Tag: IYO SKY

WWE Raw results 03/04/24: Drew McIntyre gets one over on Jey Uso … and Seth Rollins

The Bloodline, and especially Jimmy Uso, also found a way to screw Jey Uso over again this week on WWE Raw.

Let’s go, San Antonio. Specifically, let’s get it cranked up for WWE Raw, which features a pair of matches between bitter rivals.

Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom … er, sorry, just in WWE, Drew McIntyre had a chance to defeat Roman Reigns in front of his countrymen. He failed, and Jey Uso, then a loyal member of the Bloodline, was a big reason why.

Things have changed for both men quite a bit since then. Jey has discovered his better angels and had his own title bids foiled by the Bloodline. McIntyre, meanwhile, has seen misfortune befall his foes while his own arrow has been pointing up: all the way to WrestleMania 40 and another world championship opportunity next month.

That’s emboldened him to tell the people he dislikes exactly what he thinks of them, including Uso. Some hands flew during their conversation, and more will fly tonight between them on Raw.

As for Becky Lynch, her tale is more one of the opponent she can’t get past. Nia Jax beat The Man clean on the first Raw of the year, and it’s been a defeat that hasn’t sit well with Lynch.

Can Becky overcome the one foe she’s never really been able to put down? She’ll get a chance tonight.

Let’s see what’s going down.

WWE Raw results from San Antonio:

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

  • After we see Jey Uso and Nia Jax entering the building, a video package takes us through Cody Rhodes’ challenge to The Rock, along with the counteroffer the latter made last week on SmackDown
  • Cody Rhodes wants to make sure Seth Rollins is on the same page with him, and they pledge to answer The Rock’s challenge Friday on SmackDown
  • Dominik Mysterio def. Gunther by submission
  • Damage CTRL runs into Adam Pearce, who wants to know why the group is here, and Dakota Kai claims it’s for the tag team champs to scout Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark; Shinsuke Nakamura also wants to have a word with Pearce about the Intercontinental Championship
  • Katana Chance and Kayden Carter tell Cathy Kelley they’re determined to do whatever it takes to be back in tag team title contention
  • Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark def. Katana Chance and Kayden Carter by pinfall; after the match, Kai gets in the ring to tell the victors that they’ll get a title shot at Houston, and Baszler says they’ll see the Kabuki Warriors next week
  • The Judgment Day regroups with Mysterio, who gets a visit from Andrade while JD McDonagh seems nervous he’s being serves up to Gunther soon
  • A short hype video gets us prepared for Becky Lynch vs. Nia Jax, which is up next
  • Nia Jax def. Becky Lynch by DQ thanks to an attack from Liv Morgan, who ends up squabbling with Lynch until both are beaten down by Jax
  • An irritated Ricochet is told by Pearce that he has a plan that should satisfy just about anyone looking for an IC title shot; The Judgment Day stops by as well, and McDonagh makes his pitch to face Gunther
  • Lynch and Morgan keep arguing in the back and agree to settle their differences in the ring next week; Becky also gets a brief visit from Rhea Ripley, who simply flashes her a sinister smile and walks away
  • A video package shows us how we got to this moment between Jey Uso and Drew McIntyre ahead of their match later tonight
  • Andrade def. Apollo Crews by pinfall in Andrade’s first match back in WWE
  • Pearce reveals his Intercontinental Championship contender idea: a Gauntlet match that will take place next week on Raw and feature six men: Sami Zayn, Ricochet, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bronson Reed, JD McDonagh and Chad Gable

  • Sami Zayn says the Gauntlet match is the path to WrestleMania he believed would reveal itself, but that also means it’s do or die for him; Valhalla and Ivar stop by and mock Zayn for believing he can beat Gunther, but Sami says he knows he can beat Ivar, and they agree to battle tonight
  • Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell are getting antsy about a title shot, and Natalya and Tegan Nox have even more internal issues; Maxxine Dupri and Ivy Nile stop by to offer encouragement, which only seems to tick off Candice
  • The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) def. Imperium (Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser) by pinfall
  • A highlight package is shown of Paul Heyman being named to the WWE Hall of Fame as the first member of the Class of 2024
  • Drew McIntyre doesn’t think Seth Rollins listened to anything he had to say and also warns Jey Uso that while he knows Jey could use a big win, he’s not going to be able to get it tonight
  • Damage CTRL bumps into Ripley, who warns IYO SKY to stay out of her territory but simply gets a scoffing laugh in return
  • Sami Zayn def. Ivar by pinfall but gets immediately ambushed by Bronson Reed and crushed with a Tsunami
  • Gunther talks to Kelley about the Gauntlet match, and the Ring General says he is kind of flattered to have so many men competing to challenge him, though all that will get them is a chance to be outclassed at WrestleMania; Chad Gable stops by and repeats his “it just means more” mantra about why he’ll win
  • Jey Uso apologizes to McIntyre … for what he’s about to do to Drew, that is; also he now has “Yeet” sunglasses
  • The Miz finds Xavier Woods, R-Truth and #DIY playing WWE 2K24 (and R-Truth still thinks #DIY is DX) and says the way to get payback on The Judgment Day is by taking their tag team titles
  • Jey Uso vs. Drew McIntyre

Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins have each other’s backs, including this Friday on SmackDown

After asking what San Antonio wants to talk about, Rhodes says he’d love to discuss standing across the ring from Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. However, he really can’t talk about it because of a distraction called The Rock.

Cody is ticked at The Rock insulting the fans, but especially mocking his dog. He notes that The Rock didn’t accept his challenge for a one-on-one match, spinning things and presenting a whole different challenge like the politician that he is.

One thing Rhodes admits is that he and The Rock did have a conversation, and The Rock suggested the people wanted Rock vs. Roman at WrestleMania. Why, he wonders, did people start chanting “We want Cody” while The Rock decided to call them Cody crybabies?

Since The Rock’s new challenge also involves his friend, he calls Seth Rollins to join him in the ring. Rhodes knows Rollins has offered his assistance against the Bloodline, but he also knows Seth has his own match against Drew McIntyre at WrestleMania. If he needs to focus on Drew, Cody says he’d understand.

Rollins insists he’ll take care of McIntyre, as it’s not just Cody’s story that needs to be finished at WrestleMania, it’s his story too. Seth once vowed to give the power to the people, but Reigns wants to keep it all for himself. With The Rock now in the Bloodline, Roman is this close to having absolute power.

He goes on to say he’s “kind of over The Rock,” which inspires an enthusiastic “Rocky sucks” chant. Since none of his previous nicknames fit him now, Rollins says he’s going to call The Rock “Diarrhea Dwayne.” The crowd sounds like it enjoys that suggestion.

What Seth doesn’t like is The Rock saying he made wrestling cool again, as he hasn’t been cool in 20 years. But what is cool is that Rollins has been medically cleared, so he’ll be at SmackDown Friday to confront the Bloodline.

Seth just wants to know if Cody has his back in return, and the American Dream confirms he’ll join Rollins on SmackDown Friday.

Becky Lynch learns turnabout is fair play from Liv Morgan during her match against Nia Jax

Jax says something to Lynch right as the bell rings, then charges right after her. A body slam puts Lynch down and gives the fans a chance to boo Jax.

A headbutt puts The Man on her back again, where she eats a big elbow and has to kick out at two. Lynch jumps on her foe’s back but is smashed back into the turnbuckles, where she also suffers a Stinkface.

Lynch is choked along the bottom rope, but she fights back thanks to a chop block. The Man hits at least part of a missile dropkick that sends Jax to the floor, but she’s caught coming off the apron and treated to a Samoan Drop on the floor. Ouch.

After a commercial break, Lynch is mounting a serious rally, but a Samoan Drop puts a swift end to that. Jax wants an Annihilator but finds no one home, and Lynch applies the Dis-arm-her. Jax manages to power her way out and get to the floor, where she’s attacked by Liv Morgan.

The ref calls for the bell as Liv get in Becky’s face in the ring. Their ensuing argument is interrupted by Jax, who sets about destroying them both on the outside.

Drew McIntyre wins when Jey Uso is hosed again

Get ready to Yeet. Pat McAfee certainly is, telling Michael Cole he tired himself out doing the Yeetdown during Jey’s entrance. Alas, McIntyre quickly hurls Uso over the announce table, which gets a “no yeet” from Cole as we head to commercials.

Uso has it rolling when we return, but McIntyre blasts him with a kick out of the corner and earns a near fall. Both men trade shots until McIntyre hammers him with an elbow.

The Scottish Warrior chops away in the corner, even after Jey heads up higher. Drew has a thought for White Noise, but Jey counters with a running powerbomb for an impressive two count.

Uso tries to fly but catches knees to the chest and a spinebuster, good for another near fall for McIntyre.

After commercials, Uso is trying to regroup and has McIntyre lined up in the opposite corner. There’s a hip attack that’s on the mark, and when Drew heads to the floor, Jey flies out there to ensure there’s no respite.

As the men return to the ring, Solo Sikoa crawls out of the crowd. A distracted Uso is hit by the Future Shock, and when Uso kicks out, Cody Rhodes comes down to neutralize Sikoa, brawling with Solo into the crowd.

Drew’s Claymore is countered with three superkicks and a spear. Jey goes to head up top but sees Jimmy Uso at ringside, then turns and eats a Claymore, giving McIntyre the win.

Jimmy enters the ring with a steel chair, but Rollins hustles down and kicks it into Jimmy’s face … only to fall victim to a Claymore from McIntyre. Drew yells at Seth not to “taint this title” and to do the right thing by concentrating on Raw as the show fades out for this week.

WWE SmackDown preview 02/02/24: Cody is going to pick Roman for WrestleMania … right?

Cody Rhodes and Bayley have important choices to make, likely tonight on WWE SmackDown.

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Will it be decision night on WWE SmackDown tonight in Birmingham? Some of the major players in decisions that will shape big WrestleMania matches will be in the house, so it appears so.

Is Cody Rhodes going to make it official and challenge Roman Reigns?

Give WWE and Seth Rollins credit: They made us ponder whether the main event picture at WrestleMania might take an unexpected turn after Rollins gave his passionate plea for Cody Rhodes to pick him for his championship opportunity in Philadelphia. The Royal Rumble winner was impressed with the message too, as he told the World Heavyweight Champion he’d think about it.

But perhaps not too long. The American Nightmare is going to be in Birmingham tonight, as is Roman Reigns. It wouldn’t be surprising at all if Cody came out and made it seem like he was leaning toward challenging Seth, only for Reigns and The Bloodline to do something to put him back on his original track.

Will Bayley challenge her own teammate out of fear?

All this time, it appeared Damage CTRL was getting ready to betray Bayley. And perhaps they still will … except she’ll give them every reason to do so.

Bayley could have announced she was going to pick Rhea Ripley to challenge on Monday but chose not to, which perhaps was wise in the moment as an angry Nia Jax was beating down Ripley. Still, just leaving the possibility open that she’ll pick IYO SKY tonight is a bad look.

It’s just a little confusing since fans want to cheer Bayley, so maybe SKY launches a pre-emptive strike on SmackDown and Bayley challenges her out of spite. Regardless, it’s bound to be interesting.

What’s next for the Maverick and KO?

We’ll make this real simple: Feuds don’t usually end on a match where someone is disqualified. Kevin Owens got caught with the brass knux at Royal Rumble, but he managed to get in the last licks. Logan Paul isn’t likely to have forgiven or forgotten.

Might the two men have another match at Elimination Chamber, maybe even with a stipulation of some sort? Tonight should give us some hints in that direction if that’s the case.

WWE SmackDown is ready to light up Birmingham starting at 8 p.m. ET on FOX, so be sure to join us back here at Wrestling Junkie then if you need somewhere to follow along.

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How to watch WWE Royal Rumble 2024: Live stream US, international

A look at how to watch the 2024 WWE Royal Rumble premium live event.

Finally, the road to WrestleMania has arrived. On Saturday, Jan. 27, the Royal Rumble premium live event will kick off at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida, featuring two matches that will determine the No. 1 contender for a men’s and women’s world title at the Grandest Stage of Them All in April.

In 2023, Rhea Ripley won the Women’s Royal Rumble match and went on to defeat Charlotte Flair at WrestleMania 39 for the Smackdown Women’s Championship, now known as the Women’s World Championship, ever since. If she remains champion by WrestleMania 40, the winner of the 2024 Women’s Royal Rumble match will have the opportunity to face her or WWE Women’s Champion IYO SKY.

After winning the 2023 Men’s Royal Rumble match, Cody Rhodes challenged Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. Although he ultimately lost, he is a favorite to become the No. 1 contender for a world title again and, if he wins at Tropicana Field, it would make Rhodes vs. Reigns II the logical next step.

Winning a tournament to determine Logan Paul’s opponent for the WWE United States Championship, Kevin Owens will challenge him for the title as the Maverick’s first defense. Paul has had a quiet reign since becoming champion at Crown Jewel, so will he have a successful first title defense?

Roman Reigns will also, for the first time since Crown Jewel, defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship, but in a Fatal Four-Way match against AJ Styles, LA Knight and Randy Orton. With WrestleMania around the corner, is this the match the Tribal Chief finally loses his belt?

These matches will grace Royal Rumble. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the action this weekend.

WWE Royal Rumble 2024

  • Date: Saturday, Jan. 27, 2023
  • Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Florida
  • Start time: 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT
  • How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., and on WWE Network in the rest of the world

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WWE SmackDown results 01/05/24: Roman Reigns earns himself a Fatal 4-Way

The Bloodline got some licks in but paid for it by the very end of WWE SmackDown in Vancouver.

We know that Roman Reigns is going to defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Royal Rumble later this month. What we don’t know yet is who will be the challenger when that match takes place, but that’s something that tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown New Year’s Revolution in Vancouver is supposed to answer.

The candidates are all popular names. AJ Styles recently returned on a mission after The Bloodline put him (in storyline) out of action. Randy Orton was away much longer and has beef with Reigns’ group as well. And LA Knight has been fighting the good fight for some time, coming close to unseating the Head of the Table a few months ago.

All three of them will do battle in a Triple Threat match to determine who will stand across the ring from Reigns at Royal Rumble. Could there be hijinks? Well, considering that Reigns and The Bloodline are also slated for tonight’s show, there’s a decent chance, yes.

Guess who else needs a No. contender? Logan Paul, that’s who. He’ll also be in the house in Vancouver, and assuming he has swapped back with Patrick Mahomes, he’ll be defending his United States Championship against either Kevin Owens or Santos Escobar. We’ll see which one of them emerges with a chance to win some gold in Florida later this month, and Paul will almost certainly not pass up the chance to egg on whoever is the victor.

There’s other intriguing stuff on tap as well, including IYO SKY defending her title and the chance for some returns/debuts as well. Let’s get into it.

WWE SmackDown New Year’s Revolution results from Vancouver:

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

  • The broadcast begins with highlights of The Rock appearing on this week’s Raw Day 1 episode, followed by Roman Reigns getting out of his ride and laughing, followed by Paul Heyman
  • Kevin Owens def. Santos Escobar by pinfall in the United States Championship Tournament Final, them smashes a mouthy Logan Paul with a right hand
  • A hype video shows why Randy Orton is in the position he is in going into tonight’s Triple Threat match
  • Paul is carrying an ice bag on his forehead when he’s stopped backstage, and while a concerned Austin Theory and Grayson Waller check on him, Cameron Grimes can only laugh at his fate
  • Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits are set to make 2024 their year, but they’ve got a new problem: Karrion Kross is back and has the Authors of Pain with him
  • Now it’s time for AJ styles to get his hype video
  • IYO SKY def. Michin by pinfall to retain the WWE Women’s Championship
  • Heyman says The Rock namedropped Roman Reigns because he wants to sit at the Head of the Table … but he hasn’t been nor will he be invited to a Dinner of Relevancy; Heyman also says he upgraded from the time he was CM Punk’s friend before he promises whoever wins tonight will be smashed by Reigns
  • Bayley and the rest of Damage CTRL celebrate SKY’s victory and says Kabuki Warriors will win the tag team titles, but Bianca Belair stops by to congratulate SKY and announce that she’s entering the Royal Rumble and can’t wait to KOD Bayley over the top rope
  • Butch and Tyler Bate def. Pretty Deadly by pinfall
  • Yes, LA Knight gets a hype video for tonight too
  • Ashante Thee Adonis tells Nick Aldis he is starving for an opportunity, and the GM says he has some ideas he thinks will be very interesting to him
  • AJ Styles vs. LA Knight vs. Randy Orton

Kevin Owens wins a shot at the U.S. title, gets in a shot on Logan Paul

Lest you think Logan Paul wasn’t going to watch this closely, he comes down to join the announcers. Escobar also sees his new running buddies Humberto and Angel attacked by Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde, so he has no help when KO nearly pins him just seconds after the opening bell.

Owens is still in command after commercials, but Escobar turns things around by concentrating on KO’s damaged right hand. Paul, as usual, is unimpressed with both combatants.

There’s a tope suicida by Escobar to knock Owens back into the barricade. The obviously pro-Owens crowd starts a “Logan sucks” chant.

The battle goes to the top rope, where Escobar leaps right into an inverted atomic drop of sorts, followed by a DDT. Now it’s Owens trying to fly, but Escobar joins him up top. KO reverses a superplex attempt and slams his foe to the mat but holds his right hand as another ad break arrives.

Owens shows no fear of coming off the apron to smash Escobar on the floor, then tries a Swanton Bomb back into the ring only to catch nothing but knees. Escobar hits a Frankensteiner off the top rope and ascends again for a frog splash. It’s not enough to get the three.

Egged on by the crowd, Paul expressed some grudging respect for Owens’ wrestling ability, and he proves why with a rolling senton off the second rope. Escobar kicks out at two as the U.S. champ laughs.

A superkick by Owens leads to a Popup Powerbomb attempt, and while the first one is countered, his second try is not. There’s a Stunner with Escobar rushing out of the corner, and that’s sufficient to win it.

After the bell, Paul grabs the mic to mock the idea of a Canadian holding the United States Championship. Owens hits him with a right hand, however, laying him out with one shot.

Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits have a problem called Karrion Kross … and the Authors of Pain

Lashley calls 2023 the toughest year of his career from a professional standpoint but says his highlight was linking up with the Street Profits. They plan on taking “everything that we deserve” in 2024.

Montez Ford says they’re going to hop on the trend but fast forward the part where they think the grass is greener on the other side. Angelo Dawkins puts The Judgment Day on notice in terms of the tag team titles, while Lashley says his goal it to get back to being the All Mighty.

To that end, he declares himself an entrant in the 2024 Royal Rumble match. That announcement brings a new video to the big screen and brings out Karrion Kross, Scarlett … and Paul Ellering.

The Authors of Pain are back, and they absolutely destroy the Profits before Kross takes out Lashley.

IYO SKY pushed but triumphs over Michin

The announcers say Michin claims she’s been so focused on “helping the boys” that she hasn’t had much time to focus on herself. SKY is tackling this title defense alone, smiling as Michin is able to match her move for move early on.

A double stomp has the champ feeling some swagger, but Michin lures her into flying to the floor and then connects on a tope suicida. After commercials, Michin lands a wicked knee shot and a cannonball in the corner, but the champ kicks out at two.

Double knees in the corner have SKY looking rocked, but she’s able to kick out at two again. Michin cinches in a half crab, though SKY is close to the ropes and can force a break.

SKY wants to springboard in from the apron but is met by a right hand. But it’s IYO who is able to deliver a German suplex on the apron, bringing cheers from the fans.

The champ wants the Over the Moonsault but hits knees and is thrown backward by a dragon suplex that earns Michin another near fall. SKY squirts free from trouble and hits double knees to the face for her own near fall.

They both head toward the corner, where SKY is knocked down … but only for a second. Michin catches her, however, and executes a Styles Clash from the middle rope that would win it if SKY wasn’t able to grab the ropes.

Alas, the champ is able to bounce back quickly, as that’s why she’s the champ — and it doesn’t hurt that Michin splats on the floor trying for a dive to the outside. An Over the Moonsault wins it for SKY, but props to Michin for that battle.

AJ Styles, LA Knight and Randy Orton all win thanks to The Bloodline’s main event invasion

The announce team reminds us that all three men have their own issues with The Bloodline, and thus will all be equally motivated. Styles has the aerial advantage, Orton the experience edge, but Knight is probably the hottest of the trio right this second. The crowd certainly loves it when he’s bouncing the heads of his foes off the announce table, though Orton suplexes him onto it before doing the same to Styles.

Styles is eventually able to give the Viper a taste of his own medicine, briefly leaving everyone down. Orton is the first to emerge with a big move, hitting his hanging DDT on Styles. Knight drags Orton out of the ring and sends him into the steps, but Styles wipes him out with an aerial assault right after that, sending us to commercials.

Styles is still in command on the other side, burying his knee in Knight’s midsection. A belly to back suplex is next and leads to a near fall for AJ.

Orton is treated to a taste of the steps, and Styles returns to the ring only to find Knight counter his sunset flip attempt for a two count. Knight and Orton both get their shots in on Styles, who eventually is beaten down into the corner.

The same thing looks like it’ll happen to Orton, but he takes a Russian leg sweep instead. A hip attack smashes Styles, as well as a big back body drop. Orton has rallied for several clotheslines, though, and his snap powerslam has him feeling good, especially after he dishes out one to Styles too.

Suddenly, Knight hits Orton with Blunt Force Trauma, and Styles has to physically stop the ref from counting to three. Knight and Styles trade right hands, with AJ finally pulling out a Pele Kick to end the stalemate.

Styles casually hits a springboard 450 on Knight, but LA manages to kick out at two. Orton is repulsed by Styles as well, but he’s able to counter the Phenomenal Forearm with an RKO. That looks like the end … until Knight pulls the referee out of the ring.

And just like that, here comes The Bloodline: Roman Reigns, Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa. Reigns motions for Solo to hit the ring, and all three of them are beating the hell out of the actual competitors.

The steel steps are used as a weapon, and Uso clears off the announce table. Reigns hits a hellacious powerbomb on Styles, then a Superman punch on a now bloodied Knight, followed by a spear.

Orton is rolled into the ring next to receive a Samoan Spike/spear combo. Nick Aldis wants to talk to Paul Heyman, and he tells the Wise Man he can congratulate Reigns — because he earned himself a Fatal 4-Way at Royal Rumble.

WWE SmackDown preview 01/05/24: Roman Reigns to learn who he’ll face next

The New Year’s Revolution edition of WWE SmackDown will also have IYO SKY defend her title against Michin.

It’s the first WWE SmackDown of the new year, and it’s got a New Year’s Revolution theme (with, as some have pointed out, a horrible logo, but hey). That means it should be a loaded show tonight, and it begins with the Tribal Chief.

Who will become the No. 1 contender for Roman Reigns?

It seems like everyone wants a piece of the Tribal Chief. Certainly, AJ Styles, LA Knight and Randy Orton all have valid claims. But as the “Highlander” films used to remind us, there can be only one, and a Triple Threat match will decide which one of them gets his wish and takes on Roman Reigns at Royal Rumble.

Yet Reigns will also be in the house in Vancouver tonight, and since there are no DQs in a Triple Threat match, you can’t help but wonder if he or other members of The Bloodline could try to, um, influence the outcome. It’s something to watch for on SmackDown for sure.

Logan Paul will learn his next challenger as well

Logan Paul is in somewhat of the same boat as Reigns, except that there’s been a whole tournament to decide who his next challenger will be. He’s scoffed at all of the entrants, but now it’s down to just two: Kevin Owens and Santos Escobar.

To keep the heel-face dynamic correct, KO seems like the horse to back here, but you never know. We’ll see who leaves Vancouver with a title match at Royal Rumble.

Can IYO SKY keep flying into the new year?

It was a good 2023 for IYO SKY, who not only became WWE Women’s Champion at SummerSlam but was able to crystalize a larger, more dangerous version of Damage CTRL around her as the year went on. Technically, Bayley is still the leader, but we know who really makes the group go.

Tonight on SmackDown, SKY will get her first title challenge of 2024 in the form of Michin. You’d expect the champ to emerge victorious, but perhaps New Year’s Revolution will have a surprise in store for us.

Also on tap for tonight’s New Year’s Revolution edition of SmackDown:

  • Butch needs to find a partner to take on Pretty Deadly

We’re gearing up to recap all the action tonight on FOX, so be sure to hop back to Wrestling Junkie tonight at 8 p.m. ET if you can’t watch the show live.

WWE Royal Rumble 2024: What the card might look like for St. Petersburg

The 2024 WWE Royal Rumble is bound to have some title matches, and here are four we think we’ll see.

The space between Survivor Series and Royal Rumble on the WWE premium live event calendar is a welcome one, because with the holidays in-between those two shows, there’s less pressure for the company to race toward the next event. As a result, while the 2024 Royal Rumble in St. Petersburg is just seven weeks away, that’s actually a long time in WWE terms.

It should come as little surprise, then, that except for the two traditional Royal Rumble matches, nothing else has yet to be announced. WWE also has the luxury of not needing to do so to sell tickets given the hot streak it’s on with live attendances.

But you know what? That’s fine with us because it means a little more time for speculation and debate over which matches might end up on the card in St. Petersburg. It won’t be a lot, numerically speaking: the 2023 Rumble card had just five matches, and the 2022 edition six.

So with the help of the most recent Wrestling Observer newsletter (subscription required) as a guide, let’s take a look at what might end up on that show.

Roman Reigns vs. Randy Orton – Undisputed WWE Universal Championship match

This is one of those “makes too much sense not to happen” deals. Roman Reigns will be back for the Rumble after sitting out Survivor Series, and he needs a new challenger to hold him over until WrestleMania. Randy Orton is hot on the heels of his return, and was supposed to face Reigns in the second half of 2022 before he got injured.

The pieces are already falling into place. Orton has signed with SmackDown and has his sights set on The Bloodline. Reigns will be back on the show on Dec. 15. A Royal Rumble meeting feels very likely.

IYO SKY vs. Bianca Belair – WWE Women’s Championship match

The last two Royal Rumble shows have seen one of the top women’s titles defended, and this feels like the more likely one this time out. Bianca Belair has made it known she wants to be champion again, and has spearheaded the efforts to fight against Damage CTRL even as the group has grown larger.

The question is whether IYO SKY will be the leader of the faction as well as champ by the time January rolls around. And if she decides to give Bayley the boot, will that make her seem vulnerable and ripe for a title change?

Logan Paul vs. Kevin Owens (maybe) – WWE United States Championship match

Though Logan Paul defeated a legend in Rey Mysterio to claim his first singles gold in WWE, he could use a defense over a real threat to solidify his status as a worthy champion. That’s why the No. 1 contenders tourney, while somewhat silly in most cases when you can often get a title shot just by asking or beating up the champ, makes sense for him.

There’s no guarantee that Kevin Owens will win it, but that does feel like the direction WWE is hinting. It would be a good program, as beating KO at Royal Rumble would feel like a big deal for Paul, and Owens is so over that a loss really doesn’t hurt him at all.

Seth Rollins vs. Drew McIntyre – World Heavyweight Championship match

This matchup feels the least certain, and could definitely be the difference between five or six matches ending up on the card. Drew McIntyre is in the midst of some of his most interesting character work so far, unable to let go of the way The Bloodline hosed him out of a world title at Clash at the Castle (which was last year — huzzah for longform storytelling!) and blaming everyone but himself for the ripple effect it’s had on him.

Heck, Drew is even bitter he’s not on the Royal Rumble poster!

He’s already had one shot at Seth Rollins, but it’s also clear the Scottish Warrior isn’t done with him. Rollins could be headed toward a WrestleMania program with CM Punk, but a rematch with McIntyre at Royal Rumble would make sense with the way things are currently set up. If neither man announces for the Rumble match, this gets even more likely.

[lawrence-related id=42364]

WWE SmackDown results 12/1/23: Friday Night Viper, plus a Logan Paul invitational

Also revealed on WWE SmackDown was a tourney to determine a challenger for Logan Paul.

Logan Paul accomplished his goal of becoming WWE United States Champion, but we’ll find out starting tonight on SmackDown in Brooklyn if perhaps the hard part of his pro wrestling journey really starts now.

So far, Paul has been the hunter, pursuing big fights like his Crown Jewel 2022 main event with Roman Reigns, and his ultimately successful title pursuit of Rey Mysterio. It’s just that now he has the gold and other wrestlers are going to want to take it from him.

The question now is who will be first. WWE has hinted that we’ll get that answer tonight, and one would expect that may lead to a title clash at Royal Rumble if not before.

Another big emphasis tonight will be an appearance by Randy Orton. The Viper seems to be enjoying his WWE return so far, as he was on the winning side in WarGames and emerged with a victory this week on Raw in his first singles match in more than 20 months.

But is Orton here for the duration or just for a visit? In storyline terms, he’s appearing because he was invited by SmackDown GM Nick Aldis. The suspicion is that in real life terms, he may be heading to Friday nights because he’s the next in line for a feud with Roman Reigns. The Tribal Chief won’t be at Barclays Center tonight, but it’s possible we’ll get a hint toward a program between the two of them anyway.

Plus we’ll see Kevin Owens take on Grayson Waller, and WWE has pushed the idea that we’ll learn what’s next for Damage CTRL after a losing effort at WarGames.

We’re set to recap everything that goes down from Barclays Center and even have two of our team members in the house tonight. Let’s get into it.

WWE SmackDown results from Brooklyn:

As Kevin Patrick notes, Bianca Belair has every reason to smile after she captained her team to WarGames victory. She gives a shoutout to all of her teammates before making it clear she still has business with IYO SKY since she wants “her” title back.

That brings out Damage CTRL, minus Bayley, with Dakota Kai speaking for SKY. The champ (apparently) says Brooklyn smells and that since she’s already beaten Belair twice, Bianca will have to go through all of Damage CTRL to get another shot.

She’s willing to fight them all solo, but Charlotte Flair and Shotzi soon arrive to declare they’re down for a fight as well, and pretty soon we’ve got a six-woman brawl that is quickly won by the fan favorites.

Damage CTRL wants to know why Bayley wasn’t out there, but it sort of doesn’t matter now as Kairi Sane has a match with Belair, and Kai says she would really appreciate Bayley’s help.

Butch battles Bobby Lashley alone, can’t beat the All Mighty

This match was apparently made on the SmackDown Lowdown last Saturday. Didn’t know stories actually advanced there. In any case, the focus of the announcers is on Ridge Holland walking out on Butch last week, making him a solo act for now. Lashley gets on the mic before the match and says that while he did advise Butch to make a name for himself, he didn’t mean against the All Mighty.

An unimpressed Butch simply goes right at Lashley, but that only works temporarily. The crowd is chanting for Bobby, which may not be what WWE intended. Bitch doesn’t care, taking flight from the apron to the floor a few times with success before commercials arrive.

It’s apparently all Lashley while we’re away, and while Butch is able to wriggle free of a vertical suplex, Bobby catches and simply slams him straight down with one hand.

As the Street Profits cheer him on, Lashley looks for a Spear and hits nothing but post. Butch peppers him with head kicks in the corner, then double stomps Lashley’s left arm from behind. Next comes some small joint manipulation and a stomp on the left hand, followed by a two count.

Lashley shakes it off to deliver a powerslam, but Butch kicks out at two. The Brawling Brute still has some fight left in him, but a Spear takes care of that, and the All Mighty has this one wrapped up.

Highlights are shown of the Men’s WarGames match from Survivor Series, though not including the return of CM Punk afterward.

Paul Heyman seems upset that Nick Aldis invited Randy Orton to SmackDown tonight, and is especially irritated that Aldis wants to sign Orton to an exclusive contract. He tells Heyman he can tell Roman Reigns it’s happening, and that he’ll offer up the entire Bloodline if needed to get the deal done.

Butch says he doesn’t know why Ridge Holland walked out on him, but while he’s not about to take any taunting about it from Pretty Deadly, he soon learns, painfully, that he can’t do much about it.

After a replay of the beginning of Santos Escobar’s heel turn, he says he’s going to put Joaquin Wilde on the shelf right now if he can’t see the “truth” about Rey Mysterio.

Santos Escobar takes down Joaquin Wilde but Dragon Lee is still hunting him

Not sure if the LWO is still alive, but Wilde is trying his best to keep it that way, not just by sporting a shirt but by controlling the early action and getting the first near fall.

Escobar fights back effectively, scoring several two counts and ripping Wilde’s LWO shirt off. Santos mocks the group to the hard cam but gets his legs taken out by a low dropkick. A big DDT follows, but Escobar is able to kick out at two.

After stunning his former teammate, Escobar scream that this is what happens when you cross him, and he finishes the match with a Phantom Driver. Santos wants to continue the beating after the bell, bringing Dragon Lee to the rescue.

Escobar fakes leaving and tries attacking from behind, but Dragon Lee is ready, battering Santos into the corner and nailing a low dropkick.

Adam Pearce is also in the house, and he tells Aldis he intends to join him in the ring to offer Orton a Raw contract.

Logan Paul explains who will challenge him next … if Kevin Owens doesn’t get to him first

To everyone who prayed for his downfall, Logan Paul wants to know where they are now. He says the more anyone hopes he fails, the harder he works and the more he wins.

Paul says wrestlers are jealous and want his U.S. title, which has been on his junk just like everyone has since he’s been there. His words, not ours.

Since Rey Mysterio can’t face him in a rematch due to injury, he and Aldis have come up with an eight-man tournament to determine his next challenger: Escobar, Lee, Karrion Kross, Lashley, Grayson Waller, Austin Theory, Kevin Owens and a mystery NXT wrestler.

Someone is going to answer him, and that someone is Owens. Clearly no fan, KO calls Paul’s time in WWE a nightmare and also takes a shot at Prime. Paul says he’s been in the ring with the greatest boxer ever and would only need five seconds to KO Kevin.

Owens says that’s another world and the WWE is his world, but he’s interrupted by the arrival of Waller and Theory. Waller says the three of them are “forward-thinking disruptor” types with a lot of common, and Theory runs his mouth until Owens smacks him down with a right hand. That leaves Owens and Paul exchanging words that we can’t hear to end the segment.

Kevin Owens just keeps fighting to defeat Grayson Waller

Paul sticks around on guest commentary, calling Owens the “Humpty Dumpty of WWE” and bragging about how he’s already beaten the best luchador of all time. He also plays dumb about the brass knuckles he used to beat Rey.

Oh right, the match. Owens is beating down Waller in one corner only to see Theory grab his buddy to avoid the Cannonball. That allows Waller to gain the upper hand on the outside, but that changes quickly when a clothesline puts him down on the floor and KO hits a frog splash from the apron.

Theory stomps on Owens’ hand as the referee is dealing with Waller, then tells his friend where to concentrate his offense. The announcers report that KO’s hand continued to be targeted all through the break, with Michael Cole putting the idea out there that it could be broken.

Even with one hand, Owens is able to give Waller an atomic drop and a DDT. The Cannonball pulverizes Waller in the corner, and a Swanton Bomb follows, though Grayson is able to kick out.

Waller gives a submission a try, but Owens makes the ropes. To all the heels’ dismay, he’s able to reverse a pinfall attempt and keep Waller’s shoulders down for three.

A replay of CM Punk’s Survivor Series return is shown, as well as a graphic showing he’ll be at SmackDown next week in Providence, which ticks off the Brooklyn crowd.

Kai thinks Bayley doesn’t seem like herself, and SKY tells the nominal leader of Damage CTRL to stay in the back for Kairi’s match.

Bayley tries to assist Kairi Sane, but it’s not enough against Bianca Belair

Everyone but Bayley from Damage CTRL is out to support Sane, while Flair and Shotzi are on hand to back up Belair if need be. Early on it doesn’t appear she’ll need it, as her power is too much for Sane.

Asuka gets involved by tripping Belair near the ropes, giving her teammate a chance to take control until Flair repays Kairi in kind. The difference is that the ref sees Charlotte and ejects her and Shotzi. The ref turns and sees Asuka in the ring, ejecting Damage CTRL as well.

After a commercial break, Belair treats Sane to several body slams before raining down right hands from the middle turnbuckle. A spinebuster sets up her somersault splash, but Kairi barely kicks out before the ref’s count hits three.

Another two count follows, but Sane finally responds with a spinning back fist. A sliding knee and a forearm off the top allow Kairi to cover for her own two.

Sane manages to send Belair to the floor, but she misses a move off the apron and gets dropped hard on the barricade. While the ref is occupied, Bayley comes out and gets a shot in on Bianca. She high fives Bayley before going up top, but Bianca catches her there and lifts her back into the middle of the ring for a KoD to end it.

Both SmackDown and Raw make their pitches to Randy Orton, but the Bloodline helps sway his choice

Nick Aldis is happy to welcome the Viper back to SmackDown, and the fans seem very enthusiastic that he’s there. Pearce and Aldis squabble right away before making their offers. Pearce says if he signs with Raw, he’ll get the winner of Seth Rollins and Jey Uso for the World Heavyweight Championship. In return, Aldis says he can have the guys that took him out if he signs with SmackDown.

That declaration brings out an animated Heyman, who says there will be no RKOs this evening and no decision made by Orton … because the Bloodline is going to make the decision for him.

On cue, here come Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso, and even though Orton gamely stands in as they hit the ring, he’s fighting an uphill battle until LA Knight’s music hits.

The Megastar helps even the odds in a hurry, as he pairs off with Sikoa and leaves Uso in the ring with Orton. Jimmy takes the elevated DDT and looks like he’s a sitting duck for an RKO … which he is.

Orton calls for both contracts from the GMs as Heyman yells “go to Raw, you’re safe on Raw.” Of course, Randy chucks the Raw contract out of the ring and signs for SmackDown.

Grabbing a mic, Orton tells Heyman he can call Roman Reigns and tell him “Daddy’s back.” A happy Aldis celebrates with his new signee, but Orton gives him an RKO. Heyman is shown calling Reigns, probably.

The best WarGames matches of all time, ranked from worst to best

WarGames matches are about as memorable as they come. We rank every one from WWE and WCW history.

“Mad Max” is among the most memorable action franchises in film history, but it is the third installment of the franchise, “Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome,” that was particularly notable, as it starred the late great Tina Turner and featured a dome-like structure where two people entered and only one left after a fight to the death.

Although “Beyond Thunderdome” isn’t necessarily seen as the peak of the “Mad Max” franchise, its look at a gritty, post-apocalyptic dystopian future undoubtedly left an impression on its viewers. 

One of the viewers that were particularly inspired by what they saw was a man by the name of Virgil Runnels, better known to professional wrestling fans as the “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes.

There have been a number of pieces written over the years about the verbal prowess of Rhodes. But as much as he was a force in front of the camera, Rhodes was arguably even more influential behind the scenes. 

He was the primary booker for multiple territories during his career and while he could map out a week-to-week story, Rhodes’ true creative genius shined when it came to creating spectacles.

When Rhodes laid eyes on the Thunderdome, he saw his next project.

Rhodes added a few wrinkles to make the concept pro wrestling-friendly, but the violence and excitement remained. The result is one of the most anticipated matches in professional wrestling, one that has provided countless fond memories during its near 40 years of existence. 

But which WarGames match is the best of all time? Conversely, which one is the worst? I am here to answer that question once and for all. Well, in my opinion, at least. 

Before we dig into the rankings, some ground rules: First, this ranking will only feature WarGames matches from the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling and NXT/WWE. Yes, I know, AEW has its own version of WarGames called Blood and Guts, but for the sake of this list, I’m only including matches that actually carries the match’s namesake.

Secondly, this list does not include WarGames matches that were not televised. Televised WarGames matches only!

Lastly, remember that this is merely my opinion, so don’t kill me too much if you disagree. Please feel free to disagree and give your thoughts. But again, these are just my thoughts after recently watching all of the matches that qualified for this list.

With that said, let the WarGames ranking begin!

WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2023 predictions — Who will triumph in Chicago?

Who will win the WarGames this matches at Survivor Series? And what other match might steal the show in Chicago?

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I can’t believe I am about to type this, but for the second year in a row, I am looking forward to watching Survivor Series.

It’s been a while for me, as I have been firmly on the bandwagon to just get rid of Survivor Series all together. The fact that there are two WarGames matches and no Survivor Series matches on a show called Survivor Series tells me the people in charge at WWE don’t care that much about it either. I don’t blame them.

As far as the card itself, it’s carried mostly by a pair of what should be exciting WarGames matches. However, most of the talk surrounding the show is about who may or may not be in the building Saturday night. 

Of course I’m talking about CM Punk, which even bringing his name up in this context feels very speculative, but we can’t ignore the elephant in the room, even if it’s merely a figment of our collective imagination. 

Regardless, I try to only make predictions on things that are actually advertised and we’ve got a short list to get through.

How to watch WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2023 — Live stream US, international

A quick holiday week reminder on how to watch WWE Survivor Series: WarGames this weekend.

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It’s nearly Thanksgiving, so it’s that time of the year again where WWE presents Survivor Series, the long-running premium live event that usually pits teams and brands against each other, although the latter isn’t happening this year.

Instead, two WarGames matches will headline Survivor Series, as it’ll take two babyface groups trying to take down heel stables that are running rampant across Raw and SmackDown.

Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Bianca Belair and Shotzi will compete against IYO SKY, Kairi Sane, Bayley, and Asuka in WarGames. Over the last few weeks, Damage CTRL has increased in membership to five, but Bayley has been noticeably marginalized within the group. If tensions arise during the match, it could potentially end her involvement with the stable she once formed.

The other WarGames match pits Jey Uso, Seth Rollins, Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn and probably Randy Orton against Damian Priest, Finn Balor, Dominik Mysterio, JD McDonagh and Drew McIntyre.

On the go-home episode of Raw, Rhodes clearly hinted at the Viper, who has not wrestled in over 18 months, being their mystery partner. It’s hard to believe it could be anyone else, even with the internet buzzing about CM Punk’s theme music playing at the Allstate Arena. When Orton emerges from behind the curtain, it will undoubtedly be a special moment for one of WWE’s iconic figures.

Survivor Series features a small match card otherwise since WarGames will dominate the night. Gunther vs. The Miz, Rhea Ripley vs. Zoey Stark, and Carlito vs. Santos Escobar all have the chance to potentially shine with more time, though, to make the undercard intriguing and entertaining.

These matches will grace Survivor Series. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the action this weekend.

WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2023

  • Date: Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023
  • Location: Allstate Arena, Chicago, Illinois
  • Start time: 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT
  • How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., and on WWE Network in the rest of the world