Tag: the usos

WWE Money in the Bank 2023 betting odds: Logan Paul shakes up lines

The oddsmakers now like Logan Paul to win the Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match in London after his late addition.

Will the Megastar be the man to climb the ladder and seize the briefcase at Money in the Bank in London? Or will a late addition to the titular men’s bout be the one to seize the contract?

That’s the question posed by WWE Money in the Bank 2023 betting lines, which had LA Knight as the early favorite in the Men’s Ladder match. But after Logan Paul announced he was added to the match on the June 19 episode of Raw, he became the new top choice, albeit by a narrow margin over Knight. Betfair sees Damian Priest now as the clear third pick, with the other four competitors in the highly anticipated bout as big underdogs.

Elsewhere, the current lines see both Cody Rhodes (who faces Dominik Mysterio) and Seth Rollins (defending his World Heavyweight Championship against Fin Balor) as likely winners of their respective matches. In the Bloodline Civil War, the odds favor Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa to take care of business against The Usos.

This is the part where we always say we don’t really endorse betting on WWE matches since someone already knows the outcomes. But we like examining them as a measure of what people think will happen for upcoming matches and events.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at the latest lines, converted into U.S.-style odds.

(Latest update: June 20, 2023, 1:10 p.m. ET)

WWE Money in the Bank 2023 betting odds:

Men’s Money in the Bank Ladder match
  • Logan Paul: -137
  • LA Knight: +100
  • Damian Priest: +400
  • Shinsuke Nakamura: +900
  • Santos Escobar: +1400
  • Ricochet: +1600
  • Butch: +1600
World Heavyweight Championship match
  • Seth Rollins (c): -450
  • Finn Balor: +275
Singles match
  • Cody Rhodes: -225
  • Dominik Mysterio: +140
Bloodline Civil War tag team match
  • Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa: -250
  • The Usos: +175

Women’s Money in the Bank Ladder match

  • IYO SKY: +100
  • Becky Lynch: +250
  • Trish Stratus: +400
  • Zelina Vega: +400
  • Bayley: +600
  • Zoey Stark: +1400

WWE Money in the Bank 2023 card: All matches set for London

There’s more than just the ladder matches in store for fans at The O2 Arena when WWE Money in the Bank arrives in July.

Which WWE superstars will climb their way to a Money in the Bank briefcase and the fantastic opportunity it provides? We’ll soon find out.

Money in the Bank 2023 will once again be built around a pair of its namesake Ladder matches. Six men and six women will do battle for the chance to get their hands on a briefcase that contains a contract that can be cashed in any time, any place for a championship match over the next year.

History tells us just how big the briefcase can be, as the majority of cash-in attempts over the years have been successful. All WWE champions have to stay on their toes, for sure.

But Money in the Bank also tends to include some other notable matches, and this year is no exception. Already, we’ve seen that Seth Rollins will be true to his word as a fighting champion, putting his World Heavyweight title on the line against Finn Balor.

The crowd at London’s O2 Arena is sure to be raucous for the city’s first WWE premium live event in more than 20 years. Here are all the matches on the card to date, and we’ll update as necessary until Money in the Bank hits London on Saturday, July 1.

(Latest update: June 19, 2023, 10:00 a.m. ET)

WWE Money in the Bank 2023 card:

WWE SmackDown preview 06/09/23: What now, Usos?

WWE SmackDown from Des Moines has the latest chapter in the Bloodline drama plus four Money in the Bank qualifying matches.

The Usos might be “the ones,” but headed into tonight’s WWE SmackDown in Des Moines, they’re about to find out if that’s the loneliest number like the old song says.

It’s not a worry they’ve had for a while, since they’ve been steadfast members of The Bloodline. Alas, Jimmy Uso has been chafing under Roman Reigns’ leadership for weeks, which came to a head when he superkicked the Tribal Chief at Night of Champions.

The Usos’ attempt to patch things up last week with a plea for brotherhood and respect fell on deaf ears, with Solo Sikoa standing with Reigns and giving Jimmy a Samoan Spike. Jimmy and Jey will appear on SmackDown tonight, and fans will be watching to see what they say and do next — not to mention whether Solo might be waiting for them.

The rest of the show will be largely built around Money in the Bank qualifying matches for both the men’s and women’s Ladder matches. Bayley will take on Michin, while Shotzi battles IYO SKY to fill two of the remaining slots in the women’s match. With Damage CTRL seemingly not as tight as it once was, it will be interesting to see if Bayley and SKY both end up advancing.

On the men’s side, Baron Corbin will attempt to reverse his misfortune as of late when he faces Butch. And the LWO’s Santos Escobar goes one-on-one with Mustafa Ali. By the end of the night, we’ll know five of the six men and women who will compete for the briefcases in London.

That plus the latest developments in the Bloodline saga should make this a show worth watching, no doubt. It all goes down as usual starting at 8 p.m. on FOX, and we’ll have live results starting at that time as well.

WWE SmackDown preview 06/02/23: Roman celebrates, plus MITB qualifiers

Will Roman Reigns celebrate his 1,000-day reign in style on WWE SmackDown, or will the Bloodline turmoil overshadow his accomplishment?

If ever there was a time to acknowledge your Tribal Chief, this would be the night. Roman Reigns is celebrating 1,000-plus days with the Universal Championship tonight on WWE SmackDown from Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and he requests, nay, demands your presence and adulation.

(It sounds like he may even receive some new gold for the occasion.)

Alas, all is not well on the Island of Relevancy where the Tribal Chief dwells. The tension within the Bloodline erupted into open combat at Night of Champions, where The Usos accidentally superkicked Solo Sikoa … then Jimmy Uso intentionally did the same to Reigns. Will the celebration be muted as a result? Heck, will there even be a Bloodline by the end of the night?

That’s not the only thing scheduled for SmackDown that figures to be of interest and importance. Money in the Bank qualifiers are underway, with two men already in and both men and women getting a chance to join them tonight.

LA Knight and Montez Ford, two men who we think would benefit greatly from earning the briefcase, will face each other to be added to the men’s Ladder match with Ricochet and Shinsuke Nakamura. Zelina Vega, who came up short in her opportunity to dethrone Rhea Ripley at Backlash, will try to put herself right back in the title hunt if she can beat Lacey Evans (remember her?) for a spot in the women’s Ladder match.

We anticipate there being plenty to discuss when this particular episode of SmackDown is through. You’ll want to tune in tonight at 8 p.m. on Fox, or join us back here on Wrestling Junkie as we break it all down with live updates and such. See you then!

WWE SmackDown results 05/26/23: Bloodline on the KO Show can only end one way …

See what transpired during the final WWE SmackDown before Night of Champions.

Just like Inigo Montoya before he reveals he’s not left-handed, we’ve got something to share: Tonight’s WWE SmackDown is not live.

You very likely are already aware of that, seeing as Night of Champions is tomorrow in Saudi Arabia, and talent reportedly left for Jeddah on Tuesday. That means this SmackDown was pre-recorded after last Friday’s show.

It’s a weird set of circumstances for a go-home show, but such are the logistical hurdles WWE must jump through when putting on shows in Saudi Arabia. It’s strange for us as well, because while the results are already out there, we’re going to press on and cover the episode like it’s playing out for the first time.

So let’s dig into what we’re getting. The most heavily promoted segment has been Kevin Owens hosting The KO Show with two guests who might not be in the mood for witty banter. We’re talking about Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa, a.ka. The Bloodline, a.k.a. the two men who are going to try to take the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship from Owens and Sami Zayn on Saturday.

Let’s just say the chances of this erupting into violence are very high.

There’s also going to be a United States Championship match that could be very good. Austin Theory defends his title one-one-one against Sheamus, a man he’s never faced in a singles match until tonight. Er, last Friday night. You get what I’m saying.

Also, AJ Styles will get a tough stay busy match before he tries to become the first ever holder of the new World Heavyweight Championship as he takes on Karrion Kross.

Not to shabby for an episode that’s already taken place, or at least it appears that way.

WWE SmackDown results:

  • Austin Theory def. Sheamus by pinfall to retain the WWE United States Championship, thanks in part to Pretty Deadly causing chaos by attacking the Brawling Brutes at ringside
  • Roman Reigns tells Paul Heyman to let The Usos know they can join the Tribal Chief in the ring for the 1000-day celebration of his title reign, and now it’s Jimmy Uso who is chafing under Roman’s leadership and seems to be walking a thin line

  • Raquel Rodriguez and Shotzi def. Damage CTRL (Bayley and IYO SKY) by pinfall, helped by some miscommunication by Bayley and IYO
  • A pair of videos hypes the World Heavyweight Championship tourney final at Night of Champions, taking individual looks at Seth Rollins and AJ Styles
  • Cameron Grimes def. Ashante Thee Adonis by pinfall, but gets attacked by Baron Corbin on his way back up the ramp
  • Bianca Belair discusses how this version of Asuka wants more than just her Raw Women’s Championship, and though she is jumped from behind by the Empress of Tomorrow, she fights back and nearly hits a KOD before officials and referees usher Asuka out of harm’s way

  • LA Knight def. Rick Boogs by pinfall, then turns his attention to calling out the Street Profits, who were on guest commentary
  • Karrion Kross and Scarlett say Styles should be worried about what kind of condition he’ll be in after their match tonight
  • A video vignette plays for Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn
  • AJ Styles def. Karrion Kross after Michin helps drive off Scarlett to prevent any hijinks
  • Styles takes a second backstage to say that Rollins can be invincible … but not phenomenal, which he’ll prove tomorrow
  • A video package promotes the ongoing feud between Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar before they meet again at Night of Champions
  • The KO Show (which is The Kevin and Sami Show) prepares to “welcome” Roman Reigns and Solo Sikoa, but The Usos storm the ring instead, ending with Jimmy Uso saying ” … I am the Tribal Chief”; Reigns is obviously none too happy when he arrives, and after Owens stuns Reigns, all heck breaks loose; Reign spears Zayn after Sikoa spikes both the tag team champs, and Jimmy ends up holding the tag team belts before Jey takes them and hands them to Roman

WWE SmackDown preview May 19: Sami, KO face to face with the Bloodline

This week’s WWE SmackDown will also see the in-ring debut of Pretty Deadly and “The Grayson Waller Effect” making its Friday night premiere.

The popular show “As the Bloodline Turns” will continue tonight at WWE SmackDown in Columbia, South Carlina.

OK, so there’s not really a soap opera (look them up, kids) with that name, but it feels like there could be given all the drama the group has gone through over the past year and a half. The latest development saw Roman Reigns publicly call out The Usos for their inability to wrest the tag team titles back from Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn, as well as their questionable decision (in his eyes) to dedicate their failure to him.

Like any good Tribal Chief, Reigns is taking matters into his own hands, as he and Solo Sikoa, not The Usos, will challenge the champs for the belts at Night of Champions. To that end, the two teams will get a chance to see each other in person on SmackDown, a confrontation that should be plenty of fun.

As for Jey and Jimmy, it’s not like they get the night off. No, they’ll be somewhat awkwardly hanging around, as they have a match against the LWO’s Rey Mysterio and Santos Escobar. It’s not likely a victory in a regular tag team match would get them back in Reigns’ good graces, but it would be a lot better than another ‘L.’

On top of that, we’ve got some key debuts by recent NXT call-ups. Pretty Deadly will hit the ring for the first time on Friday nights, taking on Butch and Ridge Holland of the Brawling Brutes. And a certain brash Australian will bring the “Grayson Waller Effect” to SmackDown for the first time, with what he says will be a big star as his guest.

It’s all set to kick off live on Fox at 8 p.m. ET, so tune in live or check with us for the latest from WWE SmackDown in Columbia later this evening.

WWE SmackDown results: Phenomenal night for AJ Styles sends him to tourney final

See who emerged from the SmackDown side of the tournament and what Roman Reigns had to say.

Knoxville, get ready for a packed two hours of WWE SmackDown tonight.

It’s the first episode with the new post-WWE Draft rosters, but the biggest intrigue is arguably about six men vying to be off to Raw. That’s because it’s the second night of the WWE World Heavyweight Championship Tournament, and if the SmackDown representative wins the whole thing, he’ll be defending that title exclusively on Monday nights.

Be that as it may, the Triple Threat matches for tonight are pretty sweet. One features AJ Styles, Edge and Rey Mysterio, while the other will see Austin Theory, Bobby Lashley and Sheamus collide. The winners will then face each other in what we expect will be the night’s main event, with that winner then going against Seth Rollins at Night of Champions for the title.

There are also titles up for grabs tonight. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez will defend their WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship against the Damage CTRL duo of Bayley and Dakota Kai, because we guess IYO SKY can’t get all the title shots even though we’d stan for that.

Last and certainly not least, Roman Reigns now calls SmackDown his exclusive home, and he’ll be live in Knoxville as well. What will he want to talk about? Not Cody Rhodes any more, probably, so look for him to address the tension within the Bloodline and the status of The Usos.

It should be an entertaining two hours of pro wrestling without a whole lot of filler, which is just the way we like it.

WWE SmackDown results for Knoxville:

(click any match with a link for full details)

  • AJ Styles def. Edge and Rey Mysterio by pinning Edge to advance in a WWE World Heavyweight Championship Tournament first round match
  • Bobby Lashley def. Sheamus and Austin Theory by pinning Theory to advance in a WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament first round match
  • Grayson Waller gets Adam Pearce to agree to put the SmackDown tourney finalist on his talk show next week
  • Cameron Grimes def. Baron Corbin by pinfall in a matter of seconds to win his SmackDown debut
  • Accompanied by the entire Bloodline, Roman Reigns gives tons of credit to Solo Sikoa for solving problems, but wants The Usos to apologize for losing a match they dedicated to him …

  • … and after Reigns getting in Jimmy’s face, Jey steps in and apologizes but gets some surprising news: Solo and Roman will go for the tag team titles at Night of Champions
  • Damage CTRL seems to be having a Bloodline moment of its own with Bayley saying she pushed IYO SKY too hard and that she and Dakota Kai will win the tag team titles tonight
  • Still, stinging from their public humiliation, the Usos get into it briefly with the LWO but decide not to press it since they’re outnumbered
  • Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez def. Damage CTRL (Bayley and Dakota Kai) by pinfall to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
  • The Brawling Brutes get a visit from Pretty Deadly but don’t know what to make of them
  • Bianca Belair has a championship celebration in front of her hometown fans that is quickly interrupted by Asuka, who sprays her with the blue mist
  • AJ Styles def. Bobby Lashley by pinfall in a World Heavyweight Championship Tournament semifinal

20 best WWE matches of all time: Stone Cold, Shawn Michaels, John Cena and more

Shawn Michaels, The Undertaker and Kurt Angle are among the WWE superstars with multiple matches on this list.

Rankings of the best anything are always tricky, definitely subjective, and absolutely a lot of fun. When it comes to the best WWE matches of all time, however, there’s also another factor: There’s just so many of them.

Consider lists of the best movie or TV series. Yes, there are a ton of each over the years. But in any given year, there are maybe dozens of movies to consider, and great TV shows tend to last for several years, even in the modern streaming age.

WWE goes nonstop every tear, putting matches on Raw and SmackDown weekly and holding bigger premium live event cards monthly. That’s hundreds of new matches annually, and while some are unquestionably more significant than others, each one is a separate performance with its own unique context.

Just narrowing that list of potential candidates down could be a Herculean effort, but we found a way to reduce the work and make the resulting list pseudo-scientific at the same time. We came up with a formula that incorporates both Cagematch ratings and the Wrestling Observer’s star ratings to give each of the greatest WWE matches ever their own score.

The end product has a satisfying cross-section in terms of both types of matches and chronology, as it includes bouts from 1994 up through this year. Certain names appear multiple times — you’d expect nothing less from the likes of Shawn Michaels, for instance — but there’s also nice variety in terms of who made the cut overall.

And while we certainly have our own opinions about where certain matches should fall in the top 20, we decided to let the rankings remain where the numbers said they should fall. After all, debating lists like this is part of what makes being a pro wrestling fan so much fun. Where possible, we’ve included the full video of the match so you can relive them as you go.

Without further ado, here are the best WWE matches of all time, working from 20 up to No. 1.

WWE Backlash 2023 results: Bad Bunny shines, Cody Rhodes sneaks out a W

Get live updates for Bad Bunny vs. Damian Priest, Cody Rhodes vs. Brock Lesnar, and all the WWE Backlash matches from San Juan.

While WWE Backlash typically deals with the fallout from WrestleMania, the 2023 edition set to take place in San Juan, Puerto Rico seems more like it’s going to be the show that answers a bunch of pressing questions.

The two biggest men’s matches fall into that category. One sees Cody Rhodes facing off with Brock Lesnar after the Beast Incarnate attacked him several weeks ago. Can the American Nightmare pass this very stiff test and get back on the road to finishing his story?

The other is an aptly named San Juan Street Fight between music superstar Bad Bunny and Damian Priest. In this showdown between former friends, can Bad Bunny continue his string of impressive in-ring showings in his first solo match?

Both women’s championships will be on the line at Backlash as well. Neither Bianca Belair nor Rhea Ripley is expected to lose, but if that indeed turns out to be the case, what will happen to their championships — since both women were drafted to the “opposite” shows last week?

As has increasingly been the case as of late, there’s a big question about the Bloodline too. The Usos came up short in their attempt to regain the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship, and even worse, dedicated their effort to their Tribal Chief. As they team with Solo Sikoa to face Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Matt Riddle, are they all on the same page, and what will happen to Jey and Jimmy if they lose?

There should be answers to all of these questions before the night is over at the Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot, and we’ll be bringing them all to you here at Wrestling Junkie.

WWE Backlash 2023 results:

(click on any match link for full details)

WWE SmackDown results: Bad Bunny unites with the LWO

Bad Bunny and Cody Rhodes are looking to make a final point or two ahead of their respective Backlash matches.

WWE Backlash is almost ready to ignite the fans of San Juan, Puerto Rico, but they’ll get a chance to see some of their favorite wrestlers — and the biggest recording artist in the world — a night ahead of time tonight on WWE SmackDown.

Bad Bunny was announced some time ago as the host of Backlash, which made all the sense in the world. But he’s been embroiled in some drama involving The Judgment Day since WrestleMania, and it all boiled over once Damian Priest put him through an announce table.

As tends to happen in WWE, Bad Bunny came looking for Priest with a kendo stick, and the two men ended up getting booked for a San Juan Street Fight for Saturday night. Before that takes place, we’ll see if Bad Bunny gets the final word on SmackDown.

Another superstar who figures to want to say his piece ahead of a big Backlash match is Cody Rhodes. What will the American Nightmare want to talk about ahead of his showdown with Brock Lesnar?

Matches? Yep, there have been a couple of those promoted for SmackDown as well. Shinsuke Nakamura will take on Karrion Kross in singles action, while the Viking Raiders take on Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows of The O.C. in a tag team match.

Neither of those jumps out as a main event, so figure we’ll get another prominent match added to the card during the show that will fill that spot and whip the crowd into a proper pre-Backlash frenzy.

WWE SmackDown results from San Juan:

  • Rey Mysterio and the LWO hit the ring but are quickly joined by The Judgment Day, and San Juan hates Dominik Mysterio as much as any U.S. audience, and they end up agreeing to a mixed tag match before Dom gets in a cheap shot on his dad
  • The O.C. def. The Viking Raiders by pinfall
  • Michael Cole and Wade Barrett promote the World Heavyweight Championship tournament taking place next week
  • Bianca Belair talks about how important SmackDown is to her before she’s interrupted by Damage CTRL; Bayley calls her conceited, and Belair gets assistance from Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez when it inevitably turns into a fight

  • Karrion Kross delivers one last warning to Shinsuke Nakamura
  • The Usos are getting psyched for their Backlash match, but Solo Sikoa just silently wraps his thumb before finally telling his brothers they better do their part

  • Street Profits def. Imperium (Ludwig Kaiser and Giovanni Vinci) by pinfall
  • A lengthy hype video for the Cody Rhodes-Brock Lesnar match is shown
  • “I don’t have any time to be scared of Brock Lesnar.” Rhodes hits the ring for his mic time, some of it in Spanish, and makes his case for calling Lesnar a gatekeeper while vowing to get back on track to finishing his story

  • Nakamura has just one thing to say to Kross: Come on!
  • Matt Riddle thinks he, Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn have the Bloodline right where they want them for Backlash
  • Shinsuke Nakamura def. Karrion Kross by pinfall
  • A video package provides a closer look at the NXT talent drafted to SmackDown, including Isla Dawn and Alba Fyre, Cameron Grimes, Pretty Deadly and Grayson Waller
  • Adam Pearce welcomes Cameron Grimes to SmackDown but their discussion is interrupted by the non-drafted Baron Corbin, and they end up agreeing to a match next week
  • Zelina Vega and Rey Mysterio def. Rhea Ripley and Dominik Mysterio by pinfall, only to be attacked by The Judgment Day right after the bell, but …
  • … Bad Bunny leads the LWO to the rescue, though his kendo stick shots intended for Damian Priest are intercepted by Dom; Bad Bunny accepts and puts on an LWO shirt to end the show