing returns when it comes to how often pro wrestling promotions can hold events in the same venues, and with only a few years of operation under its belt, AEW is still feeling its way through some of these things. Maybe Dynamite and Rampage simply hadn’t been gone long enough to make this particular show a must-see for fans in the area.

AEW had something else working against it on this particular night: Mother Nature. Though the weather was fine in the Philadelphia area, Hurricane Ian was menacing the company’s home state of Florida. Tony Khan had already informed talent that if anyone needed to miss the show because of travel or family concerns, they had his blessing.

Several wrestlers reportedly were forced to cancel plans to participate, leading to some changes to Dynamite. It felt just a slight bit off, or at least different than the usual. Instead of the match that kicks off most Wednesday broadcasts, there was an extended in-ring bit with the Jericho Appreciation Society, one that felt like one of the longer non-wrestling opens in Dynamite history.

Another segment featured recent AEW debutant Saraya calling out the entire women’s division, or a good chunk of it anyway. That one led somewhere, namely an interim women’s title match between Toni Storm and Serena Deeb with the other women as lumberjacks, but it still seemed a bit disjointed. And there was additional filler, like a squash match for Ricky Starks.

Despite a number of hurdles, though, Dynamite didn’t have a less enthusiastic crowd, even if it was smaller. Philadelphia has long been a hotbed of the east coast wrestling scene, and it sounded that way again on Wednesday. With few exceptions, the fans reacted to pretty much everything offered and seemed pleased by the end of the night.

Some random observations from section 114, row K:

  • Masterful as ever at trolling fans, MJF appeared on a pre-recorded video that played (several times in a row) before Dynamite went live, singing “Meet the Mets.” He also riled up the crowd in person during his segment of the show, and it’ll be interesting to see how Wheeler Yuta, who can go in the ring but is a ways behind MJF in terms of mic skills, might get a rub from working against him.
  • Khan got a mix of boos and cheers when he spoke to the crowd immediately before Dynamite, but that appeared to be mostly due to his role with the Jacksonville Jaguars, who play the Philadelphia Eagles this weekend.
  • “We want pizza” chants were a recurring theme all the way until the end of Dynamite thanks to the Jericho Appreciation Society having some pies, but not sharing them, to open the show. Also, poor Luigi Primo got KOed by Daniel Garcia and carried out by Sammy Guevara like a sack of potatoes.
  • Juice Robinson had a nice match with Jon Moxley, but the crowd definitely tailed off in the middle, and it didn’t seem like everyone knew who Juice was.
  • Hangman Adam Page remains very popular, starting from the time his music hits. The live crowd was definitely into his staredown with Moxley.
  • Jamie Hayter is incredibly over right now, getting such a loud face reaction at one point that it was hard for Britt Baker to talk over it. She’s set to be a breakout star whenever AEW decides to push start on her inevitable face turn.
  • Bandido was more warmly received than Robinson as a “visitor” to AEW, but that was likely because of his history with ROH and the fact that he was the face in the main event. Putting him in a big spot for the TV audience was a nice touch, however, because he is terrific.
  • No spoilers for AEW Rampage, but The Acclaimed was on the show, and being there in person during the run they’re on right now is definitely special.

AEW All Out 2022 preview: Everything you need to know

Get set for Sunday with our AEW All Out 2022 preview, including predictions for what should and will probably happen in every match.

If bigger is better when it comes to pro wrestling pay-per-views, AEW All Out should be about as good as it gets.

AEW is throwing absolutely everything it has into the upcoming show at the Now Arena in Chicago (or more precisely, in the greater Chicago area), loading up the card in terms of both quantity and, hopefully, quality. Including the Zero Hour pre-show, a total of seven titles are on the line, as well as a future world championship shot in the Casino Ladder match.

Even when fate has thrown a late curveball or two, AEW has pivoted with regard to this show. Case in point: Thunder Rosa was slated to defend her AEW Women’s World Championship against Toni Storm, but got injured during the run-up to this weekend. No worries; now there’s a four-way battle for the interim championship that may be even more intriguing, featuring Storm, Hikaru Shida, Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter.

Topping the card is a world championship rematch between Jon Moxley and CM Punk. The two men met less than two weeks ago and surprised the wrestling world when Moxley squashed Punk, leading some to wonder if he had returned from injury too quickly. But this week’s Dynamite proved that it was simply wrestling being wrestling, with Punk needing a pep talk from a friend to prove he was still on top of his game enough to compete at the highest level.

Tony Khan admitted that it wasn’t the normal way he’d build up a world title match but thought it worked for these circumstances (and was good for Dynamite’s ratings, to boot). That could be said for All Out writ large to a certain extent, but there’s no question there is more pressure on this pay-per-view than normal with AEW’s larger competitor suddenly resurgent and holding its own big show on the same September weekend.

In the end, even if the consensus ends up being that All Out isn’t outstanding, it won’t be for a lack of trying on AEW’s part.

AEW All Out 2022

  • When: Sunday, Sept. 4
  • Where: Now Arena, Hoffman Estates, Ill.
  • Start time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT (Zero Hour pre-show starts one hour earlier)
  • How to watch: Via Bleacher Report or traditional PPV providers in the U.S.,  along with select movie theaters; through FITE TV internationally
  • Matches announced: 14 (including three on the Zero Hour pre-show)

Scroll down for previews and predictions for all main card matches; we’ll add one for the trios tournament final and any additional matches that get made after Rampage on Friday night.

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.

AEW Rampage quick results: Best Friends bust the Trustbusters

See everything that went down in Charleston with AEW Rampage results for the August 19, 2022 episode.

One good show deserves another, right Charleston?

AEW Rampage was taped on Wednesday night, as it often is, but is certainly worth watching with a pair of championship matches on the card. Not only that, but the AEW World Trios Championship tournament continues as well, with Orange Cassidy and Best Friends in action.

Let’s not waste any time and dive right into the details.

AEW Rampage results in 30 seconds:

  • Claudio Castagnoli throws out an open challenge for his ROH World Championship, and it’s answered by Dustin Rhodes, who talks about the history the two men have together before the champ accepts
  • Ruby Soho says she and Ortiz have been chomping at the bit to get their hands on , and it a
  • Swerve In Our Glory def. Private Party by pinfall to retain their AEW World Tag Team Championship, then take part in a show of mutual respect afterward
  • QT Marshall says he isn’t worried about what Powerhouse Hobbs has planned for The Factory, but promises the man in person that his group will take our Ricky Starks
  • Zack Clayton cuts a promo ahead of his FTW Championship shot, calling himself the biggest star on the show in a “disgusting state” like West Virginia
  • Hook def. Zack Clayton by submission in a matter of seconds to retain his FTW Championship
  • Matt Menard and Angelo Parker ponder what it would be like if the FTW Championship was held by a sports entertainer
  • Billy Gunn says the Ass Boys opened the door for him to spank their asses, and he’s bringing friends to help him … in the form of The Acclaimed
  • Buddy Matthews def. Serpentico by pinfall, then battles Miro after The Redeemer drops off Malakai Black’s mask on the ramp
  • Dr. Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter can’t think of a more toxic tag team in pro wrestling than ThunderStorm, and say they’ll be watching and waiting for whoever emerges from their rematch
  • Athena def. Penelope Ford by pinfall, but gets attacked by The Baddies afterward, and Jade Cargill attacks her with a sledgehammer
  • Ricky Starks says he has a whole lot to say and will do it next Wednesday on Dynamite
  • Best Friends and Orange Cassidy def. The Trustbusters by pinfall in an AEW World Trios Championship tournament match, with a special guest assist from Danhausen

Opening Bell: AEW hits Vegas, Cody Rhodes in the spotlight on Raw

Get ready for the week of May 23 in WWE and AEW with previews for 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 ahead.

WWE Raw preview – Ford Center, Evansville, IN

There’s a big confrontation being advertised for this week’s Raw, and by that we mean large in terms of how it’s being positioned and the physical size of the men involved. Bobby Lashley, who managed to beat Omos in a Steel Cage match even though he was thrown through the cage, has another challenge for the Nigerian Giant that he’ll apparently lay out Monday night.

And Cody Rhodes, who is increasingly being shown off as one of WWE’s biggest fan favorites, will be in action as well, taking on The Miz. But the real question is whether there will be another “Countdown to Cody” timer.

Also on tap for this week:

AEW Dynamite preview – Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas

There could be worse things than being in Las Vegas all week for a full week of AEW leading up to Double or Nothing on Sunday night. The slate begins with Dynamite on Wednesday, and even with the pay-per-view just days away, the card is pretty loaded. It’s headlined by a Steel Cage match between Wardlow and Shawn Spears, which the big man must win if he wants to get his hands on MJF (spoiler: he does want that, very much).

From a pure in-ring action standpoint, the bout of the night could (should be?) the Jungle Boy vs. Swerve Strickland vs. Ricky Starks three-way dance. Hard to imagine that one won’t be a lot of fun.

Also announce by AEW for this week’s Dynamite:

AEW Rampage preview – Michelob ULTRA Arena at Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas

When will AEW Rampage air this week? It’s an open question as of the time of this post, due to the uncertainty of the NBA and NHL playoff schedules and what time games might air on TNT. It’s possible it could be headed for the 5:30 p.m. ET/2:30 p.m. PT time slot that got the show its lowest ratings ever a few weeks ago.

Be that as it may, Rampage is set to be live this week as part of the full Las Vegas AEW experience, and we’ll update with more on the matches as they are announced.

WWE SmackDown preview – Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, AR

Though it feels like the New Day has been feuding forever with the group now officially know as the Brawling Brutes, it was only this past week that Xavier Woods said out loud what we all knew: his side is outnumbered.

That being the case, he and Kofi Kingston are recruiting a mystery partner to their cause for a six-man tag team match this Friday. Who will it be, and can Woods pull off the Backwoods in a bout with so many people in it? We’ll find out on SmackDown.

AEW Rampage results: Hookhausen trains, Blackpool Combat Club wins again

Check out full AEW Rampage results for the May 20, 2022 episode (taped on May 18) from Houston.

We’re not quite in the home stretch for Double or Nothing, but tonight’s episode of AEW Rampage from Houston is pretty darn close. Before we head to Las Vegas for all of AEW”s shows next week, there’s some business to attend to in the form of the Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Tournament. Kris Statlander, a late entry to the bracket, takes on Red Velvet for the right to face Ruby Soho in one semifinal.

AEW has also promised the latest from the duo the fans have dubbed Hookhausen: Hook and Danhausen. This odd couple (and to be fair, it’s mostly Danhausen who’s odd) has formed to combat Tony Nese and his meddling manager, Smart Mark Sterling. Though Sterling is hurt, Danhausen is Danhausen, so this could be a somewhat even fight during the Double or Nothing pre-show.

And for some reason, Matt Sydal and Dante Martin challenged the Blackpool Combat Club to a match. That’s likely to end in a BCC win, but we shall see.

Quick AEW Rampage results are below, but keep scrolling if you’d like more details on any match or significant segment.

AEW Rampage results in 30 seconds:

House of Black def. Evil Uno, Pres10 Vance and Fuego Del Sol by pinfall

Fuego has ongoing beef with House of Black, but Dark Order has been feuding with them as well, so this is more than a marriage of convenience. Malakai Black tries for a leg lock that makes 10 pound his way out of it, and Fuego tags himself in.

Buddy Matthews mocks Penta’s cero miedo hand sign as he gets in to work for the first time, and Brody King is quickly in as well. Uno escapes a power move from King, but Fuego gets knocked off the apron to the floor.

After some picture in picture goodness, Fuego makes the hot tag to 10, who even manages to send King to the floor. Uno hits a nice cannonball senton to the floor as his Dark Order teammate gets a near fall.

Black gets 10 in a kneebar but Uno is able to get a quick save. 10 connects on a discus lariat on Black, but his now injured knee is a problem. That leaves Uno and King to face off, but King backdrops out of a powerbomb attempt. As all heck is breaking loose with the other combatants, King hits a big clothesline and his powerbomb finisher to score the pinfall.

Death Triangle comes to the ramp, where Penta Oscuro reveals a tombstone with the House of Black’s name on it and a Double or Nothing placard. Ominous.

Shawn Spears def. “A Giant” by pinfall

The announcer sell this as Spears’ opportunity to show he can handle Wardlow, but … this isn’t much of a giant. It’s Big Damo, formerly known as Killian Dain. He actually handles Spears jus fine in the opening minutes, but one knee and a C4 wraps things up.

Kris Statlander def. Red Velvet by pinfall – Owen Hart Foundation Women’s Quarterfinal

Since she will face the winner, Ruby Soho is a logical and interested observer on guest commentator. Statlander does an overhead press with Velvet and switches to a single hand, and Soho notes this is a brand new Statlander.

Velvet traps Statlander in the apron skirt as Chris Jericho awards her the Sports Entertainer of the Week award. After a commercial break, Velvet hits the Final Slice but Statlander surprises everyone at the announce table when she kicks out.

When Statlander goes for her finisher, Velvet counters but is countered herself and gets the three count. Kiera Hogan attacks Statlander after the bell, Soho is in there as well, but Jade Cargill makes it three on two. Anna Jay ends up as the equalizer, stealing Mark Sterling’s crutch for use as a weapon to drive off the heels.

Bryan Danielson and Jon Moxley def. Matt Sydal and Dante Martin by pinfall

Excalibur notes how he’s stuck between Taz, Chris Jericho and William Regal at the announce table, which sounds tense but fun. Sydal is hanging in pretty well against Moxley, using kicks and some flashier moves to keep him on the defensive.

Martin has a run of offense while the action is side by side with ads, but Danielson hits him with a double underhook superplex and transitions right into the Lebell Lock. Martin nearly makes the ropes, and gets his foot there when Danielson pulls back his arm. Regal is impressed.

Moxley gets double teamed by his opponents, and Sydal goes up top but decides to give Danielson a meteora on the apron. Martin hits the Nose Dive on Moxley and Danielson needs to make a save.

Looks like it’s Mox and Martin to the finish here, and Moxley nearly wins it with a piledriver after he counters a top rope maneuver. A Paradigm Shift seals the deal a moment later, though Moxley is bleeding from the mouth. Regal and Jericho have some words as the former leaves the announce table.

But Jericho isn’t leaving without the final word, and the assembled Jericho Appreciation Society is out on the ramp, followed by Eddie Kingston, Santana and Ortiz.

AEW Dynamite live results: Jokers revealed, Cole vs. Hardy and more

Check out full AEW Dynamite results for Wild Card Wednesday from Houston.

The Owen Hart Foundation tournaments on both the men’s and women’s sides get an added dose of intrigue tonight, as it’s Wild Card Wednesday on AEW Dynamite from Houston.

Both Samoa Joe and Dr. Britt Baker made it to the quarterfinals of their respective tourneys, but neither wrestler knows who they’ll be facing tonight. That’s because both brackets have a Joker; not the Batman villain, but rather an opponent whose identity won’t be known until Joe and Britt are standing in the ring and hear some music hit.

Seeing as AEW is home of the Forbidden Door, the Jokers could be wrestlers already on the roster … but they don’t necessarily have to be. Those reveals are certain to spice things up.

Another matchup on the men’s side that we do know is Adam Cole vs. Jeff Hardy, which is the latest in a line of “never before seen” AEW dream bouts. Plus Wardlow has to suffer through 10 lashes from MJF to get the match he wants with his boss at Double or Nothing, and much more.

If you can’t watch the show tonight or just want a refresher on what’s gone down, bookmark this page as we’ll update with quick bullet points here and more detailed AEW Dynamite results if you continue scrolling down.

AEW Dynamite results in 60 seconds:

Opening Bell: Steel cage match on Raw, jokers revealed on Dynamite

Get ready for the week in WWE and AEW with previews for 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 ahead.

WWE Raw preview – Norfolk Scope Arena, Norfolk, Va. (live)

With Bobby Lashley and Omos tied at one win apiece in their feud, it’s time for the two powerhouses to settle things inside a steel cage.

If Lashley loses, he can’t complain since it was his idea to lay out this particular challenge last Monday. The idea, of course, is that MVP can’t interfere, something that directly contributed to Omos’ win at WrestleMania Backlash. But this particular storyline feels like one that might continue into Hell in a Cell, so don’t be shocked if there’s no definitive winner Monday night even though the stipulation suggests there should be.

AEW Dynamite preview – Fertitta Center, Houston (live)

AEW is billing this week’s Dynamite as “Wild Card Wednesday,” which fits their gambling-related theming for the upcoming Double or Nothing PPV, but is also a reference to the jokers being revealed for both Owen Hart Foundation tournaments. Whoever the mystery wrestlers are, they’ll have their hands full in quarterfinal matchups with Samoa Joe and Dr. Britt Baker.

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Also on tap for this week’s Dynamite:

AEW Rampage preview – Fertitta Center, Houston (taped)

The most interesting question for Rampage each week at this point is when it will air on TNT thanks to NBA and NH playoff games. The answer for this Friday, May 20 is 7 p.m. ET/6 p.m. CT.

As for the card, the one match we know for sure is going down is an Owen Hart Foundation women’s quarterfinal between Red Velvet and Kris Statlander. Statlander is taking the place of Velvet’s originally announced opponent, Hikaru Shida.

WWE SmackDown preview – Van Andel Arena, Grand Rapids, Mich. (live)

This is it, finally. The tag team titles have been teased for a unification match since prior to WrestleMania Backlash, with The Usos trying to fulfill a directive from Roman Reigns to obtain both sets of titles and RK-Bro understandably figuring it would be cool to grab them for themselves.

This Friday, the two teams will settle things once and for all to decide which tag team reigns supreme. Probably. If Reigns doesn’t interfere, and the Street Profits, who have been on the periphery of this story throughout, don’t decide to do something. Just saying, Hell in a Cell isn’t that far away …