Some Elimination Chamber previews highlight tonight’s pre-taped edition of WWE SmackDown.
This is where we’d usually say something about the next premium live event being just one night away. But thanks to the magic of time zones, it turns out that this episode of WWE SmackDown is just hours before the start of Elimination Chamber Perth. Wild.
This episode was also taped last Friday because travel, so there are spoilers out there if you want them. Not us, no sir. We’re acting like this is all unfolding fresh.
Can even LA Knight stop the run Drew McIntyre is on?
For someone who believes the world is against him and he’s the only truth-teller left, Drew McIntyre sure is on a roll. It’s one that could take him all the way to a victory in the Elimination Chamber and on to WrestleMania.
Or … perhaps LA Knight will claim those honors. One thing’s for sure, though: Neither will want to lose this one right before they battle four others Down Under.
Will Bron Breakker impress in his SmackDown debut?
Welcome to the blue brand, Bron Breakker. Not quite free of NXT just yet, considering he’s now a tag team champion there, Breakker nonetheless appears more than ready for the main roster.
Tonight he’ll be in action, though we don’t know the identity of his opponent. And does it really matter? A blue chipper like this isn’t jobbing as soon as he hits Friday night, so whoever is on the other side of this match better beware.
The Street Profits really could use a ‘W’ against Authors of Pain
Is it a rivalry when everything is one-sided? Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits have done their best to stand against The Final Testament, but so far it hasn’t gone all that great.
The Profits can change that feeling on SmackDown if they can defeat the Authors of Pain. No big deal, though, because AOP has looked unstoppable since their WWE return. Something has to give, and hopefully it’s not Tez and Angelo’s spines.
Also advertised for this pre-Elimination Chamber edition of WWE SmackDown:
Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate take on The Judgment Day’s Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonagh
Perhaps your plans for tonight include a nap so you can be up for Elimination Chamber, but we’re going to be here for both shows. Join us back here at 8 p.m. ET for live-esque WWE SmackDown results here on Wrestling Junkie.
A look at how to watch the WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 premium live event from Perth, Australia.
On Saturday, Feb. 24, WWE will present Elimination Chamber as the last premium live event before WrestleMania 40. The show will emanate from Optus Stadium in Perth, Australia, featuring matches with implications for WWE’s biggest show of the year.
The Elimination Chamber event will include matches for both men and women, offering the opportunity to earn a title bout at WrestleMania 40. While championship matches will also grace the show, these bouts inside the steel structure are the selling points.
Bianca Belair, Becky Lynch, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Naomi and Tiffany Stratton will complete in the women’s Elimination Chamber match. Morgan and Rodriguez recently returned from injuries, Naomi came back to WWE from a long TNA stint, and Stratton received a main roster call-up after Royal Rumble, loading this match with fresh faces.
However, Lynch likely enters the Elimination Chamber as the favorite to win after her laundry list of interactions with Rhea Ripley, the Women’s World Champion, this past year. A match between them offers ample star power that’s also worthy of the WrestleMania main event, so will WWE make this match official on Saturday?
Randy Orton, Drew McIntyre, Bobby Lashley, LA Knight, Logan Paul and Kevin Owens will fight in the men’s Elimination Chamber match, with the winner facing Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 40. The lineup features stars with credentials worthy of headlining a marquee show, but which one walks out of Perth with the ultimate title opportunity?
These matches will grace Elimination Chamber, which has a special start time. Here’s everything you need to know to watch the action this weekend.
WWE Elimination Chamber 2024
Date: Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024
Location: Optus Stadium, Perth, Australia
Start time: 5:00 a.m. ET/2:00 a.m. PT
How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., and on WWE Network in the rest of the world
The Elimination Chamber fields are set except for one women’s spot after WWE SmackDown in Salt Lake City.
Haven’t been watching WWE long enough to remember the Two-Man Power Trip? No worries, because The Rock and Roman Reigns are doing their best to update the concept for the 2020s, which we’ll see again tonight on WWE SmackDown from Salt Lake City.
It’s been a little more than a week since the WrestleMania XL Kickoff in Las Vegas shook up the landscape along the Road to WrestleMania. It wasn’t just that Cody Rhodes stepped up and challenged Reigns again, bumping The Rock out of the way.
The more surprising development was that The Great One sided with the Tribal Chief, potentially adding one of the most famed champions in WWE history to The Bloodline. That’s pretty much a complete 180 from when it looked like those two men would be doing battle in the main event in Philly.
WWE wants us to think tonight’s show will answer the big unanswered question after Rhodes shuffled everything, which is what role The Rock will play at WrestleMania 40. Since Rhodes and Seth Rollins are on Raw, we probably won’t get a definitive answer tonight, but we should at least find out if things are leaning toward a tag team match, perhaps on night 1.
The other big thing that will happen in Salt Lake City will be finding several more competitors for the Elimination Chamber matches set for eight days from now in Perth, Australia. Two men and two women will join those bouts after tonight’s qualifiers, which will finish off the men’s field and leave just one spot left for the women.
That means it should be a fast-moving show and an eventful two hours. Off we go to find out.
WWE SmackDown results from Salt Lake City:
(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
A big Ford pickup truck pulls up to the arena earlier tonight, and out hops The Rock
Dominik Mysterio get some mic time ahead of his qualifier, but you know that just means the fans get to boo the crap out of him
Kevin Owens def. Dominik Mysterio by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
Drew McIntyre says everyone wants to win the Chamber match, but he’s the only one who needs to win it, for himself and all of WWE; LA Knight arrives to throw some water on that idea as only he can, and they eventually need to be separated
Earlier today, The Bloodline arrives, and Roman Reigns tells Jimmy Uso they’re going to fix everything Cody messed up
Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate are feeling good ahead of their tag team title shot at Elimination Chamber; when an angry Mysterio dismisses their chances as he passes by, they challenge him and R-Truth to a match, but he responds that Truth isn’t part of The Judgment Day and they should know that
Tiffany Stratton def. Zelina Vega by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match; a slight distraction by Elektra Lopez furthers the LWO-Legado Del Fantasma beef too
Things get heated in the locker room between Karl Anderson and AJ Styles, so any hopes of The O.C. getting back on the same page appears dead for right now
IYO SKY delivers a taunting message for Bayley, and, alongside Asuka and Kairi Sane, says no one is ready for Damage CTRL
Authors of Pain def. Javier Bernal and Beau Morris by pinfall in a quick squash match
Byron Saxton gets a word with Logan Paul, who says everyone should be thankful for seeing his first live match on SmackDown and also says he’ll win tonight, at Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania to become a double champ
Logan Paul def. The Miz by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
Stratton is making no friends backstage, annoying Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, and eventually, Jade Cargill
Paul Heyman is shown speaking with Grayson Waller outside the Bloodline dressing room
Naomi def. Alba Fyre by submission in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
Dakota Kai approaches Bayley, but the Role Model still isn’t sure who she can trust and doesn’t want to discuss it right now
Aldis says one of the free agents he’s been talking to is no longer a free agent: Bron Breakker has signed to be on SmackDown
Roman Reigns and The Rock are in your city, and The Rock is in The Bloodline now
[lawrence-related id=45594]
Kevin Owens is in Elimination Chamber, and that’s the (R-)truth
Dom gets an early taste of KO’s power and doesn’t like it. He fires back with an athletic combo that ends with a dropkick, but Owens sends him out to the floor. Dom manages to walk away to avoid any chance of a dive to the floor, but he eats a right hand while avoiding the steel steps.
KO turns and gets a surprise in the form of R-Truth, and his sudden appearance gives the momentum back to Mysterio, who quickly earns a near fall.
After commercials it’s still Dom on the attack, with Truth looking concerned for … Owens, we guess? The crowd comes alive as KO rallies by simply punching and stomping the heck out of Mysterio until he ends up on the outside. A lariat sets up a running senton, and back into the ring they go.
Truth calls for a Cannonball, which KO delivers after a crotch chop. There’s a frog splash, but Dirty Dom digs deep to kick out.
Mysterio counters a Popup Powerbomb with a facebuster (sort of) and a near fall. Dom wants Three Amigos but ends up getting outdone by his opponent. Mysterio counters the final suplex with a DDT for two.
Shortly after, KO finds the mark with a Swanton Bomb, but Mysterio is able to kick out yet again. Dom responds with a 619, which still isn’t enough to win it. Mysterio tells Truth to get a chair, even telling him he’s in The Judgment Day if he does it.
Truth grabs a chair from the timekeeper’s area … but sits in it instead of handing it over.
Owens delivers a superkick and a Popup Powerbomb, and that’s the end of that.
Logan Paul’s double champ plan continues with a victory over The Miz
The announcers put over how hard it is to believe that this is Paul’s first match on SmackDown, and it is a little wild. He and Miz know each other well, of course, having worked together when Paul was first breaking into WWE.
Paul isn’t quite on target with a standing moonsault, showing a little of his inexperience, as Nick Aldis is shown watching the action from a luxury box with Jade Cargill and Bron Breakker, among others.
Miz’s strikes back Paul into a corner, where the It Kicks draw applause from the fans. His corner attack is on target as well, but Paul has some fight left and sends Miz hard into the ringpost. A jumping clothesline sets up a splash on the apron before a commercial break.
Miz is feeling his second wind after that, with a Hart Attack to send Paul to the canvas. A flatliner follows, and the A-Lister covers for a two count.
Double knees in the corner don’t finish Paul either, so Miz keeps working over the right knee that Logan has been selling from early in the bout. Paul isn’t finished, though, hitting Miz with his own finisher and earning a near fall.
This one still isn’t out of gas, as they fight to the floor and Paul gets brass knux from his buddy again. Miz rushes in and clobbers him, angrily taking the weapon for himself. But Paul is able to take advantage of the brief moment of confusion, dragging Miz back into the ring for an inverted Skull Crushing Finale and a victory to secure a spot in Elimination Chamber.
Roman Reigns welcomes The Rock to The Bloodline
With all of The Bloodline beside him, Reigns heads to the ring for some acknowledgement. He lets the crowd reaction soak in for some time before he even says a word.
“Can I be honest with all of you?” Reigns finally says. The Tribal Chief calls the people of Utah idiots, at least collectively. He doesn’t want them to mess up the “greatest night ever in WWE,” to which they immediately chime in with “Cody” chants.
The occasion, however, is that tonight is the first night we can say The Rock is a member of The Bloodline. That brings out The People’s Champ himself, to a very loud and somewhat mixed reaction. But we’ll have to wait through commercials to see what he says.
The Rock tells the fans they’ve broken a Utah state indoor attendance record … for the biggest group of trailer park trash The Rock has ever seen. He says they’ll all have a story to tell about looking greatness in the face.
This side of The Rock has been there all along, even if we haven’t seen it in years. He blames the people for having the biggest WrestleMania event in years in their hands and flushing it down the toilet by pining for Cody having the chance to finish his story.
But what is Cody’s story? After all, Reigns beat Rhodes last year at WrestleMania. Should he get a rematch? The Rock talks about teams from real sports who get to the championship game, lose and move on. But the fans here don’t understand that because they’re “spoiled, entitled, little crybaby bitches.”
The Rock says he’ll do anything to ensure Rhodes leaves a loser like he is now … if you smell what The Bloodline is cooking.
Usher sings “Yeah.” LA Knight loves yelling “Yeah!” Is it a match made in WrestleMania heaven?
Usher already performed on the biggest possible stage for the intersection of sports and entertainment as the headliner for the Super Bowl halftime show this past Sunday. But if LA Knight had his way, he’d also be part of the upcoming Showcase of the Immortals: WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
Knight, who has seen his tidal wave of popularity over the last 18 months or so driven in part by WWE fans falling in love with his trademark “Yeah!” expression, got the idea during his appearance this week on “The Bump.”
Host Megan Morant said that watching Usher perform his own his song “Yeah” as part of the Super Bowl festivities inevitably made her think of Knight, who then ran with the idea from there (h/t Fightful for the transcription).
Wait a minute. Can we get this set up? Is he coming to WrestleMania for my entrance or what?… I’m coming out and I’m [performing ‘Yeah’] with him. Let’s go.
“Yeah” isn’t Knight’s usual entrance theme, but the guess here is that WWE fans would prefer it if it meant Usher was helping to sing him to the ring. WrestleMania also has a long history of participation by stars from the world of music (going all the way back to Cyndi Lauper and Liberace at WrestleMania I), so there couldn’t be a better place for it.
There’s just one small issue for Knight: He hasn’t secured a spot on the WrestleMania 40 card yet. He’ll have a chance to win one at Elimination Chamber if he can outduel five other competitors for a shot at Seth Rollins and the World Heavyweight Championship, but that’s far from guaranteed.
If he can pull it off, there’s a chance Usher might be free. His Las Vegas residency ended in December, and his upcoming tour doesn’t start until late summer (his own Lovers & Friends festival in Vegas is in early May). Until we see if it can come together, just let this idea “Burn” its way into your brain.
Lexington also saw three more wrestlers qualify for Elimination Chamber matches.
Happy pre-Valentine’s Day to those who celebrate. We’re not thinking love so much for WWE Raw tonight from Lexington, but more the opposite thing: Getting people out of our lives, or at least out of contention for the Elimination Chamber matches.
(Yes, we’re aware sometimes Valentine’s Day soul-searching leads in somewhat the same direction, but we digress.)
As of the start of this show, only two of the six men’s and women’s Elimination Chamber spots are spoken for. That will change tonight, with two men’s qualifiers and one women’s qualifier filling up more of those pods.
Perhaps the most interesting candidates right off the dome are LA Knight and Liv Morgan. Both are fan favorites, the kind of performers that will have big chunks of the WWE Universe backing them to make the Elimination Chamber bouts.
It’s also hard to see where they fit into the larger WrestleMania picture right this second. Knight has ridden his populist wave to two championship shots but hasn’t broken through. Morgan is a former champ, but has been out of action for a while due to injury and is trying to make her way back into contention.
Does that mean they might get upset tonight? It doesn’t feel like it, but it’s worth filing away in case it happens.
There’s also a fun six-man tag featuring The New Day and Jey Uso against Imperium, so this should be an entertaining Monday night. Off we go to Kentucky.
WWE Raw Results from Lexington:
(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
Cody Rhodes is shown heading into the arena this afternoon as Michael Cole reminds us Cody has another shot at Roman Reigns at WrestleMania
The New Day and Jey Uso def. Imperium by pinfall
Highlights of WrestleMania XL Kickoff are shown
Andrade says he needed to leave WWE to remember who he was, but now that he’s back, his direction is clear
Bobby Lashley def. Bronson Reed by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
Sami Zayn is shown coming to the rescue of Cody Rhodes after Raw went off the air last week; afterward, we see Zayn talking to Jackie Redmond about why he believes he is still a contender and will be a champion until he’s interrupted by some taunts from Shinsuke Nakamura on all the arena’s big video screens
Cody Rhodes is back on track to finish his story, but he may need some help — and Seth Rollins offers it
Cathy Kelley is backstage with a happy New Day and Jey Uso, who only get happier when they learn Uso will get an IC title shot next week
Liv Morgan def. Zoey Stark by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
Damian Priest tries to tell R-Truth the truth about his status with The Judgment Day, and it might finally be sinking in; later we see Truth desperately trying to get The Miz to join him ringside
JD McDonagh def. R-Truth by pinfall; after the bell, Truth tries to fight off all of The Judgment Day, and it goes about as poorly as you’d expect until #DIY finally comes running down with steel chairs to chase off the heels
Rhodes stops by to thank Zayn for having his back last year, and Cody also reassures Sami that he and the WWE fans all believe in him, which earns the American Nightmare a grateful hug
Becky Lynch is still locked in on WrestleMania, but both she and Rhea Ripley can’t overlook Nia Jax
Drew McIntyre is still taking credit for pushing Rhodes in the right direction and insists he’s still the underdog, and it appears he’ll be facing Cody next week
Truth thanks #DIY for the save, but thinks they are DX
LA Knight def. Ivar by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
McIntyre and Zayn have a brief but tense run-in backstage as Sami heads for the ring
Chelsea Green asks Adam Pearce if she’s going to be in the Last Chance Qualifier for the Elimination Chamber match, angering Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell, who are also in there; Green insults Shayna Baszler and Stark, who of course end up right behind her
Shinsuke Nakamura def. Sami Zayn by pinfall, with an assist to McIntyre for a timely distraction
When McIntyre and Nakamura try for a post-match beating, Rhodes hustles down to the rescue, hitting a Cody Cutter on Drew and Cross Rhodes on Shinsuke
Image credit: WWE.com
The New Day and Jey Uso prove to be a formidable team against Imperium
The crowd gets behind The New Day as soon as the bell rings, motivating Kofi Kingston to go right after Ludwig Kaiser. Jey Uso and Gunther quickly get tagged in, but the Ring General does the classic heel thing and deprives the fans of the matchup they want to see by tagging Giovanni Vinci in.
Only after Vinci takes control does Gunther tag back in to get some work done on Jey. Uso gets sent out to the floor in enemy territory, leaving Imperium in full control as of a commercial break.
That’s no longer the case on the other side, with Kingston unleashing a wide variety of offense and scoring a near fall on Vinci with a frog splash to the back. Kofi takes flight with a leaping clothesline and a Boom Drop on Vinci, but Imperium manages to send him to the outside and then into the steel steps.
Kofi kicks out after a boot to the face from Vinci, but now he’s dealing with Gunther’s methodical attack. The Ring General stops him from tagging a partner and puts him in a Boston Crab, but Jey breaks the hold with a nasty slap to the face.
After more commercials, Uso leads a furious rally, dropping both of Gunther’s wingmen and locking in on the man himself. Jey loses a battle of chops, however, and has to fight back with an enzuigiri. He hits a cross body off the top and covers for two.
A short-arm clothesline earns Gunther a two count of his own before he mocks Jey’s entrance. He pays for it by eating a spear, yet he manages to get a save from Kaiser.
After Kaiser is sent into the post, Vinci tags in and trades superkicks with Jey. The New Day returns to help pull off the 1-D, allowing Uso to hit a top rope splash on Vinci to end it.
Image credit: WWE.com
Cody Rhodes gets an offer of backup from Seth Rollins
Ever the consummate babyface, Rhodes stops to autograph some action figures for young fans on his way to the ring. The fans loudly chant his name once his music stops.
Cody says they could talk about him challenging Roman Reigns in the main event of WrestleMania 40. He says the only reason he can say that is because of the fans making their voices heard, and there’s only one way he can repay them.
Though he’s a passionate guy, Rhodes says he doesn’t want to get emotional because then he’d become a crybaby, referencing The Rock’s taunt toward him. He also shows footage of The Rock on “The Pat McAfee Show” coining the term, for which Michael Cole needles McAfee.
One thing The Rock does not do well is listen, Rhodes says, because he said nothing insulting about Rock’s ancestors and he still got slapped anyway. For that, Cody vows to hit Rocky back.
That brings Seth Rollins to join the party, and the fans greet him warmly as well. Cody wants to thank Seth for coming to his aid at WrestleMania Kickoff, and Rollins thanks him before saying he understands why Rhodes made the choice he did.
The Visionary tells Rhodes he must finish his story, because if he does not, the landscape on the other side of WrestleMania is very dark. As he sees it, this is probably the last real chance anyone has to take Roman’s title and power and give it to the people.
But Rollins also has a question: What’s your plan? Because last year, Cody got screwed by outside interference form The Bloodline, and now he’s facing that plus dealing with The Rock as well. Yet Rollins says he doesn’t have to fight this battle alone, as he’s been moved by the idea of taking everything from Roman.
He also says it’s partly his own fault that Reigns is the man he is today, with Rollins suggesting he taught Roman everything he knows during The Shield days. Seth says “there’s only one man on Earth who is uniquely suited to be your shield,” heh.
“Think about it,” Seth mouths after throwing down the mic.
Image credit: WWE.com
Liv Morgan is headed to Perth after taking down Zoey Stark
Morgan tries for a quick dub as her rollup gets a two count. Liv stomps away in the corner and shrieks as the referee pulls her away. Stark’s lariat gives her control, and she does some yelling of her own as she presses her advantage.
Liv hits a hurricanrana and smashes her foe’s head into the top turnbuckle before a springboard kick lands and sends Zoey to the floor. Stark fires back with a right hand that prevents a suicide dive, then follows with a painful looking Death Valley Driver on the apron.
Both women have chances to win it right after a commercial break. Stark gets a second in quick succession following a springboard missile dropkick before verbally berating Morgan.
Liv tries for a Codebreaker but gets sent into the turnbuckles instead, though Morgan instantly turns the tables … until she runs into a head kick and has to kick out at two again.
Zoey drags Liv to the corner, but her corkscrew splash finds no one home, and Oblivion means she’s not getting back up.
Image credit: WWE.com
Becky Lynch has her eyes on Rhea Ripley, but there’s a Nia Jax roadblock first
After promising to go to the prom in 2034 with a fan who has a sign to that effect, The Man talks about how much she loves the business and how it’s given her everything, including her husband and their daughter. But her obsession with wrestling has caused her to miss important moments in her loved ones’ lives, and more recently, it’s led to some tough conversations with her daughter.
On the plus side, her obsession has kept Becky on track for her intended WrestleMania date with Rhea Ripley. Lynch says a lot of fans love Ripley and think no one can beat her, but Becky isn’t just anyone. She grabs a drink and proposes a toast to Rhea’s last few weeks as champion.
It’s not Ripley but Nia Jax who comes out in response. Jax is emotional when talking about Lynch’s example as a mother, but it all turns into a shot at Ripley, who comes rushing to the ring for a donnybrook.
Lynch catches a stray in the corner, so she decides to clear Jax out with a missile dropkick. That leaves Lynch and Ripley face to face, though Rhea rushes over to smash Jax with a boot to the face.
Image credit: WWE.com
Shinsuke Nakamura gets an assist from Drew McIntyre to outlast Sami Zayn
Sami looks ready for Shinsuke in the early going, even having time to mock his “come on!” taunt right before the first commercial break. He’s still in control on the other side, at least until Nakamura buries some knees in his midsection.
Shinsuke goes for a couple of covers but doesn’t really seem to think they’ll be enough to end it. Zayn eats some kicks to the chest, even after catching a leg, and has to kick out again at two.
Stuck in the ropes, Sami takes a kick to the back of the head and the sliding German suplex, which means he’s got to kick out one more time. Zayn finally rallies with a Michinoku Driver, earning a flash two count.
After Nakamura is sent to the floor, Zayn finds the target with a tope con hilo, and we’re off to the final ads of the evening.
They’re standing and trading forearm shots when the broadcast returns, and now Nakamura is feeling it as he emerges in position for the Kinshasa. Sami counters with a Blue Thunder Bomb, but it’s only good for two.
Shinsuke rolls out to the floor to avoid an incoming Helluva Kick, and he’s able to catch Sami with a kick to the face when he tries to dive between the ropes. A knee to the back of the neck off the top rope has Zayn looking done, but he’s able to muster one more kickout.
There’s another back of the neck shot and another kick at two. Zayn is showing incredible resilience, but can he rally to win?
A clothesline helps, as do the cheers from the fans. Open hand strikes and punches force Nakamura back into the corner, and an exploder suplex puts him right back there.
It could be the end, except that Drew McIntyre distracts Zayn. Shinsuke takes Sami’s legs out, and the Kinshasa seals the deal.
Who will join the two men and two women to qualify for Elimination Chamber tonight on WWE Raw?
Has everyone recovered from that football game of some note Sunday night in Las Vegas? If so, it’s time to bring your attention about two-thirds of the way across the country to Lexington, Ky., because WWE Raw is advancing us another step toward Elimination Chamber. Here’s what to watch for tonight.
Can Jey Uso help The New Day tip the scales against Imperium?
The New Day has been having a fiery feud against the wingmen from Imperium, but the presence of Gunther would seem to be a problem from both mathematical and physical perspectives. Enter Jey Uso, who’s recently made it clear he’s got his sights set on the Ring General’s Intercontinental Championship.
As we all wait hopefully for the potential return of Big E, Uso feels like a nice fit as a partner for Kofi and Xavier, and there’s no question that a Jey-Gunther program has a lot of promise. If this six-man tag doesn’t settle things tonight, we’re fine with that.
Who else will win their way into Elimination Chamber?
To date, two men and two women have earned spots in the Elimination Chamber matches in Perth. That number will increase by three total in Lexington.
The men have two matches, with LA Knight facing Ivar and Bobby Lashley taking on Bronson Reed. On the women’s side, Liv Morgan will battle Zoey Stark. The feeling is that Knight, Lashley and Morgan will be the winners, but we also wouldn’t be stunned if there’s a surprise among these three bouts.
Will there be more WrestleMania Kickoff follow-up or is wait until Friday?
It’s wild to think about, but it’s still been only four days since the WrestleMania Kickoff event and the reshuffling of the top of the WrestleMania card. WWE is promoting Roman Reigns and The Rock for this week’s episode of SmackDown, so that figures to be the place where the next big developments will take place.
Still, it would be strange for the first Raw since Kickoff not to touch on what happened in Las Vegas at all, especially since Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins are on the Raw roster and were heavily involved in Kickoff. We’re anxious to see what they might say.
Also scheduled for Raw tonight:
R-Truth battles JD McDonagh
We’re set to recap all the action beginning at 8 p.m. ET tonight, so please join us back here then for live results and updates if you need somewhere to follow along.
WWE SmackDown confirmed that the Elimination Chamber winner will face Seth Rollins at WrestleMania.
Sometimes it’s been a whole week since we have something important to discuss going into a new episode of WWE SmackDown. Other times it’s been just the four days since Raw. And every once in a blue moon, like for tonight’s edition from Charlotte, it’s been just 24 hours.
The WrestleMania XL Kickoff event (which didn’t really turn out to be a press conference) was … kind of bats–t crazy, no? WWE pivoted from The Rock vs. Roman Reigns at WrestleMania to Cody Rhodes vs. Roman, but not without some entertaining, confusing and even awkward (The Rock’s family tree reveal) moments along the way.
Here’s what we know for now: Thanks to Triple H taking to social media afterward, necessary because the end of the show itself didn’t make it clear, we know Cody vs. Roman is official for Philadelphia. That still leaves The Rock, now apparently rolling with The Bloodline, without a defined role at the Showcase of the Immortals.
The same is true for Seth Rollins, who was something of a bystander Thursday night and was in turns amused and furious (which honestly could have summed up the reactions of some fans as well). And Drew McIntyre is still lurking on the outside of this whole picture, making amazing memes and social media posts.
Amidst all this is tonight’s SmackDown, which doesn’t figure to feature any of the the most important players in this drama. Rock and Reigns are still out on the town together for all we know, and Rollins and Rhodes are on Raw. But Triple H is scheduled to appear in Charlotte, and perhaps he’ll lay out more of a map to this whole situation.
Or maybe not. There should be some good wrestling as well, including a tag team title contenders match. Off we go.
WWE SmackDown results from Charlotte:
(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
As you might expect, the show begins with a highlight package from WrestleMania XL Kickoff in Las Vegas
Triple H addresses Kickoff confusion, and the GMs tell us about the Elimination Chamber qualifiers
Drew McIntyre cuts a promo before his qualifying match, taking some credit for “saving WrestleMania” and saying he’ll save the world title too
Drew McIntyre def. AJ Styles in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match, getting some accidental help from LA Knight in the process
Kayla Braxton talks to Sami Zayn about his qualifier against Randy Orton, and he correctly says he can’t worry about his WrestleMania window closing, and if he has any path, he’ll take it
NASCAR Cup Series champion Ryan Blaney paid a visit to the arena earlier today
Pretty Deadly are still mad at Pete Dunne but not enough to stop them from a healthy “Yes Boy!”
Bianca Belair def. Michin by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
Bron Breakker asks Triple H for advice on which brand he should join, but The Game is less excited to see Paul Heyman, who says he’ll be back next week with Roman Reigns … and The Rock
Bayley discusses the end of Damage CTRL with Dakota Kai, who apparently chooses friendship with Bayley over IYO SKY and the Kabuki Warriors
Randy Orton talks about missing WrestleMania last year and how it taught him patience, but now he’ll have to go through the Elimination Chamber to make the big show
Bobby Lashley, the Street Profits and B-Fab are ready for Lashley to beat Bronson Reed Monday to make the Elimination Chamber
Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate def. #DIY by pinfall, earning a shot at The Judgment Day’s tag team titles at Elimination Chamber
Dominik Mysterio brags about how The Judgment Day will keep rolling, and he isn’t worried about his Elimination Chamber qualifying opponent … until he finds out it’s Kevin Owens; R-Truth also shows up and confuses KO for The Miz as the fans chant for Truth
Logan Paul is upset that he has to go through an Elimination Chamber qualifier and even less happy when Aldis tells him his opponent will be The Miz
Randy Orton def. Sami Zayn by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
As the show ends, Drew McIntyre joins Orton in the ring for a staredown
Triple H makes it clear who’s calling the WrestleMania shots
Raw GM Adam Pearce and SmackDown GM Nick Aldis accompany the CCO to the ring, where the fans greet him with some hearty cheers. Also, there’s a big Rock head sign in the crowd like we were back in the Attitude Era.
Triple H says somewhere last night, we took a hard left turn and now the Road to WrestleMania is on fire. He wants to clear up one thing, he says before a pretty loud “Rocky sucks” chant breaks out.
Oh, now it’s a couple of things he wants to clear up. “Maybe some people don’t know their role,” he says, saying the answers come from only one person, and you’re looking at him.
Roman Reigns will defend the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Cody Rhodes. Hence the graphics, right?
Triple H says some people “back there” might be disappointed, but “it doesn’t matter if you don’t like that decision.” Shots at The Rock, indeed.
Aldis says the next order of business is to find a challenger for Seth Rollins, which will be done in the Elimination Chamber, and that begins with qualifying matches tonight. He hands things over to Pearce, who refers to a graphic showing all 12 men who will compete in said qualifiers: Randy Orton, Bronson Reed, Kevin Owens, Logan Paul, AJ Styles, The Miz, Bobby Lashley, Ivar, Drew McIntyre, Sami Zayn, Dominik Mysterio and LA Knight.
And those qualifying matches kick off right now.
LA Knight accidentally helps Drew McIntyre qualify for the Elimination Chamber
LA Knight joins the announcers for this match, much to the delight of Wade Barrett, who threatens to jump out of his underpants because of it. Really.
The Megastar has a great seat to see Drew catch AJ coming off the top rope and suplex him back overhead. Styles is back in wrestling trunks, though still black, instead of the work pants he’s been sporting as of late.
The Phenomenal One works on taking out his foe’s legs, which is smarter than standing toe to toe with him. That doesn’t save him from being hurled into the timekeeper’s area, alas.
After commercials, Styles is faring better, but that’s relative against the Scottish Warrior. AJ does do a nice job countering a White Noise attempt from the middle turnbuckle to hit a powerbomb for a near fall.
McIntyre is selling damage to his knee but still lines up for a Claymore, which Styles ducks. AJ grabs the Calf Crusher but sees Drew crawl quickly to the ropes for a break.
A big right hand sends Styles from the top rope to the floor. He’s also launched over the announce table, barely missing Knight, who pours some water on AJ. Drew shoves the two men into each other, knocking the Megastar down.
Styles looks like he has McIntyre beaten with an inside cradle, but the ref is distracted by Knight on the apron. Of course, McIntyre benefits, as he connects on a Claymore to win it.
Bayley and Dakota Kai might still be OK
The fans cheer for Bayley as she enters the ring, which she says makes her feel better about coming out there. She says she’s been in denial about what happened with Damage CTRL and thought maybe some people thought she had it coming.
The group meant everything to her, with Bayley noting that she put it before herself many times, but the group just kept taking from her. The Role Model knows they were always talking about her behind her back, and she’s not stupid.
Out comes Dakota Kai, who says she didn’t know what was going down last week, and when Bayley expresses her skepticism, Kai claims she always agreed with what Bayley created. Kai says IYO SKY did too until the Kabuki Warriors arrived.
Bayley understandably wonders why Dakota didn’t say something, but Kai says she misses the days when it was only three of them. Dakota insists she was quiet because Bayley’s plan was working, and that the situation with Asuka and Kairi Sane would blow over, but it didn’t.
OK, so where does Dakota stand now? She doesn’t get to answer before SKY and the Kabuki Warriors head to the ring. Kai leaves to get a chair, looking like she might use it on Bayley before instead sending the other three running.
The fans want them to hug it out, but they just stand there anxiously instead, though Bayley cracks a smile at the end.
Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate get by #DIY, earn tag team title shot
Johnny Gargano and Bate smile at each other as they get off to an even start, and Dunne and Ciampa are roughly the same with less smiles. Dunne gets thrown into the announce table and Johnny takes flight to take out his partner as commercials arrive.
DIY has caught fire during the break, with Ciampa running side to side dishing out offense and nailing Bate with an inverted DDT for a near fall. All four men get into the flow, with Dunne getting dumped outside and the other three men all ending up down.
Bate lives up to his Big Strong Boy moniker by hoisting Gargano into a fireman’s carry while sending Gargano for a giant swing. Johnny ends up fighting one on two, but Ciampa returns just in time to nail Bate with a big knee. Project Ciampa is next, but Bate kicks out at two.
Neither Bate nor Ciampa flinch while trading blows, but Tyler ends up in the middle of the ring. Dunne pops back up to snap Ciampa’s fingers and Bate manages to hit DIY with a double clothesline.
Bate takes flight to the floor to take out Ciampa, leaving Dunne to hit the Bitter End on Gargano to win it.
Randy Orton punches his Elimination Chamber ticket by defeating Sami Zayn
Orton opens up with a shoulder tackle before grabbing a side headlock. Zayn sends him to the outside, then manages to acrobatically slam on the breaks when he sees the Viper walking away.
Orton cautiously returns to the ring, backing Zayn into the corner for some mounted punches. The two men go back and forth with more of the same until one final right hand sends Sami to the floor.
An Irish whip into the barricade manages to be just a setup for a Sami moonsault, but his next move is a suicide dive that his foe sees coming. They battle by the announce table, where Sami drops Randy hard on his back.
Zayn still has the upper hand after an ad break, connecting on a DDT for a two count. The announcers think Orton hasn’t looked the same since his table bump.
They fight to the middle rope for a huge superplex by Orton, and even he’s a bit slow to pop back up. Zayn tries to capitalize, backing him into the corner but getting nailed by clotheslines and driven down with a snap powerslam.
Orton wants the hanging DDT but gets chucked outside, where Zayn finds him with a suicide dive. This time, however, it’s Sami who get back dropped on the announce table.
An elevated DDT has Orton coiled, but Zayn nearly steals a win with a schoolboy, then gets another two count with a Blue Thunder Bomb. After getting whipped into the ropes, Orton manages to execute the RKO, and that is enough to win it.
Roman Reigns overcame the odds to remain Undisputed WWE Universal Champion at the 2024 Royal Rumble.
The three challengers look at each other instead of going after Roman Reigns right after the bell rings, but that only lasts for a second before they join forces to attack the Tribal Chief. LA Knight and AJ Styles quickly turn their attention to each other, with the fans lending some “yeah!” chants to their battle.
Reigns and Randy Orton are battling as well, though the Viper then turns on Knight and gets his head bounced off the announce table repeatedly for his troubles. It’s Knight who gets thrown onto the table, though it doesn’t break.
When the action returns to the ring, Orton shows off a vintage quick powerslam, but he then gets stomped into the corner by Knight. Reigns come to life with a big right hand on Knight, covering for a quick two.
Reigns gets the upper hand long enough to put Orton in peril, but it’s the Viper up first to insert himself into a fight between Knight and Styles. The Megastar takes both of the other challengers off opposite corners, then hits Reigns with Blunt Force Trauma only to have the pin broken up by Styles.
AJ hits a neckbreaker on Orton but takes a right hand from Reigns. The Styles Clash connects on Reigns, but this time Knight makes a diving save.
It’s Orton’s turn for trademark offense as he gives Knight the hanging DDT. RKOs come for everyone else in the match, including Reigns. It looks like the Tribal Chief is cooked, but Solo Sikoa is able to pull the referee out of the ring.
Sikoa nails Orton with a Samoan Spike, then does the same to Knight. Solo has Styles lined up for a hip attack on the outside, but AJ moves and sends the Enforcer hurtling through the timekeeper’s area.
Styles hits a confused Reigns with a Phenomenal Forearm, stacking Roman atop the other two, but that means there’s extra muscle for the inevitable kickout. The fans start a “this is awesome” chant in appreciation.
Realizing he can’t get disqualified, Styles gets a steel chair, using it on Reigns and Knight. He gets smacked in the face by Orton, however, who then gets speared by Roman. Knight runs through a flurry of offense on the champ before getting pushed into Styles. AJ then takes a spear from Reigns, who has beaten the odds and retained his title.
Get full details on all the matches and big moments from the 2024 WWE Royal Rumble.
The Saturday of one one the most roller coaster weeks in WWE history has finally arrived. The scene shifts to St. Petersburg, Fla. and Tropicana Field where the focus, at least for a few hours, will shift back to what goes on inside the ring at the 2024 Royal Rumble.
Tonight’s event will feature one of the smallest cards of any major wrestling show in recent memory with just four matches. Yet thanks to the nature of the Royal Rumble matches themselves, there will be enough storylines flowing through the evening that it may feel like that isn’t the case.
In non-Rumble business, the headliner is the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship Fatal Four-Way match with Roman Reigns putting his title on the line against three challengers. AJ Styles, LA Knight and Randy Orton all have well documented beef with The Bloodline, but the question is whether they will be too busy fighting among themselves to keep their eyes on the prize.
Logan Paul will also put his title on the line in a United States Championship showdown with Kevin Owens. Though the build-up has focused largely on who can punch who harder, it’s another chance for Paul to show his stuff on the big stage with someone who can make any opponent look great.
The Rumbles could very well bookend those matches, with the Women’s match expected to lead off and Men’s match to close things out. The field for the former is largely still a mystery, while more than half of the entrants in the latter have been revealed ahead of time. CM Punk and Bayley are the betting favorites to be pointing at the WrestleMania sign, but WWE has done a great job (particularly on the men’s side) of making it feel like a number of people could win.
Who will own the most memorable moments? What surprises are in store? Let’s count down to 10 and head to the ring.
WWE Royal Rumble 2024 results:
(please click or tap on any match with a link for full details)
Pat McAfee joins Michael Cole and Corey Graves on commentary for tonight’s show
Logan Paul def. Kevin Owens by disqualification to retain the WWE United States Championship; Owens was caught using brass knuckles slid into the ring by Austin Theory after an unsuccessful attempt by Paul to use them
WWE claims the attendance for tonight is 48,044, a new Tropicana Field record
We also got new women’s tag team champs Friday on WWE SmackDown in Miami.
To say that it’s been an eventful week for WWE would be a high grade understatement. While the company no doubt hoped it would coast into the Royal Rumble weekend on the strength of the Netflix-Raw deal and The Rock joining the TKO board, it’s now instead dealing with the latest horrendous Vince McMahon allegations and the prospects of sponsors jumping ship.
Nothing is more WWE than a show playing out against that wide of a backdrop, but that’s exactly what we’ve got with WWE SmackDown in Miami tonight. Even with the Rumble matches and a Fatal Four-Way starring Roman Reigns looming, there’s some potential intrigue bubbling up tonight.
It starts with what should be tonight’s main event. LA Knight got one shot at Reigns already, and he has another on Saturday albeit with the complications of AJ Styles and Randy Orton in the mix. He’ll go one on one with Solo Sikoa in a classic case of either gaining momentum or giving him one last moment of triumph before he takes an ‘L’ tomorrow.
(And even though we love Knight, we have a feeling it’s going to be the latter.)
There’s a women’s tag team title match as well, one that could hint at some developments in the Women’s Royal Rumble match. Bayley is the favorite there, but the Kabuki Warriors are going for gold in Miami. Should they win, does that put even more pressure on the Role Model to win on Saturday? Or might it finally signal the beginning of her end in Damage CTRL?
We have no idea, which is why we’ll be tuned in tonight. Here we go.
WWE SmackDown results from Miami:
(scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
Katana Chance and Kayden Carter are shown walking into the arena earlier, as are their challengers, the Kabuki Warriors; after that, a video package is shown to promote the Fatal Four-Way at Royal Rumble
Randy Orton, AJ Styles and LA Knight all make their cases for dethroning Roman Reigns
Santos Escobar def. Carlito by pinfall, but the big news is that Elektra Lopez, who was part of Legado Del Fantasma in NXT, joins Escobar’s new version of that group and helps neutralize the LWO
A scowling Styles (is there any other kind these days?) is stopped by Jimmy Uso, who proposes that he help The Bloodline take out Knight tonight; when approached by The O.C. and Michin asking what that was about, Styles sneers “don’t worry about it”
Ava’s meeting with Nick Aldis is interrupted by Bobby Lashley drawing his number for the Royal Rumble and Santos Escobar doing the same
Bayley talks about her goals of winning the Royal Rumble and ensuring Damage CTRL wins all the gold
R-Truth is confused about what he’s doing while drawing his Rumble number, as well as mistaking Nick Aldis for Adam Pearce, whose hair has grown in awfully fast
The Kabuki Warriors def. Katana Chance and Kayden Carter by pinfall to become the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions
Paul Heyman begs Solo Sikoa to “fix the problem” tonight and show no mercy while doing so; he simply says “OK” in response before walking away, while Heyman suggests that there will be a moment for Jimmy Uso to seize this weekend by winning the Royal Rumble
Bayley comes in to pick her Royal Rumble number and looks a little less excited about hers than Bianca Belair did right before her
Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits’ encounter with The Final Testament goes poorly
Jimmy Uso draws his number and says “No Yeet” in response … so is he No. 1?
Austin Theory def. Carmelo Hayes by pinfall, pulling the tights to do so; but when Theory and Grayson Waller try to attack Hayes after the bell, Trick Williams comes to Hayes’ aid — though it doesn’t seem all good between them
Eladio Carrión is confronted backstage by The Bloodline but is wise enough not to push things with them
LA Knight def. Solo Sikoa by DQ (presumably) after Styles attacks Knight; Orton also joins the fight, which ends badly for Sikoa and Uso, and ultimately Orton after a Blunt Force Trauma by Knight
Randy Orton has something to say ahead of Royal Rumble, but so do AJ Styles and LA Knight
Eladio Carrión introduces Orton, who thanks him for the “RKO” video. The Viper is here to talk about The Bloodline, however, and specifically Roman Reigns holding his Universal title for almost 1,300 days. No one can stop The Bloodline … except maybe Randy.
Orton claims that the only number that will mean anything to anyone after Saturday night will be 15, the number of times he’s been world champion. How will he do it? The three most destructive letters in sports entertainment, naturally.
That boast brings out AJ Styles, who wants to remind Orton there are other people in that title match. Styles says he asked for a match with Solo Sikoa, and was ticked that Nick Aldis gave it to LA Knight instead.
Now he’s upset that Orton seems to have forgotten about him, and he says Randy should know better as they have history. He also promises a receipt coming for the RKO he got last week, and he’s about to talk about stepping over the other challengers when LA Knight’s music hits.
Let him talk to you. Knight mocks Styles for crying about people “stepping over me” and ponders why he’s the only one with a match tonight. Is it because Paul Heyman thinks he’s the biggest threat?
As he finishes his statement, Styles makes one of his own, hitting Orton with a Pele kick.
And new … The Kabuki Warriors take down Katana Chance and Kayden Carter to once again wear tag team gold
You figure the champs will want to start fast, which is exactly what Chance does while working against Asuka. She treats both challengers to some arm drags while talking smack, and she flies to the floor to take out both of them to boot.
As is often the case, the Kabuki Warriors have battled back during a commercial break, though Chance is able to lure Asuka into flying through the ropes to the floor. She also sends Kairi Sane out of the ring on the other side, but the delay allows Asuka to grab her briefly in an ankle lock.
Carter tags in and flies from the top rope to the floor to take out both challengers. She smashes Asuka with a boot to the face, followed by a springboard legdrop for two.
Double team offense by the Kabuki Warriors now has Carter in trouble, but Chance is able to make the save. Sane sees an opening for the Insane Elbow, but Carter gets both feet up to ward it off.
Asuka tags in but misses a sliding kick, and Carter treats her to a facebuster. Chance is finally back on the apron to tag in, but while the Keg Stand nails Asuka, Sane is quick enough to break up the pin at the last moment.
The champs aren’t as lucky. After a brief scramble takes chance out of the equation, Sane delivers the Insane Elbow, and the Kabuki Warriors are titleholders once more, celebrating with the rest of Damage CTRL.
Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits come face to face with The Final Testament, to their detriement
Not that he really needs to, but Lashley introduces himself and the Profits to the crowd. He says the people of Miami came to see a fight, so he tells The Final Testament to come on out “and come get some.”
That group obliges, complete with new t-shirts and black and white entrance effects. Lashley and the Profits are unimpressed that they send only Scarlett into the ring, but Paul Ellering says it’s not because of fear. Karrion Kross says when he looks at them, he sees desperation because things aren’t going according to plan, a feeling he understands.
Kross ticks off the fans by saying he won’t give them a fight tonight, but Lashley and the Profits try to bring it to them. Scarlett rakes Lashley’s eyes, allowing Kross to head into the ring to send Bobby into the post. The Authors of Pain make short work of the Profits too, leaving Lashley to try to fight one-on-three.
It goes poorly, with the Kross Hammer laying him out. The Final Testament wins this round, easily.
LA Knight, Solo Sikoa settle nothing as the main event descends into chaos
Again, Knight seems to have a good strategy in mind, as he goes right after Solo’s right hand. That’d be the one he uses to deliver the Samoan Spike.
After a commercial break, though, Sikoa is in control, pummeling the Megastar in one corner and still very much using that right hand. The announcers remind us that Jimmy Uso is lurking on the outside as well if need be.
A clothesline is answered by a bulldog from Knight, leaving both men on the canvas. He pours on shots with both hands, then hits a leaping lariat and a Russian leg sweep.
Over in the corner, the fans do the “yeah!” thing to stomp his foe into the corner. A DDT is next, then a swinging kick that forces Solo into the announce table. Sikoa’s head is bounced repeatedly off the table, much to the delight of the Miami crowd.
Alas, AJ Styles isn’t one of the people in the seats who’s enjoying this, and he hits a Phenomenal Forearm off the barricade. Uso grabs a steel chair, then lays it in front of AJ. But lest we think Styles is down with The Bloodline, he throws Uso into the ring.
Randy Orton quickly joins the fray as well, dropping Sikoa on the announce table before turning his attention back to the ring. Uso tries to flee but can’t escape the hanging DDT … nor can Styles. AJ also eats an RKO, leaving Orton the last man standing ahead of the Royal Rumble.
Or maybe not, as Knight returns and lays out Orton with Blunt Force Trauma just as the show is about to fade to black.
