Tag: Randy Orton

WWE SmackDown results 03/22/24: Cody Rhodes comes prepared for Bloodline hijinks

Turns out that neither Roman Reigns nor Cody Rhodes really kept their word on WWE SmackDown in Milwaukee.

Promises are a funny thing. Even villains, when they have a code of honor, can keep them, and there’s a big one that is at the heart of tonight’s WWE SmackDown from Milwaukee.

This week on Raw, Roman Reigns gave his word via Paul Heyman that he wanted to talk to Cody Rhodes on SmackDown and that he’d show up alone — no other Bloodline except for Heyman. In return, he asked that Rhodes also bring no backup, and Cody agreed.

It was somewhat reminiscent of the kind of agreement you’d see in movies, like a hostage exchange or drop of some sort. Meet me at this place, at this time, no cops.

Whether Reigns actually follows through will tell us a lot about how he’s feeling on the Road to WrestleMania. Does it make sense, at this point in his tale, that he’d be confident enough to stand across from Cody with no contingency plan? He did defeat Rhodes last year at WrestleMania, after all.

Or is Roman now paranoid and willing to go back on his word, a sign he’d do anything to keep the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship from even possibly slipping through his grasp?

It’ll also be nice to see Reigns take center stage on the Bloodline portion of things, as he’s been somewhat upstaged by The Rock the last few weeks. Pretty sure that’s never going to come up again somewhere down the road. Yep, probably never. Wink, wink.

There are important tag team matches in store as well, which will help shape the Tag Team Ladder match at WrestleMania. Buckle up and prepare, Milwaukee, because here we go.

WWE SmackDown results from Milwaukee:

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

  • Cody Rhodes and Damage CTRL are shown entering the arena
  • Santos Escobar def. Rey Mysterio by pinfall, in large part due to a distraction from Dominik Mysterio
  • Bayley thanks Naomi for helping her last week, but Bianca Belair hasn’t forgiven the Role Model for what she did as leader of Damage CTRL, and Naomi ends up having to step between them as they bicker
  • Backstage, Bianca and Naomi continue to have a conversation, to which Naomi says she can’t change what’s happened in the past and won’t back down when Damage CTRL is picking them off one by one
  • Austin Theory and Grayson Waller def. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows by pinfall in a Tag Team Championship Qualifying Match, with Theory using the ropes for leverage to aid in his pinfall
  • A hype video pushes Bron Breakker as a superior athlete
  • Highlights are shown from Roman Reigns’ appearance on “The  Pat McAfee Show”
  • IYO SKY def. Naomi by pinfall thanks to aid from Damage CTRL; after the match, Naomi gets a dose of the poison mist from Asuka before Bianca Belair hits the ring with a vengeance, and is able to do pretty well against the whole group until numbers wear her down
  • Jade Cargill will make her first official appearance as a SmackDown superstar next week
  • Tiffany Stratton mocks Naomi as she’s trying to get the mist rinsed out of her eyes
  • Nick Aldis is talking to Kevin Owens when they’re interrupted by Pretty Deadly, and KO ends up challenging them to a tag team match alongside Randy Orton; K.O. ends up punching both members of Pretty Deadly in the face at once, as he does
  • Footage is shown of LA Knight rolling up at the house of AJ Styles and starting a fight with him, then dashcam video shows Knight getting arrested

  • Street Profits def. Authors of Pain by pinfall in a Tag Team Championship Qualifying Match
  • Paul Heyman is on the phone telling Roman Reigns that Cody Rhodes is here alone, and that his public awaits
  • Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes go face to face, and when it turns out Reigns actually did bring The Bloodline with him, Cody has backup too in the form of Jey Uso and Seth Rollins

Naomi learns going it alone against IYO SKY isn’t really a great idea

Is IYO even going to make it out to the ring? Cameras find her backstage scrapping with Bayley, but she gets the better of it and refs finally tell the WWE Women’s Champion to get to the ring.

SKY has to weather an early storm, and the crowd gets behind Naomi as she rallies to hit a springboard bulldog of sorts for a near fall that leads to a commercial break.

Yes Corey Graves, Milwaukee is starting to feel the glow after the break. She splashes into a split but gets only another two count.

You feel like Damage CTRL is going to interfere at some point, and perhaps others may get involved too. Maybe soon after Naomi hits a superplex and rolls through to produce another near fall.

Ah here come the Kabuki Warriors and Dakota Kai, perfectly timed to set their leader up for an Over the Moonsault to win it.

Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes exchange insults, and neither came alone

So far so good for Reigns sticking to his word, as Roman comes to the ring accompanied only by Paul Heyman. The Tribal Chief asks for and is handed a mic, talking about how he kept his word and showed up without the Bloodline. He asks everyone to acknowledge him while Cody is shown walking toward the entrance.

After commercials, Rhodes makes his way out to join Reigns in the ring. Cody says he’s as much a man of his word and also came alone, to which Roman calls him a fool.

From Reigns’ perspective, Rhodes is unfit for the position of face of the company. He scoffs at Cody aligning himself with Seth Rollins, reminding Rhodes that Rollins eventually stabbed him in the back.

Cody of course remembers The Shield, but asks if Roman remembers the first team that defeated them. He also says he has his “bullet cufflinks” on so he knows all about factions and betrayals, and he’s banking on Rollins hating Reigns more than he hates Cody.

There’s also a good question: Can Roman trust The Rock? Who’s really in charge of The Bloodline anyway, the Tribal Chief or the Final Boss? A “Roman sucks” chant breaks out in response.

Reigns retorts that Rhodes said the same thing to The Rock in reverse, then ridicules him for promising things and failing to deliver like a politician. All Cody will ever be is No. 2, while he’s No. 1 … forever.

Talking about how Reigns grew up in the business like he did, Rhodes says he’s accepted the idea that the next generation of youngsters will grow up wanting to be the next Roman. Cody disagrees about being No. 2, though, saying he’s the one and offering a handshake and good luck at WrestleMania.

Reigns shakes Heyman’s hand instead and they leave the ring. But Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa are approaching the ring through the crowd, and the American Nightmare looks surrounded.

Cody cracks a smile, though, as Jey Uso and Seth Rollins are also out in the crowd. It’s a big standoff to end the show, like something out of a movie.

WWE SmackDown results 03/15/24: Rock Concert for Cody, Bayley gets Damage CTRL-alt-deleted

WWE SmackDown from Memphis also made several more WrestleMania 40 matches official.

You know what’s fun in kind of a surreal way about WWE right now? The Rock is something of a regular! He’s making his third consecutive WWE SmackDown appearance tonight in Memphis, so he’s practically part of the ongoing crew now.

And while we kid Mr. Rock, it is easy to take for granted that one of the busiest guys in Hollywood (not to mention his other business interests) is on TV every Friday, then cutting long and entertaining video promos randomly throughout the week. You may not be rooting for him — almost certainly most WWE fans will be cheering against him at WrestleMania — but you have to respect how committed he’s been to this whole angle.

(Yes, there’s a cynical aspect to it to since he’s on the TKO board now, so of course he wants the company to do well, but still.)

Anyway, we’re anxious to see what he’s got up his sleeveless vest again tonight, so let’s fire this up and see what we’ve got.

WWE SmackDown results from Memphis:

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

  • The broadcast begins with a recap of the challenge The Rock and Roman Reigns made to Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins, which of course was accepted for night 1 of WrestleMania
  • The Rock Concert is back, to the delight of the Memphis fans, but The Rock also has pointed messages for Cody and Mama Rhodes
  • Legado Del Fantasma (Angel and Berto) def. LWO (Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde) by pinfall in a WrestleMania Qualifying Match
  • Kayla Braxton talks to LA Knight, who dares AJ Styles to come out and humble him, finding it curious that Styles would fly all the way to Australia but wouldn’t drive to Memphis; he challenges Styles to a match at WrestleMania, at which point AJ finally appears, attacking LA from behind with a steel chair before accepting the challenge

  • Logan Paul asks Nick Aldis what the repercussions will be for Randy Orton messing with him last week, but the GM suggests Paul request an apology from Orton in person; Paul also insults Aldis by saying he can’t expect Nick to do his job when he can’t even find Logan a WrestleMania opponent
  • Jimmy Uso is asked about the challenge made to him by Jey Uso, and he says “YEET” to it, which sounds like he accepts to us

  • Randy Orton def. Grayson Waller by pinfall, after which Kevin Owens helps fight off Austin Theory and Paul; Aldis also arrives with some news: at WrestleMania, Paul will defend his United States Championship against both Owens and Orton in a Triple Threat match
  • Dakota Kai says everything Bayley is going through is her own fault and warns the “chicks” in the locker room that Damage CTRL runs the show
  • Santos Escobar def. Dragon Lee by pinfall; after the match, Carlito tries to fight all of Legado Del Fantasma by himself, but he soon has more help in the form of Rey Mysterio, who challenges Escobar to a match next week
  • New Catch Republic def. Pretty Deadly by pinfall in a WrestleMania Qualifying Match
  • Bayley de. Dakota Kai by DQ after interference from Damage CTRL, and not even Naomi is enough to help fight off a show-closing beatdown of the Role Model

The Rock Concert is back like it never left, and The Rock addresses Cody’s mom

Walking out to a bit of a remix between his current and old themes, The Rock also gets a mixed reaction from the fans that sounds like more cheers than boos. He says he usually scorches every city he’s in, but this city is different … because his wrestling career began in Memphis.

He even mentions the Flex Kavana moniker he used before saying that The Rock has come back home. Since it’s the home of the blues and Elvis, The Rock wants to sing a song. And hey, he’s got legitimate musicians backing him this time!

Of course, his song starts in on Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. Ja Morant catches a stray as well, and then the final verse zeroes in on the Cody Crybabies.

Lest we think that’s all The Rock is going to do, he’s not done with Cody even once his Rock Concert is complete. He mocks Rhodes for crying on Raw and says he wants to talk to Cody’s mom.

The Rock addresses her directly, saying he’s going to make her and her son pay. How? By beating Cody with a belt and then handing her the bloody belt, apparently. If you smell what The Final Boss is cooking.

Grayson Waller is sacrificed to Randy Orton in front of Logan Paul, who gets some bad WrestleMania news

Before the action even gets going, Logan Paul’s music hits and the United States Champion makes his way down the ramp. He settles in with the announcers to get a closer look at this one, still griping (and finding sympathy from Wade Barrett) about not having a WrestleMania match.

It’s interesting that the announce team framed Waller as Austin Theory’s mentor since Austin made the main roster first and has won titles. Both men seem pretty happy as Orton ends up sprawled over the announce table before a commercial break.

The crowd is really into Orton’s offense, then disappointed when Theory pulls Waller away from certain doom. Theory, ever the good sport these days, takes the vintage Orton DDT, and Waller takes the RKO that ends it.

After the bell, however, Theory attacks Orton, allowing Paul to mock the Viper. But before he can deliver a right hand, Kevin Owens comes rushing to the rescue, quickly driving away the heels.

Orton nearly RKOs Owens by accident, but Theory ends up taking both a stunner and an RKO. That brings out Nick Aldis, who says he’s figured out Logan’s WrestleMania opponents, as in plural.

It’ll be Paul vs. Owens vs. Orton for the United States Championship. Interesting.

Bayley wins by DQ but Damage CTRL proves its point

How great is it to see Kai back in there in earnest after so much time off? And what’s up with the “whoop that trick” chants? As Wade Barrett notes, Trick Williams must love that his catchphrase is so over.

The rest of Damage CTRL is at ringside, so that’s more than a little potential concern for Bayley. Kai tries for something, perhaps a superplex, but Bayley shoves her down and drops a flying elbow.

Dakota pulls off a sweet overhead kick, allowing Kairi Sane to get involved while Kai has the ref’s attention. Kai’s stiff kick is answered by a powerbomb, and now all of Damage CTRL is involved but the ref for some reason doesn’t call for the bell until IYO SKY hammers Bayley across the back.

Someone will need to come to the rescue, and it turns out to be Naomi. The problem is the numbers game is still against the heroes, and SKY delivers the Over the Moonsault to Bayley. Damage CTRL poses triumphantly over Bayley as the show goes off the air about two minutes early.

WWE WrestleMania 40: Predictions for the rest of the card in Philadelphia

You know the marquee matches for WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. Let’s try to figure out the rest of them.

Now that the hour-long annual time skip has occurred for this spring, we’re officially less than four weeks away from WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. The WWE is so hot right now that it could probably not reveal any of the matches ahead of time and still be assured that people will fill Lincoln Financial Field for two nights, and I’m only partially joking about that.

What Triple H and company have done is announce the biggest matches while leaving the rest of the card to be filled in over the last few weeks. It makes perfect sense to approach the show that way, as the world championship feuds have all been cemented and can help draw in lapsed fans while still leaving plenty to keep regular viewers engaged through the rest of March.

As I write this, only six matches are set. Night 1 will feature the recently confirmed tag team match pitting Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins against The Rock and Roman Reigns. That will have big ramifications for the Night 2 rematch between Rhodes and Reigns (as in whether The Bloodline will be allowed to interfere or not), while Rollins moves on to defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre.

Though we don’t know which night they will happen, both women’s world titles will also be defended, with Rhea Ripley facing Becky Lynch and IYO SKY squaring off with Bayley. Gunther will defend his Intercontinental Championship as well, though the identity of his challenger won’t be determined until the March 11 episode of Raw.

History suggests that what’s been announced so far may only be about half the card. The two full-on post-pandemic two-night Manias had 16 (for WrestleMania 38) and 15 matches (last year at 39), respectively, though that’s counting impromptu stuff like Pat McAfee and Snoop Dogg getting quick wins in L.A.

So we’ve got to round out the WrestleMania 40 slate with at least 13 matches total, we’d say. Let’s try to do that now by making predictions from “this is almost absolutely happening” down to “we’re just grasping at straws here.”

Gunther vs. Chad Gable – WWE Intercontinental Championship match

We counted this as one of the matches we know is happening, but there’s still the matter of who will face the Ring General. The Gauntlet match for this Monday has a number of plausible candidates, and it’s important to remember that the only reason this is still a question is because WWE is keeping its distance from Brock Lesnar at the moment.

So the guess here is that Chad Gable will emerge as the contender to take on Gunther. He has the most interesting narrative, having pushed the big Austrian hard the first time they battled and talking about how much more another shot would mean to him than anyone else.

Also, lest we forget, Gable can really go in the ring, and while anyone WWE put in this spot would pull out all the stops at WrestleMania, Gable would arguably benefit the most from a reminder to everyone watching about how good he is. Maybe WWE would even consider having him win if Gunther is bound for bigger things in the post-WrestleMania landscape, but just getting this spot would be a statement in and of itself.

Update 3/11: It was close but not quite for Gable, who made it to the final two but couldn’t close things out. It’ll be Zayn vs. Gunther at WrestleMania.

Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso

It just feels like it’s time, no? Jimmy Uso has cost his brother multiple championship opportunities and isn’t going to stop until Jey Uso makes him stop. Out of character, the Usos have talked openly in the past about their desire to face each other in singles competition at WrestleMania, so it all just makes too much sense.

Considering how WWE likes to push multiple matches on each night as “co-main events,” as silly as that is, a brother vs. brother showdown would be perfect for that on Night 1. If The Bloodline is going to be finished with a Reigns loss to Rhodes (assuming that’s in the cards), you’d think Jey would win and Jimmy would eventually reunite with him, but perhaps WWE will want this program to go on past WrestleMania as well.

Update 3/11: This is almost certainly happening. Jey Uso made the challenge to Jimmy on the March 11 episode of Raw, so all we need now is a response.

Logan Paul vs. Randy Orton – WWE United States Championship match

I really had no idea what was in store for Logan Paul in Philadelphia until Elimination Chamber, when it became clear pretty quickly. When Paul hosed Randy Orton out of a win in Perth, it meant they were going to throw down sooner or later, and nothing has happened since then to change my mind.

Orton has looked superb since his return from a long injury layoff, and WWE has booked him in a way that makes him look nearly unbeatable save for extenuating circumstances. Of course Paul knows all about those, so he can simply keep cheating to go over, or he can give a heroic but losing effort. Either way, fans should be into this.

AJ Styles vs. LA Knight

Sometimes WWE needs to come up with something for people who simply can’t be kept off the WrestleMania card, and LA Knight falls into that category this year. Part of the Showcase of the Immortals is giving people what they want, and Knight continues to be hugely over with live crowds.

As with Orton and Paul, this was set up directly at Elimination Chamber, and AJ Styles has explained his actions on the March 8 episode of SmackDown as well. I’m not a huge fan of the all business heel version of Styles, but he’s certainly playing it well and looks the part since he’s as jacked as he’s ever been. These two should put on an excellent match together.

R-Truth and The Miz vs. The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) – Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship match

This is quite the step back for the tag team titles after they were featured in the Night 1 main event at WrestleMania 39. Nevertheless, WWE has put a lot of effort into the R-Truth storyline with The Judgment Day, and it would be logical to pay it off in Philadelphia, especially since Truth is arguably as popular as he’s ever been.

It would be fun to see if Damian Priest might cash in his Money in the Bank contract on Night 2 out of anger if The Judgment Day loses this match, something he’s teased doing before. Also, just spitballing here, but if The Miz and Truth actually win, WWE could easily have #DIY turn heel on them after Mania, upset about the work they put in themselves going for naught.

Update 3/11: We weren’t thinking big enough here, apparently. The Judgment Day will defend the titles in Philly … but in a Six-Pack Challenge Ladder match. Teams will have a chance to win their way in over the next few weeks, and we wouldn’t be shocked if Miz and Truth and #DIY made the field.

Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark vs. Kabuki Warriors – WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match

Yes, these teams are slated to face off well ahead of WrestleMania, so maybe this isn’t a program with enough legs to even make it to Philly. Still, Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark have been pushed as a very effective duo and deserve a shot to shine on the big stage.

Let’s play it out: the Kabuki Warriors give them a shot at the titles and retain, but only because Dakota Kai, now firmly recommitted to Damage CTRL, cheats to help them do it. Adam Pearce, who’s already warned the group he’s got an eye on them, arranges a rematch for Mania and Nick Aldis agrees. Simple.

Some kind of multi-person women’s contenders match

WWE has done so much good in building up the likes of Nia Jax (better than ever on this run, to my surprise) and Tiffany Stratton (a breakout star) that it would be a shame to keep them off this show. Plus there’s Liv Morgan and Naomi who are back, Raquel Rodriguez is healthy again, and Jade Cargill is waiting in the wings.

Oh, and Bianca Belair! We’re not going to do a WrestleMania without her, right?

It’s quite possible WWE will still spin something up for Bianca prior to Phialdelphia. But if not, she can be included here, whether it’s a Gauntlet match or battle royal or what have you. Regardless of the actual format, we can come out of this with a post-Mania challenger for either Bayley or whoever wins the Becky-Rhea match, and potentially spin off some additional programs as well.

Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits vs. The Final Testament

I confess this feud hasn’t been doing a ton for me, but the WrestleMania card needs some more multi-person matches and this is a made to order six-man tag to use as a palate cleanser.

The New Day vs. Imperium

This feud has been entertaining as it’s given The New Day a chance to play the “yes we act goofy for your enjoyment but we can get serious too” card. The only question is whether WWE can or wants to string this out for another four weeks.

But WrestleMania needs a couple of change of pace matches among the bigger stuff and this would be perfect, particularly with a stipulation of some sort. Could they do a TLC match between these two teams, for instance? I’d be on board for that.

Even more possibilities:

  • Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal – While it’s been relegated to the pre-show and even SmackDown in recent years and doesn’t seem to be much of a priority, it’s always an option to get more wrestlers involved in the show.
  • Legado Del Fantasma vs. LWO – Maybe I’m not giving this one enough thought now that Rey Mysterio is back. Certainly a possibility for a six-man tag, and ripe for a gimmick or stipulation if that’s the case.
  • Something with John Cena – He’s certainly teased that he might be part of WrestleMania, though no one seems to think it will be in a full-length match. WWE can work him in as a host or have him just show up and AA someone for a pop, though.

WWE SmackDown results 03/08/24: Cody, Seth accept Bloodline’s challenge, Cody slaps The Rock

A dramatic final confrontation was cut short by time, but not before Cody Rhodes had enough of The Rock on WWE SmackDown.

Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins aren’t usually on WWE SmackDown. But they’re needed in Dallas tonight to solidify an important part of the WrestleMania picture.

As you may have heard, The Rock turned down Rhodes’ request for a singles match last week on this very show. But being the businessman that he is, he made a counteroffer, albeit it one that he and Roman Reigns made it clear that they expected an answer to in seven days’ time.

That sounds like something from an old timey movie, but we digress.

Since this is WrestleMania SZN pacing we’re talking about here, Rhodes and Seth Rollins took Monday on Raw to deliberate. The deal is this: a tag team match on night 1 of Mania pitting Rhodes and Rollins against Rock and Reigns. If the former team wins, Rhodes vs. Reigns on night 2 will be blissfully free of Bloodline interference, allowing Cody the chance to “this time we mean it” finish his story solo.

If they lose, then it’s all Bloodline, all the time during the rematch, with The Rock pretty much guaranteeing he’d interfere himself.

That sounds like it’s a no-brainer, as in they should take him up on the offer just to give Rhodes the best chance. But that’s also asking a lot from Seth, who has his own match against Drew McIntyre to consider.

Anyway, we should probably get an answer tonight, though The Rock also said he’ll be on SmackDown next week, so it could possibly get dragged out another seven days. There’s other fun stuff in store too, including an appearance from Logan Paul, Randy Orton and Kevin Owens taking on Grayson Waller and Austin Theory (and those two things might overlap, just saying) and Bobby Lashley vs. Karrion Kross.

Let’s find out what this night has in store.

WWE SmackDown results from Dallas:

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

  • The cold open recaps The Rock and Roman Reigns’ counteroffer and the threat to “end your story tragically” if they don’t accept
  • The Rock is shown getting out of a pickup truck and putting on a cowboy hat about two hours before the show, while Roman Reigns looks and laughs at the extra security following him at the behest of GM Nick Aldis; Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins are also here
  • Logan Paul unveils some Prime sponsorship with KSI, who ends up on the wrong side of a Randy Orton RKO
  • Triple H shows off the Red Diamond Award WWE received from YouTube for having 100 million subscribers
  • Randy Orton and Kevin Owens def. Austin Theory and Grayson Waller by pinfall, but both men are attacked by Paul after the bell and narrowly escape a brass knuckles attack
  • Kayla Braxton talks to Bayley about Dakota Kai becoming the final member of Damage CTRL to turn on her, questioning if any of her time with the group was ever what it seemed; while Bayley admits that she’s done plenty of stuff for attention, she says much of it was done for the benefit of IYO SKY and Kai, and she also says they are underestimating her ability and drive to break them
  • Bianca Belair and Naomi disagree about whether Bayley is someone to feel sorry for
  • A ton of security is shown posted up outside the Bloodline dressing room
  • Bobby Lashley def. Karrion Kross by DQ after an attack by the Authors of Pain that soon draws in the Street Profits and B-Fab; The Final Testament wins the brawl and Lashley is flattened by The Final Prayer
  • Legado Del Fantasma mocks Dragon Lee and tries to bully him as well
  • Tiffany Stratton def. Michin by pinfall
  • AJ Styles cuts a taped promo laying out his issues with LA Knight (yeah!), who reacts angrily backstage
  • Tyler Bate is busy playing WWE 2K24 but Pete Dunne looks unenthused, though he changes his mind and takes over the sticks once Bate leaves to check on the tag team title situation with Aldis
  • Dragon Lee def. Angel by pinfall, but he takes a brief but hellacious beatdown by Legado Del Fantasma after the bell
  • Damage CTRL mocks Bayley and says they’ll see her in the ring next wee
  • Aldis is ticked at security when they find the locker room for Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins empty
  • What will Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins tell The Bloodline? Well they accept the challenge, and Cody slaps The Rock right as the show goes off the air

Logan Paul is thinking Prime, while Randy Orton just sees a prime opportunity for payback

Addressing the crowd, Paul calls Dallas a city of firsts. He wrestled in his first WrestleMania there and also vows he’ll make more history there tonight.

Working right through the “what?” chants, Paul says everything he touches turns to gold and no one can garner attention like he does. Logan says he’s not talking about his podcast or even his wrestling matches, but WWE. He claims a lot of credit for helping the company to its recent string of huge successes, calling himself the “secret sauce.”

Paul makes a pun about prime and unveils the Prime energy drink logo, which he says will be center ring starting at WrestleMania for all premium live events. He summons his partner KSI to the ring and they prepare to pose for a pic.

Something needs to interrupt, and in this case that something is Randy Orton’s music. Paul senses the Viper coming but KSI is not so lucky, receiving an RKO that is very popular with the fans, especially after Orton drags his body across the Prime logo.

After taking a sip of the Prime KSI was carrying and declaring it “very good,” Orton pours it on his crotch so it looks like he wet himself. As one does.

Randy Orton and Kevin Owens team well together but have to watch out for Logan Paul

The announcers put over Theory and Waller, and particularly Theory, as a threat to our heroes. Waller doesn’t seem to want any part of Orton, which only makes KO want to tag him in more.

Orton backs Waller into the corner and wails away as the crowd counts along with his right hands. He saves one for Theory too, knocking the former U.S. champ off the apron.

The heels try a two-man assault, but Owens tags back in and goes to work on Theory. A rolling dropkick makes for a good rally by Theory, and Waller lands a cheap shot on Owens so the bad guys are looking good for the commercial break.

Owens is badly in need of a tag, having worked during the entire time away. Waller mocks Orton’s theatrics prior to the RKO but immediately thinks better of it when Orton tags in and unleashes clotheslines and his snap powerslam.

Waller looks like he’s in trouble on the apron but is saved by Theory. KO get laid our by the barricade but Waller is too close to the ring and pulled in by Orton for the draping DDT.

The crowd erupts as the Viper coils, but Orton is rolled up when distracted by Theory. It’s a kickout at two, of course, but the heels now have Orton two on one … though for only a moment. KO comes back fighting with a Stunner for Waller, and Theory eats an RKO that ends this one.

While the good guys are celebrating, Paul attacks both of them from behind, pulling out the brass knux and zeroing in on Orton. Randy sees him coming, kicks Logan in the stomach and puts on the knux, but Paul ducks out of the ring and almost causes Orton to clock Owens.

Bobby Lashley wins his match against Karrion Kross but hardly feels like a winner afterward

This should be a straight ahead slugfest, to say the least. Scarlett enjoys Kross’ early success, but Lashley hits a big suplex to swing the momentum in his favor.

The All Mighty pursues Kross to the floor, but Scarlett puts herself in the line of fire to prevent Lashley from swinging her man into the post. Karrion takes advantage with several hard shots prior to a commercial break.

Kross is still bossing the action when the broadcast returns, hurling Lashley around in impressive fashion. But Lashley battles back when they return to the floor, and there’s nothing Scarlett can do this time.

Lashley wants the Hurt Lock but is hurled away toward a corner, and Kross’ Death Valley Driver earns him a near fall. As Lashley fights back, the Authors of Pain enter the battle, and even though the ref has called for the bell, the Street Profits run down to even the odds.

Just as Lashley looks like he might get the Hurt Lock applied, Scarlett interrupts, only to be violently interrupted by B-Fab. The two women chase each other to the back while the men continue to brawl in the ring, but The Final Testament prevails, and Kross smashes Lashley down with The Final Prayer.

Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins accept the challenge, and Cody slaps The Rock

Roman Reigns heads to the ring, flanked as always by Paul Heyman, Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso. The announcers remind us that Reigns will face Rhodes again in the main event on night 2, as if we can ever forget.

The Rock has an amazing new entrance video with a lightning theme now as well.

The Rock says greatness stands before you now and hands the mic to Reigns, who says “acknowledge us.” Someone who might not is Cody Rhodes, who comes down through the crowd instead of from the stage. Seth Rollins is with him as well, but we cut to commercial.

After the break, everyone leaves the ring but the four most important players in this drama. Rhodes says it’s a little tense but he feels very lucky to be standing in the ring and thinks the four of them should take a moment to feel this.

Cody says he understands the tag team challenge but teases The Rock by questioning whether he has the authority after acknowledging Reigns as his Tribal Chief. He’s about to give their answer when The Rock angrily interrupts, explaining it’s what family does.

The Rock reiterates the stakes, which everyone already knows. A “diarrhea” chant breaks out after Rollins made it a thing on Raw, which he loves. So much that he has the balls to remind The Rock that they already knows the stakes and he passionately says they accept.

Reigns starts laughing at Rhodes, wondering why he’d let Rollins answer for him. Roman says when he wins on WrestleMania Sunday, it’s over for Cody, his story is over.

The Rock reminds both our heroes he’s technically their boss, clarifying that if Rhodes doesn’t win, he’ll never get a shot at this championship again. He starts talking about Cody’s siblings and calls Cody “a mistake,: which earns him an angry slap in return, just as the show goes off the air.

WWE SmackDown results 03/01/24: The Rock acknowledges Roman Reigns, has counteroffer for Cory Rhodes

The Rock gave Cody Rhodes — and the WWE Universe — plenty to think about after WWE SmackDown from Glendale.

In case you missed it, The Rock has been a busy man. As in, cut a 21-plus minute promo ahead of tonight’s show busy. But while The People’s Champ said many amusing things during said promo, he left out one particular point of interest for tonight’s episode of WWE SmackDown from Glendale.

That, of course, is whether he will accept the challenge laid down recently by Cody Rhodes. Still smarting psychologically from The Rock smacking him at WrestleMania XL Kickoff, the American Nightmare said he’s love to fight The People’s Champion any time, any place.

The time is not going to be tonight and the place is not going to be Glendale. Which is too bad, since yours truly has a good friend in the audience tonight. But it could be soon, as in either on the Road to WrestleMania … or at WrestleMania itself.

See, a common fan theory is that we end up with Rhodes and Seth Rollins battling The Rock and Roman Reigns on night 1 in Philly before everyone attends to their business on night 2 (including Rhodes vs. Reigns). Let’s see if tonight’s SmackDown points us in that direction or a different one. We’re excited to see what’s in store regardless.

WWE SmackDown results from Glendale:

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

  • We open with highlights from Elimination Chamber Perth, lest we forget that this is the first SmackDown since that show
  • The Bloodline is on the same page, including The Rock, and they have a counteroffer for Cody Rhodes (and Seth Rollins)
  • Austin Theory and Grayson Waller are mocking Randy Orton’s fate at Elimination Chamber, but in classic fashion, he’s right behind them, which is bad for Theory since he gets volun-told to face Orton later tonight
  • Tiffany Stratton def. Naomi by pinfall
  • Kabuki Warriors vs. Bayley and Dakota Kai is a no contest (we think) after Kai turns on Bayley mid-match, helping the Warriors and IYO SKY beat her down
  • Damage CTRL seems pretty pleased walking backstage, but their smiles disappear when Jade Cargill appears, on hand to talk with Nick Aldis
  • Bron Breakker def. Xyon Quinn in about three seconds after a spear
  • A memorial graphic is displayed to honor the late Mike “Virgil” Jones
  • Carlito def. Santos Escobar by pinfall in a Street Fight, due in large part to assistance from a returning Rey Mysterio
  • New Catch Republic talks to Aldis about how they can earn another title shot at WrestleMania, and he says there will be an announcement about those titles soon; Aldis next runs into LA Knight searching furiously for AJ Styles, and he says there isn’t anything anyone can do to stop him from getting some payback
  • Randy Orton def. Austin Theory by pinfall, then gets help from Kevin Owens, who was on guest commentary, to fight off Theory and Grayson Waller as the show closes

The Rock acknowledges Roman Reigns, has a counteroffer for Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins

We’re wasting no time tonight, as Roman Reigns and The Bloodline head to the ring in the first segment. The Rock is not with them, and the fans start one chant that has to be blanked out, then start another for Cody Rhodes.

Reigns asks people to acknowledge him twice since the first crowd reaction isn’t enough for him, but that ends up in another “Cody” chant. Third time’s the charm? It better be or else Reigns says he’s leaving.

He wants to do just that, but Paul Heyman says they can’t because “he’s coming out” if they just give Heyman a moment. Yes, he means The Rock. But apparently he’s not coming until after commercials.

Reigns seems unhappy about having to wait, but after the ads, sure enough, it’s The Great One. He asks, perhaps rhetorically, if the fans are sure they want to boo The Rock. But he has some good news to share. Well, not really as he accuses people from nearby Phoenix of being heavy drug users.

Finally proceeding, The Rock says everyone in The Bloodline is happy because wrestling is cool again. He also shoots down Cody’s request for a match, saying you don’t just go one-on-one with The Great One just because you want to.

As businessmen, however, Rock and Reigns have a counteroffer for Rhodes. And it’s an interesting one: Rock and Reigns vs. Rhodes and Seth Rollins. If the good guys win, Rhodes vs. Reigns will be free of Bloodline presence as they’ll be banned from ringside. However, if the bad guys win the tag team match, the night 2 match will be Bloodline Rules, meaning anything goes.

The Rock says Rhodes now has a lot to think about, but if he doesn’t accept the challenge, he and Reigns will end Cody’s story tragically. He says they expect an answer next week and is about to do the “If you smell … ” bit, but he’s stopped by Reigns.

Roman says he needs something from his cousin: He needs The Rock to acknowledge him.

It appears that won’t go well, but Rock does acknowledge Reigns as his Tribal Chief and they hug, even as “you sold out” chants rain down. This is family, The Rock explains, and he proves it by letting Roman finish his most famous catchphrase.

Dakota Kai shows her true colors, turns on Bayley

Though the Warriors look like they want no part of their former teammates before the bell, they also rush Bayley as soon as the match officially begins. Kairi Sane is able to push Bayley off the top rope while the ref’s back is turned, so the champs are already a step ahead of their foes.

Kai gets knocked off the apron, leaving Bayley solo against both of their opponents and allowing Sane to score a near fall. Bayley is finally able to knock down both Warriors, but when the Role Model heads over for the tag … Kai jumps off the apron.

Knowing she’s been betrayed, Bayley goes after Kai on the floor, but now it’s a three-on-one battle. IYO SKY laughs in the corner, then gets into the act by smacking Bayley with a knee to the back of the head. SKY can only laugh at Bayley’s plight, and the four members of Damage CTRL leave together.

Carlito gets a massive LWO assist to beat Santos Escobar in a Street Fight

The announcers point out how Carlito came up through the ranks in the Puerto Rican wrestling scene from a young age, so he’s very prepared for a match like this. He tries to find some weaponry under the ring early on, but he settles for running Escobar into the steel stairs as fans chant for apples.

Carlito is in trouble through a commercial break, but he’s able to use a chair and a trash can to mount a strong rally. Both of them together work very nicely indeed.

A move onto the steel chair gets Carlito a two count, and he hears the crowd and drags a table into the ring too. Escobar is ready with a step-up knee shot, but he gets crotched on the top rope right before Angel and Humberto of Legado Del Fantasma invade the ring.

A three-man powerbomb has the end looking near, but Carlito kicks out at two, mystifying Escobar. Angel and Humberto set up the table only to be rushed by Joaquin Wilde and Cruz Del Toro.

But there’s one more person who enters the fray: a returning Rey Mysterio, who comes out on crutches but reveals he doesn’t need them. Rey hits the 619 on Santos, and Carlito puts Escobar through a table to seal the victory.

Randy Orton takes out Austin Theory, gets some KO help after the bell

Kevin Owens joins the announcers for guest commentary, and he’s always a delight in this role. Orton charges across the ring when the bell rings and lands corner punches at will, followed by a European uppercut.

Out to the floor they go, where Owens begs Orton to slam Theory on the desk. Grayson Waller’s timely distraction allows Theory to gain the upper hand, and it’s Randy bouncing off the desk before a commercial break.

Orton is mounting a rally after we return, using clotheslines to set up a powerslam. Theory is sent out to the floor, where KO is delighted to see Theory dropped back first on the announce table. Waller gets the same treatment, with KO pointing out how he bounces.

Vintage Orton is next, and he wants an RKO but is sent into the post instead. A rolling blockbuster by Theory is on target, but Orton kicks out at two.

Theory chop blocks Orton and nails him with a forearm shot, hooking the leg but getting only two again. Theory tries to do his own version of the draping DDT but gets thrown to the floor. He rolls back in looking for a cutter, but Orton counters with an RKO to win it.

After the bell, Waller tries to attack Orton but gets quickly met by Owens. KO stuns Theory, Orton hits an RKO on Waller, and the fans go home happy, we’d think.

WWE Elimination Chamber 2024: Breaking down the biggest takeaways from Australia

Elimination Chamber set a couple of intriguing ideas in motion in Perth.

For the most part, this year’s Elimination Chamber was as predictable as we all expected.

Rhea Ripley retained her WWE Women’s World Championship after a borderline great main event match against Nia Jax, Becky Lynch was the last person standing in the women’s Elimination Chamber to earn the right to challenge Ripley’s title at WrestleMania, and Drew McIntyre outlasted five others to win the men’s Elimination Chamber and punch his ticket to the biggest show of the year, where he will challenge Seth Rollins for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship.

So nothing to see here, right?

No, actually, as there were two other happenings on the show that left me intrigued.

Cody Rhodes challenges The Rock to a one-on-one match

Although all indications have been pointing toward Rhodes and Rollins facing The Rock and Undisputed WWE Universal Champion Roman Reigns to some sort of tag team match in the future (possibly at WrestleMania), judging by what happened during “The Grayson Waller Effect,” I’m not quite as sure.

As I predicted, a challenge was laid, but it wasn’t for a tag team match. Instead, it was Rhodes challenging The Rock to a one-on-one match. Rollins, who revealed that he was merely days away from being medically cleared, was there to lend his moral support, but nothing more. Rhodes did not put a date on his challenge, saying that he wants The Rock anytime, anywhere.

Will we actually get a one-on-one match between Rhodes and The Rock? I guess we can’t totally rule it out. My best guess is that the tag team match is still happening sooner rather than later and an encounter between Rhodes and The Rock is something WWE could visit at any time down the road.

Is this slightly confusing? Yes. I’m still not totally sure what to make of it. But again, this is intriguing. I am interested in seeing what happens. Rhodes laid the challenge, which means The Rock has to eventually respond. I anxiously await it.

What is Logan Paul doing at WrestleMania?

Logan Paul has made his share of enemies as a controversial internet influencer, and that has carried over, in storyline at least, to the WWE locker room.

He’s obviously got Kevin Owens as a sworn enemy after their encounter at the Royal Rumble, and that was on full display Saturday in Perth.

But Paul created a new enemy Saturday in the form of Randy Orton, who was seemingly poised to win the men’s Elimination Chamber after eliminating Paul. But before Orton could seal the victory, Paul sucker punched him with brass knuckles, knocking Orton out cold and paving an easy path to victory for McIntyre.

I had been predicting for weeks that LA Knight should be the person to face Paul for the United States title at WrestleMania, but after AJ Styles attacked him during the Elimination Chamber, I feel like Knight will be occupied elsewhere.

Do we get Paul against Orton one-on-one? Is Owens inserted to make it a triple threat? Either way, it will be an interesting road getting there.

Elimination Chamber winners: Every WWE wrestler to win an Elimination Chamber match

Check out our Elimination Chamber winners list, with details on every WWE wrestler to enter and win Elimination Chamber matches since 2002.

The Elimination Chamber is the answer to a question many wrestling fans probably never thought they’d ask: What’s more formidable than a match inside a steel cage?

WWE came up with it anyway in 2002. Said to be the brainchild of Triple H and Eric Bischoff, the Elimination Chamber combines the brutality of a steel cage match with the chaos and “who’s next” suspense of the Royal Rumble. And the structure itself is a key component, with its roofed cage and four pods — which have become central to some of the match’s most creative spots over the years.

Like the Royal Rumble, the Elimination Chamber has gone on to become the star of its own series of premium live events, with men’s and women’s versions of its namesake match. Not bad for a gimmick match that was originally a brand-only affair.

After the 2023 Elimination Chamber event in Montreal, WWE will be past 30 total Elimination Chamber matches, with no end in sight. Let’s take a look back at every winner since the first one was held in 1992.

WWE Elimination Chamber 2024 results: Opportunistic Drew McIntyre wins a WrestleMania spot

AJ Styles, Logan Paul caused chaos that Drew McIntyre exploited at Elimination Chamber.

After the women rocked the house at Optus Stadium to kick off the show, the men get their chance to do the same. Kevin Owens, Bobby Lashley, Logan Paul and Randy Orton get to start in pods, so Drew McIntyre and LA Knight will have a chance to get reacquainted quickly. Knight stands on top of Orton’s pod before the bell rings, getting the fans to react even more.

Knight emerges from the opening exchange with a suplex and an elbowdrop, but he’s only able to get a one count. McIntyre fires back with an overhead throw and cracks a smirk as the fans chant “CM Punk” at him. Drew mocks Punk and looks for the Go To Sleep, but Knight counters with knees to the back and sends the Scottish Warrior to the outside, forcefully.

Paul gets to watch up close as Knight smashes McIntyre’s head into his pod repeatedly. Same for KO over at his pod. Not for long for him, as he is the first wrestler released and eagerly joins the fray. Owens chokeslams Knight and follows with a senton for a two count.

McIntyre starts in on Owens and they brawl to one corner. KO gets the best of that battle, eventually hitting a frog splash and earning a near fall. Owens also does a cool spot that’s a Codebreaker to McIntyre and a simultaneous senton to Knight.

Owens and Knight finally agree to work together to fight McIntyre, but Drew escapes their double superplex attempt and hits a cross body on both of them. Lashley makes a beeline for McIntyre as well when his cell opens and has a decent amount of success.

A kick to the gut and a belly-to-belly throw allow Drew to fight back. But he can’t pull off the Future Shock and is sent outside the ring, where Lashley eagerly uses the cage as a weapon.

A loud Glasgow Kiss smacks Lashley backward, but the All Mighty comes right back with a uranage of sorts for a two count. Knight nearly gets pinned by inadvertent double team offense by Owens and Lashley.

Orton finally gets his chance to enter the match, and he immediately runs through some trademark offense on Owens. Then it’s Lashley’s turn to go corner to corner on multiple opponents. He spears the heck out of Knight, who avoids a pin by rolling out of the ring.

Knight DDTs McIntyre on the platform outside the ring, leaving pretty much everyone down. Orton is selling damage to his lower back on just about every move.

The timer expires for Paul, but Owens joins him in the pod and they battle in the proverbial phonebooth before Logan is painfully driven through the pod. Paul finally lures KO into trouble out by the cage, but a huge short arm clothesline puts a stop to that, and Lashley spearing him through a pod sure doesn’t help either.

Alas, just as the fans are thanking him, Lashley turns into a Claymore from McIntyre. Another Claymore follows in the ring, and we finally have someone out. Bobby Lashley is eliminated.

Knight pulls off a nice superplex on McIntyre and the Blunt Force Trauma on Orton … but then he gets attacked by a chair-wielding AJ Styles. He also hits a Styles Clash on the chair before refs can get him out of there, and McIntyre takes advantage by covering LA for three. LA Knight is eliminated.

Owens is handing out cannonballs, plus a swanton on Orton that gets a near fall. He tries one on McIntyre too but catches Drew’s knees to the back, and everyone is slow to rise.

Owens is in the line of a Claymore but counters with a Popup Powerbomb, then hits a stunner on Paul. Unfortunately, he is nailed by an RKO, and that’s it for him. Kevin Owens is eliminated.

Orton and McIntyre slug it out until a powerslam catches Drew coming in. Paul tries to join in but gets crotched on the top rope and eats a series of right hands. McIntyre arrives and hammers Orton’s back again. A Glasgow Kiss and a neckbreaker have McIntyre in position to kip up, but Paul comes soaring out of nowhere with a high cross body.

Paul goes in his waistband and produces the brass knux, perfectly legal in this setting. But he spends too much time psyching himself up and is hit by an RKO, and he isn’t getting up from that. Logan Paul is eliminated.

The vintage Orton DDT is the first big move between the final two men. He coils to strike, but McIntyre is ready and delivers a spinebuster. McIntyre wants a Claymore but sees Orton collapse face down on the mat. He has enough left to hit an RKO, but then he gets smashed by Paul and the brass knux. McIntyre covers and hears the three to send him to WrestleMania. Randy Orton is eliminated, and Drew McIntyre wins.

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Exclusive ‘Biography: WWE Legends’ sneak peek: Randy Orton reveals who he called after historic SummerSlam win

Two phone calls turned very special for Randy Orton after he became the youngest WWE world champion ever.

Even a future WWE Hall of Famer like Randy Orton had to get started by winning his first world championship, and in his case, he did it in history-making fashion.

The Viper was just 24 years old when he won the World Heavyweight Championship in the main event of SummerSlam 2004, becoming the youngest world champion in WWE history. It should come as no surprise that it’s a moment that Orton still remembers well, including the first people he called (and the person who let him borrow their cellphone to make those calls).

If you are thinking about Orton’s family ties to the pro wrestling business, you’re on the right track. Check out the exclusive clip from the upcoming season premiere of “Biography: WWE Legends” to hear Orton talk about that night in his own words.

It’s interesting to hear Orton admit at the end of the clip that he “definitely was not ready” to hold the world title at that time, which is perhaps the kind of self-awareness that only comes with time.

Expect to hear a lot more of those insights in the full episode. Here’s a summary from A&E:

Randy Orton is largely considered to be one of the greatest WWE Superstars of his generation, with an incredible career that has spanned twenty years. However, the path he took to step out of the shadow of his father’s legacy and reach the pinnacle of sports entertainment, was not easy. From his ill-fated chapter in the United States Marine Corps to his battles with anger management and substance abuse, his journey to overcome his demons led him to become the man he is today.

The season premiere of “Biography: WWE Legends” debuts this Sunday, Feb. 25 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, following a new season premiere of “WWE Rivals” that focuses on the conflict between Triple H and The Rock. Be sure to set your DVR or stream the episodes live as soon as the following day on aetv.com.

How to watch WWE Elimination Chamber 2024: Live stream US, international

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

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