Tag: IYO SKY

WWE SummerSlam 2023: Top takeaways from all the happenings in Detroit

SummerSlam was a good show that elevated several wrestlers, but did it live up to sky high expectations overall?

Fans having high expectations for an event is usually a good thing, as that means people are engaged with the product.

But in the case of SummerSlam, it turned out to be kind of a detriment for WWE.

On the surface, SummerSlam wasn’t a bad show. In fact, I think it was a pretty good one. A couple of years ago, that would have been good enough by WWE standards.

But the bar has been raised throughout 2023, making SummerSlam, at least for me, only a decent show that had potential to be a lot more.

As usual, I have takeaways from the night in Detroit.

Jimmy Uso betrays his own brother

I had a feeling that this could happen. I had a feeling it could go down like this. I didn’t really want to entertain the idea that Jimmy Uso could turn on Jey Uso. But when someone as integral to a story as Jimmy Uso goes missing, wrestling fans can assume that they will resurface during the ensuing major encounter. 

That is exactly what happened Saturday night, as Jimmy Uso thwarted his brother’s chances of defeating Roman Reigns by pulling him out of the ring during a pin attempt. After a shocking reveal, Jimmy Uso delivered a gut-wrenching superkick to his twin brother.

While it may be hard to believe for some that not one but two of Jey Uso’s blood brothers have turned on him in favor of their narcissistic yet insecure cousin, it didn’t make it any less heartbreaking to see the Usos essentially break up after years of being one of the best tag teams in the world.

It is professional wrestling, though, which means they will surely reunite one day. But for now, it is just kind of sad.

So where do we go from here?

I can only assume this means we will see the Usos face each other in a one-on-one match at some point. Will WWE save that for next year’s WrestleMania? Time will tell, but it seems like the logical direction either way.

Where does Reigns go from here? In the immediate future, I honestly have no idea. Outside of Cody Rhodes, who we’ll discuss more in a little bit, I don’t see a long line of credible challengers for Reigns. 

Does that mean Reigns is in line for an extended break? Reigns has had a busy summer, so much so that you almost forget that he has essentially risen to the level of a part-time wrestler, and we may not see him for a while after this.

IYO SKY cashes in and cashes out

As I predicted earlier in the week, IYO SKY cashed in her Money in the Bank contract and won the WWE Women’s Championship at SummerSlam.

I must admit, though, that my prediction had SKY cashing in on Charlotte moments into her 15th title reign. Instead, it was Bianca Belair who pulled off a triumphant victory, only for SKY to come down and rain on her parade.

Unlike Reigns, there are a slew of credible challengers for SKY to go up against. First on the list is Belair, who will probably enact an automatic rematch clause to set up their next encounter.

However, I feel like this will eventually lead to jealousy amongst Damage CTRL and eventually end with the group dissolving right before our very eyes.

Brock Lesnar endorses Cody Rhodes

Brock Lesnar has been involved with professional wrestling for more than 20 years, and I don’t think I have ever seen him put someone over the way he did for Rhodes Saturday night.

Not only did Rhodes defeat Lesnar clean as a sheet in the middle of the ring, Lesnar shook Rhodes’ hand, gave him a hug, and raised his arm after the match, essentially endorsing Rhodes as “that guy.”

Receiving such an endorsement from Lesnar of all people should mean a lot. And if WWE follows through on that, it should mean Rhodes is the person to dethrone Reigns. Right? Why else would you have Lesnar single him out like that? 

If that is the case, when does this happen? Is WWE pushing this all the way until WrestleMania? I guess it could happen, especially if Reigns takes an extended break. 

But what do you do with Rhodes in the meantime? He’s already slayed the biggest threat in the promotion outside of Reigns. Who else would pose a credible threat at this point?

Could we see that match before the end of 2023? I’m of the opinion that WWE should save a second match between Reigns and Rhodes for WrestleMania, but I also understand how that is easier said than done.

LA Knight has finally his moment

It may have occurred in a sponsored battle royal with virtually nothing at stake, but LA Knight finally had his moment to shine, winning said battle royal and getting a lot of love from the fans in Detroit in the process.

At this point, WWE needs to stop messing around and get fully on board with Knight being a potential top guy. It’s not often that WWE has someone on the roster as over as Knight currently is. And the times it has happened, the company has often been late to the party and failed to capitalize on the momentum.

Hopefully, that is not the case with Knight, who has earned at least a chance to show that he can run with the ball. He has to prove that he actually can in the long run, but he has definitely earned the opportunity.

A worked MMA match?

If there is one lesson I have taken away from my multiple decades of watching professional wrestling, it’s that simulating anything other than pro wrestling is usually a mistake.

Roddy Piper and Mr. T tried to put on a worked boxing match at WrestleMania 2, and it ended up being one of the worst matches in the event’s illustrious history.

Almost 20 years later, WWE put Big Show into a worked sumo match with sumo legend Akebono. That turned out to be an abomination as well.

With the rise of mixed martial arts, I should have known that it was only a matter of time until WWE tried to simulate an MMA fight. And no, not in the way of NXT’s Fight Pit or Raw/NXT Underground, or even Ken Shamrock’s Lion’s Den matches, which still largely resembled professional wrestling contests.

This was Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler doing their best to make it seem like they were back in UFC, which unsurprisingly, did not turn out well.

If this is indeed the end of Rousey’s run with WWE, what an anticlimactic way to go out. Her run started out with so much promise. WWE immediately slotted her into big matches and into the main event of the biggest show of the year. The company basically promoted the one and only all-women’s pay-per-view around the fact that she was going to be on it.

But there she was Saturday night, being choked out by Baszler in the middle of Ford Field. 

In theory, this should be a springboard for Baszler to ascend to bigger and better things as a single. In reality, however, I’m not sure it will be. That is how far Rousey’s stock has fallen as of late.

Who’s to blame for that? Oh, there is plenty to go around. Regardless of who you place the blame upon, Rousey’s run in WWE was not the cash register the company was hoping it would be. It also didn’t make any real progress in putting women’s wrestling on equal footing with the men. 

To be fair, the latter is not Rousey’s fault, but it is just another aspect of a run that did not reach its full potential.

WWE SummerSlam 2023 results: Tribal Combat, Rhodes-Lesnar 3 and more

Ford Field in Detroit is playing host to four championship matches and Tribal Combat among eight bouts on the WWE SummerSlam 2023 card.

The time has arrived for The Biggest Party of the Summer to take over Detroit’s Ford Field. But for some of the biggest stars of WWE, it’ll be more fighting than partying tonight.

That’s because the SummerSlam card is packed to the gills with title matches and other intriguing bouts, with four championships on the line, a 25-man battle royal and some very personal non-title bouts.

With all due respect to WWE framing the event as having multiple man events, the match that’s expected to close the show is one that has built up for well over a year: Tribal Combat between Roman Reigns and Jey Uso, with not only the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship on the line, but also Reigns’ status as Tribal Chief. Can Jey grab something that even Roman has claimed would someday be his destiny, or will Reigns’ … well, reign, continue unabated?

Rhea Ripley is somehow without a championship match tonight, but supremacy of the rest of the women’s division will on the line when Asuka defends against both Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair. Finn Balor will try to erase seven years of bitterness when he tries to dethrone World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. And Cody Rhodes will attempt to put Brock Lesnar behind him once and for all in the rubber match between two men who are currently tied at one win apiece.

It should be an interesting and entertaining night, so let’s see how it all plays out.

WWE SummerSlam 2023 results from Detroit:

(click on any match link for full details)

WWE SmackDown results 08/04/23: Final faceoffs before SummerSlam

The final WWE SmackDown before the scene shifts to Ford Field also saw Sheamus take on LA Knight.

Jey Uso is going to take part in the biggest match of his career Saturday when he faces cousin Roman Reigns in Tribal Combat at SummerSlam. But first, he’ll take on someone even closer to him on WWE SmackDown in Dayton: his younger brother.

Adding a bit more spice to what was originally advertised for tonight’s show, Jey will face Solo Sikoa on SmackDown. Solo has proven to be unwaveringly loyal to the Tribal Chief so far, but that title is on the line Saturday, meaning he might be going head to head against the next man to hold that honor.

Surely, Reigns will be watching closely, hoping Sikoa can soften Jey up and make him easier pickings at Ford Field. But the Bloodline saga has had more than its fair share of twists and turns along the way, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see one more in Dayton.

There’s more potential intrigue on tap as well. Sheamus will go one-on-one with LA Knight in a clash between two of the men most likely to win the SummerSlam Battle Royal. And there will be one final faceoff, most likely, between Asuka, Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair before all three of them compete for Asuka’s WWE Women’s Championship this weekend.

Still, we’re guessing that the emotional high point of the show, as it has been for weeks and arguably months, will be whatever’s happening with The Bloodline. We’re psyched to see exactly what that is, so let’s dive in.

WWE SmackDown results from Dayton:

A typically huge reaction greets LA Knight before he talks to you. He’s looking ahead to the SummerSlam Battle Royal and doesn’t think much of the field. He does admit that Sheamus has done it all, but he’s about to add one more accomplishment to his list when he’s beaten by the Megastar tonight.

LA Knight def. Sheamus by pinfall

Sheamus leans in a little to the fact that the fans are so firmly behind his opponent. He also has his Brawling Brutes teammates at ringside for support.

Here comes someone else: Santos Escobar, followed by The Miz and Grayson Waller. Karrion Kross and AJ Styles are also on hand. Feels like hijinks are going to ensue, but not until after a commercial break.

Knight shows off his power with a DVD for a near fall. Also his “Definitely Not the People’s Elbow” was in there too. He manages to survive the White Noise off the turnbuckles, to the delight of the fans. Knight ends up in the Texas Cloverleaf but makes it to the ropes to break the hold.

With both men trying to go up top, the footing proves perilous, and they end up falling to the floor where the inevitable brawl breaks out among everyone at ringside. Poor Miz gets grabbed for the 10 Beats of the Bodhran and a Brogue, but Knight hits the Blunt Force Trauma and wins it.

Some posturing among the Battle Royal participants breaks out afterward, because ’tis the season.

Adam Pearce has had enough of the Brawling Brutes and The O.C. fighting after the dust-up by the ring and tells them to go settle things in their own match.

The dramatic Cody Rhodes-Brock Lesnar video from Raw is replayed.

Brawling Brutes vs. The O.C. (Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows) ends in no contest after an attack by the new look Street Profits

Butch really looks like he’s having fun torturing Anderson. He might not be enjoying it as much once the Good Brothers are able to join forces to plant him.

Ridge Holland gets to show off his power, however, but the nattily dressed Street Profits invade the ring and attack both teams, making the proverbial statement. Bobby Lashley comes out and cheers on his new BFFs.

Charlotte Flair is on a yacht talking about why she’s the iron woman of this division. She says Asuka and Bianca Belair have to beat her, not the other way around.

Paul Heyman is ready to lead a bit of a history lesson. He leads off by saying this is not what Roman Reigns wanted, and says that it’s really Jey Uso’s fault for everything that’s happened, including the fate of Jimmy Uso.

He then narrates a video that includes Rikishi, Afa and Sika that explains the significance of the beads worn by the Tribal Chief. Also there’s only one rule for Tribal Combat: Don’t talk about Tribal Combat.

Just kidding. It’s that there must be a definitive winner, leaving no doubt about who is Tribal Chief.

Jey Uso picks that time to interrupt, telling Heyman he’s bringing all the passion he’s got tonight to the ring Saturday night too. Solo Sikoa joins them, Heyma tries to calm him down, Solo tells Paul to get out, and Jey blasts his little brother out of the ring with a superkick.

Kayla Braxton talks to Austin Theory, who is typically unimpressed with Escobar. Tonight, however, he faces Cameron Grimes, who will get his dreams crushed tonight.

Austin Theory def. Cameron Grimes by pinfall

Is Theory taking Grimes a little too lightly? Of course. Will it cost him? Probably not, but we’ll see.

It doesn’t, but Escobar comes in and delivers a how do you do to the U.S. champ after the bell.

The Grayson Waller Effect is now on your TV screens. Who’s he giving the rub to today? Not just one wrestler, but two: Damage CTRL’s IYO SKY and Bayley.

Waller has some fun with Bayley, making it seem like Shotzi is coming out, though the Role Model claims she’s not scared. The TCB Tank makes an appearance, but it slowly becomes clear it’s not Shotzi at the wheel.

Shotzi then appears behind Bayley in the ring, chasing her away with clippers. Wait, but then who’s in the tank? It’s Zelina Vega, who is conveniently SKY’s opponent tonight,

Zelina Vega def. IYO SKY by pinfall

The announcers point out that SKY just doesn’t look like herself, possibly shaken up by Shotzi just like Bayley was. She rallies back and looks for a moonsault but stops in her tracks as she sees Shotzi close to shaving Bayley’s head up on stage.

Vega takes full advantage, with a Code Red that proves enough to seal up a win.

Bianca Belair says she was able to overcome every obstacle in front of her until Asuka tried to blind her. She’s not one for excuses, though, but on to get back to work. Belair says she’ll get back what’s rightfully hers at SummerSlam.

Jey Uso vs. Solo Sikoa

It doesn’t take long for the tempo to get picked up here, with the announce table getting cleared off and both brothers threatening to put each other through it.

No one actually does, however, and they go back and forth in the ring. Jey flies for a high cross body but that’s not enough to win it.

Solo fires right back, planting Jey with Spinning Solo. He misses a Samoan Spike, however, and gets hit with a superkick and a spear. An Uso Splash connects, and Jey has passed this particular test.

Sore loser? Yeah, just a little, as Sikoa wants to make more of it after the bell. His attempt to use a chair backfires, however, as Jey blasts him into the timekeeper’s area.

WWE SummerSlam 2023: Predictions for every match set for Detroit

Who will prevail at WWE SummerSlam in Detroit? Here are picks for every match.

Wrestling fans have truly been spoiled this summer with some amazing wrestling.

Throughout this summer, we have seen banger after banger (from all over the world, mind you), and we potentially have another on the way with the season’s most notable event, SummerSlam. 

At SummerSlam, we’ve got one of the biggest matches of the year on top of the card and an undercard that is worthy of sitting all the way through until the main event rolls around.

Naturally, I have predictions. Here is what a rundown of what I think will go down in Motown.

Undisputed WWE Universal Championship (Tribal Combat): Roman Reigns (c) vs. Jey Uso

The story leading up to SummerSlam has been great, but the outcome has never been in doubt.

In short, Reigns will retain his title along with his status as Tribal Chief, extending his already historic reign. With that said, I fully expect WWE to pull out all of the stops with this one. That means there will be plenty of interference and an overabundance of familial drama. 

Buckle up folks, this could get wild.

Winner: Roman Reigns

Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar

As of this writing, there has been no added stipulation to their third encounter. Whether one is added or not means nothing to me, as I believe Rhodes will finish this particular story with a win.

Winner: Cody Rhodes

WWE World Heavyweight Championship match: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Finn Balor

With Damian Priest looming in the background with the Money in the Bank briefcase, this could get pretty interesting.

For all we know, Priest could take a page out of Rollins’ playbook and cash in during the match, making it a triple threat. 

Cash in attempt or not, I think Rollins will retain his world title, mainly because I think the only person that should take that title away from the current champion is Gunther. 

Since Gunther is still on the road to becoming the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion of all time, he is probably not going to pursue the world title until he has broken the long-standing record.

And yes, that could mean Priest fails at cashing in his Money in the Bank contract.

Winner: Seth Rollins

WWE Women’s Championship match: Asuka (c) vs. Bianca Belair vs. Charlotte Flair

While I think Priest may fail in his attempt to cash in his Money in the Bank contract, I think IYO SKY will successfully cash in hers. 

However, that comes after Charlotte Flair wins her 15th world title in WWE, which would put her one shy of tying her father for 16 world title reigns.

WWE seemingly looks for ways to get Charlotte Flair extra title runs, so I can easily see the company have her defeat Asuka and Belair, only to quickly lose it to IYO SKY.

It’s happened before, when Carmella cashed in on Charlotte Flair back in 2018.

Winner: Charlotte Flair, but eventually, IYO SKY

WWE Intercontinental Championship match: Gunther vs. Drew McIntyre

As of this writing, Gunther is a little more than a month away from surpassing Honky Tonk Man to become the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in history. Since I believe Gunther is going to break that record, the prediction is easily Gunther retaining.

However, I fully expect this to be a brutal affair that will leave a few bruises before it is said and done.

Winner: Gunther

MMA Rules: Shayna Baszler vs. Ronda Rousey

An MMA rules match is kind of hilarious given that WWE is about to be part of a media conglomerate that features the most prominent mixed martial arts promotion in the world under its umbrella.

If this match took place in the UFC, the prediction would definitely be Rousey winning. But since this is simulated combat and not real fighting, I’m going to go with Baszler to pick up the much-needed win.

If the reports of Rousey stepping away from wrestling are true, it would make even more sense for Baszler to come away with the win and use it as a springboard to bigger and better things.

Winner: Shayna Baszler

Logan Paul vs. Ricochet

As I wrote back in a previous column, being paired with Paul has benefitted Ricochet. But like Tribal Combat, the outcome has never been in doubt.

Paul hasn’t won a match in over a year, and Ricochet represents a quality opponent to finally get back in the win column.

Winner: Logan Paul

SummerSlam Battle Royal

As of this writing, the full field has yet to be unveiled. However, I don’t need to see the entire field to know that this has be LA Knight’s moment to shine.

Winner: LA Knight

WWE SmackDown results 07/28/23: Roman Reigns proves his point to Jey Uso

Also on WWE SmackDown this week, who will win the battle of LWO teammates and secure a U.S. title shot?

Considering we all were just introduced to the concept of Tribal Combat last week, it’s understandable that Roman Reigns and Jey Uso may need some time to prepare for such a monumental matchup. WWE says some of that prep time may take place tonight on SmackDown in New Orleans.

On the surface, Tribal Combat is simply another name among many for WWE to describe a match where weapons are allowed and anything goes. Certainly, Jey hinted as much a week ago when he described things he may use or at least would consider using to beat his cousin down.

But there also appears to be a deeper, almost spiritual aspect to Tribal Combat. Maybe that’s where one of the men could gain an advantage tonight at the Smoothie King Center, where WWE assures us both will be on hand.

Another centerpiece of tonight’s show will be the United States Championship Invitational Finals between LWO teammates Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar. Will a legend and surefire future WWE Hall of Famer get one more shot at glory? Or will Escobar put himself more firmly on the map and earn a U.S. title opportunity? More importantly, will they still be friends when it’s over?

Plus we’ll see Karrion Kross take on Karl Anderson as Kross continues his ongoing issues with The O.C. He already defeated AJ Styles, but we suppose there’s value in proving your superiority over the entire group.

In any case, we’ll be making our own mental preparations for Tribal Combat while watching WWE SmackDown tonight. Let’s get into it.

WWE SmackDown results from New Orleans:

Main Event Jey Uso is now in your city … but so are Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa and Paul Heyman, who quickly make their way out. Reigns says the only reason people like The Usos is because of him, and that if the Tribal Chief is scheduled to appear, he gets to open up the show.

“Because I made you that,” is what Reigns says about most of what Jey is or has been, and he questions whether Uso believes he is now the Tribal Chief. However, Jey says he didn’t want any of that, and only supported Roman with no questions asked.

Jey accuses Roman of breaking everything, forcing him to do what he has to do. Reigns fires back that once Jey loses, he’s done, as he’ll be erased from everything.

And what if Jey wins? That means he takes everything from Roman … except he’ll always be Roman Reigns, and can do anything he wants to do. Mostly, he’s incredulous that Jey thinks he can win.

Before he leaves the ring, Jey simply says he beat Roman once — and he’s going to do it again.

Jey Uso seems to be feeling good after that segment, but his smile disappears when he runs into Grayson Waller. He doesn’t laugh but smacks Waller instead.

Santos Escobar def. Rey Mysterio by referee stoppage in the United States Championship Invitational Finals

The LWO teammates shake hands before they start locking up, so there’s every reason to think they’ll keep this respectful. United States Champion Austin Theory is shown watching from a skybox high above the action.

Wade Barrett thinks it behooves Santos to slow the pace, utilizing his size and power advantages. Escobar also knows Mysterio very well, which makes for fun framing for this bout. He hits a nice tope suicida right before a commercial break, but Theory continues to look unimpressed.

When the broadcast returns, however, a replay of that dive and the hard hit that Rey took is shown, and the ringside physician is checking on Rey. The ref is informed that Mysterio can’t continue, and Escobar gets a big but bittersweet victory.

Bianca Belair wants to talk about the Triple Threat match at SummerSlam, but Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville crash the interview to complain about their lack of a championship celebration. They also talk smack about Charlotte Flair, who offers to join forces with Belair to take on the tag champs. Bianca isn’t with it, but Charlotte says that makes her want to do it even more, and heads off to find Adam Pearce.

LA Knight def. Ashante Thee Adonis by pinfall

If you guessed Knight’s mic time might be about as long as the actual match, you got it. Blunt Force Trauma seals it up.

Pearce tells Jey Uso that Waller has been bugging him for a match against Jey tonight. Uso says since Waller was running his mouth, it’ll be over nice and quick.

Bobby Lashley is still wining and dining the Street Profits, who he says should be treated like and dress like stars. Angelo Dawkins is in sweats, but he seems cool with wearing dressier clothes after Lashley says he’ll pick up the bill.

Bianca Belair and Charlotte Flair def. Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville by pinfall

Barrett questions how well Belair and Flair will work as a team, but they actually function fairly well as a unit. Charlotte may smirk seeing Bianca take a thrust kick to the face, but she’s right there when Belair needs a hot tag out.

Belair tags herself in when things start going south for Flair, and now Green is in trouble. And then the faces start squabbling: Belair has Green up for a KOD, but Flair tags herself in, kicks Green and gets the pin.

Bayley tries to explain leaving IYO SKY behind last week, but she gets freaked out finding another note from Shotzi. As they try to depart in a hurry again, Asuka stops by to warn SKY not to cash in at SummerSlam, but she seems to be suggesting that’s exactly what she’s planning to do.

After hearing about the SummerSlam Battle Royal, both Knight and Sheamus exchange pleasantries in front of Pearce. Adam ends up putting both of them in the match and sounds like he wants them to go head to head next week to see who might go into the Battle Royal with some momentum.

Waller says Uso is so consumed with Reigns that he should be easy pickings tonight for the Grayson Waller Effect.

Even though Karl Anderson is appreciative of the fact that The O.C. has his back, he tells his teammates that he needs to do things alone tonight, and they reluctantly agree.

Karrion Kross def. Karl Anderson by pinfall

Anderson gets off to a quick start, but unlike him, Kross made no vows to do this alone, and that means Scarlett is there to provide assistance and encouragement from the outside.

A Kross Hammer knocks Anderson for a loop, then the Final Prayer closes the show as Kross gets the dub.

After the bell, the Kross Jacket has Anderson in agony until The O.C. rushes down and Karrion retreats.

Jey Uso def. Grayson Waller by pinfall

Interesting to hear the announcers mention Waller going back and forth a little on social media with The Rock, but no real reason not to mention it, really. Just as Jey has things rolling, Roman’s music hits and the Bloodline wanders down the ramp.

Waller capitalizes and lays out Uso heading into a commercial break. He tries his own twist on The People’s Elbow when he has Uso down, but his theatrics take too long and give Jey a foothold to get back into the match.

After hitting a spear on Waller, Jey stares down Roman and takes flight with an Uso Splash and the pinfall.

Right after the bell, Sikoa attacks Uso, and when that doesn’t work, Reigns invades the ring himself. Uso ends up spearing Reigns, but when he goes up top, Solo pushes Jey off the turnbuckles.

Now the Bloodline is in control, and Uso ends up taking a spear/Samoan spike combo. As the fans give it to Reigns, he gets upset and they hit the combo move on Jey again. Roman poses in the corner with both the title belt and the necklace as the show comes to a close.

WWE SmackDown results, live blog 07/21/23: Jey, Roman invoke Tribal Combat at SummerSlam

And it wasn’t LA Knight who won the Fatal 4-Way in Orlando either.

It’s getting real for The Bloodline now. Not that it wasn’t before, mind you, what with the group fracturing right down the middle and The Usos superkicking their Tribal Chief and all. But now Roman Reigns and Jey Uso are on a collision course that leads to SummerSlam in Detroit, and a big step toward that match will take place tonight on WWE SmackDown in Orlando.

At least it seems big that the segment is being promoted as a discussion about the “Rules of Engagement” for SummerSlam. What we do know is that Roman and Jey will be in the ring together, and when that’s happened recently, every time it’s happened, things have gone sideways. We’d expect nothing different on SmackDown.

Elsewhere, a number of men have their eyes on Austin Theory and his United States Championship. How to sort out the line of contenders? WWE is doing it by having a Fatal 4-Way tonight it’s calling a United States Championship Invitational. The winner will face Santos Escobar, who already won on of these. And then that winner will take on Theory (presumably at SummerSlam).

Who’s in this Invitational? That’s a very logical next question, so kudos. Rey Mysterio, Sheamus and Cameron Grimes are all involved. But the man everyone has their eyes on is the guy who makes you go “Yeah!”, the Megastar, LA Knight. Can he (finally) break through and get closer to a title shot?

We’re looking forward to what should be a good show as we draw ever closer to SummerSlam. Let’s get to FS1 and see what’s on tap.

WWE SmackDown results from Orlando:

Rey Mysterio def. Sheamus, Cameron Grimes and LA Knight by pinning Grimes in a United States Championship Invitational Fatal 4-Way

Knight is the only one who gets a microphone on his way in, though Austin Theory is ringside and scoffs at his assertion that he’ll be coming for the U.S. title.

Mysterio and Sheamus, both good guys, try to stay respectful with each other but also are definitely willing to set aside to try to win.

Grimes gets a showcase spot where he’s dishing out punishment to all three of his foes, but Sheamus eventually puts a stop to that. All four men end up in the same corner for a four-man powerbomb/superplex/whatever else Tower of Doom spot.

You just know Theory is going to take exception to something, and he does when the fight comes close to his spot near the announce table. Sheamus rallies the crowd behind him but Knight is ready for him and may have won it if not for Mysterio.

Rey looks like he might win but gets hauled out of the ring by Theory … who in turn gets rushed by Escobar, and they brawl toward the back.

Signature moves are flowing in the ring, and Mysterio is the one who takes advantage by pinning Grimes, meaning he’ll now advance to fight his own teammate for the title shot next week.

The Cavinder Twins are in the house. Waving, it appears.

Theory is upset and makes it clear to Adam Pearce that he wants Escobar in a singles match tonight. Scrap Daddy says he’ll make it happen.

A Raw recap package shows the latest brawl between Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar earlier this week, which ended with Lesnar accepting a third match at SummerSlam.

Charlotte Flair def. IYO SKY by pinfall

Bayley joins the announcers for this one, meaning Michael Cole is now being ganged up on by her and Wade Barrett. Their bickering and discussion of the Money in the Bank briefcase is sort of distracting from a pretty fun match, but hey.

Also Cole is harassing Bayley about how Damage CTRL has been treating Shotzi. Meanwhile SKY is working over Flair’s left knee, but takes a series of chops in return. With IYO in trouble on the top turnbuckle, Bayley provides a distraction that nearly helps her teammate win.

Then a somewhat disturbing Shotzi video plays on the big screen, which has Bayley shook. She takes off, missing both women miss their moonsaults and going back and forth with potential pins and counters.

Flair hits a spear but finds it’s not enough to win it. After another sequence where both women have chances to pin the other, Flair hits Natural Selection and finally gets the three. But Asuka arrives and quickly attacks The Queen, leaving her right arm in a world of hurt.

Kayla Braxton asks Dominik Mysterio what he’s doing hanging around SmackDown, and it seems to be mostly to rub his title win in his father’s face. Butch shows up and challenges him to a title match, and when Dom tries to use the excuse that there’s no one here from NXT to make it official, Shawn Michaels arrives and says he’s going to see Pearce to do just that.

Roman Reigns is in quiet contemplation in his dressing room, and neither Solo Sikoa nor Paul Heyman are disturbing it by talking.

Bayley finds her luggage has a picture of her with scissors stabbed through it, and that only makes her more frazzled and determined to leave the arena.

Santos Escobar def. Austin Theory by pinfall

Theory fires out of the gates but finds Escobar has answers for pretty much everything he can dream up. He calls for a timeout as the show breaks for commercials.

That timeout seems to have done the U.S. champ well, as he scores a two count with a nice looking dropkick. A tope suicida makes for a good response by Escobar, knocking Theory on top of the announce table.

A big left hand and a brainbuster nearly put Escobar away, but he kicks out to continue the match. Theory wants A-Town Down but gets caught with a dropkick, and the two men fight up on top of the turnbuckles. Escobar escapes a superplex and turns it into a hurricanrana; he hits a running knee, then the Phantom Driver, to pick up a big win.

Bobby Lashley is on hand again, and he says he’s glad he ran into Carmelo Hayes and Trick Williams.

Hmm …

Dominik Mysterio def. Butch by pinfall to retain the NXT North American Championship

If Dominik had to fight truly alone, he’d probably be in big trouble here. But he’s not, as Rhea Ripley is close at hand.

Rhea slips Dom a chain and then distracts the ref, but Ridge Holland arrives to make sure he never uses it. Pretty Deadly comes to the ringside area as well, even with Elton Prince in a wheelchair.

Holland finally runs them off (Prince’s legs seem fine), but the chaos allows Ripley to intervene in the action again, chop blocking Butch on the apron, and Mysterio gladly accepts that help and gets the pinfall.

Jey Uso waits in the ring for the arrival of Reigns, flanked as usual by Sikoa and Heyman. There’s a table set up in the manner of a contract signing, but there’s no moderator — and no Jimmy Uso, as the announcers are quick to point out.

As they take their seats, Roma condescendingly asks Jey if he still wants to do this, but he says his does. “You’re just a soldier, man — a pawn in this game,” Reigns says dismissively even as the fans start an Usos chant.

Jey slams the contract down and says they don’t need it, because “this is tribal combat now.” That means no rules, apparently, and that he’ll use any weapons needed.

Reigns says he’s ready to fight now, while Jey reminds him again it’s tribal combat. Are they … fighting for leadership? While we ponder, Solo tries to spike Jey, but Roman stops him and Jey sends him out of the ring with a superkick. Reigns slowly backs out as well, but the battle lines have been drawn for SummerSlam.

WWE SmackDown results 07/14/23: Jey Uso stands tall, Asuka barely escapes

The WWE Women’s Championship match ended in hijinks in Raleigh, likely surprising no one.

Sometimes you just have to throw caution to the wind, go for it and worry about the consequences later. That’s what Jey Uso did last week on WWE SmackDown, getting some revenge for what happened to his brother Jimmy with the help of a steel chair.

The problem is the consequences might only be coming tonight in Raleigh. Jey naming himself the “judge, jury and executioner” made for a tasty sound bite, but surely Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa won’t be cool with him feeling like he’s got the upper hand. The world will be watching considering the Bloodline drama remains the biggest attraction on WWE TV at the moment.

The women’s division should have stakes just as high if not higher tonight. Asuka is ready to put her WWE Women’s Championship on the line against Bianca Belair after the latter worked for weeks for a chance to get a shot at the title again,

Will the two women actually be able to settle things just among themselves, though? That’s far from certain, what with IYO SKY poised to potentially cash in her Money in the Bank briefcase without warning and Charlotte Flair also waiting in the wings for her own title match. Expect fireworks, and potential hijinks as well.

We’ll also see Sheamus and Ridge Holland look for some payback against Pretty Deadly. And there’s a Fatal 4-Way scheduled that will lead the winner to be one match away from a United States Championship bout.

We’re set to dive in for all the action.

WWE SmackDown results from Raleigh:

Jey Uso is shown walking backstage as Michael Cole describes him as being “on the warpath.”

Bianca Belair hits the ring ahead of her title match and gets a very warm reaction from the fans in Raleigh. Though she knows people say patience is a virtue, Bianca reminds us how long she’s been waiting and all the hoops she’s had to jump through to get what should have been hers all along.

She promises to give Asuka exactly what she deserves but is interrupted to absolutely no one’s surprise by Charlotte Flair. The Queen says she believes Belair will win tonight and makes it very clear she’s first in line. If Belair does indeed win, it’s on for SummerSlam.

Sheamus gives his Brawling Brutes teammates a pep talk since all of them have big things going on tonight. Speaking of which …

Pretty Deadly def. Sheamus and Ridge Holland by pinfall

A strong start for the Brutes includes tandem 10 Beats of the Bodhran that actually goes well past 10. Things change during a commercial break, however, as Pretty Deadly is able to smother Sheamus with the help of some quick tags. Interestingly, Holland is portrayed as the one Pretty Deadly wants no part of.

Holland does his best to live up to that billing, suplexing one of his foes into the other. Sheamus also goes off the top rope to the floor, something you don’t see every day.

Alas, it doesn’t help, as an exposed steel turnbuckle proves to be enough to knock Ridge woozy, and a leg drop off the top puts him away.

Cathy Kelley catches up with Grayson Waller backstage, who seems really pleased that The Rock has been watching him. He also can’t wait to have his hand raised in the Fatal 4-Way.

The Tribal Court of Roman Reigns segment from last week’s SmackDown is replayed to build up anticipation for the Bloodline business tonight.

Flair tells Adam Pearce she feels so good about Bianca’s chances against Asuka tonight that she’s leaving the arena, but she changes her mind when she sees Damage CTRL is lurking.

Bayley def. Zelina Vega by pinfall

Poor Zelina feels like she’s been getting more of a push lately, but she loses in very quick fashion here.

Shotzi appears on the big screen and asks whether she looks scared just because Damage CTRL cut off some of her hair. She says she’ll show them she’s in control and unafraid and proves it by cutting off a lot more of her hair. Needless to say, she doesn’t sound very in control.

The crowd decides to “what” Jey as he talks about how he and Jimmy were inseparable growing up. He says twins are special, as they know how the other feels and end up feeling that too. When Jimmy is hurt, he’s hurt too, and he just can’t believe their current hurt was caused by a family member.

Jey has venom for Roman Reigns, Solo Sikoa and even Paul Heyman, but it’s the last name on the list who interrupts him. Heyman introduces himself and Sikoa even though they need no introduction, and declares that Solo is there to “enforce the peace.”

In the great spirit of Bloodline gaslighting, Heyman says that what happened to Jimmy is all Jey’s fault. He was the one who rose up against Reigns and wanted to be the Tribal Chief, after all.

Heyman continues by suggesting that Jey’s family members will never forgive him. And wow, even Solo asks for the mic. He insists he won’t forgive Jey either, and now they quickly progress to throwing hands.

Jey wins their brief exchange, however, sending Sikoa to the floor and leaving Heyman alone in the ring. The fans like that, but of course, Solo is back in time to keep Paul out of danger … but only for a little, as Heyman does end up eating a superkick before Jey launches himself into a suicide dive at Solo on the floor.

Oh, forgot to mention a chair is in the ring too, and Solo ends up eating some shots from it that otherwise would have been labeled for the Wiseman. This round goes to Jey, no question.

Santos Escobar def. Butch, Grayson Waller and AJ Styles

Austin Theory joins the announcers to check this one out since the winner will be one step closer to challenging for his title. He talks a lot about beating John Cena and seems to be especially irritated by Waller, which is odd since they’re both heels.

There’s a cool triple powerbomb spot that sees Escobar sunset flip over all three of the other combatants to set it in motion. Just when it appears Styles might be in position to win, Karrion Kross is shown on the big screen beating on The O.C. Styles leaves the match as a result, and Escobar takes advantage, pinning Butch to advance to face the winner of a second Fatal 4-Way next week.

The Street Profits are outside as a limo pulls up … and Bobby Lashley gets out. He invites Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins inside for a talk, and the car rolls out of there.

Rey Mysterio, Cameron Grimes and Sheamus all cut short promos about being in the second Fatal 4-Way next week. But in the actual arena, LA Knight talks to the fans live, getting a huge reaction and making it clear he’s going to win that match next Friday.

Bianca Belair def. Asuka by DQ in a WWE Women’s Championship match; Asuka retains

The bell hasn’t even rung before Bayley and IYO SKY make their way down to the first row of the crowd, with Bayley proudly displaying the tickets that mean they belong there. Flair has her own ticket and marches down in the same direction.

It should come as no surprise that when the action moves to the floor, with Bianca hitting a KOD on the announce table, both Bayley and Flair get involved. SKY sends Flair into the ringpost, and when Charlotte tries to get some payback with a spear, she hits Bianca instead.

SKY clobbers Charlotte from behind with the briefcase, and it looks like Damage CTRL wants to cash the briefcase in. Asuka hits Bayley with the mist to the face, however, and hightails it out of there since IYO never officially cashed in. So close for IYO, but not this week,

WWE SmackDown results 07/07/23: Jey, Roman on collision course

Jimmy Uso ended up in an ambulance Friday night at MSG, but Jey Uso ended SmackDown with a clear message for Roman Reigns.

Roman Reigns remains the Tribal Chief, but that doesn’t mean everything is settled between him and the other past and present members of the Bloodline.

Friday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City, Reigns did what he does best. While he appeared to accept the loss in the Bloodline Civil War in stride, it was just a ploy to be able to go low (literally) on The Usos and open the door for an attack.

When he and Solo Sikoa were done, Jimmy Uso was on his way to a medical facility in the back of an ambulance.

But that wasn’t the end of this chapter on SmackDown.

Jey Uso returned as Reigns was trying to get MSG to acknowledge him properly in the final segment, doling out justice to Sikoa with a steel chair. Calling himself the “judge, jury and executioner,” Jey made it clear he wants a piece of Roman by any means necessary.

SummerSlam, anyone?

Here’s everything that happened Friday night at the World’s Most Famous Arena.

WWE SmackDown results from New York City:

  • Despite Reigns making it clear he wasn’t feeling a Tribal Court since he didn’t order it, The Usos held one anyway, complete with video evidence; that led to Roman pretending to see the error of his ways before hitting a low blow on Jey, and amidst the chaos that ensued, Jimmy got splashed through the announce table and ended up on his ambulance ride
  • Austin Theory def. Sheamus by pinfall to retain the WWE United States Championship – this match also involved Pretty Deadly and the other Brawling Brutes, with Theory winning in the end by taking a shortcut, as he is wont to do
  • Edge appears as the guest on The Grayson Waller Effect and teases a retirement announcement … but of course he’s not retiring and has arranged for a match tonight against Waller
  • AJ Styles def. Karrion Kross by pinfall
  • Asuka wants to cut a promo but is interrupted by Bianca Belair, then Charlotte Flair; while they are brawling, IYO SKY gets help from Bayley to potentially cash in her Money in the Bank briefcase, but Belair and Flair prevent that and Asuka manages to make it to safety
  • Edge def. Grayson Waller by pinfall
  • Reigns makes his attempt at a return to normalcy, but Jey comes through the crowd with a chair, gets some payback on Solo, and delivers his warning to Roman who has fled before getting what’s coming to him

WWE Raw results 07/03/23: The Judgment Day looks like it’s following the Bloodline to implosion

Expect there to be plenty of repercussions from the events of Money in the Bank as WWE Raw hits Baltimore.

There’s an air of mystery tonight as WWE Raw heads to CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore.

It might be due to the fact that Money in the Bank was Saturday evening in London, meaning talent had to fly all the way back to the U.S. and be ready for Raw in short order. Don’t want to promote what you can’t deliver in case there are travel delays.

That might be why WWE has officially announced just one match ahead of time for this show. Rhea Ripley, who was at Money in the Bank to support Dominik Mysterio but didn’t have a match of her own, will defend the Women’s World Championship against Natalya. Considering Nattie’s storyline is that she’s having an identity/confidence crisis, anything other than Rhea dominating her would rank as a surprise.

Perhaps there’s more intrigue to be had throughout the rest of The Judgment Day. Both Mysterio and Finn Balor came up short in their matches, and will definitely not be in good moods as a result. In contrast, Damian Priest had one of the best nights of his career in London, and is now “Señor Money in the Bank.” Will that increase the growing tension between him and Balor?

Seth Rollins and Gunther both held onto their respective titles and will need new challenges, though the Ring General looks like he already has one in Drew McIntyre. And perhaps the tag team champions will be on hand to offer their services in some storyline or another as well.

In any case, we’re curious as to what the rest of the night will hold, so let’s check it out together.

WWE Raw results from Baltimore:

World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins hits the ring to his usual singalong and runs everyone through a recap of Money in the Bank. He’s already looking ahead to SummerSlam, however, but he doesn’t get to tell us what’s on his mind for Detroit as Cody Rhodes makes his way down the ramp.

But before Rhodes can even ask everyone what they want to talk about, Brock Lesnar comes out and brawls to the ring with Cody as Rollins hits the old dusty trail. A Cody Cutter has Rhodes standing tall and Lesnar licking his wounds, for now.

Rollins returns to the ring, this time interrupted by The Judgment Day (sans Finn Balor). Rhea Ripley tells Rollins not to worry about what Balor is doing, while Damian Priest warns him about the prospect of cashing in the briefcase on him.

When Rollins reminds Priest that the cash-in only works when the champ is beaten down or tired, the heels suggest he take on Dominik Mysterio tonight. Rollins thinks it’s probably a trap but wants to smack Dom anyway, so he lets the fans choose his own adventure. The cheers say it’s on.

Damian Priest def. Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall

While the announcers discuss how much momentum Priest has at the moment, Shinsuke is doing well and being urged on by the crowd until he is sent into the barricade and a rare picture-in-picture stretch commences.

The crowd enjoys Shinsuke shaking his hips at Ripley, which … hey, why not? Shoot your shot, Nak. Alas, Priest eventually gets things going his way, and the South of Heaven is more than Shinsuke can take.

Fresh off her betrayal at Money in the Bank, Ronda Rousey hits the ring, though Shayna Baszler quickly joins her and mocks her mic skills. Baszler also says she owes people an apology for bringing Rousey into WWE, then accuses Ronda of ruining her love of pro wrestling.

In response, Rousey kicks her former BFF off the apron, then tries to put her to sleep. Baszler escapes and applies an ankle lock, and though Rousey finally frees herself, one big knee shot ends it … despite Rousey yelling for Baszler to come back and keep fighting.

Alpha Academy asks Maxxine Dupri if she’s ready for her first match tonight, and she certainly is. Chad Gable is ready to smack the Viking Raiders with a huge dose of patriotism too.

Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville win a Women’s Tag Team Championship No. 1 Contenders Tag Team Turmoil match

Freshly re-crowned champions Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez grab a ringside seat for this. The teams involved here are Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville, Emma and Nikki Cross, Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell, Katana Chance and Kayden Carter and Dana Brooke and Tegan Nox. Similar to a gauntlet match, two teams start out, with another randomly joining in at every elimination.

Green and Deville send LeRae and Hartwell packing first, then pin Emma and Cross as well. Brooke and Nox are defeated during picture-in-picture action, so Carter and Chance have an opportunity now. Or so it seems, as Green is able to finish them off as well. Nice way to build Green and Deville as real threats as they beat every team.

A video package reminds us all that Bronson Reed is inescapable.

Becky Lynch says she can move on from failing to win Money in the Bank, but she can’t get past the thorn in her side that is Trish Stratus. The Man erupts in laughter when Stratus comes out in a mask of the type that protects broken noses. She says she’s not medically cleared because “you broke my face,” so Lynch asks to fight Zoey Stark instead.

After some more verbal jousting, Stratus says Stark can fight Lynch next week.

Now back in his suit, Rhodes joins new member of the broadcast team Jackie Redmond to say he promised he would be waiting for Lesnar. He wants another shot at Brock, anywhere, any time.

Alpha Academy and Maxxine Dupri def. Viking Raiders and Valhalla by pinfall

There’s a lot of Chad Gable in this one, which isn’t a bad thing at all. Dupri has to wait her turn for the spotlight, but she finally gets a hot tag from Gable and gets to show off some of what she’s learned.

Her attempt at the Caterpillar goes awry, but after a moonault to the floor by Gable takes out both Raiders, Dupri is able to pull off a nifty rollup and pin Valhalla.

Ricochet says he respects Logan Paul for his ability but isn’t crazy about Paul getting in his face afterward. With that in mind, he challenges Logan to a meting in the ring next week on Raw.

Rhea Ripley def. Natalya by pinfall to retain the Women’s World Championship

Is this really a new Nattie? She’s trying to show that she is, attacking Rhea on the ramp before the match even begins. The ref asks if Ripley still wants to fight; she naturally says yes but immediately finds herself on the back foot again and seeks refuge on the floor.

As expected, Ripley’s power helps her gradually tilt things in her favor, but Natalya continues to hang tough even after a massive headbutt. Forced to dig deeper than usual into her arsenal, Rhea tries a frog splash and catches nothing but knees.

Nattie applies the Sharpshooter, and the fans are behind her now. Rhea manages to make it to the ropes to break the hold, barely. Ripley manages to powerbomb Natalya and stacks her up to finally get the three count.

After the bell, Ripley assaults Natalya even more, but Morgan and Rodriguez hustle down to put a stop to that.

Tommaso Ciampa says the difference between him and The Miz is that he’ll say things straight to your face instead of attacking someone from behind. He also claims he lit the spark that Miz used to have with their brawl, but that Miz has no idea the hand he’s holding.

The Miz continues the card analogy by saying he’s the full house, and that anyone he’s taken under his wing and betrayed him is gone. He tells Ciampa to bring the chip on his shoulder to their No DQ match next week as Tommaso will be facing the best version of Miz.

A highlight package shows the best moments from the Bloodline Civil War at Money in the Bank.

Ripley runs into IYO SKY and says if she cashes in the briefcase on her, it’ll be the biggest mistake of her life. When Mysterio and Priest arrive, Rhea says the tag team champs will regret it if they mess with her business again.

Also Dom says he’ll make Seth regret getting in the ring with him tonight, but, you know, it’s harder to take him seriously.

Matt Riddle def. Giovanni Vinci by pinfall

After a very quick match, Imperium tries to attack Riddle and make him pat for his victory. That brings Drew McIntyre to the rescue, and he easily walks through Ludwig Kaiser and sends Gunther a message with a Claymore for Vinci.

Riddle thanks McIntyre for the save, and Byron Saxton stops by to ask him about it. Riddle says they should team up against Imperium next week, but McIntyre thinks they should party it up in Baltimore tonight.

Seth Rollins def. Dominik Mysterio by DQ, which turns into an internal Judgment Day squabble

The game plan for Mysterio seems to be attacking Rollins’ already injured ribs. But the goal was never to win a match, it seems, as Priest attacks Rollins and ends the match by DQ.

Priest continues his assault after the bell, aided by his teammates when things go awry by the announce table. Dominik encourages Priest to cash in now while Rollins is hurt, and he makes his way toward the ring … only to be cut off by the arrival of Finn Balor, who has been absent all night.

As Priest and Balor bicker, Mysterio tries to calm them down, but gets a Pedigree from Rollins on his way to the safety of the stage.

WWE Money in the Bank: Top takeaways after high drama in London

From excellent storytelling to worthy winners to a hot crowd, WWE Money in the Bank had lots of things go right in London.

For the second weekend in a row, wrestling fans were treated to one of the best wrestling events of the year.

Last week, it was All Elite Wrestling/New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Forbidden Door. This week, it was Money in the Bank, which featured not only some great matches, but a historic outcome and a raucous atmosphere.

Here are my instant takeaways from the event.

Jey Uso pinned Roman Reigns

For the first time in more than three years, Roman Reigns was pinned. And the person who did it was his own cousin.

I was genuinely surprised by this outcome. I figured there was no way WWE would beat Reigns in consecutive matches. I’m glad I was wrong.

As expected, this was a tremendous match with a number of storyline elements throughout, including calling back to the finishes of memorable matches throughout Reigns’ undefeated streak.

They also paid homage to multiple family members, including Jey Uso using The Rock’s slaps at one point.

We have had the pleasure of enjoying some great wrestling matches in the last couple of weeks, but I’d put this one up against any of them. The storytelling was top tier, and elevated this match into the same class as anything we saw at Forbidden Door, in my opinion.

IYO SKY literally climbs over Bayley to win Money in the Bank

Bayley tried her hardest to figuratively step over IYO SKY to win the briefcase, but thanks to a pair of handcuffs, SKY literally stepped over Bayley to win Money in the Bank.

Yes, this was a ladder match, but a pair of handcuffs was the most integral item in the match, as Zoey Stark attempted to cuff Becky Lynch to one of the ring posts. Lynch was able to fight Stark off, but left the handcuffs around her wrist.

Later in the match, Lynch and Bayley were fighting their way up a ladder when SKY, who had already been kicked off a ladder by Bayley, cuffed her Damage CTRL mate and Lynch together. From there, it was academic — and the fans in London loved it.

SKY is more than ready to be a champion, and I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Damian Priest is Mr. Money in the Bank

Although I and many others thought LA Knight was going to come down with the briefcase, I have no qualms whatsoever with Damian Priest being the one who can call himself Mr. Money in the Bank.

For those that don’t know Priest’s story, he has come a long, long way. Priest winning Money in the Bank in London Saturday was the culmination of a 20-year journey that began at The Monster Factory in Paulsboro, N.J.

Priest always had the ability and the potential to be a big star, but admitted during an interview with me back in 2017 that he didn’t fully dedicate himself to the craft.

“I wasn’t giving it 100 [percent]; I wasn’t giving it 100 in the gym, in training or putting myself out there,” he said. “I was kind of coasting by with my size basically because the people I surrounded myself with in the past were basically telling me, ‘Oh, you have a great look. You’re going to be fine. You’re going to be a big deal in this business.’ Because I didn’t know any better, that’s all I needed to hear.”

Priest eventually wised up and rededicated himself to being the star he and many others thought he could be. He signed with Ring of Honor and quickly caught the eye of WWE, where he has gone from a guy with untapped potential to marquee matches with Bad Bunny to, now, the Money in the Bank briefcase.

And with multiple world titles, Priest could cash in to finally reach the summit of the wrestling industry.

Until then, he’s got to worry about his souring relationship with Finn Balor, as he distracted his Judgment Day teammate, which allowed Seth Rollins to hit a curb stomp to retain the world title.

Shayna Baszler turns on Ronda Rousey

Well, I didn’t see that coming.

And it didn’t happen after the match either. It happened during their tag title defense against Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan. Shayna Baszler choked Ronda Rousey out in the middle of the ring, and Rodriguez and Morgan finished her off to pick up the win and become the new tag team champions.

I’m not totally sure what to make of this. Is WWE trying to make Rousey a babyface again? Based off the positive reaction to Baszler’s supposed dastardly act, I don’t think the fans are behind Rousey. Sympathy for Rousey was not on the menu in the arena Saturday night.

Granted, London is just one city, but the fans weren’t necessarily behind Rousey during her first babyface run either.

Also, the turn came completely out of nowhere. There was no indication that there was dissension between Rousey and Baszler.

Bottom line, WWE has got some work to do to make this a worthwhile program.

Drew McIntyre is back and looks to be challenging Gunther

After many months away from WWE, Drew McIntyre returned Saturday and starred down Gunther after he successfully defended the Intercontinental Championship against Matt Riddle.

I’m willing to bet these two will face each other at SummerSlam, but is McIntyre the guy to dethrone the Ring General? I’m not so sure.

The atmosphere in London was fantastic

This wasn’t totally surprising, as the United Kingdom has proven to have some of the best crowds in wrestling over the years. But I think it still warrants being noted.

The chants were plentiful, the decibel level was high, and it helped elevate a pretty fun show.