Tag: WWE Smackdown

How to buy WWE Smackdown tickets at Madison Square Garden

Catch all the WWE Smackdown action in person this Friday at Madison Square Garden. Limited tickets remain for as little as $78.

WWE is giving fans a trifecta and triple-threat of reasons, plus a championship factor, to get to Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 28.

This Friday will see World Wrestling Entertainment return to MSG once again, the site of the company’s first ever “Wrestlemania” event in 1985. This time, WWE is bringing “Smackdown” to the World’s Most Famous Arena.

The live event will feature a trio of “Money in the Bank” triple-threat ladder qualifying matches. The champ will be in the building, too.

SHOP: NYC WWE Smackdown tickets at Madison Square Garden

The first two will be on the women’s side. Jade Cargill vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Candice LeRae will faceoff. A second women’s feature will include Naomi vs. Blair Davenport vs. Indi Hartwell.

Finally, WWE United States Champion Logan Paul vs. LA Knight vs. Santos Escobar will compete on the men’s side.

These nine individuals have the opportunity to fight for the briefcase and earn a guaranteed shot at a World Title shot, whenever they want, for a full year.

And speaking of that title… WWE World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest vs. Jey Uso was announced by MSG.

With all that action, you’ll want to grab your tickets right now, which are starting as low as $78.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop WWE Smackdown tickets” link=”https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/Oqy4Jxm”]

How to buy WWE Smackdown tickets at Madison Square Garden

Catch all the WWE Smackdown action in person this Friday at Madison Square Garden. Limited tickets remain for as little as $78.

WWE is giving fans a trifecta and triple-threat of reasons, plus a championship factor, to get to Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 28.

This Friday will see World Wrestling Entertainment return to MSG once again, the site of the company’s first ever “Wrestlemania” event in 1985. This time, WWE is bringing “Smackdown” to the World’s Most Famous Arena.

The live event will feature a trio of “Money in the Bank” triple-threat ladder qualifying matches. The champ will be in the building, too.

SHOP: NYC WWE Smackdown tickets at Madison Square Garden

The first two will be on the women’s side. Jade Cargill vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Candice LeRae will faceoff. A second women’s feature will include Naomi vs. Blair Davenport vs. Indi Hartwell.

Finally, WWE United States Champion Logan Paul vs. LA Knight vs. Santos Escobar will compete on the men’s side.

These nine individuals have the opportunity to fight for the briefcase and earn a guaranteed shot at a World Title shot, whenever they want, for a full year.

And speaking of that title… WWE World Heavyweight Champion Damian Priest vs. Jey Uso was announced by MSG.

With all that action, you’ll want to grab your tickets right now, which are starting as low as $78.

[afflinkbutton text=”Shop WWE Smackdown tickets” link=”https://stubhub.prf.hn/l/Oqy4Jxm”]

WrestleMania SmackDown results 04/05/24: Jey Uso gets help from Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins

The Andre the Giant Battle Royal also produced a big winner at WrestleMania SmackDown from Philadelphia.

In unscripted sports, the idea of a tune-up game or match is a real thing. Think a boxer fighting an unranked journeyman prior to a big title fight, or Ohio State playing Akron in football before it heads to Michigan. Not in WWE, though, which subjects its stars to gut-wrenching, emotional contests the night before the Showcase of the Immortals, like tonight on WrestleMania SmackDown in Philadelphia.

Case in point: Jey Uso, who is going to take on his twin brother Jimmy Saturday at WrestleMania 40. If pro wrestling was a shoot, there’s approximately a 0% chance Jey would spend the night before battling it out against his younger but bigger brother, Solo Sikoa.

Why would you put yourself through the mental anguish and physical abuse? You wouldn’t. Yet here we are, and honestly it should be very entertaining.

Hopefully the same can be said about the Andre the Giant Battle Royal. It was a pretty cool idea once upon a time, a way to honor a one-of-a-kind WWE icon and get some additional people on the WrestleMania card. The winner gets a big trophy and everything.

Alas, WrestleMania got too big and popular to have filler matches, even intriguing ones like this, so it got shunted to SmackDown. There are worse fates; a strong argument could be made that this is better placement for the Andre than on the WrestleMania pre-show, when everyone is getting food and taking their last bathroom break before the Show of Shows gets rolling in earnest.

But still.

Anyway, this is all to say that while no one can wait for tomorrow night at Lincoln Financial Field, what’s happening tonight at Wells Fargo Center should also be fun. Let’s see if that’s the case.

WrestleMania SmackDown results from Philadelphia:

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

  • A hype video for WrestleMania narrated by Meek Mill gets you … well, hype
  • The KO Show welcomes Randy Orton, and when they both get mocked by Logan Paul, they decide to head across the street to pursue him
  • Bronson Reed wins the Andre the Giant Battle Royal, last eliminating Ivar
  • A highlight video replays the end of Raw, with The Bloodline beating the crap out of Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins
  • Karrion Kross says he targeted Bobby Lashley to teach him humility, scoffing at the idea that Lashley was left out of WrestleMania last year for any reason other than WWE not wanting him in it; Kross also says The Final Testament will win on Sunday, etc.
  • Now Logan Paul is in the building, thinking he’s outsmarted KO and Orton but quickly learning he’s wrong
  • The LWO discovers Dragon Lee has been laid out backstage
  • Elektra Lopez def. Zelina Vega by pinfall with lots of help from Legado Del Fantasma and Dominik Mysterio; Andrade is also out there but he reveals his true colors by standing with the LWO
  • Bianca Belair, Jade Cargill and Naomi are ready for WrestleMania
  • Jey Uso is fired up and wants to hear some yeets before he tangles with his big little brother
  • Rey Mysterio gets some bad news: Dragon Lee can’t compete at WrestleMania; Andrade says he’ll step up and team with Rey, so that seems official
  • New Catch Republic def. Austin Theory and Grayson Waller by pinfall, but both teams immediately get jumped by The Judgment Day after the bell
  • A hype video for Bayley takes us through her history with Damage CTRL and how it’s led to her showdown with IYO SKY, who also gives her side of the story
  • LA Knight cuts a short but passionate promo ahead of his WrestleMania grudge match with AJ Styles
  • The Pride says they will finish things with The Final Testament in the Street Fight
  • Jey Uso def. Solo Sikoa by DQ due to interference by Jimmy Uso, but Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins come to the rescue and Cody gets to cut one last pre-WrestleMania promo

The KO Show welcomes Randy Orton, who agrees with KO to go after Logan Paul

Like we’ve been saying for a bit, even if Owens and Orton aren’t BFFs, the one thing that unites them is their intense dislike for Logan Paul. Speak of the devil, he interrupts from the WrestleMania XL stage, mocking both of his challengers.

Owens and Orton realize together that Lincoln Financial Field is right across the parking lot and decide to head over there. Austin Theory and Grayson Waller pop out from under the ring and run after them, probably because they were supposed to attack KO and Randy in the ring.

We then see Owens and Orton get in a golf cart to roll over to The Linc, with Theory and Waller chasing them on foot.

Now Logan Paul is in the building, but his plan has gone awry

Guess Owens and Orton never caught up with Paul at the football stadium, as he’s now back at Wells Fargo Center. He gets right to work making fun of both them and the denizens of Philadelphia. As one does, if one is a heel.

Paul brags about playing 4D chess and says Theory and Waller will successfully ambush our heroes. He throws it to the Linc, where A-Town Down Under is perplexed as Owens and Orton are nowhere to be found.

“Did you do a thorough search?” Of course they did not, as Owens and Orton sneak into the ring. A Stunner and an RKO are quick to follow. Think this definitely means Paul is winning Sunday, but we shall see.

Bianca Belair, Naomi and Jade Cargill are ready for WrestleMania

Belair has a little Cowboy Carter going on tonight as she reminds us that she has the longest history of fighting back against Damage CTRL. It’s time to stop them for good, which is possible now that Naomi is here, and they agree that they needed each other.

But they’re still outnumbered, so it’s good they have someone new on their side: the new-EST SmackDown superstar, Jade Cargill. She’s dressed like a cowboy too, and gives Damage CTRL a shoutout for giving her the opportunity to show the WWE Universe what she’s all about.

The Big 3 will show everyone why “there is no Damage CTRL.” Asuka, Kairi and Dakota are now in the eye of the storm, and the three faces point at the WrestleMania sign again.

Jey Uso vs. Solo Sikoa ends in hijinks, and Cody Rhodes has the last word before WrestleMania

Well, it doesn’t start well for Jey as Solo smashes him into the apron, but that’s about all we get before commercials.

Will he fight back to the point where the crowd can yeet? Come on, of course.

A hip attack by Jey allows him to cover for two. There are eight minutes left in the show, but you feel like a few minutes might be reserved for hijinks.

Sikoa hits a Samoan Drop, but his Samoan Spike attempt is countered with a superkick and a spear. Jey’s Uso Splash is on target and WHAT DID WE TELL YOU? Jimmy Uso attacks and breaks up the pin.

Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins hustle down to the ring, and now that Solo and Jimmy are down, Rhodes removes his weight belt and gets in a few shots. Jey won’t let Jimmy escape, and he ends up getting rolled back into the ring to eat a Cross Rhodes, a belt shot from Rollins and an Uso Splash.

Cody grabs a mic and asks if everyone can feel the 40 years of WrestleMania history. Tomorrow night, he and Seth will slap the Final Boss so hard his soul will lift out of his body and he’ll remember what it’s like to be The People’s Champion. On Sunday (Sunday! Sunday!), Cody says he’ll dethrone the Tribal Chief.

The fans start a “Cody” chant as he says he’s fighting for everyone who’s ever had a dream. After all, when one story ends, an even better one begins.

WWE WrestleMania SmackDown preview 04/05/24: Andre the Giant Battle Royal and more

We’ll also see Jey Uso battle his other brother, Solo Sikoa, on WrestleMania SmackDown from Philadelphia.

There was a time, not long ago, actually, when the Andre the Giant Battle Royal was part of WrestleMania itself. That’s no longer the case, but it does give the WrestleMania SmackDown episode we’re about to see tonight from Philadelphia something interesting as its centerpiece.

Who will win the Andre trophy?

Heck, who is even in the Andre the Giant Battle Royal? We don’t know just yet, but there’s a chance to make some history as it’s the 10th edition of this particular battle royal. And you know WWE loves it some anniversaries.

The Six-Pack Ladder Match and multi-person brawl between The Pride and The Final Testament have removed some of the potential candidates to win this from contention, unless there are people in it who also have a WrestleMania match. Otherwise, people like the members of Alpha Academy figure to have a shot, as do JD McDonagh and Ricochet.

Jey Uso has to fight another brother

As emotional as his battle against his twin brother Jimmy will be at WrestleMania, it’s not going to be easy sledding for Jey Uso on SmackDown either. That’s because Jey has to take on his not-so-little brother Solo Sikoa, and that’s no yeet.

(Sorry.)

Will the Enforcer of The Bloodline soften Jey up and make him vulnerable for Saturday night, or can Jey take some important momentum into the Showcase of the Immortals?

Will Logan Paul crash the KO Show?

Logan Paul has a serious issue when it comes to defending his United States Championship. While Kevin Owens and Randy Orton may not be best buds, they dislike the Maverick a lot more than they do each other.

That’s definitely a problem, but it’s one that Paul can turn to his potential advantage tonight. See, Orton will be the guest on The KO Show in Philadelphia, and if there’s one thing that tends to happen under those circumstances, it’s distrust being sown. Maybe Paul can do that here so that it doesn’t feel like a handicap match on Sunday.

WrestleMania SmackDown card for Philadelphia:

  • Andre the Giant Battle Royal
  • Randy Orton is the guest on The KO Show
  • Zelina Vega vs. Elektra Lopez
  • New Catch Republic vs. Austin Theory and Grayson Waller
  • Jey Uso vs. Solo Sikoa

We’re so, so close to WrestleMania 40 but still have this one final SmackDown to get through, and it should be a fun one. Join us back here at Wrestling Junkie for live results and updates starting at 8 p.m. ET.

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WrestleMania week schedule: All the WWE programming this week

WWE is set to show off 30 hours of programming during WrestleMania week.

WWE Raw is in the books, ending with another dramatic flourish courtesy of The Bloodline. But that’s just the start of what WWE has in store during WrestleMania Week.

WWE is promoting that it has 30 hours of content on tap between now and Monday, April 8, so this week technically runs eight days. The main event is of course WrestleMania 40, which takes place Saturday and Sunday nights at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia.

There’s a lot more on the schedule, including both the usual weekly programming and a bunch of events specifically themed around the Showcase of the Immortals. Here’s what you need to know to catch as much of it as possible — and this isn’t even counting every day of WWE World at WrestleMania, which runs April 4-8 for fans to visit in person at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philly.

WrestleMania Week schedule 2024

Tuesday, April 2

  • NXT – 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on USA

Wednesday, April 3

  • WWE Speed – Premieres on X at 12 p.m. ET/9 p.m. PT

Thursday, April 4

  • The Bump – 12:30 p.m. on YouTube
  • WWE World of WrestleMania – Opens at 2 p.m. ET

Friday, April 5

  • WrestleMania XL Kickoff – 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT on Peacock and WWE social platforms
  • WWE SmackDown – 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on FOX
  • WWE Hall of Fame 2024 – 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT on Peacock (start time approximate after SmackDown)

Saturday, April 6

  • NXT Stand & Deliver – 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT on Peacock
  • Countdown to WrestleMania – 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT on Peacock
  • WrestleMania XL night 1 – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on Peacock

Sunday, April 7

  • The Slammys – 10:30 a.m. ET on WWE’s social platforms
  • Countdown to WrestleMania – 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT on Peacock
  • WrestleMania XL night 2 – 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on Peacock

Monday, April 8

  • Raw After WrestleMania – 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT on USA

[lawrence-related id=47493]

Black women in pro wrestling are having a moment. Will the industry capitalize?

Black women are major forces in pop culture writ large, but will WWE and AEW recognize and take advantage?

Never in all my years of living did I ever expect to see the 1997 comedy classic “B.A.P.S.” referenced on WWE television, but that is what happened on the March 29 edition of SmackDown.

For the uninitiated, “B.A.P.S.” is a criminally underrated film starring Halle Berry, where she gives — and I don’t mean this ironically — one of the best performances of her career. Berry’s physical comedy was amazing, and her chemistry with late co-star Natalie Desselle-Reid was off the charts.

Both were on display during a scene where Berry’s character, Nisi, shows off her … unique dancing ability. Nisi’s friend, Mickey (played by Desselle-Reid) provides her friend with unwavering support by shouting “boo-yow!” before slowly turning around to show that the word she just shouted is in fact also on the back of her elaborate hairdo.

Looks familiar? Because it’s exactly what Naomi did during her backstage segment with Bianca Belair on Smackdown, except the back of Naomi’s hair said “EST.” 

The moment nearly caused Belair to burst into laughter on live television. I personally stood up and hollered in my living room.

I stood up and hollered again when Jade Cargill sauntered to the ring later on that evening and aligned herself with Naomi and Belair. 

For some, this may have merely felt like a means to further another story heading into WrestleMania, but the significance of that visual is not lost on me. For me, it was powerful.

I’m not breaking any news when I say that professional wrestling has not always been kind to Black people. The industry’s depiction of Black people has ranged anywhere from mildly concerning to downright racist at times.

This is the same industry that turned a truck driver by the name of “Sugar Bear” James Harris into a Ugandan savage named Kamala. The legendary Tony Atlas was once forced to become Saba Simba in order to escape the perils of being unhoused. Remember when Kofi Kingston, born in Ghana, was Jamaican, accent and all?

We can’t forget about Cryme Tyme, which basically reduced two Black people (the late, great Shad Gaspard and Jayson “JTG” Paul) to criminals. And yes, I’m still angry that Gaspard and Paul never won the tag team titles in WWE.

We’re not far removed from all of this. You can watch it all on Peacock right now. No, it’s not black and white, either. Some of it is actually in high definition. 

Friday’s show of strength between Belair, Cargill, and Naomi did not suddenly erase all of professional wrestling’s ugly history when it comes to its depiction of Black people. It is, however, a snapshot of the potential impact Black people — Black women especially — could have on the wrestling industry.

Elsewhere in wrestling, AEW promoted an entire event around a Black woman (Mercedes Moné) debuting with the promotion. The result was one of AEW’s largest crowds of the year so far. And let’s not overlook the work of Willow Nightingale, Athena, Queen Aminata and others. In NXT, you have Lash Legend, who looks to be on the precipice of becoming the industry’s next big star.

Let’s be clear: Black women drive mainstream culture. You may not realize it, but they do. From catchy phrases to beauty standards, Black women shape our everyday culture in a multitude of ways.

You think Kim Kardashian invented box braids? Hell no. That started with Black women. You think wearing long, stylish fingernails is a recent trend? Nope. Started with Black women.

If a wrestling promotion is looking to remain on the cutting edge of what is cool and hip, it would behoove it to feature Black women, as they are the straw that stirs the culture.

And if wrestling is going to reach a new level of mainstream notoriety, it will be done so with Black women at the forefront.

Recent events have provided some great momentum, but will the industry capitalize? If wrestling’s past is any indication, that answer is still very much in the air.

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WWE SmackDown results 03/29/24: The Jade Cargill era has arrived

Another thing to watch for on SmackDown: Which tag teams will win their way into the Six-Pack Ladder match at WrestleMania?

As I count myself among them, I feel comfortable saying this: Wrestling fans aren’t always the most patient bunch. A not insignificant percentage of them have been clamoring for the debut of Jade Cargill, for instance, and that’s finally happening tonight on WWE SmackDown in Uncasville, Conn.

WWE clearly was in no hurry to rush the former AEW champion into the fray, despite an impressive debut earlier this year at Royal Rumble. Part of it was likely getting Cargill used to the WWE style of in-ring work, given that she’s still not super experienced compared to many of the company’s other wrestlers.

But the other part was making sure Jade could have the proper impact at a time when storytelling is so strong up and down the card, so it will be interesting to see what’s been cooked up for her.

There seems to be a logical foil for her in Damage CTRL, which still has a lot of power on SmackDown between IYO SKY and the Kabuki Warriors. Could we see Cargill come to the aid of some of the faces who have been standing against the group?

If so, that could even lead to a spot for Jade in a multi-person match at WrestleMania, which would be a good way to use her.

Speaking of WrestleMania, two tag team matches tonight will fill the final two spots in the Six-Pack Ladder match for the men’s tag team titles, which should be a spectacle. Our picks are Street Profits and New Catch Republic, though the former may get caught up in their larger feud with The Final Testament.

Let’s see what this show has in store for us.

WWE SmackDown results from Uncasville:

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

  • A brief clip of The Rock’s attack on Cody Rhodes from Raw is played, and we see Bianca Belair and Dakota Kai entering the arena earlier today
  • Pretty Deadly def Randy Orton and Kevin Owens by pinfall … but only because Logan Paul sneaks out from under the ring and lays out KO with brass knux
  • Alas, Orton realizes that Paul is probably still under the ring and drags him back out, but Pretty Deadly ensure he doesn’t get driven through the announce table … then pay for it by eating a Stunner and an RKO; Paul is chased by Orton and Owens to the back, where he jumps into a Corvette and speeds off
  • IYO SKY cuts a promo calling Bayley a narcissist and taking fans to task for siding with her, but just as she’s wrapping up, Bayley appears and attacks her, tearing up the photo backdrop until they can be separated
  • Jade Cargill signs on the dotted line with SmackDown
  • Kayla Braxton talks with Damage CTRL, and Dakota Kai wants to know why there’s a fuss being made over Cargill and Bayley before turning her attention to Belair, who she faces tonight in the main event
  • After Alba Fyre and Isla Dawn get only a passing moment of Aldis’ time, AJ Styles angrily expresses his displeasure with the GM’s actions to ensure LA Knight won’t be here tonight; elsewhere Bobby Lashley and B-Fab fire up the Street Profits
  • Austin Theory and Grayson Waller def. Street Profits by pinfall in a WrestleMania Six-Pack Ladder Match qualifier; the critical moment comes when Karrion Kross appears on the big screen and shows that he and Scarlett have beaten up Lashley and the B-Fab in the back, and after the match, Kross and the Authors of Pain beat down the Profits … and eventually Lashley
  • Santos Escobar wants to thank Dominik Mysterio for helping him against Rey Mysterio, which brings the Hall of Famer to the ring with the LWO flanking him; their discussion turns into a challenge: Rey and a partner of his choosing vs. Escobar and Dom, with Rey revealing that his partner will be the newest member of the LWO, Dragon Lee …
  • … but a brawl breaks out after Zelina Vega and Elektra Lopez light the spark, which is eventually won by the LWO
  • Bianca gets well wishes from Naomi, who says she has Belair’s back if Damage CTRL plays the numbers game
  • The Judgment Day wants to know why Dom went and freelanced and they don’t seem super thrilled with his response, but Finn Balor calms everyone else down
  • New Catch Republic def. Angel and Berto by a pinfall in a WrestleMania Six-Pack Ladder Match qualifier
  • A replay of The Rock’s attack on Cody Rhodes on Raw is played, including his continuation of said attack even after the show went off the air
  • Paul Heyman appears and insists that The Rock took out Rhodes by order of the Tribal Chief; Solo Sikoa says he’ll see Jey Uso next week and take him out by orders of the Tribal Chief
  • AJ Styles wants to chat about home invasions, but LA Knight launches an in-arena invasion this time
  • A Tiffany Stratton hype video features her promising to show everyone what Tiffy Time is all about
  • Bianca Belair def. Dakota Kai by pinfall, and both Naomi and Jade eventually help her fight off a post-match attack by Damage CTRL

Jade Cargill signs on the dotted line with SmackDown

GM Nick Aldis says his only goal since assuming the position was to make SmackDown the very best show, and he believes signing this superstar will take him another step closer to that goal. Yes, he’s talking about Jade, who looks unbelievable as always as she heads to the ring.

Cargill says it’s about damn time after she signs the contract offered by Aldis. She says SmackDown has one of the best female rosters in the world, but they aren’t her, a once-in-a-lifetime superstar. Jade says she has a weather update: The storm has arrived.

AJ Styles may have provoked LA Knight a bit too much

Styles blames the fans for being the reason that Knight came to his house and assaulted him in the front yard. Now AJ wants the biggest possible spotlight so he can expose him as “the overachieving, undertalented piece of trash that he is.”

Despite Aldis asking him to stay away, Styles guarantees Knight is there and dares him to come to the ring. A guy in a hoodie jumps over the barricade, but it’s not the Megastar and he gets led away by security.

Oh but Knight is there, wearing glasses and a wig. He gets the best of a small scrap, then hops on the announce table to vow that he’ll get the dub when they collide at WrestleMania.

Bianca Belair takes down Dakota Kai, and a storm comes to help her afterward

Kai has not wrestled all that much since her return from injury, but she’s looked good when she has and we’d expect that to continue here. Bianca shows off her ridiculous strength with rolling suplexes like it’s no big deal.

There’s cool camera work coming out of a commercial break, with the camera circling the ring and capturing the action from every angle. The presentation continues to be very up close and tight on the wrestlers for a bit, though it does switch back to the hard cam at times.

The fans get an “EST” chant going as Kai is taunting her. Bianca is able to hoist Dakota from the other side of the ropes into a deadlift suplex, one of those moves that makes you go “damn.”

The KOD follows quickly to end it, but the Kabuki Warriors jump the victor as soon as the bell rings. As she promised, Naomi comes running down to help Bianca, but the numbers are against our heroes. The fans eventually realize what’s going on and chant for Jade Cargill, who obliges and strides to the ring.

Cargill quickly mows through Kai and the Warriors, locking eyes on Asuka who has escaped the worst of it. Six-woman tag at WrestleMania, anyone?

WWE SmackDown preview 03/29/24: Jade Cargill arrives, tag teams punch Mania tickets

Other big matches for WWE SmackDown include Bianca Belair vs. Dakota Kai and Kevin Owens & Randy Orton against Pretty Deadly.

This is how you know WWE is rolling right now: It’s less than 10 days until WrestleMania and there’s still time for a highly anticipated debut tonight on WWE SmackDown from Uncasville, Conn.

Jade Cargill arrives in earnest

The debut of a hot free agent or returning star is generally something WWE has held for right after WrestleMania, perhaps even on Raw the very next night. Not so this year, as Jade Cargill is ready to maker her presence felt on SmackDown.

Is it too late to get Jade into a match on the WrestleMania 40 card? We’d normally say yes, but there’s the whole Damage CTRL thing going on and plenty of women (Bianca Belair, for one) currently without set plans for Philly. Watch closely to see what happens on tonight’s show.

Two more tag teams will join the WrestleMania party

There are two spots left in the Six-Pack Ladder Match for the tag team titles next weekend, but they’ll both be filled on SmackDown. In one match, the Street Profits will take on A-Town Down Under, while in the other, Legado Del Fantasma will battle the New Catch Republic.

Unlike the teams that qualified from Raw, one would think that the winners on Friday night won’t immediately get beaten down by The Judgment Day since they’re not on the SmackDown roster, but everyone appears to be showing up everywhere these days, so you can’t be sure of that.

WWE SmackDown card for 3/29/24 from Uncasville, Conn.:

  • Jade Cargill makes her first appearance as a SmackDown superstar
  • Street Profits vs. A-Town Down Under – Winner gets a spot in the Six-Pack Ladder Match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania
  • Bianca Belair vs. Dakota Kai
  • New Catch Republic vs. Legado Del Fantasma – Winner gets a spot in the Six-Pack Ladder Match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania
  • Kevin Owens and Randy Orton vs. Pretty Deadly

Two more SmackDowns to go before WrestleMania, and we’re looking forward to this one. Join us back here at Wrestling Junkie at 8 p.m. ET as we recap the action live.

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WWE SmackDown results 03/22/24: Cody Rhodes comes prepared for Bloodline hijinks

Turns out that neither Roman Reigns nor Cody Rhodes really kept their word on WWE SmackDown in Milwaukee.

Promises are a funny thing. Even villains, when they have a code of honor, can keep them, and there’s a big one that is at the heart of tonight’s WWE SmackDown from Milwaukee.

This week on Raw, Roman Reigns gave his word via Paul Heyman that he wanted to talk to Cody Rhodes on SmackDown and that he’d show up alone — no other Bloodline except for Heyman. In return, he asked that Rhodes also bring no backup, and Cody agreed.

It was somewhat reminiscent of the kind of agreement you’d see in movies, like a hostage exchange or drop of some sort. Meet me at this place, at this time, no cops.

Whether Reigns actually follows through will tell us a lot about how he’s feeling on the Road to WrestleMania. Does it make sense, at this point in his tale, that he’d be confident enough to stand across from Cody with no contingency plan? He did defeat Rhodes last year at WrestleMania, after all.

Or is Roman now paranoid and willing to go back on his word, a sign he’d do anything to keep the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship from even possibly slipping through his grasp?

It’ll also be nice to see Reigns take center stage on the Bloodline portion of things, as he’s been somewhat upstaged by The Rock the last few weeks. Pretty sure that’s never going to come up again somewhere down the road. Yep, probably never. Wink, wink.

There are important tag team matches in store as well, which will help shape the Tag Team Ladder match at WrestleMania. Buckle up and prepare, Milwaukee, because here we go.

WWE SmackDown results from Milwaukee:

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

  • Cody Rhodes and Damage CTRL are shown entering the arena
  • Santos Escobar def. Rey Mysterio by pinfall, in large part due to a distraction from Dominik Mysterio
  • Bayley thanks Naomi for helping her last week, but Bianca Belair hasn’t forgiven the Role Model for what she did as leader of Damage CTRL, and Naomi ends up having to step between them as they bicker
  • Backstage, Bianca and Naomi continue to have a conversation, to which Naomi says she can’t change what’s happened in the past and won’t back down when Damage CTRL is picking them off one by one
  • Austin Theory and Grayson Waller def. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows by pinfall in a Tag Team Championship Qualifying Match, with Theory using the ropes for leverage to aid in his pinfall
  • A hype video pushes Bron Breakker as a superior athlete
  • Highlights are shown from Roman Reigns’ appearance on “The  Pat McAfee Show”
  • IYO SKY def. Naomi by pinfall thanks to aid from Damage CTRL; after the match, Naomi gets a dose of the poison mist from Asuka before Bianca Belair hits the ring with a vengeance, and is able to do pretty well against the whole group until numbers wear her down
  • Jade Cargill will make her first official appearance as a SmackDown superstar next week
  • Tiffany Stratton mocks Naomi as she’s trying to get the mist rinsed out of her eyes
  • Nick Aldis is talking to Kevin Owens when they’re interrupted by Pretty Deadly, and KO ends up challenging them to a tag team match alongside Randy Orton; K.O. ends up punching both members of Pretty Deadly in the face at once, as he does
  • Footage is shown of LA Knight rolling up at the house of AJ Styles and starting a fight with him, then dashcam video shows Knight getting arrested

  • Street Profits def. Authors of Pain by pinfall in a Tag Team Championship Qualifying Match
  • Paul Heyman is on the phone telling Roman Reigns that Cody Rhodes is here alone, and that his public awaits
  • Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes go face to face, and when it turns out Reigns actually did bring The Bloodline with him, Cody has backup too in the form of Jey Uso and Seth Rollins

Naomi learns going it alone against IYO SKY isn’t really a great idea

Is IYO even going to make it out to the ring? Cameras find her backstage scrapping with Bayley, but she gets the better of it and refs finally tell the WWE Women’s Champion to get to the ring.

SKY has to weather an early storm, and the crowd gets behind Naomi as she rallies to hit a springboard bulldog of sorts for a near fall that leads to a commercial break.

Yes Corey Graves, Milwaukee is starting to feel the glow after the break. She splashes into a split but gets only another two count.

You feel like Damage CTRL is going to interfere at some point, and perhaps others may get involved too. Maybe soon after Naomi hits a superplex and rolls through to produce another near fall.

Ah here come the Kabuki Warriors and Dakota Kai, perfectly timed to set their leader up for an Over the Moonsault to win it.

Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes exchange insults, and neither came alone

So far so good for Reigns sticking to his word, as Roman comes to the ring accompanied only by Paul Heyman. The Tribal Chief asks for and is handed a mic, talking about how he kept his word and showed up without the Bloodline. He asks everyone to acknowledge him while Cody is shown walking toward the entrance.

After commercials, Rhodes makes his way out to join Reigns in the ring. Cody says he’s as much a man of his word and also came alone, to which Roman calls him a fool.

From Reigns’ perspective, Rhodes is unfit for the position of face of the company. He scoffs at Cody aligning himself with Seth Rollins, reminding Rhodes that Rollins eventually stabbed him in the back.

Cody of course remembers The Shield, but asks if Roman remembers the first team that defeated them. He also says he has his “bullet cufflinks” on so he knows all about factions and betrayals, and he’s banking on Rollins hating Reigns more than he hates Cody.

There’s also a good question: Can Roman trust The Rock? Who’s really in charge of The Bloodline anyway, the Tribal Chief or the Final Boss? A “Roman sucks” chant breaks out in response.

Reigns retorts that Rhodes said the same thing to The Rock in reverse, then ridicules him for promising things and failing to deliver like a politician. All Cody will ever be is No. 2, while he’s No. 1 … forever.

Talking about how Reigns grew up in the business like he did, Rhodes says he’s accepted the idea that the next generation of youngsters will grow up wanting to be the next Roman. Cody disagrees about being No. 2, though, saying he’s the one and offering a handshake and good luck at WrestleMania.

Reigns shakes Heyman’s hand instead and they leave the ring. But Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa are approaching the ring through the crowd, and the American Nightmare looks surrounded.

Cody cracks a smile, though, as Jey Uso and Seth Rollins are also out in the crowd. It’s a big standoff to end the show, like something out of a movie.

WWE SmackDown preview 03/22/24: Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes face off

WWE SmackDown from Milwaukee will also see two teams get closer to qualifying for the Ladder match at WrestleMania.

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Paul Heyman says Roman Reigns is a Tribal Chief of his word. Whether Cody Rhodes can truly trust that or not is an issue at the very heart of tonight’s WWE SmackDown from Milwaukee.

What will Cody, Roman want to talk about — and will they do it alone?

Even though Reigns and Rhodes are no strangers to each other, it’s only right that they have another face-to-face meeting before they fight not once but twice at WrestleMania 40. It’s good that they are, too, because as one of the Wrestling Junkie staffers said last week, it was starting to feel like Cody vs. The Rock was the main event since they’ve been interacting the most.

That shouldn’t happen tonight, as The Rock isn’t scheduled to be here and Reigns promised (via Heyman) that no other members of The Bloodline would be on hand. If we were Reigns, though, we’d have Seth Rollins or Jey Uso on speed dial. You know, just in case.

Can Rey Mysterio get some revenge against Santos Escobar?

One of the pieces of the WrestleMania 40 puzzle that hasn’t quite fallen into place yet is the one concerning Legado Del Fantasma and the LWO. Will there be a multi-person match of some sort? We might get an idea tonight.

On the surface, it’s going to be Rey Mysterio vs. Santos Escobar one on one. But while that sounds great on paper, it seems unlikely that no one from their respective groups will try to get involved. And if that happens, a match could very well be made for Philly by the end of the night.

Who will get closer to joining the teams in the Six-Pack Ladder match at WrestleMania?

There are two spots left in the Ladder match at the Show of Shows, and there still will be by the time SmackDown fades to black. But two teams will advance one more step in two separate matches, one of which is very interesting.

Let’s deal with the one that should be by the books first. Austin Theory and Grayson Waller will take on the Good Brothers and … let’s be real, Anderson and Gallows haven’t done anything as of late to make one think they’ll be competing for gold at WrestleMania.

The other match pits the Street Profits against Authors of Pain. Not only could you see either team in the Ladder match, it’s going to be a continuation of the beef between Bobby Lashley and the Profits (please give them a stable name already) and The Final Testament. Should be intriguing.

We’re going to tear ourselves away from college hoops for a few hours tonight to recap all the action live, so join us back here at Wrestling Junkie at 8 p.m. ET for all the latest.

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