Tag: The Judgment Day

WWE reportedly is ‘ecstatic’ with The Judgment Day

A recent report addressed how highly WWE thinks of Finn Balor, Damian Priest, Dominik Mysterio and Rhea Ripley.

The Judgment Day has been a consistently strong part of WWE programming for the past year and change, with Damian Priest, Rhea Ripley, Dominik Mysterio and Finn Balor all shining in spades. To no surprise, WWE has evidently noticed the excellent performances of the stable.

A WWE higher-up spoke to Fightful Select (subscription required but recommended) about each member of Judgment Day, praising their adaptability and ease to work with.

WWE has found Finn Balor “very easy” to work with, and he has handled various roles the company has needed him to fill over the last year.

Rhea Ripley showcased her willingness to improve and help get everyone else over by contributing as a manager, despite her knee issues that she’s spoken about in the past. Moreover, a longtime WWE staffer noted that it would have been easy for her to just be concerned about her creative surrounding the title.

The WWE higher-up also praised Damian Priest’s work ethic, and how everyone was comfortable for him to work a singles match with Bad Bunny at Backlash.

Additionally, the higher-up spotlighted Mysterio for doing a lot of media obligations. The report noted how WWE is testing him in the ring against different opponents and styles to get him accustomed to various scenarios.

WWE seems to be loving what Judgment Day is doing, so it looks like this group will be together for a long time, continuing to provide strong results on Raw and acting as top heels for a brand that needs them.

WWE tends to disband stables quickly, even when they are performing well, such as The Shield. But there are cases where they stay together, like The New Day. Either way, it will be interesting to see how Judgment Day progresses throughout the year and if they have a long-term future together.

WWE Raw results 06/19/23: Logan Paul is Money (in the Bank)

Logan Paul revealed his next match, and Finn Balor took our Seth Rollins early during WWE Raw in Cleveland.

With all due respect to Grayson Waller for borrowing his catchphrase, Logan Paul is someone who has quite the effect on the WWE Universe. Some fans can’t stand him. Others grudgingly admire the way he has shown unusual aptitude inside the ropes for someone so relatively inexperienced.

And, yes, we’re sure there are fans who genuinely like him as well. No matter which group you fall into, you have to admit some curiosity as to what’s next for Paul after he turned in another stellar performance at WrestleMania 39. WWE is promoting the idea that we’ll find out during tonight’s show in Cleveland.

Maybe we shouldn’t, but we’re assuming that Paul is not showing up to accept Seth Rollins‘ open challenge to defend his title on Raw. If that assumption is correct, that means a big spotlight on someone else on the roster, and it will be fun to see who might shine under it.

There’s a few things to be settled in the women’s division as well. Fighting Rhea Ripley is a tough task for any competitor who’s at 100%, but Natalya hardly would say that even about herself lately. She’ll have to make one heck of a rally not to get flattened by the Women’s World Heavyweight Champion.

And there’s still one spot up for grabs in the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match in London. Raquel Rodriguez will take on Trish Stratus to fill it, and you have to figure one Becky Lynch will have a very vested interest in the outcome.

Let’s see what we’ve got, shall we?

WWE Raw results from Cleveland:

  • The usual singalong greets Seth Rollins as he hits the ring, but he’s quickly attacked from behind by Finn Balor, who gets the best of the champ and even hits the Coup de Grace off the steps and the announce table just as referees and officials look like they have everything settled down; Balor hits a third for good measure just before the show breaks for commercial

  • Rollins rants about Balor backstage as officials try to get him some help, but all that gets is Finn attacking him again
  • The Miz is in the ring, upset because he was going to accept Rollins’ open challenge, so he issues his own open challenge instead … and it’s answered by a returning Tommaso Ciampa

  • Tommaso Ciampa def. The Miz by pinfall
  • The Judgment Day brags about all the winning they’re planning on doing at Money in the Bank, warns Cody Rhodes to keep Dominik Mysterio’s name out of his mouth, and taunts Cody to find “two other guys” to fight a united Judgment Day

  • A video package shows the final segment from SmackDown with the events that set up the Bloodline Civil War
  • Kevin Owens chafes at Sami Zayn being asked about The Bloodline, to which Sami tells Kevin he has an anger problem; Zayn says if Owens can go the whole night without another outburst, he’ll leave the Bloodline situation alone, then apologizes to Byron Saxton for having to see it
  • A selection of TikToks is shown that feature Chelsea Green raging out in a number of different ways
  • Katana Chance and Kayden Carter def. Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville by pinfall
  • Cathy Kelley brings out Cody Rhodes, who accepts the challenge from Dom and says “two guys” shouldn’t be hard to find
  • Indus Sher def. Cedric Alexander and Shelton Benjamin by pinfall
  • Someone bumps into KO backstage and spills cold water on him, and KO manages not to blow up; Matt Riddle almost gets him to explode with some movie suggestions
  • Logan Paul sits atop a ladder in the ring, and says the best people in the world come from Cleveland, but of course he turns it around and runs down its citizens for a bit before announcing that he’s in the Money in the Bank Ladder match; Paul is joined by Ricochet, Shinsuke Nakamura, LA Knight and Santos Escobar, all of whom say they’re going to win MITB, whereas Butch just goes right after Paul, who ends up doing a somersault plancha before climbing the ladder and showing how he plans on grabbing the briefcase in London

  • Matt Riddle def. Ludwig Kaiser by pinfall. but Gunther helps Kaiser get some payback after the bell, stomping on Riddle’s left ankle several times
  • Riddle walks gingerly backstage with help from some officials; meanwhile, Kaiser and Gunther visit Owens and Zayn, and while KO threatens to come unglued at their threats, Sami gets a text message and says they have to leave

  • If you ever wanted to see what an Alpha Academy training session looks like, there’s a peek
  • Viking Raiders def. Alpha Academy by pinfall
  • Balor and Damian Priest promise Rhea Ripley they’re on the same page, and Rhea heads out for her own match
  • Natalya says this is a second chance to prove to Rhea, and more importantly, to herself, that she still belongs
  • Rhea Ripley vs. Natalya never happens as Ripley beats Nattie down before the bell and hits her with a Riptide before referees and officials pull her away
  • Raquel Rodriguez says what Rhea did is not OK, and she doesn’t back down, even when Ripley shows up in the flesh

  • Akira Tozawa volunteers to be Cody’s partner tonight, but he gets a better offer from Owens and Zayn, and KO is especially excited that he gets to punch people in the face
  • Trish Stratus def. Raquel Rodriguez by disqualification in a Money in the Bank qualifying match after Becky Lynch arrives to attack Zoey Stark at ringside, then inadvertently takes out Stratus when she goes out to the floor to intervene
  • Bron Breakker is told Rollins might not be able to compete on NXT, but Breakker says surely Seth won’t use what happened to him tonight as an excuse … and also he’s going to hurt Rollins really “freakin'” bad

  • Lynch tells Saxton says she screwed herself … or did she, because now she gets a shot at Stratus in a match at ladders, and she’s either going to win MITB or go down in a blaze of glory, taking Trish and Zoey with her
  • Bronson Reed def. Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall, with Ricochet also getting involved in the match
  • Speaking from the hospital, apparently, Rollins says he’ll be at NXT tomorrow to face Breakker with his title on the line, and he welcomes back “the guy who beat me seven years ago”

  • Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Cody Rhodes def. The Judgment Day by pinfall when Rhodes pins Priest

WWE Raw results 05/29/23: New women’s tag champs, Rollins and Styles join forces

See who emerged as the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions after a Fatal 4-Way on WWE Raw in Albany.

It’s been a tough few weeks for Raquel Rodriguez, but maybe that will change tonight on WWE Raw from Albany.

Not that Raquel has been losing too many races recently, mind you. As one half of the Women’s Tag Team Champions, Rodriguez hadn’t lost a tag team match since WrestleMania 39. Alas, when partner Liv Morgan was injured (during one of those victories), WWE stripped them of the titles.

Rodriguez got to be part of one of the four teams that competed for the championship tonight, but she needed a partner. Enter Shotzi, who has history with Raquel and figures to be someone who can capably fill in for Morgan even if not quite replace her.

Can they win (back) the titles? Perhaps, but a Fatal 4-Way is always a crap shoot, and the other three teams — Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler, Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville, and Bayley and IYO SKY — all figure to be serious contenders.

WWE hasn’t promoted anything else specifically for this show from Albany, but we know Money in the Bank qualifying matches are due to start. We’re expecting at least one apiece on the men’s and women’s sides.

And there will be fallout from Saturday’s Night of Champions show in Saudi Arabia, to be sure. Seth Rollins promised he’d be on hand, World Heavyweight Championship around his waist, for tonight’s Raw. It’s possible we might learn who will be first up to challenge him for the new big gold belt.

If Cody Rhodes is up for it after battling Brock Lesnar with an injured arm, he could be in the house as well. Can he pick himself back up again after experiencing another dose of adversity? And are things done between him and the Beast Incarnate?

WWE Raw results from Albany:

  • New World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins makes a memorable entrance through the crowd, and after repeating his intention to be a fighting champion, he’s joined by a congratulatory AJ Styles; their mutual show of respect is interrupted by The Judgment Day, and after exchanging insults, Rollins and Styles agree to take on any two of them tonight

  • Adam Pearce is on the phone trying to make the match approved, and both Rollins and Styles want it to happen
  • Ricochet def. The Miz by pinfall in a Money in the Bank qualifying match
  • Trish Stratus brags about doing exactly what she said she’d do in beating Becky Lynch, and she’s proud to introduce a superstar who reminds Trish of a young her, Zoey Stark; Lynch of course comes looking for both of them, which proves foolhardy as she is beaten down with a Z-360 from Stark and a big right hand from Stratus, then left crumpled in the corner with a “thank you Trish” shirt over her

  • Indus Sher def. local talent by pinfall
  • A video segment shows the Bloodline drama from Night of Champions once again, though apparently Roman Reigns’ 1000-day title reign celebration is still on for SmackDown
  • Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are feeling pretty good tonight after the “worst night of Roman Reign’s life,” but Imperium comes out to take exception to them representing Raw, and the “new and improved” Alpha Academy (with Maxxine Dupri now part of the team) makes the champs laugh by dissing Imperium

  • Imperium (Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser) def. Alpha Academy by pinfall with Owens and Zayn on guest commentary; also, Valhalla chases Dupri to the back
  • Raquel Rodriguez and Shotzi are asked if they’ve built up enough chemistry, a question that gets mocked by Bayley and IYO SKY before Raquel fires right back at Bayley
  • Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler def. Raquel Rodriguez and Shotzi, Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville and Damage CTRL (Bayley and IYO SKY) in a Fatal 4-Way match when Rousey made Shotzi tap out to an armbar to become the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions
  • Dolph Ziggler vs. JD McDonagh goes to a double countout, to the mild displeasure of the fans, with McDonagh continuing to assault Ziggler after the bell and stomping his head on top of the steel steps
  • Left arm still in a sling, Cody Rhodes takes the ring to say he hopes Brock Lesnar isn’t satisfied with their two matches being tied 1-1 and issues an open challenge for a third fight, any time, any place, finishing by saying Lesnar wasn’t “man enough to make me tap out”

  • Gunther tells Matt Riddle he wants him to win the Money in the Bank Ladder match and cash it in on the IC title just so he can have fun beating Riddle
  • Shinsuke Nakamura def. Bronson Reed by pinfall in a Money in the Bank qualifying match
  • Rhea Ripley tells Byron Saxton she destroyed Natalya at Night of Champions, and the Judgment Day won’t tell him which two members will face Rollins and Styles
  • A video package pays tribute to the men and women who have given their lives in defense of the U.S. to commemorate Memorial Day
  • AJ Styles and Seth Rollins def. Damian Priest and Finn Balor by pinfall

WWE Raw results: KO, Sami run into unholy alliance

Find out what went down on the May 15 episode of WWE Raw from Greensboro, with Cody Rhodes, Becky Lynch and more.

Sometimes when you want to leave something in the past, it just keeps running to keep up with you. And sometimes that thing running at you also finds you, pulls you out of a match, destroys you outside the ring and then challenges you to a match so that the whole world is waiting for you to respond on WWE Raw.

If that sounds like your personal story, my condolences. It definitely applies to Cody Rhodes, who made the logical assumption that once he defeated Brock Lesnar at Backlash, that would be the end of things between them.

Alas.

Now WWE says we will hear from the American Nightmare tonight in Greensboro, giving his answer about whether he will accept Lesnar’s challenge to fight again at Night of Champions. As the Magic 8-Ball might say, signs point to yes.

Someone who hasn’t had to fight anyone in a little bit is WWE Intercontinental Champion Gunther since he’s newly arrived on the Raw roster. Tonight’s show will feature a battle royal to find him a No. 1 contender, which should definitely be interesting.

There’s big happenings in the women’s division as well. Tag Team Champions Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez will defend their titles against the annoying but no less dangerous threat of Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville. And Becky Lynch is scheduled to appear after surprising Trish Stratus last week, and you know she isn’t coming just to talk if Stratus is in Greensboro in person.

Update: Morgan was apparently injured last week so the tag team title match is said to be off. We’ll see how that plays out.

WWE Raw results from Greensboro:

  • Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn see the title challenge from Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa as a gift as it gives them a chance for revenge on Reigns, but a visit from The Judgment Day inevitably turns to fisticuffs

  • Shinsuke Nakamura def. The Miz by pinfall
  • Adam Pearce confirms Liv Morgan was injured on SmackDown so the tag team title match is postponed, but because of the griping from the challengers, Chelsea Green is going to have a singles match with Raquel Rodriguez
  • Corey Graves introduces his previously recorded interview with Seth Rollins, who talks about his desire to effect change all the way back to his NXT days … and of course, the chair shot heard ’round the world that ended The Shield
  • Gunther figures an introduction might be necessary considering he started his impressive Intercontinental Championship reign on SmackDown, and says one man has a chance to both become his next challenger and earn his respect; press ‘X’ to doubt that last part

  • Mustafa Ali wins a Battle Royal to become No. 1 contender for the WWE Intercontinental Championship that includes Ricochet, Apollo Crews, Bronson Reed, Matt Riddle, Chad Gable, Otis, Baron Corbin, Von Wagner, Johnny Gargano, Dexter Lumis, JD McDonagh, Riddick Moss, Elias, Shelton Benjamin, Cedric Alexander, Mace, Mansoor, Humberto, Angel, Eri, Ivar, Akira Tozawa and Xyon Quinn; last eliminating Reed and Ricochet

  • Becky Lynch says “Thank you Trish” for hitting her and calling her daughter stupid, because that turned on a light in Becky that had been off for a while … and she’ll show how thankful she is when she kicks in Trish’s head at Night of Champions

  • Rhea Ripley and Natalya have a difference in opinion about respect, and the SmackDown Women’s Champion says she will end Nattie’s career if she ever sticks her nose in the champ’s business again
  • Ali doesn’t want to hear any negativity from Alpha Academy, but Gunther says he feels regret for him for traveling halfway around the world to lose and get the beating that goes with it
  • Dominik Mysterio def. Xavier Woods by pinfall
  • A video promo hypes JD McDonagh, who says the Irish Ace is here to stay; he also says live that he attacked Dolph Ziggler during the battle royal to make a statement
  • Indus Sher deg. Local Talent by pinfall, and Jinder Mahal tells the announce team their future is written in gold
  • Imperium pays a visit to KO and Sami, who tell them they’ll fight next week
  • Cody Rhodes tells the story of the scorpion and the frog, accepts Brock Lesnar’s challenge for Night of Champions and says that Brock isn’t the Next Big Thing any more — he’s simply in Cody’s way
  • Candice LeRae takes exception to the way Zoey Stark is talking about Nikki Cross and Candice’s “family” and the two women agree to settle things in the ring next week
  • Raquel Rodriguez def. Chelsea Green by pinfall … but Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler arrive afterward to beat down Rodriguez on the stage
  • Paul Heyman has been talking to Imperium, that can’t be good

  • The second part of Graves’ interview with Rollins covers the time right up to his pursuit of the World Heavyweight Championship and his motivation for wanting to win it: to push the industry forward
  • The Judgment Day (Finn Balor and Damian Priest) def. Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn by pinfall thanks to interference from Imperium

WWE Extreme Rules 2022 results: Matt Riddle rules the Fight Pit, Bray Wyatt returns

Get full WWE Extreme Rules 2022 results, including the Fight Pit main event and the return of Bray Wyatt.

If it’s possible for the most anticipated part of a WWE premium live event to not even be a match, that might be true of WWE Extreme Rules.

To be sure, there’s nothing wrong with the card advertised for the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia. We’re talking six matches, plenty of hardcore stipulations and several titles on the line. Perhaps the most intriguing one of the bunch is the Fight Pit bout between Matt Riddle and Seth Rollins, the first of its kind for a main roster WWE show and one that will have a special guest referee in former UFC champion Daniel Cormier.

There’s also a grudge match between Edge and Finn Balor that could potentially be overbooked but in a good way. And both women’s titles are on the line, one in a Ladder match and the other in an Extreme Rules match.

But let’s not kid ourselves: Fans want to see if the White Rabbit saga will pay off tonight in the form of a returning Bray Wyatt. If it does, expect the roof to come off the Wells Fargo Center before the night’s end.

WWE Extreme Rules 2022 results:

  • The Brawling Brutes def. Imperium by pinfall in a six-man tag team Good Old Fashioned Donnybrook Match
  • Ronda Rousey def. Liv Morgan by submission to become the new WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion
  • Karrion Kross def. Drew McIntyre by pinfall in a Strap match
  • The Miz sees Gritty, the Philadelphia Flyers mascot, and yells at him
  • Bianca Belair def. Bayley in a Ladder match to remain the WWE Raw Women’s Champion
  • Finn Balor def. Edge in an I Quit match
  • The Miz is about to enter Triple H’s office when Gritty appears to offer him a t-shirt … which unfortunately gets him a beatdown from Miz, who then turns to see Dexter Lumis behind him, and yep, Lumis chokes him out again, then picks up Gritty, who kicks Miz in the gut
  • Matt Riddle def. Seth Rollins by submission in a Fight Pit match w/ special guest referee Daniel Cormier
  • Bray Wyatt makes his return (watch here)

Scroll down for more detailed results of every match and major in-ring segment.

Opening Bell: WWE prepares for Extreme Rules, Dynamite going to OT

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week we’ve just begun.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, Oct. 3, Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, MN

With Extreme Rules beckoning at the end of the week, WWE is pulling out all the stops to drum up that final interest. To wit, there’s a ton advertised for Monday’s Raw in Minnesota — more than usual, for sure.

It’s almost a requirement to have a contract signing for the last Raw before a premium live event, and Bianca Belair and Bayley will have theirs in St. Paul. The champ has been doing a good job of preventing Bayley from living in her head, but will have to stay strong this week ahead of their Ladder Match.

Matt Riddle and Seth Rollins have a feud that’s even more “on sight” than Belair and Bayley, but they’ll also have their face-to-face confrontation on Raw. Because they can’t keep from throwing down when they’re together, WWE says if either man makes contact with each other on Raw, they’re out of their Extreme Rules Fight Pit match. So it’ll be words, not fists, supposedly. And how will the news that UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier is refereeing that match get worked into the mix?

Also on tap for Raw this week:

AEW Dynamite preview – Wednesday, Oct. 5, Entertainment & Sports Arena, Washington D.C.

Perhaps the most exciting thing that’s been revealed about this week’s Dynamite is that it will go an extra 15 minutes. That implies something big, or at the very least a pretty stacked show.

We already know one of the matches will see MJF take on Wheeler Yuta. These two have been going at it since MJF’s return, and though hardly anyone can hang with the self-professed Devil on the mic, Yuta can certainly give him a full night’s work in the ring. Alas, one gets the feeling that The Firm will bail MJF out if he runs into too much trouble.

Another big bout will see Daniel Garcia tag with his idol, Bryan Danielson, to face Chris Jericho and Sammy Guevara. Garcia has been wavering for a while on his Jericho Appreciation Society membership, and after the American Dragon invited him to jump to the Blackpool Combat Club, this could be the chance for him to make a clean break. But you know “The Ocho” will have something to say about that before it’s all said and done in this battle of teams featuring two ROH champions.

Here’s what else has already been promoted for Dynamite:

  • Darby Allin takes on Jay Lethal, who’s promised to leave his entourage behind this time around
  • Luchasaurus will be in action
  • The Acclaimed will get everyone to help celebrate National Scissoring Day, because everybody loves The Acclaimed

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, Oct. 7, DCU Center, Worcester, Mass.

‘Twas the night before Extreme Rules, and it also happens to be the episode that WWE is promoting as the season premiere of SmackDown. So it’s being headlined by a very big match indeed: the rematch between champion Gunther and challenger Sheamus for the Intercontinental Championship. These two tore the house down the first time around, so fans are pumped for round two.

Solo Sikoa will be in action on Friday as well, taking on Ricochet. Sikoa’s friendship with Sami Zayn has been one of the most pleasant surprises on recent WWE programming, so you can bet Sami will likely be on hand to support Solo for this one.

And because it’s never too early to start promoting the next big premium live event (and because the Tribal Chief isn’t working Extreme Rules), Roman Reigns and Logan Paul will go face to face. Crown Jewel is only a few weeks away, after all.

AEW Rampage preview – Friday, Oct. 7, Entertainment & Sports Arena, Washington D.C.

It’s two shows in three nights for AEW this week in the nation’s capital, with both of them live. Rampage has a special bonus feature this week too: Battle of the Belts IV will take place live immediately after it at 11:00 p.m. ET. That special is expected to have multiple title matches, with the one announced featuring Pac defending his All-Atlantic Championship against Trent Beretta.

As for Rampage proper, we know the Dark Order’s 10 will face off against Andrade El Idolo with some surprisingly big stakes. If 10 loses, he forfeits his mask, but if he wins, Andrade has to leave AEW. Expect Dynamite to add some more spice to this card as well.

Opening Bell: Riddle takes on The Judgment Day, AEW rolls into Philly

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week we’ve just begun.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, Sept. 26, Rogers Place, Edmonton

Matt Riddle, you may have bitten off more than you can chew.

Just about everyone who has tangled with The Judgment Day has come to regret it, though arguably none more than Rey Mysterio since he lost his son to the group. Nevertheless, Riddle has gotten tangled up with Judgment Day business during his own ongoing vendetta against Seth Rollins, and will try to make the best of it Monday night by defeating Damian Priest.

The trick, of course, is dealing with the rest of the group. He may not even have Rey to back him up since the elder Mysterio has his own match with Rollins to worry about.

Also on tap for this week’s show in Edmonton:

AEW Dynamite preview – Wednesday, Sept. 28, The Liacouras Center, Philadelphia

The Forbidden Door isn’t closed. No sir, as Jon Moxley is about to find out this week on Dynamite, it still is open a crack every now and then, and you never know who might walk through it.

In this case, it’s NJPW’s Juice Robinson, showing up in Philly for an AEW World Championship Eliminator. And while we don’t usually like these “beat the champ to get a shot at the champ’s title” bouts, we’ll make an exception for Rock Hard in this case.

AEW is also promoting these segments for Dynamite:

  • Saraya will speak, following her dramatic debut at Grand Slam.
  • The Jericho Appreciation Society will hold a championship celebration after the seemingly unlikely Chris Jericho ROH World Championship victory … and maybe say something about fellow ROH champ Daniel Garcia too.
  • MJF will be on the show to stir the pot again, probably.

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, Sept. 30, Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg

WWE continues its tour of the North by hitting Winnipeg for SmackDown on Friday night. If you watched any college or NFL football this past weekend, you no doubt heard Michael Cole’s voice on promos advertising a few matches already set for this show.

Most notably, new BFFs Solo Sikoa and Sami Zayn will team to face Madcap Moss and Ricochet. The latter duo was only trying to warn Sami about his inevitable heartbreaking betrayal by the Bloodline, but Solo wasn’t trying to hear that talk and gave them a good thrashing.

Two other matches have also already been revealed for SmackDown in Winnipeg:

  • Shotzi, perhaps finally driving her cool tank again, will nonetheless be the underdog when she faces Bayley.
  • After being publicly disrespected by Los Lotharios during their watch party last week, Hit Row will get a chance at some payback.

AEW Rampage preview – Friday, Sept. 30, The Liacouras Center, Philadelphia (recorded on Sept. 28)

AEW has actually been doing a nice job of teasing some Rampage matches a week in advance, but that wasn’t the case this time out thanks to Grand Slam being a bigger than normal deal in its own right (and expanding to two hours just for last week).

So surprise! We may know more as we get closer, and certainly by the time Dynamite is on some matches will be revealed before they are taped later Wednesday night, but this show is a question mark for the time being.

WWE Clash at the Castle: Everything you need to know

Prepare for WWE Clash at the Castle with our complete preview, including predictions for each match, start time, and how to watch.

UK, you’re getting the stadium show you’ve been waiting three decades to see.

When Principality Stadium in Wales hosts WWE Clash in the Castle on Saturday, Sept. 3, it will be the first time since SummerSlam way back in 1992 that WWE is holding an event at a large, outdoor stadium in the UK. That alone makes it a big deal.

But the probable main event ratchets things up another notch, because while Drew McIntyre isn’t from Wales, he is from the UK. Clash at the Castle will be the closest thing to a home WrestleMania the Scottish Warrior is likely to ever experience, and WWE has done an excellent job making it appear he has a real chance to topple Roman Reigns as undisputed WWE Universal Champion.

There are other matches on the card with semi-local interest as well, none bigger than the Intercontinental Championship match between Austrian champ Gunther and Irish challenger Sheamus. Also, that contest should just be one heck of a professional wrestling match, with both men bringing tremendous physicality, as one of WWE’s most legendary announcers of the past might say.

Add in Bayley and her new “Damage CTRL” teammates in a six-woman tag match, Liv Morgan trying to fend off another tough challenger for her SmackDown Women’s Championship in Shayna Baszler, and the man with the newly restored first name, Matt Riddle, throwing down with Seth Rollins in a feud that has become very personal, and you’ve got the makings of a very big night (or afternoon/morning, in the US) of wrestling indeed.

Keep scrolling to get fully up to speed before watching Clash at the Castle, wherever you might be watching it.

WWE Clash at the Castle

  • When: Saturday, Sept. 3
  • Where: Principality Stadium, Cardiff, Wales
  • Start time: 6 p.m. BST/1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT
  • How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., or on WWE Network internationally
  • Matches announced: 6

PLE Post-Mortem: SummerSlam winners, losers and what’s next

Our SummerSlam review breaks down what worked and didn’t work for the first big post-Vince event, and what’s next for all involved.

The full impact of the regime change at the top of WWE probably won’t be felt until its next premium live event, Clash at the Castle, or possibly even beyond that. But in terms of making fans hopeful for the future, SummerSlam did a pretty nice job.

Yes, the card was reliant on matchups we’ve seen before, including a rematch between Bianca Belair and Becky Lynch, and the umpteenth meeting between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar. Yet even those matches included new wrinkles or hinted at fresh programs in the near future.

One thing that’s almost always true for any big WWE event is that the talent involved worked like crazy to entertain the large (but not sold out) crowd on hand at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. That included Logan Paul, the divisive social media personality who showed he absolutely has what it takes to be an in-ring star going forward.

All told, the 2022 edition of SummerSlam isn’t likely to be remembered as the best of all time, but it should be looked back on fondly as a positive first step for a company adjusting to life without Vince McMahon. That’s a big accomplishment in and of itself.

Let’s take a spin back through every match in chronological order.

Bianca Belair def. Becky Lynch by pinfall to retain the Raw Women’s Championship

What worked: It would have been a huge surprise if WWE didn’t let Belair get some payback for losing to Lynch in less than 30 seconds a year prior, and it did exactly that. Bianca was able to show off her ridiculous strength en route to the finish, which felt right.

Though Lynch’s character becoming increasingly erratic as she sought a way to author a comeback story was entertaining, she teased a face turn after the bout by shaking Belair’s hand and hugging her. That said, what really got people buzzing was why she needed to return and stand beside Belair: the returns of Bayley, Dakota Kai and Io Shirai, the latter two of whom were gone from WWE entirely but now are back in the fold with Paul “Triple H” Levesque in charge of creative.

What didn’t work: If we’re being honest, this wasn’t the best in-ring performance for either Belair or Lynch, with a few spots where they weren’t as smooth as they often are. But they’re both so good that it was still fine, and the narrative impact of the match more than made up for any stumbles.

What’s next for Bianca Belair: New challengers, hopefully. One of the issues with the WWE women’s division was too many familiar pairings and too shallow a pool of contenders overall, but the returning trio menacing Bianca after the match suggests that won’t be the case over the coming months. Belair will have to watch her back.

What’s next for Becky Lynch: Certainly, Lynch should be shattered after failing in her quest to reclaim what she feels is “her” title. Turning her face again is a way to keep her over without the championship, however, and should be effective. Or WWE could play the long game with Lynch and have her look like she’s supporting Belair while secretly plotting to stab her in the back months from now. Either way, it’s hard to see her experiencing much falloff even after this loss.

Logan Paul def. The Miz by pinfall

What worked: It’s hard to say a star was born, since Paul is unquestionably already a star in his own sphere, but it was impossible to watch the match and not come away impressed with his tools. He’s already looking like a wise investment by WWE.

What didn’t work: Maryse didn’t add much by being involved in the match, except, one supposes, because she was included in the build-up.

What’s next for Logan Paul: It’s possible he’s not done with The Miz, seeing as they are essentially tied 1-1 in terms of getting over on each other, if not in actual match results. It will be interesting to see if he stays in the mix for Clash at the Castle or is off doing other things for a few months.

What’s next for The Miz: He’s become a dependable hand for putting others over at this point in his career, but he also figures to be rewarded for that with another championship run at some point. If the plan is something other than continuing a program with Paul, WWE has plenty of options since he’s so versatile.

Bobby Lashley def. Theory by submission to retain the United States Championship

What worked: Lashley is as over as he’s ever been as a face, so keeping the title on him was the right call. As well, the loss for Theory actually made it feel more likely he would successfully cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase later in the night, which added some additional tension to an already eventful final match.

What didn’t work: It was a little strange not to have Dolph Ziggler involved at all considering the way he showed up out of nowhere a few weeks ago to torment Theory and has been a thorn in Theory’s side ever since.

What’s next for Bobby Lashley: He should move on to a new challenger, perhaps as soon as the Aug. 1 episode of Raw. There doesn’t seem to be much left for him to settle with Theory.

What’s next for Theory: He’ll need to regroup after coming out of SummerSlam with zero championships, but his character is cocky enough to make that seem feasible: just pile on the excuses. Maybe he blames everything on Dolph and they end up feuding, which would be logical.

Rey and Dominik Mysterio def. The Judgment Day by pinfall

What worked: This was a pretty by the books match until Edge made his fiery return. That needed to happen; after unceremoniously getting dumped by the faction he founded, anything but Edge looking for revenge on The Judgment Day in a big spot would have been silly. The Mysterios getting the win was a feel-good moment as well.

What didn’t work: Considering the No Disqualification stipulation, Rhea Ripley should have been physically involved from the start. Why wait when you aren’t going to be punished for lending a hand?

Also, poor Finn Balor continues to be booked in the saddest possible ways.

What’s next for The Mysterios: Honestly, it’s hard to say. It’s pretty clear WWE didn’t want to turn them on each other, which is fine. They’ve settled into a nice groove helping propel other superstars’ storylines.

What’s next for The Judgment Day: Balor, Ripley and Damian Priest figure to have their hands full with a vengeful Edge. But the group still feels like it’s been floundering since he was booted, so WWE will need to find a way to make fans care about them — and the sooner, the better.

Pat McAfee def. Happy Corbin by pinfall

What worked: Usually, it’s not ideal to let a part-timer get over on a regular talent because there’s no dramatic tension in seeing if the latter will be able to get even. McAfee is an exception since he’s around full-time as a commentator, so this was fine. His entrance was also exceptionally entertaining.

What didn’t work: No one can ever knock McAfee for not putting everything he has into anything he does, but the bar has been raised for non-regular wrestlers in WWE thanks to Paul and Bad Bunny. McAfee was just a bit off on some of his spots, including the finish.

What’s next for Pat McAfee: Back to the announce table, presumably. He doesn’t have to be in the mix as a wrestler for a while, and it would be surprising to see him in the ring at Clash at the Castle.

What’s next for Happy Corbin: Logically, he could and should be looking for revenge against McAfee since this was their first encounter in the ring. If that’s not in the plans, he needs something to go his way, since he’s now been on the losing end in his programs with Madcap Moss and McAfee.

The Usos def. Street Profits by pinfall to retain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship

What worked: It’s easy to take for granted how good both these teams are, so when some observers pointed out this wasn’t quite at the same level as their previous title match, that’s not a diss. It was still an excellent, high level tag team match. And having the Usos retain keeps the Bloodline in a dominant position overall instead of leaning on Reigns alone.

What didn’t work: The only real downside to this match was that it seems to have written the Street Profits into a corner. They’ve been circling the titles since RK-Bro was still in the picture, and now they’ve had two shots and come up short both times. A breakup seems inevitable, and the tag team division isn’t all that deep.

What’s next for The Usos: The real question is who’s next. The Usos have the feel of a UFC champion who has cleaned out their division. They’re closer to “smashing everyone” than Reigns is.

What’s next for Street Profits: Assuming they don’t get a third shot, the “partners turn on each other” angle could start ASAP. Montez Ford is widely thought of to be a singles star waiting to happen, and Angelo Dawkins has made a lot of strides in the ring as well. It’ll be a bummer that one of them has to be a heel, but they should have the potential for excellent matches against each other.

Liv Morgan def. Ronda Rousey by pinfall to retain the SmackDown Women’s Championship

What worked: Not much, frankly. The match was laid out so that Rousey dominated, then got caught and pinned. Except there was obvious controversy because replays showed Morgan tapped out first. So … yeah. At least the finish provided a clear motivation for Rousey to turn heel, which is something she desperately needs to do.

What didn’t work: WWE had a tightrope to walk making Rousey look strong even in defeat while legitimizing Morgan as a champion at the same time. This wasn’t the way to navigate it.

What’s next for Liv Morgan: She can’t possibly be done with Rousey the way this match ended. Liv needs a clean win in a title defense quickly or it’s going to seem like the only reason she’s champ is because she cashed in when Ronda was injured.

What’s next for Ronda Rousey: Decimating everyone in her path as a vindictive heel, hopefully. Also, getting new entrance music, because people will pop for “Bad Reputation” automatically.

Roman Reigns def. Brock Lesnar in a Last Man Standing match to retain the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship

What worked: Considering how often Reigns and Lesnar have met before, this needed to be a spectacle, and it was. From Lesnar entering in a tractor to the ring being completely tipped over, it had Attitude Era vibes in the best possible way. Even though the finish was predictable, nothing was on the way there.

What didn’t work: The same gripe about Ripley applies here too: Why didn’t The Usos simply help attack Brock from the start? That strained even pro wrestling logic.

What’s next for Roman Reigns: Thanks to his victory on SmackDown, we already know: Drew McIntyre will be waiting for the undisputed champ at Clash at the Castle. And given that the show is in the U.K., he’s a real threat to end Reigns’ iron grip on the two biggest men’s titles.

What’s next for Brock Lesnar: It’s probably back to his land for Brock … until WWE is put in a tough situation again due to injuries and needs to call him to fill a main event vacancy.

WWE SummerSlam preview: Everything you need to know

Prepare for WWE SummerSlam with our complete preview, including predictions for each match, start time, how to watch and more.

how It’s a new day, yes it is. That line comes from the entrance theme for the New Day, but it could apply equally well to the WWE writ large as it rolls into Nashville for SummerSlam.

While there’s always plenty of anticipation for WWE’s second-biggest card of the year, it’d be silly to say there isn’t even more intrigue around the show thanks to all of the change that’s in the air at the top of the company. Some of the recent developments, like Triple H taking over as head of creative, could be apparent right away.

It’s more likely, however, that the biggest tweaks to the way things have always been with Vince McMahon calling the shots won’t be apparent for a few more months. Top stars like Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes are still out with injuries as well, but that doesn’t mean this year’s event doesn’t have the potential to thrill.

Now that the Riddle-Seth Rollins match has been taken off the card, the program stands at a fairly tidy eight matches, with five title bouts among them. That should result in a night that feels full without being overstuffed, which is always ideal.

Scroll down to get the scoop on everything you need to know before watching SummerSlam try to end July on a high note.

WWE SummerSlam 2022

  • When: Saturday, July 30
  • Where: Nissan Stadium, Nashville
  • Start time: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT
  • How to watch: On Peacock in the U.S., or on WWE Network internationally
  • Matches announced: 8