Tag: Valhalla

One of the police officers involved in Scottie Scheffler’s arrest at PGA Championship was charged and arrested for theft

Downs was one of the three officers who failed to turn on their body cams during Scheffler’s incident at Valhalla.

In one of the wildest stories of the last 10 years in golf, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, just a month after winning his second green jacket at the Masters, was arrested early Friday morning of the PGA Championship back in May.

Since his arrest, Scheffler has been cleared of all charges.

On Friday, Ward Jolles of Wave 3 News in Louisville reported that LMPD Officer Javar Downs was arrested for stealing $4,000 he seized from a suspect being booked into jail.

Downs was one of the three officers who failed to turn on their body cams during Scheffler’s incident at Valhalla.

LMPD has put Downs on “emergency suspension” and has “begun the process of terminating the employment of Officer Downs.”

 

WWE Raw results 02/05/24: Cody wins, but is Drew in the ‘Mania mix now too?

Gunther has a new challenger, and nothing was really resolved with Cody Rhodes and WrestleMania on WWE Raw this week.

It’s not easy to get more popular when you’re already the top face in the top wrestling promotion. Yet that very well might apply to Cody Rhodes, who will be front and center during tonight’s episode of WWE Raw in St. Louis.

All it took was WWE putting The Rock, possibly because of a clause in his new deal to join the TKO board, in position to face Roman Reigns at WrestleMania. You know, the spot that was going to allow Rhodes to finish his story, the one that he earned by beating 29 other competitors in the Royal Rumble.

That one.

So now the American Nightmare, already very over with the fans, has the sympathy factor going for him too. To be fair, there are also a lot of people who really do want to see The Rock vs. Roman at WrestleMania. Some of those people are also Rhodes supporters, though, and they didn’t want to see it come about this way.

But hey, there are still two months to WrestleMania, so who knows what could happen until then? What we do know is that tonight, building off something that happened at a house show over the weekend, Rhodes will face Shinsuke Nakamura in a Bull Rope match. What’s better for getting out some frustration than being tied together with one of your enemies by a rope and then using it to beat them with it?

Well don’t look at us, we’ve never been in a match like this. We’d expect the answer is “probably nothing.”

Whether you’re part of the “WHOA movement” or just want to see what happens next in the ongoing drama that is WWE, come along on this ride that is Raw tonight.

WWE Raw results from St. Louis:

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

  • That ending from SmackDown is shown again, with The Rock making his appearance after Cody Rhodes told Roman Reigns he wasn’t coming for him at WrestleMania
  • Seth Rollins calls out Cody Rhodes for a WrestleMania answer, but Drew McIntyre spoils their conversation
  • #DIY def. The Creed Brothers, The New Day and Imperium, and will go to SmackDown to face Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate with the winner of that match earning a tag team title shot
  • Shayna Baszler says the last Elimination Chamber match she was in didn’t go the way she wanted, but she gets Becky Lynch tonight without having to jump through any hoops; Lynch is shown as well, saying her future is on the line in this match
  • Becky Lynch def. Shayna Baszler by pinfall in an Elimination Chamber qualifier
  • Liv Morgan talks about the long time she spent out with injury and how badly she needs to earn her place in Elimination Chamber to start on the path to revenge against Rhea Ripley
  • Adam Pearce warns McIntyre that he’s close to being fined for his behavior, and both men look surprised that Ripley is on her way out to the ring
  • Rhea Ripley wants Nia Jax, and gets her in two ways: a title match at Elimination Chamber and a scrap right now, which Nia wins definitively
  • A video package is shown of Bayley getting betrayed by Damage CTRL and challenging IYO SKY at WrestleMania
  • Ivar and Valhalla def. Akira Tozawa and Maxxine Dupri by pinfall
  • The Judgment Day says Ripley will be alright but gets joined by R-Truth, and eventually Damian Priest just gives up and tells him to make himself at home
  • Jackie Redmond talks to The Miz about Truth’s situation
  • The Miz def. JD McDonagh by pinfall, in large part because JD gets distracted by Truth giving him a cut of t-shirt sales during the match, and yes that is really what happened
  • A hype video promotes Katana Chance and Kayden Carter and their attempt to reclaim the tag team titles tonight
  • Imperium insists to Pearce that everything must be perfect for Gunther tonight, and as they leave, the GM makes his offer to Bron Breakker
  • A video package checks in on CM Punk as he deals with surgery and his recovery
  • Gunther celebrates 600 days as Intercontinental Champion by getting a new potential challenger: Jey Uso
  • Shinsuke Nakamura scoffs at the idea that a Bull Rope match gives Rhodes an advantage tonight, promising to beat Cody in the match his own family made famous
  • The Kabuki Warriors def. Katana Chance and Kayden Carter by pinfall to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship
  • Sami Zayn sat down with Redmond earlier today to discuss thinking back to this same time a year ago, when he was preparing to face Roman Reigns at Elimination Chamber; Zayn says Triple H pulled him aside after losing to Reigns and told him not to be down, comparing Sami to Rocky, and he says he’s gone beyond underdog to contender
  • Cody Rhodes def. Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall in a Bull Rope match
  • Right after the bell, McIntyre attacks Rhodes, leaving him looking at the lights with the WrestleMania XL sign in the background as Raw goes off the air
Image credit: WWE.com

Seth Rollins wants an answer from Cody Rhodes, but Drew McIntyre wants to get in his two cents

Michael Cole makes sure to point out that the World Heavyweight Champion is wearing a brace on his left leg. It doesn’t affect the pop he gets, as he points out.

Rollins antagonizes the crowd just a bit, and when it appears they want Cody, he says he does too, inviting the American Nightmare to join him. It’s an enormous reaction for him, as you might expect, and when he asks what everyone wants to talk about, there’s a “Rocky sucks” chant and Cole asks if it’s 1996 again.

Seth says he understands what Cody is going through but needs answers, and he stands by the words he said when he called the World Heavyweight Championship the most prestigious title in the sport. More than that, Rollins says he needs to know if he’s the best, and the only way to do that is to test himself again the best … meaning Cody.

“Are you gonna fight me at WrestleMania?” But Rollins gets no answer, as Drew McIntyre decides to join the party. The Scottish Warrior says he was supposed to be talking to Rollins about their main event match at WrestleMania and implores Rhodes to finish the story.

Rollins is sort of bewildered, wondering why McIntyre thinks he’ll get a shot at the world title if Rhodes refuses. Drew at least compliments Seth for making his championship the workhorse title and contrasts him with Roman Reigns and The Bloodline.

Rhodes wants to say something but is hushed as McIntyre says it’s time for him to take the title form here, smacking the champ after he does. Cody snaps into action and hammers Drew right back, but the Scottish Warrior only grins as he retreats back up the ramp.

Image credit: WWE.com

Rhea Ripley should be careful what she wishes for with Nia Jax

The Women’s World Champion hardly sounds like a heel as she gets cheers while storming to the ring. Ripley makes it clear in no uncertain terms that she wants to rip Nia Jax’s bloody head off, but Adam Pearce heads down the ramp and says we aren’t doing this right now.

Pearce is giving Rhea what she wants … but at Elimination Chamber, where they will battle over the title. Much to Pearce’s dismay, Jax makes a beeline for the ring, getting the best of Ripley in a scrap that security can’t stop, and delivering the Annihilator to boot.

Image credit: WWE.com

Gunther’s celebration is crashed by a new contender … Yeet!

The Ring General says it’s to the surprise of absolutely nobody that he’s standing in the ring commemorating 600 days as champion. He tells Ludwig Kaiser that he appreciates the effort Imperium gave to putting this together but doesn’t want anything like this going forward — because it’s a given that he’s the greatest Intercontinental Champion of all time.

Gunther says his problem now is he’s running out of competition. That boast is answered by some familiar entrance music as Jey Uso makes his way to the ring.

The champ admits he’s not surprised to see Jey after he eliminated Uso from the Royal Rumble but is irritated at the apparent disrespect. Jey says there’s no disrespect as he knows the work Gunther put in.

Gunther replies that Uso is one of the most decorated tag team wrestlers of all time and holds the record for longest tag team reign. The best part is he only had to put in 50% of the work for it.

Uso is unfazed as he has the crowd going “Yeet” behind him, though Gunther continues to taunt him for only now stepping out of his family’s shadow. He says he’ll beat Jey worse than his family ever did, and that Jey will wish he’s back in the says where people couldn’t tell him and his brother apart.

That leads to an attack by Jey, and when the 3-on-1 odds quickly turn against him, The New Day runs down to make things even and chase the heels away.

Image credit: WWE.com

The Kabuki Warriors ensure they’re the ones partying by fending off Katana Chance and Kayden Carter

Can the C&C tag team factory win their titles back? Asuka seems like she’s in no mood for it, running over Chance and berating her as she continues her assault. The Empress of Tomorrow also laughs after getting slapped and goes right back to trying to bully Chance.

Katana manages to roll up Asuka for a two count, then tags her partner to take the fight to the floor. Carter boosts Chance into a leaping move on the outside, and the challengers look good as commercials arrive.

The champs are still in control after the break, though the announcers note that both the Kabuki Warriors are taped up after Bayley lit into them with a metal pipe on SmackDown. Chance tags in and uses her speed to keep Kairi Sane flustered, then stomps away in the corner.

Sane eats a knee and a double stomp on the back of the neck but kicks out at two. Carter tags in and helps her teammate deliver the Afterparty, but a save is made to prevent a three count.

The champs want the Keg Stand, but Sane drags Carter out to the floor to stop it, and Kairi follows with the Insane Elbow to ensure the champs retain.

Image credit: WWE.com

Cody Rhodes gets some measure of relief with a Bull Rope match victory over Shinsuke Nakamura

Nakamura looks a bit perplexed by the rope, and instead of getting strapped in, he launches a sneak attack on Rhodes right before the bell rings. Shinsuke does get his hand in his end, and the two men slug it out with right hands before Cody finds and rings the bell in the middle of the rope. They fight to the outside and over the barricade as an early commercial break ensues.

It’s Nakamura pressing the attack in the corner, then choking Rhodes with his boot. Cody rolls out to the floor, then gets dragged hard into the apron, selling damage to his knee. Shinsuke drives a knee into the back of his foe’s neck inside the ring and covers for a near fall.

Rhodes’ rally leads to a Figure Four, much to the delight of the fans, but Nakamura manages to free himself right before the show’s last ad break.

We return to see another burst of offense from Rhodes and a near fall. Shinsuke responds by getting Cody seated in the ropes and kicking him in the back of the head.

It might be Kinshasa time, but Rhodes puts a stop to that thought with a Cody Cutter. Cody fires up with the help of the fans, and the two men trade shots in the middle of the ring. A Bionic Elbow connects, but Nakamura uses a kick to knock Rhodes down too.

Cody sees the Kinshasa coming again and is able to hit a Pedigree for a close two count. Even after being sprayed with the red mist, Cody is able to deliver a Cross Rhodes, but he puts his hands on his face in dismay as Shinsuke kicks out at two.

As Shinsuke tries again for a Kinshasa, Rhodes blocks it, uses the rope to crotch Nakamura, and hits a second Cross Rhodes that ends it.

WWE Raw results 01/22/24: Punk, Rhodes have a classic showdown, Priest upended

Seth Rollins also vowed to fight on to WrestleMania on WWE Raw from New Orleans.

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There’s a big time moment of truth that will lead off tonight’s episode of WWE Raw from New Orleans.

(From the Smoothie King Center, one of our favorite venue names anywhere.)

Seth Rollins is advertised to open the show, which isn’t unusual for Raw. As World Heavyweight Champion, the Visionary is pretty much The Man on this brand.

That would normally suggest he’s in line for a big time match at WrestleMania, perhaps even one that fans have been clamoring for ever since a certain Chicago native made his return to WWE.

But there’s been a complication: Rollins is hurt, and we don’t know at the moment how it might affect his availability over the next few months.

Might another segment on tonight’s show offer a clue? CM Punk and Cody Rhodes are going to be face to face in NOLA, which should be an entertaining exchange. While no one knows exactly what will happen next, the most popular theory is that Punk will win the Royal Rumble (he’s the betting favorite at the moment), positioning him to challenge Rollins, while Rhodes has to jump through one more hoop to try to finish his story against Roman Reigns.

But what if Rollins says he’s too injured and relinquishes his title? That isn’t what we expect to happen, but if it does, that would potentially change everything less than a week out from Royal Rumble.

These are the kind of intriguing nights wrestling fans live for, and we’re anxiously awaiting it as well. Off we go!

WWE Raw results from New Orleans:

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

  • CM Punk and Cody Rhodes are shown walking into the arena earlier today, hyping up their “confrontation” later in the show
  • Seth Rollins is determined to stay the course for WrestleMania, but Gunther’s sights are set on Seth’s world championship
  • The New Day (Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods) vs. Imperium (Giovanni Vinci and Ludwig Kaiser) goes to a no contest after they end up in a wild brawl that ends up with all four men going through tables together out in the crowd
  • A trailer is shown for WWE 2K24, which was officially revealed today
  • The Judgment Day has a little tension going on, with Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley especially heated, and Finn Balor says he’ll do Rhea a favor and display his vicious side tonight
  • Maxxine Dupri says Ivy Nile is ready for her match tonight … which happens to be next
  • Ivy Nile def. Valhalla by pinfall
  • Jey Uso daps up The New Day, who tell Jackie Redmond that if people think they can’t stand on business just because they’re entertaining a lot of the time, they’re sadly mistaken; to that end, Kofi Kingston challenges Gunther to a title match next week on Raw
  • Nia Jax, Becky Lynch and Bayley all explain why they will win the Royal Rumble
  • A Royal Rumble “By the Numbers” package is shown
  • Lynch gets briefly taunted by Ripley backstage

  • Dominik Mysterio def. The Miz by pinfall; not only does Balor assist in the victory, he attacks Miz after the bell, but #DIY comes to the rescue
  • Priest is about to talk about his match with Drew McIntyre when he has to stop and tell R-Truth that this isn’t the right time; Priest then turns back to McIntyre and says he will receive his punishment tonight
  • Bronson Reed warns Jey Uso that their paths are eventually going to cross, so they might as well get it out of the way, and he challenges Jey to a match next week
  • Ivar def. Chad Gable by pinfall, thanks in part to some assistance from Valhalla
  • Cody Rhodes and CM Punk discuss the past … and the uncertain future that starts this Saturday
  • A video package features Hulk Hogan talking about the birth of Hulkamania and how he sees some of it in current stars, and he also discusses the Royal Rumble matches and his favorites in each one
  • Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark def. Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell by pinfall; after the bell, the Kabuki Warriors attack tag team champs Katana Chance and Kayden Carter, who were watching from ringside
  • Drew McIntyre has nothing to say about the Rhodes-Punk confrontation, but he does have some tough talk for Priest, who he says isn’t ready to be world champion
  • Damage CTRL is feeling good, but Adam Pearce stops by and has to intervene when Natalya and Tegan Nox take exception to them, and Dakota Kai says if he has a problem with them, Pearce needs to take it up with Nick Aldis; Pearce turns and sees Indus Sher behind him, and he agrees to have a chat with Jinder Mahal
  • A second Royal Rumble By the Numbers package is shown with more fun tidbits and stats
  • Drew McIntyre def. Damian Priest by pinfall, aided largely by some very unfortunate timing on the part of R-Truth

Seth Rollins isn’t missing WrestleMania, but that might mean dealing with Gunther

The World Heavyweight Champion is serenaded by fans as usual as he heads to the ring, though there’s something unmistakably different about him: the brace on his left knee. It’s over his dress pants, though, which seems like a bit of a show, and the fans deliver a loud “thank you Seth” chant.

Rollins shows his appreciation for the love he’s receiving before going into an explanation of when he hurt himself a week ago facing Jinder Mahal. Seth says while doing a moonsault, he felt his knee “go in” in a way it’s not supposed to, but it took until he got to the back to sink in that he might be seriously hurt.

The champ goes on to say that it made him feel like a bit of a liar that he says he is always better and stronger, and he also says it crossed his mind that it was a real possibility that he might miss WrestleMania. Rollins says his MRI results were not great: grade 2 MCL tear and partially torn meniscus. It will mean four months off if he gets surgery, so he’s taking it day by day for now.

While that’s sinking in, Gunther’s music hits and Imperium makes its way to the ring, with the Ring General joining Rollins. Seth says he doesn’t have time for this and Imperium should just get an attack out of the way if that’s the plan.

Gunther says no, and that he’s really just out there to tell Rollins what he thinks of the world champ. As Gunther puts it, Seth has been in a tough position right from the start, expected to be a workhorse and living up to the ideal of a champion everyone can be proud of — just like Gunther.

It kind of pulls on Gunther’s heart strings seeing Rollins like this, he claims, and even saddens him to think Seth might not make it to WrestleMania. Rollins says Imperium should have let him finish, as he insists he will take the title to Mania and do everything in his power to leave that way too.

Gunther says he admires that, saying that as one great champion to another, he plans to win the Royal Rumble and choose Seth as his WrestleMania opponent. After he does that, the Ring General will target Seth’s knee and his back on his way to becoming World Heavyweight Champion.

Rollins replies that he appreciates the honesty, and both men say they better remember who is coming for them. Also Gunther said the Rumble is Sunday, so a graphic and Michael Cole quickly remind us it’s really Saturday.

Nia Jax, Becky Lynch, Bayley make their Royal Rumble cases

Jax asks for a mic so she can point out that the first time she went one on one with Rhea Ripley and Becky Lynch, she squashed both of them. Nia says she understands why the two of them want to fight at WrestleMania since neither of them can beat Jax.

So this Saturday, Nia plans on killing both of their dreams. That boast brings out Lynch, who tells Jax to shut up. Becky says she knows she has a target on her back in the Royal Rumble match … but not as big as the target on Nia. After all, the locker room never agrees on anything, but they do agree that no one likes Jax.

Lynch says she’s not sure what she will enjoy more, winning the Rumble match again or watching Jax lose. That brings out Bayley, who says “both of you idiots are going to lose.” The Role Model was looking for Ripley but says this is almost better.

Bayley wants to make it clear: She’s winning the Rumble and will be the one to point at the WrestleMania sign. Both Lynch and Jax start beating on her, then throwing hands with each other. Lynch hits a Manhandle Slam on Bayley but gets thrown out by Jax, who drops a leg on Bayley.

Will Cody Rhodes and CM Punk still be friends after the Royal Rumble … or even after tonight?

Punk suggests they take a second to enjoy the moment, as even though they’ve taken very different paths to get here, they’ve done it. He hopes they will still be friends come Sunday morning.

Rhodes asks both the crowd and Punk what they want to talk about, and the latter says he wants to talk about Cody’s dad. He says this is a story he’s never told, one about Dusty asking Punk to keep an eye on his son. Punk says he didn’t know Cody or think he needed a guardian angel, but when the American Dream asks for a favor, you say yes.

The job was easy, as Cody didn’t fall into any vices or get into much trouble, and Punk says he was proud of Cody. Alas, that means Saturday he’s going to feel like he’s breaking a promise, as in the Royal Rumble he’ll be looking for Cody and do whatever he needs to do to win.

Cody responds that Punk is hardly alone among people who are talking to him but thinking of Dusty. It’s a very large shadow, but Cody says he’s done everything in his power to be the light in that shadow and subvert expectations. He remembers his OVW days and appreciates Punk treating him like a peer, and later a friend.

That makes it bittersweet that in the Rumble, there are no friends. What about Sunday morning, Punk asks, wondering if Cody can separate business from personal. And he goes a step further suggesting that with his electrician dad, he’s more of the American dream than Punk.

Cody responds by bringing up the famous Pipe Bomb interview, saying that when Punk left after that, he picked up the ball and lived what CM talked … so he’s more CM Punk than the man himself.

Punk hints at a much bigger superstar coming to take Cody’s story away, but sadly he means himself and not The Rock. The American Nightmare says the only way he can go from here is forward, meaning through Punk. When Cody goes to leave, CM grabs him and spins him around, and the two men are literally nose to nose for a few tense moments.

Fans chant loudly for both men until they finally separate, with Cody leaving the ring and Punk on the other side of it.

Damian Priest gets some Truth at the wrong time against Drew McIntyre

Considering they are snarling at each other before the bell even rings, it’s no surprise that it doesn’t take long for them to lock up. An evenly fought opening few minutes finally leads them to battle on the floor, where Priest is able to run McIntyre into the post. A Broken Arrow onto the announce table is next, leaving the Judgment Day stalwart in good shape going into a commercial break.

Priest is still knocking McIntyre around after the break, scoring a near fall after a running lariat. A chinlock keeps the Scottish Warrior grounded for just a sec, but simultaneous big boots leave both men on the canvas.

McIntyre kips up and hears some cheers as he looks for a Claymore, but Priest sidesteps it only to be caught by a spinebuster for a two count. Priest responds with a flatliner of sorts that gets him two right back.

A series of kicks from Priest is answered by a Glasgow Kiss. McIntyre heads up top but gets caught by a kick to the back of the head, and Priest turns some counters into a Broken Arrow and another near fall.

Priest hits his feet on the top rope but still pulls off a somersault plancha, but R-Truth shows up and distracts him at a critical moment. That allows McIntyre to hit the Future Shock, and he lines up again for a Claymore attempt.

Truth is on the apron now, and takes a right hand from McIntyre. Priest hits the South of Heaven, but the ref is occupied with Truth and the money scattered all over the ring.

You know what’s coming next: a Claymore from McIntyre, giving Scottish Warrior the win.

WWE Raw results 07/31/23: Cody, Brock dance again, Finn’s delay costs Damian

Also on WWE Raw from Houston, Trish Stratus learned she won’t be able to run from Becky Lynch in two weeks.

It occurred as the picture for this WWE Raw report was uploading that there’s probably been more than one just like it over the past few months. It’s true: We’ve been here before with Cody Rhodes and Brock Lesnar, and now we’ll have to wait and see if anything is different tonight on the final episode of Raw before SummerSlam.

Not only have they fought twice on premium live events already this year, but the buildup for all of them has been more or less the same. Cody says he wants to fight Brock due to something the Beast Incarnate did to him. Lesnar doesn’t really respond, but he attacks Rhodes at some point, then Cody “surprisingly” gets one over before their match. Any other times they meet in there, a pull-apart brawl breaks out.

The strong suspicion is that with WWE promoting the fact that both men will be in the Toyota Center tonight, the same script will be followed. Still, surprising to the upside is one of the things that makes pro wrestling great and keeps us all coming back for more. Maybe tonight will be one of those nights and push the anticipation for “one of the main events of SummerSlam” even higher. Maybe.

Elsewhere, the teaming of Seth Rollins and Sami Zayn to fight The Judgment Day’s Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio feels like one of those superhero team-ups from the Silver Age. Why shouldn’t two of our heroes join forces to combat a dastardly group of villains? That was a rhetorical question, because of course they should.

Let’s get to it.

WWE Raw results from Houston:

Boos and cheers, but mostly boos, greet Logan Paul as he opens the show. He gets right to insulting the fans before vowing to beat Ricochet in the most viral WWE match of all time.

The Highlight of the Night makes his way out to the stage, informing Paul that “you not the good guy in this situation.” Ricochet says he may not like anything about him but does respect Logan’s status as an athlete and performer.

Paul says the thing between them started all the way back at Royal Rumble when he made them go viral on the double jump spot. Alas, he can’t help but bring Ricochet’s fiancé, Samantha Irvin, into it, touching off a brawl that he wins thanks to his “titanium-reinforced” right hand. Ahem.

Gunther is asked if he has any concerns about facing Drew McIntyre at SummerSlam, but the Intercontinental Champion is mostly disappointed with his Imperium running mates. He’s giving Ludwig Kaiser a chance to redeem himself tonight, however, against Matt Riddle, and says he will end McIntyre once and for all this Saturday.

Ludwig Kaiser def. Matt Riddle by pinfall

Imagine having a very stern parent or teacher watching you over your shoulder while you work, and you get an idea of what kind of pressure Kaiser is under here. He does some impressive work in the opening minutes and gets some advice from the Ring General, but a Floating Bro turns things around.

Not sure this match seemed like it would go so long, but it’s probably the best match Kaiser has wrestled in a long time. And to that end, he actually finishes Riddle with a DDT. Wow!

And he gets a handshake from Gunther following his big win. Strangely heartwarming.

Paul is stopped by Byron Saxton and once again promises his match with Ricochet will go extremely viral. Make your disease joke here.

A video package set to a popular song that probably got that way because of TikTok hypes up Cody Rhodes-Brock Lesnar III.

Maxxine Dupri def. Valhalla by pinfall

The idea here is to see how much Dupri has absorbed from Chad Gable and Otis to get ready for her singles debut. It looks like she’s learned enough, though maybe it won’t be enough to deal with the mid-match distraction of Alpha Academy and Viking Raiders brawling on the outside.

Or … maybe it is? As Valhalla tries coming off the top rope, Dupri is able to get her hoisted up and fall straight back to get the pinfall. Your winner, Maxxine Dupri, though I can’t say it as cool as Irvin does.

Tommaso Ciampa says he needs momentum and plans on starting it with a victory over Shinsuke Nakamura tonight … and both men say they’re winning the SummerSlam Battle Royal on Saturday.

The Judgment Day’s gloating time is upon us. Who can stop them? Not Kevin Owens, who they took out. Sami Zayn? Nah. Seth Rollins? Impossible after the “epic beating” last week.

Finn Balor takes special exception to Rollins’ idea of insanity, which is dressing silly and laughing like a clown. Finn says it’s nothing compared to seven years of looking at scars that Seth inflicted, and he’s itching to inflict some scars on Rollins in return.

The fans and/or pumped in noise try to drown out Dominik Mysterio, while Rhea Ripley tells all women’s division contenders to run and hide. It doesn’t appear Raquel Rodriguez is doing that as she marches to the ring to face off with Ripley. Raquel sends the Women’s World Champion to the floor and continues her assault there, but a distraction from Dom allows Ripley to drop her with a chop block to her already injured knee.

Referees and officials step in to keep more damage from being done to Rodriguez.

A hype video is shown for Ronda Rousey vs. Shayna Baszler, one that goes back through their MMA background together.

Alpha Academy is feeling good, but those spoilsports in Imperium have to bring them down. After some back and forth jawing, Gable ends up agreeing to see if he can last five minutes in the ring with Gunther.

Shinsuke Nakamura def. Tommaso Ciampa by pinfall

Bronson Reed is watching carefully on a backstage monitor, seemingly enjoying himself in the process. Nakamura nails Ciampa with a nasty knee while he’s strung across the top rope, but it’s not enough to win it.

Shinsuke does win it not long after, but only by pulling the tights to do it. Ciampa can only shake his head knowing he just got got.

The weekly SmackDown Bloodline recap is shown, which ended with Jey Uso taking the spear/Spike combo twice.

Adam Pearce tells Rodriguez that as soon as she’s medically cleared, she’ll have her match with Ripley. But not until she’s cleared.

Not often that Brock Lesnar comes to the ring to talk, but that’s what he’s doing tonight. He’s excited about the fact that he’s getting paid this Saturday to kick the crap out of Cody Rhodes and that Cody will be paid to get beaten up.

He invites Rhodes to come out, shake his hand and he’ll respect that and see him Saturday. Brock only gives Cody five seconds, but that’s enough for his music to hit.

Rhodes cautiously gets in the ring and offers his hand, which is accepted by a grinning Lesnar. Brock says something and shoves his way past Cody to leave, but Rhodes decides to launch a suicide dive.

That might have been a tactical error, as Lesnar slams him into the steps and then smashes Cody with them again for good measure. He’s not leaving just because his music hits, however, and Lesnar eventually fights his foe back into the ring for an F5.

Gunther def. Chad Gable by pinfall (though not in five minutes)

Lots of fans would probably prefer to just see these two go for it in a normal match, but you take what you can get. The agreement is that both men would leave their respective stables in the back for this bout, and so they have.

Gable manages to get the ankle lock applied with a minute left, but Gunther is able to escape and lock in a sleeper. Chad fights for all he’s worth, and he manages to dump Gunther over the top rope to the floor to run the time limit out.

An angry Gunther says the match isn’t over and asks for more time to be added to the clock, so we’re going on after some commercials.

Gable is still perplexing Gunther after the break, but a big release German suplex helps steady the ship. A superplex makes for a good response and both men are slow to regain their feet.

Gable’s deadlift German suplex gets him another near fall. Gunther finally has enough, and powerbombs the heck out of Gable to earn a victory that was harder thought than he would have imagined.

After the bell, Gunther gets on the announce table and tells fans to get used to him being up there celebrating his success. The Ring General tells McIntyre to look at Gable for the fate that awaits him Saturday, promising again to end the Scottish Warrior once and for all.

Saxton asks Rhodes if he’s going to be able to compete Saturday, to which the American Nightmare says he will shatter the aura of the Beast at SummerSlam.

“The Man has come around to Houston, Texas.” Becky Lynch is excited that she’s done everything needed to get her rematch with Trish Stratus, and she’d love for it to be here and now.

Stratus (and Zoey Stark) comes out and says no one tells her when to fight. The rematch will happen, but Trish says she’ll be the one to decide when it takes place. She takes a shot at the Astros and seems like she’s ready to take off, but Pearce comes out and says it actually will happen right now.

Becky Lynch def. Trish Stratus by DQ

Well, it was a fun idea anyway. As soon as the bell rings, Starks jumps in and the ref calls for the bell. A two-on-one brawl spills into the timekeeper’s area, with Lynch more than holding her own until Trish brings a chair into the proceedings.

Pearce tells Stratus and Stark that what just happened was “totally unacceptable,” and that Trish will have to face Becky in two weeks … and this time, Zoey will be barred from ringside.

Both Rousey and Baszler are in tears in the second part of their hype video, which is really great stuff.

Sami Zayn and Seth Rollins def. Damian Priest and Dominik Mysterio by pinfall

The good guys aren’t waiting around, attacking The Judgment Day on their way in. Things settle in after a commercial break, with both sides showing good timing on tags.

Rollins gets himself into some trouble as the heels cut the ring in half, keeping the World Heavyweight Champion stuck in enemy territory — and Balor isn’t above lending a hand when the ref is otherwise engaged.

The hot tag isn’t really a question of if so much as when, and Zayn does his part by unleashing hell on Dirty Dom. Tags are made both ways, and Rollins looks like a man possessed as he dives three straight times to the floor to knock Priest back across the announce table.

A couple of superkicks have Priest reeling, but the numbers game is starting to get to the face team. Priest grabs Rollins for the Razor’s Edge, but his gaze turns toward his briefcase. Balor delays ever so slightly in handing it to him, meaning it only ends up as a weapon.

Amid the chaos, Rollins is able to plant Priest and keep him down for three.

WWE Raw results 07/03/23: The Judgment Day looks like it’s following the Bloodline to implosion

Expect there to be plenty of repercussions from the events of Money in the Bank as WWE Raw hits Baltimore.

There’s an air of mystery tonight as WWE Raw heads to CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore.

It might be due to the fact that Money in the Bank was Saturday evening in London, meaning talent had to fly all the way back to the U.S. and be ready for Raw in short order. Don’t want to promote what you can’t deliver in case there are travel delays.

That might be why WWE has officially announced just one match ahead of time for this show. Rhea Ripley, who was at Money in the Bank to support Dominik Mysterio but didn’t have a match of her own, will defend the Women’s World Championship against Natalya. Considering Nattie’s storyline is that she’s having an identity/confidence crisis, anything other than Rhea dominating her would rank as a surprise.

Perhaps there’s more intrigue to be had throughout the rest of The Judgment Day. Both Mysterio and Finn Balor came up short in their matches, and will definitely not be in good moods as a result. In contrast, Damian Priest had one of the best nights of his career in London, and is now “Señor Money in the Bank.” Will that increase the growing tension between him and Balor?

Seth Rollins and Gunther both held onto their respective titles and will need new challenges, though the Ring General looks like he already has one in Drew McIntyre. And perhaps the tag team champions will be on hand to offer their services in some storyline or another as well.

In any case, we’re curious as to what the rest of the night will hold, so let’s check it out together.

WWE Raw results from Baltimore:

World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins hits the ring to his usual singalong and runs everyone through a recap of Money in the Bank. He’s already looking ahead to SummerSlam, however, but he doesn’t get to tell us what’s on his mind for Detroit as Cody Rhodes makes his way down the ramp.

But before Rhodes can even ask everyone what they want to talk about, Brock Lesnar comes out and brawls to the ring with Cody as Rollins hits the old dusty trail. A Cody Cutter has Rhodes standing tall and Lesnar licking his wounds, for now.

Rollins returns to the ring, this time interrupted by The Judgment Day (sans Finn Balor). Rhea Ripley tells Rollins not to worry about what Balor is doing, while Damian Priest warns him about the prospect of cashing in the briefcase on him.

When Rollins reminds Priest that the cash-in only works when the champ is beaten down or tired, the heels suggest he take on Dominik Mysterio tonight. Rollins thinks it’s probably a trap but wants to smack Dom anyway, so he lets the fans choose his own adventure. The cheers say it’s on.

Damian Priest def. Shinsuke Nakamura by pinfall

While the announcers discuss how much momentum Priest has at the moment, Shinsuke is doing well and being urged on by the crowd until he is sent into the barricade and a rare picture-in-picture stretch commences.

The crowd enjoys Shinsuke shaking his hips at Ripley, which … hey, why not? Shoot your shot, Nak. Alas, Priest eventually gets things going his way, and the South of Heaven is more than Shinsuke can take.

Fresh off her betrayal at Money in the Bank, Ronda Rousey hits the ring, though Shayna Baszler quickly joins her and mocks her mic skills. Baszler also says she owes people an apology for bringing Rousey into WWE, then accuses Ronda of ruining her love of pro wrestling.

In response, Rousey kicks her former BFF off the apron, then tries to put her to sleep. Baszler escapes and applies an ankle lock, and though Rousey finally frees herself, one big knee shot ends it … despite Rousey yelling for Baszler to come back and keep fighting.

Alpha Academy asks Maxxine Dupri if she’s ready for her first match tonight, and she certainly is. Chad Gable is ready to smack the Viking Raiders with a huge dose of patriotism too.

Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville win a Women’s Tag Team Championship No. 1 Contenders Tag Team Turmoil match

Freshly re-crowned champions Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez grab a ringside seat for this. The teams involved here are Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville, Emma and Nikki Cross, Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell, Katana Chance and Kayden Carter and Dana Brooke and Tegan Nox. Similar to a gauntlet match, two teams start out, with another randomly joining in at every elimination.

Green and Deville send LeRae and Hartwell packing first, then pin Emma and Cross as well. Brooke and Nox are defeated during picture-in-picture action, so Carter and Chance have an opportunity now. Or so it seems, as Green is able to finish them off as well. Nice way to build Green and Deville as real threats as they beat every team.

A video package reminds us all that Bronson Reed is inescapable.

Becky Lynch says she can move on from failing to win Money in the Bank, but she can’t get past the thorn in her side that is Trish Stratus. The Man erupts in laughter when Stratus comes out in a mask of the type that protects broken noses. She says she’s not medically cleared because “you broke my face,” so Lynch asks to fight Zoey Stark instead.

After some more verbal jousting, Stratus says Stark can fight Lynch next week.

Now back in his suit, Rhodes joins new member of the broadcast team Jackie Redmond to say he promised he would be waiting for Lesnar. He wants another shot at Brock, anywhere, any time.

Alpha Academy and Maxxine Dupri def. Viking Raiders and Valhalla by pinfall

There’s a lot of Chad Gable in this one, which isn’t a bad thing at all. Dupri has to wait her turn for the spotlight, but she finally gets a hot tag from Gable and gets to show off some of what she’s learned.

Her attempt at the Caterpillar goes awry, but after a moonault to the floor by Gable takes out both Raiders, Dupri is able to pull off a nifty rollup and pin Valhalla.

Ricochet says he respects Logan Paul for his ability but isn’t crazy about Paul getting in his face afterward. With that in mind, he challenges Logan to a meting in the ring next week on Raw.

Rhea Ripley def. Natalya by pinfall to retain the Women’s World Championship

Is this really a new Nattie? She’s trying to show that she is, attacking Rhea on the ramp before the match even begins. The ref asks if Ripley still wants to fight; she naturally says yes but immediately finds herself on the back foot again and seeks refuge on the floor.

As expected, Ripley’s power helps her gradually tilt things in her favor, but Natalya continues to hang tough even after a massive headbutt. Forced to dig deeper than usual into her arsenal, Rhea tries a frog splash and catches nothing but knees.

Nattie applies the Sharpshooter, and the fans are behind her now. Rhea manages to make it to the ropes to break the hold, barely. Ripley manages to powerbomb Natalya and stacks her up to finally get the three count.

After the bell, Ripley assaults Natalya even more, but Morgan and Rodriguez hustle down to put a stop to that.

Tommaso Ciampa says the difference between him and The Miz is that he’ll say things straight to your face instead of attacking someone from behind. He also claims he lit the spark that Miz used to have with their brawl, but that Miz has no idea the hand he’s holding.

The Miz continues the card analogy by saying he’s the full house, and that anyone he’s taken under his wing and betrayed him is gone. He tells Ciampa to bring the chip on his shoulder to their No DQ match next week as Tommaso will be facing the best version of Miz.

A highlight package shows the best moments from the Bloodline Civil War at Money in the Bank.

Ripley runs into IYO SKY and says if she cashes in the briefcase on her, it’ll be the biggest mistake of her life. When Mysterio and Priest arrive, Rhea says the tag team champs will regret it if they mess with her business again.

Also Dom says he’ll make Seth regret getting in the ring with him tonight, but, you know, it’s harder to take him seriously.

Matt Riddle def. Giovanni Vinci by pinfall

After a very quick match, Imperium tries to attack Riddle and make him pat for his victory. That brings Drew McIntyre to the rescue, and he easily walks through Ludwig Kaiser and sends Gunther a message with a Claymore for Vinci.

Riddle thanks McIntyre for the save, and Byron Saxton stops by to ask him about it. Riddle says they should team up against Imperium next week, but McIntyre thinks they should party it up in Baltimore tonight.

Seth Rollins def. Dominik Mysterio by DQ, which turns into an internal Judgment Day squabble

The game plan for Mysterio seems to be attacking Rollins’ already injured ribs. But the goal was never to win a match, it seems, as Priest attacks Rollins and ends the match by DQ.

Priest continues his assault after the bell, aided by his teammates when things go awry by the announce table. Dominik encourages Priest to cash in now while Rollins is hurt, and he makes his way toward the ring … only to be cut off by the arrival of Finn Balor, who has been absent all night.

As Priest and Balor bicker, Mysterio tries to calm them down, but gets a Pedigree from Rollins on his way to the safety of the stage.

PGA of America sells major-championship site Valhalla Golf Club to Louisville investors

Several Valhalla members form investment group to buy Valhalla, past site of majors and a Ryder Cup as well as the 2024 PGA.

Valhalla Golf Club has been sold by the PGA of America to a group of Louisville investors who want to “continue to bring major championships” to Kentucky, according to new co-owner Jimmy Kirchdorfer.

“Valhalla, for a 36-year-old club, has amazing history,” said Kirchdorfer, an executive with ISCO Industries. “It’s already hosted a Ryder Cup and three major championships. We just saw it as important that this is returned to local ownership. That way, we can control. We know people are going to operate in the best interest of the community.”

Kirchdorfer is a Valhalla board member who joined the club in 2004 and has previously worked with the PGA on events that have been held at the course. Three other well-known local executives joined him in the purchase: former Yum! Brands CEO David Novak, Musselman Hotels President Chester Musselman and Junior Bridgeman, a former University of Louisville basketball player who built an entrepreneurial empire following a 12-year run in the NBA.

The PGA, which bought the course from founder Dwight Gahm in 2000, confirmed the sale in a Wednesday press release, and Valhalla members were informed in an email from Keith Reese, the club’s general manager. The sale is effective immediately, according to Kirchdorfer, who did not disclose the cost of the course.

Paul Azinger
USA captain Paul Azinger is sprayed with champagne after defeating the Europeans on Day 3 of the 37th Ryder Cup at the Valhalla Golf Club in 2008. (Frank Victores-USA TODAY Sports)

“Valhalla Golf Club has proven itself to be a wonderful test of championship golf, one that is as fair as it is challenging for the top golfers in the world,” PGA of America President Jim Richerson wrote in the release. “We look forward to partnering with the new ownership group on a highly anticipated 2024 PGA Championship and working with the new owners to continue to have it as one of our championship sites.”

Valhalla, which stands on nearly 500 acres in eastern Jefferson County, is “an icon in the community,” Kirchdorfer said. It had been the only private club owned and operated by the PGA, and it was ranked by Golfweek’s Best as the No. 1 private course in the state. It ties for No. 74 on Golfweek’s Best 2022 ranking of Modern Courses in the U.S.

The course was designed by golf legend Jack Nicklaus ahead of its opening in 1986 and has hosted three PGA Championship tournaments, including a famed victory by Tiger Woods in 2000. It was home to the Ryder Cup in 2008, bringing stars of the sport from around the world to Louisville, and is set to host the PGA Championship again in 2024.

The 2024 event, which tournament officials say could pump $100 million into the local economy, will not be affected by the sale.

Kirchdorfer, a longtime golf advocate, said he got to work forming a group to bid on Valhalla after members were informed in November that the PGA had been approached by a potential buyer and would entertain other offers. All four buyers are longtime members of the club.

Tiger Woods 2000 PGA
Tiger Woods celebrates making a birdie putt on the 18th hole to force a playoff at the 2000 PGA Championship at the Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. (Donald Miralle/Allsport)

Valhalla’s status brings value to the community, he said, which the ownership group took into consideration. And while some club members expressed concerns over potential redevelopment when it hit the market last year, Kirchdorfer said the 18-hole course isn’t going anywhere.

Instead, the ownership group will work to highlight “Kentucky hospitality,” he said, and “build upon the great tradition and culture that’s already there.” So, concerned club members and others in the Louisville golf community have got that going for them, which is nice.

“Valhalla’s the crown jewel of Kentucky golf, and we wanted it locally owned like it was with the Gahm family,” Kirchdorfer said. “The Gahm family had an amazing vision and took a big risk when they took a farm and hired Jack Nicklaus to build a golf course with the hopes of bringing major championship golf to this community – and they succeeded, which a lot of people don’t.

“We just wanted to make sure that the next owners had the same mission of doing what’s best for Valhalla and the community of Louisville.”

The new owners have plenty of work to do in the next two years ahead of the 2024 PGA Championship, set for May 16-19 that year. The group plans to invest in the property to ensure it’s a “reflection of our community,” Kirchdorfer said.

An impressive turn at that 2024 tournament can send a message to the PGA – which works to promote the game with more than 28,000 members – that Louisville is a capable host for the sport’s biggest moments, according to Kirchdorfer, who previously served as vice chair of a Louisville PGA Championship.

“When we show how much this community will support the ’24 championship, we’re confident they’ll continue to bring more championships,” he said.

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Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play: Kentucky

The top-rated public-access course in Kentucky is Lassing Pointe, making the Bluegrass State one of few to have a top municipal layout.

Municipal golf shines brightly in Kentucky, with a county-owned facility ranked as No. 1 among all public-access layouts in the state. That makes it one of a small handful of states with municipal layouts ranked among their best public layouts.

Golfweek ranks courses by compiling the average ratings – on a points basis of 1 to 10 – of its more than 750 raters to create several industry-leading lists of courses. That includes the popular Best Courses You Can Play list for courses that allow non-member tee times. These generally are defined as layouts accessible to resort guests or regular daily-fee players.

Lassing Pointe Golf Course (pictured atop this story) in Union is No. 1 on that public-access list in the Bluegrass State. Built by Michael Hurdzan and opened in 1994, Lassing Pointe is owned by Boone County in the far north of Kentucky, near the borders with Indiana and Ohio.

Heritage Hill in Shepherdsville ranks No. 2 among Golfweek’s Best Courses You Can Play in Kentucky. The layout was designed by Douglas Beach and opened in 2007.

No. 3 in Kentucky is Kearney Hill in Lexington, followed by No. 4 Cherry Blossom in Georgetown and No. 5 Marriott Griffin Gate Resort & Spa in Lexington.

Kentucky also is home to a strong private club scene, with Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville topping the Golfweek’s Best Private Courses list in the state. The Jack Nicklaus-designed Valhalla also ties for No. 80 among all of Golfweek’s Best Modern Courses opened in or after 1960 in the U.S.