Throughout his long and storied career in pro wrestling, CM Punk has experienced many ups and downs that have been well documented. From participating in a career-defining match with John Cena at Money in the Bank to being fired by AEW earlier this year, various events have unfolded that shaped his past two decades.
Punk left AEW because of his infamous backstage incident with Jack Perry at All In. However, there was another, somewhat less serious backstage incident that had occurred in his past.
On his Six Feet Under podcast, The Undertaker said the Straight Edge Superstar once picked fights with Shelton Benjamin and Bobby Lashley backstage. It’s safe to say neither fight worked out in his favor (h/t Fightful for transcription).
We’re drinking, everyone is carrying on. Somehow or another, the discussion comes up. I don’t know if Vince instigated this one or not. Bradshaw was on this flight too. The topic comes up as we’re on the way over. CM Punk, he fashioned himself as a jiu-jitsu practitioner. Someone broached the question, ‘You did jiu-jitsu. How long do you think you could last with one of these two wrestlers?’ It was Bobby Lashley, who wrestled for the Army, and Shelton Benjamin, who wrestled at Minnesota. Two high-level amateur wrestlers. To Phil’s credit, he said, ‘I’ll tap them out.’ That was about all it took. Now, the pot begins to really get stirred. Shelton, at this time, he didn’t drink at all. I remember Vince pouring a styrofoam cup full of wine, and Shelton just gulps it down. I honestly can’t remember who went first. There is not a lot of room. It’s tight, but there’s enough room. I want to say the first match lasted about 47 seconds. The other one was sub-40, where they had taken them down and pinned him. He didn’t back down, but my goodness, it was like blood in the water and two great white sharks circling. They could not wait. They didn’t disappoint. That was another fine case of Vince McMahon shit disturbing.
It seems Punk made the wrong decision — a very wrong one. He couldn’t last a total of two minutes in his fights, which is understandable given that Lashley went on to compete in MMA, although Punk also dabbled in the Octagon, but to negative results.
Nonetheless, this eye-opening experience offered a glimpse into the 45-year-old’s wild career. Surely, this was memorable for Undertaker and others to take in.
Yes, CM Punk is the favorite now to win the 2024 Royal Rumble. But that doesn’t mean he should.
There’s something to be said for striking when the iron is hot. One of the first sports I wrote about professionally was boxing, and in the sweet science, promoters often put desirable fights on the back burner hoping they become even bigger down the road, missing out on some prime matchups as a result. Someone loses a fight unexpectedly, someone gets hurt, etc.
WWE isn’t always swayed by what’s hot at any particular moment, choosing to have faith that its long term vision will pay off better than switching gears based on things like the unexpected popularity of certain performers. This explains why Sami Zayn didn’t get to face Roman Reigns last year at WrestleMania, and why it hasn’t put a major championship on LA Knight yet.
But as a popular cliché goes, there are levels to these things, so when an incredibly noteworthy main event player drops in its lap, even WWE has to chart a new course. Such is the case with CM Punk, who no one in the company could possibly have thought would have been available for WrestleMania 40 even four months ago.
Love him or despise him, Punk is a proven attraction in an era where that is an increasingly rare commodity. AEW, while it was probably correct to fire him, still has a void from the star power (and probably merchandise sales) he took with him. His appearance this week on Raw may have saved the ratings from tanking against two Monday Night Football games, and he might even be shaking up the wrestling media rights picture for 2024 and beyond.
With that in mind, it’s no surprise that Punk announced he will be in the Royal Rumble match in January and set in motion a feud everyone already was salivating about with Seth Rollins. The World Heavyweight Champion’s real world dislike for Punk is now being skillfully woven into storyline cloth the way only WWE can do it.
Putting Punk in the Rumble is a no-brainer, because it would make no sense to leave him off WWE’s second-biggest event of the year (sorry, SummerSlam, but it’s true). He’s also expected to win it, which gives WWE a direct path to a Punk-Rollins WrestleMania match that could headline one of two nights in Philadelphia.
(It also allows Punk to, as my son says, “pump fake” challenging Roman Reigns, sowing the seeds for a clash between them down the road.)
All of this is fine in a vacuum. The problem is that it adds unnecessary drama to another narrative that didn’t need any more of it: Cody Rhodes getting a rematch against Reigns and … I’ll say closing the loop because the actual phrase used for his journey has been used way too much.
While a strong argument could be made that WWE did what the boxing promoters I mentioned have been guilty of and missed the best moment possible for Rhodes, it obviously felt there was more to be wrung from his tale. Hence, Cody vs. Roman is a popular pick for the night 2 WrestleMania main event, where you would figure he would finally end Reigns’ historic Universal Championship run.
Prior to Punk’s arrival, Rhodes would have been my pick to win the Rumble, putting him in elite company as only three other men have ever won the match in consecutive years: Hulk Hogan in 1990-91, Shawn Michaels in 1995-96 and Stone Cold Steve Austin in 1997-98. He’s also on Raw while Reigns is on SmackDown, but since the Rumble match winner can choose any champion to challenge, a Rhodes victory would fit in with WWE logic the best possible way.
That now feels unlikely, though WWE teasing it with a final two of Punk and Rhodes would be fun. The guess here is that Rhodes loses and is distraught, figuring his best chance to get his rematch with Reigns is gone. WWE will play up the idea that Cody is suffering through yet more adversity, even though that’s pretty much been his lot in life for the better part of eight months now and we’ve reached the point of diminishing returns for putting the American Nightmare through the ringer.
But wait, you say. WWE has other events on the oft discussed Road to WrestleMania, any of which could be used to get Rhodes back on track. A theory being bandied about is that his title shot could be the prize in Elimination Chamber, particularly since the 2024 event is being held in Australia, and WWE will want to make it as significant as possible.
That’s all well and good, just excessively complicated. We don’t need to see Rhodes squirm in anguish as we’ve seen that plenty. Punk is on Raw with Rollins, and when two wrestlers are on the same show, sometimes they can get title opportunities literally just by asking for them.
I’m not Triple H and would never pretend to be, but here’s what I’d do: Get down to a final four in the Men’s Rumble that consists of Punk, Rhodes and any other two people you think the crowd would believe might have a chance (Drew McIntyre and Solo Sikoa, maybe?). Have it come down to the two favorites.
But don’t have Punk win. He’s the one who should so some squirming now after being gone so long. Have him fret about coming this close to having his WrestleMania main event, with Rollins rubbing his nose in it the next night on Raw.
Rhodes goes on to challenge Reigns, as expected. WWE spends the weeks in-between dragging out the Punk-Rollins program before figuring out some other way to arrive at the same destination, because that’s the feud that could use the extra twists and turns.
It’s not what I expect to happen come Jan. 27. But I hope it does.
CM Punk looks like he’ll compete in a non-televised live event before we see him in the ring on WWE TV.
It appears that the first big program for CM Punk since making his WWE return might be with Seth Rollins, given what went down on this week’s episode of Raw. But that doesn’t mean the World Heavyweight Champion will be the first person to stand across the ring from him for a singles match.
Punk revealed that he had signed with Raw to be a member of the Monday night roster this week and announced he was going to enter the Royal Rumble. Neither reveal ranked as that much of a surprise, particularly once he had a verbal confrontation with Rollins.
What this week’s show didn’t disclose was when fans would get the chance to see Punk back in a WWE ring for the first time since January 2014, or who he’d face. The answer appears to be before the end of this year (barely) and against someone he’s never wrestled before.
According to the official X account of the Kia Forum just outside Los Angeles, Punk will compete at a WWE live event (a.k.a. house show) at the venue on Saturday, Dec. 30. The opponent? None other than The Judgment Day’s “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio (h/t Fightful).
JUST ADDED! @CMPunk will face ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio at the @WWE Live Holiday Tour on Saturday, December 30!
Could Punk wrestle sometime before the 30th? Yes, but time is running short. WWE won’t hold any live cards, televised or otherwise, from Tuesday, Dec. 19 through Christmas Day. That leaves next Monday, Dec. 18, as one of the few remaining possibilities.
There’s also a chance that Punk could be added to house shows this coming weekend, as there are live events on Dec. 16 and 17. The Saturday show is in Moline, Ill., a few hours from Chicago, so one wonders if that might be a place he’d pop in to get some in-ring work in.
Plus there are a number of live events between Dec. 26 and Dec. 29, including one the day after Christmas at Madison Square Garden. If WWE wanted to create some extra buzz, it could potentially get Punk onto one of these shows too.
For now, however, it looks like the final weekend of 2023 is when Punk will face Mysterio to get his feet wet during his WWE return. And even if he doesn’t get the dub, at least Dom will get to be the answer to a trivia question someday.
That CM Punk-Seth Rollins feud you’ve been asking for was more than teased on this week’s WWE Raw.
Ever since his surprise return at Survivor Series, CM Punk has been appearing on Raw, NXT and SmackDown. His pop-ups have been riling up fans who haven’t seen him in a WWE ring since 2014, featuring a few promos that harken back to his fast-talking, anything-goes heyday.
Leading up to his SmackDown appearance at Tribute to the Troops, WWE teased that Punk needed to choose a brand to sign with. At the Dec. 1 episode of SmackDown, Randy Orton made a dramatic decision to sign with the blue brand. The question remained, would the Straight Edge Superstar follow suit and make his announcement on Monday night?
General manager Adam Pearce welcomed Punk to the ring at the top of the 9:00 pm ET hour of Raw, and he immediately recalled his WWE debut at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland and referenced his earliest days with the company, as well as his time as World Heavyweight Champion and the circumstances of losing that title.
Punk referenced the day he left WWE and stated he does not regret his decision, but offered his apologies to disappointed fans for what happened, before cutting to the point: his decision. The “Best in the World” expressed his desire to put his past behind him, correct any mistakes, and start his future immediately as a Raw talent.
As the segment seemingly ended, Seth Rollins interrupted Punk’s music, creating the staredown not days, weeks, or months, but years in the making between two of pro wrestling’s biggest stars. The World Heavyweight Champion then grabbed the microphone, dismissed Punk’s comments about WWE being his “home,” and blurred the lines about this being the 45-year-old’s “last chance” in pro wrestling.
Punk kept his retort simple, with the conclusion that he’ll enter the Men’s Royal Rumble match in January to potentially earn a match against Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship.
Punk experienced his first real moment with another WWE talent since his return last month, and it certainly delivered. Now that he’s officially on Raw on Monday nights, viewers should expect more interactions like this with not only Rollins, but also other WWE Superstars.
Also tonight on WWE Raw from Cleveland, CM Punk tells the world where he’s signing.
The funny thing about revenge is that it getting it might not make you feel all the way better about what got you upset in the first place. That’s worth keeping in mind for Drew McIntyre as he gets a one-on-one match with Jey Uso tonight on WWE Raw from Cleveland.
If you’ve been watching WWE programming over the past few months, you’re familiar with McIntyre’s grievances. Headed for one of the biggest victories of his career, in front of friends and family at Clash at the Castle in the fall of 2022, the Scottish Warrior instead tasted bitter defeat thanks to The Bloodline.
You may also recall that Jey Uso was a member of said Bloodline.
Jey has made amends with most people since becoming one of the top fan favorites on Raw, but McIntyre — who arguably had the biggest and most understandable gripe of all — couldn’t forgive or forget. That truth has shaped all of his actions as of late.
The question now is whether Drew will feel like that void inside would be filled even if he beats Jey. And the guess here is that no, it probably won’t. But that’s what makes McIntyre so compelling right now.
Oh, and there’s also something big going on with CM Punk tonight: He’s going to tell the world if he’s signing with Raw or SmackDown. Wonder if a certain World Heavyweight Champion might try to influence his decision one way or another …
We’re ready for all of this. We’re even ready to yeet again. Let’s do the thing.
WWE Raw results from Cleveland:
(please scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold)
Jey Uso welcomes everyone to Raw, is excited about having yeet back and says get well to Sami Zayn before he takes on Drew McIntyre; The Scottish Warrior says he doesn’t want CM Punk on Raw and offers a semi-apology to Zayn before explaining again why he’s justified in seeking revenge against Jey
Drew McIntyre def. Jey Uso by pinfall after using a thumb to the eye to soften up Uso for a Claymore
CM Punk’s promo from SmackDown is replayed ahead of his big decision tonight
The Shinsuke Nakamura warning for Cody Rhode is played again too
There’s finger pointing in The Judgment Day clubhouse, and plenty of blame to go around, but Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley get into it more than anyone
Alpha Academy and The Creed Brothers fire up Maxxine Dupri, and Chad Gable warns R-Truth not to keep messing with The Judgment Day as he prepares to put holiday lights in their clubhouse
Rhea Ripley def. Maxxine Dupri by submission
A video promotes Kayden Carter and Katana Chance
Adam Pearce is shown entering CM Punk’s dressing room
CM Punk makes the choice to sign with Raw, setting off a passionate confrontation with Seth Rollins
Bronson Reed and Ivar talk some asynchronous trash to each other as they get ready to do battle
Bronson Reed def. Ivar by pinfall
The Judgment Day says hi to Punk, with Priest saying he hopes Punk is the one to finish a story around here, because if he does, Damian will be the one waiting for him
The Judgment Day tries to have some fun at the expense of R-Truth
McIntyre tells Punk he doesn’t care about anything but finishing his story and that he has that figured out, and he quickly says hi to Kofi Kingston, Chad Gable and Ricochet, who Pearce wants to talk to
Kayden Carter and Katana Chance def. Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell by pinfall as Chelsea Green and Piper Niven watch on guest commentary
#DIY discuss their mystery partner, not revealing his identity to Ludwig Kaiser, and Gunther stops by to wish them luck and express his skepticism over anyone teaming with them
Becky Lynch wants to “end” the lie that Nia Jax made her career, but Jax is willing to make her wait
Cody Rhodes says he’d be a lot more excited about facing Nakamura if he hadn’t been misted in the face, but agrees with Shinsuke’s assertion that he asked for this
#DIY and The Miz def. Imperium by pinfall
Gunther berates his flunkies as per usual, then turn arounds and finds Miz demanding an Intercontinental Championship rematch; Gunther grants it, but says the condition is that if he wins, Miz can’t challenge for it again as long as he’s champion, and Miz accepts it
Cody Rhodes def. Shinsuke Nakamura by DQ after Nakamura uses the mist on Rhodes, and a post-match attack gets in some more punishment on Cody until The Creed Brothers can make the save … but Nakamura runs down for one more shot as Rhodes is being helped to the back
Image credit: WWE.com
Drew McIntyre continues further into the shadow realm, cheating to defeat Jey Uso
Spinning out of the opening segment, McIntyre doesn’t even get his jacket off before Uso sends him to the floor and the show to commercials. After the break, Jey gets a near fall with a cross body off the top.
McIntyre fires back to pummel Uso near the ropes, dropping right hands repeatedly. A vertical suplex follows, allowing the Scottish Warrior to continue his measured attack.
Jey takes some additional punishment in the corner and while strung through the ropes. Uso finally gets an opening, and he takes full advantage with a suicide dive before ads set in again.
We return to find McIntyre in the Tree of Woe, then quickly out as he sits up and hurls Uso off the top rope. He also used the bottom of the ring as a weapon during the commercials, which made for a pretty cool replay.
Uso fights back with right hands until a Glasgow Kiss halts him in his tracks. Drew goes up top but gets caught with a superkick to the gut when Jey rolls away. A Samoan Drop is next, but McIntyre kicks out at two.
McIntyre reaches back to execute a neckbreaker, then kips up. He heads to the corner opposite Uso but his Claymore attempt is countered with a superkick. An Uso Splash is next, but it catches nothing but knees, and Jey has to dig down to kick out at two following the Future Shock.
With Uso slow to rise, McIntyre removes the turnbuckle cover atop one corner. He rushes in again but no Claymore as a spear catches him first, and Uso earns another near fall.
As the ref looks at the turnbuckle, McIntyre thumbs Uso in the eye, following up with a Claymore to get the three count.
Image credit: WWE.com
Rhea Ripley has little trouble with Maxxine Dupri
This seems like a tough spot for Dupri, though at least she has Ivy Nile out there to support her. She slaps the champ in the face early on, which seems more brave than smart.
Dupri doesn’t really pull off flinging Ripley into the corner with her legs, then gets slammed down afterward. And again. She ends up twisting Dupri like a pretzel with her knee on Maxxine’s neck, and a tapout isn’t long to follow.
Nile confronts Ripley after the bell, which is interesting.
Image credit: WWE.com
CM Punk makes Adam Pearce happy, but Seth Rollins is not so thrilled
Adam Pearce says the man who’s coming out needs no introduction but does need to make a decision. Punk joins him in the ring and says he thought he was a bit sullen until he came out and saw the fans and the signs.
Punk says “we” have a decision to make and notes that Cleveland hasn’t always been kind to him. There are a lot of ghosts in these hallways, as he remembers his debut in this building and his return as world champion. The latter incident involved him getting kicked in the head backstage by Randy Orton and being stripped of his title.
Then 10 years ago, Punk had to make the hardest decision of his life, walking out in Cleveland. If you were disappointed when he did that, Punk apologizes.
He muses about how the deal that Pearce put together was better than the other brands, but he says that when he saw Cleveland was the location of tonight’s show, his mind was pretty much made up. Ten years ago he walked out, and tonight he’s walking right back in. Yep, Punk is home on Raw.
Punk signs for a happy Pearce, but someone is not: Seth Rollins. The World Heavyweight Champion heads straight to the ring to stare Punk down, then grabs a microphone. Rollins is offended by Punk calling WWE his home, though the fans chant for CM right after that.
Rollins accuses Punk of abandoning WWE and slandering the talent over the past 10 years. “This is not your home, this is my home!”
The champ calls the other talent and the fans his family and that he’ll do everything possible to protect it from people like Punk. Rollins says he wants to ensure that Punk understands something: “I hate you.” But if he’s going to be in WWE, Rollins wants him on Raw, because this is CM’s last chance, and either Punk will self destruct, or if he has changed and has any gas left in the tank, Seth can expose him as a fraud in a title match.
“I will wrestle circles around you, and I will make you understand in real time what it means to be the best in the world.”
Punk asks if Rollins is done and says this is Seth’s one pass to speak to him disrespectfully. He also confirms he’s entering the Royal Rumble and when he wins, maybe it’s Seth he’s coming after.
Image credit: WWE.com
Bronson Reed wins battle of big men with Ivar
Big E, this one is for you! Reed gets off to a fast start, punishing his foe until a double clothesline puts them both down. They both take each other down on the outside as well, leading to commercials.
There’s more craziness when we return, with Ivar hitting a cannonball off the apron onto Reed. But the retaliation is even more impressive as it takes the form of a massive superplex, allowing Reed to get the three count.
Image credit: WWE.com
The Judgment Day wants to remind everyone who they are, but The Creed Brothers aren’t listening
Trying to get some of their mojo back, the four men in The Judgment Day say they are putting everyone, old, new and returning alike, on notice. They’re about to specifically address The Creed Brothers when R-Truth joins them.
He’s confused about the locks on the clubhouse, getting him a tongue lashing from JD McDonagh. But Damian Priest invites him into the ring, saying he wants to hear what Truth has to say.
Alas, the first thing he has to say is that he thinks McDonagh should be kicked out. Second, Priest needs to quit calling himself the boss because it makes Mami mad.
Damian says everyone likes R-Truth … except him. Priest lays him out and the others join in, but The Creed Brothers come hustling to the rescue. They’re outnumbered, but that hardly matters as they manage to clear the ring anyway.
Image credit: WWE.com
Becky Lynch wants to fight, but Nia Jax is content to make her wait
Wasting no time, Lynch says she’s here to call out Jax. While they’ve never had a singles match, they’re linked forever by the right hand that smashed Lynch’s face five years ago in a Raw vs. SmackDown battle.
After Becky gets in some barbs on Nia, Jax has heard enough and heads down to the ring. Nia says she’s right there in front of her better than ever, and says the punch was just a lucky swing … and it still almost ended Lynch’s career. Just imagine what her full force would do.
Jax claims Lynch owes her career to Nia, which Becky takes offense to as she should. It wasn’t just about a broken face but getting back up and persevering. The Man says she needs to end the lie or end Jax, which amuses Nia since she figures Becky needs to prove it to herself.
Lynch says she came looking for a fight and offers Jax a free shot, but Nia says Becky needs this a lot more than I do and walks away.
Image credit: WWE.com
Cleveland’s finest: The Miz, #DIY join forces to defeat Imperium
Michael Cole reminds us how truly unlikely the team of Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa and The Miz are given the history between them. That feels like a lifetime ago now.
DIY shows off their usual excellent teamwork early, but a big boot from Gunther to Ciampa changes that in a hurry before a commercial break.
It’s Imperium’s turn to show off some teamwork now, even with the issues they’ve been having. Gargano geta a hot tag, however, and his flurry leads to a slingshot spear to Ludwig Kaiser that forces a save from Giovanni Vinci.
The Miz finally enters the fray, much to the delight of his hometown fans, hitting a cross body and some kicks on Gunther. More kicks force the IC champ back into the corner, but only until Gunther can catch one of them and lock in a Boston Crab.
Things break down as multiple men hit the ring, and Gargano and Miz both hit tornado DDTs at nearly the same time. Miz gets the Figure Four on Gunther while Gargano gets the Gargano Escape on Kaiser.
Alas, Gunther tags Vinci, who drops an elbow on Miz. But Miz gets Vinci in position for a Skull Crushing Finale, and he hits it to secure the victory.
Image credit: WWE.com
Shinsuke Nakamura proves it’s not about defeating Cody Rhodes
Is Nakamura more dangerous than he’s ever been? We’ll see here, but it is kind of crazy they’ve never wrestled a singles match before. Shinsuke is a step ahead of Cody early on, sending Rhodes to the floor with a sliding kick.
Rhodes is experiencing Good Vibrations when the broadcast returns, and his attempt to battle back is halted by another stiff kick. Shinsuke grabs a headlock as Cody shows to the ref he’s not fading.
A Cody Cutter is blocked, and Nakamura tries for an armbar, even countering out of a Cross Rhodes attempt to stay at it. Shinsuke hits his sliding release German suplex, smiling before a jumping knee off the top earns him a near fall.
A Kinshasa attempt is cut off by a low dropkick that chops out Nakamura’s legs. Rhodes hits a dragon screw with his foe trapped in the ropes, then drops him face first after lifting him in from the apron.
Rhodes administers a half crab, and Nakamura has to will himself to the ropes for a break. Both men go crashing to the outside as we break for ads one last time.
They’re back inside and slugging it out now. Nakamura wins that exchange, but Rhodes hits a flying forearm shot and a powerslam to regain the momentum. He has to fall backward, however, when Shinsuke hops on his back for a sleeper.
Both have slowed now, but Rhodes is able to catch his opponent with a Disaster Kick that’s good for a two count. Here come punches and a Bionic Elbow, and the Cody Cutter is on the mark too. Rhodes wants Cross Rhodes but gets the red mist to the face.
The ref calls for the bell, but Nakamura doesn’t care continuing his attack. A blinded Rhodes attempts to fight back, but Shinsuke drops him to his knees and hits the Kinshasa to the back of the head.
With Shinsuke wielding a chair, The Creed Brothers head down to prevent any more damage, and Nakamura decides to retreat since his job is done.
Except when Rhodes is being helped to the back, Nakamura comes running down and gets in one more shot. Thanks for nothing, Creeds.
Also on WWE Raw from Cleveland, Drew McIntyre clashes with Jey Uso, and Becky Lynch calls out Nia Jax.
It’s decision time tonight on WWE Raw from Cleveland. No, not for LeBron James, though that would be fitting given the setting, but for one of the two big names who recently returned to the company.
Will CM Punk be a permanent fixture on Monday nights?
If you watched SmackDown last Friday, you know that CM Punk did a more Punk-like promo than he did on Raw in his first appearance after his WWE return. Still, it feels like when he announces his choice between the two brands, he’s going to go with Raw.
Why? Well, SmackDown already got Randy Orton, so it’s only logical that WWE would want to balance things out by placing Punk here. But more than that, it’s expected that his first major feud will be with Seth Rollins, who is the champ on Mondays, so …
Maybe WWE throws us a curveball. Perhaps the plan is to have Punk on SmackDown for now and then win the Royal Rumble so he can challenge Rollins, as it wouldn’t matter what roster he’s on to do that. We should find out tonight.
Will battling Jey Uso help get Drew McIntyre some of the payback he desperately craves?
Drew McIntyre has well-explained reasons for his actions over the past month or two. And a big one is that Jey Uso was part of The Bloodline when McIntyre was hosed out of his moment of glory at Clash at the Castle last fall.
Conveniently, the Scottish Warrior gets Uso in the ring tonight in Cleveland. But would even beating Jey get him the closure he craves? Something tells us that no, no it would not.
Is calling out Nia Jax a good idea for The Man?
It’s clear that Becky Lynch doesn’t care much for Nia Jax and the way Nia has been running roughshod since she’s been back on Raw. With that in mind, it’s not surprising that Lynch would want to call Jax out on Raw.
But to what end? Does WWE feel confident enough in Jax to make this an ongoing program that would lead up through Royal Rumble or even to WrestleMania? It will be intriguing to see where this might lead.
Also on the docket for Raw tonight:
Cody Rhodes takes on Shinsuke Nakamura
Rhea Ripley faces Maxxine Dupri
Raw is ready to battle not one but two Monday Night Football games for your attention tonight, and we’ll be ready with live results (for wrestling, not football!) starting at 8 p.m. ET here on Wrestling Junkie.
CM Punk and Cody Rhodes also had an interesting exchange on the Tribute to the Troops edition of WWE SmackDown.
Many men, many, many, many men (as 50 Cent once said back in the day) have tried to put an end to The Bloodline. None have completely succeeded. But until Roman Reigns and company completely fall apart, it’s an effort worth making, and two more superstars will attempt to weaken the group’s grip on the blue brand tonight on WWE SmackDown from Providence.
In this case, it will be LA Knight and Randy Orton. The former has already had one shot at Reigns and come close to knocking him off, while the latter seems likely to get a chance at the Royal Rumble. Before that can happen, though, the two fan favorites will tag up against Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa on SmackDown. A win could incur Reigns’ wrath … but that’s kind of the point.
Other big names will also be on hand. We’re talking CM Punk, for one, who may or may not be calling SmackDown home. Then there’s Cody Rhodes, who has successfully set up shop on Raw. What does the American Nightmare want to talk about with the Friday night crowd?
Throw in two United States Title Tournament matches and an intriguing collision between Asuka and Charlotte Flair and we’d say this is a pretty loaded edition of SmackDown, perfect for the Tribute to the Troops branding (though we do miss when that was its own separate broadcast). Let’s dive in.
WWE SmackDown Tribute to the Troops results from Providence:
(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
The War and Treaty kick off the broadcast by singing “God Bless America”
JBL is on guest commentary tonight with Kevin Patrick and Michael Cole
Santos Escobar def. Dragon Lee by pinfall in a United States Title Tournament first round match; after the match, Dominik Mysterio takes a moment to mock Lee before they meet at NXT Deadline
Last week’s signing of Randy Orton to SmackDown is shown again for those who missed it
Orton wants to know why he’s being paired with LA Knight tonight, but Nick Aldis tells him all he needs to know is that both of them want to get at The Bloodline; Orton has also paid twice the fine he needed to pay, saying “that’s for next time”
Cody Rhodes is here to thank all the U.S. military servicemen and servicewomen, with a special appearance by the United States Army Drill Team
Bobby Lashley def. Karrion Kross by pinfall in a United States Title Tournament first round match, with special guest commentary from Brad Nessler — yes, that Brad Nessler
Bayley tries to give Asuka a pep talk but is told by the rest of Damage CTRL to “hang back” tonight
CM Punk delivers a spicier promo than his first one back, making a veiled joke about his firing, taking a shot at Seth Rollins and saying he’ll make his decision about which brand he’s signing for on Monday night
Walking backstage, Punk runs into Kevin Owens, who doesn’t seem thrilled to see him and won’t direct him to Nick Aldis’ locker room
Asuka def. Charlotte Flair by pinfall, getting some effective help from Bayley for once
Punk is seen talking to Aldis, and Rhodes stops by and notes that to finish his own story, Punk would have to win the Royal Rumble … which Cody finds “interesting”; he does say it’s good to have CM back
Punk wishes Randy Orton and LA Knight good luck before Orton asks Knight if he’s ready: “Yeah”
LA Knight and Randy Orton def. Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa by pinfall
Santos Escobar advances in the United States Title Tournament, defeating Dragon Lee
Right before the match is about to start in earnest, Dominik Mysterio decides to come down and get a closer look. He hears it from the crowd about how he sucks as the match gets going, and Lee wastes zero time in flying to the floor.
More fancy moves lead to a superkick that puts Escobar on the mat for a near fall. Santos offers a painful response with a neckbreaker back through the ropes, covering for his own two count.
Escobar has some Spanish language taunts for his foe as he works in the corner, and he stops Lee from a hurricanrana to powerbomb him on the apron.
Lee is back in control with a near fall coming out of a commercial break, and he delivers a German suplex before taking a nasty superkick that forces him to kick out again.
A Phantom Driver looks like it’s in the offing, but Lee counters with a rollup, then hits a sitout powerbomb, but neither can bring this match to a conclusion. Lee has some words with Mysterio, who he’ll face Saturday night at NXT Deadline, but Escobar catches him right afterward with a Phantom Driver that ends it.
Cody Rhodes pays his own Tribute to the Troops, with some special guests
Despite this not being his usual stomping grounds, Rhodes receives a warm welcome from the SmackDown fans. What does Providence want to talk about? Cody says he asked to be here because it’s Tribute to the Troops, and he talks about how proud he is to carry on this tradition, giving thanks to the servicepeople in attendance and watching at home.
He introduces a highlight video of Tribute to the Troops through its 21 years, heavily focused on John Cena. A “USA” chant breaks out in response.
Rhodes then welcomes the United States Army Drill Team, which shows off its typically incredible skill and precision on the stage.
Bobby Lashley buries Karrion Kross, advances in the tourney
Legendary sports announcer Brad Nessler sits in with the commentators for this one as he’s calling the Army-Navy football game on Saturday. No way that Lashley, a former Army sergeant, is losing this one on Tribute to the Troops night, right?
He certainly looks fine in the early going, tossing Kross around with ease and posing for the fans. Michael Cole is impressed Nessler knew JBL once played football, but jokes aside, he seems pretty comfortable trading lines with the actual WWE announcers.
Lashley pretty much cruises anyway, finishing Kross with a spear and advancing to face Escobar in the next round.
CM Punk is back on SmackDown, but is it for good?
The fans start a big chant for Punk, who says that since he’s not at the end of the show tonight, he’s not going to have his time cut, so they can go ahead and chant. Punk notes that Adam Pearce is trying to sign him to Raw and suggests he’ll partly leave it up to the fans.
Where do they want him to sign? Well these folks want him to sign for SmackDown, obviously, and they are fond of the idea that he’ll be in the Royal Rumble match too.
Even though he’s famous for talking, Punk says he’s been listening too, and there are some people who don’t like the happy go lucky version of him. So let’s make this spicier: Who do you want Punk to talk about?
He could tell stories about Cody Rhodes, or he could talk about somebody who’s not here, who’s never here: Roman Reigns. “Don’t forget who the OG Paul Heyman guy is.”
Punk says he isn’t familiar with Solo Sikoa, and if he messes with Jimmy Uso on SmackDown, he’s going to need backup. Would Randy Orton tag with him? He’s not sure. Punk thinks LA Knight would tag with him. Would Kevin Owens? Maybe they are too much alike, and he also makes a crack about his firing from AEW in not so many words.
Moving on, Punk says the one guy who wasn’t happy to see him back “isn’t even The Man in his own house,” referring to Seth Rollins. He claims he’ll reveal where he’ll sign on Monday night, even teasing that he’ll consider NXT, and where other people are talking about finishing their stories, he’s back to finish what he started.
Bayley actually comes through, helps Asuka beat Charlotte Flair
Before the bell rings, Zelina Vega and Michin attack Asuka’s Damage CTRL teammates, and they soon get reinforcements from Bianca Belair and Shotzi too. The announcers discuss the history that Flair and Asuka have together, including some of the best women’s matches in WWE history.
Flair gets an early edge that the Empress quickly reverses on the outside. Charlotte takes it back with a moonsault that almost overshoots and runs her into the announce table, but fortunately she comes out just fine.
After commercials, referee Charles Robinson is checking on Flair, but despite limping a bit, she wants a Figure Four. Can she bridge into the Figure Eight? Nope, because Bayley breaks the hold.
Flair ends up hammering Bayley with a forearm shot, giving Asuka a chance to roll up Charlotte for the pinfall. “I did that,” yells Bayley.
LA Knight and Randy Orton prove too much for Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa
The crowd is definitely feeling the team of the Megastar and the Viper, no question. The announcers, and especially JBL, put over how Orton looks better than ever and what a scary thought that is.
Knight only reluctantly looks like he’s willing to let Orton tag in, and Randy looks set to face Sikoa but gets jumped from behind by Uso.
After commercial breaks, Knight is on a roll, crushing Sikoa in the corner. But he stops to deal with Uso on the apron and gets viciously powerslammed by Solo.
Jimmy sneaks in another cheap shot or two from the floor, setting up a Sikoa vertical suplex for two. Solo follows with headbutts, then trades right hands with Knight, coming out on top.
Uso is now the legal man and looks very confident, making a quick tag back to Solo to whip Knight hard into the turnbuckles. Knight fires back with a bulldog off the second rope, and the fans come even more alive as Orton gets the hot tag. The Viper sends Sikoa to the floor and hits a powerslam on Uso before bouncing his face off the table and dropping him on it for good measure.
The vintage elevated DDT is next, and Orton signals for an RKO. But Sikoa attacks from behind before being taken out in turn by Knight. LA wants the Blunt Force Trauma, but Randy beats him to an RKO, pinning Uso afterward. LA and Randy seem on food enough terms as they pose following their victory.
If this is the era where it’s most difficult to tell when the real life feelings of wrestlers blend into what you see on TV, Seth Rollins is among the masters of that craft. The WWE World Heavyweight Champion is so skilled at saying what he really means and making it look like a storyline, and vice versa, that it’s tough to say which is which.
As a prime example, take recently returned CM Punk. While Punk was away, and even during his time in AEW, Rollins spoke about his dislike for the Second City Saint and his hope that he’d never come back. Was that real? Probably, because there was no reason to work an angle with someone who was likely not going to show up in WWE again/
Now, of course, Punk is back. With speculation swirling that a big money program between Rollins and Punk is on the horizon — perhaps even culminating in a WrestleMania match — Seth is once again being asked for his opinions.
As Rollins explained on the SI Media With Jimmy Traina podcast, his issues mostly center on his view that Punk takes more from the wrestling business than he puts in (h/t Wrestling Observer for the transcription).
A lot of it’s personal, a lot of it’s stuff that I don’t really want to get into but for the most part, I just think he’s been really selfish when it comes to his perspective on the industry. I think he’s been extremely self-serving, has played the martyr role to a tee.
…
For a guy who, when I met him, made it seem like he was all about giving back to the business, he really turned into a pretty selfish guy and really wanted to take more from the industry.
Rollins also objects to the way Punk trashed WWE after the two sides had their very contentious parting in 2014. While Punk had some justifiable grievances, Rollins didn’t like him trashing the place that gave him the life he always wanted (and a family, as Rollins met wife Becky Lynch in WWE as well).
He doesn’t use the word flat out, but it’s clear Rollins perceives some hypocrisy in Punk’s “I’m home” attitude about WWE.
The way I felt like he was only looking out for himself and then the way he talked down about me and my friends and the people who are here putting the hard work in in WWE trying to make this thing as good as we possibly could because we love the industry, truly love it, not just what it can do for us. We actually love it, want to give back to it, and want to make it the best it can possibly be. And I always just felt he was a fraud in that sense, or at least, he turned into one at some point in the last decade.
Those are fighting words, for sure. But they’re just as effective if they’re being done to set up a feud, which at this point seems very likely. Chalk it up to Rollins’ skill and professionalism, all wrapped around a nugget of real feeling.
As the holiday season rapidly approaches, WWE is bringing a gift of sorts to fans tonight on the Tribute to the Troops edition of WWE SmackDown in Providence, R.I.
Can Nick Aldis make CM Punk his second straight huge signing?
As you may have heard by now, CM Punk will appear tonight on SmackDown for the first time in ages. While his first promo back in WWE last week may not have exactly been a pipe bomb, fans will likely be worked into a frenzy again over seeing him live.
In storyline terms, Punk was invited to SmackDown by general manager Nick Aldis, who managed to convince fellow recent returnee Randy Orton to commit to Friday nights. That makes Punk feel like he’s headed for Raw, especially since Seth Rollins is his logical first target. But perhaps The Bloodline or other members of the SmackDown roster will try to sway him by throwing out a challenge, which is definitely something to keep an eye on tonight.
Can Randy Orton and LA Knight prove to be an effective team against The Bloodline?
There’s plenty of evidence at this point that going it alone against The Bloodline just doesn’t work. LA Knight has experienced that firsthand, and Orton is going to figure it out quickly as well.
Ah, but how about two solo stars joining forces? That’s proven to be more effective, and we’ll see it again in Providence as Knight and Orton take on Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa.
This is kind of a reminder that with Roman Reigns on a reduced schedule and the likes of Jey Uso and Sami Zayn no longer with the group like they were at its peak, The Bloodline is short on pure numbers at the moment. But with Reigns returning next week, it behooves the fan favorites to take advantage while they can.
Will Charlotte Flair cause more fissures within Damage CTRL?
There’s been an undeniable feeling that Bayley isn’t on the same page with the rest of Damage CTRL, so every time one member has a match, there’s the potential for more drama. That could certainly be the case again tonight when Asuka takes on Charlotte Flair.
What if Bayley tries to help and it backfires … again? The patience shown by the rest of the group is pretty clearly wearing thin, and a mutiny to install IYO SKY as leader might be inevitable. This is certainly worth watching.
Also slated for SmackDown Tribute for the Troops:
Two more United States Title Tournament matches: Dragon Lee vs. Santos Escobar and Bobby Lashley vs. Karrion Kross (remember him?)
WWE SmackDown Tribute to the Troops is set for 8 p.m. on Fox, so join us back here at that time for all the latest results and other happenings from Providence.
I don’t think I am breaking news when I say that we live in a society that demands immediate satisfaction, or at the very least, immediate results.
The majority of our entertainment comes in the form of videos that are too long if they top 90 seconds, we get irrationally frustrated when a download isn’t complete within a few blinks of your eyelids, and we will pay exorbitant amounts of money to ensure a same-day delivery.
That intrinsically transfers over to how we consume professional wrestling. And when CM Punk made his shocking return to WWE back at Survivor Series, I, like the rest of wrestling fans, figured WWE would get the wheels in motion for what it had in store for Punk immediately.
When you’ve got the most controversial person in wrestling suddenly on your roster, you strike while that iron is piping hot.
Instead, Punk cut a promo that didn’t last longer than 10 minutes, dropped a few hints as to what his future may hold, and didn’t say much else. Wrestling fans, yearning for the immediate satisfaction of Punk stirring the pot via a pipe bomb-esque promo, left that night wanting more.
We’d soon find out that Punk wouldn’t appear on television for more than a week, as he has been advertised to appear on the Tribute to the Troops edition of Smackown on Dec. 8. Raw general manager Adam Pearce also invited Punk to the Dec. 11 edition of Raw in an effort to have the latter sign an exclusive deal with the brand, which was news World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins was not too pleased to hear.
Adam Pearce tells Seth Rollins that he intends to sign CM Punk exclusively to RAW
Seth Rollins says when Punk shows his true colours and it blows up in his face, stay out of his way when he does what he’s gotta do#WWERAW pic.twitter.com/c7QpOA3u9S
Today’s conventional wisdom would be for WWE to quickly cash in on the attention Punk brought. It has chosen to be patient instead. And while that may not satisfy wrestling fans’ seemingly insatiable appetite, I don’t blame WWE for taking its time.
One of the side effects of our ever shrinking attention spans is that it can at times prevent us from seeing the larger picture. I, along with nearly every other human being on the planet, has been guilty of this at one time or another. In this case, that larger picture includes what WWE has planned for Punk at WrestleMania.
WrestleMania 40 is four months away and there isn’t even a premium live event in the month of December. If there is a time for WWE to slow things down, chart out a quality path for Punk and execute it to precision in the coming months, it is now.
There is literally no reason to rush at the moment. There are plenty of weeks between now and even the Royal Rumble, which takes place in late January.
WWE’s patience with Punk isn’t necessarily outside of the norm for the promotion under its current regime, as it has done a masterful job of stretching out stories that in some cases last multiple years. Remember when Jey Uso openly defied Roman Reigns in October of 2022? That came two years after Uso was essentially forced to join The Bloodline by his older cousin.
WWE then waited all the way until June of 2023 to finally remove Uso from the group — eight months later. In the meantime, WWE managed to keep fans engaged with a story that had earned a main event spot at WrestleMania.
But alas, this is 2023 and society’s collective attention spans probably aren’t going to suddenly increase in 2024. So I understand if the slow burn style of storytelling isn’t exactly everyone’s cup of tea.
However, WWE has proven it can thread a story for an extended period of time. I’d be willing to bet that time WWE is taking is being put to good use by crafting a well thought out and fully fleshed out story, as opposed to one that is rushed together in a panic and includes gaping holes in logic.
So hang in there, wrestling fans. WWE still has plenty of time to deliver on the goods you all came to see. If recent history is any indication, it will be worth the wait.
