Tag: Solo Sikoa

WWE SmackDown results 01/19/24: Roman Reigns signs but ends up eating an RKO

Things didn’t quite turn out the way Roman Reigns thought they would on WWE SmackDown in Atlanta.

Sure, Randy Orton looks great after being out for more than a year due to injury. But do we really need to make him work double duty tonight on WWE SmackDown?

Let’s back up just a step. Orton is part of the contract signing that should be a major part of tonight’s show from Atlanta. Not only will it require another appearance from Roman Reigns, but it also means all three of his challengers at Royal Rumble will be on hand: Orton, AJ Styles and LA Knight.

If that sounds like something might go down with all four of them in the ring at once, you probably aren’t wrong. Yet on top of that, GM Nick Aldis announced today that Orton will be in action as well, and it won’t be a light day at the office since his opponent is The Bloodline’s enforcer, Solo Sikoa.

Now granted, none of the trio of challengers is a spring chicken, as all four of them are in their 40s (yes, even Knight). So it’s not even a matter of letting the youngest guy have to be in the match as well as the anticipated donnybrook, because there is no youngest guy.

Still, there’s no need to make Orton go so hard just eight days away from Royal Rumble. He’s out there RKOing people in music videos and stuff and we’re still asking him to be in two different segments on one SmackDown? Protect Randy at all costs!

Ahem. Anyway, this episode should be an eventful one with the Rumble so close at hand, so we’re looking forward to it. On with the show!

WWE SmackDown results from Atlanta:

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

  • Roman Reigns isn’t happy to see Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa since they didn’t fix things, so he’s there to make everything right again; but Sikoa also vows he’ll fix everything
  • The Fatal Four-Way contract signing is on, but without Roman Reigns, and AJ Styles and LA Knight end up fighting each other
  • Styles finds Aldis and demands a match with Knight tonight, and the GM says that’s fine with him
  •  Legado Del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Angel and Humberto) def. The LWO (Carlito, Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde) by pinfall
  • Pretty Deadly feels good about facing Tyler Bate and Butch as they’ll be ready for their opponents tonight … but the way they’re emphasizing Butch’s name makes one think they’re about to be surprised
  • Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits tell The Final Testament they have their attention, and if they want a fight, just name the time and place
  • Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne def. Pretty Deadly by pinfall
  • Pretty Deadly seem unfamiliar with Pete Dunne and blame that for their loss
  • Logan Paul joins The KO Show, and it ends in violence
  • Reigns lays into Jimmy Uso, but Sikoa steps in-between them and takes the blame for what happened last week while promising to fix things tonight
  • Katana Chance and Kayden Carter def. The Unholy Union (Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn) by pinfall to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship, then have a brief in-ring confrontation with the Kabuki Warriors
  • The O.C. tells Styles that even with everything going on, they still have his back, but he says nothing and storms off
  • The Final Testament call Lashley and the Profits the yes men of the company while they are the disruptors
  • Carmelo Hayes talks about the spot that ended his match with Austin Theory, and Theory shows up acting angry; Melo challenges him to a rematch, and though Austin says he’s busy, Grayson Waller accepts on his behalf
  • AJ Styles vs. LA Knight ends in a no contest (we think) after interference from both Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa
  • Randy Orton def. Solo Sikoa by pinfall, but …
  • … after the bell, Orton, Knight and Styles end up in the ring together, where Randy gives both of the others an RKO; he turns and takes a Superman punch from Reigns, who laughs as all three of his challengers are now down on the mat before asking Aldis for the contract and signing it (and tossing it on the ground in front of the GM); but as Reigns rushes in to spear Orton, he’s caught with an RKO instead

As the contract signing breaks down, Randy Orton keeps his cool

GM Nick Aldis welcomes everyone to SmackDown and introduces the participants in the Fatal Four-Way contract signing, beginning with AJ Styles. He wastes no time signing emphatically on the dotted line.

LA Knight is next, followed by Randy Orton. Both of them quickly sign as well, so all we need now is the Tribal Chief. But it’s Paul Heyman who comes out instead, suggesting that Reigns isn’t going to sign a contract that neither he nor the lawyers have seen.

Aldis asks for clarification and says that’s fine, because if Roman won’t sign, it will just be a Triple Threat match for the vacant Undisputed WWE Universal Championship. A somewhat panicked Heyman says there’s no way Aldis will be able to sell that to the board of directors, the fans and the Tribal Chief, who Paul says should be defending the title in a singles match.

Knight has heard enough, saying that he should get Reigns one on one but is ready to shut Heyman up. Styles takes exception to Knight saying he should be the one at the front of the line, and the two of them end up throwing hands while Orton just calmly watches things break down.

A bunch of referees and officials pour from the back to separate Styles and Knight, not very successfully as they fight to the back. Alas, that leaves Heyman in the ring with Orton, who tells Paul his machinations aren’t going to work since he’s going to beat Solo Sikoa later tonight. And after that, he’s going to reintroduce Reigns to those three dangerous letters.

Logan Paul joins The KO Show, and it ends in violence

KO says he can’t even believe he’s saying this: Please welcome my guest, Logan Paul, to The Kevin Owens Show. Paul makes it clear he’s not honored to be there, and the show is only a thing because he’s on it.

Logan claims Kevin is the reason he’s in WWE. Roll the clip! It’s from WrestleMania 2021, where KO gave him a Stunner in front of the whole world. It was a driving force for Paul, but Owens says he was just one of many he stunned over the years — though he does give Logan credit for putting in the work and becoming way better than anyone ever would have thought.

Owens says Paul is nothing like them, but Logan laughs because he says he’s so much more than just a superstar. And KO, you’re just … you.

That brings a passionate reply from Owens, who says Paul has been especially protected and it’s a joke that he’s the United States Champion, one KO will end at Royal Rumble. Paul says it’s hypocritical for Owens to talk about anyone being protected when he has the cast on to use as a weapon, whereas Paul knocks people out clean.

After a few more words, and KO taking off his cast, Paul lays out Owens with a punch he doesn’t see coming, then turns in surprise to see KO pull himself up and go right back at him. Paul tries to flee but is caught by Owens, only to have Logan smash his right hand into the post.

Katana Chance and Kayden Carter take down The Unholy Union, but the Kabuki Warriors are lurking

Bayley joins the announcers for guest commentary while the rest of Damage CTRL leans back along the barricade right next to her. The champs weather an early storm and try to double team Dawn, but she ends up getting hurled down onto her partner and nearly pinned.

Fyre fares no better once she tags in, and soon takes the Keg Stand to end the match. No time to celebrate, though, as the Kabuki Warriors have the title belts and mock the champs as they hand them back.

AJ Styles and LA Knight run into a Solo problem

These two look like they can’t wait to get after it, and Styles is looking like he’s in control until Knight sends him sliding face first into the middle turnbuckle. Dueling chants are ringing out through the crowd.

Styles wins an exchange of shots in the corner, then kicks Knight while he’s down. A backbreaker gives AJ time to plan his next move, which ends up being choking Knight along the middle rope.

The Megastar battles back with a series of right hands, followed by a popup powerslam for a two count. Knight batters Styles into the corner but sees his foe slide out to the floor, where he executes a successful ambush.

Knight is whipped into the barricade but ends up getting bounced off it in return. That’s followed by getting his head bounced off the announce table, and the cheers turn to boos as Jimmy Uso comes down the ramp.

Uso’s mere presence allows Styles the time he needs to recover, but Solo Sikoa emerges from the timekeeper’s area and hits AJ with a Samoan Spike. The ref calls for the bell, but that doesn’t stop Solo from dragging Styles into the ring for another Samoan Spike.

Sikoa calls for a mic and says “two down, one to go,” calling Orton out now.

Randy Orton stops Solo Sikoa with an RKO

We’ll see if they actually fight to a finish or this is just Solo beating up the Viper until Roman Reigns arrives. Sikoa is all over Orton to start, smashing him in the corner and driving him into the announce table and the steel steps.

After a commercial break, Orton has turned the tables enough to hit his hanging DDT, and the fans love that. The Viper looks for an RKO, and while Jimmy Uso looks like he wants to interfere, he’s laid out by LA Knight and AJ Styles. Amidst the chaos, Orton hits Sikoa with an RKO and ends their match.

 

WWE SmackDown results 01/12/24: AJ, LA, RKO spell total defeat for The Bloodline

It was also a bad night for Bayley in Lincoln on WWE SmackDown.

The WWE SmackDown train is rolling into Lincoln, Neb. tonight for a show that will not feature the Tribal Chief.

That’s relevant because he was in the house last Friday, and boy did he and The Bloodline make a mess of things. So much, in fact, that GM Nick Aldis threw up his hands (metaphorically, as Aldis is way too cool under pressure to visibly panic) and declared that Roman Reigns would defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at Royal Rumble against all three of the men gunning for him: AJ Styles, LA Knight and Randy Orton.

They will all be on SmackDown tonight, but we don’t know yet what they will be doing. Perhaps they’ll team in a six-man tag. Maybe they’ll all have their own singles matches. Or it could be they’ll all just appear in the ring together to trade barbs and engage in some light fisticuffs.

In the women’s division, on the other hand, we know there will be one big matchup as Bayley takes on Bianca Belair. This is big for Bayley, since her position as leader of Damage CTRL appears to be largely ceremonial a lot of times, and IYO SKY made it clear that the group believes she should take care of its Bianca problem.

That’s just way easier said than done, and if Bayley loses, it might not work out so well for her. On the other hand, there’s a lot of sentiment that it might be her year to win the Royal Rumble, something she’s never done, which would be one heck of a silver lining.

We’ll see tonight which way the fates are leaning for Bayley. SmackDown is off and running, so here we go.

WWE SmackDown results from Lincoln:

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

  • Before we get to the first match, SmackDown helpfully reviews what happened last week with Roman Reigns and The Bloodline interfering in the main event, with Nick Aldis telling Paul Heyman it was now a Fatal Four-Way at Royal Rumble; we also see Reigns telling Heyman to “fix this” after the show
  • Grayson Waller is supposed to face Cameron Grimes, but Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa attack Grimes on the ramp and head to the ring … causing Waller and Austin Theory to head for the hills
  • “We’re not the bad guys here” – Paul Heyman accuses Nick Aldis of screwing things up, but he has an idea to ensure The Bloodline won’t mess up tonight’s main event
  • A short video segment features Santos Escobar discussing replacing Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde with his new “familia,” Angel and Humberto
  • Uso is beside himself because no one will team up with them, but Heyman tells him not to worry and that he’ll find them someone; Solo, on the other hand, is not worried
  • Angel and Humberto def. The LWO (Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde) by pinfall; during the match Carlito pops out of the crowd and ambushes Escobar, who has joined the commentary desk
  • Carmelo Hayes is talking to Aldis when he is interrupted by Waller and Theory, and their chippy conversation ends up creating a match between Hayes and Theory for tonight
  • Heyman approaches The LWO backstage and asks if Carlito wants to team with The Bloodline, but he’s concentrating on Escobar (he does take Heyman’s apple, though)
  • A replay of KO’s one-shot knockdown of Logan Paul is shown from last week; afterward, a video promo has Paul talking about getting lawyers to get Owens’ cast banned
  • Butch and Tyler Bate have some coffee together, and it sounds like we’re close to getting Pete Dunne back
  • Bianca Belair def. Bayley by pinfall
  • Owens responds to Paul, scoffing at the idea that the cast is an advantage and asking if Logan will be a guest on The Kevin Owens Show next week
  • Dakota Kai tells Bayley that they didn’t help her because they didn’t want to cause a DQ, though she tries to encourage the Role Model that she can still win the Royal Rumble
  • Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits respond to Karrion Kross and AOP, who now are known by another name
  • Pretty Deadly offers their services to Heyman, but there’s only room for one more tag team partner and neither of them seems to want to do it alone
  • A hype video shows some Carmelo Hayes highlights for anyone unfamiliar with his game
  • Heyman approaches Lashley, who makes it clear he would only get in the ring with The Bloodline if he’s standing across the ring from Reigns
  • Carmelo Hayes vs. Austin Theory goes to a no contest, as a Spanish Fly leads to a hard landing for both men
  • Heyman has no partner for Uso and Sikoa but makes it sound like no one was worthy of the spot; Solo still isn’t worried, and Jimmy tries to tell himself he isn’t either
  • Sikoa and Uso attack Orton before all the entrances for the main event, trying to even the odds
  • AJ Styles, LA Knight and Randy Orton def. The Bloodline (Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa) by pinfall, then add to their misery with more punishment as the show ends

Nick Aldis isn’t playing with The Bloodline

After interrupting the scheduled first match, Paul Heyman gives a passionate explanation of why GM Nick Aldis is the bad guy. Oh look, he’s standing right there on the apron.

Aldis reminds Heyman this isn’t a conversation between equals, and The Bloodline won’t be able to interrupt tonight’s main event because they are in it. Tonight, AJ Styles, LA Knight and Randy Orton will take on all three members of The Bloodline … including Roman Reigns.

A furious Heyman tells Aldis the Tribal Chief isn’t in Lincoln, which of course he knew. The GM says The Bloodline has until the main event to find a partner if they want — or it will be a handicap match.

Bianca Belair outduels Bayley with Damage CTRL watching closely

All of Damage CTRL comes out to support Bayley, and they’re all sticking around ringside to see the Role Model fend off a number of early pinning attempts. Her clothesline stops Belair in her tracks, though only for a second.

Bayley is able to lure Bianca into the ropes for some pain but quickly gets taken to the mat afterward. Belair leapfrogs Bayley and hits a back drop followed by a standing moonsault for a two count.

A sliding clothesline gets two right back for Bayley. Belair responds quickly with multiple slams, though she ends up tangled in the ropes again right in front of Damage CTRL. Bayley gets run into the post and falls to the floor, where Bianca hits her with a plancha that makes Bayley’s teammates scatter.

After commercials, Bayley has retaken the momentum, and her groupmates are urging her on. But no one gets a second wind like Bianca, who smashes her foe into the corner and peppers her with right hands. Bayley frees herself and hits a running knee, covering near the ropes for a two count.

Despite the referee telling her not to, Bayley ties Bianca’s braid to the bottom rope, but even then The EST manages to trip her into the turnbuckles. Belair unties herself and bends Bayley’s back painfully around the post, and now both wrestlers are slow and trying to gather themselves.

Bianca hoists Bayley onto her shoulders and tosses her back into the post, then returns to the ring for repeated shoulders to the midsection. A stalling vertical suplex is next, then more corner punches.

A backbreaker allows Bianca to cover, but it’s still only for two. As both women counter each other, Bayley finally is able to throw her opponent back into the corner … but she gets lured in and slammed down. Belair hits her rope bounce moonsault and still can’t get the three.

Bayey isn’t about to take the KOD, hurling Belair into the buckles again. The Role Model connects with a top rope elbow, and it’s another two. They battle out to the floor, where Damage CTRL doesn’t intervene.

That might be costly, as Belair hits a spear when the fight goes back in the ring. There’s the KOD, and this time Bayley isn’t kicking out.

Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits get a message from The Final Testament

Lashley speaks for himself and the Profits saying that when someone causes a problem for them, they roll up their sleeves and fight. So get out there now, he demands.

Instead, Paul Ellering appears and points at the big screen, where Karrion Kross and Scarlett say that Lashley and the Profits are “now at the top of the list to be deconstructed.” Together, Kross’ group is The Final Testament.

Carmelo Hayes vs. Austin Theory comes to an abrupt end

Corey Graves muses that Hayes is where Theory once was, with plenty of NXT success under his belt but a need to figure out how things work on SmackDown. A nice dropkick lands and has Theory off guard early on, but he comes right back and drops Melo before taking the Fadeaway in return.

Hayes launches Theory out to the floor and is fired up as commercials arrive. We return to see Austin send Carmelo out in return, and he takes a moment to gloat before resuming his offense.

A counter gets Theory off Hayes’ back, and Melo follows with atomic drops and chops. A springboard clothesline leads to a facebuster, and Hayes covers for a near fall.

They fight over to the corner, where Theory surprises Hayes with a Spanish fly that doesn’t get the required height, and the match is called off as both men look like they landed hard on their heads/necks.

 AJ Styles, LA Knight and Randy Orton beat then beat up The Bloodline

Knight and Styles can’t even seem to agree on who will start the match, leaving Knight at the mercy of Uso for just a second until he turns the tables. A tag to Styles leads to some double team offense, so it seems they will cooperate when necessary.

The crowd chants for Styles until he yields control back to Knight to pound Uso down into a corner. A leg across the back of Jimmy’s neck along the ropes leads to a cover and a two count.

Styles scores his own quick near fall before Uso finally gets in some chops … and immediately runs into an AJ dropkick. Sikoa jumps in and tries to even the odds only to eat a barrage of alternating chops and punches. Sikoa is sent to the floor to the delight of the crowd before we fade out to commercials.

It may not surprise you to hear that Solo is controlling the action after the break, bashing Styles from corner to corner. Uso gets in some sneaky shots from the outside too, so it’s all coming up Milhouse … er, Bloodline, at the moment.

Styles finally puts Uso down on the mat, and the fans come to life hoping for a hot tag. Sikoa drags Knight off the apron to prevent it but gets thrown into the stairs for his trouble.

Back in the ring, Styles hits a Pele Kick but argues with Knight instead of making the tag. Uso superkicks Knight off the apron and then turns right into a double cross body with Styles that leaves both of them down.

By now, Sikoa has returned to the apron, but Randy Ortons music hits and he comes down the ramp. He’s in this now too, and Styles leaps to give him the hot tag.

The crowd comes roaring to its feet when he gets it, and Orton runs through some of his trademark offense. Uso foils an RKO attempt with a schoolboy for two, but that only delays the inevitable as a second RKO doesn’t miss and Jimmy is pinned.

After the bell, Styles halts Sikoa’s attempt to get some payback with a Phenomenal Forearm, and Knight piles on with the Blunt Force Trauma. And Orton adds another RKO for good measure before heading to the outside to attack Uso.

Orton uses the stairs on Uso, who is thrown into the timekeeper’s area by Knight. They clear the announce table and work as a trio to powerbomb Solo through it. That’s a definitive victory.

The top pro wrestling stories to watch in 2024

Here’s your guide for what to watch for in WWE, AEW and the pro wrestling industry in the year ahead.

To say 2023 was an eventful year in professional wrestling would be an understatement.

However, there is plenty of intrigue on the horizon in 2024. Here are the stories to watch as we enter a new year.

WWE SmackDown results 12/22/23: Heroes can’t unite against The Bloodline

AJ Styles, LA Knight and Randy Orton found themselves at odds despite a common cause on WWE SmackDown.

We’ve arrived at the final WWE SmackDown of 2023, as next week is set to be a “Best of 2023” recap show. So even though this edition was taped last Friday, it’s still promising to be of some interest before we turn the page into 2024.

For starters, the semifinals of the United States Championship Tournament are both tonight. Kevin Owens probably thought when he started this thing that he’d get the chance to punch both Austin Theory and Grayson Waller in the face, something we already know he enjoys doing. But Carmelo Hayes upset those plans by defeating Waller, and now something has to give when he goes up against KO tonight.

The other side of the bracket sees Bobby Lashley collide with Santos Escobar, and of the two of them, Escobar probably has the better story going with this particular title. We’ll see if that plays into the thinking behind the outcome.

Also in store for us tonight are a Holiday Havoc eight-woman tag team match pitting a collection of faces led by Bianca Belair against Damage CTRL, and what we presume will be the main event between AJ Styles and Solo Sikoa. Styles, in particular, might also have some explaining to do after his dramatic and perplexing return last week.

So we might be going out with a bang. Let’s find out, shall we?

WWE SmackDown results:

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

  • A lengthy replay of everything from last week involving Randy Orton, The Bloodline, LA Knight and the returning AJ Styles is shown to open the show (which of course happened right before this episode was taped, heh)
  • Will AJ Styles, LA Knight or Randy Orton get to face Roman Reigns first?
  • Bianca Belair, Michin, Shotzi and Zelina Vega def. Damage CTRL by pinfall in a Holiday Havoc match, with an unexpected assist when Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn attack the Kabuki Warriors during the match
  • Roman Reigns looks annoyed by Jimmy Uso’s continued football analogies and asks Paul Heyman to bring Aldis to him
  • Dragon Lee def. Butch by pinfall to retain the NXT North American Championship
  • Aldis arrives to speak with Reigns, who tells Heyman to leave before telling the GM that everything goes through him; Aldis says he’s an executive, not a “middle management” type like Adam Pearce, and he’s definitely not backing down from the matches he’s booked
  • Kevin Owens def. Carmelo Hayes by pinfall in a United States Championship Tournament semifinal
  • Michin is happy to see Styles back, but he doesn’t seem as pleased to see her or The O.C., answering Karl Anderson’s question about whether they’re good by saying, “I don’t know, are we?”
  • A spooky Karrion Kross and Scarlett video suggests WWE still isn’t giving up on them, and hints that he’s getting some reinforcements soon
  • Santos Escobar def. Bobby Lashley by pinfall in aUnited States Championship Tournament semifinal, getting some help from two masked men who then reveal themselves to be Humberto Carrillo and Angel Garza (the former Los Lotharios)
  • Butch is in no mood for Pretty Deadly’s carols, so Aldis tells him to find a tag team partner to battle the duo (presumably in two weeks)
  • Logan Paul cuts a short promo video mocking both Escobar and Owens
  • AJ Styles def. Solo Sikoa by DQ, as an attack by Roman Reigns leads to a huge brawl involving Jimmy Uso, Orton and Knight; the show ends with Styles, Knight and Orton brawling among each other as the Bloodline watches from the ramp

AJ Styles wants Roman Reigns, but so do LA Knight and Randy Orton … and they’ll all have a chance for a shot at the Tribal Chief

Still clad in black, Styles notes how Randy Orton and LA Knight want a piece of Roman Reigns. And while he doesn’t blame either of them, he also doesn’t give a damn about either one of them. He should be first in line, he reckons, to go up against Reigns at Royal Rumble.

Knight isn’t going to let that go without a word of his own, or most likely, more than one word. He says he doesn’t want to argue with Styles, because AJ can have Roman after he gets him first. But after last week, maybe AJ can get some first.

Styles says Knight “stepped over my dead body” to get a match with John Cena and then face Reigns at Crown Jewel. It looks like they may come to blows, but they pause as Orton also makes his way down the ramp.

The Viper appreciates the issues the other two men have, but Knight says both Orton and Styles have been taken out by The Bloodline while he never has. General manager Nick Aldis makes his way out to interject, admitting that each of the three men have a claim to face Reigns, so he’ll give them all a shot. In two weeks at SmackDown New Year’s Revolution, Styles, Knight and Orton will have a Triple Threat match, with the winner getting Roman at Royal Rumble.

Styles says it’s fine, because he’s willing to do whatever it takes. But if either of them gets close to the ring when he fights Solo Sikoa, he’ll take them out.

Bianca Belair, Michin, Shotzi and Zelina Vega get the better of Damage CTRL in Holiday Havoc

Both teams go right after each other as soon as the bell rings, and while it’s just one pinfall or submission to win, other than that, anything goes. IYO SKY and Bianca Belair have a chance to go one-on-one early on, but Bayley soon puts an end to that.

Shotzi looks happy to unwrap a steel chair from a big present, but neither she nor Bayley are able to use it on each other right away. Shotzi finally is able to launch herself off the chair onto Bayley’s back, and she dives between Michin’s legs to land on SKY and Bayley on the floor.

The Kabuki Warriors bring kendo sticks decorated like candy canes into play, but Belair and Shotzi find some of their own. They also have their eyes on a table, yet it’s Bayley and SKY who are able to utilize it as a weapon.

The broadcast breaks for commercials and returns to find people getting suplexed onto presents. Michin powerbombs Asuka but gets dropkicked by SKY, requiring a save by Belair.

That sets off a series of pinfall attempts and offense, with a pumpkin pie and Asuka’s mist all entering the fray. Bayley directs traffic for her side, helping Asuka and Kairi Sane stomp on Belair outside the ring.

To make things even crazier Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre emerge from two of the large present boxes by the end of the ramp, attacking the Kabuki Warriors. That leaves Bayley and SKY in trouble, and Michin nails a top rope legdrop on IYO that sends the champ through a table and keeps her down for three.

Carmelo Hayes brings his ‘A’ game, still falls a bit short against KO

The announcers ponder early on whether Carmelo will target KO’s injured hand. Some nice mat wrestling kicks things off, with Hayes more than willing to trade holds.

Both men evade each other’s offense until Hayes can connect on a dropkick. Owens rallies with strikes as he is wont to do. A big chop gets Melo’s attention, but Owens grabs his right hand after delivering it.

A springboard clothesline from Hayes swings the momentum quickly, but only until KO can drive him into the steel steps. Commercials are next.

Hayes is in control when we return, scoring a near fall with a nice axe kick. A tilt-a-whirl facebuster earns him another two count in short order.

KO responds by spiking Hayes with a DDT out of the corner, surprising the announcers when Carmelo kicks out. They trade superkicks before Owens lays in more strikes, but the popup powerbomb is countered by a Codebreaker. Hayes wants Nothing But Net but gets caught by a popup powerbomb, yet he’s (barely) able to kick out.

An undeterred Owens his a Swanton Bomb, then the Stunner to win it, sending himself to the tournament final.

Santos Escobar gets help to advance to tourney final past Bobby Lashley

Lashley looks like he wants to end this early if he can, taking it right to his opponent and hurling Escobar across the ring several times. He also catches Santos coming off the top rope and sends him directly out to the floor.

Escobar flies to the floor right after a commercial break, and the Street Profits are urging Lashley to get back into it. He’s at least able to kick out at two and pull himself back to his feet, but he takes double knees to the face in the corner.

Santos hits the double knees again, sending Bobby to his knees. A third knee strike allows Escobar to open up with punches and kicks, and he grins until the All Mighty frees himself from trouble and hits a flatliner.

Lashley stalks his prey but is distracted by security dealing with two masked men attacking the Profits. Escobar capitalizes on the chaos, rolling up Lashley with a handful of tights to get the three count.

The men unmask to reveal themselves as Humberto Carrillo and Angel Garza, showing that Santos has a new familia.

AJ Styles vs. Solo Sikoa devolves into six-man chaos

This should be fun, especially since Styles is going right at Sikoa as soon as the bell rings. Can he simply chop Solo down to size? Well, no, at least not this quickly since the first return shot from Sikoa sends him to the mat.

Styles finally puts a stop to Sikoa’s offense, driving his foe to the floor with an enzuigiri and following with a sliding knee. A springboard forearm is on target as well before commercials.

As is often the case, things have changed during the break, with Sikoa whipping Styles into the corner and hammering him as the fans boo. A big headbutt is next, leading to a cover that never looks close to winning it.

Styles hammers some chops but is Irish whipped into the turnbuckles even harder this time. Sikoa adds more misery with a hip attack, reveling in this slower pace.

AJ rallies to at least roll away from a top rope headbutt, then hits a sliding forearm and springboard moonsault for a near fall. Styles’ strikes are answers by a popup Samoan Drop, forcing him to kick out at two to continue.

Wriggling out of a fireman’s carry, Styles hits a Pele kick. The fans come to life as they see him hit another forearm, then dodge a Samoan Spike to roll Sikoa up for two.

Can AJ really hit the Styles Clash on Solo? Not now, though he does deliver the Phenomenal Forearm … only to see Sikoa roll out of the ring. Roman Reigns picks that opportunity to attack Styles, causing a DQ and lots of thumbs down from the fans.

Styles fights off Reigns but gets ambushed from behind by Sikoa. Randy Orton’s music hits to bring the Viper to the ring … then Jimmy Uso, and finally LA Knight. Working together, Knight and Orton are able to clear the Bloodline from the ring, though an angry Styles ends up starting a fight with both of them.

With the faces throwing hands at each other, Reigns holds his men back and just watches things continue to devolve as the show goes off the air.

WWE SmackDown preview 12/22/23: ‘Twas 3 nights before Christmas

Who’s ready for AJ Styles vs. Solo Sikoa and some Holiday Havoc tonight on WWE SmackDown?

Hello WWE fans. You know what? WWE SmackDown is not live tonight, as the wrestlers and employees of the company are getting a well deserved holiday break. But you know something else? WWE is going to act like the show isn’t pre-taped, so in the holiday spirit, we are too.

Here’s what to watch for tonight on FOX.

What’s going on with AJ Styles?

It’s fun that AJ Styles is back. He looks like he spent all his time off TV lifting weights.

But while he still seems to have no love for The Bloodline, that doesn’t mean he’s cool with the likes of LA Knight either. Is Styles a ‘tweener now? Or will we get more insight into his current state of mind before the year ends?

One thing we do know is that he’ll have to be on top of his game as he faces Solo Sikoa on SmackDown.

Who will advance in the United States Championship Tournament?

We’re getting closer to the end of the tournament to decide who will be the No. 1 contender for Logan Paul. Two more matches on tonight’s show may go a long way toward hinting at where WWE is taking this.

Kevin Owens has to deal with upstart Carmelo Hayes in one match, while Bobby Lashley battles Santos Escobar in the other. It feels like KO vs. Logan is the endgame of all of this, but there could still be some surprises on SmackDown to call that into question.

What kind of madness will Holiday Havoc bring?

OK, WWE has already given us one match this week with holiday-themed weapons, so maybe we shouldn’t get greedy. Nevertheless, with this name, there come a few expectations, and it’s always fun to see Damage CTRL in action, even if it’s against a fairly thrown together opposing team of Bianca Belair, Michin, Shotzi and Zelina Vega.

The final SmackDown before the holidays will head our way at 8 p.m. ET, and we’ll be recapping it as if it were live right here tonight on Wrestling Junkie.

WWE SmackDown results 12/15/23: Roman Reigns returns to chaos, including a confusing AJ Styles

Also on WWE SmackDown, Carmelo Hayes got a big win.

The Tribal Chief. The Head of the Table. Undisputed WWE Universal Champion. Roman Reigns has many other names, but no matter how you refer to him, he is “The Man” on Friday nights. Or at least he is when he’s around, which he will be tonight on WWE SmackDown in Green Bay.

He’s supposed to be back to handle “Tribal Business,” which likely means he feels the need to ensure The Bloodline is the dominant force in WWE. There are some definite signs that is no longer the case, particularly with Jimmy Uso (who’s been a bit on the periphery of the group anyway) and Solo Sikoa taking a big ‘L’ last week against LA Knight and Randy Orton.

Reigns has already faced Knight at Crown Jewel and beat him, with some help, but circumstances have unfolded in such a way that Orton has never had his shot at the Tribal Chief. The Viper will face Jimmy Uso tonight, but you can’t help but get the feeling that Orton and Reigns are on a collision course that leads to Royal Rumble. Maybe.

It’s also a big night for Carmelo Hayes. Supposedly hand-picked by Shawn Michaels to participate in the United States Title Tournament (which is only for a shot at the title), he’ll face Grayson Waller, someone he’s run into before in NXT.

All this and much more await us tonight in Green Bay. Let’s see what’s what.

WWE SmackDown results from Green Bay:

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

  • Roman Reigns praises Solo Sikoa and dismisses a challenge from Randy Orton
  • A hype video tells viewers more about Carmelo Hayes ahead of his match tonight
  • Carmelo Hayes def. Grayson Waller by pinfall in a United States Championship Tournament first round match
  • LA Knight runs into Orton backstage, reminding him “how those numbers work” with The Bloodline, and they bicker just a bit about who’s going to be the one to take down Reigns
  • Kevin Owens def. Austin Theory by pinfall in a United States Championship Tournament first round match
  • Reigns sits with The Bloodline and stews about Orton ruining their night, and Jimmy Uso sort of reluctantly accepts his role before saying “yeet” … and then taking it back as Roman slowly turns and glares at him
  • A video promo has Karrion Kross promising that “everything is about to crumble”
  • Cameron Grimes congratulates KO on laying out Theory, and he also gets a bit of a warning from Hayes before they meet in the next round
  • Bayley brags about Damage CTRL getting closer to her original vision of becoming the most powerful faction in WWE, and the rest of the members back her assertion that they’ll win all the titles
  • Kanuki Warriors def. Michin and Zelina Vega by pinfall, getting a little help from both Bayley and Dakota Kai
  • Jimmy Uso muses that he feels like he’s being set up and asks Solo Sikoa if he’d give him a heads up if that was the case; Sikoa responds “I’m your brother”
  • A video promo is shown for Santos Escobar, as he promises to defeat Bobby Lashley before going on to become the new United States Champion
  • Lashley delivers his response in a live promo, flanked by the Street Profits, all dressed to the nines
  • Randy Orton def. Jimmy Uso by pinfall, thanks in part to LA Knight neutralizing Solo Sikoa, but …
  • … Reigns lays out Knight on the ramp and heads in to trade shots with Orton; Uso, Knight and Sikoa all get involved as well, and so does AJ Styles, who sneaks in from the back and connects with a Phenomenal Forearm on Reigns, quickly clearing the ring
  • We’re not quite done, though, as Styles attacks Knight from behind and walks right by The Bloodline on his way back up the ramp

Roman Reigns is in the sights of Randy Orton

Back for the first time in a while, Reigns asks the fans to acknowledge him and then shit their mouths citing too many boos. It’s the holiday season, though, and Roman says he’s in the mood to celebrate. He’s a fair boss and in the mood to hand out a promotion.

The Tribal Chief says one man has done all he could for The Bloodline over the past year and is next in line if something happens to him. Jimmy Uso clearly is acting like he thinks it’s him, but it’s actually Solo Sikoa he means, and Reigns gives Solo a hug.

That’s when Randy Orton’s music hits, bringing the Viper out as the show goes to commercials. After the people in the arena apparently listened to Randy’s theme for two-plus minutes, Orton climbs in the ring as the crowd chants his name.

The Viper says he’s been thinking about what he wants to do and say in this moment for 18 months, but all he needs to say is “I’m coming for you.” Orton plans on taking everything away from Reigns, starting tonight and ending at Royal Rumble, as he lays out a challenge for that very event.

Dismissively, Roman says he hasn’t though about Randy for 18 months, and since he hasn’t done anything to earn a title shot, he can get in the back of the line. It’s not 2007, and Roman says he’s levels above him and everybody else. If they would meet, Reigns says, it will be “retirement” for Orton.

Maybe Reigns is right, Orton says. He admits that the Tribal Chief has evolved for the better, into a legend. But even though Orton has evolved as well, one thing he will always be … is a Legend Killer. Orton fakes an RKO and Reigns bids a hasty retreat, and Randy jokes that the voices in his head say Roman might have just crapped his pants.

And one more thing: Daddy’s back.

Carmelo Hayes makes a successful debut, catches Nothing But Net against Grayson Waller

A video is shown of Logan Paul dismissing Hayes by calling him “random guy,” so you have to figure he’s going to win here and at least tease heading toward a match with Paul. Even Corey Graves, the heel announcer, is vouching for Carmelo, so you know WWE is trying to push him as a legit talent (which he definitely is).

The opening minutes are all Grayson, but Hayes finally gets in some offense that includes his Fadeaway and a springboard torpedo. But Waller reclaims the momentum during an ad break, with Hayes selling damage to his left knee and Waller scoring a near fall with a Flatliner.

A pump kick and tilt-a-whirl facebuster get Hayes right back into it with a two count. Waller responds with a move I don’t even know the name of out of the corner (a flipping, inverted legdrop, sort of?) and gets another near fall.

Hayes’ springboard DDT leads to some frustration on his face when it isn’t enough to finish the match. He perseveres, however, delivering the First 48 and Nothing But Net to win and advance.

Kevin Owens turns his weakness to a strength to beat Austin Theory

The narrative here is that KO has a broken right hand and is wrestling with a special cast as a result. Theory surely won’t take try to take advantage of that. Surely not.

Even with two good hands, Theory isn’t off to the greatest start, so he regroups before heading for the apron. That only gets him a cannonball, though he’s able to roll away when Owens heads to the top rope.

Theory hits a rolling dropkick and suplexes Owens on the apron as commercials arrive. We return to find Theory getting his knees up on KO’s Swanton Bomb, then stomping away.

KO chops away with his left hand and stomps Theory right back near the ropes. A flurry of offense ends with a DDT, but Theory kicks out at two. Another near fall has Owens in “what is it going to take?” territory, but it’s his foe that gets the next two count with a seated springboard Spanish fly. That’s fun stuff.

Owens responds with a superplex, selling the pain to his right hand as he sees Theory crawl to the floor. He gets crotched on the barricade and takes a rolling Blockbuster back in the ring, but Owens fights on.

Theory ends up in the Tree of Woe to take a cannonball, and KO follows with a Swanton Bomb .,. and that still doesn’t end it. Theory finally does the sensible thing and starts stomping on his foe’s injured arm, but Owens says screw it and lays him out with a big right hand (possibly aided by the cast), finally finishing this one.

Randy Orton has someone watching his back while defeating Jimmy Uso

Jimmy smiles as he takes an early timeout on the outside, the perfect excuse to go to a commercial break right after the bell. That timeout didn’t do much for him, as he’s bounced off the announce table and slowly worked over back in the ring.

Uso finally is able to get his offense untracked, hammering Orton down in a corner and delivering a hip attack to earn a near fall. He also avoids vintage Orton and elevates the Viper out to the floor, where he lands hard on his knee.

The fans are urging on Orton after more commercials, and he doesn’t miss this time with the elevated DDT. He hears the voices now, but there are still nine minutes left so the end can’t be coming just yet. Sure enough, Solo Sikoa’s music hits and the Enforcer comes partway down the ramp before he’s attacked by LA Knight. Orton hits an RKO and somewhat surprisingly, it’s over.

 

WWE SmackDown results 12/8/23: Randy Orton, LA Knight put a dent in The Bloodline

CM Punk and Cody Rhodes also had an interesting exchange on the Tribute to the Troops edition of WWE SmackDown.

Many men, many, many, many men (as 50 Cent once said back in the day) have tried to put an end to The Bloodline. None have completely succeeded. But until Roman Reigns and company completely fall apart, it’s an effort worth making, and two more superstars will attempt to weaken the group’s grip on the blue brand tonight on WWE SmackDown from Providence.

In this case, it will be LA Knight and Randy Orton. The former has already had one shot at Reigns and come close to knocking him off, while the latter seems likely to get a chance at the Royal Rumble. Before that can happen, though, the two fan favorites will tag up against Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa on SmackDown. A win could incur Reigns’ wrath … but that’s kind of the point.

Other big names will also be on hand. We’re talking CM Punk, for one, who may or may not be calling SmackDown home. Then there’s Cody Rhodes, who has successfully set up shop on Raw. What does the American Nightmare want to talk about with the Friday night crowd?

Throw in two United States Title Tournament matches and an intriguing collision between Asuka and Charlotte Flair and we’d say this is a pretty loaded edition of SmackDown, perfect for the Tribute to the Troops branding (though we do miss when that was its own separate broadcast). Let’s dive in.

WWE SmackDown Tribute to the Troops results from Providence:

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

  • The War and Treaty kick off the broadcast by singing “God Bless America”
  • JBL is on guest commentary tonight with Kevin Patrick and Michael Cole
  • Santos Escobar def. Dragon Lee by pinfall in a United States Title Tournament first round match; after the match, Dominik Mysterio takes a moment to mock Lee before they meet at NXT Deadline
  • Last week’s signing of Randy Orton to SmackDown is shown again for those who missed it
  • Orton wants to know why he’s being paired with LA Knight tonight, but Nick Aldis tells him all he needs to know is that both of them want to get at The Bloodline; Orton has also paid twice the fine he needed to pay, saying “that’s for next time”
  • Cody Rhodes is here to thank all the U.S. military servicemen and servicewomen, with a special appearance by the United States Army Drill Team
  • Bobby Lashley def. Karrion Kross by pinfall in a United States Title Tournament first round match, with special guest commentary from Brad Nessler — yes, that Brad Nessler
  • Bayley tries to give Asuka a pep talk but is told by the rest of  Damage CTRL to “hang back” tonight
  • CM Punk delivers a spicier promo than his first one back, making a veiled joke about his firing, taking a shot at Seth Rollins and saying he’ll make his decision about which brand he’s signing for on Monday night
  • Walking backstage, Punk runs into Kevin Owens, who doesn’t seem thrilled to see him and won’t direct him to Nick Aldis’ locker room
  • Asuka def. Charlotte Flair by pinfall, getting some effective help from Bayley for once
  • Punk is seen talking to Aldis, and Rhodes stops by and notes that to finish his own story, Punk would have to win the Royal Rumble … which Cody finds “interesting”; he does say it’s good to have CM back
  • Punk wishes Randy Orton and LA Knight good luck before Orton asks Knight if he’s ready: “Yeah”
  • LA Knight and Randy Orton def. Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa by pinfall

Santos Escobar advances in the United States Title Tournament, defeating Dragon Lee

Right before the match is about to start in earnest, Dominik Mysterio decides to come down and get a closer look. He hears it from the crowd about how he sucks as the match gets going, and Lee wastes zero time in flying to the floor.

More fancy moves lead to a superkick that puts Escobar on the mat for a near fall. Santos offers a painful response with a neckbreaker back through the ropes, covering for his own two count.

Escobar has some Spanish language taunts for his foe as he works in the corner, and he stops Lee from a hurricanrana to powerbomb him on the apron.

Lee is back in control with a near fall coming out of a commercial break, and he delivers a German suplex before taking a nasty superkick that forces him to kick out again.

A Phantom Driver looks like it’s in the offing, but Lee counters with a rollup, then hits a sitout powerbomb, but neither can bring this match to a conclusion. Lee has some words with Mysterio, who he’ll face Saturday night at NXT Deadline, but Escobar catches him right afterward with a Phantom Driver that ends it.

Cody Rhodes pays his own Tribute to the Troops, with some special guests

Despite this not being his usual stomping grounds, Rhodes receives a warm welcome from the SmackDown fans. What does Providence want to talk about? Cody says he asked to be here because it’s Tribute to the Troops, and he talks about how proud he is to carry on this tradition, giving thanks to the servicepeople in attendance and watching at home.

He introduces a highlight video of Tribute to the Troops through its 21 years, heavily focused on John Cena. A “USA” chant breaks out in response.

Rhodes then welcomes the United States Army Drill Team, which shows off its typically incredible skill and precision on the stage.

Bobby Lashley buries Karrion Kross, advances in the tourney

Legendary sports announcer Brad Nessler sits in with the commentators for this one as he’s calling the Army-Navy football game on Saturday. No way that Lashley, a former Army sergeant, is losing this one on Tribute to the Troops night, right?

He certainly looks fine in the early going, tossing Kross around with ease and posing for the fans. Michael Cole is impressed Nessler knew JBL once played football, but jokes aside, he seems pretty comfortable trading lines with the actual WWE announcers.

Lashley pretty much cruises anyway, finishing Kross with a spear and advancing to face Escobar in the next round.

CM Punk is back on SmackDown, but is it for good?

The fans start a big chant for Punk, who says that since he’s not at the end of the show tonight, he’s not going to have his time cut, so they can go ahead and chant. Punk notes that Adam Pearce is trying to sign him to Raw and suggests he’ll partly leave it up to the fans.

Where do they want him to sign? Well these folks want him to sign for SmackDown, obviously, and they are fond of the idea that he’ll be in the Royal Rumble match too.

Even though he’s famous for talking, Punk says he’s been listening too, and there are some people who don’t like the happy go lucky version of him. So let’s make this spicier: Who do you want Punk to talk about?

He could tell stories about Cody Rhodes, or he could talk about somebody who’s not here, who’s never here: Roman Reigns. “Don’t forget who the OG Paul Heyman guy is.”

Punk says he isn’t familiar with Solo Sikoa, and if he messes with Jimmy Uso on SmackDown, he’s going to need backup. Would Randy Orton tag with him? He’s not sure. Punk thinks LA Knight would tag with him. Would Kevin Owens? Maybe they are too much alike, and he also makes a crack about his firing from AEW in not so many words.

Moving on, Punk says the one guy who wasn’t happy to see him back “isn’t even The Man in his own house,” referring to Seth Rollins. He claims he’ll reveal where he’ll sign on Monday night, even teasing that he’ll consider NXT, and where other people are talking about finishing their stories, he’s back to finish what he started.

Bayley actually comes through, helps Asuka beat Charlotte Flair

Before the bell rings, Zelina Vega and Michin attack Asuka’s Damage CTRL teammates, and they soon get reinforcements from Bianca Belair and Shotzi too. The announcers discuss the history that Flair and Asuka have together, including some of the best women’s matches in WWE history.

Flair gets an early edge that the Empress quickly reverses on the outside. Charlotte takes it back with a moonsault that almost overshoots and runs her into the announce table, but fortunately she comes out just fine.

After commercials, referee Charles Robinson is checking on Flair, but despite limping a bit, she wants a Figure Four. Can she bridge into the Figure Eight? Nope, because Bayley breaks the hold.

Flair ends up hammering Bayley with a forearm shot, giving Asuka a chance to roll up Charlotte for the pinfall. “I did that,” yells Bayley.

LA Knight and Randy Orton prove too much for Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa

The crowd is definitely feeling the team of the Megastar and the Viper, no question. The announcers, and especially JBL, put over how Orton looks better than ever and what a scary thought that is.

Knight only reluctantly looks like he’s willing to let Orton tag in, and Randy looks set to face Sikoa but gets jumped from behind by Uso.

After commercial breaks, Knight is on a roll, crushing Sikoa in the corner. But he stops to deal with Uso on the apron and gets viciously powerslammed by Solo.

Jimmy sneaks in another cheap shot or two from the floor, setting up a Sikoa vertical suplex for two. Solo follows with headbutts, then trades right hands with Knight, coming out on top.

Uso is now the legal man and looks very confident, making a quick tag back to Solo to whip Knight hard into the turnbuckles. Knight fires back with a bulldog off the second rope, and the fans come even more alive as Orton gets the hot tag. The Viper sends Sikoa to the floor and hits a powerslam on Uso before bouncing his face off the table and dropping him on it for good measure.

The vintage elevated DDT is next, and Orton signals for an RKO. But Sikoa attacks from behind before being taken out in turn by Knight. LA wants the Blunt Force Trauma, but Randy beats him to an RKO, pinning Uso afterward. LA and Randy seem on food enough terms as they pose following their victory.

WWE SmackDown live report 12/1/23: Randy Orton strikes

Wrestling Junkie was in the house for the Friday, Dec. 1 episode of WWE SmackDown, where Randy Orton was the center of attention.

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BROOKLYN, NY — WWE atmospheres exude a special feeling these days. The content is hot, the fans are eagerly consuming it and venues are consistently drawing near sellouts. Friday, Dec. 1 at the Barclays Center proved no different.

WWE filled most seats for the first episode of SmackDown since Survivor Series: WarGames, when, you know, that CM Punk guy returned. Everyone came to see the fallout and if WWE had another surprise planned, which they did not since the Straight Edge Superstar wasn’t advertised. Yet that sense of hope for something helped spark a crowd that stayed active through the night.

But have no fear, because WWE advertised Randy Orton, the other returning top star, mid-week for SmackDown. While it wasn’t made clear what he would do until the show went live Friday, this marked his third WWE TV appearance in a week after missing 18 months. It was an early Christmas present for his fans and a jolt entering Royal Rumble season.

Orton’s WWE future became the focus of the night, as a question of choice arose. Would he sign with Raw or SmackDown? In pro wrestling, the either-or angle is always effective in keeping fans on their feet. With WWE having a ton of time to spare due no premium live event, in December, it was a smart move to have something like this to keep fans engaged, especially among a group in Brooklyn who were prepared to cheer.

WWE always draws great in New York City, and they consistently elicit strong reactions, resulting in high-quality shows. This was no exception.

WWE SmackDown results from Brooklyn:

  • Bianca Belair cuts a promo about wanting “her” title back from IYO SKY. Without Bayley, Damage CTRL emerge and they dsay that Belair must defeat every member of the group in order to earn a title shot. As a result, a brawl erupts between Belair and the heels, with Charlotte Flair and Shotzi joining in to level the playing field.
  • Damage CTRL question Bayley backstage about not accompanying them in the first segment.
  • Bobby Lashley def. Butch via pinfall in a fun, hard-hitting match where the Brooklyn crowd went wild for everything the All Mighty did.
  • Nick Aldis tells Paul Heyman he wants to sign Randy Orton, who’s a free agent, as soon as tonight. The Wise Man questions this, and Aldis says he’ll offer the entire Bloodline to make it happen.
  • Promos play for New Day and the Undertaker’s Netflix choose-your-own-adventure show and WWE’s partnership with the Big 12.
  • Butch tells Kayla Braxton he does not know why Ridge Holland has been walking out of matches. Then, Pretty Deadly interrupts and mocks one half of the Brawling Brutes, which causes a fight between the three men.
  • Santos Escobar says he wants to finish what Rey Mysterio started since Rey chose Carlito over him.
  • Santos Escobar def. Joaquin Wilde via pinfall with a Phantom Driver. Dragon Lee makes the save for Wilde in the post-match brawl. With everything he does, Lee is gaining more popularity as makes his way toward stardom.
  • Nick Aldis and Adam Pearce argue backstage about whether to sign Randy Orton for their respective brand.
  • Amazingly, Logan Paul came out for just his first WWE TV appearance since winning the United States Championship at Crown Jewel. As he bragged about defeating Rey Mysterio, he received one of the largest reactions of the night. He then announced that the No. 1 contender’s tournament to determine his next challenger will begin next week …
  • … and out came one of the competitors, Kevin Owens, to tell Paul WWE isn’t like his world. Not sure how much shelf life this angle possesses since Paul has been with WWE for over a year, but the crowd responds well to the “us vs. them” story.
  • Grayson Waller and Austin Theory interrupted Owens, who punched Theory in the face as he ran his mouth.
  • Kevin Owens def. Grayson Waller in a long, uneventful match that consumed a chunk of the second hour.
  • WWE touted the social media reactions to CM Punk’s return, but then announced Punk will return to SmackDown on Friday, Dec. 9 for Tribute to the Troops to overwhelming boos. Fans had thought he might make a surprise appearance at the Barclays Center, but alas.
  • Bianca Belair def. Kairi Sane by pinfall. After the referee sent everyone else away, Bayley attempted to help her Damage CTRL teammate at ringside. However, despite her efforts, Sane still lost. That’s probably concerning for Bayley’s future with the group.
  • Randy Orton signed with SmackDown over Raw in a Royal Rumble season-building segment. Paul Heyman attempted to influence Orton against joining the blue brand by sending Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso after him, but the Viper put pen to paper anyway. LA Knight also made the save mid-brawl to even the odds.
  • Seth Rollins def. Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall to retain the World Heavyweight Championship in a post-show dark match. It went maybe 10 minutes and had little to no reaction from the crowd.
  • Cody Rhodes def. Dominik Mysterio by pinfall in the final dark match of the night. Their entrances lasted longer than the match.

WWE SmackDown live notes:

  • As he did at Survivor Series and Raw, Randy Orton soaked in the atmosphere, seeming moved by it while he posed for the crowd. Having him back when his career once looked over is just wonderful. Let’s appreciate every moment, since we can’t be sure how much longer WWE will have the Apex Predator.
  • On a scale of 1-10, LA Knight’s pop was a 12.
  • WWE announcing CM Punk for next week garnered the biggest heel reaction of anything.
  • Most of the arena had cleared out after the show, but Cody Rhodes was still taking pictures with fans. He might become a great heel one day, but that won’t happen while he’s still beloved by the fans.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

With that said, let the WarGames ranking begin!

WWE SmackDown results 11/17/23: The Man has come around for WarGames

LA Knight also completed step one of his mission on this week’s WWE SmackDown from Evansville.

Bianca Belair thought she got one over on Damage CTRL last week when she got Charlotte Flair and Asuka to team with her … only to find Asuka was simply waiting to betray them and join the villains. Whether Bianca has one more trick up her sleeve will be a big thing to watch tonight on WWE SmackDown from Evansville, Ind.

There’s also intrigue around The Bloodline, and when is there not? Solo Sikoa makes his way back to SmackDown tonight for the first time since he put a hellacious beating on John Cena, and Jimmy Uso takes on LA Knight. Methinks those two things might end up interconnected before it’s all said and done.

Evansville, let’s roll.

WWE SmackDown results from Evansville:

  • Road Dogg joins Kevin Patrick and Michael Cole tonight on commentary as Corey Graves remains on paternity leave
  • With the newly enlarged Damage CTRL standing in the ring, Bayley brags about her plan to bring in Asuka and calls the group the strongest faction in WWE right now; when they agree to challenge Bianca Belair, Charlotte Flair and Shotzi to WarGames, the three faces try a sneak attack and are quickly driven off
  • Belair wants to know why Shotzi jumped the gun on their payback, and Bianca thinks Charlotte knows someone who can help them; meanwhile, GM Nick Aldis tells them he needs to know their fourth member by the end of the night
  • Street Profits def. Brawling Brutes and Pretty Deadly to become the No. 1 contenders for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship, in large part because Butch accidentally hits a Brogue Kick on Ridge Holland; meanwhile, B-Fab stops by again to talk to Bobby Lashley, who is watching backstage
  • Belair is shown talking to Michin backstage as part of her recruiting attempt, but after a commercial break, we see that Damage CTRL has already found Michin and taken her out
  • Dragon Lee def. Axiom by pinfall
  • Santos Escobar talks about the famous expression that you should never meet your heroes, and mainly is upset that Rey Mysterio sided with an “outsider” like Carlito over him; Escobar doubles down and says he hopes Mysterio never comes back, which brings a distraught Zelina Vega to the ring to smack him …
  • … and then Escobar drives the last nail in the coffin of his time with the LWO by attacking Cruz Del Toro and Joaquin Wilde, though he takes off when Carlito rushes out to confront him
  • Grayson Waller def. Cameron Grimes by pinfall, with an assist from Austin Theory
  • Belair talks to a still upset Vega, but after commercials, we see that Damage CTRL has found and beaten Zelina up too
  • Paul Heyman wants to do an acknowledgement ceremony for Solo Sikoa and claims that John Cena will never appear in a WWE ring again thanks to Solo; since Cena can’t do a rebuttal, LA Knight appears instead, promising to run through The Bloodline one by one beginning with Jimmy Uso tonight
  • Belair tells Flair they’re out of options and she needs to make the call, and Charlotte breaths deeply before agreeing
  • LA Knight def. Jimmy Uso by pinfall, but he takes a Samoan Spike from Sikoa after the bell and needs to be bailed out by Cody Rhodes
  • “I called her, but I don’t know if she’s going to make it in time,” Flair says to Belair and Shotzi before they head to the ring
  • Aldis tells Rhodes he needs to hit the bricks
  • Flair says they accept the WarGames challenge and sounds ready to reveal the fourth member of their team when Bayley and Damage CTRL come out to brag about taking out every possible candidate; the heels want to storm the ring, but our heroes are reinforced by Becky Lynch and the show ends with all eight women still in the middle of a huge brawl