Tag: Naomi

WWE SmackDown results 02/16/24: The Rock officially joins The Bloodline

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

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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.

WWE SmackDown preview 02/16/24: Are Roman Reigns, The Rock the Tribal Chiefs?

Four more spots in the Elimination Chamber matches will be decided tonight on WWE SmackDown as well.

As “Robot Chicken” used to say when mocking M. Night Shyamalan, what a twist! Just when it looked like The Rock was going to muscle in on the WrestleMania main event against Roman Reigns, the WrestleMania XL Kickoff event changed everything. Tonight’s WWE SmackDown from Salt Lake City will still be dealing with the consequences of that night in Las Vegas in a very real way.

Can we call Roman Reigns and The Rock the Tribal Chiefs?

Is there room for more than one chair at the Head of the Table? It’s a question worth asking because it appears that The Rock and Reigns are rolling together — possibly all the way to WrestleMania. If that’s the case, The Bloodline just gained a powerful ally, and The Rock is a better sport about those boos he’s been getting than some people thought.

The question is what kind of havoc they’ll wreak in Salt Lake City and whether anyone dares stand up to them since Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins are on Raw.

Will Logan Paul and Kevin Owens meet up again in the Elimination Chamber?

Logan Paul would almost certainly like to leave Kevin Owens in the past, but he’s finding that’s easier said than done. Both men have a chance to make it to the Men’s Elimination Chamber in Perth, assuming they can get by The Miz (for Paul) and Dominik Mysterio (KO).

It’s hard to imagine this program derailing, so expect both men to win. Unless, of course, they cost each other their respective matches, which would just deepen the animosity between them.

Which women will join the star-studded Elimination Chamber match in Australia?

The Women’s Elimination Chamber field is ridiculously stacked with former champions, but there are still three spots left. Two will be filled by matches in Salt Lake City, though an injury to Shotzi earlier this week caused some tinkering to the card.

Tiffany Stratton will face Zelina Vega in one qualifier, while Naomi faces off with Alba Fyre. A Naomi victory will add yet another former champ to the Chamber, will Stratton seems likely to get called to a big stage very early in her main roster career. Tiffy Time, indeed.

We’ll be recapping the action as it happens tonight starting at 8 p.m., so be sure to join us back here at Wrestling Junkie for the latest WWE SmackDown results and updates from Salt Lake City.

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WWE SmackDown results 02/02/24: Cody Rhodes won’t challenge Roman Reigns, but it looks like The Rock will

Neither Bayley nor Cody Rhodes made the obvious WrestleMania choice on SmackDown … and The Rock returned.

It should be an interesting night on WWE SmackDown from Birmingham, Ala. as the Road to WrestleMania gets a couple of big signposts placed down … but will they be the ones we’ve been expecting for so long?

The big attraction for tonight is that WWE says Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns will be face to face. After Rhodes won the Men’s Royal Rumble match, most people figured it was a given that he’d ask for a rematch in Philadelphia against Reigns.

But the creative team at least wants us to think it might zig where we expect it to zag, what with Seth Rollins making his case for Rhodes to challenge for his World Heavyweight Championship instead on Raw. If the goal was to at least plant the seed of doubt that would lead to Rhodes vs. Rollins and The Rock vs. Roman, it worked.

Also, there are rumors that someone else is in Birmingham too, if you catch our drift. This whole situation could get very interesting before the night is through.

Interesting might actually be an understatement for the Damage CTRL saga on SmackDown. Bayley has also won the right to challenge for a championship, but would she really consider going after teammate IYO SKY because she’s too scared to challenge Rhea Ripley? Or might SKY force her hand somehow? We can’t wait to find out.

Buckle up and let’s get into it.

WWE SmackDown results from Birmingham:

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

  • The Bloodline is shown entering the arena and heading for their dressing room before a Royal Rumble highlight package is shown
  • Logan Paul thinks he’s done with Kevin Owens but might be mistaken
  • Kevin Owens vs. Austin Theory by pinfall after using brass knux that Paul tries to supply to Theory, the difference this time is that he doesn’t let the referee see it; Paul escapes into the crowd to avoid Owens after the match
  • Rhea Ripley is shown on her way into the arena, and we see a hype video for Naomi’s return at Royal Rumble; both Naomi and Tiffany Stratton have signed to SmackDown, and Stratton decides to show how unafraid she is of the existing roster by smacking Michin
  • Bianca Belair asks Nick Aldis what she has to do to take on IYO SKY once Bayley chooses Rhea, but she’s not happy when Paul crashes their conversation asking about a match
  • Santos Escobar is out to dinner with his new Legado Del Fantasma and says his heart is full, but also tells his team their duty is to eradicate Rey Mysterio and the LWO
  • Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate def. Pretty Deadly, Legado Del Fantasma (Angel and Humberto) and LWO (Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde); they’ll now face the winner of a similar Fatal Four-Way on Raw, and the winner of that match will get a tag team title shot at Elimination Chamber
  • IYO SKY, Asuka and Kairi Sane seem to be plotting against Bayley … but she’s overheard them
  • Another version of Seth Rollins’ plea to Cody Rhodes is played, presenting the big question: What kind of champion do you want to be?
  • Bayley makes her WrestleMania choice, but it appears she’s done with Damage CTRL
  • The Final Testament has a brief clash with Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits, who get help from B-Fab to neutralize Scarlett
  • Aldis is working on getting Bron Breakker to sign for SmackDown, but he’s willing to talk to Pearce on Monday first; Jade Cargill stops in to talk to Aldis as well
  • Tiffany Stratton def. Michin by pinfall
  • The Tribal Chief is here to hear from Cody Rhodes, who looks to be setting aside a WrestleMania challenge to make way for The Rock

Logan Paul learns Kevin Owens isn’t done with him yet

Addressing the boos that greet him, Paul says he doesn’t want to be there either, because “this place sucks.” He admits that he underestimated Kevin Owens, saying he did more damage to him than Floyd Mayweather.

Paul mocks the wrestlers who have suffered injuries, calling himself unbreakable. Mercifully, someone interrupts him, and that someone is KO. After saying Birmingham seems like a great place to him, Owens says he felt good knocking the Maverick around, so now he can focus on taking the title from Logan and getting it sanitized.

“You took the bait, dummy,” Paul laughs, bragging about outsmarting Owens and causing him to get DQed. KO isn’t ashamed about cheating during the match but is a little sheepish about getting caught. Nevertheless, he says he won’t need brass knux to beat Paul next time.

Paul says Owens won’t be getting another title shot and says KO should focus on his match with Austin Theory … which appear to be up next.

Bayley makes her WrestleMania choice as Damage CTRL implodes

Accompanied by Damage CTRL, Bayley makes her way to the ring where both Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce are waiting. The fans are chanting for her, so this would be a good place for a face turn if that’s what awaits.

Bayley says she’s done almost everything there is to do at WrestleMania, but this year is different and special. She says she didn’t get there on her own, support that she never had in any previous year, as Damage CTRL was always there to support her.

When she thinks about Mania, she thinks about moments and beating the best, which brings her to Rhea Ripley. Or she could fight a different fight. Sometimes, she says, it’s more personal and about proving doubters wrong. Sometimes it’s about proving the people you thought were your friends wrong.

Bayley says she picked up some Japanese from all the times IYO SKY, Asuka and Kairi Sane were talking about her behind her back. She grows emotionally asking what happened between them, but the Kabuki Warriors jump her from behind. It’s going badly for Bayley until she produces a metal pipe and has a standoff with SKY, who has her title belt to use as a weapon.

As SKY and the Kabuki Warriors retreat, Bayley says about that announcement … “IYO, I’ll see you at WrestleMania.”

Tiffany Stratton has the prettiest debut ever against Michin

Michin greets Stratton with a furious attack as soon as the bell rings, so this won’t be a walk in the park debut by any means. A gutwrench suplex tosses Stratton backward and is followed by a vertical suplex for a near fall.

Stratton is forced to the floor, where she’s able to trip Michin on the apron and declare it’s Tiffy Time before commercials slide in.

Stratton’s still in control after the break but pays for taking the time to talk smack and has to suffer through a Michin rally. Double knees to the face in the corner force Tiffany to get a boot on the bottom rope for a break.

Tiffany cartwheels into an Alabama Slam and gets a two count. Michin responds with a boot to the face, but Stratton rolls forward and hits the Prettiest Moonsault Ever to wrap up a successful debut.

Cody Rhodes won’t challenge Roman Reigns at WrestleMania … but The Rock might

With the GMs in the ring again to await Rhodes, Reigns and The Bloodline make their way down as well. The fans chant for “Cody” but Reigns wants to be acknowledged first. Roman says he doesn’t like to recap but can’t let go of what Seth Rollins said on Monday. Didn’t he beat everyone competing for the World Heavyweight Championship, after all?

Reigns goes on to mock Rollins for being injured a lot and working too often. he says he won’t beg Rhodes like “the other guy,” saying Cody can either be the best No. 2 in this industry or take another crack at being No. 1.

After a commercial break, Rhodes arrives to ask Birmingham and Rhodes what they want to talk about. If Roman will indulge him, Cody wonders if they can have the ring to themselves.

Cody says he talked to just about everyone this week, from friends to legends. Rhodes says he had Reigns closer to defeat than anyone, and he thinks Roman knows that. One thing he disagrees with Rollins about is that Reigns’ title is the “Hollywood” title, because it’s the same one his father once had in his hands only to be swiftly taken away.

What does finishing the story mean to Roman, Cody wonders? Is it taking the championship or taking everything from him? Cody says he’s coming for Reigns … but not at WrestleMania. After all, one of the people he’s sought council from knows Roman vey well: The Rock.

The Great One moves in close to Rhodes and whispers something in his ear, and the American Nightmare leaves the ring. The show ends with Rock and Roman staring each other down, and a banner promoting a press event for WrestleMania 40 Thursday in Las Vegas.

Is there still hope for Naomi, Sasha Banks for Royal Rumble?

Could Sasha Banka and Naomi reappear at WWE Royal Rumble later this month? Here’s the latest.

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It wouldn’t be a January in professional wrestling without some intense speculation about who might make a surprise appearance at Royal Rumble. And while that kind of discussion has often focused on legends from WWE’s past who could arrive for a one-off appearance in a Rumble match, the nature of free agency and talent movement today means people are much more interested in who might be coming back to WWE as regulars.

That’s especially true because the company has two stars who left together and might be ready to return. Sasha Banks (currently Mercedes Moné) and Naomi (performing at the moment as Trinity) famously walked out on an episode of Raw and left their tag team titles behind, but their beefs with the booking of the women’s division could very well have evaporated under the current creative leadership of Paul “Triple H” Levesque.

So does that mean we could see them as entrants in the women’s Rumble match? Yes, though, one looks much more likely than the other.

Dave Meltzer wrote about both wrestlers in his latest Wrestling Observer Newsletter (subscription required) and made it clear he believes there’s a chance Naomi will be in St. Petersburg, since she’ll be clear of her obligations for TNA Wrestling.

Trinity Fatu is expected to finish up at the tapings on 1/19 and 1/20 in Kissimmee, FL, and then return to WWE. The timing would indicate she could be back at the Rumble.

Banks appears to be a much longer shot. She’s been rumored to be close to signing with AEW for some weeks, which would obviously exclude her from a WWE reunion any time soon. Meltzer, however, left the door open for something to come together within the next week.

The original plan was for Giulia to lose to Mercedes Mone on this show, but Mone hasn’t returned and even with all the AEW rumors (and there is expectation in AEW that she’ll be in after finishing up some acting commitments this month), nothing is for certain and some in WWE believe there is still a shot for her in the Royal Rumble.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful obviously feels otherwise.

So while neither woman is a lock to be involved in the Royal Rumble match, Naomi certainly looks like a much more likely possibility. We’ll find out soon enough, as the 2024 Royal Rumble takes place on Saturday, Jan. 27 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.

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Feel the Glow redux: Naomi ‘expected’ to make WWE return

Trinity has had a great run in Impact Wrestling, but WWE fans might get their wish to see her back as Naomi.

The wrestling champion formerly known as Naomi and currently known as Trinity may be going by Naomi soon if what WWE insiders expect goes according to plan.

The Impact Knockouts World Champion has made a home for herself in Impact Wrestling, which is in the midst of a rebrand back to TNA. But her heart, as well as husband Jimmy Uso, may still be in WWE, and with the company receiving a creative makeover since she left in 2022, the conditions seem right for a return.

That sounds like exactly what’s in the cards. According to Fightful Select (subscription required), Trinity will be a free agent soon but is likely to make her way back to WWE.

Both the outlet’s WWE and Impact sources seem to believe she’ll make the move as soon as she’s able.

However, in speaking with WWE sources, not only did they think there was a good chance she could end back up in the company, many sources claimed they expected it. There were also sources within IMPACT Wrestling who told Fightful that they expected it to happen sooner than later.

As Naomi, Trinity famously walked out on WWE alongside Sasha Banks (currently performing as Mercedes Moné) right before the May 16, 2022 episode of Raw. Their beef was reportedly with Vince McMahon over their personal booking as WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions, as well as the creative direction of the women’s division writ large.

Of course, things have changed drastically since that time, with Vince McMahon out and Paul “Triple H” Levesque in as head of creative. The vibe around the roster has improved and WWE has definitely got its mojo back, with a string of record-breaking shows in numerous markets that looks set to roll into 2024.

That might be enough to make any former WWE star consider a reunion, which is precisely what looks to be happening here. With Royal Rumble on the horizon and WrestleMania not too long after that, WWE could be feeling the glow again before too long.

Report: Former WWE star Trinity ‘Naomi’ Fatu to debut for Impact Wrestling

This will be the first time Fatu will be working somewhere other than WWE for an extended period of time since 2009.

For pro wrestling fans wondering where Trinity “Naomi” Fatu would land after her WWE walkout, the answer may be here.

According to PWInsider Elite, Fatu will debut as a “major surprise” at Friday’s Impact Wrestling taping in Chicago, with her arrival as the start of a longer run with the company — not just a one-off appearance, though there are no exact details on the length of her Impact contract. Episodes from the event will begin to air on Thursday, May 4.

This will mark Fatu’s first wrestling appearance in nearly a year, since her departure from WWE in May 2022 while holding the women’s tag team championship with Mercedes Moné, formerly Sasha Banks, who simultaneously left the company. They walked out in protest of WWE’s booking of their team in particular and the women’s division in general.

Since walking out from WWE in May 2022, Moné has dazzled in New Japan Pro Wrestling and Stardom, including a run with the IWGP Women’s Championship. Fatu’s status had been more under the radar since also departing WWE, however — only filing to trademark the name “Trinity Starr” and abandoning it weeks later. She also appeared backstage at Ring of Honor and NJPW events over the last few months.

Fatu reuniting with WWE once seemed likely, especially with her husband Jimmy Uso still with the company in a prominent role. Fightful even reported that a WWE source was “confident” in her return. Obviously, that won’t come to fruition in the near future barring something unforeseen.

Now, Fatu has the chance to make an impact outside of WWE, on her own in a fresh environment. It’s her first experience away from the company since signing a developmental contract in 2009, so fans will see how she succeeds in a different women’s division with a chance to enhance her own star power. If it’s similar to Moné, the future is bright.

Here’s what Naomi may call herself next time we see her wrestle

The name “Trinity Starr” makes use of her own first name just as Mercedes Moné does for the former Sasha Banks.

Like Sasha Banks, Naomi appears to be done with WWE, at least for now. And also like Banks, who has rebranded herself as Mercedes Moné for her run in NJPW, she’ll need a new ring name if she decides to work elsewhere in the wrestling world.

Now we know what that could be. Wrestling Observer reports that Naomi, real name Trinity Fatu, has filed a trademark for the name “Trinity Starr” for use in “wresting contests” and other related ventures.

Word Mark TRINITY STARR

Goods and Services IC 025. US 022 039. G & S: Hats; Shirts; Sweatshirts; Hooded sweatshirts

IC 041. US 100 101 107. G & S: Entertainment in the nature of wrestling contests; Entertainment services, namely, wrestling exhibits and performances by a professional wrestler and entertainer; Entertainment services, namely, live appearances by a professional wrestling and sports entertainers; Entertainment services, namely, personal appearances by a professional wrestler and sports entertainer; Entertainment services, namely, televised appearances by a professional wrestler and sports entertainer; Providing wrestling news and information via a global computer network; Providing online interviews featuring a professional wrestler and sports entertainer in the field of professional wrestling and sports entertainment for entertainment purposes

Wrestling Observer also notes that Fatu will be a guest at Wrestle Con during WrestleMania weekend under her real name, the first wrestling-related appearance she’s made of any kind since departing WWE.

Fatu and Moné were the WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions when they walked out during the May 16, 2022 episode of Raw, reportedly to protest their booking and the state of the women’s division writ large. While both women were suspended indefinitely by WWE, there was some hope that with a change to Paul “Triple H” Levesque as head of creative that they would return to the fold.

Moné became a free agent at the start of the year and chose to go elsewhere. Fatu has told fans on social media that she’s doing the same. The next time you see her in a wrestling ring, wherever that might be, don’t be surprised if she’s announced as Trinity Starr.

Sasha Banks, Naomi have freed up their next weekend

Showing up on SmackDown would definitely fit the bill for an “unforeseen scheduling conflict.”

It’s been fairly quiet on the Sasha Banks and Naomi front for a bit, but that might be changing after Crown Jewel.

Israel Lutete of Sportskeeda pointed out that the two women (under their real names of Mercedes Varnado and Trinity Fatu) were supposed to be taking part in the Vulture Festival pop culture event in Los Angeles next weekend on Nov. 12, but were pulled from the guest list due to “an unforeseen scheduling conflict.”

Of course, Banks and Naomi may have had to pull out for any number of reasons, but considering the increasing buzz about their potential WWE return, the timing is definitely interesting. The Nov. 11 episode of WWE SmackDown is being held at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, and will be a live episode after this week’s edition was pre-taped thanks to travel to Crown Jewel. Making it the comeback show for the former women’s tag team champions would certainly be a way to give that show a shot in the arm.

In an incident that would have been the top pro wrestling story in many other years except this one, Banks and Naomi walked out during the May 16 episode of Raw, reportedly in dissatisfaction with their creative direction as champions and the booking of the women’s division in general. They were subsequently suspended indefinitely by WWE and haven’t been seen on the company’s programming since.

But that was when Vince McMahon was still in charge of WWE’s shows, and things have changed since then. Head of creative Paul “Triple H” Levesque has spoken openly about the potential for Banks, in particular, to return, though he cited her outside interests (primarily acting) as a reason she might want to and said it would have to make sense for both sides.

The women’s division has received a boost from the return of Bayley and her Damage CTRL stable, but is still missing two of its biggest names, Becky Lynch and Charlotte Flair. Welcoming back Banks and Naomi would help WWE mitigate their absence even more, so it’s definitely worth keeping an eye out after Crown Jewel to see if that is indeed what’s in the cards.

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WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship history: Every title change to date

See the full WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship history, including every title change from February 27, 2019 to date.

The WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship was one of those “it’s about time” deals for wrestling fans when first established on the night before Christmas (no, really) in 2018. With two of the most popular stars in recent memory, Bayley and Sasha Banks, as the inaugural titleholders, the belts were on their way to a memorable start.

Though WWE has had some … issues keeping the women’s tag team division stocked with interesting and viable teams since then (the same could be said for the men, to be honest), the titles have remained a topic of prominent topic of conversation among wrestling fans. This was especially true in the aftermath of Banks and Naomi walking out on WWE, vacating the championship for a time.

The titles have since made their way back to being a fixture on WWE TV and hopefully will remain that way going forward. Let’s take a look at the complete WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship history, from Feb. 27, 2019 to date.

Most recent update: Oct. 27, 2022

The WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship has been mostly forgotten

Despite announcing a tournament to crown new holders of the Women’s Tag Team Championship, WWE has essentially forgotten about the titles.

When Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out on Raw back in mid-May and left behind their WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship titles, they probably didn’t think no one would follow after them as champions. Nor did WWE, which announced that new titleholders would be coming thanks to a tournament of some sort.

Fast-forward nearly two months and that hasn’t been the case, nor have the titles so much as been mentioned on WWE programming for weeks. Fightful Select offered an update to that end this week, saying that talent has confirmed that “they’ve received no word of when or if the tag team title tournament will actually happen,” and that even behind the scenes, there’s been no discussion of the Women’s Tag Team Championship at all.

One of the issues, of course, is that WWE barely has any women’s tag teams to compete for the titles. Doudrop and Nikki A.S.H. are a notable exception, having teamed together on the July 11 episode of Raw, but their partnership has seemed tenuous from the start, and the duos they face are generally two singles wrestlers paired together for a one-off match — as was the case with Liv Morgan and Asuka this week.

Almost every other notable name in the women’s division is embroiled in a chase for one of the two singles titles, including the likes of Natalya and Carmella, who were both part of tag teams not long ago. The company could call up teams from NXT, of course, but even there, tag teams don’t seem to be a priority considering one of the women’s champs just turned on the other on July 12.

It’s possible WWE simply doesn’t want to call attention to the Women’s Tag Team Championship considering how everything went down with Banks and Naomi, who also currently exist in an “out of sight, out of mind” limbo until they are officially released or return to the fold somehow. But until something changes, the titles they left behind have been pretty much forgotten, which is strange but may also be for the best.

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