Last year was a wild one for WWE. Yet somehow, 2023 did its best to say “hold my beer” to 2022 and produce something even more packed with big stories in and out of the ring.
Where do we even start? Probably with the merger of WWE and UFC, a pairing no one would have predicted a few years ago, under the auspices of Endeavor to form a new company, TKO. The effects of creating a combat sports behemoth are only just beginning to be felt, but on the WWE product side, the most obvious impact was the ascension of Paul “Triple H” Levesque to unquestioned head of creative while Vince McMahon’s direct influence on weekly TV and premium live events waned.
Perhaps not coincidentally, WWE enjoyed a yearlong run of financial and critical success it hasn’t had in some time — certainly not since the COVID-19 pandemic, and not for at least a few years before it in the eyes of many observers. A string of record event gates was matched by the consensus feeling that the promotion’s combination of in-ring action and ongoing storylines was once again the best in the business.
While The Bloodline saga probably lost a little steam in the second half of 2023, it was still front and center early on, with Sami Zayn finally turning on the group and reuniting with Kevin Owens. Cody Rhodes got his chance to finish his story at an enormously successful WrestleMania 39 at SoFi Stadium but fell short, leaving Roman Reigns in his spot as the unquestioned top champion.
Plenty of other highs included the continued ascent of The Judgment Day, the high profile arrival of Jade Cargill (though we’re still waiting for her to, you know, actually wrestle) and the “I can’t believe this is actually happening” return of CM Punk. But there were times of tragedy as well, none bigger than the stunning death of Bray Wyatt.
It was an incredibly eventful year that came right on the back of another and managed to surpass it in many ways. With that in mind, here’s a review of the top talent, moments and matches that defined WWE in 2023.
WarGames matches are about as memorable as they come. We rank every one from WWE and WCW history.
“Mad Max” is among the most memorable action franchises in film history, but it is the third installment of the franchise, “Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome,” that was particularly notable, as it starred the late great Tina Turner and featured a dome-like structure where two people entered and only one left after a fight to the death.
Although “Beyond Thunderdome” isn’t necessarily seen as the peak of the “Mad Max” franchise, its look at a gritty, post-apocalyptic dystopian future undoubtedly left an impression on its viewers.
One of the viewers that were particularly inspired by what they saw was a man by the name of Virgil Runnels, better known to professional wrestling fans as the “American Dream” Dusty Rhodes.
There have been a number of pieces written over the years about the verbal prowess of Rhodes. But as much as he was a force in front of the camera, Rhodes was arguably even more influential behind the scenes.
He was the primary booker for multiple territories during his career and while he could map out a week-to-week story, Rhodes’ true creative genius shined when it came to creating spectacles.
When Rhodes laid eyes on the Thunderdome, he saw his next project.
Rhodes added a few wrinkles to make the concept pro wrestling-friendly, but the violence and excitement remained. The result is one of the most anticipated matches in professional wrestling, one that has provided countless fond memories during its near 40 years of existence.
But which WarGames match is the best of all time? Conversely, which one is the worst? I am here to answer that question once and for all. Well, in my opinion, at least.
Before we dig into the rankings, some ground rules: First, this ranking will only feature WarGames matches from the National Wrestling Alliance, World Championship Wrestling and NXT/WWE. Yes, I know, AEW has its own version of WarGames called Blood and Guts, but for the sake of this list, I’m only including matches that actually carries the match’s namesake.
Secondly, this list does not include WarGames matches that were not televised. Televised WarGames matches only!
Lastly, remember that this is merely my opinion, so don’t kill me too much if you disagree. Please feel free to disagree and give your thoughts. But again, these are just my thoughts after recently watching all of the matches that qualified for this list.
The latest victim in the Tribal Chief’s reign of dominance was LA Knight, who came into Crown Jewel with the fans firmly behind him.
I don’t think anyone thought Knight had a realistic chance of winning the title, but the key for me was making sure Knight looked like he belonged in the same league with Reigns despite losing. I think WWE accomplished that in Saudi Arabia.
Not only did Knight lose due to constant interference, Reigns didn’t even kick out of Knight’s finisher, Blunt Force Trauma. Instead of kicking out, Reigns managed to get his foot on the ropes to stop the count, which only happened because Jimmy Uso put it there.
Where does Knight go from here? Well, I see him playing a key role in WarGames, which was made official during Crown Jewel. From there, I think he could have a very entertaining feud with Logan Paul over the United States championship.
For Reigns, see you in 2024, I guess. Enjoy the holidays.
Logan Paul is a champion
As I just mentioned, a YouTube star is the new WWE United States Champion.
But while that may sound like another farcical decision done to merely generate mainstream eyeballs, in reality, this was the fruition of a carefully crafted plan that has been executed over the course of multiple years.
Paul first appeared in WWE in 2021 and signed a contract with the promotion in 2022. WWE could have easily put a title on him back then and it could have caused a stir, but it would have been looked at as merely a publicity stunt.
But having Paul work against a variety of opponents, lose to some, defeat others, and actually prove himself in the ring made him topping the legendary Rey Mysterio for the prestigious United States digestible for wrestling fans. That’s because Paul put the work in before being put in such a coveted position.
Just 8 matches into his career, @LoganPaul has cemented his place in the world of sports entertainment… and now, he’s got the hardware to prove it.
And to his credit, Paul has delivered. Even in the ring with a legend like Mysterio, Paul didn’t look out of place. He didn’t look like a fish out of water. He looked like someone that has been working to improve his skill in the ring.
Like him or not — and I completely understand if you do not — he has earned this opportunity. And yes, this is still a publicity stunt, but it is one that was well thought out and executed.
Solo Sikoa beats the brakes off John Cena
Man, is this really it? Is the last time we’re really going to see John Cena in the ring was him being beaten to a pulp by Solo Sikoa? It sure looked like it on Saturday in Saudi Arabia.
But something tells me that isn’t quite the way Cena would even like to go out. I think this story isn’t quite over and Cena will ultimately pick up the win he has been desperately looking for — and it could happen over Sikoa.
But maybe that is my wrestling fan naivete talking. Maybe Cena simply wanted to ride off into the sunset by putting a young star over in dominant fashion. If so, what a way to go out.
Women’s matches receive little reaction from fans
Look, I understand why this happened. I understand the cultural differences as to how women are viewed in Saudi Arabia. I don’t personally agree with it, but I am aware of the situation at hand here.
However, I still feel like I have to acknowledge it because it is such a stark contrast to what we’re used to hearing from the women’s matches. It’s not for a lack of quality. I feel like the five-way was fine, but the title match between Bianca Belair and IYO SKY was great.
But when the fans don’t seem to be interested, it hurts the quality of the match.
Sky Pirates are back
One of the biggest moments of the show was during a women’s match, as Kairi Sane made her official return to WWE television by helping SKY retain the WWE Women’s Championship and reunite the Sky Pirates from NXT.
I feel like if Sane’s return happened elsewhere, it would have received a much bigger ovation. But alas, it didn’t.
However, that doesn’t take away from the importance of Sane’s return as it adds a new wrinkle to the to the SKY-Belair-Bayley story and adds depth to an already deep women’s division in WWE.
WWE Fastlane is about to roll into Indianapolis. Here’s who we think will win every match.
Let’s be real for a second: Fastlane is typically one of WWE’s premium live events that I am not going out of my way to watch.
It’s placement was usually right before WrestleMania, which also usually meant there wasn’t going to be anything of tremendous consqeuence on the card unless it was setting up something for the much more important event the next month.
This year’s Fastlane has some of those same hallmarks. It’s still not considered to be a major premium live event, it’s taking place before a more consquequential event in Survivor Series, and WWE’s top champion, Roman Reigns, is not even scheduled to appear.
However, there is a different feel about this edition of Fastlane. Maybe it’s because John Cena is on the card. Maybe it’s because there are some unique tag team matches. Maybe it’s because Jimmy and Jey Uso are both on the card in tag team matches, but they are not teaming together.
Either way, the 2023 edition of Fastlane has the potential to be exponentially more fun than the Fastlane events of years past.
One thing that hasn’t changed is that I’ve got predictions. Here’s what I believe will go down in Indianapolis:
Image credit: WWE.com
John Cena and LA Knight vs. Solo Sikoa and Jimmy Uso
When Cena was commonly referred to as “Super Cena,” the prediction for this contest would have easy. However, this is grizzled vet Cena, who has already lost to Austin Theory at WrestleMania this year.
That win has done very little for Theory, but it is not outside the realm of possibility that Cena takes another loss here, especially if Reigns gets involved to ensure a victory for his family.
Reigns is not currently advertised for Fastlane, but he is advertised for next week’s edition of Smackdown (as is Triple H, for that matter).
With all of that said, I think the one thing Cena and LA Knight have going for them is all of the momentum the latter currently has. Every week, the pops seem to be getting louder and louder for Knight. The people are clearly behind him, and I see no reason to hand him a loss at Fastlane.
If anything, Knight needs this win to cement as main-event player. Because of that, I’m going with the babyfaces here.
Winners: John Cena and LA Knight
Image credit: WWE.com
WWE World Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Boy, is there a lot of speculating and theorizing going on around Seth Rollins at the moment.
For the record, none of it has been confirmed, but that has not stopped fans from throwing them out there.
It’s safe to say CM Punk is returning to WWE, the question is when?
My vote is the Royal Rumble and have him face Seth Rollins for the title at Wrestlemania 40. pic.twitter.com/IkB3PnhRsA
One thing I know for certain is Rollins is walking out of Fastlane with the world title. What’s next? I can’t wait to find out.
Winner: Seth Rollins
Image credit: WWE.com
WWE Women’s Championship: IYO SKY (c) vs. Charlotte Flair vs. Asuka
IYO SKY being put into a Triple Threat match she did not ask for is a good way to stack the deck against her heading into Fastlane. However, I believe she will overcome the odds of having to face two very accomplished wrestlers and retain her championship:
Winner: IYO SKY
Image credit: WWE.com
Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship: Finn Balor and Damian Priest (c) vs. Cody Rhodes and Jey Uso
What a unique a fun matchup this has the potential to be. While it should be fun, I believe the outcome is academic: The champs retain.
Winners: Finn Balor and Damian Priest
The LWO (and mystery partner) vs. Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits
Here is another unique match that has the potential to be a lot of fun.
As far as a winner, I have to go with Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits to further establish them as a unit to be reckoned with.
For three years now, The Bloodline story has made every little moment and detail matter. It has wasted none of our time.
Once upon a time, Bryan Danielson, then known as Daniel Bryan, stood in the middle of a ring on live television and called wrestling fans around the world “fickle.”
Truer words have never been spoken. And that fickle nature has often derailed various stories and even a wrestlers’ push to the top of the card — all because the fans became bored and turned on it.
But here we are, three years into The Bloodline story, and fans are still fully invested.
But then you watch the July 7 edition of Smackdown, and you hear the fans in Madison Square Garden, the world’s most famous arena, get swept up in every single moment of the Tribal Court of the Tribal Chief, and you can plainly see that there is nothing fickle about how these fans feel about this story. They are still very much with it.
How many stories in WWE history can say that? How many stories in the history of professional wrestling can that?
How many people can say they were part of an angle that went strong for three years, with no dips in quality? The Bloodline can.
How many stories can have people frothing at the mouth for a segment that involves sending people to court?
Granted, Vince McMahon sent Steve Austin to jail multiple times in 1998 and ’99, but by 2001 we had been there and done that. At least that’s what Austin thought, which is why he wanted to turn heel and align himself with McMahon to begin with. Even he felt like it was getting a bit stale.
So far, The Bloodline has endured no such missteps. And those lack of mistakes have come as the group itself has shifted and changed over time – but not in a way where you would lose track of who is even in the group, which is how it was with the New World Order. Each addition or subtraction to The Bloodline has carried a lot of weight.
At first, you just had Reigns and Paul Heyman. But then Jey Uso fell in line. Not long after, Jimmy Uso fell in line. Eventually, The Bloodline took in Sami Zayn, which sparked its own arc that had fans yearning for Zayn to headline WrestleMania against Reigns.
At Clash at the Castle, Solo Sikoa made his main-roster debut. And with perfect timing, WWE began to unveil the cracks in the group’s seemingly impenetrable armor.
Out the door went Zayn, and The Usos soon followed. And despite the group being down to only three members, the story is still as enthralling as it was at its full strength.
The only story that can stack up against this is Austin vs. McMahon, which had fans buying into the fact that the world champ could headline the pay-per-views against a middle-aged non-wrestler.
And while that story was basically a license to print money and made a massive cultural impact, the quality wasn’t always tremendous. For as many hits Austin and McMahon produced together, they produced some misses, too, most notable their infamous handshake at WrestleMania 17.
But for The Bloodline, I see no misses. If this story was an album, there would be no skips. From the matches to the segments that lead up to them, the drama and emotion that has been on display throughout these last three years is all worth reliving.
Everyone has played their part. Reigns has elevated his game to a degree some didn’t think he was capable of. His work as the Tribal Chief has made his work prior to the pandemic as “The Big Dog” feel like child’s play.
“The Big Dog” had no depth. It was a very one-dimensional character. What was his character? He was just good at what he did.
The Tribal Chief? Not only is he good at what he does, he’s the very best, which comes with an extremely toxic ego.
However, Reigns adds an extra layer of complexity by making the Tribal Chief highly insecure, and his ability to convey that confidence and fragility at the same time is sheer brilliance.
The Usos have never been hotter. They compel fans to empathize with them because a lot of people have been bullied and manipulated, and a lot of times, a close family member was the culprit.
Even Solo Sikoa has displayed his conflicted emotions at various points, which is saying something for someone whose main directive is to be as stoic as possible on television.
And then there’s Paul Heyman, who always conveys the importance and gravity of every situation. The look on his face when Reigns threw down his title belt this past Friday night was classic. And it only added to the moment of Reigns bending a knee before Jey Uso, which garnered a massive reaction from the fans.
The people have bought in hook, line, and sinker. Why? Because we believe everyone that is involved. We have met them. We have met a master manipulator with a fragile ego like Reigns. We’ve become fed up with our relatives like The Usos. We’ve also been Sikoa, who would love for everyone to just get along, but is still willing to do what he believes is best for the family – for now.
We even know someone like Heyman, who is so willing to kiss the ring of the person that would happily use the same hand to keep them in line if they saw fit.
The Bloodline story has made every little moment and detail matter. It has wasted none of our time. And while I was also wondering where they would go next after WrestleMania, WWE managed to keep me and many others invested.
And here we are, three years after Reigns returned to WWE after a pandemic-induced hiatus, he is set to defend his title against Jey Uso. Three years ago, that match would not have meant all that much.
Today it will be the most anticipated WWE match since WrestleMania. And those usually fickle wrestling fans will be there for every single moment.
It has been pro wrestling storytelling at its finest, and outside of Austin-McMahon, I don’t think anything else WWE has ever produced can measure up.
Roman Reigns was pinned for the first time since 2019 in the Bloodline Civil War at Money in the Bank 2023. Get the details here.
It’s an electric staredown during the ring intros, with Jey Uso yelling “it’s go time.” Roman Reigns stays calm, staring down his cousins. The fans chant “f–k you Roman,” making the Usos smile a bit.
Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa start out for their respective teams, but they take their time moving toward each other. Solo’s power drives Jimmy back when they lock up, so he regroups in the corner with Jey. A second lockup goes no better for Jimmy.
Reigns smirks as Solo stays one step ahead of Jimmy, but Jey kicks him from behind and begins some double team offense. Jey tags in, but before Solo goes after him, Roman screams for a tag. Sikoa obliges, but it doesn’t look like he’s thrilled about it.
Jey makes a show of taking off his tape and arm sleeve, but Reigns grabs a side headlock and shouts at the crowd. He hits a shoulder block and gets in Jimmy’s face. Jey fires right hands but runs the ropes and right into an elbow.
The Usos try for a double superkick, but Reigns backs off and out to the floor to talk to Paul Heyman. Jey and Roman are still legal, which is bad for Jey as he gets beaten down in the corner. Reigns is incredulous as the ref gives him a warning, and Jey gains the momentum as a result.
Sikoa tags in, and it looks as if Jey may take some extended punishment. He finally tags out to Jimmy, but Sikoa sends him right down with a nasty forearm shot. The fans are chanting “if you hate Roman, stand up” and other fun things.
Meanwhile, Jimmy is still taking it on the chin from Solo and Roman. He crawls between Reigns’ legs and heads to the corner only to see Sikoa take his brother off the apron. No tag can be made, and the fans boo as Reigns gloats.
Roman signals for the Superman punch, but Jimmy sees it coming and clotheslines the Tribal Chief out to the floor. Jey finally gets the hots tag and starts running through offense against Solo.
Jey connects on a kick from the apron and hits a high cross body for a two count. Rikishi would be proud as Jey hits a corner hip attack, then avoids a Samoan drop. Solo is low bridged, and even though Reigns tagged himself in, he’s hit with a suicide dive — as is Solo on the other side of the ring.
The problem is Jey tries to go to the well again, and Reigns hits him with a Superman punch on the way to the floor. Another one slams into Jey in the ring. But while Reigns is posing for the crowd, the Usos hit a double spear, and Sikoa has to hustle to break up the count as new legal man Jimmy covers.
All four men are into the ring to trade punches, but it quickly becomes Roman and Jimmy, both of whom are still legal. Reigns hits a Superman punch and covers, but Jimmy kicks out at two.
Jimmy hits a pair of superkicks, but his top rope splash is countered on the mat as Reigns locks in a guillotine. The ref checks to see if Jimmy is out, but he is still in it and manages to fight to his feet and drive Roman to the corner. Jey tags in, but the ref takes a bump and is driven to the floor.
The Usos connect on the 1-D, Jey covers for what would easily be a three count … but there’s no ref. Jey ends up taking a Samoan Spike and a spear at the same time after Jimmy eats a Samoan Spike. The Usos are dragged into one pile, and the ref crawls back, but Jimmy and Jey manage to kick out at two.
Sikoa slowly heads over and starts beating on Jimmy, urging Reigns to do the same to Jey. The fans want tables, and Sikoa blasts Jimmy onto the announce table with a head kick. Solo is on the barricade now, but his attempted splash crashes and burns when Jimmy moves.
Jey and Roman trade moves, with Reigns’ spear leading to a cover and another close near fall. Michael Cole: “You gotta be freakin’ kidding me.”
A low blow leads to multiple superkicks, and Sikoa, now stirring, is blasted off the apron with one too. Jey comes off the top rope with a splash, and Reigns is pinned for the first time in three-plus years.
See all the winners from London as they claim victory at WWE Money in the Bank.
It’s not too often that the Money in the Bank Ladder matches aren’t among the top attractions at the event that bears their name, but as London’s O2 Arena prepares to play host to the 2023 edition, an argument can be made for that this year.
That’s not to say that the battles for the men’s and women’s briefcases won’t be entertaining. Both fields are full of the kind of talent that could benefit by winning them, and the women’s match, especially, features some of the division’s top names, past and present.
But neither figure to be the emotional high point of the show. That will almost certainly be the so-called Bloodline Civil War, where Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa will battle their own blood, The Usos. It’s the latest milepost in the longest running WWE storyline in years, one that has kept fans locked in for every new development.
There’s also a World Heavyweight Championship match that has its roots in events that took place seven years ago. Seth Rollins says his challenger Finn Balor has grown bitter since defeating him back then, but Balor insists that Rollins made him that way. Even though Rollins is heavily expected to win, there should be plenty of action and drama along the way.
And it doesn’t appear that any of those matches will even close out the show. Somewhat incredibly, the showdown between Cody Rhodes and Dominik Mysterio appears set to be the main event, with rumors swirling that it could be the vehicle for a big return of some sort. At least it will have the London crowd fired up to provide big and very opposite reactions.
Let’s head to London and see how everything plays out.
WWE Money in the Bank 2023 results from London:
(click on any match with a link for full match details)
Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez def. Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler by pinfall to become the new WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions after Baszler turns on Rousey mid-match, attacking Ronda and then walking out
Priest tells Kayla Braxton he is now Señor Money in the Bank, and while he has some things to think about, the one thing he knows is that he will be a champion
Gunther def. Riddle by submission to retain the WWE Intercontinental Championship …
… but after the bell, Drew McIntyre returns for the first time since WrestleMania; he gets shoved by Gunther and responds with a Glasgow Kiss and a Claymore before holding Gunther’s title belt over him
Surprise! John Cena makes an appearance, talking up how long it’s been since there was a big event in London and that WWE doesn’t know what to make of the fans there; but as for why he’s really there, Cena says it’s to let the world know the London fans are underappreciated and have earned his respect … but also to try to bring WrestleMania to London (cont.)
Cena is joined by Grayson Waller, who mocks Cena and accuses him of lying to people; Cena declines his offer to appear on The Grayson Waller Effect and gets attacked from behind, but Cena ends up turning the tables on him
Kayla Braxton talks to Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, who are watching the event from a skybox, and Sami says he thinks tonight will be the night that Roman Reigns gets exactly what’s coming to him
Here’s who we think will grab the briefcases and have their hands raised when Money in the Bank hits London this weekend.
Six days after All Elite Wrestling put on arguably the best in-ring event of the year, WWE has the unenviable task of following it with Money in the Bank.
The in-ring action at Forbidden Door was at a level that is virtually unmatched anywhere in the world. WWE doesn’t necessarily have to match that, but with two multi-person ladder matches on the card, it could come pretty close.
But what Money in the Bank will have that Forbidden Door lacked is the drama, primarily with the so-called Bloodline Civil War.
So who will walk away winners Saturday in London? I’ve got some predictions.
Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Logan Paul vs. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Butch vs. Ricochet vs. Santos Escobar vs. LA Knight vs. Damian Priest
Is this an exciting field of combatants or what? First, you have a bunch of people who haven’t quite broken through the proverbial glass ceiling yet in WWE all receiving a real opportunity to do so in this match. Granted, Shinsuke Nakamura has already won a Royal Rumble, but he has been basically rudderless since then.
Everyone else is starving for that moment, including this match’s wild card, Logan Paul.
Paul rubs a lot of fans the wrong way, but in the ring, he has been undeniable. He has really picked up this pro wrestling thing and run with it.
Will that be enough for WWE to give him the briefcase? I think you would be naive to rule it out. I can vividly see a world where Paul is running around with the briefcase, tempting the powers that be to make international headlines by making him a world champion.
However, as much as WWE loves Paul, I don’t think the company loves him quite enough to put its top title on him. In fact, WWE has never put one of its top titles on an outsider. It has been on part-timers and people well past their respective primes, but never a complete outsider — unless you count that one time Arnold Schwarzenegger posed with the WWE title in 1999.
Paul is great for creating buzz and putting on fun matches, but being WWE champion? That would be absurd, and I think WWE has just enough restraint not to do something like that.
Since I am taking a more sensible approach to this, I am predicting LA Knight to win and earn the Money in the Bank briefcase.
Knight has been white-hot lately and seemingly has all the tools WWE usually looks for in a champion. He’s got a good physique, he has natural charisma, and boy, can he talk. He hasn’t been featured to this extent yet during his WWE tenure (remember when Vince McMahon made him a manager?), but I think he has proven that he can hold his own within the “WWE Universe.”
Will Knight cash in the contract and become a world champion? Maybe. With two titles (or is it three … who knows?), it is more likely now than it was a year ago this time.
Winner: LA Knight
Image credit: WWE.com
Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder Match: Becky Lynch vs. Bayley vs. Trish Stratus vs. Zelina Vega vs. Zoey Stark vs. IYO SKY
I think the easy call would be Becky Lynch since The Man is the most notable performer in the match, but I have a sneaky suspicion she and Trish Stratus will cancel each other out.
From there, it is a matter of who needs the win more. For me, that comes down to Bayley and IYO SKY.
Damage CTRL started off with so much promise, but never quite caught on to the level many people were expecting. Then Dakota Kai suffered a torn ACL, leaving the group with only two members for an extended period of time.
Or … they could add another member until Kai gets back. If it were up to SKY and Kai, the group would add Piper Niven, who isn’t doing much of anything at the moment.
It would be cool to see Niven make a surprise appearance, help one of the Damage CTRL members win the briefcase and officially join the group.
Nothing has been confirmed on that front, but regardless, I am going to pick Bayley to pick up the win. When I think of who needs this win the most, it has to be Bayley. She has needed a spark for quite some time, and winning Money in the Bank could easily provide that.
Winner: Bayley
Image credit: WWE.com
World Heavyweight Championship: Seth Rollins (c) vs. Finn Balor
I think this will be a fine match between two fine wrestlers, but this is an open-and-shut case, in my book. The Visionary retains.
Winner: Seth Rollins
Image credit: WWE.com
Bloodline Civil War: Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa vs. The Usos
While Kenny Omega and Will Ospreay put on arguably the best match of 2023, this has to be the leader in the clubhouse when it comes to the most dramatic match of the year.
The match will be so dramatic, it already has a nickname: Bloodline Civil War. Sorry, old-school fans, “Bloodline Explodes” sounds more like a medical emergency than a wrestling match.
Either way, if the name is any indication of what is to come, it will be an emotionally charged contest in London.
This was a tough one for me to predict, but at the end of the day, I am going with Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa to pick up the win.
The last time we saw Reigns in a tag team match, he lost to Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn at Night of Champions. I don’t see that happening twice in a row.
The Usos may arguably be the best tag team in the world, but I just can’t see WWE handing Reigns two losses in as many months.
Winner: Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa
Image credit: WWE.com
Cody Rhodes vs. Dominik Mysterio
What a huge match this is for Dominik Mysterio, and he honestly deserves it. He has been one of the highlights of Raw ever since he joined the Judgment Day and has steadily progressed in the ring and on the microphone. I can’t say enough about how far he has come over the last year.
And now, he is being rewarded in the form of a one-on-one match with one half of this year’s WrestleMania main event. And like that main event, I think Cody Rhodes is taking an ‘L.’
I know that I am going out on a limb here, but I am basing my prediction purely on the fact that Brock Lesnar could just show up, destroy Rhodes, hand Mysterio a surprising win, and set up Lesnar-Rhodes III at SummerSlam.
Of course, Lesnar could wait until Rhodes has already beaten Mysterio to do that, but I feel like WWE is going to go for the shock factor of Mysterio pulling off an improbable win.
If you thought “Ex-Con Dom” was already intolerable, there is no preparing you for how insufferable he will become after beating Rhodes. Personally, I can’t wait.
Winner: Dominik Mysterio
Image credit: WWE.com
WWE Intercontinental Championship: Gunther (c) vs. Matt Riddle
The one drawback to having lengthy title runs is that it doesn’t lend itself to making the fans believe the champion is any real danger.
I feel like we have gotten to that point with Gunther despite him having a historic reign as Intercontinental Champion. Under ordinary circumstances, I would believe that Matt Riddle, a former United States champion, would have a legitimate chance of beating Gunther.
The only problem is no one has beaten Gunther in a long, long time, and I don’t believe that Riddle is the person to finally vanquish the Ring General.
Winner: Gunther
Image credit: WWE.com
WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship: Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan
I am happy that Liv Morgan is healthy and back on television, but the former champs look to be in the right place at the right time to get Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler over as badass tag champs.
See what’s going down in the Bloodline saga and who wins the women’s tag team title unification match on WWE SmackDown.
Perhaps this was inevitable, as Thanos might say. Even with the family bonds between The Bloodline, it was always likely the WWE wasn’t big enough for all of their ambitions. Now, Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa are preparing to do physical battle with The Usos at Money in the Bank, and before that, it appears all four men will be in the house for WWE SmackDown tonight.
Bloodline Civil War? We’d say so.
The Bloodline segments have been the biggest draws on SmackDown for some time, and there’s no reason to think anything will change for tonight’s show from Lafayette, Louisiana.
That’s not to say there’s nothing else of interest on the schedule for this particular June Friday. The women’s tag team titles will be unified as Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler (the WWE champs) take on Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn (who still hold the NXT titles despite their recent call-up). Shotzi will attempt to get into the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match if she can knock off Bayley, whose spot in said match is on the line — or at least that was the plan, because that match is no longer listed on WWE’s official site as of the time of this post.
But heck, it’s OK if there is a little bit of mystery for this SmackDown, because people would tune in to see what’s going on with the Bloodline alone. The whole second hour could be drama with the Tribal Chief and his subjects and it would do big ratings.
(Note to Vince McMahon in case you’re reading this: Please don’t actually do this, we’re exaggerating for effect.)
Let’s dive right in, because we hear The Usos’ music …
WWE SmackDown results from Lafayette:
The Usos come to the ring to a huge ovation from the crowd, and explain that they still love Roman Reigns but that he messed up by disrespecting them; they also call Paul Heyman the biggest snake of them all and remind everyone that they’re the best tag team in the game, with plans on taking it back to the Uso Penitentiary mind set in London
LA Knight def. Rey Mysterio by pinfall, though Santos Escobar hustles down to keep him from unmasking or beating down Rey after the bell
Solo Sikoa nails Ridge Holland with a Samoan Spike backstage and says he’s not in the mood tonight; Heyman makes a phone call to Reigns
Sheamus tells Adam Pearce to “give me Solo now,” but AP has sent for Heyman and says he’ll handle it; Sheamus does the opposite and briefly pops out on stage to call for Sikoa to meet him in the ring tonight
Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler def. Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn by pinfall to become the new Unified WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions; Rousey calls out Raquel Rodriguez afterward, who was watching the match from ringside, and Raquel says “we” want a rematch for the titles we never lost — meaning her and the returning Liv Morgan
Yes boy! The Grayson Waller Effect welcomes Pretty Deadly, who don’t feel like Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn are giving them the proper respect; they also get a visit from the Street Profits, who are anxious to introduce them to the smoke
Pretty Deadly def. Street Profits by pinfall, cheating a bit to do so
Charlotte Flair def. Lacey Evans by submission, but gets attacked by Asuka right after the bell
Pearce summons Bianca Belair to discuss the Flair-Asuka title match and says she’ll be barred from ringside, but she doesn’t seem to trust that he’ll be true to his word and give her the chance to challenge the winner
Solo Sikoa def. Sheamus by referee stoppage, then fights off officials who come to check on the Celtic Warrior; The Usos come to the ring to attack Sikoa, however, delivering a series of superkicks that leave Heyman’s mouth open in astonishment before they also hit an Uso Splash
The WWE and NXT women’s tag team titles will also be unified tonight on SmackDown.
Even though The Bloodline had been fraying at the seams for weeks, there’s a difference between discord and outright rebellion. The Usos escalated the situation to that level last week, however, and now the WWE Universe is preparing for the Bloodline Civil War — which will apparently begin in earnest tonight on WWE SmackDown in Lafayette, Louisiana.
While Jimmy and Jey fired the first salvo in the form of a number of superkicks, Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa aren’t likely to let things go all the way to Money in the Bank without a response. The Bloodline segments have captured the imagination of pro wrestling fandom like little else this decade, and there’s no reason that won’t continue to be the case on SmackDown.
A big tag team match to determine the fate of the women’s titles going forward. Ronda Rousey and Shayna Baszler have the WWE belts, while relative SmackDown newcomers Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn still hold the NXT straps. Something has to give tonight, as one of the duos will leave the arena with two championships.
Another bout could throw a wrinkle into the Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match in London. Bayley previously won a spot in the battle for the briefcase, but Shotzi managed to goad her into putting it on the line — or rather, Shotzi did the goading and IYO SKY accepted on her teammate’s behalf, but it works out the same way. Could the Role Model stumble just eight days away from MITB?
That’s one of the reasons we’ll be watching tonight, although yes, it’s going to be mostly to see what the next twist is in “As the Bloodline Turns.” The action goes down beginning at 8 p.m. on Fox, at which time we’ll be doing live results and updates here on Wrestling Junkie.
