Tag: Finn Balor

Finn Balor calls Dominik Mysterio the ‘future of the business’

Dominik Mysterio received some high praise indeed from his Judgment Day stablemate Finn Balor.

Only five years ago, Dominik Mysterio began training for pro wrestling and was quickly thrust into a full-time role alongside his father Rey Mysterio.

Soon after his ascension to being a regular talent, Dominik joined The Judgment Day, headlining premium live events and becoming a pivotal part of weekly WWE programming. Mysterio capped off his rise by competing in a singles match against his father at WrestleMania and subsequently winning the NXT North American Championship this summer.

At 26 years old, Mysterio’s career is still in its infancy. He has found success with a title and receives an overwhelming reaction every time in the ring, and fellow Judgment Day member Finn Balor believes in his stablemate’s abilities due to everything he has done so far.

He discussed with Peter Rosenberg on the Ringer Wrestling Show how Mysterio and the other Judgment Day members have impressed him (h/t Fightful for transcription).

“All three. I thought they were good, I didn’t know they were that good. Damian, I knew had it in him, he just maybe didn’t realize himself or he needed that extra kick up the ass to get going, and I feel the last couple of months, especially since winning Money in The Bank, he’s really stepped it up a gear. Rhea, I think everyone knew was a superstar from the day she walked in the door, it was just a matter of time. For me, the biggest surprise was Dominik. He’s kind of completely stepped out and probably exceeded any expectation that anyone had for his entire career, in one year. Last weekend was the one-year anniversary since he joined Judgment Day. I feel he was kind of given a warm reception when he came in because he was the son of a Hall of Famer, the son of Rey Mysterio, he was accepted because he was the blood of Rey Mysterio. ‘We appreciate you’re doing this and because we love your dad so much, we’re going to cheer for you.’ Once he stepped out from under that tree and started fending for himself, he’s been a completely different animal. Not only the growth he’s shown outside of the ring, his promos, his character work, but his growth inside of the ring has been absolutely monumental for someone who has had very little training, no NXT experience, most of his training has been done on the job, on live TV, this kid is the future of the business in my opinion.”

It’s high praise from Balor, a veteran of the industry for over 20 years who has worked in New Japan Pro Wrestling and various independent pro wrestling companies. He has witnessed Mysterio’s growth firsthand, which has been achieved essentially through a crash course of training on Raw, SmackDown, NXT and at premium live events. With more big matches and marquee spots, positive developments should be ahead for his WWE story.

WWE SmackDown results 09/09/23: Jimmy Uso finds 1 is the loneliest number

Not that AJ Styles ended WWE SmackDown in much better shape, thanks to The Judgment Day.

If there’s been a person in The Bloodline who has received less than his share of the spotlight over the last 18 months — and a strong argument can be made that no one has, really, since WWE has done such a good job with this storyline — it’s Jimmy Uso.

He was never “Main Event” like Jey, nor was he the right-hand man of the Tribal Chief. He wasn’t at the center of the dynamic when Sami Zayn was a member of the group.

That appears to finally be changing now. With Jey off to Raw and Roman Reigns on the reduced part of his 2023 schedule, Jimmy is suddenly the main figure of what’s going on in Bloodline land. And the truth is, we don’t 100% know exactly what that is.

But while it remains to be seen exactly where Jimmy’s heart lies, his body will be in the ring tonight in Boston, squaring off against AJ Styles. You may recall that last week, Styles had a match with Solo Sikoa, and Jimmy cost him a victory. In pro wrestling tradition, that often means the person with the grievance gets a match against the accused, and that’s what’s happening on SmackDown.

We’ll also see the newly crowned Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions in action. Damian Priest and Finn Balor put aside their squabbles long enough to win gold, with the entire Judgment Day coming together in ways they sometimes haven’t in recent weeks. We’ll see if that same esprit de corps remains intact in Beantown.

WWE SmackDown results from Boston:

(scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • A lengthy highlight package replays the high points from Payback last weekend in Pittsburgh
  • Charlotte Flair and Shotzi def. Damage CTRL (Bayley and IYO SKY) by pinfall after a distraction by Asuka, who confronts SKY after the match
  • A video segment shows what happened between Jimmy Uso and AJ Styles last week
  • Paul Heyman gets a visit from Jimmy Uso, who says he’s in the Bloodline and wants to strategize, but Heyman says he’s not in unless Roman Reigns says he is, and that he should take care of AJ Styles tonight … which is exactly what he does when he sees Styles threaten Heyman
  • SKY says she’s ready for Asuka, and that is a challenge for the title
  • LA Knight wants to talk to ya, but is interrupted by Grayson Waller and Austin Theory, and their exchange sets up a match between Knight and Theory
  • LA Knight def. Austin Theory by pinfall
  • Styles is asked if he can still compete tonight, and he says if he’s standing, he can fight, and nothing will stop him from tearing Jimmy’s head off tonight
  • Heyman is bugging Adam Pearce about who is getting traded to SmackDown when Knight stops by, giving Paul a chance to introduce himself and tell LA to knock first when he’s in there; also Knight will get his second match with The Miz next week
  • The Judgment Day takes a victory lap before their match, bragging about how much gold they have, but both the crowd and The Brawling Brutes interrupt Dominik Mysterio, and Butch shows Balor why he shouldn’t be scoffed at
  • The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) def. The Brawling Brutes (Butch and Ridge Holland) by pinfall, but Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits come to the ring to confront the champs afterward
  • Styles is upset with the rest of The O.C. for not having his back and tells the Good Brothers and Michin he doesn’t want them anywhere near his match tonight
  • Asuka says “they forgot about me” and that SKY has her title, but in two weeks, she’s taking it back
  • AJ Styles def. Jimmy Uso by pinfall, but is attacked by Balor and Priest afterward and takes a Samoan Spike from Solo Sikoa to end the show

WWE SmackDown preview 09/08/23: Main Event Jimmy Uso?

Also tonight on WWE SmackDown from Boston, Bayley gets some teammate help to face Shotzi and Charlotte Flair.

There’s only one Uso left on WWE SmackDown, and his name is Jimmy Uso.

With Jey off to Raw, Jimmy is holding it down on Friday nights. But his actions last week confused the heck out of many, including Solo Sikoa, so the question of where his loyalties lie is still an open one.

In the meantime, he certainly didn’t make any friends with AJ Styles by interfering in AJ’s match with Solo, so now they’re going to settle their differences in the most-time honored way, inside the ring in Boston. Keep an eye on whether Sikoa repays the “favor” Jimmy did him or simply wanders down to ringside with Paul Heyman to keep an eye on things.

(On a related note, might the person who was “traded” for Jey arrive on SmackDown tonight?)

There’s drama unfolding in the women’s division as well. Bayley is still being haunted by Shotzi, though it appeared the Role Model had the Ballsy Badass exactly where she wanted her last week until the arrival of Charlotte Flair to prevent the rest of Damage CTRL from lending a hand.

Bayley will have to face both Shotzi and Flair tonight in Boston, but at least she’ll have the WWE Women’s Champion, IYO SKY, as a partner. That’s about as good as it gets.

This feels like the type of show for which WWE may announce more matches or segments during the day on Friday, but for now it’s just these two. It’s possible that having some of the roster in India for Superstar Spectacle is affecting plans somewhat, but we’ll update this post with whatever else might be revealed ahead of the show.

Update: What do you know? We were right about WWE adding more matches as the day went on, as new tag team champions Damian Priest and Finn Balor of The Judgment Day will take on Butch and Ridge Holland of The Brawling Brutes.

SmackDown is live from TD Garden in Boston at 8 p.m. ET on FOX, and we’ll be bringing you live results and updates as it happens tonight.

How Gunther’s historic WWE Intercontinental Championship reign has elevated the title and its holder

Gunther’s current run with the WWE Intercontinental Championship is a bit of a throwback in all the best possible ways.

Remember the good old days, when the WWE Intercontinental Championship meant something, when the holder was next in line for the world title?

I feel like we as wrestling fans have asked and answered those questions countless times over the last 20 years or so.

That is not to say the title did not have its share of highlights during the last two decades. The Miz and Dolph Ziggler’s battle over the Intercontinental title in 2016 was the best feud of that year. I thought Cody Rhodes introducing the classic title design was an amazing decision. 

I also believe the list of title holders is still as illustrious today as it’s ever been with the likes of Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Bobby Lashley, Finn Balor and AJ Styles.

But Miz and Ziggler’s feud was an outlier among mostly forgettable ones. The classic design conjured up memories of the title’s heyday, but its historic luster was never fully restored. And the title felt more like a demotion to the middle of the card rather than a stepping stone to greater success.

But Gunther’s record-breaking title reign has changed that.

As Gunther surpasses Honky Tonk Man to become the longest-reigning Intercontinental champion of all time, the title feels as important today as it did during its glory years when legends like Bret Hart, Randy Savage and Shawn Michaels held it.

But how did we get to this point? How did WWE successfully revitalize a title that had seemingly lost its place in the wrestling business for so long? Well, there were a few reasons.

First, Gunther was the right person to become champion once he arrived on the main roster. At the time, there was only one top title in WWE and we all know who that belonged to (hint: it’s Reigns). 

WWE has never been shy about immediately strapping the rocketship to someone’s back and placing them in main events. Gunther’s size and strength made him a prime candidate for such a position. 

However, WWE was more patient, mainly because it could be. The promotion already has a monster heel enjoying a lengthy title reign at the top of the card. There was no need to rush another into the same position. It was a luxury WWE fortunately took advantage of by giving Gunther the Intercontinental title instead.

As Intercontinental Champion, Gunther defeated virtually all of the company’s mid-card stars, slowly earning him and the title more credibility in the process. Once again, his size and strength also made him a believable candidate to run roughshod over a good chunk of WWE’s roster. 

This does not feel like the Honky Tonk Man squeaking out technicality victories. This is Gunther winning night in and night out, which brings me to my next point: Gunther has not been pinned.

If there is one well WWE loves to go to time and again, it’s having its champions lose non-title affairs. Yeah, they will eventually somehow win when the title is on the line, but they could easily lose every match leading up to that point, leaving the wrestler and the title as collateral damage to terrible decision-making.

Gunther, on the other hand, literally didn’t lose a match until Chad Gable defeated him a couple of weeks ago on Raw. And even that was via count-out. Gunther being so dominant obviously helps him, but it also helps the person that eventually beats him — because, in theory, that person will also be looked at as a future star.

Speaking of future stars, Gunther’s title reign sure has done a lot for Gable, even with him ultimately coming up short of winning the title in the end. Time will tell if WWE will eventually capitalize on Gable’s newfound momentum as a singles competitor beyond a couple of great title matches. But the opportunity is there, which is saying a lot given he has seen most of his success occur as a tag team wrestler going back to his days on NXT.

The matches Gunther recently had with Gable were not the only great ones during his run. Gunther’s hard-hitting affair against Sheamus at Clash at the Castle was arguably WWE’s best of 2022. Throwing Drew McIntyre into the mix at WrestleMania 39 only helped create another bruising classic.

And these matches are not exclusive to Raw or secondary premium live events. They have taken place on the biggest shows on WWE’s calendar, which was not a guarantee for many other Intercontinental Champions.

Remember the good old days, when the WWE Intercontinental Championship meant something, when the holder was next in line for the world title?

I’m happy to say that I don’t have to think back all that far.

WWE Raw results 09/04/23: Gunther makes history, Jey Uso arrives

See how Gunther made history on WWE Raw from Charlotte, which also saw Jey Uso arrive for his first show on the red brand.

WWE Raw emanates from the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina, and it could be a momentous night for Chad Gable.

As Gunther nears the record for the longest-reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion, he has Gable standing in his way as his biggest obstacle yet. While not at the size and stature of the Imperium leader, Gable is still a presence in his own right as an Olympian and one of WWE’s top technical wrestlers.

It would be startling if Gunther fell just short of the historic mark, but WWE has teased it enough to instill some doubt.

This is also the first show with The Judgment Day as Undisputed WWE Tag Team Champions after they defeated Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens at Payback. This group now holds gold across the board, and entering the fall season, they should run amok.

The other shock from Payback was when Cody Rhodes introduced Jey Uso as the newest member of Raw. Jey had “quit” WWE after the events of SummerSlam and stayed off programming for the past few weeks. With The Usos now split, it will be interesting to see how Jey begins his career as a singles star and if life without Jimmy is more profitable.

WWE Raw results from Charlotte:

  • A recap video of Payback opens the show.
  • Jey Uso addresses the crowd on his first night at WWE Raw, and Sami Zayn assures him that he is welcome on Monday nights.
  • An aftermath video of Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura plays, that shows the King of Strong Style’s post-match attack at Payback that did not air. Nakamura vows to become World Heavyweight Champion.
  • Adam Pearce tells Seth Rollins backstage that medical had ordered him not to be at Raw, but Rollins insisted he was fine. Ricochet praised Rollins’ match at Payback, expressing his respect for him, but reminded him that he didn’t have to carry the show alone. Rollins assured everyone he was fine.
  • The Viking Raiders defeat Drew McIntyre and Matt Riddle via pinfall, in part due to Kofi Kingston’s interference.
  • Seth Rollins challenges Shinsuke Nakamura to a World Heavyweight Championship match, but Nakamura declines and the two brawl.
  • Backstage, Adam Pearce says he’s trying to help Seth Rollins help himself because he’s running himself into the ground, but Rollins wants to hear none of it.
  • Zoey Stark says she has a lot of respect for Trish Stratus, but no one ever pushes her around. Shayna Baszler interrupts, and Starks says they should go one on one tonight.
  • The Judgment Day celebrates their victorious weekend at Payback. JD McDonagh presents Damian Priest with a personalized briefcase and accepts Sami Zayn’s challenge for a match.
  • A slideshow of previous Intercontinental Champions is shown.
  • Gunther says Chad Gable can’t stand in the way of his legacy, and Gable’s fairytale story is temporary.
  • Adam Pearce informs Raquel Rodriguez that he will fulfill her unknown request. Chelsea Green then approaches Pearce and begins to belittle Raquel. Consequently, Pearce officially announces the match between Green and Rodriguez for tonight. It’s also revealed that Piper Niven isn’t cleared to wrestle.
  • Shayna Baszler defeats Zoey Stark via submission.
  • Damian Priest says JD McDonagh still needs to prove himself, but Finn Balor says they wouldn’t be tag team champions without JD McDonagh. Rhea Ripley says let’s see how he does against Sami Zayn before deciding if JD joins Judgment Day.
  • Raquel Rodriguez defeats Chelsea Green via pinfall.
  • Chad Gable says he’s already in the history books and lists his accolades. He vows to add to own legacy as being more than a tag team specialist.
  • Drew McIntyre searches backstage for Kofi Kingston, but runs into Matt Riddle instead. Angered by Jey Uso’s presence on Raw, McIntyre warns Cody Rhodes that he will be watching Uso closely and will have a problem with him if anything happens. Kofi apologizes, but McIntyre refuses to accept it and vows to keep a close eye out for any other accidents.
  • The Miz challenges LA Knight to a rematch without a special referee involved.
  • Gunther and Chad Gable’s rivalry is played in a video package.
  • Adam Pearce tells Jey Uso that someone from SmackDown is being traded to Raw. The identity of the person is unknown, but whoever it is might annoy people more. Tommaso Ciampa then enters Pearce’s office to “finish a conversation.”
  • JD McDonagh defeats Sami Zayn via pinfall.
  • Dominik Mysterio celebrates backstage with The Judgment Day, but breaks away to try to recruit Jey Uso into the group.
  • Gunther defeats Chad Gable via pinfall to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship.

(scroll down for full details on any match or segment in bold above)

Welcome to Monday Night Raw, Jey Uso

Jey Uso wastes no time as he opens Raw with an entrance through the crowd, who gives him a massive pop. Uso gives everyone a grand “Welcome to Monday Night Raw” and receives a huge “Uso” chant in response. Comparing his recent events on SmackDown to “Family Feud,” Uso admits he has made enemies along the way.

Naturally, one of his enemies, Sami Zayn, interrupts. Zayn, Kevin Owens and The Usos headlined the first night of WrestleMania 39 not long ago, but it feels like an eternity has passed since then.

Zayn admits that many people backstage will have issues with Uso’s presence on Raw, but he wants Uso to know that he is glad Jey is here.

Jey puts his hands behind his back as Zayn extends his hand. Zayn walks away, and Uso says “Now that wasn’t very Ucey of me, was it?” They then embrace, but while departing the arena, Drew McIntyre and Matt Riddle, who both have longstanding issues with The Bloodline, stare down Jey as Zayn tries calming everyone.

Drew McIntyre and Matt Riddle find trouble in paradise in loss to The Viking Raiders

After Drew McIntyre vowed to destroy The Viking Raiders last week, he and Matt Riddle took them on in a tornado tag team match, something not seen often in WWE.

Erik and Ivar quickly take control of the action, but after settling in, McIntyre and Riddle start to work together effectively as a tag team. Riddle then imitates The Dudley Boyz and playfully requests that McIntyre get the tables.

McIntyre then gets his hot tag without the hot tag and plants both Erik and Ivar in the middle of the ring. Despite both teams’ attempts, they fail to put the other through a table as the table is set up in the corner foreshadowing something. McIntyre then sets Ivar up for a Claymore Kick, but Erik saves Ivar.

The Scottish Warrior tries setting up the announce table for something dangerous, but it allows Ivar to hit a splash on McIntyre onto the floor.

Riddle puts Erik on the table inside the ring, but Valhalla interferes. The Viking Raiders attempt to take out Riddle, prompting Kofi Kingston to rush in to save him. Unfortunately, Kingston ends up striking Riddle with Trouble in Paradise, allowing Erik and Ivar to put Riddle through a table and win by pinfall, leaving McIntyre livid.

Seth Rollins challenges Shinsuke Nakamura to a title rematch

Charlotte crowd happily welcomed Seth Rollins, who admitted that there were times during his Payback match with Shinsuke Nakamura when he wasn’t sure if he was going to get up. However, he proudly declared that, last time he checked, he was still the World Heavyweight Champion.

Rollins demands that Nakamura enter the arena, insisting that it hasn’t been sitting right with him that The King of Strong Style attacked him after the match. Seth gets his wish, but Nakamura stops short of the ring.

Rollins proposes a World Heavyweight Championship rematch right then and there. However, Nakamura hesitates and cuts a promo in Japanese, prompting Rollins to assume that he has accepted the challenge. But Nakamura says no.

Adam Pearce and security rush out to break up the brawl between Rollins and Nakamura, but not before Nakamura kicks Rollins in the back. This prompts Ricochet to come out and help clear the area.

Shinsuke Nakamura wants to break backs instead of winning

During the match, Wade Barrett tries to explain on commentary why Nakamura declined Rollins’ title challenge; Nakamura wants to fight on his own terms, not Rollins’.

Nakamura takes control of the match with a strike to the midsection and work on Ricochet’s back after the commercial break. However, Ricochet fights back with a headscissors takedown. Interestingly, Mr. Money in the Bank, Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley are watching the match backstage.

Ricochet searches for a 630 splash, but Nakamura dodges and counters with a thrilling sequence. Nakamura fails to land a move on the apron, and the two start brawling at ringside. An infuriated Nakamura finally smashes Ricochet in the back with a chair, resulting in a disqualification.

Before Nakamura makes things worse, Rollins saves Ricochet, attacking Nakamura and the security who tries to stop him. But as Nakamura tries to brutalize Rollins again, Ricochet saves him. Backstage, Ripley advises Priest to not cash his briefcase tonight.

The Judgment Day try to celebrate their weekend

Damian Priest tells everyone to rise for the group who all hold gold. Dominik Mysterio tries to speak, but, of course, he gets booed out of the building and everything he says is indistinguishable.

Finn Balor congratulates Dominik on his Judgment Day anniversary, thanking Ripley for being the voice of reason. He then turns to Priest, reminding them that despite the ups and downs, they are now tag team champions. Balor gives a shoutout to JD McDonagh and proudly thanks himself for being “Grand Slam Finn.”

Ripley says Balor and Priest rose to the occasion, making the group a true family, but one thing is aggravating her: The focus isn’t on The Judgment Day, but instead on Jey Uso being on Raw and what that means.

McDonagh interrupts, to Priest’s dismay, and McDonagh says big changes are needed in The Judgment Day. McDonagh says the briefcase has to go and he doesn’t need it, but he gives him a customized “Señor Money in the Bank” briefcase that’s colored purple.

Interrupting the party, Sami Zayn declares that he won’t let the weekend’s title match shenanigans slide. He proclaims that a special beating is owed to “the biggest turd of them all,” Dominik. Seemingly unfazed, McDonagh challenges Zayn to a match tonight, to which Zayn accepts.

Zoey Stark begins life after Trish Stratus

Stark, without Trish Stratus at her side and as a babyface, faces a difficult challenge in the woman who sent Ronda Rousey out of WWE.

Baszler attempts to put the Kirifuda Clutch on Stark, who escapes it. She tries again at ringside, but Stark prevents it by slamming her into ringside.

Baszler tries the Kirifuda against Stark inside the ring, but Stark counters with a Z360 and a splash at ringside. However, Baszler’s Kirifuda proves too much for Stark, who fails to break free from it after three attempts, eventually passing out and losing the match.

After the match, Baszler tells Stark that she gave a better fight than Rousey, and Stark says the same thing about Stratus.

Raquel Rodriguez annihilates Chelsea Green

Chelsea Green is once again partnerless, and she has no help as Raquel dominates her with pure strength and a few big kicks. After a massive clothesline and powerbomb, Rodriguez wins easily.

Rodriguez announced that she will be getting her rematch against Rhea Ripley for the Women’s World Championship next week on Raw, with Dominik Mysterio banned from ringside.

The Miz speaks to “John Cena”

The Miz claims he was cheated in his match against LA Knight at Payback. He then announces that he has someone to bring out who’s completely honest, John Cena … but no one sees him.

The Miz begins addressing an empty chair as “Cena”. He then declares that he has seen through Cena for all these years and starts questioning “Cena” about the match.

“Cena” and Miz start fighting, with Miz hitting the Skull Crushing Finale. The A-lister subsequently challenges LA Knight to a rematch without a special guest referee.

Sami Zayn wants payback against JD McDonagh

Sami Zayn targets JD McDonagh’s back after what Owens did to it at Payback, but McDonagh swiftly takes control, slamming Zayn into the announce deck and the ring post.

Zayn retaliates with a clothesline and a chop. He hits a Michinoku Driver and almost pins McDonagh. When he goes for a Helluva Kick, Dominik Mysterio yanks McDonagh out of danger, and Zayn turns his attention to Mysterio.

Mysterio’s last distraction pays off, allowing McDonagh to roll up Zayn with the tights to score the victory.

Zayn goes after Dominik, but McDonagh, as he continues to do, takes the offense instead and tells Dominik to go. It seems like a quasi-initiation process for McDonagh to join The Judgment Day.

Gunther makes history

Easily the biggest moment of Chad Gable’s singles career and a potential history-making moment for Gunther, this has all the makings of a classic.

Gable targets Gunther’s ankle, goading him into a chop and escaping his own attempted offense, sending the champion on the run. Gunther takes control of the match, but Gable retaliates with another ankle target to weaken the tall Gunther, who fights back with the other leg, delivering a big boot.

Gable channels his inner Kurt Angle, pulling down his singlet straps to bring the fight, but it fails to work as Gunther continues dominating the challenger.

Gunther powerbombs Gable and hits a damaging chop, but Gable comes back with a superplex and a splash for a dramatic nearfall. After two attempts, he hits Chaos Theory but can’t get past the Austrian just yet.

Gable gets his best anklelock in, but Gunther kicks his way out and puts him into a sleeper hold. A gnarly suplex drops Gable directly on his head, and after a powerbomb and a sickening clothesline, Gunther retains to make history.

WWE Payback 2023 results: KO, Sami find 2-on-5 too much to handle, Judgment Day wins tag team gold

It took the entire Judgment Day — and more — but Damian Priest and Finn Balor defeated Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn for gold at WWE Payback.

No pressure on Damian Priest and Finn Balor here, except there very much is since Rhea Ripley promised changes in The Judgment Day if they don’t win. The announcers mention that Priest’s last Street Fight, against Bad Bunny in Puerto Rico, went poorly, and the fans are already chanting for tables.

Sami Zayn takes to the air, landing on both of his opponents right after Balor angered the crowd by stepping on a Terrible Towel. Zayn and Kevin Owens put in some serious work with a pair of trash cans, then batter Balor with kendo sticks while he’s stuck inside a can.

The Judgment Day takes control both in and out of the ring, though KO is able to beat Priest down for a bit until Balor stops him with a chair shot. Zayn gives Balor some of the same medicine, and the fight goes outside the ring with all four men — make that five as Dominik Mysterio arrives to lend a hand.

While The Judgment Day is strategizing, though, Owens and Zayn make a costume change and pop back up wearing Pittsburgh Penguins jerseys. Their rally leads to Zayn hitting a Blue Thunder Bomb to Balor on a pile of chairs in the ring; Sami ends up getting powerbombed into some chairs in return.

Owens is screaming for their foes to fight him, but he’s going it alone at the moment and is sent into the barricade behind the announce table. The Judgment Day duo batters KO up an aisle until he rallies further back in the crowd on the floor, and Zayn joins him there.

Sami hits a somersault senton off a platform back in the crowd, and KO seems to have something special planned for Mysterio. Dom is placed on a table, and Owens climbs into the stands and lands hard on a Swanton Bomb through the table.

Back in the ring, Zayn has Balor in trouble, though a trash can throw by Priest stops him in his tracks, and Finn covers for a near fall. Sami has to fight to avoid double team offense, which he does. He sends Balor crashing through a table on the floor, and Owens is back in with a Stunner for Priest. A Helluva Kick follows, but JD McDonagh drags Sami out of the ring.

KO makes JD pay for that decision, bouncing him hard off the announce table. Rhea Ripley runs down and spears Owens through the barricade in retaliation, which is an awesome sight.

Only Balor and Zayn remain in the ring, and Finn hits the Sling Blade and his shotgun dropkick. But he misses the Coup de Grace when Zayn moves, and an Exploder sets up the Helluva Kick. Mysterio clobbers him with the MITB briefcase though, and Balor covers to give us new tag team champions.

WWE Payback 2023 predictions: Who will prevail in Pittsburgh?

What will WWE Payback give the fans on hand in Pittsburgh? We take our best guess with predictions for every match.

Considering that the name of WWE’s upcoming premium live event in Pittsburgh is Payback, there’s a shocking lack of overall revenge on this year’s card. Oh sure, there are superstars on the card looking to get back at their opponents for attacks or slights over the last few weeks, but it’s not like this is a show bursting at the seems with big rematches.

There’s also notably no Roman Reigns or Bloodline matches scheduled, but there are championships at stake. The men’s tag team titles, Women’s World Championship and United States Championship will all be defended at PPG Paints Arena.

We’d also be remiss if we didn’t mention that Seth Rollins and Shinsuke Nakamura will get a chance to shine in what presumably will be the night’s main event. It’s not a spot they’re always in (particularly Shinsuke), so it’ll be interesting to see if they step up to the challenge.

So what do we think will happen in each bout? Scroll down to see our predictions for Pittsburgh.

WWE Raw results 08/21/23: KO returns, Gable wins (but not the title) in Quebec City

Also on WWE Raw, Matt Riddle and Drew McIntyre took on The New Day, and Shinsuke Nakamura revealed what he said to Seth Rollins.

Shooooooooosh! Shoosh, please! We’re going to need quiet for Chad Gable tonight in Quebec City as he attempts to win a singles championship on WWE Raw.

Not just any title, either, but the Intercontinental Championship that’s been in the iron grasp of Gunther since last summer. The Ring General has used power to beat many opponents, skill to best others, and underhanded tactics when necessary — though that has rarely been the case.

Gable, of course, is a technical wizard who is also exceptionally strong for his size. Plus he has the rest of Alpha Academy to keep an eye on the other members of Imperium, so theoretically, it should be a wash on the outside.

In other words, maybe this won’t be quite a simple as the IC champ thinks it could be.

Another interesting match on tonight’s card in Quebec City will see Matt Riddle and Drew McIntyre team to face The New Day. While McIntyre has been somewhat reluctant to make his recent partnership with Riddle an ongoing thing, a victory over one of the most decorated tag teams in WWE history might persuade him to change his stance. Or not, but it can’t hurt Riddle’s efforts.

Last but not least, WWE says Shinsuke Nakamura is going to tell the world exactly what he whispered to Seth Rollins last week that turned the World Heavyweight Champion white as a sheet. It’s got to be pretty good considering the reaction he got.

It would also be strange indeed if Quebec’s favorite son, Sami Zayn, wasn’t involved in tonight’s proceedings in some way, so watch for that as well.

WWE Raw results from Quebec City:

(scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • Sami Zayn is in the house, and he’s not alone: Kevin Owens is back
  • The New Day def. Drew McIntyre and Matt Riddle by pinfall, but only thanks to some unexpected aid from the Viking Raiders, who attack the winning team after the bell until McIntyre chases them off
  • Finn Balor and JD McDonagh are being interviewed when Rhea Ripley comes to summon Finn to decide who is competing in the main event; JD tries to come with them but Rhea says no
  • Shayna Baszler says she’s out to set the whole world on fire and leave everyone in the women’s division with no chance but to let it burn
  • Gunther says despite what Chad Gable believes, time is on his side, with each passing day building his legacy; Gable is interviewed backstage, and gets a pep talk from Otis and Maxxine Dupri
  • Chad Gable def. Gunther by countout, so Gunther retains the WWE Intercontinental Championship
  • Ripley can’t believe that Balor and Damian Priest can’t decide who is going to be in the main event and says they better figure it out shortly or she’ll make the decision for them
  • An angry Gunther takes out his frustration on the rest of Imperium, and things seem to flow downhill toward poor Giovanni Vinci
  • Cody Rhodes doesn’t want to be interviewed backstage and takes Byron Saxton with him out to the stage and gets the fans pumped up to be in the corner of Owens and Zayn in the main event later tonight
  • In a pre-recorded segment, Shinsuke Nakamura claims he told Rollins “I know about your back,” explaining that Seth’s back has been his weakness for years and that Rollins lives in constant pain because of it; he ominously ends his bit with “watch your back”
  • Rhea Ripley def. Candice LeRae by submission but soon finds herself retreating from Raquel Rodriguez, who says they will meet at Payback
  • Tommaso Ciampa says he needs to be the change he wants to see since he’s tired of being close to big opportunities, and he says his mantra needs to be “do it yourself,” hmm …
  • The Miz continues to insist that LA Knight will be remembered as a flash in the pan or “the Hoobastank of WWE” before introducing his opponent, Akira Tozawa, who tries getting over by saying “yeah” like Knight
  • Akira Tozawa def. The Miz by pinfall as Miz is distracted by LA Knight
  • McIntyre is about to tell Riddle that he thinks they should go their separate ways, but The New Day convinces them to hold on for one more day like Wilson Phillips, or at least Drew will consider it
  • Ripley is ticked that the guys haven’t worked out who will compete in the tag team match, so she stomps away and says they’ll do it her way now
  • Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus exchange verbal jabs again
  • Chelsea Green says she handled having WWE authorize making her and Piper Niven the official tag team champions, but Niven makes it appear she’s the one calling the shots
  • Chelsea Green and Piper Niven def. Kayden Carter and Katana Chance by pinfall
  • Rollins lets the fans sing for a second before responding to questions about his back, admitting that he has been living with a lumbar injury for four years that could shorten his career, but he says it’s part of the gig and says Shinsuke isn’t man enough to face him man to man; Seth gives Shinsuke one more chance to prove he’s an honorable warrior next week
  • Damian Priest and Finn Balor def. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn by DQ when KO is caught using the MITB briefcase as a weapon, but …
  • … Rhodes comes down and chases away The Judgment Day before suggesting a six-man tag to end the show; Adam Pearce agrees, so let’s try this main event again
  • Cody Rhodes, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn def. The Judgment Day (Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio and Finn Balor) by pinfall
  • Zayn has a bilingual last word for The Judgment Day

Kurt Angle thinks Finn Balor deserves more from WWE

A WWE Hall of Famer said he wouldn’t blame Finn Balor for leaving if the company doesn’t give him a title run soon.

Count Kurt Angle as someone who wants WWE to do more with Finn Balor.

Since his reign as WWE Universal Champion in 2016, which an injury halted after just one day, Balor has yet to win a main roster top title. He tried for the World Heavyweight Championship against Seth Rollins at Money in the Bank and SummerSlam, but did not succeed either time.

On his podcast The Kurt Angle Show, the Olympic gold medalist said that while he doesn’t want to see Balor leave WWE, he would not blame the Judgment Day member if he departed for not being put over with a world title (h/t Fightful for transcription).

“Well, you know what, it would have been nice if they would have given him this World Title. I think he’s really over, incredibly athletic. He has a lot of charisma. This kid, you know, if WWE doesn’t end up doing something with him, that’s dramatic, I wouldn’t blame him if he went off and went somewhere else,” Angle said. “I don’t want to see him do that because I love the WWE, and I think he’s a good fit for them, but they need to start putting this kid over. He deserves it.”

Balor’s most notable main roster work since winning the Universal Championship seven years ago has been his involvement in Judgment Day. His world championship matches with Rollins put the Prince on the brink of something big, and although it may still happen one day, as he continues his almost decade-long WWE career, the chances of him winning a major title become slimmer. Younger talents will rise to the occasion, and other stars will emerge on Raw for main event opportunities, including the Men’s Money in the Bank winner Damian Priest, whose title run is inevitable.

Chances will dry up eventually for Balor, and if he doesn’t get his soon, then it may never happen with this company.

WWE Raw results 08/14/23: The Judgment Day has the last laugh

The long awaited rematch between Becky Lynch and Trish Stratus is also slated for this week’s edition of WWE Raw.

Shinsuke Nakamura is done playing around. Tonight on WWE Raw from Winnipeg, we’re apparently going to find out just why he had his recent change of heart.

Nakamura seemed pretty entrenched as a fan favorite during his current run, even helpfully volunteering to team with Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes to take on The Judgment day last week after the villainous stable had taken out Sami Zayn.

There was just one problem: After the match, Nakamura laid out Rollins with a vicious Kinshasa, leaving the World Heavyweight Champion staring up at the lights.

The assumption is that Shinsuke wants Seth’s gold for himself. That’s how these things usually work, after all. But perhaps there’s a little more to it than that, and WWE is hinting that we’ll find out tonight.

The other big to-do for this Monday is Becky Lynch battling Trish Stratus. You may recall that they were supposed to have a match two weeks ago, except Stratus had Zoey Stark aid her as soon as the bell rang, content to lose by DQ.

Adam Pearce said “uh-uh!” (hopefully in his best Stone Cold Steve Austin voice) and that Becky and Trish would have a proper rematch, this time with Zoey banned from the ringside area. We thought it might be at SummerSlam, but it will instead take place on this episode of Raw.

We think. Hopefully.

There’s also the not so small matter of Payback coming up in just a few weeks, so time’s a wasting on getting the gears in motion for that event. That could happen tonight as well.

Let’s dive in.

WWE Raw results from Winnipeg:

(scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)

  • The Judgment Day is out here without Finn Balor, and they aren’t happy about it; also JD McDonagh and Sami Zayn get into a scrap
  • Sami Zayn def. JD McDonagh by pinfall
  • Chelsea Green apologizes to Chelsea Green and looks like he’s going to strip her of the tag team titles, but she threatens to call Human Resources on him, then suggests they hold auditions for a new partner; Piper Niven tries to declare herself Green’s new partner and doesn’t appear she’ll take no for an answer
  • Cody Rhodes notes that Balor has always been a leader, but one of the problems with The Judgment Day is that both Priest and Ripley are too; Cody says he’ll be ready for Finn and The Judgment Day tonight
  • The Ring General has arrived in Winnipeg, but while Alpha Academy has to accept that Gunther is very good, they don’t take any crap from Ludwig Kaiser
  • Chad Gable def. Giovanni Vinci by pinfall
  • Gunther def. Otis by pinfall
  • Ripley has to step between Balor and Priest to stop their bickering, and Finn comes around and says the group will show they are still a united force against Cody later tonight
  • The weekly SmackDown Bloodline recap video plays
  • Drew McIntyre is asked what’s next for him, but he doesn’t get to answer before Matt Riddle asks him if he’ll tag up to face the Viking Raiders tonight; McIntyre says he’ll consider it, and Riddle does the “so you’re telling me there’s a chance!” thing
  • A short video hypes up Indi Hartwell
  • Matt Riddle and Drew McIntyre def. Viking Raiders by pinfall
  • Raquel Rodriguez tells Candice LeRae and Hartwell how frustrated she is that she can’t get cleared since she can’t wait to rip Ripley apart, but everyone agrees this is Indi’s night to show what she can do
  • Riddle thinks he and McIntyre can win the tag team champions, but The New Day is offended by the thought that one win can make them title contenders and they challenge Matt and Drew to a match next week
  • Rhea Ripley def. Indi Hartwell by pinfall, though LeRae may have made a tactical error by attacking Ripley after the match
  • A quick replay shows Nakamura’s attack on Rollins again from the end of last week’s Raw
  • Shinsuke Nakamura gets a title shot from Seth Rollins … and lays him out again
  • The Miz denies shaking LA Knight’s hand, says he’ll beat someone better than Knight ever has, and may show up on SmackDown too
  • Trish Stratus vs. Becky Lynch ends in a double countout, with Zoey Stark joining in when they brawl up to the concourse
  • Gunther is angry at Vinci for losing and ticked at Kaiser at getting distracted with Dupri, then says he’ll go to Pearce and sort it out by giving Gable his title shot next week
  • Speaking of Pearce, he’s furious with Stratus and tells her Trish will have to face Becky in a steel cage
  • Cody Rhodes def. Finn Balor by pinfall, but after the match, he and Sami Zayn take a horrific beating from The Judgment Day after the arrival of McDonagh turns the tide