Who deserved to go No. 1? Who was a surprise when they were picked? We go back through the entire history of WWE Draft top picks.
Is it an honor to get drafted, whether it’s in traditional sports or WWE? Sure. But there’s something to be said for being the No. 1 pick.
The WWE Draft is, of course, not the same thing as a pro sports draft, in the sense that it’s done all for entertainment value. It’s not GMs or authority figures sitting around and selecting the best available wrestler, as much fun as that would be.
Still, most years the WWE Draft has been around, the No. 1 overall pick has been a big name, someone you would actually build a wrestling brand around. And even the years when it wasn’t, it’s fun to look back and say, “Wow, really?”
So let’s do that now. Scroll down for a look at every WWE Draft No. 1 pick in history, from the initial WWF draft lottery in 2002 up through the most recent edition.
The Raw After Mania didn’t disappoint, though Drew McIntyre might have his head explode thanks to CM Punk.
When WWE Raw rolls into the Wells Fargo Center tonight, it’s going to help turn the page from whatever we just came out of to what Cody Rhodes has dubbed the Renaissance Era. That’s a fine name for it since professional wrestling is back and sports entertainment seems to be fading away like a bad dream once you’ve been awake for 15 minutes.
Also, now that Rhodes is the new champion, he can call it any damn thing he wants.
Last year’s Raw After WrestleMania was famously a big letdown, feeling like any other Raw in mid-June rather than a show that would chart the course for exciting new things ahead. The blame was laid squarely at the feet of Vince McMahon, who apparently did the opposite of saying “perfect, no notes” and concocted a whole new show on the fly. And not a great one.
In contrast, even with Triple H already very much putting his stamp on WWE with WrestleMania 40, you can imagine he’ll want to keep the excitement going with a compelling show tonight in Philly. We already know the first hour is commercial-free, which WWE can no doubt afford to do after the massive WrestleMania gate and the extra sponsorships it showed off compared to years past.
There have been some more hints put out about surprises and such for tonight, but we can’t tell you what they are because Adam Pearce has us blocked on X. We’re not even sure what we did, but we’re all of a sudden big Nick Aldis fans now.
(Just kidding, Scrap Daddy, we still love you even if you don’t feel the same.)
In any case, we’re looking forward to this new era kicking off, so let’s do exactly that.
WWE Raw After Mania results from Philadelphia:
(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
Triple H and Cody Rhodes kick off the new era, but The Rock says he’ll come for Cody eventually
Newly crowned champs Damian Priest and Sami Zayn are shown entering the arena
Ilja Dragunov def Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall
A video package shows how Drew McIntyre won, then quickly lost the World Heavyweight Championship, and McIntyre is shown heading into the arena earlier today
The Judgment Day has more singles gold but no tag team titles … and still has an R-Truth problem
The Awesome Truth and John Cena def. The Judgment Day by pinfall
Bronson Reed cuts a promo before he’s part of a four-way No. 1 contenders match, and there’s an unusual test pattern in the background on a monitor …
Rhea Ripley tells Dominik Mysterio he needs to handle Andrade betraying him but gets attacked out of nowhere by Liv Morgan
Roxanne Perez def. Indi Hartwell by pinfall
Sami Zayn and Jey Uso still remember their special handshake, apparently
Natalya and Perez bump into each other backstage and say they’ll see each other on NXT
Sami Zayn is now a champion but Imperium isn’t quite done with him
A promo video airs for the impending return of Sheamus
Sami Zayn and Chad Gable def. Imperium as Gable pins Vinci
Jey Uso cuts his own promo before the main event
The three general managers discuss putting their differences aside for the sake of the product, but they get a visit from Chelsea Green, upset about being left out of WrestleMania; she’s happy when she learns she has a match, but the laughs by the GMs suggest she may not be thrilled about her opponent
Jade Cargill def. Chelsea Green by pinfall in a matter of seconds
Zayn finds Gable and says he knows what Chad wants as a favor: a shot at the Intercontinental Championship; next week in Montreal, it’s on, and Gable says he can’t wait
Drew McIntyre says “what happened last night was complete and utter BS,” noting his moment lasted only five minutes and 46 seconds; he thanks Seth Rollins but “that bondage Undertaker” screwed it all up and also says it’s on sight with CM Punk
Jey Uso wins a Fatal Four-Way No. 1 Contenders Match, earning a World Heavyweight Championship shot after CM Punk prevents McIntyre from winning
Cody Rhodes finished one story, but The Rock makes it clear another one is just starting
Both “Triple H” and “thank you Hunter” chants greet the CCO as he takes the ring. “Here’s the thing, I came out here to thank you,” he says, noting that by every metric it was the biggest WrestleMania ever.
He had the privilege of welcoming everyone to Mania and now has the privilege of welcoming everyone to Raw. It’s time to welcome the man who will lead us into a new era, which of course is Cody Rhodes. The new Undisputed WWE Champion shakes hands with Triple H before holding his title aloft to multiple sides of the ring.
A big “you deserve it” chant greets Rhodes, after which Triple H congratulates him while also giving Roman Reigns some props for his title reign.
The CCO mentions it’s a gate record for an arena show tonight, and he also shows off a video tribute to Cody set to “Rise Up” (albeit on smaller monitors since the large Tron isn’t in the Wells Fargo Center to squeeze more people in). It brings Rhodes to tears, and he hugs Triple H, who departs afterward.
Cody kneels down and kisses his title belt before getting to his “What do you want to talk about?” catchphrase. Rhodes turns to Samantha Irvin, asking her to announce him again as the new Undisputed WWE Champion, and she happily obliges.
He tells the fans that together, they are standing on top of the mountain, and he acknowledges the 1,316-day run for Reigns, wondering if he’s the most important superstar of our generation. The fans start a “thank you Roman” chant in response.
Rhodes discusses the “why” and shows a clip of his daughter imploring him to finish the story. He says he wants her to know that when he goes to work, he does so in the main event and as champion. Cody ponders the new experience of having the line be for him, but as he gets to the undisputed bit, he’s interrupted by The Rock.
There are some boos for the Final Boss but a “Rocky” chant as well. Ah, but then the trolling arrives in the form of an “Undertaker” chant, and it’s hard for The Rock to start talking as he gets booed when he tries.
The Rock finally says he came out to give flowers but also to insult Philadelphia for breaking the record for the largest gathering of trailer park trash. Both men then take turns holding up their titles for the crowd. Oh yeah, The Rock as The People’s Championship, remember?
Ignoring the fans, The Rock congratulates Rhodes for beating Reigns and says his mom and late dad were proud of him. He talks about the two belts and then asks if there’s any way The Rock can hold “that title.”
Rhodes says yes, if they can swap. Rock says it feels right and thanks Cody for allowing him to do it. The fans start a “this is awkward” chant while they hold each other’s championships.
The Rock confirms that “he has to go away for a little while now,” which he doesn’t want to do since he and Cody made it cool again. When he comes back, though, The Rock is coming for Rhodes whether he’s champion or not.
“I’m looking forward to it,” replies Cody. The Rock reminds Rhodes that while Cody beat Roman, but the previous night, Rock beat Cody. Rhodes’ story with Reigns might be over, but their story has just begun.
Rhodes says that while The Rock is the Final Boss, he’s the champion, the champion of the fans, and that means he’s The Rock’s champion. The Rock says he has something to give Cody before he rides off into the sunset, and he insists Rhodes doesn’t even have to open his hand to know what it is.
“Don’t you ever break my heart again,” The Rock says before departing. And Rhodes suddenly looks shook.
New gold in The Judgment Day hasn’t solved their R-Truth problem
Finn Balor taunts the doubters, and Rhea Ripley says they have some business to attend to. First, though, they bring out the new World Heavyweight Champion, Damian Priest.
The celebration doesn’t last long before it’s crashed by R-Truth, who says he’s brought the tag team titles back to The Judgment Day. It sounds like he’s about to advocate for The Miz joining, but The A-Lister instead joins them in the ring to try to explain to his partner that neither of them are in the group.
Balor is unamused, vowing that the Awesome Truth is going to have the shortest title reign ever. Finn challenges them to put the titles on the line right here, right now, but R-Truth says they can’t because there are only three of us.
He’s not talking about Little Jimmy, but rather “the guy you can’t see.” JD McDonagh happily accepts, then The Judgment Day starts beating Truth down before he can reveal their partner.
“The man you can’t see” helps Awesome Truth defeat The Judgment Day
Well this is a handicap match to start, but we’ll see if it stays that way. Does R-Truth have a real live person to partner with them? They might not need one the way they’re performing early on.
The momentum for the new Rag Tag Team Champions seems to be fading during a picture-in-picture segment, but reinforcements arrive in the form of John Cena. He quickly tags in and hits some offense, and all three men pull off the “15 Knuckle Shuffle” and simultaneous Attitude Adjustments to get the win.
Sami Zayn hasn’t quite freed himself from Imperium
Yet another new champ and another “you deserve it” chant. Zayn says he really wanted to do something historic this year at WrestleMania, and he did it by defeating the best Intercontinental Champion of all time.
With the fans singing again, Sami says they all helped him with their belief. Same with his wife and kid, and his friend Kevin Owens. One other person helped him too, but before he can get to that, he’s interrupted by Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci.
Kaiser says Gunther spent two years putting all his hard work into elevating the IC title, and it breaks his heart to see “somebody like you” holding that championship right now. Imperium heads toward the ring but thinks better of it when Chad Gable joins Sami in the ring.
CM Punk screws Drew McIntyre, Jey Uso wins a title shot
A strong case could be made for any of these four gentlemen, though you’d assume either Jey to keep the face-heel dynamic intact or Drew to seek revenge for the MITB cash-in.
Oh yeah, no DQs in a match like this, so sure, table in the corner, why not? It’s unfortunate for Jey as Reed powerslams him through it.
One thing the fans enjoy is Reed and McIntyre exchanging chops in the finest big meaty men tradition. Reed ends up eating a bunch of superkicks until he’s speared by Uso, and McIntyre hustles to break up the pin.
Reed recovers quickly and nearly pins Ricochet, then McIntyre prevents him from launching into a Tsunami. Reed clears off the Spanish announce table (even though they aren’t there), but he’s the one who ends up on it, and Ricochet hits him with a springboard 450 splash to put him through it.
With McIntyre looking for a win, he’s suddenly grabbed by CM Punk, and Uso takes advantage with a spear and an Uso Splash to win it.
Check out the complete history of WWE Money in the Bank winners, including every briefcase winner and how they fared when cashing in.
Originally the brainchild of Chris Jericho, the Money in the Bank Ladder Match has gone from being an entertaining gimmick match to one of the most anticipated subplots of any WWE calendar year. It’s changed and expanded to multiple brands and the women’s division, and become the focus of its own event, joining the likes of WrestleMania, Royal Rumble and SummerSlam as one of the most important that WWE puts on.
At its core, however, is a simple and compelling idea: Whoever outfights and outwits a group of hungry competitors and grabs the namesake briefcase has a guaranteed title shot they can use any time, any place, for one year. It’s the WWE’s equivalent of a golden ticket, and the anticipation for when a briefcase might get cashed in has become drama in its own right.
As Money in the Bank has risen in prominence, its history has grown as well. Let’s take a look at a complete history of WWE Money in the Bank winners, including how the winners fared when they eventually cashed in their contracts.
Keep up with all the action from WrestleMania 40 Night 1 with results and live updates from Philadelphia.
The big day has finally arrived. The first of two big days, to be precise, as Night 1 of WrestleMania 40 invades Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. A completely sold-out crowd is expected to watch seven matches, culminating in what WWE is calling the biggest tag team match in WrestleMania history.
Considering the main event at WrestleMania I was a tag team match, that’s really a matter of opinion. There’s no question that it has real stakes, however, as it can shape the all important stipulation for the Night 2 main event.
Roman Reigns and The Rock have so far managed the two-alpha problem in The Bloodline just fine, and if they defeat Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins tonight, they’ll ensure Reigns has Bloodline Rules on his side against Rhodes on Sunday night. That will certainly make Cody’s second chance at finishing his story a lot harder.
The main event has attracted the lion’s share of attention, but there are several other great matchups on Night 1. The expected opener, Becky Lynch vs. Rhea Ripley for the Women’s World Championship, is definitely one of them. So, too, is the battle of brother between Jey Uso and Jimmy Uso.
The Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder Match should also be a spectacle where any team can win — or maybe more than one team, since it appears the Raw and SmackDown titles could be separated again during the match. And we’ll see the bona fide debut of Jade Cargill, something fans have been anxiously awaiting.
We’ve got multiple people on the ground in Philadelphia, and we’re ready to get this rolling.
WrestleMania 40 Night 1 results from Philadelphia:
(please click on any match with a link to see full details)
Coco Jones performs “The Star-Spangled Banner” to kick off the show
Pretty Deadly gives their own unique takes on the teams in the Six-Pack Ladder Match
Austin Theory and Grayson Waller and The Awesome Truth win the Six-Pack Tag Team Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship; Theory and Waller grab the SmackDown titles, while R-Truth and The Miz grab the Raw titles
Andrade and Rey Mysterio def. Dominik Mysterio and Santos Escobar by pinfall, thanks in part to two masked figures who revealed themselves to be Philadelphia Eagles lineman Lane Johnson and recently retired center Jason Kelce
Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill and Naomi def. Damage CTRL (Dakota Kai and Kabuki Warriors) by pinfall as Cargill pins Kai
Sami Zayn gets a visit from his family and Chad Gable, who tells him that “you’ve got this on your own” but also says “don’t forget, you owe me a favor”; he also gets some last second encouragement from Kevin Owens
The Miz is willing to train former NFL star Jason Kelce to be a WWE superstar if the opportunity arises.
WrestleMania famously bridges the gap between the in-ring performers and pop culture, providing crossovers of anyone from the music industry to Hollywood celebrities. Sports figures often appear at the Grandest Stage of Them All too, whether wrestling or in a non-contact role, from NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal to boxing star Floyd Mayweather.
With WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia in a few weeks, fans can only wonder which standout from the City of Brotherly Love will show up — but if there’s anyone for WWE to capitalize on, it would be Jason and Travis Kelce, who have transcended sports the last six months with their podcast and Travis’ relationship with Taylor Swift.
It makes almost too much sense for the Kelces to appear at WrestleMania or to just make a WWE appearance one day. The Miz seems all for it, telling TMZ Sports it “seems like a home run to me” (h/t Fightful for transcription).
The way I look at is [as] more of a fan of the Kelces. I’ve played golf with Travis, and what an incredible human being. Even when we were golfing, I was like, ‘When are you coming to WWE? When are you coming to WrestleMania? Jason, I’ve never met him, but those are Cleveland guys, and that guy, he’s played for Philadelphia, it seems like a home run to me. But who knows? He’s retired. He might just want to relax and chill out. Or he’d like to come to Philadelphia for WrestleMania.
The Miz also said he would train Jason, who retired from the NFL earlier this year, to wrestle a WWE match.
Hell yeah. I’d train him into a superstar. As big of a superstar as he is in the NFL, we’ll make him as big of a superstar in WWE. He could be very dangerous in a WWE ring. Not only with just the athleticism and the wrestling, which I think he could absolutely do. I’ve watched him jump up at a Bila game from down, and jump up into a window. I was like, ‘Oh my god, this guy’s 300 pounds. How did he do that? That’s incredible.’ Then the athleticism you see on the football field, but then the charisma [too], the ability to talk on a microphone and be captivating and innovative is something that I think he just has a knack for. So whatever I think Jason Kelce wants to do, whether it is to come to WWE for WrestleMania, wink, or do something in podcasting, which he already is, or if he wants to just do something in the NFL, coaching, whatever he wants to do, I think the world’s his oyster.
The Kelces appearing on WWE programming is a potentially massive crossover draw, especially during the company’s biggest weekend of the year. What better location to make this happen than the show at Lincoln Financial Field, where Jason’s career-spanning team, the Philadelphia Eagles, play, too. Do they have the time to make this work on the weekend of April 6? Fans will have to just wait and see.
This week on WWE Raw, Becky Lynch outlasted Nia Jax, Cody Rhodes spit fire at The Rock, and Sami Zayn questioned himself.
Becky Lynch doesn’t do tune-up matches. She only does big time bouts even while on the Road to WrestleMania, and she’s got another one tonight on WWE Raw in Raleigh.
See, there’s something that just doesn’t sit right with The Man about Nia Jax. It’s not just that Jax beat Lynch clean earlier this year, though that’s definitely a big part of it.
The rest has to do with Lynch trying to prove she’s the best at what she does when she faces Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania 40. How can she claim to be the top dog if she can’t first say definitively she’s better than Jax?
Becky would tell you she can’t. That’s why we’ve ended up with a Last Woman Standing match less than three weeks out from Philadelphia. It should be really fun, and there’s definitely a chance that Liv Morgan gets involved as well. What would that mean for the Showcase of the Immortals? We’ll find out soon enough.
The other big thing on tonight’s Raw is getting more teams into the Six-Pack Ladder Match for the men’s tag team titles at WrestleMania. There are three qualifying matches on the card this evening, and the one we’ve really got our eye on is #DIY vs. The Creed Brothers. Honestly seems like both teams would be great to have in the title match, so we’re not sure which way this one will go.
Oh, and there’s going to be a contract signing between Gunther and Sami Zayn, so if you’re one of the people still holding out hope that Chad Gable works his way into a Triple Threat situation, this would be the time.
We’re pumped for this Raw, one of only three left before WrestleMania. Let’s get into it.
WWE Raw results from Raleigh:
(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
Jey Uso has a discussion with Jimmy Uso, then gets assistance from Cody Rhodes to fight off an attack from Jimmy and Solo Sikoa
A hype video is shown for the Last Woman Standing match, along with a shot of Becky on her way into the arena
Paul Heyman apologizes to Adam Pearce for Jimmy and Solo “going into business for themselves” and insists they did what they did on their own and Pearce has Roman Reigns’ word that they are gone; Heyman adds that he has official business to do and that “everyone is going to be caught off guard”
#DIY def. The Creed Brothers by pinfall in a WrestleMania Tag Team Qualifying Match
The Judgment Day talks to Andrade, who will get a chance to impress them next week; Damian Priest chastises JD McDonagh for not winning the Gauntlet match, but somehow it now falls on Dominik Mysterio to get some shine back by defeating Ricochet tonight
Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell def. Katana Chance and Kayden Carter by submission, with LeRae taking advantage of a knee “injury” to Chance and exploiting it to get the victory
Cody Rhodes has some venom for The Rock tonight, and does some negotiating of sorts with Heyman
Nia Jax says Becky Lynch has never beaten her, and when that proves true again, Nia plans on taking her spot at WrestleMania
Jey Uso offers to watch Cody’s back if needed on SmackDown, though Rhodes also says he gave his word he’d show up alone
Ricochet def. Dominik Mysterio by pinfall, with McDonagh unable to help Dom win or successfully ambush Ricochet after the final bell
Sami Zayn finds Chad Gable and expresses his respect for Gable, but they end up having a disagreement over Chad’s “it just means more” mantra before Gable suggests that Zayn “can’t beat Gunther”
The Sami Zayn-Gunther contract signing turns into a referendum on self-belief
Awesome Truth gets a pep talk from #DIY before heading out to face Indus Sher
The Awesome Truth def. Indus Sher by pinfall in a WrestleMania Tag Team Qualifying Match
Zayn demands to know why Gable said he can’t beat Gunther, and Chad tells him it’s because Sami waits for a window of opportunity to strike and will need to change his mentality to have any chance to win
Drew McIntyre is interrupted immediately by Seth Rollins, who poses an interesting question: Is Drew more like Seth than he’d care to admit?
Becky Lynch cuts a short promo ahead of her main event with Jax
The New Day def. Alpha Academy (Akira Tozawa and Otis) by pinfall in a WrestleMania Tag Team Qualifying Match
Liv Morgan stops by and tells Becky that Nia is all hers tonight — just make sure you kick her ass
Rollins checks in with Rhodes, who again insists he’s going to face Reigns solo on SmackDown
Becky Lynch def. Nia Jax in a Last Woman Standing Match
As Lynch takes a moment to compose herself after a hard-fought victory, she’s joined in the ring by Rhea Ripley, and the two stand eye to eye exchanging pleasantries as Raw goes off the air
Jey, Jimmy Uso talk WrestleMania, and Cody Rhodes ensures there’s no Bloodline ambush
Pat McAfee is already tired from participating in the Yeetdown. Michael Cole mentions that it will be only the third time that it’s brother vs. brother at WrestleMania. Jey says he knows The Bloodline is in the building and asks big brother Jimmy where he’s at.
Jimmy comes through the crowd, side by side with Solo Sikoa. But Solo stands outside the ring, allowing Jey and Jimmy to come face to face. Jey says regardless of what’s happened and the bad blood, he misses his twin.
Jey asks Jimmy to come back, but Jimmy insists he never left. After running down all the things Jey’s done since going to Raw, he claims the biggest moment of his career is because of … Jimmy.
Jey says nah, that his biggest career moment will be at WrestleMania 40 when he knocks the yeet out of his ass. Jey gets in the first shot, but Jimmy is able to land a superkick thanks to a distraction from Solo. it could be a two-on-one beatdown, but here comes Cody Rhodes, who chucks Jimmy aside and hits a Cody Cutter on Sikoa.
Cody Rhodes has some pointed insults for The Rock and negotiates a bit with Paul Heyman
Rhodes is dressed in all black tonight, perhaps a sign of what kind of headspace he’s in. Cody starts off by reminding us that in less than three weeks, he’s going to face the greatest champion in all of sports once again.
He’ll have a conversation with Roman Reigns on SmackDown about that, but there are complications, the biggest one being The Rock. Rhodes brings up The Rock referring to himself as our favorite heel and runs down some of the great heels he’s known.
“Rock, I don’t think you’re a heel … I think you’re an a–hole.”
Cody goes on to suggest that while The Rock made fun of him for crying, wasn’t The People’s Champ the one actually crying behind the scene? Accusing the people around him of being yes-men, Cody says that he’s lots of wonderful thing — but also a whiny bitch.
Saying it was fair game for The Rock to mention his mom, Cody also says he knows Rock’s mom. Rhodes says she’s wonderful, deserving of respect just like his own mom should be since she wouldn’t be scared of The Rock.
Addressing WrestleMania, Cody admits he doesn’t know if Sunday will be Bloodline Rules or if he’ll finish the story. But how can The Rock be so sure of himself? After all, he hasn’t been in the ring for years. Final Boss? Rhodes says maybe he’ll only be “Roman’s side chick.”
That brings out an angry Paul Heyman, who apologizes for his previous apology because it was dumb. Rhodes invites Heyman into the ring, but he says he’s cool on the apron and has a message from Reigns: When Reigns and Rhodes are face to face on SmackDown, no other members of The Bloodline will be present except for Paul.
Cody likes what he hears and says “Deal.” But Heyman says he forgot one crucial point. Namely, that Rhodes has to show up alone to SmackDown too. “Deal.”
Sami Zayn and Gunther make it official for WrestleMania, but does Sami believe in himself?
Adam Pearce is in the ring with the usual contract signing setup, summoning Zayn first and then Gunther. The Ring General mocks Sami for dressing like any slob from the crowd, to which Zayn takes offense at the feeling that Gunther doesn’t think he can win their match.
Sami angrily signs on the dotted line, but Gunther just wants to make fun of hic challenger a little more, questioning whether he even believes he can win. He smiles as he signs too and prepares to leave. But Zayn tells him to wait and tells Gunther to look into his eyes before storming off.
Is Drew McIntyre more like Seth Rollins than he cares to admit to himself?
McIntyre can’t be pleased that he’s immediately interrupted by the arrival of Rollins before he even makes it down the ramp. Mind games are fair play on the Road to WrestleMania, though.
They both end up in the ring, where Seth claims he has something to get off his chest. He admits he’s a spotlight junkie in the manner of people introducing themselves at AA meetings. “Spotlight junkie” chants break out in response.
An exasperated McIntyre says Rollins has become a parody of himself, but the only punchline is going to be when Drew beats him for the title at WrestleMania. McIntyre also mocks the “CM Punk” chant, at which point Rollins interjects and says none of this is a joke to him.
The World Heavyweight Champion says he’s been doing this for a while and it gets better every time. He wants the spotlight as bright as it can possibly be, which surprisingly gets McIntyre’s approval … except for the finish.
“You had me until you mentioned the big spotlight,” Drew says, yelling that it should only be the work they’ve done that matters. Rollins’ priorities are all screwed up, he insists, and that means McIntyre won’t get the moment he deserves — he’ll get the moment he earned.
Seth retorts that Drew is a spotlight junkie just as much as he is, motivated by the fact that his previous title run was in front of no fans. The problem is that when the lights got bright again, McIntyre fumbled the ball. At WrestleMania 40, Seth suggests, Drew will discover he’s not as good as he thinks he is.
Becky Lynch takes to the air to defeat Nia Jax in a Last Woman Standing Match
Lynch looks like she wants to try to end it early, taking it to Jax in and out of the ring. Pat McAfee says he thought the strategy would be opposite, and perhaps he has a point as Jax starts taking over on the outside. They slug it out as the match goes to its first commercial break.
Michael Cole reminds us the only way to win is to keep your opponent down for a count of 10. Jax is busy getting out a table and a ton of chairs, but Lynch is recovering and uses a chair on Nia as she climbs back in the ring.
Jax hits a Samoan Drop back onto a pile of chairs, and McAfee thinks that’s it. Narrator: It was not it.
The crowd wants tables but Lynch is busy applying a sleeper, then pivoting into a bulldog onto a chair. The ref counts to about six, then Lynch tries coming off the top rope and takes a chair to the gut.
Jax is feeling good as Lynch struggles to get back up, eating more chair shots when she does. Jax sits right on top of her on a chair, but a kendo stick is within reach for The Man, and she goes to town with that, sending Jax to the floor.
Nia recovers quickly and picks up the steps to use as a weapon. But she misses when trying a legdrop on the apron, then gets dropped on the steps. The ref gets to six, so Lynch smashes her face into the steps again. The fans roar their approval as Becky gets out a table right as more ads arrive.
There’s now a ladder set up when the broadcast returns, but Lynch is able to blind Jax with a blast from a fire extinguisher. Somehow she’s still able to stagger back into the ring and hit Lynch with a Samoan Drop that drives The Man through a table.
Jax hits an Annihilator too, and the ref starts to count. Lynch rolls out of the ring at eight, landing on her feet to break the count. Jax eyes the table on the floor, but Lynch wriggles free of a Samoan Drop and hits a Manhandle Slam through the table instead.
The ref counts but both women make it up; Jax just barely. Seeing she needs to do something spectacular to win it, Lynch scales the ladder and drives Jax through the announce table with a legdrop. The ref counts, and this time not even Jax is getting up.
You know the marquee matches for WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. Let’s try to figure out the rest of them.
Now that the hour-long annual time skip has occurred for this spring, we’re officially less than four weeks away from WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia. The WWE is so hot right now that it could probably not reveal any of the matches ahead of time and still be assured that people will fill Lincoln Financial Field for two nights, and I’m only partially joking about that.
What Triple H and company have done is announce the biggest matches while leaving the rest of the card to be filled in over the last few weeks. It makes perfect sense to approach the show that way, as the world championship feuds have all been cemented and can help draw in lapsed fans while still leaving plenty to keep regular viewers engaged through the rest of March.
As I write this, only six matches are set. Night 1 will feature the recently confirmed tag team match pitting Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins against The Rock and Roman Reigns. That will have big ramifications for the Night 2 rematch between Rhodes and Reigns (as in whether The Bloodline will be allowed to interfere or not), while Rollins moves on to defend his World Heavyweight Championship against Drew McIntyre.
Though we don’t know which night they will happen, both women’s world titles will also be defended, with Rhea Ripley facing Becky Lynch and IYO SKY squaring off with Bayley. Gunther will defend his Intercontinental Championship as well, though the identity of his challenger won’t be determined until the March 11 episode of Raw.
History suggests that what’s been announced so far may only be about half the card. The two full-on post-pandemic two-night Manias had 16 (for WrestleMania 38) and 15 matches (last year at 39), respectively, though that’s counting impromptu stuff like Pat McAfee and Snoop Dogg getting quick wins in L.A.
So we’ve got to round out the WrestleMania 40 slate with at least 13 matches total, we’d say. Let’s try to do that now by making predictions from “this is almost absolutely happening” down to “we’re just grasping at straws here.”
Gunther vs. Chad Gable – WWE Intercontinental Championship match
We counted this as one of the matches we know is happening, but there’s still the matter of who will face the Ring General. The Gauntlet match for this Monday has a number of plausible candidates, and it’s important to remember that the only reason this is still a question is because WWE is keeping its distance from Brock Lesnar at the moment.
So the guess here is that Chad Gable will emerge as the contender to take on Gunther. He has the most interesting narrative, having pushed the big Austrian hard the first time they battled and talking about how much more another shot would mean to him than anyone else.
Also, lest we forget, Gable can really go in the ring, and while anyone WWE put in this spot would pull out all the stops at WrestleMania, Gable would arguably benefit the most from a reminder to everyone watching about how good he is. Maybe WWE would even consider having him win if Gunther is bound for bigger things in the post-WrestleMania landscape, but just getting this spot would be a statement in and of itself.
Update 3/11: It was close but not quite for Gable, who made it to the final two but couldn’t close things out. It’ll be Zayn vs. Gunther at WrestleMania.
Jey Uso vs. Jimmy Uso
It just feels like it’s time, no? Jimmy Uso has cost his brother multiple championship opportunities and isn’t going to stop until Jey Uso makes him stop. Out of character, the Usos have talked openly in the past about their desire to face each other in singles competition at WrestleMania, so it all just makes too much sense.
Considering how WWE likes to push multiple matches on each night as “co-main events,” as silly as that is, a brother vs. brother showdown would be perfect for that on Night 1. If The Bloodline is going to be finished with a Reigns loss to Rhodes (assuming that’s in the cards), you’d think Jey would win and Jimmy would eventually reunite with him, but perhaps WWE will want this program to go on past WrestleMania as well.
Update 3/11: This is almost certainly happening. Jey Uso made the challenge to Jimmy on the March 11 episode of Raw, so all we need now is a response.
Logan Paul vs. Randy Orton – WWE United States Championship match
I really had no idea what was in store for Logan Paul in Philadelphia until Elimination Chamber, when it became clear pretty quickly. When Paul hosed Randy Orton out of a win in Perth, it meant they were going to throw down sooner or later, and nothing has happened since then to change my mind.
Orton has looked superb since his return from a long injury layoff, and WWE has booked him in a way that makes him look nearly unbeatable save for extenuating circumstances. Of course Paul knows all about those, so he can simply keep cheating to go over, or he can give a heroic but losing effort. Either way, fans should be into this.
AJ Styles vs. LA Knight
Sometimes WWE needs to come up with something for people who simply can’t be kept off the WrestleMania card, and LA Knight falls into that category this year. Part of the Showcase of the Immortals is giving people what they want, and Knight continues to be hugely over with live crowds.
As with Orton and Paul, this was set up directly at Elimination Chamber, and AJ Styles has explained his actions on the March 8 episode of SmackDown as well. I’m not a huge fan of the all business heel version of Styles, but he’s certainly playing it well and looks the part since he’s as jacked as he’s ever been. These two should put on an excellent match together.
R-Truth and The Miz vs. The Judgment Day (Damian Priest and Finn Balor) – Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship match
This is quite the step back for the tag team titles after they were featured in the Night 1 main event at WrestleMania 39. Nevertheless, WWE has put a lot of effort into the R-Truth storyline with The Judgment Day, and it would be logical to pay it off in Philadelphia, especially since Truth is arguably as popular as he’s ever been.
It would be fun to see if Damian Priest might cash in his Money in the Bank contract on Night 2 out of anger if The Judgment Day loses this match, something he’s teased doing before. Also, just spitballing here, but if The Miz and Truth actually win, WWE could easily have #DIY turn heel on them after Mania, upset about the work they put in themselves going for naught.
Update 3/11: We weren’t thinking big enough here, apparently. The Judgment Day will defend the titles in Philly … but in a Six-Pack Challenge Ladder match. Teams will have a chance to win their way in over the next few weeks, and we wouldn’t be shocked if Miz and Truth and #DIY made the field.
Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark vs. Kabuki Warriors – WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship match
Yes, these teams are slated to face off well ahead of WrestleMania, so maybe this isn’t a program with enough legs to even make it to Philly. Still, Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark have been pushed as a very effective duo and deserve a shot to shine on the big stage.
Let’s play it out: the Kabuki Warriors give them a shot at the titles and retain, but only because Dakota Kai, now firmly recommitted to Damage CTRL, cheats to help them do it. Adam Pearce, who’s already warned the group he’s got an eye on them, arranges a rematch for Mania and Nick Aldis agrees. Simple.
Some kind of multi-person women’s contenders match
WWE has done so much good in building up the likes of Nia Jax (better than ever on this run, to my surprise) and Tiffany Stratton (a breakout star) that it would be a shame to keep them off this show. Plus there’s Liv Morgan and Naomi who are back, Raquel Rodriguez is healthy again, and Jade Cargill is waiting in the wings.
Oh, and Bianca Belair! We’re not going to do a WrestleMania without her, right?
It’s quite possible WWE will still spin something up for Bianca prior to Phialdelphia. But if not, she can be included here, whether it’s a Gauntlet match or battle royal or what have you. Regardless of the actual format, we can come out of this with a post-Mania challenger for either Bayley or whoever wins the Becky-Rhea match, and potentially spin off some additional programs as well.
Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits vs. The Final Testament
I confess this feud hasn’t been doing a ton for me, but the WrestleMania card needs some more multi-person matches and this is a made to order six-man tag to use as a palate cleanser.
The New Day vs. Imperium
This feud has been entertaining as it’s given The New Day a chance to play the “yes we act goofy for your enjoyment but we can get serious too” card. The only question is whether WWE can or wants to string this out for another four weeks.
But WrestleMania needs a couple of change of pace matches among the bigger stuff and this would be perfect, particularly with a stipulation of some sort. Could they do a TLC match between these two teams, for instance? I’d be on board for that.
Even more possibilities:
Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal – While it’s been relegated to the pre-show and even SmackDown in recent years and doesn’t seem to be much of a priority, it’s always an option to get more wrestlers involved in the show.
Legado Del Fantasma vs. LWO – Maybe I’m not giving this one enough thought now that Rey Mysterio is back. Certainly a possibility for a six-man tag, and ripe for a gimmick or stipulation if that’s the case.
Something with John Cena – He’s certainly teased that he might be part of WrestleMania, though no one seems to think it will be in a full-length match. WWE can work him in as a host or have him just show up and AA someone for a pop, though.
Check out our Elimination Chamber winners list, with details on every WWE wrestler to enter and win Elimination Chamber matches since 2002.
The Elimination Chamber is the answer to a question many wrestling fans probably never thought they’d ask: What’s more formidable than a match inside a steel cage?
WWE came up with it anyway in 2002. Said to be the brainchild of Triple H and Eric Bischoff, the Elimination Chamber combines the brutality of a steel cage match with the chaos and “who’s next” suspense of the Royal Rumble. And the structure itself is a key component, with its roofed cage and four pods — which have become central to some of the match’s most creative spots over the years.
Like the Royal Rumble, the Elimination Chamber has gone on to become the star of its own series of premium live events, with men’s and women’s versions of its namesake match. Not bad for a gimmick match that was originally a brand-only affair.
After the 2023 Elimination Chamber event in Montreal, WWE will be past 30 total Elimination Chamber matches, with no end in sight. Let’s take a look back at every winner since the first one was held in 1992.
The Women’s Elimination Chamber field is also set thanks to WWE Raw from Anaheim.
It could be a historic night on WWE Raw from Anaheim — but not if the Ring General has anything to say about it.
Gunther has made the Intercontinental Championship his own, holding it for more than 600 days, most of anyone in the title’s history. Wouldn’t it be ironic, then, if he lost it right as he achieved the top spot on the list?
It’s possible. Jey Uso is certainly getting a push as a singles performer, the first big one of his career. Under normal circumstances, it would be unusual for a title change this close to WrestleMania, but with the Elimination Chamber not involved with this championship, there’s certainly a chance.
Two other matches also stand out on tonight’s card. A Last Chance Battle Royal will decide the last contestant in the Women’s Elimination Chamber, and it feels like there could be a surprise or two thrown in.
And in what could be the night’s main event if the IC title match isn’t, Cody Rhodes will clash with Drew McIntyre. Rhodes already has his WrestleMania spot secured, while McIntyre has mostly been playing spoiler and feeling great about it.
We’re set for big things from Anaheim and the final live show before Elimination Chamber. Let’s see what we’ve got.
WWE Raw results from Anaheim:
(please scroll down for more details for any match or segment in bold)
Drew McIntyre def. Cody Rhodes by pinfall thanks to blatant interference from The Bloodline’s Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa
A video segment promotes the Intercontinental Championship match later tonight between Gunther and Jey Uso
Andrade says his destiny is here in WWE, and the era of Andrade El Idolo has begun
Adam Pearce says the Bloodline members will get hefty fines and checks on Rhodes, who tells the GM “I’m good”; Seth Rollins drops by as well, saying nothing but getting a nod from Cody before leaving
A video package reviews the five women who have already qualified for Elimination Chamber as we get ready to find out who’s joining them
Raquel Rodriguez wins the Last Chance Battle Royal for the Women’s Elimination Chamber match, last eliminating Chelsea Green
Michael Cole remotely interviews Rhea Ripley and Nia Jax, which of course turns to insults between them and ends with Ripley storming out
A “Truthline” segment in the style of investigative TV journalism has Jackie Redmond talking to R-Truth about his experience with The Judgment Day, and you really have to see it to properly appreciate it
UFC fighter Michael Chandler is shown in the crowd, and he’s given a microphone to call out Conor McGregor
Both Chad Gable and Ivar cut promos head of their match tonight
The Judgment Day def. The Miz, R-Truth and #DIY by pinfall, with Damian Priest pinning R-Truth
Highlights are shown of The Rock officially joining The Bloodline on the most recent episode of SmackDown
Jackie Redmond catches up with Sami Zayn, who says he doesn’t want to get fixated on McIntyre because he’ll end up getting stuck and potentially miss his path to WrestleMania
Becky Lynch talks Elimination Chamber before she’s joined by all of her opponents … and a rampaging Nia Jax
Gunther cuts a promo before his title defense against Jey Uso
Shinsuke Nakamura makes it clear he’s not done with Sami Zayn, vowing to defeat him again
Chad Gable def. Ivar by submission
Cathy Kelley talks with McIntyre, who says his victory over Cody wasn’t tainted by Bloodline interference, claiming that he wanted to attack them on sight but he had to keep his eyes on the big picture, saving WrestleMania … for the fans, of course
The New Day says Uso will win tonight, but next week it’s their turn, making it clear it’s not over with Imperium until they say it’s over; next week, it’s New Day vs. Imperium in a Street Fight
Gunther def. Jey Uso by pinfall to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship, in large part due to interference from Jimmy Uso, who lays an extra beating on his twin brother as Raw goes off the air
Image credit: WWE.com
Drew McIntyre gets Bloodline assistance to defeat Cody Rhodes
The crowd is definitely into this one, cheering enthusiastically for Rhodes and giving him a “let’s go Cody” chant immediately after the bell. He quickly sends the Scottish Warrior to the floor, then is able to apply a Figure Four back in the ring.
McIntyre flips the hold over, forcing Rhodes to the ropes for a break. Cody is selling damage to his right knee as commercials arrive.
Things aren’t going much better for our hero, after the break, but he manages to survive a series of chops before McIntyre puts him back on the canvas. Cody rallies for a Disaster Kick and a two count, drawing on the energy from the crowd.
A Cody Cutter is on target too, good for another two count. McIntyre takes both of them out to the floor, and we break for ads again.
Both men score near falls, including a very close one after a Cody Pedigree. Drew fires back with a Future Shock, but no one can get more than a two count, and Pat McAfee wonders what can possibly end it.
McIntyre looks up at the WrestleMania sign before he climbs the turnbuckles, but Rhodes meets him there for an emphatic superplex. There’s a super Cody Cutter off the top rope, but just as it appears Rhodes can get the win, Jimmy Uso is out to provide a distraction.
Solo Sikoa uses it to full advantage, delivering a Samoan Spike from the apron while the ref is occupied with Jimmy. A Claymore from McIntyre is next, and that’s a big win secured for Drew.
Image credit: WWE.com
Raquel Rodriguez makes her return a spectacular one, winning the Last Chance Battle Royal
Teammates Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark are the first two women to head to the ring, but the crowd really roars for the return of Raquel Rodriguez, who has been out injured for some time.
We won’t try to do play by play for a match this chaotic, but we can say Maxxine Dupri and Valhalla are out early on. Xia Li follows quickly. Rodriguez continues clearing people out, including Isla Dawn.
Natalya eliminates Tegan Nox, a bit of payback for what happened between them in the Royal Rumble. Zelina Vega and Elektra Lopez keep fighting even after they’re eliminated, while Baszler and Stark work together effectively, especially to get rid of Indi Hartwell and Katana Chance.
After Ivy Nile is eliminated, we’re left with four: Baszler, Stark, Rodriguez and Michin. It quickly becomes three as the tag team partners get rid of Michin.
There goes Baszler, leaving Rodriguez and Stark. Though Shayna catches Zoey when she’s first thrown out, a big boot soon sends her to the floor. Chelsea Green was apparently never eliminated properly and tries for a sneak attack, but Raquel sends her out quickly to wrap things up.
Image credit: WWE.com
The Elimination Chamber contestants have words, but Nia Jax has more than enough power to clear them all out
The Man gives props to the great crowd tonight before musing that she’s been lucky enough to accomplish so much, meaning that there are few “new” things left for her. One thing she hasn’t done is compete in the Elimination Chamber, which she needs to win to face Rhea Ripley at WrestleMania.
Lynch notes that it is inevitable that she and Mami collide, which is appropriate because both of them live for that kind of fight. They’ve been living differently as of late, however, with Rhea riding a once-in-a-lifetime wave, propped up by The Judgment Day.
And then there’s Becky, the biggest threat to the championship and one who’s been hiding in plain sight. Lynch says she’s the best she’s ever been right this moment, strengthened by taking on all kinds of opponents.
On the flip side of that, however, is that everybody else is also the best they’ve ever been — especially the five women in the Elimination Chamber match with her. Becky says she has nothing against any of the women (“though Tiffany’s kind of annoying”), but she’s beaten most of them, just not inside the Chamber.
Liv Morgan arrives to say she’s a big fan of Becky’s hat, but she’s not a big fan of Lynch saying she’s the one to face Ripley. Liv admires Becky wanting to prove she’s the best, but all she cares about is her revenge. She has both professional and personal reasons for wanting to pay Rhea back, and Liv reminds Becky that she was also the last person to defeat Ripley.
That brings out Raquel Rodriguez, who says they’re making great points. But the champ after Elimination Chamber could also be Nia Jax, and only she’s big enough to stand up to either one of them.
You see where this is headed now, as Naomi comes out too. She says it’s time to climb her way back to the top but doesn’t get any further before it’s Tiffy Time. Tiffany Stratton says nobody cares about the past, but that’s all she sees in the ring.
That only leaves one final Chamber contestant, but Bianca Belair quickly makes that number zero. She reminds them all that you can’t spell WrestleMania without “EST,” and when Stratton gets lippy with her, Tiffany decides to smash Liv int he face, and soon all six women are scrapping.
Make that seven as Nia Jax hits the ring as well. Jax crushes Naomi with a Samoan Drop and casually tosses Morgan and Stratton around.
Jax runs over Belair as well, gives Rodriguez a legdrop to the back of the neck and has some left for Lynch as well. Nia is the only woman still standing at the end of the segment, making an emphatic statement.
Image credit: WWE.com
Jey Uso falls short against Gunther … but only because of Jimmy
Can Uso end Gunther’s 619-day reign? Or will there be hijinks in this one since The Bloodline has already made its presence felt once tonight?
After Jey smacks him in the mouth, The Ring General wastes zero time punishing Uso with chops, both in the center of the ring and on the top rope. The attack continues on the floor, where Gunther drops Jey on the barricade. Commercial break one is here.
Gunther continues his assault when the broadcast returns, punishing Jey with a backbreaker. They head back to the floor, with the champ looking for a piledriver but foiled by a back drop. Gunther is smacked off the announce table with a Samoan Drop, exciting Pat McAfee.
They return to the ring, where Uso hits a back elbow and a superkick, plus an uppercut that sends Gunther into the corner. The champion retaliates with a big dropkick and a powerbomb, stacking Jey for a two count.
Another two count is in Gunther’s favor after a clothesline, and he quickly locks in a Boston Crab. Even after Jey escapes he’s not clear of danger, but he is able to send Gunther to the floor and greet him with a dive that brings the final set of commercials.
More hard chops greet Jey after the ads, and his chest can’t be feeling too good now. Gunther spends some time verbally berating Jey, slapping him around some more and looking for a powerbomb. But Uso slides out the back side and delivers a spear, earning a near fall.
Uso heads up top, where Gunther rushes to meet him with another chop. There’s a release superplex that just flings Jey down, and he hits his own top rope splash but sees Uso kick out again at two.
Another spear for Uso has Gunther looking for a respite on the apron, but Jey spears him there, then out on the floor. The challenger rolls the champ back into the ring for his fifth spear of the bout. Up top goes Jey, dropping the Uso Splash … but the bell rings in mid-count. It’s Jimmy Uso, smirking wildly.
WWE security orders Jimmy to leave, but the damage may already be done, as Gunther is back on his feet. A superkick puts the champ down so Jey can fly to hit his brother with a suicide dive.
Uso climbs again, but this time Gunther gets his knees up on the splash, rolling Jey up and barely surviving with his title intact.
Jimmy gets a chance to beat on Jey some more after the bell, including an Uso Splash of his own. He delivers one more for good measure, raising one finger to the sky as the show goes off the air.
The Elimination Chamber fields are set except for one women’s spot after WWE SmackDown in Salt Lake City.
Haven’t been watching WWE long enough to remember the Two-Man Power Trip? No worries, because The Rock and Roman Reigns are doing their best to update the concept for the 2020s, which we’ll see again tonight on WWE SmackDown from Salt Lake City.
It’s been a little more than a week since the WrestleMania XL Kickoff in Las Vegas shook up the landscape along the Road to WrestleMania. It wasn’t just that Cody Rhodes stepped up and challenged Reigns again, bumping The Rock out of the way.
The more surprising development was that The Great One sided with the Tribal Chief, potentially adding one of the most famed champions in WWE history to The Bloodline. That’s pretty much a complete 180 from when it looked like those two men would be doing battle in the main event in Philly.
WWE wants us to think tonight’s show will answer the big unanswered question after Rhodes shuffled everything, which is what role The Rock will play at WrestleMania 40. Since Rhodes and Seth Rollins are on Raw, we probably won’t get a definitive answer tonight, but we should at least find out if things are leaning toward a tag team match, perhaps on night 1.
The other big thing that will happen in Salt Lake City will be finding several more competitors for the Elimination Chamber matches set for eight days from now in Perth, Australia. Two men and two women will join those bouts after tonight’s qualifiers, which will finish off the men’s field and leave just one spot left for the women.
That means it should be a fast-moving show and an eventful two hours. Off we go to find out.
WWE SmackDown results from Salt Lake City:
(please scroll down for more details on any match or segment in bold)
A big Ford pickup truck pulls up to the arena earlier tonight, and out hops The Rock
Dominik Mysterio get some mic time ahead of his qualifier, but you know that just means the fans get to boo the crap out of him
Kevin Owens def. Dominik Mysterio by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
Drew McIntyre says everyone wants to win the Chamber match, but he’s the only one who needs to win it, for himself and all of WWE; LA Knight arrives to throw some water on that idea as only he can, and they eventually need to be separated
Earlier today, The Bloodline arrives, and Roman Reigns tells Jimmy Uso they’re going to fix everything Cody messed up
Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate are feeling good ahead of their tag team title shot at Elimination Chamber; when an angry Mysterio dismisses their chances as he passes by, they challenge him and R-Truth to a match, but he responds that Truth isn’t part of The Judgment Day and they should know that
Tiffany Stratton def. Zelina Vega by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match; a slight distraction by Elektra Lopez furthers the LWO-Legado Del Fantasma beef too
Things get heated in the locker room between Karl Anderson and AJ Styles, so any hopes of The O.C. getting back on the same page appears dead for right now
IYO SKY delivers a taunting message for Bayley, and, alongside Asuka and Kairi Sane, says no one is ready for Damage CTRL
Authors of Pain def. Javier Bernal and Beau Morris by pinfall in a quick squash match
Byron Saxton gets a word with Logan Paul, who says everyone should be thankful for seeing his first live match on SmackDown and also says he’ll win tonight, at Elimination Chamber and WrestleMania to become a double champ
Logan Paul def. The Miz by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
Stratton is making no friends backstage, annoying Bianca Belair, Liv Morgan, and eventually, Jade Cargill
Paul Heyman is shown speaking with Grayson Waller outside the Bloodline dressing room
Naomi def. Alba Fyre by submission in an Elimination Chamber qualifying match
Dakota Kai approaches Bayley, but the Role Model still isn’t sure who she can trust and doesn’t want to discuss it right now
Aldis says one of the free agents he’s been talking to is no longer a free agent: Bron Breakker has signed to be on SmackDown
Roman Reigns and The Rock are in your city, and The Rock is in The Bloodline now
[lawrence-related id=45594]
Kevin Owens is in Elimination Chamber, and that’s the (R-)truth
Dom gets an early taste of KO’s power and doesn’t like it. He fires back with an athletic combo that ends with a dropkick, but Owens sends him out to the floor. Dom manages to walk away to avoid any chance of a dive to the floor, but he eats a right hand while avoiding the steel steps.
KO turns and gets a surprise in the form of R-Truth, and his sudden appearance gives the momentum back to Mysterio, who quickly earns a near fall.
After commercials it’s still Dom on the attack, with Truth looking concerned for … Owens, we guess? The crowd comes alive as KO rallies by simply punching and stomping the heck out of Mysterio until he ends up on the outside. A lariat sets up a running senton, and back into the ring they go.
Truth calls for a Cannonball, which KO delivers after a crotch chop. There’s a frog splash, but Dirty Dom digs deep to kick out.
Mysterio counters a Popup Powerbomb with a facebuster (sort of) and a near fall. Dom wants Three Amigos but ends up getting outdone by his opponent. Mysterio counters the final suplex with a DDT for two.
Shortly after, KO finds the mark with a Swanton Bomb, but Mysterio is able to kick out yet again. Dom responds with a 619, which still isn’t enough to win it. Mysterio tells Truth to get a chair, even telling him he’s in The Judgment Day if he does it.
Truth grabs a chair from the timekeeper’s area … but sits in it instead of handing it over.
Owens delivers a superkick and a Popup Powerbomb, and that’s the end of that.
Logan Paul’s double champ plan continues with a victory over The Miz
The announcers put over how hard it is to believe that this is Paul’s first match on SmackDown, and it is a little wild. He and Miz know each other well, of course, having worked together when Paul was first breaking into WWE.
Paul isn’t quite on target with a standing moonsault, showing a little of his inexperience, as Nick Aldis is shown watching the action from a luxury box with Jade Cargill and Bron Breakker, among others.
Miz’s strikes back Paul into a corner, where the It Kicks draw applause from the fans. His corner attack is on target as well, but Paul has some fight left and sends Miz hard into the ringpost. A jumping clothesline sets up a splash on the apron before a commercial break.
Miz is feeling his second wind after that, with a Hart Attack to send Paul to the canvas. A flatliner follows, and the A-Lister covers for a two count.
Double knees in the corner don’t finish Paul either, so Miz keeps working over the right knee that Logan has been selling from early in the bout. Paul isn’t finished, though, hitting Miz with his own finisher and earning a near fall.
This one still isn’t out of gas, as they fight to the floor and Paul gets brass knux from his buddy again. Miz rushes in and clobbers him, angrily taking the weapon for himself. But Paul is able to take advantage of the brief moment of confusion, dragging Miz back into the ring for an inverted Skull Crushing Finale and a victory to secure a spot in Elimination Chamber.
Roman Reigns welcomes The Rock to The Bloodline
With all of The Bloodline beside him, Reigns heads to the ring for some acknowledgement. He lets the crowd reaction soak in for some time before he even says a word.
“Can I be honest with all of you?” Reigns finally says. The Tribal Chief calls the people of Utah idiots, at least collectively. He doesn’t want them to mess up the “greatest night ever in WWE,” to which they immediately chime in with “Cody” chants.
The occasion, however, is that tonight is the first night we can say The Rock is a member of The Bloodline. That brings out The People’s Champ himself, to a very loud and somewhat mixed reaction. But we’ll have to wait through commercials to see what he says.
The Rock tells the fans they’ve broken a Utah state indoor attendance record … for the biggest group of trailer park trash The Rock has ever seen. He says they’ll all have a story to tell about looking greatness in the face.
This side of The Rock has been there all along, even if we haven’t seen it in years. He blames the people for having the biggest WrestleMania event in years in their hands and flushing it down the toilet by pining for Cody having the chance to finish his story.
But what is Cody’s story? After all, Reigns beat Rhodes last year at WrestleMania. Should he get a rematch? The Rock talks about teams from real sports who get to the championship game, lose and move on. But the fans here don’t understand that because they’re “spoiled, entitled, little crybaby bitches.”
The Rock says he’ll do anything to ensure Rhodes leaves a loser like he is now … if you smell what The Bloodline is cooking.
